be any cause or provocation to sin as it is vniustly charged by the enemies of grace and by the favourites and patrons of their owne merites In this question of Iustification there are these three pointes to be considered First before our effectual calling vnto the state of grace the great sufficiency of our natural corruptions to procure wrath and the great insufficiencie of our best workes to prepare vs and to make vs meete to be partakers of the Lordes loue Secondly after our effectual calling the great inhability of our faith repentance loue and of the residue of our works of grace to merite remission of sinnes and eternal glorie Lastly the onely sufficiency of the obedience of Christ for the perfect accomplishing of this great and weighty worke of mans redemption When the scripture teacheth that man by originall sinne is wholy corrupt and that in vs that is in our flesh Rom. 3. 1â— Rom. 7. 18. dwelleth no good thing the purpose therof is not to detract from man al manner of good for the substance and the naturall powers workes both of body soule are good in that they are the Lordes creatures and the workemanship of his owne handes and the light of reason whereby we are taught that there is a God and that iustice equitie is to be observed in the ordering of our publike private affaires is also good and was preserved by God in the soule of man when he fell from God that therby he might be directed and guided for the better managing of al such thinges as belong to the preservation of this present life and therefore there are yet remaining in man since his fal some things that are naturally and civilly good But there There is nothing in man by nature that is religiously good is nothing remaining in him by nature that is religiouslie good that can prepare fitte vs to the readier receaving of faith repentance further vs to the performing of any such thing as belongeth to the true worship service of God For the very wisedome of the flesh is enmitie to God Rom. 8. 7. and therefore is no friend or furtherer of his service yea it is not subiect to the lawe of God neither indeede can bee So that vntill we condemne our owne wisedome of follie we cannot yeeld over our selues to be guided and ruled by the wisedome of God and vntill wee wholy renounce our selues we cannot be admitted into the Lordes family and houshould Neither is it to be feared least the regenerate man being lightned by the word of God to behould to condemne his owne vniversall corruption and embrace salvation only by faith should therby be induced as Campian CaÌ„p rat 8. The doctrine of iustification is no provocation or spur but a strong bridle to all iniquity sinne avoucheth to wallow still in the stinking and loathsome sincke of all iniquitie and sinne to accuse nature to despaire of vertue to withdraw himselfe froÌ„ the obedience of God Nay the more great grievous his sins haue beene before his conversion the more clearely he seeth and behouldeth the same the more they will stinke in his own nostrels the sooner he wil loath leave them also And howsoever he be tempted to returne with the dogge to his vomite with the hogge to the wallowing againe in the mire either by the remnaÌ„ts of his owne corrupt nature or by the instigations and ensamples of others yet he doth not yeelde himselfe captiue to these temptations but casting his eies backe vpon his former corruptions both originall actual he doth with David most severely condemne them and himselfe also for the same doth thereby sharpen and increase his vnfayned harty repentaÌ„ce and his setled purpose of amendement of life as it is to be seene in the one and fiftieth psalme He taketh not liberty hereby to offend againe and to adde vnto the multitude of his former corruptions but rather protesteth with St. Peter to the contrarie Oh it is sufficient that we haue spent 1. Pet. 4. 3. the time past of our life according vnto the lustes of the Gentiles Now seing that the Lord hath made vs to behould to abhorre our former rebellioÌ„s we must resigne the time of our life to come wholy to God Yea the greater hath bin the number of our former sinnes and the more the Lords mercy in pardoning the same the greater must be our care that we offend not any more so gracious a God and merciful a father by adding vnto the huge heap of our former iniquities Indeed there haue bin some carnall libertines in al ages who hearing that the greater our sins are the greater is the mercy of God in pardoning the same haue turned the grace of God into â—antonnes and haue said let vs continue in sinne that grace may abound But as to the vncleane al thinges are vncleane yea the most holy and pure grace of God is an occasion to encrease their vncleane impure lusts so to the pure al things are pure yea the multitude greatnes of their vncleane sins causeth them to loath and abhorre them the more to loue him the more also that hath most franckly and freely pardoned them all There was saith our Saviour to Simon the Pharisee a certaine lender that had two debtours the one owed him 500. Luk. 7. 41. pence and the other 50. VVhen they had nothing to pay hee forgaue them both which of them therefore tell me saith he will loue him most Simon answered and said I suppose that he to whom he forgaue most And he said vnto him thou hast truely iudged Wherby it is evideÌ„t that the faithful the more they perceiue the greatnes of their sinnes and how much they are endebted and endangered vnto God for the same togither with the great mercy of God in pardoning them all will not take occasion thereby to contemne God to cast themselues againe into the like dangerous sinnes but will loue God the more and take the greater care to testifie the same by their duetifull obedience to his commaundements Now concerning the second and third pointes that are to be considered in this question it is most true that the Psalmist testifieth that no man may deliver his brother no Psal 49. 7. not so much as from temporal death nor make atonement vnto God for him for it cost more to redeeme soules in so much that the Son of God himselfe was to become man that he might giue himselfe a ransome for many And therfore The all insufficiency of any thing that is in man and the all suffiâ—iency of the death of Christ to perâ—orme the worke of mans redâ—mption the scripture displaying the insufficiency of any thing whatsoever that can be giuen by man him selfe for the satisfaction of his sinnes and for the redemption of his soule giveth present testimony vnto the most ample sufficiency of
in his seruice The bondslaues of Satan seeme sometimes to drawe nigh vnto God to seeke the advauÌ„cemeÌ„t of his honor glory but it is either afflictioÌ„ that forceth theÌ„ to cry that they might be delivered Psal 78. 34. Hos 7. 14. Ioh. 6. 26. out of the haÌ„d of the oppressor or they howle vpoÌ„ their beds for corne wine and follow Christ for more bread the gratious gifts of God already receiued do not allure them to come in sincerity to God For they say not in their heartes O let vs feare the Lord which giueth vs raine â—arely late in due season and reserveth Ierem. 5. 24. for vs the appointed weekes of harvest Neither doe they say vvhere Iob. 35. 10. is the God that made vs that giveth vs songes in the night vvhich teacheth vs more then the beastes of the earth and giveth vs more wisedome then the fowles of the heavens But the sincere servantes of Thankfulnes for benefits already received bringeth the faithfull to God wheras hope of profite to come and their owne necessities force hypocrites sometimes to flie vnto him 2 Reg. 5. 17 Is 38. 20. The contemplation of Gods mercies our owne defectes vnworthines is the proper cause of all sincere devotion especially the manifestation of the endles loue of God in Christ is the peculiar cause of faith by faith of all other parts of piety godlines Christ knowing that God hath advaunced them with honour aboue al the residue of his creatures seeke to advaunce his honour aboue al other yea they most duly weighing with theÌ„selues how deeply they are endebted vnto his divine maiesty for his gracious gifts already receiued desire rather to discharge some of the billes of their former debtes then more more stil to grow in arearages Naaman the Syrian being al his life long brought vp in most grosse blindnes Idolatry when he was cured of his leprosy by the goodnes of the God of Israel that is by the goodnes of the only true God Now saith he I know that there is no God but only in Israel therfore wil I not heÌ„ceforth offer any burnt offring or sacrifice to any other God saue to the Lord. So wheÌ„ Ezechias had obtained of God a great deliverance froÌ„ his most dangerous disease howe doth he sing vnto the Lord reioice in his goodnes vow vnto God perpetual homage service The graue saith he caÌ„not coÌ„fesse thee death caÌ„not praise thee but the liuing shall coÌ„fesse thee as I doe this day the father to the children shall declare thy truth The Lord was ready to saue me therfore wil I sing my songs in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life The like may be said of al the residue that haue vnfeinedly given themselues vnto God For how were they drawen therevnto but by the linkes of his loue by the chaine of his blessings Devotion saith Aquinas is a special act of religion importing nothing else but the devoting of a mans hearte to the prompt service of the almighty God the cause wherof is the contemplation meditation of the Lords benefits of our owne defects For if we would duly weigh coÌ„sider with our selues the Lords most bountiful largesse towards vs which are vnworthy of the leasts of his mercies deserue nothing but vengeance and wrath especially if we would religiously record that one invaluable gift of God who so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that whosoever beleeved in him should not perish but haue life everlasting it would not otherwise be but that we should be wounded and pricked at the very hearte for our former contempts disloyalties and rebellions against so good and gratious a GOD and should also be made more careful for the time to come to looke better vnto our steppes and to be more respectiue serviceable vnto our God For so wrought this heavenly phisike in Peter Paule with al the residue of the servants of Christ it purged a way the putrified humours of corrupted affections recovered theÌ„ to spiritual health life It is sufficieÌ„t saith St. Peter that wee haue speÌ„t the time past of our life after the lustes of the GeÌ„tiles walking in 1. Pet. 4 2. Our defectes Gods loue Our dutie or devotioÌ„ vvantonnes lustes drunkennes and in abominable Idolatries But nowe seeing we knowe that Christ hath suffered for sinne we ought also to suffer in the flesh and to cease from sinne and henceforward to liue as much time as remaineth in the flesh not after the lustes of men but after the vvill of God So likewise the Apostle St. Paule Wee also our selues vvere in Tit. 3. 3. Our defectes Gods loue times past vnwise disobedient deceiued serving dâ—verse lustes and vâ—lâ—ptuousnes living in malitiousnes and eâ—vy hatefull and hating oâ—… another but when the boâ—…tâ—fulnes and loue of God our Saviour toward man appeared he not onely saved vs from the guilte of our sinnes by giving himselfe a ransome for our soules but also hee destroyed the power Our dutie or devotioÌ„ of sinne in vs and so raysed vs vp to newnes of life For albeit the wicked turne the grace of God into wantonnes saying let vs sinne that grace may abound yet the saying grace of God teacheth the godly another lesson even to deny vngodlines and worldly lustes and to live Tit. 2. 11. iustly soberlie and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope appearing of the mighty God and of our Sâ—viour Iesus Christ vvho gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all â—…iquitiâ— and purge vs to be a peculiar people to himselfe zealous of good workes So likewise albeit the LORDES temporall blessinges are to the wicked as thornes choaking vp the good seedes of pietie and godlines and as baites to snare them and to drawe their heartes from God and as chaines to binde them fast vnto the varities of this wicked world yet to the godlie they are as sweete sauce to make them â—eede more eagerly vppon the foode of their soules and as spurres to make them runne more readilie in the way of Gods commaundementes and as ladders to lifte them vp vnto GOD that so they may come to the fruition of his greater blessinges For to the pure all thinges are pure in so much that their verie sinnes make them to hate sinne the more and the little tast of the LORDES mercies causeth them more vehemently to thirst after a full cuppe of the same mercies yea the more they see their owne wantes and the LORDES fulnes the more they are stirred vp to renouÌ„ce themselues to cleaue Eph. 5. 8. Our de fectes Gods loue Our duty or devotioÌ„ vnfainedly vnto the Lord. Yee were darknes saith the Apostle but now yee are light in the Lord Walke as children of the light as if he should haue said vnto them Remember your
as all the Lords blessings so especially these of the greatest value descende vnto the â—aithful only by gift and what is so free as gift and flovv meerely from the full fountaine of the Lordes most free and vndeserued mercy in Christ and not from themselues and their owne merites All haue sinned saith the Apostle and are deprived of the glorie of God Rom. 3. 23. but are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus And againe the wages of sinne iâ— death but everlasting life Rom. 6. 23. is the gift of God through IESVS CHRIST our Lord. â—astly by grace yee are sâ—ved through faith and that not of your selues it is the Eph. 2. 8. gifâ—e of GOD not of vvorkes least any â—an shoulde bâ—ast himselfe The which with the like testimonies being so evident for our iustification salvation bestowed vpon vs freely in Christ haue as it may be thought forced the childreÌ„ of the church of Rome to devise a double iustification the first proceeding from Gods free mercy in Christ the second from our own merite and deserts But this distinction they learned not of the Apostle who affirmeth that not only at the first we are brought into favor with God by Christ and freely iustified by his blood but also that much more wee are brought to the end of our salvation and to our full and final glorification by the same free vndeserued mercy of God in Christ For so is the Apostles â—llation God saith hee setteth out his loâ—e rewards Rom 5. 8. vs seeing whose we were yet sinners Christ died for vs Much more then being now iustified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath by him For if when we were enemies we were reconciled vnto God by the death of his sonne much more being reconciled we shall bee saved by his life By vvhich wordes it is evident not that the faithfull which are at the first â—ustified by Christes blood are made able to iustifie themselues aftervvard by their ovvne vvorkes and to procuâ—e their ovvne salvation by their owne merites but much more saith he shall they bee preserued in the same grace and broughte to their salvation by CHRIST and by his life And verily if our first iustification by Christ bee sufficient vvhat neede vve seeke for a second iustification by our ovvne vvorkes And if our title vvhich vve haue to the kingdome of heaven by our Saviours death be good enough vvhat neede haue we to speake for any other title Can that vvhich is once iustly mine be made Quod semel 〈…〉 potest mihi â—…quiri pluribus causia by any other title morâ— mine Either can a man haue many â—ust titles to one thing Surely there bee tvvo heavens and tvvo salvations as vvel as there be tvvo iustâ—fications For hovvsoeuer it be avouched in the vvord of truth that God will rewarde our vvorkes vvith the inheritaunce of his heauenly kingdome yet vve must not thinke that so great a revvarde being bestovved vpon so sory a service doth proceede from the merit and worthines of our owne vvorkes but from the meere mercy of him that doth so accept of vs and of our vvorks in Christ as that he doth crowne them with eternall glory The which being bestowed vpon our workes of charity is yet still called an inheritaunce Came yee blessed Mat. 25. 34. of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the worlde that we may still knowe and acknowledge that it is not a purchase made by our owne workes but an inheritaunce freely bestowed vpon such as are adopted into the number of the sons of God by faith in Christ For as for the straitest of our workes if they were squared by the levell of the law they would be fouÌ„d in some respect crooked and those things which seeme in vs to carry most weight if they were weighed in the ballance of Gods iustice they would appeare too light our best righteousnes being in some force vnrighteous and our greatest perfection stayned vvith imperfection Our knovvleâ—ge saith the Apostle is vn 1 Cor. 13. 9 perfect and our charity is vnperfect and therefore to be done away in the place of perfection not that the invvarde graces themselues are then vtterly abolished for they followe vs in death and Apo. 14. 13. neuer faile vs when all earthly treasures bâ—dde vs adevv but that the imperfections vvhich remaine in the greatest graces of the most perfect heere in this vvorlde are to bee done avvay in the vvorlde to come and the foundation of the kingdome of GOD vvhich is begunne to bee laide heere in this life to bee made perfect in the life to come The perfection sayeth Sainte Hierome of all the iust in Hie. l. 1. câ—… Pelag. this life is imperfecte perfection yea all our righteousnesse as faith the prophet is as a menstruous cloth and therefore the most Esa 64 6. holy that liue here should wash themselues with snow water and make Iob. 9. 30. August de tempore â—erm 49. themselues most cleane yet their owne cloathes would make them filâ—hy In the resurrection as saith an ancient father we beleeue that we shall fulfill all righteousnes in respect whereof all that we doe in this life is but very dounge Our humble righteousnes saith Bernard of vve haue Bern. serm 5 de verb. Es They of the Councell of TreÌ„t haue thought themselues better then these fathers cursing al such as be of their iudgment Ses 6. c. 16. c. 25. any at all is perhappes sincere but not pure except perchaunce vve imagine our selues to be better then our fathers who affirmed no less truely then humbly that alour righteousnes was aâ— a stained cloth for how saith he can that righteousnes be pure which caÌ„not be without faulte Where first we may obserue that he tearmeth our righteousnes which we attaine vnto here in this life humble secondly he thinketh it to be so small that he seemeth to doubt whether there be any such thing at all thirdly he calleth it sincere perhaps fourthly noâ— purâ— without all doubt fiftly he affirmeth this even of the best lastly hee avoucheth it to be a meere impossibility to be otherwise hovve can that be pure VVherefore it may not seeme stâ—ange that vvhich Gregorie teacheth that the holy man doth see his very vertuous worke to bee vicious if it come to bee scanned of a iust iudge And that Austin threatneth vengeance and woe against the same VVoe worth the commendable life of man if God should iudge it without mercy Now if Greg. in Iob. l. 9. c 1. Aug. l. 9. Confes c. 13. our very perfection be imperfect and our purity impure our righteousnes as a menstruous cloth and as very dounge if our vertue be vicious and our commendable life deserue a Woe theÌ„ when the Lord doth reward his faithfull servantes he doth not the same for the worthines of their
to trye â— Pet. 1. 6. their obedience and patience and to humble them for their manifold infirmities and sinnes or when Tyrantes persecute them for their most holy faith But as for all voluntary tortures and tormentes they leaue the same to infidels and heretikes vvho thereby seeke after a greater opinion of godlines and devotion before men THe Gentiles did offer vp their sonnes in fire vnto Idols and did â— Reg. â—… 28. â—…v 21. 5. cutte and launce themselues vntill the bloode followed the which voluntary tortures the Lord precisely interdicteth his owne people Contrary to the which interdiction the dearest darlinges of the church of Rome as likewise such among the Turkes as would seeme most devout vse to scourge and to whippe theÌ„selues diverse waies tormenting their owne bodies and not sparing their ovvne flesh Whereby it is evident that they haue â—…ol 2. 23. not onely sorted themselues with the Gentiles and some of the olde heretikes but also with these of the last times who through hipocrisie hunte after a shewe of most rare holines in these outvvard â— Tim. 4. 1. thinges preferring these their wil-worshippes and voluntary devotions before faith repentance and the fruites of the spirit imagining thereby to ascende to the highest degree of the greatest perfection and to be esteemed the only religious of all other Opposit 12. The faithfull souldiers of Christ furnish themselues against their ghostly enimies with such weapons as are taken out of the Lordes armoury whereas the counterfeite christian furnisheth himselfe with such as are framed in the devils forge and in the shoppe of mans invention THe faithfull which fight vnder the banner of Christ even al the members of the militant church knowing the greate force of their fendish foes seeke according vnto the exhortation of the Apostle to be strong in the Lorde and in the power of Eph. 6. 10. his might putting on to that purpose all the armour of God that so they may bee able to stand against all the assaultes of the Devill they stand and their loines girded about with verity hauing on the breastplate of righteousnes and their feete shodde with the preparation of the gospel of peace aboue all they take the shield of faith whereby they may quench all the fiery dartes of the wicked and the helmet of salvation and the sworde of the spirite which is the word of God praying alway with all manner of praier and supplication in the spirite and watching thereunto withall perseverance VVhereas the souldiers of Satans companies are forbidden for the most parte to enter into the Lordes armory wherein are the weapons of all the Lordes worthies wherevvith they prevailed against all their enemies and to fence their soules with that armour of proofe whereby they may be preserued from Chrys in Math. hom 43. Hier. in Mat. ca 23. Num. 9. 11. Tert. de Idola Lact. instit l. 6. ca. 2. all deadly woundes it is enough for them to arme themselues with holy bookes tyed at their girdle but not laid vp in their hartes with holy reliques such as defiled those that touched them vnder the law with holy candle lighted at noone-day to driue away belike spiritual darknesse with holy breaede to put away the famine of the soule with holy water to wash away the spots of the spirit with holy bell to fray the hell-hound with that sacred sound with crossing and crossing againe this and that member and with anoyling the instruments of the fiue wits with holy creame holy salt holy spitile with as holy exorcismes and coniurations as were vsed by the seven sonnes of Sceva the priest with holy graines agnus deies crucifixes with buriall in an holy cloister in a Monkes coule or a Friers frocke with Act. 19. 13. a pardon cast into the graue with the body for the safer passage of the silly soule albeit it had passed and receiued iudgement before with other such furniture of their owne framing as if those things which are without could sanctisie a man and fence him from the woundes of sinne as if the subtile serpent were some silly foole that could be driuen away with such scarre-crowes or some weake and feeble foe that could be overturned with such bulrushes Opposit 13. The faithfull are not puffed vp with pride in respect of Gods graces but rather hang downe their heades in respect of their owne infirmities ascribing to God the glory of all good things IF when wee haue done all that is commanded vs we must say that â—uc 9 54 we are vnprofitable servantes then when we faile more or lesse in all what iust occasion haue we with the humble Publican to stande aloofe and to hange downe the heade and to beate the brest being â—zr 9 6. â—zech â—6 33. â—an â— 7. full of confusion in regarde of our ovvne iniquities Nowe as the faithfull thus cry out shame and confusion against themselues so they ascribe righteousnes to God in all his corrections and endles mercy in all his blessinges magnifying and extoling his glory in both And verely he that seeketh the glory of him â—oh 7. 18. that sent him is true and there is no vnrighteousnes in him But in Aug in â—oh Tract â—9 Antichrist saith Austine there is vnrighteousnes and hee is not true because hee will not seekeâ—… he glory of him that sent him Let vs all then which pertaine to the body of Christ beware lest we fall into the snares of Antichrist and let vs not seeke our owne glory Chrys in Math. Hom. 19. If one cover saith Chrysostome a wolfe with a sheepes skinne how may another know him but by his voice or by his action The sheepe bleateth looking downe ward the wolfe looketh vpwarde and howleth against heaven He then that vttereth the voice of humility and confession according vnto God is a sheepe but hee that howlethout blasphemies against God and against the truth is a wolfe Nowe howe the doctrine of the church of Rome teacheth to lay aside the humility of a sheepe and to take to our selues the pride of the wolfe to advaunce our selues and not to giue the glory of all thinges onely to GOD see before in the preface to the Christian roader Opposit 14. The faithfull Christian as in generall he giueth the glory of all good things onely to Gods mercy and goodnes so especially of his eternall salvation resting onely vpon the mediation and merite of Christes passion for the obtaining thereof and not vpon his owne or other mens workes VVHat worthy thing do we that thereby we may be Walâ—ensis contra Wicleâ—um made partakers of heavenly glory whereas the Apostle saieth I thinke that the passions of this time are not worthy of the glory that shal be revealed Therefore I recken him to be the more sounder divine the more saithfull catholike and more agreeable to holy scriptures who doth flatly deny any such merite And verely our Saviour Christ
locus virum honestat Quâ— malâ—s est vbique malâ—… est yet say they whensoever they sate in iudgment vpon the decision of any doubt and vpon the determination of any question they were so directed and guided therein that they did never pronounce any definitiue sentence against the truth As if the very place did sanctifie the person and suddainly change his former resolution or else did force him to pronounce sentence against his owne setled conscience iudgment But what an assurance the Bishop and church of Rome haue that their faith cannot faile it may appeare by this that the truth Verum vero consonat alwaies being like to it selfe and one truth evermore agreeing with another diverse of the very maine groundes of their faith are directly contrary each to other As first the church cannot erre and yet the faithfull themselues by vvhom the trueth is preserved in the church when it is preserved vnlesse vve imagine that it may be better preserved by such as are but meere dissembling hypocrites may altogither and that finally fall from God and so by consequent from the trueth 2 Secondly the faithfull being in danger to fall away wholy from God yet are still in possibility to be renewed by repentance for that repentaÌ„ce is only denied to such as sinne against the holy Ghost and yet they are not to be rebaptized whereas if they did vvholy fall away at their reconciliation and regeneration they should be admitted againe to the sacrament of regeneration Or thus The faithful that are borne againe of the incorruptible seede of the vvord and are made the sonnes of God by faith in Christ may wholy fall away from this grace but yet so that they may be renewed againe by repentaunce and recover againe a true faith and so be borne the second time the sonnes of God And yet as they themselues also teach as we can be but once borne the sonnes of Adam so we can be but once regenerate and borne the sonnes of God 3 Thirdly the children of the faithful in baptisme are devoted to the service of God only as being only baptised in his name and yet they may as they teach bee devoted also to the service of the saintes 4 Fourthly al the infants of the faithful haue their sinnes in baptisme fully washed and clensed are made members of the holy catholicke church and so are effectually called to the estate of grace And yet I hope they vvil also teach that these be 〈◊〉 20. 1. not all called at the first houre 5 Fiftly they call their sacrifice of the Masse an vnbloody sacrifice and yet they teach that Christs blood is there really present And if they â—ay that it is called an vnbloody sacrifice for that the bloode is there present after an vnbloody manner they might then as vvel call it an vnbodily sacrifice also for that as they teach the body of Christ is there also but not after a bodily manner whereas in trueth a true body and true blood haue alwaies the manner and condition of a true body and of true blood 6 Sixtly they teach that by the wordes of consecration transubstantiation is made and yet the nature of the bread is abolished and gone before the first worde thereof THIS is vttered by the Priest For in the words of consecration whatsoeuer this word THIS doth signifie in any case it must not signifie true and reall bread 7 Seventhly Matrimony as they teach is an holy sacrament and conferreth grace and yet it is with them a prophanation of holy orders as if one grace did disgrace another and as if one holy thing were a prophanation to another and that single life which vndoubtedly giveth no grace is an holier estate then the estate of Matrimony whereas it may be well knowne of euery young scholer that single life is no vertue but continencie and chastity either in single life or else in matrimony 8 Eightly they teach that grace sometime worketh alone in vs which Gratia operans â—ooperans needs must be if it be at all in our conversion and yet they teach that our free will worketh together also with Gods grace even in our verie first conversion 9 Ninthly they vaunt most confidently themselues to be the only catholikes their faith to be vndoubtedly the sound faith and they determine most peremptonly that the true catholike iustifying faith consisteth only in beleeving the truth of the articles of our christian creede and yet they teach that neither they are nor yet ought to bee assured that they haue obtained a true faith 10 Tenthly they teach that we ought most assuredly to beleue the truth of Gods generall promises as whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall neuer be confouâ—ded yet they say that it is presumption for this or that particular man which beleeueth to perswade himselfe assuredly that he shall never be confounded 11 EleveÌ„thly in their pardons shriftes exhortations to religious actioÌ„s they take vpon them to forgiue to particular persons their sinnes and yet they also to whome particularly they forgiue must sâ—il doubt whether their sinnes be forgiven For al their catholikes must still stand in doubt thereof vnlesse it be otherwise opened vnto them by revelation 12 Twelfthly they teach that they can fulfil the law more also the which thing caÌ„not be performed without grace yea without great grace yet they thus assuredly knowing that they fulfill the law caÌ„not yet for all that assuredly knowe that they themselues are in the estate of Rom. 14 23 grace wheras not only the Apostle but a very heatheÌ„ maÌ„ caÌ„teach theÌ„ that vnto every good actioÌ„ therfore much more to so many as whereby the whole lawe is fulfilled and more also it is a necessary circumstance that is required that it be done vpon an * â—er coÌ„â—…nstaÌ„ assured knowledge 13. Thirtenethly they teach that the fulfilling of the law is an ordinary dutie that is to be performed of the common and vulgar sorte of people and therefore that their relligious men must striue to ascende to a faâ—re higher degree of greater perfection and yet they teach also that the common people cannot attaine vnto the vnderstanding of the sacred scriptures vvhich containe for a good part but an exposition of the lavve and yet as I take it it is a farre harder matter to doe then to vnderstand that vvhich is right 14. Fourtenethly they teach that all pointes of faith necessary to salvation are not contained in â—he holy scripture and yet they alleadge scripture for all pointes vvhich are necessary to salvation And therfore all such pointes may be proved out of the scriptures or else they greatly abuse the scriptures even by the testimonie of their owne consciences in alleaging them against their meâ—ning only for shewe and not for truth 15. Fiftenethly some of them teach that Election which is the precedent cause of the first iustification dependeth vpon foreseene workes and yet that the first
and that for mine owâ—e take And therefore Berâ—… â—…aking to the faithfull Isa 43 25. saith if thou beleeuest that 〈…〉 but by 〈…〉 Bern. serm â— De Annuntiatione whoÌ„â— alone thou hast â—…ed 〈…〉 well For as no maÌ„ caÌ„ forgiue an other mans 〈◊〉 〈…〉 offence committed against another so none can forgiue sinne as it is sin for that so it is an offence only against God making vs debtours vnto him and offenders against his sacred maiesty Yea as it is high treason for any subiect to take vpon him to remit the offences which are committed against the common weale for that it is an intrusion vpon the princes right and after a sort an vsurpation of the dignity royall so no doubt but that it is high treason against the king of heauen and earth for any creature to take vpoÌ„ him to forgiue sinne as it is sinne for that it is an intrusion vppon the Lordes right and an vsurpation of his dignity royall Who can 〈◊〉 2. 7. forgiue sinne but God only So said the Pharisies when our Saviour tooke vpon him not only to cure the sicknesses of the body but also to pardon the sinnes of the soule But what replied our Saviour to this demande Whether is it easier to say thy sinnes are forgiven thee or to say arise take vp thy bâ—doe and walke In which words he doth not confute their opinion as Chrysostome Hâ—laâ—y reach 〈◊〉 in â—… hom but reproueth them for charging him with blasphemy in that by healing all diseases by his word he declared himselfe to bee true God and therefore that he had authority also to forgiue sinne albeit 〈…〉 Mat. such authority belongeth only vnto God His reason is this It belongeth to the selfe-same authority as wel by his owne power to forgiue sinne as to cure the diseases and sicknesses of the body but saith our Saviour yee might perceiue that by mine owne power I cure the sickenesses of the body the vvhich â—hing being done by the ministery of the Apostles vvas not done by their owne povver but by the power of 〈…〉 12. Christ for so God only vvorketh the same as al other miraculous things also because he onlie is omnipotent therefore yee might also 〈◊〉 136. 4. acknowledge in me vnlesse yee were wilfully blinded the divine povver of God and that I doe not blaspheme in taking vpon mee to forgiue sinne For as for that authority of forgiving sinnes given to the ministers of the 〈◊〉 in Mat â—…6 gospell it is after the same manner as the preists vnder the law had authority given them to make cleane or vncleane now they were not enabled to make cleane or vncleane leapers or no leapers but they had knowledge given them to discerne and authority to pronounce who were such and such and vpon their sentence so the parties were to be taken of all the residue of the Lords people Even so the Ministers of the gospell are to discerne whose sinnes are remitted and whose retained to assure the penitent soule the broken and contrite spirite that his sinnes are forgiuen him even of the Lordes as on the other side to denounce against the carelesse and impenitent sinner the Lordes most heavy but iust vengeance Div. 9. That the faithfull obtaine the release of their sinnes by free forgiuenesse through the death of Christ and not through their owne satisfactions THe Lord of the mannour is not said to forgiue the trespasse The forgiuenes of sinnes that taketh the amercement set vpon the head of the trespasser neither may the creditour bee saide to forgiue the debtour that exacteth the debt or casteth the debtour in prison vntill he make satisfaction No more could God be saide to forgiue vs our sinnes and to remitte on â—…sses and debtes if hee did either here in this life require satisfaction for theÌ„ at our hands by the workes of pennance or after 〈…〉 vs into the prison of purgatory there to make satisfaction But wee beleeue the remission of our sinnes and the free â—…giuenesse of our debtes and trespasses and so the whose gospell teacheth that they are freely forgiuen in respect of ourselues but not freely to our Saviour Christ who paide full deare for the release of them euen that inestimable price of his owne blood It is he that bare our sinneâ— in his owne body on the tree the chasttiement of our peace was 〈◊〉 vpon him 1. Pet 2 24. Isa 53 5. Hâ—… 9. 12. 10. 14. 7 25 Heb. 1. 3. 1. Ioh. 1. 7. he gaue his soule â—n offering for sinne hee gaue himselfe 〈◊〉 some for many by one obâ—ation of himselfe once made hee hath founde eternall redemption and made perfâ—ct for ever them that â—ee â—…fied hee hath purged our sinnes by himselfe and not by vâ— by his owne blood and not by our satisfactioÌ„s And verily it is this blood of the 〈◊〉 wherwithall our garments are throughly clâ—nsed from all spots and are made perfectly pure white it is this blood that is the soveraigne Apoc. 7. 14. salue for all our sores and the onely effectuall medicine which is able to cure all our spirituall and ghostly maladies And if vvee take any thing else we take quid proquo we take that which vvill not ease but will in the end increase our griefe And therefore iâ— we will finde ease indeed we must provide to haue alwaies this physicke in a readines that whensoeuer we are wounded by our ghostly enemy we may apply to our selues a speedy remedy If as ofâ— saith Saint Ambrose as this bloode is shedde it is shedde for remission 〈◊〉 saâ—… ca 6. of sinnes I ought alwaies to receiue it that my sinnes alwaies may bee remitted vnto mee yea I which alwaies sinne ought alwaies to haue this meâ—…icine His meaning is that Christs blood is the onely remedy against sinne and the sacrament thereof a meanes to strengthen our faith and so to vnite vs more and more vnto Christ and to apply this physicke to our soules and therefore that we ought to haue continual recourse therto that so not by the outward signe but by the invisible grace that is by the bloode of Christ it selfe we may be continually cured and made perfectly holâ— And if 〈◊〉 â—…riâ—… pâ—…â—… c. 2. after our baptisme we be after a sort driven from this ship bord by the stormes teÌ„pests of our own corruptions we must not catch after a second table of penance to take hold therof that so we may be preserued by the power thereof from sinking downe in the sea of our sins but we must recouer our selues to our former stay or els we shall be drowned in the bottomles gulfe of our iniquities The Angell of the church of Sardis after that hee had beene called to the estate of salvation in Christ and confirmed therein by the sacrament of baptisme had fallen into the sea of most daungerous sins now how was he to be recouered
out of the same The spirit of God sendeth him not to a second table of penance to tâ—ke holde thereof that by the power thâ—rof he might be deliuered but remember saith he how thoâ— hast received and hearde and holde fast and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 3. repent Now no doubt but he had receiued and heard aâ—d therefore was to hold fast that to the peniteÌ„t humble sinner Christs blood is the purgation of all his sins that by the mediatioÌ„ of his death he doth obtaine remission of theÌ„ not only when he is received into favor at the first but even to his liues end being thereby still pâ—eâ—erued in the same grace obtaining the forgiuenesse of hiâ— dayâ—y offences For so S. Iohn setting downe the meanes whereby the faithfull themselues are continually cured of their dailie infirmities If any man sinne saieth hee vvee haue Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. â—0 our Advocate and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes So the Apostle Saint Paul sheweth that not onely when wee were enemies we were reconciled at the first by the death of Christ and obtained the release of our grosser offences but much more beeing once reconciled and made the children of God by CHRIST wee are still preserued in the same grace and obtaine the forgiuenesse of ouâ—…maller offences by the same meanes The trueth is that none are cured of their sinnes by Christ vvhich continue stil in the same and doe not dayly fight against them vvith dayly repentaunce but yet the physicke is one thing vvhereby the soule is cured and the disposition of the soule another thing vvhereby the soule is prepared that so the physicke may effectually vvorke The preparatiue is one thing and the physicke is another thing the physicke is onely the physicke and nothing else Our Saviour CHRIST is our onely physicke and physition also Repentance after a sort may bee called the preparatiue and the Minister of the vvorde may be to vs in steede of the Apothecarie or as â—he physitions man that is sent to vs vvith the purgation The purgation it selfe is made of none other ingredientes but of the most bitter panges of our Saviours owne passion not of the rootes of our hearty repentaunce neither yet of the fruites of our christian faith that is vvhatsoeuer our sinnes bee and vvhensoeuer they bee committed we obtaine not the forgiuenesse of them by our owne merites nor by the satisfactions of any other but onely by the free and vndeserued mercy of GOD and by the most precious satisfaction of the death of CHRIST All haue sinned saith the Apostle and are deprived of the glory of GOD but are iustified from their sinnes freelye Rom 3. 23. by his grace through the redemption that is in CHRIST IESVS And in trueth otherwise our case were most miserable For in the parable of the debtour the summe of one thousande Mat. 18 24. talents declaring the infinitenesse of our debt doth openly proclaime our insufficiency and inabilitie to discharge the same as also the wordes annexed vvhen he had nothing to pay and I forgaue Psal 130. 3. Iob. 93. Psa 143. 2. thee all thy debt For verily if God should marke what were done amisse vvho vvere able to abide it And if hee shoulde call vs to an accounte vvho vvere able to aunsvvere one for a thousande And therefore our best plea is Enter not into iudgement with thy servants O Lord cal vs not to reckoning put not our billes in suite for we are no way able to make payment we are no way able to make satisfaction Div. 10. That Purgatory is no article of the Christian faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resurâ—…on of â—…sh IF the deliverance of the soules out of Purgatorie had beene an article of the christian faith as it is iudged to be by the church of Rome then it had beene convenient that after mention made of the resurrection of the body out of the custodie of the graue there shoulde haue beene adioyned the deliveraunce of the soule out of the prison of Purgatory the tormentes there being so greate as they say they be the deliverance from thence being as great a blessing at the lest as the raising of the bodies out of their graues should not haue beene altogeather vnremembred especially sinne verie much abounding before the day of the generall resurrection and the Popes pardons nothing so much regarded and his charitie without a fee being not vsual and ordinary Purgatory then must needes be well filled and so the deliverance from thence a great benefite to many Div. 11. That everlasting life is the free gifte of God through CHRIST and noway purchased by the merite of our owne vvorkes 〈◊〉 ever â—…ng IF any thing be bestowed vpon vs by free gift froÌ„ God theÌ„ surely everlasting life is so bestowed as the greatest gift proceeding froÌ„ the most bouÌ„tifull giuer the most excelleÌ„t effect from the most excelleÌ„t cause And why is God else accouÌ„ted a most liberall bountifull free franke and gracious benefactor but that most liberally bountifully frankely and freely he bestovveth vpon his faithfull servantes the most precious crovvne of eternall glory VVhen that bountifulnes saith the Apostle and that loue of GOD our Saviour tovvardes man appeared not by the vvorkes of righteousnes vvhich wee had vvrought but of his ovvne mercie he Tit. 3. 4. saued vs. And verely the glory of this greate bountifulnes must needes haue beene much dimmed if vvee had attained to salvation by our owne merites and not by the LORDES onely mercy The vvages in deede of sinne is death but everlasting life is the gifte of GOD through IESVS CHRIST our Lorde Rom. 6. 23. For our evill vvorkes are perfectly evill and therefore deserue eternall death but our good workes are not perfectly good and therefore eternall life is the free gift of GOD through CHRIST and not a vvages due to the merite of our vvorkes Othervvise vvhy did the Wiseman say Beholde the righteous are here recompenced vpon earth hovve much more the vvicked and the sinner VVhat doth not the LORD as well loue righteousnes Pro 11. 31. to recompence it as he hateth vnrighteousnesse to punish the same Yes verely but this is heere spoken to this end by the VViseman that vve shoulde vnderstand that the sinner most iustly deserueth this punishment vvhereas the righteous deserueth not the revvard And therefore it is not without cause that iust Iob thus speaketh of himselfe If I haue done evill vvoe vnto mee if I haue done righteously yet vvill I not Iob. 10 15. lifte vp my heade being full of confusion because I see mine affliction And vvhy The evill vvorkes of the best are in an higher degree evill then their good vvorkes are in themselues good and therefore in respect of the one they may be rustly cast dovvne vvith the feare of eternall confusion and vvoe but in
pride presuÌ„ption or else abuse it to the hardening of their harts by hartening theÌ„selus therby in their sinnes declare theÌ„selus to be bastards not sons being so farre of both froÌ„ the affectioÌ„ also froÌ„ the duty of natural sonnes Why If but a frieÌ„d having testified his loue towards vs â—y some fewe favours should vnderstand that wee stil stoode in doubt either of his sinceriâ—y or coÌ„stancy towards vs did imagm that either he did but disseÌ„ble with vs orelfe that he were vsriable quickly changed would he not thinke himselfe much wroÌ„ged seing he had so wel deserved before had giveÌ„ vs good cause to conceaue better of him And doth God bestowe any gift vpon any of his faithful servaÌ„ts but in al sincerity setled coÌ„stancy with a stedfast purpose to do them good And shal they stil doubt either whether he ever loued theÌ„ at al or else whether he wil ever coÌ„tinue to loue theÌ„ stil Surely they cannot do him a greaten dishonor seing therby as much as in theÌ„ lieth they rob him of â—is sincerity endlea goodnes of his eterâ—al mercy loue Wherfore the most sincere servaÌ„tes of God as they acknowledge themselues to be most highly honoured of God in that hee hath vouchsafed to cast vpon them so vnworthy wretches the eies of his loue and to haue testified the same by the manifold giftes of his mercy eveÌ„ so they are mostâ— desirous to magnify GOD by ascribing every good gifte vnto his most free and vndeserved goodnes and by receiving them al from him as pledges of his great loue and confirmations of his gratious favour yea the more they feele the heate of Gods loue cherishing and comforting them with his gratious blessings the more is the fire of their loue kindled towardes God and the greater is the flame of their obedience and thankfulnes That debteâ— loued most which receiued Luk. 7. 43. the greatest frendship having his whole debt most freely forgiveÌ„ him albeit it was never so great And Mary loued much for that her many sinnes were remitted vnto her albeit they had bin before never so grievous So Peter loued Christ more theÌ„ his fâ—llowes for that he had greater favour to be received the sooner to grace to be streÌ„gthened in the faith before his fellowes albeit he had sinned aboue his fellows And verely Gods grace revealed Gods grace revealed is no cause of sinne but Gods grace concealed and so contemned 1. â—or 2 8. Luk. 19. 42. doth not cause sin but Gods grace coÌ„cealed so conteÌ„ned Gods grace revealed giveth grace soone winneth allowance approbatioÌ„ so causeth al obedieÌ„ce thankfulnes but Gods grace vnknowen is easily coÌ„temned causeth stubbornes rebellioÌ„ that cried out so eagerly crucify him crucify him if they had knowen it they would never haue crucified the Lord of glory if they had knowen those things that did beloÌ„g to their peace they would hever haue so long stood out haue shewed themselues such wilfull obstinat recufaÌ„ts against their God against their owne good If that supersâ—itious carnal woman of Samaria had knowen the gift of God who it was that theÌ„ coÌ„muned with her Ioh. 4. 10. she would not haue stoode pelting with him for a draught of her water but she would without delay haue asked of him the water of life Wherfore the most louing Lord of Abraham Izaak Iacob of al the faithful of what kindred country soever albeit hee doth not vouch safe to shew this mercy to the world of the reprobatâ— as to shew himselfe to theÌ„ yet hee cannot long keepe close his loue from his chosen but doth manifest the same more and more vnto them as hâ—e knoweth it best for them in his divine and heavenly wisedome For if Ioseph could not long keepe in the tender bowels of his brotherly loue towards his vnkinde and vnnatural brethren but that it brake out with streames of teares and disclosed it selfe to their great astonishment and if David could not conceale his fatherly affection towards his most vndutiful and rebellious sonne Absolom no not at that time when he had behaved himselfe so lewdely and had so attempted his vtter overthrow but that it brake out in his straight charge to Ioab his general and to the residue of the captaines of the armie O â—e good to the young man for my sake the which petition whoÌ„ it did not prevaile with Ioab but that he stretched forth his owne hand to take away his life how doth that teÌ„der harted father take on vpon the â—elatioÌ„ therof O my soâ—ne Absolom my sonne my soâ—ne Absolom would God I had died for thee ô Absolom my sonne my sonne And yet the kindneâ— of earthly brethren and parents and that towards their most kind louing brethren children is but as a sparke of the great fire as a droppe to the huge sea of the loue of Christ our elder brother of God our heaveÌ„ly caelestial father CaÌ„ he theÌ„ altogeather coÌ„ceale his loue froÌ„ vs keepe vs froÌ„ that ioy vnspeakable glorious which we are to receive by the revelatioÌ„ therof The foure leapers that came into the Sirians tents whoÌ„ God had caused to flie in al hast to leave their tentes ful of al treasure store when they had wel eaten drunken and hidde also good store of treasure for theÌ„selues considering weighing the great necessity of their prince people by reason of the extreame famine that was among them could reason betweene themselues and say We â—… not well this day is a day of good tydinges wee hould our peace come therfore let vs goe tell the kings â—ousholde They thought 2. King 7. 9. it an offeÌ„ce to coÌ„ceale from their countrey being in extreme misery the remedy that God had appointed for their delivery And shal we thinke that whereas the Lordes owne deare and chosen children without some sence and assurance of his favour loue testified by his manifolde and gratious blessings are ready still to be overwhelined with the horrors of despaire the Lord will not cause the light of his countenance to shine vnto them that so the clouds of distrust that keepe from them the bright beames of his favour may be dispersed and the tempest of dispaire aswaged allayed In deede when they beginne to waâ—e waÌ„ton with peace and plentie and to neglect their duety vnto their good GOD and being at rest heere in this world slacke their passage towards their passagâ— to wordes their heavenly countrey and beeing filled with earthly delights become slow to seek after the true treasure God seemeth for a time to withdraw his favor from them after a sort to hide himselfe to suffer them to bee beaten with many rods â—yea he doth seeme to be grievously offended displeased with theÌ„ himselfe â—o correct chasten them with his owne hands And
in theÌ„selues in their own righteousnes reiected the righteousnes of God in Christ so caused theÌ„selues to be vtterly reiected of God Wherby it came to passe that the kingdome of God was taken froÌ„ them was translated vnto the Gentiles and the true worshippe and service of the onely true God vvas made common to all the nations of the whole earth But it did not with them neither continue pure and vncorrupte any longe time For the Church that vvas a chast virgine vvhiles the Apostles lived beganne shortely in many countries to play the adultresse and to defile her lelfe with spiritual whordomes and I dolatries The Apostle Saint Paule testified vnto the Elders of Ephesus that he knew ful well that after his departure there should enter in among them grievous woluet not sparing the Act 20. 29. 1. Ioh. 4. 1. flockâ— And Saint Iohn that lived longest of al the Apostles testifieth that even in his time manie false Prophets vvere gone out into the vvorlde and that the spirite of the greate Antichrist that was to come in the latter times vvas alreadie vvorking and laying of the foundation of the great apostasie from GOD and his truth and brevving the cuppe of that deadly poison vvherevvithall was to bee made drunken all the kingdomes of the vvorlde and practising those spirituall fornications and adulteries vvherevvithall the whole earth vvas to be defiled And vvhat vvere those spirituall fornications and adulteries but an Idolatrous worshipping of the creature in steede of the Creator a superstitious serving of the Saintes in place of the Saviour an vnchast vnshamefast embracing of the freindes of the bridegrome in steede of the faithful cleaving vnto the onely bridegrome himselfe And how was this brought to passe but whiles the world was taught that CHRIST the bridegrome of the Church was not the onely mediator and patrone of his people but the saintes also the friendes of the bridegrome that God had after a sorte passed away from himselfe his interest and right in the bestowing of his owne gracious giftes and blessinges and had delivered them over vnto his servantes to be in their handes and at their disposition had made some of them patrones over one countrie some over an other some over men of this calling and some over men over of that some over this kind of cattle and some over that some deliverers from this disease and some from that and some disposers of this blessing some of that And hereof it came to passe that so many devotions were done vnto the saintes and so fewe vnto Christ so many churches and relligious houses founded to the honour of the saintes and so fewe vnto Christ so much praying to the saintes and so little to God the very Ave-Maryes much exceeding the Pater-Nosters and yet great contentioÌ„ also to bestowe them too vpon the saints such gadding on pilgrimage to offer to the image of this saint and that saint and so little regarde of the sincere serving of God in spirit and truth which is no waies bettered by altering of places but by changing of our corrupt and sleshly affections such publishing of the fabulous legend of the saintes miracles and such debarring of the people from Gods owne booke where the glorie of Christ is most sett forth such buying of pardons wherein the merites of the saintes vvere sette out to sâ—le and such evacuating annihilating of the death of CHRIST whereby our salvation vvas onely vvrought such magnifying of the rules of their owne relligious orders and such a meane reckoning made of the Lavves of CHRIST These honours vvhich vvere given by the vvhore of Babilon to her louers vvere parte of those spirituall fornications and adulteries vvherevvithall shee did infecte all the nations of the earth and the greate giftes that vvere pretended to bee given by the saintes to such as did most devoutely honour them vvere the meanes to perswade them to this Idolatry even as the Gentiles and Iewes had in former ages beene drawen a longe into the like actions vppon the like motiues and perswasions Wherefore if wee desire to bee delivered from such a fall even from departing from God to followe after vanity yea from falling from his service into open and impious I dolatry let vs beware of this stumbling blocke which Satan casteth in our vvay to make vs fall vvhile hee parswadeth vs to begge for that blessing at the hande of any creature vvhich onely is in the gifte and disposition of the Creator and let vs acknowledge that GODS most large ample loue is the only ful fountaine of all good thinges whatsoever be the conduite to convey them vnto vs and that all this water that thus or thus serveth our vse springeth onely out of this fountaine and not out of the conduite and that the conduite it selfe is made by this founder and doth convery vnto vs such so much water as he himselfe doth dispose of to our benefite and good Neither must we onely acknowledge that God is the onely auctor disposer of his owne giftes but also that he bestoweth them all vpon vs most frankely and freely even of his owne meere mercy favour loue He did not predestinate vs to everlasting life nor bestowe vpon vs any other of his blessinges for that he foresawe that we would deserue the same For he did not foresee any thing that should proceede from our selues but a flatte conspiracy with sinne and Satan and an apostacy and a revolt from God all goodnes Whatsoever good thing he foresaw in vs he foreappointed both to begin the same by his ovvne grace and to continue it and to bring it to a good issue and end of his owne vndeserved favour and loue And nowe to come to the second poâ—nt All the gratious blessings The end of all Gods blessings is the manifestation of his loue of God are bestowed vpon the faithfull to this ende even that by them he might make declaration proofe of his loue giue them assurance of his fatherly affection towards them And verely as none among men bestoweth any gifte vpon another but that hee will at one time or other give him notice thereof neither vvill hee bestow it vppon such an one as knoweth not the vse thereof nor vnderstandeth it to bee a gifte least it bee takeÌ„ as a mockery or returned backe without acceptance much lesse doth God bestowe any of his gracious giftes vpon his servaunâ—es but that sooner oâ— later hee giveth them noâ—ice therof and shevveth them the vles of the same that so they may receiue benefite thereby sering otherwise they will doe them â—…is taken 〈◊〉 an vnâ—…ubted â—…ritie in â—…finite â—…aces of â—oly scripâ—…re that â—ods loue 〈◊〉 assuredly â—…owen to â—is owne â—eople â—…lt of theÌ„â—…specially 〈◊〉 those â—…essinges â—hich â—re most â—roper and â—eculiar â—nto them â—nd thereâ—pon are â—hey so ofâ—en and â—arnestly â—rged to â—hew themâ—elues thaÌ„kâ—ull and duetifull to
choice of him before all other to prefer him to bee our only God So the Prophet David foreseeing by the spirite that God woulde gather vnto him his elect and chosen out of all nations of the whole earth cryeth out vnto them and saith O bee ioyfull in the Lorde all yee lands serue the 〈◊〉 100. 1. Lord with gladnes and come before his presence with a song Be yee sure that the Lord he is God it is he that hath made vs and not we our selues we are his people and the sheepe of his pasture c. Be ye sure saith David build vpon this that God is the true God that he hath made vs and taken vs also to be his people and therefore he exhorteth againe and againe to reioice in the Lord to be thaÌ„kfull vnto him for his great goodnes So S. Peter yee are saith he to all the faithfull to whom he wrote a chosen generation a royall nation 1. Pet. 2. 9. and an holy people that yee shoulde shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknes into his marveilous light Likewise Saint Iohn Behold saith hee what loue the father hath shewed vs that vvee 1 Ioh. 3. 1. should be called the sonnes of God c. Why Hee that is but in a play to beare the person only of the sonne of an earthly king and that but for the space of two or three houres will in no wise then demeane himselfe like to a cullian A sonne saith Malachy honoureth his father and a servant his master If I then saith God himselfe Mala. 1. 6. vnto his people be your father where is my loue and if I be your master where is my feare Now every meane Logitian knoweth that a Inepta est probatio obscuri per aequè obscuruÌ„ multo magis per magis obscurum thing not knowne or but meanly appreheÌ„ded is to receiue light and confirmation not from an argument which is as obscure and doubtfull much lesse from that which is more doubtfull and obscure For how can that which is darke it selfe driue away darkenes or how can that which is doubtfull it selfe remoue doubtfulnes Wherefore in that the spirit of God doth exhort the faithful not to serue themselues but the Lorde for that â—hey are bought with a price and therfore are not their own but the Lords and to walke soberly because they are the children of the day and to do such things as accompany salvatioÌ„ for that they are ordained to salvation and to employ themselues not to base vses but to the most honourable service of the Lord because they are vessels of gold prepared to glory and so forth it followeth necessarily that it ought to bee vnto them as evident and as certaine at the least that they are not their own but are bought with a price that they are the children of the day that they are ordained to salvatioÌ„ that they are vessels of golde prepared to glory as that they should serue not themselues but the Lord that they should walk warily as in the day that they should do such things as accompany salvation that they should employ themselues not to base vses but to the honourable service of God And verely no other argumeÌ„t of it selfe alone is able to asswage the flames of selfe loue which are so great and to cause vs to deny our selues our friendes pleasures and commodities bee they they never so sweete and to make vs willingly to beare the disfavours of prince and people alians and allies and to vndergoe all manner of crosses and afflictions bee they never so burdensome and bitter but onely that invaluable loue of God manifested in that glorious worke of mans redemption and in the residue of his blessings of grace When the Apostles seemed to wordly wise men to be stark madd for that they so willingly submitted themselues to so many and great inconveniences that they might giue testimony to the Gospell of Christ the Apostle St. Paule setteth downe the cause that moued them ther vnto saying The loue of Christ constraineth vs because we thus iudge that if one bee deade â— Cor. 5. 14. Christes â—oue toâ—…ards his â—aithfull â—ervants â—elt in their harts not onely allureth but even compelleth theÌ„ most willingly to vndergoe all manner of burdens in his service for his glorie for al then we weâ—e al deade And he died for al that they which liue should not henceforth liue vnto themselues but vnto him that died for them and rose againe The loue of Christ then is the most forcible argument even to compell and constraine vs to do our duties to God be they never so contrary to our corrupt affections yea it maketh the yoke of Christ light easie to the spirit whâ—ch otherwise is so burdensome vnto the flesh And hence it is that those of the faithful which haue had greatest revelation of the grace of Christ and strongest assurance of his loue haue most of all died vnto themselues and liued vnto Christ and haue aboue all other denied their owne sweete selues and renounced their Jearest pleasures and commodities and haue with such a burning affection embraced their sweete Saviour and redeemer and so highly esteemed of his most precious blood that all other sweete things haue after a sort growen out of tast with them and all other precious thinges haue become of no price I am deade saith St. Paule to the lawe and am crucified with Christ I liue and yet Gal. 2. 19. not I nowe but Christ liveth in me and in that I liue nowe in the flesh I liue by he faith of the Sonne of God who hath loued mee and giuen himselfe for mee I see well saith Austine in an Epistle to Dardanus that thou doest esteeme little of mee although I make great account of thee and it is for that thou art young and I am olde thou vvise and I vndiscreete thou rich and I poore thou more vertuous then I am yet I will deny that thou hast a better God thâ—n I or a better law or a better redeemer thâ—… I for in the matter of redemption the Lord dealt so equally among all men that I vvill not acknovvledge any advantage in thee or anie superiority in mee O good Iesus saith hee O the redeemer of my soule vvherevvithall shall I requite thy clemencie or satisfie thy goodnesse for not shedding better bloode for all thine electe then thou diddest for my sinnes alone Novve vvhat caused this man of GOD thus to humble and debase himselfe in respecte of himselfe and thus to advaunce himselfe in respect of GOD and to cry out that he knew not how to be sufficiently thankfull vnto his gracious redeemer but a greater revelation of the grace of CHRIST and a stronger assurance of his loue then ordinarily is graunted to the coÌ„mon sort of the faithfull The which thinges also stirred vp the like passions in Cyrill and Bernard and