the object seeing that such may be in evill Angels and reprobates and in that sense St. Iames saith Iam. 2.19 Daemones credunt contremiscunt the devills beleeue and tremble but it is * Or rather an affiance in Christ the redeemer for pardon of sin grounded on the promise of the Gospell a fiduciall assent to the promise of saving grace in Christ And as it is an assent it hath place in the understanding as it is fiduciall it hath place in the will A bare assent to the object is too slender a setting forth of the formall cause of justifying faith and too weake to support that which is the life of a Christian who saith with the Apostle Galat. â— 20. I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God who loved me and gaue himselfe for me Cornelius Bishop of Bitonto Corn. Bitont apud Whitak Conc. ult upon the first to the Romans saith that faith is not a bare credulitie but a trust and confidence and includes some operation of the will God indeed as the principall predominant efficient cause worketh faith in man this is the worke of God Iohn 6.29 that wee beleeue on him whom he hath sent but man in whom faith is wrought formally beleeveth and that willingly not against his will Aug. de Spir. lit ca. 34. All this St. Augustine plainely insinuateth saying Voluntas qua credimus dono Dei tribuitur the will whereby we beleeue is ascribed to the gift of God So then it is necessarily inferred out of the precedent grounds that both the will and whole person of a Christian is singularly perfected by the righteousnesse of faith in Christ Iesus whereby we who were enemies become well pleasing and acceptable to GOD and therefore the chosen vessell of mercy desired this Philip. 3.9 and onely this he desired that he might be foundin Christ not having his owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God through faith CHAP. XX. Of the different participating of imputed righteousnesse by faith THE righteousnesse of Christs merit which is the materiall cause of our justification is equally communicated to all that haue it so that in regard of it one is not more righteous than another For it is entirely imputed unto whom it is imputed and entirely embraced by all who participate of it But because we apprehend and apply it to our selues by a spirituall instrument or organ namely faith hence it coÌ„meth to passe that all doe not equally apprehend and applie it to themselues for all haue not one degree or measure of faith But it is according to one degree in one and according to another degree in another in some weaker and in others stronger and yet all haue true faith and sufficient to embrace Christs righteousnesse For if we consider faith secundùm rationem specificam in the essentiall forme whereby it is specified and differenced from other habits and vertues so it is in all right beleevers alike for every essentiall forme is constituted in indivisibili and doth not admit latitude as not being capable of division by more or lesse But if we consider it secundùm rationem individualem as it is inherent in divers subjects so it is in some more in others lesse and doth admit very great latitude And so there may be one degree of faith in St. Peter another in St. Paul and another in St. Luke and another in Onesimus Hence was it that our Saviour said to the Centurion in Capernaum Math. 10.8 I haue not found so great faith no not in Israel And to the woman of Canaan O woman great is thy faith Math. 15.28 Aquinas aptly noteth Aqui. 11 â—ae qu. 112. art 4. that an habit is said to be great two wayes First in respect of the end and object as being ordained to sime greaet good secondly in respect of the subject which doth lesse or more participate of the inherent habit Now faith as all other gifts and graces comes downe from the Father of lights and is dispensed and distributed to us by his Sonne Ephes 4.7 for to every one is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ So God is said to deale to every ma the measure of faith Rom. 12.3 and in the fixt verse following He that prophecieth must prophecy according to the proportion of faith Aqui. in Rom. cap. 12. lect 1. Whereupon Aquinas commenteth Nonsolùm alias gratias gratis datas dat Deus mensuratè sed etiam ipsam sidem quae per dilectionem operatur God doth not onely giue by measura other graces freely given but also faith it selfe which worketh by loue Now although Almightie God doth giue unto every man in his first conversion a certaine measure of faith yet doth he not alwayes giue unto every man that full measure which he shall after attaine unto but he shall goe on from one degree to another and still receiue further increase and improvement of his faith untill that measure allotted him be accomplished Eor even as plants when they first bud and herbs in the garden when they first put forth are not adorned with that beautie stature and perfection which they shall after haue so neither are graces and vertues given of God to men at the first such so great and perfect as afterward they shall be Ambr. de voc gent. lib. 2. cap. 3. Semina charisonatum plantaeque virtutnus non in omni agrecordis humani totum hoc pariter quod futurae sunt nascuntur nec facilè reperitur in exordio maturitas in inchoatione perfectio Exerit quidem frequenter potens misericors Deus mir abiles istes suae operationis effectus quibusdam mentibus non expectatâ profectuum morâ totum simul quicquid collaturus est invehit The seeds of graces saith St. Ambrose and plants of vertues doe not in every field of mans heart spring up at the first all that which they shall after be neither is ripenes easily found in the beginning and perfection at the first God mightie and mercifull doth indeede oft-times shew forth these wonderfull effects of his operation and puts into some mindes at once all that he bestoweth of them not expecting any delay of proficiencie Thus some haue their proper measure of faith fully measured out unto them at the first but others are to labour and pray for proficiencie to receiue further increase and augmentation of their faith saying or rather praying with the blessed Apostles unto the Lord increase our faith Luk. 9.5 And with the Father of him that was possessed with the dumb spirit Lord I beleeue Mark 9. v. 24 helpe thou mine unbeliefe This man beleeved yet prayed he for decrease of unbeliefe the Apostles beleeved yet prayed they to the Lord for increase of Faith When as our gracious Saviour had spoken to his Apostles of his
mentioned by them understand good workes done of faith as we doe generally take them So as Bucer professed in the conference at Ratisbon Bucer apud Cassand Coufut art 6. saying If by to merit the Fathers and others understand to doe through faith of the grace of God good workes to which God hath promised and will render a reward To use the word in this sense wee will not condemne Wherein we wholly agree with St. Bernard who explaineth the matter thus Bern. de Gra. lib. Arb. Those which wee call our merits if they be properly called are certaine seminaries of hope incentiues to charitie signes of secret predestination presages of future felicitie the way to the kingdome not the cause of raigning there Now correspondent to our good workes in this life shall our eternall reward be in the other life Math. 16.27 For the Sonne of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then shall he reward every man according to his workes This our blessed Saviour the truth hath taught us and after him his chosen vessell of mercy and trumpet of grace hath delivered unto us the same infallible veritie namely Rom. 2.6 that God will render to every man according to his deeds So that such as our measure of grace is in this life such shall our measure of glory be in the other world such as our vertues and good workes be here such shall our happinesse and felicitie be there Let us then not be weary of well doing knowing that in due season we shall reape if we faint not All that shall be judged worthy in Christ to enter into the heavenly Paradise shall haue perfection of all parts and essentialls of glory aquè non aequaliper one as well as another not equally in degree one with weather All who haue faithfully laboured in Christ Vineyard shall at the end of the day receiue their penie aqualem mercedem vita non glaâ—ia Ambr. in Lus. cap. 15. an equall reward of life not of glory according to St. Ambrose for suppose faith he there is not grace one reward diversum tanâ—â—n braâ—iuâ—â— violeriâ—â— est yet the prize of victory is diverse It is true that in respect of the object participated one is not more blessed than another all beholding one God the fountaine of life But in regard of the disposition of the subjects participating one shall be more happie than another because one shall see God more clearely than another one shall loue God more perfectly and ardently than another and that in so large and ample latitude as we are not now able to comprehend The Apostleteacheth us 1 Cor. 15. ve 41 42. that there is one glory of the Sonne another of the Moone and another of the â—â—ines for one starre differeth from another starre in glory So is the resurrection of the dead They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firâ—â—â—â— at Dam. 12.3 and they that turne many unto rightenasnesse as the starres for ever and ever Now although every starre be perfect in it selfe yet in comparison of a greater it may want perfection Hieron advers Pelag. lib. 1. as St. Hierome notes So although every glorified Saint shall be perfect in it selfe yet may such compared to others more glorious want perfection not of parts or essentialls but of degrere of glorie But all shall be perfect all according to their proper measure and capacitie shall bâ—fully fâ—â—led with glorie none shall want all 〈◊〉 enough Prosp de vita 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. cap. 4. all shall haue sufficient Quia singulie prampia suasufficientia erunt capere amplâ—◠〈…〉 am perfecti non pâ—terint Every 〈…〉 shall be sufficient for them and being 〈◊〉 perfect they shall not be able to receiue any more saith St. Prosper As many vessels of diverse quantities dipt into the Ocean will all be filled but every one according to their proper quantitie Or as divers guests at a feast are fully satiated and filled yet all doe not eat alike and receiue the same quantitie but every one according to the strength and measure of their stomacke So shall it be with the Elect in the kingdome of God in the day of the Sonne of man that day of glorie all shall haue satietie of heavenly delights and pleasures but every one according to their capacitie and measure During their pilgrimage on earth they walked on patiently in the way of good workes they hungred and thirsted after righteousnesse but then shall they be satisfied with life righteousnesse and glory How 〈◊〉 redeemed them with his sacred bloud will now satiate them with the bread of life and inebriate them with the wine of his loue And as the sweet singer of Israel speaketh Psal 36.8 9. He will abundantly satisfie them with the fatnesse of his house and will make them drinke of the â—â—â—er of his pleasures for with him is the fountaine of life and in his light shall they see light They shall see the light which shall never decay enjoy the life which shall never haue an end For they shall ever behold Him who is the light and the life who is all perfection all glory all felicitie all eternitie who is all in all To that all sufficient being who is his owne eternall being and the being of all other 〈…〉 who is Alpha and Oâ—â—ega the beginning and the ending the first and the last To the Creator of the world the glory of the Angels the light and life of men To that infinite fountaine of loue which hath loved us with an ever lasting loue in Christ the sonne of his loue To the Father of mercies the God of all grace peace and consolation be ascribed of us all goodnesse wisedome power prayse honour glorie adoration thankesgiving for all his blessings in Iesus Christ now and in all ages for ever Amen FINIS Perlegi Librum hâ—nc dignumque judico qui typis mandetur Tho. Weekes R. P. Epo Lond. Capel domest
to doe a thing throughly and absolutely to make a thing compleate and entire without defect Perfection in the Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an end because in all things agible our understanding first intendeth and propoundeth the end and then deliberateth of the most apt and direct meanes tending to that end which being found out and put in execution the desired end is attained and the worke perfected whereupon this kinde of end is called the end of perfection by way of excellencie to distinguish it from the end of privation consumption or terme And thus according to the sense of the word both in the Greeke and Latine tongue we say Natura facit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doctrina dirigit vsus perficit nature frameth doctrine and instruction directeth and use or practise perfecteth CHAP. III. The divers kindes of Perfection PErfection primarily and originally belongeth to God the fountaine thereof in whom is all vertue grace glorie excellencie after a most perfect infinite and incomprehensible manner therefore he onely is simpliciter absolutè perfectus simply and absolutely perfect All perfection found in Angels or men or any creature is from God by communicating participating of his perfection and so are said to be perfect secundùm quid in suo genere in some respects after their severall kindes Now to omitte transcendentall perfection of metaphysicall speculation this derivative participated perfection really found in the creatures is of three sorts naturall morall spirituall In naturall science the Philosopher describeth perfection in the concrete or subject saying perfectum idest Arist de caelo lib. 1. cap. 4. extra quod nihil eorum qua ipsius sunt accipi potest That is perfect to which nothing is wanting of those things which belong unto it That is which lacketh nothing requisite either in the first or second moment of nature nothing belonging to the essentiall parts or naturall properties and qualities flowing from them Morall perfection according to humane moralitie is attained by the practice of intellectuall and morall vertues and is called by the philosopher in his Ethickes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is felicitie or happinesse which he saith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Arist Eth. 1.6 The operation of the soule according to the best and perfectest vertue in a perfect life Naturall perfection in the creature is from God as author of nature Morall perfection is acquired by frequent actions according to the rules of humane Philosophie But Spirituall perfection is from God as the doner and giver of grace and fountaine of all good For every good gift Iam. 1.17 and every perfect gift is from above and commeth downe from the Father of Lights CHAP. IIII. Of Spirituall Perfection SPirituall perfection is that precious pearle which God bestowed on man in the state of innocencie with which he doth in rich and endow the Saints now in the state of grace where-withall he will adorne them more abundantly in the state of glorie When the Lord God created Adam and said Gen. 1.26 Let us make man in our image after our likenesse man so created was perfect not onely by perfection of nature but also of grace of originall righteousnesse essentiall to the integritie of nature He had a singular light of understanding to apprehend things easily clearely without error obscuritie difficultie yea that which is more observable when God brought Eve newly created vnto Adam He said of her proplietically this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh Gen. 2.13 she shall be called woman because she was taken out of man In the will of Adam was seated originall righteousnesse the cornucopia or treasurie of all vertues In his affections resided a perfect loue of God and vertue with a perfect delight in them And it is rightly observed that the father of the world was honoured of God in Paradise with three eminent priviledges 1. In intellectu non errandi 2. In voluntate non peccandi 3. In corpore non moriendi That is with the priviledge of not erring in his understanding with the priviledge of not sinning in his will with the priviledge of not dying in his body Such dignitie and excellencie had man in his creation that his understanding was without error his will without prevarication and obliquitie and so continuing his body was to be immortall Aug. Enchir. ad Laur. cap. 105. immortalitate minore as Sr. Augustine speakes by a lesser and inferiour immortalitie in that earthly paradise where feeding on the tree of life he might renew his strength as the eagle and never dye These things considered it is no marvaile if the sweete Singer of Israel in admiration hereof cry out Psal 8.4 What is man that thou art mindfull of him And the Sonne of man that thou visitest him For thou hast made him a little lower then the Angels and hast crowned him with glorie and honour Thus man created in the jmage and after the likenes of God was glorious and perfect untill hee transgressed that one command of his creatour And this the Lord himselfe in expresse termes intimates by his Prophet Ezekiel saying Ezek. 23. thou wast perfect in thy wayes from the day thou wast created untill iniquitie was found in thee Which the Preacher of Ierusalem explicateth in other words saying Lee this have I found Eccles. 7.29 that God made man upright but they have sought out many inventions CHAP. V. Of Perfection in the state of grace ADam by transgression having deprived himselfe and his posteritie of that excellent perfection wherewith he was endowed in the state of integritie it remaineth that wee now search after such spirituall perfection as may be found here in the militant Church in the state of grace expecting and hoping to have the same refined hereafter with a more eminent perfection in the state of glory That there is a spirituall perfection attaineable in this life is evident by that command of Christ Be yee therefore perfect Mat 5.48 even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect Saint Paul exhorteth the Hebrewes hereunto Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ Heb. 6.1 let us goe on unto perfection c And there be perfect ones in the Church as the same Apostle plainly insinuateth saying Howbeit wee speake wisedome amongst them that are perfect 1 Cor. 2.6 And againe Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded Philip. 3.15 This spirituall perfection attainable in this life is the perfection of grace And grace is a divine light flowing downe from God into the soule displaying the beames thereof in the powers and faculties of the soule enlightning them with diverse vertues Now though this perfection of grace be of very large extent yet may it summarily be comprehended in these three things First in knowledge secondly in
the Eagle soaring upon high could say Iohn 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Word was made flesh And the trumpet of grace proclaiming the great mysterie of godlinesse beginnes with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God was manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 Thus the Sonne of God by nature voluntarily and graciously became the sonne of man that the sonnes of men might in him become the sons of God by grace In this most mysterious worke of Christs in carnation St. Bernard observeth Bern. de consid li. 5. c. 9. that as in GOD there are three persons and one essence so by a most convenient contrarietie there be in Christ three essences and one person Which three essences are his reasonable soule his humane flesh his Deitie Now the two former essences make up the humane nature in Christ for although there be three essences yet are there but two natures And though there be two natures yet is there but one person and not two as Nestorius the hereticke taught Now although the humane nature in Christ be not a person yet is it individually and numerically distinguished from the particular humane nature in Moses and Peter and each other man But it is individnum extraordinarium it is an extraordinarie individuall humane nature which never had any subsistence in it selfe or for it selfe but in divino supposito 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Word in the Sonne of God And it is an extraordinary individuall humane nature because altogether without sinne First without originall sinne which is propagated from Adam by the Father but our Saviour had no such earthly Father and consequently no originall sinne Secondly without actuall sinne in that the humane nature in the first moment of conception was by Hypostaticall union of the Deitie perfectly sanctified made impeccabilis free from any power or possibilitie of sinning Hence by way of excellency he is that sonne of man 2 Cor. 3.28 who knew no sinne Now our blessed Saviour in regard of his two natures was medius inter Deum hominem a meane betwixt God and man as participating of both but a Mediatour in respect of his office of reconciliation and redemption For there is one God and one Mediatour betwixt God and men 1 Tim. 2.5 the man Christ Iesus And it is to be observed that the Apostle saith not God but the man Christ Iesus For God could not die unlesse he had been man But God was made man that he might die for man and so reconcile man unto God Hereupon Fulgent serm de dupl nativ Domini Fulgentius saith Conceptus in utero factus est particeps mortis nostrae being conceived in the wombe he was made partaker of death with us And Saint Augustine to the same purpose saith Aug. in Psal 148. Accepit exte unde moreretur prote He tooke that of thee wherein he might die for thee CHAP. XI Christs Passion SINNE according to St. Iohns description is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Iohn 3.4 a transgression of the Law a privation of righteousnesse commanded therein Now a privation is minimae entitatis sed maximae efficaciae of the least entitie but of the greatest efficacie Which is most true in sinne For what was there in the whole world in heaven or earth that could cause the death of the Son of God or as St. Augustine speakes Vt aeternus moreretur that he who is eternall should die but onely sinne And that not his owne but ours our prophanenesse our crueltie pride luxurie covetousnesse intemperance our lies our oaths our innumerable sinnes All which were made his not by inherence but by imputation And he tooke them all upon him not subjectivè but expiativè not subjectiuely but by way of expiation to satisfie the justice and appease the wrath of his Father for them For by shedding his bloud on the Crosse for our sinnes he cancelled the fearefull bond and put out the hand-writing against us And so as the Apostle testifieth in him haue we redemption through his bloud even the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Ephes 1.7 according to the riches of his grace Our most gracious Saviour in that bitter agonie of his most dolorous passion upon the Crosse might well complaine with Ieremie the sonne of Hilkiah Behold and see Lam. 1.12 if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow And may not all that by faith embrace him crucified on the Crosse most truely say behold and see if there be any loue like unto his loue who so loved us that he laid downe his life for us who so loved us that he gaue himselfe for us Here is loue without measure unparalleled charitie without any example Iohn 15.13 Greater loue hath no man than this that a man lay downe his life for his friends Yea but the loue of Iesus exceeded the loue of men it passed the loue of Damon and Pythias of David and Ionathan it surpassed the loue of women For as the chosen vessell of mercy noteth God commendeth his loue towards us in that while wee were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Rom. 5.8 and in the tenth verse following more emphatically he intimateth that when wee were enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled wee shall be saved by his life O most wonderfull death O most meritorious work of supenerogation wherein stands our righteousnesse and everlasting salvation O most happie death bringing to man eternall life Mors Christi mors est meae mortis quoniam ille mortuus est ut ego viverem Bernard ad Milit. rempl cap. 11. saith holy Bernard The death of Christ is the death of my death for he dyed that I might live CHAP. XII Christs Resurrection LEt us now passe from the Crosse of our Lord Iesus and walke unto his sepulcher in the garden of Iosseph of Arimathea and see whether his most sacred body be there But loe we haue the voice of an Angell telling us He is not here Math. 28.6 for he is risen Here our blessed Saviours resurrection is proclaimed by an Herald from Heaven by an Angell Whereby we know that he is a perfect Mediatour betwixt God and us tam merito quà m efficaciâ as well by the merit of his passion as by the power and efficacy of his resurrection Satan the Serpent thought he had strangled the fruit of our redemption by procuring that ignominious and shamefull death of Christ on the Crosse supposing to haue kept him under the chaines of darknesse Aug. serm 1. in fest ascens But as St. Augustine writeth Muscipula Diaboli crux Christi esca quâ caperetur mors Christi the Crosse of Christ was the Devills trap the baite whereby he was taken was the death of Christ So the deceiver was deceived the subtile Serpent was beguiled for it was not possible that he should keepe him under death who is the Lord of life John 11.25
thousand times Luther in Gal. cap. 5. that he would become a better man yet after all his vowes he perceived no impreouement or bettering of himselfe Now in that he was not better he was imperfect but in as much as be desired carnestly and endeavoured to be a better man he was perfect Bern. uhi supro For as Saint Bernard saith Indefessum proficiendi studium jugis conatus ad perfectionens perfectio reputatur An indefatigable desire of profiting and continwall endeavouring to be perfect is perfection Wee desire to be vertuous holy and good but are not such as we desire to be and therefore St. Augustine saith Aug. 1. cp Ioan. ca. 3. Tota vita boni Christiani sanctum desiderium est the whole life of a Christian is an holy desire but if there be in us a desire a readie and willing mind God will accept of that from us which he himselfe hath wrought in us If through 〈…〉 of Christ sanctifying of us and renewâ—â—◠〈…〉 God 's image we bring forth the fruits of the Spirit Rom. 7.6 walking in newnesse of Spirit and not in the oldnesse of the Letter then are we perfect according to the state of this life If we walke in the Spirit Gal. 5.16 striving against sinne and the flesh wrastling with Satan and the world obeying the secret motions and sweet invitations of grace then are wee perfect Aug. de doct Christ 3.39 quanturn in hac vita as St. Augustine speakes with such a measure of perfection as is attaineable in this life If so be then we referre our whole life to God and his glorie if wee endeavour and studie to walke in the Spirit and to bring forth abundantly the fruits of the Spirit then are wee perfect for wee keepe the Law seeing the righteousnesse of the Law is fulfilled in them Rom. 8.3 who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit And if wee doe this what is it but to doe the will of God but to please God but to hearken unto the voice of God speaking to Abraham the. Father of the faithfull and in him to all that be of the faith of Abraham Ger. 17.1 saying I am the almightie God walke thou before me and be thou prefect CHAP. XXXII Of Perseverance PErseverance is a stable and firme continuance in grace and righteousnesse And it is a singular gift of God not to be acquired by humane meanes or merits It is a rare and admirable vertue which the old Philosophers and Sages of the world could not well understand and no marvaile seeing Adam adorned with such ornaments of grace did not learne it in Paradise Now this singular gift and rare endowment is necessarily required to the consummating of our perfection by inherent righteousnesse This the first Adam wanted this the second Adam in whom is the fulnesse of all grace freely conferreth and bestoweth on us and therefore Fulgentius saith well Per illum amisimus priorem gratiam peristum recepimus ampliorem Fulg. ferm de dup nat By him the first Adam wee lost the former grace by this the second Adam we haue received more ample grace Although Adam was perfect and righteous in the day he was created yet for want of perseverance hee became imperfect and unrighteous whereupon St. Augustine noteth thus much Etsi peceatum in solo libero arbitrio erat constitutum Aug. Ench. ad Laur. cap. 106. 〈◊〉 temen retinen dae justitiaesufficieâ—at solum liberuâ—â— arbitrium nisi participatione immuâ—abilis boni divinam adintorium praberetur Although sinne stood in the free will alone yet the free will alone was not sufficient to retaine righteousnesse unlesse divine ayde was affâ—â—â—ded by partaking of the unchangeable good So that as without perseverance we cannot hold on our way and retaine righteousnesse so neither without it can wee be perfected and consummate in righteousnesse Hell is full of good purposes but no performances of good be there therefore now let us not be wearie of well-doing for in due season we shall reape an eternall reward Let us not be like to pope Eugenius to whom St. Bernard saith Bern. de consid ad Eug. li. cap. 1. Vbi incipis ibi desicis where thou beginnest there thou endest When we purpose to ascend up into the tabernacle of the Lord and climbe up the craggie rocke of vertue wee must not delay and conferre with flesh and bloud or stand to parley with the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is no fit time to sit downe and demurre for as St. Ambrose saith Dum cunctaris dubitas iter quod ingressus es perdidisti whilst thou delayest and doubtest Ambr. in sest Cathedrae S d Petri. thou hast lost thy journey which thou didst begin The traveller by holding on his way with patience at length commeth to his inne the little bird carrying at hee bill a little clay or straw and such like matter by little and little at length sinisheth her nest the Merchant patiently holding on his course amids many stornes and tempests and other dangers at Sea at length commeth to the Haven where he would be the painefull Mason by laying stone upon stone in continding his labour at length erects a stately and goodly building Now if diligent perseverance be able to doe these things being assisted by nature how much more powerfull shall he be in spirituall affaires being assisted by grace Oh let us be constant immoveable alwayes abounding in the workes of righteousnesse let us not faint nor fayle in doing well that we may obtaine an inheritance which faileth not let us by patient continuance in well doing seeke for honour and glorie and immortalitie Rom. 2.7 then shall God render unto us eternall life Christ is the forerunner Heb. 6.20 we must with the Apostle Philip. 3. ver 12. follow after and that with all diligence and constant perseverance Bern. ep 254. for as St. Bernard saith Quid prodest Christum sequi si non contingat rensequi What will it avaite us to follow after Christ if happily we overtake him not Though thou run never so if thou continuest not unto death saith he Bravium non apprehendis Bravium Christus est thou layest not hold on the prize the prize is Christ Wherefore if hee running on thou makest a stand thou commest not nearer unto him but setrest thy selfe further off from him Surely the faithfull and zealous follower will runne and not be wearie the righteous will hold on his way saith Iob Iob 17.9 and he that hath cleane hands shall be stronger and stronger But you haue neede of patience saith the Apostle that after you haue done the will of God you might receiue the promise Vt perseveret is in agonè Amb. in Heb. cap. 10. v. 36. do nec recipiatis coronam condignam labori vestro saith S. Ambrose you haue neede of patience that yee may persevere in the combat untill yee receine a
crowne meete for your labour Perseverance immediately beginneth to attend on grace the mother of all vertues when it is first infused but is not compleate untill death untill the infusion of finall grace which perfectly extinguisheth all evill concupiscence and is the utter deletion or taking away of all sinne and sinfulnesse As the Crowne on the Kings head giveth an eminent splend our and luster to his royall robes and other 〈◊〉 ornaments so the grace of perseverance is the glorious complement crowne of all other vertues and is an infallible guide to leade us into the kingdome of glorie Therefore our Saviour saith not he that shall begin Math. 24.13 but he that shall endure unto the end shall be saved And to the Angell in the Church of Smyrna he saith Be thou faithfull unto death and I will giue thee a crowne of life Apoc. 2. â—0 We are now in our spirituall course and race we must so runne that we may obtaine wee are now in the combat we must so fight that we may over come Which that we may doe we are to implore and desire by fervent and incessant prayer that God would prevent and follow us with grace all the dayes of our life that so at the end of our dayes we may confidently and comfortably say with the chosen vessell of mercy I have fought a good fight 2 Tim. 4. v. 7 8. I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue me at that day and not unto me onely but unto them also which loue his appearing CHAP. XXXIII Of perfection in glorie SAint Paul the chosen vessell of mercy and trumpet of grace Rom. 8.30 uniteth and maketh up the golden chaine of our salvation with foure linkes First Predestination secondly Vocation thirdly Iustification fourthly Glorification Where hee expresseth not our sanctification as being included in our glorification according to the exposition of Aquinas Aquin. in cp ad Rom. cap. 8. saying Glorificamur in hac vita per prefectune virturis gratia in futura per exaltationem gloria We are glorified in this life by proficiency of vertue and grace in the life to come by exaltation of glory And indeed grace is glorie inchoate or begun glorie is grace consummate and perfected and our imperfect perfection by grace here is a previous preparing and disposing of us unto that absolute perfection which wee shall haue being cloathed and adorned with the stole of glorie For even in this life wee are freed in part from those foure evills which are maine impediments to our absolute perfection and this freedome is meerely from grace in Christ Iesus The first evill hindering our perfection is error in the understanding from which we are freed in part by the Spirit of grace leading of us into all truth and teaching us all things necessary unto salvation The second evill a let to perfection is sinne in the will from which wee are also partly freed by grace in Christ and that two wayes First Rom. 6.14 from the dominion of it For sinne shall not haue dominion over you because yee are not under the Law but under grace saith the Apostle secondly from the condemnation of sinne seeing Rom. 8.1 there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit The third evill hindrance of our perfection is misery and afflictions from which by faith and spirituall fortitude we are freed in part that they may not swallow us up that the flouds of great waters the over-flowings of feare and despaire may never prevaile against us never over whelme us In the world you shall haue tribulation but be of good cheare saith Christ I haue overcome the world The last evill letting our perfection is death And from this also we are freed in part by grace not onely from spirituall and eternall death but even from corporall in two respects First from the sting thereof 1 Iohn 1. v. 7. which is sinne 1 Cor. 15.56 for by the bloud of Christ wee are cleansed from all sinne Secondly in regard of dominion for death shall not tyrannize over us for ever for in the resurrection at the sound of the Trumpet 1 Cor. 15.52 wee shall be raised incorruptible and never die any more Whereas the bodies of the unjust shall rise but from corporall to eternall death wherein they shall be ever dying but never dead which moved holy Bernard to cry out Bern. de consid li. 5. ca. 12. Alas saith he quis det illis semel mori ut non moriantur in aternum who might grant them once to die that so they might not die for ever Thus are we freed in part by grace from these foure evill impediments of perfection But in the stare of glorie we shall be wholy and entirely exempted from the in for then shall we be free from all darknesse of error obliquitie of sinne from all of stictive misery and destroying death Yea we shall be free from them after a more excellent mother than Adam was in Paradise in the state of innocency For it pleased the omnipotent goodnesse and wisedome who bringeth light out of darknesse life out of death and good out of evill even by the fall of man to raise him up in Christ to a more eminent and high state of perfection It is true that Adam in his integritie had power not to erre not to sinne not to suffer misery not to die but it is also true that he had power to erre to sinne to suffer misery to die which by wofull experiment he brought into act by disobeying the command of his creator Ever since the poison and contagion of disobedience hath tainted and corrupted all the veines of his rebellious children and miserable posteritie Now in the state of glory in that heavenly Paradise we shall obtaine such a transcendent degree of perfection as that we shall haue no power in our understanding to erre in our will to sinne no power to suffer misery and devouring death In that ineffable glorie wee being perfectly changed into the image of the Lord the knowledge of all things shall be seene of us not by parts but wholly and at once as St. Prosper saith Prosp de vita contemplat li. 1. cap. 6. We shall see all things clearely without error by beholding him who is all truth Now wee see through a glasse darkly that incomprehensible light we behold him now through a three-fold glasse First of the creatures secondly of his workes of justice and mercie thirdly of the holy Scriptures But then we shall see him perfectly clearely face to face with unspeakeable joy and delight and herein confists our essentiall alsufficient blessednesse therefore Philip said unto Christ Lord shew us the Father and it sufficeth Iohn 14.8 Now we know God but imperfectly
had temperamentum absolutè temperatissimum a temperament absolutely most temperate such as none but he and the Second Adam are supposed to haue yet that was not sufficient to immortalitie And therefore by Gods gracious indulgence he might freely feede on the tree of life by meanes whereof he might be preserved from decaying by age or any other cause and that through some naturall vertue in the tree or rather Gods blessing or both And thus Adam was mortall Aug. ubi suprd conditione corporis animalis by the condition of a naturall body but immortall beneficie conditoris by the benefit of his creator as St. Augustine excellently explaineth it If so be that Adam had not sinned yet fuisset mortalis he should haue beene mortall neverthelesse if he had not sinned Valles sacra Philos c. 6. fuisset nunquam moriturus he should never haue died as Vallesius aptly noteth So then no sinne Rom. 5.12 no death By one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne Contrary to the heresie of Pelagius and Augustinus Steuchus a Pontifician of later times Whitak de not eccl ca. 7. If Adam then had not sinned he had not died but should haue beene immortall Immortalitateminori in qua posset mori Aug. Ench. cap. 105. with a lesser immortalitie wherein he had a power to die saith St Augustine-Quamvis major futura sit in qua non possit mori although a greater immortalitie be to come wherein he cannot die And this must be in Heaven in the state of glory where is no disobedience or sinne and consequently no death Rom. 6.23 for as the Apostle saith the wages of sinne is death Christ Iesus is our life Col. 3.4 both here in the kingdome of grace and there in the kingdome of glorie For He as head and fountaine of life communicateth life to all the members of his mysticall body He being the last Adam who was made a quickening Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 enlivening us not onely with naturall sensitiue and rationall life as our Creator but also with spirituall life as our Redeemer and eternall life as our Glorifier Augustus the Emperour in Romani nominis aeternitatem natus borne to eternize the Roman name Onuph de imperat Com. cap. 4. according to Onnphrius was wont many times as Suetonius writes in his life to pray for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sueton. in vita Augusti cap. 99. for his friends and himselfe not immortalitie but aneasie death without paine But our blessed Saviour did not onely pray for but doth also giue unto his friends his my sticall members 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immortalitie for speaking of them his Sheepe Iohn 10.28 he saith I giue unto them eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hands Our life consists in the knowledge and loue of Christ saith Aquinas we know Him Aquin. in Colost cap. 3. lect 1. and loue Him in this world in part and it is our spirituall life we shall know him and loue him in the other world perfectly and that will be eternall life As the first Adam brought death into the world so the second Adam abolishing death 2 Tim. 1.10 hath brought life and immortalitie to light Aug. in Ioan. tract 22. Who according to St. Augustine speaketh on this wise to thee Wouldst thou not erre I am the way Wouldst thou not be deceived I am the truth Wouldst thou not die I am the life Iohn 14.6 I am the way the truth and the life So may I say unto thee Wouldst thou not haue thy body perpetually detained under the power of darknesse and dominion of the graue Iohn 11.25 Loe He saith I am the resurrection and the life Beleeue on me let me be thy spirituall foode feede on me by faith for He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud bath eternall life and I will raise him up at the last day If Christ dwell in us now by faith spiritually Ephel 3.17 he will surely dwell in us hereafter by glory eternally and that after an admirable manner which now we know not 1 Iohn 3.2 For now we are sonnes of God saith St. Iohn but it doth not yet appeare what we shall be It is not here revealed unto us we are unworthy to know it we are unable to comprehend it Onely thus much we are taught out of the divine Oracles that in the stole of glorie we shall see God clearely face to face wee shall with unspeakeable joy and delight ever behold Him who is the blessed life of man saith St. Augustine Aug de civit Dei lib. 19. cap. 26. whom to behold is life and the life is eternall CHAP. XXXV Of different perfection in glorie SPirituall gifts and graces are diversly dispensed by Christ and given to the Saints on earth after a different manner For to every one is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Ephes 4.7 Thus much the Apostle instancing in some particular graces insinuateth touching faith the prime cardinall vertue he saith Rom. 12.3 6. God dealeth to every man the measure of faith and a proportion of faith and entreating of chastitie and continency he said Every man hath his proper gift of God 1 Cor. 7.7 one after this manner and another after that When as the Apostles said to our Saviour if the case was such it was not good to marry He answered them all men cannot receiue this saying Math. 19.11 Ambr. de voc gent. li. 2. c. 3. saue they to whom it is given Hereupon St. Ambrose saith Multis modis innumer abilibus differentijs gratia opera dona variantur inque ipsis singulis generibus muneruns dissimiles sunt gradus impares quantitates The gifts and workes of grace are varied after many manners and innumerable differences and in the severall kindes of gifts there be unlike degrees and unequall quantities Now as there are many different degrees of grace in the militant Church so there be also many different degrees of glorie in the triumphant Church Ambr. de bon mort cap. 11. according to that of St. Ambrose Erit or do diversus claritatis gloria sicut erit meritorum There shall be a different order of excellency and glory as there shall be of merits Hence it was that St. Augustine upon those words of Christ Aug. in Ioan. cap. 14. v. 2. in my Fathers house are many mansions saith they are diversae meritorum in una vita aterna dignitates diverse dignities of merits in one eternall life And St. Hierome saith Multae sunt mansiones apud patrem Hieren advers Pelag. li. 1. quia merita diversa there are many mansions with the Father because there are diverse merits Here note by the way that St. Ambrose St. Augustine St. Hierome and other of the ancient Fathers by merits so frequētly