against the wicked saith Debora who then but senselesse creatures would with the Pigmies make warre against Hercules or with the Giants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make warre against God I read of the Psilli a people of low stature and lesse wit that being troubled with the Southerne winde went out on a day to make warre against the same but the further they went the more it blew vntill at last it couered them all with the Sands The same end and worse will betide them that will dare venture to stand at variance with God and therefore it were better for them to sue for conditions of peace and to seeke vnto Christ Iesus to be a blessed peace-maker betwixt them mortall sinners and the immortall God 2. They are at warre with men nam vt mali semper persecuti sunt bonos ita boni semper persequuti sunt malos for as the wicked doe alwaies persecute the good so the good doe alwaies striue against the wicked hi per iustam disciplinam isti per iniquam superbiam the iust doe reproue the wicked by iust correction and discipline and the wicked doe persecute the godly by vniust and most cruell proceedings and therefore seeing righteousnesse and peace haue kissed Psal 58. 10. Psal 34. 13. each other qui iustitiam non amauit ille pacem non habebit he shall neuer haue peace which loues not righteousnesse and therefore inter Babilonem Ierusalem pax esse non potest Bern. ser 2. de pug spirituali there can be no peace betwixt the godly and the wicked saith Saint Bernard 3. They haue warres bella horrida bella and the most grieuous warres that may be within themselues For cognatum immo innatum omni sceleri sceleris Lipsius de Constantia l. 2. c. 13. Gen. 4. 7. supplicium sinne beares it punishment alwaies at his owne backe and so S. August saith iussisti Domine ita est vt animus inordinatus sit sibi ipsi poena thou hast ordained ô Lord and so it is that a wicked minde should The fearefull conscience of wicked men euer be a punishment vnto it selfe for if we doe ill sinne lieth at the doroe like a wilde beast to dogge vs wheresoeuer we goe and the conscience of sinne beareth forth such fruits as that nothing can be more greeuous or miserable to a mortall man for she is a witnesse of our debts a iudge of our deedes and a tormenter of all our actions saith S. Bernard Strangulat inclusus dolor atque exaestuat Ouid de trist l. 5. intus And so we reade of almost infinite examples for Oedipus that incestuous king of Thebes was led to Athens by his daughter Antigona and was buried in the temple of Erinnis i. of perturbations and Iocasta his wife and mother strangled her selfe saith Sophocles Theodoricus imagined he saw as he was at supper the visage of Symmacus whom he had vniustly slaine in a fishes head after which he could neuer be comforted but pined away most miserably Crescentius the Popes Vicegerent Lanquet fo 146. in the Councell of Trent saw the deuill in the likenesse of a black dogge comming vnto him saith Sleidan and Polidor Virgil doth write the like of Richard Sleid. l. com 23. in fine Pol. Virg. hist l. 25. the third of this kingdome Tiberius was so vexed with grieuous torments that he desired that the Gods would rather destroy him at once then suffer him to pine away through such a tormented conscience Nero that monster of men when he had vnnaturally murdered his owne naturall Sueton. mother was so grieuously vexed in conscience that he could not be comforted by any meanes but in his minde he did alwaies see his mothers ' Ghost crying for vengeance against him And although the godly saith in his testament Terram terrategat daemon peccata resumat Mundus res habeat spiritus astrapetat Let earth go to the earth from whence it was taken let the deuill take my sins which hee hath inticed me vnto let the world haue my goods wherewith I was inriched and let my soule climbe to heauen where it may be blessed yet I read in the life of Rubertus of a wicked Lat. hist de vitis archiepisc Cantuariens couerous wretch that when the eies of his conscience were opened he bequeathed omnia bona domino regi corpus sepulturae animaÌ„ diabolo his goods to the king whom he had deceiued and his soule to the deuill whom he had serued to what end should I reckon more It is apparant that if the wicket of wicked mens mindes were opened we should see mangled soules and tormented consciences that doe alwaies sleepe like the Nightingall which hath euer a pricke before her breast Hi sunt qui trepidant ad omnia fulgura Jâ—uen Satyr 13. pallent Cum tonat exanimes primo quoque murmure coelum These are they that are terrified with the very thunders and doe flie away when none pursue them But it may be some will say all sinners Obiect haue not such vnquiet mindes neither haue all the wicked wounded spirits I answer that some indeed are of such brasen faces that they can laugh their sinnes out of countenance and smile with the foole when they goe to the gallowes But I assure my selfe their heart bleedes when their faces counterfeit smiles and are like Diues that saw Lazarus a farre off in Abrahams bosome Dr. Hall in his treat of heauen vpon earth but was himselfe in hell tormented for the soule may be sorrowfull when the countenance is cheerefull And this is most likely for that they can neuer want furies so long as they haue themselues or if they could finde a way to runne away from themselues and to cause their soules to run away from their bodies yet their consciences will not flie away from their soules nor their sinnes from their consciences And therefore let a sinner flie ab agro ad ciuitatem à publico ad domum à domo in cubiculum from the field into the citie from the market into his house from his house into his bed and thence in the bitternesse of his soule like those vnpatient fishes that leape out of the pan into the flame let them flie out of the priuate hell within their breasts into the common hell of damned soules yet ecce hostem invenit à quo confugerat behold there he shall finde the enemie whom he feared a tormenting conscience ioyned to that tormenting flame for their worme dieth not saith our Sauiour Or if it be that this Erinnis conscientiae this tormenting conscience doth not affright them then S. Bernard answereth Bern. in l. de conscientia f. 1784. that there be foure kinde of consciences 1. A good but not a quiet 2. Both good and quiet And both these may That there be foure kindes of consciences bee in the godliest men 3. A quiet but not good 4. Neither
suae and to be alwaies contemplating of her chiefest blisse and to enioy the fruition of the chiefest good This verie point if there were no more should moue all men to be How negligent we are for our soules more carefull of this heauenly soule then of our earthly bodies And yet we see all our care is to pamper the body and come what will of the soule And therefore a merrie fellow meeting with a friend that protested he loued him as deerely as his owne soule answered I would thou louest me as well as thou louest thy body For I see thou art fat and well liking thou feedest thy body daintily and clothest it gorgeously but how thou louest thy soule I know not And so we doe all we care not what expence we bestow vpon our rotten bodies but we thinke all to much that we doe to adorne and beautifie this diuine soule We are like that fellow that was wonderfull fat himselfe and rode vpon a leane horse and being demanded why himselfe was so fat and his horse so leane he answered he fed himselfe with his owne hands but he committed the care of his horse to his man Dicke So doe we feed our bodies our selues but we commit the care of our soules to others let them looke to our soules or let them perish But indeed the excellencie of the soule should make vs all more diligent for the soule for this is it that maketh man more excellent then all other creatures And more properly the sonne of God then all other sonnes of God And therefore the Heathen man could say Qui animum curat seipsum curat qui corpus non se sed sua curat Demosten apud Volat. qui pecuniam non se nec sua sed valde aliena curat 2. God is said to be the Father of man not only in regard of generation because he thus created him in his owne similitude and likenesse but also in respect of regeneration because he redeemed and deliuered vs from our father the deuill and restored vs againe to the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God For when man had sinned and so from the sonne of God had made himselfe the sonne of satan there were foure things saith venerable Bede imposed vpon man for his transgression 1. Ignorance Venerab Beda 2. Impotence 3. Concupiscence 4. Malice For 1. Sinne hath so filled vs with blindnesse as the Apostle sheweth Ephes 4. 18. that it is naturall for euerie man to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so darkned in the ir vnderstandings Tit. 3. 3. that we neither know God nor yet our selues 2. Sinne hath made vs so fraile Foure things inflicted on man for sinne and so miserable as that we haue no ability in the world either to doe or say or wish or thinke any thing that is good as I haue sufficiently shewed already 3. Sinne maketh vs to long and lust with all greedinesse for that which is euill Nitimur inuetitum semper cupimusque negata Stolne waters are sweet vnto vs. And our nature is such as that we doe not only quod vetitur the thing that is forbidden but we doe it quia vetitur because it is forbidden so farre doth our concupiscence lead vs. 4. Sinne makes vs so malicious to all goodnesse that although our iudgement should tell vs that such a thing is good yet are we so auerse to goodnesse that we will forsake it to follow euill as the Poet in Medea speaketh Video proboque meliora deteriora sequor Seneca Medea I see what is good I allow it yet nature makes me follow that which is euill And so these things made man now like vnto satan that was made before in the likenesse of God Therefore God respecting and pittying our most lamentable and miserable estate he sent his only Sonne Christ Iesus to be made vnto vs 1. Wisdome 2. Iustification 3. Sanctification 4. Redemption Foure soueraigne salues for our foure dangerous maladies 1. He was made vnto vs wisdome How Christ was made vnto vs a fourefold salue to cure fourefold maladies For that all our knowledge without the knowledge of Christ is but prudentia carnis foolishnesse vnto God but in Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge 2. He was made vnto vs righteousnes for that all our righteousnes in respect of nature is but pollutio panniâ— like the righteousnes of the Gentiles staines filthinesse in respect of the law but storia abducta like the righteousnesse of the Pharises sin guilded vnprofitable because vnpossible to be performed but my righteous seruant shall iustifie many saith the Lord and therefore beleeue in him which iustifieth the vngodly 3. He was made our Sanctification For that in all men there is defection and in the Angels vnfaithfulnesse hath beene found and how can we be cleane that were borne in sinne and conceiued in iniquity but in Christ there was no sinne and in his mouth was found no guile 4. He was made vnto vs redemption for that all the former things had beene vnauailable for vs nisi etiam sanguis interpellitâ—â— pro me vt saluus sim vnlesse his bloud doth intercede for me that I may be saued and therefore Christ gaue himselfe to be the price of our redemption so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to suffer for vs to shed his bloud for vs and to die for vs and for our sinnes to saue vs from hell and to rise againe for our iustification to bring vs vnto heauen in illa instituit in ista restituit saith Saint Bernard by the former parauit nos mansioni he made vs fit for heauen and by the latter parauit mansionem nobis he prepared heauen for vs by the first we haue remission of our sins and by the second we haue hope of euerlasting life But if any man will say the righteousnesse is Christs and the sufferings were Christs and what is that to me I answer that the fault was Adams fault and is that nothing to thee And therefore vt peccatum in semine it a iustitia in sanguine as sinne is iustly mine by propagation so it is not incongruous that righteousnesse should be mine by imputation for Christ saith Saint Ambrose mihi natus mihi passus mihi doluit quia sibi non habuit quod deleret did all whatsoeuer he did for me for that there was no cause why he should doe any thing for himselfe And therefore seeing Christ died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification and now sitteth at the right hand of God to make intercession for vs though our bodies be but semen terrae esca verminum dust and ashes and the foode of vermins yet our hope is that they shall be â—hanged and be made like vnto the glorious bodie of Christ And thus are we made againe the sonnes of God by regeneration because we are borne of God i. of water and of the spirit which spirit
loued as he should be of himselfe and therefore S. Bernard crieth out O my God my helper I will loue thee but Bern. in l. de diligend Deo after mine owne measure lesse indeed then right yet plainly not lesse then I am able who albeit I cannot so much as I should yet cannot further then I am able and indeed I shall doe more when thou wilt vouchsafe to giue me more yet neuer for all this shall I be able to doe as much as thou art worthy 2. Secunaum totam virtutem alicuius diligentis according to the full power and strength that is in him that loueth i. fully to loue him according to all the vertue of the louer and so he is loued of the Angels and blessed Saints 3. To the vttermost of our abilitie so farre forth as our imbecillitie will permit vs and thus we are to striue to loue him three waies 1. Placabiliter 2. Ordinabiliter 3. Appretiabiliter saith Nider in 1. precept 1. To loue him for his owne sake God is to be loued for his own sake and not in respect of any outward profit for there is a double kinde of loue 1. Concupiscentiae of Concupiscence in respect of our owne profit so a man loues his horse or his asse for the good seruice he hath from them 2. Amicitiae of friendship as when I loue a man meerely for the good things that are in him and so God is to be beloued absque intuitu praemij without respect vnto any profit to be gained by him nam minus te amat qui aliquid tecum amat nec propter te amat saith S. Augustine And therefore it was the commendation Bern. in l. de diligendo Deo of Iob not only to loue God when he was compassed about with prosperâ—tie but to loue him in the midst of his aduersitie so did not they that loued Christ and followed him for the loaues sake if therefore we loue God aright we must not loue him for wealths sake but for his owne sake 2. To loue him so that we direct All our actions should tend to the glory of God our selues and all ours both inward and outward actions to the extolling and increasing of his glory as when we apply our whole life to his seruice then we loue him with all our heart when we captiuate our senses to the obedience of Christ as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 10. then we loue him with all our vnderstanding and in briefe when all workes and actions are sprung from the loue of God and doe aime at the glory of God then we loue him with all our strength And so S. Augustine saith that all our actions should beginne from the loue Aug de Spiritu lit c. 25. of God quia fructus bonus non est qui de radice charitatis non surgit for that can be no good fruit which springeth not from the root of Charitie and should tend to the praise and glory of God quia virtutes verae non sunt quae in Idem de Ciuit li. 19. Deum finaliter non referunter they are no true vertues which are not finally referred to God And therefore we say that it is requisite that the loue of God should be the cause of the loue of our neighbour and that we should loue our neighbours propter Deum for the honour of God and so of all other actions they should all tend to the honour of God as the Apostle sheweth whether ye eat or drinke doe all to the glory of God 3. To loue him aboue all things and God is to be loued aboue all things Scotus in 3. distinct 27. to respect him and his will aboue all the world and so Scotus saith God is to be loued extensiuè aboue all things so that nothing in the world nor all the things of the world should be equally prized with God and therefore should wish all things not to be rather then God should not be and intensiuè so that we should be more willing to suffer the hatred of any thing in the world then the hatred of God For he indeed is that pearle for the gaining whereof a man should fell all that euer he hath as our Sauiour sheweth Matth. 13. O therefore Loue the Lord all ye his Psal 31. 27. Saints and loue him aboue all things for he that loueth father or mother wife Matth. 10. or children or any thing else more then me the same is not worthy of me saith the Blessed Veritie And therefore S. Bernard Bern. lib. de amore Dei ca. 2. saith animam meam odio haberem si eam alibi quà m in Domino in eius amore inuenirem I would hate mine owne soule if I found it not in the Lord and in the loue of God And yet for all this we see how many leaue the Lord to loue worldly vanities some their pleasures some their riches some one thing and some another and the louers of God are like the winter gatherings like the grapes of vintage rare and few But all men will say they loue the Lord and therefore lest we should deceiue our selues sub specie recti vnder The propertie of loue is to desire to be vnited to the thing loued the colour of truth we should examine and finde out the truth hereof by a double propertie of loue 1. To vnite the louer as much as possible may be to the thing loued and in want of the fellowship thereof to desire and seeke it aboue all things in the world So the Church in the Canticles saith I greatly desire to sit vnder the shadow of my welbeloued and I am sicke of loue i. I faint for the fellowship of my beloued And therefore if we loue God then as the Hart brayes for the water brookes so longeth our soules after God we should cry for him and say how long tariest thou holy true not let our soules be glued vpon the vanities of this life 2. To accomplish and fulfill the minde and will of him that is loued so our Sauiour saith he that hath my Commandements Iohn 14. 21. and doth them the same is he that loueth me and this is the loue Loue fulfilleth the desire of him that is loued of God that we keepe his Commandements And because this might be thought to be too generall therefore he saith that this is the Commandement that he giueth vs that we should loue one another And therefore by this we may certainly know that we loue God if we loue one another and so our Sauiour saith hereby shall not only your selues but all men shall know that you are my Disciples if you loue one another The loue of our neighbour then is the surest signe of the loue of God for per amorem proximi amor Dei nutritur through the loue of our neighbours is the loue of God increased therefore S. Iohn saith it is an
will of the reasonable creature and prepare the same that it may will that which is good but nothing can effectually change the will of man but he that made the will and therefore if there be any aptnesse or preparation in man for the receiuing of grace that very aptitude is through the helpe of grace for no man commeth to me vnlesse my Iohn 6. Father draw him saith our Sauiour i. no man hath any vertue or abilitie in himselfe to come to me but only by the helpe of those graces that my Father giues him for that euery good and Iames 1. perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lights And therefore though the heathens All the good we haue are gifts from God out of their ignorance called their virtues and good qualities which they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of hauing as though they had them from themselues yet we that are better instructed in Gods truth doe call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gifts from God for we say that no men are worthie but such as are made worthie none good but such as are made good none meete but such as God the Father Coloss 1. 12. hath made meete to be pertakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light because as Iohn Baptist saith a man can receiue nothing except it be giuen him from aboue and therefore we say that the very thoughts of our hearts if they tend to good are from him that infuseth Thom. 1. 2 ae q. 76. art 2. all grace immediatly as saith Aquinas i. from God the Father c. Hereby we see that God giues grace and glorie and that he is the fountaine of all grace Iuvat integros accedere fontes Atque haurire Lucret. l. 1. p. 24. And therefore wee should goe to the spring head to seeke for grace Nam licet allata gratus sit sapor in vnda Dulcius ex ipso fonte bibuntur aquae For there is the surest drawing there is the sweetest drinke and although the grace of God before the comming of Christ quasi in vase aliquo Ambrose claudebatur was like an ointment kept close in an Alablaster box yet now vt vnguentum effusum it is like an ointment powred out or though before it was vt fons signatus as a fountaine locked vp yet now vt fluuialibus vndis Exstumuit torrens fluit acrius amne perenni Like a violent floud-streame it floweth more generally ouer the face of all the earth to renue it then Noahs floud did to destroy it and therefore vir bonus haurit gratiam euery good man will come vnto this springing well to draw grace from this fountaine of grace Ideo enim lex data est vt gratia quaereretur Aug. de spirit lit gratia data est vt lex impleretur for to this end was the Law giuen that that wee should earnestly seeke for grace and grace is giuen that we might keepe and fulfill the Law 2. As he is the sole authour of all grace so of all peace 1. With himselfe for he himselfe hath wrought our peace with himselfe and therefore it is called the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding and we pray for that peace which the world cannot giue vs nor any thing in the world purchase vnto vs for the Lord will not be pleased with a thousand of Rammes nor with tenne thousand rivers of oile nor yet with the fruits of our bodies for the sinnes of our soules it will cost vs more to redeeme our soules then that it must be the pretious bloud of Iesus Christ 2. It is he that worketh our peace God worketh each kinde of peace with men that worketh each kinde of peace among all sorts of men for he maketh warres to cease he knappeth the speare in sunder be breaketh the sword the shields and the battell he maketh men to be of one minde in a house and so he maketh peace in our borders peace in our houses peace in all places and filleth vs with the fruits of peace health wealth and prosperitie to teach vs that he is not only the author of inward and spirituall graces but also of all outward peace and temporall blessings For as the image of a Prince is seene as well in a penny as in a piece of greater price so we may see the goodnesse of God as well in the things of this life as in the things that concerne eternall life and therefore our Sauiour teacheth vs to pray not only for the inestimable things of eternall life vt adueniat regnum that his kingdome come but also for the meanest things of this mortall life that he would giue vs our daily bread Yet some haue doubted whether these outward temporall things be good or not and some Diuines haue doubted whether wee may pray for temporall things as Barrad sheweth vpon those words All these things shall be cast vnto you but wee are resolued by our Sauiours testimonie If you that are euill can giue your children Luke 11. good things for that is not only good quod facit bonum which maketh a man 1 Iohn 3. good but that also de quo fit bonum whereby a man may doe good saith S. Augustine and therefore albeit riches honours doe not alwaies make a man good yet because a man may doe alwaies good with them we say they are good and giuen only of God And so they that haue no fruits of grace are compelled to subscribe that the fruits of peace come from God for when they see themselues destitute of them and by all their wits are vnable to procure them then they crie out quis ostendit nobis bona who can shew vs Psal 4. any good as if they should say none can doe it vnlesse God doth the same 3. It is he that worketh our peace with our selues for in me you shall haue peace i. such contentment of minde and such firme resolutions that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate you from the loue of God for I will giue you that hidden manna that secret ioyes and sweet contentments that none in the world knowes the excellencies thereof but only they that haue it and so we see these two points sufficiently proued 1. That in our selues there is no goodnesse 2. That from God proceedeth all goodnesse both grace and peace both temporall and spirituall blessing for application then I say that The first point may serue to exclude Rom. 3. 27. our boasting and to teach vs true humilitie to say with Iacob I am not worthy Gen. 37. of the least of thy blessings with Iohn Baptist I am not worthy to vntie the latchet Matth. 3. of thy shooe with Paul I am not worthy 1 Cor. 15. to
be called an Apostle with the Centurion I am not worthy thou shouldest Matth. 8. come vnder my roofe and with the Prodigall childe I am not worthy to be called thy sonne Hoc enim piarum mentum est nihil sibi tribuere for it is the parts of That we should not ascribe any goodnesse to our selues godly mindes to attribute nothing vnto themselues but to ascribe all vnto God because all is from God saith S. Augustine Et nonest dignus peccator pane quo ve scitur nec lumine coeli quo illuminatur and the sinner is not worthy of the bread wherewith he is fed nor of the light of heauen wherewith he is inlightned And therfore it is dangerous to ascribe too little to the goodnesse of God for that is to robbe him of his glory which he will not giue vnto another but there is no danger at all to ascribe too little vnto our selues because we can neuer ascribe so little vnto our selues as is due vnto vs for that nothing that is good is of our selues but all from the goodnesse of God And therefore let not the wise Ier. 9. 24. man boast of his wisdome nor the strong man of his strength nor any man in any thing that he hath but let euery man 1 Cor. 4. 7. reioyce in this that he vnderstandeth the Lord and knoweth that himselfe hath nothing but what he receiued from the Lord as the Apostle teacheth The second point may serue to teach vs these foure principall lessons 1. To reproue fortune 2. To condemne abusers 3. To teach vs to pray 4. To moue vs to thankefulnesse 1. Many thinke that things come customably vnto theÌ„ by chance or fortune That nothing in the world commeth by chance but the Apostle sheweth vs they come from a cause intelligent euen from God the father and from our Lord Iesus Christ for though God hath sinum facileâ—â— heart easie to be intreated to giue vs what we lacke yet hath he not sinum pensoratum a carelesse respect to let vs take what we like and though he openeth his hands to fill euery liuing Psa 145. 15. thing yet he letteth not his blessing to drop through his fingers without caring how or knowing to whom he bestoweth them For as he made all things in wisdome so he guideth all things with discretion and giueth his blessing with deliberate consideration And therefore we should not be like blind Moles or senselesse Swine grouelling vpon the earth to gather the acornes that doe fall from the tree and neuer looke vp to the tree from whence they fall But as we haue Sursum capita os homini sublime de dit our eies made to behold the heauens so let vs haue Sursum corda our hearts lifted vp to behold the God of heauen to be the author and giuer of grace peace For it was but a heathenish conceit to That the name of fortune is a vaine conceit inuent such a goddesse called fortune I may say of them as the Psalmist saith of idols they that make them are like vnto them and so are all they that put their trust in them for they that found her first did paint her blinde And surely they are blinde that cannot see all goodnesse come from God and from no place no cause else but from God for not only the Scriptures teach the same that euery good and perfect gift is from aboue and commeth down from the father of lights who ruleth the earth and spreadeth the heauens like a curtaine and closeth vp Orion Arcturus Iob. 9. Psal 147. the Pleiades and all the starres as vnder a signet and callech them all by their names who prepareth raine maketh the Acts 17. grasse to grow vpon the mountaines and greene herbs for the vse of men who maketh his sunne to shine vpon the good and vpon the bad and giueth life and breath vnto all things and feedeth the Rauens that call vpon him but the wisest among the heathens as Orphaeus Homer Menander Pithagoras and aboue all the Platonists doe most diuinely teach that all good things doe proceed from God and are giuen by him to whom he please as Mirandulanus hath collected out of their Iohanues Mirand l. 1. de prouid Dei workes and set downe the same at large in his first booke de prouidentia Dei 2. This should condemne the abusers We must render an account for all the gifts we haue receiued of Gods blessings for they be indeed commendata potius quam data rather commended to vs in trust then giuen to our vse and in that respect the gifts haue a threefold voice and salutation when they come vnto vs. 1. Possideto take vs and enioy vs. 2. Gratias habeto giue thanks to God for vs. 3. Rationem reddito be sure thou shalt render an account to God how thou hast vsed and imployed vs. For there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an account to be made of all the gifts and graces that God hath giuen vs especially saith Antoninus Antoninus in summis 1. De bonis naturalibus of all naturall gifts 2. De donis temporalibus of all temporall goods 3. De gratijs spiritualibus of all spirituall graces And that not only why thou hast wastefully spent them but also how or what thou hast honestly gained by them for 1. God made thy body created thy soule and adorned them both with many excellent gifts thy soule with memorie iudgement vnderstanding c. thy body with beauty and comelinesse and such like All are his gifts and doe proceed from him and therefore he will demand an account how thou hast vsed all these whether thou hast giuen thy members seruants to vncleannesse Rom. 6. 19. to commit iniquity or vnto righteousnesse in holinesse as the Apostle speaketh and whether thou hast vsed thy vnderstanding and thy learning in testimonium veri to further the truth or in adiutorium falsi to maintaine errors as Tertull. speaketh 2. Whatsoeuer temporall things we haue Dominus dedit we haue the Job 1. same from God for riches honour and promotion come neither from the East nor from the West but it is the Lord which giueth the same as pleaseth him and therefore thou must giue account whether thou hast riotously spent them vpon thy selfe as the rich Luke 16. glutton did or niggardly kept them for thy selfe as the couetous cormorants doe or else charitably bestowed them for the maintenance of the Ministerie and releefe of thy poore distressed neighbours Quia non maioris est criminis Habetur in decretis habenti tollere quam quum posses succurrere denegare indigentibus For it is as great a fault to deny helpe when thou maist doe it to the afflicted as to take away thy neighbours goods which is prohibited quia esurientium panis est quem tu detines nudorum indumentum quod tu recludis indigentium pecunia quam tu in
that hee commanded Ob. Abraham to sacrifice his sonne and bad the Israelites to rob the Aegyptians and willed the death of his owne Sonne c. but all these are sinnes therefore sinnes proceed from him I answer that whatsoeuer God commandeth Whatsoeuer God would haue done is no sinne to doe to doe the same is no sinne for sinne is the transgressing of his commandement And yet for the fuller vnderstanding of this point viz. the doing of the thing which God willeth or commandeth I say that in some it may be a sinne in others no sinne For It is not enough for vs to doe what he biddeth but wee must be sure to doe it in that verie manner that he prescribeth and to that verie end which he intendeth Quia modus finis actionis constituunt actionem Because the manner and the end of an action doth make the action good or bad And therefore I say that if Abraham The manner of doing and the end of actions makes them either good or euill had killed his sonne meerely because he would obey God and fulfill his will in all particular respects he had not sinned Nor yet the Iewes in crucifying the Sonne of God whereof the other was a type and figure if they had done the same only to fulfill the will of God and in the same manner and to the same end as God had decreed the same But they did not so therefore they sinned for God gaue him out of the depth of his loue to die for vs that we might be redeemed by him but they put him to death out of the depth of their malice and enuie against him and therefore the same act of crucifying Christ was no sinne as it was decreed by God but a most grieuous sinne as it was committed by them And so you see that God which is the author of grace and goodnesse cannot be the author of the euill of sinne and wickednesse 2. As hee cannot bee the author of That God is not properly the author of any punishment the euill of sinne because he is the author of grace so can he not be the author of the euill of punishment because he is the author of peace for peace is a sweet harmonie and consent of all things in their due order without any manner of distraction or diuulsion but punishments are the distracting and disturbing of the quiet dispositions of things contrarie to their naturall inclinations And therefore I say that God cannot properly be said to be the author of the euill of punishment But for the better vnderstanding of this point I desire you to consider that this euill of punishment may be taken two wayes 1. As it is euill and a dissolution of the creature 2. As it tendeth to good either in respect of 1. Man 2. God 1. In the first sense I say God cannot besaid to be author of this euill for hee desireth not the death of a sinner he made all things that they might haue their being Et quia omne agens agit sibi simile And because euerie agent worketh an effect like vnto himselfe therefore God properly worketh the happinesse and not the miserie the saluation and not destruction of his creatures 2. I say that the euill of punishment may tend to good and that 1. In respect of man and that likewise The manifold good of afflictions many wayes but especially these three wayes 1. To make him loath his sinnes and forsake them 2. To make him wearie of the world and despise it 3. To make him long for Christ and desire him 1. As the correction of a childe makes him leaue his faults so the afflictions of the godly make them forsake their sinnes for Before I was corrected I went wrong saith the Prophet Dauid but now I haue learned to keepe thy commandements And therefore It is good for me that I haue beene in trouble that I might learne to keepe thy commandements God therefore may and doth send afflictions that they may hedge in the waies of men and so keepe them in the paths of his commandements And so the Prophet saith Thou hast hedged in my wayes with thornes 2. Our soules are glued vpon the vanities of this world and therefore as the mother putteth aloes or mustard or some like bitter things vpon her teats when she would weane her childe that is so fond of her breasts so doth God anoint the vanities of this world with the bitter ointment of afflictions that we might be euen wearie of the same 3. He sendeth afflictions not only to make vs loath our sinnes and waxe wearie of the world but also to make vs long for grace and seeke to him for peace that we may be freed from these miseries Nam mala quae nos hic premunt Gregor in Moral ad Deum nos ire compellunt For the miseries of this world makes vs long for the happinesse of the heauenly kingdome saith S. Gregorie And so in this respect God may be said to bee the author of afflictions and punishments as they tend to this good to chasten vs for our profit that we Heb. 12. 10. may be partakers of his holinesse as the Apostle speaketh For thus they are like vnto the bitter potions of physick good because necessary for some good end otherwise Bonum necessarium extra terminos necessitatis non est bonum a necessarie good is not good but for necessities sake so is physicke to procure the health of our bodies and so afflictions to procure the health of our soules 2. In respect of God punishments Punishments declare the iustice of God and afflictions tend to good for they are all inflicted vpon man for sinne and are the effects of iustice and therefore must needs be good For whatsoeuer is iust is good But the punishments of the wicked either in this life or in the future life are the iust iudgements of God for sinne therefore in this respect they must needs be good They shew Gods hatred vnto sinne and his iustice in punishing all sinners And so I confesse that in these respects the Prophet might most truly say there was no euill in the city which the Amos 3. 6. Lord had not done and God himselfe say I and none else doe forme the light and create darknesse doe make peace and create euill i. as I doe properly suapte natura of mine owne nature effect that which is good in all respects so ex quadam sequela for diuers respects tending to good I doe willingly suffer all euill yea both the euill of sinne and the euill of punishment for though neither of these be simply good yet either of them tend to good and therefore are suffered of God For God would neuer suffer any euill but that he meant out of that euill to effect a greater good saith S. Augustine as by the suffering Aug. in enchirid ad Laurent of the sinnes of the elect he sheweth the
beareth witnesse vnto our spirits that we are the sonnes of God and haue our sinnes pardoned our diseases cured and the image of God renewed in vs through Iesus Christ our Lord. And in this respect is God most properly called our father and we his children Hereby then we may see the difference betweene this father and all other fathers of men whether it be 1. In the state of nature 2. In the state of grace For in both respects men are said to haue diuers sorts of fathers 1. In respect of our naturall being I finde foure kinds of fathers as 1. God which maketh vs and breatheth in our nostrils the breath of life 2. The Earth element or matter That fathers are so called in diuers respects whereof we are made For I said to rottennesse thou art my fathers and to the wormes you are my mother and my sisters saith Iob and so the earth is called the mother of vs all 3. Men are called our fathers and that as S. Augustine obserueth fiue Aug. de 12. abus grad waies 1. By Nature as they which begetteth vs of their owne seede and are the instruments of our being and are therefore called patres 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fathers of our flesh Heb. 12. 9. 2. By Nation as those that are our ancestors and predecessors of the same country and people so God said vnto Moses I am the God of thy fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaak and the God of Iaakob 3. By Age as those that are our elders we vse to call them fathers 4. By Admonition whether it be to good or euill For S. Augustine tels vs Aug. in Psal 49. f. 188. that antiqui iniqui patres sunt praesentium qui modo sunt iniqui patres sunt iniquorum posterorum those wicked men that went before vs are the fathers of those wicked men that are Whose councell or example we follow we make our selues their children now and the wicked men that are now are the fathers of them that shall be wicked hereafter and so saith he antiqui iusti patres sunt iustorum qui modo sunt qui modo sunt iusti patres sunt eorum qui futuri erunt the iust men that went before vs are the fathers of those iust men that are now and those iust men that are now are the fathers of them iust men that shall come hereafter And so you see that by following the counsell or example of wicked men we become the children of those wicked men and by following the counsels and examples of good men wee become the children of those good and godly men and therefore they that doe the workes of Abraham are said to be the sonnes of Abraham and so it was taken among the heathens and therefore Mitio saith in Terence Natura tu illi pater es concilijs ego thou art his father by nature and I am his father by aduice and counsell for whosoeuer causeth vs to follow his counsels or examples whether in good or euill we make him our father and our selues his children by imitation Nam ille recte pater tuus quem tu Aug. ser 14. de verbâ—â— Apostoli fueris imitatus For he may rightly be tearmed thy father whom thou doest imitate saith S. Augustine 5. By aid and assistance as when a man doth helpe and further vs in our wants and necessities we may truly say he hath beene a Father vnto vs. 4. We find that not only men but also the Deuils are said to be the fathers of all wicked men for you are of your father Idemibid We are the children of the deuill by imitation the deuill saith our Sauiour vnto the rebellious Iewes but you must vnderstand this in respect of imitation and not of their creation saith S. Augustine Quia constat in Catholica fide quod diabolus nec condidit nec creauit naturam for it is certaine saith he and by our catholike faith we beleeue that the deuill neuer made any nature or being all his drift and desire was to corrupt euery being but because we doe the workes of the deuill Ioh. 8. therefore our Sauiour saith we are the children of our father the deuill And so it appeares that before we haue the grace of Christ to doe the will of God we are all the children of the deuill and so the Apostle sheweth that by nature we are all filij irae the sonnes of wrath this was the miserable estate of vs all before Christ and is still the state and condition of all the wicked men that are voide of the grace of Christ to be the sonnes of their father the deuill And thus you see that God is our father Men are our fathers and the Deuill is our father also But herein is the difference The deuill makes vs his children by imitation our naturall fathers by propagation as being the instruments of the making of our bodies onely and therefore are called the fathers of our flesh but God is the chiefe agent and principall maker not only of the soule which he formeth and maketh without any hand of our naturall fathers and therefore is he only called the father of spirits but also of our bodies For he fashioneth the same beneath in the wombe saith the Psalmist and therefore in respect of our naturall being God is the only chiefe principall father both of body and soule 2. In respect of our spirituall being Diuers are our fathers in respect of regeneration I finde diuers sorts of fathers as 1. And principally God himselfe for of his owne will begat he vs with the word of truth and therefore as he alone is the chiefe and principall father of our generation so he is alone the chiefe and principall father of our regeneration 2. The Ministers of the Gospell are likewise called our fathers so S. Paul sheweth I warne you as my deare children nam ego vos genui I haue begotten Aug. in Psal 78. f. 351. â— 1. you with the seede of the word of God For as the naturall fathers are the instruments of our first birth so are the Ministers the instruments that God vseth for our second birth 3. Kings and Queenes are called our Nurcing fathers and our nursing mothers because they be custodes vtriusque tabulae the preseruers both of Law and Gospell and doe by their power and authority defend and cherish all those children that the Ministers by the preaching of the Gospell haue begotten and brought forth into the Church of God And thus you see that in respect of The difference betwixt our heauenly father and all other fathers spirituall being God is our Father the Ministers are our Fathers and the Magistrates are our Fathers also But herein is the difference these are but the instruments of our regeneration or of our preseruation God himselfe is the chiefe and efficient cause of both And so both in respect of our naturall
first was necessary to deliuer vs from hell which for our sinnes we had most iustly deserued and The second was requisite to bring vs vnto heauen for want whereof we were iustly excluded And therefore 1. In respect of the first Christ was How Christ discharged both for vs. contented to become a curse for vs to be wounded for our sinnes and to be broken for our transgressions that we might be deliuered from the curse of the law and by his stripes to be healed For seeing the sonne of God suffered for sinne what could the iustice of God require more for the greatest transgressions 2. In respect of the second he did most perfectly fulfill the royall law that his righteousnesse might be imputed vnto vs because it was done for vs and in our nature in the person of Iesus Christ And therefore S. Paul speaking of this righteousnesse saith that it is made manifest by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue And so you see how Christ by washing vs from our sinnes through his death and passion and cloathing vs with his righteousnesse that he hath performed for vs is become our Iesus our Sauiour to deliuer vs from hell and to purchase vs the inheritance of heauen And yet for all this many are so addicted to humane merits that 1. In respect of satisfaction for our sinnes though they yeeld that originall sin is wholly and freely in all respects satisfied for by Christ Iesus yet for sins after baptisme they haue inuented other fountaines to wash them away as 1. The Sacrament of penance consisting of 1. Contrition The vaine deuices of men to satisfie for their sins 2. Confession 3. Satisfaction 2. The Priests absolution 3. Masses and Mediations of 1. Saints and 2. Angels 4. Workes satisfactory by themselues or others 5. Extreme vnction 6. Suffering for a time the paines of purgatory These must be as 6. planks after shipwracke whereby they seeke to escape the danger of the tempestuous seas of Gods wrath And 2. In respect of enduing vs with righteousnesse they inuent a former A fond distinction of a double iustification and a latter iustification whereof they yeeld the first to be had from Christ and affirme the second to be inherent and from our selues And therefore they teach that God may not impute righteousnesse through faith vnlesse he be righteous of himselfe also and that whosoeuer will defend that the vngodly Concilium Trident. sess 6. can de iustificat are iustified by faith only and that for the obtaining of Gods mercy works are not needfull let him be accursed for that although the merits of Christ are the most especiall deserts through which Gods mercies and the way to the kingdome of heauen is granted vnto vs yet is it in no wise to be reckoned for the only Sentent 3. distinct 20. concl 5. whole and full satisfaction for sins or the sole meanes of our iustification And so in both respects they make Christ to be a defectiue Iesus an imperfect Sauiour neither soly to deliuer vs from hell not yet wholly to indue vs with righteousnesse that we might haue the inheritance of heauen But in a word we answer to these absurdities and 1. We confesse that contrition satisfaction and all such workes of piety are commended and commanded by God most earnestly perswaded vnto by the preachers and most comfortable for the doers yet in no waies as satisfaction for sinnes past but onely for preuention of sinnes to come and for a testimony of our obedience and thankfulnesse vnto God And 2. We say that as there is but one God so there is but one iustification before God and therefore that which they call a former and a latter iustification That a righteous man may be more righteous we say as the Scripture teacheth vs that it is a proceeding and a growing forward from faith to faith and from grace to grace And thereby we doe conclude that he which is iustified may in regard of his apprehension thereof be said to be more iustified according to the measure of his faith to lay hold on that iustification which is most absolute and fully performed in the sight of God and that he which is holy may be said to be more holy according to the measure of grace that he receiueth whereby he laboureth for vprightnesse more and more endeuoreth to liue better and better but hereupon to build two distinct kinds of iustification before the tribunall seat of God were to build without foundation and with ambiguitie of words to deceiue poore simple christians And therefore seeing our Iesus hath trodden the wine-presse alone and will not giue his glory vnto another we doe most constantly beleeue and as constantly teach that sicut nudos nos prima gratia in fide genuit it a nudos per fidem eadem iustificat nudos saluabit as the first grace found vs naked of all goodnesse so it iustifieth vs without respect to any goodnesse of our owne and will likewise saue vs through the faith in the goodnesse of the sonne of That Christ is our sole and perfect Sauiour God and we say that he alone is the way the truth and the life the α and ο the author and the finisher of our faith the beginner and the consummator of our saluation the alone whole and perfect satisfaction both for the guilt and punishment of all our sinnes both originall and actuall and the onely righteousnesse that bringeth vs to eternall life and so alone without any partner agent the most perfect deliuerer of man from hell and the most absolute giuer of euerlasting glory and that neither workes of the law nor inherent righteousnesse nor habituall grace nor any other thing or name vnder heauen can be found whereby we may be saued but only this sweet name of Iesus And if this be not all-sufficient or if he hath not wholly and soly fully and freely satisfied for all my sinnes and perfectly gained vnto me eternall life without any workes or merits of mine then let my body be damned and my soule neuer come vnto Gods kingdome for in him is all my hope and if that faile I perish But seeing as God said to Abraham feare not I am God all-sufficient so the Scripture saith to me feare not he is a Iesus all-sufficient whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall neuer be confounded I will neuer commit these two euils to forsake the fountaine of liuing waters and to digge vnto my selfe pits and puddles but I will trust in him hope in him and place all my ioy in him and take no ioy where I finde not him Si scribas non placet mihi nisi legam ibi Iesum si conferas non sapit mihi nisi sonuerit ibi Iesus Quia Iesus est in ore meo mel in aure melos in corde Iubilum No writing shall please me where I see no Iesus no conference shall content me
heauen sic cadauer mortui officioso gestu precabatur and so the dead corpse by this officious gesture did seeme to pray O how happie was the soule of that man without the body when as the body without the soule seemed so deuout O that it might be so with me that I might euen weary and weare out my selfe in prayer that whensoeuer my master commeth he should finde me so doing 3. Praises and thankesgiuing are very Thankfulnesse is the only thing God requireth at our hands acceptable sacrifices vnto God For who so offereth me thanks and praise he honoureth me saith the Lord and therefore the Apostle saith Let vs by him offer the sacrifice of praise alwaies to God that is the fruit of the lips which confesse his name Where I desire you to obserue that the Apostle would haue vs alwaies to offer this sacrifice vnto God in other sacrifices we may haue a cessation but this must be done without intermission and no maruell nam Gregor cùm Deus nunquam cessat benefacere ideo semper debet homo gratias agere for seeing God euer bestowes blessings and graces vpon man therefore man should neuer cease to render thanks vnto God saith S. Gregorie And therefore holy Dauid would euen at midnight praise the Lord for his righteous iudgements for it becommeth well the iust to be thankefull and therefore vaetacentibus de te Domine Woe to Aug. in confess them that are mute in rendring thanks and praises vnto God for this is all that we render vnto God for all the benefits that he hath done vnto vs euen to take the cup of saluation and to call vpon the name of the Lord. 4. Releeuing of the poore is another sacrifice Releeuing the poore is most pleasing vnto God Phil. 4. 18. that we are to offer as the Apostle sheweth for I was euen filled saith he after that I had receiued of Epaphroditus that which came from you an odour that smelleth sweet and a sacrifice pleasant and acceptable to God and therefore we should neuer forget to bestow almes vpon the poore quia manus pauperis est gazaphylacium Christi for the hand of the poore is the storehouse of Christ Non memini me legisse mala morte Chrysostom mortuum qui opera charitatis libenter exercuit And therefore whatsoeuer we bestow vpon them we lend vnto the Lord and lay it vp in store for our selues against the time of need And this our Sauiour sheweth when hee saith vnto the godly Come ye blessed of my father c. For I was hungry and you gaue me meat I was thirsty and you gaue me drinke c. 5. True repentance is not of least account with God for the sacrifice of God is a contrite spirit a broken and a contrite heart â— God wilt thou not despise But here you must vnderstand that true repentance consisteth not only in a baâ—e confession I haue done such a fault and I am sorry for it but it must haue also true contrition a broken and a contrite heart saith the Prophet for it is most certaine that vbi dolor finitur ibi deficit Aug. de verb. poenitent c. 13. poenitentia where there is no true griefe and sorrow for sinne there can be no true repentance as Saint Augustine speaketh And therefore I wish that my head were full of water and mine eies a fountaine of teares that I might weepe day and night for my manifold sinnes and transgressions quia oratio Deum lenit lachrymae Ierom. in Esaiam cogunt that as my prayers should moue him so my teares might compell him to haue mercy vpon me These and such like are the true sacrifices that euerie Christian man as a true Priest is bound to offer vnto God 3. As a Prophet euery Christian man We should be expert in the knowledge of God and of his will should dispell from himselfe the mist of ignorance and increase in all manner of knowledge and vnderstanding that he may know what the good and acceptable will of God is for there is nothing more vnbeseeming a christian then ignorance of those things that concerne Gods will and his owne saluation The Philosophers indeed could pierce the secrets of nature the Iewes had wit enough to make a large shekell and a small Epha and so haue we all to know the things of this life Yet all this can but with Adam teach vs a way to run away from God to make vs erie with the Babylonians as the Prophet speaketh thy wisdome ô Babel hath caused thee to fall and in the end to ouerthrow vs as the Poet saith of himselfe Ingenio perij qui miser ipse meo And therefore Christ which is the way the truth and the life that hee might bring vs to eternall life hath giuen vs his word and annointed vs with his grace and powred on vs of his spirit that we might in some measure vnderstand his word and know his will and edifie our selues in our most holy faith and that we might know that this is eternall life Iohn 17. euen to know God and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ This is nobilissima scientiarum scientia The excellency of diuine knowledge nobilissimorum the most excellent knowledge in the world and the fittest knowledge for the noblest men of the world Scientia Prophetarum Dei a knowledge that the Magitians of Egipt the Philosophers of Athens the Rabbines of the Iewes and all the worldly wise men are ignorant of it but the true Prophets of Christ the true Christians doe onely know it Now the only way to get this knowledge is to search the scriptures for they testifie of me saith our Sauiour and by them saith S. Ierome plenam potes Dei Ieron ad Demeâ— Idem in prâ—â—em in Isaiam intelligere voluntatem thou maist vnderstand the whole will of God At ignoraÌ„tia scripturaruÌ„ est ignorantia Christi but the ignorance of the Scriptures is to be ignorant of Christ and to be folded and swadled in all errors as our Sauiour sheweth Matth. 21. 29. And therefore if wee would bee true Christian Prophets let vs euer bee conuersant in the word of God and because the Scripture licet omnibus accessibilis Aug. epist 3. ad volus paucissimis tamen penetrabilis though they be accessible vnto all all may haue them all may heare them yet are they vnderstood but of very few we should pray to God that he would open the eies of our vnderstanding that we may Ps 119. 18. see the wondrous things of his law and that we may throughly know the whole will of God and then we should pray for grace to doe the will of God while we are in this mortall life that wee may liue in peace with God in the euerlasting life through Iesus Christ our Lord who is blessed for euermore Amen Iehouae Liberatori FINIS Christ saith God delights not in much