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
works in a man that which sets him in the will and in the desire to haue much piety and much faith when in all this a man finds in himselfe much contrast and much contradiction and when also the same comes to passe in that which is exteriour unto men And I resolve my selfe that in this contrast in this fight a man ought to labour and travell much but without affliction or grieving himselfe for although the flesh together with all its affections remain aliue yet the holy spirit should haue the victory and bethe conquerour For it is not meet that the son of the slave that is the flesh should be heire with the son of the Free-woman that is the spirit of those goods that properly belong to the spirit that is of the knowledge of God in the present life and of the vision of God in life everlasting And saying the flesh I understand the affection of flesh that which men receive from Adam all which must needs dye in us to the intent that all that may live which we can receive from Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XXXVI In what the Christian Liberty doth consist how it is knowne and how it is exercised THat it may be well understood wherein it is that Christian liberty doth consist how it is to be knowne and how it is to be exercised it imports much to understand first in what the Hebrew servitude doth consist how it was understood and how it was exercised The Hebrew servitude as I understand it proceeded from the command of the law which menacing and promising kept men in servitude and intreated them as servants Amongst them that were of the Hebrew people some applyed themselves to the law by inspiration and others out of opinion and there were others also who cared not for the law living licentiously they knew not the Hebrew servitude neither exercised themselves in it They who out of opinion applyed themselves to the law desiring and procuring that the Menaces wherewith the law threatned trangressors should not be executed on them and that the promise which the law made to them that observ'd it might bee fulfilled in them knew the Hebrew servitude but did not exercise it as they ought For being governed by their owne proper spirit they were most superstitious in some things and most licentious in other They who by inspiration applyed themselves unto the law and exercised themselves in it as was meete desiring the promises thereof and fearing the threatnings knew the Hebrew servi â—…ude seeing that it behoved them alwaies to stand knit unto the law and they exercised themselves in it as was meete holding themselves for servants and depending on the will of God for being governed by the holy spirit that did inspire them to the fulfilling of the law they were pious holy and just in such sort that the Hebrew servitude consisted in the law and was knowne when men applyed themselves to the observation of the law and was exercised when the application proceeded from the holy spirit On the contrary the Christian liberty consisteth in the abrogation of the law which was altogether abrogated in the comming of the holy spirit which succeeded in place of the law to governe the people of God Among them who have the name of Christians there are some who feele this Liberty by the holy spirit there are others who divine it by humane spirit and there are others who neither feele nor divine it They who neither feele nor divine it are in all points and altogether like unto them amongst the the Hebrew people who divined the servitude of the law being in all things and altogether most superstitious obliging and binding themselves not only to that which they think to be the law of God but also to that which they know to be the law of man and more then this they themselves doe oblige and binde themselves to other lawes in such sort as they know not in what Christian liberty doth consist neither doe they know it nor exercise it living wretchedly in miserable and hard servitude They who by humane spirit divine Christian liberty are much like unto them amongst the Hebrew people who made no account of the law they taking away from themselves all manner of yoak live licentiously not knowing nor exercising the Christian liberty as was meete They are ordinarily impious and vicious and I understand it that they divine Christian liberty by humane spirit they who by their owne wit and Iudgment and by that which they read and heare and understand that a Christian man is free not considering whether they bee Christians in such manner as that Christian liberty appertains to them grow to make the licentiousnesse of the flesh Christian liberty They who by the holy spirit feele the Christian liberty are like as it were to them amongst the Hebrew people who through the holy spirit applied themselves unto the law They know that Christian liberty consisteth in this that a Christian shall not bee chastized for his evill living nor shall not be rewarded for his well living knowing that chastizement is for the unbelievers and the reward for the faithfull in as much as God will chastize them that believe not on Christ and not believing on him doe not accept the covenant that hee set betweene God and man and that hee will reward them that shall believe in Christ and accept the covenant of Christ. They who in this manner know the Christian liberty having no regard neither to chastizement nor to punishment and having a regard to observe the decorum of those persons whom they represent in this present life that is to bee a member of Christ the most perfect head and to live in this life a life like unto that which they are to live in eternall life doe well exercise the Christian liberty For being governed by the holy spirit on one side they finde and know themselves to bee free and exempted from the law in so much that it seemes to them that they may say with S. Paul All things are lawfull unto me Neither fearing to be chastized for transgression nor hoping to bee rewarded for observation in which they feele and know the Christian liberty And on the other side they finde and know themselves obliged to be like unto Christ in their life and manners and therefore they say with S. Paul all things are not expedient And standing in this they exercise themselves in Christian liberty in such manner that Christian liberty consisteth in the abrogation of the law and is knowne when men doe not feare the chastizement of the transgression of the law nor pretend the reward of the observation thereof And it is well exercised when men observe the decorum that belongs to a Christian who is a member of Christ and ought in all his things to bee very conformable to Christ. Hence I gather that since men that divine Christian liberty by humane spirit and wit and Iudgment
who haue the spirit of Iesus Christ our Lord. CGNSID LXVIII That the desire of knowledge is Imperfection in a Man contrary to the judgement of Humane Wisdome HVmane wisdome judgeth that the desire to know is a great perfection in man And the holy spirit iudgeth that it is a great imperfection in a man Humane wisdom confirmes her opinion saying that it hath been seen by experience that in the world those men haue lived most virtuously who having the greatest desire to know haue most given themselves to indeavour to know and haue known most And here is alleaged a troup of Philosophers And the holy spirit on the contrary affirmes his sentence saying that through the desire of knowing sinne came into the world and through sin death and with it all the miseries and all the troubles whereunto wee stand subiect in this present life That this is true is proved by the perswasion of the Divell who said unto E◅e You shall be like Gods knowing good and evill Passing on farther the holy spirit faith that the desire of knowledge destroyed the Hebrews in as much as desiring to understand the prophecies that spake of the Messias and procuring to understand them by the way of wit and humane discourse they imagined to themselves and figured a M◅ssias so cōtrary to him whom God sent them as when they had him they knew him not and not knowing him they did not receaue him and from their not receauing him redownded not onely that they did not enioy him but it caused their ruine and perdition Passing on farther the holy Spirit saith that the Gentiles desiring to know the originall and the beginning of naturall things did procure to know them with their own wits and discourses whence comes to passe that which Saint Paul said They became vain in their imaginations and they worshipped the creatures and ran headlong into other absurd and bruitish inconveniences In the selfe same manner the holy spirit saith that many men desiring to know the things which appertain to Christian Religion and procuring it with naturall light haue made such strange conceits of God of Christ and of the Christian state and of the Christian living that a man may say with truth that of Christ they haue nothing but the name participating on one side of the inconvenience of the Hebrewes in as much as they read holy Scripture and desiring to understand it procuring this not with that spirituall light with which it was written but with naturall light they doe not understand it And participating on the other side of the inconvenience of the Gentiles in as much as desiring to know that which the Gentiles knew they read that which the Gentiles writ and they think as the Gentiles thought frame Gentiles mindes The holy spirit having proved his sentence against that desire of knowing which men haue saith further that that vertue which is got by desiring to know and knowing that which may be known with naturall light is rather a vice then a vertue in as much as it makes men presumptuous insolent and consequently impious incredulous That this is true appeares by this that the men that follow their proper naturall light by how much they are more vertuous according to the world by so much they haue lesse confidence in God and doe so much lesse belieue in Christ and therefore are so much more impious and more incredulous in such manner that it stands well to say that the desire to know is a great imperfection in a man In this discourse I learne two things The one that humane wisdome hath no iurisdiction in judging of the perfection and imperfection of a man The other that it appertaines to every man who being called of God to the grace of the Gospell makes answer thereunto to mortifie and kill in himselfe the desire to know of what sort soever it be that he may not fall into the inconvenience of false Christians and of the Gentiles and of the Hebrews nor into that wherein our first Fathers fell and that they may come to the perfection whereunto S. Paul came not desiring nor procuring to know other then Christ and him crucified Which wisdome wee ought to desire and procure but with prayer to God we who having accepted the grace of the Gospell are true Christians incorporated in Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LXIX That a man ought alwaies to acknowledge himselfe incredulous and defectiue in faith and that there is so much faith in a man as much as there is knowledge of God and Christ. VVHen I consider the great efficacy which Iesus Christ our Lord attributes unto Faith saying that with it how little soever it be we may remoue mountaines from one place to another returning upon my self and not finding my selfe with such an efficacious faith I know how weak and feeble my faith is and then I turne my minde to God saying with the Apostles Lord increase my faith and saying with the father of the Lunatique Lord help mine unbelief And understanding that my faith is to come through the guift of God and holding for certain that I shall haue so much of faith as I shall haue of the knowledge of God and of Christ for as much as men how ever good relation they haue of other men doe so much trust them as they know them I turn my selfe to pray God that he would let me know him and would let mee see him and that he would let me know and see Christ as much as may be in this present life to the intent that I may haue confidence and so my faith may be strong and efficacious Wherein I consider the craft of the enemy of mankinde and most full of enmity against Christ in as much as he understanding that the intent with which Christ did so much exaggerate the efficacy of Faith makes that men how much soever they believe and how much confidence soever they haue should alwaies judge themselves incredulous and defectiue in the Faith hath made that amongst men who doe approue the Gospell of Christ it should be an honourable thing to belieue and a shamefull thing not to belieue or to doubt to the intent that perswading themselves for their own honour sake that they doe believe they should not come to knowe themselues incredulous and defectiue in the faith and so they never come to get that which Christ pretends they should get that is the knowledge of God and of Christ by the knowledge Faith and by Faith iustification by justification glorification and eternall life And in very truth great is the blindnesse ignorance of men in every thing that see only with the eyes of humane wisdome very excessiue great in this that not admitting in humane matters one testimony that testifies only of heare-say except he speak of certain knowledge or proper experience it perswades it selfe by it selfe and by others that in divine matters it sufficeth to testifie
mortifie it whilst he liues And he mortifies it rather with the consideration then with outward effects And the consideration is of that which Christ suffered of the being dead on the Crosse with Christ and the being raised with Christ and that it is his intent to liue in life eternall with Christ which considerations are of such efficacy in a man that making him to loose the tast of all things of this present life it mortifies in him all that is flesh and all that is world albeit I doe not think that it dies altogether untill that a man dye indeed From all this is gathered that humane wisdome knows not what thing mortification is and that the law of Moses commanded it but did not giue it and that it is onely gotten through the incorpororation wherewith wee who believe are incorporated in Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LXXXV Foure manners by which a Christian knowes God by meanes of Christ. HAving often spoken of the knowledge of God as of a most important thing and so much that in it felicity and eternall life consisteth And having said that there are three waies to know God One by the contemplation of the creatures which is proper to the Gentiles the other by reading of the holy Scriptures which was proper to the Hebrews and the other by Christ which is proper to Christians And having never remained satisfied in this third I would say in the manner of that understanding through the which we Christians know God by Christ after that I had well considered it I finde Foure manners by which we Christians know God by Christ. The first is by the Revelation of Christ The second is by the communication of the holy spirit The third is by christian Regeneration Renovation And the fourth is by a certain inward vision by revelation of Christ. I understand that a Christian knows God when Christ himselfe suffers himselfe to be known because wee then know God in him he being the expresse image of God conformable to that he saith to S. Philip He that sees mee he seeth my Father also Ioh. 14. And conformable to what S. Paul saith Colos. 1. speaking of Christ who is the Image of the invisible God And that it is true that a Christian knows God by Revelation of Christ is manifest by that No man knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Mat. 11. This Revelation I understand is inward having nothing that is visible and so it appertaines to the inward eyes and not to the outward And this presupposeth the knowledge of Christ. I would say that to the knowledge of God by Revelation of Christ the knowledge of Christ proceeds which I understand consisteth in knowing his Divinity his Humanitie his being Divine and Humane his glory and his ignominy his dignity and his basenesse and so his omnipotency and his humility And it is certain that I knowing that Christ is the Image of God and seeing in him Omnipotency Iustice Truth and Fidelity I come to know not now by relation of holy Scripture but by the revelation of Christ himselfe that there is in God omnipotency justice and truth fidelity for as much as these things are in Christ and Christ is the Image of God In such manner as hee who in this manner knowes Christ not by relation of men but by inward revelation of Christ himself may say with truth that he knowes God in Christ As the man to whom S. Paul in whom was a great part of the image of Christ should haue discovered all his minde all his inward things might haue said with truth that hee knew Christ in S. Paul although this comparison serves not to ascertaine but to explain that which I would say By the communication of the holy spirit I understand the christian knowes God for I understand that the holy spirit is given to them that believe in Christ. And understanding by S. Paul that the spirit of God searcheth out the deep secrets of God I understand that we also know God himselfe and by Christ in as much as the holy spirit is given unto us by Christ Christ himselfe being he that gives it unto us by the will and ordinance of God even as by the selfe-same will and ordinance the light is given unto us by the sunne And it is certain that the holy spirit is efficacious in mee that am a christian to make mee know omnipotency in God through the great power which he shewes in mee mortifying me making mee alive to make mee know wisdome in God by the wisdome which I get through his holy spirit to make mee know justice in God because he justifies me in Christ to make me know truth in God because he keepes promise with me and to make me know goodnesse and mercy in God because he beares with my slothfulnesse and sinnes And so I come to know all these things in God not now by relation of Scriptures but by that which the holy spirit workes in me which is communicated to me through Christ. By the Christian Regeneration and Renovation I understand that a christian knowes God For I understand that he being regenerated and renewed by the holy spirit which is communicated unto us by Christ goes on leaving and renouncing the image of Adam which is proper unto us by the humane generation by which we are naturally the sons of wrath we are enemies of God impious rebells and infidels and goes on taking and recovering that image of God which is proper unto us by christian regeneration by which we are as it were naturally the sons of grace adopted sons of God we are the friends of God pious obedient and faithfull and so by litle and litle we come to know God in us knowing in us those divine perfections which the holy spirit attributes to God And getting the regeneration and the renovation through the holy spirit and the holy spirit through Christ it comes to be true that by Christ we know God in us And it is a cleare ease we should never know in God truth fidelity justice bounty were we not first true faithfull just good c. It being naturall of man to judge of others according to that which he knowes in himselfe By a certaine inward vision I understand that a christian knowes God after that he hath known him by the revelation of Christ by the communication of the holy spirit by the Christian regeneration And for as much as belongs to this knowledge I referre my selfe to that which I have said in another Consideration Wherein I have set certain comparisons by which a man that hath not attained to this knowledge of God may in some sort arrive to understand in what it doth consist And if he doe arrive I am sure that there will come upon him so great a desire of this knowledge that he will continually goe after God saying unto him these amorous words shew unto me thy
understand by that which I read that the selfesame instant in which our first Parents being deceived by the Serpent did eat of the fruit of the Tree they had the knowledge of good and evill in such sort as suddenly their eyes were opened and suddenly finding defect in the works of God they knew themselves to be Naked Whence I come to understand that God did with the first man as the mother doth with her litle son I would say that as a mother seeing her litle son hath a knife by him fearing if he take it in his hand he would cut himselfe with it commands him that he should not come nigh unto it telling him if he come neer shee will knock him So God setting the first man in earthly Paradise and knowing the inconvenience wherein he was to fall if he did eat of the fruit of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evill commāded him that he should not eat thereof telling him that if he did eat he should dye Furthermore I understand that as the child comming nigh the knife cutting himselfe falls into the inconvenience of which his mother had given him warning and his mother beats him for his disobedience ac◅ording as she had threatned him so that the child falls into two inconveniences the one is of having cut himselfe through the propriety of the knife and the other is of blowes for the disobedience towards his mother So the first man eating of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evill fals into the inconvenience which God gaue him warning of and God chastised him with death as he had threatned him in such sort as man falls into two inconveniences the one is of having his eyes opened to know good and evill whereby he lost the spirituall light and got the naturall light he lost the divine science and got science and humane discourse and that was through the proper nature of the Tree by which he should without the commandement haue done the same effect And the other inconvenience is that of death and that was for the disobedience with which he did eat the fruit of the Tree disobeying God Whence I come to gather that God shewed most exceeding great loue to man in commanding him that hee should not eat of the fruit of that Tree I understand that he commanded him because hee should not fall into the inconvenience in which he ◅ell at the knowing of good and evill Which inconvenience I understand is much greater then that which we can imagine This is conformable to what S. Paul saith that sin entred by disobedience and death entred by sin which was executed on all the descendents of the first Adam For in his disobedience they all disobeyed and so all sinned therfore all dy As on the cōtrary by the obediēce iustice or iustification entered and by the iustification life entred unto which all the members of the second Adam Iesus Christ our Lord shall be raised up glorious For he obeying all they obeyed and so they are all justified and shall therefore all of them be raised up to glory and immortality This intelligence which I haue set of the vertue of these two Trees satisfies me in as much as thereby the benefit of Christ i◅ illustrated For the rest I remit my selfe to better intelligence In this Consideration some things offer themselues to me which I would desire to know but holding them for curious I leaue them untill it shall please God to make me to understand them And this I hold for certaine shall be when the desire of knowing shall be mortified in me in every thing and altogether For God will that as the first man desiring to know lost himselfe so wee should gain our selves mortifying and slaying every desire to know contenting our selves only to know Christ crucified who is to us the Tree of life to him be glory for ever Amen CONSID. LXXXIX Six causes for which it seemes necessary that the Son of God should liue in that manner and that forme of life wherein he did liue AT present I finde six causes in the Consideration from which it seems to mee to see the marvellous counsell with which the only begotten Son of God being made man lived amongst men in that forme of life we read that he did li◅e The first cause is this that God having determined t◅ deceive humane wisdome in saving not them that were wise but them that believed as Saint Paul understands it 1. Cor. 1. It was necessary that Christ should take upon him in the world a form of living in which hee could by no means be known by humane wisdome If Christ had taken on him S. Iohn Baptist his form of life humane wisdome would haue found in that outward austerity whereon to found it selfe to accept him for the sonne o◅ God And if hee had taken upon him Moses his forme of life humane wisdome would in the selfesame manner haue found in that outward greatnesse whereon to found it selfe to accept him for the son of God And therefore it was necessary that he should take upon him that form of life which he took wherein was no appearance at all of austerity nor of greatnesse And so it comes to be that by how much the more humane wisdome considers it so much lesse doth it finde whereon to found it self to come to accept Christ for the son of God And hereto squares fitly a letter which I remember to haue written pretending to shew the cause wherefore Christ did sometimes shew his divinity and at other times hid it The second cause is this that the life of Christ being to be as it were an example of life for them whom he came to make the sons of God it was necessary that hee should take that form of life which was most imitable of all the rest If Christ had taken the forme of S. John Baptist his life he would haue frighted many with the asperity and austerity And if he had taken that of Moses few could haue been able to imitate it And therefore it was necessary that he should take that which he did take so imitable to all sorts of people that no man can excuse himself say◅ng I cannot imitate Christ I cannot liue as Christ lived I doe not understand that Christ taking that forme of life which he took did pretend that every one who was to be the Sonne of God should imitate him in that outward living but that amongst all others it should be the most easy to imitate by them who would altogether imitate him in his outward and in his inward living as for the inward in his obedience to God in charity in meeknesse and in humility of mind and as for the outward in living without austerity and without greatnesse but with poverty basenesse and vilenesse The third cause is this that Christ coming to save all sorts of people it was necessary he should take a forme of life in which he
might practise and converse with all sorts of people If Christ had taken S. Iohn Baptists forme of life the Publicans sinners and harlots would have been ashamed to speak unto him nay verily if he would observe decorum he was bound not to speak nor converse with them if he had taken Moses his forme of life base and vulgar persons could not have practised and conversed with him by reason of his greatnesse And therefore it was necessary he should take that forme of life which he took wherein he might practise and converse as he did practise and converse with all sorts of people in so much as he was for this calumniated by them who made profession of holinesse The fourth cause is this Christ coming to Preach the Kingdome of God and to put himselfe in the possession thereof and the Kingdome of God consisting as S. Paul saith in justice peace and joy in the Holy Ghost it was necessary that by his example he should shew unto us a forme of life much to this purpose to maintaine us in the justice and in the peace and in the joy of the Kingdome of God If Christ had taken S. Iohn Baptist his forme of life which was by the world approved for holy for the world is so discreet that it esteemes them who esteeme not it he should have put his imitators in competency with the Saints of the world and if Christ had taken Moses his forme of living which is procured by the men of the world he should have put his imitators in competency with the men of the world and therefore it was necessary that forme of life which he took which is of such quality as they who imitate him conserve themselves in their justice in their peace and in their joy For coming not in competency with the Saints of the world nor with the men of the world they are not deprived of the possession which they have of the Kingdome of God The Fift cause is this that Christ having to suffer for our sinnes a cruell death shamefull and publique and uniust not voluntary it was necessary he should take a forme of life that was fit to come to this effect If Christ had taken S. Iohn Baptist his forme of life although the fame of holinesse would not have freed him from a cruell death as it did not free Saint John Baptist it would have freed him from a shamefull and publique death as it did free S. Iohn Baptist. And if Christ had taken Moses his forme of life albeit the greatnesse of the estate would not have freed him from violent death as it hath not freed many great men of the world it would have freed him from a shamefull and publique death and therefore it was necessary that he should take that forme of life wherein dying shamefully he did ennoble shame and dying publiquely he certifies all of us that we might know it may believe our iustification of which thing we ought to be most assured The Sixt is this that Christ coming to preach and to give inward regeneration and renovation which things presuppose mortification it was necessary hee should take a forme of life very accommodate to mortification to shew with it and by it the proper way of mortification If Christ had taken S. Iohn Baptist his forme of life he should have well shewen the way of the mortification of the body by the asperity of life but not that of the mortification of the mind for the reputation which this forme of life hath in the world And if Christ had taken Moses his forme of living he should not have shewed either the one or the other mortification and therefore it was necessary that he should take that forme of life which he took in which much better then in any other a man gets the mortification of the mind and by that of the mind that of the body in as much as the world holds for vile them who without making profession of outward holinesse live holily and despiseth these as a most base thing and in as much as after this despising comes the mortification of the body And so in them that imitate the forme of Christs living is certain and perfect mortification In these six causes I learn six things The first that he who by consideration of Christs life would know him to be the sonne of God must of necessity mortify the judgement of his human wisdome The Second that no man can excuse himselfe saying that he cannot imitate the forme of Christs living The third that then a Christian is most like to Christs living when he hath a forme of life more apt to make that all sorts of people may practise and converse with him The fourth that that forme of living is most apt to make that a man in it should conserve himself in the possession of the kingdome of God that comes not in competency with no sort of men neither of the Saints of the world nor of the men of the world The fift that that form of life is most like to that of the sonne of God that is most exposed to martyrdome And the Sixt that that forme of life is most proper and able to obtain the Christian mortification which is most despised in the eyes of the world in which without making profession of outward holinesse a man lives holy And of the things which have been spoken I take this resolutiō that they who live holily without making profession of outward holmesse are very much habilitated and exposed to martyrdome doe conserve nthemselves very well in the kingdome of God are fit to converse with all sorts of people imitating the forme of life which Christ held and deceive humane wisdome and therefore it properly appertaines to them that which S. Paul saith Colos. 3. Ye are dead your life is hid with Christ in God to whom be glory for ever Amen I will adde this that Christ conserving himselfe in that forme of life in which he was borne being borne the son of God untill that he dyed by the will of God teacheth us that we shall doe well conserving our selves in that forme of life in which we found our selves when we are called to be the sons of God So be it that in that we attend to reduce our forme of life as much as may be possible for us answerable to that forme of life which Christ held in this world in such manner as in us may shine out intirely the image and similitude of Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XC In what the Christian perfection the Duty and Decorum doe consist I Have oftimes said that Christian perfection consists in this that a man incorporated in Christ in his death and in his resurrection should live according to the Christian Duty keeping the Christian decorum understanding that so much shall a man get Christian perfection in as much as he shall live according to Christian duty keeping christian decorum Now I
understand that this word of God as Isaia saith 53. was prosperous in Christ in as much as that came to passe which God pretended in him and by him And so I understand that it is one and the selfe same word that of which S. John saith In the begining was the word and the word was with God and the word was God And more beneath And the word was made flesh And with that which S. Paul saith Colos. 1. For by him all things were created that are in heaven and that are in earth But setting my selfe to search in what thing this divine generation of the son of God of the Word of God doth consist in what manner the Son is generated of the Father for what â—…ause the Word is called the Son and the Son is called the Word I finde my selfe so uncapable of this intelligence that I anew confirme my selfe in that which I have written in another consideration saying that as the wormes which are bred of the corruption of the earth are altogether uncapable of the manner by which one man is generated by another man even so the men who are generated by carnall generation are altogether uncapable not only of the manner how the son of God was generated but also of the manner how the sons of God are regenerated by the holy spirit of God And if I should understand in what manner Moses and David S. Iohn and S. Paul understood it that God created all things by his Word I should also understand this divine secret which I goe searching out wherein I goe considering the power where with Christ also in his humble state did that which he would being suddenly obeyed by his creatures without that any gave any farther impediment then was granted unto them If it shall please God that I be capable of this divine secret before I goe out of this present life I will also adjoyne that here which hee shall teach mee to his glory and of Christ and of those who are the sonnes of God in Christ and through Christ. Otherwise I will content my selfe of this for I am sure that I shall see with these corporall eyes in life eternall that which at present I desire to see with the eyes of my mind And in the mean space I rejoyce in this that at present I know that this Word of God this son of God with whom by whom God hath created and repaired all things is of the selfe-same substance of the Father and one selfe same thing with him and is eternall as is he I understand that the holy spirit accommodating it selfe to our incapacity speaking with us useth these words used amongst us such as are Word and Sonne not to the end that by them we should comprehend the divine secret but because we may have some name of him According to this divine generation I understand that Christ is the first begotten son of God by his eternity that he was alwaies the Son and that he is the only begotten sonne of God by his singularity that he is only the Sonne by generation all others that are Sonnes being Sonnes by regeneration For what belongs to the divine generation of Christ I understand that in him was neither diminution nor augmentation He was the same before his incarnation that he was in his incarnation and that he is in his glorification According to the human generation I understand that Christ by the work of the holy spirit was generated in the womb of the most holy Virgin in what manner I know not to me it sufficeth to know that the flesh with which the Word of God cloathed it selfe in this world was taken from that most holy Virgin For according to this flesh I know Christ for the Son of David and of Abraham And I see now in part fulfilled in him the promises of God made unto David as much as belongs to the perpetuity of the Kingdome in his seed and those made unto Abraham as much as belongs to the multiplication of his seed and as much as belongs to the inheritance of the world And I expect to see them intirely compleat in life eternall the resurrection of the just being made According to this human generation I know in Christ two Times the one of shame and the other of glory In the time of his opprobry I know him a man passible and mortall with all the miseries which being annexed unto passibility and mortality doe grow in a man that lives in poverty And I know him with a flesh like unto mine saving that his was not sinfull flesh nor flesh subject unto sinne as mine is In this time I know Christ most humble and most meek he esteeming himselfe for that which he was in that being in which he stood cloathed with flesh as one disguised amongst men that he might be handled of men as man In this selfe same time I know Christ most obedient to his eternall father most cleane from all sinne and therefore most iust and most holy in such manner as he might securely say to them who persecuted him and calumniated him who of you can convince me of sin Joh. 8. And S. Paul speaking of him might well say 2. Cor. 5. He who knew no sinne And S. Peter 1. 2. who did no sinne nor was any guile found in his mouth And of this innocency of Christ all the Scriptures are full as of a most necessary thing to be understood of all them who know themselves iust in him and by him In the time of glory I know Christ a man impâ—…ssible and immortall and I know him most glorious and most triumphant as he who hath gotten absolute power in heaven and in earth having obtained the kingdome of God and the inheritance of God for Gods elect having slain all of them in him raised them all up in him and glorified them all in him And so that comes to be of them which is of him In this time I know Christ for Lord for Head and for King of the people of God of the Church of God and of the elect of God I know Christ for Lord of the elect of God because I understand that he hath redeemed them with his pretious bloud delivering them from sin from hell and from death in which things the first man had set them and unto which things he had obliged and made them subject And because the Apostles in their Writings doe joy to call Christ Holy they know Christ for the Head of the Church of God For I understand that God having put in him his holy spirit with all the treasures of his divinity he communicates and distributes them most liberally to those who being incorporated in him appertain to the Church of God to every one according to his capacity doing with them that which my head doth with my body In so much as that as my hand if it could speak would say and affirme that it feeles that from my head there
descends a vitall vertue by meanes whereof it lives so every one of those who being incorporated in Christ are the Church of god because he can speake saith and affirmeth that he feeles that from Christ there comes unto him a spirituall vertue by meanes whereof he lives a spirituall life This S. Iohn thus understood Chap. 1. when he said For of his fullnesse have we all received and grace for grace And so S. Paul understood it Colos. 1. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullnesse dwell I know Christ for King in the people of god for I understand that he is he who with his spirit rules and governes it not onely in inward things and divine as head but also as god In outward things and corporall as King In all which things being as they are the Sonnes of god as S. Paul saith Rom. 8. they are lead by the spirit of God And so I understand that the kingdome of god is not called the spirituall kingdome because he governes us in spirituall things but because governing us in spirituall and corporall things he doth not govern us with the outward law but with the inward law which is the government of the Holy Spirit the Christian spirit Of this kingdome of Christ the holy Scriptures are full Esay 5. Mic. 5. Daniel 7. By which I understand that in this present life God reigns but by Christ that in lifeeternall god shall reign but by himselfe For then he shall be all in all 1. Cor. 15. In this manner I know Christ glorious for King in the people of god for Head in the Church of god and for Lord of the Elect of god And I know Christ humble most innocent and free from all sinne and abounding in all justice And I know fullfilled in him in part the promises of god made to David and to Abraham And I know him for the Sonne of god first borne and onely begotten I know that he is the Word of god with which god created all things I know him eternall consubstantiall And I hold for certain that as the Christian faith shall goe on being in me more efficacious mortifying me and quickening me so theseknowledges of Christ shall goe on being more cleare and more distinct by which I shall goe on from day to day alwaies more knowing god as he may be knowne whilst this flesh being passible and mortall is not a subject habilitated to see Christ to see God face to face as I shall see him in life eternall Having taken this resolution in the conceit which I ought to have of Christ I goe resolving my selfe in the conceit that I ought to have of them who are the members of Christ considering every one of them a Sonne of god not first borne as Christ who alwaies was a Sonne but an adopted Sonne by Christ and in Christ not onely begotten as Christ who is the sonne by generation but regenerated by Christ and in Christ borne the sonne of wrath and re-borne the sonne of God not in the state of gloryfication in which Christ i◅ but in the state of opprobry in which Christ was not Lord of Gods elect but one of the number of them who being elected of God are the servants of Christ redeemed and bought by Christ Not head of the Church of God as Christ but a mēber of the Church of God of which Christ is the head Not King of the people of God as Christ but governed by the spirit of Christ by meanes of which spirit I know that all the members of Christ stand united amongst themselves and united with Christ himselfe and therefore united also with God God abiding in them and they in God And so I see fullfilled that Prayer which Christ made unto his Father for this union Iohn 17. saying That they may be one in us c. And I understand that in this vnion consisteth all the christian perfection I pray God that he doe in such manner Imprint it in my memory that it may not seeme that it sever itselfe or depart from it not so much as for one moment to the intent that I never may doe thing which shall not be worthy of this union which I acknowledge from my christ who is my Lord my Head and my King To him be glory with the Father and the holy spirit Amen CONSID. CX That the principall gifts are not understood untill they be possessed A Most great testimony of the Christian life is this that according as a christian man goes perfecting himself in his christian customes so he goes clearing himselfe in his christian conceptions Nay I hold for certain that the selfesame christian spirit which goes perfecting him in his customes goes clarifying him in his conceptions so much that it can be hardly understood whether the clarification in the conceptions comes from the perfection in the customes or the perfections in the customes come from the clarification in the conceptions And therefore it is sure to say that both the one and the other thing comes from the christian spirit which doth marvellously work both the one and the other in them who accept the Gospell of Christ. This I haue said to this purpose that I having understood that the christian businesse is not science but experience and having by many comparisons procured to make some persons capable of this truth I haue never remained satisfied in my minde in such manner that it seemed to me to haue expressed to mine own manner my conceit untill now that having in mine own judgement comprehended it with more clearenesse itseems to mee to bee able to expresse it better And so I say that between the believing and accepting the christian things Faith Hope Charity with humane wit◅ or with the christian spirit I know the difference which I know between accepting approving those three naturall vertues Magnanimity Valour and Liberality and having them indeed I would say that as there be mē who hearing speak of these three naturall vertues and of the perfection of them albeit they doe not know them in themselves do approue them and accept them for good so there bee also of those men who hearing speak of those three gifts of God Faith Hope and Charity and of the perfection and efficacy of them albeit they doe not know them in themselves doe approve them and accept them for good believing that thy who accept the grace of the Gospell doe enjoy the remission of sins the reconciliation with God through Christ and approving the hope with which they expect the felicity of eternall life and the loue with which they loue God aboue every thing and they loue their neighbour as themselves And I say farther that as whilst they who approve those three natural vertues not possessing them albeit they willingly heare talk of them through the desire which they haue to possesse them yet is not that so much as that it gives them entire
THE HUNDRED AND TEN CONSIDERATIONS OF SIGNIOR IOHN VALDESSO TREATING OF THOSE things which are most profitable most necessary and most perfect in our Christian Profession WRITTEN IN SPANISH Brought out of Italy by Vergerius and first set forth in Italianat Basil by Coelius Secundus Curio ANNO 1550. Afterward translated into French and Printed at Lions 1563. and again at Paris 1565. And now translated out of the Italian Copy into English with notes Whereunto is added an Epistle of the Authors or a Preface to his Divine Commentary upon the Romans 1. COR. 2. Howbeit we sâ—…eak wisdome amongst them that are perfect â—…et not the wisdome of this world OXFORD Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD Printer to the Vniversity Ann. Dom. 1638. The Publisher to the READER THese truly Divine Meditations or Considerations of Signior IOHN VALDESSO a noble man of Spaine who died almost an hundred yeares agoe having been so acceptable to pious Vergerius to learned Coelius Secundus Curio and to many other both French and Italian Protestants that they have been translated out of the originall Spanish Copy and printed three or foure times in those languages It seemeth to mee a reasonable and charitable desire to print them now in English without any alteration at all from the Italian copy the Spanish being either not at all extant or not easy to be found It is certain that the book containeth many very worthy discourses of experimentall and practicall Divinity well expressed and elegantly illustrated especially concerning the Doâ—…trine of justification and mortification and yet â—…otwithstanding there be some few expressions â—…d similitudes in it at which not only the weak â—…der may stumble and the curious quarrell but â—…o the wise and charitable reader may justly â—…lame To have removed these few stumbling blocks or offensive passages by leaving them out or by altering them had not been the worke of a Translator but of an Author besides the ill example of altering antient Authors which is one of the greatest causes of the corruption of truth and learning Therefore it hath been thought fit to print the Book according to the Authors own Copy but withall to give particular notice of some suspitious places and of some manifest errors which follow particularly expressed in the ensuing folios referring the rest if any there be to the judgement of the reader He lived where the Scriptures were in no reputation and therefore no marveil that he should speak so slightly of them but rather on the contrary it may seem a marveilous thing in our eyes to have a Statesman in those parts at that time so farre illuminated and taught of God as he was May it please the Divine goodnesse that every reader may reap the like comfort and profit to his soule by it as the Translator and Publisher humbly and thankfully acknowledge that they have done and they have their main scope and aime in publishing it Glory be to God on high BRIEFE NOTES RELATING TO THE DVBIOVS AND OFFENSIVE places in the following CONSIDERATIONS To the 3 CONSID. upon these words Not for thy speech Other Law and other Doctrine have we THese words about the H. Scripture suite with what he writes elsewhere especially Consid. 32. But I like none of it for it slights the Scripture too much holy Scriptures have not only an Elementary use but a use of perfection and are able to make the man of God perfect 1. Tim. 4. And David though David studied all the day long in it And Ioshua was to meditate therein Day and Night Iosh. the 1. To the 3 CONSID. upon those words As they also mak use of the Scriptures to conserve the health of their minds All the Saints of God may be said in some sence to have put confidence in Scripture but not as a naked Word severed from God but as the Word of God And in so doing they doe not sever there trust from God But by trusting in the word of God they trust in God Hee that trusts in the Kings word for any thing trusts in the King To the 5 CONSID. Vpon these words God regards not how pious or impious we be This place together with many other aâ—… namely Consid. 71. upon Our Father and Consid. 94. upon these words God doth noâ—… hold them for good or for evill for that they observe or not observe c. though it were the Authors opinion yet the truth of it would be examined See the note upon Consid. 36 To the 6 CONSID. The Doctrine of the last passage must be warily understood First that it is not to be understood of actuall sinnes but habituall for I can no more free my selfe from actuall sinnes after Baptisme then I could of Originall before and without Baptisme The exemption from both is by the Grace of God Secondly among Habits some oppose Theologicall vertues as Vncharitableneâ—…e opposâ—… Charity Infidelity Faith Distrust Hope Of these none can free themselves of themselves but only by the Grace of God Other Habits oppose morall vertues as Prodigality opposes Moderation and Pusillanimity Magnanimity Of these the heathen freed themselves only by the generall Providence of God as Socrates and Aristides c. Where he sayes the Inflammation of the naturall he sayes aptly so it be understood with the former distinction for Fomes is not taken away â—…t Accensio Fomitis the naturall concupiscence is not quite extinguished but the heaâ—…e of it afâ—…waged To the 11 CONSID. He often useth this manner of speech â—…leeving by Revelation not by relation whereby I understand he meaneth Only the effectuall operation or illumination of the holy spirit testifying and applying the revealed truth of the Gospell and not any private Enthusiasmes or Revelations As if he should say a generall apprehension or assent to the promises of the Gospell by heare-say or relation from others is not that which filleth the heart with joy and peace in believing but the spirits bearing witnesse which our spirit revealing and applying the generall promises to every one in particular with such syncerity and efficacy that it makes him godly righteous and sober all his life long this I call beleeving by Revelation and not by Relation To the 32 CONSID. I much mislike the Comparison of the Images and H. Scripture as if they were both but Alphabets and after a time to be left The H. Scriptureâ—… as I wrote before have not only an Elementary use but a use of perfection neither can they ever be exhausted as Pictures may be by a plenarie circumspection but still even to the most learned and perfect in them there is somewhat to be learned more Therefore David desireth God in the â—…19 Psalme to open his eyes that he might see the wondrous things of his Lawes and that he would make them his study Although by other words of the same Psalme it is evident that he was not meanly conversant in them Indeed he that shall so attend to the bark of the letter as to
neglect the Consideration of Gods Worke in his heart through the Word doth amisse both are to be done the Scriptures still used and Gods worke within us still observed who workes by his Word and ever in the reading of it As for the Text They shall be all tâ—…ught of God it being Scripture cannot be spoken to the disparagement of Scripture but the meaning is this That God in the dayes of the Gospell will not give an outward Law of Ceremonies as of old buâ—… such a one as shall still have the assistance of the holy spirit applying it to our hearts and ever outrunning the Teacher as it did when Peter taught Cornelius there the case iâ—… plaine Cornelius had revelation yet Peter was to be sent for and those that have inspirations must still use Peter Gods Word if we make another senâ—…e of that Text wee shall overthrow all means save catechizing and set up Enthusiasmes In the Scripture are Doctrines these ever teach more and more Promises these ever comfort more and more Ro. 15. 4. To the 33 CONSID. The Doctrine of this Consideration cleareth that of the precedent For as the servant leaves not the letter when he hath read it but keepes it by him and reads it againe and againe and the more the promise is delayed the more he reads it and â—…ortifies himselfe with it so are wee to doe with the Scriptures and this is the use of the promises of the Scriptures But the use of the Doctrinall part iâ—… more in regard it presents us not with the same thing only when it is read as the promises doe but enlightens us with new Considerations the more we read iâ—… Much more might be said but this sufficeth he himselfe allowes it for a holy conversation and refreshment To the 36 CONSID. On these words Neither fearing chastisement for transgressiion nor hoping for reward for observation c. All the discourse from this line till the end of this Chapter may seeme strange but it is sutable to what the Author holds elsewhere for he maintaines that it is Faiith and Infidelity that shall judge us now since the Gospell and that no other sin or vertue hath any thing to doe with us if we believe no sinne shall hurt us if we believe not no vertue shall helpe us Therefore he saith here we shall not be punished which word I like here better then chastizement because even the godly are chastized but not punished for evill doing nor rewarded for weldoing or living for all the point lies in believing or not believing And with this exposition the Chapter is cleare enough but the truth of the Doctrine would be examined however it may passe for his opinion in the Church of God there is one fundamentall but else variety To the XXXVII CONSID. On these words That God is so delicate and sensitive c. The Apostle saith that the wages of Sinne is death and therefore there is no sinne so small that merits not death and that doth not provoke God who is a jealous God To the 46 CONSID. On these words Exercise not thy selfe in anything pretending Iustification He meaneth I suppose that a man presume not to merit that is to oblige God or justify himselfe before God by any acts or exercises of Religion but that he ought to pray God affectionâ—…tely and fervently to send him the light of his spirit which may be unto him as the sunne to a Travellour in his journey hee in the meane while applying himselfe to the duties of true Piety and syncere Religion such as are Prayer Fasting Almeâ—…-deedes c. after the example of devout Cornelius To the 49 CONSID. On these words Remaining quiet when they perceive no motion c. In indifferent things there is roome for motions and expecting of them but in things good as to relieve my Neighbour God hath already revealed his Will about it Therefore wee ought to proceed except there be a restraining motion as S. Paul had when hee would have preached in Asia and I conceive the restraining motions are much more frequent to the godly then inviting motions because the Scripture invites enough for it invites us to all good according to that singular place Phil. 4. 8. A man is to embrace all good but because he cannot doe all God often chuseth which he shall doe and that by restraining him from what he would not have him doe To the same CONSID. Vpon these words A man's free-will doth consist c. He meanes a mans fre-will is only in outward not in spirituall things To the same CONSID. On these words Neithor Pharaoh nor Iudas c. could cease to be such This doctrine however true in substance yet needeth discreâ—…t and wary explaining To the LVIII CONSID. Vpon the seventh difference By occasions I suppose hee meaneth the ordinary or necessary duties and occasions of our calling and condition of life and not those which are in themselves occasions of sinne such as are all vain conversations For as for these pious persons ought alwaies to avoid them but in those other occasions Gods Spirit will mortify and try them as gold in the fire To the LIX CONSID. Upon these words And with doubtfulnesse I see he prayed in the Garden To say our Saviour prayed with doubtfulnesse is more then I can or dare say But with condition or conditionally he prayed as man though as God he knew the event Feare is given to Christ but not doubt and upon good ground To the LXII CONSID. This Chapter is considerable the intent of it that the world pierceth not godly mens actions no more then Gods is in some sort true because they are spiritually discerned 1. Cor. 2. 14. So likewise are the godly in some sort exempt from Lawes for Lex iusto non est pofita But when he enlargeth them hegoes too farre For first concerning Abraham and Sara I ever tooke that for a weaknesse in the great Patâ—…k And that the best of Gods Seâ—…vants should have weaknesses is no way repugnant to the way of Gods Spirit in them or to the Scriptures or to themselves being still men though godly men Nay they are purposely accorded in holy Writ Wherefore as David's Adultery cannot be excused so need not Abraham's Equivocation nor Paul's neither when he professed himselfe a Pharisee which strictly he was not though in the point of Resurrection he agreed with them and they with him The reviling also of Aâ—…anias seemes by his owne recalling an oversight yet I remember the Fathers forbid us to judge of the doubtfull actions of Saints in the Scriptures which is a modest admonition But it is one thing not to judge another to defend them Secondly when he useth the Word Iurisdiction allowing no Iurisdiction over the godly this cannot stand and it is ill Doctrine in a common-wealth The godly are punishable as others when they doe amisse and they are to be judged according to the outward fact unlesse it be
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
us in such manner that no need haue we of other regiment nor of other goverment so long as we shall not sever our selves from our heavenly Father And as it is possible that a man may be the son of God and suffer himselfe to be ruled and governed of God so is it possible that a sonne of God should conserve and maintain himselfe in bodily and spirituall health The sonnes of God will make use of the Physitians of the physick to conserue the health of the body as they also make use of the Scripture to conserve the health of their mindes but they doe it without putting cōfidence either in this or in that for all their trust stands put in God They make use likewise to conserve the health of their bodies of the observation of times and places as they make use of some ceremonies to cōlerve the health of their soules This they doe rather to conforme themselues in the outward with the sonnes of Adam then because they feel themselves needing of such observations forasmuch as they being govern'd by God alone observe the will of God and wholly depend on it These truths they understand that prove them the others finde in them many intricacies For the naturall man perceives not the things that are of the spirit of God alwaies he blames them and condemnes them That I may be the better understood I put this Example There are two men would passe a great river by wading there comes to them one that is experienced in the river and saith unto them in this manner If you will passe of your selues alone you are to enter here-away when you are entred you are to govern your selves thus and thus and if so be you will that I should passe you over come after me and haue no feare Of these two men one confident in his own wisdome upon that which hath been told him puts himselfe alone into the water by him I mean the sonnes of Adam The other having confidence in him that is experienced in the river goes after him by him I understand the sonnes of God And as I hold for certain that the presumption and errour of the sonnes of Adam is much greater folly then then that of him who when hee might passe the river with a Guide and safely puts himselfe to the hazard to passe it alone so I hold it for certaine that the prudence and discretion of the Sonnes of God that suffer themselves to be ruled and governed by the spirit of Christ is much greater then that of that man that chooseth rather to passe the river with a Guide then alone And it is to be understood that in as much as wee are Incorporated in Iesus Christ our Lord in so much are wee the Sonnes of God CONSID. IV. From whence the revengefull affection proceeds in men◅ And what effects the long sufferance causeth wherewith God goes deferring the revenge of those injuries which men doe unto him PVtting on one part all the offences that from the beginning of the world untill this present day have been done by men one towards another and putting on the other part onely those which one man inone day only doth to God It seemes to me to behold beyond all comparison a greater Quality and Quantity of these then of them Passing on further and considering the Revengefull affections in men so extreame that there are very few injured who being able to revenge themselves doe not take revenge And considering in God that hee being able with one beck to anihilate all those that offend him he doth not anihilate them but rather tolerates them and comports and gives unto them of his good things I have set my self to examine whence this revengefull affection in men proceeds And what effects the Patience of God doth worke And I hold for certaine that the revengefull affection in men proceeds from the depravation of the first man confirming my selfe in this that if humane nature had not been depraved men would have been most estranged from all revenge For the first man being created unto the Image and likenesse of God it is a manifest thing he was created with an affection estranged from revenge as we know it to be in God This is for that which belongs to men From the patience with which God suffers the injuries which are ordinarily done him I consider that all these effects proceed worthy according to my judgement of great consideration The first is that many of the injurers and impious become servants and pious which would not come to passe if they be punished in their injuring The second that if God should suddainly punish the wicked in a short space all the wicked that are in the world would be consumed And there being no wicked the pious would not have the meanes to exercise their piety the which is necessary should be exercised to the intent that being purified it may shine out to the glory of God The third is that pious men considering how God is estranged from revenge and remembring themselves that that which belongs to them in this present life is to recover the Image of God with which the first man was created they should reduce their mindes to leave all affection of wrath and of revenge saying when they are assaulted these and other like words My intent is to recover the Image and likenesse of God with which the first man was created This was altogether estranged from revenge for as much as God being able to revenge himselfe doth not revenge himselfe And therefore it belongs not to me to revenge my selfe but to doe that which my God doth to whom I procure to liken my selfe These three effects I finde redound to the gaine of the pious And I finde other two which redound to the damage of the impious The first of which is that by how much they live the longer by so much the more doe they offend and doe injuries And in this manner they goe accumulating and increasing eternall condemnation The second is that with the unquietnesse and travaile that they suffer in their owne consciences they begin to feele in this life that which they are to suffer in the other They desire to dye supposing to be free from their punishment And on the other fide they would not dye doubting that it should be augmented unto them In so much that through the patience wherewith God suffers and deferres the revenge of the injuries which men doe unto him I finde three profits of the pious and in the selfe-same I finde two damages of the wicked Whereupon it seemes to me that even as the good redounds to the damage of the wicked so also that which seems evill redounds to the profit of the pious that doe hold and embrace that piety which is obtained by faith in Iesus Christ our Lord. I will here adde three things the first that God commanding me that I should pardon them that doe me injury it is
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
they should suffer when they suffer because they bee Saints just men he doth not consent that they should suffer for those things which indifferently be fall to men in this present life From all this which is spoken it may be gathered that a Christian person when he is evill entreated for his piety and justice rejoycing that in it and by it the name of God is illustrated he ought to remit himselfe wholly and altogether to God reducing his minde to content it selfe of that which God shall ordain and dispose of him and when he is evill entreated as a person of the world he ought to believe and hold for certain that God will draw him out of that affliction and out of that trouble with much satisfaction and his own content and hee ought to reduce his minde to content himselfe of that which God will doe And this truly is a Christian disposition of the soule which is only found in them that stand incorporated in Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XVI That the promises of God belong to them who belieue them CHristian piety requires that a Christian man should hold certainly and firmly that God will maintaine him in this present life with his grace and in his grace that in the other life he will giue him immortality and glory Humane wisdome presuming or pretending piety perswades him that hee ought to hold for certain that God will deal thus with him but on condition that hee haue Faith Hope and Charity which are the gifts of God that giue life and being to a Christian. And in the mean while humane wisdome understands not that a man shall so far enjoy these three Graces as he shall abide certainly and firmly grounded in those other two things wherein Christian piety requires that a Christian man should abide firm and assure himselfe in For in these two things doth Faith and Hope consist from which Charity doth arise and proceed Whence it is well gathered that it belongs to a Christian to shut his eares to humane wisdome and to open them to the Promises of the holy spirit and so to attend to certifie himselfe and found himselfe in those two first things And as I understand the matter he shall then obtain and possesse these three Christian gifts of Faith Hope and Charity when he shall certainly and firmly belieue that God will maintain him in this present life with his grace and in his grace and that in the other life he will give him immortality and glory I know will the pious Christian say that God calls not unto him but those whom he hath first known and predestinate I know also that those whom he calls them hee iustifies and them he glorifies And I know certainly that he hath called me and thereby I assure my selfe that hee hath known and predestinated me and that he hath justified me and that he will glorifie me In this let him stand in this let him confirm himselfe without doubting in any manner For the promises of God are fulfilled with them That this is true may be proved by many authorities of holy Scripture But better it will be to say in this māner That the truth of this matter is not believed except it be experimented and the experience appertaines only to them that stand incorporated in Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XVII In what manner a Man ought to resolue himself touching the world and touching himself that he may become a true Christian. ALL the Christian businesse consists in trusting believing and loving for all this is piety justice and holinesse for as much as a man having confidence gets piety believing gets justice and loving holinesse That a man may trust belieue and love it is necessary to apprehend to understand and know To apprehend in what thing he ought to haue confidence To understand in what it is cōvenient to believe And to know that which ought to be loved Of this wisdome cognition and intelligence a man is uncapable partly for the depravation that is naturall to him by reason of Originall sin and partly by reason of that which is acquired by evill custome worse exercises The Wise man meant this when he said That wisdome entreth not into a minde that is evill enclined nor abideth in a body subject unto sin Whereupon I understand that a man which desireth to trust belieue and loue that he may obtain piety justice and holinesse to such a one it appertaines to bee wise to know and to understand dispoilng his minde of all evill inclinations and estranging his body from all evill exercises and from every evill custome Together with this I understand that to the intent a man may dispoile his mind of every evill inclination it is meeter that a man should couragiously and generously resolve himselfe touching the world turning his back to all the honour thereof to all the glory thereof and to all the estimation thereof not pretending unto it not procuring it nor willing it in any thing nor in any manner putting an end to all kinds of ambition and self esteem Together with this I understand that to the intent a man may estrange his body from all evill exercise and from all evill custome it is meet that a man should valorously resolve touching things which concern himselfe renouncing in good earnest all those things from which there doth come or may come any satisfaction or any corporall content putting an end to all estranging himselfe from it and abhorring it For doing in this manner he shall purifie his soule and his body and he shall make himselfe able God giving unto him that wisdome understanding and knowledge which he is capable of And so doing he shall come to obtain Confidence Faith and Loue and shall be Pious Iust and Holy and consequently he shall become a true Christian. Vnto this resolution I understand that Iesus Christ our Lord inviteth every one of us saying Hee that will come after me c. And as I understand it then a man is to be said to take his crosse upon him when willingly he suffers the martyrdome with which the men of the world will martyrize him whether it be of the body or of the soule That of the body the true Christians of the Primitiue Church did suffer when those which were open enemies of God and of Christ took away their lives because they believed in Christ That of the minde hath been suffered and is daily to be suffered by true Christians that haue followed the steps of the Ancient when they who are secret enemies of God of Christ doe despise them esteem them for vile and for nobody deprive them of honour and fame And as I understand it this is the most cruell and most terrible and most unsupportable martyrdome of all And a man that stands constant in this kind of martyrdome may well hold himselfe for a true martyr of Christ. Together with this I understand that to the resolutions
as was that of some heathen Philosophers For in Christian reason the holy Spirit only hath part nay it is so much Regeneration and Renovaâ—…ion in as much as it is wrought by the holy Spirit that is in as much as the holy Spirit works it in a man when he feeling his election and his vocation and permitting the holy Spirit to work in him without pretending to work of himselfe nor to follow his proper judgement nor his proper opinion in any thing when hee thinks himselfe to stand farthest off from his Regeneration and Renovation findes himselfe more neer and more intire and more perfect therein And this is that Regeneration and Renovation which S. Paul saith the holy Spirit works in them which are true Christians And this is that selfe same which the sonne of God himselfe our Lord Saviour Iesus Christ spake of to Nicodemus CONSID. XXVII That by Mortification a Christian man maintaines himselfe in his resolution and by reducing of his minde to God he maintaines himselfe in the certainty of Gods providence THE man that being called of God feeling his vocation and answering unto it applies himselfe with his minde to piety as I understand it is first moved to resolue himselfe touching the world not willing to haue from it any greater part then that which it shall please God that he should haue in the dignities thereof and in the estimation thereof and he is moved to resolve with himselfe not desiring touching his body neither more commodities nor any better condition in outward matters then it shall please God to put him into Furthermore I understand that a man cannot maintaine himselfe in his resolution with the world if so be he doe not mortifie the affections that live in him of Ambition and Avarice and of selfe-estimation neither can he sustaine himselfe in his Resolution with himselfe if he doe not mortifie his sensuall appetites that liue in his body And therefore after that the feeling of his vocation hath moved him to these two Resolutions the feeling of that faith whereunto he is called together with the holy Spirit which together with Faith is communicated unto him dorh mortify in him the affections which might hinder and disturb the Resolution with the world and the appetites that might hinder and disturb the Resolution with himselfe in such sort as Faith and the holy Spirit doth mortifie the affections and appetites of a man to conserue and maintain him in those Resolutions which through his vocation he hath made with the world and with himselfe Whereupon I understand it that for a pious person to feel himselfe sollicited by ambition and his own proper estimation is not a â—…igne that he stands not resolute with the world but that he hath not mortified his affections Likewise I understand that for a pious person to feel himselfe sollicited by the pleasures of the body is not a signe that he stands not resolved with himselfe but that he hath not mortified his Appetites And so I take this Resolution that a pious person who answering to his Vocation is resolved with the world and with himselfe desiring to maintain himselfe in his Resolutions ought to attend unto Mortification which as hath been said maintaines a person in his Resolutions I likewise understand that the selfe same calling of God doth moue a man being called to accept the particular Providence of God in all things holding for certain that all are his works wherein his will doth particularly concurre And I understand that the Faith whereunto a man is called and the holy Spirit which by Faith is communicated unto him doe bring a man to content himselfe of every thing that befals him either good or evill holding it all for good to the intent that hee should sustaine himselfe in his certainty in which he could not maintain himselfe but by being brought to this passe And hence also I understand that for a pious person to resent himselfe of those things which happen amisse to him touching his body is not a signe that he hath not certification of Gods providence but that hee hath not reduced his minde to content himselfe of that which God doth And so I resolve my selfe in this matter that together with a mans attending unto the mortification of his Affections and of his appetites he ought to attend to reduce his minde to this conformity to the will of God For in this manner maintaining his own Resolutions in himselfe he shall also maintain the Certainty of Gods providence and shall likewise maintain himselfe in piety justice and holinesse which is got by believing on Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XXVIII For a man to assure himselfe of his Vocation FOrasmuch as I understand it doth greatly import that a man should be certain that he is called of God to the grace of the Gospell of Christ that is to the intent that believing in Christ he should obtain immortality and eternall life for this certainty works in him the resolution with the world and with himselfe and mortification by which he is maintained in his resolutions I come now to say that a person that shall not haue had a Vocation so evident so cleare and exterior as was that of S. Paul after the comming of the holy Spirit or as was that of the Apostles whilst Christ conversed with men nor so effectuall and powerfull as in some persons in whom although it be inward the effects are so evident as may serve for outward but shall have had a quiet and remisse Uocation as it is in those persons in whom it being inward and notable to shew it selfe by outward signes because they are of themselves outwardly moderate in their affections and appetites I say that such a person may certifie himselfe of his Uocation by the sense that he hath of his justification through Faith I would say that when a Pious person being moved unto Christian piety or having understood the motion shall doubt whether he were moved because he was called of God or that he was sollicited of his own selfe-loue finding in himselfe some sense of his justification by Faith that is of peace of conscience which they obtain who believing make Gods justice their own hee may well assure himselfe that his motion to piety was the Uocation of God and no designe of humane wisdome this being certaine that only they who are called of God doe feel in themselves the benefit of Gods justice executed on Christ Iesus CONSID. XXIX That to believe with difficulty is a signe of Vocation THE Easinesse with which they believe the matters of Christian Faith who believe by Opinion by Relation and by perswasion and the Difficulty with which they believe them who believe them by Inspiration Revelation hath led me to this Consideration that they who believe by Relation amongst some true things believe many false and are likewise more easie to belieue false things then true and they who belieue by Revelation belieue
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
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
he shall giue it us through Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XLIX Whence it proceeds that humane wisdome will not attribute all things to God And in what manner they ought to bee attributed to him FOR three Causes I understand it men being deceived by the judgement of humane wisdome will not confesse that every thing comes from God The first is that they might not deprive themselues of the merits of their own good works understanding that they should depriue themselues of them when every thing should be attributed to God in as much as in their good works the goodnesse of God would be that which was to bee considered and not that of men The second Cause I understand is because men judging of Gods works with the selfesame judgement with which they judge their own proper works they hold that for evill in God which they would hold for evill in evill men And it seeming to them an evill and absurd thing to attribute any evill thing to God who is soveraignly good and is goodnesse it selfe they resolue that they will not attribute every thing to God The third Cause as I understand is because they think that if men believed that God did all things they would become dissolute in their lives licentious vitious and insolent and remisse in succouring helping and favouring their neighbours every man saying of himselfe if I liue ill it is because it pleaseth God that I should liue so and he himselfe when it so seems good to him will make me to liue well and saying of their neighbour if such a one be needy tribulated and afflicted it is because it so pleaseth God and when it shall please God that he should not be so he will draw him out of necessity and out of tribulation and out of affliction and therefore it is not necessary that I should meddle therâ—…with To these three Causes or reasons of humane wisdome I understand that a man may fully answer in this manner To the first that if men knew themselues they would know in themselues rebellion iniquity and sin and in their works selfe-loue and selfe-interest and so they would not pretend to obtain merit through their own works and not pretending it the first cause of impiety would be taken away in which they doe easily fall that are in the eyes of the world just and holy for they properly are those that seek Meritin their works From this inconveniency they are free who knowing the being and the nature of man renounce their own merits cleaving only to the justice of God executed in Christ. To the second Cause and reason it may bee answered that if so be it seem to men an absurd evill thing that God should harden the heart of Pharaoh making him to sin in not suffering the people of God to depart that God should command Shimei that he should sin by cursing David and that God should make them to sin to whom the Scripture saith he gaue the spirit of errour and that he should ordain that Judas should sin by selling Christ and that God should blinde them of whom S. Paul Rom. 1 speaks that they should fall into silthy and abominable sins And if like wise it seem an absurd evill thing to men that which God doth to many men in the world it is not because the things are in themselues absurd and evill but because they are works of the holy spirit and men judging with humane wisdome with which they cannot understand the divine secret that is in them come to judge falsely of them being herein towards God as rash men are towards their Princes judging evill of them when for the good goverment for the common profit they doe something which turnes to the dammage of some particular not considering nor peircing the intent which the Prince hath in such like things For if they did consider and understand they would judge well of those things and of the Princes that doe them I would say in the selfesame manner rash men because they understand not the intent which God hath in his works they judge them evill and then pretending piety they will not attribute them to God and if they did know and understand the intent that God hath in those things which they judge evill they would hold and judge them for good and so they would not come to deprive God of his particular providence in every thing And certainly if these men did consider that God hardning the heart of Pharaoh that he should sin not letting Gods people goe did pretend to illustrate his glory and to make manifest his power in favouring his people they would accompt the hardnesse of Pharaohs heart amongst the works of Gods mercy for as much as that which the people of God desired was thereby effected and this selfesame judgement they would make of the curses of Shimei and of Iudas his sâ—…lling Christ and of the sins of them of whom Saint Paul speaks in the first of the Romans and they would make the selfesame judgement in all the works of men not doubting to attribute them all unto God searching out the secret judgement that is in them even as pious persons search them out to whom it oft-times happens that they hold something of their own or others for an errour because they know not the intent that God hath in it And afterwards by time knowing the intent that God had in it they hold it for a very certain thing And to the selfe same persons it oftentimes befals that they hold a thing for well done which afterwards by tract of time they knew was ill done This sometimes happens to them when they stand not very attent to consider the judgements of God and sometimes because it doth not alwaies please God that they should understand that which he pretends in his works as peradventure it did not please him that Moses and Aaron should understand that which he pretended in the hardnesse of Pharaohs heart to the intent they should not cease to be very instant that he would let the people of God to goe out Whereupon it seems that mans piety consisteth in applying his minde to understand that which God pretends in his workes especially in those which seem absurd and evill and to venerate and approue those which hee doth not understand holding them all for holy just and good To the third cause and reason which men finde not to confesse that God doth all things it may be effectually by our own proper experience answered that those men who belieue hold for certain that God doth all things for this selfe same cause that they abide in this certainty are pious and iust and being pious and iust are in themselues most temperate and most modest and are towards their neighbours most mercifull most diligent and most liberall in as much as piety and iustice doe as well mortifie in them the appetites of sensuality that might make them vitious and insolent as
also the affections of the minde that might make them interressed and lovers of themselues and consequently remisse with their neighbours This mortification in them proceeding partly from that union which they hold in their hearts with God never forgetting themselues of God and principally from that incorporation with which they stand incorporated in the death of Christ who killing his own flesh on the Crosse did likewise kill the flesh of all them who believing in him are made his Members And they who remain in this never come to excuse their licentious liues in the liuelinesse of their mindes saying it pleaseth God they should be so nay rather finding in themselues any vice and finding in their minds any liuelinesse they know the reliques of their own iniquity rebellion and sin and demand of God that he should mortify them in them as he hath mortified the rest nor doe they ever become remisse in helping and favouring their neighbours except in as much as the affections that are according to the flesh and humane wisdome dying in them and those which are according to the spirit reviving they doe not move with an anxious affection of the flesh but are moved with a moderate desire of the spirit And in as much as they doe not feel in themselves any motion to help succour their neighbours they know that God will haue it so This I say because those persons that stand in this piety keeping good account with their inward motions hold those to be wills of the flesh which are not according to that which they knew to be the will of God And they hold those to be the will of the spirit which they know to be conformed to the will of God making this judgement by that which is the due of piety and that which is the due of justification and by that which the holy Scriptures New and Old teach and standing attent hereunto they overcome the motions which are according to the flesh and execute those which are according to the spirit And albeit they haue their imperfections by Gods will their desire is to become perfect And although they hold the sufferings of their neighbour to bee the will of God they hold likewise their motions to help and favour them to be the will of God And knowing in their own imperfections and in the sufferings of their neighbours the will of God which is with wrath and knowing in their own desires of perfection and in their motions to succour their neighbours the will of God which is with mercy loving the will which is with mercy and flying from that which is with wrath they doe attend unto perfection and doe attend to succour their neighbours remaining quiet when they doe not perceive any motion understanding it that God would haue them to remain quiet Having said that which moveth men not to attribute all things to God and that which may be answered unto it now I will say that which I think thereabout remitting my selfe to more perfect and spirituall iudgement In God I consider two wills as at other times I haue considered it one Mediate in as much as it workes by these which we call second Causes And the other Immediate in as much as it works by it selfe Vnto the Mediate I understand men stand subiect through original sin and from the Mediate I understand that men are exempted and freed by regeneration but in a certain manner I suppose that in a mans flying those things which by this Mediate will might doe him harme and in applying himselfe to those things which by the selfe same might doe him good a mans freewill doth consist all those things appertaining to good or ill being exteriour corporall to vertuous or vitious living in the outward To the Immediate will of God I understand generally all men are subiect God working in them in some with loue in others with hatred in some with wrath in others with mercy in some with favours and in others with disfavour And this will of God I understand is that unto which S. Paul saith men cannot make resistance and this I understand that God useth illustrating his glory and shewing his omnipotency in them that are his in such sort that in this Will of God there are two parts or two wills one of Hatred of Wrath and disfavour and the other of Loue of Mercy and Favour The first as I understand fell upon Pharaoh upon Shimei and upon them to whom God gaue the spirit of errour and upon Iudas and vpon those whom God delivered over to a reprobate sense And this selfe same I understand fell upon all those which are vessels of wrath as was Nero and as all they haue been and are and shall be who with malignity persecute the Christian spirit in those who are the Members of Christ. All these as I understand doe the will of God without understanding themselues that this is the will of God For if they did understand it they would cease to be impious and they would be pious That will of God which is of loue of mercy and favour I understand it in Moses and Aaron and David in the Saints of the Law and I understand it in S. John Baptist and in the Apostles and in the Martyres and likewise in all those who are called of God to the participation of the Gospell all which I understand doe fulfill the will of God for herein consisteth piety And I understand that neither Pharaoh nor Iudas nor those who are vessels of wrath could cease to be such nor Moses nor Aaron nor Paul nor those who are vessels of mercy in such manner that Iudas could not forbeare to sell Christ nor S. Paul could not forbeare to preach Chrîst Finally I understand that in those things which are done in the world by Gods Mediate will they who are vessels of wrath know the naturall order and know the goodnesse or malignity of men And I understand that in the selfesame things they who are the vessels of mercy know in the naturall order the wil of God who set this order and in that which is or seems to be goodnes or malice of men they know with the will of God the goodnes malice of men In the self same manner I understand that in those things which are done by the Immediate will of God they who are impious doe not know but only their own proper wills and those which are of them that doe them and I understand that in the selfe same things they who are pious know the will of God attributing all things to God considering in those who are the vessels of wrath as were Pharaoh Shimei Iudas and Nero the will of God with wrath with hatred and with disfavour and knowing in them who are vessels of mercy as those of the Hebrew people and those of the Christian people the will of God with loue with mercy and with favour And in this manner without doing iniury to
things And therefore I understand that it belongs to the pious Christian to stand very vigilant and wary in many things in which there may be curiosity and that he should not haue it and principally in the study of holy Scripture to the intent that the syncerity of the holy spirit which is in it may not be converted into curiosity of the flesh as it befals the curious who read the Scriptures only to know and understand In which I understand that the Pious Christian ought only to pretend the inward knowledges and feelings which God by meanes of his holy spirit shall giue unto him and those which he by meanes of these shall goe experimenting of the things of the holy Spirit in such manner as taking into his hand a book of holy scripture he should pretend to understand that which belongs to him and so think that he understands not that which hee hath not experimented and thus thinking if he shall desire to understand it he shall attend to experiment it and not to seek with curiosity that which others haue therein understood And attending unto experience hee shall likewise attend unto totall mortification of the minde depriving it of all curiosity and together with the experience and with the mortification he shall get the true understanding of holy Scripture and shall understand how that the Christian businesse doth not consist in knowledge but in experience And he shall know the deceit that they suffer who think that they doe not understand holy Scripture because they be not instructed nor furnished of knowledge and humane learning understanding that it is needfull for them who are instructed rich in them to renounce and leaue them for to obtain the true understanding of holy Scripture which as I haue said is not gotten by knowledge nor ought not to be procured with curiosity but is gotten with experience and ought to be procured with simplicity In as much as to them who are instructed and adorned with this simplicity God revealeth his secrets as the proper son of God himselfe affirmes Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LVI Which is the most certain and most secure way to obtain perfect Mortification HAving oft-times said that the Mortification of all that which a man hath from Adam is very necessary to a Christian it is not long since that I understood the cause why it is necessary and the most certain and most secure way to come to obtain it And I haue learned it from the Apostle S. Paul where he having said that he did endeavour to make himselfe like unto the death of Christ with intent to come to the participation of his resurrection labouring to comprehend the Christian perfection as he felt himselfe comprehended by it in Christ he saith that he did this altogether forgetting things that were behind as well those which might breed him satisfactiō as also those which might cause him molestatiō occupying his minde in remembring that he was called of God through Christ and that the vocation was from aboue that is that he was called to the intent that believing he might obtain everlasting life or rather I understand that it is that life by which the holy spirit mortifies them who being called of God doe answer And so it is that a man keeping in his memory this thought comes to fly abhor all those things that may hinder him this vocation and he comes to seek and loue all those thing which may conserve and increase it and so comming to hate his affections and appetites knowing that they are those which may hinder his vocation hee comes to mortifie them in such manner that all that which he had of Adam dying in him and that which is of Christ living in him he comes to be much like unto Christ it befalling unto him the selfesame which befals a person who being called ◅y a great Prince to a great feast and fearing to bee hin◅red and disturbed in his journey by some delightfull things that may present themselves unto him he takes as expedient to free himselfe from all those things and to p◅sse freely through them to keep alwaies in his memory that he is called by that great Prince and that he is called unto that great feast in comparison where of all those feasts that may offer themselves unto him in the way are not feasts but childrens plaies I would say that as this person carrying this thought aliue in his memory doth mortifie in himselfe all those appetites which might come unto him of s◅eing those feasts which offer themselves to him in the way much better then if so be he should make a resolution not to see them For it might be that comming by chance to see them hee should bee hindred and disturbed by them in such manner that when he should come to see the principall Feast it would now be finished Even so neither more nor lesse but rather much better the person that is called of God keeping aliue in his memory the thought of his vocation doth mortifie and also kill in himselfe all the affections and appetites which being according to the old man might hinder him and disturb his vocation much better then if he did detetmine alwaies to combate with them For it might be that wandring from his vocation he might also wander from his determination I shall say rather better that doing after this manner the holy Spirit is that which mortifies him and if he should doe in other manner it being humane wisdome that should work hee would never come to obtaine his intent it being Gods ordinance that the spirit of God should be the master the guidē of all them that are called unto the grace of the Gospell of his only begotten Son Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LVII Whence it comes to passe that by the knowledg and sense of the things of God the Flesh is Mortified EVery day I goe certifying my selfe that the Christian businesse is not knowledge but experience I would say that it is not got by knowledge but by experience First of all I understood that the proper exercise of a Christian is to attend unto Mortification Attending unto it he feels that the profit of it consists in this that a mā mortifying his affections and appetites goes by litle and litle comprehending that divine Christian perfection in which he is comprised by the incorporation with which believing he is incorporated in Christ. Passing on further I know that the most certain and secure way by the which he who is called of God comes to true Mortification is alwaies to hold firme in his memory a firme thought that he is called of God and that the calling is made to giue him everlasting life Now I understand that this marveilous effect of Mortification through the remembrance of the vocation proceeds partly from the basenesse of the flesh and partly from the efficacy of the things of God I would say that the flesh being vile
abillitated for as much as only those living creatures are deprived of the benefit of the Sun to whom eye-sight is wanting and to them who shut themselves up in caves or dens whereunto the Sun-beames cannot pearce in the selfe same manner God having put in Christ all the treasures of his Divinity this Christ powres out his treasures upon them who being men are cloathed with the same livery with which he was cloathed which treasures are efficacious in those Persons which God hath drawn unto the knowledge of Christ and so they are members of Christ they only being deprived of this divine influence who have not the knowledge of God and consequently are not Pious and who have not the knowledge of Christ and consequently are not just for in them only the divine Treasures which Christ powres out upon men are not efficacious they standing as much deprived of the sense and knowledge of them as he who is borne blind stands deprived of the sense and knowledge of the light of the Sun And I understand that as it appertaines to him who findes himselfe in this privation to pray God that he would open and cleare the sight of his eyes in such sort that he also may enioy the light of the Sun in as much as the Sun of its own selfe lets it selfe to be enioyed so in like manner to him who feeles not in himselfe the guifts of God which are communicated unto men by Christ it appertaines to pray God that he would habilitate him and that he would purify him in such sort as he may become a good subiect to receive the divine trasures efficaciouslie which Christ powres out upon all men In as much as god hath for all put them in him and hee generally powres them out upon all men as S. John very well understood saying That of that which abounds in Christ wee all who are his members receive grace and more grace In as much as god by the meanes of Moses gave not unto us but the law only but by meanes of Iesus Christ he gives grace unto us Iustifying us in the Iustice executed in Christ himselfe and hee gives unto us truth giving unto us his spirit which teacheth us every truth And because all these divine gifts doe come and shall come unto men in this life from Christ and he giues them unto them and communicates them unto them it is rightly said that this is the kingdome of Christ that it shall so long last untill the resurrection of the iust being made Christ consigne the kingdome to his everlasting Father god reignes at present but by Christ even as god sends his light but by the Sun And in the life eternall god shall reigne by himselfe and communicate his light I would say that in the life eternall all divine gifts shall come immediatly from god unto men from god shall come light immediatly unto men In this manner understanding the benefit of Christ towards men the kingdome of Christ in this present life I understand likewise after what sort Christ is the Head of the Church I would say I understand that as from my Head there descends vertue throughout all my members they being all governed and sustained by it so from Christ descends virtue for all them that appertain to the Chursh being all of them sustained and governed with the divine gifts which are communicated to them from Christ. And I understand that they appertain to the Church who being called of god and drawn to the knowledge of Christ are able to receiue with efficacy the divine Treasures which the only begotten Son of god Christ Iesus our Lord sheds upon all CONSID. LXXVI What thing scandall is and in what manner Christian persons ought to govern themselves in the scandall COnsidering how much esteem is made in holy Scripture of a Scandall in as much as Iesus Christ our Lord threatens the world because of the scandall advising us that we should not giue scandall to none of those who belieue in him And in as much as S. Paul saith that for the avoiding of scadalising of one christian hee would forbeare to eat flesh all the time of his life I haue desired to liue in this life in such sort that I bee not cause of scandall to any And I haue desired the same for those persons whom I loue in Christ. And considering that on the other side a man cannot liue in this life without scandalising some for as much as even Christ himselfe scandalised nay he is even called a Rock of offence in as much as many haue fallen stumbling at his humility and abasement and doe fall without being able to rise First I haue considered that scandall is the same as offence and so we say that he is scandalised who for that which he heares or sees done severs himselfe or is sollicited and tempted to sever himselfe from that which he ought not or would not sever himselfe Afterward I haue understood by holy Scripture that God scandaliseth and is scandalised that Gods Saints scandalise and are scandalised That the Saints of the world scandalise and are scandalised And that the men of the world who doe not attend to any holinesse scandalise but are not scandalised God scandaliseth his Saints when they being imperfect and setting themselves with naturall light to judge the works of God are tempted to judge evill of God oâ—… not to belieue the providence of God That this is true appeares by the 73 Psalme Truly God is loving unto Israel God likewise scandaliseth the Saints of the world in all things that are not conformable to humane reason For they having no other then naturall light and judging them there with they doe tax them and condemne them for evill And hence it proceeds that with difficulty they bring themselves to be willing to attribute particular providence to God and that they will not admit predestination except after their own way They who judge the works of God with spirituall light God never scandaliseth them nor them who captivate their understandings to God Neither doth God scandalise the men of the world for they keep noaccompt with God believing that all things come by chance God is scandalised or tempted to doe that which heâ—… would not being as he is mercifull and pittifull when they who he holds for his own and favours as his own distrust themselves of his promises or of his omnipotency and providence in as much as with their diffidence they provoke him to chastise them as it were against his will In this manner the Hebrews in the Desert scandalized him as appeares by the history and by the Psalmes 78 and 75. God is also scandalised from the Saints of the world with the arrogancy and presumption with which they sell themselves for Gods Saints for which God is forced to chastise them with blindnesse as he chastised the Hebrews and chastiseth false Christians And God is scandalised from the impious when with
satisfied for all that which wee sinne through evill inclination which is naturall unto us through originall sin Fourthly that the faith of them who believe being taught neither quieting nor pacifying their consciences doth not facilitate them to believe that all our sinnes were chastised in Christ. Fiftly that the faith of them who believe inspired quieting and pacifying their consciences facilitaeth them to believe That all our sins were chastised in Christ. And so it is that they who haue this infpired faith proving and experimenting in themselves the truth which the Gospell preacheth come to understand by experience that which at first they believed by inspiration First they believe that Christ was chastised for them For so the Gospell preacheth unto them and they are inwardly moved to believe that is true Afterwards finding peace in their consciences they understand in what manner Christ was chastised for them They who doe not believe it or believe it not being inspired but taught never finding peace in their consciences never understand that saying of the Prophet being fulfilled in them Except you shall believe yee shall not understand Esay 7. CGNSID C. That the fruits which in Christian Persons in the beginning of their Incorporation in Christ seem of the spirit are of the flesh SEing by experience that almost in all persons who accepting the Gospell come to be incorporated in Christ in the begining of their incorporation there are found certain tasts and feelings and certain desires and vehemencies and certain intelligences of holy Scripture of the Christian buisinesse and certain teares all which seem to be of the spirit and is altogether of Flesh and as matter of the Flesh in time dries and falls And willing to understand whence this proceeds I have considered that to every one of thē who are incorporated in Christ that befalls which to a branch which being cut from one tree is grafted in another I would say that as that branch would not produce the fruit which it doth if it were not grafted in that tree but that first fruit is as it were altogether of the sappe which it brought with it from the tree from whence it was cut so the person incorporated in Christ would not have the tasts or the feelings nor the vehemencies nor the desires nor the intelligencies nor the teares which he hath if he were not incorporated in Christ but that is as it were all Flesh affection of the flesh and complacency and satisfaction of the flesh which standing yet alive and not able to satisfy itselfe nor to please it selfe in carnall matters pleaseth it selfe and satisfieth it selfe in spirituall matters Whence I understand that every person who comes to be incorporated in Christ may rejoyce himselfe of those tasts and feelings of those desires and impetusses and of those intelligences and teares in as much as they assure him that he is incorporated in Christ for as much as he should not have any of these things if he were not partaker of the incorporation And I understand that holding them for fruits of the flesh and not of the spirit by the sappe of that root of Adam not of that root of Christ he ought to cast them away and to cut them off no waies feeding himselfe with them for that would befall him which befalls many persons who feeding themselves with such meat perswade thēselves to live in the spirit and live in the flesh And I understand that they ought to have intent that there should be nothing found in them but that which is of the spirit and of the root of Christ in which he stands incorporated and as it were engrafted holding for fruit of the root of Christ humility meeknesse patience the despising of himselfe the denyall of his own proper will the obedience to God charity for all these things were seen in Christ whilest he conversed corporally amongst men and unto these doth God inspire us and the spirit of Christ moveth us And these shine out in them who stand perfectly incorporated in Christ and the fruits redound to the Glory of God and to the glory of Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. CI. Whence it proceeds that the impious cannot believe that the superstitious believe with ease and that the pious believe with difficulty IN the Impious I consider the impossibility in believing and I call them impious who make profession to be the enemies of God as Pharaoh and as the Scribes and Pharises who were contrary unto Christ. In the superstitious I consider the facility in believing and I call them superstitious who not being pious make profession of piety and believe that they are pious And in the pious I consider the difficulty in believing and I call them pious who having by the Spirit accepted the generall pardon which the Gospell offers unto us attend to confirme themselves in it and to live in this present life a life like unto that which they are to live in life eternall The impossibility of the impious I understand consists in this that God blindes their eyes and shuts their eyes and shuts their cares and harde◅s their hearts to the end that not knowing the generall pardon which is intimated unto them they doe not believe it and so doe not obtain salvation This S. Iohn understood in this manner when he said therefore they could not believe because Esaias said again he hath blinded their eyes Nay this very thing Christ meant as it is proved by the three other Evangelists and S. Paul understood it as S. Luke testifieth the last of the Acts. The facility where with the superstitious believe I understand proceeds from their believing with humane wisdome from believing by opinion and by relation and from believing by use and custome they holding it for impiety to doubt That this is true is approved by this that amongst those true things which they believe they believe many other false things and they believe the false things more then the true Nay they doe not believe that which is the foundation of all true things that is the remission of sinnes and the reconciliation with God by the justice of God executed on Christ. And I say they doe not believe it for if they did believe it for the selfe-same reason they would leave to be superstitious and would be pious The difficulty wherewith the pious believe I understand proceeds from human wisdome from evill conscience and from the livelinesse of mind and from the lasciviousnesse of the flesh and it proceeds from human wisdome for by how much they goe on the more procuring to certify themselves in the faith so much the more contrast and impediment doth human wisdome goe making against them in it That this is true is approved by this that because they principally procure to certify themselves and confirme themselves that all their sinnes were chastized in Christ in this they who are Christians finde more contrast then in all other things which they believe It proceeds
Christ both in regard of that which he himselfe felt suffering hunger and thirst cold and heat with all the other discommodities whereunto our bodies are subject and in his feeling of affliction and anguish for some things which he saw amongst men and in men and in his inward feeling of death as also in regard of that which he shewed in the outward being esteemed a vile base and vulgar person and accordingly used and farther being held for a pernitious and scandalous person and accordingly crucified Now this which I have spoken of touching the History of Christ I shall accomplish at such time and manner as it shall please the Divine Majesty in the mean space loose no time attending every day to make your selfe more like unto God to this intent serving your selfe of reading David and more like unto Christ serving your selfe of reading S. Paul in whom also you shal behold the crosse of Christ albeit not so evidently as in the Evangelists And because it may perhaps seem strange to you that I should make present of S. Paul unto you before the Gospells in as much as the reading of S. Paul is commonly esteemed more difficult then that of the Evangelists which containe the history of Christ I would have you to know that as farre as my understanding can reach there is without all doubt more difficulty in the perfect understanding of the Gospell then that of S. Paul which proceeds as I conceive from certain causes which would be a long work to make repetition of only now I will say that for as much as in S. Paul I read the conceptions and apprehensions of S. Paul and in the Gospell I read many conceptions and apprehensions of Christ I find so much more difficulty in the perfect understanding of the Gospells then in the perfect understanding of S. Paul as I conceive the conceptions apprehensions of Christ were more elevate and more divine then the conceptions and apprehensions of S. Paul not denying but that to speak generally and as much as concernes the stile the Gospells are more intelligible then S. Paul But of this matter I reserve my selfe to speak more at large when it shall please God that I come to translate the Gospells Now concerning the translation I have been desirous to ty my selfe strictly to the letter as much as possibly might be even so as to leave the matter ambiguous in the Castilian language when it would beare where ever I found it ambiguous in the Greek so as the letter might be applied both to the one and to the other sence and this I say for as much as intending the translation of S. Paul I may not pretend to write m◅e own conceits but those of S. Paul It is very true that in some places which seemed necessary unto mee I have added some small words in the text But of these some are understood in the Greek text although they be not expressed and others seem of necessity to be understood And all these as you may observe are marked to the intent you may know them for mine and make use of them as you please in reading or not reading them But of this be advertized that as you should not doe well in disesteeming that which God may give you ability to understand of your selfe in this reading so neither is it good that you should too much trust upon your own judgement despising the judgement of others It is not good that you should despise your own it is amisse that you despise that of others In the Declaration which I haue written upon that which I have translated I have kept my self as neere as was possible for mee to S Pauls minde setting down his conceptions and not mine own And if I haue gone aside in any thing it hath been through ignorance not through malice and therefore with a very good will shall take delight in being corrected and amended in whatsoever I have not hit the mark and most of all in that from whence any scruple how light soever it be may arise to any Christian minde For however you know my principall intention in this writing was to satisfie your desire yet notwithstanding I desire together with your profit to profit likewise all other persons that shall read this writing and not offend the least of them in any thing at all This is my principall profession in as much as I cōceive the son of God made profession of the same here in this present life whom I being a Christian am bound to imitate For the Latine words which I set in the beginning of the Declarations I would not haue you think that they serve that by the Castilian you should understand the Latine for oft-times they confront not the one with the other But only think that they serve to the end that you may the more eafily understand what those Latine words are which answer the Castilian which as I said before are conformable to the Greek Text not to the Latine for S. Paul wrote in Greek not in Latine And incase you have a desire to read S Pauls Text without busying your selfe in my Declaration that you may doe it with greater ease I will advertise you of some things which shall open the way and facilitate the understanding of S. Pauls minde And so I say unto you that by Gospell S. Paul understands the preaching of that good news of the pardō general which is published throughout the world affirming that God hath pardoned all the sins of the men of the world executing for them all the rigour of his instice upon Christ who gave notice to the world of this pardon and in whose name all give notice thereof to the intent that men moved by the authority of Christ who is the sonne of God should give credit to the pardon generall and giving confidence to the word of God should hold themselves for reconciled with God and give over the seeking after otherkinds of reconciliation By which you shall understand that God in this case deales with men as a Prince against whom his subiects having rebelled and by reason of this rebellion fled from his kingdome he grants them a pardon generall and sends his owne sonne to give them notice thereof to the intent that they should give credit to the pardon for the authority of the sonne and so relying on the Princes pardon returne to the kingdome giving over to seek for pardon from the Prince by any other way or meanes Whence it followes that they who believe that Christ is the sonne of God and yet give not credit to the pardon generall which he published and doth publish these doe not hold themselves for reconciled with God but goe seking other reconciliations not relying upon that which Christ published and is on Christs behalfe published they doe the self-same which the vassalls of the Prince would doe who believing that he that publisheth the pardon generall to them were the Princes