Mans Imaginations, Treatise · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
The vnfolding of the text, by way of preparation to the Treatise.
IN the former part of this chapter, Moses hath faithfully related the drying of the waters after the stood; and Noahs sacrificing vntounto God, with Gods acceptance thereof. Now in this verse and the next, he recordeth such lawes and decrees as God made with Noah touching the restauration of nature perished by the flood; as well for the sparing of the creatures from such like destruction, as for the continuance of his prouidence in needefull times and seasons, meete for their future preseruation. These wordes containe the first of these lawes: wherein we may obserue three points; Moses his preface to this law; the law it selfe; and the reason thereof.
I. The preface; And the Lord said in his heart: These words must not be taken properly, for God hath not an heart as man hath, neither speaketh he as man doth; but hereby is meant, that God determined and set downe with himselfe this law and decree.
In this phrase of speech, note this one thing: If it had pleased him, God could hauehave spoken to man by a voice, the hearing whereof would hauehave confounded him: but as here we see, he doth abase himselfe, and as it were lay aside his honour and might, and speaketh vntounto vsus after the manner of men, euen to the capacitie of the most simple. Which teacheth vsus, that it is the good will and pleasure of God, that not onelyonly the learned, but euen the vnlettered and most ignorant should knowe and vnderstand the holy Scripture: for els he would neuer hauehave penned them in a phrase & style that doth so well accord to the capacitie of the simple.
II. Point. The decree it selfe: I will henceforth curse the ground no more for mans cause. This is the peremptorie lawe of God touching the restauration of nature: wherein are contained two things: first what God hath done: secondly, what God will not doe hereafter. The thing that God hath done is, the cursing of the earth: for he saith, I will curse no more: implying that he once cursed it.
In this obserue, that God may truly be said to be a cause of curses, and to curse his creatures: not onelyonly for that he doth ordaine and decree all curses, but also because he inflicteth them vponupon the creatures: yet so as the same is alwaies most iustly deserued by sinne, before it be inflicted of the Lord. And so must Gods cursing of the earth be vnderstood in this place, as a fruit of his wrath for the sinne of man: accordingly God is said directly to aIsa. 45. 7.create euill, because whatsoeuer afflictions, curses, and punishments are in the world, they are ordained and inflicted by God vponupon the creatures for the sinne of man.
This plainly confuteth the common opinion of ignorant people, who hold that all good things, as peace, wealth, ioy, and felicitie, come from God: but all euill, as affliction, calamitie, curses, & iudgements, come from the deuill, and God onelyonly suffereth thē. This is a most erroneous and blind conceipt, which filleth many a soule with much anguish and impatience: for what comfort can he hauehave in the time of trouble, that is perswaded it commeth wholly from the deuill, and the hand of God is not therein? We therefore must learne to reforme this opinion, and know that crosses, and troubles come from God. This Dauid knew well, and therefore when Shemi cursed him, and railed on him, he forbad Ab…shai to touch him, because (saith he)b2. Sam. 16. 10. what if (or, it may be) God hath bid him curse Dauid: so Ioseph telleth his brethren, who most traiterously sold him into Egypt, thatcGen. 45. 5. the Lord sent him before them.
Secondly, here consider the impulsiue cause that moued God to curse the earth by a flood: it was not in the earth, but in men: I wil henceforth curse the earth no more for man, that is, for mans sinnes. In the newe Testament there are two especiall sinnes recorded for which God sent this curse: first, carnall securitie. They were choaked with worldly cares, and drowned in earthly pleasures: in the daies of Noah, they did eat, and drinke, marrie, and giuegive in marriage, Matth. 24. 38. Secondly, the contempt of the Gospell in the ministerie of Noah, who preached an hundred and twentie yeares vntounto them, while the Arke was in building, but they were disobedient, asd1. Pet. 3. 2…. S. Peter saith, following their owne pleasures and delights. Whereby it appeares that these two sinnes, Securitie, and contempt of the Gospel, are most grieuous sinnes: for these brought destruction not onelyonly vponupon all mankind (Noah and his familie excepted) but euen vponupon all creatures that liued by breath.
Now looke as these sinnes were in the old world, euen so are they rife in this last age; according to the prophecie of our sauiour Christ,eLuk 17. 26. as it was in the daies of Noah, so shall it bee in the daies of the son of man: and as this is the state of the whole world, so it is the state of this our Church; most men are drowned in the pleasures of this world, & choked with the cares thereof: for howsoeuer they will heare the Gospell preached yet few apply their hearts to beleeue the same, shewing forth the power therof by repentāce frō dead works, & amendment of life in new obedience. But we must know, that if these two sins brought a curse, euen destruction vponupon the old world, then no doubt they will bring a fearfull curse vponupon this age, though not by water, yet some other way that shall countervaile the flood, and therefore we must lay these things to our hearts, that vnles we abandon securitie, and worldly lustes and withall doe repent and beleeue at the preaching of the gospell, we shall see that gods heauie curse will fall vponupon vsus; for if we match the old world in sinne, wee must not looke to come behinde them in iudgements.
The second thing in this decree is, what God will not doe hereafter, Namely: curse the earth any more: this must be vnderstood of that particular curse, which the Lord laide on the earth by waters, when he drowned the world: for the generall curses that were laid vpō the ground, and on mankind for Adams sinne, remaine still, and shall not be taken quite away till the end of the world: so that the meaning of this lawe is, that the Lord will no more drowne the whole earth for the sinne of man by a flood.
Here then wee see the cause why the sea being as raging and stirring as euer it was, doth notwithstanding keepe it selfe within it boundes, and not ouerflow the world: and why the clowdes beeing as full of water, as euer they were doe not powre downe more floods vponupon the earth to destroy it. Surely it is by vertue of this particular lawe, and decree of God, whereunto the sea and clowds become obedient, I will henceforth curse the earth no more. And here we hauehave iust occasion to take knowledge and veiw of our owne wretched and damnable estate how we are sold vnderunder sinne: for howsoeuer we were created blessed, and happie, yet by our fall in Adam we are become far worse then any earthly creature; for each creature in his kind, as the sunne, the moone, and starres, the sea, & cloudes, & all other obey the commandement of God: but man of all creatures hauing lawes giuen him of God to keepe, rebelleth in breaking the same, and to him it is meate and drinke by nature to liue in the transgression of gods commandements: Thus by comparing our selues with the brute creatures, we may learne to humble our selues, and to be abashed when we see them which were made to serue vsus, to goe before vsus in obedience to the lawes of our creator.
III. Point. The reason of gods decree, in these words; for the Imagination of mans heart is euil, euen from his youth. At the first this reason may seeme very strange, that God should no more curse the earth for man, because the Imagination of his heart is euill; In all likelihood God should hauehave saide the contrarie, I will still curse the earth because the Imaginations of mans heart are euill; for so he saith, Chap. 6. vers 5. 6. that seeing all the Imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart were onelyonly euill continually, therefore hee would destroy the man from the earth, and from man to beast, & eueryevery creeping thing: Howe can both these stand together? Ans. Thus; In the sixt chapter the Lord saith, he wil once destroy the world by water, because of the wickednes of the Imaginations of man… heart: and here he saith, he will not proceed to curse the earth againe and againe by the same punishment, because the Imaginations of mans heart are euill, euen from his youth; as if hee should say, I hauehave once drowned the worlde for the wickednes of mans inventions, but if I should thus proceede to deale with man according to the wicked imagination of his heart, I must bring eueryevery yeare a new flood vpō the earth, because I see the frame of mans heart is euill continually.
Here then obserue, that God in the preseruation of mankind doth temper and moderate his iustice by merciemercy: for if he should deale according to mans deserts hee should eueryevery day bring curses vponupon him; yea, so soone as a man is borne hee should be destroyed; but God dealeth not so rigorously, hee mingleth mercy with iustice, whereby the whole frame of heauen and earth, the state of man and all societies doe stand: That which Habacuke prayed for,aHab. 32. In iustice, or wrath remember merciemercy, the Lord hath performed euer since the flood, yea since the fall of Adam.
There bee three great and weightie causes, which mooued God to temper iustice with merciemercy for the preseruation of mankinde and other creatures: first that hereby hee might shew his patience & long suffering towards the vessells of wrath, (as the ApostlebRom. …. …2. speaketh) that is, towards such as will not repent, that at the last day they may bee most iustly condemned: Secondly, that there may bee a companie of men vponupon earth which may worshipe God; for God hath speciall care of his owne glorie among men, and therefore tempers iustice with merciemercy in their preseruation, that they might glorifie him: Psal. 130. vers. 4. there is merciemercy, or pardon with thee, that thou maist bee feared; that is, wheras (oh Lord) thou mightest in iustice throwe all men to hell suddenly, yet in merciemercy thou pardonest the sinnes of some, for this end that they might worship thee: feare being put for worship and obedience. Thirdly, and principally, that the elect, and chosen of God might bee gathered; for God in his eternall counsell, and decree hath appointed and set downe a certaine number of men vntounto whom hee will giuegive eternall life, and for their cause doth hee spare the whole worlde from daylie destruction: but when that number shall bee accomplished, then shall heauen, and earth goe together, and the worlde shall bee no more.
And here by the way, this third cause of the continuance of nature, must teach vsus our dutie; to wit, that seeing it pleaseth God in merciemercy to giuegive vsus liberty to liue a space of time in this worlde, some twentie, some thirtie, …ome fourtie or fiftie yeares, and that for this ende that heerein wee might bee fitted for his kingdome, when as in the rigour of his iustice hee might hauehave cast vsus to hell in our mothers wombe, or so soone as we were borne, wee therefore must bee carefull not to despise this long-suffering & patience of God, but rather labour in the feare of God, that it may become*2. Pet. 3. 15. salvation vntounto vsus, by our conscionable endeauour in all such meanes vntounto the ende, as hee hath sanctified for the working of the graces of life in the hearts of his children. And thus much for the reason in generall.