loued as he should be of himselfe and therefore S. Bernard crieth out O my God my helper I will loue thee but Bern. in l. de diligend Deo after mine owne measure lesse indeed then right yet plainly not lesse then I am able who albeit I cannot so much as I should yet cannot further then I am able and indeed I shall doe more when thou wilt vouchsafe to giue me more yet neuer for all this shall I be able to doe as much as thou art worthy 2. Secunaum totam virtutem alicuius diligentis according to the full power and strength that is in him that loueth i. fully to loue him according to all the vertue of the louer and so he is loued of the Angels and blessed Saints 3. To the vttermost of our abilitie so farre forth as our imbecillitie will permit vs and thus we are to striue to loue him three waies 1. Placabiliter 2. Ordinabiliter 3. Appretiabiliter saith Nider in 1. precept 1. To loue him for his owne sake God is to be loued for his own sake and not in respect of any outward profit for there is a double kinde of loue 1. Concupiscentiae of Concupiscence in respect of our owne profit so a man loues his horse or his asse for the good seruice he hath from them 2. Amicitiae of friendship as when I loue a man meerely for the good things that are in him and so God is to be beloued absque intuitu praemij without respect vnto any profit to be gained by him nam minus te amat qui aliquid tecum amat nec propter te amat saith S. Augustine And therefore it was the commendation Bern. in l. de diligendo Deo of Iob not only to loue God when he was compassed about with prosperâ—tie but to loue him in the midst of his aduersitie so did not they that loued Christ and followed him for the loaues sake if therefore we loue God aright we must not loue him for wealths sake but for his owne sake 2. To loue him so that we direct All our actions should tend to the glory of God our selues and all ours both inward and outward actions to the extolling and increasing of his glory as when we apply our whole life to his seruice then we loue him with all our heart when we captiuate our senses to the obedience of Christ as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 10. then we loue him with all our vnderstanding and in briefe when all workes and actions are sprung from the loue of God and doe aime at the glory of God then we loue him with all our strength And so S. Augustine saith that all our actions should beginne from the loue Aug de Spiritu lit c. 25. of God quia fructus bonus non est qui de radice charitatis non surgit for that can be no good fruit which springeth not from the root of Charitie and should tend to the praise and glory of God quia virtutes verae non sunt quae in Idem de Ciuit li. 19. Deum finaliter non referunter they are no true vertues which are not finally referred to God And therefore we say that it is requisite that the loue of God should be the cause of the loue of our neighbour and that we should loue our neighbours propter Deum for the honour of God and so of all other actions they should all tend to the honour of God as the Apostle sheweth whether ye eat or drinke doe all to the glory of God 3. To loue him aboue all things and God is to be loued aboue all things Scotus in 3. distinct 27. to respect him and his will aboue all the world and so Scotus saith God is to be loued extensiuè aboue all things so that nothing in the world nor all the things of the world should be equally prized with God and therefore should wish all things not to be rather then God should not be and intensiuè so that we should be more willing to suffer the hatred of any thing in the world then the hatred of God For he indeed is that pearle for the gaining whereof a man should fell all that euer he hath as our Sauiour sheweth Matth. 13. O therefore Loue the Lord all ye his Psal 31. 27. Saints and loue him aboue all things for he that loueth father or mother wife Matth. 10. or children or any thing else more then me the same is not worthy of me saith the Blessed Veritie And therefore S. Bernard Bern. lib. de amore Dei ca. 2. saith animam meam odio haberem si eam alibi quà m in Domino in eius amore inuenirem I would hate mine owne soule if I found it not in the Lord and in the loue of God And yet for all this we see how many leaue the Lord to loue worldly vanities some their pleasures some their riches some one thing and some another and the louers of God are like the winter gatherings like the grapes of vintage rare and few But all men will say they loue the Lord and therefore lest we should deceiue our selues sub specie recti vnder The propertie of loue is to desire to be vnited to the thing loued the colour of truth we should examine and finde out the truth hereof by a double propertie of loue 1. To vnite the louer as much as possible may be to the thing loued and in want of the fellowship thereof to desire and seeke it aboue all things in the world So the Church in the Canticles saith I greatly desire to sit vnder the shadow of my welbeloued and I am sicke of loue i. I faint for the fellowship of my beloued And therefore if we loue God then as the Hart brayes for the water brookes so longeth our soules after God we should cry for him and say how long tariest thou holy true not let our soules be glued vpon the vanities of this life 2. To accomplish and fulfill the minde and will of him that is loued so our Sauiour saith he that hath my Commandements Iohn 14. 21. and doth them the same is he that loueth me and this is the loue Loue fulfilleth the desire of him that is loued of God that we keepe his Commandements And because this might be thought to be too generall therefore he saith that this is the Commandement that he giueth vs that we should loue one another And therefore by this we may certainly know that we loue God if we loue one another and so our Sauiour saith hereby shall not only your selues but all men shall know that you are my Disciples if you loue one another The loue of our neighbour then is the surest signe of the loue of God for per amorem proximi amor Dei nutritur through the loue of our neighbours is the loue of God increased therefore S. Iohn saith it is an
house are diuided and where a mans enemies shall be those of his owne house for certainly that house cannot stand it cannot continue but most blessed is that house where the hearts of the fathers Luke 1. 17. are turned to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers and where all brethren and fellow seruants doe liue in peace and loue one another Rō 12. 10. with brotherly loue as the Apostle speaketh 2. That this peace may be procured and continued among them all all of them and cach one of them should studie and labour to discharge his dutie and to behaue himselfe as he ought to doe and especially the chiefe man the good man of the house who is the pillar of the house to vphold it the band of the house to tye and knit the same together in peace and vnitie and vpon whom the greatest care and chiefest charge is laid should aboue all things haue a speciall care to looke vnto these two principall points 1. The choosing of his seruants 2. The teaching of his children 1. Touching the first point the How carefull a man should be in the choice of his seruants Psal 101. 4 5 6 7. Prophet Dauid saith a froward heart shall depart from me I will not know a wicked person who so priuily slandereth his neighbour him will I cut off him that hath an high looke and a proud heart will not I suffer mine eies shall be vpon the faithfull of the land that they may dwell with me he that walketh in a perfect way he shall serue me he that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house he that telleth lies he shall not tarry in my sight In these words he sheweth what he will doe concerning his seruants 1. To cleanse his house from all wickednesse and to root out all lewd fellowes from his seruice 2. To choose them for his seruants that are iust honest and religious And I would to God all the masters in the world would follow this worthy precedent which is thus amply set downe not only to be read ouer once a month but also to be followed and practised by all masters euery day for as a garden must be continually weeded or else the euill weeds will soone ouertop all the sweetest flowers so all ruffians swaggerers swearers all the rable rout of such deboist desperate and dissolute companions must be carely destroied Psal 101. vlt. as the Prophet speaketh i◠soone rooted out of thy house or else they willd stroy thy house And therefore if a man would haue peace and happinesse to remaine within his house he must with Dauid discarde all dissolute fellowes which are the causes of all discords and the bringers of all mischiefes vpon a house He must I say either roct out all their vices from them or root them from his house And he must take such for his seruants that will first serue their God and then himselfe for such will liue in peace among themselues and doe seruice vnto their masters not with eie-seruice as men-pleasers but in singlenesse Colloss 3. 22. of heart as vnto Christ 2. Touching the teaching of our children Saint Paul biddeth vs to Ephes 6. 4. bring them vp in the nurture and admonition of the Lord for that would make them feare God glad their parents and like Scilurus children liue Plutar. in Apoth in peace and loue one another with brotherly loue And so much for the meanes to procure domesticall peace 2. That euery common-wealth may haue peace and euery city be like Ierusalem that was at vnitie within it Psal 122. 3. selfe I can prescribe no better meanes then for all kindes of men and for all men of euery kinde to performe his owne dutie and to discharge his owne conscience for the obtayning of this peace And because all sorts of men are either 1. Superiours 2. Inferiours 3. Equals Therefore that peace might remaine How peace may be preserued in euerie commonwealth Esay 49. 23 among these all it behoueth all of these to discharge their duties for the preseruation of peace And 1. Superiours must be nursing fathers vnto the people most carefully desirous to procure their peace and most painfully studious to preserue them from dissentions euer hazarding their owne happinesse for the happinesse of their people and procuring sleepe vnto their subiects by their owne watchfulnesse and ease vnto them by the industrie of themselues sic viuentes Seneca de Clem. Plinius de Traiano The dutics of superiours for the procuring of peace cum ciuibus quasi parentes cum liberis and so liuing among their people as the parents doe among their children And to the end that all superiours may the better know what should be done herein and be the more readily induced to performe the same I will only desire them to consider of those golden sentences and protestations that Marcus Aurelius found at Thebes ingrauen vpon a golden plate in the person of Ptolomeus Aracides and are set downe in verse in the 542. page of Marcus Aurelius his worke and which I found thus in another author set downe in prose viz. I neuer exalted the proud rich man nor hated the poore iust man I neuer denied iustice to the poore for his pouerty nor pardoned the wealthy for his riches I neuer gaue reward for affection nor punishment vpon passion I neuer suffered euill to escape vnpunished nor goodnesse vnrewarded I neuer denied iustice to him asked it neither mercie to him that deserued it I neuer punished in anger nor promised in mirth I neuer did euill vpon malice nor good for couetousnesse I neuer opened my gate to the flatterer nor mine eare to the backebiter I alwaies sought to be beloued of the good and to be feared of the euill I alwaies fauoured the poore that was able to doe little and therefore God who was able to doe much did alwaies fauour me O most sweet and pious practise a practise fit for the procurement of peace and therefore I would to God that all this were not only written in the hearts but also practised in the liues of all superiours 2. Inferiours must be subiect to the The duties of inferiours for the procuring of peace Titus 3. 1. 2. 1 Tet. 2. 17. Aug. in Psal 82. 6. higher powers and must be ready to obey their magistrates in all humility and meekenesse as the Apostle sheweth They must honour them as Saint Peter saith and that because they beare the image of God saith Saint Augustine and we must assist them both by our goods and by our blouds if need require and aboue all things we must pray for them that we may 1 Tim. 2. 1. liue a peaceable and a quiet life vnder them saith the Apostle 3. Equals neighbours and all men that would desire to liue in peace must looke vnto these two especiall things 1. To auoid those sinnes and vices that are the causes of
they are distinguished And they are 3. viz 1. Their dilection 2. Their vocation 3. Their sanctification Secondly the desire of the Apostle and the delights of the Saints are expressed 1. From the number of blessings requested they be two 1. Grace 2. Peace 2. From the fountaine from whence they flow i. From God the Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ Of these by the assistance of God in order First touching the number to whom the Apostle wisheth these blessings two things are to be obserued 1. Declaratio amoris the manifestation of the Apostles loue How Ministers should loue their people 2. Restrictio gratiae the restriction of the grace of God 1. In that he writeth to all and wisheth grace and peace to all Saints he sheweth how largely his loue extended it selfe to the Romans quòd effuso animo eos omnes complectitur saith a Bucer in hunc locum Bucer he loued all remembred all and excepted none of all a speciall point required in Gods Ministers S. Augustine tels vs b Aug. de Doct. Christ li. 3. ca. 10. that nihil praecipit Deus nisi charitatem nihil culpat nisi cupiditatem God commandeth nothing but charitie and forbiddeth nothing but cupiditie It is therefore necessarie in all especially in vs for if we could speake with the tongues of men and Angels i. so many languages as men vse to speake more then Mithridates could that had 22. languages as Volateran Volateran li. 17. saith and so diuinely and truly as the Angels of God more mellifluously then Origen cuius ex ore non tam verba quà m mella fluere videntur out of whose mouth the honey did seeme to flow as the Magdeburgenses out of Vincentius Magd. cent 3. col 269. doe report yet would our preaching be no better then sounding brasse or tinckling cymbals for when our auditors are not perswaded we teach them out of charitie we can neuer perswade them to beleeue the veritie but as Theocritus saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theocrit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quae minimè sunt pulchra en pulchra videntur amanti every thing comes well from him to whom we are well affected And therefore what S. Augustine saith of euery Christian I may truly say of euery Preacher Vniuersa inutiliter habet qui vnum illud quò vniuersis vtatur non habet He hath all things in vaine that hath not charitie whereby he may rightly vse all things I wish therefore with all my heart that all we Preachers would study what lyeth in vs to lay aside all maliciousnesse all suits and contentions whereby our Ministerie is made vnfruitfull and liue in loue and peace with all men whereby I assure my selfe wee should purchase more spirituall gaine by loue then all the wealth of the world would be vnto vs that we should get by Law 2. In that he writeth to all beloued The restriction of sauing grace Gorram in hunc locum of God called Saints it sheweth the restriction of grace fidelibus tantùm non alijs to the faithfull only and to none else saith Gorram Non Romae simpliciter manentibus sed Deo duntaxat dilectis Not to all the inhabitants of Rome but to all the Saints that were in Rome saith Theophylact and so Theoph in hunc locum S. Chrysost also and all the rest of the Fathers qui dictorum intelligentiam expectant ex verbis potius quà m imponunt as S. Hillarie saith in another case Hilar. de Trin. l. 1. which rather seeke the true meaning of Gods Spirit from the words then impose a false glosse vpon the text to corrupt the truth doe from hence collect a restriction of grace to the Saints of God and not to the sonnes of Belial Euen so the Prophet Esay calling Esay 55. 1. euery one that thirsted to come to the waters meanes none but those that thirsted And our Sauiour inuiting all that were weary and heauie laden to come vnto Matth. 11. vlt. him to be eased meanes none but those that were weary and the like we finde almost in euery passage of the Scriptures This restriction therefore of Gods grace doth sufficiently confute Pelagius Hemingius Huberus and all the rest of the Arminian broode touching the doctrine of vniuersall grace who say that God would haue all men to be saued and therefore gaue his Sonne to die for all and so offereth sauing grace vnto all that all men might be saued if they would them selues beleeue in Christ and perseuere in faith according to the condition of the Euangelicall promises and doe further vnderstand these Euangelicall promises to be so offered and indefinitely left in the power of man as that he may either of his owne will receiue them and be saued or reiect them and be condemned But for the fuller vnderstanding of this one point I will examine these two points 1. Whether God by his absolute will would haue all men to be saued 2. Whether he gaue Christ Iesus to die for all men that they might be saued To the First I answer negatiuely To the Second affirmatiuely Of the first I say then it is not the absolute Whether God wold haue all men saued will of God that all men should be saued or haue sauing grace giuen vnto them for if it were I demand the reason why they are not saued for Voluntati eius quis restitit Who hath Rom. 9. euer resisted his will If they say that the cause hereof is not in the will of God that offereth grace but in the frowardnesse of mans will that refuseth grace I answer with S. Augustine that Sic velle nolle in Aug. de corrept gratia cap. 7. cap. 14. volentis nolentis est potestate vt diuinam voluntatem non impediat diuinam potestatem non superet So to will or nill is in the power of him that willeth or nilleth as that it neither hindereth the diuine will of God nor especially surmount the power of God For otherwise it were to make the will of God depend vpon the will of man and to subordinate the first cause vnto the second which is contrary to the lawes of Nature And as S. Aug. speaketh it were to make the weake and the peeuish will of man of more power and might then the omnipotent will of God whereof S. Ambrose saith Voluntas S. Ambros in 5. Luc. eius potestas eius his will and his power are both a like because he can doe whatsoeuer he will doe for if God would haue men to be saued and men by their nilling or refusing will not be saued then certainly Dei voluntas superata S. Aug. in Euchrid ad Laurent ca. 97. est hominum voluntate infirmissimis nolendo impedientibus non potest facere potentissimus quod vult The will of God and his desire is ouercome by the will and deniall of man so that by the nilling
vnto himselfe euen so though Christ died for them and made satisfaction for their sinnes yet may they be most iustly condemned for not receiuing and applying the same vnto themselues but to suffer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this great price to bee vneffectuall vnto them And this our Sauiour sheweth This Ioh. 3. 19. is condemnation that light is come vnto the world and men loue darknesse more than light for this is spoken of the reprobate and not of the godly for they loue light more than darknesse and therefore this is the condemnation of the wicked that light i. Christ Iesus is come vnto them and yet they refuse to accept him or to apply his benefits vnto themselues and doe loue darknesse more than light because their works are euill And therfore in a word to determine this question I say that the exhibition or giuing of Christ was for all men the manifestation of him by the preaching of the word vnto many and the speciall application of him by a liuely and sauing faith vnto few according to that saying of our Sauiour Christ Manie are called but few are chosen And so you see in what sense Christ may be said to haue died for all men and to procure grace for all men and in what sense he may be said to die only for his elect and to procure grace only vnto the elected Saints And from hence we may behold with ioy and consider with admiration the exuberancie and the exceeding superabundancie of Gods loue vnto his elected Saints and chosen people aboue all other men in the world for being all in the same masse of corruption cui nihil nisi supplicium debebatur to all which was nothing due but destruction we could deserue nothing at the hands of God no more then the wickedest men in the world And yet he doth not only giue his Sonne for vs as he did for all men else and offer his grace vnto vs as he doth vnto many others but also he extendeth his loue further towards vs then he doth vnto any other for he pittieth our vnaptnesse to receiue and vnablenesse to retaine his grace and therefore he helpeth our imbecillitie and worketh grace in our hearts to accept his grace to applie that grace vnto our selues and to retaine that grace vnto our liues end And so not of our selues but by the speciall and effectuall working of Gods grace we only that are elected doe accept apply and retaine the grace of God and all the benefits of Iesus Christ vnto our selues whereby we are iustified and sanctified here and shall be glorified hereafter O that we would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse and shew the wonders that he doth and the exceeding superabundant kindnesse that hee sheweth for vs poore children of men And thus much for the restriction of sauing grace as it is effectuall and beneficiall only to the Saints though the same be done for all and offered as sufficient vnto many yet not effectually wrought in any but only in the Saints and chosen people of God 2. Touching the place where the How the godly dwell alwaies among the wicked Saints inhabit it is said to be Rome concerning which if we doe obserue The antiquitie The iniquitie of the same we shall easily finde subiect for large discourses 1. Some thinke that the Pelasgians ouerflowing the Countrey of Greece came into Italy and builded the Citie of Rome and called it Roma by reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Impetus of the great strength and power thereof which Roma in Greeke doth signifie Others thinke that the Troyans reliquias Virgil. Aeneid DanauÌ„ atque immitis Achillis being tossed to and fro and wearied with their wiues and children landing in Italy their wiues by the aduice of a noble Lady called Roma did burne vp their ships that they might saile no further and therefore they were constrained to tarrie and to build a Citie which they called Roma in remembrance of that noble Lady sic alij atque alij aliud atque Plut. in vit Romuli aliud opinati sunt euery seuerall man had his seuerall iudgement as S. Aug. speaketh in the like case and Plutarch sheweth in this case But the common receiued opinion is that Romulus and Remus being departed from Alba did build the same and erect a sanctuarie of refuge that what malefactor soeuer did flie vnto the same he should be safe from all reuenge whereby in a short time it grew so populous so strong and so great a Citie that it excelled all others and at last became the Empresse and Metropolitan citie of the whole world quae inter alias caput extulit vrbes quantuÌ„ Virgil. Eglog 1. lenta solent inter viburna cupressi 2. For the iniquitie of it it began in bloud when Cain-like Romulus did vnnaturally murder his naturall brother Remus and as Belus king of Niniuie erected a golden statue bearing the image of his father Beel and warranted all malefactors free that fled vnto the same whereby at last the wicked Beda in Luc. ca. 11. fugitiues adored the same for a god and so committed horrible idolatrie euen so by their wicked asylum did the Romans multiply in such multitudes that they exceeded all others And because they gaue tolerations for all Religions there was no hinderance of their increase because all men are euer readier to yeeld their allegeance Valeâ— Max. then their conscience vnto their enemies and so by these meanes they grew to the height of all impietie towards God of all sauage crueltie towards men as we reade of L. Sylla who stroue to be called foelix for his crueltie yet C. Marius iustified him and Caligula went beyond them both but Nero was born to iustifie Caligula saith Suetonius and so of the rest repleti omâ—â—â—â—iustitia they were full of all vnrighteousnesse saith the Apostle Rom. 1. vlt. Yet heere among these wicked people in hac famosa ciuiâ—ate in this citie famous for her infamie did these beloued Saints inhabite whereby we see The care of the Saints 1. Their care and circumspection 2. Their state and condition It is naturall in man to desire societie Arles li. 1. ca. 2. de Repub saith Arist yet there is nothing so dangerous as the societie of wicked men saith Isidorus for though that ship was Isidor lib. 2. sol not troubled that carried Peter yet that was greatly tossed that carried Iudas like that which carried Ionas and therefore all the godly that were with him licet suis meritis firmi yet turbebantur alienis saith S. Ambrose though Ambros l. 4. super Luc. they were firme in respect of their own deserts yet were they hazarded for the wickeds sake And therefore these Christians liuing among the wicked in the midst of impietie were very circumspect of their societie else could they neuer haue preserued their sanctitie euen so should we doe though we
Hebrew word which signifies to burne in respect of the vehement affection of it so the Poets resembled it est mollis flamma medullis caeco carpitur igni Cant. 8. 6. 7. the Scripture it selfe compares it vnto fire And yet the Latines do affirme plus esse amare quà m diligere that it is more to loue then to wish well but here the Apostle vseth a word which signifieth more then to loue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phauorinus Beloued of God for the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the same thing as Cicero turneth to be contented or that wherein we doe rest our selues satisfied As the father said of the sonne hic est filius meus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is Mat. 3. vlt. my beloued Sonne in quo acquiesco in whom I rest my selfe contented So that heerein wee finde three things 1. An inclination to the thing chosen 1 Ioh. 4. 10. to set our liking on for loue doth include Et iudicium eligentis actionem Sâ—aliger de subtilitate exercit 317. §. 3. seiungentis rem electam ab alijs saith Scaliger The iudgement of the chuser and his action to separate the thing chosen from all other things 2. A desire to be vnited to it as we may see in Matt. 23. 34. Deut. 5. 29. 3. A ioyfull contentment in it as this is my rest for euer here will I dwell for Ps 132. 4. I haue a delight therein And therefore though the loue of God signifieth no affection or passion as it doth in man yet we finde therein 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good will or a decree of hauing mercie 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an actuall beneficence or doing good to them creating them sustaining them and guiding them 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a delighting in them And this loue of God extends it selfe The large extent of Gods loue 1. And in the highest degree towards himselfe 2. Towards all things that be 1. In respect of the will and vnitie of essence the three persons loue each other with an vnconceiuable essentiall loue And therefore God made all things for his owne sake and so the Scripture sheweth the loue of each person vnto the other as the father loueth the sonne and hath giuen all things into his hands and that you may know that I loue the father and as the Father gaue me a commandement so I doe and the Holy Ghost is said to be the loue of the Father and the Sonne In quantum est nexus Patris Filij ineffabilis complexus as S. Augustine speaketh ingenti Iohan. de Combis l. 1. c. 8. largitate perfundens omnes creaturas pro captu earum The bond of both the Father the Son and the suauitie and delight of both filling all creatures with goodnesse according to each ones capacitie 2. He loueth all things that are and Sap. 11. 24. Gen. hateth nothing of the things that he hath made For when he had made all things he beheld them and loe they were exceeding good and in this sense all creatures are beloued of God But you will say God hateth all that Ob. worke iniquitie Psal 4. I answer that in euerie sinfull man there are two things to be considered 1. His nature which is the worke of God and this he loueth 2. His iniquitie which is the worke of man and for this he hateth him or this in him And so you see that God loueth all things that are But you must vnderstand that although Thom. 2. p. q. 20. art 3. in respect of the act of louing he doth not loue one thing more then another because hee loueth all things with one simple act of his will as Aquinas speaketh yet in respect of things loued there is an order in his loue for it is most certaine that of all creatures that hee hath made hee loued mankinde best 1. For that when he made all things hee only made man according to his owne image and likenes and therefore Dauid in admiration of this loue of God to mankinde breaketh forth into such exclamations O God what is man that thou art mindfull of him c. thou madest him lower then the Angels to crown him with glory and honour lower it may bee in regard of his substance Zanch. de natura Dei but higher in respect of Gods Image which is that glory and honour wherewith hee was crowned 2. For that although hee loued the That God loued mankinde â—boue all other creatures Angels with an exceeding great loue yet doe wee neuer read that hee was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Spirit-louer as he vouchsafed to bee called as by a proper name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Man-louer as we see Tit. 3. 4. cùm apparuit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seruatoris nostri when the bountifulnesse and loue of God towards man appeared Thirdly for that after the fall of man hee left an exceeding great liberty and bestowed many blessings and benefits as witnesses of his loue to man euen in that relapsed estate and time of disobedience as S. Paul doth most excellently â—ct 17. declare vnto the Athenians which he hath not done to the relapsed Angels who presently vpon their fall were depriued of all tokens of Gods loue 4 For that hee sent his dearest sonne to take our nature vpon him and to be made man like vnto vs and not to take the nature of Angels vpon him as the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes doth most diuinely obserue when hee saith that non assumpsit Angelos sed semen Abrahae hee assumed not the nature of Angels but hee tooke vpon him the seede of Abraham quid tam pietatis plenum quam quod filius Dei pro nobis factus est foenum What can bee a more signe of loue or more full of piety then that God should giue his only sonne to be made grasse for vs for all flesh is grasse saith S. Bernard Esay 5. For that hee did not onely giue his sonne to take our nature vpon him and so to become of no reputation as the Apostle speaketh but also to bee made a Philip. 2. curse for vs to suffer for vs to be wounded for our sinnes to bee broken for our transgressions and to bee crucified for our iniquities where hee suffered 1. Opprobrium quo nullum vilius the greatest reproach and shame that could be quia morte turpissima condemnemus eum for the death of the Crosse Sap. 2. was accounted the most shamefull most disgracefull death that was for cursed is euery one that hangeth vpon a tree saith the Scripture 2. Supplicium quo nullum maius the greatest paine and torment that could bee 1. In his body in all his senses 1. In his feeling the sharpnesse of the nailes 2. In his hearing their mocks and scornes 3. In his smell their stinking
spittles 4. In his taste the bitternesse of gall 5. In his sight the effusion of teares his friends bewayling his foes exulting and all forsaking him 2. In his minde such thoughts and sorrowes as cannot bee conceiued much lesse by men any waies expressed and all this was done for vs and for our sake vt iniusta mors iustam vinceret mortem that hee being vniustly put to death as iniustus cum iniustis ex iniustis causis by the vniust with the vniust and for vniust causes hee might iustly deliuer vs from that iust death which wee deserued And therefore if wee behold this man of sorrow and say Quae sunt hae plagae quae sunt haec vulnera Christe What stripes or wounds bee these O blessed Christ hee will answer Et plagae sunt haec vulnera quaeque tua All these are onely thine tibi natus tibi passus tibi mortuus for I was borne for thee to suffer for thee and to dye for thee and if thou wouldst know the impulsiue cause heereof and say Si mea cur tua diripiunt tua viscera Christ◠Hee will answer Loue is the onely cause heereof O amor his plagis membra cruent at amor his loue to man is the cause of all these things And all these things are sufficient arguments to shew the superabundancie of his loue to man aboue all other creatures whatsoeuer and therefore in many places this great loue of God is shewed with notes of incomprehensiblenesse as so God loued the world so as it cannot be expressed and againe behold what manner of loue the father hath shewed vnto vs that we should be called the sonnes of God And yet heere we must vnderstand that this loue of God to mankinde is twofold 1. common to the iust and vniust Bern. Serm. 14. de coena domini 2. speciall to the Elect onely in whom the loue of God doth more manifestly appeare and vpon whom hee bestoweth all the benefits of his loue And of these also hee loueth some The holier we are the dearer God loues vs. better then others for there bee three sorts of Elects 1. Some whom God hath decreed to iustifie but as yet are not regenerate as Paul while he was a Persecutor 2. Others in whom regeneration is inchoated and the reliques of sinne remaining as the Saints in earth 3. Others in whom perfect obedience is effected and their sanctification fully accomplished as the Saints in heauen He loueth the first wel the second better but the third best of al for the holier we be the neerer vnto his image the dearer wee are beloued of him and therefore hee saith diligentes me diligo I loue them that loue me and I will shew mercie on them that keepe my commandements as if hee should say I loue all men well but I loue them especially aboue all men that loue me and keepe my commandements And this S. Augustine sheweth most excellently Aug. tom 9. in Ioh. saying Omnia diligit Deus quae fecit inter ea magis diligit creaturas rationabiles de illis eas amplius quae sunt membra vnigeniti sui multo magis vnigenitum God loueth all that hee made and among them hee chiefly loueth his reasonable creatures that is men and of all men the members of his sonne and his sonne himselfe aboue them all Now these things being thus made manifest what the loue of God is how farre it extendeth and how hee loueth all creatures it is easie enough to know whom the Apostle meaneth by the beloued of God not those that he loued best for they were in heauen and not in Rome nor those that he loued least because they liued in their sinnes but those that were regenerated and sanctified in some measure as the next words doe declare called to be Saints De 2. The Apostle in these few What lessons wee may learne from this doctrine of the loue of God words doth giue vs to learne many things but especially 1. A confutation of heretiques 2. A consolation for Christians 3. A manifold instruction for all men in their liues and conuersations 1. Seeing the Apostle doth not call them diligentes Deum the Louers of God or those that loue God though they did so too but dilectos Dei beloued of God or those whom God did loue hee sheweth hereby that the loue The loue of God to vs is the cause of all our goodnesse of God is the primary and efficient cause of our sanctitie and goodnesse and not our goodnes the cause of his loue and therefore this confuteth the Doctrine of humane merit and the foggie mist of the Pelagian heresie fayning fancying certaine causes without God as the Schoole-men speake that is not subsisting in God himselfe but externally mouing the will of God to determine and dispose of sundry things As if the workes of men foreseene of God and not the loue of God to men were the cause why hee elected and called them vnto sanctity that not his loue and grace to vs but our good vsing of his grace should bee the cause why he bestoweth his grace vpon vs. A doctrine cleane contrary to the order of this Scripture and indeede contrary to all truth for our Sauiour telleth his disciples you haue not chosen Ioh. 15. mee but I haue chosen you and ordained that you should bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remaine Whereupon S. Augustine most excellently hic vacat vana illorum ratiocinatio S. Aug. Tract 86. in Iohan. qui praescientiam Dei defendunt contra gratiam Dei this confuteth their vaine babling which defend the prescience of God to the derogation and preiudice of the grace of God For if God did therefore chuse vs because he did foresee know we would be good then he did not choose vs to make vs good but rather we choose him in purposing to be good but our Sauiour saith you haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and the Apostle sheweth that Eph. 1. 4. God did not choose vs because hee foresaw wee would bee holy but hee chose vs to the end we might be holy and that he did not predestinate vs vpon the fore-sight of the good vse of our free will but according to the good pleasure of his owne will quae omnium quae sunt ipsa est causa And therefore nullum eligit dignum S. Aug. contra Iul. pelag li. 5. c. 3. sed aligendo efficit dignū God did chuse none because he was worthie but God maketh him worthy because he chuseth him neither doth he loue any of vs because we loue him first but therefore 1 Iohn 4. 19. we loue him because he loued vs first for if he had neuer loued vs we could neuer haue loued him his loue therefore to vs is the cause of our loue to him and of all other our goodnesse and not our loue and goodnesse the cause
of his loue to vs. And therefore the Apostle heere maketh the loue of God to be the maine ground and cause of our vocation and sanctification and S. Iohn putteth it as the only cause of our redemption saying Christ hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes 2. Here is sufficient consolation that God loueth vs and therefore if any man would reioice let him reioice in this that he is beloued of God for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Iliad 9. 2. That God loueth vs is the greatest comfort we can imagine Ambros li. 1. c. 6. de vita beata 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that man is in stead of many people whom God shall loue I care not then for the loue of the world so I may haue the loue of God I feare not my sinnes so I may haue the loue of my Sauiour for I doe not reioice quia iustus sum sed quia redemptus sum non quia vacuus sum peccato sed quia remissa sunt peccata that I am iust but that I am iustified not that I haue no sinnes but because my sinnes are forgiuen not because I am beloued of the world but because I hope I am beloued of God 3. From this doctrine of the loue of God we may learne many lessons of instructions 1. Seeing God loueth all his creatures we should neither wastfully abuse them with that prophane glutton but gather vp the very crummes that nothing be lost lest God should call vs to an account for wasting his goods nor yet shew our selues cruell towards the basest creatures for the Lord loueth them and therefore commandeth that they should take their rest vpon the Sabboth that we should not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne that we should not take the damme that sitteth and cherisheth her young brood c. to teach vs that we should not vse any crueltie or vnmercifulnesse towards these filly creatures for a mercifull and a tender hearted man will be pittifull vnto his beasts as knowing these creatures were made for the vse of man and not that any man should abuse these creatures 2. Seeing the Lord loueth the reasonable creatures better then the bruit beasts it teacheth vs to loue men better then our dogges and Christians better then worldly trash 3. Seeing of all men God loueth the Saints best it teacheth vs to follow the counsell of S. Paul To doe good vnto all men but especially to those that are of the houshold of faith 4. Seeing we our selues as we hope are beloued of God it teacheth vs two especiall things 1. To studie how to retaine and to increase Gods loue 2. To learne what we shall render vnto God for his loue De 1. I confesse that at the beginning there is nothing in vs or that can be done by vs which can moue God to loue vs yet I say that after God hath giuen vs his Spirit bettered vs by his grace then may we doe those things that Anton. p. 4. t. 6. §. 10. may retaine and increase his loue towards vs for quamuis Deus prior dilexit nos tamen exercendo nos in actu dilectionis augetur dilectio eius though God loueth vs first yet by exercising ourselues in louing God we shall increase his loue towards vs saith Antoninus To the end therefore that we may How we may retaine and increase Gods loue towards vs. retaine and increase Gods loue vnto vs there are many things to be done whereof I will only name these three 1. Contempt of vanitie 2. True humilitie 3. Perfect obedience 1. Seneca saith that nemo dignus est Deo nisi qui opes contempserit no man is worthy of Gods loue but he that hath cast away the loue of worldly wealth and S. Gregory saith that tanto à diuino Greg. distinct 47. bonorum amore disiungimur quanto infernis delectamur so much the further we are from Gods loue by how much the neerer we are to the worlds loue And S. Iohn saith that the loue of the world is enmitie with God and therefore whosoeuer would retaine the loue of God must abstaine from the loue of the world 2. Humilitie is the only vertue that God loueth melius est vitium cum humilitate quà m virtus cum superbia God loueth an humble Publican better then a proud Pharisie superbos sequitur vltor à tergo Deus for He beholdeth the proud afarre off but he giueth grace vnto the lowly 3. Whosoeuer will keepe my Commandements Ioh◠14. 21. my Father will loue him and we will come vnto him and make our abode with him saith Christ himselfe and so you see things that both retaine and increase the loue of God towards vs. De 2. What shall we render vnto God for this his great loue vnto vs I answer that dilectionis nulla maior Leo ser 7. deiciunio expetenda est remuneratio quam ipsa dilectio nothing is so acceptable in the The loue of God is to be requited only with loue actions of loue as loue againe and that loue is deemed to be lost which is not requited with loue And therefore as the Magi when they came to Christ opened their treasures and offered their gifts vnto him gold frankincense and mirrhe whereof Matth. 3. the first is said to be the gold whereby loue is signified for as gold is better then all other mettals so loue is the chiefe of all vertues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 13. Faith Hope and Charitie yet the greatest of these is Charitie and as gold maketh the owner rich so is he truly rich which is in loue with God and as the gold is made purer in the fire so is our loue made brighter in the fire of temptations And therefore Victorinus vpon the words of the Apoc. I counsell thee to buy of me gold doth expound the same to signifie loue and charitie lucem intimi Richard Victor in Apoc. splendoris fulgidam feruore dilectionis ignitam per fornacem tribulationis probatam shining through the light of its inward brightnesse fierie through the feruencie of affection and tried in the furnace of tribulation and therefore Thomas saith that the first gift of the Thomas 1. p. q. 38. ar 2. Holy Ghost which we receiue from God is loue and therefore seeing this is the first gift of God to vs whereby he is moued to doe all other good things for vs let vs with the Wise men offer our loue in the first place to God againe for this is the first and great Commandement to loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart this is the first and chiefest oblation and this is that which God chiefly accepteth Now touching the louing of God Thom. in l. de perfect spirit vitae ca. 3. the Schole-men doe assigne 3. degrees 1. Quantum diligibilis est as much as he is worthy of loue and so he is only
inward testimonie of the Spirit for we haue not receiued the spirit 1 Cor. 2. 12. Rom. 8. 15. of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are giuen to vs of God And so S. Augustine saith persuasisti mihi Domine thy Spirit ô God perswadeth me that I am thy sonne and that thou hast giuen me thy grace and therefore teacheth me to crie Abba father 2. Because we are not to beleeue euery How to know whether we haue the Spirit of God spirit but are to try them whether they be of God wee may know the same by the outward fruits of the Spirit wherof S. Iohn setteth downe three as the true signes and touch-stone whereby wee may know the Spirit of truth from the spirit of errour 1. By the confession of the truth 1 Ioh. 1 Ioh. 4. 2. 3. 2. And this S. Paul likewise sheweth when he saith that with the mouth confession Rom. 10. 10. is made vnto saluation for whosoeuer confesseth Christ before men him will Christ acknowledge before his Father which is in heauen And therefore whosoeuer is ashamed of his profession or conceales the truth of Christian religion he may assure himselfe he wants grace and is as yet void of the Spirit of God 2. By the receiuing of the testimonie of Vers 6. the Sonne of God i. by the hearing of the word of Christ And this our Sauiour toucheth when hee saith My Ioh. 10. sheepe heare my voice And therefore they are not of God that will not heare the word of God 3. By loue and charitie towards our Vers 7. brethren and so our Sauiour saith Hereby shall all men know that you are my disciples if you loue one another and S. Iohn saith Hereby wee know that wee 1 Ioh. 3. 14. are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren And S. Paul doth more largely set downe the fruits of the Spirit of God viz. loue ioy peace long-suffering gentlenesse Gal. 5. 22. goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance c. These and the like graces vnto these are the fruits of the Spirit of God whereby a man may know whether he hath the Spirit of God or not For so S. Iohn sheweth plainly In this the 1 Ioh. 3. 10. children of God are manifest and the children of the deuill whosoeuer doth not righteousnesse is not of God neither hee that loueth not his brother but hee that loueth his brother abideth in the light and he that doth righteousnesse is righteous Vers 7. euen as God is righteous And so we finde that the Saints of God did assure themselues of the grace of God by the fruits of the Spirit of God as Iob saith I know that my redeemer Iob 19. 25. liueth And S. Paul I liue by the Gal. 2. 20. faith in the Sonne of God And lest any man should say that these men knew it by speciall reuelation and not by any outward examination we finde the fathers of the same minde For Epiphanius saith Christ was sent to be a Sauiour that hee might redeeme from bondage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphan in anchor pag. 496. Basil in definitionibus and was made vnto me righteousnesse sanctification and redemption But how knew he this S. Basil sheweth Certo quis persuaderi potest sibi dimissa esse peccata si odit iniquitatem amat iustitiam Any man may know this if hee hateth sin and loueth righteousnesse And so Ferus sheweth the same thing saying In Christo si te per fidem dilectionem inueneris certus esto te esse à Deo iustificatum whosoeuer findeth himselfe to be in Christ by faith and charity he may assure himselfe that he hath grace and is iustified by that grace and so you see that by the fruits of grace we may know we haue grace Yet I say this knowledge of hauing All our knowledge of hauing grace is verie weake grace is weake and full of imbecillitie 1. Because all our knowledge our hope our faith and all other things that we haue are but imperfect and only in part as the Apostle speaketh 2. Because the works of nature are so like the works of grace the faith of hypocrites so hardly to be distinguished from the faith of Gods chosen the spirit of errour so like the Spirit of truth vt nec ovum ouo similius that without diligent search and examination we cannot discerne the one from the other 3. Because all of vs and the best of vs are so prest and almost opprest with sinnes and the cares of this world that we are carelesse and negligent in trying the spirits and examining the certaintie of our estate or of hauing grace by these fruits of grace But they that will trie and examine the same may know the same and the more they trie the better they may know and knowing the same they may speake of the same to the glorie of God and the comfort of themselues for Dicere se esse iustificatum Aug. in Psal 85. non est superbia elati sed confessio non ingrati For a righteous man to say he is iustified is no token of pride and arrogancie but of thankfulnesse true humilitie to confesse to others what he receiued from God But the boasting of the wicked is meere presumption a wonder to see they are so sure of grace and yet the world sees they are full of sinnes And therefore this should teach vs to worke our saluation with feare and trembling and not to be too presumptuous or too cocke-sure of grace but sometimes to be dubious for Is qui nil dubitat nil capit inde boni he that neuer doubts of his estate neuer trieth his estate whereas they that feare and doubt will bee willing to examine themselues and to vse all diligence to know their owne estate whether they haue grace or not for God will not make vs too too certaine causa solicitudinis Bernard lest we should be too too carelesse and yet he would not leaue vs altogether vncertaine gratia consolationis lest we should be deiected But what he denied vs à priori he granted à posteriori that by the fruits and effects of grace we might know whether we haue anie grace De 2. We must consider the certaintie of the continuing or not losing of grace a point of more difficultie and no lesse necessitie to bee knowne then the former For I finde concerning the same three opinions 1. Some say that both good and Whether sauing grace once had may afterward be vtterly lost bad may receiue grace and yet both good and bad by their sinnes may lose the same both totally wholly and finally 2. Others say that both good and bad may haue grace and that both of them may lose it totally but that both of them cannot lose it finally for that the Saints cannot finally lose grace though many
labours saith Saint Bernard 2. The imperfect peace which the Saints haue here in this life is three-fold as the same Saint Bernard noteth Idem ser 5. in festo omnium sanct 1. With God 2. With men 3. With our selues De 1. Our forefathers sinning against God made vs all enemies vnto God and God saith he will be auenged of his Esay 1. enemies and therefore we cannot be deliuered vnlesse we be reconciled for there is no way to flye no place to hide Psal 139. 7 8 9. vs no Atturney to plead for vs as old Ely sheweth and therefore O man 1 Sam. 25. why striuest thou with God durum est contra stimulum calcitrare it is hard to striue against the streme it is hard to preuaile against thy God for he is a consuming fire and neuer any escaped out of his hands Christ therefore became our mediator and vndertooke the discipline of our peace by his most bitter sufferings for our transgressions and so he became peace to them that were afarre off and peace to them that were neere i. both to the Iewes and to the Gentiles as S. Ierome expoundeth it In respect of this our Sauiour after his resurrection when he bade peace be vnto Iohn 20. 20. you shewed them his hands and his feet as if he should haue said behold hereby how deerely I haue bought and purchased your peace by such bitter sufferings for your transgressions And so Christ hath made our peace with God if we beleeue in him for being iustified by faith we haue peace with Rom 5. 1. God through Iesus Christ our Lord. And this is the first and the chiefest peace and the fountaine from whence all other peace doth flow 2. The second is peace with men and Of peace with men this is a fruit and effect of our peace with God and it is nothing else but a sweet harmony and consent of mindes to will and to doe the same things and to helpe and further each other in all godly actions And so we read of the Christians of Act. 2. 46. and Act. 4. 32. Caluinus in 2. Cor. the primitiue Church that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one heart and of one minde and this must prius pertinere ad opinionum consensum first pertaine to consent in iudgement and opinion to teach and to beleeue the same points of doctrine and then mutua sese charitate amorum contunctione complecti to loue each other with mutuall loue and charity 〈◊〉 foederis haec species id habet concordia Alciat signum Vt quos iungit amor iungat ipsa manus For this is the propertie of true peace to haue a sweet harmony of consent and concord in all things to will the same things to speake the same things and to doe the same things and as the Apostle speaketh to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace And here we must vnderstand that That there be diuers kindes of peace with men this peace with men is of diuers kindes according to the seuerall estates and degrees of men but for methods sake we may diuide it into a 1. Ciuill peace and 2. Ecclesiasticall peace 1. The ciuill peace is either 1. Domesticall 2. Politicall 3. Vniuersall The 1. is when man and wife doe louingly liue and peaceably agree together in all honestie and godlinesse and so when parents and children masters and seruants and all that are in a house doe performe each one his dutie for the continuance of peace and quietnesse within the house without which the house cannot continue saith our Sauiour Matth. 12. 15. The 2. is when Magistrate and subiect high and low rich and poore neighbours equals and all that doe remaine and dwell either in Citie Countrey or Common-wealth doe each one performe his dutie to liue in peace and quietnesse for the preseruation either of Citie or Common-wealth without which the strongest Ibid. kingdome cannot stand saith our Sauiour The third is when Kings Countries and nations are in league and in peace Zach. 9. 10. one with another for the publique good the generall commerce of all nations and the vnspeakable benefit of all the world 2. Ecclesiasticall peace is when the Mich. 4. 3. Ministers and Preachers of Gods word doe 1. Agree in opinions among themselues 2. Liue in peace and quietnesse among their neighbours and parishioners Both which doe exceedingly make for the happinesse of the Church for the inlargement of the Kingdome of Christ and the propagation of his Gospell Of the peace of conscience And these are the chiefest kindes and principall sorts of peace among men which is the second kinde of peace that the Apostle wisheth vnto the Saints peace with men 3. The third is peace with our selues another fruit an effect of the former peace with God and it is nothing else but a quieting of our mindes and consciences not only for that we are at peace with all men which is an exceeding great content vnto the minde of man but especially for that we are at peace with God and therefore neede not feare the vengeance and the wrath of God That nothing in the world can discontent the mindes of the Saints Ioh. 14. 27. because we are reconciled vnto him our debts are paid and our sinnes are satisfied for by Iesus Christ And therefore as our Sauiour saith let not your hearts be troubled neither feare for I haue ouercome the world I haue vanquished your enemies I haue washed away your sinnes and I haue made your peace with God so the Saints doe follow his aduice they doe set their hearts at rest and because they know that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus they doe exultingly say with the blessed Apostle who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen Rom. 8. 1. it is God that iustifieth who shall separate vs from the loue of God shall tribulation Ibid. v. 33. 34. c. or anguish or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword no not these nor any of these nor all these nor yet principalities nor powers nor height nor depth nor life nor death nor things present nor things to come nor any thing else shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus for that in all these things we are more then conquerors through him that loued vs and therefore Terra tremit mare mugit sic ruit ortus orcus Si modo firma fides nulla ruina nocet Let the Sea make a noise and let the Earth be moued into the midst of the Sea yea let the Heauens vanish and Hell perish yet the Saints neede not feare to perish nam conscia mens recti famae mendaciaridet For their consciences being at peace assuring them they are at peace with God and knowing they are at peace with men they neede not feare what man
owne friends and the poyson that he had taken would not dispatch him out of life And aboue al we should all labour to preserue equity and piety amongst vs if we would haue peace to conitnue amongst vs. For Marcus Aurelius saith that king Boco made an oration to the Senate of Rome wherein among many other notable sentences he left The diall of Princes pag. 393. written the banes and the causes of the ruine of euery kingdome in these words viz. Woe to that realme where all are such that neither the good among the euill nor the euill among the good are knowne Woe The description of a wicked kingdome and the fearefull estate therof to that realme which is the intertainer of fooles and a destroyer of all sages woe to that realme where the good are fearefull and the euill too bold woe to that realme where the patient are despised and the seditious commended woe to that realme which destroyeth those which watch for the good and crowneth those which watch to doe euill woe to that realme where the poore are suffered to be proud and the rich to be tyrants woe to that realme where all doe know the euill and no man doth follow the good woe to that realme where so many euill vices are openly committed which in another country dare not secretly be mentioned woe to that realme where all procure that they desire where all attaine to that they procure where all thinke that which is euill where all speake that which they thinke and finally where all may doe what they will In such and so vnfortunate a realme where the people are too wicked let euery man beware that he be no inhabitant for in short time there must happen there either the ire of the Gods or the furie of men to the depopulation of the good or the desolation of the tyrants And therefore if we would haue peace we must root out vice and labour euery man to doe iustice to be true to our king to be obedient to the law and to loue one another with brotherly loue And so much for the meanes to procure all kindes of the ciuill peace 2. That ecclesiasticall peace may be preserued and that first among the Pastors Euseb Eccl. l. 8. c. 1. themselues we should all remember what Eusebius saith viz. that while the Ministers and Preachers of Gods That all ministers should liue at peace among thēselues word were at peace among themselues and did hold together the Gospell of Christ flourished and their owne happinesse increased haec nulla potuit invidia prohibere yet Satan with all his subtletie Tyrants with all their cruelty and the world with all his enuie could neuer hinder the prosperous estate of the Church But when the bond of peace was once broken and they began to war among themselues then the Lord darkned the glory of the daughter of Sion and the miseries that befell these ministers were most lamentable and so both themselues and their people did rue their discords for Nulla lues ouibus tantum non vlla venena Melancton in Epigram Quantum pastorum dissidia ipsa nocent Nothing can be so hurtfull or so poysonous vnto the people as the dissentions of their Pastors saith Melancthon And therefore wee should pray to God that he would keepe vs secretly within his tabernacle from the strife of tongues that wee may bee at peace among our selues Nam multi lupi velleribus Ignat. ep 9. ad Philad tecti sed in nostris concordibus animis nullus dabitur illis locus For there be many Wolues in Sheepes clothing but against vnanimous hearts they can haue none aduantage O then beloued brethren let vs imbrace this peace among our selues Formicae grata est formica cicada cicadae Rousner in Emblem Et doctus doctis gaudet Apollo choris The very bruite beasts doe loue those best that are of their owne kinde according to that ancient prouerb birds of a fether will flock together and yet alas I see too many of vs despising How the chiefe among the Clergy deale with their inferiours one another and contesting one against another the great ones doe contemne the poore aduance the wealthy suppresse the painefull and if any one making a conscience to discharge his dutie doth seeme to exceed the rest in paines he shall be the only mocke among the rest Proud enuy so his vertues doth deface It makes them foes to him they should imbrace But for mine owne part I shall be euer of S. Cyprians minde Non videndum Cyprian est quid aliqui ante nos fecerunt sed quid ille qui ante omnes est faciendum sit mandarit we are not altogether to looke what others haue done before vs or what others vse to doe among vs but we are especially to looke what he which is before all and aboue all hath commanded vs to doe And therefore quum periculosa res Anselmus est negligentia prelatorum seeing the negligence of the Ministers is most dangerons dangerous to themselues dangerons to their people as Anselmus saith I would aduise euery faithfull steward to goe on in all diligence like king Therous coursers that Pyndarus were neuer weary of running as Pyndarus speaketh and though he doe still continue vnregarded yet if he preach truly and liue vprightly merces eius apud Deum he shall not lose his reward Yet I say that this neglecting of painefull vpright men and the preferring of kinsmen allies-men and rich men all perhaps ignorant men hath caused many a man to start aside and in the height of discontent to disturbe the peace of the Church to ouerthrow themselues and many others And what shall become of the causers hereof Woe to him by whom offences come saith our Sauiour and I feare I may say woe to him that is the cause hereof Woe to him that breaketh peace and woe to him that causeth him to breake the peace Nam qui praesenti pace male vt untur futuram pacem non habebunt for they that abuse the present peace they shall neuer inioy the future peace saith Saint Augustine And therefore to conclude this point let vs abandon pride couetousnesse and contempt one towards another and let vs liue in loue and peace for we be brethren and as Melancton Melancton in Epigr. saith Sit procul à Christi discordia saeua Ministris Namque Deus poterit non nisi pace coli Let cruell discords and dissentions be farre from vs for the God of peace can neuer be serued but by the Ministers of peace for if we doe despise this peace we may feare that we qui prius Nazianz. Orat. 3. in princip f. 71. ex non populo populus ex non gente gens facti fueramus Which heretofore of no people were made a people shall yet againe be in that danger of a great people to become no people in
no darknesse at all And therefore God appeared to Moses in a flame of fire to Exâ—d 3. shew that he would cherish and comfort that poore people which were so much distressed and tormented of the Egiptians these be the two properties of fire to cherish or consume for nothing is so comfortable as fire if it be before vs nothing so violent if it be vpon vs so nothing is more comfortable then God vnto the godly nothing more terrible vnto wicked Tu terribilis Deus extunc ira tua who is able to abide his wrath And to these three deriuations of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zanch addeth a fourth That Zanch de nat Dei it may be deriued of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by changing δ. into θ. which signifieth feare because of all nations he should be feared And indeed Primus in orbe Deos fecit timor feare makes vs know there is a God when a mans conscience telleth him that euery good shall be rewarded and euerie euill must be punished And so you haue the significations of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God take it how you will it serueth 1. To shew vs qualis est Deus that The greatnesse of Gods Maiestie should teach vs to feare him God is a great and terrible God that seeth all things disposeth all things and rewardeth all things according to their iust deserts 2. To teach vs quid sit nostri officij what our duties are to feare and tremble to offend this great and terrible God and to be affraid of his iudgements because it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God 2. Though God be a burning fire Exod. 3. yet he consumeth not presently for though the bramble bush burned because God was in it yet it consumed not because his goodnesse preserued Exod. 3. it euen so though in the first place we see his Maiesty and his title of feare and reuerence yet in the second place if you but looke a little further you shall see his lenitie and his titles of loue and boldnesse not one but many like a boundlesse Ocean that would extoll it selfe in goodnesse aboue himselfe Our Father and our Lord Iesus Christ Now these titles are to be considered two waies 1. In respect of the Father 2. In respect of the Sonne In both which respects the loue and goodnesse of God is most abundantly shewed vnto vs 1. In that he is our Father 2. In that he is our Lord and Sauiour Of these in order These two words Our Father containe the sum of the Law and the Gospell Our Father De 1. The titles that doe expresse the goodnesse of the first person are two 1. Pater Father 2. Noster Our Father The first is verbum fidei a word of faith The second is verbum spei charitatis a word of hope and charitie and therefore in these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Father are contained both 1. Lex operandi the law of workes Basil obseru 2. Lex credendi the law of Faith i. both the Law and the Gospell For 1. To loue God with all our heart with all our soule and with all our strength and our neighbour as our selues is the summe of the Law and the Prophets saith our Sauiour but the name of Father vt explicat ita excitat Eliensis in orat domin charitatem as it sheweth the loue of God to man so it stirreth vp and kindleth the loue of man towards God the word noster Our Father sheweth the fraternity and brother-hood of vs all as being the children of the same father and therefore should loue one another euen as brethren ought to doe so here is our loue to God and our neighbour 2. The sum of the Gospell is faith working by charity but Father is a word of faith a word of boldnesse and Our is a word of community a word of charity And therefore as the whole world is described in a little mappe saith Synesius so in these two little words are most closely included the sum of the Law and the Gospell And therefore I will handle them more particularly And first of the word Father then of Our Father De 1. God is said to be a Father God is a Father in two respects in two respects 1. Respectu filij in respect of his sonne Christ Iesus 2. Respectu creaturarum in respect of all his creatures 1. In respect of his Sonne Christ Iesus he is alwaies a Father from all eternities Quia ille semper Pater Aug. to 10. ser 33. in apend de diuersis ille semper filius ac proinde Pater nunquam non Pater filius nunquam non filius he is alwaies a Father the Sonne is alwaies a Sonne and therefore the Father was neuer no Father and the Sonne was neuer no Sonne Sed sicut semper Deus it a semper Pater habens semper filium quem semel genuit ex sua aequalem sibi natura but was as he was euer a God so he was euer a Father hauing euer a Son which he once begat of his own nature coequall vnto himselfe saith Saint Augustine 2. In respect of his creatures he is said to be a Father 1. Generally of all his creatures God is said to be the Father of all his creatures 2. Particularly of man the chiefest of his creatures 1. Seeing all creatures haue their being from him he may be well called the Father of them all quia Pater dat esserei And therefore Iob calleth him Iob 38. Pater pluuiae the father of the raine And Saint Iames calleth him Pater luminum the Father of the Iam. 1. lights And so in respect of creation he is the Father of all things 2. He is the Father of men after a more speciall manner then he is of all other creatures whatsoeuer and that two waies 1. In respect of their generation 2. In respect of their regeneration For 1. Whereas of all other things he did but say fiat lux let there be light and producat terra let the earth bud forth and of all other things he spake the word and they were made he commanded they stood fast yet when man was to be created he said Let vs make God is more properly the Father of men man as consulting with his wisdome in our owne image and likenesse as more properly to be our sonne then any other creature and so he breathed in the nostrils of man the breath of life and man became a liuing soule And therefore the very Heathens doe ascribe to the soule of man both maxima vis maximus honos the greatest power and the greatest honour and the prince of Philosophers telleth vs it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an infusion celestiall and no naturall traduction and therefore doth alwaies seeke to mount vp super altitudines terrae aboue all earthly things haerere origini
Instruction For parents are Fathers are bound to instruct their children bound to instruct their children Eph. 6. 4. And therefore Abraham did teach his sonnes to feare the Lord and so did Iosuah Dauid and all other good fathers teach and instruct their children to doe that which was iust and honest and the verie Heathens did account Plutarch in Lacon Apoth those parents worthie of iust reproofe that were carelesse in the good education and instruction of their children And therefore God being our father hath such a care to teach his children that he sent wise men and Prophets and came himselfe and sends vs in his owne name and with his owne booke to teach all nations both what they should Matth. 28. vlt. doe and what they should beleeue And no doubt but euerie wise childe will receiue instruction as Salomon speaketh and especially when they haue so good a teacher 2. Correction For a father must Parents are bound to correct their children Ecclus. 30. 8. not be too indulgent vnto his children but they must be sure to giue them due correction for If thou bring up thy sonne deliciously he shall make thee afraid if thou play with him he shall bring thee to heauinesse saith the sonne of Syrach and therefore Salomon saith Withdraw Pro. 23. 13. not correction from thy childe if thou smite him with the rod he shall not die And therefore God correcteth and chasteneth euerie childe that he receiueth so that whosoeuer is exempted à passione August flagellorum exceptus est à numero filiorum from his part of affliction he is excepted from the number of Gods children hee is a bastard and no sonne Heb. 12. saith the Apostle And therefore this should make vs all to reioyce in tribulations because they are infallible arguments to proue vs to bee the sonnes of God 3. Though a father is bound to Fathers are verie indulgent to their children correct his childe yet he is so affected to his sonne that pro magno peccato panlulum supplicium patri satis est for a great offence a small punishment will be sufficient for a father to impose vpon his sonne And therefore though Absolon sought to depriue his father of his kingdome yet Dauid was most ready to forgiue him if hee had sought for any pardon And though the prodigall childe had cast off his father and wastefully spent all his patrimonie yet when he returned he was ioyfully receiued and most kindly entertained of his louing father euen so if we turne vnto our heauenly father he will be willing to forgiue vs and most ready to receiue vs because he is our father and in that respect the father of mercies as the Apostle 2 Cor. 3. calleth him And therefore this facilitas ad veniam tender hearted affection and fatherly loue of God towards vs should teach vs virtutem redeundi at length to say with the prodigall sonne I will returne and goe to my father For if the loue and affection of naturall fathers bee so great vnto their children as I shewed in the fore-said examples then surely the loue and compassion of our heauenly father is a great deale more for though the mother should forget the childe of her wombe yet will not I forget you saith the Lord. 4. A father careth for his sonnes and 2 Cor. 12. Fathers are bound to prouide for their children layeth vp for his children saith the Apostle and so God careth for vs your heauenly father knoweth you haue need of these things saith our Sauiour And according to our need hee is willing to supply our wants for if you that are euill can giue your children good things how much more shall our heauenly father giue to them that want it neither is he only carefull for vs but also for our children and therefore is called Pater orphanorum the Father of the orphans of the poore the father lesse and widowes of our selues and of our seed after vs. Neither is he only carefull to prouide for vs the things of this life but he prouideth for vs the goods of eternall life not lands and riches and such like corruptible things but an inheritance 1 Pet. 1. immortall and an heauenly kingdome that shall neuer haue ending And therefore I would to God wee would leaue and cast off all distrustfull care from vs and as the Apostle wisheth vs to cast our care vpon God that careth for all curis tabescimus omnes For this musing care and carking after the things of this life depriues vs of all true comfort it distracts our mindes it wearies our bodies and it makes vs vnfit and vnable to doe any true seruice vnto God And yet all to no end for when we haue done what we can we are at our liues end like the mill-wheele at the yeeres end after all her tumbling and turning at the same place where she was at the beginning for Naked we came into the world and naked wee shall returne againe And then as Diogenes said vnto Croesus quid tibi diuitiae Auson epig. 55. Nunc prosunt regum rex ô ditissime cum sis Sicut ego solus What good will all the wealth in the world doe vnto vs and therefore seeing God our father careth for vs let vs cast all our care vpon him 2. As this doctrine teacheth vs what What duties wee owe to our heauenly father to hope for at the hands of God so it teacheth vs what we owe to God for as he dignified vs with the name of sons so he requireth of vs the duties of sons And especially these foure 1. Feare 2. Obedience 3. Loue. 4. Imitation 1. If you call him Father then passe the time of your dwelling here in feare 1 Pet. 1. 13. How dearly children should loue their father and because we are sonnes it must be a filiall feare 2. As the name of a Father doth expresse his loue to vs so it should excite Aug. l. 2. c. 8. de sermone Domini our loue towards him againe For Quid charius filijs debet esse quà m pater What thing in the world should be so deare vnto the children as their father And therefore if I be a father where is my loue saith the Lord Defessum fertur portare ciconia patrem Aelian l. 10 c. 16. Hinc illa piet as sancta notatur aue It is reported of the Storke that he loues his sire so well that when he growes old and feeble the young one will carry it vpon his backe And if the bruit beasts doe shew such loue vnto their sires oh what loue should we shew vnto our heauenly father 3. Children are bound to honour and To obey God is the chiefest honour we can shew to God to obey their father for a wise sonne maketh a glad father saith the Wiseman But a sonne can neuer glad his father better then by doing his will and by obeying his voice
and therefore our Sauiour saith Whosoeuer doth the will of his Father the same was his brother his mother and his sister and whosoeuer did the will of the deuill the same was the childe of the deuill 4. Children are prone to be imitators of their fathers though many times they doe erre with their fathers but in imitating our heauenly father we shall be free from the feare of error and therefore we are inioyned to imitate him That we should imitate our heauenly Father and to square all our actions according to the actions of this our father to be holy as he is holy to be mercifull as he is mercifull and to be as he is meeke and lowly in heart For when we are taught that God is our father Quid aliud nisi per vitam innocentem nos coelesti patri similes sieri docemur What are we taught but through an holy and an innocent life to shew our selues like vnto our heauenly father saith Greg. Nissen And so much Nyssen de orat Dom. for the first word that sheweth the goodnesse of God Pater The second word that expresseth his goodnesse is noster our father and this doth also shew the brotherhood of men as father shewed the fatherhood of God And in summe 1. It excludeth all the wicked from all right in this heauenly Father 2. It includeth all the godly within the paternitie of this Father 1. In that he is said to be our father That wicked sinners are not the children of God here is an appropriation of him vnto the godly and an exclusion of all wicked men from his paternitie for though they be his sonnes by creation yet because they doe the desires of their father the deuill they cannot be his children by grace and so S. Cyprian saith Quod S. Cyprian inorat peccator non potest esse filius Dei sed quibus remissio peccatorum datur ijs filiorum nomen adscribitur That a sinner cannot be the sonne of God but onely those whose vnrighteousnes are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered And this sheweth vs the miserable estate of wicked men exempted from grace excluded from God and separated from the societie of the Saints of God And therefore the Saints should haue That the Saints should auoid the societie of the wicked nothing to doe with wicked men but should withdraw themselues from those that walke inordinately as the Apostle speaketh Yet because the Saints must liue alwayes among the wicked as I shewed at large before and therefore 2 Thess 3. 6 cannot quite abandon the companie of them that are euill vnlesse we get out of the world as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 5. 10. we must remember the counsell of S. Ambrose Malorum consortia fugere debemus Ambros de Off. lib. 1. cap. 20. quoad priuatam consuetudinem non quoad publicam conuersationē We ought to shun the societie of sinners in our priuate friendships and communications but not in our outward acquaintance and conuersations 2. This word our Father doth include That all the godly are the sonnes of God all the godly within his fatherhood and sheweth them all to be his sonnes not only by nature but also by grace and therefore all the godly are brethren because they are all the children of the same Father And this teacheth vs 1. To loue one another with all possible How dearely the Saints should loue one another loue that can be for that we be brethren and the children of the same Father And that as I shewed in a double respect 1. Respectu sanguinis 2. Respectu spiritus In respect of nature and in respect of grace Et maior est fraternitas spiritus quam sanguinis and grace should tie vs a great deale more to loue one another then nature saith S. Augustine Quia Aug. tom 10. in Appendie de diuersis ser 10. f. 647. natura similitudinem corporis refert gratia cordis vnanimitatem demonstrat because nature sheweth only the similitude of the bodie but grace vniteth the hearts And yet in former times the loue of Val. Max. l. 5. naturall brethren was such and so great that when a souldier in the Armie of Pompey had vnbeware vnto himselfe Aug. de Ciu. Dei lib. 2. c. 25. slaine his brother that was in the hoste of Sertorius and knew the same when he bestript his bodie Seipsum ibi perimens fraterno corpori adiunxit he slew himselfe for very griefe and left his bodie vpon his brothers carkasse And the sonnes of Tyndarus when Castor Idem l. 8. c. 5. was slaine by Idas Pollux besought Iupiter that he might impart halfe his owne life vnto his brother Sic fratrem Pollux alterna morte redemit And so we reade of many others and therfore how much more ready should we be that are brethren both by nature and by grace to lay downe our liues for our brethren as the Apostle speaketh 2 To loue the godly better then the That we are bound to loue the Saints better then sinners wicked for though they be not to be despised because they are the workes of God and our brethren by creation yet are we not to loue them so well as those that are our brethren by adoption and grace and therefore though the Apostle willeth vs to doe good vnto all Gal. 6. 10. men yet he wisheth more especially to doe it to the houshold of faith 3. To expellour pride for all the elect That we should not despise one another of what estate or condition soeuer they be are the children of the same father and therefore though thou callest God thy father yet doe not appropriate any thing to thy selfe more then to the rest of thy brethren for he is father to none in a speciall manner singularly but onely to Christ to all the elect alike Ambros l. 5. c. 4. de Sacr. For though we haue diuers fathers in earth some noble and some vnnoble yet wee haue but one father in heauen and he is the father of the poore as well as of the rich and therefore seeing we haue all one father and we all are brethren we ought to honour and not to despise one another Cur Aug. serm 135. enim non pudeat aspernari fratrem quem Deus non aspernatur filium For why should we be ashamed to take him for our brother whom God vouchsafeth to take for his sonne Remember therfore communem sanctorum parem esse omnium nostrū conditionē quoad Deū that the state and condition of the Saints are all alike in respect of God And yet I would not haue any Brethren proueth not that all men are equall from hence to conclude a paritie for as euerie flower cannot be a lillie and euery starre cannot be Phoebus so euery Christian cannot be a Prince or a Priest and euery brother cannot be primogenitus the first borne and therfore the