for it as for treasure c. And God saith our Saviour will have us Å¿ Matth. 7.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sophoâ—l Plut de fortun aske that wee may have and seeke that wee may finde and knock that it may be opened unto us And as he addeth there that t Matth. 7.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem Nil tam dâ—fficile quin quaerendo investigari posset Ter. Heaut 4. 2. Hee that seeketh findeth so u Illud desperandum est posse nobis casu bonum tantum in fluere Sen. epist 50. certaine it is that hee that seeketh not is never like to finde ought Vse 2 Another Vse hereof may be for Conviction Conviction to convince many x Nemo in sapientiam incidit Nulli sapere casu obligit Sen. epist 76. Et cui credere contigit Bern. de Consid lib. 3. not to have what they professe and pretend to have For how many pretend title to and claime interest in this Kingdome that never tooke paines or labour about the compassing of it How many professe themselves to be possessed of the Righteousnesse here spoken of that never travelled or laboured in the searching out of it or in the seeking after it He would be deemed a most vaine man that would boast and beare men in hand that a Quomodo Caius Caesar Gallis Graecisque aliquot unà condemnatis Gallograeciam se subegisse gloriabatur cum pedem Italia non extulisset Et Oceanum ipsum devicisse cum legionibus signo dato imperasset ut conchas per otium in litore legerent Sueton. Caio cap. 29. 46. Et Domitianus qui falsum à Germania triumphum egit emptis per commercia quorum habitus crines in captivorum speciem formarentur Tacit. Agric At si quis de certaminibus gloriosè peractis gloriaretur qui nec oleum quidem quo ungi solebant athletae oculis unquam usurpasset ut Theocrit idyl 4. he had beene at the East-Indies conquered a great part of the Country and brought away much treasure and rich commodities from thence who yet had never crossed the seas or set foot once on ship-boord or come neere the sea side And no lesse vaine are they that would have men beleeve them that they have made conquest of the Spirituall Canaan and possessed themselves of much of the wealth and treasure of it when as they never yet stirred once out of the mysticall Aegypt never so much as enquired the way to it much lesse ever travelled toward it Hee would be deemed most ridiculous that would professe b Ac sierud tum se quis jactaret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui nec Aâ—sopum unquam dâ—dicisset ut Aristoph avib to have rare skill in the Mathematickes or some other abstruse Science when he had never spent day or houre in the studie thereof And no lesse ridiculous are they that will seeme to have gotten much skill in this spirituall c Arte regnandi sive imperandi ut Liv. hist 22. vel arte imperatoria ut Cic. de Orat. l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz Apolog. King-craft if I may so terme it and yet never beat their heads or busied their braines about it never studied d Evangelium Regni Matth. 4.13 24.14 the Gospell of this Kingdome the onely Booke out of which it may be learned Yea in this regard is this Spirituall Treasure rather like learning than wealth in that e Pecunia venâ—et ultrò honor afferetur gratia ac dignitas fortasse ingerentur virtus in te non incidet ne levi quidem opera aut parvo labore cognoscitur Sen. epist 76. worldly wealth and Honours may be had without labour or study by the donation of others or by succession and descent this * Philosophia non est res beneficiaria non obvenit Sen. epist 90. not so each one must seeke it for himselfe and must seeke and labour in it himselfe or else the seeking of others and their endevour for him will stand him in little stead It is a pithie speech indeed that Bernard hath and in his sense not unsound Speaking of those words of the Prophet †Lament 3.25 The Lord is good to him that trusteth on him and to the soule that seeketh him f Si tam bonus quaerenti quid invenienti Quomodo idem in Cant. Si tam bonus sequentibus quid consequentibus Sed in hoc mirum est quòd nemo te quarere valet nisi qui prius invenerit Vis quaeri ut inveneriaris vis inveniri ut amplius quararis Bern. de dilig Deo cap. 3. If God be so good saith he to him that seeketh him what will he be to him when he findeth him But a strange matter it is That no man can seeke God before he have found him nor can a man linne seeking of him when he hath once found him God will be sought that he may be found of us and he will be found that he may further be sought of us Men cannot seeke him saith hee untill they have found him and certaine it is that they have not yet found him that never sought him or that doe not still constantly and g Psal 105.4 continually seeke him Yet for the better explaining of Bernards meaning in the words before recited and the assoiling of some scruple that thence might arise as also for the reconciling of some h Luke 11.10 13.24 speeches of our Saviour that may seeme the one to crosse the other wee must understand that i Esai 65.1 there is never any seeking on our part before some proffer on Gods part for k Potes quaeri inveniri praevenâ—ri non potes Bern de dilig Deo c. 3. Ad bonum assurgere perfecté non possumus nisi nos spiritus praeveniendo exoâ—tet subsequendo confortet Greg. in Ezech 10. Nolentem praevenitut velit volentem subsequitur ne frustra velit Aug. Enchir. cap 32. man can by no meanes prevent Gods worke Now to passe by those l Rom. 1.20 2.15 common lights and helpes of nature by God generally afforded unto all of which the Apostle Paul to m Act. 17.27 the Athenians and n Act. 14.17 the Lycaonians in the Acts because o 1 Cor. 1.21 2.7 8 9. they never prove effectuall in this kinde to any purpose ordinarily in any and to confine our selves to those aids that hee offereth and affordeth usually in his Church which alone in ordinary course are effectuall to this end There is as a twofold vocation so a twofold disquisition As p Vocatio duplex externa interna sive generalis specialis vel communis peculiaris Vide Aug. de Corrept Grat. c. 7. Drus Miscell lib. 2. cap. 2. Calv. Institut l. 3. c. 24. §. 7. a twofold vocation on Gods part an externall vocation in the offer of the meanes which doth not alwayes take effect
epist 42. Cyril thesaur l 9 c. 4. In humanitate norat sed ex humanitate non norat as hee was m Quod ante passionem nescit post resurrectionem novit Chrysost in Act. 1.7 Et Origen in Mat. homil 3. Vise Iansen concord Evang. cap. 123. then himselfe Hereupon he taketh occasion to n Marke 13.33 Matth. 24.42 exhort his Disciples whom hee then spake to and o Non illis solis dixit quibus tunc audientibus loquebatur sed illis etiam qui fuerunt post illos ante nos ad nosipsos qui erunt post nos usque ad novissimum ejus adventum August epist. 80. us all in and by them unto circumspection and warinesse unto vigilancie and watchfulnesse p Vt semper paratuÌ„ sit cor ad expectaÌ„duÌ„ quod esse venturum scit quando venturum scit nescit Aug in Psal 36. that since such a day must once come and they know not how soone it may come wherein they shall all be called to give up their accounts that therefore they live in a continuall expectation of it in a perpetuall preparation for it that whensoever it shall come they may be found ready and fit for it Which exhortation having urged and enlarged by sundry arguments of inforcement and illustration in q Mar. 13.34 35 36. Matth. 24.43 c. the words before going he doth r Mar. 13.37 here repeat and conclude winding up the summe of all before delivered in this one word WATCH The Division A word not consisting of many syllables or letters but containing Part 1 much matter and matter of much use Which that it may the better and the more orderly be unfolded wee will referre all that shall be spoken to these foure heads The Sense the Proofes The Manner and the Meanes Or The Sense 1. The Meaning of the word whas it is to watch 2. The Reasons why wee ought so to watch 3. The manner how wee must watch 4. The Meanes whereby wee may watch The two former belong to Doctrine the two latter to Use § 2. For the first of them to wit what it is to watch Watching is to speake properly Å¿ Corporum est somnus sicut mors cum speculo suo somno Anima quieti nunquam succedit Tertull. de anima c. 32. 25. Iacet enim dormientis corpus ut mortui viget autem vivit animus Cicer. de divin lib. 1. Somnus siquidem è corpore est atque in corpore operator Aug. de immortal anim cap. 14. Corpore autem dormiente anima insomnis agit Hippocr de insomn Totaque sibi sua est Iul. Scalig. ad eundem an affection of the bodie and is by way of metaphor onely applied unto the soule In regard whereof it will not be amisse to consider briefly what it importeth in the one that wee may the better conceive thereby what it signifieth in the other t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut Phrynichus Et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sicut dormitione transitur ad somnum sic exporgefactione transitur ad vigilationem Aug. in Psalm 3. Watching therefore and waking are two severall things it is one thing to wake or to be awake and another thing to watch For example wee are all here I presume at this present waking but cannot properly be said to be watching because neither is it now the ordinarie time of rest neither it may be have wee any present inclination thereunto But the Disciples of our Saviour the night before hee suffered are said to have watched with him u Matth. 26.40 Could ye not watch an houre with me because both it was then the ordinarie time of repose and they very sleepie and drowsie also themselves Againe x Psalm 77.3 the Psalmist complaineth that God held his eyes waking or y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 watching but in an unproper sense that he was forced to keepe waking and so in some sort to watch as it were against his will A man lieth oft awake when hee would faine sleepe but z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut Herodot loquitur i. insomnia laborans ut Caeciliu apud Nonium cannot either through disease of bodie or distraction of minde And a man that is set to watch may keepe awake but not minde or regard his charge and neither of them in such case are said properly to watch But those that sit by such a sick man as cannot sleepe to tend him are said to watch by him And the Shepherds are said to have beene a Luk. 2.8 Pastores dum super gregem suum vigilant gregis ipsius pastorem in praesepio invenire videre tenere merentur autorem Petrus Chrysol serm 24. watching over their flocks when the Angell appeared to them that brought them tidings of Christs birth So that bodily watching to speake properly and precisely is then when a man striveth to keepe himselfe corporally waking for the tending or heeding of something at such time as he is or may be inclining to sleepe § 3. But it is no such bodily watching that is here intended A man may not watch thus that keepeth himselfe so awake and b 1 Thess 5.10 Si dormituri sumus quomodo vigilamus Corde vigilamâ—â— etiam cùm corpore dormimus August de verb. Dom. serm 22. a man may not keepe himselfe so awake and yet watch c Acts 12.6 Peter watched thus while he slept in the prison betweene two souldiers tied fast with two chaines And so did d Psal 3.5 4.8 David when trusting to Gods gratious protection hee laid himselfe quietly downe to sleepe Whereas on the other side e Matth. 26.47 Iudas sate up all the night long as f Iob 24.14 Vigilat fur expectat ut homines dormiant Aug. in Psal 125. theeves and murtherers also doe many times to put his treason in practice g Matth. 26.40 while his fellow Disciples slept and yet watched hee no more nay not so much as they did And h 2 Sam. 11.2 3 4. David was broad awake when hee spied Bathsheba from off his terrace and yet watched he not so well as before he did when on his pallet hee lay fast asleepe he rose from one sleepe to fall into another a worse sleepe It is not i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pythagoras apud Stobaeum l. 2. c. 1. Est somnus corporis est animae illud ergo cavere debemus ne ipsa anima nostra dormiat August in Psal 62. a corporall but a spirituall not a proper but a figurative a metaphoricall watching and yet a watching that hath reference to that proper some resemblance of that corporall watching that our Saviour here intendeth To apply therefore what was before said of watching to the Soule and so to our present purpose Sinne is in the word compared to a sleepe k 1
Thess 5.6 7. Peccatores dormientibus similes Anastas in Hexam lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. paedag lib. 2. cap. 10. Let not us sleepe as others sleepe saith the Apostle For those that sleepe sleepe in the night and Wee are not of the night but of the light and of the day Hee speaketh as of a spirituall l Rom. 13.12 night of ignorance so of a spirituall sleepe of sinne Repentance is said to be an awaking as it were out of this sleepe m 1 Cor. 15.34 Awake to righteousnesse and sinne not saith the same Apostle And againe n Ephes 5.14 Animam dormientem excitat Aug. in Psal 62. Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead from the deadly sleepe of sinne and Christ will inlighten thee And o Quare vitia sua nemo confitetur quia adhuc in illis est Somnium narrare vigilantù est vitia sua confiteri sanitatis indicium est Expergiscamur ergò ut errores nostros coarguere possimus Senec epist 54. As it is a signe that a man is awaked out of his sleepe when he telleth what dreames hee saw in his sleepe so it is a signe saith the Heathen man of one truly repentant when a man maketh sincere confession of his former offence And lastly the striving to keepe our selves from future relapse and from falling backe into this our former deadly slumber againe is that which by the same metaphor is termed watching as here so p Matth. 24.42 25.13 26.41 elsewhere So that it is as much in effect as if our Saviour had said The Doctrine when hee willeth us to watch that It is not sufficient for us that wee have beene awaked out of the deadly sleepe of sinne but wee must with all heedfull diligence for the time to come strive to keepe our selves thus waking Watch we cannot till wee be awaked and q Nam vigilare leve est pervigilare grave Martial l. 9. ep 70. when wee are once awaked wee must ever watch And so have wee both the true sense and signification of the word and the point also therein propounded § 4. Now the Reasons of this point may be foure Part 2 The first taken from the drowsinesse of our owne naturall disposition The Proofe The second from the diligence of our Adversarie the Devill The third from the necessitie of perseverance The fourth and last from the danger of relapse Reason 1 For the first of them to wit the drowsinesse of our owne naturall disposition r Matth. 26.43 Hee came the second time saith the Evangelist of our Saviours Disciples whom hee had but lately before awaked and found them asleepe againe for their eyes were heavy And as it is with those that be of an heavy constitution of a drowsie disposition that though they be awaked out of sleepe yet unlesse they use some diligence yea though they so doe to keepe themselves awake they are ready ever anon to be napping and nodding and if they be not the more carefull to fall even fast asleepe againe So it is naturally with every one of us in regard of our soules Wee are all generally ſ Languido sumus ingenio in somnum ituro aut in vigiliam somno simillimam ut Senec. de provid c. 5. of a very dull and drowsie disposition by reason of that lumpish flesh of ours t Rom. 7.17 23. that abideth much even in the best of us By meanes whereof it commeth to passe that wee are oft sleeping and slumbring be wee never so carefull and diligent yea in danger oft after wee have beene awaked out of this dreery and deadly sleepe to fall eftsoone backe againe into the same if wee keepe not a constant watch over our selves and our soules Beside that the Devill is ready and busie ever to helpe forward besprinkling of our tempels with his spirituall Opium of evill motions and suggestions to further the matter and to cast us againe if it be possible into a Lethargie irrecoverable Reason 2 § 5. A second Reason therefore may be taken from the diligence of this our Adversarie u 1 Pet. 5.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioan. Ieiun de poenitent Be sober and watch saith the Apostle for your Adversarie the Devill goeth about continually like a roaring Lion seeking whom hee may devoure x Vt jugulent homines surgunt de nocte latrones Vt teipsum serves non expergisceris Horat l. 1. epist 2. Shall men watch saith the Heathen man to slay and destroy others and wilt not thou watch to save thy selfe So say I Shall Satan be more vigilant in watching to doe us a shrewd turne or a mischiefe than wee in watching to keepe our selves safe from his malice y Perniciosus nimis est repentinus hostis nam aut inscios praevenit aut incautos praeoccupat aut opprimit dormientes Chrysol serm 27. Undoubtedly if he watch thus continually to assault us unlesse wee watch as constantly on the other side to prevent him wee shall soone come to be surprised and vanquished againe of him z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in Gen. hom 3. Continuall watch therefore is to be held of us because * Psal 56.1 2 5. our enemie continually lies in wait for us nor can wee ever in regard thereof be wee never so watchfull be over-much warie yea or warie enough A thing the rather to be regarded because it is not here as in bodily or in worldly watch and ward where a Quid quisque vitet nunquam homini satis Cautum est in horas Hor. carm 2. 13. some watch for the rest and the rest sleepe while they wake as that b Epaminondas Greeke Commander sometime said in a generall solemnitie that c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. ad praefect indoct in Apophthegm reg duc he kept sober and watched that others the whilest might drinke and sleepe And Philip of Macedon used to say that d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ex Carystii histor Athenae dipnosop lib. 10. hee might safely drinke deepe as long as Antipater kept sober and watched But it is not so in this spirituall watch wee cannot here watch by deputie no man can watch for us but every one must watch for himselfe § 6. But may some say are not the Ministers of God in the word called e Ezech. 3.17 33.2 Ierem. 6.17 Esai 52.8 62.6 Watchmen and are they not said f Hebr. 13.17 to watch for our soules I answer True it is indeed they are called Watchmen and they are said to watch yet not so much for as g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over your soules Now it is one thing to watch for one and another thing to watch over one To watch for one to speake properly is h Quomodo Plut. in Apophth refert Philippum à somno diuturniore experrectum dixissè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et
if even in Gods children g Psal 32.3 4. the apprehension of Gods heavie indignation doe so drowne the consideration of their owne transgressions that they can hardly amids those terrours and h Psal 55.4 5. horrours that their hearts and minds are possessed with descrie and discerne their griefe and sorrow for their sinnes i Psal 119.119 120. When thou takest away the wicked of the world like drosse My flesh saith David trembleth againe for feare of thee and I am horribly afraid of thy Iudgements And k Habb 3.16 When I heard of it saith Habbakuk my belly quaked and my lips quivered and I trembled and shooke so that my bones seemed to be not out of joynt but even rotten againe And l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. ad cives periclitant if it were so with such Worthies no marvell if the like sometime befall weake ones Answer 4 4. Let it be remembred that as Grace doth not wholly strip us of this Feare so it doth not crosse us but concurre rather with us in the use and exercise of it And it followeth not therefore that a mans sorrow for his sinne is not sincere because his feare of Gods wrath is greater or rifer in him than it It is a Question propounded by m Perkins Cases of Conscience lib. 1. c. 5. quaest 1. sect 2. case 3. a worthy Divine whether a mans griefe for his sinne may be deemed sincere or no when hee can weepe more for the losse of some deare friend than for it And his Answer is which may well also serve because the reason will hold here that it may because nature and grace concurre in the one whereas nature and grace crosse in the other Since that grace therefore doth not wholly either inhibite or restraine a man either from fearing of outward judgements or being sensible of outward evills so that grace and nature crosse not but concurre rather therein whereas in godly sorrow for sinne corrupt nature concurreth not with grace but is crosse rather and averse thereunto it is not to be marvelled especially where grace yet is but weake if that feare and griefe be greater or more sensible at least for n Casus leves loquuntur ingentes stupent Sen. tragâ—d the greatess griefe is not alwayes the most sensible nor maketh alwayes the most shew o Plus sensum afficit dolens digitus ab aciculae punctiuncula quam integra corporis totius incolumitas Spin. de justit Christian Hinc apud Plut. de audien ille 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man may feare more and bee more heartily sory for a consumption that hee misdoubteth himselfe to be farre gone in than for a felon on his fingers end that putteth him to more paine and goeth as wee say to the very heart with him for the present wherein two agents concurre than wherein the one is alone and the other hindereth more than helpeth Note 5 A fift Note of Sinceritie may be a Iealousie of ones owne Hypocrisie when a man is suspicious of himselfe Iealousie of Hypocrisie and timorous lest he should be unsincere As the Disciples of our Saviour when he told them p Matth. 26.21 One of you will betray me though they knew themselves far from any such thought or purpose at the present yet every one of them began to suspect himselfe that he might bee the man that our Saviour Christ meant and q Matth. 26.22 to aske thereupon Is it I Lord or Is it I Iudas that was the man indeed was most silent of any though at length r Matth. 26.25 he aske also for company lest by not asking when each other did he might move suspition and so bewray himselfe by his silence And in like manner is it here Hypocrites doe least question their owne sinceritie of all others They most misdoubt it usually that are furthest of all from it * Psal 119.80 Oh let mine heart be upright in thy Statutes saith sincere David as suspecting or misdoubting himselfe lest it might prove otherwise that I may not bee shamed Mad-men are not wont to question whether they bee in their right wits or no. Yea Å¿ Non est insanus insanum quise dicit Apul in apolog aut etiam putat Quid caput abscissum demens quum portat Agave Gnati infoelicis sibi tum furiosa videtur Horat. serm l. 2. sat 3. they are not mad saith one that thinke or suspect that they are And certainly this godly jealousie this shienesse of unsoundnesse is so good and so sure an argument of sinceritie that I know none better none surer than it For such carefull and anxious inquirie such fearfulnesse of hypocrisie argueth a strong desire of sinceritie and the desire of Grace as wee shall see afterward is generally agreed on to be Grace Yea even over-much timorousnesse and superfluous curiositie in this kinde when men cannot satisfie themselves with any thing no not with the pregnantest proofes of it and are therefore thereby much disturbed perplexed and distracted though it bee an infirmitie and ought therefore with all good endevour to be remedied because it dismayeth disheartneth disturbeth the peace of the minde depriveth the soule of alacritie dulleth and dampeth the spirits and hindereth much in the performance of many necessary good duties yet as they use to say of shamefastnesse t Mala causae bonum signum It is a good signe of an evill cause though it proceed from an u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot ethic l. 4. c. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem rhet l. 2. c. 6. evill cause a consciousnesse commonly of some defect yet it is x Hinc Verecundiae ruborem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dixit Diogenes Et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pythias Aristot filia apud Stob. cap. 31. Laert. Et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cato Plut. apophth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Menand Homopatr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Quorum mens honesta eorum imbecilla frons est Symmach lib. 1. epist 84. a signe of some Grace so is this though of it selfe a weaknesse yet a signe of much grace and goodnesse it is like some weeds that though they be weeds of no good use but unprofitable and such as hinder the growth of better things that might succeed in their roome if they were once removed yet are y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. de sera vindict signes of a rich and a fat soile and howsoever therefore they may discourage an unskilfull person from dealing with it yet will give a wise and an experienced man encouragement thereunto Note 6 A sixt Note of Sinceritie may bee a sight and sense of ones owne Incredulitie and Impenitencie Sight and sense of Incredulitie and Impenitencie with Griefe with a serious griefe for it It was the poore mans speech to our Saviour in the Gospell a Mark 9.24 I beleeve Lord helpe my unbeleefe His Faith he found
and felt mixed with much infidelitie and incredulitie and the sense of his infidelitie with the griefe for it argued his Faith And b Vide Antoninum sum histor part 3. tit 18. cap. 6. Hartman Schedel aetate 6. Petr. Mart. in 2 Sam. 24. it is reported of the Mother of three men of great note that when she told her Confessor that considering what rare Schollers and Men of note her three sonnes whom she had by unlawfull meanes begotten on her had proved the one c Petrus Comestor Magister Historiarum the Master of the Stories another d Petr. Lombardus Mag. Sententiarum the Master of the Sentences and the third e Gratianus Decreti Compilator the Collector and Compiler of the Decrees shee could not be so sory for her sin as she should he made her answer againe and it was no evill answer f Dole quod non doles quod dolere non possis Bee sorie for this then that thou art or canst bee no more sorie And undoubtedly as when wee have best beleeved yet wee shall have cause still to repent us of our unbeleefe so when we have repented the best we can of our sinnes wee shall have cause to repent us even then of our impenitencie of a want of repentance in us But this ignorant unfaithfull impenitent persons are not usually apprehensive and sensible of They beleeve and repent they say and * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. de sede Constant it may well be they thinke and beleeve as they say as well as the best And shall I tell you what is the cause of it g Peccatores dormientibus somniantibus similes Ioan. Herolt de temp 2. Iude 8. Sinners saith one are sleepers They are as men in a dreame and there is h Somnianti nihil difficile Magna etenim saepe in somnis faciuntque geruntque Reges expugnant arcesque praelia miscent Et in noctis caligine Cernere censemus solem lumenque diurnum Conclusique loco caelum mare flumina montes Mutare campos pedibus transire videmur Lucret. l. 4. nothing difficult with dreamers Men may dreame and many doe oft that they flie in the Aire and swimme over the Sea but are far enough for all that from doing or being able to doe either as they will soone finde when they are once awaked out of their dreame In like manner is it with these silly deluded soules They lie fast i Ephes 5 14. asleepe in sinne and so doing k Quomodo de Platone Lactant. insiitut lib. 5. c. 14. Somniaverat Deum non cognoverat Et de quibusdam Bern. Cant. 18. Dormiens in contemplatione Deum somniat they dreame yet of faith and the feare of God and repentance and other graces of Gods Spirit they dreame I say that they have these things as well and as much as any yea so well as better needs not to bee had Whereas others that be awaked out of this imaginous sleepe and doe now indeed truly repent and beleeve finde many wants much defectivenesse in their Repentance their Faith their Hope their feare of God their dependance upon God and the other graces of his Spirit truly indeed but imperfectly as yet begun and wrought in them Yea as * Hinc Socrates ille de quo Oraculum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de se 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laert. the more knowledge a man hath the more hee commeth to know his ignorance the more skill he hath the more he commeth to discover his owne unskilfulnesse “ Hinc illud Menedemi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. de profect A young Scholler when he hath gotten his Seton or his Ramus once by heart thinketh he hath as much Logicke as his Tutor can teach him but when he commeth indeed to understand things he seeth his owne errour So †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Mat. hom 25. the more men beleeve the more they come to see and feele their owne unbeleefe the further they wade on in the study and practice of repentance the more they finde out and discover their owne impenitence and complaine of the hardnesse and untowardnesse of their hearts the more they labour and make progresse in sound Sanctification the more come they to apprehend and to see into the depth of their corruption And this very sense of the want of Grace is a good argument of Grace It is a sure signe of Grace to see no Grace and to see it with griefe For l Matth 5.3 Blessed saith our Saviour are those that are poore in spirit even as well as those m Matth. 5.8 that are pure in Spirit The one he saith n Matth. 5.8 shall see God and the other hath a present right to the Kingdome of God which is the same in effect o Matth. 5.3 For the Kingdome of God is theirs Hee saith not Blessed are the rich in Grace though that also be most true but Blessed are the poore in spirit that is such as are spiritually poore humbled dejected cast downe in the sight and sense of their owne wants apprehending nothing so much as the want of Grace in themselves Such are blessed because such are * Vt verum sit hîc quod Prov. 13 7. rich though they cannot yet come to see and apprehend their owne wealth And this he saith no doubt that if any weake one be not able yet to discern the puritie of his owne heart he may yet bee comforted in the very povertie of his Spirit the serious sense whereof may assure him that he is in part come out of his sinne and is entred into the state of Grace For p Quare vitia sua nemo confitetur nemo pervidet quia adhuc in illis est Somnium narrare vigilantu est vitia sua confiteri sanitatis indicium est Expergiscamur necesse est ut errores nostros coarguere possimus Sen. ep 54. it is a sure signe that a man is awaked out of his sleepe when he discovereth and seeth the errours of his Dreame And it is in these cases with men commonly as it is in drawing up of water as long as the bucket is under water wee feele not the weight of it but so soone as it commeth above water it beginneth to hang heavie on the hand when a man diveth under water he feeleth no weight of the water though there be many tunne of it over his head q Elementa in loco suo gravia non sunt Vide Syrianum â—tolomaeum apud Simplic ad Aristot de Coelo l. 4. c. 16. Scortiam de Nilo l. 2. cap. 11. The Element they say weigheth not in his owne proper place whereas halfe a tub full of the same water taken out of the River and set upon the same mans head would bee very burdensome unto him and make him soone grow weary of it In like manner so long as
auxilio Dei gratuito mereri possint homines remissionem peccatorum Bellarm. in Iudic. de lib. Concord Mendac 8. We teach not saith he that by workes done without faith or Gods free helpe men may merit remission of sinnes Å¿ Huc accedit quod istis etiam operibus quae fiunt ex fide auxilio Dei hon tale tribuimus meritum ut ei respondeat ex justitia merces sed meritum solum impetrationis ut Augustinus loquitur quod Scholastici meritum de congruo non de condigno nominare solent Bellar. ibid. Nor doe we ascribe even unto those workes that are done of Faith and by Gods aid such a merit as that the reward doth of justice or right answer it that is the merit of condignitie but the merit of impetration onely as Augustine speaketh which the Schoolemen are wont to call not the merit of condignity but the merit of congruity t Neque in hoc ulla est inter Catholicos differentia ibid. Nor is there any dissent among Catholiques herein I might here take occasion to shew somwhat largely in what sense the u Ita Hieron iâ— Hosh 4.14 Grandis offensa postquam peccaveris iram Dei non mereri Ambr. in Luc. l. 10. c. 22. O aqua quae sacramentum Christi esse meruisti Collatio Carth. cognit 1. art 8. Proponant qui ista elicere meruerunt Ibid. cognit 3. art 16. Quis sâ—pplicavit quis legem meruit Quis judicium postulavit Et Sedul alius nescio quis Hieron nomine in Rom 4. Magna beatitudo est sine labore legis poenitentiae Domini gratiam sola fide promereri sicut siquis aliquam dignitatem gratis accipiat ancient Fathers as also x Pacem sub hac lege meruit ut captivos nostros redderet Ammian hist l. 17. Pacem quam ipse meruit ei quoque debere proficere Ibid. other Writers of those times do ordinarily use the word to Merit because our adversaries so much presse the use of that Phrase in theÌ„ as if it implied such Merit as they maintain to wit as y Augustinus explicat quomâ—do fides mereatur cum dicit eam impetrare remissionem peccatorum Bellar. de Iustif l. 1. c. 21. Sed Bellarm. ipse ibid. l 5. c. 2. exponit illud Vulg. versionis Heb. 13.16 Talibus hostiis Deus promeretur iÌ„ ut Oecumenius placetur Deo Bellarmine himselfe with z Quodsi aliquis veterum vocabulo promerendi usus est non aliter intellexit quam consecutionem de facto Stapleton prompt Fer. 5. post Passion Dominic Videatur Vega infra others of his owne side also acknowledgeth for to atchieve or obtaine ought on any tearmes whatsoever be it of free favour or of due debt and desert which is the Merit of Impetration that he saith Augustine speaketh of and a Multum interest inter meritum impetrationem Bel de Bon oper in particul l. 1. c. 9. differeth much from Merit or Desert strictly and properly so tearmed as Bellarmine himselfe also granteth Since that by their owne confession b Impetramus etiam quae non meremur Tho. sum par prima secundae q. 114. a. 9. A man may impetrate and not deserve and a man may deserve and not impetrate Anonymus Author contra Bellii Ruinam Papismi Meritum enim inuititur justitiae non â—otest Deus homini negare quod meruit c. Sed impetrare est liberalitatis divinae si det est gratiae si non dei non potest argui injustitiae Adrian quod lib. q. 8. it is one thing to impetrate or obtaine and another to merit that is to deserve And therefore in such sense as they use the word Merit c Veniam Arbitione precante meruerunt Ammian hist l. 15. Quia Dei filium Iudaea contemosit Gentilit â—s promeruit Greg. in 1 Reg. 2. Maria sola mater Domini fieri meruit Eusebii Emiss nomine in Dominic 4. Advent Parere meruit eum quâ—m constat nullum habuâ—sse peccatum Aug. de Nat. Grat. c. 36. Ipsum Deum hominem factâ—m coâ—cipere parere non hâ—manis meritis sed concepti nascentisque ex ea summi Dei dignatione promeruit Fulgent de Grat. Incarn c. 7 Letiores interim quod virgas evaserint quà m quod meruerint principatum Bernardus De pueris ad praelaturam promotis Epist 42. Itaque ingenuè Vega de Iustificat lib. 8. cap. 8. agnoscit usurpari apud Patres nomen Meriti ubi nulla est ratio Meriti neque de congruo neque de condigno a man may bee said sometime to merit that is obtaine and impetrate what he deserveth not and againe d Miles Gallicanis sudoribus nec donativum meruit nec stipendium Ammian histor l. 17. not to merit that is obtaine and impetrate what yet hee hath well deserved As also in this sense e Solent meritum appellare quemlibet actum bonum ratione cujus aliquid aliud accipimus ut ex Augustino perspicue patet Bellar. de Grat. lib. Arb. l. 1. c 14. they are wont Bellarmine himselfe also acknowledging it to call all good workes Merits for which we receive ought though the reward be as f Mercedem quandam esse dicimus quae magis debetur ex gratia quam ex justitia sive quae imputetur sec gratiam non sec debitum Idem de Iustific l. 1. c. 21. he granteth also that it may be not of desert right or due debt but of favour and grace onely Wherein Bernard singularly well expounding their meaning and his owne too where he useth those and the like tearmes g Si propriè appellentur ea quae dicimus merita nostra spei quaedam sunt seminaria charitatis incentiva occultae praedestinationis indicta futurae glorificationis praesagia via regni non causa regnandi Bernard de Grat. lib. arb If we speake properly saith he those things that we use to call Merits are certaine seeds of Hope sparkes of Love signes of our hidden Predestination presages of our future glorification the way to the Crowne not the cause of our Crowning I might also insist on that which Bellarmine hath else-where that h Quod nos dicimus mereri Graeci dicunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bellarm. de Iustific l. 5. c. 2. to merit as they speake is no more than that which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word signifieth not i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. dignum esse Idem ibid. imò dignari ut Cicer. de orat l. 3. to be worthy as he saith contrarie to all use and authoritie but k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schol. Thucyd. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schol. Sopho. l. to be vouchsafed reputed or esteemed as worthy as also l Non ait ut digni sitis sed ut digni habeamini Cajetan in 2 Thoss 1.5 Cajetan
also Having therefore during my late restraint by some infirmitie and weaknesse that constrained me to keep home and to intermit my publike imployment taken some time to review supplie and enlarge my former Meditations of the Subject then handled which I could not so well finde time for before I make bold to tender them here such as they are unto your Lordship and intreating only your courteous acceptance of them without further troubling your Honour amids so many weightier affaires commit both your selfe and them to the gratious protection and holy direction of the Highest Your Lordships to command in the Lord THOMAS GATAKER DAVIDS Remembrancer PSAL. 13.1 How long O Lord Wilt thou forget mee for ever How long wilt thou hide thy face away from me THIS Psalme Occasion as appeareth by the whole tenour of it was composed by the Prophet DAVID during the time of some grievous and tedious temporall affliction and that accompanied also as may seeme with some spirituall desertion And it may well for the subject matter Matter of it bee tearmed a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sicut Psal 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 DAVIDS Remembrancer As being penned by him for this end to put God in minde of him and of his present forlorne and distressed estate The Psalme consisteth of three principall Parts Part 3 Part 1 There is first b Vers 1 2. a grievous complaint Complaint of his present condition propounded by way of expostulation 1. c Vers 1. In regard of God who seemed not to regard him 2. d Vers 2. In regard of himselfe by meanes thereof driven to his shifts and in a manner at his wits end 3. e Vers 2. In regard of his adversaries who tooke occasion thereby to triumph and insult over him Part 2 There is secondly f Vers 3 4. an humble suit and request commenced by him to God and conceived in three distinct parts answering the three branches of his former complaint For 1. g Vers 3. Request He requesteth God that he would * Respice refertur ad Vsque quo avertis faciem Exaudi ad Vsque quo oblivisceris Aug. in Psal 12. Behold and heare that hee would vouchsafe to regard him and turne his face againe towards him and not send him away inaudita querela unheard and unanswered 2. He addeth some Reasons why he desireth and requireth God thus to heare and regard him Reasons 2 Reason 1 1. h Vers 3. In regard of himselfe that he sleepe not in death not meant as some thinke of i De somno peccati Ruffin in Psal 12. In peccato Aug. in Psal 12. contr advers leg l. 1. c. 11. Cassiod Remig. ex utroque Lombard De somno peccati qui ducit ad mortem Acacius Caesar quaest collect 4. apud Hieron epist ad Miner Alex. sleeping in sinne though k 1 Thess 5.6 7. Ephes 5.14 1 Cor. 15.34 sinne in Scripture be oft compared to sleepe nor as others * Theodoret. Euthym. of the death of griefe and despaire though that be said too to be a kinde of death and †Gen. 27.46 Iob 3.20 21. Eccles 7.28 maketh a mans life oft no better yea more bitter than death nor yet as others l Cum in peccato quod est ad mortem irrevocabiliter perseveratur Bern. in Cant. 52. Ne poenitentiam ad mortem d fferens dormiam cum morte peccati in inferno Hugo Card. in Psal 12. of dying eternally of being everlastingly damned but m Iun. Calvin c. Vide Drus lib. 3. quaest 27. Hereshach in Psal of temporall death that is usually tearmed n 1 Cor. 15.6 51. Iohn 11.11 14. a sleepe and is nothing indeed but o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quid mors est Somnus est consueto longior Chrysost ad pop Antioch de imag serm 5. a sleepe longer than usuall yea in some sort p Ier. 51.39 Nobis cum semel occidit brevis lux Nox est perpetuauna dormienda Catull. epig. 5. Quicunque nascimur brevi post lumin◠Aeternus impedit sopor Ben. Lam. prid a perpetuall sleepe because to continue q Iob 7.9 10. 14 1◠as long as the world lasteth that r Iob 10.20 21. Psal 39.13 he might not die in this distressed and discomfortable estate Reason 2 2. ſ Vers 4. In regard of his malicious and evill affected Adversaries * Psal 38.16 that they might not have longer or further cause of joy and triumph in his overthrow as having now without all helpe or hope of recovery gotten the upper hand of him Part 3 And there is thirdly t Vers 5. a cheerfull and a comfortable Conclusion Conclusion wherein as recollecting himselfe and controlling the voyce of sense with the voyce of faith Branch 1 1. * Profitetur He professeth his trust and confidence in God Branch 2 2. †Pollicetur Hee promiseth himselfe assured helpe and deliverance from God Branch 3 And 3. * Paciscitur He prayseth God for it as if already he had received it g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vides animum bene sperantem Petit priùs quam acceperit tanquam qui accepisset gratias agit Chrysost in Psal 12. Contraquam Bern. in Cant. 10. Gratiarum actio beneficium non praecedit sed sequitur See the picture of an hopefull heart saith Chrysostome he craveth aid of God and before he have it he renders thanks for it as if already he had it And thus have you the summe and substance of the Psalme with the severall parts of it To returne to the first branch of his complaint which I purpose onely to insist on Manner First for the manner of it or phrase it is conceived in there are Readings 4 foure severall readings though in effect for sense and substance much the same Reading 1 For 1. Some read the words of the former part without stop or stay as one continued sentence a Graec. Sept. Lat. Vulgat Aug. Genev. Reg. Bibl. Calvin alii How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever But they both neglect the pause in the Hebrew and beside make no very good sense Reading 2 2. Others make a pause but a pause misplaced and they thus reade them b Vsquequo Domine oblivisceris me In finem Remig. in Psal 12. Erit hoc usque quo in aeternum Hugo Card. Ibid. Sic Vatabl. Leo Iudae How long O Lord wilt thou forget me for ever As elsewhere * Psal 74.10 How long O God shall the Adversary reproach shall the enemy blaspheme thy Name for ever But the pause here in the Originall is after Domine not after Oblivisceris Reading 3 3. Others placing the pause aright read the words as an Aposiopesis that is a broken or imperfect sentence not unfit to expresse passion c Quousque Domine subaudi non
he seeth not yea to beleeve it then when he seeth and feeleth all to the contrary in the apprehension of carnall reason this is the praise and commendation of faith indeed We must consider what is or should bee the ground and stay of our faith not these outward props which wee are wont so much to leane on and to trust to * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Matth. hom 82. not our owne sight or sense that oft faileth and deludeth us but Gods Word and his Truth and the stability of his Promise which c Matth. 5.18 though Heaven and Earth should passe away and all things should returne to their first Chaos againe yet shall d Iosh 23.14 never in ought faile any of those that depend upon it e Psal 119.49 50. Remember thy Word saith DAVID unto thy servant wherein thou hast made me to put my trust That is my comfort in my trouble for thy Word putteth life into me And f Psal 119.114 Thou art my shelter and my shield and my trust is in thy Word And learne wee herein to imitate the earth that we tread on Though being a massie body it hangeth in the middest of the Aire environed with the heavens and yet keepeth his place steedily and never stirreth an inch from it having no props or shores to uphold it no beames or bars to fasten it nothing to stay or establish it but the bare Word of God alone For g Heb. 1.3 by his powerfull Word saith the Apostle he upholdeth all things And Thy Word saith the * Psal 119.89 90 91. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil hexam 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gregor Naz. ad Eunom 2. Quid est quod totam terrae molem sustinet universus orbis cui innititur si est aliquid quod sustineat caetera ipsum à quo sustinetur non invenitur nisi virtutis verbum omnia portans Bern. in Psal 90. Psalmist O Lord abideth for ever And Thy Truth is from age to age thou hast laid the foundation of the earth and it standeth still It abideth by it to this day by vertue of thine Ordinance And in like manner must we learne to depend upon the bare Word of God when all other props and stayes shall be pulled away from us to trust him upon his bare promise without pledge or pawne Else wee deale with him no otherwise than any Vsurer will with the veriest begger or banckrout that is when he commeth to borrow money of him Though he dare not trust him on his word nor on his bond neither it is nought worth nothing better than his word yet on his pawne or his pledge he dare trust either the poorest or the unfaithfullest man that is But as Augustine saith well That h Meretricius amor plus dona dantis quà m amantis affectum diligere August meditat cap. 5. annulum magis quâ—m sponsum amare it is but an harlotrie love for a woman to love the gift more than the giver and so to love the giver no longer than he giveth So it is but an harlotrie faith for a man to trust Gods pledge or pawne more than God himselfe and so to trust him no further than he seeth or feeleth what he doth Yea the truth is that in these cases when we dare trust God no further nor rely on him any longer than we have some pledge or pawne of his providence we trust not him but we trust his pledge i Cùm rogo te nummos sine pignore Non habeo inquis Idem si pro me spondet agellus habes Quod mihi non credis veteri fidoque sodali credis â—oliculis arboribusq meis Martial epig. 25. l. 12. as he trusteth not the poore man but trusteth onely his pawne that dare not lend him ought but upon his pawne And hereby may we trie and examine the sincerity and the soundnesse of our faith what it is indeed that we rely upon what it is that we trust to If we can say as DAVID here afterward in the shutting up of the Psalme That k Psal 13.5 we then trust in Gods mercy and expect safety from him even when hee seemeth to have forgotten us and to have hidden his face from us if we can then l 1 Sam. 30.6 comfort our selves in the Lord our God when all other aids and comforts have taken their leave of us It is a feeble faith that cannot stand without stilts a lame faith that cannot goe without crutches Hereby will appeare whether a mans stilts beare him up or no if hee bee able to stand when they are taken away from him if he can it is a signe hee rested not on them though hee made use of them if he cannot it were they not his legs that upheld him And hereby may it appeare what our faith and confidence is founded on whether on Gods word or his pledge his pawne or his promise If when the pledge or the pawne is gone yet our faith abideth still firme it is a signe that it was fixed on God himselfe and not on it But if when it is gone our faith falleth to the ground it is a signe that our faith was wholly founded on it not on God or Gods Word which abiding still firme our faith were it thereon founded would continue stedfast with it For m Psal 125.1 Those that trust in the Lord saith the Psalmist are as mount Sion that standeth fast and never stirreth And this is that that we should by all means labour and strive unto that our faith may n 2 Chron. 14.11 16.8 Psal 18.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rest and rely on God himselfe and his infallible and unfaileable Word of promise not upon the outward pledges and pawnes of his providence nor on the ordinary effects and fruits of his favour that so when these shall be withdrawne yea and with-held long it may be from us so that God may o Psal 27.9 in anger seeme to have hid his face from us and to have forgotten us which as we see hath beene oft-times the state and condition of Gods children yet we may not be disheartned but see * Psal 112.4 light even in darknesse and bee able “ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl epist 30. to discerne the sweet Sunne-shine of Gods favour even thorow the thickest clouds of his fiercest wrath So likewise for the Church of God when wee shall see it either in generall or in some principall parts of it so left unto the fury and rage of her malicious and mischievous-minded adversaries that God seemeth not to regard it or what becommeth of it but even suffereth them to have their owne will upon it in so much that as Gregory Nazianzen saith of his time p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. ad Nectar Gods former providence and care of keeping his Church may seeme utterly to faile and that he hath ceased and