which are of the circumcision but vnto them also that walke in the steppes of the faith of our father Abraham This to be iustified more which saint Iohn speakes of is no doubt to walke in the steppes of the faith of Abraham And this no doubt also is that which saint Peter meaneth when hee concludes his epistle thus Growe in grace 2. Peter 3.18 and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ That is grow in your faith and knowledge of the Gospell For this is life eternall saieth our Sauiour to knowe thee to bee the onely true God Ioh. 17.3 and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ Gagneius should haue considered all these places and not grounded his second iustification of workes vpon that one onlie place Whereas also that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him be righteous still maie signifie rather a perseuerance then an increase But to let Gagneius go with his mystes and cauilles against the trueth and to returne to saint Austen againe As hee quite takes all our iustification from all workes whatsoeuer either ceremoniall or morall so he yéelds this to that our first iustification that it makes vs partakers of the glory of God Lib. spir lit cap. 9. and doe wee thinke then that hee euer thought of anie second Thus hee writes By grace the wicked man is iustified freely that is hauing no merites of his works going before For otherwise grace were not grace because therefore it is giuen not because that we haue doon good works but that we may do them that is not because we haue fulfilled the law but that we might fulfill it For he said I came not to destroie the law but to fulfill it Of whome it is saide We haue seene his glorie the glorie as it were of the onelie begotten Sonne of the Father full of grace and trueth This is the glory whereof it is said All haue sinned and are destitute of the glory of God And this is the grace whereof by and by he saieth Being iustified freely by his grace So that by saint Austens iudgment this grace which we receiue in our first iustification is that grace of God which before our iustification all men were depriued of And will Gagneius saie then that our iustification is imperfect Naie herein also saint Austen agrees with saint Paul who speaking of that first iustification saieth 1. Iohn 15. We being iustified by faith are at peace with God and is it imperfect then no imperfect thing can please God Ephes 2.16 He is light and in him is no darknes at all Naie in another place hee saieth that Iesus Christ hath slaine hatred betweene God and vs and that we haue an entrance now to the father by one spirit no doubt which we receiue in our Baptismes and at our first iustification 19. And that now we are no more strangers or forreiners but citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God And is this our first iustification as yet imperfect Naie saint Iohn saieth 1. Iohn 1.3 That we haue seene and heard we declare vnto you that you also maie haue fellowship with vs and that our fellowship may be also with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ Do wée beleeue this O happie newes by faith wee are made fellowes with the apostles naie euen with God himselfe and is then our first iustification imperfect and these things Saint Iohn writes to vs that our ioy may be full Who will not reioice that heareth this newes Other Papists make another cauill at our iustification Stella writes thus Of these words of Christ that error of the Lutherans is conuinced Stella in cap. 6 Luc. who dare affirm that faith cannot be without charity but one may truely as it is manifest out of this text of the Gospell heare the vvordes of God and beleeue them and yet not bee in grace But here Stella addes this of his owne and beleeue them that is more then is in the text The text saieth One maie heare the words of God and not do them not be in grace But surelie he that heares them beleeues them will do them also no doubt and therefore such a one is in grace S. Austen also verie excellentlie condemnes the Papists in this their doctrine De fide operib cap. 23 The Lord saith in the Gospell The houre shall come wherein all they that are in the graues shall he are his voice and they shall go which haue doone well into the resurrection of life and they which haue doone euill into the resurrection of iudgment Neither is it said that they which haue beleeued or that they which haue not beleeued but thus they which haue doone wel and that they which haue doon euil for a good life cannot be separated from faith which works thorough loue yea verily that same is a good life it selfe A true liuelie faith and a good life by saint Austens iudgement are vnseparable And againe saint Austen declares his iudgment concering our iustification and she vse of good workes verie manifestlie thus When as the Apostle saith Aug. de fide operib cap. 14. that he supposeth that a man is iustified by faith without the works of the law hee meanes not that when as wee haue receiued and professed the faith that the works of righteousnes should be despised but that euery one may know that he may be iustified through faith although no works of the law haue gone before For they follow a man that is now iustified they do not go before him which is to be iustified This is saint Austens plaine iudgement that workes are fruites of our iustification not rootes they are neither precedent nor concurrent causes but effects following Ibidem And after hee addes the causes why saint Peter Iohn and Iames and Iude wrote their Epistles and expoundes their meanings whereas they seeme to make much for good workes Because this opinion saieth he was then sproong vp that is that works were despised the other apostolique Epistles of Peter Iohn Iames and Iude against this opinion bend al their force so that they very vehemently affirme that faith without workes profiteth nothing As also Saint Paul himselfe cals not faith euery faith wherewith we beleeue in God but that healthfull and euangelicall faith whose workes proceede from charitie and faith saieth he which vvorketh thorow loue Therefore he affirmes that that faith which some men thinke is sufficient to saluation to be of so small force that he saith If so be that I had all faith so that I could moue mountaines out of their places and yet had no charity I am nothing But where this faithfull charitie works there is a good life c. So that by saint Austens iudgement that vaine and barren faith which some men in those dayes imagined of their owne braines and despised all good workes doe both saint Iames and saint Iohn and the
purged the temple of God prophaned of the wicked and he cast out all the vncleannesse thereof into the brooke Cedron saith the Scripture I am O Lorde thy liuely temple prophaned of the diuell and defiled with most vile sinnes but thou art that most cleare fountaine of Cedron who by thy streame maintaines all the beauty of heauen Into this fountaine were all my sinnes cast and all my iniquities were drowned in it For thou by the merit of thy vnspeakeable humilitie and charitie by which thou wast moued that thou shouldest take all my sinnes vpon thee diddest not onely deliuer me from them but also madest me partaker of thy goods Thou vndertookest my death and thou gauest me thy life thou tookest vpon thee my flesh and thou gauest me thy spirit thou tookest vpon thee my sinnes and gauest me thy grace Therefore O my redeemer all thy treasures and riches are mine Thy purple clotheth me thy crowne honoureth me thy wounds make me beautifull thy sorrowes are my pleasures thy bitternesses refresh me thy stripes heale me thy bloud enricheth me and thy loue as it were makes me drunken But what maruell is it if thy loue were able to make me drunken when as the selfe same loue wherwith thou hast loued me was able to make thy selfe drunken who made thee as another Noah naked and to be laughed at in the peoples eies The purple garment of thy feruent loue caused thee to beare that scornefull purple and the zeale of my saluation moued thee to hold in thy hand that reede of despite and the pitie wherewith thou pitiedst me being now about to perish crowned thee with that crowne of shame Thus farre Granatensis This euerie true Christian must beléeue and apply to himselfe and is not this to haue a speciall faith And againe the same Granatensis writes thus That our will may be inclined to loue God it behooueth that our vnderstanding go before it weighing diligently how worthy to be beleeued God is in himselfe and then next how good he is towardes vs. I thinke there is no man but knowes how great the goodnesse of God is his sweetnes his kindnes his liberalitie his nobilitie and of all other his perfections which are innumerable Againe how pitifull he is towards vs how tenderly he loues vs what hath he not done What hath he not suffered euen from his birth to his Crosse for our sakes what great good things hath he prepared for vs euen from the beginning how many bestowes he vpon vs euen now presently how many will he giue vs hereafter from how great euils hath he deliuered vs how patiently hath he waited for vs to come to repentance how louingly hath he dealt with vs in bestowing all his benefits vpon vs which are innumerable By considering and meditating diligently and exercising himselfe in the deepe contemplation of these benefits man shall by little and little feele his heart kindled with the loue of this bountifull God For if bruit beasts loue their benefactors and if as the Spanyard saith a gift breakes a rocke and as a certaine Philosopher said he that found out benefits found out fetters wherewith mens hearts are fettered togither who now will be so cruell and hard harted who considering the hugenesse and vnmeasurable greatnesse of these benefits wil not be kindled with the loue of such a benefactor And after As by vse often writing one becomes a good scriuener and by painting a good painter and by working a good smith so by louing one becomes a louer that is that euen as vse of writing makes a good writer so the vse exercise and continuance of louing God which is almost brought to passe by meditation causeth that one shall be a perfect louer of God And after Fire out of his Region is by and by extinguished vnlesse there be some that continually throwing on wood doe nourish it by which it is maintained so it is necessarie that the fire of charitie may be maintained in this life whereas she is out of her naturall place and a stranger that she be also nourished with wood and the wood wherwith she is nourished are the considerations of Gods benefits and of his perfections for euerie one of these things being well considered is as it were a piece of wood or a firebrand that kindles this loue of God in our hearts Therefore it is requisite that we feede this fire often with this wood least this heauenly fire goe out in our hearts The which thing the Lord also meant in the olde lawe when he said Fire shall euer burne on my altars that is in the hearts of iust men Therfore let the Godly man take care euerie morning to maintain this fire with the consideration of these things that so euer it may be preserued and so it is said in the Psalmes And while I mused the fire kindled Thus farre Granatensis Euerie man must muse vpon Gods benefites and applie them to himselfe and so kindle in his heart the fire of Gods loue and without this wood it is impossible but this fire will go out And after he writes thus It is most certaine that no mans toong is able to speake or vtter the great loue wherewith Christ loued not onely his vniuersall Church Die lunae Med. de ven Sacram but also euery particular soule of his elect For euerie particular soule is chosen of God euerie particular soule is the spouse of Christ This euerie Christian must beléeue That saying of Ferus is worthy to be written in letters of gold I would to God saith he this word should remaine euer laide vp and fast fixed in our hearts Fer. in cap. 2. Act. that in euerie tribulation or temptation but especially at the point of death we might boldly say I know assuredly that God hath made Iesus to be crucified for me my Lord my king and my Byshop What is it that this faith were not able to doe Againe the same Ferus touching the same matter writes thus This is chiefely to be marked Fer. in cap. 17. Gen. that he which before said generally that he was God now he promiseth that he will be our God For no profit els would come vnto vs if so great and mightie a God were not our God But he is ours by couenant and free mercie not by merites or deserts Of speciall grace also Petrus Berchorius writes thus in his Dictionarie In verbo pertinere Of God euery Christian may say to euery infidel that saying which we reade 2. Kings 19.42 Dauid belongs more to me then to thee c. Thus farre Berchorius But as the text it selfe séemes to inferre Euerie Christian maie saie to another Christian for these were the speeches of the men of Iudah to the men of Israel that the true Dauid which is Iesus Christ belongs to him by tenne parts more then to him For thus it is read in the Hebrew text And the man of Israel answered the man of Iudah
shall neuer be confounded deliuer me in thy righteousnesse Thuâ— farre Ferus Here is the true Catholiques righteousnesse by Ferus his iudgement that is Christes merites and righteousnesse communicated and imputed to him And after hee writes thus Fiftly he enioyeth heauen by inheritance No man ascended into heauen but he that came downe from heauen For by good right heauen is due to him for hee is the naturall Sonne of God And therefore he saith All thine O Father are mine And Dauâ—d saith The heauen of heauens are the Lords and the earth hath he giuen to the children of men Whome therefore he shall take into part of this inheritance with him he shall enter into heauen We obtaine this by no right but onely of grace and because he hath mercifully promised it vnto vs. For our works what kind soeuer they are doe not deserue such a reward of equality or worthinesse but in as much as God mercifully accepts them And therefore Paul saith The sufferings of this life are not worthy the glory to come And the same saith againe That the weight of that glory to come aboue all measure exceedes all that we suffer in this life And of them he concludes and saith By grace ye are saued not of works least any one should bragge Again of faith and good works he writes thus Fer. in cap. 4. Act. They are builders which with holesome doctrine doe erect and mainetaine the house of God But as all men cannot tell how to build so nor how to preach He that will be a builder must know what is to be placed beneath and what aboue also hee must take care that his building be not only beautifull but also firme and strong They which teach faith without works build their wal with vntempered morter for the righteousnesse of the law cannot stand against the iudgment of God and therefore it must needes fall They which teach faith without works they laie truly a foundation but they build nothing on it therefore they refuse this stone which teach to trust in workâ— which teach righteousnesse to come by works as the Pharisies â—d Thus farre Ferus And do not the papists so now And a little after vpon these words There is no other nâ—â—e God hath appointed no other meanes to the world by which men must be saued then the name power and merite of Christ Our name is sinne lying vanity curse death but the name of Christ is that he is the Sonne of God holy iust the Authour of life Also his name is righteousnesse wisedome sanctification and redemption c. He that calles vpon this name that is hee which trusts by Christ and his onely righteousnesse and merites to be saued he truly obtaines saluation hee that goes about to be saued by any other thing beguiles himselfe No man comes to the father but by me saith Christ And S. Paul saith By him we haue accesse to the Father Therefore he which by his owne righteousnesse onely striues to go to God and to his goods shall neuer come to them So Israel following the law of righteousnesse attained not to the law of righteousnesse because he sought it of works onely and not of faith VVee must doe good works but we must not trust in that righteousnesse Good men may pray for vs but they cannot saue vs. Therefore when all is doon we must put all our trust in Christ and we must cleaue to him with hearty loue And after In this name the fathers of the old Tastament were saued For although the Sacraments by reason of the time do differ yet one and the selfe same faith agreeth Also Austen saith To the old iust men something was hidden when as notwithstanding they should be saued by the same faith which at their times should be reuealed whereof the Apostle saith Hauing the same Spirit of faith and therefore it is written I beleeued and therefore I spake And we beleeue and therefore we also speake He would not haue said the same vnlesse they had had the same Spirit of faith But as they when as that Sacrament was hidden beleeued that Christ should be incarnate and we beleeue that he is incarnate his comming to iudgement is looked for both of them and of vs. Thus far Ferus Where hee teacheth plainely that all true Catholiques must trust in Christ and in his merites they must doe good workes but they must not trust in them they may one pray for another but one cannot saue another they must let that alone for euer as Dauid teacheth in the Psalmes And that the old fathers and we were saued by the same faith Psal 49.7 And after that no man can fulfill the lawe hee writes thus vpâ—n these words There was a murmur of the Grecians Marke here hat the saints want not their imperfections they are Christians and Saints by faith but sinners in themselues Fer. in cap. 5. Act. Although GOD hath giuen them grace yet he hath left in them their nature still both that we should know our selues then also that we should haue an occasion of practising charity Euery Christian hath in himselfe that he would should be borne withall of others and he sees in others which he himselfe must beare withall And hereof Saint Paul saith Beare ye one anothers burthen c. Againe of vaine confidence he writes thus Hypocrisie neglecting the righteousnesse of faith Fer. in cap. 6. Act. and as Christ sayth the greater things of the law trusts in the outward works of the law They account righteousnesse to be placed in the externall obseruation of ceremonies places and times none therefore more bragge of Temples and Sacrifices then that kind of men So Christ 16. of Luke inueies against them saying Woe be to you which iustifie your selues And of the manner of our saluation hee writes thus In cap. 7. Act. vpon these wordes The glory of God appeared to our Fatâ—er Abraham Behold the beginning of our saluation sayeth hee is of God and not of our selues No man comes to me vnlesse my Fâ—â—her draw him sayth Christ Our saluation beginnes from heâ—uen for vnlesse God first doe beginne we doe euer remaine in our sinnes And that he beginnes with his word it is a signe thaâ— our saluation is begunne of faith For the word of God cannot â—therwise be receiued then by faith faith especially is necessary He that comes to God must beleeue For to be able to please God wâ—â—hout faith it is impossible Also that besides this voice of God â—o merites of his are written therefore it is doone that we may kâ—ow that our saluation is of Gods grace and mercy For our saluatâ—â—n comes not to vs of works or merites but of the mercy of God according to that You are called of grace and not of works Tâ—us farre Ferus Where hee plainely attributes not onely thâ— beginning of our saluation to the frée mercy and grace of Goâ— but also the end thereof which other Papistes
written A father of many Nations haue I ordained thee Roman 4.16 euen before God whome he beleeued who quickneth the dead and calleth the things which be not as though they were which Abraham beleeued against hope vnder hope that he should be the father of manie Nations according to that which was spoken to him So shall thy seed be And he not weake in faith considered not his owne bodie which was now dead being almost an hundreth yeare old neither the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe neither did he doubt of the promise of God through vnbeleefe but was strengthened in faith and gaue glorie to God being fully assured that he that had promised was able to doe it And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Now it is not written for him onely that it was imputed to him for righteousnesse but also for vs to whom it shall be imputed for righteousnesse which beleeue in him which raised vp Iesus our Lord from the dead who was deliuered for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Saint Paul here the Doctour of the Gentiles teacheth all Christians by the example of their father Abraham contrarie to the doctrine of the Vniuersitie of Collen that they must not consider their owne frailtie and weakenesse for who then shoulde not despaire but the promise and mercie of God Abraham considered not that now hee and Sarah his Wife were as good as dead to child-bearing and begetting but the word and promise of God which euen quickens things that be dead calles things which are not as though they were and euen so must all Abrahams Children and all true Christians not consider their owne frailtie and weakenesse for if they respect their owne deseruings euen the best of them all they are like their Father Abraham euen dead in their sinnes and farre off from obtaining the Kingdome of God yet beleeuing the promise of God assuredlie and not respecting this their owne frailtie and weakenesse but euen nowe with a liuelie faith whensoeuer it assaulteth them ouercomming it they must all assure themselues of the kingdome of God as Abraham did of his sonne Isaac And this is faith and this is to be the true sonne of Abraham and without this faith no man can bee saued Wée must not consider our owne infirmities naie that wée are euen of our selues dead through our sinnes as the Vniuersitie of Collen teacheth but wee must onelie respect the grace mercie and promise of God as Abraham our forefather did and by this strengthened ouercome the other which as an enemie is opposed and set against faith to wrestle with it and to assault it The Vniuersitie of Collen in this their doctrine doe gainesay the Prophet Dauid whome they alleadge for their witnesse Psalm 125.1 The iust man sayeth Dauid is like mount Sion which on no side can bee moued Hée is firme on euerie side hee trusting on the mercie of God is not mooued as they teach with the consideration of his owne frailtie Againe let vs consider howe the Vniuersitie of Collen and Master Bellarmine do disagree in this great point of saluation Bellarmine whereas saint Iohn saith Lib. 1. de Iustificat cap. 11. These things haue I written vnto you which beleeue on the name of the sonne of God that you may knowe that you haue eternall life answereth that S. Iohn saith truly they which beleeue as they ought haue euerlasting life The meaning therefore saith he of the Apostle is conditionall for hee writes to those which beleeue that they may know that they haue eternall life if so be they beleeue indeed as they ought to beleeue that is if they haue faith which worketh by loue This is master Bellarmines iudgement But the vniuersity of Collen writes thus Dialog 4. contra Monhem Who euer hath taught thus of faith that the saluation of euery particular man should bee obtained by it or haue relation to it For faith is of all things most assured which neither can be deceiued nor deceiue But the iustification of euery priuate man say they is very vncertaine much more their eternall saluation how therefore can faith bee had of such vncertaine things This is the censure of the Vniuersitie of Collen whereas both Saint Iohn and master Bellarmine auouch that they which beleeue aright know that they haue eternall life so that by the censure of the Vniuersitie of Collen wee must not beleeue assuredlie wee must not knowe that wee shall be saued wee must onelie hope that wee shall bee saued And they saie againe That the certainty of hope is not such that any man trusting thereunto should not doubt for so long as we hope say they we are vncertaine as the very Etymologie of the name of hope doeth teach vs. Thus wée maie plainelie see howe they will haue vs doubt still of our saluation which doubting is both contrarie to faith and also to knowledge which Saint Iohn the Apostle teacheth But to returne againe to M. Bellarmines former answere his meaning is thereby though hee dissent from the vniuersitie to prooue that no man shall bee assured or know that hee shall bee saued For hee saieth a little before that euen by our confession faith is necessary to the forgiuenes of sinnes But saieth he out of what word of God do they learne that they haue such a faith as is required to get and obtaine remission of sinnes This is one of his mistes whereby hee would haue euerie one doubt whether hee hath faith or no and so doubt whether hee should bee saued or no. But this doctrine is contrarie to Saint Paul who thus writes to the Church of Corinth 2. Cor. 13.5 Trie your selues sayeth hee and search your selues whether you bee in faith or no. Doe you not know your selues that Iesus Christ is in you vnlesse you bee reprobates All Christians must knowe that Iesus Christ is in them that they are by faith engrafted into him or else they are reprobates By master Bellarmines doctrine all Christians are reprobates For no Christian sayeth hee knowes whether he hath such a faith as obtaineth remission of his sinnes and then it must néedes followe that no Christian knowes that Iesus Christ dwelleth in him which all shoulde knowe and so all are reprobates by his doctrine 1. Pet. 1. Peter the Apostle writes his Catholique Epistle in generall to all Christians and hee sayeth that they haue gotten like precious faith to the Apostles And shall they not know then that they haue obtained such a faith as is required to the forgiuenesse of sinnes The Papistes imagine God to bee a respecter of persons and that to the Apostles hee gaue a great faith and that they might bee sure of their saluation but to none else hee gaue the like faith and that all others ought to doubt but Saint Peter here plainlie teacheth that euen those to whome he wrote had obtained euen as precious a faith as he And shall not we iudge so
to anie other The same Granatensis writes thus of himselfe Ibidem And surely the errours of my life and sinnes are so manie and so great that some men being in the same state of damnation as well as I and not considering O Lord thy omnipotencie but measuring according to their owne frailtie and wauering mindes with their forward thoughts haue entered into iudgement with thee saying Mine iniquities are greater then that they may be pardoned and giuing no credite to thy words and promises imagine that as some angrie or cruell man thou thinkest vpon punishment and reuenge and not vpon grace and pardon And such O my God when they shall see that thou wilt forgiue me my sinnes shall be ouercome and ashamed of their iudgements And they shall acknowledge that which thou spakest by thy Prophet that is As high as the heauens are exalted from the earth so are thy waies farre aboue the waies of men and thy thoughts aboue their thoughts Therefore O Lord haue mercie vpon me and blot out mine iniquitie Thus farre Granatensis He confesseth himselfe to be a damnable sinner Here is no merits then and yet for all that he hopes for pardon comes to the throne of Gods mercie nay they which think God to be an angrie God so that he will not heare sinners he plainlie teacheth that they haue a wrong opinion of God And do not the papists teach this in their doctrine of intercession to saints Angels This faith al the scriptures teach vs that when we pray in the name of Iesus Christ God doth most assuredly heare vs. And so we ought to frame our words when we pray as though we were in the presence of God and our hearts after we haue praied that God in whose presence we haue praied hath granted our requests This faith the gospell teacheth They which beléeue not this denie the faith of the Gospell And the same Granatensis that he may the more déepelie imprint and fasten this loue of God in our hearts which is the very roote of the assurance which we haue in our prayers in another place let vs marke how excellentlie he commendeth and expresseth this excéeding great loue of God towards vs. Can there be any greater argumēt of the goodnes of God wished or desired then to consider that a God of such infinite Maiestie Granat de perfect amor dei cap. 28. who not for any need but onely of his owne goodnes doth stoupe downe humble himselfe so greatly that as a steward purueyour of birds fishes and wormes he prouides all things necessary for their life Neither being content with this alone he doth humble himselfe so far that he giues them also pleasant things wherewith they may delight themselues stirring vp in them also certaine motions of pleasures That euen as thou O Lord hast not only an essence or being but also a most happie and blessed essence so also thou wouldest haue all thy creatures be they neuer so vile and base in their kinde to participate of thee and to enioy both these that they should haue both an essence and also a most happie and ioyfull essence Who is not now amased to see such a miracle who hereby acknowledgeth not the infinite kindnes nobilitie and liberalitie of Gods heart who shewes himselfe so louing and courteous to so vile creatures which if a man meet withall he will make no account to trample vnder his feet Which of vs is it that thinkes it concernes him any thing at all whether a Flie or Pismire haue food or not or whether she be merie or sad Who therefore will not maruell that a God of such great maiestie in comparison of whom all the world is no bigger almost then a little Pismire not onely to haue special care of the liues of these smal vermine but also of the delights and pleasures wherewith euerie one of these is delighted when as he lookes at the hands of these neither for praise nor thanks O wonderfull goodnes O inestimable sweetnes O my God how great incomprehensible are those things which in the bosome of thy glorie thou hast reserued for thy faithfull friends when as thou hast such a speciall care of vile wormes How can I distrust of thy prouidence mercie towards men whom thou hast bought with thy precious bloud when as that is not wanting euen to the beasts of the field Thus farre Granatensis This onelie consideration should make vs pray to God alone Chap. 29. And after of the praiers of the faithfull he writes thus What shal I say O Lord of thy readines in hearing the praiers of the iust what of thy speedines in fulfilling their desires how often doest thou promise vs this in thy holy scriptures that thou mightest take away our infidelity distresse In a certain place thou saiest which of you askes bread of his father and will he giue him a stone our askes fish and will he for fish giue him a serpent or if he aske an egge will he reach him a Scorpion If ye therefore when as ye are euill know to giue good things to your children how much more shall your heauenly father from heauen giue his holy spirit to them which aske him And in another place Aske and it shal be giuen to you seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you But the words of our Lord which are in S. Iohns Gospell doe declare the same much more manifestly by which it is manifest that God hath at once opened to his friends all the gates of his mercie when as he saith If you abide in me and my words abide in you aske whatsoeuer ye will and it shall be done vnto you Could the heart of man if a wish were giuen him to wish whatsoeuer he would haue wished a more large or greater benefit when as in these words he hath leaue giuen him to aske whatsoeuer he will And he giues his word also that whatsoeuer he asketh he shall obtaine These are the promises of the Gospell from which they also disagree not which are found euerie where amongst the Prophets The Psalmist saith in a certaine place he will doe the will of them that feare him and he will heare their prayer and will saue them And in another place The eies of the Lord are vpon the iust and his eares are open vnto their prayers And in another place hee saith He hath regarded the prayer of the humble and hath not despised their petition Esay also sings the same song to vs. For after he had shewed with what good works God is especially serued by and by he addeth the reward that shall be giuen to them that serue him saying Then he shall call and the Lord shall heare him he shal crie and the Lord shal say Behold here am I. And as though this were but a small thing thou thy selfe O Lord addest a farre greater and more bountifull promise in the same Prophet
if he will haue him For who doubts but that God knowes how to saue and is also able and willing to saue For God is the God of saluation as saith the Psalme but whether hee will saue him or no this the Diuell cals in question especially if a man haue liued among the wicked as Christ was here among the theeues Therefore it is a great temptation when the Diuell makes a man doubt which trusts in the Gospell that although he beleeue that Christ is our righteousnesse yet that he should doubt whether he be his righteousnesse or no c. Euerie true Christian must beléeue in particular that Christ is his righteousnesse if he minde to ouercome the Diuell and be saued To beléeue in Generall that he is the righteousnesse of all men is the marke the Diuell shootes at and this doctrine the Papists some of them doe now teach But he must go further that will be saued and apply this soueraigne plaister of Christs death to himselfe and to his owne soule and beléeue that he is his righteousnesse also Granatensis also of the same matter writes thus But thou O Lord as thou art omnipotent in vertues Granat de perfectione amor dei lib. 2. ca. 34 so thou art sufficient for all men in loue thou art infinit in them both and therefore that cannot be wanting to any which hath neither lymits nor any ende although it be deuided amongst many Euen as no man enioyeth lesse the light of the sunne because it shineth to all men but he receiueth so much thereof euen as though he were alone in the world so that heauenly bridegroome loues no lesse all the Godly soules both in particular and in generall then if it were one soule alone For he is not a louer like to Iacob whose loue towards Leah was colder for the feruent loue wherewith he loued Rachel but as an infinite God whose vertue is no lesse in euerie particular person though it be deuided also amongst many And after The Philosophers say Cap. 37. that goodnesse is to be beloued of it selfe but also that euery one loues his owne goods the best for when as man loues himselfe by nature it followes by a necessarie consequent that he must loue all his owne things as proper and pertaining to himselfe alone Wherefore euerie one loues his owne house his owne vineyard his owne money his owne seruants his owne horses and whatsoeuer he possesseth for all these serue to his vse and therefore man as he loueth himselfe so he loues all things which belong to himselfe Therfore if then thou my Lord God be not the onely best good thing in the world but also my best good thing that I haue in the world I minde here to consider in what degree thou art mine and by how many titles thou art mine that hereby I may more manifestly know how greatly I ought to loue thee Therefore I see O my God that thou art my Creator that thou art my sanctifier and that thou art my gloryfier Thou art my helper my gouernour defender tutour and keeper thou sustainest me thou encouragest me thou preseruest me thou to conclude art my God thou art my Lorde thou art my saluation thou art my hope thou art my glorie thou art all the good things I haue Thou art all these thinges vnto me O Lorde as thou art God but in that thou art man there are many other titles other duties and other bonds wherewith I am bound to thee Thou art my repairer for thou hast made perfect againe mans nature which by sinne was corrupted and weakned thou art my deliuerer for by thy captiuitie thou hast deliuered me from the tyranny of sinne death hell and the diuell my deadly enimy thou art my redeemer for with a price and incomparable treasure laid out for my sake thou hast redeemed me from that seruitude into the which thorow sinne I was fallen thou art my King for thou gouernest me with thy Spirite thou also hast fought for me and hast deliuered me from the hands of mine enimies And so going forward he reckons vp a great many benefits of Iesus Christ to his Church and after concludes thus All these things thou art O Lord my God and more then these both to all and to euery one and to me alone And therefore with what face shal I not loue thee Lord to whom I am bound by so many titles and meanes Par. prec orat 7. de impet amore dei Michaelab Istelt cites thus Granatensis praying But when as indeed euery good thing is to be beleeued by it selfe yet notwithstāding euery one doth loue his own good the best I wil therfore loue thee O Lord my God not only because that thou art the best good thing but because that thou art my good too For when I consider and way with my selfe by how many titles and means thou art become mine my very entrails melt within me and I crie out with the Bride My loue is mine and I am his For thou O Lord art my creator thou art my sanctifier and glorifier thou hast giuen me the essence of nature thou hast giuen me the essence of grace and thou wilt giue me the essence of glory Thou art my helper my gouernour my defender my tutor my preseruer and lastly thou art my Lord and my God thou art my saluation my hope my glory thou art all the goods I haue And truly thou art all these vnto me in as much as thou art God in as much as thou art the Creator and preseruer of all things but in that thou art man there are many other titles other duties and other bonds wherewith I am bound to thee and thou to me for the which also I ought of good right to loue thee if it were possible with an infinit loue c. Granatensis here affirmes that God is not onely the best good thing in the world but that hee is his good to him And what is this else but to teach men to beleeue speciall grace Mem. lib. 2. cap. 4. Granatensis also himselfe of speciall grace writes thus Amongst all those losses which the sinner incurres thorow his sinne there is none greater or more to be lamented then that hee loseth God himselfe for this is the root and fountaine of all other losses For to haue lost God is not to haue God a speciall father tutor pastour and defender and now to haue changed him from being a most louing Father into a most seuere Iudge Here is the verie word vsed that God is as it were a speciall father protector and defender to euerie one of his Granatensis in another place of speciall grace writes thus Mem. lib. 5. orat remiss peccat O Lord remember thy wordes which are most comfortable which sometimes thou spakest by the mouth of thy Prophet Ier. 31. But thou hauing plaide the harlot with manie louers yet turne againe to mee sayth the Lord. Wherefore O mercifull father
yet more to humble thy selfe Crie vnto God without ceassing and saie O Lord I haue nothing I can doe nothing without thy helpe I can do nothing else but sinne Cast down thy selfe prostrate with that notorious sinner and be so greatly ashamed euen as a woman is woont to be that hath defiled her husbands bedde and comes to aske pardon of her husband With such like shame O soule stand thou before thy heauenly spouse in despight of whom thou hast committed fornication so often with manie louers beseech him bedewed with many teares touched with great sorrow that he will pardon and forgiue thee whatsoeuer thou hast sinned against him and that he will receiue thee againe into his family for his great mercy beeing indeede that riotous and prodigall Sonne Thus farre Granatensis I woulde all Papists woulde teach this doctrine It woulde make men humble it woulde make them not trust in their workes it woulde make them flie truelie to the mercie of God which is the onlie and true Sanctuary for all Christians to flie vnto Againe of the imperfections of our good workes hee writes thus It is most certaine that thou felst into the foresaid sinnes speaking of the breaking of all Gods commaundementes before thou hadst receiued the true knowledge of God but after thou hast knowne him if thou haue knowne him yet desire of him that he will open the eies of thy mind and thou shalt find many reliques of the old Adam many of the Iebusites yet to remaine in the land of promise onely allured by thy curtesie And againe a little after VVhen as God doth not so much respect the worke it selfe as the meaning and purpose of the vvorke how many good works dost thou thinke that thou hast doon which are pure from the dregges of vaine glory and free from gaping after worldly praises How many are there which thou wouldest neuer haue giuen thy mind to but being drawne and moued vvith outward ceremonies Howe many are there in which thou hast sought thine owne estimation And how few are there which are doone from a sincere heart and for the pure loue of GOD and for which thou hast not paid the world her toll And all such workes what are they else then a smoake shadow and as it were a vizarde of vertue And againe If thou shalt diligently search all the corners of thy soule if thou shalt put thy hand into thy bosome thou shalt pull it out againe full of leprosie as white as Snow and thou shalt finde therein many deadly wounds Oh what deepe root hath swelling pride taken in thee How doth ambition raigne in thee How many waies doeth hypocrisie and the counterfeite shew of vertue trouble thee by which thou wouldest faine cloake thy faults and imperfections and desire to seeme another then thou art indeed Ah how carefully doest thou pursue after those things which are thine own which are acceptable to the flesh pleasant to the bodie how often vnder pretence of necessitie thou makest much of thy selfe and pamperest thy bodie most daintilie so that hereby thou seemes not to nourish nor feed it so much as longing after pleasures and delites to put a spurre vnto it And hereof this is a most euident argument that if any man who before was most gratefull and acceptable vnto thee shall a little reproue thee and find fault with thee and thine inordinate desires thou shalt feele bie and bie the roote of enuie to sproute in thee and thy selfe to bee woonderfullie mooued against him or if anie one shall a little impaire thy honour howe greatlie wilt thou bee displeased with him Thus farre Granatensis In which wordes hee doeth verie truelie describe the corruption of mans nature that no pure worke procéedes thereof But as long as wee liue in this flesh wee cannot so mortifie olde Adam but he will be mingling his Chaffe amongst the Lords Wheate and his dregges amongst his most cleare water streames of the holy spirit And as hee hath in this place most excellently shewed the grieuousnesse of the wounde so in another place hee shewes the salue and remedie The Souldier sayeth hee comes vvith his Speare and shaking it he thrusts it with all his force into the Lordes heart the crosse being moued with the force of the stroke shakes and by and by out of the fresh wound comes water and bloud to wash awaie the sinnes of the whole world O floud issuing out of Paradice and with thy streames watering the vvhole vvorld Oh precious wound of that side not so much wounded with the fiercenes of the Iron as with the force of loue O gate of heauen Window of Paradise place of refuge Tower of fortitude Sanctuary of the iust the graue of strangers the nest of chaste Doues the fragrant bedde of Salomons spouse Blessed be the wound of that precious side wounding the soules of the godly blessed be that pricking which pricks the soules of the iust blessed bee that beautifull and redde Rose that inestimable Carbuncle the way to Christes heart the testimony of Gods loue the free pledge of euerlasting life Thorough thee all beasts cleane and vncleane doe enter in which desire to be saued from the waters of the floud by the meanes of the Arke of the true Noah All they which are tempted flie vnto thee all those which are afflicted find comfort in thee with thy liquour all those which are sicke are healed through thee sinners do enter into the Palace of heauen in thee all pilgrimes and banished persons doe take their ease most pleasantly O firy Ouen of loue house of peace treasure of the Church veine of the water of life springing into life eternall O Lord open vnto me this gate take me home with thee and make me dwel in this most pleasant house Giue me grace by this to enter into the secret places of thy loue Giue me leaue to drinke of this most sweet Fountaine and make mee drunken with this most precious liquour Sleepe O my soule in this Caue most soundly forget here all the cares and businesses of this world here take thy ease here eate and drinke here sing most ioifully with the Prophet This is my rest for euer and euer here will I dwell I haue chosen this Thus farre Granatensis Wherein hee affirmes that Christes merites and not the merites of Saintes or of Monkes and Friers are the treasure of the Church and that the water and bloud of his woundes heales all sicke sinners And in another place writing of the end of our works he sayeth thus The benefites sayeth hee whereby we do receiue any good De orat Med tract 7. cap. 8 are oftentimes perceiued of men but these secret benefites which doe not consist in bestowing any good vpon vs but in turning awaie and repelling euill who can vnderstand Therefore it is necessary that we giue God thanks no lesse for these then for those other Let vs remember also how many things we doe
is easie to be heard Feare God and keepe his Commandements this is the whole man As though hee should saie hee that doth this is the man regenerate this is the sonne not of Adam but of the Preacher this is the sonne of God by regeneration who feares and loues God and his and kéepes his commandementes This is not the old man whose iudgementes are corrupt but this is the new man the whole man who iudgeth rightlie and discerneth all things But Master Bellarmine would same peruert this place and make it serue for their doubtfull vncertaintie of saluation and first he saith that Salomon speakes only of iust men De Iustificat lib. 3. cap. 4. as those words declare There are iust men and wise men and their works are in the hand of God and man knoweth not that is the iust man saieth he whether he be worthy of loue or hatred First Master Bellarmine dissenteth from Arrias Montanus and from the Hebrew where it is that the seruices of the iust men are in the handes of God not their workes And maie more properlie be referred to seruantes and to liuing creatures which are properlie rather saide to be in the handes of God then anie qualities or vnsensible workes of man Secondlie he makes a coniunction copulatiue betwixt this former sentence and the other which is not in the Hebrew but they are rather two distinct sentences and of diuers matters And this sentence of loue and hatred hath coherence with that which followes rather then with this precedent as the verie Text it selfe being indifferentlie weighed and considered declares which is this Also hatred also loue no man knowes all things are before their faces all things happen to all men alike as well to the wicked as to the godly And therefore as by these outward workes no man knowes the loue or hatred either of himselfe or of anie other The former sentence in the first verse going before of the iust and wise men hath this peculiar doctrine that no man is saued by his owne strength or wisedome but euen the iust men and wisest of the world are in the hands of God he holdes them vp how much more then other baser or meaner men This is the doctrine of that verse and then followes this second verse that No man knowes his loue nor his hatred because all things chance to all men alike And whereas Master Caluine alleadgeth that this reason immediatlie following prooues euidentlie that Salomon speakes of the knowledge which maie be had by euents Bellarmine aunsweres that it is not necessary that the reason should be as large as the conclusion which is prooued by the reason But heere howe doth he dissent from reason for it is necessarie that the reason be as ample at the least naie rather amplier then the conclusion or else the conclusion is naught euen as the foundation of a building must be larger then the toppe or else the builders will make but a tottering building Secondlie he saieth that Salomon would proue that iust men could not surely know whether they were beloued of God or no. Whereas Salomon in this verse speakes of man simplie and not of the iust onelie as in the former Then hee saieth that all things are kept vncertaine to the time to come till we shall haue entred into life euerlasting But the meaning of Salomon is that all the euents of the time to come in this our life are vncertain as the Hebrew phrase declares All things are before our eies that is are vncertaine While they are here men cannot see what will happen till it happen Lastlie he answeres that the iust man may know whether hee be worthy of loue or hatred if the spirite of God reueale it vnto him but ordinarily he saith that the spirit of God doth not reueale that to any man by manifest knowledge but by certaine experiments or inward comforts which do not make certain credit or assurance O diuelish doctrine and absurde against reason Epistola 96. Seneca writes thus verie excellently Our life without a full set purpose or resolution is wandring and vaine If a man purpose a thing he will do it indeed I thinke you will grant sayth he that there is nothing worse then one that is doubtfull fearefull Epistola 75. and vncertaine now setting his foot forward now pulling it backe againe This we shall be compelled to do in all things vnlesse those things be taken away which hinder and pluck backe our minds suffer them not to be valiant As though he should say there is none but by nature he is subiect to doubtfulnesse vnlesse these lets be taken away Thus much Seneca saw by the light of nature and shall not wée sée so much being lightened by Gods spirit especially when as saint Paul sayth that the spirit of God witnesseth to our spirits Rom. 8.15.16 that we are the sonnes of God and Bellarmine sayth that his witnes is not sufficient it doth not warrant and assure vs. Is not this to discredit the Testimony of God It certifieth sayth Bellarmine but not manifestly but obscurely To charge the spirit of God with this obscurity from whence comes it but from the prince of darkenesse The spirit of God is light security and assurance and ioy wheresoeuer it comes But Andradius is not so bold nor so wicked in this matter Andrad lib. 6. ortho explicat he answeres the place of saint Paul thus When as sayth he the holy Ghost can neither be deceiued nor deceiue if it be certaine that any thing is established by the holy Ghosts Testimony it is so surely to be beleeued as the other mysteries of our faith But now here is the doubt whether it may euidently be proued that that Testimony of their soules which men feele be the voice of the holy Ghost or no And we affirme sayth he that can be euident to none without the speciall reuelation of the holy Ghost Andradius affirmes that if the holy Ghost do witnesse his testimony is most certaine and wée must beléeue it as surely as the articles of our créede But hée doubtes whether the holy Ghost doth testifie this so to any mans conscience or no without speciall and extraordinary reuelation But that doubt saint Paul plainely takes away who affirmes that the holy Ghost beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the Sonnes of God And that it not only witnesseth thus much vnto vs but also makes vs cry Abba father which is the effect of this testimony and assurance For without this testimony and assurance who durst be so bolde And therefore hee calles it the earnest of the spirite which euery Christian hath giuen of God in the pilgrimage of this life the manifold dangers and chances thereof to assure him of the certaintie of this couenant and bargaine betwixt God and him of his saluation Thrée thinges euen in our worldlie affaires bring credit and assure anie thing Auncient writinges testifying
that especially helpes to keepe and preserue this peace of conscience is a certaine familiar and a filiall trust which the iust haue in God of which wee will speake briefly which in some of them is so great that there is no sonne in the world which in all his necessities trusts so much in the protection of his father as they do in the protection of God For they know that there is no father on earth worthy of this name if he bee compared with their heauenly father They know that this father hath a care not onely of their bones but also of the very haires of their heads and that not one of them doth fall without his appointment and will These and such other like things they know by faith And they know also by the experience of particular graces and by his prouidence and louing kindnesse which God vseth towards them and they know that God will so certainly prouide for them in all their necessities that they sing ioifully with the Prophet The Lord gouernes me or as some other doth translate it The Lord doth feed me and therefore I can lacke nothing And after Although I walke in the middest of the shadow of death I will feare no euill because thou art with me Such like promises hath the scripture in a thousand places and with the truth of these the iust man is defended as with a most sure shield and therefore he is neither troubled nor any whit moued in all the chances of this life For whatsoeuer is taken from him on the one side he trusts shall be restored againe of God on the other side in matters of greater waight and importance Thus farre Granatensis And what could be more truelie and plainlie written of the great loue which God hath to euerie Christian and of the loue which he ought to beleeue most assuredlie To beleeue this loue of God towards them is the onelie shield of Christians in the manifold chances of this life Take this loue awaie from them and you leaue them naked and what is more contrarie to the doubtfull doctrine of our saluation which the Church of Rome daylie teacheth Ferus speaking of the time betweene Christs death and his resurrection writes thus Fer. Ser. 10. de filio predi What maruell is it saieth hee if the Disciples then doubted whether their faith in Christ were a right faith or no That without all doubt was a most sorrowfull time vnto them when as they were so perplexed in their minds For what doth so torment a mans conscience as then when he is compelled so to sticke in two waies doubtfull of his faith whether there be any hope of grace and mercy or no This I say the holy Apostles and Disciples tried by experience in the death of Christ c. Such a doubtfull faith the Church of Rome now teacheth which Ferus here plainelie condemnes as a most miserable thing In the psalme euerie soule now is called the beloued of God Psalm 118.6 That thy beloued may be deliuered saieth Dauid Let thy right hand saue mee and heare thou me Euerie soule in the sight of God is now Dauid that is beloued is Salomon is at peace with God is Iedidiah on the Lords behalfe But to returne againe to Granatensis after hee addes this And by this meanes the people of God as the Prophet Esay sayth Ibidem shall sit in the beauty of peace and in tabernacles of sure confidence and in rich tranquility where she shall find all things in him who is all in all Therefore the Prophet fitly ioines peace with confidence for one of these comes of another that is peace of confidence for he that trusts in the Lord there is nothing that may cause him to bee afraid or that may trouble him for he hath God his defender and one that prouides and taketh care for him Of the certaintie also of saluation Med die lunae de vener Sacram he in another place writes thus Christ also would make his spowse sure of the inheritance of the heauenly kingdome and he would leaue hir thereof an earnest penie and pledge that being sure of it she might passe ouer without wearines the pilgrimage troubles of mans life There is nothing that doth more forcibly moue vs to cōtemn al these things which are vnder the sunne then the hope looking for of those things which we shal haue in heauen And therefore our Sauiour said when as he was now ready to die I tell you the truth it is expedient that I go away frō you c. And a little after That his spouse might most certainly look for this good thing he hath left hir this incōparable pledge which is of so great price and valew as are those things which by the hope thereof she lookes for And he hath left hir these pledges least she should distrust the promises of God but should verily beleeue that God will giue all things in the life to come which he hath promised where she shall liue by the spirit seeing he hath not denied her the pledge thereof in this vale of misery where shee liueth in the flesh And in the same Chapter a little before Why was it not enough O King of glory to thy most feruent and vnspeakeable loue to haue despoused my soule vnto thee my soule I say which before was a seruant and bondslaue of the diuell but also when as thou hadst seene her to languish in thy loue thou madest for her this mysticall loue medicine which is consecrated and transelemented with these words that it hath power of transforming the soule that eates it into thee and of inflaming it with the loue of thee Nothing declares more manifestly ones loue then to wil to beloued againe Therefore when as thou so earnestly desires our loue and hast sought for it with so great pleasure who is it that hereafter will doubt of thy loue I am sure O Lord that when I loue thee I am loued againe of thee I am sure O Lord that I need vse no new meanes to kindle thy loue towards me as thou hast done to rauish my affections towards thee Thus farre Granatensis What can bee more plainelie saide that euerie one is sure of his saluation then that euerie spouse of Christ that shée might bee sure of her heauenlie inheritance and that shée might passe ouer this pilgrimage ioifully hath receiued a pledge and earnest penie thereof of God and that hereafter now none will doubt of the loue of Iesus Christ towards him why then he is sure of his saluation And in another place Loue and mercy compassed thee about and laide that heauy burthen vpon thy shoulders loue mooued thee to giue me thy goods and mercy caused thee that thou shouldest take vpon thee all my euilles if therefore mercy with loue brought thee vnto such and so miserable a state who euer hereafter wil doubt of the greatnesse of thy loue For if that
be the greatest signe of loue to suffer for him that is beloued what else are all thy sorrowes then speciall testimonies of thy loue If then there are so many testimonies thereof as there are blowes and strokes who will doubt of this loue being confirmed with so many Testimonies Oh then how great is my incredulity which is not ouercome with so many and so great arguments Iohn maruelled at the infidelity of the Iewes saying that When as Iesus had done so manie and so great signes amongst them to confirme his doctrine yet they beleeued not in him O blessed Euangelist cease to woonder at the incredulitie of the Iewes and woonder at mine For it is no lesse an argument to perswade vs to beleeue the exceeding great loue of Christ towards vs that he suffered for vs wherefore if it be greatly to be woondred at that the Iewes beleeued not the preaching of Christ hauing seene his so many miracles how is it not farre more woonderfull that seeing Iesus hath receiued for vs more then fiue thousand wounds in his most tender body that we will yet doubt of his loue towards vs But what a matter will it be if wee shall ioine all the sorrowes and sufferings of his life to those stripes which hee suffered when as hee was bound to the pillar when as he suffered all those euilles for the loue he bare vnto vs what thing else O Lord drew thee from heauen into this valley of teares but loue what made thee come out of the bosome of the father into the wombe of thy mother and there to be cladde with earth and comming out from thence caused thee to endure all kinds of miseries but loue What droue thee into the stable and manger and caried thee after into a strange land as a banisht person but loue what caused thee to take such paines to runne vp and downe hither and thither to watch to endure all the troubles of the long night to compasse about Sea and land to seeke the lost sheepe but loue What bound Sampsons hands and feet what powled his head and bereaued him of al his strength and made him a laughing stocke to his enimies but the only loue of his spouse Dalilah And O Christ what bound thy hands and feet what powled thee and depriued thee of all thy strength and fortitude and gaue thee into the hands of thine enimies of whom thou wast mocked spit vpon and slaine was it not onely the loue wherewith thou louedst so dearly the spouse of thy Church and the soules of euery one of vs To conclude what bound thee to this Pillar where thou stoodest from the sole of thy feet to the crowne of thy head most iniuriously dealt withall with thy hands bound thy ribs torne from their flesh thy members al out of ioint thy body al to be bathed with bloud thy veines cutte in pieces thy lippes thirsting thy toong being bitter as gal and that I may say al in a word al thy body torne and rent and all thy members crusht in pieces O Christ I beseech thee what other thing forced thee into this gulfe of so rowes but onely loue O exceeding great loue O loue full of fauour O such a loue as becomes his comâ—assion and greatnesse who is infinit goodnesse it selfe bountifulnesse it selfe loue it selfe and mercie it selfe Gran. de orat med die Mer. how therefore O Lord hauing so many and so great testimonies as these are can I not beleeue that thou louest mee most dearely when as it is most certaine that in heauen now thou hast not changed thy mind from that since thou wast here vpon earth Thou art not that Pharaohs Butler who when as he saw himself restored againe to his former honor forgat his miserable friend whom he left in prison but thou now abounding with all prosperitie glory and maiesty in heauen loues more dearely thy Sonnes dwelling here on earth then before When as therefore thou hast so greatly loued me how cannot I but loue thee againe How shall I not but trust in thee how shall I not but commit my selfe wholy to thee how shal I not now account my selfe rich and happy enough seeing I haue God mine such a deare friend It is greatly to be wondered at that I should delight in any transitory things in this life or to giue my mind to any outward things when as I haue such a mighty and rich friend by whose meanes all good things both temporal and eternall are bestowed vpon me Thus farre Granatensis wherein he most excellentlie describes the excéeding great loue that Iesus Christ our most blessed Sauiour euer had and euen now hath towards vs so that he that now will doubt thereof is worse then anie Turk Pagan or Infidell for what is this else but to denie that hee suffered all these things for vs And if euerie one is to beleeue assuredlie this excéeding loue of Iesus Christ towards him then surely he is not to doubt of his saluation And after speaking of Christ when as hee was whipped and then againe shewed to the Iewes of Pilate VVee must knowe sayeth hee that Christ euen now shewes to his Father in heauen the same shape and the same countenance Med. die louis which he shewed to this furious people euen as fresh and as blew with stripes and as besprinkled with blood as he was at that day when hee liued here on earth What Image can be more forcible to pacifie the eyes of an angry father then the bloodie countenance of this his sonne This is that golden propitiatory this is that Raine-bow of diuers colours placed in the cloudes by the sight whereof God is appeased this delights the eies of God this satisfies his iustice this restores to God againe the honour that man had stolne from him this yeelds to God that seruice which his greatnes requireth Tell me O thou faint-hearted Christian whosoeuer thou art distrusting of the goodnesse of God if the shape and forme of Christ was such that it was able to pacifie the eyes of such cruell enemies how much more forcible shall it bee to pacifie the eyes of a louing Father especially when as he suffered all things which he suffered for his honor and obedience Make a comparison of eyes with eies and of person with person and thou shalt easily perswade thy selfe that thou art more secure and certaine of the mercy of this father if thou offer vnto him such a shape and figure of his sonne then Pilate was of the compassion of the Iewes then when as he bringing forth Iesus shewed him to the people Therefore in all thy prayers and temptations lay hold on this Lord for a shield and put him between thee and thy God offring him and saying Behold the man Behold O Lord God here thou hast that man whom thou soughtest for so many hundred yeares that he might be a mediator between thee miserable sinners Behold how thou hast such an excellent
of the sonne 1. Thes 5.5 Mat. 14.31 They are children of light Peter maie doubt and also be afraide but hee cannot be drowned Luk. 22.31 Matth. 8.24 Psalm 94 18. Sathan may fift him but his faith shall not faile The shippe euen wherein Christ is maie be full of water but it cannot sinke Dauids foote may slippe but Gods mercie holds him vp The fire maie bee couered with ashes Psal 116.10 30.6 8 9 31. but at last it will burst out And Dauid will speake with his tongue God maie bee angrie with his ouer night but ioâ—e shall come in the morning If Dauid seede breake Gods law and do not walke in his iudgements if they prophane his statutes and keepe not his commandements He will visite their iniquities with a rodde and their sinnes with scourges but his louing kindnesse will he not take vtterly from them nor suffer his trueth to faile He hath sworne once by his holinesse that he will not faile Dauid The Apostles maie bee at their wittes ends 2. Cor. 4.8 but neuer driuen to despaire For that saying of the Prophet Esay shal stand fast for euer to Christs Church and to euerie member thereof Esay 54.7 For a moment in mine anger I hid my face froÌ„ thee for a little season but with euerlasting mercie haue I had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy redeemer For this is vnto mee as the waters of Noah for as I haue sworne that the waters of Noah should no more goe ouer the earth so haue I sworne that I would not be angrie with thee or rebuke thee that is to destruction Ferus verie excellentlie confirmes this Doctrine In cap. 19. Act. vpon these words If they had receiued the holie Ghost or no Being about to search out whether they beleeued aright or no he enquires whether they had the chiefest fruit of faith which is the holy Ghost And the holy Ghost though it be inuisible yet it doeth make manifest it selfe by many signes This is a most sure and euident argument of the holy Ghost and of a true faith the security of our conscience For the holy Ghost witnesseth to our Spirits that we are the sonnes of God not by nature but by adoption and by the grace of God It doeth also encourage vs and make vs take pleasure and delight in God and it makes vs to stand and to trust without any care or feare as Iohn sayth We now know and beleeue the loue that God hath towards vs. To feele this loue of God is to be wel affected towards God in praising of him in giuing him thanks and in beleeuing in him And being iustified through faith we are now at peace with GOD. What is better then peace What is more excellent or more to bee wished for then peace with God This is the chiefest and most excellent good thing in the world as on the contrary to haue God our enemy is the greatest euill in the world as Cain had whose sinnes the Lord discouered so also he brings to light al the sins of the wicked of whom the holy Prophet writes thus I will reprooue thee and set thy sinnes in order before thy face And againe Psal 49. I will discouer his shame he is a vagabond and cursed vpon the earth and in his labours But the Christian hath peace and what peace I pray you is that Heare what God saith by his prophet I will heale all their sorrowes and griefes and I will loue them freely Esay 47. for mine-anger is turned away from them If God forgiue sinnes who shall condemne vs If hee loue vs freely what can the hatred of the world hurt vs If hee asswage his anger what harme can the diuels malice doe vs So he sayeth in Esay I will not be angry for euer c. This is our true peace but from whence haue we it Surely from no where else but only by Christ And hence he is called The king of righteousnes and of peace As Melchisedecke also who was a Type of him was also in times past adorned with these titles He therefore that as yet lacks this foresaid peace truely cannot haue neither the holy Ghost not a liuely faith And what else is this frée loue this forgiuenesse of sinnes this turning awaie of anger this Christian peace which euerie Christian must haue which hath receiued the holie Ghost and hath a true and sure faith but the certaintie of his owne saluation And they answered we haue not as yet heard whether there be any holy Ghost or no. These frankely and freely and very apparently bewray and confesse their ignorance they haue not as yet heard that the holy Ghost doth worke these things in the hearts of the faithful And how many are there at this day who haue beene a great many yeares Christians and yet neuer haue felt this peace of conscience when as it is the first and principall vertue of the Gospell to make quiet our consciences Ferus here complaines greatlie of the want of this peace and shall wee not exhort all men then diligentlie to labour for it They which haue not this quietnesse and peace of conscience haue not as yet tasted the first droppe of the Gospell Of the force of faith both in the receiuing of the holie sacraments and in the certaintie of our saluation that lesson of Granatensis is worth the marking De Euch. lib. 3. cap. 1. He that sayth hee with all his soule and with all his strength striues to be purged from his sins and to be cured of all his faults vites and imperfections and to bee enriched with heauenly graces and now from wandring after the vanities of this world to returne to his beginning againe let him so order and gouerne his life that he may be fit verie often to receiue and be satiated with this most excellent Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ and by this meanes inwardly to be vnited with our most glorious God euen as if one should droppe a droppe of vvater into a Tunne of Wine so that if all creatures were gathered together they could not find any space or distance betweene such a soule and God himselfe And although perchance a man doe not feele in himselfe by and by this vnion yet let him not be troubled in his mind but with a most strong faith let him beleeue Christ who saith He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me and I in him And how much lesse he feeles God in himselfe so much more assuredly let him beleeue him for then his faith shall be more perfect and shall receiue greater rewards of God if so be he doe as much as in him lyes Thus farre Granatensis This is the nature of faith to beleeue the word euen against reason against sense The more lets and obiections which it ouercommeth the greater Crowne it shall haue And this is that which S. Paul saith The iust man shal
conclude this matter for of miracles I shall haue an occasion to speake hereafter Ludouicus Viues a Papist writes thus of Legenda aurea Lud. Viu de caus corr art lib. 2. The French men saith he write of the French and the Italians of the Italique and the Spaniards of the Spanish and the Germans of the German and the English men of English affaires and some others to please some other countrey And the Author thinkes that he hath sufficiently plaied his part if he haue commended as much as he can that nation he respects not the truth of the matter but the glorie of the countrey Neither in the writings of the acts of the Saints is there any greater regard of truth in which all things ought to be exact and absolute Euerie one wrote their actes as he was affected towards them so that the Authors affection indited the historie and not the truth How vnworthy of the Saints and christian men is that historie of the Saints which is called the Golden-Legend which I cannot tell why they call it golden when as it was written of a man hauing an yron mouth and a leaden heart what thing can be named more dishonourable then that booke Oh what a great shame is it to vs christians that the most famous actes of our Saints are not more truely and sincerely committed to memorie either for the knowledge or imitation of so excellent vertues as were in them when as the Greeke and Roman writers haue written so diligently of their captaines Philosophers and wise men Thus much Ludouicus Viues affirms He smelled Satans sleights in these matters He was not ashamed to confesse his blacknesse and that euen the most part of their Legends are lies I could wish that all true Catholiques would doe the like and marke well what S. Paul teacheth that Antichrist shall come by the working of Sathan 2. Thess 2.9 with all power and signes and lying wonders in all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnes among them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued Let all true Catholiques hate all lies whatsoeuer though they be in their Legend and loue Gods word which is truth it selfe Psal 119.142 Osorius of the Iewes writes thus De Sap. ◠lib. We haue not as yet touched the greatest euill wherewith they are afflicted and what I pray you is that you will saie vnto me their raging madnesse by which they hauing forsaken the studie of the law and the Prophets they haue gotten vnto themselues other learned helpes Search the Scriptures saith the Lord himselfe for they beare witnesse of me That this thing which Christ commands the Iewes might not easily doe Sathan by his sleight and subtiltie deuised that they despising the study of the holy Scriptures might spend all their life in studying of poysoned and hurtfull doctrines The Greeke and Latine Poets faine many things but yet wittily and finely not to deceiue any but to delight from whose fables many things may be verie fitly applyed to our maners and to our life but the Iewes inuent and coine such things which haue no delight in them at all For they are verie absurd and foolish not beautified with any eloquence of wordes or of speech which they haue committed to writing not that they might delight the mindes but that they might intangle them with errors For they say that God did not make perfect the heauens and that the light of the Moone was diminished for her pride enuie And that our first father Adam before Eue was created had copulation incestuously with all other beasts and that all other trees when as he had transgressed the Law of God did lift vp aloft from him both their leaues and fruits least he should take any commoditie by them and that only the figge tree because she was guiltie of his offence for it was the fruit thereof they say which our first parents did taste against Gods commandement did yeeld to them her leaues wherewith they might couer their priuie parts c. Such vanities Sathan deuised for the Iewes to kéepe them occupied withall when as they forsooke the studie of the Scriptures And hath he not done the like in the Popes kingdome When the studie of the scriptures was neglected as before hath béen shewed This Osorius confesseth and wee haue by experience prooued true And after he writes thus Thus much onely I will say when as Mahomet in his Alchoran hath fained many things not onely impudently and wickedly but also foolishly and blockishly yet in many places the Iewes in the monstrousnes and impudencie of their fables haue gone beyond Mahomet So that Mahomet being compared to them may seeme to bee some bodie And yet these Maisters of the Rabbines are read and learned and with these wicked disciplines as Esay prophesied their youthes are intangled and these are imprinted into them in their tender yeeres as Gods testimonies Surely the like maie wee saie of the monstrous lies and fables which Sathan deuised in time of Popery and were giuen to be taught children in steed of Gods worde as were the fables of Beuis of Hampton Valentine and Vrson Houleglas Clyme of the Clough and such like Surely all these like apples grew of the same trée came no doubt from that father of lies and from that prince of darkenesse Sathan And being saith he delighted with these studies they despise the studie of the law of God and they verie seldome take the Prophets into their hands and they place the chiefe wisedome nowe in this shoppe of madnes rashnes and wickednes And doe not manie euen so amongst vs who will seeme religious They will delight to heare a plaie or to reade some vaine historie but the Lawe of God they will not take in their hands But saith Osorius as concerning the maners and dealings of their liues with what errors and wickednes doe they pollute the puritie of the lawe For that they expound the law that it is necessarie that he which is condemned of the greater part of the iudges shall suffer punishment But he that is condemned by the sentences of all the iudges shall be acquited And he that shall go about to kill a Citizen by false witnesse shall die but he that shall kill one shall be absolued As though the purpose of hurting without taking effect were worthy of punishment but hauing obtained his purpose were worthy of praise It is also lawfull for them by the decrees of their Rabbines to defraude Christians of their money to take their liues from them to beguile any nation to inuent crafts and deceits to wish a plague day night to the innocent c. With such corruptions and false expositions of the law is that doctrine stuffed which they call Talmud which professeth that it obserueth the letter of the law verie diligently And doth not the Pope so expound Gods law that yet if anie man kill another he maie dispense with
which call vpon him and beleeue in him c. This great zeale and loue of Christ towards his verie enemies in the midst of all his torments must néedes worke an assured confidence that he will now heare vs which beléeue in him And therfore we néede not flie to anie other in our prayers but only to him If he so willingly saith Ferus forgaue the sinne done against his owne person he will no doubt farre more easily forgiue vs. Therfore we come boldlie and without all feare to God hauing so louing a patron and aduocate Fer in 4. cap. Mat. Ferus also of Inuocation that it is a part of Gods honour writes thus Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God This adoration consists not in bowing of the knee or such like but in spirit and truth To worship God to beleeue in him to serue him to cal vpō him without these thou art an Idolater whatsoeuer thou doest if thou loue or feare any other thing more then God if thou in thy necessitie call not vpon him for for this cause he sends thee aduersities that thou shouldest call vpon him And they haue not inquired after the Lord but haue trusted in the helpe of Egypt And so many of vs do Thus farre Ferus Here we may plainlie sée first that Ferus makes this Inuocation of God a speciall part of Gods worship or Latria and that to this end to make vs to call vpon him he sends vs afflictions Secondly how he reprooues them that trusts in Egypt that is in man either liuing or dead or in what thing soeuer Dom. 23. post pent conc 2. Philippus de dies also of prayer writes thus Whosoeuer doth knocke at the doores of the tender mercie of God with his prayers with faith and reuerence with humilitie and sure confidence with all which this woman was furnished he truely toucheth the Lord and drawes his vertue and spirit to him Therefore happy is he that truely can say with the Prophet I will offer the fat burnt offrings He offers to God fat burnt offrings which offers him prayers full of humilitie assurance of obtaining them and deuotion And he offers prayers without marrow which offers prayers without loue deuotion or attention And these whether they be Clergie or Lay-men although they pray a great number of Psalmes or of other prayers as a taske without any intention of the minde blessing God with their mouths but with their hearts giuing themselues to pleasures and delights in the streetes these truely thrust the Lord they touch him not because they onely touch him with their bodies and not with their spirit And therefore they receiue from him neither any vertue or grace What must we doe then brethren Truely that of Saint Paul I will praie with my spirit I will pray with my minde I will sing with my spirit I wil sing with my minde Thus much Philippus de Dies Wherein he condemnes all the Latine prayers made of the ignorant and simple people which vnderstand no Latine And such were almost all their prayers in the daies of our forefathers because they lacked this marrow of truth and confidence of the assurance of obtaining their prayers at Gods hands they lacked this minde and vnderstanding which S. Paul speaketh of And as Dies truely affirmes they that pray so thrust and throng Christ but they touch him not Stella also to the same effect writes thus In 1. cap. Luc. My soule doth magnifie the Lord saith the blessed virgin Marie And that verie fitly for God is to be praised rather in heart and minde then in voice according to that of S. Paul Sing to God in your hearts And after My soule saith she doth magnifie the Lord because my toong stambreth neither can it number all the benefits bestowed vpon me Therefore I offer the inward affection of my minde in giuing of thanks And againe Where we are taught that God is to be praised rather in minde and heart then in body But many haue the prayer of the voice onely and mouth and not of the heart to whom the Lord saith This people honoureth me with their lips but their hearts are farre from me And of our Sauiour Iesus he writes thus In that they led Iesus with them to Ierusalem Idem in ca. 3◠Luc. thou oughtest to learne that in all thy iournies and in all thy trauailings most sweete Iesus ought to accompanie thee Haue him alwaies before thine eies let no worldly matter enter into thy minde but in all thy affaires direct all thy thoughts to him as it were to a marke If we ought to haue him alwaies before our eies why should we haue then anie other And that Iesus Christ is so louing towards vs that we néede not haue anie other he writes thus after preferring his great loue towards vs before the loue of Iohn the greatest saint in the world and so by a consequent before anie other saint whatsoeuer Therefore saith he Iohn preached in the wildernesse because in the Citie there are so many sins and abominations that Iohn could not abide them Iohn was grieued at the heart neither could he digest so many sinnes But when as he saw the Pharisees he could not abide them but he burst out saying O ye generation of vipers c. But Christ hath a better stomacke to beare with our iniquities and to cure our infirmities as one that loues vs with all his heart and with all his affection and winkes at the sinnes of men that they might repent And for this cause Iohn would not enter into Cities that he might not see the lying of artificers the vsury of merchants the vanitie and pompe of noble men c. Thus farre Stella But quite to ouerthrow all inuocation of Angell or Saint whatsoeuer Coloss 2.18 doth not S. Paul most euidently write thus Let no man make you shoote at a wrong marke or defraude you of your price at his pleasure through humilitie in worshipping Angels intruding himselfe into those things he knowes not puffed vp vainly by the conceipt of his owne flesh As though he should saie If any man teach you this doctrine that it is humilitie to worship Angels and that you maie not presume to come in Gods sight such a one beguiles you he makes you lose your price lose your reward For he that runnes in a race must obey his pleasure that maketh and appointeth the game masterie If you pray neuer so much and fast neuer so often if you doe not these according to Gods word in the name of Iesus Christ you lose your price and he that teacheth contrary is puft vp of the pride of his owne minde he followes his owne reason and not the light of Gods word and therefore in these matters is starke blinde and knoweth nothing As S. Paul teacheth of all such If any man saith he teach any other doctrine and giues not heede respects not the holesome words of our Lord Iesus