out his temporall benefits as well vpon the castawaies as those that are effectually called For there are some good things which God giueth as well to the vngodly as to the godly as health wealth riches honour strength beautie comelinesse of personage wife children learning c. There are some good things which God giueth to the godly and not to the vngodly as sauing faith sauing grace a new heart a right spirit peace of conscience eternall life There are some euill things which God layeth vpon the godly as well as the vngodly as weaknesse of bodie sicknesse sorrowes losse of friends famine sword imprisonment There are some euill things which God inflicteth vpō the vngodly and not vpon the godly as intolerable horror of conscience incurable desperatiō vnmeasurable tormēts in hel Finally this general mercy of God feedeth the foules of the heauen the fishes of the sea the beasts of the field His mercy is ouer all his workes Psal 145.9 The speciall mercy of God is that which extendeth it selfe onely to the elect This saued zealous Dauid from the bloody rage of furious Saul This preserued righteous Lot from the vnquenchable burning of Sodome and Gomorrah This deliuered holy Daniel from the tearing lawes of hungry deuouring Lions and Shadrach Mesach and Abednago from the consuming flames of a fiery furnace Si dic as salus mea intelligo quia dat salutem on 58. Psalme Si dic as refugium meum intelligo quia confugis ad eum If thou saith Austen say The Lord is my health and saluation I vnderstand thee because hee giueth thee health and saluation If thou say the Lord is my refuge I vnderstand thee because in all thy miseries and necessities thou fliest vnto him If thou say the Lord is my strength I vnderstand thee because he giueth thee strength But if thou say the Lord is my mercy what is this but that all that I am is onely of thy mercy God looketh vpon the reprobate as an angry iudge with a cloudie countenance but hee beholdeth his adopted children in Christ Iesus as a mercifull father with a gracious louing countenance This is that blessing which the godly man aboue all blessings requireth Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs. The temporary mercy of God is that wherby he spareth sinners and giueth them a time to repent that they may be saued Whence it is that when wee would slip from God his mercy catcheth and holdeth vs fast When vaine pleasures allure vs to sell God and bee gone his mercy will not so part with vs When we are lost in our selues his mercy findeth vs out When wee lie long in our sinnes his mercy raiseth vs vp When we come vnto him his mercy receiueth vs When wee come not his mercy draweth vs When wee repent his mercy pardoneth vs When wee repent not his mercy waiteth our repentance In tentation his mercy strengtheneth vs In strong despaire his mercy relieueth vs From errors his mercy reclaimeth vs out of troubles his mercy deliuereth vs In sorrowes heauinesse of hart his mercy comforteth vs he that asketh obtaineth he that seeketh findeth he that knocketh Austen on the◠144. Psal hath the dore of Gods mercy opened vnto him Dat veniam peccatori spem iustificationis charitatem in qua omnia bona facias dabit vitam aeternam societatem Angelorum Gods mercy giueth pardon to thee a sinner hope of iustification loue wherein thou maiest doe all good and Gods mercy will giue thee eternall life and the company of holy Angels The sempiternall mercy of God is that which concernes our eternall saluation election creatiō redēption glorification This mercy of God is speciosa spaciosa praetiosa Beautifull in creating vs after his own image likenes bountiful in redeeming vs with the pretious blood of his Son and pretious in glorifying vs in the kingdome of glory Elegit in omnibus assumpsit ex omnibus amauit prae omnibus He chose vs amongst all hee tooke vs out of all he loued vs aboue all Hence is it that the Apostle saith the Lord is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 2.4 rich in mercy Rich in mercy because the treasury of his mercy is neuer exhausted the fountaine neuer dried vp Rich in mercy because he neuer ceaseth to communicate the riches of his mercies to vs. Rich in mercy because hee pardoneth all our sins vpon our true repentance our great Maxima media minuta middle smallest sinnes Rich in mercy because hee not onely pardoneth all our sinnes vpon our true repentance but giueth vs repentance and faith to beleeue the remission of our sinnes Rich in mercy because hee giueth vs priuatiue grace to escape euils and positiue enabling vs to do good Finally rich in mercy because he preuenteth vs with mercy before wee seeke him and followeth vs with mercy when wee haue found him In a word the mercy of God signifieth three things First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vim miserendi a power ability pronenes of the diuine nature to shew mercy The second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 actum miserendi miserationem the very act of shewing mercy euen as a father sheweth mercy to his children Psal 103.13 so doth the Lord shew mercy to them that feare him The third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 effectum opus misericordiae the very effects and workes of mercy Psal 17.7 Shew thy maruellous mercies thou that art the sauiour of all them that put their trust in thee Tantas audis Dei misericordias Dost thou heare so many and so great mercies of God and dost thou doubt of thy safegard in this life of thy saluation in the life to come Dicat anima mea dicat secura tu domine Deus meus qui dicit animae meae ego salus tua Let my soule saith Austen say boldly securely confidently Thou O Lord art my God which saith vnto my soule I am thy saluation By this it appeareth how great a blessing the Apostle wisheth in wishing mercy Mercy be vnto you The second blessing which the Apostle prayeth for is peace Peace be vnto you Peace is twofold the one bad the other good the former an appearing peace Pax apparens vera the latter true and sincere peace Bad peace is threefold pax inquinata pax simulata pax inordinata defiled dissembled inordinate peace Defiled and polluted peace is when wicked men cōspire combine and band themselues together to doe euill and mischiefe to the good and godly In league either to doe all the mischiefes villanies and outrages they can hauing respect of neither friends nor foes as robbers rebels traitors Est daemonum legio concors Austen there is an agreement among the diuels in Mary Magdalen of seuen in an other of a whole legion Such a diuellish agreement was amongst those inhumane barbarous bloody gunpowder traitors Indigni vita indigni luce fuerunt vnworthy of life vnworthy of the light Perierunt
discipline and holy concord so where the last of these is wanting the other two can hardly can neuer bee found Holy concord then is the sweetest harmonie that euer sounded the strongest bond that euer vnited politicall bodies together the chiefest prop piller and preseruatiue of Common-wealths cum alij sunt pacem recipientes alij retinentes alij facientes when some embrace peace others retaine it others make it ◠Pacati ◠Patientes ◠Pacifici The first are peaceable the second patient the third peace-makers to procure peace where it is not and to preserue it where it is It is somewhat with clemencie to spare and forbeare our inferiours more with curtesie to entertaine our equals most with humilitie to submit our selues to our superiours It is somewhat not to molest others in our deeds more not to traduce our neighbour with our tongues most to auoid all occasions of doing either It is somewhat not to publish the defects and infirmities of others more not to extenuate their gifts and good parts most to grieue at their defects and be glad of their gifts and graces Nemini nocet non reddit mala pro malis reddit bona pro malis Therefore sacred peace hurteth no man rendereth not euill for euill rendereth good for euill It maketh weake things strong poore things rich small things great Dulce nomen pacis res ipsa tum iucunda tum salutaris The very name of peace is sweet and comfortable the fruit and effect thereof pleasant and profitable Innumeris potior triumphis Gloria in excelsis Deo in terra pax in homines beneuolentia more to be desired then innumerable triumphs This blessed peace is the language of heauen the Angels brought it frō heauen Glory in the highest heauens to God in earth peace towards men good wil. This is the legacy which Christ bequeathed to his Disciples Pacē meā do vobis My peace I giue vnto you my peace I leaue with you This was the vsuall salutation of the Iewes Shenim vhenim Pax vobis Peace be vnto you This is one of those speciall blessings which all the Apostles in al their salutatiōs pray for Grace be with you and peace Tale bonum saith Austen est bonum pacis vt in rebus creatis nil gratiosius soleat audiri nil delectabilius concupisci nil vtilius possideri Such so great a good is the good of peace that among all the things created nothing is heard of more acceptable nothing desired with more delight nothing possessed with more profit Which thing our Sauiour well considering Matth. 5.9 pronounceth the peace-makers blessed for they shall bee called the children of God Si Dei vocantur filij qui pacem faciunt procul dubio satanae sunt filij qui pacem confundunt If they bee called the children of God saith Gregory which make peace doubtlesse they are the children of the diuell which disturbe and destroy peace Seeing then that God is the God of peace Christ the prince of peace the Angels the messengers of peace the Ministers the preachers of peace the Magistrates defenders of peace the peace-makers blessed and the children of the God of peace let vs haue peace amongst our selues and pray without ceasing for the continuance of the peace of Ierusalem the peace of Great Brittaine Let them prosper surely they shall prosper that wish it loue it keepe it By this we see in some sort how great a blessing the Apostle wisheth in wishing peace Peace be vnto you The third and last blessing which the Apostle heere prayeth for is Loue Loue bee vnto you Loue is threefold the first wherewith God loueth vs the second wherwith we loue God the third whetewith we loue one another In the loue wherewith God loueth vs three things are implied aeterna beneuolentia actualis beneficentia paterna complacentia The first is eternal good will and the eternal good purpose of God towards the elect to shew mercy on them doe good vnto them saue and glorifie them God saith the Apostle hath saued and called vs with an holy calling 2. Tim. 1.9 not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Iesus Christ before the world was The second is actuall beneficence and this either temporary sustentando regendo conseruando by sustaining ruling preseruing vs or sempiternall Gloriam dando In giuing vs eternall glory I haue sworne by my holinesse I will not faile Dauid my seruant neither in life nor in death Magnum est loqui dominum maius iurare It is a great thing that the Lord vouchsafeth to speake a greater that he sweareth The third is fatherly approuing liking delighting in the elect that as wee take pleasure in God to be our father so doth God take pleasure in vs to bee his children Ier. 32.41 Gaudebo de ipsis benefaciendo ipsis I will delight in them to doe them good This loue of God towards vs is gratuitall vnmeasurable immutable Gratuitall and free partly because it floweth onely from his grace and goodnesse and partly because he loueth vs not for his good but for our good Vnmeasurable for God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten Son to saue the world greater loue could not the father shew then to send his Son out of his owne bosome greater loue could not the Sonne shew then to die for his enemies Immutable and vnconstant for whom hee loueth he loueth to the end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The gifts of God are without repentance as loue grace faith vocation Iustification sanctification and the like The second loue is that wherewith we loue God the cause of this loue is twofold primary secundary Primary is God himselfe working in vs both the will and the deed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen of his owne good pleasure Causa diligendi Deum Bernard Deus est modus sine modo The cause that we loue God is God himselfe the measure without measure Secondary causes of our loue towards God are foure the first is because God is in himselfe the fountaine of all goodnesse of all good things summum supremum bonum the chiefest and the greatest good Inuenito si potes aliquid pretiosius Deo dabitur tibi find out if thou canst any thing more excellent goodly glorious pretious then God himselfe and it shall be giuen vnto thee Pulchrum caelum pulchra terra sed pulchrior ille qui fecit illa Goodly glorious beautifull is the heauen so is the earth but hee is much more goodly and glorious which made them both The second is because he loueth vs first Inuenimus eum sed non praeuenimus Deus prior in amore posterior in odio We sought him but hee first sought vs we found him but hee first found vs we came vnto him but hee first came vnto vs we loued him but hee first loued vs. The third cause is because
Christ Nomen istud culpa meruit non natura De ciuitate Dei lib. 19. cap. 15. This name of seruant saith S. Augustine not nature but sin deserued for the name of seruant was neuer heard of till Noah cursed Canaan the sonne of Cham who discouered his fathers nakednes Genes 9.25 Cursed bee Canaan a seruant of seruants shall he be Hence it may bee that the Pope is stiled Seruus seruorum a seruant of seruants for he is a seruant of seruants that serueth not Christ Seruants by office calling and profession they are which being called obey and offer their seruice to God and to his sonne Christ Iesus these are of two sortes for men are either the seruants of God generally or particularly generally they are all the seruants of God which acknowledge him for their Lord dedicate themselues wholly to his seruice endeuour to doe his will and for his sake patiently yea gladly suffer afflictions Iames 1.2 persecutions crosses losses derisions death it selfe hi veri serui veri Dei these are true seruants of the true God Such seruants bond and free male and female rich and poore noble and ignoble learned and vnlearned Prince and people must be and will be if they will be saued particularly and specially they are the seruants of God and of Christ who in some seuerall and chiefe calling do seruice to God aduance his glorie promote Christs kingdome Thus magistrates supreme and subordinate in common wealthes thus Arshbishops Bishops ministers of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a special seruice are the seruants of God of Iesus Christ both these latter wayes as wel by condition as by vocation the Apostle Iude professeth himselfe the seruant of Iesus Christ by condition because by Christ he was freed redeemed and deliuered from the slauerie of sinne and tyrannie of Satan by office and calling because not only in his generall calling but chieflie in his particular the Apostleship he carefully and faithfully performed his seruice to his Lord and Master Iesus Christ The third thing to bee considered in this Apostle is his alliance or kinred the brother of Iames not the brother of Iames the sonne of Zebedaeus and brother of Iohn which Iames was killed by Herod Acts 12.2 but the brother of Iames the sonne of Alphaeus and Mary Claephas the sister of the blessed Virgin Mary and so the cosen german of Iesus Christ He calleth himselfe the brother of Iames for two respects the one to distinguish himselfe from Iudas Iscariot the sonne of Simon Iohn 6.70 whom our Sauiour calleth a deuill Nonne vos duodecim elegi Haue I not chosen you twelue and one of you is a deuill the other to winne more credite not to his person but to his doctrine that all men might know that this Epistle was penned not by Iudas the traitor but by Iudas the brother of Iames the iust Dictum clari hominis facile admittitur and therefore might more reuerently receaue it and more religiously regard it Thus much for explication now to application First whereas the name of Iudas was giuen to Iscariot the traitor as wel as this holy Apostle Thaddaeus both hauing a like outward calling both a like office both Apostles of Iesus Christ yet this man good and godlie that wicked and vngodly Wee clearely see that it is not the name title or office that makes a good man but the grace and mercy of God Iob. 32.9 for as the learnedst clarks haue not alwayes bin the wisest men so the greatest in place either in Church or Common wealth haue not alwayes bin the best men If outward titles and high places Freno indorato non fà megliora il cauallo could make men vertuous religious holy godly the seruants of Iesus Christ Iudas Iscariot might haue bin as good godly holy as this Apostle yea before him for Iscariot was Christs steward his pursebearer disburser of all things for Christ and his companie and yet behold a thiefe a traytor a deuill the like may be said of Saule Ahab Ieroboam Rehoboam Absolon Achitophel Haman Herod what need we go so farre for examples Dominobis ista nascuntur we haue plenty of these neare home passing ouer some which haue bin Kings Counsellors Archbishops Bishops Iudges Magistrates Ministers of the word in this land I passe to Rome and demand whether high places the highest on earth as papists affirme hath made Pope Siluester the second a sorcerer negromancer magus diabolicus a deuilish magitian one that gaue himselfe to the deuill Pope Alexander the sixth a most prodigious filthie fellow cuius auaritiae totus non sufficit orbis cuius luxuriae meretrix non sufficit omnis whose couetousnesse a whole world could not satisfie whose filthinesse all the whores in the world could not satisfie Pope Hildebrand reipub et ecclesiae pestis perturbator the very plague and disturber of Church and common wealth good godly holy men yet the Pope cannot erre either in life or doctrine Christ hath prayed for Peter and Peters successors that their faith should neuer faile So that though Siluerster the second Alexander the sixth Hildebrà nd became firebrands in hell yet all the Popes that haue bin or shal be shal be saued Bernard hanc misericordiam nole I desire no such mercy at Gods hand But ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos by their fruits saith our Sauiour you shall know them Ierem. Non locus homines sed homines locum sanctificant Non omnes filij sanctorum qui loca sancta tenent they are not all the sonnes of Saints nor Saints themselues which hold the places of Saints God oftentimes bestoweth vpon wicked and vngodly men high titles and great places partly to their greater condemnation Celsae grauiore casu decidunt turres Seneca S◠mons sublimis profundior est tibi vallis feriuntque summos fulmina montes The mighty shall bee mightily tormented and partly for the punishment of vngratefull people as to Saul ouer the Israelites Secondly whereas the Apostle Iude pleadeth his calling partly that his doctrine might with more attention and reuerence be receiued and partly to comfort himselfe in his calling assuring himselfe that hee which called him and sent him would blesse him prosper him and be with him wee which are the messengers of God ministers of Christ and Christs mouth must not bee ashamed of our calling but boldly professe and openly plead our calling though scornefully by scorners of religion wee are tearmed priests The Iewes thought they mocked Christ when bowing their knees they cried 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haile King of the Iewes Matth. 27.29 against their wils they honoured him for indeed hee was the King of the Iewes and Gentiles Qui volens detrabit famae meae nolens addit mercedi meae Augustine So when these gracelesse contemners of our glorious calling thinke to vilifie vs by tearming vs priests against their
be heauenly Ephes 1.4 partly because we are chosen in Christ that wee should bee holy and without blame before him and partly because the heauenly court receiueth none Reuel 21.27 but such as are pure holy innocent Secondly seeing we are sanctified we must now doe the workes of our calling in a good and godly maner Nouos homines â—ouae vitae actiâ—nes edere oâ—ortet To this two things are required holinesse and constancie holinesse of the worker and holinesse of the worke Of the worker partly because the person must first please God before the worke of the person can please him and partly because we can looke for no successe and blessing vpon our labours vnlesse we be sanctified Holinesse of the worke because euen lawfull actions vnlesse they be sanctified are sins as appeareth in one and the same action done by the Pharisie the Publican the Pharisie praied in the pride of his heart the Publican in the humility of his mind To this two things are required the one the word of God which giueth direction to eschew vices as couetousnesse and iniustice and to practise vertues as faith and loue the other prayer not onely for the supply of graces but for a blessing vpon the labours of our calling The second thing required in doing the works of our calling in a good manner is constancie a constant perseuering in good duties For it is no commendation to begin well vnlesse we continue in well doing Incassum bonum agitur Libro 1. medi. si ante vitae terminum descratur quia frustrà velociter currit qui priusquam ad metas venerit deficit In vaine saith Gregory is good done if a man giue ouer doing good before he die because hee runneth in vaine swiftly which fainteth before he come at the marke Therefore all impediments and lets laid aside wee must goe on with courage and constancie passing through good report and euil report through shame and rebuke The third title of honour giuen here to the saints is that they are reserued to Iesus Christ That is as Saint Peter saith They are kept by the power of God through faith to saluation 1. Pet. 1.5 Herba Spica Frumentum in spica Behold here the Apostles gradation God calleth vs hauing called vs sanctifieth vs hauing sanctified vs reserueth vs as a speciall portion peculiar part and chiefe treasure to and for his sonne Christ Iesus By this is the promise of God the father performed to his son Psal 2.8 Aske of me and I will giue thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the vttermost parts of the earth for thy possession Ephes 1.22 Hence it is that Saint Paul saith God hath made all things subiect vnder his feet and hath appointed him ouer all things to be the head to the Church Hence is the glory honour dignity of the saints and seruants of God that God layeth them vp as a chiefe treasure in the treasurie of his Almighty power and watchful prouidence reserueth them to Iesus Christ the true heire of the world and lord of the Church and maketh them coheires with him in his euerlasting kingdome The vses hereof are three Seeing we are reserued by God the Father to Iesus Christ we need not feare the day of death nor the day of iudgement for in the last day it shall bee said to euery one reserued to Iesus Christ Hodie mecum eris in Paradiso This day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradise And in the last day of the world to them all venite benedicti come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you Therfore they may now wish with Paul to be dissolued and to be with Christ sing with old Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace and cry out with the saints vnder the Altar Come Lord Iesu come quickly Thou which art our Lord by right of creation by right of redemption by right of gubernation by right of preseruation Thou which art Iesus our Sauiour sauing vs from the slauery of sinne the tyranny of Satan the torments of hell come in glory to crowne vs with perfect glory come quickly make no long tarying Secondly seeing wee are reserued by God the Father to Iesus Christ we must all our life long prepare our selues that we may be fit to bee presented as pure spouses to our pure bridegrome this is done partly by betrothing our soules to Christ by saith and partly by beautifying them with holy vertues and godly qualities that hauing our lamps full of oile we may enter with the bridegroome into the bridechamber where is Gaudium fine fine sine metu finis Ioy without end without feare of end Thirdly seeing we are reserued by God the Father to Iesus Christ wee need not feare the grace of perseuerance The reasons are these Wee are as trees planted by the riuers side whose leaues shall neuer fade and fall away Wee are as houses built on a rocke which cannot be ouerturned with the violent blasts of persecutions or with the raging flouds of tentations We are as plants planted into Christ Iesus which can neuer be pulled out the reason is because we beare not the root but the roote beareth vs. Wee are Christs sheepe of his folde out of whose hands all the powers of hell shall neuer be able to take vs. Lastly God hath put his feare into our hearts that wee shall not depart from him Talis ac tantus erit timor meus Ier. 32.40 quem dabo in cor eorum vt mihi perseuerenter adhaereant Such and so great shall my feare be which I will put into their hearts that they shall with perseuerance cleaue vnto me Austen Tom. 7. de bono perseu Cap. 2. Therefore saith Saint Austen ipse facit perseuerare in bono qui facit bonos qui autem cadunt pereunt in predestinatorum numero non fuerunt He maketh them to perseuere in good which maketh them good but they which fall away and perish were neuer in the number of those that are predestinate to eternall life Thus much of the persons saluted their vocation sanctification and reseruation to Iesus Christ The forme of salutatioÌ„ followeth wherein the Apostle wisheth prayeth for three blessings 1. mercy 2. peace 3. loue Mercy bee vnto you Mercy in God is not passiue but actiue non quoad affectum sed quoad effectum not suffering with vs in our wants but succouring vs in them The mercy of God towards his creatures is fourefold 1. generall 2. speciall 3. temporary 4 sempiternall The generall mercy of God is that whereby hee succoureth and supplieth the wants needs and necessities of all his creatures on earth as well sensible as reasonable Hence it is that he causeth his sunne to shine as wel vpon the vngodly as the godly his raine to fall as well vpon the field of the reprobate as vpon the field of the righteous that he powreth