prouidence permitteth them is good for God suffereth them to be that the approu'd as gold in the fire tryed may be manifested and discouered from the holow hearted members of the Church The supream prouidence suffereth them to be that the carnall thereby may be stird vp to seek and the spirituall to clear the truth the supream prouidence tolerateth them to the end that many may be raised out of their sleep to see the day of God and be glad therof S. Aug. c. 8. de verae religione the supream prouidence suffereth them to be choosing rather to draw good out of euill then to permit no euill at all But woe to such as through their fault commit the euill that God suffereth to be CHAR. XV. OF CHRISTIAN HOPE THE CONTENTS Good works supported by diuine promises haue a good claim to the glory of Heauen which is the consistency of Christian hope God by promising maketh himselfe mans debter the assurance that man hath that God cannot faile of his promise doth not render him sure of the thing promised till he shall performe the condition of the promise made which is full perseuerance in the exercise of good works whereof no man can be certain the death of Christ brought forth Hope of life CHristian Hope is a certaine * S. August vocat Christianā spem certam exspectationem gloriae futurae expectation of future glory supported by diuine promises and perseuerance in good works the condition of the promises proceeding from diuine grace through the merits of Christ And as God cannot faile of his promise who is * 2. Thessal 3. fidelis autem Deus est faithfull in all he promiseth or falsify his word who is the eternall truth so works done a right cannot be frustrated of the reward promised being * Bona opera quae procedunt ex gratia sunt quasi pignora arahae regni caelestis pledges of full assurance which render God their (a) According to Tertull. l. depenit a good worke makes God mans debter likewise S. Austin ser 31. de verbis Domini Saith that God vnder his hand-writing hath giuen us an engagement of his promises debter not because God owes any thing that is not his own who is lord of all things and good works themselues are his (b) According to S. Austin in Enchir. c. 107. good works are the gifts of God and God by crowning our works crownes but his own gifts and indeed euery good worke conducing to heauenly blessednes proceedes from druine grace which is Gods free liberall gift gifts deriued from his grace that make them good but because the reward that his goodnes gratis and frankly promises justice performes * Hebrae 6. non enim iniustus Deus vt obliuiscatur operis vestri dilectionis quā ostendistis in nomine ipsius qui ministrastis sāctis ministratis for God is not vnjust to forget the worke and labour of loue shewn towards his name Holy Ioh hauing this full assurance of diuine promises shut vp in the cabinet of his heart was not a more illustrious king sitting in his Regall Throne then he was glorious lying on his dunghill where he rejoyced and gloried in the assurance of promised glory through Christ his Redeemer though he (c) Though I vvere saith holy Iob c. 9. perfect neuerthess my soul is ignorant therof and Salomon Prouerb 20. Who can say my heart is clean I am clean from sin and the Apostle 1. Cor. 4. durst nost pronounce him selfe iustifyed albeit his conscience was not guilty of euill Again S. Austin l. 1. de ciuit c. 12. teacheth that though we can be certain of the reward of perseuerance neuertheless we cannot besure of perseuerance it selfe since no man can know certainly without a speciall reuclatiō that he shall cōtinue in the exercise of good works till the end of his life was not sure of saluation nor yet or his own iustification Hence euidently appeares the eminency of diuine Hope aboue any human expectation for this is like dust that is blown away with the wind or like the smoake that is dispersed here and there with a tempest to the confusion of him that placeth his trust in the arme of flesh but diuine Hope doth not make ashamed it is the ancre of the soul and holds it firme and stedfast in the greatest storme of tribulation and affliction And as the ancre of a ship doth not fix in water but in the firm earth below (d) The Apostle Hebr. 6. assures us that Christian Hope entereth into those parts which are within the vail that is Sanctum Sanctorum which is an allegory taken from the ancient Tabernacle or Temple of the Iews the inward part whereof was called Sanctum Sanctorum which the interposition of a vail seperated from that part where the people assembled together This inward part was a type of the diuine Tabernacle and represented euerlasting blessednes wherasthe other part was a figure only of enjoyments proper to the present life so Christian Hope doth not stay at the porch or entry of the vaile of the Tabernacle which misteriously represents the floating waters of transitory and visible enjoyments but passeth into the inward parts therof which is Sanctum Sanctorum the holiest place mysteriously shewing the throne of the inuisible God whether is entred the fore-runner for all true beleiues IESUS-CHRIST the author of diuine Hope Christ came into the world as a great Phisician to heal the infirmities of man and he made of his own blood * Aug. sanguis medici factus est medicamentum phraenetici the phisick that healed him wherby he begot him vnto a full assurance of Hope so that it would be impossibile that he should hate him as to perdition for whom he hath shed his blood as to saluation Thus Christs death was made the Hope of life which his resurrection confirm'd Christ rising did perfect what dying he had merited and gloriously risen he entred into the inward parts of the vaile that is of his heauenly kingdom making way for all such (e) The Apostle Rom. 2. ascribes iustification to the doers not to the hearers of the law whereby is euident that not faith alone but the keeping of Gods commandements is of necessity required vnto obtaining heauenly blessednes as shall obserue his commandements to follow and to receiue the reward of eternall life that his death hath merited CHAR. XVJ. OF CHRISTIAN CHARITY TOWARD GOD THE CONTENTS God will not be lou'd for a reward that is not himselfe in the exhibition of loue God exacteth all the loue of God and the loue of the world are iuconsistent together whosoeuer loueth God a right keepeth his commandements where there is deadly transgression there is nothing of iustification as water extinguisbeth fire so each mortall sin driueth away charity out of the soul CHarity towards God is a supernaturall loue wherewith the soul being inuested loues God
this Iesus in reuerence and reference not to the materiall elements or sound of the name it selfe but to the son of the Virgin Mary God and man which kind of Religious honour was neuer exhibited to the name of Iesus Naue or Iesus the son of Iosedech and the best antiquity counted the said Custom of bowing at the name of Iesus a distinctiue mark to the distinguishing of Christians from Iewes who hearing the name Iesus spoken did no more bow their stiffe neckes and proud heades then they did hearing the names Pharach or Satan * S. Hieron l. 3. Commentar ait suo tempore Christianos hac nota à Iudais cognitos fuisse quod hi nunquam genuflectereÌ„t audito nomine Iesu Besides the ancient Christians were piously accustomed to weare about their necks the name of this Iesus formed in Agnus Deies and Crosses which they counted as Religious table books to preserue the memory (g) According to S. Austin there is no such soueraign medicin against sin as is a reflexion on the grieuous sufferings which Christ God and man endured for our sake and who is writeth S. Bernard so voluptuous as will not abstain so ambitious that will not repent or so full of wrath that will not grieue when he takes into his serious consideration the passion and death of Christ of their God crucifyed dead and buried knowing well that if they would not carry the name of the diuine son in tables of their hearts they should not find their own names put down in the table book of the diuine Father which is the book of life since none can come to the Father but by the son and the merits of his passion Wherby is plain that to a good Christian the name of Iesus the Son of the Virgin Mary * Bonauoâ—tura in vitaâ— S. Francisci scribit eum solitum fuissa labia sua lambere diâ legerot nomeÌ„ Iesu S. Bernardus ser 13. in Cant. Iesus inquit mel in ore in aure melos in corde IubiluÌ„ is hony in the mouth melody in the care and gladnes in the heart Further more the very name of Iesus (h) Lactantius l. 4 c. 24. affirmes that many men were deliuered from deuils through the name of Iesus and the sign of the crosse that represents his passion and death The same is asserted by S. Justin the Martyr in his dialogue with Tryphon this name Iesus saith he forceth deuils to flie Again the name of Iesus according to Origen heales wounds cures diseases deliuers from death and expells deuils hath produced marueillous effects ouercame temptations expelled deuils and cured all manner of infirmities in reference to him whose proper name it is to witt the son of the Virgin Mary who is also the son of God CHAR. VIJ. OF THE NAME OF CHRIST THE CONTENTS The exposition of the word Christ his Priest hood wherby he was constituted Chief Gouernour of souls vnto bringing them to the knowledge of truth and to healing the wounds also which sin had inflicted in the Cure wherof Christ performed the seuen works of mercy CHrist is a second name properly belonging to the son of the Virgin Mary so named because he was anointed by the holy Ghost in respect of (a) Psal 44. thy God hath anointed thee vvith the oile of gladness aboue thy fellovvs Christ was anointed in regard of his hypostaticall vnion in consequence of which he was both peculiarly and incomparably anointed and endued with abilities and graces aboue all other kings and Priests the hypostaticall union of his diuine and human nature in one diuine person so that at once and in a most eminent degree he was both king and Priest and endued with guifts and abilities effectually necessary for the performance of each charge (b) The Royall Prophet Psal 49. assertes Christs rule and dominion ouer the whole world As king his inheritance was the whole world and the plenitude of all things therin contained though while he liued on the earth he did not exercise Regall power As Priest he was chief Gouernour of soules being maried to the Church in mercy and compassion * Oseae 2. Spensabo te mihi in aeternum for euer and this spirituall gouernment he executed in two kindes of waies As to the first (c) S. Iohn the Euangelist cap. 1. attesteth Christ to be the true light that enlighteneth euery man that cometh into the world from whence S. Austin l. 1. de Gen. Con. Manich. c. 3. inters that euery man may keep the Commandements if he will himselfe because saith he that light Christ lightneth all men that come into the world and indeed as S. Anselm teaches no man wanteth the light of grace because God doth not giue it but because man will not accept it being as S. Austin often inculcates left to the free will of each one to consent vnto or dissent from diuine grace which beginneth euery good work and if not hindred through the resistance of our flexible nature effectually perfects the work it beginneth he was a generall light offering on his part to enlighten euery one in darknes of ignorance and sin insomuch that such as are not enlightened it is because they * Ioa. 3. lux venit in mundum dilexeruns homines magis tenebras qua lucem loue darknes more then light like vnto certaine Ethiopians who haue so great an abhorrence from the clear beames of the sun that at the rising therof they retire into woods or dens to eschew the brightnes of it such are * S. Ansel homo noÌ„ habet gratiam non quia hanc noÌ„ dat Deus sed quia hanc noÌ„ accipit homo sinners which through willfull blindnes of errour doe * Job 24. ipsi eraÌ„t lumini rebelles declinaueruÌ„t oculos suos ne viderent solem rebell against the light of diuine grace shutting the eyes of their vnderstanding that it may not shine vpon them And as wood wherin is much water doth hardly take fire the form of water mainly resisting the introducing of the form of fire so such loue not the light of grace as are delighted with darknes of sin darknes being an enemy to light When Christ the son of the Virgin Mary was born the generall light of the world he offered his enlightning grace as the rising sun its shining beams to all though the celestiall quiers of Angells did communicate the glad tydings of this light vnto the shepherdes of Bethlem the place of his birth and diuinely sung glory to God in the highest heauens for sending it yet they did not proclaime peace as to the reconciling earth and heauen together but only to men Bonae voluntatis * Luc. 2. in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis of good will plainly shewing therby that the reconciliation of man vnto God should depend of the free will of each one prepared by the said light of grace * Aug.
only for the goodnes sanctity and perfection essentiall vnto him And God is not loued aright when he is loued for * Aug. in psa 52. Deus non propterea se amari vult quia dat aliquid praeter se sed quia dat se a reward besides himselfe who is the * Gen. 17. ego ait Deus Abrahamo protector tuus sum merces tua magna nimis great reward of right loue also the soul that loues God aright loues him with all its faculties strength and thought * Aug. medita 35. immensus es Domine ideò sine mēsura debes amari Et rursum totū amorem à te exigit Deus qui te tetum fecit for in the exhibition of loue God requires of man it all who made him all As a chast woman that loues her husband loues no other man besides him for to loue so where not at all or less to loue him then she ought so a chast soul that loues God its spouse loues no other reward besides him for that were not to haue at all or less affection for him who will not be loued for any reward that is not himselfe and indeed a riuer diuided into two riuolets or branches the more water it giues to one the less it bestowes on the other Furthermore as a woman doth not loue her husband that loues him for his mony goods and estate so a Christian soul doth not loue God that loues him for worldly enjoyments Aright louer of God does not stoope his loue to any creature but mount's vp and sixes it in the Creatour onely that is renounces all leagues of loue and friendship with the world And truly the. (a) According to S. Chrysostom hom 42. in Mat. a man if he loues God does not loue the world for if he loues the world he loues not God with all his heart a gain in an other place S. Chrysostom saith that whosoeuer will loue God of necessity must hate riches and whosoeuer will loue riches of necessity must hate God The loue of God and the loue of the world as contradictories are inconsistent together to loue God is to hate the world and to loue the world is to hate God * Iac. 4. amicitia huius mundi inimica est Dei. whosoeuer will be a friend of the world maketh himselfe the enemy of God As the same eyes of the body cannot behold the heauen and the earth together so the same eyes of the soul cannot look on God and the world at once this cannot flie vp on high when the wings of its affections are glewed to earthly delights God and the world are two contrary Masters and command contrary wise God command's man to abandon all terrene things for him and his faith and he will giue him eternall life the world saies to man denie or dissemble thy faith and Religion and I will bestow on thee riches and honours bring thee out of trouble and misery and make thee liue in peace and plenly at thine own house with they wife children and family The obseruation of Gods commands is the proofe and evidence of Christi an charity for whosoeuer loueth God * Joan. 14. si diligitis me mādata mea seruate Et cap. 10. haec inquit est charitas Dei vt mādata eius custodiamus quo modo dicit Aug. dlligis eum cuius odisti praeceptum quis est qui dicat diligo Imperatorē sed odi leges eius keepeth his commandements and doth those things which are pleasing in his sight and good works proceeding from the root of charity are without guilt of sin and consequently gratefull sacrifices vnto God * Io. Deus charitas est qui manet in charitate in Deo manet who is charity it selfe and in whom a Christian soul abideth whiles it abideth in charity * Quod charitas de fasto deperdatur totaliter quolibet peccato mortali est assertio fide certa ex Tridentino sess 6. cap. 15. can 27. read the character of luxury vvherein this Catholick doctrine is clearely prou'd and it is as impossible for charity to remaine with mortall sin as fire to burn in water for as water extinguisheth fire so each mortall sin driueth away charitv Lucifer was depriued of charity by the sin of pride Adam by the sin of disobedience king Dauid by the sinns of adultery and homicide and S. Peter lost his charity by denying of Christ though not * Iuxta antiquos Patres S. Petrus peccauit ex timore non ex infidelitate charitatem amisit non fidem his faith he sinning through feare only And albeit that some naturall works may be (b) S. Austin ser 52. de tempore c. 2. besides diuine supernaturall acknowledges human naturall charity and expresly affirmes that such meer morall affection if no euil circunstance interuene is laudable lawfull and honest in consequence of which he teacheth that pagans Jewes and other vnbelieuers may loue one another namely pagan husbands may loue their wifes and parents their children with a loue that is no deadly sin although it be not grounded on Christian faith wherby t is plain that S. Austin did not think as the new Teachers of these daies impose vpon him that euery morall action done by a pagan or Iew is a mortall sin because of the want of Christian faith neither matt'ers it that t is said Rom. 14. Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sin Fot the Apostle meaneth only as appeares by the same chapter that whatsoeuer worke a man does against faith or contrary to conscience is a sin ant doubtles it is not meant thereby that an infidel sinneth in honouring his parents giuing of almes fighting for his Country tilling his ground and in all other morall good works where vnto an insidel is bound by the law of nature good morally without both diuine charity and diuine faith for if liberum arbitrium free will could produce no good morall action at all without Gods speciall helpe by necessary consequeuce it would follow that it were wholy extinct for example he who could perceiue nothing of any coulour without a speciall concurrence and assistance of God would be counted wholy blind that is it would be thought that his sight or faculty of seeing were totally extinct Howeuer meer works of nature inuested with morall goodnes onely haue but withered leaues wanting reall fruits such as tend * Aug. l. 4. con Julia nullum bonū beatificum sine charitate hoc inquit amore opus est vt sit bonum beatificum to the glory of Heauen which is the centre of Christian charity CHAR. XVIJ. OF CHARITY TOWARDS OVR NEIGBOUR THE CONTENTS The loue of God bringeth forth loue towards our neigbour whosoeuer loueth God as he ought loueth his neigbour also euery man is euery mans neigbour those come the nearest to God in imitation which loue their enemyes without dissimulation the highest praise
if they had not resisted diuine grace whereby they might haue been elected GOds charity to man is the (a) T is called the will of mercy in regard it proceeds from God only being man on his part hath nothing that is able to merit Gods loue towards him because he is conceiu'd and born in sin which makes him a child of wrath and not of lou◠will of his mercy towards all men to iustification and glorification which is the end of their creation * Orig. tract 340. in Mat. Deus inquit quantū ad se homines non ad perditionem creauit sed ad vitam aeternam for God made no man to damnation in consequence of which his will on his part is to saue (b) S. Ignatius Epis 6. ad philad writeth that God is so exceeding a great louer of mankind that he desires to saue all men and bring them to the knowledg of truth in testimony whereof saith this great Saint God makes the sun to shine as vvell on the vvicked as the iust and bring all vnto the knowledge of the truth and in euidence thereof sweares by the mouth of his Prophet Ezechiel c. 33. * Ezech. 33. quare moriemini domus Israël dicit Dominus viuo ego nolo mortem impij Ubi Tertul. l. de pen. c. 4. ait Deu inrasse vt sibi crederetur quatenus dixit viuo ego he coueteth not the death of a sinner saying As I liue I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his euill waies and liue which plainly she wes Gods loue and mercy to a sinner for whose sake he sweares and argueth withall the vnhappines of a sinner that shall not belieue God when he sweares Howeuer God doth not saue all sinners because all * Occumen in cap. 2. ad Timoth. Si Deus inquit vult omnes homines saluos fieri quare non fit quod vult non fit quia illi nolunt nihil enim ex necessitate facit in nobis Deus Idem docet Aug. l. 1. de gen con Manichaeos cap. 3. will not be saued and Gods will to saue on his part (c) S. Austin l. de spir lit c. 33. or 32. writeth That the vvill of God is that all men be sau'd and come to the knovvledge of the truth but addeth not so as that he vvill take avvay their free vvill according to the good or euill managing vvhereof each one shall be judged most justly from whence this great Doctour infers that those Infidels vvhich doe not performe the vvill of God for as much as they doe not belieue in the Gospell of Christ depriue themselues of an exceeding great benefit and thereby shall experience in their punishments his povver vvhose mercy in gifts they haue contemned and the same S. Austin l. 2. Act. cum felice Manichaeo saith expresly that it is not an action vnbeseeming God to say to those goe yee into euerlasting fire vvhich through their ovvn free vvill despised his mercy doth not take away free will on their part but most iustly he iudgeth them according to the vsage of their liberty prepared by his grace well or amiss he doth not necessitate either to vertue or vice for where there is necessity neither vertue can merit the crown of glorification nor vice the pain of damnation * Aug. l. 3. de lib. arb cap. 18. nemo peccat in eo quod vitare non potest a fault that cannot be auoided is not counted a sin vnto damnation and therefore (d) S. Austin l. 3. de lib. arbit c. 19. l. de natura gra c. 67. arguing against the Pelagians saith That God imputes to no man as a fault vnuoluntary errour Again saith he t is not ascribed to any man as a crime that he healeth not his vvounded members caused through Adams transgression but in regard he contemneth God that is vvilling to heal them Furthermore l. de praedes Sanctorum c. 7. he teacheth That no man is bar'd from knovving to seek profitably vvhat vnprofitably hekuovves not or from an humble Confession of his ovvn infirmity and vveaknes to the end God may assist him so seeking and confessing who neither erreth nor laboureth while he assisteth which testimonies clearly euidence against the new Teachers of these dayes that S. Austin belieued that God giues sufficient grace to euery man vnto bringing him to the knowledge of his truth God doth not impute to any man as a damnable offence for being defectiue in binding vp his wounded members or in driuing away his ignorance blindnes and difficulty of liuing aright vnto iustice these being necessary infirmities which came of Adams disobedience the offence that God imputs vnto sinners is for resifting him who is willing to cure them for he giues to euery one sufficient * S. Tho. 1. 2. q. 106. a. 2. ad 2. Scotus in primum dis 46. q. vnica ad primum arg agnoscunt gratiā sufficientem in statu naturae lapsae cui homo refragari seu resistere possit hi Doctores sunt duo Theologiae Scholasticae Principes remedies or meet helps through grace to heal his wounds and to know to seek vnto his aduantage what he is ignorant of to his disaduantage God shuts not the door of his mercy against the greatest sinners who is the vniuersall Father of mercy from these premises is conuincingly deducible the full reason of the different * Aug. l. de praedest gra cap. 15. docet Nabuchodonosor manum Dei sentientem in recordatione propriae iniquitatis ingemuisse Pharaonem vero contra misericordissimam Dei voluntatem pugnasse arbitrio Dicant autem hune librum falso ascribi Aug. vtcunque hoc sit locus cit in canonem Ecclesiae redactus est Decret par 1. cau 23. q. 4. cap. Nabuchodonosor ends of Nabuchodonosor and Pharaoh though in both was parity as vnto nature for both were men as vnto dignity for both were kings as vnto iniustice for both vniustly detained captiue the people of God as vnto correction for both were chastened for the same fault and as vnto the mercifull will of God whose bountifullnes lead them both vnto repentance Neuertheless there was no parity in their ends for Nabuchodonosor by a happy managing of his free will in obedienee to Gods mercifull will (e) S. Austin l. de predes Sanctorum saith that vnless our lord shald build the house those labour in vaine that endeauour to build it Wherby he expresseth the necessity euen of inward grace vnto iustification of life and indeed the written law or Euangelicall doctrines which are outward graces only if inward grace were wanting would rather exasperate then heal the wounds as S. Austin teacheth in sundry other places and in his book despir lit cap. 5. saith expresly that the doctrine wherby we receiue the precept vnto liuing continently and godly is the killing letter if the
only but also for the sinns of the vvhole vvorld whereby is meant according to the interpretation of the Council of Trent sess 6. c. 3. not the elect onely but the reprobat also being the whole world importes both the one and the other kind of men a Sauiour of the whole world notwithstanding that the greatest part thereof through obstinat perseuerance in rebellion against his diuine grace will not be saued but Christs charity to saue infinitly exceeds the zeal that any temporall Prince euer shewd in gouerning his people for Christ did not only make a law to saue but also dyed for the establishing and conseruing it as to sauing the whole world which no earthly Monarch euer did as to gouerning his people furthermore Christ left necessary expedients through the merits of his death whereby euery one come to yeares of discretion might come to the knowledg of this sauing law vnless such as should be (e) The ancient Philosophers were vnexcusable because though they knew God neuertheless they did not glorify him according to their knowledge vnexcusably negligent of the helps mercifully giuen them to that end and purpose CHAR. XXIIJ OF VERTVE THE CONTENTS The property and nature of true vertue is that it cannot be vsed amiss as star's in the night so vertue in aduersity clearly shineth the supream prouidence suffered holy Iob and Toby to fall into tribulation that they might be an example of vertue vnto imitation Four kinds of Cardinall vertues described VErtue taken in the morall seuse is a good disposition or inclination tending to the exercise of honest laudable actions conformable to the dictates of reason * Aug. virtus est quae rectè viuitur nemo malè vtitur no man can vse it amiss in regard its naturall property is to bring forth good fruit to make * Aristot 2. Ethic. virtus est qua bonum facit habentem opies bonum him good that enjoyeth it and to flourish for euer As the plant called * Maior colleg 20. meminit herbae semper viuae the herb of life is neuer preiudic'd through cold heat drouth or moisture but all waies continueth in a fresh liuelynes without withered leaues so * Uirtus aeternum viuens vertue beareth vp and florisheth in the midds of trobles and miseries for as the brightnes of the sun obscureth greater lights so the power of vertue ouercometh the greatest affliction and indeed as starrs doe not shine but in the night so vertue maketh the greatest shew in aduersity which is the triall thereof The vertue of holy Iob and Toby lay as it were hid in darknes while they continued in prosperity but after they fell into misery put as it were on a publick stage euidently appeared fire encreaseth with the blasts of wind that presse it and vertue with the fire of tribulation that tryeth it Again when the good Christians of the primitiue Church were racked tryed by reproches and scourgings by bands and impri onments stoned howed a sunder slaine with the sword then the greatnes of their vertue gaue clear euidence of their loue to God the desire of heauenly things and their contempt of the world hereby t is plaine * S. Gregor l. moral aduersitas est probatio virtutis nō indicium reprobationis that aduersity is no argument of Reprobation it being the proofe of vertue vnto saluation and piously endured is a manifest token of godlines vnto imitation For truly there is no man so sensless but beleiuing the old Testament will receiue comfort in sicknes or other corporall infirmities when he shall call to remembrance how patiently that great seruant of God holy Iob endured his grieuous vlcers and how cherfully * Sacra Scriptura refert quod ideo Deus permisit vt illius modi tentatio eueniret Tobiae vt posteris daretur exemplum patientiae eius S. Iob. the noble Toby especially beloued of God bore the loss of his sight Neither is any man so void of reason if he beleiue the new Testament but will suffer with ioy reproches contumelies the spoiling of his goods for Christs sake when he shall piously consider how cherefully the primitiue Saints of the new Testament endured stripes prisons banishments gibbets swords saunces kniues and all sort of cruell torments for the same cause The cheif heads of morall vertue be four which in respect of their eminency are named Cardinall vertues for example wisdome Iustice Fortitude and Temperance Zorostrates taught that the soul had wings and being asked of his schollars how they might get flying souls he bid them water the wings therof with the water of life and being demanded again where that water might be had he replyed darkly after his wonted manner saying the Paradise of God is watered with four riuers and that they might draw from them water of life By the four riuers of Zorastrates S. Ambr. * S. Ambro. l. de paradiso allegor per quatuor flumina quorum meminit Zorostrat intellexit quatuor virtutes Cardinales vnderstood the four Cardinall vertues which be wells of water that spring vp vnto euerlasting life But the sour riuers which are said to haue their springs in the terrestiall paradise be Ganges Nilus Tigris and Euphrates The first wherof in as much as it brings forth gold the Prince of Mettals and the Carbuncle the best of precious stones expresses wisdome which is the queen of sciences and all knowledg The second for as much as it watereth the land of Egypt against the violent heats of the sun represents temperance the innate propertie wherof is to suppress the fire of carnall lustes The third namely Tygris in regard of its swift and rapid waters which cast down strong fortresses represents fortitude that ouercomes the hardest difficulties The fourth that is Euphrates because of its fruitfull fecundity is a symbole of Iustice that furnishes human society with a great aboundance of good fruits through the true exercise the rof CHAR. XXIV OF VVISDOME THE CONTENTS Whosoeuer findeth true wisdome getteth a treasure of all good things a wise man indeed loueth vertue and hateth vice reuerenceth the best antiquity and detesteth prophane nouelties embraceth sobriety and escheweth curiosity affecteth knowledge of profitable and seeketh not after science in many things WIsdome is an armour * Rom. 13. armatura lucis sapientia Sap. 70. proposui pro luce habere eam sapientiam scilicet of light which deliuereth from darknes of error enableth to wrestle against flesh and blood and to resist spirituall wickednes in the defence of truth She is a light in as much as she furnisheth knowledge vnderstanding and counsell Prouerbs 20. and an armour in regard a man truly wise (a) Salomon Sap. 7. calleth wisdom the mother of all good things and prefer's her to scepters and throns and counteth riches nothing in comparison of her receiueth together with wisdome an army of good things and treasures of heauenly graces
autem contritio actus voluntatis non appetitus sensitiui a bitter griese and detestation that a penitent sinner voluntarily conceiues to the punishing of his sin as an offence against God together with a full purpose to confess satisfy and neuer to sin again As the innate heat of new wine put into a close vessel makes to boile the whole substance therof and thereby purgeth out the dregs so the fire of contrition kindled in a penitent soul makes it seeth in teares of bitter sorrow * Psal 50. cor cōtritum humiliatum Deus nō despiciet proinde peccator eliciens contritionem perfectam Deo reconciliatur wherby the filth and vncleanesse of sin together with the ill affection inclining thereto purge away As the heate of the sun doth disperse the black clouds which obstruct its brightnesse so the warmeness of a contrite heart dissipates sins which are the dark clouds obstructing the light therof But there (a) Loue that proceed's from the motiue of charity precisely is perfect and called Amor amicitrae the loue of friendship which imports remission of sinns Loue that comes of the motiue of Gods iustice or feare of him is named Amor benevolentiae loue of good will which is imperfect An example of remission of sinnes by perfect loue or perfect contrition which includes perfect loue without the Sacrament or penance is set down Deut. 4. Jf thou seek our lord God thou shalt finde him if thou seeks him vvithall thine heart and vvith all thy soul be two kinds of contrition the one perfect in as much as a penitent sinner grieueth for and detesteth his sin in regard precisely that he loueth God with all his heart that is maketh Gods own goodness the chief motiue of his loue and in respect therof preferreth him before all earthly enjoyments The other is imperfect and by vsage of speech named Attrition proceeding from a motiue far inferiour to that of a full loue to God For example a sinner conceiueth an act of imperfect contrition or attrition when he grieueth to haue sinned and purposeth amendmēt in regard meerly of the deformity of sin which is it's formall essēce or feare of eternall fire which is the proper effect therof if mortall Perfect contrition was of absolute necessity vnto remission of sins in all times before the establishment of the new law No man euen in the old law did finde God that did not seek him with all his heart and with full tribulation of his soul Deut. 8. which imports perfect contrition notwihstanding the Sacraments and sacrifices thereof they being poor beggerly elements and no effectuall instruments of grace and life Yet in the new law of Christ which is not a law of bondage but of grace not of beggery but of plenty and consequently abounding with sauing priuiledges and prerogatiues aboue the other by diuine dispensation attrition (b) The Council of Trent fess 14. declar's that imperfect contrition called attrition though it be grounded in the feare of Hell or in a serious reflexion on the deformity of sin neuertheless if it exclude an affection to sinning is Donum Dei a gift of God and a motion of the holy Ghost And notwithstanding faith the Council that attrition of it selfe cannot bring a sinner vnto iustification of life howeuer in the Sacrament of Penance it disposeth him thereto Whereby euidently appears that attrition is not the same disposition seperate from that it is ioynt vnto the Sacrament in consequence of which the meaning of the Council is that seeing it is a remote disposition vnto iustification without sacramentall penance ioynt thereto is made an immediate disposition that of necessity procures iustifying grace that of it self is not sufficient enough to bring a sinner vnto iustification of life ioyned to and supported by the Sacrament of penance is an effectuall expedient for the obtaining it and indeed Christians vnder the new law were in a worse condition then the Israëlits vnder the old law if beside perfect contrition God should exact of them as a necessary requisit to remission of sins Confession since he required of the Israëlites perfect contrition only Deut. 4. Wherfore that the trouble implyed in confession of sins might be compensed by taking away the absolute necessity of hearing the other burthen implyed in perfect Contrition Christ hath so instituted the Sacrament of penance in his new law that as water which albeit according to its own naturall propriety hath nothing of heate yet made hot with fire can produce heate so Attrition which though in order to it 's owne vertue is no effectuall instrument of grace to the quickning a dead soul howeuer together with the help of the Sacrament can deliuer out of the lawes of death and restore it to newnesse of life Again if perfect Contrition were of absolute necessity penance ought not to lay claime * Poenitētia est Sacramētum mortuorum nam id ad quod est primo per se institutum est prima gratia sanctificans seu hominem baptizatum in peccata laepsum reconciliare Ita docet Trid. sess 14. can 1. to the Title of Sacramentum mortuorum that is Christ did not institute it for an effectuall help of such (c) The chiefe effect of sacramentall penance is to reconeile vnto God such as haue sinned after their baptism and because mortall sin is the death of the soul sacramentall penance that is specially instituted to confer the first sanctifying grace vnto remitting of deadly offences is called Sacramentum mortuorum a Sacrament of the dead as are dead in sin because it would presuppose allwayes the remission therof perfect Contrition including a full loue of God which is inconsistent with deadly sin and therby would plainly follow that the sacramentall Absolution of a Priest were a meer declaration of sins remitted afore In consequence of which sacramentall penance should not produce the effect which it signifyes to wit remission of sins which is contrary to the nature (d) It is an Article of catholick faith that the Sacraments of the new law produce sanctifying grace ex opere operato that is by the efficacy of their working after the manner of naturall causes which employe their whole actiuity while they worke so that the Sacrament of penance produces ex opere operato a greater or lesser measure of grace according to the greater or lesser dispositions of those which receiue it As to the form of speaking ex opere operato taken in the passiue signification it is ancient Pope Innocentius the third vsed it and the catholick Church in the Council of Trent receiu'd it which makes it a matter of faith of the Sacraments of the new law they being by vertue of their institution practicall Rites or signes for the effecting of sanctifying grace which indeed they signifie and to say that perfect contrition includeth a desire of the Sacrament of penance hath nothing of weight with it to weaken this
carefully heauenly Angels endeauour to bring mortalls vnto eternall blessedness being they reioyce in the repentance of a sinner Wherefore Orig. hom 1. in Ezech. prayeth his Angel to receiue him conuerted from his former errour reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner Luc. 15. Besids according to the common vsage of the primatiue Church one beleeuing christian bargained with an other that he who went first to Heauen should pray for him that abided on earth Let vs saith S. Cyprian Epis 57. pray mutually one for an other and whether of vs two shall through the diuine mercy be first called for let his loue continue and his prayers not cease for his brethren and sisters in the world In like manner S. Hierome spoke to Heliodorus Epis 1. cap. 2. saying that when he is once in Heauen he will pray for him that exhorted and encouraged him to embrace a monasticall state of life Moreouer in the law of nature Abraham made intercession to an Angel for his sons Ioseph Ephraim and Manasse Gen. 48. the Angel which hath deliuered me from all euill bless these children And albeit it cannot be proued that in any time during the old Testament the people of God prayed directly to the holy Patriarkes and Prophets after their decease in regard then the Saints departed were not translated into Heauen and inuested with whiâ—e cloathes of glory their habitation being vnder the earth as in a prison 1. Petri 2. neuertheless they made intercession to God humbly asking of him mercy and grace through the merits of the said Patriarches and Prophets * Psal 131. memeÌ„to Domini Dauid omnis mansuetudinis eius propter Dauid seruum tuuÌ„ non auertas faciem Christi tui Salomon asked of God meet helpe in regard of his Father Dauids great merits * Exod. recordare Domine Abraham Isaac Jacob scruoruÌ„ tuum and Moyses in respect of the good workes of Abraham Isack and Israel the faithfull seruants of God Likewise the ancient Iews made intercession to God through the prayers of their progenitors departed And the holy Prophet Ieremy (k) Baruch cap. 3. prayeth thus O lord omnipotent God of Jsra Heare the prayer of the dead of Israel and though some sectaries count Baruch as apocryphall neuertheless the ancient Fathers and Councills haue ranked that book with diuine scripture both vnder the name of Ieremy Baruchs vncle and vnder the inscription of Baruch which is more proper Again the Councill of Laodicea in the last canon mentioneth Baruchs lamentations and Ieremyes Epistles Moreouer the Councils of Florence and Trent haue defined this catholick truth after his death praid much for the people of Israel 2. Mach. 75. Neither doth the Prophet Isaias preiudice this catholike truth saying cap. 63. Abraham knew vs not and Israel was ignorant of vs for he meant only that Abraham and Iacob did not acknowledge the Iews of those days for their children because of their greiuous sinns and iniquities as the ancient Fathers interpret that scripture Nor Ecclesiastes when hee saith the dead know noe more and haue reward noe more For his meaning is not to take all vnderstanding and knowledge from soules remoued out of their bodyes but to inculcate vnto vs that it is impossible after our departure out of this world to merit a reward the time of this life being a necessarie requisite there to according to Christs own testimony Io. 9. the night cometh when noe man can worke But now the ingagement mentioned in the character of Purgatory calleth for an answere vnto the Digbean White that hath studied diuinity 40. yeares who as to the contents of this character mainly resisteth the constant (l) Mr. White in the third account of the midle state of souls boldly asserts that though to pray for the blessed be against the common practice of the Church neuertheless he is not of so vveake a stomack as not to digest that morsell so that he maks not only the Church liable to errour as to manners and doctrines vniuersally receiued approued and practiced which is a manifest heresy but himselfe the Churches Reformer and vniuersall practice of the Catholick Church agreeing with so large and euident testimony of scriptures Councills and Fathers as are set down for example in the third accompt of his midle state of souls to proue that the ancient practice of the Church was to pray for the dead euen after their souls were beatified He alledged the 2. Epis and 1. cap. to Timothie where the Apostle thus prays for Onesiphorus Our lord grant him Onesiphorus to find mercy from our lord in that day by which words this knowing Master that hath studyed 40. years to build a Theology on Digbean peripateticks will of necessity proue that S. Paul prayed that Onefiphorus might find mercy after he was beatified Shall I deny saith he the Apostle prayed that Onesiphorus might find mercy euen after his soule was beatified the Text on all sides confessed for bids me what then will our aduersaries say this was not to pray for the blessed common sense permit's them not S. Paul did it But doubtless no knowing man in Theology or ecclesiasticall historie that is vnpartiall dare say for his credits sake that Mr. White doth clearly proue against the whole practice of the Church that the faithfull on earth must pray for the blessed because the Apostle prayed for Onesiphorus saying Our lord grant vnto him that he may find mercy of our lord in illo die in that day for Onesiphorus was not dead when S. Paul prayed that he might find mercy of our lord in illo die In consequence of which Mr. Whites inference from the words alledged carries no weight with it at all being grounded vpon a very false supposall Howeuer the good prayer of the Apostle was not in vain for according to the martyrologes both Latine and Greek Onesiphorus was honored afterward with a crown of martyrdom in Hellespont in consequence wherof doubtless he found mercy of our lord in that day that is in the day of particular iudgment after his death for it is the constant Tenet of the Catholick Church * Apoc. 14. Beati mortui qui in Domino moriuntur à modo iam dicit spiritus vt requiescant à laboribus suis Hic sacer textus osteÌ„dit beatos morientes id est martyres aliosque fideles decedentes perfectè iustos sine omni macula reatu poenae id est obligatione ad poenam noÌ„ expectaturos vniuersale iudicium vt accipiaÌ„t beatitudinem ita explicat S. Aug. l. 20. de ciuit cap. 9. that martyrs by their death suffered for the confessing of Christs faith be perfectly purged of sin both in order to the guilt and paines therof and immediatly possess their glorious crowns which is the beatificall vision as S. Austin lib. de peccatorum meritis expresly teacheth saying he that prayeth for a martyr doth an iniury to a martyr The same doctrine the Councill of Trent ses