light to our paths in whatsoeuer we shall goe about or take in hand We saie O good Iesu which for our sakes was content to bee bound with coards giue vs also grace that wee maie be bounde with the coards and commandements of thy law and that wee cast them not awaie as the wicked doe who said Let vs breake their bonds in sunder and cast away their coards from vs. Psal 2.3 Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Psal 19.5 The sunne euerie daie as we sée runned his most swift and stéepe race without wearinesse The earth yéelds not onlie her flowers to delight vs but her fruits also to feede vs yea she openeth her verie bowels to doe vs good the seas and the waters also neuer stand still Gen. 4 9. Ier. 5.12 in the beginning they receiued a law that they should kéepe them within their bounds and not couer the face of the earth 1. Kin. 17.4 against their nature and yet euen to this daie they obeie it God commanded the greedie Rauens to feed Elias and they obeied his commandement To conclude all creatures obeie the will and commandements of God only man Esay 1.3 who is of all others most bound to him and for whome hee hath doone most is most disobedient The Angels and those mighty powers which excell in strength as Dauid saith are readie at his becke and doe his commandements onely man a vile worme dare presume to rebell against him Psal 103.20 and to disobey him Iob. 17.14 O let vs not onely praie thus but also labour studie and endeuour with all our might and maine that the wil of this our louing and most mightie father maie be done as wel in earth as in heauen It is a shame for sonnes that seruants should go beyond them in dutifulnesse and obedience towardes their father Mal. 1.6 Eph. 3.20 it is a shame for men endewed with reason naie enriched and strengthned with Gods spirit that vnreasonable creatures should excell them in dutifulnesse and obedience to their maker and creator And let vs for Gods sake learne to bridle our owne wils our owne natures The earth doth so as S. Paul teacheth vs Rom. 8.20 and against the will thereof is subiect to our vanities for him that hath subdued it through hope It would neuer suffer vs els cruell couetous and vaine men not so much as to treade on it and wickedly and vainelie to abuse it It would swallowe vs vp quicke Num. 16.31 as it did Corah Dathan and Abiram The sea doth so also or els we should haue no houses to dwell in nor lands to lette Psal 104.9 Let vs also in our vaine curious and stately buildings of our houses and in letting our lands also bridle our couetous cruell and vncharitable willes These great and mightie and excellent creatures doe bridle and containe their owne natures at Gods commandement as we sée and yet man will not bridle his nature for Gods sake he will haue his will Let all men learne to pray and practise also be it neuer so vnpleasant or vnprofitable vnto them that prayer of our blessed Sauiour Luke 22.42 Not my will but thy will be done O Father Giue vs this daie our dailie bread What maie we learne by these words surely that the best and richest of vs all are but beggers before the maiestie of God It maie be truely said to euerie one of vs 1. Cor. 4.7 what hast thou that thou hast not receiued We must not be ashamed to begge of God euer our daily bread We haue not so much of our owne as a shiue of bread and yet we proude peacocks the sonnes of Adam how proude are we how deale we in the world how doe we accompt of our selues as though we were lordes of all things Psal 12.4 We saie in our dealings with the wicked 1. Sam. 25.10 who is Lorde ouer vs So we liue so we deale in all our earthly affaires we saie with Naball who is Dauid and who is the sonne of Ishai There are many seruants now adaies that breake away euerie man from his Maister shall I then take my bread and my water and my flesh that I haue killed for my shearers and giue it vnto men whom I know not whence they be This Naball is a right patterne of a worldling he will not know his brethren he forgets that we haue all one father he can finde excuses enow when he will not doe good as all the wicked doe to make emptie the hungrie soule Esay 32.6 He accompts all his my bread and my water and my flesh saith he so doe all worldlings they forget that they are to begge of God euen their dailie bread Such poore beggers they are indéede how rich soeuer they séeme in their owne eye yet they accompt all their owne Nay the more to condemne this harde dealing of worldlings towards the faithfull and Gods children be they neuer so base and poore that saying of Dauid also concerning Naball is now verified in these rich worldlings ver 21. Truely I haue kept in vaine all this mans cattell in the wildernesse saith Dauid and not any thing that belonged to him perished and he hath requited me euill for good No doubt euen nowe for the godly and poores sakes God preserues the liues and all the goods and cattels of the rich and wicked men and yet they will deale hardly with them Is hee a good man and the seruant of God that thou dealest withall whosoeuer art rich deale well with him Thinke verily that for his sake God will preserue thy life and all that thou hast Gen. 18.32 Remember how that if there had béene tenne good men found in all Sodome it had not béen destroied And how that God blessed Putiphar no doubt a prophane man for Iosephs sake 39 2. God gaue Saint Paul all their liues that sailed with him Act. 27.24 Deale well with Gods children which are in neede and flie to thee for succour whosoeuer hast this worlds goods Know this assuredlie that as Dauid here preserued Naball and his cattell so shall these preserue thee and all thine 1. Sam. 25.37 And as in the ende his churlishnesse to poore Dauid killed him so be thou affraid of his ende Let vs not forget that lesson which Peter teacheth vs 1. Pet. 4 7. that liue now in the end of the world Now the ende of all things is at hand saith he Be ye therefore sober and watching in praier but aboue all things haue feruent loue amongst your selues for loue shall couer the multitude of sinnes Be harborous one to another without grudging Men in those daies as should séeme would make no conscience to turne their brethren out of dores or to kéepe their gates shutte that none might come in at them They doe not fulfill that same generall lawe of all christendome Mat. 7.12 and of all
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
Paul to the Colossians thus In 1. cap. ad Col. I supply the wants or rather the remnants of the afflictions of Christ as Ambrose doth translate it not that Christs passions are insufficient for vs but that the afflictions of his mysticall body the Church that is of the holy Martyrs are accompted the afflictions of Christ which he accompts his saying That which ye haue done to one of the least of these ye haue done to me Thus Gagneius expounds this place out of Ambrose he confesseth that Christs passion is sufficient for our redemption and that the passions and afflictions of the Saints are honoured with that honourable title that they are called also the afflictions of Christ because he is the head of his Church He brings in also another exposition of Photion that to fulfill the wants and remnants of Christs passion is nothing els then to suffer for him as he suffered for vs. For Christ suffered for you saith Peter leauing you an example that you should follow his steps Christ therefore suffered for vs what now remaines but that we should also be afflicted and suffer togither with him he that doth this fulfils that was wanting of the afflictions of Christ not on Christs behalfe but on his owne For although Christs afflictions were sufficient to redéeme all men yet on our behalfe this is wanting to them that we should suffer for the Church and one for another For by many tribulations we must go into the kingdome of heauen Therefore saith Saint Paul The want of his afflictions that is that which wanteth for vs to doe after his afflictions I fulfill in my flesh in stéede of Christ by so long and grieuous afflictions for his bodie which is the Church Our afflictions are Christs steps we must follow him in them they are no part of the price of our redemption they are the waie which wee must walke in if we will go to heauen they are not the purchase of heauen And these S. Paul endured for the Church in seruing it not in sauing it Stella also of Christs redemption writes thus In cap. Luc. 1â— Fourthly looking for their maister they make all things readie they strewe and sweepe their whole house So we also which looke for our maister must furnish our vnderstanding with the knowledge of God and our wils with his holy loue and our memories with the remembrance of all the good things which we haue receiued of his bountifull hand For when we were vtterly lost and vndone through the sinne of our first parents he redeemed vs so perfectly that Paul saith where iniquity abounded there grace superabounded for by his death he opened to vs the gates of heauen and gaue vs the resurrection of the flesh Stella here plainly confesseth that Christ redéemed vs perfectlie and that by his redemption whereas by the fall of Adam sin abounded to punish vs and to condemne vs now grace more abounds to pardon vs and to iustifie vs. Christs grace is not limited within the banks of the Babylonicall Euphrates that his merites should take awaie crime and not paine that thereby the merites of Friers and such like might gaine riches to the Church of Rome but it spreades it selfe farre beyonde all the bankes of mans reason and deuice The vertue force of Christs passion no man is able to comprehend his riches which all Gods ministers are commanded to preach with Saint Paul are vnsearchable they are without bottome or ende Ephâ—l 3.8 Euen vnto me saith Saint Paul the least of all Saints is this grace giuen that I should preach among the Gentiles the vnsearcheable riches of Christ And dare the Pope saie that hee hath found out the bottome of them to establish his pardons In cap. 8. Act. Ferus also verie excellentlie teacheth all Pastours what is meant by that phrase when it is said that the Apostles preached Christ To preach Christ saieth he is to teach that hee died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification and that there is saluation in none other And it is to preach righteousnesse sanctification remission of sinnes and redemption For Christ is become all these thinges vnto vs. Therefore hee preacheth not Christ which teacheth to trust in works or to seeke by any meanes else saluation then of Christ As the false prophets doe which teach vs to seeke righteousnesse and remission of sinnes some where else then in Christ For they say Behold here is Christ behold him there In Christ onely these things are to be found For there is no other name vnder heauen in which we must be saued To this all the law and the prophets beare witnesse that we doe receiue remission of sinnes by his name If this be true then Poligranes and all the Popes pardon-sellers which teach that not onelie by Christs merites sinnes are forgiuen but ioine the merites of Martyrs and the treasure of the Church vnto them preach not Christ by his iudgement naie they are false Prophets Neither here nor there in no place else nor in nothing else remission of sinnes is to be had but onlie in Iesus Christ no not at Rome in the yeare of Iubile saieth Ferus In cap. 11. Act. Againe to the same effect the writes thus To preach Christ is to teach that all our trust is to be put in him alone man can doe no more but preach and exhort the which he that shall diligently do is guiltlesse before God if anie perish Ferus of Christes satisfaction verie excellentlie writes thus What sorrow was euer like mine Part. 4. pass 26. from the crowne of my head to the sole of my feete there was no found part what therefore remaineth O father but seeing that I make satisfaction so aboundantly but that thou lay apart thine anger forgiue them haue mercie vpon them and powre vpon them the streames of thy grace Ibideâ— Vpon these words It is finished Ferus writes thus Beholde now the Lord be praised by me is finished whatsoeuer my Father hath decreed I haue suffered whatsoeuer the law and the prophets haue foretold and whatsoeuer was necessary or profitable to mans saluation The sacrifice is made the figures are fulfilled the shadowes are taken away From whence springs the patience of Martyres but hereof Bar. in Ser. Cant. 61. that a Martyre by deuout and continuall meditation doth hide himselfe in the stripes and woundes of Christ The Martyre standes in this tryumphing and dauncing although his body bee all rent and the Sword pierce his side he beholds the holy bloud to boile out of his fide not onely valiantly but ioyfully Where then is the Martyrs soule Surely in safety that is to say in the rocke that is to say in the bowelles of Iesus His wounds being open that he may enter in thither If he were in his owne bowelles searching them without all doubt he would feele the Sword hee were notable to abide the paine he would yeeld he
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
rest of the apostles condemne in their Epistles and not that Euangelicall and liuelie faith which S. Paul calles faith Some men in those dayes taught that if one kept a whore openlie and yet said that hee beleeued in Christ by his faith hee should bee saued Aug. de fide oper cap. 1. Against such saint Austen makes that Booke and affirmes that such a faith cannot profit anie man Againe here we note howe the Fathers are to be vnderstood when as manie times they saie that charitie couers sins and mercie saues and such like phrases they vse that as saint Austen doeth here saie that faithfull charitie liues well so also faithfull charitie couers sinnes and faithfull mercie saues As Saint Paul also saieth of faithfull prayer that it saues He that calles on the name of the Lord saieth hee shall be saued But howe shall they call on him on whom they haue not beleeued So that prayer hath this vertue to saue not of her selfe but of faith And so we maie no doubt saie of other good workes Euerie thing the more excellent it is doeth more communicate his vertue to others as euen the verie fire his heate to the colde and harde Iron so that now Iron burnes but it is by reason of fire that impartes his vertue vnto it so likewise the sunne impartes his forces to these inferior creatures so trees impart their sappe to their fruites and shall wée thinke that faith is lesse forcible then fire Phil. 1.11 and are not workes called the fruits of righteousnesse and why maie not faith which is the roote of righteousnesse impart this his sappe vnto them De Iacob beat vit lib. 2. cap. 1. Vno fidei munimine tegant Ambrose of faith and workes writes thus In this field flourish the Pomegranets which containe many fruits vnder one rinde of faith and do as it were nourish them with the embracing of charitie so that faith as the rind of the Pomegranet containes manie kernelles vnder it so doth faith couer all our works They may not appeare in Gods sight without it it giues life vnto them And charity is as it were the nurse of them as necessary as the nurse is to the child after it be born so necessary also is charity to all our good works Cap. 2. And after writing howe Isaac smelled a swéete sauour of Esaues garmentes which Rebeccah had put on her sonne Iacob he writes thus Peraduenture it meanes this That we are not iustified by workes but by faith because the infirmitie of our flesh is an hinderance to our workes but the brightnesse of faith ouershadowes the error of our deedes which deserues pardon of our sinnes So that whereas in our best good workes are imperfections by reason of the infirmitie of our flesh the glorie of faith lighteneth and couereth them This is Ambrose his iudgement Our workes then of themselues can iustly challenge no rewarde nay they must craue pardon for their imperfections and the helpe of faith to patronize them Againe how that all men are sinners he writes thus Amb. de lac beat vit l. 2. c. 5 Oh how happie is that man in whom the enemie can finde nothing that he may challenge to be his in whom the Diuell can finde nothing that he may say iustly to bee his this seemes impossible in man But Iacob herein bare a type of him who said in the Gospel The Prince of this world comes and in me he shall finde nothing Ambrose here plainlie affirmes that no man except only Iesus Christ is frée from sinne he excepts not the blessed virgin Marie as the Papists doe now Of whose iudgement were Chrysostome and Theophylact as Titilman notes vpon Iohn Titil in Ioh. cap. 2. But now saith he that it is reuealed to the Church that she is without sinne we must beleeue it though these fathers in their daies taught contrarie So lightly they account of the fathers when they make against them That lesson of Peter is worth the marking 1. Pet. 1.13 Therefore the loines of your minde being girded vp and being sober trust perfectly in that grace which is brought vnto you by the Reuelation of Iesus Christ And after If you call him father Verse 17. which iudgeth without respect of persons according to euerie mans worke passe the time of this your pilgrimage here in feare Here is a briefe summe of a Christians iustification and conuersation He must trust perfectly in the loue of God brought to him and declared by Iesus Christ as concerning his frailties and sinnes of infirmitie For who can say my heart is cleane But he must also haue the loines of his minde girded vp and passe the time of this his pilgrimage in feare As concerning presumptuous sinnes Psal 19.13 Psal 59.5 Rom. 6.12 Psal 119.122 De iustificatione lib. 2. cap. 7. he maie not sinne of malicious wickednes Sinne may no more raigne in him he may not take delight and pleasure in sinne This is the summe of Saint Peters doctrine concerning the conuersation and iustification of all Christians Maister Bellarmine first of Iustification writes thus The fourth and fift error which also haue many maintainers place our iustification in the imputation of Christs righteousnesse as though therefore we were righteous before God because Christ doth couer vs with his righteousnesse and seeing vs thus couered pronounceth that he accompts vs iust This doctrine Maister Bellarmine accounts erronious which agrées with the Scriptures euen as saint Paul most plainly prooueth Roman 4.6 The Prophet Dauid also saith he declareth the blessednesse of man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes saying Blessed are they whose vnrighteousnesse are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Here are Dauids and saint Paules plaine resolutions that the blessednesse of euerie man consists in the couering of his sinnes and in the imputation of righteousnesse without workes To this agrées also saint Iohn 1. Ioh. 2.2 If anie man sin as before he had affirmed that all men did euen we the Apostles haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the iust and he is the propitiation or couering of our sinnes Euen Iesus Christ couers the Apostles sinnes And this is that which our Sauiour himselfe teacheth all Christians Luke 9.26 For whosoeuer shall be ashamed of me and of my wordes of him shall the son of man be ashamed when hee shall come in his glorie What meanes this that Christ will be ashamed of some at his comming No doubt that he will not clothe them with his righteousnesse nor shadowe them vnder his winges But Maister Bellarmine goeth on further and writes thus Our aduersaries saith he affirme that the imputation of Christs righteous is necessarie not only because sinne truely euer remaines in vs but also because our inherent righteousnesse is not so perfect that it might simply and absolutely iustifie vs. But we will easily refute this cause if our aduersaries will beleeue the
Scriptures For our inherent righteousnesse or our inward renouation is knowne chiefely to consist in faith hope and charitie wherefore if we shall proue that faith hope and charitie can bee perfect in this life we shall also proue that the imputation of Christs righteousnesse is not necessarie But how contrarie also is this his doctrine to the scriptures We know in part saith saint Paul and we prophesie in part 1. Cor. 13.10 but when that which is perfect is come that which is in part shall be abolished There is no perfection in this life that shall come hereafter in the life to come No doubt that prayer of the Apostles is set downe as a paterne for all Christians to vse Luke 17.5 euen vnto the worlds ende And the Apostles said vnto the Lord Increase our faith How contrarie also he is in this his assertion to Ferus and other Papists hereafter euidently shal God willing appeare Of the merites also of good workes Maister Bellarmine writes thus And first of the nature of a merit or deseruing Lib. 5. de Iustifica cap. 18. many thinges saith he as the sunne the moone the fields vineyardes and gardens yeelde vs great commodities and yet they are not said properly to deserue any thing of vs because they doe not their dueties voluntarily neither can they choose but they must doe as they doe Then wages is due to a desert or merit but debt ariseth not but hereof that one giues another that which was his owne For if he should not giue his owne but that which was another mans nothing were owing or due to him There is nothing properlie ours but that which is in our owne power either to doe or to let passe These things are in our power and of these we are properlie said to haue the Lordship To conclude our euill workes vnlesse they be done freely deserue no punishment therefore neither good works shall deserue any reward vnlesse they be done voluntarily His drift is to proue that we haue in vs fréewill and therefore we maie deserue of God And therefore he writes thus after Now truely the good workes of the iust deserue eternall life ex condigno worthily not onely by reason of the couenant and acceptation of God but also by reason of the worke it selfe So that in the good workes which proceede from grace there is a certaine proportion and equalitie to the reward of eternall life And after he writes thus Whereby we perceiue that same degree of glorie which is due to vs by right of inheritance is giuen vs also by right of the reward For one thing as we haue often said may bee due by two titles that is by inheritance and of merites How contrarie also in this doctrine is he to the doctrine of the scriptures whereas Christ shall saie to all his Come ye blessed of my father Matth. 25.34 Luke 12.32 inherite ye the kingdome prepared for you And againe Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome He dare affirme that the saints of God shall not onely inherit this kingdome by their fathers frée gift as the scriptures in these places manifestly teach but also that they shall deserue it How contrarie is he also herein to Philippus de Dies Who saith that the iust can challenge nothing of God and to Ferus as appeares in this that followes But here first let vs marke howe contrarie this his doctrine is to that which Gregory a Byshoppe of Rome concerning this matter Greg. in 7. Psal paenit taught in his dayes The mercie of the Lord sayeth hee is for euer and euer vpon them that feare him if so be that the blessednesse of the Saints is mercy and is not gotten by merites where is that which is written And thou shalt giue to euery man according to his works If it be giuen according vnto works how shall it bee accounted merite But it is one thing to giue according to workes and another to giue for our workes In that hee saieth he will giue euery one according to his works the quality of works is vnderstood that he whose works shall appeare good shall haue that glorious reward For to that blessed life wherein we shall liue with God and of God no labour can be equal nor no works compared especially when as the Apostle saith The sufferings of this life are not worthy the glory which shall be reuealed in vs. Maister Bellarmine saieth that in the good works which proceede from grace there is a certaine proportion and equalitie but Gregory saith no labour or worke can bee compared vnto it And after hee writes thus Although in this respect also it may bee called mercie because it is giuen for those vvorkes which vnlesse Gods mercy did preuent him no man could obtaine wherefore it is said in the Psalme My God his mercie hath preuented me For vnlesse he had made the Vesselles of wrath Vessels of mercy his owne holy life had separated none from that lumpe of perdition his owne righteousnesse had deliuered none from the punishment of euerlasting death Therefore it is certaine that to whome he giues mercifully that in this life they should do well he giues them more mercifully that in that euerlasting blessednes they shuld a hundreth fold be rewarded This is the grace which for grace the Apostle affirmes shall be giuen vnto the Saints of God that to whō in this life is giuen the grace of sanctification to them of this also in the life to come shal be giuen the grace of euerlasting hapines Here wee maie note how Gregory makes two expositions of these wordes God shall render to euery one according to his works And in both he takes awaie all merite and in both he sets downe the onelie cause of our reward to be mercie In the first hee saieth not for our workes as anie cause of our saluation but according to our workes as effectes we shall bee rewarded Againe not according to the quantitie of our workes wherein manie Pagans haue excéeded manie Christians as they which voluntarilie did giue themselues to death for the loue of their countrie these were great workes and of these the Romane histories and other doe testifie but according to the qualitie euen be they neuer so few or so small yet if they shall procéede from a liuelie faith they shall bee rewarded as our sauiour witnesseth Euen a cuppe of cold water giuen in his name Mat. 10.42 shall not loose his reward Naie shall surpasse all the Cuppes of most bitter death which those Pagans suffered for their countrie sakes Such an excellent thing is Christian faith it alone giues vertue and makes acceptable vnto God all our workes Our reward shall bee like theirs that came into the Vineyeard at the last houre of the day Mat. 20.24 the mercifull housholder made them equall with them that came first To teach vs that it is not our vvorking or running
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
iust man as thy goodnes required thou hast here one iustified according to the measure of our sinnes Therefore O our defender looke vpon this my Lord and looke vpon the face of thine annointed But also thou O our Sauiour doe not cease to set thy selfe alwayes before thy fathers sight for vs. If thy loue were such that thou fearedst not to yeeld thy members to the tormentor that he might beat them wrest them and teare them let thy loue also be so great that it may not grieue thee to offer those members so torne and rent to thy eternall father that he being moued with the sight of them may forgiue vs all our sins and receiue vs againe into his fauour Sée how Granatensis calles those Christians cowards that distrust of the goodnesse of God now hauing so mightie and louing and forcible a Sauiour to pleade their cause To be accounted a coward in worldlie exploites is the greatest disgrace in the world and shall all Christians which are accounted souldiers bee cowards in this necessarie and waightie matter of their saluation Naie if euer courage were necessarie it is here necessarie and to bee cowardlie in other matters it makes no great matter so that here we be not cowards lacke of courage here killes the soule and loseth all the goods wee haue all the good works wee haue done The fearefull shall neuer enter into heauen but their portion shall bee in the lake But some obiect that the gift of perseuerance is not giuen to all Granatensis writes thus thereof Gran. de orat med vesp 7. What kind of great mercie was it that after he haue restored thee being fallen to thy former righteousnesse againe besides this hee gaue thee grace by the meanes whereof thou mightest not fall againe and mightest ouercome thy enemie and perseuere in doing good This is that former and latter raine whereof the Lord speaketh by his Prophet Ioel Ye Sonnes of Sion be glad and reioice in the Lord your God who hath giuen you a teacher of righteousnesse Ioel. 2.23 and hee will raine vpon you the early and latter raine as in the beginning that is he will preuent you with his grace that the seeds of vertues may begin to grow in you and his grace shal also stil continue and follow you that those seedes may waxe ripe and answere your expectation Thus farre Granatensis where hee plainelie teacheth that the gift of perseuerance is so knitte to the gift of faith euen as the former raine by Gods promise here in the Prophet is to the latter And this is euerie true Christians comfort which they learne also out of the Apostle that God who hath begunne that good worke of faith in them will finish it Phil. 1.6 euen vnto the end And out of the Gospell that When as our Sauiour loued his which were in the world he loued them vnto the end Pintus of the signe Taw wherewith euerie one of the faithfull that should bee saued was signed writes thus It is written in the booke of Exodus Ioh in Ezec. ca. 13. that The Lord passed ouer and stroke all the first borne besides those which were signed with the bloud of the lambe c. And Saint Iohn in the Reuelation sayeth that The Angell imprinted a signe in the forehead of Gods seruants which should obtaine euerlasting saluation And after Saint Paul willing to exhort the Ephesians who had imbraced true Religion and now were become Christians that they should not defile the excellencie of their soules with the filth of sinne speakes to them in this manner Doe not make sad the holy Ghost wherewith ye are sealed against the day of redemption As though he should say Do not commit those sinnes wherewith the holy Ghost like a man vexed or molested should forsake you cal to your remembrance how you were sealed with it in the day of your baptisme And our prophet Ezechiel saith that they were onely deliuered from death which were marked with the letter Tau of the man clothed in linnen All these in my iudgement come to one and signifie one thing for that same Lambe with whose bloud the Israelites were signed that they might bee saued being without blemish and rosted with fire whose bones were not to be broken as the holy Scriptures doe testifie in Exodus what doe they signifie but Christ c. And after Hee is the Lambe of God of whome Iohn Baptist sayeth Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world He was inflamed with the fire of loue and rosted with the flames of most bitter torments and was sacrificed for vs on the Altar of the Crosse that he might purge our sins with his bloud and that he might bring vs vnto the true land of promise They which are not marked with his blood they which haue not the memory of his death imprinted in their minds beleeuing it and reposing all their trust therein as in our remedie they which are not sealed with his marke which he in Baptisme hath imprinted into vs which print is not in the substance of the soule as in a subiect but in the power thereof cannot obtaine euerlasting life And after When as the letter Tau signifies a consummation and end as Saint Ierom saith in the Booke of Hebrew names and all the Hebrew letters haue their proper significations and when as Christ is the end as that place sayeth which I haue euen now alleadged out of the Reuelation and according to that which Saint Paul writes in the Epistle to the Romanes Christ is the end of the law it is plainly and manifestly concluded that it is he wherewith wee ought to bee sealed And after hee alleadgeth Cyprian against Demetrius who affirmes verie vehementlie that This signe belongs to the passion and blood of Christ And that he onely shall be preserued to saluation who is marked with the blood of Christ And after There are some which by the letter Tau doe vnderstand the signe of the Crosse saying that this letter in Hebrew hath the figure of the Crosse but they are greatly deceiued for it is not like the Crosse being thus written ◠Vnles they will say that the Hebrewes changed the characters of their letters and the old letters to haue remained among the Samaritans For Saint Ierom saieth that in his time the Samaritans vsed the Crosse in stead of this letter but in Saint Ieroms dayes the same Hebrew letters were which are now Thus farre Pintus wherein hee plainelie teacheth that all Christians are to bee sealed with a marke that is with the blood of Christ and with the holie Ghost And if they bee sealed then they are sure of their saluation for as Saint Paul saieth The foundation of God standeth sure hauing this seale God knowes who are his 2. Tim. 2.19 Ioh. 10.28 16.14 His shéepe haue all his marke And he knoweth them and no man shall take them out of his hands And the
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 the sonne 1. Thes 5.5 Mat. 14.31 They are children of light Peter maie doubt and also be afraide but hee cannot be drowned Luk. 22.31 Matth. 8.24 Psalm 94 18. Sathan may fift him but his faith shall not faile The shippe euen wherein Christ is maie be full of water but it cannot sinke Dauids foote may slippe but Gods mercie holds him vp The fire maie bee couered with ashes Psal 116.10 30.6 8 9 31. but at last it will burst out And Dauid will speake with his tongue God maie bee angrie with his ouer night but ioâ—e shall come in the morning If Dauid seede breake Gods law and do not walke in his iudgements if they prophane his statutes and keepe not his commandements He will visite their iniquities with a rodde and their sinnes with scourges but his louing kindnesse will he not take vtterly from them nor suffer his trueth to faile He hath sworne once by his holinesse that he will not faile Dauid The Apostles maie bee at their wittes ends 2. Cor. 4.8 but neuer driuen to despaire For that saying of the Prophet Esay shal stand fast for euer to Christs Church and to euerie member thereof Esay 54.7 For a moment in mine anger I hid my face froÌ„ thee for a little season but with euerlasting mercie haue I had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy redeemer For this is vnto mee as the waters of Noah for as I haue sworne that the waters of Noah should no more goe ouer the earth so haue I sworne that I would not be angrie with thee or rebuke thee that is to destruction Ferus verie excellentlie confirmes this Doctrine In cap. 19. Act. vpon these words If they had receiued the holie Ghost or no Being about to search out whether they beleeued aright or no he enquires whether they had the chiefest fruit of faith which is the holy Ghost And the holy Ghost though it be inuisible yet it doeth make manifest it selfe by many signes This is a most sure and euident argument of the holy Ghost and of a true faith the security of our conscience For the holy Ghost witnesseth to our Spirits that we are the sonnes of God not by nature but by adoption and by the grace of God It doeth also encourage vs and make vs take pleasure and delight in God and it makes vs to stand and to trust without any care or feare as Iohn sayth We now know and beleeue the loue that God hath towards vs. To feele this loue of God is to be wel affected towards God in praising of him in giuing him thanks and in beleeuing in him And being iustified through faith we are now at peace with GOD. What is better then peace What is more excellent or more to bee wished for then peace with God This is the chiefest and most excellent good thing in the world as on the contrary to haue God our enemy is the greatest euill in the world as Cain had whose sinnes the Lord discouered so also he brings to light al the sins of the wicked of whom the holy Prophet writes thus I will reprooue thee and set thy sinnes in order before thy face And againe Psal 49. I will discouer his shame he is a vagabond and cursed vpon the earth and in his labours But the Christian hath peace and what peace I pray you is that Heare what God saith by his prophet I will heale all their sorrowes and griefes and I will loue them freely Esay 47. for mine-anger is turned away from them If God forgiue sinnes who shall condemne vs If hee loue vs freely what can the hatred of the world hurt vs If hee asswage his anger what harme can the diuels malice doe vs So he sayeth in Esay I will not be angry for euer c. This is our true peace but from whence haue we it Surely from no where else but only by Christ And hence he is called The king of righteousnes and of peace As Melchisedecke also who was a Type of him was also in times past adorned with these titles He therefore that as yet lacks this foresaid peace truely cannot haue neither the holy Ghost not a liuely faith And what else is this frée loue this forgiuenesse of sinnes this turning awaie of anger this Christian peace which euerie Christian must haue which hath receiued the holie Ghost and hath a true and sure faith but the certaintie of his owne saluation And they answered we haue not as yet heard whether there be any holy Ghost or no. These frankely and freely and very apparently bewray and confesse their ignorance they haue not as yet heard that the holy Ghost doth worke these things in the hearts of the faithful And how many are there at this day who haue beene a great many yeares Christians and yet neuer haue felt this peace of conscience when as it is the first and principall vertue of the Gospell to make quiet our consciences Ferus here complaines greatlie of the want of this peace and shall wee not exhort all men then diligentlie to labour for it They which haue not this quietnesse and peace of conscience haue not as yet tasted the first droppe of the Gospell Of the force of faith both in the receiuing of the holie sacraments and in the certaintie of our saluation that lesson of Granatensis is worth the marking De Euch. lib. 3. cap. 1. He that sayth hee with all his soule and with all his strength striues to be purged from his sins and to be cured of all his faults vites and imperfections and to bee enriched with heauenly graces and now from wandring after the vanities of this world to returne to his beginning againe let him so order and gouerne his life that he may be fit verie often to receiue and be satiated with this most excellent Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ and by this meanes inwardly to be vnited with our most glorious God euen as if one should droppe a droppe of vvater into a Tunne of Wine so that if all creatures were gathered together they could not find any space or distance betweene such a soule and God himselfe And although perchance a man doe not feele in himselfe by and by this vnion yet let him not be troubled in his mind but with a most strong faith let him beleeue Christ who saith He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me and I in him And how much lesse he feeles God in himselfe so much more assuredly let him beleeue him for then his faith shall be more perfect and shall receiue greater rewards of God if so be he doe as much as in him lyes Thus farre Granatensis This is the nature of faith to beleeue the word euen against reason against sense The more lets and obiections which it ouercommeth the greater Crowne it shall haue And this is that which S. Paul saith The iust man shal
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
Pintus As this precious stone of it selfe caries a Maiestie and glorie with it it needes not the helpe or skill of man to polish it So much lesse the scriptures They glorifie themselues their authoritie is their owne maiesty And no doubt as in the handling of them of which Pintus seemes here to speake so also in the discerning of them Who requires a witnesse to prooue that the sunne shineth Here the thing it selfe is a sufficient witnes So the scriptures by their owne Maiestie especiallie beare witnesse to themselues To Infidelles perchance which neuer knewe nor read the Scriptures the authoritie of the Church maie bee an Introduction to beleeue them as that woman was to the Samaritanes to beleeue in Christ c. But after they shall haue once read them and hauing also well meditated vpon them day and night and laid them vp in their harts Ioh. 4.42 Luk 2.51 as Mary did the words of Simeon and Anna they will then saie as the Samaritanes also saide to the woman Now we beleeue not because of thy saying For wee haue heard him our selues and knowe that this is indeede that Christ that Sauiour of the world So they will also saie of the Churches Testimonie Pintus of reading the holie scripture writes thus Pintus in 3. cap. Ezech. All holie Scripture giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teach In all mens Books may errours be found be the Author thereof neuer so wise nor neuer so learned for euen as in a fruitfull field sometimes amongst holesome hearbes grow those that bee hurtfull so mens wittes sometimes amongst holesome counselles yeeld also manie errors The heathen Philosophers although setting apart all priuate and publike actions they gaue themselues wholy to search out truth yet they haue committed to writing their own vaine deuises and innumerable vanities For All men are liers as the Psalmist sayeth What shall I speake of the vnprofitable fictions of the Poets The Poets sing of strange but not credible matters If sometimes they affoorde vs any thing that is good they mingle it vvith a thousand lyes But all the holy Scripture is true all to bee read all to be searched all to be deuoured As they which digge mettalles doe not lose the least scrappes but if so bee that they find any mine of gold they diligently search after euery vaine and they take out the earth also with the Gold and they are very circumspect so wee must doe in the holy Scripture we must passe ouer nothing we must not make light account of one word of the holy Scriptures yea we must be much more desirous and diligent in searching out this treasure and wee must endeuour to bring all to light For here is no earth mingled with gold it is all most pure gold tried to the vttermost yea as the Psalmist saith Aboue thousands of gold and siluer In the holy Scriptures because God is the author of it Who can neither be deceiued nor deceiue anie whatsoeuer is written is truth whatsoeuer is taught is vertue whatsoeuer is promised after death is immortality and euerlasting felicity The word of God giueth light and directs vs the way to heauen for the diuine Psalmist saith Thy word is a lanterne to my feet Therefore all that loue God desire to heare it therefore saith Christ our God He that is of God heareth Gods word And in Saint Lukes Gospel Blessed are they which heare the word of God and keepe it O woonderfull reliques being so precious and in the world so little esteemed If we make great account of the garments of the saints and if we reuerence some parts of their garments and that rightlie because they touched their bodies how much more ought wee to esteeme the words of Christ which issued from his heart by his most blessed mouth and touched both his tongue and his lippes They are all heauenly full of holinesse breathing heauenly mysteries Moyses beganne his booke from the generation of the creatures but Saint Matthew began his from the generation of the creator saying The booke of the generation of Iesus Christ. And after This booke is the Chronicle of Iesus Christ this is his testament what sonne will not reade the Testament of his father who is it that wil not giue good heed to his fathers last wil This new Testament is an infinit treasure which can neuer be spent of heauenly wisdome and celestial treasures And after The word of God ought to be in our hands that we might neuer forget it but it cannot be in our hands vnlesse it be first in our heart and therefore before God saith My words shall bee in thy hand he saith They shall be in thy heart He that will not fall into sinnes let him keepe Gods words in his heart The holy Prophet would teach vs this in these words I haue hid thy words in my heart least I should sinne against thee He loued the word of God so greatly that as a most precious treasure and most excellent Iewelles he kept them laid vp in the closet of his heart And Salomon in the Prouerbes speaking of the law of God Bind it saith he alwaies in thie heart and compasse it about thie necke and when thou walkest let it go with thee As in the arke of the Testament was the law of God manna as the holy scriptures do record in many places So in the soule where the word of God is kept Christ that hidden and heauenly manna is there by his grace of whome Esay saieth Truelie thou art a hidden God And the same Christ in Saint Iohns Gospell saith I am the liuelie bread that came downe from heauen In that soule which is refreshed with this heauenly food is the law of God written not with inke that I may vse Saint Pauls words but with the Spirit of the liuing God not in Tables of stone but in the fleshie Tables of the heart Saint Paul saith That those which haue the law of God imprinted in their mind that they shew the worke of the law written in their hearts And these obey and loue GOD whereof the truth it selfe saith in Saint Iohns Gospell If anie man loue me he will keepe mie saieng And in Saint Lukes Gospell Blessed are they which heare the word of God and keepe it For as saint Paul in the Epistle to the Romanes saith Not the hearers of the law are iust before God but the doers thereof shall be iustified And saint Iames saith in his Canonical Epistle Be ye doers of the word not hearers onelie deceiuing your owne selues Euen as he which will make an assault vpon his enimies or defend himself from them stands need of a sword the which being taken in his hand he may strike them that he may obtaine the victory So he that will triumph ouer the world the flesh and the diuell the most cruell enemies of the soule he must carie in his hands that is in his works the word of God
safe among their fellow Bishops wil keepe some priuate opinions to themselues which they haue once liked of Wherein wee will not vrge nor prescribe a lawe to any man when as euery one in the Church hath free power and authoritie to gouerne as he will and euery one is set ouer the Lords flocke beeing to giue account to the Lord of his doing Here is plaine by Cyprians and Ieromes iudgments the common honour of all Bishoppes that one of them cannot enforce another And that they haue euery one of them frée power of gouernment in their seuerall charges whereof they are to giue accompt to the Lord. And of the authoritie and necessitie of Bishops he writes thus in the same booke If at the praier only of the Bishop the holy ghost descended then they are in a lamentable case who beeing baptized by priests and Deacons in villages townes far distant places haue died before euer they were visited of the Bishops The health of the Church consisteth in the dignitie reuerence of the chiefe priests to whom if a peereles chiefe authoritie be giuen of all men there will bee so manye schismes in the Church as therē are Priests c. Héere wee may plainly see first the iurisdiction of Bishops ouer manie villages and countrey townes in which onelie Priests and Deacons were placed in Ieromes daies And that euen then as some now a daies thinke euerie pastor was not a Bishop in his flocke Secondlie what the authoritie of euerie Bishop was it was Exors it was péerelesse he had none aboue him in this world in his charge noe not the Bishoppe of Rome And lastlie that whereas M. Dorman in his booke against M. Nowell doth alleage this place to proue the Bishoppe of Romes authoritie and would proue that S. Ierome in this place ment him Marianus Victorinus Reatinus Episcopus who hath corrected S. Ieromes workes and newly imprinted them being a great Papist affirmes that this place is ment of euery Bishoppe in his Diocesse Hee calles saith he the Bishoppe the chiefe priest whose authoritie also to be greater thē the other priests hee doth otherwhere plainly and manifestly auouch So the Apostles whose roome the Bishops now occupie succeede in were aboue the 72 disciples whom as blessed Damasus the Priest doth witnes the Priests do now succeede So Aaron and the other hie priests were euer aboue the Leuites So that by his iudgment by this chiefe priest is not ment the Pope but euerie Bishop And that euerie Bishops authority is péereles And this vnitie of Bishops makes Ierome to be the vnitie of the Church Augustine writes thus The scribes and Pharisees sitte vpon Moses chaire doe what they say but doe not as they doe You see that in the chaire of Moyses to which hath nowe succeeded the chaire of Christ that also euill men doe sitte and yet notwithstanding the good thinges which they are about to teach doe not hurt their hearers Wherefore doest thou for the wicked mens sake forsake the chaire Returne againe to peace returne againe to vnitie which hurt thee not If I speake well and doe well followe me But if I doe not as I say thou hearest the counsell of the Lorde Doe what I say but what I doe doe thou not But yet depart not from the catholique chaire Héere we may sée that this chaire of Christ was in euerie countrey and that euery Bishop sate in it not the Bishop of Rome onelie Austen himselfe sate in it and to the vnitie of the chaire he exhorts schismatikes that they would returne Secondly we may note howe this chaire then was called Christs chaire not Peters chaire As the Pope nowe calles his Of the strickt vnitie that is betwixt Christ the head and his Church the bodie Aug. in psal 37. he writes thus Whē as Christ speaketh somtime he speaketh in the persō of the only head because he is a sauiour borne of the Virgin Marie sometime in the person of his bodie which is the whole church dispersed through the whole world And we are in his bodie if our faith be pure our hope sure and our loue inflamed And after where hee saith The wordes of my sinnes there is no doubt but that it is the voice of Christ But how come sinnes but of his bodie which is the Church because both the bodie of Christ and the head speakes Why speakes he alone because they shal be two in one flesh This is a great mysterie saith the Apostle I meane of Christ and of his Church And a little after If he hath sayd now they are not two but one flesh what maruaile is it if one flesh and one tounge vtter the same words as of one flesh one head and of one bodie let vs heare them as one but yet the head as the heade and the bodie as the bodie The personnes are not deuided but there is a differēce of their dignities because the head doth saue the body is saued The head shewes mercie the body bewailes her miserie the head is to purge sinnes the bodie to confesse sinnes and yet one voice of them both Héere we may sée the narrowe vnion betwéene Christ and his Church They are one flesh hee is an adulterer that intrudes himselfe betwéene these The Church sinneth euen the Pope himselfe if he be a member of this body by Augustines iudgment and the head alone saueth Christ alone is the head and all the rest are members Quaest ex vtroque testā quaest 101. Augustine of the Deacons of the Church of Rome which estéemed themselues better then the order of those whome they called presbyters writes thus But because they are the ministers or deacons of the Church of Rome therefore they thinke thēselues more honorable then in other Churches for the statelines of the Citie of Rome which seemes to be the head of all other Cities Let vs marke héere what priuiledge Austen giues to the citie of Rome and whie the Deacons thereof might perchance aduance themselues aboue other Deacons because the Citie of Rome saith he Was the head of all other Cities If it had been accompted the head of all other Churches no doubt Austen would haue here giuen it that commendation but hee saith no such thinge thereof but that the magnificence thereof consisted in that it was the head of all other Cities What can be plainer then this Shall wee not beleeue Austen And in another place of the foundations and bulwarks of the Church he writes thus Epist 56. Heretiques goe about to vndermine or ouercome the most sure foundations of the Church by the shew of reasō but that mercifull Captaine of our faith hath as it were with a most stronge tower defended his Church by the solemne assemblies of all nations people by the seats of the Apostles and by certaine excellent learned godly and spirituall men also he hath fenced it with the plentifull furniture of inuincible reason These are all the visible
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
which call vpon him and beleeue in him c. This great zeale and loue of Christ towards his verie enemies in the midst of all his torments must néedes worke an assured confidence that he will now heare vs which beléeue in him And therfore we néede not flie to anie other in our prayers but only to him If he so willingly saith Ferus forgaue the sinne done against his owne person he will no doubt farre more easily forgiue vs. Therfore we come boldlie and without all feare to God hauing so louing a patron and aduocate Fer in 4. cap. Mat. Ferus also of Inuocation that it is a part of Gods honour writes thus Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God This adoration consists not in bowing of the knee or such like but in spirit and truth To worship God to beleeue in him to serue him to cal vpō him without these thou art an Idolater whatsoeuer thou doest if thou loue or feare any other thing more then God if thou in thy necessitie call not vpon him for for this cause he sends thee aduersities that thou shouldest call vpon him And they haue not inquired after the Lord but haue trusted in the helpe of Egypt And so many of vs do Thus farre Ferus Here we may plainlie sée first that Ferus makes this Inuocation of God a speciall part of Gods worship or Latria and that to this end to make vs to call vpon him he sends vs afflictions Secondly how he reprooues them that trusts in Egypt that is in man either liuing or dead or in what thing soeuer Dom. 23. post pent conc 2. Philippus de dies also of prayer writes thus Whosoeuer doth knocke at the doores of the tender mercie of God with his prayers with faith and reuerence with humilitie and sure confidence with all which this woman was furnished he truely toucheth the Lord and drawes his vertue and spirit to him Therefore happy is he that truely can say with the Prophet I will offer the fat burnt offrings He offers to God fat burnt offrings which offers him prayers full of humilitie assurance of obtaining them and deuotion And he offers prayers without marrow which offers prayers without loue deuotion or attention And these whether they be Clergie or Lay-men although they pray a great number of Psalmes or of other prayers as a taske without any intention of the minde blessing God with their mouths but with their hearts giuing themselues to pleasures and delights in the streetes these truely thrust the Lord they touch him not because they onely touch him with their bodies and not with their spirit And therefore they receiue from him neither any vertue or grace What must we doe then brethren Truely that of Saint Paul I will praie with my spirit I will pray with my minde I will sing with my spirit I wil sing with my minde Thus much Philippus de Dies Wherein he condemnes all the Latine prayers made of the ignorant and simple people which vnderstand no Latine And such were almost all their prayers in the daies of our forefathers because they lacked this marrow of truth and confidence of the assurance of obtaining their prayers at Gods hands they lacked this minde and vnderstanding which S. Paul speaketh of And as Dies truely affirmes they that pray so thrust and throng Christ but they touch him not Stella also to the same effect writes thus In 1. cap. Luc. My soule doth magnifie the Lord saith the blessed virgin Marie And that verie fitly for God is to be praised rather in heart and minde then in voice according to that of S. Paul Sing to God in your hearts And after My soule saith she doth magnifie the Lord because my toong stambreth neither can it number all the benefits bestowed vpon me Therefore I offer the inward affection of my minde in giuing of thanks And againe Where we are taught that God is to be praised rather in minde and heart then in body But many haue the prayer of the voice onely and mouth and not of the heart to whom the Lord saith This people honoureth me with their lips but their hearts are farre from me And of our Sauiour Iesus he writes thus In that they led Iesus with them to Ierusalem Idem in ca. 3◠Luc. thou oughtest to learne that in all thy iournies and in all thy trauailings most sweete Iesus ought to accompanie thee Haue him alwaies before thine eies let no worldly matter enter into thy minde but in all thy affaires direct all thy thoughts to him as it were to a marke If we ought to haue him alwaies before our eies why should we haue then anie other And that Iesus Christ is so louing towards vs that we néede not haue anie other he writes thus after preferring his great loue towards vs before the loue of Iohn the greatest saint in the world and so by a consequent before anie other saint whatsoeuer Therefore saith he Iohn preached in the wildernesse because in the Citie there are so many sins and abominations that Iohn could not abide them Iohn was grieued at the heart neither could he digest so many sinnes But when as he saw the Pharisees he could not abide them but he burst out saying O ye generation of vipers c. But Christ hath a better stomacke to beare with our iniquities and to cure our infirmities as one that loues vs with all his heart and with all his affection and winkes at the sinnes of men that they might repent And for this cause Iohn would not enter into Cities that he might not see the lying of artificers the vsury of merchants the vanitie and pompe of noble men c. Thus farre Stella But quite to ouerthrow all inuocation of Angell or Saint whatsoeuer Coloss 2.18 doth not S. Paul most euidently write thus Let no man make you shoote at a wrong marke or defraude you of your price at his pleasure through humilitie in worshipping Angels intruding himselfe into those things he knowes not puffed vp vainly by the conceipt of his owne flesh As though he should saie If any man teach you this doctrine that it is humilitie to worship Angels and that you maie not presume to come in Gods sight such a one beguiles you he makes you lose your price lose your reward For he that runnes in a race must obey his pleasure that maketh and appointeth the game masterie If you pray neuer so much and fast neuer so often if you doe not these according to Gods word in the name of Iesus Christ you lose your price and he that teacheth contrary is puft vp of the pride of his owne minde he followes his owne reason and not the light of Gods word and therefore in these matters is starke blinde and knoweth nothing As S. Paul teacheth of all such If any man saith he teach any other doctrine and giues not heede respects not the holesome words of our Lord Iesus
in some other place yet for their plainenes and excellencie I cannot here passe them ouer Heb. 3 6. But Christ as the sonne is ouer his owne house saith Saint Paul Whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the reioycing of our hope euen vnto the end Here are two plaine markes of the Church we are Gods house we are Gods Church if so be we keepe and hold fast these two things that is our confidence in our praiers 1. Io. 5.14 as saint Iohn expounds it And our reioycing of the certaine hope of our saluation vnto the end This is our confidence we haue in him saith saint Iohn that if we aske anie thing according to his will he heareth vs. And if we know that he heareth vs whatsoeuer we aske we know that we haue the petitions that we haue desired of him This ought to be euerie Christians confidence and assurance that whatsoeuer they aske in the name of Iesus Christ which is agréeing to the will of God they are sure they shall obtaine it And they know that Iesus Christ heares them they know that their petitions are granted This is the first marke of Gods Church no doubt euerie Christian ought to haue this confidence whensoeuer he praies that he may say as our Sauiour said when he praied to God his father I thank thee father that thou hast heard me I know that thou hearest me alwaies Io. 11.41 Ro. 15.4 Io. 17.23 Psal 56.9.31.22.118.5.68 3 This is written for our learning God loues vs now as he loued him This the world must know much more euerie Christian himselfe This confidence Dauid had in all his praiers as appeareth in his Psalmes And the second marke also saint Iohn agréeing with saint Paul hath put downe in the former verse which is the ground of this Vers 13. These things haue I written vnto you saith saint Iohn which beleeue on the name of the son of God that ye may know that ye haue eternall life and that ye may beleeue in the name of the sonne of God All Christians must know that they haue eternall life And that this their knowledge might be sure and certaine Saint Iohn a faithfull witnesse writes thus vnto them Who will not beléeue in our affaires the deposition of a faithfull and honest man and shall we not beléeue the testimonie and writing of saint Iohn And againe in his first Chapter he writes thus The life appeared and we haue seene it and be are witnesse 1 Iohn 1.3 and shew vnto you the eternal life which was with the father and appeared vnto vs. This I say that we haue seene and heard declare we vnto you that ye also may haue fellowship with vs and that our fellowship also may be with the father and with his sonne Iesus Christ And these things write we vnto you that your ioy may be full Who would not read such a comfortable letter who durst euer haue presumed to thinke thus much in his heart That we vile wretches and miserable sinners should be fellowes with the Apostles nay should haue fellowship and a communion euen with God the father and his sonne Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost if saint Iohn had not written it And now that he hath written this vnto vs who dare doubt of it Oh the fellowship with God the father with his son Iesus Christ and with the holy Ghost the ioyfullest letter that euer was read Will God nay doth God euen now account vs as his friends as those whom he sets most by Who reads this reioyceth not euen from his heart whom will not this glad tidings cause to reioyce daily as often as he thinkes thereon Nay who will euer now cease to thinke thus let all other matters be forgoiteÌ„ I haue fellowship with God the father with his sonne Iesus Christ and with the holy Ghost What do I care for else He that walkes in the sunne the excéeding great light thereof so daseleth his eies that when he comes into his owne house though it be richly furnished â—e sées nothing So should this excéeding great ioy drowne all our other ioyes whatsoeuer This rich fellowship with God the father and his sonne and the holy Ghost should so dasell our eies that we should now make no account of these our earthly riches And this ioy of this rich and certaine hope being thus certified vs by a faithfull witnes Saint Iohn is the marke of the true Church They which lacke these markes are none of the Church what fair shewes soeuer they haue besides And this is the verie scope of saint Iohns Epistle I write vnto you saith he these things not that ye may reioyce onely but that your ioy may be full And this he writes to all Christians who will then doubt of his saluation And here I note how the Church of Rome doth take quite away saint Iohns knowledge and assurance I write vnto you saith he that you may know that you haue eternal life And again this is our confideÌ„ce that when we pray we know that he heareth vs. We know that we haue the petitions that we aske of him This certainty this knowledge the Church of Rome caÌ„not abide She teacheth that no Christian can say he knowes that he shall be saued and therefore she teacheth men to doubt of their saluation She teacheth that we are not sure whether being hindred by our sinnes Iesus Christ will heare vs or no And therefore she teacheth to make mediators vnto him As though anie thing could be added to his loue towards vs. Nay his mother the blessed Virgine Marie nor all the saints and Angels in heauen doe not loue vs so dearely as he doth if the loue of all these were put altogither And whereas they vrge our sinnes to discourage vs and to weaken this our confidence 1. Ioh. 1. vers 8. Saint Iohn in his first chapter doth confesse also so much that we are all sinners or else if we denie that we are lyars And yet for all that in this chapter he teacheth vs this ioy of our saluation and this confidence and assurance of our praiers And is the Church of Rome the true Church Is she Gods house that holdes not fast this confidence in her praiers and this certaintie of the hope of her saluation Let all men of indifferencie iudge Saint Iude in his Epistle hauing foretold of heretiques that should trouble the Church briefely knits vp as in a little bundell the markes of the true Church being the same in substance which saint Paul and saint Iohn haue taught vs. Iude epist Vers 20. But ye beloued saith he edifie your selues in your most holy faith That is studie read meditate and be expert in the scriptures So shall you be sure to be within Gods league and couenant and be a shéep of Iesus Christs fold as hath béene noted before Secondly pray in the holy Ghost that is with knowledge with
from a thousand dangers Psal 121.4 and euen as it were to loade me with many graces for all which as it is méete that I should craue pardon at thy hands Psal 19.12 not only for the forgiuenesse of these sins which I know but also of those which I know not so it is méete that I should in like sort giue thee as great and bounden thankes as possiblie I can not onlie for the benefites I know but also for those I know not And therefore I worship thee I praise thee I giue thanks to thee in them and for them all Giue me grace O my Redéemer that I may so learne to vse all these thy benefits hereafter Mat. 25.24 that they be not occasions of pride and slouthfulnesse in me but of greater humilitie and thankfulnesse and that they may kindle in me a greater desire and zeale of thy seruice To thee therefore who liuest and raignest with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honor and glorie both now and for euer and euer Amen A Forme of Morning Prayer taken out of Granatensis for Christian families O Lord God of Israel which dwellest betweene the Cherubins 2. King 19.15 thou art the verie God alone ouer all the kingdomes of the earth thou hast made heauen and earth thou hast made winter and sommer Psal 74.16 Gen. 1.1 the day is thine and the night also is thine O Lord God our most bountifull most mercifull and most louing Father wee most wretched sinners here gathered together in thy most holie name humblie prostrate our selues before thy throne of mercie crauing pardon and forgiuenes for al our sins And although we be vnworthie through our manifolde iniquities Luke 18.13 to present our selues before thy glorious Maiestie much lesse to offer to thée any oblation of praise thāksgiuing considering our owne basenesse demerits yet we know that thou art a Lord most bountifull a God most merciful a Father most louing and a sauior most swéet comfortable Luk. 15.20 whose propertie is euer to saue and haue mercie on the humble sorowfull penitent persons that come to thee in the name of thy beloued son Iesus Christ We confesse O Lord our wretchednesse Psal 32.5 wee acknowledge O Father our vnworthinesse wee are hartilie sorie for our sinnes we most humbly craue pardon for them euen for Iesus Christs sake Esay 59.2 we know that our sinnes stand before vs as great huge heaps like walles of iron and gates of brasse which hinder our petitions so that they cannot come before thee Esa 1.18 we do account our sinnes as red as scarlet in thy sight wee feele our burthen is so heauie and intolerable that we are not able to beare it Psal 40.12 we sée in our selues to be no frée spot from the crowne of the heade to the sole of the foote but all is spotted and corrupted with sores and vlcers Esa 1.6 whose great vengeance which they worthily deserued would haue fallen vpon vs long agoe Lam. 3.22 but that it was stayed and kept backe by thy mercifull hand Wee giue thee O most gratious God and louing Father humble and heartie thankes for this thy fatherlie loue in the name of thy dearely beloued Sonne Iesus Christ beséeching thee for his sake to continue this thy loue and mercy towards vs all the daies of our liues Psal 84.9 O most louing Father looke not vpon vs but looke vpon the face of this thy annointed Iesus Christ and for his sake haue mercie vpon vs Remoue O Lord our sinnes as farre from vs as the East is from the West Psal 103.12 that they bee neither hinderances to let thy mercie for falling on vs or our prayers Psal 51.7 for comming vp into thy sight Purge vs with Isop dipped not in the bloud of the lambe but in the bloud of thy Son Iesus Christ and we shall be as white as snowe O good Lord sprinckle not only the vppermost poste Exod. 12.7 Rom. 10.9 and the two side postes of the doores of our houses but the whole houses of our hearts and soules with that most precious bloud with the Isop of thy Gospell now preached and wée doe beleeue verily that the destroyer shall passe ouer vs he shall in no wise hurt vs. Ease we beséech thée O swéete Sauiour our burthens as thou hast promised Matt. 11.28 who callest all to thée that are heauie loaden and burthened We confesse O Sauiour euerie one of vs that we carie on our backes the greatest burthens that euer were borne 1. Tim. 1.25 Heb. 13.20 Rom. 8.33 Ephes 5.16 And graunt to vs we beséech thee O mercifull Father that by the bloud of the euerlasting testament sprinkled in our harts by a liuely faith all the inditements and accusations of Satan against vs maie be quite blotted out and all his fir is darts quenched Make this couenant with vs O sweete Sauiour that so long as we serue thée that thou wilt be our God 1. Sam. 2.30 Psal 119 32. our guide and protectour And graunt vs euer therefore thy grace that we may be able to do thée seruice and willing minds to do it with chéerefulnesse 2. Cor. 5.25 And because O Lord Ephes 1.6 the whole course and end of our life should be no other thing but to delight to do thy will and pleasure Psal 5.3 giue vs grace to begin to praise and serue thée the first thing we do in the morning and let vs account and make it the principall ground-worke of all other whereon we should laie all other businesses and affaires whatsoeuer And that we may do it more effectuallie giue vs the holie Ghost the seale of our saluation 2. Cor. 1.22 to seale and shut vp the doores of our hearts and minds from all earthly thoughts and worldly cogitations And close O good Lord Ier. 9.21 the windowes of al our senses frō the vaine appetites of the world the concupiscence of the flesh and the baites of the diuell first of all in the morning when we awake so that all these being excluded and shut out of doores our hearts and minds may be open onlie to thee and to receiue and admit thy Son our Sauiour Iesus Christ into them before all things else 1. Thess 2.13 Reu. 14.4 That so wee may offer vnto thee the firstlings of this day and of all the dayes of our liues And here we giue thee deare Father Psal 137.2 most humble and heartie thankes for the quiet rest and swéete sléepe that thou hast giuen vs this night and for that thou hast deliuered vs from all vaine dreames and foolish fantasies and from all the subtill snares and illusions of our enemy the diuell Psal 91.3 and for all other the benefits of our creation our redemption 1. Cor. 1.30 our election our iustification our sanctification that thou hast called vs vnto the knowledge of
disquieted within me O put thy trust in God For I will yet giue him thankes which is the helpe of my countenance and my God The ioy of the Lord is your strength Nehe. 8.10 Rom. 15.13 O Lord of hope fill vs with all ioy and peace through faith that we may abound in hope through the power of the holie Ghost When we shall heare the clocke strike let vs say Blessed be the houre wherein our Lord Iesus Christ was borne and died for vs. When as we shall haue done any thing well let vs say Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs Psal 115.1 but vnto thy name giue the glorie For thy louing mercie and for thy truths sake When we shall take a iourney I will go forth in the strength of the Lord God Psal 71.16 and I wil make mention of thy righteousnes only In a doubtfull matter let vs pray thus In silence and confidence is our strength Esa 30.15 In dangers let vs pray thus Our helpe standeth in the name of the Lord Psal 124.8 who hath made heauen and earth For Faith let vs pray thus with the Apostles O Lord increase our faith Luke 17.5 For the loue of God O Lord poure thy loue abundantly into our hearts Rom. 5.5 by thy holy Spirit For remission of sinnes Haue mercie vpon me O God after thy great goodnesse Psal 51.1 according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Psal 19.13 Who can tell how oft he offendeth O cleanse thou mee from my secret sinnes Psal 25.7 O remember not the sinnes and offences of my youth but according to thy mercie thinke vpon me O Lord for thy goodnes For good thoughts Psal 19.14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be alwayes acceptable in thy sight O Lord God my strength and my redeemer For good workes Psal 119.122 Make thy seruant delight in that which is good that the proud do me no wrong At the houre of death Psal 31.5 Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth For the Church pray thus Psal 28.10 O saue thy people giue thy blessing vnto thine inheritance feede them and set them vp for euer Psal 80.7 Turne vs againe thou God of hosts shewe the light of thy countenance and we shall be saued Psal 85.4 Turne vs O God our Sauiour let thine anger cease from vs. In the afflictions of the Church Amos 7.2 O Lord God spare vs I beseech thee who will raise vp Iacob for he is small Psal 51.18 O be fauourable and gracious vnto Sion build thou the wals of Ierusalem Psal 122.6 7 8 O pray for the peace of Ierusalem they shall prosper that loue thee Peace be within thy walles and plenteousnesse within thy pallaces for my brethrens and companions sake I will wish thee prosperitie Saint Gregorie his Prayer Greg. post Psalmos poenitent O good Iesu the word of the Father the brightnesse of the Fathers glorie on whom the Angels do desire to looke teach me to doe thy will that being led by thy good Spirit I may come to that blessed Citie where is an euerlasting day and one spirit of all men where is certaine securitie and secure eternitie and eternall tranquilitie and quiet felicitie and happie pleasure and pleasant ioy where thou God liuest with the Father and the holie Ghost for euer and euer Amen He that shall vse these short prayers no doubt as arrowes they shall mount vnto the skies and enter euen into the eares of God A View of Gods houshold and of all his Seruants THis is set downe by king Dauid very excellently in the Psalme They haue seene O Lord Psal 68.25 thy goings how thou my God and king hast walked in the Sanctuarie Here Dauid teacheth vs that the Lord God as a mightie Prince sometimes as it were euen walketh in his Sanctuarie and among the faithfull in the congregation Now followeth his traine The singers Sharim go before the Musitians Nogenim they which play with the hand on instruments of musicke follow after in the middest are virgins playing on timbrels or drummes Here is Gods traine first singers then virgins and lastly they which plaie with the hand And these may signifie vnto vs thrée sorts of men in Gods Church Singers maie represent Martyrs or Confessors of the faith Virgins those that next to them though they haue not shed their bloud for the loue of Christ yet for his sake they haue abandoned all the vaine and fleshly delights and pleasures of this world and therefore by good right they challenge to themselues the middle or second place And lastly are those cunning Musitians which play with the hand Gal. 5.6 these are those Christians whose faith worketh through charitie Who haue sowne plentifully with their handes the Lords talents that he hath blessed them withall 2. Cor. 9.6 as Saint Paul exhorteth them to doe And they which haue done so do receiue plentifully againe as our Sauiour witnesseth Matt. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world for I was an hungrie and ye gaue me meate c. And how fitly agrées all these together Martyrs may bée rightly called Singers for as Prudentius writeth of Romanus the martyr when as the cruell persecutor had bored through his chéekes he spake thus to him Prudent in Rom. mart O Ruler fierce I yeeld thee thanks that for one mouth too straite Now manie mouthes thou hast me made my Christ his praise to speake Virgins may bee said to play with Drummes For their praise soundeth farre and wide Matth. 19.12 Of virginitie Christ said He that can comprehend it let them comprehend it As though hée should say it is a price propounded of me to all my disciples to runne for 1. Cor. 7.32 Happie is he that can attaine it And S. Paul erhorting all men to virginitie I would haue you without care saith he But this thing can only virginitie afford you The vnmaried man careth for the things of the Lord how he may please the Lord But hee that is maried careth for the things of the world how he may please his wife Yea there is difference betweene a virgin and a wife They are not all one the one farre excelleth the other The vnmaried woman careth for the things of the Lord that she may be holy both in body and spirit but she that is maried careth for the things of the world how shee may please her husband Here is the excellencie of virginitie put downe weighed as it were in a paire of ballance and compared with mariage that euerie one maie sée the excellency and difference of the one before the other The virgin careth only for the Lord the maried person for the world The virgin
their children and families that so all Gods promises and blessings maie come vpon them The Tyger is reported of all wild beasts to be most swift Solinus cap. 17 so that they which take her whelpes from her haue ships readie and so taking ship she cannot pursue them nor ouertake them which otherwise could not escape from her But when she perceiues that one of her whelpes is stolne from her and that she cannot recouer it againe it is written of her that vpon the sea shore for verie griefe she will throw her selfe downe headlong into the sea punishing her owne slownesse with such a voluntarie destruction O the louing nature of this wild beast to her whelpes And shall not Christians shew the like loue to their children If they bee wicked and giuen to anie sinne not théeues as those Tygers whelps but the diuell hath stolne awaie and possessed them and shal not this grieue them especiallie when they see it with their eies Let all Christians be more kind to their children then Tygers Let them teach them the feare of Lord as Dauid teacheth Come ye children hearken vnto me Psal 34.11 I will teach you the feare of the Lord. And then shal not that enemie steale thē from them The vessell will euer haue a tast of that liquor with which it is first seasoned Let the first liquor that enters into their childrens hearts be the feare of God and then they will neuer forget it So no doubt Abraham although he had but one son of Sarah yet he pampered him not as should séeme but instructed him in the law of God For when he went to be sacrificed hee could say Father here is the wood Gen. 22 7. but where is the lambe for the burnt offering euen being so young he knew what a sacrifice meant no doubt his father had taught him So ought all Christians after his example to instruct their children in the principles of Christian religion So likewise Abraham also no doubt catechized and instructed his familie hauing in his familie a greate number as appeareth by that rescue of Lot Who brought forth 318. that were borne and brought vp in his house Gen 14.14 and with them pursued those kings which had taken Lot prisoner When as God after commaunded him to circumcise himselfe and all his familie that were males it is said Gen. 17.23 that Abraham circumcised them all the selfe same day No doubt they had béene well instructed before both in their duties and obedience towards God and also their maister or els all of them so willinglie and so readilie would not haue yéelded to such a painefull thing as circumcision was So Dauid being a king had care of his familie and seruants to teach all Noblemen and Gentlemen the like care of their families Socrates common by-word is often proued true That most commonly in great mens houses either some great good Eras Apoph or some great euill is hatched And first concerning the choise of his seruants Psal 101.6 Dauid writeth thus Mine eyes shall be vnto the faithfull of the land that they may dwell with me and hee that walketh in a perfect way he shall serue me And then for the kéeping and correcting his seruants he writes thus There shall no deceitfull person dwell within my house He that telleth lies shall not tarie in my sight No doubt he did reproue both deceitfull and lying seruants 2. King 5.25 and which were like to Gehezi and also other sins in his seruants And if they would not be reformed he would not keepe them anie longer I would to God all Noblemen and Gentlemen would doe the like then we should haue a flourishing Church and common wealth then so much sinne would not be committed as is commonly A Gentlemans or a Noblemans seruant will presume to sinne because of the authoritie of his maister or because his maister hee knowes neuer mindes what he doth and sometime will not sticke to tell a lie to féed his maisters humour Such presumptuous lying and flattering seruants king Dauid would not kéepe in his house Such a care also no doubt of his familie had that good ruler whose sonne Christ healed It is written of him that after his sonne was healed Ioh. 4.52 53. that he beleeued and all his houshold No doubt the good maister had a care to instruct all his familie in that faith and waie of saluation which he beléeued himselfe So Cornelius also hath this commendation giuen him Act. 10.2 There was a certaine man in Caesarea called Cornelius a Captaine of the band called the Italian band a deuout man one that feared God with all his houshold which gaue much almes to the people prayed God continually Here is a notable patterne set downe of a good housholder for all Christians to follow Hee feared God and all his houshould he gaue much almes to the people and prayed God continually He is not commended for the building or furniture of his house but for his deuotion for his care of his familie for his almesdéedes and for his daylie prayers O that we had manie such housekéepers these vertues should make them more famous Ier. 22.14.15 then building statelie towers and high walles and large windowes This is to execute iudgement and to do righteousnesse as Ieremie teacheth that Iehoiakim that proud king of Iuda in him all other maner of men So that good Emperour Constantine made his pallace as it were a Church in catechising his family himselfe Euseb de vita Const lib. 4. and both commanding them to pray and also teaching them how to pray as Eusebius in his life recordeth Nay he tolde the bishops dining at a certaine time with him you will say quoth he that I am a Bishop and so I am indeed but I within and you abroad And in his coine to declare what account he made of prayer he caused himself to be pictured with his eyes looking vnto heauen as it were euer crauing or requesting something of God And these were the common monie or coine that they vsed through all the Roman Empire during his raigne And likewise he was pictured at the entrance into his pallace kneeling on his knees as some suter and his eyes lifted vp to heauen This Eusebius reporteth of him O noble and Christian Emperour that was thus zealous of Gods seruice both himselfe and also which caused his family and subiects thus to serue God likewise How since his dayes Christians are degenerated all men maie sée Now they are accounted precise that so instruct and gouerne their families But this in his dayes was not precisenesse but Christianitie And that all Christians ought to instruct their families Chrysostome writes thus verie excellentlie Chrysost ho. 78. in Matt. And surely if thou longest greatly to be with Christ then do his will and his will is especially that thou shouldest studie to profite thy neighbour Wilt thou haue me