Seven Treatises, Treatise 1 · Chapter 2
CHAP. 2. Of mans miſerie.
TO begin therefore with their miſerie,The firſt head. and briefly to ſpeake of it, and the next branch (ſeeing they are of others largely handled) no man muſt think that it is the eſtate wherein God at the firſt created them,The firſt point of mans miſerie. either Adam the father of all the world, or his poſterity which was then in his loines.
Sure it is (I ſay) that it was not thus with mankind in the beginning: for God then made all things good, and man amongſt other creatures hee made holie, and happie,Gen. 1.26. Heb. 2.7. the lord of all the creatures which were vponupon the earth, little inferiour to the Angels, indued with infinite bleſſings, full of beautie and glorie. So that when it might be ſeene that nothing was wanting but this, that he was not altogether free from loſing this bleſſed eſtate, yet euen there the diuell tooke an occaſion againſt him,Reuel. 12. Gen. 3. and deceiued him, and his poſteritie, and caſt them from that happie condition which before they enioyed.
And yet if this had been all the harme that mankind by the malice of the diuell ſuſtained, it had been little in reſpect of that which fell vponupon him. For behold, beſides the loſſe of his felicitie, he was plunged into extreame miſerie and deſolation, which conſiſteth of theſe two branches,Two parts of mans miſerie: firſt his ſinne. Gen. 6.5. that hee doth alwaies, and in all things offend God, being able to doe nothing but that which diſpleaſeth him, as hauing his heart alwaies and onelyonly euill. And ſecondly, that he in all this is odious to God, and moſt iuſtly accurſed of him.Hoſea 1.2. Coloſſ. 1.21. Mans ſinne vvhat. Mans ſinne is not onelyonly that tranſgreſſion of Adam in moſt vnnaturall and treacherous rebellion, and diſobedience, whereof hee is moſt iuſtly guiltie with Adam, and hath his part (as being to ſtand or fall with him) but another which riſeth out of this, euen that infection of all the powers and members both of the ſoule and bodie. Which as poyſon put into a cup of wine doth make it deadly, diſperſing it ſelfe into the ſame: in like manner this corruption or concupiſcence, which by the firſt ſinne of Adam is ſpread ouer his poſteritie, doth poyſon his whole nature:EueryEvery part corrupted. ſo that no ſound part is found in him from the crowne of the head to the ſole of the foot. And from hence it is that the vnderſtanding, euen the excellenteſt power of the mind,Ʋnderſtanding. Epheſ. 4.17. is filled with blindnes and darknes, and ſauoureth not the things which are of God. The conſcience is wounded, ſeared, or defiled ſome other way,Conſcience. 1. Cor. 2.14. Heb. 10.22. and neuer ſoundly peaceable. The memorie forgetting good things wholy, or remembring neither good or euill aright, and as it ought, as experience forceth the beſt to complaine. The will is captiue and of no ſtrength to doe good,VVill. Rom. 8.5.6. neither wanteth habilitie to that which is euill. And thereafter is he caried of his affections, as a chariot on her wheeles, onelyonly to that which diſpleaſeth God. What ſhould I ſay more? For who can chuſe but bewaile and lament ſuch a diſtreſſed and wofull eſtate of the ſoule of man, which ſomtimes hauing been framed after the image of God, in true holines and righteouſnes, is now both emptie of that grace, and filled with all filthines of ſinne and vncleannes? But alas, who beleeueth this or conſenteth to it, that it is true that man (who hath ſo good an opinion and high conceit of himſelf) ſhould yet be indeed ſo farre off from that which he dreameth of, and in ſuch bondage and ſlauerie, as hee would ſeeme to be fartheſt off from the leaſt part thereof?Conuerſation. But (to goe forward) if his conuerſation and courſe of liuing, which is the vntimely fruite of this bitter roote, were laid out in her colours (which I muſt onelyonly very briefly touch) it were able to make him who thinketh himſelfe moſt innocent, to appeare moſt vile and loathſome in his owne eyes, aſhamed of himſelfe, and to hide himſelfe in a dungeon that no other might behold him. For (to ſpeake of the actions of the minde) what are his cogitations about heauenly matters,Thoughts. but errors, falſehood and Iyes? What are the wiſhes and deſires of his heart,Deſires. but earthly, and fleſhly, in degree one aboue another, till he being led away of his concupiſcence, is inticed, and ſo conſenteth thereto,Outvvard behauiour. defendeth it, and is hardened? What is the outward behauiour, but an yeelding vp of the members of the bodie, as inſtruments and weapons of ſinne, euen the ſinne of the tongue, and ſinne of the life? in ſo much that he is all waies, and in all things, and therfore out of meaſure, ſinful. As Paul though he liued after the moſt ſtrict order of the Phariſees, which was in ſhew farre aboue many; yet when he was conuerted could ſay, I was a blaſphemer, 1. Tim. 1.15. Rom. 8.7.an oppreſſor, a perſecutor: So that it is moſt truly verified which is written, that he neither is, nor can be obedient to the law of God, and that he can do nothing but ſinne.
The ſinnes of man are as the haires of his head, and ſand of the ſeaſhore, innumerable, and his beſt actions (as his prayers) are no better then abominable before God,Prouer. 28.9. Iohn 9.31. Pſalm. 50.16. as Salomon ſpeaketh: He that turneth his eare from hearing the law, euen his prayer ſhall be abominable. Oh, it is not imagined of thouſands that there is any ſuch euidence to be brought againſt the inhabitants of the earth,Fevv thinke it thus. euen the vnworthie ſonnes of men, which yet were ſometime by creation the ſonnes of God. For the moſt vngodly which can be heard of, will hauehave ſome goodneſſe to be found in them: ſo farre off is it, that they will yeeld to this cenſure, that all their life is ſinfull. And therefore it is no marueile though men account of themſelues as they doe, eueryevery one flying to this ſhelter, that he hopeth he is not the worſt of others. For the cleerer laying open of theſe ſinnes particularly, ſome view of Gods law thorough eueryevery commaundement is to be taken: which I would here my ſelfe hauehave ſet downe, but that I ſhall be occaſioned in another place to doe the ſame.
But all this ſinne which thus ruleth and raigneth in man, making him not much vnlike the diuels themſelues, is but one part of the miſerie which he is in, yea and the leaſt of the two, in their eyes and iudgement, who are the greateſt number in the world.
The ſecond part of mans miſery. The curſe first on the body.The other part thereof is, that for this ſinne he is ſubiect to all thoſe fearefull and horrible plagues which God hath threatned, and executeth in the world vponupon the committers thereof, and to that endleſſe puniſhment of condemnation in the world to come, which is the principall and moſt iuſt deſert of eueryevery ſinne. The particular vexations and calamities which belong to ſinners in this life are innumerable, and not to be expreſſed: but ſome for the reſt it ſhall be fit to mention, and the rather for that many thouſands neuer dreame of, and much leſſe are troubled with any ſuch matter. And firſt, as the curſe of God is vponupon all creatures for mans cauſe; ſo it is leſſe to be doubted, that it is caſt vponupon man himſelfe. So that whatſoeuer he doth, or whereſoeuer he becommeth, the wrath and anger of God followeth and accompanieth him: Curſed he is in the field, and curſed in the houſe, curſed in his basket, Deut. 28.15.and in his ſtore: and as Moſes ſpeaketh of all the creatures, wherein he ſhould take his repaſt and delight, ſaying: Curſed is the earth for thy ſake, Gen. 3.17.thornes and briers it ſhall bring foorth vntounto thee. From hence come all the dearths, famines, penurie, and pouertie, which eueryevery where are cried out of. In his bodie, ſickneſſe, diſeaſes of many kinds, aches, gripings, ſwellings, burſtings, and other paines intolerable. In the ſenſes, deafnes, blindnes, numnes, and ſuch like, which ſhould make any heart to quake and tremble to heare them but named. As for friends and kindred, wife and children, father and mother, or whatſoeuer may be thought of, which men are wont to take greateſt pleaſure in: how can they delight mans heart ſoundly, or be pleaſant vntounto him, when they are mixed with this ſauce? The Lord accurſeth them, hee will bring him to iudgement for them, euen for enioying them whereto they hauehave no right nor lawfull libertie, as being not intitled to them by Chriſt, who is heire and Lord of all.Heb. 1.2. If there were but a ſword hanging with the point downward ouer a mans head, which were ſitting at a royall banquet, what pleaſure could hee take in the varietie of his dainties? But it is another manner of ſlaying a man, if oft in one houre hee muſt be conſtrained with feare to remember and thinke on it, this moment will they take thy ſoule from thee.
But this goeth not ſo neere mens hearts as it ought,Men ſhift off this. whiles they hauehave one obiection or other (as it were water) to quench the force and heate of it. For all men (they ſay) are not in this miſerable eſtate, except ſome one or few, who be wearie of their liues, and make all their other delights vnpleaſant to them for the ſame. This (as vnwiſe) they obiect,This curſe is to all. becauſe they are moued with nothing but that which they ſee with their outward eyes, the voyce of God pierceth not their hearts, although it pronounceth as well to him that eſcapeth al theſe (if any ſuch could be found) as to him who hath bin plagued with them all, euen to one as to another without reſpect of perſons: Woe be to the inhabitants of the earth, becauſe they hauehave ſinned! So long as this word ſhall be true, no mans eſtate is better then another, all are vnderunder the wrath of God: Therefore let no man deceiue himſelfe, God is not mocked. How this ought to affect the heart of him that heareth it, we ſhall ſee hereafter: but hee that hardneth his heart at the hearing of this, becauſe he feeleth not, neither ſeeeth any ſuch thing, ſhall ſurely come to euill.
I hauehave not yet ſpoken of the plagues and puniſhments which take hold vponupon the ſoule, which are yet more fearefull then thoſe of the bodie,The curſe vponupon the ſoule. if ſo be they could as eaſily be diſcerned. A man to be giuen vp to his owne vilde luſts, like a brute beaſt to wallow in filthines, who might hauehave ſhined as an Angell in goodnes, is there any of iudgement, which counteth it not amongſt the moſt fearefull iudgements? To be vtterly darkned and deſtitute of the true knowledge of God and of the life to come (the knowledge wherof is the beautie of the world) and to be haſtning to endles woe, and yet not to vnderſtand it: what part of miſerie can be greater in this world? To be ſo hardned in heart as to be paſt all feeling & remorſe, to fall into vtter deſperation without recouery by any thing he can do: ſuch madnes, frenſie, & heaps of the like, can any thing be thought more full of horror? and all theſe is wofull man vnderunder. There is none which hath not brought himſelfe into the depth of them all: which is all (I may ſay truly) that he hath to glorie of. So that I thinke it cannot be denied but that he is miſerable: vntounto the which to adde (as the ſhutting vp of all) the remedileſſe feares, and deepe doubts, which oft bring anguiſh here, the paines and torture of both ſoule and bodie in the end of this life, when both muſt take vp their dwelling in he…; who ſo ſhall heare it, muſt needes confeſſe, that there wanteth herein no piece of miſerie. But ſeeing the Scripture it ſelfe calleth it paine vnſpeakable, I wil not go about to deſcribe it, leaſt I ſhould any way ſeeme to make it leſſe then it is. It is ſufficient for this purpoſe that it is moſt extreame, eaſeleſſe, and endleſſe. This I hauehave ſaid of the miſerie of man, and of both the parts of it, as I did purpoſe, and that in as few ſentences as well I might, and fewer in deede, then ſuch a weightie matter would hauehave required, but that it is elſewhere handled by others. And I hauehave determined to ſay no more then I muſt needes, of thoſe things, which are ſet foorth at large both plainly by many learned brethren, and in very good ſort and order alreadie.
The neceſſitie of this knovvledge of mans miſerie.Theſe two points of mans miſerie are to be knowne as an eſpeciall part of Gods truth, of him whom the Lord will ſaue. For hee which knoweth not this, ſwelleth, and is puffed vp, and goeth on in deepe ſecuritie, and cannot doe otherwiſe as long as hee is ignorant of this point: therefore the Lord bringeth him, on whom he purpoſeth to ſhew merciemercy, to the preaching of his word, and namely his law, which ſheweth him his ſinne and damnation: ſo that he ſhall cleerely vnderſtand it, and that he as well as any other is vnderunder the power of it.
But here I thinke it not vnſeaſonable to adde this (ſeeing ignorant people, which lie yet in their ſinnes, doe harden their hearts at the hearing of this) that none hauehave iuſt cauſe to quarrell with the Lord: for if any thing ſpoken of in this argument, diſpleaſe them, they may thanke themſelues. But to him they are infinitly beholding, that hee brings this hidden ſecret to light among them, that they ſeeing the plague which is comming towards them, may auoide it, and be rouſed out of the preſent daunger in which they are. And further they may vnderſtand, that God alloweth not his miniſters, who publiſh this meſſage of mans wofull eſtate, to deliuer it barely and nakedly, and to preach the law onelyonly, but to ioyne the glad tidings of the Goſpell with it in their miniſterie, and to preach remiſſion of ſinnes with the vrging of repentance, and with the pricking of the peoples hearts by terror and ſorrow for their ſinnes: as our Sauiour, Iohn Baptiſt, and other his faithfull ſeruants did. For as none can beleeue, except they repent; ſo none can repent, vnleſſe they beleeue.
And therefore, I alſo, in the former point hauing ſhewed how this knowledge of his miſerable eſtate muſt be preached vntounto him that ſhall be ſaued, am now to ſhew, that he prepareth other doctrine moſt fit for him that hath learned the former: namely, that he cauſeth moſt ioyful and glad tidings of a full and ſufficient remedie againſt all ſuch miſerie to be preached vntounto him, without which, how intolerable ſhould the condition of ſuch be?