only but rather for all the men of the world for where it is said God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life if wee should say that by the world here is vnderstood the elect the whole sentence of Christ would proue to be full of absurdities For that were a strange saying God so loued the elect that he gaue his only begotten Sonne that whosoeuer of the elect should beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And therfore it must be vnderstood of all men in generall that God gaue his Sonne for them all that whosoeuer of them all should beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And so Prosper Fulgentius and diuers others after S. Augustine doe auerre that God gaue his Sonne to die pro toto genere humano for all mankinde and that Christ offered himselfe a sacrifice for the sinnes of the whole world and therefore commandeth vs to preach the Gospell of faith and repentance vnto Matth. 28. vlt. all men And so the Apostle sheweth that some shall denie the Lord that bought 2 Pet. 2. them And S. Paul biddeth vs not to Rom. 14. 15. destroy him with our meat for whom Christ died and in many other places it appeares most manifestly that God gaue his Sonne to die for all men Heb. 10. 29. Why Christ died for all men And the reason hereof may be said to be two-fold 1. That all men might haue a remedie and a Sauiour if they themselues would receiue grace and lay hold on the same 2. That God might be iustified in his saying and cleere when they are iudged which otherwise could not be For how could he lay it as a sinne vnto their charge to refuse the grace of Christ if Christ were neuer sent nor intended to be sent for them and therefore God sent his Sonne to die for all that all might be saued if they should receiue him or be iustly condemned if they did neglect him for seeing God gaue the meanes to helpe them and they neglected this meanes then are they without excuse they haue not a word to speake But against this it is obiected that Obiect he came to giue his life a ransome for manie Mat. 20. 28. Matt. 20. 28. Esay 53. 11. therefore not for all for his sheepe Ioh. 10. 15. therefore not for the goats for his friends Ioh. 15. 14. for his Church Eph. 5. 25. for them that beleeue Rom. 3. 22. and for them that obey Heb. 5. 9. therefore not for his foes not for alients not for infidels not for the disobedient and such like I answer that for the vnderstanding of these and all such like places we must remember that the intention and purpose of God in sending his Sonne into the world is two-fold 1. Generall that all men might haue a sufficient remedie giuen and offered vnto them to saue them if they accepted the remedie or to make them without excuse if they refused or neglected the same 2. Speciall that seeing God did foresee the maliciousnesse of man would not of it selfe regard it by the assistance of his more especiall grace working in the hearts of his chosen they should yeeld to accept and apply the grace of Christ for their saluation And so God gaue his Sonne to die for all but not with a purpose to worke the application of his death in all for the saluation of all but only as I said before to shew his loue in giuing him and to make them without excuse for neglecting him And hee gaue him for his sheepe for his friends c. with a speciall intent to help their imbecillitie to worke grace in their hearts to make them to lay hold and apply the benefits of his death for their eternall saluation And now by this one distinction I may easily answer to all obiections for 1. In that they say for whom Christ died for them he intercedeth and prayeth and for whom he prayeth not for them he died not for none would offer the sacrifice of his bodie for them for whom he would not offer the sacrifice of his lips but for the wicked and reprobates he prayeth not I pray not for the world Ioh. 17. 9. therefore for the wicked reprobates he died not I answer that for whom hee died with a speciall intent to worke the effectuall application of his death thereby to saue them for them he prayed that so his death might be effectuall for them econtra for whom he prayed not I confesse he died not with an intent to worke the effectuall application of his death thereby to saue them but only to procure them a sufficient remedie to be saued if they would thereby to shew his loue in giuing this remedie and to make them without excuse for neglecting the same 2. In that they say Christ died for those only in whom he hath attained the end of his death for that whatsoeuer attaineth not vnto his end is done in vaine and argueth want of wisdome or power in the agent But the end of Christ his death i. saluation is attained vnto only in the elect Matth. 16. 16. Ioh. 3. 36. and therefore his death was only for the elect I answer to the minor proposition that the end of Christs death is two-fold 1. The saluation of the elect by applying his death vnto them through the speciall working of his grace 2. The manifesting of his loue and making the wicked without excuse for not receiuing his grace he only dying for these and not working in them the speciall application of his death And so the end of Christs death is indeed attained vnto both in the elect and in the reprobate 3. In that they say For whom Christ died for them he made full satisfaction for their sinnes as the Apostle sheweth in whom we haue redemption Ephes 1. 7. through his bloud the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to the riches of his grace but Christ made not any satisfaction Coloss 1. 14. for the sinnes of the reprobate for if he had then God in iustice could not punish them for those sinnes for which Christ had fully satisfied therefore it cannot be that Christ died for the reprobates I answer that Christ made sufficient The wicked condemned for not applying the merits of Christ satisfaction for the sinnes of the reprobates and yet God in iustice may punish them for want of application of the merits of Christ for as the patient may well perish though the physicke be made for him if he doth not receiue apply the same vnto himselfe as S. Augustine sheweth that we were all sicke of sinne and the heauenly Physitian descended vnto vs and brought vs heauenly physicke imo pharmaca benedicta euen most blessed medicines yet merito perijt aegrotus the sicke man may well perish if he doth not receiue and apply this heauenly physicke
c. 1. ◠3 therefore the Apostle wisheth grace to release vs from sinne and peace to quiet our conscience and because there can bee no peace with God except wee haue the grace of Christ therefore first and chiefly he desireth grace and then peace Now touching grace I will onely obserue these 4. points viz. The 1. Acceptation 2. Diuision 3. Necessity 4. Certainty of God 1. To omit all acceptations of small purpose to know set downe by Bellarmine Bel. l. de grat lib. arbit Tho. 1. 2 a. q. 110. ar 1. Grace is diuersly taken and Aquinas and others I say grace is taken two wayes 1. For the free fauour of God whereby hee pardoneth our sinnes and receiueth vs into his grace and so it is vnderstood in Gen. 6. 2. that Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord and so in Luk. 1. 30. that Mary found grace with God and in this sense wee are said to bee iustified by grace for that nihil boni Aug in Ps 31. fecisti datur tibi remissio peccatorum thou hast done no good and yet thy sinnes are forgiuen thee and so Fulgentius saith God giueth grace freely Fulgent l. 1. ad Monimum to the vnworthy for his iustification datur ex prima gratia non solum iustificatis vita beata sed etiam glorificatis vita aeterna So that all our happines iustification and glorification doe proceed onely from this first grace that is the free loue and fauour of Almighty God 2. It is taken for all those gifts that are giuen vnto vs by grace whether they pertaine to saluation as faith hope and charity or onely for the edification 1 Cor. 13. of others as the gift of tongues of miracles of healing and such like and so it is taken in Acts 11. 23. 2. Cor. 6. Ephes 4. 7. And in this sense doe almost all the Schoolemen expound the word grace wheresoeuer they finde it which made them ascribe our iustification to these gifts of grace and not to the free fauour of God from whence proceede all those gifts and graces We say these gifts are means whereby wee are brought to eternall life but that by them wee are iustified or made worthy of eternall life we vtterly denie That wee are iustified only by the free loue fauour of God For the Apostle after hee had proued all to be sinners hee addeth as many as are iustified are iustified freely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through his grace by the redemption which is in Christ Iesus where by the name of grace is vnderstood the free fauour of God without any our dignities either naturall or supernaturall For the word iustified hee opposeth to the two former things that hee had proued 1. That all were sinners 2. That therefore depriued of the glory of God And the word grace hee opposeth to all our workes yea though done by the helpe of Gods spirit so that workes and grace cannot agree to iustifie for if of grace then not of works otherwise grace were no more grace Aug. in Ps 34. quia gratia nullo modo gratia nisi sit gratuita omni modo it can bee grace no way vnlesse it bee freely euery way and by the name of workes hee doth not only meane externall workes but also all inward vertues and faith it selfe as it is a certaine act of the vnderstanding and will And this our Sauiour confirmeth saying when you haue done all that are inioyned you that is whatsoeuer the Luk. 17. law requireth and it requireth faith loue c. when you haue done it not attempted to doe it and when you haue done all this not some part of this but all both the inward and the outward workes yet euen then say that you are vnprofitable seruants and what is that but vnworthy of eternall life And this might bee proued further by the example of Abraham and by many other arguments but that I hope this is sufficient to proue that the Apostle exludeth from our iustification not onely outward workes but also all inward graces and vertues and by being iustified by grace doth vnderstand this free fauour of God which is residing in God and not in vs as the Philosophers say honour resideth in the Arles aethic l. 1. c 5. person honouring and not in the person honoured and doth not vnderstand any vertue infused into vs by grace for that all such graces and vertues be they neuer so excellent yet are they imperfect and tainted by our infirmities and therefore cannot iustifie vs and make vs worthie of eternall life And yet we must vnderstand that That he which is iustified cannot be without good workes it is one thing to say faith iustifieth and not workes and another thing to say that iustifying faith may be without works And that it is one thing to say the free grace and fauour of God iustifieth and not the gifts of grace i. regeneration or renouation of workes and another thing to say that this free grace of God doth iustifie vs without renouation of good workes For as the fire hath heat and light both inseparable in it and yet warmeth vs by the heat and not by the light so the free grace of God and the gift of grace are inseparably conferred vpon a true christian man and yet we are iustified by the former and not by the latter and therefore whosoeuer saith he is iustified by grace and yet is voide of good workes he deceiues himselfe and there is no truth in him For as the fire doth euer yeeld forth his heat and light so the loue and fauour of God doth euer infuse his graces and effects of his loue into our hearts though not thereby to make vs worthy of eternall life but thereby as by externall meanes to bring vs to eternall life These being via ad regnum non causa regnandi the way that leadeth vs but not the cause that procureth vs eternall life as S. Bernard speaketh And so much for the acceptation of grace De 2. Hauing spoken of the first The diuers sorts of infused graces grace i. the free fauour of God from whence all other gifts and graces doe spring we are now to consider of the infused graces or the effects of the fauour of God touching which we must vnderstand that the fauour of God is distinguished into 1. Grace purposing 2. Grace working The 1. is the grace of election wherby he hath chosen vs to saluation before the beginning of the world The 2. is the actuall execution of Ephes 1. 4. this decree generally by creating the world and sending his Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him might haue eternall life And particularly by giuing vnto euery one those helpes that are necessary for to bring them to saluation and these helpes the Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The gift by grace And they are distinguished by the schoolemen into Aquinas 1. 2 ae q. 3.
our hearts condemne vs not of sinne as the Apostle sheweth 1 Iohn 2. A good name and report ariseth hence when we giue none occasion vnto men to suspect ill of vs. And therefore as he that committeth sinne and therefore can haue no good conscience towards God may notwithstanding through the concealing and close cariage of the same retaine a good report with men and continue in the good opinion of the world so he that committeth not sinne and therefore hath a good conscience towards God may notwithstanding by his indiscretion and want of circumspection giue many causes of iust suspitions of guiltinesse and so lose his reputation and good esteeme in the world And therefore that we may haue a good conscience towards God we must abstaine from all euill and that wee may Hee that would haue a good name must auoid all appearaÌ„ce of euill 1 Thes 5. 22. haue a good report in the world wee must abstaine from all appearance of euill and giue no cause to any man to suspect ill of vs for as the prouerbe is He that will auoid an ill name Must auoid all that cause the same And He that will no euill doe Pro. 15. 15. Must doe nothing that belongs thereto And so when our hearts and consciences tell vs that wee neither did the euill nor gaue any cause in the world for any man to suspect vs of euill then shall we be happie indeed our hearts will be at peace and our consciences better then a continuall feast And thus you see the kindes of peace and you see the goodnesse of each kinde of peace that nothing can be more excellent then this blessed peace nor any thing in the world more miserable then to want the same And therefore nec vidisse satis est iuuat vsque morari I am loth to part yet from this point of The meanes to procure each kinde of peace peace and I hope we shall not lose our labour if we stay a little longer to consider how we may obtaine each kinde of peace that makes the obtainer happie and therefore I say 1. That we may finde peace with God 1. How to finde peace with God we must doe three especiall things 1. To beleeue in Christ 2. To auoid sinne 3. To doe good 1. We must beleeue in Christ for he is the Prince of peace and the only Esay 9. 6. Peace-maker betweene the mortall sinner and the immortall God but Christ dwelleth Eph. 3. 17. Aug. de Agon Christ ca. 12. in our hearts by faith saith the Apostle Et fides est prima quae subiugat animam Deo And our faith in Christ is the first thing that subiecteth our soule to God saith S. Augustine and so by faith in Christ we liue by faith in him Rom. 1. 17. we are reconciled to God we are iustified Rom. 3. 25. 28. sanctified saued And therefore without faith it is vnpossible to please God it is vnpossible to Act 15. 9. be at peace with God for as he that beleeueth Ephes 2. 8. on him is not condemned so he that beleeueth not on him is condemned already because hee hath not beleeued in the Iohn 3. 18. name of the only begotten Sonne of God and because in not beleeuing on him he maketh God alier and beleeueth not the record that God gaue of his Sonne 1 Ioh. 5. 10. 11. 12. which is that God hath giuen vs eternall life and that this life is in his Sonne and that whosoeuer hath the Sonne hath life and whosoeuer hath not the Sonne hath not life And therefore this should teach vs Faith is obtained increased by 3. especiall meanes all carefull diligence to get to preserue and to increase this precious gift of faith and that by three speciall means 1. By the hearing of the word 2. By the recouring of the Sacraments 3. By the feruencie of our prayers For 1. Faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10. 17. and hearing by the word of God saith the Apostle Et accenditur fidei lampaâ—igne diuini verbi And the lampe of faith is kindled by the fire of the heauenly word saith S. Chrysostome And so the Chrys in Matth. 25. Eph. 1. 13. Ephesians are said to haue beleeued in Christ after they had heard the word of Christ And therefore wee should bee euer willing and alwayes readie to heare the preaching of the word of God for the more we heare the more we shall increase our faith and the lesse we heare the lesse faith we shall be sure to haue 2. The Sacraments are Sigilla Dei the great seales of God that ratifie vnto vs the word of God that by two immutable Heb. 6. 18. things viz. Gods writing and Gods seale we might haue a strong consolation And they bee verba visibilia Euangelij the visible words of the Gospell that doe set before our eyes the sacrifice of Christ and shew in a visible manner how Christ was crucified for vs and shed his bloud for the remission of our sinnes And therefore wee should not neglect the frequent vse of these blessed meanes that God hath giuen vs to increase our faith 3. The prayer of a faithfull man auaileth James 5. 16. much to procure any thing at the hands of God if it be feruent saith the Apostle And therefore as Christ prayed Luke 22. 32. for S. Peter that his faith should not faile so should wee pray to God that hee would preserue and increase our faith and because the preaching of the word is but the demonstration of the Spirit and 1 Cor. 2. 4 5. faith is in the power of God therefore we should the rather pray that when Act. 16. 14. Christ is preached the Lord would sanctifie our hearts and open them as he did the heart of Lidia that we might beleeue in Christ 2. We must auoid sinne for sinne is the continuall make-bate betweene the righteous God and the vnrighteous man sinne writeth bitter things against Iob 13. 26. vs sinne layeth vs open before the face of God and sinne moueth his iealousie to burne like fire against vs for Psal 4. hee hateth all those that worke wickednesse And therefore if we would be at peace with God wee must be at warre with sinne as I said before and we must not only repent vs of the old sinnes that we haue committed but we must also resist all those new sinnes whereunto we shall be enticed for sinne is like Antaeus the gyant as oft as it is throwne downe viresque animumque resumit It will presently set a fresh vpon vs and the more eagerly seeke our ouerthrow and therefore we must manfully resist all the inticements of sinne or else our sinnes like those wilde horses Qui circum illiacos raptarunt hectora Virgilius muros will teare vs in peeces while there is none to helpe vs. 3. We must doe good for righteousnesse and peace haue kissed
that which causeth vs to doe what is pleasing to him and so the Law is called mandatum when he maketh the Elect to walke in his paths Ezech. 11. 20. or worketh faith in their hearts to beleeue in Christ The 1. may be broken by the wicked The 2. cannot for my counsell shall stand and my will Esay 46. shall be done saith the Lord. But then it may be obiected that Obiect the wicked sinne not because they doe not breake or doe any thing against the absolute and proper will of God I answer That sinne is not defined to be the transgressing of the secret will of God which cannot be broken but of his declared and reuealed will Zanch. lib. 3. cap. 4. de Nat. Dei which only sheweth what is pleasing or displeasing to him Hereby then you see the will of God is only one immutable and vnchangeable and that although he giueth his Law vnto all yea both legem operandi legeÌ„ credendi to shew what should be done and what should be beleeued yet it is not his absolute will that all men should either doe or beleeue the same that they might be saued For if it were who could resist it Rom. 9. 19. God therefore doth not so confusedly giue his sauing grace as to leaue it in the will and power of man either to receiue it or to refuse it but hath determined the set number of them that shall receiue it as you may see most plainly * Acts 2. 47. that so many did beleeue which were preordained of God to beleeue But then you will say againe Why doth God bid vs to doe or to beleeue when as it is impossible for vs of our selues to doe the same I answer That he doth it In respect of The Wicked The Godly 1. To restraine the impietie of the Why God commandeth the things we cannot do wicked or if notwithstanding Gods admonitions they grow worse and worse then shall they be inexcusable in the day of wrath and God shall be iustified in his sayings and cleere when they are iudged 2. That the godly might hereby see what they might haue done in Adam and what they may doe in Christ and therefore to pray for grace from him to performe duties required for Vt praecipit Deus quod vult ita dat August gratiam implere quod praecipit As God sheweth them what he would haue done so he giueth them grace to doe it But yet it may be the wicked will Obiect obiect that this is plaine delusion to bid them doe and beleeue and yet neuer to will that they should doe it I answer to shew what is his will That God deludeth no man i. wel-pleasing to him to promise life if they doe or punishment if they doe it not is no delusion though he giues them no power to doe the same and this our Sauiour sheweth in the parable of them that were bidden to the wedding the first were bidden and came not the second bidden and compelled Did he delude the first because he did not compell them No waies for he bade them a sufficient token of his loue and they refused a sufficient contempt to deserue exclusion and yet the absolute will of the King was not the same in both for he did but barely bid the first to shew what he liked voluntate declaratiua but he compelled the second to shew his absolute will that he would haue them come Euen so when God sheweth the wicked what is pleasing to him and the dutie of them and thereupon promiseth a reward if they doe it or punishment if they doe it not he doth no way delude them though he doth not giue them power to performe this dutie of theirs When therefore he biddeth the wicked to come vnto him and they refuse to come if euer after they be excluded then surely culpa non est vocantis sed renuentis the fault is in him that refuseth and not in him that calleth and therefore merito periâ—t aegrotus qui non medicum vocat sed vltro venientem respuit The languishing soule doth worthily perish which not only seeketh no Phisitian but also refuseth the heauenly Phisicke offered vnto him saith S. Augustine But if we looke further and see God compelling the one by working grace and repentance in his heart to doe his will and to beleeue in Christ this is his mercy for he hath mercy on whom he will haue mercie and if he doth not compell the other that is his iustice for there are vessels of wrath prepared for Rom. 9. 22. destruction and so as S. Augustine saith huic fit misericordia tibi non fit iniuria he sheweth mercie vnto the one and he doth no wrong vnto the other All this S. Aug. sheweth by this comparison Aug. de Benedict Jacob Esau sicut pluit dominus super segetes super spinas sed segeti pluit ad horreuÌ„ spinis ad ignem tamen vna est pluuia As the Lord raineth vpon the good corne and vpon the briers and thistles vpon the corne to ripen it for the barn vpon the thornes and bryers to fit them for the fire and yet the selfe same raine doth both euen so the will of God i. voluntas declaratiua the word of God is preached both to the good and bad to the good for their conuersion and to the bad for their further confusion because they are made hereby without excuse and of this firmissimè tene saith S. Augustine Aug. de fide ad Petrum ca. 35. eos quos vasa misericordiae fecit perire non posse nec quemquam eorum quos non praedestinauit ad vitam vlla ratione posse saluari Be sure that none of the vessels of mercie can perish nor of those whom he hath not predestinated can any waies be saued And he sheweth the reason hereof Idem ad Syxt Presb Ep. 105. elsewhere saying Si omnes liberarentur lateret quid peccato per iustitiam debeatur si nemo quid gratia largiretur If all Why all men are not saued should be saued what in iustice was due for sinne should not haue beene knowne if none the goodnesse of grace had not beene seene therefore he giueth grace to some to shew the riches of his mercie and he denieth it to others to shew the equitie of his iustice to punish man for sinne For the decree of reprobation non ponit necessitatem damnationis nisi interveniente peccato quidem consâ—quntiuè Idem ibid. non causaliter est a reprobatione damnatio for the decree of reprobation being nothing else but decretum non miserendi a decree of not hauing mercie doth not impose a necessitie of damnation but in respect of sinne that goeth betweene for which sinne iustissimè or dinauit eos ad poenas he most iustly decreed their damnation And therefore qui liberatur habet vnde gratias agat qui damnatur non
heed vnto our selues and not harden our hearts any longer but let vs hearken vnto his voice lest he sweare in his wrath that we shall not enter into his rest But indeed all these kinds of outward callings are but in vaine and bring no benefit vnlesse the Lord calleth vs inwardly by his spirit for 1. Nisi spiritus adsit cordi audientis In vaine is al outward calling vnlesse we be inwardly called by Gods Spirit Greg. hom 30. super Euangel inanis est labor docentis In vaine do we preach vnto your eares vnlesse the Spirit of God doth open your hearts as he did the heart of Lydia that you may beleeue our preaching as she did the preaching of Paul 2. All the blessings of the world will but puffe vs vp with pride as they did the Israelites as Moses sheweth dilectus Deut. 32. 15 meus impinguatus calcitrauit my beloued fatted and inlarged spurned with his heeles vnlesse God doth giue vs the grace to vse those blessings to the glory of his name 3. All punishments and all iudgements will sooner worke desperation then conuersion in a sinfull soule vnlesse the grace of God worke true humility in vs to make a right vse of his fatherly chastisements And this experience daily sheweth First the word is preached the one beleeueth the other refuseth it Secondly God bestoweth his blessings vpon men the one is puffed vp with pride the other is truly thankfull Thirdly God sendeth his iudgements the one groweth desperate with Saul the other is humbled with Dauid And what is the cause of this to the one sort hee sendeth his messengers onely to call them outwardly to the other sort he sendeth his spirit and giueth his grace to make them yeeld vnto his calling and this effectuall calling of the Saints to beleeue the Gospell and to obey the voyce of God is the effect and fruit of the loue of God Whensoeuer therefore wee be outwardly called by what way or meanes soeuer it bee let vs presently pray to God that hee would inwardly worke in our hearts to incline them to yeeld vnto his calling else will the outward calling bring no benefit but only make vs without excuse And so much of their vocation 3. Touching their sanctification called to bee Saints wee must vnderstand that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is deriued froÌ„ the pâ—iuatiue particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the earth as if it were a separating from earthly things So it signifieth a pure and a cleane thing free from all contagion and touch of inferiour things and it is taken two waies 1. simpliciter 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simply or in some respect 1. In the first sense God onely is of himselfe and of his owne nature simply holy and the author of all holinesse for God is light and in him there is no â— Ioh. 1. darknesse at all and the blessed Virgin saith holy is his name Conueniunt rebus nominasaepe suis And this name sheweth his nature and the greatest praise of God for the glorious Seraphims which Esaias saw Esay 6. and those wonderous creatures which S. Iohn did see cryed three times holy Apoc. 4. holy holy Lord God of hosts which we doe not read of any other attribute of God And therefore Damascen reporteth Damasc l. 3. c. 10. that when the people of Constantinople were terribly afraid of some dangers did humbly pray vnto God against the same a childe was suddenly rapt vp on high and was taught by the Angels this holy Song Sanctus Deus Sanctus fortis Sanctus immortalis miserere nostri holy God holy Almighty holy immortall God haue mercy vpon vs and when he was restored downe and declared the same vnto the people the whole multitude sung the same incessantly and so were deliuered from all the dangers that they feared And for this cause the third person of the blessed Trinitie as by a proper name is called holy spirit and therefore in that golden plate that was to adorne Aarons forehead was ingrauen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 28. 36 as the Septuagint translate it that is sanctitas Iehouae as Tremellius or sanctum Domino as the vulgar hath it holines to the Lord or all sanctity is to be ascribed vnto the Lord and doth onely proceede from the Lord. In this respect our Church in her highest straine of deuotion immediately after the receiuing of the blessed Sacrament sings vnto God tu solus Sanctus thou only art holy thou onely art the Lord that is simply in all respects essentially in himselfe and causally the fountaine of all holinesse and purity in all his creatures And yet of all Gods attributes this is most contradicted and murmured against by the wicked as if he were not pure vpright and holy especially 1. In the election of his creatures 2. In the distribution of his graces 3. In the remuneration of our deserts But for the first wee answer that he hath ius absolutum in creaturas an absolute right ouer all his creatures so that hee may doe with it what he will euen as the Potter hath power of the clays Rom. 9. as the Apostle sheweth and yet we say that hee doth not vse the same nor preparare filios ad patibulum but finding them all in the masse of corruption by Adams transgression hee doth shew mercy vpon whom he will and whom he will he leaueth still in that state wherein they were not created nor intruded by him but most miserably fallen in the loynes of Adam So that herein God sheweth vnto his elect indebitam misericordiam more then deserued mercy to the other nothing but debitam institiam what they most iustly deserued To the second wee say that although hee giueth to one fiue talents to others but one to others none at all that hee exalteth one pulleth downe another and so of all other gifts and graces whether temporall or spirituall yet wee say that hee doth no wrong to him that hath least or that hath none at all quia non tenetur Creator creaturae because hee is debtor to none and hee is not bound to giue vnto any and therefore may most iustly and freely doe what he will with his owne as our Sauiour sheweth most excellently in the Parable of the Labourers hired vnto his vineyard And to the third wee answer that in giuing vnto them which by continuance in well doing seeke glory and honor and immortality eternall life hee sheweth himselfe most gracious mercifull Rom. 2. as all men will confesse and in rendring vengeance to them that obey not God indignation and wrath vpon euery soule that sinneth hee sheweth himselfe most iust and vpright And therefore the Prophet Esay ch 5. after hee had set downe many of Gods iudgements against the wicked lest any should thinke God vniust therein hee addeth that the Lord of hosts should be exalted in iudgement and the
before and therfore they being his members they must needs be holy 2. In respect of the graces of Gods holy Spirit wherewith they are endued as faith and repentance whereby their sins are cleansed and the righteousnesse of Christ imputed vnto them For the word Sanctus may be taken à verbo sanciendi saith S. Augustine because that 〈…〉 is called Sanctum which is constant and firme but there is nothing that hindereth vs to remaine firme for euer but only sinne and therefore sanctitie coâ—sisteth in the condonation and remission câ—sinne saith this father And the Apostle doth inferre as much when after he had rehearsed a They are Saints that haue their sinnes remitted catalogue of the sinnes of the Corinthians and said that sometimes they were such and such he addeth But now ye are washed but now ye are sanctified to shew that when our sinnes are washed our vnrighteousnesse forgiuen our iniquities couered then are we sanctified And Saint Chrysostome vpon these Chrysost in hom 5. words called Saints saith that the Apostle meaneth hereby all beleeuers And S. Ambrose saith the Apostle meaneth these by Saints which doe thinke well of Christ and he sheweth them to be those Qui censent ei soli fidendum in ipso credunt perfectam esse salutem which beleeue only in Christ and expect perfect saluation from Christ and so the Apostle saith that fide purificantur corda faith purifieth the hearts but that which is purified is holy And therefore they were called Saints in respect of their faith and repentance which washed away their sinnes and indued them with the righteousnes of Christ Whosoeuer therefore would bee a Saint he must be penitent for his sinnes and wash the same away with the teares of true repentánce So S. Peter did fleuit amarè he wept bitterly saith the Scripture vt lachrymae lauarent delictum that his teares might wash away his sinne saith S. Ambrose Vade fac tu similiter Ambros in Luc. if thou wilt be a Saint thou must doe the like Lachrymis dilue culpam to cleanse away thy sinnes with teares for Lachrymis opus est non sanguine dixit Saepe per has flecti principis irasolet And we must beleeue in Christ if we will bee Saints for faith layeth hold of his righteousnesse and applyeth the same vnto vs and maketh vs Saints by the imputatiue sanctity of Christ who was made vnto vs wisedome iustification sanctification and redemption 3. In respect of the holinesse and piety 1. Cor. The Christians of the primitiue Church were most holy in all their life which they practised For though they liued in the world yet were they separated from the world and had their conuersations in heauen and respected not the vanities of this life but deemed them as nothing and worth nothing damnuÌ„ stercora as dung and drosse and triuiall things as the Apostle speaketh And therefore if wee compare the life of the Saints with the life of the wicked wee shall see as much difference betwixt them as is betwixt light and darknesse for whereas the wicked haue their feete swift to shed blood and are Mezentius-like contemners of the Gods or as the Sicilian Tyrants vndoers of men these godly Saints saith S. Augustine did wholly separate themselues Aug. in ps to 9. f. 410. from euill and fixe their whole desire on Christ in summo bono sese delectabantâ—â— and forsaking all worldly delights they delighted themselues onely in the chiefest good and S. Chrysostome saith aliena commoda propriis Chrys to 1. anteponebant they preferred their neighbours good before their owne proper gaine they shed teares for sinners and were ready to lay down their liues euen for their enemies and were of all men admired both for their humility and charity for caeteris omnibus humiliores fuerunt saith S. Ambrose they were more meeke and lowly then all others and they were so bounteous that Christiana religio propter Christianorum erga omnes cuiuscunque religionis beneficentiam propagata est the Christian Religion by reason of their exceeding liberality to all men did wonderfully increase saith Maximinus And therefore as it was the wish of Wee are now farre short of the sanctity of our forefathers Caesar that hee had such souldiers as were in the time of Alexander the Great so doe I wish with all my heart that wee had such Saints as these our fore-fathers were for wee are but like the leaues of the Cypresse tree whereof the Poet saith Pulchra coma est pulchro digestaeque ordine Alâ—iat Emblem frondes Sed fructus nullos haec coma pulchra gerit Faire leaues but no fruite or like the Scribes and Pharisies whose righteousnesse and sanctity was saith S. Chrysostome in ostentatione non in rectitudine intentionis in ostentation not in sincerity of intention or like the meteor which the Philosophers called assub that made a great fiery shew for a while and then suddenly vanisht to nothing But the whole life of the former Saints was a continuall exercise of piety and sanctity they were iust in promise though it were to their owne hinderance they were plaine in their attire and moderate in their diet S. Basil and Sozomene write that the Basil Orat. de 40. mart Sozâ—m l. 7. beholding of their vpright and godly life moued many heathens to become Christians and Eusebius saith that Maximinus and other cruell Tyrants could not choose but wonder to see how sedulous they were in doing good and how carefull in auoyding euill with true fastings earnest prayers diligent watchings and painfull labours in their vocations and therefore in respect of their inchoatiue inherent sactity they might well bee called the Saints of God that liued so holily in the sight of God But against this it may be obiected Obiect that they were not so holy nor could not bee such Saints when as the best of them were tainted with great and grieuous sinnes as Noah Dauid Peter c. I answer that all Saints in earth haue their sinnes for whosoeuer saith he hath The best Saints had their imperfections no sinne hee deceiues himselfe and there is no truth in him Quia nihil peccare solius Dei est sapientis est emendare poenitentiam agere de peccato And yet if wee say wee haue no righteousnesse we belye the gifts of God or else wee bee no Christians what then Aliquid iustitiae haebemus aliquid non habemus some righteousnesse wee haue and some wee want wee are baptized and therefore our sinnes are forgiuen to vs and yet there resteth a conflict against sinne against the flesh the world and the Diuell but hee that striueth sometimes striketh and sometimes is stricken and therfore though wee haue some sanctity yet all sanctity wee cannot haue saith S. Augustine Aug. to 10. de verb. Apostoli ser 16. f. 131 and therefore the holiest and purest men are both Saints and
therefore his obedience failing the promise of God and his obligation ceaseth I answer that the couenant and promise of God is conditionall in respect of vs but most absolute in respect of his owne purpose and therefore as he hath decreed to giue vs glorie so he hath decreed to giue vs the means wherby we may come vnto his glorie for that in vs there is neither abilitie to obey nor to perseuere to get grace nor to retain grace but it is God that hath begun the good worke of his grace in vs who will also perfect the same saith the Apostle Or to speake more briefly I say that Abbas de verit gratia Christi the promises of God are twofold 1. Aliae de fine hae conditionatae 2. Aliae de medijs hae gratuitae absolutae 1. Some concerning the end i. eternall life and these are alwayes conditionall as the Legall promises Hoc fac viâ—â—s Doe this and thou shalt liue and the Euangelicall promises Creds vines If you repent and beleeue you shall be saued 2. Others are concerning the meants and the helps that bring vs to this end i. to eternall life as to doe the will of God to beleeue in Christ and such like and these are alwayes absolute and most freely bestowed vpon vs. For Moses saith The Lord thy God will circumcise Deut. 30. 6. thine heart and the heart of thy seed to loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou mayst liue And the Prophet Ieremie Ier. 32. 40. saith that God would put his feare in their hearts that they should not depart from him And S. Paul saith that faith is the gift of God and so repentance and all other graces God doth most freely and absolutely promise to worke them in the hearts of his elect without any manner of relation or respect to anie act of theirs he will worke these graces in vs and he will worke that grace in vs whereby we may accept and receiue these graces And therefore it is certaine the Saints shall perseuere in grace because God hath promised perseuerance vnto the Saints 2. The Saints doe aske and pray for perseuerance and continuance of grace therefore they haue it for Cur poscitur si non conceditur why should it be sought if it be not granted saith S. Augustine Aug. de bono perseu cap. 2. But Christ saith Whatsoeuer you aske in my name you shall receiue it But thou wilt say thou hast asked many things The Saints doe pray for the continuance of grace and not receiued them I say Perhaps temporall things and temporall things si defuerint petenda quidem sunt sed non nimium requirenda they are to be sought but not too earnestly saith S. Bernard Deus enim dat prius quod potius Bern. de 4. modis or andi for God giueth first the things that are best Et non tribuit quod volunt vt tribuat quod vtile est and doth not giue the things that they would haue that hee might giue them the things that they should haue audit enim ad necessitatem non ad voluntatem for that hee heareth them according to their necessity and not according to their importunity as S. Augustine speaketh But thou wilt say thou hast requested Ob. spirituall things and yet hast not obtained I answer That either thou hast obtained or shalt be sure to obtaine them if thou desist not from seeking for we must not prescribe anie time to God because as he worketh grace in whom he will so he worketh it when he will Et est animi generosi perdurare quoad Deus misereatur nostri saith S. Chrysostome It is the part of a good Christian to wait vntil God haue mercy vpon him for he neuer failed any that continued to wait vpoÌ„ him but at last satisfied their desire And therefore despaire not because they are not presently granted but though he tarrie yet wait thou as the Prophet speaketh Hab. 2. 3. for the Lord sometimes doth deferre the grace that wee seeke not because he meanes to denie vs sed vt diu desiderata dulcius obtinentur but because things earnestly requested and long expected are sweetest when they are obtained And therefore this reason must needs hold the Saints pray for the continuance of grace therefore it shall continue Christ prayed for all Saints that their faith should not faile 3. Christ prayed for Peter that his faith should not faile therefore he obtained the same but what hee obtained for Peter he obtained for euerie one of his elect for our Sauiour saith Satan desired that he might sift them all but I prayed for thee i. for thee chiefly because thou didst chiefly and most fouly fall therfore he doth not here deny that he praied for the rest though he affirmeth he prayed chiefly for Peter But that it may more cleerely appeare that he did pray for all the rest of his elect he saith I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast giuen me out of the world and therefore the Saints cannot lose his grace nor fall away from his fauour because Christ prayed for them that they should not and I know saith Christ ô Father that thou doest alwayes heare me i. that thou doest alwaies grant me the things that I request neither did he only pray for his Saints in the daies of his flesh that their faith should not faile but now likewise he prayeth and maketh intercession for vs that God would forgiue vs our sinnes that he would giue vs his grace and that this grace should remaine with vs to bring vs to eternall life and therefore we may assure our selues that he which gaue vs grace will likewise preserue this grace in vs. But against this it may bee obiected That God gaue his Spirit and his Ob. 1 grace vnto Saul Iudas Simon Magus Hymeneus Philetus and such like and yet they fell away from grace Therefore a man may haue true grace and yet lose it I answer to these and all such like The wicked reprobates may and doe lose all the graces that they haue receiued examples in one word that I doe confesse the wicked and hypocrites or whosoeuer not elected may haue many excellent gifts and graces of Gods Spirit and may vtterly lose the same I denye not this but I say Gods elect the true Saints and beloued of God hauing once receiued grace and iustifying faith in that speciall manner as I shewed before can neuer lose the same and therefore all examples of hypocrites or such like can proue nothing against this that I defend But then it will bee obiected that Ob. 2 Dauid and Peter were the true Saints beloued of God and elected to saluation and had grace and yet these men by their sinnes did lose that grace therefore the true Saints after they haue receiued grace may by their sinnes fall away from
each other And therefore nihil fides conferet emolumenti Chrys aduers vit Mon. l. 1. si vita syncera non fuerit pura faith will auaile vs nothing if we take liberty thereby either to commit any euill or to omit any good but as that fig tree was cursed by our Sauiour which had leaues and no fruit so shal that man be accursed before God which boasteth of his hope or presumeth of his faith and yet is void of goodnesse and meerely destitute of all godlinesse And so you see that if we would haue peace with God we must beleeue in Christ we must avoid sin and we must walke in newnesse of life and serue God without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our life 2. That we may finde peace with men many things are to be done according to the seuerall kinds of peace among men And therefore 1. That there may be peace in a How peace may be preserued betwixt man and wife What a happinesse it is for man and wife to liue in peace Psa 133. 1. house and that First betwixt the husband and the wife I commend these three things to their considerations 1. The benefit of this peace 2. The miserie of their dissentions 3. The onely meanes to auoid the one and to retaine the other 1. The Prophet saith Ecce quam bonum quam iucundum est fratres habitare in vnum Behold how good and ioyfull a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in vnitie here is bonum iucundum profit and pleasure and Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit vtile Horat. de arte poet dulci. that is all that can be desired saith the most sententious Poet. Now if it be so excellent among brethren how much more excellent is it betwixt man and wife The sonne of Sirach saith that three things doe reioyce Eccles c. 25. him and are beautifull before God and man vnitie of brethren loue of neighbours and a man and wife agreeing well together And I say this is a type of heauen and a paradise vpon earth when man and wife doe liue in peace and can say each of other my beloued Cant. 6 3. is mine and I am his and therefore the happinesse and blessed state of peaceable persons should moue all maried couples to labour for this peace 2. Salomon saith that a continuall What a misery it is for man wife to liue in contention dropping in the day of raine and a contentious woman are both alike and therefore that it were better to dwell among Lions or Dragons then for a quiet man to dwell with a contentious woman or for a quiet woman to dwell with a troublesome man for the contentions of maried persons are the very Prou. 19. 13 21. 19. 25. 24. types and tastes of hellish sorrowes for being outwardly yoked and inwardly discontented they will but gall the necks and grieue the hearts each of other each seeking his owne credit with discredit vnto both and each weary of his owne life longeth for the death of the other O wretched state of miserable persons quae vos dementia caepit Why will you not seeke for peace among your selues that you may be freed from these hellish wars and wofull discontentments 3. That dissentions may be shunned and that peace may be obtained the one God that made them both one must bee retained betwixt them both for it is a prettie obseruation of An excellent obseruation of a Iewish Rabbi a Iewish Rabbi that in the words Ish and Isha which signifieth man and woman or the husband and wife there is found the word Iah which is the name of God and if this be taken away there remaineth nothing else but Esh and Esh which signifieth fire and fire to note vnto vs that if God be not betwixt the husband and the wife there can be nothing betwixt them but the fire of debate and contention And therefore if man and wife How man and wife may liue at peace would liue at peace amōg themselues they must retaine the God of peace betwixt them And this they shall doe if they labour to discharge each one his dutie according to the will of God 1. Let the wife see that she doth Eph. 5. 33. feare her husband i. let her be afraid to doe any thing that might offend her husband 2. Let her keepe her mariage bed H. b. 13. 4. vndefiled 3. Let her doe her husband good and not euill all the daies of her life good must be the obiect and the subiect of her labour not a little good and a great deale of euill but all good and no euill and that not for a day or two when she is newly maried but all the Pro 31. 12. daies of her life let her be a helper and not a hinderer vnto her husband let her looke to the waies of her houshold and let her not eat the bread of idlenesse And for the husband 1. Let him loue his wife euen as himselfe Ephes 5. 33. for they two are one flesh 2. Let him not be bitter vnto her not in blowes for it is a point of sacriledge saith Bodinus for a man to strike his wife And so Cato Censorius Plutarch in vita Catonis affirmeth that he which smiteth his wife doth all one as if he should lay violent hands vpon the sacred images of the Gods nor yet in words may a man be bitter vnto his wife for a man may speake words like the pricking of a sword Pro. 12. 18. 3. Let him beare with the infirmities of his wife as with the weaker vessell and 1 Cor. 13. if he desire her to amend her faults let him saepe monere raro corrigere Marcus Aurelius nunquam percutere often admonish seldome reproue and neuer smite as Marc. Aurelius doth aduise 4. Let him take notice of his wiues diligence and commend her for her faithfulnesse saying many daughters Pro. 31. 29. haue done vertuousty but thou excellest them all And so if man and wife will obserue but these few rules and briefe directions loue one another and beare one with another I doe not doubt but they shall liue happily in all content and peace and the God of peace will be with them Secondly that there may be peace in How peace may be preserued in a house among the whole family a house betwixt the parent and the children and betwixt the children amongst themselues and so betwixt the master and the seruants and likewise betwixt the seruants among themselues I say that peace may be among them all and happinesse to the whole family I will for breuitie sake desire you to consider but these two things 1. What our Sauiour saith concerning this point 2. What we should doe to procure this peace 1. Our Sauiour saith Woe vnto that Mat. 10. 36. house where the people of the same