serving God and Christ in those things which are not required of them nor are acceptable unto him and by which they doe peradventure more procure the wrath of God against themselues In this errour I understand it all men come who govern themselues in Gods affaires with humane wisdome not knowing God nor knowing Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XXXIX That Quickning answereth to Mortification and the glory of the Resurrection answereth to Quickning THis is certain that as soon as a man being inspired of God accepts the covenant of justification by Iesus Christ our Lord he begins to dye unto the world and to liue unto God to dye unto Adam and to liue unto Christ to come out of the kingdome of the world and to enter into the kingdome of God And that at that time which a man dyes the soule being separated from the body hee doth accomplish his dying to the world his dying to Adam and his comming out of the kingdome of the world and that when he shall arise again his soule returning to unite it selfe with the body he shall liue perfectly and entirely unto God he shall liue unto Christ and shall abide in the kingdome of God Whereupon considering the difference that is betwixt the state of a man however much mortified he be to Adam and to the world whilst his soul remaines with his body and the estate of another man already dead his soul being severed from his body I understand the difference that shall be between the estate of a man how much soever mortified he be to God to Christ whilst he continues in this present life from that estate in which he shall stand being raised to God to Christ in eternall life understanding that there shall be without all compare greater difference between the state of the Resurrection and that of Vivification then is between the state of Death and that of Mortification although this should be never so great I would say that much greater is the difference between a man raised up and him that is quickned then that which is between a man that is dead aâ—…d him that is mortified understanding that the mortified stands as it were dead standing â—…rucified unto the world and unto himselfe rather in the other life then in this and that he who is quickned stands as it were not raised up standing subject to passions and to death from all which he is free in the Resurrection And understanding all this I use so to call Mortification an imperfect death and vivification an imperfect resurrection And I understand that such shall the resurrection â—…e in eternall life as the Vivification is in the present I would say that the glory of the resurrection shall answer to the perfection of the Vivification Whence I gather that since Vivification answereth to mortification in this present life and that the glory of the resurrection in eternall life shall answer unto vivification it belongs to the pious Christian who desires to liue eternall life to attend to mortify himselfe much to become much like to Christ in his death that he may be likewise much like to Christ in his surrection in which a man shall perpetually abide in the kingdome of God together with the son of God himself Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XL. Two Wills in God one Mediate and another Immediate IN God I consider two Wills one Mediate and Generall and another Immediate Particular With one I understand it he governs the universe And with the other I understand he governs those who are redeemed by Christ. Of the one I understand all the creatures are the executioners every one in his degree and office and of the other I understand the holy Spirit is the executioner and the persons which are partakers of the selfe same spirit Furthermore I understand that men doe oftimes grieue themselves for those effects which result from the Mediate Will of God because it seems to them to redound unto their dammage And I understand that of those effects which result from the Immediate Will of God those persons to whom they appertain doe alwaies rejoyce because they alwaies redound to their good The effects of the Mediate Will I understand to be those which result from the heavenly influences and other naturall causes which following the order that God hath set doe sometimes hurt and sometimes help This order and this course I understand is sometimes altered by the Immediate Will of God and I understand it is sometimes restrained by the selfe same Will And in this alteration and restraint I understand that one part of that Will of God which we call Immediate doth conâ—…ist because it followeth not the common and generall order The other part of the Immediate Will of God I understand consists in those things which he himselfe doth by his word and by the holy Spirit such as are the Creation of the world and particularly that of Man the Reparation of mankinde by Iesus Christ the Vocation of the participation of this good the Iustification with all the other spirituall knowledges and feelings To this Immediate Will of God I understand a man was subject in his first creation And I understand that in sinning hee made himselfe subject to the Mediate Will of God under which subjection I understand all evills doe consist and all troubles to which our humane nature is subject amongst which death is a most principall one In this discourse that hath been said I understand two things the one that Adam disobeying God made us subject to that Will of God which is Mediate and theâ—…eupon to evils and to death And that Christ obeying God returnes his to the subjection and to the Will of God which is Immediate and therefore he frees them from evils and from death From death he frees them habilitating them unto the Resurrection in which they shall liue an eternall life And from evills he doth sometimes free them causing that those should not touch them which should touch them according to ordinary course At other times depriving them of the feeling of them and othertimes mortifying them therewith In such sort that the evill is converted into good in such sort that like as he doth not in such manner free them from death that they should not dye but he doth abilitate them to a most happy everlasting life so neither doth he free them from evills in such sort as they should not touch them but hee doth abilitate them to draw good out of these evills The other thing which I understand is that the continuall sighing of a man that feels or begins to feel in himselfe the benefit of Christ ought to be desiring and demanding to be freed from the subjection of Gods Mediate Will and return under that Will which is Immediate For God being soveraignly good or rather good it selfe in that Immediate Will of his there can be nothing but that which is such as he himselfe And I think assuredly
them for this but for another And for a man to be thus not contented of this life only as I understand it is a great countersigne for a man to bee assured of his piety and of his Predestination For I hold for certaine that to them to whom God meanes to give eternall life hee doth also put a great love and great affection of it in such sort that hee who shall finde in his minde a desire that there were no other life let him hold himselfe impious although hee would choose to die and let him not despaire For albeit he be out of piety hee ought to thinke that God is able to draw him out of it as he hath drawn and doth draw all them that have beene and are in it And hee who shall finde in his minde a love of eternall life not contenting himselfe with ◅his present may hold himselfe for pious and for predestinated unto life everlasting although he feare death considering all this which hath beene said and above all that even the only Begotten Sonne of God feared Death Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XLVI That they who walke through the Christian path without the inward light of the holy Spirit are like unto them that walke in the night without the light of the Sunne ALL they who being guided only by their naturall light and by humane wisdome presume to understand the things that are of the Spirit of God to walk in the Christian way that is to live Christianly I liken them to a man that goes by night with the light only of his own eyes through a way that is full of dangers and inconveniencies And it seemes to me that as to such a one sometimes a piece of wood will seeme a thiefe and a stone an armed man and thereupon he will fly and be afraid and another time the water will seeme a stone and he will wet himselfe and the shadow will seeme to him a tree and thinking to leane to it he will fall on the ground Even so neither more nor lesse hee that walkes Gods way being guided by his naturall light is sometimes affrighted by those things which ought not to affright him and is sometimes secured and reposeth himselfe on those things on which he ought not to secure nor repose And so going hee goes on groping like a man amazed and without knowing what he doth Hee that walkes by the light of the holy Scripture and by the examples of Saints but without the Spirit I liken him unto one that walkes by night carying a candle in his hand and goes not altogether in the darke but yet notwitstanding he goes not without feare nor hee goes not secure in his minde nor certaine not to fall into many inconveniences Whereupon I understand that as to the traveller of whome I have spoken that travels by night by the light of his owne eyes only the best and most wholesome counsell that could be given him were that hee should stay in his journey whilst the night lasteth untill such time as the ◅unne were risen and would shew him the way and the things that are in it and he might travell being helped by the light of his own eyes Even so to him that walkes Gods way only with his naturall light with the testimony of Scriptures and with the example of Saints the best and most wholesome counsell that could be given him is that he should firme himselfe in his journey whilst the night of his owne proper blindnesse continueth untill such time that God send him his spirit by meanes whereof with his naturall light◅ and with his wisedome hee may be able well to understand the journee and to see all that is therein And if any person shall demand me saying How shall I doe to firme my selfe in this journey I will answer him Exercise not thy selfe in any thing pretending Iustification thereby nor Religion of any sort nor of any quality and pray God affectionately that hee would send thee his Spirit which may be unto thee as a Sunne in this journey wherein by thine owne wisedome thou neither knowest nor canst travell and stand attentive all the time that God shall deferre to send unto thee his Spirit applying thy selfe to all those things which offer themselves to thee in which thou knowest true piety without any mixture of superstition and content thy selfe of whatsoever God doth and be discontented of all whatever thou dost thy selfe This is that which I should say unto him And I understand that as if the sunne should breake forth altogether with all his splendor it would in such sort blind the eyes of the Traveller of whom I have spoken that he would not be able to make any more use of them then as if it were night Even so in like manner if the Spirit of God should at once give unto a person all that knowledge which he gives in lengh of time it would blind him and put him in greater inconvenience then at first And because this is true I understand that our God rich in liberality and in mercy gives unto us his spirit and he gives it unto us in such manner as it may helpe and not harme us not according to our appetites but according to his eternall wisedome by which as a good Father he governeth them who are his sonnes remaining incorporated in his only Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XLVII Foure Counter-signes to know them by who pretend piety and the spirit not having either the one or the other VNderstanding that the false Prophets of whom our Lord Iesus Christ counselleth us to beware because they shew themselves as Sheep and are Wolves are properly those who having entred themselves into Christian piety pretending by their own exercises and by their own industry to obtain the spirit of God and to become spirituall and not being able to compasse their intent remain alwaies impious in their minds although they dissemble and feigne piety as much as it may bee feigned with strange superstitiōns and other ceremonies which haue an appearance of piety understanding likewise that the cause why Iesus Christ our Lord ◅aith unto us That we should beware of them is because they are the most pernitious pestilence that can be for them who attend unto piety in as much as having ◅ost the shame of the world and having renounced honour and outward reputation and having lost the respect unto God and to all religion they doe only attend to doe all the dammage that they can to piety and to those persons that attend unto it finding the dore open thereunto by the communication and conversation that they haue with such persons Now desiring that pious and spirituall persons should know these kinds of Wolves that make themselus Sheep and knowing them should beware to converse and deale with them with that dove-like simplicity which they haue obtained through the holy Spirit using that serpentine wisdome which is naturall unto them I haue
depravation and that they shall be restored in mans Reparation REading S. Paul I finde hee toucheth many secrets worthy of much consideration And amongst others I esteemed it for most worthy that which hee toucheth of the Restauration of the creatures in the glorious resurrection of the sonnes of God into the consideration of which secret I haue ofttimes entred and it hath befallen me that by how much the more I would haue understood it so much the lesse haue I understood it My spirit came to this understanding that as man in his dèpravation marred all the creatures so in the reparation of man all the creatures shall be repaired That the first Adam subjecting all men unto misery and unto death marred all the creatures and that the second Adam Iesus Christ our Lord conducting men unto felicity and to eternall life shall repaire all creatures But as I did not understand in what sort all the creatures were marred in mans depravation I did not neither understand in what sort they shall be repaired in mans reparation In which thing that secret which S. Paul meanes doth consist which secret it seems Isaia had formerly understood chap. 65. where God promised to create new Heavens and a new earth And the selfe same secret it seems S. Peter understood in the last chap. of his 2. Epistle And the selfesame seems to bee understood in the Revelation chap. 21. Then I understand that God having â—…reated man in a state of immortality and soveraigne happinesse he created all things with such order and with such temper that they did all of them accord to make man immortall and most happy Farther I understand that man subjecting himselfe to misery by eating the fruit of the Tree of the knowledge of good evill and committing himselfe to death in having been disobedient to God eating the fruit of the tree against the commandement of God and it was necessary that all the creatures should leave their being and their temper with which they were created to make man immortall and most happy and take another being and another temper whereby they should all accord to make man miserable and mortall From hence I understand proceed the evill influences of the Heavens and the poysonfull and unhealthfull things which the earth brings forth all which augment mans misery And from this that all creatures took upon them to make man miserable and mortall I understand that S. Paul saith that all of them doe anxiously desire to be free Vnderstanding this I come to understand that men being to be immortall and most happy in the Resurrection of the just all the creatures shall return to recover that being that temper and that order with which they were created to make men in their reparation immortall and most happy as in their depravation they did pervert their being their temper and their order to make them miserable and mortall In this generality of creatures I doe not understand the good Angels to be comprised for not being marred they haue no necessity of being repaired nor the evill Angels for not having been marred with man to make man miserable and mortall they shall not bee restored with man to make him immortall and most happy In this consideration more then in any other of these which I haue hitherto considered me thinks I see the most high obligation which not only all men in particular but all the creatures in generall haue to Christ. For as much as through Christs obedience men shall return to that being of immortality and felicity which they lost by Adams disobedience And by the selfesame the creatures shall return to recover their being and their most perfect temper which they lost through the disobedience of Adam And so this remaines imprinted in my minde that Adam disobeying God depraved all men and condemned them unto death and marred all the creatâ—…res and subjected them aâ—… S. Paul saith to vanity And that Christ obeying God repaired all men and gaue unto them immortality and restored all the creatures and put them into their firme and stable being I speak of this that shall be in the Resurrection of the just as though it were already for as much as to Godward it is already after Christ raised up And by how much I the more remember this so much the more doe I abhor all manner of inobedience to God and so much the more doe embrace my â—…elf with all manner of obedience to God And I feele that in as much as I goe applying my selfe to this so much the image of Adam goes abating in me the image of Christ goes on reforming and likewise that of God to whom be glory everlasting Amen CONSID. LXXXVIII What the cause may be that God commanded man that he should not eat of the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evill OFâ—…times I haue deliberated to understand why God when he set man in earthly Paradise commanded him that He should not eat of the fruit of the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evill not being satisfied with that which commonly is understood that God commanded this to the end man should acknowledge him for superiour which cause shall not be sufficient to me albeit I refuse it not and as oft as this desire hath come upon mee I haue as often driven it from me holding it for curious as I hold for curious all the desires which go seeking out the wherefore in Gods works And it is befallen me that having been now free from this curiosity reading with other intent the first chapters of Genesis I suppose to haue understood what I desired For the first I understand that God created man in an entire perfect estate in which he had the spirituall light which served him for that for which the naturall light now serves him which was the selfe same that the knowledge of good and evill Farther I understand that in the midst of that earthly Paradise there were two Trees of which the Scripture calls the one the Tree of life and the other the Tree of the knowledge of good and evill In which I understand God had set this naturall vertue that the one of them should make them who eat thereof immortall and that the other should giue the knowledge of good and evill to them that did eat thereof And understanding that as the immortality was supreme felicity so the knowledge of good and evill was extreme misery That which I say of the Tree of life I understand by this that God having given man the curse for his sin the Scripture saith that he said that hee droue him out of the earthly Paradise that he should not eat of the Tree of life and so liue for ever Neither was God content to have driven man out of Paradise but hee set for guardian a Cherubim whereby it seems that this Tree had that naturall vertue to giue immortality That which I say of the Tree of knowledge of good and evill I
being handled as Pilgrims albeit they esteem themselves Citizens of eternall life in as much as they know that they are prized favoured and loved of God It is true indeed that this estimation is not entire nor perfect in them untill that the world knowing them prized loved and favoured of God begins to handle them as Pilgrims despising them hateing them and persecuting them For as then they feeling themselves handled by the world as Pilgrims have recourse to Christ and recourse to God and being as they are more prized more loved more favoured of God and more illustrated in the knowledge of eternall life they esteem themselves Pilgrims and strangers in this present life in such manner that however afterwards the world returne to prize love and use them well they doe not leave to esteem themselves Pilgrims and to hold it good to goe out of this pilgrimage Here I understand two things The first that it is Gods will that they whom he loves should live as Pilgrims And the second that between them who hate the world because they are persecuted of the world for piety and them who hate the world for other respects there is this difference that these second although they bear hatred to the world whilest they are despised of the world and would be contented to goe out of the world when the world returnes to prize them loving the world they would by no meanes goe out of the world And the other after that they once hate the world seeing themselves despised hated and persecuted of the world they never more returne to love the world how much soever it love and esteem them This difference proceeds from hence that following the light of the holy spirit and being illustrated in the knowledge of eternall life they doe alwaies hold themselves for pilgrims in this present life and alwaies hold themselves for Cittizens of the Kingdome of God and in eternall life and therefore hate this life and rejoyce to goe out of it On the contrary the other following the naturall light have no certainty of eternall life and if they have any they doe not stand sure to be well in it therefore they doe not altogether hate this life nor rejoyce to goe out of it In this discourse christian persons shall understand that they are to esteem themselves pilgrims and strangers in the world in this present life and that they are to esteem themselves Cittizens of the Kingdome of God and of life eternall And that if so be the feeling themselves very fearefull of death shall make them know that they are not come to this to esteem themselves pilgrims they ought with continuall prayer to pretend it being certain that by how much more perfectly they shall stand therein then they shall be most like to Christ and most like to God who have been and are in this present life strangers and pilgrims and like such have been and are used And to every Christian person it appertaines to procure to be like to God and to the sonne of God Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XCVII Whether Iustification be a fruit of piety and whether piety be a fruit of Justification WIlling to examine between these two gifts of God Piety and Justification which of them may be said to be the fruit of the other that is whether piety be the fruit of justification a man being first just before pious or whether justification be the fruit of Piety a man being pious before just and willing in this matter to proceed with order as it were I first say that by Piety I understand the true divine worship which consisteth in worshipping God in spirit and in truth Iohn 4. approving with the minde whatever God doth holding it for just holy and good In this signification I understand S. Paul useth this word Piety 1. Tim. 3. And I say that by justification I understand the purity of conscience which dares appear in judgement such as was S. Pauls when he said there is laid up for mee a Crowne of righteousnesse c. Passing on farther I understand that calling into counsell for the making of this examination the naturall light prudence and humane wisdome shee will alwaies say and affirme that justification is a fruit of piety understanding that one cannot have justification and purity in his conscience if he doe not first adore God in spirit and in truth giving unto him that which it ought to doe as his creature and that suddenly when he gives to God that which he ought to give hee is iust having cleannesse in his conscience And so it is resolved that Iustification is a fruit of piety since from a mans being pious it redounds that he is iust Farther I understand that calling into counsell for the making of this triall the holy spirit and the Christian spirit he will say and affirme that Piety is the fruit of Iustification understanding that a man cannot haue Piety worship God in spirit and truth if he be not first iust accepting the Gospell of Christ making Christs iustice his and understanding that instantly when a man believing is iust he begins to haue Piety adoring God in spirit and truth And so it is resolved that Piety is a fruit of Iustification for a man is first iust then pious If that were true which naturall light saith prudence and humane wisdome for the selfesame cause it would follow that there hath not been nor is nor shall bee a pious man I would say who should giue entirely compleatly unto God that which he ought to give And it being true that which the holy spirit and the Christian spirit saith it well follows that there hath been is and shall be a great number of iust men for there haue been are and shall be many men that haue been are and shall bee iustistified by Christ accepting and making Christiustice theirs Men that Iudge that Iustfication is a fruit of piety by the selfe same case give testimony of themselves that they iudge by naturall light by prudence humane wisdome as Plato and Aristotle would have iudged who had no notice at all of Christ. And in very truth I knowe not what they think of Christ of the Christian businesse nor of the Gospell The men that iudge that Piety is a fruit of Iustification by the selfesame case give testimony of themselves that they iudge by the holy spirit by the Christian spirit as S. Peter and S. Paul iudged who largely knew Christ and had the spirit of Christ. They haue this opinion of Christ that in him God chastised all our sinnes that is all that wherein we faile unto that which as the creatures of God we are
with this I consider to the selfe same purpose that in our Christian Determinations we ought alwaies to consider whether that which we determine be acceptable to God or no For it is a signe of great ignorance to determine to doe a thing for the honour of God which thing we are not certain is acceptable to God And so I resolue in my selfe in this matter that our Deliberations shall then be good and discreet when they shall be conformable to that which God would haue from us and conformable to our possibility for as much as it is a foolish thing to promise another that which is not in the power of him that promiseth to put in execution And this being true it is well said that the Deliberation consisteth in desiring and remitting to God the execution of our desires holding for certain that he will favour as in them for Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. VIII The Covenants which Iesus Christ our Lord made between God and Man ALL men in acknowledgement of that being which we have from God are borne with obligation to love God to depend upon him and to suffer our selves to be ruled and governed by him This obligation being hindred by our depravation and evill inclination draws to that which is altogether contrary This obligation we may call the law of nature and we may say that to discover this obligation of ours and this depravation the law came which God by meanes of Moses gave unto the people of the Hebrews This evill inclination is so powerfull in the mindes of men that however much they labour they never come to satisfy entirely to their obligation God knowing this sent his only begotten Sonne into the world being made man and was pleased that in him should bee executed his justice for that which all men had failed and were to â—…aile touching the obligation with which we are borne In such manner that this is the covenant between God and man That they should believe and hold that that justice which was executed upon Christ the Sonne of God doth free and make them exempt from the chastisement which they should deserve for that wherein they faile in regard of the obligation with which they are borne and that God makes tâ—…em just holds them for adopted Sonnes and as such ruleth and governeth them in this present life and afterwards raiseth them up and shall give them eternall life Humane wisdome is not capable to admit this covenant First because seeing Christ a man as others are it cannot be brought to understand that he is the Sonne of God Afterward because it sees not in what to found the truth of this covenant to believe it and hold it for certaine and to rely upon it For hereunto is necessary a proper and particular Revelation from God which must throw down to the ground all the discourses of humane wisdom in such manner that holding it for certain firm that Christ is the Son of God and that the justice which was executed in him doth make us exempt from that wherein we faile touching our obligation we doe oblige God to justify us according to the covenant which hee hath made with us And being justified wee are incorporated in Christ and planted in him in such manner that as an hearbe is sustained by vertue of the earth where it growes or is planted so we are sustained by the vertue of Christ in whom we are planted because we persevere in the covenant From this covenant two other covenants depend the onâ—…s that we believe that Christ rose glorious and that this faith doth incorporate us in the resurrection of Christ to the intent that we should rise as he arose and that God should doe unto us that which he did unto Christ. Humane wisdome findes not wherein to found the resurrection it believes it not but the man that hath accepted the first covenant doth easily accept this second The other covenant is that we believe that Christ liveth an everlasting life in a soveraigne degree with God and that this faith is to give to us eternall life and that by this faith God should doe with us that which he did and doth with Christ. Humane wisdome findes not wherein to founde the hope of this eternall life but the man who hath by revelation accepted the first covenant and by the first hath accepted the second doth easily accept this third in such manner that we being certified that Christ is the sonne of God we doe by faith accept the covenant of justification which doth incorporate us into the death of Christ and we doe accept the couenant of the resurrection of Christ which doth incorporate us into the resurrection and we doe accept the covenant of eternall life which doth ncorporate us into that eternall life which Christ liveth Wee believe foure things and God doth foure things with us We believe that Christ is the sonne of God That he dyed That he rose And that he lives And God makesus his sonnes he justifieth us he raiseth us up and he gives us eternall life Of the two first we have enjoyment in this present life and these make us that we love God that wee depend upon him according to the obligation where with we were borne having overcome great part of our evill inclination Of the other two wee shall have enjoyment in that otheâ—… life and experimenting in this life In these two fiâ—…st things the truth that is in the covenant which Christ made between God and us we certifie our selves of the â—…uth which is in the two second which we shall experiment when it shall please the divine Majesty In the mâ—…â—…ace let us attend to stand and persevere in the covenant and covenants which Iesus Christ our Lord hath made with us CONSID. IX An excellent priviledge of piety ALL good the works whereunto we apply our selves in this present life doe appertaine either to the being a man or to the being godly The being of a man which we have draweth us to have compassion one towards the other to helpe one another and that in all those things that appertain to the commodities of this life Piety drawes us to have confidence in God to love him to depend upon him it drawes us to have confidence in Christ to love him and to preach him it drawes us to mortification of the affections and appetites that are after the flesh and it drawes us to the despising of all that which the world doth prize as honours states riches There will be a person altogether estranged from piety who will not onely exercise himselfe in all those things to which the being of a man which he hath doth draw him but also in those things that are proper to piety enforcing himselfe also to doe those things and hee shall doe some of them And there will be another altogether pious who shall not only exercise himselfe iâ—… those things which are properly belonging to piety but also
had proved the evill of rebellion of banishment they did deprive and dispose themselues of all friendship and of all intelligences with men and of all their own proper designes which according to their opinions might make them another time Rebels In this they emploied in this they exercised themselues whereupon by litle and litle they gained so much credit with the King that not only he restored unto them all that which they had lost by their rebellion but he made them many great gifts and he used them in that manner as if so be they had neverbeen Rebels This is the Comparison and although it bee of it selfe cleare I will not cease to declare a litle better and say that the first man being in the kingdome of God being created to the Imag◅ lik◅nesse of God rebelled against God for which rebellion he was deprived of this Image and likenesse of God he was driven out of the kingdome of God and he was condemned unto death and in this banishment all mankinde as it were abode serving the Divell a long while God willing of his infinite mercy to remedy this evill first of all executed the rigour of his justice upon his own proper Son Iesus Christ our Lord and afterward sent to preach throughout all the world how that now his justice was satisfied and how that he had now pardoned all them that were rebels and that they might at their pleasures return unto the kingdome out of which they were driven and that he would restore unto them his own Image and likenesse which they had lost This Proclamation hath been heard throughout the whole world And of mankinde some holding themselues Saints and just haue imagined that the pardon belongs not to them it seeming to them that where there is no errour there needs no pardon and so they haue let it passe Others although they hold themselves for rebels yet trust not to the pardon it seeming to them a thing too too strange that God should pardon them and receiue them into his kingdome and restore unto them that which they had lost by rebellion for anothers justice and obedience There are others who albeit they know themselues Rebels and although they hold the pardon for certain imbrace the Gospell and read it and preach it yet for all this they cannot bring themselues to enter into the kingdome of God because they haue more confidence in thēselues then in God and so they will rather stay under the goverment of their humane prudence then come unto the kingdome of God These think they ought to gaine the pardon of their rebellion with their industry and diligence and with their merits And because as well they as those others come not to the kingdome of God they feel not the benefit thereof nor enjoy the liberality of God nor the obedience of Christ. And unto this estate they are brought through their own arrogancy and presumption and so by this meanes continue alwaies in their rebellion There are others who know themselves rebels to God and doe giue entire faith and credit unto the pardon generall which is preached unto them on Gods behalfe in the Gospell and so instantly without farther bethinking accepting the pardon they come unto the kingdome of God renouncing the kingdome of the world and the goverment of humane prudence And albeit these at first may feem to make some kind of doubt doubt of the pardon doubt of the goverment and regiment of God yet in as much as they depart not from the kingdome they goe on certifying themselues both in the one and the other of these matters so much the more as they feel that God proceeds in restoring unto them that image and likenesse of God which the first man lost by his rebellion with all those other priviledges which were lost by the ◅ame rebellion And because the principall punishment of the rebellion was death albeit he doe not deliver them from temporall death for they die as wel as others yet he delivers them from eternall death promising them the resurrection and giving them a signall thereof by the inward vivification and by the resurrection of Christ. And these men liue in the height of cheerfulnesse attending only to mortifie their wisdom◅ and their humane reason and all those other things that led them to their fore passed rebellion and which might lead them on to the like In this they abide in this they persevere and so they goe getting so much favour of God that hee doth not only cause them to feel the pardon and that happinesse which is to be in his kingdome and to possesse the image of God in it but he doth many other graces and favours unto them accepting them for his Sons This kingdome begins in this present life and is continued in that which is to come And all this feli◅ity those persons doe acknowledge from the liberality of God from the obedience of his only begotten Son Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XIIII Amongst the things which Christian Piety obligeth us to believe what that is which is believed with greatest difficulty HAving set my selfe sometimes to consider with how great difficulty mans minde is brought to belieue as it ought the things of Christian piety when it sets it selfe to view and review them I am come to examine amongst all these what that is in which there is greatest difficulty found And I am resolved that it is the Pardon Generall by the justice of God which was executed on Christ. I am come to this resolution by co◅ering that all men being friends to their own interesses doe easily believe those things in which they loose nothing by believing them and with difficulty doe they believe those things which being believed might redound any way to their dammage In as much therefore as it being true that amongst all those things which are believed in Christian piety onely this Generall pa◅don as it is said might redound unto the dammage of him that believeth it in case it should not be true it seemeth to me that my resolution is good Holding that amongst the things which are believed this is that which is believed with greatest difficulty I might fortifie this my resolution with many reasons But this seems to be so sufficient that I will content my selfe therewith fortifying it with that which is seen by experience that even he also who gives credence to the Proclamation which is published through the world concerning the Pardon generall shews that he doth believe that dispoyling himselfe of all outward justification and boldly entring into the kingdome of God in which God equally provides for his both of things that appertain to the body and the soule neverthelesse hee findes much repugnancy in his minde when he will reduce it to those termes that he should totally hope from God the sustentation of the body and that of the soule in as much as he alwaies goes thinking and saying in himselfe And
that if hee had never beene ashamed hee would never have gloried in not being ashamed In like manner I understand that none hath mortified the affection of the honour of the world and of his owne proper esteeme but hee that having beene sollicited thereunto and having combated is now no more sollicited This selfe same I understand of the affections of anger of envy of hatred and of revenge as I likewise understand it of the seusuall appetites Vnderstanding that none hath mortifi'd the carnall appetite but he that having beene sollicited by it and having combated with it is no more sollicited This selfe same I understand of that Appetite which delights to see things that please the eyes and to eate things that please the tast and to heare vaine things and matters of the world to smell delicate things understanding it that he only may say that he is mortified in these appetites who having beene sollicited and molested by them and having combated with them is is now reduced to such termes that either he feeles them not or is so much master of them that with â—…ase he overcomes them when ever they molest him And because none dyes but he that hath lived it being necessary that in them who are to be quickned all that which is according to the flesh should die as well touching affections as appetites I understand that all this being to die in the regenerated it is the worke of God that presently when a man sets himselfe to pietie he should bee molested and sollicited not only from those affections and appetites with which he was formerly sollicited but moreover with others which he never before felt being different yea and very strange ones to the intent that feeling them alive hee may kill them and killing them his regeneration should be made perfect as appertaines to them that are members of the Sonne of God Iesus Christ our Lord. CGNSID XLV Whence the feare of death proceeds in pious persons and that it is a signe of Predestination for a man to content himselfe that there should be another life VVIlling to understand whence it proceeds that many estranged from piety have voluntarily offered themselves unto Death and have willed and desired it and have themselves killed themselves And many pious are grieved and much resent the remembrance of Death not being able to reduce themselves to be content to die which according to humane reason ought to be cleane contrary In as much as they who are estranged from piety either doe not believe the other life or are doubtfull of it or doe not thinke to bee happy in it And in as much as they who are pious believe the other life and are very certaine of it and are assured that they shall be happy in it I come to thinke after this manner that amongst them who are estranged from piety some doe not feare death for some opinions whereof they are perswaded and others because they hold it for a point of valour not to feare it And others love death believing that they shall get fame by dying and others because it is troublesome and painefull unto them to live in necessity or in dishonour wherein they doe as the sick-patient that puts himselfe into hazard of running into a greater infirmity through desire of comming out of that lesse which he feeles In all these I consider their owne proper rashnesse their owne proper folly and their owne proper impatiency Moreover I thinke that amongst the pious that feare death some feare it because they are not throughly confirmed in piety nor throughly assured of that Iustice by which eternall life is obtained others feare it through naturall instinct it being Gods doing that men should feare Death and love life to the intent they may preserve themselves in life and others feare it in as much as it is given to men in punishment of their sinne it being Gods doing that a man should feel as a punishment that which is given him as a punishment by generall sentence which belongs to every man as indeede the evill of originall sinne belongs to every man In every of these I know pietie Iustice and holinesse albeit in the first I know weaknesse and infirmity as I also know in those pious persons who without feeling the inward Inspiration that God would have them to die doe desire and love Death For this desire is not free from some branch of impatiency like unto that of them who are strangers from piety Whence I take this resolution that for as much as in them who are strangers from pietie the not fearing of death and the loving it proceeds from rashnesse folly and impatiency and the fearing of death in the pious proceeds from pietie Iustice and holinesse that neither the stranger from piety hath cause to exalt himselfe when he feares not Death nor the pious hath cause to be sorrowfull when hee findes himselfe fearefull of Death knowthat the feare comes to him through weaknesse and infirmity for his small assurance and firmenesâ—…e in his confidence or it comes to him by naturall inclination or it comes to him through sence of the punishment of sinne which is effectuall in all them that appertaine to the people of God yea even when themselves thinke it not so Whereupon if a man shall say that Christ having satisfyed for originall sinne they who are his members ought not to feele the punishment or chastisement of death I shall say unto him that Christ did not revoke that sentence given against us whereby we are all obliged to Death but that he remedyed it by his resurrection in such sort as wee die by Adam and shall rise againe by Christ. I also take another resolution that is that a pious person doth then content himselfe of Death as pious when by his death the glory of God is illustrated as the Christian Martyrs did content themselves and when it is Gods will that he should die For then as I understand God gives him content in such sort as when a pious person feeles in himselfe a strong feare of Death not being able to bring himselfe to be content to die hee may hold for certaine that God will not at that time take him from this life And he ought to thinke that as long as he feares the naturall inclination and the chastizement of sinne worke their effects in him and so hee will not be grieved nor accompt himselfe Iesse in pietie for this matter They that are strangers from piety when they least feare Death and when they have most brought themselves to be contented with it if they wouid speake truth will confesse that if it were in their power they would not that their should be any other life for they are not certaine to be happy therein And they who are pious when they most feare Death speaking the truth will confesse that they would not be contented that there were no other life feeling within themselves that God hath not created
martyrdome the shame and the ignominy that he shall suffer in the eyes of the men of this world in being wanting unto himselfe and to his and to his honour And so doing he shall follow me who haue been wanting unto my selfe making my selfe a servant of a Sonne that I might not be wanting to God and I haue been wanting to mine own not esteeming them for mine but those onely that God hath called and made mine making them holy and just And I haue been wanting to mine honour contenting my selfe to dye as a malefactour and so doing he shall follow me and shall be truly a Christian. In such manner as properly the injury and the shame that redounds to a Christian through the deniall of himselfe in being wanting to himselfe and to his and to his honour is the Christian Crosse is the selfe same as to goe after Christ. I would say these words of Christ are of as much value as if I should say he that will be a Christian let him esteem himselfe dead unto the world in as much as not to seek the Glory nor the reputation of the world and let him procure that which Christ procured seek that which Christ sought and in this manner he shall be a true Christian as they are who knowing themselves and feeling themselves bought by Christ doe hold him and knew him for their Lord and for their superior and doe worship in spirit and in truth the true God who is the Father of Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LXV How that is to be understood which S. Paul saith that Christ reigneth and shall reigne untill the resurrection of the just being made he doe consigne his Kingdome to his eternall father THe men that reigne in the Kingdome of the world live under foure most cruell Tyrants the Divell the Flesh Honour and Death The Divell tyrannizeth them making them impious and enemies of God and oftimes bringeth them to that passe that they kill themselves by diverse waies The flesh tyrannizeth them making them vitious and licentious Honour tyrannizeth them making them light and vaine and presumptuous in such sort that they dye whilest they live Death Tyrannizeth them not suffering them to enjoy their prosperityes and happinesse cutting short their steps in them This tyranny none understand but they that feele it and they only feele it who being desirous to enter into the Kingdome of God doe procure to reduce themselves to Piety doe travell to Mortify the flesh and will resolve themselves with the world putting an end to glory and to their own honour and think to dispose themselves and to content themselves to dye For as soon as ever they would doe this they find difficulty in it they feele and experiment the tyranny and they know themselvs tyrannized These selfesame persons if so be their desire to enter into the Kingdome of God be a calling of God himselfe and not their proper fantasy accepting for their own the justice of God executed in Christ doe in this present life goe out of the tyranny of the three tyrants in going out of the Kingdome of the world and entering into the Kingdome of God wherein God reignes through Christ. I would say that Christ reignes as the Sonne of God he being in them that stand in his kingdome and with them properly the same which the head is in the Members of the body For as from the head there descends virtue and efficacy into the members of the body which are Governed by it even so from Christ there descends vertue and efficacy to them that are in the Kingdome of Christ with which they combate against the tyrants that hold other men tyrannized and so they are governed by Christ in this present life and by means of the same they shall obtain the resurrection and life everlasting and so they shall goe out of the tyranny of the fourth tyrant which is death and shall enter into the Kingdome of God where God shall reigne by himselfe In the mean space they being gone out of the Kingdome of the world having felt the tyranny of the four Tyrants doe feel the sweetnesse and pleasantnesse of the Kingdome of Christ feeling in themselves the virtue and efficacy of Christ and the government of the holy Spirit and feeling themselves Patrons and Lords of their sensuall appetites and of their affections of Honour and of the ambition of the world being resolv'd with themselves and with the world in as much as being incorporated in Christ they find their flesh dead and they finde dead in them the respect of the world and certifying themselves of their resurrection immortality and eternall life Which certification causeth in them this effect that albeit they feel death according to the body yet they feele it not as much as belongs to the soule through the certain hope of resurrection In this I understand consists the Kingdome of Christ And because the resurrection of the just being accomplished we shall not need to combate with the Divell there shall be no need to mortify the flesh nor to contrast with the world nor shall there be death to overcome I understand that S. Paul saith that then Christ shall consigne this Kingdome to the eternall Father and that God shall bee all in all ruling and governing every thing by himselfe in such manner as the Kingdome of Christ according to S. Paul shall indure untill the universall resurrection and the Kingdome of God in men shall then begin and shall be continuall men perpertually acknowledging the benefit receiv'd by Iesus Christ our Lord. Like as it betides unto a thirsty traveller to whom there is given a vessell of cold water who whilest he drinkes feeles the benefit of the vessell which gives him the water and having drunke albeit setting the vessell aside he thankes him that gave him to drinke neverthelesse he acknowledgeth that by means of the vessell he received that benefit In such manner that as the thankfull wayfairing man who is refreshed with the vessell of cold water whilst he drinkes feeles the benefit of the vessell and after he hath drunke feeling and knowing the benefit of him that gave him the vessell he knowes likewise the benefit of the vessell Even so men whilst they stand in this present life they feele the kingdome of Christ feeling the benefit of Christ and in eternall life they shall feele and know the benefit of God who hath given Christ unto them and they shall know the benefit of Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LXVI In what manner the malignant spirit is more impetuous then the holy spirit BEing desirous to understand which spirit is more impetuous in a man the Holy or the Malignant I resolve my selfe that the malignant spirit is much more impetuous in the impious then the good spirit in the Pious being moved to this resolution for two Considerations of which the one is founded in the proper Nature of the spirits For the malignant is by nature
because this is a thing most alienated from her own proper generation And besides this I understand that as in â—…ase a worme should come to understand in what manner a man is generated of another man and would make other wormes to understand it they would never be capable thereof it being a thing altogether alienated from their generation so supposing that some one man should come to understand the divine generation of the sonne of God and would make other men understand it they would never be able to understand because it is a thing most different from their generation And therefore extreme great is the rashnesse of men who with their naturall light only will understand this divine mystery and also great is that of them who will understand it being helped by the holy Scriptures in that language And hence it comes that albeit S. Iohn understood the divine generation of the sonne of God and would give it to understand to men they are not capable thereof not understanding that which according to S. Iohn the words signify with which he would declare it as it were to say what thing S. Iohn meant saying Logos oâ—… Verbum willing also to shew better the incapacity of humane intelligence in the divine generation of the sonne of God I thinke on this wise that if it be incapable of the spirituall regeneration of them who being incorporated by faith in the sonne of God come to be the sonnes of God by adoption how much more shall it be uncapable of the divine generation of the proper son of God Now the humane intelligence is uncapable of this spirituall regeneration all they who are regenerated know by experience knowing in themselves that they should never have understood this divine mystery if they had not experimented it and knowing also that although they labour to make them capable who are out of it they doe nothing at all as the worme also should doe nothing at all which having understood how the matter of humane generation goes would make other wormes capable thereof This selfe-same I understand by that discourse which S. Iohn tells that passed between Iesus Christ our Lord and the great Master of Israel called Nicodemus who came to speak with him by night And so it is that Christ speaking unto him of the spirituall regeneration whereby a man leaves to be the son of wrath and becomes the son of grace leaves to be the son of Adam and becomes the son of God Nicodemus with all his naturall light withall his humane Sciences and with all his intelligence of sacred Scriptures was so incapable of this spirituall regeneration that Christ marveiling at it said unto him Art thou a Master in Israell and knowest not these things And addes If I have told you earthly things and you believe not how will you believe if I tell you Heavenly things Willing to say If thou beest incapable of this spirituall regeneration which although it be spirituall is neverthelesse such as is wrought here on earth and in the men of earth how much more incapable wilt thou be of the divine generation to believe it of which I would speak unto thee for as much as it is not done on earth but in Heaven and is not done in an earthly thing but in an heavenly Let this then be the conclusion that it being true that whilest a man is without the spirit with all his naturall light with all his sciences and human learnings and writings he is not only uncapable to understand the divine generation of the only begotten son of God but he is also uncapable to understand the spirituall regeneration of the adopted sons of God Let none be so bold without having obtained the spirituall regeneration to presume to understand it nor to speak of it Nor let none be so rash that without having obtained the spirituall regeneration and having been admitted to those sacraries of God unto which S. Iohn was admitted when he said In the begining was the word he should dare to will to understand it penetrate nor compasse it with his wit and humane discourse holding for certain that of this divine mystery they only are capable unto whom by the will of God the proper son of God Iesus Christ our Lord will reveale it CONSID. XCVI That as then a man knowes himselfe a pilgrim in this world when because God loves him the world persecutes him COmmonly all men esteem themselves cittizens of those places where they were borne esteeming themselves pilgrims and strangers in all other places They who pretend that every place is a mans country esteem themselves strangers no where They who being regenerated and renewed by the holy spirit are more then Man esteeming themselves Cittizens of the Kingdome of God and of eternall life esteeming themselves pilgrims in all countries of the world The first following sence goe after the judgement of sensuality The second following the naturall light goe after prudence and human reason And the third following the spirituall light goe after Faith Hope and Charity The first delight themselves of that which pleaseth sensuality The second despising that which pleaseth sensuality seek their proper glory and their proper satisfaction of their mindes The third despising both the one and the other thing love the honour of God and the glory of Christ. The first the world loves The second the world despiseth albeit on the other side it prize and esteeme them And the third the world despizeth hates and persecutes The first God knowes not The seconn God abhorres The third God prizeth loves and favours Where I doe not understand that God prizeth loves and favours this third sort because the world despiseth them abhorres them and persecutes them but that the world despiseth abhorres and persecutes them because God prizeth them loves them and favours them Farther I understand that from their thus feeling themselves on one part prized loved and favoured of God and on the other part despised persecuted and hated of the world it redounds that they following where the holy spirit leads them running after Faith Hope and Charity esteem themselves Pilgrims in this present life esteeming themselves Cittizens of eternall life Esteeming themselves Pilgrims in this present life they live like Pilgrims having no intent to inherit in this present life nor to rejoyce of that which they rejoyce who are Cittizens thereof and so they passe lightly through all these things setting affection to none of them And holding themselves Cittizens of eternall life they begin to live as they live there and they have intent to inherit in it and to rejoyce in that which they rejoyce in who are cittizens thereof and herein they set their affections They I understand that albeit the remembrance of death frightens them in regard of the sence in regard of the livelinesse that is in them in their affections and appetites in regard of esteeming themselves Pilgrims in this present life and cittizens of eternall life it comforts them and gives them content considering that death is the end of their Pilgrimage They who albeit they be indeed prized loved and favoured of God are not yet despised hated and persecuted of the world doe not as yet esteem themselves Pilgrims in this present life not
it It is very true that as they who believe the evill of Adam and the good of Christ passe through the evill of Adam the good of Christ is in part suspended in thē so they who doe not believe neither the evill of Adam nor the good of Christ passe through the good of Christ and the evill of Adam is suspended in them In as much as they who believe passe through the miseries of this present life and through death which are things of the evill of Adam and whilst they stand in this present life and whilst their bodies abide in the sepulchres the good of Christ is in part suspended in them And in as much as they who doe not believe passe in this present life through the good of Christ enjoying many things together with them that believe the good of Christ and in eternall life because they shall be raised up the evill of Adam shall be suspended in them So I understand that as the evill of Adam was efficacious to make us all dye from which death notwithstanding they who believe are free so the good of Christ is efficacious to raise us all up of which Resurrection notwithstanding they shall have no joy who doe not believe because they shall not be in good estate therein In Adam we all dye in Christ we all arise And in the evill of Adam shall they all remaine who shall not accept the good of Christ But in the good of Christ none shall remaine but only they who have believed him and shall have accepted and felt it For in effect the Resurrection of Christ shall not be glorious but only for them who believing to be dead in Adam and raised up in Christ shall give themselves to live in this present life as dead and raised up beginning even now to live a life much like unto that which they have to live in life everlasting in such manner that as the Vivification is an imperfect Resurrection so the Christian living in the state of this Vivification is imperfect albeit in respect of the living in the state of Depravation it is most perfect And the draught of living in the state of the Resurrection in as much as it is imitable in the state of Vivification we see in Iesus Christ our Lord in his purity bounty sidelity obedience and charity And here I learne two things The one that sinee a man believing the evill of Adam frees himselfe from it and believing the good of Christ enioyes it It belongs to every one to believe this evill and this good not expecting for all that to feele it that he may believe it for this were to pervert the order which God hath set who will that we shall believe before we feel but believing that he may feele it For believing together both the evill and the good the efficacy of the good will deprive us of the feeling of the evill in this present life in part and altogether in life eternall in as much as we shall be then altogether free from the evill of Adam and altogether intent to enioy the good of Christ. The other thing which I here learne is that they who in this present life doe not give themselves to live as dead and raised vp imitating the life of Christ doe not believe that they dyed in Adam and that they rose again in Christ how much soever they say and affirme to believe both the one and the other thing For if they did believe them there is no doubt but they would apply themselves to live as dead and raised up this being properly the efficacy of Faith to reduce by litle and litle them that believe in truth to be dead in Adam and raised up in Christ to live as dead and as raised up not because they intend to become just but because they doe now know and feele themselves just in Christ and because they hope for the crowne of justice that is immortality and life eternall And here I will adde this that as the acceptation of the indulgence which a King makes unto them that being fled for some excesse out of his Kingdome remain in the service of another King is efficatious to make them that leaving the stranger Kingdome and the service of the strange King they should returne to their own Kingdome and to serve their own King so the acceptation of the Gospell is efficacious to make that all men who accept it leaving the Kingdome of the world and the service of the world should come unto the Kingdome of God and to the service of God And that leaving to live according to the flesh they should live according to the spirit so that they who leave not the Kingdome of the world and the service of the world and the living according to the flesh give testimony of themselves that they have not well accepted the Gospell however much they say to believe it no otherwise then they who doe not leave the strange Kingdome and the service of the strange King returning into their own Kingdome to serve their own King give testimony of themselves that they doe not accept the indulgence of their King how much soever they say to acceptit and to believe it since they doe not the will of the same King which would the selfe same from them which God would from us that is that we should leave the Kingdome of the world and the service of the world and that we should come unto the Kingdome of God to serve God in holinesse and justice and in the Gospell of his only begotten sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. CGNSID CIX The Conceit which as a christian I have at present of Christ and of them who are the Members of Christ. DEsiring to resolve my selfe in my selfe in the conceit which as a Christian I ought to have of Christ I goe on considering in him two generations the one divine and the other humane And two times the one of approbry and the other of glory According to the divine generation I know that Christ is the word of God the son of God of the same substance with the Father and one selfe same thing with him so like unto him that he might wel say to Philip Philip he that seeth me sees my Father also Iohn 14. This as I understand is that Word with which God created all things according as Moses saith God said let there be light And according to that which David saith by the word of the Lord were the Heavens made Psal. 33. With this selfe same word I understand that God maintaines all things conformable to that In him was life Iohn 1. And to that upholding all things by the word of his Power Heb. 1. This selfe same word I understand that by the work of the holy spirit in the wombe of the most holy Virgin God cloathed with flesh with intent to repaire all things by him as he made all things by him and maintaines all things with him And I
many words cannot want much vanity Next these great Writers have drawne all the Sriptures to Questions and Disputations and made as it were an Academy thereof raising such doubts in every thing as they have made the Doctrine of the Son of God and of his Apostles and our most certaine and infallible hope of Eternall life to become a matter altogether doubtfull And this which I shall now adde is not of lesse importance then the other inconveniences and that is that with their ample and infinite volumes they have withdrawn and estranged men from the study of the truly holy Scriptures and from the Contemplation of simple verity and instead of Christ's Disciples have made them mens Scholars So that we are come to that passe as more and greater credit is given to those which are termed Doctors as if so be Christ and his Apostles were not the true and Eternall Doctors and masters of the Church then to the simple Doctrine of Christ himselfe This is the benefit and the edification that the Church hath reaped from these huge volumes which our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ seeing the safety of his Church being more deare unto him then his owne life hee hath stirred and raised up some and opened their eyes to the intent that they should by litle and litle reduce his sheepe to the greene and healthfull pastures of holy Scripture and to the pure cleare and sweet Fountaines of God's Word And herein every one hath busied himselfe according to his talent that is the gift which hee hath received But to me it seemes and I hope it will doe so likewise to a◅ that have a true relish of Christs Doctrine that this our Author in these divine Considerations and some other writings of his hath so well considered and propounded to all our Considerations the duties of a Christian man that there are but a few very few that can goe before him He hath not indeed writ so huge a Volume nor scribled so much paper No the Bookes which he hath written are litle and few but pure cleare and truly Divine Many have written of the vertues manners and duties of a wise and good man as Aristotle Panetius and Cicero and amongst Christians Ambrose and in our age Thomas Venatorius But none of all these hath intreated with such sublimity nor made such effectuall demonstration nor discoursed with such sweetnesse nor with such Maiesty nor with such authority nor with such grace as our Valdesso This this is that which truly deserves to be entitled the Booke of Christian duties the Booke of Christian demon◅rations and of truly divine speculations Herein is shewed the Originall the Cause the Progresse and the End of every motion of every action of every event that is done under heaven either by God or the Divell or by the godly or by the wicked man and all this from cleare certaine and unquestionable Principles of holy Scrip◅ure accompanied with so good and proper examples and similitudes and compassions and divisions and definitions that unlesse we will be too too obstinate and out of common sense we must needs come to agreement touching that which a man owes unto God to himselfe and to his Neighbour And further what the benefit of Christ is and to whom it is profitable what the infirmity and what the Power of Christ is his abasement an◅ his exaltation our owne Mortification and our Vivification Election and Reprobation and a thousand other like good and profitable heads are here to be clearly learned in such manner as growing practique in this Booke you shall come to understand all things necessary to holy Scripture better then by the great and many Commentaries of many others Now for this great and heavenly treasure we are all debtors to M. Peter Paul Vergerius as the instrument of the divine Providence in causing it to be printed for the view enioyment of every one He comming from Italy and leaving his feigned Bishoprick to come unto a true Apostleshippe whereunto he was called by Christ brought with him many excellent compositions doing herein as men use to doe when their houses are on fire or their City sack'd and ruin'd every one endeavours to escape away with the best and most precious things that he hath so our Vergerius esteeming nothing more deare then the glory of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ brought away with him those things which might best serve to the illustration and enlargement thereof Hee abandoned therefore the earthly treasures and brought away with him the heavenly and divine treasures amongst which this is one of the best and most rare that can be imagined And knowing that good and excellent things become so much greater better and more praise-worthy as they become more common hee left unto me these hundred and ten Considerations that I should cause them to be put in print which I have as you see accordingly performed with as much diligence as I have known or beene able to use These Considerations as many well know were first written by the Author in the Spanish language but afterward by a certaine pious and worthy person translated into Italian Yet have they not beene able altogether to quit those forms of speech which are proper to Spain And besides there are some words though not many of the language of the Author For Iohn Valdesso was by Natiō a Spaniard of noble kindred of an honourable degree and a resplendent Chevali◅r of the Emperour but a much more honourable resplendent Chevalier of Christ. True it is he did not much follow the Court after that Christ had revealed himselfe unto him but abode in Italy spending the greatest part of his life at Naples where with the sweetnesse of his Doctrine and the sanctity of his life hee gained many Disciples unto Christ and especially among the gentlemen and Cavaliers and some Ladies he was very eminent and most praise-worthy in all kind of praise It seemed that hee was appointed by God for a Teacher and Pastor of noble and illustrious Personages Although hee was of such benignity and charity that hee accounted himselfe debtor of his Talent to every me ane and rude person and became all things to all men that he might gaine all to Christ. And not this alone but he gave light to some of the most famous Preachers of Italy which I very well know having conversed with them themselves He never had wife but lived most continently nor did he attend to ought else as much as he could then unto tru◅ Mortification in which death overtaking him hee became perfectly mortified so to b◅ perfectly quickned in the Resurrection of the Iust and to enioy our Lord Christ. He died in Naples about the yeare 1540. Hee hath left behinde him also certaine other good and pious Compositions which as I hope shall by Vergerius his meanes be communicated ◅nto you Goe to then Brethren and Sisters in the Love of God and in the precious blood of
on getting that which they see in their new good and heavenly Father leaving both to appeare and to be like their mother And as before they came unto the kingdome of God◅ they had and represented in them the image the likenesse of depraved nature so likewise being entered into the kingdome of God they haue and represent in themselves the image and similitude of God recovering that which the first man lost By this I understand in what sort a man was created unto the likenesse and similitude o God and in what doth consist the benefit that men haue received by Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XXXV Whence it is that that difficulty comes which pious persons haue to continue in that whith appertaines to Piety and Justification Considering that the duty of Piety is for a man to content himselfe of every thing which God doth perswading himselfe and holding for certain that all that so comes to him is Good and Holy and Iust And believing that all that which comes to passe in this present life comes to passe by divine providence without admitting that anything should come to passe by chance And considering that the duty of Christian Faith is to accept with his minde and to confesse with his mouth the Gospell of Iesus Christ our Lord. And seeing on one side in many men that haue not the spirit much conformity to the will of God in such manner that they neither grieve themselves nor resent out of measure the death of those persons whom they greatly loue nor for the losse of goods nor for the losse of Honour and that they themselves are content to dye And seeing likewise in many other men that haue not the spirit much acceptation and much confession of the Gospell without any scruple of doubt at all And seeing on the other side that some spirituall persons grieve themselves resent themselves and are very sorrowfull for the death of those persons whom they loved for other inconveniences that befall them and they cannot bring themselves to be willing to dye and that they feel the losse of estate and the losse of Honour And seeing also in other persons who haue the spirit much wavering in the acceptation and confession of the Gospell that they cannot certifie nor confirm themselves of all that is therein I haue many times set my self to consider the causes whence these contrary effects should proceed forasmuch as it seems that in him who hath not the spirit there should not be conformity with the will of God nor should he giue credit to the Gospel and in him that hath the spirit there ought to be both the one and the other And after I haue considered the matter I understand that however flesh doth sometimes a litle contradict flesh yet in the end flesh suffers her selfe to be overcome and subdued by the flesh whereupon there being a man that hath not the spirit as well an aff◅ction of the flesh willing to conform it selfe with God as to grieve to be sorrowfull and to resent it selfe for the inconveniences that offer themselves in this present life it comes to passe that one affection overcomming the other it seems that such a man doth conform himself with the will of God and it is not true For hee doth not conform himselfe but with his own proper will by which for his own satisfaction and for his own designes he doth determine to content himselfe of every thing and to cōform himselfe in all things with the will of God That this is true wee read in many Books of the Gentiles and we heare and see it in many other Nations altogether Infidels and others that counterfeit faith Likewise I understand that there being a man that hath not the spirit as well an affection of the flesh to accept and confesse the Gospell as not accept nor confesse it it comes to passe that one affection overcomming the other it seems that such an one believes the Gospell and it is not true for he doth not belieue but only his own opinion and imagination as the Iew that stands stubborn in his Law and as the Moore that believes his Alcoran On the other side I understand that the flesh alwaies repugnes against the spirit alwaies contradicts it and alwaies struggles with it by reason of the great enmity that is between them two Whereupon it comes to passe that there being in a man that hath the spirit an affection of the spirit that makes him willing to conform himselfe with the will of God contenting himself of every thing that God doth and repugning and contrasting with the flesh which suffers not it selfe to be overcome but after a long space it comes to passe that the man who hath the spirit laments resents and is grieved for the corporall incommodities and for all those other things in which the flesh suffers and aboue all things for death even as we see that the saints of the Law did grieue themselues and as S. Paul a Saint of the Gospell would haue resented it as himselfe saith if that friend of his had died and as the proper son of God our Lord God Iesus Christ did resent himselfe In like manner I understand that there being in the man which hath the spirit an affection of the spirit to be willing to accept and confesse the Gospell and the Flesh repugning and contradicting because it hath no part in such desire nor in such will it comes to passe that a man that hath the spirit feels a weaknesse in his faith goes wavering and doubting in it as wee haue read in some Saints and as we our selues see it in others in such sort that as from the small contradiction which the affections of the flesh haue amongst themselues there comes forth an appearance of Piety and appearance of Faithin them that haue not the spirit so from the great contradiction that is between the Flesh and the Spirit there proceeds in them that haue the spirit a weaknesse in faith that befalling in a man which befalls in the world in a Province or in a common-wealth I would say that as it comes to passe that when any person speaketh or publisheth any thing with an affectiō of the spirit he presently findes a contrast a contradiction and outward persecution although it be a thing which is ordinarily spoken practised but without the spirit and out of humane affections so likewise when a man goes about through the motion of the spirit to perswade himselfe and confirme himselfe in any thing pertaining to piety or iustification he suddenly findes an inward contrast and contradiction for his own affections his own appetites which are mortall enemies to the spirit rise up against him And this comes to passe not withstāding that the selfe same things haue been formerly accepted and believed of him by his own proper affection and opinion Whereupon I gather this conclusion That it is a signe that it is the holy Spirit which
most christianly and when they would bring themselves with humane industry to have confidence to believe and love finde most difficulty in this are true Christians incorporated in Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LXXVIII Two griefes one according to the world and the other according to God And two weaknesses one according to the flesh and the other according to the Spirit AS Saint Paul puts two griefes one according to the world and saith that this causeth death and the other according to God and saith that this causeth life Even so I put two weaknesses one according to the Flesh and I understand that this causeth feare and another according to the spirit and I understand this causeth love And I put them because I feele them in the Griefes which S. Paul puts understanding that then a man feeles griefe according to the world when he falls into some such inconvenience as causeth shame or losse or any other discommodity in the eyes of the world in the reputation and dignity of the world And I understand that this griefe causeth death in as much as a man that grieves in this manner except he speedily remedy his griefe becomes blasphemous against God in as much as attributing unto him the cause of his griefe he laments of him and by being blasphemous against God he comes to get himselfe eternall death In the selfe same manner I understand that then a man feeles griefe according to God when he falls into any inconvenience by reason whereof he feares to be deprived of the grace of God and of the holy spirit of Christ and of God himselfe And I understand that this griefe causeth life in as much as he who is grieved in this manner doth more and better know himselfe and ◅o doth more cordially recommend and remit himselfe to God and from this recommending himselfe to God he comes to obtain resurrection and life everlasting For the two weaknesses which I put I understand that a man is then weak according to the flesh when his weaknesse growes from selfe love And I call weaknesse to resente himselfe for those things which come to passe against his will This weaknesse I understand causeth feare for where selfe-love is there is alwaies fear And I understand that this weaknesse is tolerable in Christian persons being no signe of impiety but of imperfection ◅n the selfe same manner I understand that a man is then weak according to the spirit when his weaknesse growes from the love of God resenting himselfe when he sees himselfe deprived of God or of any of the things that are of God which are meanes to him to grow in the love of God and in the confidence in God This weaknesse I understand causeth love because it proceeds from love and so is converted into love and is therefore laudable and a signe of christian perfection Weaknesse according to the Flesh but not blame-worthy I understand was that which S. Paul felt for the reprobation of the Hebrewes And weaknesse according to the spirit I understand was that which S. Paul ◅elt through the sting of the flesh and that which he felt for the sicknesse unto death of his friend And that also was weaknesse according to the spirit which they of Miletum felt for the departure of S. Paul Whence I gather that Christian persons ought not to grieve themselves much in their weaknesses that are according to the flesh since in them they be tolerable for they are not mortall And that the selfesame Christian persons ought to rejoyce much in their weaknesses which are according to the spirit in as much as they are signes of perfection and the way of vivification of resurrection and of eternall life The sons of this world feele the griefe that is according to the world but they doe not feele the griefe which is according to God And those of God feele the one and the other griefe the one in as much as Adam lives in them and the other in as much as Christ lives in them The sons of this world have indeed the weaknesse that is according to the flesh but all of them doe not know it for weaknesse neither feele it as such The weaknesse which is according to the spirit they neither have nor know nor feele And the sons of God have know and feele both the weaknesses knowing in the weaknesse that is according to the flesh the reliques of the old Adam and knowing in the weaknesse that is according to the spirit the renovation of the new Adam our Lord Iesus Christ. CONSID. LXXIX How perilous the errors be which men doe pretending piety I Hold for certaine that amongst those errors which wee who are the sons of God committing may offend God the greatest are those which are committed pretending piety That this is true I see as well by the rigorousnesse with which God hath chastized these errors according as it is read in holy Scripture as also because it appeares in the selfe same Scripture that God hath with his hand restrained them who have been his not consenting that they should fall into these kind of errors not having done the same in other errors wherein they have had intention to satisfy their appetitites and affections Of the rigorousnesse with which God hath chastized them who have erred pretending piety he might principally give testimony who willing to hold up the Arke of the Testimony which to his seeming was about to fall died instantly And Saul who was deprived of the kingdome of Israell and perpetually deprived of the grace of God for the sacrifize that he made to God for the victory that he had against certain nations of which God had given him command that he should not leave any live thing which should not passe the edge of the sword Whereupon if any shall demand saying Why then hath not God used the selfe-same rigorousnesse with others who have erred more perniciously pretending piety as a man might say with S. Paul who before he was a Christian pretending piety persecuted and slew the Christians I will make answer First that as hitherto God hath not given me the accompt thereof And then I will say that God doth not use this rigorousnesse except with them who are of the number of his And S. Paul when he was in that error was not in the number of those who were Gods the Hebrew people having then left to be the people of God and therefore his error was not chastized as that of Vzzahs nor as that of Sauls That God hath restrained with his hand his elect not suffering them to erre in piety albeit he haue suffered thē to erre in other things it serves me for a most effectuall example that which is written of David who pretending piety desired to build the Temple of Hierusalem and God did not consent thereunto because it was not his will that he should build it unto him and therefore hee should haue erred if he had builded it And the
able to separate him from the love of God And that which he shewed in the outward is seen by the miracles which he did and by the many people that he converted And I understand that the power which S. Paul felt in the inward was much greater then that which he shewed in the outward I would say that which S. Paul shewed in the outward was not in that degree of power as that which he felt in the inward The selfe same which I consider in S. Paul I consider in every one of them which are the members of Christ more or lesse according as is that part of faith and of the spirit which every one of them possesseth understanding that from S. Pauls being a member of Christ it proceeded that he was in all that hath been spoken like unto Christ. Farther I understand that the consideration of the two weaknesses considered in Christ workes the same effect in him that considers them I that the weaknesse which he feeles in the inward goes abating in him in as much as his affections and appetites goe on dying and the weaknesse which he shewes in the outward goes increasing in as much as he is esteeâ—…ed more vulgar more vile and more of litle regard and is more mocked more outraged more persecuted and worse intreated And I understand also that the consideration of these two powers vertues and efficacies considered in Christ workes that effect in him that considers them that in him growes increasing the power the vertue and the efficacy that he feeles in the inward in as much as he hath more peace in conscience hath more spirit and more other knowledges divine conceptions of God and of the things of God And there goes abating in him the power the vertue the efficacy which he shewes in the outward in as much as he only shewes himselfe when he is inspired and moved of God to shew himselfe in such manner as that so much iâ—… one the more like to Christ in as much as he is more weak in that which is seen and in as much as he is more powerfull in that which is not seen I will adde this that the saints of the world know the power in God by the power that Christ shewed in the outward knowing weaknesse in God through the weaknesse that Christ shewed in the outward They know power in God through the transfiguration of Christ. And they know weaknesse in God by the death of Christ. And I understand that the Saints os God know without all comparison greater Power in God through the weaknesse which Christ shewed in the outward then through the power which Christ shewed in the outward and it is so indeed that they knew greater Power in God by the grace of Christ then by the transfiguration of Christ knowing that it is so indeed And so it is perceaved that from Christs shewing himselfe weak his death on the Crosse did result and from his death on the crosse is resulted all the good of the world all the felicity and the prosperity which they who are Christs members doe enioy and shall enioy together with Christ there being in them that which was and that wich is in Him to whom be glory for ever CGNSID LXXXII In what properly consisteth that Agony which Jesus Christ our Lord felt in his Passion and in his Death HAving oftimes heard speak of the Agony of the feare and loathing and sorrofulnesse which Jesus Christ our Lord felt in his passion and death by persons who pretended to shew the cause why Christ felt so much his sufferings and his death many other men having suffered and died some as men and some as Christians some of them without having shewed so much sence others having shewed none at all and others having made shew to rejoyce and delight themselves in their suffering and to rejoyce in their Death And never having remained satisfied in my minde neither with that which I heard say nor with that which I read in their books which handled this matter Last of all joyning that which I heard a Preacher say with that which is read in Isaia and in S. Peter I have made this resolution That God having put all our sinnes on Christ to chastize them all in him and he having taken them all upon himselfe and known them all in generall and in particular he felt for every one of them that confusion that shame and that griefe which he should have felt if he himselfe had committed them Whereupon seeing himselfe in the presence of God contaminated and defiled with so many and so abominable sinnes it came to passe that he felt all that Agony all that feare all that sorrowfulnesse within himselfe and all that shame and confusion which appertained to every one of us to have felt for every one of our sinnes had we been punished for them Whence proceeded that he sweat drops of blood in the garden for the anguish which he felt not because he saw himselfe neere unto death but to see himselfe in the presence of God full of so many sinnes for which reason he prayed putting his face to the earth as if he had been ashamed to have looked up to heaven knowing that there lay upon him so many offences committed against God And this truly is the cause why Christ shewed more sense of griefe in his Passion and in his death then any of the Martyrs that have suffered for the Gospell and then any other man of the world that hath dyed for the world And of this shame and confusion which Christ felt seeing himselfe defiled with our sinnes he may have felt some litle parcell that hath seen himselfe in the presence of some great Prince praying him for the pardon of one that hath been a Traytor he feeling the shame that belonged to the other to have felt Now that it is true that God hath laid on Christ all our sinnes and that Christ hath taken them all upon him is plain by Jsaia where he saies He took our infirmities and our griefes he suffered And a litle after he was scourged for our Rebellions and beaten for our iniquities And a litle after he took on him the sinnes of many And more then this he saith we were healed by his blewnesse of stripes And this selfe-same is proved by Saint Peter who seeling the selfesame which Isai felt saith as it were the selfe-same which Jsaiah doth And wretched man that I am for now am I well aware of the evill that I have done offending God not living according to the will of God in as much as with every one of my offences and with every one of my sinnes I have augmented the Agony the fears and the sorrowfulnesse which my Christ suffered in his death and passion Hereby I understand two most important things The one that if the rigour of the justice that was executed on Christ as well in the outward as in the inward had been executed upon
God that he free him from it And in the mean space he ought to abstain himselfe from putting in execution those things which are in prejudice of his neighbour And then the more when they shall seem to him more holy and more just before God And I learn further that only the regenerated Christian being more then a man being gone out of Incredulity doth not erre through Malice doth not erre through Inconsideration doth not erre through Incredulity erring only through frailty in as much as he hath not yet left altogether to be a man hath not as yet altogether comprehended the Christian perfection wherein he is comprehended by the incorporation with which hee stands incorporated in the death in the resurrection and in the glorification of the son of God Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. CVI. That that which the Scripture calls the knowledge of Good and Evill the wisemen of the world haue called and and doe call naturall light Prudence and humane reason BY that which I read of the Creation and Depravation of man I consider that a man was first created after the image and likenesse of God and was put in the garden which they call earthly Paradise and afterwards eating of the fruit of the Tree of knowledge of good and evill lost the image and likenesse of God and was driven out of the earthly Paradise remaining with the knowledge of good and â—…vill understanding that as it is not naturall for a man according to his first creation to abide out of earthly Paradise so it is not primarily naturall to him to haue the knowledge of good and evill And that which I experiment in the reparation of man in his regeneration and renovation â—…onsidering that for the accepting of the grace of the Gospell the remission of sinnes and the reconciliation with God by the justice of God executed on Christ and so to enter into the kingdome of God and to recover the image and similitude of God and to haue the goverment of the holy spirit is necessitated to captivate his understanding and to renounce and mortifie his prudence and his humane reason and his naturall light I understand that that which holy Scripture calls the knowledge of good and evill the wise men of the world haue called and doe call naturall light prudence and humane reason And so I come to understand that a man is necessitated to captivate his understanding to mortify his own prudence and his own naturall light which is the selfesame as to renounce the knowledge of good and evill to obtaine the Christian â—…eparation regeneration and renovation For it is a most just thing that if hee haue to recover that which he lost he should first renounce that which he gained as it were to say that if he be to recover his spirituall light he is to renounce his naturall light And if wee grant as it is necessary to grant by that which we read that which we experiment that the reparation of our humane nature by the Christian regeneration and renovation consists in this that a man accepting the Gospell and being incorporated in Christ goes recovering the being the degree and dignities in which the first man was created and goes on leaving the being the degree and the dignity in which the first man remained after that hee was depraved It is likewise necessary that wee should grant that as that which we gaine is not naturall to the being which we now hold so likewise that which we leave was not naturall to the being which we had according to our first creation Whereby we come clearely to understand that the naturall light which we now hold is not from our first creation but from our depravation And besides this that the spirituall light which we gain by Christ is from our first creation And this spirituall light I understand was so naturall to a man in his first creation as the knowledge of good and evill and naturall light is now naturall unto him And I suppose that the first man not recognizing the spirituall light for a thing properly his but communicated to him by the favour of God did desire the knowledge of Good and evill pretending that that would be to him as it is naturall And of this knowledge of good and evill I understand a man gets a greater or lesser part according as he is more or lesse purged and purified in his affections and appetites which are according to the flesh Whence I suppose the wise men of the world have taken occasion to believe that the knowledge of good and evill is a spirituall thing and is of the first creation of man not considering that this effect proceeds hence that as well the knowledge of good and evill and the naturall light is a perfection of man in the state of his depravation as the spirituall light was in the state of his first creation and is in the state of his reparation Against that which hath been spoken two things offer themselves The first that by that which S. Paul saith Rom. 1. that the Gentiles by their naturall light might have known God and by that which the selfe same saith Rom. 5. That the selfesame might have naturally known the will of God it seemes that the naturall light is not of the state of the depravation of man but of the state of his first creation The second that it being true that the old Saints as David and the new Saints as S. Paul in that which they have written have served themselves of naturall light of Prudence and Human reason it seemes that it is not evill nor that it ought to be renounced left and mortified To the first I understand it may be answered that S. Paul willing to convince the Gentiles in as much as they did excuse themselves saying that they could not know God and therefore worshipped him not nor could not know the will of God and therefore they had lived viciously he shewes them that although they had not had the knowledge of God to worship him nor that of the will of God to obey it which knowledge being by spirituall light was in the first man before his depravation and abides in the Christians in our reparation nor having had the knowledge which the Hebrews had by their holy Scriptures yet that having had the knowledge that can be gotten with the naturall light by the contemplation of the creatures and by the testimony of their consciences and not having satisfied to that knowledge of God and of the will of God they came to be in fault neither did there remain any excuse at all to them In such manner that from the words of S. Paul it cannot be gathered that a christian man is not to renounce his naturall light but that the naturall light sufficeth to know God in a certain manner and to understand the will of God To the second thing I understand it may be answered that the Saints serve themselves in