teach which brings with it vncertaintie of their saluation And of the certaintie and full assurance that we ought to haue in obtaining our prayers when we praie Ibidem hee writes thus out of Bernard Of the first fruit or rather effect of prayer Bernard thus speakes As often as I speake of prayer me thinkes I heare in your hearts but as it were some ordinarie talke betwixt man and man which also I haue heard very often of others and sometime tried in my selfe For what a matter is this that although we neuer cease from praying yet at any time scarce any one feeles what is the fruite or commoditie of his prayer As we come to prayer so we depart from prayer as though no man answered vs againe or gaue vs a word as though no man minded any thing but as that we haue seemed to haue laboured in vaine But what saies the Lord in the Gospell Iudge not saith he according to the outward appearance but iudge ye the righteous iudgement And what is the righteous iudgement but the iudgement of faith because the iust man liues by faith Therefore follow thou the iudgement of faith and not thine owne experience because faith is true but thine experience is oftentimes deceitfull And what is the truth of faith but that the sonne of God himselfe hath promised whatsoeuer ye shall desire in prayer beleeue that you shall receiue it and it shall be done vnto you Let none of you O my brethren make light account of his praiers For I say vnto you that he to whom we pray makes no small account of it For before it go out of our mouth he commaunds it to be registred in his booke And one thing of these two we may without all doubt hope for that he will grant eyther that which we desire or that which he knowes to be more profitable for vs. For we know not to pray as we ought to pray but he hath compassion of our ignorance and receiuing our praier courteously giues vs not that which is not either profitable for vs or is not necessarie to be giuen vs so soone And againe When we aske that which is not profitable for vs he heares vs not but he giues vs that which is more profitable euen as the carnall father is also wont to do who when his child desires of him both bread and the knife he will giue him the bread but not the knife This assurance we should haue when we make our prayers that God answeres vs granteth vs our requests or else that which is farre better for vs and with this trust and assurance whensoeuer we praie we should returne from praiers not as though we had praied to a wall or that we were not better then we were before naie when we returne from speaking to that bountifull and rich king we must beleeue assuredlie that we returne not againe emptie but enriched with many great and heauenlie treasures This assurance in poperie how could they haue which knewe not what they saide nor for what they prayed And againe of Gods great willingnesse to heare our praiers he writes thus It would verie greatly delight and please the mercie of God if men were so readie to heare his voice as he is to heare theirs For it is most true that we are a great deale more slacke in our duties then he is in his Can. 6.12 Therefore when as he cals his spowse in the Canticles he cals her foure times he repeats the same word foure times Return returne saith he O Shulamite returne returne But she when she cals her bridegroome cals him but once And behold he is at hand Returne saith she my beloued be like a Roe or a young Hart vpon the mountaines of Bether Can. 2.17 And is God thus willing to heare our praiers and shall we not pray vnto him shall we praie to anie other Of the great mercie of God Granatensis writes thus Dauid said O Lord say vnto my soule I am thy saluation Par. psal 50. As though he should say I haue my eares now full of thy terrible names and titles O let that time come wherein by thy new name thou hast promised saluation to my soule And that is truly when as thou shalt be called Iesus that is a Sauiour This Dauid said in times past in the person of vs all But after that thou remembring the mercie and promises made to our fathers that the time should be that thou wouldest take vpon thee our humanitie and miserie When as I say thou camest out of thy hall of power and iustice and comming to vs thou wentest to thy pallace of courtesie and mercie thou fulfillest then whatsoeuer thou before hadst promised to all men That same chiefe and great follower and Apostle of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord first began to call thee then father of mercies and God of all consolation Father that he might declare vnto vs that as a father thou wouldest helpe vs and God because thou canst helpe whom thou wilt So that now sinners seeing thee to haue comed out of thy hall of seueritie into thy pallace of mercie and comfort seeing thee altogither clad now with their apparrell and becomed now one of their familie now they will no more runne wandering vp and downe they cannot tell whither but being knit to thy most holy Church with syncere faith and sure hope they doe come to thy throne asking pardon of their sinnes Thus farre Granatensis He declares to vs now that this faith euerie Christian must haue that now God himselfe is become like one of vs and therefore we may boldlie go euen to his throne our selues we need no intercessors to him yea although we be sinners And euen of himselfe on his throne our selues craue pardon for our sinnes And this doctrine is not his owne but it is grounded on saint Pauls Heb. 4.15 We haue not an high Priest saith he which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sinne Let vs therefore go boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe euen in the time of need We haue a most mercifull high priest tempted in all things like to vs. Neuer man so tempted who may say as that Poet makes Quéene Dido to say to the Troianes I my selfe who haue felt sorrowes haue now learned to pitie all such as be in sorrowes none may euermore trulie saie this then Iesus Christ And therefore boldlie we may go euen to his throne euen to aske mercie not onelie to beg spirituall graces or blessings And mercie argues sinnes where there is mercie and pardon craued there as sinne euen such miserable sinners may come boldlie to this throne of grace to craue pardon for their sins Granatensis nay the Apostle Paul tels all Catholikes this and will they not beléeue them And if they beléeue them what néed they go
mette in anie man since Adams fall till now Truth now hath flourished out of the earth Verse 11. O happie earth that bore at length such a blossome All men before were liars till Iesus Christ was borne Psal 12.2.62.9 In whose mouth was no deceit So that now it maie be said that trueth hath flourished out of the earth and neuer till now And righteousnes hath looked downe from heauen Euen nowe also to impart her selfe to men who were all before vnrighteous who were altogither naked as their great grandfather Adam confessed to cloath and adorne them Gen. 3.10 O happie assembly of heauenly vertues Oh blessed natiuitie of Iesus Christ Without this earth had still brought forth lies man had béene still vnrighteous anger and displeasure of God had raigned in the world Luk. 2.24 Esay 53.5 punishments and all manner of plagues had taken hold of all men Oh happie Metamorphosis and exchange That for lies truth for sinne righteousnesse for anger peace for punishment mercie and louing kindnesse is bestowed vpon man Naie this our king is such a king as that Righteousnesse shall go before him Vers 13. it shall direct his goings in the way he shall not once treade awrie So that to the verie faces of his enemies he shall saie Iohn 8.46 Which of you can rebuke me of sinne And none of them shall be able to accuse him He shall iustifie sinners that trust in him Esay 53.11 He is able to pay their debts and minister iustice for all those that are oppressed to their oppressors as he did to Naboth and Ahab 1. King 21.21 Luk. 16.25 to Diues and Lazarus This is the meaning of this Psalme Granatensis as he is full of holie meditations so especiallie he excéedes in this matter so that although the places I shall take out of him be verie long yet I hope the excellencie of the matter will make them séeme short Euen as it is written of Iacob Gen. 29.20 That he serued seuen yeeres for Rahel and they seemed to him but a few daies because he loued her So all they which loue Iesus Christ all the paines they shall take in reading things that concerne him it should séeme nothing vnto them Granatensis first therefore in a discourse he makes vpon the Lords prayer writes thus verie excellentlie of mans iustification by Christ in the sight of God But O Father doest thou forgiue vs our sinnes freely and without any recompence Truely thou forgiuest them freely not freely not freely for although mercy be readie to forgiue yet iustice will be satisfied freely because thou hast giuen vs freely that wherwith to repaie iustice that is that great and inestimable treasure which thy onely begotten sonne the whole space of xxxi j yeeres did laie vp as treasure for vs An entrance to the which he hath purchased for vs with his bloud We offer to thee this treasure O Father take thereof as much as thou wilt There may be drawn out thereof abundantly but it can neuer be drawne drie we may spend thereof but it can neuer be diminished All his merits are ours his satisfaction is ours his bloud is our ransome Therefore we beseech thee O Lord that being pacified with the bloud and merits of thy sonne that thou wouldest winke at our sins the which if thou shalt call into a streight account there is no man shall be able to abide the fauour much lesse the rigour of thy iustice Let thy mercie helpe vs who acknowledge our selues worthie to be damned for a thousand sinnes by thy iustice Purge vs with the feruent fire of thy loue take vs againe to thy fauour be friendes with vs Forgiue vs our trespasses Thus farre Granatensis And this which he teacheth must all Gods Saints pleade at the tribunall seate of Gods iustice They must saie with Dauid Pleade thou my cause O Lord Psal 35.1 with them that striue with me fight thou against them that fight against me And againe And now truely what is my hope 39.7.38.15 Truelie my hope is euen in thée And againe For in thee O Lord haue I put my trust thou shalt answere for me O Lord my God This must be their plea if they minde to be saued against all the accusations of their owne consciences and enditements of Sathan And this is that which our Sauiour teacheth Verely verely Ioh. 5.24 I say vnto you he that heareth my worde and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life Granatensis concludes the Lords prayer thus Behold most louing Father how our childishnesse hath plaied her part as well as she can in vttering the words which thy only begotten sonne hath taught vs but now we powre out altogither and at once without wordes our whole hearts that thou wouldest mercifully grant vnto vs those things which we desire of thee O Father we most humbly beseech thee that thou wouldest mercifully bestow vpon vs all those benefites and graces before recited not respecting our vnworthinesse but the worthinesse of thy onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ For he is our aduocate our priest our sacrifice and our patrone before thee For we doe not prostrate our prayers before thy face trusting in our owne righteousnesse as the Prophet saith but in the multitude of thy mercies and in the merites of thy sonne our Lorde For whatsoeuer he hath done or suffered all that he hath giuen vnto vs he hath suffered and done al that for vs therfore for his sake we desire thee that thou wilt grant vs all these our requests By him thou hast created all things and by him thou hast restored all things that were lost by him thou hast created man to thine owne image and likenesse and by him thou hast reformed man againe to the same image He is the foundation of our being he is the foundation of our righteousnesse and the cause of our merites he is our intercessor with thee he is our aduocate and the strength of our hope Therefore whatsoeuer hitherto O heauenly Father we haue asked we haue asked all that by thy sonne for that which is not due to our righteousnesse is due to his merites If thou shalt finde no goodnesse in vs truely thou canst finde no wickednesse in him If there be no merites in vs behold his merites without estimation or number By him therefore we pray thee by him we beseech thee honour him in vs. For that which thou giuest to vs the verie same thou giuest to him for whatsoeuer is bestowed vpon the members redounds to the head whereof they are members We confesse O Father we confesse our pouertie we haue nothing of our owne that we may offer vnto thee least notwithstanding that we should appeare emptie before thee which thing thou forbiddest in thy law behold we offer vp in sacrifice vnto thee thy onely begotten sonne with all his labors
of them writes thus Granat Med. in orat dom Who can euer cast the account of my vaine thoughts who can number my euill works and idle words For the iust men scant know how to bridle their tongue And the number is infinite also of the sinnes of my transgression and commission in doing that which I should not haue doon and in omitting of that which I ought to haue doone And after But doest thou so forgiue vs our sinnes freely O Father and without any recompence Truely thou forgiuest them freely and not freely not freely for although mercy bee ready to forgiue yet iustice will be satisfied and yet freely because thou offerest vs that freely wherewith iustice is satisfied that is that huge incomparable treasure which thine only begotten son laid vp for vs the space of three and thirty yeares to the which he made a way to vs by his bloud This treasure we offer vnto thee O Father take thereof as much as thou wilt it may be drawne but it cannot bee drawne drie it may be spent but it cannot be diminished His merites are ours his satisfaction is ours his bloud is our ransome Therefore we beseech thee O Lord that being pacified with the blood and merites of thy Sonne that thou wouldest winke at our faults the which if thou wilt call to a strict account no man is able to abide the fauour of thy iustice much lesse the seuerity of it Therefore let thy mercy helpe vs who acknowledge our selues be damned of thy iustice of many hainous offences And againe in another place hee writes of the sinnes of all men thus That thou maiest better marke what thinges wee haue said thou must diligently consider the multitude of the sinnes of thy life past especially of those which thou committedst when as thou hadst lesse knowledge of God for if so be that thou shalt come to the perfect knowledge of them al thou shalt vnderstand that they are moe in number then the haires of thy head and that thou hast liued like a Pagan or Ethnike which knew not what God was After that runne ouer both the Tables of the tenne Commandements and those seauen deadly sinnes and thou shalt learne that there is no Commandement of God which thou hast not often broken and no deadly sin into the which thou hast not often fallen by work word and thought Remember the first man Adam that because he did eate the forbidden meate he did commit the most grieuous sinne in the world and there is no kind of sinne wherein thou hast not diuers waies and oftentimes offended Call to thy remembrance all the benefits of God which thou hast receiued all thy ages and the whole course of thy life and see how thou hast behaued thy selfe in all these For a most strict account of all these one day will be demanded of thee Therefore if thou wilt be ruled by me thou shalt doe most vvisely if thou shalt now presently iudge thy selfe least hereafter thou be more seuerely iudged of God Go to therfore tel me how thou hast past ouer thy childhood how thy youth how thy mans estate and that I may say all in a vvord how thou hast liued from thy mothers wombe til this day To what things hast thou emploied thy appetite and other powers of thy mind which thou hast receiued of God that thou shouldest know him and serue him withall How hast thou vsed thine eies no other wise then that thou mightest delight them in vaine things and fond shewes What hast thou delighted in to heare with thine eares surely vaine fables filthy talke and lies What hast thou broched with thy tongue but periuries murmurings and such things as are not seemely Thy tast touching and smelling in what other thinges haue they delighted then in those which were pleasant to the appetite delightful to flesh bloud and which might satisfie their pleasures Tel me how thou hast vsed the diuine Sacraments giuen thee of God as medicines to cure thy wounds what thankes hast thou giuen God for his infinite benefites bestowed vpon thee How hast thou kept his diuine commandements how hast thou employed thy health thy strength thy courage thy riches the prosperitie of this world and other commodities giuen thee of God that thou shouldest with them lead a godly life What care hast thou had of thy neighbour as concerning whom the Lord hath giuen thee a speciall charge what and how many workes of mercy hast thou doone which God hath so highly commended vnto vs Of all these will God call thee to account in that terrible day of iudgement when as he shall say vnto thee Giue an account of thy Stewardshippe Giue account of those riches which thou hast receiued of me For thou maiest be no longer a Steward O withered tree fit for hell fire What aunswere wilt thou make when account shall be demanded of thee of all thy life and of euery point and minute thereof Thus farre Granatensis Euerie one by his iudgement must pronounce himselfe guiltie at that great daie of assises of the immortall GOD and must flie to the winges of his mercie and must craue pardon And a little after speaking of mans vilenesse hee writes thus After thou hast weighed all these things with thy selfe in a iust ballance go forward to examine thine owne selfe and be not ashamed to thinke of thy selfe most vilely and most basely Thinke thy selfe to be no better then a reede which is shaken with euery wind which hath nothing in it without any vertue without any strength without any constancy without any stablenesse or firmenesse of mind Remember that thou art Lazarus now foure daies laide in his graue a stinking Carion full of wormes at the sauour whereof all they which passe by stoppe their noses and turne awaie their eies Thinke thy selfe thus to stinke before God and his Angels account thy selfe vnworthie who should lift vppe his eies to heauen an vnprofitable clodde of claie and vnworthie whom the earth should beare or whom the creatures of God should serue vnworthie of the bread thou eatest the Aire thou breathest the light by the meanes whereof thou seest but farre more vnworthy of the comfort of the Holy ghost I wil not say the adoption of a Sonne and that heauenly prouidence and care of thy heauenly Father which so dearely and tenderly cares for thee Be in thine owne eies the vilest of all other creatures and who hath abused all Gods benefites most abominably Thinke with thy selfe that if God had doon in Tyre and Sydone that is in other most notable sinners the works which he hath doone in thee they would euen now haue repented in sackcloth and ashes Confesse thy selfe to be the grieuousest sinner of al other sinners that thou knowest And the more that thou shalt be displeased with thy selfe when as now thou shalt thinke that thou hast comen to the vttermost thou shalt find more things which will giue thee occasion
owe vnto God and how these our debts and dueties are farre greater then our power and hability nay when as we cannot vnderstand how much we are indebted vnto him Thus far Granatensis Where hee plainelie teacheth that all our workes are not merites but dueties nay that no man knowes howe much hee owes to GOD and therefore can neuer challenge anie merite And againe in another place hee writes thus These sayeth hee foure other excellent and notable vertues do follow Inward and outward humility pouerty of body and soule patience in aduersity and tribulations and a pure intent in good works that they all be doone onely for the loue of God without mingling of anie profit or respect either temporall or spirituall Thus farre Granatensis If wée must respect no profit neither temporall nor spirituall in dooing of our good works then not the saluation of our soules which marke in Poperie their blinde guides taught all men to aime at And in another place against merites hee writes thus most plainelie Againe sayeth hee hee that is about to pray on the one side must know that he deserues no good thing and on the other he must beleeue that although he haue no merites yet God of his infinite mercy and goodnesse will giue him that that shall bee most profitable to his saluation Therefore man must be content whether he receiue at Gods hands much or little and receiue all things thankefully whatsoeuer God doth accounting himselfe vnworthy of all things God giues him and to be ready to do all things that God commaunds him And to giue God his due thanks not so much for those things which hee hopes to receiue as for these which he hath receiued already Thus farre Granatensis where hee plainely confesseth that there is no merites in man for which he can challenge to receiue anie thing at Gods hands Lodouicus Viues of good works writes thus Praepar anim ad r and. 35. Take heede againe and againe least that it euer come into thy mind that thou canst profit or do any good to God neither flatter thy selfe of thy good worke as though by it thou hadst bound or demerited God vnto thee which thought is most hurtfull and oftentimes the marrer of all good works To take which from our minds our Lord said After that yee haue doone all these things say that ye are vnprofitable seruants Ferus also of the trust in our workes writes thus Fer. in 2. Act. Againe by this sound it is foreshewed that the holy spirit cannot be receiued vnlesse the hart be first shaken So when the Lord was about to come to Elias there went before him a wind that ouerthrew the mountaines then after a fire and an Earthquake The same thing God doeth in vs before he come to our heart first hee sends a mightie wind ouerthrowing the mountaines that is he ouerthrowes all things which seeme great and takes away all trust but yet the Lord is not present for there are many which haue nothing wherein they may trust and yet they haue not God But this is the first steppe of his comming Then followes the earthquake when man vnderstands what he is and when he considers the misery of the world then the holy Spirite is nearer but yet hee is not present Thirdly the fire of the conscience followes and then the Lord is not farre off For it is a great matter to feele sinne After the fire followes the noise of a soft ayre that is the grace of God making ioyfull a terrified conscience Thus farre Ferus Where he plainelie teacheth that all mountaines what great good workes wee haue doone soeuer must first bee ouerthrowne in vs wée must haue no trust in our selues before God come to vs and that this is the first steppe of his grace Let them that trust in their workes here take heede to themselues and see by Ferus his iudgement how farre they are from the grace of God God hath not so much as made one steppe to come vnto them Oh what a miserable case are all such in then And againe vpon that place Whosoeuer shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saued Our name sayeth hee is sinne vnrighteousnesse lying vanity c. The name of God is that hee is onely good true mighty iust mercifull and wise c. Of this Name Christ saieth Father I haue declared thy name vnto men He therefore that accuseth his owne name and cals vpon the name of God that is desires helpe by the goodnesse truth mercy and power of God he shall be saued whether he be Iew or Gentile So Dauid called vpon the name of the Lord O Lorde in thy name saue me and in thy power iudge my cause and in thy righteousnesse deliuer me And againe in thee O Lord haue I put my trust I shall neuer be put to confusion deliuer me in thy righteousnesse Here thou hast the perill and the remedy death and life are sette before thee take heede least thou forget thy selfe Call vpon the Lord while he is neare Hitherto he hath terrified them threatning like a people and he hath foreshewed them generally the medicines whereby euilles may be driuen away Nay after least any should bee affraid to come vnto God he plaies the Preacher of the Gospell and settes the mediator before their eyes who alone hath manifested to the world the name of his father vnto whose power also the Father hath committed all things By whom onely and alone we also haue accesse vnto the Father Thus farre Ferus All men that will bee saued must accuse their owne name that is their owne righteousnesse before the Maiestie of God and they must call vpon the mercie of God and his trueth and goodnesse by the mediation onelie of Iesus Christ Here is death and life set before euerie man by Ferus his iudgement Cap. 3. Againe of the Iewes hee writes thus The people also did lie lame before the Temple They had the Priesthood the Temple the sacrifices examples of things to come but they onely trusted in the externall things they neuer entred into the Temple to consider what those externall things meant Some went in as the Prophets by the shadowes gathering the things signified but the lame people followed them not Thus farre Ferus Such like were our forefathers who put much trust in externall thinges and they deuised of man neuer knew what they meant And how coulde that profit them seeing the trust in externall thinges and which God commanded could not profit the Iewes And againe hee writes thus Neither can any externall thing sanctifie vs or cleanse vs but onely that hee with his Spirite and his bloud cleanseth vs. Thirdly he is iust and iustifieth vs when hee communicates vnto vs his merites and righteousnes with the which being clothed we dare appâ—are before God So the Psalmist testifieth I will make mention of thy righteousnesse onely And againe In thee O Lord haue I put my trust I
liue by faith Heb. 10.38 but he that shal withdrawe himselfe hee that shall shrinke as wee saie and whose heart shall faile him My soule shall haue no pleasure in him This faith wee must haue in all things in the matter of our saluation in receiuing of the Sacraments as here Granatensis teacheth vs Mark 11.24 Iam. 1.6 Heb. 11.6 and in our prayers as also our Sauiour and saint Iames instruct vs And without this faith it is impossible to please God in any thing we go about Ferus of the certaintie of our saluation writes thus O father I will that those which thou hast giuen me be with me c. All the Gospelles are full of such promises And Saint Iohn plainly affirmes that the Gospell for no other end hath beene and is now preached vnto vs then that we should haue all these promises common to vs together with the Apostles And a little after Fer. in cap. 1. Epist Iouis Our Apostles for this end preached the gospell that mens consciences might be comforted and that all Christians might be knitte and remaine so knitte fast and vnited to God and the Church that is the society and communion of the faithfull Therefore he that teacheth to this end that mens consciences may bee made to doubt or troubled and that the Communion of Saints may bee rent and that men may be pulled backe from GOD and heauenly things c. surely he is not ledde with the Spirit of the Apostles And here vvho sees not if vve shal pronounce sentence according to this doctrine of Saint Iohn how many of them which thinke themselues euen next to the Apostles will be one day reiected for false prophets Ferus maie seeme here to touch the pope for his doubtfull doctrine of saluation Philippus de Dies also of the certainty of our saluation B. Dionys Epist 8. Phil de Dies Sum praed Tit. amor Dei erga hominem Exod. 20. writes thus Saint Denis in his Epistle very greatly extolling the loue of God saith We dare boldly auouch this for truth that God himself for the greatnes of his loue is as it were euen besides himselfe as we say hauing a care of his creatures and through loue he abaseth himselfe from his high estate of Maiesty that he should be present amongst all things Wherefore also hee is called A zealous God that is earnest and feruent in loue towards those things which are worthy to be loued And this is his property both to be the onely thing which is to bee beloued and also to bee loue it selfe The Kingly Prophet Dauid considering the excellency of this loue of God towards man faith What is man that then art mindfull of him or the Sonne of Adam that thou visitest him In this place this holy King as that wise learned man Eusebius notes vseth two meanes that is to saie Enos and Adam whereof the one was giuen to man to signifie the wants and imperfections which the soule runnes into through sinne and the other to declare the mortality and misery which naturally in his body he is subiect vnto For Enos is deriued of a certaine word that signifieth forgetfulnes and so Enos is nothing else then one that is forgetful or that lacks memory and Adam signifies that which is earthly and mortal This did so woonderfully amaze the holy prophet that he said Who is man O Lord who being vnmindfull of thee and offending thy Maiesty that he should be euer imprinted in thy memory Dost thou remember him who forgets thee Doest thou seeke for visit and loue exceedingly him that flies away from thee A thing verily to be greatly woondred at that God of such infinit maiesty should set his loue vpon such a miserable thing Whereupon Saint Ierom expounds those words of the diuine Psalmist Thou hast done Psal 39. Beat. Ieron super Psal O Lord thy manie woonderfull works and in thy thoughts who is like vnto thee on this manner Thou hast wrought O Lord my God many wonderfull things worthy of thy wisedome and power but of all other this is the chiefe thy very thoughts in the fauour which thou yeeldest to men in the loue wherewith thou louest them in the helpe that thou affoordest them and in the iustification which thou bestowest vpon them Is not this of all other miracles the greatest that God should loue men so greatly and should thinke on them so earnestly that he should say Prou. 9. My delight is to be with the Sonnes of men Truly this secret was made manifest onely to the diuine hart that when as the most high God hath not communicated to the Angels his personall essence and also the diuine properties which are in it as the Apostle also considered saying Hath he taken vpon him the Angels who as farre as mans reason can iudge would not perchance haue beene so vnmindfull of his benefits but would haue beene more thankfull then men when as I say he hath not granted all these things to the Angels yet he hath vouchsafed to communicate to bestow them most liberally vpon vnthankfull and miserable men Of which vnspeakeable loue it comes that the good things which he doth to vs he saith that he doth them to himselfe Wherefore the Patriarch Iacob amongst the blessings of his Son Dan being sodainly turned to thinke of the Messias speaking vvith the eternall father he said O Lord I will looke for thy saluation which the Chaldee paraphrase expounds literally of the Messias for Iacob being now about to die did prophesie of Sampson which was to spring of the Tribe of Dan and to saue the people of the Hebrewes from the tyranny of the Philistines But that hee might giue to vnderstand that he should not be the true Sauiour being as it were rapt into a trāce he breakes out into these words O Lord I wil looke for thy saluation as though he should haue saide I will not looke for Sampson nor Gedeon nor Iepthe nor others as though they were true Sauiours but I will yet looke for the true Messias which shall come being the true Sauiour of the world With such so stately a title Simeon also named him saying Luc. 2. Psalm 11◠O Lord now thou lettest thy seruant depart c. Because mine eies haue seene thy saluation The Kingly prophet also calles him so And let thy mercie come vpon me O Lord euen thy saluation according to thy word Christ is called the mercy of God because he is the beginning and foundation of all the mercies of God For in this mercy wherein the word became flesh all other haue their foundation And therefore Saint Paul saith to the Ephesians Ephes 1. In whome we haue redemption by his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of our sinnes according to the riches of his grace And thy saluation according to thy word that is according to thy promise In all these places Christ our Lord who is our saluation is called the saluation
saying And it shall come to passe that before they shall call I will answere and while they yet speake I will heare Hee must needs be very hard harted and starke blind who is not mooued with such words and promises that he may consider and perceiue the great mercie and goodnesse which thou vsest towards thy seruants And who would not willingly suffer any thing that he might be accounted in the number of them c. To make intercessors to God what is it but to doubt of these promises both of the Prophets and of the Gospell then to doubt of this readinesse of God which Granatensis here teacheth to heare our praiers If this be true we neede no intercessors Cap. 33. And after Great is the loue wherewith fathers loue their children and yet the fathers tender heart will not suffer that the sonne that hath married against his will or hath done any such like fault should once come into his sight But yet the tender mercie of this our heauenly father although a man haue done vnto him all the iniuries that can be deuised if he returne to him with all his heart doth not despise him but receiues him as he did the prodigall son forgiuing all his trespasses and faults The prophet knew this when as he said O Lord thou art our father Abraham is ignorant of vs and Israel knowes vs not but thou O Lord art our father and our redeemer and thy name is from euerlasting This thy loue O Lord springs of thy goodnesse from which proceede two most profitable streames that is thy mercie and thy loue the one that our infirmities might be cured and the other that thy good things might be imparted to vs. If therefore this thy fountaine be infinit what shall the floud of loue be that proceeds from it Therefore I neither fear nor am affraid nor distrust although I acknowledge my selfe to be a sinner so vnworthy to be beloued For how froward soeuer I am he that loues me is good so good that he wil not reiect sinners yea he cals them vnto him he receiues them and eates with them To all these tokens and works of thy loue another is added O Lord because thou art loue it selfe thy Euangelist witnesseth this when as he saith God is charitie and he that dwelleth in charitie dwelleth in God and God in him O truely sweete and wonderfull thing to haue such a God who is altogither loue and whose nature is charitie c. Such a faith should all Christians haue of God and such a confidence in him And this faith the Gospell teacheth And what néeds then any intercessors to so louing a God and mercifull a father Cap. 28. And againe he writes thus The greatnesse of thy goodnesse besides all these thy mercie doth most of all testifie which thou vsest towards sinners bearing with them with so great kindnesse looking for them with such great patience yea being offended of them yet calling them to grace and pardon and being iniuried by them euen drawing them to reconciliation Nay to conclude offering them satisfactions and opening to them the rich treasures of thy merits How easily art thou found of them how soon doest thou heare them how mercifull art thou in receiuing them how liberall in pardoning them I am greatly amazed O Lord when I remember the mercie which thou vsedst towards Manasses that king of Iudah to whom after his strange idolatrie after the bloud of thy Saints shed so plenteously after so great and horrible iniquities when as he asked pardon of thee thou didst not only forgiue him all his sinnes but also didst deliuer him from most cruell bondage and didst restore him againe to his kingdome not denying saluation to him by whose wickednesse so many soules had perished and for whose haynous acts that noble Citie of Ierusalem with that most famous and holy temple was ouerthrowne and become desolate Thus farre Granatensis And this is to declare the name of God Iohn 27.26 I haue declared thy name saith our Sauiour and will declare it that the loue wherewith thou hast loued me may be in them and I in them This is to declare the name of God how mercifull how kinde how louing God is how readie he is to heare sinners and willing to pardon them For otherwise God hath no proper name that Christ declared vnto vs. And this euerie Christian is bound to doe And hereof dependeth a great reward that God will loue such preachers and declarers of his name that is of his mercie and goodnesse euen with the same loue that he loued Iesus Christ And here then let all Christians take héed how that they doe derogate anie thing from this name Titilman a Papist in his exposition of S. Iohns Gospell expounds this place thus These places of Granatensis I haue rehearsed thus at large both for the excellencie of the matter contained in them and also to declare how resolute he is in this matter The same Granatensis as in his whole booke of deuotion he doth highlie commend prayer and would that no other businesse or studie whatsoeuer should hinder that affirming prayer to a Christian to be like Sampsons hayre which when it was cut away he was no stronger then another man euen so saith he the strength of a Christian consists in his prayer Take that away from him and he shall be of no strength at all So he declares most excellentlie how we should praie De deuot li. 3. cap. 42. Christians saith he that pray are in this place to be admonished that making their prayers they doe that with as great deuotion and marking as lies in their power For hereof depends all the force and fruit of prayer for in Gods eares as Bernard witnesseth an earnest desire is a great crying and a colde or slothfull minde and intention is a low voice for his eares are open rather to the voice of the heart then to the voice of the body By this it may be plainly perceiued how barren and fruitlesse the prayers of some men are as well cleargie as lay-men which with such haste and speed runne ouer their deuotions and Psalmes that they seeme not at all to talke with God For they would not deale so negligently and carelesly with man if they had any thing that they would earnestly obtaine at his hands For as Salomon testifieth The poor man beseecheth but the rich man speaketh roughly For he that feeles his owne want and miserie and couets earnestly to be relieued in these as he desires this from the bottome of his heart so he praies with all his hart with as great earnestnesse as he can saying with the Prophet I haue cried with my whole heart heare me O Lord. I would to God men would vnderstand remember when they pray with whom they speak and about what businesses they speake For if they knew that they talked with that same great maiestie at whose presence the
6.2 as saint Paul termes them must be faithfull sayings They must be verities as our Sauiour often in the Gospell confirmes all his with Amen which signifies truly and verily And saint Paul saith that all the promises of God in Christ are yea 2. Cor. 1.20 and in him are Amen They must bee so sure euen as though they were ratified with an oth Againe sweare to me by the Lord saith she teaching vs that all our lawfull othes must be made in the name of the Lord Ier. 5.7 Psal 63.11.50.15 and not by anie creatures And that this is a chiefe part of Gods honour to be sworne by in iudgement as it is also to be called vpon in trouble Againe that you shall shew mercie to my fathers house Here is the true meanes of Christian saluation By mercy we are all saued Epist Iud. 21 euen as this Rahab and her fathers house was saued through mercie Ro. 15.7 12.10 Here is also Christian charitie she is not onely carefull for her selfe nor for her father and mother but also for her brethren and sisters and all that belongs to them And that they should quicken them or cause them to liue Here is spiritual regeneration 2. Cor. 5.14 Io. 3.3 Rom. 10.17 without the ministerie all men are but dead men The iust man liues by faith and faith comes by hearing the word of God and how can they heare without a Preacher There is no life of grace and goodnes in man They haue tasted of that bitter fruit of Eue their grandmothers apple they haue died the death And this is that which she addes also saying And you shall deliuer our soules from death And she required also a signe of the truth Heere is not onely preaching the truth by words but also by signes And here are the Sacraments of Gods Church expressed Rom. 4 1◠They are signes of the truth they confirme that to the eie also which the tongue preacheth to the eare And the men said vnto her Our soule shall die for yours if you shall not disclose this our businesse And it shall come to passe that when the Lord giues vs this land we will deale mercifully and truely with thee Here is the chiefe duetie of all christians they must be faithfull to God and to their brethren 1. Sam. 15.31 Mat. 26.25 Ioh. 1.47 they maie not be traitors like Achitophel like Iudas they must all be men of truth like Nathaniel that true Israelite in whom was no deceit Ioh. 1.47 They must not be hypocrites that is to shew a lambes face and haue a lyons heart to haue sweet words in their mouthes Psal 55.21 and swords in their hearts as Dauid describes the wicked And she let them downe by a coard thorow her window because her house was ioyning to the walles of the towne and she dwelt in the wall This coard which let them downe and saued them maie fitly resemble the passion of Christ as a part maie signifie the whole He was bound for vs with a coard Mat. 27.21 when hee suffered his passion As this coard saued them so his passion saueth vs. Againe as that red coard let them downe Phil. 2.5.6 so the bloudy passion of our Sauiour lets vs downe it makes vs humble while we remember what he hath done for vs. What is it now 2. Cor. 5.14 that wee ought not to doe againe for his sake to our brethren Christ also is the true wall Zach. 2.5 Esay 26.1 that defends vs from our enemies And her house was in the wall So must all christians dwell in Christ that is 1. Ioh. 4.8 dwell in charitie as S. Iohn expounds it if they minde to dwell safely And she said vnto them Verse 16. flie vnto the hill least the pursuers meet with you and hide you there three daies till the pursuers be returned and then returne your way Here is also the state of Christs church declared While it remaines in this world it shall bee persecuted it shall not haue an houres rest Mat. 4.2 but some or other will assault it If Christ fast Sathan will assault him in the wildernesse if he a little take his rest in the ship Matt. 8.24 Matt. 22.15 the sea with her waues will go about to drown him if he go on the land the prowd Pharisees will lay awaite for him Mat. 10.24 So the disciple is not aboue his maister Luk. 9.23 so euerie good christian in all places euerie day shall haue his crosse shall haue his pursuers all the three daies of the continuance of this world in the daie of nature before the floud as the histories of Abel and Noah Gen. 4 8.6.3 2. Sam 15.1 Iob. 1.10 Acts 8.1 in the daie of the lawe as the histories of Dauid and Iob in the day of grace as the histories of Christs church plainly prooue And all these 3 daies all Gods children must hide them in that hill that is in Iesus Christ On this hill called Moriah as all the Iewes with one consent saith Munster Munster in annot in 22. cap. Gen. doe affirme Abel and Cain offered their sacrifices and Abraham his sonne Isaac and Dauid his sacrifice also on the threshing floore of Araunah and on that hill Salomon built his temple He is that womans seed that should breake the Serpents head Gen. 3 15. Gal. 3 10. Gen. 49 10. that one seed of Abraham wherein all nations shall be blessed that Messiah that should come whom Iacob prophesied of that was all their comforts And the men said vnto her we will be free of the oath which thou hast made vs sweare Verse 18. Behold when we come into the land thou shalt binde this coard of red threed in the window whereby thou lettest vs down and thou shalt bring thy father and thy mother and thy brethren and all thy fathers houshold home to thee And whosoeuer then doth go out of the doores of thy house into the streets his bloud shall be vpon his head and we will be guiltlesse but whosoeuer shall be with thee in the house his bloud shall be on our head if any touch him And if thou vtter this our businesse we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made vs sweare Here is the preaching of the Gospell that bringeth saluation 1. Cor. 11.26 Rom. 10.9 Gal. 2 20. 1 Pet. 4.2.3 Gal. 6.14 We must binde the red thréed in our windowes that is we must beleeue Iesus Christs death and passion with our harts and with our mouthes also confesse it and in the windowes of all our senses expresse it We must be crucified to the world and the world also must be crucified vnto vs. The honors pleasures riches of this world must not be our delight we must not set our hearts vpon thē Psal 62.10 1. Thes 5.14 Heb. 10.25 We must bring our fathers and mothers and brethren
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
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
shall neuer be confounded deliuer me in thy righteousnesse Thuâ— farre Ferus Here is the true Catholiques righteousnesse by Ferus his iudgement that is Christes merites and righteousnesse communicated and imputed to him And after hee writes thus Fiftly he enioyeth heauen by inheritance No man ascended into heauen but he that came downe from heauen For by good right heauen is due to him for hee is the naturall Sonne of God And therefore he saith All thine O Father are mine And Dauâ—d saith The heauen of heauens are the Lords and the earth hath he giuen to the children of men Whome therefore he shall take into part of this inheritance with him he shall enter into heauen We obtaine this by no right but onely of grace and because he hath mercifully promised it vnto vs. For our works what kind soeuer they are doe not deserue such a reward of equality or worthinesse but in as much as God mercifully accepts them And therefore Paul saith The sufferings of this life are not worthy the glory to come And the same saith againe That the weight of that glory to come aboue all measure exceedes all that we suffer in this life And of them he concludes and saith By grace ye are saued not of works least any one should bragge Again of faith and good works he writes thus Fer. in cap. 4. Act. They are builders which with holesome doctrine doe erect and mainetaine the house of God But as all men cannot tell how to build so nor how to preach He that will be a builder must know what is to be placed beneath and what aboue also hee must take care that his building be not only beautifull but also firme and strong They which teach faith without works build their wal with vntempered morter for the righteousnesse of the law cannot stand against the iudgment of God and therefore it must needes fall They which teach faith without works they laie truly a foundation but they build nothing on it therefore they refuse this stone which teach to trust in workâ— which teach righteousnesse to come by works as the Pharisies â—d Thus farre Ferus And do not the papists so now And a little after vpon these words There is no other nâ—â—e God hath appointed no other meanes to the world by which men must be saued then the name power and merite of Christ Our name is sinne lying vanity curse death but the name of Christ is that he is the Sonne of God holy iust the Authour of life Also his name is righteousnesse wisedome sanctification and redemption c. He that calles vpon this name that is hee which trusts by Christ and his onely righteousnesse and merites to be saued he truly obtaines saluation hee that goes about to be saued by any other thing beguiles himselfe No man comes to the father but by me saith Christ And S. Paul saith By him we haue accesse to the Father Therefore he which by his owne righteousnesse onely striues to go to God and to his goods shall neuer come to them So Israel following the law of righteousnesse attained not to the law of righteousnesse because he sought it of works onely and not of faith VVee must doe good works but we must not trust in that righteousnesse Good men may pray for vs but they cannot saue vs. Therefore when all is doon we must put all our trust in Christ and we must cleaue to him with hearty loue And after In this name the fathers of the old Tastament were saued For although the Sacraments by reason of the time do differ yet one and the selfe same faith agreeth Also Austen saith To the old iust men something was hidden when as notwithstanding they should be saued by the same faith which at their times should be reuealed whereof the Apostle saith Hauing the same Spirit of faith and therefore it is written I beleeued and therefore I spake And we beleeue and therefore we also speake He would not haue said the same vnlesse they had had the same Spirit of faith But as they when as that Sacrament was hidden beleeued that Christ should be incarnate and we beleeue that he is incarnate his comming to iudgement is looked for both of them and of vs. Thus far Ferus Where hee teacheth plainely that all true Catholiques must trust in Christ and in his merites they must doe good workes but they must not trust in them they may one pray for another but one cannot saue another they must let that alone for euer as Dauid teacheth in the Psalmes And that the old fathers and we were saued by the same faith Psal 49.7 And after that no man can fulfill the lawe hee writes thus vpâ—n these words There was a murmur of the Grecians Marke here hat the saints want not their imperfections they are Christians and Saints by faith but sinners in themselues Fer. in cap. 5. Act. Although GOD hath giuen them grace yet he hath left in them their nature still both that we should know our selues then also that we should haue an occasion of practising charity Euery Christian hath in himselfe that he would should be borne withall of others and he sees in others which he himselfe must beare withall And hereof Saint Paul saith Beare ye one anothers burthen c. Againe of vaine confidence he writes thus Hypocrisie neglecting the righteousnesse of faith Fer. in cap. 6. Act. and as Christ sayth the greater things of the law trusts in the outward works of the law They account righteousnesse to be placed in the externall obseruation of ceremonies places and times none therefore more bragge of Temples and Sacrifices then that kind of men So Christ 16. of Luke inueies against them saying Woe be to you which iustifie your selues And of the manner of our saluation hee writes thus In cap. 7. Act. vpon these wordes The glory of God appeared to our Fatâ—er Abraham Behold the beginning of our saluation sayeth hee is of God and not of our selues No man comes to me vnlesse my Fâ—â—her draw him sayth Christ Our saluation beginnes from heâ—uen for vnlesse God first doe beginne we doe euer remaine in our sinnes And that he beginnes with his word it is a signe thaâ— our saluation is begunne of faith For the word of God cannot â—therwise be receiued then by faith faith especially is necessary He that comes to God must beleeue For to be able to please God wâ—â—hout faith it is impossible Also that besides this voice of God â—o merites of his are written therefore it is doone that we may kâ—ow that our saluation is of Gods grace and mercy For our saluatâ—â—n comes not to vs of works or merites but of the mercy of God according to that You are called of grace and not of works Tâ—us farre Ferus Where hee plainely attributes not onely thâ— beginning of our saluation to the frée mercy and grace of Goâ— but also the end thereof which other Papistes
ceremoniall nor morall neither in those that go afore iustification neither in those that follow but onely in the grace of Christ And this is one of the chiefest pointes of Christian religion to knowe whereunto one maie trust in his saluation and in this he plainelie agrees with our doctrine And againe in another place he sayeth expresselie That the woman comming for another thing In cap. 2. Ioh. that is for vvater found Christ so God deales with vs. Our saluation chanceth to vs without desert and commonly neither desiring it nor seeking it yea being busied about other matters and seeking other things So the Kingdome fell to Saul seeking his fathers Asses So Christ was preached vnto the Shepheards keeping their flocks So Andrew and Peter casting their nets into the Sea were called of Christ So Matthew and Paul and others going about other matters receiued saluation of Christ To conclude so long wee are carefull for our owne affaires that is for carnall things till Christ of his owne freewill offer himselfe vnto vs beyond all our expectation And hence it is that the Bride crieth Draw me after thee and the prophet Turne vs O God of our saluation For if Christ should not preuent vs with his grace we do still remaine in our sins euen as that woman had returned euen as she came if Christ had not preuented her In cap. 3. Ioh. And in another place hee writes thus Vnlesse a man be borne againe Nicodemus asked Christ nothing expressely and yet Christ first of all answeres him of regeneration By this he hath taught all Preachers that first they make the tree good and then that they require good fruites that is to say that first they teach faith whereby a man may be iustified and afterward good workes and in this one short word he comprehendeth the whole summe of Christian religion Man truly was created to euerlasting felicity but because thorough his sinne he became accursed it came to passe that not onely himselfe and all things that he had but that also all his posterity became accursed therefore because wee are borne of Adam we are all become vnprofitable and abhominable both in body and soule in all our power and hability Vnlesse therefore by the grace of God we be borne againe and of Adams Sonnes bee made the Sonnes of God all things are in vaine that we doe or endeuour or thinke or speake yea our selues are vaine and all our reason will strength and works Therefore he that desires to enter into the kingdome of God must become a new man so also he that desires to see the kingdome of God that is to vnderstand the mysteries of the kingdome of God and his heauenly doctrine as God shewed to Iacob the kingdome of God in that ladder lift vp which reached to heauen he must lay aside all fleshly wisedome he must deny his owne reason he must despise his owne strength and must yeelde himselfe wholy as it were a bondslaue to the word of God By this word therefore Christ condemnes vs and all things that wee haue that hee might prouoke vs more forcibly to seeke helpe of him Againe by this word he wrests from vs all confidence in our selues or in our owne works and takes from vs that staffe of a reede that we may learne to trust in the onely mercy of God For faith is the sure staffe of our old age by which alone we may passe ouer this Iordan of temptation the figure whereof was shewed before in Iacob Here therefore learne why God in the Scriptures oftentimes condemnes our works and our endeuours for he doth not this to bring vs into despaire or because good works do not please him but that he may teach vs to trust only in the mercy of God And a little after hee writes thus Although one man beeing compared to another one may seeme more nobler or wiser or more iust then another yet if we respect the power wisedome and iustice of God we are all alike weake ignorant and sinners neither one not so much as an haire excels another For we all stand need of the grace of God And after It is no maruell if Nicodemus vnderstood not the words of Iesus For the fleshly man vnderstands not those things which are of God For they are foolishnesse vnto him Ferus here plainelie teacheth that a right faith must bee the roote of all good workes and that is such a faith as the Gospell teacheth that is that Iesus Christ is both able and willing to cure all diseases both of bodie and soule and with such a faith all sinners should come to him alone and that this faith should be planted in euerie Christians heart which the Papistes haue not doone heretofore in their Church And after this faith then good works should bee taught and required Secondlie hee teacheth that we haue no power to doe good left in vs wee are not like Birdes in a Cage which if the stoppe of sinne were taken awaie would voluntarilie flie out as other Papistes teach but euen deade Birdes and Carions hauing no strength or power at all to doe good and that Christ condemnes vs to make vs more forciblie to flie to him and that wee must not put anie confidence or trust in our workes and that before God there is not anie one man a haire better then another but all are alike sinners not excepting the blessed Virgine Marie of her owne nature What doctrine can bee more agreeable to the Gospell then this or to that wee nowe teach in the Church of England I woulde to GOD all Papistes woulde marke it and beléeue it Philippus de Dies also writes thus King Ezechias asking life of God Sermone 2. de resur recites his benefits saying O Lord I beseech thee behold I haue walked before thee in truth and in a perfect hart that I haue don that which is right in thy eies Why O holy King sayeth hee doest thou alleadge thy seruices that thou hast done to God It had seemed better if thou hadst alleadged thy miseries thy pouerty So poore men are wont to doe that may moue them to pity of whome they hope for an almes they shew them their wounds and miseries To this Saint Gregory answeres that the holy King here doth not alleadge his vertues as deserts but as all Gods benefites for all the good thinges wee doe they are Gods benefites And so saieth Saint Austen expounding the Psalme Who crowneth thee with mercie and louing kindnes saieth hee Is there not a crowne due to good works But because he works in vs all our good works therefore he sayth which crowneth thee with mercy and louing kindnes because al our good workes are the mercies of God And in another place hee writes thus Conc. 2. in fest Matth. One of the holy fathers being asked who was holy answered He that was humble And beeing asked againe who was more humble answered Hee that was more holy Lastly
being asked who was most holy answered He that was most humble and he that accounted himselfe least of all others For he trusting nothing in himselfe hath all his trust reposed in God Dauid came downe to this steppe of humility who said O Lord my hart is not exalted nor I haue no proud lookes my soule is euen as a wained child By which words the Prophet very excellently declared how humbly he accounted of himselfe therefore he most finely coÌ„pares his wil to a child who being taken and wained from his mothers pappes relies altogether in his mothers curtesie who by himselfe can prouide no meat for himselfe c. Al true Christians should be as wained children they should put their whole trust in God they should find no meate no matter of strength whereupon to trust or relie in themselues but in GOD. This is Philippus de Dies his iudgment Oleaster also a Papist writes thus In 2. cap. Gen. Can thy worke be euill O Lord or can there be any imperfection in it that it should neede to be examined As if all other works need triall yet not light which thou hast made most pure and glorious by which al the other works are examined what wilt thou teach me in this triall I thinke thou wouldest tell me that I should examine and trie my darkenesse if so be that thou so diligently examine thy light for what are our works if they shall come to be examined in Gods iudgement but darknesse No flesh saith the Lords child shall be iustified in thy sight Wée maie note here how this Papist confesseth that all our workes if they should bee examined in Gods iudgement are but darkenesse And yet after he addes Not that we think with the LutheraÌ„s that the iust man sinnes in euery worke hee doth but we meane to signifie the imperfections of our works if they be brought to examination of Gods iudgment If there bee darknesse in the workes of the iust is there not sinne Are not all imperfections and declining from the law of God sinne Hée teacheth here the same doctrine the Lutherans teach that there are imperfections and daâ—kenesse in the workes euen of iust men and that their workes are not able to stand in Gods Iudgement and yet hee will not bee of their opinion And hee addeth for more confirmation of this doctrine that place of Esay We haue all beene vncleane and all our righteousnesses as the defiled cloth of a woman Therefore sayeth hee how pure soeuer how good thy worke seem to thee O man compare it to the glasse of Gods law that thou maiest amende vvhat thing thou findest fault in it present it to Gods eyes that thou maiest heare his iudgement of thy worke Stella of the perfection of our workes and perfect fulfilling of the lawe In cap. 1. Luc. writes thus vpon these wordes And they were both iust before God if therefore it be written In thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified how can any man be called iust before God If our righteousnesse be considered as it hath some fault mingled with it no man is iustified because In manie thinges we offend all and all our righteousnesses are like a defiled cloth of a woman Also if you compare our righteousnes to the righteousnes of God no man shall be saued and therefore most holy Iob said Shall man be iustified being compared to God But if this righteousnesse be considered according to the measure prescribed to man so the best and those who are friends with God on some sort are called iust before God In cap. 16. Mat. Ferus also concerning this matter writes thus Although the Scripture call all the faithfull Saints not that they want no perfection but for the blood of Iesus Christ wherewith they are washed and sanctified yet in themselues they are imperfect and haue need to say Forgiue vs our trespasses and euer with faith and trust in the mercy and goodnes of God they haue feare ioined for their infirmity as Iob saith I feared all my works when as the same Iob somtimes declared himselfe to be innocent Both therefore are necessary to a Christian feare and hope hope least be should despaire and feare least he should presume Stella also writes thus Neither was the holy Virgine content for the excellent vertue of hir humility to say he had respect vnto his hand maid In 1. cap. Luc. but to the basenes of his handmaid And here thou must marke this basenes concerning hir merits for she thought hir selfe of no merit of no vertue and this not fainedly or falsly for she considered the excellency of hir owne strength and not on Gods behalfe his gifts bestowed on hir And this consideration is the mother of an â—â—mble hart whose root is in the soule Thus farre Stella I woulde this roote of humilitie did also growe in all Christians heartes which did grow thus fruitfullie in the heart of the Virgine that they would with her consider not their merites but their vnworthinesse 5. Of the Certaintie of Saluation ANdradius Lib. 6. orthodox explicat expounding the meaning of the Vniuersitie of Collen against Monhemias how wee maie both hope and doubt of our saluation writes thus Although sayeth hee our hope hath euer doubting ioined with it yet it differs very much it selfe from doubting For when as our hope whereby we do promise to our selues eternall life doth trust both to our works and also especially to the mercy of God and his omnipotency which doth proceed of our merites and when as we do often loose the grace of God by our sinnes and we our selues do hinder the course thereof that it doth not flow into our hearts it comes to passe truely that our hope is so certain that yet it is euer coupled and ioined with feare and doubtfulnesse For hee which considers the goodnesse and omnipotent power of GOD neuer doubts nor feares any thing but is as the mount Sion which of no side can be remooued but when he considers his owne frailty and pronenes to sinne as long as he liues then he feares least he should expell or hinder the goodnes of God Wherefore when as Saint Paul saith that hope maketh not ashamed and he calles it the sure Anchor of the soule he considered the omnipotency and power of God vpon which our hope chiefly resteth by which it hath this vertue that it is without al doubt But the Vniuersity of Collen where they say that it doubteth very much they consider the infirmity of our nature and the force of our desires which oftentimes force vs from the standing in the law of God and reason and doo as it were driue vs into these sinnes whereby we loose the brightnes of righteousnesse and merit the anger of God and euerlasting torments But let vs heare howe farre they are wide from Saint Pauls doctrine in this their consideration Abraham sayeth hee is called the father of vs all as it is
commission and commandement of the holy spirit for his warrant Now this same disputing and reasoning taught that Peter was not their head The brethren make him yeeld account of his doings to them Act. 8.39 as to his equals So the spirit caught Phillip awaie from the Eunuch and placed him at Azoto and he walked too and fro preaching in all the cities till he came to Caesarea The like practise of this authoritie and gouernment of the holy spirit in the Church we read in the Acts c. 13.2 Now as they ministred vnto the Lord fasted the holy ghost saide separate me Barnabas and Saul for the works whereunto I haue called them And after they had fasted and prayed and layd their handes on them they let them goe and they after they were sent forth of the holy ghost came euen to Caesarea and from thence sailed to Cypris Is not this to gouerne Amongst a number to elect out certaine men and to send them to certaine countries The like testimonie of this gouernment in Gods Church of Gods spirit yeeldeth S. Paul to a great number of pastors in a solemne synode Act. 20.28 Take heede therefore vnto your selues sayth he and to all the flocke whereof the holy ghost hath made you ouerseers To place pastors in the Church is it not to gouerne And this S. Paul attributes heere to the holie ghost and as hee affirmes this of the pastors of Ephesius so no doubt of the pastors of the whole world They are placed in their cures by the holie Ghost All the Apostles likewise attribute this power and authority to the holie Ghost In that great controuersie about circumcision and obseruing the lawe of Moses Act. 15.28 doe they not conclude thus It seemes good to the holie Ghost and to vs Héere is the holie Ghost first put as head and gouernour and decider of this great controuersie and they themselues all alike but as assistants vnto it And is not this to gouerne And as the holie Ghost did then expreslie shew his gouernement in the beginning so no doubt by his most mightie power and secret inspiration he gouernes the same still and as the Apostles acknowledge him the gouernour of the church no one of them but him as the head commanding works placing ministers and deciding controuersies and themselues all as hands and féete as Gregorie makes them fulfilling his will Philippus de Dies writes thus out of Ambrose of the authority and pleasure so let vs and no other _____ of all the Apostles Dom. 2. posi pasc conc 1 To this end S. Paul doth confesse that himselfe and his fellowe Apostles receiued grace and Apostleship we haue receiued saith he Grace and Apostleshippe that all nations might obey the faith That is that all nations might obey those thinges which faith teacheth For his name which S. Ambrose expounds as Christs Vicars occupying his roome in the Church And this is that which the same blessed Apostle saide before Wee are Embassadours for Christ But Theophilact expounds it thus For his name That is for the aduancement of the name of Christ that the virtue of his name might bee spred through the whole worlde Thus farre Philippus de Dies Ambrose and he makes all the Apostles Christs vicars and not the Pope onelie and Theophilact testifieth that it is the chiefe part of the apostles to teach that the virtue of Christes name might bee spred through the whole world but the Pope hath dyminished the virtue of this name by adding other names vnto it euen as when many hearbs in a medicine are mingled togither one hindreth the operation of an other what néeds any more if one be sufficient Of Antichrist Fer. in cap. 4. Io. OF the succession of place howe little it auaileth Ferus writes thus As the Iewes bragged of the citie of Dauid and of the Temple of Salomon so the Samaritanes had the dwellings of the former patriarkes who dwelt in those places And by reason of these places they defended and comforted themselues against the Iewes when as they had nothinge of Iacobs religion as also the Iewes nothing of Dauids holines Thus farre Ferus The like may be said of the succession of the Romane Bishop Succession of place without faith is nothing Ferus of the preaching of the Gospell thorough all the world before the ende of the world writes thus The gospell came before the destruction of Ierusalem euen to the verie end of the world but it shal be fulfilled more perfectly before the end of the world Let vs marke how he saith that the gospell shall be preached further and more perfectlie nowe In cap. 24. Mat. then in the Apostles daies And after Behold the goodnesse of God hee might iustlie condemne vs and yet he deferreth his iudgment till all be called to mercie Before he destroied all men with the floud Noe admonished them an hundred yeares before he destroyed Egypt first he sent Moses Euen so before the vniuersall iudgement first he calles all to mercy by the gospell And after To the good the gospell is to their saluation but a testimonie against the wicked Let all men take heede then now that make light accompt of the gospell marke not the doctrine conteyned therin least it be a testimonie against them to condemne them And againe he writes thus Marke that that Ierusalem on whom Christ pronounced the sentence of destruction signifies the world and the Temple of God in the world is the Temple of the faithfull Therefore in the Church he foretold that there shoulde be an abhomination before the end of the world To abhorre is to execrate to loath to disdaine not to suffer to throw a thinge away with disdaine or indignatiō Hence an abomination or a thing abominable that is called which engenders an abhorring loathing or detestation But no outward vncleannes God doth loath but our sinnes Hereof verie often and for the most part they are called abominations in the scripture as for example The way of the vngodly is abomination vnto the Lord but the greatest abomination of all other in the scriptures is Idolatrie impietie heresie and falling away frō God Therfore after this māner Christ doth saie that there shal be abomination in the Church that is an apostacie or departing from God And that not any meane departing or falling away but such a one as shall bring desolation with it that is shall vtterlie goe about to ouerthrow christian religion And this abomination S. Iohn meanes in the Reuelation sometime by the beast to which the Dragō hath giuen his power somtime by the woman sitting on the beast and making all Nations drunken of the wine of her fornication Of which S. Paul speaketh more plainely vnlesse saith he that a departing come first that that man of sinne be reueiled c. Therefore this abomination is nothing else then the kingdome and tyrannie of Antichrist or the falling away from god which shal
declares the great zeale that they shall haue and the loue to Iesus Christ when as they are once conuerted they shall be like Marie Magdalen as zealous of him at his second comming as she was at his resurrection Peter and Iohn when as they had come to the graue and found not his bodie there went home againe by and by Ioh. 20.10.11 but Marie tarried still by the graue weeping shée loued him better then so so zealous of Christ shall the Iewes be when as he shall arise also to them And here also is insinuated to vs a good lesson why God wil then shew them such mercie and to make vs beware least we fall from Gods mercie Oh saith Dauid Psal 59.5 bee not mercifull to those that offend of malicious wickednesse Rom. 10.2 As though he should saie those that offend ignorantly yet zealously but not according to knowledge as Saint Paul witnesseth that the Iews doe now be mercifull to those O Lord. But be not mercifull to those that offend maliciously which knew their masters will Luk. 12.47 and yet will not doe it such shall be beaten with many stripes And this lesson concernes vs those sins are the sins which Dauid cals the greatest sins sinnes of presumption Psal 14.13 1. Tim. 1.13 And so Saint Paul also writes of himselfe that he obtained mercie because that he sinned ignorantly through vnbeliefe And so also it séems here by Dauids prayer that the Iewes also shall obtaine mercie The man also that appeared to Daniel Dan. 10.14 that was cloathed in linnen whose loines were girded with fine gold of vphaz telles Daniel that he is sent to shew him what shall come to his people in the latter day but yet the vision is for many daies And Daniel thus is instructed of this man verie manifestly of the calling of the Iewes Cap. 12.1 At that time Michael the great prince shall stand vp who stands for the children of thy people and there shall be such a time of trouble as there was neuer since there was any people till this time and in this verie time shall the people be deliuered all that shall be found written in this booke And many that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt Thus much this heauenly man reueiled to Daniel that the Iewes shall be called in that troublesome time And our Sauiour referres this troblesome time both to the destruction of Ierusalem and also to the ende of the world as we maie plainly sée in Saint Markes Gospell Chap. 13. v. 20. 24. And those daies shal be shortned for the elects sake or els no flesh should be saued Therfore by this prophesie of Daniel it maie be verie necessarily collected that séeing this troublesome time shall immediatly precede Christs comming and that in that time they shall be conuerted and that those daies shall be shortned that they maie be conuerted euen immediatly before the comming of Christ For he addes the Resurrection as the next thing that should follow their calling and what is that els but the verie appearance of Christ himselfe Ier. 30.7 Ieremy also agrees with Daniel both concerning the day and the Iewes deliuerance Alas for this day is great none hath bin like it it is euen the time of Iacobs trouble yet shall he be deliuered from it Ieremie séemes here to come néerer then Daniel and to saie that not onely in that troublesome time but in the latter daie thereof which no doubt is the daie of iudgment that then Iacob shall be deliuered What great daie is this then the which none hath béene like but the daie of iudgement And so the Prophet Ioel also describes that daie A day of blacknesse and of darknesse Ioel. 2.2 a day of cloudes and obscuritie And Zacharie also of this strange daie writes thus Zach. 14.7 And there shall be a day it is knowne to the Lord neither day nor night but about the euentide it shall be light In this strange and great daie saith Ieremy shall Iacob be deliuered Thus we maie plainly sée how that all the other Prophets almost do agrée with the prophet Zacharie that the Iewes shall be called at the day of iudgement But to let passe the scriptures and to come to the fathers Iust ◠apol and to shew what some of them haue thought concerning this matter Iustine the martyr affirmes that this generall wéeping the Prophet Zacharie speaks of shal be at the second comming of Christ who writes thus The prophet Zacharie hath foretolde what words the people of the Iews shal say when as they shal see him comming in his glory I will commaund the foure winds saith God that they may gather togither my dispersed children And then in Ierusalem shall be great mourning not mourning of countenance and face but of heart And then they shall not rent their garments but their minds And they shal lamēt tribe to tribe And they shall see him whom they haue pierced Thus farre Iustine And he plainly referres this prophecie of Zachary to be fulfilled in the end of the world To whom agrées also Theodoret who writes thus Theo. in ca. 12. Zach. And it shall come to passe that at that day I will destroy all nations that fight against Ierusalem and I will powre vpon the house of Dauid and the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and mercie c. Vpon these words Theodoret writes thus I haue euen loaden them with all kind of benefits I haue killed their enemies by diuers meanes And contrariwise to them I haue opened the fountaines of my mercy and haue filled them with all kind of graces But they haue betraied me comming into this world into the hands of mine enemies and hauing nailed me and lifted me vp vpon a crosse they haue thrust me to the heart with a souldiers speare and haue railed vpon me and haue laughed me to scorne but notwithstanding when as within a little while after they shall see me comming in my diuine maiestie then they shall bewaile and lament this their madnes And a little after speaking of their lamentation he saith Lastly he inferres that all the other tribes shall also seuerally weep and lament This selfe same thing the Lord in his gospell also hath foretolde Then they shall see the signe of the sonne of man in heauen and then all the kinreds of the earth shall lament It is most certaine that all they which haue not receiued the preaching of the gospell shall lament looking for nothing else but vtter destruction But these things shal be fulfilled in the time of the verie end yet I will defend them meaning the Iewes although I am not ignorant how they shall crucifie me and kill me comming into this world for my benefits bestowed vpon them c. He referres the fulfilling of this prophecie plainly vnto the end of the world
of them yet oftentimes carelesnesse and forgetfulnesse will creepe into our minds therefore he preferres the prayer which a good Christian is able to make of himselfe by such words as the holie ghost shall put in his minde before anie such prayers made of others Cap. 4. be they neuer so deuout And the same Granatensis writing of certaine hymnes made by one Ieronymus Vda saith thus These three hymnes of the trinitie are to be commended to euerie person in this kind and his other hymnes to others which being well vnderstood and deâ—outly repeated and considered are as it were most sweet Mannâ— to our soules making them fit to taste heauenly things So that theâ— all their hymnes being not vnderstood by his iudgement are worth nothing And again of praier he writes thus In the power of this Lord meaning Iesus Christ let vs come to the throne of grace with great confidence being assured that whatsoeuer we shall aske in his name we shall obtaine it This is the chiefe condition which our petition or prayer ought to haue ioyned with it that it may be of force with God as saint Iames saith that is to say faith and sure confidence which ought chiefely to be grounded not in our selues or in our owne works or merits but in the merits of Christ Iesus and also in the infinite goodnes and mercie of God which can be ouercome by no kinde of wickednes and chiefely on the truth of the word and promises of God who through the whole scripture promiseth that he will neuer forsake them which turne to him with their whole heart call vpon him and haue all their hope most assuredly reposed in him Although thou hast beene hitherto a most grieuous sinner yet thou must not therefore be discouraged for as Saint Ierome saith sins that are past do not condemne vs if now they do not please vs. By which words we may plainly perceiue how greatly they are deceiued who waighing their owne wants and infirmities doe despaire of the mercie of God as though God would not heare them if so be they pray vnto him And they do not consider that the principal foundation of this confidence are the merits of Christ the mercie of God and the truth of his words which is as it were a shield as the kingly Prophet saith Compassing about all them that trust in him No sinner by his iudgement ought to dispaire though his sinnes be neuer so grieuous but ought boldlie to come to the throne of grace and what néedes then the intercession of saints Therein he erreth that he makes the mercie of God and the merits of Iesus Christ but the principall and not the onelie foundation of our confidence when as Dauid saith Thou O Lord alone makes me dwell in safetie and securelie what foundation can man haue of confidence or securitie beside this Againe of the excellencie of the name of Iesus in another place he writes thus Thy name is like oyle powred out without all doubt there is a great resemblance betwixt oyle and the name of the bridegroome and therfore the holy ghost not in vaine hath compared the one of them to the other And I say for three properties of oyle because it giues light it feeds and it makes soft if you can yeeld no better reasons then these It feeds the fire it nourisheth the flesh and it asswageth paine Therefore it is light meat and medicine Behold now the same things in the name of the bridegroome It giues light being preached it feeds being studied vpon and being called vpon it lenifieth and asswageth And let vs briefely runne ouer euerie one of these Whereof I pray you sprang so great and so sodaine a light ouer all the world but by the preaching of the name of Iesus Neither is the name of Iesus onely light but also meate are you not so often comforted as you thinke vpon it what makes so fat the minde of him that museth often thereon as it doth what makes our senses so quicke strengthens the powers of our soules makes liuely or good and honest our conuersation cherisheth our chast affections All the meat of the soule is drie if it be not basted with this oyle It is vnsauorie if it be not seasoned with this salt If thou write any thing it doth not please me vnlesse I read Iesus there If thou dispute or conferre it pleaseth me not vnlesse Iesus sounde there Iesus is honie in the mouth musicke in the eare and ioy in the heart but it is also phisicke Is anie amongst vs sorrowfull let Iesus come into his mind and let it leape vp into his mouth and behold as soone as you shall name him light shall spring all clouds shall be disperst and faire sunshine shall appeare Doth anie man fall into sinne nay doth he runne by despaire into the snare of death If he shall call vpon this name of life shall he not by and by begin to breath againe and recouer life What euer accustomed heardnes of heart fainthearted cowardlines cancred malice or slouthfull idlenes was euer able to abide to appeare before this glorious name who had euer the fountaine of teares dried vp and calling on the name of Iesus did not burst out againe more plentifully and flowed more sweetly Who euer now quaking and trembling in daungers this name of power being called vpon did not by and by receiue courage and repell all feare Who euer wauering and boiling in doubts calling vpon this glorious name receiued not forthwith most assured resolution and certaintie Who euer discouraged in aduersitie and euen nowe fainting if hee once but named this name of helpe lacked strength And to this thing the Lord himselfe inuites vs when as he saith Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me Nothing so bridles the rage of anger asswageth the swelling of pride heales the wound of enuie stoppes the streame of ryot quencheth the flame of lust slakes the thirst of couetousnesse and vanquisheth that tickling itching of all vncomlinesse For when I name Iesus I set before mine eies a most meeke man humble and lowly in heart courteous sober chast mercifull and famous in all vertue and holinesse and the same also God omnipotent who heales mee with his example and strengthens me with his arme Therefore I take from him examples to follow as he is a man and helpe to leane and trust vnto in all my troubles as he is God these as Apothecaries stuffe this as the strength and vertue of them And I make thereof such a confection as no Physition in the world is able to make This electuarie thou hast O my soule hid laid vp as it were in the box of this name Iesus most holsome truely which is of power and force against all thy plagues and infirmities Let this boxe be euer in thy bosome euer at hand that all thy thoughts and actions may alwaies be directed to Iesus
to anie other The same Granatensis writes thus of himselfe Ibidem And surely the errours of my life and sinnes are so manie and so great that some men being in the same state of damnation as well as I and not considering O Lord thy omnipotencie but measuring according to their owne frailtie and wauering mindes with their forward thoughts haue entered into iudgement with thee saying Mine iniquities are greater then that they may be pardoned and giuing no credite to thy words and promises imagine that as some angrie or cruell man thou thinkest vpon punishment and reuenge and not vpon grace and pardon And such O my God when they shall see that thou wilt forgiue me my sinnes shall be ouercome and ashamed of their iudgements And they shall acknowledge that which thou spakest by thy Prophet that is As high as the heauens are exalted from the earth so are thy waies farre aboue the waies of men and thy thoughts aboue their thoughts Therefore O Lord haue mercie vpon me and blot out mine iniquitie Thus farre Granatensis He confesseth himselfe to be a damnable sinner Here is no merits then and yet for all that he hopes for pardon comes to the throne of Gods mercie nay they which think God to be an angrie God so that he will not heare sinners he plainlie teacheth that they haue a wrong opinion of God And do not the papists teach this in their doctrine of intercession to saints Angels This faith al the scriptures teach vs that when we pray in the name of Iesus Christ God doth most assuredly heare vs. And so we ought to frame our words when we pray as though we were in the presence of God and our hearts after we haue praied that God in whose presence we haue praied hath granted our requests This faith the gospell teacheth They which beléeue not this denie the faith of the Gospell And the same Granatensis that he may the more déepelie imprint and fasten this loue of God in our hearts which is the very roote of the assurance which we haue in our prayers in another place let vs marke how excellentlie he commendeth and expresseth this excéeding great loue of God towards vs. Can there be any greater argumēt of the goodnes of God wished or desired then to consider that a God of such infinite Maiestie Granat de perfect amor dei cap. 28. who not for any need but onely of his owne goodnes doth stoupe downe humble himselfe so greatly that as a steward purueyour of birds fishes and wormes he prouides all things necessary for their life Neither being content with this alone he doth humble himselfe so far that he giues them also pleasant things wherewith they may delight themselues stirring vp in them also certaine motions of pleasures That euen as thou O Lord hast not only an essence or being but also a most happie and blessed essence so also thou wouldest haue all thy creatures be they neuer so vile and base in their kinde to participate of thee and to enioy both these that they should haue both an essence and also a most happie and ioyfull essence Who is not now amased to see such a miracle who hereby acknowledgeth not the infinite kindnes nobilitie and liberalitie of Gods heart who shewes himselfe so louing and courteous to so vile creatures which if a man meet withall he will make no account to trample vnder his feet Which of vs is it that thinkes it concernes him any thing at all whether a Flie or Pismire haue food or not or whether she be merie or sad Who therefore will not maruell that a God of such great maiestie in comparison of whom all the world is no bigger almost then a little Pismire not onely to haue special care of the liues of these smal vermine but also of the delights and pleasures wherewith euerie one of these is delighted when as he lookes at the hands of these neither for praise nor thanks O wonderfull goodnes O inestimable sweetnes O my God how great incomprehensible are those things which in the bosome of thy glorie thou hast reserued for thy faithfull friends when as thou hast such a speciall care of vile wormes How can I distrust of thy prouidence mercie towards men whom thou hast bought with thy precious bloud when as that is not wanting euen to the beasts of the field Thus farre Granatensis This onelie consideration should make vs pray to God alone Chap. 29. And after of the praiers of the faithfull he writes thus What shal I say O Lord of thy readines in hearing the praiers of the iust what of thy speedines in fulfilling their desires how often doest thou promise vs this in thy holy scriptures that thou mightest take away our infidelity distresse In a certain place thou saiest which of you askes bread of his father and will he giue him a stone our askes fish and will he for fish giue him a serpent or if he aske an egge will he reach him a Scorpion If ye therefore when as ye are euill know to giue good things to your children how much more shall your heauenly father from heauen giue his holy spirit to them which aske him And in another place Aske and it shal be giuen to you seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you But the words of our Lord which are in S. Iohns Gospell doe declare the same much more manifestly by which it is manifest that God hath at once opened to his friends all the gates of his mercie when as he saith If you abide in me and my words abide in you aske whatsoeuer ye will and it shall be done vnto you Could the heart of man if a wish were giuen him to wish whatsoeuer he would haue wished a more large or greater benefit when as in these words he hath leaue giuen him to aske whatsoeuer he will And he giues his word also that whatsoeuer he asketh he shall obtaine These are the promises of the Gospell from which they also disagree not which are found euerie where amongst the Prophets The Psalmist saith in a certaine place he will doe the will of them that feare him and he will heare their prayer and will saue them And in another place The eies of the Lord are vpon the iust and his eares are open vnto their prayers And in another place hee saith He hath regarded the prayer of the humble and hath not despised their petition Esay also sings the same song to vs. For after he had shewed with what good works God is especially serued by and by he addeth the reward that shall be giuen to them that serue him saying Then he shall call and the Lord shall heare him he shal crie and the Lord shal say Behold here am I. And as though this were but a small thing thou thy selfe O Lord addest a farre greater and more bountifull promise in the same Prophet
intreate of the punishment of them that are dead For therefore a great tribulation shall go before and afterward fire shall descend and shall quickly purge all the relickes of sinne in iust men For as Ireneus notes in the ende of his fift booke Then sodainly the Church which is on earth shal be taken to her spouse Neither then shall be any time of purging any more as there is now after death before iudgement Here is purgatorie and no purgatorie for those fathers in déede speake of a purging which shall be at the daie of iudgement by fire but not of those onely that then shall liue as M. Bellarmine here séemes to expound Ierom but of all men in generall as appeareth by the words Ierom there vseth Peccatores quosque flumina ignis ante cum traehent voluentia The rowling streames of fire shall drawe before him all sinners not those that be liuing as Master Bellarmine expounds him And the Lord is called a fire and a consuming fire that he may burne our wood hay and stubble alluding to that place of Saint Paul That if any man haue built vpon Iesus Christ wood hâ—y or stubble the day of the Lord shall trie euerie mans worke not the workes of them that liue then onely but euerie mans worke And after he addeth That according to the saying of Ezechiel whatsoeuer in our gold and siluer that is in our vnderstanding and word is mingled with brasse iron or lead in the Lords furnace may be a Percoquitur thorowly fined that pure gold and siluer may remaine Here Ierome speakes of all sinners not of those that shall liue then And he addeth That our gold and siluer that is iust mens workes as well as sinners drosse shall then bee examined And in another place which hath béene alleadged before he manifestly confirmeth this exposition As we beleeue saith he that the torments of the Diuell and of all them which denie God and of wicked men which say in their heart there is no God Ieron in 66. ca. Esaiae are euerlasting So also wo is me of sinners yea of Christians whose workes shall be purged and tried with fire we suppose that the sentence of the iudge shall not be extreame but mixed with mercie This place against M. Bellarmines exposition prooues that all Christians workes which are sinners shall be tried and purged at that daie and not those onely that then are liuing in stéede of the purgatorie they should haue endured Saint Augustine also saith which place Master Bellarmine there also hath alleadged for purgatorie Aug. de ciuit lib. 20. cap. 25. of these things which haue been spoken it seemes to appeare most euidently that in that iudgement there shall be some purgatorie punishment of some but he names not who they be It should séeme he means those whom Ierom meant before Neither doth that place of Irenaeus which alleadgeth make anie thing for his purpose For Irenaeus there first writes thus The day of the Lord is as it were a thousand yeeres Iren. lib. 5. And in sixe daies were all things finished that were made And therefore it is manifest that the sixt thousand yeere shall be the consummation of all these things And therefore in all that time man being made in the beginning by the hand of God that is of the Sonne of the Spirit that he may be according to the image and likenesse of God the chaffe being cast away which are Apostacie and the corne being taken into the barne that is they which bring forth fruits to God through faith And therefore tribulation is necessarie for them that shall be saued that being as it were broken in peeces and made into smal powder and sprinkled here and there through patience by the word of God yea euen beene all a fire they might be fit guests for the kings banquet And as one â— our Christians who being iudged to be cast to wild beasts to be torne in peeces of them for his martyrdome towards God said Because I am the corn of Christ I am grinded by the teeth of these wild beasts that I might be found fine manchet of God And after The nations are so farre profitable and fit for the iust in as much as the stubble is profitable for the increasing of the wheat the chaffe thereof to burne for the purifying of Gold And therefore in the end when the Church departing hence shall be taken aloft there shall be saith he tribulation such as neuer was nor shall be That shall be the last combate of the iust wherein the conquerors shall be crowned with incorruption Thus farre Irenaeus And here M. Bellarmine mistakes a word for repetente Ecclesia as it is in Irenaeus printed at Basil Anno Dom. 1526. which is as much as to say the Church repairing againe to a place he puts in repente that is sodainly As though this sodainnesse of her departure should be the cause of that her purging by fire because she could not stay to endure the fire of Purgatorie It may séeme of that one word he grounds this his exposition And if he doe it is but his collection it is not Irenaeus assertion as he saith and that also of a false foundation taking repente for repente which is in the auncient copie And if so be that the word were repente so dainly yet there néeded not anie Purgatorie fire to the end that they might attaine saluation For euen sodainly God is able and hath also saued sinners as Elias is called of Saint Iames A man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subiect to like affection and perturbations euen as we are Iam. 5.17 and therefore a sinner yet was he translated into heauen sodainly And our Sauiour himselfe speaketh thus of Zacheus who before was a Publican as soone as he beléeued on him This day is saluation come vnto this house Christ also healed very many both of their bodily Luke 19.9 Mark 5.34 Luke 7 50. and spirituall diseases sodainly saying thy faith hath saued thee No doubt if these had then died they should haue béene saued euen sodainly without enduring anie Purgatorie There is a place in saint Paul where the word sodainly is vsed 1. Thes 5.3.4 For when they shall say peace and safetie then shall come vpon them sodaine destruction c. But you brethren are not in darknesse that that day should come on you as a theefe in the night But that sodaine destruction or punishment respects the wicked not the faithfull that shall then liue at that day more then them that haue liued before that day Here is not one word of anie purging but of the purging of afflictions And that shall be all the time of the continuance of the world saith Irenaeus And that shall so cleane purge vs as it shall make vs fit guestes for the Lords banquet and what other purgatorie then shall the faithfull stand néede of Here is not that those that liue at the
be by it wiser as he himselfe was then the aged By Gods word the holy Ghost shall so teach euerie one of them that now as saint Iohn saith they shall need no other teacher 1. Io. 2.27 Esay 11.9 Then shall be fulfilled that which Esay prophecieth The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord euen as the waters that couer the sea If this be the marke of the true Church then euerie one that is not to too partiall or will not shut his eies wilfully against the light of the sunne néed goe no further but may here plainly discerne which is the true and false Church and may decide that great doubt which at this day troubles so many mens consciences Hath this knowledge béene in the Popes Church Haue they thus knowen God from the greatest to the smallest Speake truth herein whosoeuer thou art And if it be most apparant that this knowledge hath béene wanting therein be not afraid to say with the Prophet Ieremie and with S. Paul with Esay that she is none of Christs spouse that she hath no part in his testament This same onely marke bewrayeth her and condemneth her The same marke hath God put downe againe of his house and true Church by the Prophet Esay least we should doubt thereof Esay 59.20.21 The redeemer shall come vnto you and vnto thē that turne from iniquitie in Iacob saith the Lord. Here first is Iesus Christ now followes his Church And I wil make this my couenant with them saith the Lord My spirit which is vpon thee the words which I haue put in thy mouth shal not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of the seed of thy seed saith the Lord frō henceforth euē for euer Here is first a couenant Secondly here are the spirit Gods word vnited and knit togither So that euen as the windes accompanie the waters so doth Gods spirit the waters of comfort Rom. 15.4 that is the waters of the scriptures And these words as they haue bene in Christs mouth for he spake not of himselfe but as his father gaue him commaundement so he spake so they shall be in the mouth of his séed Io. 12.49 and of his seedes séede for euer If these be the true markes of the Church the Popish Church which lacks these markes is not the true Church Nay she hath broken this couenant most apparantly And therefore no doubt she is that whore of Babylon which saint Iohn speaketh of in the Reuelation Reu. 17.2 Io. 6.63 Ro. 8.9 Gen. 1.2 Act. 10 44. 2. Cor. 3.6 Nay she is not onely a trucebreaket but a murtherer she hath debarred Gods people of his word and so also of his spirit which is the verie life of the faithfull and without the which they are but withered braunches For the word and the spirit are knit togither as the Prophet here teacheth vs and therefore shée is guiltie of murther And of such liuing and spirituall murtherers of whom the ciuil lawes of magistrates take no hold Saint Iohn saith also Cap. 9.11 that they will not repent of these their murthers but still maintaine them and practise them euen as the Papists doe at this daie They which wil be accounted Gods séede and his children let them sée that they haue Gods word in their mouthes euen as Iesus Christ had Let it neuer depart neither from their mouthes nor hearts let it alone direct all their workes let them in all their workes saie as he said As my father hath commanded me so doe I. Iohn 14.30 Dauid also thus pictureth out Gods Church Psal 87.1 A paraphrase of the 87. psal 1. Cor. 15.3 Her foundations are vpon the holy hils What other holy hilles are these but the scriptures Gods Church is built vpon the scriptures vpon them shée groundeth all her doctrines God loueth the gates of Sion more then all the dwellings of Iacob Here is next her glorie her beautie her strength her felicitie God loueth nowe the meanest christian better then the best Iewe euen the gates of Sion before the stately pallaces of Iacob Ier. 9.23 So that now let not the wise man reioyce in his wisedome nor the strong man in his strength nor the rich man in his riches but let him that reioiceth glorie in this that he knoweth me saith the Lord. 1. Cor. 1.31 And wherein this knowledge consisteth S. Paul teacheth that is to know that Iesus Christ of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption That according as it is written saith S. Paul let him that reioiceth reioice in the Lord for these things for this wisedome of Gods word for this strength of faith for the riches of Christ merits which all are ours And therefore he saith so often to the Philippians Phil. 4.4 Reioice in the Lord and againe I say reioice And why because God loues thee If thou be a christian euen whosoeuer thou art though thou be neuer so meane a christian though thou be but a gate no stately pallace yet the Lord loues thée more then all the pallaces of Iacob Though thou be but a little one in Christ Mat. 18.10 yet thy Angell thy seruant that attends vpon thée beholds the face of God in heauen And this loue of God is another marke of Gods Church Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou citie of God The Church is called here the citie of God Reu. 22.17 shee is called also the Spouse of Christ And againe Esay writes thus of her Esay 54.10 For a moment in my anger I hid my face from thee for a little season but with euerlasting mercie haue I had compassion of thee saith the Lord thy redeemer And againe O thou afflicted and tossed with the tempest that hast no comfort Behold I will lay thy stones with the carbuncle and lay thy foundations with Saphires And I will make thy windowes of Emerauds and thy gates shining stones and all thy borders of pleasant stones And thy children shall be taught of the Lord and much peace shall be to thy children In righteousnesse shalt thou be established and be farre from oppression for thou shalt not feare it and from feare for it shall not come neere thee These are great blessings euen in worldly affaires in things that concerne our bodies but in those things which concerne our soules how farre more excellent are they such glorious things are spoken of Gods Church But the Romish Church by their placing of peblestones and stones that lie in the hie waie in the windowes of Gods church that is simple and vnpreaching Prelates and also by teaching the doctrine of the vncertaintie of saluation hath obscured this glorie I will thinke of Rahab and Babylon with them that know me c. Here is another marke of the church She shall now be spread ouer the whole world
Abrahams sonnes whose sonne whosoeuer is not Rom. 4.11 is Sathans sonne and shall surelie be damned But to the vtter confusion of all worldlie minded Christians Putiphar the Egyptian maie teach them this contempt of the world Gen. 39.8 Behold saith Ioseph my maister knoweth not what he hath in the house with me but hath committed all that he hath to mine hand Surelie if this Egyptian had made account of the world he would haue beene more circumspect about his affaires he would haue knowne euerie light matter who ate and dranke in his house c. This Egyptian shall condemne our suspitious Christians who will trust no bodie and our couetous worldlings who will look so narrowly to their affaires who will not léese the parings of their nailes Possidon in vita Aug. Saint Austen neuer did weare or carie about either keie or ring or signet but committed all the care of the Church and of his houshold to some faithfull clergie men who at the yeares end made him an account And hence springs two other duties of Christians They should giue to their poore brethren They should lend to their néedy neighbours He that despiseth the world and riches will be liberall to the poore and will lend to his neighbour but he that loues and sets his mind on these will neither giue nor lend fréelie Saint Paul willeth Timothie to command rich men that they bee rich in good workes 1. Tim. 6.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and readie to giue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and imparting and communicating to their brethren some part of those blessings God hath bestowed on them not keeping all to themselues Pro. 5.15.16 Salomon compares riches to a riuer Drinke saith hee of the waters of thy cesterne and of the riuers out of the middest of thine owne well Let thy fountaines flow forth and the riuers of waters in the streets As though he should say O thou rich man God hath giuen thée a pleasant fountaine wilt thou now kéepe it wholie to thy selfe Wilt thou damme and stop it vp No but rather take so much thereof as will serue thine owne turne let the rest flow into the stréets let thy neighbor also haue part thereof And do so likewise with thy riches But Saint Paul addeth a forceable reason to moue all rich men to this liberalitie and readinesse to distribute these their riches Laying vp in treasure saith he for themselues a good foundation against the time to come 1. Tim. 6.19 that they may obtaine euerlasting life And here he yéelds two excellent commendations to these riches thus distributed they are first a mans treasure in heauē No treasure here on earth shall so delight thée nor so comfort thée at the day of iudgement as these their riches thus employed on the poore shall doe nay they are a foundation that thou maist attaine eternall life by most assuredly Mat. 5.7 Iude 21. for blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercie Vpon this foundation depends all our saluations euen of Gods mercie And if we be mercifull we shall most assuredly obtaine Gods mercie if we be not mercifull we shall neuer haue Gods mercie For Saint Iames hath plainly foretold vs Iam. 2.18 that iudgement shall bee without mercie to him that now sheweth no mercy So that our workes of mercie grounded vpon these promises of God are a most sure foundation to vs that we maie attaine euerlasting life They which shall doe no workes of mercie shall haue no mercie at Gods hands and therefore lack the verie foundation of their saluation In our earthly buildings we will be sure to laie the foundations of our houses most firmelie Let vs do the same in the foundation of our saluation Shewe mercie and thou shalt be sure to haue mercie this is the onlie foundation thou must leane vnto And this also our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell teacheth all rich men Make you friends of your vnrighteous Mammon Luk. 16.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that * when you depart hence and shall faile in your accounts they may receiue you into euerlasting tabernacles God calleth that last daie a day of iudgement Now in a iudgement there are guiltie persons and witnesses and pleaders or lawyers So in this great iudgement of God there shall be guiltie persons Rom. 3.19 euen all men liuing All mouthes there must bee stopped At that day saith our Sauior make the poore your friends O you rich men that when you shall faile in your accounts and cannot answere one for a thousand they maie plead for you they may witnesse your mercie to the Iudge Iob. 9.1 that so you maie find mercie Without this testimonie of theirs you shall neuer haue mercie In your other earthly actions and affaires you will diligentlie séeke for witnesses to proue your causes O doe the same in great matters of your saluation be sure that you haue good store of witnesses which maie testifie your mercie shewed vpon them that you maie obtaine mercie And this is that sure foundation which S. Paul counselleth you there to lay that you maie bee sure to obtaine euerlasting life Tremel in 6. cap. Mat. And héereof it is also as I thinke that in the Hebrewe and Syriacke as Tremelius noteth our almes is called our righteousnesse And whereas the Gréeke text saith Do your almes the Hebrew and Syriake text saith Do your righteousnesse because that mercie is our inherent righteousnesse Our righteousnes is in pardoning not in performing in God his gracious pardon not in the works wee haue performed Iude 20. In Gods sight shall no man liuing bee iustified But the mercifull shall then obtaine mercie Mercie must bee all our righteousnesse And this is that which Saint Iude teacheth all Christians in a little bundle as it were knitting vp the summe of all Christian religion But you beloued edifie your selues in your most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost And keepe your selues in the loue of God looking for the mercie of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall life Héere is plainelie put downe the saluation of all Christians euen the mercie of our Lord Iesus Christ This wee must all waite for this wee must trust in and not in our owne workes But nowe who dare trust for anie thing or looke for anie thing at Gods hand but by promise Now the promise of the mercie of Iesus Christ is annexed to our mercifull dealing with our brethren as I haue noted before Therefore they which are not mercifull nowe maie looke for the mercie of Iesus Christ but they shall neuer obtaine it because they haue no promise they haue not fulfilled this condition they lacke mercie which in the Hebrewe and Syriacke tongue is called our righteousnesse This is that also which wee reade in the Psalme for the Scripture is a golden chaine it is all linked and knit together Hee hath dispersed abroade saith Dauid and giuen to the poore Psal
or labouring as the apostle saieth that crowneth or rewardeth But our gracious God shewing mercy Rom. 9.16 Secondlie hee saieth that as all our good workes were of mercie giuen vs in euery of them God by his grace preuenting our willes so they shall of meere mercie be rewarded as then wee had no merites for which in the beginning of our sanctification wée deserued at Gods handes to haue those good works giuen vs so neither in the rewarding of them nay they shall bee more mercifully and of greater mercy saieth Gregory rewarded at the last then they were giuen at the first Contrary to that Popish assertion which affirmes that our first iustification is free and of mercie but it is not so in the second But Gregory sayeth hee that of mercy hath giuen vs our good workes shall more mercifullie reward them No doubt considering the vnprofitablenesse of vs all after wée haue been admitted into the Lordes seruice and the daily rebellions of the flesh against his holy spirit euen in the best of his seruantes Saint Iohn saith Gal. 5.17 If wee saie wee haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs. And our sauiour teacheth all to say 1. Io. 1.8 When you haue doon all that is commanded you which who can doe yet euen then say Luke 17.10 we are vnprofitable seruants we haue doone but our duties Ierome also hath this notable sentence to this same effect De filio prodigo ad Damas Let this seeme to none dangerous or blasphemous that wee haue said that euen this euill of enuy could creepe in euen to the very Apostles when as we may suppose thus much also to be spoken of the Angelles for the Starres are not cleare in his sight and he marked some frowardnesse in his Angels And it is said in the Psalmes No liuing thing shall be iustified in thy sight He doth not say no man shall be iustified but no liuing thing that is to say no not an Euangelist not an Apostle not a Prophet nay I will ascend higher not Angelles not thrones not rulers or powers or other heauenly vertues It is God alone in whom sinne fals not Thus by Ieromes iudgement all Gods saints are sinners Apostles Prophets Euangelists euen the blessed Virgine Mary all the heauenly powers whatsoeuer God himselfe alone is only without sinne And this doctrine of the fathers is agréeable to the scriptures Dauid writes thus of Canaan which was but a figure of our heauenly inheritance Psalm 44.3 They possessed not that land with their owne sword neither did their owne arme saue them But thy right hand and thy arme and the light of thy countenance Ci Ratsitham as it is in the Hebrew that is because thou haddest an especiall fauour vnto them This Ratson this good pleasure of God gaue them the possession of the land of Canaan not their fighting or working nay it followes Thou art my King O God command the saluation of Iacob The saluation of Iacob and of his posterity is Gods royall commandement not their merites they cannot challenge it And to this also agrées our Sauiour in the Gospell Luke 12 32. Feare not sayeth hee little flocke for it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome where in the Greeke the same word in effect is vsed which was vsed before in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Rotson haue both one signification and signifie a speciall fauour or good will towards any one And this is the cause of our iustification In cap. 7. Mat. Ferus also of trust in our owne righteousnesse writes thus When the weather is calme euery building easily standeth but winter tries the strength of the building Hee that trusteth in his owne righteousnes seemes to haue a strong building but in the winter in the time of death it then slips and falles downe For against death our strength is nothing this victory belongeth onely to Christ Here thou maiest stand safely Thus Ferus writeth in his copie imprinted at Paris 1564 but the Romaine Corrector biddes put onely in the edition printed at Rome 1577 As though this victory did not belong onely to Christ but that mans arme and power were able to doe some thing also therein And after of our workes hee writes thus In 8. cap. Mat. First we are taught by this that for our good deedes wee should not hunt after praise with men for they are not ours which God vvorkes by vs. Ferus attributes here all our good works to God and takes them quite awaie from vs but the Romaine Corrector biddes vs adde onely that our good workes are not onely ours as though they were in some part mens and in some part Gods Thus they dissent from Ferus and from the trueth to maintaine mans righteousnesse Of mans naturall corruption Ferus writes thus Againe beasts if they be not prouoked will not hurt thee but an euill man being not prouoked nay whom thou hast doon good to will hurt thee Againe a Serpent though he can infect with his poison yet he feares a man but the wicked without all restraint rageth in whom soeuer Therefore man without God is nothing else but a very bruit beast and dare do any thing Thus Ferus writes teaching plainlie the corruption of our nature but the Romaine Corrector biddes put out is nothing else They will haue some goodnesse remaine in man And againe to the same effect hee writes In cap. Mat. 12. Thou hearest that the Kingdome of Christ is not in vs vnlesse Christ first with his Spirit cast out diuels out of our hearts that hereby thou maiest learne that wee by our owne nature are vnder the diuels Kingdome from which we are not deliuered but by Christ The Romane Corrector biddes put out our nature and put in through our fault we are vnder the diuelles Kingdome They still go about to aduance the nature of man And that wee should put no trust in our selues he writes thus We are vnited to Christ through faith In cap. Mat. 11 and faith onely teacheth to trust in Christ which he cannot doe but that distrusteth in himselfe the which then we doe when we acknowledge our own misery And here thou seest that also which we haue admonished before thy first steppe to saluation is to acknowledge our owne insufficiency I would to God all Catholiques would ascend this steppe and what this insufficiencie is he hereafter further declares for manie Catholiques I thinke will not sticke to saie that their workes are imperfect But Ferus goeth on further For this cause saieth hee vvee haue shewed without confession any can hardly bee saued For God will haue vs freely confesse that we were damned in body and soule and so should euer haue beene vnlesse we had beene saued by the mercie of God bestowed vpon vs in Iesus Christ This confession is necessarie for all men For how perfect soeuer