abide in Segor that is in lawfull matrimonie for it is better to enioy a meane good thing then to bee ouerthrowne among the cragges and rockes of lusts And of the drummes of these Virgins may that bee verified which Philippus de Diez citeth out of Athanasius To. 1. dominica in pass Who saith he affirmeth that the Idolaters did so wonder at those virgins which had consecrated themselues to God that euen by force they were constrained to confesse that they were the liuing Temples of God and that onely among the Christians was the true worship of God Wherefore manie of them being lightened with this diuine light banishing all their idolatrie were turned to the Catholike faith Thus farre Diez Such sounding drums had the virgins in those dayes that they did rouse euen Idolaters from their sléepe of sin by the rarenesse of their vertues And as fitly also may the faithfull doing good works bee compared to Musitians For Musitians haue their running points and those are the swéetest musicke So the faithfull are readie to giue 1. Tim. 6.18 Gen. 18 7. 2. Cor. 9.7 They run to the beasts with Abraham for a tēder young calfe for their poore strangers They giue cheerefully and God only loueth such giuers They saie not to their neighbour Go and come againe to morow and I will giue thee Pro. 3.28 if so be they haue it presently And these running points bee most pleasant musicke in Gods eares They also kéepe time which is a chiefe point in Musicke When there was no raine on the earth thrée yeares and sixe moneths then the widow opens her barrell and imparts some of her little oyle that was left to Elias 1. King 17.12 When the good Samaritane saw the poore man lie wounded by the high waie side then he did light off from his beast and bound vp his wounds and though he had as should séeme but two pence in his purse Luke 10.33 he gaue it him Hee passed not by him as the Priest and the Leuite did And this is to kéepe time This is to be one of Gods Musitians They which run verie swiftlie their running points on their instruments and kéepe time verie exactlie vnlesse also they runne here and obserue time also they please not God with their musick These are the Singers and Virgins and Musitians that waite vpon God And if this bée true it is likelie that God now walkes in his Sanctuarie verie euill attended vpon he hath few such Singers or Damosels or Musitians to attend vpon him But Dauid stayes not himselfe here to let vs haue a viewe of Gods waiting seruants onely but of his Noblemen also For there is no king but he hath both these to attend vpon him And first he comes to the generall dutie of all these seruants which is this Blesse or praise the Lord God in the congregations from the fountaine of Israel Psal 68.26 Here is the dutie of all Gods seruants to blesse and praise the Lord from the fountaine of Israel And what is that Surely Iesus Christ who is the fountaine of Israel For as S. Iohn teacheth vs He is the fountaine Ioh. 1.15 of whose fulnesse all we as emptie vessels haue receiued euen all the good things we haue that grace for grace Grace for grace euen still all our life as we did at the beginning The case here is not altered as the Papists imagine That the first grace is giuen vs fréely but after with that grace wee our selues merit the succéeding graces that we haue But Saint Iohn here plainly teacheth them that euen as at the first so we still receiue grace for grace And haue we not great cause then to praise God alwaies from this fountaine of Israel which yéeldes vnto vs all the good things wee haue euen dayly and that also fréely Here therefore is that in the Psalme which Saint Paul teacheth in his Epistles Giuing thankes alwayes for all things vnto God Ephes 5.20 euen the Father in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ vers 27. Now followe his Noblemen There is little Beniamin their ruler the Princes of Iudah their stone as Arias Montanus translates it the princes of Zabulon and the princes of Nephthali Here are Gods Noblemen and Princes And surely among these little Beniamin goeth the foremost and that is Christian humilitie For thereof also Christ himselfe begins his blessings in the Gospell Blessed are the poore in spirit Matth. 5.3 Matth. 11.19 for theirs is the kingdome of God And Learne ye this of me I am meek and lowly in heart As though he had euen come downe from heauen to teach vs this lesson For we reade not of anie other vertue that he saith Learne that of me as he speakes here of humilitie Knowledge without humilitie puffes vp and profites not 1. Cor. 8.1 And if faith haue not charitie and humilitie ioyned with it it builds not it profites not it is as a sounding brasse 1. Cor. 13.2 or tinckling Cymball nay it is nothing Then followes Iudah their stone And that is faith And therefore it maie séeme that our Sauiour as in all his doings Matt. 4 4. Matth. 21 1◠he had a relation to the Scriptures so also after that Peter had made that same notable confession of our Christian faith and therefore was Iudah our Sauiour also called him a stone Matth. 16.18 alluding to this place of the Psalme He is not called a rock as the Papists would haue him but Petrus or Cephas Ioh. 1.42 which signifies a stone and agrées here with the Hebrue word Regem And hence also Peter called all Christians which nowe were also become Iudah by confession of this true faith 1. Pet. 2.5 liuely stones And surely not without cause are the faithfull called stones for they must be vnmoueable in the profession of their faith though euen as against Dauid Psal 3.6 the Deuill euen with ten thousand come against them as no doubt he will And therefore Saint Paul saith Wherfore my beloued be ye surely grounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and vnmoueable that is 1. Cor. 15.58 be euen like stones in the profession of your faith and abounding euer in the worke of the Lord that is in that excellent work which the Lord Iesus so often commanded that is Christian Charitie Ioh 13.34 Matth. 22.39 Ioh. 15.12 Luke 22.31 Cant. 1.5 For Satan will sift euerie Christian euen as he did Peter the first Christian He will sift narrowlie all their words workes and thoughts They shall bee like Salomons tents they shall be set on the tenters they shall be tried to the vttermost what they will endure The next is The princes of Zabulon Now Zabulon signifieth a dwelling or familie and therefore I expound those to bée Princes of Zabulon in Gods Court who feare God and all their houshold When as God would reueale to Abraham the destruction of Sodome he saith thus Shall I
light and those vaine shadowes which seeme to mooue hither and thither and to speake and those resemblances of thinges which those men which are thus bound in yron chaines falsely iudge to be things indeed He could not more fitly by any other meanes haue set before our eyes the liues of wicked men For they beeing here groueling on the earth and in loue with their bodies and chained with the innumerable chaines of vices cannot turne their minde that way that they may beholde the light and the true shapes of things For there is no trueth indeed in these bodily and earthly but in diuine and eternall things Therefore all the commodities of this life haue no firme or sound thing in them but onely beare a face or shew of good things And men being now acquainted with these shadowes and being deluded with these Images of things do with tooth and naile pursue after false good things and being effeminated with the false sweetnes of pleasure are so kept in bondage that they are now enemies to all those which woulde ridde them out of those bonds would endeuour to bring them to heauen that they might behold the true sunne indeed and the true light and true men and true good things that is that they might behold heauenly and diuine thinges and that they might haue the vvhole force of their minds fixed in euerlasting things Thus farre Osorius This is mans estate before regeneration to delight in sinne not to be able to be hold the true light naie to be euen an open enemie to those that shall go about to draw him from this bondage or shall endeuour to make him see his owne miserie and vnhappinesse so farre off is he from embracing the true light if it be offered vnto him This is Osorius his iudgement in this place And a little after hee writes thus Is it not most certaine that this is graunted to Christians to behold God as often as they stirre vp their weake faith and doe deuoutly pray for Gods grace that being loosed from these bonds and turned away from these shadowes of things and turned to the true good things indeed that they may mount vp with their minds into heauen and that they may beholde those most excellent and eternall riches and may enioy that sweete and most pleasant familiaritie and talke with God with vnspeakeable ioifulnes Here plainely appeares what effects the grace of God works in mens soules It not onelie looseth them from the stronge and iron chaines of their sinnes but also it withdrawes them from the loue of vanities and turnes them to the loue of vertue and true godlinesse These effectes here Osorius attributes to the grace of God man of his owne nature hath them not Ambrose of mans duetie to God writes thus De Abraham pat lib. 2. ca. 8. That soule which is full of wisedome and righteousnesse is more deuout in the worship of God and paies her tenthes of all the fruits of the earth according to a more heauenly wisedome herein in that she referres the perfection of all her senses and workes to God shee challengeth nothing to hir selfe which is not able to gouerne her selfe vnlesse she were vnderpropped with Gods fauour c. All Abrahams children of their father must learne to paie these tenthes to God But for the maintenance of frée will Rom. 7.18 that place of Saint Paul maie be obiected To will is at hand but to doe good I cannot tell how to do it Saint Austen expounds this place thus De praed gra ca. 13. Although that same will is not of vs it is the gift of God because of him wee haue both to will and to do according to his good pleasure And concerning this place Austen first expounded it of a man vnregenerate but after he changed his mind and expounded it of the regenerate as appeares in his Booke Contra Iu◠cap. 11. Ambrose also is of the same mind with Austen herein and expounds this place of the regenerate speaking of the strife that was betwéene Abraham and Lot which he allegoricallie applies to the soule of man Lib. 2. de Abra. cap. 6. Hereof comes saieth he the discord of our cogitations when as the flesh rebels against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh Then there is no small combate when as the Apostle himselfe the Lords chosen vessell saith I see the lawe of my flesh resisting the law of my mind and bringing me in bondage vnder the law of sinne which is in my members He himselfe coulde not pacifie this combate and therefore he fled to Christ saying O vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death that is that I cleaue not to the pleasures of the flesh Who is it that shall loose me from these bonds and shall set me free and shall writh rather the senses to the sobriety of the mind then to the drunkennes of the body but because amongst men he could not find such a guide turning to God he saith The grace of God by our Lord Iesus Christ If he that was so strong trusted not in his owne strength that he might escape the body of death but sought for helpe of Christ what shall we do who are weaker c. Phil. de Dies sum prae dic Tit. amor hominis erga Deum I will conclude this point of free will with a saying of Philippus de Dies When as onely God is the author of the reasonable soule and that the will is a power of such a soule it followeth manifestly that onely God can moue it not onely in bestowing the nature and essence vnto it but also the willing of that which is good and also the end which is the conclusion of all our willings Therefore wee must desire of him with most earnest prayers with that kingly Prophet Incline my heart O God vnto thy Testimonies 2. Of Justification De indulg POligranes a Papist of Christs merites writes thus We must know that Christ the son of God by his works and passions did deserue many things of God his father To himselfe glorie and exaltation as Saint Paul saith for which cause God hath exalted him c. He hath deserued also to men a generall satisfaction for their sinnes For by his bloud hee hath washed away the faults and by his death hath restored the grace of iustification You are iustified freely saith the Apostle by his grace Rom. 3. by the redemption which is in Christ Iesus But by this his merit he hath so freely washed away the faults that according to the faith of the Church and of the holy scripture he hath left some part of the punishment vnredeemed which is either here to be redeemed with the workes of mercie or els to be paied hereafter And therefore thirdly he deserued that he which of himselfe hath deserued it through speciall faith and deuotion might forgiue this punishment himselfe which we
owe vnto God and how these our debts and dueties are farre greater then our power and hability nay when as we cannot vnderstand how much we are indebted vnto him Thus far Granatensis Where hee plainelie teacheth that all our workes are not merites but dueties nay that no man knowes howe much hee owes to GOD and therefore can neuer challenge anie merite And againe in another place hee writes thus These sayeth hee foure other excellent and notable vertues do follow Inward and outward humility pouerty of body and soule patience in aduersity and tribulations and a pure intent in good works that they all be doone onely for the loue of God without mingling of anie profit or respect either temporall or spirituall Thus farre Granatensis If wée must respect no profit neither temporall nor spirituall in dooing of our good works then not the saluation of our soules which marke in Poperie their blinde guides taught all men to aime at And in another place against merites hee writes thus most plainelie Againe sayeth hee hee that is about to pray on the one side must know that he deserues no good thing and on the other he must beleeue that although he haue no merites yet God of his infinite mercy and goodnesse will giue him that that shall bee most profitable to his saluation Therefore man must be content whether he receiue at Gods hands much or little and receiue all things thankefully whatsoeuer God doth accounting himselfe vnworthy of all things God giues him and to be ready to do all things that God commaunds him And to giue God his due thanks not so much for those things which hee hopes to receiue as for these which he hath receiued already Thus farre Granatensis where hee plainely confesseth that there is no merites in man for which he can challenge to receiue anie thing at Gods hands Lodouicus Viues of good works writes thus Praepar anim ad r and. 35. Take heede againe and againe least that it euer come into thy mind that thou canst profit or do any good to God neither flatter thy selfe of thy good worke as though by it thou hadst bound or demerited God vnto thee which thought is most hurtfull and oftentimes the marrer of all good works To take which from our minds our Lord said After that yee haue doone all these things say that ye are vnprofitable seruants Ferus also of the trust in our workes writes thus Fer. in 2. Act. Againe by this sound it is foreshewed that the holy spirit cannot be receiued vnlesse the hart be first shaken So when the Lord was about to come to Elias there went before him a wind that ouerthrew the mountaines then after a fire and an Earthquake The same thing God doeth in vs before he come to our heart first hee sends a mightie wind ouerthrowing the mountaines that is he ouerthrowes all things which seeme great and takes away all trust but yet the Lord is not present for there are many which haue nothing wherein they may trust and yet they haue not God But this is the first steppe of his comming Then followes the earthquake when man vnderstands what he is and when he considers the misery of the world then the holy Spirite is nearer but yet hee is not present Thirdly the fire of the conscience followes and then the Lord is not farre off For it is a great matter to feele sinne After the fire followes the noise of a soft ayre that is the grace of God making ioyfull a terrified conscience Thus farre Ferus Where he plainelie teacheth that all mountaines what great good workes wee haue doone soeuer must first bee ouerthrowne in vs wée must haue no trust in our selues before God come to vs and that this is the first steppe of his grace Let them that trust in their workes here take heede to themselues and see by Ferus his iudgement how farre they are from the grace of God God hath not so much as made one steppe to come vnto them Oh what a miserable case are all such in then And againe vpon that place Whosoeuer shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saued Our name sayeth hee is sinne vnrighteousnesse lying vanity c. The name of God is that hee is onely good true mighty iust mercifull and wise c. Of this Name Christ saieth Father I haue declared thy name vnto men He therefore that accuseth his owne name and cals vpon the name of God that is desires helpe by the goodnesse truth mercy and power of God he shall be saued whether he be Iew or Gentile So Dauid called vpon the name of the Lord O Lorde in thy name saue me and in thy power iudge my cause and in thy righteousnesse deliuer me And againe in thee O Lord haue I put my trust I shall neuer be put to confusion deliuer me in thy righteousnesse Here thou hast the perill and the remedy death and life are sette before thee take heede least thou forget thy selfe Call vpon the Lord while he is neare Hitherto he hath terrified them threatning like a people and he hath foreshewed them generally the medicines whereby euilles may be driuen away Nay after least any should bee affraid to come vnto God he plaies the Preacher of the Gospell and settes the mediator before their eyes who alone hath manifested to the world the name of his father vnto whose power also the Father hath committed all things By whom onely and alone we also haue accesse vnto the Father Thus farre Ferus All men that will bee saued must accuse their owne name that is their owne righteousnesse before the Maiestie of God and they must call vpon the mercie of God and his trueth and goodnesse by the mediation onelie of Iesus Christ Here is death and life set before euerie man by Ferus his iudgement Cap. 3. Againe of the Iewes hee writes thus The people also did lie lame before the Temple They had the Priesthood the Temple the sacrifices examples of things to come but they onely trusted in the externall things they neuer entred into the Temple to consider what those externall things meant Some went in as the Prophets by the shadowes gathering the things signified but the lame people followed them not Thus farre Ferus Such like were our forefathers who put much trust in externall thinges and they deuised of man neuer knew what they meant And how coulde that profit them seeing the trust in externall thinges and which God commanded could not profit the Iewes And againe hee writes thus Neither can any externall thing sanctifie vs or cleanse vs but onely that hee with his Spirite and his bloud cleanseth vs. Thirdly he is iust and iustifieth vs when hee communicates vnto vs his merites and righteousnes with the which being clothed we dare appâ—are before God So the Psalmist testifieth I will make mention of thy righteousnesse onely And againe In thee O Lord haue I put my trust I