The Cause and Cure of Ignorance, Section 9 – Section 19
God the Author without being the Author of sin.SECT 9.
Quest. But how can God be the Author of it, without being the Author of Sin?
Ans. Very well; Even as the temporal Magistrate may put a fello… to death, without committing of Murther: That he, which is the fountaine of all good, is not the Author of any evill herein, may appeare.
1. Reason.1. By considering how the case stood at this time, with Adam and al his posterity, being condemned persons, every moment expecting, and waiting for that direfull sentence to be executed, and inflicted upon them, which God before had threatned, in case they should transgress his Royall command Gen. 2.17. namely the sent…nce of death.
Which was threefold, viz. of
Body which is the temporall Death.
Soule, which is the spirituall Death.
Body, and soule which is eternall Death.
Opposite to that three-fold life of
Nature,
Grace,
Glory.
The which if it had been fully, and universally accomplisht, we could have had nothing to say, but that God was just (as now we have no reason to give why so many should be Redeemed, but because he is mercifull) yet because he would, according to his nature in Justice remember Mercy, he ordained a Saviour, and Remedy even Christ implyed in the Pronoune Relative, Hee, for so many as he had before predestinated, to be borne againe by his word and Spirit. Iohn 3. to a lively faith, whereby they might lay hold on this Remedy, yet with all hee did appoint, that this their way to Heaven should be thorny and troublesome. To which end he mixed with the sweet promise of Salvation, the bitter Ingredient of griefe and sorrow, Implyed in the word Enmity, but yet more to justifie this Judgement of God: that is, to make it appeare just.
2 Reason.2 It will appeare if we distinguish the ends of God, Sathan, and wicked men. To which purpose I will instance in our Saviours example; Iudas delivered him to death for gaine, the Iewes for Envy, Pilate for feare, the Devill provoked each of them, through this Enmity; Christ himselfe to obey his Fathers will, God the Father in love to sinners, and for their Redemption, each did one and the same thing. But to contrary ends: so when this Enmity breaks forth in the wicked, Sathan hath a hand in it as a malicious Author, As when he entred into Iudas and made him betray Christ, The same further cleared.Luk 22.3. Man himselfe as a voluntary Instrument, as when Pharoah hardened his owne heart against the Children of Israel Exod. 9.34. God as a most Righteous Judge, and Avenger, as when hee also hardened Pharoahs heart, Exod. 9.12 but how? even by permitting the seed of the Serpent, from his owne malicious inclination to hate the seed of the Woman: not by infusing this malice, nor by withdrawing any grace, but only by denying that grace which hee was not bound to give: he doth not infuse corruption, he doth not with hold the occasion, Even as when the Rider gives his fiery horse the Reyns, we saie he puts him on; In mercy infusing this Enmity into the seed of the Woman, against the seed of the Serpent: Not against their persons, as they are his Creatures, but only against their condition, disposition, and wicked conversation; we and the Devill should never have falne out, we agree but too well, but that God hath put an enmity between us. Yea in the last place, as God turned the treachery of Iudas, not only to the praise of his Justice, Mercy, &c. but to the good of all beleevers, so he turnes this Enmity of Sathan and wicked men, to his Childrens great advantage, and his own glory.The distinction of adversi…ties. And hereupon is that distinction of adversities: as they come from Sathan, they are usually called temptations; as they come from men, persecutions; as from God, afflictions. And well may hee work good, by evill Instruments, when every Prince, or Magistrate hath the feat to make profitable Instruments, aswell of evill persons as of good: And each Physitian can make poyson medicinable.
SECT 10.
The time when this warr was proclaimed.Q. This rub being removed, and the passage made cleere: proceed in the wayes of your Text, and shew me the time of this Enmity.
Ans. First I will make a distinction, and then give the Answer. The circumstance of time is twofold; the time when it was proclaimed, And the time that it is to continue.
1. If wee consider the time when it was first proclaimed; It was immediatly after the fall▪ when Adam had newly sinned: not long after the Creation: even when time it self was not a week old, as is probably conjectured by the learned.
2. The time that it is to continue.2. If we consider the time that this Enmity is to continue, it is either generall, or particular; The generall time is here set downe in the Text indefinitly, I will put Enmity between …hee and the Woman, and between they seed and her seed, which being without limitation, is to be understood largely, and so signifies that it is perpetuall without end, from the beginning of time▪ to the end of all time, when time (saith one) began, this malice first began, nor will it end but with the latest Man: It is an everlasting Act of Parliament, like a Statute in Magna Charta.
3 If we consider the time more strictly,3. The time more strictly in regard of the subiect and obiect. then it signifies in the Subject possest of it, the whole time of a wicked mans life: or if in time he becomes the Womans seed by a new birth, then it signifies that part of his life, which went before Regeneration: But in the Object of it, for the whole time of a godly mans spirituall life, after he is become the Womans seed, even from the morning of his new birth, to the evening of his departure hence, without intermission which makes the Psalmist cry out, for thy sake are we killed all the day long, Psal. 44.22.
Quest. What way wee gleane from hence?
Answ. Some comfort,A Vse of comfort. in that this War shall once have an end: The Israellites shall not alwayes live under the Tyranny of Pharaoh, or travells of the Wildernesse: Nor the seed of the Woman alwayes under this heavy yoak of affliction and persecution: for Death shall free us from our sorrowes, aswell as from our sinnes, yea as this is their time to persecute, ours to suffer, so their time will come to suffer, ours to triumph, let me rather feele their mallice, then be wrapt up in their vengeance.
SECT. II.
The manner of their venting this enmityQuest. WHat is their manner of venting this Enmity?
Answ. Sathan the Prince of Darknes, and his adherents the wicked world: do war against Christ and his Members two wayes, by Persecutions, and by Perswasions, under which two Generalls, are comprised divers and sundry particulars, which I shall severally speak of, when I come to the Properties of this Enmity, In the meane time we are to take notice, that all Sathans businesse was, and is (at, and ever since the fall of Adam) to slay Soule…, 1 Peter 5.8. Iob. 1.7. Neither doth he want Instruments in all places,The circumstance of place three-forld. to further, and promote this his designe.
Quest. Now a word of the place where.
Answ. The circumstance of place, is threefold.
1. If we consider the place strictly, in respect of the Subject in whom it resides: then it is principally the heart of Man unsanctified.
2. If we consider the place, where it was proclaimed, then it is Paradise, or the Garden of Eden, as verse 23. shewes.
3. But if wee consider the place, where they exercise this Enmity, then it is the place of this miserable world, where the Church is Militant indeed, Revel. 12.7. It is said there was warre in Heaven, Michael and his Angells, fought against the Dragon: and the Dragon fought and his Angells; But this cannot fitly be construed of Heaven in Heaven, but of Heaven on Earth: For in Heaven the Church is triumphant, and the Devill in the beginning was cast out of that Heaven, 2. Peter 2.4. And there is no Warfare, but all wellfare, no Jarr; but love and peace; yea such a peace, as passeth all understanding, So that by Heaven there, is meant, the Church of God on Earth; called in holy Scripture Heaven, and holy Ierusalem above; for that her chiefe treasure is in Heaven. Math. 6.20. her affections in Heaven. Colos. 3.2. her Conversation in Heaven, Phil. 3.20. and for that the Lord of Heaven, dwells in her heart by faith. Ephes. 3.17.
SECT. 12.
Quest. WHat is promised shall be the issue, or effect of it; and who shall get the victory?
What will be the issue & who shall get the Victory.Answ. The issue or effect is declared in these words; He shall bruise thine head, and thou shalt bruise his heele. The meaning whereof is this.
1. By bruising of the head, is meant Sathans overthrow, and finall Ruine and distruction by Christ, in respect of his Power, Dominion, and Workes, Iohn 12.31. and 1. Iohn 3.8. to which purpose the words of the Apostle, are very significant.What is meant by brusing the head. Hee also himselfe tooke part of our flesh and blood that through death he might destroy him, that had the power of death, that is the Divell, Heb. 2.14. And he being overcome, his seed are overcome, and perish with him, Revel. 12.9. Iohn 14.13.30. and 12, 31.32. And this is the first promise of grace, and life made to Eve, and all mankind, now dead in sin, and enemies to God. Collos. 2.13. and 1.21. Neither is it only meant of Christ in his owne person, but it implyes that all his Members, by resisting the Devill stedfastly through faith in him, shall have victory also 1 Corinth. 15.57. given them by the God of peace, who shall bruise Sathan under our feet shortly, as the Apostle speaketh plainely, Rom. 16.20. Faith in the Lamb, shall put this roaring Lyon to flight: They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, Reve. 12.11.
Secondly by his heele bruising is meant,What by bruising the Heele.
1. First Christs holy wayes, which Sathan should by all means (either of Temptations, or Persecutions) seek to suppresse:
2. And secondly his humane Nature, which Sathan should afflict all manner of wayes, untill he brought upon him
That Shamefull, Death of the Crosse, Ga…. 3.13.
That Painefull, and Death of the Crosse, Ga…. 3.13.
That Cursed, Death of the Crosse, Ga…. 3.13.
For then his heele was bruised, when his Body was crucified. And it was no more then the bruising of his heele; his divine Nature being impassible and untouched; where note that it was the politick malice of the Devill and the World, that aymed by the death of the Generall, to disband the Army. So long as Christ lived on earth, we read of no persecution against his Disciples, Math. 9.15. But let him be once removed, and then there is havock made of the Church, Stephen is stoned, Peter crucified, Paul beheaded, some strangled, some burned, some broyled, some brained, all but only St. Iohn murthered. And Thirdly it is meant, that all who beleeved in Christs name, shall suffer bruising, in one kinde or other for his sake: And then his heele is bruised, when his Members are afflicted: But all the hurt they can do is, but to bruise the heele.
Bruise them in their
Persons,
Estates,
Good Names;
For to hurt their best parts, their Soules, they shall never be able: yea all this bruising in the end shall turne to the further good.
Of their Soules,
Here in Grace,
Hereafter in Glory.
And so you have the matter, the Author, the Subject, the Object, the Cause, the End, the Time, the Manner, the Place, the Continuance, the Issue and effects of this Enmity.
SECT. 13.
Quest. BY your opening of this Text, and unveyling of the termes: I see it looketh two severall wayes, and that it reacheth out as it were with one hand, a blessing to all beleevers, aswell as a curse with the other to all wicked men and Spirits.
Answ. Yea it is like a Checker;
halfe white,
halfe black.
Consisting as
Much of Mercy and Consolation,This text an epitomy of the whole Bible. as Judgement and terror: resembling Moses who saved the Israelites, and slew the Egyptians. For as harsh as the words sound, they are so full of grace, and mercy; and containe so much in a little, that this text may well be called the Gospells Epitome; yea the marrow, or pith of the whole Bible, compiled by wisdome it selfe; A short, yet absolute Sum of all holy faith, yea the foundation of all whatsoever the Prophets and Apostles have written, or Ministers do preach; The key of the Scriptures, as Ambrose calls the Creed; It is but of a short sound, but of a large extent; little in shew, infinite in sence.
In fine, it is so large for matter, so short for phrase, so profound for depth, so sweet for Consolation, and yet so terrible for severity, that it well suites with the Author who spake the words and none els.
Quest. I perceive then, that to draw this Well dry, to dig this Mine to the bottome, and to speak of each severall, in this universe were an Herculean work, and fit for some divine Theseus, or Solomon.
Besides it would require too large a vollume, for Common use: wherefore it shall content mee, you only Anatomize that part or Member of the whole which is here termed Enmity, by laying open the veines, and Arteries thereof; it being the very point, or mayn Center, the pole, or Cardinall Axeltree, upon which this text moves, and is turned. And that will be sufficient: For where prevailing is by lyes, there discovery is victory; yet lest the Pages should still grow, As fi…h into a multitude, garble your notions, and give us but the very Marrow of the matter. Order and distribution of the whole booke.And because Method to the matter is as fashion to Apparell; and form to building, propose what shall be your order of distribution.
Ans. As the Throne of Solomon was mounted unto, by six staires: so this Throne of Sathan, this strong hold of the wicked, may be mounted unto (for I only intend a discovery at this time) by a Ladder of six steps, set upon this ground which is already laid, or if this originall, be counted for one step, then the Ladder consists of seaven staves, answerable to the seven steps which led up to that Temple in Ezekiels Vision, Ezek. 40.26. For
I will draw all our present discourse, to one of these heads: (taking liberty so to place them, as may serve best for my purpose, and the Readers benefit.) Viz.
The Originall, of Enmity.
The Continuance, of Enmity.
The Properties, of Enmity.
The Causes, Why wicked men hate and persecute the Godly.
The Ends, Why wicked men hate and persecute the Godly.
The Reasons why, God permits them;
The Reasons why, The Godly suffer it so patiently.
These seaven shall limit my speech, and your patient attention, and I take them only to be inherent in the words, there be some short adherent circumstances, which I shall salute as I passe, they may be within the circumference, these are in the heart and Center; And these alone as I suppose, may serve as spectacles, to see the Devill …nd his Workes by, in the matter of hatred and persecution.
SECT. 14
Quest. TO begin with the second point proposed (having dispatched the first) and to proceed from Explication to Confirmation, The continuance of it in all Ages.and so to Application. How prove you that there hath been in all Ages past, is now, and ever shall be between these two Kings Sathan and Christ, and their Regiments, the wicked and the Godly, a perpetuall War, Enmity and strife, according to the Lords prediction or Proclamation?
Ans. For proofe I could produce Testimonies and examples innumerable there being scarce a Page in the Bible, which doth not …ither expresse or imply somewhat touching this Enmity, yea as if the Scriptures contained nothing else, the holy Ghost significantly calls them the book of the Battailes of the Lord, Numb. 21.14. as Rupertus well observes.
And because examples, give a quicker impression then Arguments: the proofe shall be by Induction of particuler instances collected from the Scripures and Ecclesiasticall History, wherein I will be briefe, and only mention, Three in every Age (though the Sea of examples hath no bottome) for that I shall be forced to speak more at large when I come to the properties and Causes of Enmity.
The continuance of the worlds Enmity in all Ages. Viz.
1. In the old world before the flood.
2. After the flood, before the Law.
3. After the Law, before Christ.
4. Since the Gospell in the time of Christ and his Apostles.
5. After the Apostles for the residue of the ten Persecutions.
6. From the Primitive times and Infancy of the Church hitherto.
7. For these present times wherein we live.
8. For the time to come unto the Worlds end.
1 It was before the Flood.1. To begin with the first Age, Viz. the old World before the Flood. Wee read of this War, enmity and strife between Cain and Abell, 1 Iohn 3.12. Betweene Lamech and the holy Seed, Gen. 4.23.24. and between those wicked Gyants, which Moses speaks of, and the sons of God, Gen. 6.2. to .12. Yea, those Gyants bad battle to Heaven, as our Mythologists add, to ver. 4.
SECT. 15.
2. AFter the Flood,2 After the Flood before the Law. before the Law, between all the men of Sodom and righteous Lot, Gen. 19.4.9.11. 2 Pet. 2.8. between Hagar and Ishmael, the Bond woman and her son, and Sarah and Isaac, the Free-woman and her son, Gen. 21.9.10. Gal. 4.29. And between Esau and Iacob, first in the wombe, the more plainely to shadow out this enmity, Gen. 25.22.23. and after they were borne, Gen. 27.41.
SECT. 16.
3. AFter the Law,3 After the Law before Christ. before Christ, between Doeg and the eighty five Priests, which he slew with the edge of the sword, 1 Sam. 22.18.19. Between Iezabell and all the Prophets of the Lord, which she destroyed, 1 Kings 18.13.14. And between the Heads in Israel in Micahs time, and all that were good, Micah 3.2.
SECT. 17.
4 In the time of Christ and his Apostles.4. SInce the Gospell, in the time of Christ and his Apostles this enmity so manifested it selfe, not only in the Gentiles, but in the Iewes, Gods ow…e people, who first moved those persecutions against Christ and his Members, that having beheaded Iohn Baptist his Harbinger, and crucified himselfe the Lord of life, we read, that of all the Twelve, none dyed a naturall death save onelyonly Saint Iohn, and he also was banished by Domitian to Pathmos; and at another time thrust into a Tun of seething Oyle at Rome, as Tertullian and Saint Hierom do report: See Acts 7.51. to 60. & 12.1. to 5. Rom. 8.36. Iohn 21.18.19.
What a multitude have suffered for professing Christ.Now all these, besides many other of his Disciples, suffered martyrdome meerely for professing the faith of Christ; whereof some were stoned, some crucified, some beheaded, some thrust thorow with Speares, some burnt with fire, with a multitude of other Beleevers, for Ecclesiasticall History makes mention of two thousand which suffered the same day with Nicanor, Acts and Monuments, page 32. which makes Saint Paul cry out, I think that God hath set forth us the last Apostles, as men appointed to death, 1 Corinth. 4.9.
SECT 18.
5. AFter the Apostles, if we consider the residue of the ten Persecutions,5. After the Apostles in the time of the tenne Persecutions. raysed by the Romans against the Christians, which was for three hundred yeares, till the comming of godly Constantine, we find that under Dioclesian, seaventeen thousand Christians, were slaine in one month: amongst whom also was Serena the Emperesse, yea under him and nine other Emperors, there was such an innumerable company of innocent Christians put to death and tormented, that St. Hierome (in his Epistle to Chromatius and Heliodorus) saith, There is no one day in the whole yeare unto which the number of five thousand Martyrs might not be ascribed, except only the first day of Ianuary, who were put to the most exquisite deaths and torments that ever the wit or malice of men, or Devils could invent to inflict: we read of no lesse then twenty nine severall deaths that they were put unto, if no other be omitted.
SECT. 19.
6 From the primitive times hitherto.6 FRom the primitive times and infancy of the Church hitherto the Turk and the Pope have acted their parts, in shedding the blood of the Saints, as well as the Iewes and Roman Emperours: touching which, for brevities sake, I referre you to the Book of Acts and Monuments. Yet because a tast may please some, I will insert what the Holy Ghost hath foretold in the Revelation, touching the Pope, who calls himselfe Christs Vicar and supreme Head of the Church: the Angell, speaking of the Whore of Babylon, saith, Shee was drunk with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Iesus, Revell. 17.6. Which in part was fulfilled in England, under the raigne of Queene Mary, when in one yeare, a hundred seventy six persons of good quality were burnt for Religion, with many of the Common sort: and in France, for before these late bloody Massacres, there were more then two hundred thousand which suffered Martyrdome about Transubstantiation: For the chiefe persecutors of Christ and his followers, are not Atheists, or Turks, or Iewes, but such as hold great place in the Church, Antichristians and Pseudochristians, which makes our Saviour say they shall excommunicate you, that is, they shall blot out your names from among Gods people, or cast you out from the visible outward communion of the Saints.
And indeed,Formall Christians the greatest persecutors of true Christians. vertue hath ever suffered most from those, which should and seeme to uphold her: and instruders upon other mens right can indure any man, how bad soever, rather to live by them, then the servants of him whom they intrude upon, as you may see, Mat. 21.33. to 39. where those Farmers of the Vineyard killed the servants, who came to receive their Masters rent: they did not kill the Theeves and Robbers, and spoylers of the Vineyard, but the servants; yea, and the Son too, and the end of all was, that they might take the inheritance.
Yea, the godly have ever suffered most from such as professe the same Faith and Religion with them. It hath been the complaint almost of all the Fa…ers and Saints of God, which have written, that the faithfull, in their several times, were hated, traduced, calumniated, slandered reproached, accused, persecuted and condemne… of such as professe the same Religion with them, (…hough under o…her pretences, yet only fo their au…ier and holy lives, that they stucke close to the truth, made conscience of their wayes, and would not rush so boldly into sin as others. Ecclesiasticall History. lib. 6. Chap. 4.5.16.