book here we suppose what there shall be prooued that while we are in the flesh wee haue sin in vs more or lesse but depriued of rule or soueraignety where faith or grace hath gotten possession in the heart 2. Man as he is rightly called a little world so hath he a true regiment in himselfe His forme of gouernment in the state of integrity may be parralelled by the imaginary model of Platoes weale publique or the vtopia his disordered state of nature before grace infused by an Anarchy or some outcountry infested by outlawes wherein the best are most exposed to spoile his state of grace by a ciuill or well gouerned kingdome or Aristocracie The best and worst Bodies politique anarchies right ordered states do not differ in that the one hath theeues malefactors and the other none but rather as some dialects in this land distinguish in that the one hath reâ—uers the other onely plaine thieues or briefly in that malefactors cannot so beare themselues out in mischiefe ouersway the Lawes or ouerrunne honest men in the one as in the other they may The times haue bin not long since wherein if any poore man in some quarters of this land should haue followed such rauinous creatures as liued by night spoiles to their dens he should haue had more to take part against him then ioine with him others knowing where there goods were who stole them durst not own them least they should seeme to challenge the felon of theft which would sooner haue endangered their liues then his or procured the burning of their houses ouer their heads or some like mischiefe The honester man more obseruant of his Princes lawes the harder in those daies was his case the ordinary course which the more crafty or politicke could take for their safety was when they saw a thiefe to consent vnto him either outputting their neighbors goods for him to driue or harbouring such as they could not but know to be bootehailers But these misorders God bee praised are much amended their memory though yet fresh fitly serues to set forth the state of the vnregerate or meere naturall man in whom sin is alwaies insolent and audacious euen openly to wound the soule and waste the conscience and persecuted by the Law of God or nature rageth the more and raiseth rebellion in the affections seeking as it were to set all the faculties of the sonie in combustion rather then it should be restrained of it wonted course The onely peace and security the carnally minded thus assaulted finds is to suffer his conscience to sleepe and the eie of reason which I may tearme faith naturall to winke at these disorders of inferiour faculties or tacitely coÌ„sent vnto them But so it is not in the state of grace which not withstanding neuer wants sinfull adherents not only in habite or affection but oftimes bursting out into action to hurt both soule and conscience as there alwaies haue been and euer will be thefts and robberies with other outrages coÌ„mitted euen in the most ciuill best gouerned parts in the land But as in them the meanâ—st subiect that can make proof of his wrongs or who did them may haue enough to take his part for prosecuting or attaching and safely vse the benefit of knowne lawes for repressing or cutting of the stoutest or proudest malefactors so the faithfull heart and conscience is alwaies resolute bold to challenge his dearest affections of euery least transgression to represse arraigne and condeâ—n them And as Carthages often prouocation of Rome cost it dearer in the setting on then other Cittie 's vanquished by the Romanes so such delights or pleasures as haue most wronged our soules or done greatest despight vnto the spirit of grace are kept vnder with greatest care and in the end throughliest moâ—tified by the law of faith Euen in the regiment of this little world that axiome hath it due force Ex malis moribus bonae leges nascuÌ„tur Euery man inuents peculiar lawes secret vowes or the like against such practises or affectioÌ„s as haue most seduced him to transgresse the lawes of his God 3. Now as the state or publike gouernment is not to be scandalized with the infamy of thieues and robbers which harbour in it so long as the magistracie is vigilant to enact and execute seuere lawes for their repression so neither are we accounted by our gratious God amongst the vniust for these sinnes which often make head against vs so long as faith thus fights against them keeps them vnderable to holde such a hand ouer them manifested known as gouernors in a wel ordered body politicke do ouer notorious open malefactors Not that such sins are not in their nature meritorious of eternal death or not sufficient if God shold deale in iustice to condemne vs but that in mercy he doth not impute them whiles thus qualified in the habite we sue for pardon in the name mediation of our Sauior Thus I dare boldly say that not the least sin against the Law of God committed after regeneration but were it possible for the regenerate to giue indulgence to it would at the least exclude them from life eternall Nor doth this argue as some captious reader will perhaps imagine that a man may fall either finally or totally from the state of grace but rather that all impossibility he hath of not so falling essentially depends vpon a like impossibility of not continuing his indulgence to knowne offences or negligence in repeating or bewailing his secret sins Euen after the infusion of faith most perfect faithfull repentance for sins committed is as absolutely necessarie to saluation as the first iususion was Nor is this heauenly pledge while dormant though truely dwelling in our soules immediately apt to iustifie their conceite of these great mysteries is to ieiune triuiall which make iustification but one indiuisible transitory act or mutatum esse from the state of nature to the state of grace In St. Pauls diuinity sure I am â—â— hath a permanent duration it is but the next step vnto hypocrisie a meere peruerting of the vse of grace thus to inferre I haue true faith therfore I shall alwayes vse it aright A wise man would rather argue thus I haue the right vse and exercise of grace therefore my faith is true and such as vvill iustifie As the first infusion of it fully remits our sinnes past and is to vs a sure pledge of GODs perpetuall fauour so in no case may wee take it as an absolute antedated pardon for sinnes to come as if they were forgiuen of God before committed by vs for they are forgiuen by the right vse or exercise not by the bare habit or inhabitation of faith in our soules Into the contrary errors men are often led by a ielousie of comming to neere the Papists if they should admit of more iustifications then one And it is true that iustification in some sence excludes plurality or
me for euer Doubts againe in other points apprehended and assented vnto though but conditionally or imperfectly yet by the habit of Christian faith are finally resolued into the article of the diuine prouidence which is to most others as vndoubted principles to scientificall conclusions whence faith admits such discourse or resolution as hath been mentioned in the former bookes 10. A speculatiue euidence likewise there is intensiuely as perfect as can be expected in most demonstratiue sciences but infinitely more pleasant though we respect only the transient delight of actuall contemplation and extensiuely no lesse though not for facilitie of its apprehension or number of persons to whom it so appeares yet for the multitude of necessary inferences vpon one and the same subiect all which might appeare most euident to all were not many of vs wilfully blinde slothfull or carelesse and yet discoursiue too because analitical the resolution I meane of Euangelicall testimonies into Propheticall predictions legal types or historical figures of the Messiah as in due place by Gods assistance shall be manifested If anie obiect that this resolution can be euident onely vpon supposition if the Scriptures of the old Testament were from God I must answere him as the Parents of that blinde man did the captious Iewes search them For their Characters rightly taken euidently signifie their vndoubted antiquitie to be greater then any record he can bring of this distinct vicissitude betwixt day and night summer and winter seed time and haruest or other seasons the possibility of whose interruption in times past may from some extraordinary changes within our memory be argued with greater probabilitie then any can possibly be brought why the bookes of holy scripture should be suspected for new and counterfait And the antiquity of the old Testament being euident the admirable consonancie of it with the new and multitude of manifest experiments euery kind fully answerable to their rules better ascertaines the truth of Gods promises contained in them then any induction natural reason can frame to proue either the vicissitude of times or seasons or reuolution of the heauens to haue been since the beginning perpetuall The truth of which conclusion as of many others in Philosophy for which great Artists thinke they haue demonstratiue reasons I professe I much better belieue and more euidently know from Gods couenant to this purpose recorded in sacred writ then from all the writings of Philosophers or any reason they or I can bring or our successors shall be able to finde although after vs they study this point till the foundations of the earth be shaken the elements melt with heat and the heauens be gathered like a scrole Yea further to me it seemes an euident demonstration from the effect that there is such a subtill Polititian as wee call the Diuell which cunningly bewitcheth or blinds the eyes of mens soules or else with golden balls auerts them from looking vnto those heauenly misteries in that they seeme either incredulous or improbable vnto such as can discerne the truth of curious and abstruse conclusions in secular arts 11. Lastly of those Articles which seeme to flesh and blood as is their distinct apprehension euen to Gods children in this life most impossible the possibility is directly euident That they shall actually be accomplished depends vpon resolution of promises made to vs in Scripture into his fidelity that hath promised whereof wee haue euident and full assurance The one ranke of especiall marks wherat these present meditations aime shal be to set forth these seueral euidences in the articles wherto they properly belong as the euidence of possibility in the Articles of creation and the resurrection of our mortall bodies the euidence of speculation in the Articles of the God-head diuine prouidence of Christs incarnation life death passion and resurrection the euidence likewise of internall sense answering to touch or taste in the doctrine of Original sinne and life euerlasting Not that Assent in respect of this obiect can be euident to mortality but that there may be a cleere distinct apprehension of such a disposition as hath been mentioned of body and minde more then naturall inclining our soules with patience to expect the accomplishment of those promises concerning ioyes vnspeakable in the world to come which though neuer formally represented may notwithstanding be fully assented vnto in this life as certainly future from sure experiments of his fidelity and ability that exhibited this present pledge or assurance whether the certaintie of future matters yet vnseene or vndistinctly apprehended can possibly in this life bee as great as the euident certaintie of their present assurances or vvhether delay or long expectation necessarily weaken faith as excesse in length makes bodies of equall strength more easie to be broken then if they were shorter hath a more fit place to be disputed in The euidence of Faith answerable to the euidence of bodily motion or impulsion must be reserued as Artists do difficult problems as an appendix to this worke finished he that is desirous of information in this kinde may finde rules not altogether impertinent to this effect in such as write of the triall of spirits or mysticall Theologie 12. Here some happily will demaund whether this Assent we treate of being of things past present and to come or of things partly seene and partly vnseene bee properly termed faith in respect of all or some of these onely For ought I haue obserued in Scripture or from the common vse of speech the name of faith is giuen to it especially in respect of things past or to come which are vnseen but this I dispute not It sufficeth that the habit of inherent grace whereby wee formally assent vnto all the obiects of Christian faith whether they include a relation vnto times present past or to come is one the same and may in part be defined an Assent vnto supernaturall truths reuealed in Scriptures firme in respect of all directly euident only in respect of some Or if any will exclude euidence from the definition because not incident to those obiects with reference to which this habit originally takes his name let him say it is a firme infallible Assent vnto supernaturall truths already past or hereafter to he manifested grounded vpon an experimentall euidence of others present or vpon a true knowledge of scriptures diuine truth or such points as they teach indefinitely considered without peculiar reference to this or that time 13. From these discussions about the imperfect euidence or certainety of some the inexhaustible capacity of all and the incomprehensiblenesse of the two finall obâ—ects of Christian faith life and death euerlasting the one distinctly apprehended in its pledge or assurance the other in its presignifications it may appeare the most natiue property of this Assent thus far differenced is admiration horror Admiration is properly of things rare and excellent knowne in part but not comprehended so as the more we know the more
was no sinne in him had they beene of God they might haue knowne him to be his sonne For hee that is of God heareth Gods word but they therefore heard them not because they were not of God In this saith Saint Iohn the children of God are manifest and the children of the diuell whosoeuer doth not righteousnesse is not of God neither he that loueth not his brother As this phrase to doe righteousnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euidently imports not the bare acts but habituall practice of righteousnesse so needes must the like phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to commit sinne include an habituall practice or trade of sinne and yet to commit sinne and to sinne are vsed promiscuously as tearmes altogether equiualent in this chapter by Saint Iohn Our former conclusion therefore is most firme that the difference supposed by the same Apostle in these two places If wee say that we haue no sinne we deceiue cur selues and whosoeuer abideth in him sinneth not consists not in the act or obiect of sinne but in the habit or affection of him that sinneth The same answere fully reconciles the like speeches of Saint Iames. He that offends in one to wit habitually or indulgently is guilty of all and yet in many things we all offend actually not habitually or out of infirmity not with delight But euery offence whether actuall or habituall whether of infirmity or of purpose is directly against the Law or will of the Lawgiuer for neuer was woman I thinke so wilfull or pettish as to bee offended vnlesse her will were thwarted or contradicted onely cases altogether omitted which can haue no place in God or matters in their nature meerely indifferent can truely be said to be besides the Law or his minde that made it 7. But perhaps that passage of scripture which first instructed and since confirmed me in the truth hitherto deliuered will giue best satisfaction to the Reader Concerning that exclamation of Saint Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death some make question but no learned Diuine I thinke will demaund whether Dauid vttered that complaint of himselfe or of some other Who can vnderstand his errors cleanse me from my secret sinnes yet was he then borne of God for vnto him the statutes of the Lord were right euen the ioy of his heart the commaundements pare and delightfull vnto his eyes his feare able to cleanse the heart his iudgements true and righteous altogether all more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold so liuely and quicke was the apprehension of his faith and yet vniformely enclined to practice For by the commaund ements he was warned to* beware of sinne and in keeping them he found great reward But was he enabled exactly to fulfill the perfection of the Law which had conuerted his soule or did he euer hope to attaine to such perfection as the Romanist must ere he can haue any hope of life to be altogether without any sinne deserning death No this is the height of his desire Keepe backe thy seruant from presumptuous sinnes let them not haue dominion ouer me then shall I be vpright and I shall be innocent from much transgression or as the Gospell expounds his meaning from the raigne of sinne But freed there from did he not stand in need of Gods fauour or mercy for remitting the seattered forces or vanquished reliques of the host of sinne Rather thus qualified he had sure hope his praiers for mercy should be heard yet through the mediation of the Messiah that was to come For so he concludes Let the wordes of my mouth or as the inter line ary well expresseth the propheticall dialect Then shall the words of my mouth being thus freed from the raigne of sinne and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my Rocke and my Redeemer Thus did he of whom CHRIST according to the flesh was to come after his conuersion vnto God and long continuance in the state of habituall grace expect redemption not by infusion of inherent righteousnesse in so full measure as should make him immediately and formally iust in the sight of God but by fauourable acceptance of his praiers directed not to the throne of iustice but to the Lord his Rocke and Redeemer That such qualification as here he speakes of is a necessary condition of praiers made in faith that praiers so made whether for priuate or publike good are neuer reiected by God is elsewhere partly and shall God willing more at large bee shewed The like qualification for effectuall praiers another Psalmist hath expressed If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not heare me But verily God hath heard me he hath attended to the voice of my praier In the perpetuity of praiers or meditations thus conceiued or vttered by hearts free from the raigne of sinne or guilt of indulgence to secret vnlawfull desires haue we without dissention doubtlesse from these Prophets and holy men of God placed the permanencie of iustification actuall or vertuall which are the fruites or Crowne of iustification radicall or fundamentall the onely right vse and end of all grace inherent For though faith or grace at their first infusion may assure vs our sinnes are remitted yet may we not take these or other pledges of Gods loue and fauour as a full discharge or finall acquittance of all reckonings betwixt Him and vs but rather as a stocke bestowed vpon vs to beginne the new world with for which with the increase we must still thinke our selues accomprable Though it be a truth not vnquestionable that a man once actually iustified or truely sanctified cannot finally vse Gods graces amisse yet is it very doubtfull whether one may not either abuse or not vse such gifts of God as rightly vsed or imploied to his glory might haue beene means infallible of iustification But this is a rule as vnquestionable as true that were it possible for a man to vse any extraordinary measure of inhaerent grace amisse he were to be called to a strict accompt as well for all his former sinnes as this abuse of his talent The irresiagable consequence of which vnquestionable truth is this doctrine we now maintaine The immediate qualification for remission of sinnes is not the habit or inherence but the right vse of grace or perseuerance in praiers conceiued by that faith which vnites vs vnto CHRIST If this vertuall in tention or resolution either by contrary acts or meere negligence be remitted our sinnes past whether committed before the infusion of grace or after recouer their wonted strength according to the degrees of this remission and their seuerall waight vntill we repaire our slackenesse by feruent zeale and intensiue deuotion iointly incline the minde to distrust of Gods present fauour or our sure estate in grace 8. What we haue set downe more at large
include affections concomitant is a rule so often inculcated by best expositors of sacred writ that to be curious in recapitulation of seuerall instances would seeme but truantly pains to such as are conuersant in their writings Yet because we write not so much for theirs as for others vse to omit them altogether we may not And seeing remembrance is but an act of knowledge reiterated or a second agitation of the mind towards that point whereat it had arriued before wee shall more fully conceiue what it is to know if we first know what it is to remember And that in the language of Canaan is so to be affected with matters called to minde as the nature of them doth require Some things of beliefe and credence vndoubted because related in Scriptures are in themselues of such little vse or consequence to our saluation that barely to remember them sufficeth to be in heart affected with them is not required Thus Iacobs making his sonne a party coloured coate will amongst other stories present it selfe to their memory that haue read through the booke of Genesis But whom doth the remembrance hereof ought affect vnlesse perhaps such little children as are desirous their Parents should follow this example But not to be touched with the affliction of Ioseph or old Iacobs sorrow when his dearlings spangled coat was presented vnto his aged eyes all besprinkled with blood would argue hard heartednesse in an old father of so young and louely a child For christian soules not to be yet more deepely touched with solemne remembrance of their Sauiours agonie his barbarous vsage at his arraignement his ignominious and cruel death were to staine themselues with guilt of that blood which must wash them from all their other sinnes Nor doth the perfect remembrance of what the head hath suffered affect the members with sympathy onely of his sorrow but quell and crucifie all carnall lust and concupiscences that fight against the spirit as in that article is to be declared The heathen it seemes suspected Christian sacraments had been instituted as bonds of dangerous combinations or conspiracies in mischiefe but Plinies exemption of them from that imputation may instruct vs what vse the ancient made in remembring CHRISTS death and passion For thereby they solemnely renewed the league of baptisme and setled their former resolutions not to commit theft or adultery not to falsifie their words or any way defraud their neighbours 3. The true force of this speech to remember whilest applied to matters of morality the Psalmist excellently expresseth in the hundred thirty seauenth Psalme Such as had brought desolation and woe vpon their natiue country exacted mirth of them and his country-men in their captiuity To these their demands of the pleasant songs of Syon he answereth with indignation How shall we sing the Lords song in a strange land If I forget thee â— Ierusalem let my right hand forget her cunning Ierusalem we must consider was at this time in her widow-hood forsaken of the Lord her husband and depriued of all her dearest children Sion her head sometimes decked with maiestie and honour was now couered with dust and ashes as with a mourning vailâ— and for her sonnes to haue consorted with the idolatrous Babylonians in their riotous mirth had been more then to forget Her whom they could not rightly remember but with sorrow Whence in the next place heads If I remember not thee ô Ierusalem let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth which words imply as much as this imprecation Let this be the last song I euer shall sing the last words I euer shall speake If I be iocound either in heart or speech whilest thou art sad Thus to prefer sorrow and griefe for her misery before all the ioy and pleasance Babylon could affoord him was truly to remember the ruines of Ierusalem By the same dialect whiles he beseecheth his God to remember Edom he implicitely wished as ill to it as he expresly did to Babylon such deâ—olations vpon the Cities and inhabitants therof as the Babylonians by the Edomites instigatioÌ„ had brought vpon Ierusalem that the whole land might be wasted with misery that the enemy might take the children from their mothers breasts and dash their braines against the stones So when Artaxerxes thought it strange to see Nehemiah as who would not to see a Courtier not sicke and yet sad when his soueraigne Lord looked cheerfully vpon him the good man replies Let the king liue for euer as if he had said God grant he neuer know cause of sorrow but why should not my countenance be sad when the city place of the sepulâ—her's of my fathers lieth waste and the gates therof are consumed with fire so deeply did there cogitatioÌ„ of what he had not seene but only heard sink into this true Patriaâ—kes heart So likewise that praier of his Remember them ô my God that defile the Priest hoâ—d and breake the couenant of the Priesthood and of Leuâ— includes a desire that God should plague them according to their deserts And he else where vpon like occasion expresseth My God remember thou Tobiah and Sanballat according vnto those their works and Noadiah the Prophetesse also and the rest of the Prophets that would haue put me in feare But when he desires God to remember himselfe hee supposeth this remembrance should bring a gracious reward of his good service as â—â— interprets himselfe Remember me ô my God concerning this and wipe not out the good deeds that I haue done for the house of my God and for the offices thereof The like vse of this phrase wee haue in common speech for when wee promise to remember a good turne done vs we imply not a bare recognition onelie of what this or that man hath done for vs vpon this or that day but a like hearty affection toward him and a readinesse to requite his kindnesse whensoeuer occasion shall be offered So when we threaten to remember our enemies or such as wrong vs euery man knowes the meaning of this speech to be as much as if we had promised to be euen with them or to doe them as shrewd a turne as they haue done vs. But this is a remembrance which amongst Christians should be forgotten yet as well the phrase it selfe as the practice of it may serue to notifie the right vse of the like in Scripture Then we are truly said to remember Gods Commaundements when our hearts are as firmely set on their practice as the naturall or vnregenerate mans is vpon requitall of iniuries offered In this sence saith God himself remember thou keepe holy the Sabbaâ—th day as if not to fanctifie it were to forget it and the Apostle remember such as are iâ— bonds not as scoffers doe to whom their misery is oft-times matter of mirth but as if you were in bonds with them So currantly did like speeches goe for as much as we haue set down in
was against his brother Abell for they slew him because their owne workes were euill and his good as their fathers had done the Prophets to whom this vngratious seed did seeke to testifie their loue as being now out of sight and no eye-fore to their purposes no way offensiue to their eares because their speeches were not personally directed to them and what might be as fitly applied to others they had the wit not to applie to themselues But whiles vertue and pietie breath in the presence of the vngodly they are still desirous to breake the vessell wherein this treasure lies yet what was the reason or what doth the euent protend to vs that the children should still delight to build stately mansions for their dead bones whose glorious soules the fathers enuied imprisonment in these brittle cabbins of clay vntill the time of Messiahs death vnto whose memory the reliques of that vngratious seed performes no like solemnity giues no signification either of loue to him or sorrow for their fathers sinne but rather openly professe oh had we liued in the daies of our fathers wee would haue beene pertakers with them in that praier His blood bee vpon vs and vpon our children This doubtlesse beares record that Gods wrath according to their wish is come vpon them to the vtmost that the measure of the fathers iniquity and theirs was then fulfilled that vntill Christs death there were meanes left to know those things which were for their peace time for repentance but since they haue resembled the state of the damned in Hell continually blaspheming that holy name which brought saluation to the world Now seeing their conceipted swelling loue vnto his forerunners deceased did in the fulnesse of time wherein it should haue brought forth life prooue but dead and abortiue this should stirre vs vp to a more exquisite examination of our faith to make sure triall whether our loue to Christ whom they slew be not conceiued from the same grounds theirs was vnto the Prophets whom their fathers had slaine least ours also become as fruitles or rather bring forth death in that day wherin Christ shall be manifested againe after which shall be no time for repentance no meanes to amend what is then found amisse 3. Admit our affection to CHRIST IESVS the son of Mary borne in Bethlehem and crucified at Ierusalem by the Iew were more feruent then the Scribes and Pâ—â—arises loue to Abraham to Moses and the Prophets our zeale to his Gospell more ardent then theirs to the law such prouocations or allurements as flesh and blood may suggest either to beginne or continue these embracements or our imaginations of them are on our part more in number and more potent First by Nature fashions of the time education we are more prone because more ingenuous then they were to conceiue well of men deceased especially of men whose good fame hath bin propagated to vs with applause though noâ— of all but of some great or better part of our predecessors The praises giuen to Pompey Caesar by their followers oft times draw yong schollers into faction as the seuerall characters of those two great peeres liues and dispositions suit with the different idaeall notions they haue framed vnto themselues of braue mindes of noble generals or good patriots Amongst Critiques some canuase for one Poet or classique Author some for another as they finde them most commended by writers whose iudgements they best approoue or are most beholden to or as they apprehend their skill in that kind of learning they most affect To make comparison of any liuing with the dead especially in whose works those men haue much laboured would seeme odious and this great affection they beare vnto their writings they would haue apprehended as no meane argument of their owne like skill and iudgement though not blessed with like inuention Many scarce honestly minded themselues will esteeme of their great benefactors as of Saints ready to apologize as is fit for such actions as men in their owne times vnto whom the censure of such matters belonged might iustly haue taxed All these motiues of loue vnto men deceased may in their nature and substance be but carnall and yet all concurre as the vsuall grounds of most mens affection or loue to Christ For whilest we reade the legend of his life we cannot but approoue the peoples verdict of him he hath done all things well nothing idlely nothing vainely nothing rashly much lesse maliciously to the hurt or preiudice of any his deserts towards vs we cannot apprehend by the lowest kinde of hystoricall beliefe as true but we must conceiue them withall as infinitely greater then Abrahams were to the Iewes Abraham did but see the promise a farre off and gaue a copie of the assurance to posterity CHRIST sealeth it with his blood and instaâ—â—s vs in the inheritance bequeathed Moses deliuered Abrahams seed out of Egypt CHRIST vs from the land of darkenesse Moses freed them from the tyrannie of Pharach and from working in the fornace CHRIST vs from the futie of those euerlasting flames for which out soules and bodies had serued for such matter as the bricke was to the other Ioshuah placed them in the land of Canaan CHRIST vs in the heauenly places the benefits already bestowed by him vpon his people are much greater then all theirs that haue gone before Abraham was ignorant of these Iewes Isaac knew them not nor could Moses heare their praiers who is like vnto the Lord our God who dwelleth on high who humbleth himselfe to behold the things that are in heauen and in the earth he that raiseth vp the poore out of the dust and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill that he may set him with Princes euen with the Princes of his people But so il doth the naturall crookednesse of mans corrupted heart and preposterousnesse of his desires paralell with the righteousnesse of his Sauiour that euen the humility wherein the first appeared which chiefely exasperated the proud Iew to contemne and despise him doth eleuate the mindes of many seely and impotent deiected creatures amongst Christians vnto a kinde of carnall glory whereunto otherwise they could hardly aspire For many such as defect of nature want of art good education or fortunes haue made altogether vncapable of comparison with others for wit streÌ„gth of bodie wealth or other endowments in the custome of the present world vsed for measures of mens worth or serving to notifie the degrees of betterhood in any kinde will oft times glory in this comparison that they owe as good soules to God as the best and thinke themselues as great men in our Sauiours bookes as greatest kings because their estate is as his was on earth low and base in the sight of men This their reioycing were not in vaine did they vse the low esteeme that others make of them as an aduantage for more easie descent to true humility and lowly
helping and nourishing the poore For when Zacheus said Loe the one halfe of my goods I giue to the poore and if I haue defrauded any man I restore it fourefold Iesus answered and said This day is saluation come to this house was much as this man also is the sonne of Abraham For if Abrahams belieuing God were reputed vnto him for righteousnesse he likewise that giues almes according to Gods commandement belieues God and he that hath the truth of faith retaines the feare of God and he that retaines the feare of God hath God in his thoughts whiles he shewes compassion to the poore Therefore he workes because he belieues because he knowes all the word of God fore tels is true that the sacred scripture cannot lie that vnfruitfull trees i men barren of good workes must be cut downe and cast into the fire but the mercifull shall be called vnto the heauenly kingdome And in another place he cals such as are fruitfull in works faithfull denying this title to the vnfruitfull and barren If ye haue not beene faithfull in the vnrighteous Mammon who will commit the true riches to your trust And if ye haue not beene faithfull in that which is another mans who will giue you that which is your owne Saluianus * words here inserted in the margine imports no lesse 3. If the workes required by Saint Iames be not truely good without presupposall of saith nor iustification possible without presupposall of such workes the more opperatiue wee make Saint Pauls faith the more we rather draw then loose this former knot whose solution in this respect must be sought by vnfolding the diuerse acceptions of iustification Sometimes then it imports the decree or purpose of God to iustifie sinfull men as whom he predestinated them also he called and whom he called them also he iustified and whom he iustified them also he glorified About iustification in this sence there either is or neede to be no controuersie at least none pertinent to our present purpose But as God decreed before all times to create man yet did not create him vntill time had numbred sixe daies so although his purpose was from eternity to iustifie or absolue vs from our sinnes yet actually he doth not iustifie or absolue vs before we haue actuall being nor doth he iustifie all that haue such being but those onely which haue the seales or pledges of his calling of which whosoeuer are partakers are in a secondarie sence accompted iustified How shall we â—aith the Apostle that are dead to sin liue yet therein Know ye not that all we which haue beene baptized into Iesus Christ haue beene baptised into his death wee are buried then with him by baptisme into his death All persons baptized may be accounted iustified in the same sence they are dead to sinne and dead all such are to sinne not really or actually but by profession in as much as by receiuing this outward seale of Gods couenant or other like pledges of his fauour they binde themselues to abrogate the soueraigntie of sinne in their mortall bodies and to giue their members weapons of righteousnesse vnto God Thus when the Apostle speakes indefinitely of all their saluation or iustification to whom he writes his meaning can be no other then this that all of them haue receiued vndoubted pledges of Gods mercy and neede doubt of iustification actuall or finall absolution so they walke worthy of their calling Their error whose rectification Saint Iames sought did consist in holding these outward seales or conspicuous tokens of Gods fauour whereby their Assent vnto his promises as true was confirmed sufficient to finall approbation or admission into the inheritance of Saints albeit they did not consent vnto euery part of the Law as good in the practise Concerning iustification thus taken there is at this day little or no controuersie vnlesle betweene the spirit and the flesh or betweene our owne conscience and Sathan who still labours to perswade vs this kinde of iustification might suffice Thirdly in as much as God decreed to iustifie man by faith which euen in such as are saued by it is not ordinarily perfected in a moment we are said sometimes to be iustified when the first seeds of that faith which by taking firme roote by fructification or perfection added by the immediate hand of God becomes saluificall are first sowne in our hearts Hee that hath but a resolution for the present syncere though variable to walke in all the waies of his God is in scripture often instiled iust or righteous and may by this resolution or purpose be truely said iustified in the sight of God not absolutely but in respect of opposite prophanenesse or expresse dissimulation If the righteous saith the Lord vnto his Prophet turne away from his righteousnesse and commit iniquities in his transgression that he committed and in his finne that hee hath sinned in them he shall die And againe The righteousnesse of the righteous shall not deliuer him in the day of transgression c. when I shall say vnto the righteous that he shall surely liue if hee trust to his owne righteousnesse and commit iniquitie all his righteousnesse shall be no more remembred but for his iniquitie that he hath committed he shall die for the same And vnto such as are here specified though not vnto such alone that speech of Saint Iohn is litterally appliable Qui iustus est iustificetur adhuc he that is righteous let him be righteous stil or more iustified Nor can that other of S. Paul be restrained to those that haue attained sauing faith or final absolution The hearers of the law are not righteous before God but the doers of the Law shall be instified That is God doth approue their deeds so farre as they are consonant to his law and accounts the syncere practise of morall dueries whereunto light of nature did leade the Gentiles much better then the outward obseruance of legall ceremonies or sabhatarian delight in hearing Thou art not farre from the kingdome of God saith our Sauiour to him that that had discreetely acknowledged this truth to loue the Lord withall the heart and with all the vnderstanding and withall the soule and withall the strength and to loue his neighbour as himselfe is more then all burnt offerings and sacrifices Now if by such workes as the heathen or auditors of the Law not yet sanctified often practised much more by those workes which accompany true and liuely faith we may in a higher degree of the same sence be accounted iustified that is approueable in the sight of God or passiuely capable of a finall absolution or effectuall iustification And this was all Saint Iames meant in that assertion Yee see then how that a man of workes is iustified and not of faith onely which words are but equiualent to the like precedent what auaileth it my brethren though a man say he hath faith when he hath no workes
same faith though not hypostatically yet truely vnited by such a mysticall but reall vnion as may without solecisme ground as well this denomination as our title or interest in Gods fauour More consequently by much to his owne positions might Bellarmine likewise haue granted that as we are truly the sonnes of wrath by nature albeit euery lineament of Gods image in vs be not quite razed but rather all or most much defared by Adams sinne made ours partly by reall propagation but more principally in his doctrine by imputation so we become the sonnes of God by the spirit of adoption though not so powerfull in vs as vtterly to extirpate all relickes of sin yet able so to dead the force or operation of it as it did the remainder of Gods image in vs before we were renewed by Christ Thus walking not after the flesh though in the flesh nor working sin though sin worke in vs we may through grace or this earnest of the spirit but onely for the righteousnesse of Christ whereto wee are by it vnited haue a more reall title to be enstiled his brethren sons of our heauenly father then Hee can haue as Bellarmine obiects by our doctrine he hath to be called the son of him that is the father of lies and Iesuiticall equiuocation Albeit there was no guile in him yet hee bare the punishment due to our rebellions and was not this commutation of punishment â—herby the seruants of sin are acquitted and the Lord of righteousnesse condemned sufficient to make such as are in part willing to doe for others as hee hath done for them immediately capable of absolution by his innocency of reward by his righteousnesse The a Apostle doubtlesse meant no lesse when hee saide He hath made him to be sin for vs which knew no sin that we should be made the righteousnesse of God in Him 7. The second point against which our aduersaries dash doth so euidently bewray their greatest pilots vnskilfulnesse in this hauen of saluation as euery childe that can repeate his Pater noster may easily perceiue the Trent Fathers themselues did not vnderstand it Nor can the subscribers to this decree vse that celestial prayer without plain mocking of God and Christ This imputation needs no other proofe then the cleare proposall of such positions as they now all holde de fide Take wee then one of their Catechumenies whether destitute of faith or no it skils not that hath not as yet attayned to the first iustification as they distinguish that is one destitute of habituall grace or inherent righteousnesse such a man by their Churches discipline is â—â—â—mitted or rather commanded to vse this petition amongst the rest forgiue vs our trespasses as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs. What sinnes or trespasses doth hee request should be forgiuen him Mortall especially for their remission onely is necessary to the first iustification But how must God remit them Immediately by pardoning or forgiuing them No they are immediately remitted by actuall introduction of the contrary former grace inherent which formally expels them out of the soule as light to vse Bellarmines owne illustration of their positions in this point doth darknesse out of the aire Nor is there any possibility of remitting sinnes by other meanes left to omnipotence it selfe since the publication of Iesuiticall Comments vpon the Trent Councells decree What then is the full meaning or finall resolution of this petition whilest vttered by men as yet not iustified Lord forgiue vs our trespasses or mortall sinnes This verily and no other Lord by infusion of thy grace make vs such as shall not need of thy pardon or forgiuenesse For to holde that ouer and aboue the infusion of that grace by which the staine of sinne being clearely wiped out we are made iust Gods fauour or condonation to vse their Latine word with addition of one English letter is any way requisite for our acceptance or approbation with him is in formall tearmes the very opinion which Vasquez so peremptorily condemnes in Canus Nedina Victoria Gabriel Richardus Ariminensis Scotus and others as contradictorie to the Trent Councells oft mentioned decree and so indeede it is for by that decree being made formally iust by grace alone we become the immediate or formall obiects of Gods iustice or fidelity now strictly bound to render vs quid pro quo eternall life for grace inherent vtterly exempted from all dependance on his mercy and fauour And whereas some of their late Writers desirous to giue the Church all possible satisfaction yet partly fearing openly to wrong God or flatly to contradict his word had granted that grace infused did quite extirpate all sinne and make vs absolutely iust in our selues but yet could not by it nature or sole entitie obliterate all relation of trespasse or offence commited against God before wee had it as being vnable to make full recompence or satisfaction for them euen this opinion is now reiected as hereticall and contrary to the Councells meaning It remaines therefore that the true and full meaning of that petition in the Lords prayer forgiue vs our trespasses according to our aduersaries construction is Lord grant that we stand not in neede of thy forgiuenesse if wee suppose this petition to be conceiued either by men destitute of perfect inherent righteousnesse or such as distrust or doubt whether they haue it or no. But imagine a man could be as I thinke few Papists are more then morally certaine hee were in the state of perfect grace his vse of the same request would bee superfluous or requisite onely in respect of veniall sinnes albeit euen these if they imprint any vncomely marke or aspersion neuer so light on their soules must be taken away by introduction of the contrary forme as by acts of penitency or the like whereunto Gods concourse or aide of grace is necessarie so that his desiring God to forgiue him them is but to request his help that he may not need his fauour And though in their esteeme but a light one yet a prety mockery of God it is that after infusion of grace they should not stand in neede of his mercy or imputation of their Redeemers righteousnesse either for remitting or taking away of the staine of mortall sinnes or the punishment due vnto them and yet after God hath done all and Christs mediation as farre as concernes them fully accomplished most of them must be highly beholden to the Pope not onely in this life but after death for releasing the punishment due to veniall and petty sinnes 8 Some part of the first difficultie Bellarmine from what place of Caluin Melancthon and Chemnitius I remember not he expresseth not hath thus proposed CHRIST is our mediatour not onely in our first reconciliation but during the whole time of our life in which regard we alwayes stand in neede of his intercession and consequently alwayes sinne and transgresse the Law otherwise CHRIST after our first reconciliation
should be idle but so he is not saith Bellarmine First because he alwayes ministers strength and grace by which wee doe good works Secondly hee purgeth our daily and lighter sinnes and his blood cleanseth vs from all sinnes Or if through transgression of the law we fall away from our state of righteousnes he neuer thelesse is stil the propitiation for our sins and reconciles vs not only seuen times but seueÌ„ty times seuen times to his father if conuerted by his grace we addresse our selues to serious repentance Therfore we make not CHRIST an idle mediatour in saying the Law may be fulfilled but our aduersaries truly make his benefits vneffectuall when they teach that the excellency of his obedience could not effect that the iustification which is by the Law should bee fulfilled in vs. Whatsoeuer he thought it was safest for him to professe as hee hath written because the Trent Fathers for conclusion of that session accurse all that should say their resolutions in this point did rather disparage then set foorth the excellencie of CHRISTS sacrifice or the true woorth of his merits But the more mercifull Bellarmine makes his God the readier to forgiue our frequent trespasses the greater stil is their former mockery seeing euery time they repeat that petition they implicitely yet necessarily include the appurtenances Lord make vs such as wee shall not need of thy forgiuenesse The excesse of diuine Maiesty in respect of princely dignity presupposed their mockery of God in suing for restauration of grace after relapses into mortall sinne may for the quality be resembled by imagination of some great fauourite in the Court after many bountifull rewards for little or no seruice falling to rob or steale and lastly crauing pardon in these or like tearmes I haue grieuously offended against your Crowne and dignity but by your wonted grace I beseech you bestow as good preferment on me as before I had and amends shall quickly bee made for all the wrongs I haue done vnto my fellow subiects you shall not finde matter of death in me againe so long as your bounty towards me lasts that I shall not commit some petty sinnes of wantonnesse quarrelling drinking swearing I hope your highnesse will not expect for these are not against your Law but besides it The insolency of this imagination in a malefactour could an earthly Prince knowe the heart whence it issued would make his former offence in it self and course of common iustice meritorious of death altogether vncapable of mercy otherwise easie to haue beene obtained And is it either lesse exclusiue from Gods fauour or more prouocatiue of his seuerity to beg such grace at his hands as shall wipe out all former reckonings where with he could charge vs or hauing promised sincere obedience to the Law to elude the Lawgiuer with that distinction without which Bellarmine thinkes our Writers arguments to proue the fulfilling of the Law impossible can hardly be answered They saith he which grant as Vega doth veniall sinnes to be against the Law are enforced to hold that to keepe the Law is onely possible in as much as onely the greater part of it may bee kept whence the denomination is indefinitely attributed to the whole But what can they say to that of Iames. Hee that keepeth the whole Law and offendeth in one point is guilty of all The solide answere therefore in his iudgement is that veniall sinnes without which we doe not liue are not sinnes simply but imperfectly and in a sort neither are they against the Law but besides the Law Such as first did apply this distinction to that purpose for which the moderne Romanist now misuseth it might perhaps be in part excused by the barbarousnesse of the times wherein they liued and their ignorance in Scriptures But wee haue cause to feare that Bellarmines generall skill and knowledge in them vvas punished by GOD vvith particular grosse and palpable ignorance or blindnesse rather in thinking this quiâ—ke of wit should glue together such Oracles of the Apostles as without it would mightily iarre and start asunder As that of Iames late cited He that offends in one mortally is guilty of all and this other In many things we al offend 1. venially or these two of S. Iohn He that is borne of God sinneth not If we say we haue no sin we deceiue our selues So doubtlesse they do and mightily mistake both these great Apostles meaning that thinke any in this should be so righteous as not to stand in neede of Gods fauour for absolution from sins committed against his Law but of their meaning in the Chapter following 9. These discussions may informe the Reader that Bellarmines conclusion of this controuersie wherein hee may seeme vnto the vnobseruant to attribute somewhat to Gods mercies in the businesse of iustification after grace infused was but like the first inuitation of an Italian onely for fashion sake For if his authority could haue moued any of his profession after fulnesse of grace to haue tasted the louing kindnesse of the Lord he could not be ignorant that the Trent Councell had shut the doore vpon them It is the safest way saith he * to put our whole trust in Gods mercies VVhy so because there is no trust or confidence to be put in our owne good workes or fruits of grace No rather because it is more easie to grow proud of our deeds then to be assured of our sincerity in doing them But if neither safe it be to trust in them nor by his doctrine to any purpose without them to trust in Gods mercies hee hath left his Romane Catholikes in a miserable case VVhat is it then they can hope or desire Gods mercies should doe for them To remit their sinnes How By not imputing them this is all they can condemne in vs. VVhat then to set heauen open vnto them without remission of sinnes or iustification This is more then can be laid to any heritickes charge none euer liued but granted iustification to bee a necessary gate through which all that haue sinned must enter into heauen It remaines then the onely ground of all hope or trust a Romanist can haue of any good from Gods mercies must be his precedent perswasion or beliefe of absolute and perfect righteousnesse either now inhabiting his soule or hereafter to be obtayned That is hee must trust God one time or other will be so mercifull to him as he shall not stand in neede of his mercie at the houre of death 10. He that wold clearly conuince the Romish church or her childreÌ„ of a capitall crime vsually obiected by our writers shold begin w th the vertual intentioÌ„ of the priest by rigid positions of their late writers most necessarily required to the effectual working of the Sacraments for that euidently breedeth doubt whervnto if we adioyne this absolute necessity of compleat habitual grace inherent for remission of sins it openly condemnes the Trent Councell it selfe for nursing
IESVS CHRIST the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes In what manner onely as he is the meritorious cause or fountaine of grace whereby wee are immediately and throughly cleansed No rather as he is righteous and by interposition of his eternall sacrifice euen till this day as immediate a cause of our pardon from all sinnes whether past or present as it was of our generall reconcilement while it was offered Nor did he die to procure vs grace wherby we might become righteous and pure in his fathers sight but gaue vs grace that we might be purified by his death and passion yet if sinnes mortall as well as veniall to vse our aduersaries language bee comprehended in the saying last cited Bellarmines reconciliation of the former words if wee say that we haue no sinne with this other vvhosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not is palpably false 5. But if his be amisse it will be expected we reconcile them a right and so we may with as great ease as perspicuity In the latter then he speakes of habituall sin or such indulgence to transgressions as S. Iames makes liable to breach of the whole law for by sinne it is euident he includes as much as he had said in the beginning of that discourse whosoeuer committeth sinne transgresseth also the Lawe Why is there anie sinne which in the Protestants doctrine is not a transgression of the lawe or is it possible a man should goe against the commandement and not transgresse it But if some sinnes there be as Roman Catholiques teach onely besides the lawe in doing them we doe not transgresse the Lawe but rather pretergresse or goe besides it Yet seeing the Law-giuers will was that we should do the lawe not onely heare it much lesse goe besides it there is no pretergression of it but is directly against the Law giuers will otherwise a seruants negligence should not bee against his masters will but besides it For tell mee O yee fooles and blinde whether is more onely to omit the good deedes of the lawe or to commit such as your selues acknowledge to bee besides it Though the matter of omission may be â—arre greater yet for the forme of the action whence the denomination of opposition must be taken no sinne of omission can be so properly said to be against the Law as the least positiue sinne or transgression we can imagine Hee that commits any thing disagreeable to the Lawe doth omit what is commaunded by the lawe and somewhat more and therefore doth more properly goe against the lawe then hee which onely omits what is commaunded But it is vsually the nature of hypocrisie to place either sanctity or impietie rather in the matter or outward act than in the heart or affection Farre otherwise are we taught by the spirit of truth that it is the heart which God requireth No matter of sinne can be so light but is if the heart be set vpon it in the issue deadly and excludes from mercie scarce any obiect so bad as that the bare assent vnto it without delight or custome is vtterly incompatible with the habit of grace Nor doth Saint Iohn in the former places seeming contrarie suppose any difference in the act or matter of sinne but onely in the heart or habite of the sinner Euery one transgresseth the lawe in what sinne soeuer but euery transgression makes not a man a law-breaker or transgressour this denomination is not absolutely giuen but from a greater inclination or delight in doing euill then doing good And it is cleere that Saint Iohn when hee sayth he that is borne of God sinneth not vseth the selfe-same syllogisticall terme he had done before in that phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that committeth sinne Now the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Hebraisme which he followes imports not the act or operation onely but the habit or rather more then habit and the whole phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as the Latine operarius iniquitatis one that maketh a trade of sinne or professeth iniquitie whose seruice is altogether incompatible with the profession or hope of a Christian And this was the conclusion our Apostle was in both places to inferre as hauing taught immediatly before euery one that hath this hope of being the Sonne of God doth purge himselfe as he is pure and in habite becomes like vnto him as on the contrarie which is the Apostles inference likewise he that committes sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resembles his father the diuell whose chiefe delight is in doing mischiefe It may be a Romane Catholicke will sooner belieue if we send him vnto Maldonat who commenting vpon the like speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus farre beares witnesse vnto the truth we teach that the hebrew phrase aimes rather at the habit then the act that to work or doe iniquity is as much as to be an artificer or craftesmaster of iniquity 2. But wee receiue not the record of man there is another that beareth witnesse of it euen our Sauiour from whose mouth Saint Iohn learned both the matter and phrase of that discourse Verily saith he to the Iewes whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne and the seruant abideth not in the house for euer but the son abideth for euer If the sonne therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed from the raigne of sinne not from all acts of sinne Hence did Saint Iohn take that lesson You know that he was manifested to take away our sinnes and in him is no sinne To be altogether without sinne then was his peculiar but Whosoeuer abideth in him sinneth not Not at all So he should not need any aduocation but he is no worker of iniquity nor doth he sin as Diuels doe for whose sinnes CHRIST was no propitiation That so the Apostle meant is apparent from the paralell vse of the same words immediately after reciprocally changed Hee that committeth sinne is of the diuell for the diuell sinneth from the beginning that is hath continued his apostacy or trade of sinne euer since his fall For this purpose tâ—e sonne of God was manifested that he might destroy the workes of the diuell What were these Delight in sinne wilfull indulgence to transgressions and such vnrelenting opposition to the truth proposed as did conuince the Iewes by our Sauiours verdict in the place last cited to be the sonnes of the diuell yee are of your father the diuell and the lusts of your father ye will doe he was a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him When he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his owne for he is a lier and the father of lies And because I tell you the truth ye beleeue me not yet which of you can rebuke me of sinne His disciples they might because the sonnes of men but in that there
was exactly figured in the sacrifices of the Law daily offered euen for such as by the Law were cleane and obserued Gods commaundements with as great constancy and deuotion as any now liuing doe This might instruct vs that our persons become not immediately capable of diuine presence or approbation by infusion of habituall grace or freedome from the tyrannie of sinne these are the internall characters of our royall Priesthoood whose function is continually to offer vp the sweete incense of prayers from hearts in part thus purified by faith For by such sacrifices are wee made actuall partakers of that eternall sacrifice whose vertue and efficacy remaines yesterday to day the same for euer It being so perfect and all sufficient could not be offered more then once but through the vertue of it the offrings of our Priesthood must be continually presented vnto our God Nor can we so often lift vp our hearts towards heauen but the voice of CHRISTS blood neuer ceasing to speake better things then that of Abels still ioines with our praiers and distinctly articulates our imperfect sighs or mutterings alwaies crying father forgiue them father receiue them to thy mercy seeing they are content to bee partakers of my sufferings and seeke to bee finally healed onely by my wounds As the Apostle teacheth vs that there is giuen no other name vnder heauen besides CHRIST whereby we may be saued so was it foretold by the Prophet that this saluation must be by calling vpon his name not by mediation of grace or other fruites of the spirit obtained by inuocation but by inuocation of it in truth and spirit seeing his spirit was poured out vpon all flesh to this end that all should call vpon his name and by so calling be saued This though vsually expressed in other tearmes is the opinion of orthodoxall antiquity in this point and if my coniecture faile me not the dreaming fancies of a daily propitiatory sacrifice in the Masse was first occasioned from dunsticall or drowsy apprehensions of the primitiue dialect wherein as all theâ—â— speeches of the auncient are full of life Christs body and blood are said to be often offered not in scholastique propriety of speech but in a rhetoricall figuratiue or exhortatory sense because our daily sacrifices become acceptable to God throught it because the benefits of it are as effectually applied vnto vs by our faithfull representations of it as if it were daily offered in our sight The error of moderne Romanists hence occasioned is the same with that of the old Heathens which dreamed of as many Gods as they had seuerall blessings from the Authour of all goodnesse who is but one The Prebendes of Colen notwithstanding haue made a declaration of the third sacrifice in their masse much what to our purpose so much of it as I haue here set downe needes little correction in fauourable construction Howsoeuer it sutes verie well with their forecited opinion concerning iustification How farre dissonant or consonant that is vnto the truth I leaue it to the Readers censure As for the Iesuites resolution of the same controuersie by the Trent Councels determination it is but a further document of his Magicall faith and that hee finally vseth the grace of God but as a charme or Amulet able to expell death by the ful measure of it onely worne or carried about not by actuall operation or right vse But what marueill if hee openly renounce CHRIST for his Mediatour in the principall act of redemption when as he hath chosen the Pope for the Lord his Rocke and Redemer euen for that Rocke whereon that Church against which the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile must be founded CHAP. IX That firmely to belieue Gods mercies in CHRIST is the hardest point of seruice in christian warfare That our confidence in them can be no greater than our fidelitie in practise of his Commaundements That meditation vpon CHRISTS last appearance is the surest method for grounding true confidence in him 1. LEast the end of this discourse should misse the end and scope wherto the whole was purposely directed I must intreate the Christian Reader to pardon my feare and iealousie which from the reasons mentioned in the first chapter of this section too well experienced in the temper of this present age is alwaies great least disputation against Romish heresie cast vs into a relapse of that naturall carelesnesse or hypocrisie whereof all more or lesse haue participated But for whose auoidance hereafter if thine heart be affected as mine now is and I wish it alwaies may continue let this meditation neuer slip out of thy memory That seeing the last and principall end of all graces bestowed vpon vs in this life is rightly to belieue in CHRIST this cannot bee as the drowsie worldling dreames the easiest but rather the most difficult point of Christianity The true reason why vnto many not otherwise misaffected it seems not such is because in this time of his absence from earth our imaginary loue of his goodnesse wanting direct opposition of any strong desire or resolution to manifest the leuitie or vanity of it fancieth a like affection in him towards vs. And seeing loue is not suspicious but where it is perfect excludes all feare the very conceipt of great mutuall loue betwixt CHRIST and vs not interrupted expels all conceit of feare or diffidence Hence wee vsually rest perswaded our assent vnto Gods mercies in Him is more strong then vnto most other obiects of Faith when as indeed these being the highest it would appeare to bee in respect of them the weakest had it as many daily temptations to encounter it as wee finde in practices of other duties whose habituall performance is the necessary subordinate meane to support it All the difficulties we daily struggle vvith are but straglers of that maine armie with whose entire ioint force we are to haue the last conflict about this very point which vntill the hower of death or other extraordinary time of triall is seldome directly or earnestly assaulted But then whatsoeuer breach of Gods commaundements loue either to the world or flesh hath wrought in our soules will affoord Sathan aduantage and opportunitie for more facile oppugnation of our confidence For as euerie least sinne in it owne nature deserueth death so doth the consciousnesse of it more or lesse impell the minde to distrust of life Yet euen the greatest will be content in these dayes of peace and securitie to sleepe with vs and lie quiet in hope to preuent vs in the waking and with the ioint force of lesser to surprise the soule or gaine the start or first sway of the spirit an aduantage much preiudiciall to strength otherwise more then equall Much harder it is to retract a bodie after actuall motion begun then to restraine propensions or inclinations from bursting out into actuall motions Our often yeelding vpon foreâ— warning of their assaultes in manie pettie temptations or
Medâ—â—torem oâ—ioâ—um sed vere faciunt Aduersarii Christi merita inefficacia cum docent Christum tam insigni obedientia id eâ—â—â—â—ere non potuisse vt iustificatio legis impleretur in nobis Bellarminus ibidem Si quiâ— dixerit per banâ— doctrinaÌ„ catholicam de iustificatione a sancta synodo hoc praesenti decreto expressâ—m aliqua ex parte gloriae Dei vel meritis Iesu Christi Domini nostriderogari et non potius veritatem fidei nostrae Dei denique ac Christi â—esu gloriam illustrari Anathema sit Concil Trident sess 6. Can. vlt. Such peremtorinesse is vsuall with them when partiality or proud affection ouerbeares the secret working of their conscience labouring to reclaime their errour Vide lib. 3. Sect. 2 â—ap 4. parag 22. d Quarâ—a obiectio Nemo potest vitare omnia peccatâ— cum scriptum sit Jacobi 2. In multis offendimns omnes Et 1. Ioan 1. Si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus nos ipsos seducimus At qui legem omnem impleret nullum haberet omnino peccatum igitur fieri non potest vtlex omnâ—â— a nobis etiaÌ„ cum fide et gratia impleatur Respondeo Ab hoâ— argumentâ— quod valde Kemâ—â—tius vâ—get nontaÌ„ facile se expediunt qui conâ—edâ—nt peccatum veniale esse proprie contra legem vt Vega lib. 11. â—n Concilium cap. 20. coguntur enim dicere legem non esse impossibilem non quod tota simul seruari possit sed quod seruari possit maior eius pars et a meâ—iori parte fiat denominatio Sed videnâ—â—â— est illis quid respondeant Apostolo Iacobo dicenti Quiqunque totam â—e gem â—eruaâ—erit offendat aurem in vno factus est omnium â—eus Solida igitur responsio est peccata venalia sine quibus non viâ—â—muâ— non esse peccata simpliciter sed imperfecte et secundum quid neque essâ— conâ—ra legem sed praeter legem vt S. Thomas recte docet â—n 1. 2. quaest 88. art 1 hinc enim omnia cohâ—rent NaÌ„ qui offendit in vno preuaricaâ—s videlicâ—t vnum praeceptum factus est omniâ—m â—eâ—â— et iniuâ—â—us simpliciter constituitur â—â— tamenia multis offendimus omnes quia â—ameâ—â—â— nihil facimus contra ligeÌ„ tamen multa â—acimus praeter legem Et qui notus est ex Deo non peccat transgrediendo legem et tamen si dixerimuâ— quia peccatum non babâ—mus nihil videlicet praeter legem faciâ—ndo noâ— ipsos sâ—â—â—cimuâ— et veâ—itas in nobis non est Bellar. lib. 4 de Iust f. cap. 14. Sit tertia propositio propter inâ—ertitudinem proprie â—ustitiae periculum manis gloriâ—â—uâ—â—ssiâ—um est siduâ—â—â—m totam in â—ola Dei misericordia benignitate reponere Explicâ— propositionem non enim ita accipienda est quasi non sit homiâ—â— totis viribus studendum operibus boâ—is aut non sit in eis confidendum quasi non sint verâ— iustitia aut iudicium Dei sustineâ—e non possint sed hoc solum dicimus tutius esse mer eorum iam partâ—ruÌ„ quodammodo obliâ—â—sâ—i in solam misericordiam Dei respicere TuÌ„ quia nemo absque reuetatione certo scire potest sâ— habere vera merita aut in eâ—s in finem vsque perseueraturuÌ„ Tum quia nihil est â—acâ—lius in hoc loco tentationis quam superbiam ex confideratione bonoruÌ„ operum gigni Probatur igitur propositio testimoniis illis quae aduersarij contra merita operum afferre â—olent Nam quod ait Daniel cap. 9. Non in iustificationibus nâ—stru prosteâ—nimus preceâ— nostras antâ— faciem tuam sed in miserationibus â—â—is multis Et quodipse Dominus admonâ—t Lucae 17. Cum â—â—ceritis hâ—c omnia quae precepta sunt vobis diciâ—e serui invtiles sumus hoc solum probant quod nos dicimus tutum esse in solâ— misericordia Dei et non in operibus nostris â—iduciam collocare Quod etiam testantur publicâ— precet quat Ecclesia Catholica ad altare fundere solet Nam is collecta Domimicae quae Sexâ—gessâ—mâ— dicitur â—ic â—rat Ecclesia Deus qui conspicis quiâ— ex nulla nostra actione confidimus c. Bellar. â—â— 3. de iustificatione Cap. 7. Math. 5. 48 r S Chap 5. Wee then pray in faith when wee faithfully submit our will vnto Gods will vnfainedly renâ—uÌ„ciag all our former sinnes or euill customes truly denying our selues the world c. Thus affected we may beâ— in the actuall state of grace albeit through naturall constitutioÌ„ some disease of bodie of distemper of the brâ—m noâ— without feare of death or doubt of saluatio If such submission of our will to Gods will haue been prâ—iâ—diced or interrupted by entertaining some vnlawfull desire or bâ— grieuous actuall offences â—n former temper oâ— resolution must be reâ—umed or 〈…〉 d by r 〈…〉 ns wee may bee truely sayd â—o be actually reiustiâ—â— Of the distinctioÌ„ betwixt Faith and Repentance * Iob. 1. 3. 6 7 o Rom. 5. 1 p 1. Iob. 1. 3. a 1. Iohn 2. b This is his title as he is our aduocate 1 Iohn 2. 1. d 1. Iohn 3 9. â— Cap. 6 Para. 15. e 1. Iohn 3 4. t The distinction of mortall and veniall sinnes or of sinnes besides the law and against the law hath no ground either in Saint Iohn or Saint Iames but was cor ceiued by meere ignorance of sacred dialect d 1. Ish. 3. 9 e Verse 4 f Verse â— Verse â— Mittet filius hominis Angelos suâ—s colligent de regno huius omnia scandala eos qui facinnt iniquitatem Mat. 13. v 41 Maldon in haec verha omnes qui iniquitatem exercent vt ita dicam iniquitatis artem factitant magis enim habitus quam actus Hebraica phraiâ—i significatur * Iohn 8. 34. 1. Ioh. 3. â— Ver. 6. d V. 8. e Iohn 8. 44. 45. Ver 47. 1. Iohn 3. 10. f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 g 1. Iohn 1. â— h Iam. 2. 10. â— Iam. 3. â— k Rom. 7. 24. a Psal 19. 1â— b V. 9. 10. c V. 11. This is that which 〈…〉 saith 15 v. 1â— â—e that is begotten of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dâ—â—â— as it were 〈◊〉 a watch ouer 〈…〉 the wicked toucheth him not that is he comes not within him to endaunger or ouerthrow him as hee doth the world which as the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heth in wickednes or is as it were surrounded with euill â— V. 13. Psal 66. 18. 19. 1. Iohn chap. 3. 22. Whatsoeuer wee aske wee receiue of him because we keep his commandements doe these things which are pleasing 〈…〉 sight Pertinent to this obseruation is that place Reuel 8. v. 3. If by the Angell their offering odours with the prayers of all Saints vppon the golden altâ—r vve vnderstand Christ as most interpreters doe but vpon what grounds I know not Ribera and Brightmaâ— differ from the rest in the interpretation of that place * Per omnia sibi
which doth not in heart approoue the workes Christ commaunds though who in particular are so who otherwise affected they leaue for him that onely knowes the hearts of all to iudge 12. How gricuously would subscription to this decree haue gone against Saint Cyprians conscience who accompted it a solaecisme worthy of indignation to call him a Christian that was afraid least the fountaine of his liberality his patrimonie should be exhausted by continuall refreshing his naked hungry and thirsty brethren vnto whom our bowels of compassion should neuer be shut seeing in feeding them we feast the Lord who will not take so much as a cup of cold water at our hands but with purpose euen in this life to requite it and blesse the residue as Elias did the poore widowes meale and oile which had shewed no lesse hospitality in such extreme scarcity of prouision then that other in the Gospell did her liberalitie by casting a mite into the treasury with such as doubted whether our Sauiours promise did assure them of like blessings so they would be as bountifully minded as this poore woman was the zealous father thus expostulates a whence should this incredulous thought proceed whence is this impious and sacrilegious meditation what doth a faithlesse breast in the house of faith what shall he that belieues not Christ be enstiled a Christian The name of Pharisee better befits thee for when the Lord disputed of almes and aduised vs to gaine friends with charitable expences of earthly treasures the Scripture addes All these things heard the Pharisees which were couetous and they mocked him So consonant were these collections to his orthodoxall conceipt of faith that they whose workes goe in his name consort with him in like passages as they do in that maine ground of religion the nature of faith A Christian he is not truly called saith the author of the twelue abuses that is not conformable to Christ in conuersation And hee that left vs the learned and religious treatise of twofold martyrdome vniuersally auoucheth whosoeuer saith with his mouth I beleeue in one God and serues couetuousnesse lust or luxury lies to himselfe contradicts himselfe in this profession And is it possible for any without beliefe in one God truely to beleeue in Christ or to be truely called a Christian without beliefe in Christ That the former bolt was shot by blind men which could not see where it would light it further perswades me in that it can hit none more fully then it doth Gregory the greate sometimes Pope both in the fall and at the rebound For he makes correspondency betweene profession and conuersation the true property of faith And least any sophister should except this might agree not to all true faith though to such alone or to true liue faith not to faith onely dead as to be seene in arts is proper to men yet not to all but to the learned onely he expresly tearmes such as deny in deeds what they confesse in words false belieuers yet as the belieuer is such is his faith the one being false the other cannot possibly be true Nor would Saint Gregory haue thought it any slaunder to denie false belieuers the title of true Christians Or haue we the warrant of Fathers only to secure vs from the former curse albeit we teach not indefinitely that a man without liuely faith is no Christian Doth not the Scripture say the same yes All are not Israell that are called Israell but such as doe the workes of Abraham they are the children of Abraham For hee is not a Iew which is one outwardly in the flesh but he is a Iew which is one inwardly a Confessor in deeds not meerely in name one circumcised in heart for circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Is the Gospell more indulgent to hypocrisie then the Law Is it so much more addicted to the letter which killeth then to the spirit of life that a faith as dead as Iewish ceremonies should be more effectuall to make a Christian then outward circumcision to make a Iew Or what doth the Councell meane by a Christian a dead man or one aliue in Christ one in whom Christ is not yet fully fashioned but ready to conceiue life This had beene more tollerable But one they meane which had life and hath lost it one as improperly tearmed a member of Christ as the body called a Man after the spirit is departed from it 13 Of these and many like inconueniences which no man though of the acutest wit and most audacious vnderstanding liuing durst in an indifferent auditory maintaine against any ordinary Artist that had the leasure for to stretch them had the Trent Fathers beene aware happily they would haue beene more sparing in their curses But this strange aduantage Romish Prelates haue of ours and all the world besides that be they in matters of learning and religion neuer so blinde or out of their blindnesse so bold as to runne headlong against the Analogie of faith all rules of Philosophy morall or naturall Grammar or whatsoeuer else can be named yet shall they neuer want store of excellent wits but mercenary consciences which like some people of the old world Aethiopians or Aegiptians I now remember not but more deuout and apt to supererogate will be content to put out not the right eye of nature onely but that other of art least the rarity of the spectacle might make then superiours seeme either monstrous or deformed What artist is there with vs who to be araied in scarlet to haue retinue fare reuenewes and whatsoeuer else correspondent or befitting a Cardinals state would but for some few houres aduenture to haue his face so deepely died with shame as needes it must be though armed with all the furniture of Art and Nature if in an audience not kept vnder by tyrannicall and seruile awe either for speaking what he thinkes or thinking ought becomes a free man in Christ he should mainetaine such base shuffling apologies as Valentian and Bellarmine haue made for the former illiterate decree which sought to couer one absurdity in speech with * two impious ouersights in religion but as probable The Apology before alleaged was That faith might be true though dead as a body though depriued of life is a true body a carkasse rather no body organicall or apt to be informed in the sensitiue soule though really present No more doth this faith whereof they speake containe life or grace potentially in it both must be created a new ere the party in whom it is found be a true member of Christs mysticall body For such is the nature of that faith which the Romane Catholike makes the ground of his best hopes that a Friers hood though vnlined would doe his bodie more good in his sickenesse then it can doe his soule at the houre of
death Thus much of true faith and the errors concerning the Nature of it It remaines we intreate of misperswasions concerning the possession or presence of it with the right vse of it and other spirituall graces that attend it SECTION 2. Of immature perswasions concerning mens present estate in grace with the meanes to rectifie or preuent them CHAP. I. The generall heads or springs of hypocriticall perswasions with briefe rules for their preuention 1. HHappy were we whom God hath appointed to sowe good seede in others hearts because not altogether without hope to see some fruits of our labours if this censorious age would permit vs to strike as freely at the rootes of Atheism infidelity or hypocrisy as it is ready to censure Atheists Infidels Hereticks or Hypocrites To me it hath often seemed a question very doubtfull but farre aboue my capacity to determine whether such as reuolt from the orthodoxall Church vpon obseruation of monstrous dissonancy betweene the truthes professed in it and the professors liues or resolutions be in case better or worse then such as embrace true religion vpon no better grounds then they or their confederates oppugne it Thus much the word of God will warrant that the portion of hypocrites shall be the bitterest in the life to come And yet hypocrisie if it be of that stampe which our Sauiour so much condemnes is alwaies moulded in that deepe notice or strong perswasion which men haue of their owne loue and others opposition vnto diuine truthes of their owne diligence and others negligence in performance of sundry duties expresly required by Gods lawe And this is a miserie of miseries peculiar to the hypocrite that whereas the height of others impiety ariseth from their opposing the way of truth and godlinesse this monster the more he detests falsehood and error or the impietie whether of others practises or opinions the more still he increaseth his owne corruption and warres vnwittingly against his owne soule For seeing loue to himselfe indulgence to his deare affections or carnall glorying in prerogatiues perhaps spirituall is the common roote as well of his imaginary loue vnto such points of truth as haue some kinde of coniunction with his humours as of the detestation he beares to others obliquities that in life or profession ill consort with him the oftener he lookes either on their knowne transgressions or his owne precise obseruance of such duties as by nature hee is addicted or otherwise accustomed to by both meanes he more pampers and nourishes that vicious habit whence the forementioned bad fruites did growe And thus at length by vsing the helpe of strong but impure vnruly affections to abandon particular errors he ouerthrowes his owne soule as the ancient inhabitants of this land did their state by vsing the Saxons aide to driue out the Picts 2. After this manner the Iew by nursing a loathsome conceit of Publicanes and open sinners dissoluâ—nessesse not tyed vnto so much as any solemn acknowledgement of their misdeeds or set forme of repentance tooke a surfet of those outward ceremonies which God had ordained as sauees to sharpen not as foode to satiate his appetite of sauing health Other-whiles fiercely bending his indignation against the idolatrie of the heathen by too much depression or debasement of their folly he sublimated his owne naturall inclination vnto pride and haughtinesse into presumptuous boasting in the purity of that lawe which God had giuen him by Moses Whence in the fulnesse of time sprung an irreconcileable hatred of the long expected Messias desperate contempt of his Gospell and wilful refusall of saluation preached in his name But howsoeuer the deadlinesse of this disease was most conspicuous in the fall of Gods chosen people whom wee may without suspition of slaunder seeing the holy Ghost hath written the obseruatioÌ„ safely charge with the infection yet the danger of it amongst all professors of true religion throughout euery age and nation continues the same as hauing a perpetuall cause in nature For whether wee speake of contraries morall or phisicall the enmities of the extreames is alwaies greater then betwixt them and the meane from which they alwaies so much further decline as they more eagerly entend their force each against other The greater strength heate and cold from their vicinity gather whether by mutual irritation or a secret kinde of daring each other to combate or by a stricter vnition of the materiall parts wherein their forces lodge the more both disagree with the luke-warme temper The more likewise the prodigall detests the niggards manners or the niggard his the farther both roaue the one ouer the other short from that marke whereat they aime but which truly liberality only hits And as the mutuall discord of extreames grows greater by the increase of their seueral strengths so the hastie or violent introduction of the one into a subiect capable of both makes waie for the others entertainment and excludes the meane which findes no entrance but where it is vshered by moderation So water too much or too violently heated is more apt to freeze then to retaine the middle temper Young prodigalls we often see turne old niggards seldome liberall vnlesse their education haue been exceeding good their naturall discretion extraordinary or the seeds of vertue in them very strong And what more vsuall then for a niggards feast because not agreeable to his ordinary disposition to smell of waste and prodigalitie Buzzards by naturall constitution through extreamity enforced to take heart and turne againe ouerrunning valour boisterously rush into fury And desperate hotshots once made to feele the smart of their folly become afterwards basely timerous The Cynicke could spurne at his fellow Philosophers pride but so as his scornfull heeles did bewray his preposterously proud ambitious heart 3. Are these obseruations true in workes of nature or morall affections onely and not in perswasions of religion Yes euen in these also for hath not the vntimely heat of indiscreete precisenesse disposed sundry in our daies to freeze the sooner in the dregges of Popery Haue not others mounted so high in groundlesse and presumptuous confidence that their sudden fall hath made them sinke for any helpe man could affoord without recouery into the very suds of melancholy and desperation Others vpon a dislike of their former hot enforced zeale haue changed their wonted confidence into carelesnesse and become open professors of licentiousnesse like the possessed childe in the Gospell falling sometimes into the fire sometimes into the contrary element And experience prooues it so common a thing for young Saints such I meane as affect to be ripe in holinesse ere well growne in ordinary discretion or common honesty to prooue old diuels that the bent of nature vnseasonable or too much curbed in the parents oftentimes burst out in the vnbridled affections of their children 4. The reason of the experiments whether in nature moralities or religion is as perspicuous as they are true For contrarie exstreames alwaies