able to separate him from the love of God And that which he shewed in the outward is seen by the miracles which he did and by the many people that he converted And I understand that the power which S. Paul felt in the inward was much greater then that which he shewed in the outward I would say that which S. Paul shewed in the outward was not in that degree of power as that which he felt in the inward The selfe same which I consider in S. Paul I consider in every one of them which are the members of Christ more or lesse according as is that part of faith and of the spirit which every one of them possesseth understanding that from S. Pauls being a member of Christ it proceeded that he was in all that hath been spoken like unto Christ. Farther I understand that the consideration of the two weaknesses considered in Christ workes the same effect in him that considers them I that the weaknesse which he feeles in the inward goes abating in him in as much as his affections and appetites goe on dying and the weaknesse which he shewes in the outward goes increasing in as much as he is esteeâ—…ed more vulgar more vile and more of litle regard and is more mocked more outraged more persecuted and worse intreated And I understand also that the consideration of these two powers vertues and efficacies considered in Christ workes that effect in him that considers them that in him growes increasing the power the vertue and the efficacy that he feeles in the inward in as much as he hath more peace in conscience hath more spirit and more other knowledges divine conceptions of God and of the things of God And there goes abating in him the power the vertue the efficacy which he shewes in the outward in as much as he only shewes himselfe when he is inspired and moved of God to shew himselfe in such manner as that so much iâ—… one the more like to Christ in as much as he is more weak in that which is seen and in as much as he is more powerfull in that which is not seen I will adde this that the saints of the world know the power in God by the power that Christ shewed in the outward knowing weaknesse in God through the weaknesse that Christ shewed in the outward They know power in God through the transfiguration of Christ. And they know weaknesse in God by the death of Christ. And I understand that the Saints os God know without all comparison greater Power in God through the weaknesse which Christ shewed in the outward then through the power which Christ shewed in the outward and it is so indeed that they knew greater Power in God by the grace of Christ then by the transfiguration of Christ knowing that it is so indeed And so it is perceaved that from Christs shewing himselfe weak his death on the Crosse did result and from his death on the crosse is resulted all the good of the world all the felicity and the prosperity which they who are Christs members doe enioy and shall enioy together with Christ there being in them that which was and that wich is in Him to whom be glory for ever CGNSID LXXXII In what properly consisteth that Agony which Jesus Christ our Lord felt in his Passion and in his Death HAving oftimes heard speak of the Agony of the feare and loathing and sorrofulnesse which Jesus Christ our Lord felt in his passion and death by persons who pretended to shew the cause why Christ felt so much his sufferings and his death many other men having suffered and died some as men and some as Christians some of them without having shewed so much sence others having shewed none at all and others having made shew to rejoyce and delight themselves in their suffering and to rejoyce in their Death And never having remained satisfied in my minde neither with that which I heard say nor with that which I read in their books which handled this matter Last of all joyning that which I heard a Preacher say with that which is read in Isaia and in S. Peter I have made this resolution That God having put all our sinnes on Christ to chastize them all in him and he having taken them all upon himselfe and known them all in generall and in particular he felt for every one of them that confusion that shame and that griefe which he should have felt if he himselfe had committed them Whereupon seeing himselfe in the presence of God contaminated and defiled with so many and so abominable sinnes it came to passe that he felt all that Agony all that feare all that sorrowfulnesse within himselfe and all that shame and confusion which appertained to every one of us to have felt for every one of our sinnes had we been punished for them Whence proceeded that he sweat drops of blood in the garden for the anguish which he felt not because he saw himselfe neere unto death but to see himselfe in the presence of God full of so many sinnes for which reason he prayed putting his face to the earth as if he had been ashamed to have looked up to heaven knowing that there lay upon him so many offences committed against God And this truly is the cause why Christ shewed more sense of griefe in his Passion and in his death then any of the Martyrs that have suffered for the Gospell and then any other man of the world that hath dyed for the world And of this shame and confusion which Christ felt seeing himselfe defiled with our sinnes he may have felt some litle parcell that hath seen himselfe in the presence of some great Prince praying him for the pardon of one that hath been a Traytor he feeling the shame that belonged to the other to have felt Now that it is true that God hath laid on Christ all our sinnes and that Christ hath taken them all upon him is plain by Jsaia where he saies He took our infirmities and our griefes he suffered And a litle after he was scourged for our Rebellions and beaten for our iniquities And a litle after he took on him the sinnes of many And more then this he saith we were healed by his blewnesse of stripes And this selfe-same is proved by Saint Peter who seeling the selfesame which Isai felt saith as it were the selfe-same which Jsaiah doth And wretched man that I am for now am I well aware of the evill that I have done offending God not living according to the will of God in as much as with every one of my offences and with every one of my sinnes I have augmented the Agony the fears and the sorrowfulnesse which my Christ suffered in his death and passion Hereby I understand two most important things The one that if the rigour of the justice that was executed on Christ as well in the outward as in the inward had been executed upon
that if hee had never beene ashamed hee would never have gloried in not being ashamed In like manner I understand that none hath mortified the affection of the honour of the world and of his owne proper esteeme but hee that having beene sollicited thereunto and having combated is now no more sollicited This selfe same I understand of the affections of anger of envy of hatred and of revenge as I likewise understand it of the seusuall appetites Vnderstanding that none hath mortifi'd the carnall appetite but he that having beene sollicited by it and having combated with it is no more sollicited This selfe same I understand of that Appetite which delights to see things that please the eyes and to eate things that please the tast and to heare vaine things and matters of the world to smell delicate things understanding it that he only may say that he is mortified in these appetites who having beene sollicited and molested by them and having combated with them is is now reduced to such termes that either he feeles them not or is so much master of them that with â—…ase he overcomes them when ever they molest him And because none dyes but he that hath lived it being necessary that in them who are to be quickned all that which is according to the flesh should die as well touching affections as appetites I understand that all this being to die in the regenerated it is the worke of God that presently when a man sets himselfe to pietie he should bee molested and sollicited not only from those affections and appetites with which he was formerly sollicited but moreover with others which he never before felt being different yea and very strange ones to the intent that feeling them alive hee may kill them and killing them his regeneration should be made perfect as appertaines to them that are members of the Sonne of God Iesus Christ our Lord. CGNSID XLV Whence the feare of death proceeds in pious persons and that it is a signe of Predestination for a man to content himselfe that there should be another life VVIlling to understand whence it proceeds that many estranged from piety have voluntarily offered themselves unto Death and have willed and desired it and have themselves killed themselves And many pious are grieved and much resent the remembrance of Death not being able to reduce themselves to be content to die which according to humane reason ought to be cleane contrary In as much as they who are estranged from piety either doe not believe the other life or are doubtfull of it or doe not thinke to bee happy in it And in as much as they who are pious believe the other life and are very certaine of it and are assured that they shall be happy in it I come to thinke after this manner that amongst them who are estranged from piety some doe not feare death for some opinions whereof they are perswaded and others because they hold it for a point of valour not to feare it And others love death believing that they shall get fame by dying and others because it is troublesome and painefull unto them to live in necessity or in dishonour wherein they doe as the sick-patient that puts himselfe into hazard of running into a greater infirmity through desire of comming out of that lesse which he feeles In all these I consider their owne proper rashnesse their owne proper folly and their owne proper impatiency Moreover I thinke that amongst the pious that feare death some feare it because they are not throughly confirmed in piety nor throughly assured of that Iustice by which eternall life is obtained others feare it through naturall instinct it being Gods doing that men should feare Death and love life to the intent they may preserve themselves in life and others feare it in as much as it is given to men in punishment of their sinne it being Gods doing that a man should feel as a punishment that which is given him as a punishment by generall sentence which belongs to every man as indeede the evill of originall sinne belongs to every man In every of these I know pietie Iustice and holinesse albeit in the first I know weaknesse and infirmity as I also know in those pious persons who without feeling the inward Inspiration that God would have them to die doe desire and love Death For this desire is not free from some branch of impatiency like unto that of them who are strangers from piety Whence I take this resolution that for as much as in them who are strangers from pietie the not fearing of death and the loving it proceeds from rashnesse folly and impatiency and the fearing of death in the pious proceeds from pietie Iustice and holinesse that neither the stranger from piety hath cause to exalt himselfe when he feares not Death nor the pious hath cause to be sorrowfull when hee findes himselfe fearefull of Death knowthat the feare comes to him through weaknesse and infirmity for his small assurance and firmenesâ—…e in his confidence or it comes to him by naturall inclination or it comes to him through sence of the punishment of sinne which is effectuall in all them that appertaine to the people of God yea even when themselves thinke it not so Whereupon if a man shall say that Christ having satisfyed for originall sinne they who are his members ought not to feele the punishment or chastisement of death I shall say unto him that Christ did not revoke that sentence given against us whereby we are all obliged to Death but that he remedyed it by his resurrection in such sort as wee die by Adam and shall rise againe by Christ. I also take another resolution that is that a pious person doth then content himselfe of Death as pious when by his death the glory of God is illustrated as the Christian Martyrs did content themselves and when it is Gods will that he should die For then as I understand God gives him content in such sort as when a pious person feeles in himselfe a strong feare of Death not being able to bring himselfe to be content to die hee may hold for certaine that God will not at that time take him from this life And he ought to thinke that as long as he feares the naturall inclination and the chastizement of sinne worke their effects in him and so hee will not be grieved nor accompt himselfe Iesse in pietie for this matter They that are strangers from piety when they least feare Death and when they have most brought themselves to be contented with it if they wouid speake truth will confesse that if it were in their power they would not that their should be any other life for they are not certaine to be happy therein And they who are pious when they most feare Death speaking the truth will confesse that they would not be contented that there were no other life feeling within themselves that God hath not created
only true things and oâ—… falsities they admit none in such sort that the difficulty of believing is rather a signe of Vocation then the easinesse He that believes by Revelation believes as much as he feels and because in those things which he doth not feel he findes contradiction he believes that which is inspired and revealed unto him and yet not that alwaies but when the Revelation and Inspiration and the inward sense is liuely and intire They who obtain this Faith Christ calls them Blessed and these selfesame are the sonnes of God And this is the faith that alwaies leads Charity and Hope in its company and without which it is impossible to please God That which purifies the hearts makes them clean quickens them Of which our omnipotent God make us rich by Christ our Lord. CONSID. XXX That God in communicating spirituall things untâ—…â—…s dealeth as in giving the fruits of the earth SEtting my selfe sometimes to accompt with God I say unto him in this sort Wherefore Lord when you call a person to your kingdome doe you not make him presently feel his justification Doe you not presently giue him thâ—… holy Spirit which should rule and govern him And why doe you not show unto him your presence To this it seems to me that he makes answer to me saying For the selfe same cause that I doe not make the graine as soone as it is sowne to spring so that it may be reaped This say I is the curse of sin And this other matter saith he is also through the curse of sinne Againe say I Since you haue done it with S. Paul and with some others why doe you it not generally with all For the selfe same cause replies he that I haue sometimes given men bread to eat without causing it to grow by the ordinary way willing to shew my omnipotency both in the one and the other As those persons say I Lord to whom thou hast given bread by extraordinary waies doe more acknowledge that bread from thy liberality then those other who haue it by ordinary waies even so also all thine elect would more acknowledge all their inward gifts from thy liberality if so be thou wouldst doe with them that which thou didst with S. Paul rather then guîding them as thou guidest them by an ordinary way I will saith God that both the one and the other should acknowledge from me that which they obtain by the ordinary way that so much the more as it seemes to themselves that they get it by industry and labour For in this thing I will that they should mortifie the judgement of theîr humane wisdome which mortification should not be necessary if they had these things by extraordinary way I will haue the labourer to labour the ground and to sow his seed and I will that hee shall attribute to me the fruit of all his labours I will likewise that the spirituall persons labouring and travelling themselves should submit themselves to believe and to loue and that they should so get iustification and the holy Spirit and I will that they attribute all unto me And hold thou it for certain that as the labourer should proue himselfe very rash that should think to gather much grain having the water at his command when he pleased and the Sun when hee pleased so likewise should that spirituall person be very rash who would hope to encrease much in piety having the inspirations in his own power when he would Whereupon hold for certain that he doth take the better who freely in all things and every where leaues it for me to doe without opposing himselfe in any thing and without supposing to governe by himselfe that which ought to be governed by mee With these Considerations I put my minde in quiet when I finde it impatient and not well enduring to expect God remitting my selfe in all things and every where to my God being assured that he doth govern will govern me in this Christian businesse according to my necessity through his only begotten Son Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XXXI That the liuelinesse of Affections is more dammageable then that of the Appetites and that it is necessary that both the one and the other should be Mortified EXamining in what properly the Liuelinesse of Affections and of the Appetites doth consist and when this Liuelinesse doth offend and when it doth not offend and verifyâ—…g that the Liuelinesse of Affections consisteth in the inward satisfaction that is according to the flesh that is when a man abides aliue and vigorous in rellishing with the senses of his minde the things that belong to the world such as are honours done to him selfe-boastings and that which is principall his reputatlon fame And I understand that the Liuelinesse of Appetites consisteth in the outward satisfactions that is when a man abides aliue and vigorous to rellish with his fiue bodily senses the thingâ—… that delight and content the sensuality And resolving my selfe that this Liuelinesse of Affections and Appetites is then hurtfull when he who hath it knowes it not nor understands it or doth not hold it for a fault nor defect and that then it doth not hurt when he that hath it knowes it and understands it and holding it for a defect and vice goes by litle and litle refrayning and mortifying it I come to consider which of the twois most dammageable and most contrary to the holy Spirit either the Liuelinesse of Affections or of that of the Appetites In this resolution I come first considering that the Liuelinesse of Affections holds the inward man aliue in the things of the world and that the Liuelinesse of Appetites holds the outward man in things of the Flesh. And I understand that by how much the soule is more worthy then the Body by so much is the Liuelinesse of Affections more contrary to the spirit then that of the Flesh. Furthermore I consider in this matter A certain person goes to a feast for his own satisfaction I would say to satisfie his Appetites in seeing hearing smelling tasting touching and another person goes to comply with the world for the satisfaction of him that makes the Feast And it will seeme that in him that goes for his owne satisfaction there is greater Liuelinesse then in him that goes for others satisfaction and it is not true for if in him that goes for others satisfaction the Affections of his own proper estimation of the honour of the world were not aliue he would not goe in such sort that albeit he doth not goe being drawn by his Appetites yet hee goes being drawn by his own affections and by theirs whom he desires to please It being very true that that person that goes for his own satisfactioÌ„ satisfies his own Appetites and he that goes for others satisfaction satisfies his own Affections and others It is cleare that the satisfaction of the Affections is more dammageable and more contrary to the
he shall giue it us through Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XLIX Whence it proceeds that humane wisdome will not attribute all things to God And in what manner they ought to bee attributed to him FOR three Causes I understand it men being deceived by the judgement of humane wisdome will not confesse that every thing comes from God The first is that they might not deprive themselues of the merits of their own good works understanding that they should depriue themselues of them when every thing should be attributed to God in as much as in their good works the goodnesse of God would be that which was to bee considered and not that of men The second Cause I understand is because men judging of Gods works with the selfesame judgement with which they judge their own proper works they hold that for evill in God which they would hold for evill in evill men And it seeming to them an evill and absurd thing to attribute any evill thing to God who is soveraignly good and is goodnesse it selfe they resolue that they will not attribute every thing to God The third Cause as I understand is because they think that if men believed that God did all things they would become dissolute in their lives licentious vitious and insolent and remisse in succouring helping and favouring their neighbours every man saying of himselfe if I liue ill it is because it pleaseth God that I should liue so and he himselfe when it so seems good to him will make me to liue well and saying of their neighbour if such a one be needy tribulated and afflicted it is because it so pleaseth God and when it shall please God that he should not be so he will draw him out of necessity and out of tribulation and out of affliction and therefore it is not necessary that I should meddle therâ—…with To these three Causes or reasons of humane wisdome I understand that a man may fully answer in this manner To the first that if men knew themselues they would know in themselues rebellion iniquity and sin and in their works selfe-loue and selfe-interest and so they would not pretend to obtain merit through their own works and not pretending it the first cause of impiety would be taken away in which they doe easily fall that are in the eyes of the world just and holy for they properly are those that seek Meritin their works From this inconveniency they are free who knowing the being and the nature of man renounce their own merits cleaving only to the justice of God executed in Christ. To the second Cause and reason it may bee answered that if so be it seem to men an absurd evill thing that God should harden the heart of Pharaoh making him to sin in not suffering the people of God to depart that God should command Shimei that he should sin by cursing David and that God should make them to sin to whom the Scripture saith he gaue the spirit of errour and that he should ordain that Judas should sin by selling Christ and that God should blinde them of whom S. Paul Rom. 1 speaks that they should fall into silthy and abominable sins And if like wise it seem an absurd evill thing to men that which God doth to many men in the world it is not because the things are in themselues absurd and evill but because they are works of the holy spirit and men judging with humane wisdome with which they cannot understand the divine secret that is in them come to judge falsely of them being herein towards God as rash men are towards their Princes judging evill of them when for the good goverment for the common profit they doe something which turnes to the dammage of some particular not considering nor peircing the intent which the Prince hath in such like things For if they did consider and understand they would judge well of those things and of the Princes that doe them I would say in the selfesame manner rash men because they understand not the intent which God hath in his works they judge them evill and then pretending piety they will not attribute them to God and if they did know and understand the intent that God hath in those things which they judge evill they would hold and judge them for good and so they would not come to deprive God of his particular providence in every thing And certainly if these men did consider that God hardning the heart of Pharaoh that he should sin not letting Gods people goe did pretend to illustrate his glory and to make manifest his power in favouring his people they would accompt the hardnesse of Pharaohs heart amongst the works of Gods mercy for as much as that which the people of God desired was thereby effected and this selfesame judgement they would make of the curses of Shimei and of Iudas his sâ—…lling Christ and of the sins of them of whom Saint Paul speaks in the first of the Romans and they would make the selfesame judgement in all the works of men not doubting to attribute them all unto God searching out the secret judgement that is in them even as pious persons search them out to whom it oft-times happens that they hold something of their own or others for an errour because they know not the intent that God hath in it And afterwards by time knowing the intent that God had in it they hold it for a very certain thing And to the selfe same persons it oftentimes befals that they hold a thing for well done which afterwards by tract of time they knew was ill done This sometimes happens to them when they stand not very attent to consider the judgements of God and sometimes because it doth not alwaies please God that they should understand that which he pretends in his works as peradventure it did not please him that Moses and Aaron should understand that which he pretended in the hardnesse of Pharaohs heart to the intent they should not cease to be very instant that he would let the people of God to goe out Whereupon it seems that mans piety consisteth in applying his minde to understand that which God pretends in his workes especially in those which seem absurd and evill and to venerate and approue those which hee doth not understand holding them all for holy just and good To the third cause and reason which men finde not to confesse that God doth all things it may be effectually by our own proper experience answered that those men who belieue hold for certain that God doth all things for this selfe same cause that they abide in this certainty are pious and iust and being pious and iust are in themselues most temperate and most modest and are towards their neighbours most mercifull most diligent and most liberall in as much as piety and iustice doe as well mortifie in them the appetites of sensuality that might make them vitious and insolent as
also the affections of the minde that might make them interressed and lovers of themselues and consequently remisse with their neighbours This mortification in them proceeding partly from that union which they hold in their hearts with God never forgetting themselues of God and principally from that incorporation with which they stand incorporated in the death of Christ who killing his own flesh on the Crosse did likewise kill the flesh of all them who believing in him are made his Members And they who remain in this never come to excuse their licentious liues in the liuelinesse of their mindes saying it pleaseth God they should be so nay rather finding in themselues any vice and finding in their minds any liuelinesse they know the reliques of their own iniquity rebellion and sin and demand of God that he should mortify them in them as he hath mortified the rest nor doe they ever become remisse in helping and favouring their neighbours except in as much as the affections that are according to the flesh and humane wisdome dying in them and those which are according to the spirit reviving they doe not move with an anxious affection of the flesh but are moved with a moderate desire of the spirit And in as much as they doe not feel in themselves any motion to help succour their neighbours they know that God will haue it so This I say because those persons that stand in this piety keeping good account with their inward motions hold those to be wills of the flesh which are not according to that which they knew to be the will of God And they hold those to be the will of the spirit which they know to be conformed to the will of God making this judgement by that which is the due of piety and that which is the due of justification and by that which the holy Scriptures New and Old teach and standing attent hereunto they overcome the motions which are according to the flesh and execute those which are according to the spirit And albeit they haue their imperfections by Gods will their desire is to become perfect And although they hold the sufferings of their neighbour to bee the will of God they hold likewise their motions to help and favour them to be the will of God And knowing in their own imperfections and in the sufferings of their neighbours the will of God which is with wrath and knowing in their own desires of perfection and in their motions to succour their neighbours the will of God which is with mercy loving the will which is with mercy and flying from that which is with wrath they doe attend unto perfection and doe attend to succour their neighbours remaining quiet when they doe not perceive any motion understanding it that God would haue them to remain quiet Having said that which moveth men not to attribute all things to God and that which may be answered unto it now I will say that which I think thereabout remitting my selfe to more perfect and spirituall iudgement In God I consider two wills as at other times I haue considered it one Mediate in as much as it workes by these which we call second Causes And the other Immediate in as much as it works by it selfe Vnto the Mediate I understand men stand subiect through original sin and from the Mediate I understand that men are exempted and freed by regeneration but in a certain manner I suppose that in a mans flying those things which by this Mediate will might doe him harme and in applying himselfe to those things which by the selfe same might doe him good a mans freewill doth consist all those things appertaining to good or ill being exteriour corporall to vertuous or vitious living in the outward To the Immediate will of God I understand generally all men are subiect God working in them in some with loue in others with hatred in some with wrath in others with mercy in some with favours and in others with disfavour And this will of God I understand is that unto which S. Paul saith men cannot make resistance and this I understand that God useth illustrating his glory and shewing his omnipotency in them that are his in such sort that in this Will of God there are two parts or two wills one of Hatred of Wrath and disfavour and the other of Loue of Mercy and Favour The first as I understand fell upon Pharaoh upon Shimei and upon them to whom God gaue the spirit of errour and upon Iudas and vpon those whom God delivered over to a reprobate sense And this selfe same I understand fell upon all those which are vessels of wrath as was Nero and as all they haue been and are and shall be who with malignity persecute the Christian spirit in those who are the Members of Christ. All these as I understand doe the will of God without understanding themselues that this is the will of God For if they did understand it they would cease to be impious and they would be pious That will of God which is of loue of mercy and favour I understand it in Moses and Aaron and David in the Saints of the Law and I understand it in S. John Baptist and in the Apostles and in the Martyres and likewise in all those who are called of God to the participation of the Gospell all which I understand doe fulfill the will of God for herein consisteth piety And I understand that neither Pharaoh nor Iudas nor those who are vessels of wrath could cease to be such nor Moses nor Aaron nor Paul nor those who are vessels of mercy in such manner that Iudas could not forbeare to sell Christ nor S. Paul could not forbeare to preach Chrîst Finally I understand that in those things which are done in the world by Gods Mediate will they who are vessels of wrath know the naturall order and know the goodnesse or malignity of men And I understand that in the selfesame things they who are the vessels of mercy know in the naturall order the wil of God who set this order and in that which is or seems to be goodnes or malice of men they know with the will of God the goodnes malice of men In the self same manner I understand that in those things which are done by the Immediate will of God they who are impious doe not know but only their own proper wills and those which are of them that doe them and I understand that in the selfe same things they who are pious know the will of God attributing all things to God considering in those who are the vessels of wrath as were Pharaoh Shimei Iudas and Nero the will of God with wrath with hatred and with disfavour and knowing in them who are vessels of mercy as those of the Hebrew people and those of the Christian people the will of God with loue with mercy and with favour And in this manner without doing iniury to
the just being made there shall be nothing more to hope but Charity shall never faile for there shall be alwaies what to Love and there shall be alwaies what to tast For in eternall life we shall love God and Christ and we shall finde rellish and savour in the contemplation of God and of Christ wee who in this present life have lived with Faith Hope and Charity being incorporated in Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LXXI Vpon the most holy prayer of OUR FATHER IN the most holy prayer of Our Father I consider all this First that calling God Father it becomes me to reduce my selfe to hope from God all that which an obedient son may hope from a most good and loving Father And albeit I am a disobedient Son it matters not For God considers me not by that which I am of my selfe but by that which I am by Christ of whom I am a member and who was a most obedient Son through which Sonship I call God Father If I should call him Father for the common generations sake my being would be of importance but calling him so through particular regeneration my being imports not to make mee obedient or disobedient but as I have said the being of Christ who was most obedient And farthermore I understand that it is necessary that I should reduce my selfe to be with God such a one as a good and obedient Son is with his Father Secondly I consider that saying Our I presuppose that I hold for brethren all those who through regeneration hold God for their Father and that I ought to govern my selfe with them as with brethren Thirdly I consider that because God is where he is known holy Scripture useth to say that God is in Heaven for there God is known God is in all his creatures but it is not said that he is but only in them who know him and where he lets himselfe to be known Fourthly I consider that the proper desire of a pious Christian is that Gods Name should be sanctified I would say that God should be esteemed and judged of every one for Holy and for just in all his works as he is in truth Humane wisdome not finding holinesse nor justice in many of those things which be fall men in this life flying from the inconvenience of attributing injustice to God falls into another inconvenience depriving God of his particular Providence in all things And the holy spirit knowing in all things holinesse and justice on Gods part doth not doubt to attribute them all to God desiring that men captivating the judgement of their own humane wisdome should sanctify the name of God confessing and holding that God doth all things and that in all things is holinesse and justice There are some men who sanctify God in the things which they judge good drawing themselves back in those things which they judge to be evill And there are other men who sanctify God generally in all things but with the mouth and not with the heart And the desire of the Pious Christian is that God should be sanctified in all things and that the sanctification should come from the Heart for in this manner God will be sanctified Fiftly I consider that the proper and continuall sighing of a pious Christian consists in the desire that the Kingdome of God should suddenly come when the resurrection of the just being made Christ shall consigne the Kingdome to his eternall father For that shall be properly the Kingdome of God in as much as the just shall be governed immediatly by God seeing God himselfe face to face God reignes in this present life in the just but by Christ as he gives light but by the Sunne and God shall reigne in life eternall by himselfe as by himselfe he shall give light Sixtly I consider that the pious Christians flying from the will of God which is with wrath and that which is mediat by those things which we call second causes doe demand that that will of God should be executed here on earth which is executed in heaven understanding that which is with mercy and with love and that which is immediat by God himselfe Seventhly I consider that the Pious Christians feeling that through the curse for the first mans sinne it results that they eat their bread with sorrow and care they demand of God that freeing them from the sollicitude and the griefe he should provide them of ordinary sustentation in such manner that they may be provided and sustained according to their necessities without griefe or sollicitousnesse acknowledging their sustentation only from the liberality of God and even in this beginning to feele the remedy of the first mans sinne together there with feeling the benefit of Christ. Eightly I consider that the pious Christians not because they make any doubt of the generall pardon which they have had by the justice of God executed in Christ for of this they are most assured but because they rejoyce to remember themselves that they are debtors which remembrance breeds in them humility in the sight of God they aske alwaies of God that he would pardon them those things for which he might in justice chastize them And I understand that they alleage the pardon which they have given to them who were their debtors rather to oblige themselves to pardon then to oblige God that he should for such cause pardon them This I understand thus by that which Iesus Christ himself ads in the Gospell saying If you pardon you shall be pardoned Ninthly I consider that the pious Christians knowing their own weaknesse fear the Temptation in as much as it may sever them from Christian decorum and knowing here with the necessity which they have to be mortified with temptations they demand of God not that he should not tempt them but that the temptations may be of that quality that they should not make them to loose the Christian decorum Tenthly I consider that pious Christians having understood that many are the evills that combat the just they are afraid to be oppressed by them and knowing the frailty of their own forces to be able to make resistance they have recourse to God demanding of him that he should free them from all In these desires and in these demands I understand that pious persons stand and persevere not only through the outward doctrine of Iesus Christ our Lord which they finde written in his history but also through the inward doctrine of the holy spirit who puts these desires into their mindes and moves them to demand these things And they who with the outward Doctrine of Christ have not that inward of the holy spirit in praying â—…s taught and not inspired doe not pray as the true and lively members of Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LXXII That man pretending that part of the image of God which did not appertaine unto him lost that part which did appertaine to him IN the creation of man I read that he was
most christianly and when they would bring themselves with humane industry to have confidence to believe and love finde most difficulty in this are true Christians incorporated in Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LXXVIII Two griefes one according to the world and the other according to God And two weaknesses one according to the flesh and the other according to the Spirit AS Saint Paul puts two griefes one according to the world and saith that this causeth death and the other according to God and saith that this causeth life Even so I put two weaknesses one according to the Flesh and I understand that this causeth feare and another according to the spirit and I understand this causeth love And I put them because I feele them in the Griefes which S. Paul puts understanding that then a man feeles griefe according to the world when he falls into some such inconvenience as causeth shame or losse or any other discommodity in the eyes of the world in the reputation and dignity of the world And I understand that this griefe causeth death in as much as a man that grieves in this manner except he speedily remedy his griefe becomes blasphemous against God in as much as attributing unto him the cause of his griefe he laments of him and by being blasphemous against God he comes to get himselfe eternall death In the selfe same manner I understand that then a man feeles griefe according to God when he falls into any inconvenience by reason whereof he feares to be deprived of the grace of God and of the holy spirit of Christ and of God himselfe And I understand that this griefe causeth life in as much as he who is grieved in this manner doth more and better know himselfe and ◅o doth more cordially recommend and remit himselfe to God and from this recommending himselfe to God he comes to obtain resurrection and life everlasting For the two weaknesses which I put I understand that a man is then weak according to the flesh when his weaknesse growes from selfe love And I call weaknesse to resente himselfe for those things which come to passe against his will This weaknesse I understand causeth feare for where selfe-love is there is alwaies fear And I understand that this weaknesse is tolerable in Christian persons being no signe of impiety but of imperfection ◅n the selfe same manner I understand that a man is then weak according to the spirit when his weaknesse growes from the love of God resenting himselfe when he sees himselfe deprived of God or of any of the things that are of God which are meanes to him to grow in the love of God and in the confidence in God This weaknesse I understand causeth love because it proceeds from love and so is converted into love and is therefore laudable and a signe of christian perfection Weaknesse according to the Flesh but not blame-worthy I understand was that which S. Paul felt for the reprobation of the Hebrewes And weaknesse according to the spirit I understand was that which S. Paul ◅elt through the sting of the flesh and that which he felt for the sicknesse unto death of his friend And that also was weaknesse according to the spirit which they of Miletum felt for the departure of S. Paul Whence I gather that Christian persons ought not to grieve themselves much in their weaknesses that are according to the flesh since in them they be tolerable for they are not mortall And that the selfesame Christian persons ought to rejoyce much in their weaknesses which are according to the spirit in as much as they are signes of perfection and the way of vivification of resurrection and of eternall life The sons of this world feele the griefe that is according to the world but they doe not feele the griefe which is according to God And those of God feele the one and the other griefe the one in as much as Adam lives in them and the other in as much as Christ lives in them The sons of this world have indeed the weaknesse that is according to the flesh but all of them doe not know it for weaknesse neither feele it as such The weaknesse which is according to the spirit they neither have nor know nor feele And the sons of God have know and feele both the weaknesses knowing in the weaknesse that is according to the flesh the reliques of the old Adam and knowing in the weaknesse that is according to the spirit the renovation of the new Adam our Lord Iesus Christ. CONSID. LXXIX How perilous the errors be which men doe pretending piety I Hold for certaine that amongst those errors which wee who are the sons of God committing may offend God the greatest are those which are committed pretending piety That this is true I see as well by the rigorousnesse with which God hath chastized these errors according as it is read in holy Scripture as also because it appeares in the selfe same Scripture that God hath with his hand restrained them who have been his not consenting that they should fall into these kind of errors not having done the same in other errors wherein they have had intention to satisfy their appetitites and affections Of the rigorousnesse with which God hath chastized them who have erred pretending piety he might principally give testimony who willing to hold up the Arke of the Testimony which to his seeming was about to fall died instantly And Saul who was deprived of the kingdome of Israell and perpetually deprived of the grace of God for the sacrifize that he made to God for the victory that he had against certain nations of which God had given him command that he should not leave any live thing which should not passe the edge of the sword Whereupon if any shall demand saying Why then hath not God used the selfe-same rigorousnesse with others who have erred more perniciously pretending piety as a man might say with S. Paul who before he was a Christian pretending piety persecuted and slew the Christians I will make answer First that as hitherto God hath not given me the accompt thereof And then I will say that God doth not use this rigorousnesse except with them who are of the number of his And S. Paul when he was in that error was not in the number of those who were Gods the Hebrew people having then left to be the people of God and therefore his error was not chastized as that of Vzzahs nor as that of Sauls That God hath restrained with his hand his elect not suffering them to erre in piety albeit he haue suffered thē to erre in other things it serves me for a most effectuall example that which is written of David who pretending piety desired to build the Temple of Hierusalem and God did not consent thereunto because it was not his will that he should build it unto him and therefore hee should haue erred if he had builded it And the
might practise and converse with all sorts of people If Christ had taken S. Iohn Baptists forme of life the Publicans sinners and harlots would have been ashamed to speak unto him nay verily if he would observe decorum he was bound not to speak nor converse with them if he had taken Moses his forme of life base and vulgar persons could not have practised and conversed with him by reason of his greatnesse And therefore it was necessary he should take that forme of life which he took wherein he might practise and converse as he did practise and converse with all sorts of people in so much as he was for this calumniated by them who made profession of holinesse The fourth cause is this Christ coming to Preach the Kingdome of God and to put himselfe in the possession thereof and the Kingdome of God consisting as S. Paul saith in justice peace and joy in the Holy Ghost it was necessary that by his example he should shew unto us a forme of life much to this purpose to maintaine us in the justice and in the peace and in the joy of the Kingdome of God If Christ had taken S. Iohn Baptist his forme of life which was by the world approved for holy for the world is so discreet that it esteemes them who esteeme not it he should have put his imitators in competency with the Saints of the world and if Christ had taken Moses his forme of living which is procured by the men of the world he should have put his imitators in competency with the men of the world and therefore it was necessary that forme of life which he took which is of such quality as they who imitate him conserve themselves in their justice in their peace and in their joy For coming not in competency with the Saints of the world nor with the men of the world they are not deprived of the possession which they have of the Kingdome of God The Fift cause is this that Christ having to suffer for our sinnes a cruell death shamefull and publique and uniust not voluntary it was necessary he should take a forme of life that was fit to come to this effect If Christ had taken S. Iohn Baptist his forme of life although the fame of holinesse would not have freed him from a cruell death as it did not free Saint John Baptist it would have freed him from a shamefull and publique death as it did free S. Iohn Baptist. And if Christ had taken Moses his forme of life albeit the greatnesse of the estate would not have freed him from violent death as it hath not freed many great men of the world it would have freed him from a shamefull and publique death and therefore it was necessary that he should take that forme of life wherein dying shamefully he did ennoble shame and dying publiquely he certifies all of us that we might know it may believe our iustification of which thing we ought to be most assured The Sixt is this that Christ coming to preach and to give inward regeneration and renovation which things presuppose mortification it was necessary hee should take a forme of life very accommodate to mortification to shew with it and by it the proper way of mortification If Christ had taken S. Iohn Baptist his forme of life he should have well shewen the way of the mortification of the body by the asperity of life but not that of the mortification of the mind for the reputation which this forme of life hath in the world And if Christ had taken Moses his forme of living he should not have shewed either the one or the other mortification and therefore it was necessary that he should take that forme of life which he took in which much better then in any other a man gets the mortification of the mind and by that of the mind that of the body in as much as the world holds for vile them who without making profession of outward holinesse live holily and despiseth these as a most base thing and in as much as after this despising comes the mortification of the body And so in them that imitate the forme of Christs living is certain and perfect mortification In these six causes I learn six things The first that he who by consideration of Christs life would know him to be the sonne of God must of necessity mortify the judgement of his human wisdome The Second that no man can excuse himselfe saying that he cannot imitate the forme of Christs living The third that then a Christian is most like to Christs living when he hath a forme of life more apt to make that all sorts of people may practise and converse with him The fourth that that forme of living is most apt to make that a man in it should conserve himself in the possession of the kingdome of God that comes not in competency with no sort of men neither of the Saints of the world nor of the men of the world The fift that that form of life is most like to that of the sonne of God that is most exposed to martyrdome And the Sixt that that forme of life is most proper and able to obtain the Christian mortification which is most despised in the eyes of the world in which without making profession of outward holinesse a man lives holy And of the things which have been spoken I take this resolutiō that they who live holily without making profession of outward holmesse are very much habilitated and exposed to martyrdome doe conserve nthemselves very well in the kingdome of God are fit to converse with all sorts of people imitating the forme of life which Christ held and deceive humane wisdome and therefore it properly appertaines to them that which S. Paul saith Colos. 3. Ye are dead your life is hid with Christ in God to whom be glory for ever Amen I will adde this that Christ conserving himselfe in that forme of life in which he was borne being borne the son of God untill that he dyed by the will of God teacheth us that we shall doe well conserving our selves in that forme of life in which we found our selves when we are called to be the sons of God So be it that in that we attend to reduce our forme of life as much as may be possible for us answerable to that forme of life which Christ held in this world in such manner as in us may shine out intirely the image and similitude of Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XC In what the Christian perfection the Duty and Decorum doe consist I Have oftimes said that Christian perfection consists in this that a man incorporated in Christ in his death and in his resurrection should live according to the Christian Duty keeping the Christian decorum understanding that so much shall a man get Christian perfection in as much as he shall live according to Christian duty keeping christian decorum Now I
superstitious works If this which thou saist be true what need were there to make mention of works Were it not better that the Scripture stood solid in saying that whosoever shall believe shall be saved and whosoever shall not believe shall be condemned To them I will answer three things The first that from their not understanding the Scriptures it proceeds that they finde inconstancy in them and they would not finde it if they understood them they should understand them if they would not understand them with prudence and humane reason which is incapable of the things which are of the spirit of God such as are the holy Scriptures The second That God having as it hath been said to iustifie his sentence before men who see not but the outward it is necessary that hee should alleage the works which are outward those which give testimony of the Faith of him who believes and of the infidelity of him who believes not And the third That all men being most ready to work evill and most slow to work well it seems a necessary thing that the holy Scripture should use this manner of speech to refrain the pronesse to evill and to incite the slownesse to good to the end that as they who now feel the Regeneration and Christian renovation should depart from evill and apply themselves to the good onely for the duty of the selfesame regeneration and renovation to observe the Christian decorum not to grieve nay rather to reioyce the holy spirit So they also who begin to feel themselves regenerated and renued shoul doe the selfesame to make firm their vocation and to work their salvation And that should they also doe who doe not know the regeneration nor renovation for feare of being condemned And so even these should be lesse evill And they being lesse evill should be more good for their proper interest untill such time as having begun to feele the affections of the Christian regeneration and renovation they also may be good not doing evill and doing good not now for feare and for interest but onely for the duty of Christian persons incorporated in Iesus Christ our Lord to whom be glory forever CONSID. XCIX Whence it proceeds that men bâ—…eve not that all our sinnes were chastised in Christ or they believe is with difficultie COnsidering the extreme difficulty wherewith men bring themselves tobelieve the Gospell the good news of the Remission of sinnes iustification and reconciliation with God for the iustice of God executed on Christ For as much as they also who believe by revelation and divine inspiration finde more difficulty in believing this Remission of sinnes Iustification Reconciliation then all other things besides which the Christian Church believes I haue many times set my selfe to think whence this difficulty may proceed And lastly I am come to this resolution that to believe this Remission of sinnes Iustification and Reconciliation a man findes in himselfe the contradiction of his evill conscience and from hence it comes that with extreme difficulty they who belieue by divine Revelation and divine Inspiration bring theÌ„selves to hold themselves for just They who believe by opinion and relation being never able to bring themselves to this They who believe being inspired untill they finde peace in their consciences doe not entirely belieue the Gospell And finding peace in their consciences the inward contradiction ceasing the difficulty of believing the Gospell is taken away They who believe being taught as they never finde peace in their consciences they never believe the Gospell For the inward contradiction never ceaseth that not ceasing neither doth the difficulty in belieuing cease nay whilst the contradiction lasteth the difficulty may be called impossibility Men doe easily believe by relation of holy Scriptures that God is most omnipotent most just They believe that Christ is most innocent and pure from all sin They believe that Christ suffered by the will of God for in none of these things they finde inward contradiction which sufficeth to cause that they should not believe that which holy Scriptures affirme And not to exclude the benefit of Christ they believe also that Christ satisfied for originall sin for neither in this doe they finde contradiction in as much as their consciences not accusing them of originall sin they not knowing their own proper fault therein they easily bring themselves to believe that without their proper merit that is pardoned unto them wherein they know not their own 〈◊〉 And when it comes to the point to believe that Christ satisfied God for the sinnes that every one of them commits albeit they haue the Scriptures which most largely giue testimony thereof nay all they in conformity preach this suddenly they draw back because they finde the inward contradiction in their own consciences and so they resolve to restrain the benefit of Christ only to originall sin understanding it after their own manner or to enlarge it also to their proper sinnes but with the addition of proper satisfaction As if Christ had said I haue satisfied for the sins of you all but with condition that every one should satisfie for his own And they consider not the injury which herein they doe to Christ they consider it not because they feel it not and they feel it noâ—… because they know not Christ. They who by Gods gift believe that God is most iust that Christ is most innocent that it was the work of God that Christ should suffer and that he suffered for originall sin in the end reduce themselves to believe that through Christs sufferings they get remission of sinnes and are iust and are now in the grace of God reconciled with God considering in this manner if God be most just if Christ be most innocent if that which Christ suffered he suffered by the will of God and the will of God was that hee should satisfie for originall sin it is also true that men who haue obtained the whole pardon of their sins are iust and are reconciled with God since from originall sin it comes to all to be sinners uniust and enimies of God and it comes for us to doe things whereby we grow in iniustice in enmity With this Consideration they pacifie their consciences and facilitate their believing and hold for certain that they who doe not believe this either doe not believe that God is most iust or doe not hold that Christ is most innocent or doe not believe that it was Gods will that Christ should suffer for if they did believe it they would believe that which followes that is that he suffered not for himselfe but for them and so would holde themselves for Iust. Here I understand all this First the blindnesse of humane wisdome which is not capable of the truth which the Gospell preacheth Secondly the ignorance of men who not understanding whence this incapacity comes doe not attend to remedy but to cover it Thirdly that Christ satisfying for originall sin he
to giue me an abhorring of corporall things humane and of the world the which albeit I doe not altogether abhorre I am at least come to this that I doe not loue them I doe not procure them I doe not desire them as I was wont And in this manner by experience of mortification he shall confirme himselfe in the Christian truth Fiftly he shall think thus If I knew any other better thing then this or at least that were equall to this with which I might appeare before the iudgement of God I should indeed haue cause to doubt of the truth of this Now I knowing no other thing better nor other thing such as it is I haue no cause to doubt And in this manner he shall certifie himselfe that he is come upon the gaine and not on the losse and that in persevering in this Christian faith he cannot loose but gaine And if it shall come into his fancy to say that he might loose much in case that which the Gospell saith were not true in as much as hee should attribute that to Christ which were not due to him and it not being due to him hee should come to offend the glory and the maiestie of God he shall instantly haue recourse to experience and think thus After that I know my selfe pardoned through Christ and reconciled with God through Christ acknowledging my selfe dead with Christ and raised up with Christ and expecting my glorification with Christ I know and feel and finde in me the beginnings of mortification through the despisall of the world and of my selfe and I feele the beginnings of vivification through the loue and affection to God to the glory of God and to the will of God And these principles are good And it being true that from an evill cause never comes a good effect it is true also that the cause is good whence this effect is growne And therefore it is most certain and true that which the Gospell publisheth and affirmeth That God having put on Christ all our sins and having chastised them all in Christ he hath pardoned us all and hath reconciled us with himselfe by Christ which pardon and reconciliation all they which believe enioy Here the Christian person shall stay himselfe who willing to embrace himselfe with the iustice of Christ shall be disturbed with the perswasions which shall sollicite him to doubt and shutting the dore to them which may come shall recommend himselfe to God saying with Hezechias Lord I suffer violence answer for me Isaia 38. And let him be sure that God will help him fulfilling with him that which he promised by David where hee saith I am with him in trouble I will deliver him and bring him to Honour CONSID. CIV That Baptisme through the Faith of the Gospell is efficacious even in Children who dye before they come to the age to be able to approue their being Baptized TAking occasion from that which S. Peter saith That the Ark wherein Noah saved himselfe in the floud was a figure of our Christian Baptisme I haue considered that as Noah giving credit to the word of God did believe that the floud would come and did believe that himselfe and his should be saved in the Ark not by vertue of the Ark which could not naturally work this effect but by the will of God who used this Ark for an instrument of safety to him and his so we also giving credit to the Gospell of God believe that Christ shal come to iudge the quick and the dead and we believe that all our sinnes being chastised in Christ we and ours shall bee saved in that iudgement being Baptised not by vertue of the water which cannot naturally work this effect but by the will of God who useth the water for the meanes of our salvation God could well have saved Noah in the floud without the Ark and it seems hee took the Ark for the means to condescend unto the frailty of Noah who more easily believed that he should be saved in the Ark then he would have believed that he should haue been saved without the Ark. Albeit he did not trust in the Ark but in the word of God who promised to saue him in the Ark and so not the Ark but Faith was that which saved Noah with which he made the Ark and put himselfe in it In the selfe same manner God could well saue us in day of judgement without the water of Baptisme and it seemes he takes the water for the meanes to condescend unto our frailty which causeth that wee doe more easily believe to be saved by Baptisme then we should belieue to be saved without it albeit wee haue not confidence in the water but in the word of the Gospell of God which promiseth to saue us by Baptisme And so we shall be saved in the universall judgement not because we are Baptised but through the Faith with which we are Baptised Where I understand two things The one that to all of us who are Christians it appertaines to secure our selves in the iudgement of God with the remembrance that wee were baptised as Noah secured himselfe in the Floud with the remembrance of the Ark the Ark being to him that which Baptisme is to us The other that wee who are baptised being children are to assure our selves that we are then really and indeed baptised when the yeares of discretion being come and feeling by the will of God the voice of the Gospell we reioyce to be baptised in such sort that if so bee we were not baptised we would then be baptised That betiding tous which might haue befallen a man who had bin put into the Ark of Noah whilst he was asleep who being awaked and finding himselfe in the Ark would haue thanked Noah that had put him in the Ark affirming that if he had not been entered therein and could haue entered therein he would without all doubt haue entred therein In such sort that as that man being entered into the Ark not by his own proper faith but by the Faith of Noah should haue saved himselfe in the Ark by his own proper faith esteeming it good that hee had entered into the Ark So we who in out infancies were baptised having entred into Baptisme not through our own proper Faith but by the Faith of them who put us therein shall be saved in Baptisme by our own proper faith approving and holding it for good to be Baptised Another thing also may be said that as the Beasts which Noah put into the Ark entred in by the faith of Noah were saved in the Floud by the faith of Noah they having neither knowledge of good nor evill to enter into the Ark nor to approve their entring in but being put into it So the children of the first Christians who enter into Baptisme by the faith of their Parents and come not to the age to be able to approue or reprove that which their Fathers haue done they