ΑΠΟΣΠΑΣΜΑΤΙΑ SACRA: OR A Collection of posthumous and orphan LECTURES: Delivered at St. PAUL'S and St. GILES his Church, BY The Right Honourable AND Reverend Father in God LANCELOT ANDREWS, Lord Bishop of Winchester. Never before extant. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Heb. 11.4. Printed by R. Hodgkinson, for H. Moseley, A. Crook, D. Pakeman, L. Fawn, R. Royston, and N. Ekins. 1657. The Preface. AS there is nothing that a Christian can more desire than a personal union with his mystical Head; so there is nothing that a Christian ought more to value than the precious means of its achievement: For, as the highest degree of perfect Happiness, is to be actually present with Christ in Heaven; so the highest degree of imperfect happiness (such of which we are capable in this valley of Tears) is our assurance of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Heb. 6. 11. hope that we shall be happy in perfection. Now amongst the several Requisites and means of Bliss, our invoking of God Almighty is not the least: for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be b Rom. 10. 13 saved; But as we cannot call upon him in whom we have not believed, nor believe on him of whom we have not yet heard; so neither can we hear without c verse 14. a Preacher. Upon which it follows; That because Faith d verse 17. cometh by Hearing, and Invocation by Faith, therefore (in order of Nature, though not of Dignity) Invocation is the third step; Faith the second; and lawful e verse 15. Preaching the very first. But here it ought to be considered, That Preaching is not only That, which in these innovating times hath swallowed up the word Preaching. Nor are Sermons only those which spend themselves and expire with the fugitive breath of him that speaks them; and being publicly uttered no more than once, do either vanish, as mere words, into the soft Air; or else are, as water commonly split upon the Ground. We know that Preaching is a general word, which properly signifies to divulge or f Luk. 8. 39 publish; And though we usually restrain it to the manifestation of God's own word, yet That may also be Preached more ways than one. The Catechising of Neophytes in the purest Ages of the Church, may be worthily called one kind of Preaching, although they were not admitted to any higher degree of Teaching than to the very first Rudiments and Grounds of Faith. It was said by Justin Martyr, in his Paraenesis to the Grecians, that even in some of their own writings the very Judgement to come was Preached to them; and particularly in Plato's, the g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just. Mart. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 10. 21. 22 etc. Plato in Rep. l. 10. Resurrection of the Body. The same Father tells us that Orpheus h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Justin. Mart. ibid. p. 13. preached to his son Musaeus, concerning the unity of the only true God. The public Homilies of the Church are an exact kind of Preaching, and that in the judgement of Master Hooker, as well as of King James, and the Council of k Hooker Eccl. Polit. l. 5. § 9 Vaux. The holy-Ghost's amanuensis did even Preach to the Eyes and Understandings of all the World, by transmitting what they had written from hand to hand, as well as when they conveyed it by word of mouth. The Word of God doth Preach itself to every man living who will but read it. The public Reading of the Scriptures is the best kind of Preaching to all that hear it; And so the Council of Toledo was pleased to call it. The Reading of the Law was laid by Moses as the foundation, whereon to build in men's spirits the l Deut 31. 11.12.13. fear of God: Upon the bare Reading of which Law King Josiah was so moved, and wrought upon, that he m 2 Chron. 34 18.19.27.31. humbled himself, and wept, and rend his , and made a Covenant before the Lord, to keep his Commandments and his Statutes, and perform the words of the Covenant which were written in that book; Nor is it unworthy to be ruminated upon; That though Moses was Theopneust, the Friend and Favourite of God (as well as Abraham) and sure as able to speak, without book, the mind and Tenor of the Law, as any man that ever lived before or after, yet he thought it as effectual to the saving of Souls, to take the book of the Covenant, which he had first transcribed from God's own Preaching upon the Mountain, and publicly to n Exod. 24. 1.2.4.7. read it in the audience of the People. Now the Reason of this is very evident, and deserves to be considered by that sort of Hearers, who are wont to prefer the words of men, when gracefully spoken out of the Pulpit, before the plain word of God, when merely read out of the Pew, not at all considering, That the o Mal. 4. 2. Sun of Righteousness in the Scripture, like the Sun of Nature in the Firmament, shines much the brighter for being Naked. It is not the Language, Fancy, Wit and Learning (which are eminently seen in one sort of Preachers) much less the Memory, the Lungs and the Gesticulations (which are daily observable in another sort of Preachers) I say it is not any of these things, nor all together, that is effectually powerful to the conversion of Souls; Nay it is not the Spirits going along with the Preacher, that doth alone do the work (for the Spirit of God did go along with the Apostles when they were cast out of the Cities, and along with our Saviour, in the fullness of his Godhead, when yet he could * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etc. Mar. 6. 5. Ad divina enim opera requiritur accipientis Fides: Ergo hine sequitur, homines in credulos & ingratos quaesi Deo manus vincîre, ne ipsis opem ferat. Theod. Beza in locum not. do many Miracles in his own Country merely because of their unbelief) but 'tis his working a docility in the heads and hearts of such as hear, that they receive with meekness the engrafted p Jam. 1. 21. word, which is alone able to save their Souls. This doth open to us a reason why the very same Sermon hath such variety of effects in them that hear it, and why a Jonah may preach to the melting of some, whilst a Jeremy may do it to the hardening of others. If woegoe to Christ's School as * Mar. 10. 15. little-childrens (that is) with humble, attentive, and teachable Dispositions, we shall be great proficients and wise enough unto salvation, by hearing those Sermons distinctly read, which our * 1 Cor. 7. 23 only Master & his Messengers are incessantly preaching throughout the Scriptures; whereas without that temper and preparedness of mind, we shall (in utramque aurem dormire) only sleep with our Eyes open; and where Gods own word, through our wretchlessness, is not sufficient to awake us from that Lethargy of sin wherein our Souls lie steeped, and swallowed up, Certainly nothing that is humane will raise us out of our senselessness and carnal security; All the vehemence and Invention, all the noises and Declamations, all the Grimaces and gestures of all the Lectures in the world will but amuse our Ears, and lull our Fancies, and benumb our Apprehensions, and (like so much Laudanum) make us snore in our sins so much the louder. 'twas by the q 1 Cor. 1. 25 & 21. which compare with vers. 18. foolishness of God (to use the Apostles Catachresis) and by the foolishness of preaching (as the worldly-wise than thought it) by which it pleased God to save them that believe, that is to say, by the plainness and simplicity of the Gospel, without the artifice and colours of skilful men, the world was turned upside down, as the envious r Act. 17. 5 6 Jews were pleased to phrase it. By that word, and that spirit which the learned Greeks so much despised, Saint Peter preached to the conversion of s Act. 2. 41 three thousand Souls at one short Sermon, and of t Act. 4. 4 five thousand at another. Far be this which I have spoken from being spoken to the disparagement of those judicious and pious Sermons, which have been usefully preached by able men. Had I not been a true lover of all good preaching, and even of all such Lectures, as were regularly founded and authorised, not to factious but pious ends, I should not now have gratified the importunity of friends (however many and urgent on this occasion) by helping to usher into the world, (and by commending to the perusal of every Reader, who can be glad to grow wiser than now he is) The very learned, wise and sacred Relics of this Great Author who lies before us. I am not now to be taught, That though the best way to knowledge, is to u Job. 5. 39 search the Scriptures, as those that testify of him who hath the words of w Job 6. 68 eternal life, and that as faith cometh by hearing, so hearing cometh by the word of x Rom. 10. 17 God (not by the glosies, or conjectures, or dexterities of men) yet there are many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 precious and hidden treasures of knowledge which God was pleased to lock up in Tropes and Figures, of which the unstable y 2 Pet. 3. 16 and the unlearned are not entrusted with the z Luk. 11. 52 Key. The Priest's a Mal. 2. 7 lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the Law at his mouth, as being the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, apud LXX. Angel or Messenger of the Lord of Hosts, and the Steward of those Mysteries which God hath committed to his keeping. The famous Eunuch of c Acts 8. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31 Ethiopia was able to read the Prophet Esay, and had so good an understanding as to discern how little he understood it; and therefore St Philip was joined to him for his Guide. There were some d 2 Pet. 3. 16 hard things in St Paul's Epistles, which many did wrest to their own destruction, of which St Peter doth give us no other reason, than their want of learning, as well as of stability. Those waters e Isa. 55. 1. of life are not every where fordable, no not to this tall Elephant who waded in them so very deeply, much less to the low-statured silly Lambs, who are apt, in shallow places, to sink or swim. And therefore, though it is evident, that our very best drinking is immediately out of the crystal Spring, whilst the f 1 Pet. 2. 2. milk of the word is yet f 1 Pet. 2. 2. sincere, not mixed and troubled with the skilful deceits of knavish g Eph. 4. 14. Phil. 1. 15. 16 Teachers, or with the zealous ignorance of honest h Rom. 10 2. Heb. 5 12. fools; yet in the Body of the Church, we know that every Member is not an k 1 Cor. 12. 14. 17. 19 27. 28. Eye, and every one that hath Eyes is not a l Isa. 30. 10. Mich. 3. 7. Seer, and yet there must be Seers, that there may be Vision; for where there is no m Prov. 29. 18. Vision, the People perish. The Church of God, which is the n 1 Tim. 3. 15. Pillar and ground of the Truth, is universally acknowledged. The common Mother of us all. And though some of her Children can feed themselves by her direction, and are able to digest the strongest o Heb. 5. 14. Meat, and can carve besides to their weaker Brethren, yet such as are Infants in understanding, or new born Babes p 1 Pet. 2. 2. in Christianity, must suck the * 1 Cor. 3. 2. Heb. 5. 12. 13. milk of the word from their Mother's Breast, or else receive it from their q Mal. 2. 7. lips, whom she hath appointed to give them food in due season. For want of able Pilots to steer their course, by the knowledge which they have to use their Card and their Compass in Application to their polar r Hebr. 12. 2. Num. 24. 17 Star, how many s 2 Pet. 3. 16. little ones have been s 2 Pet. 3. 16. drowned in the t Rev. 22. 1. River of life, and as it were swallowed up by that sincere * 1 Pet. 2. 2. milk of the word, which able Pastors would have taught them to swallow down? But as on the one side it must be granted, that where the Scriptures are dark there must be Guides to the blind; and where the places are steep or slippery, there must be Leaders of the Infirm: so again on the other side it is too plain to be denied, that there are many u Mat. 23. 16 blind Guides and feeble Leaders of the blind, who carry those that follow them into the same w Mat. 15. 14. Ditch of error, wherein themselves are delighted to lie and welter. There are not wanting in our Israel some bleareyed Seers, who love x Job. 3. 19 darkness rather than light. Their inward eyes are so fore, and so fare from being patiented of seeing the Sun in his Meridian, that nothing seemeth to hurt and offend them more than the brightness and glory of any opposite Truth, when it endeavours to break in, and dispel the darkness of their Designs; which is in effect the very reason that St. John hath rendered why men love darkness and hate the light, because (saith he) Their y Ibid. deeds are evil. There is another kind of Seers, who are not bleareyed, but rather purblind; they are extremely , and cannot see a far z 2 Pet. 1. 9 off. They look no farther than the outside and face of things: And not discerning the very marrow and kernel of what is written, they conclude that there is nothing beyond the bone and the shell. So when Hercules had traveled as fare as the straits of Gibraltar, he presently set up his Pillars, and wrote upon them his (Ne plus ultra,) supposing he had gone unto the end of all the Earth, because he was able to go no farther: Whereas Americus Vesputius and Christopher Columbus had their eyes of understanding fare better sighted, and were able to find out another World. There is a third sort of Seers, who are not purblind, but double sighted and squint-eyed, at least appearing to look two a Ecclus. 2. 12 Jam. 1. 8. ways at once, having one aspect upon God and another upon Mammon; obliquely glancing with the left eye upon Godliness, and attentively gazing with the right eye upon Gain; as if they endeavoured by their practice to confute the Aphorism of Christ, That No man (at once) can serve two b Luk 16. 13 Masters. It is now too late to be dissembled, That since so many have preached without a Mission, and since so many have made Preachers without a Commission, since the Sanctuary of God, which was appointed by Him to be a House of c Mat. 21. 13. Prayer, hath been turned by d Those in Hooker's Eccles. Polit. l. 5. § 32. some into a House ofmeer Preaching, the very plenty and redundance of such as preach before they are e Jer. 23. 21. sent, and of such as preach against those that sent them, may be said, in some sense, to have bred a Famine of the Word. This puts me in mind of what was said by the * Florus. Historian (in ipso Samnio Samnium requiratur.) In such a case as this is, we are hardly able to see wood for Trees. There are so many vast numbers of either untaught or ill-taught Teachers, that amongst them all nothing of good is to be learned. Nor was there ever more need to press that Caveat upon the People which our Saviour gave to his Disciples (though 〈◊〉 by Him in a different sense) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Take heed f Mar. 4 24. what ye hear, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Take heed g Luk 8. 18. how ye hear, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Take heed h Mat. 24 4. whom ye hear. For where there is one good k Joh. 10. 11. Shepherd who entereth by the door l verse 1. into the Fold, there is a m vers. 1. & 10. Thief and a n vers. 12. Hireling, a o vers. 12. Mat. 7. 15. Wolf, and a p Mat. 24. 5. Deceiver, who do all climb up some q Job. 10. 1. other way. For one good Shepherd, who will lay down his r vers. 11. life (if need require) in defence of his Sheep against the Wolf, how many Hirelings are there who leave s vers. 12. the Sheep and flee away, as soon as they see the Wolf coming? How many Thiefs are there, who t vers. 10. come not into the Fold, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy? How many Wolfe-like Shepherds do walk about in u Mat. 7. 15 Sheep's clothing, but carry nothing into the Fold by which they are qualified for Shepherds, besides an iron Hook and a pair of Sheers? We know the Word in itself hath not only a heating w Jer. 23. 29. , but withal a x Joh. 15. 3. cleansing Faculty. But as the God of all Grace, and Grace itself, so the means of Grace (next to God and his Grace, are most of all capable of being injured. And because the abuse of the best things doth ever prove the greatest and worst abuse; therefore the liberty of the Pulpit hath been of much sadder consequence than that of the Stage. Infidelity cometh by hearing as well as Faith; and that by hearing the word of God too; I mean, by hearing it perverted, not rightly opened, nor well applied. And I wish it were not easy to prove so lamentable a Truth by much deplorable experience, as well in former as later Times. Since the Jesuits Apes have taught the People to rely upon the opus operatum of hearing Sermons (as if Religion consisted in the outward Sacrifice of the Ear) it is well known that in France, as well as in many other places, the greatest pretenders to Reformation have by their preaching and practice (their practice suitable to their preaching) helped to make Reformation an odious word. Whilst they whose Office should have obliged them to have been Messengers of Peace (shedding abroad among the People words of Reconciliation, Humility, and strict obedience) have been the Boutefeux and Bellows of nothing but wars and tumults and irreconcilable Dissensions. The chiefest Protestants in France (such as the Dukes of Rouen and Boullion, the famous Mornay du Plessis, and learned Cameron) could not hold from complaining against their own Preachers: It seeming horrible to Them, that the first Banners should be displayed by such as professed to be Ministers of the Gospel of Peace. But so it is (and can never enough be insisted on, until a perfect Amendment and Renovation.) That since the a Mat. 24. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I mean, the Doctrines of Buchanan and Junius, Brutus, Boucherius, Hottoman and Paraeus, have been made to stand in the holy a Mat. 24. 15. Places, Christian Magistrates have trembled at the very opening of Church doors, as at the opening the doors of Janus: and the first day of the week hath rather been a day of Sabbaoth, for the mustering up of Hosts and Armies, than a Christian Sabbath or Day of Rest. Pulpits have been the places where men have beaten up their Drums and lifted up their voices like so many Trumpets, not (as the b Isa. 58. 1. Prophet) to show the People their Transgressions, but to exhort and incite them to their Commissions. They who compelled so many thousands to perish at Rochel for want of victuals, rather than suffer them to partake of the Royal clemency that was offered they who made a conflagration of the whole Province of Languedoc and parts adjoining; they who eminently murdered the learned Cameron, for refusing to run into the same excess of Riot, were none others then the pretended and professed Ministers of the Gospel. And if the Name of the Gospel was thus abused even in France (where the Beast was more subject to bit and Bridle,) How much more was it in Scotland, where it was frequent for the Beast to hold fast the bit betwixt his Teeth, or to spit it out of its mouth, or to shift the Rains from off its Neck, and thereupon either to cast or run away with its Rider. The pretended Heralds of Peace and Charity, national Unity and Concord, have been the Tragical Boanerges, whose Thunders have been seconded with Thunderbolts. They have turned their Flocks and Congregations into Bands and Regiments, and have made their Churches their several places of Rendez-vous. When any Malcontents, whether Lay or Clergy, have meditated Disturbance to Church and State, the common custom hath been to dispatch their Emissaries and Tickets to all the Praecones of the Pulpit, to make them pray up and preach up the thing Designed: whose tongues have been touched with such Coals of fury (rather than zeal) as have kindled a fire throughout the Body of the Church; such a flagrant and spreading, devouring fire as hath not been able to be quenched with less effusions than of many whole Rivers of Christian- blood. King James complained at c A.D. 1620 Newmarket; (upon occasion of Mr. Haddock, who was wont to preach in his sleep, as he pretended, that he might vent his own Inventions as the Oracles of God) of his Troubles which in his Kingdom of Scotland he had received from that Sect; professing his inability to suppress those Ministers from open slandering in their Sermons: In so much that many times he was constrained to interrupt them in the midst of their Declamations, whereby they did not only presume to rail by name at his Servants, but against his own Royal person before his face, and all this out of the Pulpit, and in perfect digression from their Text. For twelve entire years together, during his Residence in Scotland (for his Reign we can hardly call it) he prayed to God upon his knees before every Sermon he was to hear, that he might hear nothing from the Preacher which might afterwards grieve him; but after his coming into England (he said) his case was so well altered, that his Prayer was to 〈◊〉 by what he heard. Indeed whoever hath but dipped into the Scotish Story, and remembers what he hath read concerning Mr. d 〈◊〉 Hist. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 367. 368. James Gibson, or David e Idem ibid. p. 419. 420. 421 as far as p. 426. Black, Mr. Robert f Ibid. p. 416. 417. 451. Bruce, Mr. Walter g Ibid. p. 427. balcanqual, Mr. Andrew h Ibid. p. 419. 455. Melvill, Mr. John k Ibid. p. 430. Welch, Mr. Robert l Ibid. p 446. 447. Wallis, and Mr. l Ibid. p 446. 447. Dalgleish, Mr. John m Ibid. p. 450. 451. Davidson, and Mr. John n Ibid. p. 456. Dikes, besides the 〈◊〉 and Knox's, and many others of the same P●…st, (some declaring * Loc. citat. out of the Pulpit, " That all King's were the Devils Barns; That the Devil was in the Court, and in the guiders of it; That King James in particular, was possessed with seven Devils; That his Queen was only to be prayed for for fashion's sake; That Queen Elizabeth was an Atheist; That the King (then over them) had discovered the treachery of his heart; That the Subjects might lawfully rise and take the sword out of his hands; That the Judges, Nobility, and Lords of the Council were Miscreants and Bribers, godless Dissemblers, enemies to the Church, holy Glasses, Cormorants, and of no Religion:)" I say, whoever hath read such things as these, will not wonder at that hatred which the learned and orthodox King James conceived of them; nor at that advice which he gave his son, " To take heed of such o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. lib. 2. p. 41. 42. Puritans, very Pests in the Church and Commonweal (they are the Kings own words) whom no deserts can oblige, nor oaths or promises bind; breathing nothing but Sedition and calumnies, aspiring without meusure, railing without reason, and making their own imaginations the square of their Conscience." Nor will any man wonder, that so much p K. J. his letter from Windsor, to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Aug. 4. A.D. 1622. care was taken by him for the giving of Laws to the Pulpit, and more especially for the regulating of Lectures, that there might not be " broached (by the reading of late Writers and ungrounded Divines) any unsound, 〈◊〉 and dangerous Doctrines, to the scandal of the Church, the disquieting of the State and present Government." I will conclude what I have spoken of the corruptions of the Pulpit with the complaint and Prophecy of our incomparable q Bpp. Andrews Opusc. p. 31. 32. 33. Author, which he delivered to all the Bishops of a Provincial Synod. First of all he complained, Ex quo nuper hîc apud Nos vapulárunt Canes muti, animos sibi sumpsit indoctissimus quisque, involavit in locum hunc, hic ad clepsydram 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, cohaerentia non cohaerentia, scabra, putida, insulsa, nec co●…a nec condita praecipitavit usque, & boc salicet Concionari dicitur. Ex quo p●…iginoso cuique aditus patesactios hlc quicquid libet effutiendi, Ecclesiam Tonstrinam versa est, non plus ibi ineptiarum quàm hic. Theologia in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Canes non la trantes mulati in Catulos oblatrantes. Siquis quid enucleatae aut reconditae eruditionis prose●…, Statim Corruprorem clamant, & quasi adulterantem verbum Dei: ita reun peragunt ipsi omnium corruptores & caupones nequissimi, qui non eruditionem immiscent, sed pro ed nugas & naenias, & cerebig cruditates, quibus non sallua, non albumen ovi magis aut ●ejunum aut ●…sulsum est. " That since the dumb Dogs were lately beaten, every Dunce took upon him to usurp the Pulpit, where talking by the hour glass, and throwing forth headlong their incoherent, misshapen, and stinking crudities, to the very glut and surfeit of all wise hearers, they have the luck forsooth to have it called by the name of Preaching. He further added, That since unlearned and itching tongues had invaded the liberty of speaking their pleasures from the Pulpit, the very Church was infested with as many fooleries of aiscourse as are commonly vented in the places where men sheare sheep. By which means (saith our Author) Theologie was turned into mere Battologic, and the dumb Dogs into barking Whelps; crying out against them who improve their Sermons with any unvulgar and choice parts of learning, as those that corrupt and adulterate the word of God." Whilst they themselves (who thus rail against the things they understand not) " are the most dishonest Hucksters and corrupters of it; the crude and raw trifles of their own sick brains are as unsavoury as spittle, as tastlesse and insipid as the white of an Egg." This is the upshot of this greatmans' complaint: And his Prophecy upon it was briefly this, That unless the Synod then assembled would take heed unto themselves, and to all the Flock, to the Church of God, to the Doctrine of the Church, and to the Dispenser's of the Doctrine, " There would * Nisi Doctrinae Voci, idque maturè attendatis, brevi aulla futiarae est omnino, cui (si maxime velitis) possitis attendere. In Conc. ad C●…vum in Synod. provinc. Cantuar. prov. 1593. shortly come a time when nothing of these should be left to be taken heed of; And a r p. 40. Babel should be erected instead of Zion." Now that this most learned and pious Prelate was most impartially severe in every part of that Sermon, and sincerely aimed (in his severity) at the peace and welfare of Church and State, (to which he was carried by s Scias me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pacis semper studiosum fuisse. Idem in Kesp. ad Epist. 1. Petr. Molinae● p. 172. nature as well as by design) and that he meant the same Faction or Sect of Preachers to whom his beloved King James was so deservedly severe (as being always infested by them) will undeniably appear to every intelligent and honest Reader, who will t Conser. opusc. p. 39 40. ut & p. 31. 33. cum p. 165. 166. & seq. compare that Latin Sermon with his three Epistles to learned Moulin. What the admired Bishop Andrews, and the judicious Mr. Hooker, and many other wise men of the age last passed, did only fear and foresee, we, the first of their Posterity, have lived to feel: I mean the lamentable effects which are wont to follow (I say not the liberty, but) the licentiousness of the Pulpit. What comes too late to be prevented, may yet, in time, be capable of some redress. Be our condition never so ill, we cannot hope to make it better by merely despairing of our Amendment. What I have hitherto premised concerning the nature of our Disease, is not intended to deject or afflict any Reader, but only to make him the more attentive to what is offered in this Volume (at least) as one means of Cure and Restauration. Where there are too many Sermons, I apprehend there are too few. And the more numerous they are who preach up Heresy and Schism and Disobedience, the greater number is needful to preach them down. The more unruly and vain * T●t 1. 10. Talkers, especially they of the Circumcision (the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do † Vers. 11. subvert whole Houses, and teach things which they ought not for filthy lucre's fake; the more need have we of such as hold * Vers. 9 & 11. fast the faithful word; and are able by sound Doctrine, both to exhort, and to convince, and to stop the mouths of Gainsayers. The greater plenty there is of them * 1 Tim. 4. 1.2. who depart from the Faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and Doctrines of Devils, speaking lies in Hypocrisy, & having their Conscience seared with an hot iron; The more must They be needs wanted who are † Verse 6.7.13.15.16. good Ministers of Christ, nourished up in the words of Faith and good Doctrine; refusing profane and old Wives Fables, giving attendance unto Reading and Meditation, and continuing in both, that they may save themselves and them that hear them. By how much the more we do abound with such as * 2 Tim. 3. 6 7.8. creep into Houses, leading captive silly Women, ever learning, but never learned, such as like Jannes and Jambres resist the Truth; The greater abundance there ought to be of such as † Vers. 14. & 17. continue in the things which they have learned and been assured of, knowing of whom they have learned them, and are throughly furnished unto all good works. The more there are of those * 2 Tim. 4. 3.4. itching and prurient Ears who cannot endure sound Doctrine, but heap to themselves Teachers who have as prurient and itching Tongues, and turn away their attentions from aged Truth unto newly devised Fables and Conceits after the Mode; By so much the greater is the necessity of such as are knowing and stable men, holding † 2 Tim. 1. 13 fast the form of sound words, and preaching according to the * Rom. 12 6. Analogy of Faith, teaching the People to walk in the † Jer. 6. 16. old and the good way, that walking therein they may find rest unto their Souls. In a word, The more Interpreters there are who have a Luk. 11. 52 taken away the Key of knowledge, neither entering in themselves, nor suffering others to enter in; by so much the more we stand in need of all those faithful * 1 Cor. 4. 1.2. and able * 1 Cor. 4. 1.2. Stewards, who may b Prov. 2. 12. deliver us from the way of the evil Man, from the man that speaketh froward things. Now if ever any Bishop, since the Apostles own Times, was both a faithful and able Steward, rightly using the Key of knowledge, religiously opening the Mysteries of God, bringing c Mat. 13. 52 forth out of his Treasures things new and old; If ever any Pastor took d Act. 20. 28 1 Tim 4. 16. careful heed unto himself, and to his Flock, over which the holy-Ghost had made him Overseer, e 2 Tim. 4. 5. watching in all things, enduring afflictions, doing the work of an Evangelist, and making full proof of his Ministry; If ever any f 2 Tim. 2. 15 Workman needed not to be ashamed, as rightly dividing the word of Truth, and venting nothing out of the Pulpit but what is g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (1 Tim. 5. 17.) est, Sir monem elaborare. Authore nostro Judice, in Conc. ad Cl. p. 32 elaborate and exact; If ever any Preacher had both Urim and Thummim, the former in his words, and the later in his example, h Tit. 2. 8. unreprovable in his Doctrine, and k 1 Tim. 3. 2. Tit. 1. 7. unblamable in his life; The most admired Bishop Andrews may pass for one of those l Tit. 2. 7. Patterns, in whom these Lines of perfection were all concentered. And this I say so much the rather, because I find him to have the honour of being hated and * Correp. Corr. p. 190. & 206. 208. snarled at by a late profane and saucy Scribbler; who, as if he were willing to kill the dead, and pluck a glorified Saint out of the Land of the m Psal. 27. 13 Living, hath not only attempted to sully the Name and the Writings of this Great Author, but hath publicly maligned his very imparadised Soul too. He hath not only defamed his Doctrine, as Atheological, irrational, and worse than that of Arminius (which, in the judgement of the Accuser, is no small crime) nor hath he only reproached him by a most odious comparison with one exceedingly below him (whom yet he presumeth to prefer as far before him, for sooth, in sanctity) but by an unchristian insinuation would make his Reader to believe, That Bishop Andrews was the worse for being Bishop Andrews, that Dr. Andrews was more a Saint than the Lord Bishop of Winchester, and by consequence, that his last days were very unhappily his worst too, But since the Author of such profaneness is very sufficiently stigmatised by avowing himself, in print, the Author of it, I shall not in a preface say more than this, That the great n 1 Pet. 2. 25 Bishop of our Souls was far worse dealt with; and, in the later part of his life, was called a Wine-bibber, a Glutton, a p Mat. 26. 65 Mar. 2. 7. Blasphemer, a Demoniac. How consummate a Divine, how exact a Preacher, how acute a Disputant, how judicious a Moderator, and how eminent a Christian our Author was, there is nothing more easy than to conclude, both from the admiration of the best men, from the malignity of the worst, and from so many of his Writings as have been heretofore published: And (after all, I may add) from these imperfect, but precious Relics, which are here presented to the learned and to the unlearned Reader. They being so pithy, and yet so plain; so very short and concise, but yet so full and perspicuous; so close and home to the Text, but yet so useful in Applications; that 'tis hard to say, for which sort of Readers they are most proper; whether for the learned, by being so wise; or for the unlearned, by being so easy. They who are the most ignorant, may here get knowledge; and they who have the most knowledge, may here get more. They that are Leaders of the People, may learn what things they ought to preach; and they that are followers of the Pulpit, may learn what Preachers they ought to hear. 'Tis true, it cannot be denied, and it ought in justice to be proclaimed, that this Volume of Notes was only taken by the Ear from the voluble Tongue of the Dictator, as he delivered them out of the Pulpit; and so are infinitely short of their original perfection. We must not judge by these Lectures, what kind of Preacher their Author was; but we must guess by the Author, how exactly accomplished these Lectures were. There have been many great Monarches, who having began to erect their stately Fabrics, have left them imperfect upon Design, that late Posterity might wonder at the excessive greatness of their Intentions. And it is thus fare applicable to the case in hand, That every Reader may imagine by the beauty of these Ruins, what kind of Buildings he should have seen if he had seen them standing in their integrity. But having said thus much in veneration of the Author, to whom the Printer hath offered this well-meant injury, I have something to allege by way of Apology for the Printer, by whose devotion of care and cost, these sacred Fragments were thus collected. He knew the same of the Author was so transcendently high, and placed so far out of the reach of spite or envy, defamation or disgrace, that he supposed it a lesser Crime thus to communicate these Lessons as now they are, than to deprive Posterity of their Advantage. He look'e not so steadily upon the Name and Credit of the Author, as upon the interest and good of Souls. He thought the Reader would esteem it, not only as an excusable, but as a commendable trangression, which being no way injurious to more than One, will redound to the benefit of many thousands. Besides, it may be pleaded in his excuse (by such as are willing to make the best of a bold adventure, not because it is bold, but because it is past, and now too late to be prevented) That next to the Authors and Composers of learned Works, their Conservators and Guardians deserve most thanks and commendations. We think we own a great deal to such as Photius, and Stobaeus, (and the publick-minded Sirmondus of these last times) through the industry of whom we do enjoy many things, which but for them, we might have lost. How comes it to pass, that we have nothing (unless mere figments or arrant scraps) of such as Berosus, Ctesias, & Megasthenes, Theopompus, Euphorus, calisthenes, and Timaeus? Or that we want so many books of Diodorus Siculus, Polybius, Ingens Livius, and Dion Cassius? Or that we have lost so many Volumes of learned Writers in the Church, such as Melito, Theophilus, Tatianus, Irenaeus, Clemens Alexandrinus, Hippolytus, Origen, and the like, but because there were not in all times, men of faithful, industrious, and public Souls? Yet we reckon ourselves obliged to such as will lend us the very Ruins of Methodius of Tyre, and Dionysius of Alexandria. Nor was the publisher able to guess at any reason, why the Remains of Bishop Andrews should not be every whit as welcome (if not to this which is so near him, yet at least) to after Ages; when men will value the very Glean after so excellent a Labourer in the r Mat. 9 38. Harvest of the Gospel, above the many whole Crops of such as are unskilful or idle workmen. But now for mine own part, I must ingenuously confess, that though I find myself more usefully and deliciously entertained with the very least fragments of Bishop Andrews, than with the fullest spread Tables of those new Men, who uninvite the People to be his Guests, and train them up to another Diet; yet in reverence to the Fame of so inestimable a Writer, and in a fear of being offensive to many persons yet living, with whom his memory is highly precious, and in an humble submission to the most wise determinations of those two Reverend and learned Prelates, who were alone entrusted with the disposal of his Works, I should never have consented to the divulging of these Notes, had I been timely consulted with before they were finished at the Press. Not only for those reasons which I find to have been given by the Bishops of London and of Ely, both in their English and Latin Prefaces, before his English and Latin Works, but for divers other reasons which are too obvious to need a prompter. I know that the enemies of this Great Author (that is to say, of the Church of England) do love to take their measures of him, not from his latest, and most mature, but from his youngest and crudest Writings. I know the injuries he hath suffered by the unwarranted publications of some few things which are found to vary from that which is known to be his last and ripest judgement. I know what calumnies are heaped upon his equally beloved and friendly Grotius through the licentious publication of his posthumous Works. I know his infinite Improvements from after that time when he was Vicar of St. Giles; and his dislikes of all preaching, which, by being too frequent, is withal too lose. Thence was his Censure upon himself (recorded by Bishop Buckridge in his * p. 21. funeral Sermon) That when he preached twice a day at St. Giles, he prated once: Not but that his very Table-talk, and what, in the depth of his Humility, he called his prating, was more useful and more learned than the very best preaching of them that are Enemies to his Glory as well as Doctrine, but because he thought the Word of God was never well enough handled, and that the Work of God was never well enough done, until it had received his utmost care and circumspection. So meek and modest was his opinion of his own performances, (however admired by other men) that he seldom (if ever) could give them his final Approbation, until they had passed, the third time, betwixt the Hammer and the Anvil. All which when I consider, I think it my duty to make it known, That I never heard of this Volume until I saw it entirely printed, and only have taken this opportunity to preserve the Reader from being deceived, and the incomparable Author from being wronged. My excusing of the publishers (I mean, my endeavours to excuse them) is not meant to imply that they are innocent, but is the mercifullest way to conclude them guilty; Who commonly live and subsist, not by being overtender of the Names and Reputations, but by publishing the Writings of those especially, whom they think the most vendible and famous Authors. Were those Stenographers now living, by whose Legerdemain these Notes were stolen, (and yet it were well if that dexterity had never been used to viler ends) they would not scruple to tell the Reader, what s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. Arrian. Epict in Praesat. Arrian said to Lucius Gellius in the very same case. " (We have transcribed these Lectures of Bishop Andrews neither precisely so as he delivered them, nor perhaps so exactly as they might have been taken by other men, nor yet with any design to put them forth into the light: But we caught them out of his mouth by sleight of hand, in such a manner as we were able, that recollecting in our memories the excellent Lessons which we had heard, we might be able the more effectually to lay them up in our Hearts. Nor can we choose but admire, how these imperfect and impolished Lectures should thus have flown into the Common, out of our Enclosure, not without our knowledge only, but against our wills too. Yet are we by so much the less solicitous, by how much the more we are assured, That he, whose Auditors we were, affected no man's applause; but was wholly intent upon this very thing, That he might benefit his Hearers by all he spoke. He was so powerful and mighty in what he taught us out of the Pulpit, as to carry our affections which way he pleased. And if he proves less powerful in these Instructions of his which are delivered from the Press, we alone are to be blamed, by whom alone they have received their Imperfections.)" But because those ready writers are not in being to speak themselves, I will conjure the Reader, in their behalf, so to profit himself by this Volume of Instructions, as not to prejudice his Teacher in any kind; but evermore to reflect upon the greatness of his Piety, the transcendency of his Judgement, the excessiveness of his Learning, and the exactness of his Life; his painfulness and diligence in his Pastoral charge at S. Giles, and afterwards in his Episcopal; the great and manifold services he did the Protestant Church, not by preaching only and living in a most exemplary manner, but by defending her Discipline as well as Doctrine, against the strongest Opponents of each extreme, (I mean Those of the Consistory, and Those of the Conclave,) and by all other performances so every way worthy of his Great Calling, that the learned Isaac Casaubon (as himself hath told us in one of his published Epistles) looked upon Him and Bishop Overall, with other Fathers of our Church, as equal to Hosius and other holy Assessors in the general Council of Nice. To which he added this declaration; That he never expected to see a Church so nearly approaching unto the Primitive in point of purity and Order, as the Church which he found at that Time here in England. Now that the God of Purity and of Order will, in his own best time, restore and raise up such able Pastors to go in and out before his People, and to keep his Remnant from being carried from Jerusalem to Bethel, from Bethel to Babel, and from Babel to Babylon; That he will bind up the Breaches, and wipe off the Stains, repair the Glory and Reputation, of his afflicted, defiled, disgraced Spouse, causing Righteousness and Peace to take up their dwelling within her Gates, Plenteousness and Truth within her Palaces, is sincerely and daily the prayer of The very meanest of her Admirers in the days of her Mourning and Captivity, T. P. Elenchus Latino-Anglus omnium Concionum totius Libri; Numerus paginam indicat. A Latin and English Table of the Sermons of the whole book, with the number of the page in which the Sermon doth begin. Index Concionum in Caput primum Geneseôs. The Contents of the Sermons preached upon the first chapter of Genesis. VAE vobis Legis interpretibus, quoniam sustulistis clavem cognitionis: ipsi non introistis, & eos qui introibant prohibuistis. Luc. 11. 52. Woe unto you Lawyers, for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in, ye hindered. pag. 657 In principio Dius creavit Coelum & Terram, etc. Gen. 1. 1. In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth. p. 1 Creavit Coelum & Terram, & omnia in illis. He created the Heaven and the Earth, and all things therein. p. 5 Terra autem erat res informis & inanis, tenebraeque erant in superficie abyssi. vers. 2. And the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. p. 10 Et spiritus Dei incubabat superficiei aquarum. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. p. 13 Tum dixit Deus, esto lux; & fuit lux. 3. And God said, Let there be light; & there was light. p. 14 Viditque Deus Lucem illam bonam esse. 4. And God saw the light that it was good. p. 19 Et distinctionem fecit Deus inter hanc lucem & tenebras. And God divided the light from the darkness. p. 25 Lucemque Deus vocavit diem, tenebras verò vocavit noctem. 5. And God called the light, Day, and the darkness he called, Night. p. 32 Sic fuit vespera & suit mane diei primi. And the evening & the morning were the first day. p. 660 Deinde dixit Deus, Esto expansum inter aquas; ut sit distinguens inter aquas unas & alteras. 6. And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters: and let it divide the waters from the waters. p. 36 Fecit ergo Deus hoc expansum, quod distinguit inter has aquas, quae sunt ab infera expansi istius, & aquas illas quae sunt à regione supera expansi: & fuit ita. 7. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament, from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. p. 44 Expansum autem hoc Deus vocavit Coelum. 8. And God called the firmament, Heaven. p 52 Sic fuit vespera, & fuit mane diei secundi. And the evening and the morning were the second day. p 664 Postea dixit Deus, Confluant aquoe istae quae sub hoc Coelo sunt in locum unum, & conspicua sit arida: & fuit ita. Aridam autem vocavit Deus terram, singula verò aquarum conceptacula vocavit maria: & vidit Deus id esse bonum. 9.10. And God said, Let the waters under the Heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land, Earth, and the gathering together of the waters called he, Seas: and God saw that it was good p 56 Iterum dixit Deus, Her bascat terra herbulas, herbas sementantes semen, arbores fructiferas edentes fructum in species suas, in quibus suum sit semen super terram. 11. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit-tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth. p. 65 Et fuit ita. Nam produxit terra herbulas, herbas sementantes semen in species suas, & arbores edentes fructum in quibus semen suum est in species suas: & vidit Deus id esse bonum. Sic fuit vespera, & fuit mane diei tertii. 12.13. And it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day. p. 666 Post dixit Deus, Sunto luminaria in expanso. Coeli, ad distinctionem faciendum inter diem & noctem: ut sint in signa cumtempestatibus, tum diebus & annis. Sintque in luminaria in expanso Coeli, ad afferendum lucem super terram: 14.15. And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven, to divide the day from the night: and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years. And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven, to give light upon the earth: p. 72 Et fuit ita. Fecit enim Deus duo illa luminaria magna: luminare majus ad praefecturam diei, & luminare minus 〈◊〉 noctis, atque stellas, Et collocavit ea Deus in expanso Coeli, ad afferendum lucem super terram, Et ad praesidendumdiei ac nocti, & ad distinctionem faciendum inter lucem hanc & tenebras: viditque Deus id esse bonum. Sic fuit vespera, & fuit mane diei quarti. 16.17.18.19. And it was so. And God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven, to give light upon the earth: And to rule over the day, and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. p. 78 Postea Dixit Deus, Abunáè progignunto aquae reptilia animantia; & volucres volanto supra terram, supersiciem versùs expansi coelorum. 20. And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving Creature that hath life, and Fowl that may flic above the earth in the open firmament of Heaven. p. 667 Et creavit Deus coetos maximos: & animantia omnia repentia, quae abundè progenuerunt aquae in species ipsorum, omnesque volucres alatas in species suas: 21. And God created great whales, and every living Creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: p. 84 Viditque Deus idesse bonum. And God saw that it was good. p. 88 Et benedixit eis Deus, 〈◊〉: Foetificate, ac augescite, et implete aquas per maria, et volucres augescunto in terra. 22. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the Seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. p 89 Deinde dixit Deus, Producat terra animantia in species ipsorum, Pecudes et 〈◊〉; bestiasque terrenas in species suas: et fuit ita 24. And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattles, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. p. 669 Fecit enim Deus bestias terrenas in species suas, et pecudes in species suas, omniaque reptilia terrae in specres 〈◊〉: et vidit Deus id esse bonum. 25. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. p. 670 Postea dixit Deas, Faciamus hominem ad imaginem 〈◊〉, secundùm 〈◊〉 nostram: qui dominetur in pisces maris, et on volucres coels, et in pecades, et in 〈◊〉 terram, at que in omnia 〈◊〉 repeantia super terram. 26. And God said, Let us make man in our Image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the Sea, and over the soul of the air, and over the , and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. p. 93 Iraque creavit Deus hominem ad imaginem suam, ad imaginem, inquam, Dei creavit eum: marem et foeminam creavit eos. 27. So God created man in his own Image, in the Image of God created he him; male and female created he them. p. 97 Deinde benedixit eis Deus, et dixit eis Deas, Foetificate, ac 〈◊〉, et implete terram, eamque 〈◊〉; et 〈◊〉 in pisces maris, es in volucres coeli, et in omnes 〈…〉 super terram. 28. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the Sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. p. 100 〈◊〉 dixit 〈…〉, dedi vobis 〈…〉 semen quae sunt in superficie totius 〈◊〉; 〈…〉 in quibus est fructus arboreus, sementantes 〈…〉 ad comedendum erunt. Omnibus 〈…〉 terrae, 〈◊〉 volucribus coeli, omnibusque 〈◊〉 super 〈◊〉, in quibus est animae vivens, dedi omnes 〈◊〉 virides ad connedendam et suit ita. Tum 〈◊〉 Deus quit quid 〈◊〉, ecce autem bonum erat valde: sic 〈…〉, et suit mane diei sexit. 29.30.31. And God said, behold, I have given you every herb beating seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in the which is the fruit of a tree 〈…〉 to you it shall be for meat: And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that 〈◊〉 upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was 〈◊〉. And God saw every thing that he had made; and behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. p. 105 Index Concionum in Caput secundum Geneseos. The Contents of the Sermons preached upon the second chapter of Genesis. ITaque perfecti sunt coeliet terra, omnisque exercitus illorum. Gen. 2. 1. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them p. 115 Quum autem perfecisset Deus die septimo opus suum quod fecerat, quie vit ipso die septimo ab omni opere suo quod fecerat. vers. 2. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. p. 122 Et benedixit Deus diei septimo, et sanctifica vit ipsum: quum in eo quie visset ab omni opere suo, quod crea venat Deus, faciendo. 3. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. p. 128 Istae sunt generationes coeliet terrae, quando creata sunt 〈…〉 eaten Jehova Deus fecit terram et coelum: Et omnem stirpem agri, qui nondum fuisset futurus in terra, omnemque herbam agri, quae nondum fuisset oritura 〈◊〉 quum non demisisset Jehova Deus pluviam super terram, et nullus homo futsset ad colendum terram. 4.5. These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth, when they were created: in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, And every plant of the field, before it was in the earth, and every he 〈◊〉 of the field, before it grew: For the Lord God had not 〈◊〉 it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. p. 142 Aut vapor ascendens è terra, quiirrigaret 〈◊〉 superficiem 〈◊〉. Finxit verò Jehova Deus bominem de pulvere terrae, sufflavitque in nares ipsius 〈…〉 sic factus est homo anima vivens. 6.7. But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. And the Lord God form man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life: and man became a living soul. p. 147 Ornaverat autem plantis Jehova Deus hortum in Hedene ab Oriente: ubi collocavit hominem illum quem finxerat. 8. And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden: and there he put the man whom he had form. p. 155 Feceratque Jehova Deus ut germinaret 〈◊〉 quaevis arbor desiderabilis ad adspectum, et bona ad cibum: arbour quoque vitae in hortoillo, it arbour scientiae boni et mali. 9 And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the fight, and good for food: the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. p. 162 Fluvius autem procedit ex Hedene ad irrigandum hunc bortum: & inde sese dividit, ferturque in quatuor capita. Primi nomen est Pischon: hic est qui alluir rostam Regionem Chavilae, ubi est aurum. Et aurum illius 〈…〉: ibidem est Bdellium, & lapis Sardonyx. 10.11.12. And a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. The name of the first is Pison, that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is Gold. And the Gold of that land is good: there is Bdellium, and the Onyx stone. p. 167 Nomen verò 〈◊〉 secundi est Gichon: hic est qui alluit 〈◊〉 Regionem Cuschi. Et nomen tertu 〈…〉: hic est qui labitur ad Orientem Assyriam uèrsùs: 〈◊〉 autem quartus est Euphrates. 13.14. And the name of the second river is Gihen: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria: and the 〈◊〉 river is Euphrates. p. 172 Accipiens itaque Jehova Deus homimem; collocavit ipsum in horto Hedenis, ad colendum 〈◊〉 et ad 〈◊〉 cum. 15. And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden, to dress it, and to keep it. p. 177 Interdixitque Jehovah Deus homini, dicendo, De fructu quidem omnis arboris hujus horti liberè comedes. 16. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou may est freely eat. p 182 De fructu ver ò arboris scigntiae boni et mali, de isto ne comedas. 17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it. p. 187 Nam quo die comederis de eo, utique moriturus es. For in the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. p. 192 Dixerat autem Jehovah Deus, non est bonum esse hominem solum: faciam ei auxilium commodum ipsi. 18. And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone: I will make him an help meet for him. p. 197 Nam quism formavisset Jehova Deus è terrâ omnes bestias agri, omnesque volucres coeli, et adduxisset ad Adamum ut 〈◊〉 quî vocaret singulas (etenim quocunque nomine vocavit illas Adam, animantem quamque; id nomen ejus est.) 19 And out of the ground the Lord God form every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air, and brought them unto Adam, to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. p. 204 Vocavissetque Adam nomininibus pecudem quamlibet, et volucrem Coeli, omnemque bestiam agri: non aderat Adamo auxilium commodum. 20. And Adam gave names to all cattles, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field: but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. p. 211 Quapropter injecit Jehova Deus soporem altum in Adamum quo obdormivit: et desunepta una de costis ejus, inclusit carnem pro illa. 21. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in stead thereof. p. 216 Extruxitque Jehovah Deus ex costa illa, quam sumpserat de Adamo, mulierem: camque adduxit ad Adamum. 22. And the rib which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, & brought her unto the man p. 219 Tum dixit Adam, Hac demum vice adest os ex ossibus meis, & caro ex carnemea: haec vocabitur vira, eò quòd haec ex viro desumpta est. 23. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man. p. 222 Idcirco relicturus est vir patrem suum & matrem suam: & adhaerebit uxori suae, eruntque in carnem unam. 24. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. p. 225 De septem versiculis, a versu 18 usque ad finem 24. qui de Matrimonio, Viro & Foeminâ agunt. 18.19.20.21.22.23.24. Of the seven verses, from the eighteenth verse to the end of the twenty fourth, concerning Matrimony. p. 228 Erant autem illi ambo nudi, Adam & uxor eius: ac non erubescebant 25. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. p. 237 Index Concionum in Caput tertium Geneseôs. The contents of the Sermons preached upon the third chapter of Genesis. SErpens autem erat astutus, astutior quâvis bestiâ agri, quam fecerat Jehova Deus: Gen. 3. 1. Now the Serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made: p. 249. 252 Ille dixit mulieri, Etiamne edixisse Deum, ne comedatis ex omni 〈◊〉 arborum hujus 〈◊〉 And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the Garden? p. 254 Tum dixit mulier Serpenti illi, & C. vers. 2. And the woman said unto the Serpent, etc. p. 257 De fructu quidem arborum hujus horti comedemus: At de fructu arboris istius quae est in horto hoc dixit Deus, Ne comedatis ex isto, neque attingatis eum: ne moriamini. 2.3. We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the Garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the Garden, God hath said, Ye shall not at of it, neither shall ye touch it lest ye die. p. 260 Dixit verò Serpens ille mulieri, Non utique moriemini: Novit enim Deus, quo die comederitis ex eo, aperturos se oculos vestros: & vos fore sicut Deos, scientes boni & mali. 4.5. And the Serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, than your eyes shall be opened. and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil. p. 263 Quum ergo videretur muliert bonum esse fructum arboris illius in cibum, & gratissimam esse illam oculis, ac desiderabilem esse arboris fructum ad habendum intelligentiam, accepit de fructu ejus & comedit. 6. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat. p. 266. & 272 Etiamque dedit comedendum viro suo secum, qui comedit. And gave also to her husband with her, and he did eat. p. 281 Tunc aperuerunt sese oculi amborum, noveruntque se nudos esse: & consutis foliis ficulneis fecerunt sibi subligacula. 7. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked: and they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves aprons. p. 289 Deinde dudiverunt vocem fehovae Dei itantem per hortum ipsum ad ventum illius diei: quare abscondit se Adam & uxor ejus à facie fehovae Dei, inter orbores illius horti. 8. And they heard the voice of the Lord God, walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God, amongst the trees of the garden. p. 292 Inclamavit autem Jehova Deus Adamum, & dixit et, 〈◊〉? 9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? p. 296 Qui dixit, Vocem tuam audiebam in hoc horto: extimui autem, eò quò nudus sim, & abscondi me. 10. And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden: and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself p. 300 Dixit verò Deus, Quis indicavit tibi nudum esse te? An de fructu illius arboris, de quo interdixeram tibi ne comedas ex eo, comederis? 11. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee, that thou shouldest not eat? p. 303 Cui dixit Adam: Mulier ista quam posuisti mecum, ipsa dedit mihi de fructu illius arboris, & comedi. 12. And the man said: The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. p. 306 Tum dixit Jehova Deus mulieri, Quid hoc est quod fecisti? Dixit autem mulier, Serpens iste seduxit me, & comedi. 13. And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The Serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. p. 309 Quapropter dixit Jehova Deus Serpenti illi; Cùm feceris istud, maledictus esto prae omni jumento, & prae omni bestia agri. 14. And the Lord God said unto the Serpent, Because thou hast done this, cursed art thou above all , and above every beast of the field: p. 305 Super ventrem tuum ito, & pulverem comedito omnibus diebus vitae tuae. Upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. p. 672 Praeterea, inimicitiam pono inter te & mulierem hanc, similiter que inter semen tuum & semen hujus. 15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. p. 678 Hoc conteret tibi caput, tu autem conteres huic calcaneum. It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. p. 686 Mulieri dixit, Admo dum multiplico dolorem tuum, etiam 〈◊〉, in dolore paries liberos: quin erga virum tuum appatitus tuus esto, & ipse praeesto 〈◊〉 16. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow, and thy conception. In sorrow thou shalt bring forth children: and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. p. 313 Adamo verò dixit, Quia 〈◊〉 voci uxoris tuae; & comodtsti de 〈◊〉 arboris illius quo interdixeram tibi, dicendo, Ne comedas ex isto: maledicta esto terra propter te; camdolore comedito proventum 〈◊〉 omnibus diebus vitaetuae: Eaque spinam & carduum proferto tibi, tu verò 〈◊〉 herbam agri. 17.18. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast he arkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it; cursed is the ground for thy sake, in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee: and thou shalt eat the herb of the field. p 〈◊〉 In sudore vultûs tui vescitor cibo, donec revertaris in humun, cumex eâ desumptus fueris: nam 〈◊〉 es, et in pulverem revertêris. 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return unto the ground: for out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. p. 321 Vocavit autem Adam nomen uxoris suae Chawam: eò quòd ipsa mater sit omnium hominum viventium. 20. And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. p. 327 Fecitque Jehova Deus Adamo et uxori ejus tunicas pelliceas, quibus vestivit eos. 21. Unto Adam also, and to his wife, did the Lord God make coats of skin, and clothed them. p. 330 Et dixit Jehova Deus, Ecce, homo estne sicut unus ex nobis, cognoscendo bonum et malum? nunc igitur videndum ne extendens manum suam accipiat etiam de fructu arboris vitae, ut camedat victurus in seculum. 22. And the Lord God said, Behold the man 〈◊〉 become as one of us, to know good and evil. And now left be put forth his hand, and take also of the 〈◊〉 of life, and live for ever. p. 〈◊〉 Emisit itaque eum Jehova Deus ex horta Hedenis, ad colmdum terram illam ex quâ desumptus fuerat. 23. Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. p. 329 Quumque expulisses hominem; instituit à parte anteriore horti Hedenis Cherubos, ftammam quae gladii 〈◊〉 ad custodiendum viam quae ferebat ad arborom vitae. 24. So he drove out the man: and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden, Cherubims and a flaming sword, which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life. Index Concionum in Caput quartum Geneseôs. The Contents of the Sermons preached upon the fourth chapter of Genesis. DEinde Adam cognovit Chawam uxorem suam: quae ubi concepit et peperit Kajinum, dixit, Acquisivi virum à Jehava. 〈◊〉 pergens 〈…〉 fratrem ipsius, Hebelum. Gen. 4. 1.2. And Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived, and 〈◊〉 Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. And she again bore his brother Abel. p. 363 Fuit que Hebel pastor gregis, et Kajin fuit agricola. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a 〈◊〉 of the ground. p. 369 Fuit autem post dies 〈◊〉, quum obtulit. 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 terrae munus Jehovae. Et ipse 〈◊〉 Aebel 〈◊〉 de primogenit is gregis sut, et de adipe eorum. vers. 3.4. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to the Lord. And Abel he also brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the 〈◊〉 thereof: p. 374 Respexitque Jehova ad Hebelum et ad munus ejus. Ad Kajinum 〈◊〉 et 〈◊〉 minus ejus non respexit: 4.5. And the Lord had respect unto Abel, and to his offering: But unto Cain, and to his offering, he had not respect: p. 381 Quapropter accensa est ira Kajini valdè, et cecidit vultus ejus. And Cain was very wrath, and his countenance fell. p. 388 Tum dixit jehova Kajino, Quare accensa est it a tua? et quare cecidit vultus tuus? Nun si bene egeris, remessio; siverò non bene egeris, prae foribus est peccatum excubans? 6.7. And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wrath? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou dost well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou dost not well, sin lieth at the door: p. 393 At ergate est appetitus illius, et tu praees illi. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. p. 398 Post colloquebatur Kajin cum Hebelo fratre suo: evenit autem quum essent in agro, ut in surgens Kajin in Hebelum fratrem suum interficeret eum. 8. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass when they were in the field, that Cain risen up against Abel his brother, and slew him. p. 407 Quamobrem dixit Jehova Kajino, Vbi est Hebel frater tuus? qui dixit, Non novi: An custos ego sum fratris mei? 9 And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: am I my brother's keeper? p. 415 Dixit verò Deus, quid fecisti? eoce vocem sanguinum fratris tui, me ab 〈◊〉 humo inclamantium. 10. And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. p. 422 Nunc it aque tu maledictus esto: exsul ab ista terra, quae aperuit os suum ad excipiendum sanguinem fratris tui è manu tua. Quum humum ipsam colueris, ne pergito edere vim suam tibi: vagus et infestus agitationibus esto in terra. 11.12. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand. When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength: a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. p. 428 Tum Kajin dixit Jehovae, Major est poena mea quam ut sustinere possim. 13. And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear p 435 En expellis me hodie à superficie istius terrae, ut à facis tua abscondam me: cumque vagus sim et infestus agitationibus interra, si 〈◊〉 fuerit qui me invensat, interficiet me. 14. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid, and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth: and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me, shall slay me. p. 443 Dixit verò Jehova illi, Propterea quisquis interfecerit Kujinum, septuplo vindicator: & imposuit Jehova Kajino signum, ne cum caederet ullus qui foret inventurus cum. 15. And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him seven fold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. p. 450 Egressus itaque est Kajin à fancy Jehovae: & consedit in terra Nodi, ad Orientem Hedenem versùs: 16. And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelled in the land of Nod, on the East of Eden. p. 456 Et cognavit Kajin uxarem suam, quae concepit & peperit Chanocum: quamobrem studebat aedificare cavitatem, & vocavit nomen civitatis illius de nomine filii sui Chanoc. 17. And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bare Enoch and he builded a City, and called the name of the City, after the name of his son, Enoch. p. 462 Deinde Chanco natùs est Hirad, & Hirad 〈…〉; Mechuajël verò Methuschaëlem, & Methuschaël 〈…〉. Assumpsit autem sibi Lemec 〈◊〉 duas: 18.19. And unto Enoch was born Irad; and Irad begat Mehujael, and Mehujael 〈◊〉 Mathusael, and Mathusael begat Lamech. And Lamech took unto him two wives. p. 468 Assumpsit autem sibi Lemec uxores duas: prior is nomen suit. Hada, & nomen secundae Tkilla. Peperitque Hada Jabalum: 〈◊〉 aut or habit antium in tentori is & pecuariae. Nomenque fratris ejus fuit Jubal: hic fuit autor omnium tractantium citharam & organon. Tzilla verò ipsa quoque peperit Thubal-Kajinum, qui erudivit omnem fabrum aerarium & ferrarium: sororemque Thubal-Kajini, Nahamam. 19.20.21.22. And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. And Adah bore Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattles. And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ. And Zillah she also bare Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah p. 474 Tum dixit Lemec suis uxoribus, O Hada & Tzilla audite vocem meam, uxores Lemect auribus percipite sermonem meum: nam virum interfecero ad vuinus meum, etiam adole scentem ad tumioem meum. Cum septuplo sit vindicandus Kajin, utique Lemec septuagtes septies tanto. 23.24. And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zilla, Hear my voice ye wives of Lamech, harken to my speech. for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt. If Cain be avenged seven fold, truly Lamech seventy and seven fold. p. 480 Cognovit autem denuo Adam uxorem suam, quae peperit filtum, & voca vit nomen ejus Schethum: nam reposuit mihi Deus, inquit, semen alterum pro Hebelo, quem ipsum intersecit 〈◊〉. 25. And Adam knew Eve his wife again, and she bore a son, and called his name Seth: for God, said she, hath appointed me another seed in stead of Abel, whom Cain slew. p. 486 Sed & ipsi Schetho genitus est filius, cujus nomen vocavit 〈◊〉: tunc 〈◊〉 est in 〈◊〉 nomen Jehovae. 26. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son, and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the Name of the Lord. p. 492 Index Concionum diversarum, ex veteri & novo Testamento. The Contents of the Sermons, preached upon several choice Texts, both out of the Old and New Testament. SED advolavit ad me unus ex istis Seraphim habens in manu sua prunam quam forcipibus sumpserat ab altari. Admovitque ori meo dicens, Ecce, attingit hoc labia tua: jam amovetur iniquitas tua, & peccatum tuum expiatur. Isai. 6. 6.7. Then flew one of the Seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar. And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this bath touched thy lips, and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. p. 515 Atendite ne justitiam vestram exerceatis coram hominibus, ut fpectemini ab eyes: aliquin mercedem non habebitis apud Patrem vestrum qui est in coelis. Matt. 6. 1. Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. p. 522 Operemini non cibo qui perit, sed cibo illi qui permanet in vitam aeternam, quem Filius hominis dabit vobis: hunc enim Pater obsignavit, id est, Deus. Joh. 6. 27. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him 〈◊〉 God the Father sealed. p. 〈…〉 Dixit igitur cis, Videte, & cavete ab avaritia: nec enim cujusquam vita ex iis quae ipsi suppetunt, in eo sita est ut redundet. Luc. 12. 15. And he said unto them, Take heed and beware of Covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. p. 538 Nam cui baec non adsunt, is 〈◊〉 est, nihil procul cernens, oblitus sese à veteribus peccatis suis fuisse purificatum 2 Pet. 1. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see far off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. p. 544 Abrahamus pater ille vester gestivit videre diem istum meum, & vidit, & gavisus est. Joh. 8. 56. Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. p. 550 Principes populorum congregantur, populus Dei Abrahamt; quid Dei sunt protectiones terrae, valde excelsus est. Psal. 47. 10. The Princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted. p. 555 Et inutilem servum ejicite in tenebras illas extimas: illic erit fletus & stridor dentium. Matt. 25. 30. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. p. 561 Pro puero isto supplicabam, praestititque mihi Jehova petitionem meam, quam petebam ab eo. Quamobrem ego quoque precario datum sisto eum Jehovae omnibus diebus quibus fuerit, 〈◊〉 rogatus precario est Jehovae. Incurvavitque se Schemuel ibi Jehovae honorem exhibens. 1 Sam. 1. 27,28. For this child I prayed, and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him. Therefore also I have lent him unto the Lord as long as he liveth, he shall be lent unto the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there. p. 565 Victori dabo edere ex arbore illa vitae quae est in medio Paradisi Dei. Apoc. 2. 7. To him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God. p. 572 Cupimus autem ut unusquisque vestrûm idem studium ad 〈◊〉 usque ostendat, ad certam spei persuasionem. Heb. 6. 11. And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence, to the full assurance of hope unto the end. p. 578 Et factum est praelium in Coelo: Michael & angeli ejus praeliati sunt cum Dracone, & Draco pugnabat & Angeli ejus: Sed hi non praevaluerunt, neque locus eorum 〈◊〉 inventus est in Coelo. Apoc. 12. 7,8. And there was war in heaven, Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon, and the Dragon fought and his Angels, And prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. p. 586 Quicquid dat mihi Pater, ad me veniet: & eum qui venit ad me, nequaquam ejecerim for as. Joh. 6. 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me: and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. p. 594 Qui verò haec audierunt compuncti sunt cord, & dixerunt ad Petrum ac reliquos Apostolos, Quid faciemus viri fratres? Petrus autem ait ad eos, Resipiscite. Act. 2. 37. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter, and to the rest of the Apostles, Men and brothers, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent. p. 601 Tum alter ad alterum dixerunt, Nun cor nostrum ardebat in nobis, dum loqueretur nobis in via, & dum adaperiret nobis Scripturas. Luc. 24. 32. And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures. p. 607 Etenim per unum Spiritum nos omnes in unum corpus baptizati sumus, & Judaei, & Graeci, & servi, & liberi: & omnes potati sumus in unum Spiritum. 1 Cor. 12. 13. For by one Spirit are we all baptised into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free: and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. p. 614 Ex eo quòd maxima illa nobis ac pretiosa promissa donavit, ut per haec esficeremini divinae consortes naturae, elapsi ex corruptione quae est in mundo per cupiditatem. 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. p. 620 Ad hoc ipsum verò vos, omni praeterea collato study, adjicite fidei vestrae virtutem. 2 Pet. 1. 5. And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue. p. 624 Adjicite fidei vestrae virtutem; virtuti verò notitiam. Add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge. p. 628 〈◊〉 verò continentiam, contincntiae verò tolerantiam. 2 Pet. 1. 6. And to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience. p. 631 Tolerantiae pietatem, pietati verò fraternum amorem, fraterno verò amori charitatem. 2 Pet. 1. 7. And to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity. p. 635 〈◊〉 vos, O viatores omnes? intuemini & videte an sit dolour par dolori meo, qui factus est 〈◊〉: quam afficit Jehova moerore die aestus irae suae. Lam. 1. 12. Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold and see, if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, where with the Lord hath afflicted me, in the day of his fierce anger. p. 639 Nam eratis velut oves errantes: Sed 〈◊〉 con vertistis 〈◊〉 ad Pastorem & Curatorem animarum vestrarum. 1 Pet. 2. 25. For ye were as sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. p. 644 Paulisper, & non conspicietis me, & rursum paulisper, & videbit is me, quia ego vado ad Patrem. John 16 16 A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again a little while, and ye shall see me; because I go to the Father. p. 648 Adeo provocantes Deum ad indignationem fact is suis, ut irrumperet in eos plaga; donec consistente Pinchaso & judicium exercente, coercita esset plaga illa. Psal. 106. 29,30. Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague broke in upon them. Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgement: and so the Plague was stayed. p. 652 LECTURES PREACHED UPON the first Chapter OF GENESIS. LECTURES, Preached at Saint PAUL'S LONDON. In Principio Deus creavit Coelum & Terram, etc. Gen. 1. 1. WE have heard of the undoubted credit and unquestionable Authority of Moses the writer: Now touching his hand-writing, he hath left five Books, as five fingers of his hand, to point at the knowledge of God and heavenly things, that so he might show them unto us. In all which Books, we may observe two principal parts of his intent and purpose: The one was to deliver to God's Church the Law and Word of God: The other is to write the History of God's Works. First he sets down the Creation of the Wold, and all flesh; that after he might show the Law which was given to all flesh in the World. This History of the world's Creation aptly divideth itself into two parts; The first concerneth the old World (2 Pet. 2.5.) which was in Paradise. The other, that World which hath been since, and shall be to the end thereof. Touching the old World, he considereth it in its perfection, integrity, and happiness, in these first two Chapters; and in its defection, decay, and misery, in the third Chapter: For the perfection of it, we are led to consider the Creation of the World, in the beginning of this Chapter, and the Creation or making of Man, and investing him in Paradise, to be the Lord and Governor of all the World and the things therein. The sum of these verses, is the narration of the manner of the rearing up of the frame of all things we see in heaven and earth; which is a matter of so high, huge, and infinite consideration, that we should quickly confound and lose ourselves in it, if God had not given us this thread of direction in our hands, to bring us out of this intricate maze, which else would astonish us. This Creation is divided into six day's works, in which is showed the six joints, as it were, of the frame of the whole World: In which six days the proceeding of God in this work, consisteth in these three points. First, the creating of all Creatures, of and after an indigest, rude and imperfect matter, and manner: For, the first day was made a rude mass or heap, which after was the Earth. Secondly, a bottomless huge gulf, which was the Waters. Thirdly, over both was a foggy obscure mist of darkness which was the Firmament. After that, in the second place, is set down the distinction, which is in three sorts. First, Of Light from darkness. Secondly, Of the nether Waters from the upper Waters, (viz.) of the Seas and Clouds. Thirdly, Of the Waters from the Earth. After the distinction and dividing of this, ensueth in the third place, God's work in beautifying and adorning them after this order which we now see. First, the Heaven with Stars. Secondly, the Air with Fowls. Thirdly, the Earth with Beasts, Herbs and Plants of all sorts. Fourthly, the Sea and Waters with Fishes. And having thus finished this great frame of all the World, and beautified the same as we see; Then he framed and made Man, the little world, after his Image, and placed him therein, as his Palace to enjoy and possess. Touching the first part of the Creation, it is set down in the first verse; in which are four works of great weight and importance. 1. The first, In principio; Second, Deus; Third, creavit; Fourth, Coelum & Terram: For these two, being coupled, do fall under in one part of the division. In which are offered unto us four principal matters of great regard. 1. First, That this World and the things we see, were not so ever, but had a beginning at a certain time. 2. Secondly, At the beginning, these things had not their being of themselves, but of another. 3. Thirdly, That the Creation and working of them was only of God, and of that God which is in unity of essence and trinity of persons. 4. Fourthly, That Heaven and Earth are God's, and that they were made and preserved by him. Touching the first (in principio) hath admitted a three fold sense, according to the divers conceits of divers men; all which have been received, and may be, without error or danger: First, Origen and Ambrose do take and interpret it as the Cause, which was the beginning of all, and that is God's Wisdom; which (as the Cause) began all. And they may seem to be led to understand it thus, by these two places, the one in the 4 Prov. 7. Wisdom is the beginning, etc. the other 104 Psal. 24. In Wisdom hast thou made them all; Therefore they thought, that in the beginning is meant, In Wisdom God created, etc. Secondly, it is taken for the order of time, as who should say; First of all, and before any thing else was done, God made Heaven and Earth, in the very first beginning of time; that is, in a moment, or as it were in the twinkling of an eye 1; Cor. 15. 52. So had all things their beginning and motion, in the beginning of time; as they shall leave and lose it at the end and last period of time, which is the World's end: It is no danger of error thus to understand (In principio. Thirdly, It is said (11 Heb. 3.) that it is a Mystery and matter of Faith, to believe this, of the Creation, in the beginning, and so it is; yet God hath not made our reason so repugnant from Faith, even in natural men; but that even by the sense and sight of things, man's reason cannot deny, but must needs gather and confess this to be true, That all things were made, and had a beginning; And this all Heathenith Philosphers (as may appear by all books of the Gentiles, in all ages, since the study of learning, and learned men hath been) do plainly show, that they had in remembrance themselves, and did commend to others by their writings, the knowledge and acknowledgement of this universal Creation. This he proveth by those Philosophers which were as ancient as the Prophet Esdras, until late times, and that they had a remembrance of Noah, naming him Janus, and painting him with two faces, one looking into the old world before the Flood, and the other beholding the world after: Besides such writers, of natural men, very reason doth consent hereunto, That the world was made by some wonderful Power, and so had a beginning; for Reason is ever naturally led to look and consider the beginning and cause of any thing it seethe; as when it seethe a great Tree, though it see not the root, yet it conceiveth, for certain, that it hath a root which conveyeth sap to the Tree, by which it groweth and increaseth: So when it seethe a great River, it by and by concludeth, there is a great Fountain and head where it hath his original and beginning. Again, Reason cannot abide infinite Causes, as 1 Cor. 11. 3. to say, the woman came of man, the man of Christ, and Christ of God; Because divers Causes have divers times and motions; but Reason will bring things to their particular head and chief causes, which by one motion and at one time did it. Also in that we say things are done successively, by order of times nearer and farther off, it argueth necessarily a beginning, and therefore faith David Psal. 119 91. All things continue alike, from the beginning, through thy Ordinance. All things since in the world have been yb God's appointment and Decree. Psal. 65.9. Paul telleth this to the wise and learned of Athens, as a thing which they knew and taught in their Schools to be true 17 Acts 24. And Plato faith it was a saying of great antiquity and credit in his time, and long before; That God made all things, and man, at a certain time, which was their beginning. Plutarch showeth that some deemed the world to be conceived and brought forth, and to grow to perfection as a man; and others, that it was the stamp which God set on it, and so all learned men in all ages, and all men endowed with natural sense and right reason have been resolved in this, That the world was the workmanship of God, and had his beginning. The party adverse to this truth, was the first of the sect of the Peripatetics, which (contrary to his master Plato, and all that were before him, and contrary to his Scholar Theophrastus, and the most that followed him after) held that Mundus erat aeternus, and so had no beginning nor maker at all; yet (notwithstanding this new conceit and opinion) he confesseth this twice or thrice, that he giveth credit to those ancient men which were before him, which by long grounded experience, and by evident demonstration, and credible testimonies held and taught otherwise then he thought, and in his book de Coelo, he saith that there was a Chaos, a darkness and light which had a beginning, therefore as he seemeth to differ, and leave his ancients, of singularity only, on a conceit and devise of his own, so his Scholars and followers after him, forsook him in that opinion, and therefore this point standeth undoubted; as ratified both by evidence of reason, and by the judgement of the learned in all ages. The second Point is the Creation, in which we are to note first, that the things which we see were not of themselves, when they had their being and beginning, because they are an effect and work of some efficient cause; for it is very absurd in reason, that one and the same thing should be both a Cause and an Effect of itself, for so it must be granted that a thing both was and was not at one time; for as it is the Cause, it must needs be before it was, and as it is an Effect, it could not be at the first; so it should be and yet not be at one time: Therefore David teacheth us to say, It is he that made us, and not we ourselves, we are the Sheep of his pasture, for preservation, and the works of his hands, for Creation; so that Job faith, we must resolve That it was another that made all things, and that one is God. These two points, that not the World, but another, made the World and all in it, doth overthrow two errors of the Philosophers, Opinio Stoicorum, the one was of the Stoics, which taught quod omnia fiunt fato, as if by the revolution of things and times, at such an instant the world must needs be, by fatal destiny and necessity, and might not be otherwise. Epicuremum. The other were the Epicures, which taught; The world was a thing made at a venture, by casual chance, and happy hazard, by a divine essence; the one taught that God could do no otherwise then but make it; the other thought that God did he could not tell what. But Psal. 115. 3. Deus fecit quecunque voluit in Coelo & Terra. And Revel. 4. 11. All things were made for him and by his will. And Esai 45. 18. God made not Heaven and Earth in vain, to no end, but the word signifieth that he made it with Wisdom and Counsel. Esai 43. 13. God was before any day was, and he asketh, Who could constrain him by necessity to make it or not to make it. Heb. 3. 4. If a man, being in a strange Country, shall see a house, he will certainly affirm that there hath a man builded it, that it is a man's work; so saith he, when we see all Creatures, Heaven and Earth, we know that God made them all. A reason against that opinion of Fortune is this, That things done by Chance are without cunning: But God with infinite wisdom devised all things; the Eye to see, Colors to be seen, and the Light, as the means by which we see; also all things are in such wonderful order, succeeding one another in their course, as the seasons of things, which show them not to be by Chance, therefore the Philosophers were glad when they found out that 〈◊〉, intelligentia, that was the cause of all; so that they confess all things to be made by a wonderful wise Counsel, and discourse of an understanding mind; So that it was made by another, not by Necessity nor Chance. Creavit Coelum & Terram, & omnia in illis. Gen. 1. verse 1. NOw are we come to the fourth and last point which we are to consider, in this verse, and that is, That the things which were Created by God, are both Heaven and Earth, which here is said to be his workmanship; Which though it be here set down in two general things, yet are his works manifold, yea infinite and cannot be numbered; All which Creatures and things Created, cannot be better expressed then in these two, which contain all the rest, for he so faith Exod. 20. 11. In six days he made Heaven and Earth, the Sea and all that is therein; So doth David expound his meaning, Psal. 146.6. and Revel. 10. 6. therefore Job saith, 38. 6, 7. That God made not only the Stars with the Heavens, but also the Angels, or Children of God which are in them, and Psal. 24. 1. God when he is said to make the round World, he meaneth also, all that dwell therein, that is, Man also; yea he is also the Lord and Creator of the Souls and Spirits of all Flesh, as well as their bodies. Numb. 27. 16. So that, to conclude with Saint Paul, by these two is understood and comprehended all the Creatures, visible and invisible, which God made. Coll. 1. 16. For the Heavens are the bound upward, and the Earth is the bound below, which conclude all between them: Let us therefore first consider these two jointly; then in the order wherein they stand, and in the last place severally. Touching the first, David saith, Psal. 102. 25. Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the Earth, and the Heavens are the work of thy hands. Esay 40. 12. It is God that made Heaven and Earth. Job 37. 17. 18. Job. 38. 5, 6. The Heavens do show this, in that they resemble their Creator, because they are movable, and yet subject to alteration, and the Earth unmoveable, and not subject to motion. 2. Point. Moses meaning is, That not the Earth alone was made by God, but also the Heavens, that is, both of them, and all in both, were his work, not the Earth only but also the Heavens; against the Philosophers, which think therefore that the Heavens were not made, because none can assign the point where the Heavens began, nor in what part God began to make them, nor where the Heavens first began to move; by which reason they might hold that the heart of man was not made, because none can tell how it began its motion to pant and beat, whether by sustole or diastole, but as the heart was made, though unknown where the first motion of it is, so were the Heavens. That he made not the Heavens only, but also the Earth below, against the errors of the Manichees, which hold that there were two causes of Heaven and Earth; That the good and white God made the Heaven, and Man from the middle upward; And the black and evil god was the efficient cause of the Earth, and of Man from the middle downward; but as God's power and wisdom is showed and seen as well in an Ant as in an Elephant, as one saith; as well in the creeping Worms, and basest Creatures, as in the Angels and most excellent Creatures: So doth his Majesty and Might appear in the Earth as well as in Heaven. 3 Point. Now in regard of the order here set down, we have a consideration first of the Heavens; for if there were any Order observed in God's Creation, surely the Heavens were made in the first place, which showeth the glory of the Creator; for who ever, in building his house, would or could begin it at the Roof first, and then afterwards lay the Foundation of the Earth: but his omnipotency is such, that he beginneth to make his house from the Roof downward, as we see in the second and third verses; And this is strange, saith Job 26. 7. That he hath made the Heavens turn round like a wheel without an axletree, and that he hath caused the Earth to hang and stand without any prop to uphold it: When we therefore consider the Heavens and Earth, the work of thy hands, we must needs know that the corners of the Earth are upholden by his hand. 4 Point. Let us consider them severally and apart, in which we must regard them after three sorts; 1. First in respect of God, as they are compared with him; 2. Secondly, as they are compared to themselves; 3. Thirdly, comparing them to us. 1. Esay 66. 1. Comparing them with God; Heaven was made to be his Seat, and Earth to be his Footstool. 2. In respect of themselves; Heaven was made as the male part of the World, by whose influence, motion and dews, the Earth, as the female part should, as it were out of her womb, bring forth all living and necessary things. Hermes the Egyptian, the Persian wife men, and Orpheus the Grecian, appoint these two as the matter of all things that are. 3. In regard of us ourselves, Heaven and Earth are the means of our moving and rest, for the motion of the Heavens is the beginning of our bodily motion, and the unmoveable Earth is the cause of rest: Wherefore saith Job 38. 33. That the Course and Order of God's Creatures must make us orderly in all our do. In respect of God and us, God hath made the Earth to be our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, our work house to do his will in; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. & he made heaven to be his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, his Country, or pay house, where he will reward our good works. Thus we have seen God's ordinance in these words, 1. That Heaven and Earth are God's handiwork: 2. That the Heavens by order are first, and first of us to be cared for: 3. The use of it which we must make, both in respect of God, of themselves, and ourselves. Now out of this doctrine we frame the first article of our belief thus, God in the goodness of his fatherly love made Heaven, and Earth, and all in them: And that he might have a Creature above all others, to whom he might impart and bestow them, he made Man after his own likeness; so he made all things, non suo commodo, Job. 35. 6, 7. for we can do him no good; neither did he give them us, nostro merito, Esay 40. 5, 6. For how could we deserve any thing, when he gave all things to us before we were, and when we were made we were but vanity; therefore it was his mere and gracious goodness that brought forth Heaven and Earth for us at the beginning. Psal. 115. 15. We are the blessed of the Lord, which made Heaven and Earth: So in that Psalm is distinguished the true God from all Idols; for they cannot move, nor speak, nor do any thing; but God did all with his word. So St. Paul, by the same reason, exhorteth the Lycaonians to turn from Idols to the true God, Acts 14. 15. But most plainly Jeremiah 10. 11. teacheth this use to be made of the knowledge of God's Creation. In Captivity, saith he, you shall be tempted to serve their Idols; but he telleth them what answer they must make, which is written in the Caldee tongue, all the rest of the book being in Hebrew, which answer is this: Our God made Heaven and Earth, and all in them is; but your Gods can do nothing, but their names shall vanish away, and not be heard upon the Earth. By which we see, that this maketh a plain difference between the true God of Heaven, and Idols, their names shall perish before the earth; but as our God was before the Earth was made, so the Earth and Heavens shall pass away before him, which endureth for ever. The Gentiles made their gods the offspring of Heaven & Earth; but we know that Heaven and Earth are the offspring of our God, which made all; and this is the difference to discern the true God from the false; thus we have seen what we are to learn out of this, for the grounding of our judgement and sound knowledge, and perfecting our understanding in the Creation. Usus. Now it remaineth to show, out of this four points, what is to be learned for the breeding and nourishing of good motions and affections in our hearts. For the first, If there was a beginning of all things, then undoubtedly there will be an end. If there be a head, though the Image be never so great and tall, yet we shall come to his feet at the last, Dan. 2. 41, 42, 43. as the world had its seed time, that is, its beginning, and its Winter time, when it was overwhelmed with water, and its hot Summer, when God reigned in it fire, so shall it have its harvest time at the last, faith Christ: Math. 13.30. when the good shall be carried into God's barn, and the evil into Hell fire: therefore some have well observed, that the Hebrew words which signify heaven and earth, have the first letter of them Alcph, and the last letter of them Tau, to show that they shall have an end, as they had a beginning, both in heaven and earth, so faith St. Paul, 1 Cor. 10.11. and Dan. 12.12. but as in the beginning the morning had his evening, and the evening his morning: so shall it not be at the end; for than saith Saint Judas, in his Epistle, there shall be to the godly a morning of eternal life, without any dark or dim evening any more, vers. 21. and to the wicked an evening of utter darkness, without any morning or lightness, vers. 6. that is, as the Angel swore Rev. 10.6. that as God made the beginning of time, so there should be no more time, nor course, nor order of days, but eternity of all; Wherefore saith St. Peter, what manner of men ought we to be in all godliness of life, seeing God made the world in love for us, and seeing there will be an end of the world, and a judgement for us. The Apostle, Heb. 1. 11, 12. citeth david's saying, that the Heavens shall wax old, and be folded up as a garment, when the full number of God's Elect are accomplished, for whom this garment and covering of heaven was made, and who do bear up the pillars of the earth; for if it were not for the Godly and Elect in the world, neither of them could continue, Esay 51.6. The earth also shall be wrapped up at the time: in a word, this word (Create) signifieth to begin with wisdom and judgement, and to end with justice and judgement; so, Elohim, the Creator, signifieth a Judge; and we in our name Creatures carry about us this sentence, that we are one day to be judged. 2. Point. The second point is, That the Creation was of nothing: then good motions and affections, which that knowledge must breed, nourish, and bring forth in us, is to make us learn to know and acknowledge our nihil, that each of us in particular are nothing, though we in pride so advance ourselves here on earth, as though it seemed to us, that we were something; yea, that we were made of some more excellent things than others; as if we were not as the Publican: but saith St. Paul, If any think themselves to be aught, or if we be any thing now, let him know that this is so by God, not of himself, 2 Cor. 11.5. tametsi nibil sumus, in illo tamen sumus, therefore if we be nothing, that shall condemn us; if we be any thing, it is not that which can deserve to save us; for we are that we are, by his grace, 1 Cor. 15.10. And if we can acknowledge this with humility, than we shall know this also, to our comfort, that he which made us of nothing, can, and will, bring us to be somethings in goodness, if we serve him with humble minds, Esay 38.3 And this is the use and fruit of that. 3. Point. The third point is, That God is our Creator whose name, Elohim, is fetched and derived from this Hebrew preposition el, and from the Greek preposition 〈◊〉, by both which God is called, which prepositions both do signify per & propter; to teach us, that he is our per quem, and must be our propter quem, in all our actions: therefore as it is he per quem sumus, so we must make here, his glory and praise, the end of all our thoughts, words, actions, or devises, whatsoever. Psal. 96. 5. Elohim is said to make all, and therefore we must with praise tell it out among the Heathen: So there we are taught to remember him in our youth, as our Creator; to knit ourselves and our wills to him, as our Governor; and in trembling, to fear him as our Judge, for he cometh to judge the world in truth, Psal. 96. 13. for if we shall amend our lives, we shall rejoice and wish for his coming, as we rejoice and praise him for our making; and this is the perfection of a Christian man, contremiscere, when we think how wonderfully God hath made us, and with joy and gladness say with David, Psal. 119. 52. I remembered thy judgements of old, and received comfort: and as we know that in him, and by him, we live, move, and have our being, Acts 17. 28. so we must live, move and breath only for him, that is, so fare forth as may make for his glory, that at last we may with joy commend our souls to him, as to a faithful Creator, 1 Pet. 4. vers. 19 4 Point. The fourth point was, the things made, namely, Heaven and Earth, which comprehended all in them; that one being the upper bound above, and the other below, between both which are all: The use is, that if we look upward we see Heaven; if we cast our eyes down, the earth will be seen; for our eyes and light are given to see both, which two, if we ask them, they will tell us, Job. 12. 7. If we will not ask them, yet they will preach and declare God's glory, Psal. 19 1. that not once a week, but night and day; not for an hour in the night or day, but continually; though their preaching do not trouble our ears, being dumb, yet they cry aloud; and though they speak not English, yet their voice is intelligible to all Nations and Languages in the world: wherefore seeing they still cry aloud, and tell us of the Creator, that he made all these for us; it is required of us, that we be ready with our tribute and homage, which is to yield due and continual praise and thanksgiving to God for them; for heaven and Earth have a fellow feeling of the good and evil which either we do, or God doth for us, Esay 39 1. and they rejoice with us, when we do, or have any good done to us. And so when we offend God in paying our duty, Jer. 2. 12. then it is enough to make heaven and earth stand still and be amazed and astonished at it, because we forget God and our duty. Thus doth our sin and ungratefullness overthrow and prevent, and slain the whole course and order of Nature, Jer. 12. 4. so there is a concurrent of them with us in honouring, serving, and praising the Creator, both of them and us. Therefore it is our duty and part, to give heedful care to those preachers, which preach God without the Church, always in silence; and so give our duty and tribute to serve and praise God with them amongst his Saints here, that we may be glorified with them in Heaven; that we may praise and magnify him with his Creatures in earth, that we may be glorified with his Saints in Heaven, quod faciat Deus per Christam. Terra autem erat res informis & inanis, tenebraeque erant in superficie abyssi. Gen. 1. 2. verse THE former verse was delivered to us an abstract of the whole work of God's Creation: now lest we should think that when he mentioned Heaven and Earth before, he should mean that all things in Heaven and Earth were made in the very moment of the beginning, even as we see them now; therefore Moses 〈◊〉 haste to tell us, that though at the beginning and first moment God made quecunque nunc sunt, yet he made them not qualia nunc sunt, but did that in six distinctions of several times. It had been as easy to him, to have created all things, even in the perfection and order they are, in a moment and instant, and in that beautiful form, in which they present themselves now to our eyes: But it pleased God, though in power he could doc it, yet in wisdom to proceed after these three degrees mentioned before. First, to create the beginning, both of all times and of all things, as the matter and beginning of all superior bodies, and the beginning of all inferior bodies, of nothing. After the work of creation, followeth the work of distinction, from this 2. verse to the 11. And lastly ensueth the work of persection, with beauty to adorn all his works, and to finish them, which is from the 11 verse to the 16. It pleased God thus to proceed in this work; as well that he might show himself to be the God of order; as also to discover to us the mystery of the Trinity, in the three properties of the three persons, which appear in the Creation; For all was made by his Power, which is the property of God the Father; By his Wisdom, which is the property of God the Son, by which all things were orderly disposed and distinguished; And by the riches of his Goodness, which is the property of the holy Ghost, by which all things were adorned and made perfect: these three properties are remembered in the Revel. 5. 12. and Acts 17. 28. We live by his power; we, and all things, move in this order by his wisdom; and we have this our being by his grace and goodness: by his power we are taught to acknowledge him to be our beginning and original, ex quo sumus: by his wisdom we acknowledge him to be the upholder, per quem sumus: by his goodness we confess him to be the Chief, propter quod sumus. For, considering his goodness, we, and all Creatures, must endeavour to do all that we can for him, and his praise and honour. All which three are plainly and orderly set in the 11. Rom. 36. God also took this orderly proceeding, partly that we entering into the meditation of God's works, might by this means have, as it were, a thread to direct us orderly therein: for, by this means, we come to know this difference between Creatum ordinatum, & ornatum esse, as the Hebrews say, by this means we shall know, not only the beginning and being of all things, but also how orderly and excellently all things were made in this Creation: And thus much of the reasons of this course of Gods proceeding in this work. Moses having therefore in the first verse set down the materials of the World and all in them; now to the 11. verse he showeth the work of distinction: And after, the work of adorning and perfecting all. But first of all he handleth two things in this verse, The rude rudiments of the World. First what the things were he made in the beginning, before they were distinguished by God; for they were void and vain confused things, without order or form, all covered with obscure darkness. Secondly, He showeth how God did first order and dispose these rude things, that they might be fit for distinction and perfection. Of the first whereof at this time. In the first verse we consider God as Deum Theologicum; for it is a matter and a mystery of Faith, that God gave all things their being of nothing: But now hereafter we shall consider him tanquam Deum Philosophicum; for there is no Philosopher, if you allow him his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this matter of the World, but will confess, that it was God as they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an understanding Spirit, which is his power and wisdom, framed all things in this order and form, even common natural reason alloweth and admitteth this rule, because our Consciences do see it, That in every excellent work, the action must by certain degrees and spaces come to perfection; for before fire can burn any other things, it must first warm, then by little and little make black, and parch and scorch the combustible thing, & after that, it inflameth it, and at last maketh it perfectly of its fiery nature, able to do that to another thing which the fire did to it at the first; so every cause, by an orderly course of proceeding, doth bring his effect to perfection Moses showeth therefore, that God took that course which is very agreeable to natural reason; and therefore first setteth down the imperfection of all things at their first beginning, and then the degrees by which they come to their perfection: For at the first there was a foggy gross darkness; after, he made the dawning or morning, which is a mixture of some light and some darkness; And after, he made the perfect light. So at the first he showeth touching the waters, that they were a bottomless gulf; afterward, he made them quiet waters; and at last, made them salt Seas and fresh Waters, Fountains and Springs, in most necessary and orderly sort. And for the Earth, first the beginning of them (which were the matter of all earthly things) it was a desolate and disordered, rude and deformed mass, covered with water; After, God set it above the Waters, and made it dry ground, as the word signifieth; And at the last he brought it to its perfection, making it fruitful and sanctifying it in all necessary things: In the handling of which, we will first generally behold them together, and then severally and apart. Touching the first, It is even as if he had said, all things in Heaven and Earth were not, at the beginning, in that comely and perfect order and manner, in which you behold them now: for now they present themselves to our eyes well fashioned, adorned and replenished; but then they were without form, unshapely, and void. So the waters now we see, serve for Navigation above, and within them they are most profitable and fruitful in bringing innumerable store of sith; but at the beginning it was made void, rude, and raging: Now we see the Heavens beautified and adorned with stars and lights; but at the beginning it was but a gross mist and confused darkness, without any light: Wherefore one calleth them the swaddling Clouts of the World's infancy, Psal. 104.6. for the Waters overspread and covered all the Earth, and the mist of darkness, Job saith, was the swaddling band of the World, 38.9. So the Clouds were the swaddling Clouts of the World, in which it was wrapped up; and the Seas were his Swaths, to bind and swadle it up in its best infancy. As the World's Creation was of nothing, in the work of distinction all things were next kin to nothing; for that without was rude and confused, and within is void and emptic of any good, is as a thing of nothing, and such were all things saith Moses. The Earth being distinguished from the Waters was something indeed, but yet so dry and unprofitable, that it was to no purpose nor use for any thing to dwell and remain on it. Now we see the earth is set first, if Moses had observed a curious order, he should have placed heaven before earth, as in the 1. & 6. but the manner of the holy Ghost in the scripture, is always to begin to speak of that which is freshest in memory, and that is commonly, that which one speaketh of last. The earth is called Toba, Tobohu, which hath this signification that it was a thing without show, in sight misshapen and deformed to outward view, and within to have no inward virtue of good substance, to make amends; for Tohu, signifieth a thing misshapen without, and Tobohu signifieth a thing wanting all goodness, and substance within, to make amends for that; and so it signifieth a thing of no commendation or value. There are many things which are Tohu, that is, deformed without, as Elisha 2 Reg. 2. 23. who was mocked and derided of the boys in the street, but yet within he had inward virtues, which made amends for his outward want. And there are some things which are Tobohu, that is, void and wanting all inward substance, and good stuffing within, without are very goodly and fair in show to look too, as Absalon which without, was a man without blemish, but within he had no good stufting answerable to that without, but rather fraught with pride, murder, and disobedience. But the earth was both Tohu and Tobohu, without deformed, and within void and empty, not that it had no form, for that were against reason, but it was such a form as was altogether deformed; for there is, forma 〈◊〉, & forma perfectionis, and this deformed form it had which made it loathed, having nothing to commend it; it had as the prophet Esay 34. 11. speaketh, line of deformity, and the stones of emptiness, threatening to make wicked Cities such deformed things, that is, he will make them like the world at this state, a confused head, and the stones of the heap shall not be sound stones, but unprofitable rubbish fit for no use. Thus we see what the earth was at the beginning. Now God in proceeding did replenish and fill that void emptiness which it had, with all good things which it wanted, and beautified the deformity of it in this most glorious form, as now we see, and better shall perceive hereafter: so that it is evident, that both the fullness of things, with which now it is replenished, and this beauty which it hath, it than wanted. Et Spiritus Dei incubabat superficiei aquarum. 2. SEcondly, we are to consider of the deep which is called Abyssum, which in the Scriptures is properly applied unto the waters, as in the 7. Gen. 11. and Esay 51. 10. and Luke 8. 22, 23. These waters were the matter of which the heavens were made, for God spread them abroad as molten glass, Job 37. 18. and they shall dissolve and melt again in the last day 2 Pet. 3. 10, 11, 12. so that in this depth of water, is contained the matter whereof the high heavens were made. St. Austin calleth it inordinatum mensitatem aquarum, that is, a disordered; for they had no limit or bound, nor any order or course in them; they were without any shore Psal. 104. 6, 9 for they were above the mountains and prevailed over all, until God did limit them, and set them their bounds, Pro. 8. 27. which they should not pass to cover the earth, yea and also God limited the upper waters, and bounded them in Clouds, Job 26. 8. so that the Clouds break not, he also made doors and bars for the Sea below, Job 38. 10, 11. and said thus fare you shall come, and no further. Touching their first disorderly motion, it is set down Psal: 93. 3, 4. the flood did rage horribly and they did lift up their waves, but now God hath set them a most orderly and profitable and necessary course eundo & redeundo, Psal. 104. 10. of ebbing and flowing by course and recourse of times and tides: These deeps had a face, nay as the word signifieth, it had two faces, in which the Philosophers do easily consent and agree with him; for all know that this globe hath a double hemisphere, yea one half sphere is the upper face of the earth, and the other is the nether face of the earth; now he telleth us that then the darkness was over both faces of the earth and waters, and not as it is now; for when it is dark night with us, it is bright day with the Antipodes, which are as the nether face of the earth, but than it convered all with obscure darkness. 3. Thirdly, As for darkness we are not to conceive any otherwise of it, then to be only a privation, defect and absence of light, which then wanted; for as one faith tenebrae erant, id 〈◊〉 non erat lux: So that by the negative, he showeth that there was a privation of light, not that this privation followed the habit, as if there had been light, but that the darkness was first over all, before there was any light made, 45 Esay 7. it was said, that God created darkness but that was by denying unto things light; for herein appeared God's power, in that as he made something of nothing, so God brought 〈◊〉 out of darkness, 1 Cor. 4, 5. Psal. 18. 11. God came down and darkness was under his feet, he made it his pavilion round about him, to cover the brightness of his person, Psal. 36. 6. God and his works are as tenebrae & Abyssus, like the great gulf; therefore we must not curiously pry and question about him, and his matters. As God made the darkness for some use and purpose for himself, to be his pavilion, Psal. 18. 11. so, in respect of us, he made them to special use, Psal. 104. 23. he made darkness that it may be night, which is a time for all things to take their rest in: so that as the day was made for labour, so this for rest, because quod caret alterna requiae durabile non est. And God hath made it for a third use, to the rebellious Spirits, and Devils, and to wicked men, namely, to reserve them in utter darkness unto the great day, Judas 4, 5, 6. So God made it to be a pavilion for himself, a couch for us, and a torment to the wicked. Tum dixit Deus, esto lux. Gen. 1. 3 verse MOses, having before described the primative State of the world, how God made it of nothing, and then endowed it with an aptness to receive a better form, he doth in this verse unto the 11. proceed to a three fold work of distinction, separating and sequestering orderly one part from the other, to avoid confusion. The first was of the light from darkness, which was the first day's work: The second of the celestial and superior parts of the heavens from the inferior bodies below: Thirdly, the earth and dry land from the waters, and having performed this inward perfection, as it is called Chap. 2 verse 1. he proceedeth afterward to the outward adorning of them three, and so finisheth the work. This verse hath in it the first work of distinction, for, whereas before it was a blind lump, wrapped up in Clouds of waters, as in his Clouds, and swaddled with darkness as with a 〈◊〉 as Job faith, now God took off from it his swaddling 〈◊〉, and clothed it with his own garments, Psal. 104. 2. that is, endowed it with light. Fiat lux & ere at lux. In showing thereof we are to consider two things: First, the precept and mandate of God, Fiat lux. Secondly, the execution thereof for the performance, Et erat lux. In the first, two things are to be observed. First, the authority from whence the mandate came, Dixit Deus. Secondly, the tenor and contents of the precept, Fiat lux. First, touching the authority of the precept, we see it was God that said it, dicere autem, faith 〈◊〉, eft verbum proffer, whereout we gather two observations. 1. The mouth of the Lord, from whence this spirit before, and this word came. 2. Of this word, from whence this work came. Touching the first, it were absurd to say, that God should speak after the manner of men, with an audible sound of words, for it were in vain and to no end, to speak when there were none to hear: therefore this is that which we must conceive of it, that when God speaketh to us in his word, he doth it, as it were, in our dialect, that is, so as we may understand what he meaneth, for if he should speak properly of himself, we are not able to comprehend the manner of his works, therefore as the Holy Ghost taketh a name, and title from a Dove, so doth God 〈◊〉 borrow his manner of doing from a Prince, which is the greatest thing we can conceive, for what is in our conceit (more forceable to the speedy execution and through dispatch of a thing) than a Princes straight commandment, and mandate, which on a sudden can cause whole Armies of men to be ready at his pleasure. Men do unfold and manifest their walls and counsels in all matters, by word of their mouths: Sicut voluntas sermo ejus, it a natura opus ejus, faith one, his word is his will, and all the frame of nature is his work, proceeding therefrom. Wherefore, in that it is said God spoke, it is meant, that he plainly revealed and meant to declare his will. This uttering and revealing the will is after two sorts, which the two Hebrew words do signify. First when a man, by a secret discourse doth reason or speak in his heart, which doth reason off the audible sound of words, Preach. 2. 3. I in my heart purposed with myself; so the fool spoke in his heart, that he durst not utter by sound of voice, Psal. 14. 1. So there is a double word speaking, the one is verbum vocis, the other cordu But to speak truly and properly, there is but one word, which is in our hearts; as our word is first clothed with air, and so becometh audible to men's ears; so faith one, Christ, the word of his Father, being clothed with 〈◊〉, was visible and manifest to all men: So to conclude, the word is that he conceived first in the Closer, as I may say, of his 〈◊〉, and then doth make it plain here by Creation, and after by redemption. And here we may learn the difference between us and God: In us there is one thing by which we are, and another thing by which we understand and conceive things; but in God both his being and understanding are of one and the same substance: And this substantial Word of God, is that where with St. John beginneth his Gospel. God created that which was not, but the word was in the beginning. Therefore it is verbum increatum: it made all things at the beginning, Coll. 1. 15. 16. Therefore it was before the beginning, John 17. 5. Thus we see, as Christ saith, how Moses scripsit de me, John 5. 46. this word of God is proceeding from God, John 8. 42. as the holy Ghost doth also, John 15. 26. The proceeding of the Son is four fold. But Christ's manner of proceeding is determined after four sorts. First, as a son proceeding from a Father. Secondly, as an Image from a Picture. Thirdly, as the light from the Sun. Fourthly, as a word from the speaker, as a Son from the Father, Psal. 2. 7. this day I begot thee; this day, that is, from all eternity; for to God all times is as one day: also he begot him in respect of the connaturality and identity of nature and substance that he hath with God the Father. As an Image from a pattern, that is, in likeness and resemblance to the Father, Coll. 1. 15. for he is like God in property and similitude of quality, and therefore is called, the lively and express character and graven Image, form, and stamp of his Father, Heb. 1. 3. Thirdly, in respect of Coeternity; For, as the light proceeded from the Sun, so soon as ever the Sun was, so did Christ, the word, from eternity, Heb. 1. 3. and therefore he is called, the brightness of his Father's glory: So at what time God was, at that time the brightness of his Son appeared and shone from him. Last of all, in regard of the immateriality, 1. John 1. For, as a word conceived in us, is no matter or substance, so this was Coemateriall, but an incorporeal generation: Thus we see that his proceeding is four fold. Christ distinct in person, one in substance. Now this word is distinct from the Father in person, and one with him in substance: That he is distinct from him, it appeareth Gen. 19 24. Psal. 110. 1. the Lord said to my Lord, 30. Prov. 4. what is his name, and what is his son's names, Esay 36. 9 the father brought forth a son; ergo, divers from himself. Touching the Godhead of Christ, Job saith, surely my Redeemer liveth, and I shall see God with these eyes, Job. 19 25, 26. Psal. 45. 7. God, even thy God, shall anoint thee: There is God anointing God; for he is called thy God also, whom we must worship, Esay 9 6. Jer. 63. 6. his name is the righteous God. In the new Testament, Rom. 9 5. even as he was verbum incarnatum, 〈◊〉 Tim. 3. 16. and John 17. 2. this is eternal life, to know God, and him whom he sent, Jesus Christ. I have made it plain before, that the Heathen had notice of his second person: As the Persian called him the second Understanding; The Chaldeans called him the Father's Understanding or Wisdom; Macrobius, a Counsel or Wisdom proceeding from him: so may we say likewise of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is attributed to Christ; for they seem not to be ignorant of that name. Some called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is verbum: Hermes calleth him the Natural Word of God: Orpheus, the Word of the Father; And Plato most plainly in his Epistle to Hormias: But most strange is that which 〈◊〉 writeth inlib. de preparatione Evangelii, scited out of AEmilius and Heraclitus, and let this suffice for the distinction of the duty and notice of Christ, which is Verbum Dei. Now this word hath a relation to him that speaketh it, and also to the things Created: therefore it is called verbum expressivum in respect of God, and verbum factivum in regard of his works: for his Precept did, in respect of himself, express his Will; but, in respect of us, it had a power to Create, and make things that were not. Therefore, 1. John 3. he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and in the 15. verse he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: so that both in regard of his Father and us, he is a word. Little divinity, and much danger, is in those late Divines, which say, that this was but a temperarie word, which God used in Creating all things; for we see this is verhum increatum, and the very root; of which, all that is said after, are but as branches derived therefrom: And thus much for the authority of this Word. Fiat lux. Now to the Creation of light. Moses maketh plain mention, That the first several thing which God perfectly made was Light: Wherefore we will first speak of the Order, then of the Nature. God is Pater Luminum, Jam. 1. 17. Therefore first he brought forth light, as his sun: But some, having little Philosophy in them, do reason against this work of God very impiously, as if it were not to be said, that light was made three days before the Sun, which is the cause thereof. But if we respect God, the Father of lights, or the Sun, which is the light of the World, or the necessity of light, for Lux est vox verum, because that which things cannot express by voice and words, they do plainly show by the coming of light, which manifesteth all things. Again, God being about the work of distinguishing, it was necessary, first to make the great distiuguisher of all things, which is light; for in nocte est color omnibus idem, & tenebrae rerum discrimina tollunt, but the light distinguisheth one thing from another. Again, of the three beginnings, we show that the first beginning was of time, but we could not have a morning to make a first day, without light of it was first made; for the natural common Clock of the world, to distinguish times, is the course of light and darkness, which is the essence of day and night. Furthermore, we have seen that the Heavens were the first and most excellent: therefore the light, being the first quality and affection of the the Heavens, the first body made, must by right order be made first. Last of all, we begin naturally, a communionibus, but there is nothing with which all things do more commonly communicate, than the light of the Son: ergo, it is first, for it is the communication of Heaven, because all the Stars do borrow their light of it, and we see by it on earth; it is oculus noster, by which we see, and it is their Cresset to light all them. There are some which will have a reason of God's works, and would know how it could be that light should be first made, and four days after the Sun to be made, which was the cause of it: But to these, I answer, that their absurd doubt, doth argue small skill in Philosophy: for they speak, as if the light were an affection and quality only of the Sun; for we see that the fire on earth, the meteors and lightnings in heaven, the scales of Fishes, and a dark wood, have also light in them: And what doth give light to these? I answer, not the Sun; But admit the same were the cause of light, yet we see that many things have their proceeding in nature before things on which they have, after, their dependence: As all agree that the livor in a man, hath the precedence in nature, and yet after it hath his dependence on the heart as his chief; for though the light hath now his dependence on the Sun, yet than it had his precedence. And as Christ was long before he took the body of Flesh: so was the light a certain time before it took, and was joined, to the body of the Sun. Again we may say, that though the Sun was not created now, yet the substance of the Sun was now made, and so we may understand lux for corpus lucidum, which after was perfected. Last of all, this of St. Basill will overthrow their doubt: For if a man will grant to God, that he made all things, without matter, of nothing: then we must also grant that he can make light without the Sun; for God doth not depend upon ordinary means; he is not bound and tied to the Sun, that by the means thereof, light should show; for he can give light without it three days, by miracle, at the beginning, and will for ever give light without the Sun, after the end of the world. The Hebrews spoke of three Creations. 1. De nihilo: 2. In nihilo: 3. Super nihilum: All things were of nothing, the light was in nothing, the earth hanged upon nothing, Job. 26. 7. Tell me, saith Job, on what the earth dependeth; and I will tell thee on what the light than did depend, for it was miraculously, giving light without Sun. A word of the second point, Job telleth, that it is a problem, and a hard question, to know from whence the light is, Job 38. 19 and in the 24. verse, That it is more than man's wisdom to answer it, for the very light is darkness, and ignorance to us, for all that reason can conceive of it, is this, that either it must needs be a substance, or else 〈◊〉 substantiae; that is, flowing, or proceeding from a substance, as a quality or affection of it: if it be a substance, it must be a spiritual or a corporal substance: a spiritual substance it cannot be; for it affecteth a bodily substance, bodily it cannot be, for the motion of it is a moment, for with a flash it lighteneth all, and also if it were then, it must be granted, that two bodies are in one place, as the air and the light at one instant, but indeed as they say of the Element, that they are next kin and affinity to accidents; so we may say of light, Preach. 11. 5. there is a light of knowledge and a light of comfort. The execution of the Precept. The execution of the Precept was of the nature of the Preceptor and Commander. 2 Cor. 4. 6. For as by his word, he made the Whale bring Ionas safe to land; so here he caused light to come out of darkness; Rom. 4. 17. calling things that were not, as if they were; as the motion of the lightning is, that is, in an instant with celerity coming from the East to the West, Luke 17. 24. so was the Creation of it for the facility of making it: we know that no work is impossible to God, Luke 1. 37. For as easy as it is for man to speak any thing, so easy it is for God to do any thing: Gods dictum & factum is all one and alike to him. Wherefore we may conclude with David, that God's word runneth swiftly to the performance and execution of his Will: It is easily and speedily done. There is matter to be learned, to lead us to good motions: But of this hereafter. Viditque Deus Lucem illam bonam esse. Gen. 1. 4 verse. THE meaning of this is, That as we have seen God's wisdom and power in the execution of his Will, so now we may see the goodness and mercy of God in the confirmation and approbation of the light which he 〈…〉 allowing it as good for our use, Job. 28. 3. 〈…〉 God gave not the light to the Moon, but to us, that the light might arise to us. The reference that this verse hath with that which goeth before, is this: God made things before; and here Moses showeth the quality of it, that it was even in God's judgement very good and perfect, that is, as the Philosophers say, God in all his works limiteth together bonum & ens; for all that he maketh is passing well made, The difference between God's works and ours which showeth the difference between God's works and ours: For it is our manner, so we do a thing that God willeth, or that we purpose, it is no matter, we care not how it be done: But here God teacheth us by his example, that we should in attempting any thing, have a special care that it be good, and welldone: Also it is usual with us, that the thing we make in haste is, as we say, canis festinans, that is, it is rudely and blindly done; and therefore that which a man will do well, he taketh great pains and leisure about it, because it is a hard and difficult matter to do a thing well; but God doth, and can do things well, and perfectly well, with ease, with quick dispatch, even in a moment, with great facility and celerity, and yet we see, he confirmeth it to be very good in these words: Two parts: the View, and Confirmation to be good. Therefore there are two parts; First, the view which God taketh, in beholding the light: Secondly, his testimony, affirming and confirming it to be good. The View. Touching the first, As before we haveheard of Gods speaking, so here now we are to consider of Gods seeing. Touching both which, Moses, by God's spirit, is taught to speak after the manner of men, in our phrase and dialect, that it might be to our capacity; for he cannot speak to us as to spiritual, but as to carnal men, for our fleshly understanding, 1 Cor. 3. 1. It is said, that God spoke familiarly to Moses, Exod. 33. 11. that is plainly, both touching the matter, and also for the phrase and manner of his speech: My meaning is, that Moses seemeth to tell us, that God did, as men use to do; which, when they have done any work, they will after return to it and take a view thereof, and look on it, that if any thing be amiss, he may mend it, and to the end he may allow and approve of it, if it be well and according to his mind. So God, after the same manner, is said to do here: having made the light, he considered of it; and seeing it according to his mind and liking, he expresseth his love, liking and allowing of it. Wherefore it is as much to say, as placuit Deo: for as his word fiat lux expressed his Counsel and secret purpose, which it pleased and liked him to determine to bring to pass; so now this approbation expresseth his good pleasure, that it should continue and abide to our good use and benefit: So that God is not like the potter, which sometime having made a pot, doth not like it, but breaketh it again; but God will have his work continue, and therefore doth authorize it to be good, Gen. 1. 4. We set our eyes upon things that are good and beautiful; so when God is said to like any thing, it is said that he looked and beheld it, yea, and that he smelleth also to it, as a pleasant thing, Gen. 8. 21. The use, fruit, and profit of 〈◊〉 Doctrine is of two sorts. The first is in respect of our minds and affections. The second in respect of our actions and practice. For our judgement, it teacheth us to know that Deus vidit, that is, we are the work of his hands, and he doth behold and consider us and our do, whether they be good Gen. 16. 14. God is there called Deus vivens & videns, and Job. 7. 18. nos indies visitar, that is, he doth see us often every morning, he doth visit us, for that is a frequentative of seeing; so that he by his providence and care doth behold and visit us and our do continually, not only when it is morning, and in the light, but also in secret and in the dark and hidden places, Psal. 139. 12. for the darkness is no darkness to him, the night and day light to him are both alike; yea, the 16. vers of that Psalm, God saw David when he was secretly in his mother's womb; if we could dig down into hell he seethe us there, Amos 9 2. if we fly to the uttermost parts and corners of the earth, there he is and seethe us, Psal. 139. 8.9.10. sive lucerna ardet, videt te; sive extincta est, videt te, saith one; there is nothing so hid but that he knoweth it, and he will reward it openly, be it good, Matth. 6. 4. 6. 18, or bad, 2 Sam. 12. 12. Then this that God watcheth and seethe hath relation to these two ends; He looketh on it, that if it be good it may please and delight him, and so he may be moved therewith to save and preserve and commend us and our actions; but if he seethe it evil, it is his intent to condemn, dislike, and destroy it and us. Thus we see God's view is profitable for our thoughts and judgement to know his approbation or reprobation. The second sort, is for our practice: for God is said in the Scriptures, to do many things, that we may do like and resemble our Father: If God look on his, and our works, much more it is our duty and behoveth us to do the like: If he be grieved, and sorrowful, and repent, when he seethe our works evil; how much more doth it concern us to do the like. Examen in ment est quod visas in oculo. Therefore we must consider often of our do, to see whether they be good or bad, which thing is contrary and against a humour of ours; for when we have done any thing, we never consider whether it be good or bad, we have no regard of it afterwards. Therefore, the Prophets oftentimes beat upon this exhortation, Vadite in cor vestrum. Consider your own doing in your hearts, Esay 46.8. Preach. 2.12. The wise man, often saith, that he returned to consider the fruit and labour of his hands, to see the vanity or good of them: And if we thus consider our ways and works, whether they be good or evil, and repent, or rejoice, approve or disprove them, than we do, like Children, imitate our Father: If God return to behold his light, how much more should we return to see and consider of our works of darkness, and to acknowledge with repentance, how evil they are; It is our custom and fashion, if we do any thing for our inferiors (as God doth here) not to regard it; wherefore seeing he doth carefully consider and regard the things he maketh for us, being so base as worms, how much more doth it concern us, doing things for him that is our Creator, to do the like? For if we do any thing for a Prince or a Noble man, what great care and pains, and consideration do we take in doing and viewing, that it may be well? wherefore much more must we do in our works, for him who is King of Kings. Last of all, touching the use: If God were so careful to look to this work, which could bring no gain or profit to him at all, then how much more doth it concern us, to look to our works, which we do to him, seeing to them is great reward promised? Psal. 19.14. he did his gratis, without any hope of reward, but we have promise and hope of reward for our well doing; and therefore it behoveth us to behold and see that our works be good; which we shall the rather do, if we consider the seldomness of our attempting any good, and the silliness of our well do, when they are at the best; for God every day doth many good things perfectly for us, but we scarce do any good once in a week, yea, not one good thing, though never so unperfect, to a thousand sins, which therefore must humble us, and make us look to our works. Lux erat bona. Now we are to consider the goodness of this creature Light. Touching which, this is the general regard and rule of Divinity. Nemo bonus est nisi Deus, Mark 10.18. therefore if any man, or any thing created, be good, or have any goodness ascribed to it, we must know that it was derived from God, which is the fountain of all goodness, Psal. 104. 2. for goodness is his garment, and we are naked and destitute of it, until he doth cast the lap of his own garment over us. Light is good, because God made it, and partaketh the quality from God. For it is impious to think that any thing in the World should be evil, defective or imperfect, (and therefore not commendable) and the cause and fault of it not to be in the matter of which it was made, but of the efficient which made it; But if any thing be good, perfect and commendable, the cause of it is the goodness of the maker, not of the matter: for the matter of all things is nothing, or a thing rude and unperfect, and therefore of it can proceed nothing of worth. In men's works, if the matter whereof we make things, were as permanent and durable as the form, which the workman setteth to it, our works would be long and very lasting; for we see, that if the matter of a house or garment would continue, and were perfect, the form and fashion of it would continue, and not decay; but because the matter is ruinous and subject, the one to be rotten, and the other to be threadbare. Therefore our works cannot last, so all the defects and imperfections, both of Body and Soul, do come from the defects of the matter, of which we were made, not of the form in which God made us: from thence therefore had Adam and his posterity, an ability and possibility, to be subject to return to emptiness, to darkness, and to deformity, to be without goodness and full of evil, because he was made of the rude matter, which was so: But if any good thing remain in us, it is because of the relics of that form in which God made us. Thus much of goodness in general: now for a more particular consideration of the goodness of light: We see that God first praiseth that, which indeed causeth all other things to be praised, and therefore it must needs be good and most commendable. Secondly, God is the testis and witness, which affirmeth it to be so: Who dare deny it? Thirdly, yea who can deny it, for our own eyes being judge and witness, we must needs also, with God say, it is good, for it hath aspectabilem in se bonitatem; yea it is a means by which we see how good God is, Psal. 34. 8. Behold and see how good God is. Goodness hath two respects, the one is in regard of itself, the second in respect of others; when it is good to other things, and in as much as it doth good, and delighteth others besides itself, by communication of his quality to others; And hereunto ariseth the threefold distinction of bonum, which all Philosophers gaze at, and speak of so much. The first, is, bonum honestum. Second, bonum jucundum. Third, bonum utile, all which do much differ. Psal. 133. 1. unity and amity of brethren, is bonum atque jucundum. Titus 3. 8. many things may be bonum, utile & jucundum, but this light is good in all respects, 〈◊〉 47 3. verse. For the first, That is good, which is desired in, and for itself, as Eve therefore desired the Apple, Gen. 3. 6. but we desire to see the light only for itself, propter videre lumen; and therefore having no pleasant object at all: Yet we still love to have our eyes open, because it is good to see and behold the light of the Sun. Also all good things and virtues are in a league of great affinity, friendship, and amity with the light, which argueth that it is somewhat like it in goodness, Ezek. 13. 9 17. 22. veritas non quaerit angulos, for truth feareth and hateth nothing more than to be kept and imprisoned in darkness; and all evil things cannot abide the light, but hate it as deadly, because light is contrary to their evil nature; but honest and good things delight in the light. Secondly, It is delightful for others to behold, as the apple, Gen. 3. 6. as well as Bonum in se; for we count it a miserable thing to eat our meat in darkness though our meat be good, Preach. 11. 7. and 5. 6. It is a pleasant thing to see the Sun, Preach. 11. 7. Blindness is an uncomfortable thing, as Toby confesseth, yea such things as have not sufficient light, are less comfortable and delightful; for the house which hath little store of light, we find fault withal as melancholy and uncomfortable: Therefore it hath a nature to be comely also and amiable or beautiful, Psal. 147. 1. Lux habet venustatem, it is sightly for the pleasure of the eye, and therefore is called mater pulchritudinis, the colours that have most brightness and light in them, are best liked, and so are the silks which have the greatest and fairest gloss. But without light there is no beauty, the eye is without pleasure or delight in any object; for in the dark a russet coat and a scarler robe is all one; no difference between a ruinous Dungeon and a princely Palace: Therefore in this degree of good, light is very good. Thirdly, touching the profit of it, Which utile also caused the desire of the Apple, Gen. 6. 3. light is very profitable and commodious, both in matters of expediency, and also in things of necessity; for all our knowledge cometh of light, and is compared to light, Ephes. 5. 8.9. In Job. 37. 22. it is compared to gold, both propter venustatum, utilitatem, & necessitatum; and if you will know throughly the price, value, and estimation of it, then see the value and estimate of the eye; for one would rather lose all his gold and treasure for a ransom, than depart from one eye, for that did grieve Israel most, 1 Sam. 11. 2. and why should one make any reckoning of his eyes, if it were not for the light? for without it, our eye and our nose can see both alike: yea, we have no use, but trouble of it, without light; we may know and consider the price of light by this, that in the night, which is a natural absence of light, rather than we will sit in the dark and want the benefit of light, we will redeem and buy it with money, and some know what cost some are at in buying of light. Out of this consideration ariseth matter of meditation, both for our profit and amendment of life. And first it showeth the condemnation and rebuke of three faults, in three sorts of men: For we say that the action which crosseth God's action, is very ill; but the judgement and opinion which crosseth, contradicteth, and denieth God's judgement and approbation of a thing, is fare worse: God, when he saw the light, said it is good: How dare any person be so ill, as when he seethe the light, to say it is evil? Yet there are three sorts of men which do thus. It is a usual thing, in the sale of such Wares and Merchandise which are adulterate, evil, and corrupt, men will say this light is evil, it is not good for us what soever God saith; and therefore they do frame and make false and deceivable lights. But seeing the light, the brighter it is, the it is, they which will sell good and lawful Merchandise, must not make to themselves dim and deceivable lights; for seeing this visible light is good, we must not call light darkness, nor good evil, Esay 5. 16. Secondly, In regard of the light of grace we see, as Job saith that there are some which are Lucifugae, which fly and hate the light, such Creatures are unclean, Levit. 11. 19 30. as Bats and Owls among birds, Moules and Rats among Beasts, they are odious to all men; so among places, Dungeons and darksome Rooms are odious also. And as this is so, in things natural; so, in things spiritual, lucifugae actiones, are of the like evil nature and odious to God and good men; because both such men, and their do, have an opposition to light, and the author of light. They come from darkness of the mind, that is, ignorance and unbelief, and they are begotten by the Prince of darkness the Devil, Ephes. 6. 12. and in the end they go to utter darkness, and therefore they are called the works of darkness, Rom. 13. 12. And so not marvel though they love darkness and hate light, if any cannot abide the light of God's word to be reproved by it, as Herctiques and Hypocrites, such dig deep pits to hid their Counsels, Esay 29, 15. because they see the light is to them evil, and as the shadow of death, Job. 24. 17. The emptiness of good things, and the bottomlesnesse of ill things, and the deformity of both, proceedeth and cometh from darkness, and was enclosed in it, as we have seen in it: And so spiritually is all found in the ignorance of the truth, Ephes. 4. 18, 19 either the blindness of men's minds, which is natural, or else that which is wilful, when men do wittingly wink and will not see the light. Wherefore we see God made light first, before any other good: And so ourselves must receive spiritual light of knowledge before he will give us any better grace. The third sort of men are catchers and fault finders with God's Creatures; such which think to know how God's works, which now are good, might have been fare better, as if God might have done well to have craved their counsel and help; but God's works both in particular and general, are so good and perfect, that they could not be mended. Wherefore, if the light seem ill for us, we must confess and acknowledge, that the fault is not in God's work, but in the illness and infirmity of our eyes and understanding: If the Word seem evil to us, know that it seemeth so to us, because we and our works are evil, and therefore cannot abide the light, John 3. 20. Wherefore to conclude, that which God hath called and sealed up to be good, let no man presume to call and count to be evil, Act. 10. 15. For a work belongeth to such, which call that is good evil, and evil things good, and darkness light, Esay 5. 20. But if we love the light of nature, and praise God for it, Psalm. 148. 5, 6. And if we love the spiritual light of grace in his word, and glorify and praise God for it, 1 Pet. 2. 9 that hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light, than God will at last reward us with his light of glory, and bring us to that inaccessible light, wherein he dwelleth, which is the father of lights, unto which no man can attain unless Christ, the light of the World, bring him, and therefore let us pray, that the father for his son's sake, will make a way for us by his spirit of light, to which three persons in unity, be all praise and glory for ever. Amen. Et distinctionem fecit Deus inter hanc lucem & tenebras. Gen 1. 4. verse. THere was in the first verse nothing before God made something of nothing, after which, at the first we saw it to be a 〈◊〉 dark heap, without any good form or ability to receive any better: But after followed the impregnation and endowment which God gave, by which the things first created had a faculty and power given, to receive this form which now they have. Fourthly, ensued the essence and being of all creatures, they were prepared by the Spirit, and perfected by the word of God: where we considered, first, the essence and being of light, and then the nature of it: And lastly, of all the goodness of the light, both in regard of the presence of God, who in his counsel thought it to be good, and also after the creation by his approbation, allowed the use and continuance of it unto us. Now followeth, the distinction and dividing, which giveth yet a degree of perfection to the former light, more than it had before; for at the first, he gave light such a being, which should prodire in actum, and not every being, but a special good being, which is a degree further, of order and distinction, against disorder and confusion, to be in all respects laudable, and that not every good being, but that which is more, an ordered, and distinguished, and comely good being, which work of all other is the perfection of Creation, as we shall see in the rest: for things though they be never so good in themselves, as St. Paul saith, 1 Cor. 14. 7. of another thing in the like case, yet they cannot be discerned of men to be so, neither are they meet for any good use of men, unless they have a certain distinction and order. Order. Therefore order is, as some say, very goodness of goodness itself, for there are many good things, which do cease from being good to us, yea become hurtful being without the rank, order and degree, either of their set and distinct place or time: As fire though it be good in the Chimney, yet it is not good, nay it is very evil in the top of the house. Fire is very good in the Winter to warm us, but in the Summer it is not so good, but shunned of men: So the light not being tempered and proportioned orderly, but being any degree too-bright, it hurteth and blindeth our eyes, that we cannot see, Act. 22.6, 11. Excellens objectum corrumpit sensum: So the fire being in any degree too fierce, and too hot in the Chimney (and Winter) that is, not moderated, and ordered in a good degree, it doth us no good. Wherefore we see, that a set and a distinct order must be observed in good things, both touching the place, time, and degree; And that the contrary, inordination, deordination, or want of order in these things, which is called Babel hereafter, that is a confusion, maketh things to cease from being good to us, which in their own nature are very good. It was necessary therefore, that God should proceed to this work of distinction, as he in wisdom doth: This than is as if Moses had said, the light was good; for else extingueret, non distingueret Deus si non esset bonum, he would not else have distinguished it, but dashed it in pieces and destroyed it again. Therefore because it was good he separated it and set it apart from darkness, by itself: Lonum & malum in Creatura arguit quid Creator & materia corum erat. Which thing doth teach us, that all things created, be they never so good, they carry in them, as well a mark and sign of the matter whereof they were made, as of the Creator who made them, that is, as by some goodness in them they show the excellency of their maker, in some part, so by some ill and vicious quality in them, they bewray the imperfection and rudeness of the matter of which they came. As for example, Corn hath his chaff with it, Light hath adjoined his contrary, darkness, Honey bringeth his unsavoury wax, Metals have their dross, and Liquors and Wines their lees and dregs, the one showeth the goodness of the maker, the other the rudeness, deformity, and emptiness of the matter. Now than we see, that until there be a distinction and separation between the lees, grounds or dross of the Wine or Beer, and until a trial be made to refine and put apart and try the dross from the pure Metal, and sift the chaff and sever it from the Wheat and Corn, we can have no good and sit use profitable for us and convenient. Even so we say of the Light; for according to the course of this mixed world, light was brought forth in his mixture, that is, in darkness, John 1.5. Therefore as God doth here try and discover, and separate light from darkness, so in Math. 3.12. he is a Fanner and Winnower of the chaff from the Wheat, and by separation cleanseth his floor, leaving there only the Children of light. Ob. But touching this action let us consider this first, Wherefore he left any darkness at all; and why he did not clean cut off all darkness, considering that it is opposite to the light, which is good? Whether darkness be evil? Where first ariseth this question to be discussed, Whether Darkness be evil, seeing it is opposite to light, which is good. Touching which I have told you before, That darkness is but a defect, absence, and want of the light, and mere privation, and no substantial thing of itself: And therefore it is said, when God created darkness, we must understand it to be spoken in this sense and phrase of speech, That when God created no light at the beginning, therefore he is said to create darkness; for God caused it by withholding light. Wherefore, as emptiness is nothing but a want and defect of stuffing and fullness; and as nakedness is nothing but a want of and covering; and as silence is nothing but a withholding of words and speech: T●nebrae Naturalis. Moralis. So darkness, being no substance, and nothing but a mere and bare privation, and that not privatio moralis, but naturalis, not a want or defect of virtue, which indeed is vicious, but of light, which hath a use commodious: Therefore, in that regard, it cannot be said to be evil; but in regard of the morality, as we say, i. as it hath a resemblance, similitude and proportion to that which is moral, as knowledge and ignorance, in that respect it is blanched among evil and vicious things. Ob. But it may be objected, That if natural darkness be not evil, why then did not God say before also, that it was good? I answer, That light is an essence, and hath an essential goodness in it; but darkness being nothing, no essence of itself, therefore it could have no essential goodness to commend itself; but it 〈◊〉, as we say in the Schools an ordinate goodness 〈…〉, for this rule we hold in divinity, that Deus bons & 〈◊〉 facit & 〈◊〉. So that things have either Bonum essentiale, as the light, or Bonum ordinatum, as the darkness. And God 〈◊〉 many things which have no essential goodness in them, because by his ordination disposing them, he can and doth bring them to our great good use and commodity, As silence hath a great good use even in 〈◊〉 and sometime holding a part gives a great grace to the Atte. Ignorance hath this use, that it is a spur to prick men forward to the knowledge of liberal Sciences. So darkness, in the Art of Painting, hath a great necessary use for shadows and the darkness of parts, give it greater grace and beauty: Afflictions have a good use by God's ordination; So hath adversity, for it is made good for our instruction and amendment: So this darkness and absence of the light, hath bonum ordinatum given it, for God in wisdom and mercy disposeth and ordereth it to be a and Chamber in which men can best sleep and take their rest, Psal. 104. 20. and in Justice he ordaineth it to a good use and end, namely, to be the 〈◊〉 and place of torment & punishment to the wicked, in the world to come. You see then why he made not such a light which should compass 〈◊〉 overspread all the world with his bright beams, without admitting any shadow at all, Job. 38. 27. And you see the reason why God suffered not the light to be mingled confusedly with darkness, but distinguished the one from the other without taking other clean away. 2d part. Now in the second place we will consider first the things divided and distinguished here, and then the division and separation it 〈◊〉 Distinction. Touching the first, we must as, St. 〈◊〉 saith, Phil. 1. 10. 〈◊〉 between things different and opposed, which we call, membra dividentia, and we must not conjoin and confound them together, for God doth confound such, which make a separation and breach in God's things, which should not be divided, Math. 23. 37. as the Chickens which separated themselves from the Hens call, and also he consoundeth those, which agree and join together in evil things, from which they should be separated and divided, Gen. 11. 8. they have a woe which confounds these membra dividentia: calling good evil, and light darkness, for God will and doth divide things that are noble, from things unnoble, and good things from that which is bad, and he will have no agreement between them, but the Devil's art of dividing is contrary, for it is his study to glue and mash together ill things with good, Nahum 1. 10. and to divide and separate good things one from another, and therefore never leaveth until he maketh God's Church regnum divisum, Mat. 12. 26. So the Devil shuffleth good things to bad, that there may be an equality between them, which should have no coherence, which is mater confusionis, as he is author and pater confusionis. Wherefore this must teach us to divide, as God doth things of different and contrary nature. As for the division itself, the manner of it is after four sorts: 1. For, first, he divided them in cause, for the bright and fair, clean, bodies, as fire have their fulgorem, Ezech. 1. 4. and is the cause of it, the firmament hath his splendorem, and is the cause of it. So he divided them, that so he might appoint these to be the causes of light to the World. So e contra he did it, that these corpora opaca, these thick and compact bodies should give a shadow, and so be the cause of darkness: so God divided them first that they might be divers causes of these. 2. Secondly, he hath divided them in places; when the light is in the upper Hemisphere with us, the darkness is by division cast into the lower Hemisphere with the Antipodes: And so God hath set his horizon Circle, as a girdle about the midst of the Earth, Job 28. 20. which is a limit and bound of this division, to leave darkness, that it come no nearer the light, than that. 3. Thirdly, in time; For as this very, part of time with us is light, so to some in the afternoon at this very hour, it will be darkness and night; for as now by God's separation, light doth drive out darkness, so then the light shall give place to the dark; and so shall the course of times continue. 4. Fourthly, in regard of the use, of which we spoke before, Psal. 104. 23. For he divided them thus, in the one we might have time to labour and work, and in the other to rest and sleep: and therefore the light is called the window, by which we see what to do, and night the curtain to draw over it, when we are weary and would take rest; and as this is the temporal use, of this alteration of light and darkness, which God hath made: so there is an eternal use for which he did it, and that is, he separated the one from the other, that the light might be the inheritance of his Saints in light, in regard of which God 〈◊〉 darkness in the Stars, that now give us light, Job 25 5. But that light which God dwelleth in, and we shall, is such which hath no darkness at all, John 1. 5. And this is our reward, which are the Children that walk in light; but for the wicked, he hath reserved another eternal use of darkness, even Caliginem tenebrarum, which gross part of darkness, is in this distinction cast down into the bottomless deep of Hell, for the punishment of the wicked, as that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the good, so is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the wicked. And indeed, God being willing to send back none of his creatures which he had made to nothing again, therefore the worst thing in this work of distinction, he sendeth to the place which is next nothing, that is, to the lowest and basest place of the depth. Hell. Therefore Hell is said to be in that place of emptiness or below, Rev. 9 1. And Tohu is the bottomlesfe place. Esay 30. 10. So that place of Hell is Tohu, Tobehu, emptiness of all good, bottomless and infinite in all ill, disordered with all confusion, utter darkness without light: So it is a place of all horror and desolation for ever, which place of darkness is evil indeed to the sufferer, but to the good for the justice of the righteous, and just God which is blessed and glorified by his judgement therein. Now that we may make better use of the knowledge of this, than the Heathen do of their Philosophy, for the framing in us of good and honest motions, this may we learn for our uses. 1. First, that God is the author of all order, place, time, and all things else, which do observe a comely course and order of times and seasons: He ordained first night, than day by course of place, he orderly distinguished sursum & deorsum, and so of other things as we shall see hearafter: wherefore he is not the author of disorder and confusion, as it is plainly said, 1 Cor. 14. 33. which also is taught of shadow and figure, Deut. 22. 〈◊〉 he will not have us make a mixture, and confusion of things divided; as not to mingle seeds of divers natures, not to make Cloth of Wool and Flax, not to blow with an Ox and an Ass, for such things are abomination in God's eyes: which type doth lead us, to see the deformity of spiritual confusion and disorder, which is set down in the 2 Cor. 6. 14. 15. Our faith must not be coupled with infidelity, for what agreement can there be by yoking these opposite and unequal things together: so that God did not only make order, but also made it to this end, that it should continue, and be kept of every man, yet there is and ever will be, confusion and disorder both in particular men, and in Commonwealth's contrary to God's ordination, but the end of it is the confusion, and overthrow both of Commonwealths and us, if we continue so: in private men there is no danger or great hurt to be feared, by such in whom there is mere ignorance of simplicity; but when there is a mixture of knowledge with it, as when men know their ignorance and yet will be wilful, when we think that we know something, and yet know nothing, as we should, and when we seeing, will be wilfully blind, this is very dangerous: therefore God cannot abide the mixture of outward holiness with inward corruptness, Hypocrisy. that is, to seem to be that we are not, which practice is Hypocrisy, which the prophet compareth to a Cake baked on the outside, and dow raw in the inside, as it is in action so for affection, God cannot abide such as mix and join together, cold and hot, and so become luke warm in affection Rev. 3. 16. for such God will spew out of his mouth. The proper and natural term of confusion, is taken from the custom of Apothecaries to mingle Oil and Wine, which are of divers natures, which should be kept in several vessels apart: So if men knowing God and yet will power evil actions, and sins on their own consciences, which are against it, this is the holding of the knowledge of God in unrighteousness, Rom. 1. 18. which God cannot abice; as we must not join good things to evil things, to colour and cover them, for this is hypocrisy as the former was impiety: this God calleth Mat. 23. 27. the putting of a fair marble tomb over the foul rotten carcase which we have: and having bad interprises and attempts, to put on a well varnished vizard to hid the baldness of it, 2 Cor. 4 2. and cast over it the cloak of Godliness, and so by joining good and evil, making evil to be in the company of good, that it may not be suspected or the better entertained with men. Such are now a days: For the Devil seeking to disturb and destroy the Church, by some he laboureth to do it, by joining the Queen's injunctions and proceed to it, under which pretence, they satisfy their covetousness with the hurt of the Church. Others under the pretence of a good thing, namely of reformation, on the other side do seck much hurt to God's Church, so some on the one side put light to darkness, and on the other side join darkness to light, which should be separated & not come together. Non est aliud Abyssus, aliud facies Abyssi, they are not two things severed, and therefore if it be dark or light in the deep, it will appear so in the face of the deep: So we must appear and show plainly and outwardly by our face and deeds, what we are within the bottom and depth of our hearts, and indeed as the showing his darkness over the face of all, was a preparation to have light sent to all: so when we profess and manifest outwardly, how evil we are by repentance, it is the very note of reformation, and 〈◊〉 we begin to be good. Thus we see God is our pattern for imitation, to teach us to separate and distinguish good and evil. Touching ourselves first, which thing God's word also resembling, God himself doth teach us, Heb. 5. 10. For it discerneth and separateth the will in the hearts and thoughts of men, aswell as in actions, and setteth his mark on them, saying to us, this is evil, avoid it, this is good, receive it. Two things in light. There are two things in light, which are the marks and notes of his goodness by which it is known, that is, brightness and comfortableness. So God's Spirit is called the light and oil of knowledge, for knowledge, instruction, and direction, and in the 45. Psal. 7. He is called the oil of gladness and comfort and consolation, so God's word is a lantern, and also a joy and comfort, Psal. 119. 105. but e contra ignorance and darkness is melancholy and uncomfortable. So we may make our mark of distinction on things; for if we see them uncomfortable to the soul and conscience, set a mark on it, that knowing them, we may eschew such things, and ensue such things as are good and comfortable. And thus much for ourselves. Now touching others, we learn also that in Commonwealths the Magistrate must have his stone of Tin, Zach. 4. 10. that is, his marking stone, for that is the word also here, to set his mark of difference on the evil, to discover them from the good. The Minister hath belonging to him only vision to discern them, Jer. 15. 19 but the Magistrate hath division to do it; so that he may by deed approve and commend the good, and reprove and condemn the bad; and if all did keep this difference, the world would be a light world; but because the good and the evil, without any distinction or regard, are shuffled together, 1 Sam. 8. 1. this confusion in Commonwealths is the cause, by God's just judgement, of the confusion and renting a sunder of Commonwealths and Churches, Dan. 5.18. This just division then looked to in the Governor, would avoid confusion in the popular sort, as God doth here begin to distinguish light from darkness, so doth he the same continually by his word, Heb. 4. 12. separating and marking the works of darkness from the armour of light; for it showeth to us, daily, which are ignorant and negligent, these things are evil, and not to be done; that is good, and must be done; these things the ignorant Gentills and Infidels did; therefore thou must not do the like, which hast knowledge: these things do they which are desperate and without hope of comfort; therefore thou, which hast peace and joy with God must not do so. Thus we must be careful in separating evil from good, until the great day of separation, when God shall sever all evil from good for ever; for here God is a Fisher, and Commonwealths and Churches are as a Net, which hath in them good and bad together, children of light and darkness, but then at the last day of separation, when a full, final, and perfect distinction shall be made, all shall not be taken into God's Boat, Math. 25. 32. but the good fish only shall be taken into God's Boat, and the evil shall be cast away. Then God will be a Shepherd, Math. 25. 32. and divide the Sheep from the Goats for ever, setting this eternal mark venite Benedicti, ite Maleaicti. Until the last day of perfect separation, there will be still confusion and disorder, both in private men and public Weals, but they which cease not to confound themselves in themselves, Justice with unrighteousness, qui confundunt, confundentur, Thus we have seen the order of separation in God; also the manner of it in us, both privately and publicly; And what confusion will be unto the last day. And thus much of the natural separation, and the spiritual use thereof. Now as here we see divisio rerum, so in the next place is set down divisio nominum & denominationum, which ever ensueth the other, for it is the sin of the world not to divide things in their denominations and names which are perfectly and plainly distinguished in their natures; for they call repentance and remorse sullenness and melancholy, and David's spiritual joy foolishness, covetousness they call honest thrift, profuseness providence, and riot liberality, patience they call cowardliness, and quarrelling manhood, light darkness and darkness light: So they confound the names, when they cannot the natures: But such shall give account for it, to the great distinguisher in the great last day of division. We have in this distinction many things to consider, as, The names given, The Athcists objection, And sundry other matters, of which the next time. Lucemque Deus vocavit diem, tenebras verò vocavit noctem. Gen 1. 5. verse. AFTER God had distinguished and divided light from darkness, as being things in nature opposite, and in degree unequal, which contrariety and inequality, not being separated, are the authors of all confusion. Now he proceedeth to divide them in name; for as the natural division serveth for all things, so this distinction of denominations and names, in respect of us men, serveth for our knowledge to distinguish them, which inducement moveth us to think that God had respect to mankind even from the beginning in all things that he created, as if he purposed to make them for men; for though light and darkness affecteth all Creatures, even beasts, yet the name and title given to them concerneth only man, who understandeth and discerneth things by their names; and therefore as soon as he made man, he gave him a gift to know by what names to call and distinguish one thing from another, Gen. 2. 19 for God hath in the Creation ordained things that they should be known, and that they might be known, he giveth names of distinction, which are symbola rerum, as it were, notes to know them by; and because we cannot in this life know all that God made, we look for a clearer light after this life, by which our knowledge shall be perfect, 1 Cor. 13. 12. Touching this division of names, we have four things to consider, First, the manner of denominations: Secondly, the cause: Thirdly, the end: Fourthly, the dependence of the day on the light, and not on the Sun, as some say. Touching the first, that is, Whether God called them by their names and imposed titles to them after a sensible manner, with a distinct audible voice, I find a double contrariety in Writers; But, to resolve upon it, To whom should he speak audibly, seeing there was none to hear and understand? And therefore to no end and purpose should we think, he should speak so, but as the Hebrew say appellavit, id est fecit appellari, the same phrase, as we say Princes do build houses, that is, do cause them to be builded: wherefore the manner of giving names is this, that as God gave before the natural use of things, so now he took order that we might have a use of them by names, to know and talk of them so. 2. God is the cause and author of the names of things, by which we know and call them; for though we say, that when God created man, he made him capable of speech & of language, in which language we see God had speech and conference with him, being made, Gen. 2.16, 17,18. Yet Adam imposed not the names to the Creatures, Gen. 2. 19 but according to that gift of knowledge and utterance, he calleth things by such names and titles as he had received from God; for as God did largiri linguam, so he did nominibus praeire linguae; for here we see before ever man was made, in all the six day's works, God gave names to the things as he made them, and to Adam himself, and in these seven things named, are contained all other particular things made in, and with them. 3. The end, to which God gave & imposed sundry names was, that we should do as he hath done, that is, when things have a true being, then to give names to them accordingly, and not to our fancies, and things which indeed are not at all, as the custom of the World is for things that have no esse, as the Hebr. said, must have no name: For God gave names to things that were created, and had a being: ☜ We must not then do as the Apothecaries, that is, set on their Boxes a name and title of a precious thing, when within it there is no such matter; we must not affect the name of Learning, Godliness and Light, nor give it to others, when we know ourselves and they to be darkened and evil. Secondly, when things have a true being, we have a care to give names and titles, agreeable to the nature and quality of them, that the act and nature of the thing, may be made manifest in the name of it, as written in the forehead: for as a man draweth good Liquor out of the Cask, so out of the meaning and signification of the Word, and denominations given by God, we may draw out the hidden nature and knowledge of the thing, for nomen est symbolum rei, and this is seen even in these names of day and night, given to light and darkness; for concerning the name of the day Jom, it is very significant and pregnantand discloseth the nature of the day, and the Hebrew word, which signifieth night, is the negative, The day what it signifieth. to the meaning of the day, the day importeth as much as Ens, being, showing us that our being and life, must be employed altogether in the day time, in some honest exercise and work of our calling, of God or the Country, and that we are not any longer to reckon or account ourselves, to live or have any being, then when we walk, as in the day, in the course and actions of our life, and work of our calling; for being idle, ill employed, or sleeping, sloathfully spending and consuming our time in vanity, we are dead and have not the being of men; also there is a good signification given of those, which take the name of Jom from striving and moving, teaching that the day is a time of walking, stirring, speaking and labouring, and the night e contra, a time of silence, rest, and ease, and sleep, or rather a time, thereby to restore and recover the strength of body, which in the day was spent by careful and painful travel, in which sense I shown the day to be the workhouse, and the night to be our Cabin or Couch of rest, Psal. 104. 23. 4. Lastly, touching this division, we see that the reason of man, is offended with God in this place for naming a day, saying there was a day, so long before there was any Sun, which seemeth absurd to them, because they think the day dependeth on the Sun, as on his cause, therein most falsely and grossly, drawing their reason from that which is now, to that which was then at the beginning, in which they argue their ignorance and error, even in learning and Philosophy. Note the Sun. Wherefore touching this question, whether be the cause of the day, we say and prove according to this, that before there was any Sun, there was a day, two or three, for the course and order of things are otherwise in the proceeding of nature, then of the first beginning, as we have showed: Again, touching this particular, we say, that the day is broken and draweth long before we see the Sun, only because of the approaching of the light; also when the Sun is in his Eclipse, and when it is all day long hid and covered with the Clouds, yet we say, & call it, the day time; so the contrary, we see and say, that the day dependeth on the light, not on the Sun, and his participation of communication. Again, the Sun is not light, but vehiculum hujus lucis ex qua fit dies; and therefore is called the Lamp which containeth light, & tanquam lycbnus, as Basill well faith, which is not light and shining of itself, until the accessary light be put to it, aliundè, as this light, by which the day was, afterward was put to the Sun, and so now since it causeth our day: Again, there are many things, which can and do conceive and bring forth light, besides the Sun, as a Flint, Gunpowder, Fire, by which we may perceive a great difference between this light, and the Sun after, that whether we take the light to be defluum or a stream of brightness issuing from God for Nebora in Hebrew signifieth as well a stream of water, as a beam of light, Job. 3. 4. we shall see that light doth not stream from the body of the Sun only, but from many other things, created as we see, as the fire, De fluvium ignis fulgor, Ezech. 1. 4. Also there is De fluvium firmamenti splendour, Dan. 12. 3. The streams of * Brightness. righteousness shining from the Firmament, Meteors. as streaming and issuing from the impressions and meteors of the Air; or whether we say, that it streamed from the Heavens, and from God's glorious Majesty, as light did to the Israelites out of the Pillar, any of these, or altogether, will give them their answer, and repel the frivolous and unlearned objections of the Atheists: or else if we consider as Nazianzen doth very wisely think and gather, that is, all things in gross were created at the beginning, in the two generals, Heaven and Earth, though the perfecting and polishing of the Creatures in particular, were by degrees brought to perfection in the six several days, so he conjectureth that the Sun was made when the Heavens were made, at the first, but after the fourth day it was perfected, and had the light annexed to it, this giveth them an answer. The use. Now touching the spiritual use of this knowledge, in which we will keep the course of these three things before noted. First, that a distinction of names of us must be truly kept. Secondly, that they might be agreeable to the nature of the things. Thirdly, that we must express the nature of things showed by their names, by our right and well usage and practice of them. 1. I began to teach the last day, that it doth not avail us, that things be distinct in nature, if there be a confusion of names; therefore God in wisdom brought in the right division of both orderly; for though names in affirmation and negation cannot change the true nature of things, Non amittunt quod sunt cum amissione nominis, as in Judaes' name, and though we call Gold Copper, and Led Silver, yet the false name affirmed or denied hurteth not the nature; yet notwithstanding, in respect of us, except there be a distinction of certain appellations, names and titles, we shall grow erroneous and ignorant of the right natures of things; therefore one setteth down this rule, that fides nominum est salus proprietatum, the right keeping of the names truly discerned, is the preserver of the true properties of things: Therefore the Devil, not being able to alter the nature of things made, and distinguished by God, he laboureth in the other to shuffle and confound the names of things, which ought to be distinguished, to deceive men: To such God faith, Job. 38. 2. Who is that which darkneth the Counsel by words without knowledge? for giving of ill and wrong names, confusedly obscureth the right knowledge of the natures of things to us, and Paul complaineth of it, 1 Tim. 6. 20. he complaineth I say of things in his time falsely so called. So may we now complain of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, of the false faith, zeal, sincerity, preaching, and reformation of many, which indeed is but falsely so called; for their unfruitful faith is no faith, their blind zeal is no zeal, their reformation is deformation, and their preaching is but a 〈◊〉 or prattling, though it be falsely otherwise called. Wherefore they are in great fault, which give one and the same name both rei, & privationirei, to the substance and the shadows of things. This then is the first use, which, by God's example, we are to learn, namely to term things by their right names, by which God hath distinguished them. 2. Secondly, As the names must not be in confusion, so there must be a fitness and stableness agreeable and correspondent to the natures of the things; for commonly the names and titles of the world are either too big or too little in proportion for the nature of things. It men be great in authority and wealth, we are no niggards in our words, but give great and swelling titles to them, though they be of small or no deferts, as Esay 32. 5. they will not stick to call Naball by the name of Nalath, that is, a foolish clownish Chrule, a right worshipful man, to flatter him withal; but God will be angry if we give titles after such a manner, Job. 32. 22. As we are Parasites to others for favour or gain, so we love to be flattered of others, and to have a great and glorious name for small and simple gifts; though our deeds be very small and few, yet we must bombast our words as great as may be, but God observeth agreeableness. 3. Lastly, We learn that if the name be agreeable to the nature, then in our life and action we must also express the nature of the things by well using, as the word teacheth us, that is, that seeing the day is our being, and sheweth that our life and being is labouring and well being in our Calling, therefore we must reckon or account ourselves no longer to live and have the being of a man, than we are in the day employed in such honest and good actions of life, and esteem ourselves in that respect as dead men, or as beasts, when we are idle, slothful, and given to sleep, Prov. 24. 33, 34. we must be fare therefore from the speech and saying of the sluggard, that is, yet a little more sleep and slumber, that is delight in idleness. And so must we be far from it in do, behaviour and custom, Prov. 26. 14. which is thus described, even as a door moveth on hinges, so doth he in idleness, one calleth such fungoes & truncos, showing that we differ not from blocks, being idle and sleeping, nor from mushrooms, eating and drinking, nor from whelps, sporting and playing, but then we are men, when we do the actions of men, that is, to study for knowledge, and work and travail for thy living, so that the night is our time of non esse, so long as we will ociosum esse. Wherefore seeing Christians are not of the night but of the day, 1 Thes. 5. 5. we must do the actions of good works, which belong to the day, and for which the day was made; for idleness, theft, adultererie, murder, etc. hate the light, because they are works of darkness, 1 Cor. 4. 5. so are there three pair of them set down, Rom. 13. 13. So the qualities of our actions must be framed to the meaning of the word and nature of the things, which God hath made for us. And this may suffice for the second distribution of the names. Et dixit Deus sit firmamentum, etc. Gen. 1. 6. verse. IN the second verse these two were coupled together darkness and the deep; and how blessed an exchange of light we had been made partakers of, we have already heard. Now it followeth to hear the wonderful works of God in the deep, and that not in the face of the deep, but in the bowels and middle part thereof; God hath before removed the swaddling band of darkness, and now he cometh to take order in the deep, and hereafter he will come to the earth to order it, which as yet lieth desolate, overwhelmed and buried in the midst of the waters and deep. Though the deep had but a poor being as yet, yet it had cause to praise God for it, as simple as it was, Psal. 148. 7. But God, that it might praise him more, being moved with pity, to see this poor rude being, in great goodness, swallowed up Abyssum in Abysso, to teach us, that as there is nothing so dark and hidden, though it be in darkness itself, but his eye of providence can see it, so that there is nothing so deeply covered in secret, but that he by the same can reach to it. In this second work the Prophet beginneth at the third point; for the first two, which are the materials and womb and the impregnating, making fit or enabling it to receive a better form, were things belonging particularly to the first day's work, which, in respect of the prerogations it had, was called the one day and the day alone: For in the first day there was spiritus 〈◊〉 creatio sed varia procreatio; for all things being made in gross at the first, and impregnated and conceived in this womb of the waters, had afterward in the six several days and times their procreation, and were brought forth, and therefore the gulf being enabled before, is not distinguished and separated into that place, which is the upmost Heavens of all above us, and the purest and clearest and best part of the waters; The other part which is more unpure is set in that place below, under us, which reacheth unto the bottom of the deep of the earth: Saint Austin saith, that this separation was therefore made, because God would not trouble the living Creatures of the earth, afterward with many waters, which were not a meet Element for them to live in, but only they should have the impressions of the Air, to water the earth, as rain, snow, hail and dews. Coelum aëreum Touching Heaven which is one part of the division, there is varia acceptio verbi, it is diversely understood: for first, it is taken for coelum aëreum, which we call the sky as in the 20. verse of this Chap. volucres coeli, when Heaven is taken for the Air or Sky, Jer. 8 7. Milvus in coelo, etc. that is, in the Air, so Gen, 9 14. nubes coeli, that is, the Clouds which hang and fly in the Air: And Christ saith, that they are skilful to discern the times, by view of the face of Heaven, to know what the day will be by the redness or lowering of the Air or Sky, Luk. 4. 25. he saith, the Heavens were shut or locked up three years, that is, the Air where the Clouds are. So do Heathen writers take the word coelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt, that is, they change the Air not their minds, etc. where coelum is taken for that distance of place, which is between us and the Moon. After we have spoken of this coelum aëreum, we will come to the other coelum coelorum: but first let us consider the Air in the general, and then the true Chambers of the Air, as David calleth them, Psal. 104.2.3. that is, of the three Regions of the Air. In which treatise we will consider, Distributio. first, the matter or argument of these verses. Secondly, the name of the thing itself in the 8 verse. In the first three things are to be noted: First, God's Edict: Secondly, the execution of it, in the former part of the 7. verse; And the third is the return of the Edict or Writ. And it was so. Of the first, in which we consider the word, the manner, and the parts, to whom the Edict is given; and then what, wherein, and to what end it was; namely to distinguish the one waters from the other. It pleased God in every day's work, to have several speech and mention made of his Word and Spirit, the one to exclude necessity, the other to exclude chance or casualty; the word is ever named to conclude and shut out that objection, quis erat ei consiliarius, Esay 40. 13, 14. that he had no need of counsel or advise, the other to exclude quis dedit illi prior, for as he did all things without the advice and help of any, by himself, so he did it of his mere goodness and grace, without any motive or persuasion of our deserts. Touching the word, which I told you was verbum unum increatum & aeternum: We must consider it abiding in God, as skill, art, and cunning doth abide in a perfect workman; and his proceed and manifestation in the Creatures as the skill of an artificer, proceedeth from him into his work, and there is to be seen: so the second person, the word of God abideth for ever wholly in God, and dwelleth and resteth in his bosom, Pro. 2. And this, by this means passeth from God the Father, into his workmanship and Creatures, and is to be seen manifestly how wonderful and glorious God's word and wisdom and art is, by which he made all: And so may we say of his spirit which is inseparable and coequal with it: for as with our words our breath also proceedeth out of our mouths, in one action, and at one time: so ever the word and the spirit of God proceedeth from him together, to the perfecting of any work. So we see they are indivisible, Heb. 1. 2. 3. Christ by whom God made the World, is there called a stamp, or graven form of his Father and the brightness of his glory; so that now here is showed the second stamp, and impression graven and form in these works, in which the brightness of his Image may be seen, namely his power and wisdom, etc. For by the word of God also were the Heavens made Psal. 33. 6. saith David, out of which sentence we may learn two special points. 1. First, that the word of God is the general mediator, not only between God and man in the work of redemption, but also between God and his works in this Creation: for after that the word of God was, he by whom all things had their being, and were that they are, and were set joint and in order by him, then by the same verbum increatum proceeding from God, together with that powerful working of the sanctifying Spirit, were all things new created, and set in right order and joint again, being by Adam's sin clean out of frame. 2. The other point is, that whereas it had been all one for Moses to say, Deus dixit aut Deus facit, he rather causeth this phrase, Dixit Deus, quia fecit dicendo: in men indeed sermo & apus are two things of divers natures, often separated; for commonly the greatest sayers are least doers well, the talkative are seldom active; but in God they are all one, his dictum & factum have no difference; for as 〈◊〉 saith, with God initium sermonis est perfectio operis, and this is the prerogative of the supernatural Agent. Touching the stile or phrase of the Edict or Mandate, it is imperative: the Kings of the Earth are glad oftentimes by fair means to entreat that their inferiors and subjects may do their will, as the 〈◊〉 men counselled Roboam, 1 Reg. 12. 6, 7. And the Apostles 〈◊〉 always use their authority in commanding, 2 Cor. 8. 8. 〈◊〉 continually goeth by way of commanding, because none are able to resist his will; he feareth none that shall withstand him. In this stile and phrase he is, in resembling, compared to a Prince or King, who useth but his commandment and word to have his will in any thing executed; if he will have an Host of men in Armour, he needeth but send out his commandment, and it is speedily done, while he sitteth still: So doth God here. Wherefore, if we fear and obey Princes Precepts, and if the dumb Creatures execute his commandment, How much more ought we which are men, to obey and do that he commandeth us? 3. The third point unto whom this Edict is directed, is non enti, Rom. 4. 17. he speaketh to things that are not, as if they were, so did he in the first day's work, but now he commandeth the deeps of the waters, 2 Cor. 4. 6. touching which God challengeth the greatest Princes in the world, Job. 38. 8.11. Canst 〈◊〉 command the deeps? The proud King of this Island, as we read in Chronicles, took upon him this authority to command the waters, but he was checked by their disobedience; but when God commandeth the deeps they obey, contrary to their nature, Esay 44. 17. Conclusio. Thus we see what is taught by the Edict: And then, to whom it was given. As the work to make light of darkness is passed all our capacity, so this is as wonderful a miracle, and as great contrariety, as the former, to make altissimum excelsum coeli, ex profundis 〈◊〉, which, as the other, sheweth the wonderful power of the Creator that made them. Again, God in all this work, is contrary to the manner of men in their Architecture; for men use in making any thing, to make their frame in that place where the 〈◊〉 matter may be had near hand for their work: But as this matter is contrary in our reason, so he thinketh it all one to fetch the matter, of which he will make Heaven, out of the deepest and remotest place of all; whereas we, building Ships, do choose that place where the wood is new, and to build houses we seek a place where stones are 〈◊〉 at hand to be had; but it is all one with God, his arms is long, and his power and word able in a moment to fetch and do it. 2. Secondly, It is God's challenge, Job. 38 8. that 〈◊〉 can make a thing orderly out of a disordered matter, but God, of the most confused, rude, raging, and disordered 〈◊〉 in the world, made the Heavens, who are most beautiful, and whose course is most orderly and certain. 3. Thirdly, He is admirable in this, that he can make 〈◊〉 ex infirmissimo, of the infirmity of the deeps; for what more weak than water? Ye of it he made the Heaven, which is the most firm and stable thing, and therefore called the firmament. 4. Last of all, Men use to begin the frame of their building at the foundation and pavement, but God beginneth his house at Heaven, which is the roof and cealing, Psal. 104.2. and then after maketh the Earth, which is the foundation and pavement, as it is Psal. 24. 1, 2. which consideration maketh David use this exclamation by way of admiration, Psal. 118. 23. The right hand of the 〈◊〉 the pre-eminence, it doth bring mighty things to pass. 2d part. The second part consisteth in three points, de quo, in quo, ad quid: De quo. We will begin with the Firmament, which is called Rachia, that is expansio, a stretching forth abroad; the property of which word includeth the signification of the nature of such actions, whereby metals are driven thin and beaten abroad into plates, as Smiths with their hammers use to do; in which sense it is taken, Numb. 16. 38. and Jer. 10. 9 so the expansion or driving out of metals, is the original from whence this word is borrowed, and being so borrowed, it is applied to the spreading or drawing out of any thing what soever, as of a curtain, Psal. 104. 2. The Firmament of Heaven compared. which kind of phrase by comparison, is there given to the making of the firmament, as if he had, as it were, spread the Heavens abroad as a curtain; also to the overspreading of a vault, to which also the firmament is compared; also to the pulling out abroad and expansion of a roll of paper or parchment, to which also it is likened, Esay 34. 4. likewise to the blowing up of glass out of a lump into a hollow compass, to which Job resembleth the making of Heaven 37. 18. which comparisons do yield unto us the hidden consideration of this work of God: for such a like work was performed here this second day in making Heaven, as these handicrafts men do show. Simple comparisons these are to show such a matter, yet sufficient, since we can conceive no better. In quo. The two actions of God's Spirit mentioned before, sustole & diastole, which I said are seen in all works created, are no where better expressed than in this work, for the dilatation and contraction of the spirit moving in this work, was the expansion and stretching out of the Heavens; and the compression and drawing in of his force and virtue is and shall be the dissolution of the firmament, for than they will run and roll together as a roll, and as molten glass, etc. The resemblance and shadow of this work of God we may set before you in a matter of common experience; for it is usual to see a pot of water, by the force of the fire, to evaporate, and so stretcheth forth out of a little pot, as to fill the whole room with his moisture extenuated; and again, being so dilated into a thin vapour, we see it drawn in and compressed into little drops of water again, which also some explain by the manner of distillation, which first riseth as a vapour, filling all, and then resolveth into drops again, and is made the same quantity of water and moisture which it was before. So God in this work, as a Stiller, first, by a vapour rising up by the Sun, he stretcheth abroad the waters above us, and then the cold congealeth and compresseth that vapour into clouds, and after, by heat, again resolveth and melteth the clouds into drops of rain, which return to the Sea; So that in creating Coelum aërum, the rarefying and extenuating the waters into vapours, and so dilating it by expansion, was the first beginning of them. God's distinction is taken after the manner of a thin stone, or marking stone, with which, faith Solomon, Prov. 8. 27. circuit Coelum quasi circino suo, as if he had a compass to make a circle for their separation, Esay 40. 12. faith, that in this separation with one hand God did hold up the upper waters, and with the other he depressed the waters below: we know it to be a matter of such difficulty, to stop the course of waters, that it busieth the best and wisest heads to stop up the breaches, once being made. Yet God, by his power, doth separate the waters, and keep part above, and his intergerium, his partition wall and bank which he useth to divide and keep out one from the other, is the weakest Element, that is, namely the Air, which is most strange, that that should be terminus, a bank and bound to the mighty waters which had most need of a terminus to limit itself; yet God hath made of it such a limit which is called firmamentum, that is, a most strong, sure, and firm bond, which shall not fail; yea, it is more firm and permanent, than if it had been made of a rock of Adamant, for that the waters would have eaten and perished, but this is most durable, by God's appointment. Ad quid. The last thing is ad quid, namely, that there may be a division. Where generally is employed a double division, the one is before, of things in nature opposite and contrary, as light and darkness; the other is here of things which have an inequality, as the purest waters from the unclean and impure; for God will have not only evil distinguished from good, but also the things that in degree and quality are better and more excellent, are to be separated from that which is more base and vile; for the not distinguishing these, is the mother of confusion: We must not only mark and beware of the Devil the adversary which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but also of things which are apparently evil, or are not altogether good: therefore God divided the clearest waters in the best and high place above, and the groslest he set below in the depth. So we have a difference between 〈◊〉 pendiculam, & aquam fluidam, the one is Mare superum, the other is Mare inferum. This is the division of the Waters. Now in the upper waters of Coelum aëreum, there are two parts, aqua 〈◊〉, & aura flabilis, which are 〈◊〉 together. Now between these two waters thus divided, because they are not contrary in nature, but only different in degree, the inferior and base waters do first, as it were, reverently acknowledge their humility, by sending up vapours to them in the Clouds; and they, as grateful, do send down drops and showers more liberally, even pouring them down again: So there is a mutual reciprocation and circulating in nature between them, as ebbing and flowing is below; so is there breathing up and dropping down between them both. But to what end are these waters above and below, and wherefore is there a division of them? Because God had before taken order for light, that there might be time, it was next of all convenient and meet that he should take order for place, wherein his Creatures might inhabit; for in that place where the thick and compact body of the waters is, the Creature could have but a slow motion; and therefore it is no fit Element for us: Wherefore God having an eye to man, respecting him in all his works, provided in this, that he might have a fit Element of Air, in which he might live, move, and have his being. The end of the other division and separation was this, that the waters being thus set apart, might be as a bridge for us, not only from one Country to another, by ship here on the nether waters, but also that there might be a communication and passage from Earth to Heaven, by the means of the Air; for the Air is, as it were, the bridge and path and casement, by which the light of Heaven cometh to us; it is the pipe, through which sounds and voices come to our cares, smells to our nostrils, colours to our eyes; it is the strainer or five, through which, as Job faith, the rain is sifted in little drops, but especially as you know in the first day God made light, which hath a proportion and resemblance to this word John 8. 12. yea, it is vox Creatorum also; for the dumb and senseless things do, as it were, speak and tell us what they are by the light; So, if you mark, the Air, which is made the second day, hath a resemblance to God's Spirit; for as the Air is the act of breathing, which we easily fashion and receive into our bodies; so our spiritual life is by the holy Ghost, of whom we have the like apprehension, and as light cometh to our eyes by the Air, and words to our ears, so that by it we apprehend light and speech and communication; so is the Spirit of God the very means whereby our souls do apprehend the spiritual light, and by which the word of God is conveyed to the ears of our hearts; So spiritually the Holy Ghost is vehiculum lucis, & vocis Dei, etc. and this we learn by way of resemblance. The last point is concerning this, to know to what end are these upper waters of the Air. We are to know, that God made them to be his magnus Thesaurus, his great treasure house for store, Deut. 28. 3. for there he saith he will at his pleasure open this great store house, and out of it give the first and latter rain and snow, to mollify and make fruitful the Earth, which is so great a blessing that we are bound to praise God continually for his gracious work. The manner. The manner of which work is set down in Gen. 28. 6. God, out of the lower waters raiseth a sum or vapour or mist, which he condensateth in the middle region of the Air and 〈◊〉 together, or 〈◊〉 into waters again & bindeth them 〈◊〉 in the clouds, Job 26. 8. which by his word, as by his Hosts, he bringeth, as in 〈◊〉, from the remotest parts of the Earth to us, or to others, as he pleaseth to make the Earth fruitful, Psal. 135. 6, 7. Of these waters in the clouds God maketh divers impressions, Job. 38 25. as great 〈◊〉 and streams, little small rain and showers, and streams and snow, and hail, Job. 38. 37 the clouds are his bottles for small rain and dews, and 25. verse, so they are his spouts 〈◊〉 pour out great rain, Job. 37. 6. which are called storms. Also out of these upper waters he ordained to have snow scattered as ashes and wool, Psal. 〈◊〉. 16. and touching these things he asketh, Job 38. 22. if any man had been in this store house to see these treasures. Aura flabilis. As for the drier part of the Air, the end of them is to be Aura flabilis, and by the force of their wind to fetch carry and recarry the Clouds which are his vessels of his rain; also he hath made them to sweep and cleanse, both the Air itself from corruption, and the nether waters from 〈◊〉. Thus we see the end why God in coelo 〈◊〉, hath made both undam 〈◊〉 & auram flabilem, as St. Austin saith, for by them he filleth the 〈◊〉 of Corn with goodness, and dropeth fatness on the earth, Psal. 65. 11. And therefore we must pray, not only for the blessing of the earth, but also of the heaven, as Jacob Gen. 49. 25. Deut. 33. 13. Not only for the blessing of the womb of the earth, which being a fruitful sol quickly conceiveth and bringeth forth fruit, but also the blessing of the breasts of the Clouds, without which the fruit will very soon perish and whither, Job 38. 8. For it is God's blessing, both to make a land a fruitful and fertile soil apt to conceive, and also to send seasonable rains to it, that it may grow and be ripe and good for man's use. These all do likewise serve for the execution as well of God's justice to correct us, as of his mercy to do us good: For when we displease him with our sins; he maketh these things his rods, by causing the Heavens and Clouds to be as Brass, and the Earth as Iron thereby; and on the contrary side, when he in justice will set wide open the windows and floodgates of heaven, to drown the earth with floods and inundations, as he did the old World. Usus. And this is that use and instruction, which we are to learn out of this division, to pray, if it please God for his blessings, and not to sin, for fear we be scorched with droughts, and over whelmed and drowned with floods. Fecit ergo Deus hoc expansum, quod distinguit inter has aquas, etc. Gen. 1 7. verse. THe treaty concerning the second day's work, is divided according to the work itself, and the name given to it, the work is set down in the sixth and seventh, to the manner of it in the eighth verse. In the work we observed three points, according to the three several verbs Dixit, fecit & sit: The first containeth the precept or warrant for the making of the work. The second the workmanship and going about to do or make it. The third, the return and certificate to signify that it was fully executed, which three are in Dixit, fecit & factum est. With man it often times falleth out that dixit, is without fecit, that is, it is too usual, that men promise and say much, but do it not, and many times we see his fecit, to be without perfecit, that one may say, factum est, it is fully and perfectly done: the first we see Mat. 21. 30. he said, but he did it not, the other custom of men is exemplified, Luc. 14. 30. for as he did it not, so on the other side, This man began to build a house but did not finish it: So none can say, that his fecit, was factum est 3 the first also we see, 1 Sam. 18. 17. Saul said he would give Michol to David, but did it not, but it was not so with God: for he is not yea in saying, and nay in doing and performing, but as certain as he saith a thing, so surely it is done, for his word is truth, and that his deed declareth; and on the other side it is far otherwise with God, than it is with man; for if God begin a good work, he will surely finish it throughly, Phil. 1. 6. perfecit quod facit, if he be the beginner and author of any thing, he will also perfect it and finish it, Heb. 12 2. so that we shall confess, as here, that quod fecit factum est. So that that is the first consideration in God, that these three several things, saying, doing, and perfecting, are inseparable in him, joined and linked together as a chain, that one ensuing the other and all following the first. The first of these hath been showed before; the two last, the Work and the Certificate are now to be handled in order. The Work, in this seventh verse, touching which, we see that it doth stand on two points and parts. First, He made it. Secondly, He separated it. Concerning the making, the word gnasha signifieth to make, which hath an opposite and divers sense, from two words which may seem to be the same too, meaning Esay 45. 7. there is these three words formavi, creavi, feci, of these three several words the first is common to the other two; for all that is made of somewhat or nothing hath a form; and therefore is form: Distinctio. but facere & creare are distinguished thus. To make presupposeth a matter subject; but to create, is to make of nothing, in the first day God created of nothing; but now in this work he is a maker, for Coelum aëreum was made of something, the Heavens were planted, Esay 51. 16. and therefore there was something which was as it were, the seed, kernel, or science, or 〈◊〉 of which it was planted: It is true, that in respect of us it is more admirable to see a thing made of nothing, because we cannot conceive it, then to see or hear of a great thing made of a small matter because it is familiar experience, with which we are acquainted, to see a little child prove a great man, and a seed 〈◊〉 kernel proves mighty tree: but in respect of God both works are like, strange, and also in the respects of the works themselves to make a tree of a kernel, and to make 〈◊〉 tree of nothing is alike, though the one we approve, because of common experience, as a matter usual and nothing strange; for God's power, is miraculous in both, though in the one now it be made natural and usual, it was strange to sea it to turn water into wine, and to feed five thousand with five 〈◊〉 and two fishes; yet the strange miracle is wrought by 〈…〉 year, as we see, but we consider it not; for God sendeth the watery moisture of the Earth to be conveyed into the Vine tree, which sap God turneth into Wine, though it seem natural; and with as few Corns of grain as will make five loaves, being sowed in the Earth will multiply and increase to as much as will seed five thousand with bread; and two fishes will bring so many fishes as may suffice so many fer meat; so that we have these wonderful miracles amongst us every day. Now touching the Heavens, the science, kernel, or plant of which they were planted and made, was the waters, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3.5. The other words to which this word in nature is opposite and 〈…〉 sense, is oper are, which signifieth with one's hand to work with tools and instruments, with laborious pains: But God doth not so make the Heavens, but he doth it with as much ease as it is for a man to breath, Psal. 104. 30. emitte spiritum & creabunter 〈◊〉 besides the facility, with such speed and celerity that in the space of time that one can say fiat, with the festination he doth his works: which is divers from the custom of men in making or doing any thing; for they commonly take great pains, and spend much time in work to no purpose, and can do nothing; as Peter, Luke 5. 5. he laboured all night and caught nothing, but it is otherwise with God, whose word without instrument or pains, or without any delay 〈◊〉 throughly effect his work which he will have done: And thus we see the reference this word hath of these two words, and what we learn by it. The third thing is a matter of inquiry, because in the former work only these two fiat & factum est, and nothing between saying, and it was done; but here is put in fecit, as by way of Parenthesis between them in this work, which surely we must know is not idly set down, but to great purpose; and therefore not curiously of us to be inquired of, why it is so placed: to answer which, we must know that it was for our sake, simul fieri 〈…〉, it was all one to God saying and finishing at one time, but it was meet for us to have his action and work expressed herein. Therefore Moses, dealing here as a Prophet, doth foresee some danger and error which might arise by leaving of this clause & fecit Deus, therefore he betimes doth labour to prevent it by setting it down, for he knew that God would not have his truth sown among thorns of Errors, Jer. 4. 4. therefore Moses here before hand endeavoureth to stub them up Error Timaei & Platonis. For Time us the Pythagorean, and Plato, that great Philosopher, holding the truth of the Creation, do notwithstanding advise this rooted thorn, that they suppose God only but to give out the Edict and direction how and what should be done, and to make certain Demons & Intelligentiae to be the workers, doers, and bringers to pass of the work; and so, in that respect, ascribing worship and honour to them, as the Instruments and Agents in this action. But God is here set down, not only as the Master Builder, to oversee and give direction; but also he was the only Agent and Workman which did make it himself, he both gave out the Edict with his word, and with the same did fulfil and bring it to pass: So that there was but one Commander, who, the self same, was the Maker also, Esay 40. 13, 14. Dixit, & non fuit ei consiliarius, fecit, & non fuit ei auxiliarius: So that this excludeth any Copartner with God in this business; for than he was alone, and alone of himself did make it, not caused it to be made; Angels Created for the Angels and celestial Spirits were created when God said fiat lux, for then not only all light things in mundo sensibili were made, as stars, etc. but also all things in mundo intelligibili, as 2 Cor. 11. 14. which also may appear by the order and placing them, first in Psal. 148. 2. so that they could not be created before, for than they should be eternal, nor after, for then there is nothing to insinuate it; and indeed there is no danger thus to understand it, but there is great danger of error to hold the contrary, that they were created before, for than they may think, that as Hiram sent the matter of the Temple and Solomon gave the form, so God gave the matter of the world and the Angels the form and fashioning of it: But God in this work is alone, for his work standeth not as ours doth, that is, that the matter and the form of the work should come from divers Authors, as before we can come to Iron plate, we must fetch the matter from the Ironmonger and the form from the Smith; before we can have a Garment, we must have the matter from the Draper and the form from the Tailor: But with God it is not so, for from him proceedeth both the matter and form of all Creatures, create, facit, format. This is the first resolution of this question, to which there is a second answer, which is good for instruction, Gnasha. taken out of the nature of the word gnasha; for the Hebrews use it in their phrase, not only to make a thing, but also to trim up and to give a better form to any thing; in which sense it is said, 2 Sam. 19 24. that Mephiboseth had not made his beard nor his feet, by which is meant, had not trimmed his beard nor washed his feet, which he had made to him before: So God in this place is said, by this gnasha, to give the outward form to these Heavens, and so to trim and perfect them up as they should be; for they being made before in gross, now he stretched them out after a circular form, Job 9 8. as having made a Curtain, should spread it abroad, and set it up, whereas before it lay wrapped up rudely together, Job. 22. 14. tendit Coelum, that is, now he did bend and bow the Heavens compassed as a bow, which was made before, but not half round, but circular round, and spherical; and not only did he set this form to them, but also gave them a circular & spherical motion to turn round in their course about the Earth, Psal. 19 6. it doth go in his compass, in gyra sue, Preach. 1. 5, 6. the Sun and Winds do go a circuit, in circuttione, vel circuitu suo. Thirdly, He in this kind of making them did now add to them a virtue, force, and heavenly influence, Job 38. 31. which heavenly and comfortable influence is called the sweetness of the Heavens, Deut. 33. 13. Therefore we are willed to praise God in firmamento virtutis suae, Psal. 150. 2. by which virtue the Heavens have a comfortable and reviving force, an action, influence, and dominion, as the word sign fi, in these Creatures below. And thus much of fecit. Now of the things which he made. First, We see that whereas the Heavens before were compact and entire. Now by God's workmanship they are scattered and spread round about and divided; for being made, it was God's purpose, that it should be to this use, to be parted asunder into two parts. The Heavens by some is called tenue expansum, that is, a thing thinly spread abroad. In the making of it we consider the Maker and the manner of it, which is both simply and plainly, and also comparatively by way of resemblance set down in the Scriptures; The Spirit of God. for the power & force by which it was made, was the Spirit of God, The Word of God, the Executioner and Minister of that thing was God's Word, the second person who willed and commanded it to be done, Psal. 104. 30. He sendeth forth his Spirit and they were created, Job 34. 14, 15. If he draw or gather in his Spirit, they perish again: So that all that is made, is ascribed to the expansion and motion of the Spirit going out; and the undoing or marring any thing is attributed to the drawing in of it again. The breath of Man hath a divers force and nature as it is drawn in or out; Warm and hot. for as it ●s with open mouth brea●hed out (which is halitus) it is warm, and being drawn in, it is cold again; if it 〈◊〉 mildly and naturally expired and breathed out, as than it is warm and hot so being violently and forcibly with a blast puffed our, it is dry and cold; of which two sorts of motions of God's Spirit is the Air made, the moist moderate showers and rain by the one, Psal. 147. 18. and winds and frost by the other, Job 37. 10. So it is 〈◊〉, vis caloris, which warmeth, rarefieth, and maketh thin everything living: so that power moving on the waters, made them grow into a thin body, where of the Air was made. Now for the comparison, this work of the Spirit is compared to an Eagle, or any other bird, in sitting on the eggs to hatch their young: For so God having made a nest and laid or brought forth his young, as it were, unperfected, doth now by his spirit incubare, that is sit and spread his wings over them, and so giving vital life and power, break the shell, & sic pullulavit mundum. Thus we see the power of God's Spirit in the nature of the Word, and the resemblance of the comparison here used. The matter. For the matter, we see that the waters are the seed of the Heavens, which, receiving a power by the operation of God's Spirit, proceed into a thin vapour, which is partly Air partly water, and not perfectly either, which mist or vapour God lifteth up and sublimateth, Jer. 10. 13. and by that means made it Coelum aëreum. There are four comparisons in Scripture to set out this work, To a Still, the first, Job 36. 27. being lift up in vapour, he doth in the middle Region by cold cruddle and condensate it, as in a still, Psal. 18. 12. to a Glassman, The second to a Glassman, Job 37. 18. for so he seemeth to blow up the Heavens round. to a Goldsmith, The third to a Goldsmith, which is in the word Raha, Exod. 39 3. for so he beat it out abroad. to an Upholster. The fourth to an Upholster, Psal. 104. 2. for so as a Curtain he unrowleth it and extendeth the Heavens abroad, Esay 40. 22. thus you see the workmanship of the Heavens in the Agent, in the Matter, and the Manner of the Work. The end why God made the Heavens. Now the end why he made them was, That it might be a Pavilion or Tent, Esay 40. 22. or a Curtain, Psal. 104. 2. over our heads, where the word used is the same which is set down in the making of the Tabernacle, which signifieth either pellis or cortina, a covering or curtain of skins. The Heavens were made thin, to the end there might be a space for motion and operation; therefore it is driven thin above, and divided from the nether waters, Dan. 12. 3. and therefore it is thin here below, that both the lights of Heaven might have passage to us through the Air, being corpus transparens & translucidum, Dan. 4. and also that the comfortable influence, virtue, and force of the Heavens might have free and easy passage to us, by and through the thin Air. It is not a disordered confusion. Now for the dividing, The word here used is not Babel, which, Gen. 11. 9 signifieth division, for that word noteth such a division which is a disordered confusion of things, as it were renting or tearing or breaking a thing in divers pieces without order or regard, but God's division is not such; for as he made all things well, so he divideth all things well, Jer. 10. 12. Pro. 8. 27. for this word signifieth that it was an apt and fit division, so artificially and orderly done, as if it were divided by line and rule. Secondly, God's division is not a scatterring of things being divided, as it was in Babel, but such a division which hath a conjunction and unity, and agreement of parts which are divided, which is best expressed in the division of ears, eyes, and nostrils, which being separated, do notwithstanding meet in one nerve as one and the same; so it is in all things that God divideth, as the fingers and toes, etc. they meet in unity at some one point: So where the waters are divided, it is with agreement, quasi rota in rotam, Ezek. 10. 10. having a mutual unity, intercourse, and reciprocation one to the other; for the Air is the means whereby the upper waters are knit and united to the nether, Gen. 7. 11. The Airy Airy is, as it were, the windows of Heaven, and doors through which is passage for light and rain, Gen 8 3. so this division 〈◊〉 to this end, 〈◊〉 the thing divided, The upper Waters. we are to consider now but of the upper waters above, the lower waters we shall speak of hereafter. We see here God divideth the Clouds from the Channels, which upper Waters he divideth into several chambers or stories called contignationes, Psal. 104. 3. which we call the three Regions of the Air, in the uppermost of which is snow and hail, in the middle one rain, in the lower dews. Another division is this, God made not the upper waters entirely on compact substance, but bound them up in divers bonds of clouds, that through them, being divided, the light and influence of Heaven might pass down to the earth through them, which else could not. There are three things of which we read in the Scripture, which are raised out of the Earth, and do concur and meet in the Air, of which, two have names, and by them we may give a name to the third; the first is the Clouds, which are called his Chariots, and the second are the Winds, or horses that draw them, Psal. 104. 2. therefore the third, which is the Waters, must needs be the Carriage which is in the Chariots. The Winds four. The winds he draweth out of the deep, Psal. 135. 6, 7. and so are the Clouds taken out of the deep, Psal. 33. 7. for a vapour being drawn up, the watrynesse of it being dried up, it becometh of a windy nature: Touching the division of the Winds, that principally they be four, Zach. 6. 5. The use of Winds. which have their use in the four quarters and parts of the firmament, which use is, Job 37. 21. vis purificandi, to cleanse the Air and Waters, which else would corrupt and 〈◊〉. Also the Winds have a necessary use in respect of the Waters; for the South and West Winds bring rain, moist, and warm weather, and the East and North Winds serve to bring cold and dry weather and frosts, Luke 12. 54. The Clouds, the matter, the use of them. In the second place, for the Clouds, they rise also out of the waters and deeps, Psal. 33. 7. and as it is plain, 1 Reg. 18. 44. for the Clouds risen out of the Sea, of which Clouds came the rain. They serve in regard of the firmament for a shadow to cool us and keep us from parching in the time of Summer and Harvest, Esay 18. 4. And in regard of the waters, they serve as vessels and bottles to hold and contain them, and that to the end that they may not be poured down all at once, but, as Job saith 26. 8. they do quasi cribrare, as it were sift them in small drops down on the Earth. The Waters. The Waters are divided into aquas fluidas, & congelatas, for the flowing waters God descendeth to the lowest and basest use, even he made them to soften and mollify the clods of Earth in the Country to the Husbandman, Job. 5. 10. and to wash and cleanse our streets in the City. The Dew, and Rain. For the Dew, which is a liquid and slimed moisture, and the rain also: The use is 1 Reg. 17. 1. they serve for drink to men, and the Dews serve for herbs and grass, whose roots being near to the uppermost face of the ground, would be dry and whither without such Dews to moist it, Pro. 3. 20. and because there are plants and trees which have their roots deep in the Earth, so that Dews cannot pierce to them, therefore God hath provided a greater store of water, the showers and Rain, Joel. 2. 23. which may reach to the deep roots. Now for the congealed waters by the cold: God giveth the snow like wool, to keep out the cold blasts of the North wind, that the seed may be warm and nourished in the ground, Psal. 147. 16. and he scattereth the frest to serve for ashes, to keep in the seed which is in the Earth, that it spire not, nor spread out too soon, before it be well seasoned and rooted in the Earth, lest after it should for want of root and deepness of Earth dry and whither away when the Sun cometh, Luk. 8. 6. Thus we see the waters elevated and drawn up loaden in clouds and thrown down to our great use and benefit. But there is another use which God hath ordained, to put all these his Waters to, and that is as well to be rodds, to correct and punish us for 〈◊〉, for his Justice, as well as the former use was for our good, of his Mercy, Job. 37. 13. First, for the Winds, When in Mercy he will do us good, he maketh them auram temperatam; but when he in Justice will make them his rodds of correction, he maketh the Winds spiritum procellae, by which confringit naves in mare, Psal. 48. 7. & concutit & praecipitas domus, Job 1. 19 and overturneth trees by the roots. When God will have the Clouds instruments of his Mercy, he maketh them pregnant and with Child with waters, for the first and later rain do make the land fruitful, Job 37. 11. When in Justice he will have them rodds to correct us, he maketh nubes steriles, as Solomon saith, 25. 14. and, as Judas saith, Clouds without water, we shall see them, but have no good of them, for our sin; also, for our sins, instcad of dews, he sendeth mildews, Hag. 2. 18. the rain of God's mercy is a blessing to us, Psal. 68 9 it is a gracious rain. When God in Justice will have the rain to be his rod, he sendeth and maketh raging rains and storms and tempests to destroy our fruit and food, Pro. 28. 3 For the frost and hail, God maketh them his rods to kill and destroy their Vines and Mulberry trees, Psal. 78. 47. And thus much of the uses of the waters. Now of both these together was the Firmament made: For this Air, Coelum aëreum, is more necessary for men then the light which was made the first day; for we may have a use of darkness, and sleep without light, but we cannot live, sleeping nor waking, without Air to breath in, sive firmamento destruitur firmamentum panis, Psal. 105. 16. the distemperature of it causeth a famine, Ose 2. 21, 21. in Israel famine, and men call and seek to the Earth for food, the Earth hath no power, it cannot give any, but is dry and barren without the Heavens, and therefore it calleth and waiteth on the Heavens for his dews and influence, and the Heavens cannot give such gracious rain, and therefore calleth to God to give them a warrant and commandment and power to do it: So God heareth the Heavens, the Heavens heareth the Earth, and the Earth heareth the Corn, Wine and Oil, and then they hear and sustain Israel's want. Fuit sic. The last point is fuit sic, which is the return and accomplishment of that mandate, for at his word all things were created, yet not in actibus suis sed in 〈◊〉 suis, as we say in the Schools; for it did not then in the second day presently rain, snow, hail and freeze, but God made them meet and able and fit for that purpose for ever after, as God did all his work sine adjumento consilii, sic fecit sine adjumento auxilii alicujus, as he gave order with his word how things should be done, even so they come to pass, Esay 40. 13, 14. Here are two things in this to be considered, first virtus verbi: Secondly, obedientia Creaturae. The power of God's word is seen in that it is able to bring to pass any thing sine mora, sine labour: Solomon would build a Temple very beautiful, 1 Reg. 6. 38. but he could not do it in less time than seven years; and after, when it was made the second time, forty and six years they say the Temple was making, and can Christ rear it up presently in three days? this they thought impossible, but behold here is a greater Temple than salomon's was, yet he made the whole frame of it in no longer space and time than one may say fiat Coelum, for presently fuit sic, saith Moses, Psal. 148. 5. he only spoke the word and they were made; for the other he did it without trouble or pains, 1 Reg. 5. 15. Solomon, to have his Temple made (though it must be seven years a doing) yet he must have threescore and ten thousand Artificers, and fourscore thousand Laborers, even 150000 men might be troubled to labour about the world, and spend infinite cost about Instruments and Engines to do it; But here with God is no such matter, no help of men, no need of Instruments, nor any fear of let or impediment to hinder his work and will, but his word and power to bring all to pass. Obedientia Creaturae. Touching the obedience of the Firmament created, we have three things to consider: First, with what celerity, conformity, and constancy all things were done as God would have them. For the speed and celerity: We see that the Waters, as if they had ears to hear what the word commanded, & wings to fly about the execution of it so soon, yea more speedily they did it. We read in the Scriptures that God preached to none but only to man; for it is enough for him only to say the word to all Creatures of the Earth else, and it is done; but he must stand and take pains to preach an hour every day to persuade us that are men, which are fare more beholden unto God than any Creature else, and yet it will not avail to make us obedient to his word. As for conformity to his word, it was sic, even after the manner and form in all respects as he would have it: But if we do a thing it is lame and unperfect in some respect, and not conformable to his will. Last of all constancy and perpetuity, Psal. 119. 91. they continue still according to their ordinance; for all things serve thee: He hath set thee a Law which shall not be broken, Psal. 148. 6. For it is a wonder that such Seas of waters which hang and fly over our heads daily, do not fall on us, and with their weight destroy us; for we see what a bucker of water is for heaviness in his fall, yet the pillars of God uphold them that they fall not, which pillars one would think should be aere, that is, made of brass, but they are aëreae, airy pillars, and yet last longer and are more durable than the greatest brazen pillars that we can imagine, for in time they would corrupt and be eaten up of the waters; but yet the power of God hath so strengthened the Air, that being the weakest thing that is, as our Proverb saith, As weak as Water, not being able to sustain itself, no not to be a pillar to hold up a feather from the ground, yet it is made a Firmament, that is, a most firm, sure, and durable pillar to uphold all these Clouds and bottles of water above; they move motu immobili & varietate invariabili, and so they continue after God's ordinance, even unto this day, as the Psalmist saith. Expansum autem hoc Deus Vocavit Coelum: sic fuit vespera, & fuit mane diei secundi. Gen. 1. 8. WHich words contain in them the second principal part of the second day's work, which is the word of denomination and entitling the Firmament thus with a new name. When God made Abraham, the Father of the faithful, he exchanged and gave him a new name, Gen. 17. 5. When Jacob was exalted to the like dignity, his name was also changed and he called Israel, Gen. 32. 28. So here having made ex abysso Coelum, that is, as some say, Coelum a coeno, of the dregs of that gulf, than he vouchsafeth, according to the dignity of 〈◊〉, to give it a name agreeable thereunto. Touching the denomination in general, I shown four things before, which I will not repeat now, but only, call to your remembrance. The first was, The name of things are of freehold, and therefore must move us to attention, because, though these works are beneficial to all Creatures, yet the apprehension of their names belong only to man, at whom God did aim and level in this work. The second, That the things which are divers in nature, must be distinguished in name. The third, The manner of giving names must be in proportion agreeable to the nature of them. And lastly, What the significations of the names are. Not repeating this generality, we will now descend to the particularity of this name, and see by the notations of the word what is signified thereby. The old English called the Heavens aloft, as though it were lifted up, as it was out of the deep. The Latins call it Caelum quasi caelatum, that is, embroidered and garnished, as it is. The Grecians call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, quasi terminus mundi, as it were the border and bound of the World. The Hebrews call it Shameshe: Concerning which word there is three several opinions, all which may be well and to good purpose received: There are of the Hebrews which deduce the word from the verb Shama, which is to wonder, because of the admiration which all men have of this glorious World, especially if we consider with David, Psal 8. 4, 5. that God having such excellent and glorious Creatures in Heaven should so, notwithstanding, regard man, which is but a clod of earth, as to endue him with these divine graces, and with a reasonable soul: The admirableness of this work consisteth first, In that they being made of the dregs of the deep, are notwithstanding the most splendent and glorious Creatures of God. Also in that they moving continually are immobilia, and varying and changing in their courles always, are notwithstanding invariabilia, for they move motu immobili & varietate invariabili. Also in that they consisting of water, which is most weak and infirm, are notwithstanding most sure and firm of all other things. The other opinion taketh it from the verb Magam and the adverb Iham, as if God had appointed with his finger to the Heavens and said, Here are all things, if you want light, waters, either for soul or body, here they are to be found, and here you may have it, as indeed all good graces come from above, from our Father in Heaven, Jam. 1. 17. The second note touching the word is, in that it is of the dual number, which implieth that the Heavens are double and two fold, which is apparent in the 17. verse, where it is said, that the Stars are in Heaven, and in the 26. verse it is said, that the Fowls also fly in Heaven. Now this is plain and sensible in every man's eyes, that the stars are not where the Birds do fly, neither do the Fowls fly where the Stars are. Out of Psal. 68 33. the ancient Hebrews do note to us, that there was a former and later Heaven, a higher and a lower Heaven made by God, the lower Heavens in the Scriptures are usually termed and called Coeli, Psal. 148. 4. and the upper Heavens, which is the Seat of God, is called Coeli Coelorum, 1 Reg. 8. 27. and in other places, for as there was in the Temple of Salemon Sanctum & Sanctum Sanctorum, so in the the great Temple of the world there is Coelum & Coelum Coelorum, to answer to it in the upper and higher Heavens, as was shadowed in the Temple, is the mercy Seat, the Altar, and the propitiatory; but in the nether is atrium, I. Benjamin, &c, that is, a division of several Courts for Stars, Clouds, Fowls, Men, etc. Between the higher and the nether Heavens, as it was in the Temple, there is a Veil or Curtain spread, Heb. 6. 19 which doth part the one from the other. Besides these two Heavens we read of a third Heaven, 2 Cor. 12. 2. which is the highest number we read of in God's word, so that besides the Merchant man's Heavens, which is prosperous wind, and besides the Husbandman's Heaven, from whence cometh seasonable weather in Summer and Winter; there is a third Heaven which we must seek for, which is Regnum Coelorum, for the Fowls do fly per medium Coelorum, 17. and 26. verses, as the Angel did, Rev. 8. 13. therefore there is a Heaven on both sides of this middle Heaven. The impressions of the Air are the Host and Army of the nether Heavens, and the Stars are the Hosts of God, which inhabit and are in Garrison in the second Heavens, and the Hosts of Heavenly Soldiers, Saints, and Angels, are the Armies of the third Heavens, Luke 2. 13. which Heaven is called solum gloriae, for Heaven is his throne, it is called the habitation of God's holiness, Esay 63. 15. And God is described by this place, Matth. 5. 34. Deus qui sedet in Coelum, Psal. 121. 2. so his place is in the third and highest Heavens, and from thence cometh the true wind and spirit, John 3. 8. and the true rain and dew and water of Grace and life, John 4 14. and from thence descended the true bread of life, John 6. 32. and the oil of joy and all good things spiritual whatsoever; and from thence we are to look for them; Thus we may consider of Heaven, though we might here rather know and learn the way thither, then curiously to search what it is, which we cannot find nor comprehend, 1 Cor. 2. 7. I come to the two other Heavens, because this place teacheth and warranteth us only but of these two. Touching the second Heaven, this we find, that it is a glorious body, Exod. 24. 10. though it consisteth of and by the waters, as St. Peter saith 2 Pet. 3. 5. as in the water we see no diversity or variety; yet in the body of the Heavens there is great variety; for it is as it is in natural things. In a kernel we can perceive no variety, but yet it bringeth a tree forth, which hath great variety, as a body of wood, bark, leaves, blossoms, and fruit, and by this incarnation we have participation of those graces, Heb. 10. 20. and he calleth all to him to buy these waters, John 7. 38. 39 and by his spirit he will power them into our souls, Rom. 5. 5. Water of Meditation. and of these waters the Patriarches and we tasted, 1 Cor. 10. 3. and by these waters of Grace we have passage and navigation from Earth to Heaven, Act. 2. 17. 18. by our waters we can pass from one Country to another. Waters of Grace. These waters of Grace are contained in the clouds of the Law, the preaching thereof doth drop gracious words, as the dew, Deut. 32. 2. and therefore the wiseman saith, that the lips of instruction are a wellspring of life; so the preaching and ministry of God's word is the clouds and bottles which hold this water. Therefore Acts 14. 3. and Acts 20. 32. God's word is called verbum gratiae, which doth contain heavenly grace as the clouds do water, which by the inluence of God's spirit is made aqua vitae & vivificans, John 6. 35. for the word is as seed, but the spirit giveth life, and so that is made effectual in us, and we made fruitful unto God, and as a sweet ground whom God hath blessed, Gen. 26. 12. Now as God, in the name of Heaven, holdeth up the finger, as it were, and saith here is waters to be had and looked for, so the same word of God which made the Heavens, must give these waters from thence; and therefore they which want wisdom, and knowledge, let them ask and seek them of God, Jam. 1. 5. 17. The bucket by which we must draw this water is a true faith, Esay 12. 2, 3. Prov. 12 17. 19 and then our souls became like a well watered garden, Jer. 31. 12. This water it yields for meditation. There is also profitable matter to learn for 〈◊〉, For as we see God doth here, we must express the like in our actions, that we may be like unto God: First, When we have received our light of knowledge, we are taught by the order of Creation, that the next course in regeneration is to extenuate our earthly affections, and to sublime and elevate and to lift up our minds to Heaven, Phil. 3. 20. So St. Paul willeth us, Col. 3. 2. this is the laying up of treasures in Heaven, Matth. 6. 20. we must think on Jerusalem which is above, if we will be free Citizens in it, Gal, 4. 26. Secondly, for the division, As there is a Heaven and Earth, the two parts of the world, so is there in man two parts correspondent, the earthly Adam made of the dust, and the spirit and soul which God gave, 〈◊〉. 12. 7. which is called the Heavenly Adam, 1 Cor. 15. 47. 48. God will first say, let be a separation, our souls must be separated from, earth, earthly and carnal things, as we said before, and ascend; And as all earthly things which make for the flesh, are brought into a narrow compass of the Earth, which is but a prick in a circle, whereas God hath reserved the large spacious room of the Heavens for our souls, so must we bring our carking cares of this life into a narrow room of our hearts, and let the whole compass of our souls and thoughts be filled with the study and care of the Kingdom of God. Thirdly, As the part of waters which ascended, became a Firmament, and are most sure and immutable unto the end of the World; so must our souls, having begun in the spirit, ascend to Heaven, be constant, firm and immutable to the end of our lives, and never end in the flesh, Gal. 3. 3. nor fall to the Earth as those stars did, Rev. 6. 13. for it it is the part of a foolish and wicked man that is mutable and wavering, Prov. we must not be Rubenites, Gen. 49. weak and inconstant as water; for a just man's heart is firm and shall not shrink nor be moved, but 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 in God, Psal. And this is the part of Martyrs, for though they are by nature weak and fearful and as waters, yet by God's grace are made, as the Firmament, more sure against all God's enemies than a wall of brass. Matter of thankfulness. The last use is for matter of thankfulness and gratefulness, with which we will close up all. For we see that when the Earth sendeth up but a thin and a small mist, the Clouds requite it by pouring down showers; So Cursus Dei gratiae dependet in recursu nostrarum gratiarum actionis; for as the Clouds will send no more rain, if the Earth will send up no vapours, nor breathe up any mists; so only God's Graces will descend into our Souls, when our gratefulness doth from thence ascend up to God; for than they cease distilling down on us, when we leave off to be thankful. Wherefore let us be thankful for Coelo aëreo, for without the benefit and pureness of it, we cannot breathe and live, Psal. 65. and let us be thankful pro Coelo aethereo, for the comfortable and sweet influence of the stars, because the Earth hath no power to bring fruit, without the virtue of the Heavens. And lastly, Let us 〈◊〉 thankful pro Coelo Coelorum, or Coelo Coelesti, that is, for the third Heavens; for as we must praise God for these sensible and visible Heavens, so must we for these invisible and incomprehensible Heavens, which we enjoy only by hope and faith; for seeing we know that he created them to be a dwelling place for his Saints, John 14. 2. we must not only praise God with thankful hearts for it, but also prepare our souls that we may be meet to be received into them, with the wise Virgins evermore praising him, for that although he hath not made us Haeredes regalis mansionis here on Earth, yet he hath called us to have mansionem in regno Coelorum which he send us, which hath purchased it for us cui honos & gloria in seculum. Postea dixit Deus, confluant aquae istae, quae sub hoc Coelo sunt in locum unum, & conspicua sit arida: & fuit ita. Gen. 1. 9 THE action of the second day was suspended, as I told you the last time, and in some sort left undone and unperfect, by reason that the Prophet delayed and deferred the approbation of the Heavens, until he should show us what should become of the nether waters then separated; wherefore having declared how the upper waters, being lift up, were stretched and spread abroad, and made a Firmament; now he showeth how the nether waters below were gathered together to make the Seas, and withal he showeth us the Earth (which, as St. Ambrose saith, lay as a wrack in the midst and bottom of the waters) was by God's word drawn up and brought to light, and made profitable for man and beast. For after the swaddling bands of darkness were removed and the disordered course of waters, well ordered and disposed, than the eye of God's providence, from which nothing is hid, beholdeth the Earth which was covered and swallowed up in the deep, Psal. 104. 6. and so he delivereth it of his goodness both from the outward impediments of the waters, which kept it from the sight of the light, and also from the inward and natural inconvenience of emptiness, by which it was unmect for any living thing to dwell on it; which mercy of God, because it showeth itself to Earth, & we are earth, dust and ashes, therefore it doth so much the more nearly teach and concern us, though light was made, and the firmament framed, yet both these parts of the world, and the world itself was unperfect, until the Earth was discovered. Therefore Moses telleth us, that God did, as it were, make haste and speedily pass over the first and second day, that he might the sooner come to the Earth, which in the next place he frameth, partly to show that he is not bound to any course or frame in building his house, as to descend orderly from the cealing of Heaven down to the foundation of the Earth, and partly to manifest his spiritual care and providence that he hath for the Earth and earthly things, indeed, as the Prophet telleth us, Esay 45. 18. God made not the Earth in vain, but to this end, that it might be habitable, but it passeth our capacities to think that God would put it to so honourable a use, as to be the place on which he would set his chief delight; But whereas we would think that God, being in Heaven, would not abase himself to vouchsafe to look down on the Earth in this miserable and desolate case; yet now this third day being come, in which the Earth should be made and perfected, we see God adorneth this work with a double Precept, with two actions, and a double approbation, to show his special care and delight he had in this work, for here is twice dixit Deus, and twice fecit, and twice dixit Deus bonum esse, which repetition of redoubling we only see when there is another revolution and another third day, in which God made man of the Earth, to be the perfection of the Earth, as it was the perfection of the world. Therefore we see, that though the Heavens were his own habitation, and the Earth he meant to give and bestow on men, 〈◊〉. 115. 16. yet he seemeth to have less care and regard of Heaven than of Earth, and to bestow, as it were, double pains and cost on our habitation, over he did upon his own, which is our great comfort, that God rewardeth and esteemeth or respecteth so much this Earth. 4 Parts. In this day's work we are to consider four parts, each doubled, First, two Decrees; then two Actions performed: Thirdly, by two accomplishments: Fourthly, by two approbations. On the Earth we see two actions necessarily performed, First, the emptying and removing of that it should not have, which was the outward impediment of a huge number of waters, which hindered the sight of it and ability to be inhabited. The second the delivering and removing from it his nether and inward inconvenience of emptiness, being void of all things meet for habitation, and replenishing it with store and variety of Plants and Herbs, etc. And so having removed the outward and inward impediment, Tohu, Tobohu, which it had within and without, he finished the work of God, getteth out a several warrant to remove both inconveniences, to this end, that it be habitable and stored with necessaries for them that dwell therein. The parts are the Decree and the Action; the giving out of the Decree is to be considered in this word Dixit, the tenor of the Decree is durable: First, for the removing of the waters: Secondly, for the appearing of the Earth: The third and last place setteth down the accomplishment of it. Touching the giving out of the Decree, to omit the things before rehearsed, I will deliver these three points, First, the giving out of it in regard of God: Secondly, touching the word: Thirdly, of the number. 1. For the first, Seeing Abraham maketh it a great matter, Gen. 18. 27. that Earth should seem to speak to God, we may think it a wonder and a strange thing that God should so abase himself, as it were, to behold, much more to vouchsafe to speak to this rude and poor Creature, which lay in worse and base case than any other; for whereas other Creatures in their imperfection had but one inconvenience, we see this had two, without and within: Wherefore, if we make this a matter of inquiry, the Scriptures show us this reason, that it is Gods usual custom and nature and delight, to show his goodness, especially in exalting things humble and most base, and to lift the poor out of the mire, Job 5. 11. It is a known thing, that God Humilibus dat gratiam, Pro. 3. 34. which all the Apostles also teach; wherefore the Earth, being the lowest and basest, and most poor and humble, doth God of his grace and goodness choose to give it this grace, and to exalt it thus. The Prophet telleth us, that God had made choice to dwell in two places, Habitat aut in aeternitate, or else habitat in humilitate, that is, he will no where dwell, but either in the high Heavens, or else in the low and humble Earth. Therefore of his goodness he vouchsafed to seek a treasure house in the Earth wherein to keep his chosen, and so hath made the Earth, as it were, the ornament of the Heavens. Thus we see the Decree in respect of God. 2. Secondly for the Word. As we saw the word of God to be the pillar of the Heavens, so here we see it serveth to build and uphold the Earth, and as the Spirit then moving, by dilatation made and speed abroad the Heavens, so here the work and power of the Spirit is seen in contraction, for so the Earth was made, and the Seas, gathering in the waters; and as the Heavens were by division, so now the Earth and Waters are made by union, being joined together. So that as a man's hand is called instrumentum instrumentorum; So God's word is God's hand, by which the Heavens and Earth were made, Psal. 33. 6. By the word of the Lord the Heavens were made, that is, Psal. 102. 25. they are the work of his hands, the Word and Spirit, and as there he speaketh of them as of a body, so here he calleth it Synagoga aquarum, a concourse or gathering of waters, thereby comparing the Sea to a great Cathedral Church, and the Arms, Streams, and Rivers to be as it were Parish Churches to that Sea or Diocese; so that as all inferior Parishes are ordered and depend on their Mother Church, so doth this teach us to think of the Seas and gathering of waters. Touching the name and title given to them, there are divers judgements and opinions, but they may be reduced to these four: 1. The first hath a denotation and pointing at the properties and qualities of the water and Seas: 1. And first from the plenty and abundance of them, in which sense we call any great quantity a Sea, as a Sea of People, of troubles, etc. 2. Secondly, For the instability, in which respect, the wicked are compared to the Sea, as tossed in trouble and wavering in inconstancle, Esay 57 20. 3. Thirdly, In respect of the raging and unruliness of the Seas, Psal. 65. 7. 2. therefore, for these ill qualities of the waters, they think that God gave the Sea this name: Other think that God gave not that name to signify any evil, but rather the good properties and nature of it, and therefore they say that it hath its name because the Seas were, as it were, the mother, out of whose womb the earth was taken, as Eve out of Adam's side, and it was not only taken e visceribus aquarum, as having a womb, as Job saith 38. 8. but also the Earth taketh his nourishment ex visceribus aquarum, for of itself it is dry & witherly withal, Prov. 30. 16. and is as a Child thirsting, gaping, and opening his mouth for the moisture of the waters to drink and be satisfied with it, Psal. 143. 6. so they think that it hath his name hereof, and from and out of it issueth the Earth, and is nourished also thereby. 3. The third sort think that it is nominated from the situation and place which it hath, for if we look in a Map of the World and set our face to the East, we shall see that the Seas are placed on the right hand and the Earth situated on the left, as giving it the right hand of fellowship. 4. The fourth and last sort are the best, who considering the two words which signify the Earth and the Sea, Majim & Jamin, for the first letter put to the latter end of the other word maketh them all one, and the last letter of the second word put before the first, maketh the two words to be all one without difference, which is done only by a transposition of letters, which show that Waters naturally are above the Earth, and yet by God's transposition the Earth is set above the Waters, and so they are without difference joined as in one Globe. This transposition of the things they gather out of the transposition of words; for at the first naturally the Seas eat up and devour the Earth, but now being transposed and set aloft, it feedeth and nourisheth it; at the first it was the grave of the Earth, but now it is as a garment to it, Psal. 104. 6. and so by God's spirit it is transposed, and God did as it were change and transpose his Decree to have it so, Job 38. 10. The third point is, That it is set down in the plural number; for though we call all the gathering together of the waters but one body, singular, yet it hath two shores, which are the Seas lips through which he thrusteth forth, as it were, his tongue by rivers into the land, so in his parts it is plural, as in arms and fingers, but all this plurality joineth together in one salt Sea, Gen. 14. 3. and we do call that the main Ocean Sea, which is the greatest place whereto is the gathering together of all waters, Joshuah 15.7. and 47. Job calleth the Seas, the bottom of waters 38. 16. and the other Rivers and streams to be, as it were, salt tears dropping and distilling from the eyes of the deep Seas, which running through the veins of the Earth is cleansed and purified from his brackish and barren nature, and so it is made profitable and pleasant and good. Now to the second part of this work, which is God's approbation, touching which, first of God's view, and then of the goodness of them. This speech is taken from Artificers; for as they having made a thing, will return to behold and view it, either to amend it if it be amiss, or to commend it if be well. So it is said, That God, having perfected all waters above and below and the Earth, he took a view and consideration of them, not to amend or correct them, for he needed not, because he is so perfect a workman that all his works are most perfect and cannot be amended or made better; for though foolish men think this or that evil, or imagine how it may be better, yet God knoweth all to be most absolutely and perfectly good; and therefore it is said that his looking on it was only to approve and allow it as good in itself for us, and herein God differeth from men; for men are careless in their work, so they do it, they care not how it be done; but God will not do a thing, but he will see it well done, and confirm and avouch it to be perfectly good. Duplex usus. This example teacheth us to have a double use of God's Creatures: The one a natural use of them, as the Earth to tread on, the light to see by: The other is a spiritual use, which is usus reflexus, which is the consideration of God's mercy and goodness in making these things, and our grateful acknowledgement thereof, for as God would not make them materially, but regard and consider them in their qualities spiritually; so we in using them naturally, must make this spiritual use of them admirari Artem, adorare Artificem. We will first speak of the Waters, and then of the goodness of them: Of the nether Waters. We have before spoken of the upper waters; now this is to be understood of these below, which are gathered together in the Seas; for these also God saith are good, in speaking of which, we must divide the waters, as the old Hebrews, for all waters are good, both those which they call the waters of Bethlem, that is, good and sweet waters, for which David longed, 1 Reg. 23. 15. and also the waters of Jericho, 2 Reg. 2. 19 which were salt and unfruitful. Waters of Bethlem, and Jericho. Touching the waters of Bethlem, 1. First, they were good; for they have a double use, profit, and goodness which we find; the one is by reason of a filthiness and foul soil and corruption which the Earth and Earthly things bring to us, and which our own sweat and excrements will cause about us, and it is a necessary virtue to wash, cleanse, and purify or scourc those things about us which are foul and unclean, as by pouring water into our hands to wash them, 2 Reg. 5. 10. 14. or to wash our and apparel, 2 Sam. 19 24. if we should want and lack water but for these uses, it would be ill with us, so good and necessary they are for our life. This good and necessary use of water is spiritually signified in the Lavor of the Temple in the old Law, and in the Sacrament of Baptism in the new Testament. 2. The second goodness and benefit in it, is in regard of drought and heat; for when we or the Earth is dry and thirsty, the water is drink with his moisture to satisfy it, and when we are hot, the water, naturally cold, hath a cooling face to refresh us, as the heart being in a chafe and set in a heat by chafing is faint, and longeth and brayeth for the waters, Psal. 42. 1. so doth man's heart thirst and cannot endure the drought and heat within, except it be cooled with the drink of the waters; and therefore it is said, Psal. 104. 10. propinquavit Deus, that is (as the word importeth) when God made the waters, he began, and did, as it were, drink to all the Creatures, showing them that there was the place where they should fetch drink, and so to pledge him for ever thereat: And in respect of this goodness which we find in the nature of the waters, we see that those things which are very good, and so necessary that we cannot be without them, they are compared and said to be as cold as water to a faint and thirsty soul, Prov. 25. 25. Besides this, it hath a good use to dress our meats as well as to be drink. Salt Waters. Now for the waters of Jericho. Those are bitter and brackish waters of the Seas, they were made also very good, and to a most commodious use, for they are made promptuarius, a store house or treasury from whence cometh all waters in the world, both above in the Clouds and below in the Earth: Clouds, Waters from the Sea. For the Clouds, it is said; that God calleth and raiseth waters out of the Sea, and causeth it to ascend into the Clouds, and so by drops to descend down into the Earth; Amos 5. 8. So the Cloud waters are from the Seas. So fresh Waters. So are all the fresh waters in the fountains and springs, for as Job saith 38. 8. they are tanquam lachrymae trickling and distilling from the eyes and head of the Seas; for they make the world as a body like a man, as they compare man to the World; for the head and higher parts is the waters, the bones of the body is the Quarries and Rocks, the Muscles and Flesh is the earthly part of hills, etc. the Conduit pipes and Fountains of Water streaming and running in the Earth, are called the veins of the Earth; that the Springs and Fountains issuing and springing out; are as the blood letting and opening of a vein; and as in a man's body when the veins are 〈◊〉 in divers places, the whole body must needs he overwhelmed and all imbrued in his own blood, and perish; so it is said of the World, Gen. 7. 11. in the great deluge, in which the World perished by water, rupti sunt fontes Abyssi, which breaking up of the fountains was the cause that the waters played above the Earth, so that all the blood and veins come and go to one head and original of the liver; so the Rivers have their waters from the Sea, and do return them thither again, Preach. 1. 7. And this is the third miracle which we see in this work of the Waters: First, We saw them at God's word ascending up into the Clouds, and descending. Secondly, The lower waters standing up on a heap and continuing so. Thirdly, That the Rivers ever running into the Sea, and yet are never empty and dry: and again the Sea ever receiving all waters that come, and thereby being ever full, is not satisfied as never full, and yet never overmatcheth the banks, which wonderful miracle in this work of God we see every day, and yet regard it not. 2. The second goodness and benefit of these waters is in Psal. 104. 26. that men may say, there go the Ships, that is, God made it a fit and good place for Navigation, non ad habitandum sed ad navigandum & natandum, by which passage of Merchandise and Seafaring men, we disburden ourselves of those superfluous commodities which our Land affords, and get thereby, by exchange, the commodities of other Countries, which we want: So that as God hath Wagons and Chariots in the Clouds, and we Wagons and Chariots on the Earth and Land, so God hath by this taught us to make Ships as our Wagons by Sea to transport and carry and have passage from one Nation to another. But though we can have our horses and Wagons on the Land when we list, yet cannot Mariners and Merchants have their Sea Wagoners to drive their Wagons there, at their pleasures, but must wait and tarry God's leisure for prosperous gales; and merry winds are sent them at the good pleasure and commandment of God, and by reason of this goodness and benefit of waters God hath caused it, that the Harvest of the Seas, and the Treasure of the Sands shall be as great and greater than the Harvest of the Land, and that the wealth of Merchants shall go beyond the wealth and treasure of the Husbandmen, Esay 23. 3. yea we see that salomon's worldly wealth and abundance of all things, both for necessary service, as timber, gold, etc. and for pleasure and variety as Apes and Peacocks, etc. 1 Reg. 10. 22. all that came by means of Merchandise and dealing by Ships, and having traffic to Ophir, which made him so rich, that gold was as stones in the streets; and this goodness of the Seas especially concerneth us which are Islanders, we best know it and feel here this singular and special goodness of the waters, and say as God doth, that we see that they are good; for were it not for this, we should be imprisoned in this little Island, and be without the knowledge of other Countries, also we should be cloyed with our commodities and be destitute of many other which we want; An excellent benefit of the Sea. but that which is most, we should have been ever without the knowledge of God's holy Word; For how could that have come hither, Or how could we have gone beyond the Seas for it, had it not been for the Sea, wherein go the Ships? Paul's Shipwreck was most blessed and happy to that Island, Act. 27. 41. for by that means the Gospel of Christ came to them, the greatest commodity that could be; But unworthy are we of this Pearl which Merchants have sound and brought from beyond the Sea, seeing we so lightly regard, that we will scarce step out of doors for to hear it, this is the good that we by it have Merchants, Nahum. 3. 16. Another benefit of good we receive by them, Nahum. 3. 14. in that they are made to us as a Ditch, Fortress, Wall, or Bulwark of strength and defence to the Land. For in Islands we are entrenched, as it were, round about, with Sands, with Rocks, with Ships, and Seas. These things more properly pertain to us Islanders; for Islands are called the branches of the Sea. For main Lands have other carriage and defence, though with more trouble and cost. Lastly, It is good for Peter with his Nets and Gins to take Fish. The discourse of the Earth. Now for the Earth, God also saw and said that it was good likewise, which is so well known, that I need not tell you that the use of it a top is not only good to go and run upon, and inhabit, but also to bear Corn, Wine, Oil, Herbs, and Roots, and other Fruit, for Man and Beast, that dwell thereon Job. 28. 5. And under the good mould for fruit, we see it good and profitable, in that it hath mines of Coal, and under it veins of Gold, and other most profitable metals, and under it precious stones, and every where within Quarries and Rocks of stone, and without Trees of timber to build us houses withal. This were sufficient to make us see and confess, to God's glory, how good it is to us. But let us come to the very substance of the Earth, in respect of the whole, and (not to search his riches and parts and fruits) we see that it is the matter of which we are made, and to which we must return, Job 10. 9.10. which there is set down after two manners, both as we respect Adam in creation, or ourselves in generation, being poured out as milk, etc. For touching creation, we are of the Earth, and therefore called houses of Clay, as Jeremy speaketh to his King, O Earth, O Earth, etc. 22. 29. Wherefore, if we think ourselves good, we cannot deny, but the matter of which we were made is also good. 2. Secondly, It is a good and a convenient place super quem, as the Air is a fit Element in quo; for God hath made it good to go upon, and therefore he hath made it locum lucidum, solidam, siccum fixum, & firmum, that being light and steady, it might have all the commendations and goodness of a place to dwell in; and as it is a place to move in, so it is to take rest and ease; as it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Workhouse and Shop, in which we must employ our travail and labour, so is it our * Refection. refectorium, to refresh and ease ourselves, and to recover our strength. The Earth is the Lords and all in it, Psal. 24. 1. but he hath given the Earth to the sons of men, Psal. 115. 16. but only to this end, that they should serve him in the works of their Callings, in the service of God and the Country, that they might keep his Statutes and observe his Laws, Psal. 105. 45. 3. The third goodness is the benefit of our grave, for this is our Mother's lap and arms into which we yield our bodies, being dead, it is our Coemeterium, our sleeping place in the night time of our death, Job 17. 13. as it was our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the day time of our life. Now as we have considered the goodness of it wholly; so now let us see the parts by themselves, the hills, mountains, and rocks are good for shadows in time of heat, and for shelter in time of Winter against cold and tempests, Esay 32. 2. the stoney rocks also serve for Coneys, Psal. 104. 18. the valleys and dales are good and commodious for Corn, Psal. 104. 10. Esay 30. 23. and also for pasture, Psal. 65. 13. so it is good for to give all things to feed man and beast. The other drier part of the Earth, which is sand and gravel, is good for treasure, Deut. 33. 19 and the wet or moister part of it which is clay and marvel, is good to dung and mend the land, also to make vessels of earth, Jer. 18. 3, 4. and to make brick and houses, and mortar, Ezech. 13. 10. So that the high and low parts, the dry and moist parts of the Earth, are very good. The Waters and Land jointly considered, four things noted therein. Yet let us further consider these things, that is, the Waters and Land joint together, as they are framed in one globe, touching which we have four things to note. 1. The first, is in regard of Heaven and Celestial bodies, where we shall observe a threefold good; for a thing that is good only in itself, and doth not impart it to other, is good in vain, and to no end; and that which is good to itself, and hath a nature to be good to other, but hath no good means to conceive it, is to no purpose: Wherefore, as the Heavens have virtue and goodness, as light, heat, dews, etc. So the Air is the good means by which it is sent and conveyed, and the Earth is that receptacle which receives all those good things imparted to it: So all the good of Heaven is conveyed to the Earth by the Air, and so it is made known and proved to be good. The Earth is the pond of all waters, and the lap and open hand, yea, and the wide open mouth which God hath ordained to receive all the blessings of Heaven, until Heaven have received us. 2. Secondly, The Waters and Earth are good in regard of one another, the waters are good to the land, and the land to the waters; the Earth would be without water to glue it together, even as dust, which would fly in our eyes to hinder our sight and choke us, and hinder our breathing in the Air, Job 38. 38. and being all dry clods it would be unprofitable for tillage; therefore God giveth the waters to mollify and soften it, Psal. So the Earth is good to the Sea waters; for it is a cleanser and strainer, through which the saltness and unfruitfulness of the Waters are amended, and made profitable, Exod. 15. 25. Also as it maketh them serviceable, so doth the Earth make them medicinable, by his veins, giving a virtue to make hot baths, Gen. 36 24. so by it the waters are made profitable, serviceable, and medicinable. 3. Thirdly, In regard of ourselves which enjoy both; for both are our matter and substance of which we are made: For the Earth is the Meal and the Waters the Liquor, of both which the whole lump of Mankind was made, and by both we are preserved alive, as the means appointed by God. 4. Lastly, in regard of God. For the Earth is God's good Footstool, the Seas and Waters his Gallery or path to walk in, Job 9 8. and the Heavens to be his Seat, on which, if he but stamp with his feet, as angry, both the Eart and Waters are troubled and do quake; but if he tread gently, as pleased, they are quiet, and do, as it were, leap, play, and dance for joy; but at his frowning and check the hills tremble, and the Seas are troubled and make a noise, Psal. 48. In the 114. 5. we may see a Dialogue between the Sea and the Land touching this; For the Earth asketh the Waters, What aileth thee that thou art troubled, etc. The Water's reply and say, We fly at the presence and voice of God; at which he saith, Tremble thou O Earth; for if his feet make the Seas go out of course, than it is able to overturn the Earth, being his Foo stool. Usus. The use of this is matter of meditation, both of God's Mercy and Justice: If we anger God with sin, the Earth is made to stagger and reel, the Seas to roar and swell, and the Fire to rage and burn on every side, and threaten our destruction: If we please him, they are made good means for our preservation: Where of this is the effect and application of this his goodness and approbation, to pray to God, which is the hope of all which dwell on the Earth, and which remain on the broad Sea, Psal. 65. 5. that he will use the Sea to drown all our sins in it, Micha. 7. 9 and one day to make us to see all his goodness in the land of the living, Psal. 27. 13. for then we shall indeed see that all that God made for us is most absolute and good. Iterum dixit Deus, Herbascat terra herbulas, herbas sementantes semen, etc. Genesis 1. vers. 11.12. IT was a benefit for the Earth to be disburdened from the great weight of huge waters, wherewith it was surcharged, even that breathing and ease from that burden was a great blessing; but it contenteth not God (so gracious is he) only to make it spectabilem, but also he will make it speciosum; he will have it both conspirable, that it may be seen, and also conspicuall that it may be worthy the sight, that is, comely, sightly, and good and pleasant to behold. For, as Esay saith, 40. 15. it was made and appeared at the first, it was but a dust heap, and as he calleth it, a measure of dust ashes, but now it is made habitable and a seat for men; than it was in its nature but as a Desert place, destitute of all necessaries to sustain them which are and remain dwelling in it; but now, being delivered from the natural inconveniences Tohu, Tohohu, it is become a store-house, replenished with all things for man and beast, mundus erat antea domus, as I have showed you; for it had Heaven the sealing, the Waters as walls, the Earth as pavement, sed non erat in domo hac panis; it was as a Shepherd's Cottage and wilderness in which we might stay, but we must needs starve, if it had continued so: Wherefore as good no place as such a place, until God had added this blessing to furnish it, as here we shall see. Therefore, that it might be penu, as the waters made it promptuarium, God here maketh it a storehouse and place of receipt, taking order by his word that it might be locus conveniens ad vitam, ad victum, ad vestitum, and to that end doth he here open his mouth again, saith Moses. Touching which, 1. The second opening of God's mouth. we will first consider of his second opening of his mouth. 2. Of the Argument. Secondly, of the Argument and Contents of his Edict. 3 Of his words, and works, which do express it. Thirdly, of his Words and Works, which do express it. The iterating and doubling of his word, is a sign of his double care and love he bore to the Earth, which we must answer again by doubling our love and care to please him with all our heart and soul Matth. 22. 10. If we look on all their works and compare this with the two before; and after we shall see heuseth but one speech to his place of Heaven, but he speaketh once or twice to this, and the reason is because the Earth was cumbered with a double and indeed with a triple inconvenience; for it was within empty, without a bare and a deformed dust heap, and all overwrapped with waters to cover it: Therefore God having removed the waters with one word, now here he removeth the other inconveniences, giving her facultatem foecunditat is instead of emptiness, & amictum venustat is for the other without; So this is the beautiful apparel of the Earth which the Poets say Vesta gave her, rather do we account this as a work of adorning, than a removing from it these native inconveniences which before it had; for these we call ornaments that may be removed or taken away, as we are whole though jewels and bracelets and chains be taken away, such are the living Creatures, as beasts and birds, etc. which may be removed. But those things here named, grow fast unto the Earth and cannot be put away, but are as supplies to the indigence of nature. God cannot abide esse inners, that is, an idle being; and therefore, as he gave the light a power to send out beams, and the Heavens to send down influence and dews, and to Rivers a motive power to run into the veins of the Earth, and so spring up: So here to keep the Earth from idleness, he in this work of distinction giveth it a power to shoot out Plants, which are as the beams and influences of the Earth, that it corrupt not in idleness. And thus much of the order and dependence of these words. The Argument. Now, for the form and argument of it, We shall see that the pupose of God herein, is partly to deck and trim up his work, and partly that it might be enriched with store for profit and 〈◊〉; for nothing is good in respect of God, which is only speciosum videnti, nisi sit commodum utenti; therefore God would make it as well profitable as pleasant, both for man and beast, Psal. 104. 14. and prepare and make all things ready and fit for life, before he made living things. Which course we see usual and agreeable to nature; for God provideth still breasts full of milk before the Child be born: And it is the manner and course of men in the world, before they will come to dwell in and possess a house, they will first lay in their provision and necessaries for household. A good Pater Familias. So doth God deal in this place; He first taketh order for our diet and far, the Flower of Meal for Bread, and the Grape for the Winepress, out of the Herb and the Plant, Ose 9 2. which Moses calleth, Deut. 32. 14. the fat of the Wheat, and the blood of the Grape, thus he provideth for men in the Herbs and the Plants, and for beasts he took order in that he left for Hay and for Pasture and Grass of the fields, Psal. 104. 14. and clean and good Provender for them, Esay 30. 24. All which he did that we might be kindled with the love of God, which hath been so careful and provident for us. The Decree. Touching the Decree, it containeth three parts, First, the Decree itself. Secondly, the Compliment of it, and it was so. Thirdly, the Censure of God in his liking and approbation, that it is good. Of the first of these at this time. Wherein first of his speaking again, When we shall consider the virtue and force of God's dixit, whereby he made and furnished all things, It must teach us, not despicere terras, not to look downward and depend on the Earth for food, nor yet suspicere stellas, that is, not gaze on the stars to trust in them for fruitful increase; but it teacheth us to pass beyond all these, and know that all these blessings of the Earth come from God and his word, which saith Let the Earth bear forth, and it was so, non produxit terra antequam dixit Deus producat terra; for the nature of the Earth was at first empty, in the second degree dry and cold, which are mortiferae qualitates, and will rather kill than quicken and keep any seed, herb, or plant: But notwithstanding all this, if God call for a plenty, and say, Let the Earth bear, though there be no man to till the ground, no seed in the ground, no stars to give influence, no means now ordained to cause it, yet it will bring forth fruit in abundance: For at this time Adhuc Adam fuit Adama, that is, Agricola fuit adhuc ager, man was earth, and yet in the dust heap; therefore man was not the cause that the Earth did bear fruit, neither were the Heavens and Stars any cause, for they were not as yet made; for the Sun, Moon, and all the Stars, are Juniors to the Herbs and Plants, and the very Grass and Flower of the field Ancients to them all, quid ergo aspiras astra, saith one to starre-gazers. These plants and herbs are the influence, and stars and beams shooting out of the earth, as the Heavens hereafter have stars in them. It is strange that Theophrastus, which never knew Moses writing, doth yet acknowledge this, That the earth brought forth all fruits meet for man and beast, before any living Creatures were on the earth. If then the fruits of the earth are not from any earthly cause, not from the earth itself, nor from man, nor from the stars we must needs conclude that they come from this dixit Deus, by the blessing of his word willing it to be done; the truth of which God hath sealed and signed up to us, by two reasons, the first St. Paul pleadeth, 1 Cor. 15. 36. The second part is the Censure of approbation, saying, that it was good. In the Preach. 5. 8. the wise man being a King doth confess that the fruitfulness of the earth is so necessarily good that no man, no not the King himself, can live or continue, but must miserably pine and perish without his fruit; and therefore St. James 5. 7. the Apostle calleth them, the precious fruits of the Earth, for which we wait as the hope of our life. There are three goods, as I told you before, honestum, utile, jucundum, each of which contain in them a double goodness: All which three pair of several goodnesses we shall see in the earth Bonum honestum, as a virtue moral which respecteth true justice, equity, and faithfulness; and on the other side, benignity, goodness, mercy, and liberality, which we shall see in the earth. Bonum jucundum. In that good which is called jucundum, there is one special prerogative to delight and please the senses, as to be fair and sightly to the eye, sweet to the smell, pleasant to the taste, delightful to the ear: So there is multiplicity of delight. Bonum utile. For Bonum utile, there is utile ferrum, which we cannot be without, which is durum telum, and will break through walls. Bonum honestum. The other, that is Bonum honestum, is such a profit which we may be without, but yet not conveniently. For the first moral goodness, though properly it pertaineth to men, yet here it may be applied to the earth, and a pattern of it may be seen there. For touching truth and fidelity, Commit any seed into the earth, it is more sure and trusty to keep it than man; therefore the Husbandman, having sowed his seed, sleepeth securely without doubt or distrust, Mark 4. 26. knowing that he dealeth with a most true, just, and faithful Creature, which will safely depositum servare, and in due time repay and deliver his charge, and that not barely in the same measure that it received it; but that which is the second point, it will repay, besides the principal, great increase very bountifully with great liberality, Psal. 72. 16. A handful of Corn shall be sown on the hills, and it shall bring forth a crop, Esay: Every Corn, saith Christ, Matth. 13. 8. cometh up and bringeth his advantage, some thirty, some sixty, some an hundred fold, every one will be manifold, Gen. 26. 12. So had Abraham and Jacob an hundred fold increase, and this increase and gain it speedily returneth; for it is not dealt withal as Usurer's custom is, that is, we take in bonds and obligations; but without constraint or exaction, of its own goodness and liberality, it giveth more, though it be fructum indebitum, that is, more than it oweth us to repay any: but Usurers will not stand to men's grateful return of recompense, but will bind men before they lend, that they may be sure of their harvest before hand: but we need not deal so cruelly with the Earth, for it will liberally give us, if we shall thankfully praise God the maker of it and us. So there is a justice in paying that which is committed with faithfulness without breaking or deceiving; and there is liberality and goodness, to repay with thankfulness more than is received. And this dealing if God see in us, which are of the earth, he will say it is good; Bonum utile. for bonum utile hath two respects both for man and beasts; for that which is absolutely needful Pabulum & latibulum, Esay 5. 6. for us food and raiment is ferreum utile, and we must be content with it, 1 Tim. 6. 8. As for our food we have it of the Earth, it yields us for nourishment within and without; for our covering, if we respect our houses, for shadow and shelter in Summer and Winter, we have all the matter from the Earth of which it is made; and for our nearest covering, which is next our skin, that we have of the Earth as well as our remotest shelter; therefore if these things be good for us, we see that the Earth and his fruit is well approved and censured by God, and we are to acknowledge it with thankfulness to God, Numb. 11. 5. they confessed that their good estate they had in Egypt came from the Earth, It was well with us when we had our bellies full of fleshpots, Garlic, etc. For medicine also to recover health, being lost, and to preserve it, being had, all come from the Earth, Psal. 47. 12. it 〈◊〉 drinks, which are refrigerium animae, and bread, which is fulcrum cordis, Psal. 104. 15. to preserve health and strength, & creavit Deus medicinum, 〈◊〉, saith the Wiseman, Wisd. 38. 4. It bringeth a cluster of figs for meat, and to be also a medicine to make a plaster for 〈◊〉 Carbuncle, Esay 38. 21. If the Art of the Apothecary and Physician be good; if it be goodness to have health and strength, and to be preserved in it by meat and medicine, than the Earth is good, because the goodness of them come from thence: And this goodness of the Earth is not good and profitable only filiis hominum, but even servis hominum, to our beasts, fowls, and cartel; it bringeth herbs for the use of men, and for the service of men also, that is for beasts food, and fodder, and provender, which doth servous Psal. 104. 14. we have olera for the pot, as I have showed you, 2 Reg. 4. 39 and grass and hay for beasts; out of the herbs of the Earth we have for 〈◊〉 use bread, and drink, and corn; and for their service which serve us, it bringeth pulse for provender, yet in our grain God hath made in wheat meal flower for us, and the straw, chaffo, and bran for beasts. We must praise God for this goodness of the Earth, Psal. 147. 8, 9 For the other part, if we come to shelter or covering, Our outward farthestcovering is the house, and our nearest covering 〈◊〉, all which come from the earth, Exod 9 31. the great and main timber and beams for buildings and strength, and the fine grained timber for beauty and ornament, to ceale our houses, come from the earth, Jer. 22. 13. 14. for wainscot timber, Hagg. 1. 4. As we know both Salomons Temple and houses came out of the fruits of the earth, Ionas gourd for shadow and meat groweth out of the earth; also for instruments both of Music for pleasure, or of occupations for service, came from the earth: So that pabulum & latibulum is thence. Jucundum Bonum. I come to jucundum for pleasure of the eyes: It is our delight to behold hills and valleys set orderly, with woods, springs and rivers, Num. 24. 6, 7. and the Lilies for beauty exceed Solomon in his royalty, Matth. 6. 29. as our eye doth more willingly gaze at nothing more than this; so among our chief delights, we seek a pleasant situation where we may have goodly prospects, orchards and gardens, Preach. 2. 5. all the pleasure and comfort we have in sweet smells and odours come from the earth, Psal. 45. 8. as myrrh, aloes and cassia, camphire and spikenard, Cant. 4. 13. for all come out of flowers and trees, etc. For the last, it bringeth milk and honey, Exod. 3. 8. wine and oil, Psal. 104. 15. the fat of the Earth, and the blood of the grape, milk and flesh, immediately do come from the earth, as fruits for us. Besides these things for necessity, the earth bringeth forth manifold varieties of fruits for dainties and pleasure, in so much as one saith, we fit longer and with more delight secundis mensis quam primis, that is, at our banquet and junkets, than at our first part of our dinner for diet, need and hunger, but all is from the earth. In one word, to conclude, go to the goodness in Winter, and our fire and fuel is from thence, Esay 44. 16. the good of the Spring, which is herbs and flowers; the good of Summer, which is shadows; the good of Harvest, all fruits; the good of Autumn, the seed which is sown: all come from the earth, which showeth that it is good. As we consider the parts of the year, so if you mark the parts of every thing, you shall see them to be good: A goodness cometh from the Roses; Herbs and all Plants are goodness from the stalk, another from the leaf, flower, seed, and fruit, both for distillation and other uses; even the gums which sweat and drop from them, are good and profitable, and nothing ill that God made, whether we respect the goodness severally of every thing in his kind, or of the goodness of every part of them being divided. Object. Only one thing cometh cross against this generality; For, seeing many things are unprofitable, many evil and hurtful, how can all be counted good, anon Deus spinas pungentes, neccon succos occidentes creavit? for Thorns and Briers are an evil curse, and Colloquintida and many things growing out of the Earth are evil, poisonful, and deadly. Answ. The ancient Fathers, entering into this discourse say, That the Sun itself is not good to every one, for it hurreth ill eyes. There are many things which are good only in their times and places, Preach. 3. 11. and in this respect there is nothing in their particular place and time, but hath a good use, though generally at all times, and to all persons it be not good the barrennesle and bareness of the earth God hath made to be good to us, and to a good end, namely, to be a whetst one to move us to industry and diligence, and to keep us from idleness; though thorns and briers be ill inter fruges, yet they be good circa fruges, these spinoe are profitable and good in soepe for defence, though in sulco they be evil, and do hinder the Corne. Succus venenosus, & occidens are by the Art of the Physician and Apothecary made Theriaca mundi, the Treacle and purgation to expel and draw out all venom and poison. That Coloquintida which they said was death and deadly poison, 2 Reg. 1. 39,40. is medicinable with us and commonly used in purgations, so is Viper's flesh, etc. But we stand not on this; but though they were not good for to show God's mercy and love to the Godly, yet they are good to show his justice and wrath to the wicked, Esay 10. 5. there are none but will say that rods are good and necessary in a school; so are these things good to punish the wicked in the world, Joel. 2. 25. So that if there were nothing but this which David confesseth, Psal. 119. 67. Before I was troubled I went wrong, but now I keep thy Law; therefore it was good for me that I have been introuble, etc. It were enough to prove them to be good, because these Armies and Hosts of God's displeasure do bring us to goodness, Joel 2. 25. But now for germinabit tibi spinas, Gen. 3. 18. that is, for thy fin and because of thy disobedience, the earth shall bring forth to thee thousinner: so that before we did sin there was none of these things that could hurt us, but were for our good; for, as God made us mortal and subject to corruption, yet it was God's preservative grace, which keeping him from dying and mortality, that his dust returned not to dust; so the same preservative grace should have kept all Adam's posterity from any hurt of these things, if they had continued in integrity: Wherefore to conclude this, whether thorns and venomous herbs were created in principiis suis or in semine, for we hold both Creations, it is certain that they had been good, and could not have been hurtful to them, if they had not sinned, which we see by warrant; for those men which were renewed to the Image of God, and were in God's favour, all things did serve to their good, and no ill thing could hurt them, Jam. 5. 17. Elias could command Heaven to rain & not to rain, Jam. 5. 18. Joshuah might by God's permission command the Sun and Moon, Joshuah 10. 12. The three Children could not be hurt in the fire, raging and flaming, Dan. 3 27. Neither could the Lions be evil to hurt him, Dan. 6. 22. The Viper could not hurt Paul, Act. 28. 3. If the faithful drink deadly poison, it shall not hurt them, Mark 16. 18. and many such examples are, Heb. 11 33. which show that God giveth his preservative grace to the Godly, by which they have such a prerogative as Adam had in his innocency, when his corruptible dust was kept from corruption, that it turned not to dust again. They which have Gods eyes and Image shall see this to be true, that the thing which is deadly to some, shall not hurt them; So that as all things are clean to the Clean, so all is good to the Good and Godly. Usus Spiritualis. Now for the spiritual use: And first we are put in mind of our homage to God, in serving and praising him for these earthly and temporal blessings, which we receive from him the only author and owner thereof; for many not knowing that their Wine, Oil, and Corn, and other riches come from God, Ose 2. 8. did give the glory and praise of them to Idols, ascribing the gift to others: If by these things we receive strength and continue in health, we must remember our duty to be thankful, Ezech. 11. 16. to 21. for seeing God hath opened his mouth for our good, saying, Let the Earth be fruitful, and if now he still openeth his hands and fill us with his blessing, it is our duty of gratefulness to lift up our hands and open our mouths to bless and praise his holy name; so these earthly benefits must be keys to unlock and open our mouths to sing some praise to him, Jer. 2. 31. God hath not been a Lord of darkness nor a wilderness to us, therefore we must not be as barren and unfruitful ground to him, but yield some fruit of our lives by obedience, and some fruit of our lips by thankfulness. Usus duplex. The use and profit of this, is first in regard of God's word to the Earth, and then in regard of God's word in respect of himself: For the first, we see that God speaketh but once to the Earth, and it is sufficient to move it to perfect obedience: But in the 22. Jer. 29. God is fain to speak thrice, terra, terra, terra, before we can be brought to hear and understand, for our ears are more deaf than the senseless earth. Post dixit Deus, Sunto luminaria in Expanso Coeli, ad distinctionem faciendum inter diem & noctem: ut sint in signa cum tempestatibus, tum diebus & annis. Sintque in luminaria in Expanso Coeli, ad afferendum lucem super terram: Gen. 1. vers. 14.15. IN this Chapter God created the World; and being created, he perfected it; and being perfected, he furnished it; Thus the Heavens and the Earth were finished and all the hosts of them, the first verse of the next chapter. Austin saith well, Creata ordinavit, ordinata ornavit, creata ordinata & ornata septimo die perfecit, after the beginning was the perfecting, after the perfecting was the adorning, tenebras fugavit, abyssum exaltavit, terram discooperuit: In these three following days is the beautifying of the Heavens, the Waters, and the Earth. God first began to create the Heavens; then he made the Waters, and lastly the Earth: So he first beautifieth the Heavens, than the Waters, and lastly the Earth; that is first beautified which was first created. Argument. Touching the Argument of this day's work: The Heaven is as a Garden, the Fathers call the stars coelestes Rosas, heavenly Roses: The Sun is as the general of the host of Heaven, the Moon is as the Sun's Lieutenant. The Sun is as the Father, the Moon as the Mother, & the Stars are as the Children. When Joseph dreamt, that the Sun and the Moon, and the eleven Stars did do him reverence, and he told it his father, Jacob was angry saying, What! shall I and thy mother and thy brethren fall on the ground before thee? chap. 37. 9 The Sun seemeth as gold, the Moon as silver, and the Stars as many pearls. God counteth the stars, and calleth them all by their names, Psal. 147. 4. and in Psal. 19 4. he hath set in the Heavens a Tabernacle for the Sun, which cometh forth as a Bridegroom out of his Chamber, and rejoiceth like a mighty man to run his race: His going out is from the end of the Heaven, his compass is unto the ends of the same, and none is hid from the heat thereof. The Sun, saith Austin, is a Bridegroom: all the stars with one consent do sing praises unto God, Job 38. 7. This is the sum of the Argument. As for the words, in Dixit Deus is the Decree; then is the return; then the execution; then lastly, the approbation. Of Dixit generally. Quest. Some make this question, Why the lights were not brought forth before the fourth day, the three first days were without Sun? God commandeth the Sun and it riseth not, he closeth up the stars, as under a signet, Job 9 7. Resp. The question is thus answered. First he brings forth the things themselves, than the ordinary means; the Plant is first, than the seed, the means of the Plant; the Earth is first, then is it furnished with herbs; the Heavens must be before the Stars; there was light the first day, but the Sun was not before the fourth day. The Heathen saith, that Sol est cor mundi; and the Physicians say, the heart is not first framed in the body, but the liver, and after the heart. God, without any means, brought forth the second cause, and by his power he brought forth the effects of the second cause. Ambrose saith, Sol est mater, non author lucis. The Heathen saith, that deus est Plantarum, the Sun is the god of Plants, but Rubus est senior Sole, the Sun is not the god of the silly Bramble. The Persians, seeing nothing more glorious, did worship the visible Sun. The Egyptians under Orus, the Romans under Bacchus, did worship the Sun. The very Jews did erect Temples, and do sacrifice to the Sun and Moon and the whole host of Heaven; neglecting the service and worship due to God, who is the cause of the Sun and of the light. They be not only his everlasting lamps; but, even as the Heathen say, they are his hammers to rarify the Heavens: their influence is for the generation of Plants and Mankind, they join Homo & Sol, Sol & Planta: The Sun concurreth to generation, this Philosophy teacheth and Divinity confesseth. Before God said, Let there be, and Let there appear to be: He causeth being; He causeth the morning to keep his place, Job 38. 13. The Sun makes not only things to appear, but even, as it were, to be. Spiritus incubans, the spirit hatched the waters; and dixit Deus, the word of God, brings forth the light: The Sun of righteousness doth arise, and health shall be under his wings, Malachi 4. 2. He causeth the visible Sun to shine upon the earth: Christ is the spiritual light, whereby the Heavens and all therein have their light. Christ is the Bridegroom in his marriage chamber, Matth. 9 15. by whose permission the Sun cometh forth as a Bridegroom also out of his chamber, Psal. 19 4. These lights; though they have no tongue to speak unto us, yet by their beauty they point to our eyes, by their light they sing the glory and praise of God in our ears. Now of the tenor: Wherein we will consider three points, First, the things themselves: Secondly, the place: Thirdly, the uses of them. 1. The Lights. For the first. There was light before; these are not lumina, but luminaria, they are not lights but lightners. Basil, upon the 1 Ezech. 4. saith, That the fire which was wrapped in the cloud, and the brightness that was about it, was the light of the Sun: And Miscen, upon the 14. Exodus 20. That the pillar of the cloud, which gave light by night, was as the Moon. Light distinguished from Sun and Moon. I wish, as chrysostom, that you would rather use things manifest, than to be curious in things secret; although the schoolmen do say, that the generation of these Creatures is a corruption of the former Creation, which cannot be; for corruption is a defect; and this is no corruption, but rather a perfection of the former Creation; and these latter lights are derived from the former. Light and day is not all one thing, and the Sun is distinct from them both, the difference of them all Paul showeth in one verse, At midday he saw a light, passing the brightness of the Sun, shining round about him, Acts 26. 13. This light was lux vitae, there is lux diei, & splendour solis. The day and the Sun are not one, so saith Christ, the day is the durance of the light: luminare a lumine is there distinguished, for the Sun is but the carriage of the light. the light and the Moon are distinct: the Moon every month leaveth her old light, and putteth on a new, after the conjunction. Neither the Sun nor the Moon are light of themselves, but the Sun is the Chariot of light: Paul, in the 2. Philippians 15. wisheth them to be pure and blameless, that among the wicked Nation they would shine as lights of the World. John saith, He was not that light, but he came to bear witness of the light, John 1. 8. It behoveth that in them which witness this light, there should be light, though they are not the light itself; for otherwise they be the blind leaders of the blind, Matth. 15. 14. The Fathers do call the Apostles Apostoli lucis. Or is one thing in Hebrew, Maor is another; lumen one thing, and luminare is another; light is one thing, and that which giveth light is another. Things not durable shall be corrupt, and shall be brought forth: But when he purposeth a father matter, and a continuance as long as the world shall continue; as when he made the Heaven and the Earth, the Sun and Stars, God saith sit, let therebe: he saith in the singular sit, luminaria in the plural, let there be lights. The Moon and the Stars are but as glasses, having no light in themselves, but borrowing it from the Sun. 2 The placing of the Sun and the Stars. The second point of consideration, is the place which is most convenient, in three regards, The first is in regard of God and his Wisdom, who is the cause of them, and is above: Where is the way wherein light dwelleth? Job 38. 19 It is sursum, it is above. 2. Secondly, Their place is most convenient, in regard of their ministering of light to so large and spacious an house, as to the whole world: they do hang in the Heavens as on a beam. 3. Thirdly, By this means they are in safety, from the tyranny and malice of man, for if they were in men's reach, they would pull the stars from their place, and God from his throne. Adam did eato the fruit, though he were forbidden: Gilead is a City of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood: Priests are murderers in the highway by consent: there is villainy in the house of Israel: there is whoredom of Ephraim, Osee 6. 8. But man cannot practise any of his envy against the stars which are placed on high in the Heavens. So that the placing of them above in the Heavens, doth signify unto us, that the cause of them is above the Heavens, and the effect of their ministrating, and the providence God had of their safety. 3 Their use. The third point to be considered is their use, which is manifold: The first is to separate the day and the night, which is orderly to divide the course of time; for there is no beauty without order. The day and the night were before divided, what needeth God now to make a second division here? You must understand that there are two dividings, the one is a division in duo, into day and night; the other is inter duo; the day is assigned to the Sun, the night to the Moon: When the whole is parted, it is divided. The man in the 12. Luke 13. said to Christ, Bid my brother divide the inheritance with me: So that a thing is divided, tum separatur, & cum separatum diversis assignatur. The Sun is, as it were, the surveyor of men's work, the Moon and Stars are our watchmen when we do take our rest. The Lord giveth the Sun for a light for the day, and the courses of the Moon and Stars for a light to the night, Jer. 31. 35. By the ascending and descending of the Sun, we have our hours, our days, our seasons: hereby we have days shorter and longer: and for that the Sun had so many good qualities, and was so worthy a Creature, men of other Nations, and in times past, gave glory and worship to the Sun, to it they did erect Altars, build Temples, and offered sacrifice. But non dominium sed ministerium dedit Deus Soli. The second use is for signs: Homer did say so much, that they were as signs to admonish us: It is good for Stargazers, and out of this place they do gather, that by the Stars they may foretell things to come. Ambrose imputeth no fatal destiny, that cannot be shunned, to these signs, but rather that they are signs for direction. The Chaldees and the Persians, did foretell by the conjunction of Stars, that there should be inundations, and that such things are inevitable; but for the most part, even then when they said should be wet there was the greatest drought: Hereby they cast figures, and show men's Nativities; but the Lord saith, Jeremy 10. 2. Learn not the way of the Heathen, be not afraid for the signs of Heaven, though the Heathen be afraid of such. Most excellently saith the Lord, in the 44. Esay 25. I destroy the tokens of the Soothsayers, and make them, that conjecture, fools, and I make their knowledge foolishness: Their knowledge is foolish vanity, it is inutiles querenti, and impossibilis profitenti. No inevitable destiny is to be ascribed to the Stars; for all that is, is in the hands of God. They are signs to the Husbandman, by them God giveth him discretion to sow and to reap in season, Esay 28. 26. They are signs to the Mariners, to them which sailed with Paul toward Rome, nor Sun nor Moon appeared for many days, Acts 27. 20. They are signs to the Physician for his criticali days: The Sun is a sign and as trumpet to the Beasts, which when it riseth, they do retire to their dens; and then goeth man forth unto his work, Psal. 104. 22. They are also spiritual signs and holy signs; they that dwell in the uttermost parts of the Earth shall be afraid of thy signs, Psal. 65. 8. The Son of man at the latter day shall be as the light of the Heaven, Luke 17. 24. God will then show wonders in Heaven, and tokens in the Earth, blood and fire and vapours of smoke, Acts 2. 19 So that these lumina, when we behold them, and think of the later day, are signa poenitentiae, they are buccina poenitentiae; from whence are certain influences, the Moon to the waters, the Sun to the Earth. If God be pleased, sweet is the increase of the Sun, and sweet is the increase of the Moon, Deuteronomy 33. 14. But if God be angry, then is it otherwise. And they are for seasons, they are signs for place, Deut. 4. 47. Moses bids the Israelites to remember the signs and Acts that God did in Egypt, Deut. 11. 3. They are for times, to every purpose there is a time, Preach. 8. 6. for opportunity is the very bud of time: They were for seasons inrebus sacris, in God's feasts and holy-days: God hath appointed the Moon for certain seasons, the Sun knoweth his going down, Psal. 104. 19 By the Sun the days are hotter and colder: The Moon is made to appear according to her season, the feasts are appointed by the Moon, the month is called after the name thereof, Ecclesiasticus 43. The Moon is a direction of the Passover, every seventh day is the Sabbath, state tempora sunt a Sole in things civil: Fairs, meeting and ordaining Magistrates is by ordinata tempora. The Moon hath a short motion: the Sun hath a great wheel for his whole course in a year, for his compass by days: There is the morning Star shining from the end of the night to the beginning of the day; the evening star, the end of the day to the beginning of the night: The Sun in the day, the Moon in the night, are for their seasons: the revolution of the Sun is in a year, of the Moon in a month. The Sun did rise to Jacob, after he had wrestled with the Angel, chap. 32. 31. The Passover was to be offered at Even, at the going down of the Sun in the months of Abib, Deut. 16. begin. So that the Sun and the Moon are for seasons, as it is in the 104. Psal. God, saith Job in his 26. chapter 13. Hath furnished the Heavens and framed the crooked serpent, which is taken for the Zodiac. God saith to Job, Canst thou bring forth Mazaroth in their time, Canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons? Job. 38. 32. The Sun runneth about in a day; and in a year it goeth to each Tropic: In accessu gins the Spring; in decessu the Winter. For themselves They are for illumination, to be a light, that is to give light; to be a light even at midnight. The Sun is a light perpetually: when it is absent from us, it giveth light elsewhere; to us it giveth light while we do need it: It is for us, so that we may say to the lights sit vos non vobis, they are for the Earth and for the Heavens: they are for lights in the Firmament, and to give light upon the Earth. Sol est propter terram, this is an honour to us, and humility in them. The Sun cometh forth as a Bridegroom out of his chamber, and rejoiceth like almighty man to run his race, Psal. 19 5. So that it is for the Earth; it was made to serve and lighten the earth: take thou therefore heed, lest thou lift up thy eyes unto Heaven, and when thou seest the Sun and the Moon, and the Stars, with all the host of Heaven, thou shouldst be driven to worship and to serve them, Deut. 4. 19 It cutteth off their adoration; for creavit eos in ministerium cunctis Gentibus. Sol o Deus est famulus. Luna est ancilla tua, ambo sunt in ministerium homini: Non sunt conservi, sed servi hominum: Non sunt cum terra, sed propter terram. Great then is their humility to us, which are subject to corruption, whose brothers and sisters are the very worms. So that the Sun, in his very name in Hebrew, doth import that it is not Deus, but servus hominum: At Joshua's commandment the Sun stayed in Gibeon, and the Moon in the valley of Aielon, Joshua 10. 12. Isaiah showed this sign that Hezechiah should restore his health, he brought the Sun back again ten degrees; God then showeth great favour unto man, that can make the Sun to stand still and retire back again, 2 Kings 20. 9 These Lights than were assigned to divide the day from the night; their Function is for the inferior Earth, and the superior Heaven: they were ordained for the decking of the Celestial part, and for the use of man, and lastly, for the glory of God. They do serve for the Earth, and they do show forth God's praise, yea, the stars of the morning praise God together, Job. 38. 7. The Sun, and the Moon, and all the bright Stars shall praise him, Psal. 148. 3. Et fuit ita. Fecit enim Deus duo illa luminaria magna: luminare majus ad praefecturam diei, & luminare minus ad praefecturam noctis, atque stellas, Et collocavit ea Deus in expanso coeli, ad afferendum lucem super terram, Et ad praesidendum diei ac nocti, & ad distinctionem faciendum, & inter lucem hanc tenebras: viditque Deus id esse bonum. Sic fuit vespera, & fuit mane diei quarti. Gen. 1. 15,16,17,18,19, BEFORE we have spoken of the Decree; now of the execution and of the return; of the censure or approbation, and so we will end the fourth day. Of them in order, and it was so; some say fecit, others posuit; all the six day's work stand upon these three joints, creavit, fecit, and sint. It was so. It was so: This is the return and execution of God's Decree; it is the usual echo of God's word, it is the Amen of that which proceedeth from his mouth: herein is the verifying of his edict, the power of his word, and the expedition of that he commandeth: Herein is the conformity of the return, and the commandment, and the continnance of that is commanded. Let this suffice for and it was so. For the continuance, God promiseth to David, I will establish thy seed for ever, and thy throne from generation to generation, Psal. 89. 4. These lights are placed in the Heavens where is no error, by his power they were made, he bringeth forth the innumerable host of stars by his word, the Lord biddeth Abraham to look up unto Heaven, he biddeth him tell the stars if he be able to number them, and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be, chap. 15. 5. For the expedition, The Sun rejoiceth like a mighty man to run his race, Psal. 19 5. He runneth a long race in a short space: For the conformity in the Heavens, we do daily pray sicut in Coelo, in Terra, that Gods will may be done in Earth as it is in Heaven. As for the constancy of the Heavens, it is circular, regular, and certain. God did swear by his holiness, that he would not fail David, saying, His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne shall be as the Sun before me, Psal. 89. 36. Thus saith the Lord Jer. 33. 20. If you can break my covenant of the day and of the night, that there should not be day nor night in their seasons, then may my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to sit upon his throne: But as the army of Heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the Sea be measured, so will I multiply the seed of David. And it was so. Eclipses and Conjunctions are by their certainty: oh wonderful is their immutability in their continual mutability: by them is the differences of all times, of all seasons. It was so even by the hand of God, by his hand they were made, they were placed. Every good and perfect gift is from above, and cometh from the father of lights, with whom is no variableness, James 1. 17. The Earth is immovable, yet subject to alteration: the Stars are in their motion immutable: they were made to lighten the Earth, to rule the day and the night; they were not made to be adored. Austin maketh this dialogue between these lights and man, Creator est supra me & te, qui fecit me & te, me prote, & te pro se: this is spoken by the Sun: God made these lights for man, he made man for himself: David, in the 8. Psalm 3. saith, When I behold thine Heavens and the works of thy fingers, the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained; What is man, say I then, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou regardest him? Thou hast made him little lower than God, and hast crowned him with glory and worship: thou hast given him dominion over the works of thine hands: yet is he, by Abraham's confession, but dust; The worms are his kinsfolk, saith Job; The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit, saith David, Psal. 36. 3. Creata sunt omnia per Deum Patrem, ordinata sunt per Verbum, ornata per Spiritum. His spirit hath garnished the Heavens, Job 26. 13. Let all the Kings of the Earth sing the praises due unto the Lord, Psal. 138. 5. Austin saith well, What greater obedience can there be, dixit, and facta sunt? What greater love can there be then quod pro nobis facta sunt: Oh therefore let all the Nations of the Earth be thankful to the Lord, who hath made us and them, and them for us. Of what are they made? surely of something: sit lux, that was of nothing; fecit stellas, that was of something: He created the form and form the matter; fecit and fuit is not all one: the matter is the light, the Heavens is the form: God hath stretched out the Heavens, which are strong, as a molten glass, Job 37. 18. They are made, by the best opinion, of water and light. The Sun and the Moon. Now what is made. Two great lights the Sun and the Moon, which are as a great fire, and the Stars are as little sparkles: as two great torches, and as many little wax candles: The Moon is lesser than many stars, according to Astrology, which Moses doth not impugn: though it be a lesser body, yet is a greater light in respect of the stars, and a lesser in regard of the Sun, and so saith Moses. Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, not great of personage, but great in favour, Exod. 11. 3. The greatest Apostle is not taken in the quantity, but in the quality: the great men, are said men of dignity, of account, that are in much favour. Paul counteth himself the least of the Apostles, not as one of lowest stature, but of least desert: David was great with God, not in that he had a large and spacious body, but for that God did love and favour him. So there is alia gloria Solis, alia Lunae, alia Stellarum; for one star differeth from another in glory, 1 Cor. 15. 41. Here he speaketh of the lights, not of the celestial bodies, wherein he showeth himself skilful in the Mathematics: He was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, Acts 7. 22. so that he could have discoursed among the Astrologers of the quantities of the celestial bodies, but here by naming the greater and lesser light, he doth instruct the very simple. The light must be great, for the house wherein it must hang, is the whole world. There must be two, because they must serve for two seasions: they are lumine impares, because they are usu impares: There is luminare majus and luminare minus: The Sun. The greater is the Sun, which is the Precedent of the day: the Persians say that it is the lightner of all other lights, luminare omnium luminum, and that it is the Prince and Governor of light. The stars do get up to the top of the Epicycle, in his absence they do mourn, and meet him again with joy in their Epicycle, for they do owe allegiance to the Sun. It hath two qualities, light to direct, and heat to cherish. He is like a Bridegroom and like a Giant, saith David: Pulchritudinem sponsi videmus per lucem, vim gigantis per calorem, saith Austin upon the 19 Psalm 5. The Moon. The lesser is to rule the night, At the rule of the Moon the Sun doth not murmur, but it doth give place unto the Moon, being inferior. Here is greater obedience and humili y used then men do use in this age; there is no obedience in the inferior to the superior, but murmuring and desire of equality: The Sun hath the rule of the day, the Moon the dominion of the night, both are content: In Lordship there is no fellowship: The three first nights without light. Before this fourth night the three nights had no light, but were merely dark: The Moon now shineth in the night, it is the Sun's deputy; In the night it is comfortable in the Sea by navigation, on the land by journey. The Moon by some is called nocturnus Sol; It is cold and moist, My head, O my sister, is full of dew, and my locks with the drops of the night, Cant. 5. 12. In the time of her rule is the time of ease and of silence. She hath a mild light; she shineth lumine repercusso, with a borrowed light. The day by the Sun is hot, the night by the Moon is moist. The Sun is in the world as the heart in the body, and the Moon as the liver: The Sun draweth up, and the Moon dissolves. The Stars. Now of the Stars which God made. He maketh the Pleides and Orion, Amos 5. 8. they are the attendants of the Moon. Praise ye, saith David, the Lord which made great lights, as the Sun to rule the day, the Moon and the Stars to govern the night, Psal. 336. In the Heavens hath he put a Tabernacle for the Sun, Psal. 19 4. The stars fixed have their tabernacles: God that made the world, and all things that therein is; He is the Lord of Heaven and of Earth, he dwelleth not in Temples made with hands Acts 17. 24. The Israelites took up the Tabernacle of Moloch and the Star of their God Remphan, figures which they made to worship, Acts 7. 43. There are stellae erraticae, the Planets, and stellae fixae, the other six Planets have their light from the Sun: Six branches came out of the golden candlestick in the temple, Exod. 25. 32. They had not only many Idols, but they had stars of their Gods, Amos 5. 26. Siccuth and Chiun, their images in that chapter and 26. verse, are Mars and Saturn. They called Barnabas Jupiter and Paul Mercury Acts 14. 12. They have forsaken the Lord, and forgotten his holy mountain, Esay 65. 11. Yea Lucifer hath said in his heart, I will ascend into Heaven: Oh Lucifer how art thou fallen, which art the Sun of the morning? Esay 14. 12. Venus is the morning Star; the evening star is the Mace-bearer to the Moon, and the morning star to the Sun. As touching the fixed stars, God saith to Job in his 38. chapter 32. Canst thou bring forth Mazaroth in their time? This Mazaroth is taken for the Zodiac: Canst thou guide Arcturus with his Sons? The star Arcturus is the Northern Pole, in the tail of Ursamajor; in the Zodiac are the twelve signs, whereof one containeth many stars: from thence there is a correspondency in Aaron's garment and in the Temple. It is the hand of God that hath framed serpentem incurvum, the crooked Zodiac; Job 26. 13. Galaxia or Via lactea, is held by some to be the passage of the Sun; by others, the meeting of the radiations of many stars, from thence is moisture. There is mention of Orion and the Pleyades, Job 38 31. Orion, when it appeareth, bringeth in Winter: sweet are the influence of the Pleyades, delitiae sunt Pleiadum: When those seven stars appear, the same being in Taurus, they bring in the spring and pleasant flowers. It is even God, saith Job the 9 chap. 11. verse, that maketh the stars, Arcturus, Orion, and Pleyades: And Amos 5 8. In the dog days the stars of the nature of a dog, do rule. Arcturus, as I said before, is the Northern Pole, this star especially hath a principal use for direction to Mariners where ever they go; for Arcturus and his sons is their chief mark, the load stone will ever look toward that. They have an use in their influence, which is especially in the night. By God's mercy the Mariner, by means of the loadstone, shall know which way to sail, which star Arcturus, with his sons, the Lord doth guide, Job 38. 32. As for the influence, Sweet is the increase of the Sun, and of the Moon, Deut. 33. 14. Regard ye me not because I am black, the Sun hath looked upon me, Cant. 1. 5. Solardet, The Sun burned up Jonahs' gourd, Ionas 4. 8. So the Sun is for God's justice as well as for his mercy; there is a pleasant dew, and a mildewalso. Be thou faithful, then shall not the Sun smite thee by day, nor the Moon by night, the Lord shall preservethee from all evil, Psal. 121. 6. And as the influences of the stars are sweet in his mercy, so they are also the ministers of his Justice: The stars in their courses did fight against Sisera, Judges 5. 20. 17 Vers. posuit stellas. Now of the posuit stellas, and as some say dedit stellas. God, say some, did give the stars in way of dowry or a jointure: But the better sort doc say posuit stellas, that is, he set them in order. He hath nor set them tanquam in centro, but tanquam in circulo, in excellent order. The Astronomers do say, that the standing of the Sun and the course of all the stars is in uneffable wisdom: The Sun riseth and goeth down and draweth to his place where it riseth; the wind goeth towards the South, and compasseth towards the North; the wind goeth round about, Preach. 1. 5, 6. The Stars nor Planets could not be placed neither higher nor lower. By the removing of the Sun the corn, when it is sowed, receiveth moisture; at the spring it maketh the Corn to appear; it, by its heat, ripeneth the same. God, by making them, set them in order; he made them after the Heavens: He made the Earth first, Herbs after; and the Sea before the Fishes; the leaves are after the Tree: All the Host of Heaven, saith the Lord, shall fall, as the leaf falleth from the Vine, Esay 34. 4. They lighten the Earth, they are called oculi mundi: we do see good and evil, and yet we do doubt, but the light giveth discretion to discern; but the light of mine eyes is not mine own, Psal. 38. 10. By their light we number, we measure, and order the Earth: It receiveth no light by man's industry: this light is lucerna pedibus, by them God doth impregnate, and extracteth the fruits: they rule the day and the night, and they serve for the use of man. Abimelech lay in ambush in the dark night, but he risen as soon as the Sun was up, to fight with Gaal, Judge 9 33. So they have imperium & ministerium, the evening and morning is ruled by the Stars, the night by the Moon, and the day by the Sun, yet they do serve the use of man: by the devotion of the Sun the days are longer and shorter; by them the light is separated from the darkness; by the course of Heaven we have hot and cold days; the year, the month, the day, are reckoned and distinguished by the Host of Heaven, Ezechiel 31. 1. The Moon in the full is the Summer of the Month, the conjunction is, as it were, the Winter. They are to divide light and darkness; this is for man's sake in respect of the Creatures: The Sun is the protector of man; and when he ruleth, it is the time of labour: but when the Moon ruleth, the night cometh and restoreth strength: Who may abide the coming of the day of the Lord? Malach. 3. 2. darkness is, as it were, the dross of light, the purest metals have their dross. Now of the Approbation, and God saw that it was good. No evil is to be ascribed to the constellation of any star; for all the stars that God made are good: The good of the light is visible, there is in it a moral goodness; for malus odit lucem, & quaerit tenebras: The Adulterer, the Thief, the Murderer, are the Children of darkness; so that in light there is a moral goodness. Therein also there is a pleasant good, The light is a pleasant thing, it is a good thing to the eyes to see the Sun, Preach. 11. 7. Herein bonum and jucundum do meet together. Falshood and wickedness dwelleth in dark places, but veritas non quaerit angulos. Fear was upon the Mariners when neither Sun nor Stars in many days appeared, Acts 27 20. But Sol and solace dwell together: they have bonum utile. Their use and profit is to light; the Sun is clavus vitae, by them we have direction to judge and discern. Hereby is the managing of days and of nights, alternatio temporum, & vicissitudo rerum: Hereby is a time to sow and a time to reap; Hereby is confusion of times avoided. So God saw it was good in all goodness. God maketh his Sun to arise upon the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust, Math. 5. 45. So that the light is an argument of God's goodness. The spiritual use: For Admonition. Now we will give you some small spiritual use. Out of them we may learn admonition of our end by their end; for the Heavens shall be dissolved, and folden like a book, all their hosts shall fall as the leaf falleth from the Vine, Esay 34. 4. so that out of the book of the Heavens we may learn admonition, Admonition. Let us not be a disobedient and gainsaying people, Rom. 10. 21. but let us do good under the Sun sub bono simus boni. For the proceeding, The course of the Sun and the Moon is good, and still in motion; Let not us then be idle, non vivamus ignavos annos & vanos dies, lest that come on us which came upon the Egyptians, Psal. 78. from Heaven God reigned down Heavenly Manna, the wheat of Heaven, the bread of Angels, as it is in the same Plalme: wherefore cast off lying, and speak every man truth unto his neighbour, Ephes. 4. 25. Austin saith well, Cum occidit visibilis Sol, occidat iracundia tua, ne occidat tibi Christus Sol invisibilis. The Sun and Stars are wonderful works of God. Ambrose saith, Sapientes admirantur magna, stulti admirantur nova, ut cometas: the Stars, the Sun and Moon, are the vessels of his goodness. David saith, When I behold the Heavens, the works of God's fingers, the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained, What is man said I, that thou shouldest remember him? or the son of man that thou shouldest regard him? Psal. 8. 3. And as the visible Sun doth daily arise, so saith Malachi, Unto them that fear God's name shall the Sun of righteousness arise, Malach. 4. 2. Christ is this Sun of righteousness: And the Church is fair as the Moon, pure as the Sun, Cant. 6. 9 The Church is full of spots, but cleared by the Sun of righteousness; the Church waxeth and waineth, and still is renewed as the Moon: the words of the Prophet is as a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the daystar arise in your hearts, 2 Pet. 1. 19 In the time of the Prophets was darkness, but at Christ's coming there was a perfect light: The knowledge of faith is as the morning light, which groweth lighter; the knowledge of reason is as the evening which groweth darker and darker. Imitation. Out of the Heavens we have an use for imitation. The Sun riseth visibly and continueth his course: We must continue in the good we have begun, we must learn courage of the Sun, which rejoiceth like a mighty man to run his race, that we may shine among the crooked Nations as lights in the World, Philip. 2. 15. that we should not only have light in ourselves, but learn by the Moon, the Sun, and Stars, to give also light unto others. Men light not a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick to lighten those in the house: Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in Heaven, Matth. 5. 16. Let the streams of our light secure the poor; be you liberal lights to the glory and praise of God's name: so shall we come from the light of the Sun to continue in the everlasting light of righteousness; Then shall the light of the Moon be as the light of the Sun, and the light of the Sun shall be seven fold, Esay 30. 26. This place hath no need of the Sun nor the Moon to shine in it, for the glory of God doth light it, and the Lamb is the light of it; the people which are saved shall walk in the light of it; there shall be no night at all, Rev. 21. 23. Then shall the just men shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father, Matth. 13. 43. & sic finiamus de luce, of the light, which light God of his mercy grant us all. Amen. Et creavit Deus Coetos maximos: & animantia omnia repentia, quae abundè progenuerunt aquae in species ipsorum, omnesque volucres alatas in species suas: viditque Deus id esse bonum. Gen. 1. 21. Preached January 16. 1590. HEREIN is the second part of the work of the fifth day; Here is the return of the Precept. Creation of Fishes. This is God's waterwork, first the creating of the great Whale, then of the shoal of small fishes: It is said creavit, and not fecit: you shall find this word creavit in three several verses only, of this chapter, in the first, in this, and in the 27. verse. Creavit. Creavit is applied in the first to being; in this verse to living; in the 27. verse to understanding. In the holy tongue aget, in the first verse, is to be; Cara is to have life; and Sagar, in the 27. is to have understanding: So that creavit goeth by degrees, from being to living, from living to understanding, which is the perfection of creation; the first of the Heavens, lacking sense; the other of Fishes and Fowls, having life; the other of Man, having understanding. Barha, in Hebrew, in the first verse, is not only creare ex nihilo aliquid, but ex nihilo magnum quod est miraculum. The Masterpiece. Artificers among their works have one especial, which they call their Masterpiece: God in his creation hath in the Heaven one especial Masterpiece, namely, the shining Sun, having his being from the Creator; he hath in the Water the great Whale, who hath life from above; He hath in the Earth Man his Masterpiece, who from God hath his understanding. Whales. These Whales are the great monsters of the Sea: In creating them, saith Ambrose, Creavit vastitates & stupores: even at the sight of him shall one perish, Job 40. 28. the Tunny is a great fish, the Whale is a great tyrant, The great Leviathan God hath made even to play in the Sea, Psal. 104. 26. He hath made him, saith a Father, to be vectem maris, a bar of the Sea, so great is a Whale: Satan the tyrant of the world, is compared to Leviathan the tyrant in the Sea, Esay 27. 1. AEqualia habent montibus corpora, saith Ambrose. The nature of the Sea is to be abyssus, these great Whales are immensae moles in hoc abysso: though he be huge, yet the Sea is deep; though he be strong, yet the Sea keepeth him in ward: Job, in his 7. chap. and 12. verse. Am I a Sea or a Whale fish, that thou keepest me in ward: the greatness and strength of a Whale is declared in the 40. of Job, the 20. verse, to the 41. chapter: He cannot be drawn with an hook; neither can his jaws be pierced with an Angle: thou canst not fill a basket with his skin, nor the fish-panner with his head: And in the 4. chapter God saith None is so fierce that dares stir him up: In the fourth verse of that chapter it is said, A double bridle cannot hold him: Who shall open the doors of his face; his teeth are fearful round about: In the 6. verse, The Majesty of his scales is like the strong shields: In the 9 verse, His sneezings make the light to shine; and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning: out of his mouth go lamps and sparks of fire. In the 11. Smoak commethout of his nostrils, as out of a boiling pot; in his neck remaineth strength. In the 15. verse, His heart is strong as a stone, and hard as the nether millstone. In the 18. He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood; When the Sword doth touch him he will not rise up: He laugheth at the shaking of the spear; the Archer cannot make him fly: the stones of the sling he accounteth as stubble. In the 22. verse, He maketh the depth to boil like a pot, and maketh the Sea like a pot of 〈◊〉: when he foameth the depth seemeth to have an whore and white head: He is made without fear; he is a king over all the children of pride. This Leviathan is left here by Job for an Epilogue of God's great works: He, like the Serpent in the 12. of the Revelation the 15. casteth out of his mouth waters as a flood. This his greatness is an especial and infallible example of God's strength, who created him and his hugeness. Creation of all other Fishes. Furthermore he created all living and moving things in the Waters in great abundance. The small fishes are not the superfluity of nature saith Ambrose: He shown as much power in creating the small fishes as the great Whales, totidem syllabae ad creandum pisciculos, ut ad creandum coetoes: nec labour at Deus in maximis, nec fastidit in minimis: both are miraculous; there are miracula magna & parva, & sape parva sunt magnis majora, saith Austin: There is as much admiration in the small shrimp as in the great Leviathan. Living Souls Every soul is the matter of this creation, but not the body: At the resurrection he will do a strange miracle, but this is a greater, for plus est ut educat Deus animam viventem, quam ut reducat Deus animam viventem: this is the miracle in this creation, that God gave sense, life, moving to the fishes: Soul. The soul is distinct from the body; there is a soul and flesh, Esay 10. 18. the soul is distinct from life: My soul is cut off though I live, Job 10. 1. the soul is distinguished from the breath, Genesis 8. Moving of Fishes. Further, every thing moving, that moved of itself: not one way, as heavy things do downward, and light things upward: not by any circular motion as do the Heavens: but that moved all ways, every way; and that moved as the shell fishes do by expansion. The moving in this place signifieth a gliding, applied to fishes in waters, and worms on the Earth: there are other motions, as the flying of birds, the pacing foot by foot of beasts, and of men. The sense of fishes is dull, yet their motion is perfect and swift. If they had sense only to feel their hurts, and not motion to avoid the same, God might have seemed cruel: It followeth, Which the waters brought forth in abundance. Which the waters brought forth in abundance. Whole shoals of fishes do appear by their motion, at the times of the year, upon the coasts; the spawns are infinite: the singleness of one word hath made such infinite numbers of fishes, that their names may make a Dictionary, and yet shall we not know all their names. When Jacob blessed Joseph and his two sons, he prayed that they might grow, as fish, into a multitude in the the midst of the Earth, Genesis 48. 16. In their kinds. It is to be wished that it were remembered, that Solomon did show his wisdom in speaking of trees, of beasts, of fowls, and of fishes, 1 King 4. 33. Divers kinds of Fishes. there is diversity of kinds of fishes in Deut. 14. 9 there are clean and unclean, the fishes that had fins and scales they might, but fishes without fins and scales they might not eat: There are fishes of the Sea and of the Rivers, Levit. 11. 10. There are shel-fishes, and fishes covered with a skin, as a Lampree. God made no such great fowls in the ail, as is the Whale, a fish, in the Sea, lest we should be in danger, and they fall upon our heads; Flying Birds. and therefore even to the birds God gave wings, according to their kind: flying is the perfection of the birds motion, the wings are the Instruments. Volucres are the birds flying with feathered wings; and insecta having wings, not any feathers, as the Bee and the Bat: There are wild fowl and tame fowl, land fowl and water fowl. Divers kinds of Birds. They do differ in the talon and in the beak, having crooked beaks and sharp talents, being sharp sighted, seeing their prey afar off; some water fowl having feet broad like an oar, and others talents sharp like a needle; some living in the water by the fishes, others living in the air, having fishes for their meat, so living in the air and by the water As Heaven and the Air are joined, the Comers in the one like the Stars of the other: Lakes are in the Land, and the Land in the Sea: Birds that fly in the Air and feed in the Sea. So in divers respects there are divers kinds, both of fowls and of fishes. The Approbation. Now of the approbation, that God saw it was good. God's eyes were not dim, for he said they were good, who knew they were good; There is, as we have told you often heretofore, triplex bonum in God, there is bonum utile: God hath said these things are good, take then heed to the word of the Lord, Jer. 2. 31. In God is also bonum jucundum: whereupon David in the 34. Psal. 8. saith, Taste you and see how gracious the Lord is: And in the 16. Psal. 11. In his presence is the fullness of joy, and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore. In him there is also bonum honestum, for Mercy and Justice are throughout the Scriptures ascribed unto him. The goodness of Fishes. This goodness may be ascribed to the Sea in regard of itself, for Navigation; or in regard of the fishes: Bonum utile. When Moses blessed the Tribe of Zabulon, he said, they should suck the abundance of the Sea, and of the treasures hid in the sands, Deut. 33. 19 the people remembered the fish which they did eat in Egypt, Numb. 11. 5. When the people lusted for flesh, being six hundred thousand footmen, Moses asked whether all the sheep and beefs should be slain? Or whether all the fish of the Sea should be gathered together? the 22. verse of the said chapter. Christ, for the most part fed upon fish, unless it were at the Passover. Fish is good for all Nations, but especially for Islanders, who by nature should be Icthyophagi, for flesh came, and was transported unto Islands. Among the calamities denounced upon Egypt one was this, That the Fishers should mourn, and all they that cast Angleinte the River should lament, and that all they that spread their nets upon the waters shall be weakened, Esay 19 8. So that fish is good in regard of profit for meat; and the bones and oil of those which serve not for meat, are for other purposes very profitable. Further, by fishing and using themselves to storms, men are enabled to do service for their Country. When Jacob blessed his son Zebulon, Cen. 49. 13. he faith, Zebulon shall dwell by the Sea side, he shall be an haven for ships. They used fishing, and by abiding the storms on the Sea they got this profit, to be able men: so that the people of Zebulon did jeopard their lives 〈◊〉 the death in the field against Sisera, when Reuben did abide among the sheepfolds, Gilead stayed beyond Jordan, Dan remained in ships, and Aship sat on the Sea bank and stayed in his decayed 〈◊〉, Judges 5. 18. Zebulon is a tribe of account as well as Benjamin, Judah, and Neptali, Psal. 68 27. Bonum jucundum. Next for bonum jucundum, in them there is a pleasant good: Fishing is delightful to most that use it; and the taste of many fishes is most pleasant: the basest fish, a shell fish, called Purpura, giveth our purples, the most sumptuous and pleasant colour, that which adorneth Princes doth come from a fish: whereupon it is said, aquarum est quod in regibus adoratur. Margaretae, the precious pearls that beautify Prince's robes come from the Sea. So they are pleasant for meat to the mouth, and for colour to the eye. Bonum honestum. In them also there is bonum honestum: They are for examples to imitate: they are symbola viltutum ut insitensur, & specula 〈◊〉 ut fugiamus. Though they are dumb, yet will they teach us; yea the fishes of the Sea will declare unto us the power of God, Job 12. 8. we learn by them, not to have their dull sense: the greater fishes eate the lesser, God maketh man as the fishes of the Sea, Abacuk 1. 14. this ravening, and still savouring of the salt water must be avoided. We are to follow the fishes in this, that they go in shoals as in an army; they go, as Salemon saith the Grasshoppers go, in bands, Prov. 30. 27. Hereby we do learn unity, which above all things we ought to follow. ☜ The Kingdom of Heaven is like a draw-net cast into the Sea, that gathereth of all kind of things Matth. 13. 27. The world is as the Sea; his word is the net; his Church is the ship; the Apostles are the Fishermen, Matth. 4. 19 Mankind are the fish; the Heaven is the shore; Christ is the Pilor. Cast symbolum Resurrectionis. Lastly, the Whale is symbolum resurrectionis, a resemblance of the Resurrection; for as Ionas was three days and three nights in the whales belly, Ionas 1. 17. So shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the Earth, Matth. 12. 40. Thus far concerning his Mercy, the other part is God's Justice, wherein also they are good: As the Serpents and water Snakes are for rods to punish the wicked: At the sight of the whale we even perish, the end of the 40. chapter of Job. We will conclude then with Ambrose, that 〈…〉, & malorum acerbitas nos trahit ad 〈…〉 Viditque Deus id esse bonum. January 28. 1590. IN the approbation further, The Fowls are good. God saw that the fowls were good. If you consider profit, they are for meat: When the People murmurred for meat, Moses asketh Whether he should kill all the beefs and sheep, or gather together all the fish of the Sea, Numb. 11. 22. He forgot the fowls of the Air but God sent them Quales in such abundance that they were more than two cubits above the Earth, the 31. of that chapter, Bonum utile. They are not only for food in their flesh, but in their eggs also: And as their flesh is for our eating in the day, so is their feathers for our resting in the night. Birds are profitable in war and in peace: In sagittis belli, & in calamis pacis; their feathers are for arrows in time of war for fight, and their quills in peace for writing. Ambrose and Basil say they are profitable in destroying 〈◊〉 and noisome things, as Owls. Insecta, as the flies are 〈◊〉 baits: Cantharideses are good in medicine. Bonum jucundum. Secondly, They are good if you consider pleasure: Correct thy son, saith Solomon, and he will give thee pleasures to thy soul, Prov. 25. 17. There is a pleasure in the taking of them by fowling to the meaner persons; and by hawking to Princes & the better sort. The springing of the Partridge hath been an old pleasure, 1 Samuel 26. 20. There is a pleasure in them to the eye: The wings of the Peacocks are pleasant; so are the wings and feathers of the Ostrich, Job 39 16. There is a pleasure to the ear: the harmony of Instruments is but devised by art; the chirping and singing of birds est natur alis music a mundi: The fowls of Heaven do sing upon the branches, Psal. 104. 12. as do the Nightingale and the Lark, with other birds. The Navy of Tarshish brought among his other wealth unto Solomon, for pleasure, Apes and Peacocks, 1 Kings 10. 22. And when his Navy brought him his gold of Ophir, there came also Popengayes and Parrots, birds only for pleasure, in the same. Bonum honestum. As for honestum bonum, remember the little Bee. In birds we have matter of instruction for manners: Whereby we may learn matter to be avoided, and to follow. There are unclean fowls as well as clean: The unclean are described in the 11. of Leviticus 13. as the Eagle, the Vulture, the Kite, the Hawk, etc. The ravening of these fowls we may learn to avoid. In the little Bee we may learn labour and good order, good government: The Bees have the most ancient Commonwealth, banishing from their Hive the idle Drone; all good policy is also to be gathered from them. Of the Eagle we do learn true nobility, by his soaring and mounting up on high, as Ambrosae saith on the 39 of Job 30. habemus animum sursum sapientem: as by therenewing of the eagle's beak and strength, we learn to renew our ways: look in the 1. of Micah 16. where the Prophet saith, Make thee bald, and shave thee for thy delicate children, enlarge thy baldness as the Eagle: Thence may you gather the pattern of true Nobility; for the natural history doth report, that the Eagle causeth the baldness of his breast, the better to keep warm his young: all the evening, to keep himself the warmer, he getteth some bird, and sleepeth upon it all night; in the morning he doth not prey upon it, but suffereth it to fly away: and because the Eagle will be sure not to meet that bird again, when he seethe which way it flieth, the Eagle taketh some other way. God showeth his providence in the old Testament to the Ravens, in the Gospel to the Sparrows; though the one be ravenous and the other base, two dozen three half pence: See the 147. Psalm 5. much more than will he regard man: Sweet is the song of the Turtle, Cant. 2. 12. We have an example in the Stork for kindness to his Dam. We learn sincerity and innocence from the Dove, Matth. 10. 16. And Solomon compareth, in the 1. Canticles 15. the Churches beauty to the eyes of a Dove. By the returning of the Swallow and Crane in their season, as in the spring, we ought to remember to return from a sinful life: The Stork in the Air knoweth her appointed times: the Turtle, the Crane, and the Swallow observe their coming, Jeremy 8. 7. David, the better to express his mourning and solitariness, in Psal. 102. saith, I am like a Pelican of the wilderness, like an Owl of the Desert, as a sparrow alone upon the house top. In the Phoenix lastly may be resembled the resurrection: Our good is in their good. Fowls also of some sort are good for his Justice, some do foretell calamity, and are the ministers of destruction, Ezcchiel 39 17. When Esay foretold his desolation to the City, It shall be a Court for Ostriches, the shrich-Owle shall rest there, the Owl shall make her nest there, the Vultures also shall be gathered together, Esay 34. 14. God punished the Egyptians with swarms of flies, Exod. 8. 24. And the Canaanites with swarms of Hornets, Deut. 7. 20. By these little things God showeth his power: Then let us confess all riches, honour, and all we have is from God, 1 Chron. 29. 12. Let us therefore meditate continually of all the works of God, with David, and say, Meditabor omnia opera Dei. Et benedixit eis Deus, dicendo: Foetificate, ac augeseite, & implete aquas per maria, & volucres augescunto in terra. Gen. 1. 22. IN this day are two Precepts: the first in the 20. verse is the Institution, and here the second is the propagation. He doth not only command a being, but a continuing. This is a second blessing not of nature, but it is God's blessing simile generare simile: It is God's blessing to open the wombs of some, as it is his curse to close the womb of others. The propagation and conservation of nature. This Act in this verse, is an Act of generation, nay of conservation and preserving: the Fathers say this is a creating of Nature, and the enacting the continuance thereof: this is magna Charta Dei, if I may so term it. The wheel of Generation began this day, which still turneth, and shall till God stay it. By his extraordinary power, of nothing, he created something: By nature, of something, something comes, for ex aliquo aliquid fit, saith natural wisdom. 3 Points. In this verse are three points, First, the Term or Phrase; Secondly, the Tenor; Thirdly, a Proviso. 1. The Phrase. For the first, God blessed. God blessed them. Benedixit hath an affinity with creavit: In the Hebrew Barath is for being, and Barak for blessing: being and engendering, crevit and creavit, have an affinity; Benedixit Deus is as much to say, God gave good words; Dixit fiat, & est factum; bene dixit, & bene est factum: Gods blessings are better than ours. God blesseth and man blesleth: Man's blessing is verbal. Man's blessing is to wish well, as to say, The blessing of the Lord be upon you, or we bless you in the name of the Lord, Psal. 129. 8. Man blesseth God with praises, reverence, and with obedience. Our blessing is but fair words blown out of golden bellows, it is but verbal: God's blessing is real. God blesseth us otherwise, for his blessing is real; for when God blesseth, he leaveth a blessing behind him, Joel 2. 14. destroy not the vine, for a blessing is in it, Esay 65. 8. our blessing is but of windy words. When Christ blesseth, a power went from him, he felt it go from him in Matthews Gospel. David termeth it the dew of his blessing, for that it soaketh to the root, and his curse is like oil. The echo of God's benedixit is benefecit: bene precari & nihil praestare, is man's blessing: bene precari & praestare, is God's blessing. His blessings are infinite; The water droppeth out of his bucket, and his seed shall be in many waters, Numb. 24. 7. God is blessedness itself, Christ is called the Son of the blessed. But among all his blessings here is meant that which is spoken of Gen. 49. 25. namely the blessing of the breasts and of the womb, which is the power of fruitfulness and of fertility. When Isaac blessed Jacob, the smell, saith he, of my son, is as the smell of the field which the Lord hath blessed, Gen. 27. 27. Fertility, God's blessing. fertility is the blessing of God; maledictio Dei, God's curse of the Earth is barrenness, chap. 3. 17. For the sins of the People maledictio depascet terram, the curse shall devour the Earth, Esay 24. 6. The restraint of God's blessing causeth barrenness. The words of God (saying) before caused but effects: Here he ordaineth his Creatures not only his works, but to be causes and fellow workers with him: his blessings of this place are bestowed upon all sorts, God's righteousness is like mighty mountains, Psal. 36. 6. This word Barak is applied to the knee, and signifieth, as it were mother's tenderness to the Babe sitting upon her knee: Rachel saith to Jacob, chap. 30. 3. Go in to her, and she shall bare upon my knees, where barake is used. When the Babes are upon their Mother's knee, they kiss them, they wish well, they cherish them: So doth God setting us on his knee, so that blanda est in Deo matrum affectio. Let then every tongue speak his praises, let every knee bend, when God is named. Saying. Saying: As it is referred unto God, the very beasts do understand God's dialect and obey, The Lord spoke unto the fish, and it cast out Ionas upon the dryland, Jonah 2. 10. God commanded the Ravens to feed Eliah, and they brought him bread and flesh to eat, 1 Kings 17. 4. If the Lord do but hisse, the flies from Egypt, and the Bees from Ashur, though they be dumb, shall come, and shall light in the desolate valleys, Esay 7. 18. 2. The Tenor of the 22. verse. The Tenor is tripartite. Crescite multiplicamini, & replete aquas. Crescite multiplicamini, & replete aquas. Growing is referred to quantity, multiplying to numbers: Nec esse potest luxuries verborum: things grow bigger multiplying by conjunction of male and female, filling the waters: For the place, all waters, the two first are for propagation, and to replanish the whole Sea, the pond of the World, auxesis erat. The Husbandman soweth the seed, but God giveth a body at his pleasure, even to every seed his own body, 1 Cor. 15. 38. Yet at length such is the increase, that the Corn serveth not only their Country, but for Merchandise they carry Wheat for other Countries also, Ezechiel 27. 17. whether thou sleep or wake thy Corn groweth: the growth of living things also is from God; for who by taking care can add one cubite unto his stature? Matth. 6. 27. Learn there how the Lilies grow, incrementum a Deo est. Plants do grow, crescunt viventia: But propagation is appropriate unto viventia, which is a ripeness of generation, and an engendering of the like. He that findeth seed for the sower will minister bread for food, and will multiply your seed, 2 Cor. 9 10. there is for that cause distinction of sexes: God hath given seed to one in his loins ad gignendum, to other a womb ad pariendum. It was God did withhold from Rachel the fruit of the womb, chap. 30. 2. If God be so pleased, there is no strength to bring forth, Esay 37. 3. So it is a blessing to bring forth and to bring up; it is benedictio uberam to make the barren fruitful. Filling the waters is a preservation of things multiplied. Four parts of this Conservation. Edictum est hoc conservationis, it hath four parts. 1. Natural love. First, natural love of the engenderer to the thing engendered. As an Eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her birds, stretcheth out her wings, taketh them and beareth them upon her wings, Deut. 32. 11. yea even the Dragons draw out the breast and give suck to their young, but the Daughters of my People is become cruel like the Ostriches in the wilderness, saith Jeremy, Lament. 4. 3. The Pelican pierceth her own breast to feed her young; it is a great blessing that the young ones shall know their dams, however they be hatched, as the Partridge gathereth the young which she hath not brought fourth, Jer. 17. 11. 2. The natural knowledge of their meat. The second point of their preservation is the natural and ordinary knowledge of their meat; As the Bee flieth to the flower, the land fowl to the seed, the water fowl to the root; the Crab watcheth the Oysters gaping, he knoweth pabulum & latibulum, thev know their place, the Sparrow findeth her an house, and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young, Psal. 84. 2. and therefore they make their nest hard without and soft within, The Dove maketh her nest in rocks to be in safety, Jer. 48. 24. 3 Knowledge of their enemies. The third part of preservation is, that they know their enemies: the Dove feareth the Kite, not the Swan; the Partridge the Hawk, not the Goose; and the fishes fly the Pike. The Bee hath knowledge of her sting, therefore in her anger she stingeth: the birds trust some in their beaks, some in their talents, and the weak and simple Dove trusteth in her wings. They have knowledge of time & place; the Stork knoweth her season; the Swallow never is seen but in the Summer; the Cock croweth certainly at his hours: Ex Avihus est praesagium Coeli; when the Crane taketh up a stone, and flies with it in his foot, it is a sign of a storm. 4. Knowledge of their Medicines. The fourth part of preservation is, that they do know their medicines. The Eagle buildeth his nest on high, as in a tower: the Hawk to get her feathers flieth with a south wind, she stretcheth out her wings to the South, Job 39 29. Plumescit vento Australi; the Swallow cureth her eye sight by the Celandine; the Ibis teacheth us to take a glister; the Sea horse learned us the blood-letting, for when he feeleth himself full of corrupt blood, he pricketh himself upon a sharp reed. 3. The Proviso Now of the Proviso. The Fowls only multiply. He saith only, The fowls should multiply upon the Earth, fishes, by shoals, did fill the waters, and the spawn of fishes covered the waters. It were dangerous and troublesome if the fowls had so many eggs as the fishes have spawns, non est tanta volucrum luxuries quanta est piscium. God still regarded man, he would not have the Air pestered, therefore he restrained them only for to multiply. Sol & homo generant hominem, saith Philosophic: but Divinity saith benedictio Dei & homo generant hominem, illa & pisces generant pisces, illa & aves generant aves. God's blessing. It is his blessing that giveth food to the hungry, to the naked, riches to any man, It is not labour that maketh rich, nor strength that getteth victory, Proverbs 10. 22. It is in vain for man to rise early, to lie down late, and to eat the bread of sorrow, for man's state is in God's providence, Psal. 127. Children are the inheritance of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is his reward, in the same Psal. By study and God's blessing cometh learning. Whether then you eat or drink, or beget, or whatever you do, you do it by God's blessing. That this blessing of God toward us may continue, let us bless and praise his name for ever. If our blessing of thanksgiving and praise do ascend, his blessings will descend, sic crit recursus & decursus perpetuus. Postea dixit Deus, Faciamus Hominem ad imaginem nostram, secundum similitudinem nostram: qui dominetur in Pisces Maris, & in Volucres Coeli, & in Pecudes, & in universam Terram, atque in omnia Reptilia Reptantia super Terram. Gen. 1. 26. Februar. 4. 1590. IT is St. Ambrose question Quamdiu discimus alias Creaturas, ignoramus autem nos? Before you see that things created before, were for us: The Creation of Man. And now he createth us. The knowledge of names, the plenty of all things, Ecclesiasticus 17. 2. the tale of days numbering the first, second, and third, etc. are for reason's capacity. This numbering of days is the Ephemerideses and Chronicle to the World's end. God hath concealed his strength from the horse, yet hath showed it unto man: After God hath compassed about the Heavens; after he had ordered the land and the Sea, he then created man, and then he soundeth the retreat, Quod est actione ultimum, fuit intentione primum; for God had still a regard of him: God said thrice in the creation of Man, which hath a resemblance of the Trinity: There is conveyance of God's grace to man, here is God's Counsel for man's care. 4. Things. In this verse we will consider four things under four causes: First, Man's efficient: Secondly, the matter: Thirdly, the form: Lastly, the end in the similitude of God, and in dominion over the fowls, fishes, and beasts God hath made him a Ruler. Of them in order. 1. Man's efficient. First, There is a partition wall, there is a difference, between this work of man and all the former. Faciamus: The stile now is changed, fiat & sit into faciamus: God before was a Commander, now he is a Counsellor: Quis est (saith a Father) qui formabitur, ut tanta sit opus prospectione: Before with saying sit & fiat, facta sunt: but here in faciamus is deliberation, for that he now makes him, for whom all the former Creatures were made. The beasts were made this day with Man; but here is the difference, creata sunt ambo eodem die, non eadem fide; eodem loco, non eodem modo. God said producat terra, germinet herba; sed dixit faciamus hominem. Austin saith well, Fecit 〈…〉 ut procul stans, at hominem ut prope accedens, porrigens manum: God framed man out of the Earth, as doth the Potter his pot out of the clay, As the clay is in the potter's hand, so is the house of Israel in God's hand, Jer. 18. 6. We are not only the sheep of his pasture, but the sheep also of his hands, He made us and not we ourselves. Let us mark, to whom is this Precept directed? not the Angels and Elements. The Arrians and Jews do say, that in the creating of man God consulted with Angels, and had the help of Elements; which opinion is without all discretion: For who hath instructed the spirit of the Lord? or was his Counsellor? Esay 40. 13. Nec consilisrium neque auxiliarium habet Deus. Men are not the pattern of the Angels, but the image of God. Some Jews say here God speaketh like a Prince in the plural number, denying the Trinity; but Philo Judeus, the best of the Jews, disclaimeth that opinion. We say therein is expressed the Trinity. Princes in giving their Law use most magnificence. God at the giving of his Law saith I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt have no other Gods but one, in the singular number. The unity of Godhead, and the Trinity of Persons. In dixit Deus is the unity of substance, in faciamus is the trinity of persons: In the triple creavit in this chapter; in the triple dixit in this sixth day, is signified the Trinity of persons. In the image and similitude is the unity: In nostra is the trinity; dicit ad similitudinem, non similitudines: This is plain both in the creation and in the regeneration by Christ, God in unity, man in the trinity. In creating man is great deliberation, it is a joint work of the Trinity. Thus fare of the cause efficient. 2. The matter of Man. Secondly, Of the Matter. God created Man, or Adam, which is nomen collectivum, and signifieth Earth, the Matter of our creation. God in creating the Heavens de profundis abyssi exaltavit altitudinem Coeli: And here man, a clod of earth, before perchance trodden sub pedibus bestiarum, collocavit super capita Angelorum ut in Christo. David seeing man's baseness Psal. 144. 3. saith, Lord, what is man that thou regardest him? or the Son of man, that thou thinkest upon him? and likewise in the 8. Psalm, all before tend to honour and excellency; this work of ours showeth our own baseness, that we are but fimus and limus: the creeping worm called in Hebrew Adama hath alliance with Adam, which man, who is but a worm, as saith Job, he confesseth himself to be vile, Job 39 37. In the 22. Jeremy, 29. the prophet exclaimeth saying, O Terra, Terra, Terra. Adam or Man is not every kind of Earth, he is not sandy, but of a serviceable and profitable gleeb; for he is for God's especial use, and made to his own likeness. In God's temple there was no timber but of fruitful trees, aliquid Deus creavit exnihilo, & hîc ex infimo maximum, at homo malus & otiosus ex aliquo facit nihil. Though David were an holy man, yet did he see corruption, Acts 13. 36. For man is of the Earth earthly, and born mortal, subject to corruption. Galen the Heathen saith, that the Anatomy of a man is Hymnus Dei: He saith to the Epicure, take an hundred year to work but one part of a man, and thou canst not mend it; for in man God hath been so absolutely a workman, that nothing in him may be mended. Miranda fecit pro homine, sedmagis miranda in homine. I will praise thee, O Lord, saith David, Psal. 139. 14. for I am wondrously made. 3. The form of Man. Thirdly, The form of man in our Image, juxta similitudinem nostram; though man be de terra, & in terra, yet he is not propter terram. God created his former Creatures secundum speciem suam, according to their kind: God createth man secundum similitudinem suam. Man is Microcosmos, so say the Heathen: but divinity saith he is Imago Dei: in omnibus Creaturis vestigia sunt Dei, sed in homine non solùm sua vestigia sed imago sua. Est enim non solum opus sed imago Dei. Miscen. upon this place, saith upon Imago Dei, that in una hac voce innumer as habemus voces: Who foe sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed; the reason is this, for in the image of God hath he made man, Gen. 9 6. So there is no exchange of men's souls; in imagine sua, we are created without blemish. Now when Adam was an hundred and thirty years old, he begat a child in his own likeness, after his image, chap. 5. 3. that was blemished by his sin. Our perfection in the image of God is esse constmiles filio Dei, for we are predestinate to he made like the image of his Son, that he might be the first born of many Brethren, Rom. 8. 29. We are changed into the same Image from glory to glory, 2 Cor. 3. 18. Perfect felicity is the Image of God, virtue is the way to this felicity, sin deformeth this Image in us. Here is Imago & similitudo: Similitudo. Similitudo is the genus and comprehends both: similitudo is as a union in quality, here it is added as a perfection to the Image: the lineaments hereof by the Fathers are said to be first, The essence of the soul is in the body, in omni & unaquaque parte, as God is in the world. ☜ Secondly, the soul is immortal: God is so. Thirdly, there is a triple power of the soul, Understanding, Memory, and . Understanding is every where, in Heaven, in Earth, in the deep, on this side and beyond the Seas; there is an ubiquity of the soul, as of God's presence, every where. Memory, the infiniteness thereof is as that of God, who is without limitation; quae est haec immensa hominum capacitas? saith a Father; the will and conscience cannot be bound, but it is free to think: so God what him pleaseth, that can he do. God, by his power, createth man, and maketh a natural World: And Man, likewise, maketh artificialem mundum, as ships for carriage, temples for service; lights and candles as artificial stars: creavit etiam homo alteram quasi naturam. Imago Dei nata & creata. There is a primitive Image, which is Imago nata, that is, of Christ the Son of God: Imago autem creata Dei is of man: Christ is the Image of the invisible God, the first born of every Creature, Coloss. 1. 15. Zeleb in the original tongue is nata Imago quae est Christi: Tohar, creata Imago quae est Adami. In the Redemption Christ made himself as our Image, Man planted may fall, so did Adam; but being replanted by Christ, he cannot fall: The first man Adam was made a living soul, the last man Adam was made a quickening spirit, 2 Cor. 15. 45. ad similitudinem nostram; Imago Dei est omnium hominum, similitudo autem est paucorum: the one is the bare face, the other is the robe royal: the one we have by essence, the other by virtue: the one by nature, the other by grace. We ought to put off the old man with his works, and put on the new man which his renewed in knowledge, after the Image of him that created him, coloss. 3. 10. and love is the bond of perfectness: so that knowledge is recommended in the Image, and love in the likeness: which two are as the Urim and Thummim of the Law: Our soul is as a glass to behold his virtues, and humble precepts, Luke 6. 27. In his similitude to be as he is, as fare as we may. Hence have we a thankful remembrance, that he will crown us with glory everlasting, if we fin not against nature, and draw on, instead of his similitude, larvam Demonis, the visor of the Devil; but put on the new man, which, after God, is created unto righteousness and 〈…〉, and give not place unto the Devil, Ephes. 4. 24. We have in us Earth, in regard of the body, and Heaven in regard of the soul: in the one is time, in the other eternity. Christ calleth the Gospel, The Gospel of every Creature, Mark 16. 15. Ambrose saith, posuit Deus in homine Terram & Coelum, non ut Terra mergat Coelum, sed ut Coelum elevet Terram: totum hoc est 〈◊〉 se assimulare Deo: Let thy inward thoughts and outward conversation be good and agreeable, for this is the end of all, Fear God and keep his commandments, this is the whole duty of a man; for God will bring every work, with every secret thing, unto Judgement, whether it be good or evil, Ecclesiastes 12. 13. 4. The end of man's creation, to rule other creatures. After God hath crowned man with knowledge and love, in the latter part of this verse, he giveth him a Sceptre, and maketh him Vicegerent over the Sea, the Air, the Earth; over all the fishes, fowls, beasts, and creeping things therein, bidding him to rule over them: He brought before man the beasts and fowls he had created, to whom Adam gave their names, Gen. 2. 19 The Image is of perfection: the Similitude is in wisdom; in knowledge, in the Son; in love, in the Holy Ghost; in power, of the Father. Miscen saith, Fecit Deus hominem nudum, to show that he needed the help of other Creatures for clothing and for meat: Man's soveraingtie is to have at his command, and to serve him, the whole earth and the furniture thereof. If God bid him to rule over the fowls, fishes, and the beasts, over the better sort, then surely over the worse: Yea, God hath made the Sun, the Moon, and Stars, with all the host of Heaven, to serve man, and hath distributed them to all People, Deut. 4. 19 He hath given him dominion over the beasts, that is, the privilege of hunting into what parts he please; and dominion over the Earth, which is the privilege of Husbandry. Oh let us live after the similitude of him whose Image we are; and let us not be like, nay worse than beasts, pejus est comparari bestiae, quàm nasci bestiam. For man, though he be in honour, he understandeth not, but is like to beasts that perish, Psal. 49. 20. We are here to note the obedience of the Creatures while man was obedient: and that the mutiny and dissension between them, and their disobedience to man, did arise by man's rebellion to God his Maker. Adam's disobedience caused their disobedience. When Adam stood, than the , the fowl, and the beasts of the field came and did homage unto man, and were content to be named by him, chap. 2. 20. But after his fall fugiunt & fugant; they some of them, fly from him, and other some make him to fly. Now we serve the before they can serve us. This cometh to pass by disobedience, by blotting (as much as in us lieth) the Image of God: Let then our own wickedness correct us, and our turn back reprove us; for know and behold that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, Jer. 2. 19 It is God's bounty to be created in the Image of God, according to his likeness: Let therefore our care be, that these his great benefits be not bestowed in vain by our own sensuality, lest, by that means, we be cast from his likeness; for at the first God created man without corruption, and made him after the Image of his own likeness, Wisd. 2. 24. Itaque creavit Deus Hominem ad Imaginem suam, ad Imaginem, inquam, Dei creavit eum: Marem & Foeminam creavit eos. Gen. 1. 27. Februar, 6. 1590. GOD'S deliberation was in the former verse: Here he entereth into consultation: in this image his person is represented; this verse is the accomplishment of the former. Fuit sic was the return of the other days; Three creavit's in this verse. but he useth another course here, the three creavit's, iterated thrice, is a specifying of great joy of God in this his work, it is, saith a Father, triumphus Creatoris. It expresseth the tender affection and dear love God hath to man: in a speech of affection Solomon saith, Prov. 31. 2. What, my son! and what, the son of my womb! and what, oh son of my desires! Paul likewise ravished and carried away with this fervent affection, useth this triple iteration in the 2 Cor. 12. 2. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago; whether he were in the body I cannot tell, or out of the body, I cannot tell; I knew such a man, whether in the body or out of the body, I cannot tell, which was taken up into thethird Heaven. Others do conceive, that God by this triple iteration, blew a trumpet to the Waters, Earth, and Heaven, that is, to all the World, that they should all know that man was their Governor. Thus much for creavit in general, and the triple iteration thereof: Now we will consider the especials. Faciamus was a word suspicious, so that some thought God had the help of Angels; but here by creavit the doubt is answered, that is was one by the Deity. ☜ Imago nostra, was suspicious, here ad imaginem Dei, ad imaginem suam taketh away the doubt. Creavit thrice iterated in this chapter, the first is creating essence, the other life, the other understanding. Creavit is here thrice mentioned, for that all these three, essence, life, and understanding are in this one Creature Adam: He hath being, sense, and reason, est autem ratio anima animae & pupilla animae: all which three are expressed in chap. 2. 7. God made man of the dust of the ground, that is his essence, and breathed in his face the breath of life, and the man was a living soul, there is the person of God the Father in the creation: All things were made by the word, and without it was made nothing, John 1. 3. So by this conceit God's purpose is understood. Here the Fathers in triple iteration find trinity of Person, in creavit unity of Godhead: The Image is for knowledge, the similitude for love, and power is given him for execution. The mind or heart receiveth, Deut. 6. 6. the will affecteth, the power or dominion executeth. There is contemplation, affection, and action brought forth by this triplicity. Now of the considerations apart. Three parts of this verse. This verse hath three parts, Two of the soul one of the body the two first concern the soul, the last the body, as is apparent: By the two branches of the soul, is signified a double care of the soul, and a single care of the body. Our soul is coelum, our body coenum, the one heavenly, the other earthly. The opinion of the better sort of Interpreters is, That God useth this often repetition for the better credence, saying, ad imaginem suam, ad imagine ejus, cujus? respondet, ad imaginem Dei. Man carrieth the image of God, not of Caesar, not of the World; Date ergo Deo quae sunt Dei. The best sort say it is for the emphasis, for our learning and for our memory, alleging the 22. of Proverbs 20. Have I not written unto thee three times in counsels and knowledge: It is ad perpetuam rei memoriam. Jeremy saith thrice, Oh Earth, Earth, Earth, in regard of our humiliation. Similitude & Imago. Here Moses showeth, that though in regard of our bodies we are Earth, yet in regard of our souls we are Heavenly. To the peace of God we are called in one body, coloss. 3. 15. Christ took upon him our vile Image to redeem us. The woman is of the man, the man is by the woman, but all things are of God, 1 Cor. 11. 12. By sin we have lost this Image, but fear to sin reneweth this Image, which who hath not, he is no man. But what is become of God's likeness, the Image is twice mentioned; but sometime the Image is taken for the likeness, as in the 3. James 9 Men are made after the similitude of God. The Fathers take the similitude for a perfection, not a generality. St. Ambrose saith, Est Imago quam babemus, est similitudo quam querimus, The Butterfly can be glorious, the Ant provident, the Wasp can revenge, but to think of God belongeth to man alone, whose Image he is. Bernard saith, Imago quam omnis vivens habet, nullius est momenti, condemnatio est mundi, & per peccatum sumus deformes ad imaginem pecudum: the beautifying 〈◊〉 in the similitude. Man is not Imago Dei, sed ad Imaginem Dei. Basil saith, the image is by nature, the similitude by grace, for the similitude is the perfection of the image. The image of God is knowledge: The new man is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him, Coloss. 3. 10. In the likeness is love, which is the bond of perfectness, the 14. verse of that chapter. This is to be created in the new man, in his likeness of righteousness and holiness, these are the colours of this likeness: and the oil of these colours is truth, the which he poureth into us, Luke 10. 34. and so having this similitude, man is perfect: But the Devil, envying this beauty, gave man a pencil of his own will, and had his colours of malice, vain device, and lust, and these drown men in perdition and destruction, 1 Tim. 6. 8. But Miscen saith, While the Devil poisoneth men's affections, let not reason assist Satan, and his temptations are but bubbles. But if the conscience and judgement of man be corrupted, thence cometh all the transgressions of Mankind, then is their agricultura peccati. Of the body, Male and Female. Now of the body, Male and Female created he them. The image of God is common to all, the similitude to a few; this diversity of sexes is in regard of the flesh, for there is neither Jew nor Grecian, neither bond nor free, neither male nor female, but ye are all one in Christ Jesus, Galath. 3. 28. Male and female created he them, and called their name Adam in the day they were created, chap. 5. 2. There is in Adam the similitude and the sex, he understandeth things spiritual and things earthly, therefore he hath soul and body: He is as a Theatre to behold God, and as a glass to view God's likeness: He was created without corruption, Wisd. 2. 23. Only this have I found, saith Solomon, that God hath made man righteous, Preach. 7. 29. Man is made strait in respect of this body, wherein is resembled the inward righteousness of his soul, Ne habeamus ergo curvam animam in recto corpore, let us strive to be inwardly as God hath made us outwardly, that is, to have upright thoughts, and a strait conscience toward God and toward man. Man's study is not the care to preserve God's image: So that we carry about us God's image to be the condemnation of the World. We should show in our body the image of God renewed in us. There be those that say, that God made the upper part of man and the Devil made the lower part; but God made man from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot. Male and Female. Moses therefore saith, Male and female created he them, both were made the sixth day. The manner of making the Female is the 21. verse of the next chapter, of the rib of Adam was Eve made; both Male and Female God made, showing, in them, his mercy unto thousands. The like did God promising in the seed of Abraham all Nations should be blessed, Psal. 105. Before in dominentur, they were both foreseen. There is a difference of sex in others, as in Birds and Beasts, but the same is expressed only in the principal Creature. Adam was not ex semine mulieris, saith Ambrose: He created Adam, and out of Adam he took Eve. He created but one: and wherefore one? because he sought sanctum semen, an holy seed, Malach. 2. 15. He created not Marem & Foeminas, nor Mares & Foeminam, but Marem & Foeminam: So this is no refuge for Adultery, but it is the institution of the holy estate of Matrimony: so that from thence issueth the holy seed. The Adulterers, like pampered horses, do neigh after their neighbour's wives, Jer. 5. 8. committing abomination with others wives, forcing their own sisters, and their father's Daughters, 〈◊〉 22. 11. but lawful marriage begetteth children to God, not to the World. Before God created other his Creatures after their kind severally: but here God taketh the Female out of the Male, being both bone of the same, and flesh of one flesh, that so love might perfectly be grounded between them; but as the woman is of the man, so is the man also by the woman, 1 Cor. 11. 12. Mulier est exviro, vir per mulierem. Man enclosed Woman in the Creation, but woman enclosed man in the Redemption. Jeremy in his 31. chapter 22. saith, The Lord hath created a new thing in the Earth, a Woman shall compass a Man. Eve came out of Adam, Christ out of the Virgin Mary, without any knowledge or copulation of the flesh. These are high mysteries, and works wonderful; The man was not created for the woman but the woman for the man's sake, 1 Cor. 11. 9 Hence is observed the state Ecclesiastical, Political, and occonomical. Out of this verse the observation of the primitive Church hath been, First, in the Image of God is resembled the estate of the Church, the Ecclesiastical estate. In dominentur, let them rule over the Earth, and Sea, the Fowls and Fishes, is the ground of a Commonwealth. Though Christ were abased, yet all the Nations shall worship him: The Kingdom is the Lords, and he ruleth among the Nations, Psal. 22. 17. 18. The perfect are to rule the unperfect: the Man hath dominion over the Beasts and all the Earth; this is the resemblance of the Political estate. In creating them Male and Female, is the perfect resemblance of the Economical estate of every House and of every Family. Deinde benedixit eis Deus; & dixit eis Deus, Foetificate, ac augescite, & implete Terram, eamque subjicite: & dominamini in pisces Maris, & in volucres Coeli, & in omnes bestias reptantes super Terram. Gen. 1. 28. Februar. 9 1590. THE second speech God here useth concerning man, The creating of Mankind. is whereby he createth Mankind, as before he created Man: Propagation. For though creation be a great benefit, yet this is a further benefit of propagation or continuance. God, by Nathan, promiseth to David, that his Kingdom shouldbe established for ever, though David said, Who am I oh Lord, and what is my house? 2 Sam. 7. 18. Though David's people were small, yet did God multiply them, and gave continuance to his seed. Two parts of propagation. There are two parts of propagation, A Heir: an Heritage. The one is to have an Heir, the other to have an Heritage, both are here given unto Man. Of them in order. Adam's Heirs are Mankind. God restraineth not his bounty unto these two Adam and Eve. Esay, in his 49. chapter 6. prophesying of Christ, saith, It is a small thing to raise up the Tribes of Israel; I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles: God giveth not the Earth to two only, for the Earth is too big for two; there must be many to inhabit it; there be those that dwell in the uttermost place of the Earth, Psal. 65. 9 They only are not the two vessels of his mercy; there are more vessels than they, and that he might declare the riches of his glory upon the vessels of mercy which he hath prepared unto glory, he hath called both Jew and Gentil, Rom. 9 23. By the multitude much glory is given to God: In the 26. verse, was the planting of this principal work; this is the watering thereof by his blessing. Creation and procreation are both blessings, yet several blessings; all have the one, yet not all the other. Though the Eunuches be as dry trees, yet God hath for them a blessing, Esay 56. 3. Divers have their wombs closed: this is a restraint of God's blessing. When the Prophet did even consult what curse God should give Judah for their Idolatry, he saith, Give them a barren womb and dry breasts, Osee 9 14. When Jacob blessed his children, he said to Joseph, He shall be a fruitful bough, that is, in the Hebrew, a son of increase, chap. 49. 23. As God's curse is a restraint of increase, so his blessing is the fountain of procreation, bene voluit is the fountain also of God's benedixit; For God hath created all things, and for his wills sake they are, Rev. 4. 11. God's blessing is not res voti, as man's , only to wish well, but it is as dew and oil that soaketh to the bone. Benedixit iis De●…. Increase is an actual blessing, An handful of Corn is sown, and the fruit thereof shall shake like the trees of Lebanon; the Children shall 〈◊〉 like the grass of the Earth, Psal. 72. 16. So that Children are God's blessing. God could at once, at the first, have filled the Earth with men, but God made one for that he would have an holy seed, for woman was out of the rib of man, chap. 2. 22. God blessed them, therefore the estate of Marriage is blessed; therefore God made woman an help for man, chap. 2. 18. The Schoolmen say, Est enim haec benedictio remedii, a blessing of remedy: this is a remedy for filthy lust and concupiscence: And therefore saith Paul, to avoid fornication, Let every man have his wife, & every woman have her own husband, 1 Cor. 7. 2. Humiliata est benedictio. This bindeth not every one to marry; 〈◊〉 est dans facultatem, non addens necessitatem: this is no precept, but a power and faculty to increase and multiply. When God said, chap. 2. 16. Thou shalt eat freely of every tree of the Garden, he bond him not as of necessity to eat of all, but gave him liberty to eat of any. Matrimony, some say, is a carnal filthiness, and full of sin; therefore they disallow Marriage. There are some other say, that Marriage is a matter of necessity, saying that all must needs marry; but both of these opinions are most wicked. God said before to the fishes, crescite & multiplicamini & replete aquas maris: and to the Birds maltiplicentur super terram. Replete terram Here replete terram especially concerneth man. With the blessings wherewith he blessed Plants and Beasts, he blesseth Man, and with more, saying, Crescite, multiplicamini, & replete terram: By the first is given us stature; by the second, power of issue; by the last, a power of plenty: He would not have man small in stature, nor solitary in number; but he made him to fill the Earth. He proceedeth in a good course, first there is maturity; for before maturity there is no seed: after maturity and ability, he giveth him a will to multiply; wherein is a pleasure: Sara laughed saying, After I am waxed old, and my Lord also, shall I have lust? chap. 18. 12. She seeing herself barren, gave her maid Agar to Abraham for wife, chap. 16. 3. God giveth a power unto man of the rains, God openeth the womb and moisteneth the breasts for propagation. When God had opened Rachel's womb, the son which she had conceived and born she called Joseph, saying the Lord will give me yet another son, chap. 30. 24. So that joseph's name is not restrained to one or two, but she hoped to have further increase. Every bird and fish had these words, dixit Deus iis: Though the words spoken here to man are the same, yet the accent in the holy tongue maketh the difference: But the expressing of the difference is in dominamini, after these three, which showeth the dignity of this Creature. Before it was said to the other Creatures, subjicimini, be ye subject; Subjicite terram. but here it is said to Man subjicite terram, which being added to the three former, maketh a great difference, which showeth man to be of a noble condition, being ad imaginem Dei, among whom God hath his Elect: Who shall not only replere terram morientium, but even replere cerlum, id est, terram viventiam. I should have fainted, saith David, except I had believed to see the goodness of God in the Land of the living, Psal. 27. 13. Even for man's sake was the world created, and the consummatum of the world dependeth upon them. Basil and Ambrose do say, these words do concern Adam's mind, that he grew in the gifts of the mind. There is a growing up in Christ, by faith and knowledge, to a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ, Ephes. 4. 13. this is to grow in favour and in wisdom; applying the filling of the Earth to replete terram viventium, nempe, coelos: And unto them that grew in these gifts, and do persevere to fullness, and overcommeth, God promiseth dominion, that he shall be a pillar in the Temple of God, he shall have written on his head the name of God, the name of the new Jerusalem, Rev. 3. 12. The value of the benefit. Now concerning the value of the benefit: it is a benefit to have issue, to have Heirs. When Adam saw the World, he named it a Globe. An Heir. When Adam had a son by Eve, he was called Cain, that is a possession, chap. 4. 1. Abraham esteemed it a great benefit to have an heir of his own loins; therefore, in chap. 15. 2, 3, 4. To have Children. He saith to God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and again lo behold, unto me thou hast given no seed; the Steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus; wherefore lo a servant of my house shall be mine heir? But God doth comfort him saying, This man shall not be thy heir, thy seed shall be innumerable. When jacob's sons told him that Joseph was living, and governor of the land of Egypt, and shown him the chariots which he had sent for him, Israel said, I have enough, Joseph my son is yet alive, chap. 45. 28. So then children are a comfort to their Parents and a staff to their age: they are a beauty to the Commonwealth; The sons growing up in their youth as plants, and the daughters as the corner stones graven after the similitude of a Palace, Psal. 144. 12. They are also a strength unto the Commonwealth, As the arrows in the hand of the strong man, so are the children of youth, Psal. 127. 4. The Prophet, in repeating the blessed estate of Jerusalem, after the return from her captivity saith, in the 8. Zecharie 5. That the streets of the City should be full of children playing in the streets thereof. The other is an Heritage. The other benefit in this place is the Heritage, the latter part of this verse. This is an approving of his former counsel; it is a Deed of gift of God's Creatures of the Earth itself, and an intayling of it unto man and his posterity. Subjicite terram. The first is a tenure of the Earth, saying subjicite eam, and giving to man an interest in the furniture of the Sea, Aire, and Land. God is the chief Lord of all. God he is the chief and absolute Lord of all things, and over all things: The Heavens are his, the Earth also is his, he hath laid the foundation of the World, and of all that therein is, Psal. 89. 12. The furniture also is his: All the Beasts of the forest are his, and the Beasts on a thousand mountains, Psal. 50. 10. The glory of Lebanon, the beauty of Carmel is the Lords Esay. 35. 2. The riches of the Earth, the gold is his, and the silver is his, Aggey 2. 9 God in his own person, in 41. Job. 2. saith, that all under Heaven is his. Mankind hath the Earth, Sea, and the Air in Fee-farm. But God here delivereth unto man possession of the Earth and his Creatures, bidding him to rule over them. God reserveth the Heavens to himself, even the Heavens are the Lords: terram autem dedit filiis hominum, Psal. 115. 16. He giveth the Earth as it were in Fee-farm to the sons of men. God, the chief Lord of all things, maketh man ruler over the Earth, maketh the Earth (as the Germans do say) a County Palatine. So that men are no usurpers, but lawful rulers: All titles in the Law, in Manors, Lands, and Dominions are from hence. In subjicite terram are employed these three, seizing, keeping, and employing of the Earth: Jus primae possessionis. Jus est primae possessionis, first, possession was a right in the beginning: wherefore it is said in the 11. Deut. 24. All the places whereon the soles of your feet shall tread, shall be yours. If two came together to one place, they divided the possession by consent, as did Abraham and Lot, chap. 13. 11. Or else they divided the same by lots, as in the 15. of Joshuah 1● A comparison. The Earth was at first, as a dish of meat at a Table, where every man might cut where him pleased; but when one had cut forth his piece and laid it on his 〈◊〉, it became private, and it were injury to take from him, that is now his own by possession. God promised to the seed of Jacob, the Land of Canaan, the lot of their inheritance, Psal. 105. 11. For the Israelites, by their just carriage and honest conversation obtained the promise, and having injury offered them by the Canaanites, took revenge under Joshuah, Possession Jure Belli. and possessed the Land jure belli. Jacob gave unto Joseph, at his death, one portion above his brethren, which he got out of the hands of the 〈◊〉 by the sword and by the bow, chap. 48. 22. The right he had, was by the sword and by the bow, and this was his own. That the former world had by just war and subduing of Tyrants, was a right. If we win a Country where no habitation hath been, or which hath not been habitable for wild beasts, by chase from thence the beasts, and by subduing that Country, it becometh our own by subjicite terram. When the most high God divided to the Nations their Inheritance. When he separated the sons of Adam, he appointed the borders of the people, according to the number of the children of Israel, Deut. 32. 8. Every one had a mark-stone, to know their own several, Deut. 27. 17. Thereupon saith the wise man, in the 22. Proverbs 28. Thou shalt not remove the ancient bounds which thy fathers have made. David smote the 〈◊〉 and the Moabites, he subdued them and made them tributaries, 2 Sam. 8. 2. God hath assigned 〈◊〉 Mankind the bounds of their habitation, Acts 17. 26. Israel's possession three hundred years was a good right, Judges 11. 26. Thus much of Heirs and Heritage, concerning the 〈◊〉 upon others lands, and keeping their own. The last point of subjicite terram, is the employing, that is, to labour, turmoil, to break it up, to harrow and plough it; this is for Husbandry, to dung it and manure it for pastures, to make houses and buildings for Architect, to make gardens and enclosures for solace. The mould also is to be employed, as the sand, the chalk, the clay for the brick and tile, is to be employed. Solomon, when he builded the Temple, had great occasion to search quarries of stone, there were great and costly stones sent from Hyram for the foundation and beautifying thereof, 1 Kings 5. 17. God gave to man industry whereby to find the metals, also the riches of the Earth in the bowels of the same. God gave the Earth to man, God subdued it not for, but he bad man subdue it: Subjicite eam, non dedit subjectam, sed subjiciendam. God made man, not of lose sand, but of a mould, of gleeb to labour, not to be idle; and therefore Adam, in the state of his innocence, was put into the garden of Eden that he might dress it and keep it, chap. 2. 15. Man laboured then not with sweat, for his labour was not laborious; for by man's transgression God's curse came, that in the sweat of his face he should eat his bread, chap. 3. 19 Dominamini. Now of Dominamini. Plenitudo terrae est jam hominis. In dominio sunt haec quatuor, usus, fructus, consumptio, & alienatio. In use, First for Use, we have power to tame some, as the Horse, for all his strength; yea even the Lion, for all his courage; and the Elephant for all his hugeness: Those which will not be tamed, we rule over them by imprisoning them. Fruit, In regard of fruit, We have the wool of Sheep, the teeth of Elephants, and the horn of Unicorns. Consumption, For consumption, or spending, They are some unto us for meat, and others for medicine. Alienation. In respect of alienation, we buy and sell them daily. Over Fish, Birds, and Beasts. Further, Over what shall you rule? Even as it is in the text, Over the fishes of the Sea, by the Angle. Christ bids Peter cast in his angle and take the fish, Matth. 17. 27. Or by the net: Christ also bid Peter let down his net to make a draught, Luke 5. 4. Angling and fishing are to man both for profit and for pleasure. And over the fowl of Heaven. By Fowling, by Hawking, by power or by policy, either killing them with arrows, or taking them in pits, or by snares, as in Prov. 7. 23. the 20. Joshua 13. God for the Ravens and for the young birds prepareth their meat Job 39 3. So that the fowls and birds are to man for service, for solace, and their notes of music. And over every beast. This is indeed a large Charta de foresta: We are permitted and authorized hereby to hunt the wild beasts of the forest, and being hunted, to eat the flesh thereof, Levit. 17. 13. Thou mayest eat flesh, even what soever thy heart desireth: Even as the Roe buck and the Hart is eaten, so shalt thou eat it, Deut. 12. 22, 23. There they were permitted the eating of all kind of flesh; they might before eat the flesh of that they had hunted, as of the Roebuck and of the Hart. It was caro justitiae which they got by hunting; it was dainty meat unto the Hunter; for unto the hungry soul every thing is sweet, Prov. 27. 7. The Hunter had his snares, Psal. 91. 3. The Hound hunteth the Deer: both are serviceable unto man; there is pleasure in the hunting and chase: the game is for meat when it is pulled down. We have rule over Horses and Dogs, who serve us, though not to feed us. The Dog defendeth our flocks from the Wolf, our houses from thiefs, our bodies from injury: the swiftness of the Horse helpeth our slowness: the Elephant in battle helpeth our weakness: the Sheep help our nakedness, clothing us with their wool: the Ox plougheth the ground, to give us bread, and eateth grass to be our food, he giveth his hide to show us; and every thing that moveth in the Earth is for man. We find great goodness many ways in the Bee, and in the Silkworm; God saw, man feeleth the goodness of those things God hath created. So that subjicite terram is the tenor of all Law, a giving possession of inheritance: and dominamini is a rule and dominion given to man over the utensils, the riches of the Sea, Land, and Air. A spiritual Analogy. There is here also observed by the Fathers, a spiritual Analogy in dominamini. In man there is a spirit and a soul; in him there is also Earth: the cares of the body ought to be less than those of the soul, est enim anima in homine coelum, corpus autem coenum, saith Basil, non sit coenum coelo superius, sed sit coelum coeno superius, Let the soul have dominion over the body and the concupiscence thereof; the body is earthly given to lust, anger, envy, pride. Here they admonish us to subdue these beastly affections, and to tame the savageness of our corrupt nature. The whole nature of beasts, and of birds, and of creeping things, and things of the Sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of the nature of man; but the tongue can no man tame, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison: this place do they allege out of the 3. James 8. And as James saith, that the tongue should be tamed from evil speaking, malicious slandering, back-byilng, lying, and dissembling: so say they (and that very well) that all the brutish affections ought to be tamed and subdued; that so the soul might reign in the body, and the body be subject to the soul. Praeterea dixit Deus, Ecce dedi vobis omnes Herbas sementantes semen quae sunt in superficie totius Terrae; omnesque Arbores in quibus est Fructus arboreus, sementantes semen: vestrae ad comedendum erunt. etc. Gen. 1. 29,30,31. Februar. 11. 1590. THIS is God's third speech, of this sixth day, concerning man. The first in the 26. verse is of his power in creating him: The second dixit, in the 28. verse, is of his providence in preserving mankind: This third speech is Gods further care for the nourishment of them whom he hath created and by propagation preserved. In the 30. verse God showeth his love to man, having before given unto man the beasts of the field, yet he giveth to his beasts their meat. The last verse is the closing up of the sixth day. Man's meat. The Argument of the 29 verse is for provision for man's meat. An Objection. Here ariseth a question made by some: Man in the estate of his innocency was immortal, what need had man then of any meat? The Answer. True it is, that Adam was created immortal, yet having a possibility to be immortal: Thereupon the Schoolmen say there is a double immortality, posse non mori fuit Adami, mori non posse est Dei; for Christ only, who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords hath this immortality, 1 Tim. 6. 16. which is bestowed upon us by way of reward through Christ our Saviour, whereby our nature is engrafted in the divine nature of the second immortality; for the first man Adam was made a living soul, and the last Adam was made a quickening spirit, that is, bringing us from Heaven the spirit of life; the first was of the Earth earthly, the second of the Heaven heavenly, 1 Cor. 15. 45. Adam was created with a possibility of immortality; the part immortal of man's creation was from God; but through man's disobedience and ambition, when he did eat of the forbidden fruit of good and evil, God shut him out of the garden of Eden, lest he should take also of the tree of life and eat and live for ever, chap. 3. 22. whereby Adam was deprived of life; for it was said in the 2. chap. 17. When in that day he did eat of the forbidden fruit, he should die the death. So that by man's disobedience man became mortal, who before, in the state of his innocence, had a possibility of immortality, for than he had the Image of God perfectly, but by sin came death, per peccatum mors: and so by man's transgression God's Image was defaced; for by one man sin entered into the World, and death by sin, and so death went over all men by this Adam's sin, even Babes were subject to death, though they had no actual sin, Rom. 3. 12. And life came to Mankind through one that is Christ Jesus: As by the offence of one the fault came on all men to condemnation; so by the justifying of one, the grace abounded to all men, to the justification of life, the 18. of the foresaid chapter: For, by him, this mortal must put on immortality, this corruptible incorruption, for Christ swallowed up death in victory, saying Death, where is thy sting? Hell, where is thy victory? 1 Cor. 15. 45. Man was not immortal by himself, but the life he had God gave him: In the state of his innocence he had heat and moisture, which God breathed into him when he breathed life, chap. 2. 7. and therefore man needed even then food to preserve heat and moisture. Man before was immortal and his meat uncorrupted, but by man's fall, man became mortal, subject to death, so that both man and man's meat were corrupted; and Adam was a debtor to the flesh to satisfy his hunger. Before God said Dominamini all beasts and fowls were peculium Dei, God's proper store: The trees and fruits were before, but this is man's warrant, To touch any thing, any tree, any herb, for their meat. Herein than more particularly we will consider two things, what God gave unto man, and to what end. Ecce. Ecce. Behold is a word of wonder, expressing a matter of wonder and Gods great love to Mankind. Ecce (saith a Father on this place) patentem & amentem Creatorem: He is not only a Creator full of power, but even a faithful Creator, 1 Pet. 4. 19 for behold he is both man's Creator and man's Cator. He visiteth the Earth and watereth it, be maketh it very rich, and for men he prepareth corn, Psal. 65. 9 And he saith unto man Deut. 28. 4. and 5. That if he obey God, blessed shall be the fruit of his body, the fruit of his ground, the fruit of his ; and blessed shall be thy basket and thy dow. So that God provideth us corn for bread, and bread to eat. It is even God that giveth us life and meat, he maketh us and serveth us: quis autem est major? but who is greater, he that sitteth at the Table, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at the Table? And I am among you (saith Christ) as he that serveth, Luke 22. 27. God the great Jehovah ministereth unto man all that he needeth. David assureth himself that God will help and defend him, Psal. 38. 22. from the hand of his enemies. God made for man coats of skin, and clothed them, chap. 2. 21. God giveth to men beds whereupon to take their rest: God will strengthen him upon the bed of sorrow, and turn all his bed in his sickness then will God send him comfort, Psal. 41. 3. Thus much of Ecce, behold. Ecce dedi. He saith not Ecce dixi but Ecce dedi: He opens his hand, not his mouth; he showeth his liberality which is wonderful; it is a beholding of works, not of words: Manifold are the works of God, the Earth is full of his riches, Psal. 104. 24. There is also a further thing; for he saith not Ecce do, but Ecce dedi, as much as to say, Oh man before you were born I provided for you all herbs and all trees, I respected you before you were, I had you in mind in all the days of the Creation; Fecit, quae fecit omnia pro homine Deus before he said faciamus hominem; he made all things for man before that he made man, which showeth God's care and fatherly love he bore to men even before man was. What shall I say hereof more but this, Amor Dei erga hominem est antiquior homine. Every Herb having seed, every Tree having fruit. He giveth unto man every herb having seed every tree having fruit, bearing seed; whereby he giveth us all grain, seed, corn, pulse, spice the grape, and other fruitful trees. Adam's diet objected to be raw It may be objected, That to eat of nothing but of herbs, and of trees, and of such fruit as the Earth brought forth, were but a raw diet. Well fare Noah's Table, for he had flesh in great plenty for his meat, Gen. 9 3. for as the green herb, so gave God unto him all things for meat: If God be our Cator, as he is liberal, so he will be frugal. Eliah was fed by the Angel with a cake baked on the coals, and a pot of water, 1 Kings 19 6. yet in the strength of that meat walked he forty days and forty nights. Answer. And surely unto Adam the trees of Paradise were better and more pleasant than all the dainties of Noah's Table; for the trees that were there were pleasant to the sight and good for meat, chap. 2. 9 These innocent meats were fit for the state of innocence, even unto this day the service of delight is the herbs and fruits of the Earth; even then when flesh was for meat, it was to be eaten without the blood, the Hunter might eat that he had hunted. Virgo terrae fuit herba, blood corrupted the Earth, all meats are but obsonia, but sauce, in respect of bread, which is the comfort of the heart if we be thankful; for otherwise, though God give us our desire, yet will he send leanness into our soul, Psal. 106. 15. By simples at this day the Physicians use to restore health. If God conveyed every herb, than every herb was meat for man: yea then so was the Coloquintida, which is called now fell terrae, and a vehement poison, yet Elisha caused the people to eat thereof, and they had no hurt, yet they said that in it was death, 2 Kings 4. 40. and that death was in the pot: mors in olla came by sin, it was not so from the beginning. Furthermore here is no necessity imposed upon man to eat of all the trees, but a liberty is given him to eat of any. Some also make another objection: If he might eat of all trees, then of the forbidden tree. But the Father's answer, That saying that gave to Adam every tree bearing ordinary fruit: such were not the trees of knowledge and of life. To what end Herbs and Trees are given Man. The last point is, To what end God gave man herbs and trees. Fuit ut sint alimentum, that they might be for meat, to have herbs and trees given, and that for meat are divers things: For fruition. There is a man, to whom God hath given riches and treasures, and he wanteth nothing that he can desire; but God giveth him not power to eat, thereof, but a strange man shall eat it up, Preach. 6. 2. Elisha told the King, That he should see with his eyes the great plenty that should be in Samaria, but he should not eat thereof, 2 Kings 7. 19 Though a man have abundance, yet his life standeth not in his riches, Luke 12. 15. and therefore in that chapter, what availed it the rich man to have much fruit, many barns, and much goods laid up for many years, when that even in the same night they should fetch away his soul? Then whose were those things which he had provided? Dedi vobis ut sint in escam, There is the fruition. In esca, tria. In escâ tria sunt. 1. The first is a content of the appetite, which avoideth famine; for when God shall break the staff of bread, men shall eat and not be satisfied, Levit. 26. 26. 2. Sometimes also the men of this world have their portion in this life, they have their bellies filled with God's hidden treasure, Psal. 17. 14. It is God's curse to have sown much and bring in little, to eat and not to have enough, to drink and not to be filled, to be clothed and not to be warm, Aggey 1. 6. 3. The third benefit in meat is, that it nourisheth, While the flesh was yet between their teeth, before it was chewed, the wrath of God was kindled against the people who lusted, and God smote them with an exceeding great plague, Numb. 11. 33. The meat of the wicked in his bowels was turned, he hath devoured substance, and shall vomit it, for God shall draw it out of his belly, Job 20. 14. So that to eat, to be satisfied, and to be nourished, are three several benefits; as to have and not to eat, to have and eat and not to be satisfied, to have eat and be satisfied, and not to be nourished, are three several curses and plagues. Some there are, who though they eat never so much or never so good meat, are ever lean; whereas others are fat, though their diet be small and of the basest sort: For though that Daniel and his fellows did eat pulse and drink water for ten days, yet at the end of the ten days they were fairer and in better liking than they which did eat of the portion of the King's allowance, Daniel 1. 15. God hath created meats to be received with giving of thanks, neither is any to be refused, being sanctified by the word of God and prayer, 1 Tim. 4. 5. So that in a word, as God's benefits descend upon us, so our prayer and praises must ascend up to God for the same. Omnibus autem Bestiis Terrae, & omnibus Volucribus Coeli, omnibusque Reptantibus super Terram, in quibus est anima vivens, dedi omnes Herbas virides ad comedendum: & fuit ita. Vers. 30. The meat of Beasts. HEnce you gather that God provideth for men and for beasts; for our Tables, and beasts Mangers; which providence stretcheth to all that hath life in itself. The beasts being ours, we should have provided them meat; but God herein showeth his love unto man: Nunquid de bobus, & de passeribus cura est Deo? God provideth fodder for the , and meat for the Sparrows, he causeth grass to grow for the , and herb for the use of man, Psal. 104. 14. He giveth to Beasts their food, and to the young Ravens that cry, Psal. 147. 9 It may seem at the first sight, that God alloweth men and beasts the same diet. Things planted and sowed by Husbandry are for Men: but that which the Earth giveth of her own nature, without tillage, as quae sunt spontanea, are for Beasts: The seed in Corn, the fruit in Trees is allowed unto Man, the stalks to Beasts: So that there is not the same allowance unto both, although both had their allowance. Et fuit sic; And it was so. Some do ask whether the Beasts, as Lions; the Birds, as Hawks, lived upon their prey in the state of innocence? Surely no; for they had herbs allowed them; the Lion did eat grass as the Ox: for if they had preyed so, then even in Noah's time he must have laid up meat in store for the wild beasts in the Ark: The wild beasts were fed before with grass: The rauning and preying of savage beasts came by man's trangression. It is Augustine's opinion, That the Lion did eat grass before the fall: Esay prophesieth saying, That at the coming of the Redeemer Christ Jesus, the Lion shall eat straw with the Bullock, Esay 11. 7. Tum inspexit Deus quicquid fecerat, ecce autem bonum erat valde: sic fuit vespera & fuit mane diei sexti. Vers. 31. A general survey of all God had made. All were very good. HEre is a general Survey of God's works, and a general approbation also. Before, when he did behold them severally, he beheld them to be good; in this general survey, behold they are very good, which is another degree of goodness. God, then when he had surveyed all his former works, and likewise Man, the accomplishment of the rest, he 〈◊〉 in them an excellent harmony. Hitherto there was a state of imperfection, but here God saw that everything was very good: God here maketh a general muster of all, and of Man the Captain Creature, cui cunt caetera ut insignia, for man is the abridgement and accomplishment of all the other Creatures: Good things joined together must needs be very good, when that even ill things joined together may be good: A thief is ill, an halter is ill, join both together they are good, that is, bonum justitiae. Good things joined together, having their Captain, are very good: Love is applied to the heart, meat is for the belly: the head is the perfection of the body, and Man is the perfection of the Creation. God saw each day bonum; but when he saw man with the rest, he saw that they were valde bona: at summè bonus est solus Deus: Man is the chief Creature: caetera omnia sunt propter vos, 2 Cor. 4. 15. all other things are for man's sake. The Lord all things hath made (saith Solomon) for his own sake; yea even the wicked for the day of evil, Prov. 16. 4. so that God hath made caetera propter vos, the other Creatures for you; and you and them propter se. Then give praises unto his name, give him thanks for his loving kindness; give glory due to God unto him, that so by him we may have full assurance of future immortality. Three things hence to benoted. Hence we are to learn three things. 1. That men would survey their works as God doth here, how great and how excellent they are; this is perfect wisdom and virtue, though commonly men set forth their rude works for perfect, without any survey: For Solomon, though he were the wisest man of his age, yet could he say, that when he looked upon all the works that his hand had wrought, and in the travail he had laboured to do, and behold all was but vanity and vexation of spirit, Preach. 2. 11. When God seethe man's wicked ways, he will reprove him, and set them in order; to them that dispose their way aright God will show his salvation, Psal. 50. 21. This is a rumination and a consideration of our works, which are unperfect, to reform them, and of God's works, which being good, were, being accomplished, very good. Oh men glorify God and follow him, he is the pattern of goodness itself. Therefore let men see and know, let them consider and understand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the holy one of Israel hath created it, Esay 41. 20. 2. Secondly, Hence we learn to rectify our judgements, and to see as God did see. Divers men have an itch in the tongue, who will find fault in this or that which God hath made; this cometh to pass when men will seem to see more than God himself did see. When that God did try every work of his here seven times in this chapter; as for the words of the Lord, they are pure as silver, tried in a furnace of earth, fined seven fold, Psal. 12. 6. So are his works also; and this is a bridle to our licentiousness, to suspend our judgement, and not to find fault with God's works. God hath said they were very good, habent ergo bonitatem etsi nobis ignotam. Divers things are good in their place, divers in their time: Fire in the cold of Winter is good, in the heat of Summer it is not so good: Water in the Summer is good. It is God's curse and a great grief to eat in darkness, Preach. 5. 17. In time things be good, all things have their time, Preach. 3. In a word let every one say thus with himself, God hath seen this or that good, I silly man cannot see it otherwise. Omnia sunt munda mundis, & sicomnia bona bonis, all things are clean to the clean, and all things good to the good. God createth good things, he ordereth evil things: the thing is not ill, but the ill applying is evil, not the power. There is potest as ad infestandum. if it be applied to the Malefactor, it is even bonum justitiae. Sic non est dedecus culpae sine dedecore vindictae. God saith, It shall be well with the just, for they shall eat the fruit of their works; but woe be to the wicked, for it shall be evil with them, Esay 3. The punishing the wicked and rewarding the just is good; for we know that all things work to the best unto them that love God, Rom. 8. 28. If any thing be amiss, the evil is in man, not in God: God hath made us good, but by Adam's transgression, and our daily sin, we are evil: It is our iniquities that hath separated between us and our God; it is our sins that have hid his face from us, Esay 59 2. and Jer. 5. 25. Say not then this is ill or that is ill, but say I am ill and I am wicked. God, who made all things, could best see that every thing was very good: but either by ignorance or by ill desert we are dim sighted. 3. Lastly, For imitation we must see as God did, that we may see our works good: Bonitas bonitatum, & omnia bonitas was the state of the first creation: By sin it was that Solomon saith, the beginning of the Preacher, that vanitas vanitatum, & omnia vanitas; and therefore let us be wary. God's deeds were visible, they were not good words only, but good gifts: let not us say only ecce dixi, but let our acts be good to the needy with ecce dedi: let us imitate God in that his goodness. There are two good things come from man, the one in 2 Pet. 1. 9 Knowledge, temperance, love, etc. The other in the 4. to the Philippians 14. to communicate to the afflicted: benefacite & communicate is the sum of all. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. In the former days there was creation of nothing, a disposition and ordering of things created, and an adorning of things ordered: Here is an accomplishment of all his works. God, before man was, observed the days and the number, but here he delivereth unto man the Calendar of times, which we have received and shall be received to the world's end. The evening goeth before the morning: rest is in the evening, labour in the morning, to the which man is ordained: After this his last work cometh the seventh day, the day of rest. God he resteth not in the waters, nor in the Earth; he resteth not in the Heavens: but to conclude with the excellent saying of St. Austin: Requiescit Deus in homine, ut homo in Deo requiescat, God took his rest in man, that man might take his rest for ever with God: Which God of his mercy grant us all; to whom be all honour, glory, and praise, world without end. Amen. AMEN. LECTURES PREACHED UPON the second Chapter OF GENESIS. LECTURES Preached in Saint PAUL'S Church LONDON. Itaque perfecti sunt Coeli & Terra, omnisque exercitus illorum. Gen. 2. 1. April 22. 1591. IN the course of the former Chapter, ever we have seen the closing up of every day's work to have this usual and ordinary return, & dixit Deus. Now the seventh day being come, we are not to look for the old usual dixit, but for a new course of speaking and manner of dealing; for as God finished and perfected his Law in ten words, when he spoke in Sinai: So here in ten words he perfectly finished the whole work of Creation; and therefore now need no more to command any thing else to be made, because Heaven and Earth and all the fullness of them, are thus perfectly done and finished. If there be any thing in all the world, either they are here spoken of, or else are (in lumbis terrae & Creatoris, in the loins of the efficient, or in the womb of the World,) For within the six days all things were made; so that we may say with the wise man, Preach. 1. 9 What is now or shall be hereafter, but that which hath been made or done before hand, therefore there is now no new thing under the Sun. As that first Chapter was for the world; so this Chapter some call Man's Chapter, for it is but the remainder of the former Chapter, and is accounted as only a gloss, or Commentary of the Creation of man, set down in the 27. verse of the first Chapter. The former Chapter doth describe the great world in general, but this speaketh especially of the lesser World, viz. Man. This Chapter doth consist of three parts. 1. The first is the Compliment of the Creation, with the description of the Sabbath, or rest, or seventh day, in the first three verses. 2. The second containeth a brief sum and abridgement of the Creation of the great World, from the 4. to the 7. verse. 3. The third part is a repetition of the Creation of the little World, or the continuation of the history of man, from the 7. to the end. Touching the first, as it is contained in three verses, so in it there are three parts, or members to be marked. 1. In the first, The Holy Ghost standeth upon the perfection of God's works. 2. In the second he showeth, That having perfectly finished all, he gave himself to rest. 3. In the third, That he instituted that day, and sanctified it, to be a sabbath for ever to be used, observed, and kept. Which three parts do depend one upon another; for God having perfected all, he rested, and in that rest he blessed the seventh day, and instituteth the Sabbath: these are the three branches of the first part: The first whereof I will handle at this time. 1. He perfected all when man was created. Moses, by way of sequel, telleth us, by joining the perfection of things to man's Creation: That is a singular and an honourable prerogative in that behalf unto man: For recounting the perfection of all Creatures presently after man's making, he inferreth that they were not perfect, but defective before; for until man was made, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that wheel of generation and course of nature whereof St. James spoke 3. 6. which never stood still. God took no rest before, nor made holiday, because there was no end nor perfection of his work until man was made; Insomuch as God may seem to have made such a vow as David did Psal. 132. 4, 5. That he would not suffer himself to take any rest, until he had found that earth of which he would make man, and had placed him in the World; which argueth that there was a defect and imperfection, and as yet something to be supplied, for the Earth lacked, and therefore looked for her possessor, which was man, who carried therefore the Earth in his name, that he might show that the earth depended on him; The Host of Creatures. for the perfection of Heaven and Earth is in him, who as he was Princeps Terrae, A Captain. so was he Infans Coeli, one born to inherit Heaven also; for seeing Heaven is a body and capable of a body, it must needs be that it was not made only for spirits, but for a body which was to be made: Therefore in that he saith, Thus were the Heavens and the Earth perfected, he showeth that their perfection was suspended, and they held as unperfect and not complete, until man was made. Though the Heavens were made, 1. 19 yet until now they were not perfected: There was Urim, as the Hebrews say, but there was not Thummim: i. there was light, but there was not the perfection of light. Thus then were the Heavens and the Earth perfected; for though there was a power in God to make more Creatures, and create more things besides these; yet note, he maketh his full point, and saith, all is perfected, which is that (consummatum est) of the Creation. Thus much generally for the copulation & sic. Now to descend to the particulars, we see thy are distributed into two joints. 1. First, Heaven and Earth, which are the Continents. 2. Secondly, The host of them, which are Contents and fullness thereof. That a thing be made perfect, there are required two degrees of perfection, which are opposite to the double imperfection, spoken of in the former Chapter, Barrenness, Emptiness. called Tohu, Tobohu, the one being an outward perfection opposite to barrenness and emptiness without: the other is inward, opposite to rudeness and deformity within. The one is called perfectio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is integritas partium, when all the parts are orderly in a comely proportion framed and well set together. The other outward perfection is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, a due supply of decent furniture, and the accessary of needful ornaments which being added it is also outwardly perfect; both which you may see in a body: for when a man's body is rightly knit together in every joint with good colour and countenance, he hath his first inward perfection of nature; but so long as there is nakedness, there is yet a defect and want outwardly: But being adorned with jewels and apparel, it hath then the outward perfection also. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. We see them also in a house; for when it is framed and the frame set together orderly, and the rooms of the building well contrived and conveyed, than it hath the first perfection, Integritas partium. i. integritatem partium: but when it hath the hang, furniture, and implements, which is called suppellex, than it hath also the other, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for by that means every room is furnished and adorned. The like order we may observe in Heaven and Earth; First they were imperfect, nothing done nor disposed; then they were facta, that is, perfectly made and disposed, as great, spacious, and stately rooms as yet empty and void; but now being filled with the hosts of of them, than they are perfectly furnished indeed. The Septuagint do translate that which is here called the host 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. the beauty of Heaven and Earth: but the propriety of the word in the original tongue importeth Armies, or Hosts, or Bands; Quest. Whereupon the question is, Why Moses doth express the fullness of Heaven and Earth, and the furniture and implements thereof, by this comparative name of Armies? Resp. For answer some say, That it may be that the Israelites were then in Camp and Garrison, when Moses wrote this, which estate of theirs being military, he useth a military word. Indeed if we consider the form of Heaven, the Prophet saith, It is as a Tent spread abroad, Esay 40. 22. In regard of which, the furniture which is under it is fitly compared to Armies and Bands, or Troops, to inhabit it. But many other good and forcible reasons there are, why Heaven is called a Tent or Pavilion, and the furniture in it compared to Squadrons of Soldiers in a Camp. 1. As first in regard of the huge multitude of things in them; for one cannot say the furniture or implements of a house is comparable to them; therefore the furniture of an Host doth best express it. Every Creature therefore in Heaven or Earth is God's Soldier, in pay with him, and hath received some weapons to punish God's Enemies, and the several kinds are, as it were, the Ensigns of his Army, and the company of all are the Host and Army Royal. 2. The second reason is in respect of order, because no Camp can be more orderly trained than the course of Nature in the order of God's Creatures. The days in Winter cast themselves, as it were, in a ring, in the Summer abroad and so come long. The Stars keep duly their assigned place, time and course, without disorder or disturbance to the rest. So the Herbs do in their order, and seasons one follow another. And so do the Fish gather together in skuts and squadrons, and march about the Sea coasts in their kinds. 3. Thirdly, There is a respect beyond these, which is in regard of their head and Captain; for in an Host there must needs be imagined a Leader or head Governor of all, which we cannot say of householdstuff or apparel, for it implieth not a head necessarily: Man, therefore, is made the Captain and guide or head of this Host, In which regard they are thus called. 4. Fourthly, There is a higher regard, which is of God the chief and supreme head or Emperor, in which respect God is called, The Lord of Hosts, Exod. 15. 3. Therefore, as man on Earth is Lieutenant to lead you; so in Heaven and Earth God is Chieftain and highest Commander of them; For if God send out his swift watchword, all Creatures do carefully obey and muster themselves to do his will, Psal. 147. 15. If he do but hisse or whistle, they come out and set forward, Esay 7. 18. And for retreat, Mark 4. 39 if he say Peace, and be still, the winds cease, are still, and go no further. 5. Last of all, because if they had been expressed by the term of apparel or furniture, it might have been thought that all things had been made for pleasure: but by the comparison of Soldiers, they are made known to be made for service also, as Soldiers are. All other kinds of service are but for one use, as a Servants service is only obedience either to do or not to do, but there is a double use and service of a Soldier: Miles pro & contra. The one is to apply himself to the good of his Captain and Country: The other to be ad oppositum against his enemies, to defend his Captain, and to offend his Adversary. So man's life is called a Warfare, and Christians are Soldiers, in both virtues endeavouring to do good and to resist evil, and to throw down all that doth oppose itself against God. Also wheresoever mention is made of an Army, there is employed an Enemy, which therefore giveth some occasion out of this, to gather the fall of Angels, which Heavenly Creatures are made not only to serve ad muniendum, sed ad puniendum, for the benefit of the good, but for the punishment of disobedient and disloyal servants; for against such, all things in Heaven and in Earth, do arm themselves for revenge, and oppose themselves against them. We may if you please muster these Armies in their several ranks and orders. Armies in Heaven, celeftiall Spirits, as the Angels. And first concerning the Armies in Heaven, they are of two sorts. The first are in the uppermost Heavens, in which are the Angels, which being spirits are called, by implication, Heavenly Soldiers or God's host, as Jacob in the old Testament called them, Gen. 32. 2. and St. Luke in the new Testament 2. 13. These are the first order, which have the name of an Host; concerning which celestial Creatures we read that they are 〈◊〉 Psal. 104. 4. Called Soldiers in respect of their ministry. and fitly compared to Soldiers, in respect of their service and ministry, Heb. 1. 14. Multitude. and also in respect of their multitude, Psal. 68 17. and Dan. 7. 10. And in the New Testament, Matth. 26. 53. Christ speaketh of twelve Legions which surpasseth the greatest Host that ever was. Power. Also in respect of their power, they deserve the same name, 2 Thes. 1. 7. Also in respect of their wisdom for policy, 2 Sam. 14. 20. these are continually present and affistant with God, Job 1. 6. 1 King. 22. 19 And God doth send and employ them to our service, Gen. 28. 12. and are often messengers between God and man; Their care and charge. and their care and charge is not only to look to whole Countries and Nations, Joshua 5. 14. as of Israel, and Dan. 10. 13. of Persia and Grecia, but also of singular persons, as St. Peter had his Angel, Act. 12. 15. So had Agar, Gen. 16. 7, 8. And little Children had their Angels, Matth. 18. 10. Abraham's servant an Angel, Gen. 24. 7. and Tobias an Angel. Having their charge generally of Countries, and especially of several men, They are present with us, it followeth consequently, that they are present with us and about us, Preach. 5. 5. In which regard we must take heed to our behaviour propter Angelos, 1 Cor. 11. 10. To guide and direct us. They are not only present, but also do go before us, as guides for directions in good matters, as Abraham's servant, Gen. 24. 40. To hinder some in bad matters. And as they serve to further us in good things, so do they hinder some men in bad courses and enterprises, Numb. 22. 31. as they did Balaam: And they do rejoice if we prevail in that which is good, Luke 15. 10. And the last service they perform, is to carry and convey us into Abraham's bosom, Luke 16. 22. The Military service of Angels. Now touching their military service, they do pitch their Camp about the Godly ad muniendum for defence, Psal. 34. 7. and ad puniendum they do pursue and scatter the wicked. They are in Cherubins spreading their wings over the good, Exed. 25. 22. and 〈◊〉 out a fiery sword against the evil, Gen. 3. 24. There is friendship and fidelity to the one, and opposition and open hostility with the other. So they served for Elishaes' protection and defence, 2 Kings 6. 17. and for opposition and defiance to the Enemies of God, Esay 37. 36. We see both together, Gen. 19 15. they defend Lot and 〈◊〉 Sodom: And Acts 12. 7, 8, 9 the same Angel which delivered 〈◊〉 out of 〈◊〉 smote Herod with the disease of the worms, that he died. In the Firmament the Stars. Touching the nether Heavens, The Host of the firm ament is the celestial bodies, Deut. 17. 3. for so are the Stars and the Planets called, Act. 7. 43, 44. And their Military service is, Judg. 5. 20. to fight in their courses against God's enemies. Armies in the Air. For the lowest Heavens, which is the Air, There God hath his Host, viz. the Wind; for the Wind (though it be but a puff of Air) yet when God doth stir it, it hath such a military and violent force, both on the Seas, Psal. 48. 7. and also on the Land, 1 Kings 19 11. Job 1. 19 Leave the body of the Air, and go to the furniture of it, There shall you see that God hath his store-house of Snow and Hail, Job 38. 22. both for reward of the good, and revenge of the wicked, for from thence came fire and brimstone on Sodom, Gen. 19 24. and from thence came the storm of Hail upon the Egyptians, Exod. 9 22. etc. If you come to the fowls of the Air, they are God's Army, for our good to feed us, 1 King 17. 6. or else for our punishment, to feed upon us, Ezech. 39 4. And God's power doth not show itself in the great Fowls, as Ostriches and Eagles, but in his Army of little poor Flies which are in the Air, Exod. 8. 24. and his swarms of Hornets, Deut. 7. 20. for by them he can compel People to forsake and leave their Land and dwelling places. Armies in the Earth. Let us come to his Armies on Earth and Waters, And first concerning the Waters, do not we see, Gen. 7. 21. that there were such huge Armies thereof, that at God's commandment they overflowed the whole Earth: That they drowned the Egyptians, Exod. 14. 27. And the Whales in the Waters are God's Host to devour Ionas, Jon. 1. 17. Yea, to leave the great Army of Whales, and come to the Army of Frogs which God hath in the Waters, where you shall see, that God hath such great power in these weak things, that they can annoy the mightiest Kingdoms upon Earth, Exod. 8. 14. Armies of Earth. For the Earth itself, that can swallow up God's enemies, Numb. 16. 32. And on the Earth you may take the Lions for a strong Army, 2 Kings 17. 25. but his power is most of all seen in the weak Host of Grasshoppers, Exod. 10. 14. and of Locusts and Caterpillars, Joel 2. 25. Yea, of Lice he can make such an Army, that, etc. Exod. 8. 16, 17. If we come to men, the Inhabitants of the Earth, they are God's Host, but they fight not against other Creatures, but with their own kind, not one against one, but thousands against thousands, even in pitched fields; not with natural Instruments, as the Boar with his tusk, the Bull with his horn, but with artificial weapons of divers sorts, with whose kind of forces the World is too well acquainted. Thus we see, that there is no creature in Heaven or Earth, but is a Soldier in pay with God, and all these hosts are in league with us; so long as we serve God, Job 5. 23. And keep our sacramentum militare, which we make in our Baptism; otherwise they come upon us like armed men, and are pressed against us, to punish our disobedience: And every part of Heaven and Earth, then, will send out an Army to conspire our destruction and overthrow; and this may suffice for a brief view of these Armies. A word of the third perfection, we have seen perfection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Now we are to consider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. First: The World was a great House, perfect in respect of the parts, but yet the rooms were empty and unfurnished. Then God replenished, garnished and furnished it with its hosts, as we have heard. But yet there wanted a third perfection, which is a head to guide, and an owner to possess, manure, and occupy all. Man the perfection of God's work. God made the Earth as his workhouse and shop, and Heaven as his chamber and place for a rest and reward, and both for one; and that is man. God made the Earth as the Tent to prepare ourselves and to put on our Armour, as the Field, Lists or Tiltyard, to try masteries or to fight in, against God's enemies 1 Pet. But the Heavens and Firmament he made as, locum triumphi, that is, the Court to triumph in: So that when man was made to be a Soldier in the one, and a Conqueror in the other; all was perfected. God made the Earth in its parts absolute, and gave it erecta 〈◊〉, depressa vallium, & densa silvarum, and furnished it with beasts and cattles of divers kinds, but did perfect all; by making man the owner of all. In a Battle, though the Field be appointed, the Ordinance planted and the Soldiers encamped: yet all is unperfect, till there be a General of the field to marshal them, and a Captain to lead them; so was all unperfect till man was made. Object. Seeing man was the perfection of all things; what aileth it now? That being so many men, we can see nothing absolute and in its perfect estate? David saith, Psal. 119. 96. I have seen an end of all perfection, but thy Law is perfect, as if he should say; there is nothing else perfect now, the Heavens are called often imperfect, Levit. 26. 19 The Air is infectious, the Seas dangerous, the Earth also groweth in her imperfections; So the Beasts are unto us: In our bodies we find troops of diseases, and in our souls heaps of sorrows, and care, which show our imperfections. Resp. Perfectio creationis. Though the finishing of Heaven, Earth, and Man be the perfection of Creation: Deformatis 〈◊〉 perfectionis. Yet now we must understand, that the sin of man brought in death, and so an imperfection or deformation. Finis peccati mors, Rom. 6. 21. Et peccati finis damnatio, Phil. 3. 19 verse. Thus then standeth our estate and condition: Ratio. The reason of it is, because the Captain and Lieutenant [man] being set to resist the enemy Satan, grew in a league and conspiracy with him against God, and so apostatavit, non militavit, as saith St. Ambrose, wherefore seeing he was not content with his estate to be Lieutenant, but would be chief general sicut Deus, Gen. 3. Therefore consequently followed his decay: And this is the means, whereby from perfection, he came to desection, and so to imperfection; for when he which was the perfection of all things, became imperfect; then all things which were ordained for, and given to him, grew subject to alteration and vanity, Rom. 8. and so per consequence imperfect. And thus saith David, we have seen an end of all perfection under the Sun. Perfectio redemptionis. Yet that perfection of nature being lost (see the unspeakable mercy of God) we have another new perfection 2 Cor. 5. 17. in Christ, In whom we are made new creatures: And that perfection to the which nature would have brought us; that is never to die, but to be translated with Enoche, to the same will God's grace (through Christ) restore us again: And as in the sixth day man was here perfected; So in the sixth age of the World, Christ came and made his Consummatum est, which is the second perfection of redemption, at which time as St. Peter saith all things lost by nature shall be restored by grace. Yet there is another further perfection, than this of grace and redemption, that is the perfection of glory in the life to come; for than shall the last end and perfection come, Matth. 24. 14. When that which is imperfect is done away, then that which is perfect shall come, 1 Cor. 13. vers. 11. Quam autem perfecisset Deus die septimo opus suum quod fecerat, quievit ipso die septimo ab omni opere suo quod fecerat: Gen. 2. 2. verse. April 24. 1591. THe other day I shown you that these two verses, do as links in a chain depend one upon the other; for the Holy Ghost telleth us, that when he had made man, he perfected all his works; and here when he had perfected and finished all, than he rested. It is the right order to work and labour still, until we have attained to the perfection of our work, which done, it is reason we should leave off and rest; For, whereas that is perfect whereunto nothing can or may be added; and Gods works now being so, having that perfection within which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the fit joining and knitting together of parts and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which is the furnishing and adorning of the parts, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the setting a head over them, there wanteth now nothing else to be added, but only an end and conclusion to be made, which here God performeth. For as it is a fault in working to labour and not to perfect, so it is a fault also not to leave off when the work is well and perfect, because by being over curious we make the work worse, is we mar it not altogether, and so make it imperfect again. Yet there are some of so curious mind, and withal of so restless a spirit, Heb. 10. 25. as cannot be content with perfection itself, but will departed from the fellowship of the Church. They are such as Solomon speaketh of Prov. 30. 33. who will not be content when all is clean, but will still be blowing the nose until the blood follow. These may be called fellows of the preterpluperfect tense, whom nothing can please, be it never so perfect, unless it feed their giddy and brainsick humours. But Moses telleth us, that as God is not defective in his works, so he is not excessive, sed manum detorquet, when all was perfect he stayed his hand, gave over his work and betook himself to rest. And thus much of the dependence of this verse. Touching the parts, they are two in number. 1. The one is the perfection of the works in respect of God. 2. The other is his rest, when he had made an end. For the first we have to consider three things. 1. First, the action of finishing. 2. Secondly, the time in which he did finish. 3. And the third is touching the rest itself. Touching the first, There was a beginning when nothing was made; after he made all things, he cometh to an end, and there finisheth all. If he be Alpha, i. the beginning of a thing, he will be Omega, that is, bring it to a happy and perfect end, Revel. 1. 8. Man beginneth but cannot bring to an end, for these causes. But with man it is otherwise, he beginneth many things which he finisheth not: If he purposeth good things, oftentimes his courage doth quail before it come in act, as Peter did: Or else, if they be 〈◊〉 in their purpose, their strength faileth them before they can effect it, Psal. 21. 11. They imagine such a devise which they are not able to bring to pass, because their arm is too weak and short to do it: Or if we have strength yet oftentimes the cost and charge is too great, which the work requireth. Luke 14. 30. So some men take in hand to build houses, which, for lack of sufficient store, are not able to finish. Last of all, Man himself very often before he can finish and come to an end of his work, hath his days finished, and his years come to an end. Wherefore fear not what man can do unto thee, seeing his breath is in his nostrils; for there are many ways to prevent and alter or hinder their purpose, for God can take away his breath before he can bring it to pass. But God is not as man, he cannot repent or alter his mind, Numb. 23. 19 If God saith he will do any thing, Quis impediet? he would know Who can let or hinder it? Esay 43. 13. Therefore this is our comfort which Moses saith Deut. 32. 4. Omne opus Dei perfectum: And therefore if he hath begun any good work in us, he will throughly finish it in the end, Phil. 1. 6. Wherefore let us also, when we have well begun, never give over any good thing until we have finished it, and having well done one thing, we must not then and there leave off and start aside like a broken bow from doing any more, Psal. 78. 57 for God ceaseth not, he never giveth over dixit, fecit, until the return came, & fuit sic, & perfecit. We must persevere then, the Philosophers said that Perseverantia est virtus virtutum. And Gregory saith, Of all Virtues only Perseverance is crowned. The goodness and good works of the wicked are as shooting stars, falling and vanishing suddenly, and as a Land-flood or plash of water, Ose 6. 4. which continue not, but are soon dried up: They are as a fire of thorns, Psal. 118. 12. Therefore let us not frame ourselves to their manner of doing well. For Pharaoh ten times began well, but still declined from amending the faults, which he knew and confessed, Exod 8. 8. etc. This is their behaviour. But the estate of the Godly, is the state and manner of the Nazarites, as St. Augustine saith, that is, be holy and clean all their days; for if they touch any unclean thing the last day, than all their days are reckoned unclean. Now as we draw this from God's perfection; so for the time when he rested (namely the seventh day) we learn to avoid protraction and delays. For God doth not only end, but he endeth also in a short time, even within seven days; which is not the manner of men, who in good things are as a Snail, Psal. 58. 8. Seeing God then within seven days finished omnia opera sua, his great works of Creation, what a shame it is that we cannot finish our opuscula, a few small good things in many years. Now we are come to opus suum quod fecerat, of which I will only show you some notes, which St. Augustine hath gathered out of it. First, saith he, We may see that all that which was created before, so infinite Hosts of Creatures in number, and so divers in kind on every side and part of the World, all that innumerable plurality is here by God in one rolled up, and is called opus suum. Though Heaven and Earth be so fare asunder, and so contrary in nature, yet here they are brought to an unity and atonement; the means whereof, as he saith, is man, who being both of Heaven and Earth, became vinculum perfectionis, joining both together in Man, as they both together were for man, and under his government. Now in that he saith Opus suum quod fecerat, Agustine noteth it, because there are some men which do brag of opus suum, but they cannot boast of quod fecerant, because there are some which do not only build upon another man's foundation (which St. Paul would not do) but also upon another man's Timber and Stones too, as one having gotten St. Paul's Parchments or Epistles, should say and set them out as his own, but these cannot say, as God here doth opus suum quod fecerat. Object. Now touching the third point, I ask first, Whether God was weary of working because he rested? Resp. To which the Schoolmen answer, That, rest is here not opposed to weariness but to work, for he could not be weary of his work; because all that he did was done without labour, for he made all, by saying only let it be. But happily a man, with long and much speaking may be weary: But we see that God spoke but even one word, at least few, and short words, and therefore could not be weary so: Also a man is not weary of that which he doth, with faculty, and facility too: But God doth all things not only with faculty, but with the greatest facility that may be, for nothing is hard to him, or beyond the compass of his power; therefore we cut off all weariness from God, and say, That his resting was only a ceasing, or leaving off to make any more new things, for his rest is only negatio operis, non affirmatio laboris. Object. The other question is, Doth God then cease and rest from all manner of work; hath he ever since done nothing more? Resp. That is impossible, for seeing he is Actum primum; therefore he cannot be idle, and rest from all things, as we may imagine; as he bath quietem activam, so hath he motum stabilem, a quiet motion, without any labour; and this we may learn out of Moses words, for he saith not simply, that then God rested, but he rested from his works, and not absolutely from every work, but only from the works which he had created, that is, A novis condendis, sed non a veteribus conservandis. from creating any more things, from the works of creation he rested a novis condendis, sed non a veteribus conservandis; for this was the Sabbath days work, which then he began: So saith Christ, pater meus adhuc operatur, & ego operor, John 5. 17. That is both in the propagation and bringing forth the things which he made, & also in preserving of them. We say, in the Schools, that there is a double cause of things, the one is causa sieri the other is causa esse. The first, is the cause of making: As a Carpenter having made a house perfect, forsaketh it and careth no more for it, till it fall down or as the fire is of heat, or as the clock keeper, is of the going of the clock, who when he hath set it to his mind, leaveth it until the plumets fall down: causa esse, is as the candle is of light, which being taken away, the light is gone: So is God the cause of our life, being as a candle, whose being is of light: And in that respect David saith, Lift up the light of thy countenance, as if God were our candle, who being taken away, our life and light is clean put out, and become darkness, Psal. 104. 29. If he take away his breath from us, we die. We say then, that he rested not from preserving and governing, though he did rest from making. Hermes, by the light of reason, could say, That it were very absurd to think that God should leave and neglect the things he had made; and God imputeth it as a fault to the Ostrich, Job 39 18, 19 to leave her eggs without care and regard in the sands, therefore God himself will be free of that blame and blemish which he condemneth in others. As we say of the Father, so we say of the Son, which is the word of God, Psal. 33. 9 He commanded and they were made, there is creation, He said the word and they stood fast: which is the second work of preservation and guiding. Also Psal. 148. 5, 6. He first made them with his word which is the first work of creation, long since ended, and he gave them a Law, which they should not break, which is the other work of establishing and governing things made: So Coll. 1. 17. Paul speaking of Christ saith, By him all things have their being or existence: and Heb. 1. 3. By him all things have their supportance, and are held up. He resteth not also from the ruling and governing of the World. A Sparrow is one of the basest and meanest Birds, Matth. 10. 29, 30. Yet their motion is directed by his providence and will, yea the hairs of our head (are numbered,) and none of them fall without his providence: how much more than is he provident in disposing and governing man's motions? He hath a stroke in all that we do, Prov. 16. 1. The answer of our tongue is guided by God, and in the 9 verse, the direction of our ways, and the end and issue of their purposes and thoughts; yea he ordereth and governeth our hands and feet, Psal. 33. 10. Psal. 56. 13. He I say, fashioneth all our thoughts, and knoweth them long before; so that we have no power in our heart to think, in the tongue to speak, or hand to do aught, but as we are directed by God; yea for things most casual as Lots and Chances which are attributed to fortune, Prov. 16. 33. Even that is ruled by the Lord God, Act. 1. 26. The Lot of Mathias and Joseph called Barsabas is cast into the Lap, but the Lord doth dispose it and causeth it to fall unto Mathias. That also which we call Chance-medley, as when many men walking in the street; one of them is killed with a stone falling on him, of such a chance God saith, Ego Dominus extuli illum hominem, Exod. 21. 13. So that God hath his stroke even in ordering such things? If this be so, then let us not say as they did, Job. 22. 13. Tush, God walketh above and regardeth not the things on earth, or with them, God seethe us not; For he both seethe, governeth, and preserveth all on earth: For though the Lord be in heaven, yet he humbleth himself to look down and behold the sons of men, and considereth that there is none of them good, Psal. 14. 2. And God hath not only, Librum rerum creatarum, Psal. 139. 16. But he hath a register verborum & factorum, of words and deeds also, Mal. 3 16. And that we may know not our being only, but our preserving and guiding, is of the Lord and his work: he will at the last bring all these things to Judgement, Preach. 12. 14. As for God's rest after That he had made all things for himself, Prov. 16. 4. Then did he introire in regnum suum, Heb. 4. 10. So that he went out of his rest for our sakes, and having made all for us; he is said not to rest in his work, nor after his work, but from his work, for he had no need of these things, for he had most perfect rest in his own glory, which he had before the World was made, John 17. 5. into that rest than he now returned. Secondly, we see that in God's rest his works go before it; for the word is not quievit but requievit, which showeth that if we be first employed about the works of God and then rest; it may well be called God's rest, but that rest which is without work is Issachars' rest, Gen. 49. 15. that is, idleness, and such as give themselves to that, are called Cretians, idle and slow bellies, as St. Paul calleth them, and those shall never enter into God's rest, for it is pigra vocatio and not a return to rest. If God had his work six days before he rested in creation, and if Adam had his work in the state of innocency, than it is much more meet now, That man should go forth to his labour until the evening, Psal. 104. 23. They which are not in labour hominum, Psal. 73. But lie on their beds imagining mischief, Pro. 26. 14. They shall not rest in the Lord, because God made them for good works to walk in them, Ephes. 2. vers. 10. There are a number of superfluous Creatures, as one calleth the idle ones, of whom if we should demand, What is thy calling or work? They cannot say, we are exercised in the works of men; neither do they work in the will of God: therefore if they do any thing, they busy themselves in meddling about other men's matters. It is strange to see how busy we are in taking in hand evil things, and how earnest we are in doing them, and how constant in not giving them over, or ceasing from such works, Gen. 11. 6. Judas, can watch all night, to work his treason; but Peter, and the rest could not watch, one hour, to pray with Christ, Mark. 14. 37. etc. Non habemus, tantum perseverantiae in bono, quantum constantiae in malo. Husbandmen in their works for earthly things are earnest, they follow his counsel, Preach. 11. 6. Not to cease sowing from the morning until the evening, but will make an end; but in the works of God, we cannot follow his counsel, 9 9 to do all that thou takest in hand with all thy power and strength, quicquid agis instanter age, saith one, after the example of Abraham's servant; who would not eat nor rest until he had done his Master's work, Gen. 24. 33. And as David who vowed, That he would not suffer his eyes to slumber, nor his eyelids to take any rest, until he had found out a place for God's Ark, Psal. 132. 2, 3. etc. The proportion between work and rest. Now we are come to the last point, which is the proportion between work and rest; which is as great odds as six to one, for he wrought six days and rested the seventh. This then if we apply will sit somewhat near us: for though happily we do some work at some times, and perhaps do perfect it at last. Yet this is the manner of the world when they are weary of idleness, or can do no other worldly thing, than it cometh into their minds to say operemur opera Dei, and when we take it in hand, we work not six days as God did, and rest one; but we rest six daves and labour one: we should use rest as a sauce, and labour as our meat, Job. 4. 34. And we know there is great odds and difference between the dishes, in which they are served; but it is our fashion to use labour as a sauce, to get us a stomach to rest. But we must not be as Jobs Sons and Daughters, Job 1. 4. that is, to spend whole days yea many days in delights and jollity, and few hours in the works of our vocation: for this is not to rest after God's example. The last use which we are to make of this, is that which the Apostle gathereth out of the Heb. 4. 10. As God did rest from his works, so let us from ours: we must esteem our righteousnesses and best works as filthy rags, Esay 64. 6. Yea as very dung, Phil. 3. 8. And say as Job did, Job 9 28. Verebar opera mea: thus we must rest from our own works, because there is no safety or quietness in them, but leave our own righteousness, that we may rest in Christ and in the works he hath wrought for us. And great reason it is, that we should only and wholly rest in him, Act. 17. 28. Quoniam in ipso movemur, therefore requiescamus in illo, if he be Lord of hosts, that is, of all works; then let him be to us the Lord of Sabbath also, both are noted in this preposition (in) for seeing our work and labour in this life is in Deum, 1 Cor. 15. 10. Therefore let our rest, for the life to come be in Deo, which St. Paul seemeth to join together, Rom. 11. 10. We are of him, that is, for creation: we are by him, that is, for preservation: and we are in him, that is, our end and final rest in him: To whom be all honour, praise, power, and dominion for ever. Amen. Et benedixit Deus diei septimo, & sanctificavit iplum: quum in eo quievisset ab omni opere suo, quod creaverat Deus, faciendo. Gen. 2. 3. verse. April 27. 1591. WE are now come to the period or full point of the work of Creation. This third verse containing in it, the dedication or sanctifying of that most wonderful and beautiful work of the whole World, and all things therein contained: For as in the Law both House and Temples, until they were dedicated and hallowed, were counted profane and unclean, and not to be used of God's people; though they were fully made, as we may see, for Temples, 2 Chron. 7. 1. and for houses, Deut. 50. 5. So we are to conceive of the frame of heaven and of earth, and all the hosts of them; for, both they and the governor, Man, were an unhallowed work until God blessed it, for though God blessed and sanctified the Sabbath: yet benedictio Sabati, tranfit, super observantes Sabati: As the Fathers say, by which means, the blessing came to man. Wherefore as we have said, his rest was active: So now we shall see it, in the last greatest and chiefest works of all, for now in his rest, he blessed and sanctified the Sabbath day. As Man was the end of all, so the end of man is holiness, which is nothing else but the Image of God, before spoken of, wherefore this is the performance of that word of God, Gen. 1. 27. Let us make man in our Image that is, let us make him a holy and a happy one, for man by God's blessed work coming to holiness in this life, shall thereby aspire to eternal happiness in the life to come 2 Pet. 1. 〈◊〉 & 11. There are two parts of this verse, the first containeth the blessing and sanctifying of the Sabbath: the second containeth the reason why he did so, namely, Because in it he rested from the work that he had made: which reason because it was before rehearsed in the second verse, let us first see the dependence of it. God doth not rather extol the seventh day, than the other six days, as if he did more favour and like idleness, than labour and work, for this is truly affirmed, both of God and godly men (of the Sabbath,) which that heathen man said of himself, Nunquam minus otiosus quam cum otiosus fui: for as one saith, Circumcisio cordis durior labore corporis, wherefore by this God only 〈◊〉 requiem sanctam, and not idle passage over the time. Object. But why did God pass over the six days and appropriate this special exaltation to the seventh day only? Resp. Surely it was to teach us to pass by all the creatures which God had made, and all that might be attained unto, by bodily labour and work: and not to seek for blessedness in the six day's work; but only in the blessing of the seventh day, given by his word which is above and beyond all that is in the Creatures. But the other reason is more sensible, which is, because every one of the six days, brought his real blessing with it. Of which Jobs wife had skill, Benedictus Deus in donis suis, Job 3. 9 Which is Oses blessedness, Benedictus dominus quo ditati sumus, But the world hath no feeling of St. Paul's blessings, which are spiritual, who saith blessed be God which made us rich in all spiritual riches in Christ. Wherefore that we may know, that we have more cause to, bless God, for his spiritual blessings given unto us on the Sabbath day by his word, then for his temporal blessings which we receive at other times by his Creatures, therefore did he specially bless this seventh day: for God knoweth we are easily brought to say, blessed be God, and blessed be this day in which we receive temporal blessings, and that place we will call the valley of blessing, 2 Cro. 20. 26. And on the other side, we think that day a cursed day, as Job did, in which we receive evils, Job 3. 8. But seeing all true and eternal blessings do follow and shine, from the blessing of this day: it is indeed to be esteemed a blessed day. Object. But I will ask, Whether the other days were not also blessed? Resp. Yes every one of them as we may see, Gen. 1. chap. had his Benedixit, which though they were temporal, yet they have a very good Analogy, and fit proportion, with the spiritual blessings of this day, of this day; for as we have a natural good use of the goodness of the Creatures on the six days, by their blessings given them; So here on the Sabath we have a spiritual use of the Creatures: For as the temporal and corporal use of the six days is ad cultum corporis, so this spiritual use of the seventh day is ad cultum animae, that so having blessings provided both for body and soul, we may by both kinds of blessings come unto God, in whose presence is the fullness of joy and blessedness for ever, Psal. 70. 4. Touching the blessing of the Sabath, We say that thing is blessed of God, to which God vouchsafeth some peculiar or special favour. So Isaac is called Benedictus Domini, Gen. 26. 12. because God shown him such special favours. It was the strife between Esau and Jacob, because of the blessing, that is, the superiority, Gen. 27. 37. What maketh the Sabath the chief day in the week. Therefore this day having the special blessing, is by it made the head and chief day of the week. The honour which is given to this day is holiness, which is expressed by sanctifying or hallowing, which consisteth in two things. The first is Levit. 20. 26. which is separation or setting it apart from common and profane uses, to the which they were or might be applied before, before which they were called things common and profane. So was this day first a common and an ordinary day, like to all the other ordinary days: yea, it might be thought to us before a waste empty day, bringing no good with it to us; but now being set apart, the day which the bvilders would refuse, by this, is made the head and chief day of building; for as a man being set a a part to be a Magistrate, is thereby made above ordinary men; so is this day now among other days, being set a part by God's word. As the separation of it from profane uses is the first part; so consequently ensueth for the sanctifying of any thing the appropriation of it to God's holy uses, to the which he hath appointed it, Levit. 27. 28. as the sanctified Instruments of the Temple must not serve to any other uses, but to that holy use and purpose in the Temple, for which they were made. If we then so use this day and separate it from profane things, to holy exercises, it will be a blessed day to us; for God's blessing given to this day is a real blessing, and will cause us to grow in holiness here, and by it to blessedness in the life to come: For this must needs be granted, that he which 〈◊〉 it blessed it for some body; if for some body, then for himself, or for some other; but he made it not for himself, for he is God for ever and ever blessed. And as St. Paul saith, Omnia munda mundis, Titus, 1. 15. so we may say, Omnia sunt sancta sanctis; and therefore all things being holy to him which is holiest of all, it is sure that he sanctified it not for himself. Then it followeth, that it must needs be either for Man or for some other Creature; but not for any other Creature, because they themselves were all blessed and sanctified for us and our sakes, so saith Christ, Sabatum erat propter hominem, non homo propter 〈◊〉. Now we come to the counsel of God in the institution of the Sabath, the Psalmist saith 111. 2, 3, 4. That the works of God are great, and to be sought out of all them which have pleasure in them: And again That God hath so wrought his marvellous works that they ought to be had in remembrance. It is Gods will and counsel therefore in these works, first that we should have a remembrance of them, and not to forget his benefits in them; for he made them that we should not only have a corporal use of them, but a spiritual use also, as David had, Psal. 143. 5. Recogitavi, or, recordatus sum omnia opera tua, that is, it should be our delight and pleasure to call to mind again and again his bounty and magnificence in his works, that blessing him for these benefits, we may be blessed of him for ever in the world to come. Thus we see the dependence of this work and the counsel of God therein, to the end that this counsel of God may prosper and succeed well, that we may have fit occasion to call to mind his works, to bless him for it, and to be blessed of him: It was requisite and necessary that God should take order to appoint a time, in which (setting aside all other worldly duties of our calling, we should only and wholly, as much as our weak nature can suffer) apply ourselves to this Christian duty of meditation and serving God, which here is set down to be the seventh day, in which circumstance of time we have four things to consider. 1. First, That some day or time must be appointed to that end. 2. Secondly, That it should be a day or time certain. 3. Thirdly, That the certain time should be in a certain number of days, which the Fathers call taxatio temporis. 4. Fourthly, That it should be the seventh day, which is taxatio diet. 1. For the first we see, That reason consenteth to that which Solomon saith, Preach. 8. 6. That there is an appointed time for every action under the Sun, but especially 〈◊〉 it be a matter of weight and serious business indeed. Then reason wills that we should make special choice of a time, when secluding all other things, we may intent only and wholly to it alone. For if we should not have a certain time appointed to us, we of ourselves are so careless, that we would make account of very few days or none at all, to sanctify unto the Lord's worship. This matter then of God's worship and Religion, being a matter of our soul, is the most weighty and serious business that can be, in as much as the soul is the worthiest part of us: And therefore it concerneth the freehold of our souls so nearly, that if we neglect or set light by it, Agitur de anima, our soul is in jeopardy: But if we set light of our soul (which being so precious a thing, is worth looking to) yet in another regard it is a weighty duty, and therefore we ought to be careful of it, because God is worthy of this service and duty, which is opus Sabati, wherefore indeed there is no time of our life, but that we should think chief of this as the 〈◊〉 held, That a man ought perpetually to be present and conversant with God, And in our words send up short prayers and praises to God. And that this is a bounden duty, daily to be performed, it is agreeable to the word of God, Numb. 28. which was showed in their daily sacrifice every morning and evening, offering oblations and incense to God. But who is it that is able all the days of his life, night and day, to intent his business as he ought; for this belonged as a duty, not only unto the Jews, but unto every Christian now. Seeing this one business is to be intended above all other, and every thing is then best ordered, when we appropriate and apply the time and our studies only and wholly to it, as the proverb is, Quod unice, id unum, quod solicite id solum agas, for this is the wisdom of man in matters of this life: Then we must needs hearken to the counsel of the Prophet, Psal. 46. 10. Desistite, be still, or leave off other things, that ye may know I am the Lord, etc. And to the advice of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 7. 5. we may leave off other matters, and must consent so to do for a time, that the more fully and wholly we may be given to prayer and fasting. This is called of some Induciae seculo, a truce taken with the world for a time, that not being troubled with the affairs thereof, we may only set before us (as much as our weak natures can) our duty in the service of God, which is our sanctification. Therefore God appointed to this spiritual work a time at large, that is, appointed some time, in which only and wholly Adam by necessity was enjoyed to this work. Wherefore; by all conveyance of reason, by a much greater necessity, must we know, that we also must have a time at large for this business. 2. The second point is, That it was necessary, not only that there should be a time at large, that is, some time of our days, but also a certain set time or day appointed for it, for otherwise God should have slender service, or scarce any at all; for if it were left at our liberty, we would take liberty to serve him when we list, and when we could intent it, and when we had nothing else to do: Therefore one said well, according to St. Peter, Christiana libert as pallium est pessimis moribus. And I refer me to your judgement how well God will be served if there were no time certainly appointed, seeing this which is set down is so ill kept: Those therefore which urge Christian liberty and would not have a set certain day, but every day a Sabath, they would have God stand at that portion of time and service, which men's devotion and liberality would afford. This than would be the inconvenience of uncertainty in this matter, that perpetuum Sabatum & jejunium would prove none at all: And therefore God saw it necessary that we must have a set and a certain time. And in this the Law of Nature agreeth with the Law of God; for the Heathen had their statae feriae, set and appointed holy days: and the Hebrews call their holy-days by the name of Mogne, which is a stayed certain time, still unmovable, not at random, but set down and appointed firm and perpetual. 3. Now we are come to the third point, That it must be one of the seven in the week, which came not by nature's light, but by God's ordinance, his word setting it down, therefore was it told Adam, that he should tell it to the Posterities to come: By which means the Gentills came to the knowledge of it, and held it by tradition; for in their books we shall plainly see it. Lucianus testifieth, that as the Jews kept their holiday (in which they worship God) on the Saturday: the Turks on the Friday: the Egyptians on the Thursday: the Assyrians on the Wednesday: the Persians on the Tuesday: The Grecians on the Monday: And Christians now do keep their day of worship the Sunday and first day of the week; So that in all quarters and parts of the Earth every day and part of time is kept as a set day of divine worship. And for the seventh day, we shall see that the Pythagoreans had received a glimmering of this knowledge, for they called the number of 7 numerum quietis, and the number hallowed of God, and the divine number, or God's number, which they had (no doubt) not by the light of Nature and reason, but by tradition from their Elders, and so delivered it to their Posterity. It is strange which Eusebius recordeth out of two Heathenish Writers, 13. de preparatione Evangelii, The one of Linus verse 2. That God made and finished all things the seventh day: the other of Hesiod (we agreeing to that) saith, that therefore the seventh day is the Lords holiday. And on the seventh day therefore the Gentiles called on their Gods, and had their meetings in it, and called the number of 7 Minerva, by the name of their God. Macrobius affirmeth, that the Gentiles did mean by Pan and Jano and all other names of Gods, only the great God Apollo, as their chief God whom they served the seventh day. But this is our rule most plainly revealed from God's word, that it is his will, that we should keep the seventh day holy; for seeing all the days are his, he should have done no injury, if he had appointed and dedicated all the days of the week to be spent and employed on his service, yet he hath not done so. St. Augustine saith, That if God had given us but one day of the seven to work in, for our own commodity, it had been more than he had owed us, it had not been given of duty, but of his largesse and liberality. But now seeing he hath not given us one, or two, or every other day for our business, but the whole six, and reserved but one of the seven for himself to be served in; this is so equal, that none can complain or think to be hardly dealt withal. If any man shall now be so sacrilegious, having six days given him freely, as to take from him that hath but one reserved to himself, it is intolerable injury, and not to be excused, and as David saith, 2 Samuel 12. 5. he may well be called the Child of death. The fourth and last point is taxatio diei. As the World had the knowledge of the former three points, so this point standeth upon very good and sufficient reason; for seeing that the day is or deined in remembrance of this work and benefit of Creation (for that is the end why the Turks and Jews did celebrate holy-days, in them, to remember some notable work and benefit) therefore it is reason that God should make choice of such a day, in which the benefit might be best remembered: And of all the days in the week we shall see the seventh day to be the fittest to retain and keep in memory the commendation of this benefit and work of Creation. When God had performed this great work of Creation, he took order also, because it was the greatest benefit which as yet the World had or knew of, that the seventh day should be always had in remembrance, because he had fully perfected all the work in it; and the very same reason which made the Jews Sabath on the seventh day, doth now also move Christians to keep it on the first day in the week, for it is God's will that the lesser benefit should surcease and give place to the greater, Jer. 23. 7. and that the benefit of Creation, as the lesser, should yield and give place to the work of Redemption, which is the greater benefit. When Christ cometh, we shall not then extol and magnify the deliverance out of Egypt, but that shall cease and not be counted the greatest benefit; But we shall talk of Christ's work and deliverance from Hell and Satan: So the day of Creation must give place to the day of Redemption. Wherefore the Apostles, after Christ's Ascension, changed the seventh day unto the first day of the week, which we shall see, is most fit to keep in memory this greatest work and benefit of Redemption, as Athanasius and Ambrose do hold and prove: Because if (B) were the Dominical letter when Christ was borne, his Nativity was on the first day of the week, his Resurrection, Apparition of the Holy-Ghost, and Ascension, was also on the first day in the week. And also the first day is most fit to retain in mind the restauration of the World: So it is not unmeet to remember the Creation, which was begun the first day. And besides all this, it may serve as the fittest time to cause us to remember the benefit of glorification, for seeing our Inheritance is in light, Coll. 1. 12. And God made light, the first day, to come out of darkness, 2 Cor. 4. 6. Gen. 1. 3. therefore it is most fit to put us in mind of that also. We will begin the next time where we now leave. And you remember the last time according to the division we then made, we spoke somewhat of the institution and observation or use of the Sabath. The former being employed in the word (blessing) the other in the word (sanctifying:) Touching which we say with the ancient Fathers, that quodlibet officium Dei est beneficium nostrum. Therefore Adam, having received so many benefits of God, was bound by necessary duty, to perform some service to God for them, which every day in part he should have done as duty required; But some one day he ought wholly to apply all the powers of his mind, and all the parts and members of his body about it alone. Wherefore we have showed, 1. first, That there must be some one day or time set a part to the solemn intending of the work and worship of God. 2. Secondly, That it ought to be some certain day. 3. Thirdly, That God, measuring out his vectigal temporis, the tribute of time due to him, did assign it to be once in seven days, which revolution of seven hath a special use both in things natural and in things spiritual; for in Religion, as in seven days is the Sabath, so in the feast of the seventh month is the feast of the Tabernacle, or the feast of weeks. 4. The last point is a positive day and time, namely, the seventh day, which God chose as most fit for his work. Touching which the Jews themselves did not so much stand, in the strict limitation of the set day: For they held, That if a man by sleep or 〈◊〉, knew nor certainly which was the seventh day, it was not a matter absolutely necessary, so that he kept one day of the seven. To this end therefore of worshipping God, he would have us make a truce with the World. And as Augustine saith, we must have a vacation from the works of our Vocation. And as Christ would have us, Luke 10. 42. we must lay aside Martha's part, that not being troubled with many things, we might attend to Mary's part: The better for separating ourselves from worldly things, and dedicating ourselves to heavenly things, is the ground of this institution, Sabatum Ptradisi. and this is the end and observation of the Sabath of Paradise. Sinai. But the Sabath of Sinai had three other accessary ends added to this. 1. The first is Political, set down Exod. 23. 12. 2. The second is Theicall or Ceremonial, which Ceremonies are excellently well divided thus. 1. Some closures or fences. Some were appointed as closures or fences, to enclose and defend or aid the Law, Ceremonies of Sinai. as the sixth Precept had this Ceremony for his fence, That men should eat no blood, to signify 〈◊〉 them how greatly they should abhor murder. 2. Rudiments to the Gospel. The other Types or Ceremonies were rudiments and instructions leading us darkly, as by Riddles and 〈◊〉 to some necessary points of the Gospel. So the Ceremony of the Saboth taught us a double Lesson and Document, the one of a benefit already past and exhibited, as of the Creation done on the seventh day. The other of a benefit to be exhibited hereafter and perfected also on the seventh day, that is, the work of Redemption and Regeneration. So now the promised Saviour being come, that Ceremony of the set seventh day 〈◊〉, and the first day in the week is in its stead. There was also another Ceremony, Heb. 4. 9 and that taught us to rest from fin in this life, and also it was a type of the eternal rest in the life to come, Revel. 14. 13. The third end was peculiar to the Jews for that special work and benefit of their deliverance out of Egypt, Deut. 5. 15. wherefore the Jews say, that they have a double right and interest in the Sabath. 1. First, Because they are filii Adami. 2. Secondly, Because they are tanquam filii Abrahami. Our Saviour Christ teacheth us, 〈◊〉. 19 8. so to esteem of things as they were in the primitive state in their first institution, a principio non fuit sic: Wherefore when we say there was a Ceremony in this Law, and a Riddle, it must be understood, that it was not so from the beginning in Paradise, but was after added as accessary to it, and the reason inevitable to prove it, is set down, Coll. 2. 17. where Christ is said to be the body and substance of all shadows and Ceremonies. Wherefore seeing there could be no shadow where was no body, we conclude, that at this institution there could be no Ceremony, for where and when no sin and loss is, there needed then no Saviour. But there was no sin nor loss to man, until after this Sabath was instituted, as appeareth in the next Chapter, wherefore now it hath no such ceremonial end; for the only chief end now was to Adam, because he having but a finite soul, could not attend two things at once but diviso cord, wherefore, that he might attend this toto cord, this was ordained. And this was the principal end which was before the Ceremony, and remaineth still to us after the Ceremony. Touching the other Ceremony, which was a fence to the Law, it is set down Exod. 35. 2. which also was accessary: for only we reckon that to be Ceremonial in the fourth Commandment, which afterwards was added to the first end, and was ended in Christ; and thus we stop the mouths of Papists, which say, Seeing the fourth Precept is ceremonial, why is not the second also? and of the Anabaptists who reason even so against the third precept touching Oaths, saying, Why should not it be ceremonial as well as that, because these Ceremonies only were added for a time ad erudiendum intellectum, & ad informandos mores: Wherefore the first end remaineth; So that as the Eve of the Sabath is Nundinum ventris, the Market for provision for the belly, so the Sabath itself Nundinum mentis, the Fair to provide meat for our soul. And the Jews give a good reason why they were forbidden to go forth to gather Manna on the Sabath day: For why should they be troubled with corruptible Manna, which was subject to putrefaction and rottenness, seeing that day they were to gather the Heavenly Manna which perished not. There remaineth one point touching our positive day of keeping the Sabath, why it is changed into the first day of the week. The reason is because the benefit we received by Christ the first day of the week, is greater than the former of Creation, here finished on the seventh day: For by Christ's work we are not only postored to our first estate of God's Image, in which we were made; but also by it we are made partakers of the divine nature, as the Apostle saith; Therefore the former benefit of the day of Creation giveth place to this of the Redemption: For seeing his Resurrection was the perfecting of the work, which was upon the first day of the week. Therefore the Disciples used to meet in their Assembles ever after upon the first day, Act. 20. 7. and called it the Lords day, Rev. 1. 10. And some of the Fathers do think (considering well the 22, 23. verses of 118. Psalm) that it is a plain prediction of the change of the Sabath day, for the Prophet saith, That when the stone which the bvilders refused became the head corner stone, which was so wonderful in our eyes (which was fulfilled at his Resurrection, for before he was the foundation stone) than it should be said, This is the day which the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it, and give sacrifice and praise to God. Being therefore changeable by the institution, we are not to trouble ourselves about the altering of the set day; but we will a little more return to the consideration of the commandment as it is moral. The fourth Commandment, in the 5. of Deut. beginneth with a Memento, which is a calling to mind of all his benefits; and by adding a sanctification to it, God showeth quod in majori cultu colemus, and, as another doth interpret, sanctificavit, saying, Intimavit Deus Adamo, quod diem illum sibi consecrâsset. And though we find in the Commandment the word benedixit attributed to God only as his proper action, yet sanctificavit is applied also to man, for which we have this rule, that when such words are given both to God and Man, it is to be understood, that it is affirmed of God sub modo destinandi, and to Man sub modo applicandi; God sanctified it when he made this day (which seemed to man's reason the meanest day) to be his day and the chiefest of days ordained and appointed to a holy use and end, and our sanctifying of it is when we shall with care apply and spend it to that holy end. Object. But now the question is, Whether the Sabath and seventh day were by Adam and his posterity, after this institution to that end? Resp. The Jews make no question of it, and also the old and new Writers affirm it. And they ground themselves upon two reasons. First, That otherwise God after the institution should be said to suspend and defer the observation and practice of it until the time of the Law, which is like to that foolish opinion of some touching the Creation, which say that God created the matter of all things from eternal, but put the work in execution at this certain time: But as the Father's answer to that, so we say to this, Tum sanctificavit Sabatum cum vellet sanctum observari, not before he would have it put to the holy use. The second reason is Memento, which is set at the beginning of the commandment, which is, say they, quasi dicat, remember that thou keep it as it hath been observed before; for (say they) it was but now renewed, for it was well known and kept before, therefore they thus expound it, Memento Legem hanc, Legeipsa Antiquiorem. But whether it were observed according to the institution in the time of nature, before the Law that is not material, nor the point we stand upon. If they say, Quis unquam legit Abraham Sabatum obseruâsse? we may say likewise, Quis legit Adamum aut Abraham jejunâsse? yet they will not deny, but there is now use of fasting, and so is there of the Sabath. We must know St. Paul's rule to be true, 1 Tim. 4. 8. that as bodily labour profiteth not, but godliness; so bodily rest availeth not, but as it is a help to sanctific us, and a furtherance to true holiness; for if it be a hindrance to piety, or a cause to make us less holy, rest is evil, and fare worse than work and honest labour: Wherefore they which spend the Sabath day, not in the public Congregation, but privately at home in their houses and chambers do ill, and were condemned by that ancient Conncell of Gangrene, which was holden in France. And we read in 44. of Ezecbiel 19 that there were Officers to look that the Sabath day should be well kept; it must much less than be made a Sabath of belly cheer, spent in no other than such as whereof cometh nothing but dung, being the only fruit of their festival and holy-days; and God so hated it, that he cast it in their faces that so kept it, neither must it be spent in wanton recreation and lascivious pastime. Nor yet as the men of Ashedod did, Nehem. 13. 15. by making it a Market day and Fair to sell their Merchandises; for this is to make our purse and our belly, Mammon and Bacchus, our Gods, and to consecrate a holiday to them: Nor as Shiloh did to dancing. Nor as our L. in frequenting theatres and Plays, Bear and Bull baiting, for this is to turn away our foot from the Sabath, and from doing Gods will on the holiday: We must not do so, but we must call the Sabath a delight, to consecrate it to the Lord, and honour it, not doing our own ways, nor seeking our own will, nor speaking a vain word, I say 28. 13. but we must, I say, delight in the Lord upon that day, and then his blessings of all sorts shall light upon us, verse 14. But let us come now to speak of these two things apart, which respecteth our sanctification and observation of the Sabath to see what we should not do, and then what we should do as is required of us. Touching the rest from things inhibited, it is somewhat dangerous to speak of it, because our nature is given to such extremes; for there are two ancient Counsels which do bewray our corrupt disposition. The one is Concilium Aurelianense in France, which showeth, that in those days the People were so strait laced, that they were persuaded, that it was utterly unlawful to do any thing either Adjutorem or ad necessitatem, to trim up their houses and themselves, or to dress meats. We read again within forty years after, that their minds were so 〈◊〉 gone wide from that, that they fell into the other extreme clean contrary, that they thought it was lawful for them by Christian liberty to do in it what they list. To 〈◊〉 which foul error, there was made the second Counsel of Mascon which made a Cannon; That the people should sequester themselves, from all mechanical works of their vocations. Hindrances to the observation of the Sabbath. The things which are now interdicted to Christians, as hindrances of this holy 〈◊〉 six in number. 1. The first is bearing of burdens, Jer. 17. 24. 2. The second is travailing journeys, Exod. 16. 29. 3. The third is ear-ring, ploughing, carting, or taking in of harvest, Exod. 34. 21. 4. The fourth for bearing merchandizes, buying and 〈◊〉 Nehem. 13, 15, 16, 17. etc. 5. The fifth not to build Temples or Churches, Exod. 31. 13. etc. 6. The sixth idle plays and pastimes, to which men are too much given at such times. Which because they are divers, and men are diversely given thereunto in sundry places, I will name some which the Fathers in their times, have sharply reproved and inveighed against, as the abuses and prophanings of Sabaths, in their ages and several places, in which they lived; for we read that the Counsels of the Church, do not only concur jointly with God's word, in interdicting the former things, but also other particular abuses of their age and place: As proper then, St. Jerome upon the 20. of Ezekiell sharply reproveth stage plays on that day. Augustine 119. Epistle inveigheth against Dancing. Gregory against Hunting and Hawking, which great personages then used. Leo spoke against Dice and Cards, by which the Sabbath was profaned in his time. I will come to the Heathen, and we will see the things which they by the light of reason, condemned on their holy-days as profane abuses of them, which did 〈◊〉 them as they thought. Of the which this is one of their rules, die sacra requiescat aratrum, for they thought it a pollution to their holy-days; for though they were lawful and necessary on their days, yet they thought them not ad decorem hujus diei. They which do these things inhibited and forbidden by God as a hindrance of sanctification; God so misliketh that he appropriateth to this sin a special punishment, Jer. 17. 27. and that is to send fire to their Cities: As this is against the one extreme, so we are to give a caveat for the other, lest while men avoid profaneness, Preciseness ●…ching the Sabbbath. they fall into that preciseness of the Jews, as to think it death and deadly sin to do any thing at all on the Sabbath day. This was the jewish error of Kiffon a 〈◊〉, who held it necessary that on the evening before the 〈◊〉, if any man were found sitting, in the same place and state he must remain sitting, until the end of the Sabbath: But Origen speaking of him as too strict, expoundeth that place of Exod. 16. 29. Maneat quisque in loco suo, thus (in his place, saith he) that is within the space of two thousand Cubits; So that he thought it no breach of the day to keep within that compass; but this is to strain at a Gnat, etc. For God hath not made restraint of works in such labours, in matters of piety and necessity: For Christ saith, That Priests in the Law did break their bodily rest, And yet were blameless, as in blowing of Trumpets in stead of ringing of Bells, in fetching water, carrying of wood, and killing of oxen. These things being sacrorum causa, were accounted holy labours, as to go about to see the Sabbath day kept, Ezech. 44. 14. He made custodes Sabati, to the which use, are our Churchwardens to attend. So say we also for necessity: for the Maccabes 1. Book, condemneth those, which on the Sabbath day would not fight to resist the rage of the enemy, then presently setting upon them. Elias walking forty days must needs travail some Sabbath and break the bodily rest. In this case of absolute necessity, the labour of Midwives and such as are attending on so needful and present a business, may not be deferred, Periculum animae pellit Sabatum, for it is a work of mercy to save a man's life, God will have mercy rather than sacrifice; yea Christ will excuse them which do toil and labour on the Sabbath day, to pull a beast out of the mire, Matt. 12. 11. But let not this liberty give occasion to the flesh, to make us careless of our duty on the Sabbath day, for we must so do all things (as abigail said to David 1 Sam. 25. 31. ut postea non sit, singultus cordis) That there may be in us no scruple of conscience, nor sobbing of the heart, for the breach of the Sabbath. Time. Now for the time of the rest. The Counsel at Orleans, Decreed that the Sabbath should begin a vespere, and some were so scrupulous in numbers of time, that because they would be sure to begin it time enough, began it an hour before Sunset, the Eve before: But we must not tie our duties so to times and places, for Ireneus in his fourth Book saith, that they kept diem unam integram, and that their duty of serving God had perseverantiam diei. Eusebius lib. 3. cap. 8. saith that, the Church then kept it ab ortu solis ad occasum, not two or three hours, which we scarce can endure to do. Thus we see the manner and time of this rest: Now for the special duties in this rest, which is the chief end. The first Counsel of Paris setteth down sanctification in these two points, in imprimendo & exprimendo exercitia pietatis. The means to imprint holiness in Adam, being yet in Paradise is called contemplatio & hymnus. Meditatio gratia●…ctio: legere aeudire verbum Dei. The Jews do think that the 92. Psalms, was made in Paradise by Adam, as the title showeth it, for it is a Psalm of the Sabbath, and it calleth men to the meditation of God's works of Creation and preservation, and then a praise of thanksgiving for it; Oratio. besides meditation of God's works, the reading and hearing of God's word, is an exercise of godliness to be used on the Sabbath day, and so likewise prayer is an excellent exercise, Act. 16. 25. Communitas Sacramentorum. Likewise the receiving of the Sacraments, Baptism and the Eucharist or breaking of Bread, a notable sanctitying of the Sabbath: So that by these four means, sanctification is imp●…ed in us on this day, in respect of the preacher. But there are other duties to be performed in respect of the hearers, to imprint and fortify godliness more deeply in them. 1. The one is ruminating and calling to mind again, by serious meditation that which we have heard, for we must not only go to hear what God will say to us concerning our good, Psal. 85. 8. but also meditate what the Lord hath said unto us. 2. The other is conference after hearing, to reason, and talk, and commune of that we have heard; for by that means the disciples came to the certain knowledge of that which they doubted of before, Luke 24. for Christ will come and become a teacher within to such. Thus much of imprinting: Now a word of expressing sanctification; as the Psalm of the Sabbath 92 beginneth with meditation, so the end is to tell men, that they must be like good trees, to bring forth good fruit, for having holiness in us, we must bring forth fruit in holiness, Rom. 6. 22. It should seem, John 13. 29. that it was Christ's usual manner on the Sabbath day to give somewhat to the poor, and I would men were persuaded in their minds, that the observation of of the Sabbath consisted as well in ostendendo as imprimendo sanctitatem, for by this means the poor should have somewhat towards their relief: So would the 2 Benefacitote of St. Peter, 2 Epist. 1. 19 and St. Paul, Phil. 4. 18. agree well in commending or hallowing this day: For by these two means we shall come to be inheritors of both blessings. Blessed is the man whose delight is in the Law, etc. And blessed is he which considereth the poor and needy, Psal. 41. 1. For if we thus honour God in this Sabbath here, it will come to pass, that God will requite it with this rebound honorificantes me, 〈◊〉, 1 Sam. 15. which we may be sure of, when God's institution and our observation do concur and agree together, that is, when we shall apply and spend the day and rest to that holy end, and in those holy exercises, to which God hath ordained it, and which God requireth at our hands. Istae sunt generationes coeli & terrae, quando creata sunt: quâ die Jehova Deus fecit terram & coelum: Et omnem stirpem agri, qui nondum fuisset futurus in terra, omnemque herbam agri, quae nondum fuisset oritura: quum non demisisset Jehova Deus pluviam super terram, & nullus homo fuisset ad colendum terram. Gen. 1. 4 5. verses. May 4. 1591. THESE verses as I told you in the beginning of this Chapter do contain in them, the general conclusion, rehearsal, or recapitulation of the discourse of the six days work specified before. For after Moses had told us that the Camp, and the Capital were finished, that is, the place of labour and rest, and that the Armies of Heaven and Earth were ranged in their proper places, and man, the Lieutenant of God, had his charge enjoyed, to rule the hosts of the earth, and to sanctify the Sabbath, what now should he say more: But shut up all in a short sum or conclusion, which may best serve for a transition to the rest that followeth. In this fourth verse, we first see the three general terms, used in the former Chapter, Barah 1. created, Gnasha 1. made; and Cagash 1 brought forth, that is, creavit, fecit, generavit; the last whereof is the wheel of generation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. James calleth it 3. 6. by whose continual course all things continued till now. The first is creavit, that is, God alone doth create and produce a thing of nothing. The second, fecit. The third genuit, that is God and the kind doth bring forth: and this is the course of nature in generation. Which three words do proclaim, that which Moses and the Prophets could never (as they thought) sufficiently speak of. The first is against, and refelleth the error of the heathen Pagans, which held that the world was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not begotten but without be-beginning. But in principio creavit she weth, that God was the father that begat this world, and that it had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, a birth day wherein it began to be. The true meaning of which is, that this world which now we see so old, and as it were doting for age, and with increasing is now almost spent, and yet the time hath been, when it was but a young world, in his infancy and youth, it may seem that it was but a young world, Exod. 18. For than men were so simple and Child like, that they would be content quietly to be under government, but now the world is grown wiser, and every one thinketh it a childish thing to be governed by others, thinking themselves old enough to rule others, it was but a young world when Kings and men of great honour, could be content to labour all the day, 1 Sam. 11. 5. I trow our World now is wiser, in which men hold scorn of work: Then Jacob when he saw the money in the sacks, thought it some oversight of Joseph, and therefore sent it again, Gen. 44. 12. But now men are wiser, they count restitution a childish thing, and think other men's oversight to be their good gain. It had an infancy then at the beginning at which time God by his word conceived three children, Deformity, Confusion, Darkness, of the first he made the Earth, of the second the Waters, of the third the Lights, which may teach us to fetch our Pedigree aright by lineal descent from the first beginning; for we are all the sons of Adam, which was the son of dust, which was the son of Deformity, which was the some of nothing; and this is the first father and beginning of our generation, which may suffice against the error of the Heathen Pagans. 2. 2. Another error there is, which they being forced by reason to acknowledge a beginning, yet did with it hold, that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that it hath been made from everlasting ever since there hath been a God; for they say, That as the beam had his beginning when the light began, and as a shadow hath his beginning with the body; so had the World a beginning when God began to be, and then by necessity it must needs be. Against which Moses saith not only, that it was produced, but it was produced (in die) in a certain prescribed day, and therefore this proceeding was not eternal. And here we must note, that in die, is not here taken for some one only day, as some ground their conceit, as if God made all things in one day: For the day in which the light was made, there was no Earth; and when the Herbs were made, there was in that day no man, until the sixth day, as it is in the fifth verse. This therefore overthroweth the second error before, because all was made in a certain bound of time. 3. Another ●ort there was, which granted both these, that the World was made, and that in die, but yet affirmed that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, namely, that it was self borne, and made itself, or was produced and came of itself, as a thing casual and by chance; which foolish and gross opinion of Epicures was ever (for the absurdity thereof) hissed out of Schools: but Moses meeteth with this also, saying, that the Lord made it. And because it may be thought that there was divers Gods, he telleth us by a name which was never heard of before this time, by the which he describeth him unto us, and that is Jehovah. Thus he hath recapitulated all the former Chapter unto these three considerations, which is all one with the first use of the first Chapter, saving that here is expressed the name Jehovah, which is not there; for this name of God is the most glorious name, Deut. 28. 58. and therefore Moses here reserveth it till every thing in this glorious World be fully accomplished and perfected. In the 6. Exod. 3. it is said, he was not known by this name before then, that is, whilst he was bringing any thing to pass, and not yet perfected, he is Elohim; but when he hath fully performed it and set it on foot, than he is known to be Jehovah, by whom the thing hath his being and is that which it is, for he is the essence and being of things that are. There are many difficult mysteries in these names, which because some are too curious in standing upon, and others have itching ears listening too much after curiosities, I will omit; only this we must needs know, which the nature of the word showeth, that God is he which is of himself, and by whom all things are, move, and have their being; for seeing we know not, nor can see the nature of God, we must give him a name according to the greatest benefits which we receive, and the greatest works which we have seen. But the work and benefit which is most common to all things, is (being:) Therefore by that name he is most fitly called; for life, moving, and reason all things have not, but every Creature hath his benefit of being: and therefore he taketh his name from this general benefit which is seen in all. Another reason of this name Jehovah is taken from the perfection of this being Exod. 3. 14. which is set down Revel. 1. 4. because he was, is, and shall be for ever. Therefore no Creature but God, can ever say I am, this is my name; for if a Creature of the time that is passed should say, Before Abraham was I am, John 8. 58. he should make himself God. So if a Creature should, in respect of the future tense say, I am with you until the end of the World, Matth. 28. 20. he should therein make himself God, who by propriety of nature may still say (I am) as it is his nature; therefore this his name Jehovah, signifieth that he hath the perfectest being, and only such a being. And thus much of the reasons of his name. Elohim signifieth Power and Judgement. The one showeth his Might in doing, the other his Truth and Justice in judging, both which in his name show, that as it was he that did make the World, so it is he also which shall judge the World at last; for that as the one allureth us to love, so the other yieldeth us matter of dread and fear. So Jehovah signifieth not only Hagah (which is making of things) but also destroying and dissolving of things to nothing again, Ezech. 7. 26. where it signifieth calamity and destruction: So doth his name Shaddi import not only plenty and nourishment, but also punishment and undoing of things. So that in all his names this nature of Mercy and Justice is expressed. There is yet a further thing to observe; for whereas before Heaven was first placed, and had the precedence of Earth; here the pre-eminence is given to the Earth, and the Heaven doth come behind in the last place. Which whether it be the propriety of the tongue (which usually beginneth with the latter thing was spoken of before) or a mystery to show closely, that the Heavens were made for the Earth, and not the earth for the heavens, or whether it darkly shadoweth out to us, that in Christ Jesus Adam (which is earth, that is our nature) shall be exalted above the highest heavens, in the day of restauration; I will not curiously discuss but allow each sense, as having a good and a godly use to such as be sober minded. Et omnem stirpem agri, etc. Verse 5. MOses in this verse passeth over the first estate of Creation, and cometh now to the state of propagation, in which things now 〈◊〉, that we may know, that these things were not only made by the power of God's word, Coll. 1. 17. But also sustained and held up by the same power, Heb. 1. 3. So that it is q.d. I must give a caveat to you, because you set your eyes too much on nature and art, attributing things now to the influence of the heaven, or the industry of things on earth, that it is none of these means, but only God, that still 〈◊〉 rule and maintain all; for under these two rain above, and man below, is comprehended all other ordinary means, we are wont to ascribe all things to Sol & homo. Therefore Moses to prevent that evil, that we tie not these things either to nature or art, but that we may ever in all things look up to God, which is before them, above them, and can do all things without them, and will rule all things after them, therefore he doth teach us this point, he telleth us that howsoever, things do concur, and meet together in humane matters here below, yet we must defy these ordinary means, and evermore glorify God, who is able, either without rain or the help of man to make the earth fruitful. Now this which Moses speaketh of rain and man, holdeth in all other things as in Fish, Fowl and Cattles: But because it were too tedious to reckon up all the particulars, therefore he maketh choice of the earth and the fruits thereof, which doth most need the help of man, and benefit of rain; for other things being put together, will alone bring forth and multiply by kinds without man's help: But the fruits of the earth are most laborious, for before the earth can bring forth, it requireth our help both to till and plant it, and the influence also of the heavens do most appear in these things: insomuch as the fruits of the earth may seem to reason, to be the effect of man's labour, and the dew of heaven. But Moses by telling us that it is not so in this, teacheth us how we may have a right judgement in all the rest, for it holdeth in all, as in this: touching earthly fruits, he setteth down two kinds Virgultum agri, & herbas horti. The first comprehendeth all that hath wood in them, the other all which have sinewy substance, as every green tender herb hath: Touching which he reasoneth thus, seeing these which need most the labour of man, and seasonable rain were brought forth by God's power, before either rain or man ever was; Then God is much more able to do any otherthing without the help of man or any thing else. The fruits of the earth do need two things. 1. First, a power of being. Secondly, a power of growing. 2. Remove rain, and the labour of the husbandman, and we cannot see how either they should live or grow, yet saith Moses, God without either plough or showers, did cause all things to grow out of the earth, and to bring seed, grain, and fruit. For the meaning of this verse we must mark these three propositions. 1. First, that the original fountain of things natural as now they stand, is from God, and his blessing, not of ordinary means; for rain, men's art & industry, though they be natural, yet have they a blessing and virtue from God by which they are available. But to speak more specially of rain, 38. 28. Asketh, Quis est pater pluviae? The answer is, God, for he granted out a writ, decree, or mandate for rain, Job. 28. 26. He giveth us rain and seasonable times, Act. 17. 26. And as it is his royal power and authority to command it, so is it to countermand it, and to give an inhibition to restrain it, Esay 5. 6. And lest any should make exception against him, he saith, Amos 4. 6. It is I which do cause it to rain, upon one City and not another; It is not Planets, nor nature, nor fortune, but God himself, Judg. 6. 37. We see both set down, his giving out a commandment, for the ground to be wet and restraint for the flesh & contra, seeing then it is in his only power to give or restrain, therefore there is a prayer made, a prayer nominatim for rain, 1 Kings 8. 35. 36. And there is a special thanksgiving for this benefit, Psal. 68 9 And this is the reason saith St: Augustine, why God made not the rain as a sweat to evaporate out of the ground and so to moisten the clods, but would have it rather to ascend upwards into his place, that we might lift up our eyes, to know and acknowledge that it cometh only from him. 2. The second royal prerogative of God is, that though we have never so much rain or men to help; yet all is nothing worth and cannot avail without God's blessing doth accompany it, which is showed, 1 Cor. 3. 7. Paul may plant, and Apollo may water, there is the husbandry and rain: but both the tiler and waterer is nothing unless God giveth the increase, therefore we must see and behold God in them all, for if when God sendeth rain he give not his blessing with it and make it pluviam benedictionis, Psal. 80. 19 Or if he send in tempestivam pluviam unseasonable rain, nor the first nor the later rain, Ezekiell 34. 26. Or if he send it not in plenty, Esdras 10. 9 For they had rain yet they wept for want, or if he sendeth too much, what good will it do the earth? 3. The third prerogative of God is, that God without rain can make things fruitful, but the rain cannot do so without God: It is not these means of tillage or rain that can do it, Deut. 8. 3. But God without them can do it, 2 Chron. 14. 11. It is all one with God with a few for quantity, yea with no means to do things; a little oil and meal shall stretch itself out, and increase until rain come: So Christ in want can make five loaeves and two fishes to feed five thousand, and so for the quality, the worst and most unnourishing meat, which they durst not give, Daniel 1. 〈◊〉. for fear lest they should not look fair, by God's blessing, made them look with better countenance than the rest which fared more deliciously. Wherefore saith Daniel, Try us, for we know that God can do it without means, or with base means, 2 Kings 4. 40. the Prophet by God's word (without 〈◊〉 quality, yea to show God's power) could make poisonful meat, which is contrary to nourishment, to nourish; he made Coloquintida to nourish them, which of itself would excoriate the entrails, and scour them to death. 4. The fourth and last prerogative is not only to do all this but to make that which is by nature clean opposite and contrary to a thing, that it shall be a means effectually to work his effect; as the putting in salt into salt water can make the water fresh, which is contrary to nature, for it maketh fresh water salt, 2 Kings 2. 20. So Christ by putting clay upon a blind man's eyes, caused him to see, which was enough to make him blind, John 9 6. The rock of 〈◊〉, which is set in repugnance to water, Numbers 20. 11. yet out of it he caused streams to gush. And this power of God appeared most in the beginning of the Gospel, in setting abroad Christian Religion; for as he in the beginning out of darkness brought light, 2 Cor. 4. 6. So by men of no learning, no authority or countenance, strength or wealth did cause the Gospel to be planted in all the World, that we may know this Caveat to be worth the noting, that he is the cause of things natural now in the state of generation, as he was of things supernatural in the beginning of Creation. And that we may know that he is able to do things above, besides, and without, yea, and sometimes contrary to these ordinary means; that so we may be taught neither in the want of them to despair, nor when we have plenty to be proud and presuming in them; but ever look back to God which is above all means, and of himself, as able to do all in all: To whom be all honour, glory, power, wisdom, and dominion for ever and ever, Amen. Aut vapor ascendens è Terra, qui errigaret universam superficiem Terrae, etc. Gen. 2. 6,7. 18 May, 1591. TOgether with the conclusion of the works of Creation in the fourth verse, I told you that 〈◊〉, in the 5. verse, adjoined a necessary Caveat touching 2. causes, lest now we should ascribe the proceeding and doing of things, either to ordinary means or second causes, either natural as to rain, or artificial as to men's labour and industry, which two do include all other means whatsoever. To this end he declared that God is the Author of second causes; and therefore, as he did all things before them; so now they are, he is likewise able to do and bring any thing to pass as well without them, yea with means and by causes contrary to such an effect, as well as with all the means that are in the course of nature, or may be invented by the industry of men. Moses then now passeth from the Creation of other things, unto the narration of the History of Man, by the 6. verse, which showeth the generation of rain, spoken of in part before, that so there might be an ordinary proceeding from one thing to another. Now then to speak of them both apart. First, Touching the Creation of the Rain, we must lay this ground, That God either without vapours or clouds can (if he please) bring store of rain to the Earth, 2 Kings 3. 17. which plenty by God's power, was without wind, rain or clouds. But for the natural generation of Rain, we must note, that there are two issues proceeding from the Earth, which here are set down as the causes of it. 1. The first is a moist or foggy steem or vapour. 2. The second a dry smoke, fume, or exhalation. It is not wonderful that the Earth should yield a dry fume, because it is naturally inclined to dryness: but it is strange that the Earth should give out a moist fume, for that is contrary to her nature and qualities. There are three estates and degrees in the generation of Rain out of the words, 1. The beginning and original of it is vapour expirans, a moist steem loosened from the Earth: 2. The proceeding of it is vapour ascendens, lifting itself into a cloud above: 3. The perfecting of it is vapour descendens, which is the dissolving of the cloud, and so dropping down: these are three proceed of this generation. God is able to rostrain this course of the rain, Job 36. 27. and might have caused 〈◊〉 not to be loosed from the Earth, 〈◊〉 ascend up, but to sweat out to moisten the dry clods, as it is in our bodies. But God caused it to lift itself thither, that he might water the Earth from his Chamber, Psal. 104. 13. But being loosened from the Earth, the nature of such a cloud is vanishing and dissipating itself in the Air to nothing, James 4. 14. therefore God bindeth it together in a cloud, and maketh it a compact and condense matter, Job 26. 8. And for the dissolving of the clouds he is said Cribrare aquas, 2 Sam. 22. 12. And these are the three proceed of rain, and the three degrees engendering it. Finxit verò Jehova Deus hominem de pulvere terrae, sufflavitque in nares ipsius halitum vitae: sic factus est homo anima vivens. Verse 7. NOw touching the 7. verse, at which I said 〈◊〉 the repetition of the History of Man and his generation; That we may not trust in him nor his help, we read, Gen. 1. 26. that Man was created, but not whence, nor how, nor after what sort: these circumstances are not there set down; there we read that man was made Male and Female, but the order how is not set down. Therefore that which briefly he touched, omitting some things there, now here he supplieth, showing that God first made the Man, and out of his side took the Woman. Concerning which, having showed that Man is made the chief Creature of all the rest, both in regard of his superior part of the soul, as also of the inferior part of his body: and also in the end of this verse he expresseth more fully the other part of his soul; and in handling both, he observeth the very order which he used before. First, to speak of the less perfect and more base part of the body, and then of the soul. Touching the body in the first part of the verse, there is two things expressed to be considered of: 1. First, the Matter. 2. Secondly, the Mould in which he was made and framed in his bodily shape. The dust is the origine and beginning of Man, which though it be often repeated, yet God is fain in the 3. of Gen. 19 〈◊〉 tell it to Adam again to humble him, that he may know how absurd a thing it was for him once in pride to imagine that he should be as God, for he must needs see by this, that he should be but an earthen God (if he were any) which is as bad as to be of stone or wood. The Saints of God have ever confessed this to humble them. As Abraham, Gen. 18. 27. Job 10. 9 Psal. 104. 29. 1 Cor. 15. 47. 2 Cor. 5. 5. which doth show that we must take notice and regard of this point to humble us, that the clouds and rain were made before us, and of a purer, more fine, and better matter than our bodies were, for they were of the vapour of the Earth, but we of the base and gross clod and dust of the Earth; but 〈◊〉 comfort us in this thought, he telleth us, that that which is wanting in the matter, is supplied in the form and shape of our bodies. God, by saying, that he framed Man, speaketh after the manner of men, Rom. 9 20, 21. In which phrase of speech he is 〈◊〉 and resembled to a Potten, which doth frame 〈◊〉 out of the Earth with his hand; and to a Maker of glasses, which with his breath and blast of his mouth, doth fashion and maker his glass of a frail and 〈◊〉 substance, by which borrowed speech Moses doth 〈◊〉 show that by the one he is willing to express, that God with more art and regard, did make man's body in the outward form, than he did any other of the Creatures. And by the other, that God did give him a more excellent and perfect soul, which is the inward form within, than he did to any other Creature. To this end he changeth the word gnasha, used in making the other Creatures, into Jelsar, which he applieth properly to man; and we know that formare is more than facere, because the form and fashion importeth a mould in which it must be made, or an especial Idea artificially conceived, after which it must be made. It is therefore (as if he should say) you see that man is not made outwardly in the proportion and countenance, which beasts have, for his face is upwards, theirs downwards. That which the Earth brought forth looketh down to the ground; but those men which God made, do look up naturally to God who made them and and gave them life. That which the Earth doth producere, doth also prospicere terram. But we whom God did formare, do intueri Coelum. The Prophets and Apostles do oftentimes delight to use this phrase of speech, and these words, to show the framing of our bodies, now as Esay 45. 9 Esdras 64. 8. Zach. 12. Rom. 9 20. Job 10. 9 Psal. 139. 16. Jer. 1. 5. and divers other places, in which places they so speak, to show that the same frame and fashion is now expressed in generation of us, as was in the creation of Adam, and no other manner. In the 4. of Job 19 he saith that brick and tile, and we all, are made of one, and the matter of the Earth: And therefore that which Saint Peter calleth Earthly Tabernacles, 2 Cor. 5. 1. Job calleth plainly houses of Clay. That which St. Paul in a better term saith; Act. 17. 26. We are all of one blood, Job saith more plainly to the matter, Job 33. 6. We are all de eodem luto, made of the same clay. Esay 29. 16. and 45. 9 Rom. 9 20. They demand whether it be reason, that the clay should say to the potter, Why dost thou make me thus or thus? to show that we must avoid wand'ring curiosity and nice questioning to expostulate with the maker, either about the matter, Why he made thee of this, and not of that? or about the form, Why he made this man a Vessel of honour, and that man a Vessel of dishonour? Rom. 9 20. 21. 2 Tim. 2. 20. 1 Thes. 4. 4, 5. We must not search nor pry over curiously into the counsel of the Potter that made us, but know that his revealed will is, that every one of us should possess our vessels in holiness, and not in sin, and sorest. The use of this is that which I have touched before, that seeing we be made of Earth, yet that Earth signifieth good and profitable mould; we were not made of highway ground or sand, therefore we must not be unconstant or unstable; but we are made of glebe, to teach us to employ ourselves profitably in our calling, according to the matter of which we came; for else it had been better that our Earth had lain still on the ground, to bring herbs rather than it should now lie unprofitably and idly, in thy skin, to destroy the fruits of the Earth. Another point for us is, that which partly was showed also before, That if God could frame us to this proportion and life, out of the dead dust, then why should we once doubt, but that though we be dissolved and turned into dust again, that he can raise us up by the same power? Phil. 3. 21. And this is our hope for the resurrection. Wherefore though this be our conclusion, Job 7. 21. we must return to our dust, yet this hope is our comfort that God will one day say, Esay 26. 19 Arise out of the dust and stand up, even as he every year raiseth up the flowers that were withered in the field, and this was Jobs hope and comfort of the resurrection, Job 19 26. saying, I know that my redeemer liveth, etc. And it was David's assurance, Psal. 37. 5. Who at his death committed his soul to the God of truth his Redeemer, And Psal. 16. 9 doth then let his flesh rest in peace until he be awaked again. This then is our stay in death, knowing that the same God which made us of the dust, hath the same power, and is able to raise us out of the dust again. The second part of man is the Soul: touching which the Prophet by his phrase of breathing into us the breath of life, is willing not only to tell us, that the Soul is the more principal, superior, and excellent part of man, but also that it is fare a more excellent Soul, than the other creatures had, as shall appear by the name and nature of it, here expressed. 1. In the first part, of which we are to note, that Neshema, signifieth a Spirit of two lives, which God inspired into man. 2. Secondly he saith, That that Spirit of lives, was made a living Soul, neither of which is affirmed of any other creature, but of the soul of man only. In Gen. 1. 21. 25. We may see that of every other creatures soul, it is said creavit Deus; God did beath the soul of man into him: chrysostom saith well, that the Soul of all other things is, quasi cera rudis, as a rude roll of wax without form or print; but anima hominis est cera regis, as a piece of wax that hath in it the shape or form of the King, and is made his Seal, out of which for the prerogative of man, which we shown before, we may add these. First in respect of the substance, for Neshema signifieth a spiritual and heavenly substance, which consideration made David say, Psal. 139. 14. I am fearfully and wonderfully made, we have not then an earthly soul, as the Beasts, nor a watery soul as the Fifties, which received them out of their elements, but a divine and 〈◊〉 Soul, which God himself gave unto us, Preach. 12. 7. As the rain is vapour terrestris, so our soul may be called vapour caelestis, a vapour descending from the heavens, for it is of the same root and nature, which heavenly Spirits are. Another privilege is in respect of the cause, for God is the cause of it, produxit Deus, it was his breath or inspiration, and therefore the Heathen called it Divinae particulam 〈◊〉, as the body was particula terra, a little cantle of the Earth. Solomon, Prov. 12. 17. calleth it Divina lux or lucerna Dei, as it were the candle of God, and here it is spiritus Dei, which he breathed into our bodies. Now to consider of the words somewhat more seriously, we see that the soul, is a breath, but so that it is Neshema, a spiritual and celestial breath, which properly is understood of the wind and air, by which we see that is next of kin to the Spirits which have no body, as our bodies are next of kin to the worms that are in the earth, which soul for that cause is invisible but not unperceiveable. As we cannot see the wind and the pulse, yet we perceive them by divers effects: So is our Soul and the excellency of it made known and discerned. And that it might not be imagined or thought, to be only a bare blast of breath, or as a puff of wind, he therefore addeth a spirit of lives. And lest we should deem the soul, and the life to be but one thing, and to end and vanish away together, Job telleth us 27. 3. that the spirit or soul of a man is one thing, and 〈◊〉 life is another distinct. Though there be a spirit of life in beasts, and not only in earthly creatures, but also in celestial spirits, yet only the spirit of man is spiritus vitarum, that is, of more lives than one, which our Saviour Christ telleth us in Matth. 10. 28. Men may take away the one life of our body, but they cannot the other life of the soul, that is only in God's power. This then is the difference between the soul of a man, and all other things, which confuteth the Epicures, 1. which held that the Soul was but a hot salt humour, to keep the body from rottenness and corruption. Moses maketh choice to compare the Soul to breath: First, because it hath a piercing and a searching quality, being Totus in toto & totus in qualibet parte, Pro. 27. 2. This candle of the Soul diffuseth his light, and heat, and life in every member, searching and piercing all. Secondly, the Soul is compared to breath, to humble us and not make us presume on this life, seeing the soul and body is but knit and conjoined together, vinculo aëreo by an airy thread, Esay 2. 22. Man's breath is in his nostrils, which being stopped, his life is gone, Psal. 103. 14. 15. which causeth our life suddenly oftentimes; to be taken away, and our soul and our body in an instant or moment, to departed a sunder, Psal. 78. 39 Even because the union that holdeth soul and dody together, is but a little blast of air and wind easily broken and smitten asunder, so suddenly do we pass away and are gone. This may teach us the shortness and suddenness of this life and death: The use of which is, that seeing we received our life from God, therefore we must now live, the life of all godliness, seeing we live by the spirit of God naturally, we must seek for the spirit of God, and the graces of it, that we may live holily: seeing our Soul is the light of God, let not this light become darkness in us, for then great is that darkness. Seeing our Soul is the Image of God, we must not deface it, with the ugly form of Satan: The holy man, Job 26. 4. hearing his friends speak foolish and vain words, asketh; 〈◊〉 spirit cometh out of them? As who should say: seeing you have the spirit of God, speak not such words, as if an evil or vain spirit were in them: So must we say to those men that do evil works, Whose spirit, or what spirit hast thou in thee? These deeds are the works of evil Spirits, but thou hadst in thee the good spirit of God. 2. Now we are come to the second estate of our soul, which is set down in this. So man became a living Soul, which is added to show that God not only gave that spirit (inspired into him) a power of life, by which it could live, but also another power unto the body, which before was a dead piece of Earth: wherefore the soul being in every part of the body so made, by and by it was lively in every part, and stood up and performed the actions of life, which now it doth in us: This is a good and profitable sense of these words, as some do understand. But the best Divines (weighing these words more deeply) do find out another state of the soul, which showeth another privilege of the soul of man. For besides that it is (as we have seen) a spiritual essence occupied in spiritual actions, being immortal and pertaining and leading to another life. Besides this special privilege it hath here also another common prerogative, namely, to inform the body; that is, in a word, besides being a spiritual essence, it is also a natural essence, it had, hath, and shall have a power to live without the body, and also it hath a power in the body to quicken and give life to it, and every part thereof, that is, it can animare & informare corpus, which we know the Angels and celestial spirits cannot; for when they appear in a body, their souls of life (though they live) yet they do not inform that body; but they are in it as in a Case, which they take to them and leave off again. But our soul is not only a spiritual essence and consistence (as the Angels) but also a natural consistence in the body to inform and animate it, which the Angels have not. And this is the other prerogative. There is none that do doubt, but they have naturalem animam, and thereof they are called naturales homines, 1 Cor. 15. 46. But by their actions one would think that their souls were only fleshy souls, because they never give themselves to spiritual and heavenly actions, as a Celestial spirit shall move them. But only they are given to actions of this bodily life, which is temporal, yea to earthly, fleshy and sinful actions, as if the soul that were in them were but after that fort a natural soul of life for a time. They see by their natural studies, senses, motions, and actions, that they have a natural soul of life quickening the body, which else could not live. But they think not that it is a spiritual soul and heavenly essence, which shall have an eternal being after this life, and therefore they never care to 〈◊〉 for such heavenly and spiritual actions of Godliness; wherefore we will briefly prove and show that the state of the soul is celestial and 〈◊〉, that we may be moved to think of such actions as that estate doth require. And first that the soul, and the life, and estate thereof doth not depend upon the body, but hath his being and life without the body, after the body is dead and turned to the Earth, because it hath his dependence on God, which is immortal and eternal, which appeareth to reason in the judgement of the Heathen, because the soul hath in the will a power and faculty and ability to effect and perfect an action, without any help of the body or power thereof separately of himself, yea it causeth a man to believe and know many things of itself, even against the bodily senses, and contrary to them, as that the bigness of the Sun and Moon is of a huge greatness, though it seem to our sense but two foot, yea the same power of the soul causeth us to desire many things contrary to the outward sense, as that it is healthful sometimes to fast & eat nothing, etc. Now of this they conclude that of these things there must needs be principium agendi where there is potest as agendi; & therefore a separate essence and being of the Agent Cause: Thus by this separate action the Heathen rose up to this notice of the separate essence of the soul. Again, the moving of this question, Whether there be a God and eternity, and a Heaven and spirits. This we know, that there is no outward thing which giveth occasion to our senses to move this question, therefore the principium movendi is the power of the soul in reason, who alone by his own light, according to the state of his own nature moveth these things; for a blind man that never saw nor heard of colours, can never in reason make question of colours; So for as much as there is nothing without to tell or move him to this, they conclude that the soul only was the cause and beginning of it within. Touching the coupling of soul and body together into one living Man, we know that God's purpose and meaning in it was, that the soul should rule the body, and be a means to lift it up to Heaven and to God, that it might so be made of the same excellent nature and estate which the soul had. But now it is perverted, and by sin the course of nature and ordinance of God is changed, and naturally our body doth labour to pull down the soul, and make it earthly, base, and miserable. But by grace we must endeavour the contrary; it is Gods will it should be so, and no reason to the contrary: But men seem by the care and cost they bestow on the body, that the soul is worthy no care or cost at all. But we must remember that many things and much time must be bestowed in seeking to garnish our souls, Matth. 6. 20. We must lay up treasure in Heaven, Matth. 19 21. We must make friends of this Mammon, & put out our money to the Exchangers, Luke 16. 9 for it is to lend to the Lord, and if there be any truth in him, he will repay it to their soul, Prov. 19 17. If we sow in the flesh, the fruit of all that is but corruption; but that which we sow in the soul and spirit hath his fruit to be glory and immortality: and this is the point which we are to cleave unto and hold. You know how little we bestow on spiritual uses for the soul, and how much daily we spend on our bodies; therefore I am an Intercessor to you for poor men made de eodem luto & de 〈◊〉 imagine, beseeching you that it may please you, both in regard of the honour of God, who made us and them to this end, that we which have should do good to them which have not, and in regard of God's Image in them, of whom we should have a care; and also in regard of our own duty of employing our goods, of which God hath made us Stewards, and of the reward and gain which God will repay for it. That therefore you would extend your liberality to their relief, Our Doctrine is rain, Deut. 32. 2. If you as barren ground drink in the rain, and yield no fruit, you may fear a curse, Heb. 6. 7, 8. But if you yield the fruit of righteousness, than God's blessing in this life is still to minister food and all other things to you, and at the last, the end of it is everlasting life: Wherefore, to the end we may show ourselves not altogether earthly and carnally minded, minding only earthly and bodily things, and things which make only for this short life, let us in the fear of God, and love of our Brethren, put on the tender bowels of compassion for their relief. Ornaverat autem plantis Jehova Deus hortum in Hedene ab Oriente: ubi collocavit hominem illum quem finxerat. Gen. 2. 8. June 5. 1591. FRom the 7. verse of this Chapter unto the 18. thereof, Moses, as I have said before, doth deliver and add a supplement unto the history of man; for having first, Gen. 27. briefly dispatched the Creation of Man, under these short terms Marem & Foeminam creavit eum, he lightly passed it over there, purposing here in this place to handle it more at large, and therefore he divideth the treaty here into two parts. First prosecuting the History of Man from the 7. verse to the 18. verse; and then of the Woman from thence to the end of the Chapter, he left out many things there, which he expresseth here, As in the 7. verse he showeth the matter of his body, and the pattern after which he was made, and the separate substance of his soul: The manner of making of his body was as the Potter's frame the vessels; and the manner of making the soul was by inspiration breathing it into him. Now in this verse unto the 15. verse, he describeth and setteth down the place in which he was settled; and from thence to the 18. verse, delivereth the end to which he was made: And thus are these verses, touching the gloss or Commentary of the history of Man, reserved. Touching this 8. verse, it consisteth of two parts. 1. The first respecteth the place. 2. The second, the placing or bestowing man in it. The place containeth three parts. 1. First, The kind of place, a Garden. 2. Secondly, The dignity of the place (as I may term it) in that it is said (God planted it.) 3. Thirdly, The situation of the place, which is also described in the 6. verses following. Concerning the first of these three, we see the place wherein this Creature of excellency is to be seated, we must needs conceive it to be some place of excellency meet for him, and that either to be some place of pleasure within door, or else some place of pleasure without, but there was no need for him to have any place of covert or defence within, because there was no such distemperature of air then; but that they might well enough, yea best of all endure naked, therefore God resolveth to appoint and prepare a meet place without. Certain it is, that all the Earth at that time was (in comparison of this as it is now vallis lachrimarum) a paradise of pleasure; yet God made this paradise and special place of the Earth, a more excellent place of pleasure than any other, in so much that it fare exceeded any other place wheresoever in Earth, both in pleasure and profit, with Herbs, Flowers, Plants, and Trees of all sorts, which were proper and special to that place alone. Gardens, as we know are choice places, severed and set apart from common fields, in which is store and plenty of many choice trees, and that not in confused sort, but digested into a good seemly order, that so it may the better serve for pleasure and delight. It was a most pleasant place in respect of those tria bonorum genera, for he ordained this place for profit, pleasure, and piety: And thus having made it, he appointed it several for man, and therefore put him therein; Kings themselves, as we see, 1 Reg. 21. 2. do not take so much delight in their Royal Palaces, as in their Gardens of pleasure lying commodiously near their houses: And we read of divers Kings, which being weary of their princely estates and delights, have chosen rather to live solitary in gardens and orchards, and to bestow their time in trimming and planting them, and so to have ended their lives, seeming to prefer this life of Adam in a garden before the state of a King in his princely Palace. And let this suffice of the kind of place. Now secondly it was planted by God, which tendeth much to the dignity and honour both of the man and of the place; for as God is said, for our service and good, to translate himself into divers shapes; As before he took on him the form and behaviour of a Potter, and a maker of Glasses; so here he is resembled unto us by the name of a Gardener to plant an Orchard for us and our use: to which end Christ represented and showed himself in that shape and form, John 20. 15. for it was he that trimmed up this Garden of Paradise for us. Touching this place it is a special honour to it, that God did plant it, for where he planteth he watereth also, with the dew of his blessings, and causeth it to give increase, 1 Cor. 3. 6. and therefore when the Scriptures will express a place of dignity and commendation in this kind, it is said to be like this Garden of Eden, as Gen. 13. 10. Esay 51. 3. Ezech. 31. 9 Touching the word we must note that as before God doth, 〈◊〉 dicere propter infirmitatem nostram, so we say in this place where God is said to plant; for we say in divinity, that there is opus actûs & opus authoritatis: In Preach. 2. 4, 5. Solomon is said to plant such Orchards and Gardens, and to build houses; not that he did it himself, for no man will imagine that he did any part of the bodily work: But it is said, as we say, such Kings builded this Church, that is, they paid the charge, and we (at the cost of the founders and by their authority) set workmen in hand about it; therefore when God is said to plant this Garden, we must understand it, that God gave order and commandment by his word and power, that it should thus be planted, why then it is not said, as in the 1. Gen. 24. producat terra, etc. I answer that this exquisite term is set down, to 〈◊〉 the exact and special workmanship, and more than ordinary course of making this Garden, as before to show the extraordinary and special workmanship of God in making Man above the rest of the Creatures, he changed the term, and took, instead of fecit, formavit, not expiscavit; he spanned not, said 〈◊〉, breathed: So to show the 〈◊〉 and excellency of this place over all other places in the Earth; therefore he altereth the phrase of speech, and saith not as before produxit plantas, sed 〈◊〉, etc. as if he had signified thereby that this only place of all the Earth, was with care and special skill ordered and disposed for special delight, as if other places of the Earth did bear and bring forth of their own accord, but this was planted and dressed for this more special purpose. There is no Garden of estate, as they say, but hath a Maze in it; So surely hath this garden of God an intricate labyrinch of difficult questions, even Mare questionum, a Sea of curious questions, as one of the Fathers saith, but such idle speculative heads, which busy their brains about such needless and endless questions and curious points, as to know where the place is, and what is become of it now, etc. they shall never find out any good in Paradise, but 〈◊〉 and amaze themselves in this Maze. There are such, and I may say with the Prophet, I pray God there be not such found amongst us in Israel, for there are with us and in our age which draw every thing to a figurative sense, and by that means of God's Paradise, they do make (as I may say) a 〈◊〉 Paradise, expounding every thing in it allegorically in another sense, as they do the book of the Canticles. The Fathers distinguish the Scriptures after two 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 Chron. & Cant. In the Canticles and Scriptures of that nature every thing is to be reduced to a spiritual allusion and reference which it hath to the spousage of Christ and his Church. Now they which take the Chronicles, containing matter of history, and draw them to like allusions (besides that they do great wrong to those Scriptures) they make themselves very ridiculous. Such there were in St. Paul's days, as he testifieth, 2 Tim. 2. 18. which made the doctrine of the resurrection an allegory, affirming that if a man do rise from sin, than all the Resurrection was passed already. So Origen drew Hell to an Allegory, as if there were no such true and certain place. But touching Paradise, Epiphanius, chrysostom, and all the Writers, do oppose themselves to such Allegorizers and Wresters of the Scriptures, to overthrow their fantastical conceits herein; for what say they, though other places besides this be called Paradise, therefore was there no such place indeed. Because S. Paul saith Gal. 4. 24. that by Sara and Hagar are signified the old and new Testament; therefore shall we say, there were never any such two women, 1 Cor. 10. 4. because that rock was Christ, was there therefore no such rock as is spoken of Numb. 20. 11. Yes, no doubt, and because they were, therefore the Spirit of God doth take a proportion and an Analogy fitly, and show it between these spiritual things, and them for our better understanding. We do conclude then, that as there is in man two natures, as we have showed before, the one consisting of the dust, the other Neshema, a spiritual separate essence: So Christ is a person consisting of two natures, God and Man: So that the first Adam's resemblance to the second Adam, which is Christ, 1 Cor. 15. 45. And as a man is said to consist of two men, the inward and the outward man, 2 Cor. 4. 16. So there are two Paradises of Gods planting spoken of in the Scriptures, Esay 51. 16. the heavenly and the earthly. This is truth, there is a Paradise of Angels, Psal. 103. 20. by which is meant the joys of Heaven, of which man also (communicating in this life with their holiness) shall be made partaker in the life to come, yet notwithstanding it is as true that there is an historical Paradise on Earth, which is truly called the Garden of the Lords planting, garnished with all trees for delight and profit. It is no question but that man had his Interest then in both these Paradises, and that above is fare more excellent and glorious than this below when it was in his best estate; wherefore we must so place the one which is spiritual and invisible, as that we take not away the other which was visible and temporal. For Adam's posterity dwelled near to Eden afterwards, and serveth in the Scriptures to describe their certain places, by 4. Gen. 16. For Cain dwelled towards the East side of this Garden Eden, and the South side of it was a Plot, which, after the flood, Noah chose as the best soil to dwell in, Esay 37. 12. The Merchants which dwelled thereabouts and were planted about Eden had all manner of 〈◊〉 commodities as we read, Ezech, 27. 23. All which places were in Asia, which as we know is the most 〈◊〉 and fruitful part of all the world, being set at the right hand of the earth, as having the pre-eminence of it, for our right parts are most apt for motion or doing any action, and men do 〈◊〉 that people were first in Asia inhabiting it, and from thence came to all other parts of the earth. This also for the certainty of the place, is set out by the description of Rivers which have their heads there, and flow from thence 〈◊〉 other parts. Also by the fruits of the earth, which abound there, as Gold, Precious stones, Spices, etc. Also the certainty of the particular place where this garden was, is made known to man by the description of the obstacle and let, which keepeth men out of that place, for as Pliny and Toletus say, in fontibus Paradisi even in the entrance, by which we should go to it, even unto this day, the place yields out flames of fire, which no doubt is the fiery Sword which God placed there, Gen. 3. 24. We find by writers, that it was near the City called Babilonia 〈◊〉 And that three Cities in the 〈◊〉 of Eden were builded and planted upon three of the Rivers, which ran out of the Garden which Cities were called Babilonia 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 which were builded there in Eden for the great store of all fruits, which by God's blessing abounded, for it is recorded that they had harvest twice a year, and before the first harvest they were fain to eat it twice, so exceeding fertile it was. That which is set down to be the greatest and rare increase of God's blessing, Gen. 28. 12. Pliny recordeth, was an usual and ordinary increase in those parts, that is, to yield a hundred fold. And whereas it is usual amongst our husbandmen to hearten and make fat our land, their industry and labour was contrary, to take away the heart and strength of the ground and to prevent the rankness of it, for the which they had barren waters (contrary to the nature of Nilus) wherewith they watered their ground, because otherwise the ears of Corn would be so great and weighty, that the stalk could not bear it. These things remaining as yet in Eden, near about the borders of the Garden, by the testimony both of the Scriptures, and of all other writers, do prove unto us that there is such a certain and undoubted place upon the earth. The word Eden doth signify pleasure, Gen 13. 10. which doth show us, that all the Country was pleasant and delightful, and therefore the Garden of Eden, is showed thereby to deserve the name of pleasure itself, as we shall see hereafter both in respect of the pleasant Waters and Rivers, as also of the pleasant Air, for in the 3. Chap. it is said that God did walk in it, as also in respect of the most rare and delightful sent, verse 9 not only for Flowers and Trees but for Spices, precious Stones, and Metals which grew 〈◊〉 of their own accord, as also in respect of the pleasant prospect and view of the place, being as it were a hollow bottom, as Balaam describeth this Garden, Numb. 24. 6. Thus we have seen the seat of man, the kind of place, the dignity and situation of it. Secundae pars generalis. Now for the placing of man in it, Deus locavit hominem quem formavit in horto quem plantavit, for after man was made, God removed and brought him hither into Eden, and put him in the Garden, 15. verse, God saith, Levit. 25. 23. quoniam terra mea est, & vos Coloni estis, etc. So this Garden was God's planting and his ground, Adam was a foreigner and brought in to be God's Farmer and Tenant in it, that Adam (not being born in it) might know that God which placed him there, was the right and only true owner of it, and therefore all homage was to be performed to him alone, for this taught him that Paradise, was vos gratiae, non naturae, for God might have left him in the place, where first he made him; Seeing then God of his free Grace brought him thither, it was not of desert or merit, because as yet there was no Law given unto him, until after he was put in possession of it. This then teacheth him thankfulness and obedience, in that it was without any desert of his. Secondly, it might teach him, that as he was in mercy brought in, so he might in Justice be cast out, if he sinned and became ungrateful. Wherefore we see that as it was Gods great favour, by which he was brought hither, so when he had transgressed, there was no wrong or rigour showed in thrusting him out again. God first planted the senses in man, Psal. 94. 9 And then he planted a Garden, this is the first order; and another order he took, which is this, that they whom he planted in the Garden, Psal. 92. 13. 14. might strive with Paradise in fruitfulness, that seeing God had caused Paradise not to be barren or unfruitful to us Jer. 2. 27. Therefore we should not be a wilderness unto God, but to be plentiful in good works being thus graciously planted in God's Church. Concerning Paradise now we must know, it was not the deluge, but the cause of the deluge, that is sin, which took away the excellency of Paradise as is here mentioned. But you will ask what is become of it now? This question may be well left out, because as St. Augustine saith, there is no use of it in regard of our habitation, but of our instruction; this, for use, we see and learn, that Adam did lose that happy place of joy by negligence, sin, ungratefulness, and unbelief, therefore let us beware lest the like sins, make us lose the hope and fruition of our Paradise in Heaven, but let us detest such detestable vices which will cause men to lose such excellent glory, yet though we have all lost these pleasures of Paradise by Adam's fall, we need not, with too much sorrow lament it, because that was temporal and not permanent, and we are put in assurance through Christ of another Paradise much better, being eternal. In respect of which, this below was a shadow and nothing else but quasi vestibulum, and this first Paradise was but a show of such store of earthly pleasures and blessings which God is able to bestow on his servan 〈◊〉 in this World. So Luke 23. 43. the second Paradise hath in it a show and view of heavenly pleasures and delights spiritual, which he will bestow on us in the world to come. And as by the default of the first earthly Adam, we lost earthly Paradise, which was temporal; So by the second Adam, which is heavenly, and his righteousness, we have hope of that heavenly Paradise which is eternal. Again, as the sin of the first Adam did lock and chain up the first Paradise; So the second Adam shall open the gate of Heaven, and make an entrance of free passage thither. As this Paradise past was a bodily place for bodies; so the other to come is the spiritual Paradise for our souls: This is Paradisus veteris Testamenti, but that to come is foederis novi. And thus we must understand all the places of the new Testament, which speak of Paradise now, for by it are meant the joys of Heaven. Seeing then we are not left destitute of a Paradise, but have the promise of one which is more excellent than that, let us not fall into the same sins of ingratitude and infidelity which we see was the cause of driving Adam out of that Paradise, and will be the cause to keep us out of the second which is to come, for no unclean person shall enter into it, 1 Cor. 15. for Christ will say to such, Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, Matth. 7. 23. Wherefore these sins must be detested, and infidelity, as the root of all; for his believing the Devils nequaquam moriemini before Gods morte moriemini, was the cause of his fall and of his loss. Thus if we beware of this fall and loss, we shall at last not only come to that Sabbatum cum intermissione, which was but once a week, but to that Sabbatum sine intermissione, which Christ hath appointed for us, and then by Christ we shall be brought and placed, not in Paradise cum amissione, but sine amissione, which is eternal in Heaven: In which place we shall enjoy an everlasting Sabbath of repose and rest without any ceasing, and of such a Paradise of pleasures as are without fear or danger of losing, as these earthly ones were. All these things are provided for us all, if we demean and behave ourselves holily in the faithful steps of the second Adam. Feceratque Jehova Deus ut germinaret è terra illa quaevis arbor desiderabilis ad adspectum, & bona ad cibum: arbour quoque vitae in horto illo, & arbour scientiae boni & mali. Gen. 2. 9 June 8. 1591. AFter the more particular setting down of the essentials of Man (being created) in the 7. verse, I told you that Moses proceedeth to set down the place in which man was seated, from the 8. verse to the end of the 14. And the vocation in which he was to be employed, from the 14. to the 18. verse. 2. Touching the place we considered two privileges expressed, etc. 1. One in regard of the situation of the Garden, being in the East or right side of Eden. 2. The other in regard of the Gardener which was God. Now he goeth forward to commend the Garden in another respect, namely of the Trees and Plants, which were in it set down in this 9 verse: And also in respect of the waters in the 10. and 11 verles, by which he telleth us, that it was both a well planted and a well watered Garden, and therefore could not choose but be pleasant and profitable. Concerning the plants and trees in it, first he propoundeth it in general, and then in special, marking out two kinds of fruits by name, as the tree of life, and the 〈◊〉 of knowledge: Here are two kinds of commendations of the trees and planting it. 1. The first respecteth the excellency of the fruit that were both pleasant to the eye and good for taste. 2. Secondly, In regard of the plenty and variety, in that there was of every kind and sort, that nothing might be missing in it, God made it Nemus, a grove of pleasant trees good for shadow, and also Hortus, an Orchard of good trees for our use and service, that we might not only rest under the shadow, but reach out for the fruit to taste thereof. Both these degrees of excellency are applied and attributed to this Garden and to the trees thereof. Touching pleasure and delight, we know that there is voluptas remota & voluptas conjuncta, the one removed fare off, but being 〈◊〉 unto us, applied to the sense, is very good, and that is the delight of razed; for the eye hath its delight, though the object be remote, but the taste hath no pleasure if the object be not applied. The one delight is transitory; for that which is pleasant for taste when we eat it it is consumed and wasted away in the use of it, but the other pleasure of the eye is perdurable and lasteth not only while we look on it, but remaineth long after as delightful still. God then in this Garden joined both these delights and excellencies together, making both concur, that evermore the trees should be & speciosae & fructiferae, Jer. 11. 16. Thus much of the excellency. Now I come to the plenty and variety of trees (for it is said) that out of the ground God made to grow every tree, that is, every kind of tree pleasant to the sight and good for meat, which is a special commendation; for as the Heathen man saith Non omnis fert omnis tellus: Therefore Solomon was fain to send to Hyram for Cedar trees, which his Country afforded not, and Hyram was fain to send to Solomon for Wheat and Olives, because his Country either wanted that, or else it bore not plenty that year, 1 Reg. 15. 10. So that all Countries, even the best and most fruitful, have not all sorts of commodities, but are driven to have interchange for supply. Only this place of Paradise had plentiful store of all kinds of fruit, and wanted nothing: So that we may truly say of this garden as it is said of salomon's time, there came never in any place such trees and such plenty of all as was here, 1 Reg. 10. 12. This then showeth the bounty and liberality of God, for he dealt not with us sparingly nor with any envious eye, but poured out the abundance of his blessings on him in this happy place, which showeth Adam in all justice worthy to be condemned as filius mortis, 2 Sam. 12. 5. in that he having such infinite store of all good trees that were, yet was not content, but did impiously and ungratefully take away and steal from him which had but only one tree. From both these we gather, that it is not lawful in respect of God's will nor against the Law of nature, but it is allowed and permitted to man in the estate of innocence to desire and to use and enjoy both plenty and variety of God's blessing here on Earth which are pleasant and good, that is, such good Creatures which may serve for delight and profit: David Psal. 23. 5. giveth God thanks for both, for God gave him balm, which is a thing for pleasure, and an overrunning cup, which is for plenty: And Solomon, 2 Chro. 9 21. and in the 1 King. 10. 22. when his Navy went to Ophir, he took order, according to the wisdom God gave him, that they should bring him Apes, Peacocks, and Parrots, etc. which we know are only for delight and hath a use for pleasure, so he had both a desire and fruition of such things, and our saviour Christ, which is wiser than Solomon, John 18. 2. he often resorted to and reposed himself in a garden and took pleasure therein; and Luke 24. 43. there we see he cate of an honeycomb for the pleasure of taste; and St. Augustine giveth this reason, because God caused Bees not to gather honey for the wicked only, but for the godly also. The desire then and the use is lawful, only we must take this Caveat by the way, and beware that we long not after the forbidden Tree, that is, that we (both in respect of our wills and desires, in regard of the means to obtain and get these things, and also of the use and enjoying them) must beware, that we do not that which is forbidden: for to desire those things in affection immoderately, to seek them by evil means inordinately and indiscreatly, or to use them in excess unthankfully, is the abusing and making them evil unto us. And let this suffice for the first part. Now for walking about the Garden, Moses here calleth us into the midst of it, and we know that usually in the midst of their places of pleasure men will have some curious devise, so God applying himself to the nature of men, is said to have a special matter of purpose in the midst, which Moses will have us now see and consider. We read in the 1 Cron. 16. 1. that in the middle of the Temple, and in the midst of the middle part God caused the Cherubins and the Ark to be set, where his glory and presence did most appear, for there he contriveth and conveyeth the most excellent things in all Paradise, and setteth them in the midst thereof to be seen which were not where else (that is to say, the tree of life, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which he expresseth by name, as for all the rest, he hudleth them up in a general term, as not worthy the naming in respect of this. Touching which two St. Austin saith well, that we must note that they came out of the ground, not out of the Air, that is, they were not fantastical trees, as some men have imagined, but very true and substantial trees as the rest, not differing, but only this in prerogative and special fruit, which by God's blessing they brought forth, fructus erat non ex natura arboris, sed ex gratia Creatoris, as è contra, it was not an evil or hurtful tree, ex voluntate plantantis, sed ex culpa comedentis; for by Adam's sin it became deadly: We see then that as Paradise was a natural place, though it had reference to a spiritual place; for in this tree of life is both matter of History, which proveth the very true and essential being of it, and yet withal matter of mystery: For as it is a true use to be applied to the body and natural life to maintain it; So besides that History, in it was a mystery to signify a heavenly matter, to be spiritually applied to our souls, as the Scriptures do teach: And in these two respects we shall have a perfect comprehension of these trees in the midst. Touching the tree of life and the corporal use of it, we must remember that it is said in the 7. verse, that God gave man a spirit of life, and made him a living soul, that is, such a soul which could give life to every part in the body, with the functions and faculties thereof, as to eat and drink, to move, go, and stir, which the soul of Beasts also giveth to them naturally. Touching the natural life and living soul of Man, all Physicians do well agree with divinity in this, that it standeth in two points, and that there were two causes ordained by God, by which it should be maintained or impaired, the one is set down Deut. 34. 7. Humidum radical, the natural vigour and strength of nature in moisture; the other is called Calor naturalis, 1 Reg. 1. 1, 2. that is, natural heat: So long as they two are perfect and sound, the bodily life doth continue perfect; but when there is a defect or decay of them, than the natural life doth cease and end. Wherefore God taketh order that by eating and drinking there should be a supply of that natural moisture, which should be spent in us by travail and labour, Jer. 18. 15. And therefore it is called a refection and recovering by food that moisture which before hath been decayed in us, now because the moisture and juice which cometh of meats and drinks, would at last by often mixture, become unperfect, as water being mixed with wine is worse, therefore God gave this tree of life, for man's bodily use, that whatsoever natural defect might grow in these two, yet the fruit of this tree shall be as balm, as it were, to preserve his bodily constitution in the first perfect good estate of health. Secondly, though there be no decay of moisture, or that yet sin, which is the sting of death, might impair or destroy this immortal life, 2 Chron. 15. 16. For when God doth punish or chastise man, for sin, than even as a moth fretteth a garment, so doth sin consume our life, Psal. 39 11. Therefore God ordained also the other tree of knowledge to a remedy for that, that as the body should be sustained by that corporal fruit of life, so his heart also might be propped up or upheld by grace, Heb. 13. 9 which this tree of knowledge did teach him to apprehend: And thus much of the corporal use of these trees, which were truly in the Garden as this History doth show. Now for the other part it is not to be doubted, but that as it hath a true matter of history: So it hath in it also a spiritual mystery to be understood as the Scriptures well teach us. Augustine saith, that the tree of life, served not only ad alimenta, sed etiam ad sacramenta for doubtless as Adam in his estate of innocency had a bodily Sabbath, so therein he had a spiritual use of these trees in the midst of the Garden, and that in this sort. First, for the tree of life it was not so called, as if it gave life to him, for God breathed that into him at the first; But besides that, the tree of life was a means to preserve it; It was also a Symbolum, and memorial also to put him in mind, to know that it was not 〈…〉 virtute arboris; but vi & virtute divina, by which he had life at first, and by which his life and length of days shall be continued hereafter. In the midst of the Garden was the Pulpit, and this is the Sermon which was preached unto him, by these things which the trees did represent, namely, That God was his life and length of days, 〈◊〉. 30. 20. And that this gracious visitation did preserve his life, Job 10. 12. As he breathed out his life into him at the first: Again, it did put him in mind, that seeing he had received a spiritual life of immutability in esse, so also he received a spiritual life of eternity in posse. Therefore he had matter and just occasion of thankfulness for the one, and of obedience for the other. Adam had two things enjoined him, the one was praeesse Creaturis, the other subesse Creatori, he had no need of a Caveat for the one, for he was ready enough to govern and bear sovereignty, but for his duty to God, he had great need to be put in mind; and for the try all and practise thereof, he caused this tree of knowledge to be planted there, with an inhibition not to eat of it, upon pain of death, which now and ever hath offended many. Some wish it had not been in the Garden: Others wish Adam had never tasted it; But Saint Augustine saith, if it were good and pleasant, why should it not be there? God's purpose therefore in planting the forbidden tree, was that it might be a trial of his obedience, and practise of his duty, that if he should continue, as he might, and had ability given him, than he should have the greater reward afterward. 〈◊〉 saith, Rev. 2. 7. Vincenti dabo edere de ligno vitae in medio Paradisi: Well saith St. Paul, But no man can overcome except he strive first and fight the good fight, 2 Tim. 2. 5. And no man that will or can strive well, but he abstaineth from something, 1 Cor. 9 25. For which cause therefore, that we might be rewarded, it was necessary that there should be a commandment and forbidding for his abstinence, that when there should be a trial of the Tempter saying, Eat of this, he should strive and say, I may not, and so get the victory and be crowned, that is, eat of the tree of everlasting life, and live for ever, with God in Heaven: On the contrary side 17. verse if in trial he should wilfully fall, then for transgression, the tree of life should be a tree of death Mortem morieris, And the reason of this choice, why God should prescribe him a law and form of obedience, is because this should be primor dialis lex, as one saith, ut nostrum obsequi sit nostrum sapere, Deut. 30. 20. This is our wisdom to know and do that which God will have us to do, if God give a Law at large, every one will consent to it, As if God had said: No man shall disobey or transgress my will, none will deny it: But let it come to positive law, and bring the trial and practice of that general to a particular (as to say) I forbidden and restrain this tree, none shall break my will, nor eat of it, then is the trial of obedience indeed. Object. But some may say, What hurt is it to know good and evil? For we read Esay 7. 15. that Christ shall do that: And therefore it is no sin. Resp. I answer that God forbiddeth not to eat the fruit, nor that he would have us ignorant of that knowledge, quam quis quaerit a Deo, sed quam quis quaerit a seipso, And no doubt Adam had the knowledge both of good and evil, per intelligentiam & si non per experientiam. And he knew how to choose the one, and to refuse the other, to pursue the one, and to fly from the other, he understood it then, but when he would know both by experience, Gen. 3. 6. He could not see why God should forbid him, and therefore the Tempter taking occasion by it, made him make an experiment of it. This is the cause then, why at last Adam came to know evil by sense and experience, and saw to his shame, what evil was, for to take he knew and confessed by experience, that bonum erat adhaerere Deo, as the Prophet saith, Jer. 2. 19 And now he knew by taste, how bitter a thing it was to forsake the Lord, And that he knew, it appeareth, Gen. 3. 8. by hiding himself for fear, he shown that he knew it, when he did feel ante-ambulatores mortis, which is sorrow and sickness, and when he saw the Statute of death, that now it must necessarily come to him, and all his posterity to die the death, than he knew evil by woeful experience. You see the cause of the Law, and of his sin of good and evil; it remaineth that we believe Adam in his knowledge and in his experience both of good and evil: For by his good lost, we come to the knowledge of the means by which our good may be lost; that is, if we seek to satisfy our lusts, and curiously (not contented with the open knowledge of his revealed will) shall try conclusions with God, and say, what if we should break the Law? Wherefore abandoning these faults, which by experience we see were the cause of evil in him, it behoveth us to receive more thankfully of God the good things we have, and live obediently resting on the Son of God for good things to come: And so at last Christ will be unto us the tree of eternal life hereafter, as we have made him the tree of knowledge, wisdom, and sanctification to us in this life. Fluvius autem procedit ex Hedene ad irrigandum hunc hortum: & inde sese dividit, ferturque in quatuor capita. Primi nomen est Pischon: hic est qui alluit totam Regionem Chavilae, ubi est aurum. Et aurum illius Regionis praestans: ibidem est Bdellium, & lapis Sardonyx. Gen. 2. 10,11,12. June 10. 1591. THe verse going before containeth, as we have seen, the planting of the Garden, and the devise of God framed and set in the midst of Paradise, which is a plain resemblance of all Divinity, both touching our duty in knowledge and practice, with the reward thereof: Now followeth the watering of it, which in the old Testament, Gen. 49. 25. is called Benedictio ventris & uberum, and in the new Testament, Paul's planting and Apollo's watering, 1 Cor. 3. 6. So that as the planting is showed before, so the watering is now set down to the 14. verse. 1. In the 10. verse, the man of God showeth the end of the River, namely to water and moisten the garden; for to that end is mention made of the particular difference of all the Rivers which from thence were derived, and became into four heads. 2. Secondly is set down the means by which the whole garden was watered and took the effect, namely, by the several branching out of the water into divers arms and streams. 3. Thirdly, He showeth the manner of branching the Rivers, dividing them into their Coasts, upon occasion of which he 〈◊〉 into a several discourse of them. Object. If one should ask, To what end, or what need there was of water and Rivers in God's Garden? Resp. I answer, That whether we respect necessity or pleasure, it is plain, that it was very requisite, that this supplement should be added; for by this element God causeth all his Creatures to drink and quench their thirst, Psal. 104. 11. whereas without it they would faint and die: And as this is good and necessary in the great world, to have every part well watered; so in the little world of man's body is there the like necessity; for in it the Liver is as a Well or Cistern, out of which every part and member of the body, as it were, by the little cords and buckets of the veins, do draw and receive moisture, without which they would perish; and as the flesh, so the bones are not dry, but are full of marrow to moisten and preserve them, Job 21. 24. And to have a general comprehension of all, the soul also hath a thirst, and must be satisfied with liquor and water of life, Psal. 34. 3. and 42. 2. or else it will be sick, languish, and pine: therefore in the new Testament, John 7. 38. Christ, to refresh such thirsty souls causeth Rivers to flow to it. As this necessity than tendeth generally to all, so doth it especially to Orchards and Gardens; for it is most meet, that the trees which God doth plant should be also full of sap and moisture, Psal. 104. 16. For if the young plants do once get but the sent of the waters they will rejoice and grow, Job 14. 9 But without it David saith, It is as the grass on the house top, which withereth before it can grow up, Psal. 129. 6. And therefore when moisture and waters do fail abroad, and a drought is come, Joel 1. 11. 12. it causeth all men of the Country to weep and howl, wherefore as it was requisite that the fruits of the Trees and Plants should feed Adam, so they must be fed and cherished and kept alive by the springs and rivers of waters. For pleasures also, it was most meet and requisite that there should be store of springs and waters, for the name of Paradise hath in it the plenty of waters, signifying that the well watering of it made it to be so pleasant a place; for which cause pleasure and delight is fitly compared to a Well or River, Psal. 36. 8. So on the other side we say, the drought and want of moisture is compared and likened to sorrow and misery, Pro. 17. 22. And in the new Testament Christ compareth grief and sorrow to it, Luke 21. 26. wherefore we see that it is requisite both for necessity and pleasure of a place, and also for profit: For as too much water maketh a bad ground for fruit, and unpleasant by reason of dirt and mire, 1 Reg. 9 13. So on the other side to have a Country or City of too little water, maketh the places dry and dusty, and therefore unfruitful and unpleasant, 1 King 14. 15. wherefore much land is nothing worth without this: But rivers and springs of waters do make the Land rich and happy. There must be then in a good Soil not only good Plants and well grafted, but also good Rivers that it may be well watered, or else it cannot be either fit for profit or pleasure; wherefore God so ordered this place, that it wanted not any thing, neither Paul's nor Apollo's labour, nor yet his blessing of increase from above. And let this suffice for the counsel of Moses in these things. When men would plant and make Orchards or Gardens, they have no power to make Rivers, that it may be watered well: For when King Solomon made himself Gardens and Orchards, be only could dig Wells, and caused Cisterns to be made; 〈◊〉 God hath a high 〈◊〉 and power, for when he made a Garden, instead of a cistern if he will, he can make a Sea for his fountain, and instead of pipes he can make whole 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of Rivers, in several channels to come into all places where he 〈◊〉 for God doth not only make Rivers, and that great profitable and pleasant 〈◊〉, but also commodious, making them to branch and spread themselves out over every land, for God would not have Adam and his people to take pains, to water the Garden and all their grounds with their feet, as they did in Egypt, Deut. 11. 10. That is, to 〈◊〉 a great way to fetch waters in buckets, and then to water it so; therefore he would not have his water in one channel, but to divide it 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 channels above, as it doth 〈◊〉 in divers water pipes under the earth. And by reason that this Country was so well watered in every place, both for Errable ground and Pastures. That as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the people there are not only 〈◊〉 to eat up their 〈◊〉 twice before every harvest, but also to drive their 〈◊〉 out of their Pastures, lest otherwise they should choke themselves with their own fat. We see then generally why God divided and severed these waters, now let us come to the particulars and several rivers, which 〈…〉 in number, and therefore four because they were enough, 〈…〉 because there are but four pleasures, which come to men by the use of spring and rivers, viz. The profitable pleasure of waters. 1. To sail, row, fish, and carry in. 2. To bathe, wash, and make clean. 3. To quench our thirst. 4. To nourisn plants, herbs and trees. Touching this description it is plain, that the ancient writers do gather, 1. First, that Paradise was not feigned or fantastical matter of conceit, but a very true and a certain place. 2. Secondly, it was an argument to induce them to think, that it was not all over the world, but in one special 〈◊〉 place, where those rivers were. 3. Last of all, it was an inducement to cause them make 〈…〉 and conjecture by search, to find out where that special place was, and in the process of that, as Master 〈◊〉 saith, it became a great stumbling block to many in Religion and Divinity, for where they compared this with the history of other writers, and seek for a place, where are four such great rivers coming from one head and fountain, they died in it. And again, missing also in the knowledge of the Land of 〈◊〉, taking it for another Land, it grew to a marvelous difficulty, that they could not tell how to reconcile this part of holy 〈◊〉 with the histories of other men. But I will come to the particulars, and touching the first River, it is 〈◊〉 after three names; first by name it is called 〈◊〉: Secondly, by the 〈◊〉 and compassing of it about havilah. Thirdly, by the comedies of that Country ophir, which being taken by 〈◊〉, is included, by gold 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉, for by Gold is understood all kind of metals, by 〈◊〉 all kind of Perfumes and Spices, by the 〈◊〉 all kinds of Jewels and precious Stones. Touching the name it 〈◊〉 in Hebrew the rich and plentiful River, which name 〈◊〉 giew to be called Armelcha, the 〈◊〉 call it the kingly, 〈◊〉, or stately River, if we compare this River to Saul, 1 〈◊〉. 10. 23. We shall see it well called so; For as he was taller by the head and shoulders, than all the men in Israel, so was this river 〈◊〉 longer, and did pass with more state than all other. The second, is the circuit and compass by the coast, for it compasseth and runneth along by the Country Havilah, the name of which Land and Country, made the doubt amongst writers, because in the 〈◊〉 we read of two Countries of that name, the one in 〈◊〉. 10. 29. For the son of Heber which is called Havilah, did 〈◊〉, and it is sure, that one of his sons also did plant himself in Ophir. The other is 〈◊〉 Kings 10. 22. which is in the 〈◊〉 parts of the 〈…〉 of India. And the old writers, taking it for this, which is very 〈…〉 from that, did 〈◊〉 in the matter. There was another Havilah, which came from 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉, Gen. 10. 7. which dwelled in that Country where the river 〈◊〉 is, of which now some are called 〈…〉. In Strabo this Land is called Chavilah 〈◊〉, which as you see is very like 〈◊〉, and in this place was the King's royal place and seat in the city of Shushan, 1 Hester 2. 5. Which for the commodities of it, was called the city of joy or pleasure, as indeed Chavilah signifieth, for in Hebrew it importeth most fruitful, rich, and plentiful, as if it were ever bringing forth, and yet ever with child. This is the Country then, that is next neighbour to Paradise bordering nearest upon it. Touching the third point, we necessarily infer and prove by the fruits and commodities, which are here named that it must needs be this Havilah, of which we have spoken, for only it hath store of 〈◊〉 things as Pliny and Strabo do witness. The particular fruits here specified, be those which in the opinion of all ancient writers are set down figuratively, namely one chief for all of that kind, for it was the infinite store of all these rich commodities, which made the King of Persia so proud in the City Shushan, as we read in the, 1 Hester. First, for Gold, we see that it had not only store, but also store of the best Gold, for there were divers sorts, as we do make difference of ours here, though there was great plenty of base, and common Gold, which came from Ophir, yet the best and purest Gold came from Havilah. For the other kind of Bdelium, some take it for a precious stone, but indeed it is a tree and not a stone, by which rare and excellent tree all spice and sweet perfumes which did there abound are comprehended and understood. The third fruit is of jewels and precious stones, where the best of all is specified for all the rest, namely, the Onyx stone, for the Sardys is but a compound of it, and of this kind of stone we read was set in Aaron's breast plate, and also we read it to be one of the gates of the City; and the Caldees do call this stone the mother and seed of all other precious stones whatsoever, and therefore doth contain all the rest. And thus ye see what he meaneth by the fruits and commodities of this land, by which Moses thinketh he hath sufficiently described unto us the place where Paradise was. Now we must note and understand that all these commodities are in Havilah, which is without Paradise, and, as it were, in the backside and outhouses, for these are not the things which do principally commend Paradise, but by this Moses is willing to show the difference between the worldly Paradise and the Godly Paradise. For worldlings when they come to Havilah, and whilst they are amongst the gold and sweet perfumes and spices and precious stones (which is before they come to Paradise) they sit down there, as if they were at their journey's end, and had found the Paradise and happiness which they looked for: But God's Children never stay nor rest themselves in Havilah amongst these earthly things, but go on still till they come to the tree of life, which is in the midst of Paradise. And as it is erroneous to think that God's Church is where all these earthly things are: So on the the other side were it erroneous to conclude, that that could not be God's Paradise where gold and silver and prosperity is. Because Havilah and this 〈◊〉 is without the circuit and compass of Paradise; for though indeed the tree of knowledge and of life be the works of it, yet the other trees of pleasure and profit are not denied always to the Church of God: For God willed the People 〈◊〉 offer all their treasures, Exod. 35. 4. And yet though these outward things do accompany the Church and profession of the truth, yet we are not to rest in them as the true works of Paradise, but as things adjacent, and as part of the world in the outside thereof, yet it is the property of our earthly nature, more to admire these things than the true treasures of Paradise: For when the Israelites saw 〈◊〉 first, they asked what it was? for they were ignorant of it, they could not understand it, nor tell what to make of it coming from Heaven; but when they first saw gold glistering, they called it by this name, give it me. There is no comparison between lignum vitae and lignum Bdelii, nor between a wedge of gold and the tree of knowledge, so saith Job 28. 16. yet the world thinketh that Job was in an error, for they think all knowledge nothing in comparison of a wedge of gold. But remember what our Saviour Christ saith, Though we could get all the world, what would it avail if we lose our souls? Matth. 26. 15, 16. wherefore we must remember to say as Eusebius reporteth of one Arcelius, who being busy about worldly 〈◊〉, was wont often to say to himself (potes hoc agere, sed hoc non est opus tuum, that is, thou mayst do this, but this is not the thing that thou chief comest into the world to do, for that is to be obedient to the good pleasure of almighty God, and to do his will. Wherefore we must not stay always in Havilah, making that our journey's end, for if we do, we shall never come to Paradise: But we must pass through Havilah speedily and make haste to Paradise, and there make our abode and bestow ourselves principally in the contemplation of his works and the doing of his will. And thus much for the use of Divinity. Nomen verò fluvii secundi est Gichon: hic est qui alluit totam Regionem Cuschi. Et nomen tertii fluvii, Chiddekel: hic est qui labitur ad Orientem Assyriam versus: Fluvius autem quartus est Euphrates. Gen. 2. 13.14. June 12. 1591. THese verses are the parting of the plot of Paradise; and the perfecting of the parting of these Rivers as yet remaineth, St. Augustine saith well, that matters of spiritual instruction in the Scriptures are as the crop of Wheat or Herbs of the field to be gathered: and the Histories of the Bible are as the plat in which it is sowed, or as the pasture in which they grow: The Chronologie, Cronographie, and topography, setting down the places, times, and persons, are as the lanes, ways, and bridges by which we pass and repass to and fro one to another, and there can be no orderly passage or conveyance without these. To dwell altogether in these things is as if a man should consume his time, bestow his study, and spend his labour wholly in mending of high ways and bridges, and to let alone the care and labour (which is more needful) in husbanding the arable land and pasture ground. And whereas in profane Stories many do spend whole leaves and long volumes in these circumstances; we may see the holy Spirit useth very briefly, in a few lines, to knit up all such things as are necessary to that purpose: Here, in these two verses, he 〈◊〉 us of the three other Rivers, whereof the two first are (as the former) described both by name and also by the Coast which they doc pass by. 2 River. Touching the first we read that this River which is here called Gihen, is called of the Heathen Writers Araxes, Naharses, and Narsines, yet they found that the primitive name was Gihen. This River was called fluvius Eunuchius, for as Kings delighted and took pleasure in Eunuches, so all took great pleasure and delight in this River, for the water thereof was very clear, and therefore delightful to the eye. Epiphanius faith, that it was sweet to drink and 〈◊〉 of; and last of all (by reason that it grew into so many Rivers) it became also shallow, and therefore running swift and shallow, made, by that means, a murmuring noise and rushing, and therefore was called fluvius abruptus & 〈◊〉, and so was pleasant to the ear; the nature of which River was (once a year about harvest time) to break out and overflow, whereby it refreshed the Country languishing with heat, Sirrah. 24. 32. Touching the Coast, It compasseth the Land of Havilah, where by compassing is meant, that it marched or ran through the Country; for so the 〈◊〉 are said to compass the Wilderness, Joshuah 15. 1. and the Scribes, Matth. 23. 15. to compass Sea and Land, that is, to pass or travel through or by it. 3 River. The third river Hiddekell; As the former two names were significant, so are these, though the first name of these remained among the Hebrews: yet the Heathen Writers call it Tigris, and indeed the River hath both these names given for one reason, Hiddekell in Hebrew signifieth an arrow, and a Tiger is the swiftest of Beasts; so that of the strong, forcible, and swift motion of it, it hath the name. This River hath a head of itself, and passeth along by the old Cities Niniveh, and others, Gen. 10. 11. and it joineth itself to the River Pishon near the famous city Tesipho, and so run into one stream together into the gulf of Persia. For the Coast of it, He saith it runneth Eastward, for on that side is the Land of Assyria, which was called the Land of Nod before the flood, Gen. 4. 16. And after that Assur, Cham's son, came thither, it was called Assyria, Gen. 10. 22. 4 River. The fourth River is called Euphrates, only he speaketh of the name of this and leaveth out the bounds and coasts of it: the reason of this is, because that River runneth through the midst of Paradise, and so it could not coast; and also because it was so well known that it needed not any other description, Gen. 15. 18. it was a bound to the Holy-Land, for God promised that they should possess so fare, which was performed and effected in salomon's days, 1 King. 4. 21. This River entereth into Babylon, which was builded over this River, and passeth by Massasha; and this River is spoken of last as the greatest, and therefore by an excellency is called the great River; the fignification of it plentiful a fruitful or plentiful River. Solinus saith, that when this River doth overflow the Land, the slime of it passeth all the dunging and ear-ring which Husbandmen can use; and because it is too rank with it, they are fain to use the water of Tigris to wash that slime away, and so to make it less fruitful. Paradise they say had his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of the well watering of it, and of the pleasure, joy, and 〈◊〉 that came to it thereby. Jeremy 51. 63. Rev. 16. 12. Notwithstanding all these commodities, and pleasures of these Rivers, when men abused the places to sin and abomination, God threatened his wrath and vengeance on these Nations and Lands, and as before he extended his benefits of his free mercy, so than he poured out his wrath in just Judgements. And this may suffice for the Rivers, because we may not stand more than needs in mending highways and bridges. Concerning these four Rivers, we have said of the ground of Paradise, that it brought fourth all fruits which could be desired of any ground, So say we of the waters, which God had so ordered, that nothing was to be desired of waters, but that the pleasure and delight thereof might be found in one of these Rivers. If we compare them together, in some of them was deepness, in others shallowness, in some swiftness, in some slowness, some pleasurable, others navigable, the one of them far and fruitful, the other lean, and yet profitable, Solomon saith, Preach. 4. 12. If a man be bound with a threefold cord it cannot easily be broken; wherefore seeing God hath bound us with fourfold benefits, yea with many fold blessings, what a sin it is to break asunder those bands by transgression and unthankfulness. Paradise itself thus is enclosed with four goodly Rivers, and hath three Islands, which though they be dis-junct, yet they meet in one point, and make but one Paradise,; which Garden showeth what an one the Gardener was, that is, three dis-junct in person, and yet but one in unity of substance; which three Islands Arselius calleth the three Islands of blessing, and the Heathen do call them Elisii campi: By which we see they had a glimmering knowledge of Paradise. The Land of Babylon, Choose and Ashur, and other places, as Writers do testify, do carry in their names the men that first inhabited and possessed them: But only the Land of Eden hath in it the name and title of no man, for God gave it the name. And therefore it is counted the most ancient and excellent Country, in which man was first created and first set his foot; and therefore some think Adam had his name of Eden, but there is no likelihood of that: But whatsoever excellencies this Land had, yet now they are lost, though relics and resemblances of them remain, which must teach us how vile and dangerous a thing sin is; for as it caused the Ark of God to be taken away, 1 Sam. 4. 11. and the Temple and City of God to be wasted and destroyed, so we see that the same sins were the overthrow and dissolution of the Garden of God, and therefore we must beware of it. As we have taken a view of the four Rivers, so now let us take a survey of the four Regions, which are about Paradise, for Paradise was the centre, and 〈◊〉 about it was the compass of these four 〈◊〉 On the one side was Havilah, where was Gold, and that the best Gold, and where such wealth and riches are, from 〈◊〉 any thing may be 〈◊〉 and brought. And on the other side was 〈…〉 from 〈◊〉 came health, and the means of health, namely, the best medicines, the flower and choice of all dregs of Physic. On the other quarter 〈◊〉 Africa, which is the glory and pomp of the world; And on the other side was Caldea, from 〈◊〉 came all the learning and knowledge of the world: So that 〈◊〉 must needs be the 〈◊〉 pleasant place, being environed and compassed with all those blessings, namely 〈◊〉 the midst of health, wealth, honour, and learning, yet you may observe, that when sin began in the centre of the world, how all these blessings round about it, began 〈◊〉 curses to mankind, 〈◊〉 and learning grew into 〈◊〉 All the wisdom of 〈◊〉 Gen. 11. 31. grew into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was the glory of the world degenerated, and fell into pride, and so to cruelty and 〈◊〉 and so was made the 〈◊〉 of God's wrath, which ever God 〈◊〉 to threaten sin, Ezech. 12. 13. Havilah became by sin, a means to draw 〈…〉 from Paradise, for they which dwelled in this wealthy Country, became the most covetous, secure, and careless people in the world, forgetting God, every man was there on horseback, by reason of wealth and prosperity, which made them ride away from Paradise with the more speed. And for Arabia they enjoying bodily health, yet made them so presumptuous that (as one of their countrymen saith) they were 〈…〉 For by reason, they had 〈◊〉 for all diseases and infirmities of the body to preserve health, they gave themselves to all 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 and to wallow in all 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 knowing present help to recover their health again. Thus we see that by sin and corruption of our nature, these things are used contrary to God's ordinances, namely, as means to remove us as far as may be from the centre of Paradise, and from the tree of knowledge and 〈◊〉 which is 〈◊〉 the midst thereof. If we fall into the pride of 〈◊〉 into the 〈◊〉 and security of Havilah, and 〈◊〉 ourselves into all 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and give ourselves to the 〈◊〉 and Idolatry of 〈◊〉 than 〈◊〉 shall be like 〈◊〉 those which were 〈◊〉 neighbours 〈◊〉 Paradise, and yet were 〈◊〉 off from 〈…〉 and therefore shall be 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 or enter into it. We have 〈◊〉 this one thing briefly yet to note, and it is that which I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 the Jew, and St. Augustine the converted Christian, to make use of, by thinking on Paradise, for they all are careful to preserve and 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of this story, and to prove that these are not Rivers running in 〈…〉 place imaginary, but 〈◊〉 and cortain, known, seen and tasted of by many, Gen. 13. 10. So for matter of my story, for spiritual use and instruction, they gathered and delivered some good and profitable things, which their age was able to bear, though our age hold it curiosity, and cannot abide it. Arelius reporteth, that Zoroaster had this as one of his chief Lessons, which he held and taught to all his Scholars, as an Oracle. That in this life their chief care should be, to obtain Paradise after this life, where only their Souls should find pleasure and joy. The Chaldeans also did see that it was a man's duty not to seek a Paradise upon earth, but to contemplate a spiritual Land and place of pleasure, which the heathen in their Books called Elisii Campi, In which they place the four cardinal virtues, instead of the four pleasant Rivers which are here named: And also Ambrose doth, concerning the depth of Pishon to the profoundness of wisdom, the shallowness of Hiddikell to temperance and sobriety, Tigris to fortitude, and Euphrates to justice. So doth Philo the Jew, fall into the like spiritual meditation of Paradise for his use, he said, this is the course which a man must take here, to seek the light of knowledge, and hereafter the participation of the light of glory. Sirrah 24. laboured in this comparison, likening the four Rivers in Paradise to true wisdom, and that which floweth from it: So there is a Paradise above, which is spiritual, a tree of life and knowledge, and such streams and rivers spiritual, which our Souls may apprehend for instruction and comfort. St. Augustine and Ambrose, have gathered two other resemblances spiritual by this out of the old Testament, Ezech. 1. 5. Rev. 4: 6. They lay, that Faith on earth doth apprehend Heaven, and therein these four things: 1. God the Son as in the form of a man having a fellow feeling and compassion of our infirmities and miseries on earth. 2. And also as having the strength of a Lion to save and defend us. 3. Thirdly, as an Ox to be made a sacrifice by his death: 4. And lastly, as an Eagle to mount up again, by his Resurrection and Ascension. They say, they are, as it were, the four streams, in which our Faith doth run and direct his course in, by meditation of heavenly Joys in Paradise above. Again, he taketh another out of Ezech. 15. 16. There are saith he, four Wheels on Earth, which have a sympathy between them and the Beasts above. And as these Wheels move on earth, so do they move or stay in heaven. The four Wheels are these, Job 4. 6. 〈◊〉, fides, patientia, integritas, For if we so fear that we have faith, and hope in God's mercy, and patiently endure as Christ did, not digressing from righteousness, for all the troubles of this life. As these things in our hearts move well, or stand still on earth, so do these four Beasts and streams in heaven move and flow to us, or stand still from yielding us any comfort. Thus doth Augustine and Ambrose, make a profitable resemblance and comparison, between these things on earth and that which is in heaven, that it may be a course to lead us to Paradise above. Accipiens itaque Jehovah Deus hominem; collocavit ipsum in horto Hedenis, ad colendum eum & ad custodiendum eum. Gen. 2. 15. June 15. 1591. AT the eight verse before, as ye remember, we said that Moses did first deliver the Treaty of the place of Paradise, which now he hath ended. And now he intendeth to set down the manner of his placing and employing him in that place. His placing is set down here in two points. 1. First, By showing us the place from whence God took him. Secondly, the place to which he brought him. 2. Then he showeth us that the things in which he was employed were double. 1. First, in regard of his body, He was enjoined the duty of labour, as is showed in this 15. verse. 2. Secondly, In regard of his soul, the duty of Obedience. In the two next verses, the Fathers term them Cultura horti, & Cultus Dei. We must begin with his placing: Touching which first he telleth us that God took him from another place before he brought him to this. If we ask from whence God took him? We are to understand that he was taken out of the common of the World, as when he had transgressed the commandment, he was cast out into the wide world again, Gen. 3. 23. The Prophet Esay seemeth to tell us, that it is a very profitable meditation, to look back into the former place, and estate, from whence we were taken, Esay 51. 1. So did Anna in the old Testament, I Sam. 2. 8. and Mary in the new Testament, Luke 1. 52. in their several songs: God doth raise the base from the dunghill, and set them with the Princes of his People, Psal. 113. 7. Joseph was taken from the Dungeon and prison, Psal. 105. 17. and brought from thence to be chief Ruler in Egypt. Moses was a mighty man and of great personage, yet if we consider from whence he came, we shall see he was taken out of the water, Exod. 2. 5. &c: to his great honour and renown. Gideon was taken from the flail, Judg. 6. 11. Saul with a nail in his purse and from seeking his Father's 〈◊〉, 1 Sam. 9 1, 2, etc. David from the 〈◊〉, Psal. 78. 70, 71. with divers others in the like sort, the particulars would be over-tedious to recite. This then being God's course in Adam at the first, from baseness to honour, from the wild field to Paradise; So ever after he used the same order in his posterity; and therefore will have men consider and confess their unde, from whence they come. So the old Church were bound to acknowledge their unde, and to say, Deut. 26. 5. My Father was a poor Syrian, ready to perish with bunger, and was after in cruel bondage in Egypt, etc. and from that poor and miserable estate the Lord brought us into Canaan, etc. This then kindly worketh in us the conceit of humility to consider and remember that first Man was a companion to Beasts, both in the same common matter and place, until Good took and brought him into a more excellent place. As we have spoken of the place from whence, so now of the place to which he was brought, That was Paradise, wherein we must note, that God brought him not thither only to show it him, that he might see it, 1 King 8. 9 but that he might inhabit it, enjoy it, possess and exercise himself in it, to which he seemeth to have relation in the 10. Psal. 14. which proveth that Adam was not there natus, sed positus, nor thereof Dominus, sed Colonus, and he had it not by inheritance, but by Deed of Gift; not naturâ, sed gratiâ he was not a Citizen but a Denizen; he was a Proselyte brought in thither from some other place. 2. The second word was posuit, as who would say, Man was not able to put in himself, he could not come thither alone, but it was a thing supernatural, even a special grace of God who put him in this place, not man's natural wit or industry. Wherefore this being a shadow and resemblance of Heaven, it is sure that (whatever we say) it is not our merit or worthiness, our wit or any thing else which can bring us thither, but only the free grace of God, which, as it teacheth us humbleness in regard of our unde, so it teacheth us thankfulness in regard of our quo, whither; that is, Paradise: a place full of all pleasant and profitable things, and our thankfulness must be with trembling and fear, Psal. 2. 11. Quoniam qui potuit poni, potuit deponi, & qui potuit far, potuit etiam auferre, as he did indeed. 3. The third point is his ut, that is, the cause and end for which God took him from the World and put him into Paradise, which was to 〈◊〉 him some service, both in dressing and keeping the Garden, as also in doing homage unto him that he might know that he was but a servant in Paradise, and had a Lord and Master Paramount fare above him, and therefore that it was his duty to be careful and thankful to God for his benefits: Also this labour was imposed him, that he might understand that this Paradise was not an estate and place of his rest and all happiness to be looked for, but rather a place of strife, Rev. 2. 7. which when he had performed at last, he should be crowned with this end, which is double, and containeth the two vocations of every man: The one respecting the Commonwealth, The other God in his holy Church. Touching the first, which is set down in this verse, concerning bodily labour, there are two questions to be inquired of, the one of Adam, the other of Paradise. Object. The question concerning Adam is, Why God should 〈◊〉 him to such labour, seeing God purposed to place him in a most happy estate? for it might seem a thing very inconvenient to impose labour to him which might mar and hinder all the felicity and happiness spoken of before. Resp. For answer to that, It is true which St. Augustine saith, that indeed, if we mean Laboriosum laborem, it would have been a prejudice and let to his happiness; But if by this is understood only such a pleasant labour and exercise of body, in which a man taketh more delight and comfort, than by sitting still, than we cannot otherwise think, but that it should have been father a solace to him than any hindrance of joy. For the labour that maketh us miserable now and cometh in as a curse for sin, Gen. 3. 11. 9 it consisteth in three points. 1. First, urgent necessity is irksome to many when they are enforced to it, or else they should not eat. 2. Secondly, when it is with the sweat of our face above our proportion of strength, even to the straining of nature, not only to make us warm, but even till we sweat again. 3. Thirdly, so to labour hard as when we have done all that we can, there shall come either unseasonable weather, or such a barren state of the ground below, by reason of the curse, that our labour shall take no good effect, but shall cause thorns, briers, and weeds to grow instead of Wheat which we did sow. But remove these impediments, and then labour is a special delight; Solomon saith, that excessive labour is weariness and toil to the flesh: But when labour is Condimentum volnptatis, as rest and 〈◊〉 now to us is Condimentum laboris, than such a labour is better than doing nothing at all. This then being set down, that labour is not simply an inconvenience and hindrance to a good life, but rather sometimes a help to it; then we infer that amongst all other labours, the exercise of dressing and keeping a Garden or Orchard, is most pleasant and agreeable to our nature, Preach. 2. 5. and bringeth greatest delight to our experience and senses in seeing ever some new and pleasant herb or plant springing up. Therefore it seemeth to be even the labour in which Kings have taken delight, Preach. 2. 5. though of all other men, they seem to be exempt most from bodily labour, yet they have often used and tied themselves to this labour, which God here assigned to Adam, his labour being therefore limited and allayed with these considerations, there was no abatement of happiness or joy thereby. The other question to be inquired of is, whether it may not seem superfluous and more than needs, in regard of the Garden, for him to dress or keep it; for seeing God made all things to grow in it, and the ground to bring forth all things to be desired why should he labour to dress it? and seeing there were no ill things to hurt or annoy it, what need he to take care to keep it? 〈◊〉 saith, that the case standeth alike with God and with God's Garden in this respect, for as man hath more need to be served of God, than God hath need to be served of man (not wanting his service) so Adam had more need to be served by the Garden, than the Garden to be served and 〈◊〉 to by him. But all the Fathers do agree in this, that it was God's will that the Garden should bring forth not only opera 〈◊〉 of his own accord, but also by the industry and diligence of man, it should bring opus voluntarium. So that divers other fair and pleasant things, should be bestowed on the Garden, and caused to grow by his labour, and so he should both discere & docere, how many things by industry might be done above nature. Now for the keeping of the Garden, it may seem a great difficulty, because there being no danger, it might keep itself without Adam's care, labour, or looking to: But the ancient writers say, there is a double keeping, the one is from danger, the other to ourselves for profit. And both these kinds are, either of the keeping the thing itself, or else of the revenues and commodities which come thereby. As for example, If Adam had not broken the Law and commandment of God than he should have still kept the Garden to himself, and for his posterity for ever to all our uses, without forgetting our estate or causing a reentry to be made. Again, He should have kept the fruits of the Garden to his own use moderately, and kept them from being wasted lavishly, for those things are said to be well kept, Quae bene dispensata sunt & non male; So that by a moderate use, he should have kept the fruit from riot and waste. Again, touching the keeping thereof from hurt, God closely telleth him, that an enemy should come, who by his cautelous wiles and subtle practices, should seek to bereave him of his present Garden, and therefore that it behoved him to keep it from such an enemy, who by indirect and sinister means did seek to defeat him of it: And thus we see that this labour is necessary, without either inconvenience or superfluity: I come now to the first (ut) for it is of three sorts; And this first is the principal and greatest, for example 〈◊〉 primus homo est lex posteritatis, In what regard? In regard of his person in this, that seeing labour in a vocation was good and requisite in the first estate of Innocency, therefore it must needs be commendable in us, and the contrary idleness, to be condemned in every calling whatsoever. In Gal. 6. 10. It is said to be Gods will, not only that we should be doing whilst we have time, but that we should be doing of good, and it is his will that with such things we should redeem the time from idleness, Ephes. 5. 16. We must not be worse than Aunts Pro. 6. 6. Nor like to Snails, Psal. 58. 8. Consuming our time in vanities, Psal. 78. 33. These idle ones are called slow-bellies, Tit. 1. 12. and such God detesteth, because they set themselves in no good way. The wise man saith, Wisdom 33. 26. That Idleness doth not only consume good time, and good creatures, but also wasteth a man's self, For all carnal lusts and desires, are but sirs, pangs and symptomata of this idleness: As the idle man's Garden is full of weeds, so his soul is full of sin, and when our soul is become such an evil and idle man's Garden, Esay 5. 1.2. etc. then God made our Garden on earth like unto 〈◊〉, namely, full of weeds, thorns and thistles, Amos 5. showeth what vices do grow out of this idleness, For he said of them which fed of the fatlings, and drunk 〈◊〉 in full bolls, than they gave themselves to 〈◊〉, stretching themselves on Ivory beds, and therefore God hated the 〈◊〉 of Jacob, Amos. 6. 4, 5, 6. There is another thing, namely, that this our labour, is to be bestowed and employed upon paradise and not on ourselves, as the Wise man saith, Ecclesiastic. 33. 16. That he did not only labour for himself, but for all such as love nurture and wisdom: Many men will be content to labour, but it shall be only for themselves, for to fill mouths and bellies and purses; they will not help their brother scarce with one mite; and 〈◊〉. 6. 7. they will eat all the fruit of their own labours, none else shall far the better for it: but our chief intent must be to bestow our labour and service in dressing and keeping God's Garden, and God's people, the Church and Common wealth. David, being a King, was content to be serviceable to all, 〈◊〉 13. 22. Therefore it may beseem us which labour in the Church and Commonwealth, not only operari, but also servire; for there are many which will be busy and take more pains than they have thanks for, because they will be Commanders and prescribers and platformers, but they will take no pains to minister or do service, and to be obedient which is meet for them according to their 〈◊〉 places; and when every one is a Master workman, and will not be subject or ordered by others in their labour, it cometh to pass that God's Vineyard is often spoilt, wherefore our labour must be employed by way of service in humility. Now for these two (as they are joined and 〈◊〉 together 〈◊〉 & operari) are good companions; for as the contrary vices are the two things on which a sluggard casteth over his bed, Pro. 26. 14. So Moses setteth these two as the two hinges on which laborious and industrious men do move. These two do go together after three sorts: First, there is a service in respect of good and evil, 〈◊〉 to labour and procure good to a thing, or to drive away evil from it, that is, to preserve it from evil and in these two is expressed the property of a City, Psal. 127. 1. First, it is commodionsly built, then there is a careful watch set over it, 〈◊〉 keep it from all danger and hurt, 1 Cor. 12. 21. there is a comparison between the members, the head and the eye are profitable to custodire, the hand and the foot for all the body in operation; so some in the Church and Commonwealth have their function in custodiendo, standing in a 〈◊〉 to defend, though they 〈◊〉 not as others do; and we must know that Custodes, as Magistrates, Ministers, etc. though their function be not in 〈◊〉, yet (if they 〈◊〉 not idle in it) the 〈◊〉 of their heart is as great and painful as the 〈◊〉 of the brows to others. The second is this operari, which is the 〈◊〉 or rather the bringer in: 〈◊〉 is the Steward or Auditor to 〈…〉 and to give a just account of that which the other brings in. The Heathen 〈…〉 he that will not keep is worse than Judas, for he could not abide perditio haec, for which Christ did not mislike him, nay Christ himself would not have the Fragments lost, John 6. 12. So that as operari condemneth idleness and negligence, so doth custodire condemn waste and riot; for these two vices profusion and negligence do go together, Prov. 18. 9 as the two virtues Working and Keeping are brethren and go together like friends. The third and last is that of Ambrose, That though labour and work faileth a men, yet keeping holdeth out and lasteth as long as we live. Therefore custodire is called Muria virtutum, the pickle of virtue, and in keeping we must persevere, continue, and hold out to the end, for that is the chiefest virtue, Matth. 24. 13. The Philosophers call it virtus virtutum. Thus we have seen our unde, to teach us humility; our quo, to teach us thankfulness; and our ut, to learn us carefulness and diligence in our calling; and this is our translation and prelation, whereby we are taught to keep in mind our two duties of operari and custodire; and this may serve for the comprehension of our first duty in Paradise. Interdixitque Jebova Deus Homini, dicendo, De fructu quidem omnis arboris hujus horti liberè comedes. Gen. 2. 16. June 17, 1591. YOu remember I made it plain, that there was two parts of man's Calling and Vocation in Paradise, and a double duty enjoined him, done in the time of his innocence. The first is labour in an earthly vocation, about things belonging to this life; The other spiritual employing the duties of his soul respecting the life to come. The one humane, which is our Art and Occupation in our several vocations. The 〈◊〉 is called divine by performing our duties and service unto God our Creator, which here is expressed and remaineth to be handled. We are content to labour and to do our duty in the ground, because we do see the fruit thereof. Now if that be good, than our labour in Religion and in the service of God is a more profitable duty than that of the ground, for the fruit thereof is eternal life; we must not therefore be only Agricolae, sed & 〈◊〉, and labour to serve God. What is this commandment and our duty prescribed? When we have taken away the shell and driven off the husk from it, we shall see that it is true obedience, obedientia autem est sola virtutum, as one saith, & nulla est obedientia nisi humilium, so that obedience in humility containeth in it the sum of all virtues else. This is the first speech and dialogue that God had with man from the beginning: As therefore hitherto God hath opened only his hand to fill Adam's hands with his blessings, his mouth with laughter, and his heart with joy; So now God openeth his mouth to show what shall be his reciprocal duty for all his benefits, and what duty he requireth of him: It is not said before, that God spoke touching the delivery of the former duty, because it was no need; for the very light of reason might teach him the law of honest labour and industry, for the avoiding of idleness in every estate. But this Law and duty of obedience is supernatural, and therefore besides the instinct of nature it was requisite that God should (viva voce) instruct him therein as a thing not within the reach of fleshly reason, to know how we should serve God aright: This is the reason then why God spoke now and said, Numb 12. 6. God is said to speak three ways, by vision, dream, or mouth to mouth; and this last was the speciallest favour and grace so to speak; If Moses then stood so highly in God's favour, that he delivered his mind by word of mouth, face to face, than no doubt did God much more speak after this familiar sort to Adam now, because he was much more in the favour of God than any of his sinful seed were, which the ancient Fathers do apparently gather also by the 3. of Gen. 8. for in that it is said, that Adam heard God walk in his own presence in the Garden, and heard also his voice speaking to him, they conclude that God did, before sin, appear to man in a 〈◊〉 shape and speak to him, as we read the Angels did to many afterwards. As God in Paradise spoke to Adam, so did he always, both in the old and new Testament, make known his will, and reveal our duty in Religion touching his worship by the word of his mouth. The Prophets therefore had this for the warrant of their Prophecies, Os Domini loquntum est; and the Apostles had this for the seal and assurance of their doctrine Ego accepi a Domino quod tradidi, 1 Cor. 11. 23. So that if in Paradise to have the word of God as the rule and direction to frame all their lives by, being in the state of innocence, than no doubt our state now cannot be happy without the same rule, unless we have God's word among and us to live thereby. The Fathers for this cause do term this as the Sermon which God made to Adam; and they say that he should have had no other Scripture, nor Bible, nor Sermon but this, if he had obeyed it, and stood in his innocence, neither should he have had any other Sacraments than the trce of knowledge and life, So that in it was contained all divinity 〈◊〉 for Adam, and the sum of all divinity which is written to us in the holy Scriptures: But the most part of Writers do call this a Law, because Heb. 9 27. it is said, 〈◊〉 est, etc. as who should say, God made a Statute or Law, when he said, Thou shalt die the death; And indeed in all the course of God's proceed against Adam, Gen. 3. is merely Judicial, as if God had tried him and his actions by this Law which here he made. There are two principal parts of this Law. The one containeth the authority of the Lawmaker, in the preface. The other containeth the tenor or sum of it. In the Law itself there are three parts as it is in all Laws. 1. First, A preamble, which is an inducement and persuasion for us to obey and hear. 2. Secondly, The restraint of the Law. 3. Thirdly, The sanction and penalty of the Law. And if we mark it, there is none of all these but containeth in them an argument very effectual and very plain, to make us have a care to serve the Lord and obey his Commandments; for if we shall not obey his authority and just right which he hath to command us, we shall show ourselves very proud and perverse persons, which is the overthrow of humility; if we regard not his liberality, we are unthankful men, which destroyeth humanity and civility; if we transgress so gentle and easy a Commandment, it is exceeding negligence; if we fear not, nor regard his threaten, it showeth that there is in us hardheartedness and incredulity, which is the cause of all. This is then as if he had said, hitherto God hath been in a manner as no God, he hath showed himself as a Minister to man, taking on him the behaviour of a Potter, to fashion us of Earth; and of a Glasse-maker, to inspire our bodies with his breath; and to be to us a Gardener, and to be one that hath occupied himself in making Rivers for water and all things needful for us, in so much as no servant may seem to be in offices more meanly employed than he hath as yet undertaken for us: But now, saith Moses, God will forget himself no longer, but beginneth to show himself to be a God indeed, and to sit down in his Throne of Majesty and royal authority, and call man to him as his servant and subject, and giveth him a commandment, and prescribeth him a Law touching the commandment. We first say that on God's side and behalf, he hath a power to command, because he hath made us and giveth us all that we have; and so on our side there groweth and ariseth a duty and necessity to obey, because we have received such and so many things, for so we say ex beneficio indebito oritur debitum officium: So we see the field, receiving seed, is thereby bound to return back somewhat to the sour: So the child naturally yieldeth himself bound to obey his Parents, though there be no covenant or bond drawn between them, and this is naturalis obligatio: So that this bond of nature and law is so strong and bindeth us so strictly, that we shall be as surely bound by it, if we obey not God and our Parents as if we had gone to a Scrivener and there had an obligation drawn and made strong against us; yea, it doth not only as much bind us, but fare more, because the obligatory law natural is fare more strong and bindeth us more surely than the bond of the Law moral, and indeed it sticketh nearer unto us, in as much as this is by God's finger written in the Tables of our hearts; but this is only graven in tables of stone or rolls of paper without. Man is called Imago Dei, and was made so, yet he was not God, 〈◊〉 to be left or ruled by his own will, for that is the main 〈◊〉 to which Satan would persuade Adam, Gen. 3. 5. namely, not to follow God's directions, but to do that which seemed best in our own eyes; and being brought to that erroneous conceit, God faith, Lo, the Man now will be as one of us, q.d. he will be no more subject to Gods will, but will shake off that yoke and be equal with us; wherefore, that Adam might know his rank and row, in which he is placed and standeth under God, he giveth out this commandment and Law that he might know this, that though God hath in mercy put all things under his feet, Psal. 8. 6. yet he reserved a power and prerogative to command, and therefore we must acknowledge a duty to obey: Gods Will 〈◊〉 and his Wisdom must be out direction; if Gods will be praecipere, than our will must be answerable to it in obedience, and our humane wisdom must be captived and brought under, and made subject to the wisdom of God, 2 Gor. 10. 5. for this is the chief part and perfection of obedience, to deny our wills and forsake our own wisdom, Matth. 16. 24. the reason is because our will and wisdom is contrary and at enmity with the Will and Wisdom of God. And thus much of the use of God's authority forward from him to us in commanding, and backward from us to him in obeying: And if we be willing inwardly, laying down our own wills and wisdoms, and ready outwardly to manifest it in action, than God will take on him to give us the tree of life, and a promise of eternal blessedness for ever, and so we have a full comprehension of his will and purpose in commanding and giving this Law. There are now two difficulties and doubts which usually arise out of this commandment, and therefore are to be assoiled. Object. 1. The first is, That seeing Adam now is in the state of innocency and perfection, therefore Laws and Commandments are needless. Object. 2. Secondly, Seeing God knew Adam would break and transgress it, it may seem that God was very hard and cruel in giving him that Law. Resp. 1. Touching the first objection, It is true that St. Paul saith, 1 Tim. 1. 9 Justo non est lex posita. Resp. 2. And to the second, It is as true which he saith, If there had been no Law, than had their been no trangression, and so no punishment, and so it had been very well with all men still: Indeed in some sense the words of St. Paul do sound very well, if we understand them as he spoke them; for all Laws have two parts, the one directive, the other corrective: So Paul saith, That he which keepeth the first part of that Law which is directive, and so becometh just, he shall never need to fear the other part of the Law which is corrective. 2. Object. The second objection which accuseth God of hard dealing, is like that other objection in the new Testament, namely, Seeing that Christ knew that Judas would betray him, John 6. 71. why did he make choice of him. Resp. 2. The answer to both is this, namely, That the foreknowledge of God is no cause of any action, no more than our eyes, being open and seeing a man, is the cause of his going; wherefore Gods foreknowledge is extra seriem causarum, as the Schoolmen say: God gave Adam power and ability and freedom of mind to perform a greater obedience than this, Preach. 7. 31. but man sought the inventions of his own heart, and followed not the will and counsel of God; wherefore it is sure, that seeing the Law given to man is most 〈◊〉, and the power which man had was most perfect, and seeing he was not constrained to transgress, but was forewarned of it; therefore man knowing Gods will and yet wilfully breaking it, is the cause of his own 〈◊〉, and God is justified to be without all rigour whatsoever, except we will say, Why did not God then make man immutable? which question if we move, Rom. 9 20. we are not to dispute & plead with God, though this reason may be yielded thereof, first, quia necessitas non habet legem, God would not make him immutable, for then man must needs be God, for only God is so. Secondly, because necessitas non habet laudem: for what thank, praise, or reward could he have had, if he could not have chosen, but necessarily must obey, as the fire by nature must needs burn and go upward; wherefore we should rather (saith St. Augustine) magnify God's goodness and benefits which worthily requireth our obedience, and contemn our own unthankful disobedience. This is a more profitable course of meditation than to knit many knots and make many questions to reason with God. Now we come to the Law itself, which I divided into the preface, body, and penalty of it; of the which, the first is introductive, the second directive, and the third corrective. The body of the Law we see is planted between the preface and the penalty, both which are to persuade us to the love and obedience of that in the midst. It is therefore faced and guarded with the consideration of God's love and liberality, and it is backed behind with the fear of Gods just judgement, if we break it. The first is set down as a spur to prick our dull natures forwards to obedience; for who would not be stirred up with love and liberal rewards: The other is set as a bit or bridle to keep us back, at least from transgression: So that if persuasion or threatening, love or fear, fair means or foul, will serve to keep us from sin and make us serve God, here God had put them all together. This preface is of the admirableness of his love and goodness which he promiseth before he cometh to the poor restraint of forbidding that 〈◊〉. There be four parts of his loving favours set out to us in it: First, Comedes: Secondly, Comedendo comedes, that is, thou shalt eat freely and frankly: Thirdly, Ex omni ligno, not freely of one or of a few, but of all the trees: Fourthly, Ex omni ligno totius horti, not of all the trees in one corner or quarter, but of all in all the 〈◊〉 of Paradise, and of all he 〈◊〉 but one, and one is the least that he should have restrained, so liberal is he and so loath to deny us any thing he hath; and he would not have forbidden this, had it not been for our good also; such was God's liberaliry to Adam, that 〈◊〉 doth permit him to eat, not only liberè liberaliter, that is, when he will, what he will, how much soever he will, for his sufficient necessity and strength, freely at his choice, liberally according to his desire. In this plenty and variety granted, God permitteth to him the best, which is the tree of life, and he gave him the means unde vivere, bene vivere, & semper vivere possit, for all the trees were means to sustain his life. The tree of knowledge (being a testimony of his obedience) shown him how he might live well, and the tree of life would have caused him to live for ever: wherefore all these several blessings of God bestowed on him, might have moved him to due obedience in this one and easy commandment; for seeing he had the use of all the trees upon condition to abstain from this one, it is sure the levis esset ejus continentia, si non dèesset benevolentia. But if eating thou shalt eat could not allure him to obedince, yet dying 〈…〉 die, one would think should have been able to have kept him from disobedience, yet it did not, and therefore mortem morier is is a just recompense to such wilful sin. There is yet another thing which the ancient Writers do make 〈◊〉 great matter of in this place; that is, the marking That here first of all God and Man do enter into a league, obligation, & covenant one to the other, by which they prove, that Ecclesia & vinculum Ecclesiae is more ancient than the state Politic, that is, that the bond ecclesiastical is of greater antiquity than the bond of Commonweals Political or economical: For before Eve was made, or ever Man and Wife, Parents and Children, Masters and Servants were united with a bond of duty, which commendeth the bond of true Religion and Divinity, which by obedience teacheth us how to be inseparably united to God, and made one of his Church, to whom is a promise of the tree of life. De fructu verò arboris scientiae boni & mali, de isto ne comedas. Gen. 2. 17. June 19 1591. THis Law of Paradise we sorted into three parts, the first whereof we handled before, now follow the second and third parts to be spoken of namely, the direction and correction, the Precept itself and the penalty, which necessarily do ensue. In these words than is set down the restraint of the forbidden 〈◊〉, which is the body of the Law itself; And then after it in the end of the verse ensueth the punishment, if we break it. In this former part of the Law we observe two points, 1. First, The subject of the Commandment, concerning which the restraint is made, that is, the tree of knowledge. 2. Secondly, The action itself restrained, that is, eating, which may be resolved two ways, as the Schoolmen say, Quando actio cadit super materiam indebitam, that is, either when an action is forbidden from lighting on it which should not, or when it is invested with all his due circumstances. In speaking of this, we will take this course, first to entreat of the subject and action here expressed, and then of the application of it to us: The subject is a Tree, and that but one tree of knowledge, which tree with the fruits of it, were without question no more evil than the other trees, for all alike God saw to be good, as we have seen; and therefore it was such as might have been eaten, as well as the other, if this restraint had not been. And again if this restraint had fallen on any other tree in the Garden as it did on this, it had been as unlawful to eat as this: So that it is not the nature of the tree, but of God's word which made it evil to eat, for there was no difference between them but in respect of God's word and charge, which said, Thou shalt not eat thereof. In which respect it is called the tree of knowledge of good and evil. We must understand that this tree hath not his name of every quality in it, but of the event and effect which should come by it, Exod. 15. 25. The Wise man calleth it lignum dolorum, Eccles. 38. 5. of the effect and event it had of these waters. So in Gen. 35. 8. there is a tree called Arbor lamentationis, not that the fruits thereof would make a man sorrowful, but for the casualty and event which happened and befell Israel there; not that it was the cause of any lamentation: So we must know that whereas Adam before knew good both ways, both by contemplation and experience, now having broken the Law he knew evil both ways also: we had the knowledge of good and evil moral by natural contemplation, Gen. 4. 7. so long as thou dost good to thyself, men will speak well of thee; So that to know good is been pati; while he did been agere, Dicite justè quia bene, Esay 3. 10. 11. The just shall eat the fruit of their righteousness, and the wicked the fruit and reward of their sin, and this is the other knowledge of good and evil, Numb. 11. 18. there was knowledge of good and evil, by sight, sense, and experience, Psal. 133. 1. this is showed that malum culpae was the cause of malum poenae, and by feeling the bitterness of the punishment, he knew how bitter a thing it was to forsake God and not to fear him: So he knew the good of obedience, by the good of reward, which was, the sweetness of pleasures before his fall; and after his fall he knew the evil of sin by the evil of his punishment. The one knowledge is, Gen. 18. 19 the other kind of knowledge is, Gen. 22. 12. If we follow. St. Augustine and Tertullian, we may say truly, that it is called the tree of knowledge of good and evil both ways, both in respect of the effect, and also of the 〈◊〉, Tertullian conceiveth that it was called so of the effect, and duty which was to arise and be taught out of it, in which respect, he calleth it Adam's little Bible, and the fountain of all divinity, for as the Bible is the perfect rule of knowledge to us; So was that to him, and should have been 〈◊〉, if he had not fallen, for by this dicendo it should have plainly 〈◊〉 God's will, and so it should exactly teach that to be good, which was according to it in obedience, and that to be evil which is contrary to it by transgression; for the knowledge could not be more 〈◊〉 set down, then by this object and action, Thou shalt eat of these, and shalt not eat of this, God then by forbidding them to eat of the tree of knowledge, did not envy or grudge that they should have knowledge, but rather made this rule the root of all knowledge to them, that the science of good and evil is taken only from Gods dicendo, that is, things are therefore good because God by his word alloweth them, and are evil because he forbiddeth them. Now touching St. Augustine, He saith, this is called the tree of knowledge in respect of the event, in regard of the exeperimentall knowledge, which man had by it, both because by it he had felt the reward of obedience, so long as he stood upright, and also by it he found and felt by experience, the reward and penalty of disobedience, for when he had contrary to God's word reached his hand to the tree and eaten of it, he had experimental knowledge by and by both how birter a thing it was to sin and forsake God, Jer. 2. 19 and also how good and sweet a thing it was to stick fast to God by obedience, Psal. 73. 28. He found that in the action of obedience was life and happiness, and in the act of sin was death and wretchedness, 〈◊〉 before Adam had eaten of the tree he had knowledge of good by contemplation and experience, and so for ever should have had: and then he had argumental knowledge by presumption and contemplation also of evil; for he by the argument of privatives must presume this conclusion, that if he do that which is forbidden he should be deprived of the tree of life, and that happy estate, and so consequently must needs come to death and all misery, which he found to be most true by woeful experience, so soon as he had put it in trial: And thus much of the object and of the name given to it. Touching the Action which is the second part, in which I mean thus to proceed, by way of certain positions and grounds, the one necessarily arising out of the other. We lay then for the first ground, that it was not lawful for God, nor behooveful for us, that God should make trial of Adam who he had made, for it is equally expedient and right in the practice and behaviour of men, first to make proof and trial of 〈◊〉, before they will make any reckoning or commendation of them as good laborers, so God tried Abraham, Gen. 22. 12. that he might have experimental knowledge of his obedience, and say nunc scio, etc. Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing for my sake thou hast not spared thine only son: So he proved Israel at the waters of strife, and Job by an other trial. So God had knowledge of man whom he made, that then he was good, but he would by trial see, whether he would continue so or not. 2. Second, it was meet, that seeing a trial must be made, that it should be by some external thing, in which this outward obedience and practice might appear, as masters do make trial of their servants obedience in some such work; Do this, Go thither. So seeing Gods will was, that Adam should be a spectacle in obedience to Angels and all other Creatures, therefore it was necessary, that he should prescribe the place, and trial of it in a visible and sensible object, and in a thing which might be manifest to good and evil Angels, to see and behold him; This is the cause and reason, why God saith not, Thou shalt not desire to lust in thy heart after the fruit of this tree? Because that action and trial of the heart, soul, and thought, God only could discern, for he only trieth the heart and reins, 1 King. 8. 39 Therefore he saith not, non concupisces, sed non comedes, for that that action is apparent. 3. Thirdly, it was convenient and seemed good to God, that it should be made by a restraint and interdiction, that as before, idleness was forbidden and taken away by labour, so here licentiousness of lust might be restrained by saying, Thou shalt not eat of this tree of knowledge. 4. Fourthly, God saw it good and meet, that it should not be general but particular, and brought to a special instance of this one tree. 5. Fifthly, it seemed necessary to God that this trial should not be in a particular of natural obedience, but rather in moral and positive obedience, in which this commandment consisteth. 6. Sixthly, as it was a positive and moral thing, so was it to be made in a thing indifferent, for if it had been a thing natural and simply evil or good it had been no trial: As Augustine saith, if God had said, the fruit of this is poison, he would not have done it, or if it had been such a thing which had been a detriment or hurt to God, he would not have done it for the vile nature of it, wherefore God placed this trial in a thing indifferent, which by its own nature was not hurtful to man, neither could bring any hurt or detriment to God; So that God would have the trial of his obedience stand, not in the nature of the thing, but only in this respect, that it was Gods will to forbid it, that Adam's trial might be this. I can see no reason why I should not eat of it, it is as good to eat, and as pleasant to look to, as any other fruit, but God hath restrained it, and said, Thou shalt not eat of it, therefore I will not. Lastly, God in this trial giveth no reason of it, but maketh it an absolute Law, simply saying, Thou shalt not eat of it, for else man might think that he might do it for the reason sake; for this maketh plain the perfect pattern of true obedience, when we do it only respecting Gods will and not looking for any other reason whatfoever. Thus we see why God looked our this special tree of knowledge, and laid this prohibition on it. Now out of this we gather and say, that the making of 〈◊〉 Laws by a magistrate is lawful and good, 1 Sam. 14. 24. Saul may command his subjects upon occasion to 〈◊〉 as God did his servant Moses, Levit. 11. 1. etc. 〈◊〉 1. 1. etc. Also 〈◊〉 may make a Law to command his Sons, to drink neither wine nor strong drink; So Kings (in respect of the good of the Commonwealth may make the like positive Laws, and bind their subjects to abstain, and not to eat this or that, which of itself is lawful and good and not to be refused, Rom. 14. And subjects are bound to obedience, though they see no reason but that the meat is good and allowed of God. I come now to the applying of this to ourselves, Matth. 24. 32: Christ willeth them to learn a parable of the figtree: So the wisdom which we may learn out of this tree, is most excellent and profitable, even the whole body of divinity: Before we come to the pith and marrow of it, we must first break and pluck off the husk or shell, for the levitical Laws (as the Fathers say) are as Aaron's Almonds which his rod did bear, Numb. 17. 8. in which was Cortex & medulla, and if we can 〈◊〉 crack and take off the shell, the sweet kernel of instruction will soon appear: The husk and difficulty of this precept is, that God should inflict such a penalty for the taking and eating such a fruit, this is that hard shell that few can crack: But our rule is, that we must not stick still at the shell, but break it, and cast it away: Therefore this is our rule in all such Laws, That not the outward presentation of the thing commanded, but the power and authority of the commander and law maker is to be respected, as the pith and substance of our duty; Therefore we say that the principal sum and scope of the moral Law, and the pith of it, is expressed in these two terms, Bonum ost faciendum, malum est fugiendum, Psal. 34. 14. And this is known and received of all; but here is all the question, what that good is, and what is that evil? If any make this question, why is this thing good and to be done, and that thing evil and to be avoided? If we say, as Eve did judging it by reason, and by the nature of the thing, as to say, I see and know that it is good, pleasant and agreeable to our nature, and therefore it is good, and I may do it, that were to fetch and draw the rule of God from the nature of things, as if it were in the thing itself; but it is said, 1 Cor. 6. 12. 13 Though meats be made for the belly, and the belly for the meats, yet if we 〈◊〉 them contrary to God's word, they are evil, and God will destroy both them and us, wherefore we will not take the 〈◊〉 of good and evil, from the nature of things, but make Gods will, expressed in his word, to be the rule of all things that are good. If we will then define good 〈◊〉 we must not say, it is that which the reason of man alloweth, which the sense of man doth feel to be agreeable and pleasant to our nature, neither may we say, that it is good and not to be refused, which in itself 〈◊〉 a nature delightful and profitable for man's use, for that were to place the rule of good and evil, either within us, in our own reason and understanding, or else without us in the natures and proprieties of the things created, but we must not do so; for that only is good, which God alloweth of and sanctifieth by his blessed word allowing the use of it, saying, thou mayest and shalt do this, and so è contra, that is evil whatsoever it be that God forbiddeth and saith thou shalt not do it, for things are good and lawful only, because God's word saith it is so, so that every thing taketh his goodness only from God's word; And this is the pith and marrow of this commandment, Therefore Deut. 12. 32. God saith, Whatsoever I command you take heed ye do it, thou shalt put nothing thereto, nor take aught therefrom, As if he should say, my commandment and will shall be the rule and direction of your will and works; so in the new Testament St. Paul saith, we must not be wise above that which is written, 1 Cor. 4. 6. But that we be sober and know and understand according to sobriety, which is to prove what every thing is, by the perfect will of God, Rom. 12. 2.3. This then is the difference between God's commandments; and those which men do make, when men (though they be the greatest) do command any thing, they therefore do command things because they be good and lawful, and when we deal with them, we therefore obey their Laws, so fare forth as the things they command are lawful and good, because their words and commandments have no power to make things good: But when we deal with God's commandments, we simply obey all that he willeth because his commandment and word do make things absolutely good, ye though they before may seem to be evil, yet after he hath commanded them, they are made therefore perfectly good, Nos volumus qua bona sunt; bona autem sunt quia voluit Deus. God's good will therefore is the best and most beneficial thing for us and our good, and the things he commandeth are the wisest things for us to follow, howsoever they seem to corrupt reason and sense, which are ill Judges in those matters. Thus much then for our application and use, that when our actions are agreeable to God's word and law, than they are according to Gods will: And therefore we may be sure that it is best for our behoof. Nam quo die comederis de eo, utique moriturus es. Gen. 2. 17. June 22, 1591. EVery Law hath in it two principal parts, the one containeth the body and tenor of it, the other comprehendeth the sanction and penalty: Touching the body of the Law we have entrcated already, both of the subject, and also of the action of it; Now therefore we are come to the latter part, to consider of the punishment threatened to the breach of it; concerning which we say, That as there is required necessarily in the Law giver authority and right to command, so likewise in him must be a power and ability to correct and punish the transgressors, or else his authority is without an edge. Both these therefore are seen in the Lawmaker by the parts of this Law; the one being the directive part, serving for direction, the other being the corrective part, which serveth for execution; And every one may be sure that he is subject and under one of these. This then is as if Moses had said, God's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is this, Non comedes, but his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is this, If you will needs eat, and 〈◊〉 your will before mine, and your lusts before my love, then be ye sure of this, That in that day thou shalt die the death, for death is the sour and bitter sauce of this sweet meat, Rom. 6. 23. Touching the punishment in itself, we are to know, that in every punishment inflicted for offence, there is required Justice to give it in a due proportion, that there be an equality between the punishment and offence; As in the Law, he that will desire another man's Sheep and steal it, he in justice is to restore . Again, reason and equity requireth that the punishment must be of greater force to 〈◊〉 and discourage from sin, than the sin must be to persuade and entice us to it. Such an equality is in this; For because he took liberty to stretch his will and desire further than he should, therefore that he should lose the first liberty he had; for this is just and equal, 〈…〉 etiam poneret modum beneficio, and that he that observeth not the manner of using it, should lose the right use which he had: It is therefore reason and right, that either we should Dimittere voluntatem male vivendi, aut amittere facultatem bene 〈◊〉: This we say to justify God, because men think that this sin of eating such a fruit is not a capital offence, and that God was too hard to 〈◊〉 this so sore a punishment on it. Touching the second point, which is concerning the cause of his death, which must not be ascribed to God, because the cause is found in our own selves, for God saith, If you eat you shall die, that is, you shall be causes and authors of your own death; your blood light on your own heads, for I am not guilty thereof, which we shall the better percive and esteem, if we consider that which before I have showed, that Adam was made immortal, non necessitate naturae, sed vi 〈◊〉 gratiae, not by natural necessity, but by the privilege of God's grace; for Adam consisting of contrary qualities, by his own nature, they must needs, in regard of themselves, be the cause of death to them, as they were to the beasts. But notwithstanding this subjection to mortality, and possibility to die, in regard of their nature, God's grace did sustain their bodily life, and kept them from death, so long as they kept themselves from sin. But now si hence transgression, besides the necessity of nature, their sin also did pluck death upon them, and was the cause of this curse: So long therefore as man kept his first estate, he was united to God, which was life, and had use of the tree of life, which then was 〈◊〉 Deo, and had this grace to preserve life; and by that means, so long, we had an immunity from death, because we were 〈◊〉 with the prop of God's grace, which was the cause of our immortality; but when 〈◊〉 did cause that prop to be pulled away which sustained the 〈◊〉 of our nature, than we could not choose but die both by the necessity of nature and desert of our sin: If we had leaned still to the stay of our nature, and not trusted so much to our own wills and wisdoms, it had gone well with us: But this voluntary forsaking of God and leaning on the broken staff and reediss stay of our own, was the cause of our fall into sin, and so unto death. Thus we see God justified in this sentence saying, Morieris, because he is neither the Author or Cause of Malum naturae, which is sin, nor yet of 〈…〉, which is death. But man causing both culpam & poenam doth both ways clear God and condemn us, and ourselves are proved to be the cause of both. 3. Point: The kind of death Now touching the third point, which respecteth the kind of death here threatened, for there are several kinds of death, Rev. 2. 11. Rev. 20. 6. there is the temporal and eternal, the natural and spiritual, the first and second death, which of these is here in this punishment threatened? St. Augustine answereth, that God doth here mean both whatsoever death may be included from the beginning of our life unto the last death, all that is here understood. Object. But it may seem hard and unjust, that seeing only the Body did take and eat of the forbidden fruit, that the Soul also should be condemned to this death as well as the Body. Resp. But to satisfy this doubt, the Fathers say, That as well the Soul as the Body was in the transgression alike guilty, and therefore in Justice should be alike punished, and this they make plain by this familiar parable and comparison: Be it (say they) that a blind man and a cripple or lame man should be in an Orchard, and this one charge should be given alike to both, that upon pain of death they should not take and eat of this one tree; The blind man of himself could not steal of the fruit, because he could not find where the tree was; the lame man for his part could not alone take of the fruit, because (though he saw) yet he was not able to go to it: So when neither of them without other could be guilty, they conspired both together and agreed, that the blind man should carry the lame man to the tree, and so to take their pleasures, and fulfil their desires, by which means they both became guilty of death: Such a thing (say they, in resemblance) was between the body and the Soul; the Soul had a desire and appetite (being forbidden) but could not perform the Action, wherefore the inward affection within moved and conspired with the outward action of the body, and so perfected the sin jointly, and therefore together are worthy of this death. Object. Notwithstanding this, It seemeth to some, that here is meant only the second death spiritual to be the punishment, and not the corporal and temporal; their reason is because God saith, In what day thou shalt 〈◊〉 of it, thou shalt die: therefore seeing present death and 〈◊〉 ensued not the sin, but some lived nine hundred years after; therefore they are induced to think that God here intended especially the second death of the Soul. Resp. But to refel this opinion, we see Gen. 3. 19 that in the same day they sinned, the sentence of the bodily death was denounced irrevocablo 〈…〉, & in pulverem reverter is, which also is showed by debarring him from the tree of bodily 〈◊〉; And that it is plainly meant of the corporal death also, St. Paul showeth it Rom. 5. 15. For only this death came to all Gen. 7. 21. 1 Gar. 15. 21. It is the death from which we rise again: wherefore we make no 〈◊〉 but that this is meant of the bodily death; and as of that, so we say of the death of the Soul, we all being 〈◊〉 & transgressores in Soul, are said 〈◊〉 in soul to be dead, and to have this sentence given out against us: Our Saviour Christ saith, Matth. 8. 22. Sinite mortuos sepelire mortuos, that is, let the dead in soul bury the dead in body. Also our 〈◊〉 is set out in the lost 〈◊〉, Luke 15. 31. He was dead but is alive again, that is, spiritually dead in sin, and alive by repentance: And St. Paul more plainly saith, 1 Tim. 5. 6. They being alive are notwithstanding dead: By death here is understood the death of miseries, Rev. 9 6. that is, the calamities and 〈◊〉 of this world, which sin will bring upon us, which are 〈◊〉 more grievous and bitter than death itself; for it is said that men being alive in those 〈…〉 wish and desire death, as being less horrible than it; On the contrary side, to the Godly there are provided such joys which are better than life itself, Psal. 63. 5, 6. for God's loving favour and the light of his countenance is better than the 〈…〉 in this life; in which regard the 〈◊〉 esteem 〈◊〉 of life, but wish to be out of this life, that they may enjoy that. The Jews by 〈◊〉 of this 〈◊〉; eating 〈…〉 eat, and 〈…〉, do gather this, By the first, that he might eat both for necessary use, and also for delight and pleasure; And so by the second, which containeth the punishment, they make this 〈◊〉 〈…〉 die, that is, 〈…〉, Heb. 2. 9 For the first and bodily death is but a sipping and tasting or death, but when he saith, thou 〈…〉 the death, that is (say they) thou 〈◊〉 suck and 〈◊〉 up the very dregs of death, both which are comprehended in these two words, Rev. 20. 14. Mors & 〈◊〉, Death and Hell. Object. Hereout then 〈◊〉 another 〈◊〉, that is, Whether God in 〈◊〉 threatening intended the pains of Hell fire? There have been 〈◊〉 men that have 〈◊〉, that Moses in all his books spoke not either of Heaven or 〈◊〉, of 〈…〉 or of death; Resp. but they were 〈…〉 〈◊〉 32. 21. 〈…〉 conceive, that the 〈…〉 Statute and Law 〈…〉 privilege of faith in Christ is reversed and taken away. 4. Point. Now we are come to the fourth point, which is the time; for this hath bred a scruple, and been a bone for some to gnaw upon; for seeing Adam is said to live so many hundred years after his fall, Gen. 5. 5. which is answered diversely of sundry men. Some say out of Peter, 2 Epist. 3. 8. that with God 〈◊〉 dies est 〈◊〉 mille 〈◊〉; and therefore seeing Adam reached not to a full thousand years old, he may truly be counted with the Lord, and in respect of his reckoning to die in the same first day. The ancient Writers do say, that by assigning the time quo die is only an extent of the Law, and is not extended to the punishment when it should take place; So that they say it is q.d. Thou shalt ever and at all time's oboy, and no day break it: As the like is Luke 21. Cavete ne qua die, etc. as if God allowed no day or hour in which the contrary should be done, Et semper & ad semper faciendum est; so the negative bindeth for ever. But touching this matter, the Judgement of Augustine and Theodoret I like best, who say, That not the act and execution of Death was presently to be inflicted the same day in which he should sinne, but the sentence of death should that day be denounced, as we see it was Gen. 3. non actum moriendi, sed debitum mortis, for then death was made a debt, and became such an inevitable sentence which should not be revoked: They received the sentence before the execution of God's Judgements: So did St. Paul 2 Cor. 1. 9 We received the 〈◊〉 of death in ourselves, because we should not trust in ourselves, but in God, etc. And in the Law he is accounted a dead man which hath his judgement and hath received the sentence of death. And after this sort Adam and all his Posterity were dead in the same day. 〈…〉 erat in dominium mortis, saith St. Paul, Rom. 6. 9 that is, God delivered him (being guilty and condemned for sin) unto the Sheriff of death, to be kept and reserved unto the execution day, which is at the good pleasure of Almighty God. Therefore being delivered into the dominion and 〈◊〉 of the Messengers and Ministers of death, by and by he was subject to the Guives and Manacles of death, which do seize upon all parts of our bodies for sin, Morbi enim sunt laquei mortis, which is, we are held sure until we die; also the Ministers and Servants which ever since that sentence was denounced, do attend upon us to our end, are cares and sorrows within; labours and travails without, which seizing on us do make our deaths, as sure as if we were already dead, for we cannot escape it; therefore, saith David, Psal. 89. 48. Quis homo vivit, & non videbit mortem? for all of us have sorrow, which is primogenitus mortis, Job 18. 13. the same day 〈◊〉 brought it forth, Gen. 3. and we have and feel daily the forerunners of death, which are diseases, which make our bodies even in this life 〈◊〉 mortis, a body of death, Rom. 8. 10. Wherefore we may be sure that death itself will come most certainly, though the time be uncertain; for it is a debt which must be paid, we must all die, Heb. 9 27. when the time is come that God hath appointed. Dixerat autem Jehovah Deus, non est bonum esse hominem solum: faciam ei auxilium commodum ipsi. Gen. 2. 18. Octob. 1●. 1591. THe Prophet Esay 51. 1. exhorteth the Church of God after this manner, Look back (saith he) 〈◊〉 the stone out of which ye were 〈◊〉, and to the 〈…〉 of which you were digged; By which he 〈◊〉 the Church of God, that there is a very necessary and profitable consideration to be made out of the history of Abraham and 〈◊〉, and their lives, as it is expressed in the Scriptures. So may we say of the history of Adam and Eve our first Grandfather and Mother; for they are more properly indeed to be termed the first stone, out of whom all mankind were hewn, and the pit, out of whose womb we all were digged and taken: And so much more profitable is this 〈◊〉 and the explication thereof, because St. Paul faith, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉. that the creation of Eve and her marriage, is 〈…〉, showing us the mystery of Christ, the second Adam, and his 〈◊〉 to the Church, which was his Eve taken out of his side. I told you that from the 6. verse of this Chapter to the end of it, is 〈◊〉 a Commentary upon the 27. verse of the first Chapter, where Moses in one word dispatched the Creation of Man and Woman, saying 〈…〉, which he so briefly passed over there, because he purposed in this Chapter 〈…〉 a more large and ample discourse thereof. We have heard of the Creation of Adam in the former part of this Chapter hitherto, which is nothing else but a 〈◊〉 upon these words of the first Chapter 〈…〉: Now therefore we 〈◊〉 to the explaining of the other part, which is 〈…〉, which he performeth from this verse to the end of the Chapter. Two princip●… points. In all which verses, the Fathers say, than there are but two principal points to be considered, the first is, The 〈◊〉 of the woman, the other, The 〈◊〉 and marriage of her to the Man. Touching the creation and 〈◊〉 of Eve, it 〈◊〉 partly a deliberation, and then the work of creation 〈◊〉 self, the 〈◊〉 is in these words, 〈…〉, 〈◊〉 which containeth also two parts, first the 〈◊〉 in this 〈◊〉 verse, and then the occasion of it, in the verses 〈…〉. But before we 〈◊〉 of the consultation, 〈◊〉 first consider 〈◊〉 coherence with that which 〈◊〉 before, which is 〈…〉. After the Almighty God had 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉, which is his Church, by the 〈◊〉 made 〈◊〉 God and man. Now in the next place he 〈◊〉 to 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 estate 〈◊〉, which is of 〈…〉 by the duty of Man and Wife in Marriage: By which God would 〈…〉 know, that by his will and ordinance all men (next after our 〈◊〉 to Almighty God, which is first) are bound to have a most special care and regard of their duties in that other society, which is this, If they be Husbands, their next care must be of their duty to their Wives; if Children, of their duty to their Parents; if Servants, of their duty to their Masters; for these duties of the private Families in the Commonwealth, are next in honour and reverence to the divine duties which we own in the household of Faith, which is in the Church unto God; for this society is lege ipsa antiqua, as one saith, and therefore we must give more honour and reverence unto it. Now for the sum and scope of this verse, we will divide it into two parts, first into God's Dixit, and secondly into the tenor of his speech, which is, Non est bonum, etc. and first briefly of dixit Deus, because we often heard of it before, we must note, that qui dicendo facit, verbo facit, which teacheth us to give honour to Christ the second person in Trinity, who is the word of God, of whom all things are made and ordained, John 1. 3. Secondly, touching this Dixit, which we see by it and other singular prerogatives herein given to Mankind, which we may add to all the former. For in the creation of other Creatures, God used only the word of authority fiat, but here he useth the word of his good will and pleasure which is faciam. Before he ever directed his speech to that which was not, Gen. 1. 3. saying fiat lux, when there was then no light but all darkness; But now he reflecteth his speech to himself, as it were, consulting with deliberation about this work, in that the Contents of his speech, in touching the good and happiness of Man, in foreseeing what is not good for him, in providing that which is best for him, we do not only see his care over us above other Creatures, but also we are taught to acknowledge how well and reverendly we ought to esteem this ordinance of marriage, for God knew that many speeches and reproaches would arise among men against this work which God had in hand, of making Woman. Some by way of jest and merriment to disgrace that sex, and others in contempt to dispraise them, calling them necessary evils, etc. therefore God saw it needful to express the absolute good which cometh to Man by Woman, as being so necessary that we cannot be well without them; for seeing we cannot deny, but that God that doth best know what we want and what is good, doth affirm that it is good for us to have Eve made, and that it were evil for us to be alone without her, therefore that we presume not foolishly in jest nor earnest to contradict and cross Gods will. The tenor or content of the Consultation standeth upon two parts, The first is a reason or cause which moved God to make Eve in these words, Non est bonum, etc. The other is his purpose and Decree to make him a help; the form of both which standeth thus, I will make her to be a help to him, because it was not good for him to be without help. Touching which the Fathers do say, That now a pause is to be made, because this form of speech which is first used, is to set down the true and right use of Logic, which is the art of right reasoning, or cause which moveth God to make Eve in these words, Non est bonum, etc. the other is his purpose by argumental conclusion; for they observe well, that all the speeches which hitherto have been used, have been imperative, absolutely commanding things to be done: So that God's authority and will is the only reason of all that hath been done: But now at the making of Woman God useth a speech of argument and reason, concluding and informing the absolute necessity of this work; which also must teach us, to be ●…ule to direct us in the immortality of our actions, namely, to consider, as here God doth, what is good touching our actions, and what evil may come by doing and not doing it: if we in sound judgement can say bonum est, than we are to conclude this, ergo faciendum est: If right reason telleth us this malum est, we are taught to resolve upon this conclusion ergo non faciam: So that the rule of reason is in all things to consider, whether it be good or bad. Again, He saith not Non est bonum mihi, sed non est bonum domino, that is, he respecteth more the good of others, than of himself, this is Christ's reason which he used and moved in all his actions, expedit vobis ut hinc abeam, John 16. 7. which is to teach us to do the like, for it is q.d. all one because it shall be better for his, and the perfecting of his estate; therefore for his sake I will make him a meet help, which example must teach superiors how to frame all their reasons and actions, always respecting the common good of their inferiors more than their own private commodity, for we shall see it both here and elsewhere, that God maketh the good and welfare of his people the ground of his Decrees; so may we observe the like in the reversing that which he had decreed, to punish them and destroy them for sin, yet if they repent of their evil, God will reverse his Decree for their good, which Ionas knowing Jon. 4. 7. saith, that God doth oftentimes by this means seem to make his Prophet's liars, because that for the good of mankind he doth often reverse and revoke the sentence denounced by them against wicked men; wherefore we may well say, that God's goodness is as much seen in caring for the good of man, being made, as in creating man, which was nothing before: All which he doth that the consideration of his love and goodness to us might be, as it were, cords & links of love to tie us unto him in all duty and obedience, Ose 11. 4. and to teach us to frame all our thoughts words and deeds to the augmenting of the glory of God; As to say, Because it is good and acceptable to his glory I will do this, & è contra. I come now to the reason, and first to the antecedent thereof, in which we see that God doth set his heart upon Man, being made, that now he taketh a special view to see whether he can espy any good thing to be wanting about him which he might supply. We read in the end of the first Chapter, that God, looking upon man, saw all to be very good, yet here he that thought man by creation to be very good, saw a detect of one good thing yet, which might make much for his perfection: And therefore he taketh order here to furnish him with it, that nothing might be wanting to those that he loveth. By this therefore it appeareth that solitariness is counted an imperfection in Mankind, but not in God; for he being most perfect, yea, the perfection of all things, needeth not any other thing to be adjoined to him as a companion or help meet for him. Therefore he is and ever will be set alone, and will be called solus sapiens Deus, as the Psalmist saith. Thou art God alone: But among the Creatures this showeth all things to be imperfect, in that it is not well with them, if they be alone; For the perfection of Angels is in multitude, being an Host: The perfection of Mankind, touching the civil perfection, is in societies, by which Families, Cities, and Commonwealths are made; so we may mark that solitariness: God in the Creation doth at least double every thing, that it might not be alone. In the firmament he made great lights and lesser lights: The waters were made double, the upper and nether waters: The Earth had herbs and trees: And as for Fish, Fowl, and Beasts, he made all things in abundance. Solomon showeth, in the 4. Eccles. 9, 10, 11. that above all other Creatures it is most meet and convenient for man, in divers respects, not to be alone, and concludeth the point with vae Soli, because it is not good for man especially to be alone: And therefore when our Saviour Christ calleth his Disciples, it is said, he sent them out by pairs, two and two, because he would not always they should be solitary and alone, Matth. 10. 4. Luke 10. 1. But there is no rule so general, but that hath his particular exceptions in some special causes, unless it be in moral rules, of good things commanded by God, for against such there is no exceptions to be taken. But in the rules of natural goodness touching conveniency, we may ever in some instance make an exception, As (Husay 1 Sam. 17. 7.) this counsel is good, but not at this time: So we may say, the light is good for all, yet it is evil and hurtful to ill eyes: So may we say of solitariness, that sometimes it is most good & meet for a man to be alone in solitariness; so it is good and most meet for some man to be alone without company; for so Moses said Leprosus habitabit solus, that is to avoid infection. God saith of his Scholars Ducam eos in solitudinem & docebo eos, showing oftentimes solitariness is best for Students, and so our Saviour Christ often frequented solitary places for private prayer, as most fit for it. Thus we see generally how this is to be taken, but more particularly we must consider of it in the special case of Marriage, to see how this is verified in a single and unmarried life, whether (in that respect) it be not good for all men to be alone. It is not good for man to be alone. Object. A question may be made here of the truth and true meaning of the word of God in this speech? Resp. In resolving of which we must make a concordance and agreement, between these two verses of the old: Testament, and that of St. Paul in the new Testament, 1 Cor. 7. 1. which saith contrary to this, non est bonum mulierem tangere. For reconciling of which we must remember, that in the 17. and 18. verses of this Chapter is offered to our consideration a double kind of good, in the 17. verse is spoken of bonum morale, to which is opposed the evil of sin and transgression, but in this 18. verse is spoken of bonum naturale, which is the good of conveniency either for our profit or pleasure, to which is opposed not the evil of sinners, 〈◊〉 of inconveniency and indecency, by reason of the want of something which is requisite and meet, and of such a good is here spoken: For St. Paul saying, it is not good to touch a woman, doth not mean that it were a sin to marry, for 1 Cor. 7. 36. he saith, if a man doth marry he doth not sin therein, for Christ saith of the Angels, they neithey marry nor are given to be married, and yet they are holy, they sinne not, because they do not marry, yea their estate is better without marriage, than adam's was in Paradise being married; St. Paul telleth us, Gal. 3. 28. That in Christ all the faithful shall be, as the Angels without Sexes of male and female, and so without marriage, wherefore the inconvenience for which it is not good to be alone here on earth is in respect of circumstances, places, times, and persons, of which Augustine saith well, Distingue circumstantias & concordant, to be understood, q.d. It is not good for man to be alone without a wife while he liveth on the earth, for we have seen that in Heaven this is not verefiable, because it shall be (there) best for man to be unmarried, and as the Angels are. In regard of the circumstance of time, we must understand this q.d. it is not good now at the beginning of the World, that man should live and continue alone, for if he had been always alone and without a wife, the world had been as a waste wilderness without inhabitants to dwell on it, and in this respect it had not been good in regard of the purpose and decree of almighty God, who as it is in the Epistle to the Hebrews, purposed to bring many children unto glory, and had said, Gen. 1. That mankind should so multiply as to fill the earth, which had not been done but by means of marriage of male and female, so that we say, in respect of the circumstance of persons, that though it is true, that it is not good for such a man to live unmarried, which cannot abstain in 〈◊〉 lust from burning, yet if a man hath received the gift of continency and chastity, than it is good and best for such a man to be alone; But this end was accessary and came after the fall, for in the state of innocency there was no danger of such lust and uncleanuesse, and, as propter fornicatiònem, did not concern Adam in Paradise; so the other end which was to 〈◊〉 and fill the earth, respecteth not us now, for we see the earth is so full of people and so mightily replenished, that it may seem in this respect, more convenient now to restrain the liberty of marriage in some, that fewer families might be: We see then in what respect Moses (bonum) must take place, and St. Paul's (bonum non) must give place and yield to it; To conclude for the 〈◊〉 resolution of this point, we must know that the principal good of man is Adhaerere Deo, Psal. 37. 6. Which cleaving fast to the Lord as St. Paul saith, 1 Cor. 7. 35. must be our rule to know, whether it be good for us, not to marry or to marry at all, for though it be a good and lawful thing to have a wife, yet we must know it to be so fare forth good, as it will further us in cleaving fast to the Lord. For rather than marrying a wife, should be a means to divert and separate us from God, which is our first conjunction by religion, we must never marry, not be married, but count it evil and hurtful to us in this case to take a wife: Again if a single life be found in us an occasion of fleshly 〈◊〉 and temptations, by which we are plucked further from God, and are less able to be near unto him in Christian duties, then if we were married; in this case we know that it is good for us to marry, and it is not good for us to be alone any longer. If we 〈◊〉 that the cares and troubles of this life, which the estate of marriage bringeth with it, will be a means to keep and separate us from God, then saith St. Paul, in that respect a single life is better, 1 Cor. 7. 28. For Christ 〈◊〉 us, that many are separated and plucked away from God, by marrying a wife, by attending to their Farms and Oxen, etc. The 〈◊〉 than standeth inter solicitudinem & solitudinem, for that estate which we find doth least trouble our minds with the cares of this world, must be thought best and fittest for us. And thus Moses and St. Paul may be reconciled, if we shall advisedly consider it will be a means to keep us from the two extremes which are in the world, and make us keep the middle way wherein it is best to walk; For being 〈◊〉 in this we shall not be moved by St. Paul's words, to condemn and contemn marriage as the Papists do: Nor yet on the other side shall we give ourselves to that licentiousness and liberty of the flesh, of which St. Paul speaketh, 1 Tim. 3. 7. When men and women of wantonness do marry for 〈◊〉 lust, and as the superstition of Papists, and lasciviousness of wantonness will be avoided; so by this means marriage and a single life shall be well used of all, as shall be best for their good and the glory of God. Object. There is also a second objection made against this saying of almighty God the occasion is, Seeing he saith it is best for man to cut away all occasion and allurement of evil. Therefore it may seem that God might better have said, it were good for man to remain alone without a wife, etc. But they which object this, do but cavil with the word of God and cross that which is here said, God saith, that a wife is good for man, but they say she is evil for him, and God saith she is a meet help, but they say she was a hurt and hindrance to him, and a help in nothing but this, to help forward to a further misery. Therefore (say they) it had been better for Adam to have remained alone still 〈◊〉 appinesse, than to have such a companion which would bring him to misery. For answer to which it was not, causa sine qua non, as they would make it, for though Adam had been alone without Eve, yet (not doubt) he might and would have fallen as he did now: For as the Angels which though they were unmarried, yet notwithstanding did fall and not keep their first estate: So (no doubt) the Devil would have been as strong in his delusions to have made him to fall, as he was in deceiving his wife; we may therefore lay the fault of this fin upon Eve or the Devil; for as St. James saith, Jam. 1. 14. It was not so much any outward occasion as his inward and corrupt concupifcence which made him to sin; But be it that she was the cause of fall, yet from whence then came that occasion of evil to him, Non'e, e latere viri, why then, out of himself came all this cause of sin. But if any shall complain yet further of the woman's hurt and fault; let us know that this woman was made by the counsel of God, the means and occasion by which amends was made, and that with advantage for the evil, for all the evil which she had first done, for as she brought forth sin and death, so she was a means to bring forth a holy seed, which should bring eternal righteousness and life unto all, for as the Serpent should deceive the woman: So it was God's purpose, that the seed of the 〈◊〉 should destroy the Serpent and his works; wherefore we must not so much with grief marvel that the woman's sin was made the occasion of all our misery, as with joy and comfort to wonder, that God made the seed of the woman to save us from sin, and to bring us to 〈◊〉. And thus much for the resolution of these two doubts. Now for the second part, we see that after deliberation, God cometh to this determination and saith, Faciam adjutricem, where we may mark that God saith not fiat, as when he made other Creatures, but faciam which is a word of advisement and wise deliberation, whereas fiat is a word of haste, and expedition to be presently done without delay, which almighty God doth, to put us in mind, that when we go about to get ourselves wives, or to give our children in marriage, that we must not 〈◊〉 about it rashly or suddenly, to post up such matters on the sudden, but with great discretion, wise advice, and consultation, to attempt so weighty a matter, that is, first by considering whether it be good or no for us that a match should be made; Again, seeing it is plain that God only is the giver of good and meet marriages and wives, we learn, that therefore it is our duty when we lack this help to pray earnestly unto God, that it would please him to say unto us, as he said unto Adam, I will make a meet help for 〈◊〉, For want of observing which rules in 〈◊〉, it often cometh to pass, that very unmeet matches and marriages hath been in the world, and foul corruptions and abominable abuses, have crep into this holy ordinance to the slander and disgrace thereof, for this is set down as the chiefest cause of all the monstrous sins of the first age of the world Gen 6. 2. Because the sons of God looking upon the daughters of men, took them wives according to their own fancies, that is, rashly and headily without advice and deliberation, and they took them at the first sight as pleased themselves, and did not crave of God to give them such as might please him, Micholl, David's wife, is said to be a wife of Saules making and giving, and therefore because God made not the match and marriage between them, she was not a meet help, but a snare to entangle him: And so God doth threaten, Joshua 23. 12, 13. verses, that if the Israelites do after their own wills take unto them heathenish woman to be their wives, which he had forbid, they should be no helps to them but hurts, namely, They should be thorns to their eyes, whips to their sides, and snares to their feet, because they do not take wives at God's hands, that is, such as he alloweth and willeth them to take. Nam quum formavisset Jehova Deus è terrâ omnes bestias agri, omnesque volucres coeli, & adduxisset ad Adamum ut videret quî vocaret singulas (etenim quocunque nomine vocavit illas Adam, animantem quamque; id nomen ejus est.) Gen. 2. 19 Octob. 16, 1591. THese words contain the occasion of the former deliberation, for that there might be an orderly proceeding, it was necessary that man being alone, and wanting a meet help, which was good for him, therefore that first a general view and survey might be taken of all the Creatures which God had made, to see whether amongst so many millions of goodly creatures, some one might be found for Adam to be a meet mate for him, and then if the man should not find any one fit for him, God might proceed in his former purpose in making one woman meet for his company. In these words therefore we have first to consider God's commission and warrant, for the ministering and bringing together all the creatures before the man. Secondly, Adam's answer returned non est inventus, for after his diligent search, it is said he found no meet help; for the first, because it is Gods royal prerogative, to cause all the creatures to make their appearance at a certain place and time, which man of himself might not presume to take upon him; therefore God giveth over his right by a letter of Attourny and dedimus potestatem to Adam, by which he might lawfully, both take a straight survey of them all, and also impose names to every one of them as he pleaseth, which (see) that this writ and warrant is given out to all the living creatures here below saving unto fishes, the reason whereof is, because that if there were any likelihood at all, that man might find a meet companion and mate for himself any where, than it must needs be amongst one of these two kinds of creatures, either amongst beasts of the field, or fowls of the air, for there be some agreement and conformity between man and beasts and birds naturally, but none at all between the fish and us, the beasts (as we have seen) are made of the same mould and matter which we are made of, and the fishes were made of the slime of the waters, and not of slime of the earth: Secondly, because they have naturally divers notes and voices as well as man, but the fish are mute and dumb, and therefore unmeet for our company. Thirdly, beasts and birds do feed on earthly things as we, and breathe and live in the same air and place which we do, and do delight naturally in the sight and company of man, and easily will be made tame, sociable and serviceable for man, whereas è contra, the fish neither feed nor breathe as we do, they cannot live in the same place and element which we do, but are as it were inhabitants of another world below us, and besides this, they will by no means be made tame and sociable to us, nor be serviceable to us, but only at our table for meat, wherefore they being as it were of another world, and of another nature and disposition divers from ours, they could not be meet for our company, and therefore in vain had it been to have called them into this solemn assembly of earthly creatures, God is said then to bring all these creatures before man, therefore they came not at man's call, nor yet of their own accord, but by the special commandment of almighty God: And indeed without God's powerful commission we may come to them, for they will not come to us, or if they come, it is to do us hurt, or to make us afraid of them, Job 39 12. This word then of God which brought them together, is not an audible word, Sed vox in silentia, as Job saith, Job 4. 16. And it is called Gods whistle, Esay 7. 18. for if he call, yea if he do but hisse and whistle for innumerable Caterpillars and Frogs, they will speedily come in swarms to do his will, Psal. 105. 34. Thus we see that verbum illud quod produxit, idem adduxit haec omnia Adamo: By which words we may observe, that God doth also now invest man into his rule and dominion over all the creatures, by bringing them before him, as their Lord, to do their homage unto him, for it was the like custom in Israel when any was anointed King, that all Israel should suddenly come together before him, that they might know and acknowledge him to be their ruler, 1 Sam. 10. 17. Such a like thing is here; for all creatures by God's appointment do as it were meet at a Parliament by general consent, to anoint man to be their King: Now in the next place we must consider the end; why this solemn assembly was made, the principal thing indeed is to discover to Adam, that amongst all the creatures which were yet made, there was not one meet and worthy enough to be his companion as it may appear in the 20: verse. But withal, there is besides it a second subordinate end, which is, that man should give names to all creatures, and to see how Adam would call them, by which we see that God loveth not dumb shows, and will not have Adam idle in beholding his creatures, but would have him to exercise that wisdom which God had given him, in giving them names, for it is said to be a wise part, by the outward sight and view of things, to be led to an inward and wise consideration thereby; by which he might learn instruction, so will God have him too, while he looketh over them, first, to be led to a wise consideration of the natures of the things that he seethe; and then to give fit names to them, according to their divers natures, which by sight he perceiveth, which we have seen to be the very order that God useth, Gen. 1. 4. So soon as he saw the light, presently he is said to consider of it, namely, that the nature of it was good, and therefore presently proceedeth to give it a fit name agreeable to the nature which he saw to be in it. In the first, God doth establish in man (as a meet thing for that reasonable creature) the speculative part of wisdom, which is the duty of meditation, study, and contemplation, which is expressed by the word (seeing) for so the prophets were called in the old times (Seers) of this, 1 Sam. 9 9 And again we must know, that this speculation by study and reason looking into the nature of things, is not only lawful and allowable in divine matters, which is the study of divinity, but also in the general study of natural Philosophy, by which we may look into the nature of all the creatures which God hath made, which is by nothing else but by meditation to call them to mind, and then as having them before us, wisely to consider of their natures and names, so David did confess, That he did often meditate of all the works of God's hand, Psal. 143. 5. Another point, that Adam was not only enjoined to see and consider of their natures and names, but also to utter in words and in names, the things which in his wisdom he had conceived of them, by which God doth as it were, untie the string of his tongue and open his mouth, that by speech and audible and sensible words, he might show and utter his wise conceits, for the communicating of that knowledge which was in him unto all others after him, to this end therefore God made him a tongue as well as eyes, that his wisdom and learning should not be buried in his breast, but might be expressed for the good of others, by which also we do see the approbation, commendation and allowance, of two other notable Arts and Sciences given unto man, namely Grammar and Rhetotick, by which our mouths are opened to utter knowledge aright, God cannot abide, that men should misname things, as to call things which are good, by evil names, or to call evil, good, Esay 5. 20. Therefore God will have him take a special view of all things, first, and then afterwards to name them: First therefore we must have knowledge by study and contemplation, before we take upon us to profess it by elocution. But now a days, it is not as it was at the beginning, for we take upon us to be 〈◊〉, professors, and preachers of knowledge before ever we study, we attain to the knowledge and understanding of that which we profess to teach: This authority which man hath to give names to all creatures, doth first argue his sovereignty and his supremacy over them all, Psal. 49. 11. For there David saith, when men have houses and lands of their own, than they take upon them as having most right, to call them after their own name, that is, to give them what names they please to impose: So doth God himself reason, 45 Esay 4. I have called them by my own name, therefore they are mine; It was God's course in 17. Gen. 5. when Abram had vowed his subjection to God, by the Sacrament of Circumcision, and given himself to be his servant; then God, to show his authority over him, gave him a new name, calling him Abraham: So was it the custom of kings and princes, having by force of arms made any subject unto them, to show their sovereignty over them, they used to alter their names, and call them by names of their own inventing, as we may read, 2 Kings 23. 24. for of Eliakim is called Joakim, and Mateniah is called Zedekias, 2 Kings 24. 17. So here God having made all things subject to man, and him the Lord and Ruler over them, Psal. 8. to declare that royal prerogative which he had, he giveth him also leave and authority to give them what names he pleaseth, and so they for ever should be called. Which also doth argue the great and rare wisdom and knowledge which Adam had in this happy estate; for it is a great point of wisdom, so to distinguish the natures of God's Creatures, as to give them fit and proper names expressing their natures; he knew, as it appeareth, not only rerum Idola, but also was able to give verborum idiomata, that is, such a propriety of words and names to each several thing, whereby their divers natures and qualities might be discerned: The man therefore gave names to all the Cattles, etc. The reason of the Mandate or Writ, as we have heard, was partly to honour man as God's Lieutenant on earth, and as Lord of all his Creatures, and partly to express, the great and singular wisdom and knowledge which God then had induced him withal: The Content of which, was to call a general muster and assembly of all his Creatures before Adam, that a survey might be made, to see whether any meet help for man might be found, to avoid solitariness, because it was not good for him to be alone; and it was God's purpose at this solemn meeting and Parliament to invest man into his dominion, and to declare him to be their Lord by giving them names. Now in this verse is first contained the execution of the Writ, showing all was so, and then in the latter end of the verse, is set down the return of the Writ, in these words (he found not a meet help for him. As the Commandment had 2. parts, namely, the considering their natures, and giving them names; so hath all wise men distinguished by all the ancient Hebrews calling some men of profound judgement and deep knowledge, and others, men of eloquence, and excellent judgement and utterance: Both which gifts of God hardly are found together in any one man, 〈◊〉 are given ro divers diversely, as it pleaseth the Giver: But to Adam, at the first, both were given in a full and perfect measure, and both of them are here gounded upon God's allowance, as being lawful and good, and also upon God's Commandment, as a thing most agreeable to the nature of man, namely, to spend his time in study for the increase of knowledge, and in declaration of his knowledge to others, by wise sentences and words; for to this end God made man animal rationis & orationis particeps, with which no other earthly creature is endowed, therefore the ancient Fathers have noted in Adam's two estates, the one to be pater viventium; the other to be pater scientium, that is, The Father and teacher of all knowledge; for as Tubal is said to be the father and author of Music Gen. 4. 21. so may Adam be said to be pater Theologiae, Philosophiae, Gramaticae, Rhetoricae, etc. he was the first that practised Contemplation, and the first that practised Elocution, by that excellent light of nature which God had given him; and the first, as here we see, that gave proper, sit and significant names and words to express the natures of things, and he was not only the father of all the liberal Sciences, but also of all mechanical Arts Gen. 3. 19 pater agriculturae, etc. by all which we briefly see the perfection of his mind, and the excellency of his gifts with which he was endowed: So that Adam then must needs be granted to be the first and the chiefest Author of all Knowledge and Learning that ever since, in all ages of the world hath been among men, for from him it was derived and spread abroad among his posterity, into all parts of the world, for Adam's knowledge both of Divinity, and all other natural things was derived to the house of Sheth, and from him to Noah, and so conveyed to the house of Sem, and after remained amongst the sons of Heber. Gen. 10. 21. and from thence was kept and continued in Abraham's family, which were called the Children of the East Gen. 52. 6. from which East parts of the world, this Knowledge and Learning, which was first in Adam, was spread abroad among the learned men of Egypt, Acts 7. 22. In which learning of the Egyptians Moses was trained up, and therefore was prepared not only by the instrument of God's spirit, but also by the known received truth of the knowledge of these points in all the world, to set down unto us these things of our forefather's, in the beginning of the world, and it may appear by this, that Adam was worthy to be counted the Father of all knowledge and learning, because herein is seen the perfection thereof in him, for to name all good creatures so infinite in number, and so divers in kind, and that to give to every one of them a distinct name, and yet so fit and proper to them according to their natures, as that God would not change nor 〈◊〉 them, but say, so shall they be called; this argueth in him an absolute perfection of knowledge, which hath not since been had. As he was the Father of knowledge within, so was he of utterance and expressing it by words, because we say that he was the first Linguist that was in the world; and indeed intelligence and utterance have very near affinity and friendship, as the Latin words show, for Ratio and Oratio do sound alike; and in Greek the word doth signify not only the act of contemplation for knowledge, but also the act of utterance for speech and conference, by which it is made known, for the one is verbum 〈…〉, the other verbum o'er 〈◊〉 and is agreed upon by all learned men, that the Hebrew tongue is the original tongue and most ancient, by which Adam expressed his mind; Hebrew the the ancient language. and therefore it is called of many the holy 〈◊〉 for this tongue went from Adam to Noah, from Noah to 〈◊〉 and from thence 〈◊〉 is manifested, that it continued as the general tongue and language in all the whole world, until the confusion of 〈◊〉, Eusebius 〈…〉. doth prove this most plainly and 〈◊〉, that the 〈◊〉 tongue was the first and most ancient from the beginding, and that which Adam here used in 〈◊〉 names to all the Greatures; for he of purpose here confuteth the 〈◊〉, which do affirm that all knowledge language and learning are derived from Chaldea, which he first disproveth by the letters of the Alphabet And that the Greek tongue was derived from the 〈…〉 proveth, because 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 which Greek words signify their men of learning and knowledge, are words plainly derived from the 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 they do borrow their 〈◊〉 and original. As therefore 〈◊〉 knowledge and wisdom being 〈◊〉, is most perfect and absolute, so is this tongue and language of 〈◊〉, which Adam 〈…〉 rich and sufficient of it 〈◊〉. For whereas all other tongues, even the Greek, do show their beggarliness, and argue and she 〈◊〉 imperfection in this, that they borrow words and 〈◊〉 from their signior tongues, and because they are said to make 〈…〉 pounds' to express their minds; but this Hebrew and holy 〈◊〉 on the other side; borrow 〈◊〉 not of any tongue, 〈…〉 all; and also 〈◊〉 in such simplicity of words, and yet hath such a 〈◊〉 and majestle in every phrase, that Eusebius faith well of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 & 〈…〉 for so we see that God approveth all the names which Adam giveth to the Creatures, saying, that as the man called them, so should their 〈◊〉, and so continue to the world's end. Now we are come from this general consideration of his tongue and language to consider of the names in particular which he gave. Touching it I will give you but a taste of a few, because it were infinite to reckon all the excellent significant and most fit names of the Creatures which he gave: Adam having first severed the Beasts from the Fowls, as being distinct in nature, among all the Beasts he seeing a Horse, he knew that God had made him for man to ride and trundle upon for his case and better speed, doth therefore at the first sight, according to the nature of him, give this name, which in 〈◊〉 signifieth a swift Runner. So seeing the Sheep, and knowing that God had made them to bear wool to cloth and keep warm, he by and by calleth him the man clothier. An Ass he nameth the maze Porter, because he knew his nature was to carry men's burdens, etc. So for the Fowls, he seeing the Eagle to be the Prince and chief of Birds, giveth him a name of the nobleness of his nature: The Peacock he calleth a proud Bird, of that inward property of pride which he knew to be in him: The Stork he calleth the grateful, loving, or pitiful bird, for the dutiful care and kindness which he hath of his Dam. So for creeping things, he calleth the Serpent by the name of subtleness or deceivableness, which knowledge of his dangerous nature might have made him beware and take heed of him: The Locust hath his name of going out in swarms: The Bee hath his name given him of his artificial cunning workmanship, with which God hath naturally endued him, in making his Combs of honey and wax. By all which Adam's great wisdom and insight into the nature of things is seen, because the name doth so fitly answer the nature of things. And thus much of the execution of the Decree concerning the denomination of Creatures. Now we are come to the 〈◊〉 of this Writ, which is set down in these words, He found not a meet help for him: Touching which we may observe, that he returneth not the answer of this, that he had given meet names to all the Creatures, by which they should be called for ever. But letting this pass, he saith, that He could not find a meet help for Man, which showeth indeed that this was the most chief and principal end of the assembling the Creatures before him, that he might find a help and fit companion for him, if any were; for not finding argueth a seeking, and seeking argueth a desire to have a companion like him, and that desire argueth a want, which want made him to seek diligently, but he could not find; therefore here he returneth Non est inventus. This is then q.d. somewhat Adam found by search and seeking, namely, the divers natures and qualities of good Creatures which were made for his good: But yet because they were all brutish and unreasonable, he refused them all to be his mate; for in Adam God had placed naturally, not only appetitus socii, sed etiam similitudinis, that is, to be one of his own kind, nature, and disposition, but he found none as yet. This confession of his want, doth argue there this conclusion of his desire to God, as Augustine saith, 〈◊〉 simile, non est simile; ergo Domine fac simile. Vocavissetque Adam nominibus pecudem quamlibet, & volucrem Coeli, omnemque bestiam agri: non aderat Adamo auxilium commodum. Gen. 1. 20. Octob. 19 1591. I Shown that the Precept was directed to the Beasts and Fowl to come before man, God's Lieutenant, whereby he was invested with honour and supremacy above the beasts, here God's generation, in the 4. verse, is named by man: This verse standeth upon the execution and return of the Precept directed to man, which commandment, as I told you, stood upon two parts, Seeing and Calling. The Hebrews, in their tongue call themselves not only men of speculation, but also men of utterance and practice: adduxit, ut videret, & vocaret. It is received as approved in divinity, that in Adam are two estates: First out of the fourth verse of this Chapter, that though God be Pater generationis, yet Adam is Pater generatorum, the father of the World, as in the 20. verse of the next Chapter, Hevah had her name for that she was Mater cunctorum viventium. Adam pater contemplationis And secondly, hence they say he is called Pater contemplationis; for by the Divines, both ancient and new, there are in Adam two perfections, the one of Mind and Understanding, the other of his Will; the one is gratia gratis dats, the other is aceepta; the one concerneth his Wisdom, the other his Justice: Hence they gather his Wisdom, by the knowledge of natures to give apt names; and his Justice out of the last verse of the first Chapter. God bash made man righteous, but they have sought many inventions, saith the Wiseman Preach. 7. 29. that is, God made man's mind without corruption; in the beginning his will was free, his thoughts straight, his understanding without questions. The multitude of Quarists and Quomodists, of those that make doubts and questions, come from the Devil, who saith in the beginning of the third Chapter cur praecepit vobis Deus, ut non comederitis. Wisdom in contemplation and utterance. Tertulltan saith well, that the knowledge of man standeth either in scientiis mutis, as in contemplation, in videre: or in scientiis disertis, that is, in utterance, in vocare; that is, as the Schoolmen say, in the science of Reals and Nominals: For the first, which is to weigh in silence, Paul in 1 Cor. 13. 2. saith, There is a knowledge of 〈◊〉 and of Mystery. Adam, as it were, induced with a prophetical spirit in the 23. verse, said that she was bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh, being before in an heavy sleep. There was in Adam a science of Mysteries, in that he was made in God's Image, the 26. of the first Chapter; and by his obedience he knew the Mystery of the tree of life, which was his erernall reward, as it is in the end of the 22. verse of the next Chapter: Now last for the knowledge of The knowledge of Adam in naural Philosophy: Philosophy, it was in Adam: The knowledge of wisdom is as gold, of the Creation as of silver, this of nature and of names as pearl. Of Solomon: Great was the knowledge of Solomon, in natural Philosophy, who spoke of the nature of Trees, of Beasts, and of Fowls, 1 Kings 4 33. Of Moses: And Moses he was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, Acts 7. 22. Yet by the Fathers, in this knowledge of the natures of things, above both these, Moses and Solomon, Of Noah. Noah is preferred, who knew the clean beasts from the unclean, which by pairs he took into the Ark, chap. 7. 2. The wisdom of all the Heathen Philosophers, compared to the knowledge of these three, Noah, Moses, and Solomon, was but ignorance: Adam a greater Philosopher than they. Yet Adam was a greater Philosopher than those three: The reasons thereof. For first Adam was created in wisdom, without corruption; their wisdom was bred in corruption, and the Heathen are destroyed in their own wisdoms, Psal. 9 15. They three and all the wise men of the World had the light of their understanding per scientiam acquisitam, by study and former observation: Adam had his without observation, non per discursivam scientiam sed intuitivam, for when he had beheld them he gave them names. Others got their wisdom by study and travel, for in the multitude of wisdom is much grief, and he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow, saith the Wiseman in Preach. 1. 18. but Adam in Paradise had no grief: No one of them knew all things; but Adam knew all things, not only perfectly, but exactly: whereupon Austin saith well, that Ignorantia est paena lapsi, non natura originis. Adam Magister viventium Lastly, Adam is not only Pater but Magister viventium: God gave him wisdom, he learned it not. Doceo requireth a double Accusative in Esay 28. 9 the Prophet faith Quem docebit scientiam? Whom shall God teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand? them that are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts? But Adam was not weaned from the breasts, which had no Mother. 〈◊〉, a man of good learning, gathereth out of the Greek Fathers, Adam sons scientiae: that Adam was as a fountain of knowledge; From him cometh others wisdom. which came from him by tradition and observation unto Noah, and so to Abraham, and so to his sons dwelling in the East Country, chap. 25. 6. in Chaldea and Persia; from thence it came to Egypt. Solomon, in 1 Kings 4. 30. is said to have excelled in wisdom all the wise men of the East and of Egypt: from Egypt it came to Greece, from thence to Italy, and so to us in this West corner of the World. He gave names apt. And that the wisdom of Adam excelled all other, they ground it upon this, for that he gave them names, which God approved Non dedit nomina ex suo arbitrio, he gave them names not by chance, but with discretion, the name agreeing fitly with the nature, and infinite fit names in one day did he give unto a multitude of Creatures, which argueth great wisdom to be in him; which he could not have done unless he had looked into their natures; and the naming is allowed, for that God praiseth it, as it is in 2 Cor. 10. 18. Rehoboams name unmeet. Our names sometime, by unskilfulness, prove just contrary, as Solomon named his son Rehoboam, a delighter, but he was a destroyer of the People: Elimas'. Elymas had his name aright, for he was a Sorcerer, Acts 13. 9 Naomi, Marah Naomi, after she was in misery, would no more be called Naomi, which is beautiful, but Marah, which is bitter, Ruth 1. 20. This is the ground of Lologie. Secondly, From hence they gather the institution of Lologie, that is of speech, both in videre and nominare is great wisdom; in silence and speech is a wiseman known; the Greeks in logos do express both; the Latins in two words differing but a letter, the one ratio, the other oratio: Aaron was wise in speech Exod. 4. 14. Paul in 2 Cor. 11. 6. saith, though I be rude in speaking, yet I am not so in knowledge. Apollo's is said to be a man of knowledge, an eloquent man, Acts 18. 24. The original tongue hath natural. The original tongue by the names expresseth the natures, which tongue was the most ancient when all the world were of one tongue; And though that in the days of Peleg the son of Heber, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the earth was divided by diversity of languages, chap. 10. 25. yet Peleg kept it. Peleg kept the original. The Greeks tongue from it. Eusebius saith, the Greeks do boast that their tongue never came from other but from itself: But quoth he, from whence have they α and ω, their first and last letters? have they them not from Aleph and Beth of the Hebrews: Magus and Sophos, wisemen in Greek, comes not the one from agath, the other from zopho in Hebrew? Cadmus, from Heber, brought Aleph and Beth into Phoenicia. It borroweth nothing. This tongue borroweth nothing from any other tongue, all tongues borrow from it; it is the most sufficient tongue: Fire and water in Greek have their original from the Hebrew. It is without composition. All other tongues, saith he, are full of composition, this in simplicity and majesty excelleth all other; for no tongue is so capable of trope and figure as is this, as they know well that have skill in the tongue: The antiquity, quality, and dignity of the original. And after that Eusebius hath showed the antiquity, the quality, and majesty of this tongue, he concludeth thus, lingua haec digna est Adamo institutore, & Deo approbatore. The name agrees with the nature. Now for the naming, the names agree with the nature of the thing named. The ignorant man nameth a thing following not esse 〈◊〉, but scire suum, not the nature of the thing, but his own knowledge: But Adam as a man of exact wisdom giveth names according to their nature, that have stood since the beginning, and shall stand so to the end of the world. The name expresseth the property. The nature of a thing is called the essence or the property; he gave a name according to the nature, not of the essence, but of the property. Gassanus, a learned man, saith a Creature of itself is nothing, but from God all things receive their essence. In Hebrew God is called the name, The name of God who can tell? saith Esay. God's two names. God hath two names, one qua est, which is of his essence incomprehensible; the other is qua c●…sa est, this is the name of his goodness, and so we may conceive him. All names man giveth is of the property; we say commonly this is the nature, scilicet, the property of a thing: Propertie sensible or intelligible. The knowledge of which properties is either sensible of outward things, or intelligible of inward qualities. The names of things after Adam were of properties sensible, as Esau was so called, for that he was red and rough with hair: Jacob was so called, for that at his birth he held Esau by the heel, his brothers supplanter, Genesis 25. And Peleg had his name aright, namely division. Adam's names of inward properties. But Adam's names came from inward qualities, which he could perceive partly by the light of nature; wherein are to be considered three things, as you may see by 1 Kings 4. 29. Adam's knowledge: In salomon's wisdom was knowledge; By the light of nature: Secondly, intelligence or understanding; Of grace. And thirdly, he had a large heart, even as the sand on the Sea shore, that is, he was able to comprehend all things by the capacity of his memory: But these were more excellently in Adam than in Solomon, who had no vanity to seduce him, no sickness to weaken him, no temptation to hinder his wisdom, as Solomon had. He could also see these inward qualities by the light of Grace: In lumine tuo videbimus lumen, saith David, Psal. 36. 9 In thy light O Lord shall we see light. The divisions of the light of grace. The Fathers do say, that lumen gratiae, is either per Deum or Angelos: This light of God came to men either by apparition, as to Noah, Moses, etc. or by revelation, which is inspired into us: By vision many saw this light, Wisd. 17. 6. and God's knowledge slideth into our hearts. The other light we see is of Angels, by their visitation, as Gabriel visited Daniel and made him understand the vision, Daniel 8. 16. Which visitation of Angels Adam had. The light of glory. Beyond these there is lux gloriae, the light of glory; Whereby Adam saw his reward in the Heavenly Paradise, by obedience; visio essentiae divinae, is the reward; to see and enjoy the essence of God was his reward, whereunto Adam, whilst he lived obedient in Paradise, hoped to be translated from the earthly to the heavenly Paradise; To him that overcommeth shall be given a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth but he that receiveth it; the name is reward and honour, Revel. 2. 17. Then shall we see God face to face, that is, in lumine gloriae, in the light of his glory, whom now we see through a glass darkly, 1 Cor. 13. 12. Two glasses whereby we see God. The Glasses whereby God is seen in this world are of two sorts: the one is dark, the other bright: the one is dim as the light through an horn: the other is a light through a Glass. Adam, we, the Angels, see God. We see God in this world as through a dim light, Adam in Paradise in state of innocence, as through a bright Glass, The Angels see him in heaven essentially. Our sight was from the earth, where is misery: adam's from Paradise, where was grace. The Angel's sight is in the heavenly Paradise, where glory beholdeth glory. Our knowledge of God is inaenigmate, is as in a Riddle: The knowledge of God by Adam in Paradise was as through a clear Glass: But the Angels in the heavens knew God face to face. The things named. Now of the object, and what was named by man: There were Six names God giveth. six individual names given by God himself; as the light God called day, a time active. Seconly, The darkness he named night, a time to recover strength called, lagela leagala. Thirdly, The firmament he called heaven, from whence is the influence of the air and the wind. Fourthly, The dry land he called earth. Fistly, The Sea, which of its own nature would swell fifteen cubits above the highest hill, was altered by the name, from turning magim to jagim. Lastly, he called Man Adam that is, of the earth. Adam giveth apt names, Here Adam giveth names, first to the beasts that are serviceable; and then to the birds and fowls that fly in the Air: To the Beasts. He at the first sight, without a Counsellor, gave apt names to every beast, to all the Cattles of the field, which are infinite; and this we may see, for all the Cartell, in the names of three, to the Horse he gave a name to be man's currer, to the Sheep to be his Clothier, to the Ass to be his Porter, for so the names of these do sound in the Hebrew tongue. To the Fowl. Likewise he gave apt names unto the Birds, as the Eagle is a noble bird, for it preyeth not upon the bird that keepeth him warm all the night, neither doth he fly that way in the morning, that that bird flieth: the Peacock is proud; the Stork is kind; the Serpent a slider; the Ant bites the end of the Corn, that it should not grow, the Ant called a Gnawer; from the Elephant to the Ant did he give apt names. The Locusts of the swarms, the Bees of their government have their names. Naming for distinction of kind and property. So the virtues of naming are two, for the distinguishing of kind and of property: So that the argument is good from the thing to the name, and from the name to the thing; according to the name is the nature, and according to the nature is the name. Jacob had his name aright, his name was Supplanter, and he supplanted his brother. But for Adam there was not a meet help. Briefly of the return, But for Adam was not found an help meet for him; A Non est inventus is returned, a Creature suitable to man's nature found he not; and that he should not want a meet help, Woman was taken out of man. Not finding implieth a seeking, seeking a desiring, and desiring implieth a want: A necessary conversion. And that we do want we desire, and that we desire we seek, and that we seek we shall find. Adam, among the beasts, found not a meet help, yet he sought an help, which he desired because he wanted: Non invenit 〈◊〉 bestias adjutorem 〈◊〉 sibi, yet did he behold the beasts; and the end of this contemplation is not fruitless; there is a curious contemplation: such was that of Hevah chap. 3. 6. The end of Man's contemplation in Paradise was in humility; and the end of the contemplation of the Beasts and Fowls here, you see is a supply of an help: For the first you do see, Preach. 3. 10. that the travel of men is given them by God to humble them: David, in Psal. 8. 5. saith, Quid est 〈…〉 memor es ejus Domine? When he hath considered the natures and beheld the beasts, and finding among them no meet help, than he desireth a supply: And happy is the meditation when it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oratione, in prayer. Among Beast helps, not meet helps. Among so many beasts no doubt he found some helpers, but they were mute, without conference, brutish, without reason, all of them looking downward: But man before his fall was in honore positus, he was strait both in body and in mind, Psal. 49. 20. Among them (as I have showed) he found many helpers, as the Horse to ride upon, the Sheep to him, the Ass to bear his burden; Not meet to be his mate. But among them he found no meet help to be his mate; in Adamo fuit appetitus socii & similitudinis, a helper according to his likeness found he not: Totum hominis scientia Dei, saith a Father, the knowledge of God is only to be ascribed to man: yet some beasts draw nearer to the reason of man than other some; as the Fox nearer than the Ass, but in none of the beasts is the knowledge of God. Eve how meet. But a fit help for comfort, for conference, for cohabitation, for procreation, for equality in each thing, found he not for man; There is none shall want his mate, saith the Prophet, Esay 34. 16. every bird hath his match: there is aequus and equa; of all beasts there is male and female, every beast had his match. They all had that man wanted; and therefore, for that man wanted that which all the beasts had, God, out of man, for man, made a meet help, ut salvum sit verbum suum; and Adam, as it were, confesseth, I want such a meet help, which I desire, which I have sought, which I cannot find; and because I cannot find such a help which I have sought, which I have desired, and which I want; therefore, O God of help, give unto me a helper meet for me: This expresseth Man's consent to have such an help. As God before regarded his person, provided him a place, gave him authority; so here he taketh care that he might have an help: And as before he received at God's hand Paradise to dwell in it: and by dominamini rule and sovereignty over the beasts and fowl: The last benefit God giveth is a mate. So here man receiveth the last, not the least benefit at the hands of him, Mulierem gratiosam, a discreet Woman, a meet help: For he that wanteth an help, and desireth it of God, seeking for it, shall find it; And he that findeth a good wife, findeth a good thing, and receiveth favour of the Lord, Prov. 18. 22. Thus much shall suffice concerning the 20. verse. Quapropter injecit Jehova Deus, soporem altum in Adamum quo obdormivit. & desumpta una de costis ejus, inclusit carnem pro illa. Gen. 2. 21. Octob. 21. 1591. AFter God had in the 18. verse, as ye have seen, entered into his deliberation, and saw that it was not good for man to be alone, and therefore was moved in the 19 verse, not only to resolve to make him a help, but also caused man to take a survey of all his Creatures, to see whether there were any already made, which might fit his fantasy. Now after man had made his confession, that he found a want, being in solitariness, but could not find a fit supply; therefore in this verse ensueth the narration of God's workmanship in the Creation of woman. In speaking of which, first it may seem a course strange and incredible to flesh and blood, and unsavoury to reason, that woman should be taken out of the side of man. But St. Augustine demandeth this question Cur magu mirabile sit ut è latere viri, quam ex utero faemina homo nasceretur. For if God had made this an ordinary course of nature, that woman should always & usually have been taken out of man's side, as now it is to take them out of the womb of the woman, than would that have been no less strange than this, and this course and birth of man would have been 〈◊〉 more wonderful and incredible than that which is here spoken of. In respect of God therefore we must know it to be all one, as easy a thing, and of as litde labour for him to make a man of the side of man, as to cause him to be made of the seed of man, though in respect of us (which are sensual) that seemeth most credible which is most common and usually seen of us. 2. The second thing is, That the Woman is said to be made of one of his ribs, of which, if any seek a reason, this may serve for an answer, Quia sit aliquid ipsius, for this is that which maketh the bond and knot of Matrimony sure and fast, when they consider and account themselves to be a very natural part one of another; and therefore St. Paul saith Ephes. 5. 28. they must love one another as their own flesh; for how could Adam choose but love her, being bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, seeing it is natural for man, not to hate his own flesh. Also it is for the better procurement of love of Parents towards their Children and Posterity, that Parents and Children might thus think, Quia sumus ex uno, sumus unum: for all this is especially to commend unity between man and wife, because they be but one; and also between brethren and sisters, yea, and all the Posterity of Adam, because they all came of one. This all men should think, especially brethren, because we were hewed all out of one rock and digged out of one pit; therefore why should we be divided asunder, rather we should say as David doth, Psal. 113. 1. Behold it is a good and pleasant thing for Brethren to dwell together in unity. This consideration then, must be a means to establish unity and peace among all men, especially between man wife and children, and their family. Object. But another question may here be made, Why she was taken out of his side, rather when he was fast asleep than when he was awake, for it is sure, that God could as well have done it when he was awake, if some special purpose had not moved, in which it seemed best to him to have it thus. Resp. To answer this objection we may say, that men have sought out many inventions and devises: Some, to satisfy it, have imagined that it was done, because Adam should not feel any smart or pain in the opening of the flesh & taking out of the rib, which being awake they think he must needs suffer otherwise, and (say they) Quia agritudo & dolour est poena lapsi: therefore God would not, nay (say they) he could not in justice let them suffer in Paradise, so long as he continued holy: But it is sure, that if that only had been all the reason, that God, to have prevented that, could have so taken her out of his side, that he should have felt no grief or pain thereby, though he had been awake and looked upon him; for if God had but suspended the act of sense for a time, which at the first he gave him, he should have had no grievous sense of pain on that part. But indeed this rather may seem to be the reason, Because God in his work would have none seen or present with him. But be as it were, by himself alone, lest any should falsely and foolishly suspect that Adam being present and awaked, should have been some help or means, and had somewhat to do in the Creation of the Woman; therefore he would be alone, that he alone might be known to be the only maker of the Woman, and that he had no help or Counsel in the framing of her: For the like cause God suffered the Disciples to fall into a deep and heavy sleep in the garden, when Jesus Christ our Saviour was in the agony, that it might not be doubted but that he alone wrought and brought to pass all the work of our Redemption without the help or comfort of his Disciples, as it was prophesied of him before, Ille Torcular calcavit solus. So Almighty God purposing to have all the glory of the whole World alone, and that Adam might not challenge any jot thereof, therefore without his counsel, help, or consent, he would do it while Adam was fast asleep; Which must teach us this Lesson, That especially in this weighty matter of Wyving, when we see we want that holy help, we must not think by our own policy and strength to get us one meet and good for us, but rather by prayer commend that work to God's care and providence, who then (not doubt) will bring that work to pass which shall be most fit and meet for us, while we are fast asleep. Object. If any ask, Why she was taken out of his side, which is the middle part of man's body, and not out of his head or foot? Resp. This answer may stand with good reason, That she was not taken out of his head or shoulder Ne insolesceret foemina, that is, lest affecting a superiority over the Man she should take upon her arrogancy to be the top of his head or to ride over his shoulders: If any do so, let them know, that it is not the Woman's part nor place to exalt herself so high. On the other side, God of purpose would not have her taken out of the foot, Ne eam homo sub pedibus contereret, & make her too much an underling as scarce good enough to wash his feet: If any so use their wives, let them know, God made them not to so base and contemptible offices, but would have good and virtuous women to be set next themselves as their matches in all duty and love; for God hath made her of his side that she might be collateralis, that is, be thought worthy to stand, and sit, and lie by his side; therefore it is said, that the King's spouse being brought to him was set on his right hand, Psal. 45. 9 And indeed if women did consider their estate, they would know it to be fare better and safer for them (being the weaker vessel) to shroud themselves under their husband's arms for defence, as their protector, than to sit above his shoulder as Lord and superior over him. Again, Women may see that God made them of a rib, which is a strong bone, that they might be a means and prop to their weakness, to uphold and be a stay to them and their estate, and not a weakening and decayiug of their estates and strength, as many do. And as they learn this of the nature of their matter, so they must learn to avoid one thing, which is the bone of which they were made, namely, they must not be crooked and perverse and 〈◊〉 bones to their husband's heart, for such wives, saith Solomon, are not bones to help us, but putredo in ossibus, and a grief to their heart. Now we may consider that of this matter God made him not many wives, not two wives, yea not more than only one, which condemneth 〈◊〉 for many reasons and respects: for many inconveniences and griefs come to the man and the family, where more than one hath been, it was the cause & occasion of strife and brawls, as we may see in the example of Elkana his two wives 1 Sam. 1. 5. 7. 8. for they did not only vex one another, but both of them were a vexation to him. The like example we have in Sara and Agar, so ill did they agree under one man, that one house was not able to hold them; wherefore Gods ordinance is (who knoweth what is best for us) that one man shall have but one only wife. A word now of the supplement; for it is said that God taking out a rib made a wound, and healed it up again, and made flesh to be the supplement thereof: By which we 〈◊〉 becanse Woman is the weaker vessel, therefore God would have her to have some of the Man's strength, and lest the man should be too strong and rigorous, he hath imparted some of the Woman's weakness to him: Which must teach man and wife to know that God hath made them so that they should bear one with another's infirmities. And there is nothing which doth more make void the bond of love and unity, which God hath so strongly confirmed, between man and wife, as this one thing, that the one doth not bear with the others infirmities and imperfections. Extruxitque Jehova Deus ex costa illa, quam sumpserat de Adamo, mulierem: eamque adduxit ad Adamum. Gen. 2. 22. Octob. 23. 1591. IN these words, according to our last division, are contained the manner and fashion of her Creation, which is here said to be after the manner and form of a building, and also the end why she was made, namely, that she might be brought to man and given him for his help. It is the Counsel of God, that if we will purpose to make a house or building, that we first of all prepare matter and stuff where with all to build it, Prov. 24. 27. and then after to settle upon the work; which course of wisdom we do see God doth here take and observe; for having taken the rib out of the man's side, as the meetest matter to build this beautiful matter for man, now all things being in a readiness and nothing wanting, he proceedeth without delay to the framing and perfecting of this work of Woman: Touching which, we must know that it is not Moses purpose in this place to treat of the making of the Woman's soul, but only of the frame of the body; for he had before, in the 7. verse of this Chapter, sufficiently and fully performed that narration, showing, that God having made the body of Man and Woman, than he breathed into them the breath of life, and made them, both alike, living souls, which confoundeth that profane & shameless objection of irreligious men, which (whether in jest or in good earnest I know not) have said that Women have no souls, because in this verse Moses speaketh not, but only of the frame of her body. To falsify and disprove which saying, ye shall hear Rebecca say, Gen. 27. 46. Taedet animam meam vitae meae: And the Virgin Mary will confess that she hath a soul as well as Man, Luke 1. 46. saying Magnificat anima mea, etc. But we must know that this soul the Woman had not of the man, but of God, the Creator, as Adam had, for it is verified of both, Quod Deus creavit Marem & Foeminam, as he had made both alike: so did he both parts of soul and body, in both alike. Touching the body of the Woman, we must know, that though God might truly have been called the Creator of Woman, as before, yet Moses chooseth rather to call him the builder of Woman, which stile and title is also given to God in Heb. 3. 4. who is said to frame and build all things; and the reason why he altereth the phrase is, because the word Create signifieth the making a thing of nothing; but she was made of something, namely of his rib. And also God useth this phrase, comparing himself to a Carpenter and the Woman to an house, because he did purpose to make Woman, as it were, his storehouse, in which he had laid up all the race of Mankind, which should thereafter come out of her womb to replenish the Earth, for she was the rock and vault out of which we were digged, Esay 51. 1. Out of this house, here builded, came all Men and Women whatsoever, both fair & foul, strong and weak, rich and poor, Regum turraes pauperum tabernae; yea out of this house came all the houses and Families of the World, both Domus Jacobi, that is God's house and his Church, and Domus Judeae, that is the King's house and the Families of all Commonwealths. When this was builded God laid in her the foundation and hope of all these buildings both private and public; therefore God in the Scriptures of Kingdoms and Commonwealths, doth compare them to Women Ezech. 23. 4. For under the persons of Aheths and Aholiah are represented the two Kingdoms of Samaria and Jerusalem. So in Revel. 12. 4. and Revel. 19 2. in this Sex God setteth out all Churches and Religions, comparing the true Church to a Woman in travail, and the Antichristian Church to the proud Whore of Babylon, To show that all Commonwealths and Churches, both good and bad came out of Womanhood, which is here reared and builded in this place, the lesson which Women may learn out of this, is to know and consider that God hath therefore builded them to be as houses, that they might build up houses in the World, and that not only in their own private houses, by good huswisery and diligence, but also Gods houses, by beinging up their Children in the fear of God and true Godlinosse; and to this end she is builded as a house that she might be in the house, and not gad abroad to allure others to the liking of her person, because such, saith Solomon, do pull down their houses, Prov. 〈◊〉 But as snails (for so St. Paul remeth a Woman by the name of a Snail Domi portans, 1 Tim, to show that if she will build up a house as God builded her, she must not be a wanderer abroad, but a keeper and a fear to the house within. Now we are come to the last point of this verse; In which is showed that the end why God builded Woman, was, that she might be brought and joined in marriage to the Man: Here than is the first beginning and bringing together, and Adam might have said as the Church said of his spouse, Cant. 3. 1. Quasivi & non inveni: But now the time of her Creation being come and fulfilled, he might say as the Church did after. Tandem inveni quam dilexit anima mea, though all his seeking in the world among the brutish Creatures, could find none meet for him, yet now in God's hands he findeth one without seeking: In which we see the fruit of God's Adduxit, for he recompenseth it here with his Reduxit, rendering a thing 〈◊〉 better and more excellent than that he took away from him, if we can be content patiently to bless God with Job, when he taketh away that we have, though it be as near and dear to us as our ribs; yet at last God can come again and render three fold, yea an hundred fold, Job 42. 10. If he wounds Adam's side, he will make it whole again. If he suffer God to take from him Costa informis, he will bring to him Evam formatam & formosam to make him amends. In this word Adduxit is generally included, he would not put them together without regard, as he did the brutish and 〈◊〉 Creatures, but doth solemnly, as it were, bring her by the hand to Adam, and deliver her into his hands, as having a most 〈◊〉 and honourable regard and care of them; By which we see that God cannot abide such brutish coming together, and conversing one with another, as the Horses do seeing their Mate, according to his kind, knowing her, never stayeth till she be brought, but will 〈◊〉 in the rage of his 〈◊〉 lust unto her: But saith Esay, chap. 5. Man ought not so to demean himself; for though Adam (no doubt) knew the Woman to be his only Mate, yet he joineth not himself unto her, until God both bringeth and giveth her unto him. By which we see another honour and special favour, which God 〈◊〉 Mankind above all other Creatures, namely, himself in his own person to make the match and bring them both together in marriage that all may know that it is a state most holy and honourable by his own ordinance; for it hath not been seen or heard among all other Creatures, that such a Solemnity and grave Ceremony was used, at the meeting of any but only of the man and woman; we may gather by Christ's interpretation, Matth. 19 6. In this word Adduxit is understood Gods conjunxit, his coupling and joining them together in marriage; for we see the woman first taketh God by the hand religiously, before she taketh Adam by the hand; for unless women do first dutifully and devoutly resign themselves over into God's hands, to be disposed and ruled at his will and pleasure, they can never be joined most holily in marriage, to the building up of their own house in the Commonwealth nor of God's house in the Church; that is, if we do dispose ourselves at our own wills & pleasures, being led to our choice, not by God's hand our heavenly Father, and by his Deputies our Parents on earth, which now must bring and give us in marriage. Let us know that such matches and marriages, are neither allowable in the sight of God, nor honourable in the sight of men, and therefore shall not be comfortable but hurtful to ourselves. Wherefore to conclude this, we gather that it is not sufficient that there should be consent of both parties together only, unless they be brought together before God in holiness, and by the Parents which have this right made over to them to bring together: Tum dixit Adam, hac demum vice adest os ex ossibus meis, & caro ex carne mea: haec vocabitur vira, èo quòd haec ex viro desumpta est. Gen. 2. 23. Octob. 26. 1591. THe Prophet having ended the history of woman's creation before, and shown Gods bringing them together and joining them in marriage. Now in these words he goeth forward and showeth what liking he had of her, and also what name and title he gave unto her, for so in his speech we are to consider his affection, and her name which is here expressed before in the 19 and 20. verses: We have seen that Adam seeking and searching among all the Creatures of God, could find no meet help or Companion for him, for he saw only muta, bruta & versuta, that is, brutish things without reason, speech, or any other resemblance or likeness to him. But now he awaking suddenly out of sleep, and but one only creature being brought to him, he, at the first sight perceiving her both in nature, body, and mind, to be most like unto him, seemeth with the joy of a Bridegroom to say, why; this is mine own self, one, even after my heart and desires, even another new Adam, saving for the sex. This may seem to be his confession at the first sight, when he had found her: In which confession is expressed his joy and affection towards her, as it may appear in the emphasis of this word jam nunc, for so we shall see it often in the Scriptures, for a note of some joy or gladness conceived within. So it is Gen. 29. 32. Now my husband will love me likewise, 35. verse, Now I will praise the Lord, etc. In which words Leah showeth her joyful affection at the birth of Juda and Levi, besides, the utterance of the words do argue her rejoicing; for we may observe in the former verse, that whereas, not his placing and pleasu in Paradise, not the presence or enjoying of the Tree of life, nor any else, which he saw there, could make him open his lips to talk of it, as not being much moved or delighted with them; yet now, as soon as ever he seethe and enjoyeth her presence and person, he could not contain, but breaketh out into this triumph of joy and love, as who should say, I do not esteem and take any such love or comfort in the pleasures or treasures of Paradise, nor in the Lordship of the Creatures, nor in the possession of the whole earth, nor all that is therein, as now I do in the presence and possession of this Woman, which God in singular love and of his special grace hath given to me. In which he teacheth us nothing else, but that which Solomon saith of a good and virtuous wife, Pro. 19 14. riches, lands, and possessions may men give us, or may fall to us by inheritance, sed mulier intelligens est denum dei. q.d. she is fare more precious than all things, and most worthy to be esteemed, which we see is most plainly found in Adam in this place, who could not be drawn to such a joyful speech until now: Because all the things in Paradise were small joy or comfort to him, so long as he was in solitariness and wanted the companion of his life. If we look into the nature of these words (〈◊〉 and bone) we shall see that by them are fitly expressed the two ends for which woman was made; for by this phrase he signifieth, that if she was of him, of the substance of his flesh and bone, so was she made for him to be as helpful and as necessary for his good, as his flesh and bone. The bones of men (as we know) are the strength and props to uphold the body, so should there be an ability and strength in the woman, to help and sustain the man and his 〈◊〉. And as this is the help of society, so as she is flesh, she is as good a help and means to bear children to the man, which is said to arise out of the nature of the flesh, John 1. 13. for all Adam's sons are born after the will of the flesh; and to this end God hath placed delight and pleasure in the flesh, which is called the 〈◊〉 of the flesh, John 1. 16. So that the end of the woman's creation 〈…〉 & ad problem. And thus much of the speech, as it 〈◊〉 her denomination, in which we may see, that God doth not give him the honour only to give names to other Creatures, which were made to be his servants, but also he giveth him leave to impose a name to his wife, which is after a sort equal to himself. In which denomination he doth communicate and impart his own name unto her, and would have her to wear a part of his own name, by which she may be known to be his own; which custom we see is yet 〈◊〉, and continued amongst the children of Adam; yea, even amongst the heathen, whose saying was to them whom they vowed to make their wife, ubi ega sum Caius tu eris Caia, that is, thou shalt be entitled and endowed first with mine own name: So we see that after the Wedding, in which the wife is brought and given to the man, her name is for ever eclipsed, as our Law saith, and she must shine by her husband's name; and the giving this name to her, doth not only argue a propriety and right in her, but also a sovereignty and power over her as her head, which also is manifested in this, that she was not only made ex eo, sed propter eum: she was not only brought ad eum, but also had her name de eo, which four prepositions, propter, ad, ex, & the are four strong arguments to prove her subjection. Again we see that Adam giveth her not every name by which he was called: But his special and chiefest names is Ish, out of which the name Ishah, which is woman. This his name Ish, is a name of dignity and honour, which (as some say) is taken for the word Jashah, which signifieth he is the Monarch and only Ruler of all God's Creatures: wherefore if Adam was preferred to this title of honour to be a King, than he will impart it to his wife, and make her as Queen and Empress with him. We may read in the Scripture this note of difference touching his names being diversely applied; for Ben Is, which is filius hominis, is spoken in honour of those that are the best and excellent men. But Ben Adam, which is fillius Adam implieth the common and basest, for Adam is a name of humility, to put him in mind of the matter he was made of; but Ish is a name of nobility, to show him God's mercy in exalting him on earth. But we shall best conceive what Adam meant in naming her thus, by the reason which he rendered by calling her so, Quia sumpta erat ex viro, which is, as if he had said, this is the cause why I would have her called so, because in this name all may see the wonderful work of God in making her so: and that all may know I love thee as myself, therefore this shall be thy name. To conclude concerning this name, we must note that the woman hath three names in the Scripture as well as man. The first is the general name in respect of the Sex, Gen. 1. 27. by which they are called male and female, which is given as he is the Stock, and she is the Storehouse of all mankind. The second is Adam's matter and Eves mould, which in him is the name of his, and in her is the name of her fruitfulness, that she is the mother of all living Creatures. The third is the honourable name given in marriage, which is Ish and Ishah man and woman, which signifieth the dignity to which God exalted them both. And this may suffice of their names: Idcirco relicturus est vir patrem suum & matrem suam: & ad haerebit uxori suae, erúntque in carnem unam. Gen. 2. 24. 30. Octob, 1491. IN these words, God the Author of matrimony setteth out a Law and Statute to all the posterity of Adam, to observe concerning the matter of marriage, and Adam is here instead of the Clerk to proclaim it unto all; which Ordinance of almighty God, our Saviour Christ in Matth. 19 4. showeth and avoucheth to be the only pattern and platform for all married men for ever to look unto; (for saith he) this is the original Canon and the Rule to be observed utrum ab initio fuit sic. And if we mark the contents of this Rule, we shall perceive that it is Gods will, that the conjunction of man and wife shall be so near and dear, and the knot of 〈◊〉 so surely knit, that rather they should dissolve and break asunder all knots of friendship and bonds of propinquity, than either wilfully to untie, or violently to break it asunder by separation or divorce, after the knot and covenant be once lawfully and solemnly made before God and his Church. So that this is made a perpetual Law, not for Adam only and specially, but for all Adam's posterity in general. For we see that it respecteth not so much Adam as us, which follow him, because God doth not direct his speech in the second person, as saying, thou shalt, etc. But indifferently to all mankind as is more apparent thus, because Adam and Eve cannot be said to have left father and mother, therefore it properly concerneth them, which afterwards should have father & mother, as all his sons and posterity had: we see then there are two parts of this Law here set down; the one is, that married folks shall leave all other; the other is, that they shall cleave fast and inseparably each to other: the bond and chain of natural affection, which bindeth fast the parents and children, is wonderful strong and near, and therefore the heathen do call it vinculum Adamantinum, an Adamant chain, more strong than Iron, we see this love and natural affection is very great and forcible, even in dumb creatures, which are led thereto only by the instinct of nature, wherefore if it should not be in men, endued with reason, Moses would have such stoned to death, Deut. And Solomon prophesieth of such 〈◊〉 children, Prov. 30. 17. That the Crows of the Valley shall pull out their eyes, yet notwithstanding this bond of natural affection being so great and strong, God saith, that he would have married folks rather violate and break that, then break this bond wherewith man and wife is united, and tied together, not that God would simply tolerate and allow any breach of duty between parents and children, but only in respect of cleaving to his wife, and the wife to her husband, wherefore we must know and beware that we do not think it lawful for us, being once married, so to forsake our parents which brought us forth, and bred us up, as to set light by them, and not to regard them as many unnatural children do under this pretence, for to take away that savage and brutish disobedience, Quod hoc non extinguit affectionem sed ordinat, This freeth us not from our duty which Gods Law and the Law of nature bindeth us unto, but it teacheth us how to dispose it aright, that is, how to cleave to our parents in duty as we 〈◊〉, and how to be united to our wives in love as we ought also: By this then appeareth that it is God's will that the link of love between married folks, should exceed in strength and measure, if it be possible, even the natural bond of love and affection that is between parents and their children; and there may be rendered sufficient reason why it ought so to be; first because his wife was made of the very true and real flesh and bone indeed, but children do come only of the seed of the fathers and blood of their mothers, so that it may truly be said that the wife is flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone, but their children are only flesh and bone of his seed and blood. Again children are only the fruit of their loins which is farther from the heart than the wife which is of the ribs which is most near and therefore most dear to the heart. Lastly, because men do love their children tanquam aliquid sui, but they love their wives tanquam semetipsum, Ephes. 5. 28. Seeing therefore self love is the greatest and most perfect love, we conclude also that that marriage love must be nearest and most like it, by the ordinance of God; for our use this doth seem to give us a caveat, touching the evil and shameful divorce and separation of man and wife, which are too rife now a days, for if so be that God's knot of marriage, should be so surely knit, that it must not be broken, for our dear parents sake, but of the two, choose rather to forsake them; then no doubt it is not his will that for every sleight and trifling cause and occasion they should sue divorces, and forsake one another, for this is the divinity which our Saviour Christ doth gather out of this place, Mark 10. 4. And thus much of the first part. Now touching the other part of the position, we are to consider two points: first, the union and conjunction of their hearts in love, which is called their cleaving together: The other is the union and combination of their bodies, expressed in these words, they shall be both one flesh; the first is called of some conjunctio mentis, the other is copulatio carnis, both which are ordained of God as holy and good, for the first we see that this unity of mind by unfeigned love and affection is called vinculum perfectionis, Colos. 3. 14. So that this spiritual love is the best glue to make them cleave together without separation. For so indeed this word signifieth glue, or a kind of glueing and sodering together, wherefore as two things are by glue or solder united and made but one, so by love ought man and wife, which showeth, amor conjugalis must be reciprocus, respecting and taking hold of both sides alike as glue doth. There must be amare & Redamare amorem impendere & rependere, for if love be not mutual, if it cleave fast but to one side, they cannot live together as one, but needs must fall asunder as we may often see, and to make this glue hold fast for ever, it is requisite that it be tempered with the knowledge of God, that it may be a religious love, for carnal love is vinculum Ethnicorum; but godly love is vinculum Christianorum: Solomon cleaved to many wives, but because it was not in a holy and religious love, therefore they made him not cleave to God, but caused sin to cleave fast to his soul: And thus much of the eternal cleaving together in affection. Now for the other which is carnal and external, it is that combination which God saith, maketh two but one flesh, and that not only in that honourable estate of an undefiled bed, but also in that wicked and filthy conjunction of harlots, as it is 1 Cor. 6. 16. For they which converse with harlots are said to make themselves one with them. For marriage we may say in some sense, it is begun in the spirit and doth end in the flesh. This knot of carnal copulation, St. Paul expresseth in most godly and reverend terms, and so wisely, that sober ears cannot be offended thereat, 1 Cor. 7. 3.4. First, he calleth it due benevolence, due in regard of the right, which the one may lawfully challenge at the others hands, benevolence, because it must be granted willingly with love and good will, for if one deny the other he saith in the 5. verse that it is a frauding of one another's right; for which cause, he saith, that neither party hath potestatem sui corporis, but one hath right and interest in the other. Now of this union man and woman becometh but one flesh, and, as it were, members of one another's body, and not only so, but of this conjunction of them two cometh, by God's blessing, one flesh, that is, the fruit of children, which proceedeth from them both, and so an unity of the the flesh in the body born, is the fruit of their two bodies so united, as Leah saith, Gen. 30. 20. is very effectual to be another link of love, to bind man and wife more near together, for which cause children are called pignora amoris; This then (to conclude) is the cutthroat of polygamy and adultery, of polygamy, because God saith, they two shall be one flesh; therefore more than two in the conjunction is intolerable; of adultery it is the overthrow, because he will have two by this combination to be but one body, wherefore it is an abomination and monster of nature, for one man to be two bodies, for he which joineth himself to a harlot, thereby made one body with her, 1 Cor. 6. 16. And here we see that he is also one body with his wife, and so God's ordinance is perverted, who would have two but one body, but these lechers do make their one bodies become two. De septem versiculis, a versu 18. usque ad finem 24. qui de Matrimonio, Viro & Foeminâ agunt. Novemb 4. 1591. FOr that our Saviour Jesus Christ, in Matthew 19 where the question of divorcement is propounded, allegeth this place, that a man shall cleave to his Wife, and leave Father and Mother, and they twain shall be one flesh, this is his further commandment, Let no man put asunder that which God hath coupled together; for indeed this bond may not be broken at man's pleasure. Hence we learn discipline for the framing of our Judgements, That Marriage inviolable is the ordinance of God: And again, Hence we learn the duties of Marriage to be natural for the begetting of Children, and civil for mutual help in household and civil affairs. But above these duties in adduxit Deus is a religious institution by God, and a possessing of their bodies in sanctity and holiness of life, not being stained with filthiness, vain jesting or wantonness, which are things uncomely, Ephes. 5. 4. But their Marriage should be moderate, without excess of lust, because God sought an holy and Godly seed, Malachi 2. 15. And therefore God ordained but one wife, and that each should sanctify other; for what knoweth the Wife whether she shall save her Husband, or what knoweth the Husband whether he shall save his unbelieving Wife, 1 Cor. 7. 16. so that Marriage is for sanctification. As for the special institution of Marriage here, in regard of the time and place, It was instituted in time of Innocence in Paradise; which state of Marriage is not only a thing tolerable, or a thing allowable, as a thing indifferent, or commendable in some alone; but Marriage is honourable among all persons, all degrees, as it is in the 13. Hebrews 4. according to that in the Psalm, Man being in honour, which time of honour was in time of Innocence. 7. Honours of marriage. Now there are seven honours of Marriage, 1. Necessity. The first is of necessity; for that since Adam's fall the disease of incontinency is common to all sorts of men; therefore Marriage is offered to all sorts of men without respect. 2. Antiquity. The second honour is of antiquity, which was the next instituted to the Law of obedience, Lex Matrimonii est ipsa lege antiquior. 3 Causality. The third honour, as the Schoolmen call it, is of causality, see Exod. 12. 20. 4 Place. The fourth and fift honours are out of the place in Paradise, in the presence of Heavenly Angels, 5. Time. and out of the time in time of Innocence. 6 Gods presence. The sixth honour which maketh Marriage most honourable, is the presence and presidence of God himself, by his dixit in the 18. verse, God said it is not good that man should be alone; and by his adduxit he brought her to the Man; and by his conjunxit, whom God hath joined; and by God's benedixit, in the 1. chap. 28. and God blessed them 7. Mystery. The last thing which maketh Marriage honourable is, that it is Mysterium magnum, wherein is a resemblance even of Christ and of his Church, the 5. Ephesians 32. Thirdly, in respect of the persons of Adam and Eve, it was good for Adam to have a wife; it is permitted to Bishops to have one wife, Titus 1. 6. 1 Tim. 3. 2. the Apostles themselves had wives, 1 Cor. 9 5. There were never such Saints in the world, as were Saint Adam, and Saint Eve in the estate of their innocence & integrity, yet were they married. There are none, of what degree soever, that are so holy, but by the example of Adam & Eve, they may take upon them this estate of marriage, which is honourable among all men: it is honourable in all, it is not intolerable in some. Hebr. 13. 4. 1 Cor. 4. 1. this may be restrained in some sorts of men, not to be condemned in any; for Marriage, which is honourable in all men, dishonoureth not man. Thus much for the framing of our Judgements. Now of the practice, which we will divide into the precedents before Marriage, the duties in Marriage, and the dissolution of Marriage. Before our marriage must be deliberation First touching the precedents; we are not to enter into it unadvisedly, but with deliberation; and to seek with Adam for a meet help, which if we cannot find, then to commit ourselves to God; which we may gather out of God's speeches, who said faciamus and not fiat: And again Adam slept while she was framed by God. General deliberation. This deliberation is general; whether it be good to marry at all? or else it is special, whether it be good to marry such or such a person? For the first God seethe it is not good for man to be alone. Good is not taken there (as I told you heretofore) for opposite to evil, but to inconvenient; and the good of convenience, is gathered by the circumstance against both the extremes: the one is the forbidding to marry, 1 Tim. 4. 3. The other extreme is, for that they saw the daughters of men to be fair, they took Wives according to their own lust and liking, chap. 6. 2. The one of the circumstances is grounded upon the person, the other upon the time; for as it is in the Preacher 3. 5. there is a time to embraee, and a time to be fare off from embracing. I suppose saith Paul 1. Cor. 7. 26. it is good to be single for the present necessity, in time of affliction. Yet in Malachi 2. 14. the Prophet calleth the wife uxor faederis, the wife of thy covenant, from whom at no time thou must go to cleave to another; but as thou must continue in obedience to God during thy life, Psalm 146. 2. so thou must cleave to thy wife so long as you both shall live: It is not trouble that must break the bond of marriage: It is not age nor sickness must part them. Rebekah when Isaac was old provided meat for him such as he loved: she forsook not Isaac in his age: Genesis 27. 9 and in sickness Amnon knew Tamar would visit him and cherish him, the 2. of Sam. 13. 6. nothing may part them but for Fornication and Adultery. At touching the circumstance of the persons: there are some that cannot be married, saith Christ, Matthew 19 12. for some, faith he, are chaste from their Mother's belly; who are, say the Fathers, borne chaste by some incurable disease and are unable to marry; and there be some that be made chaste by men, such as are gelded and cut; and some are chaste which have made themselves chaste for the Kingdom of Heaven, that is, to whom God hath given thgift of continency and 〈◊〉, as Paul expoundeth it, 1 Cor. 7. 7. yet as Paul speaketh in the 28. verse, If thou take a wife, thou sennest not; If a Virgin marry she sinneth not: such as are married have trouble in the flesh, as worldly cares of their Children and of their Families, they are troublea with a prick in the flesh. Adam's cleaving to Eve must be a way and means to cleave the faster unto God, to cleave unto the Lord without separation, as it is in 1 Cor. 7. 35. Now there are two spirits which would withdraw us from this conjunction, the one is of the world, the world and the cares thereof, the other of Fornication: There be those that seek their own, and regard not that is Christ's, Philip. 2. 21. And the spirit of fornication will not suffer them to know the Lord, Osee 5. 4. And lest that man should be exalted over much there was given to man a prick in the flesh, 2 Cor. 12. 7. So that as Paul saith, 1 Cor. 7. 38. He that giveth his daughter in marriage doth well, but he that giveth her not to marriage doth better, for that through man's 〈◊〉, not by gods institution, Marriage bringeth cares and troubles: So that St. Paul's bonum, It is not good to touch a Woman, and Moses bonum here, It is not good for Man to be alone, in regard of divers 〈◊〉, may both take place; and by good deliberation, If I can 〈◊〉, it is good to be alone, If I cannot, to avoid fornication, it is good to 〈◊〉. But, if we do conclude with Moses, It is not good to be alone, it is good to marry: We must then, not resolve to be as a dog, as it is in Deut. 23. 18. God commandeth, not to bring the hire of a whore, nor the price of a dog, that is, an Whoremonger into the house of the Lord. We must resolve to follow Adam's example, who had but one wife; not of wicked Lamech, who took two wives, chap. 4. 19 and brought in Polygamic first, who broke the institution of Paradise, that they two should be one flesh: And if any might have had Polygamy, Adam might above any; But yet God took out of Adam but one rib, brought unto Adam but one Eve, that they two might be one flesh; and better and more holy was it to have one than many wives. Two wives are an impediment to unity, it breedeth much dissension in the house, and disquiet to the husband, as I shown you in the example of Hannah and Peninnah, the two wives of Elkanah, 1 Sam. 1. 7. and it breedeth dissension between the seed 〈◊〉 them two: there was not only dissension between Sarah and Agar, but even that Ishmael the Child of the Bondwoman, could not agree with Isaac the son of the Freewoman, but mocked him, chap. 21. 9 The particular deliberation. Now touching our particular deliberation, 〈◊〉 we must have but one, to consider what persons are mere, and what 〈◊〉 meet, this is for our choice and our refusal. First, we are to seek a meet match, and if we cannot find such an one, than we are to pray for one at the hands of God, not to say, I will make to may self a meet help, not to persuade in himself, to be any such ability; but recommending ourselves to God, to fall asleep with Adam, that is, to lodge up our own senses and affections, not to follow the example of those in chap. 6. 2. who seeing the daughters of men to be fair, took them wives of all they liked, not such as God appointed, for such wives shall be as snares to their husbands; Saul he gave his daughter Micholl to deceive David, 1 Sam. 18. 21. Adam, the father of Mankind, and Abraham the Father of the Faithful, recommended themselves to God in this matter, as in chap. 24. 12. the servant of Abraham that went to find a wife for Isaac, prayed God to send him good success: And in the 63. verse Isaac was at prayer in the field, when he beheld his wife coming with Camels, In the 27. chap. 20. when Isaac asked his 〈◊〉, How he had found him meat so quickly: Jacob answered, because the Lord thy God brought it to my hand. And if we trust in the Lord, he will bring a wife into our hand, as he did here into Adam's hand. What Marriages are excepted. And by the course of these seven verses, exception is taken to three sorts of Marriages. 1. With Infdels. First, Against the matching with Infidels, For that Marriage was instituted, not only for the Economical estate and strength of household; but for the Church, for the Ecclesiastical union. Secondly, The wife must be an help to make us cleave to God without separation. Thirdly, She must be like unto him in the best part of his likeness, wherein he is like unto God, that is, in holiness and righteousness of life. Fourthly, God is said to build the wife, for the spiritual edification of them both. And fifthly, Because Deus non adduxit uxorem among the Infidels. These reasons make such Marriages to be excepted; for that wives that are without virtue, and the fear of God, are hindrances to Man, whom God will not bring to Man; wherefore Paul saith, Let every one marry, tantum in domino, only in the Lord: So that Heathen and profane Marriages are excluded, and wantonness is excluded; such was that of Samson to Dalilah in Judges 16. 4. 2. 〈◊〉 Marriages. Secondly, All incestuous Marriages are excepted: For, say the Fathers, when God made Eve, he made her not of the loins or seed of Man, not by any mixture of his blood naturally, but she was made of a rib, of a bone, artificially. We are to forsake Father or Mother, or any of our kin, where there is any mixture of blood, to cleave to our Wife, so that we must not marry with our parents, or our kindred: God himself saith in his Law These be unlawful Marriages, and are forbidden in Leviticus 18. 5. touching consanguinity; in the 11. touching affinity: There was no affinity between Adam and Eve, neither any consanguinity: and as it is in Leviticus 18. 9 We must not marry with the daughter of our Father or of our Mother, whether she be borne at home or without, whether she be lawfully or unlawfully begotten, and this must be a 〈◊〉 Law to all the Nations of the Earth. 3. Marriage with an 〈◊〉 or one 〈…〉. The third sort of Marriages that are excepted follow. She that was Adam's wife, was taken out of Adam's side, was Adam's rib: So that those Marriages, on the contrary side, that are conjoined with those that have been joined with other men, I mean in Adultery, are disallowed, for he that coupleth himself with an Harlot is one body, 1 Corinth. 6. 16. To match with her, that is joined to another by carnal company, or by contract, is not to be permitted. These three sorts of Matches are unfit. The direction to choose a wife. Now for the directing of our choice. Pleasure, Profit and Virtue. 3There are three allurements to love and liking, Pleasure, Profit and Virtue: For the first, Eve had beauty in aedificavit Deus, in that God builded her. For the second, She had profit in adjutorem, in that she was a meet help, her matter for strength, was of a bone. And for the third, She had virtue, in that Deus adduxit. The solder must be tempered of all these together, for the direction of our choice out of Boaz choice, who took Ruth to be his wife. Why? Not only because she was beautiful, or because she might be an help unto him in his age, but because all the City knew that she was a virtuous woman, Ruth 3. 11. for he knew that favour is deceitful, and beauty is vanity, Mulier autem timens Dominum ipsa laudabitur, as it is in Prov. 31. 30. where a great Dowry, or a woman's beauty is the glue of this bond, there the glue will go asunder, if wealth decay and beauty perish; and sometimes riches take the wings of an Eagle and fly away: It is virtue that maketh man and wife cleave faster together. Next to virtue and the fear of God, we must choose a woman of like disposition unto us, or that by her discretion may be of a likely disposition, a Woman, as Peter speaketh, of a meek spirit: Abigall was a woman of singular wisdom, who by her meekness and discretion salved the foolishness of her husband; she saved the life and preserved the wealth of Naball from utter destruction: Abigall, that was wife and gentle, by her discretion, did agree well with Naball, who was foolish and a Churl: and 〈◊〉 a gracious and modest woman attaineth honour, Prov. 11. 16. She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and the Law of grace is in her tongue, Prov. 31. 26. And thirdly, as she is builded by God, so she must be such a one as will build up her husband; for 〈◊〉 Solomon, in Prov. 14. 1. A wise woman buildeth her house, but the foolish destroyeth it with her own hands: This property here that I mean, is that she should be a good Housewife, as we call her, such a one as overseeth the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness, Prov. 31. 27. they should be as a snail still at home: And Paul in 1 Tim. 5. 13. biddeth us to refuse such women as be wanton, idle, goers about from house to house, pratlers, and busybodies: A wife must be modest, and such a one as can govern her house, such a one as will bring up her Children in virtue that her sons in their youth, may be as flourishing plants, and her daughters as Ivory Palaces, Psal. 144. 12. She must both preserve and enlarge her husband's wealth; for if she be like the Merchant's ship, she will bring her food from far, Prov. 31. 14. She considereth also a field and getteth it: And lastly, they must leave that is bad and cleave to that which is good, and unto God's Laws, and their love must be without dissimulation, Romans 12. 9 Thirdly, When such a party as we have spoken of is found, we must not like Horses, ran after them neighing, as Jeremy speaketh: nor we must not assumere nobis uxores; we must not take wives ourselves for ourselves; but we must take her that shall be given unto us, God here brought Eve and gave her unto Adam: Parent's consent. which authority and prerogative God giveth unto Parents, to give their Children 1 Cor. 7. 38. in Marriage, and to take wives for their Children: In chap. 24. 4. Abraham appointeth whence a wife shall be taken for his son Isaac; and Abraham's servant craved the consent of the Parents of Rebekah, the 51. verse of that chapter. Ishmael was content to have such a wife as his mother took for him out of the Land of Egypt, chap. 21. 21. Not only Isaac was content with the wife his father had provided him, but even Ishmaell, that was ungracious, was content with the wife his mother had ordained for him: So that in Marriage nothing must be done without the consent of the Parents. Though Samson were fervently in love with the woman he saw in Timnah, which was a Philistine, yet he came to his father and mother saying, I have seen a woman in Timnah, of the daughter of the Philistines, therefore give me her to wife, Judges 14. 2. The very Heathen do regard the consent of Parents, in chap. 34. 8. Hamor who was an uncircumcised man, came to Jacob to ask his consent for Sechem, that he would give his daughter Dinah unto his son for wife: And in 2 Sam. 13. 13. Tamar answereth Amnon, Deflower me not, speak to the King my Father for me, and he will not deny me unto thee. As there must be no giving nor taking in Marriage without God's consent, I mean, the Israelites might not take wives among the Idolatrous Heathen; for God himself, in Deut. 7. 3. saith, Neither shalt thou make Marriages with them, neither give thy daughter unto his son, nor take his daughter unto thy son; so must there be no marriage without the Parents and friends consent, the Law is in the 22. of Exodus 16, and 17. verses, That if a Man entice a Maid that is not betrothed, and 〈◊〉 with her, he shall endow her, and take her to his wife: Yet if her father refuse to give her to him, there was no marriage; but he should pay her money, according to the Dowry of Virgins. The consent of the parties. Secondly, In respect of their own consent, The consent of the Woman is required. After the Parents of Rebekah had agreed to give their daughter to Isaac, yet they would have her to be called, that she might also give her consent, chap. 24. 39 and 57 God drew not Eve to Adam perforce, but lead her willingly; she was brought to him with joy and gladness, as it is in Psal. 45. the 15. verse. Hereby all enforced matches are condemned, and all extort agreements are abrogated, As those under age, those that are made by mad and drunken persons, are disallowed, and may be undone: The consent of such maketh not a match, for tales non adduxit Deus, such God bringeth not together. Yet if a Christian man have a wife that believeth not, if she be content to dwell with him, let him not forsake her, for the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband, their Children are holy, which else were unclean, 1 Cor. 7. 14. This is for their consent. The contract and betrothing After the Parents and parties themselves have given their consent, then cometh the contract, the affiance, and the espousals between them, before the face of God; for as soon as God had brought Eve unto Adam, he said now, in this present time, She is bone of my bones, she is my lawful wife; which you may see in the law of Nature, for in chap. 19 14. Lot called them, his sons in Law that should have married his daughters, after they were betrothed unto them; if she be not betrothed she is called a Maid, Exodus 22. 16. and after she is betrothed to an husband, she is his wife: Marry the mother of Jesus conceived by the Holy Ghost, after she was betrothed unto Joseph, before he knew her carnally, before he was publicly married to her, as may appear by the 1. of Matthew 18. for Marie and Joseph were even then Man and Wife before God; and therefore the Fathers say well, that contractus facit consensum animorum. The solemnity. Next to the Contract, is the Solemnity: As in the Marriage of Adam and Eve, it was solemnised before the glorious company of heavenly Angels, God himself, as the Priest, joined them together; he, as a Father, gave her unto Adam, chap. 3. 12. and it was God that coupled them together, Matthew 19 6. She first entered into God's house, then into Adam's house; she first took God by the hand, and then Adam by the hand. And this Marriage must be our example, for this is the Marriage Sermon to the whole world, Man shall leave his Father and Mother and cleave to his Wife; and after this, they be Man and Wife before God and before Man: Then followeth God's blessing of them in chap. 1. 28. God blessed them, and God said unto them, increase and multiply, and fill the Earth. And the last point is of the unity; By this union they are become one flesh, and carnal conjunction is permitted them: Abimelech, for that out of a window he saw Isaac sporting with Rebekah, said therefore, of a surety she is his wife, chap. 26. 8. But he that joineth himself with his neighbour's wife, is not innocent, Prov. 6. 29. The Wife hath not power over her own body, but her Husband; nor the Husband bathe not power over his own body, but his wife, 1 Corinth. 7. 4. The Gentiles are inheritors of the same body with the Jews, and the partakers of the same promise in Christ by the Gospel, the third to the Ephesians 6. 2. The duties in Marriage. Now concerning the Duties in Marriage, whereof we will speak in general, and then in several. Faithfulness and Love. The general duties which do concern Man as well as Woman, and Woman as well as Man, which do concern them both, are two, Faithfulness and Love. Which too we must alienate from all other Women, and appropriate them only to our Wives. The heart of the husband trusteth in a faithful wife, Proverbs 31. 11. see 1 Cor. 7. 4, and 5. The one hath power over the others body: Marriage is honourable, and the bed undefiled; but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge, Hebr. 13. 4. Faithfulness is promised in the celebration of Marriage; but the faithless Woman forsaketh the guide of her youth and forgetteth the Covenant of her God, Prov. 2. 16. the paths of a strange Woman are movable, Proverbs 5. 6. there is no faith to be reposed in such a Woman. The other duty is Love: For that Woman was taken out of man's side, she was his 〈◊〉 close to his heart, which is the seat of love. Man must love her as his part; and she must also love him, for that he was wounded mortally for her sake, and had been in great danger of his life, had he not had so excellent a Physician and Surgeon to close up his side again. Man is the Image and glory of God, Woman is the glory of Man, 1 Cor. 11. 7. And again, A virtuous Woman is the crown of her Husband, Proverbs 12. 4. There is a communion of their name and of their nature, which will move mutual love, which procureth inward comforting and outward cherishing; for no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, Ephesians 5. 29. The Woman must be subject to the Man, and the Husband must give honour to the Wife, as to the weaker Vessel, 1 Peter 3. 7. The man is as the stock, the woman as the branch; the wife must be loving; for a contentious and angry Wife is condemned, Proverbs 21. 17. And Husbands must love their Wives, and not be bitter unto them, Colos. 3. 19 This mutual love must be above the love to the Parents or to the Children, there was a great regard in times passed not to abuse another's Concubine, 2 Sam, 3. 8. In several, there are in them two other Duties: In the man understanding and wise government; there is, I say, in the husband direction, and there must be in the woman subjection, to be subject to his direction. And here I am to admonish women of seven things, to make them to honour their husbands. First, they must consider, that Adam was form first, and then Eve, 1 Tim. 2. 13. Secondly, Man was not created for the Woman's sake, but Woman for the Man's sake, 1 Cor. 11. 9 Besides he was wounded that she might be made. She was taken out of him. She was brought unto him. She was made to help him. She received her name of his name; his name was Ish, her name Ishah: She had in her name a letter of five in number less than man, to show she was but a diminutive: All these do imply woman's subjection. There are two other Duties several, of the man and wife: The Man must protect his Wife in danger, chap. 20. 11. Providing is required of the man, to provide for his household and family, 1 Tim. 5. 8. And the woman is to preserve and enlarge that her husband hath provided; the domestical duty of preserving the house and household pertaineth to her, as it is in Proverbs 31. 21. She should be of the property of the Snail, still at home; but a foolish Woman is troublesome, Proverbs 9 13. The house in holy Scripture is taken for the Children, whom she must bear and bring up in the fear of God; The Wife through bearing of Children shall be saved, saith Paul, 1 Tim. 2. 15. The house is taken for the Servants, whom we must govern well: And the house is taken for the implements, which she must order and enlarge. She must be not as Ivy, which cleauth to the tree, and is not profitable, though green; but as the fruitful Vine on the sides of thine house, she shall bear Children like to the Olive plants, round about thy table, Psalm 128. 3. 3. No divorce after marriage. And this cleaving of each to other, implieth a perpetuity of this bond, out of the 2 of Kings 18. 6. Man shall leave father and mother to cleave to his wife: And in 1 Cor. 7. 10, and 11. Paul saith, I command those that be married; not I, but the Lord, Let not the Wife departed from her Husband, and let not the Husband put away his Wife. It is true Quos Deus conjunxit homo non separabit, whom God hath joined let no man separate: Yet God himself may sever them, either by death; for when the Husband is dead, she may marry to another man, Romans 7. 3. or God may sever them by divorcement for lewdness and whoredom, not for every light matter, but for a very weighty cause, as it is in the 24. of Deuteronomy 1. Divorcement is called in Hebrew a sawing, and the divorce of man and wife should be as the sawing a 〈◊〉 from the body: If a man have the dead Palsy in some part of his flesh, he will not presently have it cut off, unless it 〈◊〉 some other part. Divorces for two causes. The Wife, so long as her Husband liveth, is bound unto him, 1 Cor. 7. 39 But if the flesh be not only dead, but corrupted, then may there be a proceeding to divorces, and that upon two causes, as the ancient Fathers do say out of the Scripture; The one is for Fornication and Adultery, And who so putteth away his Wife except it be for fornication, causeth her to commit Adultery, Matthew 5. 32. except it be for Whoredom, Matthew 19 9 And, as I told you, adulterous flesh is rotten 〈◊〉, it is 〈◊〉 flesh in the thighs; and this divorcement for carnal copulation in Adultery, they do gather quia adherebit uxori 〈◊〉 out of suae to his own wife, and she to her own husband must cleave. The other cause of divorce, is for spiritual Adultery, which is 〈◊〉, as it is called in the Scriptures: If thou have an unbelieving Wife, if she be content to dwell with thee, for sake her not; for in that she is an Infidel, she is dead flesh; but in that she is content to dwell with thee, she putrefieth not: but if she seek to draw thee to Idolatry, in such things thou mayst not yield, but there may be a departure, 1 Cor. 7. 15. God suffereth separation and apostasy for spiritual Fornication, which is Idolatry; and where God doth make separation, there his Deputies, which are his Priests; for Incontinency and Apostasy may suffer divorcement, for that the People committed Fornication both bodily and spiritually with the daughters of Moab; Moses, in the name of God, ordained they should be slain; and Phineas, with his spear, appeased God's wrath, Numbers 25. In Ezra 10. 4. after they had resolved to put away their strange wives, they came to Ezra the Priest, saying, Arise, for this matter belongeth unto thee; who bid them, in verse 11. to separate themselves from their strange wives, as you may see there at large: But Paul's counsel, in the 1 to the Cor. 7. 11. is my counsel here, that but for argent occasion a man should not put away his wife; but if she depart, let her remain unmarried, as if she did retain only to her Husband, or let her be reconciled to her husband, and this reconciliation maketh no new marriage, but by repentance she, if she have offended, must renew her life in honesty and holiness, and this reconciliation must be a renewing of their love; and the man must hearty forgive her, as he would have God forgive him; then there must be a forgetting of any sepatation, as though there had been no breach at all, that so faith and love may ever after be preserved; that so their love may be not only more dear than that to Parents, but that it may grow daily more and more, that God may bless them and their Children, that their union in the flesh may breed the unity of their minds, that they may be united each to other, as Christ and his Church, we in him and he in us, who by his Incarnation became our flesh, and he is one body with his Church, who was tormented and scourged, who died, whose very heart was pierced with a spear, whence his Church was taken; he forsook his Father in the Heavens, and was incarnate; he forsook his Mother, and suffered death, that he might cleave to the Church, and the Church to him, that so they might be one spirit; that so this bond might continue perpetually, and that this knot that joineth Man and Wife might be indissoluble. Erant autem illi ambo nudi, Adam & uxor ejus: ae non erubescebant. Gen. 2. 25. Novemb. 〈◊〉. 1591. THis verse at the first sight may seem 〈◊〉, and to small purpose; but the wisdom of the Holy Ghost did add the same to the rest for good purpose. If it be referred to that which went before, in regard of man in state of Innocence; or that which 〈◊〉 in the next chapter, in regard of Man after his Fall. Naked before their fall. In regard, first, of that which goeth before this verse, The man and his wife were naked, yet were not ashamed, left that any should think any evil to be in them, lest any 〈◊〉 should be suspected to be in this time of Innocence, it is 〈…〉 a man 〈◊〉 marry 〈◊〉 Virgin, 1 Cor. 7. 36. In their 〈◊〉 then was no uncomeliness; for, saith St. Austin, in the time of Innocence, in the marriage of Adam and Eve in their bodies or 〈◊〉, 〈…〉 calor, there was 〈…〉, 〈…〉, there was no 〈◊〉 motion; but since the fall it is otherwise, when David saw 〈◊〉 naked 〈◊〉 herself, 2 〈◊〉. 11. 2. her beauty 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉; after 〈◊〉 committed 〈◊〉 and murder. But the state of Adam and Eve in Paradise was otherwife, whose minds were pure and chaste, there was in them 〈◊〉 shame, for there was no cause why they should be ashamed; which showeth, that if any, than (more than any) Adam and Eve were Saints, and their state was Angelical. Naked after the fall. In regard of that which followeth this verse, There was no shame before the Fall, in that their life was so innocent, that there was nothing whereof they should be ashamed; but now by sin shame came into the World, and want of shame now argueth wickedness. Man was in honour and regarded it not; but Adam and Eve, by disobedience and breaking the Law of God given them in Paradise, turned their glory to shame, which shame continueth in all their posterity: so that this verse is necessary in respect both of the precedents and subsequents. The state of Adam's Innocence is grounded, by the Fathers, out of this very verse; and they make much account of the 7. chapter of the Preacher 29. where the wiseman saith, This only have I found, that God hath made Man righteous, fecit Deus hominem rectum, God hath made Man straight and upright in regard of his mind, his wisdom is without busying himself with many questions: such was his wisdom in the 20. verse, you see that he gave to all the Beasts apt names, agreeing with their natures; the other straightness was of his will, there was in his will no perverseness; the first of these the Fathers do call gratiam gratis datam; the other they call gratiam gratum facientem; it was knowledge that made him after the Image of him that created him, Colossians 3. 11. And again, as concerning his mind, God created him in righteousness and in true holiness, Ephesians 4. 24. Man's original righteousness was like that of the new man Christ after the Image of God, his body was strait and his mind was upright. But some will ask, Why was not man's wisdom in the 20. verse, and his uprightness in this verse? Why were not both these joined together? Wisdom, say they, is appropriate unto Man before Woman was; and the wisdom which Woman hath, is from Man, in whom silence in public place is commendable: and if they will learn any thing, let them ask their Husbands at home, 1 Cor. 14. 35. Innocence was their attire. But Man is not said to be innocent and upright until that Woman was made: And the Fathers say well, that innocence and righteousness, before the fall, was vestis nuptialis, the wedding garment, which made them more seemly in the sight of God, though they were naked, than all the rich and costly attire that is to be found in a Prince's Palace: original wisdom and righteousness made Adam and Eve wise as serpents, innocent as Doves, Matthew 10. 16. there was in them, as the Fathers say well, prudens simplicitas and simplex prudentia; they were ripe in knowledge, innocent in life: So that neither ignorance, nor error, which is worse than ignorance, did distort their wisdom, pejus est errare, quam ignorare. There was in them no malice, no perverseness to distort their will; they counted Godliness great gain, and were content with their estate, as it is in 1 Tim. 6. 9 They laid themselves upon the strong foundation of their obedience, that so in the end they might obtain life eternal; that so there might be continual quietness of mind and peace of conscience that passeth all understanding. The division of the verse. This verse divideth itself into two parts, the one is in respect of their body, in that they were both naked; the other is in respect of their mind, and they were not ashamed. First, We will speak of these parts severally, then after of them jointly, though they were both naked, yet were they not ashamed. First of them severally. Their body naked. In respect of their body, they were both naked: they were borne naked as we are borne, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, saith Job in his first chapter 21. and so were they created. The ancient Divines do draw out of that, that Man is borne naked without any covering, not with a thick and hairy hide, but with a thin and smooth skin, without claws, without talents, without horns or hoofs; they are borne inermes, having no weapons: whereby they argue that man is borne not to do any harm or hurt, but to be harmless: He is borne for love, and the first words that Adam spoke, were words of love: Adam and Eve, Man and Woman, are borne ad adhesionem & unionem, to cleave together and be one flesh; that they should be not as Lions, but as Lambs, like the immaculate Lamb Christ Jesus; that they should be not as Griffins, but as Doves, like the Holy Ghost, which descended like a Dove: we should be gentle as Lambs, innocent as Doves: It was Tubalkain that came from Cain, who was a murderer, that first brought in weapons to be instruments for War and dissension between men: Adam and Eve in time of their obedience, were naked in body, innocent in mind they were the two Lambs, the two Doves in Paradise, born to no harm. Nakedness opposite to vestimentum. Nakedness standeth here opposite to apparel, which is either to cover us or to adorn us: For the first use, it is sufficient that our apparel be comely, with shamefastness and modesty, 1 Tim 2. 9 For the clothing of man, in Esay 61. 10. God hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, and covered me with the robe of righteousness, he hath decked me like a Bridegroom; with this was naked Adam arrayed. Apparel is either ornamentum or indumentum, the one for comeliness, the other to cover nakedness. Adam and Eve had no need of apparel for these two uses, Man then regarded not his outward apparelling, but he cared that the hid man of the heart might be uncorrupt; as it is in 1 Pet. 3. 3. Though we are borne naked, yet so we cannot long continue: No weather, no wind, could pierce them in time of Innocence, they were impassable, they felt not the heat nor the cold; but after the fall they were passable, and then they made them garments. Nakedness opposite to Ornamentum. Again, Nakedness is taken against ornament, with costly apparel, which is to please the eye, as it is a● large described in Esay 3. 18, etc. But Adam and Eve needed not the beauty of apparel, they needed not the silk of the silkworm, nor the wool of Sheep, not the skins of rare beasts, nor any cloth of gold, nor any needle work; the softest raiment, and the richest apparel would have been no grace but a disgrace to Adam in Paradise; he was naked, and yet the robe of righteousness was his attire; when Christ was transfigured upon the mount Thabor, his face did shine as the Sun, and his clothes were white as the light, Matthew 17. 2. Christ was bright as the Sun: For that Adam and Eve were conversant with God, they had that brightness, which passed the glory of the richest apparel, their brightness was like the shining of the Sun; if the Sun were covered with velvet, it were no grace but a blemish to the Sun; and if Adam had been adorned in rich attire, it would have disgraced the bright shining beams of his innocence: And though that Adam by his disobedience, lost this his brightness, and we also lost it by his transgression; innocence and the robe of righteousness was their garment, but after they were apparelled with shame; But by Christ Jesus we look to be restored to the first state of Paradise, to be covered with the robe of righteousness, Esay 61. 10. then this corruptible body shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality, 1 Cor. 15. 53. then shall the just men shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father, Matthew 13. 43. then shall our beauty be without blemish, our mind shall be upright, our glory unspeakable: Then, as it in Esay 24. 23. the Moon shall be abashed, and the Sun ashamed; when God shall reign in Zion, and glory shall be before his Saints. Why Man created naked. For what cause they were created naked, and were not clothed? The Father's answer that there is a resemblance between nakedness and innocence. Nakedness is to be bare from outward clothing: Innocence is to be bare from inward naughtiness, and there is a resemblance between deceit and a covering or mask; there be those that have a show of Godliness, yet have they denied the power thereof, 2 Tim. 3. 5. there be those that cover their deceit with the hood of 〈◊〉, as Peter speaketh, and with the cloak of shame, as Paul speaketh in 2 Cor. 4. 2. they cover their craftiness: Let then our minds and thoughts be innocent, let them be naked from all kind of wickedness; for as Paul speaketh in Hebrews 4. 13. God discerneth the thoughts and intents of the heart, neither is there any Creature which is not manifest in his sight; all things are naked and open to his eyes. Innocence to Adam and Eve was a glorious garment, the robe of righteousness was their attire; the man that went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, in Luke 10. 30. and fell among thiefs was rob of raiment and was wounded to death, which is the case of Mankind after the fall, was restored by the tender compassion of Christ, the true Samaritane, to be apparelled in the glory and raiment of righteousness. They were not 〈◊〉. The second thing is the state of the soul, they were not ashamed, they were not confounded, their soul was not troubled: In Revel. 19 8. the wit of the Lamb, which is the Church, shall be arrayed in pure fine limaen; and the fine linen is the righteousness of the Saints: their thoughts were honest, their soul at rest, but the disquiet of the soul is by passions and perturbations: Yet God at the first did create in Adam and Eve affections, as in 〈◊〉. 5. 22. Love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, meekness, temperance, which are the fruits of the spirit: Adam had joy and love, which were his 〈◊〉 affections, and as the train to wait upon his original righteousness, but the corosive affections which are in Man is shame grief, 〈◊〉, etc. which are the fruits of the Devil and of the flesh; these 〈◊〉 the Devil's Sergeants to arrest Man. God himself, after the 〈◊〉, would have these to be in us, to punish us, and to tyrannize over us; As the Jebusites, which were in Jerusalem as a scourge to them, the which was called the City of the Jebusites, Joshah 23. 7. and 18. 28. shame and sin do scourge us with whips, not heard, their stripes are worse than of an iron scourge, as a Father saith well, peccata nos surdo vulnere verberant. The original hath, and they were not confounded. So long as sin hath shame in his cheeks, 〈◊〉 is counted a virtue; to be 〈◊〉 in Paradise was accounted to be an evil, and the least evil it is now: If this small blemish shame were not to be found in Paradise, than greater offences were not; for shame is called primitiae peccati, the first fruit of sin, and after shame came fear, as it is in chap. 3. 8. and after fear sorrow seized upon Man. This word of confounding is taken from a troubled vessel, where the lees being stirred do 〈◊〉 up to the top; and shame we see bringeth a great part of the blood of the heart to the face. When Adam and Eve had transgressed, they then were ashamed, and covered their shame, chap. 3. 7. and men cover their faces that are ashamed; after shame seized upon man, his peace was dishonoured, his bleslednesse was taken away; if a man now be innocent, we do say he is not ashamed: and thus, and that very well, the Schoolmen do reason; If the steps of sin, as shame, be not found in man, than the fruits of sin are not in him, the fruit of sin is shame, and the end thereof is death, as it is in Romans 6. 21. see Proverbs 28. 14. that after shame a man hardeneth his heart and becometh shameless, but after that comes punishment, Esay 24. Shame, fear, sorrow, are the Devil's Livery; it is the Devil that doth Man with shame as with a garment: But innocence and righteousness are God's plants, God made Man without sin without shame. Now of these two jointly: They were naked, and yet they were not ashamed. They wanted shame he saith not, and he felt no want of apparel. And Austin saith well upon these words of Moses, Non laudat 〈◊〉, sed innocentiam mentis: for in that he was not ashamed, he was innocent; and he that sinneth not, hath no cause to be ashamed: and now if a man have committed a fault and shameth not, we call him impudent: But if he be innocent and shameth not, we say not that he is impudent, but that he is courageous and confident, for the wicked flieth when none pursueth, but the righteous are bold and confident as a Lion, Proverbs 28. 1. When a man hath done 〈◊〉, either he shameth, which as we say is a sign of grace, or else he hardeneth his face like a stone and is not ashamed, but shameless; this is objected against the People of the Lord in Jeremy 3. 3. that though they were wicked, and punished for their wickedness, yet they would not be ashamed. Harlots were wont to cover their faces, to cover their shame, but now Harlots are become shimelesse; this was the reason that Judah supposed Tamer to be an whore, chap. 38. 15. for that she had covered her face: God cannot abide the sinful man, but he will punish sharply those that will not be ashamed when they have committed abomination, Jeremy 6. 15. Now we are clothed and ashamed; for the mind condemneth the deformity of sin by shame; and to be ashamed at our faults now, is accounted a virtue; shame now bewrayeth the sin that is covered: Adam and Eve were naked in body, innocent in mind, and were not ashamed of their nakedness. But since the Fall it is otherwise, as in chap. 9 22. Ham saw the nakedness of Noah his father, and was accursed; but Shem and Japhet went backward and covered the nakedness of their father, whose nakedness they saw not; and for that they shamed to see their father's nakedness, they were blessed. God, in the 20. of Exodus 20. commandeth Moses, not to make steps up to his altar, lest, when he went up by the steps, his filihinesse were discovered thereon; when the young man in Mark 14. 52. that was clothed in linen upon his bare body, and they would have caught him, he left his linen cloth and fled from them naked, as being ashamed: In the 21. of John 7. when Christ appeared to Peter and heard him speak, he cast himself into the Sea, not naked as he was, but girded to him his coat. But what maketh nakedness lawful and laudable, what maketh want of shame (commendable in Adam and Eve) to be now a thing blamable, and whereof to be ashamed? There were certain Cynical Philosophers, and notable Heretics, called Adamites, that went naked; but at length they were weary of their opinion, they were not able long to continue naked, and were at last ashamed of their nakedness. But to answer the said question, we will consider first adam's original state, and then the state of him and of Mankind by his Fall. The 〈◊〉 of Adam's Innocence was when the word of God was above all, when man's reason was subject to God's word, when his will was obedient to his reason, when his concupiscence to his will, and when his flesh was subject to his concupiscence; so all in Man was strait and right, he was upright within and without; his reason was obedient, his will was not perverse, his concupiscence was chaste; the nakedness of the body corrupted not the soul; it was original righteousness that was the complexion of Man's soul; when Man was innocent, there was then no hindrance of good, nor any inclination to evil: All this while there was no shame, for there was nothing whereof man had cause to be ashamed: Innocence and uprightness brought forth chastity, chastity brought forth courage, and this it is that made them, though they were naked, not to be ashamed. But after the Fall, when all came out of joint, as Paul speaketh, our concupiscence became a Rebel to our will, our will to our reason, & our reason to the Law of God; man's body would not yield obedience to his soul, nor his soul unto God, according to that of Paul Rom. 7. 23. I delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man, but I see 〈◊〉 Law in my members, rehelling against the Law of my mind, and lending me captive to the law of sin, which 〈◊〉 in my members: the corruption of the fleshrebelleth and riseth against our spirit, our carnal members do raise up the flesh against the Law of the mind, and against our will, and these members 〈◊〉 called the firebrands of 〈◊〉. It is not the hand, not the leg, not the arm, not the seemly parts, but the basest part, the unseemliest member, that striveth against the spirit: Yet by Marriage upon those members of the body which we think most unhonest, put we most honesty on, and our uncomely parts have more 〈◊〉; for our comely parts need it not; but God hath tempered the body together, and hath given the more honour to that part 〈◊〉 lacked, by this bond of Marriage, whereby they two become one flesh, Levit. 18. 6. And in divers other places God faith, 〈◊〉 shalt not come near any of the kindred of his flesh, to 〈◊〉 her shame, though it be under title of marriage, the uncovering of which shame turpe est vobis dicere, it is a shame to tell: though marriage be honest and honourable, yet there is a shame in marriage, which is the shame of the carnal members, whereof both Man and Woman have their shame; Man may be ashamed of his firebrand of concupiscence, all fins are to be shamed at, but lust above all is to be ashamed of, which causeth other sins, as in 〈◊〉 Adultery and Murder; and the members of lust and carnality we are to cover, and so to cover our shame: and to this shame of 〈…〉 men are subject, which sin 〈◊〉 us more like bruit beasts than othervices: the thief by the Law might make 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 he that committesh adultery destroyeth his own 〈◊〉: the wound and 〈◊〉 of that teacher 〈◊〉 man was death, Prov. 6. 33. neither the Law of God nor the Law of Nature admitted any 〈◊〉 for this 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 before Amnon committed his inceft, 2 Sam. 13. 13. she said to him, Commit not this folly, how shall I put away my shame? and than 〈◊〉 be 〈…〉 of the fools of Israel, he should be accounted even as a beast that hath no regard of kindred: he should for that inoest be esteemed as a 〈◊〉 person, He that is enticed by the flattery of an Harlot, and felloweth her, is as an one that goeth to the slaughter, 〈◊〉 7. 22. He is like 〈…〉 neighing after his neighbour's wife, 〈◊〉 5. 8. 〈…〉 God that begat him, and that form him, Deus. 32. 18. It is 〈◊〉 begetteth sin, and sin begetteth 〈◊〉; there was no sin, no filthiness in Adam and Eve at the first, where fore though they were naked, yes they were not ashamed: But in chap. 3. 7. after their Fall when they knew they were naked, they made them 〈◊〉 to cover their privy and incomely parts, and yet: the covering of their shame takes not away 〈◊〉 shame. And we should 〈◊〉 thus of apparel, that it is to defend our nakedness, we being passable of weather, to cover our shame: and we have 〈◊〉 great cause 〈…〉 thereof, seeing it is but as a clout wherein we do wrap and cover our own shame; we must take heed that we make not our shame to be our glory: apparel should be a covering to shame, but alas, it is even now become a provocation and an allurement to sin: The costliness of the apparel showeth the pride of the mind. Job, in 29. 14. saith, I put on Justice and it covered me, my judgement was as a robe and a Crown; Justice and Judgement did cover and adorn Job. Esay prophesieth in chap. 61. 10. that Christ shall the faithful with the garment of salvation, he shall cover them with the robe of righteousness, he shall deck them like a bridegroom or a bride with her jewels. Adam was created after the image of God, that is, in righteousness and true holiness, as it is in Ephes. 4. 24. in a word, the spouse of the Lamb Christ Jesus, whose wife is the Church, she shall at the latter day be arrayed with pure fine linen and shining, and the fine linen is the righteousness of the Saints, Revel. 19 8. The apparel that covered Adam was his innocence and the robe of righteousness, melior est vestis Innocentia, quàm Purpura, Innocence is better apparel than purple or scarlet, say the Fathers out of the first of Proverbs 31. 22. where Solomon, speaking of the wise woman, saith, that her family are clothed in scarlet, and purple is her garment, that is the outward vesture. But in verse 25. he saith, strength and honour is her clothing, that is, say they, the inward decking of the soul, it is not the outward apparel that God regardeth, but as Peter saith in his first Epistle chap. 3. 4. If the hid man of the heart be uncorrupt with a meek and quiet spirit before God, it is a thing much set by. Purple and scarlet are the chief colours, and most esteemed of by men, yet, yet they are the colours of shame and confusion. Man in his Innocence was in honour, innocence and righteousness were then his clothing; but when Man obeyed Satan and disobeyed God, he put on the Devil's livery, which was sin and shame, according to that in Psalm 132. 18. God saith, He will his enemies with shame▪ Homo spoliatus honore, indutus pudore, after man's fall he was spoilt of his honour and wrapped in a few clouts to cover his shame: this was his change, from honour to misery. We must now labour by all means, to recover this first innocence; and seeing that we are become wretched and miserable, poor and naked, we must follow the counsel of the Angel in Revel. 3. 18. We must buy of Christ the white raiment, that we may be clothed, and that our filthy nakedness should not appear: We must put off the old man with his works, Coloss. 3. 9 And we must put on the new man, which is Christ, who is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him. Jacob, the younger son, must put on the of his elder brother Esau, chap. 27. 15. And we must put on, say the Fathers upon that place, the apparel of righteousness of our elder brother Christ, eldest son to God: the faithful are called the Children of Abraham, Galath. 3. 7. But we by the faith we have in Christ Jesus, hope to become the Children of God, and heirs of everlasting life; as in the Gospel it is said, that his wounds do heal us; so may it as well be said, that his nakedness must cover our nakedness: by his passion he washeth away our sins; he died us with his purple blood; he died an Innocent that we by his death might be unblamable; his apparel is red, and his garments like him that treadeth the Winepress; it was he alone that trod the Winepress, and all his raiment shall be stained, Esay 63. 3. It was the purple of his blood that died us again in original righteousness: the soldiers when they had crucified him, took off his garments, so that he hung naked upon the cross, John 19 23. You see by the 12. to the Hebrews 2. that he endured the cross and despised the shame, to deliver us from shame and eternal punishment: So that we must repose ourselves in him, and not be ashamed of him; for who so shall be ashamed of Christ, Christ shall be ashamed of him, when he shall come in his glory, Luke 9 26. But all our glory and rejoicing must be in the dear and only begotten son of God, in whom we have redemption through his blood, that is, the forgiveness of sins, who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of every Creature, by whom, and for whom all things were created, 1 Coloss. 14, 15. We must put off the old man and put on the new; and if we be apparelled with Christ's righteousness, we shall not be ashamed: We must not ourselves with our own works and our own righteousness, which is corruption and shame; but we must our nakedness with the nakedness of Christ the immaculate Lamb. In a word his wounds must heal us, his nakedness must be our clothing, his shame must be our glory, his death must be the means to attain our life. Then we shall hunger no more nor thirst no more, we shall be impassable of cold and of heat, and the Lamb which is in the midst of the faithful shall govern them, and lead them unto the lively fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes, Revel. 7. 17. And if we be washed with his blood, we shall be whiter than the snow; then shall we be clothed with innocence by him, our corrupt bodies shall put on incorruption; and after the mortality of this our body we shall be clothed with immortality of body and soul, 2 Cor. 5. 4, etc. This is it that I thought good to speak for the opening of this verse. AMEN. LECTURES PREACHED UPON the third Chapter OF GENESIS. LECTURES. Preached in Saint PAUL'S Church, LONDON. Serpens autem erat astutus, astutior quâvis bestiâ agri quam fecerat Jehova Deus. Gen. 3. 1. Novemb. 〈◊〉 1591. HITHER TO hath been showed at large the happiness and perfection of Adam's estate while he continued upright in Paradise. Now, lest any of us comparing our estate with adam's, and finding so great an alteration and difference between him and us; because he was holy, we corrupt with sin; he was happy and blessed having all things, wanting nothing which might increase his happiness, we miserable, subject to all calamities and distresses which may increase our misery; he without shame or sorrow, we confounded with them both: Therefore lest we should inquire how this Change and Alteration came to our natures, the Prophet in this Chapter will show it us, that we may be out of doubt. As therefore we have had hitherto, the building, beautifying, and perfecting the Frame of all the world and of all the works of God: So now we shall see the ruin and lamentable overthrow of all, which Saran by sin brought unto all. For whatsoever God hath done in the great world in general, as it is set down in the first Chapter, or whatsoever we have seen excellent and glorious in the little world, which is in the state of man, described in the second Chapter: All that shall we see in this Chapter to be overthrown by the work and malice of the Devil. At the sight and consideration of which Tragedy, as St. Augustine saith, all the Creatures, especially mankind, aught with sighs and groans to dissolve themselves into tears, to think of our and their utter and irrecoverable confusion, were it not for this which is annexed unto it, namely, the hope of the seed of the woman, promised to come at the fullness of time, to restore all things which were lost in Paradise, and to bring us a more excellent Paradise than that ever was. The cause of all these evils which we see in us, and in the world, Moses here relleth us in the beginning of this Chapter, to be the verifying of that Prophecy which God 〈◊〉 Adam, Gen. 2. 17. that is, what time soever he should sinne, and break the Commandment of God, he should die; that is, have all the Messengers and Ministers of death ferzing upon him, until death itself, the reward of sin, should take hold on him; which first part of the Chapter we shall divide as St. Paul doth teach us Rom. 6. 1. into two parts, the first he calleth peccatum, the other peccati obsonium, that is, into the cause and nature of sin, and into the effect and punishment which followeth it: Concerning the transgression, he setteth down first the temptation of sin, in the first 5. verses; then the preparation which is the sin itself, in the 6. verse; then followeth the stipend and hire of sin from that verse unto the 15. verse: In which verse then the prophet showeth that God in justice remembered mercy; and as St. James saith, caused his mercy to triumph over justice in the promised seed, without which remedy Adam's sin had been incurable, and his case and our condition had been most desperate; whereas by this means, as St. Augustine saith, the Devil's envy is foelix invidia, and Adam's sin is foelix culpa, that is, falleth out to the greater glory of all the elect sons of God. Now more particularly we are led to consider two things in the temptation; first of all the persons, both agent and patiented, and then the allurements and enticements thereof: The chief in this temptation was the Devil and the Woman, and then in regard of consent, Adam himself grew accessary and guilty thereof, so that there were three causes of sin: The chiefest Author of it was the Devil; the next is Eve the yeelder to him; the third was Adam, the consenter to them both. Serpents we know speak not, for they were not made to reason and dispute, therefore we must needs understand another high person besides he Serpent, which spoke in him, and used him as his Instrument and means to effect this evil devise. And in this respect, the Devil is called Rev. 12. 9 the old Serpent as his name appellative, by which he was once called, and Satanas' Revel. 〈◊〉. 2. as his proper name, by which his 〈◊〉 and malicious nature is made known. As therefore the Devil craftily and closely did put into Judas head and heart by his suggestion, how to seek Christ's fall and death John 13. 2. so doth he as sly lie put into the Serpent's mouth this temptation, by which he might betray the first Adam and bring him to death; and therefore as Christ truly, though not properly, called Judas Satan because he saw the Devil used him as his Instrument; So by the same right and reason may we call the Serpent the Devil, because it was he in this Serpent who did bring this thing to pass. If any do ask why Moses did not make mention of the Devil in all this Chapter? we may say, that it was Moses purpose to perform the office and duty of a Historiographer, which is only to make a plain and true report of the outward accident, and thing which was sensibly done, leaving the hidden and secret meaning and true understanding of those things which are mystical, unto his Interpreters and Expositors: For to this end, Moses had some always in God's Church, which did not only read the letter and words of his writings, but also expound the true meaning thereof; and what Expositor is there, but by the consequence of this story, and by conference of the Scriptures, can otherwise understand this then of the Devil. Our Saviour Christ telleth us that the Devil was a liar and murderer from the beginning. John 8. 44. that is, he is the primitive and principal Author of all untruth and evil, therefore is he called that evil Matth. 13. 19 and the deceiver of mankind, Revel. 12. 9 and therefore Moses doth first deal with this evil one, and setteth him down as the chief author of this evil, under the form and name of a Serpent. Touching him therefore, we must know as I told you Chap. 2. 1. that when God is said to make the host of heavenly Creatures, that then also he made the Angels, as David saith Psalm 148. 2. which Angel's God made 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉, to be his ministering spirits Psalm 104. 4. but some of them kept not their first estate, Judas 6. but fell away from their holy and blessed estate in which they mere made, and so there they became evil Angels reserved in chains to everlasting fur. Of this fall of Angels, Job seemeth to have knowledge Job 4. 18. God saith he found folly even in his Angels. Christ maketh mention of their fall Luke 10. 18. and the cause of their fall is said to be sin 2. Pet. 2. 4. and the particular sin may seem to be pride, Isaiah 14. 13. 14. ero similis altissimo, for which cause that sin is called morbus Satanicus, and as the wiseman saith initium peccati est superbia; But we will not curiously inquire what special sin it was which caused his fall, because indeed it is sufficient for us to know in general that sin was the cause thereof, that we may the more beware of it. He then being fallen, became not only an adversary to God, which cast him off for ever, but also an envious enemy to mankind; for not being able to wreck his mal ceagainst God, he maliciously invented and attempted all the mischief and evil he could against man, which was the Image of God, and the only Creature on whom God had set his heart and delight to do him good: For as they which love the Father, cannot but love and show kindness to his Children, which are dearest to him, as we see in David's example. So è contra, hatred and malice make evil minds, to do their enemies hurt 〈◊〉 despite, even in the things which are most dear and precious unto them; so is the Devil said to do Rev. 12. 13. when he was not able to hurt the Woman, he pursued with hatred and rage her Child, which she brought forth, and because he could not reach to him (being ascended) therefore he still persecuteth his Church which professeth his name: By this means then the Devil became not only envious, but also an enemy to mankind; and to effect the plot of his mischief which he had imagined, Moses telleth us that he doth use the means and Instrument of a Serpent, which was the subtlest beast of the field, of which we shall have occasion to speak the next time Serpens autem erat astutus, astutior quâvis bestiâ agri quam fecerat Jehova Deus. Gen. 3. 1. THe persons which concurred in this temptation I shown were of two sorts, first the Tempter, and then the Tempted; The persons tempting are of two sorts, the one plainly expressed by name to be the Serpent, the other necessarily implied, and to be understood, namely, the old Serpent, which is called the Devil, and Satan, the destroyer and deceiver of mankind, Rev. 12. 9 so that we must conceive in this place, that Satanus hic est personatus, & Serpens est inspiratus, the Devil is in the shape of a Serpent, and the Serpent is possessed with the Devil; for we know that Serpents cannot speak and reason, therefore it must needs be somewhat in him: Herein than we see the disposition of evil and damnable Spirits, who being fallen into misery, do seek to draw all others into the same calamity in the which they are wrapped and plunged, for the Devil will not only perire, but also perdere, and therefore, as we see doth use all forcible means to bring it to pass. But because he knew that he should never bring about the destruction of man, so long as man should be united and tied fast to God in love and duty, obeying his will; therefore first of all he laboureth most subtly to untie the knot, by dissolving the Law and Commandment of God, through the transgression of man: and thus much of the chief actor in this temptation, which is the Devil. Now we come to the second person, which is the means and instrument which he used for this purpose, namely, the Serpent. Touching which, we shall see that the ancient Philosophers and wise men of the world may seem to have had some knowledge, for they call the evil Spirit the Serpentine Devil, and a hellish Fury in the form and shape of a Serpent, as if they had had some notice that he made choice of this Creature, especially above other, to do the greatest mischiefto man. In considering of the entrance of the Devil, possessing the Serpent, we must needs know, that if the Devil will needs tempt Adam unto evil, than he must of necessity do it either with some inward suggestion or motion within, or else by some external temptation and allurement without: But the Devil knew that Adam then, in that estate of innocency had no evil concupiscence or corruption within, by which he might fasten any ill motion or suggestion, for his lust and affections were not as tinder, that is, were not apt to take any spark of the Devil's temptations, as ours are, for we are not only as tinder very prone to take evil; but as Gunpowder, which with every spark is wholly inflamed, and violently is carried away with the desire of evil, his soul was not yet poisoned, with the corruption of sin as ours are, therefore he saw that then there was no time nor place, to assault him with inward temptations or persuasions to make him do evil, and therefore useth some sensible and ex, ternall allurements to besiege him without. To this end therefore, he must needs appear in some visible and sensible shape and resemblance, and that must either be in some form and shape suitable & agreeable to Adam's nature, or else in some other apparition and form unlike him, if he had appeared in some ugly and loathsome shape like to himself, he knew that though he could not be terrified with fear (being innocent) and therefore without fear, yet Adam and Eve would have contemned such an instrument, and not have suffered him to have set abroach his assaults, for which cause his policy and devise was, to cover himself with a fairer mask and vizard, that he may seem better and more beautiful, than he was indeed. Object. But why did he not choose a better shape than of this Serpent? Resp. I answer, that no doubt his will was good, for he would have fashioned himself into an Angel of light, or have put on him the shape of a grave and sage Prophet, as he did in deceiving Saul, 1 Sam. 28. 13. But it must not be as the Devil will have it, but as it pleaseth God to appoint and permit him: And the fathers do think that almighty God of set purpose, did allot him this creature and restrain him all other, for these two respects: first, thereby to punish the pride and the ambitious nature of the Devil, that he might see and all the world perceive, to what this sin of pride had brought him, because he which a little before was so vainglorious as to presume to exalt him in God's throne and be as God, is now cast down in most vile and miserable sort, basely and contemptibly crawling upon the ground and being as the abject and most hated worm on the earth: that so all men might see and consider what pride and ambitious vain glory will bring them unto, but the Devil's malice and envy towards man, being now greater than his pride was before, therefore it is no matter how vile and base the instrument and means be, so it will serve his turn, he will refuse nothing no not the Serpent, if by his means he might bring man to the same condemnation and wrath, in which he is already plunged. The other respect, (they think) was that the temptation of Satan might be more easy for Adam to resist and withstand, for who would not think it most easy for Adam and Eve, being so wise and excellent, and furnished with all graces of God's spirit, to espy and contemn such ill counsel, which would have him withdraw his allegiance and duty to God his gracious Creator, especially being solicited thereto, by so vile, and base a creature as a Serpent is? Who would not think it impossible that a weak worm should prevail aghast Adam in the prime and excellency of his strength. Again the very name of the Serpent, which Adam according to his wisdom gave unto him, might have given him a caveat and warning to sulpect the fly 〈◊〉 and subtlety of his nature for as Satan's name is by interpretation Tempter, so in Hebrew Serpentare is as much in signification as Tentare, and therefore such as are 〈◊〉 and eggers on of men to do evil, are in that tongue called Serpents for their flynesse and craft, because as Solomon saith, Prov. 30. 19 A Serpent's way can hardly be discerned, So that Adam had a greater 〈◊〉 age of the Devil in this, and might have taken such warning hereby, as one would think it should have been easy for him to resist and overcome. Surely all this was for his advantage and ease indeed, but seeing he yielded cowardly to the Devil, notwithstanding all these helps, therefore they do 〈◊〉 his sin, and make it more 〈◊〉 and more immeasurably sinful before God and man. Now it is said, that the Devil did possess and enter into the Serpent, as being well content to try, whether this instrument and means would serve his turn, and this is not a thing any whit strange or incredible, but very usually seen and often heard, that the Devil can and hath really possessed and dwelled in the bodies of earthly creatures, as he entered into man, Luke 11. 24 Into Swine, Luke 8. 33. Acts 16. 16. All which do make this matter plain and easy to believe. But for the other point of the Devil's power, to make a dumb creature to speak, this hath been a stumbling block at which Atheists and carnal men, led by corrupt and sensual reason have stumbled and fell down into flat infidelity, saying they would never believe it, but we must not be moved with the infidelity of such: for the truth of God's word shall stand undoubted and true, in despite of them which resist it. One father showing the truth of this place, saith thus, what will you not believe, that the Devil can speak in a Serpent, nor make a Serpent to speak, because it is against his nature to speak, will ye think that which is strange in reason, to be impossible to the Devil; God permitting him to do it? Then (saith he) if ye will believe nothing, but that for which a reason may be yielded, give me a reason of the nether Jaw or Chap, which only having a small little sinew as a thread to hold it up, is notwithstanding (in some) of such strength as to be able to by't in sunder a tenpenny nail, tell me (saith he) how the Liver and Stomach having in them such a 〈◊〉 heat, as can consume and digest very substantial things, and yet notwithstanding should not be consumed or wasted thereby itself. Again (saith he) are there not in all ages of the world, many strange and wonderful things seen and heard of, which are most true, of which no reason at all can be gathered, why then should this thing seem incredible and so strange, as that ye should deny ever it was done. And thus much of his answer to their incredulous objection. Ille dixit mulieri, Et jamne edixisse Deum, ne comedatis & omni fructu arborum hujus horti? Gen. 3. 1. HAving spoken of the principal actor in this temptation, and of the instrument which he used, we are now by order come to speak of the manner of this temptation,: For here we see that it is said, that the Devil used the Serpent's tongue, that by way of speech and conference he might entrap mankind; where first we see the policy which the Devil useth for his advantage, that is, not to set upon the man and the woman being both together, but to watch when he might take them separate one from another, and being asunder, he assaulted not the man, but the woman, which is the weaker Vessel, thinking that if he could make her his friend, and to consent to 〈◊〉 persuasion, that then she being so dear to the man, might be a means the rather to enforce and draw him also thereto. And the best means he can invent to persuade the woman to 〈◊〉, is fair flattering speech, full of falsehood and lies; and that his speech might be affectual, he doth not only lay siege unto the ears by his Dixit, but also layeth an alluring object before her eyes, and so by both offereth the thing forbidden unto her taste. He hath venom like a Crocodile to infect the eye, and cunningly conveyeth his poison also in by her ears, and so at the last maketh it take hold upon 〈◊〉 heart to her destruction, as we have heard, in Gen. 1. 16. 17. God Sermon teaching him his commandment and duty; so 〈◊〉 we shall hear the Devil's Sermon, to disgrace and disannul 〈◊〉: In which speech of the Serpent, the scope of the Devil, at which he 〈◊〉, is to separate man and God, and to undo the knot of love by which they were united; for he knew that the dissolving of the Law would 〈◊〉 the undoing of man, and so the overthrow of all the world. To this end therefore, he doth falsely and blasphemously here 〈◊〉 and accuse God unto man, to make his holy word become odious unto him: And whereas the Devil had many ways to bring into hatred God's Commandment, and to call in question God's goodwill, as he might have taught her to quarrel with God, and to make her believe that he was durus Dominus, very hard to them, because God had denied them many things which the dumb Creatures have granted to them, namely, because they cannot 〈◊〉 as Fowls do, 〈◊〉 run as swift as Horses, nor go as strong as Lions do. But he 〈◊〉 all such petty quarrels, he will 〈◊〉 issue with her in the 〈◊〉 weighty matter, that is, namely, to make God odious in his word 〈◊〉 commandment which he gave them: and so it cometh to 〈◊〉 that he qui in veritate non stetit, etiam veritati resistit, knowing that God's Dixit is that by which all things were made, and that by 〈◊〉 all things are maintained, and therefore hoped, that 〈…〉 〈◊〉 be ruinamundi; and he dealeth not with God's general word of 〈◊〉 but with his special word of Commandment, which 〈◊〉 knew did most properly, and that only, belong upto man in 〈◊〉 for by it Adam held Tenure of Eden, and by it only he enjoyed 〈◊〉 of life and the favour of God; and it being broken, than 〈◊〉 presently morte morieris, that is, all miseries of this life which 〈◊〉 to a miserable death. First of all therefore, the Devils devise is to call in question, and 〈◊〉 make a doubt of the truth of God's word, and thereby at last 〈◊〉 to bring a plain and flat contradiction of it, denying, yea, opposing his false word to the truth thereof; for from dixitne, we shall see him come to non dixit deus: Thus we see what he laboureth to wring out of the heart of Eve by little and little, the love and delight she had in the word of God. To which end he craftily maketh his first Dixit, to be a speech of question or interrogation, ask whether God indeed and in good earnest ever said so, and from thence he proceedeth unto nequaquam moriemini, which is a positive speech of presumption, that though they break that Law, yet they should not die. In the first he is the interogative Devil, but at last he is the negative Devil, not only doubting, but denying 〈◊〉 the truth thereof. A Serpent hath a double tongue, under one is the gall of bitterness, which is doubtfulness, under the other is the poison of Asps, which is open unbeliese. The first speech dixítne is called sibilus Serpentis, but his last speech in the 5. verse is rugitus Leonis, in which he bewrayeth himself at the full, of which two, the first is but introduction to the other mischief ensuing. For this is not the least policy of the Devil, not to set upon her bluntly, But like a Serpent slily and slowly to creep in her by little and little, until he hath espied some vantage: Therefore his order is, to bring her from questioning in talk, to a doubt in opinion, and from that, to an error in judgement, and so at last, to a corrupt action in practice; and to corrupt her mind within, first he useth this order, to tickle her ears with curiosity, and by that, to cause her to have a giddyness and swimming in the brain, by fantastical imaginations and surmizes, and then to make her secure and careless of the truth, and so at last maketh her somewhat inclineable to error and falsehood. Now let us come to the particular word of God, which the Devil in his dialogism doth mean to entreat of, which we see is that which is set down Gen. 2. 16. 17. In propounding of which, we may consider how craftily and corruptly he dealeth with the sacred word of God, to make it the better serve his turn in the temptation, for he pareth off all that might make against him, and instead of that, putteth in by addition more than ever God spoke, that so it may be the fit for his purpose; he leaveth out first both all that went before and that which is after the Commandment, that is, he keepeth from her the consideration of God's love and liberality, which is in the 16. verse, which was set to urge and induce them to willing obedience, and also he 〈◊〉 off the consideration of God's severe judgements, which was set after to keep them by fear from disobedience If we shall compare this also with that original in the 16. and 17. verses before, we shall see how he depraveth and corrupteth the text; for whereas it is said precipit Jehova: the Devil doth extenuate it, and saith dixit Deus. q.d. If he did say it, he did but speak it by way of talk as if he would not urge it for any matter of weight and importance. Thus we see the Devil's subtlety and sophistry in disputing, and the Devil's Rhetoric in propounding this question; the end of all which, is either to make them doubt, or at least to set light by the commandment of God. Though he seemeth to give her good counsel and to advise her as a friend, to consider of this thing more seriously, for the bettering her estate, yet his intent is at least to leave a scruple in her mind. The chiefest poison that is hid in this dialogism, is in the interrogation cur, or quare, or as some will have it, ne, by which he demandeth whether it be so indeed, said so: It is scarce credible that God, which maketh show of favouring you, should so hardly deal with you, as to impose so hard a Law as this is: and withal, this his speech is so cunningly devised, that it enforceth by way of insinuation a doubt and diffidence 〈◊〉 her thus, q.d. Surely I for my part can hardly be induced to believe, that God would enjoin you such a Law; I see no reason why it should be so: By all which we see how he teacherh and bringeth her on to doubt and waver. Last of all it is a flattering and cogging kind of speech q.d. Though I may err and be deceived, being your poorest and simplest Servant, yet you my Ruler whom God hath made wise as an Angel to judge uprightly of all things, may happily conceive more of this matter than I can. And withal it is a kind of cunning, to curry and keep in favour with her whatsoever effect the temptation should take; for if she should have misliked of his speech, he could have excused himself thus; alas I made but a bare motion, I neither affirmed it, nor durst deny it, but according to my simplicity asked the question, and therefore I trust you will have me excused. Tum dixit mulier Serpenti illi, etc. Gen. 3. 2. Novemb. 〈◊〉, 1591. WE have seen before what the Devil's Rhetoric and Sophistry is in his deceivable Dialogues, both to bring a wavering doubt into her mind, and at last to bring Gods holy word in discredit and contempt; all which vile and blasphemous things, if the Devil had said to Adam, no doubt, he would have dealt wisely as a Serpent with this wily and wicked Serpent; for he would have either stopped his ears; and abhorred to hear the deceitful words of this enchanting charm, or else he would have shaked him off with apage as Christ did, Matth. 4. 10. and said avant Satan get thee hence, etc. And so it may be thought to have been the greatest wisdom either to give him no ear or no answer, or else a sharp check or reproof for these wicked tempting words. This we may conjecture that the Man would or might have done: but let us see what the Woman answered unto him in this verse. In which we have two things to consider before we come to the effect of her answer: First we gather that in this estate of Innocency, the Woman was not afraid of the Serpent, but without fear durst see a Serpent approach to her, and speak unto him; for as all things were subject to mankind as their Lord and Sovereign, so Adam, as we have heard, Genesis 2. 23. made Eve Mistress and Lady to rule with him; and therefore all Creatures, as yet, stood in a reverend awe of them, and they were without any fear of them at all; for fear came into our nature with sin, but as yet, there was no sin, and therefore no fear: Again, as yet there was no war proclaimed between the seed of the woman and the Serpent, and therefore no cause why they should fear one another. The other thing is, that as she was not moved at the sight of the Serpent, so no more was she astonished to hear the Serpent speak; she knew no doubt that it was not natural to Serpents so to speak, but she knew not, or at least considered not well, who it was that spoke in him; What then, was there ignorance in Eve in the state of Innocency? I answer, that no doubt there was both in Adam and Eve the ignorance which is called Nescientia, but not that which is properly termed Ignorantia, The difference between Ignorance and Nescience. for this is the difference between these two: Ignorantia is a not knowing of such things which we are bound and ought necessarily to know, and this kind we say was not in them, for it is an evil imperfection in whomsoever it is, because as Solomon saith in 19 Prov. 2. without this knowledge which is absolutely necessary, the soul of man is not good; therefore we hold that they had given them a full and perfect measure of knowledge of God's will, so fare forth as it necessarily pertained unto them; but as for the other kind which deserveth not the name of Ignorance but Nescience, it is a not knowing of things needless and impertinent to our duty, that is, of superfluous and curious points which belong not to us; and this is that holy and godly Ignorance which is said to be even in the Angels of heaven, and in the Son of God, (as he is man) 24. Matt. 36. and of such things Christ saith to his disciples, vestrum non est haec scire, 1. Acts. 7. Therefore this is no sin or defect in them, though we grant it to be in them; yea it rather well agreeth with the holy estate of innocency not to know needless points of curious knowledge. But now to the answer, In which we may observe divers steps and degrees by which she descended to him until at last she came even to him in opinion and consented to him. And the first descent is because she, being a woman and therefore the weaker, would notwithstanding (without the help and counsel of her husband) take upon her to dispute and reason with the devil, which is most deceitful, for if she had given no answer, the devil should have had no advantage, but by her answer to this question, she gave him some holdfast by which his temptation might somewhat fasten on her; It had been her wisest course to have stopped her ears, and not to have vouchsafed him the hearing, but if she would needs hear the Serpent's talk, yet she might have set a watch before the door of her lips, Psal. 141. 3. and so condemned his speech as not worthy the answering. Si enim aut non audiverat aut nil dixerat (saith one) been esset, but seeing she must needs fit him an answer, she should have done well to fetch an answer from her Husband, and to say I will go to him which heard God speak that thing which you doubt of, he can better answer and resolve you in this point than I can; for if Paul would not permit a Woman to speak in the Church, but to be silent, then much less would he suffer Women to dispute and keep Problem with the Devil; for their duty is to learn of their Husband at home, if they doubt; but she (according to the nature of Women) will not answer per aliam: they think themselves able to answer alone, and therefore let us see the tenor and contents of her answer, which we see is a rehearsal and repetition of God's Commandment, Genesis 2. 16. 17. but yet so faintly and coldly set down, that the Devil might easily perceive that his temptation had begun to corrupt her mind; for, first in that she is able to say God's Commandment without book: the Devil took this hold against her, that she did not sin upon ignorance but wilfully against her knowledge, which proveth that she did it presumptuosly which augmenteth her sin, that so he may well say to her, ex ore tuo te judicabo. If we look into the particulars of her answer, we shall see it stand upon two points; the first is God's grant, the 2. verse; the other is God's restraint, the 3. verse; by both which we may see that Eve simply and plainly instructeth the Serpent as her friend in all the whole will and counsel of God: first she setteth down God's goodness and liberality, and in expressing it, she doth extenuate and lessen the greatness thereof; but when she cometh to the restraint, she doth so amplify and enlarge that, that the Devil might easily perceive she received the one not thankfully as she should, nor yet was well pleased, but murmured as much misliking the other, whereas she should have said God is not bound to us, either by duty or desert to give us any thing, yet of his gracious goodness he hath freely permitted us the use of the trees of the Garden, which are many in number, and in variety divers and choice, he is not durus & avarus pater, as thou wouldst have us to think, but he is bonus & benignus, and therefore we will thankfully keep this easy Commandment. Thus the consideration of his bounty and free goodness should have been a prick to stir her up to thankful obedience, but her unthankful mind which regardeth not his goodness, was a preparation to disobedience. Thus we see what her answer should have been to have stopped the Devil's mouth, but she did not so; therefore we are now to consider what she did say, and what answer she gave unto him. De fructu quidem arborum hujus horti comedemus: At de fructu arboris istius quae eft in horto hoc; dixit Deus, Ne comedatis ex isto, neque attingatis eum: ne moriamini. Gen. 3. 2.3. Novemb. 18. 1591. WE have considered the temptation both on the Serpent's part, and also on the Woman's behalf, and we have seen what occasions she offered unto him before he could do her any hurt. Touching which it is our part to learn, to beware by her hurt and evil, quia (as one saith) Ruinae praecedentium, sunt cautiones sequentium. Therefore God hath set down the manner of the fall of our first Parents, ut illorum pathemata nobis essent mathemata, for all is written for our instruction, 1 Cor. 10. 11. Now for the better observation of her answer, we shall see, it doth consist of two parts, the first is God's permission in the 2. verse, the other is God's prohibition in the 3. verse: for the first we have seen that the Woman had just occasion to amplify Gods loving and most liberal dealing with them; but she clean contrary, being tickled by the Serpent's speech, doth 〈◊〉 it, as if it had been a matter of very small regard, and therefore in a word lightly passeth it over, making a very sleight and slender confession of God's goodness, in so much as we may well say, that it is oratio magis querelae quam 〈◊〉, rather complaining at God's hardness, then giving thanks for his goodness. Now for the prohibition in the 3. verse, because she doth enlarge it, we must stand longer upon it; It 〈◊〉 therefore partly on the restraint of the Commandment, and partly on the penalty thereof, which we will handle severally: where good will and willingness is, there every duty commanded will seem very easy, and then we are ready to do it; but è contra, when any do enjoin us any duty whom we fancy not, nor esteem as a friend, by and by want of good will maketh us cavil with the difficulty and hardness thereof: Therefore this making so much ado, and so many circumstances of the restraint, as if it were a heavy burden & an uneasy yoke, doth plainly bewray an ill willing mind, and murmuring against God the Commander. To this end as being malcontent, she nameth not the tree as God did, but describeth it by the place where it standeth, quasi pigeret nominare, quia non liceret eam gustare; therefore it seemeth that it went even against her stomach so much as to name it; besides this, she also 〈◊〉 the Commandment making it heavier than indeed it is, amplifying the severity thereof, making it as heinous and odious as may be, saying we are forbidden not only to eat of it, but also we are restrained so much as once to touch it, which we see is not once mentioned in God's precept, for it was not a restraint of the fingers, as to say touch not, handle not; but only of the teeth and tongue, taste not, neither eat of it. To alter God's word is a foul fault, but with an ill mind to add or detract from it, hath a grievous threatening and curse annexed to it, both by Moses the first, and St. John the last penman of the word of God: we see then, that this her addition is signum displicentiae, which secret dislike of God's Law, being cast into man's hearts, doth at last make them break out into that outrage and rebellion against it, as to say, Psall. 3. 3. Let us break his bonds, and cast away his yoke from us, which are called the Sons of belial, that is, such as willingly would be subject to no Law; it maketh men first in mind to esteem God's word as a heavy burden, Jeremiab 13: 33: and it causeth men at last to say as they did, John 6. 60. durus hic Sermo est quis ferat? As therefore that is true which St. John saith, 1 Jo. 5. 3. Qui deum diligunt iis man data ej us non sunt gravia; so è contra we may infer this general rule Cui displicet praeceptum aggravat illud, for want of will doth make Verbum veritatis esse Jugum Servitutis, and so with offence, the wicked ones of the world do cast it from them. Now we come to the punishment, of which we say, that as we ought to amplify God's goodness and liberality, to stir us up to obedience, so we should enlarge, and plainly set out God's justice and severity, that fear thereof might keep us from sin. But it is God's judgement oftentimes seen, that they which will not see God's goodness by thankfulness, shall not see fearful vengeance until they seel it, because of the hardness of their hearts. Eve which before so enlarged God's restraint, making a mountain of a 〈◊〉 molehill, now is as fare wide on the other side, abridging the penalty into two words, whereof the one is but as it were half a word, because fort showeth that she half doubted of that she said, for whereas God doubled both the argument of his liberality before, saying comedendo liberè comedes, and also the argument of his severity, saying moriendo certè morieris, the one the rather to make them obey, the other to keep them from sin: Eve taketh upon her to single them both at the last, because fear might not too much terrify her; she qualifieth with fort q.d. peradventure if we sinne you shall die, and peradventure no; so that the full persuasion of the truth and certainty of God's word is decayed in her; and indeed this is the behaviours and natures of all wicked ones, by this né forte, to encourage themselves to go forward in sin and transgression; for if they did persuade themselves and fully believe the certainty of God's word, that God indeed would so severely punish sin as his word doth show, no doubt than they would never dare to break God's Law, it would be as a bridle to pull them back from evil. This her dealing then is an argument of the decay of her faith by wavering doubts, for as she hath let go her hold and handfast of love and liking God's word, and made the knot of faith very lose, so now there is nothing but fear of punishment which enforceth her yet to hold her to God, and to keep her back from open rebellion and disobedience for if it were not for ne fortè which doth trouble her mind, if she were once sure of nequaquam moriemini instead thereof, why then the match were fully made, and she would without delay eat of it, as we shall see hereafter. Now we see unto what the Devil hath brought her, love is gone, faith is faint, and fear is feeble, hanging but by a small thread, for she is come to that pass as to make death a peradventure, a thing very doubtful whether it will come or Noah, saying fortè moriemini, whereas indeed she of all other things in the world might have been most sure of this, and said certè moriemini, for this is the Decree of God, that seeing we dallied with his judgements threatened, and doubted of it as a thing of haphazard; therefore God by his Decree hath made it a Statute of all other most certain, never to be repealed or reversed to any; for it is made a Law and Statute, that all sinful men shall once most certainly die, to teach us that this threatening was not in vain, and to make us not to dally with the fearful judgements of allnighty God, not to doubt of them as our Grandmother Eve did. Now let us work the means and degrees by which the Serpent led her from innoceny unto fin. First her misliking conceit, not content with God's goodness but suspecting his hardness, corrupted her will, and decayed her love to God and delight in his word: Then these questions cur & nè corrupted her faith, which shown itself in her ne fortè; so that faith being qualified, instead thereof the Devil did plant doubt and unbelief; love being allayed, instead thereof he placeth discontentment and mislike: God gave her sure hold- 〈◊〉 and bound her to him by a threefold Gable, which one would think should not be thus easy broken, namely by love, faith, and fear; but the Serpent having shorn asunder the cords of faith, and also filled the links of love, now all the hold she hath is only by fear, which when the Devil seethe to be somewhat lose, and that it stood upon fortè, we shall see how suddenly he will snatch that out of her heart, and so make her reach out her hand unto fin. This then is fumus incendio praecedens, we shall see the fiery flame ensue this smoke, wherefore we must listen to the counsel of the Wiseman ergo nos quantum in nobis est è lubrico recedamus, for where the Serpent hath made the ground slippery, there our nature can scarce stand upright; let us not therefore give any occasion to the Devil; open not any gap to his temptations as she doth, but resist the Devil and he shall fly from thee without doing thee hurt. And thus much of the first part of their conference. Dixit vero Serpens ille mulieri, non utique moriemini: Novit enim Deus, quo die comederitis ex eo, aperturos se oculos vestros: & vos fore sicut Deos, scientes boni & mali. Gen. 3. 4.5. Novemb. 20. 1591. THese words do contain the Serpent's rejoinder or reply in his second Dixit to the Woman, in which he now having occasion, doth plainly lay himself open and discover himself to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a blasphemous mouth, opposing himself to the holy word of God; wherefore though at the first sight he was hid under a Mask, yet now he seeing the time doth uncover himself, bewraying how foul a spirit he is by his impudent lies, and horrible impiety, by which one would think that she might now at last and not too late have espied him, though at the first sight in simplicity she took him for a Serpent indeed; for she might well know, that no Creature of God unless he had by Apostasy rebelled and oppugned the truth and will of God, that ever could speak such horrible and impious blasphemies and lies as these. But it may seem that she giving such ear and credit to the spirit of lies, having the knowledge of God's truth, that by God's just judgements she was blinded and could not see, as it oftentimes cometh to pass, Rom. 1. 21. 24. 26. Now we are come to speak of the particulars of this reply, in which we see first his drift and intent is, to remove and take away that little fear of God's judgements which was yet remaining in her, and kept her from eating the forbidden fruit; wherefore in this speech he seemeth friendly to reprove her, q.d. Alas! you are more timorous and fearful a great deal than needs; you are all this while in an error if you persuade yourself, that you shall die for eating this fruit, for I tell you and will prove to you, that without all peradventure you shall be so far from any danger of death hereby, that you shall not once taste of death at all. Thus we see him with an impudent face and blasphemous mouth, to face her out with his bragging argument drawn from his own authority; for if we consider the matter of his speech, it is nothing at all but that which cometh out of his forge of lies, for he is a liar from the beginning, John 8. 44. Thus he opposeth his own word to the infallible word of God's truth, and would have it taken and believed before that which God hath said, q.d. You are too credulous to believe all that God saith to be true, for I tell you in this point it is not true, for you shall not die. Now because there might be a question and doubt, whether all this that the Devil saith be gospel and true; therefore he craftily rendereth a reason for the proof and confirmation of his assertion. His first reason to 〈◊〉, is scit deus, which is a calling of God to witness by way of protestation and oath, to appeal to the knowledge of God for 〈◊〉 that he saith true, which ever since hath been the practice of the Devil in wicked men, to teach them by swearing to call God to witness against the truth, as if he were the maintainer of their falsehood and lies, which is not only the taking of God's name in vanum but also in falsum, which is most devilish. Secondly, he will take in hand by a plain demonstration, that they should not die by eating of this fruit, after this sort; God doth envy your good estate, which by eating this fruit you may come unto; for God knowing that by eating it you should become equal to himself, doth therefore take this order and course to keep you from it, namely, to tell you and make you believe, that if you once eat of it you are poisoned and undone, as if it were deadly, whereas indeed it is most sovereign and precious; In which you see how impiously and bla phemously he chargeth Almighty God of envy and of a malicious mind, and that of a Serpentine malice, such as is indeed the Devil, namely, that he (under the colour and pretence of good will) doth cover and hid his hateful and spiteful mind withal, which might have made her to say of the Devil, as Paul did of Elimas' the Child of the Devil, Acts 13. 10. O pater mendacii & plenus omni dolo; O inimice veritatis & justitiae: For as blasphemous Rabshakeh did Isaiah 36. 15. so doth the Devil here facet Deum falissimum & falacissimum, the rather to deceive simple men. Now for the second part of his speech; it containeth a promise to open their eyes, to deify them and make them as God if they eat this, q.d. Tush, what talk you of dying the death; God which maketh a show of loving you as a friend, doth go about to hid and keep from you the fruit which is most precious and more beneficial to you than all the trees of the Garden besides; for it is not only good and wholesome for meat, but also of such rare and divine virtue, that it will make them that eat thereof as God knowing all, etc. So that by advice, ye should rather forbear all the trees in the Garden than this one which is forbidden you. This may seem to be the effect of his speech; but now particularly he will go forward to show her what the special hidden virtues of this tree are: first saith he, it hath a power to open your eyes: In which speech he seemeth to persuade her, that as yet they were in the state of blind men, as if the eyes of their minds were hooded and blinde-folded, so long as they had not the knowledge of evil as well as of good: So the Devil misliketh their estate because they knew not evil, but God would have had them so holy, harmless and good, that they should not so much as once know what any evil should mean, much less to do or seell evil; but the Devil's intent and desire was to make them know evil, both by act and also by woeful experience to their utter overthrow. But suppose that it were a want and imperfection in them, we know that their duty had been to have sought to God for remedy, who in Revel. 3. 18. willeth all such blind ones to buy eye salve of him, but they making the Devil their Physician, became indeed stark blind, and had both eyes 〈◊〉 clean out. The second bait wherewith he doth fish to take and entrap her is, sicut Dei, in which he doth promise to deify her, and canonize her as a God in heaven; he would persuade her that it were too base an estate for her still to remain as a Lord and Prince on earth, he would have them to aspire to all Honour, Power, Glory and Majesty, that they might once come to be as God, without check or control of any other superior power. This apple of preferment renown and dignity, is the bait at which all ambitious and vainglorious men do greedily gape after and are taken by the Devil. By this then appeareth that the devil was the first which went about to make and have more gods than one, and his speech is to this effect q.d. Your God is a jealous God, and by his good will would not admit any other to be as good or equal to him, he cannot abide a partner; but I will tell you how you shall attain to this honour whether he will or no, only eat of this and it shall be so. Thus the Devil beginneth to set up another kingdom against the kingdom of almighty God. The third and last bait is of knowledge, which he addeth for the more assurance, lest the former two should not take; for it is q.d. Although happily you can be content with this estate in Paradise as sufficient for you, yet if that move you not, then look to this excellent gift of knowledge unto which you shall attain hereby. Now even upon all these principles and reasons, he inferreth his conclusion thus. Seeing you shall reap and receive all these benefits safely and without danger of death: Therefore why doubt you? why forbear you any longer to eat of this fruit? Surely, if the spirit of lies had not blinded her eyes, the image of light and knowledge which was in her might have persuaded her this. That all these things which the Serpent had spoken could not possibly be true: Because it standeth with common sense and reason, That God which made all things, would never make such a Tree which should be so prejudicial to his own glory. Therefore she might have well answered the Serpent to all this. That if it be a Tree of such force and virtue, he should first begin to her and eat of the fruit, that then she might see him to be as God knowing all things she might know that he said true, and then follow his counsel and do the like; But this showeth that the Spirit of error had blinded her eyes and bewitched her heart; for it is Gods just judgement that when men are thus fare overgrown in pride that they should be blinded, Psal. 〈◊〉. 7. and that so blind that they shall say with the 〈◊〉, Tush God seethe us not, there is no knowledge in God. Quum ergo videretur mulieri bonum esse fructum arboris illius in cibum, & gratissimam esse illam oculis, ac desiderabilem esse arboris fructum ad habendum intelligentiam, accepit de fructu ejus & comedit: etiamque dedit comedendum viro suo secum, qui comedit. Gen. 3 6. Novemb. 23. 1591. AT our general handling the temptation of Eve, in the entrance of this chapter, we referred the sin itself to this verse we are now to handle; which verse containeth as it were a third temptation of Eve, in that she saw the tree good for meat, pleasant, and profitable, as the Devil in Christ's temptation, in the fourth of Matthew, useth three sorts of temptations: The first is Distrust, the second Presumption, and the third is Enticement and Allurement of honour: First, when Christ was hungry, he would have him turn stones into bread, he would have him distrust God and his word: Secondly, he set him on a pinnacle, and would have him cast himself down, by unlawful means he would have Christ presume of God: Thirdly, he tempteth him setting him upon a high mountain, offering him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, to worship him. So here Satnan by his first question tempteth Eve to distrust God's commandments and goodness: Secondly by presumption he tempteth her to eat, by making her to believe that though she did eat the forbidden fruit, yet she should not die at all: And then, thirdly, he comes with his enticing temptation, if you will be as Gods and know all things, you must eat here of. In this last is a spectacle of delight, the fruit was sweet and wholesome, pleasant to the eye, whereby to get knowledge: Whatsoever wealth and honour was to be desired, was showed her; whatsoever delight and pleasure might be desired, was showed her by Satan the tempter of him and her. Christ was tempted with all wealth, and Eve with all knowledge. But as it is in James 3. 15. this wisdom descendeth not from above, it is earthly, sensual, and devilish. The Serpent by his last temptation doth labour not only to quench faith, but to kindle lust; he will by the kindling of lust extinguish faith: In Ephes. 4. 14. we must not be carried away with every wind of Doctrine and craftiness, whereby Sathanlyeth in wait to deceive; but as it is Ephes 6. 16. above all things we must take the shield of faith, where with we may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; which are said to be fiery darts because they set on fire our concupiscence, which faith is able to extinguish lust: Now there is fides per charitatem operans, faith that worketh by love; and fides per timorem operans, faith that worketh by fear: and therefore Satan, to 〈◊〉 the faith and obedience of Eve, dealeth with her love first, and with her fear after: By his non omnino he extinguisheth love, for love she was not obedient, fides per timorem operans, only faith by fear did retain her in obedience, lest peradventure you should die; fear, not love, made her yet a little faithful; but he took order also for her fear; as before he extinguished love by affirming that God was a hard and fearful Lord, so now to drive away fear, he will have her to make an account of him as a God of clouts, not to be feared: and now he enkindleth the concupiscence of Eve: By those two he extinguished faith, in making obedience painful and prejudicial, and making disobedience pleasant and beneficial; edite, eat, & eritis sicut dei scientes bonum & malum, and ye shall be at Gods knowing good and evil. Here by setting a fair show to the eye, he affaulteth the eye with a glorious show. Austin saith that there are two manners or means whereby lust is provoked and kindled; the one is the care by hearing, and the eye by seeing: Bernard saith there are two ways 〈◊〉 Satan; the one is circuitio, the other circumventio; the one is going about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour, the other is his circumventing a man in all subtlety, the one is in speaking swelling words of vanity, and beguiling in wantonness; 1 Pet. 2. 18. his circumventing is taken out of the 2 Corinthians 2. 11. Here he useth both the means, by bringing God's word in question, in all subtlety extinguishing love, and his opposing the falseness to the truth, saying, though you eat you shall not die, expelling fear, and showing that obedience was burdensome and disobedience full of delight; and thus besieging them on every side, yet would not give them over till he had made them both to eat; for so long as any spark of God's word is remaining in them, he will not leave them, nor give over his temptation; such is his diligence in his tempting: It is the Law of Satan's mouth that leadeth man captive unto the Law of sin, Romans 7. 23. In Jobs temptation Satan bringeth one grief upon another; his Oxen were taken away, his Servants slain; then another came and told him his Sheep were burnt, another his Camels were taken, another his Sons and Daughters were slain, etc. Satan in his temptation of Eve gins at the ear, and from the ear to the eyes, from the eyes to the fingers, from the fingers to the mouth; his proceeding was from hearing to seeing, from seeing to touching, from touching to tasting: Satan first made a question, Eve she made a doubt, per adventure we shall die, which doubt Satan resolved, you shall not die at all; these are the three parts of Eves inward temptation: Vidit, tulit, comedit, she saw the forbidden fruit, she took it, and she did eat thereof; these be the three parts of Eves outward temptation, seeing, taking, and eating. As before the hearing of the ear was the temptation to incredulity, so here the seeing of the eye is the temptation to sensuality; as before esca intellect ûs was the bait of the understanding to know both good and evil, so here esca sensûs is the bait of the sense, that so Eves reason inwardly, and her sense outwardly might be deceived, which temptation of the sense is triple here; of the eye that seethe, of the fingers that touch, of the mouth that tasteth The Serpent full of subtlety will make no visible temptation until he hath throughly infected the heart; when neither for love nor for fear he seethe Eve regardeth the commandment, than he knoweth that she will be alured easily by the sense, and therefore he brings her where she may see the Tree: But did not Adam and Eve see the tree that was forbidden, in the midst of the garden, in the time of innocency? Well saith one Non dedit Deus iis legem ae arbore quam non v derunt, God gave them not a law of restraint from a tree which they saw not, for they did see this tree before their fall in love and in fear, their love then to God and his Word was such that much water could not quench it, neither could that love be bought with all the substance of the world, Cantic. 8. 7. and then their fear where with they feared the Lord was to them His method in his Temptation a wellspring of life, to avoid the snares of death, Prov. 14. 27. but when the mist of incredulity did arise in their heart then sathan had hope of prevailing in his temptation, than he gins with corrupt speeches; You shall not die at all, you shall be as Gods knowing good and evil, and evil speakings (as you know) corrupts good manners, 1 Cor. 15. 33. The end of his Temptation. and then with vain shows of pleasure he tempteth the sense; this is the subtlety of the devil's method in tempting Eve. Now the subtlety of his end in his temptation, is partly to withdraw the mind, partly that of a spark there may become a flame, that from seeing the fruit she may be brought to the eating of the same, and so do that God hath forbidden; albeit that his speech eritis sicut Dei, scientes bonum & malum tickled her mind, but that was not the very end, yet it is plain that every lie runneth lamely, yet every liar covereth the imperfection; that then there might be no delay nor no stay, the serpent presently bringeth her to the tree, and showeth her the fruit, that her sense might verify so much as he had said, Non vidit & tulit lignum quia prohibitum sed quia bonum: she looked on the tree, she took of the fruit because she was persuaded that thereby would come to her all excellency, all knowledge, and that by the eating of it she should not die at all, They probably thought they should not die at all, in the 17 of the 2. chap. it is called the Tree of knowledge of good and evil, wherein they thought to be the virtue of all knowledge, and the tree of life they had still, which persuaded them they should live for ever, they were persuaded that they should have still the sacrament of immortality and of universal knowledge, and indeed plus posse, plus noscere is that wherewith sathan hath infected us all, for he persuades us we can do more than we can do, that we shall live still and know all things: Satan thought that delay would be dangerous and that if he had given her any leisure the sifting of the Commandment would have been prejudicial unto his temptation, and therefore presently he brought her to see the Tree, the fruit whereof he had so highly magnified, that so she might break the Law of God. The Fathers do say well, It was not the force of the devils words but God's punishment that made her believe the devil and fall from God, qui dubius est, infidelis erit, he that doubteth God's word, shall become an Infidel and believe the devil's words; this is God's punishment of incredulity, to believe a liar, even the father and founder of Lies: for if men will not believe God's writings nor his words, John 5. 47. God therefore shall send them strong delusions that they should believe Lies, 2 Thes. 2. 11. so that the believing the Serpent rather than God is not the force of the devils words, but God's punishment of their incredulity, poenalis est necessitas, God, as it is Zepha. 1. 17. saith, tribulabo homines & ambulabunt ut caeci, quia domino peccauêrunt, I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men because they have sinned against the Lord, so did God deal here, say they with Eve and Adam. Here Satan after his dixit comes with vides, so soon as he had taken her though she did eat she should not die, but enjoy all happiness, he shown her the forbidden tree, that she beholding it might busy herself with the pleasure of seeing that which was so pleasant and so much to be desired, that so then when she had most cause to fear and tremble, the pain which she should incur by her eating thereof should not so much as be thought upon; this is Satan's subtlety, to proceed from saying to seeing, from debasing their state present, wherein they knew nothing but good, to extol their fallen state, wherein they should know good and evil. As chrysostom saith, from hodie to cras, from this day to to morrow, from things before our eyes, to see what hereafter we shall enjoy; as much as if he should say, I will show you what I tell you, you shall see that I say truly, let your sense judge of my speech; believe your sense not me; you see the fruit is pleasant to behold, when you taste it you shall find no poison in it, the show is correspondent to my words, and when you eat of it you shall find the virtue I have said to be in it; you do see it is pleasant, you shall taste it is wholesome, in a word, the Tree will speak what I have said: Thus the devil magnifyeth his word and her sense, that so by the eating and seeing his dixit might receive their Sentence of allowance. Thus much may serve for the withdrawing of Eve from her belief by a matter of sense. Seeing. Now for the manner of allurement: She seeing the Tree was good for meat and pleasant to the eyes, though the ear by hearing of excellency and knowledge do move her, yet hearing these things doth but warm her desire and concupiscence to transgress; it is the eye, and the beholding of the pleasant fruit which setteth the concupiscence on fire to eat thereof; It is the eye that maketh the heart like a bakers Oven, that maketh concupiscence to burn as a flame of fire, Osee 7. 6. Seeing moveth much more than hearing; when we tell you of the joys of Heaven, which are inestimable, of the pains of hell, which are intolerable, by our speeches you are nothing moved; but if you might see with your eyes the joys of Heaven, you would be enamoured of them; might you see the pains and torments of hell, which sinners have, you would abhor sin, and tremble at the torments; Eve was moved more by seeing than by hearing. In chap. 45. 28. Jacob was moved with joy to hear the report of his sons that Joseph was alive, but yet he believed them not, but when he saw the chariots which Joseph had sent to carry him, than he was revived, and he said My son Joseph is yet alive; it was the seeing of the 〈◊〉, not the saying of Israel, that made Jacob say, descendam & videbo illum antequam morior, that kindled his desire to say, I will go and see Joseph before I die: The desire of the buyer and of the seller is moved by the sight, the buyer is desirous of the ware, not because the seller sayeth it is good, but for that he seethe and discerneth the goodness, of the cloth or other thing, by his eye; and the seller is moved the more when he seethe ready money laid forth before his eyes; seeing, in things lawful, is much more effectual than hearing; and seeing is much more dangerous than hearing of things unlawful: the Serpent thinketh he cannot bring his temptation to full effect, unless he bringeth her videre lignum, and therefore the Serpent's petition, as it were, to Eve is but this. I will not bid you so much as touch the Tree, nor eat: only vide & ne comedito: Hear me what I shall say, do but behold how pleasant the fruit is, and see if you can abstain; it is expedient to see that which we may not eat, and to know sin that we may avoid it: But seeing the Tree is an occasion to eat of the fruit; the occasion of sin (which is the seeing of the fruit) is to be cut off; hearing was an occasion to make Eves heart proud, and beholding the Tree caused her haughty looks, and as it is, Prov. 21. 4. A haughty look and a proud heart is the ploughing of sin; they had liberty to stand or to fall, but we must not use our liberty as an occasion to sin, Galat. 5. 13. S. chrysostom upon that place saith, That not only sin, but the desire and the occasion of sin, by all means, is to be cut off. Though that the seeing the forbidden Tree were not semen peccati, the sowing of sin, yet it is like ploughing of sin, it is a means to persuade us to eat, by seeing to take an occasion to offend, without regard of God's commandment, not being wary when we have forsworn sin; if we retain the occasion of sin we may easily be caused to sin. Exod. 10. 7. Pharaoh was content the Israelites should departed, yet he would have their beasts remain behind, which were an occasion of offence; neither sin nor occasion of sin must be left, but must be cut off; the eye is an occasion to desire and a means to discover 〈◊〉. There are two ways to convey sin into us, by the ear and by the eye; and there are two ways to discover sin, the mouth and the eye, because the eye is a way both in the conveyance and in the discovery of sin; therefore say the Fathers, God hath placed lachrymas, the tears of 〈◊〉, which are the blood of the soul; and by the eyes; the yellow-Jaundis is discovered by the eyes, wherethey do insinuate That the eye is the broker to all sin. In chap. 6. 2. for that the children of God did see the daughters of men to be fare, they took unto them wives of all they liked, And chap. 10. 13. Lot lifted up his eyes and for that he saw the plain of Jordane was well watered and very fruitful, he chose it for his dwelling; It is the eye that provoketh to lust and to pleasure, it is the eye that provoketh to 〈◊〉: Ahab desired Naboths Vineyard, because he saw it did adjoin to his palace. He that beholdeth the clouds and observeth the winds, shall nor sow, nor reap, Preach. 11. 4. The eye is a mean to make the man idle; seeing provoketh to covetousness, Joshua 7. 21. Achan by his seeing among the specil a goodly Babylonish garment and a wedge of gold, he covered them and took them. Satan, when he saw that Eves concupiscence was lose, he knew she would easily yield to the temptation; if she might but see the fruit, the jaundice of concupiseence might be perceived in her eyes. In 1 Sam. 18. 9 When Saul saw how David was esteemed, it is there said, that he had one eye on David, as if he looked asquint, in that he looked on David with a learing eye, for that he envied and hated David: So a learing eye is the jaundice of a dogged nature; He that winketh with the eye worketh sorrow, Prov. 10. 10. for often a fair countenance covereth a mischievous heart: So in such an eye is the jaundice of deceit. Solomon Prov. 30. 13. there are those whose eyes are haughty, and whose eye lids are lifted up: There is the jaundice of pride. Esay 30. 16. the daughters of Zion are said to walk with wand'ring eyes; wherein is the jaundice of lust. Prov. 17. 24. The eyes of a fool are in the corners of the world, saith Solomon: By such a foolish eye you may know the jaundice of foolishness: An unchaste eye is the sign of an unchaste heart. The Devil (saith a Father well) by the eye conveyeth the nose of his bellows to set her even in a fire, to eat of the fruit: Visus solet excitare somnientem; & quod incautus aspicit invitus despicit, he that unwarily beholdeth the fruit, perforce shall look into it. They served the Lord at first in fear, and 〈◊〉 in trembling, Psal. 2. 11. But the seeing the fruit did not only stir up but also increased sin: Amos his continual seeing of his sister did increase his love to Thamar; and when sin is banished away, yet seeing recalleth sin: And therefore, that all may be well, not only sin, but the occasion of sin must be removed, the inside and the outside must be taken away; and therefore David, Psal. 119. 20. saith not only iniquitatem 〈◊〉 viam iniquitatis move à me Domine, take from me O Lord, the way of iniquity. The Seer is active, the 〈◊〉 is passive, say the Fathers, which was her yielding to 〈◊〉 behold the tree; who telleth Eve, as it were, you have liberty to see, and to have your eyes to wander about the world. God himself, Numb. 15. 39 would have them have fringes upon the border of their garments, that even by looking of them they might remember all the commandments of the Lord: This is Jobs protestation in Job 31. 7. that he hath not walked after his eye, he hath not accomplished the lust of his eye. The eye enticeth the heart to sin. By apparel the eye is enticed to pride, which, as the Fathers call it, is vexillum superbiae, the standard of pride, & nidus luxuriae, the nest of lasciviousness: And by the standard of pride thinking to be as Gods; and by the nest of laseiviousnesse, we are drawn to believe the words of Satan, and to sacrifice unto the Serpent. If Abraham, in chap. 19 28 looking toward Sodom and Gomorrha, did behold and see the smoke of the Land, as of a furnace; it was because he was not commanded to the contrary: But in 17. verse of the same chapter, Lot might not look back upon Sodom which was full of vain pleasures, for he was forbidden to look behind; we must rather suspect our infirmity with Lot, than think to look, and to be constant as Abraham: Better it is not to behold the pleasure of the 〈◊〉, because it was forbidden, than by beholding it to fall from her obedience. Let not us look upon vain pleasures lest we fall with Eve. It is the counsel of our Saviour in Mat. 〈◊〉 29. If thy eye cause thee to offend pull it out and cast it from thee, he meaneth that we should pull away vanity and wantonness from our eyes, and that we should refrain our eyes from beholding vain pleasures: For faith a Father very well, nisi tu caveas, unless thou be careful of thy eye, hereafter thou wouldst have wished that he had meant the pulling out of the eye itself; that so by not seeing vanity and by losing thy eye, thy whole body might be delivered from Hell torments. The ancient Fathers do observe out of Acts 5. 3. that by the eye Satan filled the heart of Annanias and Saphira, to conceal the money he had for his 〈◊〉: It is the eye that maketh a meet soil in the heart to entertain sin; but we must not entertain sin nor retain the occasion of transgression. Quum ergo videretur mulieri bonum esse fructum arboris illius in cibum, & gratissimam esse illam oculis, ac desiderabilem esse arboris fructum ad habendum intelligentiam, accepit de fructu ejus & comedit, etc. Verse 6. Novemb. 25. 1591. THis last temptation, as I told you, was of the sense, which by the eye alured Eve to eat that God had said, you shall not eat at all, for seeing the tree made her take the fruit and taste thereof; by the sense supposing to have been as Gods, and to attain knowledge. Our Saviour Christ, in Luke 17. 32. biddeth us to remember Lot's wife, who looked back to Sodom, Gen. 19 26. But he that seeketh by the sense to save the soul, shall lose 〈◊〉: So we must from hence remember not to look upon the tree lest we eat of the fruit. Now we will consider the object which she saw, which is said to be the Tree, the properties of which Tree are said to be three fold, good for meat, pleasant to behold, and to be desired to get knowledge. In this triplicity first is the meat: Secondly, is the delight of the eyes: Thirdly, it is to be desired to get knowledge. Which triplicity, first for the meat, we do reduce to the good that is profitable; The delight of the eyes to the good whieh is pleasant: And that it is to be desired for knowledge, we do reduce to moral good, as it is in Prov. 19 8. Here are all the Bonums, utile, jucundum, and honestum. Every man standeth upon three faculties, the one is Vegitative, the other Sensitive, and the third is Reasonable. Now by the three kinds of good, of bonum utile, jucundum, and honestum, he tempteth severally each of these faculties. The faculty Vegitative, whereby man liveth, is alured in that it is said to be good for meat: The faculty Sensitive, of the sense, is tempted, for that by the second the eye, which is the very chief of all the senses, by the pleasure of the fruit, is alured. And for the third faculty, which is reasonable, he had this enticement, That the reason should be advanced, and should have greater knowledge. In 1 John 2. 16. these are the three enticements of the world, The first is concupiscence of the flesh or carnal pleasure: The second is lust of the eyes, which is the wantonness of the looks: The third is the pride of life, or ambition; and with these was Eve enticed, as eye service pleaseth men, Coloss. 3. 22. so pleasure delighteth the eye here, the lifting up the eye to be as Gods, and the curiosity of knowledge; the one is the pride of sense, the other is the pride of reason. She supposed that in the tree there was not only utile and delectabile, but even omne desiderabile, what ever good might be desired: She took this tree to be as the Pandora of the Heathen, wherein were all the gifts and graces to be desired, to be found: And by the eating of this tree, so adorned with all things, she accounted to be Mistress of all pleasure, of all knowledge. Good for meat First, It was good for meat. True it is, that man must have meat to preserve life, cibus enim habet umbr am naturae nostrae, meat hath the shadow of our nature; we are bound in a statute and strong band, by meat to save and preserve nature; this is the band of necessity which he hath bestowed, not only to eat of one tree, but he had the variety of all: And though God had allowed him many more trees than ever he could eat of; yet he will be looking upon the only tree God hath reserved to himself, yet must she needs desire to taste of fructus vetitus, the forbidden fruit; She is so dainty mouthed that she must needs eat thereof, though even with a curse she were forbidden it; thinking because it was forbidden, it would be more pleasant; for, as Solomon saith, stolen waters are sweet, and hid bread is pleasant, Proverbs 9 17. It is a general fault of all Mankind to desire to eat, or to have that is forbidden, or that we ought not. In 1 Chron. 11. 17. David longed to drink of the waters of the well of Bethlehem, which were the waters of blood and bitterness gotten with peril. To be desired to get knowledge. But happily the belly might be satisfied with the fruit of some one of the trees that were permitted; yet all the pleasure of the other trees in Paradise were not so pleasant in Eves eyes, as was this. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing, Preacher 1. 8. That every tree in the Garden of Eden was pleasant to the sight and good for meat, chap. 2. 9 In Eves sight this tree was more pleasant, and better for meat than all the other trees in Paradise. In 1 Sam. 6. 19 the men of Beth-shemash would needs be looking into the Ark of the Lord, which none might touch, into which none might look but the Priests; this was the reward, God slew fifty thousand and seventy men. Eve will eat that she might not eat: But when we will see that we ought not to see, this desire of vanity will admit the fruit of the forbidden tree to be both good for meat, and full of pleasure. The chiefest of the three goods is, that it is atres to be desired to get knowledge, whereupon chief she relieth that she shall attain the knowledge of good and evil; every one desireth knowledge. Triplex est tentatio, this latter temptation is triple: Eve, seeing the tree, is tempted by necessity, by vanity of the eye, and curiosity of reason: she should have followed the advice of Paul in Heb. 12. 1. seeing she was compassed with such a multitude of assaults, she should have cast away every thing that would have withdrawn her from obedience: she should have taken away the occasion whereby sin would have hanged on; she should not have beheld the tree. This amplifying of the goodness of this tree for meat, for pleasure, and for knowledge, and for what so might be desired, argueth a notable fetch in the Devil; that she, busying her eyes in beholding the same, and being employed in thinking of the great good that should come to her by eating thereof, might at length take and eat, and never think of God's words in quocunque die comederitis mortem moriemini; but rather regarding the Serpent's words, in quocunque die comederitis ex eo, eritis sicut Dei, scientes bonum & malum. He cloyeth her with pleasure; he maketh no mention of punishment. The Children of Israel, in Exodus 16. 3. being a little pinched with samin, they could murmur and remember their flesh pots in Egypt, and that than their bellies were full of bread; but they bring not in remembrance the sirie furnace wherein they were enforced to make brick. Satan, in Matthew 4. 8. in the 〈◊〉 of our Saviour oftendit sibi regnum mundi, & gloriam regni, he shown him the Kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, but he shown him not the cares and dangers that are in Kingdoms: For Kings themselves have termed their Governments of their Kingdoms splendidam servitutem, a glorious service or servitude. Here the Serpent causes Eve to see three things in this tree, The fruit was wholesome for meat, the pleasure to the eye, and that it was good to be desired to get knowledge, So he might have told her of three things written, for the eating of this fruit, which he omitteth, The first whereof, is God's wrath; the second, is death; and the third, death again, moriendo moriêris, dying thou shalt die; the one is the death of the body, which he incurred willingly; the other the death of the soul, which he must consequently run into; for the reward of sin is death, and for the goodness of the tree, it shall have the bitterness of sin; for the beautiful fruit which his eyes beheld, tenebrae exteriores, outward darkness; for the desire to know all things, man shall have Gods nescio vos, I know you not: In every sin there is an allurement and a punishment, as it is in 1 Tim. 6. 9 there is an allurement and a snare, as in covetousness. Lust bath a bait and an 〈◊〉 covered and not seen, as may appear by James 1. 14. When a man is tempted, he is drawn away by his own concupiscence and is enticed, Tenebantur eorum oculi, their eyes were holden that they could not know Christ, Luke 24. 16. And here the eyes of Adam and Eve were holden that they should not see the truth; for it is God's punishment because they will hearken to the words of the Devil, because they have sinned against the Lord, therefore they shall walk like blind men, Zephaniah 1. 17. God he saw that if they did eat of the tree forbidden, they should 〈◊〉 die,; the Serpent he saw they should not die at all, but if they did eat, their eyes should be opened, and they should be as Gods, what God saw they would not see, but what the 〈◊〉, that would they 〈◊〉. Here Eve saw that the fruit was good for meat; for meat for the body, and for meat for the soul, that is knowledge, where with Paul Philip. 4. 18. saith, he was filled. In 2 Kings 4. 39 they put 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 and knew it not, and were not poisoned. The fruit of this tree was to Eve such meat as was the wine of the Vine of Sodom; for 〈◊〉 it is in Deut. 32. 32. The Vines of Sodom & Gomorr ah were pleasant to behold, but what followeth, the wine of those Vines is the poison of Dragons, & the cruel gall of Asps: So here the tree is pleasant to the eyes and beautiful in outward show, but the fruit to them is most 〈◊〉 in the taste. The former part of this verse is Eves sin, the latter 〈◊〉 sin, which we will not now handle; for the occasion of 〈◊〉 was in her, seeing the goodness whereof, res ipsa loquitur. Her disposition to 〈◊〉 is in her taking the fruit, and stretching her hand to the same: The sin itself is in the eating of that which God hath said you shall not eat: Eve by seeing took the fruit; A Father saith well, Dedit Deus 〈◊〉 propter bonum, dedit palpebr as propter malum: God gave us eyes only to behold good, and eye lids that we should not see evil. But seeing they have abused God's commandment, God hath put this tree as a stumbling block of their iniquity before their face, as it is in Ezech. 14. 3. As before we did justly reprehend Eve for her harkening to the Serpents first speech, which was a question; So now much more Eve is to be reprehended for her harkening to the Serpents second speech, which is merely repugnant to the word of God; you shall surely 〈◊〉 saith God; you shall not die at all, Satan saith: Where she heareth not a speech of his dissimuled subtlety, but even the speech of 〈◊〉 maliciousness and open blasphemy apparent to the simplest; for now she should have stopped her ears, she should have stepped upon the Serpent's head, and she should even have stamped the Serpent (which was so malicious) under her foot. Every one cannot spy Satan when he appeareth as a friend: When Christ would have gone to suffer at Jerusalem, Peter as a friend in words of compassion saith to him, 〈◊〉 thyself, this shall not be 〈◊〉 thee. Christ he perceived friendly Satan in Peter, Matt. 16. 23. But in the gross sin of Idolatry, 〈◊〉 down and worship me; and in this notorious sin of 〈◊〉, you shall not die at all, any man may easily discover Satan. But Eve she was not moved at the report of an Angel of light, but at the words of a base Serpent or buggish worm; she was not only content to hear his needless questions, his reproaches to God's word, and his blasphemous terms against God himself, but which is more, she heard him willingly, she believed him, and she was very forward to do as the 〈◊〉 persuaded her: Aspiceret 〈◊〉 timentibus oculis, she should have beheld the Tree with twinkling eyes, as it is 〈◊〉 1 Sam. 3. 11. with tingling ears she should not have striven about words which were to no profit but to the perverting of the hearers, yet hear you that Eve giveth her eyes to behold the Tree, her ears to hear blasphemous words; she giveth her hands to take of the fruit; she giveth her mouth and belly, yea all her body unto the 〈◊〉: But it is not good to eat much honey, nor to seek glory by the sense. When that she could not refrain her appetire, she was like a 〈◊〉 which is 〈…〉 and without walls, Proverbs 25. 28. and her inward parts were battered. We find in the outside three things, vidit, tulit, & comedit, she saw, she took, and she did eat: The first was the concupiscence of the eye; The second, the stretching out the arm to take of the fruit, was the attempt; The last was the actual sin and the 〈◊〉. The ancient Divines do call the first desiderium; the second conatum, the endeavour; the last actum, the accomplishment. The The desire of the eye, and the endeavour of the hand, do argue a consent; and by the assent of reason she yields to eat. Seven degrees in every sin. The ancient Fathers do make seven degrees in every sin, out of this very first sin of Eve: But five of these degrees are past before we come to tulit, and the other two last, one concerneth the taking, the other the act. 1. Suggestion. The first of these degrees they call a suggestion; 2. 〈◊〉 the second they call the invading of the consent; 3. Consent to delight. the third they call consensum in delectatione, a consent to sin with delight; 4. Lingering. the fourth they call moram, a lingering and stay in the delight; 5. Consent to sin the fift they 〈◊〉 call 〈◊〉 in actum, a consent to the very practice of sin: 6. Taking. Then after these five degrees cometh the 〈◊〉, which is tulit, the taking the fruit; 7. Eating. and the seventh, which is comedit, the very act of sin. These seven degrees are seven several motions, and distinct, as you may easily see in this sin and disobedience of Eve: The first suggestion in Eve to disobedience was wrought by the Serpent; but now the suggestion in our minds, is by ourselves: Here the Serpent made question of God's goodness, now the corruption of our own nature maketh many needless questions. Satan hath two ways to convey concupiscence, either by his Pipes to play unto us pleasant notes, or by his Glass, therein to show us many allurements: But after the Fall the Devil needed not to use his suggestion; for behold, all the imaginations of the thoughts of man's heart were only evil, chap. 6. 5. Christ calleth these suggestions cogitationes ascendentes, mounting and ambitious thoughts. She saw three things, which are three degrees; and all the three are the second general degree. The first degree of the seeing they do call allubescentiam, an entertaining of the luggestion; and we call it here aspectum & intuitum arboris, the beholding of the outward show of the tree: The second degree of seeing, is by beholding it, to withdraw our asfection from the fear of God, which we call 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉, our turning ourselves from God. 3. Cons●… sua cum delectatione. The third degree I told you was called a consent with delight, which is a further bair, not only willingly, but even wishly to behold the fruit, and to look into the nature of the fruit: This degree they call inspectum and contuitum; vidit quod delectabile, she seethe that which is delightful to the sight, and this is consensus intellectus, a consent of the understanding as it is in Job 20. 13. when wickedness was sweet in her mouth, she hide it under her tongue, and favoured it, and would not for sake it, but keep it close in her mouth. 4. Morosa delectatio. The fourth degree is beyond the third, it is mora and morosa delectatio, a lingering of the del ght; this makes her dote on every circumstance, on the beauty, on the virtue of this tree: Hereby when we have removed from us the thoughts of sin, sin is resumed; this is non inspectio, sed introspectio, she seethe knowledge, not to be seen. Hereby she seethe quod concupiscendum, this degree is the hunger and thirst of sin, a burning desire to sin, wherein she seethe lignum delectabile and desiderabile, that the tree is pleasant, and to be desired to get knowledge. 5. Consensus in actum. The fift degree, as I told you is called consensus in actum, the consent to the act itself, thinking with themselves, If the beholding this tree be so pleasant, having in it to the eye all variety of pleasure, what, and how wonderful delightful will the taste thereof be: surely it will be full of all pleasure; and therefore I think it expedient to take thereof, and I do long to eat of the same: this is the consent of reason ad opus malum, to work wickedness, even with greediness; and they do call this last degree of sin vidit aberrationem cordis, a wand'ring astray of the heart. See Prov. 20. 1. 6. Conatus. In the sixth place comes the sixth degree, which is conatus, the endeavour to stretch our the hand, and to apply our hand to the pulling of the fruit from the forbidden tree. 7. Actus peccati. In the seventh place comes the last degree, which is the eating of the fruit, the consummation of all, even the sin itself. These seven degrees are compared to the seven degrees of 〈…〉 of a child in the mother's belly, by the ancient Divines, and that out of James 1. 15. where the Apostle saith, When last hath conceived, it briugeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. And indeed Eve, by seeing, was brought to bed of sin, which was the first begotten of Satan. The Cavilists do say of suggestion here of Satan by his question, that the suggestion is, as it were, the wooing of the woman, which is with some 〈◊〉. The second degree, allubescentia, the invading and entertaining the thought of sin, is as the yielding of the woman to the Suitor. The third, the consent with delight, this is the prostitution and submitting her mind to the Serpent. The fourth, 〈◊〉 delectatio, the lingering and soothing up the conceived sin, the 〈◊〉 the delight to sin, is as the conception of the child in the mother's womb. The fifth, which we called consen sum ad opus, the consent to put in practise the sin, is as the quickening of the child. The sixth, which is the endeavour and disposition to sin, in the taking of the fruit, is as the labour of the woman in Childbed; that was the wickedness of the hands, as it is in Psalm 7. 3. The seventh, which is the eating, is as the birth of the child; for this eating the forbidden fruit is sin itself, which is the first born of the Devil. Now will we speak of the endeavour of the Woman, in the taking of the fruit of the forbidden tree. The taking of the fruit came per 〈◊〉 Serpentis, and pulchritudinem arboris, by the guile of the Serpent, and by the beauty of the tree: These are the two motives in Eve to take of the fruit from the tree; for as Jeremiah speaketh, in his ninth chapter the twenty first verse, death is come up into the windows, and sin is entered into our palaces; sin is already in our eyes, and is entered into the palace of her heart: Hence it was that her feet were 〈◊〉, carrying her body from the trees permitted, to the sorbidden tree. David, as he speaketh in Psal. 119. 59 That he hath turned his feet into God's testimonies: and in the 101. verse of the same Psalm, As for evil, I have refrained my feet from the evil way, that I might keep thy word. But Eve here turneth her feet from God's testimonies and his word; and she turneth her feet to the Serpent, to go in the way of evil: At the first she 〈◊〉 say with Job, as he protesteth in his 31. chapt. 5. verse. If I have walked in vanity, or if my foot have made haste to deceit, let God weigh me in his just balance and he shall find mine aprightnesse: But behold now Eve, she walketh to see 〈◊〉; such are the feet of Eve, they are swift in running to mischief, as Solomon speaketh of the 〈◊〉 of the wicked, in Proverbs 6. 18. It is the prayer: of David, in Psalm 36. 10. Non veniat mihi pes superbiae, that the foot of pride would not come upon him. She came with a proud foot to behold this tree: And as it is in the said 10. verse of the 36. Psalm, The hand of the wicked moved to evil. Eve here she takes the tree with an high hand; she takes of the fruit with an out stretched arm. God he will do well to those that be good and true in heart: But saith David, in Psal. 125. 5. Those that turn aside to their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them with the workers of iniquity: So doth God here, lest they should put forth their hands to take of the fruit of this tree. Eve herself, in the third verse, confesseth that God commanded she should nottouch it. God he guideth the meek, and teacheth the humble their way Psal. 25. 9 Eve she saith she may not touch the fruit, yet she taketh the same in her hand; This is iniquitas and contradictio, evil and absurdity: She doth not only touch the fruit, but takes the fruit of the tree: As her inward soul was infected per imposturam Serpentis, by the flattery and deceit of the Serpent; so her senses of seeing and taking or touching, were enticed per pulchritudinem arboris, by the 〈◊〉 of the tree: There was a time when the eyes of man waited upon the Lord, as do the eyes of the handmaid upon her Mistress, Psal. 123. 2. God he was the guide of man, Psal. 48. his hands touched nor the mouth tasted nothing but that which was permitted: But now she is content instead of God, to have the Serpent for her guide; she will give her ears to hear his speeches, her eyes to behold vanity, her feet to run to deceit, her hands to work mischief, and her mouth to taste of sin, thus giving to Satan all her members, as weapons of unrighteonsnesse unto sin, as Paul speaketh in Rom. 6. 13. She was possessed with an itch, as may appear by the form of answer, Ne forte moriar; and by the pleasantness of the fruit in her sight, the jaundice of concupiscence might be perceived in her eyes. Her feet would be gadding where they should not, whose feet cannot abide in her house, Prov. 7. 11. Her hands were as lime twigs; her fingers itched till she were fingering of the fruit forbidden. When she had taken of the boughs and fruit, fuerunt aridirami, and putrida radices; quia non cepit quod caperet, because she took not of the tree which was permitted; cepit de fructu arboris per quam capitur, she took of the delightful and pleasant fruit, where with herself was taken: even as the fish which taketh the bait, but is taken itself of the hook, See chap. 15. 16. And she did eat. And she did eat. This is the consummation of sin; for the accomplishment of Eves disobedince is in actual sin: If Conatus, the endeavour to sin, if the practice of treason (though the treason be not fully accomplished) deserve death by the laws of man; if the concupiscence of the eye, which brought David from the adultery of Bersabe to the murdering of Urias, deserve the punishment and revenge of God, than the beholding, with concupiscence, the beauty of the forbidden fruit, deserveth God's wrath: Much more then, perfected disobedience, which is in the comedit, deserveth the death; for comedendo comedes, moriendo moriêris. Do as God hath commanded thee, and eating thou shalt eat of all the trees; but if thou eat of the forbidden fruit, moriendo moriêris, dying thou shalt die. To eat that which God hath said you shall not eat, implieth a plain contradictory to God's word, and a manifest disobedience to his commandment; and by ones disobedience many were made sinners, as Paul speaketh Romans 5. 19 Esau did eat his broth and bread with a good stomach, and in regard of them contemned his birthright, chap. 25. 34. In Genesis 37. 25. they regarded more the plasure of their own; jacob's sons were eating when Joseph was in the pit. It is David's prayer in Psal. 141. 4. Let me not O Lord eat of the delicates of the wicked. The bread that the wicked eat, saith Osee in chap. 9 4. shall be as the bread of mourners, and all that eat thereof shall be polluted. By sin primogenitura, the birthright of Eve is gone with Esau, The pleasure he took in his pottage was but short, while he was hungry. The space of every pleasure is but short, as the Fathers say, it endureth no longer than while a man may be eating an apple; the continuance of all pleasure is momentary; the pleasure remained but while the fruit was a eating: The punishment of disobedience. But for this transitory and vain pleasure she incurred endless pain of body and of soul; for as the Fathers say well, the ear that would not hear the words of love, ne comedite, eat not of it, shall once hear this speech of God's wrath, discedite maledicti, depart you accursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his followers: The eyes that beheld with joy and delight the pleasure of the forbidden fruit, those eyes shall be weeping and wailing for their amiss, all whose tears shall not avail them: The feet that did run unto iniquity shall be bound in iron and heavy chains; the hand of God's wrath shall be stretched out against that hand that presumed to stretch forth itself to take of the fruit that was forbidden, as it is in Esay 9 12. And the mouth that did eat of the forbidden fruit, thinking thereby to attain all pleasure, shall be full of gnashing of teeth, according to that, In Hell there shall be weeping and wailing & stridor dentium. In a word, the worms in the grave shall devour and eat her body that did eat of the fruit which the was forbidden, and the Dragon shall devour her soul; both her body and soul shall be in endless pain, still dying, never dead, for the reward of sin is death. God hath said, they should not eat, yet she did eat, and by eating fell into many sins, simplex est Dei verbum, but multiplex comedendi peccatum. Twelve sorts of sin. The ancient Divines upon this place say, that there are twelve sorts of sin; whereof the first three they do call peccatum occasionale: the second three they do call peccatum primitivum: the next three peccatum derivativum: the last three peccatum instrumentale, which they gather out of Job 24. 13. They abhorred the light, and continue not in the paths thereof. Three occasional. 1. Ingratitude. The first of the three occasionals is Ingratitude, or the neglect of the due measure of thankfulness to God for all the benefits whatsoever bestowed upon Eve in Paradise and us in this world; in that the mouth is not employed in the praising of God for all his benefits; but he filleth his mouth with this ne forte, lest peradventure. This first is the neglect of love. 2. Security. The second is a neglect of fear, which is a security: God he hath made me Monarch over all the Creatures; he hath given me all the trees, which are infinite, in Paradise: what though I eat of an apple, surely I shall not die? for so small a matter God will not punish me. 3. Careless curiosity. The third occasion is negligence of that wherein we ought to be most careful: we should not enter when God had forbidden the tree; this is carelesle curiosity, by the seeing the pleasure of vanity more than the will of God himself. These are the three causal sins, The neglect of love, the neglect of fear, the negligence of that is commanded; and the curiosity of that is needless. Three primitive. The three primitive sins concern the superior part of the soul; the three derivative sins the inferior part of the soul: Of them in order; first of the superior, after of the inferior. 1. Incredulity. First, the reason is infected with incredulity to God, and credulity to the Serpent; whereby they believed not, that if they should eat they should die the death, but if they did eat, they should be as Gods. 2. Tediousness. The second primitive sin is Discontent, a malcontented mind; which is the tediousness of this yoke, whereby this commandment and easy restraint is a burden unto them. 3. Self-love. The third sin of this kind is of the lower part of the soul, which is self-love; Accounting herself as if she had made herself, not as if she were made by God: I see the tree is wholesome and to be desired, why should I then seeing this refrain from it? Three derivative. Now for the three derivative sins: 1. Stupidity. First from Incredulity in God's word cometh a Child, which is the credulity in the Serpent, which is called stupor, an astonishment at the Serpent's speeches, which is a blockish patience in being content to hear the most abject Creature, a silly worm, a subtle Serpent, which is pejor omnibus viventibus, worse than any living Creature, even 〈◊〉 God. And from self-love are derived two other sins, 2. Pride. for from thence cometh pride, 3. Ambition. and from pride cometh ambition: pride and ambition are not one sin but several sins, for ambition is the lifting up of that which pride hath conceived: So that pride and ambition are the two Daughters of self-love. Three Instrumental. The last is the instrumental sin: 1. A licentious seeing. The first whereof is that of Jeroboam, who stretched out his hand to take the Prophet of God, and his hand withered, 1 Kings 13. 4. 2. A presumptuous reaching. The second is that of Lot's wife, who would look back to Sodom, yet was forbidden, to see the vain pleasure; wherefore she became a pillar of salt. 3. A greedy eating. The third is Esau's eating of his pottage for which he lost his birthright. Eves eye saw the fruit, her arm reached to take the same, her mouth did eat the same. The first is, a licentious beholding; the second is, a presumptuous taking; the last is, a greedy eating and devouring of the forbidden fruit. Etiamque dedit comedendum viro suo secum, qui comedit. Verse 6. Novemb. 27. 1591. THese words I have now read unto you, I told you contained Adam's sin: which words, if you mark them, do contain Adam's first sin and Eves second sin; for after she had eaten of the fruit herself, she gave of the fruit to him, there is her second sin; and he did eat, there is his first sin. The Wiseman in 42. 17. of his book saith very well God hath appointed that his saints should declare all his wondrous works, which he hath established by his Majesty. But behold, Eve, who was a Saint, when she became a sinner, published not Gods commandment, but the Serpent's words, and the commendations of the forbidden fruit: this is the woman that representeth iniquity, Zach. 5. 7. She is as the woman in Rev. 17. 13. that gave her power and authority to the Serpent. Not only to eat herself, but to give also to Adam the forbidden fruit, is, as a Father saith well, propinare Adamo, to drink to him in the golden cup of sin, in giving him the fair and pleasant fruit of iniquity, that they 〈◊〉 may eat. The Serpent in his first question speaketh of him, and here, Dixitne Deus ut non comederitis? hath God said ye shall not eat? 〈◊〉 speaking of both: And again, in his second dixit he saith, They shall not die the death; and their eyes shall be opened, and they should be as Gods: By his saying they & their, he meaneth not Eve alone, but Adam also: This plural dialect of the Serpent, argueth that he tempeth both Eve & Adam. At what time the Serpent beginneth his temptation, he beginneth with one, not with both; with the woman, not with the man; with the weaker, with her that was but a rib of man's strength, with one that is more credulous of his word than man, to whom the commandment is delivered; in a word he maketh her to fall, who is less able to stand: So that there were then but two sinners in the world, the Serpent and the Woman; Adam was still upright: But here when Adam eateth of the forbidden fruit, he maketh up the third sinner. So that Satan, Eve, and Adam are all sinners. Satan, in the Serpent, enticed the woman by his curious question in all subtlety to commit sin, and indeed profane and vain babble, they do increase to more ungodliness, 2 Tim. 2. 16. The Serpent when he hath played his part and made her eat, he is gone: But as the Serpent was the Devil's instrument to tempt the woman; so here the Devil, instead of the Serpent, will work the destruction of the Man by the Woman, causing her to give the forbidden fruit unto him. Satan by the Serpent, which was the most crafty and the most sabtle, made his first assault: And here he made his second assault upon Man per charissimam, by her that was most dear unto him: for in that he saith of her in chap. 2. 23. she is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh, she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of man; that she weth his affection of his earnest love to her: He useth subtilissimum and charissimum, that which is most crafty, and that which is most dear, as his two instruments; He tempteth the weaker and simpler by subtlety, the wiser by affection. As I told you before, he assaulteth the weaker, Woman, that was but a rib, having the commandment but by tradition from her husband, who had it from God himself; and so here in his temptation of man, he assaulteth the affection, which is the weaker part of man's soul; For S. Gregory, saith very well, Quod est vir & uxor in vinculo nuptiali, idem est ratio & affectio in vinculo naturali, that which the man and his wife is in the bond of Marriage, that is the reason and the affection in the bond of Nature: reason is the stronger, as the husband; affection the weaker, as the wife. Satan he knew well, that such was the affection of Man to his wife, that he reposeth such trust in her, that he will not examine what she demandeth, nor refuse what she offereth; for the heart of her husband trusteth in her, Prov 31. 11. he 〈◊〉 semitam animae suae, the way of his soul, and that way will he assault Adam. In 2 King. 3. 14. Elisha the Prophet, not because of Jehoram King of Israel, who was wicked; but only that he regarded Jehosaphat King of Judah, he would not have looked toward Jehoram, nor seen him: So the Serpent doth here deal with Adam; Adam he would not have looked toward the Serpent, nor toward the tree, had it not been that he regarded the presence of Eve. This is his means, by the persuasion of the Woman, to get his affection, and that so Satan may seize upon it: But this is the counsel of Nahum, chap. 7. 5. Trust not in a friend nor in a Counsellor, keep the door of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom: There is neither trust in friend nor wife: this is the mithridate for this poison: we are to beware of Domestical servants and professed friends, which do draw men to mischief more than sworn enemies; wherefore follow the advice of our Saviour, Matt. 18. 8, 9 If thy foot or thy hand cause thee to offend, cut them off; if thine eye cause thee to off end pull it out: better is it, to go into life halt and blind, than to go with a sound body to Hell fire: Cast from thee whatsoever is near and dear unto thee, even the wife of thy bosom, rather than to be tormented in the everlasting flames of Hell fire. The Devil's resolution here is by the woman, whom Satan had enforced to assault man: Perverting Gods Council and purpose. So he shall be sure first to pervert the council of God; Secondly, the woman shall enter deeper into sin, by making man to sin; Thirdly, that Satan might be Master thereby of them both. The disordering of God's purpose is in this; he hath made her for an help, but Satan maketh her an hindrance to obedience, The wife should be beautiful as the Vine upon the sides of thy house, Psal. 128. but she is become as the Ivy, to destroy the tree whereby it groweth; she giveth the fruit to Adam to choke him: he giveth her to Adam as Saul gave his daughter Michal to David, that she might be a snare unto him, 1 Sam. 18. 21. He made her to him as Jezabell was to her husband Ahab, who, by her counsel, sold himself to work wickedness; by her counsel he gave himself wholly to serve sin, 1 Kings 21. 25. But woe be to the man by whom offences comes Matth. 18. 7. 1. The woman's deeper entrance to sin. It was one thing peccare, to sin and peccare facere, to cause another to offend: In that she took of the fruit and did eat herself, she did sin; she gave to Adam, she caused him to sin, and this is an aggravation of sin to make her sin the more. 2. The Devils gain, and Adam's loss. Lastly, is the Devils gain by the loss of Adam's soul, which standeth upon two parts, the one is on Eves part, and the other on Adam's part; Eve gave to her husband, and Adam did eat. For the former, Eve, after she had eat of the fruit, she wiped her mouth, and gave of the fruit to Adam; like the adulterous woman in Prov. 30. 20. that eateth and wipeth her mouth, and saith I have not committed iniquity; after she hath satisfied her own desire, she maketh as though she had not offended: When she had sucked the gall of Asps, and when the Viper's tongue had slain her, Job 20. 16. she than wipes her mouth, as though there were nor death nor danger in the same; and having eaten herself, she giveth to her Husband to eat also: Evil did Satan do, and knew it to be so; Eve she had after the fall flattering enticements in her mouth, her words were as oil, but the end of her speeches was bitter as wormwood; her feet go down to death, and her steps go down to Hell, Prov. 5. 4.5. But yet Eve here thought she had done well. Sinnes bringeth forth sin. You shall see the nature of sin, that sin bringeth sin, unless it be extinguished by repentance; for Austin saith well of sin, Quod nisi deleatur duplicatur, which, unless it be extinguished, it is doubled. In Esay 14. 29. the Prophet saith, That out of the Serpent's root shall come a Cockatrice, and from the Cockatrice egg shall come a fiery flying Serpent, and here from the Serpent's malice came Eves sin, and from Eves sin came Man's fall, the Serpent's temptation brought forth Eves disobedience, and that Cockatrice egg hatched Adam's downfall, and so they were both rob of their righteousness: This is their descending from Jerusalem to Jericho, Luke 10. 30. Rebellion with sin. Again, after the woman hath eaten, this her giving of the fruit to her husband to eat, is a further circumstance in the nature of sin, to add rebellion unto sin; for the devil will not only seduce the woman, but (by her) will seduce man; for he draweth also the mighty by his power, Job 24. 22. The Serpent will destroy both the weak and the strong, the foolish and the wise. The sociableness of sins. Thirdly, Sin will be associate; for the sinner will try the righteous if he will offend, that even here Adam may be as deep a sinner as herself; for indeed good fellowship is not so apparently seen as among sinners, for they join hand in hand, manum in manu, saith Solomon, Prov. 16. 5. They do consult in heart, and make a league against the Lord, Psal. 83. 5.6. The Ishmaelites, and Moabites, etc. Sinners are as thorns folded one in the other, Nahum 1. 10. This is the sociableness of sin. Sin infectious. Fourthly, it is hence observed that sin is infectious. The Serpent he infected Eve with his breath of craft and maliciousness; made her believe him and eat of the fruit; and she being infected herself, infected him; This is called Pollution: He that toucheth pitch is defiled. She went not only out of the way herself, but she caused many to fall from the Law, Malach. 2. 9 her word did fret as a canker, as Paul speaketh 2 Tim. 2. 17. for sin is contagious, it poisoned Eve and Adam also. See 1 Tim. 1. 6. Austin upon this saith well, That if God struck blind the soul of Eve, she could not see her own misery from her original righteousness: The Serpent gave, and Eve gave the fruit. The Serpent gave to Eve, and Eve gave to Adam the same material fruit, but not with like affection. She in giving to Adam of the fruit, thinks she doth him an especial favour, and that whereof he needs not fear; for though by the giving him the same, she take away from him original righteousness, the favour and fear of God; yet she accounteth that she makes him a great reward: But this her reward may well be compared to the present of Ehud, Judges, 3. 16. who presented Eglon the King of Moab with a curious made dagger, wherewith after he killed him: The Apple wherewith Eve presented Adam was his destruction; but yet (as I said) she did it not with the mind of the Serpent; for he caused her to eat of a malicious mind, knowing it would be her bane: Yet Eve she gave it to Adam of a good affection, not of any malicious intent. 2. Means that women seduce men. Now the means wherewith she induceth man, to bring him to eat, are of two sorts, which are the two means that women use to seduce men withal; both are by the voice, as you may see in 17. verse following; Adam obeyed the voice of his wife, so that it should seem that she used some oration to persuade him, & blanditiarum verba, 1. Flattery. and flatterring words, 1 King. 11. 4. The idolatrous wives of Solomon turned his heart to Idolatry, blanditiis, by their flattery: And here Eve saith to Adam as it were thus, You may see that I have eaten and find the fruit to be pleasant; I have eaten, and yet I am living: and thus with a protestation of love, she wisheth Adam that he would eat. Adam, in the mean while, as a Father saith well, stood in doubt either to eat or not to eat, inter preces uxoris, & comminationes Creatoris, between the prayer of his wife and the threats of his Creator; God had said, in the day they did eat thereof they should die, he saw she had eaten and yet was living: salomon's wives, blanditiis, by flattery overcame Solomon. 2. Importunity. The other thing wherewith women overcome men, is Importunity; It was this that Delilah used to overthrow Samson, she was importunate with him continually, and therefore he told her all his heart, Jud. 16. 16. So that these are the two means wherewith woman overcommeth man namely blanditiis & importunitatibus, by flattery and importunity. And he did eat. Now it followeth to speak of Adam's sin, And he did eat. In the 17: verse of this chapter, God curseth man because he had obeyed the voice of his wife, and for that he had eaten of the tree, whereof God had commanded him that he should not eat; whereby you see, that not only the giver of the forbidden fruit, but the taker thereof also; both the persuader and the consenter to sin deserve death. The manner how he consented is in this (with her:) Adam he came to her, not she to him, say the Fathers: For although God had created Man in uprightness, though he were placed by God in Paradise, and though God's love to man were showed in making Eve to be his help, yet he gave no ear to the speeches of God's love, nor to his threats, but rather harkened unto Eve and her allurements: The woman hereby is convicted of carelessness, and the man of negligence, in that he permitteth her to wander from him where she pleaseth: but the woman must not departed, no not a little, lest she fall. A third thing is Eve and Adam's curiosity of this tree; they would eat it to try what virtue was in it; they would try a conclusion, if they should eat thereof whether they should die, as God had said, or be as Gods, knowing good or evil. Moses commanded That there should be no manna reserved till the morning; yet Exodus 16. 20. some there were that would try conclusions, that obeyed not Moses, but reserved it till the morning, and it was full of worms, and it stank. Again, as it appeareth in that chapter, to try conclusions some there were, contrary to Moses words, that upon the Sabbath day went forth to gather Manna. Paul 2 Cor. 11. 3. saith, I fear lest as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupt from the simplicity that is in Christ. In Adam his body from his soul, his sense from his reason should not have swerved. Eve believed not God, but the Serpent; Adam believed not God but Eve. Paul, Coloss. 2. 7. would have us rooted and builded in Christ, and established in the faith: But the root of all bitterness is infidelity; for Adam seeing Eves case, that though she had eaten of that pleasant and forbidden tree, yet she was living, and that there was as yet no apparent sign of any ill, thought the rather surely God spoke not this in earnest, neither for the eating of a small apple shall man die. But should have accounted God's word to be infallible, and that mortem moriêris was a sentence of condemnation: Faith should be rooted in God's word; but from incredulity, which is the root of bitterness, it cometh that he believeth Eve, by an inordinate love, not of lust, but of necessity to his wife; which we call a bashfulness; and the Fathers call it noxia verecundia. In 1 Kings 2. 4. So long as David's sons shall walk in the way of truth with all their hearts and all their souls, their posterity shall inherit the Kingdom. Adam, by eating this fruit shown a desire in him to grant her request; he loved her entirely, for that she was taken out of him, and given unto him by God, and then there were no more women in the world: He did eat that he might be accounted indulgens maritus, a most loving husband: that as Austin saith, In unitate peccati etiam socius sit, that even in the unity of iniquity he might be her companion. The Heathen call necessarium 〈◊〉 mulierem, a woman to be a necessary evil: So entire is his love to his wife, that as S. Gregory saith well, Plus credit uxori quàm 〈◊〉, he believeth more his wife, who is his helper, than God who is his maker. St. Ambrose saith, Man will be content to hear blasphemous and obscene speeches, ut offendatur Deus, ne offendatur amicus, that God may be offended, rather than his friend displeased. Now by the 22. verse you may see the ambitious desire of Adam, to become as God himself to know good and evil: therefore it is by the Fathers presumed, That by Eves information he presumed to be so: He was now weary of credere and obedire, to believe and obey God and his word: He desired now to command and control; to be non sub Deo, sed sicut Deus, to be no longer under God, but as God: his faith and obedience became a burden; he was not content with his knowledge of good alone, but he would needs by eating attain the knowledge both of good and evil; he began frige fieri in affectu, to wax cold in his affection toward God: And lastly, he made full account that he should be preferred; he should not be punished; none should be so excellent; he should be equal with God. But if that God were angry with him, yet Adam had his excuse, that he for the love and entire affection to her which was taken out of himself, for a good mind which he had to her, gave her his consent to eat of the forbidden fruit; which they gather out of the twelfth verse of this chapter, where Adam saith, The woman which thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat: He did behold what Eve did see and thought that thereby he should attain knowledge. But here the Holy Ghost, to avoid tediousness, briefly without any farther repetition, saith, And he did eat. Adam's understanding it was corrupted, his will it was infected, he was persuaded that he should be as a God, and that there was great virtue in the tree, whereupon he transgressed, that is, he went beyond the Commandment; God said he should not eat, but he did eat. Whereas Paul saith, 1 Tim. 2. 14. Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and was in the transgression. The Serpent deceived Eve and Eve was Satan's instrument to deceive Adam. Upon which place the Fathers do make inquiry of Adam's sin, saying, That Adam yielded to Eve, though he were not properly deceived by her; this his sin, say they, is the sin of necessity, not of his will. Solomon, for the love he did bear to his wives, was tempted to Idolatry; Ahab, for fear, committed murder: It was neither love nor fear of God could keep man in God's commandment, and yet they impute malice to God, and they are even set on mischief, Exod 32. 22. Adam's sin came out of himself, out of Eve which was his rib. Wickedness first came from the Devil himself, and his Cockatrioe egg that hatcheth iniquity is malice; he that imagineth to do evil, men call the author of wickedness, Prov. 24 8. According to the old and ancient proverb in 1 Sam. 24. 14. wickedness proceedeth from the wicked. Satan's wickedness is of malice, Eves wickedness is of error, adam's is of infirmity; then cometh noxia verecundia, a guilty shame fac'dness. Adam he fell of infirmity, in that he loved his wife more than he loved God. The ancient Divines, considering Adam's sin, do consider the same by the circumstances, which are seven. 1. The person. The first circumstance is of the person. Adam he was God's vassal, from whom he received infinite benefits, whom he made governor of Paradise, as if a County Palatine, to whom he gave a short Law, and an easiness not to sin; to whom he gave strength to withstand all violence; to whom he permitted all the trees in the Garden, reserving but one to himself; for whom also, being alone, he made woman to be to him a meet help: The bond of love unto God was before ever there was any Eve: It was love that linked Adam unto Eve, it was fear & love that linked Adam unto God; he therefore should have regarded more the word of God, than of woman. 2. The Object The second Circumstance is in respect of the object, against whom he offended; he sinned against God that created him, that gave unto him the government of Paradise, as a Father saith well, Quem nunc despicitis 〈◊〉 fecit, he whom now you despise is your maker: Besides it was he that made her to be an help, but now she setteth herself against God: He gave to Adam a commandment, brevissimum & levissimum, that was most short to be remembered, and most easy to be observed seeing that he will offend him that is so gracious, seeing he will break that Law which so easily may be kept, this circumstance maketh the sin of Adam to be the greater. 3 The motive and retentive to and from sin. Thirdly, They do consider the motive to sin, and the retentive from sin: What was it that moved Adam to sin, and to lose God's favour? It was but an Apple, a small fruit that seemed pleasant to the eyes, wherein there was but a short and transitory pleasure, while the fruit was a eating and in the mouth. But the retentive was in the highest degree, mortem 〈◊〉, thou shalt die the death, thou shalt die eternally; the fear was 〈◊〉 greater than the pleasure. Paul, Philip. 2. 8. faith of Christ, That he humbled himbled himself, and became obedient unto the death, even the death of the cross. But here on the contrary part, Adam exalted himself, he became even disobedient unto the death, the everlasting death of body and soul could not withhold him. The motive to sin was small and 〈◊〉: the retentive was great and terrible. 4 The manner. The fourth circumstance is the manner of sin, It was citò factum, soon committed. Peter's denial was ad vocem ancillulae, at the 〈◊〉 of a silly made. Adam's transgression was without delay at the voice of his wife. 5. The Place. The fifth circumstance is of the place, It was in Paradise that he was polluted: But though Lucifer were the most glorious in the Heavens, yet for his pride God sent him headlong from the Heavens. Man was Monarch of the earth, all in Paradise were at his command, yet for his disobedience God sent him out of Paradise. 6. The Time. The sixth circumstance is of the time, He was servant in obedience in the beginning, but he continued not therein many days; time as a file filled away his righteousness; he sell in the beginning. 7. The Punishment. The seventh circumstance is of some notable hurt, aliquod damnum, that should come to man by his disobedience, whereby both God and man are damnified: It before, while he was righteous, he were in the image of God, for in the likeness of God was Adam made, chap. 5. 1: then surely, by man's disobedience, God's Image in man was defaced: Adam, who was now unrighteous, was no more like God, who was only righteous and 〈◊〉 of Wisdom, but Adam, as David speaks Psal. 73. 22. was foolish and ignorant, he was even as a beast before God: and his sin was not only his own confusion, but the ruin of us all, of all mankind: It is Christ Jesus that will make our sins and iniquities to be no more remembered, Heb. 10. 17. It was the transgression of Adam that brought grave jugum super 〈◊〉, a grievous burden to all the world: from this sin came all sins; hence came the heap of all evil. The Fathers say that Omnia 〈◊〉 sunt appendices 〈◊〉, all misehief doth depend upon this disobedience of Adam; and they say that because this is the greatest sin, it deserveth the greatest punishment. The ancient Divines consider a difference in Eves sin and in Adam's sin. Eve she sinned in three respects; First, In hearing God's name reproachfully blasphemed: Secondly, In that she heard this blasphemy, not from the mouth of an Angel of light, but from a paltry and abject Worm: And lastly, In that she became scandalum, a means to slander God and seduce Man. Adam's sin is seen in three other respects; First, The man was stronger and yet he was seduced by the weaker: Secondly, Man was made as the woman's head; and therefore when he heard her say she had eaten, when he did see her offer him of the forbidden fruit, it was his part to have reproved her: Thirdly, the root of nature was in him, not in her; yet the corruption of all came by Eve unto Adam, and from both to us all; which hearing the words of the Serpent and the Woman, which seeing the pleasant fruit, which eating of the forbidden tree, did bring the punishment and death of body and soul to all men living. The Remedy. But the remedy for this so vile and 〈◊〉 a sin, and the redress of this punishment, is by the promised seed, our Saviour Christ, born of a Woman. It was our Saviour that, for the flattering 〈◊〉 of Adam, heard all reproaches: Adam beheld the fruit, which was pleasant in his eyes; Christ he was buffeted about the eyes Adam took the tree in his hand; Christ was fastened to the tree: for the stretching out of Adam's hands to take of the fruit, his hands were stretehed out and nailed upon the cross: adam's eating of this pleasant fruit, was 〈◊〉 by his eating of bitter gall and sharp Vinegar, according to that Psal. 69. 21. They gave him gall in his meat, and in his thirst they gave him vinegar to drink: Man had his side pierced; but Christ had his heart opened. All these things did God do to deliver us out of that misery whereinto, by Adam's sin, Mankind had fallen: who shall deliver me from the body of this death, but God through Jesus Christ. In Ezechiel 3. 3. they that shall eat the roll that God shall give them, it shall be in the mouth as honey: In believing Christ's name we shall have life, John 20. 31. If then we eat of the forbidden tree, & eat not of the promise which we have in Christ, we shall die the death, both body and soul shall be tormented: We must not say Quid mihi tecum Christ? Christ, what have I to do with thee? but we must receive him that is our Redeemer: In the 〈◊〉, we must therein eat of the bread, which is his body, Mat. 26. 26. who broke the bread in his Supper, and offered his body on the Cross Christ, through suffering death tasted death for all men, that through affliction the Prince of our salvation, might be consecrated, Heb. 2. 10. And by our faith in him death shall be to us but as the tasting of the poison, which death shall not swallow up our soul; though our body die our soul shall live for ever. But the sinners that eat of the tree, that commit wickedness, if they repent not, shall be cast into endless afflictions. As by Adam we all eat of the forbidden tree in the midst of the Garden, in the beginning of the bible; so by Christ the blessed shall eat of the tree of life in the mi'dst of the heavenly Paradise, wherein there are twelve manner of fruits, and the leavs thereof do serve to heal all the Nations of the Earth, Rev. 22. 2. The leaves of this tree in the end of the Bible, will serve for medicine here in this life; but after this life ended, this tree of life shall fill us all with 〈◊〉, joy, and glory everlasting. Which God of his infinite mercy grant, etc. Amen. Tunc aperuerunt sese oculi amborum, noveruntque se nudos esse: & consutis foliis ficulneis fecerunt sibi subligacula. Gen 3. 7. January 25. 1591. THE opening the eyes of our first Parents, by which they saw that they were made naked, which was the former part, was sent from God; that they seeing that sin (which was against God) was a loss of their glory, which is called bonum utile; and that instead thereof brought unto them nakedness, shame and confusion, which was against bonum honestum, and also that it did cast them into that distress and anguish of mind, that they could not tell what to do or find to cover their shame but fig leaves, which was against bonum jucundum; which opening of the eyes, coming from God was to this end, that, by seeing this, they might return to their own hearts. Esay 46. 8. and inquire, as Esay willeth them 5. 19 wherefore they had done this, and transgressed Gods holy laws; that seeing their sin against God, they might confess it, & so have pardon and forgiveness. For it is not in God's Court, as it is in the Courts of men, where the way to confess the fault and fact, is the way to be condemned; but with God the only way to be absolved and acquitted from sin is truly and unfeignedly to confess our sins unto him; & this is the end, why God in mercy doth send to them the opening of their eyes, that they might see their sin, & it began to prevail that we may see the effect it had of them; for though as yet the nobleness of their nature was such, that they feared nor (for there was yet no fear to them) yet we see they were ashamed, & by it were driven to seek a covering to hid that shame with all; but that effect of their seeing and shame was not good; for whereas it should have made them return penitently to God from sin, which was so shameful, they instead of turning to their own hearts, and to God, do run to the fig tree leaves to make them cover withal; and so this Counsel of God in sending their sign was disannulled and perverted from turning to God to stepping to the fig tree. And so whereas God appointed and sent the opening of their eyes for their good and conversion, the Devil doth cause it by this means to turn to their greater destruction. By which we see how the Devil and sin doth infatuate men, and make them foolish and ignorant how to do that which should be for their good and salvation; but as the Prophet saith, Jer. 4. 22. The Devil and sin whetteth their wits making them very sharp & wise to do evil, to hinder their salvation, and to make them cover and excuses to conceal, cloak, and colour their sin withal: at this we are very good, and have a present invention to coynelyes and excuses, but we are dull and blockish to prevent the danger which sin doth bring. This practice of the Serpent we see in this, in that Adam goeth not to a tree of small or narrow leaves which were not fit for his purpose, but to the fig tree, which in that country, as Pliny reporteth have leaves instar peltae Amazonum, as broad as a Target, and therefore most meet to make a covering withal: Then besides their present sharpness in choosing the fittest matter to make this covering: we 〈◊〉 in the next place their ingenious art and invention, in that on such a sudden without study they are able to sow and piece them together; so that they did serve instead of breeches to hid that nakedness withal, this we are able to do of our own natural inclination, sine Magistro: which disposition of our corrupt nature we see by experience in all men even until this day; for do we not see wicked men given over to all evil, which in any good matters are very dull & blockish, and in Religion very senseless and rude, yet in this to be very ingenious and witty, to invent divers excuses to hid and colour their sins withal; herein their wit and art never faileth them, but ever serveth them well, wherefore of us may the Prophet also say Jer. 4. 22. they are wise to do evil, but to do well they have no understanding. The second default that Adam and Eve made in this was, that the devil taketh up the whole room of their hearts, with the care and consideration of their bodily defects, not regarding the spiritual nakedness and shame of their faults. The third is, in that they seeing their nakedness, do not seek to take away the cause of the shame, of their sin, but the effect, which is their nakedness and shame; which is as if a man, seeing and knowing himself to be sick, should not seek to remove the cause of his disease, but the Symptomata and outward accidents thereof; as if a man should only be careful to take away the pimples of his face, which are but outward accidents of his disease, and never regard to remove the heat of the Liver, which is the inward cause thereof, and this is the third offence quia dolebat, & cur abat dedecus peccati, non peccatum, his care was only to be rid and acquitted of the shame of sin, and not of sin itself. Fourthly, if this nakedness which they see be so evil and so odious, than this also is another fault of theirs, quia nolunt tollere sed tegunt eam, for indeed their desire should not be so much to cover as to care it; but their care, è contra is, non curare, sed velare, and this is the nature of men now a days in their distresses to seek involucra, non remedia, that is, masks to cover and hid, not means to care and remedy their soul offences. The last and sift, is that vanity of this covering of the fig tree leaf; for as Saint Ambrose saith, Wilt thou needs have a covering of thine own seeking and making to hid thy sinful nakedness, than thou art foolish and mad to go to the figtree for leaves, thou shouldest rather have gone to the Rocks and Mountains, and cried to them Cover us, Ose 10. 8. for they are thicker and more able to cover, or if thou wilt needs have it of leaves, why went'st thou not to the Tree of Life, whose leaves are said Revel. 22. 2. to serve for medicine to cure and heal withal; ☜ This than was another fault, in that they rather went not to the Tree of mercy Christ Jesus, but to their own Tree of hypocrisy; or why went they not to the Olive Tree, because that seemeth to be a tree of mercy? Gen. 8. 11. for the Dove bringing a branch of that, shown that God's anger was appeased, and was a sign of mercy; or else why did they not make a covering of that of which the mercy fear was made? One of the Fathers saith, I have heard indeed, Esay 38. 21. that a cluster of figs had a virtue to cover & heal, but as for the leaves of that tree, they quickly fade and fall away to nothing, Esay 34. 4. or though the substance of the leaf could endure, yet the thread wherewith they are sewed together would not hold, but be broken when God doth tear them off, the 13. of Ezekiel, the 20. and the 21. and then where will be their covering which they have made. But of all the rest, the greatest fault of all was, in that they rested quietly and securely in this vain covering which they had made, saying pax, pax, tush, all is well enough, we are safe and need not fear, and in this secure carelessness they continued until the evening: This made St. Augustine say, I suspect this garment and covering, for it seemeth to be a fit reward for their eating the forbidden fruit, that after they had eaten that fruit, they should have for their labour a handful of fig-leaves, What fruit had you of your sin, whereof you are now ashamed? Rom. 6. for God giveth shame and confusion, and the devil sendeth only a handful of vanity for all that 〈◊〉 have done, Rom. 11. 8, 9 God sendeth spiritum compunctionis, and the Devil sendeth a snare and stumbling block for the recompense of their sin. Learn a Parable of the figtree, saith our Saviour Christ, Math. 24. 32. which Parable, as the best and ancient writers think, is taken from this here; for by way of Parable they say, that this figtree which the devil planteth fast by the Tree forbidden, hath two mighty great and main arms which grow out of it, each whereof hath divers branches and main leaves growing thereon. The one is the arm of excuses, whose leaves are to hid sin and shame by excusing it, Psal. 141. 4. The other hath growing on it divers pretences to defend their sin, by making policies to cover it withal. The first, chief, and principal is, when men will set a good face and justify their ill-doing as Ionas did, Jo. 4. 9 Dost thou well to be angry? Yea (saith he) I do well to be angry at the heart, this is a fig lease of justifying and defending his fault. The second is tergiversatio, Mark 14. 68 when one is challenged and accused of a fault, to seem ignorant and simple, and therefore innocent of any such matter; I know not what you mean! I hear you not! The third is Recriminatio, 1 Reg. 3. 16. that is, To lay the fault on another, as the Harlot being accused to smother another woman's child, she thinketh to shift it off this way, She hath smothered my child. The last is, translatio, when we confess the deed but yet can post and put it off to another from ourselves, as jacob's sons did Gen. 37. 32. Joseph is slain, here are his clothes, and it is like that some wild 〈◊〉 hath done it: this is a figleaf to lay the fault on the innocent; for the other there are fig-leaves of circumstances to excuse sin when we cannot defend it; as the circumstance of place, time and person. For the time, Hushaye saith 2 Sam. 17. 1. at this time and occasion it is not good, so some will say at this time, and upon this occasion it is not ill, for the place and person they say though it were evil, if any other had done it, in another place, yet this man doing it here, it is not evil but good and lawful, there is no vocation or trade of life but hath these fig-leaves of excuse; the Lawyer hath his excuse and pretence saying, This is the Law, we cannot help it, so did the Jews, We have a Law, and by our Law he must die, there is no remedy, we cannot do it; Divinity and Religion have their fig-leaves and excuses to cloak sin. jacob's sons pretended circumcision Gen. 34. 15. Absalon pretended Sacrifice, 2 Sam. 15. 8. And Jesabel a Religious fast. The last pretence and excuse is, that which is, Rom. 9 19 to excuse their sin, by saying it was God's will that I did it, and who could resist or withstand it, as Christ saith to Nathaniel, John 1. 48. I saw thee under the figtree, so may it be said of us, for it is all our case naturally to be under this veil of hypocrisy, thinking our case well being covered therewith, and this Christ seethe, and findeth us when he cometh to convert us; but Christ before he went to his passion, is said to curse the figtree, Mark 11. 12. 13. 14. Maledixit ficui, because it only had but leaves on it, without fruit, to show us, that until the leaves of hypocrisy fall off, and till our figtree bear fruit, Christ's passion will do us no good. Deinde audiverunt vocem Jehovae Dei itantem per hortum ipsum ad ventum illius diei: quare abscondit se Adam & uxor ejus à facie Jehovae Dei, inter arbores illius horti. Gen. 3. 8. January 29. 1591. UNTIL the cool of the day, that is, until the Evening, Adam and Eve remained in their covering of fig-leaves, and so long God patiently waited expecting their Repentance: But we see that so long they never betook themselves to God, but all this while yet thought themselves in very good case, being secure in their own Covert, which they had made, therefore God must show one mercy more to them, seeing shame will not excite them, or else they would have perished in their sin. God expected patiently all the day long their coming unto him, but they hide themselves all this while, and therefore he vouch safeth to come unto them; Elizabeth said Luke 1. 43. ut veniat ad me mater domini? Usus. but how much more than may Adam say, how is it, how cometh it to pass, that my Lord himself cometh to me? wherefore all along in this history we may mark and see, that God in justice remembreth mercy to miserable men. A Second consideration of this is, that as shame is the outward Sergeant which seizeth on the body and flesh appearing in the face, so fear is the Seargeant of the heart, seizing on the Soul within, and as shame for his object is seized with ignominy and infamy; so fear hath for his contrary object danger and doubts of evil, either present or imminent, and shame belongeth and is seen in them only or especially, which have some grace and ingenuity, and humane disposition or reasonableness: for beasts are not said to blush or be ashamed, for it pertaineth not to unreasonable Creatures. So long as we have any grace, reason, or hope of humanity and ingenuity, God 〈◊〉 to win us by shame, but when men are become brutish and as beasts without understanding, than he sendeth them the other Sergeant of fear, which we know is effectual to move bruit beasts, for the dullest Ass is moved with fear; Differentia inter pudorem & timorem. thus we see the different nature of fear and shame, the one moveth those which are ingenious and have grace and wit in them, but the other is sent to move those which are brutish and blockish and of a servile nature. Now we will come to the words of this use, in which we are to consider two points, the one is in Adam's part, the other in God's behalf; that which concerneth God is set down in four special points. Walking, that was the manner of his coming. First, that God came: Secondly, that he came walking: Thirdly, that he came with a voice, and was sensibly heard: And lastly, for the time of his coming, that was in the cool of the day, which is the evening, of which four points: First for the first we must know, That when God is said to come, to walk or to speak, that God's spirit, in the Scripture, useth those poor phrases and manners of delivery for our weakness and infirmity, because we cannot otherwise well conceive these things in God, for to speak properly to come to a place which indeed in his own nature is every where, and filleth all places with his presence, Jer. 23. 24. The Prophet Isaiah 66. 1. saith the earth is but his footstool, and we know that one cannot walk on his stool, he properly can but stand on it; therefore some think to satisfy this place, that God is said to have appeared here, and was heard walking and speaking, not in his own personal presence, but per dispensationem, sending an Angel, as it were, in his 〈…〉: But there are some which do think that it is not necessary, and that we need not grant here any such extraordinary and visible apparition and presence of God, in any shape or resemblance; and that that which Moses saith Deut. 4. 15. of Gods appearing in Horeb, may truly be affirmed and avouched of this place, namely, that they only heard a voice, but saw no shape or visible likeness, or representation which appeared to their eyes, and therefore that they perceived and knew God's presence coming to them, not by the eye seeing any thing, but by the care only hearing a sound or voice; for so we read that he came and appeared Moses and Elias, in such a strange manner of voice and sound, that they might by it know that no creature but only God the Creator, which could come in such a majestical, and glorious sound and in this sense, we may take these words, because it is said, they heard God's voice walking, and not that God came visibly walking; he was heard speaking, not seen walking. The second point on God's part is, quod venit Deus ambulando, by which walking is commonly meant, such conveying as Judges use when they come to judgement, and to try matters to be judged, Prov. 8. 20, 2. It is said of Samuel which judged Israel, that every year he walked and meant about all places in Israel, as Judges do go their circuits and perambulations, to Judge the people, 1 Sam. 7. 16. So that this in effect and substance is that which is said before, and signified by his coming, namely his purpose to give sentence and to execute just judgement against their sin. The third point concerning God, is, that his walking was not in silentio, as Job saith, but with an audible voice, Job 4. 16. and that such a voice as Ely heard, 1 Sam. 3. 11. which should make their ears tingle and glow, that it was a terrible and fearful voice terryfying them for sin. The fourth and last thing is the time, that is, in sero, in the evening, And therefore doth God wait until the evening, Esay 30. 18, because he would willingly have mercy on them, which rather by right and reason should wait for him; But when we regard not Gods sending, God doth oftentimes wait and tarry so long before he cometh to Judgement, that his delaying, late tarrying and waiting, sometimes becometh offensive to the godly, and scandalous to the wicked, for so the godly cry, Lo how long wilt thou tarry to be revenged of the blood of thy Saints, and the enemies of God do slander the foot steps of his anointed, Psal. 89. 51. saying, where is the promise of his coming? he is long coming. As this therefore is the first regard and acceptation of the time, that God surely and certainly cometh at last, though late in the evening: So the second is the reason why he cometh then, because temptation and the time of lust and committing of sin is aestus diei, as it were the heat of the day, and then God seethe, that it is no time to come to man, for then all his senses and wits are taken up with the heat of lust and concupiscence, and therefore it is God's wisdom to choose out this cool time of the day, in which the rage and heat of sinful lust is overpassed and abated. That course which Abigail took, 1 Sam. 25. 36. is the course which God useth, that is, in the spirit of discretion, to deal with men when the fit or rage of sin is past, and when their blood is cooled, for it is no meddling with a man in his drunken fit or in his fury of heat and rage, because their advisement and senses are then taken away, the Prophet Jer. 2. 24. would have us to see the wisdom and discretion of men of experience in this case, who will not seek to take the wild Ass when she is lusty and light, for then at that time she will snuff up the air proudly and scornfully, and none can turn or tame her, therefore saith he, take her in her month, when she is great with young, and then she may easily be caught and tamed, this must be our wisdom and discretion, when we see them rapt and bereft of their senses, to bear and suffer them until the tempest be overblown, and the heat of their sin cooled and somewhat allayed. Now to the second several point, which is Adam's part, which showeth the effect which this voice of God wrought in them, and how they demeaned and behaved themselves, when God's voice came to them, which is set down in two things: First, They heard it: Secondly, They hide themselves from God, which is amplified after two sorts: First, That they hide and shrouded themselves in the shrubs and thickest of the trees: Secondly, That they hide themselves from the presence of God, and this is the effect, which his coming and voice wrought and heard in them, for which (because, between hearing and hiding, there must go something) the writers do find out these several things. First, for the hearing we say and may see, that it is a mercy and favour of God, in that he did not only open their eyes being blind making them see their foul sin; but also open their ears, being deaf, that they might hear of the danger of their sin, but this is a new counsel, a stratagem of the Devil, the evil counsellor, to make them fly away at that voice, which should have been the means to have brought them to God again, Peccatum est fuga, as divines do say, therefore the Devil will have them bis fugitivi: having fled from God by sin, now to fly again further from him by despair and there to hid themselves, as who should say, without doubt your God cometh in just and angry mood, to make an end of you for sin, therefore by mine advice haste and fly away from him; this is the Devil's custom and comfort, when he hath brought men into sin, as plainly he showeth himself, 1 Sam. 28. 16. When he had brought Saul into sin, he saith, why comest thou to me, seeing God hath forsaken thee? God will surely punish thee as he said, etc. Where he showeth himself in his right kind: This is all the comfort we shall find at his hands, when we have committed sin; for when we have followed his ill counsel, he will say thus to us, you hear how angry God is, how terrible and fearful his voice, his steps towards you and presence is, wherefore fly, for how will ye be able to abide his hand and vengeance, which are thus afraid at the sound of his steps and voice? But if Adam and Eve do and needs will 〈…〉 will they 〈◊〉? surely from the presence of God, and is not God their only life, joy, comfort, hope, and help in this misery? see then by the craft of Satan and sin, they are willed to 〈◊〉 from their life, health, liberty, and hope of all the good they have, that so the Devil might be sure that they should perish in their sin. To conclude, we see into what misery man is fallen for a little vain pleasure of sin, which lasted but the space while the apple was chewed in their mouths, but that vain short delight being vanished and gone, now remain their extreme miseries for ever, except the mercy of God provide a remedy; For first we see it brought on them nakedness and shame: Secondly, blindness and senselesness, that they could not see their shame and sin: Thirdly, the worm of conscience when they saw it for as a garment breedeth a moth which will destroy it, so doth sin breed his gnawing worm, which will torment and destroy sinners: Fourthly, when it was seen, it brought on them confusion of face without: Fiftly, a horrible fear and trembling of the heart within: Sixtly, to avoid and cover it, it taught them the folly and fondness of vain hypocrisy, with fig leaves to cover it: Seventhly and lastly, it broke out into a desperate madness and frenzy, in that sin and Satan persuaded them, that they must fly from God, and hid themselves from him, as without hope of his mercy. And therefore we see now that they had lodged themselves in the brakes and thickets of the shrubs and bushes, but all in vain, as we shall see hereafter, for that which they had made their Castle and Covert to lodge, hid, and keep themselves safe, God maketh to be as it were their Goal and Prison, out of which he will bring them to judgement, and to the Bar to be arraigned, as we shall see in the next verse. Inclamavit autem Jehova Deus Adamum, & dixit ei, Vbi es? Gen. 3. 9 Februry 1. 1591. THE whole course of Gods proceeding in this judgement, is called by the Fathers, Spectaculum clementiae divinae, & dementiae humanae, a spectacle and clear view on the one side of the loving kindness of God, and on the other part of the foolish blindness of man. All this verse, as the ancient Writers term it, is as the voice of an Archangel crying before the first Judgement; 1 Thess. 4. 16. for as at the last day of general judgement, shall first an Archangel be sent out with a voice of a Trumpet to scite and summon all flesh, to arise out of their graves, in which sin hath hid and lodged them till then: So we see at the first Judgement of man before God beginneth, he first sendeth out a voice calling and crying to Adam and Eve to arise out of their prison, and to appear before God to receive according to their deserts and works, for God did usually use the voice and ministry of Angels, by whom he did commonly speak unto men, as Gen. 16. 8. God spoke unto Agar by the voice of an Angel, and that voice by which God spoke, was the voice of an Angel, Deut. 5. 22. 26. and that also, John 12. 28. 29. And the reason why God speaketh to men by the ministry of Angels is, because his voice is not proportionable to our hearing and weak ears; it is fare above our reach, and therefore he speaketh by Angels, framing their voice more fit and agreeable to our nature, and thus generally of the words of this verse. More particularly we are to observe two parts; first, that God did call to Adam: Secondly, the effect or contents of his calling. The first is a proclamation, the other the tenor and substance thereof: The matter and contents of his calling is judicial, but as God's song over is as well of mercy as of judgement, Psal 101. 1. and his works of bountifulness, as of severity and justice, Rom. 11. 22. so will we proceed in the handling and declaring of this his speech, first showing his mercy therein, and then speaking of them as they declare and set out his severity and justice. Touching his mercy which he remembreth in judgement, the matter thereof here contained is two sold: First, as God's mercy hath been seen in these four points, In sparing them; In making them see their sin; In sending his Messengers to them; And in coming himself to them. First point. So this is the first point, and a degree of mercy above and beyond all, in that as he came, so he 〈…〉 to speak and talk with him, which I doubt not to make the fist degree and step of further mercy. These things considered, that every use and action of God doth set out a new mercy unto man, is a verifying of the gracious saying of our Saviour Christ, Matth. 23. 37. quoties te congregare volui, ut gallina pullos suos sed noluisti? And this is a fault in Adam, that he did not first go to seek the Lord and cry to him, ubi estu domine? rather than God should come to him and say, ubi es Adam? or when he had perceived that God was walking towards him first. This is his second fault, that he did not prepare himself with fear and humility, to meet the Lord, and fall down low before his footstool; for Shemey in policy saw it best when he had offended David, and heard that he was coming into his Country again, first to make haste to run and meet him with submission and humility, that so he might procure grace and pardon, as indeed he did 2 Sam. 19 19 20. but Adam, instead of crying to God as David did, de profundis, doth betake himself to flying, and therefore God as a friend pitying his estate, doth pursue and follow him in his flight, and speaketh to him in his silence, and so preventeth him every way, that he may be saved. And all this is done to him, to set down to us, that men might be moved hereby to say as David doth, I will sing of the loving kindness and mercy of the Lord; my tongue shall ever be talking of his praise, Psal. 149. 1. and that we might confess with thankfulness, that his mercy is above all his works, Psal. 59 16. The second general point, is the tenor and contents of the voice and proclamation; where we must note, that this question ubi es? is not vox ignorantis, sed increpantis & tamen clementis Dei; For the tenor of the words doth savour much of mercy, for when God had found Adam all hid, he breaketh not out into the cruel and bitter invective as Shemei did, 2 Sam. 16. 7. Come forth, come forth, thou murderer and wicked one, etc. Which severe voice man deserved and God in mercy might have justly used, but God according to his goodness and nature doth mildly begin to deal with him, saying, ubi es? And thus writers gather, because the Hebrews have in their tongue a double ubi, the one is a reproachful and sharp ubi, but this here is that which Jeremiah in his Lamentations doth often use, and therefore is a sorrowful ubi, as who should pity them which are not where they should be? wherefore this voice and question is without any exprobrations or bitter taunting words, lest he should be overcome with despair and grief, but hereby God doth as it were give him a safe conduct, as it were, giving him free leave to answer for himself the best he could, as it is said favourably to Paul Act. 24. 10. You are permitted to speak for yourself, you shall be favourably heard, which is a special grace and mercy of God, because whereas he might have cut him short off, and stricken him dumb, yea and dead too, without any more a do. Now to the tenor and matter of this verse, as it showeth and letteth out the Justice of God, for as God is merciful and loving, so Justice must come forth to judgement against sin, Psalm 94. 15. For this is a matter of consequence, that albeit God is for a long time patiented and merciful, yet at length he will show himself to be righteous and just by coming to judgement: but indeed even Gods very judgement is a mercy showed to men, as I have showed; for so is this judicial proceeding in judgement set down, as a favour and mercy Luke 19 15. showed to servants and subjects; for vers. 27. it is said to be the state of an enemy to be slain without judgement, for of such God saith, bring him forth, slay him before my face presently: Again, carry these away, bind them and cast them into utter darkness. They therefore which will not hear God ut consulentem patrem, shall hear against their wills, ut condemnantem judicem: And he which will not obey the Judge willingly, shall obey the Hangman whether he will or no. This course of God's judgement holden, being the first, is a pattern and platform of the whole proceeding of judgement, in all Courts and places of Justice, that shall be in the end of the world; for here in this place we may gather the whole right proceeding of Justice in a place of Judgement; for in the 7. verse. God sendeth out first a process to arrest and cite them; which they refusing, in the 8. verse. God sendeth an attachment, which is a more peremptory kind of vocation more effectually, by fear, to constrain them and bring them to their answer; which, when they had shifted off also, he came himself; and in the 11. vers. brought them to their trial and purgation; then in the 12. ver. there followeth the confession of his guilty conscience; and then followeth the just sentence in the 14. vers. and in the 22. vers. beginneth the execution thereof; and so an end. God's course therefore is first to call forth Adam to his answer; but this may seem at the first sight, to be a defective course, because here is none but the Judge, and the party arraigned, to accuse, and to be a witness against him; upon which the Judge might proceed; for, no other person being there, it must needs be, that either God must proceed in this Judgement ex officio, or else make Adam accuse himself: Foelix, Act. 25. vers. 16. saith that it was not the manner of the Romans to arraign any, before there was brought in evidence against him by accusers and witnesses; but to answer this, we say, that as it were erroneous to hold that there was not third person to accuse him, for here is the Devil which is the accuser of all men, therefore there wanted not an accusation; and besides him which accused by suggestion, no doubt adam's own conscience within, and evident action without, did accuse and witness against him; for Adam's flight and hiding himself, accused him of fear and shame; and fear and shame argued him to have a guilty conscience; and his guilty conscience accused and testified against him that he had done some heinous offence against God; and so the evidence of his crime being manifestly laid open before them all, God might, and must orderly proceed in Judgement against him. Error. Therefore it is also an error in those which hold that there may not be any just, lawful, and ordinary proceeding judicially against any unless there be brought 〈◊〉 face to face to accuse them; for it is plain and evident, that upon such strong presumptions, one may be called before the Judge, and the Judge may judicially proceed against him thereupon; as we see in the case of murder how God proceeded against Cain, Gen. chap. 4. vers. 9, 10, 11, 12. and how God proceeded against Sodom and Gomorrah, Gen, 18. 20, 21. and how they proceeded in an extraordinary course against Jeremy, Jer. 29. 26. when the matter concerneth the trouble and confusion of a Country or Commonwealth; for if it was permitted to a private man by the Law of Jealousy, to make his wife purge herself, and to bring her to trial upon surmise and suspicion, Numb. 5. 14, 15. etc. then much more may (men in authority, who must be jealous over the Commonwealth and State of a Kingdom, when they see it in danger by troubles and tumults that arise) use such an extraordinary manner and course of judgement in bringing men to their trials, of whom they have a strong suspicion, and surmise to be the causers thereof: for so did Joseph to avoid danger to the State, upon surmise and suspicion, call his brothers before him, accusing them for spies. Qui dixit, Vocem tuam audiebam in hoc horto: extimui autem, eò quòd nudus sim, & abscondi me. Gen. 3. 10. February. 3. 1591. WE have heard how vain a thing it is to dissemble or hid either ourselves or our sins from God; for well may a sinner set himself in such a place, and case, that God may be hid from him, and where he may not see God and his gracious presence; but it is impossible for any to set himself in any place so secret or close, where God shall not be able to see him; ergo it is a folly to hid our sins, either by denial or dissimulation, yet we see the Devil's voice and counsel to sinners is still cover, hid, fly, deny, and dissemble your sins; in no ways confess it: for if you do, there is no waybut one with you, that is, that God in severity and justice should proceed in judgement to condemn you to death; so that this is the Devil's art and endeavour to make us believe, that confession is a deadly poison to kill us, which indeed God hath ordained, and made to be a special means and mithridate to save our souls from sin, being committed: As before it was his subtlety to make us believe, that the Tree forbidden did bear so virtuous a fruit which would make us as Gods, when he knew that it would be as poison to our bodies and make us damned Devils. Now this following of the Devil's counsel and advise in this place, is so much the worse in Adam, and so much the more to be condemned, because twice before he had followed it with ill success, and saw he was deceived, which might have been a double caveat and fair warning to him now to beware; but as he had followed the Devils counsel twice before in practice and deed, so we shall see him to follow it twice hereafter in word: For first of all touching his word and speech, the Devil teacheth him a piece of his Sophistry, teaching him that he must needs answer, to put non causam pro causa: And secondly, in the other place he teacheth him a piece also of the Devil's Rhetoric, which is called translatio criminis, a laying the fault upon another, and so shifting it from himself, outward covering, and inward dissembling hath a very good correspondence, and therefore hypocrisy is compared to a Cloak or masking Hood. Job saith 31. 33. If I hid my sin as Adam did, concealing my sin in my bosom, will not God find it out and punish it? But Adam being bewitched and infatuated by the Devil, that spirit of error, had learned to make choice rather to strive with God's justice, than to appeal to his mercy for favour and grace, whereas by confessing he might have had pardon, he by defending it, brought himself the more deeply into judgement, and his sin the more into question and trial. By confessing his sin, Christ would have been his advocate to plead for his pardon, but by defending and justifying it, he made him to be a Proctor to plead against him, and Judge to give sentence against him; whereas by confessing his disease, God would have been his Physician, to heal him; he è contra by taking on himself to heal his own sickness, made himself and his disease more grievous and more desparare. But let us come to see how he seeketh a quia and an ergo, that is a good reason and argument to defend and justific his deed: Let us I say come to the particulars of his answer, and see the strength and validity of his reasons, for if it be good and justifiable, it will hold the proof, and the examination will do it no hurt: Concerning which; first we know it in corrupt policy, that it is good always to begin a lie with a truth, or at least with great likelihood of verity, that so the lie may after run more currant and go more roundly away; therefore at the first, in the forefront of his answer, he places indeed a manifest and known truth, that he heard God's voice: and the second also is truly said, that nothing might be suspected, namely, that he was afraid. In which two truths confessed, the Fathers do say, are contained the first and second degrees, which by God's Decree should have been the two chief inducements to move men to repentance; and therefore in that he was not moved to submission and confession of his fault, thereby they gather that this part of his confession also is against himself; therefore these two evasions are nothing but to make against his cause. The second excuse is of decency and 〈◊〉, or comeliness, as who should say; I saw it a shameful thing, and very unmeet and undecent to appear before thee being naked, and therefore I hide myself, in which he doth make his thought and imagination a rule to measure God's estimation and judgement by, as if that which he thinketh inconvenient and uncomely, God must think and esteem to be unseemly and unmeet also: The Prophet Samuel saith 16. 7. 1 Sam. 16. 7. That God seethe not as man seethe, neither are our thoughts his thoughts, he is not moved with the like passions that we are, for Job in sterquilinio was more precious and amiable in the eyes of God, and more acceptable to his mind quàm Heredes in solio, as a Father saith, and the reason is, because he looketh to that holiness which is within, and accepteth a man thereafter, and regardeth not the outward estate of the body whether he be 〈◊〉 or in poor apparel, as men of corrupt judgement do, Jam 2. 3. 4. therefore adam's thought and conceit of his bodily nakedness which seemed unseemly to him, ought not to be taken as a rule to measure God's thoughts, and to prove and determine what is undecent and unreverent in the eyes and judgement of God touching the outward things; for seeing that nakedness is factum dei, it cannot simply displease him, or be detestable in his sight, for he saw all that he had made was passing good, nothing to be ashamed of as undecent; therefore it is certain that if this had been all the matter which he pretendeth, he might have boldly, for all his nakedness, have presented himself without shame or fear before God; for as I have showed that nakedness of their bodies in which they were made, and which they enjoyed being innocent, was no matter of blushing, but of beauty, no blemish or undecency, but an ornament & glory to them; as the nakedness of the Sun and Moon, is such a glory and beauty to them, that if any should put upon these glorious bodies, a Cloak of velvet or Cloth of gold, it would be so fare from beautifying them, that it were a blemish and disgrace undecent for them; and this is the hope and expectation of the Sons of God, one day to enjoy that happy estate again, in which they shall want no bodily garments to cover them, but shall all shine in glory as the Sun in the sky. Thus we see that this quia and ergo will not stand; it is not God's art or workmanship nor his voice that made him fear, fly, or hid, but somewhat else which he had done and committed, whatsoever it be, which God will bring to light and make apparent hereafter. Now let us come to the consequence here set down, ergo abdidi; for which we shall perceive that this is no good or right reason or consequence, which he should have inferred upon the premises; for thus he should have concluded: I was afraid and naked and fled for conscience of my sin; therefore I confess humbly my sins before thee, and do crave pardon for them. Thou didst open mine eyes that I saw my sin, and thou openedst mine ears by fear, that I knew thy judgement; ergo now also open my mouth, that I may confess humbly, and open my heart, that I may repent truly for it; thus he should have made his consequence: I heard thy presence with majesty coming, ergo I prepared myself to meet my Lord right humbly, confessing my fins, that I might have found pardon: this was jacob's resolution and conclusion in policy, Gen. 32. 7. when he heard that Esau came against him, he feared and was troubled, and therefore used all means preparing himself to pacify his wrath, and prevent the danger by praying to God, and offering presents to him; but of all his follies which are yet seen herein, it most appeareth in that which Adam here useth for his purpose, maketh most against him, in that this which he useth and challengeth for his defence and appoligie, is indeed the very occasion of his condemnation, as we shall see in the next verse; in which God maketh this his confusion of his nakedness, wherewith he chargeth God to be the very ground of his occasion and interrogatory, which he cannot avoid, nor find any colour nor evasion for, but to confess himself guilty. Dixit verò Deus, Quis indicavit tibi nudum esse te? An de fructu illius arboris, de quo interdixeram tibi ne comedas ex eo, comederis? Gen. 3. 11. February 5. 1591. NOW we are come to proceed in the judicial part of God's cause and manner of judgement, concerning which we have seen before, this order to have been observed. First God sent a Sergeant to arrest him, and ascite him to make his appearance to answer for that which should be laid and objected against him, in the seventh verse. Secondly, he sent out an attachment more forcibly to lay hold on him, and to apprehend him, which he fled from, in the eighth verse. Then God came himself, making search for him being hid, and brought the Malefactor out to his arraignment, and to answer to ubi es, in the ninth verse, which is his indictment and accusation. Then God will have him make his plea to his indictment, which he doth in the tenth verse, pleading not guilty; for though he confesseth the fact laid against him, that he is out of his ubi, and is fled and hid, yet we see that he so confesseth it, that he traverseth the right and lawfulness of that deed done by him, which is quia and ergo, saying God was the cause of it: he could not do otherwise, for God spoke so fearfully to him, that he could not but fly, and God made him naked, and therefore he hide himself: In saying which he seemeth so to maintain and uphold his do, as if he had said, I have therefore done well in thus saying and hiding; yea, I should not have done well if I had done otherwise; and so his plea is, that he is not to be charged of any ill or offence in this behalf. Now to this answer God maketh a rejoinder and answereth that plea of his, by a double interrogation: In which God first of all joineth issue with him in that one point, which is plain and evident between them both by his own confession, namely, that he was naked, and then bringeth in such an ergo against him, that Adam could not choose but confess his offence, and could not conceal or shift it off any longer. For God proveth to him that it could not be, that he should come ever to the knowledge of his evil and shameful nakedness, but only by the act of eating the forbidden tree, so that he taketh out of his own mouth and words confested, that whereby he will make matter enough to judge and condemn him, namely, that he knew that he was naked and ashamed to show his face; for upon this point, he joineth issue with him, and upon the strongest part of his quia and reason, as who should say, be it true which you have said, stand to the words confessed already, let us both grant and agree in this point and issue, that you know that you were naked and ashamed. I demand of you but this one thing, answer me if you can: How came you to know that you were naked? thus he beginneth to debate the matter to the proof: let us therefore now see, how he traverseth this point with him; his reason must be framed after this form. That which was evil Adam might not do, this is a moral ground; but it was evil that Adam being naked, should know it to be a shameful thing, and to hid; therefore Adam in knowing this his nakedness, hath done some ill. Thus standeth the reason. Now God would know of Adam, how he knew nakedness to be evil, and the reason of the doubt and question is, because it is certain that Adam presented himself naked (before he sinned) without any shame or hiding, therefore here groweth the question, how he knew it to be so now? Adam knew his nakedness was evil: God asketh how he came to the knowledge of any evil, q.d. who brought thee acquainted with this knowledge of evil? there is no man in the world to teach it thee, and there is no other means in the world by which thou mayst attain to it, but only by eating the forbidden tree, which of this effect hath his name, to be the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Ex arbore didicisti, ergo de arbore comedisti, for there was no ordinary way or means to come to this knowledge by the decree and counsel of God, either to the knowledge of evil by privation of God, or else to the science of evil by woeful experience and sense of evil, but only this way, by eating of this tree forbidden. This then is that point in which God joineth issue with him, to make and enforce him to confess the truth; by which two points; the one of joining issue in one instance, and so closing with Adam therein. The other concluding by an invincible proof, the breach and transgression of that negative Law of God, non comedes etc. We gather necessarily thereout, that this is the right and orderly course of proceeding in upright judgement, and determining of causes here taught and allowed by of God, to be imitated and put in practice, namely, that after the indictment and accusation laid against any man for transgressing a Law, either for doing evil forbidden, or not doing a necessary God commanded, that then the party so accused, must be brought to his answer personally, and permitted quietly and freely to put in his answer thereunto, for the acquitting himself if he can. For these are two other parts of Justice and right Judgement, according to God's Law, and this is a good and a lawful proceeding, as we may see by the example and practice of the Church of God; and this is called a course of Judgement, according to law and equity, 〈◊〉 10. 3. and as St. Paul saith, Judge aright according to Law, Acts 23. 3. of which every good & just Judge must have a special care. Another point of this proceeding further is, that after the party accused and arraigned hath put in his answer and pleaded not guilty, that then the Accusant do go forward and see the issue joined with the Defendant, and a plain evidence and proof of his act done to convince him and prove him guilty, by his own words or deeds, if he can. For so doth God deal with Adam here, saying thus; It appeareth by your own confession that you knew yourself to be naked, and you cannot deny but that you informed yourself with that knowledge of evil, and it is plain that there is none in all the world which hath taught or told you so; therefore I conclude against you that there was no way for you to know this, but only by eating of the forbidden Tree of knowledge, whereof I therefore challenge and charge you. These than are the two points of proceeding. That there be a state of the question in controversy made, drawing it to an issue, and then that there be proofs and arguments brought to convince the falsehood and to show the truth, that so controversies may be justly determined; as we may see in this Case which is brought in trial here, Adam saiththat he did fly and hid himself indeed, but the motives and causes which induced him to do it, and the reasons why he did it were, because God's voice was so fearful, and because God had made him naked. Now God joineth with him in the point, and will prove that it was not God's workmanship, nor his voice, but Adam's own sin, which was the true cause of his flight and hiding; So in Acts 24. 14. S. Paul being arraigned and indicted before Foelix, he doth not absolutely deny the matter which they laid against him, but confesseth how fare he is guilty, and in what respect he is not, saying; I confess that I worship God after that manner which they lay against me and call Heresy, but it is not Heresy; let them prove that, and I will yield, for it is according to the Scriptures. Thus he shown how far he did that they accuse him of, and how far he will 〈◊〉 and show good reason that he did not so as they charged him falsely; that so the matter in Controversy before the Judge might grow to an issue and point agreed upon between them, and that the state of the question might be known truly unto all. There be two things therefore to be performed on both parties in strife, which the Judge must take order for, that the matter may be decided. The one is called Citatio realis. The other is probatio realis, and both of them are most necessarily required adcognitionem rei; for they must not only be caused to appear before the Judge, but also when they have made their appearance, they must not stand dumb and speechless before the Judge, but both speak and declare for themselves; And we may see it warrantable by God's word and the practice of the Church, that not only a party may be caused to witness a truth before the Judge, for or against his neighbour in a matter doubtful, and that upon his oath, as we may see Leviticus the fifth chapter and the fourth verse, and the first of Kings the eighteenth chapter and the tenth verse, but also in the clearing of himself being suspected, as we see, Jeremiah the thirty sixth chapter and the seventeenth verse, Acts the twenty third chapter and the twentieth verse; yet there are exceptions to be taken in this matter, as we see Jeremiah the thirty eighth chapter and the fourteenth verse; when the King would bring Jeremy to examination in a matter that concerned himself, Jeremy made his exception; If I confess and tell all, wilt thou not kill me? for if the matter be capital and concern man's life, he will not, to endanger his own life, answer not to the King: and the reason why a man, in that case, should not be bound to be a witness against himself is, because the Devil saith, Job the second chapter and the fourth verse, A skin for a skin, a man will do or say any thing to save his life, and therefore no reason to urge a man so hardly in so high and capital a point: But in other cases which only concern the loss of goods, or a matter of some punishment and mulct, a man must not refuse to answer, and that upon his oath, and this we see also warranted even by this judgement of God; And so consequently all these actions in our course of judgement, being laid to this rule of God's first judgement, and the proceeding of justice being weighed in this balance, in the twenty eighth chapter of Isaiah and the seventeenth verse, that is, all things being done uprightly, agreeable to this pattern of Gods proceeding, we may be sure that it is good, lawful, and just. Cui dixit Adam; Mulier ista quam posuisti mecum, ipsa dedit mihi de fructu illius arboris, & comedi. Gen. 3. 12. February 10. 1591. ALmighty God having in the former, out of Adam's own mouth and confession in his answer, joined issue with him upon the discovery of his nakedness, and upon it so effectually concluding his sin and transgression which he could by no means avoid or dissemble any longer; therefore here we shall see how he is enforced to confess it, which confession of his, as St. Gregarie saith, whereas it should have been such as might have made an end of all, and procured a pardon; but saith he, I would it were not such, as maketh him more culpable, and his sin more heinous, for we shall see and find, that this his confession needeth a pardon as well as his transgression, for it is a confession extorted and wrung out of him, whereas if it had been done willingly and of his own accord, it had been far better and more acceptable. In the tenth verse before Adam did offend, as we saw in his Apology, defending his sin, now being beaten from that hold, he fleeth to his Castle of excuses, and as his defence stood in two points, quia nudus, & qui aaudivi vocem; so his excuse also consisteth of two points, God and the Woman; for saith he, the Woman which thou gavest me, gave me of the apple, and I did eat, that is, as it is not simple, so it is not sincere. For Pride, as we said, hath two twins; the first is before the act of sin before the fall, namely, to desire to be better than they are, and to be in higher estate than God hath placed them. The other after the fall, namely, a desire not to seem so ill as they are indeed. Arrogantiae est tumor in tremore, Humilitas tumor in timore. The first is Arrogancy; This is Hypocrisy, both the whelps of pride, and vain glory, which at last turneth to shame: But the last is so much worse than pride, because it is tumour in timore; it is as much as to be proud when one is at the lowest; and so to life up himself, which is most unseemly: That real Hypocrisy in action, of which we have spoken before, consisted in two points; In volucro, & in latibulo. So here now we may see a double verbal, hypocrisy in tongue and speech: That is, if there be any good thing praise worthy, that we must have ascribed wholly to us; but if any evil thing be apparent, that must be put as fare from us as may be, Before his drift was by defence to put clean away all the fault from himself; but now he laboureth by excuse to be seen to have as little part in the fault as may be; and to have the show and appearance of that evil to be put away from him, that he be not brought within the compass of the offence. His first defence, in effect is non feci: But now this excuse is feci, sed benè feci: When that would not serve his turn, his third excuse is feci malè, sed non multùm. q.d. though inceed I cannot deny, but I am in the compass of the offence, yet I am not in the fault; I did not much of the evil that was done: And this is our nature when we cannot defend ourselves à toto, than we excuse us à tanto, as Adam doth, which saith you must not lay all the fault on me; for God and the woman have parts and shares therein, the woman for giving the apple to me, and God for giving the woman to me. This excuse than hath two parts, the woman and God, both which we will examine to see where the fault is indeed. As it is a foul fault in a man to seek to excuse himself by accusing another; so it is another fault worse than that, that a man should make a silly woman the matter of his excuse; for we say it is manhood in men to pity and spare especially that sex, as the weaker; & a foul shame to seek to entangle and draw woman into danger or hurt, but rather to support and defend them as much as with modesty and honesty we could, Adam might have considered, that she being the weaker, the first of Peter the third chapter and the seventh verse, that it had been his part to have made a buckler for her shelter and defence, for men willingly should, and naturally are taught to forbear, and not to wreck their malice and anger upon womankind. But the fault in him which passeth all is this, that this woman is his wife which he accuseth as the cause of his evil, and bringeth in as the principal in this fact; for by this there is perfidia on his part, a breach of Faith and wedlock-love; for it is most unseemly and unnatural for a man to accuse his own wife: If we consider that he which before in Gen. 2. 24. confessed that he should forsake Father and Mother for her sake; yea, which before (by sin) was content to forsake God and all for her love; if he did love her so well, why doth he not show it now? for he should have stood out between God's wrath, and her, for her defence, which no doubt would have been more acceptable to God, for it is a thing commended in Moses Psal. 106. 23. and in David, 2 Sam. 24. 17. that they offered themselves to be punished to acquit and save others there from; for they were content to bear God's displeasure themselves that others might be set free, but here è contra Adam was willing to be in the society of the fact and fault, but now he will pull his neck our of the Choler, and will not have any society or part with her in the punishment. Adam blameth God. Now I come to the other part of his excuse, in which he layeth part of the blame on God, as bringing him also within the compass of this evil committed, utinam hoc tantum dixerat Comedi, saith one, for to challenge God for giving this woman to him, and to come to upbraid God to the face with this, The woman which thou gavest me made me to sin, is another offence most intolerable. He will not be content with one excuse, but will have two strings to his bow for failing, that if the woman will not serve to be his excuse, than this may. To bring God into the fault, and to say directly that he is in the society, and had a part therein, is intolerable blasphemy. The woman's excuse, which she allegeth in the next verse, is far better; in accusing the devil: But to say Data a te dedit mihi; sin was her gift, and she was the gift, thou gavest me the woman, and the woman gave me the apple of offence; wherefore if thou hadst not given her to me, the apple had not been given, and so I should never have sinned against thee, q.d. I did not pluck it, I was not the author nor cause of it; If I have sinned I may thank you for it; you were the 〈◊〉 of all which gave her to me; you would needs give me a wife; if you had meant me that good which you pretended, you should not have given me such a one as would give me this forbidden fruit; or at least, if you must needs make and give her, you should not have joined, nor put her together with me in the place and garden where I am, but put her in a garden by herself, apart, and separated from me; for I knew not else what she should mean by staying with me. Thus we see that his excuse and allegation for himself; is partly an expostulation with God, and partly an accusation against him; In both which he seemeth to say this in favour of his fault; it did not become me to suspect her of any evil whom thou gavest to be a meet help and good for me; I thought that whatsoever she did, or should persuade me to, would have become good and helpful to me; ergo I yielded to it. This we see is a foul fault to quarrel with God's goodness, and to charge God with sin; whereas all iniquity and sin God doth utterly abhor: There is no affinity between God and evil, for no evil cometh near his dwelling, est ne iniquit as apud deum? saith Saint Paul, the second to the Corrinthians the sixth chapter and the fourteenth verse, to such which thus impudently reason against God: What agreement hath righteousness with unrighteousness; why then O man dost thou charge God with sin? so that he fetcheth the Pedigree of his sin which he committed, and derived it thus even from God himself. The sin which is, came by eating of the apple, which was the gift of Eve, which was the gift of God. Thus to make his sin inmeasurable sinful, he deriveth his sin from the holiest of all, and wrappeth not only the woman his wife in the transgression, but also fetcheth God in for company, as partner with them in this their evil. Tum dixit Jehova Deus mulieri, Quid hoc est quod fecisti? dixit autem mulier, Serpens iste seduxit me, & comedi. Gen. 3. 13. February, 12. 1591. IN the end of the last verse before, ended the trial of Adam's offence; for as you have seen from the seventh verse, hath been the trial and examination of the crime committed: In the seventh verse was the arrest; in the eighth verse was the second process, which being served on him, was of force to shut him close in prison in the bushes; in the ninth verse he is brought forth of his Goal and arraigned, having his indictment and accusation laid against him, and he is permitted to speak for himself; in the tenth verse he pleadeth not guilty, alleging reasons why; in the eleventh verse, God traverseth the cause by joining issue with him; and in the twelfth verse, we have seen his confession and his allegation, why sentence should not proceed against him. Now in this the other party guilty, which was accused before, is brought to her trial; in which for the Judicials and manner of proceeding, the general intent of God is not only to convent before him a Malefactor, but not to give over until he hath found out the principal, that is, to find who hath been chief in the trespass, and as some say, to make diligent search, whose hand was deepest and most 〈◊〉 in this offence. In Physic we are taught to search to the bottom and go to the Core. In Logic we are taught to bring and reduce every thing that is said or reasoned upon, unto the principal action or rule by which it is scanned. In Divinity, it is a point especially material, as our Saviour Christ saith, to go to the beginning and first institution of things; to see how it was then, And this is God's course in judgement, to find out the principal and chief cause of evil things which are committed. The way and manner of finding this out, is by inquiry, and by way of interrogations, ministering interrogations unto him for all crimes and sins being works of darkness; and therefore as much as may be hid and concealed from apearing in the light and sight of men, therefore the praise and labour of a Judge is to find and search it out; that being brought to light, ill works may be reproved, the third of John and the twenty first verse: For this cause this duty is enjoined by God to all Judges after two ways, the thirteenth of Deuteronomie and the fourteenth verse, ut perscrutarentur & interrogarent, that by search and diligent inquiry, the truth might be bolted out: It is the course to be taken in the case of murder, the twenty first of Deuteronomie and the fourth verse: In the case of adultery, the fisth of Numbers and the fourteenth verse: In the matter of theft, the twenty second chapter of Exodus and the eighth verse: 1 Reg. 8. 31. And it is the course which may be holden in any Crime or Cause whatsoever, that upon good and sufficient presumptions and detections, they may proceed to inquire diligently, and the party called in question is bound to make answer, to purge and cleanse himself, which is suspected or accused; for this is the ground and foundation on which God frameth his action against Eve. Adam saith that thou (his wife) didst entice & persuade him to eat thereof: The question therefore which I demand of thee is, why hast thou done this: And this is that, to which she is bound to answer. Now if we look to her answer, which she maketh unto the interrogatory propounded to her, we shall see it very frivolous; for God asketh quare, and she answereth to quis; Some think that it was for fear, or shame; or else, as others say, for the defect of a right and a true cause: For well may one allege the tempter and occasion which moved or solicited us to sin; but otherwise no right or proper cause of sin can be assigned. But howsoever it is, we must take her answer as it is: First, we see that she is not mute or silent, but knoweth how to shape an ill answer, and to make an excuse as well as her husband: God saith, in the fiftieth Psalm and the one and twentieth verse, because I held my tongue, and envied no more against men's sin; therefore the Devil hare Eve in hand that Adam's excuse went for good payment, and put God to silence, as if it had been so full an answer to God, as that he could say no more against him; and therefore seeing that held so well; he persuadeth the woman to take the same course; for we shall perceive that both her and her answer are so like, as if they had been framed in one forge; for the like pride we see in both, which will not seem so ill as they are, but do lay the fault upon another to excuse themselves. Secondly, the method and form of answering is alike, and even the same in both their answers, but the substance and matter of the excuse is not one and the same, for Adam's excuse was his wife Eve, but her excuse is the Serpent; so that if we compare Adam's answer and Eves together, we shall see in what they agree, and wherein they differ; both of their confessions are extort and indirect, both are maimed and unperfect, and neither of them can plainly say peccavi, etc. Usus. Out of which we learn, that both these came from one Schoolmaster Satan, the Author, Accuser, and Proctor of all sin; and he doth mankind more hurt when he is an Advocate and Proctor, giving us counsel how to defend and excuse our sin, than when he is an accuser, accusing us of sin to God the Judge of all; because when the Devil is only an accuser against us, Christ will be our Advocate to plead our cause for us, and an Intercessor and Mediator for us to his Father; and he being on our side, we need not fear though he Devil be against us. But if we entertain the Devil for our Proctor, Christ will be a 〈◊〉 Judge against us to condemn us, and oppose himself to the Devil. Therefore the Devil careth not what excuse we allege, though they lay the blame of their sin upon him, he is content to bear it, rather than they should confess their sin plainly, and make Christ their Advocate. To cover and conceal sin is a double sin; and not to confess it plainly is partly pride, and presumption, or else servile fear and despair, fearing lest they should confess all to God; as though he had not goodness or mercy enough to forgive them: or else they conceal it of pride, presuming that God cannot see and find out that which they dissemble and hid from the eyes of men. So we see that it is a compound sin; though the woman be in impari sexu, yet she is pari superbiâ, as proud as he; and as fare dead in hiding and dissembling sin as he, and as well able to say for herself as he; A difference of Confessing fins. thus pride maketh men ashamed to confess, or else so to confess, that one may see a plain difference between the confession of a proud, and a poor humble sinner; between the confession of the good and faithful, and the evil Infidels: Between saul's confession and David's; saul's confession smelleth of pride, in the first book of Samuel, fifteenth and the thirtieth verse; Peccavi, saith he, (sed honora me:) That is, he would so confess his sin, that he might keep his credit, and have his reputation, and not to lose one jot of that. But David's confession is 〈◊〉 otherwise, for he not only confesseth plainly against himself, saying to Nathan, I have sinned; but also he maketh a Psalm of it and setteth this preface to it, or caused it to be set before it, A Psalm of David to show his repentance, after the Prophet had rebuked him: As if he should not stick to shame himself in this world, that he might be without blame in the world to come: And indeed it is a perfect sign of an humble and a good mind, when one can say from his heart, let me bear the shame and punishment of my sin, as a fatherly correction in this life; only, O Lord, pardon and forgive me; that I may escape thy wrath and Judgement in the life to come: He that can be content thus to do, is one of a good humble and contrite heart: But saul's spirit of hypocrisy will not confess his fault, unless he may keep his credit, and avoid the shame and discredit of evil in this world. Thus we see that as the same humour and Teacher was to them both: So Eve shapeth her excusive answer by Adam's pattern, which went before: For as Eve taught Adam to sin after the pattern and example of her deed; so, to quit it now, we see here, that Adam taught Eve how to excuse and cloak her sin; according to the pattern which he had set, and shown her before. Here he endeth his Lectures in St. Paul's Church, and those which follow, he preached in the Parish Church of St. Giles without Cripplegate. LECTURES Preached in the Parish Church of St. GILES without Cripplegate, LONDON. Quapropter dixit Jehova Deus Serpenti illi: Cùm feceris istud, maledictus esto prae omni jumento, & prae omni bestia agri: super ventrem tuum ito, & pulverem comedito omnibus diebus vitae tuae. Gen. 3. 14. June 18. 1598. THE third Chapter of this first book of Moses containeth only matter of the Fall of Adam, the first man; and it may well be divided into two parts, First, his falling into sin; Secondly, his falling into misery, the fruit of sin. In the former are two things to be considered, first his temptation to sin, from the first verse to the fifth: Secondly, his committing of the act and sin itself, verse 6. And upon these two stand and depend his falling into sin. The other part which is his falling into misery, beginneth at the seventh verse and continueth to the end of the Chapter, and is divided into his Judgement, and the execution of the Judgement. The Judgement of our first Parents beginneth at the 7. verse, and continueth to the 22. the execution of it from the 22. verse to the end of the chapter. In the Judgement are two parts, the Trial and Sentence, the Trial went before, from the seventh verse to the thirteenth; the Sentence beginneth at this verse read unto you, and continueth to the 22. following. The sentence is exceeding worthy the meditation of all men in respect of the contents of it; for that as it setteth down the mother or original curse, from whence all other curses proceed, as those Levit. 26. Deut. 28. which are nothing else but a laying out in special and particular of that which is here, So likewise, as the Lord is said in wrath to remember mercy, Hab. 3. 2. it contains also the blessing, yea that great blessing, in respect whereof all other blessings in the Scriptures are but glasses to behold this blessing; for you have in the sentence of this Curse, as the bitterness of God's wrath, so the consideration of the goodness of God's promise, which the Apostle calls the most great and 〈◊〉 promise, 2 Pet. 1. 4. whereby we are made partakers of the divine nature: The sentence is threefold, as the persons arraigned are three, that is, against the Serpent, the Woman, and against Adam; wherein generally we are first to note the exact course and order of Justice that is kept in the Sentence and Trial. The order is this, First against the Serpent, as the principal Author, in the 14. and 15. verse following. Secondly, Against the Woman by good and due order, because as the Apostle puts us in mind, 1 Tim. 2. the Woman was first in the transgression, and it hath a double respect; for whereas Adam sinned only in receiving it of her, but she both sinned and caused him to sin; therefore the second sentence is against Eve in the 16. verse, the third against Adam in the 17, 18, 19 verses following. The second thing generally is this, that albeit there are three Sentences against three parties, yet not all alike, or of one scantling, but there is a great and main difference between them: For it being the rule of Justice that the punishment be proportioned according to the offence, as Deut. 25. ut pro mensura peccati sit poenarum modus, And that there be a difference put in having compassion, as Judas speaks in his Epistle verse 22. Therefore their offences standing upon divers degrees; one, that is the Serpent, being fraudis inventor, the other giving their assent; the one being the deceiver, the other deceived and seduced: there is great difference to be made, whether a man fall by himself or by another; for to cause others to sin, is a fare greater sin than for a man to sin himself alone. The first punishment and Sentence sets down the difference of Judgement which God useth here: There is the punishment consignatorie, called Virga, that is Moses rod; and another punishment when the rod becomes a Serpent; for the Serpent, that is not to chastise, but to denounce a punishment of cutting off. In such a case the chastisement of the party is not sought, because there is no hope of amendment, but a correction 〈◊〉 of others; and therefore the Sentence of punishment is greater against the Serpent, the Author of this mischief, than against the other. A third thing general is, As an order and difference is kept, so an Analogy and proportion is well kept in setting down of the Sentence; for in as much as we find it was the sin of the Serpent in himself, his pride in lifting up himself into God's seat; as the rule of Justice is that contraries be punished with contraries, so nothing was more analogical than for his pride to be thrown down with extreme abjection and humiliation; therefore his punishment is to go upon his belly, and eat the dust; And as in the second person, because it was pleasure that caused the Woman to sin, for seeing the Apple was fair to the eye, and good for meat, she was lead to eat of it; and therefore this pleasure of her is punished with pain: And in the third, For as much as Adam's crime is set down two ways, first, loving his own ease too much, and not able to resist the temptation of the Woman alluring him, his punishment, saith Augustine for his too much safe, in not taking pains to withstand her, is labour and travail, wherein is observed a very just analogy between the sin and the punishment. I come now to the particular sentence against the Serpent, wherein before we can entreat of it, there are two questions to be handled, First, when he speaks of a Serpent, we ask, What Serpent? because there is a visible Creature called a Serpent, but so also there an old Serpent, which is the Devil or Satan, Apoc. 12. that is a spiritual and mystical Serpent, as well as a natural and bodily Serpent, and the Sentence is against both; and as it is certain, according to the letter, all cannot be meant of the one, so neither can it be meant of the other: therefore, as the ancient Fathers teach, it is mystically and not literally meant of both; for as it is said that the Devil eats no dust, so for the other Serpent, we say not that the seed of the Woman shall bruise his head; therefore is it to be referred to both, the natural Serpent as well as the other; as our Saviour Christ, John 3. 14. by the elevating of the Serpent in the wilderness, shows there is another Serpent to be lift up, that is the Son of Man. By our Saviour's warrant that this stretcheth, as to the spiritual Serpent called Satanas, so to the natural Serpent also. In the second place we inquire, Whether it were in Justice that that Serpent should be punished, in so much as being a brutish Creature without understanding, he could not understand that which he was set about by the Devil? The answer is, That it was great Justice, as to punish sin itself, so the instrument all cause of it; For the Creatures being created for the benefit and service of Man, when it became a cause adjuvant in the destruction and overthrow of Man, so as he loseth the blessings and becomes subject to the curse; in this case it was but Justice to punish that Creature: It will better appear of like importance, the righteousness of which dealing is in the Law; for Exod. 21. 28. God saith, If an Ox gore a Man that he die, the Ox shall die: And the reason of man doth accord to it, and Levit. 20. 15. If a man lie with a beast, the beast shall be slain. But that which the ancient Fathers stand most upon is this, That the body of Man, the arms and other parts and joints of the body are nothing but the instruments of sin, as the Apostle speaks Rom. 6. 13. The members of the body are but weapons of unrighteousness, We make no question but the body may be whipped or burned, the ears and hands may be cut off, howbeit the sin is in the soul, and the body, the soul being gone out of it, can do no such act; therefore the Sentence against the Instrument is according to God's Law; therefore God himself gave order that the golden Calf should be burnt to ashes, Deut. 9 21. there was a Sentence executed against a thing not only void of reason, but without sense. But more fully to our purpose is the judgement executed by Ezechia upon the brazen Serpent, 2 Reg. 18. 4. If that sentence might be pronounced upon that Serpent that healed those that looked upon it, then without question this sentence may be executed upon the natural Serpent that was the Devil's instrument to work man's destruction, the rather if we add hereto, that God had an intent, not only to punish the Serpent, but to make him an exemplary and visible chastisement, that he remaining so, the horror of him might strike into man's mind how he is punished, and that thereby they might be put in mind to take heed that they be not the instruments and occasioners of sin; for here we see that they that are occasioners and helpers in any sin, are subject to the sentence of Justice. And that may suffice concerning the outward Serpent; for so the other which the Prophet calls the crooked Serpent, Isay 27. and St. John calls, the old Serpent, Apoc. 12. there can no question be, but that the sentence may justly and must reach to him, that it is agreeable to equity and great reason, in as much as it was he that spoke in the Serpent, that Qui in Serpent loquitur, cum Serpente maledicatur, saith Augustine, and he doth receive it in that order, because in the habit of a Serpent he presumed this, as 1 Sam. 28. where the spirit that appeared in the likeness of Samuel was called by the name of Samuel; after the same manner the Devil making his apparition in the likeness of a Serpent, carries that name still. In the Sentence itself we have to consider two things, that is, the Reason and the Punishment; the reason comprehended in these words (because thou hast done this) therefore the punishment or Sentence followeth (thou art cursed) wherein there is yet another thing to be noted before the particular handling of it, because in comparing this verse with the verses following, we shall see a divers course holden; for there to the Woman and Man God saith Quare fecisti hoc, allowing them their trial and examination for the justifying of themselves, before he proceeded to give sentence: But no manner of trial is allowed to the Serpent, but saith he, Quia fecisti hoc, thou art cursed; he is not permitted to come to his answer, the reason is plain; for if we take it spoken to the natural Serpent, he being void both of reason and speech, could render no reason, he comes only under the cause instrumental; and for the other there was no reason of a reason either to be rendered by him or to be demanded of him, for he was before condemned, as the Fathers have noted, Isay 14. 14. and out of the sixth verse of Judes' Epistle, And consequently, being in the state of a Rebel, was condemned already, and so was not to have the benefit of the Law, as Paul saith, Rom. 2. 12. They that sin without the Law, shall perish without the Law, as on the other side it is just, ut qui sub lege peccat sub lege pereat; but there is no reason that the benefit of Justice should extend to Rebels that are lawless; and therefore in Military affairs, we see that Military Law executeth such without sentence. Again, God knew that that which was committed by man and Woman, came not by themselves but by the malice of the Devil; and therefore he ordained that they should have more favour, and have their trial, that they to whom the malice of the Devil had been prejudicial, to them the goodness and mercy of God should be beneficial, that they might be saved by the goodness of God, that had been cast away by the envy of the Devil; and therefore, saith Augustine, he seeks them out when they fled from him, and not only so, but he gives them a time to repent, and a time of answer, because there was in them hope of recovery and amendment: But for him that was so indurate in malice, that to his power exalting himself to be like God, added this malicious and envious seeking of the fall of others, there was no hope either of pardon from God; or of amendment in him; for when Christ came into the world, he said to Christ Quid nobis & tibi, there was no hope of him, being in the state of a Rebel, and so the seeking of the examination and trial of him, as of the other, would not avail. Now to the first part, that is, the Reason; In which we are to consider this, Why God gins not absolutely, Maledictus es, but Maledictus quia, and so renders a reason why he is accursed, so executes the sentence, though not judicially according to course of Law, yet justly, that the mouth of all the world might be stopped, and that the infernal spirits themselves might be enforced to acknowledge, that the Lord is righteous and his judgements just, Psal. 119. 137. That the judgement is just, though the trial hold not, the reason is quia fecisti hoc, he was the doer of that, and was the contriver of the platform of that act; and therefore God gins with him, wherein, as the ancient Father's note, God would have us to observe two senses, first the sense of the emphasis; and the second of difference. For the emphasis, God's meaning is, because thou hast done this, quia fecisti hoc, that is, that thou hast overthrown Man, for whom all things were created, and consequently so much as in thee lay, hast sought to overthrow my determinate Council, and to bring to naught all that I have made, therefore thou art cursed for doing this. Then for as much as we see this emphasis of Heaven and Earth, it should make us consider the greatness of sin, which moved the son of God not only to take our flesh, but to shed his blood also even for this hoc: That men would remember when they sin that they are about a hoc that brought all the curses which followed after; that therefore they should not make a light account of it, reckoning it a small matter, but to reckon of sin as God, quare 〈◊〉 hoc. And as it serves by way of vehemency, to aggravate the offence of the offence, so it serveth for distinction, As if God should say another thing, Thou hast done, but because thou hast done this, therefore the sentence is come upon thee, Thou thoughtest in thyself to make thyself equal with God, Isay 14. and because thou hast done that, that is come upon thee which Christ saith, Matth. 25. Ever lasting fire is prepared for thee: But now because thou wast not content with that, but hast mingled poison, whereby thou hast venomed and poisoned others; because thou hast been an homicide, for that is his second fault, John 8. 44. there is thy punishment for doing this. Now we see the ground of Gods proceeding with him. The sentence in itself consists of four parts which we reduce to these two, one concerns himself, the other us: That which respects him is in this verse, that which concerns us is in the next: The first is threefold, First, That he is cursed above all , and above all the Beasts of the field. Secondly, That he shall go and creep upon his belly. Thirdly, He shall eat the dust of the Earth: Wherein, as in the beginning generally, so here in special, you are to consider the Analogy of every part of his punishment. First, than he is maledictus, and the reason is quia maledixerat, maledictio doth in justice befall him, quia locutus est malè, as you may see in the five verses before, not that God had done it, but it came of himself, for he had defamed God, speaking evil of God; great reason it is then that evil speech should befall him: So there is an equality between the Devil's sin and his punishment. Now in regard of the second, which is in the 15. verse, That he should go upon his belly, for as much as he doth take upon him to exalt himself, Isay 14. And for that he tells Eve, If ye eat of it, eritis sicut Dii, therefore he is cast down: the proportion to him that will fly, is, by the contrary, to creep; not to go on his legs, but on his belly: So the Serpent, because he would fly up into the highest place, is made to creep on his belly; So the second part of the Sentence stands with equity: As also the third; for his temptation was, that they should eat of the forbidden fruit now cibi prohibita poena is, that he that lusts after that he should not eat, shall be forced to eat that he would not, as Augustine saith: In Psal. 106. they that long for meat which they ought not to desire, shall be punished with eating that which their soul most abhorreth, that is for the equity kept in the three branches of this Sentence. Concerning the Serpent himself, In the first branch (which is, thou art cursed) are two points very necessary to be considered: First, That God saith, Maledictus es, and not Maledictus sis, for thereby God plainly showeth, that it comes not from him, but from the Serpent; for than he would have said, Maledictus sis, but it is Maledictus es, showing that the Serpent's curse comes from himself; So all the curses, miseries, and calamities of this world, and torments of the world to come, proceed not from him, but from himself, as Job calls them, sparks, Job 5. 7. So they are the very sparks of the fire of concupiscence, of sin that is kindled in us; as also the Prophet saith, the fruit and crop of that seed of sin is calamity and misery, Host 10. 13. which was, is, and ever shall be the fruit of it, therefore called the Revenues of sin, Prov. 12. 16. and the wages of sin, Rom. 6. that is, there was an evil in him, first to speak evil of that party in whom was no evil, and so malum ad se malum trahit, one evil brings another, the Serpent's evil speaking is the cause that evil is spoken of him; for that is it that makes the difference, as Pro. 26. 2. there is a curse that is causeless, and that shall return upon himself as Shemeis' curse against David, 2 Sam. 16. So should the curse of Balaam, if he had cursed the People of God; but he was wiser, and said, How shall I cursewhere the Lord blesseth? but it is otherwise when Noah a just man 〈◊〉 Canaan, Gen. 9 And when Elisha cursed the Children that called him baldhead, 2 Reg. 24. they were cursed indeed, for when it is a just curse, and hath root in 〈◊〉 es, than it takes place, for we see there was a maledictio in those persons whom Noah and Elisha cursed; they had spoken evil before, and therefore evil is spoken of them, for one evil is a loadstone or jet stone to draw another evil; It is that which Jerome notes upon, 1 Sam. 2. 29. those that honour me I will honour; their own evil shall bring forth this crop, it shall be the sparks of their own sin. The other point is this, That God shows us plainly that there are in 〈◊〉 many and divers degrees, in that he saith not only, he is cursed, but cursed above all and every Beast of the field; there are curses in lesser degrees and in greater degrees; for as the Father's note, there is stillans' maledictio, a curse that comes by drops, as Dan. 9 11. And there is a curse that is poured upon us by whole buckets full, as it were, whole Seas full of curses; And in the next Chapter God pronounceth Cain accursed, as here the Serpent, but not in the same degree that the Serpent is cursed. Now for as much as no beast is venomous and hath poison but the Serpent, thereby we see he hath received a curse above all other beasts. Now we see how it is verified both of the natural and spiritual Serpent, 〈◊〉 naturale malum justi venenum, saith the Philosophers; for all other things had and may have and use, and were good for some purposes; so that if we go to nature, naturally there is no evil but in the Serpent. Touching which evil, we say in the Creation, as we make no question but that the body of Man, being natural, was subject to mortality, except it had been preserved by Grace; 〈◊〉 being united to the soul, a spiritual substance, thought it were 〈◊〉 it should have been preserved by Grace from being mortal; so we make no question but the venom and poison of the Serpent was made so, but it should have been preserved in the 〈…〉 it should have been no curse, and no 〈◊〉 should have come 〈◊〉 by, and so being evil maledictus it draws evil consequently, as evil 〈◊〉 and evil reports, it can be no otherwise said of them, then as 〈◊〉 speaks, Matth. 23. 33. The Serpents, the generation, of 〈…〉 should they escape the damnation of Hell? Thirdly, we say 〈…〉 so in respect of every beast, both wild and tame, they do both 〈◊〉 & reversari serpenti, not only man, but all beasts are 〈…〉 the Serpent, and abhor and fly his 〈◊〉; so there is in 〈◊〉 that natural curse above all other, but that is not so much 〈…〉 as the other, the verefying of it in the mystical and 〈…〉, in whom is such evil and mischief that Christ 〈…〉 him evil itself, and having evil in 〈…〉 man 〈…〉 in so much as the wicked and ungodly do curse him, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even they that are the children of the curse, as Judas 〈…〉 is none, be he never so the Devil's child, but will speak evil of him; as the children of wisdom are justified of her enemies, so the children of folly and the Devils will not stick to curse him. Thirdly, Maledictus prae, this curse takes deeper root in him than in any other Creature, as his evil is in a further manner in him than in any other; there is no beast doth that which he causeth man to do; for there is no wrath in wild beasts so malicious as in man, submitting himself to the pleasures of drunkenness and whatsoever sin else; no beast will drink more than shall do him good, nor be drunk as man, nay it is a shame to speak the things that are done of them in secret, by the instigation of Satan and malice of the Devil's wrath, Ephes. 5. 12. and the beasts never banded themselves together with weapons to fight as men do, and they fight but with those weapons which nature yields them, but man hath devised Guns and Spears one to gore another; neither do they give themselves wholly to all excess, as man doth. This evil wherewith man is infected by the Serpent is above that which is in bruit beasts, yea above all evil of Creatures, both wild and tame: And it is said in that respect only, but in this also, that there is no beast of the field, nor Creature in Heaven or Earth, but keeps and continues in his first condition and estate wherein he was first created, but the Devil hath left his, and man, by the seducing of the Devil, hath lost his state also, and keepeth not his course in obeying his Maker, as all other Creatures do, as Psal. 110. where a reason is rendered of it, and Psal. 32. Man is compared to the Beasts, yea like Horse and Mule which understand not: If it be thus with beasts, then much more may man be ashamed, that hath reason and understanding, and yet committeth these things which bruit beasts refrain; and therefore when there is a comparison between man and the beasts, as Chrisostome saith, Pejus est comparare bestiis quam nasci de bestiis; and that man that shall live so like a beast, is worse than he that is turned into a beast, as Nebucodonoser. In these three respects he is cursed above all other. The last point is that which the ancient Fathers set down upon this division, that God puts down and names both these beasts that man hath service of; and in beasts, those that he hath no use of, wild beasts, as Tigers and Lions, and such; and this degree saith Augustine, that the Devil translates himself into both names both shapes, which shows that the Devil can take either shape, and as we know in his lively temples wherein he dwells, as Sorcerers and such, he shows himself sometime in them Jumentum, a tame beast to help and serve man, as Acts 16. in the Maids possessed with a spirit of Divination; and sometime he will be in them a roaring Lion, to fear us: But in whether shape he appears, whether in Maids or Boys, he is maledictu in both, for his intent in both is accursed, namely to seek our ruin and destruction; so that whether we respect the condition or comparison, it is verified in the Serpent above all other beasts. Mulieri dixit, Admodum multiplico dolorem tuum, etiam conceptus tui, in dolore paries liberos: quin erga virum tuum appetitus tuus esto, & ipse praeesto tibi. Gen. 3. 16. August 27. 1598. THE brief of his divisions upon the Text were, Eves Punishment That this was Gods just Judgement upon Eve in this Sentence upon her, Parêre & Parere. which the Fathers very briefly and aptly express by these two words, parêre & parere, that she should bring forth with pain, and obey; in the first is an apt correspondence to her offence: her pleasure is punished with pain, her delight with sorrow, according to the old Proverb, sweet meat and sour sauce, and so likewise is there an apt correspondence in the other part of the punishment; for whereas she took upon her to have more knowledge than her husband, and by her means he was seduced from his obedience, she shall be obedient to her husband; she is punished first in the law of Nature and of Nations, for all that beareth young doth it with a groan, and by all laws of Nations, the husband is above the wife. Touching the particulars of the Text. Her Sorrow. First, he will greatly increase her sorrows; besides the sorrows in conception and bringing forth children, her sorrow is afterwards increased; many a woman breedeth and beareth her own sorrow; she may bear her child to misery, if she see it beg it increaseth her sorrow; she may bear it to execution, as we have too many lamentable examples: but the sorrow of a mother is much more increased if it live so wickedly that she bear it to hell fire. For the sorrow of Childbearing, in the Psalms, and throughout the Prophets, the greatest sorrow is compared to a woman's labouring with child, which is so great that many a one dyeth of it, as did Rachel, Gen. 25. 18. never was child borne without pain, according to that old verse, Nascitur haud sine vae, fuerit qui filius Evae. But here God showeth even in judgement his mercy; for she sinned in soul, is punished but in body, and that punishment is temporary, though the sin deserved death eternal; and which is further, there is a blessing even in this Sentence; for to have children (though with pain) is a great blessing, and by the ancient Fathers is called the blessing of the womb and breasts: and barrenness of woman is held a greater sorrow and pain, than to have children with much grief and pain; for when the child is once borne, the pain is forgotten, but barrenness is to her a continual grief, in the 30 of Genesis vers. 1. When Rachel saw she was barren, and Leah fruitful, she envied her sister, and so great was her desire of children that unless she had children she would die: So it is a Sentence of Justice mingled with Lenity, the punishment is not with rig or but with indulgence, it is tanquam fraenum, non flagellum, as a bridle rather to check, than a scourge to bruise, it is but a chastizing of sin in Eve, non est quasi Coluber, as a Serpent to sting, but an easy correction. Her subjection The second part of her punishment is, That she shall be subject to her Husband, and there is mercy in this also, for the best are of opinion, that in time of integrity there was order and subordination, for order is the mother of perfection; The two ends of marriage. here is a subordination of affections, the woman's to the husbands, and of occonomical government, for generation and cohabitation are the two ends of marriage, and in both she is to be ruled by her husband: some idle-headed fellows gather hence, That seeing women are to be subject to men, therefore men ought not to be subject to women; but mark, he saith viro tuo, to thy husband: Touching the Rule of Women. now the rule of women as in most Commonwealths hath been allowed, even so in Scripture, for Candace Queen of the cast, and Sabaes' Queen are commended, nay it is Gods own Law, Numb. 27. 8. That if a man die without a son, his inheritance shall fall to his daughter, than the daughter of a King is not barred government, which is her inheritance; but economical subjection here is chief understood, that made Sara call her husband Lord. In the first of Ester you see Vasbti the Queen punished because she would not obey Ahashuerus the great King of Persia, a great Monarch, she came not when he sent for her, advice was taken how she should be punished for her disobedience, this offence was not only against the King, but by example against the Princes and People, for in the seventeenth verse of that Chapter, This example among other women shall make them despise their husbands, and therefore a solemn Sentence was pronounced against her That she should be divorced and deposed, the end of which Decree was, as appeareth in the end of that Chapter, That all the women through that huge Monarchy should do their husband's honour both great and small, and further the King sent forth his Letters to every People after their language That every man should bear rail in his own house: Esther herself was example of this, who worshipped with reverence her King, she must be subject unto man in regard of her weakness and infirmities, as Paul speaketh in the Corinthians, Woman is not herself, her own, for at marriage she giveth not herself, but is given to her husband by a man, and after marriage she loseth her own name and beareth her husbands; be the husband wise or simple he must bear rule over her, for subjection is the condition of all Wives, to all Husbands. Abigaiell, in the first chapter of Samuel and the twenty fith verse, must as well obey Naball her husband, as David, even of Religion this obedience is; this is the Mercy, that though he shall rule her, yet they both shall rule their household, he shall rule her not as a King his subject or a Lord his slave, not in fear but in love. Adamo verò dixit, Quia auscultavisti voci uxoris tuae, & comedisti de fructu arboris illius quo interdixeram tibi, dicendo, ne comedas ex isto: maledicta esto terra propter te; cum dolore comedito proventum ejus omnibus diebus vitae tuae: Eaque spinam & carduum proferto tihi, tu verò comedito herbam agri. In sudore vultûs tui vescitor cibo, donec revertaris in humum, cum ex eâ desumptus fueris: nam pulvis es, & in pulverem reverteris. Gen 3. 17.18.19. Septemb. 17. 1598. SAint Chrisostome writing upon this place, saith sedet Judex, non surgit, God who is the Judge sitteth still and riseth not, Adam's punishment. he continueth his Court and gives not over till he hath given judgement upon all the offenders: This is as it were the third O yes saith that Father upon Adam's offence: which sentence is contained in the 17. 18. and 19 verfes: In the Sentence upon Adam two things. In which sentence are contained two parts, the one is the fault contained in the beginning of this verse, the other is the penalty contained in the end of the 17. vorse to the end of the 19 verse. First the Fault; Secondly, the Penalty. Of both these in general, these are the proceed of God whence the rule and pattern of all Justice is grounded; for God goeth here to sentence upon a cause; because thou hast heard the voice of thy Wife, and eaten the forbidden fruit: and upon a Cause not alleged by an Accuser, but confessed by the Offender, the 12. verse before; so that in justice God will say to Adam ex ore tuo te judico, I will judge thee even out of thine own mouth thou evil Servant, Luke 19 22. In the sentence two things. Particularly, In the fault are two parts or branches, first there is an inordinate consent, the other a disordinate act: The first is the hearing the voice of his wife; The second is his eating. Inordinate Consent. Touching the first, The giving ear to the voice of his wife, it is nothing unless it be accompanied with another circumstance, he may hear the voice of his wife, if she speak that is reason, and so the superior may hear the voice of the inferior. In the second of the Kings the fift chapter and thirteenth verse, the Master must hear the voice of the Servant, in reason, If the Prophet (saith naaman's servant to Naaman) had commanded thee a great thing wouldst thou not have done it? how much rather when he saith to thee but this, Wash and be clean? and there Naaman heard the voice of his servant; so that licet audire vocem 〈◊〉, the words of reason are to be heard from our Inferior, be it Wife, Child, or Servant; for reason ruleth all out of the mouth of whomsoever it cometh; but we must not hear words noisome and of wicked desire, but when they are brutish, senseless, and of foolish desire, we must not hear them, but above all, not words contrary to God's word, for vox dei praecipiens commanded him not to eat, vox uxor is disuadens persuaded the contrary, yet he heard the voice rather of his Wife than of God; so the fault is disobedience to God which is not alone, but is accompanied with another fault called Ignavia, negligence, carelessness, not regarding God's Commandment. This laying the bridle carelessly on the neck, is to be subject to her voice that was subject to him, and by such negligence was drawn to transgression, the 〈◊〉 act: It was no excuse to Joab that he had David's letters to murder Urias, as it is 2 Sam. 11. 14. nor Solomon's Idolatry was not to be excused because he was persuaded thereunto by his Wives: It is a great offence non contristari mortiferas delitias, not to be sorry for deadly delight: The pleasing voice of Eve was no excuse to Adam's breach of God's Commandments. 2. The disordered Act. The other branch is the disordered act of Adam, which is a second degree of sin; for to have heard the voice of his Wife, and there to have stayed and not to have sinned, had been worthy commendation: to have remembered the voice of God and not regarded the voice of Eve had been commendable: before he heareth the voice of God, but here he obeyeth the voice of Eve. Out of this act of sin the Fathers gather two Circumstances; the first is, that the voice of God might easily have been obeyed; Of all the trees in the Garden thou mayst eat, de illâ arbore, of that one tree alone thou shalt not eat: in such plenty one might have been forborn: so that great was the disobedience when so small a matter commanded by God was not obeyed by Man: according to that of St. Austin upon this place, Magna est iniquitas, ubi non magna obediendi difficultas; here is great ingratitude, not to for bear this one having all other in abundance. The Second Circumstance in this act of sin is to do it though charge were given before to the contrary with pain of death, in the 17. of the former Chapter, It was otherwise with Paul, 2 Cor. 15. he remembreth their obedience to be with fear and trembling: Not death shall separate Paul from his obedience, but Adam was disobedient, though death were denounced, disobedient to death; so that the aggravating the act is the contempt of Gods denouncing of death and punishment. So much may suffice of the Fault. The Punishment or Penalty. Now touching the Punishment. Cursed is the earth for thy sake: in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life, etc. I consider this Punishment of Adam after two sorts, either as a Sentence or as a Law. Now we will speak of it only as a Sentence; hereafter, by God's patience, we will handle the other as a Law. Herein we will consider the proportion of that Fault, with the Punishment, with the Fault, and with the Act itself: In the Sentence are two Punishments: The first, cursed be the earth for thy sake, etc. The second, in the sweat of labour shalt thou eat thy bread till thou return to dust, for dust thou art and to it shalt thou return: The one part of the Punishment is a hard life, the other a corruption by death. In Proportion. As Eves, so Adam's punishment is in proportion: First his desire was unlawful and the Act was sin; for according to 1. of St. James 15. When lust conceiveth, it bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished bringeth forth death: Eves lust made her sin and she was punished: Adam's neglect to suffer an Inferior to prevail against God, is punished with labour, for labour is poena ignaviae, and Man's ingratitude to God is punishment with the Earth's ingratitude to Man; he was disobedient, the earth shall be unfruitful; he offended in meat, and he is punished in his meat; the earth that should feed him, is cursed for him; he offended in unkindness active, he is punished with unkindness passive; he dealt unkindly with God, he shall suffer the earth's unkindness: Eve her punishment was in bringing forth life, Man's in bringing forth living to maintain and nourish life, which is a great difficulty; both have their pain, labour, and sorrow: Hers is in intention, great but for a few hours; his is great in extension, to endure all the days of his life. And so much generally of the Punishment. In his meat. Now in particular: the first part of man's Punishment is in his meat: Men must needs have whereof to eat, for life without living and maintenance will not be preserved: there is not only a bringing forth of Children, but there are also curae oeconomicae, household cares: meat and clothing must of necessity be had, according to that of the Wise man, Preacher 6. 7. all the labour of man is for his mouth, and the 16. of the Proverbs and the 26. is to like purpose: he must eat, and the herb of the field must be his meat; fuel must maintain the fire, and meat must maintain life; Adam came of the earth and must live by the earth; the earth that was his Mother must be his Nurse, and from thence mankind must be maintained, even all, the meanest and the Monarch; for as it is Preacher 5. 8. the abundance of the earth is over all: the King consisteth by the field that is tilled. The herb of the field & bread was the only sustenance of the Patriarches before the Flood, but after the waters had taken away by over much moisture the strength that was in herbs and bread, God gave them then other meats & drinks of strength, in the 9 Chapter of this Book 20. Noah planted Vineyards, and drunk the wine thereof: But that Adam is here to 〈◊〉, is the herb of the field and the bread of his own labour: These two wereable to strengthen man's hart, as it is said of the one, Psalm. 104 15. So long as Adam was obedient unto God the earth yielded all abundance without travel of itself; for thorns there grew fir trees, for nettles the myrrh tree, as it is Isaiah 55. 13. then was the earth a kind and fruitful Mother, but by this course of man's disobedience the earth is become a Stepmother, and without labour she yields 〈◊〉 sustenance; yet for all man's labour it may yield barrenness, according to Jeremy 12. 13. they have sowed wheat and reaped thorns; they have no profit of their labour because of God's anger. Upon the Malediction of the earth followeth a necessary consequence of man's labour; for if the earth that was blessed before, the 12. of the 1. Chapter, is here cursed for man's sin, the fruitfulness must be recovered by man's labour; so that labour is a consequence of the earth's Curse: Three things in the Curse. And in this Curse we observe these three things: First the earth cursed: First the earth itself is cursed: In the 1. Chapter God said that the earth should yield herbs with seed, and trees with fruit of itself, it was so: there was fertility and fecundity by Gods breathing: that in the Scriptures is called a blessed field, wherein is plenty: If man had stood upright there should have been plenty without pain taking; yet man should not have been idle, there should have been labour with pleasure, but sin hath made it with pain. The staff of bread should have endured; but God will break the staff of their bread, Leviticus 26. 26. There shall be no more plenty but penury; and of itself germinabit spinas & tribulos, it shall bring forth weeds, thorns, and thistles, and in abundance. Secondly the Cause: The second thing is the Cause of the Curse, for thy sake. In the 3. of Habakkuk 8. The question is, whether God were angry against the Rivers, the Floods, and the Sea? as much to say they have not offended. Here the earth hath done no offence: it was not cursed for itself, none in se, sed propter te in quantum maledicta fuit propter te: It is all one to the earth in regard of itself, whether it be barren or fruitful, for when it doth fructify it is not for itself: it is insensible of punishment, but it is all for man's sake. Man is as the great Sphere, the primum mobile to the other Creatures; his obedience to God draws the obedience of Plants, Trees, Beasts, and all the Elements unto him 〈◊〉 during his obedience all Creatures are serviceable unto him; but afterwards the earth was unkind, and as he moves all Creatures move with him: if he move against God all move against him. The original world of man's integrity was a Mirror, for the ancient Fathers are of mind that the Sun was more clear, the waters more pleasant, the earth more fruitful, all things more perfect; then all the trees of the field did clap their hands, as it is the fifty fifth of Esay the twefth verse: But man, changing, all was turned upside down, all things were changed; the Sun was 〈◊〉, the waters overflowed, the air with cold pierced, the earth was barren and herbs poisonsome, and the one and thirtieth of Job verse the fourtith, requiteth that of the fifty fifth of Esay afore mentioned: Thistles grew instead of wheat, and cockle in stead of barley, and as it is in the hundred and seventh Psalm and the thirty fourth verse, God hath turned a fruitful land into barrenness, the cause is given, because of the wickedness of the 〈◊〉. In the twenty sixth of Leviticus, the eighteenth, twenty fourth and twenty eighth verses, God saith, If they will not obey for love nor for fear, he will punish them seven times more according to their sins, and yet seven times more than that, and if for all this they will not obey him, but walk stubbornly, God will chastise them from seven to seven times more, and still increase their punishment seven times. The causes must be distinguished, the earth, of itself, before was fruitful, now of itself it is infertile, because the Creature Man is subject to vanity, in the eighth of the Romans and the twentieth verse, and as it is in the twenty fourth of the Prov. and the thirtieth verse: the field of the Sluggard is grown over with thorns and with nettles: If man be sluggish the earth must be fruitless; so that the earth must be laboured, and that labour must be qualified; the labour must be great, else it brings forth the cockle for corn; this is the perfection of punishment; for according to the sixth of the Hebrews and the eighth verse, The field that beareth thorns and thistles is near unto cursing, whose end is to be burned: Thirdly, Labour continued. and this labour must be continued, which is the third thing; the continuance of it, which is of three forts. First, It is not simple labour for a day or two, but cunctis diebus vitae, in youth and in age even to death, as it is in the nineteenth verse, In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread till thou return to earth. St. Austin saith there is perpetu● corruptio and perpetuus labour, sloth is punished with continuance of labour: in the second of Samuel the eleventh chapter and second verse, thy idleneness fell to lust, and as it is in the first to Timothy the fifth and the thirteenth, idleness leadeth to all sins. Secondly, It is continued with patience; what if thou labour and it bringeth forth spinas & tribulos, thorns and thistles, yet must thou bear it, and labour still in the sweat of thy face? like him that planted a Vineyard with much pain and great cost, and he looked it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes; and as it is in Psalm 127. the labour is in vain unless God bless it: Plenty cometh not by man's labour but by God's mercy: Vain therefore were they, the first of Habakkuk the fifteenth, That took fish with the angle and the net, and gathered it in their yarn; and when they had done, did sacrifice to their net and burned incense to their yarn, because by them they thought their portion was fat and their meat plenteous: Their labour is even nothing without God's blessing, lest as in that place of Habakkuk, they should deify their own labour: though the earth be unkind labour thou still, and boast not of thy labour lest it be vain. Thirdly, as it is in the 10. of the Preacher the 10. If the Iron be blunt it must be whet to have an edge, and if need be of a better edge, than it must be whet with more strength: And here if great labour will not serve greater must be added, harder labour must be used, it must be labour sudoris; if thou wilt have herbs for thy meat only smalller labour will serve, but if thou wilt feed upon bread, thou must use much labour, thou must labour and sweat; thy nutriment must be by an excrement, bread is the interest of thy continual labour: this is the yoke of the sins of Adam. God in punishing the Israelites will remember the land which he gave them, Leviticus 26. 42. and they must suffer the punishment of their iniquity; yea, when you shall remember your own wickedness, ye shall judge yourselves worthy destruction for your iniquity, in the thirty sixth of Ezekiel and the thirty first: Paul, in the first of the Corinthians the ninth and the fifteenth, saith it were better for him to die than not to do his duty. The use of the Scripture. Now this sentence upon Adam hath this use for us, spinae & tribuli, the thorns and thistles when we walk in the field speak to us as God's book doth, and make us a Sermon, telling they should not have grown there but for us, the earth should not have been cursed with barrenness but for our wickedness: if the thorn prick; or the nettle sting thee, it will say hoc propter te; I was first brought and still I grow to make thee remember thy obedience; so that the very nettle that is good for nothing shall put thee in mind of thy 〈◊〉: Be not angry with the earth if it be barren, for it will say it was so non propter se, sed propter te. To conclude this point well saith a Father, we must have not only sensum poenae in corpore, the feeling of punishment in our body, but sensum irae divinae in ment, the ceiling of God's wrath in our soul. But now not to leave you plunged in despair with consideration of grievous punishment, in a word I will touch the allay of this punishment: be comforted, though God be just yet he is merciful, non est Crux sine Christo, hast thou a Cross than hast thou Christ to comfort thee. Mercies in this Sentence are five. God hath left five signs of his mercy in this sentence, which the ancient Father's term vestigia miserantis gratiae, impressions of Gods merciful favour. 1. The first is, non dixit maledictus tu, cursed be thou, as he said to the Serpent, but terra maledicta, cursed be the earth: the nature that sinned is not cursed, nor is it like cain's curse in the fourth Chapter and eleventh verse, for there is he cursed from the earth; but here the earth of which Adam was made, not Adam himself was cursed. 2. Secondly, he is punished but with a little labour to his great sin, with a watery drops of sweat, and the sweat is but an easy sweat of the face, not like Christ's sweat in his prayer, the twenty second of Luke the forty fourth verse, which was like drops of blood trickling down to the ground. 3. Thirdly, God might have suffered the earth to have been fruitless let man have laboured never so much, but that man for all his sin, yet with his labour shall make the earth fruitful, in my opinion is a great mercy, which I ground out of the one hundred twenty eighth Psalm: when thou eatest the labour of thy hands, saith David, thou shalt be blessed,: It is a blessing when the Wife is fruitful as the Vine upon the house side, when thy Children are as the Olive plants about thy Table: and it is a blessing that yet with labour the earth shall bring forth fruit: It is a comfort that your labour shall not be in vain, as St. Paul speaketh, the first to the Corinthians the fifteenth and the fifty eighth. God in mercy sendeth rain to water the earth, what to do? Isaiah telleth you in his 55. chapter and 10. verse, to give not only bread to the eater but even seed to the sour: It is a comfort when we sow that we shall reap; he that soweth, eareth, reapeth, thresheth, doth it in hope, the first to the Corinthians the ninth chapter and tenth verse. God giveth bread to the hungry and the seed to further increase by labour, that acquisitum, that thou hast gained through thy labour. 4. Fourthly, it is a great mercy to call it panis taus', thy bread, thou shalt eat of thy own bread; this is mercy, I say, to term that man's which is Gods. Lastly, this labour hath a date and an end, it hath tempus refrigerii; upon the amending your lives, God will put away your sins, and a time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, Acts 3. 19 Let this be lastly your comfort, that though you labour long, yet you shall have a resting after your labour. In sudore vultûs tui vescitor cibo, donec revertaris in human, cum ex eâ desumptus fueris: nam pulvis es, & inpulverem revertêris. Gen. 3. 19 October 〈◊〉 1598. NOw are we to handle the other part of Adam's Sentence and punishment; The ground and nature of the Sentence. and in the Sentence we are to consider the ground of it, and the nature or form of it: Disobedience is the ground of this sentence, and this Sentence is made even a Law; for according to that of Paul, Romans 6. 2. The Law of life which is in Christ Jesus, hath freed me from the Law of sin and of death, so that sin is the cause of death. Hence sprung the Pelagian heresy; condemned by the Council of Carthage: Council Carth. 7. That said that though we sinned, yet we were freed, though we lived never so dissolutely, yet we were saved. After Christ's coming death was not the reward of sin: but mark what St. James, in his first chapter and thirteenth verse, saith, When lust hath conceived, it 〈◊〉 forth sin, and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death; and St. Paul, in the fifth to the Romans the nineteenth and the twenty first, saith, Death. That as by one man's disohedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one many were made righteous: and further, That as sin reigned unto death, so grace by righteousnese might reign to eternal life.: Truth it is, that through sin came death, and that death hath rule over all; Adam at the first by sin brought death, the last Adam by obedience brought everlasting life; and as Paul, in the first to the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter and the twenty sixth verse, saith, That the last enemy that Christ should destroy was death; for as it is in the same chapter, As in Adam all die, so in Christ all shall be made alive; and the very wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, saith Paul in the sixth to the Romans and the twenty third verse. The nature and form of sin. Touching the nature and form of the sin, God is not cause of sin. God is not the agent in sin, but the cause of sin is only from Adam himself. And according to that of the Wise man in his first chapter and thirteenth verse, Adam and sin cause of death. God hath not made death, neither hath he pleasure in the destruction of the living; and in the eighteenth of Ezekiel and the twenty third, God hath no desire that the wicked should die, but if even the wicked return from his ways he shall live: so that Adam and his sin was the cause of death, death was made by him, for God is the God of life. It was the sin of Nineveh that made God to threaten destruction to Nineveh within forty days; but when, as it is in the third of Jonah and the eighth, they returned by repentance from their evil ways, God shown mercy and they were not destroyed. Adam he forsook God of himself, and so he brought death to himself: So long as he shown his obedience unto God, the other Creatures were obedient unto him, there was no enmity between him and the other Creatures; in time of obedience he was not in danger of death: God breathed into Adam life, Adam brought death. The Prophet in the 104. Psalm 29. saith, If thou take away their breath, they return to their dust; so that life is Gods, but dust is their own, ground and they have their moisture, and when that moisture is dried up and taken away it turneth to dust; ex argillâ fabricavit hominem Deus: Job in his tenth chapter and ninth verse saith to God, Remember that thou hast made me as the clay, and wilt thou bring me to dust again: for if the moisture of the grace of God be taken away, what are we but dust. The Heavens send down the dew from above to moisten the Earth, Isaiah 45. 8. It is the spirit of God that giveth the moisture to belief, John 7. 39 If that be taken away we are but dust. Thus fare of it as a Sentence. A Law. Now of this as of a Law: To dust shalt thou return. First touching the certainty of it in these words, to dust thou shalt return; of the uncertainty when, donec, until. There are those that escape the first part of this punishment of Adam, that live not in the sweat of their face, qui non vivunt ex labore sudoris, there are those that live at ease and yet far daintily, that have abundance and take no pains, that lie upon their Beds as the door turneth upon his hinges, Proverbs 26. 14. But though they escape that part of the Sentence, this part takes hold of all, for all must die; this is universal this is certain Statutum est, it is a Statute and a Law that all must die, from the first to the last Adam, the fift to the Romans the fifteenth. David himself saith of himself in regard of mortality of the body, Psalm the twenty second and the sixth, I am a worm and not a man. We have comfort in Jesus Christ to live for ever: this was it that Jesus said, that John should not die, the twenty first of John and the twenty third, and by him we look for the resurrection of the body. This it was that made Job, in his nineteenth chapter and twenty sixth verse, to say That though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet shall I see God in my flesh. A universal Law. Touching the extent of this, that it is universal to all to die, it is plain not to be denied; for as it is in the eighty ninth Psalms and the forty eighth verse: What man liveth and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the grave? Though God hath said to Kings and Princes and Judges of the earth, ye are Gods and Children of the Almighty, yet ye shall die as men and fall like others, Psalm the eighty second and the seventh, laquei mortis, the snares of death compass about the Godly; their body goeth to the grave, but their soul returneth to rest, Psalm the one hundred sixth and the seventh verse; and as it is in the second of the Preacher and the sixteenth, The wise man dieth as well as the fool: Look what sentence is given upon man, falls upon the rest of the Creatures, for man is the great Count-palatine of the world, and the chief mover in the Sphere; as he moveth all are moved, and the Elements, and Birds, and Beasts were subject to Man's change; his disobedience made all disobedient and out of order; yea as the Wiseman saith in the nineteenth of Ecclesiast. and the fifth All the living know assuredly they shall die. So much for the certainty to all. Uncertainty. Donec until. Now of the uncertainty of the time, donec until, which is very uncertain. Isaac though he were old and near his death, yet in the twenty seventh of Genesis and the second he said, senex sum & diem mortis nescio, I am now old and know not the day of my death. The men of this world have their Portion in this life: there are the gates of death, as David speaketh, and laquei mortis, the snares of death. This time cannot be discerned, it is nighest us when we think ourselves most secure: For when the rich man had laid up store for many years, and said to his soul take thou thy rest, even than came it, hâc nocte, this night thou shalt die. Death is pronounced upon all, but a flaming fire and vengeance belongeth only to the ungodly, the second to the Thessalonians, the first chapter and the eighth and ninth verses. Mercy in death Now touching the mitigation of this death in this sentence of death; for as the Wiseman speaketh in the seventh chapter and the seventeenth verse The vengeance of the wicked is fire and 〈◊〉; this bitterness must be allayed; for as Bernard saith, non est crux sine Christo, non est punctio sine unctione, there is no cross without comfort, no punishment without ointment. The fear of death. Christ delivereth them from the fear of death (that is God's anger) that all their life were subject to bondage, the second to the Hebrews and the fifteenth: The hope of life. so than the fear of death must be allayed with the hope of life. For though the wicked be cast off for his malice, yet the righteous hath hope in his death; the fourteenth of the Proverbs and the thirty second. This is joy to us even in death, that Christ will change this vile body, that it may be fashioned like his glorious body, the third to the Philipians and the twenty first, and according to the fourteenth of the Revelations and the thirteenth, their hope is with a blessing; beati mortui qui in domino moriuntur, blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, for they rest from their labours. Now in the very words of the Sentence are implied two sorts of this delay: Donec implieth an end of labour. Donec implieth that they shall labour until; then until implieth no eternity: there is a consummation of labour: there is end of labour and an assurance of rest, the blessed rest from their labours: tempus est refrigerii, there is a time of refreshing, the third of the Acts and the nineteenth. They that live in ease are weary of it: Solomon, in the first of the Kings the eleventh chapter and the fourth verse, died in his age. Abraham, in the twenty fifth of Genesis and the eighth, yielded the spirit and died a good age; Death is a resting from Labour and from sin. and death is not only a resting from labour, but from sin also. Paul, in the seventh to the Romans and the twenty fourth, desireth to be delivered from the body of sin, which he calleth the body of death. The holy Fathers on that place; but this difference, that the Martyrs desire to die that they might not sin, the Malefactors because they have sinned. A delaying of the punishment. The other part of the delay is the chiefest, which is the consideration, that there is an exemption of death from the best part of man a qualifying of the punishment; A bodily punishment. for the soul and body both offended, but the body only is punished; the soul man's better part is free, that is not touched. He saith not here thou shalt die the death, but thou shalt return to dust; for as it is in the third of the Preacher and the twentieth, all 〈◊〉 of the dust and all shall return to dust: It is the body only that returneth to dust, but the soul returneth to God that gave it. Man's heavenly part shall be free from this sentence: The Soul immortal. the head of man, his soul, which is nearest God shall be safe, though his heel be bruised: The earthly part shall return to that it was, but the heavenly 〈…〉 still the immortality. If Christ be in us, the body is dead, because of sin; but the spirit is life for righteousness sake, the eighth of the Romans and the tenth. This then giveth comfort in death, that though the body die the soul shall live for ever: This gave comfort to Adam that he had thus well escaped, Hevah the Mother of the living. that in the very next verse he calleth his Wife with joy Hevah, which is the Mother not of the dead but of the living, for Hevah is mater viventium. In the twentieth of Luke the thirty seventh and thirty eighth verses, The Lord is Deus viventium. The Lord is called the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob; yet is he not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live unto him: yet than the Patriarches were dead; but though the Grave had their body, God had their soul: the Patriarches died, their soul lives, the third of Exodus the sixth, to be compared with the former place; for after death they were not dead, but removed to another state of life. God will bring his again from the depth of the Sea, Psalm the sixty eight and the twenty second, The first death so the godly shall suffer the first death; Revelations the twenty first and the eighth, expoundeth that place: But the wicked and the accursed shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death: The second death. the first death is the death of all, the first death only is the death of Saints, but the second death is the death of sinners. David's soul is delivered from the sword, Psalm the twenty second and the twenty first; but death seedeth 〈◊〉 upon the wicked as sheep feed upon a Common; and as their life was without repentance, so their death shall be without end: the godly wish for death to rest from their labours the wicked wish for death that live in torment, which is great, Revelations 9 6. The gates of death are mentioned in the Psalms; and in the seventh of the Proverbs and the twenty seventh; Penetralia mortis, the Chambers of death. The wicked live not only in the Gates, in the Courts, in the Chambers of death, but even in the Dungeon of death, in the twenty third Psalm and the fourth verse, and in the seventh of the Romans the twenty fourth, are to be delayed: in the one is mention of umbra mortis, in the other corpus mortis; they are to be delayed, with the 9 of Mark, the 1. where it is said, that some there are that shall not taste of death, till they have seen the Kingdom of God come with power: So that the first death takes hold of the gody, but the second death toucheth them not; For they that be faithful unto death, shall be crowned with a crown of life, Revel. 2. 10. and in the 11. verse, the godly that overcome shall not be hurt of the second death: Isaiah 26. 19 Death natural and eternal. they are subject to the natural death, but free from the eternal death: This is their comfort in the first death, to have delivery from the second death, Resurrection. By the resurrection of the dead to life is a second return; for by the first return the body returneth from dust to dust, but the second is from dust to glory, Return. which is a return not of the soul, but of the body also; according to that of Job, This body of flesh shall be covered with immortality: and according to that of Hosea, the 13. Chapter and the 14. verse; The godly shall be redeemed from the power of the grave and death: and according to that place of the Prophecy, Christ will be the death of death itself; but most plain of all, is that of the 1. of the Revelations the 18. spoken of Christ, That he is alive but was dead, but now he is alive for evermore; and he hath the keys of hell and of death: This than doth allay and qualify the bitterness of this sentence. The use hereof is divers to learn. Hence now may we gather use to ourselves in these five things: 1. Humility The first is though it be bitter yet it is wholesome: the first use is taken out of pulvis es. Learn hence unde es from whence thou art; thou art but of a clod, be not proud; thou treadest upon that thou art made, let that put thee in mind of humility; boast not of thy honour, for thy honour is in the dust. There is nothing in the grave whither thou goest, Preacher 9 11. Quid ergo attollis cervicem in pulverem reversuram? this is a means to learn humility, learn of yourselves what you are and then be humble. Austin saith that the time will come to give an account to God of thy do; remember thy own frailty and be not proud, for God knoweth whereof we be made, he remembreth we are but dust, Psal. 103. 14. 2. To regard things of this life as dust. The second use is out of pulvis in pulverem, dust to dust. We must remember whither we are to go: we are now dust, but sub alienâ formâ in the likeness of flesh, but we shall be dust in the likeness of dust itself; our flesh of dust shall be turned into dust: and according to that of the 14. of the 11. Thy pomp and pleasure is brought down to the grave, the worms shall cover thee: then with Job. 17. 14. 〈◊〉 mayst say to corruption, thou art my Father, and to the worm, thou art my Mother and Sister; and as it is in the 26. of Isaiah and the 19 the dust must be our dwelling: joy not then in the joys of this world which are but dust and corruptible; they are as Austin saith gaudia privanda; but sorrow for gaudia aeterna privanda, sorrow lest 〈◊〉 be deprived of eternal joys. 3. Our life unconstant, or death uncertain. The third use for instruction is out of 〈◊〉, 〈…〉 The state of our life is always in motion and in revolving like a Ship a sailing. Job, in his 14. chapter and 14. verse, called the resurrection after death a changing, it is like a shadow, it is still turning and returning; Paul saith in the thirteenth to the Hebrews the fourteenth verse, We have here no continuing City, but we look hereafter for one, our life is unconstant, our death uncertain, always changing: this the inconstancy of man's life is the motive to good, as the other is the retentive from evil. Paul saith, he dieth daily, from sin; here on the earth we must not seek for the hill of certain repose, but look in heaven for a perpetual City. The Tents and Tabernacle are taken away, therefore (with Abraham) We must look for a City having a foundation, whose builder and maker is God, the eleventh of the Hebrews, and the tenth verse. 4. A time to return. The fourth use is out of donec revertêris, until thou return, a time of returning, where we must learn to return by repentance unto God, before we return to dust, that so we may return again from dust 〈◊〉 God, let men be always ready, spend not thy days with the wicked that go suddenly down to the grave, the twenty first of Job and the thirteenth; the forty fifth of I saiah and the eighth, And as they live so they die like beasts, the third of the Preacher and the ninteenth. 5. We must return to God. The fifth and last is, that we must return to God; For shall the dust give thanks unto thee, the thirtieth I salme and the ninth verse: The godly shall be delivered out of temptation, though the unjust be reserved to judgement, the second of Peter the second and the ninth. We must return to God per poenitentiam. Let it not be thought incredible that God should raise again the dead, the twenty sixth of the Acts and the eighth, the first of Jea. and the eighth. So a man shall return to God very well, by due consideration of these things; from the first, pulvis es thou art dust; to return to God by humility; by the second, not to joy in this world but in God; by the third, to rest our turning and returning in God; and by the fourth, to comfort ourselves, that out of the grave we shall rise to live with God. Abraham addeth ashes to dust. But what made Abraham to add ashes to dust, the eighteenth of this Book and the twenty seventh, he saith I am O Lord but dust and ashes. The Fathers upon this place say that dust is our beginning, and if we do not obey God, by fire we shall be turned into ashes, ashes will be our ending: We are all naturally dust, and we are all by desert also but ashes: and although (by no means) you cannot avoid to be dust, yet by an upright life you may avoid to be ashes: though we cannot but incur the first death, let not the second death take hold of us: Though the grave enclose us, let not hell swallow us. All we eat, all that we care for in this world is but for dust, and for that will turn to dust. If we be nothing but dust, if we hope for nothing but dust, if we care for nothing but dust, we shall be swallowed up in dust. Let us remember we are clay, but God is the Potter, Isaiah 64. 8. Above all regard thy soul. Above all regard thy soul, then shall thy body of dust return to dust, and from dust shall return again to God that made it, and thee, thou; and thy body shall return to glory. Vocavit autem Adam nomen uxoris suae Chawam: eò quòd ipsa mater sit omnium hominum viventium. Gen 3. 20. December 10. 1598. ADam here calleth his Wife by a new name, not by the former name in the 23. of the former, which was Woman. The mystery of this name compared with the former Sentence is great; she is called here Hevah, she hath no name of dejection and despair, but of life and of comfort: Hereby is to be gathered, that notwistanding the sin committed and sentence pronounced, yet there was in Adam some matter of hope, for he believed the promise made in the 15. verse before, that the seed of the Woman should break the Serpent's head: This was as it is in the 〈◊〉 to the Corinthians 2. 16. The savour of life unto life. Abraham believed in God's promise, the 15. of this book the 6. by this Scripture Adam left a Monument of his belief, as in the other, Abraham left a Monument of his faith. The seed of Abram in his age was promised to be, in the 5. verse of that chapter, as the stars of heaven. Abraham desired to see the day of Christ, and he saw it by faith. Herein we will consider these two things, first the imposition of a name, and then of this name. For the first, the imposing of names is an argument of superiority and power: in the 19 of the former chapter it is showed, in the naming of all the Creatures by man, which names were properly given by him. In the thirty fifth chapter and the eighteenth verse, jacob's Wife before her death called her son's name Ben-oni, but his Father changed that name and called him Benjamin, from the son of sorrow to the son of 〈◊〉. Jacob was after called Israel, the tenth of the same chapter: the name of Sarai was turned to Sarah, the seventeenth of Genesis and the fifteenth verse, as of Jacob by the Angel into Israel, the two and thirtieth chapter and the twenty eighth verse: and out of these new names is taken matter of great mystery; And Adam before called her Ishah, woman, as another from man, but here he changeth that to Hevah, which is a name of life to others. Now then touching the imposition of this name, wherein we will consider the signification of this name, and then the quality thereof. In the seventh of the former chapter, God 〈◊〉 into man the breath of life, and man was a living soul, and here her name is a name of life; now life is two fold, either for a time, or for ever; she is a mother of life, in regard of this life, for that her birth is not of an abortive it is a blessedness, production and education are in regard of this life, that of the twenty ninth chapter and one and twentith verse is, that of this life my term is ended. Zathaca, this name belongeth to all females, in respect of this life, for all bring forth life, though to die. It only this life were here regarded, the ancient Fathers that came from her, though they lived long, yet they died and have long lain dead, and in regard of the length of their death, she might have been called the mother of the dead, therefore this name is understood of the other life which is eternal, for after death they had hope of another life. David in the twenty seventh Psalm and the thirteenth verse, Should have sainted but that he believed to see the goodness of God in the land of the living. And in the hundred forty second Psalm and the fifth verse, he had his portion and hope in the land of the living. God is the God not of the dead but of the living, the two and twentith of Matthew and the thirty second verse. Now where there is a Commandment or Promise of life, there is meant eternal life: He that doth the Commandments shall live, not a mortal but an immortal life, the Covenant of life to the Priests and People in the levitical law is that life: That was it that made Job in his ninteenth chapter and twenty fifth verse, to assure himself that his Redeemer lived, and so should he; but most plainly speaketh Christ himself, the eleventh of John and the twenty fifth verse, of himself; that he is life, and he that believeth in him though he mere dead yet shall he live, and in the very nature of the word itself is a double being, the one temporal, the other permanent, which is expressed in the original by difference of one letter, Hagab and Havah, all have the common life, but there are those that are strangers from the life of God, the fourth of the Ephesians and the eighteenth verse, and there are those to whom God is life and length of days, the thirtieth of Deuteronomie and the twentith verse, so that not by consequence, but by the very essence of this name is meant life eternal; God hath his book where he writeth the living, the thirty second chapter of Exodus and the thirty second verse, there is a book of life, the sixty ninth Psalm and the twenty ninth verse. God promiseth to give to him that overcommeth, to eat of the Tree of Life, the second of the Revelations and the seventh verse, and the ancient Fathers upon that place, non dedit corollam, sed coronam vitae, he gave a crown of life, which is life for ever. There is a mystery also in the quality of the name, which is comprehended in the word itself, which is a bringing of good news and glad tidings; as are cold waters to comfort the thirsty, so is good news from a fare Country, the twenty fifth chapter of the Proverbs and the twenty fifth verse; When Jacob heard that Joseph his son was yet alive, in a fare and strange Country, and that they had brought him Chariots, these tidings revived Jacob that was in age, the forty fifth chapter and the twenty seventh verse; this name of life is even as a name of joyful tidings; If in matters of this life it be so, then much more in things spiritual, after we have sinned and deserved punishment, than absolution and remission is a joying of a man's heart, and there is joy in this name, that word is life, & vita est ex verbo, man at the first was made a living soul, the seventh of the former chapter. In the sixth of Saint John's Gospel the sixty third verse, The words Christ spoke are spirit and life, and again in the sixty eighth verse of the same chapter, Peter saith to him, thou hast the words of eternal life; It is observed by the Greek Fathers that the seventy Interpreters did put down Hevah under the same letter Evangelium, which is good tidings, this word is the abstract of the eternal word. In the first to the Corinthians, the fifteenth chapter and the forty fifth verse, the first man Adam was a living soul, the last Adam was a quickening Spirit, a living Soul is in itself, a quickening Spirit is unto others, in the word was life, the first of Saint John's Gospel and the fourth verse, and in the first Epistle of Saint John the first chapter and the first verse, Christ was the word of life, and life itself, verbum vitae, & vita, hence we receive Grace here and hereafter: And herein is the manifestation of the Trinity given in this very name of Evah. The mystery of salvation was known to Adam before he gave the name; God hath given to his son power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to all them that believe in him, the seventeenth of Saint John and the first verse. The Promise of Christ was in this, that the seed of the woman should break the Serpent's head, not the seed of man, but of woman, therefore he still keepeth his own name, but changeth her name from 〈◊〉 to Evah, saying with himself I am Adam still, from me is nothing but earth, but from the Promise made by God to the woman he giveth her the name of Hevah, and from Hevah he giveth life to the end of the world; for the Fathers gather out of the first of the Corinthians, the fifteenth chapter and the one and twentith verse, That by Adam came death, he is pater morientium, but by the Promise of Christ in this name, she is mater viventium, the mother of the living; for by Christ we live, and he is therefurrection of the dead; the ancient writers observe that Adam was 〈◊〉, & in pulverem reversurus, he was dust and to dust he should return, that is, of his own nature, but by Hevah is promise of Grace, and though we, as by nature, die with Adam, yet God will raise 〈◊〉 up by Jesus Christ, the second to the Corinthians, the fourth chapter and the thirteenth verse, It is he that raiseth the needy out of the dust, according to the hundred and thirteenth Psalm and the seventh verse, this is it that made Paul, the second to the Galathians and the twentith verse, to say, That I live, yet not I but Christ that liveth in me; and in that I now live in the flesh, vivo in fide fiilii viri, the just liveth by faith, and shall live the life of Grace; she is here then called the mother of that life; set this verse aside we have no memory that the promise before made was of eternal life, hence then is a fountain of life, which was by transgression the original of death, for she transgressed and thereby came death, but God brings light out of darkness, and life out of death: But what is faith without 〈◊〉, even nothing; for faith worketh by charity, the fist to the Galathians and the sixth verse, then as from hence there is faith to be taken, so out of this name is a work of charity to comfort us and Eve herself that was dejected and miserably plunged in sorrow by seeing she had cast down herself and all mankind by her sin, making her, by her new name, partaker of God's love and charity, this Charity is not contained in Eve alone, but continued in her posteri ie unto the end of the world: Abraham had great comfort, the twelfth chapter and the third verse, that omnes gentes, all the Nations of the earth in him should be blessed, the eighteenth of the same chapter and the eighteenth verse, and the two and twentith chap oer and the eighteenth verse, but this promise of all blessedness was that in her, omnes viventes, all living should be blessed; for all that have been, all that are, and all that shall be, are partakers of this promise, for it reacheth from Eve to the end of the world; In the first name Isha, she is the mother of nature of them that live and then die, but by this name she is the mother of Grace of them, that though they are dead yet shall live for ever: by the one the mother of mankind; by the other of the Church. Job in his tenth chapter and twelfth verse saith, vitam & gratiam tribuisti mihi, which life is the life of God eternally: Therefore Adam by this name did comfort himself, his wife, and all others in their miseries, in that we must be not only the seed of nature by her first name, but the seed of Eve, of Grace, of the Promise, and of Hope, and so children of the Church, of the holy seed, to obtain the life of God eternal; And lastly, according to that of the second of Malachy, We shall be partakers of the Covenant of Peace and Life. Fecitque Jehova Deus Adamo & uxori ejus tunicas pelliceas, quibus vestivit eos. Gen. 3. 21. Dec. 7. 1598. THIS verse is, as it were, the opening of God's warehouse, and giving thence his livery and apparel, wherein is mercy and favour even in judgement, for after the Sentence God promiseth life, and here giveth apparel, so that as Abacuch speaketh, this commendeth God's mercy in his anger; as there was a mercy precedent in the Promise, so here is a mercy subsequent in this provision, and God mingleth mercy with judgement, and joineth Provision with punishment, according to that of the seventy eighth Psalm and the twenty ninth verse, this favour God vouchsafeth, before he ends his Sentence he giveth hope of life everlasting, and here addeth apparel as the sign of his favour, for all the care of this world is for food and the back, but seek the kingdom of God, and these things shall be ministered unto you, the sixth of Matthew and the three and thirtith verse. Five parts of this verse. This verse doth offer in itself five parts, as they lie in order: The first is the persons of Adam and his Wife: The second is that God made: The third is apparel: The fourth is of Skins: The fift is, that therewith they were arrayed. Out of each of these there is a double consideration of good use. To begin then in order: 1. Out of the persons of Adam and Eve we learn, that though they were sinners yet God gave them his providence and provision: The Sun shineth on the good and on the bad, the rain falleth on the just and the unjust, the fifth of Maithew and the forty fifth, he is kind nnto the unkind, in the sixth of Luke and the thirty fift; If God then give not over the wicked, much more he will not leave the faithful. Secondly, he extendeth his providence not only to sinners but even to the bodies of sinners, which is showed in his providence before for the belly, and here for the back; both these are expressed in the tenth of Deuteronomy and the eighteenth: Food and raiment is all we should desire in this world, the first to Timothy the sixth and the eighth; yea Gods providence goeth further than for the belly and back, for by it all the hairs of the head are numbered, the tenth of Matthew and the thirtieth; his providence watcheth over the soul and the body, over the wicked; then much more the good. 2. God made The second point is God made: he arrayed the Heavens with stars and the Earth with grass, and here he arrayed Man with skins: Here let us not search into the curiosity of the Jews how God made them and what skins they were. It is said in the holy Scriptures, that God builded an house, it is not meant that he was a Carpenter, and here it is to be understood not that God was their Tailor, but that God gave them power to kill beasts, and capacity to make and shape apparel; he was not the Workman himself. In the seventh verse before they made themselves Breeches of figge-leaves to cover their nakedness; they were for no use nor continuance, they were but vain: God must teach them and direct them their clothing; Man's reason without God hath a show of wisdom, but is without understanding, the second to the Colossians and the twenty third. In the first of Samaell 15. 15. Saul in his own conceit thought he had done well, to save the best of the Sheep and Oxen. That apparel that Adam made was cold and could not hold. 3. Coats. The third is Clothes or Coats; in the original tongue it is expressed that which is to cover and to defend. Before Adam in Paradise had a care to have a Cover, ad honestatem, for shame: there is a Commandment against the uncovering of shame, in the eighteenth of Leviticus and the sixth: which Paul in the first to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter and the twenty third verse calleth our uncomely parts. Sem and Japhet will cover shame, though wicked Cham will discover it. The brutish Savages respect not their nakedness: The Sect of the Cynics and the Adamites were shameless of their shame: in the sixth of the Revelations shame must not be seen. Adam by the light only of reason covered his shame, that so this covering might be Velam verecundiae, a Veil of shame fastness. We must beware that we change not our clothing in vexillum superbiae, to be the standard of pride: at the first it was ordained for a covering for lust, we must not then make it a provocation for 〈◊〉 it is made by God to suppress lust, we must not then make it as a procurer of sensuality: Such is the attire of an enticing Woman, in the seventh of the Proverbs and the nineth. St. Jerome upon this place, saith, that it is opposite unto this use or first institution of apparel to make it nidum luxuriae, a nest for lasciviousness. The second reason why God made them apparel, was for defence both of the cold of Winter and the heat of Summer, to save them from the weather. St. Paul, in the second to the Corinthians the eleventh chapter and the twenty seventh verse, among other miseries reckoneth cold and nakedness; and as it is in the fifth of the Lamentations and the tenth, the Prophet speaketh heat maketh the skin black as an oven, so these clothes defended the skin from the offence of all weather; For in nature every one nourisheth and cherisheth his own flesh, the fifth to the Ephesians and the twenty nineth; he nourisheth his belly with meat and cherisheth his back with clothes. We do account ourselves debtors to the flesh; the eighth to the Romans and the twelfth, These two are meant by things needful for the body, the second of St. James Epistle and the sixteenth; but as it is in the thirteenth of the Romans and the fourteenth; Put you on the Lord Jesus, and take no thought for the flesh; facere & non perficere, were vain to make a Creature and not to preserv it, God will not: but here we must learn to take heed that we make it a defence for necessity, and not an offence for superfluity, the first of James and the twenty first. 4. Of Skins. The fourth point is, that this apparel was made of skins: Herein are two things to be learned; first that they were skins of beasts, and then that the beasts were destroyed: the beast was made to be destroyed, but man was to be regarded: they must die that man may be preserved from death; God hath greater regard of us than of all the beasts; we are of more value than many Sparrows, the tenth of Matthew and the thirty first: he is allowed here to kill beasts for his apparel, and after to make their Tents of skins: God hath given us more understanding than the beasts, and more wisdom than the fowls of Heaven, the thirty fifth of Job and the eleventh The second thing is the quality of the apparel, which is the first that God gave to Man, which they wear for his livery; they are cover of great frugality; they are unlike unto ours which are for show and not for durance. It had been as easy for God to have made them of Silk and of Wool, But God regarded not the gorgeous show. This simplicity of apparel confoundeth the multiplicity of apparel in these days, which they may well call a world of apparel: The gorgeous attire of the daughters of Zion, the third of Isaiah and the sixteenth, shall be altered to beggary, so that they shall discover their secret parts. Here apparel was made for the body, but we make apparel for apparel, veil upon vail: the frugality confoundeth the riotousness and madness of apparel, and this simplicity our sumptuosness: we are ashamed of Adam's attire, but Adam would be ashamed of us and our prodigality. This apparel was without pride: Christ commandeth us not to care for our body, what to eat or to put on, in the sixth of Matthew and the twenty fifth; the body is better than raiment, but now men's apparel is much more worth than the body; for as fare as earth is from heaven, so fare do we differ in apparel from the ancient world: and now men consume their days in vanity, as it is in the 78. Psalm and the 33; before plainness was sufficient, but now cutting and imbroiderie and needlework on both sides, nothing will suffice: Esau for his belly sold his birthright, in the twelfth of the Hebrews and the sixteenth: Achan for a little costly apparel lost his soul, in the seventh of Joshua the twenty first, and with his 〈◊〉 he went to Hell: it was a goodly Babylonish garment: the simplicity of apparel was from Paradise, but the pride of apparel seemeth by that place to be from Babylon. The sumptuousness of apparel leadeth men into sundry tentations, the first to Timothy, the sixth and the eight verse; this is it that makes men to be lovers of themselves, as it is in the second to Timothy, the third chapter; It draweth men to extortion, but say rich apparel be worn without extortion or oppression or ill means, yet it busieth the mind with vain thoughts, and hindereth charitable works; for often that too is bestowed upon vanity, which might better be bestowed in charity. 5. Adam was content. The fifth point and last is, Adam looked not scornfully upon his apparel, but was content with it, which few of his posterity are; for still, though it be never so well, yet one way or other they still mislike: that is the first. Secondly, We must think well of such as wear such simple skins, and not account vilely of them for having such apparel: For those that went up and down in Sheep's skins and Goats skins, were such quibus non dignus erat mundus, of whom the world was not worthy, the eleventh to the Hebrews the thirty seventh: But he, in the sixteenth of St. Luke, the tenth verse, that fared daintily, that was elothed in purple and fine linnnen every day, for all this he was not worthy of the world. Solomon in his Canticles saith, That the King's daughter is beautiful within, God respecteth the inward heart more than the outward show, the glory of apparel of gold, or such like; But if the hid man of the heart be uncorrupt, and a spirit of humility before God, is a thing much more set by, the first of Peter the third chapter and the fourth verse. Now we desire to be like golden sepulchers; if the out side be gorgeous we care not how foul and filthy the inside is: well therefore say the Fathers, that nimia cura corporis ducit incuriam animae; too much care of the body causeth the carelessness of the soul. Secondly, They came hereby into God's favour, by wearing his livery they became his servants, and so of his household: They are of the Prince's house, to whom he giveth bread and clothing, the third of Esay and the sixth verse; If they were God's servants, than God was their Master, and so it is said, the sixth to the Ephesians the ninth, that the Master of us all is in Heaven. Out of these five clauses, for things corporal, we learn that out devising, without Gods making, cannot stand, but is vain; that God regardeth us more than all the beasts he had made; he preserveth our life, though by their death; hence we may learn frugality, and to fly vanity; we may learn contentment and hate of pride; hence we may learn that apparel was first instituted to cover lust, not to provoke it. Spiritual use. And further than these literal points we may gather not only a bodily use, but also a spiritual instruction: He might have taken the hair of the Camel, or the wool of the Sheep, but the covering him with skins doth teach him humility to exalt him to glory; hence then may we gather matter of repentance and of humility; hereby he hath to deject him in four regards, the first is, That by sin he lay open, in that he was after thus covered, it put him in mind of his sin, though it was seemly to cover his shame; for to cover a star or the Sun is a blemish to either; a Rose or a Lily are best uncovered in their proper natures: and so Adam's nakedness in his innocence was best without apparel, The just man shall shine like the Sun in the Kingdom of his father, the thirteenth of Matthew the forty third verse. The second regard out of this covering or clothing is, That the birds are covered with their own feathers, the beasts with their hair and wool, but man must die for nakedness, unless he hath his clothing from others. Thirdly, Go to the brute beasts, and wear their skins, and by looking on them learn that if thou hadst been obedient, thou hadst not need of such clothing; and repeat that of the forty ninth Psalms the twentieth verse, Man was in honour and understood it not, and now he is become like beasts that perish. Lastly, From the beasts being slain, To put him in mind that though he may preserve his body for a while, yet in the end in pulverem revertêris? though these must die to feed and thee, yet in the end thou must die thyself. These penitential meditations may be taken from this model of apparel. The nakedness of the soul. Now touching the nakedness of the soul, and the covering thereof spiritually, hereto may be applied that of the sixteenth of Ezekiel the seventh verse, Jerusalem was naked and barren, but thou hast got thee excellent garments; we are wretched, poor, and naked, the third of the Revelations the seventeenth verse, than this nakedness, which is of the soul it must be covered; it is that whereto that of the sixteenth of the Revelations the fifteenth verse, hath relation, Blessed is he that keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked and men see his filthiness: And God through his mercy covereth our sin; and it must be covered with a covering of skin; the brutish affection must be covered with moral virtues; the brutish affection of anger of the Lion must be covered with patience; the brutish affection of 〈◊〉 of the Goat must be clothed with chastity; the pride, the skin of the Lamb of God, which was the 〈◊〉 of the Serpent with the humility of the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world, the thirteenth of the Revelations the eighth verse, must be thy clothing, and we put on Christ by Baptism, the third to the Galathians the twenty seventh; Jacob was clothed with skins which did represent this: If then we go to the soul, it is to be clothed analogically with the body, the nakednesie thereof is to be clothed by faith with Christ Jesus the Lamb of God. Et dixit Jehova Deus, Ecce, homo estne sicut unus ex nobis, cognoscendo bonum & malum? nunc igitur videndum ne extendens manum suam accipiat etiam de fructu arboris vitae, ut comedat victurus in seculum. Gen. 3. 22. Januar. 14. 1598. IN the former verses of the Sentence I told you their several uses, and that in the last of them was matter for penitential meditation. The execution of the Sentence I told you was laid in these three last verses. This verse containeth a deliberation, or a resolution of what God should do, and it is, as it were, the writ for execution. In the two next verses is contained the execution itself. God hereby seemeth so respective of them, that he is so unwilling to execute upon them, yet is he careful of his truth; for he said at the first restraint, in the seventeenth verse of the former chapter, Thou shalt die the death if thou eat the forbidden fruit; and that God hath said must be performed, for his words are not bruta fulmina: and therefore that all may concur, in his Sentence was imposed on him a painful life; and that it may be more painful he is here deprived of Paradise, and likewise the corruption of life was appointed him, which in him and his posterity we see daily verified, that dust returneth to dust; and here it is made more manifest by the taking away of the tree of life. This verse divideth itself into two general parts, the one in these words, Behold, the Man is become as one of us, to know good and evil; the other in that which remaineth. For the first part, I agree fully with the opinion of the ancient fathers, which are the most wise and the most learned, that these words, the man is become as one of us, etc. is no Irony, but as one of them saith very well est vox magni fragoris, it is a voice of great thunder, wherein is written the misery that Adam is in; as Christ at his death had a superscription whereby was expressed, wherefore he suffred, Jesus Nazarenus Rex Judeorum; or as Malefactors have written in Papers on their heads, wherefore they are punished: So these words are a publishing, wherefore they are thus used, because they would become as God, knowing good and evil, that they and others may know the cause of their fall, that as it is in the twenty ninth of Deuteronomie the twenty fourth verse If any shall ask, wherefore hath the Lord done thus? They shall answer, because they have broken the 〈◊〉 of the Lord their God, because they went and served other Gods and worshipped them; even Gods which they knew not: And here because Adam obeyed the Serpent whom he knew not and disobeyed God whom he knew; because he would be as God and know good and evil, he tasted the deserved punishment of God's wrath. The form of the words. Now for the matter contained herein, the ancient Fathers do gather hence, Matter of faith. first matter of faith, quasi unus ex nobis, Adam is like one of us; hereby is taken a certain apprehension of the Trinity, to refute the Jews, that God speaketh not as Princes do, and like Emperors, We charge you, It is our pleasure, etc. that though he be one that speaketh, yet he useth the plural number: but this doth resute them; for what Prince or Monarch saith Like one of us, to show the unity of Godhead and trinity of persons; he said not like unto Angels, but like one of us: In which words he showeth both a remembrance or token of the unity and the Trinity, in the fourth of John the twenty third verse, the person of the Father; in the twenty seventh verse there following the person of the Son saith, I am he: So that in one is the Godhead, in us is the persons. So much of the character. Irony. Secondly, It may seem God speaketh this as an Irony, in a scorning sort; for surely it cannot be spoken directly, for he is not become like God that knoweth all things, but rather like the brute beast without understanding; he is become by his disobedience liker the Serpent that seduced him, than God that made him. Sarcasmus. Some take them as Ironical, or which is more, as a Sarcasmus or biting speech, Behold, they are as God, they would have a quaternity instead of a trinity, they know both good and evil: in the first of the Kings the eighteenth and the twenty seventh, Eliah mocketh the Priests of Baal, saying, Cry aloud, for he is a God, it may be he sleepeth, and must be awaked: surely this was a scoffing speech: Hitherto apply the first to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter the thirty first verse. Solomon, in the first of his Proverbs the twenty second verse, saith the Scorner taketh pleasure in scorning; so doth not God: yet in the twenty sixth verse of the same chapter, Because you have despised my counsel and not regarded my correction, I will laugh at your destruction, and mock when your fear cometh: and yet surely this speech is not altogether without an Irony, though it be not altogether Ironical, for according to that of the Proverbs before cited, God scorneth them that scorn and despise him: but it is unusual, and not to be showed in any one part of the Scriptures, that God useth scorning to the penitent sinner, though to the obstinate, whom neither love of mercy nor fear of punishment can draw to repentance. So then this speech is not a triumphing over them in misery, or a derision of their simplicity, but rather a publishing or laying open of their sin by Ecce, behold. Jacob, in the thirty second of Genesis the thirty second verse, though he wrestled with the Angel and had a blessing, yet the sinew of jacob's thigh shrank. A speech of affection. This speech of God here is with an affection, it is the speech of affection, an unperfect speech without a period, it breaketh off before it be full, like that speech of our Saviour Christ, the nineteenth of Luke the forty second verse, Oh if thou hadst known, at the least in this thy day, those things which belong unto thy peace, but now are they hid from thee; affection stayeth the course of the speech, it is a speech of commiseration, ecce homo: pity breaketh off the period. In the nineteenth of John the fist verse, when Christ was showed to the People crowned with a crown of thorns Pilate said, Ecce homo, Behold the man: And Austin, upon that place, saith they are words of commiseration, and why are not the very same words here also? So much for the character or form of the words. The matter in them. Now of the matter of the same. It was concupiscence, desire of honour, belief of error, that they should be as God, that made them sin. The Serpent promised them that they should not die at all, and that they should be as Gods, eritis sicut Dei: they heard the voice of the Devil and obeyed him. Now remember that promise of the Devil is false; hereafter believe me and be not deluded by the Devil: So that God giveth them an audible word to ring in their ears in this, and a lesson to continue in their heart for ever, that so he may say with David Psalm 43. Deliver me O God from the 〈◊〉 and wicked man; for he lieth in wait for blood, and lurketh for their lives, the first of the Proverbs the eighteenth verse; and so detest him that misled them from life to death, from the sight of God to the heavy indignation of the Lord. This must work compunction, to see the loss of Paradise and the separation from God's presence, and that through the illusion of Satan they had fallen from so great blessedness to so great misery. So much shall suffice for the matter of the publication of his fall. The Devils promise. The Serpent, as you remember in the chapter before, made them two promises, the one eritis tanquam Dei, the other 〈◊〉 mini: God here in his Sentence showeth that they have found the contrary of both; Falsified. for he saith Pulvis es & in pulveren 〈◊〉, that is a bar to their immortality; and in labour & 〈◊〉 comedes 〈…〉 tuae: So they shall neither be Gods nor immortal. The tree of life was the ordinary means to maintain him in time of innocence; but here God deprives him of that means: he was placed in Paradise, where was the tree of life, he is deprived both of the tree and of Paradise itself, privatur loco & indumento: He must labour and cloth himself, or 〈◊〉 and die. The tree of life, as the ancient Fathers say well, was symbolum or tessera vitae, a seal or token whereby life was warranted them; for God gave them life, and not the tree of life; and they were excommunicated from this seal and banished from this place of Paradise: Deus est vita, God was their life and being severed from God, so they were severed from life. Adam's banishment. This was the very first pattern of civil banishment. He would needs taste of the tree which was to him the tree of death, and would not keep the Commandment nor the Law of Paradise; wherein he was; and wheresoever one liveth under a Law and breaketh the Law where he liveth, deserveth punishment: the reason why he should be banished, lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life. And this we see to be the general desire of all men, that they are willing to prolong their life even in misery: rather than he would die, he would take of this tree and live in misery eternally; for saith a Father well Cupidiores homines vitae producendae, quàm terminandae, men more upon the prolonging, than upon ending their life: God saw that this desire was inconvenient to live for ever: Christ himself died, but now being risen from the dead, jam non moritur, mors illi ultrà non dominabitur: the sixth to the Romans the 〈◊〉 verse, Christ hath triumphed over death, but Adam, after his fall, had lived, if he had had his own desire, in misery perpetual, an evil eternal: Our labour and pain is but temporal, till thou return to dust, but the Devils shall be perpetual: God turned the desire of Adam of evil eternal to an evil temporal, with a donec. This also is another reason, why it is not expedient that he should have his desire: God before hath promised life in the very promise of the seed of the Woman: If God have promised a better life by another means than Adam desired, or the tree of life yielded, that is in his Son our Saviour to live a Heavenly life in eternity both in soul and body; for he changeth the terrestrial life of the body subject to pain and misery, which he desired, to a heavenly life full of joy and endless glory: So that in that God debarred him to put forth his hand to the tree of life, was mercy even in judgement. St. Gregory upon this place saith well, Materia est misericordiae in providentia divina, God by his providence showeth great mercy even in Judgement; it was just that he should die; but if you consider it well in this Judgement, here is not only a conjunction of mercy and justice, but here mercy triumpheth over justice; for though God depriveth us of this tree, yet he planteth a better, the seed whereof giveth a fruit better than of that, that is, of eternal life: Zecharie, in his third chapter the eight verse, telleth you, that the branch of this tree is his servant: He is the green tree spoken of in the twenty third of Luke the thirty first verse: And the right of them that do his commandment is to be engrafted in this tree of life, Revelations 22. 14. and in the second of the same book, the seventh verse, Christ is called, that tree of life in the Paradise of God. Ne jam. The ancient Fathers, out of ne jam, lest now he put forth his hand, do gather, that though he were now debarred to put forth his hand and take of that tree of life, yet God gives him comfort that yet hereafter he should not be debarred of the putting out of his hand to take hold of the other tree of life Jesus Christ. Man's pride. God saith here, that Man would be like one of us, such was his pride and disobedience: Christ's humility. to help that, the Son of God will be like one of us, such was his love and humility. The Fathers upon the fiftieth of Esay the sixth verse say, that Christ was Virro doloris, he was smitten, scoffed, and spit upon like one of us: He was tempted in all things (sin excepted) like one of us, the fourth to the Hebrews the fifteenth verse; though he were not subject to our infirmities, yet was he subject to our passions, he lived, he suffered, he died like one of us. Ecce homo. God saith here of Adam in his judgement, Ecce homo; and 〈◊〉 in Christ's judgement saith Ecce homo, behold the man: So that God became man like one of us, to meet with this, that Adam would be like God: He suffered all misery like one of us, And he himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we being delivered from sin, might live in righteousness, the first Epistle of Peter the second chapter the fourth verse, In a word, behold the Son of God is become like one of us, that we may become like unto him, and hath sound in himself the trial of our infirmities. He, I said, is become like one of us, according to that place in the 17. of John's Gospel 21. verse, which are Christ's own words, that as I am in the Father and the Father in me, so you all may be also one in us, and in the twenty fourth verse there following Christ saith, Father, I will that they whom thou hast given me, be with me even where I am. This then is here the separation of us from God, but by Christ we are reunited into Christ, as he is into his Father: and hereby is a restitution to the place where Christ is there shall we be. And to conclude we shall be restored to life, to glory, to 〈◊〉, to be indeed like to God, by incorporating us into this tree of life, Whereby most great and precious promises are given unto us that by them we should be partakers of the heavenly nature, and that we should fly this earthly corruption, the second of Peter's Epistles the first chapter and the fourth verse: And though the miseries of this life be great, yet according to St. Paul's words, they are not to be compared to the joys of the next life, which are eternal. Emisit itaque eum Jehova Deus ex horto Hedenis, ad colendum terram illam ex quâ desumptus fuerat. Gen. 3. 23. Januar. 21. 1598. THat which was lest before as a broken speech and unperfect, is here supplied and at large expressed; The execution of Adam's Judgement. for in these two are contained the execution of the former Precept: And in these two are the two parts of the Execution; His sending out of Paradise In this is the first part, the sending him out of Paradise: Four parts hereof. and this very verse doth offer in itself four several points to be handled, First, The sending forth. Secondly, from Eden. Thirdly, Whither? To the Earth. Fourthly, To what end? To till the Earth whence he was taken. 1. His sending. First then touching the sending. Sending, as a motion from place to place, as an ordinary moving, it is indifferent: The Angel, in the sixteenth of this Book the eighth verse, asketh Hagar from whence, and whither she goeth? and biddeth her returnback: So that we must come to the other part Wither; for the sending is known to be good or evil, by knowing whether the place whereto they are sent be good or evil: as to be sent with the Children of Israel out of captivity is good, from bad to better: But when the place from whence is good, and the place whither is bad, the sending from such a place to a worse is a penal punishment, as here it was to Adam and Eve. 2. To the Earth. Secondly then, They were sent to the Earth from Paradise. To live then in the Earth, is the state of us all, yet we had no experience with Adam of this blessed state of Paradise; but they had trial and experience of all the pleasures of Paradise, so much more penal was it to them to be deprived of a garden, of a garden of Gods own planting, full of all variety and contentment, of a garden, the like whereof all the cunning and travail of man shall never make, and to come from thence to a ground untilled, barren, and full of thistles; whereof he that had lived before at ease must now be the tiler himself, for it shall not be tilled nor dressed to his hand. God dealt not here with Adam as he dealeth with the Children of Israel; He bringeth them from capativity to a Land filled with Cities which they builded not, full of goods which they brought not, of wells which they digged not, vineyards & olive trees which they planted not, Deut. 6. 11. There is a great difference from the sending them to a land so dressed and provided, and to a place shall bear naught but thistles and thorns, which with all his labour and travail he shall not recover to the least part of the excellency of this garden. If Adam had been sent to a place where fruit had grown without labour, or fruitful with labour, it had been somewhat; but he is sent to the Earth cursed before by God in the seventeenth verse, from a place fully blessed, from a garden to the ground, from pleasure to labour. 3. From whence he was taken. Thirdly, Unto the earth whence he was taken. This is not unprofitably added, for there is use of this interram de quâ sumptus. The ancient Fathers do gather hence, first this use, That it is a remedy against pride and for humility; hereby they should remember their former and present state, they should remember from whence they were fallen and repent, the second of the Revelations the fift verse; or according to that of the fifty first of Esay the first verse, They should look to the rock whence they were hewed, and to the hole of the pit whence they were digged: This than planteth in them humility; for no question but only for humility there needed no mention of these words (whence they were taken) God had said in the 19 verse, Out of the earth wast thou taken, dust thou art, and to dust shalt thou return; And Moses in the second chapter before, the seventh verse saith, Man was made of the dust of the ground; and here again, Out of the earth wert thou taken: this iteration of the same thing in effect is not needless; for the holy Ghost setreth down nothing that is needless, for true is that saying, that Nunquam nimis discutitur, quod nunquam satis: But this is 〈◊〉 so often to put us in mind of humility, lest that should stick still in their stomaches which made them first to transgress, and to banish the thought from their minds, that they should be as Gods, which thought were enough to cherish pride; but rather that in remembrance of their sorrow and repentance, they should cast dust upon their heads, with Jobs friends, the second of Job the twelfth verse. The second use is the Justification of God's righteousness and equity. Man was not a native of Paradise, he was a stranger, he was not borne there; for God took him elsewhere and put him into this Garden at the first, the fifteenth of the former chapter, He was brought from the Earth and put here: And again here non est sumptus unde missus, but missus unde sumptus, he is not taken from whence he was sent, but tent to the Earth from whence he was taken; He was brought I say to Paradise, not made there; for this Garden of Eden was given him to take all pleasure and full use of it, at the first upon a condition he should keep God's Commandment in the seventeenth of the former: but he broke the Law of Paradise; and therefore, according to his just demerrits, he is sent to Earth from whence he was taken, and this answereth with God's truth and his Justice. Yet this Justice is tempered with mercy, for God sendeth him but to the Earth from whence he was taken. The sin of the Devil you see in the 14. Of Esay the 14 verse, what it was, He would ascend above the height of the Clouds, saying, Ero 〈…〉, I will be like the most high; but God brought him down to the grave and sent him to Hell fire, spoken of in the twenty first of the Revelations the eighth verse. So man carrieth upon his forehead his sin, Ecce homo factus tanquam unus 〈◊〉. Adam would be as God knowing good and evil; the very same crime then that was in Satan is in Adam, the transgression of them both is one and the same: This was mercy then not to punish them alike, not dealing so with man as he had done with the Angel Lucifer. Adam is here made as a escape Goat that had all the sins and 〈◊〉 of the people upon his head, and so was sent into the 〈◊〉, the sixteenth of Leviticus the twenty first verse. Adam had his sin upon his forehead by the last verse, and here is sent to the earth to till it: So that this is mercy with judgement. 4 The end of his sending. The fourth point is, the end. Ut operaretur terram; to serve to till, to dress the ground from whence he was taken; this is the end: Not to walk up and down unprofitable and to be idle, nor to be at case and do nothing, but to be occupied in labour and service; for none are to be exempted from this labour, none I say, as Job speaketh from him that grindeth in the mill, to the Prince that sitteth upon his 〈◊〉; Paul, in the first to the Thessalonians the fourth chapter and the 〈◊〉 verse, admon sh them, to love them that labour among them in the Lord for their work sake; yea, even the son of Man came not to be served but to serve, the twentieth of Matthew the twenty eighth. The servant which is idle and unprofitable shall be cast into utter darkness, the twenty fift of Matthew the thirtieth verse, there is his punishment. Sr. 〈◊〉 saith, That God sent not Adam out of Paradise to the earth; to make the earth a Paradise or garden of pleasure, but a place of labour, 〈◊〉 operaretur, that he should work and till the Earth; for though the rich man in the sixteenth of Luke lived at case and fared 〈◊〉 every day, and made this world a world of pleasure; whereas Lazarus lived in pain and labour, yet mark what was the end; It was said by Abraham in the twenty 〈◊〉 of that chapter, Remember that in thy life time thou receivedst thy pleasure and Lazarus pains; now therefore he is comforted and thou art tormented; so was he punished for making this world to himself a Paradise. Abraham made not this world a garden of pleasure, but removed his tent from place to place, the thirteenth chapter and the eighteenth verse: Idleness and fullness of bread is afterwards punished: The office of the Priest is not to be idle but to serve, the forty fourth of Ezechiel the sixteenth. Mare mortuum made by labour. The best Writers are of opinion that where now is mare mortuum, the dead Sea, was heretofore in times past made by man's labour, only for a place of pleasure as the Garden of God, but God changeth it into the contrary. Tyrus sometimes lived as in Eden the garden of God, the twenty eighth of Ezechiel the thirteenth; but in the seventeenth verse God will cast Tyrus to the ground and bring it to ashes. And if we will live in the earth in 〈◊〉 and in pleasure, as in Eden, and make it our Paradise, be assured there will follow pains and a great torment. The second use. Secondly, He must do this service to the ground. And so was Kain said in the second verse of the chapter following to be a tiler of the ground: In the twenty second verse, they wrought metals taken out of the ground, as brass and iron; and in other places they work in quarries of stone, as in mines of metal, we labour the earth for bread and for drink: all must operari terram. Apply hither the thirty second of Jeremy the forty third verse; Kings themselves live in this world but to serve; they are Gods servants in things holy and in things civil, for they are the Ministers of God to reward the good and punish the wicked, the thirteenth to the Romans the fourth verse; And in the sixth verse, for this cause pay you tribute to Princes for that they are Gods Ministers: If the King say put this man in prison and feed him with the bread of affliction, it is done, the 1 of the Kings the 22. 27. The reign of the King is the service of God; for in the thirteenth of the Acts the thirty sixth verse, it is written David, after he had served his time slept with his fathers: yea, in the fift of John's Gospel the seventeenth verse, Jesus saith, His Father worketh and he himself worketh also; for Jesus for our sakes made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, the second of the Philippians the seventh verse; and only by this his obedience, as a servant he hath made us all righteous, the fift to the Romans the ninth verse. The third use. Take this also for a third use, ut operaretur terram de quâ sumptus est, to teach us that we must do service to the Country wherein we live: Every one is content and forward operari terram quae est, to take pains and labour in trimming the earth, de quâ factus, whereof he was made, his own person, a man's private every one respecth, and will for flow no means to perfect his own state, but he must operari terram de quâ desumptus est; he must occupy his diligence and service in the earth from whence he is taken: It is the office of the Prince, the Priests and People, to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, Psalm 122. 6. The King, the 〈◊〉, and the Soldiers or Captains join in the building of the City, Nehemiah 2. And according to that of 2 Sam. 10. 〈◊〉. The Soldiers are 〈◊〉 and valiant for their People and the Cities of their God; they fight for the 〈…〉 they were taken. Solomon the King bestoweth his 〈◊〉 and his pains 〈◊〉 enrich and better his land: Not only 〈◊〉, but the 〈◊〉 Queen Hester, though with danger of her life, resolved to make petition to the King for safety of her People, Hester 7. 3. she prayeth not only for her own life, but also for the life of her People; and if they had been sold only for servants or handmaids, she would have held her 〈◊〉. And Moses, after the People had fallen to 〈◊〉, such was his zeal for the safety of his People, that he 〈◊〉 more than once for the safety of them, and that God would pardon them; or if he would not to 〈◊〉 or raze him out of his book: And Christ himself would 〈◊〉 rebukes for our sakes, Rom. 14. 3. We must wish and work the good of the Land wherein we live, both for this life and for the life to come, though it be with the 〈◊〉 of the loss of our own lives, with Moses, Hester, and our Saviour. Women not exempted. Further that we may join Women in this also, who, though they are not named, yet they are not exempted from occupying themselves in this service of the Earth; for though her husband be employed abroad, yet she overseeth her household, and she 〈…〉 the bread of idleness, saith the wiseman, Prov. 31. 27. She is to do her husband service; She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life: She seeketh wool and flax, and laboureth with her hands; And with her hands she planteth a Vineyard: And by the whole discourse of that chapter it appeareth that she is not to live in idleness. Here shall be work in the earth for women also; For she shall eat of the fruit of her own hands, and her own works shall praise her in the gates, the thirty first of the Proverbs the thirty 〈◊〉 verse. And Paul in his second chapter of his Epistle to Titus, the fourth and the 〈◊〉 verses, sheweth the duty of Women, to love their Husbands, to keep at home, and to be subject unto them. The especial matter of consideration is this, that we were not altogether taken from earth, but we have also a Heavenly part, God breathed in us the breath of life; we had a breathing from God: So that as we own service to the earth from whence our body was taken, so we own service to God from whom the Heavenly part of our soul came; for the soul of man is 〈◊〉 substantia; then we own not all our service unto the earth, but a greater service unto God; for vain is it when man 〈◊〉 all his labour for his mouth, but his soul is not 〈◊〉, the sixth of 〈◊〉 the seventh 〈◊〉; God 〈◊〉 for the soul: As the body is 〈◊〉 so the Soul is 〈◊〉 by man's service unto God; for ut anima est 〈…〉, so 〈…〉 vita animae, the soul is the life of the body, and God is the life of the soul. Besides, as heretofore we have considered in his other 〈◊〉, that he joineth Mercy with Judgement; so likewise he joineth Mercy here with his Justice; yea, his Mercy exceedeth his Justice: Mercy and Judgement are joined together in a good man, the hundred and twelfth Psalm; and God is merciful and full of compassion, the hundred and eleventh Psalm the fourth verse; yea, which is more, by the hundred forty 〈◊〉 Psalms the ninth verse, His mercy is above all his works; yea, his 〈◊〉 shall not only be joined with his Justice, but even triumph over Justice. The ancient Fathers do gather the second mercy by, or out of this sending, and they do express it out of the eighth chapter of this book, by the sending of the Raven and the Dove out of the Ark; for Noah sent forth the Raven which returned not when the waters were diminished from off the Earth; but after the waters were abated the Dove returned with an olive leaf in her bill: The Dove when she came brought hope of returning to the earth, from whence Noah and his family were taken: In the forty seventh of Genesis the twentieth verse, though Joseph bought for Pharaoh all the Land of Egypt; yet after Joseph gave them seed, and only the sift part of the increase was for Pharaoh, the rest for themselves, and they were well content to till and husband the land, and to become for this relief in their famine the servants of Pharaoh. And out of Missus they gather another mercy: God shall send us one, and his name, saith Jerom, is Missus, one scent, upon the word Shiloh mentioned in the tenth of Genesis the twenty fourth verse, and of Silo or Siloam, which is by interpretation sent, the ninth of John the seventh verse: Moses in the fourth of Exodus the thirteenth verse, when God would send him to Egypt saith, Oh my Lord, send I pray thee by the hand of him whom thou shouldest send: The Prophet, in the sixteenth of Esay the first verse, saith, send ye a Lamb to the Ruler of the world from the rock of the wilderness: This Lamb there prophecies, & that was sent was our Saviour. And this word Missus, sent, is appropriated to Christ, and he is sent that we might return again to Paradise. Adam had hope that by one which should come from the promise in the seed of the woman, he should once return again. You have a plain example in the twenty third of Luke the forty third verse, of the two Malefactors that suffered with our Saviour, he saith to one of them, Hodie eris mecum in Paradiso, to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise, there is the return of one to Paradise. And again, in the 2 Corinthians 12. 4. you have another taken up into Paradise: this is then a sending of the Dove with a branch in his mouth in hope of return; it is no 〈◊〉 of the Raven not to return. But this returning is to the Paradise of God, for unto him that over cometh will God give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God, the second of the Revelations the seventh verse: So that that place showeth a manifest return to eat of the tree of life, and to take again the benefit of Paradise. And in the twentieth of John's Gospel the fifteenth verse, Christ appeared to Mary Magdalen as a gardener; whence the Fathers infer, that he shall bring us again into a better Garden than was Eden, into the heavenly Paradise, there to eat of the Tree of life; by mercy through his own son shall he send them in again, as with Justice mingled with Mercy he sent them out. So much for this time. Quumque expulisset hominem; instituit à parte anteriore horti Hedenis Cherubos, flammamque gladii sese vibrantis, ad custodiendum viam quae ferebat ad arborem vitae. Januar. 18. 1598. THIS is the putting forth of Adam and Eve from Paradise, for they being sent forth before from the garden of Eden, it may seem that God dealt with them with such mercy that he spoke to them but in jest: But to show that this execution was in earnest, and that not only the Sentence should be executed, but the execution prosecuted with effect; it followeth in this place to show how the man was cast out of Paradise, and how it was fenced, and how the passage to the Tree of life was stopped with a 〈◊〉 sword shaken: The occasion whereof was the slipperiness of man's nature, who though he were in misery yet would desire to eat of the tree of Life, and so live in eternal misery, seeking by all means to shake off this penitential life, & therefore God useth all means to draw him to repentance, and to think of his former happiness and of his present misery. In this verse than a caveat must be had, that there be no dalliance in the execution, but that the execution in all points be fulfilled, whereupon they are cast forth, there are Cherubins set who are armed with fire and sword, to prosecute the sentence and execution, and defend the passage into Paradise; that so all his statutes may be found true: For all that God doth and saith, are done in equity and truth, the hundred and eleventh Psalm and the eighth verse. The Tree of Life fenced. 〈◊〉. Another point is this, that of God and Justice, he fenceth the Tree of life with an armed Angel, with fire and sword: And therefore look where the precept and law of God is contemned, a Cherubin and a Sword followeth, according to that of the twenty sixth of Leviticus, and the twenty fifth verse: Mittam gladium super vos, I will send a Sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my Covenant: In the twenty second verse before in the sentence, the Tree of life was not fenced at all; therefore here God provideth for it a fence and a better guard, which is Cherubins and a Sword: The Seraphin in the sixth of Esay and the sixth verse, Had a hot 〈◊〉 in his hand, which he took from the Altar: Another Cherubin in the tenth of Ezekiel and the seventh verse, Stretcheth forth his hand 〈◊〉 the fire, and giveth of it to him that was clothed with linen, thus then was the pastage of Eden guarded with an Angel, a Cherubin armed with a fiery Sword, in regard of the justice of God. The end of the fencing. The end of this fencing thus of Paradise and of the Tree of life, is, as the Fathers say, because that it is the will of God, Inseparatio Paradisi & ligni. that the Paradise of God and the Tree of life, should be inseparably together, that none should enjoy the Paradise of God, but should east of the Tree of life, and none should have the Tree of life, but should likewise enjoy the Paradise of God, that so whosoever should enjoy the one should have the other; for as it is in the thirty fourth Psalms and the twelfth verse: And likewise in the first of Peter the third chapter and tenth verse: Every man naturally hath a longing desire after long life, and to see good days, and to live long and happily, to have eternity and the Paradise of 〈◊〉: for small is the comfort to live long and have no happiness, or to have happiness and not enjoy it long: and therefore man when he was cast forth he was debarred hereby, both of the state of felicity and of eternity, that God might be true in his words, and just in his works. A Cherubin and a fiery Sword. Now touching this guard itself, this fence, it consisteth of two parts: the one is a Cherubin taken and sent from Heaven above, the other a fiery Sword from the Earth below, that Adam and Eve might consider, that Heaven and Earth were armed against them, to be a terror to their Soul and Body: this was a spiritual and civil punishment, for there was in Adam's sin an inordinate desire of the Soul, to seek curiously into God's secrets and to know good and evil, and likewise an inordinate appetite of the body to behold and taste of the forbidden fruit, thinking that was a fruit more pleasant than all the trees in the garden, and God doubteth in the twenty second verse, that he will put also forth his hand and take of the tree of life, and live for ever: and therefore to fence this Tree he setteth an Angel, not naked but armed to defend it, I say an Angel with a shaking Sword in his hand: Cherubims. And that these Cherubins are Angels, it is doubtless by the whole course of the Scriptures both new and old, and there of the ancient and new writers make no doubt: they say, that as the committing of sin was by an evil Angel, so emissio the punishment for sin was by an Angel, their putting out of Paradise was by means of the evil Angel, and the passage was kept against them by an Angel armed with a burning Sword: he came like a Serpent to provoke them to sin, and he was punished by a Cherubin an Angel of that order: mention is made of the Cherubins in the time of the Law, in the twenty fifth of Exodus and the eighteenth verse: And in the building of the first Temple of Solomon; were placed the Cherubims in the inward house, the figures of Cherubims compassed the house, and the doors of the Oracle were graved with Cherubims, the first of Kings the sixth chapter and the twenty seventh verse: And likewise in the second building of the second Temple, in the forty first of Ezekiell were there many Cherubims. And likewise the Angel in the fourteenth of the Revelations and the seventeenth verse: with the sickle that came from Heaven, was taken for a Cherubin; and why was it a Cherubin that was appointed to defend this passage to the Tree of life, to punish Adam and debar him of Paradise with Sword and Fire? It 〈◊〉 by the 〈◊〉 of Ezekiell and the twelfth verse; That the Cherubin had a body with wings, & took 〈◊〉 coals and scattered them over the City; and being appointed for a guard for Paradise, therefore it is requisite they should be watchful; therefore it is said they were full of eyes round about, or according to the fourth of the Revelations and the seventh verse, they were full of eyes before and behind, which showeth their knowledge which is requisite in them: To this also it is necessary that there be added, that they be armed with power of Fire and Sword, for as the Cherubims of themselves were fearful, so Fire and Sword makes the passage more fearful; for to behold the Sword which will cut and the Fire which will burn it is dreadful, for incisio in the one and insentio in the other, the edge of the Sword and the flame of the Fire are both more terrible; and it is very usual in the Scriptures to see them armed: The Angel that stood in the way of Balaam riding upon his 〈◊〉, the twenty second of Numbers and the twenty third verse, had his Sword drawn in his hand; And in the first of the Chronicles the twenty first chapter and the sixteenth verse, The Angel that appeared to David was armed with a drawn Sword in his hand, And the Cherubin in the tenth of Ezekiell and the seventh verse, was armed with Fire against Jerusalem, and again in the second to the Thessalonians, the first chapter and the eighth verse, The Angels of God do appear in flaming fire, rendering vengeance to them that do not know God nor obey the Gospel, And here the Angel of God appeareth to Adam, both with a Sword and with Fire to punish him, because he would not obey God nor his commandment. That we may conclude then, that God hath sufficiently fenced this passage, with his Angel thus armed with a burning Sword: the very Ass which is of least understanding, feared the Angel armed with a drawn Sword and perceived it before Balaam, but to be armed with Fire it is more fearful than with a Sword, for many a one would run upon a Sword that by all means would shun the Fire, look what scapeth the sword shall be devoured by the fire, and the ancient Fathers upon Job. 22. 20. And S. Jerom upon this place saith, That the Cherubims are thus armed to show that they have not only plenitudinem scientiae, by their many eyes; but plenitudine mpotentiae by being armed in this sort; God taketh order that they should have both to be watchful and powerful. But what doth this visible sign of Cherubyms and of a Sword shaken mean? To make them to have a continual remembrance of their sin, and likewise a 〈◊〉 grief to think of the pleasure and happy place that they 〈◊〉, and to see themselves lest to misery, and 〈◊〉 of returning to that blessed Paradise, by so strong a guard, so strongly armed that there is no hope left to enter again into that former state happiness, and again how grievous is it to see the elect Angels above, and the damned Angels beneath, yea all God's creatures to become his enemies, and to be banisheed from God's presence; all his pleasure turned to labour, all plenty to necessity, all joy to sorrow, so that all that he saw without him was terror and fear, and all that was within him was lamentations and mourning and woe, as it is in the second of Ezekiell and the nineteenth verse, And as we see when the Angel appeared unto David in the time of the great mortality, that slew with the pestilence seventy thousand, David in sackcloth mourned and said, it is even I that have finned, but what have these sheep done, alas they have not sinned, I should have been punished and my father's house, and not this people, the first of the Chronicles the twenty first chapter and the seventeenth verse, And what greater grief could be devised than to be banished Paradise, and to have no hope left of return, not to live any longer there but to live in the barren earth, in the valley of Anchor, the second of Osee and the fourteenth verse, which is interpreted the valley of mourning, and yet as the Prophet saith there, that valley shall be for a gate or door of hope, for in that God doth not pull up the Tree by the root, nor doth he cut it down as unprofitable, we have hope that we shall have use of it hereafter, for it is fenced to some use, neither is Paradise laid waste nor utterly destroyed, which giveth us a gate of hope. The shaking of the Sword. Secondly, the Fathers say, we have further matter of hope in regard the Sword is but shaken, the Angel shakes the Sword but strikes not with the Sword, St. Austin upon this shaking of the Sword saith, that qui dicit percutiam non percutit, minatur mortem non occidit, minae ejus, medicinae ejus: He that saith I will strike striketh not, he that threatneth death, slayeth not, his threaten are as his curings: and again, he placeth the Cherubims armed in the East of Eden at the entrance into Paradise, as the evil Angel that provoked them to sin, came with fair words and was in show a friend, but proved a deadly enemy, so they say that though the Angel that keepeth the passage of Paradise, do seem an outward enemy, yet in the end he will prove our very friend. Versatilis. Thirdly, there is matter of hope in this that it is a moving Sword, why then saith St. Jerome, may it not be removed, if Adam repent and remove himself far from his former sin? Why may not God likewise repent of this Punishment? neither is it unusual that God doth so, for in the first of the Chronicles the twenty first chapter and the fifteenth verse, After God had sent his Angel to destroy Jerusalem, as he was destroying, God repent of the evil and said to the Angel that destroyed, it is enough let thy hand cease, and that Angel had a Sword drawn in his hand: and after that David had built an Altar and made a burnt-offring, in the twenty seventh verse of the same chapter, The Lord spoke again to the Angel, and he put up his Sword again into his sheath: It was David's case, the seventy seventh Psalms and the seventh verse, In sorrow and great grief he said, Will the Lord absent himself for ever, and will be show no more favour, hath God forgotten to be merciful: no doubt God will show the mercy that he found in his misery; or if with the Prophet, Jer. 47. 6. we faith, Oh thou sword of the Lord, how long will it be ere thou cease, turn again into thy scabbard, rest and be still, no doubt God will be merciful. And for the Cherubyms, the Cherubyms that covered the two ends of the mercy seat, in Exodus the 25. chapter and the 18. verse, were Cherebims of protection that covered with their wings the Mercy-seat. And in Ezekiel 28. it is said, That the king of Tyrus had been in Eden the garden of God, and verse 14. That he was the 〈◊〉 Cherub that covereth; it was a Cherubym of protection: They no doubt that accompanied the Lamb, Revel. 14. were Angels and Cherubyms singing and harping for joy; and these Cherubyms that here are appointed with fire and sword, if it please God to be merciful, may turn their shape, and lay down the Sword, for if God's wrath be appeased, no wrath is executed, as in the case of David, and of Jerusalem, and of Niniveh, where God stayed the hand of his Angel, and his wrath ceased; for God giveth power to Angels in Heaven and Princes on the Earth, and all the shields of the world belong unto God, Psal. 47. so that if he be appeased they yield their power, and if God will have mercy upon man, and will say deliver him that he go not down the pit, for I have received a reconciliation, then shall he be restored to his former state, Job. 33. 24. Upon man's repentance God will deliver his soul from destruction, and if here God were once reconciled, the sword should be taken away from the Angel, and he should put it up into his sheath, and man should recover his former state. and the Angel shall become an Angel of mercy, like the Cherubyms, Exod. 25. 〈◊〉 covered with their wings the mercy seat or Propitiatory: Now the means of reconciliation is a Propitiatory sacrifice, for Sacrifice is the way of Reconciliation. When Abraham, with his offering of his son, had pleased God, the Angel stayed Abraham's knife, and he found favour with God, chap. 22. After David by his sin had procured the punishment of his people, he repent him of his sin, and offered him up a offering and a peace offering, and then the Lord answered him by fire from heaven upon the Altar of burnt-Offering, and when the Lords wrath was appeased, the Angel sheathed up his Sword, 1 Cron. 21. 26. and here if, in Adam's Case, God's wrath be appeased and he reconciled, the Angel will lay down his firySword, and flamma quae ardet, & gladius qui mactat, the fire that should burn shall be extinguished, and the sword that should slay shall be sheathed, and by a Sacrifice God's wrath shall be appeased for Exod. 12. chapter, Where God seethe the blood upon the 〈◊〉 of their houses, God and his Angel will pass over their houses, and plague nor destruction shall not fall upon them; the token of blood shall be a reconciliation of God's favour, and the Angel passed by: This brings us to the great Propitiatory Sacrifice, the like whereof never was in the world, in the which is not the blood of Lambs, Goats, or beasts, but the blood of the immaculate Lamb Jesus Christ, God's son and man's Saviour, who offered his precious blood for the sins of us all, who was the only and all sufficient Sacrifice to apapease the wrath of God, and reconcile man to his Love; this Sacrifice drew the alliance of Men with Angels, made a reconciliation with God, and restored man to the tree of life and the Paradise of God, and the Angels shall rejoice and be glad at this reconciliation and that Christ was exalted, the eleventh of the Revelations, and the fifteenth verse. And the seventh place the Fathers do allege that this place is a pointing even unto the Gospel, that in the fencing thus of Paradise, it was foretold that one should come that through his obedience should remove the armed Cherubyms, and give unto mankind a passage into Paradise, and this they ground upon the first of Ezechiell and the tenth verse: and upon the tenth of Ezechiell and the fourteenth verse, and the fourth of the Revelations and the seventh verse, they agree that there were four Cherubyms in the first of Ezechiell and the tenth verse, they had the face of a Man, the similitude of the face of an Ox, of a Lion and of an Eagle, and in the tenth of Ezekiell and the fourteenth verse, one had the face of a Cherubym, the other of a Man, of a Lion and of an Eagle, and for the Cherubyms in the fourth of the Revelations and the seventh verse. The one was like a Lion, the other like an Ox, the third like a Man, the last like an Eagle, and these four beasts in the Revelation theydoe refer unto the four Evangelists: But the other places, and this also, they do refer unto the four principal acts of Christ in our reconcillation. They do apply the face of the Man to Christ's nativity, who was borne man of a pure virgin. The face of the Ox to his passion, who resembled his death to the death of an Ox sacrificed for the sins of the People, and the face of the Lion to his Resurrection, who thereby triumphed over death, even he that was a Lion of the Tribe of Judah. And lastly they compare the face of the Eagle to his glorious ascension whereby he mounted, like an Eagle, above an eagle's pitch, only to reconcile us unto God's favour. And if the Sacrifice of Christ be applied unto us than doth it appease God's wrath to us. David applieth nathan's rebuke to himself, after all his sorrow and acknowledgement of his sin, in the one and fiftieth Psalm, with deep and hearty repentance, he showeth that the Sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit, and a broken heart he despiseth not; and if with David in the fourth Psalm and the fist verse, We examine our own heart and offer the Sacrifices of righteousness, and trust in the Lord: this application of our Sacrifice to this Sacrifice is by our hearty repentance, and then shall the Sacrifice of Christ Jesus be unto us a reconciliation and a propitiatory Sacrifice even to us that are penitent; for he that mourneth and sorroweth for his sins, that repenteth from his heart of his former wickedness, shall be sure to have a part of this blessed Sacrifice once offered for all upon the Cross: And this is Paul's Sacrifice in the twelfth to the Romans and the first verse, offer upyour body's a living Sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable serving of God; these than that sacrifice their Souls and Bodies by Repentance shall be assured to have a part in Christ's sacrifice. If thy eye offend pull it out, the ninth of Mark and the forty seventh verse; apply by thy repentance Christ's passion to thyself and Paul the first to the Corinthians, the second chapter and the second verse saith, he esteemeth the knowledge of nothing but of Jesus Christ and him crucified; And the Tree of life is fenced with Cherubyms, which is taken for knowledge, and the Sword for power. Paul in the first to the Celossians and the 24 verse, Rejoiceth in his afflictions to fulfil the rest of the sufferings of Christ in his flesh, And Christ himself by his sufferings entered into glory the twenty fourth of Luke and the twenty sixth verse; and if we with a contrite heart, in repentance, make a Sacrifice of our sensual and brutish affections, and with patience bear our afflictions, we shall pass with Christ to everlasting glory; the Angel shall lay down his Sword, the Cherubyms shall become our friends, we shall be partakers of Christ's Sacrifice, which worketh reconciliation between God and man, and the wrath of God being appeased, then followeth the restoring of us to the heavenly Paradise, And to him that overcommeth God will give to eat of the Tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God, the second of the Revelations and the seventh verse. And so much shall suffice at this time. AMEN. LECTURES PREACHED UPON the fourth Chapter OF GENESIS. LECTURES Preached in the Parish Church of St. GILES without Cripplegate LONDON. Deinde Adam cognovit Chawam uxorem suam: quae ubi concepit & peperit Kajinum, dixit, acquisivi virum à Jehova. Postea pergens parere, peperit fratrem ipsius Hebelum: Gen. 4. 1. February 7 1598. THIS continuance of the story of Moses gins to set forth the increase of the world, after Adam and Eve were expelled Paradise. The sum of all set down in this Chapter to that end, is of two parts. First, the propagation of mankind. Secondly, the partition of mankind, set out in Cain and Abel. The propagation is the fulfilling of that Prophecy of Adam, who foretold of his wise that she should be, mater viventium, in the third chapter and the tewentith verse, and it is indeed a resemblance of the tree of life, in that by means hereof, albeit life cannot continue in any singular person because of the Sentence pronounced by God, that as he is dust, so shall heereturne to dust, Chapter the third; yet there is immortalitas speciel, that is, a perpetual succession of life in the posterity of Adam: As a Tree, albeit in the end of the year it casts his leaves, yet still there remains a substance of life in it, which makes it send forth leaves again, Esay the sixth and the thirteenth verse, so it is in mankind; for as the old life falls, so there riseth up a new. When the Father dieth, the Child stands up in his place, and so is life still preserved. This is done by generation, which is a kind of creation; as it is said of Adam, that he begat a Child in his own likeness, after his Image, Genesis the fifth and the third verse: For as there is in God diffusiva virtus, whereby he communicateth his goodness to others; so it is a thing to be desired, that Adam having received life should show the same to others; that when Adam dyeth Cain and Abel issued up in his stead, which desire is so planted in man, that albeit God when he said to Adam, that in sorrow and the sweat of his brows he should eat his own bread, told him, that he should have enough to do to get a living for himself; yet Adam being scarce able to provide for himself, begetteth children; And albeit God said unto the woman that she should bring forth children in sorrow and travel, Genesis the third Chapter and the sixteenth verse, yet she not only brings forth Cain, but having tried the pain of childbearing, she said not as Rebecca, Genesis the twenty fift Chapter and the twenty second verse, but addeth yet and brings forth Abel, so high a reckoning did Adom and Eve make of continuing their kind: In the propagation we have two parts. First, adam's knowing: And secondly, Eves conception, unto which two things are to be added: first the manner of expressing the carnal copulation of Adam and Eve, by this term of [knowledge.] Afterward. Secondly the circumstance of time, noted in the word [afterward.] For Adam's knowledge, and the generation of mankind, we see that the transgression of the Commandment of God, in Paradise, doth not hinder marriage, so as it should be a sin to beget children; but contrary wise marriage is a remedy against sin, the first of the Corinthians the seventh Chapter and the second verse. And that which God affirmeth touching the joining of man and woman, Genesis the second Chapter and the twenty fourth verse, That Man shall leave father and mother and cleave to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh, is not repealed by God; for we see the accord of marriage between Adam and Eve is continued, and they company together and bring forth children. And as the estate of marriage was not taken away by sin, so was not the blessing of fruitfulness and conception: Therefore, as before they fell, God said Bring forth fruit and multiply, and fill the Earth, the first Chapter and the twenty eighth verse, so here Eve receiveth from the Lord strength to conceive and bring forth Cain and Abel. Now the woman bringeth forth not only a seed, but the seed promised in the third chapter of Genesis and the fifteenth verse, and that a holy seed, Matthew the second chapter and fifteenth verse, not only Men in Earth, but Saints in Heaven; and the end hereof is, not only that we should desire to have our own names continue, but as Joshua speaks in the seventh of Joshua and the ninth verse, quid fiet magno tuo nomine, that is, that not only we may magnify God's name while we live, but that when we fall, another seed may stand up and praise his name, that the seed may serve him, Psalm the twenty second and the thirtieth verse, A people that shall be borne shall praise him, the hundred and second Psalm and the eightteenth verse. Know. Touching the carnal copulation of Adam with Eve, where God expresseth it by the term of [knowledge] it showeth us the holiness of this tongue wherein the holy-Ghost writ this, than which there is no tongue that useth so modest and chaste speeches, and therefore is called the holy tongue, and it withal showeth us, that the holy-Ghost, by his own example, commendeth unto us modesty and chaste speeches, for that modest speech which he useth here to express the company of man and woman, he useth also Matthew the first, where he saith Joseph knew not Mary, and this thing he calleth by another term, Debitam benevolentiam, I Corinthians the seventh and the third verse, that is, he exhorteth us to avoid fornication, uncleaness, and filthiness, Ephesians the fifth and the third verse, so he might provoke us by his example: for as that broad speech uttered by Saul, was after the Lord's spirit was taken from him, and another evil spirit vexed him; so unclean speeches proceed not from the holy Ghost, that delighteth in modest terms. 2. Again, the term of knowledge is used as opposite to passion, to teach men that they must dwell with their wives as men of knowledge, the first of Peter the third and the seventh verse, that they be not like fed horses, neighing after their neighbour's wives, Jeremiah the fift chapter, and the eighth verse: Afterward. The circumstance of time, is noted in the word Afterward; That is, not before he was deprived of Paradise, but when he was driven out. For the pleasure of marriage is a mortal pleasure; For as Christ saith, In this world men marry, but they that shall be counted worthy of the life to come, neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the Angels of God, Luke, the twentieth chapter. The use of marriage is, that because men die, they should beget sons, and leave a posterity to stand up after them: But the Children of the Resurrection die as men, and therefore he was made to beget Children. And, for spiritual joy or comfort it is none; But postquam spiritus deficit, venium ad solatia carnis. It is a carnal pleasure: For as Cain being cursed out of God's City, built himself a City, in the fourth chapter of Genesis: As Saul being cast out of the Lords favour, would be honoured of man, in the first of Samuel fift chapter; So Adam being deprived of spiritual comfort and pleasure, useth marriage as a carnal pleasure. P●…itio. For the point of division jointly, in these, this pair of Brothers, we have a view of all mankind. Adam had more Children; but the Holy Ghost contenteth himself to set out mankind in these two; Even as the 〈◊〉 saith of Abraham, that he had two sons; one born after the flesh, another after the Spirit, Galatians the fourth chapter, and the two and twentieth verse. So were the sons of Adam. To Cain are reckoned as his posterity; Henoch, Lamech, Nimrod, Pharaoh, and all the wicked: To Abel, Enoch, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, and all the faithful; which is the great partition of mankind. For the holy Scripture setteth out which is God's City, that is Zion, and Jerusalem; and which is the Devil's City, by Babylon, The one answering to Abel; the other to Cain: They set out the Deuls city, by amor sui ad contemptum Dei; Gods city, by amor Dei usque ad contempium sui. Again, by Abel is set out those that are in state of grace; by Cain they that are in state of nature: By the one are set out all them that are born after the flesh; by the other such as are born anew, and led by the Spirit, Galatians, chapter the fourth. And this partion is made of all mankind through the world, till that last 〈◊〉 which Christ shall make of the Sheep from the 〈◊〉, in the five and twentieth chapter of Matthew. This partition we see in these two: For that although they were both of one Father and Mother; Contrary natures. yet such was the diversity and 〈◊〉 of their nature and disposition, as they fitly represent the divers state of mankind. The 〈◊〉 is in respect of their names, the 〈◊〉 in respect of their works; for the one risen up against the other and slew him. Cain and Abel why so called. The Devil's 〈◊〉 in respect of their names is, the one is called Cain, that is, a purchaser or possessioner, that is such a one as thought it his 〈◊〉 to enjoy this world, and, contrariwise, misery to lose it, and the possessions thereof: Abel 〈◊〉 sorrow and vanity But the other Abel, that is, sorrow, and vanity, such a one as doth, with Solomon, account all things in this life vanity and vexation of spirit, in the first chapter of the book of Ecclesiastes; such a one as hath sorrow by reason of continual sins, whereby he offendeth God: of them Christ saith, in the 〈◊〉 chapter of Matthew, Blessed are they that mourn and sorrow, for that they are out of their place. As the Prophet speaketh, in the one hundred thirty seventh Psalms, By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, when we remembered thee O Zion. For Abel was not a City of this world, as Cain; but was one of those that sought for a City in Heaven, that was to come, Hebrews the thirteenth and the second verse; He is called Abel, that is vanity, 1. First, in respect of the shortness of his life, in which regard, every man is altogether vanity, Psalm the thirty ninth. 2. Then in respect of the afflictions of this life, in which respect he saith, Every man is vanity. And therefore they that are of Abel will say, We are strangers and sojourners as all our Fathers were, Psal. 39 They are such as though they be in the world, yet use it as if they used it not, the first to the Corinthians the seventh chapter: They set not their felicity in this world, as Cain, but reckon all things in this world vanity and vexation of spirit, and long to be restored to their heavenly Country. 2. Contrary works. Secondly, As they have divers dispositions; so their works are contrary: For, as the Apostle saith of Ishmael and Isaac, Gal. 4. He that was borne after the flesh, persecuted him that was borne after the Spirit: So did Cain persecute Abel, as the Apostle witnesseth, Joh. 1. 3. that Cain was of that wicked One, and slew his Brother; Why Cain slew Abel. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his Brothers good: So as their dispositions were divers, their works were contrary: So in Cain there is a resemblance of all the persecutors and oppressors, that have been in the world: The Wicked persecute the Godly by hand and tongue. And Abel is a pattern of all the Martyrs, that have been slain by the hand of Cain, or wounded and persecuted by the tongue of Ishmael, who by mocking persecuted Isaac, in the fourth chapter to the Galatians. In these two is fulfilled that envy which God proclaimed between the woman and the Serpent, and between their seeds, Genesis the third and the fifteenth verse, who was not only of the seed of that evil one, Joshua the first and the third verse, that was of the Serpent: and the reason why the name of Cain is set down in the Bible, is, to show the performance of that Prophecy, Genesis the third and the fifteenth verse, and to show his wrath upon the Vessels of wrath, Romans the ninth and the twenty second, such as was Cain, Cham, Pharaoh, and Nebuchadnezar, and all the wicked ones of his Race, for the order of their coming into the world, as Cain who was first born, was worst, and Abel the last born, was best; so it is with all mandkind: For as the Apostle saith, first cometh that which is natural, and then that which is spiritual, the first to the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter and the forty sixth verse; 1. We possess an evil mind before a good. so first we are possessed with an evil mind, before we can have a good mind. First Cain was born, after he begat Enoch, and then Tubalcain, then follows Lamech, and at last Enosh a good man; so God saith, there is first the root of bitterness planted in our hearts, Deutcronomie the twenty ninth and the eighteenth verse, before we can be rooted in saith well, Colossians the first chapter, that we are first wild olives, and must be engrafted into the true Olive, Romans the eleventh. Nature doth not well at the first, but is first inclined to evil, till it please God to give grace: And whereas Cain had Abel for his Brother, so we learn that the Companions and Brothers of all worldly possessions, is vanity and vexation; first, in getting, then in keeping, and lastly in losing them. And in Riches are thorns and cares. When we find that in riches there are thorns and pricking cares, Luke the eighth, Riches and Grief are Brothers. that riches and grief are brothers, than there is a way to grace. If we speak of them severally: To begin with Cain, in that which Eve speaks of him, I have purchased a man of God. There is something to be commended, and also somewhat to be blamed: That which deserves commendation is of two sorts. First, her thankfulness and confession which she makes after her delivery; for she ascribes it not to herself, or her husband, nor to the strength of nature, Children come by God's grace and blessing. that she had brought forth a Son, but that he came by the grace of God, wherein she doth as much as God requireth to be done by women that come to be purified, Leviticus the twelfth where he took order, Our duty is thankfulness to God. that in token of thankfulness to God, who had preserved them, they should offer: And it is as much as David confesseth, Psalm the one hundred twenty seventh, that Children and the fruit of the womb are a blessing that cometh from the Lord. Secondly, if it be meant that she had obtained a man for God, as some will have it to be expounded; for thereby she declared her joy, to be chief in that she had a Son; not only to fill the earth, and to serve for Adam when he was dead; but one that should serve God, and magnify his name when they were dead; whereas she called her first son by a name that did set out God's goodness, and the second by a name that shown man's vanity and misery, that is, to be commended; In misery consider God's goodness, and why so contrary. for we must consider God's goodness with our misery, left we be driven to despair; and when we behold God's goodness, we must join the consideration of our misery, left we wax proud and forget ourselves. But in that whereas she thought she had that seed which God promised should break the Serpent's head, in the third chapter of Genesis: therein she is to be blamed; for albeit her faith is to be commended, because she believed that promise; What defect of Faith is. yet her defect of faith is to be blamed, in the 1. Epistle to the Thessalonians the third chapter & the tenth verse; that defect was, that she made too much haste for the performance of the promise. The Prophet saith of the true faith, Qui crediderit non festinat, in the 28. chapter of Isaiah: But she maketh too much haste; for the promise is not made of the seed of the first woman; therefore this was defect of saith to be blamed in her. That there was a reconciliation to be received, neither she nor any other did ever doubt; for all did look for the seed of the woman, to make this reconciliation. He is the desire of all Nations, in the second chapter of Aggai, and the eighth verse. The heathen did all equally worship this Redeemer, Acts the seventeenth, though ignorantly. But to take Cain for Christ, and Bar-Iesus for Jesus, is a great error. But, if she had not this conceit, yet she is to be blamed for the error of her hope, in that she calleth her first son Cain, a possession, as if he were the only Jewel, and the other Abel, that is Vanity, as if he were one to be despised, and of no reckoning. Wherein she showeth that which is our common fault, We judge after outward appearance, but God contrary. for we always judge after the outward appearance, whereas God rippeth the heart, and maketh most account of those things that seem to be of least reckoning. This was Samuell's fault, when in choosing one to anoint among the sons of Issa, did judge the tallest to be the party appointed by God: Whereas it was David the least, and of meanest reckoning among them, whom he had purposed to anoint, in the first of Samuel and the sixteenth chapter. But this joy which she had of this son was vanum gaudium. It was a great error in her, that she accounteth him the greatest Jewel, that was of the seed of that evil one: and despiseth him that was the first Saint; who therefore is set down to be the first and chiefest of all the faithful, in the eleventh chapter to the Hebrews, and the, second verse: Much more might she have called her first Abel, who became vanity and came to nought, who endured sorrow for ever; And have called Abel a possession, for that he was the beginning of all Saints: Such a one as placed his felicity in the possession of the heavenly joys. Note. The state and reckoning of the Godly in this life. Whereby we see what reckoning is made of the faithful in this life: Of them Christ saith, In mundo pressuram habebunt, in the sixteenth chapter of St. john's Gospel; And ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: Cain shall build Cities in this world but as for you, be of good comfort, for I have overcome the world. You shall sorrow, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy; And though you be disunited here, yet in me ye shall have peace. These are the points to be sound fault with in Eve. Fuitque Hebel pastor gregis, & Kajin fuit agricola. Gen 4 2. Februar. 25. 1598. YOU remember I told you that the Tree of generation, is a shadow or resemblance of the Tree of life: for though since the fall of Adam, the state of mankind for the continuance of it, be not like the Ivy or Bay-tree, which never cast their leaves, Ezekiel the forty seventh chapter and the twelfth verse: 1 Division. yet it is compared by the Holy Ghost, to the Oak or Elme-tree, Esay the sixth chapter, which though they cast their leaves, yet there springs out new the next year: So albeit man must return to dust from whence he was taken, Man shall leave a seed behind him. yet he shall leave a seed behind him. Cain and Abel resemble all mankind, Elect, Reprobate, as the variety in names; so in natures and dispositions. Secondly, you heard that from this tree, do sprout two branches, that is, a pair of brethren, to whom all mankind may be reduced, from whom both Zion the City of God, and Babel the City of Satan, take their beginning concerning whom in the variety of their names: we observed the variety of their natures, the one called Cain, that is, a possession, sets out those people whose felicity is to get, and which count it the only misery to lose the things of this life, the other called Abel, that is, vanity, doth set out unto us, those which reckon all things in this life to be vanity, as the Preacher teacheth us to value them; thereby we considered, what account we made both of the one and the other: In the world Cain is called a great Jewel, and Abel despised as a thing of naught. Second and third Division. Now we are come to a second and third division: 1 In their Trades. For in this verse, they are divided by their trades and calling, 2. In their Religion. in the next, by their religion and profession in the service of God, both which divisions have their ground, the second chapter and the seventh verse: Man consists of Body and Soul, to fill both Earth, and Heaven. For where man is said to consist of two parts, body and soul; the one form of the dust of the earth, the other breathed by God; that is, to show that as according to God's commandment, the first chapter of Genesis and the twenty sixth verse: He hath a care to fill the earth, by bringing forth children: so he must be as careful to fill heaven, by a second generation, that as he was to till the earth from whence his body was taken, chapter the third: Man's vocation maintain life and religion, a spiritual life. So he must employ his study in God's service, from whence he received his soul, his care must be not only to leave behind him a long generation, but semen sanctum, Mal. the second chapter, as they must have a vocation, whereby to maintain natural life: So they must be religious and offer sacrifice, that leading a spiritual life here on earth, they may obtain eternal life in heaven. 1. The natural life, than the spiritual, and why? But as Cain was first born after the flesh, and then Abel: So always flesh goeth before the spirit, nature before grace, as the Apostle witnesseth, the first of the Corinthians & the fifteenth chapter, That is not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural, and then that which is spiritual. Therefore God was first to feed the Israelites with Manna, and to give them water out of the rock, the sixteenth chapter of Exodus, before they would receive the Law, which after was published upon mount Sinai, the twentieth chapter of Exodus, For as the Apostle showeth, there is a debt due to the flesh Rom. the eight chapter, which must be paid before the spirit can with quietness attend upon God's service, which being provided for, the spirit is the fit to attend upon God's worship. Children are not to be trained up in idleness, and why? Before we come to their several vocations, we have first to consider in general, that Adam would not have either of his children trained up in idleness, and therefore he sets not only his younger son; But to labour in a vocation. but even his heir to a trade and occupation: knowing that whereas God hath ordained, that man shall live by some painful vocation, chapter the third, there is a thing, that both touched him and his, the necessity whereof is such as Job saith, Man is born to labour, even as a bird to fly, the fifth chapter of Job and the seventh verse: And as he employeth in trade, as well the eldest as the youngest; So Abel the good, no less than Gain the wicked son, for the godly have no liberty to live without some honest calling, and therefore the Apostle saith, Let a man abide in that calling wherein he is called, the first of the Corinthians the seventh chapter and the twenty fourth verse: If the godly may not live idly, much more ought wicked children to be set to some trade of life, The second point to be observed is, that there is no sooner mention made of the birth of these two brethren, but presently the Holy Ghost setteth down their trade, commending unto us from Adam's example, that which Solomon after teacheth, the twenty second chapter of the Prov. Teach a child in the beginning of his ways, and he will not departed from it when he is old, Seasonable instruction in youth, and why? for without seasonable instruction, children and youth are but vanity, the eleventh chapter of Eccle. and the third verse: All are not fit for one and the same calling, and why? Both these sons are not set to one vocation, to show that all men are not fit and meet, for one and the same calling; for as there is this diversity in the earth, out of which man is taken, that one part of it is sandy, some clay, and some gravel. And as in the heavenly light, there is that diversity which the Apostle speaks of, the first of the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter and the forty first verse, one star differing from another in glory: So the like variety appeareth in the dispositions of men, in so much as we see, all men are not meet for one thing. Fourthly, from hence we learn, that albeit the labours and trades of men be divers: Callings must be such as God alloweth, and are serviceable to the Commonwealth, and why? yet they must be such as both God alloweth, and such as are serviceable to the public wealth; we may not say because Cain, a reprobate, was a husbandman, that therefore God dislikes husbandary: for God affirmeth of Noah that he was a just and upright man, and yet he was an husbandman, Genesis the ninth chapter; nor that the office of keeping sheep, is therefore lawful in God's sight, because Abel the just was a sheephcard, for Juball the son of wicked Lamech was the father of them that dwelled in tents, and kept Sheep, Genesis the fourth chapter and the twentieth verse: and yet himself a wicked man, the person doth not make the calling lawful, but it must be taken from God himself, and be such as God alloweth; touching husbandry Christ saith, My father is the Husbandman, the fifteenth chapter of John and the first verse, and you are God's husbandry, saith the Apostle, the first of the Corinthians the third chapter and the ninth verse: Therefore the calling of an husbandman is allowable; for the other calling, God himself is called the Shepherd of Israel, the eightieth Psalm and the first verse: and Christ saith of his Church, I have other sheep which I must gather under my government, that there may be but one shepherd, and one sheep-fold, the tenth chapter of John and the sixteenth verse: Husbandry and keeping sheep lawful, and why? By which titles we may collect, that both their callings are allowed of God, and for the profit, that they be serviceable; the wise man saith of them, the King is maintained by husbandry, the fifth chapter of Ecclesiastes and the ninth verse: And for Abells' trade, the seventh chapter of the Proverbs and the twenty sixth verse: The fleece of the lambs serve for thy clothing, and the goat's milk for thy food, So that both are profitable: And in regard of the great profit, that God vouchsafeth to mankind by both, all men do testify their thankfulness to God, for so great a benefit, not only at the bringing of harvest, in the ninth chapter of Esay and the third verse: but at their sheep-sheering, in the first of Samuel the twenty fift chapter and the second verse: And in the second of Samuel the thirteenth chapter and twenty third verse: by the example of Naball and Absalon, from whence we learn, not to set ourselves to vain and unprofitable trades, but such as are both allowed of God, and serviceable to men. More particularly, if we ask what ground Adam had for this division, we shall find, that there are two of great importance. 1. Reason. From God's commission the ground of both trades. The first, From God's commission to Adam, in the first of Genesis and the twenty eighth verse, where he willeth him to till the earth, and to bear rule over all the beasts and Cattles on the earth. So that God will have men to do two things, the one to follow husbandry, the other to keep sheep and other cattles: For Gods will is not that the earth shall be covered with nettles, like the slothful man's vineyard, in the twenty fourth of the Proverbs; nor that the cattles should wander about the mountains, and be scattered without any shepherd to seek after them, in the thirty fourth of Ezekiell: But will have the one painfully tilled and dressed, by the hand of the husbandman; and the other diligently and carefully looked unto, by the shepherd. This was Adam's commission, and therefore he trained up his sons accordingly. 2. Reason. Again, The earth itself taught Adam thus to dispose of his Children, which, as we know, divideth itself into arable and pasture ground, the one to bear Corn, the other to feed and rear up Cattles: whereupon, as we see, Adam delivereth to Cain the charge of Tilling, that part which is arable, and to be ploughed; and Abel is seized of the pasture grounds. The priority is given to husbandry, which is a calling of more excellency than the other, and therefore is committed to the elder son. For the earth being tilled and sowed by the husbandman, bringeth forth bread to strengthen man's heart, in the hundred and fourth Psalm: and the necessity whereof is such, as albeit it be an unkind part for Cain to kill Abel, that is, that no ground be left for pasture; yet it is a more unkind part for Abel to kill Cain, that is, that pasture should eat up arable ground. The second ground. And this ground taken from God's commission, bringeth forth a second ground: For if there must be divers works, as there must be where God appointeth divers vocations, there are required divers gifts, for the performance of those works; Cain must have a gift meet for him that shall till the earth. And Abel being a shepherd, must have that ability that is fit for that vocation. Several gifts required in several vocations, and why? In regard of which variety of works, the Apostle saith, Every one hath his proper gift of God, one after one manner, another after another, in the first to the Corinthians, the seventh chapter, and the seventh verse, to teach us that several gifts are to be employed in several vocations. We live either by care of mind, or labour of body: and why? In the sentence uttered by God we have seen, that it is God's will that every one shall live either by the care of his mind, or by the sweat of his body. For as members of our natural bodies have their several offices, in the twelfth chapter to the Romans; and the twelfth chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians; So (as all the members do not labour, for some do only take care, as the eye and the ear, other do labour and sweat, as the hands and feet) in the body Politic there are divers members, and they accordingly have several gifts from God. For as there is not only labour, but danger; so God hath qualified some men with gifts of mind, fit for the preventing and avoiding of the one; and to others he hath given strength of body, to endure and sustain the other. Some callings require more the first than the latter: and why? As there are some trades that require sweat and labour, and very little care; so there are callings that require great care and providence, and less labour; and therefore God distributeth several gifts for the performance of them: To some he giveth more strength of body and great limbs; too others he giveth excellency of wit, to foresee and prevent danger: Gifts given to one, denied to another: and why? He giveth not to all men gifts alike but denyeth to one that which he giveth to others; That the eye should not say to the foot, I have no need of thee, in the twelfth chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians, but that all might be ready to secure one another. The tilling of the ground requirethgreat pains and labour, and consisteth of great strength of body; but the office of a shepherd is not a matter of pains, so much as of foresight and providence: And therefore husbandmen that take great bodily pains; after their seed is sown, have many holidays, and a long time of rest; but the office of keeping sheep and the care belonging to it never ceaseth, but lasteth day and night: Such was the care that Jacob had of Laban's sheep, in the thirty first chapter of Genesis, and the fourtieth verse: Such care did the shepherds take every night, whom the Angels found watching all night, in the second chapter of Luke: Therefore God giveth Cain a more strong body; but Abel, as his calling required less bodily pains, so he was more weak of constitution, and was 〈◊〉 with more sharpness of wit, than his Brother. Before we speak of the second calling, because this diversity requires a choice to be made, Abel must not be made a husbandman, nor Cain a shepherd. Children to be set to trades they are capable of, and why? That example, of Adam's distribution in this point, should make us set our children to such trades as they are capable of: David was not accustomed to bear saul's heavy Armour, but was fit to use the sling, in the first of Samuel the seventeenth chapter and the thirty ninth verse: Another confesseth himself unfit to be a Prophet, seeing he was always an husbandman: therefore men must followthose trades of life, for which they are fit; The want of which discretion, is the confusion of Church and Commonwealth. Inconvenience of the contrary There are saith Solomon, that have the price of wisdom in their hands, and have not wisdom in their hearts, in the sixteenth chapter of the Proverbs: Such as have preferment in places, where they deserve it no; contrariwise it is a great benefit to the Commonwealth, when men set their children to such trades as they are fit for. Examples. So Jacob seeing that Isaac had great bones made him an husbandman; and perceiving that Zabulon delighted in the waters, he employed him in navigation; and perceiving that Juda was strong, and politic fit to bear rule, made a magistrate of him, in the forty ninth chapter of Genesis and the thirteenth verse: Which thing when it is not observed, when Saul a mighty and strong man fit for war is among the prophets, in the first of Samuel the tenth chapter, then is there a great confusion. Such as will employ themselves in the ministry of the Gospel, must not be young Scholars, in the first of Timothy and the third chapter: Nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the second of Peter and the third chapter: Nor without ground, and soundness of judgement and knowledge, for such undertake that, which they are not fit for. The conclusion is, that which the Apostle St. Paul saith, Such as have divers gifts, we should employ them to the glory of Christ our head, from whom we receive them, in the twelfth chapter of the Romans and the sixth verse: And that every one, as he hath received the gift, so he do dispose and minister the same one to another, as God disposeth of his manifold graces, in the first of Peter the fourth chapter and the tenth verse. Ground of Abells' calling, keeping sheep. The second calling wherein Abel was sent, hath this ground, the husbandman is occupied in tilling the ground, which is a thing without life: But sheep are living things, and they that undertake to keep them, must have an oversight to keep them in order. And because they are of all cattles most subject to wander, they must be kept in with bands, in the eleventh chapter of Zachariah: In regard of the great care, that shepherds take of their flock, the Governors of Commonwealths are termed by the name of shepherds: So the Prophet Jeremiah speaking of temporal Magistrates, I will give you Pastors, which shall feed you with wisdom and understanding, in the third chapter of Jeremiah and the fifteenth verse: And the false Prophets are called false Shepherds, in the eleventh chapter of Zachariah: The necessity of temporal and spiritual shepherds, and why? And of the people that are without a Governor, it is said, Let not the Lords people be as sheep without a shepherd, in the twenty seventh chapter of Numbers: And for ecclesiastical government, Christ saw the people As sheep that have no shepherd, and had compassion of them, in the ninth chapter of Matthew; and in the thirty fourth chapter of Ezekiel: That which is performed to sheep by the shepherds, as the leading of them forth, the bringing them in pasture, the gathering of them together being dispersed, the defending of them from violence: All this is ascribed to the Prophets, that should teach God's people, and sheep of his pasture, The sheep are subject to be torn in pieces, by the Bears and Lions, in the first of Samuel and the seventh chapter: And The fat sheep, will kick against the young and weak sheep, in the thirty fourth chapter of Ezekiel: Against which injuries the shepherd is to defend them, which is a representation of that oversight, that Magistrates have of the people: Therefore God took Moses from keeping of sheep, to be governor over his people, in the third chapter of Exodus: And David from following the ewes great with lamb, was chosen to be King over Israel, in the seventy eighth Psalm: As if by keeping of sheep they had been trained up and made fit to govern men: Therefore as in Abel, is represented the care and oversighted, that temporal magistrates have over their people and subjects; So Joseph is called the shepherd of Israel, in the forty ninth chapter of Genesis; And Cyrus is called God's servant and shepherd, in the forty fift chapter of Esay: And for ecclesiastial government, that is no less set out in the care of shepherds. And therefore Christ who is the chief shepherd saith to Saint Peter, Pasce agnos meos, in the twenty first chapter of John. Fuit autem post dies multos, quum obtulit Kajin de fructu terrae munus Jehovae. Et ipse quoque Hebel obtulit de primogenitis gregis sui, & de adipe eorum: Gen 4. 3. April 22. 1599 THESE two Brothers, as we have heard, Abel a pattern of the Saints, Cain of the wicked. are the great pattern of the main division of the world; that is, Abel is a pattern of the Saints and Church of God; and Cain of fleshly and worldly minded men. Concerning whom from the beginning, we have already considered two parts. First, the disposition of their natures. Secondly, their vocations. Thirdly, we are at length come to their Religion; which, howsoever it be last regarded of men, yet ought it to be first in place: First provides for religion, Secondly, for trades, and why? For howsoever Adam after the fall did provide for Religion in the last place, yet as Christ saith, Non sic fuit ab initio, in the ninth chapter of 〈◊〉. Therefore we are first to inquire of God's service, and after to provide for trades and occupations, as the Prophet exhorteth, Stand in the way, and behold, and ask for the old ways, in the sixth chapter of Jeremiah, and the fifteenth verse. Division in four parts touching this Religion. Touching their Religion we have to consider four points: First, the antiquities and generalities of it. Secondly, the kinds of it, that is, cain's oblation, and Abell's sacrifice. Thirdly, the ground and reason why they performed this service to God. Fourthly, the warrant they had for it. 1. The antiquity of it being first. First, for the Antiquity of this kind of worship, in offering up to God, we are to know, that there is no act of Religion remembered in Scripture before this offering of Cain and Abel: Examples. And therefore the Apostle showeth, that the Sacrifice which Abel offered up to God, was the first fruit of faith, that ever was showed, in the eleventh chapter to the Hebrews and the fourth verse. 1. In the law of nature. As it was the first before the flood, so in the new world, when all things had been drowned with the flood, the first service done to God, was the offering of Noah, upon an Altar which he made, as it is in the eighth chapter of Genesis and the eighteenth verse: 2 In the wr●…ten law. In the law of nature we see it is first, and so it was first in the law of Moses; for before he spoke of any worship, he willed that they should sacrifice unto the Lord their God, in the third chapter of Exodus and the eighteenth verse: 3. As in the old; so in the new. So is it the first, not only in the old Testament, but in the new; for, the first service performed to Christ the son of God, was the oblation of the wisemen, in the second chapter of Matthew and the eleventh verse. 2. For the generality, both offered, and why? Secondly for the generality: As mention is first made of oblation; so it is said generally, that Cain and Abel offered: For there is no Religion, be it true or false, that is without offerings and sacrifices. Not only the Jews had them but the 〈◊〉 also: And of them not only such as were godly, as it is said of Job, that be offered a sacrifice, in the first chapter of Job and the fifth verse; but even those Gentiles that were not regarded of God, had their sacrifices; as 〈◊〉 had his service altars, upon which he offered oxen and rams to God, Numbers twenty third. Our Christian Altars, the Lords Tables. And for the Christians, that they have always had their offerings is plain, for of them the Apostle saith, Nos habemus altar, in the thirteenth chapter to the Hibrewes, that is, as the Jews had their altars upon which they offered those sacrifices which did praenunciare mortem Domini; so the Altar of the Christians is the Lords table whereon they do anunciare mortem Domini, in the first Epistle to the Corinthians, the eleventh chapter and the twenty fifth verse. As the Jews Sacrifices were figures, so our Sacraments are memorials of Christ's passion, in the twenty second chapter of Luke, and the nineteenth verse, Facite hoc in memoriâ 〈◊〉. 2. The kinds of offering, Secondly, the kinds of their offering are, as the Apostle saith, in the fifth to the Ephesians, and the first verse, 1. Oblation. An oblation of a sweet smelling savour, 2. Sacrifice. and a sacrifice which the Hebrews call Minchah and Zebach, and the Greeks' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latins Oblatio and Sacrificium. So the Apostle she weth the division where he saith, Priests were appointed to offer up to God, on the behalf of the people, gifts and Sacrifices for sin, in the fifth chapter to the Hebrews and the first verse: These were offered in the Tabernacle, in the ninth chapter to the Hebrews, and the twelfth verse; and had their ground in Cain and Abel; after whose example, their posterity offered those oblations to God. The oblation was a thing offered up whole as it was, without alteration; But the Sacrifices were changed and consumed with fire. Such an oblation was that which Abel offered: And therefore the Apostle saith, it was a sacrifice, in the eleventh chapter of the Hebrews and the fourth verse: By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice. 2. Kind of gifts distinguished. Which two kinds of gifts or offerings, are thus distinguished; 1. To please. as there are munera placentia, such a gift was the Mandrakes which Lea gave to Rachel to please her, in the thirtieth chapter of Genesis and the fifteenth verse: 2. To pacify anger. And munera placantia to pacify anger, such as Jacob gave Esau, when he had offended, in the thirty third chapter of Genesis; Examples. And the brethren of Joseph when they had offended him, in the forty third chapter of Genesis: 1. To please Angels offer up praise to God, common also to men, and why? A present of Spices, the first kind of oblation which is to please, is common to us, with the Angels themselves; for they offer up to God praise and thanksgiving, because they know God is pleased with them. 2. Praises to men, to offer gifts to pacify God's wrath. But the second sort, is proper to men only, who as they have procured God's anger by sinning; so they are to offer those gifts which may pacify his wrath. 3. The ground and reason why they offered. Thirdly, the ground and reason why they offered, 1. For oblation. is first for oblation. Albeit God forbade to offer to Idols; yet his will is not that we should not offer at all: And though we may not offer to God, to the end wemight supply his need, seeing he is not hungry, in the fiftieth Psalm: In testimony of thankfulness, and why? Yet he will have us offer in testimony of our thankfulness to him; as he saith, offer to me the sacrifice of thanksgiving; So that as a Prince, having made a conquest of a City, doth distribute it to his subjects at his pleasure; yet so, as he reserveth to himself a rent or service, be it never so little, that they may thereby acknowledge, that whatsoever they have they hold it of him; so God will have us after the example of Cain and Abel, in fine dierum, On the Sabbath to offer our quit rend to God, and why? that is on the Sabbath, to offer to him our quitrent, we may not come before him empty handed, the twenty second chapter of Exodus; 1. To acknowledge all we have, to have it from him. but bring something with us, to acknowledge that whatsoever we have, we have it from him; Not only by a vocal, but a real confession. So the people were to bring their first fruits in a basket, and to offer to God by the Priest and to make not a vocal, but a real confession of God's goodness, and providence for them, in the twenty sixth chapter of Deuteronomie: As David acknowledged, all comes of thy hand, Note. & quod de manu tua accipimus, ca damus tibi, in the first of the Chronicles the twenty ninth chapter and fourteenth verse: Even so as God gives us our spirits, in the twelfth chapter of Eccle. 1 To offer in soul spiritual sacrifices. We must offer to him spiritual sacrifices, in the first of Peter and the second chapter: And seeing corpus aptavit nobis, in the tenth chapter of the Hebrews: And in the fourtieth Psalm: 2. In body the 〈◊〉 of our lips. We must glorify him both in our bodies, and in our spirits, in the first of the Corinthians the sixth chapter, that is, we must offer up to him the calves of our lips, in the fourteenth chapter of Hose, that is, the sacrifice of praise to God, which is, the fruit of the lips, in the thirteenth chapter of the Hebrews and the fifteenth verse: 3. In our substance, and why? And thirdly, it must not be a vocal confession, but we must really acknowledge it, by offering of our substance to him, we must not come empty handed, in the twenty second chapter of Exodus; But as we confess before the Lord, that we were like to perish till he provided for us; so we must give him a present, even the first fruits of that we have, acknowledging that all came from him, in the twenty sixth chapter of Deuteronomie; The ground of our oblation is to testify; so as the ground of our oblation, 1. our thankfulness. is the testifying of our thankfulness. 2 our subjection to God. Another end is, the testifying and acknowledging of our subjection to God, that as he gave us our souls; so we confess we ought to bestow our souls on God. And that we shall do, if when our own reason cannot attain to see, how that should be just which he requireth: 1. to give and subject our souls to God. yet we be content to make our souls subject to him, and to bring them into the obedience of Christ, in the second of the Corinthians and the tenth chapter: If as we have grieved the spirit of God with our sins; so we be content to grieve our souls, and to break them with sorrow, which is a sacrifice to God, in the fifty first Psalm and the seventeenth verse. 2. to subject our bodies to God. Secondly, as we have received our bodies from God; so we must make them subject to God, by abating the desires which our flesh delighteth in, that we may delight in that which God requireth, and that we be content to impoverish the body, to chasten it, and bring it under by fasting, in the first of the Corinthians and the ninth chapter: From both soul and body, our mouths must show forth God's praise. that it may be more fit for his service, we must not only acknowledge in our soul, that we own ourselves, both soul and body to God, but we must open our lips and show forth his praise with our mouths, in the fifty first Psalm. 3. We must honour God with our substance. And lastly, we must honour God with our substance, in the third chapter of the Proverbs: And not content ourselves with the oblation of the lips, as a sacrifice that cost us nothing, in the second of Samuel and the twenty fourth chapter: The sacrifice also hath two grounds. The sacrifice also hath two grounds. 1. The confession of our sins, and why? First, The confession of our sins, for in that the poor Lamb, or other beast whatsoever, hath his throat cut; what is it else but a confession, that what the Lamb suffereth, the same we ourselves deserved to suffer: As the Lamb dieth, so we deserve the death both of body and soul: And as the Lamb was burnt to ashes; so we deserved to be burnt in the lake of sire and brimstone, in the twentieth of the Apocal. and the tenth very: For sine effusione sanguinis non est peccatorum remissio, in the ninth chapter of the Hebrews: And so in that the poor beast hath his blood poured out; we do thereby confess, that we cannot have remission of sins, without the shedding of blood, if we seek it in ourselves. 2 The confession of our faith in Christ, which maketh the other perfect, and why? But there is a second ground of the sacrifice, and that is, the confession of our faith, which maketh all the other confessions perfect, for how is it possible that a Lamb should be worth a Man, and that the death of an unreasonable creature, should be a sufficient satisfaction for the sins of a reasoable soul; the Apostle saith, It is impossible that the blood of Lambs and Goats, should take away sins, in the tenth chapter of the Hebrews and the fourth verse: It cost more to redeem souls, than so 'vise a price, or the price of the most precious things in the world, in the forty ninth Psalm: Christ, the Lamb slain, by whose blood we have remission of sins, and why? Therefore the reason why they offered sacrifice, was to make confession of their faith in Christ, whom they confessed to be the Lamb of God, slain from the beginning of the world; by whose blood we have remission of sins: So the Lamb which Abel offered, in the fourth chapter of Genesis, which Esay foresaw should stand before his shearrer, in the fifty third of Isaiah; whom John Baptist pointed at, John the first chapter, and the twenty ninth verse, Ecce Agnus Dei, is Christ the Son of God, slain from the beginning of the world, to take away sins, Apoc. the thirteenth chapter; And in the blood of that Lamb are the sins of the whole world purged, as it is in the first Epistle of St. John, the first chapter and the seventh verse. 4. The warrant whereby they offered oblations and sacrifice. Fourthly, The warrant whereby they offered their oblation and sacrifices, was not any express command of God in the Scripture; and God only knoweth what kind of service best pleaseth him; and of themselves they were not to devise any thing; 1. Adam was instructed by God, and they by Adam. but they were taught by Adam, and Adam was instructed by God: As Adam had experience that God was able to bring light out of darkness; so he taught Adam by his spirit, that, as by the tree of life he would give life; so by death he would give life: For as in the Sacrifices of the Law, the Jews were taught, that out of death God would give them life; We by our Sacraments, so now in our Sacraments, Christians are assured, that by the death of Christ whereof the Supper is a commemoration, the faithful obtain life. Made known, 1. By the light of nature. The means whereby God made this known to them, was first the light of nature, That they had offended God. which told them, that seeing so many infirmities and sicknesses lay upon them, it was for that they had offended some body. 2. That they own thankfulness for all they had, to be acknowledged, in heart, word and works. Secondly, that all they possessed was from some superior power, to whom they ought to be both thankful and dutiful, and to acknowledge both these in words, as well as in heart, and to express this subjection by works, that is, by offering something to God: 2. For the confession of faith, no reason or light of nature taught but by God's spirit. But as for confession of faith, no reason of man, no light of nature, that could apprehend that; but as Christ saith, in the sixteenth of Matthew, it was the Revelation of God's Spirit, which taught them, that Christ the Lamb of God should be offered as a Sacrifice for sin; of which all the sacrifices that went before were types. Concerning Cain and Abel we are to observe two points; First, what they had in common. Secondly, what severally. All, both poor and rich must offer. For the first, As we learn that all must offer, both in the Law, in the thirtieth chapter of Exodus; for God will have his offering, be we rich, or poor; and in the Gospel, where Christ alloweth and commendeth the poor widow's oblation, Luke the twenty first: So both Cain and Abel bring their offerings to God. The things they had in common are Three: First, Offerings. Secondly, To offer to God. Thirdly, They offer of their own, and that which they had gotten by their honest vocations. 1. We may not worship God with empty hands, or give that which cost nothing. First, In that they both offer something, it is plain, we may not worship with empty hands, Exodus the twenty second, and give him that which cost us nothing, in the second of Samuel and the twenty fourth chapter: Our service must be as Paul speaketh, in the first to the Corinthians, the ninth chapter, and the eighteenth verse, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. such are worse than Cain, for he brought something, and therefore shall condemn those that content themselves with the sacrifice of the lips. The oblation is originally Mincah, that is, a thing brought, not 〈◊〉 from them; they must proceed of a willing affection; and therefore also are called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Psalmist saith, in the twenty ninth Psalms, afferte Deo: They thought it not a weariness to serve God as the people did, Matthew the third: They considered he was a God of infinite Majesty and power, in comparison of whom, all the Kings of the earth are but crickets and grasshoppers, Isaiah the fourtieth, and the twenty third verse. 2. Both offered to God, and not to Idols. Secondly, They both offered to God, not to Idols, Hosea the second; not to the creatures, as the Sun, and Moon, and stars, (of whom they say, Jer. the forty fourth and the seventeenth verse, Let us offer up Cakes to the Queen of heaven:) Much less do they offer to Devils, in the first to the 〈◊〉 the tenth chapter, and the twenty sixth verse: nor to their own bellies and backs, making their bellies their God, and sacrificing to their backs, on which they think they never bestow cost enough. 3. Both offered that which they had lawfully gotten. Thirdly, they both offered of that which they had gotten by their own labour and industry: It was not the fruit of sin; for God saith, I will not have the price of a whore, in the twenty third of Deuteronomie, and the eighteenth verse: no sacrifice, be it never so beautiful, shall come into God's house if it be unlawfully gotten: But we must offer to God that which we have gotten, by following some honest calling. Three several differences in the sacrifice. The things which they had in several, are three. 1. The time when they offered. The first is the time when they offered; which circumstance, and the rest showeth, that there is a great difference between their sacrifice; for the Holy Ghost is 〈◊〉 diligent to set down Abell's sacrifice than Cain's. Of Cain it is said, he offered in fine dierum, that is, it was long before he could 〈◊〉 in his heart to give something to God; but Abel gave primitias, the first thing that ever he had. Cain served himself first, and God after, But Abel did contrary. Cain served himself first and God last; but Abel was careful of God's service in the first place, and after provided for himself. And this is a material point diligently to be considered. There are none so hard hearted all their life long, but if they draw near their end, & that sickness come, than they will offer, in fine dierum, and in novissimo die, Jer. the fift: Those are times that will compel men to be mindful of God: But if we will have our offerings pleasing to God they must be primitiae. 2. Difference in the things which they offered. Secondly, that which they had in several, was the thing it which they offered, which was divers and different. God doth not 〈◊〉 fault with cain's offering, but maketh choice of Abel's; Cain's was that which came next to hand, for Cain offered to God that which came first to hand; any thing, as he thought, was good enough; Abel's was the first and fattest of his sheep. but Abel made choice of the fattest of his sheep. As God is the first and best thing; so he offered to God the first of his sheep, and the fattest among them: But Cain confounded this order: Of the difference of whose minds in offering, these verses are witnesses: Abel, when he would offer, saith, Sacrum pingue dabo, nec macrum sacrificabo: Cain saith, Sacrificabo macrum, nec dabo pingue sacrum. Cain was of the same mind, that the Priests were, that would be served before God had his part, in the first of Samuel, the second chapter, and sixteenth verse: So Cain will have enough for himself, before he will once offer any thing to God. Secondly, when he doth offer he maketh no choice of his oblation, but thinketh any thing good enough; but the Prophet saith, Cursed be he that offereth a lame offering to God, and sacrificeth a corrupt thing; for I am a great King, Mal. the first chapter, and the fourteenth verse: Offer such to thy Prince, would he be content to accept such offerings? but we will offer the best things to earthly Princes; how much more to the great King of Heaven; and therefore the Wiseman saith, Honour God with thy substance, and that with the first fruits of thine increase, Proverbs the third and the ninth verse. 3. Difference in the persons that offered The third thing observed by the Apostle, is the person of the party that offereth: Abel was a faithful man, & that made his sacrifice the better accepted, Heb. the eleventh and the fourth verse, By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice than Cain: the faith of Abel was his assurance, that God was a great God, and would not accept of lame offerings; and therefore is careful to bestow the best and first thing he had: Abel's was to testify his faith in Christ, and to express his thankfulness. For knowing that sacrifices are testimonies of the thankfulness of the heart, Abel, to testify his faith in the blood of Christ, and to express his thankfulness for the same, doth choose out of his flocks, the fattest of his sheep: Faith maketh men offer often, and of the best things. Faith maketh men offer often, and better things; but they that are without faith, care not how few times they offer, nor how small their oblations be. We are to know therefore, that these two may not be severed, neither fides from obtulit, nor obtulit from fides, where there is faith, there will be offerings; for, so saith the Apostle, that from the increase of faith, there was an increase of offerings in the Church: But when there is little faith or none at all, as in Cain there are offerings seldom made, and when they offer, it is the smallest and meanest things they have, the second to the Corinthians the eighth chapter and the seventh verse, As ye abound in faith, and word, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us; so see that ye abound in these graces also. Respexitque Jehova ad Hebelum & ad munus ejus. Ad Kajinum verò & ad munus ejus non respexit: Gen 4. 4.5. April 29. 1599 WHich words contain the acceptation of the service of Cain and Abel with God, which is the matter of greatest moment, and which putteth the greatest difference between them and all the world, and is a pattern of the distinction which is between the godly and the wicked, begun in this life, and perfected in the great day of the Lord, when he shall set Abel and histure Worshippers on his right hand, and Cain and his false Worshippers on the left. In the denomination of the name which Eve gave her first Son, I told you what is the world's censure, viz. that Cain is a name of great price in the judgement of the world, but as for Abel, that is a name of great contempt, and such as Abel was, are persons of no account; but here we see God's censure upon them both is otherwise; for as the Apostle saith, He that praiseth himself is not allowed, but he which God praiseth, the second to the Corinthians the tenth and the eighteenth verse; so Cain that was so precious in the eyes of the world, is of no account with God; but Abel which was of no reckoning with men, but despised as a thing of nought, he is highly accounted with God, for he hath respect to his oblaion, but as for Cain and his oblation, he respected them not: So we see that as on the one side, God makes the stone that was refused, to be the head stone of the corner, Psalm the one hundred and eighteenth and the twenty second verse, so on the other side we see it true in Cain and Abel, which Christ affirmeth in the sixteenth of Luke and the fifteenth verse, that which is high in the account of man is abominable with God. The words contain two points; first God's regard to Abel and his offering; secondly, his want of regard towards Cain and his oblation; first that we may understand what is meant by regarding; respicere is not only aspicere, for God beheld Cain and his offering no less than Abel; God seethe all things be they never so private, he seethe Sarah when she laugheth behind the Tent door, Genesis the eighteenth and the twelfth verse, whether we fly up to heaven or lie down in hell, he is present with us, we cannot go from his spirit, nor fly from his presence, Psalm the one hundred and thirty ninth and the seventeenth and eighteenth verses, but respicere is when one likes a thing so well, that he looks on it again, as we behold those things that we love, God seethe all things, and all present; when he loves, he beholds with an amiable look. for ubi amor ibi oculus; so God beheld Abel and his offering with an amiable look, as not contenting himself to look once upon it, The example of a Nurse. Isaiah 66. 12. which gracious respect of God is set out by a loving regard that a Nurse hath to the Child when she beareth it on her lap, Isaiah the sixty sixth and the twelfth verse. Of the next oblation, offer this which Noah offered to God: it is said that the Lord smelled a savour of rest, the eighth chapter of Genesis and the one and twentieth verse; by which smelling, and by this seeing and beholding with the eye is meant, nothing else, but that God received them in good part, and therefore the Paraphrast expoundeth these words suscepit Dominus, which exposition is grounded upon the words of the Prophet, Malachy the first chapter and the eighth verse, the offering is no more regarded nor received acceptably in his hands. On the other side the Lord beheld Cain and his offering, but he suffered not his eye to stay upon it, for he did not allow of it; Testified by visible signs. this acceptation the Fathers say was testified by a visible sign, and they ground this opinion upon the word, for the Apostle saith, the eleventh chapter to the Hebrews and the fourth verse, God bears Abel witness that he was just, for it was usual with God to testify his liking of the service of his servants, by outward and visible testimonies, Leviticus the ninth chapter and the twenty fourth verse, there came fire from the Lord and wasted Aaron's offering, to show that he allowed it; so he approved gedeon's Sacrifice, Judges the sixth chapter and the one and twentieth verse, when the Angel touching the flesh with the end of his staff, caused fire to come forth and consume the flesh, whereby he knew that his offering pleased God; So, when Solomon had ended his Prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed his Sacrifice and Oblation, the second of the Chronicles the seventh chapter and the first verse, but it is plain in the first of the Kings the eighteenth chapter and the twenty fourth verse. By fire. The God that answereth by fire let him be God, saith Elias, to show that the true God doth by outward tokens testify who be his true worshippers. But to come in particular to Abel's Oblation, God's liking is upon two things: upon the Person, and then upon the Gift; for non ex seipsis placent munera, sed ex offerentibus, and St. Augustine. non ex muneribus Abel, sed ex Abel muner a placuerunt, And St. Ambrose, priùs is qui dabat, quam ea quae 〈◊〉 placuerunt, so the person hath the first place; but he respected not the person only, nam ne vanae putentur oblationes, it is not said he had respect to Abel and not to his offering, but respexit ad Abelem & munera, that is not to Abel alone, but to him and his gift; The person must first be pleasing to God before his gift be accepted. the person must first please before the gift can be accepted, but as he respects the person, so will he have the gift withal; and therefore God that said, I will have no Bullock out of thy house, nor Goats out of thy folds, saith gather my Saints together that make a Covenant with me with Sacrifice, the fiftieth Psalm and the fifth verse, and where he saith thou desirest no sacrifice, he means, God chief respects the persons of men that they be such as may please him, otherwise all their oblations are to no purpose; but when they are so qualified that they can offer to him a contrite and a broken heart, than God will accept of their Sacrifices which they offer upon his Altar, the fifty first Psalms and the ninteenth verse, non est detrahendum oblationis, sed adjiciendum 〈◊〉; as Abel offered by faith, the eleventh to the Hebrews and the fourth verse, so we may not take away obtulit, but join fides with it; so shall our oblations please when our persons are by faith in Christ reconciled to him: the person of the Offerer hath a great privilege, for be the work never so excellent, if it come not from a person qualified in such fort as God may take liking, it is to no purpose. The same words, I have sinned, used by David in the second of Samuel and the twelfth chapter, pleased God, but in Judas were not respected, Matthew the twenty seventh chapter; so for prayer, both the Pharisees and Publicans went to one place, for one purpose, but the one departed justified rather than the other, Luke the eighteenth; for the Sacraments; Simon magus was baptised and never the better, but Saul and the Jailor were baptised and obtained remission of sins, the eighth of the Acts and the sixteenth verse; so Judas was partaker of the Supper with the other Apostles, but he only was an unworthy partaker. The reason is, If the fruit be good, we must make the tree good also, Matthew the twelfth: It cannot be good fruit that cometh of an evil tree: The same work of mercy done by an Heretic and profane person, is not respected, but in a Christian is highly accounted with God; God is no respecter of persons, but looks upon the heart. not that God respects persons, for he looks not as man looks, but he looks on the heart, the first of Samuel the sixteenth chapter and the seventh verse, and regards no man's person, Matthew the twenty second chapter; for if he should respect one more than another, than he should regard Cain rather, being the first born. But yet there is something in the person of Abel, which made him more respected than Cain, and that is that which God respects in men's persons, Jeremiah the fifth and the third verse, occuli tui respiciunt fidem; and the Apostle saith that it was by faith, that Abel's offering had the pre-eminence, the eleventh to the Hebrews and the fourth verse; And respects faith that hath relation to God's promise. which faith because it had relation to the word of God, was accepted of God; for Abel believed the word of God, uttered Genesis the third and the 〈◊〉, touching the blessed seed, that should break the Serpent's head, and give an entrance into Paradise, which was kept with a shaking sword. This word of God is a great and precious promise, the second to Peter and the first chapter, which Abel respected more than all things besides in the earth; as David saith of God's word, that it was the joy of his heart, Psalm the hundred and ninteenth and the one hundred and eleventh; so because Abel so much respected the word and promise of God, that it was the only joy of his heart, therefore God had a special respect to him more than to Cain: as his name did signify vanity, All things to be counted vanity, in respect of God and his Word. so he counted himself and all the world nothing but vanity, and gave not himself to vanity, Proverbs the thirtieth chapter and the eighth verse: As David saith Psalm the seventy third and the twenty fifth verse, Whom have I in heaven in comparison of thee, and there is nothing on earth which I desire besides thee? so Abel had this account of God, that he desired nothing on earth in respect of God and his word. Touching his Oblation, if there be an unfeigned faith, the first to Timothy the first chapter and the fifth verse, than there is a feigned and counterfeit faith; Abel's faith true, and visible by works. but that we may know that Abel's faith was a true faith and not feigned, we see it had opus fidei, the first to the Thessalonians the first chapter and the third verse, It was a visible faith, for he shemed his faith by his works, James the second and the eighteenth, that is, by the effects of faith proceeding from it; for as there is spiritus fidei, the second to the Corinthians and the fourth chapter, so it hath a body; and in that regard, the faith of our Father Abraham is said to have steps wherein we must walk, Romans the fourth and the twefth verse, but a spirit hath no steps. That which proved Abraham's faith to be true and nufained, was the work of faith which he performed; of which it is said obtulit Abrahamus filium, Hebrews the eleventh chapter and the seventeenth verse; and the same thing proves Abel's faith to be a true faith, Hebrews the eleventh and the fourth verse, fide obtulit Abel; For Imitation. and the offering faith, is that faith which is commended to our imitation. Steps of Abel's faith. The steps of faith which were in Abraham and Abel are, 1. Gratitude. First, Gratitude, whereby we offer a little of that we have, in thankfulness to God, from whom we acknowledge all to be received. 2. The act of Obedience. Secondly, the act of Obedience, when by yielding fomething of that we have, we acknowledge ourselves ready to lose all we have for his sake, that gave us all. 3. The act of Humility. Thirdly, the act of Humility, when, by offering a lamb to God, we confess thereby that we ourselves deserved to suffer, that which the poor beast suffereth; and such an act of faith God respecteth, ad quem respicio? ad humilem, in the fixty fixed of Isaiah. 4. The act of Hope and persuasion. Fourthly, the act of Hope and persuasion, when being persuaded that the death of a corruptible beast, is no just recompense for the life of man, we hope to be saved and cleansed from our sins, in the blood of Christ the lamb of God, which was signified by Abel's lamb. These acts are the steps of the faith of Abel and Abraham, and God there looketh upon such as testify their faith, by these effects. The faith of the Elect ever shown these effects. And, that we should bring this faith and these oblations, we are to consider, that such hath been the faith of God's servants, from the beginning: Before the flood, Abel's offering was in faith; after the flood, Noah in faith offered, Genesis the eighth chapter, and the twentieth verse. In the time of the law God gave charge, that both poor and rich should offer, Exodus the thirtieth chapter, and the fifteenth verse. During the Tabernacle; which was carried hither and 〈◊〉, Exodus the thirty fift chapter God commanded, whosoever was of a willing heart, let him bring an offering. When the Temple was up, David prayeth to God, O Lord, the people have offered to thee willingly with joy, accept it therefore, and keep this for ever in the purpose and thought of their hearts, that they may still offer, the first book of Chronicles, and the twenty ninth chapter. After the Gospel, they brought all that they had, and laid it at the feet of the Apostles, in the fourth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. Not only the rich were to offer, as it is in the one and 〈◊〉 chapter of Exodus; but the poor that could not bring jewels, were to offer Camels hair, to the building of the Tabernacle, as it is in the 〈◊〉 fift chapter of Exodus; and therefore the poor widow was commended no less, for that little which she put in of her penury, than the rich men, in the one and twentieth chapter of Luke. The Churches of Macedonia were so careful hereof, that in their extreme penury, their liberality abounded, in the second Epistle to the Corinthians, the eighth chapter and the second verse; they were willing to their power, and beyond their power, to shaw their liberality. The difference between alms and offerings. There is a difference between alms and alms, as Paul showeth, in the twenty fourth of the Acts, and the seven centh verse, I came and brought alms and offerings. That distribution which they of Macedonia made, to the poor 〈◊〉 at Jerusalem in the fifteenth chapter to the Romans, and the twenty sixth verse, is not that oblation which the Apostle speaketh of, in the fourth to the Philippians, and eighteenth verse, where the Apostle saith, I received from you an odor that smelleth sweet, a sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasant to God. That which is offered to Christ, and given to holy uses, is one thing, and that which is given to the poor is another. Note. For the offerings themselves, both Cain and Abel offered, but not alike: Abel had respect what he offered, and made great choice of his oblation; he offered not in firse dierum, as Cain; but primitias gregis, and not the meanest, but the fattest of his sheep, and therefore God hath special regard of Abel: But as for Cain, as he had no regard what he offered; so God had no repsect to his 〈◊〉. The quality and quantity of Abel's sacrifice. As here Moses showeth the quality of Abel's offering, that it was the fattest he could find; so the Apostle showeth the quantity of it, obtulit plurimam hostiam, in the eleventh to the Hebrews, and the fourth verse; for he had a regard to the Majesty of that great God, from whom he received all that he had, and therefore serveth him with the best. How Gods eye was upon Cain and his sacrifice. But to Cain and his oblation he had no regard; God's eye upon Cain was not as the eye of a Cockatrice, that is hurtful; only he dealeth with Cain privatively, and not positively, withdrawing from Cain that favour and good liking which he shown to Abel. The question is therefore, why Cain was not regarded? If the same faith had been in him, which was found in Abel, he had been respected. He had obtulit as well as Abel, but not fides; but because he wanted faith, his oblation and his person was not respected, quia sine fide impossibile est placere Deo, Hebrews the eleventh chapter, and the sixth verse. What an oblation is: Oblation is an outward testimony of that inward reverence we have of God, whom we acknowledge to be our superior; How to be offered. from whom we receive all help and secure; Note. and to whom therefore we submit ourselves. This persuasion of God's goodness, must first be settled in our hearts, and then we outwardly testific our faith; that when we offer to God a little, we testify that all cometh from him: But this faith and inward persuasion Cain wanted, and consequently, in making an outward testimony of that which was not in him, he played the hypocrite, and was therefore rejected. Men do first require the heart, and inward affection, and then the outward testification; much more will God require it at our hands, and we cannot deceive him with outward shows, who trieth the 〈◊〉 and heart. Second question. Secondly, but why did Cain offer? If he had offered by faith, it would have brought forth as good effects as Abel's faith did: Respects why Cain offered. But therefore he offered not by faith; yet he must of necessity offer for these respects; 1. fearing more to offend his Father than God. First as Esau forbore to kill his brother, till the days of mourning, for his Father came, Genesis the twenty seventh and the forty first verse, because he durst not offend his Father; so Cain offered, because he durst not offend his Father. Adam being a religious man, would have been offended if he had not offered, so the reason why his offering was not respected, was because his fear toward God, was taught by men's precepts, Matthew the fifteenth chapter; this was the way of Cain, of which the Apostle saith, woe be to them that follow the way of Cain, Judas the eleventh verse: Men pleasers hypocrites. Secondly, he thought he must of necessity offer to please other men, for he was in the number of those that have a show of godliness, but deny the power thereof, the first to Timothy and the second chapter; and this makes the sacrifices of the wicked abominable before God, because they come as though they had respect to serve God only, but it is but to please men. Third question Thirdly, seeing faith is the gift of God, why was he not endued with faith, which might make his person and his oblation acceptable to God as well as Abel's? The answer is out of Job, He was one of those that are abhorrers of the light, rebels lumini, the twenty fourth chapter of Job and the thirteenth verse: What the light of nature taught Cain in offering. what ground had Cain to offer, but only the light of nature? which taught him, that God only is able to help in time of need, & that it is he that gives all things: But it tells us not only thus much, but shows us what kind of oblations must be offered to God, that is, prima primo, and the best things to him that is best and of greatest majesty. The Lord is a great King, and his name is terrible, the first chapter of Malachi and the fourteenth verse, therefore we must beware what we offer to him. Question answered Rebels to the light of nature, deprived of the light of faith; and why? But Cain was rebellious to this light, and because he used this talon evil, he is deprived of this light of faith, the twenty fifth chapter of Matthew and the twenty eighth verse; for the light of nature is as the light of a candle shining in a dark place, till the day star, that is, the light of faith, arise in our hearts, the second Epistle of Peter the first chapter and the nineteenth verse; And he that is not faithful in little, how shall much be committed to him? the sixteenth chapter of Luke and the tenth verse; he had respect to nothing but to please men that are but flesh and blood, and therefore the meanest things he had served his turn. Note well the sum of desires to be prayed for, Lastly, If this be the sum of all our desires, which David prayeth, Psalm the one hundred and ninteenth and the one hundred and thirty second verse, Look upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name: And to imitate. We must imitate them, that by faith have pleased God; we must have both the faith and offerings of Abel and Abraham; and unto these we must add, that our offerings come not from us agre, in fine dierum, but that they be primitiae; they may not be the leanest of our sheep, but the fattest; The offerings of Worldlings. but if we examine the faith and offerings of the world, we shall find the greatest part go the way of Cain; they offer in sine dierum, and without any choice, the vilest things they have; and many are worse than Cain, for whereas he offered, many desire such a Religion wherein they may come before God with empty hands, they would offer a sacrifice that cost them nothing, the second of Samuel, the twenty fourth chapter and the twenty fourth verse, the first to the Corinthians the ninth chapter; and there is another degree of men, that content themselves with pirituall scrifices: some will be content to add, vitulos labiorum, that is not only conceive some good meditations for a time, but hear a Sermon & praise God with a Psalm; but as for a real oblation they bring none. But this was not Abel's faith, his was an offering faith; & if we will be saved as he was, we must bring his faith to God, and show the effects of it: Fides and obtulit must not be severed, for that is abomination. Examination of offerings. If our offerings be in fine dierum, if they be the meanest things we have, than they are 〈◊〉 sera, & rejectionis oblationes: We must consider and balance that which we offer to God, with that which we offer to our belly, whom we make our God, as it is in the third chapter to the Philippians; and that we offer to our backs, in the first Epistle to Timothy, the second chapter, and the ninth verse, in costly apparel. If therefore we have been slack and unwilling to offer to God; Note. we must henceforth offer more frankly, and pray that God would continue this purpose in our hearts, to offer to him, in the first book of Chronicles, the twenty ninth chapter, and the 〈◊〉 verse; because this is a savour, and smelleth well, and is acceptable to God, Philippians the fourth chapter and the seventeenth verse. If we will have the true faith, it must be that faith that doth work by love, in the fift chapter to the Galatians, and the sixth verse; that it be like Abraham's faith, which did cooperare operibus, in the second of James and the twenty second verse: and such a faith, as hath joined to it love, and all other virtues, in the second of Peter the first chapter and the second and third verses: For where there is great faith, there will be great sacrifices and oblations, in the eighth chapter, of the second Epistle to the Corinthians. Qnapropter accensa est ira Kajini valde, & cecidit vultus ejus. Gen 4 5. May 6. 1599 IN which words, as we see the original taint and corruption, that came into our nature by the disobedience of man, breaketh forth; for here original sin showeth itself first in Cain, in whom we see that verified, which the Apostle affirmeth of all men, that there is a spirit in us that lusteth after envy, in the fourth chapter of James, and the fift verse: For here the envy of Cain is manifest, in that he is angry, because God did approve Abel's sacrifice, and respected not his. This envic and malice of his proceeded from the Devil, who is called the envious man, Matthew the thirteenth chapter, and the nineteenth verse, for that he soweth envy and all other vices in the hearts of men. There went another sin before envy: For where Abel's sacrifice was done in faith, and therefore respected; we have showed that Cain offered only to please men, and consequently whatsoever he did was hypocrisy; which, albeit it go before his envy, yet it is only in the heart. But the first sin that shown itself outwardly was his malice and envy against his brother; where we are to note the proceeding of sin. Envy beginneth with Hypocrisy; First, He began with hypocrisy within, Hatred followeth, and then follows hatred and envy without; Breach of faith to God, causeth breach of charity to men. for if shipwreck be made of faith towards God, charity towards men will not long be unbroken; If the end of the promise, which is faith in the blessed seed of the Woman, be not regarded, the end of the commandment, which is love, in the first epistle to Timothy the first chapter and the fift verse, will little be respected; For, as Saint John saith, This command we have from him, That he which loveth God, should love his brother also: But he which loveth not his brother, which he seethe, how shall he love God which he hath not seen? the first epistle of John and the fourth chapter. In the words themselves there are two things expressed, First, a heaviness or anger conceived: Secondly, the abating of his countenance, that is, cain's sin in an inward imposthume, and an outward jaundice. But in the first we are to mark, It is not said, he was displeased or angry, but wrath, and exceeding wrath, the inward infection was come to a suppuration: It was not envy only, but also hatred, which made him proceed to the murdering of his brother, the first epistle of John the third chapter. Note. The heart heavy, it is distempered. If we inquire, why he was heavy? We shall find that to be, for that his heart was distempered, either against God, or his brother; either against him that did respect, or against him that was respected. Heaviness the first fruit of sin The first passion or affection of our nature mentioned in Scripture, as we see is heaviness, which is the first fruit of sin, and of itself is neither to be condemned nor commended; for, ex peccam 〈◊〉 tristitia: And as the worm cats out the timber wherein it was bred, so sadness, being bred of sin, is the bane of sin; for there are two sorrows, in the second epistle to the Corinthians and the second chapter, Tristitia secundum Deum, & tristitia secundum seculum: The Godly sorrow is commendable, for it brings forth repentance; but the worldly sorrow causeth nothing but death and eternal destruction. If Cain was sorry because he offered not his sacrifice in faith, as Abel did, he is not to be blamed; but his sorrow was a worldly, sorrow and therefore to be condemned. As the King said to Nehemlah, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing but sorrow of heart, Nehemiah the second chapter and the second verse: So where we see Cain heavy and his countenance cast down, we may gather that he is disquieted and sorrowful for 〈◊〉 and charity, whose property is to think the best, the first epistle to the Corinthians the thirteenth chapter, would that we should attribute it to sorrow for sin, that it was because his sacrifice pleased not God; but it is not that godly sorrow, but the worldly sorrow that bringeth destruction of body and soul. The carefulness of cain's sorrow must be considered by the cause and effect of it; Sense of evil, the object of sorrow. If God be the cause of his sorrow, it is not to be commended; for although the sense of evil be the natural object of sorrow, yet God may be the matter of sorrow: As if some good befall our enemy, than we have just cause of sorrow; but if good befall our brother, the law of Nature and God's law will not suffer us to be sorry for that. But to be sorry for the good of our brother, that cometh without any detriment or hurt to us that is intolerable, and can be no just cause of sorrow; and therefore Cain in that he conceiveth sorrow, for the good that came to his Brother, without his hurt, is guilty of a worldly sorrow, that is to be condemned. The effect of his sorrow may be of two sorts. First, If he were sorry to the end he might punish and be 〈◊〉 of himself for his carelessness in God's service, Godly sorrow. than it was a godly sorrow, and worthy commendation; but if instead of working revenge upon himself for doing ill, it makes him persecute his brother for doing good, than it is no good sorrow. Secondly, If it were such a sorrow as did provoke him to emulation, as God's purpose in receiving the Gentiles that 〈◊〉, was to provoke the Jews to follow their faith, the eleventh chapter of the Romans and the eleventh verse, than it was a godly sorrow; but if it be such a sorrow as makes him worse, than it is no good sorrow. If we examine cain's sorrow, we shall find first it was 〈◊〉, and therefore evil; for if God know not the cause, as appears in that he asks why art thou sorry? then no doubt he had no cause to be sorry. If we come to the supposed cause of his sorrow, it was not any evil that happened on his part, for than he would have sought to remove it; but the cause of his sorrow was good, not the good of an enemy, for than it were tolerable; but 〈…〉 & bonum innoxium, such as was not hurtful to him, therefore it was an 〈◊〉 sorrow: For the effect of cain's sorrow, godly sorrow doth vindicare malum in se, the second to the Corinthians, the seventh chapter verse the eleventh, it hath two effects, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: it is not only a grief of heart for sin committed, but a taking of revenge for the same; & as it makes a man sorry for the sin past, so it makes him careful and zealous of himself for the time to come, and this makes the sorrow of repentance acceptable to God; Sorrow of envy but the sorrow of envy is no such sorrow. Cain was not grieved for that he had not served God as he ought, neither took he envy of himself, but he doth the more hurt, for through envy he slew his brother, the first epistle of John and the first chapter, so fare was he from being provoked by his example to good. Secondly, where the effect of godly sorrow is to do less evil and more grod, he did not chasten his body and bring it under, the first to the Corinthians and the ninth chapter, but he proceeded de malo in pejus, the first to Timothy and the third chapter. The goodnsse of Abel's sacrifice did not provoke him to do good but to do hurt: Why slays he his brother? because his brother's works were good and his own evil, the first of John the third chapter and the twelfth verse. The Wise man sa th', anger is cruel, and wrath is raging; but who can stand before envy, the twenty seventh of the Proverbs and the fourth verse; Envy and 〈◊〉 is joined with murder. where anger and envy take place, there is nothing but murder, therefore they are joined together, the first of the Romans and the twenty ninth verse, the fifth of the Galatians and the twenty first verse, Examples. and this is plain in Esau, who, so soon as he maligned Jacob for the birthright and blessing, vowed to kill him, Genesis the twenty seventh: This was the effect of the envy of the Sons of Jacob against their brother Joseph, Genesis the thirty seventh; so because David was respected of the people more than Saul, of whom they sang David hath slain his ten thousand, and Saul but a thousand; Saul was moved to envy and sought to make him away, the first of Samuel the eighteenth chapter and the seventh and eighth verses. And the cause why the Jews put Christ to death, was propter invidiam, the twenty sixth of Matthew & the eighteenth verse: Envy stayeth not itself till it bringeth forth murder, and therefore is to be condemned and avoided. Envy the daughter of Pride and self-love. Touching the original of envy, which as we see is accompanied with such effects, it is the daughter of pride and self-love, a drop of that poison where with the Serpent at the first infected Eve, and which Adam received from her, and was derived from them both to their posterity, by means whereof there are, as the Apostle saith, certain blind and absurd men, the second to the Thessalonians and the third chapter, indeed beasts in shape of men, so blinded with the love of themselves, that they think no man should be respected more tham they, they think themselves the only men in the world, the twenty first of Job and the first, and take to themselves that which God only challengefh to himself, Isaiah the forty ninth, ego sum & non est praeter me. The absurdity of Cain through envy and self love, was so much that he persuaded himself, God ought to respect him though he did never so ill, and that he 〈◊〉 not to respect Abel how well soever he did; he thought Abel ought not to be better, nor offer to God a better sacrifice than he: But if any man may lawfully strive to please God, he is not rightly offended with Abel, because he laboured to do God the best service he could. cain's displeasure against Abel was in respect of his good service, wherein we see that verified which the Wiseman saith, that there are some which fret against the Lord, the ninteenth of the Proverbs and the third verse; as Ionas to whom the Lord said, dost thou well to be angry, the fourth of Ionas and the fourth verse; but the absurdity of this passion against God is more absurd, for as the Rebels spoke of Moses in the sixth chapter of Numbers, will he put out this people's eyes; so he seeks to take away. God's justice, in that he thinks much that God doth regard the good service of Abel. We cannot take away his justice no more than his providence, for as he seethe the sacrifice of both, so in justice he respects the good and rejects the evil. Cain said as the wicked do in their heart God doth not regard, Psalm the tenth; but if Cain desires that God should not regard Abel nor his good service, he desires a thing impossible, for God is not unjust, to forget the labour of our love, Hebrews the sixth and the tenth verse, Shall I justify the wicked balance and the bag of deceitful weights, the sixth chapter of Micha and the eleventh verse; therefore whether we respect God or Abel, this cause of cain's sorrow is unjust, and his envy is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: And therefore whereas other sins are punished only in the world to come, and have pleasure in this life, as if that future punishment were not sufficient for envy: The envious man is a torment to himself. God takes order that it shall have punishment in this life, for the envious man is a torment to himself, as the Wise man saith, the fourteenth of the Proverbs and the thirtieth, invidia est putredo ossium. The degrees of cain's heaviness were, that he was iratus valdè: It was not one of the first degrees of anger which the Philosophers call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: There are passions which are no sin at all, as in the fourth chapter of the Ephesians, irascimini & nolite peccare, and the Lord saith dost thou well to be angry Ionas the third chapter, meaning there is some anger that is good, so there is an anger that is no sin, for the first motions of anger are not so heinous; for the nature of men cannot keep away these passions, no more than birds may be kept from lighting upon trees. The Preacher saith, Ecclesiastes the seventh chapter and the eleventh verse, ira nidificat in sina 〈◊〉; whereupon one saith, that although anger will light upon our nature whether we will or no, yet we may keep it from making a nest in our hearts, and so long it is no sin; therefore cain's sin is great in respect it was not only without a just cause, but for that he suffered anger to rest in his heart. Note. The tongue the trumpet of the mind. The falling down of his countenance is a fruit of the abundance of his heart, as our Saviour Christ saith, Matthew the twelfth chapter and the thirty fourth verse, ex abundantia cordis os loquitur, the tongue is the trumpet of the mind, The countenance the glass of our affections. and the countenance is the glass wherein we may behold the affections of the heart, as the Preacher saith, heaviness will appear in the countenance, Examples. so it did in Laban's countenance, Genesis the thirty first chapter; no less than it doth here in Cain; so in the Brothers of Joseph, Genesis the thirty seventh chapter, Hatred cannot speak peaceable. in so much as they could not speak peaceably to him; so Saul ever after looked asquint on David after he conceived displeasure at him, the first of Samuel and the eighteenth chapter; Pride of heart appears by proud looks. so the Scripture showeth that the pride of the heart appears in the countenance, by the proud look, the one hundred and first Psalm, and the high looks, Proverbs the sixth chapter, the adulterous mind is showed by eyes full of adultery, the second of Peter and the second chapter: Countenance cast down, a sign of ill. when the mind imagineth evil, than the light of the countenance is turned into darkness, and the countenance which should be upright is changed in ruinam vultûs, with casting down of the countenance, because it is both an effect and sign of ill; and the Apostle willeth that we abstain from any appearance of ill, the first to the Thessalonians and the fifth chapter, therefore we are to avoid it, tristitia vultûs est hostilis tessara, the outward badge and token of some inward evil conceived in the heart, & abscedendum est non 〈◊〉 a malo, sed ab omni specie mali. For the conclusion, as we have already once seen the way what it is, that we might not follow it, Judas the eleventh verse, so here again we are to consider his way, which is of three sorts. Note. First, not to rest and be content with that which God will have come to pass: he was displeased because God respected Abel and not him; Be content when God respected, and contrary. whereas he should have said with Eli, the first of Samuel and the third chapter, Deus est, faciet quod bonum videtur in occulis ejus, and with David, the one hundred and ninteenth Psalm and the seventy fifth verse, I know Lord thy judgements are right, and that of very faithfulness thou hast afflicted me; but to stomach God for any of his do, is a thing that every one must avoid that will not walk in cain's way. Fret not thyself because of the ungodly, saith the Prophet, Psalm the thirty seventh and the first; we may not think much that God doth respect the wicked and bless them with temporal blessings, much less are we to repine at the good of the godly. Fret not at the prosperity of the wicked. The Prophet affirmeth that he was offended at the prosperity of the wicked, in so much as he said, I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency, Psalm the thirty seventh, he could not tell what to think of it till he went to the 〈◊〉, and there he learned, that albeit they flourish in the world, yet he sets them in slippery places, that they may fall down to their destruction; therefore we may not fret ourselves, considering that those things prove to God's providence. This was David's meditation on the Sabbath, Psalm the ninty second and the sixth and seventh verses, That albeit the unwise know it not, and fools do not understand so much, yet he was assured, that when the wicked did grow as the gross, and all the Workers of wickedness did flourish, than they should perish, so that we have no just cause to be displeased with God, if he respect the wicked seeing it is for his hurt, but if he respect Abel and his good service we are to be glad: When righteous men are in authority, than the people rejoice, Proverbs the twentieth chapter and the second verse; 〈◊〉 it is: he joy of the world, that the godly are respected of God, and enjoy his favourable countenance; and he that will not follow cain's way, must confidere virtuti suae, & alienae non invidere; Some rise not by virtue, but by others fall. when men do not labour to exalt themselves by their own virtue, but rise up by the fall of others, that is cain's way, which we must carefully avoid, as we will escape the wrath of God. Thirdly, the example of Abel's good service, and the favour which God vouchsafeth to him for the same, should have provoked Cain to a godly emulation, debuit fratrem mutatus imitari non amulari, I have observed that nothing is done but upon emulation, saith the Preacher, Ecclesiastes the fourth chapter: If that be taken away all desire of virtue will die. That which we are to apply from hence to our use is, that If God's do, which are just, be subject to the unjust construction of men, as it falls out in Cain: We ought not to marvel if our doing be hardly censured which many times are wrong, notwithstanding howsoever we may rightly be reproved oftentimes for our doing, yet God is always to be acknowledged righteous when he is judged, Psalm the fifth, for he is righteous in all his ways, Psalms the one hundred and forty fifth, and no iniquity in him, Psalm the ninty second. Tum dixit Jehova Kajino, Quare accensa est ira tua; & quare cecidit vultus tuus? Nun si benè egeris, remissio? si verò non benè egeris, prae foribus est peccatum excubans? Gen. 4 6 7. June 10. 1599 WHICH words of God do let us see, Cain's sorrow of malice and envy. that the sorrow of Cain was not the sorrow of repentance, but of malice and envy; and therefore he findeth fault with it saying, Why art thou wrath? and why is thy countenance cast down? God knew no just cause of his sorrow, and therefore it was not a good and godly sorrow, but malicious and full of envy. God's first sermon the ground of all others. These words contain a sermon of God, and the first that was preached after man was sent out of Paradise; and it is the seedplot of all other sermons, that is in the Prophets and Apostles. To bring sinners to repentance. In which generally, we are taught as much as the Prophet after affirmeth of God's goodness, That he delighteth not in the death of sinners, Ezekiel the thirty eighth chapter; That he will not have any to perish, but come to repentance, in the second of Peter, the third chapter, and the ninth verse. And hereof we have a plain example in Cain, who is the first of all the reprobates, which, not withstanding God laboureth to bring to repentance. Again, here we see the blessedness of man's state; for albeit the Angels be of all creatures most excellent, yet in these two respects man's estate is more blessed than the Angels. For the sin of Angels is incurable, as Judas showeth, Judas the sixth, The Angels that kept not their first estate, but lost their own habitation, are reserved by God in everlasting chains to judgement: Whereas the sin of man may be cured. Secondly, in that God when he was to redeem the world, would not assume the nature of Angels, but took the nature of man, in the second chapter to the Hebrews, and the sixteenth verse. For there is cure and physic for man's sin as the prophet speaketh, Let there be an healing of thine error, in the fourth of Daniel, and the twenty fourth verse. Therefore the people acknowledged, that albeit they have trespassed against God, in taking strange ways: yet there is hope in Israel concerning this, in the tenth chapter of the first book of Esdras. And if ye repent, iniquitas vestra non erit in scandalum, Ezekiel the eighteenth chapter, and the twenty second verse: Means to cure the sin of man. There is means to cure the sin of man. Thirdly, therefore seeing sin is not incurable, we may not neglect sinners, but must labour to restore them, as God dealeth here with Cain. And this is the duty 〈◊〉 both the Prophets and Apostles do stir us up: We desire you to admonish them that are unruly, in the first to the Thessalonians the fift chapter and the fourteenth verse: And he that converteth a sinner from his way, shall save a soul, James the fift chapter and the twentieth verse. God's word, Physic for the soul. Further we learn, that this cure is wrought of God by means of his word, for that is the physic of the soul, and the balm of Gillead, Jeremy the eighth chapter and the twenty second verse: And not only by the rod, but also by discipline as appeareth verse the eleventh. Fiftly, As the diseases of the soul are double; so is the spiritual medicine of God's word double. 1. of comfort. When Adam and Eve were cast down with sorrow for their sin; then God cured them with the word of comfort, telling them of the blessed seed, in the third chapter of Genesis, and the fifteenth verse: 2. of reproof. But here he meeteth with one of another disease, and ministereth to him the word of reproof, rebuke and threaten. In respect of the one the word itself is compared to honey, Psalm the nineteenth and the tenth verse; and in respect of the other, the Ministers of the word are called the salt of the earth, in the fift chapter of Matthew, and the 〈◊〉 verse: The one is the word of mercy, the other the word of judgement: The one is set out by the oil poured in the wounds of the sick man, whose nature is to supple; the other is signified by wine, which hath a piercing power, Luke the tenth chapter. Therefore out of Christ's side came out only blood, but water also, John the nineteenth chapter, and the thirty fourth verse. There is a cure both by compunction of heart through sorrow, in the eleventh chapter to the Romans; and by unction that is, by the Holy Ghost which anointeth us with the oil of gladness. Therefore we must mark what disease the soul hath, for it is as unkindly to heal wounds with sweet words, as it is in the sixth chapter of Jeremiah, as to apply oil to those parts that require 〈◊〉. The parts of the sermon are four: And by ancient Writers are reduced to these four uses of holy Scripture, which the Apostle noteth in the second to Timothy, the third chapter and the sixteenth verse: To reproof belongeth, Why art thou angry? and why is thy countenance cast down? To doctrine, If thou do well sbalt not thou be accepted? To correction, If thou do not well, doth not sin lie at the door? Lastly, for instruction, he telleth Cain, that albeit the desire of sin do assault us, yet it shall not have dominion over us. Or, as other interpret this place, it containeth 〈◊〉 motives and arguments, why sin should be hateful to us. First, because sin is a 〈◊〉 thing, and such as no reason can be given for. Secondly, it will deprive us of our reward. Thirdly, not only so, but we shall be cast down into hell, to be partakers of the wrath of God for ever. Fourthly, albeit the Devil do labour to make us commit sin, yet the seed of the Woman shall give us grace and strength to resist sin and the desire thereof. In the first part are two questions: Question of the mind. One of the mind, Why art thou angry? Quest. of the countenance. The other of the countenance, Why is thy countenance cast down? Concerning both which (in that God knoweth no cause of Cain's sorrow,) it is plain, that it was an evil sorrow; for God alloweth not that sorrow, for which we cannot give a reason: Note. A reason to be given of our sorrow and actions. And as God will come one day to ask an account of our works; so we must every one give a reason of our actions, in the fourteenth chapter to the Romans and the twelfth verse, and in the first cpistle of Peter, the fifth chapter. But if we be not able to give a reason of those things which we do, then are we as brutish as unreasonable beasts: God teacheth man more than the beasts of the earth, & giveth him more wisdom than the fowls of heaven, Job the thirty fifth chapter, verse the eleventh: Therefore man ought to do God more service than they. Therefore the Prophet saith, in the thirty second Psalms Be not like horse and mule that have not under standing. We are, as the Apostle speaks, men of understanding, in the first to the Corinthians, and the tenth chapter; such as ought to do nothing, but what they can give a reason for: Therefore the word is called, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the first epistle of Peter, the second chapter, and the second verse; and the service that God requireth of us, is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the twelfth chapter to the Romans and the second verse; and they that do otherwise are not only evil but absurd and unreasonable men, in the second to the Thessalonians, the third chapter and the second verse. All kind of sin is unreasonable. As God sets this brand upon all kind of sin that is unreasonable; Chief hatred. so chief the sin of Cain for his hatred towards Abel, was not for evil, but for good. In natural reason we are to love good things and hate evil, but where he hated his brother, because his works were good and his own evil, the first epistle of John, the third 〈◊〉 and the twelfth verse, it appears that his sin was brutish and unreasonable; which unreasonable kind of dealing the holy Ghost expresseth, Is thine eye evil because his is good, Matthew the twentieth chapter and the fifteenth verse. We must make account for gestures of our bodies. Secondly, for his countenance; God will have an account of the gestures of our bodies; for as they were both created and redeemed by God, so we must glorify God both in body and spirit, the first to the Corinthians, the sixth chapter and the twentieth verse, God alloweth no affection that is causeless, and therefore condemneth unadvised anger as a sin, Matthew the fifth chapter, which was cain's sin. The second motive is, If thou do well, shalt not thou be rewarded and accepted? where in he wills us to look, not only to the ground and cause of our actions, but to the end of them; as if God should say, if reason cannot move you to hate sin, yet let affection move. Affections, Hope, Fear. Now there are two chief affections which move the life both of man and beast, that is hope, and fear; first God moves with the hope of reward, If thou do well shalt thou not beeaccepted? then with the fear of punishment, but If thou do evil sin lieth at the door. By the first question, God's meaning is, Am I such a one as do not regard well do? All Scripture affirmeth that God tendereth goodness, dicite justo quia bene & erit merces, so saith Jehosaphat to the Judges in the 〈…〉 Isa. Be of good courage and 〈◊〉 it, for the Lord will be with the good, the second book of the Chronicles and the ninteenth chapter, with whom the Apostle agreeth, Be steadfast and unmoveable, quia labor vestra non erit inanis in Domino, as it is in the first of the Corinthians and the fifteenth chapter, and the conclusion of the whole Scripture is, Behold I come shortly and my reward is with me, the two and twentith chapter of the Revelations and the second verse. If our love were perfect it would cast out fear, and we should not need to be drawn to do well with hope of reward, but because there is great imperfection on both parts during this life, therefore we have need to be stirred up to do well, with the one, and terrified from doing evil with the other. The reason why David harkened to God's statutes was, propter retributionem, Psalm the hundred and ninteenth; Moses was contented to suffer adversity with God's people, for that he looked to the recompense of reward, Hebrews the eleventh chapter, so that it is Gods will we should take notice of this word of comfort, that if we do well we shall be accepted. The word Neshah used in the original hath two significations, both to reward, and to forgive, as it is in the thirty second Psalm, Blessed are they whose intquities are forgiven; the first sense hath reference to the fourth verse, where it is said, God had respect to Abel and his sacrifice; And for the other sense (thou shalt be forgiven.) It is agreeable to the Scripture, which teacheth, us that to rid ourselves of sin we must break off iniquity with right dealing, Daniel the fourth chapter; and mercy, Joel the second chapter and the thirteenth verse; sanctify a fast, call an Assembly, then shall the Lord be merciful; and Peter to Simon Magus, Pray to God if so be the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee, Acts the eighth chapter and the twenty second verse. But Abel did well, and that was 〈◊〉 rewarded in this life, for his brother killed him, he was not rewarded here, therefore it followeth he was rewarded in the life to come, For God is not unrighteous, to forget the labour of our love, Hebrews the sixth chapter and the tenth verse: though God forget us on earth, yet we shall be remembered in heaven. It is a righteous thing with God to recompense them (which are troubled, with rest; when the Lord Jesus shall show himself from heaven, the second to the Thessalonians, the first chapter and the sixth and seventh verses. So that the second motive to drive us from sin is, that it deprives us of the reward, and sets us out of the hope of God's favour: In which case we must practise the counsel of the holy Ghost Apocal. the second memor esto unde cecider is & resipisce. The third motive is, that if thou do not well, sin lieth at the door, which is the corrective part, as if God should say though neither reason can move nor hope of good; yet let this move us, that sin doth not only deprive us of God, but brings eternal destruction: si bonus non infructuosê, si malus non impunè? for God takes order that neither good shall be unrewarded, nor evil unpunished; sin shall not only deprive us of our hope and shut us out of heaven, but lock us fast in hell, to endure torments for ever. This is a thing worthy our consideration, That if we do not well we shall be punished, for sin lieth at the door, and if we sin against the Lord, be sure your sin will find you out, Numbers the thirty second chapter and the twenty third verse; Note. for sin doth entangle men as it were with cords and snares, Proverbs the fifth chapter. Sin lieth at the door, first in diem judicii asservatur; wherein are two points: First, concerning the lying of sin: Secondly, the place where it lieth. By lying is understood the act of sin; and as that which lieth is said to rise again, so sin is not so low nor so asleep, but after it hath lain a while it will rise again, that is, after the act performed there 〈◊〉 a remorse of conscience for the sin committed; for the act of sin, howsoever the lips of a strange woman drop as honey, yet of the remorse, he saith the end is more bitter than wormwood, Proverbs the fifth chapter and the third verse; for sin is never so sweet in committing as it is bitter in remembering: The bread of deceit is sweet to a man in the act of sin, but after when he is touched with remorse, it filleth his mouth with gravel, Proverbs the twentieth chapter and the seventeenth verse. Whosoever devours holy things, they prove a snare to them, Proverbs the twentieth chapter, and the twenty fifth verse: How goodly a colour soever the wine have in the cup, and how pleasantly soever it go down; yet in the end it will by't like a Serpent, Proverbs the twenty third chapter and the thirty first and thirty second verses. They that are desirous to fall asleep, hid themselves in some private corner, that they may not be 〈◊〉; so there is a secrecy of sin, and men would fain hid sins, but there is a day of the Lord, which when it cometh, it shall illuminare occulta tenebrarum, the first to the Corinthians the fourth chapter and the fifth verse, than the most secret sins shall be laid open, for there is nothing covered that shall not be known, nor hidden that shall not be revealed, Luke the twelfth chapter and the second verse. Touching the place where sin lieth, it is at the door or gate; and this it maketh sin to awake: For it cannot sleep by a door, where there is continual knocking. But there is a double interpretation of the word door. First, it is referred to the door of a man's conscience, of which it is said, Behold, I stand at the door and knock, in the third chapter of the Revelations, and the twentieth verse. And according to this sense, God's meaning is, that when sin is once committed, a man's conscience will easily be disquieted with the least knocking, for the sleep of sin is like the sleep of him that sleepeth upon the top of a mast, in the twenty third of the Proverbs and the thirty fourth verse, which being tossed to and fro of the wind, suffereth him not to take any quiet rest. And that sin is wakened by the door of the conscience, we have a plain example in the Children of Jacob; Affliction knocketh at the door of conscience, to awaken it being asleep. for when affliction did knock at the door of their consciences, they remembered their sin and confessed; that all that misery was befallen them for their cruelty towards Joseph, in the forty second of Genesis and the twenty second verse: and after Jacob was dead, the remorse of conscience did so waken them, that they would not be quiet till they had asked Joseph forgiuness for their cruelty towards him. Secondly, because there are some that can sear up their consciences, so as they will not be touched with any remorse: Therefore there is another door whereat sin is said to lie, that is the door or gate of death, Psalm the ninth, Isaiah the thirty eighth and the tenth verse, I am going to the gate of death. This gate or door cannot be shut up; we cannot escape death, & Judex stat prae foribus, Jeremiah the fifth chapter; as soon as we are out of the door of death, we shall see the Judge ready to give sentence upon us, and to condemn us for our sins: Sin barketh like a dog. then sin shall not bark like a Dog, but howl and roar as a Lion, not suffering us to take any rest, but keep us in continual torment: The consideration of so great misery as is procured by sin, should terrific us from sin, unless we be worse than beasts, who by no means will be brought to run into the fire or any other apparent danger, use what extremity towards them you will. At erga te est appetitus illius, & tu praees illi. Gen. 4. 7. July 21. 1599 WHich words, as heretofore I have told you, contain a very gracious and merciful admonition, or (if you will have it so) a Sermon, and that the best Sermon that ever was made by God to Cain, concerning the reforming in himself of those inward trespasses of hypocrisy to God, and malice conceived against his brother: Of which, as the ancient Fathers have divided them, be four parts. First, by way of expostulation, Why art thou wrath? etc. Secondly, a point of doctrine and direction to the promise, If thou do well? etc. And the third a point of correction, 〈◊〉 by God by way of commination, If thou do not well, sin lieth at the door. And these three we have already handled, now come we to the last, which is the manner how God will deal that he shall be inexcusable saying, erga te erit appetitus ejus, the meaning whereof it is good that we know, for indeed the divers taking of the word ejus, where unto ejus should be referred, makes that the words are 〈◊〉 diversely translated, yet are all true and of due and high regard, and have very fruitful and godly meditations; for there 〈◊〉 that refer this word ejus to Abel, that is, thy brother's desire shall be to thee, which is not here meant. There are others that refer it thus because no mention is made here of Abel, but that sin is the last thing spoken of, therefore they refer it to sin thus; the desire of it shall be to thee, which is the best translation, and the most fit and congruent sense, agreeing with the words. So then to deal truly and uprightly, I have told you that the words may bear both senses well and with good profit, therefore I will take them both first together, and then tell you which is best: If then we understand it to be Abel, which cannot be referred to any man's person so well as to Abel's, take it so, as if God should say, indeed I respect thy brother, and if thou rejoycest that Abel is respected, thou dost well, for so thou shouldst do; but thou art grieved thereat: Why then art thou so sad? Here God expostulates with him, & it is a condemning of his action, because it is a foolish thing to do that which hath no good reason to be rendered, to warrant the doing of it; Therefore God divideth the sense into two parts; either the reason must be in God or in Abel, in God for favouring him, or in Abel, because favoured of God. Now God in the former part hath acquitted himself, saying, If thou dost well, shalt not thou be accepted? for behold I am just, and will regard thy well doing, therefore thou hast no cause to be grieved for that: Or else thou shalt be rewarded according to justice, and that in bounty and liberality, which is by ancient Fathers grounded upon the words of God to Abraham; Fear not, for I will be thine exceeding great reward, Genesis the fifteenth chapter and the first verse, that is, If thou dost well, thou shalt be 〈◊〉 be rewarded for it; but if thou dost not well thou hast no cause to be grieved neither; for as I am just and will talk with thee, & one day thou shalt hear of it; so yet my justice is full of mercy, I intent not presenly to take thee by the throat, but give thee space to repent, 〈◊〉 shall but lie at thy door; so that not only God's justice 〈◊〉 herein, but his mercy is exceeding great and mixed with justice. If God took order, that after his sin committed, Cain should 〈◊〉 by and by come to judgement, but should have time first to 〈◊〉 himself of it; this is matter of comfort, that no man should despair by and by when he hath sinned; far that God is a 〈…〉 God, and would not the death of sinner, and therefore giveth him time to repent: This showeth that God gave him no cause of grief. There remains that the grief must be conceived against Abel, because God so much respected him; but so the sense is, as if God should say, Cain art thou grieved for Abel's good, and fearest he should grow insolent by the favour I have showed him, and so he should despise, and thou shouldst be vile in his eyes? If Abel have offended thee, why his desire shall be subject to thee, but that is no cause why thou shouldst be grieved; for he being the Child of grace, doth not affect any such manner of superiority as thou fearest, but is as modest and as humble as he was before, and so thou hast no reason of impatiency against him. And not only that first, but this second, that God shown plainly that it is his will that in and by the sin committed no man should lose any privilege which of right is due to him, and which before he had; and every motion, in a Superior, to sin doth not discharge him of his authority. Which is contrary to that false opinion and censure of them which think that even Princes themselves, after sin committed, lose all their prerogative and supremacy of government which they had before, and that their Subjects are not bound to do their service any longer to them, but that ever after their allegiance shall cease, which is false and contrary to all reason, and not God's intent and will here. For as in the chapter before, after Adam had sinned, yet Eve was still subject to him; so the same God saith, and ratifieth here, that Cain though he had thus sinned both against God and his brother, yet being the elder and first born, and so before Abel, so there should be a superiority and dominion that he should still retain by nature: And it is God's assertion, that that superiority should be retained still, and that Abel should not seek to be his Superior; neither did he. That was the prerogative which Cain had before Abel, as the elder. But to yield this obedience, hath been the continual practice of all the Saints and Children of God: King Saul was a wicked man, yet David rebelled not against him, because he knew him to be the Lords anointed; so the Prophet Jeremy saith of Nebuchadnezar a wicked King, that he will visit the Nation and Kingdom that will not serve him, the twenty seventh chapter of Jeremiah and the ninth verse; and for the new Testament, both Paul and Peter confess the same; Paul in the first to Timothy, the second chapter and the second verse, and Peter, in the first epistle of Peter, the second chapter and the fourteenth verse, do will, that duty and allegiance be given to the higher powers, not only if they be good, but though they be Tyrants and wicked Princes that fear not God: And it is it that God saith by Job, Job the thirty fourth chapter and the thirtieth verse, that by him the Hypocrite reigneth, that is, for their sins God will send wicked Princes, and Cain shall bear rule over Abel: God doth not only allege, that thus it was, but thus he would have it. This Government thus by God established, in the beginning was by David, Jeremy Paul, Peter, Job, and all the rest of the Patriarches and Saints of God confessed and allowed: So that if we regard Abel either in respect of himself or his demeanour towards Cain, or we respect God's goodness herein, no just cause can be of grief, neither was it God's will that Abel should resist, neither doth he any such thing; and so indeed there was no just cause why Cain should fear it or be grieved: And this may suffice for the first, which I will shut up with this Caveat of instruction 〈◊〉; Our own sin (of malice and envy,) is cause of our grief. that for as much as the grief of malice and envy cannot be 〈◊〉 from God who is just, nor from Abel who is mild and modest, than it remains that it came from Cain himself, whom God repeats four times together in the words of this Text (thou and thee) and so he must return to his own heart, and remember how his own sin is cause of his grief, as God himself speaketh by Isaiah the forty sixth chapter and the eighth verse, Remember thus and be ashamed, bring it again to mind you transgressors: Note. And for the new Testament, Luke the fifteenth chapter, the prodigal Son when he came to himself, confessed his own unworthiness, and said, Father I have sinned; which is another main point of Divinity established from the beginning, that as God saith, Hosea the fifteenth and the ninth perditio tua ex te Israel, salus autem ex me, so our well doing or ill doing is cause of our regarding or destruction; so saith James, no man is tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted of ill, neither doth he tempt any man, but every one is tempted of his own concupiscence, James the first chapter and the thirteenth verse: So that from the first we have this Doctrine, that if God be judged he is innocent, and if Abel, there is no fault in him, and to come to Cain, he is in all the fault. But now if we come about and say, it is not meant of the person, but of the things, that is sin; then we must proceed another way, yet true and very profitable; and so say ad te appetitus ejus; ejus saith Augustine, cujus? numquid fratris absit. Nay saith he, it is appetitus peccati; and Augustine doth ground this upon Jeremiah the fifteenth chapter and the ninteenth verse, where it is said, If thou return; and in the same verse ipsi convertantur ad te non tu ad illos: and so after Austin, St. Jerome saith excellently, ne peccatum illi, sed ille peccato dominaretur, not that sin might have dominion over him, but he over sin; and so in a manner dealt all the ancient Divines. It is well known St. Jerome knew the tongues, and was well acquainted with the Scriptures, and so the sense is more perfect and complete this way than the other. This then is the point of instruction, as before by way of praise and threat; so here God deals by way of admonition, which is brought in by way of supposing an excuse, as if one should say, I would not 〈◊〉, but I cannot do otherwise, I have no power over myself to rule myself or 〈◊〉 this grief; how then can I rule over it: that is, over sin. But against this supposition of Cain, God's instruction is thus; though sin be turned towards him, yet God saith he may be Master over it that he needs not yield to it; as if God should say to Cain, I would have thee do that which my grace offereth unto thee, and not that which the concupiscence of sin leads thee to. Here are two things propounded: First, our own state in these words, but unto thee his desire shall be subject: Secondly, our duty what to do, thou 〈◊〉 rule over him. For the first, I grant it, thou canst not live without it, for sin lieth at the door, knocking, and will run in and embrace thee if thou open the door to it; it is not possible, but ad te appetitus ejus, sin will be taking hold of thee, as it is exactly set down, Hebrews the twelfth chapter; sin hangs on fast. This is your state saith God, and take notice of it, but then do your duty; when sin knocks, look that you shut the door against it; when sin runs to you, see you turn your back on it, and when it desires, let it be in vain; and then saith St. Austen, & surgendo & proferendo frustra defatigetur, ut tandem mihi proferat, & discat amplius non surgere; and this it is that God would have us to remember, to repel sin by striving against it, and not become Slaves to it by serving the lusts of it; For as many times as a man refuseth the conversion and turning of the opportunities of sin, it is the redoubling of so many rewards and crowns in the Kingdom of heaven: so that I tell you (as often I have) that it signifies both comfort and exhortation, that that which exhorts should comfort, and that which comforts should exhort too. First for comfort; not that any man should think himself forsaken and out of the compass of God's favour, when sin runs to him; for therefore it is called conversion, it is the motion that water hath in hollow places, that howsoever on hills or steep places it runs down, yet in hollow places it stayeth,; such is the nature of sin: As if God should say, seeing your nature is such, that it is naturally inclined to sin, by the teint and corruption of the poison of that Serpent which first beguiled your first Parents, which every man in his own nature hath sense of, yet he feels no more than all the dear Saints of God have felt. Therefore that it should not seem strange to any man when he seethe sin run to him, and finds those temptations of sin and motions thereunto; for it is no other thing than what is incident to all, the first to the Corinthians, the tenth chapter and the thirteenth verse, No temptation hath taken you, but such as is incident to man. Now that is our inclination natural, which we cannot avoid here in this life, and that is comfort against the objects of sin, that our case is no worse than other men's. But withal to this comfort God joins exhortation, that for as much as we shall be continually provoked and assaulted by sin, and sin will run to us and lie at the door, yet we are not to go and meet it, and if not go meet it, we must take heed we draw it not to us with cart-ropes, as if it came not fast enough, Isaiah the fist chapter and the eighteenth verse; and as Ezekiel speaks, we may not be as dragons sucking still, Ezekiel the fourth chapter and the second verse, nor put the stumbling blocks of iniquity before our face, Ezekiel the fourth chapter; we may not plough for sin, Proverbs the twenty first chapter and the fourth verse, as if he should say, sin will come fast enough in the fallow grounds; therefore we need not to provoke ourselves by pictures, lewd songs, interludes, and such like means 〈◊〉 draw it to us, but to abandon them all: It is that which the Apostle exhorts all men to; in the second to the Corinthians, the eleventh chapter and the twelfth verse, to cut off all occasions to sin, observing what that is that provoketh them to sin, and cut that off that we draw not sin to ourselves, and so be accessary to sin, and cause of our own woe: If the water be coming, that we give no passage to it; if the coals lie before you, spit on it you may, but beware you blow it not; and if sin would have passage, stop it, 〈◊〉 serving sin you be carried away captive of sin; for of whomsoever a man is overcome, his servant he is, the second of Peter and the second chapter; and his servant you are to whom you obey, Romans the sixth and the thirteenth verse: Therefore give not your members as weapons of unrighteousness to sin, but give yourselves to God. This is our duty which we must do and perform; for as the former part is set down for our comfort, so this serves for our instruction; So there is a comfort in our estate coming by this exhortation, and there is exhortation out of the comfort, to do our duty on sin, which shall stand us in great stead in the day of the Lord. Here are four divisions or distinctions. First, God saith, There is sin in body, and sin in soul; there are as well corporal sins as mental, and as well actual as cogitable. 〈◊〉 a sin against man as well as God. Secondly, Si bene feceris, nun acceptaberis? so that God saith plainly, he that beareth malice doth not well, that is, he sinneth against his brother, for a man may as well sin against man as against God, for that God's command is, Love thy Brother or Neighbour as thyself; therefore a man should not imagine, that except he offendeth God, he sinneth not. That is a second distinction. Sin sleeping and waking. A third distinction is, peccatum cubans and vigilans, that is sin sleeping and lying still, and sin waking, that is the temptation of sin before and while it is committed, and then the remorse after. The fourth and last distinction, is that which 〈◊〉 a difference between the Children of God and of the Devil, between the reprobate and the regenerate; that in the godly there is peccatum 〈◊〉 but not dominans, sin ruleth but reigneth not; from hence is grounded that which the Prophet saith, in the nineteenth Psalm, Keep thy servant from presumptuous sins; and in the one hundred and nineteenth Psalm, Direct my steps, that no iniquity have dominion over me; so the Apostle in the sixth chapter to the Romans, Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies; yet he confesseth, in the seventh chapter to the Romans, that sin dwelleth in him: By which we may see plainly what it meaneth; for sin would command a man's body, his eye, foot and hand, yea, set all the parts of his body a work, about that it 〈◊〉: But that party when sin biddeth him 〈◊〉 and go, 〈◊〉 still; when sin biddeth him stretch out his hand, can clasp it close; when sin biddeth him delight his eye, can shut it close; when sin biddeth take to heart, and one doth with sighs shake it off; he that when sin cometh running, shutteth the door against it, & avoideth all provocations; in such a one, there is peccatum currens but not dominans. That is for the division, and the difference between these two sorts of persons. But secondly, we have a main foundation, which the ancient Fathers and Doctor's ground upon the thirteen verses of the third chapter, where God useth the same words to the woman, that he useth to Cain here, Why hast thou done this? And the Woman said, The Serpent beguiled me; It showeth that the proceeding of cain's sin, was as the first sin was; for the Serpent first shown her the fruit, and she did eat; and then after, she shown it to Adam, and it pleasing his sight, he likewise did eat. This is the proceeding of sin, from the Serpent to Eve, from her to Adam, and so here the presuming of reason in Cain, contrary to reason, was as that in Eve and Adam; and therefore, as after God said to the woman, Thy desire shall be subject to thy husbands, and he shall rule over thee; so here he saith, Cain shall bear rule over sin, and the same shall befall in man's sensuality, that is, his lusts and concupiscence, which befell his uper part, which is his reason, alluring him and drawing him to sin: Therefore they call the understanding and reason, which is the uper part of the soul, Adam; and the lower part, that is the affection, Eve. The desire and pleasure of sin, that is the apple, and sin is as the Serpent. As this is grounded upon the speech of God; so is it upon the similitude and manner of sin; whereby man is caught as a fish with the bait, in the first chapter of James; for reason taketh the bait first: Such a proceeding is in all sin, and there is no other temptation to sin now then there was in the beginning to Adam and Eve. Thus much for our state and duty arising by way of instruction and exhortation, to behave ourselves so, as sin get not the rule over us. I come now to the last in these words, But thou shalt bear rule over it: Wherein we ask, How shall this be fulfilled? can we give to nature that power and freewill? nay, it is plain, we cannot, neither is God's intent so to do, for we are not able of ourselves, as from ourselves, to think a good thought, as it is in the second to the Corinthians, the third chapter, and the third verse; for we have all been as an unclean thing, all our righteousness is like a filthy cloth, in the sixty fourth chapter of Isaiah, and the sixth verse: so that he that hath no more in him than the strength of nature, is as he that followeth the steps of an harlot, whose case is like to the ox that goeth to the slaughter, as it is in the seventh chapter of the Proverbs. Therefore it is not to be desired, neither is it in our strength to do it, for where God saith, Tee shall rule over it; Is our strength able to do thus? No. Further as Moses said, in the 30. of Deuteronomie, and the 14. that God's meaning in giving him the Law, was not that he could do it, or should of himself, but it was verbum fidei; the word was as near to thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart to do it. This word is the word of promise, as Paul expoundeth it, in the tenth chapter to the Romans: The means to rule sin is as near thee as sin is. Say not in thy heart, who shall go up into heaven? the means is the word of faith, which assureth thee of Christ the promised seed, who shall for thee break the head of the Serpent, as it is in the third chapter of Genesis, and give thee the victory over sin; for else this doctrine had been false, if that promise had not gone before; then there is Christ, without whom we can do nothing but sin, as himself speaketh, Sine me nihil potestis facere, in the fifteenth chapter of John & the fifth verse; It is he that giveth repentance, in the second 〈◊〉 to Timothy, the second chapter; by whom they come 〈◊〉 amendment, 〈◊〉 of the snare of the Devil. And therefore as the Apostle saith, We must be strong in the Lord, that we may be able to resist, in the sixth chapter to the Ephesians, For we are able to do all things in him that strengtheneth us, as it is in the fourth chapter to the Philippians, that is, by the strength of his grace enabling us: For the performance whereof, we must sue to him and beg it at his hands by prayer. And that is the meaning of the words, that we should ire ad Dominum, ut in Domino dominemur; 〈◊〉 must go to him that hath trod upon the bead os the Serpent, and overcome the power of Hell, Sin and Death, and he shall tread down Sat an under 〈◊〉 feet, in the sixteenth chapter to the Romans, and the twentieth verse: In the one hundred and tenth Psalm, He shall bear rule over his enemies; then he may justly bid us bear rule over sin, seeing he is both able and milling to help us. There is no man hath set it down more excellently than St. Gregory, who saith, Justus Deus instat praecepto, quia cùm instat ptaecepto, praecurrit auxilio; so that if a man can remember what Christ hath done, how that he which hath broken the Serpent's head, will give us power to bear rule over sin; as he is able, so will he, if we be earnest suitors to him for 〈◊〉, give us grace and strength whereby to resist temptations of sin. So saith the Apostle, in the second to the Carinthians, the sixth chapter, and the first verse, If we receive not this grace in vain, or if we be wanting to it, by falling away from the grace of God, in the twelfth chapter to the Hebrews, and the fifteenth verse, then shall we be able to have dominion over sin. As this is true, and cannot be denied, that God hath shut up all under sin, to have mercy over all; so he will pour out his spirit upon all flesh, in the second of Joel, and the twenty eighth verse. What spirit? The spirit of grace and prayer, in the twelfth chapter of Zechariah; that is, Psalm the 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 verse, He faileth none that seek him, and call upon him, that is, he offereth grace to all, if they put it not away from them; by strength of which grace they may resist sin, and bear rule over it. Then we must go to Christ, and as he saith, in the sixth chapter of John, and the thirty seventh verse, venientem ad me non 〈◊〉; we offering to him our prayers, he will not be wanting to 〈…〉 us, that when sin comes to us, which is occursus poccati, 〈…〉 ad Christum, we must nun to Christ, the seed of the Woman. As the seed of the spiritual Serpent is sin; so God hath made it here, saying, Sin lieth at the door; so the seed of the woman is Chest, to whom we must have recourse for help, and say, as the spouse doth, in the first chapter of the Canticles, and the third and fourth verses, Trahe nos, nam curremus ad te: We will run to those persons, in whom we feel the sent of their ointments, such as shall be able to give us good counsel & instruction. Albeit, it is certain we shall not need to run to Christ, for he saith, Revelations the third chapter, verse the twentieth, Ecce, sto ad ostium & pulso, it is but to open the door, and let him in. When sin lieth at the door, Christ lieth there too, so that it is but to open to him when he knocketh, and sin will away: For let Gideon arise, and his enemies will fly: So will sin fly if Christ come; and we shall come safe out of our doors, if we let Christ in. To conclude: Then seeing we see our estate by nature, and what Gods will is, who hath left us a means whereby we may bear rule over sin; we must take notice of it, that is, run to the promised seed of the woman. It is needful that we know the sense of dominion, that is, that we have a sense of those contrary solicitations to sin, as Paul saith, I delight in the Law of God, touching the inward man, but I have another Law, in the seventh to the Romans, and the twenty second verse; There is a continual combat and strife between the flesh and spirit, the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, the fifth chapter to the Galatians, and the seventeenth verse. When we cannot tell what sin is, nor what be the effects and fruits of it, and how it soliciteth and desireth, & when it reigns we are ready to meet it, and run as fast to sin as sin cometh to us; and that is dangerous: Therefore we must take notice of his conflict, and know, that between the heel and the head, this conflict shall for ever be, Genesis, the third chapter and the fifteenth verse; and every man shall have either peccatum habitans, vel occurrens; but which shall have dominion, whether flesh or spirit, nature or grace, it is excellently said by Solomon, in the sixteenth chapter of the Proverhs, He that ruleth his own mind and lusts, hath a greater victory than he that winneth a City; for they that win Cities, are oftentimes slaves to their own lusts, and a small appetite overcometh them; This is not the conquest here spoken of but the mastery over our sensuality, is it that God meaneth, and he that overcommeth it shall receive a crown at God's hand, as the Apostle saith, I have fought a good fight hence forth is laid up for me a crown, in the second epistle to Timothy, and the fourth chapter. Now every man is not in case to go into the field, to encounter with his enemy, and to win Cities; but every Christian is in state to strive against his own lusts, and to fight with sin, which is the Serpent's seed: There must be a bruising between the heel of Adam's seed, and the Serpent's head; this combat we must all undergo: whereof we have matter of comfort, if we overcome in this conflict; and also of instruction and admonition, that seeing God mislikes sin, promising reward to them that do well, and threatening them that do evil, saying, that sin lieth at the door; that as one day shall come, when this condition shall be as between the Creditor and Debtor, between the Judge and malefactor: But withal he showeth, that howsoever our nature be inclined to sin, yet as God's conclusion to Cain is, that sin shall not get dominion over him, but he shall rule over it by grace offered to him; so if we by prayer be earnest Suitors to God for grace, and take hold of it being offered, we shall be conquerors over sin in Christ and bear rule, and in the end we shall obtain the reward promised, which is eternal happiness in the Kingdom of heaven. Post colloquebatur Kajin cum Hebelo fratre suo: evenit autem quum essent in agro, ut insurgens Kajin in Hebelum fratrem suum interficeret eum. Gen. 4. 8. July 29. 1599 HItherto we have heard God's Sermon preached to Cain, and in this verse is set down the success and effect that it took, and it showeth that it was in vain, in regard of the effect for which it was preached, though it were uttered by God. The end of hearing God's word. For the end both of this and all others is, that the Auditors might be drawn to repentance, but we see that Cain becometh more obdurate and hardened in his sin: And where the end of hearing the word is, that sin might not have dominion over us, but we bear rule over it; we see Cain is not the better for God's Sermon, but like Ahab, sells him to be the bondslave of sin. Not to harden our hearts. Now in the hearing of God's word, the chiefest matter required at our hands is, That we harden not our hearts, Psalms the ninety fifth; but if a man be of cain's mind, if he shall harden his heart as 〈◊〉, Exodus the eighth chapter and the fifteenth verse, If he shall say, the word that thou hast spoken to us, we will not hear it, but will do whatsoever goeth out of our mouth, Jeremiah the forty fourth chapter and the seventeenth verse: In such God's word taketh no effect. Now it is plain why Cain was not moved at the word preached by God; for there is no means ordained by God more effectual to work repentance, than the word of reprehension: Then the showing of the promise which God maketh to them that do well; and on the other part, the danger of the 〈◊〉 that belong to them that do evil; and when withal we 〈◊〉, that 〈…〉 will set upon us, yet it shall not prevail against us, but we shall have the mastery over it, if we accept of God's grace offered to us. Now seeing God laboureth by all these means to drive Cain from sin, and he notwithstanding continues hardened in it; we see the Prophet's words verified, that God ordereth his works in 〈◊〉 for't, That the mouth of wickedness may be stopped, Psalm the one hundred and seventh and the forty second 〈◊〉 God may in this respect say to Cain, and every wicked man, quid debui facere quod non feci? I saiah the fifth chapter; so that we are not to accuse God that Cain proved so wicked, for he is to be justified when he is judged Psalms the fifty first. The use hereof 〈◊〉 to those that are Preachers of the word, that seeing the Scholar is not above his Master, seeing the Messenger is not greater than he that sent him, we should content ourselves, if our preaching have not that success we with, seeing God's Sermon made to Cain did want effect: And yet we see our weakness in the Prophet, who seeing that his pains took no place with his auditors, resolved that he would speak no more in God's name, Jeremiah the twentieth chapter and the ninth verse, but Esay made a better conclusion, Isaiah the forty ninth chapter and the fourth verse, For albeit he confessed, he laboured in vain, and spent his strength in vain; yet he will go on still, for that he knew his reward was with God. Heb. 6. When God preacheth, and Cain never the better; Our labour is not in vain in the Lord. when Christ in his first Sermon could do no good, we are not to think it strange, though our preaching want success, Though others profit not. seeing nothing befalls but what befell God and Christ, the Prophets and Apostles; for it was St. Paul's case also, the second to the Corinthians and the second chapter; Note. it is better it should want effect being preached, than it should not be preached at all; and better it should perish in the ears of the hearers, than in the mouths of such as are Ministers. Thus much we have to observe on God's part. It is cain's way not to profit by Sermons, but to grow worse after. Now on cain's part we are to note, first what is cain's way, that taking notice of it, we may labour to avoid it; for the Apostle saith, Woe to them that walk in the way of Cain, Judas the eleventh. Now the way that Cain walked in, was to hear Sermons, but not to profit by them: As he was careless in his sacrifice, and thought any thing would serve to offer to God, so when God preacheth to him he had no respect how he heard, and therefore he had no profit thereby. When God had used all means that could be to draw him from sin: First, by showing him that it was an absuid thing to fin, more 〈◊〉 a bruit beast than a reasonable man. Secondly, by showing him not only that he should by fin deprive himself of God, but procure his own woe, and be brought to account for it. And lastly, by ministering to him comfort, that from the blessed seed of the woman, that hath broken the head of the Serpent, he should receive strength to subdue sin; yet for all this he stops his ear like the deaf Adder, Psalm the fifty eighth, and saith with them, Jeremiah the forty fourth and the sixteenth verse, Say what you will, we will do what pleaseth ourselves. This was cain's humour, and this was theirs also that heard Jeremy: Ezekiel the thirty third chapter and thirty first verse, They come and fit before thee; they hear thy words, but do them not; but their heart goeth on their covetonsness, and runneth upon their worldly affairs. Cain was the Patriarch of all such, and as they walk in his way, so they must come to be partakers of that woe that belongs to him and to all his of spring. But we are further to note, that Cain was not only not a whit better, but far worse after the Sermon; he went as the Psalmist speaks, Psalm the sixty ninth, from one wickedness to another; Note. he proceeded from wrath to deadly hatred, and from hatred to murder, from peccatum in affectu to peccatum in effectu, for the word that goeth out of God's mouth, shall not return to him void, but shall accomplish that which God will, and prosper in the things whereto he sent it: Heb. 6. It is like the rain that falleth down from heaven and watereth the earth, which though it bring not forth good corn, yet it causeth thorns and thistles to spring up, Isaiah the fifty fifth chapter and the tenth and eleventh varies: and so the Apostle saith, that the Gospel preached by him is not in vain, but is either odor vitae ad vitam, or odor mortis ad mortem, the second to the Corinthians and the second chapter; and this effect it hath, not that it is the nature of God's word to bring forth evil, Example. but as the nature of water is to coals, and never to kindle unless it be in lime, which is hot and kindled by means which naturally cooleth and quencheth all other things; so where the nature of God's word is to kill sin, if it be uttered to the wicked which perish, sin is made unreasonably sinful by the word, Romans the seventh chapter; and wicked men are the more hardened in their sin, when by the word they are reproved of sin: Hence it is, that men being reproved and checked of sin by the word, have proved more sinful: Note. The worse by reprehension. As Abner being reproved by Isbosheth, was the worse, in the second of Samuel and the third chapter, so Asa being reproved of the Prophet was the worse, in the second of the Chronicles and the fifteenth chapter. For the pariculars of this verse, we must know, that Cain's sin is not a sin presently committed, but that kind of sin, which is ploughed for: He goeth about and fetcheth a compass, before he committeth the deed: He had already resolved to murder his Brother, if opportunity would serve, before he spoke word to him: And as he that looketh after a woman, to lust after her, hath already committed adultery in his heart, in the fifth chapter of Matthew; Murder in heart, not acted. so Cain was already guilty of murder, though it were not actually committed; and so it was with Judas, so soon as he had agreed with the Scribes and 〈◊〉 to kill Christ, he was guilty of murder before God, as if it were already done: All the while that he was compacting with them about his death, he was in that sin as Christ saith of him, Quod facis fac cito, John the thireenth chapter, and the twenty seventh verse; only Cain and Judas wanted but opportunity, which so soon as they had obtained, they committed their sin actually. The causes of cain's proceeding to the committing of this act, are divers down after divers sorts. First, he seeketh a convenient place and opportunity, and maketh choice of the field, because he would not be hindered in doing the murder; for he could not have any opportunity at home; for Adam and Eve being at hand, would have been ready to hinder him. And as he makes choice of this place, not to be hindered; so, in that after he denied the fact, it appeareth, his desire was as well not to be discovered, as not to be hindered. Wherein we have to respect first his great blindness, that could not see the nature of sin; for in that he sought such a place for the doing of it, as might be hid and unknown: It is strange he could not perceive it to be a work of darkness; his own conscience did condemn him, for he durst not be seen to do that which he did, but in hypocrisy would seem not to be what he was; this was his way, and we must beware that we walk not in it. Again, it is strange that he was more afraid of Adam a mortal man, than of the omnipotent God, and was more fearful, that Adam his Father, a mortal man, should see him, than that God who is able to grind him in a mortar, should behold his fact. Wherefore as sin is a dishonest thing, persuading against all reason, to fear man more than God, so is it a dishonest thing; for that we will not be seen to commit sin, as a thing that standeth not with their credits, and therefore make choice of such places as are fittest for the concealing thereof. Note. Secondly, he deviseth how to draw Abel to that place, and what means to use, that Abel might go confidently with him thither: To that end, though he have not now spoken to him of a long time, yet he is content to speak kindly to him. The heathen man saith, that if a man will hate, he must do it apertè, unless he will be worse thin wild beasts, for they violenly fly upon those things which they hate; Dissembled hatred discovered by silence. but the Devil hath taught men to dissemble their hatred, that they might be worse than beasts. Hatred commonly is discerned by silence: one argument of that hatred and grudge which joseph's brothers bare to him, was not potuerunt alloqui illum, Genesis the thirty seventh chapter; and so Absolom having conceived hatred and displeasure against Ammon spoke neither good nor ill to him, the second of Samuel and the thirteenth chapter, but as the 〈◊〉 when he most of all hated our first Parents, would seem to be touched with some commisseration of their estate, Genesis the third chapter; Note. Hath God indeed said ye shall not eat? Nay, but he knoweth, etc. So he 〈◊〉 Cain to dissemble his hatred with fair words, which dissimulation is a sin, condemned not only of the heathen, but abhorred by the Saints of God: For when such a one as walks in the house of God with him as his friend and companion, should deceive him, than David had cause to pray against such a one, Psalm the fifty fifth; Let death seize upon him. Cain though he hated his brother and purposed his death, yet to accomplish his purpurpose, he makes a fair semblance of love: Example. So Absolom being minded to murder Ammon, pretends great love to him; he must needs have Ammon to the Sheepshearing, or else all his cost is lost; But shall not Ammon my brother come? the second of Samuel and the thirteenth chapter; this course took Joab with Amasa, the second of Samuel and the twentieth chapter; so Judas dissembled his malice with hail Master, and kissed him, John the twenty ninth: This sin is abominable, yea, it containeth seven abominations, as the Wiseman tells us, Proverbs the twenty sixth chapter and the twenty fifth verse, and they that 〈◊〉 hatred with love and slattering words, walk in the way of Cain. That which Cain spoke with Abel when they were alone, as St. Jerome thinketh, was that he 〈◊〉 Abel what God had said to him, and what he had taught him: the 〈◊〉 refers it to this verse, that his words to him were eamus ad agrum, whatsoever it was he said it was abominable hypocrisy. Thirdly, we see that Abel obeyed the voice of his elder brother, for that it was Gods will he should bear rule over him; so he went thinking all had been well, The best natures not suspicious. for the best natures are least suspicious, as we have an example in Gedaliah, who believed that Ishmael had no purpose to hurt him, Jeremiah the fourtieth chapter, for charity is not suspicious, in the first to the Corinthians, and the thirteenth chapter, especially Abel had little cause to suspect him that was come from a Sermon, and seemed to be a new man, Note. so that he spoke kindly to him that had not given him a good look along time. This change in Cain made Abel to go with him, and being in the place appointed, Cain arose and slew him. Degrees of cain's sin 〈◊〉 Touching the death of Abel, we are to observe from the words, First it was a violent death, for his life did not go out of him, but as the word signifieth, it was rend from him. Secondly, it was a bloody death, as the words of God to Cain show; The voice of thy Brother's blood which thou hast slain cryeth to me, verse the tenth. Thirdly, it was a sudden death, and therefore more grievous, because thereby not only the body is killed but the soul also, of such a party that is in state of sin, and hath not respite granted to repent thereof. In this act of Cain, we have to observe these things whereby his sin is aggravated: First, the sin which he committeth is murder, a sin the more grievous, for that it is the defacing of God's Image, Genesis the ninth chapter. Secondly, his fact the more odious, for that the party murdered is one more weak than himself, for he was younger than Cain, therefore it was a cowardly part to set upon his inferior: It is the thing which the Wiseman complaineth, Ecclesiastes the eighth chapter, I saw one man bear rule over another, not for good: so the authority and superiorty which was committed to Cain, should have been for Abel's good, but he abused it to the hurt of his younger brother. Thirdly, where God will not have any innocent blood shed, but sacrifice must be offered, Deuteronomie the twenty first chapter, Cain kills innocent Abel, which doth in a third degree aggravate his sin; for to shed innocent blood is a thing that Pilate himself could not abide, and therefore washed his hands, declaing that he was clear from killing Christ, Matthew the twenty seventh chapter and the twenty fourth verse. Fourthly, he breaks the bond of nature, for the party murdered is his brother, and so he becometh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Romans the first chapter. Fiftly, he fears not to kill him though he know it will be to the great grief of Adam and Eve his Parents, wherein he deals world than Esau, who would not utter his hatred against Jacob till the days of mourning for his Father were passed, Genesis the twenty seventh chapter. Sixtly, it was not done ex irae impetu, but ex odii habitu; and against such the Prophet prayeth, be not merciful to such as sin of malicious wickedness, psalm the fifty ninth. Seventhly, his hatred was not open, Cloaked hatred under colour of friendship. but cloaked and hidden under a show of love, which makes it more grievous. It was not mine enemy that did me this dishonour, for than I could have born it: It was not mine adversary, that exalted himself against me, for I would have hid myself; but it was thou my companion, my guide and familiar friend, therefore let death seize upon him, Psalm the fifty fifth and the twelfth, thirteenth and fifteenth verses. Eighthly, this sin is committed after God's admonition, who had vied all means to draw him to repentance. Ninthly, not only being admonished, but seeing his Father made an example of God's wrath, whom he saw daily labouring and moiling in the earth for his disobedience to God. Tenthly, that which makes cain's sin out of reason sinful, Romans the seventh, is the cause, not for any offence that Abel had committed, but for doing his duty in God's service, as the Apostle noteth in the first epistle of John, the third chapter and the twelfth verse, Wherefore slew he him? because his own works were evil and his brothers good. Cain Patriarch of hypocrites, and persecutors of the Godly. As before he was the Patriarch of all hypocrites, so here Cain is the Patriarch of all persecuting Tyrants; for that he slew his brother for no other cause but for well doing, and for this good sacrifice whereby he pleased God. Abel the first righteous, Martyr. And as Abel is said to be the first of all righteous men, Matthew the twenty third chapter and the twenty fifth verse, so here we see him the first Martyr, wherein we see the works of the Devil, who is a mutherer from the beginning, John the eighth chapter and the forty fourth verse, Anger conceived, hatred is murder of the soul. for he did not only murder our first 〈◊〉 in Paradise, but he makes Cain a mutherer, first of his own soul, by conceiving hatred against his brother and purposing his death, and then by killing the body of his brother. Envy the means. As this is the effect of the Devil, so he makes the sin of envy the means; of which sin the Wiseman saith, Proverbs the twenty seventh chapter and the fourth verse, Who can stand before envy? there is no way but death with them that are envied. Examples. The Brothers of Joseph were content with nothing but the death of their brother, but that two of them did withstand it, Genesis the thirty seventh chapter. It was envy that made the Scribes and Pharisees crucify Christ, Matthew the twenty seventh chapter. Of hatred 〈◊〉 murder. We see how Cain proceeded against his brother, from envy to anger, from anger to hatred, and from it to murder: these degrees must be observed, Note. that we may avoid them in ourselves, because there is no man but may shall as well as Cain, except the grace of God do stay him. To conclude: It is a necessary point, that we consider aright of of this matter; for the Prophet complaineth in the fifty seventh chapter of Isaiah, and the first verse, The righteous perisheth, and no man considereth it: So it is a fault if we do not consider the death of righteous Abel. The Wiseman complaineth, in the seventh chapter of Ecclesiastes, and the seventeenth verse, In the days of my vanity I have seen a good man punished in his justice, and a wicked man continue longer in his malice. This was Abel's case: but when a man shall consider, that death was at the first inflicted upon sin, because it is the wages of sin, Romans the sixth chapter and the last verse; and that 〈◊〉 is the means by which death entered into the world, Romans the fift chapter; and yet that Abel a righteous man, is the first that drank of this Cup, in the old Testament, as John Baptist was in the new, it will make him say, Hoc est onus Jehovae, as it is in the twenty third chapter of Jeremiah, and the thirty fourth verse; and hic est durus sermo, John the sixth chapter: The Apostle saith, Godliness hath promises both in this life and the life to come, in the first epistle to Timothy, the fourth chapter and the eighth verse; and among the promises of this life long life is one, in the sixth chapter to the Ephesians, and the third verse, which God promiseth to them that honour their Superiors. On the other side God threatneth, that the blood thirsty and deceitful man shall not live out half his days, Psalms the fifty fift: And yet Cain lived long, and Abel a godly man died soon. Therefore, when we see the righteous dye quickly, and the wicked live long, we must take heed we stumble not at God's do, but justify God, and acknowledge that he is just and true, and every man a liar, Psalm the fifty first, Romans the third chapter. Therefore to make this point plain, it is true, long life is promised as a blessing of God; which he promiseth to the observers of his command; but withal we must know, there are certain causes, wherein this rule holdeth not true, that the dutiful and holy man shall live long in this world. The exceptions are: First, in respect of the parties themselves, to whom this blessing is promised: It is with a Godly man, as with the fruit of trees, if after it is once ripe, it besuffered to continue on the trees, it will be rotten; so it is with good men in this world: And therefore the Wiseman saith of Enoch, that because he lived amongst sinners, God translated him, and he took him away, least wickedness should alter his understanding, and deceit beguile his mind, Sapi. the fourth chapter. In such a case it is not a benefit, but a detriment for a man to live long: And there is no man, but in such a respect, will be content, that God shall break promise with him. Secondly, Another exception is in respect of the punishment of sin: If a party that pleaseth God, should by living long become miserable, he would not think long life a blessing; and therefore God in mercy took away good Josiah that he should not see the miseries that were to come upon the Jews, by the captivity, in the second book of Chronicles, and the thirty fourth chapter; this favour he vouchsafed to that godly King, because his heart 〈◊〉 at the hearing of the book of the Law, and did not harden his heart as Cain. Thirdly, in respect of God; of whom August. saith, God bestoweth on some men the blessing of long life, because he will be known to be the Author of it: But lest we should think there is no other life but this, therefore he taketh the blessing of long life from some of his servants, to show that there is another life, wherein they shall be partakers of the promises; for if God do not reward the godly in this life, doubtless it standeth with his justice to reward them in the world to come. God will try the patience of his servants, and the obedience of them that keep his commandments, Apoc. the fourteenth chapter, and the twelfth verse; he will have it appear, that we are not mercenaries and hirelings, that serve him for temporal benefits. The Children of God are not such as Satan thought Job to be, that is, one that would not serve God for nought; and God to show that Job served him, without any such respect of present reward, took away all that he had, and so made the patence of that holy man appear. So Abel served not God for a temporal reward; he was as willing to sacrifice himself, as the lamb which he offered; so is it with all godly Saints. The Apostle St. Paul cared not for his life, so he might finish his course with joy, Acts the twentieth chapter; Note. God's favour better than life. They esteem more of God's favour than of life, Psalm the sixty third. And therefore Abel said with himself, I will rather forgo my life, than not offer to God such a sacrifice as should please him: Whereby we see God's end in depriving of the godly of outward blessings, that it is to try their patience; and though they die, yet death is to them no loss, but advantage, as it is in the first chapter to the Philippians: For if Abel for long life on earth, have eternal life in heaven, he hath no wrong done him; if for a life of vanity, as Abel's was, God give him a life of verity, he hath no injury offered him: But God performeth his promise of long life, much better than if he suffered them to continue long in the flesh; for no man liveth so long but his life shall have an end; & nihil est longum, quod finem habet: If in stead of vanity and sorrow, he have happiness and glory, he hath no cause to complain. Besides, the Righteous though they die never so soon, yet they shall be had in everlasting remembrance, as it is in the one hundred & twelfth Psalm; And the memorial of the just is blessed, in the tenth chapter of the Proverbs: No man but would wish to be in Abel's case, to enjoy everlasting happiness in heaven, and to be praised of men on earth. If the husbandman bruise the grape on purpose to make wine for the comfort of the people, they have no cause to complain of his dealing; so we are not to murmur at Abel's death, that being a righteous man, yet he enjoyeth not the promise of long life; for he is made our example as the Apostle saith; in the eleventh chapter to the Hebrews, Abel defunctus loquitur. But what is that which he speaketh, Noli aemulari? That which Abel saith is, Fret not thyself, because thou enjoyest not the outward blessings which the wicked have: It was my case saith Abel, I served God carefully, yet I lived not long upon the earth, I offered unto God of the fattest of my sheep, whereby God was pleased, and yet was for that and for no other cause hated of the world. Propter 〈◊〉, non solum odium fratris sustinui, sed etiam mortem; as I have done, so do you. This is the juice that is given us to drink, out of the example of righteous Abel. Quamobrem dixit Jehova Kajino, Vbi est Hebel frater tuus? qui dixit, Non novi: An custos ego sum fratris mei? Gen. 4. 9 August 12. 1599 THat the death of God's Saints is precious in his sight, Psalm the one hundred and sixteenth and the fifteenth verse, it appears as by many other arguments; so by this, that he maketh inquisition for their blood, Psalm the ninth; for at this verse God gins to hold a judgement concerning the wicked and unnatural fact of Cain in murdering Abel, which judgement is continued to the sixteenth verse; for the ninth contains an Inquiry or Examination, the tenth a Conviction of Cain, the eleventh and twelfth the Sentence is pronounced upon him, in the thirteenth and fourteenth he is permitted to say what he can for himself, in the fifteenth is set down his repriving, or mitigation of his punishment. But before we proceed we must call to mind that this is the second judgement which God held: The first was held upon our Parents in Paradise, Genesis the third chapter: This second is held upon Cain out of Paradise, from whence we gather, that albeit man was now cast out of Paradise, yet not out of the compass of God's providence; for as the Apostle saith, Though we believe not, yet he is faithful and cannot deny himself, in the second to Timothy and the second chapter; so whether we be in God's favour or out of it, yet his providence extendeth to us; which providence of God hath appeared in nothing so much as in the discovery of blood; Cain not out of the reach of God's providence. for albeit Cain were out of Paradise, yet he was not out of the reach of God's providence so far, but God knew well the murder which he committed, and therefore calls him to account for it; and many such testimonies doth God daily show of his providence in the discovery of bloodshed, which make men confess verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth, Psalm the fifty eighth. Secondly, from hence we are to note, that whereas the first Judgement in Paradise was for an offence committed immediately against God himself, and this for an offence done to man; so his will is, that justice shall proceed, not only for trespasses done against himself, but when we offend one against another: Note. Therefore in the Commandments of the Law, God hath allowed one Table to himself and another to man, to teach us that he will call us to account, not only for the breach of faith towards himself, as he did Adam and Eve, but for breach of charity one man towards another; as Cain for the sin he committed against his brother. The point itself is a citation or conventing of Cain by God before his Judgement Seat, not by any secret or inward working of his spirit, which is the usual way whereby God worketh repentance in men's hearts, but with his own audible voice from heaven: Out of which is offered both matter of comfort to God's Saints, which are the posterity of Abel by imitation; and also matter of terror to the wicked, which are the offspring of cursed Cain: For albeit it seemed God had no care of his faithful servant Abel, in that he suffered him to be slain; yet we see he takes care for his blood, so that it shall not be shed, but he will call Cain to account for it. So that they may learn this for their comfort, that howsoever we reckon of it, Yet the death of God's Saints is precious and of high estimation in God's eye, Psalms the one hundred and sixteenth; and that whether they live or die they are the Lords, in the fourteenth chapter of the Romans, for as both our bodies and souls are Gods, in the first to the Corinthians, the sixth chapter and the twentieth verse, so no doubt but he takes care of both; wherewithal we are to observe that God is so careful of his servants, that he careth not for himself, to show his care to them, for he had received many indignities himself from Cain, in that he, without any regard, offered to God that which came first to his hand, not making choice of his sacrifice as Abel did; Note. And again, when notwithstanding the Sermon which God preached to him, he doubted not to proceed from one sin to another, till at last he had murdered his Brother; but yet God calls him not to account for these, but only for the wrong which he did to Abel his Servant: A comfort. and so the godly see to their great comfort, God seethe our wrong to revenge it. that howsoever in regard of present afflictions, God seemeth to have cast off all care of them; yet he will forget himself, that he may be mindful of them. The point of terror to Cain and his posterity is, that howsoever they 〈◊〉 themselves, Psalm the ninety fourth and the seventh verse, The Lord shall not see, neither will the God of Jacob regard it: yet here we have a plain instance, that God doth see Cain murder his Brother, though he do it in the field; He seethe Sarah laugh within herself behind the Tent door, Genesis the eighteenth chapter; His eyes behold the way of the Adulterer, though he wait for the twie light, and say no eye shall see me, Job the twenty fourth chapter and he doth not only see them and their works, but videt & requiret, in the second of the Chronicles, the twenty fourth chapter and the twenty second verse, that is, as Job and Solomon affirm, He will after this life call them to an account, and bring them to judgement for every thing they have committed, be it never so secret, whether good or evil, Job chap. 19 Ecclesiastes the twelfth chapter and the fourteenth verse; wherewithal we are to note, that that is here verified which Jehu spoke in the second of Kings and the tenth chapter, that is, that no word of the Lord shall fall to the ground. For before Cain had committed this murder, God told him, If thou do evil sin lieth at the door. And we see here, that albeit Cain used all the means he could to cover his fact, yet it is discovered by God; and though his sin seemed to be asleep, while he concealed it within himself, yet God will not suffer him, but wakes him out of his sleep: Note. And so we are to know, whosoever are guilty of these or the like sins, that we cannot keep them so closely, but he that hath the key of David, will open the door of our consciences, and bring them to light. The Examination standeth upon two parts, first God's Question, and secondly cain's Answer. In the Question we shall see that the ways of God are Mercy and Justice, Psalm the twenty fifth. First, Touching his Mercy; if we ask what was God's intent in ask Cain this Question? we shall find doubtless that it was not to learn where Abel was, for he knew that Cain had slain him, though Cain thought within himself that his fact was unknown to any. For his intent, St. Ambrose tells us what it was, ignorantiam simulat, ut confessiones urgeat; and as Austen saith, non interrogantis ut discat, sed invitantis ut poeniteat; The gate of repentance is confession of sin. the gate of repentance is confession of sin, and God makes as if he were ignorant what was become of Abel, that so he might provoke Cain to confess his fact, and so consequently show himself sorry for it; for the sore or wound cannot be healed so long as it is kept secret, but when it is disclosed, the Physician is willing to cure it; and as a Judge is the more provoked by the importunacy and obstinacy of the offendor, so nothing doth appease him so much, as when the offendor doth willingly confess his fault, and by voluntary confession show that he hath grace. This was that which God desired in ask this Question, and the reason is, that Cain by his voluntary confession, if he had not been hindered with the hardness of his heart, might as Joshua said to Achan, Joshua the seventh chapter, Give glory to God, that is, by accusing himself to clear God: We must confess that we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it was cain's part to have confessed, that as he was the cause of Abel's death, so he slew him being not enforced thereunto; but using all means he could to dispatch him, and that God is not to be charged for his death in any respect, for that he laboured before by all means to dissuade & withdraw him from that vile fact. Touching which voluntary confession and accusing of ourselves, the Fathers out of Proverbs the eighteenth chapter and the seventeenth verse, say justus in principio sermonis est accusator sui, and they read these words of the Prophet, Isaiah the forty third chapter and the twenty sixth verse, dic tu iniquitates prior, utjustifioeris, for the way to be justified before God, is to accuse and condemn ourselves, for it is a thing acceptable to God, that we accuse and judge ourselves worthy to be destroyed for our iniquities, Ezekiel the thirty sixth chapter and the thirty first verse; Judging ourselves, we prevent God's judgement. for as the Apostle saith, the judging of ourselves is the way not to be judged of God, in the first to the Corinthians the eleventh chapter, for by this means we prevent his judgement; so that God's intent herein was an intent of mercy, wherein we are to observe these three qualities whereby God draweth men to repentance, his goodness, and his long suffering, and patience, Romans the second chapter and the first verse, which goodness of God towards Cain appears herein, that having already used persuasions and preservative physic to keep Cain from sinning, he contents not himself, but ministereth medicine curative now he hath sinned. Here the words of the Prophet are fulfilled, Psalm the sixty second and the eleventh and twelfth verses, Semel atque iterum locutus est Deus, and both speeches of mercy; the first in the seventh verse, ne peccet, the second in this verse, ut si peccasset, poeniteat: The first speech was as the Apostle speaks, in the first to the Corinthians the tenth chapter, qui stat, videat ne cadat, but now that he is fallen, he speaks again, ut resurgat & poeniteat, Jeremiah the eighth chapter and the fourth verse, Shall they fall and not arise? both which effects of God's goodness the Prophet noteth in these words, Psalms the one hundred and forty fifth and the fourteenth verse, Note. The Lord upholdeth them that are ready to fall, and lifteth up them that are down. God's mercy. Secondly, his long suffering appears in that, post tot scelera, after that he hath sinned, both against God and himself very grievously, and against his Brother, yet God ceaseth not to call him to repentance; and whereas the Lord saith, For three transgressions and for four I will not turn, Amos the first chapter and the sixth verse; yet when Cain hath sinned not three or four times, but five or six, and addeth transgression to transgression, yet still he continueth to be mercfull to him, if he would accept of it; as Job showeth, God speaketh once and twice, and man seethe it not; in dreams and visions of the night, than he opens their ears by correcting them: Lo all those things will God work twice or thrice with a man, that he may turn back his soul from the pit, Job the thirty third chapter and the twenty ninth verse. Thirdly, to long suffering we may add patience: in that God speaks to him, non increpando, sed interrogando, medici instar potius quam judicis; and so we see God's intent in ask the question, is an intent of mercy, that by his goodness, long suffering and patience, he might have drawn Cain to repentance, had he not in the hardness of his heart heaped up wrath for himself against the day of wrath, Romans the second chapter. Secondly, for God's justice showed in this Question, the advised proceeding of God in the matter of Cain and Abel, is a pattern for all Judges, how to proceed in judgement, namely, that albeit they know the party accused be guilty of the fact, yet they may not proceed against him till they have made him confess the fact, which was the purpose of God with Cain; for so he dealt with our first Parents in that first judgement: He knew Adam had eaten of the tree, and yet he asketh, Hast thou eaten? in the third chapter; so he dealt with Sarah, Genesis the eighteenth chapter and the fifteenth verse. Secondly, from God's example they are taught to proceed with favour, not with a headlong and furious spirit, but with the spirit of meekness, as Joshua with Achan, Joshua the seventh, My Son give the Lord glory, and confess; so the Apostle willeth, Galatians the sixth chapter, If any be overtaken, restore him, in spiritu 〈◊〉. Thirdly, from hence they have a good ground to make inquiry and examinafor the shedder of blood, not only upon the finding of a dead body, but if the party be missing, as God, for that Abel was not present, examineth Cain where he is, and what is become of him. Now followeth cain's Answer, wherein first generally two things offer themselves. The 〈◊〉 of sin. First, the nature of sin is set out unto us, which is to draw men from one sin to another, for so Cain was drawn from hypocrisy to envy, from envy to murder, from murder to hardness of heart, and so to defend and excuse his sinneThis the Prophet calleth a twisting of sin, when he saith of sins that they wove the spider's web, Isaiah the fifthly ninth chapter and the fifth verse: sin is like fire-bushes or thorns, that are folden one within another, Nahum the first chapter and the tenth verse; it is like the disease called the canker which fretteth, in the first to Timothy the second chapter; even so sin maketh men to proceed unto more ungodliness, and to go from one sin to another. Of this we have a plain example in Cain, and not in him only, but even in David the the Servant of God, who after he yielded to one sin, stayed not there, but proceeded to the committing of another, in the second of Samuel and the eleventh chapter. Secondly, we are to consider the hiding of sin, that it is such a thing as desires to be concealed, and not to be disclosed: So it was with Adam in the matters of concupiscence, and in Cain in the matter of revenge, both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, lust and wrath are such things as we would have concealed, and not come to the hearing of all men; Note. that is, we have in us not only sinful souls, but guileful spirits, Psalms the thirty second, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and in whose soul there is no guil: The Prophet's meaning is, that we do not only sin against God, but we would beguile God in hiding our sins from him, if it were possible, as if we were other manner of persons than indeed we be, and as if we were altogether free from those sins which God seethe we have committed. Therefore we are to know, that as confession is the door to repentance, Hiding of sin shutteth the door of repentance. so the hiding of sin is the damning up of the door of repentance; for 〈◊〉 we will have favour at God's hand, we must confess our sins, but if we say we have no sin, we deceive our seluse, whereby we see that sin is a thing to be avoided. Secondly, that it is unlawful in that whosoever committeth sin, doth that which he dare not avouch or acknowledge; for the Apostle saith, Romans the fourteenth chapter, Blessed is he which doth not allow in his act that which he covers, for many allow and approve of that in their actions, which in word they dare not but condemn. They which commit murder as Cain, or adultery, whether it be lust of revenge, or the lust of uncleanness, howsoever they yield to it in the practices of their life, yet they cannot justify it by word of mouth, be they never so wicked; whether they will or no their consciences will make them confess they have done that they ought not to have done. Adam and Eve made a confession of their fault, though it were with excusing themselves, by laying the fault one upon another; but in Cain we find, not only an excusing of it, but an obstinate denying of it. In which regard his sin is of a greater last and scantling than Adam's; and hereby he 〈◊〉 himself not to be of Adam, but ex maligno illo, John the third chapter and the twelfth verse. Of the Answer there are three parts: First, Abnegatio veritatis, in these words, I know not. Secondly, Abnegatio charitatis, in that he denyeth that he is his Brother's keeper. Thirdly, Abnegatio humilitatis, in that without all modesty, he answereth by a question, Am I my Brother's keeper? For the first, In saying he knoweth not where his Brother is; that is a lie with two additions. First, Mendacium impium, In that he lieth not to man, but to God, in the fifth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, and the fourth verse. The Wiseman saith of Kings, which are but mortal men, in the sixteenth chapter of the Proverbs, and the thirteenth verse, Righteous lips are the delight of Kings, and the King loveth him that speaketh right things; Then much less can God, which is the King immortal, away with lies; for lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, in the twelfth chapter of the Proverbs, and the twenty second verse: He knoweth all things, and his Majesty is greater than all the Kings of the earth: Therefore Solomon prayeth, in the thirtieth chapter of the Proverbs, Take from me vanity and lies. Secondly, As it is impious and ungodly, so it is foolish, in that we seek by lie es to blind Gods eyes, To whom the darkness is no darkness, but all is light, Psalm the one hunded thirty ninth: For the Wiseman saith, the 14. of the Proverbs, and the 22. Errat omnis qui facit iniquitatem; that ignorance and wickedness are twins and inseparable companions, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Cain showeth his folly in that he believeth the Devil the Father of lies, that he may conceal his fact from God, so as he shall not know of it. Secondly, because God might object upon his denial, thou wast seen go into the fields with thy Brother; since which time he was not seen: he prevents this objection, and justifieth his lie, and withal defends his sin; for he saith he is not his Brother's keeper; that is he denieth that he is to take care of any but himself. We are to have care of our Brothers in three respects. That position of Cain is false; for he was to have a care of his Brother, First, if he had been but a man. Secondly, in that he was his Brother. Thirdly, for that he was his inferior, committed to his government. The law of humanity would teach him to be careful of Abel, in regard of the first. The law of natural affection, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, will enforce him to respect his Brother. And in that he was his inferior, made subject to him, the law of nature will enforce him to have a regard of him, being 〈◊〉 to his trust: This is the law of nature saith Chest, in the seventh chapter of Matthew, That what we would have men do to us, we do the same to them, for that is the Law and Prophets: If our neighbour's ox go astray, or fall down under his burden, Gods will is we secure him, Deuteronomie the twenty second chapter: Much more are we to have a tender regard of men, because they are our own flesh, from whom we may not hid our compassion, in the fifty eighth chapter of Isaiah. But if that will not move Cain, yet let natural affection provoke him to take care of Abel; because he is his Brother, issued out of the loins of Adam, as he himself was. Thirdly, he is to take care of him, because he is under his government. Secondly, As cain's position is false, so is it wicked: For if all men should take care only for themselves, and not for others, it would be the dissolution of all society: But the law of nature willeth that the members of the body have the same care one for another, as they have severally any one for itself, in the first epistle to the Corinthians and the twelfth chapter. The law of the Church is, Nemo quae sua sunt quaer at, sed quisquis quae alterius, in the first to the Corinthians the tenth chapter and the twenty fourth verse: Which rule, as it concerneth all men generally, so especially it toucheth those that do dominari, as Cain, whose duty, non praeesse solum, sed prodesse. As one private man may not renounce the care that he is to have of another private man; so much less may a public person lay aside the care of a private man. Jeroboam had no care of the people, though they perished in death, in the 13. of Hosea and the 2. verse. And when Judas came to the High Priest, and confessed his fault; They (as if they were to care for none but themselves,) answered, What is that to us? Look thou to it, in the twenty seventh chapter of Matthew; they were persuaded they were not bound to take any notice of his state. These were steps of cain's sin, and grievous sins. Thirdly we are to consider the manner of his answer, which is not a simple denial of his duty, but an unmodest speech, Am I my Brother's keeper? as if he shhold say, Am I bound to take care of my Brother? In this answer we see that Cain to his former sins of lying and malice, adds the sin of pride and presumption. Of which the Prophet saith, Be not merciful to them that offend of malicious wickedness: which sin whosoever committeth, cannot be clear from the great sin which is irremediable, as David saith, Keep thy servant from presumptuous sins, so shall I be clear from the great sin, Psalm the nineteenth and the fourteenth verse. The instruction that we are to gather hence is, that we avoid the ways of Cain, if we will escape his curses, in the eleventh verse of the epistle of Judas: He was carried with a lying spirit, in the first of Kings and the twenty second chapter; and 〈◊〉 may not seek to beguile God as he did, as if we would hid our sins from him. Secondly, There is spiritus malignus; in the first epistle of John, the third chapter and the twelfth verse, the malicious spirit which persuaded Cain that he was not bound to take care for his Brother: We must take heed of that spirit like wise. Thirdly, We must be ware of the haughty and proud spirit, which made him answer God so immodestly; we must learn to be humble, for, as the Wiseman saith, pride is the forerunner of destruction. We must 〈◊〉 before ourselves the example of Abraham's humility, who acknowledged him felt to be but dust and ashes, in the eighteenth chapter of Genesis: And with Job say, I will repent in sack cloth and ashes; for if we in humility confess our sins, God is merciful and just to forgive us our sins, in the first epistle of John, the first chapter and the seventh verse. We must instead of the lying spirit, possess ourselves with the spirit of truth; for the malicious spirit, we must have the spirit of charity; and for pride, put on the spirit of humility. Dixit verò Deus, Quid fecisti? ecce vocem sanguinum fratris tui, me ab ipsâ humo inclamantium. Gen. 4. 10. Aug. 19 1599 IN which words is set down cain's conviction; for howsoever he might imagine he was escaped, by that bold utterance of a known lie and untruth, yet he was deceived, as all they shall be decieved, that having done amiss, do (as the Hebrewsspake) put their trust in the strength of their fâce, and in deceitful lips, saying with them, Job the twenty fourth chapter, Quis me vidit? or with her, in the thirtieth chapter of the Proverbs, that having committed sin, wipeth her mouth, and saith, Non seci. For albeit Cain would not confess his salt, but denied it, saying, Nescio; and not only, but excused his sin, 〈◊〉 without charity toward his Brother, so without all humility or modesty to God, that he was not bound to take care of Abel; yet for all that God proceedeth to convict him. The verse stands of two parts. First the question, Quid fecisti? Secondly, a plain detection, in the words following. For the first point, there are divers exceptions. For the nature of this question, some make it a new question, touching the same thing that God asked in the former verses: Others refer it to cain's denial; as if God should say, What hast thou done? in saying thou knowest not. If we understand it to be a second question, than we are to remember what the Prophet saith, in the sixty second Psalms, that God speaketh not once but twice, to show that he is merciful, and that his oath is a true oath, whereby he affirmeth that he desires not the death of a sinner, in the thirty third chapter of Ezekiel, and the eleventh verse; for if a man do but say, I have sinned, and perverted righteousness and it did not profit me, he will deliver his soul from going into the pit, in the thirty third chapter of Job, and the eighteenth verse; so greatly is God pleased when men do willingly 〈◊〉 their sins to him: And that is the rea on, that God having once already asked Cain, Where is thy brother Abel? doth now ask him again the second time, What hast thou done? which is all one in effect with the first question. The other question seemed far off from the matter, but this comes more near to the point: Wherein God doth more press Cain; as if he should say, thou hast done this murder, I will have thee confess it: Which is all one with that speech of Joshuah to Achan, My son give glory to God, and confess, Joshuah the seventh chapter: Wherein he willeth Cain to do as they did of whom Luke recordeth, that they came and confessed and shown their works, Acts the nineteenth chapter; for it is God's will that we should call to mind our own deeds, before he come to set before us the things which we have done, Psalm the fiftieth. But others refer this question to cain's denial, why didst thou not confess thy fault, that I might have had mercy on thee? Wherein we see that verified that the Prophet affirmeth of God, in the second chapter of Joel, That he is sorry for our afflictions; and withal it is an admonition, teaching us our duties: For God maketh two sermons to Cain, one before he sinned, verse the seventh, the other after he had sinned, in these words, Ubi est Abel frater? As by the first he 〈◊〉 us to say with Paul, in the ninth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, Quid faciam? so when we have sinned, we must smite our hearts with David, in the second of Samuel and the twenty fourth chapter, and say as the prophet speaks, Jeremiah the eighth chapter and the sixth verse, quid feci? God's question to Cain doth plainly 〈◊〉 to us thus much, that when we have sinned we must repent us of the evil, and say, what have I done? for if man repent not that he hath sinned against God, God will repent that he hath made man, Genesis the sixth chapter and the sixth verse; but there is to be noted further in this question, that the reason thereof is, that Cain by murdering his brother, did not only show himself like the Devil, that evil one, as St. John calls him, in the first of John the third chapter and the twelfth verse, who was a murder from the beginning, but that he showeth himself like unto him in denying the truth, as the Devil is said to be the Father of lies, John the eighth chapter. The detection of cain's Crime is in these words (the voice of thy brother's blood 〈◊〉 to me from the earth) God goeth forward and showeth, that although the Devil do stop cain's mouth that he will confess his fact, yet all is to no purpose; albeit he himself will not say he hath killed Abel, yet God sets before his eyes the things which he hath done, Psalm the fiftieth and the twenty first verse. Concerning these words there are two interpretations. First, that God's meaning in these words is, that howsoever man needs an Accuser, yet he needs none; for he knoweth who is guilty though there be none to accuse; that man hears nothing but vocal speech but God hears blood speak, as God doth loquisurdis, so he doth audire muta; He calleth those things that are not, as if they were, Romans the fourth chapter; he makes things deaf to hear, and 〈◊〉 things speak which are dumb; as he heard Moses though he spoke not a word, Exodus the fourteenth chapter. Man cannot see in the dark without the light, But the darkness and the light are all one to him, Psalm the one hundred and thirty ninth, All things are naked and bare before his eyes, Hebrews the fourth chapter, so that he needs no Accuser. Secondly, the other sense is the fuller and the more generally embraced, which is this; though the person guilty being arraigned will not confess himself, and albeit there be none to accuse him, yet he escapes not; as for the Accuser there could be none, for there were now but three persons upon earth, Cain himself, and his Father and Mother; as for Cain he denied the deed, as for Adam and Eve, who were his Parents, such was their natural affection, that they could not find in their hearts to accuse their Son, though it were for killing a Child, that was more deer to them than he was: Of which compassion we have a like example in the Widow of Tekoah, in the second of Samuel the fourteenth chapter; and therefore as Ambrose saith, quis potuit alter occidere Abelem; though there be neither confession nor accusation, yet God proceeds to convince him, and grounds himself upon the grievousness of his sin, The voice of thy Brother's blood cryeth to me. This kind of proceeding in Judgement is usual, though Juda spoke not a word himself, and there was none to accuse him, yet he was convinced by those tokens which he left with Thamar, Genesis the thirty eigthth chapter and the twenty sixth verse: And the Garments of Joseph which he left with his Mistress when she enticed him, was thought evidence enough, Genesis the thirty ninth chapter; so we see that albeit there be neither confession nor accusation, yet God proceeds against Cain by conviction, and he doth convince him not by the voice of persons which is the more usual witness, but per vocem sanguinum. The Lessons to be learned hence are, First matter of Faith, for the ancient Fathers upon these words, The voice of thy brother's blood cryeth, compared with the Apostles, Hebrews the eleventh chapter and the fourth verse, by the which Abel being dead yet speaketh, do ground the immortality of Abel, nam qui loquitur vivit, of which we are to be persuaded in regard of the truth of God's promises made; for God in his first Sermon said, If thou do well, shalt thou not be rewarded? As for Abel albeit he did well, yet he was not rewarded in this life; therefore it follows there is another life wherein Abel must have his reward for his good service to God; For it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble the godly, and to the afflicted rest, when the Lord shall show himself from heaven, in the second epistle to the Thessalonians, the first chapter and the sixth verse, And God is not unjust to forget our works and labour of love, Hebrews the sixth chapter and the tenth verse. And for a third proof, if God be the God of Abraham, as he affirmeth himself to be the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, than no doubt but Abel liveth no less than Abraham, because as Christ affirmeth, deus non est mortuorum deus, sed viventium, Luke the twentieth chapter. Secondly, hence we have commended to us moral doctrine, against those which doubt not without all fear to dispatch and rid out of the way whatsoever is a stay or let to them, because as they speak, mortui non mordent; but such are to learn from hence, that albeit they whose blood they doubt not to spill do not by't, yet they cry out to God for revenge even when they are dead, as Abel; for, if they cry not, the stones in the street will cry, as Christ speaks, as albeit Abel be dead, yet the voice of his blood cryeth to God for vengeance. Concerning which, six points are to be noted. First, It is true that the souls of them that are deceased are brought in, crying for vengeance, Revelations the sixth chapter, How long Lord? but it is not here affirmed of Abel, that his soul in heaven cryeth for vengeance: as he kept innocency, so no doubt he kept a brotherly affect on to Cain, though he deserved it not at his hands. As Stephen did not 〈◊〉 for vengeance, but prayed, Lord lay not this sin to their charge, Acts the seventh chapter, and our Saviour, Luke the twenty third chapter, Father forgive them, they know not what they do, but it is his blood that cryeth, and his blood, not the corpore, but de terra, that is, though the soul out of heaven complain not, yet his blood out of the earth shall cry to God for vengeance. Secondly, His blood though it be separated from his body, and concorporate with the dust of the earth, shall cry and speak to God, & if the blood of beasts offered in Sacrifice do speak to God, so as they make him answer by fire, in the 〈◊〉 of Kings the eighteenth chapter, then much more shall the blood of man when it is shed have a voice to speak to God for revenge, and so forcible is the vocie of that blood, that there is no expiation but by blood, and the land cannot be clean'ed, but by the blood of him that hath shed blood, Numbers the thirty fift chapter: If the blood of them cry the blood of Innocents' shall speak to God for vengeance; and so when the Israelites offered their Sons and daughters and shed innocent blood, the wrath of the Lord was kindled against them, Psalm the one hundred and sixth and thirty seventh verse; but the blood shed by Cain was the blood of an Innocent, even of righteous Abel, Matthew the twenty third chapter, and therefore must needs receive an answer sooner from God than the blood of beasts, Revelations the sixteenth chapter and the sixth verse, and the ninteenth chapter and the second verse. The third point is, that the word blood is expressed in the plural number sanguinum clamantium, to note that in kill Abel, he did not only shed his blood, but the blood of all those that might have proceeded of Abel, if he had lived and married, whereby his fact is the more grievous in that it is committed in tantâ paucitate gener is humani: Others say it is expressed plurally, because every drop of Abel's blood did cry for vengeance; so there was blood crying with many voices for revenge. Fourthly, This voice is not every ordinary voice, but vox clamantis, which showeth that murder is no light sin, but great and heinous; for as the Heathen man saith, leves loquuntur, ingentes clamant; peccatum cum voce is nothing but ordinary sin, but peccatum cum clamore is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Romans the seventh chapter; it is one of those sins which cry, and therefore shall have vengeance. They are in Scripture four. First wilful murder, as cain's in this place. Secondly, the sin of Sodom against nature, which cried to God for vengeance, Genesis the eighteenth chapter; which by the quality of the punishment appeareth how filthy it was, for it was punished with stinking brimstone, as the sin itself above all others doth most stink before God. Thirdly, the oppression of the poor, Exodus the second chapter and the twenty third verse, which crieth to God: Note. for as God plagued the Egyptians for oppressing the poor Israelites, so he will plague them that oppress the stranger and poor, Exodus the twenty second and the twenty first verse. The fourth is Deuteronomie the twenty fourth chapter and the fourteenth verse, that of other poor, the poor Labourer must not be oppressed, nor his hire delayed from him when he hath taken pains; for as the Apostle saith, James the fift chapter, ecce merces operantis clamat in auribus domini. These are the sins that speak not, but cry to God for vengeance. Fiftly, for the nature of the cry it is in Hebrew, vox preconis or proclamantis, of such a one as hath strong sides, of which we have an example, Genesis the forty first and the forty third verse, where Pharaoh causeth one to cry with a Trumpet before Joseph Abreck; so forcible was the cry of the blood of Abel in the ears of God. The sixth point is that which maketh it up sure; for where there is no voice of any Crier, be he never so strong, that can be heard up to the top of high hills or steeples, the voice of this cry is heard higher than any hill or tower whatsoever; it is heard de terra ad me, saith God, it pierceth the very heavens; ecce quousque volat vox sanguinis. That which we are to learn from hence is, First matter of comfort to those of Abel's side that suffer wrong. Abel said never a word though his Brother slew him, neither doth his soul from heaven, it is his blood from the earth that crieth for vengeance; for as the Prophet saith, Our strength is in silence and quietness, Isaiah the thirtieth chapter, Though we possess our souls in patience, as Christ willeth, Luke the twenty first chapter, yet God will say mihi vindicta, Deuteronomie the thirty second chapter; and as I am Judge of the world, so I will be revenged of them that do wrong: Therefore the Apostle willeth not to seek revenge, because God challengeth that as a thing proper to himself, Romans the twelfth chapter. Hebrews the tenth chapter, taceat os, loquitur sanguis, which is a point necessary to be urged, and teacheth us that we need not to be God's remembrancers in this point, for the revenge of injury; Our tears and sighs cry for vengeance. for as he heareth the voice of blood, so the voice of our weeping and tears, Psalms the fifty sixth and the eighth verse, he heareth the sighs and griefs of the heart, Psalm the thirty eighth and the ninth verse, and the inward desire of the heart though it be not uttered, Exodus the fourteenth chapter and the fifteenth verse, as in Moses: Note. Therefore Job saith terra ne operiat meum sanguinem, neque clamores meos intercipiat, Job the tenth chapter: and if he keep a vessel to put our tears in, much more may we persuade ourselves that our blood is precious in his sight, Psalm the one hundred and sixteenth and the fifteenth verse; which point ministereth great comfort to them that suffer wrong. Secondly, Hence we learn what is the nature of sin; before the Holy Ghost called it 〈◊〉 cubans, that is, sin fast asleep; but here is peccatum clamans, not only sin awake, but crying out and warning; for sin 〈◊〉 gently at the first, but after it will pull a man by the throat: Even as the Devil is tentator, Matthew the fourth chapter, he tempteth men to sin, by all the pleasant means he can, and when he hath prevailed with them, than he is accusator fratrum, Apoc. the twelfth chapter. Sin is like the wife of Potiphar, which tempted Joseph by all fair means to folly, and as if he had been guilty, did first accuse him, Genesis the thirty ninth chapter: And as one answered Joab, when he would have had him smite Absalon, If I had done it, it would have been the danger of my life, yea thou thyself which 〈◊〉 me to do it, wouldst have been the first that should accuse me, in the second book of Samuel, the eighteenth chapter and the thirteenth verse; so sin hath no sooner with its deceitfulness alured a man to do evil, but it will strait way call to God for vengeance against him: Which thing ought to make it odious in the eyes of all men. Though Abel complain not, Cain 〈◊〉 not, and Adam accuse not, yet we cannot so escape, for our own sin is as a Sergeant that will find us out, Numbers the thirty second chapter, and the twenty third verse; and when it hath found us, as a Goalor, it will hold and bind us with cords, Proverbs the fifth chapter, and the twenty second verse: And as the Prophet speaketh, in the second chapter of Habakkuk, and the eleventh verse, The stone out of the wall and the beam out of the timber, shall cry to God for vengeance upon 〈◊〉 though the poor whose faces they have ground say nothing, Esay the third chapter and the fifteenth verse. Touching which pursuit of sin, the Wiseman saith, in the tenth chapter of Ecclesiastes Curse not the King, no not in thy thought, neither curse the rich in thy bedchamber, for the fowls of heaven shall disclose it: Yea a man's own spirit will make him to confess his own sin; and if all means fail, yet the stones in the street will cry for vengeance. And we see that there is vox non solùm oris, sed operis, as the Prophet speaketh of God's works, that the very heavens have a voice, wherewith they do enarrare gloriam Dei, Psalm the ninteenth: And therefore the Heathen say, Res ipsa loquitur. Which as it ministereth fear to Cain and to the wicked; so comfort to the Godly: For if as we see in Cain, sin have a voice to plead before God against a man; Good works cry to God. then no doubt but the good works that a man doth, will speak to God for him, and are remembrancers to put God in mind to be gracious unto him: As God heareth rears and putteth them in a bottle, as he heareth sighs and inward desires of the heart which speak to him; the Alms that Cornelius gave, had a voice to plead unto God for him; so that of a heathen he was made a Christian, Acts the tenth chapter. For as the concupiscence of evil is sin; so the very desire of good, is a virtue that pleaseth God: And if the taking away of a man's life, do pull down the vengeance of God; then the saving of a man's life, or of his soul, will be a forcible means to procure God's favour. To conclude: The last point to be observed from hence is, That if the blood of Abel had a voice to speak unto God; then the blood of Christ Jesus must needs have a more powerful voice, because it speaketh better things than the blood of Abel, Hebrews the twelfth chapter and the twenty fourth verse; for the blood of Abel cried for Justice, but Christ's blood cryeth for Mercy: If when we do evil it will plead to God for vengeance; then if we do any good work, much more shall it speak to God for us. And God as he is inclined to mercy, rather than to vengeance, will rather hear the voice of our good works, than of evil, because our good works speak better things than our wicked actions. Nunc itaque tu maledictus esto: exsul ab ista terra, quae aperuit os suum ad excipiendum sanguinem fratris tui è manu tua. Quum humum ipsam colueris, ne pergito edere vim suam tibi: vagus & infestus agitationibus esto in terra. Gen. 4. 11.12. Aug. 26. 1599 IN these two verses is contained the sentence pronounced by God against Cain; for God having performed that which the Holy Ghost telleth us in the thirty third chapter of Job and the twenty ninth verse, that God will deal twice or thrice with a man, that he may turn back his soul from the pit: First in his examination, Where is thy Brother Abel? Secondly, in his second question What hast thou done? Thirdly, in laying open before Cain his sin, Behold, the voice of thy Brother's blood cryeth to me. Having spared him for three 〈◊〉, he will no longer bear with him, but proceedeth to sentence against him, for the fourth, in the first of Amos, and the third verse; showing that as he gave sentence against Adam confessing, to assure us that we may proceed likewise upon confession; so we may do in case of conviction: And that it is a good ground to pronounce sentence; not only when Parties are convicted upon witnesses, which is the more usual way, but when by manifest arguments and proofs they are proved guilty: For so in Cain, The falling down of his countenance, His going into the fields with his Brother, And he being found slain, thereupon are manifest tokens that he slew Abel; for there was none else to do it: Upon those grounds God proceeds to give sentence against Cain. In which sentence we have an Ecce of God's Severity in his Justice, and of his Bounty in Mercy. For first, This is a great mercy to Cain, that where God did not take this judicial course with Korah, for resisting the Magistrate of God's people, but caused the earth presently to swallow him up, in the sixteenth chapter of Numbers; and punished Ananias with sudden death, for that he lied not to men but to God, Acts the fifth chapter, and never stayed either to see whether he would confess, or to convince him; yet he will not proceed against Cain, till he have proved him guilty, and condemned him accordingly. Of God's proceeding in justice against Cain, there are three parts. First, the spiritual part, against his soul. Secondly, the Economical part, against his labour bestowed in tilling the earth. Thirdly, his Political punishment, which standeth herein, That he shall be an exile and Vagabond on earth. The first part of his punishment is in these words (Cursed art thou from the earth:) for God's meaning herein (as Cain himself doth apprehend it, verse the fourteenth) is, that Cain is cast out from the earth, and from the presence of God; that is, God doth inflict upon him an Ecclesiastical severing from God's presence; not from the presence of his Providence, for of that, Psalm the one hundred thirty ninth, Whither shall I go from thy presence? Presence of God's favour. but from the presence of God's favour and grace, of which the Prophet prayeth, Cast me not from thy presence, Psalm the fifty first, from the fellowship of the Saints, as in saying, Cursed art thou from the earth, he pronounceth upon him the sentence of Banishment out of the society of men. As God doth separate Cain out of the family of Adam, which was an Image of the Church, wherein he heard God's word; so also he doth baniish him out of the company of men. Touching the first point, we know that it is the highest punishment that can be inflicted, to be cursed of God; for in the third of Genesis, and the fourteenth verse, the sentence pronounced upon the Serpent was, Cursed art thou; if there had been any punishment more grievous, doubtless God would have laid it upon him. And in the end of the world, the last and most fearful punishment, or sentence upon the Devil and his Angels, is, Ite maledicti, Matthew the twenty fift chapter: Especially, when the curse is directed to the person, maledictus tu, as if it were shot out of purpose against him; so he directed the curse to the Serpent's person, Genesis the third chapter and the fourteenth verse, Cursed art Thou above all : But when God came to Adam, he spared his person, and laid the curse upon the earth, Maledicta terrapropter te, Genesis the third chapter and the seventeenth verse: But here we see the sentence is pronounced against Cain's person, (as it was against the Serpent,) Cursed art Thou from the earth: Wherein we may see that Cain's sin is another manner of sin than Adam's, and therefore is more grievously punished, as it standeth with justice, 〈◊〉 ad rationem peccati 〈◊〉 plagarum modus, Deuteronomie the twenty fourth chapter. But Cain's sin is greater than Adam's, five ways. First, Adam's sin proceeded out of concupiscence, but Cain's came of malice, which deserveth no mercy, as the Prophet showeth, Psalm the fifty ninth, Be not merciful to them that sin of malicious wickedness. Secondly, Adam's sin was committed upon a sudden, and did not take root as Cain's did; for his sin was a long time hatching and breeding; for all Gods preaching to him, yet he went forward in sin, albeit he had long admonition from God to keep him from it. Thirdly, Adam having committed his sin, was taken with fear, and fled to hid himself if he could; but Cain was not a whit afraid, but faced it out, and never shown any sorrow for it. Fourthly, when Adam was examined he confessed his sin willingly; but Cain obstinately denied it, and would not be brought to confess it, though God had three times laboured to make him confess: He denieth his fault, non tam audacter quam procaciter. Wherefore Adam's sin and cain's are not both of one regard or nature, and therefore must not be punished alike, but the one more grievously than the other. So yet we see here is a great correspondency between the Serpent's sin and Cain's; for as the Serpent of envy murdered our first Parents; so Cain is here the instrument of the Serpent to kill Abel, for that he envied him: And therefore the Wiseman said, Invidiâ Diaboli intravit mors. Fiftly, As the Devil's sin is pride, Ero similis altissimo, Isaiah the fourteenth chapter & the fourteenth verse; so Cain shown his pride by his contempt of God's word & command, who forewarned him, not to kill his Brother; as also by his saucy answer to God, Am I my Brother's keeper? Wherefore as Cain's sin is equal to the Serpent's sin; so he hath the same punishment that the Serpent had, Maledictus tu. In regard of which likeness of their sin, the Apostle saith, Cain is ex maligno illo, in the first of John the third chapter and the twelfth verse; that is, rather the Son of the Devil than of Adam: and therefore the Son is punished with the like punishment that was laid upon the Father. For the contents of the word Maledictus: The nature of a curse is, That the party upon whom it is pronounced must be evil, as the Prophet saith, Isaiah the third chapter, and the eleventh verse, Dicite justo quia bene, vae autem malo quia male; especially that party is cursed that hath no good in him, for we see, in the eighteenth chapter of Genesis, if there had been any good in Sodom, but five persons, the Lord would have spared it; but because there was no good in it, it was plagued with fire and brimstone, which doth most of all resemble hell. But on the other side, because there was wine found in one cluster, the Lord said destroy it not, Isaiah the sixty fifth chapter, and the eighth verse. In the new Testament, God promiseth mercy to the Church of Philadelphia, quia modicam habes virtutem in the third of the Revelations, and the eighth verse. The goodness of a sinner. But Cain had no goodness left in him; for whereas the goodness of a sinner is fear, shame, compassion and repentance; Cain had none of these. Adam was afraid when he had sinned, but Cain was 〈◊〉 little afraid that he faced out his sin, and as for shame it was with him as the Prophet speaks, Jeremiah the eighth chapter and the twelfth verse, Were they ashamed when they had commitied sin? Nay, they were not ashamed; and for confession he would make none, of whom that is verified, periit confessio, Jeremiah the seventh chapter and the twenty eighth verse. Whereas the patience & long suffering should have lead them to repentance, Cain found nothing in himself, but had an heart that could not repent, Romans the second chapter, in regard whereof the sentence of God pronounced upon him is just. Secondly, it is just in that it is a severing of Cain from God's favour; for as Cyprian saith, 〈◊〉 cum Serpent, inimicitia cum Deo sequitur, for it is just that he should be delivered to the party with whom he was entered into league. Thus God dealt with his people, Judges the tenth chapter and the thirteenth verse, They have forsaken me and served other Gods: Go and cry to them, let them deliver you; and as the incestuous Corinthian had made a league with Satan, so the Apostles will is, ut tradatur Satanae, in the first epistle to the Corinthians, the fift chapter, and this separation from God's favour is from his presence, which he showeth to his people that meet together to praise and pray to him, and to hear his Word, and be partaker of his Sacraments; of which presence he giveth this command; Seek ye my face; to which the Prophet saith, Thy face Lord will I seek, Psalm the twenty seventh and the eighth verse, wherewith agree the Apostles words, in the second to the Corinthians, the second chapter and the tenth verse, To whomsoever I forgive any thing, I forgive it for your sakes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, id est, in the face, fight, or presence of Christ: and as he was cursed from the presence of God, so we see he went out presently from the presence of the Lord, and dwelled in the Land of Nod, Genesis the fourth chapter and the sixteenth verse. This is the effect and sum of that part of the Sentence which is ecclesiastical or spiritual, touching his soul; for all that remains, contains that part of the Sentence which is terrestrial, where we see it was Gods will, that he which had showed himself savage towards mankind in killing his Brother, should be banished from the company of men. So that when it is said, Cursed art thou from the earth which hath received thy Brother's blood from thy hand: The meaning is, he shall be cast out of his own Country, whereby God doth plainly express thus much, That wilful murder is to be punished by casting out both from Church and Commonwealth, both from the Communion of Saints and the Society of men: For envy is a sin of such nature, that God thinking hell not to be a sufficient punishment for it, causeth Cain to consume himself on earth with vexation of mind; for as the Wiseman saith, The effect of envy is the rotting of the bones, Proverbs the fourteenth chapter and the thirtieth verse. Secondly, God sets down a reason why the earth should detest and abhor such persons as Cain was, and the reason is double. First, For that there is a wrong done to the earth when a man is wilfully murdered; that is, she is bereft of one of those that should till and dress it, and of one of her Inhabitants. It is the reason why the Crowner's sit upon those that wilfully make a way themselves, for they are no less injurious to the earth than they that kill others. Secondly, Because the earth must needs abhor that which is contrary to nature, and doth violate the course of nature; for nature doth will all men to seek the safety and preservation of others, but Cain wickedly and unnatural sheddeth the blood of his Brother, which God doth 〈◊〉 and pathetically express thus; That blood which Cain doth unnaturally shed, the earth doth kindly and lovingly receive, that it should not lie open in the sight of the Sun: which act is like to that of Rizpah, which David commended so highly, that she took sackcloth and covered the dead bodies of them that were hanged, and suffered neither the birds of the air to light upon them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night, in the second of Samuel, the twenty first chapter and the tenth verse; wherein the earth itself, void of sense, appeared more kind to Abel than Cain; for as the Wiseman saith, God will arm his creatures to be revenged of his enemies, in the fift chapter of the Wisdom of Solomon and the tenth verse; omnis creatura ingemescit, Romans the eighth chapter, they shall all grieve and abhor that act which is unnatural. As before the blood itself cried to God for vengeance, so here the earth itself receives the blood into her bosom, which was so unnaturally shed; and these are two witnesses, by whose testimony Cain is sufficiently convicted of his sin, and howsoever they be dumb in themselves, yet they have a voice which God heareth; so that no man can keep his sin so secret but it will be revealed, as Job confesseth, Job the thirty first chapter and the thirty eighth verse; My land will cry against me, and the furrows thereof will complain together, if I have eaten the fruits thereof without silver. Which detestation conceived by the earth against the fact of Cain, is further set forth in the next verse, two ways, First negando cibum, Secondly negando sedem; for the first it is said, when thou tillest the earth it shall not yield her strength unto thee, to feed thee. Secondly, thou shalt be in contival fear, and it shall deny itself to thee, not affording thee any certain mansion, for thou shalt be an Exile and Vagabond upon earth. All that the earth affords us is, pabulum & latibulum, that is, as the Apostle speaks, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the first to Timothy the sixth chapter, it doth both alere & sustinere. Two things we desire on earth, sufficiency of living and maintenance, and peace and rest against trouble. Against these two are set for cain's punishment, First want, in that the earth shall deny its strength; and unquietness or restlessness, in that he shall be an Exile and Vagabond. For sufficiency of feeding, albeit God before had cursed the earth, yet not so, but that by labour it should yield to man bread; but now God saith, if Cain labour and take never so great pains in tilling the earth, his labour shall be in vain; though he sweat and labour never so much, yet it shall withdraw that humour and fatness, whereby it is wont to send forth corn for food; that is, her fruit shall not make bread, and maintain the life of him that is a shedder of blood: So whatsoever Cain enjoyeth upon earth, is not of right; for except the earth be willing both to feed him and to sustain him, he hath no just possession or interest in it, & quodjure non possidetur, furto & latrocinio usurpatur; every piece of bread that Cain and all those that walk in his way do eat, they eat it wrongfully, and shall make and an account for it, as if they had stolen it. So that though Cain speak never so much to the corn, and wine, and oil, and they in his behalf call to the earth, and the earth to the heavens, and the heavens cry unto God, yet there shall be no answer for his relief, Hosea the second chapter and the twenty first verse, but they shall all con pire and plague Cain for his sin. Job saith, If I have eaten the fruit of the earth without silver, or grieved the souls of the Masters thereof, Job the thirty first chapter and the thirty ninth verse, to show us there is a right, not only of labour, but of person; for Adam may eat of the fruits of the earth, by right of his labour bestowed in dressing it; but Cain for that he is a person accursed, cannot eat thereof. God gives Adam food upon condition of his labour, but food is denied to Cain though he take never so much pains; for that Cain is a person accursed by God, and hath no part in that blessed seed, in whom all the promises of God, touching this life and the life to come, are yea and amen, in the second to the corinthians, the first chapter and the twentieth verse. Secondly, As we desire sufficienty of living against want so we desire rest and quietness from trouble; and this we desire rather than the other, For a little with the fear of the Lord is better than great treasure with trouble, Proverbs the fifteenth chapter and the sixteenth verse; but as the earth denied him sufficiency, so it will not afford him a dwelling place to rest in. Of these words there are two constructions, and both profitable. First, The 〈…〉 these words (Vagabond and Runagate) gemens & tremens, that is in grief and fear shalt thou be all the daics of thy life, without any certain dwelling to rest in. He that is in grief is heavy and burdensome to himself, but he that is in fear is suspicious of others, which is a great vexation; which kind of punishment is laid upon them that keep not Gods Commandments, that they shall be smitten with searefulness, they shall fly at the shaking of a leaf, Leviticus the twenty sixth chapter and the sevententh verse, They shall fly when no man pursueth, Proverbs the twenty eighth chapter. And albeit they go from place to place seeking for rest and peace, yet non est pax impiis, Isaiah the fifty seventh chapter. Of this Fear we have an example in Cain, who being guilty of the breach of God's Command, confessed, that he was now in that case, that whosoever shall find him might kill him. Secondly, The other sense which they gather of these words, that where there are but two places for men to rest in, either his own native Country, or some other where he can be: Cain shall tarry neither in his own Country, nor in any other, but shall 〈…〉 and remove from place to place, and find rest no where; therefore he went out of his own Country, and went and built a City in the land of Nod; and yet was not quiet there neither. And this is the case of an evil conscience, not to rest any where; for to a good conscience Angulus sufficit, but for him that hath a bad conscience, ipse mundus angulus est: Therefore we are to think of these things when we begin to commit any sins, namely, that thereby we deprive ourselves both of living and 〈◊〉 welling; so that if we sin against God by transgressing his Precepts, we can neither look to have food sufficient, nor place convenient to dwell and rest in. The qualification of this Sentence or mercy with God showeth herein, is, that 〈◊〉 Cain be punished with want of food and dwelling, 〈◊〉 it is but super terram; therefore if he repent while he is on the earth, he may set himself in a better state; for this restraint doth show that God gave to Cain space to 〈◊〉, Apocalypse the second chapter and the twenty first verse; so that there is hope for sinners so long as God suffers them to continue upon earth: for if God would not have Cain repent, he should have been presently swallowed up of the earth as Korah was, and have died suddenly as Ananias did: Therefore this super terram is a mercy. It showeth also that all cain's care was set upon earth, We are punished with that which is our delight. and therefore God doth punish him with that which was his delight: as he had no care at all of heaven, as appeared by the manner of his Sacrifice which he offered to God, without any choice at all, but set his affection upon earth; so God punisheth him with an earthly punishment, that he should find no comfort or rest on earth: and this he doth both in justice and mercy, to draw him back to repentance, and to make him sorry having a sense of his miseries, Hosea the second chapter and the seventh verse, I will go and return to my first husband, that the want of food on earth and of rest might make him sorry with the prodigal Son, in the fifteenth chapter of Luke, I will go to my Father. God suffers Cain to live in penury, that the sense thereof might enforce him to this resolution, 〈◊〉 ad Patrem: As the dove sent out of the Ark, finding no rest, had no place to go to, but to the 〈◊〉, from whence she came, Genesis he eighth chapter; so God doth punish Cain with a restless life on earth, that he might seek for rest in heaven. And as the Angel called Agar, when she wandered from her Mistress, to return to her and humble herself under her hands, Genesis the sixteenth chapter, and the ninth verse; so it was God's will that Cain considering his restless life on earth, should return to God, from whom he had now strayed as a lost 〈◊〉, by means of his grievous sins, and 〈◊〉 himself under his mighty hand, as it is in the first epistle of 〈◊〉, confessing his sin, and craving forgiveness, That so God might have mercy on him, & receive him into everlasting Tabernacles, Luke the sixteenth chapter, where is rest void of trouble, and sufficiency of all good things. Tum Kajin dixit Jehovae, Major est poena mea quam ut sustinere possim. Gen. 4. 13. Septemb. 〈◊〉 1599 THE word which signifieth sin here, in other places of Scripture is used for the punishment of sin, as in the thirty second chapter of Numbers and the twenty third verse, Ye have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin shall finde you out: Which double signification maketh that there is a double reading of this verse: The one in the Text, My punishment is greater than I can bear. The other in the Margin, My sin is greater than can be pardoned: So in the Text the word is translated the punishment of sin, in the Margin the sin itself, which is the primary signification of the word. And they that turn it punishment for sin, do thereby express Cain's murmuring against God: They that turn it for sin do show Cain's desperation. I rather follow that in the Margin, (viz.) that the sense is thus; My sin is greater than can be pardoned. First, because punishment of sin. Secondly, because the Hebrews expound it so. Thirdly, for that all the old Fathers read it so. Fourthly, for that there is no mention of the third person. Lastly, because the full sense is comprehended in the next verse. So that we are to take it thus, That Cain being examined, and hearing the sentence pronounced by God upon him, breaks forth into this complaint, My sin is greater than can be forgiven. In which words generally, we see a new Cain, for no man would imagine that Cain, who a little before answered God so presumptuously, would submit himself so gently, that he which said, I know not where my brother is, would now upon the sudden confess his fact; that he that before was so bold, should now become so dejected, in the sight of his sin; he that had showed himself a giant, should so suddenly become a Peasant; but it is not cain's case only, but the case of all his progeny; For Pharaoh that so proudly and boldly said, in the fifth chapter of Exodus, and the second verse, Who is the Lord that I should hear his voice? I know not the Lord; after doth acknowledge the Lord, and submit himself to him, in the ninth chapter of Exodus, and the twenty seventh verse, I have now sinned, the Lord is righteous, but I and my people are wicked: Pray thou to the Lord that there be no more thunders. Saul having committed a very grievous transgression against God, doth notwithstanding very boldly say to Samuel, in the first of Samuel, the fifteenth chapter and thirteenth verse, I have fulfilled the commandment of the Lord; but a little after (verse the thirtieth) he submitteth himself, I have sinned, but honour me. And Judas the perfect example of Cain, albeit he had purposed to deliver his Master into the hands of the Scribes and Pharisees, is as bold to deny that he had any such intent as any, as it is in the twenty sixth chapter of Matthew, and the twenty fifth verse; but after the deed done, we see he is touched with remorse for it, and said, in the twenty seventh chapter of Matthew, and the fourth verse, I have sinned, betraying the innocent blood: This is a strange metamorphosis, and it is expedient that we mark this new stile, That when a man sees Cain's offering, he may say with the Prophet, in the fift chapter of Jeremiah, and the thirty first verse, Quid fiet in novissimo? For if our case were as cain's was, that no man should stand in our way, but presently we might be revenged of him without danger, it were a thing to be liked; but we see Cain himself doth not escape unpunished. Who would not desire to be in their case, of whom Job speaks, in the twenty first chapter of Job, and the seventh verse? If their flourishing estate would hold, which live and wax old and grow in wealth, their seed is established in his sight, and his generation before their eyes: But that which maketh their condition miserable, is that which followeth in the thirteenth verse, They spend their days in wealth, and suddenly they go down to the grave. The Prophet confesseth he was greatly disquieted at the prosperity of the wicked, till he went to the Sanctuary of God; for there he understood their end, that they are set in slippery places, Psalms the seventy third. So albeit Cain had the dominion over his brother and slew him, thinking none would call him to account for it; yet we see at length he acknowledgeth his sin, and affirmeth it to be so great as that it can have no pardon. Wherefore if we will judge rightly of Cain, whom we have heard before what he was; we must not stay there, but read on forward, and see what he is now: For we must judge of the wicked by their deed; & of them our Saviour Christ saith, in the 12. chapter of Matthew, Their end is worse than their beginning: Before his sin lay still, and his condemnation slept: And thus it is with the wicked, that while they are asleep in sin, they will believe nothing, nor give credit to any word of God. Wherefore we see a plain example in Lot's sons in law, in the nienteenth chapter of Genesis, and the fourteenth verse, when he told them the Lord would destroy the City, he seemed to them to be some jester: And when sin awaketh, and damnation sleepeth no longer, than it is a matter of earnest; it maketh Cain to cry out, My sin is greater than can be pardoned. And howsoever Esau contemn his Birthright, yet, when he seeks, it cannot be had again, it maketh him weep bitterly, Genesis the twenty fifth chapter, and Hebrews the twelfth chapter: So that albeit at the first, they see not the inconvenience and danger of sin, yet in novissimo, Jeremiah the thirtieth chapter, and the twenty fourth verse, at the last day they shall understand it plainly. Touching the words themselves, here is a confession, though it be faulty, for true confession hath prayer joined with it, as the Prophet, having made confession of his sin, saith, For this cause I prayed, Psalm the thirty second; And Peter to Simon Magus, Pray if the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee, in the eighth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, and the twenty second verse; but this confession hath no prayer, and therefore is faulty. But to speak so much of it as is good in his confession. First, he confesseth his sin, not every sin, but his crooked and perverse sin, such as Job speaketh of, in his thirty third chapter, and the twenty seventh verse, I have sinned and perverted righteousness. Again, in that he saith, his sin is great, he showeth that he felt the weight of it, and doth not 〈◊〉 it, and make it less than it is: This confession is well, but only for two exceptions that are easily taken against it. First, that which chrysostom maketh, That it was too late, for it should have stood in the eighth verse; for as the Wiseman saith, in the eighteenth chapter of the Proverbs, and the seventeenth verse, Justus in principio sermonis accusator sui. And as the fathers read, in the forty third chapter of Isaiah, and the twenty sixth verse, Die tu iniquitates prior, ut justificeris; for we may not foreslow the time, but seek the Lord while he may he found, Isaiah the fifty fift chapter. Secondly, because albeit it be said of repentance, Siver a nunquam sera; yet si sera rarò vera, if it be late it is seldom true. And this confession of Cain, as it is no true confession, for that it was long deferred; so chief for that it was a confession without any petition or prayer for pardon; and he made no prayer, because he had no hope; and no hope, for that he wanted faith. We must therefore beware that we defer not our confession and repentance, but speedily return to God, for that is the cause that he bears with us; he might presently consume us after we have sinned, but he spareth us for repentance, as the Prophet speaketh, in the thirtieth chapter of Isaiah, Expectat Deus ut miseriatur, and his mercy is extended to all sinners, upon condition of repentance. Albeit Nabuchadnezzar were a grievous sinner, yet the Prophet telleth him, in the fourth chapter of Daniel, if he break off his sins by righteous dealing, and his iniquities by mercy to the poor, Erit sanatio erroris. And the Prophet to them that had given themselves to Idolatry, saith, If you turn, your iniquity shall not be to your destruction, Ezekiel the eighteenth chapter, and the thirtieth verse: Therefore the Godly man saith, We have trespassed against God, we have taken strange ways, yet now there is hope in Israel for this, Exodus the tenth chapter, and second verse; Which is a point very material, for if hope of mercy and forgiveness be cut off, sinners will fall into their case that said desperately, in the eighteenth chapter of Jeremiah, and the twelfth verse, We will walk in the stubborness of our hearts; or else as the Apostle speaketh, They will be swallowed up of too much heaviness, in the first epistle to the Corinthians, the second chapter; that is, without hope of mercy, men fall into desperate hardness of heart, or into desperate fear & sorrow, so as they cannot be comforted: And this is it which the Devil desires, to the end he may bring this to pass. As in the beginning he took exception against one tree, & charged God with niggardliness & envy, albeit he could not charge God for all the trees of the Garden, in the third chapter of Genesis, and the fift verse; so albeit it be impossible for the Devil to persuade Cain that God will not forgive sins, because in as much as if God be extreme to mark what is done 〈◊〉, and enter into judgement, no man can be justified in his sight, Psalm the one hundred and thirtieth, and Psalm the one hundred forty third, therefore he must needs forgive sins, unless he will show that he hath made all men for nought, Psalm the eighty ninth; yet he tells him that howsoever sins may be forgiven, yet Cain's sin cannot be pardoned; He tells Cain that a 〈◊〉 there of his Brother, and such a one as denyeth the deed with such presumptuous and proud answers, cannot have pardon. But the error of Cain stands herein, not that he is persuaded that his sin is great, for murder no doubt is a great sin, but that he thinketh it so great, as it could not be pardoned; as if God's mercy were not great enough for his sin were it never so great; Cain's error then as we see, is Major iniquitas quàm propitiatio. Which error God doth most of all detest: First, for that it doth prejudice his Power, as if he that is Almighty, were not able to pardon the sins of wicked men. Secondly, It doth prejudice his truth, for God affirmeth of himself, That he forgiveth iniquity, transgression and sin, Exodus the thirty fourth chapter, and the seventh verse, which is the sin that Cain speaketh of here. The Prophet saith of God, in the one hundred and thirtieth Psalm, He shall deliver Israel from all his sins; He hath shut up all under sin, that he may have mercy over all, Romans the eleventh chapter: And as he came into the world to save sinners, so primos peecatorum, in the first epistle to Timothy, the first chapter, and the sixteenth verse: This Cain could not be ignorant of, having heard of the promise which God made, That the seed of the woman should break the Serpent's head, that is, (as we have showed,) the head and chief sin that the Devil can infect the soul of man withal. Thirdly, This error doth derogate from his goodness, which makes it more odious to God; for God's mercy hath a preeminece above his justice; Psalm the one hundred forty fifth, his mercy is above all his works; And as the Apostle saith, in the second chapter of James, Mercy triumpheth over Justice: Therefore the sin against God's Mercy is more grievous. Again, It is the more odious in God's eyes, because it takes from him the Glory of his Mercy, which is essential and natural in God; for his Justice groweth out of man; and he is said to be just, not so much in regard of himself, as in respect of his dealing towards men, in that he rewardeth the good, and punisheth the bad; But as for Mercy, it is naturally in him, and a part of his Essence; But his Justice cometh from without; for when men provoke him by their sins, than he saith, Isaiah the twenty eighth chapter and the seventeenth verse, Judgement will I lay to the rule, and righteousness to the balance. Therefore if we conceive of God as a hard Lord, whereas we see he is ready to forgive ten thousand talents to his Servants, Matthew the eighteenth chapter, or think him to be a hard Father, whereas he is most kind to naughty and unthrifty Sons, Luke the fifteenth chapter: We do derogate against his mercy and goodness, who in respect of his natural inclination to mercy, is called mercy, Psalm the fifty ninth and the seventeenth verse; wherefore as the Apostle said to the Jews, Acts the thirteenth chapter and the forty sixth verse; Seeing you have put the word of God from you, and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life; so if any man by taking an 〈◊〉 opinion of God's mercy, do put it from him, and judge himself unworthy of mercy, there is no hope that he shall ever obtain forgiveness, but he must either fall into that desparare hardness of heart, that is mentioned, Jeremiah the eighteenth chapter, or else be continually tormented with a wounded spirit, Proverbs the eighteenth chapter, and be swallowed up of heaviness, in the second to the Corinthians, the second chapter. Touching cain's conceit, it is certain if his sin cannot be pardoned, it is either in regard of the sin itself, or of God's justice; but neither of these are any such hindrance, that they ought to draw us to that which Cain saith. Touching sin, it is not a thing impossible to obtain pardon for it. First, Because sin is the work of a Creature which is finite, and therefore can do nothing but that which is finite; But God is infinite, and of his greatness there is no end, psalm the one hundred and forty sift: And therefore look how much God is greater than man, so great is his power to thew mercy; and consequently it is not possible that his mercy should be overcome of our sin and misery. Secondly, peccatum hominis est infirmitas hominis, that is, sin is a work of infirmity, and consequently it cannot overcome God's power; for the weakness of God is stronger than the strength of man, in the first to the Corinthians, the first chapter; but there is no reason to say or think that the weakness of man is stronger than the strength of God; and therefore the Apostle saith, Romans the third chapter, Can the unbelief of man, which is an infirmity of man, make the faith of God of none effect? It is not possible: Though we be unfaithful, yet he abideth faithful, and cannot deny himself, in the second to Timothy, the second chapter and the thirteenth verse. Thirdly, Whereas sins are said to be great, so the number of them how great or many soever they be, yet we are not to doubt but there is pardon for them; for there is mercy offered where there is multiplicity of sin. Christ's counsel is, Be ye merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful, Luke the sixth chapter: and we see that man's mercy is so great, that it forgiveth those that do offend seventy times seven times, Matthew the eighteenth chapter and the twenty second verse; therefore God's mercy must needs be greater: Therefore God, to show the greatness of his mercy, saith, Howsoever man will not receive his wife when she goeth from him, and becometh another man's; yet turn ye to me, and I will receive you to favour, Jeremiah the third chapter and the first verse: So we see that God's mercy exceeds man's mercy. But the reason why we despair of pardon upon the sight of our sins is, for that as the Prophet speaketh, Man's thoughts are not as God's thoughts, Isaiah the fifty fift chapter: man thinks that impossible to be numbered, which God doth number. David, to show that his fins were innumerable, saith, they are more than the hairs on his head, Psalm fourtieth and the twelfth verse; and yet Christ saith that our heavenly Father doth number all the hairs of our head, Matthew the tenth chapter and the thirtieth verse. Manasseb crieth out that his sins are more than the sand of the Sea which cannot be told, and yet God doth comprehend and hold it in his hand, Isaiah the fourtieth chapter and the twelfth verse: And albeit in man's judgement the Stars may seem innumerable, yet the Prophet saith, That God counteth the number of the Stars and calleth them by their names, Psalms the one hundred and forty seventh; so albeit our sins seem innumerable to us, yet he can number them; and albeit we think it impossible they should be forgiven, yet God doth not think so. Fourthly, Against the grievousness of sin there is hope of mercy; For though they be as red as scarlet, he will make them as white as snow, Isaiah the first chapter and the eighteenth verse: As our sin is great, so saith the Prophet, Great is thy mercy towards men, for thou hast delivered me from the nethermost hell, Psalms the eighty sixth and the thirteenth verse; and so great that he saith, Psalm the seventy first and the fifteenth verse, I know no end thereof: Therefore albeit the greatness of sin be grande barathrum, yet major est abyssus misericordiae dei. And as there is in us abundance of sin, so in Christ we find superabundant grace for the remission of sin, Romans the fift chapter; but as for peccatum meum, that is, such fins as are of the same size that cain's was, against which the Devil chief takes exception, that we should not doubt of God's mercy, but that we may find pardon: though our sin be the shedding of blood, yet it is pardonable; for David committed murder, and yet obtained forgiuness, and was received to be a Saint in heaven Though a man be guilty of lying and denying the truth, yet there is mercy in store with God for that sin; for Peter after he had denied his Master, and swore that he knew him not, against his own conscience, was for all that forgiven: and that we should despair of no sin to them that did shed the blood of the Son of God that holy and just one, and killed the Lord of life; even to those the Apostle saith Amend your lives and turn, that your sins may be done away, Acts the third chapter and the ninteenth verse; and yet this sin is fare greater than cain's sin. Jerome saith that Judas did offend God more in repelling his grace, and 〈◊〉 of his mercy after his sin, than he did in betraying the Son of God: Therefore when Cain saith My sin is greater than can be pardoned, the Fathers say mentiris Cain: and Bernard saith absit, major enim est dei pietas quam hominis iniquitas; whereupon albeit Manasseh confesseth that he hath sinned above the number of the sand of the Sea, and that his transgressions are multiplied; yet knowing that God's mercy is greater than the malice of men, he ceaseth not to crave forgiveness, and for that obtained pardon, and was received into favour. To conclude this point, he that will hold cain's opinion, doth not believe the promises of God, that the woman's seed shall be of sufficient power to break in pieces the Serpent's head, but in saying his sin is greater than can be forgiven; it is all one as if he said, the malice and 〈◊〉 of the Serpent is greater than the virtue and power of Christ, and contrary to that which the Apostle saith, Hebrews the twelfth chapter (that Christ's blood speaketh better things than the blood of Abel) he holds that Abel's blood 〈◊〉 louder for vengeance, than Christ's blood can do which crieth for mercy and sorgiveness: but it is absurd and blasphemous so to think, for it cannot be but Christ's blood which is God's blood, Acts the twentieth chapter, must have more force to entreat for remission at God's hand, than the blood of a man can have to obtain vengeance; major enim est propitiatio quam iniquitas. For the Justice of God which is the second hindrance, thus it stands: That which God hath pronounced cannot be recalled, but we are to see whether this hold true or no: the Sentence pronounced by God upon Hezekiah was, dispone domum tuum, moriêris enim, in the second of Kings, the twentieth chapter and the first verse, and the Sentence of God to be pronounced by Ionas was, That within forty days Nineveh should be destroyed, Jonah the third chapter; but yet neither did Hezekiah die at that time, neither was the City of Nineveh destroyed, as the Prophet had said it should. The reason is, because albeit God spoke suddenly against a Nation or Kingdom, to pluck it up and destroy it; yet he saith, If this Nation against whom I have prenounced this Sentence, do turn from their 〈◊〉, I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring upon it, 〈◊〉 the eighteenth chapter and the eighth verse; so than God's meaning was, that the King should die except he did repent, and that Nineveh should be destroyed if it did not repent; but they repent, therefore God revoked his Sentence; and therefore as Christ saith, Luke the thirteenth chapter, Except 〈◊〉 repent ye shall all likewise 〈◊〉, so all threatenings in the Scripture go with this condition, The soul that sinneth it shall die except it repent, Ezekiel the eighteenth chapter, and he that calls his brother fool is in danger of hell fire, except he 〈◊〉, Matthew the fifth chapter and the twenty second verse: So that the justice of God is no hndrance, but that the most grievous sinner that is, may obtain forgiveness if he repent; and because Cain repent not, therefore he is excluded from the remission of sins. The point that remains is, That we consider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the second to the Corinthians, the second chapter, the devises and fetches which the enemy of our Salvation useth to work our destruction; for when sin is to be committed, he brings them to presumption; and albeit God hath threatened plagues for such and such sins, yet he persuades a man, as Peter did Christ, in the sixteenth chapter of Matthew, Non fiet haec tibi that is before sin is committed; but when fin is finished, and the Devil hath that he would have, than he laboureth to bring men into desperation, saying, it must needs be, and they cannot avoid the wrath and judgements of God. In the reading of the old Testament, he layeth a vail over the hearts of men, as it was with the Jews, that by the Law they might not see the grievousness of sin, and so avoid the danger of it, in the second epistle to the Corinthians, and the third chapter; but when he hath enticed men to commit sin, than he blindeth their eyes, that the light of the Gospel, whereby they are assured of the forgiveness of sins, and of the mercy of God in Christ, should not shine into their hearts, in the second to the Corinthians, the fourth chapter: he will neither let them see the grievousness of sin, before they commit it, nor behold the mercy of God, after it is committed: Which mercy of God is so generally offered to all sorts, that even murderers & liars, albeit they be grievous sinners, cannot despair of mercy, for we see both David and Peter obtained pardon, and none are debarred, but only they that say, Quid nobis tecum Jesus Nazarene? in the first chapter of Mark, and the twenty fourth verse; That which excluded the Devil himself from mercy, was this desperate fear, for as Augustine saith, Obstinatione suâ, & non enormitate sceleris, Daemon est Daemon: Even so Cain the Child of the Devil, seemeth to say thus much in this his confession, I desire no pardon at thy hands O God, because I see the greatness of my offence is greater than thy mercy: For Cain, we see what befell him, because, as the Prophet speaketh, Noluit intelligere, ut bene ageret, Psalm the thirty sixth; because he had no care to do as God would have him, therefore God gave him up to the lusts of his own heart; and as the Apostle speaketh, in the second to the Thessalonians, the second chapter, and the tenth verse, because when God spoke to him, he believed not the truth, that he might be saved, God sent him strange delusions, that he should believe the Devils lies, who preached to him and persuaded him after he had sinned, that his sin was greater than God's mercy: for if Pharaoh first harden his own heart, Exodus the eighth chapter, and the thirty second verse, it is just that God harden his heart, so as he shall not hearken to his ministers, Exodus the ninth chapter and the twelfth verse. But because the Prophet complaineth, that while he would have healed Israel, than the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria, Hosea the seventh chapter: Therefore we must be heedful, that while we seek to cure desperation, we make not a way to presumption, for that is the great sin against which the Prophet prayeth, in the ninteenth Psalm, Keep thy servant from presumptuous sins, so shall I be clear from the great sin: This was the sin of Cain, and we must beware that we walk not in his way, as Judas counselleth, Quia è nimiâ spe presumptio, is the high way to desperation; therefore when we know Gods will, as Cain did, we must seek no faither, nor follow our own wisdom. It was saul's sin, he would be wiser than either Samuel or the Lord himself; for being commanded to destroy the Amalekites, with all they had, Saul as if God knew not what he did, takes upon him to spare the best things, in the first book of Samuel, the fifteenth chapter; this was his presumption. We must beware, saith Moses, in the twenty ninth chapter of Deuteronomie, and the ninteenth verse, That when we hear the words of the curses and the punishments, which God threatneth against the transgressors of his Law, That we do not bless ourselves in our hearts, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk after the stubbornness of mine own heart; thus adding 〈◊〉 to thirst. It we will not despair we must fear, for so did Job, and therefore he saith, Timor meus spes mea, in the fourth chapter of Job and thesixth verse: The fear he had and felt, when he was about to sin, wrought in him an assured hope and assurance of God's favour; and that fear made him say, Etiamsi 〈◊〉, sperabo in eum, Job the thirteenth chapter. That fear is a means of hope, the Apostle S. Peter showeth; for having said, that he would have all men to hope perfectly, in the first of Peter, the first chapter and the thirteenth verse, he expresseth the means how they shall attainto this perfect hope, & that is, by passing their conversation in fear, verse the seventeenth. This course did not Cain take, but contrariwise, when he heard God tell him, that if he did evil, sin lay at the door; he for all that blesseth himself in his heart, and said I shall do well enough, though I walk after the stubbornness of mine own heart, and kill Abel my Brother, contrary to God's commandments. En expellis me hodie à superficie istius terrae, ut à facie tua abscondam me: cumque vagus sim & infestus agitationibus in terra, si ullus fuerit qui me inveniat, interficiet me. Gen. 4. 14. Septemb. 9 1599 cain's speech to God (as we see) stands upon two parts; one touching his sin, in the thirteenth verse; the other concerning his punishment, in this verse; which also contains two parts. First, a mere repetition of the sentence given upon him in the eleventh verse. Secondly, an addition which Cain himself makes, That now whosoever should find him should kill him, which is his chief complaint. For the first part, When sentence is passed upon any person, God requireth two things. First, Agnitionem culpae, whereunto two things belong: That 〈◊〉, Promissio poenitentiae, as Ezekiah promiseth, That he will walk all the days of his life, in the bitterness of his soul, in the thirty eighth chapter of Isaiah, and the fifteenth verse; And the Apostle saith, That the true tokens of Godly sorrow, are to be angry, to be afraid of himself afterwards, and to he revenged of himself for the sin committed, in the second epistle to the Corinthians, the seventh chapter, and the eleventh verse. And Deprecatio poenae, that is, petition for forgiveness, as, The Lord be merciful to my sin, and forgive me my sin. Secondly, God requires justificationem justitiae, that is, declare that the sentence is passed upon us justly, as David doth, Psalm the fifty first and the fourth verse, Against thee only have I sinned, that thou mayest be just when thou speakest, and clear when thou judgest. And this likewise hath two parts. First, That we think well of God, saying with the Prophet, in the one hundred and ninteenth Psalm; and the seventy fifth verse, I know, Lord, that thy judgements are right, and that thou of very faithfulness hast afflicted me. Secondly, To bear quietly and meekly the punishment that he layeth upon us, by David's example, in the thirty ninth Psalms, Tacui Domine, quia tu fecisti. But as for Cain, we see on his part, neither promise of repentance, nor petition for forgiveness: he confesseth his fault indeed, (My sin is greater) but it was no true confessi on. First, That it was too late, it should have stood in the ninth verse, for A just man will be first in his own cause to accuse himself, Proverbs the eighteenth chapter, and the seventeenth verse; but he denied it proudly, and so was fare from making any promise of repentance. Secondly, No true confession, because without any petition of forgiveness; for he conceive this foolish opinion, That his sin could not be forgiven; as if the Woman's seed had not Power to break the the Serpent's head, or the blood of Christ crying for mercy of God, did not cry louder than Abel's did for justice, which the Apostle saith speaketh better things than the blood of Abel, Hebrews the twelfth chapter. But as for his opinion touching God's justice, both Cain and all others ought with David to acknowledge in every punishment that he layeth upon them, Psalm the one hundred and nineteenth and the one hundred and thirty seventh verse, Righteous art thou O Lord in all thy judgements: They ought to judge themselves worthy to be destroyed, Ezekiel the thirty sixth chapter; for so did the better These, Luke the twenty third chapter and the forty first verse, We indeed suffer righteously, for we receive things worthy of that we have done, but this man hath done nothing amiss. But as for Cain he maketh no such acknowledgement of God's justice in punishing him; whereas he should have confessed he was worthily cast out of the earth, because he had bereft the earth of one of her Children, killed a man, an innocent, and not only so, but a Saint, that he was worthily cast out of God's presence being defiled with blood; even as Joab was pulled from the Altar, in the first of Kings the second chapter, as if he would pollute the Altar: For as the Apostle saith, in the first to the Corinthians the fift chapter, the reason why the Corinthian was excommunicated, was because by a little leaventhe whole lump should be leavened. The other was justly punished with a life of sorrow and fear, because he had been a cause of sorrow and fear to many; yet Cain doth none of all these, but instead of acknowledging God's justice in regard of his desert, he makes it strange and wonders at it (Behold) but we are taught to think otherwise, that how grievous soever God punisheth us, yet he dealeth not with us after our deserts, Psalms the one hundred and third; We must not think strange concerning the fiery trial, as if same strange thing were come to us, in the first epistle of Peter, the fourth chapter and the twelfth verse: We must not make an ecce of God's Judgements as Cain doth, for God is wise; and albeit the party punished be innocent, yet we are to think that God will suffer no punishment to come to him without just cause, much more ought we to justify him when he punisheth a notorious Offender. But from this word (ecce) it appears that Cain did not so much as conceive a right of God's justice. The second point in justifying God's Justice is, to bear quietly the punishment that he layeth upon us, Levitieus the twenty sixth chapter and the forty 〈◊〉 verse, which Christ calls the taking up of the Cross, Matthew the sixteenth chapter; for if we bear the 〈◊〉 our iniquity unwillingly, superimponitur non tollitur crux; therefore first we must acknowledge in regard of our sins, that God dealeth more mercifully with us than we deserve. Secondly, We must bear quietly the punishment laid upon us, for out of affliction the godly gather matter of thanks. Job having all taken from him saith, Job the first chapter, benedictum sit momen domini, and David, Psalm the one hundred & sixteenth, accipiam calicem salutis, he praiseth God for the cup of affliction as well as for the cup of salvation, & is as thankful to God for the benefits which he by means of affliction bestoweth upon them against their will, as for those that come to them with their will and good liking; and this is the perfection that we are to strive unto; but if we do not at all reckon them as benefits, yet we must say with Eli, in the first of Samuel, the third chapter and the eighteenth verse, Dominus est, faciat quod bonum videtur in oculis suis; therefore the Prophet saith of him that is accustomed to bear the yoke from his youth, Lamentations the third chapter and the twenty eighth verse, sidebit & silebit, so must we do and say with David, in the second of Samuel, the fifteenth chapter and the twenty sixth verse, Here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good in his eyes: But Cain seemeth not thus to be affected, because he is altogether in the enumeration of his punishment; it is no quiet bearing, but odiosa repetitio. If this sin were so great as he said it was, he should have done better to enter into the consideration thereof as David did, Psalm the fifty first, My sin is ever before me, so he should ever have thought of the grievousness of his sin. And touching the party killed; First it was a man; Secondly his brother; Thirdly an innocent. Again, in regard of himself, it was of envy that he killed him, not of a sudden, but by premeditation, after a treacherous manner, for he went with him into the fields, and there fell upon him; his sin was the greater, for that it was an offence to God who had preached a long Sermon to him, that it was a grief to Adam and Eve, a scandal and offence to all ages, who from his example might take a pattern to commit this sin; but Cain takes not this course, the 〈◊〉 of his sin is dispatched in a word (My sin is greater) but he takes his punishment in pieces, and thinks of it particularly; whereupon one saith of Cain and the wicked, that the repetition which they make is, eorum quae ferunt, non quae fecerunt, they are general in their sin, but particular in their punishment; For as of the abundanee of the heart the mouth speaketh, Matthew the twelfth chapter; so we may gather by cain's words, that he thinks more of his punishment than of his fault, that which offends him, stood more in his sight, and grieved him more than that which offended God; but the godly are of another mind, for they will be content to have the punishment remain upon them, so that the guilt may be taken away. But there is a third point in this repetition, which is a perverting of the order which God set down in giving the Sentence: God began with the & curse ended with casting out of the earth; but Cain beginneth with his casting out of the earth, wherein he showeth what is his greatest grief; for if a man suffer many pains, he will speak of that first which doth most pinch him, and complain first of the loss of that thing which he doth most of all affect; in that he first complaineth he is cast out from the face of the earth, he showeth he took more care for the face of the earth, than the face and presence of God, and it grieved him more to be deprived of the good will of men, than of the favour of God. It is otherwise with the Saints of God, for they cry, Psalm the seventy third and the twenty fift verse, Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none in earth whom I desire besides thee, Psalm the 〈◊〉 third, Thy kindness is better than life itself; and when they come to make composition between heavenly things and earthly, we see what David saith, in the second of Samuel, the fifteenth chapter and the twenty fift verse, If I find favour in God's sight, I will see the Ark again, that is the presence of God, and makes choice of that as his greatest felicity, not to enjoy his Sceptre, or to be restored to his Wives and Children, which earthly men would make most account of; so the Apostle, Philippians the third chapter and the eighth verse, Esteeming all things as dung in respect of Christ. Whereby we see that as cain's punishment grieved him more than his sin, so the earthly part of his punishment offends him more than the heavenly. One thing more is to be added, that is, cain's Commentary or interpretation of Maledictus, for he saith that to be cursed is to be cast out from God's presence. The presence or face of God hath reference to the power of God, or to his favour; from the presence of God's power, knowledge, or spirit there is no escaping, Psalm the one hundred and thirty ninth, If I climb up to heaven, 〈◊〉 art there; if I go down to hell, thou art there also, of which the Prophet saith, Jeremiah the twenty third chapter and the twenty fourth verse, coelum & terram ego 〈◊〉; but that is not his meaning, but that he is cast out from the presence of God's favour; so are 〈◊〉 words to be taken to Moses, Exodus the tenth chapter and the twenty eighth verse, Get thee from me, and look thou see my face no more; Rsalm the thirty first and the twenty second verse, I said in my half, I am cast out from thy presence; and Psalm the eightieth, Turn again O Lord, cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved; so that we must know, that albeit God be present every where with his power, yet he is not present with his favour, and not only that, but it signifieth the place where the favour and grace of God is entailed, that is, his House and Church, of which the Prophet saith, Psalm the ninty fift, Let us come before his presence (or face) with thanksgiving, When shall I come and appear in the presence of God? Psalm the forty second; of which presence Christ saith, Matthew the eighteenth chapter, When two or three be gathered together, I am amongst them, and the Apostle, in the second to the Corinthians the second chapter, In the presence of Jesus Christ forgive I them, that is, in the Church where God speaketh to us in his word, and we again speak to him by prayer; so cain's punishment is both spiritual and ecclesiastical, for that he is not only shut out of God's favour, but cast out of the place where the presence of his favour and grace is showed; and the punishment was justly inflicted upon Cain, that durst commit so great an offence in the presence and sight of God, and when it was committed, feared not God's presence, but denied it as if God knew not of it. The second point is cain's admonition, wherein the first thing to be observed is, how in this repetition it comes to pass, that Cain saith (whosoever shall find him will kill him), seeing in the sentence there is no mention of death? the reason comes from the guiltiness of his conscience, severiorum seipso Judicem habet 〈◊〉; whereupon it falleth out, that though the Judge absolve, yet the party guilty addeth a sentence of condemnation upon himself, so doth Cain condemn himself as worthy of death: God indeed afterward saith He 〈◊〉 sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed, Genesis the ninth chapter; but seeing Cain 〈◊〉 God hath uttered his opinion of murder, that it is a sin mortal, it may be said to him, ex ore 〈◊〉 te 〈◊〉, Luke he 〈◊〉 chapter, that men may know that wisdom is justified of 〈◊〉 children, 〈◊〉 the eleventh chapter, so 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 of her children. Secondly, Where he saith he shall be killed with a 〈◊〉 and bloody death; this is secundum dictamen rationis, ut 〈…〉 fecit expectes, Cain is told by his own conscience, that 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 murdered Abel, so himself must look to be murdered. This is that Lex 〈◊〉 written naturally in the hearts of all men, which made the brothers of Joseph to say, Genesis the forty second chapter and the twenty first verse, We have sinned against our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us, and we would not hear him; therefore is all this come upon us. By that Law it was just, that as Hammon had made God's people afraid, so he himself should fear, and be dealt with as he had purposed to deal, Esther the seventh chapter and the sixth verse; therefore the Prophet saith, Isaiah the thirty fift chapter and the first verse, Woe be to them that spoil, for they shall be spoiled, and our Saviour Christ saith agreeably, Matthew the seventh chapter, With what measure ye meat, the same shall be measured to you again. Thirdly, He saith, Omnis qui inveniret, there could but one kill him, and yet his 〈◊〉 tells him, he deserveth to die at the hands of every man, even of every beast, in as much as he hath first taught beasts to kill men: by his own confession it is just, that as the Prophet speaks, Micah the seventh chapter and the fift verse, The Wife of his bosom and the Children of his loins shall break the bonds of nature with him: as he before hath thewed himself unnatural to his brother. And this is a great part of cain's punishment, that albeit there be none to kill him, yet he shall be in continual fear of death, that a man shall not only fear Gods threatening, but his own fancy; that he shall fear not one, but every one that meets him, as if every one knew his fault; that he shall fear not only where there is cause of fear, as wild beasts, but tuta timere, and this is a part of God's curse, that God will send faintness into their hearts, so as they shall be afraid at the shaking of a leaf, Leviticus the twenty sixth chapter and the thirty sixth verse at every shadow as the Midianites were of their dreams, Judges the seventh chapter, and at every noise and rumour, in the second of the Kings, the seventh chapter and the sixth verse: These fears are great punishments, and arguments of a guilty conscience; and this showeth that albeit wickedness be secret, yet it will not suffer a man to be quiet: Wherein we are to observe how Cain de scribeth the state of them that are out of God's favour, and cast from his presence, that they fear either no fear, as Psalm the fifty 〈◊〉. If the Prince frown upon a man, there is no hope of favour any where else; so if God be once offended so that a man despair of his favour, he will fear every creature, the stars of heaven fought against Sisera, Judges the fift chapter and the twentieth verse, The stones in the street will cease to be in league and peace with him. Job the fift chapter; therefore when God saith quaerite faciem meam, Psalm the twenty seventh, our soul must answer, thy face Lord will I seek; For if we seek the Lord our God we shall find him, Deuteronomie the fourth chapter and the twenty ninth verse; and that is so necessary that the People say, If thy presence go not with us, carry us not hence, Exodus the thirty third chapter; and the Prophet speaketh, Cast me not from thy presence, Psalm the fifty first; for without the assurance of God's favour and protection, we shall fear every shadow every noise that we hear. Secondly, Cain in these words showeth what was his chief fear, and what did most grieve him, that was, that he should die not the death of the soul, but the bodily death by the hand of man; he fears the shadow of death but not the body of death, as the Apostle speaks, Romans the seventh chapter, but eternal death is that which he should have feared most of all, for it hath a body and shall be found, though the bodily death is often sought and cannot be found, Job the third, wherein Cain shows what he is, that is animalis homo, in the first to the Corinthians the second chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Phillippians the third chapter, not having the spirit; so was Saul afflicted in the first of Samuel the fifteenth chapter, Honour me before the people; he respected worldly honour more than God's favour, whereupon saith Augustine, quid tibi honoratio haec proderit miser? If 〈◊〉 death fall upon Cain what shall it profit him to live on earth; but this showeth plainly that the life of the body was cain's chief felicity, and that the greatest grief he had was for the death of the body; as if he should say, let me live though it be but in fear and sorrow: This is the affection of flesh and blood, as the Devil saith of Job, Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life, Job the second chapter; that is, so long as life is not taken away man is well. This being cain's complaint, it is an implied petition, and the request is Quasi pro magno beneficio ut non 〈◊〉, which request may be well uttered if it be rightly taken, for not only the wicked fear death, but the godly say themselves, we sigh and would not be unclothed, but clothed upon, in the second to the Corinthians the fift chapter, they would pass to immortality without the dissolution of the body and soul. That prayer for life is well if it be for a good end, as Hezekiah prayeth he may live to the end he may bewail his sins in the 〈◊〉 of his soul, Isaiah the thirty eighth chapter, repentance is the end that he sets. David saith I will not die but live and praise the Lord, Psalm the one hundred and eighteenth; & the Apostle Paul albeit in regard of himself he desires to be dissolved; yet because it is profitable for the Church that he should still remain in the flesh, he desires to live, Philippians the first chapter and the twenty second verse; so life may be sought if it be for this end, to do good, but if our end be the escaping of death for a time, the case is otherwise. Touching the end of Cain's desire; It may be he 〈◊〉 life, that he might repent, and praise God, and do good, for charity 〈◊〉 the best, in the first epistle to the Corinthians, and the thirteenth chapter. But we see what doth continually vex Cain and all the wicked, that is, the doubt of the forgiveness of sin, which is the worm of the spirit, and a continual fear of death, which they know they have deserved at the hands of all God's creatures. Dixit verò Jehova illi, Propterea quisquis interfecerit Kajinum, septuplo vindicator: & imposuit Jehova Kajino signum, ne eum caederet ullus qui foret inventurus eum. Gen. 4. 15. Septemb. 26. 1599 cain's chief complaint and petition therein implied, was handled verse the fourteenth. This verse contains God's answer, which is a yielding or granting to that petition of his, and that effectual; for God provideth for the safety of Cain's life, not only by his word and command, but by a visible mark which he set upon Cain. Wherein we are generally to observe; First, That as the Prophet tells us, in the one hundred and tenth Psalm, God dealeth not with any sinner according to his sins and deserts; for if God did not in wrath remember mercy, 〈◊〉 the third chapter, he should not in justice have suffered Cain to open his mouth; for it is just that he which turneth away his car from hearing the law; when he prayeth, should not be heard, Proverbs the twenty eighth chapter and the ninth verse, That he which will not hear God's Prachers, shall not be heard of God when he prayeth; And the Lord in the Prophet saith more plainly, in the second chapter of Zechary, and the thirteenth verse, that as he by his Prophets cried unto the people, and they would not hear, so they cried, and he would not hear them: Yet not withstanding we see God is content to hear Cain's petition, and by his example, to set down a pattern unto others, that the sentence being pronounced, and the party condemned, yet he is to be allowed to speak. Secondly, That God having heard Cain wonder at his punishment, as if it were not proportionable to his sin, hearing him odiously recounting and remembering his punishment, where he should have thought upon his sin, and transposing God's order, in that he complaineth for that he is cast out of the earth, before he speaks of his casting out of God's favour, hearing him show plainly that he was more grieved at the penalty inflicted upon him, than the fault committed by him, and at the earthly part of his punishment more than the spiritual; whereas upon his own confession God might justly have said, Luke the fourteenth chapter, ex ore tuo judico; as thou confessest thyself unworthy to live, so whosoever shall find 〈◊〉 shall kill thee, yet he is not only content to hear, but also to consider the voice of his prayer, Psalm the sixty sixth and the seventeenth verse. Thirdly, We set that God granteth his suit; for whereas cain's request is, that the sentence may not presently be executed, so that whosoever meeteth him shall kill him, God saith I will take order that thy life shall not presently be taken from thee, but I will reprieve thee to further repentance. Wherein we see as Augustine noteth quod nunquam deo sine spe supplicatur, in as much as Cain, a man condemned, hath obtained to be heard of God. It is verified which David saith, Psalm the ninth and the tenth verse, Thou Lord never failest them that seek thee; and that which our Siviour Christ saith, John the sixth chapter, eum qui ad me venit non ejiciam for as; not only here we see a reprobate hath his request granted, but wicked Abab that sold himself to work wickedness, for that he humbled himself, escaped the evil which the Lord purposed to bring upon him; in the first of Kings, the twenty first chapter: and whereas cain's life is spared, it is an argument that if Cain had asked more, God would have granted it: It was but Angustia mentis, his mind and understanding could not conceive what to ask besides the benefit of this present life: It was not the narrowness of God's mercy, for had he asked more, more should have been granted him, for God affirmeth of his liberality, Psalm the eighty first, Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it. Therefore by that term of expecting, Isaiah the third chapter, and harkening, Jeremiah the eighth chapter: The meaning of the prophet is, that God is willing and ready to give more, if men will sue to him. In the mean time we see in these words a mitigation of cain's fear, whereby we are taught that God mitigateth the punishment of those that are dejected, though he taketh it not away; for that which the Prophet affirmeth, Psalm the sixty fift, That God is the hope of all the ends of the world: is not otherwise verified of those that are out of the covenant, but in respect only of the mitigation of their punishment. For albeit those that pertain not to the covenant, have not their punishment taken away, yet it may be mitigated: So Christ saith of Tyre and Sidon, that their estate shall be easier, and their punishment more remiss in the day of Judgement, Matthew the eleventh chapter; and the Servant that of ignorance committeth things worthy of stripes, albeit he be not beaten with many stripes, as he that knew his Masters will and sinneth; yet he shall not escape unbeaten, Luke the twelfth chapter and the forty eighth verse. The grant consists of two parts; The word or command of God touching him that shall kill Cain, and the mark which he sets upon Cain, that he may be known from all other men: For by these two God sets down an order for the preservation of man's life. For the first, Where God saith not, whosoever killeth any man, but whosoever killeth Cain; that hath the form of a pardon. Secondly, That no man should kill him wittingly, he saith, he shall be punished seven fold. Thirdly, For that no man should ignorantly kill him, God setteth a mark upon Cain, whereby he may be known from all other men. In the Command which God giveth, we have to consider his Pardon, and the Penalty threatened to him 〈◊〉 wittingly kills Cain. In the pardon or mitigation of the sentence the Council of God doth first respect Cain himself; for if God had presently swept away Cain, upon the sentence pronounced, he could not have repent; but in giving Cain a long life upon earth, that he should not presently be taken away, but live gemens & tremens; it might at length come into cain's mind, wrestling with sorrow and fear, to say with the Church, in the second chapter of Hosea, I will return to my first husband; for as it is usual with the people of God, after many afflictions, to conclude upon repentance: It was the case of the lost child, in the fifteenth chapter of Luke; for a time he bore out the misery which he had brought upon himself, but at the last he is faint and saith redibo ad patrem; so God's purpose in delaying the execution of his sentence upon Cain, was, that by a long and tedious life he might be brought to repentance: For that is it which Ambrose saith, that when long life is granted to a man, as it was to Hezekiab, Isaiah the thirty eighth chapter; the reason is ut vita sit mors peccati; but if instead of funus peccati, it be foenus peccati; if instead of burying sin we put it out to increase, than life is nothing else but thesaurisatio irae dei in diem irae, Romans the second chapter. This is the first part to be considered in God's council, that himself may be the better. Secondly, in sparing Cain God hath a respect of others; for there is not simplex contritio Serpentis, but aliquando conteritur Serpens ad pernitiem, aliquando at theriacam, that is to make treacle. Though the Serpent's head be not so bruised that he die of it, yet so as of it wholesome medicines may be made, for the healing of others though themselves be not healed; for the Apostle saith there is in us a spirit that lusteth to envy, as well as in Cain, James the fourth chapter and the fift verse; and therefore we have need to have his example before our eyes to keep us from his sin, for his shedding of blood is to us instead of a bath to wash our footsteps in, Psalm the fifty eighth; that is, in this sparing there is not only a use to Cain himself to amend, but though he do not, yet his example may cause others to amend, seeing how God doth punish cain's sin with a miserable life, that contains nothing but fear and grief. Thirdly, In this proceeding of God's council and wisdom, if neither of these take place, that neither Cain himself, nor others are the better for this mitigation; yet as the Woman said, in the second of Samuel, the fourteenth chapter, that albeit one of her Sons had slain the other, yet she would not be deprived of him that was alive; for that she was willing that her husband's name and 〈◊〉 should continue upon earth: so it stood with Adam, he had two Sons, whereof the one was the bane of the other; and albeit Cain deserved to die presently, yet God doth not so consider the greatness of his sin, that he will forget the nature of man which himself had created; and therefore as well to preserve mankind, as to show that godly posterity is not hereditary, he suffers Cain yet to live. For as Adam had a Cain, so from Cain who was that evil one, in the first epistle of John the third chapter, God's purpose was to derive such as should pertain to the Covenant. Of one and the same Parents, Gods will is, one shall be born after the flesh another after the spirit; and he that is born after the flesh shall persecute him that is born after the spirit, Galatians the fourth chapter and the twenty ninth verse. As we say of his wisdom, so it stands not with God's justice, that whosoever finds a Malefactor shall kill him; for God doth plainly express his will, that a Murderer being worthy of death in himself, for all that, shall not be murdered of every one. Therefore God saith, whosoever shall presume of himself to kill Cain, though it be with this pretence, that he is a murderer, shall be punished seven fold; for it is not in every man's power 〈…〉: If any man have committed a crime, the Judge shall see whether he be worthy of death, and as the Judge shall judge him, so shall he be punished, Deuteronomie the twenty 〈◊〉 chapter, Exodus the twenty second chapter. The Magistrate being God's Ordinance, Romans the thirteenth chapter, hath power to put a murder to death, for he hath the Sword committed unto him for that end, But he that taketh up the Sword shall perish by the Sword, Matthew the twenty sixth chapter; For if every one that findeth a man's 〈◊〉, might kill him, it would soon root out all mankind: And that this inconvenience should not fall out, God takes order that every man shall not do that to Cain which Cain hath done to Abel: no man may kill a Murderer unless he have authority committed unto him for that end. That is for his sparing. The second point is for the punishment of him that transgresseth thus, that is, he shall be punished seven fold: It is strange that be which kills a murderer, shall have a more grievous punishment than he. The number of seven is numerus complens hebdomidem, therefore by the 〈◊〉 punishment God's meaning is, that he will lay a complete and consummate punishment upon such a party; but howsoever it seem strange, yet it is justice, for that as God will not have him spared whom he condemns to death, as Saul spared Agag in the first of Samuel the fifteenth chapter, nor let him go whom he hath appointed to die, in the first of Kings, the twentieth chapter and the forty second verse; so it is a grievous sin to kill him whom God will have spared; and this is it which makes the sin of such a party grievous, besides the consideration of God's wrath against them that do addere afflictiones afflicto. Zechariah the first chapter and the fifteenth verse, God saith he will be 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 that help forward the affliction of them with whom he was a little angry, and therefore such a one shall not escape, but before plagued: and the Prophet saith the Lord will not judge and condemn a man twice for one fault, Nahum the first chapter and the ninth verse. Such a man committeth a sin more grievous than cain's sin in two respects. First, Cain transgressed only the Law of nature written in his heart, but the other transgresseth not only the natural Law, but Gods express Command, who gave order that no man should of himself presume to kill Cain. Secondly, It is more grievous in that he maketh cain's example a warrant to commit murder, but God saith he must not do so; for if a man seeing Cain punished for his sin, shall notwithstanding sin as he hath done; he addeth to his transgression, and must therefore have a greater punishment than Cain. From those two parts already handled, we may gather, that to those that sit as Judges in God's place, there is left a power of life and death; a power to crucify, and a power to let lose, as Pilate said to Christ, John the 19th chapter, verse the tenth, that they have power both to mitigate and to abrogate the punishment of Offenders: For the first David was fain of necessity to forbear Joab, being himself weak and old, and to delay his punishment when he had murdered Abner, and Amasa, men more righteous and better than he, till Solomon his son was established, in the first of Kings and the second chapter. But the reason why Cain's punishment is delayed, is not any forbearance of necessity, but because the lengthening of his punishment is a better means to restrain men from the like sin, than if he had at once been punished with death. For this cause the Prophet saith, Psalm the fifty ninth and the eleventh verse,, Slay them not lest my people forget it, but scatter them abroad by thy power. It is magis ad bonum publicum, that the Offenders be spared. If cain's life had been presently taken away, it might have been doubted whether Cain had ever committed any such sin or no; or if they did believe it, yet they might soon forget the punishment laid upon him; therefore God thought it better he should be spared, that others seeing Cain live in continual misery, might take occasion to inquire what he hath done, that understanding the cause of his misery, they may be warned to avoid his sin. Secondly, From hence is grounded the aggravation of punishments; so that where thest is ordinarily punished with four fold restitution, Exodus the twenty second chapter; He that stealeth a poor man's sheep, that hath no more, is, by David's judgement, the child of death, in the second book of Samuel, the twelfth chapter; he that finneth upon contempt of God's command, and not of any necessity, as he that gathereth sticks upon the Sabbath day, Numbers the fifteenth chapter; such a one is more grievously to be punished. When the party offended will have a man spared, then to kill him contrary to his command, is a sin that deserves extraordinary punishment; for mensura peccati is that which brings us unto plagarum modus, Deuteronomie the the twenty fifth chapter, and the second verse. Cain being warned from the law of nature, kills his Brother, and therefore deserves punishment; but he that being warned from Gods own mouth, kills Cain, doth deserve a more great punishment. But lest any should excuse themselves with ignorance, therefore that notice may be taken of Cain, God sets a mark upon Cain: Signum in Cain, fecit Cain insignum. This mark gives all men occasion to inquire who he is, that so they may be put in mind to hold their hands from off Cain; forasmuch as God will not have him to be killed by any man. There are two sorts of signs: There is Signum in bonum, Psalm the eighty sixth, sbew us some sign for good; Such a sign or mark was the letter 〈◊〉 set in the foreheads of them, that 〈◊〉 and cried for the 〈◊〉 that were done, by the which God deliered them from the destruction of the City, Ezekiel the ninth chapter, and the fourth verse. But Cain's mark is Signum in malum: The Fathers usually distinguish them into these two: Signum annuli, such a mark as Christ had set upon him, in the sixth chapter of John, Him hath God the Father sealed: And signum cauterii, in the first epistle to Timothy, the fourth chapter, and the first verse, the sign of a brand: This signe or mark set upon Cain, was outward and visible, to the end, that he might be discerned from all other men. What was Cain's mark Basil 〈◊〉 us, when he saith, that it is the redness of the eyes, Proverbs the twenty third chapter, and 〈…〉 of the 〈◊〉, such as 〈◊〉 have 〈◊〉 of whom he saith, that they put on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But whatsoever it were, it is some evident token, whereby all 〈◊〉 might see, that Cain was not in such good case as he should 〈◊〉 And upon whomsoever God hath set any outward mark, it is not in vain. But the fetting of marks in the forehead, or hands of malefactors, hath a ground from God's practice: The use of them is, to teach them, that albeit they be suffered to live, yet they are unworthy of life: Such are marks of admonition, both to themselves and to others: they give occasion to inquire, How come these 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 bands? Zechary the thirteenth chapter, and the sixth verse: To the parties themselves such marks 〈◊〉 for conversion, that their 〈…〉 with shame, Psalm the eighty third, for the remembrance of that which they have deserved, they may be stirred up to amend their lives: and it 〈◊〉 others so to live, that they deserve not to be marked in like sort. This use the Apostle makes, in the second to the Thessalonians, the third chapter and the fourteenth verse, If any obey not our say, note him, and have no company with him, 〈◊〉 he may be ashamed, Such marks in others will make men heedful, that they deserve not to be marked. To conclude we see Cain is spared, but yet so that he carrieth still his sentence and mark. Two invisible things of God remain, that is, his justice and mercy, and both that they may move him to repentance; but if they prevail not, yet he hath a visible sign to admonish him, that he repent, that so the evil sign may be taken from him, and there may be restored to him a 〈◊〉 for good, 〈◊〉 is the sign of God's seal, in the second to the 〈◊〉 the seventeenth chapter and the twenty second verse, whereby we are 〈…〉 the day of redemption, 〈◊〉 the fourth chapter. 〈◊〉 〈…〉 to live; and so God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 in 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 may live, Genesis the seven 〈…〉 and the eighteenth 〈◊〉 But the promise of this 〈◊〉 life, such as 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 obtained, was not 〈◊〉 but 〈…〉 the sixth chapter and the second verse. The 〈…〉 hath root in 〈◊〉 it standeth in the bruising of the 〈◊〉 head: If by life we procure to ourselves the death of 〈◊〉 and make ourselves partakers of the divine nature, than the promise of such a life is to be desired; but if life be used as Cain spent his, it is better to die without cain's mark, than to live with it. Egressus itaque est Kajin à fancy Jehovae: & consedit in terra Nodi, ad Orientem Hedenem versus: Gen. 4. 16. Septemb. 23. 1599 WE now come to the last part of the History of Cain, for in this verse we have his departure from the presence of God, and in the next his purpose, never to return again. The contents of this verse are his departure. God's purpose as we have heard both in cain's punishment, as also by granting him so much as he required, in the last verse, was to give Cain space to repent; and yet not withstanding we see plainly that is verified in Cain, which the Prophet affirmeth, Isaiah the twenty sixth chapter and the tenth verse, Let mercy be showed to the wicked, yet he will not learn righteousness; For Cain instead of using the goodness, and patience, and long suffering of God as a means to bring him to repentance, Hardened his heart, and heaped up wrath for himself against the day of wrath, Romans the second chapter and the fift verse. This departing of Cain stands upon three parts: First, his removing; he went out: Secondly, terminus a quo, that is, from the presence of God: Thirdly, terminus ad quem, that is, the land of Nod. Touching the first, there is a going out upon distrust, when a man hath no hope of favour; and another upon contempt, when a man thinks he shall have no benefit of tarrying. Of which the better is, that going out which is upon distrust: but so could not Cain go out; for as well by God's merciful dealing towards Cain before the sentence was pronounced, as also by the gracious grant which God made him, he might gather that God was well affected towards him. For as the wife of Manoah saith, Judges the thirteenth chapter and the twenty third verse, If the Lord would kill us, he would not receive a offering at our hands; so God would not have heard cain's request, had he not wished him well. And therefore Austin upon the words of David, Psalm the sixty sixth and twentieth verse, saith, quamdiu dominus non amovet orationem a se, 〈◊〉 non amovet misericordiam a nobis, for that yielding to cain's request touching his life, was an invitation to stir up Cain to desire more. Therefore Cain should not have gone out so soon as his suit was heard, but still have continued praying to God for more and better things, as Abraham, Genesis the eighteenth chapter, hearing that God at his request was contented to spare Sodom for fifties sake, prayeth still in the behalf of the City, adding one petition after another: Which course the Prophet keepeth in his prayer, Psalm the fifty first, Cast me not from thy presence, neither take thy holy spirit from me. Though he durst not pray himself, being a sinner, yet by others, as Miriam by Moses, Numbers the tweelfth chapter, Pharaoh by Moses and Aron, Exodus the ninth chapter and the twenty eighth verse; so should Cain have done, but in as much as he doth not, his case is like the case of Esau, Genesis the twenty fift chapter, he cared not for his Birthright; no more did Cain take any care for the presence of God, but thought it a matter not worthy to be reckoned of. Secondly, We see that Cain goeth not out against his will, nor tarries till God send him out of his presence, as he sent Adam and Eve out of Paradise, setting a Cherubin to keep the way, Genesis the third chapter; there was no such execution or warrant from God for Cain, but he first casts out himself; whereby we see it was an hypocritical complaint that he made, that he was cast out from the presence of God, verse the fourteenth, in that he goeth out of himself without any violence offered to him: A Child will not at the first bidding go out of his Father's presence, though in his anger he threaten him; no more should Cain, he should have been of jacob's mind, Genesis the thirty second chapter, I will not let thee go till I have a blessing: But we see Cain doth of himself voluntarily leave God's presence, which showeth plainly that the cause of cain's grief, was not God's displeasure, but his punishment laid by God upon him, and not the spiritual part of his punishment, but the earthly. Thirdly, the casting out of God's presence was threatened as a punishment, and therefore aught to be born patiently, but to make poenam excommunicationis crimen apostasiae, is a great aggravation of his sin; that is to take occasion by the censure of the Church: to bring in Schism is a grievous aggravation of the offence. But as we have seen that Cain was the first Author of heresy; for that he thought any thing would serve God's turn, the 〈◊〉 and meanest things were good enough to offer to him; whereas Abel offereth the best he could find; so he is the first that brings up Schism and Apostasy; for the Sentence is not executed upon him, but through an evil heart of unbelief, as the Apostle speaks, Hebrews the third chapter, He doth departed of himself from the living God. So we have these three things in his departure. First, It is not upon any just 〈◊〉, It is voluntary. Thirdly, He departs so as he makes the penalty of his sin the matter of a greater sin. Secondly, Touching his removing; to remove of itself is not evil, but in regard of the place from whence, if with Abraham we depart from a country of Idolatry as from Ur; or as Lot from Sodom, a City full of all sin; or with the Hebrews out of a place of vexation and cruelty; such a departure is good, but to departed from a good place, that makes the motion evil; but for Cain to departed out of the presence of God, is all one as if the sick person should leave the Physician. St. Peter indeed in great astonishment said to Christ, exi a 〈…〉 enim sum, but after being better advised when Christ said, 〈◊〉 ye also go away? his answer is, John the sixth chapter and the sixty eighth verse, Domine ad quem ibimus? tu habes verba 〈◊〉 vitae; whereupon Augustine saith, Lord if thou 〈◊〉 have me departed from thee, show me such another as thou art, otherwise I will not leave thee till thou receive me into thy favour. This presence of God was some certain place of God's appearance, as the place whither he went, was a country by Paradise, called the Land of Nod. Therefore the place whither he went, being a local motion; the place from which he departed, must needs be likewise local. From this place of God's presence Cain went out, to dwell in the land of Nod. The effect of which words, is after set down in one word; for the place wherein God appeared to Jacob when he slept, was called Bethel, Genesis the twenty eighth chapter; the same place also is called Penuel, Genesis the thirty second chapter, and the thirtieth verse: so that the place of God's appearance, was some one piece of the earth, where the Altar was, upon which Cain and Abel offered their sacrifices, where God did usually appear, Even as we also have an Altar, Hebrews the thirteenth chapter, where we have Christ's presence, as he affirmeth, that where two or three be gathered together in his name, he is present among them, Matthew the eighteenth chapter; like as they that come together to hear the word, are said to be present before God, that is, in the presence of God, Acts the tenth chapter. The point that we are to gather hence for our instruction, is, That we concieve of the Church, and place of God's presence, as we do of the place of the Prince's presence; for we reverence such places though the Prince be absent; so ought we to reverence the places of God's presence, though we have no visible apparition of his presence; for such places are his rest for ever, where he promiseth to dwell, Psalm the one hundred thirty second; They are also his footstool, and therefore are to be reverenced, As, Psalm the ninty ninth, Fall down before his footstool, for he is holy: Therefore to departed from the Church is to departed from God's presence, no less than Cain did: But Gods will is, we should not departed out of the place of his presence, no more than we would out of the presence of his favour: and we must make a conscience, how we go out of such places, because God is not mocked. When men have no religion, it is said of them, Psalm the fourteenth, They call not upon God; as for the preaching of the word, they count it onus Domini, Jeremy the twenty third chapter; It is as tedious to them to hear sermons, as to carry burdens upon their backs: And for the spiritual food offered in the Sacraments, it is to them as Manna was to the Israelites, A light meat, which their soul loatheth, Numbers the eleventh chapter. And as for the Church and Congregation of the faithful, the opinion that the world hath of them, is very mean, as the Prophet saith, in the thirtieth chapter of Jeremiah, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after. But they that are so affected towards the service of God, and the places of his presence, are animales spiritum non habentes, as Judas calleth them; they have no favour in such things, and therefore they care not for them, but like Cain, do go out of them; and make no reckoning: Of whom the Apostle saith truly, in the first epistler of John; the second chapter, and the ninteenth verse, They went out from us, yet 〈◊〉 de nobis, that is, they were not the members of the 〈◊〉, for than they should have felt them when they went. For those things that are not members of the body, may easily be taken away, as the hairs of the head and the nails; but take away any member of the body, and it will be painful: Therefore they that depart willingly from the Church, and place of God's presence, are not members but excrements of the mystical body. The place whither he depaited was The land of Nod. As it is said of Cain, that he went out; so so also of St. Peter, but for a divers end; Peter went out and wept bitierly, Matthew the twenty sixth chapter; and the last verse; but Cain went not out to bewail his sin, as Peter did, but to settle himself in some other place. Cain's terminus ad quem, is he land of Nod, which is situate towards the east side of Eden. Where in two things: First, The place itself. Secondly, The situation. For the place it sell: There are of the Interpreters that take it to be no certain land, from the word Nod, which signifieth to wander; as if the meaning were, that Cain according to the sentence, that he should be a 〈◊〉 and exile, went out to wander from one place to another: But that cannot be, in as much as Nod is said to be a land on the east side of Paradise. It is further said, that being there he built him a City, not that he stayed there, for he was always removing and fleeting from one place to another. It was before the deluge, so called of Cain, whose state of life was to wander up and down; but 〈◊〉 was called Babel. And it is said to be castward toward Eden: Wherefore by the framing of his journey to that place, which carrieth the name of pleasure, it appears, that Cain did not settle himself to repentance, for than he should have gone into the Valley of Anchor, Hosea the second chapter; Or into the valley of tears, Psalm the eighty fourth; that is as far from Eden as he could; because a place of pleasure is unfit to repent in: He that will repent, must get him into the wilderness alone, and there bewail his sins. He could not go to Eden, for there was an Angel set with a shaking sword, to keep the way of the tree of life, Genesis the third chapter; but toward the east side of Eden: So we see cain's purpose was not God's purpose: The purpose of God in allowing unto Cain life was, that he might have time to repent: But cain's purpose is, that he may plant himself on earth, and enjoy pleasures. These are the ways to the which there belongeth a woe, as the Apostle showeth, Judas the eleventh verse; The sin of pleasure, which is cain's sin, The sin of gain, which was Babylon's sin; and the sin of ambition, which was the sin of Korah: These are the three ways of the world, The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and pride of life, in the first of Saint John, the second chapter, Which are not of the Father, but of the world. Where it is said, he went to the side of Paradise, the Holy Ghost giveth us to understand, that Cain may 〈◊〉 set himself in some kind of 〈◊〉 delight but not in Paradise itself, that is, in no true and sound delight. Again, Whereas Cain being now fallen from hope of eternal and spiritual things, takes his journey to the east, we see he is the first of those that are content, even for to enjoy the warmness of the sun, to leave the presence of God, and for to get a little pleasure for a time, will forgo that which is incorruptible, and endures for ever. Such men are like those whom the Prophet 〈◊〉, in the eighth chapter of Ezekiel, and the sixteenth verse, having their backs toward the temple, and their faces to the sun rising, to worship the sun: Even so Cain by leaving God's presence, doth give over eternal things, and seeks for temporal. And so we see what is cain's error, both in departing from God's presence, and in removing to this place. Adam and Eve and Seth, which then represented the Church, were upon the west side of Eden; Cain and his crew keeps in the east side, that is, the wicked have the better part in the things of this life, for their portion is in this life, Psalm the seventeenth; but the portion of the godly is not in the pleasure of this life, but in the land of the living; where they have laid up for them, things which eye hath not seen, the ear hath not heard, nor man's heart conceived, in the first epistle to the Corinthians, the second chapter: The wicked in their life time receive pleasure, but after endure everlasting pain; but the godly that sufer affliction in this world, shall in the world to come be comforted, as it is in the sixteenth chapter of Luke. From hence we learn, That we must not departed from God's presence, as Cain did, without just cause: If we do, it must be to bewail our sins with bitter tears, as St. Peter. If we go from God's presence, we shall find the land of Nod, that is, a place that shall afford us no contentation or rest: It shall be with us, as it was with Agar, to whom the Angel said, in the sixteenth chapter of Genesis, and the eighteenth verse, Whence comest thou? and whither goost thou? So we shall be in continual motion, and never have rest. First, Because we can never, in this wicked world, attain to any perfection of pleasure, our desires are never satisfied; for it is true of all men as one saith, quando habent quod voluerunt, non habent quod volunt. Secondly, Because they are all their life in fear of death, Hebrews the second chapter. We see our state represented in Jonah when he fled from the presence of the Lord; he thought he should have come to Tarshish, but he found himself in the land of Nod, that is of thraldom and misery, being tossed on the Sea, Jonah the first chapter and the third verse; for God's presence is Seth's land, that is, a land of foundation; it is the Country of Noah, for it giveth rest; it is the City of Salem, that is, of peace: But if we leave God's presence, we shall not find any land of foundation, rest or peace. If, as Jeremy willeth, We stand upon the old ways, and ask for the good ways and walk therein, Jeremiah the sixth chapter and the sixteenth verse; if as Christ bids us, We take up the yoke and learn of him, we shall 〈…〉 to our souls, 〈◊〉 the eleventh chapter; but if we 〈…〉 cain's Country, we shall have no rest day not night, 〈◊〉 the sixteenth chapter and the thirteenth verse: As for peace the prophet saith, non est pax impiis, dicit dominus, Isaiah the fifty seventh chapter, that is, seeing they will departed from God's 〈◊〉, they 〈…〉 cain's Land; for they are as the raging Sea which is 〈…〉 and as the 〈◊〉 in the water never rest, but shoot by 〈◊〉; 〈◊〉 wicked of the world we see this working, they desire 〈…〉 more, For he that 〈◊〉 silver shall not be satisfied with 〈…〉 astes the fifth chapter and the 〈◊〉; they never find any 〈…〉 cause their desire can never be satisfied. Wherefore as cain's Land was Nod, so Nimrod, cain's Successor, had 〈◊〉 for his Country, that is, confusion and disorder; but Melchisedek who stayed in the presence of God, had Salem for his land. The reason of this is, as Augustine saith, because God made the soul of man for himself, & inquietum est cor nostrum 〈◊〉 requiescit in Deo; we may find the skirts of Eden; and obtain some delight for a time in this life, but we cannot 〈◊〉 to any perfect pleasute; for as the Wiseman saith, risus dolore miscetur & extrema 〈…〉 occupat, Proverbs the fourteenth chapter; therefore the Prophet saith, Micah 2. 10. surgite, non est hîc requies vestra, and the Apostle 〈◊〉 with him, Hebrews the thirteenth chapter, non habem●…s hîc manentem civitatem; therefore let us go out with Christ. Thus the imperfection of our happiness in this life, and the continual fear of death, doth take from us all rest; and this proceedeth from the want of God's presence: It remaineth then that he which will find rest, do seek God's face and presence, Psalm the twenty seventh and the eighth verse; for seek God and then your soul shall live, Psalm the sixty ninth. If our departure from the 〈◊〉 of God be not as cain's was, that is of contempt, yet it is like Judas, which went out of distrust. The issue of cain's departure was a radious life full of trouble and fear, and the going out of Judas was misery or death. Such shall be the issue of those, that either of contempt or distrust fall away from God; the pleasure that they shall have in this life is but momentary and 〈◊〉, it is 〈◊〉 & inquieta voluptas, Ecclesiastes the second chapter, the desire of that which they want, and the fear of death which is always at 〈◊〉, doth not suffer them to take rest; therefore if we will have rest we must go to Peniel and Salem, there we shall have both rest and 〈◊〉 and this is done by prayer, when we say with David, Psalm the fifty first, Cast me not from thy presence. If of ourselves we 〈◊〉 our of his presence, we must go to some valley to 〈◊〉, and 〈…〉 〈◊〉 did, so we shall be received of God; for God being 〈…〉 and majesty, is able both to give us our hearts desire, and to deliver our souls from death. Et cognovit Kajin uxorem suam, quae concepit & peperit Chanocum: quamobrem studebat edificare civitatem, & vocavit nomen civitatis illius de nomine filit sui Chanoc. Gen. 4. 17. Septemb. 30. 1599 ALbeit Cain departed from the presence of God, and seated himself in a Land as near Eden as he could, yet his departure is not altogether desperate, because he may return again; for so both the Prophet in the old Testament, showeth that the Church of the Jews having departed from her first husband, and seeing the invonvenience of it resolved to return again, Hosea the second chapter; and our Saviour in the New tells us, that the Son which forsook his Father, after when he felt some affliction, was glad to come to him again, Luke the fifteenth chapter; and so may Cain come again; for as Eden that is pleasure, is the thing that persuades men to departed from their allegiance in the service of God, so the place whither they go, that is the Land of Nod, being a Land of trouble and unquietness, may persuade them to return to God again. A fair proffer indeed is made to draw men from God's presence, and to commit sin, in as much as it offereth pleasure; but when they have seated themselves a little, even as near Eden as they can, they shall find themselves in the Land of Nod, that is, they shall feel nothing within but unquietness of conscience, and without, fear and trouble, so as they shall have inducements sufficient to make them return. Solomon, the pearless example of all those that might have enjoyed pleasure, if it had been to be found; who was greater than any King that ever was before him, set himself to plant himself as near Eden as he could, he denied his Soul nothing that it desired, and yet he confesseth, that when he had built him Houses, and planted Orchards, he found nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit, Ecclesiastes the second chapter and the eleventh verse, that is, his desire was never satisfied, and for the attaining of that which he had, he endured vexation and trouble. As Cain had his arguments persuading him to make trial of the Land of Nod, so when he was there, his trouble and unquietness were sufficient reasons to make him return to God, but we see he had no mind to return; for having disjoined himself from God's presence, he built a City, which is a plain argument of not returning, as the people in captivity, to let them know they shall not return of a long time, are commanded to build Houses, Jeremiah the twenty ninth chapter, and the Children of God were content to dwell in Tents; they built not Cities on earth, but sought for a City whose builder is God, Hebrews the eleventh chapter and the ninth verse, which was a plain token that they did not mind to dwell on earth as Freeholders, but to continue for a time, looking for a City that hath a foundation: but Cain not minding to return to God, built a City in the land of Nod: and this is the compliment of his sin; first in departing from God's presence, then in planting himself so as he purposed not to return. The parts are three; the propagation of Children; the building of a City, and the denomination of both: wherein we see Cain conveyeth to his Son the great Jointure of the world (to be Henoch of Henoch.) To have Children is a matter of the flesh; to build 〈◊〉 is a matter of the world; for the flesh departing from the 〈…〉 in the world. The naming of the City after his Son's name, is a fruit and effect of the pride of his heart 〈◊〉 like to those that said 〈◊〉 nob is nomen, Genesis the eleventh chapter. Touching the first, we are to insist upon four things: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wife: Secondly his knowledge: Thirdly her conception: Fourthly the giving of the name. Concerning the Wife of Cain, it cannot be otherwise but she was one of the daughters of Adam, whose Son Cain himself was: and for him to take his Sister to be his Wise, is a thing unlawful, saving that as Christ showeth, that which of it 〈◊〉 is unlawful on the Sabbath, by necessity is made lawful, nam quod in 〈◊〉 non est, necessitas facit licitum; as Christ showeth by the example of David and his men, that his 〈◊〉 offended not in pulling the 〈◊〉 of corn on the Sabbath, in regard of their necessity, Matthew the twelfth chapter, no more than David offended, when being hungry, he went into the house of God, and did eat the 〈◊〉 bread which none may eat but the Priests, in the first of Samuel the twenty first chapter. That which was David's case at Nob, is cain's case in the land of Nod. A man may not take the sword and revenge his own quarrel; but in case of necessity when there is none to defend, it is lawful to use the Sword for his defence: It is not lawful originally for Cain to make his 〈◊〉 his Wife, as the Fathers prove, Genesis the 2. chapter and the 4. verse; so where God saith, therefore shall a man leave his Father and Mother and cleave to his Wife; his meaning is, he will not have friendship kept within one Family, but will have men so to marry, that 〈◊〉 Families may be linked together in love. Again, where, both in Genesis the second chapter and Matthew the ninteenth chapter, it is said they two shall be one flesh, that is not true where Brother and Sister are joined together, for they are one flesh already, in as much as they are born of the 〈…〉: Therefore where there is unity of blood, between such 〈◊〉 is no lawful marrying; but necessity is without law, and therefore Cain is dispensed withal, because necessity caused him. Touching the mixture of Brother and Sister, it is 〈◊〉 to the Lord and his soul abhors it, Leviticus the 〈◊〉 chapter and the twenty third verse: but if this kind of copulation were originally lawful, it would not be so abominable, that he would punish it in such sort. Besides, we see this is a thing so unlawful, that John Baptist chooseth rather to hazard his life, than he will suffer this sin unreproved; which he would not have done, but that it was originally unlawful for Herod to have his Brother's Wife, Matthew the fourteenth chapter. For the knowledge Cain had with his wife, we see that as Adam when he was cast out of Paradise knew his Wife; so Cain being departed from God's presence to a Land of trouble and disquietness, having lost spiritual comforts, seeks for rest in carnal delights. For the procreation of Children, as Sarah speaks, Genesis the eighteenth chapter, is an act of pleasure, which albeit it be lawful for Adam, a repentant sinner, yet not for Cain, being in that state that he was; for in the time of repentance the Bridegroom must come forth of his Camber, and the Bride out of her Bedchamber, Joel the second chapter and the sixteenth verse, and they that are married may not so give themselves over to the flesh, but that upon special cause sometime they give themselves to prayer and fasting, in the first to the Corinthians, the seventh chapter and the fifth verse; but Cain standing as he did at this time, transgresseth the Command of God. And yet touching the third point, God's goodness appeareth herein, that for all that he so blesseth 〈◊〉 which was unlawful, that she conceiveth. It was in God's hand, and his sin deserved it, that she should have been barren; for Jeremiah the twenty second chapter, in the second of Samuel the sixteenth chapter, the sin of Jeconiah and Michal is the cause of their barrenness: Therefore in God's justice it is a due punishment to all sorts not to have Children; but yet as he brings light out of darkness; so to show he can of evil Parents bring forth good Children, he gives Cain issue, as he brought good Ezekiah out of Achan, and Josia out of Ammon. For this cause he gives the wicked Children, as also in this regard, to show that he is able to break the Serpent's head, not one way only, by kill sin in men, but by making them examples of his justice, as in Pharaoh: Romans the ninth chapter, For this cause have I stirred them up, even as we see the bodies of Malefactors are given to Surgeons for Anatomies, that in them men may see the state of our bodies: and so it may be for the good of others. For as it were inconvenient that evil Parents should only have evil Children, because by this means evil would be infinite; so it is as inconvenient that good Parents should have none but good Children; for so that which is of grace would be ascribed to nature: And so we see, that albeit the act be unlawful, and the seed stolen, yet being cast into the ground, we see God so blesseth it that it is fruitful. The fourth point is, that Cain called his Son's name Enoch; the meaning whereof is a dedication or consecration: and this gives hope, as if there were some goodness remaining in Cain; for those things that are built to be dedicated, are Altars and Churches, things for Gods use, as Noah built an Altar, and offered burnt offerings, Genesis the eighth chapter, but that which Cain built is no Altar, but a City; and we know Cities and Towns are dedicated to the world, and the consecration that he makes is to no God, except he make the world his God Philippians the third chapter; his position is that gain is godliness, in the first to Timothy the fourth chapter, and therein he bestows his service. But after we have another Enoch, so truly called, Genesis the fift chapter, the Son of Seth, who did not departed from God's presence as this Enoch did, but consecrated himself to God, and became a Preacher of righteousness; who as well by his preaching, as by uttering the censure of excommunication, (behold the Lord cometh with a thousand of Angels) as Judas speaks, dedicated himself to the Church; but the first work that cain's Enoch sets himself about, is the world. This is the difference between cain's Henoch and Seths' Henoch: the one builds a City on earth, the other seeks for a City from above whose builder is God. So that there is no hope of cain's return, he consecrates his Son and City, but it is to the wrong God, if to any. Secondly, Touching the building of the City, which is a matter respecting the world; before we come to that, we must know there was now a great distance of years between the time that Cain knew his wife, and the time that he built the City; for he built not the City only for himself, his wife and child, but was now grown to be so great a number that he must have a City to place his posterity in; for God, respecting mankind rather than the sin of man, made the seed sown, plentiful; They that came of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, came but to twelve, and in few years, of those twelve, came seventy five, and for the increase of mankind, He makes the barren families like a flock of sheep, as it is in the hundred and seventh Psalm. Therefore when Cain was grown to so great a multitude, he built him a City. It is true of Cain which the Apostle affirmeth, Hebrews the third chapter, No man departs from God, but by an evil heart of unbelief: So Cain thinks, that albeit God hath cursed that part of the earth where Adam was, yet it may be the Land toward the Sun rising may be better; and therefore he makes trial; like the Isrealites, which being forbidden to keep any of the Manna till morning, for all that would try whether it would be full of worms; and being forbidden to go forth on the Sabbath, notwithstanding they went forth to make trial, though they found none, Exodus the sixteenth chapter the twentieth and the twenty seventh verses; so Cain would try whether there were not a plot of ground free from the curse; but not finding any such piece of ground, he turned himself to handycrafts, when husbandry failed: He and his Children fall to occupations, some work in brass, some to make Tents, and others to make Organs. That is the civil reason of the building of the City. The spiritual reason is, that fear is the first beginner of cain's City; for this place though it were a place of pleasure, yet it gives him no rest, or security: therefore he deviseth to himself a new means to safeguard him from fear, that is, by building a City and walling it; that if the Sons of Seth, or any that were privy to his fact, came against him, he might be safe from them. As Adam hide himself from God's presence in his bushes, so doth Cain go about to defend himself with walls: Howbeit so it is that a guilty conscience cannot find any rest or security by any such means, but it finds the truth of that which the Apostle saith, in the second to the Corinthians, the seventh chapter and the fifth verse, pugnae for is, intus terrores. And yet by the taking order for the continuance of his name, it appears he had not only fear, but a secular desire of fame in the world: he contenteth not himself with Adam's dwelling, but builds a City. Adam and his Children dwelled under Trees, or some Tents; but the Posterity of Cain builds themselves Cities to dwell in. For the general, as the beginning of good Laws is the evil fashions and naughty manners of men; so the remedy against fear is Cities, that by them people may be safe from wild beasts, and wicked and cruel men more wild than beasts. But as first necessity invented Garments, & since pride; so it is of Cities: A City was founded first in regard of fear, but since they are become the only places of pride; for in the Country where men are employed in husbandry we see no such pride, they content themselves with plain dwelling; but in the City all things are for pride. That is for the building of the City. Touching the Builder, we see the beginning of buildings is hominem occidere, & urbem condere: Therefore the Prophets cry out, that the faces of the poor are ground for the maintenance of Cities, Jeremiah the twenty second chapter and the thirteenth verse, Habakkuk the second chapter and the thirteenth verse, Micha the third chapter: Even as we see Cain that killed his brother is the Builder of this City; so there are many like Cain, that kill and undo a great company of young Occupiers, to build themselves a City: For they content not themselves with their Father's Houses, but build themselves Houses of Cedar, Jeremiah the thirty second chapter. Secondly, Out of the Builder Augustine hath this note; that as the building of this City of Enoch by the blood of Abel, was a soretelling what kind of City this should be, namely full of cruelty; so in as much as Rome was founded by Romulus in the blood of Remus, that was a sign that it would be a cruel and bloody City, as we see it came to pass, that it hath been the chief persecuting City, and shed most blood Thirdly, We are to speak of the name, wherein the itch of cain's vanity breaks forth; for in giving this name he saith as much as they do, Genesis the eleventh chapter, paremus nobis nomen, he seeks to make his posterity famous, for it is the course of the world, And men think their houses shall continue for ever, and therefore call their lands by their names, Psalms the forty ninth and the eleventh verse: when they cannot be written in the book of life, they seek to be in remembrance of men. We see it is in Saul when God took his honour from him, he would be honoured of the people, in the first of Samuel the fifteenth chapter; so that upon these three things in satisfying the flesh, in building Cities for the glory of this world, and in leaving a name behind, stands all cain's desire. But the giving of this name is in one of these two respects. First, If a man will see what is true dedication, let him look upon the worldly minded man, for none do so truly dedicate themselves to the true God, as they do consecrate themselves to the World: It is indeed sacra fames; for as Christ saith, The Children of this world are wiser in their generation, than the Children of light, Luke the sixteenth chapter. Therefore in them we may see the lively example of true dedication. Secondly, If not that, yet for as much as every dedication is the first act; for the first thing to be done when a new House is to be built, is to dedicate it by great feast. This showeth that as all the things of this life are but beginnings; for as Christ kept the best wine last, John the second chapter, so the consummation of all things is in Salem, which is God's City: But cain's Enoch is nothing but fair shows of joy and feast, which shall end in mournings. Where it is said Cain was building a City, and not that he built it, it is to teach us that he did but begin it: we see the like in the world's course, men are ever building and pulling down, they are never at rest, but continually in the Land of Nod: Nunquam aedificauêrunt, as the Preacher saith, The soul still desireth, but is never satisfied, Ecclesiastes the fifth chapter; even so Cain is always occupied in building the City, but never makes an end; but even before he hath done he drops into the grave; like the rich man, Luke the twelfth chapter, that suddenly while he was consulting how to build Barns, was taken away. These are cain's three ways; 〈◊〉 Prolis, extruxio Urbis, & propagatio Nominis; the one is the lust of the flesh, the other the lust of the eyes, the third the pride of life, John the second chapter: And these are the ways of the world. All the desires of worldly men stand in these three; to have many Children, to build fair houses, and to get an honourable name among men. Thus far goeth worldly men, and no farther, as we see not only in Cain, but in Nimrod, and Pharaoh, all whose study was in getting Children, in building Cities, and seeking to make their name famous. These are the men of this world, from whom the Prophet prayeth to be delivered, That have their portion in this life, their bellies are filled with hid treasure, their Children have enough, and leave the rest to their Children, and this is all they seek for; but the Godly say with the Prophet, Psalm the seventeenth and the fourteenth verse, But I will seek for thy presence in righteousness; that is Seths' Enoch, and not cain's. We have not here (saith the Apostle) any abiding City, Hebrews the thirteenth chapter and the fourteenth verse; that is true, for albeit we have Cities, yet they continue not, therefore we seek for a City of God's building, Hebrews the eleventh chapter and the ninth verse, and not a City built by Cain. This is a point of examination, for it is to be considered, whether a man in the course of his life reach any further than these three. If he go no farther in the practice of his life, but to get Children, to build Cities and fair Houses, and to get a name, he is in the way of Cain: But if with the other Enoch we continue still in God's presence, than we do well: Cain having life granted for repentance, mispends it in building of a City, and such like vanities; And as there is a woe to him, so woe to them that like him misspend their time which God giveth them for repentance, Judas the eleventh verse. Cain is in a place of torment, where he cryeth, woe that he misspent his time so vainly, and therefore we must beware by his example; for this is the use we are to make of Cain and the Reprobate, that when we see what is their end, we beware that we walk not in their ways, that we misspend not our time in fulfilling the lusts of the flesh, and vanity of buildings, and seeking the glory and honour of this world, because to all such there belongs a woe no less than to Cain, as it is in the epistle of Judas. Deinde Chanacho natus est Hirad, & Hirad genuit Mechujaëlem: Machujaël verò genuit Methuschaëlem, & Methuschaël genuit Lemecum. Assumpsit autem sibi Lemec uxores duas: Gen. 4. 18.19. 〈◊〉. 9 1599 IN these two verses we have two points to consider, the one is a journey which the Holy Ghost undertaketh, the other is the end of that journey. In the journey Moses gins to set down the Pedigrees of Cain; and the end of that journey is the story of Lameoh, wherein it may justly be inquired, First, why any mention is made in Scripture of the Reprobate? Secondly, why it makes mention of the generation of Cain before the generation of Seth? For the first, It is a matter of absolute necessity, that the Scripture should make mention of the ungodly and reprobate; for whereas God proclaimed enmity between the Serpent's seed and the seed of the Woman, Genesis the third chapter and the eleventh verse, it was his will that it should appear in the world, how the one was an enemy to the other; therefore it is called liber bellorum domini, Joshua the tenth chapter: The life of man is called militia super terram, Job the seventh chapter, and the Church is called the Church militant, & haec est patientia Sanctorum, Revelations the fourteenth chapter and the twelfth verse, to show that the godly have enemies in this world, whereby their patience is tried. Secondly, why mention is made first of the pedigree of Cain, there is sufficient reason to be given; that is, In as much as the wicked are called the men of this world, Psalm the seventeenth, and the Children of this generation, Luke the 〈◊〉 chapter and the eighteenth verse, it is reason they should be first remembered in this world, for that they shall not be mentioned any where else, they only have their interest in this life; but in the morning the righteous have the dominion, Psalm the forty ninth and the fourteenth verse, that is, in the life to come 〈◊〉 shall be first made of the godly; and therefore Christ, before he speaks of 〈◊〉 the wicked, saith first, Metthew the twenty fifth chapter, Venite benedicti patris mei; that is in regard of the persons, and for sin itself, as the Philosopher saith, ad meminem ante venit mens bona quim animus malus, every man is first possessed with an evil mind before he can have a good mind: as the Apostle saith, in the first to the Corinthians, the the fifteenth chapter and the forty fift verse, That is not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural: We are all by nature first the Children of wrath, Ephesians the second chapter, and belong to the posterity of Cain, before we can be partakers of grace; and therefore it is good reason that in Scripture our state by nature be first spoken of, before our state by grace; that the Law should go before the Gospel; the seed of the Serpent before the blessed seed of the Woman. Thirdly, It may be demanded why this passage is made to the story of Lamech, next after the story of Cain? the reason is, for that it is Gods will to bring sin to a head: For as in Adam we saw the poison of the Serpent, and the infection of it in Cain, so here is a new infection: For as there is a spirit that lusteth after envy, James the fourth chapter, which made Cain kill his brother; so in Lamech we see that spirit which Judas speaks of, verse the seventh, that is a spirit that longeth after strange flesh, which he she wed in taking two Wives: That is, there is an unclean spirit as well as an 〈◊〉 spirit; whereas there are two parts of the will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Cain; the angry part was infected with the Serpent's poison, his heart was inflamed with a desire of revenge. Now in Lamech we see this infection goeth lower, even to his reins, and stirs him up to lust. There are but two temprations, Deuteronomie the thirty third chapter and the eighth verse, which the Hebrews call meribah and Massah, which the Apostle termeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Hebrews the third chapter; the one is the temptation unto contention and revenge, where with Cain was infected; of which the Apostle saith, James the fourth chapter and the first verse, From 〈◊〉 are wars and contentions among you; are they not from your lusts: The other is the temptation of concupiscence, which poisoned Lamech: In the Gospel we have them both, that is spiritas 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉, Luke the eighth chapter and the second verse, Christ healeth certain women possessed with malignant and envious spirits; and Luke the eleventh chapter, The unclean spirit departing out of a man, walketh in dry places. The malicious spirit she wed his poison in Cain by the temptation of meribah; and now Lamech is infected with the unclean spirit, and yielding to the temptation of 〈◊〉 And in these two Reprobates, infected with these two kinds of temptations, the Holy Ghost showeth the perfection of sin: For sanctification hath two parts: First, That we possess our vessels in holiness, which is an exposition to the uncleaness of Lamech, and in the first to the Thessalonians, the fourth chapter and the sixth verse, that no man oppress or tread down his brother, which opposeth itself against the spirit of Cain, who trod down his brother and violently slew him. Charity and chastity are a full comprehension of the duty of sanctification, which God willeth us to perform: And as cain's sin stands first in the story, so it is first in nature; for a Child before he be able to speak one word, will by his sour face show that he hath a revenging spirit. But in this story of Lamech we must observe a farther thing, for it standeth upon two parts: First in the ninteenth verse is showed not only that he was infected with a spirit of uncleanness, but also verse the twenty third, a contemptuous and insolent spirit, which is a degree beyond Cain; for there he braggeth of his sin, and contemneth God and his Judgements, as if he should not be revenged of him for it. For when a sinner is not only possessed and infected with malice and envy in his heart, and with lust in his reins, but brags of his sin in contempt of God and his Judgements, than he is at the height of sin: Peccator cum in profundum venerit contemnit. Thus where there are but three faculties of the soul, all are corrupted by the infection of the Serpent: as for reason it was corrupted in Adam, when the Serpent persuaded him that he should be like God: and the angry part was corrupted in Cain, when he was stirred up to kill his Brother without all cause. Thirdly, the will and the coveting part was corrupted in Lamech, so as neither the bond of nature, nor the will of God, which is a spiritual bond, could keep in order; but he will show his uncleanness. When not only Adam looseth faith, and Cain charity, but Lamech chastity, then is sin at the height. In the first verse there is a genealogy of four descents, wherein there is no matter of great edification: Howbeit as when men's Fields and Closes are laid out, all must not be taken up for pasture, but a little way must be left, whereby every man may pass to his own ground; so in the Scripture there must be a passage from one story to another: And as in the body, for that there are a great many limbs and parts, they must of necessity be compacted one with another by the help of the sinews; so both in profane Writers and in the Scripture, many things are set down to show the dependence that one story hath with another, which otherwise would not seem so necessary. Even so the showing how Cain is joined with Lamech, which is done in this verse, is very necessary. Secondly, There is a farther matter in this heaping of names, besides the continuance of the story: for it would have seemed strange that the Scripture doth make mention of Lamech and his wicked course, unless it were withal showed from whence he came: But in setting down, that Lamech is of the posterity of wicked Cain, no man will marvel that he do express the manners of cain's. Besides that, we may not think that this heaping of words is vain; for as the Father's note, there is no name in Scripture without profitable consideration; for howsoever men that deal in woods and base metals, care not to let chips and parings fall from them, yet as they that work in gold and Silver, will not lose the least parings: The like is to be done in reading the word, For it is pure as silver that hath been purified seven times, Psalms the twelfth, More to be desired than gold, Psalm the ninteenth; therefore we must have this conceit of it, that whatsoever seemeth to be superfluous in the word of God, hath great value both for faith and life: For Isidor saith, est in nominibus sacris sua theologia, and as Jerome saith, in nominibus sacrae Scripturae insculpuntur mysteria: Therefore the Apostle saith, That the Son of God is more excellent than the Angels, in as much as he hath a more excellent name than they, Hebrews the first chapter and the fourth verse; so when the blind man is sent to wash himself in Shilo, John the ninth chapter and the seventh verse: The word signifying sent, importeth that he could not be purified by that water, unless he was sent; so in the names of holy Scripture, we see as Jerome saith, there are engraven mysteries. Now we give names to our Children ad placitum, but in the old Testament the Fathers gave names of set purpose, with great advice; so we see Eve giveth a reason why she called her Son Cain, Genesis the fourth chapter and the first verse, so is there a reason of Seths' name, Genesis the fourth chapter and the twenty fift verse, of Noah the Son of Lamech, Genesis the fift chapter and the twenty ninth verse, of Isaac and Jacob and all the patriarchs. The reason why they had this regard in giving of names, are reduced to two. First, in those that are the Children of the godly, their names are a kind of Prophecy, concerning the disposition of the Child: which choice of names their Fathers made; for that being endued with the spirit of God, they foresaw the disposition of their Children. On the other side, the wicked and the reprobate cannot prophesy, yet their names are specula paternae affectionis, as the names of godly Children are prophecies puerilis indolis. That it is thus in these names, we shall observe an encounter made between the seed of Cain and the seed of Seth, which as they were of a contrary disposition, so gave their Children contrary names. Cain called his Son Enoch, that is, dedicated to the pleasure of the world; but Seths Son is called Enosh, that is, sorrowful, Genesis the fift chapter: On the one side there was Cain, on the other Kenan: Irad on the one side, Jerad on the other: Methushael and Methushelah, by which names the seed and posterity of godly Sheth show a contrary affection, and such as differeth from the wicked and the seed of Cain, as appeareth by the signification of their names. Touching the opposition that appears to be between the generation of Seth, and the posterity of Cain: enoch's name who was cain's Son signifieth dedication, and there is one of the Children of God called by the same name, Genesis the fifth chapter and the ninteenth verse; but Seths Enoch, as Judas saith, was the seventh from Adam; verse the fourteenth, that is, one dedicated to the seventh or Sabbath day, one that gave himself wholly to the service and worship of God; but cain's Enoch was the first, and next to Cain, that is, one dedicated to the first day, which is a working day, to show that he was one that gave himself to the affairs of this life, that sought to be mighty on earth: And this difference of affection holds to this day; for all men are followers either of the first or second Enoch. The next of Cain is called Irad, that is, Lord of a City, the same that Herod signifieth, wherein we see his ambitious spirit, that he was such a one as sought to be great in the world. And as Jeroboam when he was not able to maintain the Kingdom which he had usurped, began to meddle in Religion, and to set up two Calves, saying, Behold your Gods, in the first of Kings the twelfth chapter; so Irad calls his Son Mehujael, First what thing is God; such a one as saith with Pharaoh, Who is the Lord? Exodus the fift chapter, that is, that cared not for God: And as Abraham when he came to Gerar, said, Surely forasmuch as the fear of God is not in this place, they will kill me, Genesis the twentieth chapter; so Mehujael that cared not for God begets Methujhael, that is, a desperate fellow, that cares not for death; and his Son is Lamech, that is, a violent fellow, a persecutor and an oppressor, one that spoileth and treadeth down every man. On the other side, as Cain hath Irad, one that would exalt himself to be Lord; so Seth hath Jerad, one that is content to go down; for Mehujael a contemner of God, among the Children of God there was Mahalaleel, id est, anuncians, or laudans deum, a religious person that would praise God: For Methushael, among the godly there was Methushelah, whose name tells us death is triumphing, because it is the reward of sin, and hath a worm that dieth not, and a fire that is never quenched: For Lamech the wicked, he is the seventh from Adam, as Enoch the Son of Seth; but this Enoch being the seventh, respects things that pertain to the seventh day, wherein Lamech is given to oppression. This Enoch prophesied an excommunication against sinners that did wickedly & spoke proudly, saying, The Lord cometh with thousands of his Saints to give judgement against them, as it is in the fourteenth verse of the epistle of Judas, and we shall not see any in the Scripture that spoke so proudly as this Lamech, for he not only brags of his sin, but contemns Gods threaten, and saith he will kill any that come to him; therefore this excommunication concerns him; for as Seths' Enoch walked with God, so Lamech that comes of Cain walked after the spirit of the world. In the story of Lamech there are two things to be observed, First, his overflowing lust: Secondly, his contempt of God, and the punishment which God threatened. The excess of his lust stands in this, that he took two Wives. Where we are to note that he is the first that durst vaunt of polygamy, he is primus sacrilegus nuptiarum, for in so doing, first he did violate the institution of God, which is, A man shall forsake Father and Mother and cleave 〈◊〉 his Wife, Genesis the second chapter and the twenty fourth verse, not to his Wives, and they two shall be one flesh, not three in one flesh. Secondly, His taking of two Wives is a violating of humane custom, for he is in the seventh generation from Adam; Adam had but one Wife, no more had Cain, nor the rest; but Lamech treading all custom under foot, taketh two, wherein it is plain that a breach is made of the primitive custom; for as Christ saith, Matthew the ninteenth chapter, non sic fuit abinitio. Thirdly, Marriage is a mystery, Ephesians the fift chapter and the thirty second verse, for God commends unto us a sacred thing in marriage, that is the spiritual and holy conjunction of Christ with the Church. In which regard persons in that state should not exceed in lust, but possess their Vessels in holiness, in the first to the Thessalonians the fourth chapter, and the fourth and fift verses, and not in the lust of concupiscence. As Lamech sinneth against the institution of marriage in these three respects; so in regard of the ends of the same, which are three, First, To be a remedy against fornication, in the first to the Corinthians, the seventh chapter and the second verse, but Lameches two Wives were an allurement to it rather, and no remedy against it, for every man must have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the first to the Corinthians, the seventh chapter and the third verse; therefore if he have Wives, it is an allurement to lust. Secondly, The end of marriage is propagation of Children, that there may be not only a seed, but semen sanctum, Malachi the second chapter: For that cause he made Adam but one Wife, whereas he had spirit enough, and might have made him more, but he sought a holy seed, therefore if any seek seed by more Wives, it is not a holy seed, but semen nequam, & semen corruptem, Isaiah the first chapter. Thirdly, The end is for mutual help, but to have more Wives at once, the one is a hindrance and no help; so were Rachel and Leah to Jacob, Genesis the twenty ninth, so were Annah and Peniah to Elkanah, in the first of Samuel the first chapter. Assumpsit autem sibi Lemec uxores duas: prioris nomen fuit Hada, & nomen secundae Tzilla. Peperitque Hada Jabalum: hic fuit autor habitantium in tentoriis, & pecuariae. Nomenque fratris ejus fuit Jubal: hic fuit autor omnium tractantium citharam & organon. Tzilla verò ipsa quoque peperit Thubal-Kajinum, qui erudivit omnem fabrum aerarium & ferrarium. sororemque Thubal-Kajini, Nahamam. Gen. 4. 19.20.21.22. Decemb. 16. 1599 IN which verses is set down, first the Marriage, and after the Race and Offspring of Lamech: The former point verse the ninteenth, the latter in the three verses following. Concerning the Marriage of Lamech, we have already made an entrance into it, besides that which hath been already said. If we will know what to reckon of this second Wife which Lamech took, the Holy Ghost doth set it out unto us in her name: For even in the names of holy Scripture, as we have heard, is engraven most excellent divinitic. His second Wife's name was Zillah, which hath relation to his first, for it signifies her shadow, but truth and shadows are opposite; and therefore the Holy Ghost by this name tells us a second Wife is no true Wife, but a false, and that in such a marriage there is not the body and substance of God's Ordinance, but only a shadow of it, as our Saviour Christ said to the Woman that had five Husbands, John the fourth chapter and the eighteenth verse, He whom thou now haste is not thy Husband. And the sentence and judgement of the Hebrew Writers is, that where Lameches former Wife's name is Adah, taken from a word that signifies an open assembly; and the second Zillah, that is, a shadow or secret place; it is to teach us that Lamech had his former Wife only for a show, but he kept Zillah in secret places, to satisfy his unclean lust privily. Now because we see this evil act of Lamech hath not so much as a good pretence, it is so much the worse; and that he wanted a good pretence, we shall find if we inquire what moved him to break out so fare contrary to the Ordinance of God, in the Creation, who therefore created Adam but one Wife, to teach him he might not have more at once. The only pretence for taking a second Wife is the example of Abraham, Genesis the sixteenth chapter, who for that he was without offspring, was permitted by Sarah his Wife to go in to Agar, that of her he might raise up Children: but the case stood not so with Lamech, for he had by his first Wife two Sons, Jabal and Jubal, and therefore it was not for the raising up of seed that he took Zillah. Secondly, But if he say these were not enough, we shall see that the seed which he had by his false Wife, did not 〈◊〉 to the increase of mankind, but to the destroying of it. For if we 〈◊〉 the seed that God gave him by 〈◊〉, the shadow of a true Wife, it was Tubal Cain, who was the first that gave an edge to 〈◊〉 and brass, that is, the first Warrior, and he that brought war into the world: So we see Lameches purpose in taking a second Wife, howsoever he desired to increase the world, yet by God's just judgement turned to the destroying of mankind, for he brought forth Tubal-Cain, one that was a destroy. To this we add his Daughter whom he had by Zillah his unlawful Wife, whose name was Naamah, that is, fair, which being compared with the sixth chapter, we shall see that she was the overthrow of the world; For the sons of Seth saw the daughters of men that they were fair and beautiful, and that 〈◊〉 in them a lust after them, so as it confounded that distinction of the holy. Family of the godly, which caused the Lord to drown the world with a flood; so that as well the Daughters as the Sons that Lamech had by his unlawful Wife, proved the overthrow of mankind; and therefore it was no good pretence to marry a Second Wife to increase it. Thirdly, To proceed one step further in the choice of a second Wife, the example of David may be a good pretence, who seeing a virtuous woman Abigal, 〈◊〉 good to his first Wife to add a second, in the first of Samuel the twenty ninth chapter; so that the good quality of the second Wife may somewhat abate the sin. But Lamech took not Zillah for any such respect of virtue: Zillah which is a shadow, betokens lightness and 〈◊〉; Adah is an open place, and withal signifieth a tireing and decking of herself, and Naamah signifieth made beautiful: So these three things were the cause hat made Lamech take his second Wife: And as in these we see a plain description of the woman of the old world, so we see also what manner of women they were that brought destruction upon the whole world. Naamah, that is, beauty made, is the mark of Jezebel, in the second of Kings, the ninth chapter and the third verse, Who for that she was not beautiful of herself naturally, painted her face. Adah, that is tireing and gorgeous apparel, is a mark of the Daughters of Canaan, when Deborah describes by their apparel of divers colours, Judges the fift chapter and the thirtieth verse. Zillah, that is, lightness and wantonness, sets out unto us the strange woman, that is, an Harlot's behaviour, Proverbs the seventh chapter and the tenth verse, and of a wanton pace, such as the Prophet describes Isaiah the third chapter. On the other side Esther, when sweet odours were offered her to purify herself, she refused, and desired nothing but that which was natural; she did not make herself beautiful to delight the King's eyes, Esiher the second chapter and the fifteenth verse: As for Adah that is glorious apparel: The holy women of old, as Sarah that trusted in God, did not deck themselves 〈◊〉 with broided hair, and putting on of gold or apparel, but with 〈◊〉 in the first 〈◊〉 of Peter, the third chapter and the fift verse, contrary, to the wicked generation of Cain. As for Zillah the wanton and light woman; Rebecca covered herself with a Veil, Genesis the twenty fourth chapter and the sixty fift verse. These examples of good and evil women are set down, first to correct and reprove such as tire themselves like the women of the wicked generation, and to exhort and instruct others to follow the modesty of godly and holy women; for that is the use of the holy Scripture, in the second of Timothy the third chapter, that no man should take two Wives at once, but as the Apostle tells us, That every man have his proper wife, and every woman her proper husband, in the first to the corinthians, the 〈◊〉 chapter and the second verse, that we should not ensue the steps of the cursed generation of 〈◊〉, or follow cain's seed, in making choice of Wives, for glorious apparel, for beauty and wantonness; but to choose such as are vittuous, as Boze chose Ruth. All this is testified of Lamech by way of reproof and correction to himself, and those that follow his example: And as there is woe threatened to them that walk in cain's 〈◊〉, so 〈◊〉 bath a way that brought woe to him: and his way was, that he taught the Daughters of Moab to entice the Children of Israel, by painting their faces, and so made them commit whoredom with them, Numbers the 25. chapter and the 1. verse: therefore whosoever shall cause his Daughters by their wanton attire to allure the mind of the Sons of men, they walk in baalam's way, and shall be partakers of his woe. Thus much for Lameches marriage. That which is set down rouching his Children followeth in the next verses. In which part we are to observe God's power; First in blessing him with Children; Secondly God's providence in directing the matter. First, There is set down three of Lameches children; First Jubal that signifieth apportantem; Secondly Jubal oblectantem; Thirdly Tubal-Cain, that is one that terrifieth & maketh afraid: Of which the bringing in is referred to store of wealth; delight is referred to pleasure, & 〈◊〉, or making afraid, hath his end in revenge. In those things stands the facility of the first Enoch, and of all those that dedicate themselves to this world. For as we heard cain's Enoch sets his mind on things present, nihil sperans quod sequitur; but Seths Enoch which came on the seventh day hath a course by himself, that is, looked to things to come. Thus by their names we see their affections, and the same we shall see by their actions and professions. Jubal is said to be a Grazier, and not only so, but the first that backed horses, and made other beasts fit for their uses, for which they were appointed by God; that is the first bringer in of all riches and wealth. Secondly, to Jubal belongs the invention of Instruments, whether they be such as are to be played on with fingers or with the wind. Thirdly, Tubal-Cain was the first of those that gave an 〈◊〉 and point to brass and iron, and applied it to warlike use, to the end he might have weapons to fight with, and to 〈◊〉 all he world subject to him, and his 〈…〉 Add 〈◊〉 this his fair Daughter 〈◊〉 and we shall see that 〈◊〉 man 〈…〉 himself to this present World, can have more 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Secondly, For God's hand and 〈◊〉 in 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Children, this ground is to be laid, that these 〈…〉 are from God; for Jubals invention 〈…〉 from God, 〈…〉 butter of Kine and 〈◊〉 of Sheep, with 〈◊〉 of Lamb 〈…〉 in Basham, He gives the grain of wheat, and 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 the thirty second chapter and the four 〈◊〉 and for making of 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 It is God that 〈◊〉 songs in the night, Job the thirty fist chapter and the 〈…〉 For Tubal-Cains invention of 〈◊〉 of war, It is the Lord that teachet hour hands to 〈◊〉 and our 〈◊〉 to 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 and the fourth 〈◊〉 These inventions are all 〈◊〉 God, whereby we see it is not with God, as 〈◊〉 said to Isaas his Father, Genesis the twenty seventh chapter, Hast thou but one 〈◊〉 God hath for the Sons of men 〈◊〉 only heavenly blessings that 〈◊〉 the life to come, but even such as pertain to the 〈…〉 In his lest hand he hath riches and worldly honour, but in his 〈◊〉 hand 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 life, Proverbs the third 〈…〉 the fix, teenth 〈◊〉 he hath not only donum 〈◊〉 but 〈…〉 James the first 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 verse, 〈◊〉 in temporal things as well as spiritual, to 〈◊〉 upon 〈…〉 we fed God saith, Exodus the thirty first chapter, 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 and Aholiab, so as they were able 〈◊〉 work in the 〈◊〉; so all mechanical arts are to be ascribed to 〈…〉 that was for 〈◊〉 Tabernacle; So Her 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 with the 〈◊〉 to work in 〈◊〉 for the Temple, in the second book of Chronicles, the 〈◊〉 chapter and the fourteenth verse. These 〈◊〉 came from the 〈◊〉 of counsel and understanding. The second thing to be observed is God's 〈…〉 herein, that he 〈◊〉 to the wicked good 〈◊〉 pertaining to this life, as Christ 〈◊〉 He suffers 〈…〉 to shine 〈◊〉 the godly and 〈◊〉 Matthew the fist chapter; so he bestows temporal 〈◊〉 upon the posterity of Cain, as well as upon the Children of 〈◊〉 and this they obtain of God, gratiae gratis datae, but not 〈…〉 Secondly, His mercy appears herein, that he 〈◊〉 gives 〈◊〉 a supply of those blessings which their sin's 〈◊〉 them of. Thirdly, His 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 order, that the world 〈◊〉 be furnished with things necessary for this present 〈◊〉 By 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 world, Psalm the seventeenth: And that they which have 〈◊〉 themselves to the things of this world, should have 〈◊〉 excellency in things 〈…〉 the same, above the Godly; as the 〈◊〉 est of worldly men in this 〈◊〉 so their 〈◊〉 stands in earthly things, and the godly 〈…〉 in respect of 〈◊〉 For the 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 are 〈◊〉 in their 〈…〉 the Children of light, Luke the tenth chapter: but come to things that pertain to the other life, there they that seem to be most childish in things of this life, go far beyond the Philosophers of whom the Apostle saith, in the first to the Corinthians the second chapter, The natural man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of God; But he hath hid them from the wise and prudent of this world, and revealed them to babes, Matthew the eleventh chapter and the twenty fift verse. Fourthly, We are to consider the equity of God's dealing, in recording these things in his own book, which is the Library of the Holy Ghost. These things are enroled by an honourable name, that is, the name of a Father, showing plainly that they which bring forth actions that are profitable no less are to be counted Fathers, than they that bring forth Children, and that they ought accordingly to be honoured and reverenced as Fathers. The ancient Fathers make a question, Whether these men were the inventors of these things first? It is certain that Cain being an husbandman, had use of iron works, as the Coulter and Share; and albeit he did invent iron tools fit for his purpose, yet that which is ascribed to Tubal-Cain, was excultio & expolitio, that is, the perfecting of that work which Cain had begun. Abel was a shepherd, and could not but have use of tents, but yet the perfecting of that cunning in that kind, is 〈◊〉 to Jubal. Mahalallel was one that used to praise God, as his name signifieth, which he could not do without some kind of music; and therefore, in as much as he was fare ancienter than Lamech, it follows there was music before Jubal invented Instruments and Organs. This distinction therefore must be held in this point, which the School men make, that the one is quoad modum simplicis, the other quoad modum singularis. And therefore, in as much as Jabal-Jubal, and Tubal Cain are called Fathers of these arts, which were in use long before them, it is plain, that not only the first inventors of any art are to be honoured, but even they also, that add any excellency or perfection to any thing which they profess. To draw to an end: Lamech being thus blessed of God, in things natural and pertaining to this life, aught to be thankful to God. Jacob when God gave him a son, called his name Judah, saying, I will praise the Lord, Genesis the twenty ninth chapter; but he is so fare from praising God, that he speaks hard things against God; (If Cain be avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy times seven fold.) And for men, he was so cruel against them, that he said no man should stir against him, (He would kill a man in his rage.) Therefore he called his third son Tubal Cain, that is, another Cain; as if he would have the name of Cain remembered, which God would have buried. All these mercies moved not Lamech to any amendment, but as it is in the twenty sixth chapter of Isaiah, Let mercy be showed to the wicked, yet will he do wickedly; so did Lamech. And albeit these things which they invented, tended to the benefit of men, yet they were to their own destruction. Hypocrites can discern the face of the sky, but cannot discern the sign or the times, Matthew the sixteenth chapter. The Heathen, by the works of God, attained to a knowledge of God, but were not the better for it, because they did not worship him as God, Romans the first chapter; so in as much as they employ not that 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 which God gave them, to his glory, it will be to their destruction. As we are to have a right estimation of those things, where with God blessed them outwardly; so we must beware, that having the like blessings, we be not as they: They desired to be mighty men on earth, and men of renown, Genesis the sixth chapter: that was the end of their desire, and they were so; but as Christ saith, accepêrunt mercedem suam. Lamech, as he desired, proved a mighty man, and so did his posterity; but when all is done, when the men of this world, as Lamech, have Children at their 〈◊〉 fire, Psalms the seventeenth, yet they lie in hell like 〈◊〉, Psalm the forty ninth; so we see their earthly felicity turn 〈…〉 misery: Therefore we must not dedicate ourselves wholly to the world as Lamech; we may not desire to be of that absolute power and force that no man shall be able to resist; We may not only seek to delight ourselves with music, to drink wine in bolls, Amos the sixth chapter and the sixth verse: That was it that cain's Enoch desired; we must have respect to the second Enoch, and so desire to be well in this world, that we may also be well in the next world; that as he is in heaven in glory, so we may be in glory with him. The beginning of worldly men's desire is Cain, that is the getting in of wealth; the end is Naomi, that is pleasure, and enjoying of it: that was the course of the covetous rich man, Luke the twelfth chapter, I will pull down Barns and set up bigger, and gather my corn thither; and then say to my soul, thou hast enough, take thy pleasure; but as Naomi was turned into Mara, so this pleasure is turned into bitterness, Ruth the first chapter: The pleasure which worldly men enjoy here, is turned into the dreadful torments of the world to come. On the other side, the generation of the godly gins with Enosh, Genesis the fift chapter and the sixth verse, and ends in Noah, Genesis the fift chapter and the twenty ninth verse, that is, their beginning is sorrow, but end in rest, as the 〈◊〉 saith, Psalm the one hundred twenty sixth, They that sow in tears shall reap in joy; the end of wicked men's pleasure is bitterness, but the godly after sorrow are made partakers of rest in the evil day. Therefore as the Scripture hath a use for correction and instruction, so here not only they are corrected that follow the generation of the wicked posterity of Cain, but we are instructed to follow the generation of the godly. Tum dixit Lemec suis uxoribus, O Hada & Tzilla audite vocem meam, uxores Lemeci auribus percipite Sermonem meum: nam virum interfecero ad vulnus meum, etiam adolescentem ad tumicem meum. Cum septuplo sit vindicandus Kajin, utique Lemec septuagies septies tanto. Gen. 4. 23.24. Januar. 20. 1599 IN Lamech who was the seventh from Adam by the line of Cain, the Holy Ghost propounds the example of a perfect wicked man; as in Enoch the seventh from Adam by the line of Seth, he sets out the pattern of a man perfectly righteous. Concerning Lamech, we heard his name is an oppressor; First of chastity, by violating God's institution, making three in one flesh, where God saith two shall be one flesh; and then of charity, by proclaiming to the world that no man should hurt him, but he should die for it: So that where there are two ways that overthrow that excellent virtue of love and charity that joins man to God, we see that Lamech by turning love into fleshly lust, and charity into hatred and revenge, gives the world an example of both. In both he justifieth Cain, as the Prophet, saith of Juda, That she justifieth Samaria and Sodom, because she exceedeth them in their abominations, Ezekiel the sixteenth chapter and the fifty first verse; for Cain was content with one Wife, but Lamech gave the reins to lust, so as he took two; and though Cain murdered Abel his brother, yet he adds not murder to murder as Lamech did, who saith. (That first he slew a man in his wound, and then a young man in his hurt,) but to these two he adds that which the Wiseman calls profundum malitiae, that is, contempt, Proverbs the eighteenth chapter and the third verse: For then is a man come to the depth of wickedness, when he contemns God and his word; and this is it which the Son of God calls the depth of Satan, Revelations the second chapter & the twenty fourth verse, for he scoffs at God's words which he spoke concerning Cain, verse the fifteenth, saying, (If Cain shall be avenged seven fold, truly Lamech seventy times seven fold, verse the twenty fourth. Secondly, We do not consider this by itself which Lamech did, but we consider him as by this sin he became the corrupter of mankind; so as it may be said of him, that he made the whole world to sin, as Jeroboam made Israel to sin; for he was the first that brought in the sin of uncleanness and cruelty, which are as the Prophet speaks, Psalm the eighteenth and the fift verse, Torrentes Belial, that is, the floods of wickedness which brought destruction upon the old world, Genesis the sixth chapter: For as one saith, there was priùs eluvio vitiorum before there was any deluge of waters; for so the Holy Ghost witnesseth, that the wickedness of man was great upon earth, and the earth was filled with cruelty, and all flesh had corrupted his way; and all this proceeded from his example; for he gave the world a pattern to give the reins to lusts, and make no conscience of bloodshed, which brought destruction upon them. Thirdly, When as he had contrary to God's Ordinance taken two Wives, Adah and Zillah, the one that set her felicity on painting of her face, like Jezabel, in the second of the Kings the tenth chapter, the other to be to him as Herodias was to Herod, Matthew the fourteenth chapter. When God for all this spared Lamech, and did not punish him as he deserved, but rather blessed him with Children and earthly prosperity; yet he is not any thing the better for God's mercy, but grows from one sin to another, till his sin became as the Apostle speaketh, Romans the seventh chapter, Out of measure sinful, and till the chief sin appear in him, which is even the head of the Serpent: In whom we find that verified which the Preacher saith, Ecclesiastes the eighth chapter and the eleventh verse, that if God presently punish any sin, he is counted cruel, But when sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, than the hearts of the children of men are fully set to do evil: as the Apostle also showeth, That whereas God's patience and long-suffering should lead us to repentance, the wicked abuse his goodness, and take occasion thereby to add sin to sin, and so to heap up wrath for themselves against the day of wrath, Romans the second chapter and the fourth and fist verses. The discovering of these sins is plainly opened in this oration which Lamech makes to his Wives; for sin discloseth itself two ways, either by cain's way, that is, by the eye or countenance; as Cain when his heart grew malicious, shown it presently in his countenance, verse the fifteenth, or else Lameches way, that is, by the some or froth of the mouth; for we see here according to Christ's rule, Matthew the twelfth chapter, That Lameches mouth speaketh from the abundance of his heart, for the tongue is the Trumpet of the mind; and as a Galilean may be known by his speech, Matthew the twenty sixth chapter, so by a man's talk it will appear how his heart is affected. His speech consists first of a preface (Hear my voice ye wives of Lamech, harken to my words.) Secondly, the body of his oration, (I have killed [or will kill] a man in my wound, and a young man in my hurt.) Thirdly, If Cain shall be avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy times seven times. In which words he saith in effect, that he will neither do right not suffer wrong. His Preface we see is a solemn and grave Speech, as if Solomon himself were delivering some great piece of wisdom, or as if some Prophet were to declare some weighty matter in the name of the Lord. That we may see, that the wicked are as careful in stirring up the hearers to hear their blasphemies, as the Prophets and Saints of God are to crave attention to their heavenly doctrine. They are like the words of Jacob to his Children, Genesis the forty ninth chapter and the second verse, Hear ye Sons of Jacob, harken to Israel your Father: where, to hearken is more than to hear, and the speech is more than the voice; whereby Lamech willeth his Wives with all attention to bow their ears to that which he saith; which showeth that he imagined that which he spoke was some great matter, whereas indeed it is nothing but a vain boasting of his power, that he can do mischief, Psalm the fifty second, for the Prophet saith, That the great men speak out the corruption of their hearts, and they wrap it up, Micah the seventh chapter and the third verse; and so doth this great Giant Lamech: we see by his words he hath this opinion, that he ought to be heard being a man of this power. For as the Wiseman saith of the practice of the world, If the rich man speaks, all must hearken to his word, but the poor when he speaks cannot be heard: but see what is the effect of his speech for all his good preface; therefore we must not presently impute wisdom to every one that beginneth in this solemn manner. Of the body of his Oration be two parts, First a proclaiming to the world What he will do if he be touched, Secondly, If Cain be avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy times seven fold. Of the former there are two readings; the one is, I have slain a man being but wounded, and killed a young man in my hurt. The latter is, I would kill a man. If it be the former, it is a Commemoration; If the latter a Commination, wherein he breatheth forth threaten, as Saul did Acts the eighth chapter, against any that should do him wrong: The one is a bragging of his strength, that he feels himself so strong, as if he were wounded, yet he is able to be avenged of him that shall touch him: The other shows his vindicative spirit, that is so far from suffering, that if he be but touched, he will kill: he threatens pro vulnere mortem. In the first, by that which the Apostle saith, in the second to the Corinthians the tenth chapter, That if God give strength and power to any man, it is not to destroy, but to 〈◊〉: We see it is no true boasting which Lamech makes, he doth not boast aright that saith, he is of strength to do hurt: the commendation of strength is not in killing and wounding, but in saving and defence. For the second interpretation we are to know it is no just dealing, to kill him that hath but inflicted a wound; for justice is, there should be talio, wound for wound, and not death for a wound. If it be read as the Fathers read it (I have killed a man in my wound) than it is a confession. Now we know confessions proceed of repentance, but that was not the cause of Lameches confession, for than he would not have chosen these confessions, but it is in the spirit of arrogancy that he confesseth to his wives what he hath done: He saith that when he had killed one man in his wound, than he proceeded to kill a young man, that is, he added blood to blood. It is enough for a man to sin, though he do not brag of it, but when they do as the Sodomites did, that is, praedicare peccata sua, Isaiah the third chapter and the ninth verse; then they are come to the 〈◊〉 of wickedness, if they brag of their sin, and are so far from sorrowing for their fin, that they seek applause for it, as if they had done well. This preaching of sin, and that rejoying in wickedness, which the Wiseman speaks of, Proverbs the second chapter and the fourteenth verse, exultat in rebus 〈◊〉, falls upon none but such as are in profundo peccatorum, that is, grievous sins, and at the pitch of all naughtiness. Naturally men are ashamed of sin, and it is a sign of grace so to be affected; therefore the Lord saith, Jeremiah the eighth chapter and the twelfth verse, Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? but where instead of covering their faces with shame for sin, Men have 〈◊〉 foreheads, and will not be ashamed, Jeremiah the third chapter and the third verse, that is a sin out of measure sinful; for shame is a 〈◊〉 of that singultus cordis, that is, of that inward grief of heart, in the first of Samuel the twenty fift chapter, which they conceive that they have offended God; but when instead of sorrow and shame, there is an exaltation, or rejoicing, of the evil they have done, and a hardness of heart, so as they cannot be touched with any grief of their 〈◊〉: These are the tokens of one that is past grace, and these appeared in Lamech, of whom the Apostles words are verified, That his shame is his glory, Philippians the third chapter: In both these he justifieth Cain, for he was ashamed to confess that he had killed Abel, and therefore answered the Lord, I know not, am I my brother's keeper? and after he is very sorry and greatly cast down, and therefore saith My sin is greater than can be pardoned. This is it we learn in the 〈◊〉 part. The second is worse, for where there is no shame there may be fear; He that hath lost shame for 〈◊〉 is like the beast, 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 ninth, for the beast is not ashamed of any thing: but though 〈◊〉 beasts be without shame, yet they have fear, for they will 〈◊〉 willingly run into the fire, it is so terrible to them; therefore he that feareth not when he 〈◊〉 the danger of sin, he is 〈◊〉 than a 〈◊〉, yea, than the Devils themselves, Who 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 the second chapter: Therefore where as 〈◊〉 is not 〈◊〉 to kill and murder him that should but wound him, having not 〈…〉 That if a man 〈◊〉 evil sin 〈◊〉 at the door; but 〈◊〉 an 〈◊〉 of God's wrath upon Cain for murder, that is a sign that his 〈◊〉 is greatly hardened. A man would think the very 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be odious considering his horrible sin, and the 〈…〉 which God laid upon him for it; but here we 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 names Cain himself, as before he called his Son 〈…〉, 〈◊〉 that he is not 〈◊〉 that the name of Cain should 〈…〉, so that he is without all fear of the example of cain's 〈◊〉 for he treads it under foot; and this is a signs of 〈…〉, when exemplary punishments will not make a man afraid. 〈◊〉 yet we see not the height of his sin, 〈◊〉 having both cast of 〈◊〉, and buried all fear, both of God and man, he 〈…〉 Gods 〈◊〉, and contemns them, (If Cain be avenged seven fold, then Lamech seventy times seven fold) which being the very words of God as we see verse the fifteenth, as God himself spoke to the wicked, Psalm the fiftieth, Why dost thou preach my law, and take my covenant in thy mouth? so it may be said, what should Lamech do with God's words in his mouth? if he did call them to mind to the end they might convert him, it were well, but he perverts the words of God, and scoffs at them. (If Cain be avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy times seven times). Wherein first he saith he will be revenged; Secondly he argues, if Cain, then much more he; Thirdly, he goeth further, and because some might say to him, why? you may be killed yourself, you are but a man; therefore he answers, let him kill me that will, he that kills me shall be avenged seventy times. If Cain shall be avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy times seven times, as if he should say, now is the seventh generation ended. Though cain's posterity be most profane, yet it doth as well as Seths, for we are Great Graziers of , we have Instruments of music; therefore that which God said of cain's punishment (If thou do evil sin lieth at the door) is nothing so; Lamech doth, like an Infidel, say, all that God saith is nothing. But if we yet look more narrowly into this speech of Lamech, there is a further thing in it; for if he argues thus, (if Cain be avenged seven times, then Lamech much more) What is his ground to make this conclusion? Surely this wicked persuasion, That the more a man sinneth, the more he shall be respected of God: for Lamech was the greater sinner; Cain contented himself with one wife, but Lamech took a second; Cain killed but one, but Lamech first killed one, after he killed another, and therein justifieth Cain as an Innocent, in respect of himself: cain's offence was sub lege occultâ, he heard no more, But that if thou do evil sin lieth at the door, but Lameches sin is sub lege manifestâ, for he seethe an example of God's punishment upon Cain for his murder; therefore seeing Lamech is the greater Offender, and seeing pro mensura peccati erit & plagarum modus, Deuteronomie the twenty fift chapter; it stands not in reason, that if Cain being a lesser sinner, be avenged seven times, that Lamech being a greater offender, shall be avenged seventy times seven times; therefore this is open blasphemy against the justice of God, who, as the sin is greater, so inflicts a greater punishment. He reasons thus, seeing God will avenge a murderer it is a sign he loves them, therefore he will love me; for Cain was but a young murderer, he killed but one; but I am an ancient practiser of this sin, I have killed two; therefore he will see that I shall be much more avenged; as if he should say, the more sinner a man is, the more he shall be favoured of God. That is his reasoning. One step further we are yet to arise in the consideration of his argument; for thus he saith, God hath prophesied concerning Cain, that he that killeth shall be avenged seven times; and I will prophesy concerning myself, if any kill me, he leaves not vengeance to God, but chooseth vengeance for himself: cain's seven times will not serve him, but he must be avenged seventy times more. If we lay these things together, that is, his vain boasting and his threatening, with the irreligious and most wicked consequence that he 〈◊〉, that if God respect Cain a sinner, he will much more respect him, because he is a greater sinner: This will show that Lamech is not only past shame, but without all fear: he is so far from shame and grieving for his sin, that he brags of it. If this be not the Serpent's head, and the chief sin that can be; that is the breathing out of blasphemies against God, and threaten against man, I know not what is. It we compare Lamech, the Serpent's seed, with Christ the seed of the woman, we shall see that he being asked of Peter, how oft he should forgive his brother, Matthew the eighteenth chapter, useth the same styles concerning mercy and forgiveness, which Lamech useth touching revenge, that is, to forgive till seventy times seven times: whereby he teacheth Peter to multiply forgiveness, because he himself shall need to have many sins forgiven him, to teach us that in showing mercy, we must follow the rule which the wicked keep in revenge. We see Christ's testament for the shedding of blood, that he will have mercy showed, but Lamech will have revenge extended to seventy times seven times, whereas Christ will have mercy extended: The one is the corrupter of charity, the other the restorer; therefore we must hearken to him; we see what became of Lamech and his posterity. Job saith of them, that as the floods of wickedness went over their soul, so it brought upon them a flood of water, whereby the whole world was drowned, and then those mighty Giant's gemebant sub aquis. These things being before us, serve 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to prove us, & correct us, that we grow not past shame, past grief and 〈◊〉, that we shall not into that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Ephesians the fourth chapter, that is, without all feeling and fear to sin with greediness; for then are we worse than bruit beasts. We must therefore take 〈◊〉 of Lameches example, in using God's word, to jest and 〈◊〉 at it. Though we cannot burr sin, yet we must keep 〈◊〉 in our 〈◊〉, and blush at the consideration of our sins, and not sear our consciences, as with a hot iron, in the first epistle to Timothy, the 〈…〉; but be sorry that we have offended, and fear the 〈◊〉 of God, which we see 〈◊〉 upon others: But if these passions of Lamech do overtake us, we are in a 〈◊〉 case, and in the 〈◊〉 of sin: We must show out selves as 〈◊〉 in doing good, as he boasted he was mighty in doing evil. Cognovit autem denuo Adam uxorem suam, quae peperit filium, & vocavit nomen ejus Schethum: nam reposuit mihi Deus, inquit, semen alterum pro Hebelo, quum ipsum interfecit Kajin. Gen. 4. 25. Januar, 27. 1599 THIS verse containeth the birth of Seth; and it is as the Sun coming out of a thick cloud, or as a fair day after a storm: For in the eight former verses, there hath not been any mention made of God or godliness, but marriage upon marriage, murder upon murder, vaunting of fin past and to come, deriding of God, and his holy word, as if he were a person that favoured wicked men; and not contenting himself with the punishment which God inflicted, but a devising a new kind of revenge, as we see in Lamech, who not contented with the punishment which God appointed for murderers, that is, seven times, would challenge to himself seventy times seven times. Now at last we come to a verse that hath the mention and name of God, and of a good man, of whom a succession of good men should be raised. And it was fit that the Man of God, Moses, should keep this order, because the faith of Adam and Eve might quail, and they might think God not true of his promise, in regard of that which they saw: For as for the threatening which God denounced against Cain, we see it is not performed; but Cain and his posterity, in stead of being plagued for his wickedness, grow to be great men, rich Grasyers', such as have all things that tend either to delight or defence: As for Adam's promise, which was, That the seed of the woman should bruise the Serpent's head, it fell out clean contrary: for we see to what a great number the spawn of the Serpent was grown; when as there was none of the Woman's seed: And whereas God promised the Woman's seed should bruise the head of the Serpent, we see the spawn of the Serpent 〈◊〉 the head of the Woman's seed: For Abel who was the Woman's seed, is slain by Cain, who was of the Serpent's seed; which falls out many times in the world. The promise made to Noah was, That Cham should be a servant, Genesis the ninth chapter; and yet we see it fell out clean contrary; for, Genesis the tenth chapter, 〈◊〉 who was of Cham's race, was the first Emperor upon earth. And in the new Testament, the people of God when Christ was born, were in that state, that Herod an Edomite was become their King, Matthew the seoond chapter. That we may see, that as the Prophet speaks, in the one hundred and ninteenth Rsalm, and the hundred twenty sixth verse, Than it is time for God to lay to his hand, when mankind looking into his word, and seeing that it is not fulfilled which God hath spoken, do decay in faith, that he may show himself a true God, and able to accomplish that which he doth either promise or threaten; that so the faith that was yet left upon earth, might revive and take breath again. The verse itself consisteth of two parts: First, Adam's knowledge of his Wife. Secondly, The nativity of Seth. For the first: Not to say any thing of the term which Moses useth which is Adam's knowledge; for that we have handled it heretofore, we will consider the word iterum, which gives us plainly to know that for a great while Adam gave over that Act, being stricken and amazed with this consideration, that one brother should kill another; that is, in bewailing Abel that was 〈◊〉, and Cain that was cut off from the Church: Adam and Eve were in this state of mind, that they were as it were dead, seeing their first Offspring sped so unhappily, that the one was slain bodily, the other was under the sentence of death both of body and soul: when I say they considered that they should either beget children to be murdered, which was Abel's case, or else to be cast into hell in respect of Cain, it made them say with Rebecca, Genesis the twenty fift chapter and the twenty second verse, si mihi sic futurum est quia necesse est parere; for these considerations they had clean given over. Out of which example of Adam and Eve, we learn to conform ourselves to crosses and heavy accidents as God layeth upon us, that is, to forbear and give over matters of pleasure when God calls us to mourning; for it is a thing agreeable to Gods will: If when the Lord God of hosts shall call to weeping and mourning, there be nothing but joy and 〈◊〉, slaying of Oxen, etc. the Lord himself sayeth, that is a sin which shall not be pardoned, or purged with any sacrifice, till they die, Isaiah the twenty second chapter and the twelfth verse: It is that which Christ teacheth, Matthew the ninth chapter and the fifteenth verse, When the Bridegroom shall be taken away, then shall they mourn and fast; that is, when either he shall be taken from us, or when men shall drive him from them by their sins, than there is cause of mourning and sorrow: Therefore we see albeit it was Gods will, that Aaron and his Children should eat the offerings of the Children of Israel, yet he refused to eat them in regard of the Judgements of God upon Nadab and Abihu his Sons, saying, Thou knowest such and such things have come to me this day; and if I had eaten the sin-offering, 〈◊〉 it have been accepted in the sight of the Lord? 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 chapter and the ninteenth verse: Therefore David mourned so for the death of Abner, that he said, God do so to me, and more, if I eat bread, or 〈◊〉 else, till the Sun be down, in the second of Samuel, the third chapter, and the thirty fift verse. But hence there appears another thing unto us, which is, that 〈◊〉 and earthly sorrow in a natural man, is a thing stronger than any worldly pleasure, that in regard of the natural man, there is more strength in grief than in pleasure or joy; for if a man have 〈◊〉 in never so much pleasure all 〈◊〉 life, yet if he come to a little sickness, it takes away all remembrance of his former pleasure. And this is a means to make a man think of such an estate, Wherein he may have that pleasure and joy, which shall not be taken from him, as Christ speaketh, John the sixteenth chapter and the twenty second verse. Now when Adam had relieved himself with this cogitation, that as the Prophet speaks, Psalm the eighty ninth, God hath not made all men for nought, it made him to return; whereupon there followed by God's blessing, not only a seed, but a chosen and holy seed, that is Seth. Concerning whom, first we will speak of his birth, wherein we have this to observe, that those Children whom God gives to Parents upon a plentiful contrition and repentance, do usually prove men excellent in all spiritual graces. The first example hereof is Seth, who is not only the foundation of the Church, but of mankind; for since the flood all the Sons of men are called the Children of Seth. It is also showed in Joseph, whom God gave to Rachel, having opened her womb which before was shut up, so as she was barren, Genesis the thirtieth chapter, and the twenty second verse: It also appeared in Hannah, who having bewailed her own case in the bitterness of her soul, received from the Lord a blessed seed, that was Samuel, who restored religion, and settled the state of the Kingdom, in the first of Samuel, the first chapter, and the sixteenth verse; but it is most plain in the birth of Solomon; for after David's great fall, and the grievous punishment that God laid upon him, upon his great repentance, which followed, whereof, the fifty first Psalm, is a perpetual monument, God gave him a Son, that was Solomon, the like whereof was never before, nor hath been since, in the second of Samuel, the twelfth chapter. As on the other side, they that are born according to the flesh, and begotten in the strength of nature, prove wild and rebellious, as Israel and Absolom, and of a contrary disposition to them that are born to them that are in the state of grace. Secondly, For his name, and that little Sermon which Eve makes touching his name, that is, she called him Seth, and renders a reason, quia posuit eum 〈◊〉 semen aliud pro Abele, quem occidit Cain. In which Sermon there is no one word, which hath not its several sense. It is said, First, He is positus. Secondly, By God. Thirdly, As a seed. Fourthly, Another seed. Fiftly, instead of Abel. Sixthly, Of Abel whom Cain slew. For the term of putting or setting, we have it in the third chapter of Genesis, and the fifteenth verse; where God saith, I will put enmity; Psalm the hundred forty eighth, He sets them a law; Proverbs the twenty second chapter and the twenty eighth verse, Remove not the ancient bounds which thy Fathers have set; in the first epistle of John the fifth chapter, The whole world is set on mischief: By which setting or putting is added steadiness and permanency: But we shall see the nature of the word most plainly, in the twenty vl chapter of 〈◊〉, Pono in Zion lapidem; where it is used for laying a foundation, or for the setting of a rift, or graft, or root, which, as we know, is set to grow, and not to be pulled up by and by; there is the sense of the word set or put: In which sense it is not only referred 〈◊〉 to Abel, who, as we know, was a transitory, and no permanent seed; for he was no sooner showed to the world, but presently he 〈◊〉 as taken away, as one of whom the world was unworthy, Hebrews the eleventh chapter; But also to Cain, whose land was the land of Nod: To teach us, That in the felicity of God's Saints, there is steadiness and continuance; but as for the pleasures of the wicked, they continue not one hour, but are uncertain. So that it is in effect as if God should say, before indeed I gave Abel, but it was not my mind to have him continue; but this seed, whom I will give Adam, shall stay, so as neither Cain, nor Lamech, nor the gates of hell shall prevail against him, Matthew the sixteenth chapter: That is the meaning of the word (set or put) which was the first observation. And this setting or putting receives great strength from the setter, that is God; whole weakness is stronger than the strength of man: And therefore look what he sets shall continue; to teach us, that albeit the first Saint was taken away, yet now he will have Saints to continue: They shall not only be showed to the world, but shall have a foundation, and take root, being set by God. Touching the wicked, Eliphaz saith, Their foundation is as an overflowing of water, for they shall be carried away, as cain's posterity was, with a flood, Job the twenty second chapter, and the sixteenth verse: But the righteous shall have an everlasting foundation, Proverbs the tenth chapter: For as when God will have a thing crooked, no man can it make straight, Ecclesiastes the seventh chapter and the fifteenth verse; so what God will 〈◊〉, and have to take root, it cannot be pulled up or removed; Positi sunt ad hoc, saith the Apostle, in the first epistle of Peter, the fourth chapter and the second verse; and in the eighth verse, They were ordained to stumble at the word. Therefore being appointed by God to that end, it is impossible they should be otherwise: That is for the wicked. On the other side, Whom Christ taketh to his custody, he saith of them, in the tenth chapter of St. John, No man shall take them out of mine hand; and as the Apostle saith, in the second to 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 second chapter and the nineteenth verse, The foundation of God abideth sure and steadfast, Novit 〈◊〉 qui sunt 〈◊〉; near 〈◊〉 this is that which the Apostle calls deposition, that is, 〈◊〉 thing 〈◊〉 to trust, in the second to Timothy, the first chapter, and the fourteenth verse, for even so God will have Saints, and the 〈◊〉 of the godly, to continue in the world, till he come to call them out of it. Thirdly, it is said of Seth he is positus in semen, for there is a person that is no seed, that was Abel; before God gave a man to Adam, but he gave no seed to him; for that is called seed of which there grows something: But of Abel there came no 〈◊〉 or seed 〈◊〉; but as it is said of Christ, that when he shall lay down his life, videbit semen longaevum, Isaiah the fifty third chapter, that is a seed, though not issuing out of his loins, yet 〈◊〉 from his spirit. So we are to understand that spiritually there came a seed of Abel, for there is a spiritual generation as well as a carnal; so spiritually Elisha was the Child of Elias, because the spirit of Elias was doubled upon him, in the second of Kings, the second chapter; and John Baptist is called Elias, Matthew the seventeenth chapter, because in these graces of the spirit that was in Elias, he resembled him, as the Child doth the Father. It is the saying of the Prophet, Isaiah the sixth chapter, semen sanctum est substantia mundi, and therefore Seth is appointed and set by God to be the spiritual seed of the Church, as the seed of mankind by carnal generation. Fourthly, But why should God need to give Adam and Eve seed, he had seed enough already, that was Cain and his posterity, which were come to seventy seven persons, yea, but they are not content with that seed, but would have another. cain's seed pleaseth them not, therefore they are earnest Suitors to God, for a holy seed. As God promised Abraham first a seed that should be sicut pulvis terrae, Genesis the thirteenth chapter and the sixteenth verse, that is such as should grow in the earth, and set their affections therein; and after another that should be sicut stellae coeli, Genesis the eighteenth chapter, that is such a seed as should set their minds in heaven, and seek for a heavenly country, Hebrews the eleventh chapter; So adam's two seeds, first Cain and his posterity, which were like the dust of the earth, such as were earthly affected; and therefore they would have another seed like the stars of heaven, such as should have their conversation in heaven; it is that which the Prophet tells us, there is semen nequam, Isaiah the first chapter, that is, a naughty and corrupt seed, such was the seed of Cain: and there is semen sanctum, Isaiah the sixth chapter, such a seed was it that Adam desired: Cain was a naughty seed, but they would have a holy seed; for there is not only good seed, but tares as Christ showeth, Matthew the thirteenth chapter. Such is the difference that is in seeds: A holy seed is such as shall sinne, but yet shall not do sin, in the first epistle of John the third chapter, that is not operarius iniquitatis, Matthew the seventh chapter, because the seed of God is in them; but they that sell themselves to all manner of sin, are the corrupt seed, such as power out themselves to all wickedness, because they have not the seed of God in them, but the Serpent's seed, of whom it may be said, verò ex patre Diabilo estis, John the eighth chapter. Fiftly, This other seed might be another seed, yet not like Abel, that is a seed more civil and temperate in the course of this life than Cain was, and his posterity, but they desire a seed for Abel, that is, such another seed as Abel was: They desire a Child not simply, but pro Abele, that is, such a Child in whom they may find the spirit of Abel, that they might say here is another Abel, that though Abel be taken off, yet there might another like Abel be ingraffed. The last point is in these words, For Abel (whom Cain 〈◊〉) There were many things that Cain could endure well enough in Abel, but the cause why he 〈◊〉 him, was, for that he had a desire to please God, and to sacrifice to him in the best 〈…〉 could; his desire was to offer plurimam hostiam, 〈◊〉 the eleventh chapter and the fourth verse, that is a Sacrifice that should be in 〈◊〉 more, and in quality de 〈◊〉, of the best of his sheep; so they would not only have one religious as Abel, but one that should be opposite to Cain, and as it were the Heir of Abel's 〈◊〉, one that might accomplish that which was lacking on Abel's part, in the first to the Thessalonians, the third chapter, and the 〈◊〉 verse 〈◊〉 as then, he that was born after the flesh persecuted him 〈◊〉 was born after the spirit, Galatians the fourth chapter; so they might have one to maintain his quarrel, and might uphold that holy seed. Concerning which, as God hath a purpose, that the patience of his Saints should appear, Romans the ninteenth chapter, 〈…〉 patientia Sanctorum, for which cause he suffers Abel to be 〈◊〉; so he will have his providence appear too, and therefore he sets up Seth, so as Tubal-Cain with all his armour shall not remove him: So we see in every of these words there is a power. They would have this other seed like Abel in all things, saving in this, that Abel was but shown only to the world, but they would have Seth a permanent seed. So doth God make the distinction between his Saints; to some he saith, as to Peter, John the twenty first chapter, Fellow me, that by thy death thou mayst glorify me: Of others he saith, as of John the Evangelist, I will have thee tarry still, that is, he will have some Saints to be 〈◊〉, as Peter, and others he would have to live out all the days of their life, as John the Evangelist; and John that dieth in Domino, is no less blessed 〈◊〉 Peter, that dieth pro Domino: So 〈◊〉 he would have Abel 〈◊〉 taken a way, and 〈◊〉 to live out the course of nature, yet the one is no less acceptable to him than the other. Lastly, These words contain a plain 〈◊〉 of Eve, not only in regard of her stile; for of Cain she said, I have obtained a man of the Lord, but of Seth, Deus posuit: The one is 〈◊〉 Evae, the other positio Del. But in regard of that account which now she makes of Cain, Why should not Cain be still her Jewel as before; for he lives still, and hath a great and mighty seed? She faith, the cares not 〈◊〉 him, for that he is cut off from God's Church, a stranger from the promises of God. And as for Abel whom before she 〈…〉 now she desires one like him, though he should be 〈…〉 Abel 〈◊〉 So she condemns herself for having so great a 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉; 〈◊〉 Wisdom at last is justified of her Children: For a time 〈◊〉 〈…〉 accounted of, but at last Abel shall be found to be 〈…〉 case. Out of which we see that which the Prophet 〈◊〉, That men must not make too much 〈◊〉 in 〈…〉, Isay 〈◊〉 twenty 〈◊〉 chapter; if the Lord 〈◊〉, and come not so soon as we 〈◊〉, we must wait, and he that 〈◊〉 will come, Hebrews the second chapter. Give not over if Abel be lost, God will provide another seed. Secondly, We see here the propriety of the Church; it is a thing set, as the Prophet speaks, in the twenty eighth chapter of Isaiah, I will lay a Stone in Zion, a chief corner Stone, upon which Stone the Church is built, so as the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, Matthew the sixteenth chapter: Therefore the Apostle saith, Colossians the first chapter, the faithful are radicati & fundati in fide; whereupon it followeth, that as God himself is from everlasting, and world without end, Psalm the nintieth, so he will be with his Church to the end of the world, Matthew the eighteenth chapter; so we see there is a reward for the righteous: though he were killed touching the body, yet he lives still in heaven. And now in as much as there is one like Abel, he revives in earth, and so he hath his reward in heaven and earth: Howsoever, before Cain was preferred before Abel, yet now by the testimony of Adam and Eve, is counted one not worthy the ground that he treads upon, but Abel is acknowledged to be a great blessing, and therefore hath his desire, one like him. Sed & ipsi Schetho genitus est filius, cujus nomen vocavit Enoschum: tunc coeptum est invocari nomen Jehovae. Gen. 4. 26. Februar. 17. 1599 YOU see here, that albeit Moses might have deferred these two verses to the next chapter, wherein he draws down the genealogy of the godly seed, yet he could not contain himself, but before he concludes this chapter, he will make some mention of some that regard the worship of God; as well to show that God did not clean forget his promise, and his people; as also that he might counterpoise the evil of the wicked that went before; as last of all, that he might make a good conclusion, that as he had a good beginning in Abel's oblation, so he might end it well in the invocation of Enosh; and he doth end with Enoshes invocation with respect partly to Seth his Father, and partly to Enoch cain's Son: As Cain and Seth matches, so do Enoch and Enosh. On the behalf of Seth, we say that Moses having laid a foundation which was (posuit deus,) in this verse he adds roof: for invocation is not made till the Temple be finished: and so in these two verses he comprehends the state of the Church. In the first, is the promise of God; in the second, the name of God. In which two is contained the duty of the whole worship of God. On the other side, that there might be a counterpoise and opposition between the contrary parties; as Seth is opposed to Cain, so Enosh stands against Enoch. For as we see there was a City built on the one side, so on the other side there must be something built for the defence of the seed of the Godly: There must be some fence for Seth and his seed, as Cain and Enoch had theirs: Therefore here is that which is called turris fortissima, Proverbs the eighteenth chapter, that is nomen domini, and it stands in opposition not only against him, but against all the rest, to counterpoise Jabal, Jubal, and Tubal Cain. First, against the wealth that Jabal brought in here, is the fear of the Lord, as Abraham, Genesis the twentieth chapter, whereof the Prophet saith, Isaiah the thirty third chapter and the sixth verse, Timor Domini the saurus. Secondly, Against the pleasures and delights of Jubals invention of music, we have another pleasure in the Psalms, Psalms the sixty third, My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. Thirdly, Against the strength and power of Tubal Cain that deviseth weapons for war, we have another kind of armour, Psalm the twentieth, Illi in curribus & in equis, nos autem in nomine domini dei nostri invocabimus: So we see that which is ascribed to Enosh, doth answer not only Enoch, but all the rest. As on the one side in respect of Seth, when we read that God gave him a seed, we shown that it was a holy seed, that he was the first that called on the name of the Lord: so on the other side in respect of Enosh and Enoch; as we see a City, so a Church; as in Enoch a state civil, so in Enosh a state ecclesiastical; as there we had a company of men that placed their vocation in things of this life, so here we have another company, whose vocation is an invocation, that is, to adore and call upon the name of the Lord. As if Moses should say by way of apology, that they were not a seed alone, but there is another seed; and as cain's posterity boasted themselves in earthly matters, so Seths' seed was employed in the service of God, which Moses opposeth against Enoch and the rest: For when, as the Prophet speaks, there is more spent in the making of Mattocks and Swords, that is a state civil; but when more time and pains is bestowed in the safeguard and protection of the Church, than upon Lawyers: and that shows a state ecclesiastical. This shall suffice for the dependence of this verse. I come to the verse itself consisting of two parts: First, the birth and name of Enosh, Secondly, the invocation of the name of the Lord. First, the name Enosh signifies, a man, according to the four words in the holy tongue, and it gives us to understand thus much, that the conceit of the Holy Ghost is, that that party that hath sense of God and his worship, and of spiritual things, as the invocation of the name of God, is to be called a man, otherwise he is like a beast, Psalm the forty ninth, and no man; for that the God of heaven should receive no more honour and service from men than from bruit beasts, it is too unreasonable, seeing God hath endued man with reason; and therefore that which offereth itself here is, that Enosh from his invocation of the name of the Lord, took his manhood, that thereby it appeared that he was a man, and not a bruit beast: But as he signifies a man, so not every man; but as Adam is a person taken out of the mould of the earth, so Enosh is a name pertaining to humility, and signifies a person that is lowly: The one was manipulus terrae, the other cumulus miseriae, so that there is a name from the mould, whereof man is made, and into which he is cast, the consideration whereof is able to take down our pride; or if not that of Adam: The other name Enosh, whereby we see that this man, that is made of the mould of the earth, is subject to so many miseries, sicknesses, sorrows, and calamities. For the occasion of this name giving, there was a kind of emulation between the one side and the other; as on the one side, the one called his Son Enoch, so the other Enosh; the one Irad, the other Jerad; the one Mehujael, the other Methushael, which was done in this respect, to show that another manner of contemplation occupies the heads of the Children of God, than the terrestrial dedication of the seed of the wicked: But especially this was done in respect of the Prophecy, to show how Seth did see that the Serpent slept not, but was hewing out a cross and calamities for the Godly, and that Enoch had built a City and walls against the Church, and Tubal-Cain had invented weapons of war, and prepared armour against Seth. Therefore as Genesis the tenth chapter and the twenty fift verse, Eber calls his Son's name Peleg, because the division of the earth was in his days; so here Seths' Son is called Enosh, in respect of the crosses and tribulations that the Sons of men are subject unto; and that is one mystery that the Fathers make of this place, that none should imagine Seth to be without his Enosh, that upon the godly the surges of the Sea shall arise, but not overwhelm them; and that the gates of hell shall not prevail against them, Matthew the sixteenth chapter, but that he that grounds himself upon the worship of God by true invocation, shall be , and yet not without persecutions. And that is the first point, that to Seth is born Enosh. The reason why God sends crosses and afflictions to men, is to try them, whether they be rooted and grounded in faith, Colossians the second chapter and the twenty seventh verse; and as in the first to the Corinthians, the eleventh chapter and the ninteenth verse, He suffers heresies, that they which are approved may be known; as also, because if men were not sometime perplexed, and pressed down with afflictions, so as neither reason can relieve them, nor the hand of flesh able to deliver them, when they cannot help themselves, but as past hope of remedy, they may ascribe their deliverance to God, and not to their own counsels or force. Secondly, That it hangs well together, that this exercise of invocation and prayer should arise from Enosh, for, James the fift chapter and the thirteenth verse, If any be afflicted let him pray; and therefore such prayer is called oratio afflicti, Psalm the hundred and second and the seventeenth verse. As Abel's oblation belongs to the days of peace and prosperity; so Enosh's invocation belongs to the days of affliction and misery. when a man is strong to resist, and full of vital heat and spirit, than he cannot skill of invocation; but let God make him Enosh, and then he will begin to call upon the name of the Lord. Thirdly, In respect that it shows what manner of Preacher it should be, that is, he must be one of the sons of Seth, that is, one of the Church; for the prayer of a faithful man availeth much. Also it must be Enosh's prayer, that is, of one that is humble, as the Publicans prayer, Luke the eighteenth chapter; so that the name of Enosh, in respect of Seth, shows, that Christ shall not be without his Cross, nor Christ's Church without theirs. And in respect of himself it shows, what shall be the afflictions of those that shall be thus called. Touching his Invocation, It is the title that it pleaseth the Holy Ghost to set out Enosh by, and it is an excellent title, 〈◊〉 chrysostom, that Enosh should be the first that called upon the Name of the Lord: It was more honourable to him, than to wear any gorgeous apparel, or Jewels whatsoever. In this part are two things: The nature of Invocation, and the beginning of it, set down in these words 〈◊〉 est. First for the nature of Invocation; Invocare 〈◊〉 vocare Deum, in se, or ex se; and it is a special point: Many would have God about them, or near them, but not in them; for than they must look to govern their actions well. When men lay siege to a Town, they do not think it sufficient to have them without, but they desire to get them within: Such an affection is required of them, say the ancient Writers, that will truly call upon God. For the manner, we must say with the Apostle, in the first epistle of John, the fourth chapter and the fourth verse, Major est qui intus quàm qui extrà. Now for the Name of God; It is no unreasonable thing that we should call upon the name of those which we never saw; for as we know, those that dwell in the west & northward parts, they believe & obey the word and 〈◊〉 that comes in the Princess' name, and by that 〈◊〉 they arm and disarm themselves, and are ready to 〈◊〉 death; howbeit they never saw her, nor look to see her, but only because it comes in her name: It is therefore currant they 〈◊〉 such a Princess there is, therefore they receive the word as coming out of the mouth of the Princess herself, and obey 〈◊〉 So we see what Invocation is, and that the name of God is 〈◊〉 be invocated. Now to put a difference between these three, First, to call upon God; Secondly, upon the name of God; Thirdly, in the name of God. We say to call upon God is an expressing or 〈◊〉 of the desire that we have of his presence, as all the creatures 〈◊〉 For the young Ravens call upon him, in the one hundred forty 〈◊〉 Psalm and the ninth verse, and in the eighth chapter of the 〈◊〉 and the twentieth verse, Omnis creatura 〈◊〉, and that 〈◊〉 be done when a man saith nothing, but only in his soul 〈◊〉, as Hannah, in the first of Samuel, the first chapter, and the thirteenth verse, and Moses, in the fourteenth chapter of Exodus and the fifteenth verse, Why prayest thou to me? when no words were uttered; that is, an internal & spiritual praying between God and us, which all the creatures have, but the invocation upon the name of God is a thing external, as the Psalmist speaks, Psalm 77. and the 1. verse, I will cry to God with my voice, and in the one hundred and sixteenth Psalm, and the fourth verse, I will call upon the name of the Lord, saying, Lord I beseech thee deliver my soul: So that Moses meaning is to show, that not only an internal calling upon the name of God by desires, but that then there began an external and vocal serving of God, with a profession of religion. Now to invocate in the name, is one thing, and to invocate upon the name of God, is another; the one is the party that is called upon, the other 〈◊〉 out the party in whose name he is called upon, which shows the persons distinct in the deity, as our Saviour expounds it, in the sixteenth chapter of John, and the twenty third verse, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you: There is both God the Father that is called upon, and Christ the Son, in whose name we pray. That is the difference between the two names, that is, they put not their trust in their own names, or in the arm of flesh, or in any other humane name, but in God; and not only invocate God, but they invocate him in nomine, that is in the name of another, And there is no other name given by which we shall be saved, but the name of Jesus, Acts the fourth chapter and the twelfth verse; and as in the first to the Corinthians, the third chapter and the eleventh verse, Other foundation then that can no man lay. Now whereas we have in this verse, in nomine Dei, and semen aliud, in the former he shows plainly what he means by posuit deus semen aliud, viz. that there is a person that shall be our seed, in whose name we are to trust, and invocate God: so that in these verses the mystery of Christ's incarnation is plainly expressed to those that shall well look into it. Now it is plain when he speaks of invocation, he means not prayer only, but by a part he expresseth the whole, which is by a Synecdoche, as in the second chapter of Joel and the twenty third verse, Every one that calls upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved, which is repeated by the Apostle, Romans the tenth chapter and the fourteenth verse; but you must mark what he saith after, How shall they call upon him, in whom they have not believed? there is faith required: Then he goes a step farther, How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? as if he should say it is impossible; therefore hearing is necessary: And how shall they hear without a Preacher? there is the office of preaching: And how shall they preach unless they be sent? there is the authority of ecclesiastical power. We see what duties the Apostle raiseth from invocation, and consequently we must know, that when they began to call upon God's name, than also they began to believe in him: For albeit prayer is the more general part of invocation, as a crying unto God, as the Fathers observe from the signification of the word; the exercise of praise and thanksgiving is more effectual to that purpose. But we add also as a special part of invocation, the blessing of the people, which, in the sixth chapter of Numbers and the twenty seventh verse, is called A putting of the name of God upon the people; so say we also of Christian vows and oaths, that the due regard had to the testifying of a truth, when a man doth call on the name of God, and deliver that which is true; that is also a service of invocation, whereby we confess God able to punish us as a Judge if we swear not truly: Therefore invocation is of a fare larger compass than an ordinary man would imagine, but especially when we consider it not only in general, but in particular, when it is in the prime: For if invocation be commanded at the time of public prayer, much more is prayer and invocation commanded at the sacrifice, whereof we have an example in Abraham, who built an Altar and called upon the name of the Lord, Genesis the twelfth chapter and the eighth verse, and Psalm the one hundred and sixteenth, and the thirteenth verse, Calicem 〈◊〉 accipiam, & invocabo nomen Domini, as if he should say, then is invocation at the highest, when a man hath the cup of salvation in his hand: So that there is no part of religion in respect of prayer and the service of God, which may not be reduced to invocation. That is for the nature of invocation. Touching the beginning of it, that is not without a scruple; for we may ask this question, if invocation were not before? and whether Adam and Abel did not call upon God? They did no doubt: But as I told you when I handled verse the twentieth, that Jabal was the Father of such as dwell in Tents, and have 〈◊〉; and Jubal the Inventor of Music, and Tubal-Cain of Weapons; and yet that Cain was an Husbandman, and Abel a 〈◊〉 of Sheep, and consequently they had the use of the Share and Mattock for tillage, which could not be had without some knowledge in Tubal-Cains Trade, and yet the invention is ascribed to them; for a man is said to begin a thing when no man hath done it before; and another may be said to be the Inventor of the same thing in respect of some singular manner of doing it, and to bring it to better purpose: So it cannot be denied that Abel was a Shepherd, 〈◊〉 had use of Tents, and yet Jubal is said to be the 〈◊〉 of them, because they were perfected by him: So for the other 〈◊〉. In like sort no doubt there was a kind of 〈◊〉 performed by Adam and Abel, but that which is here expressed; is 〈◊〉 of some special and singular manner of invocation not used before; as thus. Before 〈◊〉 time every 〈◊〉 in 〈…〉, and called upon a part, but in the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 began to come together to serve God; then was that public meeting and congregation performed, which Christ speaks of, 〈◊〉 the eighteenth chapter and the twentieth verse, When two or three be gathered together in my name, I will be in the midst: Then began the ecclesiastical worship in the Church: Before every man in his own private house; but the public invocation came in with Enosh, in whose time there was a public place dedicated to that end, that is, there was invocatio templi, as well as invocatie coetûs. Again we say there was an invocation before, that is, they prayed as the spirit moved them, but a formal invocation with Rites and Ceremonies, set down after a special manner, which we call the liturgy or public service that began with Enosh: then began to appear the face of a Church. If you ask why this was not done before? you shall see it could not; for there being but Adam and Abel, and then Abel being slain, Adam was alone, and they that must be the lower part of the Church, must be two or three at least. Then it must begin in the Family of Seth, for it is impossible that this could be till there came a third person, which was Enosh: And then it pleased God to reveal this manner of invocation: For we know the Church consists of parties to govern, parties to teach, and parres to receive direction. To govern and teach are two things, but performed now by one: then they began to call upon the name of the Lord: that was a thing agreeable to natural sense, but before this time it was not so exquisitely done; and which is a thing memorable, they did this in the midst of a naughty and crooked Nation, Philippians the second chapter and the fifteenth verse; for now they durst openly profess a public service of God and invocate his name, notwithstanding the wicked seed, and especially when they see Abel come to an untimely end, that because he called upon God, therefore he suffered marryrdome. Besides that, albeit Enoch built a City, and Tubal-Cain invented armour, yet they will follow Abel, and profess themselves Seths Children; this shows they were endued with a heroical spirit, and had this conceit in the name of God, that it should be a strong Tower to defend them; that howsoever the gates of hell did expose themselves against them, yet they should not be able to prevail. A third thing to be noted is, that they took upon them this profession, and public aknowledgement of invocaring the name, as in the fourth chapter of Isaiah and the first verse, Let us be called by thy name; and as it is in the ninth chapter of Daniel and the eighteenth verse, They would be known to be a people who called upon the name of God, they took upon them the profession of a Church, and the title to be called Invocators on God's name, whose name was their treasure, whose service their delight, and whose worship was their glory; that is, They took upon them to be called Christians and true Worshippers of God, against all others of the wicked race; which distinction is showed after, when the house and posterity of Cain matched with the Son's 〈◊〉 Seth, and so began there a medley to be made. 〈◊〉 we see what Moses meaneth by bringing these two verses into this chapter, viz. that the Godly should not be discouraged, as if he had forgot his promises: Therefore he ends the chapter with Enosh, a godly man, to show first he will have them Worshippers, and yet such shall not be without sorrows; and therefore Seths' Son is called Enosh, that is, sorrow. We have heard what invocation Moses speaks of, the nature and manner of it, that it contained all the exercises of Christian service, and how it began in Enosh after a set manner, that this must be done, and should continue, notwithstanding the wicked seed of Cain do set themselves so maliciously against it: So we see Moses hath brought us to the Roof of the Church, for till that time there was no Church; but now he hath brought us to a Congregation of such as did invocate the name of the Lord. AMEN. LECTURES PREACHED UPON Several choice Texts, BOTH out of the Old and New TESTAMENT. LECTURES Preached in the Parish Church of St. GILES without Cripplegate LONDON. Sed advolavit ad me unus ex istis Seraphim habens in manu sua prunam; quam forcibus sumpserat ab altari. Admovitque ori meo dicens, etc. Isaiah 6. 6. Octob. 1. 1598. IN the Liturgy of the ancient Church, these words are found applied to the blessed Sacrament of Christ's body and blood; for it is recorded by Basill, That at the celebration thereof, after the Sacrament was ministered to the people, the Priest stood up and said as the Seraphin doth here, Behold this hath touched your lips, your iniquity shall 〈◊〉 taken away, and your sin purged. The whole fruit or Religion is, The taking away of sin, Isaiah the twenty seventh Chapter and the ninth verse, and the special ways to take it away, is the Religious use of this Sacrament; which as Christ saith is nothing else, but a seal and sign of his blood that was shed for many for the remission of sins, Matthew the twenty sixth Chapter and the twenty eighth verse; for the Angel tells the prophet, that his sins are not only taken away, but that it is done sacramentally, by the touching of a Coal, even as Christ assureth us, that we obtain remission of sins by the receiving of the Cup: Now as in the Sacrament, we consider the Element and the word; so we are to divide this Scripture. For first, in that the Seraphin touched his mouth with a burning Coal taken from the Altar, therein we have the element, and the word of comfort which the Prophet received, was, that the Angel said to him, Behold this Coal hath touched thy lips, and now thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sins purged: And there is such an Analogy and proportion between the Sereaphim and the Priests, between the Altar and the Lords Table, between the burning Coal and Bread and Wine, offered and received in the Lord's Supper. As we cannot but justify the wisdom of the ancient Church, in applying this Scripture to the holy Eucharist: For as, St. John showeth, this vision showed to the Prophet Isaiah, is to be understood of our Saviour Christ, John the twelfth and the forty first verse; for saith the Evangelist, These things said Esay, when he saw his glory, and spoke of him; and therefore by this burning Coal taken from the Altar, is meant Christ Jesus, who by the Sacrifice of his death which he offered up to God, his Father, hath taken away our iniquities, and purged our sins, as it is in the sixth chapter to the Hebrews, and therefore for the confirmation of our Faith we are here taught, That our sins are no less taken away by the element of bread and wine, in the Sacrament, than the Prophet's sin was by being touched with a Coal. The occasion of this touching is set down in the former verses of this Chapter, which do stand upon a vision and a confession; The vision showed to the Prophet was, That he saw the Lord sitting upon an high Throne, as a Judgeready to give Sentence, before whom the very Angels were forced 〈◊〉 cover their faces. The confession that he made was, Woe is me for I am unclean, I am a man of polluted lips, mine eyes have seen the King and Lord of Hosts: From whence we learn, that howsoever by the consideration of his former life, and the sins that have scaped from him, a man may be brought to some remorse of Conscience, yet then especially he is humbled when he seethe the vision of God's glory, and therefore nothing is more 〈◊〉 to bring us to repentance, than to consider that at the last general day, We shall see Christ Jesus the son of God come in glory, and sit down in his Throne of glory, and give Sentence of condemnation upon the wicked. The Prophet who otherwise was no grievous sinner, but only guilty of omission, for that he had been silent, and did not glorify God with his 〈◊〉 as he should have done, notwithstanding in the sight of God's glory is touched with remorse & cryeth out, Woe is me; Whereby again we learn that we sinne not only when we speak of these things which we should not, but when we are silent, when we should apply our tongues to God's glory; so that though the excellency of our upright and honest conversation be never so great in the world, yet the Majesty of God is such as shall show, That even those duties that we have omitted, shall be sufficient to confound us before his glorious presence, unless it please him to be merciful to us; therefore when we appear before his judgement-seate, it shall be in vain for us to allege what we have done, forasmuch as the least duty that we have lest undone is enough to condemn us. It shall be our duty therefore, notwithstanding all our righteousness, to judge ourselves worthy to be destroyed for our iniquities and sins of omission, Ezechiel the thirty sixth chapter and the one and 〈◊〉 verse, and to say with this Prophet, Woe is me, for I am a man of polluted lips: We must acknowledge that nothing belongs to us but Woe, and that God may in justice confound us for the least duty we have omitted. Upon this confession made by the Prophet there came an Angel flying from God, which by touching his lips with a hot Coal assured him that his sin was taken away; wherefore, as by the former we learn that we should repent us of our sins when we consider the great Majesty of God, so by this we are taught what to hope for, that is, that if we be penitent God will not be wanting unto us, but will send a Seraphin unto us, with a word of comfort, to assure us that all our iniquities are purged. Two parts. First, Elemental. The outward element appointed by God to confirm his faith, was the flying of a Seraphin unto him to touch is mouth with the Coal; Secondly, Invisible grace. the word or invisible grace signified by the element was, that by that touching his sin was taken away. In the outward action we are first to consider the element itself, that was, the burning Coal on the Altar; next the application performed by a Seraphin, who took the Coal from the Altar, and touched the Prophet's lips. First, The Element. First therefore considering that none can take away sin but God only, we must needs confess that there was in this Coal a divine force and virtue issuing from Christ, who is the only reconciliation for our sins, without which it had not been possible that it could have taken away sin. But what is here said of this Coal, is to be understood of Christ, of whom Esay speaketh in this place, When he saw the glory of Christ, John 12. 41. for he is the Coal by which our sins are taken away; There are two natures in a Coal, that is, the Coal itself, which is a dead thing, and the burning nature and heat that it hath; which setteth out first Christ's humane nature, which is dead in itself; And than his divine nature, containing the burning force of that is represented in this burning Coal: So the element of bread and wine is a dead thing in itself, but through the grace of God's spirit infused into it hath a power to heat our Souls: for the elements in the Supper have an earthly and a heavenly part. Secondly, that Christ is to be understood by this burning Coal we may safely gather, because his love to his Church is presented with fire, Cantit. the eighth chapter and the sixth verse. It is said of Christ's love, the Coals thereof are fiery Coals, and a vehement flame, such as cannot be quenched with any water, nor the floods drown it, even so all the calamities and miseries that Christ suffered and endured for our sakes, which were poured upon him as water, could not quench the love that he bore us. Thirdly, quia non solum ardet ipse, sed alios accendit, so saith John the Baptist of him, There cometh one after me that shall Baptise with the holy-Ghost and with fire, as it is in the third chapter of Luke the sixteenth verse, therefore the graces of the holy-Ghost are also represented by fire, Acts 3. the union whereof hath a double representation. First, it is signified by water in Baptism; for sin that is derived 〈◊〉 us from another, being as a 〈◊〉 may be washed away with water, and therefore the Prophet saith, there is a fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of 〈◊〉, for sin and 〈◊〉, Zach. the thirteenth chapter and the first verse, therefore 〈◊〉 said to Saul, be Baptised and wash away thy sins, Acts the twenty second Chapter and the sixteenth verse, that is meant of original sin and the corruption of our nature, by which we are guilty of the wrath of God; but because through the whole course of our life sin, by custom groweth more to be strong, and to stick fast in our nature, so as no water can take it away; therefore 〈◊〉 Grace of God is set out by fire, as having a power and force to burn 〈◊〉 sin; for by custom sin is bred and settled in our nature, and is 〈◊〉, dross that must be tried and purged by fire, so the holy Ghost speaketh of actual sins, the first of Isaiah, and the twenty fift verse, and the sixth ter of Jeremiah and the thirttieh verse, Ezech. the twenty second chapter and the eighteenth verse; The house of Israel is to me as dross, that is by custom of sin; and in regard of this kind of sin there needs not only water to wash away the corruption of our nature and the quality thereof, but fire to purge the actual sins that proceed from the same. The sins of Commission came by reason of the force of concupiscence, and from the lusts that boil out of our corrupt nature, and the grace that takes them away is the grace of water in Baptism; but the sins of omission proceed of the coldness and negligence of our nature to do good, such as was in the Church of Laodicea, Rev. the third chapter and the fifteenth verse, and therefore such sins must be taken away with the fiery Grace of God. Secondly, for the quality of the Coal; it is not only a burning Coal, but taken from the Altar; to teach us that our zeal must be 〈◊〉 and come from the spirit of God. The fires that are appointed by earthly Judges to terrify malefactors from offending, may draw a skin over the spiritual wounds of their Souls, so as (for fear) they will eschew and sorbeare to sin, but it is the fire of the Altar, and the inward Graces of God's spirit that taketh away the corruption and healeth the wound; therefore as in the Law God took 〈◊〉 there should ever be fire on the Altar, Leviticus the sixth chapter and the ninth verse, so for the sinner that is contrite and sorry for his sin, there is always fire in the Church to burn up the Sacrifice of his contrition and repentance, even that fire of Christ's Sacrifice. The love which he shown unto us in dying for our sins is set 〈◊〉 unto us most lively in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood, unto which we must come often, that from the one we may fetch the purging of our sins, as the Apostle speaks, and from the other qualifying power si in luce, John the first chapter & the seventh verse; wherefore as by the mercy of God we have a fountain of water always flowing, to take away original sin, so there is in the Church fire always burning to cleanse our actual transgressions; for if the Coal taken from the Altar, had a power to take away the Prophet's sin, much more the body and blood of Christ, which is offered in the Sacrament; If the hem of Christ's garment can heal, the ninth chapter of Matthew and the twentith verse, much more the touching of Christ himself shall procure health to our souls; here we have not something that hath touched the Sacrifice, but the Sacrifice itself to take away our sins. Secondly, the Application. The application of this Coal is by a Seraphin, for it is an office more fit for Angels than men, to concur with God for taking away sin; but for that it pleaseth God to use the service of men in this behalf, they are in Scripture called Angels, Job the thirty fifth chapter and the twenty third verse. Malachi the second and the seventh verse, The Priest's lips preserve knowledge, for he is the Angel of the Lord of Hosts, and the Pastors of the seven Churches in Asia are called Angels, Apoc. the first chapter and the first verse; for the same office that is here executed by an Angel is committed to the sons of men, to whom, as the Apostle speaks, He hath committed the ministry of reconciliation, 2 Cor. the fift chapter and the eighteenth verse, to whom he hath given this power, that whose sins soever they remit on earth shall be remitted in heaven, the twentith chapter of Saint John and the twenty fift verse. So when Nathan, who was but a man, had said to David, etiam Jehova transtulit peccatum 〈◊〉, the second book of Samuel the twelfth chapter and the thirteenth verse; it was as available as if an Angel had spoken to him; And when Peter tells the Jews that if they amend their lives and turn, their sins shall be done away, their sin was taken away no less than the Prophets was when the Angel touched his lips, Acts the third chapter and the ninteenth verse; for not he that holds the Coal, but it is the Coal itself that takes away sin; and so long as the thing is the same wherewith we are touched, it skills not who doth hold it; but we have not only the Coal that touched the Altar, but the Altar itself, even the Sacrifice of Christ's death represented in the Supper, by partaking whereof our sins are taken away. Secondly, the Word, or invisible grace. The word of comfort, whereby the inward Grace is preached unto us is, that the Angel said to the Prophet; Lo this hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquity shall be taken away, and thy sins purged: concerning which we find that the Leper was cured of his Leprosy, not only by the word, but by the touching of Christ; but the Centurion said only but speak the word and thy servant shall be whole, Mat. the eighth chapter and the eighth verse; so he can do what he will with his only word. It pleased God to take away the Prophet: sins by touching his lips. And albeit he can take away our sins, without touching of bread or wine, if he will; yet in the council of his will, he commendeth unto us the sacramental partaking of his body and blood. It is his will; that our sins shall be taken away by the outward act of the sacrament: The reason is, not only in regard of ourselves, which consist of body and soul, and therefore have need both of bodily and Ghostly means; to assure us of our Salvation; but in regard of Christ himself, who is the burning Coal. Forever since God ordained, that Christ should take our nature, and aptare sibi corpus, in the tenth chapter to the Hebrews, and the fifth verse; that so he might work our Reconciliation. As Christ became himself a man, having a bodily substance; so his actions were bodily. As in the Hypostasis of the Sun, there is both the Humane and Divine nature; so the Sacrament is of an Heavenly and Earthly nature. As he hath taken our body to himself, so he honoureth bodily things, that by them we should have our sins taken away from us. By one bodily sacrament he taketh away the affection unto sin, that is naturally planted in us. By another bodily Sacrament he taketh away the habitual sins, and the actual transgressions, which proceed from the corruption of our nature. And here we have matter offered us of faith; that as he used the touching of a coal, to assure the Prophet that his sins were taken away; so in the Sacrament he doth so elevate a piece of bread, and a little wine, and make them of such power; that they are able to take away our sins: And this maketh for God's glory, not only to believe that God can work our Salvation, without any outward means, by the inward Grace of his Spirit; but also, that he can so elevate the meanest of his creatures; not only the hem of a garment, but even a straw, (if he see it good) shall be powerful enough, to save us from our sins. As Christ himself is spiritual and bodily; so he taketh away our sins, by means not only spiritual but bodily; as in the Sacrament. For if there be a cleansing power in the Word, as Christ speaketh in the fifteenth chapter of John, and the third verse: If in prayer, as Peter showeth to Simon Magus, Pray to God, that (if it be possible) the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee, in the eighth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, and the twenty second verse: If in showing mercy, and giving alms, sins shall be forgiven, as Solomon saith in the sixteenth chapter of the Proverbs, and the sixth verse, Per misericordiam purgantur peccata; much more in the Sacrament, wherein both the word and prayer and the works of mercy do concur, to the cleansing of sinners from their sins: Whereas the Seraphim did not take the coal in his mouth, but with tongues; and applied it not to the Prophet's care, but to his tongue. We learn, that it is not the hearing of a sermon that can cleanse us from sin; but we must 〈◊〉 of the bodily element, appointed to represent the invisible grace of God. It is true, that meditation privately had, will kindle a fire in the hearts of many, in the thirty ninth Psalms, and the third verse: And the word, as it is a fire, Jeremy the twenty third chapter, and the twenty ninth verse, will also kindle a man, and heat him inwardly: But because in the Sacrament all those do meet together, therefore nothing is so available to take away sin, as the touching of bread and wine, with our lips. The effect. The effect of this touching followeth; wherein we are to consider, First, the efficacy of this action. Secondly, the certainty; that as sure as this coal hath touched thy lips; so surely are thy sins taken away. Thirdly, the speed, that so soon as the coal touched, presently sin was taken away and purged. The efficacy standeth, of the removing, or taking away of sin, and of the purging away of sin. The taking away, and purging of sins, have two uses: Some have their sins taken away, but not purged; for something remaineth behind: Some have Adam's sigge leaves to hid sin that it shall not appear for a time; but have not Hezekiah his plaster to heal it, in the thirty eighth chapter of Isaiah and the one and twentieth verse. But by the touching of this Coal, that is, of the body and blood of Christ, we are assured that our sins are not only covered, but quite taken away as with a plaster; as the Lord speaks, I have put away thy transgressions like a cloud, and thy sins as a mist, Isaiah the forty fourth and the twenty second verse, whereby the Lord showeth that our sins are scattered, and come to nothing, when it pleaseth him to take them away. The other sense gathered from the word purging, is, that God doth no forgive our sins, as an earthly Judge 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 or, so that he 〈◊〉 away with his 〈◊〉, without any 〈…〉 shown him; 〈◊〉 that he likewise becometh favourable unto 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 to do us all the good he 〈◊〉: If 〈◊〉 can obtain 〈◊〉 pardon at the hands of temp oral Judges, it is all they 〈◊〉 look for; but they never come to any preferment: But God doth dor only give us 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉; as he doth pard on out sins, so 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 loving and kind to us: Christ doth not only take us away from God, that he should not proceed to punish us for our 〈◊〉, but offers us up to God, as an acceptable sacrifice, as Peter 〈◊〉, Christ once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might offer us up to God, in the first of Peter the third chapter and the eighteenth verse; for as the wiseman saith, Take the dross from the silver, 〈◊〉 shall proceed a vessel for the refiner, Proverbs the twenty fift and the fourth verse: So after sin is taken away from us, our nature is most acceptable to God, because there remaineth nothing but his own nature. Secondly, for the certainty; As thou hast a perfect sense of the touching of this coal, so certainly are thy sins taken away; which assurance we are likewise to gather to ourselves, in this 〈◊〉; that as surely as we corporally do taste of the bread and wine, so sure it is, that we spiritually feed on the body and blood of Christ, which is communicated unto us by these elements, as the Apostle 〈◊〉, in the first to the 〈◊〉, the tenth chapter, and the fifteenth verse, that the bread broken is the communion of the body of Christ, that the cup blessed is the communion of his blood; that by partaking of this spiritual food we may be fed to eternal life. Thirdly, this act was performed with speed, the Ceraphin came flying with wings, and being 〈◊〉, he hath a present effectual power to take away his sin; for a little before he that cried out, that he was in woeful case, verse the 〈◊〉 Vae mibi; by and by being touched and revived with comfort of forgiveness, saith, Ecce ego, mitte me, in the eighth verse: whereby we learn, that the touching with the coal thus taken from the Altar, and the participating of the body and blood of Christ, hath a power not only to purge, and heal the sore of our nature; but that it giveth a 〈◊〉 to serve God more cheerfully and carefully than we did before, 〈◊〉 us serventes spiritu, servant in spirit Rom. the twelfth and the 〈◊〉 verse; so that we care for nothing nor count our live 〈…〉, that 〈◊〉 may finish our course with joy, Acts the twentieth and the twenty fourth verse. The sum of all is, that seeing it is a fearful thing to appear in the presence of God's Majesty, and knowing that one day we must all appear before his tribunal seat and throne of glory, we do 〈◊〉 with the Prophet, that albeit we have lived never so upright a life, yet if we have been silent, when we should have spoken to his glory if we have omitted never so little a duty, which we ought to have performed, for all that, our case is miserable, until it please God by the burning coal of his Altar, and, by the sacrifice of Christ's body, offered up for us upon the cross, to take away our sins: And that if we 〈◊〉 humble ourselves before God, and acknowledge our sins, than our sins shall be purged by the death of Christ, and by partaking of the sacrament of his body and blood; the rather, because in the sacrament we do touch the sacrifice itself, whereas the Prophet's sin was taken away with that which did but touch the sacrifice. Then after the receiving of this sacrament, we must take a view of ourselves, whether we can say, Nun cor 〈…〉 in nobis? Did not our heart burn within us? Luke the twenty fourth chapter and the thirty second verse, because in this sacrament we find a fire of Christ's love towards us; And whether we find in ourselves that willingness to serve God aright, which was in the Prophet, in the eighth verse, Behold, send me; Ecce, mitte me. As in regard of our misery we made the confession of sinful men; so having experience of God's mercy in taking away our sins, we must make the confession of Angels, crying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts. Lastly, We must not only show forth the heat of our love to our needy and poor Brethren, by doing the works of mercy; but even to our enemies, as both Solomon and the Apostle teach, If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst give him drink; for so thou shalt heap 〈◊〉 of fire upon his head, Proverbs the twenty fift chapter and the twenty first verse, and Romans the twelfth chapter and the ninteenth verse; For so as thovarta burning coal in thyself; so thou shalt kindle in him the coals of devotion to God, and of love to thyself. Attendite ne justitiam vestram exerceatis coram hominibus, ut spectemini ab eyes: alioquin mercedem non habebitis apud Patrem vestrum qui est in Coelis. Matth. 6. 1. Octob. 15. 1598. THE drift of our Saviour in these words is, to separate that which is vile, from the precious, Jeremiah the fifteenth chapter, to sever the tore of vain glory from the good corn of righteousness and mercy: But as Christ gives charge, That while his Disciples laboured to gather away the tares, they should beware that they pluck not up the good corn, Matthew the thirteenth chapter: So while we labour to pluck up the tares of vain glorious intentions; we must take heed that we do not withal pluck up the good corn of good works; for heretofore the good seed of the Doctrine of good works was not so soon taught, but presently the Devil sowed in men's hearts the wicked opinion of merit of works, as tares among good corn. And while men laboured to take away the opinion of merits, than he takes away out of men's hearts the care of works. In the counsel of Christ two things are to be noted, First, the corn must be sowed, take heed ye do good works: Secondly, the 〈◊〉 must be plucked up, but do them not to be seen. We must do righteousness both privately in our own consciences, and publicly before men, as the Apostle showeth, Provide for things honest before all men, Romans the twelfth chapter. But the tares are to be avoided, that is, to be seen; ut videamini; where we have a command, First, Christ will not have us do good works to this end, to be seen: Secondly, That we may not, we must take heed; as if he should say, My will is, ye shall not give alms to this end, to be seen. Thirdly, That ye may avoid this fault, ye must take heed: Whereby he signifieth that to do alms to this end, to purchase praise to ourselves, is a hurtful thing. And to avoid this fault, is a matter of great difficul y. For the first point, Christ saith, When ye give alms, do not blow a trumpet; when ye fast or pray let not all the world know of it, neither let the end be ut videamini. Touching which, we are to know, that our good works are not worse in themselves for being seen, but are the better; even as the goodness of a colour stands in the lightness of it, so our good works are more commended, if they be known: And they of themselves desire the light, as Christ showeth in John the third chapter and the twenty first verse: But such is our corruption, that if we think our works are known, we with our pride do corrupt them. For as pride is the way to dry up the fountain of God's grace, as James saith, God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble, James the fourth chapter. So the sight of good works is a means to overthrow our humility. The Pharisees knew this full well, which purposing to tempt Christ, covered their hooks with praise, Seeing we know that thou art a teacher come from God, and regardest no man, tell us, is it lawful? Matthew the twenty second chapter: But Christ, to teach us what a dangerous thing it is to be praised, would not accept their praise, but answered them, Why tempt ye me, O ye Hypocrites? And when one said to him, Magister bone, good Master, which was a praise of simplicity, not of hypocrisy, as the other, he refused it, and said, Why dost thou call me good? Mark the tenth chapter. When one said, Blessed is the womb that bore thee, he repelled that saying, Nay rather blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it, Luke the eleventh chapter and the twenty eighth verse. For as the showing of the King's treasure was the means of the betraying them, Isaiah the thirty ninth chapter; so when we show our good works, with a desire to be praised for them, it takes away all commendation from them. This thing being dangerous, if notwithstanding we be desirous to have our good deeds seen, that shall be fulfilled which Sirach saith, He that loveth dangers shall perish therein, Qui amat periculum peribit in co, cap 3. 27. But to dissuade us from this, the Apostle saith, Be not desirous of vain glory, Galatians the fift chapter, and Philippians the second chapter and the third verse. The Preacher saith, all is vanity which men seek after in this life, and therefore concludes, Time Deum, Ecclesiastes the twelfth chapter, to teach us, that without God all the praise of the world is but vanity. Now as we fail in having respect to God: First, when we make not him the fountain of our praise: Secondly, if we make him not the end of it; so in doing good works to be seen, we commit two vanities. First, when we content not ourselves with this persuasion, that God sees our works, and will reward them: unless man see them and praise us for them; The trial, whether we make God the fountain of our praise, is if we seek it by ways agreeable to his will, not by wickedness. Secondly, not by vanity, for his delight is not in beauty, riches, or strength; he delighteth not in any man's Legs, in the hundred and forty sixth Psalm. Thirdly, not by falsehood, as the Apostle saith, I will not glory of any thing which the Lord hath not wrought by me, in the second to the Corinthians and the eleventh chapter: Hereby we shall seek the praise of God, rather than of men, in the twelfth chapter of John: nay though they seek praise by righteousness and doing good works, yet they make not God the fountain of their praise: the Hypocrites when they would be praised, did those works that were most glorious, as to offer sacrifice in the temple, but they neglected mercy and justice, which are the chief things that God respecteth in the twenty third chapter of Matthew: They washed not their hearts, in the fifteenth chapter of Matthew, which God especially regardeth, but looked only to outward things; and they that do mercy and justice, which are the chief things of the Law, yet they will not do them, but when they may be seen: Whereby they show, that they make not God the fountain of their praise; and so the praise they seek for, is hateful to God. Secondly, this desire of vain glory is injurious to God; when we make not him the end of our praise, for we may do good works coram, in the sight of men, but not with purpose to have them seen, that so we may receive glory: For God hath given us the joys and use of all his Creatures, but reserveth the glory of them to himself: therefore the Apostle saith, howsoever ye have the joy of God's Creatures in eating and drinking, yet let God have the glory: Do all to the glory of God, in the first to the Corinthians the tenth chapter, and the thirty first verse: For though he giveth us the use of all things, yet gloriam meam alteri non dabo, in the forty second chapter of Esay: Therefore if we do good works to commend ourselves, and not to glorify God, we are injurious to him; for he hath testified, that he will not give his glory to any other: And therefore Peter and John say, It is not by our own godliness that we have made this man whole, but it is the name of Christ and faith in him, that hath raised him, in the third chapter of the Acts: Therefore not only Nabuchadnezar when he snatched God's glory to himself, was punished, in the fourth chapter of Daniel: But even Herod also, because he did but suffer that glory to rest upon him, that was attributed to him by others, when he should have ascribed all to God, in the twelfth chapter of the Acts and the twenty second verse. Then as it is injurious to God, so it is hurtful to ourselves; for though we see many miracles wrought by Christ, yet they are afraid to confess and believe him, Because they love the praise of men more than the praise of God, in the twelfth chapter of John and the forty third verse: And therefore Christ saith, How can you believe, which seek glory one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh of God alone? quomodo potestis credere, qui gloriam sibi quaeritis? in the fift chapter of John and the forty fourth verse: Secondly, as it is an obstacle to grace; so it is a provocation to all wickedness: For the Jews doubted not to crucisie the Lord of glory, to get praise of the wicked. Secondly, that we may do this, Christ willeth us to take heed; for there is a double corruption in us: First, a rebellion against God's precepts, which make us say quare, as Pharaoh, in the fift chapter of Exodus and the second verse: Who is the Lord that I should hear his voice? And as the Scribes and Pharisees said to Christ, By what authority dost thou these things? in the twenty first chapter of Matthew and the three and twentieth verse: Secondly, the blindness of our understanding which makes us ask quomodo? which is the question of ignorance; so that it is not without cause, that he bids us take heed, that we beware of this sin, as being a hard precept, both for our rebellion to yield unto, and also in regard of our ignorance: which is such, as we cannot see how it should be lawful to seek praise by well doing; the hardness of avoiding this sin, is of two causes. First, it ariseth from the nature of sin itself: for as we are corporal and visible; so we are most affected with those things that are visible, as John reasoneth, He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, in the first Epistle of John and the fourth chapter: whereupon it cometh to pass, that our corruption, that though we believe the reward of God to be great: yet because it is invisible, and the world's reward is present, therefore pleaseth us more. Secondly, from the original of vain glory; for when the woman looked upon the fruit, albeit it greatly pleased her, yet that which did strike the stroke, was eritis sieut dii, in the third chapter of Genesis, the hope of present glory: And this was the first sin, that came into the soul of the woman; and as the Philosopher saith, that the heart is primum vivens & ultimum moriens; so vain glory, as it first took possession in the heart of man, so it is last, and with most difficulty dispossessed: So that when a man hath mortified all his lusts; and subdued all sins, yet pride and the desire of glory revives again. And whereas the sins of the world are three, The lust of the 〈◊〉, The lust of the eyes, and pride of life, the first Epistle of John the 〈…〉 chapter and the sixteenth verse. The sin of pride is such a one as doth not only corrupt all virtues, but 〈◊〉 all other sins, and prevails against them; for gluttony or the lust of the 〈◊〉 is come under the power of pride: So as men take a pride in excess of meat, whereas gluttony would be contented with a sittle; for the belly is sooner filled than the eye satisfied. Secondly, For Covetousness, What makes men to exceed in the cares of getting riches, but only pride and desire of glory: For knowing that the borrower is a servant to the lender, Proverbs the tenth chapter, and all things obey money, Preacher the tenth chapter: In respect of the excellency of wealth, they are so covetous, that albeit they have more than enough, yet they still gather together, that they may have all men in subjection to them; so hard it is to suppress the desire of vain glory: And the harder, because where other sins be resting upon a man, this sin comes creeping upon him, and flattereth him, as a thing most agreeable to his nature. Howbeit it is to be avoided with all heedfulness, for it comes from good things as the root. Secondly, A man is proud oftentimes even of humility, not only when they outwardly humble themselves with fasting, but also when they are inwardly humbled, Joel the second chapter. Secondly, it is the harder, because it comes with a colour and show of reason; for it is God's will that we should not only do good works, but that it should be done openly, as Christ saith, to shine and to be seen of men, sic splendeat lux, Matthew the fifth chapter and the sixteenth verse; both that God may be glorified by us, and that we may give good example to others: But not withstanding we must beware that we do them not to purchase praise to ourselves. How to avoid vain glory, pride, etc. and other fins, by meditation and prayer. Secondly, The question of ignorance is, How we should avoid this desire of glory, which is so bred in us? The answer to this doubt is, By medition and prayer: For as God hath laid this Curse upon the earth, That it should bring forth thorns and thistles of itself, but if we will have any good of it, we must bestow labour upon it; So this curse is laid upon our souls, that good things will not come into our minds, without diligent meditation; but pride and such sins will take place of themselves without any further trouble. Wherefore as to avoid all temptations we must occupy ourselves in godly meditation, as Augustine saith, Semper te Diabolus inveniat occupatum; so there are special meditations for the avoiding of pride and the desire of vain glory: First, To think of the uncertainty of worldly glory, that Christ that to day should have been crowned King by the Jews, was the next day crucified by them. Secondly, Of the emptiness and vacuity of it; as that all the glory that Haman had did not content him, when he had received but one little disgrace by Mordechai, Esther the fifth chapter. Thirdly, of the punishment of this sin; for whereas he spares other sins, if he see withal some token of goodness, so as he will quench the smoking flax, Isaiah the forty second chapter, he will not defer his judgements from the Hypocrites and ambitious, but will withdraw his graces from them here, and punish them eternally in the world to come. Fourthly, We should think of our own hearts, if we do good without regard of men's praise. Fiftly, Of our own inability, how little we are able to do of ourselves, except God move our hearts, and work in us both to will and to do, Philippians the second chapter and the thirteenth verse, that so we may ascribe the praise of all our good deeds to him, as the only author of them. These meditations will kindle a sire in us, that we shall have a desire to speak as Psalm the thirty ninth, as the Prophet having considered, that God did command us to keep his testimonies, saith presently, O that my ways were so directed that I might keep them, 〈◊〉 the hundred and nineteenth. But as by those 〈…〉 desire to avoid that which we are forbidden; so unto our desire we must add resolution, 〈◊〉 the nine and 〈◊〉, I said I 〈…〉 to my 〈◊〉, Dixi 〈…〉. The other means is 〈◊〉; For when we have done all we can to avoid this 〈◊〉 by our 〈◊〉 meditations, yet that will not serve, till we cry for Gods 〈…〉 strengthen us and help us, for vain is the help of 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 and eighth: So though the Apostle do will the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put on the 〈◊〉 of God, yet he saith the chief 〈…〉 fight with the Devil is prayer, Ephesians the sixth chapter; For except the 〈◊〉 keep the City, the watchmen watch in vain, Psalm the hundred twenty seventh. We must not only say the general prayer, which 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉, Led us not into temptation; 〈◊〉 particularly against this 〈◊〉, say with David, Psalm the thirty sixth, 〈◊〉 not the 〈◊〉 of pride come 〈◊〉 me; And Psalm the hundred and fourteenth, Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to thy name give the praise. The 〈◊〉 is, For then 〈◊〉 shall 〈◊〉 your 〈◊〉. As before to do good, was the good corn that is to be sown; but to do 〈◊〉 〈…〉 seen, is the tares that must be plucked up: So the persuasion is thus to be taken, Do good works sincerely, and ye shall have a reward, though not in this world; but if ye do them in 〈◊〉 to 〈…〉, ye shall lose your reward: When the holy Ghost implieth, that our good works shall have a reward; and so persuadeth us to the 〈◊〉 of them. He 〈◊〉 to our infirmity; for there are 〈…〉 causes to move us to do good, As the shedding of Christ's blood, whereby he redeemed us to himself, to be 〈◊〉 of good works, Titus the second chapter and the fourteenth verse: But because he knows whereof we be made, and that we are weak, he 〈◊〉 us with hope of reward; and herein he hath regard, Non ad gloriam operis, sed ad zelum operantis, of the reward of works done in sincerity heretofore. Of these that are done in hypocrisy note two things. First, How true it is, that they lose their reward. Concerning which, howsoever Hypocrites have a reward in this world, yet they have not 〈◊〉; and though they had, yet this reward doth not last for ever: Honour fugientem sequitur sequentem vitat. We see Saul, Judas, 〈◊〉, and Saphira, while in hypocrisy they made a show of good works, to procure themselves glory, were disappointed, and they 〈…〉 of God upon them: But though it have a 〈…〉, yet not 〈◊〉 Patrem vestrum 〈◊〉: Which is 〈…〉, That if they have glory, yet it is not God, 〈◊〉 gives 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉. And as the 〈◊〉 of Manna was a figure that it came not 〈…〉 blessing of God, Exodus the sixteenth chapter. And when the Manna of the wicked 〈◊〉, it is a sign that it was not God's gift, 〈◊〉 the tenth chapter. So in that the glory of hypocrites doth not 〈◊〉, it is a token, that it is not a praise given them of God. Again it 〈◊〉, That though 〈◊〉 have a reward in earth, yet not in 〈◊〉 for then to hypocrites that say, we have cust out Devils and preached in thy name, he shall say, Depart from me, I know ye not, Matthew the seventh chapter. Secondly, Note how powerful this persuasion is, to make us avoid vain glory, and the desire of it. Here Christ saith, non habet is mercedem, ye have no reward: In the next verse he saith, you have your reward, habet is mercedem, to show, that the worldly reward is nothing in respect of the heavenly reward that God will give; God's reward is by grace in this life, for to them that forsake father and mother, he promiseth an hundred fold, Matthew the nineteenth chapter and the twenty ninth verse; Then by glory in the world to come, the glory of a Kingdom, Luke the twelfth chapter, It is my Father's pleasure 〈◊〉 give you a kingdom: Than which glory none is greater; and therefore he will say, Come ye 〈◊〉 possess the kingdom. Secondly, such a Kingdom as shall be void of all affl ction, that might take away the glory, I know the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory to come, Romans the eighth chapter. And howsoever no Kingdom is so glorious, but either eye hath seen or care hath heard, or at least, the heart may conceive of a Kingdom of more glory; yet such is the glory provided for them, that by well doing seek the praise of God, and not of men, as neither eye hath seen, the first epistle to the Corinthians, the second chapter and the ninth verse. So that if we knew the gift of God, John the fourth chapter; if it would please him to open the eyes of our mind, that we might see the excellency of the Heavenly reward, Ephesians the first chapter and the eighteenth verse; and the baseness and uncertainty of the world's gift, we would not only, not desire, but even carefully avoid and be afraid of the world's glory, and would abhor the desire of it, as a thing not only injurious to God, but hurtful to ourselves. Operemini non cibo qui perit, sed cibo illi qui permanet in vitam aeternam, quem filius hominis dabit vobis: hunc enim Pater obsignavit, id est, Deus. John 6. 27. Novemb. 6. 1598. THese words are the beginning of that long Sermon which Christ made concerning the bread that comes down from Heaven; the occasion whereof was the flocking of the multitude to Christ, for that they had been partakers of the feeding of the loves; and for that Christ saw them so earnest in seeking after material bread, he takes occasion to put them in mind of a more excellent bread which they should labour for: For whereas the names of the good things in this life, were given to spiris val things, As that godliness is gain, the first epistle to Timothy, the sixth chapter, That to 〈◊〉 in good works is true riches, the first epistle to 〈◊〉, the sixth chapter and the eighteenth verse; That to be decked with virtue is the beauty that doth indeed adorn both men and women, the first epistle of Peter the third chapter and the fourth verse. It appeareth that howsoever these corporal blessings do carry the names of good things, yet they are not so truly called; but the truth thereof is comprehended in spiritual good things, whereof the good things of this life are but shadows. Christ by that water which the Samaritan came to draw, took occasion to speak of the water of life; whereof whosoever drinketh shall thirst no more, John the fourth chapter and the fourteenth verse. And by the bread which the Capernaites sought after, took occasion to stir them up to seek for the bread of life: So should we from the outward things, which we enjoy for the maintenance of the life present, gather spiritual meditations of true good things necessary to the life to come. Secondly, These words depend upon the former verse; Wherein Christ seeing them flock unto him, said, reseek me not because ye saw the miracles, but for that ye eat of the loves. Upon which words as he concludes with this exhortation, Labour not for the meat, etc. So before he gives them this counsel, he sets down the reproof. Where Booze chargeth his servants concerning Ruth, that they should let her gather and not rebuke her, the word signifieth to confound or put to shame, Ruth the second chapter and the fifteenth verse; the reason is, because we are all ashamed of reproof. Christ, though he had no wounds by sin, was contented to be baptised, as if he had been a sinner; but we that have the wounds and sores of sin, cannot abide the plaster of reproof, but think it a shame to be rebuked when we offend. But Christ before he counsels them, doth think good first by reproof to put them to shame: And it is a shame to them in two respects. First, That in the heat of their Religion and devotion, when they would seem most devout, Christ chargeth them with hypocrisy, Ye seek me not for the miracles, that by them ye may believe, but for the meat. Secondly, They are put to shame the more, for that he doth not lightly touch them, and glance at their hypocrisy, but doth accuse them in vehement and earnest manner, Verily, verily, I say to you, the twenty sixth verse; but Christ doth rebuke them for another end. Howsoever it be a good effect that men be made ashamed of their sin by reproof, yet is it not the last end: Christ doth it not to confound, but rather to amend them; and therefore exhorts them, that they should chief labour for the meat that perisheth not, as the Apostle in one place saith, hoc loquor ad pudorem, the first epistle to the Corinthians the sixth chapter and the fift verse, doth elsewhere say, I writ not these things to shame you, the first epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter: So Christ to these men saith, I speak not this for your confusion, but for your amendment. So that albeit they were guilty of hypocrisy, yet not desperate hypocrites; for Christ had some hope of them, and therefore ceaseth not to exhort them. Again, Christ might only have exhorted them, and not used any reproof; but he in wisdom thinks it meet, first to reprove them for their fault, and then to show them how to amend it. Pride is the cause why many good exhortations have no success. While men think it needless they should be rebuked, they are like the proud Pharisees that despised the counsel of God, Luke the seventh chapter and the thirtiech verse. But Christ to make manifest to them, that they need counsel, doth first show them their hypocrisy: We are ready to justify ourselves in all things; our corruption is such, that we are ignorant of our own sins, which made the Prophet to say, Cleanse 〈◊〉 from my secret sins, Psalms the nineteenth: We take them to be no sins, wherein we greatly offend God: Whereupon the Prophet saith, Cor hominis 〈◊〉 est, Jeremiah the seventeenth chapter, only God, being greater than our heart, knoweth all things, and is able to discover all our sins, the first epistle of John the third chapter: Therefore we are to pray to God, to open our eyes, that we may see the necessity of 〈◊〉. The people that followed Christ shown two zeals, One was to make him King, The other to seek him, but both proceeded from one cause, because he fed them. Christ saw both these Zeals, The one he rejected utterly, and would not be made King; But he corrects the other zeal; he forbids them not to seek him, but wills them to seek him for this end, That from him they may receive the bread that endures to life everlasting. The reason why Christ would not be honoured, was of two sorts. First, For that is a slender honour, to honour God for temporal things; for as the Israelites did honour God while he fed them with bread from Heaven and gave them water out of the rocks, but so soon as they wanted either of them, than they murmured. So when God continueth his temporal blessings upon men, so long he shall be heard; but when his benefits ceaseth, than his honour ceaseth. Therefore he rejecteth this honour partly in regard of his own self, but chief for our cause: For howsoever it be less honourable for Christ to be honoured for outward blessings; yet the chief cause why he rejecteth it is because it is less profitable for us. They were desirous of temporal blessings, which he did bestow upon them: But yet he is desirous to 〈◊〉 upon them spiritual blessings, which, as they are better for them, so desires greater honour. The exhortation, ariseth out of the reproof, which is concluded in it: The matter of it is reduced to six points, First, 〈…〉. Secondly, Et 〈…〉. Thirdly, 〈◊〉 est 〈…〉. Fourthly, Et 〈◊〉 hic non 〈◊〉. Fiftly, That 〈◊〉 is to be 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 for ever. Sixtly, This 〈…〉 to be 〈◊〉 only in the 〈◊〉 of man for, it is he whom God the Father hath sealed. For the first point. Whereas there are two significations of life; the one life itself, or the substance; the other the joy of life, which is the life of life; the bread of both these lives doth perish; that which keepeth and maintaineth the substance of life, doth 〈◊〉: For 〈◊〉 the Israelites did eat Manna, which was the 〈◊〉 of Angels, yet of them Christ saith, 〈…〉 of it, but 〈…〉 the sixth chapter; for when God takes away the staff and strength of bread, it hath no more power to preserve life. So that man liveth not by bread of itself, for it perisheth. Whereas bread hath two powers, the one to satisfy the hungry stomach, the other to restore the body being weak; we see it loseth both these powers: the power of satisfying doth not continue; for though a man satisfy himself never so much with it to day, yet to morrow he will crave more, and his stomach will wax empty. As for the power to restore, albeit during health, it strengtheneth man's heart, yet if once sickness come, it hath no power to restore strength. Secondly, Whatsoever maintains the joys of life, that perisheth also, for the world passeth away and the fashion thereof, the first epistle to the Corinthians the seventh chapter, and the first epistle of John the second chapter, and whatsoever may make man's life joyful. The pleasures of this life, which are the causes of our joy, are transitory; and though they could continue with us, yet we ourselves must pass away and leave them; yea even while we may take the pleasures of this world, yet old age will approach, and the days wherein we shall say, I have no pleasure in them, Ecclesiastes the twelfth chapter and the first verse. Secondly, Though this bread decay, yet our Saviour telleth us, that men are so foolish, they gave themselves wholly to seek it. And that this is true, will appear, if we look upon our actions, either civil or religious; If we consider either the care we take for this life, or the diligence we use in God's service. Of the first care we have an example in Martha, against inordinate care of this life: Our Saviour rebuketh Martha, who was troubled about many things, Luke the tenth chapter; and so we do rise so early and take such pains for this life, Psalm one hundred twenty seven, that is the service of Baal was more painful, than the service of the true God. So we take more pains in the service of the three Gods of this world, the first epistle of John the second chapter, than of the true good: The same appears if we consider our care in matters of Religion: Wherein we must confess, that our special joys are in the things of this life, and for the bread of it. These men whom Christ here reproveth, were not about their Trades, but occupied in a matter of Religion, then to hear Christ and to see his miracles: and yet we see that under colour of sowing to the spirit, they did but sow to the flesh, and make provision for the same, Galatians the sixth chapter. And howbeit Mary's part be the better, and the actions of religion more excellent than the actions of this life, yet they seek their own things and not the things that are Gods. Thirdly, There is a bread that doth not perish. Christ commends the care of spiritual things under them four: First negatively, Labour not for that bread which perisheth. Secondly affirmatively, Labour for that which endureth; This life doth not last for ever: but after this life there is another life, which shall be everlasting: And as it is a life, so there is a food for it, which we must labour for: without which we shall not attain to that life, no more than we can continue in life here, unless we have the food appointed for it, Apudte fons vitae, Psalm the thirty sixth, and with him is fullness of joy, Psalm the sixteenth. Now we have the one life and the joys of it, out of the consideration of the Creature; but then we shall have life and joy from God the Creator, who is the fountain of joy and life. Therefore howsoever we labour in this life to lay up treasure for our outward maintenance, yet we must chief take care for the life to come, and lay up for our souls a good foundation, the first 〈◊〉 to Timothy the sixth chapter; but the following of the good things of this life doth hinder us from this care. We are like the Israelites that cared not for the promised bread, because they had the flesh pots in Egypt's, so as they could be content to have turned thither: So it was with the two tribes and half; who for that they had convenient pasture for their on the other side of Jordan, cared not for travelling into the land of Canaan, Numbers the thirty fift chapter. Another hindrance is, the labour and trouble that must be suffered, for the purchasing of eternal life. We have a spiritual sluggishness, like the slothful person whom Solomon speaketh of, He would fain have had bread, but was loath to labour for it; It was cold and there was a Lion in the way, Proverbs the twenty second chapter. So the great trouble and danger that must be born, doth keep us from seeking the bread of eternal life, as the Israelites said, The Land is a good Land, but the People are many and strong, Numbers, the thirteenth chapter, and so had no lust to seek to enter into the land of Canaan: So we confess that eternal life is the better, but we have so many comforts in this life, and find it so troublesome to attain to the other life, that we leave off all care for it, and content ourselves with our 〈◊〉 state: The trouble and danger that stayeth us from seeking life eternal, is that which the Scripture setteth out, All that will live godly in Christ Jesus, must suffer persecution, the second epistle to Timothy the third chapter. By many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of Heaven, Acts the fourteenth chapter And the way is narrow and the gate straight that leadeth to life, Luke the thirteenth chapter. To take away the first hindrance, the holy Ghost showeth, that there is a better life and greater joys reserved in the life to come, The eye hath not seen, the ear hath not heard, the first epistle to the Corinthians the second chapter. And, that the other should not hinder us, he saith, All the afflictions in this life are not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed, Romans the eight chapter. In both which places we see God would kindle in us a desire of eternal life: As there is a life that endureth, so there is a meat for it. We know the body needs bread, therefore we seek for bread for it: so must we seek for the food of the soul. The joy of the body must be a memorial to stir us up, to provide food for the soul. Fourthly, This food we do not seek: We are so entangled in the pleasures of this life, that we think not of eternal life; the pleasures of this life, while we enjoy them, do quench the care of the life to come: But being once past, they are as nothing, and we are never the better for them; though we desire eternal life, yet we persuade ourselves we shall have it without seeking the food for it. We think it necessary to seek bread for the body, but not for the soul; though we do think it necessary, yet we neglect it, and deny in our works, that we think it needful: We do not labour for it, as we are here commanded: The sluggard would fain have bread, but shall want it, because he labours not for it in temporal things, as riches, honour, preferment, a great deal will not content men: But in Religion and matters spiritual, they are of Agrippaes' mind, aliquantulum persuades, Acts the twenty fourth chapter, great store of worldly goods is nothing, but a few good works are sufficient; If we sow to the spirit in never so little measure, we think we have done a great deal; but if we sow never so much to the flesh upon apparel and vanity all is too little; if we spend all the six days about our own profit, yet it is not enough, but we will encroach upon the Sabbath; therefore the people ask, When will the Sabbath be ended? Amos the eighth chapter; But if we spend but one day in the week, or one hour in God's service, it is tedious to them. We take part with Martha; and as for Mary, that was occupied about God's worship, we think not so well of her, though Christ testify of her, that she chose the better part, Luke the tenth chapter: If we vouchsafe once in seven days to come unto God's house, yet it shall be late before we come, and we think it long till we be gone. Operemini non cibo qui perit, sed cibo illi qui permanet in vitam aeternam, quem filius hominis, etc. John 6. 27. Novemb. 19 1598. AFter the four points of accusation, before handled, now follow two more for direction, First, That we must seek for the bread of life that endureth, rather than for that which perisheth. Secondly, That we must seek for it of the son of Man, whom God the father hath therefore sealed, that he should give us the bread of life. In the first part we have two parts to observe. First, That we must labour for this meat: Secondly, We must labour for it more than for the other. When Christ saith labour, he means not that they should only desire it: It is a good thing to desire the bread of life as they desire it, Da nobis semper panem hunc, John the sixth chapter and the thirty fourth verse. Those sudden flashings that arise are not to be despised, for they are the seed of greater virtues: God gins with a little seed of Godliness, and proceeds till he have wrought men to some perfection. Zacheus at the first did but only desire to see Christ; but from this little seed proceeded great fruit of Justice and mercy towards the poor, so that he not only restored, but gave to the poor, Luke the nineteenth chapter. Therefore the seed of repentance and faith, if it be never so little, is not to be rejected, if it be but as the grain of mustard seed; He that doth not quench the smoking flax, though it do not flame, Matthew the twelfth chapter, will not despise the least desire of God's grace: but that we should not content ourselves only to desire the bread of life, he wills us not only to desire, but to labour for it: It is not enough to long and desire for the bread of life, but we must labour and take pains for it: The desire of the slothful shall slay him, Proverbs the twenty fourth chapter: The slothful would fain have bread to sustain life, but he saith, There is a Lion in the way, Proverbs the twenty second chapter, he is afraid of labour and danger; but we must not refuse to take any pains, nor fear any danger, to obtain the bread that endureth for ever. In other things of this life we do not only desire that which seemeth good to us, but we seek for it till we have it. So the Prophet speaks, Cupiunt & rapiunt, Michah the second chapter and the second verse: So we must not only desire the Kingdom of God, but must violently seek after it; for The Kingdom of God suffereth violence, Matthew the eleventh chapter. Secondly, this word labour is opposed to seeking: for Christ saith here, Matthew the sixth chapter, Seek the Kingdom of God, but labour for the meat that endureth, This labour is that work of God which is ascribed to faith, John the sixth chapter, by which we labour for the bread of life, we must use an excessive kind of labour, in this work of God, for that to labour for the bread of life, is no bodily labour, and therefore we must work for it earnestly: for cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently, Jeremiah the forty eight chapter, Therefore when Christ pronounceth them blessed that hunger and thirst after righteousness, he commands us not only to seek and desire it in our hearts, but to hunger for it as we do for the food of our bodies, Matthew the fifth chapter, and as he commands us to do so, so he hath left us his example, for as it becomes him to fulfil all righteousness; so he protesteth, that it was his meat and drink, to do the will of him that sent him, John the fourth chapter; so did Mary earnestly labour for the meat that perisheth not, when she was sitting at the feet of Jesus: for though her sister called upon her to help her, yet nothing could draw her from this spiritual labour, Luke the tenth chapter and the forty second verse: So did the people labour that pressed to hear Christ, Luke the eighth chapter, they laid violence to the Kingdom of God: as also they that hearing Paul preach, would needs have him preach the same thing again to them: and for that end came together in great companies to hear the next Sabbath, Acts the thirteenth chapter: If we thus seek the bread of life, striving and wrestling with God in our prayers, as Jacob did with the Angel, than we do indeed labour for it, as Christ willeth us to do. The second sense of labouring is, that we must labour for this bread more than for the other, and not at all for the other, in comparison of this. All grant that we must labour for the bread of life, but not for it more than for that which nourisheth this life: we must observe, in what manner we ought to labour, as well as that we are to labour: for the excessive desire of this life, makes us defective in the desire of the life to come. The desire of this life is not oppofice; but subordinate to the desires of the life to come: But we must desire this life, so fare as it may further us to the other life. Some do make this life the end of all their desires, and do heap up wrath to themselves, against the day of wrath, 〈◊〉 the second chapter. But the care and endeavour of the Saints of God is, that in this life, they may lay up for themselves a good 〈◊〉 for the life to come, the first epistle to 〈◊〉 the sixth chapter. Men are bound to be careful to make honest provision for this life, and not to be idle and burdensome to the earth: For when Christ willeth us not to be careful for this life, yet from the example of birds we may learn, that we must not be negligent, for they are made to fly, as it is in the Provarbs: And so we are by God's appointment to provide for our maintenance in this life, Matthew the sixth chapter. When Christ saith, We shall give account for every idle word, he means we shall be called to account, That we have not spoken the good words that we ought, Matthew the twelfth chapter. The Apostle 〈◊〉 him 〈◊〉 stote, to steal no more, but to labour, Ephesians the fourth chapter and the twenty eighth verse; The reason is, that for want of labouring in some honest calling for our outward maintenance, we shall fall to poverty, and Poverty will make us steal and use unlawful means, Proverbs the thirty chapter. Though a man were able to live without labouring, yet remembering God's sentence, that we 〈◊〉 eat in the sweat of our faces, we shall say, 〈◊〉 tram Domini, 〈◊〉 the seventh chapter and the ninth verse; And that made the Apostle say, That if any will not labour, let him not eat, the second epistle to the 〈◊〉 and the third chapter: And the blessed man shall 〈◊〉 of the labour of his hands, Psalm one hundred twenty eighth. Thus we are to provide for this life. But if comparison be made, we are to labour more for the life to come, and for the food that belongeth to the maintenance of it. It were a thing hard enough for us, if Christ should command us to labour for the heavenly food, as we do for the earthly; but yet it is necessary, that as the soul is more excellent than the body; so we should be more careful to maintain the life of the soul, than of the body. The excellency of the soul made the learned Philosophers to 〈◊〉 from many bodily pleasures, which otherwise they could not have forborn, but that they knew the life and felicity of the soul is 〈◊〉 better than all the profits and pleasures of this life. Of the good things of this life Christ saith, What shall it profit a man to 〈◊〉 the whole world and lose his own 〈◊〉? Matthew the sixteenth chapter. So we are to seek the good of the next life, rather than of this: Touching our defence from bodily miseries, Christ saith, 〈◊〉 not him that 〈◊〉 kill the body, and not the soul; but he that can kill 〈…〉, Matthew the tenth chapter, that is, if he that 〈◊〉 not a due care to provide for the soul rather than for the body: Some use the soul is if it were to serve the body, whereas the body ought to serve it: But seeing our body is Corpus mortis, Romans the seventh chapter; because either it shall be destroyed by death, or while it liveth, is under the dominion of death, Romans the sixth chapter: Therefore whatsoever care is bestowed upon the body, shall perish with it; for they that sow to the flesh, as it is corruptible, shall reap corruption; but as the spirit is immortal, so they that sow to it shall reap immortality and life ever lasting, Galatians the sixth chapter: The good estate of the body will not make the soul the better, but rather the worse; but the souls estate being provided for, the body shall be fare the better. If we seek God's Kingdom first, than that care will cause all other things to be added, Matthew the sixth chapter: If our conversation be in Heaven, it shall cause our bodies that are corruptible, to become glorious, Philippians the third chapter and the twenty first verse. If in this life we keep ourselves from the filthiness and pollution of worldly and carnal lusts, our bodies shall be glorious after death; therefore we are to be more careful for the soul than for the body. Of this life Job saith, It is but short, Job the fourteenth chapter; It is like a vapour that suddenly ariseth, and vanisheth away, James the fourth chapter. It is as grass, the first epistle of Peter and the first chapter; And it standeth not in the abundance of riches that man hath, Luke the twelfth chapter: Man walks in a shadow, and disquiets himself in vain, Psalm the thirty ninth. He is every moment subject to death; and howsoever death it looks a young man in the face, as it doth old men; yet it is as near to him while it stands close to the other; Therefore the Wise man saith, All the cares of this life are but vanity and vexation of spirit. And howsoever while we are in our joys, drunk with the pleasure of the world, as Naball, the first epistle of Samuel and the twenty fift chapter; So that though we be wounded we feel it not, like the drunkard, Proverbs the twenty third chapter: Though we have not grace to say, Quid prodest totum mundum lucrari? Matthew the sixteenth chapter; yet when it is too late, we shall say, What hath it 〈◊〉 us to have enjoyed the pleasures of this life, Sapi. 5. The life to come is void of all misery and torment, There is the fullness of joy and pleasure for evermore, Psalm the sixteenth: But all the pleasure and profits of this life, if it were possible to possess them all, are not answerable to the joys of the life to come: With which present pleasures are joined many griefs and torments; If a man be never so rich, or humble, & diseased, or afflicted, it will mar all his joys; But all the afflictions of this life, are not comparable to the future glory, Romans the eighth, that shall be revealed, which swallows up all our troubles that we suffer here, because it is hard to root out of men's hearts the cares of this life; and Christ doth not forbid them altogether to be careless, But first seek the kingdom of God, and all things else shall be cast upon you, Matthew the sixth chapter. If ye neglect earthly things for heavenly, you shall not only obtain heavenly things, but earthly things withal: If we only seek bodily things, and not heavenly, we shall want both: But if we seek for the soul, we shall have things necessary for the body; for the Lord 〈◊〉 said, I will not for sake thee, Hebrews the thirteenth chapter: And David affureth himself, that because the Lord is his 〈◊〉 he shall want nothing, Psalm the twenty third: If Solomon ask not riches, nor honour, but wisdom; he shall have not only wisdom, but riches, honour, and all other things, the first book of Kings the third chapter: the seeking of things pertaining to this life 〈◊〉 the care of the life to come; but the seeking of God's kingdom, includes the care of all other things. The 〈◊〉, that it is Christ, the son of man, that gives us this bread of life: Muerial bread, is the effect of Creatures; but the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 is the effect of the redemption: But seeing all things were made by Christ, John the first chapter, therefore it is Christ that gives us both eartnly and heavealy bread: Christ made 〈◊〉 material bread of nothing, but this bread he maketh of himself: the one he made 〈◊〉, but the other cost him the shedding of his 〈◊〉: His flesh, simply, is not bread, but his flesh 〈◊〉 for us; caro 〈◊〉 prodest, John sixth chapter, the bread that perisheth, and all the works of the Creation he performed in six days, but the bread of life was not made, but during the whole space of his life upon earth. The six point is, where the bread is to be found, touching which he saith, say not with thy heart, who shall go up to heaven to fetch this bread, nor 〈◊〉 down to hell, komans' the tenth chapter and the sixth verse; It is the Son of man that gives it for God the Father hath sealed him for this end. In which words we have, First a 〈◊〉: Secondly, an Affirmation. The direction hath a Correction; for we think we deserve it by seeking and labouring for it: For Christ tells us, it is not to be had, except the Son of man give 〈◊〉 Christ gives us the bread of life three ways, First, When he gives his flesh to be crucified for us in his 〈◊〉; for in death only it 〈◊〉 power to quicken us into eternal life, as the Apostle witnesseth, By death he did destroy him that had the power of death, Hebrews the second chapter: In thy favour is life, Psalm the thirtieth: But we are brought into God's favour no otherwise, but by the death of his Son, Romans the fift chapter: So that by his death we obtain life; By the sacrifice of himself he hath done away our 〈◊〉, Hebrems the ninth chapter. Secondly, he gives us the bread of life in the sacrament, his flesh is made bread for us in his passion, when he died, but is given and applied to us in the Supper: The expiation for sins was once performed upon the Cross; By one sacrifice hath he perfected for ever, Hebrews the tenth chapter and the 〈◊〉 verse: But 〈…〉 is often applied to us in the 〈◊〉. Thirdly, where as there are two 〈◊〉 of giving, offered and confert, he gives us this bread when he doth not only 〈◊〉 it unto us, but makes us 〈◊〉 it. If we 〈◊〉 hold of the bread by faith, which is the work of God, and 〈◊〉 that he is the food of our souls, than 〈◊〉 will give us it and make us partakers of 〈◊〉, as Christ saith, This is the 〈◊〉, That light came into the world, and ye loved darkness rather than light, John the third chapter. So it shall be our condemna ion, if God do only offer us the bread of life, and do not withal give us it, and make us to receive it. All bodily meats being a power nutritive, but profit 〈◊〉, except they be a power digestive: So though the body of Christ crucified have a power to give life and nourishment, yet except we digest it with faith, it shall do us no good. For our assurance hereof Christ saith of the Son of man, that God the Father hath sealed him, that is, he hath power and authority to be the bread of life, and to conserve life to them that feed on him. He hath sealed him, First with his nature, being the very Son of God, He is the similitude and engraven form of his person, Hebrews the first chapter and the third verse. We need not to doubt of the remission of our sins; for Christ as he is God, giveth power to forgive sins. Secondly, as he is sealed with God's nature, so with his name, He is wonderful Counsellor, the mighty God, the Prince of Peace, Isaiah the ninth chapter. Thirdly, With his miracles, For he raiseth the dead, and quickeneth whom he will, no less than the Father, John the fift chapter and the twenty first verse. Fourthly. Because exception was taken against his miracles, For they said that he did them by Belzebub, Matthew the twelfth chapter, therefore he is further sealed, with a voice from Heaven saying, This is he in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him, Matthew the seventeenth chapter: not only whom he commands, but where he promiseth, to refresh them that come to him, Matthew the eleventh chapter. Fiftly, He hath sealed him with the spirit, The spirit of the Lord is upon me, Luke the fourth chapter; And that not only rests (John the third chapter the three and thirtieth and four and thirtieth verses) content with receiving the spirit for himself, but with a power to give it to his: So that by his intercession with God the Father, He sent down the spirit upon the Apostles, Acts the second chapter. Being thus sealed by God, he is able to nourish us by his flesh crucified for us, unto eternal life, if he give us grace to lay hold of it by faith. Dixit igitur eyes, Videte, & cavete ab avaritia: nec enim cujusquam vita ex iis quae ipsi suppetunt, in eo sita est ut redundet. Luke 12. 15. Novemb. 26. 1598. HERE Christ gives two commandments to covetous men; First, To discern and see the sin of covetousness Secondly, To beware of it. Against the latter of them, as against every other Commandment, the corrupt nature of man makes two questions, First, of Rebellion, Why should we beware? Secondly, of Ignorance, How shall we beware? The former question is resolved three ways. First, We must beware of it, because the sin of 〈◊〉 is hardly avoided, the desire of having abundance is so rooted in the hearts of all men. Secondly, Because, as it is hardly avoided, so it is a sin very heinous in God's fight; being committed, howsoever we persuade our 〈◊〉, that those sins are the least, that are naturally planted in us. Thirdly, Because whereas men may repent for other sinned, they can hardly repent of this. For other immoderate desires do cease by two means; either 〈◊〉 they are satisfied, or else when death doth approach. 〈◊〉 doth yield to neither of these means, for the more that riches increase, the more doth his covetous desire increase; and the 〈◊〉 that death is, the more doth a covetous man embrace his riches, and still covet more. Touching the second question; Though we be persuaded that we ought to avoid this sin, yet we know not how; How to avoid 〈◊〉. and therefore we ask, How shall we avoid it? The word of God appoints 〈◊〉 three means, First, Trust in God: Secondly, Prayer against the sin: Thirdly, Meditations concerning the same. The first means, Trust in God. First it is a good way, for the avoiding of 〈◊〉, to trust in God; for that is a thing that the heart of a covetous man will not set himself against: He will in no wise follow the counsel of the Philosopher, which teacheth, That to avoid covetousness, a man must give himself to the actions of prodigality; he would rather hear how he might get money, than how to spend that he hath: But if he be advised to put his trust in God, he will not be against that, as a thing which is not so contrary to his sin as prodigality: But this means doth the Scripture inculcate, Trust not in uncertain riches, the first epistle to Timothy and the sixth chapter: If riches increase set not your hearts upon them, Psalm the sixty second: Riches avail not in the day of 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 nam per det in die ira, Proverbs the eleventh chapter and the fourth verse: Let not the rich man glory in his riches, 〈◊〉 the ninth chapter and the twenty third verse. As the Scripture exhorts us, not to trust in riches; so it sets forth examples of them that in vain put their trust therein; For this is the man that took not God for his strength, but trusted in the multitude of his riches, Psalm the fifty second. But of confidence in God it speaketh thus, It is better to 〈◊〉 in the Lord, than to put confidence in man, Psalm one hundred eighteen; O Lord of hosts! blessed is the man that putteth his trust in 〈…〉 the eighty fourth; Our fathers trusted in thee, and thou didst deliver them, Psalm the twenty second and the fourth verse; The 〈◊〉 shall hunger, but such 〈◊〉 trust in the Lord shall want 〈◊〉 good things, 〈◊〉 the thirty fourth and the tenth verse, A horse is 〈◊〉 thing to 〈…〉 man, but the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, and trust in 〈◊〉, Psalm the thirty third and the seventeenth verse; To deliver their souls from death, and to feed them in the time of 〈◊〉. After that a man hath admitted this opinion, which is so confirmed by Scripture, than there is cause to persuade him; for the 〈◊〉 gives two commands, in the first to Timothy the sixth chapter and the seventeenth verse, Charge the rich of this world, not to trust in 〈…〉, but in the living God; and to distributs. To 〈◊〉 them, That the cause why men do not distribute, is for want of trust in God. They could be content to sow good works; but they look up and fear a cloud of poverty will come upon them, and they shall want themselves; which would not be if they did trust in God: but men give more trust to the uncertainty of riches, than to the certainty of God's promise. To help this error, our Saviour saith, Care 〈◊〉; for your heavenly Father knoweth that you need all these things, Matthew the sixth chapter and the thirty second verse; And the Apostle saith, Let your conversation be without 〈◊〉; for God 〈◊〉 said, I will not leave thee, nor for sake thee, Hebrews the thirteenth chapter and the fift verse. If we were persuaded, that he that seeks to obtain God's favour by doing good works, layeth up a better 〈◊〉 for the time to come, than he that heaps up riches, the first epistle to Timothy, the sixth chapter and the nineteenth verse, it would make us use this means, for the avoiding of 〈◊〉. For be a man never so rich in this world, and never so honourable, yet his glory shall not go with him, Psalm the forty ninth and the seventeenth verse: But their works follow them, opera 〈…〉, Apoc, the fourteenth chapter and the thirteenth verse. Therefore it were good for us rather to respect and provide for the time to come. And as it is good for the life to come, so for this life present; For a little that the righteous hath, is better than great riches of the ungodly, Psalm the thirty seventh and the sixteenth verse; And Godliness hath promise of this life and that which is to come, the first epistle to Timothy the fourth chapter and the eight verse. Again to trust in God, and not in riches, is a better foundation, not for ourselves only, but for our posterity; I never saw the righteous forsaken, nor 〈◊〉 seed begging their bread, Psalm the thirty seventh and the twenty fift verse; The seed of the righteous is blessed, Psalm one hundred and twelve and the second verse. The second mean; Prayer. The second means to avoid this sin is Prayer; either with a moderate desire to pray with Solomon, Proverbs the thirtieth chapter, That God will give neither poverty nor riches; or with David, Psalm the hundred and nineteenth, Incline my heart is thy Laws, and not to 〈◊〉. And this is a good means, such as a covetous man will 〈◊〉 admit: For howsoever the sin of covetousness be rooted in the heart of man, yet when he considers the danger that he is in by the same, he will pray that he were not covetous. And howsoever the Apostle saith, The prayer of a righteous man availeth much, if it be servant, Oratia 〈◊〉 pravales, James the fift chapter and the sixteenth verse, yet God will sometime hear the prayer of a wicked man, if it be not servant, yet if it be offered up often, it will not be in vain; not by the violence or weight, but by often rising up, as the water that often falls makes the stone hollow. The prayers of wicked men are turned into sin, if they be ordained to sin, Psalm the hundred and ninth and the seventh verse: And God doth not hear them that ask to spend upon their lusts, James the fourth chapter and the third verse. But when wicked men pray against sinee, and seek for grace to destroy sin in them, God doth not reject these prayers, For Christ will not 〈◊〉 the smoking 〈◊〉: and the 〈◊〉 flashing of such destics in the 〈◊〉 of covetous men, enough they be not so vehement as the prayers of righteous men, Matthew the twelfth chapter: Christ did not quench the small desire that was in 〈◊〉 at the first, but accepted of it; so that it grew to be a desire of showing greater works of liberality, Luke 19 The third, 〈◊〉. The third means is Meditation. Every covetous 〈…〉 these flashing desires in his heart, that he were not to covetous; As 〈◊〉, though he lived wickedly, yet desired to dieth death of the righteous. But that those desires may be constant, they 〈◊〉 wife from meditation, which will stitre them up often; For so they will be 〈…〉 ad meridiem, Proverbs the fourth chapter and the eighteenth verte; Whereas otherwise they are as the sudden flash of lightning, that doth no sooner appear, but is presontly gone. Therefore that he may avoid this sin, the covetous man among all his thoughts of vanity, I will go to the City and buy and fell, 〈◊〉 the fourth chapter; I will pull down any barus and make greater; I will act and drink, Luke the twelfth chapter, must 〈◊〉 these true thoughts, which only keeps him from it: First, he must think of the means, whereby he obtains riches. Secondly, of riches, what it is to be rich, and what riches are. That he may consider of the means of getting riches as he ought, he must think first, To how many cares he is brought with the desire of being rich; how infinite and 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 are; that they are like 〈◊〉; he hath 〈◊〉 sooner rid himself of one care, but another ariseth in his heart; For when a man hath enough, yet still he hath his cares: They that want meat and drink do but say, What shall we eat and 〈◊〉 At 〈◊〉 the sixth chapter, and the rich men that have to eat and drink, are also car 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 more, and to enlarge 〈◊〉 banos to receive more, Lake the twelfth chapter; therefore the Apostle saith well, They that will be 〈◊〉, pearct themselves with many sorrows, the 〈◊〉 epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the sixth chapter. Secondly, to how many sins the 〈◊〉 man doth end anger his soul, while, to gather riches, he sticketh not to sin against God, by oppression, by deceit, by peryury, swearing, and 〈…〉 Thirdly, to how many judgements and 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 he is subject, by means of these sins, even while he is in this life. 〈◊〉, That by means of his 〈◊〉, he is like no 〈◊〉 forever. A sorrow 〈◊〉 to every sin. For whereas there is a sorrow due to every sin, which 〈◊〉, by repentance is remitted and 〈…〉 at the 〈◊〉 of God. The sin of the covetous man is so 〈◊〉 in him; 〈◊〉 he cannot be sorry for it: the more he hath, the more he still desireth: and the nearer he is to death, the more 〈…〉 his 〈◊〉 of covetousness. Of restitution. Without it, no remission. If he will be truly penitent for 〈◊〉, he must make restitution, as 〈◊〉, Luke the nineteenth chapter. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nisi 〈◊〉 & non 〈…〉. But this is that which makes a 〈◊〉 man's sin 〈◊〉 before God, That he cannot make restitution, which notwithstanding must be made, and other sins require no restitution; therefore Christ 〈◊〉 well, That it is as hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, as for a Camel to pass through the eye of a needle, Matthew the nineteenth chapter. When the young man was willed to sell all he had, and to give to the poor, he was very sore grieved; so loath are they to restore that which they have unjustly gotten together. But howsoever the Doctrine of restitution is durus serme, yet it is sanus sermo. The consideration of these four things that do accompany the greedy desire of getting riches will make a man to avoid this sin, if he think upon them throughly. Uncertainty of riches, & evils they bring. The second observation, is touching riches, wealth itself. If thou consider how deceitful and uncertain a thing riches is, for which thou hast brought thyself to so many inconveniences and such infinite cares, so many grievous sins, to so many judgements of God daily hanging over our heads for the same, and into such difficulty of 〈◊〉, it will make thee avoid it; therefore our Saviour calls riches deceitful, Matthew the thirteenth chapter and the twenty second verse: And the Apostle saith they are uncertain vanity, the first epistle to Timothy the sixth chapter: The reason is, because he that hath them to day, may lose them to morrow; and though they make man's life comfortable for a while, yet they cannot prolong life. The reason is, because our life doth not stand in the abundance of wealth: In which words the holy Ghost gives them leave to imagine, that if they be covetous, they shall be wealthy and rich; howbeit it is not any means that the covetous man can use, that will make him wealthy; for which of you by taking thought, Proverbs the twenty second chapter, and Matthew the sixth chapter: The blessing of the Lord maketh rich, Sola 〈◊〉 Domini, Proverbs the tenth chapter and the twenty second verse: It is not early rising, nor late sitting down, Psalm the hundred twenty seventh. But put case it be true which they imagine with themselves, yet their life stands not in the riches so gotten. It is indeed probable that a covetous man shall soon attain to riches; For all is fish that comes to net with him; he will not refuse any gain, be it never so unlawful; If it be panis fallaciae, if it be pretium sanguinis, he will put it up. And as he hath more means to get, so he spares more than other men do: He doth no good works; he distributeth not to the necessity of the poor, magnum 〈◊〉 parsimonia; and flesh and blood always persuades herself of the best, and never doubteth of any hurt: The rich Merchants say with themselves, We will go and buy and sell, and gain, James the fourth chapter, never thinking that they shall lose. The rich man thought with himself, I will eat and drink and take my rest, but never thought that he should die, Luke the twelfth chapter. So we always dream of the best, and never fear any evil. We will drink strong drink to day, and tomorrow shall be as this day, and better, Isaiah the fifty seventh chapter. Again, they may pretend further cause for the sin of covetousness. Abundance makes a man abstain from many sins, which poor men fall into of necessity, For poverty makes a man to steat, Proverbs the thirtieth chapter: Therefore the Apostle willeth, that if any man will not steal, he must labour with his hands, Ephesians the fourth chapter. Abundance sets them in case, that they can do many good works, when the borrower is a servant to the lender, as it is in the Proverbs. The rich man is free from this inconvenience: 〈◊〉 est abundat omnibus. Riches do make a man glorious. But though all this were true, yet Christ saith, that life stands not in riches, as the Preacher speaks by way of permission, to the rich man, Go too, take thy pleasure; but for all this know, that God will bring thee to judgement, Ecclesiastes the eleventh chapter: So doth Christ give them scope to conceive what opinion they think good of Riches. Put case thou, through thy covetousness hast abundance, yet thy life consists not therein; that this is true, That man is not a whit longer lived for his wealth, the Scripture shows, Divitia non proder unt in die 〈◊〉, Proverbs the eleventh chapter and the fourth verse: Though hand be 〈◊〉 in hand, yet it shall not serve the turn, the rich man dyeth as well as the poor, Psalm the thirty ninth: but how powerful this is to restrain covetousness, appears by this. We will do nothing in vain, much less suffer in vain. The Apostle 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 the fift chapter, While we are in health of body, we know our riches do us great service; but if death draw near, we are ready to say with 〈◊〉, Genesis the twenty fift chapter, Behold I die, and what will all this wealth do me good. Christ saith not, Be not covetous, for you shall not be the richer, but Be afraid of covetousness, for your life stands not in abundance of riches; to put thee in mind, to provide for another life rather than for this: For albeit the covetous and miserable man hath misery in this life, because he disquiets himself in vain, Psalm the thirty ninth, and therefore is called a 〈◊〉 or ; yet his future misery being 〈◊〉 with the misery of this life, makes him more miserable. While he is in his 〈◊〉, it is well with him, though he have many worldly cares; But when he is put out of his office, and shall be called to account, How he came by his office, and how he hath behaved himself therein. How he got his worldly wealth, and how he hath distributed the same for the relief of his poor fellow Saints. Then, it he be found faulty in his account, his misery is fare greater than ever it was in this life. Luke the sixteenth chapter, Christ takes away from covetous men the opinion of life, and wills them not to think that they shall live the longer for their riches; And seeing they must die, and after death cometh the Judgement, Hebrews the ninth chapter, it is their part rather to lay up a good 〈◊〉 for the time to come, 〈◊〉 lay up their treasure in Heaven, Matthew the sixth chapter; becanse as they heap up riches unjustly, so they 〈◊〉 up wrath for themselves against the day of wrath, Romans the second chapter. Though covetous men think themselves well while they live; yet Christ tell them, They must die, that they should take 〈◊〉 that it may go well with them after death, That when they have laid down these earthly tabernacles, the second epistle of Peter the first chapter, They may be received into everlasting tabernacles, Luke the sixteenth chapter. Nam cui haec non adsunt, is caecus est, nihil procul cernens, oblitus sese à veteribus peccatis suis fuisse purificatum. Quapropter, fratres, etc. 2 Pet 1. 9 Decemb. 3. 1568. THE Prophet David saith, Psal. the forty ninth, Man was in honour when he was first created, but continued not in that state the space of a night, but became like a beast that perisheth. So that as God made man so honourable a creature, that he thought he might be God: So when man in the pride of his heart, would be like God be became a beast; a beast not only in body, for that he dyeth as they do, but in soul: For if we consider the understanding part of the soul, and the knowledge that man hath in the same, He is foolish and ignorant, even as a beast before God, Psalm the seventy third and the twenty second verse; and the rebellion of his heart is such, that he is compared to horse and mule, Psalm the thirty second. This is our downfall: But God of his rich mercy will not have man continue in dishonour, though he lost that honour which God gave him in the beginning. And as man would not continue in honour one night, so God would not suffer him to continue in dishonour one night, but presently after his fall gave him this precious promise, That howsoever man had made himself a beast yet God would not only make him a man again but partaker of the divine nature, the second of Peter the first chapter and the fourth verse: Which promise albeit it gins to be performed, when we apprehend it by faith, yet faith only doth not make it perfect; but we must unto faith add virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love; And these virtues, if they concur, do make man partaker of the heavenly nature. At the first the Doctrine of Faith in Christ, was hardly received; or men thought to besaved only by Works: And when they had once received it, they excluded the doctrine of good Works. All the difficulty that St. Paul found in the work of his Ministry, was to plant faith, and to persuade men that we are justified before God by Faith in Christ, without the works of the Law: But St. Peter and St. James met with them that received the doctrine of Faith fast 〈◊〉, but altogether neglected good Works: But because both 〈◊〉 necessary, therefore St. Paul, 〈◊〉 all his epistles, joins the 〈◊〉 of Faith with the doctrine of Works. This is a faithful saying, and to be avouched, That they which believe in God, be careful to show forth good works, Titus the third chapter and the eighth verse; Therefore with the doctrine of the Grace of God, he joins the doctrine of the careful bringing forth of good works, Titus the second chapter and the 12. verse, The saving grace of God hath appeared, and teacheth us to deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts, and to live soberly and righteously and godly in this world. The doctrine of Grace is not rightly apprehended, until we admit of the Doctrine of good works. Wilt thou know, O man, that Faith is dead without works? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac? James the second chapter and the twentieth verse: Therefore St. Peter saith, That is no true faith, which is not accompanied with virtue and godliness of life. It is true, that good works have no power to work justification, because they do not contain a perfect righteousness: And in as much as they are imperfect, there belongs the curse of God unto them; Cursed is he that continueth not in all things, Galatians the third chapter: Good works, a token of justification. So fare are they from justifying; but yet they are tokens of justification, Genesis the fourth chapter, Respexit Deus ad Abelem, & ad oblationem suam, God first looked upon his person, and then upon his sacrifice; For before the person be justified, his works are not accepted in God's sight: The best works, if they proceed not of Faith, are sin, Romans the fourteenth chapter: Our Saviour saith, No branch can bring forth fruit of itself, except it abide in the Vine, John the fifteenth chapter: Therefore if we do any good works, they proceed from our incision and engraffing into Christ; by whom they are made acceptable to God. Paul saith, Abraham was justified by faith before works, not when he was circumcised, but when he was uncircumcised, Romans the fourth chapter and the tenth verse. But James saith, Abraham our Father was justified by Works, James the second chapter and the twenty first verse. To reconcile the Apostles, we must know, that the power of Justification, which, in Paul, is effective; But that which James speaketh of is declarative: It was Abraham's Faith that made him righteous; and his works did only declare him to be justified: Therefore Paul saith, That albeit good works have no power to justify, yet they are good and profitable for men, Titus the third chapter; For they declare our justification, which is by faith; and by them we make ourselves sure of our calling and election, the second epistle of Peter the first chapter and the tenth verse. In these two verses Peter delivers two things: First, A Rule, by which we may examine ourselves. Secondly, An application of the same. Seeing we have such a good Rule to try whether we be elected and called, let us study by the practice of these virtues, to assure ourselves of our calling and election. Two things commend this Rule, which the holy Ghost sets down, First, That it is Regula negativa; For having said before affirmatively, If these things be in you and abound, they will make you that you shall not be idle nor unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ. Now he speaks negatively, But if you have them not, you are blind; which is more than if he had contented himself with his affirmative speech: For as the tree in the Garden was called Arbor scientiae boni, Genesis the second chapter, though directly it brings us to the knowledge of nothing but evil, because Adam knew not what a good thing it was to be obedient, till he felt the smart of his disobedience: So we do perceive the goodness of things by the want of them, better than by the enjoying of them. The benefit of possessing the graces of God's spirit, doth not so much move us as the want of them. Therefore the Apostle saith, If ye care not for being fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, yet let this persuade you to practise all these virtues; for that if you be without them, you are blind. And as no man knoweth what a benefit it is to have sight, so well as a blind man that wants it; so it is with them that practise not these virtues. Secondly, That it is a universal Rule, Whosoever hath not these things: For our nature is inclined to take exception against good rules; As John Baptist, when he willed all men to bring forth fruit worthy of repentance: Nor as the Jews, not to say, We have Abraham to our Father, Matthew the third chapter. It is our corruption, as the Apostle faith, to think that we shall escape the plagues of God for these sins, which we condemn in others, Romans the second chapter: Therefore our Saviour prevented that exception, when speaking to his Disciples, he said, Quod vobis dico omnibus dico, Mark the thirteenth chapter. Even so Peter saith, Whosoever wants these virtues, whatsoever occasion he pretends for the want of them, he is blind, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. But to speak more particularly of this Rule, two things make us secure in the matter of our Salvation, which notwithstanding, We should work out with fear and trembling, Philippians the second chapter and the twelfth verse. The one is, our Knowledge: We are ready to say with Job, I know that my Redeemer liveth, Job the nineteenth chapter: But unless we perform something else, it shall be in vain to make this allegation, Have not we prophesied in thy name? Matthew the seventh chapter. The other cause of confidence and carelessness is the opinion we have, that it makes no matter how we live, The blood of Christ doth purge me from all sin, the epistle of John the first chapter and the seventh verse. To these two the holy Ghost opposeth two things. First, Do we think we know God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent? Yea; but he that knoweth not these virtues, is blind, and knoweth nothing. Secondly, Do we think, we need not to be careful of holiness of life, because we are purged by Christ's blood? But except we be careful to walk in newness of life, we have forgotten that we were purged from our old sins. For the first point, That he that hath not these virtues, is blind, we are to know, That albeit there be no opposition between knowledge and wickedness of life, because all that know Gods will, do not practise it, yet there is a necessary dependence between them; If ye love me, saith Christ, keep my commandments, John the fifteenth chapter. And the Preacher, Seek for the mystery of faith, as in a pure conscience, the first epistle of Timothy and the third chapter: For they that put away a good conscience, make shipwreck of faith, the first epistle of Timos thy the first chapter and the nineteenth verse. The Gentiles did know God, but did not glorify him as God: They knew the truth, but did detinere veritatem in injustitiâ, Romans the first chapter. As they held knowledge, so they should not withhold it from others, but should have made manifest the same, that others might have known God; which because they did not, God gave them over to be darkened in their understanding. We must manifest our knowledge by doing some good works; for he that hath knowledge, and is not careful to be fruitful in the knowledge of Christ, is in the half way to be blinded; for when men receive not the love of the truth, that they may be saved, God will send them the efficacy of error, that they may believe lies, the second epistle to the Thessalonians the second chapter and the eleventh verse. This knowledge is but a show of knowledge, and not the power of it, If any man think he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing as he ought to know it, the second epistle to the corinthians the eighth chapter and the seventh verse. This knowledge is like that which John Baptist speaketh of, Matthew the third chapter, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Think not to say with yourselves, etc. rest not in this knowledge. The rule of true knowledge is, when it is accompanied with holiness of life, as he speaks, If any man love God, he is known of him, the first epistle to the Corinthians the eighth chapter and the third verse. The virtue that openeth men's eyes, to make them see, is wisdom: So he that hath no care of virtue, is not wise; for, the fear of God is wisdom; and to departed from evil is understanding, Job the twenty eighth chapter: And to fear God, is the beginning of wisdom, Proverbs the first chapter. The Art of sowing is of policy, so is buying and selling; But the Kingdom of God is likened to the traffic of a Merchant man; and to the sowing of seed, Matthew the thirteenth chapter, To teach us, that to our knowledge we must add spiritual wisdom, without which we are blind and ignorant. He that is blind, nescit quò vadit, John the twelfth chapter; He considers not how he lives, whether he be in the way that leadeth to life or to death; he knows not what shall come to him after this life; Incedit tanquam Bos, He goeth as an Ox to the slaughter, Proverbs the seventh chapter: But he that to knowledge adds godliness and holiness of life, he knoweth whither he goeth, That it shall go well with him at the last, Ecclesiastes the eighth chapter and the twelfth verse. So saith the Prophet, Mark the righteous, and thou shalt see his end is peace at the last, Psalm the thirty seventh and the thirty seventh verse. Secondly, He is not only blind, but cannot see a fare off. Two things are said to be a fare off things Spiritual and eternal; and he that hath not these Christian virtues, cannot see a fare off, neither in things spiritual nor eternal. For the first, The favour of the world makes a man commit many sins; but the favour of God keeps him from sin. Worldly pleasures make a man commit many sins; but the pleasure of the life to come and the joys of the holy Ghost, make a man forbear sin. Secondly, For things eternal, the evil estate of the wicked is very bad, be his temporal estate never so good: therefore they are to consider what God will do in the end thereof, Quod fiat in fine, Jeremiah the fift chapter and the thirty first verse. The least pleasure that the wicked have in this life, brings poenas inferni: And howsoever Godly men be subject to miseries in this life, yet their eternal estate is most happy: I know that it shall go well with them at the last, Isaiah the third chapter and the tenth verse. He hath forgotten that he was purged. Wherein we are to consider, First, How true this is, There are so many persuasions arising from the benefit of the purging of our sins, that it is confessed, that he hath forgotten that he was purged, that is, not careful to obtain these virtues: First, That God passeth over the time of our former ignorance, Acts the seventeenth chapter; Admonishesh us now to repentance, That it is enough that we have spent the time passed of our life, the first epistle of Peter the fourth chapter. The consideration of this should make us to become holy. The Prophet saith, When thou hast enlarged my heart, I will run the way of thy commandments, Psalm the hundred nineteenth. But what doth enlarge our hearts so much, as that all our former sins are washed away in the blood of Christ, That now we shall run the way and race of holiness, not in the spirit of fear, but of adoption, Romans the eighth chapter; Not as servants, but as children, in obedience to God our father, we need not to fear the curse of the Law, which Christ hath delivered us from, Galatians the third chapter; Only, we may look for temporal plagues, if we sin against God, Psalm the eighty ninth. Secondly, If we consider how we are purged, the which would persuade us hereunto, that is, Not by corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with the blood of Christ the first epistle of Peter the second chapter, But with the blood of Christ, not a profane and common blood, Hebrews the tenth chapter, but a precious blood. Thirdly, If we consider the end of our purging, which is, not to continue in sin, but, as Christ saith, I will refresh you, that you may take my yoke upon you, and be obedient unto me, Matthew the eleventh chapter: The father purgeth the branches, that they may bring forth more fruit, John the fifteenth chapter: And Christ gave himself for us, that he might purge us, to be zealous of good works, Titus the second chapter and the fourteenth verse. Whereby we see it is true, That he which hath not care of holiness, hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Secondly, We are to consider how evil a thing it is, to forget the purging of our former sins; which we shall perceive, if we consider what a benefit it is to have them cleansed. When Gods benefits upon us are fresh, they somewhat affect us for a time, but we presently forget them: And we are sorry for our sins, while they are fresh and newly committed, and feel the plague of God upon us; so that we can say with David I have sinned and done wickealy, in the second of Samuel, and the twenty fourth chapter, but the remembrance of them soon departeth away; But howsoever we forget them, yet God will remember them, and punish them to the third and fourth generation, Exodus the twentieth chapter: His patience towards us, whereby he would draw us to repentance, makes us think him like ourselves, that he doth forget our old sins as we do, but he will set them before us, and 〈◊〉 us for them, Psalm the fiftieth, Gen. 4 7. If thou dost evil thy sin lieth at the door, and thou art to look for God's plagues; for evil shall haunt the wicked, Psalm 140. 11. Our forgetfulness of sin, is God's remembrance. The brethren of Joseph were for a while touched with their sin committed against their brother, but when they had forgotten it, than did God remember it; and brought trouble upon them for it, as they themselves confessed. The sin which Simcon and Levi committed was an old sin, the thirty fourth chapter of Genesis, but God remembered it, and put in jacob's heart to curse them for it, Genesis the forty ninth chapter, so did God remember the old sin of 〈◊〉 committed against the Israelites and punished it, in the first book of Samuel and the fifteenth chapter, so the sin of Saul in killing the 〈◊〉, which was old, was punished with a famine, the second book of Samuel and the one and twentith chapter; so Job saith, God will plague the old man for the sin of his youth, so that his 〈◊〉 shall be full of 〈◊〉 and shall lie down with him in the dust, Job the twentieth chapter and the eleventh verse, therefore David prayeth, Remember not the sins of my youth, the twenty fift Psalm, and the Church prayeth, That ancient sins might be forgiven. We have sinned with our Fathers, Psalm the one hundred and 〈◊〉. Remember not our old sins. And because we are by nature inclined to forget them which we commit in our youth, and have been committed in former time by our Fathers; therefore we must beware, that we provoke not God to punish us for them. When the wicked Servant forgot his old debt, which his Lord forgave him, and began again to deal cruelly with his fellow, this forgetfulness made God to reverse his purgation, 〈◊〉 the eighteenth chapter; so we must remember that God forgave our old sins; for this remembrance is profitable to us; as out of darkness God brings light, so out of the remembrance of former sins, he can make us to avoid sins to come. Note. The sinful woman, when she remembered that Christ had forgiven her many sins, was provoked thereby to love him much, Luke the seventh chapter; and when Paul remembered, that he had been a persecuter of the Church of God, and a blood-shedder, and that his sin was purged, it made him careful to walk in holiness of life, so as he laboured more than all the Apostles, in the first to the Corinthians and the fifteenth chapter: wherefore seeing the remembrance of sins past is so good, it must needs be hurtful to our our own souls, and prejudicial to God's glory, to forget that our former sins were purged by the blood of Christ. Abrahamus' Pater ille vester gestivit videre diem istum meum, & vidit, etc. Job. 8. 56. Decemb. 31. 1598. THEY are the words of our Saviour Christ, and therefore true, because uttered by him that is the truth itself: Wherein affirming of Abraham, that he desired to see his day, that is, the day of his Nativity: He showeth that Abraham was a true Christian, and solemnised the same Feast which we now celebrate, in remembrance of Christ's birth already past, which was then to come when he rejoiced. And this is matter of comfort unto all men, That the service which they offer to God is no new kind of service, but as ancient as Abraham and the rest of the Fathers; of whom it is said, That they 〈◊〉 to be saved by the Grace of Christ as well as we, Acts the fifteenth chapter and the eleventh verse. So say hold Jacob, Lord I have looked for thy Jesus, Genesis the forty ninth chapter and the eighteenth verse: And the Prophet saith, Exultabo in Jesus meo, Habakkuk the third chapter and the eighteenth verse. Of this day the Prophet saith, This is the day which the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it, Psalm the hundred and eighteenth. In this day we are to rejoice, as in a day of Harvest, and as in a day of Victory, Isaiah the ninth chapter and the third verse. So that all the Prophets that were since Abraham, desired to see this day of Christ's birth no less than he. The occasion of these words, uttered by Christ, was, that the Jews boasted that they were Abraham's children; But Christ tells them, they do foolishly, considering they did degenerate from Abraham, and were not like him; for they had neither Abraham's works, nor his faith. Abraham desired to see my day, and longed for it, though he lived long before me, but ye despise me; you grieve to see me, but he would have been glad to see me, as you do; he defined to see me, and when he saw me with a lively faith, he rejoiced; to show what account he made of me, but ye make no reckoning of me, but 〈◊〉 me: Wherein we are to consider three points. Abraham's desire to see Christ, the sight he had of him; and the great joy he conceived when he saw him: which three may be reduced to Abraham's faith and love. The sight which Abraham had of Christ's day, is the vision of his faith, which faith of his is environed with two most pregnant effects of care; that is a desire to see Christ; and joy after he had 〈◊〉 him; for, in temporal things, whatsoever men most love, that they do (not only desire to have) but when they obtain it they rejoice, Who will show us any good? that is, the desire whereby men testify this love to earthly blessings, of corn, and oil, and wine; and when they have abundance of these things, than they have joy of them, though it be not like the joy of heart, which the light of God's countenance bringeth to the faithful as it is in the fourth Psalm: But in spiritual things Zacheus, to testify his love to Christ, did not only desire to see him, but when Christ told him he would dine at his house, he came down and received him joyfully, Luke the ninteenth chapter and the fifth verse. Abraham's desire offereth three things to be considered. First, What hedesired to see, that is, Christ's day. Secondly, the desire itself, he leapt for joy. Thirdly, the reason of this great desire. For the first, he desired to see the day of Christ, which receiveth three senses, either the day of his Deity, as Hierom expounds it; or the day of his Passion, as chrysostom; or the day of his Nativity, as Ireneus interprets it; for any of these are sufficient matter of desire, as Christ tells his disciples, Luke the seventeenth chapter and the two and twentith verse: But as Augustine saith, that day of Christ which we should chief desire to see, is that joyful day of his birth; whereof the Angels brought word, a day of great joy to all the people, that this day is born a Saviour, Luke the second chapter. In the desire itself, we are to consider two things; First, the Degree: Secondly, the Manner of this Desire. First for the Degree, It is noted in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is leapt for joy of that day, in regard of the great benefit which should come unto the world by Christ's birth: Which joy the babe, John Baptist, expressed; who, before he was borne, leapt in his Mother's womb, Luke the first chapter and the forty first verse. The joyful desire here mentioned is, as St. Peter speaks, a joy unspeakable and glorious, the first epistle of Peter and the eighteenth chapter; To teach us, that the day of Christ's coming in the flesh is a day most of all to be desired, and a matter of the greatest joy that can be. Secondly, For the Manner of this Desire. It was a desire joined with trust and confidence, without which our desire is in vain, be it never so hot. Abraham's desire of seeing Christ's day, was joined with hope that he should see it, which he so much desired. The Creatures desire to see the day of their redemption; for they groan, Romans the eighth chapter; but this desire is without hope. These desires are both to be seen in Jacob: For when his sons, being sent from Joseph, told him that Joseph was alive, and was Governor in the land of Egypt, his heart wavered: Then he had a desire to see Joseph, but it was not joined with hope; for he believed them not: But when they told him joseph's words, and shown him the Chariots that were sent for to bring him, than he had a desire with hope, and his spirit revived within him, Genesis the forty fift chapter and the twenty sixth verse. The hope that he conceived of seeing him whom he desired to see, made him rejoice. Touching the Reason of this desire, he had sufficient matter of present joy, for he was exceeding rich in and Silver and Gold, Genesis the thirteenth chapter and the second verse. Why then doth he long after a joy to come? The reason is, though God had blessed him with abundance of temporal blessings, yet he considered a day would come, when his present joy should be taken from him, John the sixteenth chapter: Therefore he desires a joy that had a foundation, that is not earthly, but heavenly joys, Hebrews the eleventh chapter, Such as should not be taken from him, John the sixteenth chapter and the twenty second verse; as Job knew that his Redeemer lived, Job the nineteenth chapter. So Abrabam desired a Redeemer, and such a one he had: For thus saith the Lord which redeemeth Abraham, Isaiah the forty ninth chapter and the twenty second verse; That might redeem his soul from Hell, Psalm the forty ninth; And his body out of the dust of death, Psalm the twenty second for he confessed himself to be both dust and ashes, Genesis the eighteenth chapter. Dust in regard of his nature, and therefore subject to corruption; but ashes in regard of his sins, by which he is subject to everlasting condemnation; in respect of both he desired a Redeemer, that might deliver both his body from death and his soul from destruction, that might say revertite silii, Psalm the ninetieth and the third verse. He considered he needed a Redeemer for his soul and body, that he might not be dust and ashes; and therefore exceedingly desired one that would deliver his soul from being ashes, and his body from the dust. Secondly, It is said of Abraham, that he saw Christ's day, the notice of God's eternal mercy herein was Abraham's desire; by whose example all that will see Christ, must first desire the sight of him, as he did, Et desiderium sit eum spectare: Though Abraham did not actually see Christ in the flesh, yet he had a desire, which was all one as if he had seen him with bodily eyes: For if the concupiscence only of evil be sin, though the act follow not; then desire of that which is good is accepted, albeit it be not actually performed: therefore Nehemiah prayeth, Harken to thy servants that desire to fear thy name, Nehemiah the first chapter and the eleventh verse: The very hungering and thirsting after righteousness is effectual to blessedness, Matthew the fift chapter: When we can say with David, Coepit anima me a desider are justitias tuas, Psalm the hundred and nineteenth. We desire to be more desirous of it, as a thing acceptable before God; and though our soul desire not, yet the want of it is our woe, and the fainting of our joys, while we say, When wilt thou comfort us? Psalm the hundred and nineteenth: Those are as the bruised reed and smoking flax, which he will not quench, Isaiah the forty second chapter. That which Abraham did see was Christ's day; which is true in what sense soever we take it, He saw the day of his Deity, Genesis the eighteenth chapter, the second and third verses, when seeing three men he ran to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, saying, Lord, which was a vision of the Trinity. Secondly, For the day of his death and passion, he saw that too, Genesis the twenty second chapter and the fourteenth verse, when Abraham making the great promise of his obedience, by sacrificing his son upon mount Moriah; when after Christ was crucified said, In mane 〈◊〉 provideat Dominus, though he take not my son Isaac, yet will he take one of my seed, that shall be the son of Abraham. Thirdly, He saw the day of Christ's nativity, when he said to his servant, Put thy hand under my 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 by the Lord God of Heaven, and God of the earth, 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 fourth 〈◊〉 and the twenty third verse. Quod 〈…〉 ad 〈…〉, saith 〈◊〉; but it was to show, that the seed in whom all 〈◊〉 should be blessed, should come out of his loins, and take flesh of him; for he took the seed of Abraham, Hebrews the second chapter. So Abraham saw all the days of Christ. But secondly, We are to inquire in what 〈◊〉 he saw this day: For which point we must know he saw not Christ's day 〈◊〉 Simeon, whose eyes did behold 〈◊〉 salvation, Luke the second chapter; nor as 〈◊〉 to whom Christ saith, 〈◊〉 are the eyes that see the things which 〈◊〉 see, Luke the tenth chapter, that is, with bodily eyes, which many 〈◊〉 and Kings could not see. So Abraham's outward man 〈◊〉 not see Christ's days, but he 〈◊〉 it in the 〈◊〉 man, Romans the 〈◊〉 chapter; He saw it spiritually, with the eyes of 〈…〉 Ephesians the first chapter and the eighteenth verse; And 〈◊〉 the eyes of faith, which 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 things not 〈…〉 the 〈…〉; By which things invisible to the eyes of the body, are made visible to the eye of the mind, by the eye of faith; by means whereof, that was made present to Abraham, which otherwise was absent, The fathers, by faith, beheld this promise afar off, Hebrews the 〈◊〉 chapter and the seventh 〈◊〉, etc. And were as sure of them as if they were performed. Thirdly, He rejoiced. It is said that God gave charge touching the Patriarches and ancient Fathers, Nolite tangere unctos 〈◊〉, Psalm the hundred and fift and the fifteenth verse: Which 〈◊〉 was Abraham, who was 〈◊〉 with the oil of gladness, Psalm the forty fift; By which the conceived joy, when by faith he saw the day of Christ's 〈◊〉. Here we are to inquire of the matter and words of this joy. The 〈◊〉 and cause of Abraham's joy was deliverance, which is a great cause of joy, When the Lord brought again the captivity, than was our mouth filled with laughter, Psalm the hundred twenty sixth: So Abraham 〈◊〉 to think that he was delivered from being dust and 〈◊〉, that now be might say with David, They 〈◊〉 not leave my 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉, nor suffer me to see 〈◊〉, Psalm the sixteenth and the tenth 〈◊〉. Secondly, He rejoiced, considering that by means of Christ his 〈◊〉, he should not only 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉, which is death of body, For dust thou art, and to dust 〈…〉, Genesis the third chapter, And the death of the soul, which is the 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 the sixth chapter; But should have 〈…〉, and that not temporal, but spiritual in 〈…〉 the first chapter and the third verse: For as the 〈…〉, they 〈…〉 not earthly blessings but heavenly; For 〈…〉 had been mindful of earthly blessings, They had 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉, and had 〈…〉 them, Hebrews the 〈◊〉 chapter and the 〈…〉. But the matter of Abraham's joy, was the hope of a 〈◊〉 blessing 〈◊〉 Christ. This God 〈◊〉 when he promised, That his seed should not only be as the dust of the earth, which is an earthly 〈…〉 the thirteenth chapter, but As the stars of Heaven, Genesis the fifteenth chapter; By which is meant the blessing of Heaven: This blessing was, That he should enjoy those things which the eye bathe not seen, the first epistle to the Corinthians the second chapter and the ninth verse. Thirdly, That this blessing should come to him per semen suum, not by a strange or foreign means; this did increase Abraham's joy to think quod Servator Abrahae, est semen Abrahae: And that he whom David called his Lord was his son, Matthew the twenty second chapter. Fourthly, His joy was the greater, considering that this benefit was not appropriated to the Jews only that were of the stock of Abraham, but that in him all Nations should be blessed; not only he and all his children, but as many as were to be blessed, should obtain this blessedness in him. So say the Angels, that the birth of Christ is matter of the People's joy, because it belongs to all People, Luke the second chapter, That in this life all that are blessed with faithful Abraham, Galatians the third chapter, And after this life shall be blessed, by being received into Abraham's bosom, Luke the sixteenth chapter. For the manner of his joy, As his desiring sight was spiritual, so his joy is not carnal, as ours, but spiritual. We desire to see the feast of Christ's nativity, and we joy when it comes, but in a carnal manner; but it must be spiritual as Mary saith, My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour, Luke the second chapter. There is a joy of the countenance, which is outward; but the true joy is of the heart and conscience. To desire Christ's days before he come, and to joy when he is come, are the true touchstones of our love to him. When our Parents heard God was come, they hide themselves, Genesis the third chapter. So he that is in state of sin, desires not Gods coming or presence, neither rejoice at it. They say, Let the holy one of Israel cease from before us, Isaiah the thirtieth chapter and the eleventh verse; So fare are they off from desiring his coming: And for joying when he is come, they will say with the Gergasites, Depart out of our Coasts, Matthew the eighth chapter and the thirty fourth verse. But contrariwise the godly, to testify their desire, say, Break the Heavens and come down, Psalm the hundred forty fourth 〈◊〉 So for joy, The hope that is deferred makes the heart to faint; but when it comes, it is as a tree of life, Proverbs the thirteenth chapter and the twelfth verse: Therefore we must proceed from desire to sight, and by it, as also by our joy, we conceive at the day of Christ's birth, we may examine whether we be the children of Abraham, and so may conceive hope to be partakers of blessing with him. But if we rejoice as the carnal Israelites did, of whom it is said, The People sat down to eat and drink, and risen up to play, Exodus the thirty second chapter and the sixth verse. If we testify our joy by eating and drinking, that is no true joy, Our 〈◊〉 day shall be 〈◊〉, Malachi the second chapter: This joy is the Heathens joy, whose hearts are filled with food and 〈◊〉, Acts the fourteenth chapter; They eat cakes and drink wine, and make themselves 〈◊〉 therewith, Jeremiah the forty fourth chapter. But that is not Abraham's joy, it is spiritual, wherein is blessedness, For blessed are the People that can rejoice in thee, Psalm the eighty ninth. We must learn to rejouce a right at the day of Christ's birth. If we will rejoice as Abraham did, we must pray with David, Remember me Lord, that I may see the 〈◊〉 of thy chosen, and be glad with thy people, and give thanks with thine inheritance, Psalm the hundred and sixth, and the fourth and fift verses. Abraham knew a day would come that should take away all his earthly joy, and therefore desired the day of Christ's birth, which might make him to rejoice in 〈…〉 the fift chapter; And rejoice in afflictions, the first epistle of Peter and the fourth chapter; such a joy as na man shall take away, John the sixteenth chapter. As we must rejoice at this day of Christ, after Abraham's example; so Christ hath a second day, wherein he will give to every man according to his works, Romans the second chapter. If we rejoice at this day, when it comes, and desire it, If we love the glorious coming of Christ, the second epistle to Timothy and the fourth verse, If we look for the appearing of the just God, Titus the second chapter and the twelfth verse, then shall we show ourselves the Children of Abraham. Of that day to see it, he saith it shall be matter of joy; Lift up your heads, Luke the twenty sixth chapter and the twenty first verse, For your redemption draweth near: To others matter of sorrow, They shall hid them in the rocks, Revelations the third chapter; but we must say with David, I remembered thy judgements and received comfort, Psalm the hundred and ninteenth. Principes populorum congregantur, populus Dei Abrahami; quia Deisunt protectiones terrae, valde excelsus est. Psal. 47. 10. Januar. 7. 1598. IT is a prophecy of the manifesting of Christ to the Gentiles, and of the gathering of them into the flock of Christ; which is the third of the three benefits which we celebrate in the great solemnity of Christ's birth, and is called by the Fathers, the Church's holiday; for Christ is the head to his Church, and the Church is his body, and the fullness of him that filleth 〈◊〉 in all things, Ephesians the first chapter and the twenty third verse 〈◊〉 signify unto us, that Christ is an unperfect head, till all the body, consisting both of Jews and Gentiles, be gathered to him. Christ had a Church before his nativity, which was the Synagogue of the Jews; but he had not a Church of the Gentiles, till he was come in the flesh. Presently after his birth, some of the Gentiles which came from the East, were called to be as it were Proctors to the rest of the Gentiles, before which time they were not incorporated into the Church of Christ, which is his body, Ephesians the third chapter and the sixth verse: Neither is it said only of a few of the Gentiles, or as Christ saith, A scattering of the Gentiles, John the seventh chapter and the thirty fift verse: But the whole company of the Gentiles, or as the Apostle speaks, That the fullness of the Gentiles should come in, to be of Christ's Church, Romans the eleventh chapter and the twenty fift verse; Not a few of the common people, but the Kings and Princes of the people. And this is Christ's second nativity: For as he was first born at Bethlehem of his mother the Virgin; so he hath another birth foretold by the Prophet Psalm the eighty seventh, and the third & fourth verses. I will think of 〈◊〉 and Babiton, behold Palestina, Tyrus, and Ethiopia, lo there is he borne; not at Zion only, but among the Gentiles he shall be manifested to be the God of the Gentiles as well as Jews. In those words we have first a Prophecy: Secondly, A Reason rendered. In the first we have to consider, First, The calling of the People: Secondly, Of the Princes of the people. First, touching the God of Abraham, it is Christ, whose day Abraham desired to see, and in seeing whereof he did so much rejoice, John the eight chapter, that is, not only the day of his birth, which he saw, as we learn by the oath which he caused his servant to take, Genesis the twenty fourth chapter; but also the day of his passion, which he saw long ago and rejoiced in seeing of it, when he said to his son Isaac in the mount, The Lord will provide a sacrifice, Hic providebit Dominus, Genesis the twenty second chapter and the eighth verse. Secondly, The People of the God of Abraham, are his children and posterity; not only they that are the seed of Abraham, coming out of his loins, and are the children of the flesh, Romans the ninth chapter & the eighth verse, but the children of the promise; for if they that come out of Abraham's loins were only his children, than the Agarins, the Turks, and Ismaelites, should be the people of God; but in Isaac shall thy seed be called. They that lay hold of the promise by faith; They that are of the faith, are the children of Abraham, Galatians the third chapter and the seventh verse; That have the same spirit of faith, the second epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter, that Abraham had: As the Apostle saith, He is not a Jew that is one outward, but a Jew inward is the true Jew, Romans the second chapter the twenty eighth verse. They that worship the Messiah by believing in him with the faith of Abraham, they are Abraham's children, and the people of 〈◊〉 God; which thing John Baptist affirmeth, Matthew the third chapter, God can of stones raise up children to Abraham. So the Gentiles, which worshipped stones, and therefore were like unto them, Psalm the hundred and fifteenth, were notwithstanding raised up to be children to Abraham. Concerning which joining of the Gentiles to the Church of Christ, which is the bringing of them into one flock, John the tenth chapter and the sixteenth verse; The engraffing of them into the true Olive, Romans the eleventh chapter; And the incorporating of them into his body, Ephesians the third chapter; That we which are sinners of the Gentiles, Galatians the second chapter, might have hope. God hath from time to time left recorded in his word, that this should come to pass: And because under two or three witnesses every matter is established, 〈◊〉 the nineteenth chapter and the fifteenth verse; therefore before the Law we have chosen three proofs: First, Noah saith, God shall persuade? Japhet to dwell in the tents of Shem, Genesis the ninth chapter and the twenty seventh verse: Secondly, In semine 〈◊〉 omnes gentes benedicentur, Genesis the twenty second chapter: And which 〈◊〉, the people shall be gathered to him, Genesis the forty ninth chapter and the tenth verse. Again in the time of the Law three testimonies: First of Moses, Deateronomy the thirty second chapter, alleged by St. Paul, Romans the fifteenth chapter and the tenth verse, Rejoice ye Gentiles with his people. Secondly, Of 〈◊〉, Numbers the twenty fourth chapter and the seventeenth verse, There shall come a star of Jacob, and shall bring under all the sons of 〈◊〉, that is, all wicked. Thirdly, Job, who, though he were a Gentile, yet being a member of the Church of Christ, did, by a true faith, confess, I know that my Redeemer liveth, Job the nineteenth chapter. After the Law and before the second temple, the Prophet saith, In the name of God, Isalah the forty ninth chapter and the fixed verse: It is a small thing, Hosea the first chapter and the sixth verse. I will call them a people, that is no people, applied by Paul, Romans the ninth chapter: And Joel the second chapter, I will pour my spirit upon all flesh, alleged by the Apostle Acts the second chapter, and Romans the tenth chapter. After the second Temple Agga veniet defideratus cunctis gentibus, Hagga the second chapter, Great people and mighty Nations shall come to seek the Lord; they shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a 〈◊〉, and say we will go with you, Zacherie the eighth chapter and the twenty third verse; And from the rising of the Sons to the going down, my name is great among the Gentiles, 〈◊〉 the first chapter and the eleventh verse. This God hath from all times revealed, That the gate of faith should be opened to the Gentiles to enter into the flock of Christ. This was showed by Abraham's matching with Keturah a Gentile; by Mosos matching himself with Zipporah a Midianite and Gentile, by Solomon matching with Pharaohs daughter; as in the Genealogy of Christ's birth Solomon is matched with Rahab, Booz with Ruth; to signify that Christ should save both Jews and Gentiles: So the matching of Jews with Gentiles doth signify the affinity that should grow between the two Churches. The same was showed by the stuff where of 〈◊〉 Tabernacle was made, by the first Temple which was built upon the ground of a Gentile Araunah, the second book of Samuel and the twenty fourth chapter, with timber sent by Hiram a Gentile, the 〈◊〉 book of Kings the tenth chapter: by the second Temple which was founded by Cyrus and 〈◊〉, Heathen Princes. By which we may perceive, that God had this in mind, and in a purpose. To gather the Gentiles into the Church of Christ, and to be of the people of the God of Abraham; which thing was not only foreshowed, but plainly performed: For not only there came of the 〈◊〉 from the East to Christ, Matthew the second chapter; but Grecians from the West to see Christ, John the twelfth chapter. The second thing in the Prophecy is, that not only the People should be gathered to be of the Church, but the Kings and Princes: for when Peter saw the sheet let down from heaven, Acts the tenth chapter and the eleventh verse, he was taught, that Nations should come immediately to the Church, for then Cornelius, and others were converted to the faith, but Princes came not till three hundred years after that was performed; when the Prophet foretelleth the poor shall eat and be satisfied, Psalm the two and twentith and the twenty sixth; but for Rulers it was not so performed, therefore the Pharisees object, Do any of the Rulers believe, but this simple People that know not the Law? John the seventh Chapter, therefore the Apostle saith, you knew your calling, that not many noble, not many mighty, but the base and weak things hath God chosen, as it is in the first of the Corinthians, a great number of the poor people were at the first joined to the Church of Christ; and not only they, but as it was foretold, the rich upon earth shall eat and worship, Psalm the two and twentith and the twenty ninth verse, so Sergius Paulus, Acts the thirteenth, the noble man of Berea, Acts the seventeenth the Eunuch, chief governor for the Queen of Ethiopia, Acts the eighth chapter; her Lord Treasurer and the elect Lady, the second Epistle of Saint John and the second chapter. So both Lords and Ladies were brought to the Church, but as yet no Princes, for they stood up against Christ, Acts the fourth chapter; both Herod and Paul gathered themselves against Christ, the holy son of God; Paul had almost got one King to the Church, that is, Agrippa, Acts the twenty sixth chapter and the twenty eighth verse; Thou almost persuadest me, etc. but there must be a time when the kings of Arabia shall bring presents, Psalm the seventy second; a time when Kings should be foster fathers, and Queens nursing mothers to the Church, Isa. the forty ninth chapter, therefore under the Law he confirmed the hope of Kings, by showing grace to the King of Ninevey, who repent at the preaching of Ionas, and to the Queen of the South, who came to honour Solomon, Matthew the twelfth chapter, no less than he confirmed the hope of the poor, by calling the poor Widow of Zarepta, and of the humble, by the example of Naaman, Luke the fourth chapter; by whose example all sorts of people, both poor and rich, both Prince and Subject have hope be gathered into the Church, wherein the people of this English Nation have special cause to magnify God; for the first prince that professed the Gospel, was Constantine the great, born in England; and ever since Christ hath had a Church of the Gentiles, not only dispersed Gentiles, John the seventh chapter, a few only of them to worship him, but the fullness of the Gentiles, Romans the eleventh chapter: Now not only the simple and unlearned people, but the Rulers themselves do follow Christ, John the seventh chapter, wherein we are to exalt & magnify the power of Christ, that he contents not himself with the inferior people, to be worshipped of them: he will not only be the God of the Mattocks and Staves, but of the Shields; To teach us, that he can turn the hearts of Captains and Princes whither he will. Secondly, That when this was performed, the Princes were not Togati, such as delighted in peace, but Armati, men of war, and hard to be brought under, to the obedience of the Gospel, such persons as at their pleasure will not hear when they think good, but take away their life, Esther the 6. chap. These men were the harder to be subdued to Christ, being without Religion for the most part, Nulla fides pietasque viris qui Castra sequuntur, The Rulers of the people shall come to thee, as it is in the Psalms. God would not have David build him an Altar, because he was a man of war, and had shed blood, the first book of the Chronicles the twenty eighth chapter and the third verse: But to gather a Church and Temple of the Gentiles, he hath no respect of that, but showeth his power in bringing them to his Church, which were most cruel. The Psalmist saith, God is highly to be exalted among the Princes of the People: At this ●ime the people of Abraham were at a poor stay, like sheep appointed to the slaughter, Romans the tenth verse: In which regard it was not like it would come to pass, that the Princes and mighty men would subject themselves to them. Paul confesseth that the Sect which he followed, was every where evil spoken of, Acts the twenty sixth chapter; That he and the rest of the Apostles, were as the filth of the world, and the offscouring of all things, the first epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter & the thirteenth verse; therefore unlikely that the great men of the world should yield to them. Again, that they should do this of themselves voluntarily without constraint; that where they had occupied their shields upon God's People, now they should use them for their defence; that they should bring bountiful gifts to the Church: whereof we see examples in the new Testament, Matthew the second chapter. The Reason is to be taken four ways. First, When God shall be exalted, then shall the Princes of the people be gathered to the people of the God of Abraham. This is true; for this Psalm is of Christ's ascension, of which Christ saith, When he is exalted, omnes traham ad me, John the twelfth chapter: So that it is as much as if the Prophet should say, When Christ is exalted, than the Nations shall come to him. Secondly, When the Princes of the people be gathered to the ●…ple of Abraham, then shall Christ be exalted; that is, when the Kings of the earth do embrace the Christian Religion, God shall be exalted and have more glory, for every King is worth ten thousand; and when one King followeth Christ, it is a greater glory to Christ, than if many people, the second book of Samuel and the eighteenth chapter, The King is to go out and in before the People, the first book of Samuel and the eighth chapter; So the people will follow the King; if he be good they will tread in his steps. When Jothan reigned the people were good; But when Achan came, they turned with him to Idolatry. So it fell out with Ezechiah and the people, with Manasse and his people, with Amon and his people, Joshuah and his people, Nobile mutatur semper cum principe vulgus: So that God is more exalted when he inclines the hearts of Kings to follow Christ, and to cleave to the Church. When the Kings offer bountifully to the 〈◊〉, as David did, then will his people; but if he withdraw his liberality, they will draw away too. Hereupon Christ, when the Greeks desired to see him said The hour is come that the son of man must be glorified, John the twelfth chapter. The other two ways are as a reason, Because the shields of the earth are the Lords, his name is exalted. This was the reason that moved Constantine, he saw God had a power to protect and give victory, and therefore embraced the Christian Religion. God saith to Abraham, I am thy shield, Genesis the fifteenth chapter: And of him David saith, He is a shield to them that trust in him, Psalm the thirty third. Constantine saw in Heaven the signs of the Cross, on which was written, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in this thou shalt overcome; wherein God shows them that he 〈◊〉 power to defend and give victory; therein is his name exalted. When they fee that they will take hold with the Jews and say, God is with them, Zachery the eight chapter. The other way is, because God is exalted, therefore he will defend the earth as with a shield. This is a motive to make men become religious; and when they are so, then followeth defence and safety, which is the effect of magnifying God's name. When we take the shield of faith, and believe in God, Ephesians the fift chapter, Then he will compass us with his faith, as with a shield, Psalm the fift chapter, His faithfulness and truth shall be with us, and in his name shall his horn be exalted, Psalm the eighty ninth. Therefore Moses, having exalted the name of God in Horeb because they were delivered, and built an Altar called, The Lord is my banner, Exodus the seventeenth chapter and the fifteenth verse: The name of the Lord is a strong Tower, Proverbs the eighteenth chapter. The Church is like the Tower of David, which had many shields, Canticles the fourth chapter; To signify that because the Church doth exalt and magnify the name of God, therefore he doth defend it by a thousand means: And therefore the Apostle saith, That godliness hath the promise of this life, as well as of the life to come, the first epistle to Timothy the fourth chapter. So that whether way soever we take it, it teacheth us, That love is the end of the Commandment, out of a pure heart and good conscience and faith unfeigned, the first epistle to Timothy the first chapter. It doth teach us to walk in the simpleness of the faith of our Father Abraham, and to do his works, John the eighth chapter. It teacheth us to exalt and magnify God's name for exaltatio nominis Domini 〈…〉. Et inutilem servum ejicite in tenebras illas extimas: illic erit fletus & stridor dentium. Matt. 25. 30. Jan. 16. 1598. THE sentence which passed upon the unprofitable servant had two branches: First, A sentence of deprivation, Taking the talon from him. Secondly, A sentence of translation, and giving it to him that hath ten talents; Now the talon being taken away, The servant himself is cast into utter darkness. These two parts of his punishment are by good order joined together; not only that the talon should be taken away, but that punishment should be laid upon his person; that not only the tree should be cut down, and be deprived of all power to fructify, but to be cast into the fire, Luke the thirteenth chapter; the wasteful servant must not only lose his office, but must give an account of his Stewardship, Luke the sixteenth chapter: It were well if he might only lose his talon, and himself escape, utinamperiret pecunia modo ne suo periret: but it agreeth with God's Justice, that as the talon was lost through the negligence of the unprofitable servant; so now the servant should perish for the honour of the talon. And it stands with God's wisdom so to punish the unprofitable servant; for if the salt be unsavery it is good for nothing but to be cast out, Matthew the fift chapter: And when the tree brings no fruit & troubles the ground, it is fittest to be cut up, Luke the thirteenth chapter, that others may be planted in the room of it, that will bear fruit. Wherefore as when Saul had lost his spirit, the Kingdom tarried not long with him after; so if our talents be once taken away, we may look that God will lay a punishment upon our persons. If we fall from our first love, Apocalypse the second chapter, and use not our talents to God's glory, we may justly fear our persons. But as God did first command Lot to go out of Sodom, before he destroyed the City itself; so he will first take away the talon, that it perish not; and after the person shall be punished. The punishments inflicted upon his person, are reduced to two. Being first, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Secondly, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Touching the first, he saith, Cast out the unprofitable servant that hath done nothing to my glory, not servum peccatorem, Luke the 〈◊〉 chapter, nor the riotous servant that wastes his Master's goods, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, him that doth no good with the talents committed to him, sic sic in virido, Luke the twenty third chapter. If he show such cruelty towards him that was only unprofitable, and did no good; how severely will he punish those that do hurt with their talents, that are riotous and misspend their whole talents. Three things make his punishment grievous: First, That he is punished with a separation. Secondly, It is with a violent separation. Thirdly, This separation is with disgrace and shame: For the place from which he is separated, as the Apostle saith, It doth not appear what we shall be, the first epistle of John and the third chapter. So it appears not to us what the place is whither we shall be gathered, if we use Gods gifts as we ought. But as he speaks of the person, so of the place: We know that it is an excellent place, a place of such glory as the eye hath not seen, the first epistle to the Corinthians the second chapter: Such glory as all the afflictions of this life are not to be compared with it, Romans the eighth chapter: and therefore to be cast out from this place, will be a heavy sentence. The separation from the Temple, which was but a type of that place was so grievous to David's soul, as he had no rest in his spirit, and thought himself in worse state than the Sparrow, till he had access to the City of God, Psalm the eighty fourth. Much more grievous is it to be separated from heaven. If of the Church on earth it is said, there are gloriosa dict a de te, Psalm the eighty seventh. Much more glorious things are spoken of Heaven, whereof to be deprived will be a great grief; for this place hath all things which may commend any place: Of light it is said, Lumen dilexit oculus; but this place hath no night, but continual light from the Lord himself, Apocalypse the twenty first chapter. If society do commend a place, than this place is commendable, quia janua ibi aperta. If immunity from pain, there is neither hunger, nor thirst, nor cold. If joy, than there the elders sing continually the praises of God, Apocalypse the twenty first chapter. Therefore to be excluded from this place, which is so to be desired, is a great punishment. Again, To be separated not only from so good a place, but from such company; not only of holy Angels, where if it were a great blessing to lodge, while they were clothed with mortality, Hebrews the thirteenth chapter; than it is a greater blessing to dwell with them in this perfect 〈◊〉. None of the saints, who albeit on earth they be despised and called fools, Wisdom the fift chapter, yet shall be glorious in heaven, and not only their souls, but their bodies made like the glorious body of Christ, Philippians the third chapter and the twenty first verse; of whose company to be deprived, will be a grief; but to be cast out of the company of Jesus Christ, who when he did give but a taste of his glory, it was so glorious 〈◊〉 his Disciples, Matthew the seventeenth chapter, so as they said, 〈◊〉 est nobis hic offici, will be a great grief: for there he shall be in perfect glory at the right hand of God, where he now 〈◊〉, which shall much more rejoice us than these drops. Lastly, If the comfort of God's 〈◊〉 in earth, where the light of it is greatly eclipsed and darkened, do afford more comfort than 〈◊〉 of corn and oil, Psalm the fourth; then what a discomfort will it be to be separated from the light of it, when God shall show the brightness of 〈◊〉 but even then shall the unprofitable servant be cast out from beholding the same. Secondly, That which doth aggravate his punishment is, that this separation shall be done with violence, cast him out; not bid him go out, or lead him out. The separations that are made from the Church militant, are not done without great difficulty; no man would willingly be 〈◊〉: But it will be a fare greater grief to be separated from the Church triumphant; but howsoever they be unwilling, yet they shall be separated violently: no man will willingly come to judgement at the last day, but God will bring every thing to judgement, Ecclesiastes the twelfth chapter; He that doth evil hates the light, John the third chapter: but we shall be brought to light whether we will or no: and death, which is a preparation to the last judgement, is fearful: So as no man willingly dyeth, nay we make many pleas, becaule we would not be separated; we say, Lord, have not we prophesied? and yet Christ tells, all will not serve the turn, Matthew the seventh chapter; Not every one that saith Lord, Matthew the twenty fift chapter: When did we see the hungry or naked, etc. But Christ for all that (we are so unwilling to be cast out) tells us, In as much as you did it not, etc. So that albeit man will not go out of himself, yet he shall be cast out with violence, which makes his punishment more grievous. Thirdly, This separation shall be with contumely and disgrace; to be thrown out of the company of the Angels, is a disgraceful separation. Many times Malefactors, though they suffer for their offences, yet have no disgrace offered them: But the unprofitable servant shall not only be punished with the loss of this heavenly place, but shall be cast out to his shame; for he that dishonoureth God by burying his talon bestowed upon him, God will punish him with dishonour and disgrace; Them that hate me I will hate, the first book of Samuel the second chapter. Secondly, The place into which he shall be cast, is utter darkness. The Apostle when he saith, Ad quem ibimus? 〈◊〉 habes verba aternae vitae, John the sixth chapter and the sixty eighth verse, tells us, It is an excellent thing to be in presence of them that have the words of eternal life; but it is fare more excellent to be present with eternal life itself; but not only to be deprived of his presence, but to be cast into utter darkness is extreme misery. If we might be choosers for ourselves, as the Devils choesed to go into the hogs, 〈◊〉, the eighth chapter and the thirty first verse: So if we might choose some place, if it were but to return to the world again, it were some mitigation; but when we have not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is greater cause of misery; we are not only deprived of light, but cast into a place of darkness. And this punishment is very just, that the unprofitable servant should be cast into darkness, which did darken his talon and hide it; as the Prophet speaks of cursing, Psalm the hundred and ninth He loved not blessing, then let it be fare from him; So quia non dilexit lucem, non veniat ei lux, extinguit scintilla gratiae, ne videat lumen gloriae: Which punishment how grievous it is, appears, for that the beholding of light, as the Preacher saith Ecclesiastes the eleventh chapter, is so comfortable to the eyes: As Paul was out of hope of recovery, when he and the rest could see nothing but darkness, Acts the twenty seventh chapter: And God plagued the Egyptians with darkness, as the greatest plague he could lay upon them. And the Apostle, to show the grievous punishment of the evil Angels, saith, They are reserved under darkness, the second epistle of Peter the second chapter; for tenebrae formidolosae. Again, He is punished not only with darkness, but also with weeping and gnashing of teeth: A man may have some comfort in darkness, it is the best time to sleep and meditate; but the unprofitable servants being cast into darkness, shall have neither of these comforts to mitigate his punishment. For there he shall feel the worm of conscience gnawing him, which shall never die, and be tormented with the fire that never goeth out, Mark the ninth chapter: He shall have all things that may continue and increase his weeping. But in these words the Holy-Ghost pointeth out two things. The certainty, and the measure of weeping in this place. Touching the first, We see by experience, that in this life many unprofitable servants, that bury their talents, do for all that enjoy light, and withal have great joy and gladness; and therefore the holy-Ghost tells them, that howsoever they escape here, yet in the world to come they shall be sure to be cast into darkness, and to weep continually; they shall hear that Memento which the rich man received from Abraham, Luke the sixteenth chapter, Thou in thy life time receivedst pleasure, but now pain: So shall it be with the unprofitable servants, that are not diligent to employ their talents to their Master's glory. Secondly, He alludes to the measure of weeping, which is found in this place; for many unprofitable servants lose their talents in this life, and are deprived of the comforts that should cheer them up; they weep and endure much sorrow: But because our weeping in this life is mixed with many comforts, which do mitigate our grief, the Holy Ghost tells us, That howsoever they may find means to delay grief and weeping here, yet the greatest weeping is behind in the world to come, where shall be no mitigation of grief. Rachel wept and lamented much for her children, because they were not; but the weeping and lamentation of these men shall be far greater; not only because they are destitute of comfort in the midst of these miseries, but for that they shall never find any means to mitigate their anguish and grief: Therefore as one giveth counsel, Sic legat homo histerias ne fiat historia; so, sic audite parabolam hanc ne fiat is parabola. Pro puero isto supplicabam; praestititque mihi Jehovah petitionem meam, quam petebam ab eo. Quemobrem ego quoque precario datum sisto eum Jehovae omnibus diebus quibus fuerit, ipse rogatus precario est Jehovae, etc. 1 Sam. 1. 27.28. Febr. 2. 1598. THey be the words of Hannah, the mother of the Prophet Samuel, uttered by her, when she offered him unto God, being weaned in the Tabernacle; but are applied by Prosper to the Virgin Mary, offering up Christ to God his Father in the Temple, Luke the second chapter. It is certain, That not only that Prophecy which Malachi uttered touching the coming of the Lord of Hosts into his Temple in his own person, Malachi the third chapter and the first verse, must be fulfilled: but that also of Daniel, That being come, he should also be offered up to God, signified by that vision which the Prophet had of one like the Son of man, who was brought to the ancient of days, that was to God his Father, Daniel the seventh chapter and the thirteenth verse: Which thing was truly performed on the day of the Virgin's Purification. For as the day of Christ's nativity, is a memorial of Christ given to us by God; so the Feast of Purification is a memorial of Christ given to God by us. Oblations were of two sorts, Numbers the twenty eighth chapter and the fourth verse, agnus matutinus, and agnus vespertinus; the representation of Christ in the Temple by his Parents, was the morning Lamb; and the offering up of himself as a sacrifice in his passion, was the evening Lamb. In his oblation he was the author and beginning of our saith; in his passion, the finisher and accomplishment of our faith, Hebrews the twelfth chapter. For the application of this Scripture, that it may not seem strange, but lawful and warrantable, both by Scripture and practice of Christ's Church, we are to know that it is lawful and usual, to compare things spiritual not only with things natural, as with seed, Matthew the thirteenth chapter; with things artificial, as husbandry and building, the first epistle to the 〈◊〉 and the third chapter; with moral and occonomical, as when God is compared to a householder, Matthew the twentieth chapter; but things spiritual, with spiritual Scripture, with Scripture, and one story with another; to apply that which is spoken of one member of Christ's Church, Zechariah the fourth chapter and the twelfth 〈◊〉 to another member of the same body, 〈◊〉 the eleventh chapter and the fourth verse; and not only so, but it is usual to apply that to Christ the head, which is affirmed of the body; as where it is said of the Congregation of the Jews, Hosea the eleventh chapter, I called my son out of Egypt, the same is applied to Christ the head of that body, Matthew the second chapter, Out of Egypt have I called my son; because as Christ the head, was truly the son of God, so he makes all the members of his mystical body to be sons. So that which God spoke to a part of the body, the second book of Samuel the seventh chapter, I will be his Father, is by the Apostle applied to Christ, the head of that body, Hebrews the first chapter and the fift verse. And so is this speech of Hanna, in offering her son to God, applied by the ancient Church to the oblation of Christ in the Temple, as those were of the Prophet, Lamentations the first chapter and the twelfth verse, to the sacrifice of his passion. So this application is warrantable. For if Hannah did offer to God Samuel her son, much more ought the Virgin to offer up Christ in token of thankfulness, who is a greater than Samuel, as he was greater than Solomon, Matthew the twelfth chapter. This composition is fit, and hath congruity both in respect of the mothers, their songs being compared together, 1 Sam. 2. Luke 1. which in effect are all one, and for the persons of the children, for they were both Nazarites, verse eleven, Luke the second chapter, He shall be called a Nazarite. Secondly, Though there have been some that were both Prophet and Priest, or King and Prophet; yet all three, Priest, Prophet, and Prince, did not concur in any but in Samuel, who therefore was a representation of Christ, anointed by God, Prophet, Priest, and King. Thirdly, samuel's love to his enemies, for whom he ceased not to pray, the first book of Samuel and the twelfth chapter, expresseth Christ's love, who prayed for his persecutors, Luke the twenty third chapter, father forgive them; which love Christ also showed, in that when we were enemies he reconciled us to God, Romans the fift chapter. In respect of which resemblance, Bernard saith, Fortior est compositio quam positio. In those words we have to consider two donations; First, Gods giving to Hannah, verse. the twenty seventh. Secondly, hannah's giving back again to God, verse the twenty eighth. As the first donation gins with prayer, and ends with gift; so the latter gins gift, and ends with prayer. And it is agreeable to reason, that the child which came by intercession, should end with intercession. Concerning which donations we are to note jointly, First, That we can give nothing to God, but we must first receive it from him; As Hannah could not offer her child to the Lord, unless she first had received him from the Lord: For so saith King David, the first book of the Chronicles the twenty ninth chapter and the fourteenth verse, Quae de manu tua accepimus, damus tibi. Secondly, When we have received any blessing from God, than we must give to him as we are exhorted, Psalm the seventy sixth and the eleventh verse, and Psalm the ninety sixth & the eighth verse, Bring present; and joy into his Courts. Of those things that are to be given, some are laid upon us of necessity, As the tenth of the fruits of the ground, which the Lord challengeth to himself, Leviticus the twenty seventh chapter and the thirtieth verse, and hath set over to the Levites, that it should be given to them, Numbers the eighteenth chapter. Then there are 〈◊〉, or freewill offerings, such voluntary gifts as the people gave of their own accord; for howsoever they were bound to offer their first born, yet they might redeem the life of them, Exodus the thirtieth chapter. To speak 〈◊〉 of them, God's donation hath two parts, hannah's Prayer, and God's Gift. In Prayer we are to observe two things, The sense of Want, And the desire of the Heart: For it is the supply of want which makes her break forth into prayer; for 〈…〉 indigentiae. Wherefore howsoever the want of so great a 〈◊〉 as is the bearing of a child, did move Hannab to break forth into this desire of Prayer: Yet it is most certain, that the Virgin 〈◊〉 more needed a Saviour, for which she confessed her spirit 〈◊〉, than Hannah needed a son: And as her need was greater, so her prayer was stronger than hannah's prayer: for Hannah prayed alone; but as for Mary's prayer, it was accompanied with the desire and prayer of all Creatures, as both the Prophets and Apostles do show; Heaven and earth was reconciled to be God, Ephesians the first chapter, and Colossians the first chapter and the third verse: Therefore they did greatly desire Christ's coming: And therefore when there was hope of his coming, they are exhorted to be glad; Rejoice ye heavens, shout ye lower parts of the earth, Isaiah the forty fourth chapter and the twenty third verse: and the Apostle saith, that the Creatures 〈◊〉 groan, waiting for the redemption, Romans the eighth chapter, much more shall 〈◊〉 desire his coming; and therefore the Prophet saith, desideratus est 〈◊〉 is gentibus, Haggai the second chapter. As all Nations did ignorantly worship the unknown God, Acts the seventeenth chapter, so they all had an ignorant desire of his coming; but especially the Saints of God have not only desired in heart, but prayed for this gift, as Jacob, Genesis the forty ninth chapter, I have waited for thy salvation: Psalm the fourteenth and the seventh verse: O that salvation were given to Israel out of Zion: Isaiah the sixty fourth chapter and the first verse, Utinam dirumpat caelos & descendat; such a desire had this Virgin for the coming of her Saviour, as she expressed in her song, when she confesseth, he hath filled the hungry. Simeon waited for the consolation of Israel, so did Hannah the prophetess, Luke the second chapter. So that whether we respect the Prayer or Desire of Prayer, we see that mary prayer is greater than 〈◊〉. If we respect the effect of the Virgin's prayer, we shall see it more fully persomed in her than in the other. Prayer is compared to a Key, wherewith, as Elias opened the Heavens, when they were shut up, Luke the fourth chapter and the twenty fift verse. So when God shuts up the wombs of women, Genesis the twentieth chapter and the eighteenth verse, that they become barren, than prayer is the key that opens them: By this key was the 〈◊〉 of Hannah opened, and she brought forth Samuel. But if we consider that by this key God opened the womb of a Virgin, that she conceived and bear a son, that is a greater wonder, and a matter more highly to be extolled; but so did he open the womb of the blessed Virgin. Elias opened the Heavens when they were shut, and obtained rain for the earth: But the Virgin's key of Prayer, accompanied with the prayers of all God's People in all ages, opened the Heaven of Heavens, so as they dropped down righteousness, Isaiah the forty fift chapter and the eighth verse; Even the Son of Man that came down from Heaven, John the third chapter; that is Jesus Christ, who is our righteousness our sanctification, the first epistle to the Corinthians, the first chapter and the thirtieth verse. The effect of hannah's Prayer is, Dominus dedit, which is the inscription of all the things we possess, as King David confesseth, O Lord, all this abundance is of thine hand, the first book of the Chronicles and the twenty ninth chapter. But this inscription is peculiarly given to children and the fruit of the womb, Psalm the hundred twenty seventh, which indeed are an inheritance and gift that cometh of the Lord; for he saith, Scribe virum istum sterilem, Jeremiah the twenty second chapter and the thirtieth verse: So he punished Michal which despised David, so that she had no child to the day of her death, the second book of Samuel, the sixth chapter and the twenty third verse: But if he bless this working, and so make them fruitful, then is it a blessing and gift to be acknowledged with all thankfulness; especially when the children are as arrows and darts in the hand of a Giant, that is spiritual, in Church or Commonwealth, Psalm the hundred twenty seventh; for such a child was Samuel, therefore Hannah confesseth it thankfully. But if we come to the composition, we shall find that Christ's gift to us by God, is a fare greater gift, if we consider that Salus data est 〈◊〉, Isaiah the ninth chapter; that God hath manifcsted his love to the world, by giving a son to us, John the third chapter and the sixteenth verse: He is Donum Dei, John the fourth chapter; which if we could receive, we should perceive how fare he exceeds Samuel: but he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the second epistle to the Corinthians the ninth chapter and the fifteenth verse, God's unspeakable gift. We must not talk of any other gifts; for he is the great gift of God to us: and that gift which we must offer to God for our sins; without whom it is in vain to bring burnt offerings and sacrifices; for he only putteth away iniquity Isaiah the forty third chapter: And God having given us such a gift, how will he not with him give us all other things, Romans the eighth chapter. Samuel was a great gift to Hannah, for he proved spiritual in the People of God, as a dart in the hand of a mighty man; but yet he was but a type of Christ, who is the greatest gift that ever God bestowed upon mankind. The second Donation is on our part to God. In man's judgement, if God gives us such a gift, we are best to keep it: but this gift is given us not to be kept, but to be laid out and bestowed for our use; Datus est nobis, ut detur à nobis: And this is done in the latter verse. In which we have to consider, First, the Gift: Secondly, Limitations. First, for the time, As long as he lived: Secondly, the end, To serve God. If we ask, why Hannah and the Virgin do give to God? the reason is, because God being offended, must be appeased; and nothing doth more serve to appease wrath than a gift, Proverbs the twenty first chapter and the fourteenth verse; therefore Jacob 〈◊〉 a present to Esau, Genesis the thirty third chapter; Ut cum 〈◊〉 placeret muneribus: As this kind of satisfaction hath place in all offences; so chief when offence is made per ablationem; we have taken away and rob God, Philippians the second chapter, of the faith and obedience we own to him. Therefore, as we have offended per ablationem; so must we satisfy per oblationem; as Jacob, having rob Esau of his birthrigh, by taking his blessing from him, doth satisfy and appease his wrath by offering to him; that is the ground and reason of our gift. But if we will appease by a gift there must be an equality; we may not offer a thing under the value of the thing which wastaken away; that is the reason why all the sacrifices of the Law could not appease God, as the Apostle showeth, It is impossible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sins, Hebrews the tenth chapter, and Psalm the fourtieth; therefore the Prophet saith, Wherewith shall I come and appear before God? shall I bring Rams and Sheep, or Rivers of Oil? shall I give my first borne? Michah the sixth chapter. But all that will not satisfy God, for that we have taken from him. The value of our obedience to God is such as cannot appease and satisfy his Majesty, being offended, The soul is more precious than all the world; and no sufficient ransom can be given by man for it, Matthew the sixteenth chapter: But if we can offer to God a thing of equal price to the obedience which we own to God, than no doubt but he will be appeased, especially if we offer a thing of a higher rate: But Christ is of greater value than all that we can take from God; for howsoever the sin be great, in that we that are but men, should sinne against God who is infinite: yet if we look to Christ's person, who hath satisfied for us, it is of such dignity as doth worthily serve for a ransom for the sins of all the world. And for our concupiscence, the love of Christ hath made a sufficient satisfaction for it; which love is such as the Apostle calleth it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, So that now we may sing both Mercy and Judgement, Psalm the hundred and first, of ourselves we are to rely upon God's mercy in Christ: But in as much as Christ in our persons hath so fully satisfied for us, we may be bold to tell his Justice now, That his righteousness is made ours, and we are made the righteousness of God in him, the second epistle to the Corinthians the fift chapter. The limitation for the time is, all the days of his life. To make him a Nazarite was not enough, for that continues but for certain days, Numbers the sixth chapter: But Hannah gives her son to the Lord, 〈◊〉 his life, that is for ever. Such a Nazarite was Samson, not for a few days, but from the day of his birth to the day of his death, Judges the thirteenth chapter and the seventh verse: And besides these 〈◊〉 find none that continued Nazarites so long. But if we come to 〈◊〉 composition, we shall find, that whereas before Christ many were made Nazarites and Priests to serve the Lord, because they were not suffered to endure by reason of death. For Samuel, though he lived fourscore years, which age no man scarce exceedeth, Psalm the nintieth. He whom the blessed Virgin offered to be a Nazarite, was such a one as endureth for ever, and whose office cannot be intercepted by death, Hebrews the seventh chapter and the twenty third verse. As he is such a King, as of whose Kingdom there is no end, Luke the first chapter and the thirty fift verse; so he hath an everlasting Priesthood, The Lord hath appointed him to be a Priest for ever, Psalm the hundred and tenth, to make reconciliation between God and men; so hath he obtained for us eternal redemption, Hebrews the ninth chapter and the twelfth verse; And is become the author of eternal salvation, Hebrews the fift chapter and the ninth verse. So that the limitation which Hannah speaks of, stands more firm in Christ than in Samuel. The second limitation is for the end, signified in these words, And he shall serve, or worship, the Lord: For it stands with good reason, that as 〈◊〉 was the beginning, so it should be the end; for as the Priest 〈◊〉 said, in the first book of Samuel and the second chapter, If man offend against God, who will be his day's man, and come between God and him: There is none to undertake this matter, but he that is appointed to be the only mediation between God and man, the first epistle to Timothy the second chapter and the fift verse, that is, Jesus Christ, who, as he is God and man, so is God blessed for ever, Romans the ninth chapter; For a Mediator is not of one, Galatians the third chapter, but of two parties that are at variance, and the mediator is to stand between them both. Now there is great disagreement between God and man, by reason of sin, which hath made a separation. And therefore we are to inquire, who shall be the mediator. It is certain, Samuel, while he lived, stood between God and the people, as a Mediator, to appease him by sacrifice: But his mediatorship is come to an end; Therefore we must look for a more perfect Mediator, such a one as Samuel himself needed. Now the Mediator that stands between God and us, is not Samuel the Priest, but Christ, the Son of the Virgin, Who to appease the wrath of God his Father, offered up himself as a lamb, Isaiah the fifty third chapter, to be a sacrifice for us. Secondly, Because we need a mediator to stand between us and Satan, he also doth perform this, and deliver us out of the jaws of that roaring Lyon. Wherefore as before he was a lamb, as 〈◊〉 God, as Samuel did; so here, like Samson, he delivers us, like that Lion of the tribe of Judah, which Jacob foretold, Genesis the forty ninth chapter, and hath showed himself, in the fifth chapter of the Revelations, as before he was a Priest, so here he shows himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the twelfth chapter to the Hebrews. Thirdly, he was to be our Intercessor, in respect of judgement. It is with us, as it 〈◊〉 out between the Judges and the Client; and therefore Christ is called an Advocate, in the first epistle of John, the second chapter and second verse. The law hath two parts, Punishment and Reward: We by our sins, have made ourselves guilty of the punishment and of the curse that is threatened against them that continue not in all things, 〈◊〉 the third chapter; But he stands as a Mediator between the punishment and us, and 〈◊〉 shed his bload as a ransom for our sins, the first epistle to Timothy, the second chapter; and so hath canceled the hand-writing 〈◊〉 against us, and taken away the malediction that was 〈◊〉 us, Collossians the second chapter; and for the reward which we should have deserved, fac hoc & vives; howsoever we have debarred ourselves of it, yet he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Ephesians the first chapter; and hath bought and purchased life for us: He is a Mediator, and Intercessor on our parts to God propter 〈◊〉 peccati, & defectum meriti; by his innocence and righteousness he hath purchased that for us, which we could not deserve for our sins. This is to be an Intercessor, which intercession is performed in all Religions, by Prayer and Oblation. By prayer, Christ is our Intercessor; For he sits at the right hand of God, and makes intercession for us, Romans the eight chapter; not for the godly only, but for his enemics, Father forgive them, Luke the twenty third chapter, as it was foretold of him, He shall pray for the transgressors, Isaiah the fifty third chapter; And he prayed not only for forgiveness of sins, but for the turning away of punishments due to sin; which was the cause, that he offered up supplications to God with strong cries, Hebrews the fift chapter and the ●eventh verse: He prayed that the holy Ghost might be given to his Disciples, John the fourteenth chapter: 〈…〉 of the Father that the holy Ghost being given, Satan might not 〈…〉 them from the faith, Luke the twenty second chapter. Lastly, That we may be partakers of glory with him, John the sevententh chapter, and be where he is. As he prayeth for us, so he makes 〈…〉 supplieth the impersections of of our prayers, and makes them acceptable to God; Canticles the eighth chapter, 〈◊〉 me audire vocem tuam, that is, I will take upon me to obtain for you, that which you cannot. Secondly for Oblation, As Samuel did 〈◊〉 only pray to God for the People, but did himself take a 〈…〉, and after 〈…〉 for the People, the first book of Samuel the seventh chapter; So Christ as our Intercessor to God, not only by prayer, but by oblation, he was an oblation offered in the morning, 〈…〉 was presented to God his Father, that he would for us yield obedience to the Law 〈…〉 his death was an evening oblation; he was not only the 〈…〉 first fruit of the corn, but became the vine in his death, by 〈◊〉 his blood: And as he not only prayeth, but giveth 〈…〉 so he doth not only offer for us, but give 〈…〉 the Prophet foretold, That whom he should 〈…〉 offer of the people should be acceptable, 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 and the fourth verse. Our prayers and oblations 〈…〉 ●…ctions: And whereas God appointed that the 〈…〉 be purified, should offer to God a young 〈…〉 Leviticus the twelfth chapter, to 〈…〉 up himself to God tanquam agnum immaculatum, yet 〈◊〉 columbam gementem; if not innocence of life, yet repentance and sorrow for sins. But because we cannot present either a Lamb or a Dove, neither innocence of life, nor true sorrow for sins; therefore Christ's oblation doth supply the defect of our imperfections: We cannot offer up such tears for sin as we ought; therefore the strong cries and tears, which he offered, Hebrews the fift chapter the seventh verse, stand between God and us: Because the agony and grief of our heart is cold and dead; therefore the agony that he endured, when he sweat water and blood, is a suppliant, Luke the twenty second chapter. So he is both an oblation for us, and supplieth the imperfections of our oblations. He having offered up himself to God, as a Lamb 〈◊〉 and without spot, the first epistle of Peter the first chapter and the nineteenth verse, hath appeased the wrath of God his Father, and procured his favour for us, and keeps away the malice and rage of Satan from us. Victori dabo edere ex arbore illa vitae quae est in medio Paradisi Dei. Revel. 2. 7. Febr. 4. 1598. A PLACE of Scripture purposely chosen, that we might not departed from the consideration of those things wherein we have been occupied heretofore, and yet such as may fitly be applied for our instruction in the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ: for though we be now in the Revelations, yet are we not gone from the third chapter of Genesis; wherein we learned, that Adam was sent out of the Garden and kept from the tree of life. Affinity of the Tree of life, and of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper. And for the business we intent, there is a great affinity between the tree of life which God set in Paradise, as a quickening means for the continuance of life in Adam, if he had continued in his first state, and the Sacrament of Christ's body and blood; for, as I told you, the causes of that Scripture gives man a hope of restitution to Paradise and 〈◊〉 tree of life, which is acquifitis novi juris: And that restitution is performed in this place. There was an Angel set to forbid Adam access to the tree of life; which was a sight dreadful, for that he was armed with a fiery sword: But here we have comfort, that he that makes this promise of restitution, is an Angel as well armed, viz. with a two edged sword, Apocalypse the first chapter and the sixteenth verse, Whose eyes were as a flame of fire, Apocalypse the second chapter and the eighteenth verse. So there is a resemblance between the party that here gives licence to come to the tree of life, and the other that forbidden to come to it. The one threatened with a sword; the other promiseth to the persons that keep the condition here expressed, That they shall out of the tree of life. The point is next, how these shall prevail: But if we consider how the Angels or Seraphins, 〈◊〉 the sixth chapter and the second verse, (in that they hide their faces before the Lord of 〈◊〉; which was Christ, whose glory was 〈◊〉 showed, John the twelfth chapter,) and Cherubins, 〈◊〉 the tenth chapter, do 〈◊〉 this Angel and cast their crowns down before him, as the blessed spirits do, 〈◊〉 the fift chapter, it is like he shall prevail; for the one is the sword but of a ministering spirit, Hebrews the first chapter, but this is the promise of the Lord of life and glory. Acts the third chapter, and the first 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 the second chapter. But the chief point to be inquired is, How the holy Ghost agreeth with himself, that man being debarred of the tree of life, is restored to it: The answer is, Genesis the third chapter and the twenty second verse, the punishment laid upon him was, 〈…〉 forth his hand and 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of life: But if there be a power given to man, to eat of the tree, John the nineteenth chapter and the eleventh verse, than he may take of it. Man of himself may not 〈◊〉 into Paradise; but if that power of returning be given him, which Christ gave to the 〈◊〉, Luke the twenty third chapter, 〈…〉 thou be with me in Paradise, than he may enter. Now Christ 〈◊〉 purchased to us a new right of returning, and by virtue thereof, we have power to eat of the tree of life, and he gives us licence to enter into Paradise. Applicat●… But to apply this Scripture to our present purpose, 〈…〉 thing in the Sacrament that disposeth us to life, and 〈…〉 of life, no less than the tree of life. For herein we are 〈◊〉 of that bread of life which our Saviour speaks of, 〈…〉 I am the bread of life that 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 bread shall live for ever, 〈…〉 Father, so he that 〈◊〉 me, 〈…〉 the fifty seventh verse. So that whether it be the 〈◊〉 of the 〈…〉 Paradise, or the bread of life in the Sacrament, we see there is a 〈◊〉 affinity, as appeareth if we compare this 〈…〉 the second chapter and the 〈…〉 which, as the Apostle 〈◊〉, in the 〈…〉 tenth chapter and the third verse, 〈…〉 whereof we are partakers in this 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 blood. This scripture 〈◊〉 of two parts, The 〈◊〉 and the Promise, 〈◊〉, & 〈◊〉. Touching the conjunction of these two, 〈…〉 when Christ promiseth to him that 〈…〉 tree of life, which 〈…〉 God and no matter of 〈◊〉, and that he will not 〈…〉 that do nothing; for it is not the bread of 〈…〉 is bestowed on them that do 〈…〉 sixth chapter. In the Promise we are to know, That the Paradise and tree of life which Christ promiseth, is not that earthly Paradise planted at the beginning for Adam, nor that tree of life appointed for the prolonging of his natural life, but a better Paradise; the other was Adam's Paracise, but this is called God's Paradise; the other was a Paradise on earth, but this a celestial Paradise, that into which the Apostle was caught up, in the second epistle to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter, which he himself saith, was the third Heaven: the Paradise which Christ here promiseth is that wherein he himself is a Paradise of all joys and happiness; of which he saith, Father I will that they be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, John the seventeenth chapter and the twenty fourth verse: For as God himself is a spirit, so his joy and happiness is spiritual; and the place wherein he is, is a spiritual Paradise: Such joy was that he speaks of, Matthew the twenty fift chapter, Intra in gaudium Domini. So are we to think the throne of God the Father where Christ sitteth, Apocalypse the third chapter and the twenty first verse, that it is the heavenly joy and glory which he enjoyeth in heaven: So saith the Wise man, Proverbs the thirteenth chapter, that there is ordained this tree of life, wherein we have the accomplishment of all our desires, which is not where but in Heaven, where God is all in all. For the tree of life, which Christ promiseth to him that overcommeth, It is another manner of tree than that in the garden of Eden: That was a natural tree appointed to preserve Adam's natural life, but this a is spiritual tree, and preserveth supernatnral life: And albeit Man being debarred of this natural tree in the Garden, dyeth a bodily death; yet this tree in the Paradise of God keeps us, from being hurt of the second death, Apocalypse the second chapter and the eleventh verse. Christ himself saith of himself, I am alive, but I was dead, and behold I live for evermore, Apocalypse the first chapter and the eighteenth verse; that is, he lost the natural life, but now he lives a supernatural life: and so shall all his members that eat of the tree of life which he promiseth. Well is the state of our death and rising again, shadowed out by a tree; for as Job speaks, Job the fourteenth chapter, There is hope of a tree, that though it be cut down, yet it will sprout out and the branches thereof will shoot forth; So though we die a bodily death, yet there is hope that we shall rise again, and live a supernatural life, which we obtain by eating of this tree of life: The centre of our desire is the tree of life, the circumference is Paradise wherein we have promised us, not only coronam vitae, Apocalypse the second chapter 10. But the crown of glory, the first of Peter and the fift chapter; And the crown of joy and happiness, the first of the Thessalonians the second chapter, and the nineteenth verse, We shall have our satiety of pleasure, and whatsoever man's heart can desire; for we shall be in the presence of God, whose right hand is pleasure for ever, Psalm 16. Dabo From the condition we are taught, that this promise is not to be cast upon us but given, and it is not a general promise, but made particularly to him only that overcometh: Which condition carrieth us to the promises of virtues made by God, Genesis the third chapter, where God proclaimeth war between the woman and the serpent; between the woman's seed and the serpent's seed. Vincentis And Christ rels us hore, that he which is conqueror in this war, shall enjoy Paradise and be restored to the tree of life; for no man is crowned except he both strive and strive lawfully, the second of Timothy the second chapter. Cum Serpent & 〈◊〉 suo. The battle that we are to fight, is either with the Serpent himself or with his seed. With the Serpent we are at war as the Apostle showeth, Ephesians the sixth chapter and the twelfth verse; We fight not with flesh and blood but with principalities and power: Such a fight did the Apostle feel, when the Angel of Satan was sent to buffet him, the second epistle to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter: And of the victory against this enemy the Apostle saith Young men I writ to you, because you are strong and have overcome that wicked one, the first epistle of John the second chapter and the fourteenth verse. The war which we have with the Serpent's seed is, 1. Intra. First, within us; for his poison infecteth our inward parts, not only the Reins, by stirring in us fleshly lusts, which fight against the soul, the first epistle of Peter the second chapter, which must be overcome as the Apostle exhorts, Colossians the third chapter, Mortify your earthly members; but the heart also, by that boiling lust of revenge which made Cain one of the Serpent's seed to kill his brother, the first epistle of John the third chapter and the twelfth verse: which inward desire of revenge must likewise be overcome, as the Apostle willeth, Romans the twelfth chapter, Avenge not yourselves, sed vince malum bono; we must overcome the evil of our fleshly lusts and desires of revenge, with the grace of mortification and patience. 2. Extra. Secondly, The seed of the Serpent is without us; for there are filii Belial, of whom were those to whom Christ said, John the eight chapter, You are of your Father the Devil: Such as will do mischief for doing well, such enemies are men of corrupt minds and understandings that are destitute of the truth, and are bold to say that gain is godliness, from which we must separate ourselves, the first epistle to Timothy the sixth chapter and the fift verse. And if we overcome in this war, than we shall be partakers of this promise. But who overcommeth in this war? and who can say, he is a conqueror in this battle? The Apostle saith, That he that sinneth is overcome of sin, and brought into bondage of the sin, the second epistle of Peter the second chapter and the nineteenth verse: Therefore where the promise is here made only to him that overcommeth, we must see if the Scripture offereth more graces, James the fourth chapter and the sixth verse: And if we look into Apocalyps the second chapter and the fift verse, we shall find there he that makes this promise offers more graces, that is, Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent, and do thy first works. D●… victoria. So there are two victories, the first is continere a peccato; the other is paenitere de peccato. If we cannot get this victory over the Serpent, that he do not cause us to sin at all, yet if we so fare overcome him, that sin reign not in our mortal bodies, Romans the sixth chapter and the twelfth verse, if we wound his head, which was promised, Genesis the third chapter and the fifteenth verse; so as though he cause us to sin, yet he get not the head or set up his throne in our hearts, than we are to hope that we shall be 〈◊〉 of this promise, if we return from whence we are fallen, and repent us of the sins we have committed, and do the first works, than no doubt we shall be restored to our first estate, and Christ shall give us a new right in the tree of life. But he that either fighteth not at all, but is at a league with Hell, and hath made a Covenant with death Isaiah the twenty eighth chapter; he that will deny sin nothing, but will fulfil the lusts of the flesh; or if he fight yet he fight not lawfully, nor strive to overcome, but is content to follow every temptation, as an ox led to the slaughter, Proverbs the seventh chapter; and not only so, but put stumbling blocks before himself, which may make him fall, Ezekiel the fourteenth chapter, and use all means that he may be overcome: And if, having fallen, they labour not to get the victory after, by repenting of his former sins, and doing the first works, than they have no part in this first promise. Men may draw near to the holy mystery of Christ's body and blood, and snatch at the tree of life; but Christ gives it not, except they be such as overcome, either by the grace of abstinency from sin, or of repentance and sorrow for sin: They may be partakers of the tree of life de 〈◊〉, but not the jure: The bread of life is to them as the bread of wrong, Proverbs the fourth chapter and the seventeenth verse, and the bread of deceit, which shall in the end fill their mouths with gravel, Proverbs the twentieth chapter. So both the promise and condition are touched: But the question is, How we shall overcome? that we learn, Apocalypse the twelfth chapter; where the Saints are said to overcome the great dragon, the old Serpent, with the blood of the Lamb: Which blood hath two uses. First, that which the Apostle calls the sprinkling of the blood of 〈◊〉 Christ, the first epistle of Peter the first chapter and the second verse. Secondly, That by receiving the cup of blessing we are partakers of the blood of Christ, the first epistle to the Corinthians the tenth chapter and the sixteenth verse. So that in these words is a reciprocation, vincenti ut comedat, & comedenti ut vincat, dabo edere; the body and blood of Christ is the fruit of that tree of life which the Apostle speaks of, the first epistle of Peter the second chapter and the twenty fourth verse, That he bore our sins in his body upon the tree; Of which fruit whosoever are partakers in the Sacrament, when it is ministered to them, do receive power to overcome, that so they may eat of the tree of eternal life: For in this Sacrament we have both a means of victory and a pledge of our reward, that is, the life of grace begun in us here, to assure us of a glorious life in the world to come. Every tree must have a root, and the root of that tree which Christ speaks of is here in this Sacrament; for in it is sown in the hearts of the receivers, as it were, a kernel, which in time shoots forth and becomes a tree; for as there was a death of the soul by sin, before God inflicted a death of the body; so answerable to that first death of sin, there must be in us a life of grace, which is the root of that tree from whence we shall, in due time, receive the life of glory. In this sacrament the tree of the life of Grace is town in us, that is, a measure of grace wrought in our hearts by the power of God's spirit, by which we shall at length attain to eat of that tree which shall convey unto us the life of glory. As there are two trees of life; so we must have a double Paradise: We must have liberty to be of the Paradise on earth, that is, the Church Militant, which is called hortus conclusus, Canticles the second chapter, before we can be received into the heavenly Paradise, that is, the Church Triumphant. So there is a plain analogy between those. As when we are dead in sins and in the uncircumcision of the flesh, Colossians the second chapter and the thirteenth verse, we receive the life of grace by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ in baptism; so when we are fallen from the life of grace and are restrained from the life of God, Ephesians the fourth chapter and eighteenth verse, and dead in trespasses and sins, Ephesians the second chapter, than we obtain victory against sin and death by the blood of the Lamb, being drunk in the Sacrament, Apocalypse the twelfth chapter and the eleventh verse. For if the material tree of life in Paradise received such influence from God, Genesis the third chapter, that being dead in it felse, it had power to convey the natural life of our Parents, while they eat of the fruit thereof, then is God able as well to give such a power to the Creatures of Bread and Wine in the Sacrament, that albeit they are dead of themselves, to convey into us the life of grace, even as the tree of life did prolong natural life; for so saith Christ, John the sixth chapter and the fifty third verse, Except ye eat the flesh of the son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no lifein you. Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life; he that eateth me shall live by me; And he that 〈◊〉 of his body shall live for ever. There is no life but in God first, 〈…〉 the thirtieth chapter, ipse enim est vita mea, and he committeth life to the son: Therefore it is said, There is a River of water of life proceeding out of the throne of God, and of the Lamb, Apocalypse the 〈◊〉 second chapter and the first verse: And as the Father hath life in himself, so he hath given to the Son to have life in himself, John the fift chapter and the twenty sixth verse: And as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them, so the son quickeneth whom he will, John the fift chapter and the twenty first verse. God being the fountain of life, draws life to his son, as into a Cistern, from whence we draw life; therefore it is said of the wisdom of God, that is Christ, that he is a tree of life, Proverbs the third chapter and the eighteenth verse; of whom it is now said, in ipso erat vita, John the fourteenth chapter; and therefore he calls himself this life, John the fourteenth chapter. This is the Cistern of life, to give life to them that are dead in original sin, by the sprinkling of his blood in 〈◊〉: And when they are dead in actual sins, he gives new life to them that are 〈◊〉 of his body and blood in the Sacrament of the Supper. In this Sacrament Christ hath provided a tree of life of graces against the death of sin, whereof they must be partakers that will eat of the tree of life, which Christ here promiseth: So that whereas the Wiseman saith, Fructus justi est lignum vitae, Proverbs the eleventh chapter and the thirtieth verse. The seed of this tree is here sown, and bringeth forth the root of a better tree; for as grace is the root of glory, so glory is the fruit of grace. Here in this life the root of grace is planted in us, and brings forth the fruits of righteousness, that in the life to come it may make us partakers of the tree of glory; and to assure us of this life, we are sealed with the holy spirit of promise, as the earnest of our inheritance, Ephesians the first chapter and the thirteenth verse, and the second epistle to the Corinthians the first chapter and the twenty second verse: That albeit we are fallen and can be overcome of fin, yet if we fight better and do the first works, we shall be partakers of the life of glory: The kernel of grace is planted in us by the participation of the body and blood of Christ; of which kernel cometh a tree, which bringeth forth the fruits of holiness and righteousness in our whole life: Which God will in due time reward with the Crown of life and glory in the world to come. Cupimus autem ut unusquisque vestrûm idem studium ad finem usque ostendat, ad certam spei persuasionem. Hebr. 6. 11. August. 24. 1599 AS in the old testament the prophetess Deborah, in the service of the Children of Isha against Jabin, doth specially praise God for the willingness of the people, Judges the fift chapter; so here the Apostle commendeth the Hebrews for the work and labour of their love, in that they spared no cost in showing themselves good Christians. Now the crown of our rejoicing is the sum of our desire: and therefore as there Deborah desireth to have the promptness and readiness continued in the people; so the Apostle wisheth that all the Hebrews, as they have been careful to practise the fruits of faith, so should they still show further diligence in that behalf. The special drift of the Apostle is to show, that the Christians comfort standeth in the perfection of their hope. The Apostle, Hebrews the eleventh chapter and the first verse, maketh their hope for to be the definition of faith: For though matters Historical and Dogmatical pertain to faith, yet chief faith hath hope for its object; for as Augustine, Credimus non ut credamus, sed 〈◊〉, speremus; therefore the Apostle saith, the end of all Scripture is, that we may have hope, Romans the fifteenth chapter and the fourth verse; and that which he affirmeth, in the first epistle to the Corinthians the ninth chapter, That he which planteth, planteth in hope, is as much true in all actions: the ground whereof is the hope we conceive of some benefit; for he that soweth, soweth in hope, he that saileth, saileth in hope and he that marrieth, doth it in hope that his estate will be bettered thereby: For sure it is, that it is but a comfortless thing to believe that there is everlasting joy and glory laid up in Heaven, except a man be persuaded that he shall be partaker of it; Exanguis res fides sine spe, quia spes fidei exanguis est, Amb. And as hope is the blood of faith, as the Prophet saith, Isaiah the thirtieth chapter and the fifteenth verse, In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength; so hope is that which whets diligence: and therefore the Prophet saith, in the second book of the Chronicles the fifteenth chapter and the seventeenth verse, Be strong and let not your hands be weak, for your work shall have an end: And in the new Testament the Apostle saith, Be steadfast and immovable, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord, Quod labour vester non erit inanis in Domino, the first epistle to the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter and the fifty eighth verse. So nothing is more to be desired than to have hope in the evil day; and the means of this hope is to show forth diligence. But for the easier entreaty of the contents of this verse, the points which the Apostle holdeth are, first, That we are not only to believe, but also to hope: Secondly, Not with a feeble or faint hope, but with the fullness of hope: Thirdly, This hope must not be for an hour, as Christ speaketh of St. John, John the fift chapter, but continuing to the end. Then for the means of this hope his request is, First, That Diligence be used: Secondly, This Diligence must be showed forth. For the first point, the Apostles desire is, That they should hope for that which they believe; wherein standeth the real difference that is between the faith of the Devils and men reprobate, and the faith of the Children of God; for even to the Devils the Apostle ascribes faith, but this faith ends in fear, James the second chapter, Damones credunt & contremiscunt; but a Christian man's faith and belees ends in hope. A Christian man believes that he may have hope, for hope comes by faith, as the Apostle showeth, Galatians the fift chapter and the fift verse, We by the spirit wait for the hope of righteousness through faith; and that faith which is the cause of hope, doth work by love; as the same Apostle 〈◊〉, And love causeth diligence, Credendo speramus, sperando diligimus, qui diligit diligendus est, Ambiguity For there is no love without diligence. And so necessary is hope that the Apostle makes it a part of our salvation: For as, Ephesians the second chapter, ye are saved by faith; so he saith, Romans the eighth chapter and the twenty fourth verse, we are saved by hope: For howsoever it is certain, that God is the hope of all men in general, as the Prophet calls him, the hope of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are in the broad sea, Psalm the sixty fift; so it is as certain, there is another hope, besides that general, which the faithful conceive; for that general hope concerns this present life. The Apostle saith, if we had no other hope but that, we are of all men most miserable, the first to the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter. The hope of all men is, spes Dei, that he doth save both man and beast, Psalm 36. that they shall be delivered from outward danger, and shall be both kept by God under the shadow of his wings; and when none can minister help, than they, flying to God, shall be safe: But he is more specially called the hope of Israel, Joel the third chapter and the sixteenth verse; that is, there is a further hope, & this is a Christians hope. It is true that Christians have a hope in God for defence from trouble in this life, as others have: and in that sense, this their hope is like a breastplate against the troubles of this life, the first epistle to the Thessalonians the fift chapter and the eighth verse; and the same hope of theirs, for that the troubles of this life are compared to the surges and waves of the Sea, is called an Anchor, Hebrews the sixth chapter. But the Christian man's hope goeth further than that general hope; for the Heathen doth say, spero dum spiro; but when breath is gone, the just man hath hope in his death, Justus etiam in morte sperat, Proverbs the fourteenth chapter and the twenty third verse: therefore the Apostle calls a Christian man's hope spem vivam, a lively hope; as if the other were spes mortua, the first epistle of Peter the first chapter and the third verse: For whereas the faith of all men doth fail in death, the Christians faith doth even then flourish, because they are begotten again to a lively hope, through the resurrection of Christ from the dead. It was David's speech, That when he was laid in the grave, his flesh should rest in hope, Psalm the sixteenth. In this life our hope hath a waiting, as St. Paul calls it, wherein it doth hope for the hope of righteousness by Christ, Galatians the fift chapter and the fift verse; and after this life it hopes for the fruition of the riches of glory, that is, for Christ himself, who is the hope of glory, Colossians the first chapter and the twenty seventh verse: His hope is not in the shadow of God's wings only, but spes in lumine virtutis, as the Prophet speaks, Psalm the eighty ninth and the fifteenth verse. There is yet one point more, and that is a necessary admonition not to confound, but keep several these two virtues theological; for they be two disjoined virtues, as the Apostle showeth, the first epistle to the Corinthians the thirteenth chapter: Now these three are Faith, Hope, and Love; and whereas we put Hope under Faith, all the ancient Fathers have put difference between them; of whom Augustine makes four differences: First, Faith hath for its object the word and promise of God, but Hope looks not for a promise, but rem promissam, we believed the promise, but hope for the thing promised. Secondly, of Faith, as well evil things as good things, are the object; for we believe the pains of Hell no less than the joys of Heaven, but the object of our hope is only for good things, as that in this life we shall be partakers of the righteousness of Christ, and afterward of his glory. Thirdly, We do not only believe things to come, but such as are present and past; for things passed by faith we apprehend, Hebrexs the eleventh chapter and third verse; and for things to come, we believe there shall be a day of Judgement, when the Shepherd shall separate the sheep from the goats, Matthew the twenty fift chapter; but Hope doth only apprehend things to come, and not things past. Fourthly, as Bernard noteth, the applying virtue is Hope; for this is Vox sidei, magna & invisibilia reposita sunt 〈◊〉 Deum; but Hope's voice is, mihi ipsi reperiuntur, that is, I myself have a part in them: Quod sides futurum credit, id spes sibi futurum expect at; but Charity's voice is, I am diligent, & spem apprehends. For the use of this virtue, whereas in the Scripture there are many say which force fare, As that, as the ground that drinks in rain and bringeth not forth grass, is cursed; so the Christian that drinks the water of God's word, and yet brings forth no fruits of faith is in a cursed state, Hebrews the sixth chapter: Yet to conceive hope, because in the same chapter is matter of comfort also, so the Apostle saith, That by two immutable things, whereby it is impossible for God to lie, that is his word and oath, we have strong consolation, Hebrews the sixth chapter and the eighteenth verse: As he hath made us great and precious promises, the second epistle of Peter the second chapter; so he is a faithful Creator, the first epistle of Peter the fourth chapter: And as Sarah confessed, He is faithful that hath promised, Hebrews the eleventh chapter and the eleventh verse: And as Sarah said, so Abraham saith, He is able to do what he promiseth, Romans the fourth chapter & the twenty first verse. And therefore we are to conceive hope, and say with the Apostle, in the second epistle to Timothy the first chapter, I know whom I have believed, Scio cuicredidi; and not only able, but willing, For of them that come to him he casteth away none, John the sixth chapter. Secondly, Our hope must not be faint, but we must have a perfect assurance of hope; not a hope half full, but the full measure of hope, as the Apostle showeth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: We must not sail with one sail, but with the whole gale of wind, that is, with a full assurance of hope; for to this belongeth that which the Apostle requireth, That we be carried forward to that perfection, Hebrews the sixth chapter and the first verse; That as we may not 〈◊〉 be babes in knowledge, that must be taught line upon line, Esay the twenty ninth chapter, but labour to come to a fullness of knowledge, which the Apostle calls A treasure of wesdome, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Colossians the second chapter and the third verse: So for being faithful men, we must not content ourselves with a weak and feeble faith, but must strive to attain to an assurance of faith, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Hebrews the tenth chapter and the twenty second verse; not to say as Agrippa, Acts the twenty sixth chapter, I am somewhat persuaded to be a Christian, that is but a beginning of faith; but when we have this beginning, we are to go forward, and so in hope we must not content ourselves with a good persuasion at the first, and so to rest in a mammering; but proceed till we be fully assured: And this St. Peter telleth plainly, we must perfect sperare, the first epistle of Peter the first chapter and the thirteenth verse, trust perfectly. This is Peter's desire, as it is the Apostles here. Which full assurance, that it is a different thing from faith, the Apostle showeth, Ephesians the third chapter and the twelfth verse, In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by faith in Christ, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. That confidence (or fiducia) as the Apostle calls it, is the perfection of our hope; and we attain to it, as he faith, per fidem: This fiducia is the effect of faith, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, access and boldness of speech are the effects of hope, the second epistle to the Corinthians the third chapter and the twelfth verse. Those beginnings of hope and faith are not to be disliked, Mark the ninth chapter and the twenty fourth verse, I believe, Lord help my unbelief; but he that hath such a faith, must strive to come to Abraham's faith, Qui contra spem sub spe credidit, Romans the fourth chapter: So he hath that small meature of hope which the Prophet speaketh of Joel the second chapter and the fourteenth verse, Who knoweth if the Lord will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him? Jon. the third chapter and the ninth verse. These 〈◊〉 beginnings not to be disallowed, so that he strive further to the perfection of hope which was in Job, Job the thirteenth chapter and the fifteenth verse, Etenim si occiderit, sperabo in eum; Which made Paul say Romans the eighth chapter and the thirty eighth verse, I am sure that neither life nor death, things present, nor to come etc. Thirdly, This fullness of hope must continue to the end, and not abide for a time: As Christ blames, Luke the eighth chapter, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, so the Apostle finds fault with temporary hope: It is that which we see in Demas, he believed and had hope, and gave great hope for a time, so that Paul acknowledged him his fellow labourer; but his faith and hope had soon an end, for he for look Paul, and fell to embracing the present world, the second epistle to Timothy the fourth chapter. Therefore it is not enough to hope for a time, but our hope must continue to the end; for as the Apostle saith, thou mayst see the goodness of God in breaking off the natural branches to graft thee in, if thou continue; for else he will show like severity to thee, Romans the eleventh chapter and the seventeenth verse; but thou must permanere. The same Apostle saith, Galatians the fift chapter and the seventh verse, You did run well as if he should say, nay you fate still, and therefore all is to no purpose: Therefore the Apostle exhorts, So to run that they may obtain, the first to the Corinthians the ninth chapter; as he himself doth in chastising his body and subduing it, lest while he preach to them, he should be rejected. His meaning is, albeit he be assured, That nothing shall separate him from the love of God, Romans the eighth chapter and the thirty eighth verse, yet he will run still, and keep his hope. For the state 〈…〉 is like the fanctifying of the Nazarite, If at the end of six days he did touch any unclean thing, he was to begin again, Numbers the sixth chapter and the twelfth verse. So it is in the matter of hope and other virtues: And therefore the Prophet prayeth not only for the spirit and an ingenious spirit, but a constant spirit that may continue, Psalm the fifty first. The means are set down in these words, First, he would have them use Diligence: Secondly, it must be demonstrative and expert Diligence: thirdly, it must be the same Diligence that is showed in the works of Love and Charity, and in the distribution to the poor. Of these three points the first is, The Apostle 〈◊〉 we may deceive ourselves in our hope: He that said, I shall never be moved, Psalm the thirtieth and and the sixth verse, had hope enough and too much; and he that said, Though all men for sake thee, yet not I, Matthew the twenty sixth chapter, hoped enough and too much: and therefore hope doth well in enjoining the means; for as in the beginning of the chapter, verse the sixth, is matter of fear, and in the end, verse the eighteenth, matter of hope; so here he willeth them to show diligence, that this hope may appear, and that it be not a negligent and sluggish hope, as he speaks, ut ne fit is semper sperantes: For as fear, if it be not mixed with hope, doth degenerate into desperation; so hope, if it be not tempered with fear, will turn to presumption. And it was the case of these two Saints, David and Peter, and we see what came of it: And therefore of Job, who had such an assured hope in God, even in death, it is said, Nun timor tuus spes 〈◊〉? Job the fourteenth chapter: he felt in himself a fear to commit sin; and that fear, say the ancient Fathers, was his hope: And the Apostle that wills them perfectè sperare, to trust perfectly, the first epistle of Peter, the first chapter and the thirteenth verse, saith after, verse the seventeenth, Pass your time in fear: He that before called for a perfection of hope, doth here require fear; for so our hope may not fall asleep or wax negligent. And as Basil saith, Vide spem num sit ver a spes; The true hope is that which hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, coact and moved to diligence: Such a hope is not his that persuades himself his Master 〈◊〉 his coming, and so falleth to be negligent; that is a confounding hope: But the diligent hope is that which confounds not, Romans the fift chapter and the fift verse; For as faith teacheth that it is impossible to attain to Heaven; so withal it tells us, it is 〈◊〉, a matter of difficulty: Wherefore Christ saith, Vigilate, Mark the eighth chapter. If we will come 〈◊〉, we must not be 〈◊〉, but diligent and watchful: We must use both attention, Luke the twenty first chapter, Take 〈◊〉 to your 〈◊〉, and contention, Luke the thirteenth chapter, Strive to enter; Therefore the Prophet saith, Psalm the thirty seventh, Hope in the Lord, and 〈◊〉 doing good: there is both hope and diligence. The Apostle saith, We have great and 〈…〉 made us, the second epistle of Peter the first chapter and the 〈◊〉 verse, That is our hope; but we must be diligent, adding to our hope virtue, to virtue knowledge; and these if we be without, we 〈…〉 of the promises; which 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 the fift chapter. That faith worketh by 〈◊〉; And he that hath this 〈…〉 himself, the first epistle of John the third chapter and the third 〈◊〉 Job, 〈◊〉 did perfectly hope, was not negligent, as he 〈◊〉 〈…〉 in eum, Job the thirteenth chapter and the 〈◊〉 verse; so he showeth his carefulness, Veritas omnia opera 〈◊〉 Job the ninth chapter. Paul that said, He was sure of the love of God, Romans the eighth chapter doth not, cease to be diligent, lest he should be vexed, first epistle to the Corinthians the ninth chapter: The same Paul saith, Philippians the third chapter and the tenth verse, I forget that which is behind, and endeavour towards that which is before. This is that which concludes this point, i. seeing faith showeth it is possible to attain to Heaven, though it be hard, we must use diligence which may make it a thing possible: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves, as from ourselves to think any good, or to use any diligence to bring this to pass, for all our sufficiency is of God, the second epistle to the corinthians the third chapter: And therefore the Apostle, when he had said, I laboured more than they all, correcteth himself, yet not I, but the grace of God within me, the first epistle to the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter and the tenth verse: He did not say before, It was I that persecuted the Church, but the sin that dwelleth within me, but ascribes that wholly to himself. But if we do any good thing, we must wholly ascribe that to God, who, by his spirit, doth give us grace and ability to do it. And therefore, whosoever feel themselves to receive grace, the second epistle to the Corinthians and the sixth chapter, and be endued with virtue from above, Luke the twenty fourth chapter, they must take heed they be not wanting to that grace and hear it in vain; but having grace from God, we must labour to make that possible which faith showeth to be possible. Secondly, They must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, make it apparent there is a secret diligence; but that which the Apostle requireth is an ostensive diligence; For as James saith, ostend mihi fidem ex operibus, James the second chapter and eighth verse: So the Apostles meaning is, I care not for the concealed diligence, let me see it appear by your outward conversation. For if the Heathen being endued with the light of Nature only, did show the work of the Law written in their hearts, by doing moral virtues, Romans the second chapter, much more ought Christians, that are endued with grace from above, to show forth this diligence, that it may be visible to the world. The Apostle shows there are two hopes, Spes internae dulcedinis, & extremae operationis; the one is concealed and inward, the other is apparent and to be seen. The inward hope bringeth this to pass, That the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, Rom. 5. 5. and therefore is to be likened: This hope doth likewise effect this, That we have the spirit of God bearing witness to our spirits that we are the Chrildrens of God, Rom. 8. It is as it were absconditum Manna, Apoc. the second chapter, which doth inwardly feed our souls. But howsoever this be good, yet not without danger; for as the Apostle showeth, there are that have been lightened with knowledge, and have tasted of the Heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the holy Ghost, and have tasted of the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, and yet fall away Hebrews the sixth chapter and the fourth verse: Therefore he calls not for this diligence, but will have them make it evident; which he expresseth in these words, that it be the same diligence; which is the third point: Wherein he teacheth in what this demonstrative diligence standeth; that is, as the former verse showeth in the work and labour of love, and in ministering to the Saints; that is, the doing of works of charity; makes the oftensive diligence: Whereby he teacheth that this oftensive or demonstrative diligence, is the touch stone of our hope, as the Apostle saith, The works of love are the touchstone of faith, for true faith worketh by love, Galatians the fift chapter. This diligence cannot deceive us, of which our Saviour Christ saith, John the fift chapter, They that have done good, shall come forth into 〈◊〉 life, and the comfortable sentence pronounced by the Judge at the 〈◊〉 day, upon all those that have showed forth this diligence, in doing the works of mercy shall be: Come ye blessed possess the kingdom prepared for 〈◊〉 Matthew the twenty fift chapter. It 〈◊〉 not to say to a brother or sister that is naked and destitute of daily food, Depart in peace; warm, yourselves, fill your bellies; but the inward compassion must show itself outwardly, by giving them those things which are needful to the body, James the second chapter and the fifteenth verse: Therefore the Apostle Peter willeth them that are persuaded of the great and precious promises that are made them, not to stay there, but make their election sure to them by this oftensive diligence, that to their faith they add virtue, to virtue knowledge, which if they do, they shall never fail, the second epistle of Peter the first chapter. And the Apostle St. John saith, Hereby we know that we are translated from death unto life, because we love the brethren, and that not in word and tongue only, but in deed and truth, the first epistle of John the third chapter and the fourteenth verse. God to assure us of his merciful promises in Christ, is said, not only to have sealed us, but also to have given us the earnest of the spirit into our hearts, the second epistle to the Corinthians the first chapter and the twenty second verse. The concealed diligence is as the earnest which a man puts in his purse; but the oftensive diligence is like to a seal, which may be showed to all men: for, as Christ witnesseth, Our lights must so shine before all men, that the wicked and ungodly, by seeing our good works, may take occasion to glorify God and be converted, Matthew the fift chapter. If we use diligence, and show forth our diligence in doing those works of love, we shall attain to hope, and that not faint or feeble, but of full measure, even the full assurance of hope; which shall not be for a time, or an hour, and so fail, but it shall continue even to the end. Et factum est praelium in Coelo: Michael & Angeli ejus praeliati sunt cum Dracone, & Draco pugnabat & Angeli ejus: Sed hi non praevaluerunt, neque locus eorum ampliùs inventus est in Coelo. Apoc. 12. 7.8. Septemb. 29. 1599 AS the Christian Religion is not a Religion of Angels; for we do not adore them with divine honour, Colossians the second chapter and the eighteenth verse; and though we offer to worship them, yet they will not admit of it, Apocalypse the twenty second chapter and the ninth verse; so on the other side, it is not a Religion of Saducees, that hold there is no Angels nor spirit, Acts the twenty third chapter and the eighth verse; but it doth acknowledge that such blessed spirits there be, and that God hath erected a ladder that reacheth up to Heaven, by which the Angels of God go up and down to convey God's blessings to men, Genesis the twenty eighth chapter: And therefore by all means it opposeth itself against the opinion of those that seek to remove this ladder, as if there were no duty to be performed by them towards us: For, in thankfulness to God for this benefit, that the Angels have a care of us, the Church have thought it good, weighing both the one extremity of superstition, which Moses compareth to drunkenness, and the other extremity of profaneness, which he likeneth to thirst, Deuteronomie the twenty ninth chapter and the nineteenth verse, to keep this Feast. And indeed if we consider, that those glorious spirits who have the continual fruition of God's presence, Matthew the eighteenth chapter and the tenth verse, In whose presence is the fullness of all jay, Psalm the sixteenth, can be content to abandon that place of this felicity, to come down and perform duties to the sons of men, namely, to take charge of us and keep us from danger, Psalm the ninety first and the eleventh verse, to be as ministering spirits, for their sakes that shall be heirs of salvation, Hebrews the first chapter: This cannot but be reckoned a special favour. Secondly, Especially if we go a degree further, and consider that they leave their assistance in God's presence, where is all glory and happiness, to Minister to us that dwell in houses of clay, Job the fourth chapter, and that for our nobility, must derive ourselves into corruption and worms, Job the seventeenth chapter and the fourteenth verse, that such holy spirits should come down upon such sinful spirits, such glorious spirits should Minister to such vile bodies, this gives us further cause to remember this benefit. Thirdly, The manner of this Ministry may be a special motive to stir us up to thankfulness: This ministry and service done to us is as fare as any can reach, that is, usque ad consilium fideli & auxilium. For 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉, we see Jacob 〈◊〉, an Angel of God gave him direction what to do, Genesis the thirty first chapter and the eleventh verse: So an Angel came forth to teach Daniel, to give him knowledge and understanding, Daniel the ninth chapter and the twenty second verse. And this very book contains nothing else but that which Christ revealed to his servant John by an Angel, Apocalypse the first chapter and the first verse: that is for matter of counsel. And for matter of help there is between Angels and Men 〈◊〉 sociale, a holy league indeed; whereby they bind themselves, that for our 〈◊〉 they may wage war, not only with men, but with wicked 〈◊〉. That they do continually defend us the Prophet teacheth, 〈◊〉 the thirty fourth, The Angels of the Lord pitch their tents 〈…〉 this fear him; whereof we have a plain example, in the second of the Kings the sixth chapter and the seventeenth verse. For the offensive part of help, which they perform to men, it is plain, that as they defend us from danger, so they show themselves enemies not only to men that seek our hurt, but to evil Angels. That the Angels are enemies to men, that are an enemy to the Elect and Church of God, we see it plainly affirmed, Psalm the thirty fift and the sixth verse, The Angel of the Lord persecuteth them; whereof an example in the Egyptians that were enemies to God's people, among whom God sent an Angel to destroy the first born in every house, 〈◊〉 the twelfth chapter; and Isaiah the thirty seventh chapter, where an Angel is sent in the behalf of Ezekiah to destroy the host of Senacherib, who was an enemy to God's people. And in this place we see offensive 〈◊〉 in the behalf of Angels, against the wicked Angels, 〈◊〉 David had relation in those words, Psalms the ninty first and the thirteenth verse, Thou shalt walk upon the Lion and Adder, the young Lion and the Dragon thou shalt tread under foot. Wherefore that spirits of such excellency, shall defend us against both wicked men and Angels, this is a benefit to be remembered with all thankfulness to God and likewise we are to congratulate them that are made by God of such power; as Melchizadeck did gratulate Abraham after he had 〈◊〉 the five Kings, Genesis the fourteenth chapter, and blessed God 〈…〉 his enemies into his hands; and as the servants of 〈◊〉 did congratulate David, when he saw that the Army 〈◊〉 before 〈◊〉, the second book of Samuel the eighth chapter and the 〈…〉. So that these congratulations of these blessed 〈◊〉, above all our thankfulness to God that hath appointed us such helps, is the ground and cause of this solemnity. The words divide themselves into two 〈◊〉, First, the 〈◊〉 Secondly, the Victory or Conquest. Concerning the former, we are first to consider the 〈◊〉 Combatent, and then the fight. In the Conquest we are also to 〈◊〉 two degrees: For it is said not only That he had not the 〈◊〉; for than he had been of an even hand, and might have 〈…〉 but that the Dragon and his Angels were so fare from 〈◊〉 and getting the Victory of Michael and his Angels, that they 〈◊〉 the foil so that their place was not found any more in Heaven Touching the persons that waged this battle, they are on the one side Michael and his Angels: On the other side the Dragon and his Angels. Wherein the first thing is, what we must conceive concerning Michael. It is sure the Church of God, upon many and weighty reasons, doth not favour the opinion of those that make Christ to be Michael: Michael, Daniel the tenth chapter and the thirteenth verse, is said to be one of the first Princes or Rulers, which is to be understood of some principal Angel, and not of Christ, who is set up above all Princes, and is not to be reckoned among them, being the Prince of Princes, and Lord of Lords: And the Annotation of those that hold this opinion showeth that there is an Angel under Christ, which takes charge for the defence of the Church on earth, which is Michael your Prince, Dan. 10. 21. Secondly, Out of Judes' epistle verse the ninth, the ancient Fathers prove, that by Michael we are not to understand Christ; for that which he affirmeth, that Michael durst not check the Devil with cursed speaking, cannot be ascribed to Christ, which not only dare, but hath trodden down Satan under his feet; much more dare he check him: which unless he could do, it were a plain sign that he is not Omnipotent. Therefore by Michael here we are to understand some other and not Christ. Thirdly, Out of this place, Apocalypse the twelfth chapter and the fift verse, In as much as the Child that was born was Christ, it is not like that this Child should suddenly be translated into an Archangel and fight with the Dragon. And therefore both Theodoret and others say, that Michael is a chief spirit among the created spirits that then took care of the Church in Jury, and still is careful of Christ's Church unto the end of the world. And to this we may add the judgement of the Church, which on this holiday doth thank God for the service of the Angels, but makes no mention of Christ, that it is he that in this place warreth with the Dragon and his Angels. For the Dragon there is a fare more easy passage; so as we may soon guess what is meant by him; for in this chapter he is called the Devil and Satan, whereof their name signifieth a slanderer; and he is justly so called, for that he both slandereth God to man, as if God did envy man's prosperity, Genesis the third chapter, and slanders man to God, as he did Job, whom albeit he were a blessed Saint, yet he accuseth before God as an Hypocrite, Job the first chapter. The other name Satan signifieth a great enemy, not only to the good, whom he hath most cause to hate, as being contrary to him, but also to the bad. That he is an enemy to the good, it appears by this, That he persecuted not only the child that was new born, but the woman also, and because he cannot show his malice upon him, he makes war with her seed, Apocalypse the twelfth chapter the thirteenth & seventeenth verses. That he persecuted also an enemy to the bad, appears verse the ninth, where he is called, The seducer of of the whole world, and the accuser of the brethren, for that he first brings them to commit grievous sins, and then pleads against them, that the plague of God may come upon them. These are the Leaders: The Bands and Soldiers under their conduct are Angels on both sides. The Angels that serve under Michael are they that excel in strength and do the command of God in obeying the voice of his word, Psalms the hundred and third and the twentieth verse, they that the Apostle calls elect Angels, the first epistle to Timothy the fift chapter and the twenty first verse. The Angels that war on the Dragon's side, are the evil Angels, Psalm the seventy eighth and the forty ninth verse; The Angels that sinned, the second epistle of Peter the second chapter, And they that kept not their original, as Judas saith: these fight for the Dragon, and he is their Captain; as Christ saith, The Prince of the Devils is 〈◊〉, Matthew the twelfth chapter. For as among the good Angels there is principatus, & primus principatus; so it is among the wicked Angels, for there must be order in all companies. Touching the Battle itself, we are first to remove some things of offence, not to think it strange that the Angels are here said to move battle. For albeit they be called Angeli pacis, Isaiah the thirty third chapter and the seventh verse, because they bring peace; yet in many places they are called Gods Hosts; as Jacob seeing the Angels of God, called the place where they were Nahanaim, Genesis the thirty second chapter and the second verse; and they magnify God by that title, Isaiah the sixth chapter, Lord God of Hosts: Luke the second chapter, the Angels are called Heavenly Soldiers: And where Christ saith, If I pray to the Father, he will give me more than twelve 〈◊〉 of Angels, Matthew the twenty sixth chapter. He compareth them to Troops and Bands of Soldiers, for that they are not only Angels to God's friends and servants, but soldiers fight against them that oppose themselves against God. Further, where their state is in a continual motion, that must not offend us; for the Angels themselves are not yet in the perfection of their felicity; for we see they are employed in doing service for us; they continually aseend and descend from Heaven to Earth, and from Earth to Heaven; for the good of the godly; for God saw it good, that as well they, as the Saints departed out of this life, should not be made 〈…〉, Hebrews the eleventh chapter and the fourtieth verse; which is illistrated Matthew the thirteenth chapter, where the Angels are called Reapers, giving us to understand thereby, that as the 〈…〉 is not at rest till the Harvest be all in; so it is with the Angels, they must continually be employed in doing service for them that shall inherit Salvation, till the number of the Elect be accomplished. So neither needs that to offend any, that the Dragon is 〈◊〉 to have fought in Heaven; for so he is said to have appeared before God among the sons of God: And when Ahab was to be deceived, a lying spirit stood before God, the first book of the Kings the twenty second chapter. All this was only by God's permission. For all this doth no make the Devil blessed, no more than Adam was blessed being in paradise: For having sinned, and being thereby out of God's favour, he no more enjoyed that comfort of Paradise which he took before his fall, but quaked and hid himself from the presence of God for tear, Genesis the third chapter. The Dragon is no more blessed for being in Heaven, or appearing before God, than a prisoner, that for a time is brought out of prison into the Court to be arraigned; for he takes no delight of the pomp and glory of the Court, knowing it is not for him, but he must return to the 〈◊〉, from whence he was taken: So it is with the Devil. These offences being removed, we come now to the Fight itself, which was not in any bodily manner, for they are spirits, 〈◊〉 the hundred and fourth; and therefore their fight is a spiritual fight, Ephesians the sixth chapter; And their 〈◊〉 not carnal, but spiritaul, the second epistle to the Corinthians the tenth chapter. That as the Angels fight by temptations on the one side and by resistances, on the other they fight by agonies and inward conflicts, which is more truly called conflicts than any combat. The other fight with bodily enemies; for, as some note, Abraham would rather fight which five Kings than abide that conflict between faith and natural affection, which he felt when he was commanded to offer up his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; and those agonies which David felt in his own heart, Psalm the forty second, Why art thou so heavy O my soul, Psalm the seventy seventh and the eighty ninth verse. These Combats and spiritual Battles were more grievous to David, than those which he fought with the Philistims, with Saul, or any other outward enemies whatsoever. The Battles fought between these two parties are in Scripture four. The first is that which in the beginning was fought between them, that when the one said, Isaiah the fourteenth chapter and the thirteenth verse, ascendam, the other went down; when the one said, I will sit, they said he should stand, Daniel the seventh chapter; when the Dragon said I will be like the most high, the other said Michael who is like God. The second is that which Judas speaketh of, that there was a conflict between Michael the Archangel and the Devil, about the doad body of Moses, verse 9 The third is mentioned in Daniel the tenth chapter the thirteenth verse, where when the Church was in thraldom and captivity under the Persians and Chaldeans, the Dragon would have kept them still in bondage, but Michael fought for their 〈◊〉. The fourth Batrail is that which is here fought by Michael for a full deliverance of the Church; for we see the Dragon stood before the woman that was ready to be delivered, that he might devour the child, verse the seventh: And because he was taken up unto God, the Dragon persecuted the woman; And for that he could not prevail against her, he made war with her seed, Apocalypse the twelfth chapter and the thirteenth verse, that is, with them that keep the commandments of God. For if the Devil fought with Michael for Moses body, being dead, the 〈◊〉, Judas the ninth verse, much more will he fight for Christ being borne If he war against the Synagogue of the Jews, much more against the Church of Christ, consisting both of Jews and Gentiles. And as the Angels offer fight for the one, so will they for the other: For it is plain, that the Angels are first in arms when any injury is offered either to the Child, or the Woman, or to her seed. What this Battle was between the Dragon and the Child the opinion of the Church is, That albeit the Devils by their creation were glorious Angels, yet they might be content not to presume so fare as to be like the most high, but after the manifold wisdom of God was made known by the Church unto principalities and powers, Ephesians the third chapter and the tenth verse; that is, when they saw it was Gods will, that the Child born of our flesh and taken out of the earth, was taken up into Heaven, to the throne of God: This was it that stirred them up to battle. For howsoever they be constrained to submit themselves to God, yet they cannot abide to honour a piece of clay: And albeit they could not be equal with God, yet they would retain a superiority above men: which thing being not granted them, they are incensed against Christ: They think it a great indignity, howsoever they have done service to men tanquam Domini, as things pertaining to the Lord, that now they should do service to men tanquam Domino. But this they are enforced to perform to Christ who is exalted in his Humanity; and in as much as Christ hath taken our nature, they must adore our nature. This is that which the Dragon and his Angels would not yield unto: But they prevail not in this fight. Again, the consideration of this which the Apostle 〈◊〉, That God spared not the Angels that sinned, the second epistle of Peter the second chapter, Angelis peccantibus non pepercit, may greatly provoke the Angels to battle: That albeit he spared not the Angels that sinned, yet he will spare men when they sin: this is a great assault. But that is more Nusquam Angelos assumpsit, sed semen 〈…〉, Hebrews the second chapter and the sixteenth verse. That he will not grace the names of Angels, as to assume their nature, but prefers the nature of man; and that they must adore that person that is be come man, this might be a 〈◊〉 remptation. As also that which the Apostle affirms, the first epistle to the Corinthians the sixth chapter and the third vorse, That the nature of man shall judge Angels: this might greatly offend them. And the Dragon and his Angels will no doubt suggest these thoughts into Michael and his Angels; but yet they 〈…〉. The more high and honourable any spirit is, the less can it 〈◊〉 any indignity. And seeing the Angels are such honourable spirits, they must needs take it very ill, that not only man's nature is exalted above theirs, but that they mult do service unto men; not as things pertaining to the Lord, but as to the Lord himself. This must needs offend them, That when they sin, they find no favour; but if man sin, he is spared: That when the Son of God doth manifest himself to the world, he doth not vouchsafe the Angels so much honour as to assume their nature, but takes the seed of Abraham; and that he will in the last time make men judges of Angels. In this manner did the Dragon and his Angels oppose themselves against Michael and his Angels; but we see how he doth resist all these temptations and assaults: and therefore this battle is worthy to be kept in remembrance. The Conquest followeth. Wherein we see, that in steed of persuading Michael and his Angels, that they should not look at the mystery of Christ's Incarnation, we see the Angels are content 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the first epistle of Peter the first chapter, the eleventh and twelfth verses, to stoop down to look into those things that concern Christ. Whereas they were persuaded to turn their backs on Christ, we see they all fall down and worship him, Hebrews the first chapter and sixth verse: They all acknowledge Worthy is the Lamb to receive power, riches, honour, and glory, and majesty: praise, and honour, and glory to him that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb for evermore, Apocalypse the fift chapter, the twelfth and thirteenth verses: And instead of exalting themselves, they are ready to offer battle to them that persuade them hereunto; as David's heart was more inclined to Joab, than his wicked son Absolom; which made him make Joab a means for his restoring into his father's favour: So God is more inclined to be merciful to men that sin, than to Angels; and that is it that makes the Angels submit themselves to the nature of men. So that they see Christ vouchsafeth to call us Brothers, Matthew the twenty fift chapter and the fourtieth verse; so they are glad to claim brotherhood of us, Apocalypse the twenty second chapter; as the Angel said to John, I am one of thy brethren. In as much as God exalts the male child and the woman to be in his Throne, the Angels are ready to fight for them. In that it is said, The Dragon prevailed not, it may be gathered, that for all that he might begin again; but where it is added, And their place could no more be found in Heaven, thereby we learn that Michael and his Angels set upon the Dragon and his Angels, and drove them out of Heaven. That which ariseth from hence on our parts, is of two sorts: First, The thankfulness we are bound continually to render to God, that we are of such regard in his sight, that in Heaven they fight for us, the elect angels with the evil angels, Michael with the Dragon and his company. It is that which Christ tells us, Luke the eleventh chapter, When the strong men keep the Palace, all things are in peace; but then comes a stronger, etc. Man is even in the estimation of the Devil a Palace, howsoever we by our sins make ourselves a Hogsty: therefore both Christ and the Devil esteeming so highly of us, we may not esteem basely of ourselves. The angels have charge, not only to keep us, Psalm the ninty first, but to wage battle about us: and therefore it is plain, the soul of man is no mean thing. The Angels as we see, are ready to enter field with the Dragon and his Angels: Neither doth Heaven only take this care of us, but the Earth also is ready to help us, and openeth her mouth and swalloweth up the flood which the Dragon casts out of his mouth, Apocalypse the twelfth chapter and the sixteenth verse. Therefore if they have such care of us, it is reason we should have care of ourselves; if they take such care for man, that is but earth, then ought we for Heaven to be careful: If no man be crowned, no not the Angels themselves, except they strive aright, the second epistle to Timothy the second chapter; no more shall we be crowned unless we be as careful of ourselves as the Angels. If the Angels were so busy to defend the earth, we must be more diligent to fight for Heaven. Again, here we see, that to come to Heaven is a matter of fight and wrestling, Ephesians the sixth chapter: If we look upon Christ and the Apostles, we will say it is Lucta, a wrestling; but if upon common Christians it is but Ludus, a pastime and sport. And he that stirs up this war and conflict is not dead, howsoever he was put to the worst, but only driven out of Heaven. That battle which was in Heaven among the Angels, is come down to men on earth, and now the Dragon fights with the woman's seed; and therefore it imports the woman's seed to fight with him: For the war we have, is not only with flesh and blood, that is, with our own passions and affections, which is the philosophical war; though we must fight with them also, because fleshly lusts fight against the spirit, the first epistle of Peter the second chapter and the eleventh verse: But our wrestling is chief with the spirits, with spiritual wickedness in heavenly places, Ephesians the sixth chapter. And what, is this enemy the Dragon foolish and weak after his conquest had over fin? No, he is the old Serpent, therefore full of experience. These enemies or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Ephesians the sixth chapter; therefore they want no power. But are they discouraged upon this overthrow? No, but he is the more fierce and his wrath kindled, knowing his time is but short, Apocalypse the twelfth chapter and the twelfth verse. Then seeing we have such an enemy, we must strive rightly if we will be crowned, si place at Corona, place at studium we must take the more heed to ourselves, because, as Gregory saith, Magis est fortis nostrâ negligentiâ, quàm 〈◊〉 potentiâ. Secondly, As we give God thanks, that he makes this account of us; so are we to thank him, that he hath created and commanded such excellent spirits to fight for us; and to pray that they which have thus fought for us in Heaven, may in earth fight with us to help us; that as they have cast him out of Heaven, so 〈…〉 come him in earth: We are to thank God that we which by our sins have made ourselves like the beasts that perish, 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Luke the twentieth chapter, and to 〈◊〉 that we may drive the Dragon into the bottomless 〈◊〉. Thirdly, we are to take heed that we provoke not the Angels with our misdeeds, Exodus the twenty third chapter and twenty first verse; nor alienate them from us with the wicked words of our mouths, Ecclesiastes the fift chapter and the fift verse. If we suffer ourselves to sin by filthy words and speeches, we make them turn their favour from us. When we come into the Church, we must come with a due regard and reverence, propter Angelos, the first epistle to the Corinthians the eleventh chapter: for by rude and uncomely behaviour in the Congregation, and by suffering our mouths to utter offensive speeches, we offend the Angels and deprive ourselves of their favour, so as they will not care for our safeguard: But if as the Angel tells Danil, Daniel the tenth chapter and the twelfth verse, We set our hearts to understand and to humble ourselves by fasting before God, that may draw their affection towards us; for repentance is that which doth minister joy to the Angels in Heaven, Luke the fifteenth chapter. Lastly, By this means, though we obtain not such a perfect conquest over the Dragon as the Angels did; yet we shall attain to the first degree: though we cannot drive him out of earth, as they did out of Heaven, yet we shall obtain thus much, That he shall not prevail against us, no more than he did against them. We see it in Paul, though he fought never so much, yet he could not avoid it, but sin would dwell in him, Romans the seventh chapter: but this victory he obtained, that it did not reign in his natural body, Romans the sixth chapter. Though, till our corruption be dissolved, we shall not drive him out, we shall so be armed, That he shall not prevail against us. We must endeavour ourselves, that by thankfulness to him for vouchsafing to us this help, and by intercession to continue the same, we may still resist the Dragon, not suffering ourselves to take the soil, howsoever we cannot utterly drive him out. And in this respect, when we shall be like the Angels, then shall we tread Satan under our feet, then shall the Dragon be bound in chains and cast into the bottomless pit; so shall we have a final conquest over him. Now we must labour to 〈◊〉 to the first degree of the Angel's victory and so shall we be crowned. Quicquid dat mihi Pater, ad me veniet: & eum qui venit ad me, nequaquam ejecerim foras. John 6. 37. Octob 7. 1559. THE words are Christ's, and are both agreeable to the action we have in hand, and also a good dependence upon that wherein we have been heretofore conversant. But that these words are to be applied to the holy 〈◊〉 and Sacrament of the Lords Supper appears, for that before he calls himself the bread of life, verse the thirty fift; The bread from Heaven, verse the forty first; The living bread, verse the fifty first; and all along this chapter there is nothing spoken of Christ, but as he is the matter of this Sacrament: and therefore these words are to be understood of the holy Eucharist. And so these words as they yield comfort to the comers, persuading them that they are of those, whom God the Father hath given to Christ; so no less comfort is reached to them here; for that they understand from Christ's own mouth, That if they come to him, they shall not be cast out, but received of him, so as none shall be able to take them out of his hands, John the tenth chapter and the twenty eighth verse. On the other side, They that come not, may know from hence, that as they are not in the number of the Father's Donatives, that is, such as are given to Christ, but are the portion of Satan, For they shall be cast out into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, Apocalypse the twenty first chapter and the eighth verse; And into utter darkness, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth, Matthew the eighth chapter and the twelfth verse. Touching the dependence his words have with that part of Scripture which we usually have held, when we spoke of cain's departure from God's presence, we heard that he did set himself as near Eden as he could be; that he was content for a little trifling pleasure, that shortly fadeth, to forgo God's presence, where is pleasure for evermore; that for a little worldly gain with Balaam, he gives over all godliness, which is the true gain; and that not he, but the whole world through ambition, as Lords, do seek the world's honour with the loss of the honour and favour of God. Being thus departed from God, we heard he came to a Land called Nod, that is, a Land of unquietness and troubles, both in respect of the inward disquietness of his soul by continual fear & the outward vanities of the whole world; where he found that having forsaken God, with whom is fullness of joy, he could not have his desire satisfied by any pleasure that the world could afford. But we left not Cain there, but heard, that the end of that journey was woe, as it shall be the end of all those that walk in cain's way, Judas the eleventh verse. And for that there is none but may fall into the same way, it concerns every man to think how, being departed from the presence of God, he may come back to Christ, and especially that he watch his opportunity, to come at such a time as Christ will not cast him out; And that is taught us here, in these words, where Christ saith, That whosoever cometh to him, as he is the bread of life, he shall not be cast forth. But we must watch this opportunity; for there are two wenite's, Come to me all ye, Matthew the eleventh chapter, that have departed from me, to receive worldly pleasures and gain; The other, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom, Matthew the twenty fift chapter and the thirty fourth verse. But he that will have his part in this latter venite, must have his part also in the first: He must come again to Christ by repentance, else he cannot come to be partaker of the heavenly Kingdom. In these words of Christ we have three persons: First, Pater dans. Secondly, Homo veniens. Thirdly, Christus non ejiciens. Whereof the two former parts be the Condition, the third person belongeth to the Promise. The Condition stands in The Father's giving, and our coming; The Promise is Christ's not casting out. Touching which parts jointly, we are to observe these, That every one by experience sindes that the state of sinners, live they never so pleasantly, is but as Cain called his son, Chanoch, that is, a good beginning; For the midst of that state is unquietness, and the end everlasting death. Which being considered, it will make every man willing to come again to God if there be any hope, they shall be received: In regard of ourselves, as St Paul speaketh of her that departed from her husband, the first cpistle to the Corinthians the seventh chapter and the eleventh verse, so it were just, that in as much as we have willingly forsaken God, and departed from him, preferring transitory and earthly delights before his favour, he should say, Qui discedit, discedat, that being once gone from him, he should not receive usagain. But here we are to admire the goodness and mercy of God and Christ, that instead of a revenger and punisher, he is a merciful receiver; that where in Justice Christ might be a rock of offence, to such as departed from him, he will be a rock of refuge to them; that he is so fare from casting out, if they come, that he is content to seek such as are lost, Luke the nineteenth chapter and the tenth verse, That he sends and sends again, that they should come back, Matthew the twenty second chapter, That he stands at the door knocking, Apocalypse the third chapter, And saith, Come to us all ye, Matthew the eleventh chapter: So there is no doubt but Christ will receive them that come to him. For, as the ancient Father's note, If when he comes to us, we cast not him out, neither will he cast us out when we come to him: And that no unworthiness by means of any filth, either of body or soul, doth keep him from us, we see for bodily uncleanness, he was content to be received by Simon the leper, Mark the fourteenth chapter and the third verse: And in regard of spiritual pollution, howsoever a man know himself to be a sinner, that is, to have an unclean soul, yet not to despair, because Christ, by the confession of his enemies, is such a one as doth not only receive sinners, but eats with them, Luke the fifteenth chapter and the third verse; yea, he not only 〈◊〉 them that deserve to be cast out, as unworthy to inhere it's he Kingdom, the first epistle to the Corinthians the sixth chapter and the ninth verse; but doth also wash, sanctify, and justify them in his 〈◊〉 name, and by the spirit of God. The Condition on our part was, That we come; the meaning where of, if we look into the ancient Fathers upon the thirty fift verse, He that cometh to me, is some external part of God's worship; for so they expound it by the Apostles words, Romans the tenth chapter; If thou believe in thy heart, and confess with thy mouth; for 〈◊〉 eving is the affection of the heart, but confession is outward in the conversation of life, as some are said to deny God in their works, 〈◊〉 the first chapter and the sixteenth verse. There are divers sorts of coming: First, We are said to come to Christ in Baptism, Mark the tenth chapter Sinete parvalos venire ad me. Secondly, In Prayer; for as Augustine saith, Preeibus, non passibus, iter ad Deum Thirdly, In the hearing of the word: so many reforced and came to Christ, Luke the fifteenth chapter and the first verse: And we likewise come to Christ, when we come to hear his Ministers; for he that heareth him heareth us, Luke the tenth chapter. Fourthly, By Repentance, as Luke the fifteenth chapter, I will go to my Father. But Christ receiveth none of these, but that we come to him as he is panis vitae; when we come to Christ, as he offers himself in the Sacrament, to be the lively food of our souls; when we come to the same, and do it in the remembrance of his death. And there is reason why both we should come to Christ, and he should receive us coming. First, There is reason we should come to Christ, in regard of our sins already past: For we have need of a Sacrifice, both in respect of the grinding and upbraiding of our consciences for the sins we have committed and by reason of the punishment we have deserved by them. This sacrifice we are put in mind of in this Sacrament, That Christ hath offered himself to God an 〈◊〉 and sacrifice of a sweet smelling favour, wherein we have planted in our hearts the passive grace of God, for the 〈◊〉 of our consciences against sin past, by the taking of the cup of Salvation, which makes us say, 〈◊〉 into thy rest O my soul, Psalm the hundred and sixteenth, and for the turning away of deserved punishment, as the blood of the Paschal Lamb, sprinkled upon the doors, saved the 〈◊〉 from destroying, Exodus the the twelfth chapter. So in this true passover we receive the blood of the immaculate Lamb Christ, to assure us of peace with God, and to deliver us from the destroying Angel. As the Heathen had their Altar, whereon they offered to their gods; so we have an Altar, that is, the Lords Table, where we celebiate the remembrance of that obiation once made by Christ, Hebrews the thirteenth chapter and the twelfth verse. In respect of sin to come likewise, we have need to come to Christ; for thereby there is wrought in us active grace, whereby we are enabled to resist sin: For the endowing of our 〈◊〉 with much strength, Psalm the hundred thirty eighth, and with much power from above, is here performed unto us that come aright, Luke the twenty fourth chapter: And therefore the 〈◊〉 would have us to 〈◊〉 our hearts with grace, the spiritual food, and not with meat, 〈◊〉 the thirteenth chapter: For by this means we shall be made 〈◊〉 both to endure the 〈◊〉 of sin, and to be 〈◊〉 over 〈◊〉 and our own corruptions. Thirdly, For that the eating of the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and the drinking of the blood, is a pledge of our 〈◊〉 up at the 〈◊〉 day, verse the fifty fourth; and that after this 〈◊〉 we which come to the Lords Supper shall be invited to the supper of the Lamb, of which it is said, Apocalypse the nineteenth chapter and the ninth verse, blessed are they which are called to the Lamb's supper. Again, it is reason Christ should receive us in two sorts. First, In respect of the communicants or comers; for there is no man ever in better state and more disposed to be received than at the celebration of this Sacrament. If a contrite spirit for sin can set a man in state to be received of Christ, man is most contrite and broken in heart at this time: If Christ will then receive us, when he may dwell in our hearts by faith, Ephesians the third chapter, at this time is our faith at the highest; for when we have the body and blood of Christ in our hands, than it makes us say with Thomas, John the twentieth chapter, Domine mi, & Deus mi: If prayer, made with 〈◊〉 and confidence, may move Christ at any time to receive, we never have more confidence in prayer than at that time; then is the love of God most of all shed in our hearts, by the holy Ghost, Romans the fift chapter and the fift verse, by which we are received not only to give, for no man is to appear empty, but also to forgive, as Christ willeth, That remembering our brethren hath aught against us, we leave our gift and be reconciled, Matthew the fift chapter: If at any one time more than other Christ be more ready to receive, then is he maximè receptivus. Secondly, In respect of the action itself, which is a memorial of that sacrifice, which he offered at his death to God for sins: Then he received the thief that said, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom, Luke the twenty third chapter: Then he prayed for his 〈◊〉, Father forgive them. Therefore there is a great congruity, that now much more he must be careful to us and receive us, when we celebrate the remembrance of his goodness and mercy. But the chief point is, that in the Sacrament Christ himself is received; and therefore it is very fit, that he which is to be received, be ready to receive them that come to him. The second Condition is touching the Father's gift, All that my Father giveth. Which is a limitation: For, as many pressed upon Christ, but there was but one that tou head, that was the woman healed of her issue of blood, Luke the eight chapter and the forty fift verse; so many come to the Lords Table, but to the end they may be received they must be known by this mark, he must be datus à Patre, tractus, & doctus, John the sixth chapter, the forty fourth and forty fift verses. There are that are dati ab hominibus, or, as the Apostle speaks, the first epistle of Peter the second chapter and the thirteenth verse, ab human â ordinatione, that is, the most part come not, being given or drawn of the Father, but compelled by man: Their fear is taught by men's precepts, Matthew the fifteenth chapter, and Isaiah the twenty ninth chapter. Again, there are that have a show of Godliness, the first epistle to Timothy the third chapter: Such come not upon any motion of God's spirit, that they feel in themselves, but for fashion's sake: They will not be seen to refuse the order of the Church, but do as others do; but they that are given to Christ of God, are such as come of conscience, knowing they ought to perform this duty of thankfulness to God; such as hunger and thirst after the right cousnesse of Christ, the spiritual food of their souls, in conscience of their own unworthiness and ill deservings; and therefore seek for righteousness in him, with as great desire as for bodily food; they that come with such an earnest inclination, as given and drawn of the Father. This doth distinguish true Christians from Counterfeits, which say I know not whether the Father do give me to Christ, and therefore I will not come: but to such Christ answers, Matthew the eighteenth chapter and the fourteenth verse, Non est volunt as patris, 〈…〉 de pusillis illis pereat; De pusillis, dixit, saith Augustine, non de 〈◊〉. Christ meaneth not such as are little in respect of the world, but but little in their own eyes, that are not possessed with a spiritual pride of their own righteousness, as though they need not now to come, another time will serve. It was the opinion of 〈◊〉, Acts the twenty fourth chapter, When I have convenient leisure, I will 〈◊〉 for thee; So they think another time will be more fit than the 〈◊〉 oceasion; and so Christ must wait upon them, they may not wait upon Christ. But as the Pharisees despised the counsel of God and would not be baptised by John, Luke the seventh chapter and the thirtieth verse; so do these despise the counsel of Christ against themselves, whose purpose happily was even at this time to have received them: But because they despised his counsel, that happeneth to them which befell Saul, whom Samuel tells, That if he had kept the Lords commandment, he had now established his kingdom for ever upon Israel, the first book of Samuel the thirteenth chapter and the thirteenth verse: but for that he despised the opportunity now, it is removed to another. And of them that come, it may be they will come, but with cain's spirit, not caring how or what 〈◊〉 they give to God: But they must come as given of the Father, and not tanquam ab hominibus 〈◊〉; they may not come like him that sat down at the Marriage, without awedding 〈…〉 the twenty second chapter. Who so cometh in that 〈◊〉, as he, shall not be received, for that he is not given of the Father; so he shall be 〈◊〉 out into utter darkness. Thirdly, The promise is, They that come after this manner, shall not be cast out; Which is set out earnestly by Christ with a 〈◊〉 negation, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; that is, never, at no hand. This 〈…〉; for Christ doth perform it and 〈…〉 when the 〈◊〉 saith, 〈◊〉 for sakest not them that seek 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉; the meaning is, they not only 〈◊〉 God; but with him 〈◊〉 joys and glory 〈◊〉: So he that comes to Christ is 〈…〉, 〈…〉 out, but received to be a member of 〈◊〉 my 〈◊〉 body, 〈◊〉 partaker of the divine nature, the second 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chapter and the fourth verse. What is meant by being 〈…〉, appears by the 〈◊〉 out of the dry branch, that bringeth forth no 〈◊〉, John the 〈◊〉 chapter, which is to be cast 〈◊〉 the fire; by the 〈◊〉 that 〈…〉 and is cast out, Matthew the fift chapter; by the bad fish caught in the net, which is cast away, Matthew the thirteenth chapter and the forty eight verse. This casting out, is a degree to that casting into utter darkness, which Christ speaketh of. There is a second for as, that is, out of the Church, as John the ninth chapter and the thirty fourth verse, of whom Christ saith, Mark the fourth chapter and the eleventh verse, but to them which are without, the first epistle to the Corinthians the fift chapter and the twelfth verse, What have ye to do with them that are without? that is, the Heathen: And this is nothing but a disposition to the second for as, that is, to be cast out of the Kingdom of Heaven; of which, Apocalypse the twenty second chapter and the fifteenth verse, for as autem er ant canes, and to be cast into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, where their smoke shall ascend for ever, where the worm never dyeth, and the fire is never quenched, where they shall wish for death, and death shall fly from them. This is the state of them that are cast out. But Christ promiseth, That who so cometh to him, being given, shall not be cast out, but shall be quit from death and damnation: He doth not only receive them, and eat with them; but receives them into that union that is inter alitum & alimentum, that is, to be one with him; which is a greater union than is either between brother and brother, or between man and wife; for herein is that verified, That we are received to be partakers of the Divine nature, by partaking whereof, he is in us and we in him; we and Christ are made one; we receive him, and he receives us: So that as God cannot hate Christ, so he cannot but love us, being ingraffed into him. Thus it comes to pass that we are not cast out, but are made partakers of all the good things of Christ, who saith to him that comes to him, Luke the fifteenth chapter, Omnia nostra tua sunt, and Matthew the fifteenth chapter, Intra in gaudium Domini, that is the chief point in this promise. As for them that come not to Christ, howsoever they deserve to be cast out, yet Christ doth not cast them out, but they cast out themselves, in as much as they sever themselves from this Sacrament, which is the holy of holiest; and from the memorial of his loving kindness: He that cometh not to the Lords Supper, sets himself in the state of the Heathen; which albeit they have a kind of prayer, and a knowledge, no less than we, yet come not so fare as to celebrate this Sacrament: He is in no better state than the Jews and Turks, which albeit they believe the creation of the world, and the last Judgement, yet acknowledge not Christ, nor come to him tanquam panis vitae. But they must come to the Lords Supper, if they will be bidden to the Lamb's Supper: Neither may they defer to come at their own pleasure; for it may be now is the time that Christ will receive them, and if they neglect the opportunity, they shall be cast out, as Saul was, in the first book of Samuel the thirteenth chapter. It remains that we stir up in ourselves a willingness to come: For to come is a voluntary action, as Christ tells us, John the fift chapter, Vos non vultis venire adme, nam qui venit, ideò venit, quia voluit venire, unless we be as willing to come, as Christ is to receive, all is nothing, Matthew the twenty third chapter and thirty seventh verse, Quoties volui, & noluistis? How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a Hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not? Therefore we must beware of removing this willingness from ourselves. To this end we must continually pray that Christ will work in us this willingness; that the Father will draw us by his spirit; and say with Peter, Matthew the fourteenth chapter and the twenty eight verse, Domine, mitte me ad te venire; let me be in numero pusillorum, non timentium; one of those little ones that willingly will come as often as they may, and not like those that swell with pride, and say another time will serve as well as now, as David's servants said to Naball, in the first book of Samuel the twenty fift chapter, We come now in a good time, for thou makest a feast, and art in case to relieve us, another time peradventure thou wilt not be so prepared: So men ought to take the opportunity, and to say in their selves, Now is the time of the celebration of God's mercy and loving kindness: Now we receive Christ; and therefore there is great hope, that if we come, he will receive us: Now we celebrate the memory of his death, when he was content to receive the thief that came unto him; and therefore it is most likely that he will receive us, if we come to him. But if we come not now, happily we shall not be received when we would. It is Christ's will, That they which are given him of the Father, be with him where he is, and may behold his glory, John the seventeenth chapter and the twenty fourth verse. Therefore it stands us upon to come to Christ, that he may receive us to be one with him in the life of grace, and partakers with him in his Kingdom of glory. Qui verò haec audierunt compuncti sunt cord, & dixerunt ad Petrum ac reliquos Apostolos, Quid faciemus viri fratres? Petrus autem ait ad eos, Resipiscite, etc. Act. 2. 37. April. 12. 1600. OUR Saviour Christ promised Peter Acts the fift chapter, to make him a fisher of men; and 〈◊〉 the thirteenth chapter, That the 〈…〉 of Heaven is like a 〈…〉, which catcheth fish of all 〈…〉 The first casting forth of this act, and 〈…〉 draught that Peter had, is by 〈…〉 these verses, And the draught which he made was 〈…〉 souls, verse the forty first. If we 〈◊〉, of what 〈◊〉. They were 〈◊〉 souls of them that killed the Son of God, and 〈…〉 the spirit of God, whom they 〈◊〉; 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 holy Ghost to 〈◊〉, verse the 〈…〉 These men are full of new 〈◊〉. Which when we advisedly consider, it cannot but be matter, First, Of great comfort, Teaching us, that albeit we be great sinners as the Jews that put the son of God to death, yet there is a quid faciemus? what to do, that is, a hope of remission of sins. Secondly, Of instruction touching the means, That if we repent and be pricked in heart with the consideration of our sins as they were, we shall attain this mercy which they received. First, St. Luke sets down the Sermon of Peter. Secondly, The sruit and effect of it. As the Sermon itself propounds the death and Resurrection of Christ; so in the effect that followed of it, we see the means how we are made partakers of his death and Resurrection; and that is set down in these two verses; which contain a question and an answer. In the question is to be observed, First, the cause of it, that is, the compunction of their hearts: Secondly, the cause of that compunction, and that was the hearing of Peter's Sermon. Touching this effect, which Peter's Sermon wrought in the hearts of his hearers, it is compuncti sunt cord. Wherein note two things, First, the work itself. Secondly, the part wherein (of the work itself) it is said, they were pricked. Wherein first we are to observe, That the first work of the spirit and operation of the word, is compunction of heart; howbeit the word being the word of glad tidings and comfort, it is strange it should have any such operation, but that Christ hath foretold the same, John the sixteenth chapter, When the comforter comes, he shall reprove the world of sin. Now reproof is a thing that enters into the heart; as Proverbs the twelfth chapter and the eighteenth verse, There is that speaketh words like the prickings of a sword; and as Christ gave warning before hand; so now when the holy Ghost was given, we see that Peter's hearers are reproved and pricked in their consciences, that they dealt so cruelly with Christ. As this 〈◊〉 the Elect of God; so there is another spirit called by the same name of pricking, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Romans the eleventh chapter and the eighth verse, that is, the spirit of slumber, which shows itself upon those that shall not be saved. Touching the manner of this operation, we see it is not a tickling or itching, but a pricking, and that no light one, but such as pierced deeply into their hearts, and caused them to cry: Whereby we see it is not the speaking of fair words, saying with the false Prophets, Jeremiah the twenty third chapter, The Lord hath said ye shall have peace; it is not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Romans the sixteenth chapter and the eighteenth verse, that makes this effect, but this speaking. The part wherein this work was wrought, was the heart, as Luke the twenty fourth chapter, they burned in their hearts; and 〈◊〉 the second chapter and the fourteenth verse, I will speak to their hearts. So it was 〈◊〉 of the ears, in the second 〈◊〉 to Timot high the 〈◊〉 chapter or of the brain that they felt, but a 〈◊〉 of the very 〈◊〉 and so should we be affected at the hearing of the word. As 〈…〉 is pricked in the flesh, is disquieted, till he have remedy; so should the consideration of our sins disquiet us, and make us seek for cure. This is our duty from their example, and it is a good sign of distinction, to show us whether we be of the number of those that shall be saved; whether of the good fish that shall be gathered together, or the bad fish that shall be cast out, Matthew the thirteenth chapter and the forty eighth verse: So if we pertain to God, we shall feel this pricking at our hearts, after we have heard the word. The cause of this compunction is his auditis, that is, they had heard a speech of St. Peter, which did disquiet them, till they asked counsel of Peter and the rest. The word of God of its own nature, hath no such operation, for the Patriarch Job saith, Job the twenty third chapter, It was agreeable to him as his appointedfood: And David, Psalm the nineteenth, saith, The Commanaements of the Lordrejoyceth the heart, and is sweeter than the honey and the honeycomb: But yet it hath this effect in regard that it meeteth with that which is an enemy to our Salvation, that is sin, the deputy of 〈◊〉, as the word is God's 〈◊〉. Without the Law sin is dead; but when the Commandment came sin revived, Romans the seventh chapter and the eighth verse; for sin is a sting, the first epistle to the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter, which lieth dead so long as it is not reproved: But when it is reproved by the commandment of God, than it reviveth and stings the heart; it makes men have a conscience of sin, Hebrews the tenth chapter, and when sin is disquieted, the heart also wherein it resteth is disquieted; For the words of the wise are as goads and pricks, Ecclesiastes the twelfth chapter; and Matthew the fift chapter, as salt and mustard seed; Matthew the thirteenth chapter, as wine; To a putrified sore, Luke the tenth chapter. So that whether we respect the old or new Testament, we see the words have this 〈◊〉 to disquiet sin, especially such words as Peter spoke to his Auditors out of the Prophet Joel; where he showeth, that as Christ hath a day of resurrection, which is past; whereby he gave his Apostles those gifts of the spirit; so he hath another day, which is the featfull and great day of Judgement; when the word of the Rulers shall not be enough, for them that have killed the Lord of life, (though they promised to serve them harmless, Matthew the twenty eighth chapter:) For here they shall give an account of their cruelty to Christ. And thirdly whereas he moveth them to repentance, First, In this consideration of the day of Judgement: Secondly, of the sin they committed, that they slew and crucified Christ: Thirdl, of the grievousness of their sin, that he was the son of God whom they dealt thus with; and every sin hath a sting, but especially 〈◊〉: For the remembrance of it stings the conscience so as it cannot be quiet. Now in that they not only committed murder but murdered such a one as was both a holy and just one, Acts the third 〈◊〉 and the blessed son of God, this could not but 〈◊〉 their hearts; as we see the remembrance of the day of Judgement is such a thing as made Felix tremble, Acts the twenty fourth chapter. And when we hear of the Judgement to come, it should bring out of us these questions Jeremiah the eighth chapter and the sixth verse, Quid feci? and Isaiah the fifty seventh chapter and the fourth verse, Cui 〈◊〉? upon whom have you gaped. To consider not only the sin we have committed, but the person against whom; that it is God of all 〈◊〉 sty and power: And Matthew the twenty first chapter, Quid faciam? that is, he considers of the Judgements of God which belong to us: For these so grievous sins, these are means to prick our hearts at the hearing of the word. But yet we say, though the word of God hath this nature, yet except the work of the spirit do concur with the word, the conscience is seared, the first epistle to Timothy and the fourth chapter, and cannot be touched with any thing: The soul is possessed with the gangrene, that is, without life and feeling, so that it hath no sense, be it pricked never so deeply, the second 〈◊〉 to Timothy the first chapter; but he that feels himself pricked in heart for his sins may assure himself his conscience is not feared, but both a heart of flesh easily to be touched with sorrow for sin; and that his soul is not dead in sin, but liveth spiritually. In the Question we have to observe, First, that this compunction made him speak; for, as the Wiseman saith, Qui pungit cor educit sermonem. So here when they were pricked, they said Men and Brethren; as if the holy 〈◊〉 should say, if a man say nothing after he is pricked, it is nature compunction: For if when men are moved inwardly with a feeling of their sins, for all that, they say nothing, nor seek direction of them that are skilful, they do smother and detain the truth, Romans the first chapter. Secondly, We must observe what they said, and that was Quid faciemus? what shall we do? A first the People, than the 〈◊〉, and after the Publicans, said to S John the 〈◊〉, Luke the third chapter; which is the second thing to be noted; that as true compunction is not dumb, so not 〈◊〉, but would be doing something: they say not What shall we say? but What shall we do? Quid faciemus? as if the same spirit which pricked their hearts had also taught them, that something must be done. The like question did St. Paul make, being pricked, Domine, quid vis me facere? Acts the ninth chapter and the sixth verse; So the Angel said to Cornelius, Go to Joppa, and Simon shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do, Acts the tenth chapter; So said the Jailer to the Apostles. Acts the sixteenth chapter, What shall I do that I may be saved, I and my household, and that I may be rid of the pricking of my conscience? For as compunction must not be silant; so neither must it be idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of the Lord, the second epistle of Peter the first chapter. Thirdly, Observe after what manner they said, What shall we do? and that was not as Cain and Judas said, Genesis the fourth chapter, and Matthew the twenty seventh chapter; Their what to do, Quid faciemus? was a note of desperation: Nor as the P arisees said desparately in their sury and rage, What shall we do? John the eleventh chapter. If such have their sins laid before them, their hearts will not be pricked, but cleave asunder, as they to whom St. Stephen 〈◊〉 Acts the eighth chapter. The heart may be cast down with too much grief, so as a man shall say with Cain, My sin is greater than can be forgiven; or else moved with malice and be pricked, so as they will prick again: as they that being pricked with the reproof of the Prophet, 〈◊〉, Let us sting him with our tongues, as he hath stung our hearts, Jeremiah the eighteenth chapter and the eighteenth verse; for this is the effect which the word of God hath in many that are wicked. But that which Peter's Auditors say, is spoken in heaviness, and a desire to have sin that doth disquiet them (that which the Apostle calleth the sin that doth so easily beset us, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Hebrews the twelfth and the first verse) taken from them: This their heaviness makes them conformable to Christ, and therefore is commendable in them: For it is Gods will, that such as shall be saved, be made 〈◊〉 to the Image of his son, Romans the eighth chapter and the twenty ninth verse; for Christ was pierced not only with a bodily spear in his side, but with grief of soul; And as he suffered of compassion over us; so we must suffer in compassion with him. Out of that which the ancient Fathers observe in Sorrow, we have five things to note: First, That something may be done as a remedy against sin. For albeit we have sinned never 〈…〉, yet there is hope, tamen adhuc spes est, Esdras the tenth chapter and the second verse; there is hope of some means to be used; which if it be done, as Ezechiel the eighteenth chapter, privata vestra non 〈…〉 Domine scandalum. Secondly, By that which they say is to be gathered, that as something may be done, so it ought to be done, that the terror of mind being removed, we may be assured of the favour and grace of God. Thirdly, They show they are ready to do it, not like those of whom the Prophet saith, I know when I have showed you what you should do, you will not do it, Jeremiah the forty third. But these are ready to do whatsoever shall be appointed as a remedy for them. Fourthly, As they are ready, 〈…〉 they confess their ignorance, that of themselves they know not how to rid themselves from sin: As the 〈◊〉 said, Acts the 〈◊〉 chapter, How can I understand without an Interpreter? Fiftly, They seek to Peter and the other 〈◊〉, because God had lately 〈◊〉 them with the grace of his spirit, and consequently were skilful, and could tell them what to do; and therefore they are bound 〈◊〉 commit themselves to them, as to their Physician, to do whatsoever they shall 〈◊〉 be for the cure of their souls. So that if there be any, that being in 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉, do for all that either think that nothing can, or that nothing ought to be done, but shall say desparately, Jeremiah the eighteenth chapter: or, as if it were not needful to be done, shall 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 if; or think they know well enough what to do without 〈◊〉, contrary to the Apostles opinion, in the first epistle to the 〈◊〉 the twelfth chapter, Are all Apostles? For though first we say 〈◊〉, We 〈◊〉 we all have knowledge, the first epistle to the 〈◊〉 the eighth chapter and the first verse; yet after he saith, every one hath not knowledge, and therefore must ask counsel of those that can give it; or else shall refuse to be directed by such as do know, therefore are not like to be eased of the sting of conscience, but shall for ever have the worm of conscience gnawing them, and ever be disquieted. The Apostles answer to this question is, in the fifty eighth verse, Resipiscite, etc. that is, there is something to be done, which is an argument of the great Mercy of God, and the virtue and power of the Sacrifice of Christ, notwithstanding the greatness of their sins. Here are two things set down, First, By way of precept, Repent and be baptised. Secondly, Things by Christ's promises, Ye shall have your sins forgiven, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. First, Peter prescribes them what to do, and so shows that their 〈◊〉 are remitted, which is a sign of God's great mercy, though their sins were grievous: For he that shall offend his better, a man of some credit, can hardly hope for pardon; much loss if he offend the Prince or some noble Person; But these offend the Majesty of God himself, which doth fare exceed the Majesty of earthly Princes: For of Christ the elect Son of God they said, in the twenty sixth chapter of Matthew, His blood be upon us; and they wrought despite to the Spirit of Grace, Hebrews the tenth chapter; when they blaspheme the Holy Ghost, accusing them of drunkenness, which were inspired with the Holy Spirit, Acts the second chapter and the thirteenth verse: Yet the Apostle telleth these grievous sinners, there is hope of forgiveness, that to them which are yet scarce cold from the slaughter of the Son of God, there is a remedy to help them. Wherein the Apostle followeth the rule which Christ had before given the Apostles, in the twenty fourth chapter of Luke, To preach repentance and remission of sins to mankind, beginning at Jerusalem: If the doctrine of remission of sins be first to be preached to them, among whom Christ was crucified, much more to the ends of the world: and that likes us well: But secondly, He tells us what we must do; he saith not, you shall live to do nothing, but repent and be baptised. It is not enough to be pricked in the heart for sin past, but we must do something. And he speaks first by way of precept, Repent, and that is, rest not in that passive part, but know that when you are pricked in your hearts, repentance must be showed in your life: Wherewithal he showeth, that compunction is not repentance; for here to these that were already pricked, he saith, Repent; and 〈◊〉 the thirty first chapter, After I converted, I repent; so in the third chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, Repent and turn, that your sins may be done away: so it was given in charge to St. Paul, Acts the twenty sixth chapter, Repent and turn, and do works worthy of eternal life: So these men shown forth these works; for, as followeth, they were devout and liberal, distributing to all as they had need; the principal actions, either removing of the ill, that is, sin, which did disquiet their consciences, or the positive benefit, that is, the gift of the Holy Ghost, which should work in them the fruits of the spirit, meekness, patience, Galatians 5. and be unto them an earnest and pledge of their Redemption and Salvation, in the second epistle to the Corinthians, the first chapter, and the fifth verse, Ephesians the first chapter and the thirteenth verse. Tum alter ad alterum dixerunt, Nun cor nostrum ardebat in nobis, dum loqueretur nobis in via, & dum adaperiret nobis Stripturas? Luke 24. 32. April. 20. 1600. WHICH is another, or second passion that cometh unto men at the preaching of the word; for as Acts the second chapter and the thirty seventh verse, there were some that suffered a pricking at the heart upon the hearing of the word; so here are others that suffer an inflaming or birding in the heart: For if we look in verse the twenty first, these two disciples with whom Christ traveled were dead in spirit and cold in faith before the word was spoken, for they confessed nos autem 〈◊〉; But after our Saviour Christ had spoken with them and opened the Scriptures, their hope revived, and their hearts waxed warm: Which, as it is a fruit and effect of the word in the hearts of the hearers; so is it a 〈◊〉 sign and argument of the efficacy and operation of Christ, which he 〈◊〉 in the ministry of the word, as the 〈◊〉 speaks, in the second 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉, and the thirteenth chapter, 〈…〉 in me 〈…〉; so when we feel this burning in our hearts, it is a great comfort to us, and a sign that Christ speaks in 〈◊〉; and we must in such a case pray to God, that he will establish in 〈…〉 things 〈◊〉 he bathe begun, Psalm the sixty eighth; if it work 〈…〉 effect in us, we must suspect ourselves, and pray that we may have a 〈…〉 of the word when we hear 〈◊〉; that whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 the second chapter of the Acts of the 〈◊〉, had a pricking at 〈◊〉 hearts, and those of Christ fells a 〈◊〉; we may be in the number of those hearers; and not of those, of whom the 〈…〉, in the sixth chapter of 〈◊〉, and the 〈◊〉 verse, 〈…〉 eyes, but see not, ears, but such as are heavy and 〈…〉 heart, so as though they 〈◊〉, yet they 〈…〉, 〈◊〉 〈…〉 not converis and be 〈◊〉 Which is a 〈…〉 pronounced and executed upon the 〈…〉 as Christ showeth, in the thirteenth chapter of 〈◊〉, 〈…〉 eighth chapter of Lake: And the 〈◊〉 both 〈…〉 the twelfth chapter of John, and 〈…〉, in 〈…〉 of the Acts of the 〈◊〉, to conclude 〈…〉 this as a reason whither 〈…〉 not 〈…〉 had blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they should see 〈◊〉 their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and convert and be healed. The other effect of the word was said to be a pricking; this is a beginning: For as the Preacher ascribes a prick or point to the word when he saith, The words of the wise are tanquam acuta & stimuli, Ecclesiastes the twelfth chapter. So here we see there are certain sparks of fire in the word, which will soon kindle a fire in the hearts of the hearers. The pricking is referred to fear, as Psalm the hundred and nineteenth, Confringe cor 〈◊〉 timore tuo: the warming is an effect of hope and love, as Canticles the eighth chapter and the sixth verse, where love is compared to fire, that hath ardent coals, that burn so, as much water cannot quench them; that is, As there are some Scriptures that entreat of the wrath of God, that lay men's sins before their eyes, and tells them of the terrible and great day of the Lord, when they shall be rewarded all according to their works; and so breeds a fear in the hearts of the hearers, as Acts the fift chapter and the eleventh verse; and prick them, verse the thirty seventh, unless their hearts be stony and their flesh a dead flesh: So on the other side some Scriptures set forth the goodness of God and his gracious promises, as when Christ 〈◊〉 the two 〈◊〉, Ought not Christ to suffer these things, and to enter into glory? verse the twenty sixth; which shows the love of God the Father, in giving his son to suffer for us; and the love of the son, in being given for us; for no man hath greater love than this, to die for his friend, John the fifteenth chapter; and the great reward that God hath for his children, which is the hope of glory, assuring them that as Christ is entered into glory, so we shall be with him. And such Scripture will stir up in the 〈◊〉 both affection of love and hope; wherewith, as with coals or sparks of fire, their hearts are wounded. And those several parts of Scripture are tempered according to the nature of the hearers or auditors; for there are some that scoff and deride and blaspheme the holy spirit of God, Acts the second chapter and the thirteenth verse: And ro such the threaten and judgements of God must be laid before them, as Peter doth. But here we have Auditors of such nature, that 〈◊〉, such as did not mock and sit in the Chair of Scorners, but were 〈◊〉 in spirit and were of a faint heart; which confess, we were in hope that this was he that should have delivered Israel, but now our hope is faint and we quake; and to such the opening of God's love and of his great and 〈◊〉 promises, is expedient. In this verse we have to consider, First, The manner of uttering of these words; for they say not, Our heart's 〈◊〉, but ask the question, Did not our hearts? Secondly, The 〈◊〉 of the verse, which consists of three parts, First, the part wherein this effect was wrought, Cor nostrum. Secondly, A passion or work, a burning. Thirdly, The time, when he talked with us. First, For the manner, Did not our hearts burn? Of which kind of negative speaking, there are two examples in Scripture; First, it is a more vehement affirmation, than if a man should only affirm a truth; as where Christ saith before, Ought not Christ to suffer these things, and to enter into glory? as if he should say, he ought without doubt: for when the matter is questionable, we use to speak affirmatively; but in a plain case that is evident and out of doubt, than we ask a question negatively, as, Doth not the Sun shine? as if one should say, It is clear, We see it doth. So here they knew well before Christ spoke to them, their hearts were cold, and their hope was saint and dead; but now remembering that while Christ spoke to them, they felt their hearts warm within them; they ask, Did not our hearts burn? as if they should say, doubtless we felt a heat and burning within us. Another use of this negative question is asked out of Christ's deed, Luke the seventeenth chapter, Were there not ten cleansed? he marvelled what was become of the other nine. This admiration serves to tax and to reprehend the unthankfulness of those nine which returned not to praise God: And seeing the Disciples ask the Question, Did not our hearts burn? as if they should say, seeing we felt our hearts burn within us, why did we not know that it was Christ the Son of God, that spoke to us? Surely it is not the work of a man to touch the heart, but God only; and seeing our hearts were touched thus, doubtless it was Christ that spoke to us: Which shows that at the present time that Christ spoke to them, they felt him not; but when Christ was gone out of their sight, than they remembered that their hearts felt this heat within them; for by Jacob's experience we learn, that God may be in a place, and we not know of it; for so he confesseth, in the twenty eighth chapter of Genesis, and the sixth verse, God was here, and I was not ware; and in the ninth chapter of Job, and the eleventh verse, He will be by me, and I shall not see him; and in the thirteenth chapter of John, Quid ego faciam tu nescis nunc, scies autem posthac; that is, hereafter ye shall feel your hearts moved: So the attention of these two Disciples was so great, and they were in such an ecstasy, that they observed no such thing, for the present, while he spoke; they perceived it not till Christ had made an end, and was taken from them. For, as there are things that appear and are not, as visards and masks which make a show of that which is not; so there are things that appear not and yet are, as the spirits and souls of men, which are invisible. There was one that boasted of that he had not, that was the false Prophet that said to Michaiah, in the first book of Kings the twenty second chapter, It is impossible that the spirit of the Lord should go from me to thee: And in the first epistle to the Corinthians, the seventh chapter, there is one that with more modesty and coldness saith, I think I have the spirit of God, and he had it indeed: The wisest that ever was of men saith, There is not in me the understanding of a man, Proverbs the thirtieth chapter and the second verse: And Caiaphas that understood as little as any, as if he only understood all, said, Vos planè nihil intelligitis, John the eleventh chapter, and the forty ninth verse. Touching the substance of the question, and the first part: First, The part wherein that which Christ spoke did work, is the heart, which is the commander of man; for as the word comes our of the heart, bonus homo ex bono thesauro cordis sui, Luke the sixth chapter, so if it have its right course, it goeth to the heart; for there be three wards and locks to be opened, that the sound of God's word may enter; that is, the ear, Psalm the fourtieth, Mine ear hast thou opened, which is the gate of wisdom. Secondly, the understanding to conceive what is heard; of which it is said here, Their eyes were opened, Luke the twenty fourth chapter and the thirty first verse, that is, oculi mentis, Ephesians the first chapter and the eighteenth verse. Thirdly, the heart, as Lydia's heart was opened by the Lord, Acts the sixteenth chapter: Many are present, but hear not attentively what is said; others hear, but understand not; and some have both these degrees, and yet have not their hearts opened, and so it is to no purpose that is spoken: Though we hear and understand, yet if the heart be not touched with it, it is but verbum aerium, it is man's word, and not Gods; for the property of God's word is, to pierce to the heart and marrow, And to the dividing of the soul, Hebrews the fourth chapter and the twelfth verse: Therefore by the ear man may examine his own heart; for unless he feel himself touched inwardly with the word, his hearing is in vain: And this is the service which God rejects, Isaiah the twenty ninth chapter and the thirteenth verse, Matthew the fifteench chapter and the eighth verse, populus labiis me honerat; so if either we bring our ears alone, or both ears and eyes, both harken and conceive; yet so long as this is true of us, that our heart is departed from God: If the heart be not affected with the preaching of the word, it is in vain; For the profitable hearer is he that with an honest and good heart receiveth the word of God, Which is the immortal seed, that bringeth forth much fruit, Luke the eighth chapter. Secondly, the work wrought in the heart, is a burning or kindling, as we shown. There is a double compunction; First, when a man being pricked in heart, falls into a rage, as they that heard Stephen, Acts the seventh chapter: Secondly, when being pricked they seek for ease and comfort, as in the second chapter of the Acts, and the thirty seventh verse: So there is a double fire: For as there is a fire from the Altar which touched the prophet's mouth, Esay the sixth chapter, so fire from Topheth, Isaiah the thirtieth chapter, there are fiery tongues, that fell upon the Apostes; But they came from heaven, Acts the second chapter; but there are fiery tongues, that are set on fire of hell, James the third chapter; it is the fire from the Altar, and the fiery tongues from heaven, that causeth the burning in the heart of such as hear aright, and not the fire of Topheth. For as the Devil with his hot Iron doth cauterise and sear the consciences of some, so the fire of God's spirit doth warm the hearts of others, so as they hear the word of God with profit. As there are wicked, whose tongues and words are like pricks and swords, Proverbs the twelfth chapter; so there are others, whose tongues are like hot Juniper coals, Psalms the one hundred and twentieth, which slanders others: For the Devil, that 〈◊〉 of man, Matthew the thirteenth chapter, 〈◊〉 up this fire in the hearts of men; but this fire must be distinguished from that fire which Christ came to bring upon earth, 〈◊〉 the twelfth chapter. As this compunction was of saith, and the other of fear; so here the good fire proceeds from love, and hope, the effect of the other, is desperate raging and hatred. The true fire is from the spirit, as it is in the sixth chapter of John, Verba mea spiritus sunt & vita, for where there is spirit, there is a heat; and Christ's words being spiritual, do warm the hearts of the hearers, & the Scriptures being inspired by the spirit of God, cannot but work this heat in men's hearts, besides, God saith of his word, Jeremiah the twenty third chapter, and the twenty ninth verse, meum verbum ignis est, it is fire, no man can deny it, for whether we respect the Law, it is ignta lex, Deuteronomie the thirty third chapter and the second verse, the word of prophecy is fiery, for the Prophet could not prophesy till the coal taken from the Altar had touched his lips, Isaiah the sixth chapter, and of the Gospel which Christ preached, he saith, 〈◊〉 mittere in terram, & quod volo misi ut ardeat, Luke the twelfth chapter and the forty ninth verse, and after his ascension he gave order that the fiery tongues should come upon the Apostles, that their word might be a fiery word, that might kindle in the hearts of the hearers. Now the word of God is therefore called fire, because the quality of fire is most actual; for as some note, that albeit many things be hid from the Sun, Yet there is nothing hid from the heat thereof; for it pierceth into all parts of the world, Psalm the ninteenth; so the word of God is such, and mighty in operation, and sharper than any two edged sword, and entereth through, Hebrews the fourth chapter: For as the fire consumeth all things, and turneth it into fire; so doth the word of God turn the affections of man into word, and not the word into affection: As the word itself is fire, so the motions which it stirreth up in the heart are fiery and servant, as the Apostle showeth, in the twelfth chapter to the Romans, and the eleventh verse, Ferventes spiritu: Fervency proceeds of two affections: The one is hope, in the twelfth verse; that where before their hope was cold, now it rejoiceth and revives, verse the twenty first; the other is of love, which makes them compel him, Luke the twenty fourth chapter, to tarry with them, verse the twenty ninth; thus the word inflames their hearts with love, and revives their spirits, so as their hope is revived, and by working these two affections in them, he changeth them, that there is not only fire, but constancy in the word, verba ignea faciunt igneos characteres; so as where ink may be blotted out, the stamp of the fiery word of God continues for ever, and is durable. But the word hath a double operation against sin; First, like water, because with it the spot which comes from without is taken away. Secondly, as fire, because, 〈◊〉 rust must be burnt out, so the inward corruption of our nature must be eaten out, and consumed with the word; therefore the Prophet compares his preaching to melting and founding, Jeremiah the sixth chapter, where he complains, the bellows are burnt, the lead is consumed in the fire, the Founder melteth in vain, for the wicked are not taken away; as if he should say we have done all we can, and yet the rust of sin doth not departed from them, for we have the wicked heart of lust and concupiscence burning in us, and in that regard the word is as water to quench it: And again we are slow and cold in affliction, and have need to be quickened; in which regard the word is fire: So men are frozen in their dregs, Zephaniah the first chapter and the twelfth verse, that cold must be dissolved by the heat of God's word: Such a passion was in these, to whom Christ said, You slow of heart, Luke the twenty fourth chapter and the twenty fift verse. This coldness is driven away by the fire of God's word: But although the word be never so sharp, yet it pricks not, unless the heart be fleshy; so the fault may be in the word sometime if it be not fiery. The preaching of the word is like the striking of fire, for unless there be tinder to receive the sparks, it is to no purpose, how 〈◊〉 soever ye strike fire; so the preaching of the word worketh not except the heart be prepared: Oil is combustible, and we must pray that our hearts may be anointed with the oil of God's spirit, in the first epistle of St. John, the second chapter: When the word which is fire, and the grace of God's spirit, as tinder, do concur, than the heart is warmed: As there must be preparation before hand, to the end it may have this effect; so meditation after; My heart was hot within me, and while I thus mused, the fire kindled, Psalm the thirty ninth and the third verse: If there be devotion before, and meditation after, upon that which we have heard, than the fire is kindled: This heat, how small soever it be, though it be but as smoking flax, God will not quench it, Isaiah the forty second chapter; for it will serve to kindle a fire in the heart. Thirdly, The time, when this was wrought in their hearts was, cum loqueretur & aperuit ipsis Scriptur as. Whereby we see Christ had this power to touch the hearts of his hearers not only in the Synagogues, but now when they conferred privately together in the way. This was ordinary not only in Christ's preaching, but to his Apostles; for while Peter spoke unto them, the holy Ghost fell on them all, Acts the tenth chapter and the forty fourth verse: But we must practise private conference, and instruct one another by the way, as Christ did; for that was given by commandment Deuteronomie the sixth chapter: And a promise is made by God, I will instruct thee in the way, Psalms the thirty second: But Christ did not only speak, but also open the Scriptures, that is, the words which he spoke, were not vain words, or the words of the east wind, Job the fifteenth chapter. The Scriptures must be opened and the key to open them, is the key of knowledge, Luke the eleventh chapter; without which key they cannot be opened. There are unlearned and unskilful men that go about to open the Scriptures, but they do but pick the lock; they take not the right course; for it cannot be opened without the key of knowledge: He that will open the Scriptures must be like Apollo, who spoke fervently, and taught exactly, diligently, the things which pertained to the Lord, Acts the eighteenth chapter and the twenty fifth verse: The Prophet asketh not only whom he shall teach, but whom he shall teach to understand? not only quem 〈◊〉, but quem 〈◊〉 scientiam? Isaiah the twenty eighth chapter and the ninth verse: He must be a man of knowledge that must teach; he must not only be a Doctor, but a fit Teacher: Therefore Christ promiseth to his Apostles not only a mouth, but wisdom, Dabo vobis 〈◊〉 & saplentiam, Luke the twenty first chapter and the fifteenth verse; And therefore it is recorded of them, that when they had received the Holy Ghost, they did not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, speak great and weighty sentences, Acts the second chapter and the fourth verse. And again, unto these is committed the key of 〈◊〉, which 〈◊〉 and no man openeth, and openeth and no man 〈…〉 the third chapter and the seventh verse: Then the force of God's word must needs pierce very fare, when both the Preacher speaks, and openeth the Scriptures with the key of knowledge, and of David; and the hearer prepares himself, by receiving direction of God's Spirit, to enlighten his understanding, and open his heart, then doth the word show forth its efficacy. Therefore when we have heard the word, we must examine ourselves, and ask, Did not our hearts burn? There are three degrees of operation in God's word: Contrition, when the heart is broken, Psalm the fifty first. Comfort, when it is rend in two pieces, Joel the second chapter. Compunction, when it is pricked only, Acts the second chapter. The first is the perfection. The second is a degree under it. And the last and lowest degree is Compunction, which we see was not rejected in Peter; hearers: So for this second effect named in this text. That which is recorded of Josiah, at the hearing of the Law, in the second of Chronicles, the 34. chapter and the 27. verse, Liquefactum est cor Josia; this melting is the highest degree. The next to that, is that which is reported of these two Disciples, ardebat cor nostrum: But though it neither melt nor burn, yet if it smoke, the promise that we have from God, is, in the forty second chapter of Isaiah, and the third verse, and in the twelfth chapter of Matthew, and the twentieth verse, Linum 〈◊〉 non extinguet Deus, The smoking flax God will not quench; 〈…〉 igne salietur, Every man must be salted with fire, Mark the ninth chapter and the forty ninth verse: If we will have God to accept of us, we must be sacrifices, and sacrifices must be seasoned with fire: Therefore when we hear the word, we must endeavour to have a Censer of fire in us, so as we feel the word, if not to melt our hearts, neither to burn, yet to smoke. As without 〈◊〉 we shall all 〈◊〉, Luke the fifteenth chapter; so this burning of heart is so necessary; as except we suffer the fire from Heaven to work in our hearts, we shall suffer the fire of Hell, that is, of 〈◊〉, which 〈◊〉 for ever. Etenim per unum Spiritum nos omnes in unum corpus baptizati sumus, & Judaei, & Graeci, & servi, & liberi: & omnes potati sumus in unum Spiritum. 1 Cor. 12. 13. Novemb. 2. 1600. WHICH words (And have all been made to drink of one spirit) cannot have any other reference but to the Sacrament of the Body & Blood of Christ, which he calls the Cup of blessing, the 1. to the Corinthians the 10. chapter. The end of the Apostle in taking arguments from the Sacrament, is double; First to persuade Christians to cleanness of life, which he doth, in the first to the Corinthians the tenth chapter, Ye cannot be partakers of the Lords table, and the table of Devils. Secondly, bending himself here against Schisms and contentions that were amongst the Corinthians, he takes another argument from the nature of this Sacrament, to exhort them to the unity of the spirit; that for as much as they all are partakers of one Sacrament, and drank all of one spirit, therefore they should seek to be at unity and concord with themselves: The Apostle showeth this to be a good consequence from the beginning of the chapter; and we see an example of this kind of argument, in the ninth chapter of Luke, where the Disciples say, Master, we saw one cast out Devils in thy name, and we forbade him, because he followeth not us: And this Apostle saith, in the first epistle to the Corinthians, the first chapter, that because they were divided, so that some were Paul's, some of Apollo, therefore they were no true Christians: Thus we see, that as from the Sacrament of cleanness, he exhorts them to cleanness of life; so from the Sacrament of unity, he moves them to love and concord, and tells them they ought to avoid dissension. To persuade unto unity and love, nothing is more effectual than the consideration of the natural body, which although it have many members, divers in quality, situation, and use; so as the one is more noble than the other, yet they grudge not one at another, For the foot doth not say, because I am not the hand, I am not of the body, nor the ear, because I am not the eye, I am not of the body, in the first to the Corinthians, the twelfth chapter and the fifteenth verse, neither do they contemn one another, For the eye which is the most excellent member, doth not say to the hand, I have no need of thee; nor the head to the foot, I have no need of you, in the first to the Corinthians, the twelfth chapter, and the twenty first verse; but contrariwise there is a sympathy and fellow feeling; So as if one member be grieved, all the rest are grieved; and if one be honoured, all the rest rejoice with it, verse the twenty sixth; so if men could be persuaded that they are one body, there would not be such divisions and dissensions in the World as there are; for howsoever they be divers in respect of nature; Some Jews, some Grecians, as also in respect of estate, some bond, some free, as the Apostle here speaks, yet their diversities are not greater than those which we see between the members of the body natural: And now the Apostle goes about to persuade them they are one body, and therefore aught to be at unity, which he doth thus: That body which hath one beginning, and one nourishment, is one body; But all the faithful have one beginning in the fountain of regeneration, that is, in baptism, and are all nourished with one nourishment; for they are all baptised into one body by one spirit, and all made to drink of one spirit; therefore they are all one body, and consequently should live in unity one with another. In regard of which unity, which the body hath not only with Christ her head, but with the members among themselves, the Apostle calleth the body Christ, in the first to the Corinthians, the twelfth chapter and the twelfth verse. Now to come to the consideration of these things, our way is, First, to set down the necessity of being of this body: Secondly, the means how we come to be of this body; that is, by the spirit: Thirdly, that the spirit is the means; so as withal baptism and drinking is required, that is, our incorporation into the body of Christ, which is his Church, is both by the spirit and by baptism. For the obtaining of the spirit two things are to be practised, First, that we have a thirsting desire after the spirit; Secondly, that we ask it of God by prayer. First, For the necessity of our incorporation, whereas the Psalmist saith, Psalm the eighty ninth, God hath not made all men for nought, we must first set down this, that there is a necessity that some should be saved; for it falls not into a man that is wise to do any thing in vain, much less may we think that God, the fountain of wisdom, will suffer all men to perish; and therefore that there are some elected and chosen out to be saved. Secondly, and therefore our special aim should be to be of that number, but scattering, renting, and dividing, is an enemy to safety, and they that will be safe, must be recollected and gathered together under some head: It that which made Moses pray to God to set a rule over his people, and that the congregation of the Lord should not be as sheep which have no Shepherd, Numbers the twenty seventh chapter and the sixteenth verse: When Christ saw the multitude, he had compassion on them, because they were dispersed & scattered abroad as sheep having no Shepherd, Matthew the ninth chapter and the thirty sixth verse; and not only so, but Christ did that, that he might gather together in one, the Children of God which were scattered, John the eleventh chapter and the fifty second verse. Thirdly, before Christ had a body and before he was manifested in the flesh, the Congregation was called a Synagogue, because it was then sufficient for them to be gathered together sub uno pastore, though they were not ruled by one spirit: But now they must be not only under one Shepherd, but must all be one body, and that not a dead Carcase, but a living body, such a body that liveth not by a soul, but by a spirit; for that is the difference that the Apostle makes between Adam and Christ, in the first to the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter, The first man, Adam, was made a living soul, but the second Adam was made a quickening spirit. This quickening spirit is it, by which the mystical body of Christ liveth, which goeth through the body, and giveth life to every member. This is a mystical incorporation, and is spiritually to be conceived, and the union between Christ and his mystically body is so strait, that speaking of it, he saith, Acts the ninth chapter, Why persecutest thou me? and the Apostle understanding the Church, calleth it Christ, in the first to the Corinthians, the twelfth chapter and the twelfth verse; then he that will be saved, must not be a part, but be gathered, and that into the body of Christ, because Christ is only the Saviour of his body, Salvator corporis, Ephesians the fift chapter and the twenty third verse. So that if a man be out of the body, and be not a member of Christ's body, he cannot be saved; and so Christ himself tells us, John the fifteenth chapter, If the branch abide not in the vine, it cannot bear fruit; so unless a man abide in me, he cannot bear fruit, but he is sarmentum, a dry branch, and is cast forth into the fire: Whereby we see that all shall not be saved, but only they that are gathered into the mystical body of Christ, and as members of his body, do live by his spirit working in them. Secondly, This incorporation standeth of two points, First, of generation: Secondly, of nourishment. For there can be no body except it be begotten; and the body being begotten, dissolves again, and turns to nothing, unless it be nourished. Such a thing we are to conceive of our incorporation, both parts whereof are expressed by engraffing and watering: For in all things he that will be preserved in any estate, must first enter into it, and then he must remain in it. The Analogy of these two we shall find to be in the mystical body of Christ. First, he that will be of the body, must come in by regeneration, Titus the third chapter and the fift verse; He must be ingraffed into Christ's body, Romans the sixth chapter and the fift verse; He must put on Christ, as the Apostle saith, Galatians the third chapter, as all they do that are baptised into Christ Jesus: Then being, as it were, begotten and ingraffed into the body, he must be nourished and fed, that so he may continue in that estate, he must as a new borne babe, desire the sincere milk of the word, whereby he may grow up, the first epistle of Peter the second chapter and the second verse; He must be watered, the first epistle to the Corinthians the third chapter; He must eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood, that so he may abide in Christ, and Christ in him, John the sixth chapter and the fifty sixth verse. By these a man is made partaker of the body of Christ, by the other of the spirit: By baptism we have our incorporation, by drinking the blood of Christ we receive the spirit. Thirdly, Why doth not the blood of Christ immediately incorporate us into the Church, without the mediation of water in baptism, and drinking of Christ's blood in the Lord's Supper? The ancient Fathers hold two reasons hereof. First, Taken from the love of Christ, that ever since Corpus assumit sibi, Hebrews the tenth chapter and the fift verse; since he took part with the Children of flesh and blood, Hebrews the second chapter and the fourteenth verse, as he consists of a spirit and a body; so he delighteth to work, not only by a spirit, but by a body also: and this is an honour that he imparteth to bodily things. Secondly, He useth this course to show his power; which appears hereby to be great, in that albeit these elements of water, and bread and wine be weak and beggarly elements, Galatians the fourth chapter and the ninth verse; yet by his power he 〈◊〉 them and makes them effectual means, to incorporate us into his body, and to set us in that estate wherein we may be saved. So the one reason is a testimony of Christ's humane love; the other a token of his divine power. Secondly, If we demand, Why he makes choice of water, bread and wine, rather than of any other elements. It is in regard of the proportion and analogy that they have with the things signified. The seed Where with we are begotten, is a waterish substance, and as the Scripture showeth, water is the seed of the world, for the spirit of God moved upon the waters, Genesis the first chapter. Therefore is water used in the Sacrament of our regeneration; and because it is 〈◊〉, it doth nutrire. The juice and nourishment that we suck out of the 〈◊〉 digested, is that which nourisheth our life; and therefore the element of wine is used in the Sacrament of our nutrition, that is after we are born a new and washed with water in baptism, to signify our new birth: then we must receive bread and wine in the Lord's Supper, to confirm our saith in the body and blood of Christ, whereby we are sealed unto eternal life. There is another reason why God worketh our incorporation by the means of these elements, and that is, that as out of darkness he commanded light to shine, the second epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter, so he might work our salvation by that which was our destruction. Therefore because the destruction of the world was by water, wherein, as Peter saith, All the world perished, except a few even eight persons: So it is his pleasure, by the water of baptism as an outward means to save us, the first epistle of Peter the 3. chapter: That as by water was the deluge of the world; so by it might be the deluge of sin. It was the eating of the forbidden meat that destroyed the world; therefore he hath thought it good, by eating to save men: that as then it was said, If ye eat, ye die, Genesis the second chapter; so now it is said, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, ye have no life in you, John the sixth chapter and the fifty third verse. Now the mediation of these elements are no less necessary to preserve and keep us as lively members of the mystical body of Christ, than bread and wine are to maintain natural life. The People whom Saul commanded to 〈◊〉 no bread, were so 〈◊〉 with fasting, that their soul was ready to go out of them, the first book of Samuel the nineteenth chapter: Therefore when David and his men were hungry and 〈◊〉 and thirsty in the wilderness, Barzillai and others came and borough provision, the second book of Samuel the seventeenth chapter, and the twenty ninth verse: When Abraham returned from the 〈◊〉 of five kings, Melchisedeck met him with bread and wine, Genesis the fourteenth chapter. So it is with the faithful, unless this spiritual life be sustained with these outward helps: Therefore the Apostle faith, We are all made to drink of the same spirit. Our of which words for matter of Doctrine, where Christ saith, Drink ye all of it, the Adversary saith, that it was spoken to the 〈◊〉; and therefore it is lawful for none but Priests to receive the Cup in the Supper. But Paul speaketh more generally, Nos omnes potati sumus, not only the Clergy but Lay men: And that both parts of the Sacrament was administered to all sorts, appears by D. Aropagita, and as the Apostle faith, We are all partakers of one bread, the first epistle to the Corinthians the tenth chapter and the seventeenth verse, he doth not excluse the other part: So here by drinking he understands both parts of the Sacrament. Secondly, We see there is a necessity of eating, in as much as God appoints that the means where by he will communicate his spirit, Acts the fift chapter. He gives the spirit to none but such as obey him; Therefore we must obey him when he commands us to use this means, especially seeing he commands them with a nisi, John the third chapter, Except a man be born again of water; 〈◊〉 John the sixth chapter, unless ye eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ, ye have no life in you: 〈◊〉 these conditions and for these uses are we commanded to drink of the same spirit. If we drink the blood of Christ, we shall drink the spirit of life, which it gives, and so shall we live by him, John the sixth chapter and the fifty seventh verse; Christ shall live in us, 〈◊〉 the second chapter. There are that do not potare in eundem spiritum. Water of itself is not able to purge from original corruption without the spirit; and Potus vappa sine spiritu, The flesh 〈◊〉 nothing, it is the spirit that gives life, John the sixth chapter; The word itself preached 〈◊〉 not, unless God giveth increase, the first epistle to the 〈◊〉 the third chapter: nay, this spiritual food kills some; for they eat and drink their own damnation, the first epistle to the Corinthians the eleventh chapter. Therefore, if we will drink the spirit, it is required First, That he thirst after spiritual things no less than after worldly things; John the seventh chapter, Si quis sitit ad me veniat & bibat, verse the thirty seventh. Secondly, He must pray for the spirit; 〈◊〉 God giveth his spirit to them that ask it, Lake the eleventh chapter: So while Jesus was baptised and prayed, the Heavens opened and the holy Ghost came down upon him, Luke the third chapter and the 〈◊〉 verse. We must both 〈◊〉 after the spirit, and pray for it, else we cannot have it. But if we come non sitientes omnino without any sense of our own want, or come only with a form of Godliness, the second epistle to Timothy the third chapter and the fift verse; we may drink the outward object, but not the spirit; for they that come thus pray not to God to be made partakers of the spirit, as of the object. And to this we may add, as a reason of our unprofitable drinking, how can we 〈◊〉 the spirit, seeing we sow only to the flesh, Galatians the 〈◊〉 chapter. In as much as we sow no spiritual works, we cannot be partakers of the spirit. These are the means to obtain the spirit. Then when we have drunk, we must examine ourselves, whether we have drunk the spirit; which we shall know thus: A drink and potion is either for recovery of health, or for comfort or refreshing. If we find that the blood of Christ hath purged our consciences from dead works, Hebrews the ninth chapter; and that we mortify the deeds of the flesh by the spirit, Romans the eighth chapter, then have we drunk of the same spirit. If we 〈◊〉 the power of sin abated in 〈◊〉, and the will of sin by this Sacrament, then have we drunk the spirit. Secondly, For refreshing, which is the other use of drinking, as Psalm the seventy eighth and the sixty fift verse, The Lord arose out of sleep, as a 〈◊〉 refreshed with wine: there comes courage to a man by drinking of the spirit; so as he hath a desire to spiritual drink: Ephesians the fift chapter, Be not drunk with wine, but be filled with the spirit. Now they call the holy Ghost new wine, Acts the second chapter, these men are filled with new wine: For indeed as the one, so the other gives greater alacrity and cheerfulness. In respect of these two effects, it is termed the holy spirit of God and therefore, First, He that having drunk finds in his soul a comfortable anointment, the first epistle of John the second chapter, the seal of the spirit, Ephesians the first chapter and the thirteenth verse, and the earnest, the second epistle to the Corinthians the first chapter and the twentieth verse, he hath a sign that he hath drunk the spirit. But these sensualiter, are not enough; they may deceive us; there were that eat and drank in Christ's presence, but he told them, I know you not, Luke the thirteenth chapter. Therefore to the comfort of the spirit we must add the holy spirit, and see what operation he hath; we must see if we can find sanctificationis spiritum, the second epistle to the Thessalonians the second chapter and the fruits of the spirit wrought in us after we have drunk, Galatians the fift chapter and the twenty second verse, whether we be transformed by the same spirit, the second to the Corinthians the third chapter. Thus we see the Apostle in this place, against the spirit that lusteth after envy and contention, James the fourth chapter, useth the Sacrament of unity, to persuade men to unity and love; and against the unclean spirit, he useth the Sacrament of cleanness, as, in the first epistle to the Corinthians the sixth chapter, Shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an Harlot? By the effects that the spirit worketh in us, we may know whether we have the spirit; for we are not only made partakers of Christ's body in Baptism, but of the spirit in the Lord's Supper; If we cleave to the Lord Christ, we are made one spirit, the first epistle to the 〈◊〉 the sixth chapter: Whereupon this ensueth, That as he and his Father are one, so are we one with Christ; and consequently, being one with him, we can want no happiness; for his will is, That we should be with him where he is, and behold his glory, John the seventeenth chapter and the twenty fourth verse. Ex eo quòd maxima illa nobis ac pretiosa promissa donavit, etc. 2 Pet. 1. 4. A Scripture applied to this time wherein we solemnize the memory of his taking of our nature, as we have here a promise of being partakers of his; and it contains as all other Scriptures of comfort, a Covenant between God and us. That which is performed on God's part is, That he hath made us most great and precious promises: The condition on our party is, That we eschew the corruption that is in the world through lust. In the former part there is a thing freely bestowed on us. Secondly, That is a promise. Thirdly, The promise is, That we shall be partakers of the divine nature. Concerning which, A promise being once past, is no more a free thing, but becomes a debt, and in justice is to be performed; in which respect the Apostle saith, in the second epistle to Timothy the fourth chapter, There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the just judge, shall render to me; and hence the Prophet is bold to challenge God with his promise, Psalm the hundred and nineteenth, Perform thy promise, wherein thou hast caused me to put my trust, and therefore Augustine saith; Red quod non accepisti, sed quod premisisti. Promises do affect two ways, because they stand upon two points; First, The party promising: Secondly, The thing promised. If it were the promise of a man, it were to be doubred of, for all men are liars, Psalms the hundred and sixteenth; They either promise that which they cannot perform, as being weak, as Psalm the twenty first and the tenth verse; or which they will not perform, as Naball in the first book of Samuel and the twenty fist chapter. But if we can find one that is both able and willing to keep his promise, that is a great kindness, not to be disinherited. And such a one is God; who, of his own goodness, is become indebted to us, by making us most great and precious promises: he is true of his word; for he is Deus mentiri nesciens, Titus the first chapter, he cannot lie: And for his power and ability, Apud eum non erit impossibile omne verbum, Luke the first chapter: And for his willingness the Angels testify of it, that there is in God good milk towards men; even the same which he hears to Christ his own Son, of whom he 〈◊〉 from heaven, in the third chapter of Luke, This is my 〈◊〉 Son, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly, For the thing promised: Though it be God that 〈◊〉 yet if the thing promised be a matter of no great value, we respect it the less, but this is a great and most 〈◊〉 promise. Now that is precious, for which a man will give any thing; as for a pearl, a man will sell all that he hath to compose it, Matthew the thirteenth chapter; and what will 〈◊〉 a man give for the ransom of his soul? the whole world, nay a thousand of worlds, is little enough to give for it, Matthew the sixteenth chapter, and the sixteenth verse: So then, this promise is precious, in respect of the thing promised. Secondly, It is precious in regard that it cost dearly; For we are bought, not with corruptible things, as silver and gold, 〈◊〉 with the 〈◊〉 blood of Christ, in the first epistle of Peter, the first chapter and the eighteenth verse. Thirdly, It is a precious promise in this respect, because our blessedness here promised, stands, not only in having our sins forgiven, or in being made righteous; that is not the thing we are 〈◊〉 with; or to be with God, which was the desire of our first Parents, Genesis the third chapter; and of Lucifer, Isaiah the fourteenth chapter, ero similis 〈◊〉; but it stands herein, that we shall be made partakers of the Divine nature, and enjoy those things 〈◊〉 eye bathe not seen, etc. in the first epistle to the 〈◊〉, the second chapter and the third verse; he doth not promise that we shall be partakers of God's glory, joy, and felicity, as 〈◊〉 sons would have been, Matthew the twenty first chapter; but 〈◊〉 of his nature: That as we are subject to sickness, death, and all crosses, by being partakers of the nature of the first Adam; so we shall be partakers of glory, joy and 〈◊〉: And being partakers of the second Adam, as the branches receive life from the vine, John the fifteenth chapter; so it shall be between Christ and us, he will derive his benefits to us: As the 〈◊〉 is holy, so we that are branches, 〈…〉 shall be 〈◊〉 Romans the eleventh chapter and the sixteenth verse: As we partake of the miseries of the first Adam; so of the joy and 〈◊〉 of the second Adam: As we have been partakers of the 〈◊〉, so of 〈…〉, in the first epistle to the 〈◊〉, and the fifteenth chapter. Fourthly, If we consider from how base estate we, to whom this promise is made, are 〈◊〉; not only from the nature of 〈◊〉, Psalm the forty ninth; Of worms and 〈…〉 17. and, which is more base, from being the Children of wrath, 〈◊〉 the second chapter, and Children of the Devil, Acts the thirteenth chapter, to be partakers of the divine nature; that will 〈◊〉 to be a 〈◊〉 promise, containing matter of so great comfort; whereby, that is, by the knowledge of God, that hath called us to glory and 〈◊〉, or by whom, that is, by Christ taking knowledge of him, as in the fifty third chapter of Isaiah, My 〈…〉, by his knowledge, shall 〈◊〉 many; and in the seventeenth chapter of John, and the third verse, This is eternal life, to know thee and Jesus Christ. The Heathen and Turks are not capable of this precious promise, because they take no notice of Christ: It is a promise made to Christians, for, because they are partakers of flesh and blood, He also took part with them, Hebrews the second chapter: As Christ took part of our nature, so he makes us partakers of his. It is the Christian only that believes this; and therefore he is capable of this so precious promise; for albeit Christ were man, yet it pleased God, that the fullness of the God head should dwell in him bodily, Colossians the second chapter and the ninth verse; and as he is in us by his humanity, so are we in him in respect of his Divinity. God partakes with Christ because of his Divine nature, and man partakes with Christ in as much as he hath assumed our humane nature: He is partaker of our humane nature, for he is flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bone, Ephesians the fifth chapter; and we, by his Spirit, are partakers of his Divine nature; for in the first epistle to the Corinthians the sixth chapter, He that cleaveth to the Lord is one spirit: Hereby we know, that we dwell in him, and he in us, by the spirit which he hath given us, in the first epistle of St. John, the fourth chapter and the thirieenth verse. Christ imputeth his nature two ways; First, by regeneration in Baptisin; for except ye be born again of water and the holy Ghost, John the third chapter: Secondly, by eating and drinking in the Sacrament: In which respect the Apostle saith, that we must bibere spiritum, the first epistle to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter and the thirteenth verse. In this life we must seek for God's grace and glory; and he hath promised to give both, Psalm the eighty fourth; and then we shall Intrare in gaudium Domini, Matthew the twenty fift chapter; and so we shall be always with him, the first epistle to the Thessalonians the fourth chapter; and see him as he is, the first epistle of John the third chapter and the first verse; that is, be partakers of his divine nature: and which goes beyond all, he shall not be glory in one and joy in another, and immortality in a third, but he shall be omnia in omnibus, the first epistle to the Corinthians, the fifteenth chapter and the twenty eighth verse. Now the promise is with a restraint, nobis qui, that is, to us which eschew the corruption: The like we have in John the third chapter and the sixteenth verse, ut omnes qui credant; and Matthew the eleventh chapter, Come to me omnes qui: And great reason it is, that if we will have God to perform his promise to us, we keep the condition on our part towards him; so the Apostle disputes, in the second epistle to the Corinthians, the seventh chapter and the first verse, seeing me have so great promises, let us cleanse ourselves; for the Divine essence is incorruptible, and it is impossible that corruption should inherit incorruption, the first epistle to the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter: therefore albeit our outward man corrupteth daily, yet we must labour to be renewed in the inner man, the second epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter. But whence is this corruption? From lust: So saith the Apostle here, agreeing with St. James in his first chapter and the fourt●… verse, Every man is tempted, when he is 〈…〉 drawn 〈…〉 own lust. The place where this corruption is, is the world; So St. Peter saith, and the first epistle of John and the second chapter, There is nothing in the world but concupiscentia oculorum & carnis; and St. Paul saith, They that will be rich in this world, fall into many foolish and noisome lusts, the first epistle to Timothy, the sixth chapter. Filthiness of the flesh and spirit; and lust of uncleanness. There are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the second epistle to the Corinthians the seventh chapter and the first verse, and the second epistle of Peter the second chapter and the tenth verse; but we must keep ourselves unspotted of the world, as in the first chapter of St. James epistle; and hate the garment spotted of the flesh, Judas the twenty fift verse. For avoiding 〈◊〉 corruption we must know, That temptations, which come by fair and flattering speeches, are not to be resisted, but a man must fly from them, Heb. 12. 1. There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an embracing sin; and James the 1. 13. there is a line or bait, or angle which you must fly from; so shall you be safe: If you resist not you will be taken; and James the fourth chapter and the seventh verse, Resist the Devil; but in the first epistle to the Corinthians the sixth chapter, Fugite fornicationem; for it is an embracing sin; the second epistle to Timothy the second chapter, Fly lusts of youth: There is no other way; for by talking and arguing the point, is the way to be catched, that is, seeing the world from without doth corrupt; as in the first epistle to the Corinthians the fift chapter, A little levan maketh sour the whole lump, they that will not avoid it, are servants of corruption, the second epistle of Peter the second chapter; and Judas calls them spots and blots; they that will be partakers of these promises, must avoid the evil company of such: As, when jacob's rods lay before the Ewes, they brought forth party coloured Lambs, Genesis the thirtieth chapter: So that is the effect of evil company. And for ill speeches, that corrupts good manners, in the first epistle to the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter; for as Michah the seventh chapter and the third verse, there are some, that speak out of the corruption of their soul, it spreads like a canker and corrupts many, the second epistle to Timothy and the second chapter. Evil example and bad company, lewd speeches and vain songs, are to be avoided, if we will avoid corruption: For, lest that we may know from whence it proceeds, he that flies not allurements and provocations, cannot avoid them: Therefore, in Psalm the hundred and nineteenth, the Prophet prayeth, Turn away mine eyes: So for occasions, Proverbs the fift chapter, Come not near the harlot's house. And for the time and opportunity, that is carefully to be respected, Proverbs the seventh chapter. In the twilight the young man was found going to the harlot's house, and so was corrupted. So though neither object nor opportunity be offered, yet a man being idle and without exercise may be corrupted; for that was the sin of Sodom; Ezekiel the sixteenth chapter and the forty ninth verse, Pride, abundance of bread, and idleness. Then a man must never purpose to sin; for so he corrupteth the spirit of his mind; nor to let his desire be corrupted; He must 〈◊〉 evil company, Ephesians the 〈◊〉 chapter, have no fellowship with the 〈◊〉 works of darkness, and that is a sign of grace. Grace is the motion of the spirit, the end of grace is glory. He whose reasonable soul doth not purpose to do evil, and his will doth not desire it, but shuns all occasions and opportunity of evil, such a one hath a beginning of grace, which will not forsake him till it have brought him to glory, and made him partaker of the Divine nature. Ad hoc ipsum verò vos, omni praeterea collato study, adjicite fidei vestrae virtutem, etc. 2 Pet. 1. 5. THERE is no promise made by God, but is with a condition, either by way of a restraint, with si qui, as Romans the eighth chapter and the first verse; or of affirmative illi verò, or conclusion, the second epistle to the Corinthians the seventh chapter: Therefore secing we have such promises, in this place we have both. Before promise is made us, to be partakers of the divine nature, so that we fly the corruption; And the Apostle, not contenting himself with that, doth join a second, as an affirmative condition: Therefore give all diligence to this. The first observation from hence is, To know how to draw a conclusion from the promise of God: For some, from the promise of God's grace, did conclude, that they might now freely sin, Romans the sixth chapter: But the Apostle here dislikes that, as also Paul in the second epistle to the Corinthians the seventh chapter, seeing we have such promises, let us consummate our holiness in the fear of God, The cause of so many dissensions in the world is, because we are of divers spirits, and gather contrary conclusions, as in the first epistle to the Corinthians the seventh chapter, the Apostle, from the shortness of life, draweth this conclusion, that men should use the world as if they used it not; So from the same, there are another sort that conclude thus, Seeing we must die to morrow, let us eat and drink, the first epistle to the Corinthians and the fifteenth chapter; as Romans the sixth chapter, because where sin abounds, grace super abounds; they conclude, let us sinne that grace may abound. From the promise of God we may not draw any other conclusion, but as here he exhorts, therefore let us give all diligence. Secondly, He showeth wherein this diligence is to be showed, join to your faith virtue. First of Diligence; and then of the thing wherein it is to be employed. Care, or Diligence, the Apostle maketh the first part of repentance from ill, the second epistle to the Corinthians the seventh chapter: And it is the same word in both places; It is here the God of repentance; and the Apostle he makes it the gates of affirmative virtues, and a good life; the one for taking away sin, the other for bringing in of godliness. There are many kinds of diligence; but this is that a man useth, when he makes it tempestiva diligentia; when a man having day before him, he doth not put off till the end, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as Psalm the hundred and nineteenth, I made haste and prolonged not to keep thy commandments; and in the third chapter, looking for and hasting to the coming of the day of the Lord. As we must look for it, so make haste to meet him joyfully. Now we know the nature of it, we will consider the degree of it in the word all, not some kind of care or endeavour, but all diligence. Seeing we have great and precious promises, in the higiest degree, let our diligence be in the highest degree. Men must not persuade themselves it is an easy matter to be a good Christian; but a thing wherein all care and diligence is to be showed, and he had the spirit of God to direct him, He layeth upon us no other burdens, then necessary commandments, Acts the fifteenth chapter and the eighteenth verse. Our Saviour Christ, by crying often Watch and pray, Mark the thirteenth chapter, Take heed, Luke the thirteenth chapter, Strive to enter into the straight gate, Matthew the seventh chapter, Labour not for the meat that perisheth, John the sixth chapter, calling entrance into life, as hard as for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, Luke the sixteenth chapter, shows, men may not think but it requires all diligence and contention. If the preservation of man's body cannot be without caring for apparel and meat; And if humane nature be decayed, and will not be repaired without cost, there must be care and diligence to keep a good diet; then our union and incorporation into the Deity is no matter of ease. We must use diligence both in ceasing from evil and following good, and that in as good degree as we can; for when we have done what we can, yet it is true, in the first epistle of Peter the fourth chapter, justus vix servabitur. Unto which we add thirdly, that the word give, here used, is very effectual: It is used two ways, It is to bring in a thing with an opposition; as if the Apostle said, Heretofore ye have showed great diligence in vanities; ye can watch, spend your time and money: Show the like diligence in following good. The other is a sense used in the sixth chapter to the Galatians and in Judes' epistle, that if Heretics cannot get in, they will creep in craftily: in the next chapter he saith, Privily bringing in heresies; and the same Judas verse the fourth: So here it is brought in by imitation. We must be as careful to possess ourselves with good, as the wicked are to join vice to vice. It is Christ's advice, Luke the sixteenth chapter, The children of light to be as wise as they of the world. This joining is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, It hath a plain expression in the 68 Psalms, The singers went before, the players went after: This procession in order of a Quire, is the true motion signified by this word. It is used by the Apostle, speaking of the body in the fourth chapter to the Ephesians and the second to the Colossians and the nineteenth verse: This coupling of one bone with another, thus orderly marching or training, he calls by the same name: Such a thing the Apostle exhorts unto here. From hence we learn, that Christianity or Religion is as a Quire, consisting of many veins; or a body, of many parts. It is not a thing stancing of one virtue; they that have learned Christ truly, Ephesians the fourth chapter, have learned first to put off the old man, and then to put on the new. And so the Apostle reckoning up, as a great train of virtues, as Peter doth here; and St. Peter saith, verse the ninth, They that conceive not so of Christianity, are blind, and cannot see afar off: When in the Scripture, we find any main matter of weight said upon one virtue, we must take a part for the whole, it is but one virtue of the train. As there are many parts of repentance, the second epistle to the Corinthians the seventh chapter; so the Apostle gives a complete harness, standing of seven several parts, Ephesians the sixth chapter. As they that are partakers of the Divine nature, are a body compact of many joints and sinews; so the divine spirit is not one alone, but as the ancient Fathers define the eleventh verse of the seventh chapter of Isaiah, and the fourth chapter of the Apocalypse. Secondly, This is not promiscuè, confusedly; but orderly as in a Quire, one gins, another follows: This multitude of virtues is Acies ordinata, Canticles the sixth chapter, like the marching of Soldiers; for it comes from God, who is the God of order and not of confusion. Thirdly, All at once do not break out, but there is a successive bringing in one of the other. In that order there are degrees, First, Faith: Secondly, Virtue: Thirdly, Knowledge. The number of virtues be eight, as eight parts of repentance, in the second epistle to the Corinth ans the seventh chapter. Those contain our separation from the Devil's nature: As the other are our union with God's nature, which are usually compared to those eight steps, in Ezekiel the fourtieth chapter, from the thirty first to the forty first verse, they are our assents, whereby we approach to the Altar; so the promises of blessedness which our Saviour speaketh of, are eight, Matthew the fift chapter. Another thing to be observed is, That of these eight there are four pair; for to a theological virtue is added ever more a moral: Faith, knowledge, godliness, and charity, are theological; to every one of these there is a moral virtue. To come to the particulars, we shall observe that faith gins and charity ends, as Galatians the fift chapter, fides per charitatem operatur: So in Peter faith works till it come to love; He that will come to God must believe, Hebrews the eleventh chapter; but that is nothing without love, 1 Cor. 13. Love is the bond of perfection, Colossians the third chapter, Above all have love, which is the chain of perfection. Faith is a most pretibus thing; so he saith verse 1. And it hath this honour, to be the root and foundation of all, as Colossians 2. grounded in faith; it is the ground of all virtue, it is Choragus, the first that leadeth the dance. Men hope to receive the end of faith, and that is the salvation of souls, the first epistle of Peter the first chapter; then faith is the beginning of it. To this truth we must add another truth; that as it is the first, so but a part; and not as the world would have it, to be all. Because faith cometh by hearing, Romans the tenth chapter, the world is all set on hearing; but in the first epistle to the Corinthians and the twelfth chap. the body is not all an ear: Faith is but a part, and that an eighth part. As here we have warrant from St. Peter, it is the first, ergo we must begin at it, but not to stand there, but go further. As it is choraguses, so epicorigia, that is, not so complete of itself, but something is to be joined to it. For faith, St. Peter, the fittest to take instruction from, who shown the failing and wavering of his faith, when Christ asked him, Lovest thou me? he answered Thou knowest that I love thee, John the twenty first chapter. But how knew he it, when he denied him before a poor Damosel; Matthew the twenty sixth chapter. And in respect of Christ, Luke the twenty second chapter and the thirty second verse, I have prayed for thy faith: Christ's promise and his own experience may persuade us, he knew the nature of faith: And this is an infallible mark of time faith, that it hath joined virtue, and is taught of the Law of God; and true faith doth not abrogate the Law; nay, Romans the third chapter, the Law is established by faith. Faith must bring in virtue by the hand: So in that great chapter of faith, having gone through all, he faith, They choosed rather to suffer, than to enjoy pleasures of sin, Hebrews the eleventh chapter. Paul saith true faith operatur 〈◊〉 & per charitatem: So Peter here, and James the second chapter and the twenty second verse, it doth cooperari; that is the signe James gives of faith: In the first epistle of John the fift chapter, the signe of true faith is, it overcomes not only the Devil, but the world, and the pleasures, riches, honours of the world, as in Hebrews the eleventh chapter: It is the same sign that, Hebrews eleventh chapter and the fourth verse, shown itself in Moses, when he refused to be the son of Pharaohs daughter: And Judas, in the twentieth verse, saith, If it be true faith, it is fides sanctificans. So they all agree, Paul saith, Faith must work righteousness; Peter, It must bring virtue in by the hand; John, It must overcome the world; and Judas saith, It is a sanctifying faith, not locked up in a man's conscience. So that it is no true faith, which virtue follows not. Adjicite fidei vestrae virtutem, virtuti verò notitiam. 2 Pet. 1. 5. THE Apostles mind is to show, That the life of a Christian is no single thing, but a Choir or Dance, and the beginning of the train is faith: For, if we must be elevated to be partakers of the Divine nature, as verse the first, it must be a divine thing that must effect this; and the first divine thing is divina veritas, the same which the Prophets in all ages have described to us. Which divine truth we apprehend by faith. Now because there may be deceit in our faith, we must take heed that it be not a rotten faith. There is fides ficta, the first epistle to Timothy, the first chapter and the fift verse, Faith feigned; and a dead faith, James the second chapter. There is a vile faith as well as a like precious faith: And that we may separate the precious from the vile, Jeremiah the fifteenth chapter. And if we will know which is the precious faith, for which Christ prayed, in Luke the twenty second chapter, it is not that which is alone, but which is accompanied with other virtues. It must not be totum integrale, or Alpha and Omega, but like a Choir, wherein are divers parts, faith is but a part, and the eighth part of Christianity. This company is not added ad ornatum, but for necessity; therefore he exhorts, Give all diligence, and he that hath not these is blind. To proceed, If faith be not all, what is that company he speaketh of? The first is Virtue, A word which the Scripture hath taken from Philosophers, whereof all their books are full; and albeit we must beware that no man spoil us through Philosophy, Colossians the second chapter, yet we may not contemn it. We are called to glory and virtue, verse the third; and Philippians the fourth chapter and the eighth verse, If any virtue. It is not to be taken generally; for so it contains all: It comprehends not moral virtues more than theological, but a more special thing. By Virtue is not meant an honest life, nor faith; but virtue is used either for an active power, as in the first epistle to the Corinthians, the first chapter and the twenty fourth verse; or some notable effect, as Galatians the third chapter and the fift verse: It is used either in opposition to weakness, as in the first epistle to the Corinthians, the fifteenth chapter and the forty third verse, and the second epistle to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter and the ninth verse, Virtus mea perficitur in infirmitate; or in opposition to fear, as in the second epistle to Timothy, the first chapter and the seventh verse, Not the spirit of fear, but of power. By Virtue is meant that acrimena sinapis, as Christ speaketh, If you had faith but as a grain of mustardseed: this is that must be added to faith; then shall that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the first epistle of John, the third chapter and second verse, be accomplished in us; then we shall say with Christ, in the fift chapter of St. John's Gospel, My Father worketh and so do I; and in the first epistle to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter, The Holy Ghost worketh all in all. Faith hath no act but the act of assent; but the true faith is operative: Which power of working is called by Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by Paul, in the first epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter, The spirit of faith: The life and work of faith with power, 〈◊〉 fidei in virtute, the second epistle to the Thessalonians the first chapter and the eleventh verse: St. Paul saith, in the first epistle to the Corinthians, the fourth chapter and the twentieth verse, You shall perceive, non sermone, sed virtute; not only a power to talk well, but to work; they have a form of faith, but do 〈◊〉 virtutem, the second epistle to Timothy, the third chapter and the fift verse. As it betokens a power of doing well; so an ability of enduring adversity depends on this virtue. For want of this Peter foll asleep, Matthew the twenty sixth chapter; He came afar off when Christ was apprehended, and was afraid of a poor Maid. So it was with Peter, having nothing but faith; but when he joined with his faith virtue, then that was fulfilled, Luke the twenty fourth chapter and the forty ninth verse, He is endued with power from above, Induemini virtute ex alto: When he received the power of the holy Ghost, Acts the first chapter and the eighth verse, than he was bold, Acts the fift chapter and the twenty ninth verse: The Apostle calls it, strength in the inner man, Ephesians the third chapter and the sixteenth verse. If a man fear death his strength is small, Proverbs the twenty fourth chapter and the tenth verse. By this virtue Moses feared not, 〈◊〉 the eleventh chapter and the twenty third verse. As there is modica sides, Matthew the fourteenth chapter and the thirty first verse; so Modica virtus, Apocalypse the third chapter and the eighth verse. Where there is great faith, there is great virtue; where no faith, no virtue. As it is no true faith, which virtue doth not follow; so no true virtue, which faith doth not go before. It is called Grace in respect of God, from whom it comes; and virtue in regard of the effects, The Philosopher called them habitus, because they had them from themselves; but virtus est 〈…〉, & Domino virtutis, to salve the error of the Philosophers. The Apostle calls it Grace, in the second epistle of Peter, the third chapter and the eighteenth verse, grow in grace; so he calls it virtus, He hath called us to glory and virtue, in the second epistle of Peter, the first chapter and the third verse, and Philippians the fourth chapter and the eighth verse. It is by good consequence, that it is so called, because it is wrought by the Gospel, which is the power of God, Romans the first chapter and the sixteenth verse: His words are spirit and life, John the sixth chapter: Virtue must bring forth virtus. The Philosopher's Virtue had no divine thing in it; they enured themselves to it, and so ascribed it to themselves. Our virtue proceedeth from faith, which is a divine thing, Whatsoever is not of faith is sin, Romans the fourteenth chapter: But the Heathen called their virtues habits, as from themselves, not from the grace of God. To Virtue Knowledge. He began with Faith, a theological virtue; then he added Virtue, which is moral; now he comes to Knowledge, another theological virtue. By this successive coupling we are taught, not to stay at virtue, but to proceed de virtute in virtute, Psalm the eighty fourth and the seventh verse, from strength to strength. As before against infirmity and weakness of our nature, he added virtue; So for our error and ignorance, he joineth knowledge: for there may be an active power to work, and yet not aright, as Romans the tenth chapter & the second verse, They have zeal, but not according to knowledge: But there must be, not only power, but wisdom; not only homines improbi, shall be cast out, but foolish vigins Matthew the twenty fift chapter. As virtue is required, so is knowledge, to direct us in that we do. We must seek for Non tam virtutem quam aurigam virtutis scientiam, sine quâ ipsa virtus est vitium; therefore Proverbs the twenty third chapter and the fourth verse, Cease from thy wisdom; And in Ecclefiastes the seventh chapter, Be not nimium just us: Knowledge is a key, Luke the eleventh chapter and the fifty second verse: And a Choir must have a key to set the song, that is, the key of knowledge. In the Law nothing was to be offered without salt, that is, the grace of knowledge. It is that which the Apostle calleth, the inward anointing, in the first epistle of John the second chapter and the twentieth verse, which gives a sweet savour and sent to God: So saith the Apostle, in the second epistle to the Corinthians the second chapter, We are a sweet savour to God. But is not faith knowledge? It is: But yet where the object of faith is verum & falsum. Science hath for its object good and evil; as Genesis the second chapter and the ninth verse, the passions of Christ, and the torments of Hell, are indifferently the objects of faith, but the affections are stirred by good and ill: And it is knowledge that must discern between good and ill; evil things may go under the show of good; and therefore we must have knowledge to unmask them. So the doctrine of repentance, being a good thing, hath a show of ill; and, without the grace of knowledge, men are hardly brought to believe it. As there is prudentia carnis, Romans the eighth chapter and the sixth verse, and prudentia seculi, in the 〈◊〉 epistle to the Corinthians, the third chapter and the nineteenth verse; so there must be a spiritual knowledge and wisdom, to discern them, and to measure what is good. That all which we do teach may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the first epistle of Peter the second chapter, and all you do may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Romans the twelfth chapter, we must add this knowledge. Knowledge is lame without power, and power is blind without knowledge; for knowledge is the lightning of the eyes of the mind, the second epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter. There is a knowledge, falsely so called, the first epistle of Timothy, the sixth chapter and the twentieth verse. The knowledge, truly so called, is not speculative, but practic; It is the knowledge from on high, that directs our feet in the way of peace, as Luke the first chapter and the seventy ninth verse: And not only that which lightens our eyes. Physicians of longest practice, and Soldiers that have been trained, are most respected; so it is in worldly things, and so it should be in divine things: A man must animare praxin, that was the advice of the Civilian, give a soul to it, as in the thirty third chapter of Deuteronomie and the eighth verse, first Thummim, and then Urim. Jesus began to do and teach, Acts the first chapter and the first verse, that is the touchstone of knowledge, as Christ saith, If any man will do his will, he shall know of his doctrine, qui fecerit voluntatem Patris, sciet de doctrina, utrum sit ex Dec, John the seventh chapter and the seventeenth verse; for there are some that are always learning, but never come to the knowledge of the truth, especially that knowledge that may be truly so called, in the second to Timothy and the third chapter. Scientiae verò continentiam, continentiae verò tolerentiam, 2 Pet. 1. 6. THE Apostle proceedeth now to the fourth voice of this choir, having laid faith for the first, and to it added, that which the Apostle calls the work of faith in virtue, in the second to the Thessalonians, the first chapter and the eleventh verse, and thirdly, To virtue knowledge; now in the fourth place he joineth to it temperance: It is the common course of the world, so soon as they have a little taste of knowledge to ascend up to heaven, but he tells us, knowledge must go down to our fouls, and then proceed to godliness, which we are taught in our conformity to our Saviour's example, of whom the Apostle saith, Ephesians the fourth chapter and the ninth verse, He that ascended, the same is he that descended first. The chief point of our duty is, first to temper our affections, and then to come to godliness after: For the justifying of 〈◊〉 order in respect of the consequence this hath with the former, there are three causes why he bringeth in temperance next after knowledge. The first is, because whereas corruption is in the world through 〈◊〉 verse the first; and Ephesians the fourth chapter, The old man is corrupt through lust; and the abandoning of that corruption, must bring us to the participation of the divine nature; and it is comparance that makes us avoid this corruption: For unless we temper our affections we shall never be partakers of the divine nature. Secondly, It follows the natural power of 〈◊〉: Having placed Knowledge, which is a virtue of the reasonable part, he comes next to the affectioned part, that is, Desire, 〈◊〉 temperance answers, he would not have sensuality grow 〈◊〉, nor the body to govern the soul: The upper part 〈◊〉 already perfected, the lower part must next in order be made perfect, as in the first epistle to the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter, That which is natural is first, and then that which is spiritual. So moral virtues are the perfections of men in this life, and theological virtues are the perfections in the life to come. Thirdly, Knowledge being the virtue that teacheth what is good or evil, Temperance follows it very well, in as much as it is a helper forward, and a preserver of good, It keeps us from the graves of lust, Numbers the eleventh chapter: It preserves reason which is the power of the mind: For by worldly cares we do gravare cor, overcome the heart, Luke the twenty first chapter and the thirty fourth verse; but this temperance makes it, and therefore is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of keeping the mind and understanding safe. And for the body we see the effect of this virtue, in Daniel the first chapter and the fifteenth verse: therefore the Apostles counsel to young men is, in the second epistle of Timothy the second chapter and the twenty second verse, Fly the lusts of youth; and Titus the second chapter and the third verse, To be temperate and sober minded. It preserves knowledge, not only by keeping the body in order, but, Proverbs the twenty third chapter, the fourth verse, and Romans the twelfth chapter and the third verse, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not to deal in genealogies and curious questions, which are unprofitable, but to be wise with sobriety, Titus the third chapter and the ninth verse, and the first epistle to Timothy, the first chapter and the fourth verse. So it follows by good order, in as much as it preserves the virtue going before. Secondly, Touching temperance what it is, and wherein it stands. When knowledge hath taught what to choose, the next thing is, nullis inde illecebris avocari; and that is it which Temperance performs: For in the beginning this corrupter of the world sought to draw our Parents away from their duty, by a bait he shown them, bonum delectabile, that was the goodly fruit, so fair to behold: the allurement being offered, concupiscence flieth to it, as a bird to the snare, Proverbs the seventh chapter and the twenty third verse. Every man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, James the first chapter and the fourteenth verse, There is a bait offered to lust to catch at; therefore it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Hebrews the twelfth chapter, sin is so pleasant, that if concupiscence be not weaned, there is no child desires the mother's breast more than it desires sin, Psalm the hundred thirty first and the second verse, men being in this case, and add drunkenness to thirst, Deuteronomie the twenty ninth chapter and the nineteenth verse, and seek baits to allure concupiscence: therefore our concupiscence needs a bridle to wean and restrain this soul. Lust is two fold, the first Epistle of John the second chapter and the sixteenth verse, carnis & occulorum: The corruption of the 〈◊〉 is either for the belly, as it is in the sixth chapter of St. Luke, or that carnal pleasure that Felix and Drusilla were over come with, Acts the twenty fourth chapter, so that he could not abide to hear Paul dispute of temperance; the eye lusteth for fair apparel, as Luke the sixteenth chapter, to be clothed in purple, for that is a hait of 〈◊〉 as Achan, when he saw the Babylonish garment, desired it, Joshuah the seventh chapter; So also the eye delighteth in bedding and furniture for houses, as Jer the twenty second chapter and the fourteenth verse, to have it shine with Cedar, to lie on beds of Ivory, Amos the sixth chapter and the fourth verse; Temperance is the refrainer of all these. For the desire of the belly, the first of the Corinthians and the ninth chapter, They that run a race abstain from all meat that may hurt: For carnal pleasure, If they cannot contain let them marry, the first epistle to the Corinthians and the seventh chapter: And for apparel, that must be done in temperance, the first epistle to 〈◊〉 and the second verse; thus we see what is the object of temperance, which virtue performs two things; First, to be able to want those things, as Philipians the fourth chapter, possum deficere; then, having them, to use them moderately; as the Apostle counsels in Timothy, 1 Timothy 5. modico vino utere; for many, coming to have the possession of these things, exceed in Riot. For the first, it is a dangerous lust, how pleasant soever it be; not to be able to want them, if we make necessary lusts of them, so as we must have our lusts satisfied though it cannot be without sin, we bring ourselves under the power, as it is in the second epistle to the Corinthians and the eight chapter, if we make ourselves debtors to the flesh so fare, Romans the eighth chapter, A man that cannot refrain his appetite, he is like a City broken down and without walls, Pro. 25. 28. Thirdly, for the end, why the Apostle exhorts to this virtue, It is first to eschew corruption, and so to bring us to the divine nature; and Temperance is the virtue by which we eschew corruption both of soul and body; for, as those things that are sweet do stop and putrisy the body, so do those corrupt desires of the mind, and the corruption of mankind desires to corrupt man with these allurements. If we love, we are not the servants of sin, we are servi corruptionis, as it is in the second epistle of Peter and the second chapter. For the body, it corrupts it also; for so he sinneth against his own body, the first epistle to the 〈◊〉 and the sixth chapter; and such do corrupt the Temple of God, the first epistle to the Corinthians and the third chapter; The flesh spotteth the garment, as it is in the epistle of Saint Judas the bed defiled, Hebrews the thirteenth chapter; so that we cannot possess our vessels in holiness. Fourthly that it be not so, Temperance must effect this; so it disposeth us to the participation of the divine nature; who is a spirit John the fourth chapter, as they that are spiritual minded are; for they that take care to fulfil the lusts of the flesh, Romans the thirteenth chapter, do make their bellies their God, the thirteenth chapter of the epistle to the Philippians, and mind earthly things, such are carnal and are not spiritual: Temperance will make, men depart from the flesh and grow spiritual, and so be like the 〈◊〉 nature. To Temperance he exhorts to add Patience, the first voice of this choir, which the Apostle reckons among the fruits of the Spirit, Galathians the fift chapter and the twenty third verse, for three reasons, as the Philosophers observe, to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is next adjoined 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to the effective part is joined courage: For as is observed from John the first chapter and the thirteenth verse, not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man. There are in man two wills, the will of the flesh, and the manly will; for God having planted in the Soul, desire to follow good, there follows courage to remove whatsoever shall hinder our desire, and as we have a virtue to moderate our concupiscence, or sensuality, so here is Patience, against our courage. Secondly, what makes a man intemperate but 〈◊〉 as Genesis the twenty fift chapter, Esau must needs die, except he have the meat he desires; therefore 〈◊〉 is a virtue necessarily required in the faithful, the sixteenth chapter of the Proverbs, and the ninteenth chapter of the Revelations; Haec est sides & patientia Sanctorum. The third reason of the dependence is, 〈◊〉 vincit qui patitur. Intemperance and Impatience are the great Conquerors of the world; the one being the Nurse of Physicians, the other of Lawyers: And as we have had a virtue to conquer intemperance; so it follows by good order next, that we have the virtue against impatience. As the one sort are said to be clothed in white, that is, the innocency of the Godly, Apocalypse the seventh chapter and the ninteenth verse; so others (by Patience have made their garments purple, in the blood of the Lamb, Apocalypse the ninteenth chapter. Secondly, when we know what to do, we must not be drawn from it by any terror; For as the devil, to allure us to sin, joins dulce & malum; so to keep us from good he joins bitter with that which is good: He joins to 〈◊〉 labour and disgrace, that by them he may keep us from it. Labour is a thing our nature cannot away with, durum pati; the object of this virtue is tribulation, as Romans the twelfth chapter, be patiented in tribulation, a virtue that becometh Saints, Apocalys the ninteenth chapter, haec est fides & patientia Sanctorum. For the original of tribulation, men do not fear the evils of the life to come; and therefore God is feign to send them crosses while they live, which must be borne patiently, as Micah the seventh chapter, portabo iram Domini, quia peccavi. Secondly, they are sent for trial of our faith, ut tollet ferro rubiginem, & addat 〈◊〉 puritatem. That was the cause of Jobs trouble, to try his faith. The use of this virtue, in respect of men is, as Matthew the fift chapter, If they smite thee on the one cheek, to turn the other; If they take way thy coat, let them have thy cloak also; If men reproach ye, as David was, to bear it as he did, the second of Samuel and the sixteenth chapter, to endure the spoiling of our goods, as Hebrews the twelfth chapter. In such cases it is the perfection of the Saints while they live here, to possess their Souls with Patienee, as it is in Saint Luke the one and twentith chapter. For the use the Apostle makes of this virtue, patience is needful, for the avoiding of corruption, Give not place to the Devil, by suffering the Sun to go down upon thy wrath, Ephesians the fourth chapter; For men in their impatience utter the corruption of their hearts, Michah the seventh chapter. Secondly, It makes them like God, as John the third chapter and the first verse; for there is nothing in God more divine than patience; this virtue he shown to the old world, which he endured so long, the first epistle of Peter the third chapter; and to the new world, the second epistle of Peter and the third chapter, He is not slack, but patiented to all, and would have all repent. The same is the affection of the Son of God towards his Church. What did Moses admire, Exodus the third chapter, to see the bush a fire, and not burn, but videt rubum ardentem: Even so now the faithful shall drink deadly poison, and it shall not hurt them, as Christ promiseth, Mark the sixteenth chapter, that is, the evil tongues of the wicked, which are as the poison of Asps, as Psalm the hundred and fourtieth. The Apostles exhortation is, James the first chapter and the fourth verse, Be patiented, that ye may be entire and perfect; and as the first epistle of Peter, the fift chapter, If ye suffer but a little, God shall make you perfect: And Christ's advice is, To bring forth fruit in patience, Luke 8. Tolerantiae pietatem, pietati verò fraternum amorem, fraterno verò amori charitatem. 2 Pet. 1. 7. IN the first of these three verses, the Apostle makes his first conjunction of Faith; Teaching, that as we must be of a sound belief, so of a virtuous life: The second of Knowledge, not to be drawn from a virtuous life by any deceits: Of Temperance, against allurements: And Patience, against terrors and troubles; all these are moral virtues: And to these he joins in the third verse, the threefold train of Godliness, Brotherly love, and Charity; all which are theological virtues. For as Christ exhorteth, not only to do good to them, from whom we receive good, Luke the sixth chapter and the thirty third verse; which be the virtues of kindness, that the Heathen practised; but to add Christian virtues, Doing good to them that hurt us; and as Matthew the sixth chapter, Our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of Scribes and Pharisees: So theological virtues do not exclude moral; but, as the Apostle shows, we 〈◊〉 beside moral virtues 〈◊〉 these theological: Faith doth not abolish, but establish the Law; so, Romans the third chapter, the Gospel requires of a Christian, both will virtues and theological. In the course of the world we find it otherwise, the civil man will show himself temperate and patiented, but makes little account of religious virtues. Others, as Judas the first verse, will seem to be religious, by hearing and discoursing of the word, and by certain religious terms, but neglect those moral duties. According to the first table they are religious, but neglect the duty of the second. Therefore for the Civil man, albeit moral virtues are the perfection of this life; yet if he look higher to the great and precious promises, of being partaker of the divine nature, his moral virtues cannot raise him up so high as those virtues of Christianity, that must do that. And for them that stop at the moral duties of the second Table, and content themselves with a showing religion by theological virtues, If any man seem to be religious in such sort, his religion is vain, except he add moral, James the first chapter and the twenty sixth verse, That he refrain his tongue and keep himself unspotted. Secondly, For the order or method of the Apostle. There is an order, not only of things productive one of another, but that are adductive. And having already gone through the powers of the soul, that is, Reason, Affection, and Corruption; and prescribed internal virtues, Knowledge, Temperance, and Patience: Now he comes to the outward man, and shows, That to God, who is above us, is due Godliness; to them that are near us, that is, Christians and spiritual brethren, that have one Father, Brotherly love; and to them that are fare off, that is, all men, Charity. Godliness is required in respect of the divine nature; Brotherly love, in respect of the familiarity, or Church, which are the household of Faith, that is kindness, to be showed to Christians; Thirdly, Charity is a duty to be extended to all, both Jews and 〈◊〉, as well as to Christians. For as John the first chapter and the thirteenth verse, there is the will of the flesh, and the will of man, whereunto Temperance and Patience have respect: So there is the will of God too, and that is it that Godliness takes hold of: The want of Patience to bear, made Peter to deny Christ: And therefore first he must be patiented, and next after will follow Godliness; All that will live godly must suffer affliction, the second epistle to Timothy, the third chapter. So when we are armed with patience, we are fit to hear of Godliness. So it was with Peter and the rest; of whom it is reported, that having this virtue, ibant gaudentes, Acts the fift chapter; having first planted patience, godliness follows by good consequence. Thirdly, Godliness is that virtue, whereby we are affected towards God, as the worldly man's is to wordlinesse, or the fleshly man to carnal pleasure. Cornelius is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Acts the tenth chapter; and Acts the seventeenth chapter and the twenty third verse, it is used for the worship of God, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. If we ask, as Elias, to whom God is God; One hath his belly for his God, Philippians the third chapter; such a one was Esau, therefore called, a profane person, Hebrews the twelfth chapter: Others have no other godliness but gain, as the first epistle to Timothy, the sixth chapter and the fift verse; such were they that were content to retain Diana's religion for their gain, Acts the nineteenth chapter. When we are as carefully affected to God, as worldly men are to the world, and carnal men to the flesh, than we have Godliness. But to consider of this, how deeply Godliness is joined, we carry up our thoughts to God, as to the chief truth; to him that is the fountain of all goodness and joys. We are 〈◊〉 that he is the highest wisdom, that knows all our actions, and the highest power that can minister deliverance to their troubles: that he is a regarder of them that seek him; and a severe punisher of such as contemn him. This inward affection is Godliness; and this inward affection and perswafion of God, is the mystery of Godliness, the first epistle to Timothy the third chapter; and the truth that is according to godliness, Titus the first chapter and the first verse. But as we must have this inward conceit; so we must profess godliness, the first epistle to Timothy, the second chapter and the tenth verse. For as in the first Commandment of the Law, we must serve God in the truth of the spirit; so in the second Commandment, in the service of the body; in the third with the blessing of the mouth, we must bless and praise God, that is, we must profess our 〈◊〉 at all times and all occasions; not only privately, 〈◊〉 publicly, in the fourth Commandment, that is, entirely, by all the parts of the body, even with the tongue, which is our 〈◊〉, especially on the day of our public profession; not only to 〈…〉 opinion of God, but as the Church calls us, Come, Les 〈◊〉 fall down before the Lord, Psalm the ninety fift; not only to say with the Apostle, Romans the seventh chapter, I serve God in my spirit, but Ephesians the third chapter, I bow my knees to God the Either. And 〈◊〉, to worship God by vocal prayer, I will praise him with my mouth, Psalm the sixtieth; Hast thou faith? babe 〈◊〉 te, Romans the fourteenth chapter and the twenty second verse: So if thou have an inward conceit of God, have it with thyself; but withal, thou must profess it 〈◊〉. The vizard of Godliness must be plucked off, and the power shown: We must exercise and 〈◊〉 godliness, the first epistle to Timothy, the fift chapter and the sixth verse: There must be godliness of life, the second epistle to Timothy, the third chapter, All that will live godly. Cornelius was godly; for he 〈◊〉 his godliness, by giving alms and praying to God, Acts the tenth chaptor: By his exercise of godliness, he shown the power of godliness working in him, and that is the chiefest thing: For 〈◊〉 are spiritual sacrifices, the first epistle of Peter the second chapter; and to them we must add that which the Prophet calls 〈…〉, Hosea the fourteenth chapter; without which we are not truly godly. And to both these there was added a sacrifice of the 〈◊〉, this spiritual 〈◊〉 is a broken and contrite heart, Psalm the 〈◊〉 first, to that is to be added, Psalm the thirty second, I 〈…〉 my 〈◊〉, that 〈◊〉 an outward profession and vocal confession, an 〈…〉 of the body. And lastly, the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 sixth chapter I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, Not to give good words, as James the second chapter, God be merciful, but the real mercy, Hebrews the thirteenth chapter, to distribute and to do good forget not; for with such sacrifice God is well pleased. Thus shall we approve ourselves to be godly; as also if we say with David, Psalm the twenty sixth, I have loved the habitation of the just. If we account the Sabbaths our delight, Isaiah the fifty eighth chapter; If we esteem of places and times of godliness aright, and cleave to the persons that 〈◊〉 godliness, as Acts the seventeenth chapter and the thirty fourth verse, Dionysius and Damar is; they that do so, show Godliness. The second Virtue is, love of brethren: For as in the Law he goes from the first Table to the second; so here having noted what is due to God, he prescribes us duties to be performed unto men. So the Gospel, as well as the Law, commands both purity and charity; and we must take the ground of our love, ex fonte puritatis; God makes his Sun to rise upon the just and unjust, Matthew the fist chapter; So must we show, not only brotherly love to Christians, but charity to all men. Which brotherly love, is not to be extended to natural brethren, as Matthew the twelfth chapter, My brothers and sisters are they which hear the word, and keep it: this is to be showed to the Church, and for such which have one father and one elder brother. Some forsake the fellowship, Hebrews 10. they are filii hipostoles, they withdraw themselves from the fraternity; but towards such as continue in the faith, let brotherly love continue, Hebrews the thirteenth chapter, and the first epistle of Peter, the first chapter and the twenty second verse, They that are faithful, are called a brotherhood, the second epistle of Peter, the fist chapter; and therefore to them must this brotherly love be extended. This love must be without hypocrisy; not to say, as James the second chapter, If thy brother starve, and thou say departed and be warm, but minister not to him, what faith and godliness is that? So for Charity, the first epistle of John the third chapter, Love must not be in word and tongue, but in deed and truth. That is true charity, when we do good to the fraternity; not that of the world, or after the flesh but of the Church. Concerning which, you need not that I writ; for you are taught of God, who said, By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples, if you love one another, John the eleventh chapter. From hence he proceedeth to Charity, exhorting us to show love, not only quia sunt, but ut sunt; As to the faithful, because they are brethren; but to all men generally, that they may be won to be of the Church. We must love, Inimicum in Deo, & inimicum propter Deum. 〈◊〉 that is true love. As he begun with Faith, so he endeth with love, which is the bond of perfection, Colossians the third chapter, and keeps in all the other virtues. Jerusalem is an heap of stones; but love is that makes it a compact building, Ephesians the 〈◊〉 chapter. As the Apostle here exhorts to love; so in the 〈◊〉 epistle of Peter, the fourth chapter, Above all things have love, Colossians the third chapter; and, the first epistle of Peter, the fourth chapter and the eighth verse, which covereth the multitude of sins. Of all graces it is the more excellent, the first epistle to the Corinthians, the twelfth chapter: It is greater than faith or hope, the first epistle to the 〈◊〉, the third chapter and the thirteenth verse. Touching the end, fuga corruptionis, and the partaking of the Divine nature, are the two things we have looked unto in all the other virtues. The cause of our corruption is amor corruptionis in the judgement and valuation; but it is refined by charity. Love is Charitas, of dearness, we set a great price of that which is most dear: And so if we make greatest account of God, we will love him above all things. If we set our love on that which is most dear, we shall eschew corruption. Secondly, The partaking of the Divine nature, is to be like to him, the first epistle of John, the third chapter; and love is the greatest representation of the divine nature. In the other virtues we do but dispose our souls to be partakers of it. The Apostle saith, Deus est Charitas, the first epistle of John, the fourth chapter. If then we be possessed of love, we shall be possessed of the Divine nature. Love is it that makes us adherere Deum, Psalm the seventy third: Fides videt, spes tendit, but charity possesseth. Love is called an 〈◊〉, the first epistle of John and the second chapter; because, as Kings were anointed, so it makes us have a right unto God's kingdom: Fides per charitatem 〈◊〉, is that which must do us good, Galatians the fift chapter: There it is the midst, but here the end of all, without the which, all the other will do no good: It is as oil to the Lamp Matthew the 25, without which the lamp gives no light. The precious faith is that which hath all these virtues, and charity at the end. Then is Christianity well taught, when it is taught as a building, standing on many parts, Ephesians the second chapter; or Armour, Ephesians the sixth chapter; as a tree, Galatians the fift chapter; as a body, Ephesians the fourth chapter; as a choicer harmony of music, as the Apostle here 〈◊〉 it out, in the second epistle of Peter, the first chapter and the fourth verse. Nihil ad vos, o viatores omnes; intuemini & videte an sit dolour par dolori meo, qui factus est mihi: quam afficit Jehova moerore die aestus irae suae. Lament. 1. 12. THE words of a party in great 〈◊〉, and that two ways. First, That he is in sorrow and pain, such as none other ever felt. Secondly, That being in this extremity, he is not regarded of any. It is well known that it is a 〈◊〉 thing to 〈◊〉 and blood to be afflicted; but so to be afflicted as no other, that is a high degree of misery; but that in this case there is none to have compassion, that is as much as can be said. Against the crosses that befall us in this life, the ordinary comfort is, the first epistle to the Corinthians the tenth chapter, Nothing befalls us, but is such as pertaineth to man; but this was not any other man's case. And whereas there is none so hardhearted, but will show some relief, at least pity a man in distress, here was none touched with any compassion. For the verse itself, it is the Prophet's speech in the person of the City of Jerusalem, lamenting the miseries that happened at the death of Josiah; but by the rule of reciprocation, whereby that which is said of the members, may be applied to the head; as was said to Saul by Christ, why persecutest thou me? where it was the Church that was persecuted, Acts the ninth chapter, it is otherwise to be expounded. If any member, then especially of them under the Law, Quibus ad contingebunt in figuris, the first epistle to the Corinthians, the tenth chapter: therefore Isaac's sacrifice, joseph's selling by his brethren, and David's betraying, who were particular members of the Church, were types and figures of Christ's being slain, sold, and betrayed. If the eyes, or hand, or footsuffer, the head also suffers with it; much more may the sufferings of the whole body together be applied to the head, as Out of Egypt have I called my son, that being a place of the deliverance of Israel, God's first borne, Colossians the eleventh chapter, is applied to Christ, Matthew the second chapter. And according to this rule, this verse is by the ancient Fathers applied to the 〈◊〉 and sufferings of our Saviour Christ. Whether it be the City's speech, or any other whosoever, it may well be the speech of Christ on the Cross, that he was then in that great extremity, which none ever endured the like; and yet being without cause, none vouchsafed to look at him. That is the drift of the words, and is set down first by way of complaint, Have ye no regard? Secondly, by way of petition, Mark and regard. In the Passion two things are to be considered, first the grievousness of his sufferings, noted in these words, If ever there were the like sorrow; Secondly, the cause of it in these, Where with the Lord hath afflicted me. Upon which follow these three actions: First, to see: Secondly, to consider: Thirdly, to regard and esteem of it, as a thing which concerns us. As is employed in the first words, which are thus read, Nun ad vos pertinet, for the first point, here is some spectacle to behold, in as much as he directeth his speech to them that pass by the way, Omnes qui transitis viam. When a stay is made, not of one, but of all, there is some great matter: and the holy Ghost tells us, that there is no journey so important, nor haste so great, that should hinder us from considering of the sufferings of Christ. The motives that he useth to quicken our weakness, are two, the one taken from the thing itself; the other from the beholders. For the thing itself, we know those things that are rare, draw our eyes to behold them; therefore he saith, If ever there were sorrow like my sorrow: And this reason he takes from the beholders; as, Doth it not concern or pertain to you? For the things that were showed, chief are such as concern us: as for other things that appertain unto us, we respect them not. The sufferings consist as all other do, either in sensu or damno, that is, either privatively or positively. That which is translated sorrow or prayer, is a blow or wound, which is a matter of sense; and it signifies such a blow as strikes off both root and leaves: that is it we are to consider in this spectacle. That which he felt, was either in body or soul. Touching his bodily sufferings, our own eyes are witnesses: For there was no part of him, neither skin, nor bone, nor sense, nor any part, wherein he was not stricken: His blessed body was an Anvil to receive all the strokes that were laid on him. And we have no better argument hereof than pilate's Ecce homo, John the nineteenth chapter; for he thought they had brought him to that 〈◊〉 already that even the hardhearted Jews would have pitied him. But that which is said here, si fuerit dolor sicut, is not so verified of his bodily sufferings, as in that which he suffered in his soul: For in bodily sufferings many have been equal to him; but the suffering of the soul is most grievous, as the greatest heaviness is the heaviness of the heart: the afflictions of the body may be sustained, but a wounded spirit who can bear? Proverbs the eighteenth chapter. Therefore St. Paul calls that suffering which he felt in his soul, corpus mortis, Romans the seventh chapter: Upon these sufferings it is that he cryeth out, Ecce, si fuerit dolor sicut: The grievousness of whose suffering we argue not so much from that which is recorded of him, that he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Mark the fourteenth chapter and the thirty third verse; that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Luke the twenty second chapter and the twenty fourth verse; that his soul was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Matthew the twenty sixth chapter; as from the bloody sweat, Ecce, si fuerat sudor; that is verified when no uncleanness is offered; when a man lying on the cold earth (for then it was cold, so as they were fain to make fire) then to sweat, not tenues sudores, but granos sanguinis: He that considers this, may make a cause of it, that there was never any such sorrow or sweat. The cause of this sweat was bought, as indeed the word imports; where with the Lord hath boiled me, as in a furnace; as after in the next verse, Ignem misit Dominus, he was in a furnace of God's fierce wrath: therefore the Greek Church prayeth, By thy unknown sufferings, good Lord deliver us. For that which was taken from him, that was 〈◊〉 Domini: he was spoilt both of earthly comforts and heavenly graces. For the first, He that had gone up and down feeding, healing and preaching among the Jews, receives no comfort from the earth; their words were not his but Barabas. Again, His blood be upon us and our children. Lastly, When he was on the Cross they scorned him, He trusted in God, let him save 〈◊〉 and, Thou that savest others, come down and save thyself. As for his Disciples, from whom he might have looked for most comfort, one of them betrayed him, another denied him, and all forsook him, and he is stripped of all earthly comfort. And as for his soul, that was bereft of all heavenly graces or influence, there was a traverse or drawbridge drawn, as appeareth by his words, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? It is not so with the 〈◊〉; for they in the 〈◊〉 of their pains and sorrows, feel drops of heavenly consolation, which make them cheerful. But it was not so with our Saviour; there was a sequestration, whereby the influence of his divinity was restrained from his humanity, whereupon ensued that cry, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? there was never the like cry. Thirdly, From the party that complaineth, we may argue, there was never the like sorrow: A little thing done to a person of great excellency, doth aggravate the matter; but never the like person suffered, and never the like sorrow, Exodus 23. 3. God takes order, men shall not handle the poor beast barbarously, but be ready to relieve and help him; but more respect is to be had of a man, although a Malefactor, and much more an Innocent, as he that fell among thiefs and was hurt, Luke the tenth chapter: But if it be not only an Innocent, but an exalted person, as Josiah, then great respect is to be had; but ecce, major Josiah hìc, Matthew the twelfth chapter; it is Christ that suffers: of whom not only Pilate saith Ecce, John the nineteenth chapter, but the Centurion 〈◊〉 Verè hic salis est Deus; this makes it a cause not to be matched. The cause of those his sufferings is imputed not to the bloody Soldiers, or hardhearted Jews, or high-Priests & Scribes, but afflixit Deus. When God doth as well chasten in wrath, as christian in his displeasure, this is not done in his merciful chastisement, but in his wrathful displeasure, in die furoris ejus, nay his colour was red. When God is angry, or punisheth grievously, it is for some grievous sin, and is for some notable sin, of which it may be said non sicut, had our Saviour deserved the wrath of God in such manner. Pilate confesseth, He found nothing in him, John the fourteenth chapter and the 〈◊〉 verse, Why then did he suffer? It was foretold, The Messiah should be stain, Daniel the ninth chapter and the twenty fist verse, not for himself, but for others. He that took not a penny was made to pay for all: That is the nature of surety ship; he undertaking to be our surety, our debt became his. It is a pitiful thing to see a Lamb have his throat cut; but if he will be a Sacrifice, it must be so. Christ undertook to be our Surety, to be a Sacrifice to God for our sins; therefore he was wounded for our sins, By his stripes we are healed; Posuit Deus super eum iniquitates omnes nostras, Isaiah the fifty third chapter. That stroke that brought forth that bloody sweat, and the forsaking that brought forth that cry, should have light upon us. The parts to us. Have we no regard? Had it not concerned us, as a thing for our benefit, yet we ought to have had compassion, and not only as unsensible Creatures; for at the time of Christ's sufferings, the rocks and stones clavae, and the veil of the Temple was rend, Matthew the twenty seventh chapter: Thus were the insensible Creatures moved at his sufferings, and men not moved a whit. Our Saviour showeth, that albeit he felt such a great blow; yet neither the sense of his sufferings, nor his being bereft of all comfort, did grieve him so much as this, That we have no regard of it; therefore followeth this petition, Mark now; though heretofore ye have had no regard, yet now behold it. It consists of three points: First, to see, He was as the brazen Serpent, let up, that all men should cast up their eyes; so he saith, John the twelfth chapter, If I were lift up I will draw all men to me. Secondly, To see, and not to consider, is a folly: to see and look with gazing, is that which the Angels found fault with, Acts the first chapter: We must not only look to Jesus, the Author and finisher of our faith, Hebrews the twelfth chapter; but, as it followeth, recogitate: think on him again and again, what great things he suffered, what comfort he was bereft of, He that had suffered was the son of God, Hebrews the second chapter, and he suffered for us. Consider the love wherewith Christ was moved to suffer this for us; and the benefit that comes to us from his passion: he being an innocent, there was no necessity for him to die; and having guards of Angels, as Matthew the twenty sixth chapter, he could not be compelled to suffer; but he did it willingly: He first made him a body fit to suffer, and then 〈◊〉 that body for us; and that was love, and never the like love, whether we respect God or Christ. God gave his only Son; no greater benefit could be given us, than that. Christ's love appears to us, by his obedience to his Father: His love to us is showed, that for us, he that was the greatest person that ever was, became obedient to death, even of the Cross; that he suffered not only a shameful, but cursed death, Factus est maledictum, Galatians the third chapter; for cursed is every one that hangeth on tree: Never was there the like love; his very death had been sufficient for our redemption: For it is God himself that offered this 〈◊〉; and this he did to make us consider his love, Si fuerit amor sicut. But in regard of the benefit that comes to us, his death is our restament, whereby we come to an inheritance; the day of wrath to him, is our day of reconciliation and jubilee; his stripes, our medicine; his forsaking, our receiving to favour. Thus are we to consider his sufferings, in respect of the fruit that comes to us by it: We are to have a sympathy, as also to conceive an antipathy against sin. The cause of his grievous passion, we must show it, pertains to us, not only by looking and thinking on it, but by doing something, as Luke the twenty third chapter, Hoc facite in commemor 〈◊〉: the thing to be done, is the celebrating of his Sacraments; and that is a mean, to be partaker of his sufferings, and we shall be united to him, and all that he hath deserved. By these his sufferings shall be ours, omnia ejus nostra: As God hath given us his son to die for us, so cum filio dabit omnia, Romans 8. 32. Nam eratis velut oves errantes: sed nunc convertistis vos ad Pastorem & Curatorem animarum vestrarum. 1 Pet. 2. 25. WHICH words present to us, First, the Christians, to whom the Apostle wrote this Epistle, and consequently ourselves under the term of Sheep. Secondly, our Saviour Christ, who is the pastor and Shepherd, as he affirms of himself, John the tenth chapter, I am the true Shepherd. That which concerns us, doth set out a double state: First, That we were as sheep going a stray: Secondly, As sheep converted. The one is our estare, wherein we were before our conversion; the other our estate after conversion. The one is a state of misery endless; the other of felicity without end. In the treaty whereof, three things are offered, First, the term of Sheep, applied to ourselves. Secondly, Shepherd, with the application of it to Christ. Thirdly, our error and conversion. First, For the term of Sheep, there is no name so often borrowed to express the state of Mankind; whereof, besides the application which the Apostle makes of it here, we have a plain exposition, in Ezekiel the thirty fourth chapter, & hae omnes homines saint. Of these terms that are found in the Scripture applied to Christian men, there are two especially: The first of Plants, Thereby Christ chooseth the Vine: The second of Living Creatures, sheep. They are both, Psalm the eightieth, Thou hast brought a Vine out of Egypt; and for the other, Thou that leadest Joseph like a Sheep. And so in the new Testament, the state of the Church compared to a Sheep-fold, John the tenth chapter; and John the fifteenth chapter, to a Vine. The congruities between the Church and these terms are many, but that which is specially here to be observed, is the need of having a Shepherd. The Vine is the weakest of all other Plants, and must be raised up against the house side, or else it will not prosper, Ezekiel the fifteenth chapter: So for Sheep, they are weak and of small strength. For their wisdom, there is no Creature so easily 〈◊〉 and carried astray; for they of themselves delight to go astray: and so they are not of any reach or wisdom: Secondly for power, they are unable to resist, but are a pray to every wild beast. To these we add a third point, that is, no Creature hath so many enemies. So it is with the Church; As they are Sheep, they have Thiefs and Robbers, John the tenth chapter: As they are like the Vine, there is the wild Boar out of the 〈◊〉, Psalm the eightieth. Whatsoever is weak of itself, and bathe many enemies, hath need of help from another: So that if there be a Thief and Wolf quem 〈◊〉, there must be some body ad quem confugere debent. If the Wolf do disgregare and 〈◊〉, there must be one that will congregare Oves. If to be scattered be a misery, the remedy against that is, to be in the unity of a flock; and the way to be delivered from being a pray, is to be under the defence of a Shepherd. The one is the wisdom, the other is the strength of this poor Creature. Then to err from the Fold and Shepherd, is the only evil that can be fall them; so the Prophet 〈◊〉, Ezekiel the thirty fourth chapter, They straggled on every Hill; and 〈◊〉 the ninth chapter, our Saviour describes the misery of the people, to show them, that they were as Sheep without a Shepherd. If to err be a misery, than our felicity stands, either in staying in the Fold, or, if we be gone astray, to return to the Shepherd, that is, to Christ, who promiseth life, and abundance of life, to him that converteth unto him, the tenth chapter of St. John's Gospel, and the tenth verse. Secondly, For the term of Shepherd and Bishop, it is applied to Christ by Congregation, being a flock. Every Governor is a Shepherd, not only in regard of the state of the Church, but in respect of the Commonwealth: For it is first applied to Joseph, who was a politic Magistrate, Genesis the forty ninth chapter; so to Joshuah, when Moses prayeth for a civil Governor to be 〈◊〉 over the People, Numbers the twenty seventh chapter; so, Psalm the seventy seventh, Thou leadest thy People like sheep, by the hand of Moses and Adron: Psalm the seventy eighth, He took me from the Sheepfold to feed Israel: And in the first book of Kings, the twenty second chapter, Ahab being slain, the People of Israel, are amazed, 〈◊〉 Sheep wand'ring on the waters without a Shepherd: So Isaiah 44. 〈…〉 est. This was the opinion of the Heathen; and therefore such temporal Governors are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and not only so, but as it followeth, they are pastors animarum: For seeing men are reasonable Creatures, God forbidden but a Magistrate should have a greater regard of men, than rural Shepherds of Sheep that are pecora 〈…〉 the the fift chapter, the mount of God, from whence came the Law: But here is Gods own hill from whence came the Gospel. As the term Shepheard, so is Pastor, Ezekiel the thirty fourth chapter and the eighteenth verse, to tread on the good pastures; and drink of the deep waters. These are applied to the state Civil, as Psalm the twenty third and the second verse, The Lord is my Shepherd, he maketh me to rest on green 〈◊〉, and 〈…〉 to the still waters. But as these terms are applied to the Commonwealth; so also the Church is a flock, and the Shepherd is Christ. All that came before him were but thiefs, as he saith, I am the true Shepherd; and therefore it is more excellently applied to him 〈◊〉 to any other: For no Shepherd can say of his 〈◊〉, he made them; but we are the Sheep of his Church, Psalm the hundred and tenth. No shepherd bought his sheep with his blood; but Christ 〈◊〉 purchased his Church with his blood, Acts the 〈◊〉 chapter. No shepherd feedeth his flock with himself, as Christ 〈◊〉 feed us with the preaching of his word, being in his divine nature 〈◊〉 and with his flesh, in his humane nature. But the Apostle 〈◊〉 not himself to call him Shepherd, but Bishop. There was in the Church pastors & Doctores, Ephesians the fourth chapter and the eleventh verse, and the first epistle to the Corinthians, the twelfth chapter, Both Teachers and Governors They fed men by teaching, and so made them more able in the inward man; but there were other Pastors by oversight called Bishops: Both titles have their ground, in John the twenty first chapter and the sixteenth verse, where Christ saith to Peter, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one word signifies to feed, the other to govern: So there are pastors, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The 〈◊〉 of their gifts, makes the difference of titles. Many have the gift of feeding, by teaching, that have not the gift of oversight and Government. St. Paul gave Titus' power to order, Titus the first chapter; to Timothy, to receive accusations, the first epistle to Timothy the fift chapter; to put to silence, to correct, to visit; Acts the fifteenth chapter, every one hath not such power, neither is it fit they should have. Out of which words, for our moral instruction, seeing it hath pleased Christ, to the office of Pastors to add Bishops, he left us exemples, as the first epistle of Peter the second chapter, to teach us that have or that must have a regard of others, must be free from sleep: Therefore it is said of such, Hebrews the thirteenth chapter Vigilant pro animabus vestris; unlike those of whom, Isaiah the fifty six chapter, Their shepherds lie a sleep, and delight in sleeping, Nebemiah the second chapter and the first verse, neither must they be negligent. Some have a care, but it is to feed themselves with the milk, and themselves with the fleece, 〈◊〉 the thirty fourth chapter. They are Episcopi uberum & vellerum; but it is of the souls that they must be careful. That is the end of their Government: as also of civil Magistrates, and Masters of Families: And that Governor that hath not this end, is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he aimeth at a wrong mark. Thirdly, For the erring, and turning again, he saith, Ye went astray, and so hazarded your souls. We know it is one thing to be lost, and another to err; Luke the fifteenth chapter, The groat was lost, the Sheep was not lost, but strayed away of itself, and that is a voluntary thing: but this is not to be applied to matter of opinion, but to error of life, as Proverbs the fourteenth chapter, Nun oves errand, quia operant 〈◊〉? That straying is set forth in the riotous young man, Luke the fifteenth chapter; who, by mispending his goods on Harlots, was brought to misery. They that stray are such as commit sin with greediness, Ephesians the fourth chapter, that is, not by the negligence of such as are set over us, but by our own corruption. As we go astray by errors of life; so by errors of opinion, as James the second chapter, That wait upon lying vanities, and for sake their own mercy, by crrors of life and opinion; They for sake their father's house, as John saith, in the first epistle of John and the second chapter, Those things I writ, ne peccetis: So we preach ne erretis. We say as the Angel did to Sarai her maid Agar, Remember whence thou comest and whither thou goest, Genesis the sixteenth chapter: Therefore the Disciples, when others went astray, said to Christ, John the sixth chapter, Whether should we go away? that is, we say not to forsake the fellowship of the Church, nor to withdraw themselves, For in such my soul hath no delight, 〈◊〉 the tenth chapter. But Peter confesseth here, you have sinned and gone astray: what then? If we say we have no sin, we are not only proud, but liars, the first epistle of John and the first chapter. The Prophet saith, All we, like sheep, have gane astray, and turned every one to his own way, Isaiah the fifty third chapter. The direction of the Law is, Not to sin; But the comfort of the Gospel is, that albeit we have sinned, yet we are turned, as the Apostle saith here, Ye were as sheep going astray, but now ye are turned: So in the first epistle to the Corinthians the sixth chapter, ye were sinners, of all forts; haec 〈◊〉, but now you are justified and sanctified. So than if men err, the next point is, to confess 〈◊〉, not to continue in sin. If a man persevere in sin, he is out of his right way; but if he will go no further in it, he will redire ad cor, as Luke the fifteenth chapter, we must return to ourselves; that is it, where unto the Apostle exhorts them, Acts the third chapter and the nineteenth verse, Repent and turn, as Joel 〈◊〉, Return to the Lord with your whole heart, Joel the second chapter. Of which repentance we must conceive as of a tree that must bring forth fruit; as Acts the twenty sixth chapter, To bring forth works worthy of repentance. The works worthy of repentance, are first, To judge ourselves, the first epistle to the Corinthians, the eleventh chapter; then to punish and take revenge of ourselves, the second epistle to the Corinthians, the seventh chapter and the eleventh verse. Secondly, these are turned ad 〈◊〉, which give over an evil course of life; but after they turn to another, hat is worse; that is not repentance. As a man having been an Idolater, to become a sacrilegious person, that is worse, Romans the second chapter, such a one is not turned to the Bishop of our souls. So when a civil man becomes worldly, or a profane person proveth a Schifmatrick. The last point is, That when a man is turned, God doth not only speak peace to him, but he will speak to his Saints that they return not again to folly, Psalm the eighty fift & the ninth verse: When we are turned to Christ, he will say, Luke the twenty fourth chapter, Mane nobiscum, that was said to Christ after his resurrection. So at the feast of 〈◊〉 we come to the Pastor and Bishop of our souls, and confess we were turned: therefore being now risen again, we must tarry with him; we 〈◊〉 not turn again to folly: We must consider how it was with us, when we trampled his pasture under our feet, and 〈◊〉 the waters, yea, we wandered on the mountains, and upon every hill, 〈◊〉 the thirty fourth chapter. We must 〈◊〉 if it were better with us before, as Hosea the second chapter: And being turned, we must make this conclusion, Ephesians the fift chapter, Ye were 〈…〉 now are light; therefore walk as children of light. So we were as sheep going astray, but now being turned to Christ, the 〈◊〉 and Bishop of our souls, we must continue under the protection of our Pastors, and when the chief Shepherd cometh, we shall receive the crown of life, which he hath purchased, the first epistle of Peter, the fist chapter, an incorruptible Crown of glory. Paulisper, & non conspicietis me: & rursum paulisper, & videbitis me, quia ego vado ad Patrem. Job. 16 16. THEY be the words of Christ, spoken to his Disciples to comfort them, being in heaviness, because Christ was to be taken from them, verse the sixth; for here is matter of double sorrow. For first That they should not see him: Secondly, That he was to go such a journey from them. But there is a double comfort answerable. The comfort of not seeing him is, after a while ye shall see me: The comfort against his departure is, that he goeth to his Father. The words in effect are as much as if he said, within a while I shall suffer death upon the Cross, and be buried; and within a while after, I shall arise again, and ascend up to my Father, which is a special matter of comfort and rejoicing, as John the fourteenth chapter and the twenty eighth verse, If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go to my Father: They knew not what he meant by those words, verse the eighteenth; therefore our Saviour maketh a commentary on them, verse the twentieth, ye shall not see me, that is, ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: And again, ye shall see me, that is, your sorrow shall be turned into laughter and joys. Again, he makes it more plain with a comparison, verse the twenty first, non videbitis; that shall be to you as the pangs of a woman labouring with child; and ye shall see me, that is like the joy she conceiveth after her deliverance. For the first point he saith, verse the fourth, he did not tell them of his departure from the beginning, nor yet a great while before his passion, but only now; that is some diminishing of their grief. But in the second point there is much more comfort; that is, albeit he must be taken from them, yet they shall not only see him again, but very shortly after. The vision that is for many days, 〈◊〉 us to long and thirst after the accomplishment of it; but Christ cells them, they shall see him again, and that very shortly. The same course he keeps in the reason; for he saith, quia vado, not to the cross and passion, that was not a matter so pleasing, but ad Patrem, that is it that doth increase their joy. Wherein we are to observe Christ's method of comfort, not to minister comfort before the time. To see is a good and comfortable thing, Ecclesiastes the eleventh chapter; the want of which benefit, made Tohias that he had no joy. And as God giveth sight, so hath he made many excellent Creatures for us to 〈◊〉; whereof the Wiseman saith, non satiatur oculus. And there are not only real, but personal objects. Adam opened his eyes and saw the light, but saw nothing, till God made one like himself. The personal object is the more comfortable. But in the person many things make it more desirous: As to see a person whom we love, and who loveth us, that is a sight of comfort: So was it a great joy to Jacob, to see Joseph, Genesis the forty sixth chapter; such is the joy of the Spouse to see Christ, Canticles the sixth chapter. Touching Christ's love, himself saith, John the fifteenth chapter, Majorem hac charitatem habet nemo; he loved us being his enemies. If then the view of a man be comfortable, what shall we say of the fight of God, that must needs be Visio beatifica? In him is fullness of joy, Psalm the sixteenth; The pure in heart shall be blessed, quia videbit Deum, Matthew the fift chapter: That was it that made Philip say, John the fourteenth chapter, ostend nobis Patrem, & sufficit. But he that seethe Christ, seethe God the Father, as he saith, He that seethe me, seethe the Father. When Moses desired God to show him his glory, Exodus the thirty third chapter: though he shown but his back parts, yet it was so glorious a sight, that they that beheld Moses face, saw the skin shine, Exocus the thirty fourth chapter, so that he was fain to cover it. And, as in the second epistle to the Corinthians the third chapter, we are transformed into his image: Christ in his corruptible nature being transfigured in the presence of his Disciples, was so glorious, that they desired they might go no more home, Matthew the seventeenth chapter: Therefore if the fight of God's presence be a matter of so great joy, non videbitis must needs be occasion of great sorrow: Which is exemplified in Adam; who having sinned, though he were in Paradise, a place of all comfort; yet he had no joy, because he could not see God, as he was wont: Therefore Cain complaineth, I am cast out of thy presence, Genesis the fourth chapter: And not only the Reprobate, but David saith, Psalm the thirty first and the twenry second verse, I said in my haste, I am cast out of thy presence, or fight: which shown, that as videbitis must be the persection of all felicity; so non videbitis is the sum of all misery; especially if it be not qualified with modicum, Psalm the thirteenth, How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord, for ever? Psalm the seventy seventh: Will the Lord absent himself for ever? Psalm the eighty ninth: And that which he faith, John the fourteenth chapter and the nineteenth verse, The world shall see me no more; if modicum be not added, there is no 〈◊〉 like this. Out of this we learn to seek God's favour, as Psalm the twenty first, and he saith, Seek my face, to answer, My heart never leaveth thinking on this. And if we have lost the comfort of it, to complain as David, Psalm the thirty first, I am cast out of thy presence: For albeit men in the time of their youth, delight in other fights; yet the days will come, when they shall say, Show us the lights of thy countenance, Psalm the fourth; Turn us again, O Lord, show us the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole, Psalm the eightieth; We shall desire to see one of Christ's days, Luke the seventeenth chapter and the twenty second verse: All flesh shall see him at his appearing, even they that pierced him, Apoc. 6. Secondly, We are to inquire, what manner of sight he speaketh of, for as much as men see not only with bodily eyes, but with the eyes of understanding. They that with their bodily eyes beheld Christ before his Passion, and after his Resurrection, did not understand it, Luke the twenty fourth chapter and the eleventh verse. As there is an outward light, so an inward light of the mind, into which the doctrine of the Gospel doth shine, the second epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter, as the light of the Sun 〈◊〉 to our outward sense. There are things that cannot be seen of the bodily eyes, which we do yet behold and look on with the eye of faith, the second epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter: and Moses is said to have loved God invisible, Hebrews the eleventh chapter. So the bad qualities of men, as 〈◊〉, are invisible to the outward eye; but yet we see it by the light of our understanding. Such a sight is that which he promiseth, John the fourteenth chapter, I will make myself manifest to him. He shown himself to Judas as well as to Peter bodily: But as it was a special touch, wherewith 〈◊〉 now touched the hem of his garment and was healed, Matthew the ninth chapter; so the view that Peter had of Christ, had another manner of effect than Judas beholding, Luke the twenty second chapter. But even this spiritual sight hath also a deceit, as, in the first epistle to the Corinthians, the thirteenth chapter, Now we see through a glass, but then face to face: So there are two words to that purpose, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to see in a glass; but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to see a thing as it is. The Angels do continually behold God's face; we have but an enigmatical sight of him in this life, and it is soon lost; as Christ being risen from death, was seen of Mary Magdalen and others, in the habit of a Gardener: To them that traveled to Emaus, at one time they did see him, and at another time they could not see him. Touching which, he that shall consider the desire which the Saints of God have of this benefit, shall easily perceive what matter of sorrow it was; for Psalm the ninety second, My soul is a thirst for the living God; Psalm the eighty fourth it saith. For the City of my God; again, How long wilt thou forget me, for ever? but modicum, & videbitis, that gives comfort again. Heaviness may endure for a night, that is modicum, & non videbitis; but joy cometh in the morning, that is modicum, & videbitis, Psalm the thirtieth. The delaying of hope is the fainting of the heart, Proverbs the eighteenth chapter, but the desire accomplished is the tree of life. Modicum, & videbitis, is as the tree of life, that quickens the sool, Isaiah the sixty fourth chapter, For a moment in my anger I forsake them, but with great compassion will I gather them. As he gives the matter of grief in non videbitis, and comfort in videbitis, ye shall see me within a while; so in the reason, quia vado, that is the grief, but ad Patrem, that is matter of comfort: He goeth; but woe to him by whom she Son of man goeth, Matthew the twenty sixth chapter, that is matter of sorrow; but when he saith ad Patrem, that is, not to an enemy that keeps me long from you, but to my father; the same that sent me at my birth, and will send me again, by my Resurrection. Secondly, As he went to 〈◊〉 a cruel Judge on earth, so to as severe a Judge in Heaven: But yet when you hear me say, Why hast thou forsaken me? yet still he is my Father; as if he should say, this is a hard way, but yet I must go this way. Thirdly, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not quia, but quòd vado, that is the contrary, I shall be carried up in a cloud. Secondly, From the consideration of Christ's words, verse the fift, I go my way, and none 〈◊〉 me whither I go, that is to be understood, as of the place whither; but to what purpose? for of the place Peter asked, in the thirteenth chapter and the thirty sixth verse; Domine, quò vadis? So here the placing of ad Patrem, is to show that he went to reconcile God; not only that he be no enemy, but propitiou and favourable; not as a friend to a friend, but as a father to his children; to make us the children of God his Father, and so joint heirs with himself; Romans the eighth chapter; So Christ saith, Ascendo ad Patrem meum & Patrem vestrum, ad Deum meum & Deum vestrum, John the twentieth chapter and the seventeenth verse: By my death God is made your Father. Therefore as a woman travaileth in sorrow, but being delivered, is glad, quia natus est homo. So by my death there is a new nativity, and you are to be glad, that by me you are made the children of God, that is, by my going away to the Father. For the Use, as Christ saith of himself, non videbitis, and again, modicum, & videbitis; that is, verse the twentieth, re shall weep and lament, and the world shall rejoice. We are to reckon of the things and persons of this life, that is truly said of the modicum, & videbitis: and again modicum, & non videbitis; their continuance is uncertain. We have had much peace by the space of forty one years, during which time we saw her which now we see not: it was a great time indeed, but it was but modicum; for a thousand years in God's sight is but as yesterday, Psalm the nintieth. As all worldly things are seen for a little time, and shortly after are not to be seen. So for vado, all things in the world are passing, they vade & pass away, as in the first epistle of John and the second chapter, The world passeth away. The use which we have is, the inverting of non 〈◊〉 me, & videbitis. The world saith, ye shall see me for a while, and within a while ye shall not see me; that is the state of the world, as in 〈◊〉 the fourteenth chapter, Externa gaudia luctus occipit: But in Christ the not seeing goeth before, and the seeing goeth after, that is, Psalm the 〈◊〉, Heaviness goeth before, and endures for a night, but joy cometh after in the morning. But the world setteth on the best wine 〈◊〉, and the worst after; but Christ keepeth the best wine till last. He that will follow the world, shall see some happiness here, and not see after: but follow Christ, and thou shalt not see here, that thou mayest see after. Whether of these sights is better, the Apostle showeth in the second epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter, the things that are seen here are temporal, the things that are not seen, eternal. So that we may have our choice, either to see, and not to see; or not to see here that we may see hereafter, which is better: therefore the Psalmists prayer is, Let me not see here a little while, that I may see eternally. So for Vado, as we see worldly things a little here, and then see them not any more; so all worldly things pass and go, but whither, the world knoweth not. He that seethe not Christ here by the sight of the glass, shall never see him; for he goeth to utter dar knesse; Vadit ad Judicem, non ad Patrem, and the smoke of his torment shall ascend continually. The godly that have seen Christ, shall go to his Father, though through many afflictions, seeing Christ saith, After a while ye shall not see me, to show that he was mindful of death. We must study and labour that our end be like his, that so we may be partakers of his promises. I will show myself to him, which was matter of comfort, as in the transfiguration: That albeit to go away be a hard way; yet we be assured, as Christ was, that we go to the Father, Wither I go thou canst not follow me now, but thou shalt follow me after, John the thirteenth chapter, that is, to God the Father, and to his comfortable presence, where we shall have that joy, which no man shall take from us, John the sixteenth chapter and the twenty second verse. Whatsoever joy a man can have here, it shall be taken from him, but the joy of God's sight shall never be taken from him. We go to that Father, which shall give us an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not, the first epistle of Peter, the first chapter. Adeo provocantes Deum ad indignationem factis suis, ut irrumperet in eos plaga; donec consistente Pinchaso & judicium exercente, coercita esset plaga illa. Psal. 106. 29.30. THERE is in these two verses mention of the plague. And as it is here said, the plague was great among them, so great, as there died of it four and twenty thousand, Numbers the twenty fift chapter. And now God hath laid the same axe to the root of our trees, and the same razor to cut off some of our number, Isaiah the seventh chapter and the twenty eighth verse: Therefore our state being like theirs, while they wandered in the wilderness, Every thing in the Scriptures be written for our instruction, Romans the fifteenth chapter. We must take direction from this principle, what to do in this case. That which is set down touching them, is of two sorts: First, The cause of this plague, They provoked God with their inventions: Secondly, the Cure, Phinehas stood up and prayed, and it ceased. The Cause is double, First, Their inventions: Secondly, God's Anger, provoked by them. And from these two come both, The wrath of God is the 〈◊〉 Cause, per quod; and their inventions, the Cause propter quod. So a double Cure: Against God's Anger, is opposed, as a remedy, Prayer; and against Inventions, the executing of judgement upon these sinners. The Prayer is qualified in two sorts: First, that is Phinehas prayer: Secondly, He stood up in the cause. The first thing to be set down is, That sickness and mortality of people is causal, and not casual; for nothing is more contrary than Chance or Fortune, and Judgement. For seeing a sparrow cannot light on the ground, without God's providence, such is God's care for them, though two of them be sold for a farthing, Matthew the tenth chapter, it is a senseless thing to think that sickness can befall a man by chance. Therefore the Philistims, being plagued by God would try whether that disease came of God's hand, or by chance, the first book of Samuel, the sixth chapter and the ninth verse. But the very name of plague signifying originally judgement, shows it is no casual thing, as in the first epistle to the Corinthians, the eleventh chapter, where he saith, They did eat and drink their own judgement, that is, that many were sick among them, and many 〈◊〉. So the mortality at Corinth, was God's judgement: and so the Latin word plaga, being a stripe, showeth the same. If a stripe, there is a striker: so then, they are not casual. If a Surgeon, Physician, or Philosopher, were to give a reason hereof, he will impute the cause to the infection of the air, the putrefaction of the bodies by humours, and to conversing one with another; and they are good causes of it: For so saith God, Exodus the ninth chapter and the tenth verse, Mases took the ashes of the furnace, and cast them up in the 〈◊〉, and they caused a stink: And David in his sickness saith, Psalm the thirty second, His moisture was like the draught in Summer. Therefore in the plague of Leprosy, Leviticus the thirteenth chapter and the forty fift verse, the Leper was to have his mouth shut up. David, in that great 〈◊〉, spoken of in the first book of Chronicles, the twenty first chapter and the thirtieth verse, would have gone to 〈◊〉, but be found he should not, feared with the Angel: Therefore the servant of God saith, Proverbs the fourteenth chapter, A wise man 〈◊〉 the plague, and shuneth it, but the foolish goeth on still. But these are not the only causes: For besides 〈◊〉, there is some divine thing to be considered; for there is no 〈◊〉, but a spirit belongs to it, as Luke the thirteenth chapter and the eleventh verse, a spirit of infirmity. So are we to conceive, that besides natural causes, there is some spiritual, of the sickness, as 〈…〉 twelfth chapter, a destroying Angel. So in David's plague in the second book of Samuel, the twenty fourth chapter: And 〈◊〉 the thirty seventh chapter and the thirty sixth verse, the Angel went forth and slew: And, Apocalypse the sixteenth chapter and the 〈◊〉 verse, The Angels poured out the Vials of the wrath of God, and there fell a noisome sore: So it is God's hand that brings in these plagues. The cause stands on two parts, First, God's wrath, 〈◊〉 which all evil things proceed; For affliction cometh not from the earth, Job the fift chapter and the sixth verse: They are sparks of his anger. And he is not angry with the waters, that they should drown, 〈◊〉 the third chapter; nor with the air, that it should corrupt; but for these things cometh the wrath of God, that is, for our sins, 〈◊〉 the fift chapter. He doth but make a way to his wrath, and then the earth 〈◊〉 up, the 〈…〉, Psalm the seventy eighth. The sins of the people are the cause of God's wrath. Peccata morum go before peccata humorum. There is first corruption of the soul, Michah 〈◊〉 first chapter and the third verse: All flesh had corrupted their 〈◊〉, Genesis the sixth chapter: So there is infection in men's ways, before the streets be infected. There is plaga animae, the plague in the soul, before it appear in the body. It is sin that bringeth sickness and death, Romans the sixth chapter: So they are both joined, Psalm the thirty eighth and the third verse, There is no rest in my bones, because of my sin: Therefore it is our sin and infection of the soul, that must be looked into. If it were some outward cause only, it could not be but the plague should stay, 〈◊〉 there is so great store of means, Jeremiah the eighth chapter, Is there no balm in Gilead: But he saith, Jeremiah the forty sixth chapter and the eleventh verse, Frustra multiplicas medicanda; sin being not taken away, physic will do 〈◊〉 good. First, the corruption of manners must be helped, and then bodily help will follow; Psalm the forty first, Heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee. And that course our Saviour keeps, Matthew the ninth chapter, first he saith, Thy sin is forgiven; and then, Take up thy bed and walk. These sins he calls inventions. Inventions please us greatly, and all new things; our new omnia, better than old Manna, Numbers the eleventh chapter: But if it be our own inventions, than we go a whoring after it. Such is the delight we take in it, verse the thirty ninth. Our first Parents were of this mind so proud they would not take a rule of life from God, but would sicut Dii, Genesis the third chapter; They set up to themselves graven Images, Exodus the 〈◊〉 chapter: They have Dii alieni, such as their Fathers had. Not when men living otherwise then God 〈…〉, I shall have peace, Deuteromie the twenty ninth chapter and the 〈◊〉 verse, These webs that we wove ourselves, and these eggs that we hatch, Isaiah the fifty ninth chapter, are our confusion, and 〈◊〉 God; and great reason: For, Exodus the fifteenth chapter and the twenty sixth verse, he saith, If thou 〈…〉 to my 〈◊〉 I will lay no disease, Ego Dominus 〈◊〉: But if we follow our own inventions, we can look for nothing but diseases, quid tibi praecipio, haec 〈…〉 Deuteronomie the twelfth chapter, 〈◊〉 men will be 〈◊〉 than 〈◊〉 that was saul's rebellion; he would not destroy all, as God commanded, he was wiser than so. But what were these inventions? It is said, verse the twenty eighth, They joined themselves to Baal 〈◊〉, Numbers the twenty fift chapter, that is, the sin of whoring and fornication; and that impudently before the congregation, committed by Zimry and Cosby. It was the adoring of an abominable Idol; a sin so grievous, as it is said many years after, 〈◊〉 not enough of the sin of Peor? Joshuah the twenty second chapter; it is a sin that will not be cleansed at the first. And we see daily the sin of uncleanness ends with a plague that is infectious. For the Cure, It is certain, As there are natural causes, so natural cures of this Diseise. 〈◊〉, as some Writers do hold, had this Disease, and used not only prayer, but a plaster, by the Prophet's direction, Isaiah the fifty eighth chapter. But as the cause of the plague is not only natural, so here is used a spiritual remedy; that is, in as much as contrary, curantur contrariis viis. If the provoking of God's anger be the Cause of the plague, the appeasing of it by prayer must be the Remedy. The two remedies are out of the double sense of the word, which signifieth prayer and punishing. Prayer is an appeaser of God's wrath, not only in other points, but in this, Numbers the twenty fift chapter, They all wept and prayed: And David, in the second book of Samuel, the twenty fourth chapter and the seventeenth verse, fled to this remedy, I have sinned, but these sheep what have they done? And Hezekiah being infected with the plague, turned himself to the wall, Isaiah the thirty eighth chapter: And in salomon's prayer, the first of the Kings and the eighth chapter, where plagues, or corrupt agues shall hop, here then in heaven. And there is a good proportion between this remedy and the disease: For if there be a corrupt smell, the way to take it away is by the good smell of incense or perfume. So, as our sin doth give an evil savour, and stink in God's nostrils; so the spiritual incense will remove it, and that incense is prayer, Psalm the forty first: Therefore the prayers of the Saints are called odours, Apocalypse the fift chapter. But it must be prayer qualified in two sorts. First, Phinehas prayer, that is, the prayer of the Priest. So David had Gad to pray for him; Hezekiah had Isaiah, Lift thou up thy prayer, Isaiah the thirty eighth chapter: The Corinthians had Gad to pray for them, the first epistle to the Corinthians the eleventh chapter. The prayers of all the just are available, but specially of the elders, therefore send for them, James the fift chapter. A Sergeant, Constable, or Scrivener, by virtue of his office, may do that which a greater man cannot do; so the prayer of a person called to that holy function, may prevail more: The Priests are appointed to offer up prayers, and the calves of the lips, Hosea the fourteenth chapter. So, Genesis the twentieth chapter, Abraham is a Prophet, and shall pray for thee, Leviticus the sixth chapter and the seventh verse: he shall pray for thee, Orabit pro eo Sacerdos: Therefore Hezekiah saith, Lift up thou thy prayers, Isaiah the thirty eighth chapter. And Saint James saith in his fift chapter, The prayer of faith made by the Elders shall save the sick. The prayer of the just avails much, but especially of the elders and Priests; for to such a grace is given, as in the first epistle to the Corinthians and the fifteenth chapter, Gratia data est 〈◊〉; and this grace is not in vain. Secondly, But it must be oratio cum station, Phinehas stood up and prayed. For, as in the first epistle to the Corinthians and the eleventh chapter, of a woman uncovered, judge whether it be a comely thing to sit still in prayer. All things in the Church must be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the first epistle to the Corinthians, the fourteenth chapter. We must please and serve God, etiam habitu corporis. The Angels of God stood before God, Job the first chapter; The Cherubims stood and hid their faces, Isaiah the sixth chapter: And millions of Angels stood before the seat, Daniel the seventh chapter. Therefore we must conclude our sitting is not pleasing to God: Sedentes orare extra Discipulum est. The other sense is, the execution or judgement: And it hath a good relation to sins, They prayed and wept, Numbers the twenty fift chapter; but that prevailed not, till Phinehas executed vengeance upon the sin: but the vengeance being performed, by Phinehas, the plague ceased, verse the eighth. So then the wrath of God will cease, if people cease to sin; or if Phinehas, the Magistrate, begin to punish sin in the people. For punishment is of two sorts: First, Every man in himself, is to punish sin, as David smit his heart, in the second book of Samuel, the twenty fift chapter and the twenty fourth verse; and the first epistle to the Corinthians the eleventh chapter, judge yourselves. But if not Moses, the Magistrate must take vengeance of sin; for if he will not, God himself will set his face against that Magistrate, Leviticus the twentieth chapter. When the people look not at him that strikes them, but to natural causes, then shall the hand of God be stretched out still, Isaiah the ninth chapter and the thirteenth verse. The wrath of God for our sins being the cause of this plague, we must appease him with prayer and repentance. If we fail to do this, the devotion of the Priest, and the zeal of the Magistrate, must look to it, else the plague cannot but still increase. Amen. Amen. Addenda. Vae vobis Legis interpretibus, quoniam sustulistis Clavem cognitionis: ipsi non introstis, & eos qui introibant prohibuistis. Luke 11. 52. Octob. 13. 1590. Place this in the beginning of the book next before the Sermon upon Gen. 1. 1. For this was the Bishop's first. Lecture in Saint Paul's, preached as an Introduction to his following discourse upon the four first chapters of Genesis. KNOWLEDGE of 〈◊〉 things is compared by our Saviour Christ to a Key 〈◊〉 the eleventh chapter of Luke and the 〈◊〉 second 〈◊〉, as being a thing necessary both to 〈…〉 in this life the way we should walk in, 〈◊〉 the second chapter, the tenth and 〈…〉; as also for the entrance into the 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 the life to come. For which cause holy men, in 〈◊〉 have 〈…〉 to this kind of knowledge, Jeremiah the 〈…〉 chapter 〈◊〉 the thirty fourth verse; and these have made it 〈◊〉 delight, 〈◊〉 the fifty eighth chapter and the thirteenth verse; and prefer it before their daily food, Job the twenty third chapter; and esteem it above all treasures, Proverbs the second chapter and the fourth verse. But such as are ignorant, and know not these thing 〈◊〉 biddeth to go out and dwell among beasts, Cant, the first chapter and the seventh verse, as if they were not worthy the company of men: and therefore Christ weepeth for them, Luke the 〈…〉 chapter, as if their case were most 〈◊〉, which knew not that they ought. Wherefore God hath given 〈◊〉 means and ways, by which we may come to knowledge. The one is the 〈◊〉 of the World, by the view of his Creatures 〈…〉 hearing of his word, by the Ministry of Men. These two, are the two great leaves of this gate and way to Heaven, which that 〈◊〉 of knowledge must unlock and set wide open, that so we may 〈◊〉 enter therein. Which two means are spoken of, and 〈◊〉 unto us, in Psalm the nineteenth, the first and the 〈…〉. And St. Paul beginneth his epistle to the Romans with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first chapter, the sixteenth and twentieth verses, and it was his order in preaching, and teaching men the knowledge of God, 〈◊〉 at 〈◊〉, Acts the seventeenth chapter and the twenty third verse. These are, as it were, the two great books of God, which he would have known and read of all men: For as his written word is called a scroll, Ezekiel the third chapter and the second verse, so is the frame of the world 〈◊〉, a book or scroll, Isaiah the thirty fourth chapter and the fourth verse. God spoke once and twice saith David, Psalm the sixty second and the eleventh verse. Once he 〈◊〉 Job by the view of his Creatures, Job the thirty eighth chapter; and again he spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, showing his will, Exodus 20. 1. These then being the two effectual means to attain to knowledge, there is no place in the Scripture, nor any book therein, that doth more lively express them both than this book of Genesis, which we have in hand: For it setteth out to us the word of God, by which all things were made, fiet; and the Word by which all things are increased, 〈◊〉 & multiplicamini; and the word by which all men were corrupted, non moriemini, and the word whereby all are restored, conteret caput Serpentis, which is the word of Promise and of Faith. We are willed to inquire for the old and good 〈…〉 〈◊〉 sixth chapter and sixteenth verse: Christ warranteth that 〈◊〉 showeth us both, Matthew the sixteenth chapter, the seventh and eighth verses. It is the ancientest in time; for it beginneth with the very beginning: It is first in order and in place, in the 〈◊〉 of God's book; and therefore I have thought it good to inquire of this way. Some do give this reason, why John, of all other, is called the Divine, because he, of all others, began with the beginning of all, John the first chapter. This order we see he took of Moses, who first telleth of things past, from the Creation till his death, and foretelleth of things which were to come to pass in the latter end, and which the new Testament doth say is fulfilled. The knowledge of both these things, past, and to come, God promised to show to his Church, and after it must we seek, Isaiah the forty first chapter and the twenty second verse: and these secrets are not where so fully showed as by Moses in this book. If then we intent to get knowledge, and with that key to open Heaven doors, and to see the glorious Majesty of God, let us take this book in hand, which hath in it both leaves at large, both the knowledge of the Creation of all God's works, and the knowledge of the wisdom and the true word of God. But some may demand, What will become of Christ and of his Gospel, all this while that we are meditating of Moses and God's works? I answer, That if Moses did not testify and teach us of Christ, we would account the time lost which we spend in reading him, Philippians the third chapter and the eighth verse; and we would leave Moses learning, that we might only find Christ. But St. Paul doth assure us, Acts the third chapter and the eighteenth verse, that all the Prophets, from the beginning of the world, did speak of him; and among all the Prophets it is said, We have found him of whom Moses spoke, John the first chapter and the forty fift verse, even Jesus the son of Joseph: And more plainly Christ saith, John the fift chapter and the forty sixth verse, Moses doth write and testify of me. And this we shall see plainly in all his books to be true, both in evident and direct Prophecies, and also in dark and mystical types and figures. The second question is touching Moses himself, How he being but a man, could come to the knowledge of such secret things, which were hidden from other natural men besides, being supernatural, and beyond men's reach? I answer, As we cannot have knowledge of a strange Country where we never were, but by report or by Letter, or relation sent from some which dwell therein; so we can have no notice or certain knowledge of God and his kingdom, unless God first by his letter written make relation thereof to us: Has quidem literas dedit Deus, Moses attulit, God was the writer, Moses the Messenger of these holy Writts; many things, no doubt, were taught by instruction, and received by tradition from the Patriarches before, as we see in the fift chapter of Genesis and the twenty ninth verse; for so Lamech known from his fathers, that the Earth was accursed by God, as it is in the eighteenth chapter of Genesis and the twenty seventh verse: Abraham knew from his Ancestors, that he was made of dust and ashes, Adam leaving it to his posterity; as Abraham did teach his family, that God revealed to him, Genesis the eighteenth chapter and the ninteenth verse: But though many things came to knowledge by this means, yet de eo tempore scribere de quo non erat, is a strange matter, some may say; but we answer, that this was done either knowing it by that pattern which he saw in the Mount, or else by the voice and spirit of God speaking and talking with him to teach him the so things, that is, he must needs come by it by the Eye, that is, by vision, or else by the Ear, that is, by Revelation: For as all Scriptures came by inspiration, the first of Peter and the first chapter, so 〈◊〉 this book of Moses, who writ it not of his own private motion, but by the heavenly direction of the spirit of God: And therefore Moses might say as Daniel did. Daniel the second chapter and the twenty eighth verse, It is not I that can reveal secrets, but there is a God of Heaven which declareth them, Moses was but the pen of that God did speak. If any than shall move that question, Matthew the twenty first chapter and the twenty fift verse, The Doctrine of Moses, whether it is from Heaven or of men? We answer, That it is of God and from Heaven 〈…〉 hereby appear, because he was so publicly and manifestly 〈◊〉 with God, and had often and long company and conference with him, all Israel seeing him to go up to the Lord. If any object that Heathens have pretended as much of their Laws and 〈◊〉, they have delivered. Moses is able to 〈◊〉 himself from 〈…〉, because this thing was not done in a 〈◊〉, but in the view and before the face of all Israel; and that not in a Cave or Den, as they, but in the top of Mount 〈◊〉, which made that 〈◊〉 of all Israel, 〈◊〉 his time, ever made any doubt or question 〈◊〉, but still 〈◊〉 him the servant of God, 〈…〉 he called them 〈◊〉 and rebellious men, Deuteronomie the ninth chapter and the ninth verse. And as none durst call his truth in question; so they which resisted, as Korah and Dathan did, were grievously punished by the hand of God. And so were Appian and Julian plagued for their blasphemy, which scoff and deride these holy Books. For so saith Moses to his accusers, Numbers the sixteenth chapter, the twenty vl and twenty ninth verses, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to speak these words, if these die not the death of all men, etc. Another reason to prove that his writings came from Heaven, is his Rod, and the miracles which God caused him to do, to confirm these things which he spoke and wrote; which miracles, even the Heathen Chronicles do confess to this day. Last of all, men's writings and books savour of passions and imperfections incident to men. Moses is not, of self-love, partial to himself, nor vainglorious, seeking any praise; For, in his writing, he spareth not his own Father: Exodus the thirty second chapter and the twenty seventh verse, he spareth not Idolatry in his brother, nor his sister Cozbies' fault, no nor his own fault of unbelief; for which he confesseth, that he could not enter into the promised Land, Deuteronomie the thirty second chapter. Seeing then all that is of the flesh and earth is flesh, and savoureth earthly things; this showeth that Moses writing came from God's spirit. For Moses in all the wars he waged, and in all the Laws he wrote, he never ascribeth any thing but to the glory of God, which gave them by his means, exhorting to nothing but this, That by holy obedience we should seek his praise. The conclusion therefore must be this, That seeing it is the infallible word of God sent from Heaven, and not invented by men, Why do we not then, with all reverence hear him, and with all diligence believe him, as a Prophet sent from God? especially seeing it is threatened concerning him by name, That whosoever doth not hear him, but despise him, He shall be cut off from the people of God. Sic fuit vespera & fuit mane diei primi. Gen. 1. 5. Novemb. 5. 1590. Place this in pag. 36. at the end of the Sermon upon Gen. 1. 5. THis is the conclusion of the first day's work. After God, in the beginning, had made the World of nothing, the which was a gross mass, after he gave it a capacity; and because, as the Philosophers say, Frustra est potentia, quae non reducitur in actum, he gave it an actual being, which being was good. It is better for a man not to be born, than to be wicked, Matthew the twenty sixth chapter and the twenty fourth verse. And then it had a perfection of goodness from order; having in the natures and the names a distinction, the one for knowledge, the other for practice, he closeth up the first day with this, So the evening and the morning were the first day; which is the whole sum and effect of the first day, and of all where of hath been spoken heretofore. This is the providence of God for man, who visiteth the earth and watereth it, who prepareth 〈◊〉 and things needful for man, Psalm the sixty fift and the ninth verse: He turned the wheel of the great clock, that so there might be Evening and Morning. As the light is the abstract of life everlasting, for the fire wrapped about the cloud, and brightness wrapped about the fire, Ezekiel the first chapter and the fourth verse; so is time the abstract of eternity. In that day began motion, time, and number and order: If there had been no motion, if the Heaven had stood still, it would have been continual day and no evening. The day is the time of the day, motion is in time, the day is time, the first day is the numbering of time. This first day was the true New-years-day, and the light was the great New-years-gift of the world, the like whereof no Prince no Potentate shall for ever give. In the fourth day there was a publishing of this light, by the two great lights. Herein is a perpetual alternation, which may be perceived by a division, then by the parts, lastly by the whole. First, it 〈◊〉 a division; before, the time of light is called the day, and here day and night, evening and morning are but one day. Dies naturally & artificalis. Whereupon some distinguish the natural and civil day. The day in the first acceptance, is called dies 〈◊〉, for those that labour so long as it is light, so long is their day. Which day is delivered in the fourth chapter of Nehemiah and the twenty first verse, We laboured in the work, and half of them held the 〈◊〉, from the appearing of the morning, till the 〈◊〉 came forth, that is, till it was night. The other is called dies astronomicus by the Heathen, and dies sanctus by the Scripture, including the time of light and darkness. The Law given to the Jews was, That the ninth day of the month, at Even, from Even to Even, they should celebrate their Sabbath, or rest, Leviticus the twenty third chapter and the thirty second verse. Secondly, The partition, by Evening and Morning, whereinto this day is parted. Light and Darkness, Evening and Morning are both coupled, and yet separated; the end of the night parts the beginning of the day, and the end of the day parts the beginning of the night: And these two, Evening and Morning, are the two excellent Mark-stones of Time. He flasheth not the 〈◊〉 light 〈◊〉 after darkness, but the light appeareth by degrees: the ascending of light is the morning, the descending is the evening; from Sun to Sun is counted a day; but in the Hebrew names the natures are expressed. The Evening in Hebrew 〈◊〉 a binding up, a mixture of all colours; the night rolls all up, and then all colours seem as one black colour. 〈◊〉 in Hebrew is the morning, and doth signify to discern colours, and to unbind the knot knit by darkness. God hath caused the morning to know his place, and it is turned as clay to fashion, Job the thirty eighth chapter and the fourteenth verse. As the evening leads us to confusion, so doth the morning to discerning. The order of Evening and Morning. Now as touching their order, The Evening is first, than the Morning. Divers commentations of time. This computation is according to the Hebrews, who reckoned from Even to Even; so did the Athenians, or the Grecians: the 〈◊〉 and Assyrians reckoned from Sun rising to the Sun set; the Romans and Egyptians from midnight; the Astronomians and people called 〈◊〉, from noon or midday. To each Nation their own computation may be allowed. Too curious therefore are they, which will not call the days of the weeks, nor call the names of the months according as the custom of the Country hath received, because Heathen men have given those names. Zenas gave one day to Jupiter, Hermes to Mercury, Phoebus to Phebe; another to AEsculapius, 〈◊〉 Venus, to Saturnus, which names we do use. Apish is their imitation, who will follow the naming of days according to their own fantasies: yet is there no necessity we should reckon as the Hebrews or Chaldeans, but the order of months, of hours, of days, may be according to the custom of the Country. Some say he beginneth from the Evening, to insinuate our beginning from nothing, from darkness and confusion: and it showeth the proceeding of the Creation, from nothing to darkness, so to light, and so the perfection of the same; from the night to the morning it is light, it goeth from the morning to broad day. God ordained the night to guard the day: He made the night for the day, not the day for the night, saith Basil: and Job calleth the night 〈◊〉 mundi. The matter of weight is the day, the evening is but a parenthesis. The Heathen say, that motion is from the evening. Touching the Stars, the evening is the beginning of the day and the end of the night. Quest. Whether the day or night first. It is a question, doubted by many, Whether the day or night were first? Paul, in the thirteenth chapter to the Romans and the twelfth verse, saith, The night is past, the day is at hand; so that nox rather processit than 〈◊〉 lucem. The Poets have their beginning, ab Erebo, from the night. But St. Augustine's opinion is, That the day was first, counting it to the morning of the next day, alleging the thirty eighth chapter of Isaiah and the twelfth verse, From day to night thou wilt make an end of me. All Gods things end in light, than he gins in the morning in the light. The end of the morning is the distinction from the beginning of the evening. Morning and Evening jointly. Now of the whole. These two make one day, he saith not one night, yet is there as much time, sometime more, in the night than in the day, but noctes non veniunt in numerum; therefore we say a day hath twenty four hours, a week hath seven days, a month thirty days; a week likewise hath seven nights, a month thirty nights, but evening and morning are all one day. And the first day as the first day of the week, of months, of time; this was a day by itself, as the other six were days by themselves. God saith at the institution of the 〈◊〉, Exodus the twelfth chapter and the second verse, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months, it shall be to you the first month of the year. But by Basill this 〈◊〉 had a meaning for our natural use, that we should esteem twenty four hours one day, though some count the day no longer than the light is seen. The first day is 〈◊〉 example to the days after; in this first day we behold all the other 〈◊〉; and 〈◊〉 them all things created. In this first day of years 〈…〉 Creation, the 〈◊〉, the Birth, 〈◊〉 B was the 〈◊〉 letter, the Redemption; the 〈◊〉, the 〈◊〉, the 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉, was upon the first day of the week, year, 〈◊〉. The spiritual use. The spiritual 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 of this place, saith, We are not in 〈…〉, 〈◊〉 may be applied to 〈◊〉 morning and evening 〈◊〉, A 〈…〉 morning, and 〈◊〉 at even, the one a 〈◊〉, the 〈…〉, Numbers the twenty eighth chapter, the fourth and 〈…〉. David 〈◊〉 the beginning of the hundred forty first 〈◊〉, 〈…〉 God, 〈◊〉 my prayer be 〈◊〉 in thy sight 〈…〉, and the listing up of 〈…〉 evening sacrifice. Let 〈…〉 a Father, open the morning 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of prayer, and 〈…〉 the evening with the bolt 〈◊〉 prayer. In these two there is 〈◊〉 and alternation: 〈…〉 the day 〈…〉; 〈◊〉 now long, how 〈…〉 in them we see joy 〈…〉 in the night 〈◊〉 is alternation of 〈…〉, than 〈◊〉. Now 〈…〉 Babylon 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉, and did 〈◊〉 in the day 〈…〉; 〈◊〉 for the 〈…〉, 〈◊〉 in 〈…〉 and the first verse. 〈…〉 it, Sat in the 〈◊〉, sit on the ground, set still, and get thee into darkness; evil shall come 〈◊〉 the, and thou shall not know the morning there os. 〈◊〉 there is a use 〈◊〉 order in things 〈◊〉; so is there in things spiritual: the evening and the morning. The very Heathen do say, that to a man 〈◊〉 disposed, 〈◊〉 a good mind after. Matthew, in his fourth chapter and the sixteenth verse, saith, The people which 〈◊〉 in darkness, saw great light; and to them which 〈◊〉 in the region 〈…〉 of death, light is risen up. knowledge is a light, and Ignorance 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈…〉, saying, Estprimo vespertina 〈…〉, which grows from light to a lighter knowledge. If a man 〈…〉 not according to God's word, it is because there 〈◊〉 no 〈◊〉 in him, 〈◊〉 the eighth chapter and the twentieth 〈◊〉 for it is the 〈◊〉 of God that is 〈◊〉, that lighteneth our very 〈…〉. This hath also an use for our affections; for temptation of any sin is ever before the issue: First we are 〈◊〉, than we yield to the temptation, but after the yielding, the godly have repentance; but to yield to the temptation, and 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉, is the continual evening of the wicked. The godly hath here in this world, in this life, his evening, sorrow, 〈…〉, death; but his joy cometh in the morning, that is, 〈◊〉 life to 〈◊〉. His vespere is luctus, his mane, gaudium: His weeping may abide at the evening, but joy cometh in the morning, Psalm the 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 verse. A man hath secret sins, which be hid, and presumptuous, which be apparent, Psalm the nineteenth and the 〈◊〉 verse; God 〈◊〉 them both. The wicked have their morning in this life, they live in posperity, and have what they can desire; but in the long evening, in the world to come, they shall find endless adversity. Notwithstanding the godly, in this life, be tossed as a ship, and though they suffer shipwreck of their life, yet this is their hope, that post tenebras spero lucem. Though Jacob wrestled in the evening, yet had he a blessing in the morning, Genesis the thirty second chapter, and twenty fourth verse. The Godly and the wicked do both die, and both are buried in the grave; the righteous shall have domination over them in the morning, but God shall save the soul of the righteous from the grave, Psalm the forty ninth and the fifteenth verse. God saith, that in the day of the desolation of Jerusalem, there shall be no clear light, but dark: That day is known to the Lord, which shall be neither day nor night, but about the evening time it shall be light. Tertullian in his book the resurrectione, maketh a resemblance of the evening and the morning, to the grave and the resurrection. We are in the grave in silence and solitariness, but the morning of our resurrection appeareth cum gaudio, cultu, dote & gloria: sepulti vesperè manè revivescite. What though here we suffer some crosses? hereafter we shall have endless joy: better is it to have our evening here and our morning hereafter, than contrariwise: Though the Gluttons morning were his delights, his dainty ●…ir, his costly apparel, when it was Lazarus evening, who was hungry naked, and diseased; but afterward the rich man was tormented, and Lazarus for ever comforted, Luke the sixteenth chapter. So there is a resemblance of the resurrection in God's works, before the same was expressed in his words. Now is the light mixed with darkness, and darkness with light: the darkness of the night hath the light of the stars, and sometime the shining of the Moon; the light of the day is often overcast with the mist, or with clouds, but the morning of the resurrection shall be without end. The evening of condemnation to the wicked, shall never have morning; and the morning of glorification to the blessed shall never have evening. Until that day of resurrection there shall be a mixture, but then, and not before, there shall be light without darkness to the blessed, and endless darkness, without light, to the damned. And thus much shall suffice concerning the first day, and the work of the first day. Sic fuit vespera, & fuit mane diei secundi. Gen. 1. 8. Novemb. 12. 1590. Place this in pag. 56. at the end of the Sermon upon Gen. 1. 8. IT is the second day in relation to the first day, in the matter an Incubation and hatching: there were five things the first day: the incubation and hatching were in the first day: In this second day, as well as in the first, there is a being: and order of distinction of nature, and a giving of a name. Bonum lacketh here, and why. Here lacketh bonum, the goodness: And he saw it was good, is not put down in the second day. Some, of the Hebrew, say and give this reason why bonum lacketh here, the Angels fell; the creating of hell was in the second day; Tophet is prepared of old, as it is in the thirtieth chapter of Esa● and the twenty seventh verse; they say Angels were created yesterday, as it were, the next day before; after, David saith, in the hundred forty eighth Psalms and the second verse, Praise ye him in the high places, he saith first Praise him all his Angels. In six days the Lord made the Heaven and the Earth, and all that in them are; in making Heaven he made all things, as Angels in the Heaven, Exodus the twentieth chapter. As Hell hath been prepared of old, so the Devil hath been a murderer from the beginning, John the eighth chapter and the forty fourth verse. It hath been questioned, whether the fall of Angels was the first or second day. Secondly, They say there is no mention made of goodness, because division was in the second day, and therefore no goodness: but notwithstanding the division, there is a union. In the days of Peleg the earth was divided, the tenth chapter and the twenty fift verse: At the building of Babel was the division of tongues, which was confusion, the eleventh chapter and the ninth verse. This division of the second day, is of things of divers natures, therefore good. Likewise they say, there is no mention of good, because that was made that day, namely, the divided waters, the upper and nether waters were the deluge and destruction of the world afterward: But by them he punished man's wickedness, and the world's sinfulness; but to give to give to each his reward and desert, to the godly glory, to the wicked punishment, this his Justice is full of Goodness. Num 〈…〉 is Inf●…stis, say the Papists, yet Matrimonium eft binorum. So litarinesse is not good, which God perceiving, he made to man an helper, the twenty eighth verse of the next chapter. We say in a Proverb, Sec●… omnia sunt prospera, yet it was said dies secund●… was inf●…stus: But it was Jeroms blemish, who is not to be excused, for who is blameless; for he that first devised that opinion, did first strangle it. Division signifieth as well conformity as confusion, and where reward is for desert, that is good: All that God made was very good, the thirty first verse of this chapter. The action of goodness is suspended, the number is suspended, till both be perfected, which is after in the third day, in the which day you shall find goodness twice; when the second day as the Se● was perfected, the day was p●…ed, but the work was ended. This I do take in the course of 〈◊〉 reason. Et fuit ita. Nam produxit terra herbulas, herbas sementantes semen in species suas, & arbores edentes fructum in quibus semen suum est in species suas: & vidit Deus id esse bonum. Sic fuit vespera, & fuit mane diei tertii. Gen. 1. 11.12.13. Place this in pag 72 after the Sermon upon Gen. 1. 11 WE have heard of God's Decree commanding, and the return executing it, and his censure approving that is made, which, in every day's work, is set down in these three phrases, fiat, erat sic, & bonum erat. Of this third day's work, we have handled before, we have heard the first part, namely, God's word commanding the Earth to bud forth herbs, and seeds, and trees, etc. now it remaineth to speak of the other two: And first of the return and execution, And it was so. For the Earth, according to every 〈◊〉 and title of God's word, fulfilled Gods will and brought forth all sorts of herbs, and trees, and buds, and fruits, and seeds, leaving nothing undone which was commanded. Touching which (besides the obedience of this Element, in executing God's Decree, we note a special Certificate under God's hand as it were, for the discharge of this Creature, in the dispatch of his work, and that without delay, with all haste and speed: Which reproveth not only our disobedience to God, but also our dulness and slowness in doing any thing which God commands. For with us it is one thing to do a thing, and another to do it willingly and quickly, with expedition and speed: For when God doth command any thing, we put it off with this delay, erit sic, it shall be so hereafter, when we can find leisure and fit time. It can seldom be said in the present tense, erat sic, it was performed without delay: For we are as Salomons debtors, which bid God stay till tomorrow or the next day, Proverbs the third chapter, before he can find leisure to pay this debt and duty of obedience. Secondly, In that the return, in the end of the eleventh verse, was erat sic, it was so, two things are to be noted out of the nature of the word: First, a congruity of the performance answerable to the commandment in every point; for here is specified just so much done as was required, nothing too much or too little, to teach us that our obedience must be such: We must not deficere in necessariis, nec abundare in superfluis. The other point is for continuance or perpetuity; for the word signifieth, that it was so surely and firmly done, as if it had a sure basis or foundation for continuance, that it might never fail: we see it holdeth and endureth ad hunc usque diem, our eyes and experience seeing that it is 〈◊〉. The last thing we gather by opposition, That God's word was the cause, and is, that herbs and trees do bear fruits and trees: So, è contra, it is the same word of God, saying, Let not the Earth nor the trees bear, which is the cause of 〈◊〉 and want. If for our sin they fail any year ab ejus 〈…〉 interdicto 〈◊〉. If therefore we disobey Gods. 〈…〉 be our punishment, That his word shall 〈◊〉 the Earth to 〈◊〉 increase, and to deny us his fruits. The second part is the censure and approbation of God, saying; that it was good. I said before, there are 〈◊〉 sorts of good; 〈◊〉 honestum, secondly utile, thirdly 〈◊〉: each of which we shall see in the earth and the fruits thereof. For honesty and moral good, we see it is grateful to the owner or 〈◊〉 which laboureth therein, faithfully and gratefully repaying and requiting his 〈◊〉 and labour thereon. For profit, it veeldeth 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 both for man and beast; and so necessarily good is it in this 〈◊〉, that without it the King cannot live, Ecclesiastes the fift chapter and the eighth verse. For pleasure and delight, either of the eye to behold it, or of the taste to relieve it, it is most delicious and delightful, Milk, Wine, and Oil, Wheat, and all other grain, which are both for variety and necessity, we receive by God's 〈◊〉 from the fruit and increase of the earth and trees: And therefore is every way good. Postea dixit Deus, Abundè progignunto aquae reptilia animantia; & volucres volanto supra terram, superficiem versus expansi Coelorum. Gen 1. 20. Place this in the beginning of pag. 84. THIS verse, and the three following, 〈◊〉 contain in them the first day's work, by which, both the waters are stored with 〈◊〉, and the air and firmament was replenished with Fowl: For yet hitherto they were like to wide and great storehouses, which were empty and void. In which days work are four branches; 〈◊〉, the Edict or Precept: Secondly, the Execution or performance of 〈◊〉 Thirdly, the allowance and commendation of it, in the end of the twenty first verse: Lastly, another special Precept for the preserving of these things so made, in 22. verse. Touching the Commandment we may note, That to say or to command in word may seem to be but a weak thing; for words we hold to be but wind; yet such words as God speaketh, do receive such and so great power and authority from the Speaker or Commander, that of necessity that which is said must needs be done. If a King do command, the power of his authority being joined with the weakness of his word, doth cause it to be very powerful and effectual. If a Prince's authority can make his word so great, how much more can God's omnipotency give strength to his word, and cause that which he saith, to be most certainly done? This the reason, that by the virtue and force only of his word, what 〈…〉 faith is done and cometh to pass. The second thing to be noted, is to whom God spoke, namely, to the Waters: For as Moses was willed to speak to the stony rock, Numbers the twentieth chapter and the eighth verse; so doth God here speak to the waters; neither is it a fond thing thus for God to speak to deas and senseless creatures; for though they have no cares and cannot hear, yet they can understand when God doth call and speak to them, and have power to do his will when he commandeth. If then the waters and rocks can hear, and understand, and do what God doth say and bid them; how much more should we, which have ears, and understanding hearts, and active hands, take heed we do the like? Now touching the Tenor of God's precept, we see it concerneth the producing and bringing forth of living things in abundance and great multitude. And though God saith, Let the waters bring forth fowls, it argueth not (as Simplicius the Atheist absurdly gathereth) that here the water is said to be the matter of which the 〈◊〉 were made; for in the second chapter of Genesis, and the ninteenth verse, this is explained, that they were made of the earth, though they were brought forth of the waters. Touching the creatures moving in the waters, the word here used doth, in a general term, signify such things as are quick, and live, and move, comprehending therein all the particular creatures besides fish or fowl, which either creep or crawl or move in either of these elements, as Frogs, Snakes, Flies, etc. Man by practice can attain to the Fish's motion, that is, to swim and move upon, and in the waters; but he cannot by any devise attain to fly, and move as Birds, or mount in the air. It is a wonder to hear that iron could swim, in the second of Kings the sixth chapter and the sixth verse; but it is by the same power of God, by which a feather can fly aloft. By the firmament or Air is meant the nether and grosser part of the air, which region is full of foggy fumes and vapours which come from the earth; and so high and fare the sowls can abide and endure to fly: But the farther and higher part and region of the air, which is more pure and clear, are called penetralia 〈◊〉, which is so free from gross vapours and earthly mists, that no earthly thing can breathe or abide therein: As therefore Water is a 〈◊〉 element for Fishes, which breathe not; so this lower region of the air is for all Fowls. But let us come to that which is common both to fish and fowls, and maketh both of them live and move, the one by swimming, the other by flying, and that is the soul of life. Concerning which generally, It signifieth a breath or 〈◊〉 it of life: For seeing we can understand and conceive best things sensible, therefore spiritual things for our capacity, are termed by things sensible. The breath therefore, being of 〈◊〉 things the most pure and 〈…〉 is called by 〈…〉 these things are in their 〈…〉 distinct, breath, life, and soul; 〈◊〉 life is the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of a soul; so breath is the effect and 〈◊〉 of life. Neither is it 〈◊〉, that here is added to the soul life, because it 〈…〉 needful instruction and distinction between the soul of man hereafter 〈◊〉 be handled, which is a soul of more than 〈…〉 life, of a double life, and therefore 〈◊〉; whereas these 〈◊〉 have a soul of a single life; and therefore are mortal. Deinde dixit Deus, Producat terra animantia in species ipsorum, Pecudes & Reptilia, bestiasque terrenas in species suas: et fuit ita. Gen. 1. 24. Place this Sermon and the next betwixt pag. 92. and 93. THIS verse, and all the rest to the end of the chapter, do contain the furnishing and 〈◊〉 of the earth with living Creatures; and so 〈◊〉 to pass the finishing and 〈◊〉 of the whole work of Creation. For this sixth 〈◊〉 work 〈◊〉 the bringing forth of Beasts and of all 〈◊〉 and the bringing in of Mankind into the world, to be Lord and 〈◊〉 of them and all the rest. In which we observe the three usual parts: Gods Decree commanding, the Execution performing it, and God's 〈◊〉 of it being done. For the Decree we may note, as before, That God is the Commander, the Earth is that which is commanded, and the effect of the commandment is that it should bring forth Cattle and 〈◊〉 things. Having showed before, how God speaketh and 〈◊〉 his will to dumb, deaf, and senseless Creatures, as here he doth to the Earth, we will come to the tenor and meaning of the Decree and Commandment to it. For that phrase here used of bringing forth, is taken from the manner of women great with 〈◊〉, which when their time is come to bring forth their young: therefore the Fathers do call this Parerperam terre, as it were by resemblance, the children of the earth, or her travail; not that 〈…〉 before made and hid in the bowels and 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 For as the waters were not in the rock before, Numbers 〈…〉 chapter and the eighth verse, but even at that 〈…〉 God commanded, it gushed out waters only by the power 〈◊〉 God: 〈◊〉 the virtue of God's word and the power of the Commander, caused the Earth to bring forth all these things, 〈◊〉 of it 〈◊〉 it 〈…〉 power to do it. Now the several kinds of Creatures, which here the Earth is willed to bring forth, are reduced to three heads, Beasts, Cattle, and creeping things. Cattle are called Jumenta, à 〈◊〉; because they are made to be our servants, to help us in our labours and affairs. And they are such as do need us as much as we need them; for Sheep, Oxen, Horses, etc. must first be served and 〈◊〉 and tendded by us before they can attend to serve our turns. The second sort are Worms or creeping things, called Reptilia, because they crawl upon the ground; and therefore they are said natare super terram, as it were to swim or glide upon the ground; and so they are distinguished by their motion. And these are of two sorts, either they have no feet or legs at all, crawling on their belly, or else very short feet, creeping low by ground. The third kind are wild beasts, which do live alone in terra inculta (as the word signifieth) in the waste wilderness, and in the unprofitable and barren Land, which is desert and 〈◊〉 of men. In which they live, for the most part, by blood, preying on the spoil one of another; and therefore to some of them is given strength, to some swiftness, to some 〈◊〉 and craft, by which they know how to get their prey. And lest these savage, wild, and cruel beasts, should annoy, hurt, or destroy Mankind, we see the Lord hath provided for us divers ways, allotting to them only the barren Wilderness; giving to us the profitable ground: appointing the night for them to go abroad, whereas the day is specially granted to us, Psalm the hundred and fourth and the twenty second verse: Besides God hath not made them so fruitful; they do not multiply as other profitable and meek do, which will not hurt us. And thus much for the special kind of things which the Earth bringeth forth. Now for the performance of God's Precept, it is generally set down in the end of the twenty fourth verse, as in other places, that it was so, even as God had commanded; which general, is more particularly set down in the twenty fift verse ensuing. Fecit enim Deus bestias terrenas in species suas, & pecudes in species suas, omniaque reptilia terrae in species suas: & vidit Deus id esse bonum. Gen. 1. 25. THE first part of this verse is the performance of his word and Decree in every point; the end of it is the approbation thereof. For the execution of all that God said, because as he said, so it came to pass, and was truly and fully performed and done, we note how true and certain and undoubted God's word is: Shall he speak the word, and shall it not come to pass? Surely Heaven and Earth may pass away, but not one jot or title of his word shall fail: Which, as we see in the word of Creation, so shall we find it in the Gospel, the word of Salvation. And here we may observe; that God will be made known, not only to be the maker of the Lion and the Elephant, those great and goodly beasts, but also of the poor creeping Creature, and the Ant; Qui fecit Angelos, fecit & vermiculos, saith Augustine: Neither is it any disgrace or dishonour to God, because there is no less power & wisdom showed and seen in these, than is in the greatest and hugest beasts that be; 〈◊〉, for the most part, the excellency of God's handy work is more admirably 〈◊〉 in the least and smallest living things that are: As strange things are known of the poor Shrimp as of the Whale: More virtue is to be found in the silly Bee, than in the Eagle? So as great art may be seen in the Ant as in the Elephant: Which may be known, if we observe the great providence and forecast of the little Ant, his great industry and diligence, in labouring without 〈◊〉 while the Summer doth last, and the great strength this little Creature hath, which is able to carry a corn fare greater than himself. Wherefore these small creeping Creatures which God hath made are not to be passed over without regard, but to be considered to his glory and praise which made them. The last part of this verse, is the liking and 〈◊〉 of this work; for this censure is given of this, as of the rest, that it was right good, and therefore very well done. Which must teach us this lesson, That if we will have the like praise and commendation of all works, they must be 〈◊〉 so answerable to Gods will and word in every point, so diligently and speedily and perfectly done as these things were. But here God doth not purpose so much to commend the manner of doing his will; as the works themselves, and the things that were done, that is, the goodness of these natures which are made and brought forth: And if we inquire of the goodness of these things particularly, the Wiseman will tell us, 〈◊〉 the thirty ninth chapter and the thirty fourth verse, Every thing in his time, place, and kind, is profitable and good. For touching the Cattle, which are servants and helpers to us, Who knoweth not how good and beneficial the Ox, the Cow, the Sheep, and such things are, both for work, and food, and cloth? But you may ask, Wherefore are wild beasts, which 〈◊〉 devour one another, and oftentimes kill men? For answer whereto, we must consider, That God made these before sin was in the world; and therefore in that estate and time of 〈…〉 God did commend them, we must not doubt but 〈◊〉 were good, without any evil or hurt at all: Quamdiu 〈…〉 in Deum, nihil peccabat in eum; while we were good servants to God, they were good servants to us. It is our 〈◊〉 and sin therefore, which causeth them to be evil and hurtful to us. And as in our first holy estate they were good; so if we be converted to God, 〈◊〉 his Image again, they will be good and do us 〈…〉, Job the fift chapter, the twenty second and twenty third verses, for then the beasts of the forest shall be in league with thee, as they were with Daniel in the Lion's den, Daniel the sixth chapter and the sixteenth verse. Super ventrem tuum ito, & pulverum comedito omnibus diebus vitae tuae. Gen. 3. 14. Jun. 25. 1598. Place this and the two following Sermons betwixt pag. 〈…〉 THESE words with those that went before, contain that Sentence that was given by God upon the Serpent, whom the Devil, the invisible Serpent, used as an instrument to deceive Adam and Eve; and, as we have heard, it hath three branches. That which we are to consider in this Sentence, is first, That he is condemned to be under the curse of God: Secondly, To creep upon his belly: Thirdly, To eat the dust all the days of his life. Which three punishments are 〈◊〉 to that three fold fault which the Serpent committed, and whereunto he persuaded our Parents, that was the sin first of Malice; Secondly, of Pride; Thirdly, of intemperate desire, to eat of that which was forbidden. The Curse of God hath relation to the Serpent's malice; the creeping upon his belly, was inflicted as a punishment for his pride, and the feeding upon the dust, hath a correspondency with his inordinate desire. These three sins are necessarily to be considered, that considering how God hath plagued them in the Devil, we should beware that we fall not into the like sins. Touching the Curse of God, As it is the first, so the greatest part of this Sentence; And is a punishment most fearful; for all men do abhor to be cursed, and to incur the displeasure of a man, much more of God, whose word is his deed; so that he no sooner speaks, but it is done. Jacob was loath to do any thing to deceive his Father, because so, saith he, I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing, Genesis the twenty seventh chapter. Indeed, as the Wiseman speaks, the curse that is causeless and proceeds from foolish people shall not light upon a man, Proverbs the twenty sixth chapter and the second verse. But if a godly man, such as Jacob and Isaac were, do curse, it shall not fail but come to pass: Much more shall the curse of God take effect; for it shall come into a man's bowels like water, and like oil into his bones, Psalms the hundred and ninth, the seventeenth verse. For the meaning of this Curse, the Holy Gohst hath set down a large commentary, in 〈◊〉 the twenty eighth chapter, and in Leviticus the twenty sixth chapter; and the Prophet saith God's curse is a flying book, twenty cubits long, and ten cubit's braad, containing the curse that gotth over the whole earth, 〈◊〉 the fift chapter and the third verse: It is a book written within and without, with lamentations, mournings and woes, Ezekiel the second chapter. By these places it appeareth how large God's Curse is, in respect of this life: But if with this we join that which Christ addeth concerning the life to come, that is, everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels, Matthew the twenty fift chapter, his curse will appear to be fare more large. Secondly, There is no malediction but in regard of some evil: The evil that procured this curse unto the Devil, was the evil of his malice which he shown, not only in speaking evil of God, but in seeking to destroy man both in body and soul: And his malice appears herein, because he did those things, being not provoked thereunto, and for that he did it without any 〈◊〉 to himself. As the Devil is malicious, so are all they that are of that evil one: Cain had no other cause to hate his Brother, and to slay him, but because his works were righteous and his own evil, in the first epistle of John, the third chapter and the twelfth verse. The 〈◊〉 persecuted Christ, not for any evil that they found in him worthy of death, but only of envy, Mark the fifteenth chapter, and the tenth verse. Thus to sin of malice, is a thing so displeasing unto God, as, albeit he did in mercy forgive men, when they sinned through frailty, yet he will punish their own inventions, Psalms the ninty ninth, and the eighth verse; and therefore against such the Prophet prayeth, Be not merciful to those that offend of malicious wickedness, Psalm the fifty ninth and the fifth verse, But consume them utterly in thy wrath, that they may perish, verse the thirteenth. Where the Lord saith, Cursed art thou [and not be thou] he showeth, that the curse cometh not from God, but from the Devil's malice; and so whatsoever misery betideth us, it is nothing else but the sparkles of our own sins, Job the fift chapter and the ninth verse; and as the Psalmist saith, They are the dregs of God's wrath, Psalm the seventy fift; for as the Prophet speaks, We our 〈◊〉 batch the 〈◊〉 egg, that is, sin, and the Serpent that is bred of this egg, is the curse of God inflicted upon us, both in this life, and the life to come: We do first by sin, as it were, cast the seed, and the crop that we 〈◊〉 is all manner of misery and calamity, Isaiah the fifty ninth chapter: and in Justice God doth reward us thus; for the wages of sin is not only punishment with sickness, poverty, and such like, in this world, but hereafter with eternal death and destruction both of body and soul, Romans the sixth chapter & the twenty third verse. In that God speaks by way of comparison, (Cursed art thou 〈◊〉 all beasts) he doth not drop a curse upon the Serpent, but, as Daniel speaks, the curse is 〈◊〉 upon him, Daniel the ninth chapter and the eleventh verse. And that this curse was verified in the visible Serpent, appears hereby, that not only Men, but even all beasts, do shun the Serpent, as a Creature principally accursed of God; much more it is true in the invisible Serpent the 〈◊〉, for not only the godly, but even the wicked that are of their Father the Devil 〈…〉 stick to curse him. The visible Serpent, being an unreasonable creature, could not be so malicious: But the invisible Serpent, the more policy he hath, the more pernicious and hurtful he is; 〈◊〉, he is so malicious, that as he himself is fallen from his first estate, and hath plunged himself in the bottom of Hell, so he laboureth to bring all men into the same estate: therefore thus was his malice rewarded. Now to the two other branches of this Sentence, where we shall find two 〈◊〉 punishments for two sorts of sins; for pride must have a 〈◊〉, and lust must loathe; and we shall see that they are both rewarded accordingly, as Solomon saith That Pride goeth before dejection, Proverbs the sixteenth chapter and the eighth verse: So the Devil, having 〈◊〉 himself, must be thrown down to creep upon the ground; for it is great equity, that he that would fly, should creep: And, as it was meet, that glory should end in shame, Philippians the third chapter; so is it as meet, that God should punish inordinate last with loathsomeness. And this is the course of God's Justice, as the Wiseman saith in Proverbs the twentieth chapter and the seventeenth verse, The bread that is gotten by deceit is sweet, but at the last it will fill the mouth with gravel. All the sins of the world may he reduced to these two, that is, The desire of greater glory than God hath appointed to us, And, of greater pleasure than is lawful for us. First, we are to inquire, How the first of these two punishments is verified in the visible Serpent? for we know that all Creatures, saving Man, are dejected, and creep as it were, upon their belly, and, as one saith, 〈◊〉 their breast between their feet; only man, being lift up with his countenance, is taught not to set his mind upon earth, but to meditate upon heavenly things. But as Jonathan went of all four, when he climbed up to the rock upon his hands and feet, the first book of Samuel, the fourteenth chapter and the thirteenth verse; so doth man sometime grovel and creep upon earth, when he is earthly minded. But the difference that is between the Serpent and other beasts is this, The Serpent, having no legs, lieth flat upon his belly, and is therefore called a Serpent of creeping; but other beasts, though they have their breasts between their legs, yet they do not creep, as the Serpent doth. Another question is, How this creeping can be a punishment to the Serpent, seeing from the beginning they were created without feet? The solution is, That that which was natural before the fall, after the fall became a punishment. Nakedness before the fall, was no matter of shame; for, The man and his wife were naked, and were not ashamed, Genesis the second chapter and the twenty fift verse; but since the fall, it is a disgrace to be naked: So now the creeping of Serpents is a sign of God's 〈◊〉 inflicted upon visible Serpents, because of the sins of him that is invisible, whereas in the beginning it was no punishment. Another question is, How the third part of this Sentence is verified of the visible Serpent, That he eats dust? For one Prophet saith of him, To the Serpent dust shall be his meat, Isaiah the sixty fift chapter and the twenty fift verse: And another saith, The Serpent lick; the dust, Michah the seventh chapter and the seventeenth verse; and yet in the Creation Moses recordeth, that the Serpent hath the like food that other Creatures have, of whom God saith, To every beast of the earth, fowl of the air, and to every creeping thing upon earth, I have given every green herb for meat, Genesis the first chapter and the tenth verse. The answer is, That whereas at the first the Serpent had food in common with other beasts, now he is excommunicated, and is appointed only to feed upon the dust, not upon the earth, for that hath a moisture, and so is apt to nourish; but God did not allot unto him so much, but only to feed upon the dust, which is dry and altogether without moisture: So that all men may evidently see, both by the motion and feeding of the Serpent, that the Curse of God is upon him, because the Devil, that old Serpent, did use him as a means to persuade man to sin against God. As for the invisible Serpent, these punishments pronounced by God are verified in him also, but not literally; for he hath no 〈◊〉 of body, and therefore cannot creep: but as he is a spirit, so we must judge and discern spiritual things spiritually, the first epistle to the Corinthians the second chapter; for he hath a spiritual breast and belly, he hath a spiritual creeping and feeding. For his moving, we are first to consider the motion as it offereth itself: First, It is the basest and vilest motion that is; to signify unto us, that the dejection of the Devil is a more 〈◊〉 dejection and overthrow than any can be: For where at the first, he was an Angel of light, appointed to be a Minister in Heaven, now he is cast down into the deepest Hell, and is there occupied in all base and vile service. Now he doth busy himself in nothing so much as how to work wickedness, and to destroy the souls of men. Of this dejection our Saviour speaks, I saw Satan, as it were lightning, fall down from Heaven, Luke the tenth chapter and the eighteenth verse: And of him, to his shame, it is said, How art thou fallen from Heaven, that said, I will ascend into Heaven, and exalt my throne above the stars of God, Isaiah the fourteenth chapter and the twelfth verse: For it is a great shame for a Prince and noble person, that hath been occupied in matters of State, to be thrust into the Kitchen, to be a drudge. So is it with the Devil, the invisible Serpent, who, having been, before, a Minister in Heaven, doth now creep upon earth and compass it, Job the first chapter: And, as Christ saith, He walks through dry places, Luke the eleventh chapter and the twenty fourth verse, that is, he delights to be in souls that are defiled with all manner of sin, and if he cannot be received there, he will enter into the Swine, Matthew the eighth chapter. And then doth he creep, when he makes men to mind earthly things, Philippians the third chapter and the second verse: As this word showeth, that the reward of pride is and shall be baseness; so from his creeping, we are taught what is his fraud and deceitfulness. These things that have feet and go, cannot move without some noise, but the way of the 〈◊〉 doth pass man's understanding, for that it leaveth no impression, Proverbs the thirtieth chapter: In this sense the Apostle saith, Some false brethren have crept in, Galatians the second chapter and the fourth verse; and, these creep into widows houses, the second epistle to Timothy & the third chapter. This kind of creeping is nothing else but a privy kind of beguiling and deceiving such as we find to have been used by the Devil, the second epistle to the Corinthians, the twelfth chapter. Therefore we must have a special regard of the Devil when he comes to us in this manner, for than is he more to be feared, than when he seeks about like a roaring Lion, whom to devour, the first epistle of Peter the fift chapter and the third verse. The Devil is said to creep, to signify thus much, That as creeping things do not fly about our heads, nor keep even pace with us, so the old Serpent is always aiming at our lowest part, as it were at the heel, tempting us by sensuality, to the sin of uncleanness and intemperance. Secondly, We are to consider the manner of this motion, which is expressed by the original word, to be upon the breast and belly; whereby we have showed to us two main 〈◊〉: For when he creeps upon his breast, by the listing up of himself he brings the temptation of the breast, that is, he would have us 〈◊〉 up with pride, and exalt ourselves. When he creeps upon his belly, he tempts us to desire the forbidden fruit and apple that was so goodly and pleasant to look upon; and under this is comprehended both the sins of 〈◊〉 and lust. In this manner we are to observe the means whereby he persuades men to these sins. In the breast is the heart; and when he labours to take the possession of the heart, by corrupting our inward thoughts, than he creeps upon his breast. And his creeping upon his 〈◊〉 betokens the actual accomplishment of sin. So we see that albeit the Devil be a spirit, yet by a spiritual analogy he creeps upon his breast and belly no less than the visile Serpent. Thirdly, After the casting down of Pride, we come to consider the sin of Lust, and the punishment laid upon it, which is, To eat the dust. The invisible Serpent doth not eat only corporally, but spiritually he may be said to eat; for in spiritual matters there is a thing answerable to eating: We say, in regard of the delight we take in something this is meat and drink to us: And so the Holy Ghost also speaks, I esteem of thy word above my appointed food, Job the twenty third chapter; And Christ saith, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, John the fourth chapter; by which is signified the delight and contentment of the mind: So whatsoever the Serpent delights in, that he may be said to eat and seed upon. Secondly, this word implieth not only a delight, but a devouring and a destroying; as in the Prophets it is said, The sword and famine shall devour, the second book of Samuel, the third chapter and the twenty sixth verse, not that it can devour, but is a means to consume and destroy. This eating the Apple ascribes to the Devil, when he saith of him, That he goeth about seeking whom he may devour, the first epistle of Peter, the fift chapter; and therefore he is said, to stand by, ready to devour the child so soon as it should be brought forth, Apocalypse the twelfth chapter; that is, there is none so soon born anew in the Church of spirit and water, but the Devil seeks presently to kill it: And in 〈◊〉 two points standeth the spiritual eating of the invisible Serpent. For the dust which is appointed for his food, there is a spiritual thing correspondent also to it; for where God promiseth unto Abraham, Thy seed shall be as the dust, Genesis the thirteenth chapter; and, as the stars of Heaven, Genesis the twenty second chapter; upon these places the Fathers gather, That of Abraham should come both a dusty and earthly generation, not expressing the faith and obedience of Abraham; and also a heavenly generation, that should shine and give light to the world, as it were stars, with the pureness of their life. And David saith plainly, That the ungodly art as dust, Psalm the first; for whatsoever lieth along upon the earth will 〈◊〉 dust: the earth itself, being without moisture, turneth to dust, so that the least wind that comes, bloweth it away: So the idle person that lieth along, and hath no vocation to follow, doth gather dust, and is subject to be scattered with the wind. And they that sometime had some moisture and dew from Heaven, if they lose it, so as their soul wax dry, Numbers the eleventh chapter, the Devil will send them a wind that shall carry them away; for his delight is to be in dry places, Matthew the twelfth chapter; and, in places without moisture, Luke the eleventh chapter. The wind wherewith they shall be carried away is, every wind of doctrine, Ephesians the fourth chapter: Therefore we must beware, that we be not clouds without water, as Judas calls the wicked, verse the twelfth; and, that we fall not from our own steadfastness, the second epistle of Peter, the third chapter and the first verse, which we cannot choose but do, if we loath prayer and other spiritual exercises, whereby the dew of Heaven doth descend upon us. And as it is in Religion, so also in matter of the Commonwealth, wherein we shall find that this dryness is a cause of much evil; for those light and idle persons which Jerohoam took unto himself, turned to his destruction, the second book of Chronicles and the thirteenth chapter. Seeing the Devil delights in these dry souls and lose parts of the earth, how is it a punishment laid upon him to feed on them: It is indeed a punishment, he would have other meat; for so soon as 〈◊〉 is borne anew by regeneration, the Devil is ready to devout the child, Apocalypse the twelfth chapter: So he would have devoured Christ himself, Matthew the fourth chapter: So he desired to have said on Job and all other godly men, which are the stars of Heaven. But he is excluded from that food, and is to feed only upon the wicked, who being dry and destitute of the grace of God, are fitly compared to the dust. And as the Devil himself is accursed; so they that are allotted to him for food, are cursed Children, the second epistle of Peter, the second chapter. Thirdly, It is said (all the days of thy life.) This punishment is laid upon him, as God speaks here, (because thou hast done this:) upon him not as he is the red Lion; but the Tempter, as he is a spirit, he is immortal and hath no end of life, but the days of his temptation shall have an end at the coming of Christ to judgement; as he is the red Dragon condemned in Hell, he hath no end, but shall go into everlasting fire, where he shall have no end of torment. The Dragon, the old Serpent, is lose but for a little season, but after he shall be bound and cast into the bottomless pit, Apocalypse the twentieth chapter the second and third verses. Here is matter of admonition, That we avoid those sins which we see so severely punished by God in the invisible Serpent, especially Malice, in speaking evil of God and hurting our neighbours; Then to beware of Pride, which God doth punish with baseness: Lastly, to detest the prosecuting of our own inordinate lust, because that will deprive us of the blessed food, so as we shall have nothing to feed upon but the dust. We must not putrify in idleness, but get up and take our strength unto us, and cherish the moisture and dew of Heaven which we have received, Isaiah the fifty second chapter. So here is matter of faith and comfort; for this Curse pronounced by God upon the Devil, turns to a blessing to us: For Adam and Eve had cause of comfort, seeing that God took their fall, wrought by the Devil, so grievously. God here professeth himself an enemy to the 〈◊〉, that was and is our enemy; and so giveth us hope, that howsoever we, by his persuasion, are fallen from our first estate, yet he will be merciful to us. Praeterea, inimicitiam pono inter te & mulierem hanc, similiter que inter semen tuum & semen hujus. Gen. 3. 15. Jul. 2. 1598. IN this verse we have the second part of the Sentence given by God upon the Serpent: The former part concerned the Serpent himself, but this part hath respect also to us, and is much more grievous unto him, than the other three branches: And it is that which he doth most hardly digest. Concerning which, as it directly containeth a Commination and Curse, so as we must acknowledge it to be Gods doing, and to be marvellous in our eyes, Psalms the hundred and eighteenth. In this Curse is 〈◊〉 a singular Blessing, and in this 〈◊〉 we have a great and precious promise, the second epistle of Peter, the first chapter and the fourth verse. Touching this verse, nothing can be spoken good enough, seeing upon it the new Testament hath his foundation, and that all the rest or the Scripture is nothing else but a Commentary upon it, for there beginneth a new creation of all things, and the new 〈◊〉 which the Apostle speaks of in the second epistle to the 〈◊〉 the fift chapter and the sevententh verse: For seeing the world, which was lately created by God, was presently corrupted by the malice of the Serpent, it hath pleased God to create the world 〈◊〉 in Jesus Christ. By the seed of the woman, is meant our Saviour Christ, who 〈◊〉 of time was made of a woman, Galatians the fourth chapter. So that when God saith, I will put enmity between thy seed and the 〈◊〉 feed, we have in these words a manifest promise of Christ; and it is as much in effect, as if the Lord, after he had by his word created all things, should at length say, as he did of all things else, 〈◊〉 the first chapter, Fiat Christus, Let there be a Christ; that is, seeing Man is fallen, and hath degenerated from his first estate wherein he was created, Let there be a creation of a Messiah and Saviour by whom he may be restored. By this seed we are shadowed from she fiery two edged sword that was set to keep the way of the tree of life, Genesis the third chapter and the twenty fourth verse: and if by faith, which is our victory, the first epistle of Joha, the fift chapter and the fourth verse, we can overcome the Serpent, we shall eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God, Apoculyps the second chapter and the seventh verse. And unto this promise of God 〈◊〉 the Apostle speaks, Hebrews the second chapter and the first verse, 〈◊〉 are bound to give the more earnest heed because this Gospel was not preached by man in this world, which is a vail of misery; but by God himself in Paradise: Wherein, before we consider the words themselves, these things are generally to be observed: That howsoever the old Serpent, that is, the Devil, did with grief 〈◊〉 the first part of the Sentence pronunced upon him, yet 〈◊〉 was content, in that he, in the malice of his heart, thought that he had now swallowed up man in destruction with himself, and that he had so taken all the generation of Mankind captive, as that it was impossible for them to get out of his shares the second epistle to Timothy, the second chapter and the twenty sixth verse. Secondly, That our Parents knowing the they had transgressed God's commandment, did now wait every hoot when he would give them over into the hands of the 〈…〉 to be destroyed with eternal death, both of body and soul, as God had threatened (thou shalt die the death, 〈◊〉 the second chapter.) Thirdly, That albeit the Devil 〈…〉 his 〈◊〉 imagination, that he had fully wrought out 〈…〉 God 〈◊〉 this malice, by means of this 〈…〉 And 〈◊〉 our Parents, in conscience of their own 〈◊〉 and disobedience, were out of all hope of recovery, yet God 〈◊〉 them not to despair, but comforts them with this promise, That the 〈◊〉 of the woman shall bruise the Serpent's head; that is, shall both destroy him that had the power of death, and set at liberty those that were subject to the bondage of sin, Hebrews the second chapter and the fourteenth verse. For thus doth God speak, in effect, to the Serpent, Thou supposest that thou hast deceived them already, and taken them captive, so as they shall never escape thee; but know that I will take them out of thy Jaws, and set them at liberty; thou didst boast in thy malice, Psalm the fifty second, but I will not only take away this thy boasting, by delivering them from that destruction whereunto thou hast brought them, but they shall have a hand over thee; for where thou shalt but bruise his heel, he shall break thy head. On the other side, of our Parents, he saith on this manner, That howsoever they, by sinning against his express Commandment, had destroyed themselves, yet God, instead of delivering them to their enemy the Devil, will make them to wage war with him, and to get the victory of him: And so this was a blessed disappointing both of the Serpent's malice, and also of man's desperation. This course God took in two respects. First, That the Devil should not wax proud against God, if his devise touching man's destruction had prospered. God had said at the first. Let us make man after our own Image, and he created him according to the same, Genesis the first chapter; which, although it was decayed by the malice of the Devil, yet God (to show that neither man's unfaithfulness, nor the Devil's malice can make God's faith of none effect, Romans the third chapter and the fourth verse) hath taken order, That his Image in man should be renewed, Ephesians the fourth chapter. Another respect that God had herein, was to show Adam and all his Posterity, That whereas the Devil would make them believe that God did malign and envy their good estate, this was but a false suspicion; for, as he doth not delight in the destruction of any, Ezekiel the eighteenth chapter and the thirty second verse, so when men, by sin, had wrought their own destruction, yet he is so merciful, that he forgives their misdeeds and destroyeth them not, Psalm the seventy eighth and the thirty eighth verse: So when it was in his hands to have destroyed our Parents for their disobedience, yet he did not destroy them, but provided a means of salvation for them. And as the father, seeing his son afar off, ran and met him and embraced him, Luke the fifteenth chapter; so God, that our Parents should not despair of mercy, prevents them by telling the Serpent, that he hath a way to deliver them out of his bondage, before he pronounceth any Sentence upon them; for the Sentence given upon the Man and his Wife, was after this promise: And those two, that is, the Malice and Pride of the enemy, at our destruction and God's mercy, are the two motives whereby the Church persuadeth God to be gracious unto her, Lamentations the first chapter and the ninth verse. Touching this objection, Why God doth utter this promise by way of commination to the Serpent, whom it concerneth not, and doth not rather direct his speech to Adam and Eve? it may be thus answered: That beside God's custom, which is in wrath to vememher mercy, Habakkuk the third chapter and the second verse; in the valley of Anchor to open a door of hope, Hosea the second chapter and the fifteenth verse; and, to cause light to shine cut of darkness, and so to make the light of his favourable countenance to shine in the face of Jesus Christ, the second epistle to the Corinthians, the fourth chapter and the sixth verse; when men can look for nothing but warth and disoleasure, we may see it to be reasonable, that because they had deserved nothing, therefore he doth not make his speech to them, but to the Serpent by way of a Curse, that we may know, that it is not for man's deserts that God is fayourable, but, as the Prophet speaks, It is for his own sake that he doth put away our iniquities, Isaiah 43. 52. The parts of this verse are two: First, a proclaiming of hostility between the Serpent and the Woman, and between his seed and hers. Secondly, a promise of victory to the woman and her seed. Here the wisdom of God doth observe a wonderful proportion between the Devil's fault and the punishment: Before, his evil speaking was rewarded with curse, his Pride with creeping, his Lust with loathsome feeding on the dust; and here that visor and show of friendship, whereby he tempted our first Parents to transgress God's Commandment, is taken away by open hostility. He made a great show of love and good will to Adam and Eve; and, as one saith, howsoever he were indeed a cruel adversary, yet he pretended himself, in outward show, to be a faithful Counsellor: But this preposterous agreement of theirs, with Hell and death, Isaiah the twenty ninth chapter, is broken off by God himself; who, instead of the Devils love feigned, saith, I will put open enmity between thee and the woman. By the success which our Parents had of the Devils feigned good will, it is easy to be seen, that no temptation is so dangerous as that which is offered by way of compassion and friendship; and therefore when Peter said to Christ, in Matthew the sixteenth chapter and the twenty second verse, Master, pity thyself, Christ's answer was, Get thee behind me Satan; and therefore God useth to plague such preposterous loves and wicked agreements with deadly hatred: So God punished the 〈◊〉 of Abimlech and the men of Sichem with bitter hatred; for he sent an evil spirit between them, which made them break their promise made to Abimelech, Judges the ninth chapter and the twenty third verse. The end of the preposterous love which Ammon bore to Thamar was such, as his hatred wherewith he hated her after, was greater than ever his love was, the second book of Samuel, the thirteenth chapter and the fifteenth verse. So Judas, having made a wicked compact with the high-Priests and Scribes, to betray Christ into their hands, was rejected of them after, What is that to us? Look thou to that, Matthew the twenty seventh chapter. Touching the enmity between the Serpent and the woman, three things are here set down by God: First, that it shall be personal, between thee and the woman. Secondly, it shall be mortal enmity, such as shall never be forgotten, but the Posterity shall continue it, between thy seed and hers. Thirdly, it shall be a mortal and deadly hatred, the woman and her seed shall break the Serpent's head. Further, when God saith not only, that thus it shall be, but that he himself will be the Author of this enmity, as he saith (I will put) we are to consider two things. First, That God himself is the ruler and stirrer up of our inward affections, that he is not only the searcher of our hearts, Acts the first chapter, but the turner of men's hearts, Proverbs the twenty first chapter; for so he turned the King's heart toward Esther, and gave her favour with him, Esther the fift chapter: When a man's ways please the Lord, he will turn the hearts of his enemies, so that they shall be his friends; Proverbs the sixteenth chapter and the seventh verse: Thus he turneth men's minds both in good and evil things. When the Serpent and our Parents conspired together in that which was evil, God turned their hearts, and made them hate one another. So when all People and Nations that were escaped our of the flood conspired to build a Tower, God himself counfounded and scattered them, Genesis the eleventh chapter. So, as he is the God of peace in good things, so in evil things he will be the God of discord; and therefore he saith, I came to send a sword on earth, Matthew 10. Secondly, As by these words he showeth, that all our affections are in his hand; so he teacheth us, that where he proclaimeth enmity, we ought not to compound or make any peace: Because God saith, I will put enmity between the Serpent and the seed of the woman, therefore we must not make any league with the Devil, sin, the world, or our own lusts, but wrestle or be at war with them continually. The persons between whom this enmity is proclaimed, is the Serpent and the Woman, which must first be literally understood of the visible Serpent; for that Creature, of all other, doth strike a terror into man when he seethe him, so that presently man is inflamed with hatred against the Serpent. Here this question ariseth, Whether this antipathy that is naturally between Man and the Serpent were before the Curse, or only after? The answer is, That there was a hatred between them from the beginning, as of the Wolf with the Lamb and the Lion, Isaiah the eleventh chapter and Isaiah the sixty seventh chapter; but this hatred did not show itself between them, but was stayed with the same grace, by which man should have been preserved from death, if he had not sinned. There is an antipathy between the body of man and fire, so as the one is apt to destroy the other, as by grace this was stayed in the three Children that were call into the furnace, Daniel the ninth chapter. Water would naturally drown the body of man, being heavy, but by grace nature is stayed, as when Peter walked upon the water, Matthew the fourteenth chapter. And the Lion is a beast given to devour, being naturally hateful, but when Daniel was cast into the Lion's den, God by his grace preserved the Prophet, so as the Lions had no power of him, Daniel the sixth chapter. So the hatred that is in man toward the Serpent naturally did not show itself in the Creation as it doth now, that man is fallen from his Innocence. The same is also verified in the invisible Serpent, if we compare spiritual things with spiritual, in the first epistle to the Corinthians, the second chapter: For though Adam's wife were, in regard of sin, rather the mother of the dead than of the living, as she is called, in the third chapter of Genesis, and the twentieth verse, yet for the hope of life, which God doth offer unto us in this seed, Adam calleth her not amiss, The mother of the living, for that she was a resemblance of the Church within: All that will be partakers of Salvation must be born anew, to lead a spiritual life: For, in the twelfth chapter of the Apocalypse, the Church is compared to a woman with Child, and the Devil to a Dragon persecuting the woman, to show the spiritual enmity that is between the Devil and the faithful, between whom, God doth here forerell, there shall be perpetual hostility. The seed of the woman, principally, and by way of eminency, is Christ, as St. Paul expounds it, in the third chapter to the Galatians; and the Church which is called Christ, in the first epistle to the Corinthians, the twelfth chapter and the twelfth verse, doth, by the preaching of the word, conceive a spiritual seed, and travail till she have brought forth, Galatians the fourth chapter; and the old Serpent, of whom Christ faith, in the eighth chapter of St. John, You are of your father the Devil, hath no doubt a seed, that is, the wicked, which are his Children, which are always at war with the seed of the Church. As the seed of Serpents doth prove to be Serpents; so, for that wicked men are the seed of the old Serpent, Christ calls them Serpents, Matthew the twenty third chapter: and because Judas was the child of the Devil, therefore Christ calleth him a Devil, John the sixth chapter & the seventieth verse. The reason why the wicked are called Serpents, is because they stop their cares like Serpents, and will not hear the voice of the 〈◊〉 salm the fifty eighth; because they sharpen their tongues like Serpents, and hid Adders poison under their lips, Psalms the hundred and fourtieth; that is, blaspheme God and speak evil of men. So 〈◊〉 as the Elect are the seed of the woman spiritual; so the wicked and 〈◊〉 are the cursed seed of the spiritual Serpent: And God pronounceth, that there shall be perpetual hostility between them; There is a corrupt seed, Isaiah the first chapter and the fourth verse; The other, a holy seed, Isaiah the sixth chapter and the thirteenth verse. Our Saviour expounds the good seed to be the children of the kingdom, and the cockle to be the children of the world, Matthew the thirteenth chapter and the thirty eighth verse. The Apostle compares the children of God and the children of the Devil together, the first epistle of John the third chapter and the tenth verse: between these is that perpetual enmity that is here spoken of. The same is between the Church of God, Acts the twentieth chapter, and the Synagove of Satan, Apocalypse the twenty ninth chapter: between the two Cities, the City of God, whose foundation is upon the holy hill, Psalm the eighty seventh, and great Babylon, Psalm the hundred thirty seventh, and Apocalypse the eighteenth chapter: between the two Camps or Tents, whereof the Prophet speaks, that is, the Tabernacles of the Lord God of Hosts, and the Tents of the ungodly, Psalm the eighty fourth. This enmity is within every one of us, as Peter speaks, Abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul, the first epistle of Peter, the second chapter and the eleventh verse; We wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with spiritual wickedness, Ephesians the sixth chapter; therefore he saith, The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but spiritual and mighty through God to overthrow strong holds, the second epistle to the Corinthians, the tenth chapter and the fourth verse. And the thing that God aimeth at is, that there be not only an enmity between these two Cities and Camps, but that this enmity be perpetual, and send at the least to the kill of sin, and to the vanquishing of Satan. So soon as this Sentence was given, there was enmity between Cain, the seed of the Serpent, who was of the evil one, the first epistle of John, the third chapter and the twelfth verse, and Abel, who was spiritually be gotten by the Church, of the seed of the world, Genesis the fourth chapter. Ishmael and Isaac, the one being born after the flesh, the other after the spirit, persecuted one another, Galatians the fourth chapter. He that was of the Serpent's seed mocked and derided the seed of the woman, Genesis the twenty first chapter and the ninth verse. Jacob and Esau, being divers seeds, the one hated the other, and vowed to kill the other, Genesis the twenty seventh chapter and the forty first verse. Lastly, This enmity was practised between the Church of God, (Apocalypse the twelfth chapter,) and the Synagogue of Satan (Apocalypse the nineteenth chapter.) Of these spiritual Combats the Scripture hath many examples; and therefore it is called, The book of the wars of the Lord, Numbers the twenty first chapter and the fourteenth verse. The Serpent deserved to have been utterly destroyed; and God, who calleth things that were not as if they were, Romans the fourth chapter and the seventeenth verse, was able to have destroyed him, at least to have chained him up, that he might not trouble his servants as he will at the last day, Apocalypse the twentieth chapter and the tenth verse: but the Council of God, in suffering him still to practise his malice against us, is for our good, that we should be still exercised and kept in a war; for, as Christ saith, What thanks is it, Luke the sixth chapter and thirty second verse, and what praise is it to obtain eternal life, the first epistle of Peter the second chapter and the twentieth verse, unless in this life we do something towards it? The Apostle saith, No man is crowned except he strive aright, the second epistle to Timothy, the second chapter and the fifth verse: Therefore God hath appointed us an enemy, that is, the Devil, whom we must continually fight with. If we resist his allurements by pleasure, and his terrors in oppressing us with crosses, we shall, at the length, be crowned with the crown of life; and then he will, according to his promise, tread down Satan under our foot, so that he shall not trouble us any more, Romans the sixteenth chapter and the twentieth verse. But in the mean time, he is opposed against us by the wise Council of God, as an enemy, that we should continually strive against him. As this is a threatening to the Devil, so it is a promise in respect of us, and that a promise of grace, to be showed us that are of the seed or the woman, without which grace we cannot strive with the Serpent, nor once conceive any desire to resist him. And therefore if we have any desire to resist the Devil and his temptations, it is not of any natural power of ourselves, but the grace of God's spirit working in us, who saith, I will put enmity between thy seed and the woman: Whereupon, whereas the Apostle saith, that by reason of the continual rebellion that is between the flesh and the spirit, we cannot do that we would, Galatians the fifth chapter and the seventeenth verse. Augustine saith, that yet we are bound to thank God that he gives us his spirit to stir us up to the resisting of the flesh and the corrupt lusts thereof; for hereby he perform his promise which he makes in this place: And except we had the grace of his spirit, it were impossible for us, but that we should be at agreement with the flesh, and like well of the temptations thereof; for naturally we are given to make league with bell and death, Isaiah the twenty ninth chapter and the fifteenth verse; to be friends with our 〈◊〉 and worldly lusts, which do still solicit and persuade us to break God's Commandment and Law. And if by the special grace of God, he work in us some dislike of our flesh and the corruption thereof, for a time, yet this is not perpetual; and though it did continue perpetually, yet it is not 〈◊〉 mortal and to the death; for we never labour to kill sin, and to 〈◊〉 the old man utterly, but all that we can do, is to bruise his head: And many are so 〈◊〉 from that, that they fetch balms and ointments to heal his head so soon as it is wounded. Instead of treading him under our 〈◊〉 many do tread under their feet the Law and word of God, as Samuel speaks, in the first book of Samuel, the fifteenth chapter and the twenty third verse; and tread under feet the blood of the Covenant, Hebrews the tenth chapter and the twenty ninth verse, which God appoints as a means to 〈◊〉 us in this fight. By nature we are enemies to God and to the cross of Christ, Philippians the third chapter and the eighteenth verse, except God vouchasafe us the benefit of this promise, and make this enmity between the Devil and us. We see this enmity was fulfilled between the Devil and Christ, that was the seed of the woman, for they say, What have we to do with thee, Jesus? Matthew the eighth chapter and the twenty ninth verse; and between him and the wicked Jews, which were of the Serpent's seed, which said to Christ, Behold, a glutton and a wine drinker, a friend to Publicans and sinners, Matthew the eleventh chapter and the nineteenth verse. And thus still the Devil and his generation do oppose themselves against Christ and the faithful, that are born anew of the immortal seed of the word, the first epistle of Peter, the first chapter and the twenty third verse. But as for the ungodly, the Devil doth never disturb them; for in them the strong armed man bathe 〈◊〉 full possession, so as all that he hath is in peace, Luke the eleventh chapter and the twenty second verse. And the Devil doth no sooner hold up his hand to them, but they are ready to do whatsoever he will. But he that hath not his part in this hostility and spiritual conflict with the Serpent, shall have no part in the promise of victory which is made to the godly. Hoc conteret tibi caput, tu autem conteres buic calcaneum. Gen. 3. 15. Aug 10. 1598. IN this last part of the Curse pronounced by God upon the Serpent, there are two points, First, a proclaiming of war: Secondly, a promise of Victory; the sum whereof is, the breaking of the Serpent's head, as the holy Ghost speaks here; or, as the Apostle saith, in the first epistle of John and the third chapter, the losing of the works of the Devil. In the proclaiming of enmity we have to consider, First, the enmity itself: Secondly, the persons between whom it shall be. Touching the enmity, we shown first, That it is kindly, that preposterous love and amity should end in hatred and mortal enmity, as it fell out between the Serpent and the woman: Secondly, That God is the author of this enmity, who saith of himself, I will put enmity: Whereupon we gather, That as God is the stirrer up of all affections, so especially of that hatred which is between good and evil, 〈◊〉 and error, between Babel and Zion, the Tents of the godly and the wicked, as they are opposed in the eighty fourt Psalm: And therefore, as it is Christ's rule, That no man should separate that which God hath joined, Matthew the nineteenth chapter; so where God promiseth, that he will 〈◊〉 the wicked and the godly, let no man seek to conjoin them, nor make peace, when his will is, there should be mortal hatred and war. The persons are the Woman and the Serpent. By the Woman is meant not Eve, as she is the mother of them that die, but the Church which is signified by her, in regard whereof, she is called The mother of the living, Genesis the third chapter and the twentieth verse. As allo the bodily Serpent is not meant, but the Devil, that old Serpent. The first thing then, to be noted in the persons, is, That as there is naturally a hatred between the Woman and the visible Serpent; so God threatneth this as a punishment to be laid upon the Devil, That there shall be continual war and harred between him and the Church. Secondly, This enmity shall not be for a time; for he contents not himself to say, I will put enmity between thee and the Woman, but that it shall continue between their seed; that is, it shall be hereditary, to abide till the world's end, so long as God hath a Church. By the seed of the Woman is understood the faithful, that are born and begotten in the Church, which is the mother of us all, Galatians the fourth chapter. By the Serpent's seed is meant the wicked, whom Christ calls Serpents, and a generation of Vipers, Matthew the twenty third chapter and the thirty third verse. Thirdly, It shall be no light harred, but deadly and mortal; for it shall proceed to grind one another to powder. The hatred which the Church beareth towards the Devil, is such as shall break his head in pieces, as an earthen vessel is broken, so that it shall not be fit for any use, not so much as to fetch fire in any piece of it, Isaiah the thirtieth chapter and the fourteenth verse. Wherefore touching this former part, As it is a great punishment for a proud man to have them set before him, whom he thinks to be fare under him; so, for as much as the Devil hold us captive at his will, the second epistle to Timothy and the second chapter, it is a grievous curse which God layeth upon him, that we shall not only be set at libetry from him, but have the mastery over him, and trample him under our feet. Secondly, for ourselves, As it is a blessing for a man, not to be deceived of him whom he thinks to be his friend; so God vouchsafeth us a great blessing, in that he promiseh to ftirre up in us a hatred against sin and the Devil, so that we shall not make a league with hell, nor an agreement with death, Isaiah the twenty eighth chapter, but shall still be at enmity with him. Contrari wise, if we make truce with the Devil, and please ourselves in our sins, then are we accursed, and like the fool that laugheth when he is lead to the Stocks to receive correction, Proverbs the seventh chapter. Thirdly, It is a general Prophecy, That if God 〈◊〉 not enmity between us and the Serpent in this life, he will set enmity between us and himself in the life to come; so that we shall say, How have we hated instruction, and our hearts despised correction? proverbs the fift chapter and the twelfth verse: Sin goeth down sweetly, but in the end it will by't like a Serpent, Proverbs the twenty third chapter and the thirty second verse. Thus we see, that because we did abuse that general peace that was between us and the Creatures, God hath thought it necessary to stir up war between us; so that we shall have the Devil an adversary to us: And as he tempted us to evil, so we shall still be enemies to him. God indeed might easily have destroyed the Devil, for causing us to sin, as well as he could make him of nothing: But because it is no praise for man not to yield to sin, when they have none to tempt them thereunto; nor to be obedient to God's will, when they have none to persuade them to rebellion, as in the beginning the Serpent did; therefore he thought good that the Devil should still be their enemy, as he was at the first; for the promise of reward is made to them that strive and overcome, To him that overcommeth will I give, Apocalypse 12. and they must not only fight, but fight lawfully, or else they cannot be crowned, the second epistle to Timothy, the second chapter. As for this cause God thought it good, that this war and hostility should continue; so, because he knew men do make war in vain, where there is no hope of victory, therefore he proclaims, that the woman's seed shall not only be at continual war with the Serpent, but shall overcome him and grince his head in pieces, the more to encourage them in this spiritual battle. There shall be hurt done on both parts, but not like hurt; they shall both bruise, but the same thing shall not be bruised; the head, which is the chief part, is bruised by the Woman, and therefore she hath the greater victory; the heel or tail, which is the lowest part, is only bruised by the Serpent; and consequenly doing less hurt, he is put to the worse. The seed of the Woman doth so fight with the Devil, that they break his head, but the Devil fights so as he doth no great hurt. Wherein two things are to be considered: First, What this Victory is, namely, the bruising and grinding in pieces of the Serpent's head. Secondly, The condition of this Victory, to wit, that it shall not be with ease, for it shall cost both sweat of brows and shedding of blood, for we must resist sin unto blood, Hebrews the twelfth chapter. And the holy Ghost saith here, that howsoever the woman's seed do bruise the head of the Serpent, yet the Serpent shall bruise his heel. In the Victory we are to observe, First the person that shall overcome, that is, the woman's seed. Secondly, the manner how, and that is by bruising his head. The person receiveth two considerations; for by the seed of the Woman we must understand not only Christ, but the whole Church, which is his body. This Scripture concerns Christ, as he is the wheat corn, which being caft into the ground and dying, bringeth forth much fruit, John the twelfth chapter and twenty fourth verse: It respects the faithful as they are the ear of corn, or the crop that cometh of that grain of wheat: And as he was the seed of the Woman so are the faithful to the end of the world. Therefore of the Church the Prophet saith, That when he shall offer up his soul as an offering for sin, he shall see a long seed, Isaiah the fifty third chapter. And where the holy Ghost reporteth, that the Dragon makes war with the rest of the Woman's seed, Apocalypse the twelfth chapter and the seventeenth verse, by that is meant the congregation of the faithful to the world's end; who, for that they are a body politic, as Christ is a body natural, are therefore called Christ, the first epistle to the Corinthians, the thirteenth chapter and the twelfth verse; And this victory is verified in them no less than in Christ. So that in this promise we see not a Fiat lux, that is, Let there be light, as in the Creation, but Fiat Christus, Let there be a Christ, that is, a deliverer, to restore mankind, being now fallen from the estate wherein they were created: For where God promiseth, That there shall be war between the Serpent and the Woman's seed, and that the one shall conquer the other: As if Adam should object, How shall our seed be able to strive with Satan, seeing they themselves being in state of perfection, could not tread upon his head, but were tempted and overcome? God answers, That he will raise them up a Captain. As of the Judges, whom God appointed to 〈◊〉 the People of Israel, it is said, The Lord raised them up a Captain, Judges the eleventh chapter; so here God promiseth to Adam and Eve, that he will raise up the Captain or Prince Messiah, Daniel the ninth chapter and the twenty fift verse, that shall fight and get the conquest for them, and that he shall come of their seed. Secondly, If God will raise up this Captain of the Woman's seed, than he shall not be an Angel or Archangel that shall deliver us; for as the Apostle saith, He in no sort took the nature of Angels, Hebrews 12. 15. but he took the seed of Abraham; that is, he shall be man, compassed with the same flesh that we carry about with us; he shall be bone of our bones; and, as the Prophet speaks, The Captain shall be of themselves, and the Prince shall spring out from among them, Jeremiah the thirtieth chapter; so Christ, who is appointed by God his Father, to be the Saviour of the world, is of yourselves, and took our flesh upon him. Thirdly, God saith not your seed, but the Woman's seed; which is a plain manifestation of the ordinary work of God; As if God should say to the Devil, Thou beginnest with the Woman, which is the weaker vessel, the first epistle of Peter, the third chapter, thinking to prevail the sooner; But how weak soever she be, thou shalt find, that out of her will I bring a seed that shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt thereby see that my power is made perfect in weakness, the second epistle to the 〈◊〉, the twelfth chapter; for God, in his council, doth make the weak things of the world to counfound the strong, the first epistle to the Corinthians, the first chapter. Secondly, This shall be performed by the seed of the Woman; because, as she was the cause of 〈◊〉, For Adam was not deceived, but the Woman, the first epistle to Timothy, the second chapter and the fourteenth verse; so God would have the cause of remedy to come from her, to show, That he doth bring light out of darkness, the second epistle to the Corinthians, the fourth chapter. Thirdly, For that Eve, knowing that her credulity, in harkening to the Serpent's voice, was the cause of all his misery, might, as that sex is most inclined thereunto, conceive great grief of heart to comfort her, the promise of victory is by God himself in great mercy appropriated to her, whereas Christ came of Adam no less than of the Woman. Fourthly, That it might be the gate to all Prophecies, For, as one saith of Christ, He is so the Woman's seed, as he is not the Man's, therefore Isaiah saith, Behold, a Virgin shall conceive, Isaiah the seventh chapter; and in the Prophet Jeremiah God speaks thus, Behold, I create a new thing in earth, a Woman shall compass a Man, Jeremiah the thirty first chapter and the twenty second verse: Which seed, of whom he came, the Scripture doth particularly set down: For among the sons of Noah, he came of Shem; among those that came of Abraham he was of the Tribe of Juda; in that Tribe he came of the house of David, and so is called, The Son of David, Matthew the first chapter; and, made of the seed of David according to the flesh, Romans the first chapter: He is that seed in whom God promised Abraham, That all the Nations of the earth should be blessed, as the Apostle expounds it, in the third chapter of the epistle to the Galatians. Secondly, For the manner how that Victory is gotten, It is by bruising the Serpent's head. Wherein, for the bruising, we learn that Christ goeth not to work by subtlety, as the Serpent did; he pretends not love, as Satan did; but he professeth deadly hatred; he deals not creepingly and deceitfully, but goeth to it with open force and violence: He that hurts the heel comes by stealth behind, as the Devil dealt here; but if a man will break another man's head, he will come before him, and so doth Christ. And therefore he is not like the subtle Serpent, but as the brazen Serpent, that was set up upon a pole, John the third chapter and the fourteenth verse, to show, that his dealing is open and manifest. The Serpent having a purpose to destroy our Parents, seduced and beguiled Eve, the second epistle to the Corinthians, the eleventh chapter; but Christ, having a purpose to destroy the Devil, and so save man, saith plainly, in the thirteenth chapter of Hosea, O death, I will be thy death, O Hell, I will be thy destruction; and so he speaks in the twelfth chapter of John, I, when I am lift up, will draw all men, that is, he will not entice them by fraud and subtlety, as the Serpent doth. Secondly, The part to be bruised is the Head of the Serpent: Christ would not go to the weaker part, as the tail or heel, as the Serpent doth; but to the head of the Serpent, where both his strength and poison lieth: so he is not minded as the Serpent was. The strength and poison of Satan, as it is called in the twenty sixth verse of the eighteenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, is the poison that he hideth in his head, which hath the same name in the holy tongue; but Christ bruiseth the head. Secondly, He hath poison in his tongue, as it is in the third verse of the hundred and fourtieth Psalm; but Christ destroyed that poison, as it is in the fourth chapter of Matthew and the fourth verse, with alleging, it is written. Thirdly, he hath poison in his teeth, of which Christ saith, Now is the power of darkness, Luke the twenty second chapter: But the chief poison that he 〈◊〉 to destroy us with, is the curse of the Law, which the Apostle calls, the strength of sin, in the first epistle to the Corinthians, the fifteenth chapter: That Curse is of twelve forts, Deuteronomie the twenty seventh chapter, but Christ hath taken them away, When he became a curse for us, Galatians the third chapter. So hath he broken his head and drawn forth this poison of it, First, by resistance: Secondly, by patience: Thirdly, by receiving the poison of it into his own body. Having done this, to show, that he hath obtained a full conquest, he went up on high and lead captivity captive, Psalm the sixty eighth and the eighteenth verse. Though he were dead, that by death he might destroy him that had the power of death, Hebrews the second chapter and the fourteenth verse, yet now he saith, I am alive, and have the keys of Hell and death, Apocalypse the first chapter and the eighteenth verse; He fast ned to the Cross the hand writing, Colossians the second chapter; and 〈◊〉 over Hell and Death, as it is said, O Hell, where is thy sting? O death where is thy victory? the first epistle to the Corinthians, the fifteenth chapter. And thus is the victory fulfilled in Christ: But for the condition, This Victory did not cost him nothing, so great a matter it is to redeem a soul, Psalm the forty ninth; he bought his conquest at a dear rate, even with the price of his own blood; for Christ's enemies did not only slander the footsteps of our anointed, Psalm the eighty ninth, but left in his humanity those impressions of cruelty, that made him cry, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Matthew the twenty seventh chapter; and to send forth strong cries with tears, Hebrews the fifth chapter; but still they did but bruise his heel: And so he did set all this at his heel, as we speak, that he might set us at his heart. Thus much concerning the Victory, as it was fulfilled in Christ, as he was the wheat Corn; 〈◊〉 it is also fulfilled in the Church: For whatsoever he did, he did 〈◊〉 not for himself, but for the members of his body; and he doth infuse such virtue into his body, that as Christ said to his Disciples, Behold, I give you power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, Luke the tenth chapter and the nineteenth verse; so shall the faithful be able to trample the Devil under their feet, to whom this promise is made, That God shall tread down Satan under their feet, Romans the sixteenth chapter; which is a plain exposition of this promise set down by Moses. Christ, as he is the wisdom of God, shall communicate this power to his Church, That they shall tread under their feet that poison of temptation which the Serpent speweth out of his mouth by resisting it, as he himself did, Matthew the fourth chapter: They shall be able to sustain the poison of his teeth, by not giving place to it. Though he hurt them in the heel, that is, in their earthly parts, as substance, wealth, good name, yet they shall be able to suffer it, so long as he touch not the head. But if a man refuse to suffer detriment by Satan in these outward things, he shall have no part in the victory, because it is not gotten without bruising of the heel and some blood shed; for it is Gods will, That all shall be conformable to the Image of his son, Rom. 8. 29. for of those things which Christ in his natural body suffered, there remaineth something which must be accomplished in his mystical body, Col. 1. 24. until the number of the Elect be fulfilled. Here is matter of special direction for us. It is plain the promise is made to no man, but to him that is at enmity with the Serpent, with whom we must make continual war; because, although Christ have already wounded him in his head, yet he is not dead; and though his courage be much abated, yet he still doth much mischief. In this warfare we are to learn two things, First, what we must do to him, to practise it: Secondly, what he will do to us, that we may avoid it. That which we are to do to him, is to bruise his head in pieces, which we shall be able to do, in him that strengtheneth us, Phil. 4. That which he will do to us 〈◊〉, that he will bruise our heel; therefore we are to take heed of him. By the Serpent's head is meant the first suggestion whereby he stirreth us up to sin; which, albeit in the beginning it were strong, when he tempted Eve, yet since the promise Christ hath weakened it, notwithstanding, as Christ resisted the first suggestion, Matth. 4. so must we, after his example, begin at the weakest part, even at the first suggestions and provocations, which seem to us to be nothing, which the Prophet signified by the children of Babel, which he would have dashed to the stones, Psal. 137. In that respect it is that the Church would have the little Foxes destroyed that hurt the Vines, Cant. 2. 12. And the Prophet's counsel is, That we 〈◊〉 upon the Cockatrice egg, lest it 〈◊〉 a Serpent, Isaiah 59 The Fathers, out of Adam's temptation, 〈◊〉 four degrees of our spiritual 〈◊〉, The Man, the Woman, the Serpent, the Tree: By Man they understood reason; by the Woman, the sensuality and carnal affections of our minds; by the Serpent, the Devil; by the Tree, the occasion. Concerning which, as it is good counsel to hear this spoken, Command Eve; so it is better counsel, Take heed of the Serpent, and thou shall be safe; but if thou do not look upon the tree, thou shalt be safer: For if we avoid the occasion of sin, then shall not our concupiscence be stirred up; but he that maketh no conscience to 〈◊〉 the occasion he loveth danger, and, as the Wise man saith, he shall perish therein. The 〈◊〉, if it be lightly touched, will sting and prick, but if it be crushed hard in a man's hand, it looseth the power: So if we dally with sin, it will sting us, but if we bruise the very head of it, that is, the first motions, than it shall not hurt us: Thus did Christ, Matth. 4. and thus he would have us do likewise. Jacob being stirred up by his mother to seek the blessing of his father, and to counterfeit the person of his brother, answered, That he durst not, last instead of a blessing he should procure acurse, Gen. 27. 12. Joseph, being solicited to uncleanness by his Mistress, answered, How can I 〈…〉? Gen. 39 Thus with the consideration of God's curse and of his benefits towards us, must we tread the head of the Serpent. But if we be ready to make league with hell and death, Isaiah 28. that is, to 〈◊〉 to the suggestions of Satan: If instead of treading him under feet, we tread under foot the blood of Christ, by which we are sanctified, Hebrews 10. if where we should labour to wound the Devil, we do heal his wounds with sweet words, Jer. 6. then are we fair from that spiritual enmity that God requireth, and do deprive ourselves of the promise of victory. This not bruising of the Serpent's head will cause another contrition: For that man, that for lack of grace doth not tread down concupiscence, and make it subject to the spirit of God, shall be fain to grind his own heart, and to break it as he should have broken the Serpent's head; for one of them must of necessity be performed, either the Serpent's head must be bruised and broken, or else our own heart must be broken with sorrow and grief for sin, which is that acceptable sacrifice which God doth not despise, Psal. 51. Secondly, Touching that which the Devil doth to us, we are taught here, That though he be grievously wounded, yet he will not give over, but make war with the Woman's seed forever. If he could, he would be at the head, but because he cannot, he gins at the heel, and, by little and little, layeth men down all along upon the ground, that so he may poison the head: Thus he circumventeth men to make them fall, 2 Cor. 1. We must therefore chief look to that part which he aimeth at most, and that is the heel; and in that regard it behoveth us to have our feet shod with the 〈◊〉 of the Gospel, Ephes. 6. 15. The heel hath three considerations, First, Calcem 〈◊〉: Secondly, actionis: Thirdly, vitae. The heel of our soul is the lowest part thereof, which toucheth the earth; that is, as the Apostle terms them, our fleshly lusts, 1 Pet. 2. 11. and, our worldly lusts, Titus 2. 12. These affections are, as it were, the feet whereupon our souls do walk; for the affections are the feet of the soul and mind, which, if they be corrupt, they cause the soul to sin: therefore the Prophet complaineth, That the wickedness of his heels compasseth him, Psal. 49. 5. meaning the corrupt lusts and affections of his heart: For as the cold wherewith we are troubled in our head, is first taken in our feet; so the corruption of our opinion and understanding proceeds from our corrupt affections. Secondly, The heel of our actions, is the end for which we do them; wherein we must be careful, that all we do be done for God's glory, and not for our own praise; this is it which our Saviour reproveth in the Scribes and 〈◊〉, They did good works, they fasted, prayed, and gave alms, but the end of all that they did was not good, for they did it to be praised of men, Matth. 6. For it is the Devil's policy, if he cannot hinder good actions, yet to corrupt men's minds, so as they shall not refer that which they do to God's glory, which is the right end and only thing we should aim at, but to their own praise and commendation among men. Therefore we must beware for what end we do any thing, be it never so good, namely, that it be referred to God's glory, according to the Apostles rule, 1 Cor. 10. otherwise it not only loseth commendation, but becometh sinful, how goodly a show soever it carry outwardly; for whatsoever is not of faith is sin, Rom. 14. Thirdly, By the heel in the tird and last sense, we understand the end of our life: For at that time when all action is past, the Devil knowing that he hath but a little time to practise his malice against us, doth then most of all rage against us, Apoc. 12. Therefore even then especially we must oppose ourselves against him, that he do not venom and poison our heel; that is, when we are ready to departed this life, to give us the overthrow, to drive us to desperation, and make us to despair of God's favour. Thus we see his desire is and will be either to corrupt our affections, that we shall desire that which is evil: Or if we do good, he will poison the end of our actions, so as we shall not seek God's glory but our own praise. Lastly, When we come to the end of our life, than he will be busy to weaken our faith, and to overcome us, by taking from us all other spiritual graces: And not only in these, but he will hurt us in our goods and good name. And we must be content to suffer these things at his hands, that he may not hurt our souls, Exod. 4. 3. We must not think it strange if we suffer detriment in temporal things, so that he do us no hurt spiritually to the overthrow of our souls. FINIS.