of his holynesse For hee indureth but a while in his anger but in his fauour is life weeping may abide at euening but ioy commeth in the morning And in the 65. Psalme Wicked deeds haue preuailed against me but thou wilt be mercifull vnto our transgressions Blessed is he whome thou choosest and causest to come to thee he shall dwell in thy courts and we shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thine house euen of thine holy Temple And in the 119. Psalme Let my soule liue and it shall praise thee and thy iudgements shall helpe me And also Flye feom euill and doe good and dwell for euer Psal 37. For the Lord loueth iudgement and forsaketh not his Saints they shall bee preserued for euermore but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off And about the end of the Psalme The saluation of the righteous men shall be of the Lord hee shall be their strength in the time of trouble For the Lord shall helpe them and deliuer them he shall deliuer them from the wicked and shall saue them because they trust in him But aboue all the parcell of the Apostle to the Romanes is plaine to prooue this Of the excellency of Faith for conclusion of this Treatise Chap. 11. when he saith that the gifts and the vocation of God are without repentance Seeing then that Faith bringeth vs so many good things as the grace of God the remission of our sins the adoption of children assured hope of the kingdome of Heauen and life euerlasting It may well of all the vertues be it which ought to be most recoÌ„mendable vnto vs and of the which we ought to be most curious as well to preserue as to exercise it and to make it growe and profit in our hearts by an assiduity of hearing reading and meditating of the word of God And to desire of him continually in our prayers that by his holy Spirit he would augment it in vs vntill that we may arriue at the greatest perfection and highest degree therof that we may So be it FINIS A TREATISE of HOPE AMongst the blessings which God hath departed vnto vs in Iesus Christ A blessing of God some wee possesse in this present life others wee looke for in the life to come and of the first we haue some as it were â—lready in our hands wee shall enjoye the others hereafter All are propounded vnto vs in diuers places of the holy â—cripture and briefly in the first chapâ—er of the Epistle to the Ephesians Faith Now â—s true Faith giueth consent without any doubt to all the verity of God manifested in the Canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament as well in regard of the resitall of the things done from the beginning of the world vntill the time of the Apostles as they are therin declared as of the declarations of diuine will whether it doth justly threaten the wicked and punisheth them in some sort in the world whether it aduertiseth them of the torments prepared for their soules and bodies or whether it promiseth to the just jnfinite blessings and doth jmpart some vnto them as a tryall of those which it hath prepared in a better life Hope so Hope taken iâ— his proper signification regardeth thâ— good things to come namely thosâ— which we looke for by the grace of goâ— in Heauen For we speake of the Christian Hope discerning it by this title from worldly hope jmproperly nameâ— Hope by those that know not well whaâ— it is to hope The good Israelites hopeâ— that the Messias should at last appearâ— in the flesh We hope that God woulâ— assist vs comfort vs and succour vs yeâ— in so much as hee is our Father in Iesuâ— Christ that he will raise vs againe at the â—atter day that we shall be in bodie and â—oule eternally in heauen to possesse the â—nheritance which was prepared for vs â—efore the foundations of the world â—t is that which S. Paul teacheth briefeâ—y in the first Chap. of the Epistle to the Ephesians vers 12. 18. Therefore â—ee saith Romaines 8.23 that wee â—re saued by hope hauing a regard to â—he condition of the Faithfull in the world and to the state of the militant Church Now hope addeth hee which is seene is not hope For why â—hould any man hope for that which he â—eth But if wee hope for that which wee see not then wee waite for it with â—atience The hope of Christians is no lesse certaine then their Faith Certaintie of hope which commeth of the promises of God made to his for their saluation It is vpheld by â—hat Faith named by the Apostle Hiâ—ostacie or subsidence of the things hoped for Hebrues 11. And it must also be certaine and armed with patience by reason of the delay which semeth long to our impatience And the diuine goodnesse so supporteth our weakenesse wisely exercising our Faith by this enterposing of hope which standeth as in sentinell wayting the hower to be put in possessioÌ„ of the good things Her birth and Life which are promised him Now as it commeth and dependeth of Faith consenting to the promises of God so likewise it is strengthened by this same Faith insomuch that wee see that hee that made vs such excellent promises will not faile in one of them but will accomplish it fully As little doubteth she of the power of him that promiseth as of his wil coÌ„firmed by a soleÌ„ne oath by the gift of the son of God by so many other testimonies ratified by more experience Therefore when the Apostle wished that the eyes of the vnderstanding of the Saints and Faithfull might bee jlluminated to the end they might know what is the hope of the calling of God and what are the riches of the glorie of his jnheritance among the Saints hee yet addeth therevnto what is the excellent greatnesse of his power towards rhem according to the effiâ—acie of the mightinesse of his strength Ephesians vers 18.19 words of great weight which shew the incoÌ„prehensiâ—le good of the christian hope Her excellencie for exâ—mple it is sayd that Abraham vnderâ—…anding the promise of God beyond â—ope beleeued in hope that hee should â—ecome a Father of many nations and â—eing not weake in Faith had no regard â—o his body already benummed made â—o doubt of the promise of God knowâ—ng certainly that hee that had promiâ—ed him was able to do it Romaines â— 18 c. Then as hope proceedeth â—f this that wee beleeue that God is â—rue in his promises so is it nourished â—nd confirmed by the certaine perswaâ—…on which we haue of his infinite powâ—r And euen as our Faith is grounâ—ed vppon nothing but the power and â—ruth of God which promiseth vs euerâ—asting life by the merits of the obediâ—nce of one onely Iesus Christ the like â—ught wee to say of hope grounded vâ—on Faith Hebrues 11.1 In whome it is found Wherevpâ—on it followeth also that such a hope
Faith is the Inheritance giuen that it might be by grace that the promise might be sure to all the seed not to that onely which is of the Law but to that also which is the Faith of Abraham which is the father of vs all These two percels evidently shew that Faith regards principally the promise of the grace which God offereth in his Sonne Iesus Christ to all those that shal acknowledge him for their Saviour and Mediatour and we must not seeke any other meanes wherevppon to ground the hope of our salvation for there is no other name vnder Heaven by the which wee can bee saued The other poynt that we must obserue is that the grace of God that is to say his good will and affection towards vs is the only cause that hath jnduced him as well to make vs a promise of life as to jmpart the gift of Faith by the which we embrace him For that he hath taken out of our hearts the naturall hardnesse and obstinacy which was therein and hath mollyfied them to the end that being tender and soft they might be capable to receaue their promise to bee there printed and jngraven this proceeds not nor comes of any thing else than of his onely grace and favour which it hath pleased him to doe vs as it is written in the Epistle to the Ephesians Ephc. 2. That Faith is a gift of God and in the Epistle to the Philippians Philip. 1. It hath beene giuen vnto you to beleeue sayd the Apostle vnto them Also the spirit of God is called the spirit of Faith in the 2. Epistle to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 4. to giue vs to vnderstand that he is the onely author of Faith as hee is of counsell of feare of vnderstanding of prudeÌ„ce of wisdome all which gifts are attributed vnto him in the scripture as to him who is the only author and cause of them Which may yet appeare in considering the two members of Faith which are the knowledge of the word of God Cor. 2. Mat. 6. Iohn 1. which is in the vnderstanding and the trust which is in the heart For as for the vnderstanding of it selfe it is but darknesse and is altogether vncapable to vnderstand the things that are of God spirituall And as for the heart being naturally obstinate and rebellious it cannot in any wise submit and subject it selfe to the will of God to trust in him and to call vpon him whereof followeth Gen. 6. that man being by nature enclined to jgnorance in his vnderstanding part and to rebellion and obstinacy in his heart he cannot be for these reasons susceptible nor capable of Faith If God by his spirit doth not take away these too lets which are in him by nature to render him plyable to heare and to trust to that which he promiseth him It followeth in the definition that this faith is ratified by the satisfactioÌ„ made to the justice of God by the death obedieÌ„ce of his Son Whervpon we must note that the promise of grace and salvation could not bee accomplished towards vs but that first the justice of God must be fully and jntirely satisfied For as God for his glory was willing by his promise to lay open vnto vs the riches of his mercy and to demonstrate it vnto vs by the pitty and compassion which he hath had of vs to the end that hee might therein be glorified also was it his will that his justice should be satisfied and that man should be acquitted towards it of that which hee ought Now the debts are that hee should suffer everlasting death for disobaying to the will of God and that he should yeeld a perfect and jntire obedience to his Majestie wherof he was a creature and a servant which was vnpossible vnto him By meanes whereof the Sonne of God was faine to effect the everlasting decree of his father who had determined and ordayned to saue the men which hee had chosen and reserved amongst the rest to come into the world and take our nature vppon him and by that meanes make himselfe mortall to render a perfect and entire obedience vnto the will of God vnto the death yea the death of the crosse the which was joyned with a curse wherewith he charged himselfe to discharge vs and to pay by that meanes that which he ought not and to render as sayth the Prophet that which he had not taken Psal 69. In the obedience then of Iesus Christ wee ought to consider first that it was in our name and for our sakes that it was rendered to God and that this death which hee hath suffered was not because hee had deserued it Heb. 7. For as sayth the Apostle he was jnnocent jmpoluted and separeted from sinners who onely are bound vnto death because that the reward of sin is death Rom. 6. That then which hee hath rendered vnto the just judgement of God and which hath deliuered him into the hands of them which condemned him was not for his amisse but for ours and that of all the elect whose pledge and warranty he was And we must note that this death which Iesus Christ did once suffer as perfect God and perfect man was of an jnfinite force and vertue to purge sinnes which were jnfinite because they were committed against the Majesty of God who is everlasting jmmence and jnfinite and also that it is sufficient to acquite all his children of the judgement of God and of all their sinnes without any exception how great and how many so ever they be in what time and age soever they were committed The other poynt which we must note in the obedience of Iesus Christ is the perfect and jntire observation of all the commandements of God his father in the which he hath not left out one only poynt but all hath been accomplished by him The which hee hath likewise done in the name of the elect who by reason of the naturall corruption and vice rayning in them were altogether vncapable whiles they liue in this world to obserue the Law of God and to render him a perfect justice the which consisteth in a perfect loue which they ought to beare him but they cannot not knowing him perfectly by reason â—lso of the desires of the flesh which are in them which turne them from louing God and their neighbour perfectly as they are bound The third poynt or reason which is to be considered in the perfect obedience of Iesus Christ is the ordinary remission of sinnes which wee commit every day the which are covered by his obedience in such sort that they come not in accompt in his judgemeÌ„t For even so as Phyloctetes covered the stinckingnes of his lothsoÌ„e infectious vlcers with the perfumed robes wherewith he clothed himselfe also the elect being by Faith clothed with the odoriferous justice of Iesus Christ although they were stincking in themselues they are neverthelesse a good savour vnto God
hath done or suffered for vs And in generall all that is needfull for vs to beleeue and wherevpon we ought to ground and settle the hope of the everlasting life and happinesse Wherevpon may be jnfered that the doctrine of the Pope and of all his Pastors and Muncks of Papistry cannot availe any thing to edifie our Faith the which is not setled vpon the jnventions foolish traditions and vaine jmaginations of men But vpon the pure word of God the which ought to be layd open in the church to the people purely and simply without any mingling of dreames ravenings of men As saith the Prophet Ieremie Ierm 14. You must not mingle the chaffe among the good graine nor the drosse among the fine Siluer nor the water with the good wine Peter also willeth that if any one speake in the assembly 1. Pet. 4. let him speake like the words of God S. Paul exhorteth his Disciple to preach the word of God without adding or changing 2. Tim. 4. for as it written by the Prophet Psalm 12. The words of the Lord are pure words euen as the siluer which from the earth is tryed and purified seuen times in the fire for which cause nothing may bee mingled with it but it must needs corrupt it The third cause to wit the formall of Faith is Iesus Christ for as much as he is our Christ that is to say our Mediatour and jntercessor For in this quality hee is as it were the forme of our Faith the which hee quickneth and giveth a being therevnto as doth the shape to the matter which it shapeth and vnto the which it is applyed Now as we see all things take their being and denomination of their forme as the fire is named by it forme the fishes the beasts the birds and all things in generall are called according to the forme which â—hey beare Also so is Faith and calleth it selfe Christian because that Iesus Christ who is the forme thereof and wee are also for this reason called Christians because that wee are provided therewith which causeth that through Iesus Christ â—e are regenerate to be new creatures Moreover it is he that hath kept the commandement of God It is he who vndergoing the wrath and the malediction of the threatnings of God hath delivered vs from them Finally it is he that obtayneth the blessing set downe in the promise made to Abraham and to his posterity and who in doing so hath beene a meanes that the law the threatnings and the promises which are the three principall parts of the scripture were accomplished in his person and by consequent the Faith thereof healthfull to all belieuers Whereby wee may say of Iesus Christ that hee is ths forme Faith the which cannot subsist without the efficacy of the word nor the word haue her efficacy without him Therefore is it that we may say that Iesus Christ contaynes all the causes and parâ—s of Faith in himselfe for divers respects First the efficient because that as God he produceth it in vs by his spirit As he did in Paul when going jnto Damascus he called him and in his mercy did change him in an jnstant and made him of a furious persecutor of the Church a faithfull servant vnto him and it Afterwards that hee is also the matter of our Faith by reason of those things which he hath suffered for vs by the which paying our raÌ„some he hath fully satisfied to the justice of God for all our jniquities Againe that he is the forme of our Faith in as much as he is the Mediatour and jntercessour who by his merite keepeth vs perpetually in the grace of God his Father in the which resteth all our life salvation and beatitude And to conclude that he is also the end thereof because it is hee vnto whome we ought wholy to referre and attribute the praise and glory of our salvation which are the reasons for the which it is sayd Iohn 1. that in him consists all fulnesse of gifts and graces of God Also that God the Father hath giuen vs all things with him that is to say not only life but also the meanes whereby wee may attaine therevnto And that in him are all treasures of the knowledge wisedome and other graces and blessings of our God Which considering S. Augustine saith That in our selues we are nothing and that in him we are all things And the Apostle to the Hebrues Who is the cheefe and the accomplisher of our Faith who insteed of the ioy which he had in hand hath indured the crosse hauing despised the shame and is set at the right hand of the throne of God The finall cause which is the fourth and last of Faith is the glory of God and the salvation of men for the mercy of God manifesting it selfe in the remission of our sinnes and his vertue in the execution and in the accomplishment of his promises and his justice in the paine which Iesus Christ did endure vppon the crosse for vs and his power in the discomfiting of our enemies and his wisedome by the which he hath by death brought life by sinne justice by jnfirmitie force by darknesse light by wounds healing by lowlinesse exaltation and by hell whither Iesus Christ did descend Paradice and the kingdome of Heaven being I say all the vertues of God manifested and layd open in Iesus Christ all christian men apprehending them by Faith haue matter and cause to prayse and glorifie God for God doing that which is sayd hath shewed how glorious and wonderfull his name was Men then believing these things in their hearts and publishing them with their mouths cannot better magnifie the workes vertues and miracles of our God then in doing it CHAP. VI. ¶ Of the effects of Faith wherof the first is the reconciliation betweene God and man HAving spoken of the causes of Faith it is also needfull to declare the effects thereof which are great and admirable the first is the reconciliation betweene GOD and vs. For when we were as farre from GOD as the East might bee from the West that there was no creature vpoÌ„ earth more miserable then man in this estate Esay 58. to draw vs out of it to set vs againe in the hope of his grace and of our saluation from the beginning after that our first parents out of whose loynes wee came were departed froÌ„ God through their rebellion and disobedience God to prevent their ruine which was all apparant and very neere pleased to rayse them againe being so fallen That of them should come the seede which should bruse the head of the Serpent Gen. 3. The which promise he repeated since to Abraham Gen. 12. promising that of him a child should be borne that should bring an vniuersall blessing vppon all the Nations of the earth and againe since hath likewise repeated it to Dauid assuring him that from him should descend a King whose raigne should be
change those persons vnto whom it is given And although that this changing be not perfect all at once neverthelesse it advanceth every day by little and little in those that are truely faithfull 1. Cor 5. Ioh. 15. and who are curious altogether to purge the old Leuin which remayneth yet in them and to wash their feet as sayth Iesus Christ and to take the leeze out of the vessell vntill that it be quite empty and made cleane as we see that the Apostle did 1. Cor. 9. whome as he writeth to the Corinthians did runne in the listes to beare away the price and brought his body into slauery to the end that in some fashion after he had preached to others himselfe was not found vnreceaueable Phil. 3. which hee yet sayth elsewhere I trye if by any meanes I might attaine vnto the resurrection of the dead Not as though I had already attained it either were already perfect but I follow if that I may comprehend that for whose sake also I am comprehended of Christ Iesus Brethren I count not my selfe that I haue attained to it but one thing I doe I forget that which is behind and indeauour my selfe to that which is before And follow hard toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus The exercise of the truly faithfull It is the exercise of those that are truely faithfull continually to thinke vpon a new life and a true repentance In so much that it may be a studie and exercise in the which he continues from the beginning of his regeneration vntill the consummation and conclusion of his life in such sort that by the temptations wherewith he is jncessantly exercised and prooved hee may be refined like vnto Silver or Gold in a fournace and as for the conservation of the body it is requisite that it bee continually exercised and aboue all thinges purged of the superfluous humors and excrements which therin are gathered every day also it is necessary that the soule and conscience of the truly faithfull bee cleansed with continuall repentance and that it bee as much or more carefull to weede and plucke vp the evill hearbs which doe alwayes pollute his soule as is a good Gardiner to cleanse his Garden of all nettles thistles and other weeds which spring therein For the duety of a Christian man is to jmploy all his life to put off the old man and to put on the new which is an exercise that cannot bee done without great toyle and difficulty because that the old man is a robe so fastened and stitched to a Christian that a man cannot get it off but by peecemeale and the new man is an other robe so straight that it cannot be put on but with great labour and paine Yet must we strayne our jndeauours and shew that wee are faithfull Rom. 6. by the participation which we haue in the death and resurrection of Iesus Christ abstracting from his death a vertue to mortifie our flesh and the lusts thereof and an other of his resurrection to walke in newnesse of life and not to thinke that wee can participate in the righteousnes of Iesus Christ to obtaine the remission of our sinnes but we must also shew by effect the participatiō which we haue in the holynes of his Spirit For we cannot be just but we must be holy nor be holy but wee must be just because that Iesus Christ is never vnfurnished nor parted from his spirit and doth not justifie vs but at the same time and by the same meanes hee sanctifieth vs so that at the very jnstant that we are jncorporated in Iesus Christ for to be his members we are also consecrated to God to be his temple where he dwelleth by his holy spirit ¶ The fift effect of Faith Obedience THe other effect which Faith produceth in vs is the obedience which wee striue to render to God when by Faith we haue been regenerated as S. Paul sheweth to the Romanes chap. 1. verse 5. sayjng By whome we haue receaued grace and Apostleship that obedience might be giuē vnto the Faith for his name among all the Gentiles It is also sayd in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Heb. 11. That Abraham by Faith when hee was called obeyed God to goe out into a place which he should receaue for inheritance and hee went out not knowing whither hee went which are two places that shew sufficiently that Faith beejng planted in our hearts it disposeth them to render perfect obedience to the will of God Also we see that the elect before they bee called and regenerated by Faith they are ordinarily called in the holy Scripture Rebels dissobedient and Enemies of God Ephe. 2. Rom. 5. But after their regeneration they are called Servants and the children of God by reason of the will and desire which they haue to obay and serue him Now there is nothing more pleasing and agreeable vnto God then obedience the which he preferres before all sacrifices whereof wee haue a notable example in Saul 1. Sam. 15. who was rejected and depriued of his kingdome with all his posterity vnto whome neuerthelesse it was established by the ordinance of God only because that he had disobeyed God preferred his owne opinion before the commandement which was given him wholly to destroy the Amalekites But one onely example might suffice to shew how pleasing obedience is to God that is to say that which Iesus Christ hath rendered to God his Father in our name Phil. 2. the which was of such great efficacy and weight with God that it hath blotted out the disobedience of our first parents and hath restored vs to a more happie estate then that of Adams was pittifull and miserable wherinto by his disobedience he had precipitate himselfe and all his posterity as S. Paul sheweth in the Epistle to the Romanes chap. 5. vers 19. As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by that obedience of that one shall many also be made righteous And to the Phillipians chap. 2. vers 8. Hee humbled himselfe became obedient vnto the death euen to the death of the crosse wherfore God hath highly exalted him and giuen him a name aboue euery name That at the name of Iesus should euery knee bow both of things in Heauen and things in Earth and thinges vnder the Earth And that euery tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord vnto the glory of God the Father And in the Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 10. vers 6. In burnt offrings and sinne offrings thou hast had no pleasure Then I sayd Loe I come in the beginning of the booke it is written of me that I should doe thy will O God Aboue when he had sayd Sacrifice and offring and burnt offrings and sin offrings thou wouldest not haue neither haddest pleasure therein which are offered by the Law Then sayd hee Loe I come to doe thy will
in these endeauours that men vse against her the patience which God hath giuen her is as it were a rampard bulwark to couer saue it It is the reasō for the which S. August saith that the Arke of God whereof we haue spoken was built of thick peeces of wood which were square the which doth represent vnto vs the vertue force and patience of the faithfull man the which howsoeuer it may be cast doth not rowle like vnto a round body but abides alwaies firme and stable vppon one of the sides thereof Aristotle for this reason said that an honest and vertuous man is Tetragone that is to say square euery way The faithfull then must not be astonished in tribulations but be resolute in them and thinck that they are more profitable and healthfull vnto them when they beare them patiently then can be prosperitie which flattereth and maketh them wanton Comparison of Adam and of Iob. as saith S. Augustine making a comparison of Iob and of the first man saying That the man vppon the dunghill was more happie then the man in Paradise because that the man in Paradise was ouercome by the Serpent and the woman and the man vppon the dunghill had ouercome both the one and the other It is true that some times the temptations are so great and so long that men know not on which side to turne because that the fire is kindled on euery part that the Churches are dissipate the children of God some one way some an other are glad to saue themselues by sea through the woods and desarts and in caues insomuch that it seemes that God will wholy turne away the light of his countenance from his children because they shall not see the brightnes of his face But then the faithfull must make vse of their patience and that they stiffen and hould firme against such temptations assuring themselues that in filence and hope they shall obtaine the deliuerance which they expect Psal 126. When the Lord brought againe the Captiuitie of Syon wee were like them that dreame Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with Ioy. Let vs then remember the exhortation of the Prophet who addressing his speech to all the faithfull sayth Psal 97. Yee that loue the Lord hate euill he preserueth the soules of his Saints he will deliuer them from the hand of the wicked light is sowen for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in heart And although that the persecutions are sometimes so hard so sharpe that it should seeme they are intollerable Psal 121. neuerthelesse God who is keeper of Israel whose eyes are alwaies open to behold and provide for all their necessities and his eares to their prayers and requests to vnderstand and graunt them alwayes accommodateth his poore Church And although shee be hunted out of Cities and Townes he provides a lodging to harbour it in the deserts and to giue it leasure to propagate and if shee bee hunted from all the places of the earth in so much that there remaineth no corner nor place where to with-draw her selfe God preserues her vpon the Sea as he did Noe and his familie We haue two notable examples Examples the one in the Scripture the other in nature which we ought alwayes to set before our eyes to vphold and assure vs in all our afflictions To wit first the Bush which Moyses saw in the desart The Bush the which bejng all on fire was not burnt neverthelesse nor consumed nor brought to ashes Which did signifie to vs the estate condition of the Church the which is alwayes as it were on fire in this world as it were in a fournace without that the force vehemence of the fire hath any power to consume it no more then the young men which Nebucadnezar caused to be cast jnto the fiery fournace because they would not obtemperate nor obay the vnjust commandement which he made them to obey the stature which they had erected The other is in that which God propounds vnto vs in nature to wit The bird Alcyon of the byrd Alcyon to whome God giveth leasure in the middest of the hardest of Winter to build his nest vppon the high rockes in the Sea which for the space of 14. dayes is as calme and peaceable or rather more than in the heart of Sommer vntill such time as their young ones are disclosed and fledged to fly away So God at all times hath so conducted the affaires of his Church that in the middest of the greatest and most horrible tempests that ever were he hath alwaies preserved it and hath furnished and prepared for it some little place to make her nest and her aboad We see every day Comparisons and Inducements to Patience that in the night the clearenesse and light of the Starres doth appeare and that in day time they are covered in so much that the beauty and splendour of them is not seene Also we see that the children of Abraham that is to say the faithfull which in the scripture are compared vnto Starres in their adversitie do much more shew the brightnesse of their Faith patience and magnanimitie then they do in prosperitie Moreover how dare we hope one day to participate in the trivmphāt glory of Iesus Christ if in this world we doe not with patience participate in his crosse How also can we hope to attaine to eternall life without patience seejng that the way which leadeth thither bejng full of Bryars and thornes cannot bee passed but they will catch them that keepe it or walke therein the which cannot be done without having great occasion and matter of patience the which sheweth it selfe more in suffering then it doth in dojng or performing as sheweth the Apostle to the Hebrewes Heb. 11. where he praiseth the faith and patience of those great and jllustrious persons that by Faith haue combated with Kingdomes haue done justice haue obtayned the promises haue closed the Lions jawes haue quenched the vehemency of the fire haue avoyded the edge of the Swoord haue shewed themselues strong in battaile haue driuen backe the strangers Camps And then a little after prayseth those that haue byn tried by mockings and scourgings yea moreover by bonds and jmprisonmēt they were stoned they were hewen in sunder they were tempted they were slayne with the Sword they wandred vp and downe in sheeps skins and in Goats skinnes bejng destitute afflicted and tormented whome the world was not worthy of they wandered in the Wildernesses and Mountains and dennes and caues of the earth The which the Apostle hath very well noted to giue vs to vnderstand that the Faith and patience of the faithfull is as much or more to be praysed for the constancy and vertue which it hath to suffer and endure great torments as it is to doe great and memorable exploits As we doe not lesse praise the patience of Iob in the losses of
others in the earth but in Heaven it is jnfallible and alwaies certaine to hold the vessell during the storme so that it cannot make shipwracke And as saith S. Augustine This hope maketh the great and horrible tempests to seeme little and the little ones none Which wee see in Iob who sayth that he hoped in God although hee saw his arme stretched out against him and ready to strike to kill him and ouerthrow him quite We see also the effect of this hope in Dauid who was neuer astonyed whatsoever aduersity befell him as may bee seene in the 27. Psalme The Lord is my light and my saluation whome shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whome shall I be affrayd When the wicked euen mine enemies and my foes came vpon me to eate vp my flesh they stumbled and fell Also Thou preseruest mee from trouble Psal 32. thou compassest mee about with ioyfull deliuerance Psal 62. Also My soule keepeth silence vnto God of him commeth my saluation And following In God is my saluation and my glorye the rocke of my strength in God is my trust And that which maketh this hope of the Christian man can neuer bee confounded is that it sets before it alwayes his head who is in Heaven and who can now no more be suncke by floods or deluges of water how great and fearefull soeuer they be Now though a man should be vp to the necke in water and that his head were still aboue water all the other members could not be drowned the head being eminent and floating vppon the superficies of the water also the Church in generall and euery member thereof in particular could not be drowned nor ouerflowne their head being alwayes eleuated ouer all the stormes tempests in the world which he commaundeth with a greater power then euen a King doth his subiects For the obedience which it beareth him is as suddaine as the commaundement which he giueth them which is not found among men in what degree of authoritie soeuer they bee in the world Faith is ioyned with the Spirit of regeneration FAith is also joyned with the holy Ghost The spirit of regeneration ioyned with Faith as sayth the Apostles in the Epistle to the Galathians Chap. 3. verse 2. This onely would I know of you whether yee receiued the spirit by the deedes of the lawe or by the hearing of the fayth Are yee such fooles that after yee haue begun in the Spirit yee would now end in the flesh for otherwise without the spirit Faith were not sufficient to regenerate vs and to make vs new creatures Yea without the vertue of the Spirit Fayth could not be produced nor begotten in vs as sayth the Apostle hauing the spirit of Faith according as it is written I haue beleeued therefore haue I spoken also wee beleeue and therefore wee speake Psal 116. Why he is called the spirit of Faith he calleth himselfe the spirit of Faith because he is the Authour of it For the knowledge which the faithfull haue of the promises of God commeth of the holy Ghost also doth the trust which is in the heart the which commeth of it selfe which are the two parts of Faith And euen as elsewhere this Spirit calleth it selfe the Spirit of feare of jntellegence of prudence according to the graces and gifts which hee imputeth vnto vs and produceth in vs also for this same reason doth he cal himselfe the Spirit of Faith because hee is the beginning the encreasing and the consūmation of it Now this spirit is a Spirit of life without the which Iesus Christ who is the life the way and the truth cannot reside nor dwell in vs. And although that our aduersaries thinke and say Miserable vanitie of the vnbeleeuers that it is a rashnesse and ouerwauing in the faithfull man to vaunt that hee is indued with the Spirit of God which dwelleth in him Yet neuerthelesse hee ought not to doubt but it maketh his residence in him as in his Temple As the Apostle sayth that if any haue not the Spirit of Christ hee is not his Rom. 8. and who is it that can assure vs that wee are the children of God but this Spirit of adoption Gal. 4. Effects of the spirit of regeneration by the which wee crie Abba Father And which witnesseth with our spirit that we are the children of God and by consequent his heires which is likewise the principall cause of all the good workes that we do and of all the good thoughts and affections which wee haue that this Spirit which the scripture compareth vnto water the which beeing powred vpon a drie Land causeth the seedes to spring and fructifie which we are cast vppon it As sayth the Apostle Gal. 5. That the fruite of the Spirit is Charitie ioye peace a patient Spirit Louingnesse goodnesse Loyaltie softnesse Temperance How also should wee resist the flesh with the lustes and workes thereof that is to say adulterie whoredom filthinesse jnsolencie jdolatry prisonings enmitie strife spitefulnesse anger quarrels diuisions sects enuies murders drunkenesse gluttonie and other like things which cannot inherit the Kingdome of God were it not for the vertue and force of this Spirit wherewith wee are armed how also could we hould firme against so many temptations assaults which are continually presented vnto vs by Satan the world tyrants hereticks hipocrites other enemies of the Church if we were not clothed with this vertue Also who would comfort vs in the middest of so many aduersities and tribulations wherewith our poore life is besieged whiles wee liue in this world were it not this comforter which is giuen vs of the Father by the meanes of his Sonne Iohn 14. How also in the desarts of this world should we be able to finde and follow the straight way if it were not shewed vs by the Spirit and if it did not guide vs to keepe vs from straying moreouer hauing our spirits our reason our sences wrapped vp in darknesse how could wee without this Spirit know the truth without the which wee cannot bee saued Iohn 15. How also should wee be able to reioyce and haue peace and tranquilitie in our consciences amongst so many occasiōs that we haue to be sorrowfull seeing so many disorders and confusions which are in the world manifest contempt of God in the most part of those with whome we liue so many blasphemies so many sacrileges so many ingratitudes so many jmpieties and abhominations if this spirit did not jnteriorly vphold vs and did not fill our hearts with joye in the middest of so many sorrowes griefes and lamentations which euery day bringeth vnto vs 1. Cor. 12. Also how could wee open our mouthes to confesse the name of Iesus and to sing the prayses of God if it were not opened vnto vs by the Spirit as sayth Dauid Psal 51. Deliuer mee from bloud O God which art the God of my