babling and therefore I made these praiers short fitting all the chiefest occasions they will neither burthen thy memorie nor hinder thy affaires Grace before meat SAnctifie good Lord these thy creatures for vs and vs for thy seruice giue vs grace we pray thee to receiue them thankfully and to vse them soberly to thy praise and our comfort through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Grace after meat BLessed be the name of our most blessed God for these and for all other blessings that we haue receiued from him through Iesus Christ our Lord. O Lord saue thy Church preserue our King giue vs thy grace and send vs peace for Christ his sake Amen A Praier as we goe to bed O Lord Iesus Christ forgiue me I pray thee all the sins that I haue committed this day against thee and preserue me this night from all dangers I goe naked into my bed but I beseech thee cloath me with thy righteousnesse that I may not goe hence naked into my graue Amen A prayer when thou risest from bed O Sweet Iesus Christ I most humbly thanke thee for the comfortable rest that thou hast giuen this night vnto my wearied body I thanke thee for this light that shineth vpon me and I beseech thee grant that the light of thy heauenly truth may shine in my heart preserue me this day from all euill and guide me in thy way by thy holy spirit Amen A prayer when thou goest to heare a Sermon O Most sweet and blessed Sauiour I doe acknowledge and confesse mine ignorance and I come vnto thee to be instructed Lord open mine eares that I may diligently hearken vnto the words of thy Preacher and open mine heart as thou didst the heart of Lidia that the words which I heare with mine eares may bee ingraffed in my heart and imbraced in my soule to thy glory and to mine owne endlesse comfort Amen A prayer when thou goest to the Communion O Eternall God I see thy iustice and thy hatred against sin and I see the greatnesse of thy loue to mankind that for the washing of our sinnes and the sauing of our soules thou gauest thy only son thus to be broken to shed his pretious bloud I pray thee good Lord make mee partaker of all the benefit of his passion and let his death satisfie thy iustice for all my sins and transgressions Amen A thankesgiuing after the Communion O Most gracious God and louing father as thou hast giuen thine onely Sonne Iesus Christ to die for our sinnes and to be the blessed food of our soules so we most humbly beseech thee to giue vs grace that wee may die vnto sinne and shew our selues truly thankfull vnto thee for these vnspeakable blessings through the same Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen A prayer to be said in afflictions O Most iust and righteous God thou alwaies punishest man for sinne and I confesse O Lord that my sinnes deserue a great deale more punishment then thou hast laid vpon me for I haue sinned against heauen and against thee and I am no more worthy to be called thy sonne but thou desirest not the death of a sinner therefore I most humbly beseech thee to forgiue me all my sinnes and to turne away thine anger from me to giue me grace that I may make good vse of this thy fatherly chastisement and to deliuer me from the same when it pleaseth thee for Iesus Christ his sake Amen A prayer to be said in our sicknesse O Eternall and euerliuing God I thy poore and wretched seruant doe acknowledge mine iniquitie I doe see mine infirmitie I am not able to helpe my selfe and I doe confesse that thou art iust and righteous thou knowest best what thou hast to doe and it is best for me to submit my selfe to thy will And therefore I doe most earnestly intreat thee to restore me my health if it be thy will or else to giue me patience to endure this sicknesse to strengthen my faith against all temptations to make me most willing to forsake this world and most ready to come vnto thee whensoeuer thou callest Grant this ô gracious God for Iesus Christ his sake Amen A prayer to be said at the very houre of death O Sauiour of the world saue mee forgiue me all my sinnes and receiue my soule into thy hands ô sweet Iesus come euen so come quickly Amen Iehouae liberatori FINIS
therefore his obedience failing the promise of God and his obligation ceaseth I answer that the couenant and promise of God is conditionall in respect of vs but most absolute in respect of his owne purpose and therefore as he hath decreed to giue vs glorie so he hath decreed to giue vs the means wherby we may come vnto his glorie for that in vs there is neither abilitie to obey nor to perseuere to get grace nor to retain grace but it is God that hath begun the good worke of his grace in vs who will also perfect the same saith the Apostle Or to speake more briefly I say that Abbas de verit gratia Christi the promises of God are twofold 1. Aliae de fine hae conditionatae 2. Aliae de medijs hae gratuitae absolutae 1. Some concerning the end i. eternall life and these are alwayes conditionall as the Legall promises Hoc fac viâ—â—s Doe this and thou shalt liue and the Euangelicall promises Creds vines If you repent and beleeue you shall be saued 2. Others are concerning the meants and the helps that bring vs to this end i. to eternall life as to doe the will of God to beleeue in Christ and such like and these are alwayes absolute and most freely bestowed vpon vs. For Moses saith The Lord thy God will circumcise Deut. 30. 6. thine heart and the heart of thy seed to loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou mayst liue And the Prophet Ieremie Ier. 32. 40. saith that God would put his feare in their hearts that they should not depart from him And S. Paul saith that faith is the gift of God and so repentance and all other graces God doth most freely and absolutely promise to worke them in the hearts of his elect without any manner of relation or respect to anie act of theirs he will worke these graces in vs and he will worke that grace in vs whereby we may accept and receiue these graces And therefore it is certaine the Saints shall perseuere in grace because God hath promised perseuerance vnto the Saints 2. The Saints doe aske and pray for perseuerance and continuance of grace therefore they haue it for Cur poscitur si non conceditur why should it be sought if it be not granted saith S. Augustine Aug. de bono perseu cap. 2. But Christ saith Whatsoeuer you aske in my name you shall receiue it But thou wilt say thou hast asked many things The Saints doe pray for the continuance of grace and not receiued them I say Perhaps temporall things and temporall things si defuerint petenda quidem sunt sed non nimium requirenda they are to be sought but not too earnestly saith S. Bernard Deus enim dat prius quod potius Bern. de 4. modis or andi for God giueth first the things that are best Et non tribuit quod volunt vt tribuat quod vtile est and doth not giue the things that they would haue that hee might giue them the things that they should haue audit enim ad necessitatem non ad voluntatem for that hee heareth them according to their necessity and not according to their importunity as S. Augustine speaketh But thou wilt say thou hast requested Ob. spirituall things and yet hast not obtained I answer That either thou hast obtained or shalt be sure to obtaine them if thou desist not from seeking for we must not prescribe anie time to God because as he worketh grace in whom he will so he worketh it when he will Et est animi generosi perdurare quoad Deus misereatur nostri saith S. Chrysostome It is the part of a good Christian to wait vntil God haue mercy vpon him for he neuer failed any that continued to wait vpoÌ„ him but at last satisfied their desire And therefore despaire not because they are not presently granted but though he tarrie yet wait thou as the Prophet speaketh Hab. 2. 3. for the Lord sometimes doth deferre the grace that wee seeke not because he meanes to denie vs sed vt diu desiderata dulcius obtinentur but because things earnestly requested and long expected are sweetest when they are obtained And therefore this reason must needs hold the Saints pray for the continuance of grace therefore it shall continue Christ prayed for all Saints that their faith should not faile 3. Christ prayed for Peter that his faith should not faile therefore he obtained the same but what hee obtained for Peter he obtained for euerie one of his elect for our Sauiour saith Satan desired that he might sift them all but I prayed for thee i. for thee chiefly because thou didst chiefly and most fouly fall therfore he doth not here deny that he praied for the rest though he affirmeth he prayed chiefly for Peter But that it may more cleerely appeare that he did pray for all the rest of his elect he saith I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast giuen me out of the world and therefore the Saints cannot lose his grace nor fall away from his fauour because Christ prayed for them that they should not and I know saith Christ ô Father that thou doest alwayes heare me i. that thou doest alwaies grant me the things that I request neither did he only pray for his Saints in the daies of his flesh that their faith should not faile but now likewise he prayeth and maketh intercession for vs that God would forgiue vs our sinnes that he would giue vs his grace and that this grace should remaine with vs to bring vs to eternall life and therefore we may assure our selues that he which gaue vs grace will likewise preserue this grace in vs. But against this it may bee obiected That God gaue his Spirit and his Ob. 1 grace vnto Saul Iudas Simon Magus Hymeneus Philetus and such like and yet they fell away from grace Therefore a man may haue true grace and yet lose it I answer to these and all such like The wicked reprobates may and doe lose all the graces that they haue receiued examples in one word that I doe confesse the wicked and hypocrites or whosoeuer not elected may haue many excellent gifts and graces of Gods Spirit and may vtterly lose the same I denye not this but I say Gods elect the true Saints and beloued of God hauing once receiued grace and iustifying faith in that speciall manner as I shewed before can neuer lose the same and therefore all examples of hypocrites or such like can proue nothing against this that I defend But then it will bee obiected that Ob. 2 Dauid and Peter were the true Saints beloued of God and elected to saluation and had grace and yet these men by their sinnes did lose that grace therefore the true Saints after they haue receiued grace may by their sinnes fall away from
as the Poet said of his labors of vanity that nec Iouis ira nec ignis Nec poterit ferrum nec edax abolere vetustas And therefore I presumed out of my vnfained loue to insert your honoured name in the frontispice of this tract Accept it as the token of a thankfull heart for though you may haue many greater friends yet will I euer rest in the number of your truest and faithfullest friends At your seruice wholly to be commanded GR. WILLIAMS The Epistle to the Reader Gentle and Christian Reader Must confesse this little Treatise though it was not in a short time composed for I preached it all in the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paul in my ordinary lectures there yet came it in haste to be printed for after I had preached the chiefe heads of most part of it at Pauls Crosse it was requested for the Presse and I had not time lambere foetum to ouersee it againe as I would and because my bookes and all my notes saue only a few scattering papers that I brought with me were farre from me almost two hundred miles from London I was faine to let it passe without any diligent search for the quotations either of the Scripture places or of Fathers saue only what I bore in memorie and what were in my notes I brought with me And by reason of my absence from the Presse I finde manie faults committed in the printing I gathered some of them together and I pray thee sweet Christian brother take thy pen and mend them and where thou findest any other doe the like and I will take it kindly at thy hands and my praiers shall be euer readie for thee I hope the matter will proue profitable and that is my greatest desire For I take God to witnesse who is fidelissimus testis the most faithfull witnesse that my aime hath beene alwaies non scire vt scirem nec scientiam vendere not for any gaine either of credit or of profit but for the gaine of soules which is vberrimus quaestus the greatest gaine in the world to studie and preach and to doe all that lieth in me to discharge my dutie and therefore I euer affected verum magis quà m verba soundnesse of matter rather then nicenesse of words If any man say I did but collect the same out of other mens workes I say so too And I wish he that saith so would doe so too quia facilis est obliuio boni I gathered my stones out of many quarries but I composed my frame my selfe And I reioyce in this that I deliuer what I learned and not what I inuented as Lyrinensis speaketh To the censures of maleuolent mindes I doe expose my selfe Let them goe on say what they will Ego sic viuam vt illis fides non habeatur I hope God will giue me grace to feare him and not them and I hope the godly Reader of this little Tract of mine will finde some profit by it for the most necessary and the most frequent points of Diuinity that doe meet vs almost in euerie passage of the Scripture are here fully handled Scarce any Text of the New Testament can be found but some part of this Treatise will affoord some matter fit for some part thereof What profit it will bring I leaue it to the euent If none I hope God will esteeme my labours non ex euentu sed ex affectu not according to what it did but according to what I desire it should doe so praying to my good God for thee and for all men and desiring thee and all Saints to pray for me I rest Thy true brother in Iesus Christ GR. WILLIAMS The chiefe Contents Controuersiall points 1 OF the will of God 2 Of vniuersall grace 3 Of the certaintie of our estate 4 Of the perseuerance of the Saints 5 Of our iustification freely by grace 6 Of the Author of sinne and punishments 7 Of intercession for vs. 8 Of praying vnto Saints Morall points 1 OF the afflicted estate of the Saints 2 Of the loue of God and the extent of it 3 Of a two-fold calling 4 Of the true Saints in a three-fold respect 5 Of holinesse of life 6 Of the necessity and excellencie of grace 7 Of each kinde of peace and how had and of each kinde of warre handled at large 8 Of the Author of all goodnesse 9 Of the miserie and infirmitie of man 10 Of the word God and the foure things it signifieth 11 Of Father and the manifold comforts thereof 12 Of Lord and his foure-fold properties 13 Of Iesus and how he doth saue vs. 14 Of Christ and how King Priest and Prophet 15 Of fiue Christian Sacrifices And many other points Good Reader by reason of my absence from the Presse many faults escaped in the printing I pray thee mend these with thy pen and the rest where thou meetest them PAge 50. line 22. read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 56. l. 5. r. fraudaberis à victoria p. 92. l. 1. r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 221. l. 9. r. Hubertus p. 244. blot out the 15. and 16. lines pag. 247. lin 25. r. peacetakers p. 248. l. 8. r. effect p. 248. l. 20. r. extumuit p. 254. l. 27. read Drances p. 262. l. 5. r. Therons p. 264. l. 18. r. silice p. 334. l. 8. read goodnesse p. 343. l. 3. r. scori◠p. 345. l. 4. r. vermium p. 367. l. 9. r. and not equality p. 420. l. 11. read vnpossible THE DELIGHTS OF THE SAINTS ROM 1. 7. To all that be at Rome beloued of God called Saints grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ. IN this verse is set downe vnto vs the Desires and Delights of the Saints the desire of S. Paul and delight of Christians and therefore as Titus Vespasian was called deliciae generis humani the delight of humane kinde so the contents of this my text may be more fitly termed Solatia Sanctorum The ioy and solace of Saints Iupiter ambrosia satur est est nectare plenus saith Persius but neither the Poets ambrosia nor Homers Moly nor Plinies Centauriae that preserue men as they say from all lustfull inchantments can be so delightfull to the sonnes of men as grace and peace are to the Saints of God for as he that findeth the stone of Thracia is neuer after troubled so he that findeth grace and peace can neuer after be discontented What therfore the Apostle wished vnto all them I wish the same vnto all you i. grace and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ Wherein I obserue two things 1. The Saints described to whom the Apostle wisheth these blessings 2. The blessings themselues wherewith the Saints are delighted are here expressed First the Saints are described three waies 1. From the number which the Apostle meaneth all Saints 2. From the place where the Saints inhabite in Rome 3. From their proper differences whereby
heed vnto our selues and not harden our hearts any longer but let vs hearken vnto his voice lest he sweare in his wrath that we shall not enter into his rest But indeed all these kinds of outward callings are but in vaine and bring no benefit vnlesse the Lord calleth vs inwardly by his spirit for 1. Nisi spiritus adsit cordi audientis In vaine is al outward calling vnlesse we be inwardly called by Gods Spirit Greg. hom 30. super Euangel inanis est labor docentis In vaine do we preach vnto your eares vnlesse the Spirit of God doth open your hearts as he did the heart of Lydia that you may beleeue our preaching as she did the preaching of Paul 2. All the blessings of the world will but puffe vs vp with pride as they did the Israelites as Moses sheweth dilectus Deut. 32. 15 meus impinguatus calcitrauit my beloued fatted and inlarged spurned with his heeles vnlesse God doth giue vs the grace to vse those blessings to the glory of his name 3. All punishments and all iudgements will sooner worke desperation then conuersion in a sinfull soule vnlesse the grace of God worke true humility in vs to make a right vse of his fatherly chastisements And this experience daily sheweth First the word is preached the one beleeueth the other refuseth it Secondly God bestoweth his blessings vpon men the one is puffed vp with pride the other is truly thankfull Thirdly God sendeth his iudgements the one groweth desperate with Saul the other is humbled with Dauid And what is the cause of this to the one sort hee sendeth his messengers onely to call them outwardly to the other sort he sendeth his spirit and giueth his grace to make them yeeld vnto his calling and this effectuall calling of the Saints to beleeue the Gospell and to obey the voyce of God is the effect and fruit of the loue of God Whensoeuer therefore wee be outwardly called by what way or meanes soeuer it bee let vs presently pray to God that hee would inwardly worke in our hearts to incline them to yeeld vnto his calling else will the outward calling bring no benefit but only make vs without excuse And so much of their vocation 3. Touching their sanctification called to bee Saints wee must vnderstand that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is deriued froÌ„ the pâ—iuatiue particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the earth as if it were a separating from earthly things So it signifieth a pure and a cleane thing free from all contagion and touch of inferiour things and it is taken two waies 1. simpliciter 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simply or in some respect 1. In the first sense God onely is of himselfe and of his owne nature simply holy and the author of all holinesse for God is light and in him there is no â— Ioh. 1. darknesse at all and the blessed Virgin saith holy is his name Conueniunt rebus nominasaepe suis And this name sheweth his nature and the greatest praise of God for the glorious Seraphims which Esaias saw Esay 6. and those wonderous creatures which S. Iohn did see cryed three times holy Apoc. 4. holy holy Lord God of hosts which we doe not read of any other attribute of God And therefore Damascen reporteth Damasc l. 3. c. 10. that when the people of Constantinople were terribly afraid of some dangers did humbly pray vnto God against the same a childe was suddenly rapt vp on high and was taught by the Angels this holy Song Sanctus Deus Sanctus fortis Sanctus immortalis miserere nostri holy God holy Almighty holy immortall God haue mercy vpon vs and when he was restored downe and declared the same vnto the people the whole multitude sung the same incessantly and so were deliuered from all the dangers that they feared And for this cause the third person of the blessed Trinitie as by a proper name is called holy spirit and therefore in that golden plate that was to adorne Aarons forehead was ingrauen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 28. 36 as the Septuagint translate it that is sanctitas Iehouae as Tremellius or sanctum Domino as the vulgar hath it holines to the Lord or all sanctity is to be ascribed vnto the Lord and doth onely proceede from the Lord. In this respect our Church in her highest straine of deuotion immediately after the receiuing of the blessed Sacrament sings vnto God tu solus Sanctus thou only art holy thou onely art the Lord that is simply in all respects essentially in himselfe and causally the fountaine of all holinesse and purity in all his creatures And yet of all Gods attributes this is most contradicted and murmured against by the wicked as if he were not pure vpright and holy especially 1. In the election of his creatures 2. In the distribution of his graces 3. In the remuneration of our deserts But for the first wee answer that he hath ius absolutum in creaturas an absolute right ouer all his creatures so that hee may doe with it what he will euen as the Potter hath power of the clays Rom. 9. as the Apostle sheweth and yet we say that hee doth not vse the same nor preparare filios ad patibulum but finding them all in the masse of corruption by Adams transgression hee doth shew mercy vpon whom he will and whom he will he leaueth still in that state wherein they were not created nor intruded by him but most miserably fallen in the loynes of Adam So that herein God sheweth vnto his elect indebitam misericordiam more then deserued mercy to the other nothing but debitam institiam what they most iustly deserued To the second wee say that although hee giueth to one fiue talents to others but one to others none at all that hee exalteth one pulleth downe another and so of all other gifts and graces whether temporall or spirituall yet wee say that hee doth no wrong to him that hath least or that hath none at all quia non tenetur Creator creaturae because hee is debtor to none and hee is not bound to giue vnto any and therefore may most iustly and freely doe what he will with his owne as our Sauiour sheweth most excellently in the Parable of the Labourers hired vnto his vineyard And to the third wee answer that in giuing vnto them which by continuance in well doing seeke glory and honor and immortality eternall life hee sheweth himselfe most gracious mercifull Rom. 2. as all men will confesse and in rendring vengeance to them that obey not God indignation and wrath vpon euery soule that sinneth hee sheweth himselfe most iust and vpright And therefore the Prophet Esay ch 5. after hee had set downe many of Gods iudgements against the wicked lest any should thinke God vniust therein hee addeth that the Lord of hosts should be exalted in iudgement and the
can doe vnto them nor what the deuill can doe against them And therefore S. Gregorie saith nulla nocebit aduersitas si nulla dominatur iniquitas no aduersitie can hurt thee if no sinne doth raigne ouer thee And so you see the three-fold peace which the holy Apostle wisheth vnto the Saints and which euery godly Saint enioyeth But here before we passe any further we must consider that as the Saints haue this three-fold peace so they haue a treble warre for alas alas non potest Bern. in parab Christi ecclesiae esse pax firma solida nisi in regione sua we may not looke for firme and perfect peace but in the kingdome of peace saith S. Bernard And therefore our life is but a warfare The life of the Saints is a continuall war a warfare against three mortall enemies 1. The World and all vanities 2. The Flesh and all concupiscence 3. The Deuill and all temptations 1. The loue of the world is enmitie 1 Ioh. 2. 15. with God saith the Apostle and therefore we must not only vse the world as though we vsed it not but wee must despise it and trample it vnder our feet and haue no fellowship with the workers of iniquitie but super custodiam nostram stare to stand vpon our guard Hab. 2. 1. and to professe open hostilitie against them for as Iehu said vnto Iehoram what peace can there bee so long as the 2 Reg. 9. 22. where domes of Iesabel her witcherafts are so many so say I to the wicked worldlings what peace can they expect from the Saints so long as their whoredomes idolatries drunkennesse swearing and other fearefull sinnes and most horrible abominations doe remaine and reigne amongst them for we must hate the very garment that is spotted with sinne as the Apostle speaketh Jude ep ver 23. 2. The flesh lusteth against the spirit Gal. 5. 17. saith S. Paul and lust when it hath conceiued bringeth forth sinne and Iac. 1. 15. sinne when it is finished bringeth death saith S. Iames and therefore cum Aug. to 10. f. 333. c. 2. vitijs bellum semper est habendunt we must euer striue and fight against our vices and against the concupiscence and the lusts of our flesh which alwaies fight against our soules saith S. Augustine 3. Satan goeth about like a roaring 1 Pet. 5. 8. Lion seeking whom he may deuoure he enticeth vs to sinne and when we haue sinned he accuseth vs to God and he bringeth vs to hell and there he plagueth vs for euer for our sinnes And therefore pax nostra bellum contra Satanam saith Tertullian Our only way Tertullian in lib. ad Martyr to haue peace with God is to make warre against the deuill and when he seeketh to tempt vs to any vice to say vade Satana non tentabis auoid Satan Matt. 4. 10. thou false inticer and the accuser of our brethren I will not yeeld vnto thy wicked suggestions And so you see that although the Saints be at peace with God at peace with men and at peace with their owne selues yet must they looke for nothing else but war war with the world and all worldly vanities warre with sinne and with all sinfull men and war with Satan and with all Satans temptations In this respect our Sauiour saith he came not to send peace into the world but the sword yea many times to set a man at variance against his father and the Matt. 9. 35. daughter against her mother and the daughter in law against her mother in law yea and that which seemes worst of all to set a man against himselfe For if any man will come after me he Mat. 16. 24. must deny himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me saith our Sauiour i. he must not only resist the deuill and suffer all the miseries that the world can inflict vpon him but he must mortifie the deeds of his owne flesh and destroy Rom. 6. 6. the whole body of sinne And in this respect the whole life of the Saints is called a warfare and all the Saints are called Souldiers that must manfully fight this christian battle and that three waies or after a threefold manner 1. By the word of the minister 2. By the sword of the magistrate 3. By the lawfull assistance of euery man For all these must ioyne together not only to fight each one against his owne sinnes but also with vnited forces to fight against all the enemies of the Lord. 1. We that are the ministers like chiefe captaines must crie aloud and spare not to tell the people their transgressions Esay 58. 1. The Ministers must be chiefe Captaines in the war against the wicked and the house of Iaacob their offences we must refute their errors reproue their sinnes and indeuour by all meanes to destroy whatsoeuer maketh against the glorious Gospell of Christ To this end it is worth the noting which the Apostle speaketh that the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to the pulling downe of strong holds and imaginations and euery high thing that exalteth 2 Cor. 10. 4 5 6. it selfe against the knowledge of God and to the bringing into captiuity of euery thought to the obedience of Christ and hauing vengeance in a readinesse against all disobedience You see how strongly we are armed and how well we are weaponed to fight against the wicked And yet because we doe all this but with the word of our lips the wicked feare vs not but let them looke vnto it for that word is sharper then a two-edged sword and it is able to diuide their soules in sunder and to condemne them all in the day of condemnation as our Sauiour sheweth The word that I haue Ioh. 12. 48. spoken the same shall iudge them in the last day 2. The Magistrates must be likewise The Magistrates must warre against the wicked Captaines and Commanders in this warre of God and with the sword of iustice they must cut off Idolaters Heretickes Schismatikes and such like enemies of our peace and roote out all the workers of iniquitie from the Church of God as King Asa Iehu Iehosophat Iosias and Ezechias and all good kings and gouernours euer did and as the Lord commandeth all to doe Cantic 2. 15. For they are the ministers of God to take vengeance on Rom. 13. 4. such as doe euill 3. Euery priuate man after a iust and Euery man must ioyne helpe to warre against the wicked lawfull manner in his owne place and station must to the vttermost of his ability aide and assist both Magistrate and Minister to roote out sinne debellare superbos and to subdue the workers of iniquitie For In communem hostem quilibet homo miles Euery man must fight when euery man is interessed in the danger or else the sparing of our enemies will proue to be a
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
our hearts condemne vs not of sinne as the Apostle sheweth 1 Iohn 2. A good name and report ariseth hence when we giue none occasion vnto men to suspect ill of vs. And therefore as he that committeth sinne and therefore can haue no good conscience towards God may notwithstanding through the concealing and close cariage of the same retaine a good report with men and continue in the good opinion of the world so he that committeth not sinne and therefore hath a good conscience towards God may notwithstanding by his indiscretion and want of circumspection giue many causes of iust suspitions of guiltinesse and so lose his reputation and good esteeme in the world And therefore that we may haue a good conscience towards God we must abstaine from all euill and that wee may Hee that would haue a good name must auoid all appearaÌ„ce of euill 1 Thes 5. 22. haue a good report in the world wee must abstaine from all appearance of euill and giue no cause to any man to suspect ill of vs for as the prouerbe is He that will auoid an ill name Must auoid all that cause the same And He that will no euill doe Pro. 15. 15. Must doe nothing that belongs thereto And so when our hearts and consciences tell vs that wee neither did the euill nor gaue any cause in the world for any man to suspect vs of euill then shall we be happie indeed our hearts will be at peace and our consciences better then a continuall feast And thus you see the kindes of peace and you see the goodnesse of each kinde of peace that nothing can be more excellent then this blessed peace nor any thing in the world more miserable then to want the same And therefore nec vidisse satis est iuuat vsque morari I am loth to part yet from this point of The meanes to procure each kinde of peace peace and I hope we shall not lose our labour if we stay a little longer to consider how we may obtaine each kinde of peace that makes the obtainer happie and therefore I say 1. That we may finde peace with God 1. How to finde peace with God we must doe three especiall things 1. To beleeue in Christ 2. To auoid sinne 3. To doe good 1. We must beleeue in Christ for he is the Prince of peace and the only Esay 9. 6. Peace-maker betweene the mortall sinner and the immortall God but Christ dwelleth Eph. 3. 17. Aug. de Agon Christ ca. 12. in our hearts by faith saith the Apostle Et fides est prima quae subiugat animam Deo And our faith in Christ is the first thing that subiecteth our soule to God saith S. Augustine and so by faith in Christ we liue by faith in him Rom. 1. 17. we are reconciled to God we are iustified Rom. 3. 25. 28. sanctified saued And therefore without faith it is vnpossible to please God it is vnpossible to Act 15. 9. be at peace with God for as he that beleeueth Ephes 2. 8. on him is not condemned so he that beleeueth not on him is condemned already because hee hath not beleeued in the Iohn 3. 18. name of the only begotten Sonne of God and because in not beleeuing on him he maketh God alier and beleeueth not the record that God gaue of his Sonne 1 Ioh. 5. 10. 11. 12. which is that God hath giuen vs eternall life and that this life is in his Sonne and that whosoeuer hath the Sonne hath life and whosoeuer hath not the Sonne hath not life And therefore this should teach vs Faith is obtained increased by 3. especiall meanes all carefull diligence to get to preserue and to increase this precious gift of faith and that by three speciall means 1. By the hearing of the word 2. By the recouring of the Sacraments 3. By the feruencie of our prayers For 1. Faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10. 17. and hearing by the word of God saith the Apostle Et accenditur fidei lampaâ—igne diuini verbi And the lampe of faith is kindled by the fire of the heauenly word saith S. Chrysostome And so the Chrys in Matth. 25. Eph. 1. 13. Ephesians are said to haue beleeued in Christ after they had heard the word of Christ And therefore wee should bee euer willing and alwayes readie to heare the preaching of the word of God for the more we heare the more we shall increase our faith and the lesse we heare the lesse faith we shall be sure to haue 2. The Sacraments are Sigilla Dei the great seales of God that ratifie vnto vs the word of God that by two immutable Heb. 6. 18. things viz. Gods writing and Gods seale we might haue a strong consolation And they bee verba visibilia Euangelij the visible words of the Gospell that doe set before our eyes the sacrifice of Christ and shew in a visible manner how Christ was crucified for vs and shed his bloud for the remission of our sinnes And therefore wee should not neglect the frequent vse of these blessed meanes that God hath giuen vs to increase our faith 3. The prayer of a faithfull man auaileth James 5. 16. much to procure any thing at the hands of God if it be feruent saith the Apostle And therefore as Christ prayed Luke 22. 32. for S. Peter that his faith should not faile so should wee pray to God that hee would preserue and increase our faith and because the preaching of the word is but the demonstration of the Spirit and 1 Cor. 2. 4 5. faith is in the power of God therefore we should the rather pray that when Act. 16. 14. Christ is preached the Lord would sanctifie our hearts and open them as he did the heart of Lidia that we might beleeue in Christ 2. We must auoid sinne for sinne is the continuall make-bate betweene the righteous God and the vnrighteous man sinne writeth bitter things against Iob 13. 26. vs sinne layeth vs open before the face of God and sinne moueth his iealousie to burne like fire against vs for Psal 4. hee hateth all those that worke wickednesse And therefore if we would be at peace with God wee must be at warre with sinne as I said before and we must not only repent vs of the old sinnes that we haue committed but we must also resist all those new sinnes whereunto we shall be enticed for sinne is like Antaeus the gyant as oft as it is throwne downe viresque animumque resumit It will presently set a fresh vpon vs and the more eagerly seeke our ouerthrow and therefore we must manfully resist all the inticements of sinne or else our sinnes like those wilde horses Qui circum illiacos raptarunt hectora Virgilius muros will teare vs in peeces while there is none to helpe vs. 3. We must doe good for righteousnesse and peace haue kissed
no darknesse at all And therefore God appeared to Moses in a flame of fire to Exâ—d 3. shew that he would cherish and comfort that poore people which were so much distressed and tormented of the Egiptians these be the two properties of fire to cherish or consume for nothing is so comfortable as fire if it be before vs nothing so violent if it be vpon vs so nothing is more comfortable then God vnto the godly nothing more terrible vnto wicked Tu terribilis Deus extunc ira tua who is able to abide his wrath And to these three deriuations of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zanch addeth a fourth That Zanch de nat Dei it may be deriued of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by changing δ. into θ. which signifieth feare because of all nations he should be feared And indeed Primus in orbe Deos fecit timor feare makes vs know there is a God when a mans conscience telleth him that euery good shall be rewarded and euerie euill must be punished And so you haue the significations of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God take it how you will it serueth 1. To shew vs qualis est Deus that The greatnesse of Gods Maiestie should teach vs to feare him God is a great and terrible God that seeth all things disposeth all things and rewardeth all things according to their iust deserts 2. To teach vs quid sit nostri officij what our duties are to feare and tremble to offend this great and terrible God and to be affraid of his iudgements because it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God 2. Though God be a burning fire Exod. 3. yet he consumeth not presently for though the bramble bush burned because God was in it yet it consumed not because his goodnesse preserued Exod. 3. it euen so though in the first place we see his Maiesty and his title of feare and reuerence yet in the second place if you but looke a little further you shall see his lenitie and his titles of loue and boldnesse not one but many like a boundlesse Ocean that would extoll it selfe in goodnesse aboue himselfe Our Father and our Lord Iesus Christ Now these titles are to be considered two waies 1. In respect of the Father 2. In respect of the Sonne In both which respects the loue and goodnesse of God is most abundantly shewed vnto vs 1. In that he is our Father 2. In that he is our Lord and Sauiour Of these in order These two words Our Father containe the sum of the Law and the Gospell Our Father De 1. The titles that doe expresse the goodnesse of the first person are two 1. Pater Father 2. Noster Our Father The first is verbum fidei a word of faith The second is verbum spei charitatis a word of hope and charitie and therefore in these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Father are contained both 1. Lex operandi the law of workes Basil obseru 2. Lex credendi the law of Faith i. both the Law and the Gospell For 1. To loue God with all our heart with all our soule and with all our strength and our neighbour as our selues is the summe of the Law and the Prophets saith our Sauiour but the name of Father vt explicat ita excitat Eliensis in orat domin charitatem as it sheweth the loue of God to man so it stirreth vp and kindleth the loue of man towards God the word noster Our Father sheweth the fraternity and brother-hood of vs all as being the children of the same father and therefore should loue one another euen as brethren ought to doe so here is our loue to God and our neighbour 2. The sum of the Gospell is faith working by charity but Father is a word of faith a word of boldnesse and Our is a word of community a word of charity And therefore as the whole world is described in a little mappe saith Synesius so in these two little words are most closely included the sum of the Law and the Gospell And therefore I will handle them more particularly And first of the word Father then of Our Father De 1. God is said to be a Father God is a Father in two respects in two respects 1. Respectu filij in respect of his sonne Christ Iesus 2. Respectu creaturarum in respect of all his creatures 1. In respect of his Sonne Christ Iesus he is alwaies a Father from all eternities Quia ille semper Pater Aug. to 10. ser 33. in apend de diuersis ille semper filius ac proinde Pater nunquam non Pater filius nunquam non filius he is alwaies a Father the Sonne is alwaies a Sonne and therefore the Father was neuer no Father and the Sonne was neuer no Sonne Sed sicut semper Deus it a semper Pater habens semper filium quem semel genuit ex sua aequalem sibi natura but was as he was euer a God so he was euer a Father hauing euer a Son which he once begat of his own nature coequall vnto himselfe saith Saint Augustine 2. In respect of his creatures he is said to be a Father 1. Generally of all his creatures God is said to be the Father of all his creatures 2. Particularly of man the chiefest of his creatures 1. Seeing all creatures haue their being from him he may be well called the Father of them all quia Pater dat esserei And therefore Iob calleth him Iob 38. Pater pluuiae the father of the raine And Saint Iames calleth him Pater luminum the Father of the Iam. 1. lights And so in respect of creation he is the Father of all things 2. He is the Father of men after a more speciall manner then he is of all other creatures whatsoeuer and that two waies 1. In respect of their generation 2. In respect of their regeneration For 1. Whereas of all other things he did but say fiat lux let there be light and producat terra let the earth bud forth and of all other things he spake the word and they were made he commanded they stood fast yet when man was to be created he said Let vs make God is more properly the Father of men man as consulting with his wisdome in our owne image and likenesse as more properly to be our sonne then any other creature and so he breathed in the nostrils of man the breath of life and man became a liuing soule And therefore the very Heathens doe ascribe to the soule of man both maxima vis maximus honos the greatest power and the greatest honour and the prince of Philosophers telleth vs it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an infusion celestiall and no naturall traduction and therefore doth alwaies seeke to mount vp super altitudines terrae aboue all earthly things haerere origini
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