high Priest Now albeit the Leuiticall seruice of it 〈◊〉 could neyther saue Priest nor people yet so many of them as were spirituall and in vsing of the Typicall sacrifice looked by the eye of faith vnto the true sacrifice beâ—… leeuing remission of sinâ—… through the bloud oâ—… Christ these were saueâ—… by faith in Christ tâ—… come no lesse then we are saued by faith in Chrisâ—… that is come And where the Apostle saith the wayâ—… to heauen was not open during the time of the first Tabernacle it doth not import that the way to heauen was closed all that time but that it 〈◊〉 not manifested then 〈◊〉 made so clearly apparenâ—… as now it is by the comming of Christ for the Apostle vseth not the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to open that which was closed but hee vseth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to make manifest and cleare a thing which is darke and obscure Now there is a great difference betweene these two to say that the way of heauen was obscured with shadowes couerings which were remoued by Christs comming and the way to â—…eauen more clearly manifested and to say that the way and dore of heauen was closed locked vp before til Christ came and opened it and therfore the Iesuites themselues are forced to translate this word as I haue alledged The way of the holiest was not yet manifested They had the same Couenant of Grace that wee haue but they had it infolded couered with figures and shadowes we haue it outfolded and clearely proponed without figure or shadow The Sunne before his rising sends out a light whereby any man that hath eyes may see the way wherein he should walke but when it riseth it brings with it a greater light whereby the way is more clearly manifested The Lord Iesus before his in carnation sent out a light which shewed the way of saluation to so many as were appointed for it and by that light they walked vnto it but much more clearely hath hee manifested it by his owne comming These words are abused when another sense is inforced vpon them When Moses testifieth of Henoch that hee walked with God and hee was no more seene for God tooke him away The Doctors of Rome must make this Commentary vpon it God took him away that is tooke him downe to an house of hell called Limbus Patrum or else they must renounce their opinion and where the Spirit of God saith that Elijah went vp by a whirlewinde into heauen these babling builders of Babell will haue it expounded this way that hee went downe to Limbus When Lazarus dyed his soule was carryed by Angels into Abrahams bosome now say they that the â—…lace called Abrahamsâ—…osome â—…osome is now in heauen â—…ut before Christs death â—… was a place in hell Limbus Patrum But I pray â—…ou what reasonable man â—…ill thinke that holy Anâ—…els carry the soules of â—…en vnto another place â—…en that wherein they â—…well themselues Origen â—…riting on that place of â—…b And naked shall I reâ—…rne saith in this manner I shall returne thither â—…here Adam and the rest â—… mine elders are gone â—…here the tabernacles of the â—…ghteous are the rest of the faithfull the consolation oâ—… the godly where Abrahams bosome is and thâ—… company of Angels the kingdome of Christ where iâ—… light life and glory and thâ—… sight of God Darest thoâ—… say these things are to bâ—… found in any house oâ—… hell Fie that they are not ashamed to maintain such false and ridiculouâ—… fables The third word here is what goes he to prepare A place Not a place oâ—… punishment but as heâ—… said before A mansion place a place of euerlasting rest and ioy Still thâ—… comfort rises by degrees O what a mercy is this â—…f a place were assigned to â—…s according to our deseruing the earth would â—…ot beare vs. It is the â—…urse of the wicked when â—…hey dye they goe downe â—… their place so was it with Iudas and when â—…entence shall be giuen â—…ut against them the â—…rth shall open swallow them but the comâ—…assion of the Lord and â—…assion of his Christ hath â—…eed vs from this miserable condition For our â—…nne we were cast out of â—…arthly Paradise and yet the Lord out of his loue hath giuen vs a place in the heauenly Paradise The Angels lost the placâ—… of their habitation there shall neuer recouer it buâ—… man is raised vp into theiâ—… roomes to sit with Chrisâ—… in the heauenly places But the last word compleates the Comfort foâ—… you I goe to prepare a plaâ—… for you It were no matter of comfort to heare oâ—… that place and of thâ—… great preparation madâ—… in it if it were not for vs for as wee shewed in thâ—… beginning our Sauiouâ—… here vnderstands not thâ—… twelue Disciples onely when hee saith I goe to prepare a place for you there is one of the twelue â—…ath no place there Iudas went to his owne place and many beside the twelue that shal haue place there â—…s afterward our Sauiour expounds himself Alway wee see it is not sufficient â—…or true consolation to haue a generall sight of eternall life but a particular application of the promises thereof is necessarily required in vs. And this is the very essentiall difference which distinguisheth true iustifying faith from all other kindâ—… of faith whatsoeuer Thâ—… Papists mistake it farrâ—… when they teach there iâ—… no more in faith then Notitia cum assensu a knowledge with assent For suppose thou knoweâ—… the promises of eternaâ—… life and assentest to them also that they are true iâ—… the generall if thou haâ—… not the assurance which iustifying Faith renders that they are thine whaâ—… comfort hast thou Thâ—… damned Diuels know confesse the Son of God they know his word â—… true both his promisesâ—… mercy and threatnings â—…f iudgement but they â—…re sure that mercy belongs not to them and iudgement cannot goe by them therfore they tremble saith S. Iames where â—…f they thought and assented not to the truth of Gods word it would not moue them at all neither would they tremble for â—…he iudgement more then they reioyce at the mercie Thus haue these reprobate Spirits an assenâ—…ing knowledge then the which no more is in the Papists faith according to their owne doctrine And thus they mistaking the nature of Faithâ—… are forced to fall into anâ—… other in conuenience thaâ—… in this life no man can bâ—… sure of saluation vnlesse it be by extraordinary reuelation Indeed for them it is necessary to affirmâ—… this for it is impossible that their Religion can giue any man assurance of saluation and therefore hath their Counselâ—… of Trent decreed in this manner Si quis dixerit hâ—…minem renatum teneri exfide ad credendum se certâ—… esse de numero praedestinatorum anathema sit If any man say that a
thou art stillâ—… same man thou weâ—… there is no change of tâ—… manners and art still 〈◊〉 eased vnto the death 〈◊〉 all those that came Christ in the Gospel noâ—… went away as they came â—…me came blinde and â—…ent away seeing some â—…me lepers and went aâ—…ay cleansed some paraâ—…ique and went away â—…nfirmed some possesâ—…d with euill spirits and â—…ent away deliuered â—…ou art not as one of â—…em thou hast not â—…ught him thou hast not â—…uched him thou hast â—…awne no vertue out of â—…m the Physitian hath â—…t cured thee how then â—…st thou I beleeue in Ieâ—…s thou art not planted him for all that are in â—…m get vertue from him which workes in theâ—… the similitude of his owâ—… life Here is the miserâ—… of this age that a couâ—…terfeit Faith is currant â—…mong many who coâ—…tent themselues with it 〈◊〉 if it were a true faith Verse 2. In my Fathers house are many dwelling places If it were not so I would haue told you I goe to prepare a place for you HItherto haue we been comforted against the feare of â—…ne followes now comâ—…t against Death Wherâ—… the Lord confirmes vs â—…ainst the offence wee â—…ght conceiue of his â—…ath and against the terâ—…rs might arise of our â—…ne death and that which may follow it This comfort proceedes by three degrees In the first is proposed meditation of the manâ—… Mansions which are iâ—… our Fathers house Thâ—… comfort meetes our feaâ—… this way if death afraâ—… you if the graue seeâ—… horrible to you if it yerksome to remembâ—… that which Iob hath Eâ—… it be long I must make 〈◊〉 bed in the darke I will 〈◊〉 to corruption thou art 〈◊〉 father and to the worâ—…yee are my brethren and â—…sters lift vp your minde looke ouer this stream at seemes to carry all â—…ay with it cast your â—…es vpward to my Faâ—…ers House where many â—…ansions are Death â—…all not be able to deâ—…ure you the graue shall â—…t detaine you from â—…ese euerlasting Tabernaâ—… where the place of â—…ur rest and Mansion This is the first degree the Comfort and is â—…ntained in these words As Death is the way of flesh so is it the comâ—…nd of all crosses in it â—…e soule naturally is â—…ubled with feares the â—…dy with paines It is the last enemie which gâ—… thereth all forces miâ—…tant vnder it to the laâ—… battle It is with vs as was with Israel when thâ—… came out of Egypt oâ—… nation of the Egyptiaâ—… pursued them but whâ—… they entred into Canaâ—… seauen nations of Canâ—…nites ioyned their forcâ—… to hold them out In oâ—… life euery man hath hâ—… seuerall crosses and tenttions one hath health 〈◊〉 body but wrestleth wiâ—… pouertie not hauing 〈◊〉 feede his body anothâ—… hath abundance but hatâ—… not his health to vse iâ—… some want sight of their eyes but heare well eâ—…ough others see but â—…eare not at all one is â—…ained in his outward â—…lesh another with some â—…ntestine disease in one â—…here is a whole body but 〈◊〉 wounded Spirit If in â—…ur life wee gather not â—…trength against one crosse or two how shall â—…ee endure in death to â—…ight with them all Wert â—…hou neuer so rich poore â—…nd naked thou must goe to the graue arme â—…hee against pouertie â—…earne to want those things which thou hast before they be taken from thee were thy sight as quicke as the Eagles it shall waxe dimme They shall waxe darke that looke out at the window the strong men shall bowe themselues and the grinders shall cease c. Thy senses shall faile thee yea thy heart also thy beautifull flesh must putrifie rot thou must goe to the house of thine age and all that are thine shall for sake thee In a word armtes of sorrowes feares and terrours as in a solemne day shall be gathered round about thee And therefore great need haue wee to arme our selues aâ—…ainst that day of battel â—…nd specially to lay vp in â—…ur hearts these consolaâ—…ons of God which our â—…auiour here leaues vs in â—…is Legacie In this first degree of â—…he Comfort foure cirâ—…umstances are to be conâ—…idered first who is this â—…e cals his Father secondâ—… what is his Fathers â—…ouse thirdly what are â—…hese mansions fourthâ—…y what is meant here by â—…any mansions As for the first the â—…ame of a Father is either â—…ttribute to God indefinitely and so is common to all the three personâ—… of the blessed Trinitie in which sense among the rest of the stiles giuen vnto Iesus hee is called aâ—… euerlasting Father anâ—… then the relation respect eth all his creatures oâ—… else particularly it is ascribed to the first person and then the relatioâ—… doth principally respecâ—… Christ and that in botâ—… his natures Secondly alâ—… the children of his good wiâ—… to whom by grace iâ—… Christ he is become a father Most comfortable iâ—… this for vs that he who iâ—… â—…he Father of our Lord â—…esus Christ by an vnâ—…eakable generation for â—…ho can declare it is also â—…ecome our Father in â—…im I ascend to my God â—…nd your God to my father â—…nd to your father And â—…hen wee pray hee hath â—…ommanded vs to call â—…pon God as vpon our â—…ther yea he hath sent owne his Spirit into our arts by whose secret inâ—…rmation we are taught â—…ith filiall confidence to â—…y vnto him Abba Faâ—…er Happy time for vs â—…at so wee may call him The second Circumstance leades vs to a consideration of his Fatheâ—… house The heauen saitâ—… the Lord is my throne anâ—… the earth is my foot-stoolâ—… where then is his house yea as Salomon saith Tâ—… heauens and the heauens â—… heauens are not able to coâ—…taine him the Lord is uery where excludâ—… from no place includâ—… in none to them in hâ—… hee shewes his terrour tâ—… them on earth he shewâ—… his goodnesse to them iâ—… heauen hee sheweth hâ—… glory what then is thâ—… hee calleth his Fatheâ—… house This speech â—… borrowed from the manner of Kings who albeit the whole Kingdome bee theirs yet haue they some place of residence which more properly is called the Kings house euen so by this house which our â—…auiour calleth his Fathers house is vnderstood that place of glory wherâ—…n he shewes his secret most familiar presence to his Saints this is the house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens this is the Citie hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God this is the Citie which needeth not Sun nor Moone This is the Paradise of God the inner Court of the palace of God the heauen of heauens the holy of holiest S. Pauâ—… calls it the third Heauens hee saw it but could not reueale the glory of it he contents him to tell what it was not but takes not in hand to tell what it was â—… he describes it negatiue wee shall know it when wee shall see it till then no heart of
the soule and findes by daily experience that the body loseth life when the soule leaueth it yet hath he no care of the soule doth not so much as remember it once in the day And therefore our Sauiour who knoweth our soares better then our selues doe recommends to vs this care Possesse your soules and he teaches â—…ow wee may doe it by â—…our patience God is the God of Patience keepe â—…atience and thou shalt â—…eepe the Lord and in â—…eeping him shalt keepe â—…hine owne soule God â—…wels not in perturbatiâ—…ns hee comes to his â—…aints as hee came to Eâ—… not in the mighty â—…ind that rent the mounâ—…aines nor in the Earthâ—…uake nor in the fire but â—…ee came to him in a soft â—…nd still voyce he dwelâ—…eth with the poore and â—…im that is of a contrite â—…pirit As the soule is the â—…ife of the body ita anima animae Deus so God is thâ—… life of the soule Mors 〈◊〉 mae fit cum eam deserit Deus sicut corporis cum id de serit anima ergo vtriusque id est totius hominis morâ—… est cum anima à Deo deserta deserit corpus ita eniâ—… nec ex Deo viuit ipsa neâ—… corpus ex ipsa The death of the soule is when God leaues the soule like aâ—… the death of the body is when the soule leaues it so the death of both that is of the whole man is when the soule left oâ—… God leaues the body for oâ—… neyther hath the soule life from God nor the body life from the soule In all the battels then which Sathan by himselfe or his instruments maketh against vs the quarrell and question is de anima about the Soule It is the soule he pursues it is the soule wee haue to defend if hee crosse thee in thy goods in thy body in thy name hee careth not for these none of these are a morsell for his mouth Animam tuam quaerit it is thy soule he seeks to make it by impatience partaker of his owne condemnation A cleare example of this we haue in Iob Sathan by Gods permission crossed him in his goods by Sabeans Caldeans and by a fire from heauen he crossed him in his children whom he smothered by the ouerthrow of the house wherein they were banquetting he crossed him in his body with sore boyles Et cum aperto certamine superari se vidit de ore coniugis iaculuÌ„ quasi de insidijs intor sit And when hee perceiued himselfe in open combat to be ouercome hee secretly threw a dart at him out of the mouth of his wife as it were by boutgates to ouerthrow him What hee sought by all this hee declares it himselfe to wit that Iob might blaspheme the Lord to his face and the same is it whereat he aymes in all our outward or inward tentations that he may carry away and captiue our soules by impatience that he may driue vs to grudging murmuring and blaspheming of the Lord our God I am perswaded if our memories were sanctified to remember this wee would not suffer our selues to be so easily perturbed commoued and transported with passions for light offences cast in our way as commonly wee are let vs therefore in all our tentations remember this watchword of our Sauiour Possesse your soules in patience what euer losse wee sustaine of any thing that is ours take heede wee loose not our selues but let vs doe as Ioseph did when the wife of Putiphar caught hold of his garment that she might snare himselfe hee let the garment goe and saued himselfe Such things as God giues power to man to take from â—…hee let them goe and possesse thou thy soule in patience But the manner of speech is here to be marâ—…ed seeing by the soule â—…ee possesse any thing â—…hat wee possesse for by 〈◊〉 we thinke wee affect â—…ee worke what is this â—…hereby wee can possesse â—…ur soules For answere â—…e must know that in the â—…oule of a Christian man â—…here are two contrary â—…arties one regenerate anâ—…ther vnregenerate light â—…race and sanctification in the one darknesse corrupt nature and sinne in the other whereby let no man thinke that the soule is diuided or parted into two halfs for it is a simple and indiuisible essence But as wee see the twilight of the morning it is neyther full darknesse as at midnight nor full light as in the noone-tide of the day yet is it one the same light though it increase by degrees clearer and clearer till the noone then it was in the morning So is it with the soule of a Christian it is not altogether darkenesse as the soule of the wicked and reprobate is whose night is not past yea the darknesse of their midnight wil neuer passe but still it waxeth darker and darker till they come to vtter darknesse Neyther yet is it altogether â—…ight as the soules triumphant are who rest and feede with him whom their soule loueth in the â—…oone-tide of the day but it is throughout all partly regenerate partly â—…nregenerate No faculty of the soule is without the remanents of ignorance and sinfull corruption nor yet without beginnings of knowledge and renouation by grace And these are the two which S. Paul cals The new maâ—… and the old sinfull corruption is called the old man because it was in vâ—… before renewing grace 〈◊〉 and againe because iâ—… waxeth weaker and weaker till grace vtterly aâ—… the length abolish it Thiâ—… then being the estate oâ—… our soule the meaning oâ—… the exhortation is thaâ—… we should fortifie the 〈◊〉 part euer endeuourinâ—… that light may banisâ—… darkenesse Grace in thâ—… â—…oule may subdue sinfull â—…orruption and the new â—…an may ouercome the â—…ld man till at length â—…hat vsurper Sathan bee â—…ully dispossessed and we possesse our soules as a quiet habitation for the God of peace and of paâ—…ience to dwell in Againe seeing the Apostle speaking to Chriâ—…tians saith Ye are not your â—…wne yee are bought with 〈◊〉 price therefore glorifie God in your body and in â—…our spirit for they are Gods how are wee commanded to possesse our soules seeing they are not our owne The answere is easie our immediate superiour and proper possessor of our soules and bodies is the Lord wee hold them of him as tenants at his will not for our selues but for the Lord. As hee is a traitor who renders the Palace or castle of a Prince which hee hath receiued in keeping to the enemie of the Prince so is he who casts open the ports of his soule to euery vncleane spirit giueth the members of his body as weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne Thus then we are but vnder-possessors of our soules and bodies as wee hold them of the Lord so should we hold them for the Lord. Farre be this rebellion from vs to hold the Lords owne house against himselfe Besides this Augustines â—…bseruation
that perseueres to the end shall be saued Through all these flyes Prayer like a winged Cherub When Truth is sore impugned and Faith beginnes to faint Loue languisheth when Patience is sore put at and Hope beginneth to houer or any other of the remanent Graces waxes weak then Prayer goes vp as a speedy messenger to the great Captaine of the Lords Army Iesus Christ and procures for helpe to be sent from him which without failing comes alway in the time of neede And this is the way whereby the Saints of GOD possesse their Soules in Patience Of this it is euident that no true Patience can bee where Truth Faith Loue and the rest of these Graces are not and therefore the greatest sufferings of Ethnikes Heretiques and others voyd of Faith Truth and Loue are iustly excluded from the praise of Patience Ethnici multa tulerunt animo forti nulla tamen cum solida consolatione Ethnikes haue suffered many things with a strong or rather an obstinate heart but without any solide consolation Curtius a Romane Knight armed and vpon horsebacke precipitated himselfe and his Horse head-long into a gulfe of the earth for a good which in his ignorance he supposed might thereby come to the Citie of Rome this was fury not Fortitude And many other naturall men out of the like madnesse to shew their magnanimitie and stoutnesse of minde haue not onely endured horrible paines inflicted by others vpon them but haue made an end of themselues by poyson by fire and many sorts of cruell death this is not to possesse their soule in Patience this is not saith Augustine magnanimitie but pusillanimitie the Daughter of Impatience which because it cannot endure it seekes to eschew that which grieues it Soli Christiani sicut veram Sapientiam ita veram habent Patientiam Onely the Christian as hee hath true Wisedome so hath hee true Patience And of all other Patience beside Christian Patience that is true which S. Iames speakes of all other wisedome Non est ista Patientia desur sum descendens sed terrena animalis diabolica cur enim non sit superborum falsa Patientia sicut superborum falsa Sapientia This Patience comes not from aboue but is earthly sensuall and Diuellish seeing proud men haue their owne false sapience what maruell they haue also their owne false and deceitfull Patience And of this same nature is the Patience of Heretiques they may make a shew of voluntary Religion in not sparing the body but seeing they haue not the truth of GOD how can they haue true Patience The Baalites of Idolatrous Israell launcing themselues with kniues the Gymnosophists of India who pine and distresse their bodyes with labour not required at their hands the Poenitentiaries of Rome so much boasted of who scourge themselues and spare not their owne flesh the foure religious Orders of superstitious men among the Turkes who in hard vsing of their bodies goe beyond these I haue spoken of yet are they all strangers from this Praise of Patience Cum ergo vider is aliquem patienter aliquid ferre noli continuo laudare Patientiam quam non ostendit nisi causa patiendi quando illa bona est tunc ista vera est When therefore thou seest any man suffer any thing patiently prayse not thou incontinent his Patience for patient suffering cannot bee commended vnlesse the cause of the suffring be known if the cause bee good then the Patience is good also Circumcelliones a most pernitious branch of the Heresie of the Donatists were so desirous to obtayne by suffering the prayse of Martyrdome that they would throw themselues downe headlong from high places or cast themselues into fire or water But Augustine in his learned Disputes pulleth from them the Praise of Patience Quid miseri faciunt qui cum non solum impietatis aduersus Deum sed etiam ipsius quam in se exercuerunt crudelitatis luant poenas insuper quaerunt Martyrum glorias What doe these miserable men who when they suffer punishment of their impietie toward GOD and crueltie toward themselues yet out of such suffering seeke the glory of Martyrdome An impatiens passio coronabitur Shall an impatient passion bee crowned Aut quomodo innocens iudicabitur cui dictum est diliges proximum sicut teipsum si homicidium committit in seipso quod committere prohibetur in altero Or how shall hee be iudged innocent who is commanded to loue his neighbour as himselfe if hee commit murther in himselfe which hee is forbidden to commit in another Si enim parricida eo sceleratior est quam quilibet homicida quod non tantum hominem verum etiam propinquum necat quo propinquiorem quisque necat tanto immanior iudicatur sine dubio peior est qui se occiderit quia nemo est homini seipso propinquior For if a parricide be so much the more wicked then another homicide because he not onely slayes a man but a kinsman and the nearer the man bee to him whom hee slayes the more beastly is hee that slew him esteemed to bee of all men then out of doubt much worse is hee that slayes himselfe seeing there is none nearer to a man then a man himselfe But how is this that our Sauiour calleth Patience ours for so saith hee By your Patience possesse your soules Patience is ours euen as the Soule is ours to wit by the gift of God wee haue it not of our selues Hee is the Father of lights from whom descends euery good gift The Pelagians of olde attributed this grace to the power of mans free-will the Papists of our time affirme the same But as Augustine said to the one Error iste superbus est This is a proud error so say wee to the other For what is the Creature wandring from the Creator vnlesse the Lord bee mindefull of him Et eligat eum gratis diligat gratis and choose him of his free grace and loue him of his free grace Otherwise Prae cecitate non videt eligenda prae languore fastidit diligenda such is his blindenesse that hee sees not what hee should choose and such is his languishing weakenesse that hee loathes that which hee should loue Si quis per naturae vigorem bonum aliquod quod ad salutem pertinet cogitare aut eligere posse aliquem affirmat absque illuminatione inspiratione S. sancti haeretico fallitur spiritu If any man affirme that man by the strength of nature can eyther thinke or choose any good pertayning to saluation hee is deceiued by an Hereticall spirit Nulla tibi facultas inesse potest voluntatis aut operis nisi id gratuito munere diuinae miserationis acceperis There is no abilitie in thee eyther to a good will or a good worke vnlesse thou receiue it by the free gift of diuine commiseration Dei est omne