THE CLEANSING of the Leper DISCOVRSED AND OPENED FIRST in certaine Lectures within the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paul in London vpon occasion of that great visitation of the Plague in the yeare of our Lord 1603. And now thought meet to be published for our present instruction and comfort as being fitted both to this time of pestilence and of famine amongst vs. Beholde thou art now made whole sinne no more least a worse thing come vnto thee Ioh. 5. By HENRY MORLEY Bachelour of Diuinitie Imprinted at London by H. L. for Clement Knight and are to be sould at the signe of the holy Lambe in Paules Churchyarde 1609. TO THE MOST Reuerend Father in GOD RICHARD the Lord Archbishop of Canterburie his Grace Primate and Metropolitane of all England one of his Maiesties most Honorable priuie Councell and Chancelor of the Vniuersitie of Oxford RIght Honorable and my gratious good Lord the common Apologie that is made for the publishing of bookes viz. the intreatie importunitie of friēds with a complaint notwithstanding of the excessiue number thereof already I take to bemuch like that formal speech vsed by guests at great feasts who will seeme to finde fault with the excesse of cheere and superfluitie of dishes yet taste and eate of euerie one that is before them The best Apologie I suppose my self and others can make herein for so many Criticks haue we in these daies that nothing can well passe without an Apologie is the necessitie or rather iniquitie of this age wherein the manifold opposition to Trueth and the most shamefull dishonour to Pietie the one by Papists and Schismatickes the other by Atheists and Libertines do seeme to call as Moses somtimes did to the tribe of Leui to put euerie man his sword by his side that hath skill to handle it and to consecrate his hands vnto God in the zeale and defence of them In performance of which dutie if there bee any thing in this simple Work worthy of regard I humbly cōsecrate the same next vnto God to the honour of your Grace to whome it doth most iustly belong both in regard of my bounden duetie as your seruant and of your Graces sundry fauours and benefittes towardes mee To which please it you to adde your honourable patronage of this small Treatise against the calumnies of such Aduersaries as it hath to incounter with I shall thinke my selfe yet more deepely ingaged in any possible seruice to your good Lordshippe Thus crauing your Honorable acceptance of my poore endeauors I humbly take my leaue with hartie and earnest prayer to God for your Graces health and happinesse to the prosperous and good estate of this our Church long to continue Your Graces humble Chaplaine and Seruant HENRIE MORLEY The Matters contayned in this Booke 1 THe combining of Christs preaching and his working of miracles together with the reasons thereof pag. 1 2 The particular miracle of the healing of the Leper and the seuerall points obserued in it pag. 5. 3 A description of the nature and qualitie of the Leprosie and of the contagion and difficulty of the curing thereof pag. 6 4 The Lepers faith in comming vnto Christ in making a petition to be healed of him commēding faith without diffidence in prayer pag. 8 5 The Lepers humility reuerence vnto Christ in worshipping him and falling downe before him commending humilitie and reuerence in prayer pag. 11 6 The honor that the Leper giueth vnto Christ stiling him with the name of a Lord acknowledging him to be Lord God Almightie the soueraine Lord of heauen and earth pag. 17 7 The forme of the Lepers petition in saying Si vis potes if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane cleared from imputation of distrust and diffidence of Christs goodnes towards him pag. 24 8 The matter of the Lepers petition in praying for the health of his body shewing the lawfulnesse of praying for temporall things and how farre and in what sort wee ought to pray for them pag. 26 9 The ground of the Lepers petition which is the acknowledgement of Christs will and the confident assurance of his power in saying Si vis potes if thou wilt thou canst pag. 32 10 Two propositions diduced from thence the one that the will of God is the prime and principall cause of Gods workes the other that the will of God is omnipotent able to doo whatsoeuer it will Ibid. 5 11 The former point proued in diuers cases both of election reprobation c. of all which the will of God is shewed to bee the first immediate principall cause pag. 33 12 That the will of God is alwayes iust though many times secret and hid from vs and that there is alwayes a iust reason though not a superiour cause of it pag. 36 13 Against the heresie of the Pelagians and some of the Papists affirming election and reprobation to be of a preuision and foreknowledge in God the one of faith and good workes the other of infidelitie and the abuse of his grace pag. 38 14 Notwithstanding the will of God is not the sole cause of most of his workes and particularly of mans saluation but the will of man worketh with the will of God in the accomplishment therof pag. 43 15 Neither is the meere will of God the only cause or any cause of the damnation of the wicked without the malice and wickednes proceeding from mans owne will pag 47 16 The difference of reprobation and damnation or of negatiue and positiue reprobation the one depending vpon the will of God only the other hauing respect vnto the wickednesse of man pag. 48 17 The conclusion of the first point together with the right vse to be made of it pag. 49 18 The second point concerning the omnipotency of Gods will that nothing is able to resist or to hinder the fulfilling of it pag. 51 19 Of diuers manners whereby God willeth many things although there bee but one will in h m properly and indeede viz. his absolute will or the will of his good pleasure which is alwayes fulfilled pag. 53 20 Against the doctrine of vniuersall grace as it is held by some as being not able to confist nor to stand with the absolute will of God and the powerfull and effectuall working thereof pag. 54 21 The order of Christs healing the Leper by his hand and by his tongue with diuers reasons of both pag. 56 22 The first reason why Christ vseth his hand in healing the Leper being able to haue healed him without touching him viz. to shewe that he was not subiect to the law as others but was Lord of it pa. 57 23 The second reason to shew that hee did not feare to take the infection nor refuse to do a work of pietie vpon any nicenesse and squeamishnesse wherin is shewed how farre charitie is to bee extended in times of infection pag. 61 24 The third reason to shewe that hee esteemed more of charity then of the
GOD as beeing eternall and nothing greater then it as beeing omnipotent Aug. lib. 1. contra Man cap. 2. lib. 83. quaest Quaest 28 as Saint AVSTEN sayes hence it followeth necessarily that there can be no cause eyâ—her of it or before it but this is as it were the cause of all causes and the first moouer of euery thing Voluntas Dei est causa causarum extra vel vltra illam ratio non qua renda immò vltrà nihil est The truth wherof will more cleerely appeare vnto our senses by a particular view and consideration of the workes of God of all which you shall finde no cause to bee aboue or before the will of God but contrariwise this to be both the prime and principall cause of all Quare hos eligat in gloriam illos reprobauit noÌ„ habet rationem nisi diuinam voluntatem Thom. sum par 2. q. 23. To begin with one of the greatest of Gods vvorkes vvhich is his eternall decree of predestination what is the cause that God doth elect choose som in making them vessels of mercy to manifest his goodnes bounty in theÌ„ contrarily that he doth reiect refuse others Rom. 9.22 in making them vessells of wrath to shew his iustice and his power in them Diuersitas seruandorum a damnandis prouenit a principali intentione primi agentis Thom. ibid. but onely the will and pleasure of God as the first immediate cause of it whereof if there be any other causes they are all in relation vnto it and haue a certaine kinde of dependency vpon it as vpon the first and principall cause of all Let the case be if you please of Peter and Iudas I demaund what the cause was that God had mercie vpon Peter in sauing him and not vpon Iudas in damning him will you say because Peter repented and Iudas despayred It is true indeede this was a secondarie and a mediate cause but I demaund then againe why did Peter repent and Iudas despaire but because it pleased God to giue repentance to the one and woulde not giue it vnto the other in regarde hee had in his eternall decree elected the one and reiected the other For if God would haue giuen repentance and faith to Iudas as well as he did to Peter Iudas had been saued as well as Peter and therefore the will of God was the first maine cause of the saluatioÌ„ of the one reprobatioÌ„ of the other according to the conclusioÌ„ which the Apostle maketh Rom. 9.18 Rom. 9.18 God will haue mercie on whom hee will haue mercie and whom he will he hardneth Come to an other case of Gods gifts and of his blessings as well spiritual as temporal which as we all know he bestoweth diuersly giuing to diuers men diuers gifts to some more to some lesse wee shall finde that the chiefe and principall cause hereof is ascribed vnto his will 1. Cor. 12.7 To one is giuen sayth the Apostle the word of faith to an other the word of wisdome to an other the gift of healing to an other the operatioÌ„ of great workes to an other prophesie to an other the diuersitie of tongues c. All which are giuen by one and the selfe-same spirit distributing to euery one seuerally euen as he will 1. Cor. 12.7 This is the cause why God dooth reueale his mysteries to babes and children and doth hide them from the wise and prudent because it is the will and pleasure of God as CHRIST sayth Mat 11.27 I giue thee thankes O Father maker of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnder standing and hast opened them vnto babes it is so O Father because thy good will and pleasure was such Mat. 11.27 Insomuch that in the parable of the housholder Mat. 20 who hired Labourers into his Vineyard when hee came at Euen to pay them their wages and found one murmuring because he gaue as much to them that came at the last houre as to them that came at the first he giueth no other reason hereof but his wil Volo huic nouissimo dare sicut tibi I wil giue to this last as much as to thee making his will a sufficient a iust cause of his deede Of whose will there is that iustice that GOD is not sayde to will a thing to bee done because it is good but rather to make it good because GOD will haue it to bee done like as wee see in the creation where it is first sayde that GOD created all things and then afterwardes it is sayd that hee sawe that they were all good to shewe that euerie thing is therefore good because it is created not therefore created because it is good The which doth most notably cleare Gods will from the least stayn or spot of iniustice because that albeit his will be the first and chiefe cause of euery thing dooing euery thing because hee will do it yet notwithstanding it is not like to the will of Tyrants whose will is commonlie without reason or rather against all right and reason as the Poet sayth but it is most iust and holy too as the Prophet DAVID sayth Psalm Psal 145 145. The Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works Wherupon that thrice learned ZANCHIVS maketh a difference and a distinction betweene the cause of Gods will and the reason of his will Zanch. de natura dei lib. 3 cap. 4. that although there bee no superiour cause of Gods will yet notwithstanding there is a iust reason and a most right end and purpose in it because that cannot bee without reason which is done vvith great wisdome Psal 104 Psal 104 in regarde whereof it is not simply called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the will of God but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good will and pleasure of God Ephes 1.11 Eph. 1.11 Insomuch that it may as truly be say de to be good in God Deus bonus est in beneficio certorum iustus est in supplicio caeterorum Et bonus in omnib quoniam bonum est cum debitum redditur et iustus in omnib â—aoniam iustum est cum debitum sine cuiusquaÌ„ fraude donatur Aug. de Bono perseu to reiect and to cast away Iudas for the declaration of his iustice and power as to elect saue Peter for the manifestation of his loue mercy both of them concurring alike to the manifestation of his glory which is the chiefest good and the last end of all things Prou. 16.4 The brightnesse and sun shine as it were of which truth doth after a maruellous manner dispell and scatter that thick fogge and impure mist of the Pelagian heresie fancying and dreaming of certaine causes without God as the Schoole-men speake that is not subsisting in God himselfe but externally mouing the will of God to determine and dispose of sundry
both these not without a most wise reason and consideration Aquin part 1. quaest 23. art 8. First hee vseth some means viz. the ministerie of his creatures with the seueral powers operations thereof to keepe a decent and a comely order in things making as it were a scries or a concatenation of causes linked and fowlded one with in an other as in a golden chain where euery link hangeth vpon an other wherein all the subordinate and secondarie causes depend vpon the first primary cause and that sendeth his influence into the secondary causes giuing them power and ability to worke to effect seuerall things withall As for example God promising to shewe his mercy to bestow his blessing vpon Israel his people he doth it by no less then three or foure secondary subordinate causes hanging one vpon an other and all of them depending vpon the first and primarie cause of all which is himselfe saying I will heare the heauens Ose 2.15 and they shall heare the earth and the earth shal heare the corne the wine and the oyle and they shall heare Israel that is he himselfe giueth vertue and power to the heauens the heauens send their influēce vnto the earth the earth giueth norishmēt to the corn wine oyle and the corn wine and oyle giue their strength and vertue vnto vs all this God doth being able to haue done it otherwise to maintain a decent and a comly order in the world Secondly hee dooth it as the same Doctor saith to honour his creatures in vouchsafing to make them coworkers with himselfe that as he is the first and principall Agent in euery thing so the creatures worke together with him as meanes and instruments to performe the will of the first agent not that God hath anie neede of them for the effecting of his workes but to vouchsafe an honour vnto them it being altogether a matter of dignation and not of necessity Thus we read that although God had promised Iacob to preserue him Gen. 28.15 and to defend him saying Lo I am with thee wil keep thee whithersoeuer thou goest Gen. 28. Yet when it was told him that his brother Esau cam towardes him to meete him with 400. men Gen. 32 hee does not lay all vpon God but he himselfe also falls to worke and prouideth as wel as he can for the time to defende both him and his from violence by diuiding the people that was with him into two companies commanding some to go before and others to follow after that if the first company were assaulted the second might rescue and ayde them Iosephus Anti lib. 1 cap. 19. as Iosephus discourseth vpon the story by which example hee would giue vs to vnderstand sayth Austen August in quaest super Gen. quaest 102. writing vpon the same scripture that although wee ought to looke for helpe of God as the first and principall worker that worketh all in all yet notwithstanding as coworkers to labour and worke together with God in doing such things as men ought to doe for their owne preseruation and safety least otherwise wee incurre that iust reproofe of those idle loyterers quid statis hic tota die otiosi Mat. 20. Why stand ye heare all the day idle The like wee reade of Pauls dangerous voiage of the companie that sayled with him vnto Rome to whom though God had promised safety by a speciall reuelation saying Feare not Paul for thou must appeare before Caesar and God hath giuen vnto thee all that saile with thee Act. 27.31 yet notwithstanding when hee saw the ship in danger the marriners who were to gouern the ship ready to depart out of it hee doth not hold his peace but begins to bestir himselfe and tel them plainely that vnlesse those men abide in the ship they cannot be safe so that although hee knew that none of them should perish yet he knew withal that the way to escape the daunger was not to lay all vpon God but to labour with God and to gouerne the ship which otherwise was like to perish with all the companie that was in it The consideration wherof doth iustly reproue and condemne the extreame folly and presumption of diuers who like vnto the Scribes and Pharises that would laie heauie burdens vpon other mens shoulders Mat. 23.4 not touch thē with one of their own fingers will lay all vpon God to worke his owne will while they themselues do loyter and are altogether idle dealing herein as the diuel dealt with Christ who hauing set him vpon the pinnacle of the Temple goes about to perswade him to cast himselfe down headlong Math. 4 because God had giuen his Angells charge ouer him leauing out most subtilly and cunningly that which Christ was to do on his own part Numquid in praecipitijs qualis est haec via Non est haec via sed ruina et si via tua est nō illius Bern. in psa Qui hab sor 14 which was not to cast himselfe downe but to come downe the right waie as it followeth in the text and they shall keepe thee in all thy wayes not in the diuells downe falls saies Bernard but in his owne wayes Now what manner of way call you this for a man to cast himselfe downe from the top of a pinnacle this is no way but a a downefall or if it be a waie it is the diuells waie not Christs waie and therfore he refuseth it giuing no eare at all to his perswasion Which notwithstanding is a great fault wherein diuers doe offend both in diuers maners and in diuers cases which I purpose to specifie in three especially The first is a spirituall case in the matter of our saluation wherein there are many that doe rely so much vppon the first and chiefe cause thereof which is Gods eternall and immutable decree of predestination that they do altogether neglect the secondary causes and the subordinate meanes thereof which is an effectuall vocation by the preaching of the word and the inward working of the spirit and an effectual iustification by a true and a liuely faith with the fruits of a holy and godly conuersation vsing a most diuelish speech inuented at the first by no other then the diuell himselfe in saying if God hath predestinated me to saluation let mee liue as I will I am sure to he saued because his predestination is immutable on the other side if God hath ordained mee to reprobation or damnation howsoeuer I liue I am sure to be damned because his decree cannot be altered Dolosi vel im periti medici est vtile medicamentum sic alligare vt aut non prosit aut obsit Aug. de bono perseuer cap. 21 To whom I might answer as S. Austen somtimes did in the like case to certaine men that did abuse the doctrine of predestination as these do that it is the property either
of a deceitful or of an vnskilfull physitiō so to apply an wholesome medicine that eyther it shall do hurt or at the least no good whenas these men that doe thus reason ought to consider this with themselues that whom God hath predestinated to saluation hee hath also predestinated to the secondarie causes and meanes that doe bring vs vnto it which is our effectuall vocation and iustification as the Apostle sheweth in that golden chaine both of the first second causes of saluation Rom. 8. Rom. 8.30 Whom God hath predestinated hee hath called whom he hath called he iustified whom he iustified he hath glorified So that in the matter of predestination we are not to reason a priori from the first and highest cause thereof in saying If I am predestinated I am sure to bee saued if not I am sure to be damned but we are to reason a posteriori from the lowest of the subordinate and second causes to the first and highest cause of all in reasoning thus My faith and good workes doe shew that I am iustified being iustified it shewes that I am called beeing called it shewes that I am elected being elected it is most sure and certaine that I shall bee saued Otherwise to set all vpon Gods predestination not looking to the second means which God hath ordained to com vnto it what is this else but as if a man that trauelles should thinke to come to the end of his iourney without stirring one foote or vsing the waie that brings him to it or as if a man should think to get vp to the top of a house without a paire of stayres or a ladder to ascend withal whereas in Iacobs sision there was a ladder that reached vp vnto heauen Gen. 28.12 the Angells of God ascended and descended by it but as for these men they think to fly vp to heauen with the wings of predestination without the staires or ladder of a faithfull and holy conuersation I haue read of one Ludouicus an Italian who neuer considering the order and the causes of our saluation grew to that desperat conclusion which many Atheists and profane wretches in these daies seem to haue learned of him in hauing this speech commonly in his mouth If I be predestinated I am sure to be saued if not doe what I can I am sure to bee damned In which his wicked assertion he continued a long time till at the length hee grew dangerously sicke whereupon he sent for a learned and a cunning Physicion to request and to vse his help The Physicion beeing made acquainted with his former lewd assertiō in his health time how he wold vsually say If I am saued I am saued he likewise directed his speech to the same purpose said vnto him Sir it shall be needlesse to minister any physicke vnto you or to vse meanes for your recouery neither do I purpose to take any such course for if the time of your death be not com you have no cause to feare you shall liue and do well enough without physick if the time of your death be now come all the Physick in the world wil not help you because it is impossible to auoid it Ludouicus musing in his bed of the strange speech which the Physicion vsed hauing cōsidered a while aduisedly of it began to see his own folly to find by reason that as meanes was to be vsed for the health of the bodie so God had also ordained meanes for the health of the soule wherupō he reuersed his former opinion took physick and so was cured both in his body and soule at one time which I wish were seriosly cōsidered of diuers irreligious and profane beastes who neglecting all the meanes of their saluation by liuing a most wicked a licentious kind of life venturing all their estate vpon Gods predestination without regarde or respect of a holy conuersation doe runne headlong to eternall destruction and damnation whereas contrariwise they and onely they which vse the meanes of saluation shall obtaine the ende of predestination which is eternall glorification The second case that I will propound is a temporall case in the preseruing and maintaining of this temporall life wherein there are many that do depend so much vpon Gods prouidence in sustayning and keeping them that they doe altogether neglect the means and the second causes of it Som in relying and resting so much vppon Gods prouidence which is the first and the principle cause that they will vse no labour nor take anie paines in anie honest vocation to get their liuing withall like vnto certaine idle Monks Augaretract lib. 2. cap. 21 of whom S. Austen complayneth in his time who liued so well vpon the almes and beneuolence of well disposed people that they would not labour nor take the least paines for their liuing saying that they did heerein fulfill the precept of our Sauiour Christ where he saith Looke vpon the fowles of the ayre Mat. 6 and the Lillies of the fielde they neither labour nor spin nor sowe nor reape nor carry into the barnes and yet God feedeth them Whereas they should not regarde so much what these senselesse and vnreasonable creatures do as what sensible and reasonable creatures ought to doe who are borne vnto labour Iob. 7 as Iob sayth God prouiding in the first beginning of all that man should not be idle Gen. 2 and therefore put him into the garden of Eden to dresse and to keepe it God doth not feede vs ordinarily as he did the Israelites miraculously by rayning downe Manna from heauen Exod. 1◠by sending quailes among vs Num. 16. nor yet by Angells and Rauens which bring meat drink vnto vs 1. King 17 as they did vnto Elias but by labour and industry Philo Iud. de sacr Cain Abel which Philo calls the beginning of all vertue happiness without which no good nor honest thing is to be found among men For euen as the eye of the bodie is not able to see without light so the eye of the soule is not able to see to do any action of vertue without the helpe of labour as it were with the helpe of light Look vpon Students and Artists who study the liberall arts sciences looke vpon husband men artificers handicraftsmen and such as get their liuing by any manner of means you shall see that they doe not cease to labour with their hands and with their feete with all the strength both of their bodies and of their minds It is the saying of a heathen man that the gods do sell all things for labour Verely our God is but one and hee doth not sell but giue but yet he giues all things for labour it beeing the roote as Philo sayes from whence all good things doe spring and growe Philo ibid. For though God himselfe doth giue all things on his part without labour and difficulty yet notwithstanding he
â—eed not to be verie sollicitous exemplified in two â—articular cases pag. 203 60 That of the scandall of weake ones wee ought â—o haue some care in condescending somthing vnto â—â—eir weakenes wherein is shewed how far and how â—ong pag. 206 61 The reason concerning the Priest to giue him his due and the honor that belonged vnto him whose office was to iudge of the Leprosie to pronounce sentence of the cleansing thereof pag. 212 62 The great honour that God hath vouchsafed to the Priests of the Law from time to time specified in foure particulars pag. 213 63 The honour that God hath vouchsafed to the ministers of the Gospell shewed in the honour of their office and of their person pag. 216. 64 The contempt of Gods ministers in these dayes and the haynousnes of the sin with the causes of this contempt pag. 221. 224 65 Reuerence and obedience to be yeelded vnto theÌ„ notwithstanding their vnworthines many times due in regard of the dignitie of their office though not in regard of the merit of their person pag. 230 66 The third charge to offer his gift with the reason thereof which was to testifie his thankfulnes vnto God pag. 232 67 That for the same cause God commanded the first fruits sacrifices tenthes oblations c. to be offred vnto him which he hath giuen from himself vnto the Priests for their seruice and maintenance pag. 233 68 That the law of tithes and oblations is not 〈◊〉 meere ceremoniall and iudiciall law but also moralâ— in the substance and proportion and equity thereof pag. 23â— 69 That although the law of tithes doe not binde Christians as they were due to the Leuitical priests yet the Church hath libertie to retaine the same and to ordaine it againe as it doth pag. 237 70 Foure propositions arising froÌ„ the right which God hath transferred from himselfe and hath made ouer vnto his ministers for their seruice pag. 241 71 The first that the maintenance of ministers is not a meere humane constitution but a diuine ordinance due vnto them iure diuino by a diuine right or by the law of God pag. 241. 242. 72 Also that it is not a voluntarie and beggerly almes giuen in charitie but an honourable tribute due in iustice and that God did not see it fitte that ministers should liue vpon meere beneuolence and the voluntarie contributions of the people with the reasons thereof pag. 242. 243 73 The second that the maintenance of ministers ought to bee a liberall and a bountifull maintenance proued by the law of nature of nations of Christ and of Christian Princes pag. 246 74 The third that tenthes and oblations and other reuenewes of the Church doe properly belong to Ecclesiasticall and not to any temporall persons pag. 254 75 That to alienate the goods of the Church either by diuerting them without iust cause to ciuill vses or by conuerting them fraudulently and vniustly to our owne vses cannot be without iniurie vnto God and to the Church pag. 256 76 Of the great daunger heereof and the greeuous punishments that haue followed after it with an exhortatioÌ„ a Caueatto beware of it p. 258. 267 77 The fourth that tithes and oblations with other duties belonging to the Church are to be tendered willingly and cheerefully without grudging and murmuring and without contesting and cauilling about them against the wicked practise in these dayes pag. 271 78 The ground and reason of the charge which is the law and commandement of Moses and why Christ would haue the Leper to performe obedidience vnto it being shortly after to bee abolished which was to honour Moses and his law pag. 279 79 Of the honour dewe to the lawes and ceremonies of our Church in regard of the first authors and obseruers of them the which are cleared of the imputation of poperie and superstition pag. 284 80 Another speciall end of the Lepers oblation which besides the testification of his thankfulnesse was to be a testimony against the priests pag. 290 81 How God keepeth records and witnesses to leaue vs without excuse and therefore to seeke for the testimonie of Gods spirit and the testimonie of a good conscience to secure vs against all witnesses that come against vs. 291 82 The allegorie of the whole text applyed to the cleansing of sinne which is the leprosie of the soule wrought by Christ Iesus the PhysitioÌ„ that cleanseth and the high Priest that doth pronounce vs to bee cleane with the testifying of our thankfulnesse for it pag. 295 THE CLEANsing of the Leper Matth. 8. Verse 2.3.4 And lo there came a Leper and worshipped him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane And Iesus stretching forth his hand touched him saying I will be thou cleane and immediately his leprosie was cleansed Then Iesus sayd vnto him See thou tell no man but goe and shewe thy selfe vnto the Priest offer the gifte that Moses commanded for a witnesse to them IT is obseru'd by the fathers that the creation of the World was not performed vvith such labour difficultie as the redemption of it In the creation God vsed his word only for dixit facta sunt hee spake the word and they were made Psal 33.9 Psalm 33.9 But in the redemption of it Christ vsed both words and deeds too Bern. incant ser 20 for multa dixit multa fecit multa pertulit sayth S. Bernard hee spake many things hee did manie things and hee suffered manie things Which was the cause that in performing the office of his mediation hee did not onely preach the word but also wrought many workes and wonders with it ioyning vnto his sayings his doings to his words his deeds and to his doctrine his works miracles which he wrought And this not without most wise and iust consideration Partly 〈◊〉 winne credite authoritie vnto his preaching and to confirme his doctrine by signes and wonders that followed after Mark 16.20 that as his doctrine was supernaturall farre aboue the apprehension of reason so the confirmation thereof might bee supernaturall farre aboue the order and course of nature Cant. 2.12 It is the song of the Church in the booke of the Canticles The flowers appeare in the earth and the voice of the Turtle is heard in our land that is sayth Bernard the truth is founde by hearing and by seeing the voice being heard and the flowers beeing seene Rom. 10.17 Et visu veritas coÌ„perta auditu Etsi fides ex auditu ex visâ— confirmatio est Audita visa confirmant Bern. in Cant. ser 59. Mat. 3.16 For though faith commeth by hearing as the Apostle sayth yet notwithstanding the confirmation of it is by seeing according to that which Christ saith Go shewe Iohn what things yee haue heard seene the things which we heare being confirmed by those things which we see Therfore is Christ not onely testified by a voice but also demonstrated by a Doue and is
to bee healed in his body also it being a thing not vnlawful to pray for the health of the one as wel as for the health of the other For though we ought first and principally to pray for spirituall and heauenly things as our Sauiour Christ vvilleth vs first to seeke the kingdome of heauen Mat. 7 Thom. 2.2 quaest 83. art 4. and the righteousnesse thereof yet secondarily wee praye also for corporall and temporall things as certaine helpes and meanes to attaine vnto better things And therefore our Sauiour in that holy praier which he hath taught vs after 3. petitions for spirituall graces hee addeth one for temporall blessings to shewe that in a decent order Debemus ista ae deo petere sed secundo tertio leco vt primas partes orationis nostrae animae aemor defideriuÌ„ vitae eternae obtiueat Aug. de Temp. ser 60. and in their dew place wee may praie for the one as well as for the other Onely this wee are to bee carefull of that we be not too forward nor too greedie in praying for them but to pray with sobrietie and moderation and with submission to the will of God as the Leper doth here Si vis potes if thou wilt thou canst As if hee should say Lord I doe not doubt but thou art able to heale mee heale me I beseech thee if it bee thy will and if thou seest it to bee good for mee VVhich is the true difference wee are to make in praying for spirituall and temporall blessings for the one wee may pray absolutely if wee will for the other we are to pray conditionally and with submission to the will of God as the Leper doth Lord if thou wilt thou canst make mee cleane It is not to bee doubted but that the Leper had hee prayed for the health of his soule as he doth for the health of his body desiring remission of his sins iustification by faith reconciliation with God his grace here in this life and glory and blessednesse in the life to come all which are spirituall blessings and cannot choose but be alwaies good for vs then he needed not to haue prayed eyther couertly or coÌ„ditionally Si vis potes if thou wilt thou canst but he might haue prayed both directly absolutely with the Prophet Dauid Sana animaÌ„ meam Domine heale my soule O Lord Psal 41.4 But because he praies for the health of his body which is a temporall benefit such an one as God in his wisdome many times doth see not to be good for vs for manie men are better in sicknesse then they are in health therefore hee prayes conditionally and with submission to the will of God Domine si vis potes mundare me Lord if thou wilt thou canst make mee cleane To teach vs also no doubt how to stand affected in praying for these outwarde and temporall blessings whether it bee health wealth peace plenty liberty and deliuerance from dangers and calamities as the sword the famine the pestilence to which wee are and haue beene a long time subiect the Lord giue vs grace to turne vnto him that so hee may turne away both these all other his iudgements from vs viz to bee affected and like minded aâ— Dauid was 2. Sam. 15.25 when hee was in danger and fled from his sonne Absolon that rebelled against him to say with him If I shall finde fauour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me againe if not heere I am let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eies so likewise if we shall find fauour in the eyes of the Lord or if he sees it to be a fauour to giue it vnto vs for some things God doth giue vs in his great displeasure Quaedam Deus negat propitius quedam concedit iratus Aug. Multis propitius Deus non tribuit quod volunt vt quod vtile est tribuat Aug. de vnit Eccle. and some things he doth denie vs in his great loue and mercy denying to many that which they desire that he may giue them that which is good for them I say if God sees it to be a fauour indeede to giue these things vnto vs hee will giue vs health wealth peace plentie liberty prosperity and will preserue deliuer vs both from the famine and the pestilence which doe lie now at our gates as Hanniball sometimes did at the gates of Rome threatning calamitie and destruction vnto vs if not let him do to vs as seemeth good in his eies here we are readie to obey his will eyther by doing or suffering of it This ought to be the affection of euery good Christian touching these outward and temporall things to pray with moderation and submission vnto the will of God according to the direction that S. Bernard giueth Temporalia si defuerint Bern. de 4. modis orandi petenda quidem sunt sed non sunt nimium requirenda if we want teÌ„porall things necessarie for this life it is not vnlawfull to pray for them but wee may not praie too carefully nor too earnestly for them not onely by the example of this Leper but also by an example without all exception euen of Christ himself who praying for outward deliuerance which was a teÌ„poral benefit prayes both with condition and submission too Mat. 26.39 Father if it be possible let this cup pass away from me yet not my will but thy will be done Which was the cause that mooued the Leper to pray so closely and so submissiuely as he doth acknowledging Christs power but submitting himselfe vnto his will in saving Si vis potes mundare me if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane Which petition like vnto those Cherubins which looked towarde the Mercy-seate Exod. 37.9 Exod. 37.9 seemeth to haue an eye vnto two things in Christ vnto his wil and vnto his power to his will in saying Si vis if thou vvilt to his power in saying potes mundare me thou canst make me cleane in the one insinuating and acknowledging that both his cleansing and all things else doe proceed from his will as the first and chiefe cause of all and therefore hee sayth first Si vis if thou wilt In the other signifying plainely that his power is omnipotent able to doe whatsoeuer hee will and therefore vpon the graunt of his will hee inferreth his power Si vis potes if thou wilt thou canst For the first Voluntas dei omnium quae sunt ipsa est causa Aug. viz. that the will of God is the first and principall efficient cause of all those workes which God doth externally out of himselfe as the Schooleâ—en speake Voluntatis dei quae omnium causa nulla causa Hugo de S. Vict. so as there is no superior nor â—recedent cause mouing the same it doth â—uidently and manifestly appeare by the â—ternitie and omnipotencie of Gods wil. For seeing that nothing is before the will of
and exhort vs because our will being prepared and assisted by the grace of his will is able now to doe something in the performance of it So as it is a most sure conclusion which Saint Austen hath that although God hath created vs without our selues yet hee will not saue vs without our selues Qui creanit te sine te non seruabit te sine to Aug. but he will haue our will also to worke together with his in the saluation of vs that as hee doth inlighten vs and sanctifie vs and inspire vs with his heauenly grace so wee also should belieue in him and performe obedience vnto him and doe all such holy and religious duties as may bee pleasing and acceptable vnto him Therfore when Christ shall come to giue the rewarde of saluation at the last day he will not only haue regard vnto his wil and pleasure in saying Come yee blessed of my Father inherite the kingdom of heauen prepared for you because it is my will and pleasure to giue it vnto you but he will also look to the working of our wil in saying For I was hungry and ye gaue me meat Matthew 25 I thirsted ye gaue me drink I was naked and yee clothed mee c. Shewing most plainely that not onely the will of God but also our owne will working with the grace of Gods will is a second meanes wherby God would haue euerie one to attaine vnto saluation So also in the case of damnation Decretum reprobationis non ponit necessitatem damnationis nisi interueniente peccaeto Et quidē consequutiuè non causaliter est a reprobatione damnatio if anie shall aske why a great many are damned can there or ought there nothing else to be answered but because God would haue them to be damned Farre bee it from vs to make God the Authour of mans damnation onely to satisfie his owne will because he would haue it to be so Yea rather the will of man and the malice and wickednesse thereof is the cause of it insomuch that God damneth none but in regarde of sinne as Austen sayth August ad Sixtum Ep. 105. Bucer in refor eccl de pecc orig with whome also Bucer a most learned and iudicious writer of our owne agreeth in saying that whosoeuer are damned are damned for their owne sinne because God is iust and therefore dooth not condemne anie to eternall death but such as perish through their owne wickednesse Lombart lib. 1. Seut dist 41. Aquin. sum par 1. quaest 23. art 5. For though GOD doth reprobate and passe ouer some in forsaking and leauing them vnto themselues euen of his meere will onely without any respect either of good or euil in them euerie man beeing to God as a peece of claie in the hands of the Potter Deus reprobauit quos vo luit nō propter futura merita quae praeuideret c. Lomb. lib. 1. dist 41 Bellarm. li. 2 de gra li. arbit cap. 10 Rhem. annot in Ro. 9 sect 5. whereof it is free vnto him to make either a vessell of mercie or a vessell of wrath which Bellarmine calleth negatiue reprobation and doth graunt to depend onely vpon the will of God without anie respect had vnto men though the Rhemists and some other Papists doe ioyne with the Pelagians herein Ordinatio ad poenam est à iustissima dei voluntate nō tamen excluso respectu peccati Vt enim actu dānātur homines ob peccatum ita decreuit Deus eosdem damnare ob idem peccatum Nec tamen peccatum decreti damnationis causae est c. affirming it to depend vpon a foresight and foreknowledge of sin yet notwithstanding hee doth not adiudge anie to eternall damnation without respect of sinne in the person that is damned which hee calleth positiue reprobation because GOD beeing most iust dooth not punish nor torment a Reprobate for his will pleasure onelie but for his sinne which hee foreseeing from all eternitie decreed to punish with eternall damnation for the declaration and manifestation of his iustice And therfore when CHRIST also shall pronounce his sentence against the wicked and reprobate at the last day in saying Reprobatio quoad propositum deserendi creaturum absoluta est quoad propositum damnandi peccati respectiua Nemo enim nisi suae culpa perit nemo absolutè ordinatur ad gehennant Goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire hee will not make this the cause of it Because it is my will and pleasure to haue it so but because they haue grieuously sinned in not doing those works of mercy which hee required of them Wherefore as wee doe iustlie condemne the Pelagian and Popish heresie for that it tendeth to the aduancing and extolling of our owne merits and to the obscuring and extenuating of the free grace of God So on the other side we doe as iustly condemne the fonde and vaine conceit of some who ascribe the cause of saluation and damnation to the will of God onely without regarde of anie thing in our own selues because this openeth a gap vnto sin and looseth the raynes as it were to all kinde of wickednesse by laying an imputation of mens damnation vpon the will of God onely The right vse wee are to make of this Doctrine is to adore and reuerence the will of God as the prime and chiefe cause of all things aboue which there is none higher and to submit our selues in all dutie and humilitie vnto it acknowledging it alwaies to be iust howsoeuer many times it is secret and hid from vs. For seeing that God himself is most iust whatsoeuer he willeth must needes bee iust for as Austen sayes August ad Siutum ep 105. Non potest Deus facere iniusta quia ipse est sūma iustitia Aug. lib. de Sp. litera Iniustum esse non potest quod placuit iusto whatsoeuer seemeth good to him that is most iust in all things that which hee willeth cannot possibly be vniust his will beeing the very rule of iustice and euery thing therefore iust because hee willeth the same And forasmuch as God dooth not worke things by his own will only but by the cooperatiō of our will together with his therfore as Gods workemen and Gods laborers we are to work together with him by conforming our wil vnto his for the performance of it that so the will of God may be done in earth as it is in heauē which is the thing we daily desire and the principall end and duty of euery man Now for the other point viz. that the will of God is powerfull and effectuall to performe and accomplish whatsoeuer it will so as nothing is able to resist and to withstand it that doth necessarily follow vpon the former proposition For seeing the will of God is the first and vniuersall cause of all things no secondary causes whatsoeuer can haue power to hinder or preuaile against it
things As for example in the case of election and reprobation affirming that the will of God is moued by the works which he did foresee in vs beeing eyther good or euill to elect some and to reiect others and in the case of his giftes and graces which hee bestoweth that hee imparteth his grace vnto some and denyeth it to some in regard of the good vse or abuse thereof which he did foresee in vs. A doctrine not onely repugnant to that truth which hath bin confirmed which maketh the will of God the first and chiefe cause not subiect vnto any other but also clean against the maine streame end current both of the Scriptures Fathers and all Orthodox writers who doe greatly condemne it as obscuring and extenuating the free grace of God in the matter of our saluation Ioh. 15.16 Our blessed Sauior instructing and comforting his Disciples a little before his passion with the sweet doctrine of their election telleth them Ioh. 15. Yee haue not chosen mee but I haue chosen you and ordained you that ye bring forth fruit and that you fruit remaine therefore God hath not chosen men because he did foresee that hee should bee chosen of them and that they would bring forth fruite and continew in so dooing but hee hath chosen them to make them bring forth fruit to perseuere and continue therin Vpon which words S. Aug. in Ioh. tr 86. Austen hath this obseruation of purpose as it seemeth against these kinde of men Hic certè vacat vana illorum ratiocinatio qui praescientiam Dei defendunt contra gratiam Dei here is the vain reasoning of them confuted who defende the fore-knowledge of God against the grace of God in saying that wee were elected before the foundation of the world because God did foresee and knowe before that wee would be good which is quite contrarie to that which Christ sayth here Yee haue not chosen mee but I haue chosen you For if God did therfore choose vs because he did foresee and know we would be good he did not choose vs to make vs good but rather wee choose him in purposing to be good So also the Apostle speaking of Gods election Ephes 1. hee sayth Ephes 1.4 that God hath chosen vs before the foundation of the world that we should be holy hauing predestinated vs to be adopted through Christ Iesus vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his wil he doth not say that he hath chosen vs because he sawe we would be holy but that we might bee holy neyther dooth hee say that hee hath predestinated vs for the good vse of our free-will but according to the good pleasure of his owne will Wherupon sayth Austen Aug. con Inlianum Pelag li. 5. cap. 3. Nullum elegit dignum sed eligendo effecit dignum Hee hath nor chosen anie beeing worthie but hee hath made them vvorthie by choosing them But most pregnant is the testimonie of the Apostle Romans 9.11 Rom. 9.11 Where speaking of election and reprobation or at least of the calling of the Gentiles and the reiecting of the Iewes he bringeth in the example of Iacob and Esau who being borne of the same Parents and at one and the same time and without any disparitie at all in their workes for as yet the children were vnborne and had done neither good nor euill that the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by workes but by him that calleth it was sayd I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau Which because it might perhaps seeme vniust he maketh this obiection vnto himselfe What shall wee say then is there vnrighteousnesse with God To which he answereth God forbid whereof hee giueth no other reason then this for hee sayth to Moses I wil haue mercy on him to whom I will shew mercy and wil haue compassion on him to whom I will shewe compassion Whereas if GOD did choose one and reiect an other for his workes fore-seene it had beene readie for the Apostle to haue sayde so and so quite to haue cleared God of the leaste suspiciō of iniustice which forasmuch as he doth not but standeth only vpon Gods will and his mercy it appeareth plainly that election and reprobation and the graces and blessings of God do not depend vpon workes forseene but first and principally vpon the good-will and pleasure of God Last of all our election which is of grace as the Apostle sayth Rom. 11.5 Rom. 11.5 could not stand if works and merits go before it for if it bee of grace it is no more of works else were grace no more c. Wherupon sayth the same Father Non est gratia si praecesserunt merita Non est gratia si praecesse runt merita Haec quippe non inueni◠merita sed facit Aug. ibid. there is no grace if workes and merits goe before it Haec quippe non inuenit merita sed facit for grace doth not finde but doth make and fashion good works in vs. And yet notwithstanding though the will of God be the prime and chiefe cause of all things before and beyond which there can bee no other moouing and inclining the same yet it is not the sole and only cause as if there were no other answere to be giuen of any thing but only because God would haue it to bee so forasmuch as there are also manie second causes concurring with the first by the mediation whereof the will of God doth effect and bring euerie thing to passe As for example in the matter of our saluation if a question should be asked why God doth saue some men is there nothing to be answered but because God would haue them to bee saued Yes verely the will and working of man concurreth also with the will and working of God For though the will and power of man is not able to doe anie thing without both the wil and the especiall grace of God Iohn 15.5 for as CHRIST sayth Without me ye can doe nothing Iohn 15. Yet notwithstanding beeing preuented and assisted by the good will of God and the powerfull and effectuall grace therof then our wil hath power to work together with the will of God and the grace of God also worketh together with our wil according as S. Paul saith I labored more then they all 1. Cor. 15.10 yet not I but the grace of God with me 1. Cor. 15.10 Else how could Dauid praie vnto God Psal 30. August de peccat mer. remis lib. 2. Aug. de gra lib. arbit to bee his helper sayth Saint Austen vnlesse hee himselfe did endeuour and worke something with him Yea else how could God commaund vs and exhort vs to doe his will vnlesse the will of man did work something in the performance of it For as therfore we pray vnto God daily because our will is not able to do anie thing without the grace of Gods will so God doth therefore commaund vs