mentioned by them understand good workes done of faith as we doe generally take them So as Bucer professed in the conference at Ratisbon Bucer apud Cassand Coufut art 6. saying If by to merit the Fathers and others understand to doe through faith of the grace of God good workes to which God hath promised and will render a reward To use the word in this sense wee will not condemne Wherein we wholly agree with St. Bernard who explaineth the matter thus Bern. de Gra. lib. Arb. Those which wee call our merits if they be properly called are certaine seminaries of hope incentiues to charitie signes of secret predestination presages of future felicitie the way to the kingdome not the cause of raigning there Now correspondent to our good workes in this life shall our eternall reward be in the other life Math. 16.27 For the Sonne of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then shall he reward every man according to his workes This our blessed Saviour the truth hath taught us and after him his chosen vessell of mercy and trumpet of grace hath delivered unto us the same infallible veritie namely Rom. 2.6 that God will render to every man according to his deeds So that such as our measure of grace is in this life such shall our measure of glory be in the other world such as our vertues and good workes be here such shall our happinesse and felicitie be there Let us then not be weary of well doing knowing that in due season we shall reape if we faint not All that shall be judged worthy in Christ to enter into the heavenly Paradise shall haue perfection of all parts and essentialls of glory aquè non aequaliper one as well as another not equally in degree one with weather All who haue faithfully laboured in Christ Vineyard shall at the end of the day receiue their penie aqualem mercedem vita non glaâ—ia Ambr. in Lus. cap. 15. an equall reward of life not of glory according to St. Ambrose for suppose faith he there is not grace one reward diversum tanâ—â—n braâ—iuâ—â— violeriâ—â— est yet the prize of victory is diverse It is true that in respect of the object participated one is not more blessed than another all beholding one God the fountaine of life But in regard of the disposition of the subjects participating one shall be more happie than another because one shall see God more clearely than another one shall loue God more perfectly and ardently than another and that in so large and ample latitude as we are not now able to comprehend The Apostleteacheth us 1 Cor. 15. ve 41 42. that there is one glory of the Sonne another of the Moone and another of the â—â—ines for one starre differeth from another starre in glory So is the resurrection of the dead They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firâ—â—â—â— at Dam. 12.3 and they that turne many unto rightenasnesse as the starres for ever and ever Now although every starre be perfect in it selfe yet in comparison of a greater it may want perfection Hieron advers Pelag. lib. 1. as St. Hierome notes So although every glorified Saint shall be perfect in it selfe yet may such compared to others more glorious want perfection not of parts or essentialls but of degrere of glorie But all shall be perfect all according to their proper measure and capacitie shall bâ—fully fâ—â—led with glorie none shall want all 〈◊〉 enough Prosp de vita 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. cap. 4. all shall haue sufficient Quia singulie prampia suasufficientia erunt capere amplâ—◠〈…〉 am perfecti non pâ—terint Every 〈…〉 shall be sufficient for them and being 〈◊〉 perfect they shall not be able to receiue any more saith St. Prosper As many vessels of diverse quantities dipt into the Ocean will all be filled but every one according to their proper quantitie Or as divers guests at a feast are fully satiated and filled yet all doe not eat alike and receiue the same quantitie but every one according to the strength and measure of their stomacke So shall it be with the Elect in the kingdome of God in the day of the Sonne of man that day of glorie all shall haue satietie of heavenly delights and pleasures but every one according to their capacitie and measure During their pilgrimage on earth they walked on patiently in the way of good workes they hungred and thirsted after righteousnesse but then shall they be satisfied with life righteousnesse and glory How 〈◊〉 redeemed them with his sacred bloud will now satiate them with the bread of life and inebriate them with the wine of his loue And as the sweet singer of Israel speaketh Psal 36.8 9. He will abundantly satisfie them with the fatnesse of his house and will make them drinke of the â—â—â—er of his pleasures for with him is the fountaine of life and in his light shall they see light They shall see the light which shall never decay enjoy the life which shall never haue an end For they shall ever behold Him who is the light and the life who is all perfection all glory all felicitie all eternitie who is all in all To that all sufficient being who is his owne eternall being and the being of all other 〈…〉 who is Alpha and Oâ—â—ega the beginning and the ending the first and the last To the Creator of the world the glory of the Angels the light and life of men To that infinite fountaine of loue which hath loved us with an ever lasting loue in Christ the sonne of his loue To the Father of mercies the God of all grace peace and consolation be ascribed of us all goodnesse wisedome power prayse honour glorie adoration thankesgiving for all his blessings in Iesus Christ now and in all ages for ever Amen FINIS Perlegi Librum hâ—nc dignumque judico qui typis mandetur Tho. Weekes R. P. Epo Lond. Capel domest
we that dath righteousnesse is borne of him and in the same Eplistle He that doth righteousnesse is righteous as He is righteous In this fense the Trumpet of grace teâ—â—eth the Law the Law of righteousnesse saying of the Iewes Rom. 9.31 〈◊〉 Israel which followed after the Law of righteousnesse hath not attained unto the Law of righteousnesse So God by Ezechiel Ezech. 18.20 The righteousnesse of the righteous shall be upon him and after speaking of the reformed penitent vers 22. In his rightenousnesse that he hath done he shall liue Where he implies all duties of obedience injoyned in the Law to be the way unto life according to that of Moses Levit. 18. â—â— He that doth them shall line in them CHAP. XXIII Of the nature of inherent righteousnesse AS the will of man was depraved and became imperfect through the losse of originall righteousnesse in the state of innocency so it must be in some measure perfected by inherent righteousnesse beforeman be fitted and prepared to passe from the stare of grace unto the state of glorie Inherent righteousnesse called sometimes by Divines regeneration or renovation or inchoation of a new life in us is a supernaturall gift and singular endowment powred into our hearts by God through the operation of his Spirit And by meanes of this habituall endowment wee are inclined and disposed to doe well to obey Gods will to doe those things that are just to be fruitfull in good workes and to worke all righteousnesse And so by degrees we haue Gods image renewed in us and put on the coate which Adam put off for by this meanes wee put on that new man which after God is created in right cousnesse and true Holinesse Ephes 4.24 Now by this righteousnesse we are truely and really just though imperfectly and it is called our owne righteousnesse to distinguish it from the imputed righteousnes of Christ Iesus which is every way most perfect and absolute The chosen vessell of mercie calls it our owne righteousnesse Zanch. in cap. 3. ad Philop. And this he doth as Zanchic observeth for two causes First because it is really and truely infused into our hearts of God by his Spirit and so is made ours Secondly because the actions of pietie equitie temperance and all righteousnesse flowing from it are performed by us For God by his grace giues us a will and desire to serue him and feare him and to doe righteously but it is we that will and desire it is we that serue God and feare him and doe the workes of righteousnesse CHAP. XXIIII Of the fruit of inherent Iustice IF we would goe on still unto perfection we must bring forth the fruit of inherent justice we must walke in the way of actuall righteousnesse and be ever found in the practise of vertue and exercise of good workes we must not suffer the heavenly fire enkindled in our hearts to goe out and die but blow it up daily by vertuous operations and actions Habituall righteousnesse is that roote of grace the branches whereof are holy desires and endeavours and the fruits growing on them are good workes wherein wee must labour to abound that so as St. Peter saith 2 Pet. 1 1â— An abundant entrance may be ministred unto us into the everlasting kingdome of our Lord and Savlour Iesus Christ Now as we see the Rose growing on the branches and crop it for the fragrant smell and other uses but the roote in the ground is hid and wee see it not So the roote of righteousnesse is hid in the heart and seene onely of God who onely is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the understander of the heart before whom all things are naked and bare even the thoughts of men and Angells but the fruit of good workes is seene of men and is profitable to the doers and to them that see them Yea by them we are declaratorily justified before men and reputed just in the judgement of the Church as Zacharie and Elizabeth were in the Synagogue Act. 1.6 For this cause our blessed Saviour stirreth up and exhorteth his Disciples to the practise and exercise of good workes Math. 5.16 saying unto them Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heaven If wee be living branches abiding in thetrue Vine let us giue eare unto the Vine saying unto us Joh. 15.7.5.8 I am the Vine and yee are the branches He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit And after Herein is my Father glorified that yee beare much fruit so shall you be my Disciples Here Christ insinuateth that if wee be in him we must bring forth fruit yea much fruit many good workes laying up in store for our selues a good foundation against the time to come 1 Tim. 6.18 that we may lay hold on eternall life We must not verbally only but really professe Christ we must not say Lord Lord but doe what he bids us Marcus Aurelius observeth that the old Greekes were wont to speake much Mar. Auret cap. 8. and doe little but the ancient Romanes were wont to speake little and doe much Let not us Christians be like the talkatiue Grecians but the actiue Romanes let not us be good speakers and ill doers like unto the Philosopher in Gellius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A. Gell. li. 17. cap. 19. factis procul verbis tenus all words and no deeds least we be no better than the figge treegrowing betweene Hierusalem and Bethany which bare leaues and no fruit and therefore was accursed of Christ It is not suitable to be called Christians and in our liues to imitate pagans Non sufficit nobis nomen Christianum Amb. in serm de ascen Dom. quod accepimus si non opera bona Christiani fecerimus saith St. Ambrose the name of Christian which we haue taken on us is not sufficient for us unlesse wee doe the good workes of a Christian What shall the name availe us without workes correspondent Nomenhabes factum non habes saith St. Augustine Aug. in 1. ep Ioan. c. 3. v. 17 thou hast the name but not the deede thou sayest well and doest ill thou wearest Christs liverie and vauntest of the cognisance of his name but indeede thou servest Satan and doest the workes of the Devill and doest the workes of the Devill and art unlesse thou repent to be ranked amongst those miserable for lorne hypocrites of whom St. Paul writes to the Bishop of Crete saying They professe they know God Tit. 2.16 but in workes they denie Him being abhominable and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate CHAP. XXV Of the nature and qualitie of good workes MAnuall Artists doe by a certaine rule trie and examine their worke whether it be right or wrong even so in Religion wee trie and examine our morall actions by the Law of GOD as an infallible rule
righteousnesse thirdly in perseverance For knowledge perfecteth the understanding righteousnesse and perseverance perfecteth the will CHAP. VI. Of Knowledge IN the soule of man there is a double power to receiue knowledge First Naturall to apprehend and know things within the compasse of nature The second Obedientiall which being actuated by grace is apt to apprehend and know things aboue and beyond the circuit of nature From the first ariseth naturall knowledge from the second supernaturall knowledge Naturall knowledge is but an handmaid waiting and attending on knowledge supernaturall which after an eminent manner beautifieth and adorneth the understanding Now as well-being supposeth a being and grace supposeth nature so supernaturall knowledge findeth man furnished with some knowledge of things naturall before his conversion to God but this knowledge cannot perfect the understanding of man with spirituall perfection In the Cimmerian darknesse of heathenish ignorance some were famous professors and admirers of knowledge attained by the light of nature who by laborious speculations and industrious practise and observation made great improovement of the common notions and law of nature left in man Such were the Priests of Aegypt the Druides of Germanie the Gymnosophistae of India the Magi of Persia and the Philosophers of Greece who were eminent aboue the rest amongst these were Socrates Plato and Aristotle and Pythagoras of Samos of whom Marcus Aurelius noteth that at the gates of his schoole was a stone whereon he wrote these sentences He that knoweth not 〈◊〉 Aurel. 〈◊〉 9. that he ought to know is a brute beast amongst men He that knoweth no more then he hath need of is a man amongst brute beasts He that knoweth all that may be knowne is a God amongst men Now these great Masters of humane science walked in the owle-light of naturall knowledge onely of whom the Trumpet of grace saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 〈…〉 professing themselues to be wise they became fooles Who so much admired of them as Socrates Plato deemed himselfe happie for being borne in his time and the Athenians doisied him after his death yet from him came that prophane Apophthegme Quod supra nos nihil ad nos that which is aboue us doth nothing pertaine unto us Last div inâ—it li. 3. ca. 20. This Lactantius in detestation thereof observed in his divine institutions Salomon in the knowledge of nature surpassed all the Sages among the Gentiles for by a singular and extraordinary gift from God he was wiser than all men as the Holy Ghost witnesseth in these words 〈…〉 9. c. And God gaue Salomon wisedome and understanding exceeding much and largenesse of heart even as the sand that is on the Sea-shoare And Salomons wisedome excelled the wisedome of all the children of the East Countrie and all the wisedome of Aegypt For he was wiser than all men than Ethan the Ezrahite and Heman and Chalcol and Darda the sonnes of Mahol And vers 33. He spake of trees from the Cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the Hyssop that springeth out of the wall He spake also of beasts and of foule and of creeping things and of fishes Such so great was the wisedome of Salomon in the knowledge of nature But we conceiue Adam to haue excelled Salomon and other men in largenesse in certaintie in constancy of knowledge both by reason of his naturall endowments by creation and also by reason of his long experience for he had indeed as Aristotle speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist 〈…〉 12. that eye of experience acquired by means of his long age amounting to nine hundred and thirtie yeares Gen. 5 But now there be many things that hinder us and make us despaire of attaining so great knowledge and they be especially fiue First weaknes of body Secondly shortnes of life Thirdly want of things necessary Fourthly perturbation of affections Fiftly and lastly temptations by evill Angells CHAP. VII Of Knowledge supernaturall ALthough humane knowledge may serue as an handmaid to divine although it may whet the understanding and make it more acute and sharpe and enlarge it for the apprehension of things of an higher nature yet can it not perfect it Onely supernaturall knowledge addeth true perfection to the minde The author or inspirer hereof is God Iob 32.8 for the inspiration of the almightie giveth understanding The object thereof is Holy things Prov. 9.10 for The knowledge of holy things is understanding Such knowledge commeth to man either by vertue of some extraordinary supernaturall light as in old time by dreames and visions and immediate inspiration to the Prophets and Apostles and holy men of God or as ordinarily now it doth by divine revelation out of the canonicall Scriptures through operation of the Spirit and Ministery of the Church For Christ ascending upon high gaue gifts unto men and as it is written Ephes 4.11 He gaue some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie for the edifying of the body of Christ till wee all come into the unitie of the faith and of the knowledge of the sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ The divine Oracles teach us to know two things that we may be perfect according to the state of this life First God secondly our selues God that we may beleeue in him loue him and enjoy him Our selues that we may feare God and serue him in humility and this humility causeth perfection as St. Bernard intimateth in his thirty-seventh Sermon upon the Canticles Now there are two degrees of knowing God the first is to know him quantum cognoscibilis est so much and so farre as he can be knowne Secondly quantum nos ejus cognoscitivi sumus to know him so much and so farre as we are able to know him In the first degree God onely knoweth himselfe Quidest Deus quod ad universum spectat finis est Quod ad electionem salus quod ad se ipse novit saith St. Bernard What is God Bern. de consid ad Eug. li. 5. ca. 11. to the world he is the end to the elect salvation what he is to himselfe he himselfe knowes Man a finite creature cannot possibly comprehend Him who is infinite and incomprehensible For such apprehension is supra modum receptivitatis suae aboue the measure and modell of his capacitie Wee cannot come to know God à priori by the cause for he onely is absolutus à causa seeing he is causa causarum the cause of all other causes all other depend on him but he onely is independent and before all other But we may come to the knowledge of God à posteriori by his workes and effects Therefore he said unto Moses thou shalt see my backe parts Exod. 33.23 but my face shall not be seene Now we attaine to the knowledge of
the object seeing that such may be in evill Angels and reprobates and in that sense St. Iames saith Iam. 2.19 Daemones credunt contremiscunt the devills beleeue and tremble but it is * Or rather an affiance in Christ the redeemer for pardon of sin grounded on the promise of the Gospell a fiduciall assent to the promise of saving grace in Christ And as it is an assent it hath place in the understanding as it is fiduciall it hath place in the will A bare assent to the object is too slender a setting forth of the formall cause of justifying faith and too weake to support that which is the life of a Christian who saith with the Apostle Galat. â— 20. I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God who loved me and gaue himselfe for me Cornelius Bishop of Bitonto Corn. Bitont apud Whitak Conc. ult upon the first to the Romans saith that faith is not a bare credulitie but a trust and confidence and includes some operation of the will God indeed as the principall predominant efficient cause worketh faith in man this is the worke of God Iohn 6.29 that wee beleeue on him whom he hath sent but man in whom faith is wrought formally beleeveth and that willingly not against his will Aug. de Spir. lit ca. 34. All this St. Augustine plainely insinuateth saying Voluntas qua credimus dono Dei tribuitur the will whereby we beleeue is ascribed to the gift of God So then it is necessarily inferred out of the precedent grounds that both the will and whole person of a Christian is singularly perfected by the righteousnesse of faith in Christ Iesus whereby we who were enemies become well pleasing and acceptable to GOD and therefore the chosen vessell of mercy desired this Philip. 3.9 and onely this he desired that he might be foundin Christ not having his owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God through faith CHAP. XX. Of the different participating of imputed righteousnesse by faith THE righteousnesse of Christs merit which is the materiall cause of our justification is equally communicated to all that haue it so that in regard of it one is not more righteous than another For it is entirely imputed unto whom it is imputed and entirely embraced by all who participate of it But because we apprehend and apply it to our selues by a spirituall instrument or organ namely faith hence it coÌ„meth to passe that all doe not equally apprehend and applie it to themselues for all haue not one degree or measure of faith But it is according to one degree in one and according to another degree in another in some weaker and in others stronger and yet all haue true faith and sufficient to embrace Christs righteousnesse For if we consider faith secundùm rationem specificam in the essentiall forme whereby it is specified and differenced from other habits and vertues so it is in all right beleevers alike for every essentiall forme is constituted in indivisibili and doth not admit latitude as not being capable of division by more or lesse But if we consider it secundùm rationem individualem as it is inherent in divers subjects so it is in some more in others lesse and doth admit very great latitude And so there may be one degree of faith in St. Peter another in St. Paul and another in St. Luke and another in Onesimus Hence was it that our Saviour said to the Centurion in Capernaum Math. 10.8 I haue not found so great faith no not in Israel And to the woman of Canaan O woman great is thy faith Math. 15.28 Aquinas aptly noteth Aqui. 11 â—ae qu. 112. art 4. that an habit is said to be great two wayes First in respect of the end and object as being ordained to sime greaet good secondly in respect of the subject which doth lesse or more participate of the inherent habit Now faith as all other gifts and graces comes downe from the Father of lights and is dispensed and distributed to us by his Sonne Ephes 4.7 for to every one is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ So God is said to deale to every ma the measure of faith Rom. 12.3 and in the fixt verse following He that prophecieth must prophecy according to the proportion of faith Aqui. in Rom. cap. 12. lect 1. Whereupon Aquinas commenteth Nonsolùm alias gratias gratis datas dat Deus mensuratè sed etiam ipsam sidem quae per dilectionem operatur God doth not onely giue by measura other graces freely given but also faith it selfe which worketh by loue Now although Almightie God doth giue unto every man in his first conversion a certaine measure of faith yet doth he not alwayes giue unto every man that full measure which he shall after attaine unto but he shall goe on from one degree to another and still receiue further increase and improvement of his faith untill that measure allotted him be accomplished Eor even as plants when they first bud and herbs in the garden when they first put forth are not adorned with that beautie stature and perfection which they shall after haue so neither are graces and vertues given of God to men at the first such so great and perfect as afterward they shall be Ambr. de voc gent. lib. 2. cap. 3. Semina charisonatum plantaeque virtutnus non in omni agrecordis humani totum hoc pariter quod futurae sunt nascuntur nec facilè reperitur in exordio maturitas in inchoatione perfectio Exerit quidem frequenter potens misericors Deus mir abiles istes suae operationis effectus quibusdam mentibus non expectatâ profectuum morâ totum simul quicquid collaturus est invehit The seeds of graces saith St. Ambrose and plants of vertues doe not in every field of mans heart spring up at the first all that which they shall after be neither is ripenes easily found in the beginning and perfection at the first God mightie and mercifull doth indeede oft-times shew forth these wonderfull effects of his operation and puts into some mindes at once all that he bestoweth of them not expecting any delay of proficiencie Thus some haue their proper measure of faith fully measured out unto them at the first but others are to labour and pray for proficiencie to receiue further increase and augmentation of their faith saying or rather praying with the blessed Apostles unto the Lord increase our faith Luk. 9.5 And with the Father of him that was possessed with the dumb spirit Lord I beleeue Mark 9. v. 24 helpe thou mine unbeliefe This man beleeved yet prayed he for decrease of unbeliefe the Apostles beleeved yet prayed they to the Lord for increase of Faith When as our gracious Saviour had spoken to his Apostles of his