Cyprian to which S. Augustine Absit autem ut sanctum Cyprianum aut avarum existimemus fuisse quia cum avaritia aut impudicum quia cum impudicitia aut irae subditum quia cum ira c. confligebat God forbid we should think S. Cyprian covetous because he strove with covetousnesse or unchaste because with unchastitie or subjected to anger ambition carnall delights worldly vanities lust pride and the like because he was therewith hourely molested Imò verò ideo nihil corum erat quia his malis motibus partim de origine partim de consuetudine venientibus fortiter resistebat non acquiescens esse quod eum esse cogebant Yea verily saith he he was none of these because he valiantly resisted these evil motions partly arising from nature partly from custome not yeelding to that they would have compelled him Furthermore if it had been possible for Adam in his puritie to have had these sudden ictus or blows of concupiscence in his soul yet had he not consented without question he should never have been turned out of paradise for not to consent to evil suggestions is so farre from the least demerit that by this means rather merit is highly increased for Ubi maxima pugna ibi maxima est victoria Lastly it may be objected that the very best works of the saints are unclean impure menstruous and mortall sinnes therefore it is impossible for any man to keep the law I answer They that say so cannot in my judgement be excused from extream blasphemie yet seeing it is out of ignorance they may happily obtain pardon as the Jews did that crucified our Saviour as S. Peter told them Can the works and fruits of the holy Ghost be impure Hath Christ purchased to himself nought but a filthy and impure generation which can do nothing but sinne and that mortally How can this but derogate from the grace and wisdome of God from grace in that it cannot purifie the heart from filthines from his wisdome and justice to reward menstruous rags for so they term them with heaven Can he reward sinnes how then shall he judge the world secundum judicium veritatem Now the least addition of evil we know in a good act makes it sinfull because bonum est ex integra causa malum ex quolibet defectu Seventhly King James upon the Lords prayer affirmeth it to be blasphemie to say that any of Christs precepts are impossible because this is to give him the lie who out of his own mouth told us that his yoke is easie and his burden light And his inward disciple S. John saith His commandments are not grievous From whence S. Basil the great averreth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Impious it is to say the precepts of Gods Spirit are impossible S. Augustine likewise thus Nunquam imperaret hoc Deus ut faceremus si impossibile judicaret ut hoc ab homine fieret Si considerans infirmitatem tuam deficis sub praecepto confortare exemplo utpote adest ille qui praebuit exemplum ut praebeat auxilium God would never command us to do this thing if he judged it impossible to be done of man If thou therefore considering thine infirmitie faintest under the precept be comforted by example for he that gave his example is at hand that he may also afford his aid Moreover this holy father abhorreth this doctrine as accursed in the hereticks of his time Execramur eorum blasphemiam qui dicunt impossibile aliquid homini à Deo esse praeceptum Dei mandata non à singulis sed ab omnibus in communi posse servari We detest their blasphemie that affirm God commanded any thing impossible to man and that Gods commandments cannot be kept of any man in particular but of all men taken together which erroneous doctrine is there much faulted Farre be it therefore from us to attribute that impietie to our heavenly Father which we cannot justifie to be in a tyrant or cruell governour Secondly in this doctrine of impossibilitie all exhortations to vertue and comminations against vice must needs be overthrown Cùm nemo ad impossibilia teneatur as the lawgivers have exprest it Thirdly if Gods law must be broken of us necessarily how shall God come to judge the world in righteousnesse and the people with his truth as holy David saith Psalme 96. 13. But this blessed Patriarch was doubtlesse of another minde when he said I will runne the way of thy commandments when thou hast set my heart at libertie I love them above gold and precious stones yea all the day long is my delight in them c. How then can these precepts be insupportable which are so easie lovely and delightfull And although as S. Augustine truely lex jubere novit cui succumbit infirmitas gratia tamen juvare quâ infunditur charitas For the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart good conscience and faith unfeigned And thus S. Leo is most true Justè instat praecepto qui praecurrit auxilio He may command what he will that makes man able to obey and not by enforcing the will but by infusing grace aids and elevates its actions to a higher end So where nature cometh short there grace supplies the defect Gods enemies and the unregenerate cannot possibly fulfill the law because S. Paul saith The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned But Gods sonnes and servants are able not onely to discern and know them but also to observe and fulfill them because S. John saith Whosoever is born of God sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him neither can he sinne because he is born of God Again Love cometh of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God This is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous or heavie To the unregenerate they are very heavy and grievous unsupportable but to sonnes and friends they are easie and light because Gods Spirit comes in to their aid Wherefore get to be friends with God and then you cannot stand out for any aid obtain to be his not in name but in deed and then you shall want nothing that is good O that the world knew how good and rich God is then every one would strive to be toward him for all things work together for the best to them that love him Again in the regenerate there are two men the old and the new the flesh and the spirit According to this we affirm that the old man cannot fulfill Gods law because S. Paul saith I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Again I see another law in my members warring against the law of my minde and leading me
father and mother and cleave to his wife and they twain shall be one flesh So they that have charitie will leave all things to cleave to God to be one spirit with him Yea so fast doth charitie glue the good soul to God as the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expresseth that it will die before it leave him as is to be seen in all the holy Martyrs Nothing may quench this fire as Solomon singeth Set me as a seal upon thy heart and as a signet upon thy arm for love is strong as death jealousie is cruell as the grave the coals thereof are fiery coals yea a vehement flame Much water cannot quench love neither can the flouds drown it if a man would give all the substance of his house for love they would greatly contemne it For what is that which makes all the marriages in the world is it not love if they did not love one another they would never come together Now this charitie is nothing else but divine love and this makes God and man one spirit as naturall love and marriage makes man and wife one flesh and it is called Charity to distinguish it from naturall love for that it is the most deare and precious love in regard it is between God and mans spirit Again that must be the most excellent vertue which makes man most like to God but there is nothing that makes man more like to God then charitie because S. John saith God is charitie therefore they that have charitie must needs be most like him It is the holy Ghosts child as I may say sanctifying the soul. It is no where said that God is faith or God is knowledge for then the devils should be more like to God then man because they know more and beleeve more then any man but he is called in scripture onely charitie in regard of goodnesse and sanctitie for that all goodnesse of sanctification proceeds from charitie So God loved the world saith our Lord in John 3. 16. that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Now as all good of sanctitie comes from Gods love to man so from mans charitie comes all the like goodnesse toward God and our neighbour Light comes from faith and understanding from knowledge but goodnesse and sanctitie come onely from charitie And if God be charitie then what interest have they to God and his kingdome who live continually in malice and quarrels Moreover Charitie is called of Divines the universall grace because S. Paul Colos. 3. 14. calleth it the bond of perfection Above all these things put on charitie which is the bond of perfectnesse He saith above all because this is the best of all and he calleth it the bond of perfectnesse first because it tieth man to God in the heart who is perfectnesse it self and next because it tieth all vertues together as we are taught in the Collect of Quinquagesima Hast thou charitie then canst thou want no vertue because all are bound up in it There is justice there is mercy there is liberalitie there is fidelitie there is the highest there is the lowest there is magnanimitie there is humilitie charitie bindes all together in one man Then get charitie and thou needest not run from parish to parish to get understanding because it dwells in charitie According to this S. Austine saith Scriptura nihil praecipit nisi charitatem nihil culpat nisi cupiditatem The scripture commandeth nothing but charitie and blameth nothing but concupiscence Now what charitie is the Father in that place thus defineth Charitatem voco motum animi ad fruendum Deo propter ipsum se atque proximo propter Deum I call charitie saith he a motion of the minde to the fruition of God for himself and of himself and his neighbour for God Lastly there is yet another title of eâ—cellencie belonging to charitie and this is Queen of vertues because it commandeth and governeth them all to right ends For say I had all knowledge and could confute all men and say I had all eloquence that I could with Orpheus move the stonie heart say I had all patience and could give my body to be burned and say I had all faith that I could remove mountains yet if I did not know to Godward speak to Godward suffer to Godward and beleeve to Godward and so of all other vertues all this would do me no good Why because the Queen of vertues Charitie which should bend and order all these to Godward is wanting For every action as the learned know proceeds from election election is in the will and the principall power of the will is love and charitie therefore look which way that goeth that way go all thy actions of heart and minde If thy love be naturall then it orders and carries all thy actions to a naturall end and that leadeth to hell but if thy love be divine and spirituall which my Text calleth Charitie then that like a Queen regulates all thy actions to a supernaturall end which is to serve God and to gain his kingdome And the more good actions thou dost in this kinde the more thou edifiest as my Text saith Knowledge puffeth up but Charitie edifieth that is to say Charitie buildeth As the carpenter and mason build with wood and stone so charitie buildeth with good and godly actions Faith is often idle knowledge sleepie and hope is drousie but charitie is alwayes working because it is the hearts pulse to God-ward As the pulse never leaves beating so charitie never leaves working and the more it worketh the greater is the edifying Little charitie makes a little Christian and great charitie makes a great Christian and perfect charitie makes a perfect Christian. The main Tenet of the scripture is that God will reward every man according to his works Therefore the more good works a Christian doth in the kingdome of grace the greater shall be his crown in the kingdome of glorie For as S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 15. 41 42. As one starre differeth from another in glory so is the resurrection of the dead the body with the more good works it riseth the more it shall shine in heavens glory In my Fathers house are many mansions saith our Saviour John 14. 2. Every man here strives to have the fairest house if he be a man of worth Then if thou desirest one of the better mansions in the kingdome of glorie thou must build for it here in the kingdome of grace The more good works thou preparest here the larger shall be thy house there the holier works the higher habitation in heavens majestie Wherefore brethren be never weary of well doing but as S. Paul exhorteth 1. Cor. 15. 58. be abundant alwayes in the work of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. There is nothing lost but all gotten by good life and good
veniunt qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lectores habeat judicio graves Non praejudicii quos malesana mens Raptos turbine latura per invias Ignotas aliis sibi sit vias Non hîc quae metuat saxa Capharea Erroris scopuli per mare turbidum Incertis animi fluctibus appetens Coelestem trepidus navita patriam Hîc sincera Patrum dogmata veritas Non fucata suis nuda coloribus Hîc Templi decor hîc unica numine Summo relligio digna per improbam Gentis sacrilegae saepius ô scelus Subnervata fidem Non neglecta Fides spreta Scientia Spes calcata trias nobilis inclyta Quin hîc ut decuit regia Charitas Primas obtinuit Caetera non loquar Quae fundata sacris omnia literis Sustentata Patrum munific â manu Felici liber hic praebeat alite Rich. Watson Caio-Gon Ad eos qui Authorem pro novatore sunt habituri NOn nova fert veterum satur at provectior annis Scit veterum facies queis fuit esse nova Idem De conjunctione amoris fidei in Tractatu de charitate piè vindicata QUae bis quina fuêre priùs praecepta feruntur Ad duo lex jubet haec haec facit unus amor Quin ergò quid summa fides cluet una triumphat Servit amor fidei nec comes esse queat Justificat beat una fides facit omnia quid non Credam ego factura haec si siet una fides At fidei nisi juncta foret dilectio fallor Aut haec vana foret si foret ulla fides Quae dum dissociant alii Shelforde beato En tuus in patriam foedere junxit amor In patriam dixi felix Ecclesia nexu Hoc quae per duo sic juncta fit una simul Idem ¶ To the Authour concerning his learned and pious Treatise of Gods house RIch soul and blest for so I dare go on To voice that man whose life 's religion Who fears not to be good gives God his due In this our age and in the Temple too Who scorns these lothsome times and dares learn us To be lesse bold lesse superstitious Not to make God a man joyn heav'n with earth Use him familiarly who gave us birth Nor man a God by following praising such Who neither pray nor preach yet teach they much Lord when I view our Temples which now be Ruin'd by time beauties worst enemie Or rather by neglect crumbling to dust Can I perswade my self or may I trust Those ancient Fathers those pure Saints should then Fables or fruitlesse stories write ev'n when They praise yea blesse their founders and condemne Their puft up Catharists those chair-preaching men Can I conceive S. Pauls expression weak Not like himself when thus I heare him speak Ye are Gods Temples Did th' Apostle mean Our clay-like houses should be kept unclean All cobwebd o're with vices that a lust Should there inhabit and that it should rust The Berill Jasper Amethyst those three Celestiall graces Faith Hope Charitie Or when the Priest the soul must sacrifice A comely Altar should he then despise A pure well furnisht heart must not the place Be hung with well knit vertues where blest grace Resides Yes sure and he whoe're hath done The contrary dilapidation Of that Temple shall to his charge be laid Because his body Gods house thus decayd Now as these walking churches must be drest And purg'd from filth by all as well as Priest So must the other that 's Gods Temple too Though made with hands which carelesly if thou Profane demolish or perhaps abridge That of its honour 't is proud sacriledge Reader no more That God may have his due Turn o're this book and it will teach thee how E. Gower Coll. Jesu Soc. Raptim De hoc opere verè Orthodoxo in Novatores DOgmata qui fingunt novitatis rara supremae Quà m facili applausu nullóque examine cudunt Quin si fortè Patrum sancita ad prela propinquant Dente Theonino lacerant probrisque lacessunt Rodere sic solitus maledictis Zoile castum Relligionis opus calcans mysteria coeli Antiquanda doces veterum monumenta cremanda Tu Shelforde tuum noli curare libellum Novimus hoc omnes te posse problemata sacra Edere non virus malesanae effundere linguae Hinc mea si tantum possint mandata valere I liber invidiâ major victórque triumpha Intimi amoris ergô exoptat R. LONDON A SERMON Shevving How we ought to behave our selves in Gods house PSALME 93. 6. Holinesse becometh thy house O LORD for ever OUt of this Text I must undertake three great tasks The first to shew what Gods house is because this is the subject of my Text. The second to shew what God is because he is the owner of it The third to shew what is that holinesse and behaviour which becometh this house and the owner For the first I must follow holy Scripture in describing of it Gods house began with an Altar as all creatures arise from small seeds built in the place where God appeared to Abraham the father of the faithfull Gen. 12. 7. And the Lord appeared to Abraham and said Unto thy seed will I give this land and there builded he an Altar unto the Lord who appeared unto him In the eighth verse following it is said that he built another and called upon the name of the Lord. With this consent were our churches built where God appeareth to us by his word read and preached Secondly by the Sacrament of the Altar as it is called by the fathers and styled so in our own statute laws in which the sacrifice of our Lord Christ is remembred and represented unto his Father Thirdly by promise of salvation and the kingdome of heaven And lastly by prayer in which God is called on according to that of Isaiah 56. 7. My house shall be called the house of prayer From hence appeareth that the Altar is the principall part of Gods house as being the cause and originall of all the rest Secondly Gods house is described in Gen. 28. by a stone of which in the plurall number an house is made and by a ladder whose top reached up to heaven as Jacob upon the stone dreamed the angels went up and down by it and from thence the Lord spake to Jacob and when Jacob awoke he said This is none other but the house of God and this is the gate of heaven From whence we are taught that seeing Gods house is both Scala coeli and Janua coeli The ladder of heaven and the gate of heaven and that the angels use it therefore we also should use and respect it as the ordinarie and beaten way to that blessed place Thirdly as Gods house is here described by a dream so in Exod. 3. it is described by a vision the second mean of Gods appearing to the holy nation according to that of Joel Your old
toward the more usuall and speciall place of his residence or resemblance which is the high Altar or the Lords table usually standing at the east end of Gods house Idque propter Christū qui est lux mundi ORIENS nominatur Zach. 6. 12. ab oriente etiam expectatur venturus SICUT FUL GUR EXIT AB ORIENTE ITA ERITET ADVENTUS FILII HOMINIS And this duty of bowing the knee when we first come before them that are great is so ancient and frequent that when we come before a noble man or man of worship before we speak a word we begin with bowing our knee to him Shall we give this reverence to man and neglect our Maker when we come before him Let us see holy presidents for this duty in Gods book Psal. 99. 5. Exalt ye the Lord our God and worship at his footstool for he is holy The Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth to bowe and by his footstool is meant his Ark which was his seat In the 12. of Exodus we reade that when Moses had told the children of Israel of the great benefit of the passeover the text saith Then the people bowed themselves and worshipped and in Isa. 45. and Rom. 14. we have a charge of this duty upon Gods oath I have sworn by my self the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse and shall not return that every knee shall bowe unto me and no time fitter then when first we come before his presence or depart from his house And this duty was practised in the new Testament by S. Paul Ephes. 3. 14. For this cause I bowe my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. But many of our people come to Gods house as the horse goes into the stable without any reverence at all Yet anciently hath this duty been practised especially among women and at this day before they enter their pews some make their courtesy in the alley but it is with their faces either toward their masters and mistresses or toward some of their betters in the parish Now good men and women understand your duty You come not hither to serve men but God therefore the first reverence that you make because the house is Gods and not mans direct your aspect to Gods table which S. Paul calls the Lords Altar saying We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle This is the great signe of Gods residence in this holy place as the Ark was the signe of his presence in his tabernacle here the great sacrifice of Christs death for our salvation is in remembrance represented to God the Father and can we remember so great a benefit and not reverence the Father Sonne and holy Ghost for it I do not exhort you to give divine worship to Gods table but to worship God toward it For Gods Altar is not terminativum cultûs but motivum only as Daniel being in captivity turned his face toward Jerusalem when he prayed but prayed not to it Thus if we come before God in his house with due reverence then will he hold out his golden scepter of grace to us as the great king Ahasuerus held out his to Qu. Esther But if we slight God in his own palace and he hold out his iron scepter to us then let us be wise and learned Let us learn of our mother churches for there our reverend fathers the prelates and others make their reverence to God on this wise both at their entry and return Wherefore to follow their good and holy pattern we also are to do the like both at our first coming into Gods house and at our going out And this will I confirm to you out of Gods word The first is taught in Psalm 132. 7. We will enter into his tabernacle we will worship at his footstool The second is expressed in the second of Chron. where is shewed that when the sacrifice was ended the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves and worshipped And thus Elkanah came yearely both to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord in Shiloh upon which place saith Mendoza Mysterio non vacat quòd priùs adorârit postea sacrificârit ut quanta cum reverentia sacrificandum sit significetur It wanted not mysterie that he first worshipped and then sacrificed to signifie with how great reverence he did it S. Gregorie likewise hath it Adorans immolat quia quò humiliùs divinâ veneratione prosternitur eò summo claritatis illius blandimento suaviùs refovetur He worshipping sacrificed for by how much the more humble he was in divine veneration prostrate so much the sweetlier he was comforted with the pleasantnesse of his highest excellencie But what is the fashion of the vulgar as they come in with rudenesse so they run out like sheep at a gap except a few of our women and maids which to this day retain some remnant of this laudable duty Did we know what God is what we have had from him and what we are to have we would kisse the ground for his sake where he is and think nothing enough for his honour After our bowing to God followeth our falling on our knees in prayer For seeing Gods house is principally for prayer therefore next after our holy salutation it is fit to fall down unto him in our places and humble our selves more low in regard of the benefit we begge of him And thus did the man to Jesus in S. Matthew There came to him a certain man and fell down at his feet and said Master have pitie on my sonne for he is lunatick and sore vexed In S. Mark another came and kneeled to him and asked him Good master what shall I do that I may inherit eternall life This question deserved a double fee. Thus Peter kneeled down and prayed when he raised Tabitha to life and thus the disciples with their wives and children kneeled down and prayed on the shore before they took their leave of Paul when he departed from them And so frequent was this manner of praying in the primitive Church that Eusebius reporteth of S. James That his knees were benummed and like camels knees by reason of his often and much kneeling to God in supplication from which his singular sanctity he was called IUST The fifth office is To rise up from our seats when the Articles of our faith are read and this we are to do First by way of reverence because the Creed is the summe of Christs Gospel Secondly as when we ask God pardon for our sinnes past or beseech his heavenly Majestie for blessings needfull to sustain us in all reason our behaviour should be with all humilitie on our knees so in the profession of our faith our gesture of standing which argues constancie in our hearts best becomes us at that time to testifie before God and the
of works As the bodie without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also for where no works are there is no charitie and where no charitie is there faith and works and all is dead Therefore the Apostle saith Though I feed the poore with all my goods and have not charitie it profiteth me nothing Why because without charitie works are dead as well as faith and knowledge and other graces And where there is charitie that is to say a divine love to God and all goodnesse there all things are alive and every grace working to salvation Faith beleeveth to salvation hope hopeth to salvation knowledge knoweth to salvation all work by charities spirit Hence the School calleth charitie the form of vertues But you may say How prove you that divine love and charitie is the spirit that giveth life and motion to all other graces Thus because faith which is the first grace worketh by it Gal. 5. 6. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by charitie Then as all the members of the bodie work by the power of the soul so faith and other graces in the spirituall body work by the power of charitie First because charitie is the impulse of the Christian soul. Neither can you with reason say that because faith is the first grace in spiritualitie therefore all animation and motion proceedeth from it because in generation the matter goeth before the form and in the body of man there is vegetation and animalitie common to other creatures before the reasonable soul come which is the sole beginning of actions reasonable Secondly I prove this because where is no charitie there all is dead as S. John sheweth He that loveth not his brother abideth in death Again We know that we are translated from death to life because we love the brethren Where love is there is life and where no love is there is no life Thirdly I prove this because God is our life but God is charitie as Saint John sheweth God is charitie and he that remaineth in charitie remaineth in God and God in him If God be charitie then charitie in the Christian must needs be his life because our charitie floweth from his charitie Fourthly I shew that charitie is the life of all vertues and graces because it is the root of the spirituall tree within us as S. Paul teacheth Ephes. 3. 17 18 19. That ye being rooted and grounded in charity may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye may be filled with all the fulnesse of God Here ye see charitie to be the root therefore so long as the root lasteth no vertue or grace can wither in us but if the root die all die All comes from the root the leaves the blossoms the fruit If there be either ornament of vertue or fruit of grace in us all comes from the root of charitie Yea the life of vertue not onely comes from this root but there it is kept and preserved too for when winter and cold storms come then the sappe for shelter runnes down to the root and there it is preserved till the next spring so again when the winter of Gods wrath and storms of persecution assault the profession of the Gospel then by and by we retire to the root of charitie and there is our profession preserved till the storm be over Thus Peter denied his Master thrice when he was going to his death yet because he still loved his Master therefore his life remained in him in the time of persecution it lay hid in the root of charitie The Apostle goeth forward That ye may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the length and breadth and height and depth Charity breaks forth into all the dimensions of spirituall growth The prophet Isaiah rather then he would forsake his God was sawn asunder in the midst others were racked and would not be delivered they would not be delivered but held out to the death The blessed Marie Magdalene washt our Saviours feet with her tears and wiped them drie again with the hairs of her head Oh blessed charitie If thou hast this root in thee thou also shalt comprehend this breadth and length height and depth and thou shalt with these holy Saints say If I had been in their coats or had their occasions I would have done as they did This is that love of Christ which passeth knowledge and this is the fulnesse of God To proceed Charitie is the most excellent grace because it is the divine seed of a Christian by which we are born of God and freed from mortall sinne 1. John 3. 9. Whosoever is born of God sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him This seed S. Hierome in his 2 book against Jovinian and S. Austine in his 5 tract upon 1. John calleth charitie for in it is contained the beginning of our conversion to God which is a holy desire For no man desireth any thing untill he loves it but when he loves it then he desires it when he desires it then he seeks it after he hath sought it then he findes it according to that in the Gospel Seek and ye shall finde knock and it shall be opened and when a man hath found because he loves it entirely he will so cleave to it that he will not be removed from it So is it between the regenerate heart and God When God hath given a man a heart to love him then he beginnes to desire him when he desires him then he seeks him then he knocks at heaven gates by prayer and will not away till God open to him because his seed remaineth in him And after he hath found him then he so cleaves to him by hope and hangs so fast upon him that he will die before he leave him because faith hath perswaded him that God is his maker and redeemer and that he is moreover a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. And how will he reward him not with gold and silver which are corruptible but with life everlasting and the joyes of heaven Oh here is enough we will seek no further Thus you see how love and charitie sets the soul to desire and seek God above all things and so charitie is the beginning of our conversion and after it hath begun it will never cease seeking untill it hath found and obtained Were a man by faith perswaded that God is the authour of all happinesse and that all the goods in heaven and earth lay in him treasured up yet if he should love the goods of the world more then God then he would never set his heart to seek and desire him But when faith hath enlightned the minde to know God then if the love of the heart will forsake the world and things
worldly and seek him who is supernaturall happinesse then is conversion wrought and not before Faith converts the minde to God but it is love and charitie that converts the heart and will to God which is the greatest and last conversion because we never seek any thing untill we desire it Our conversion therefore is begun in the minde by faith but this conversion is but half a conversion yea it is no conversion of the whole man except the love of the heart where lieth the greatest apprehension do second and follow it We see salvation by faith but we never obtain it untill we desire and seek it by charities desire Wherefore I conclude that for so much as charitie is the nearest and immediate cause of our conversion of our seeking and finding God therefore this is the most precious grace of God for our good and is the greatest mean and instrument of our justification because justification and conversion to God is all one for God is our righteousnesse but the greatest mean of our apprehending of him is by charitie which layes hold of him in the will and reasonable affection therefore this must be the greatest mean of our justification signified by the Apostle where he speaks of the severall means Now abideth faith hope and charitie but the greatest of these is charity Which demonstration he that preferreth faith before charitie would elude by urging this absurd consequence Ergò rex meliùs terram arabit quà m agricola meliùs calceum faciet quà m sutor quia nobilior est utroque Ergò homo celeriùs curret quà m equus plus oneris portabit quà m elephas quia dignitate superat Ergò angeli meliùs terram illuminabunt quà m sol luna quia praestantiores Then saith he the king should plough better then the husbandman should make shoes better then the shoemaker because he is more noble then them both Then a man should run swifter then a horse should carry a greater burden then an elephant because he excells them in dignitie Then angels should illuminate the earth better then the sunne and moon because they are more excellent But this is nothing but a running from the state of the question because every thing that is greatest and best to his proper object and in proper comparison is not greatest and best to every object and in every comparison But the Apostle here compareth charitie with justifying faith and hope absolutely and in the most excellent way as appeareth in the 31 verse of the 12 chapter beforegoing and it is manifest that the most excellent way is the way of our justification and conversion to God and here he affirmeth this to be the greatest and chiefest and therefore absolutely so it is Again he preferreth faith before charitie because faith is the cause of charitie If he could shew faith to be the efficient cause of it he should say something but when he can prove it to be no more but the disposing and instrumentall cause then by the same argument the ax should be greater and better then the house because it is an instrument used in the preparing of it which argument is absurd But to prove the truth for this noble vertue which none shall be able to overturn because it is founded upon the rock of Gods word I have these arguments 1. God justifieth Rom. 8. 33. God is charitie John 4. 8. Therefore charitie justifieth 2. The fulnesse of God in man is that which justifieth him Charitie is the fulnesse of God in man Ephes. 3. 19. Therefore charitie justifieth him 3. The fulfilling of the law justifieth Rom. 10. 4. Charitie is the fulfilling of the law Rom. 13. 10. Therefore charitie justifieth In the assumption let not the reader understand the power of nature or naturall love but charitie the principall grace of Christ united to faith and hope In the preferring of this vertue S. Gregorie in his 38 homilie upon the Gospel calleth charitie the wedding garment which he that wanted at the great marriage was thrown into utter darknesse His words are these Quid debemus intelligere nuptialem vestem nisi charitatem Intrat enim ad nuptias sed cum nuptiali veste non intrat qui in sancta Ecclesia assistens fidem habet sed charitatem non habet What are we to understand by the wedding garment but charitie For he goeth in to the wedding but not with the wedding garment who being in the holy Church hath faith but hath not charitie He addeth further to this purpose Omnis ergò vestrûm qui in Ecclesia positus Deo credidit jam ad nuptias intravit sed cum nuptiali veste non venit si charitatis gratiam non custodit Therefore every one of you which being placed in the Church hath beleeved in God hath alreadie entred into the marriage but he cometh not with the wedding garment if he doth not preserve the grace of charitie There are many which come into Gods house which is his Church because they have faith to beleeve for this is that which first brings a man to God according to that Heb. 11. 6. He that cometh to God must beleeve that God is yet though they be in Gods house and at his Sonnes wedding for a time when he comes to lift up their heads in his house as it is said Gen. 40. that is to reckon with them they must be thrown out again because as S. Augustine saith Expos. in Epist. Joh. Tract 5. Dilectio sola discernit inter filios Dei filios diaboli Signent se omnes signo crucis Christi respondeant omnes Amen cantent omnes Alleluia baptizentur omnes intrent omnes ecclesias faciant parietes basilicarum non discernuntur filii Dei à filiis diaboli nisi in charitate Onely charitie maketh a difference between the sonnes of God and the sonnes of the devil Let all signe themselves with the signe of Christs crosse let all answer Amen let all sing Alleluia let all be baptized let all go to church let all build churches the sonnes of God are not distinguished from the sonnes of the devil but by charitie They are none of Gods sonnes because they want charitie the robe of Christs righteousnesse and therefore they have no right to the place Further that must be the most excellent grace which joyneth the soul to God but this doth charitie because the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 6. 17. He that cleaveth to the Lord as S. Hierome translateth or he that is joyned to the Lord as our translation hath it which in meaning is all one is one spirit But charitie above all vertues causeth a man to cleave to God because as S. Bernard saith by charitie the soul is as it were married to God and in marriage a man forsakes all other to cleave to his wife and the wife forsakes all other to cleave to her husband according to that rule for marriage in Gen. 2. 24. Therefore shall a man leave