But it Adam and Eve doe and needs will flie, whither will they flie? furely from the prefence of God, and is not God their only life, joy, comfort, hope, and help in this miferie? fee then by the craft of Sathan and finne, they are willed to flie from their life, health, liberty, and hope of all the good they have, that fo the Devill might be fure that they should perish in their fin.

To conclude, we fee into what mileric man is fallen for a little vain pleasure of finne, which lafted but the space while the apple was chewed in their mouthes, but that vain fhort delight being vanifhed and gone, now remain their extreme miferies for ever, except the mercy of God provide a remedy; For firft we fee it brought on them nakedness and fhame: Secondly, blindness and fenfelesness, that they could not fee their fhame and fin: Thirdly, the worme of conscience when they faw it, for as a garment breedeth a moth which will deftroy it, fo doth finne breed his gnawing worm, which will torment and deftroy finners: Fourthly, when it was seen, it brought on them confufion of face without: Fiftly, a horrible feare and trembling of the heart within: Sixtly, to avoid and cover it, it taught them the folly and fondness of vain hypocrifie, with figge leaves to cover it: Seventhly and lastly, it brake out into a defparate madness and frenzie, in that finne and Sathan perfwaded them, that they muft flie from God, and hide themselves from him, as without hope of his mercy. And therefore we lee now that they had lodged themselves in the brakes and thickets of the fhrubs and bushes, but all in vain, as we shall see hereafter, for that which they had made their Caftle and Covert to lodge, hide, and keep themselves fafe, God maketh to be as it were their Goal and Prilon, out of which he will bring them to judgement, and to the Barre to be araigned, as we shall fee in the next verfe.

Gen. 3.9

Februry I. 1591.

Inchimavit autem Fehova Deus Adamum, & dixit ei, Ubi es?

HE whole courfe of Gods proceeding in this judgment, is called by the Fathers, Spectaculum clementia divina, & dementia humana, à fpectacle and clear view on the one fide of the loving kindnefs 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 Archangell crying before the firft Judgment, for as at the laft day of generall 1 Theff. 4. 16. judgment, shall first an Archangell be fent out with a voice of a Trumpet to fcite and fummon all flesh, to arife out of their graves, in which finne hath hid and lodged them till then: So we fee at the first Judgment of man before God beginneth, he first sendeth out a voice calling and crying to Adam and Eve to arife out of their

prifon,

prison, and to appear before God to receive according to their deferts and works, for God did ufually ufe the voice and minifterie of Angels, by whom he did commonly speak unto men, as Gen. 16. 8. God fpake unto Agar by the voice of an Angel, and that voice by which God fpake, was the voice of an Angell, Deut. 5. 22. 26. and that allo, John 12. 28. 29. And the reason why God fpeaketh to men by the minifteric of Angels is, because his voice is not proportionable to our hearing and weak eares; it is farre above our reach, and therefore he fpeaketh by Angels, framing their voice more fit and agreeable to our nature, and thus generally of the words of this verse.

More par.icularly we are to obferve two parts; firft, that God did call to Adam: Secondly, the effect or contents of his calling. The first is a proclamation, the other the tenor and fubftance there of: The maiter and contents of his calling is judiciall, but as Gods fong ever is as well of mercy as of judgment, Pfal 101. 1. and his works of bountifulness, as of severity and justice, Rom. 11. 22. fo will we proceed in the handling and declaring of this his fpeech, first fhewing his mercie therein, and then speaking of them as they declare and fet out his feverity and juftice.

Touching his mercy which he remembreth in judgement, the matter thereof here contained is two fold: Firft,as Gods mercy hach been seen in these four points, In fparing them; In making them fee their finne; In fending his Meffengers to them; And in comming himself to them. So this is the firft point, and a degree of mercie a- Firft point. bove and beyond all, in that as he came, fo he vouchfafeth to speak and talk with him, which I doubt not to make the fift degree and ftep of further mercy.

These things confidered, that every use and action of God doth fet out a new mercy unto man, is a verifying of the gracious faying of our Saviour Christ, Matth. 23. 37. quoties te congregare volui, ut gallina pullos fuos fed noluifti? And this is a fault in Adam, that he did not firft goe to feck the Lord and crie to him, ubi es tu domine ? `rather than God should come to him and fay,ubi es Adam? or when he had perceived that God was walking towards him firft. This is his fecond fault, that he did not prepare himfelf with fear and humility, to meet the Lord, and fall down low before his foot-ftool for Shemey in policie faw it beft when he had offended David, and heard that he was comming into his Country again, first to make hafte to runne and meet him with fubmiffion and humility, that fo he might procure grace and pardon, as indeed he did 2 Sam. 19. 19. 20. but Adam, infteed of crying to God as David did, de profundis, doth betake himselfto flying, and therefore God as a friend pittying his eftate, doth pursue and follow him in his flight, and fpeaketh to him in his filence, and fo preventeth him every way, that he may be faved. And all this is done to him, to fet down to us, that men might be moved hereby, to fay as David doth, I will fing of the loving kindness, and marcy of the Lord; my tongue shall ever be talking of ha

Pp

praife

But it Adam and Eve doe and needs will fle, whither will they flic? furely from the prefence of God, and is not God their only life, joy, comfort, hope, and help in this miferie? fee then by the craft of Sathan and finne, they are willed to flie from their life, health, liberty, and hope of all the good they have, that fo the Devill might be fure that they fhould perish in their fin.

To conclude, we fee into what miterie man is fallen for a little vain pleasure of finne, which lafted but the fpace while the apple was chewed in their mouthes, but that vain fhort delight being vanifhed and gone, now remain their extreme miferies for ever, except the mercy of God provide a remedy; For firft we fee it brought on them nakedness and fhame: Secondly, blindness and fenfelesness, that they could not fee their fhame and fin: Thirdly, the worme of conscience when they faw it, for as a garment breedeth a moth which will deftroy it, fo doth finne breed his gnawing worm, which will torment and destroy finners Fourthly, when it was feen, it brought on them confufion of face without: Fiftly, a horrible feare and trembling of the heart within: Sixtly, to avoid and cover it, it taught them the folly and fondness of vain hypocrifie, with figge leaves to cover it: Seventhly and laftly, it brake out into a defparate madness and frenzie, in that finne and Sathan perfwaded them, that they muft flie from God, and hide themselves from him, as without hope of his mercy. And therefore we lee now that they had lodged themselves in the brakes and thickets of the fhrubs and bushes, but all in vain, as we shall see hereafter, for that which they had made their Caftle and Covert to lodge, hide, and keep themselves fafe, God maketh to be as it were their Goal and Prilon, out of which he will bring them to judgement, and to the Barre to be araigned, as we shall fee in the next verfe.

Gen. 3.9.

Februry 1. 1591.

Inclamavit autem Fehova Deus Adamum, & dixit ei, Ubi es ?

HE whole course of Gods proceeding in this judgment, is called by the Fathers, Spectaculum clementia divina, & dementia humana, à fpe&acle and clear view on the one fide of the loving kindnefs of God, and on the other part of the foolish blindness of man. All this verfe, as the ancient Writers term it, is as the voice of an Archangell crying before the firft Judgment, for as at the last day of generall 1 Thess. 4. 16. judgment, fhall first an Archangell be fent out with a voice of a Trumpet to fcire and fummon all ficih, to arife out of their graves, in which finne hath hid and lodged them till then : So we fee at the first Judgment of man before God beginneth, he first fendeth out a voice calling and crying to Adam and Eve to arife out of their

prifon,

prison, and to appear before God to receive according to their deferts and works, for God did ufually use the voice and minifterie of Angels, by whom he did commonly speak unto men, as Gen. 16. 8. God fpake unto Agar by the voice of an Angel, and that voice by which God fpake, was the voice of an Angell, Deut. 5. 22. 26. and that alto, John 12. 28. 29. And the reason why God fpeaketh to men by the minifteric of Angels is, because his voice is not proportionable to our hearing and weak eares; it is farre above our reach, and therefore he fpeaketh by Angels, framing their voice more fit and agreeable to our nature, and thus generally of the words of this verse.

More par.icularly we are to obferve two parts; firft, that God did call to Adam: Secondly, the effect or contents of his calling. The first is a proclamation, the other the tenor and fubftance there of: The matter and contents of his calling is judiciall, but as Gods fong ever is as well of mercy as of judgment, Pfal101. t. and his works of bountifulness, as of feverity and juftice, Rom. 11. 22. fo will we proceed in the handling and declaring of this his speech first hewing his mercie therein, and then speaking of them as they declare and fet out his severity and juftice.

Touching his mercy which he remembreth in judgement, the matter thereof here contained is two fold: First,as Gods mercy hach been feen in these four points, In fparing them; In making them fee their finne; In fending his Meffengers to them; And in comming himself to them. So this is the first point, and a degree of mercie a- Firft point. bove and beyond all, in that as he came, fo he vouchfafeth to speak and talk with him, which I doubt not to make the fift degree and ftep of further mercy.

These things confidered, that every use and action of God doth fet out a new mercy unto man, is a verifying of the gracious faying of our Saviour Christ, Matth. 23. 37. quoties te congregare volui, ut gallina pullos fuos fed noluifti? And this is a fault in Adam, that he did not first goe to feck the Lord and crie to him, ubi es tu domine? rather than God should come to him and fay,ubi es Adam? or when he had perceived that God was walking towards him firft. This is his fecond fault, that he did not prepare himfelf with fear and humility, ; to meet the Lord, and fall down low before his foot-ftool for Shemey in policie faw it beft when he had offended David, and heard that he was comming into his Country again, firft to make hafte to runne and meet him with fubmiffion and humility, that fo he might procure grace and pardon, as indeed he did 2 Sam. 19. 19. 20. but Adam, infteed of crying to God as David did, de profundis, doth betake himself to flying, and therefore God as a friend pittying his eftate, doth purfue and follow him in his flight, and speaketh to him in his filence, and fo preventech him every way, that he may be faved. And all this is done to him, to fet down to us, that men might be moved hereby, to fay as David doth, I will fing of the loving kindness, and mercy of the Lord; my tongue shall ever be talking of hu

Pp

praife

praife, Pfal. 149.1. and that we might confefs with thankfulness, that his mercie is above all his works, Pfal. 59.16.

The fecond generall point, is the tenor and contents of the voice and proclamation, where we must note, that this question ubi es? is not vox ignorantis, fed increpantis & tamen clementis Dei; For the tenor of the words doth favor much of mercy, for when God had found Adam all-hid, he breaketh not out into the cruell and bitter invective as Shemei did, z Sam. 16.7. Come forth, come forth, thou murtherer ̧ and wicked one, &c. Which fevere voice man deferved and God in mercy might have justly used, but God according to his goodneffe and nature doth mildly begin to deal with him, faying, ubi es And thus writers gather, because the Hebrews have in their tongue a double ubi, the one is a reproachfull and sharpe ubi, but this here is that which Feremiah in his Lamentations doch often use, and therefore is a forrowful ubi, as who should pitty them which are not where they should be wherefore this voice and que@ion is without any exprobrations or bitter taunting words, left he should be overcome with defpaire and grief, but hereby God do h 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 faid favorably to Paul Ait.24. 10. You are permitted to speak for your self, youthall be favorably heard, which is a fpeciall grace and mercy of God, because whereas he might have cut him short off, and ftricken him dumb, yea and dead too, without any more a doc.

Now to the tenor and matter of this verfe, as it fheweth and fetteth out the Juftice of God, for as God is mercifull and loving, fo Juftice must come forth to judgment against finne, Pfalm 94. 15. For this is a matter of confequence, that albeit God is for a long time patient and mercifull, yet at length he will fhew himself to be righteous and juft by comming to judgment: but indeed even Gods very judgment is a mercy fhewed to men, as I have fhewed; for fo is this judiciall proceeding in judgment let down, as a favor and mercy Luke 19. 15. fhewed to fervants and fubjects; for verf. 27. it is faid to be the ftate of an enemy to be flain without judgment, for of fach God faith, bring him forth, slay him before my face prefently Again, carry thefe away, binde them and caft them into utter darkneffe. They therefore which will not hear God ut confulentem patrem, fhall hear against their wills, ut condemnantem judicem : And he which will not obey the Judg willingly, fhall obey the Hangman whether he will or no.

This courfe of Gods judgment holden, being the firft, is a pattern and plat-form of the whole proceeding of judgment, 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 Juftice in a place of Judgmenti; for in the 7. verf. God fendeth out firft a proceffe to arrest and cite them, which they refufing, in the 8. verf. God fendeth an attachment, which is a more peremp. tory kind of vocation more effectually, by feare, to conftrain them

and