flies onelie to Iesus Christ and his satisfaction He saies he knowes none other thing in the world that can paie his debts but his bloud and so must all true Catholiques saie with him That same conclusion and definitiue sentence of Saint Augustine concerning our iustification is worth the marking against all Popish mystes and cauilles which he writes in his booke De spiritu Lit. Cap. 13.14 These things saith he being considered and handled according to the habilitie which God hath giuen vs we gather that a man is not iustified by keeping the commandements of a good life but by faith in Iesus Christ that is not by the lawe of workes but by the lawe of faith not by the letter but by the spirit And although the Apostle when as he would correct and reforme those which tooke pleasure in circumcision called circumcision by the name of the lawe and other such ceremonies of the lawe all which now as shadowes of that which was to come the Christians refuse holding that which was figuratiuely promised by those shadowes yet he wil haue the law to be vnderstood whereby he saith that no man is iustified not onlie in those mysteries which had figuratiue promises but also in those workes which whosoeuer shall doe liues iustlie Saint Augustine here plainely teacheth that not onelie by the workes of the Ceremoniall law we are not iustified as some Papists séeme to expound that place of Saint Paul but not also by the workes of the morall lawe And so Gagneius goes about to expound Saint Paul in his exposition vpon Saint Paul to the Romaines Out of the former Chapter saith he whereas S. Paul saide We thinke that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Lawe and out of the Text of this present Chapter wherin he shewes that faith was imputed to Abraham not in circumcision but whenas he was vncircumcised before his circumcision it is euident that it is meant in this place that Abraham was not iustified of the workes of the lawe and after he was iustified of workes that is those workes hee spake on before meaning Circumcision And in his exposition vpon the Epistle to the Galathians he alleadgeth the Gréeke Scholiast to confirme this his assertion Nature her selfe taught those things which were necessarie in the lawe saith the Scholiast as thou shalt not commit adulterie Gag in 2. cap. ad Gal. thou shalt not kill thou shalt not steale but those things which concerne the Sabboth circumcision and leprosies and sacrifices and sprincklings those are the proper workes of the lawe And of these saith the Apostle that of the workes of the lawe no flesh shall be iustified But if there be any such opinion in the Scholiast here we may sée that S. Austen is of a contrarie opinion And Gagneius himselfe as should séeme mislikes this opinion for in his preface vpon the Epistle to the Romans he writes thus But if any man will vrge when as verie often in this Epistle and also in other his Epistles that Paul saith that we are iustified by faith without workes that not onely the workes of the lawe are excluded but also all other things els whatsoeuer I will not greatly say against him if he wil patiently endure to heare that iustification is taken in the scripture two waies First to be iustified is of one that is wicked to be made iust the which thing is doone in a moment and without any merites of our works yea and without any works of ours going before it And here marke that I say going before it for together with that iustification must needs come the mouing of free-will repenting of her former life and beleeuing in Iesus beeing of God drawne and stirred vp to that motion And of this Iustification Paul speakes as often as he saith that men are iustified and saued without works Here he seemes to saie plainelie that our first iustification is without anie workes that it saues vs and yet after he saieth that it is but a saluation imperfect and begun in vs when as a man ariseth from infidelity and sinne to grace which he deserues by no work but yet it is not doon without a good work and mouing of the will which freely is powred into it of God Here hee seemes to be contrarie to saint Paul when as hee saith that without the works of the law we are iustified and he will haue euen in our first iustification one concurrent Secondly he seemes to disagree from the councell of Trent which teacheth that our free-will beeing stirred vp agrees willinglie and iointlie workes with grace but hee saieth it must be drawne and this argues a violence and thinges extorted and not voluntarie 2. Cor. 9.5 haue no reward with God as saint Paul plainlie teacheth But after hee makes a second iustification and to this iustification hee saieth Good workes are required And hee alleadgeth that one place for proofe hereof out of the Reuelation He that is iustified let him as yet be iustified But he might as well haue considered how that as in that one place the holie Ghost exhorts all them that are iustified that they bee iustified still so it teacheth all Christians to praie for the increase of faith Roman 1.16 And againe Saint Paul saieth I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God to saluation to all that beleeue it to the Iewe first and then to the Gentile Here is the first iustification but it followes The righteousnesse of God is reuealed in it from faith to faith as it is written The iust shall liue by faith And here is also the second iustification if hee will needes haue a second From faith to faith The iustified man is more iustified from faith to faith as his faith increaseth so his righteousnes And hereof it is said here that the iust man liues by faith not onelie the first moment of his iustification but all his life long And Saint Peter saith 1. Pet. 1.5 That through faith we are kept by the power of God euen vnto saluation Faith not onelie liftes vs vp from hell as the papists teach but it preserues vs euen to euerlasting life It is our first and our last iustification Christ is α and ω the beginning and the ending as Saint Iohn in his Reuelation teacheth But the papists by this their distinction would make him be but Alpha onelie And here of we are saide Reuelat. 7.8 Mat. 17.20.15.28 to haue faith like a graine of Mustardseed And some are saide to haue a great faith and some the greatest faith of all as our Sauiour witnesseth of the Centurion I haue not found so great faith no not in Israel Luke 7.9 Rom. 4.11.12 And againe saint Paul saieth That Abraham receiued circumcision as a seale of righteousnesse of the faith which he had when as he was vncircumcised that he might be a father of the circumcision not vnto them onelie
of nature by Ferus iudgement profits nothing but rather hinders our saluation And after Fer. in cap. 10. Act. These beasts signifie all them which should beleeue of the Gentiles For the Church was to bee collected not onely of the Iewes but also of the prophane Gentiles And they are fitly compared to beasts for what is man without the knowledge and the feare of God but a beast according to that Man when as he was in honour vnderstood not c. He was compared to beastes and became like them he liues like a beast as a swine that is washed wil wallow in the myre againe he lacks reason he is full of poison The poison of Aspes is vnder their lippes He is more fierce and cruell then any beast See what a miserable creature a sinner is If thou doest not knowe thy selfe at least wise hereof learne to knowe thy selfe Thus farre Ferus Here man maie see as in a looking glasse what hee is of his owne nature he is a Lyon a Beare a filthie Swine no Lyon so cruell no swine so filthie as he Fer. Ibid And here also wee maie learne out of Ferus what kind of sinners these beastes doe signifie he names thrée kinds of beasts For all that is in the world is either the concupiscence of the flesh or the concupiscence of the eyes or the pride of life Foure footed beasts signifie riotous persons creeping things signifie couetous men foules of the Aire ambitious men that ambitiouslie seeke after honors Peter is commanded to eate and deuour all these c. Sée then what accompt God makes of thee what an vglie monster thou art in his eies whosoeuer art giuen to thy pleasures who soeuer art couetous and greedie of this earthlie claie whosoeuer art ambitous and gapes after honors and promotions Though thou seeme in thine owne eies neuer so glorious nor of so great estimation thou art but a filthie swine a creeping vermine and a soaring Kyte And learne hereby rather to please God then either man or thy selfe Againe vpon these wordes I also am a man hee wrytes thus Ibid. He teacheth the Apostles successours that they ought to flie ambition for it is an horrible fault and it makes vs ascribe vnto our selues those things which God workes in vs or by vs as it were by instruments when as all glory is due vnto God And therefore Paul ascribed to himselfe all the paines he tooke but to God all the fruites of his labours I saieth he haue laboured more then they all but not I but the grace of God with me The fruit of Gods word he yéelds wholie to God For he works in vs both to will and to performe hee teacheth them also to challenge no praise to themselues for these thinges which they haue doone in Christs name and by his power The false Apostles and Byshops obserue neither of these Fer. in cap. 13. Act. And after Thou seest how necessary Christ is ascribe not light to reason nor saluation to thy works but both to Christ And after vpon these words And they beleeued as manie as were predestinate No man beleeues but hee which is predestinate No man comes to me vnlesse my father draw him Here he giues vs to marke that faith is not of the desert of man but of the mercie and election of God for the Lord saith in the Gospell to Peter confessing Christ Flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen And to Nicodemus vnlesse one be borne againe from aboue he cannot see the kingdome of God All these places doe not impute to God the fault why the wicked are condemned but rather they proue euidently that the election and grace of God is the cause of the saluation of the godly least any man should attribute to our strength that which belongs onely to God Thou seest also here who are predestinate to life they who beleeue in Christ therefore thou needest not curiously dispute of predestination beleeue in Christ and bring forth good works in him and thou art sure that thou art predestinate Otherwise if thou were the very signet of Gods right hand thou shalt be cast away Our owne forces and strength by Ferus his iudgement maie challenge no part in our saluation And declare thy faith by thy good workes as Saint Iames teacheth thee and bee sure of thy predestination saieth Ferus In cap. Act. 17. And vpon these wordes God is in vs. The power of God appeares in no creature more then in man although he fulfill all things as he saith by the Prophet Ieremie An◠I God onely nigh at hand and not a farre off also Therefore he saith truly that God is not farre off of euery one of vs who workes by vs as a workeman with the toole which he hath made And after They are fit to receiue the word of God which earnestly thirst after it In cap. Act. 18. which shut the eies of reason who altogether distrusting to their owne righteousnes wisedome or knowledge do relie onely vpon the word of God acknowledging themselues to be blind and euer to erre and stumble vnles they be lightned with the heauenly light And for this cause they require and earnestly desire often this lightening in their godly prayers Of them it is said in the fift of Matthew Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnes And a little after The flesh is euer fearefull Ibid. and escheweth perils and trembles at death nor can endure any trouble for the Lords sake Therefore we haue need of the grace of God by which we are that we are By this it appeares that there is no goodnes in the flesh And of Abraham he writes thus In cap. Act. 19. True faith doubts not of the word of God though all things seeme contrary So Abraham beleeued God when as he had heard of him This shall not be thy heire meaning Ismael but he that shall proceed out of thine owne bowels he shall bee thine heire Though he himselfe were an old man and had a very old woman to his wife who also was barren yet he beleeued God promising him a sonne against nature against reason against mans capacity That I may say with Paul He beleeued in hope against hope he gaue God the glory and hee brought in bondage himselfe and his owne reason And that was accompted to him for righteousnes that is pleased God more then all thinges that Abraham had doone hitherto That for this faith he was iust and so accompted of before God c. Thus we may see what is in man euen regenerate still flesh bloud resisting the will word and promises of God which all good Christians must striue dailie to conquour 1. Epist Ioh. 5.4 And this is that great victory of faith which Saint Iohn speakes of And of S. Paul when he was come to Ierusalem the same Ferus writes thus Letting all other things
is man off to challenge anie thing as of his owne of the iustice of God And that same one word of our Sauiour were enough to teach vs this lesson who in giuing the possession of that glorious kingdome to all Gods children declares also to them the title whereby they attaine vnto it Come saieth hee and inherite a Kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world What sonne dare saie that hee hath purchased his fathers inheritance If it be a purchase it is no inheritance this common reason teacheth But some will obiect that place of Saint Paul I haue kept the faith and henceforth is laide vp for me the crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue mee at that daie and not to me onelie but to all them that loue his appearing Lira expounds this place thus The faith Lira in 2. Ti◠to 4. which is the principall part of all Christian religion I haue kept which cannot bee had but by the mercie of God because it is the gift of God And hereof in another place he saith I haue obtained mercie not because I was faithfull but that I might be faithfull For we find the Apostle without any good deserts yea with many vices to haue obtained the mercy of God who requites good for euill who now his death drawing neare reckons vp his merites after which he shall obtaine a crowne who after his euill merites obtained grace which if before it had not beene freely giuen a crowne should not haue beene requited him Therfore his merites are not of himselfe that is purchased to himselfe of himselfe but they are the gifts of God c. If the giftes of God then wholie they procéede of God for Gods giftes are not imperfect hee giues no halfes he giues the whole when he giues And after he writes thus Shal giue If faith be grace and euerlasting life be as it were the wages of faith God seemes to giue eternal life as a debt to the faithfull to whom he oweth it because he hath deserued it by faith But because faith is grace life eterenal is grace also therefore by grace he wil giue it vnto vs. Lira here plainlie teacheth that we deserue heauen by faith and faith as all men do confesse is giuen vs without merites therefore eternall life also And after vpon these wordes The iust Iudge Iust truly rendring good things for good things who before was mercifull rendring good things for euill That same iustice which requites good things for good things is not without mercy Lira affirmes that this iustice which rewardes our good workes is not meere iustice but iustice mixt with mercie iustice in respect of God who hath promised great rewards to our workes and it is iustice that hee should performe his promises But this iustice is mingled with mercie in respect of vs whose works are all vnperfect and not answerable to that perfection which Gods law and iustice requires This distinction Lira teacheth Luke 17.10 all Christians must call and account themselues vnprofitable seruantes and can such seruauntes challenge anie wages as of true debt or of iust desert Master Bellarmine concerning the rewardes of our workes writes thus Some thinke sayeth hee that our good workes proceeding from grace De iustificat lib. 5. cap. 17. not to be meritorious of worthinesse or desert by reason of the worke but onely by reason of Gods promise and acceptation And so Scotus teacheth But this opinion which is the true opinion Bellarmine reiecteth But the middle opinion seemes more probable to vs saith he which teacheth that the good workes of the iust are meritorious and deserue eternall life of their worthinesse by reason of the couenant and worke also not because the worke hath not of it selfe without the couenant and acceptation of God a proportion and agreement to eternall life but because God is not bound to accept that worke for such a reward although it be agreeable and equall to the reward vnlesse there had beene a couenant made Which opinion wee do not doubt to be agreeing with the councell of Trent and to Thomas Aquinas Bonauenture and other chiefe Diuines So that by Maister Bellarmines iudgement Gods promises and couenantes are but limitations as it were teaching vs what rewardes are due to euerie good worke But the worke it selfe without the promise is equall and worthie of the reward But Saint Paul grounds all Gods promises on Iesus Christ All the promises of God sayeth hee in him are yea 2. Corin. 1.20 and in him are Amen vnto the glorie of God through vs. So that they are not onelie limitations teaching vs that if wee shall doe this or that good worke wée shall haue this or that reward for it but they are grounded vpon Iesus Christ so that for his sake they are made vnto vs and for his sake it pleaseth our most gracious God for such a small worke to giue vs such a great reward And this is that which saint Paul sayeth Roman 4.13 The promise was not made to Abraham and to his seed that he should bee the heire of the world by the law but by the righteousnesse of faith And after speaking of the same promise hee sayeth This is the word of promise Roman 9.9 I will returne at this season againe and Sarah shall haue a Sonne Was not this promise made to Abraham of Gods great mercy What worke of Abraham mooued him to make this promise naie what worke could Abraham doe correspondent to this promise And surelie such like are all the other promises of God which are annexed to our workes They doe not onelie shew as Maister Bellarmine teacheth that such a worke is worthie of such a reward but that it pleaseth our most gratious God for such a small worke to giue such a great rewarde euen as amongst Land-lordes some haue giuen Farmes to their Tenantes for a Pepper corne so great so ample and so liberall are all Gods promises and rewards towardes vs and so little is all that wee are able to do And the same thing doeth Saint Paul declare more plainelie to the Galathians If the inheritance come by the law Galath 3.18 then not of promise But God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shewed grace or fauour to Abraham in making his promise The same reason is of all the promises in the Gospell Forgiue and thou shalt be forgiuen sayth our Sauiour Luke 6.37.38 Giue and it shall be giuen to you What proportion is there here the one to the other That which wee can forgiue to the vttermost and a debt for which wée must craue forgiuenesse is described in that Parable of the vnmercifull seruant Matth. 18.23 He owed his Maister a thousand Talents And his fellow owed him but a hundreth pence What proportion is betweene these two Againe concerning our giftes all that wee can giue is but like that Widowes Mite Luk. 21.1 Matth. 10.42 or a Cuppe
Sixtly she must go out by absolution and come into the citie of Ierusalem that is into the holy Church and be reconciled to her againe by a spirituall life Lastly she must confesse and testifie both in word and worke that Christ is the sonne of God as did also the Centurion Here truely Ferus declares what mans hart is before regeneration It is a rocke there is no softnesse nor aptnesse to goodnesse in it before grace And it is euen now as great a miracle for God to conuert a sinner Exod. 16. ver 6 as it were for him to make the water to runne out of the hard rocke Fer. in 9. cap. Act. Ferus also on this matter writes verie excellently vpon these wordes O Lorde what wilt thou haue me to doe This is the speech of a changed heart See here what Gods correction can doe what grace can doe what the spirit can doe In one word it makes a wolfe a sheepe For by and by he cries what wilt thou haue mee doe O Lord For I am now readie hereafter to obey thy commandements I would to God we were made all so ready by the Lords correctiō Surely then it would fare better with vs. For God strikes vs that he might by by heale vs and if we be not healed that comes of our own wickednes frowardnes Therfore we must praie thus that he will conuert vs also Conuert vs O God of our saluation c. Thou seest that this beginning of true repentance doth proceede of none other cause but from God when as he doth touch our heart with the feeling of sinne and doth also so vnderproppe it that it despaire not as we heare here that he did to Paul For he being so terrified had runne from Gods presence and had vtterly despaired vnlesse by Gods spirit he had been called backe againe that he might crie O Lord what wilt thou haue me doe Thou seest therefore how true repentance differs from that which is false and counterfeit For vnlesse all the hart be kindled with this earnest desire that it say O Lord I couet to forsake mine owne euill waie and to doe that which thou wouldst haue me doe it is but hypocrisie it is no repentance But this earnest desire no man can frame to himselfe vnlesse God touch his heart Therfore the beginning the middle and the end is of God and is Gods worke Here we may learne what we were before grace we were wolues we were no shéepe and therefore not a helping vppe or pricking forward was necessarie for vs but as our Sauiour teacheth a regeneration And this is that which God himselfe promiseth by the Prophet Ezechiell Ezech. 11.19 I will take away their stonie heart and I will giue them a heart of flesh God had néede shewe his most mightie power as well in mans regeneration as in his creation His heart was become a stone and therefore vnapt to mooue and apply it selfe to the grace of God as the Papists teach What fitnesse is there in a stone to receiue into it anie moisture or to mooue it selfe vpward and such like were all mens hearts to grace before regeneration as God himselfe here plainlie teacheth by his Prophet Ezechiell And hereof also is that which Iohn saith in the Gospell to the proud and bragging Iewes of their carnall descent from Abraham Matth. 3.9 That God was able of stones to raise vp children to Abraham no doubt by these stones he meant all Abrahams spirituall sons who by the preaching of the Gospell and by faith in Iesus Christ should be borne vnto him And doe we not sée now this prophesie of Iohn verified The proud bragging Iewes are reiected and the Gentiles who before were as stones are by Gods grace now become Abrahams children This also that vision that God shewed Peter As Ferus also notes hereafter Act 10.11 when as hee would call the Gentiles prooues most euidently He saw heauen opened and a certaine vessell came downe vnto him as it had been a great sheete knit at the foure corners and was let downe to the earth wherein were all manner of foure-footed beasts of the earth and wilde beasts and creeping thinges and foules of the heauen No doubt these beasts as Peter himselfe also after expounds this vision signified the Gentiles Into such monsters we were growen by reason of sinne Psalm 49.12 Man being in honour had no vnderstanding euen Adam that first man and in him all men and so became as the beasts that perish so that man must be killed and quickened againe as God here commands Peter he must haue new life put into him before he can please God So farre off is he of his owne nature to assent fréelie to the grace of God offering it selfe vnto him sinne being onely done away And this is that which Ferus here teacheth men must become of wolues shéepe before they can be acceptable sacrifices vnto God The beginning of the desire which they haue to serue God and the middle and continuance thereof when as they haue once begun and the ende also thereof is of God Not the beginning onely as the Papists doe teach And this is that also which Saint Peter teacheth all true Catholiques 1. Pet. 1.5 in his Catholique Epistle That we are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation He not onely at the beginning workes fréely our iustificaon as the Councell of Trent teacheth but euen also fréelie through the same faith he then wrought in our hearts he continually preserueth vs. So that our whole saluation the beginning and the middle and the end thereof we must only and wholy ascribe vnto God This great worke is his worke alone no man what soeuer maie challenge anie part in it with him hee alone must haue all the glorie of it Ibid. And to this effect the same Ferus writes thus againe Marke here that God is not onely the beginning but also the perfection of all goodnesse in vs. For he that begins the same also finisheth He workes in vs both to will and also to finish he giues the increase To this maie be applied that which Moses saith The land which the Lord will giue you is not like the land of Egypt c. The forces and powers of nature are sufficient to externall workes but to those things which concerne our saluation we must looke for a shower from heauen that is grace Therefore euerie godlie man must say I will not trust in mine owne bowe And after The light of nature seemes to be reason but in diuine matters they are but scales hindering the sight as thou seest here in Paul These scales signifie that couering which is ouer Moses face yea ouer the hearts of all the Iewes before faith Those scales also which claue together in the body of Leuiathan are wicked men amongst whom Saul was All these when the light commeth fall downe to the ground c. The light
which are of the circumcision but vnto them also that walke in the steppes of the faith of our father Abraham This to be iustified more which saint Iohn speakes of is no doubt to walke in the steppes of the faith of Abraham And this no doubt also is that which saint Peter meaneth when hee concludes his epistle thus Growe in grace 2. Peter 3.18 and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ That is grow in your faith and knowledge of the Gospell For this is life eternall saieth our Sauiour to knowe thee to bee the onely true God Ioh. 17.3 and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ Gagneius should haue considered all these places and not grounded his second iustification of workes vpon that one onlie place Whereas also that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him be righteous still maie signifie rather a perseuerance then an increase But to let Gagneius go with his mystes and cauilles against the trueth and to returne to saint Austen againe As hee quite takes all our iustification from all workes whatsoeuer either ceremoniall or morall so he yéelds this to that our first iustification that it makes vs partakers of the glory of God Lib. spir lit cap. 9. and doe wee thinke then that hee euer thought of anie second Thus hee writes By grace the wicked man is iustified freely that is hauing no merites of his works going before For otherwise grace were not grace because therefore it is giuen not because that we haue doon good works but that we may do them that is not because we haue fulfilled the law but that we might fulfill it For he said I came not to destroie the law but to fulfill it Of whome it is saide We haue seene his glorie the glorie as it were of the onelie begotten Sonne of the Father full of grace and trueth This is the glory whereof it is said All haue sinned and are destitute of the glory of God And this is the grace whereof by and by he saieth Being iustified freely by his grace So that by saint Austens iudgment this grace which we receiue in our first iustification is that grace of God which before our iustification all men were depriued of And will Gagneius saie then that our iustification is imperfect Naie herein also saint Austen agrees with saint Paul who speaking of that first iustification saieth 1. Iohn 15. We being iustified by faith are at peace with God and is it imperfect then no imperfect thing can please God Ephes 2.16 He is light and in him is no darknes at all Naie in another place hee saieth that Iesus Christ hath slaine hatred betweene God and vs and that we haue an entrance now to the father by one spirit no doubt which we receiue in our Baptismes and at our first iustification 19. And that now we are no more strangers or forreiners but citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God And is this our first iustification as yet imperfect Naie saint Iohn saieth 1. Iohn 1.3 That we haue seene and heard we declare vnto you that you also maie haue fellowship with vs and that our fellowship may be also with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ Do wée beleeue this O happie newes by faith wee are made fellowes with the apostles naie euen with God himselfe and is then our first iustification imperfect and these things Saint Iohn writes to vs that our ioy may be full Who will not reioice that heareth this newes Other Papists make another cauill at our iustification Stella writes thus Of these words of Christ that error of the Lutherans is conuinced Stella in cap. 6 Luc. who dare affirm that faith cannot be without charity but one may truely as it is manifest out of this text of the Gospell heare the vvordes of God and beleeue them and yet not bee in grace But here Stella addes this of his owne and beleeue them that is more then is in the text The text saieth One maie heare the words of God and not do them not be in grace But surelie he that heares them beleeues them will do them also no doubt and therefore such a one is in grace S. Austen also verie excellentlie condemnes the Papists in this their doctrine De fide operib cap. 23 The Lord saith in the Gospell The houre shall come wherein all they that are in the graues shall he are his voice and they shall go which haue doone well into the resurrection of life and they which haue doone euill into the resurrection of iudgment Neither is it said that they which haue beleeued or that they which haue not beleeued but thus they which haue doone wel and that they which haue doon euil for a good life cannot be separated from faith which works thorough loue yea verily that same is a good life it selfe A true liuelie faith and a good life by saint Austens iudgement are vnseparable And againe saint Austen declares his iudgment concering our iustification and she vse of good workes verie manifestlie thus When as the Apostle saith Aug. de fide operib cap. 14. that he supposeth that a man is iustified by faith without the works of the law hee meanes not that when as wee haue receiued and professed the faith that the works of righteousnes should be despised but that euery one may know that he may be iustified through faith although no works of the law haue gone before For they follow a man that is now iustified they do not go before him which is to be iustified This is saint Austens plaine iudgement that workes are fruites of our iustification not rootes they are neither precedent nor concurrent causes but effects following Ibidem And after hee addes the causes why saint Peter Iohn and Iames and Iude wrote their Epistles and expoundes their meanings whereas they seeme to make much for good workes Because this opinion saieth he was then sproong vp that is that works were despised the other apostolique Epistles of Peter Iohn Iames and Iude against this opinion bend al their force so that they very vehemently affirme that faith without workes profiteth nothing As also Saint Paul himselfe cals not faith euery faith wherewith we beleeue in God but that healthfull and euangelicall faith whose workes proceede from charitie and faith saieth he which vvorketh thorow loue Therefore he affirmes that that faith which some men thinke is sufficient to saluation to be of so small force that he saith If so be that I had all faith so that I could moue mountaines out of their places and yet had no charity I am nothing But where this faithfull charitie works there is a good life c. So that by saint Austens iudgement that vaine and barren faith which some men in those dayes imagined of their owne braines and despised all good workes doe both saint Iames and saint Iohn and the
written A father of many Nations haue I ordained thee Roman 4.16 euen before God whome he beleeued who quickneth the dead and calleth the things which be not as though they were which Abraham beleeued against hope vnder hope that he should be the father of manie Nations according to that which was spoken to him So shall thy seed be And he not weake in faith considered not his owne bodie which was now dead being almost an hundreth yeare old neither the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe neither did he doubt of the promise of God through vnbeleefe but was strengthened in faith and gaue glorie to God being fully assured that he that had promised was able to doe it And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Now it is not written for him onely that it was imputed to him for righteousnesse but also for vs to whom it shall be imputed for righteousnesse which beleeue in him which raised vp Iesus our Lord from the dead who was deliuered for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Saint Paul here the Doctour of the Gentiles teacheth all Christians by the example of their father Abraham contrarie to the doctrine of the Vniuersitie of Collen that they must not consider their owne frailtie and weakenesse for who then shoulde not despaire but the promise and mercie of God Abraham considered not that now hee and Sarah his Wife were as good as dead to child-bearing and begetting but the word and promise of God which euen quickens things that be dead calles things which are not as though they were and euen so must all Abrahams Children and all true Christians not consider their owne frailtie and weakenesse for if they respect their owne deseruings euen the best of them all they are like their Father Abraham euen dead in their sinnes and farre off from obtaining the Kingdome of God yet beleeuing the promise of God assuredlie and not respecting this their owne frailtie and weakenesse but euen nowe with a liuelie faith whensoeuer it assaulteth them ouercomming it they must all assure themselues of the kingdome of God as Abraham did of his sonne Isaac And this is faith and this is to be the true sonne of Abraham and without this faith no man can bee saued Wée must not consider our owne infirmities naie that wée are euen of our selues dead through our sinnes as the Vniuersitie of Collen teacheth but wee must onelie respect the grace mercie and promise of God as Abraham our forefather did and by this strengthened ouercome the other which as an enemie is opposed and set against faith to wrestle with it and to assault it The Vniuersitie of Collen in this their doctrine doe gainesay the Prophet Dauid whome they alleadge for their witnesse Psalm 125.1 The iust man sayeth Dauid is like mount Sion which on no side can bee moued Hée is firme on euerie side hee trusting on the mercie of God is not mooued as they teach with the consideration of his owne frailtie Againe let vs consider howe the Vniuersitie of Collen and Master Bellarmine do disagree in this great point of saluation Bellarmine whereas saint Iohn saith Lib. 1. de Iustificat cap. 11. These things haue I written vnto you which beleeue on the name of the sonne of God that you may knowe that you haue eternall life answereth that S. Iohn saith truly they which beleeue as they ought haue euerlasting life The meaning therefore saith he of the Apostle is conditionall for hee writes to those which beleeue that they may know that they haue eternall life if so be they beleeue indeed as they ought to beleeue that is if they haue faith which worketh by loue This is master Bellarmines iudgement But the vniuersity of Collen writes thus Dialog 4. contra Monhem Who euer hath taught thus of faith that the saluation of euery particular man should bee obtained by it or haue relation to it For faith is of all things most assured which neither can be deceiued nor deceiue But the iustification of euery priuate man say they is very vncertaine much more their eternall saluation how therefore can faith bee had of such vncertaine things This is the censure of the Vniuersitie of Collen whereas both Saint Iohn and master Bellarmine auouch that they which beleeue aright know that they haue eternall life so that by the censure of the Vniuersitie of Collen wee must not beleeue assuredlie wee must not knowe that wee shall be saued wee must onelie hope that wee shall bee saued And they saie againe That the certainty of hope is not such that any man trusting thereunto should not doubt for so long as we hope say they we are vncertaine as the very Etymologie of the name of hope doeth teach vs. Thus wée maie plainelie see howe they will haue vs doubt still of our saluation which doubting is both contrarie to faith and also to knowledge which Saint Iohn the Apostle teacheth But to returne againe to M. Bellarmines former answere his meaning is thereby though hee dissent from the vniuersitie to prooue that no man shall bee assured or know that hee shall bee saued For hee saieth a little before that euen by our confession faith is necessary to the forgiuenes of sinnes But saieth he out of what word of God do they learne that they haue such a faith as is required to get and obtaine remission of sinnes This is one of his mistes whereby hee would haue euerie one doubt whether hee hath faith or no and so doubt whether hee should bee saued or no. But this doctrine is contrarie to Saint Paul who thus writes to the Church of Corinth 2. Cor. 13.5 Trie your selues sayeth hee and search your selues whether you bee in faith or no. Doe you not know your selues that Iesus Christ is in you vnlesse you bee reprobates All Christians must knowe that Iesus Christ is in them that they are by faith engrafted into him or else they are reprobates By master Bellarmines doctrine all Christians are reprobates For no Christian sayeth hee knowes whether he hath such a faith as obtaineth remission of his sinnes and then it must néedes followe that no Christian knowes that Iesus Christ dwelleth in him which all shoulde knowe and so all are reprobates by his doctrine 1. Pet. 1. Peter the Apostle writes his Catholique Epistle in generall to all Christians and hee sayeth that they haue gotten like precious faith to the Apostles And shall they not know then that they haue obtained such a faith as is required to the forgiuenesse of sinnes The Papistes imagine God to bee a respecter of persons and that to the Apostles hee gaue a great faith and that they might bee sure of their saluation but to none else hee gaue the like faith and that all others ought to doubt but Saint Peter here plainlie teacheth that euen those to whome he wrote had obtained euen as precious a faith as he And shall not we iudge so
that is euery day looke for it and wish that it might come spéedilie Would anie man wish for the spéedie comming of Iesus Christ vnlesse hee were sure hee should bee saued That saying in the Reuelation euidentlie prooues the same Reuel 22.17 The spirit and the bride say Come As the spirit doubteth not of his saluation so neither the bride of her mariage And shall shée doubt of her saluation That saying of the Prophet Esay of the Church of Christ is most manifest to prooue this doctrine One shall say I am the Lords Esay 44.5 another shall be called by the name of Iacob and another shall subscribe with his owne hand vnto the Lorde and name himselfe by the name of Israel Here is the state of Christes Church plainelie set downe One shall saie I am the Lordes another shall saie I am Iacob another shall saie I am Israel and shall anie then doubt of his saluation doeth anie man doubt of Israels or Iacobs saluation But see how contrarie the Papists doctrine is to that which the Prophet here sets downe and teacheth One shall say I am the Lords saieth the Prophet and this one is euerie one no doubt in the Church of Christ but they dare not teach anie one to saie so but thinke to saie so were great presumption But how can that bee presumption which Gods word so plainelie teacheth Let euerie true Christian well ponder in his heart whether he now will beleeue them or the Prophet Esay But the Vniuersitie of Collen speaking of Christians saieth that they hope firmely and with great courage Dialog 40. but they beleeue not that they shall bee saued for faith say they cannot bee deceiued but hope is after declared But here to answere their first point that No man ought to beleeue that he should be saued doeth not Dauid saie plainlie Psal 27.13 I should vtterly haue fainted but that I beleeue verily to see the goodnes of the Lord in the land of the liuing Dauid here plainelie confesseth that hee beleued that hee should be saued and why maie not other Christians also saie so Iob also saieth Iob. 19.25 I know that my Redeemer liueth And Abrahams faith was accounted to him for righteousnes And Saint Iohn saieth Iohn 20.31 That these things were written that all Christians might beleeue and beleeuing might haue eternall life But master Bellarmine alleadgeth that place of Saint Paul 1. Lib. de iustificat cap. 11. We are saued thorough hope and therefore we must hope and not beleeue that we shall be saued But if we marke well the natures of these thrée faith hope and charitie wee shall plainelie see that our hope saueth vs by the meanes of faith for these thrée vertues faith hope and charitie spring one of another and haue their diuers obiects Hope and charitie spring of faith and faith first of all hath respect vnto the word of God and embraceth most assuredlie the promise of God then of faith of the promise necessarilie springeth the hope of the thing promised and lastlie hee that beleeues ones promise and hopeth for the thing promised will loue the promiser and all that be his and this is Christian charitie So that these three vertues are as twinnes all lincked together and one taketh her vertue and force of another And none of these hath anie force without another Therfore hope saueth which procéedeth of the faith of the word of God and that charitie pleaseth which procéedeth to him and to all his from this faith of his word and promise And although hope be properlie of good things of things which concerne our selues yet as faith is of the paines and torments of the wicked so also is hope as we do beleeue verily the promise of God made to Abraham concerning himselfe his posteritie Gen. 12 3. I will make thee a great nation and will blesse thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing So also wee must beleeue the same promise as verilie concerning his friends and his enemies which immediatlie followes I will also blesse them that blesse thee and I will curse them that curse thee and in thee shall all the Nations on the earth be blessed And as wee beleeue the promise so wee must assuredlie hope and looke for the things promised euen the plagues and punishments which without all doubt God will inflict vpon all Abrahams enemies and vpon all the enemies of his Church And vpon this promise no doubt Dauid pronounceth thus boldlie All mine enimies shall be confounded and sore vexed Psal 6.10 They shall be turned backe and put to shame sodainly And in another Psalme Mine eie hath seene his desire vpon his enimies Psal 54.7 Psal 38.37 And againe I will follow vpon mine enimies and ouertake them neither will I turne again till I haue destroied them So that then as we beléeue this promise of the coÌ„fusion of our enimies so we maie most assuredlie hope and looke for their plagues and the perfourmance of the same and so our hope in some sort stretcheth out it selfe as ample as our faith But to end this place of the certaintie of our saluation that place of the Prophet Esay of all Christians is worth the marking Esay 32.1 Behold saieth hee a king shall raigne to be righteousnesse to iustifie and his princes shall beare rule to teach men iudgement What King is this but Iesus Christ who is called by the Prophet Ier. 23.6 The Lord our righteousnes And what bee those his Princes which beare rule in iudgement but his Apostles and ministers and magistrates which teach men to iudge themselues least they be iudged of the Lord to minister iudgement to his people 1. Cor. 11.31 Psalm 82.3 And this man shall be a hiding place from the wind Gods wrath is compared to the wind and men to grasse Psalm 103.15 The dayes of man are but as grâ—sse saieth the Prophet Dauid for he flourisheth as a flower in the field for as soone as the wind goeth ouer it it is gone and the place thereof shall know it no more From this sharpe pinching wind of the wrath of God Iesus Christ saueth vs according as Saint Iohn writes Iohn 3.36 He that beleeueth in the son hath euerlasting life and he that obeieth not the son shal not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him This is that hiding place which is mentioned in 1. Sam. 22. which is called Adullam 1. Sam. 22.1 that is their Testimonie their protestation all Christians must protest this that but for Iesus Christ the wrath of God had euen consumed them And to this caue or hiding place fled Dauid and saued himselfe there and his brethren and his fathers howse and there gathered to him thither all men that were in trouble and all men that were in debt and all those that were vexed in mind Here is that prefigured which Christ himselfe in the Gospel
of God because the eternall father for the exceeding great loue wherewith he loueth vs he cals that his saluation which is our saluation Wherefore also the Prophet Esay speaking in the person of God saith Esa 42. I haue giuen thee to be a light to the Gentiles that thou maiest be my saluation euen to the vttermost parts of the earth O blessed and praised be such a God who loues vs so that he calles our saluation his saluation Saint Paul also shewes vs this loue saying I beseech you 1. Thes 4.1 that you walke as you ought to walke and to please God for you know what commandements I haue giuen you by the Lord Iesus for this is the will of God euen your sanctification Marke I beseech you what commandements these are and what is this will of God The former words did seem to require that he should haue added This is the will of God that you should praise him that you should offer him sacrifice and yet notwithstanding hauing made that preface before he addeth that the will of God is Our sanctification which in truth is accounted one of the greatest good things which man hath Therefore O my brethren giue thanks to God for this his singular loue wherewith he loues you for his will and that thing which most pleaseth him is your profit and commoditie This loue wherewith the highest loueth vs he cals the coards wherewith he drawes vs vnto him when as he faith by the prophet Osee Ose 11. I will draw them with the coardes of Adam that is with what affection I made Adam their first parent holy and created him in grace as the interlmeal Glosse expounds it with the same loue I will sanctifie these which he addes expounding it In the bonds of loue that is with the affection of charity Whereas another translation hath I wil draw them with the coards of men that is with the same loue that I bound vnto me Abraham Isaac and the other patriarches I wil also ioine them vnto me Although Lira expounds it thus With coards that is with benefites bestowed vpon them which drawe the heart of man and are certaine bonds of loue Saint Ierom expounds it otherwise that is I haue had a care of them for the coards and bonds of loue wherewith I haue bound Abraham Isaac and Iacob vnto me Wo be vnto vs if so be that we shall not be thankefull for such singular loue as those fathers were Thus farre Philippus de Dies If this ought to bee the faith of all Christians and that they ought to haue this firme and most assured beliefe of the loue of God towards them and that not onelie the Scriptures but the fathers doe teach them most manifestlie this excéeding great loue of God towards them who then will doubt of his saluation To doubt is plainlie to denie this excéeding great loue And after of the loue of Christ our redéemer hee writes thus Ibidem Tit. amor Christi Cant. 1 Whereas we reade in the Canticles My beloued is to me a grape of Ciprus another Text hath My loue is to me a cluster of Camphire O heauenly and most fit similitude Alcamphor is a certaine Tree whose gumme hath this property that if a graine or a little of it be kindled with fire and be put in a Lampe full of water it will giue a most cleare and bright flame It is a woonderful thing that that flame should not be extinguished with the water but that it should burne and shine more clearely This graine and not onely a graine but a cluster is our Lord Iesus Christ For those waters of the vnthankefulnes of his enemies and those waters of so manie and great torments which entred in euen to his very soule did not only quench his loue but caused it to glister shine more brightly while it shewed more manifestly his vnspeakeable loue patience mildnes and liberality When as euen the selfe same night wherein he was betraid he ordeined that most high mystery of his most blessed body and bloud and hanging on the crosse prayed for his enemies Let vs learne of this our heauenly master to shew loue to our enemies and to haue in greater trauell and paines greater patience Thus farre Philippus de Dies Such a loue must euerie Christian beleeue that Iesus Christ hath towards him that no waters in the world either of sinnes or of vnthankefulnesse is euer able to quench and this flesh and bloud and our spirituall enemie go about to make vs often forget And therefore saint Paul prayeth for the Ephesians Ephes 3.19 Iud. Ep. v. 21. that They maie know the loue of Christ which passeth all knowledge and that they maie be filled with al the fulnesse of God And this also no doubt Saint Iude meaneth in his Epistle when as hee sayeth Keepe you your selues in the loue of God Theodoret also writes thus of this matter In ca. 8. ad Heb He cals heauen the vaile c. God hath promised the kingdome of heauen to all that beleeue in him we hope for saieth hee those good things and we hold fast this hope as a sure Anchor for this Anchor beeing hid in the bottome of our hearts will not suffer that our soules should bee dasht hither and thither And also by another mans hee shewes the certaine hope of our good things and such a hope as cannot be gainesaid Whither our forerunner Iesus is entred for vs for our sakes saith he He became man for our sakes he gaue his body to be slaine and hauing vanquished and ouercome death he hath ascended into heauen being the first fruits of them which sleepe And he hath giuen vs here a greater confidence by calling him our forerunner For if he be our forerunner and hath ascended for vs then we must needes follow him and ascend also And Basill writes thus of euerie Christian In examer Homilia 5. Thou also shalt be like a fruitfull Oliue in the house of God neither shalt thou euer bee depriued of thy hope but shalt euer haue thy saluation flourishing in thee through faith Ambrose of the certaintie of our saluation writes thus Ambros de Iacob beat vâ—t cap. â— But thou fearest the manifold chances of this life and the deceits of the enemy when as thou hast God himselfe to be thy helper and his so great fauour towards thee that he spared not his owne sonne for thy sake The scripture hath vsed a comfortable word that it might declare the good will of God the father towards thee who offered himselfe wholy to die for thee In that he was a father he left nothing to himselfe he offered it all for thy sake onely hee left not the fulnesse of his deity Consider the loue of a father as concerning pity hee hazarded the life of his sonne he drunke for thy sake the sorrowfull cuppe of one that is childlesse least the price of thy redemption should not haue
Christian against Antichrist These things haue I written vnto you 1. Ep. 2.26 as concerning those that deceiue you and the annointing yee haue receiued of him abideth in you so that no man needeth to teach you any thing no not Elias nor Enoch We may note here how that he armeth the faithfull onely with the Scripture and the holie spirit against Antichrist and that they neede no other armour And againe I write vnto you children Verse 14. that you haue knowne the father I write vnto you fathers that you haue knowne him that was from the beginning I write vnto you young men that you are strong and the word of God dwelleth in you The worde of God is the knowledge and light of olde men against Sathan and his sonne Antichrist and the strength also of young men to wrastle and encounter with them both and with this they being strengthened they are able to ouercome them Saint Paul also speaking of Antichrist and of his members which by and by after his departure should succéed in the church saieth thus Act. 20 24. I knowe this that after my departure shall grieuous Wolues enter in amongst you not sparing the flocke and from amongst your selues shall men arise speaking peruerse things to drawe away the Disciples after them Therefore watch ye remembring how by the space of three yeeres night and day I haue not ceased to warne euerie one of you And now brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you further then I haue as yet builded you and to giue you an inheritance amongst all those which shall be sanctified Here Saint Paul teacheth that Wolues shall succéede in the Church and no doubt these were the members of Antichrist Against these as a faithfull Pastor he commits his shéepe to God and to the word of God which is able to build them further naie to preserue them safe and sound from all errors and dangers in the wildernesse of this worlde and to bring them euen to heauen if so be that they shall follow onely the direction of it And here also we maie learne an excellent commendation of the worde of God it is a bottomelesse pitte no man can euer come to the depth thereof so that of it that saying of Saint Austen is verified So great is the depth of the holy Scriptures that I should euerie day profit in the study of them Aug. ep 3. if from mine infancie till I were a verie olde man I should learne them hauing neuer so much leisure studying neuer so earnestly and hauing neuer so good a wit they are still able to build further This testimonie Saint Paul and Saint Austen yéelde to the worde of God and what néedes Maister Bellarmine then to adde the comming of Elias and Enoch as necessarie to preserue the elect in the faith as though the worde of God were not sufficient Our Sauiour himselfe in the Gospell teacheth the same doctrine and that it is dangerous to beléeue anie rising againe frō the dead whosoeuer they are in points of saluation Luk. 16.31 They haue Moses the prophets saith Abraham the father of the faithful if they will not beleeue them neither wil they beleeue if anie arise from the dead againe no if it were Enoch and Elias This lesson Abraham by our sauiours testimonie hath taught all his children and yet by Maister Bellarmine his iudgement the faithfull must looke for Elias and Enoch to come to preserue them in the faith Esay also opposeth the word of God against all doctrines of dead men whatsoeuer Esay 8.20 Should not a people enquire of their God From the liuing to the dead will you seeke To the lawe and to the testimonie Psal 119.105 The lawe and the testimonie must be a light to our feet our counsellers in all controuersies and doubts as also they were Dauids Chrysostome vpon Matthew writes thus of Antichrist and of the onely way to bewray him Then that is Chrys Ho. 49. in ca. 24. Mat. when Antichrists kingdome shall come they which are in Iewrie let them flie vnto the hilles These things are to be vnderstood spiritually thus Then when you shall see the abomination of desolation sitting in the holy place that is when you shall see a wicked heresie which is the host of Antichrist standing in the holy places of the Church at that time they which are in Iewrie let them flie to the hilles that is they which are Christians let them get them to the Scriptures For as the true Iewe is a Christian as the Apostle saith not he which is a Iew openly but he which is a Iew in secret so christendome is true Iewrie whose name signifies confession or thanksgiuing and the hilles are the writings of the Prophets and Apostles of which hilles it is said Thou wonderfully giuest light from the eternall hilles And againe of the Church he saith the foundations are vpon the holy hilles And why doth he command all christians at this time to get them to the scriptures Because at that time since that heresy hath taken place in the Church there can be no other proofe or triall of true christianitie nor any other help for christians which thē would know which is the true faith but the holy Scriptures Before by many meanes it might be shewed which was the church of Christ and which was the heathenish Synagogue But now they which will know which is the true Church can know it by no meanes else but onely by the Scriptures And after Therefore the Lord knowing what a great confusion of all things should be in the latter daies therefore he commaunds that Christians which would be sure to know the true faith should flie to nothing else but to the Scriptures Here we maie first learne what Antichrist is not a Deuill incarnate as the Papists imagine but a wicked heresie which shall take possession in the Church nay in the beginning of that Homily he saith That when as all heresies are as it were the host of Antichrist yet especially that which shall take vpon it the face and roume of the Church Quae obtinuit ecclesiae locum stetit in loco sancto ita vt videatur quasi verbum veritatis stetisse cum non sit verbum veritatis sed abominatio desolationis id est exercitus Antichrists qui multorum animas reddidit desolatas à Deo which hath borne the shew of the Church so that it seemed to haue continued in the holy place as the word of truth when as it is not the word of truth but the abhomination of desolation that is the host of Antichrist which shall make many mens soules destitute of God And dare anie man then venture his saluation vpon the bare name and shewe of the Church He saith here plainlie that Antichrists heresie shall haue the roume and shewe of the Church Therefore it is dangerous onely to relie vpon
is said to haue continued all night in prayer So that good king Dauid saith of himselfe At midnight will I arise to giue thankes to thee for thy righteous iudgements And of Anna that holy widow it is said Psal 119.62 Luke 2.37 that shee serued God with fastings and prayers day and night And here is another holy circumstance ioyned to our prayers that is fasting 2. Sam. 12 1â— This also Dauid ioyned to his prayers for his child as we may reade nay euen for his verie enemies when they were sicke he put on sackcloth Psal 35.13 and humbled his soule with fasting and his prayer returned euen to his owne bosome And shall not we then ioyne fasting to the prayers we make for our friends nay for our selues So Daniel ioyned prayer and fasting together those three weekes wherein no pleasant Dan. 10.4 bread nor flesh came within his mouth and therefore his prayers were heard as that man sent from God to him teacheth vs Dan. 10.12 Feare not Daniel saith he for from the first day that thou didst set thy heart to vnderstand and to humble thy selfe before thy God thy words were heard I am come for thy words No doubt these words were his prayers So in the Acts Cornelius a Heathen Act. 10.30 and a souldier was praying and fasting to the ninth houre of the day and he saw an Angell appeare vnto him and Peter was fasting and praying till the sixt houre that is Vers 9. till noone and he saw that heauenly vision of the calling of the Gentiles and shall not we followe these holie examples in this cleare light of the Gospell Shall we neither watch in prayer nor ioyne fasting to our prayers Is this to professe the Gospell Is this to haue faith 2. Tim. 3.5 This is to haue a shew of godlinesse as Saint Paul prophesieth that some should haue but plainely to denie the force thereof Oh let vs watch in prayer and ioyne fasting to our prayers Let not the Papists herein go beyond vs. These are plaine and manifest commandements of the Gospell and shall we not obey them Nay how often saith Dauid Psal 5.3 143 8. Psal 108.2 thou shalt heare my prayers betimes in the morning And early in the morning I will looke vp and direct my prayers vnto thee And againe Awake lute and harpe I my selfe will awake right early And yet we will scant now come to prayers at nine of the clocke Surely the Papists Mattens if they had béene done with vnderstanding had béene more agréeable to Gods word then our slouthfull and sluggish prayers are which wee now vse God will be serued earlie in the morning And therefore it is noted as a speciall mark and commeÌ„dation of Abrahams faith that when as he was commanded to offer his son Isaac Gen. 22.3 that Abraham rose vp in the morning very early If Abraham rose vp so early to offer such a sorrowfull sacrifice what should we doe which offer vp such a pleasant sacrifice to God as our prayers are Hence it is that the Christians in the Primitiue Church as hereafter shall be noted had their assemblies before day to praie to God and to giue him thanks The Scriptures also teach Christians to ioine another circumstance to their prayers and that is wéeping and sighing And so no doubt Samuel prayed for Saul as before it hath béene alleaged And Dauid often mentioneth these his teares added to his prayers Euery night will I wash my bed Psal 6.6 and water my couch with my teares And againe Away saith he from me ye wicked for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping vers 8. Dauids teares spake to God And againe Heare my prayer O Lord and hearken vnto my crie keep not still silence at my teares Psal 39.12 And thus it is also recorded of Ezechias that when as Esay the Prophet had denounced to him that heauie message from the Lord Put thy house in order for thou shalt die and not liue 2. King 20.3 that then he turned his face to the wal and prayed to the Lord saying c. And Ezechias wept sore And after Esay was gone out of the middle of the court The word of the Lord came to him saying Turne again tell Ezechias the Captain of my people vers 5. Thus saith the Lord God of Dauid thy father I haue heard thy prayers and seene thy teares Behold I haue now healed thee No doubt if Christians in their sicknesse would vse these pilles to purge their heads withall that is their teares as Ezechias did God would heale them as he did him These teares are the best and surest purgations in the world And for lacke of these it is likely all our other pilles and potions deuised of Physitions do manie times so little good So Marie Magdalene so Peter Luke 7.38 Matt. 26.75 in their sinnes wept bitterly as the Gospell teacheth vs. And who dare say that he is not as grieuous a sinner as either of theÌ„ No man liuing knowes his secret faults Psal 19.12 It is written thus of the people of Israel that when as they had sinned against the Lord that Samuel commanded to gather all the people to Mizpeh 1. Sam. 7.5 and that he would pray vnto the Lord. And they gathered togâ—ther to Mizpeh and drew water and poured it out before the Lord and fasted the same day and said there We haue sinned against the Lord. No doubt these waters they drew and poured out before the Lord were teares from their hearts And here is that perfect patterne and forme of repentance which Ioel teacheth Ioel 2.12 Turne to the Lord with weeping fasting and mourning So these Israelits here no doubt turned to God And this is that iudgement which Saint Paul teacheth all Christians to vse euen against themselues Iudge your selues saith he that you bee not iudged of the Lord. For if we would iudge our selues 1. Cor. 11.31 we should not be iudged of the Lord. But now for lacke of this iudgement many are sicke amongst you and many sleepe and are dead Euerie Christian for the sinnes he hath committed against God should now be as it were a iudge against himselfe euen as it were punish himselfe by fasting weeping praying for his sins and so turne to God as Ioel counselleth And then as Saint Paul here teacheth without doubt he shall escape the iudgements and plagues of God in this world as sicknesse and such other euils which his sinnes deserue But aboue all other examples especiallie the example of our Sauiour should moue vs to ioyne these teares to our prayers of whom wee reade thus Which in the dayes of his flesh did offer vp prayers and supplications Heb. 5.7 with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death If Christ for our sakes offered vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares
wâ—re trauell to heauen To this all Gods creatures do as it were exhort vs which shew vnto vs the excellencie of their Creator that we should seek him alone And when as the holy Ghost is compared to Raine as Dauid saith prophesying thereof Psal 68.9 Thou Lord shalt send a gracious Raine on thine inheritance c. Zacharie plainly testifieth that vpon those that do not thus celebrate this feast of Tabernacles but are carefull of these worldly affaires that heauenlie raine shall not fall O terrible sentence O barren soules that lacke this heauenlie and gracious raine The like lesson God taught all men by the burning of Iericho and all that was therein which no doubt was a type of this world and her delights and pleasures Iosua 6.24 Whereof when as Achan amongst the spoyles saw a goodly Babylonish garment and two hundred shekels of siluer a golden tongue as it is in the Hebrue and coueted them and hid them in his tent Hee was stoned to death with stones for his labour And here are those thrée dearlings of the world againe plainly described to vs which S. Iohn mentioneth which are not of the father a Babylonish garment which maie signifie the pride and state of this life two hundred shekels of siluer which may signifie couetousnesse and the desire and lusts of the eyes And a golden tongue which maie signifie the lust of the flesh which must haue a golden tongue must bee dayly fed daintily with Diues Luke 16.19 Zephanie 1.8 God wil visite such as are clothed in strange apparell no meane diet or fare will content it These things damned Achan Let all true Christians despise and contemne them Let our garment not be in the fashion not strange not Babylonish but comely and such as our owne countrie hath vsed Let our treasures bee not excessiue Let not our tongue bee a golden tongue but content with simple fare as was our Sauiour Iohn 6.9 who is read to haue had barly bread and fish for his prouision Iosuah no doubt was a figure of our Sauiour Iesus and that earthlie Canaan of our heauenlie inheritance Iosua 3.17 But how brought Iosuah the Israelites into that Canaan The first thing they did they went ouer Iordan drie shod And what doth that teach vs but that wee must also passe ouer the Iordan of this life drie shod so that our féete must not be dipped in the delightes pleasures honours desires and affaires of this present world 1. Cor. 7.29 And hereof the Apostle said The time is but short henceforth let them which haue wiues bee as though they had none and they that weepe as though they wept not c. And Dauid Psal 66.6 They passed through the riuer on foote there did wee reioyce in him The true souldiers of Iesus Christ passe ouer the floud of this life with drie féete but there that is in the life to come we shall reioyce in him we shall be as it were drowned in that bottomlesse sea of pleasures The like contempt of the world Iosuah himselfe declared who when as he had conquered all the land of Canaan was serued the last himselfe Iosua 19.49 When as they had made an end of deuiding the land by the coasts thereof then the children of Israel gaue an inheritance vnto Iosuah the son of Nun amongst them according to the word of the Lord they gaue him the citie which he asked euen Tymnah-serah in mount Ephraim and he built the citie and dwelt therein Here he was not his owne caruer but the children of Israel gaue him it and it was called Tymnah serah that is a great image such an account made he of his inheritance but euen as of an image as of a type of that heauenlie inheritance The like account made Dauid of this world Psal 119.17 Psal 16.2.3 though a king O Lord saith he thou art my portion And againe Thou art my Lord my goods are nothing vnto thee To thy Saints that are in the earth or to the excelleÌ„t my delight is in them All Dauids account was of God he made no account of his riches and then next vpon Gods Saints that is vpon his seruants and vpon the poore He set more by the poore then he did by his riches O that this mind were in vs Christians Matt. 9.9 Rom. 13.7 Matt. 17.27 Matthew sitting at the receipt of custome which was a gainfull and a lawfull office for as Saint Paul saith Tribute is to be paid to whom tribute belongeth and our Sauiour paide tribute himself yet he despised this gainefull and lawfull office and followed Iesus Christ But especially that notable example of Zacheus and that singular commendation that our Sauior yéeldes to him for it should teach all Christians to despise the world As soone as Christ had entred into his house Luke 19.8 hee stood forth and said vnto the Lord Behold Lord the halfe of my goods I giue vnto the poore and if I haue taken anie thing from anie man by forged cauillation I restore him foure fold What néed he haue giuen halfe of his goods to the poore but that he despised them and this world and that his delight was now vpoÌ„ Gods Saints as Dauids was To make restitution was necessary but the other was voluntarie And our Sauiour addeth This day is saluation come vnto this house Here are euident signes of a liuelie faith This mans faith flames through charitie for as much as he is become the sonne of Abraham Gal. 5.6 Gen. 18.1 Such a faith had Abraham which wrought through charitie as appeared by his sitting in his tent doore euen in the heate of the day which was extreme in those countries to waite that hee might entertaine strangers As soone as Christ entred into Zacheus his house he stood forth and said thus Behold Lord the halfe of my goods I giue vnto the poore c. They which lacke this faith and this charitie it is to be feared that Christ is neither yet entred into their houses nor into their hearts where Christ is by and by this fire flameth And surelie this his liberalitie to the poore maie séeme but reasonable that a man should giue againe halfe to God Pro. 19.17 1. Cor 4.7 1. Sam. 12.8 who gaue him all that he hath and reserue but the other halfe for himselfe and his children And it séemes to be written for an example not for vs onlie to talke of but for all rich men to follow Whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning Rom. 15.4 saith Saint Paule And nothing is put downe idlie in the Scriptures Christ Iesus will feede the fancies or pleasures of no men no not of kings no not of Herod himselfe Luke 23.9 O that our rich men then would follow this so manifest an example then should the poore be sufficientlie relieued and they do but their duties and be blessed for their labours Then should they be