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
that is of the sorrowes of a woman trauelling with child eueÌ„ to Tabbaath to the last moneth in the yeare which answereth to our December which for the abundance of waters Psal 137.8 1. Pet. 5.3 which commonly are â—herein is called in Hebrue Tabbah which signifieth to be drowned Surely such flouds of sorowes and calamities remaine for Rome the daughter of Babylon Reue. 17.2 which Saint Peter calleth Babylon as the prophesies of the holie Scriptures do teach Nay Saint Iohn describeth her most manifestly That great citie which is built vpon seuen hilles and raignes ouer the kings of the earth Psal 73.27 Ier. 3 1. made them drinke the wine of her fornication What citie in the world is thus built and hath had this authoritie ouer Kings Reuel 17.17 and hath made them drinke wine of fornication that is Idolatrie which is so called in the Scripture but Rome The day shall come that these her louers those kings which with one consent haue giuen their kingdome to the beast shall hate her and shall eate her flesh and shall burne her with fire Wee see now the former of these fulfilled so no doubt wee shall see the latter also When God shall put it into their hearts and when his wordes are fulfilled and that euen in one day If Rome be in this case may shee not fitly be called the afflicted tottering house And therefore as the father and prince of the Madianites Dan may resemble the Pope and the Madianites his souldiers which shall one of them kill another so Beth-hashittah may resemble Rome their castle of refuge And God deales euen now as mercifully with his Church 2. Chro. 20.22 as he did in the dayes of good king Iehoshaphat against whom when manie nations had conspired and came to make warre it is thus written When they began to shout and praise the Lord the Lord himselfe laid ambushmeÌ„ts against the children of Ammon Moab mount Seir which were come against Iudah they slew one another 1. King 18.13 Ioh. 3.1 Luke 25 50. Matth. 27.19 euen so the enemies of the Church of God at this day by Gods speciall grace and mercy one of them kill another And euen as in the law Obadiah Ahabs steward nourished the Prophets of the Lord and Nichodemus and Ioseph of Arimathea princes amongst the Iewes Phil. 4.22 Ierem. 38.7 and euen Pilates wife fauoured Iesus Christ euen so now also in the Gospell the Popes darlings and Friers some of them fauour the truth And as Saint Paul also had some friends in Caesars house and Ieremie in the kings court so now hath the Gospell some friends among the Popes traine and that in no smal matters There is no one thing I am perswaded at this day doth so dazell the eyes of a great nuÌ„ber that they cannot behold the cleare light of the Gospel keeps theÌ„ stil in the obedience of the Church of Rome as the reading of Granatensis Stella Ferus Philippus de diez such like But all shall clearly see in this book how that in the principall points of religion they ioyne hands with vs. And that we may say of them 1 King 22.43 as we reade in the booke of the Kings of Iehoshaphat that he walked in all the wayes of Asa his father and declined not therefrom but did that was right in the eyes of the Lord neuerthelesse the high places were not taken away and the people offered still and burnt incense in the high places Good men haue their imperfections So these follow the way of the Fathers in preaching and setting forth zealously the word of God in maintaining the authoritie thereof as also the knowledge reading and meditation thereof they teach also the true vse of prayer with faith deuotion vnderstanding our perfect redemption by Christ and the assured faith that we ought to haue in him and how that we ought to trust in his merits and not in our owne works his exceeding great loue towards vs and the great corruption of our nature without his grace In these points they worship God aright with good king Iehoshaphat and they followe the wayes of their fathers But yet the high places are not taken away they burne incense there still They maintaine the Popes supremacie their patron Col. 2.18 2. King 9.20 10.28 they make prayers to Saints and Angels through their ouermuch humilitie as Saint Paul teacheth vs. Their great and good zeale is like to that wee reade of Iehu And the marching is like the marching of Iehu the sonne of Nimshie for he marcheth furiously And againe So Iehu destroyed Baal out of Israel but from the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat which made Israel to sinne he departed not He was the founder of his kingdome The policie which he deuised to maintaine his estate and kingdome hee also although it were against the word of God embraced So these are zealous Mark 12.34 but they also maintaine their founder the Pope and his authoritie We may say of these truly as our Sauiour Christ in the Gospel sayd of that Scribe Thou art not far from the kingdom of God no more surely are these So that heere good gentle Reader thou maist see Popery pulled vp euen by the roots by the hands of Papists themselues The true Catholike faith out of the Scriptures out of the Fathers out of the mouthes of them who seeme to be the verie enemies therof this small Treatise teacheth Euery one therefore that tendereth his own saluation let him mark wel that faith which herein is taught In the time of ignorance God might and no doubt did shew mercy but now at midday in the most cleare sunshine of the Gospell now I say to shut the eyes is wilful murther Reu. 14.8 For in the Reuelation our daies are most liuely expressed Then I saw saith S. Iohn another Angel fly in the midst of heauen hauing an euerlasting Gospell to preach vnto them that dwel on the earth and to euery nation and kinred tongue and people saying with a loud voice Feare God giue glorie to him for the houre of his iudgement is come and worship him that made heauen and earth the sea and the fountaines of waters Are not here our daies most euidently declared The preaching of the euerlasting Gospell the worshipping of God alone that made all things and not of any creature nay the verie time For the houre of his iudgement is come This preaching of these doctrines and this preaching of the Gospell shall be immediately before the iudgement Hee that is not starke blind cannot choose but see this Now followes the Church of Antichrist And there followed another Angell saying It is fallen it is fallen Babylon the great citie for she made all nations to drinke of the wine of her fornication Here is likewise the Church of Antichrist most euidently described She shall make all nations drinke of the wine
prepared to bring foorth fruits We maie note here how he likens the heart of man vnregenerate to the earth which of his owne nature is colde and drie vnapt altogether to bring forth anie fruits Euen so is the heart of man of his owne nature now being corrupted through sinne vnfit to bring forth any thing that is good And a little after he writes thus I will shewe the same more brieflie and with a plainer example Thou seest a henne that sits vpon her egges first she warmes them and after by the vertue of that heate she giues them life till at length she hatcheth a chicken after the same maner the soule humbly continuing vnder Gods winges in prayer is made partaker of the heate of his spirite by the meanes whereof by little and little she looseth that which she was and she puts off the maners of olde Adam and is partaker of that second Adam which is of God So that as the continuance of that heate makes of an egge a chicken so the continuance of this by Gods grace makes of a man euen a God that is of a fleshly man a heauenlie Here is plainelie mans Regeneration set out Man of himselfe is like an egge hauing no life in him to goodnesse and by the heate of Gods spirit by little and little he is as it were hatched againe and made perfect And after the same author writes thus Will you vnderstand in few words how necessarie it is for a man now being perfect euer to stand in the sight of God and to haue his eies fastned vpon him for this is it which we call continuing in praier let him consider the proportion and the necessity which the moone hath with the sunne whose presence is euer necessarie to her for this example will shewe what we meane verie excellently Thou shalt finde therefore first that the moone hath no light nor brightnesse of her selfe but shee borrowes and takes that of the sunne so also our soule hath no light no brightnes no vertue no grace no fitnesse of deseruing any thing of her selfe but what good thing soeuer she hath she receiues it from the sunne of righteousnesse Iesus Christ What can be said more plainly or truely then this that one soule of it selfe hath no light no clearenesse no power no fitnesse of deseruing any thing And where is then mans fréewill Orat. 5. pro impet amore Dei And in another place hee writes thus I departed from thee like the prodigall Sonne and I went into a farre country and not inhabited where louing vanity I became vaine my selfe I was blind and I desired blindnes still I was a bondslaue and I loued this bondage I was bound neither did my bondes dislike mee I iudged sower sweete and sweete sower I was a most miserable wretch and perceiued it not When I liued in this miserable estate thou didst cast the eies of thy mercie vpon me and though I sinned without ceasing yet notwithstanding thou didst not cease to reclaime me from sinne c. Man delighted in his sinnes hee was not like a prisoner with his giues that longes to haue them taken from him as other Papists teach he had no will to be loosed at all Orat. 6. And againe after Thou art my shepheard for thou feedest and rulest my soule as a sheepe of thy flocke thou art my meate thou art he wherewith I am fedde in that diuine Sacrament of the Altar thou art my father and the father of the world to come For thou hast borne mee againe with great paines vpon the tree of the Crosse and hast giuen me a new essence by the Holy-ghost thou art my head and the vniuersall head of thy Church For from thee as from a head vertue life and spirituall sense flowes into hir and into all hir members Thou art my true Phisition for with thy blood thou hast healed the wounds and wannes of my soule In his regeneration man receiues a new essence by the holie ghost saieth Granatensis and all spirituall powers and senses from the head Iesus Christ and not from Adam Againe the same Granatensis writes thus of Herode Thou seest here in Herod Med. 9. vitae Christi murdering the young innocents what madnes the pride of mans heart and the vnhappy desire of rule would creepe vnto seeing that hee hath not onely surpassed all tyrants in cruelty but also all fooles in folly This my brethren is the misery of mans heart this is the nature of inordinate loue of our selues Selfe loue will proceed thus farre And certainly perswade thy selfe that thou shouldst also commit shipwracke against the same rockes if so be thou hadst the like occasion offered if so be that the grace of God did not preuent and preserue thee No mans will naturally is better then Herods we are all as ambitious as blood thirsty by nature as he if Gods grace did not preuent and preserue vs. This is Granatensis his opinion Againe the same writes thus of mans naturall corruption and of the great benefit of his iustification This our nature Lib. 2. Mem. cap. 2. by originall sinne is depriued of that state and naturall straightnesse wherein God created it For God created it right and straight and lift vp to him thorough loue but sinne bowed it and enclined it to her selfe that is to the loue of these visible things which she loues aboue God and makes more accompt of then of God himselfe For euen as a man which is borne from his mothers wombe crooked or hutchbacked can find no medicine nor any thing in the worlde whereby hee may recouer his naturall straightnes euen so whenas our will is borne thus naturally as it were hutchbacked and crooked no man is able to bring it againe to this straightnes and so to erect it to God that it should loue God aboue all thinges but God which created it Therefore as we cannot obtaine this loue which surpasseth all thinges without God so hee cannot also aboue all things bee sory for his sinnes without the speciall gift and helpe of the same God for the one of these depends of the other VVherefore thereof did not our Sauiour without cause say No man comes to me vnles my father draw him To come to Christ is nothing else but to loue Christ aboue all things and to hate sin aboue all things Such loue and such sorrow for his sinnes no man can haue of himselfe as is required vnles God giue it him When as God therefore deales so with a sinner it is the greatest fauour and greatest good thing in the world that he can doe vnto him For how much greater is the gift of glory aboue the gift of grace so it is a farre greater thing to draw man out of sinne and to place him in grace then he now being in grace to bestow glory vpon him For there is far greater distance betweene sinne and grace then betweene grace and glorye And therefore Thomas Aquinas
passe Fer. in Act. cap. 21. he reckons vp vnto them the workes of God and he ascribes all things to God and he accompts himselfe but as a seruant or instrument As also in other places What is Paul What is Apollo but Ministers by whom you haue beleeued I haue planted and Apollo hath watered but God hath giuen the increase The which things when as they heard hee shewes that they gladlie heard what things Paul told them of the profiting of the Gentiles and they glorified God they also ascribe all thinges to God Here it is worth the marking how in the Primitiue Church all the Saintes of God when as themselues or others had doone anie thing well they all attributed it wholie and onelie to God excluding themselues as in this place Paul and all the faithfull doe And in the Acts when as Peter and Iohn had healed the creple Act. 3.12 Peter said vnto the people Ye men of Israel why maruell you at this or why looke ye so stedfastly on vs as though by our owne power or godlines we had made this man go The God of Abraham and Isaac and Iacob the God of our fathers hath glorified his son Iesus whome ye betraied c. And S. Paul speaking of the almes of the Church of Macedonia 2. Cor. 8.1 writes thus We do you also to wit brethren of the grace of God bestowed vpon the Church of Macedonia And after not onelie he calles it so but also they no doubt as hee had taught them Verse 4. And they prayed vs with great instance that wee would receiue that grace and that fellowship of the ministring which is towards the Saints And after Saint Paul applying their example to the Corinthians Verse 6. writes thus That we should exhort Titus as he had begun so he would accomplish the same grace amongst you also And after As ye abound in euery thing Verse 7. in faith in word and knowledge and in all diligence and in your loue towards vs euen so see that you abound in this grace also And after speaking of Luke whose prayse is in the Gospell thorough all the Churches and not so onely but is also chosen of the Churches Verse 19. to be a fellow in our iourney concerning this grace that is ministred by vs. Wée maie note here how both the almes it selfe and the verie exhortation to giue the almes is accompted a grace They called and accompted all the good thinges they did in those dayes grace 1. Pet. 4.11 And so likewise Saint Peter teacheth Let euery man as he hath receiued the gift minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold grace of God If any man speake let him talke as the words of God If any man minister or do any seruice or good worke in the Church of God let him do it as of the hability which God ministreth that God in all things may be glorified thorough Iesus Christ To whome bee praise and dominion for euer and euer Amen Saint Peter here teacheth vs to accompt all good workes the manifold graces of God yea euen euerie good word we speake And that we should doe all thinges that God might be glorified in all our workes And the greatnes of this worke makes him also abruptely breake off his Epistle and euen himselfe there to yéeld this praise glory of God No doubt all christians in those daies had perfectlie learned this lesson for so wee read of them when as they heard that Paul preached now the faith Gal. 1.24 which before he destroied They glorified God in me saith Saint Paul They woondred not at him as some would haue doone but they gaue God the glory they acknowledged his hand his worke And saint Paul writing but of the care that Titus had to moue the Corinthians to giue almes 2. Cor. 8.16 Thanks be vnto God saieth hee who hath put into the heart of Titus the same care for you Thus they call all good works the grace of God and all good thoughts as it were put into our hearts by God and they glorified God in all things And to the same effect Ferus writes againe thus Fer. in Act. cap. 22. VVhen as Gods light comes vnto vs the eies of reason must bee shutte and we must follow what waies it leades vs. And after Marke here how hardly mans will submits it selfe to Gods will for it euer repines against it and had rather haue the matter otherwise then God would haue So Moyses although he heard sentence pronounced against him yet he saieth I will goe and see the land so also Ionas being scourged of God would hardly obey So Ezechiel although he foretold the iudgement of God yet notwithstanding he lamenteth it whereby hee declares that hee had rather haue it otherwise if it were possible so doth Paul here These examples are written that we may see how that the Saints haue had their imperfections least we should despaire when we find the like affections in our selues Mans will by Ferus his iudgement is euer spurning against Gods will it doth not willinglie and freelie worke with grace as the Papists doe teach And although he doe defend free will in some other places saying That the greatest things that free will herein affoords is Fer. de filio prod Ser. 6. that it obeyeth grace and embraceth grace and makes it profitable to it selfe when as otherwise by our owne free will we should very slowly or neuer rise from our sinnes if the grace of God were wanting and should not worke with vs both in the beginning in the middle and in the end yet saieth he our will must of necessity bee added thereunto for Augustine saith he that created thee without thee will not iustifie thee without thee And Saint Paul Not I but the grace of God with me But yet after he addes this Secondly marke here what cogitations faith puts in mans mind I wil say saith he father I haue sinned not ordinarily but aboue all measure I haue euen sinned against heauen I will not excuse my selfe vnto thee but I will plainly confesse my selfe vnworthy of all grace and fauour c. All these things saith he are quite contrary to nature which can hardly be brought that it should say I haue sinned or that it should accompt it selfe vnworthy vpon whome any benefit should be bestowed but it selfe will euer be in the first place and it desires to be highly accompted of c. Here Ferus plainelie teacheth the repugnance betweene nature and grace nature must haue a new will put into it or else it will neuer embrace these cogitations these good motions Lib. 5. de sapientia Osorius also out of Plato verie excellentlie paints out the nature of man Call to remembrance saieth he that great caue or denne which he most wittily hath deuised and those chaines wherewith he makes men to be fast bound that they cannot behold the
light and those vaine shadowes which seeme to mooue hither and thither and to speake and those resemblances of thinges which those men which are thus bound in yron chaines falsely iudge to be things indeed He could not more fitly by any other meanes haue set before our eyes the liues of wicked men For they beeing here groueling on the earth and in loue with their bodies and chained with the innumerable chaines of vices cannot turne their minde that way that they may beholde the light and the true shapes of things For there is no trueth indeed in these bodily and earthly but in diuine and eternall things Therefore all the commodities of this life haue no firme or sound thing in them but onely beare a face or shew of good things And men being now acquainted with these shadowes and being deluded with these Images of things do with tooth and naile pursue after false good things and being effeminated with the false sweetnes of pleasure are so kept in bondage that they are now enemies to all those which woulde ridde them out of those bonds would endeuour to bring them to heauen that they might behold the true sunne indeed and the true light and true men and true good things that is that they might behold heauenly and diuine thinges and that they might haue the vvhole force of their minds fixed in euerlasting things Thus farre Osorius This is mans estate before regeneration to delight in sinne not to be able to be hold the true light naie to be euen an open enemie to those that shall go about to draw him from this bondage or shall endeuour to make him see his owne miserie and vnhappinesse so farre off is he from embracing the true light if it be offered vnto him This is Osorius his iudgement in this place And a little after hee writes thus Is it not most certaine that this is graunted to Christians to behold God as often as they stirre vp their weake faith and doe deuoutly pray for Gods grace that being loosed from these bonds and turned away from these shadowes of things and turned to the true good things indeed that they may mount vp with their minds into heauen and that they may beholde those most excellent and eternall riches and may enioy that sweete and most pleasant familiaritie and talke with God with vnspeakeable ioifulnes Here plainely appeares what effects the grace of God works in mens soules It not onelie looseth them from the stronge and iron chaines of their sinnes but also it withdrawes them from the loue of vanities and turnes them to the loue of vertue and true godlinesse These effectes here Osorius attributes to the grace of God man of his owne nature hath them not Ambrose of mans duetie to God writes thus De Abraham pat lib. 2. ca. 8. That soule which is full of wisedome and righteousnesse is more deuout in the worship of God and paies her tenthes of all the fruits of the earth according to a more heauenly wisedome herein in that she referres the perfection of all her senses and workes to God shee challengeth nothing to hir selfe which is not able to gouerne her selfe vnlesse she were vnderpropped with Gods fauour c. All Abrahams children of their father must learne to paie these tenthes to God But for the maintenance of frée will Rom. 7.18 that place of Saint Paul maie be obiected To will is at hand but to doe good I cannot tell how to do it Saint Austen expounds this place thus De praed gra ca. 13. Although that same will is not of vs it is the gift of God because of him wee haue both to will and to do according to his good pleasure And concerning this place Austen first expounded it of a man vnregenerate but after he changed his mind and expounded it of the regenerate as appeares in his Booke Contra Iu◠cap. 11. Ambrose also is of the same mind with Austen herein and expounds this place of the regenerate speaking of the strife that was betwéene Abraham and Lot which he allegoricallie applies to the soule of man Lib. 2. de Abra. cap. 6. Hereof comes saieth he the discord of our cogitations when as the flesh rebels against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh Then there is no small combate when as the Apostle himselfe the Lords chosen vessell saith I see the lawe of my flesh resisting the law of my mind and bringing me in bondage vnder the law of sinne which is in my members He himselfe coulde not pacifie this combate and therefore he fled to Christ saying O vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death that is that I cleaue not to the pleasures of the flesh Who is it that shall loose me from these bonds and shall set me free and shall writh rather the senses to the sobriety of the mind then to the drunkennes of the body but because amongst men he could not find such a guide turning to God he saith The grace of God by our Lord Iesus Christ If he that was so strong trusted not in his owne strength that he might escape the body of death but sought for helpe of Christ what shall we do who are weaker c. Phil. de Dies sum prae dic Tit. amor hominis erga Deum I will conclude this point of free will with a saying of Philippus de Dies When as onely God is the author of the reasonable soule and that the will is a power of such a soule it followeth manifestly that onely God can moue it not onely in bestowing the nature and essence vnto it but also the willing of that which is good and also the end which is the conclusion of all our willings Therefore wee must desire of him with most earnest prayers with that kingly Prophet Incline my heart O God vnto thy Testimonies 2. Of Justification De indulg POligranes a Papist of Christs merites writes thus We must know that Christ the son of God by his works and passions did deserue many things of God his father To himselfe glorie and exaltation as Saint Paul saith for which cause God hath exalted him c. He hath deserued also to men a generall satisfaction for their sinnes For by his bloud hee hath washed away the faults and by his death hath restored the grace of iustification You are iustified freely saith the Apostle by his grace Rom. 3. by the redemption which is in Christ Iesus But by this his merit he hath so freely washed away the faults that according to the faith of the Church and of the holy scripture he hath left some part of the punishment vnredeemed which is either here to be redeemed with the workes of mercie or els to be paied hereafter And therefore thirdly he deserued that he which of himselfe hath deserued it through speciall faith and deuotion might forgiue this punishment himselfe which we
thou art yet thou hast somewhat wherein thou must confesse thy selfe a sinner before God Here is our saluation the free mercie of God bestowed vpon vs in Iesus Christ that we should knowledge our selues euen damned creatures if Christ had not deliuered vs and howe perfect soeuer we are still to acknowledge our selues sinners before God and therfore of our selues deseruing damnation And after he writes thus By these it appeareth that of Adam we are borne euill and wicked for euen as a field of it selfe without seede brings foorth no fruit if any thing growe it is either Tares or if it be like good fruit yet there is nothing in it it is but meate for beasts so truely the sonnes of Adam vnlesse they be regenerate by Christ bring foorth nothing but euill fruit and if they shall seeme to bring foorth good fruit as the Philosophers taught morall vertues yet they are vaine they iustifie truely and haue their glorie In cap. 13. mat but with men not with God Whereas Ferus saith that the sonnes of Adam vnlesse they bee regenerate by Christ bring forth nothing else but euill fruites the Romane Corrector bids put out nothing but as though man could doe some good without Christ What is this els but to gainsaie the Gospell Iohn 15.5 where Christ saith meaning of good without me you can do nothing In cap. mat 14. And of Christ in another place he writes thus Neither by any other meane meaning Christ Iesus saieth Ferus canst thou passe ouer the sea especially at the extremitie of death which on the one side will make thee affraid and the Diuell on the other side and behinde thee the multitude of thy sinnes what wilt thou doe in this case If thou respect these daungers thou seest nothing but the sea and the depth therefore thou must needes despaire remember therefore that thou looke onely vpon Christ neither doubt any thing for by this meanes thou maiest passe ouer as Peter did Thus farre Ferus And hee teacheth plainelie that by no other meanes then by Christ we can passe ouer the sea of death But the Roman Corrector bids put out that and put in without this meane we cannot passe ouer death And whereas Ferus bids vs onely haue an eie to Iesus Christ the Corrector bids put out onlie They must haue an eie to their owne workes and an other to Christ as it should séeme so iniurious are they euen to Christ himselfe who is our only Sauiour Esai 63. who alone trode the wine presse for vs as himselfe witnesseth Of iustification also Ferus writes thus In cap. 16. Io. The holy Ghost shall reproue the world of righteousnesse because I go to the father my righteousnesse can pierce the heauens and come before God and not any other righteousnesse And after The holy Ghost sheweth that the righteousnesse of the world sufficeth not to saluation And then he shewes that there is one only true righteousnesse with God that Christ is gone to the father that is that his death and resurrection iustifieth vs. And of faith he very excellently writes thus I require no great price but as I haue promised freely so I will giue freely onely if thou canst but beleeue in me In Ioh. cap. 11. Faith therefore is the meane whereby we obtaine the life and resurrection and all the goods of Christ Ferus of mans righteousnesse writes thus In cap. 4. Ioh. All mens righteousnesses are more vncleane then that they may iustifie vs or may commend vs to God If any man seeke righteousnesse out of the lawe howe much good soeuer hee doth yet he cannot obtaine thereby peace of conscience yea thereby also his conscience is the more disquieted the law often times accusing him that at length he is compelled to trust onely to the mercie of God and to say we are vnprofitable seruants and no flesh shall be iustified in thy sight Also in another place he writes thus In cap. 3. Ioh. Furthermore also by this word may be vnderstood that onely Christ by right and merit ascended into heauē for to him by right belongs the kingdome of heauen because he is the naturall sonne of God And therefore he saith all thine are mine And Dauid saith The heauen of heauens are the Lordes but the earth hath he giuen to the children of men All others which haue ascended or shall ascend haue this onely of grace by no right but because God onely hath promised this of his mercie neither our works of what kinde soeuer they be are so great that they may deserue this reward either of right or of desert but in as much as God accepts them in mercie Hereof it is that Saint Paul saith The sufferings of this life are not worthy the glorie we shall haue And the same Paul saith The waight of eternall glorie aboue all measure surpasseth all the sufferings of this life And of these he collecteth That we are saued by grace and not of workes least any man should glorie And lastly so that word may be vnderstood that no man by his owne righteousnesse may stand or appeare before God but onely Iesus Christ neither any maruell For all are gone out of the way and are altogether become vnprofitable And also if any good workes of righteousnesse appeare in vs yet we haue euer more sinnes so that Dauid iustly cried out If thou Lord shall extreamely marke what is done amisse who may abide it Furthermore our good workes haue some imperfections in them yea for the most part they are infected with vain glory or with some other fault of the old man so that it is truely said All our righteousnesses are like a defiled cloth And for this cause also Dauid praied Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified If therefore our righteousnesse cannot stand in Gods sight how could it open heauen vnto vs or deserue the holy Ghost to reconcile vs to God But Christ dare appeare before God because he is the sonne of God and all other being damned and quite vndone he onely hath the fauour and grace of God he onely possesseth righteousnesse and to conclude he onely hath in himselfe all the good gifts of God Also onely his righteousnesse is acceptable to his father because it is mingled with no sinnes yea it is most pure hauing proceedeed from the great loue and charitie of his father That all the world may know saith he that I loue the father I doe as the father hath commanded And Saint Paul saith he was obedient euen to death Therefore he alone could deserue for vs the opening of heauen the loue of his father and the holy ghost By this word therefore Christ would humble vs that we should neuer presume of our selues nor of our owne righteousnesse not that we should doe no good but that we should acknowledge our selues vnprofitable seruants although we shall haue done all that
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
owne but all their riches is Gods But maister Bellarmine seemes to make them proude beggers as hauing somewhat of their owne to which wages or reward is due by desert Stel. in 2. cap. Lucae Of the true right end of good works first Stella writes thus Secōdly circūcision principally was giuen to Abraham for a signe and it beganne in him and ended in Christ When wee will keepe Lettuce or cole wort seed we wil giue them a marke so because Abraham was to be kept in the flesh that Christ should be borne of him because also he was kept for seed God therefore marked him with the signe of circumcision Did not as Saint Paul saith Abraham take the signe of circumcision God commanded him circumcision that his friend should bee marked with some outward signe for it doth not please God that we should be his friends inwardly but he will haue vs also to declare our friendshippe by some outward token If this be true what kind of little shew of Christianity is there now amongst vs Christians now in the streetes you shall heare nothing but oathes blasphemies lies thefts sports vanities So that we may rightly say that saying of the Prophet Osea There is no truth there is no mercy there is no knowledge of God in the land but cursing and blaspheming murther lying theft and adultery haue ouerflowed and bloud toucheth bloud If a Turk or some Infidell should walke thorow this City wherein should he iudge vs better then himselfe There is more truth found among Infidels then amongst vs. If thou be a Christian shew the Signe of a Christian shew me thy faith by thy works and therefore Christ saith Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heauen Diddest thou neuer walke by a field and there when thou diddest see a Vineyard well dressed and well fenced didst thou not say This Vineyard hath a good and diligent Master for I see it wel pruned and kept in order so be thou good chast deuout humble modest that the Infidels which see thee may say Surely the God of the Christians must needes be a great God because he hath such seruants Thus far Stella Here is the principall end of all good workes that they should glorifie our heauenlie Father that they should testifie our faith that they should bee as it were Badges and Cognisances by which might bee knowne whose seruauntes wee are And againe of the same matter to the same effect hee writes thus Marke how the blessed Virgine offers to God the gift shee hath receiued of him so we also by our thanksgiuing must offer to him againe all things we haue receiued from his hand For all the streames of graces do proceed frō that huge sea of the mercy of God and God doth aboundantly distribute them and powre them vpon vs Euen as therefore all floudes returne into the Sea from whence they came so must we offer againe to God all the good things we haue because they haue proceeded from him for who planteth a Vineyard and doth not eat of the fruit thereof Whom wilt thou loue else but him who hath giuen thee power that thou maiest be able to loue Therefore God why should he not enioy the fruite of thy loue because he hath planted in thy soule a will wherewith thou mightest loue him If thou doest any good works if thou hast anie graces or vertues or gifts of nature heare what Saint Iames saith Euery best gift and euery perfect gift is from aboue descending from the father of light yea also if thou haue any good thoughts they are of God as the Apostle teacheth We are not sufficient to thinke any thing of our selues as of our selues but our sufficiency is of God therefore giue to God that which is Gods As here it is manifest that the Virgine did Be not a tyrant take not to thy selfe the workes of God but giue them to God which gaue thee them freely Many take their soule in vaine which do not giue it again to God of whom they haue receiued it Wherefore Dauid saith Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lorde or who shall stand in his holy place And he himselfe makes an answere which hath not receiued his soule in vaine A thing is receiued in vaine when it is not vsed to that end whereunto it was made thou hast made thee a garment and thou wearest it not that garment is made in vaine for a garment is made to be worne Thou hast bought a horse and thou neuer ridest on him thou hast bought him in vaine for thou vsest him not to that end for which he was made and found out God hath giuen thee an vnderstanding that thou shouldest know him a will wherewith thou shouldest loue him a memory where with thou shouldest remember him but thou because thou entanglest thy vnderstanding in discerning worldly matters in gaining riches in seeking for honours in getting worldly goods and thou imploiest thy will in louing the flesh and goods of this world and exercisest thy memory in thinking vpon iniuries which haue been doone vnto thee least thou shouldest suffer them to escape vnpunished these things being well considered it must needes follow that thou hast receiued these powers of thy mind in vaine because God hath created them not to this purpose but to serue him They also haue taken their soules in vaine who liue as though they had no soules giuing themselues to couetousnesse riot and ambition Thus far Stella Where wee maie learne first that as all waters come from the sea so wée must acknowledge all the good wée haue what soeuer to procéede from God and by our thankefulnesse to returne it to him againe And as another Papist very fitlie affirmes Pet. Greg. in pref Sintax actis mirab As all flouds come from the Sea by certain secret passages and do speedily returne thither againe but not with that purenes that waters from spoutes come from conduits but cary with them filthines and slime which they haue gotten by running thorow the chanels of the earth to the mother from whence they came and yet she doth no lesse now embrace them then she did before and acknowledgeth hir owne and by hir often ebbing and flowing casts all those slimes and filthinesses vpon the shoare so al the good things we haue O gracious God saieth hee flow from thy woonderfull and vnspeakeable wisedome euer worthy to be adored oft vnto vs by inuisible pipes and conduits of thy great mercy and liberality But when they come into this earthly sinke of ours it cannot chuse but they are polluted with the manifold darknes of our ignorance and that they take to them many dregs yet thy gifts ought to returne to thee againe and to be consecrated to thee what kind soeuer they be of otherwise we shall commit theft and sacriledge to thy glory Thus far Petrus Gregorius Hée confesseth that all
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
holy Ghost sayeth our Sauiour shall glorifie me for hee shall take of mine and shall shew vnto you he shall imprint Christs death and passion in the harts and minds of the faithfull Secondlie he makes that signe not to bee an externall signe but an inward signe But after hee addeth Hee doeth not onely seale vs with the Sacramentall print which can neuer be blotted out of the soule but also with his grace which may be blotted out and lost through sin But here hee goes besides his Text for both Ezechiel and saint Paul and S. Iohn Reuel 7.2 mentions but one signe not two and therefore that print of baptisme which he saith cannot be blotted out is the grace of God And S. Austen and the best Diuines say A Sacrament is an outward signe or seale of Gods inuisible grace Aug. Epist 23. in Psal 77. so that the inward print of the sacrament in the soule is the grace of God by saint Austens iudgment which inward print of the sacrament can neuer be blotted out saieth Pintus And therefore neither can the grace of God be blotted out and so the saluation of the faithfull is most certaine And to saint Austen agreeth also saint Paul 1. Cor. 6.11 But such like ye were in times past but yee are washed yee are sanctified yee are iustified in the name of our Lord Iesus and in the spirit of our God here is both the outward signe and the inward print of baptisme To be washed outwardly and to be sanctified to be iustified by the Spirit of God inwardly The same doctrine saint Peter teacheth who speaking of the arke of Noah 1. Pet. 2.21 The type whereof sayeth hee saueth vs now euen baptisme not the putting away of the filth of the flesh here is the outward element which of it selfe is not auaileable But the request or prayer of a good conscience to God here is the inward print or seale of the holie Ghost Rom. 8.26 whose chiefe propertie is to teach the faithfull to pray as they ought to pray And here is that same lesson repeated againe of saint Peter which hee taught in the Acts that He that calleth on the name of the Lord shall bee saued Here is Those pure hands which saint Paul also requires in prayer Act. 2.21 which saint Peter calles a good conscience This is the inward print of baptisme by saint Peters iudgement To this also agreeth saint Paul in another place As many as are baptised haue put on Iesus Christ here is also the outward signe Galath 3.27 and the inward print the putting on of Christ Iesus here is the sanctification and iustification of all the faithfull whereof saint Paul spake before which they doe receiue in their baptisme And here first they which flatter themselues that they haue faith and will doe no good works doe deceiue themselues For if the holie Ghost bee imprinted in their soules and if it be compared to fire of Saint Iohn who saieth to the Iewes Mat. 3 1â— that Afterward Christ shall baptize them with the holie Ghost and with fire then it will shew it selfe it wil shine by good works it wil burne in charitie it will worke through loue Gal. 5.6 Can a man carie fire in his bosome and will it not burn and giue light So is it as impossible to haue the holie Ghost in our soules but it will inflame vs with the loue of our neighbours it will make vs shine in all good works it will make vs reprooue sinne and therefore the holie Ghost fell vpon the Apostles in the shape of fiery tongues Act. 2.3 And therefore Dauid saith as saint Paul also alleadgeth him 2. Cor. 4 13. I haue beleeued and therefore I spake And our Sauiour Luke 12 49. I haue comen to send fire vpon earth and what will I but that it burne Secondlie they are reprooued which will not reade nor heare the word of God the preaching of the word is called 2. Cor. 3.8 The ministration of the Spirit God hath appointed meanes to obtaine all things as plowing and sowing to obtaine Corne eating and drinking to sustaine nature studie to obtaine learning no doubt as we cannot obtain any of these without these meanes which God hath appointed no more can wée obtaine that other therefore how greatlie deceiued are they which thinke to haue the spirit of God without hearing the word it is euen as though they should think to haue corn without plowing or streÌ„gth without eating or learning without studying Oh that men would bee wise therefore that they would bee as carefull to procure those meanes which profit their soules as they are those meanes which profit their bodies For their bodilie health to take the aire they will climbe vp hils they will walk by water sides Gen. 1.2 Psal 23.1 130.1 The spirit of God is caried on the waters of coÌ„fort the holy scriptures are those holy hils the spirit of God blowes in them continually be as carefull for the soule to be conuersant amongst these as thou art for the bodie amongst the other When Peter preached The holy Ghost fel vpon Cornelius Act. 10.44 8.29 Luke 24.15 vpoÌ„ al that were present when the Eunuch read the holie Ghost sent Philip a Schoolemaster vnto him when the Apostles talked of Christ in their iourney he was straight waies in the midst of them Surelie if we would so occupie our selues the same effects would follow euen now The holie Ghost if wée would diligentlie and humblie reade the scriptures would not send Philip to vs to bee our schoole master but would come to vs euen his owne selfe as saint Iohn tels vs 1. Ioh. 2.27 Now we neede not that any man should teach vs for the holy Ghost himselfe teacheth vs. But here Pintus will obiect why then shall all they bee saued which are baptized Surelie there is an inward and an outward baptisme they which are both inwardlie and outwardlie baptized they which haue once put on Christ Iesus they which are sealed with the holie Ghost shall most assuredlie bee saued but not all which are outwardlie washed although wee are to saie with the Apostle 1. Cor. 6 11. Gal. 3.27 Ye are washed ye are sanctified And again as manie as are baptized haue put on Christ Iesus This christian hope wee ought to haue of all our brethren The seale may bee applied to the waxe and make no print but that wee must referre to the secret iudgements of God Wée must here saie O Lord how vnspeakeable are thy iudgements Rom. 11.33 Iohn 10.27.28 and thy waâ—â—s past mans finding out My sheepe saieth our Sauiour heare my voice I knowe them and they followe mee I giue them eternall life and they shall not perish for euer and no man shall snatch them out of my hand The sunne maie bee eclipsed but neuer lose his light the faithful are the sonnes
of God because the eternall father for the exceeding great loue wherewith he loueth vs he cals that his saluation which is our saluation Wherefore also the Prophet Esay speaking in the person of God saith Esa 42. I haue giuen thee to be a light to the Gentiles that thou maiest be my saluation euen to the vttermost parts of the earth O blessed and praised be such a God who loues vs so that he calles our saluation his saluation Saint Paul also shewes vs this loue saying I beseech you 1. Thes 4.1 that you walke as you ought to walke and to please God for you know what commandements I haue giuen you by the Lord Iesus for this is the will of God euen your sanctification Marke I beseech you what commandements these are and what is this will of God The former words did seem to require that he should haue added This is the will of God that you should praise him that you should offer him sacrifice and yet notwithstanding hauing made that preface before he addeth that the will of God is Our sanctification which in truth is accounted one of the greatest good things which man hath Therefore O my brethren giue thanks to God for this his singular loue wherewith he loues you for his will and that thing which most pleaseth him is your profit and commoditie This loue wherewith the highest loueth vs he cals the coards wherewith he drawes vs vnto him when as he faith by the prophet Osee Ose 11. I will draw them with the coardes of Adam that is with what affection I made Adam their first parent holy and created him in grace as the interlmeal Glosse expounds it with the same loue I will sanctifie these which he addes expounding it In the bonds of loue that is with the affection of charity Whereas another translation hath I wil draw them with the coards of men that is with the same loue that I bound vnto me Abraham Isaac and the other patriarches I wil also ioine them vnto me Although Lira expounds it thus With coards that is with benefites bestowed vpon them which drawe the heart of man and are certaine bonds of loue Saint Ierom expounds it otherwise that is I haue had a care of them for the coards and bonds of loue wherewith I haue bound Abraham Isaac and Iacob vnto me Wo be vnto vs if so be that we shall not be thankefull for such singular loue as those fathers were Thus farre Philippus de Dies If this ought to bee the faith of all Christians and that they ought to haue this firme and most assured beliefe of the loue of God towards them and that not onelie the Scriptures but the fathers doe teach them most manifestlie this excéeding great loue of God towards them who then will doubt of his saluation To doubt is plainlie to denie this excéeding great loue And after of the loue of Christ our redéemer hee writes thus Ibidem Tit. amor Christi Cant. 1 Whereas we reade in the Canticles My beloued is to me a grape of Ciprus another Text hath My loue is to me a cluster of Camphire O heauenly and most fit similitude Alcamphor is a certaine Tree whose gumme hath this property that if a graine or a little of it be kindled with fire and be put in a Lampe full of water it will giue a most cleare and bright flame It is a woonderful thing that that flame should not be extinguished with the water but that it should burne and shine more clearely This graine and not onely a graine but a cluster is our Lord Iesus Christ For those waters of the vnthankefulnes of his enemies and those waters of so manie and great torments which entred in euen to his very soule did not only quench his loue but caused it to glister shine more brightly while it shewed more manifestly his vnspeakeable loue patience mildnes and liberality When as euen the selfe same night wherein he was betraid he ordeined that most high mystery of his most blessed body and bloud and hanging on the crosse prayed for his enemies Let vs learne of this our heauenly master to shew loue to our enemies and to haue in greater trauell and paines greater patience Thus farre Philippus de Dies Such a loue must euerie Christian beleeue that Iesus Christ hath towards him that no waters in the world either of sinnes or of vnthankefulnesse is euer able to quench and this flesh and bloud and our spirituall enemie go about to make vs often forget And therefore saint Paul prayeth for the Ephesians Ephes 3.19 Iud. Ep. v. 21. that They maie know the loue of Christ which passeth all knowledge and that they maie be filled with al the fulnesse of God And this also no doubt Saint Iude meaneth in his Epistle when as hee sayeth Keepe you your selues in the loue of God Theodoret also writes thus of this matter In ca. 8. ad Heb He cals heauen the vaile c. God hath promised the kingdome of heauen to all that beleeue in him we hope for saieth hee those good things and we hold fast this hope as a sure Anchor for this Anchor beeing hid in the bottome of our hearts will not suffer that our soules should bee dasht hither and thither And also by another mans hee shewes the certaine hope of our good things and such a hope as cannot be gainesaid Whither our forerunner Iesus is entred for vs for our sakes saith he He became man for our sakes he gaue his body to be slaine and hauing vanquished and ouercome death he hath ascended into heauen being the first fruits of them which sleepe And he hath giuen vs here a greater confidence by calling him our forerunner For if he be our forerunner and hath ascended for vs then we must needes follow him and ascend also And Basill writes thus of euerie Christian In examer Homilia 5. Thou also shalt be like a fruitfull Oliue in the house of God neither shalt thou euer bee depriued of thy hope but shalt euer haue thy saluation flourishing in thee through faith Ambrose of the certaintie of our saluation writes thus Ambros de Iacob beat vâ—t cap. â— But thou fearest the manifold chances of this life and the deceits of the enemy when as thou hast God himselfe to be thy helper and his so great fauour towards thee that he spared not his owne sonne for thy sake The scripture hath vsed a comfortable word that it might declare the good will of God the father towards thee who offered himselfe wholy to die for thee In that he was a father he left nothing to himselfe he offered it all for thy sake onely hee left not the fulnesse of his deity Consider the loue of a father as concerning pity hee hazarded the life of his sonne he drunke for thy sake the sorrowfull cuppe of one that is childlesse least the price of thy redemption should not haue
name I am in the midst of them And he was at the same time present with Peter at Ierusalem For he fils heauen and earth And this is the comfort of the godly that God is present with them in all places and therefore in all places they may call vpon him for he is nie vnto them that call vpon him in truth Here is a forcible reason whie we should call vpon God alone because he alone fulfils heauen and earth and therfore in all places we maie boldlie call vpon him So are we not sure of the presence of anie creature els so that when we praie to them we maie perchance praie to the walles Ferus speaking of the woman that powred the pretious ointment on Christ writes thus Fer. de pass part 1. Marke with what confidence this woman comes vnto Christ whom notwithstanding that same holy man Iohn was affraid to touch at Iordan She conceiued this confidence by no other meanes then of the often tried and approued goodnesse of Christ therefore it was not rashnesse in this woman but great charitie and exceeding loue So also the faithfull although they be not now altogither without sinne yet they dare boldly say vnto God our Father Ibid. Of Peters refusall also to Christ to washe his féete he writes thus Againe in this Peter also erred that as should seeme because he would haue reuerenced Christ therefore he refused this his seruice Euen as in another place also he repelled Christ from him when as he said Depart from me Lord for I am a sinner yea but if thou shalt thinke thy selfe to be a sinner yet thou must not put the Lord from thee This seemes to be a kinde of reuerence but it is a preposterous reuerence proceeding of flesh and bloud As many for their vnworthinesse thinke that they dishonour God if they pray vnto him or receiue the sacraments But faith thinkes farre otherwise that is that he dishonors God which sins and not he which craueth pardon and vseth the meanes ordained of God to heale his sinnes so he dishonoureth God not which endures his seruice but he that refuseth him and preferres his owne iudgement before the will of God It is a good thing to confesse our owne vnworthinesse nay we ought to doe it It is a good thing also to reuerence the Maiestie of God but this goodnesse turnes it selfe into superstition if we exclude the seruice of Christ for out vnworthines Therfore let vs not feare to come vnto God because he commaunds vs to come vnto him and to call vpon him Come to me saith he all yee that trauell c. And againe Call vpon me in the time of thy trouble Nay thou yeeldest to God the greatest honour if thou shalt call vpon him faithfully And againe thou dishonourest him with the greatest dishonour that may be if he calling thee vnto him and promising thee helpe thou despise him by not comming vnto him so also thou yeeldest greatest honour vnto Christ when as thou endurest his seruice towards thee Hence it is that Marie sitting as it were quietly and idly at Iesus feete enduring Christs ministerie which he yeelded vnto her by preaching is farre more honourably commended then busie Martha To conclude if thou wouldest haue health thou maiest not put away the Physition from thee yea come thou so much the more boldly to him as thine infirmitie or vnworthines is the greater So also in our necessities concerning these our temporall and worldly things we respect neither our owne vnworthinesse not the dignitie of any other so that we may be helped and relieued So he that is hunger-bit and almost famished will not feare to speake to any be he neuer so honourable being forced with the extremitie of hunger doe thou so likewise c. And after Also hee couertly shewes his Apostles by what means and as it were greeses or steps they must climb vp to God For we cannot come to the father but by Christ for he is the way And we cannot come vnto Christ vnlesse we receiue his Apostles that is their words therfore we must begin to climbe vp to God by the hearing of his worde He that receiueth this receiueth Christ and he that hath Christ hath the Father and he that hath the Father hath all good things c. So that to heare Gods word is the first steppe to climbe to God and then in what case are they that refuse to hear Gods word preached Secondly by hearing Gods word we are taught the next steppe that is to make our praiers to Christ only for Gods word teacheth vs to make our praiers to God by the means of no other And therfore the inuocation of saints is no step of this heauenly ladder by Ferus his iudgement Ferus of Christ being whipped and spit vpon writes thus Fer. part 3. pass Thinke these things with thy selfe O Christian behold Christ in this forme and plight and thou shalt neuer despaire of his grace for he will neuer forsake thee trusting in him which suffred so great things for thee deseruing nothing at his hands And of Christs mother the blessed virgin hee writes thus For at other times Christ seemed to vse hard speeches vnto his mother that is when as the worke of God was to be done Fer. de pass part 4. as in the 2. of Iohn Mat. 12. Luk. 12. For when as Gods businesse is in hand all mans affections must cease and giue place But here on the Crosse he acknowledgeth his mother most faithfully and curteously c. In Gods affaires all motherlie affection must cease saith Ferus but the forgiuenesse of sins and such like are Gods affaires therefore in these matters the blessed virgin medleth not Of the first word that our Sauiour spake on the Crosse Father forgiue them Fer. part 4. ◠for they know not what they doe Ferus writes thus When as the Lord Iesus was made now a true sacrifice and now he was come to the fulfilling of our redemption and saluation although he were oppressed with vnspeakeable torments yet remembring wherefore he suffered such things that is for our sakes therefore forgetting all his griefes and paines he begins to encounter with his fathers anger with his prayers and now he begins to execute his office he begins his priesthood he is become a mediator betweene God and man an intercessour and a defender of vs and he sets himselfe wholy as an inuincible wall against his fathers anger for he could not forget his naturall goodnes Therefore whereas others would haue cursed blasphemed and rayled he praies and that not for himselfe but for others and not onely for others but for his most deadly enemies and his crucifiers who notwithstanding had been woorthy either to haue beene deuoured with fire from heauen or to haue been swallowed vp of the earth And a little after If Christ prayed so earnestly for his crucifiers how much more now doth he make intercession for those
saying And it shall come to passe that before they shall call I will answere and while they yet speake I will heare Hee must needs be very hard harted and starke blind who is not mooued with such words and promises that he may consider and perceiue the great mercie and goodnesse which thou vsest towards thy seruants And who would not willingly suffer any thing that he might be accounted in the number of them c. To make intercessors to God what is it but to doubt of these promises both of the Prophets and of the Gospell then to doubt of this readinesse of God which Granatensis here teacheth to heare our praiers If this be true we neede no intercessors Cap. 33. And after Great is the loue wherewith fathers loue their children and yet the fathers tender heart will not suffer that the sonne that hath married against his will or hath done any such like fault should once come into his sight But yet the tender mercie of this our heauenly father although a man haue done vnto him all the iniuries that can be deuised if he returne to him with all his heart doth not despise him but receiues him as he did the prodigall son forgiuing all his trespasses and faults The prophet knew this when as he said O Lord thou art our father Abraham is ignorant of vs and Israel knowes vs not but thou O Lord art our father and our redeemer and thy name is from euerlasting This thy loue O Lord springs of thy goodnesse from which proceede two most profitable streames that is thy mercie and thy loue the one that our infirmities might be cured and the other that thy good things might be imparted to vs. If therefore this thy fountaine be infinit what shall the floud of loue be that proceeds from it Therefore I neither fear nor am affraid nor distrust although I acknowledge my selfe to be a sinner so vnworthy to be beloued For how froward soeuer I am he that loues me is good so good that he wil not reiect sinners yea he cals them vnto him he receiues them and eates with them To all these tokens and works of thy loue another is added O Lord because thou art loue it selfe thy Euangelist witnesseth this when as he saith God is charitie and he that dwelleth in charitie dwelleth in God and God in him O truely sweete and wonderfull thing to haue such a God who is altogither loue and whose nature is charitie c. Such a faith should all Christians haue of God and such a confidence in him And this faith the Gospell teacheth And what néeds then any intercessors to so louing a God and mercifull a father Cap. 28. And againe he writes thus The greatnesse of thy goodnesse besides all these thy mercie doth most of all testifie which thou vsest towards sinners bearing with them with so great kindnesse looking for them with such great patience yea being offended of them yet calling them to grace and pardon and being iniuried by them euen drawing them to reconciliation Nay to conclude offering them satisfactions and opening to them the rich treasures of thy merits How easily art thou found of them how soon doest thou heare them how mercifull art thou in receiuing them how liberall in pardoning them I am greatly amazed O Lord when I remember the mercie which thou vsedst towards Manasses that king of Iudah to whom after his strange idolatrie after the bloud of thy Saints shed so plenteously after so great and horrible iniquities when as he asked pardon of thee thou didst not only forgiue him all his sinnes but also didst deliuer him from most cruell bondage and didst restore him againe to his kingdome not denying saluation to him by whose wickednesse so many soules had perished and for whose haynous acts that noble Citie of Ierusalem with that most famous and holy temple was ouerthrowne and become desolate Thus farre Granatensis And this is to declare the name of God Iohn 27.26 I haue declared thy name saith our Sauiour and will declare it that the loue wherewith thou hast loued me may be in them and I in them This is to declare the name of God how mercifull how kinde how louing God is how readie he is to heare sinners and willing to pardon them For otherwise God hath no proper name that Christ declared vnto vs. And this euerie Christian is bound to doe And hereof dependeth a great reward that God will loue such preachers and declarers of his name that is of his mercie and goodnesse euen with the same loue that he loued Iesus Christ And here then let all Christians take héed how that they doe derogate anie thing from this name Titilman a Papist in his exposition of S. Iohns Gospell expounds this place thus These places of Granatensis I haue rehearsed thus at large both for the excellencie of the matter contained in them and also to declare how resolute he is in this matter The same Granatensis as in his whole booke of deuotion he doth highlie commend prayer and would that no other businesse or studie whatsoeuer should hinder that affirming prayer to a Christian to be like Sampsons hayre which when it was cut away he was no stronger then another man euen so saith he the strength of a Christian consists in his prayer Take that away from him and he shall be of no strength at all So he declares most excellentlie how we should praie De deuot li. 3. cap. 42. Christians saith he that pray are in this place to be admonished that making their prayers they doe that with as great deuotion and marking as lies in their power For hereof depends all the force and fruit of prayer for in Gods eares as Bernard witnesseth an earnest desire is a great crying and a colde or slothfull minde and intention is a low voice for his eares are open rather to the voice of the heart then to the voice of the body By this it may be plainly perceiued how barren and fruitlesse the prayers of some men are as well cleargie as lay-men which with such haste and speed runne ouer their deuotions and Psalmes that they seeme not at all to talke with God For they would not deale so negligently and carelesly with man if they had any thing that they would earnestly obtaine at his hands For as Salomon testifieth The poor man beseecheth but the rich man speaketh roughly For he that feeles his owne want and miserie and couets earnestly to be relieued in these as he desires this from the bottome of his heart so he praies with all his hart with as great earnestnesse as he can saying with the Prophet I haue cried with my whole heart heare me O Lord. I would to God men would vnderstand remember when they pray with whom they speak and about what businesses they speake For if they knew that they talked with that same great maiestie at whose presence the
we feare all the warres persecutions or enemies of all the world besides let the diuell and all his do what they can against vs. We rest our selues most securely in the Kinnam in this nest or cabbin purchased with such a great price for vs. And this nest our Sauiour Christ himselfe shewes vs saying Iohn 14.1 let not your hearts be troubled beleeue in God beleeue in me In my fathers house are manie resting places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it were not so I would haue told you I goe to prepare a place for you Gen. 6.14 And thou shalt pitch it from within the house and from without with pitch This pitch wherewith the hoords of the Arke were pitched both from within without signifies christian charity We must loue our God we must loue our family we must loue our neighbour We must loue all these within in heart and without in worke This pitching must be from within and from without it must procéed to others Charitie is called an other mans good It must not be all for it selfe that is no charitie that is selfe loue that is Sathans tarre which will not fasten or ioyne things togither it is not Gods pitch And here we may note that pitch not pinnes or nailes must ioyne all the boords of Gods Church togither we should all be ioined togither through loue and not by force not by compulsion by word and not by sword The pitch of charitie should binde euerie true Christian more then anie bonde of parchment But now this ioyning togither of pitch and of Christian charitie is cleane gone now men séeke and studie how to ioyne men to them by nailes by force by authoritie by obligations by hard dealing and not with loue not with charitie not with courtesie But such ioyning is not Christian like it will neuer continue Paper ioyned togither with pitch or glew will sooner rent then be seuered such is the ioyning togither of charitie Now euen in that holy league of mariage they trust more to parchment bonds then to this bond of charitie bonds of parchment must assigne women their dowries and portions after their husbands deaths they distrust that bond of charitie but in truth it is surer and stronger For in truth men will rather die then for sake them whom they loue And what doe we doubt then of their goods But the ioyning togither with nailes and other things maie be easily separated and the things neuer the worse And such are all the ioinings and counterfaited loues which are made with force and hard dealing and authoritie rather then by charitie And thus thou shalt make it Verse 15. the length of the Arke shall be a hundreth cubits and the breadth of it fiftie cubits and the height of it thirtie cubits Here is the portraiture of Christs church it is longer then it is either broad or high Here are faith charitie and hope The mysterie of faith is thrée hundreth cubits it is verie deepe it is vnsearchable Eph. 3.18 And therefore Saint Paul praieth for his Ephesians that they may know what is the height depth length and breadth he meant no doubt of the crosse of Christ and of faith in him crucified He had relation to some thing and it maie fitly be applied vnto this Secondly charitie is fiftie cubits hauing relation to the yéere of Iubile which was euerie fiftith yeere Leu. 25.11 wherein was forgiuenesse of all debts letting loose of all that were in bondage as well lands as seruants and a ioyfull and generall freedome and libertie proclaimed euen their fields that yeere had also their Sabaoth Such naie farre greater should be christian charitie euerie yéere that shadow is vanished awaie and the true sun hath shined Iesus Christ Col. 2.14 and hath fréed vs from the great debt of our sins that we did owe vnto God Heb. 2.14 and hath deliuered vs out of the hands of that mightie and cruell tyrant Sathan and hath freely giuen vs the kingdome of heauen Luc. 12.32 So that now in his kingdome euerie yéere euerie thing should reioice No man considering what Iesus Christ hath done for him and remembring that he hath commanded vs to loue one another Ioh. 13.34 as he hath loued vs should now in anie matter deale hardly with his brother Who will now denie him light trifles either in giuing or in forgiuing who hath receiued such great gifts such a great pardon who now will not liberallie deale with this earth that hath so freely receiued heauen Mat. 18.24.28 Who will not forgiue a hundreth pence that hath forgiuen him a hundreth talents Who will not now lend freely Luk. 6.35 1. Cor. 4.7 euen hundreths if he be able that hath lent him all that he hath What hast thou that thou hast not receiued These cōsiderations if we were not stony harted should make our Iubile eternall Luk. 6.38 it should make vs giue that we might haue giuen vs againe It should make vs forgiue when as our debters being our brethren be not able to paie vs. Considering how we our selues one daie Luk. 7.42 being bankerupts and not able to pay any thing must craue forgiuenesse not onelie of iniuries and blasphemies against the maiestie of God but of debts in not vsing well these talents we haue receiued at his hands Luk. 16.1 Mat. 25.25.12.36 Luk. 18.9.14.11 Thirdly the Arke was but thirtie cubits in height to teach vs humilitie Our hope must be humble we must not trust in our selues we must not bee prowd of our workes we must not be prowd at all Our hope must be but thirtie cubits hie it must be limited in three Mat. 28.19 Mat. 5.3 that is in the Trinitie It must not excéed that Blessed are the poore in spirit saith our Sauiour It is the first blessednesse amongst those so manie beatitudes as it were the roote and mother of all the rest To be prowd is like a poyson or venome that marres all the rest As also there is no blessednesse so often repeated Psal 2.12.4.6.5.12 as Blessed is the man that puts his trust in the Lord. Gen. 6.16 A window shalt thou make in the Arke and in a cubit shalt thou finish it from aboue The Arke of Gods Church is a lightsome house Tsaher in Hebrew is a window and Tsaharim is noone and not a darke dungeon It hath a window in it to giue it light And the window is compared to the sunne-shine at noone to declare that all our knowledge in this life although it be but small in comparison of that we shall haue hereafter 1. Cor. 13.12 yet it is most pure and cléere Now we know as it were in a darke speech then we shall see face to face And this window is but one Ioh. 1.9 no doubt to signifie Iesus Christ who is the only window that giues light and all other heauenly graces to his Church And the roofe
the Gospell against the manifold thornes and pricks which Satan here in this life strewes in our wayes and in our iourney to heauen Exod 25.31 The golden Candlesticke which God commaunded Moses to make hauing one foot and a shaft beaten our with hammers hauing on euerie side therof three brāches cōming out of it euery branch hauing 3 bowles like to an Almond vpō it one knop one flower declares vnto vs also the ministery in the Church of God Act. 26.18 Luk. 12.42 whose office is aswell to giue light and to teach all as to giue meate and food and therefore héere they are compared to the candlestick And as before there was but one table so heere there is but one Candlesticke to declare the vnitie that should be among the ministers and pastors of Christs Church They should all be as one 1. Cor. 1.10 There should be no sects or schismes amōgst them They should go out to battell against their enemies as the Israelits did Iud. 20.8 euen as one man The foote of this Candlesticke is Iesus Christ who alone sustaines vs Matth. 28 2◠Reu. 1.13 who is said to be among the golden Candlestickes The shaft thereof is the Apostles out of which procéede thrée branches on the right side and thrée on the left side to teach vs that as there were false Prophets in the law as Peter teacheth 2. Pet. 2.1 so there should be also in the Gospell This Candlesticke shall haue aswell left branches as right branches euerie branch shall haue thrée bowles like Almonds and a flower and an apple The bowles like Almonds declare the doctrine they must preach They must preach the Gospel that is Mark 16.15 comfortable doctrine and glad newes And this is to be bowles like Almond nuts Leuinus Lemnius de herb◠biblicis cap. 4◠For the Almond is comfortable and restoratiue They must also haue an apple and a flower They must not haue only flourishing words but good works that they may say with Paul Brethren be followers of me And againe Phil. 3.17.4.8 Furthermore brethren whatsoeuer things are true whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer things pertaine to loue whatsoeuer things are of good report if there be any vertue if there be any praise think on these things which ye haue both learned and receiued heard and seene in me Those things do and the God of peace shall bee with you By this type we may learne the necessitie of the ministerie in the Church Who would dwell in a house which lacked light What ioy can I haue saith Tobias that sit in darknes Tob. 5.12 and see not the light of heauen Such is the estate of all men without the preaching of the word vers 38. The snuffers also and the vessels to put the snuffes in doe teach first that ministers must haue a care of their doctrine that it be cleare and pure grounded of the Scriptures Matth. 15. ◠that no dregges of mans traditions be mingled with it God will haue all his torches burne cleare Secondly the vessels wherein the snuffes were put doe comfort those which haue meaner gifts in the Church Those which cannot be Apostles or great Doctors must not discourage themselues God had in his Tabernacle as well vessels to hold the snuffes of the torches as the torches themselues Lastly this candlestick must bee Mikshah beaten with hammers not melted sound not hollow 2. Cor. 2.4 to teach all Gods Ministers to beware of hypocrisie They must not make merchādize of the word of God The forme and fashion of this Tabernacle how vnlike is it to the Church of Rome In the making of this Tabernacle all things were voluntarie but the Roman Church commands she puts a necessitie in all her doings The Arke being all couered with the gold of charity 1. Cor. 16.14 condemnes that couetous Synagogue Let all your affaires be done through loue saith S. Paul but they do all for money She hath separated those foure rings from the sides of the Arke and the barres also she hath pulled forth from the rings which God commaunded should not be separated while she neither suffred the Bible to be in the Church neither the Pastors to preach it Neither were these rings fastened to the sides of the Ark neither were the tables of Gods commandements and that heauenly Manna and Aarons rod contained in the Ark while the gospell of Iesus Christ his most glorious death passion was not plainly taught the people It was neither in their houses nor in their harts She taught that the mercie seat couered not all the Ark but that the blessed Virgine was without sinne And that not as the Cherubims do all men should turne their faces to the mercie seat but that praying we may turne our faces some other way She hath also taken away the table of the shew bread from Gods house and hath not commanded his stewards to giue meat to his familie in due season but hath laid this burthen on other mens shoulders Likewise she hath made Gods house a most darke dungeon by taking from thence the light of Gods word Salomons temple also was a figure of Christs Church as first the verie author therof may teach vs. Salomon in Hebrew signifies peaceable Phil. 4.9 so the great God of peace Iesus Christ the true Salomon builded Gods Church Ioh. 14.27 Ephes 3.14 1. King 6.1 Matt. 6.33 1. King 7.1 Luk 2.46 1. King 5.13.14 He is our peace saith S. Paul He is our Salomon Secondly Salomon built the Temple in the fourth yeare of his raigne to teach vs that we must first seek the kingdome of God Salomon built Gods house before his owne house so Iesus Christ being but twelue yeares old began to build his Temple disputing with the Doctors And this exāple of Salomon proueth that kings though they be not builders themselues yet they may commaund the workmen they may cause the Lords house to be built So kings though they be no ministers yet may deale in ecclesiasticall affaires they may command the builders they may by their authoritie command and procure that Gods temple be built The Temple was builded in the moneth Zif which signifies brightnesse to declare 1. King 6.2 1. Ti. 4.13.15 that knowledge learning is required to the building of Gods house The which thing Pet. Berchorius in his Moralizations doth verie excellētly expresse Berch lib. 11. Moral super 3. Reg. cap. 5. Salomon saith he built the house of the Lord of squared wood and grauen stones and he deuided it into three roomes in height and whereof the lower was deuided into the inward oracle and outward house And thus it was made that all the walles of the lower Temple were couered with boords of Cedar and the floore with firre boords And aboue the boords all things were couered with plates of gold round
amongst friends all things bee common and by the meanes of the word the godly man is now become Gods friend now all things are mans because all things are Gods all things are now common also to these two friends God and man Thus Clemens described a Christians life to loue God all his life and to become as it were a friend with God and so to haue all things common with God and to despise these worldly things Zuinger in theatro vol. 13. pa. 2822. There is extant an epistle of Plinie the younger who was Gouernour of Asia to Traian wherein hee asketh his aduise what he thought best to be done to the Christians in whom he perceiued no such fault as to be worthy of so extreme punishments They confesse saith he that this is the summe of their fault or of their errour that they were woont at one appointed day to meete together before the Sunne arise and to sing all together a Psalme vnto Christ as vnto God And to bind themselues all together with a solemne oath not to any hainous act but that they should not cōmit theft robberies or adulteries that they should not beguile any man that they should not withhold any mans pledge when as it was demanded of them The which things being done their maner was to depart asunder againe and after to meete againe to eate their meate in common earned or obtained without anie mans harme The which thing they surceased to do after my proclamation wherein according to your commandements I forbad such fellowships or meetings This testimonie Plinie giues of Christians being a Pagan And these were then their maners euen with a solemne oth to bind themselues from hurting or defrauding anie It were to bee wished that amongst the oaths of Christians now so common amongst many these kinds of oathes were vsed also Such then were the oathes of Christians to sweare against sinne Tatian a verie ancient writer thus also describes the maners of Christians Orat. contra Graecos First teaching the obedience that they yeeld to Princes and ciuill Magistrates he writeth thus of himself And why if I will not giue my consent to your lawes am I as a most hainous offender hated of all men But if the king command me to serue and waite I acknowledge my seruice due vnto him because man is to be reuerenced after the maner of men But God is onely to be feared who is not seene with any mans eyes nor contained or comprehended by any arte If any man shall command me to denie him alone I will not obey him but I will die rather least that I should be found a liar and vnthankefull He acknowledgeth seruice and obedience due to Princes And that no image can be made of God He séemes to condemne Images in the worship of God whom he saith no arte or cunning of the workman can expresse And that he was readie to do anie thing sauing to denie his God that the Prince commanded And after I will not be a king I passe not for riches I despise the fauour and curtesie of the Emperour I hate fornication I will not saile on the seas through couetousnesse I long not for the crowne of your masteries or games I am free from mad ambition I despise death I am a conquerour of all kinds of sicknesses sorrow neuer grieues my mind If I bee in bondage I endure my seruitude patiently if I be a free man I bragge not of my gentilitie or freedom I see that there is one Sun that shineth to all men and that there is also one death common to all which commeth as well in abundance and excesse of all things as in pouertie The rich sowe their land and so do the poore also The richest of all die beggers also haue the same end of their liues The rich men stand in greater neede and because many attend vpon them therefore they become glorious but the poore and meane man desiring onely those things which concerne his estate and degree more easilie obtaineth them Why doest thou besides thy lot and destinie assigned thee of God watch through couetousnes who whilest thou desirest many things besides thy lot in the meane time thou diest O rather die vnto the world quite reiecting from thee the madnes therof and liue to God by knowing thy selfe forsaking thy old kind of life c. Here Tatian in his owne person describeth plainely the affections of all Christians in his daies they despised the world they passed not for riches nor for honours no nor for death And surely if we would follow their steps and despise these earthlie riches and these vaine honours it would make vs despise death also But now while mē are as it were wedded to this world so much it maketh them loth to go out of it Eccl. 41.1 They haue some parts of their hearts fixed here And euen as a brier though it hold but one part of a mans garment yet it will stay the whole man you must not let the brier touch you at all if you meane to go quietly awaie by it so the world it is a brier if you will depart hence quietly you must let no part of this brier touch you if it do neuer so little it will staie the whole man Naie this loue makes God not to loue vs and so he withdrawing his grace from vs we die sorrowfully the world wherein we ioyed at that day cannot helpe vs. And after he writes thus With vs vaine glorie is not sought for neither haue we many and diuers opinions amongst vs but being separated from these earthly things which the world so highly esteemes and giuing our selues wholy to the commandements of God and following the law of immortalitie which our father hath giuen vs Whatsoeuer belongeth to the glorie of this world we loath and detest Not only rich men with vs doe play the Christian Philosophers but the poore also are instructed freely For the doctrine of God is more exellent then that it can be requited with any giftes of man for the teaching of it And therefore we admit all that are desirous to learne both old and yong To conclude euery age is dutifully honoured of vs and wantonnes is quite banished And in our speech also we vse not to lie c. Here againe are the maners of true Christians set downe contempt of the glorie of this world knowledge of the lawe of God in generall of all men and trueth lying being detested in all their spéeches and dealings Anastasius Episc Nicen. quaest 1 Another writes thus What is the signe of a true Christian A right faith and good workes for a Christian is the true house of Christ consisting of good works of holy opinions A true faith therfore is proued by works because faith without works is dead as also works without faith Wherfore we must with al our strēgth firmely and constantly keepe our selues from filthy works least that be said
The same faith also teacheth that the debts we do owe vnto God are so great and the benefites we receiue from him are so excellent that if man should liue so many yeares as there are sands on the shoare of the Ocean sea it were a thing of nothing to spend all those in Gods seruice The same faith doth also witnes vnto vs that vertue is such a precious thing that all the treasure of this world and all that which mans hart can desire or imagine is not at al by any meanes to be compared vnto it This place quite ouerthrowes all prowde conceits in mans heart of anie merite all he can doe naie if he could doe a thousand times more then he can is but his most humble duetie to our most mightie and mercifull God But aboue all other places speaking of the name of Iesus vpon these wordes Thou shalt call his name Iesus Med. vitae Christi Med. 6 hee writes thus most excellentlie For he sayth the Angell shall saue his people from their sinnes Blessed be this name and blessed be this saluation and blessed be the day wherein such newes was brought into the world Hitherto O Lord all the other sauiours whom thou hast sent into this world were sauiours of our bodies and of this flesh of ours which saued our houses and Vineyards and such like but they could not saue our soules sighing vnder the heauy burthen of sinne and therefore subiect to the diuell What aduantageth it a man if he winne the whole world and rule ouer it and he himselfe continue the bondslaue of Sathan and lose his soule To remedy therefore this euill this new Sauiour is sent that the whole saluation of man might be fulfilled and perfected VVho sauing soules also cured the bodies and deliuering men from the euill of the fault hath deliuered them also from the euill of punishment And so hath perfected our saluation This is that saluation which the Patriarches desired this is that saluation which the Prophets with so many sighes and cries longed for This is that saluation which so often the Psalmes promise and sing of This is that saluation for which the Patriarch Iacob reioicing died saying O Lord I will wait for thy saluation c. Granatensis heere in plaine tearmes affirmes that Iesus Christ hath deliuered vs as well from the euill of the punishment as from the guilt of sinne And that he hath perfected our saluation contrarie to that former affirmation of Poligranes Med. 11. Vitae Christi And speaking of Christes fasting hee writes thus The solitarines of the Wildernesse did not terrifie thee not the assaults of the diuell nor the sharpnesse of repentance nor the watching in prayer The neede and weaknesse of thy members was euer before thine eyes and therefore thou wast punished as a most faithfull head that thou mightest enrich all vs with the treasure of thy merites that whatsoeuer we wanted we might haue it in thee Thou art he who with thine owne mouth hast said I sanctifie my selfe O Father for them that they maie be sanctified in the truth For as we al by one mans fault became prophane and wicked so we are sanctified and repaired again by the merites and holinesse of another As Adam made vs all prophane and wicked so onelie Iesus Christ the second and true Adam sanctifies vs and restores vs againe Med. Vitae Christi 24. Of Christes death hee writes thus That thing which the gouernour himselfe doth meaning Pilate is not iustice but very great and extreme iniury For he iudgeth him worthy to die whom he himselfe thrise before had confessed to be innocent and iust and that he could find no fault in him But the true Authour of this iustice is the gouernour of heauen in whose sight all the sinnes and offences of the whole world are committed who is also so iust that he will suffer no sinne to escape vnpunished and vnreuenged But because the whole world was not sufficient enough to satisfie and appease the wrath of God euen for one onely sinne hee drew out the Sword of his iustice and smote the innocent and harmelesse Lambe who onely amongst all the men in the world could and was able to answere for all the sinnes of the whole world And this iustice was published and spread abroad not by that iniurious and materiall Trumpet hée supposed that they sounded a Trumpet at Christes death but by the mouthes and writings of the Prophets who foretold many hundreth yeares before that it should be that Lord that should be smitten for the sinnes of the people and should suffer and endure most grieuous and cruell torments for their iniquities Againe concerning the same matter hee writes thus Ibidem How many and how forcible pricks and goades haue we here not onely to make vs loue but also to trust put al our whole confidence in this our Sauiour Tell me how is it possible not to loue him againe who hath first loued thee so tenderly and dearely that freely of his owne accord he hath giuen himselfe to be smitten of most cruell tormentors and would take vpon him the sentence iudgment of death which thou dids◠deserue What brother for his brother what father for his sonne what wife for hir husband would take vpon them and suffer the punishment which any one of these should haue endured Suppose therefore and think with your selfe that there were some certain guilty person who being bound for his offences is kept in close prison and euen now being condemned by the sentence of the Iudge imagine that there would nothing be doone but that the tormentor should come with his instruments of death wherewith he should be slaine and should now execute the Iudges sentence and imagine also that a certaine friend of this guilty and condemned person should come into the prison should put on his apparell and should take to himselfe that guilty mans vnhappy lot and that he might set him free would become himselfe an open spectacle and be punished with the punishment of death for his friend would we not say that the loue of that friend towardes that guilty person was woonderfull and exceeding great that would redeeme the life of his friend with the losse of his owne And likewise what againe should that guilty and condemned mans loue bee towards his redeemer and deliuerer O eternall King when thou sawest me iudged to eternall fire thou being moued with the bowels of pity and compassion camest downe from heauen into the prison of this world and taking vpon thee the Image and shape of a sinner thou camest into my stead and was condemned and put to death for my sake he therefore who hath suffered and endured such extreame and grieuous paines for me shall I not say that he will also loue me exceedingly And againe Neither is onely loue Ibidem but also a sure trust and confidence in our Sauiour kindled and stirred vp by these
merites and these benefits why should I not therefore henceforth hope for grace glory and the forgiuenes of my sinnes seeing I haue such a treasure and such a bountifull treasurer who is euery day ready to satisfie his father for all my debts For if it shall be a thing iust and conuenient that the innocent should be punished and that the honourable should be despised that he should make satisfaction for sinnes and should cancell the bond and obligation openly in the sight of all men shal it not be a thing also both iust meet that the guilty persons for whom he suffered and made satisfaction should now bee acquited from all their debts and pronounced iustified before God Iustice found out a way and meanes to enter into the holy mans house who ought nothing and was not indebted and he executed his great rigor there and shall not mercie then finde out a waie which leades to the debters house that she may blot out our sinnes and pardon our offences It is a greater miracle that God should be taken scourged and condemned and die vpon a Crosse then to receiue an enemie for a friend and to vse a traitour as a sonne if he would repent him and be conuerted vnto the Lord. If therefore that be done which is the greater why should we doubt then of that which is the lesser Now therefore O Lord thy mercie is extold and lift vp verie high and thy bounteous liberality is proued and tried vpon sinners thy iustice also is magnified it hath exercised and executed her rigour and seueritie vpon the innocent and harmelesse without fault wherefore although grace be not giuen to a sinner to him as he is a sinner yet notwithstanding let it be giuen him for thy deerely beloued sonnes sake who redeemed him with so deere a price and at so great a rate It is thy mercie that a sinner should be saued if we looke into and consider the basenesse and vilenesse of sinners but it is thy iustice if we respect Christ and we hauing the one haue the other also And againe Blessed be therefore that condemned innocencie which hath absolued and set free so many condemned persons Ibidem and blessed be that blamed iustice which hath iustified so many reprobates Therefore if his merites haue neither ende nor number and all of them belong to the health and saluation of our soules without all doubt this his petition shall neuer be denied him being our mediator and making nowe intercession for vs. For it were great wrong that he who had indured so many iniuries should not obtaine that which he askes least peraduenture his pitifull and mercifull father should againe torment and afflict the soule of his sonne by denying him that which he desires whose body before he grieued with diuers torments he receiued woundes in his bodie that they might effect and worke saluation in our soules which he deserued and purchased for vs by his patience and sufferings he was taken apprehended handled as a sinner who notwithstanding was iust that we sinners might be accepted of God as iust He died and indured the punishment due to vs and descended euen as it were into the depth of the sea with griefes which he suffered It were an vniust thing that the father should twise iudge one thing and should punish one fault with double punishment but it is meete that the debter should now be restored to his former libertie if he would but only repent seeing that his surety hath paied his debt so liberally and bountifully for him whom he was suretie for And againe Looke vpon O Lord the face of thine annointed Iesus Christ who was made obedient vnto the death Med vitae Christi 25. euen vnto the death of the Crosse and let not his woundes and scarres euer depart out of thy sight but let them alway stil remaine before thine eies that thou maiest remember what a great recompence and satisfaction thou hast receiued of him for our sinnes and transgressions I would to God thou O Lord wouldest way in a paire of ballance the sinnes wherewith we haue deserued thy wrath and indignation and the griefe and punishment which thy innocent sonne suffered for vs Surely it will appeare a farre greater and worthier cause that thou shouldest powre downe thy mercie vpon vs for that his suffering and punishment then was that transgression that thou shouldest hide thy mercies in anger and displeasure for our sinnes Let all tongues giue thankes vnto thee O Father for the exceeding great abundance of thy goodnes who hast not spared thine onely sonne thy best beloued the ioy of thy heart in whom thou art well pleased but hast giuen him ouer vnto death for vs all that we might haue him as a most faithfull aduocate before thee in heauen And what thankes shall I offer and render worthily vnto thee O Lord Iesu thou most zealous louer of mankinde who am a man dust and vile clay for what couldest thou more haue done for my soule that thou hast not done what hast thou left vndone Granatensis in all these places hath most manifestlie set before our eies the great benefit of Christs Redemption not onelie by the example of a suretie who would paie another mans debts but also of a most déere and faithfull friend who would endure punishment and would die for his friend And doth Poligranes saie that he hath onely taken awaie the fault and not the punishment How doth this doctrine diminish the merites of Christs passion and his excéeding great loue towards vs and that to maintaine the Popes pardons for without this they fall to the ground Againe Granatensis whatsoeuer he teacheth of satisfaction by our owne workes in other places Orat. 5. de vita Christi for himselfe hee praies thus O bloud that giues life and saluation O Lord vouchsafe to wash me with that bloud and to sanctifie and purifie me with that most precious liquor O Lord offer it to thy father for a perfect satisfaction and remedie of all my wickednesses What can be saide more manifestly then this No doubt this was his faith thus he praied to God for himselfe And in another place writing of the worthie receiuing of the Eucharist De sanct euch sacra lib. 3. cap 2. he praies thus O my most sweete Lord God so huge is the greatnesse of my sinnes that I can neither amend them nor make satisfaction to thee for them Therefore I desire to receiue thy welbeloued sonne who vpon the altar of the Crosse offered to thee for me a most perfect sacrifice the same I offer vnto thee now for my sinnes that he may make satisfaction for me For I know that there is nothing els neither in heauen nor in earth that is more gratefull vnto thee or can by anie meanes requite thee the debt I owe thee Granatensis here plainlie distrusts in his owne paiment either in part or in whole of his debts and sinnes and