ineffabili potestate operatur Deus in cordibus hominum non solùm veras reuelationes sed etiam bonas voluntates that God by a wonderfull and ineffable power which must needs be more then any perswasion doth worke in mens mindes not onely true Reuelations which is wrought vpon the reason but good affections and desires which is wrought immediately vpon the will The very same doth he againe teach in his 107. epist. where purposely he refutes Vitalis for saying that to consent to Gods calling or his Gospell was not any speciall gift of God but an act flowing from the freedome of our will when our vnderstanding is enlightned by the doctrine of God As also in his booke de spir lit 34. chap. where hauing declared how God vseth these perswasions vnto vs whether externall in his word preached or internall in the eares of our hearts which in the Scripture are fitly termed the vocation and calling or the knocking of God at our hearts he truely saith that to consent or dissent is an act indeed of our will but this that we doe consent is the gift and worke of God in our hearts which worke he elsewhere more especially declares to consist not onely in setting those obiects before our minde or will but praebendo voluntati vâ—res efficacissimas in giuing most effectuall strength vnto the will to affect and to desire the same and making a man not onely to see the trueth but to loue it also which ariseth at he saith not from the freedome of our will but from the spirit of God which is giuen vnto vs. And afterwards hee moues as he well termes it a profound but a verie notable question to this purpose how it comes to passe that when God vseth the same or the like perswasions and suggestions to two meÌ„ vni ita suadeatur vt persuadeatur the one is effectually perswaded not the other did mans conuersion depend on mans owne will he might most easily haue answered this question because the one by the freedome of his will assented vnto Gods motions and the other by the like freedome of his will dissented there from or else because to the one the perswasions and suggestions were congruous and fitting and not vnto the other But S. Austen knowing right well that it might iustly no doubt would againe be replied what should worke the congruitie of the ones will vnto Gods perswasions and not of the other which he saw could be referred to no other cause but onely to the grace of God giuen to the one and not giuen to the other therefore he tels vs that hee can giue no other answer to that question but that of the Apostle O altitudo O the depth of Gods iudgements who of his mercy giues his grace and thereby makes the one willing to turne to God and so hee is effectually perswaded and in his iustice withholdes that grace from the other and so he remains stil vnwilling vnperswaded In which answer as being most sufficient S. Austen so fully rests himselfe that he addes this conclusion If any desire a better answer quaerat doctiores let him seeke to those that are more learned but take heed he finde not those that are more presumptuous Thus we see that there is a further working of Gods grace on our wils besides that illumination perswasion which is wrought on our vnderstanding for though it be most true which both Philosophers and the Schoolemen teach that the will doth euer follow the last iudgement and conclusion of our practike reason yet because which is most specially to be obserued in this point euen this last iudgement of our reason is subiect to the power arbitrement of our will that so hauing had a most pregnant and fit reason and conclusion proposed vnto it yet of it owne freedome and libertie by a certaine conniuence may auert and turne it selfe from that and â—â—â—nd or looke onely at another though farre woorse and weaker conclusion and bâ— this attendance make this to be the last determinaâ—ion of reason therefore lost our will which of it selfe is euer most ready to turne away from God and from all his perswasionâ— bee they neuer so forcible should at the time or instant of our conuâ—â—â—â—on vse this her liberty in turning away fâ—om them God who hath the heaâ—â—s of all men in his owne hand and who hath as S. â—â—â—ten at large and excellentlently sheâ—eth 〈◊〉 more power ouer mans willâ— than 〈◊〉 himselfe by his deuine and sâ—crâ—t but as S. Austen cals it most omnipotent power and 〈◊〉 operation of grace doth both staâ— and hold our wil that it auert not from his motions and so bends and incline 〈◊〉 and by it owne wâ—â—lingnâ—sse as S. Austen saith and therefore without all foâ—ce and violence doth euen draw it to yeeld her consent vnto his perswasions as to the last and as they are indeed the best iudgement and determination of our practicke reason Which worke of Gods grace is so effectuall in mens hearts that as S. Austen in his booke de praedest sanct 8. chap. truely saith a nullo duro corâ—â— reâ—â—â—uâ—tur it is neuer reiected of any though most obdurate and inflexible heart or will for this grace doth euen 〈…〉 the heart and makes it willâ—ng to embrace affect and will that whereunto God perswadeth But leauing these obscure though indeed most needfull subtiâ—â—â—es of leaâ—â—â—ng vnto thosâ— in this place whose wits and stâ—dâ—es are more conuersant and exercised therein then ouâ—s whose endeuours are â—â—ploâ—ed vnto most plaine and vulgar perswasions I rather desire bâ—â—â—fly to answer and if I can to wipe away that one doubt and obiection which as it is most popâ—lâ—r and plausâ—â—le so is it euer most obuious in this cause whâ—ch is that 〈◊〉 we haue not liberty and free will to turne vnto God and godlinesse then all precepts exhortations admonitions and reproofes may seeme to bee in vaine for what folly were it say they to exhort or command vs to doe that which is not in our power oâ— libeâ—tie to performe as if a man should exhort one to runne which were fast inclosed in a pit or prison out of which he had no power nor free liberty to come foorth For answer whereunto I first say the same that S. Austen doth in his booke de grat lib. arbitr 16. chap. where setting downe this very obiection of the Pelagians magnum aliquid Pelagiâ—m se scâ—re putâ—nt quan lo dicunt non iuberet deuâ— quod â—ciret non posse ab homine fieri God would neuer said they command that which he knew man could not performe S Austen answers them that therefore God commands somwhat which man cannot doe that man may learne to seeke of God ability to doe it Fides enim impetrat quod lex imperat for faith obtaines in prayer what God commands in his law as hee there and elsewhere declares For which cause S.
things he was tempted like vs sinâ—e onely excepted Of whom S. Austen saith That hee was therefore prefigured by the spotlesse lambe to signifie that he alone should be without all spot of sin to heale all our sins Sâ—lus in hominibus quaâ— quarebatur in pecoribus He onely among men was such as they sought among the beasts that is without spot and blemish But of all other besides him the Scripture saith All wee like sheepe haue gone astraie and the Lord hath laide vpon him the in quâ—tie of vs all And againe the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne for all haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God Nemo mundusa a â—eccatâ—â— saith S. Ierome against Iouinian nec si vâ—ius quidem dies fuerit vita eius None is cleane from sinne no not though he liue but one day vpon the earth And S. Bernard in his 23. sermon vpon the Cantic most significantly saith Non peccare Dei iustitia hominis iustitia indulgentia Dei not to sinne is Gods iustice to haue pardon of sinne is mans iustice It was one heresie of the Pelagians as S. Austen shewes in his booke De haeresibus ad quod vult haer 88. and in his booke De bono perseu 5. chap. that the iust in this life are voide of all sinne and without spot or wrinckle which errour of theirs S. Austen almost euery where refels but specially in his books Contra 〈◊〉 epist Pelag in the first whereof and 14 chap. he saith Mulâ—â— fideles â—unt sine crimine sine peccato autem dixâ—râ—m nemiâ—em Many godly and faithfull men doe liue without crime so did Zachaâ—â—e and Elizabeth as he elsewhere declares but without sinne not any which distinction he againe repeats and explains in his 〈◊〉 ad Lâ—uâ— 64. chap. and in the third booke and 7. chap. We call saith hee the vertues of iust men perfect in such sort that there belongs vnto their perfection Ipsius imperfectionis in ver tate cognitio in humilitate confessio Both the knowledge and acknowledgement of our owne imperfection And therefore in his 9 booke of Confessions 13. ch Vae etiam laudabili vitae homâ—â—uÌ„â—i 〈◊〉 misericordia discutiaâ— eampunc Wo be saith he euen to best most praise worthy life of man if thou shalt examine it in iustice not in mercy S. Ierome likewise at large and excellently refuting the same heresie of the Pelagians both in his epistle ad 〈◊〉 and in his three books aduers. Pelag. truely saith Haec hominibus â—ola perfectio si imperfectoâ— se esse neuerint This is the onely perfection of men in this life to know and acknowledge their owne imperfection And whereas the Pelagians often insolently obiected that in the Scriptures both Moses and Christ himselfe doth exhort vs to be perfect S. Ierome answers that they doe it in this meaning Vt secundum vires nostras vnuâ—quiâ—que quantum valuâ—rit extenâ—â—tur That euery one should 〈◊〉 as much as they can vnto perfection and with the Apostle forgetting that which is behinde endeuour themselues to that which is before and follow hard to the marke but yet still the perfection of vertue which they doe or can attaine vnto in this life is onely an inchoate as S. Austen tearms it a begun and daily increasing but not a complete and finished sanctification or as S. Ierome saith it is heere in Vmbra imagine onely in a shadow and some lineaments of perfect sanctitie but hereafter it shal be in full beautie complete glory heere they haue it in vta cursu as passengers not as possessors as in the way not as in their countrey for there shall be Sine omni sorde perfectio perfection without any spot or admistion of sinne but here is onely perfection Secundum humanae fragilitatis modulum such as mans frailtie can receaue of whom the Prophet saith For this that is for his sin iniquity as S. Ierome expounds it shal euery holy man make his prayer vnto thee And in a word there shall be as he cals it a perfect perfection but here Cuntiorum in vita iustorum imperfecta perfectio est All euen the most iust men haue but an imperfect perfection How neere to those old Pelagians whose heresie these worthie fathers so learnedly confuted the Papists the church of Rome approch may easily appeere not onely by their particular tenents both of the blessed virgin whom they teach to haue beene void of all both actuall and originall sinne and of S. Francis whose life was as they affirme a fulfilling of the whole Gospel according to euery line and letter of whom for that cauâ—e they sing their solemne hymne Franciscus â—uangelicum Nec apicem vel vnicum transgreditur vel â—â—ta but also by their generall doctrine concerning the fulfilling of the law of God of which they teach that it is not onely possible but euen necessary also for attaining eternall life to keepe and fulfill the commandements of Gods law especially seeing And. Vega in his â—â— booke and 19. chap. vpon the Trent Councell sets it downe for a Catholike and Trent conclusion that there is no moment of time wherin a man may not singula omnia vitare peccata shun and auoid all and euery sinne and further that the iust and righteous men often yea truly pleâ—â—nque sic esse for the most part doe so auoide all sinne indeed Which new Pelagianisme it were not hard to refute but that in this straitnesse of time I much rather desire to touch that which concernes our liues then our learning And that is one speciall lesson which the Apostle heere teacheth that in true sanctification we must not thinke it sufficient in some one dutie to performe obedience vnto God and in some other as many doe to take allowance and dispensation vnto our selues but we must willingly resigne and submit our selues whollie vnto God and to his law striuing with all our knowledge with all our affections and in all our actions to performe acceptable seruice vnto God For of those who at their pleasure take such allowance in any one commandement or branch of Gods law seeing the reason and formal cause of their obedience is not the voice of God but their owne will and choice of such S. Iames truely saith That whosoeuer keepes all the rest of the law and yet faileth in one point hee is guiltie of all not because vices and vertues are linck together for that both in nature is impoâ—â—â—ble and S. Austen â—câ—â—tes it in his treatise on those words but because such a man setting light by Gods authoritie and loue on which as both Tertullian and S. Austen rightly teach depends as on a foundation the true obseruing of euery commandement and for which onely we should yeeld obedience to Gods law such one I say neglecting violating the
ground of obedience though but in one point is indeed guiltie of all as being then ready vpon any occasion of his owne pleasure to take like allowance to himselfe in any part of the law as he hath alreadie done in that one And therefore God in his law requires an intire and totall obedience to be giuen to him Thou shalt loue the Lord with all thine heart and with all thy soule and with all thy strength Thou shalt obserue and doe all that I command thee Thou shalt not decline from any of the words which I command thee Let vâ— clense our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit Cast away all your transgressions and iniquities for why wil yee die O yee house of Iâ—raeâ— And to omit S. Austens comparison that euen one wound or disease if we neglect or refuse the cure thereof will endanger the whole body though the rest be â—ound or that one châ—nke if it be not preuented may endanger the whole shippe I rather propose that one but most effectuall testimonie of God Ezech. 18. If a father beget a sonne that is a theefe or a shedder of bloud 〈◊〉 he doe any one of these things though he doe not all these things but either hath eaten vpon the mountaines or defiled his neighbours wife or hath oppressed the poore and needy or hath spoiled by violence or hath lift vp his eies vnto Idols or hath giuen foorth vpon vsurie or hath taken encrease shall he liue He shall not liue but in the abominations that he hath done he shall die the death Consecrate therfore I beseech you your selues wholly vnto the Lord. Consecrate first as the Apostle heere teacheth your spirits and inmost affections vnto God for God loueth trueth in the inward parts And as he is a spirit so hee lookes to be serued first and chieflâ— in spirit and in trueth Be thou vpright said God to Abraham before me that is not onely before men but in my sight who search the hearts and reines without this all externall and outward holinesse is but Phaâ—saicall ostentation and that outward clensing of the cups and painting the tombes which within are full of hypocrisie and iniquitie full of filthinesse and rottennesse against which our Sauiour hath denounced a woe in the Gospell Well may yee by this visor of sanctitie dazell and bleare the eies of men as the Poet signified Pulchra lauerna da mihi sallere dâ—â—ustum 〈◊〉 eviderâ— but neuer can yee deceiue the al-seeing eies of him who saith by the Prophets I know thy dwelling thy going out and thy comming in and againe Mine eies are vpon all thy waies they are not hid from my face neither is their iniquitie hid from mine eies of whom the Psalmist saith Thou art about my path and about my bed spiest out all my waies there is not a word in my toong but thou knowest it altogether yea thou vnderstandest my thoughts long before and of whom the Apostle saith All things are naked and open vnto his eies Let me then heere say vnto you as Dauid did vnto his sinne when drawing neere vnto his death he bequeathed this as a part of his last and best legacie vnto him Thou my sonne serue thou the Lord with a perfect heart and with a willing minde for the Lord searcheth all hearts and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of thoughts it thou thus seeke him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he wil cast thee off for euer Consecrate next your bodies vnto God that as the Apostle heere wishes your bodies may be kept holy and without blame I beseech you by the mercies of God saith the Apostle that yee giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable to God and agaâ—ne Giue your bodies not as seruants of iniquitie vnto sinne but as weapons of righteousnesse vnto God Know yee not that your bodies are the members of Christ and temples of the holy Ghost and yee are not your owne for yee are bought with a price glorifie therefore God both in your spirit and in your bodies for they both are Gods Consecrate lastly your externall and outward actions vnto God that yee may shew foorth the vertues of him that hath called you and that your liues being as lamps of pietie vnto others may shine foorth in good works which God hath ordained that we should walke in them If wee haue onely outward sanctity wee deceiue others if we haue onely inward sanctitie wee deceiue our selues for neuer is faith charitie or holinesse rooted in the heart but it buds foorth and shewes it selfe in the fruits of good works and of a godly life If these things saith S. Peter that is godlinesse temperance patience brotherly kindnesse and loue be in you they will make you that yee shall neither be idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of Christ. In the 2. Corinth and 5. chap. S. Paul giues a reason why he tooke all that toile and labour in the Gospell and in gaining others vnto God and the reason is this the loue of Christ saith he constraineth vs. Doubtlesse where the true loue of God and Christ is in a mans heart it will euen constraine him to his duty and to obedience vnto God and will be like the fire in Ieremies bosome which could not be shut vp but made him wearie of forbearing that he could not staie Amor Dei saith S. Gregorie otioâ—us non est operatur magna si est si operari renuerit amor non est Where the loue of God is it is not idle but works greatly where it doth not work it is not There were some euen in the Apostles time as S. Austen shewes who boasting of their faith and yet liuing a most dissolute and wicked life did recken themselues as good Christians and as sure inheritors of Gods kingdome as the best Which most pernicious and pestilent heresie being first broched by that arch-heretike Simon Magus as Irene declares in his first booke and 20. chap. was afterwards embraced and maintained by the Eunomians who taught as S. Austen shewes in his 54. heresie Ad quod vult that if a man did beleeue their doctrine it skilled not how he liued neither how many sinnes hee committed nor how long hee perseuered therein To which heresie when some in S. Austens own time inclined he purposely writ against them his book De side operibus the summe and effect wherof is the very same which S. Iames in his epistle most effectually vrgeth What auaileth it my brethren though a man say he hath faith when he hath no works Can such a faith saue him And the Apostle answering that such is but a dead and euen a diabolicall faith in the end he vseth a most fit comparison to expresse the same that as the body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without breath for