for as seruants present vnto their lords a cup of drink so persecutours reach vnto those they persecute a chalice of affliction wherby they serue and help them to a purchase of heauenly blessednes A goldsmith serueth a king when he maketh for him a crown of Royalty persecutours serue good Christians when they afflict them in as much as they deuise and forme for them crowns of eternity and with ihe hammer of persecution fit them to their heads Wherfore though persecutours lorde it while they inflict torments neuertheless they are indeed but the seruants of the tormented and only aboue them as chaff is aboue the good grain not because they are more worthy but in regard they be more light and when the time of winowing with the fan of diuine justice shall come God will make clean his floore and gather his good grain into his garner but will burn vp the chaff with vnquencheable fire Mat. 30. Wherfore persecutours of justmen * Aug. in psal 53. florent inquit iniusti persecutores felicitatesaeculi pereunt in virtute Dei Non enim quomodo florent pereunt florent enim ad tempus pereunt in eternum florent falsis honis pereunt veris tormentis doe not perish as they florish they florish for a short time and perish for euer Furthermore good Christians vnder the blak rod of tribulation in as much as they suffer for God and doc not desert him in their sufferings God doth not desert them he is with them in their trouble and deliuereth and glorifieth them God went down * Sap. 10. descendit eiâ— illo Joseph in foueam in vinculis non deroliquit eâ—m with Ioseph into the dungeon and left him not in the bands he couereth them vnder his wings and secureth them * Ps 90 scapulis suit obumbrabit tibi sub pennis cius sperabis .... cu ipso sum in tribulatione eripiaÌ„ eum glorificabo cum vnder his Feathers he is their sheild buckler and fortress he is near to all that call vpon him in truth Psal 104. He was not farre * Ion. 2. orauit Ionas ad Dominum Deum suum de ventre piscis c. from Ionas whom he mercifully heard euen praying out of the fishes belly while the waues of the sea compassed him about he foresook not Daniel in his den of affliction for Daniel prayed vnto him * Dan. 6. Deus meus misit Angelum suum conciuâ—â— ora leabum c. and he sent his Angell to shut the lyons mouthes that they might not hurt him his Angell likewise descended with Azarias and his fellowes into the hot fiery furnace quenched the flames of the fire and made the midds of the furnace as a wind of dew blowing * Misit Angelum suum eruit seruos suos qui crediderunt in eum and the fire had no power ouer their bodyes for not an hair of their head was burnt Daniel 3. The wind of dew blowing in the mids of the furnace denotat's the spirit of God giuing comfort in the midds of tribulation as that wind did so mitigate and temper the hot fire of the furnace that it had no power ouer the bodies of the three Innocent children so doth the spirit of God mitigate and sweeten the afflictions which innocent Christians suffer for his sake that they may not be swallowed vp with ouermuch heauines Wherfore such as are vnder the black rod of persecution haue no cause to fear or apprehend prejudice therby hauing God ready to defend them and his spirit to comfort them which is all sweet and sends influences of diuine sweetnes to their hearts that stirs them vp to praise bless and glorify him with Azarias and his fellows in the midds of their affliction and to pray with S. Paul Blessed be God the Father of our lord Iesus-Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort which comforteth us in all our tribulations 2. Cor. 10. CHAR. XIJ. OF CHRISTIAN FAITH THE CONTENTS Christian faith is a gift of God conuinceth the truth of things that are not seen and bringeth into captivity all vnderstanding to the obedience of Christ through faith poor fishermen subdued kings and Emperors vnto embracing Christian Religion deuils belieue and tremble yet haue nothing of diuine faith being they want obedience the greatest praise of a faithfull Christian is to confess with his toungue outwardly what he belieueth with his heart inwardly faith without good works proceeding from diuine grace through the merits of Christ is a body without life faith alone cannot iustify no man through faith is certain that his sinns are forgiuen him CHristian faith is the substance of things hoped for As substance giues existence to the thing which it is the substance of so Christian faith causeth the existence of the thing hoped for representing it as present that during this life is absent with greater certainty then if the hand toucht or the eye saw it It is (a) According to the Apostle Hebr. 13. faith is the substance of things hoped for the argument of things which are not feen but S. Austin l. 2. de pec merit remis cap. 30. defining diuine faith in room of argument vseth conuiction saying faith is the substance of things hoped and the conuiction of things which are not seen that is faith as a strong argument conuinceth the truth of things vnseen the conuiction of things not seen that is to say neither by sense conceiued nor by reason comprehended * Ephes 2. Dei enim donuÌ„ est nempe fides It is the diuine gift that brings into * 2. Cor. 10. in captiuitatem redigentes omnem intelictum in obsequium Christi captiuity all vnderstanding to the obedience of Christ in a firme assent to supernaturall truth supernaturally reueiled and propounded by the authority of the Catholick Church to be beleiued This captiuity is a supernaturall motion laid on the will which it inclineth effectually and vseth nothing of violence it proceeds * 1. Pet. 2. qui de tenebris vocauit eos in admirabile lumen suum from the marueilous light of saith that enlightens the mind among the dark mists of errour As the carbuncle hath a singuiar prerogatiue of brightnes beyond all other precious stones which is to shine in darknes and chase away night so faith hath a speciall excellency of light aboue all other vertues which is to dissipate the darknes (b) Vnless God had been the author of Christian faith and assisted the Apostles poor fishermen that preach'd it the conuersion of so many kings Emperors and other illustrious Princes to the faith of Christ had been impossible for abstracting from diuine assistance it had not been as to reason consonant that so great Monarchs might euer haue been perswaded to despice wordly pleasures riches and honours vnto embracing of humility pouerty and the ignominious Cross of Christ for a reward of happines
carefully heauenly Angels endeauour to bring mortalls vnto eternall blessedness being they reioyce in the repentance of a sinner Wherefore Orig. hom 1. in Ezech. prayeth his Angel to receiue him conuerted from his former errour reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner Luc. 15. Besids according to the common vsage of the primatiue Church one beleeuing christian bargained with an other that he who went first to Heauen should pray for him that abided on earth Let vs saith S. Cyprian Epis 57. pray mutually one for an other and whether of vs two shall through the diuine mercy be first called for let his loue continue and his prayers not cease for his brethren and sisters in the world In like manner S. Hierome spoke to Heliodorus Epis 1. cap. 2. saying that when he is once in Heauen he will pray for him that exhorted and encouraged him to embrace a monasticall state of life Moreouer in the law of nature Abraham made intercession to an Angel for his sons Ioseph Ephraim and Manasse Gen. 48. the Angel which hath deliuered me from all euill bless these children And albeit it cannot be proued that in any time during the old Testament the people of God prayed directly to the holy Patriarkes and Prophets after their decease in regard then the Saints departed were not translated into Heauen and inuested with whiâ—e cloathes of glory their habitation being vnder the earth as in a prison 1. Petri 2. neuertheless they made intercession to God humbly asking of him mercy and grace through the merits of the said Patriarches and Prophets * Psal 131. memeÌ„to Domini Dauid omnis mansuetudinis eius propter Dauid seruum tuuÌ„ non auertas faciem Christi tui Salomon asked of God meet helpe in regard of his Father Dauids great merits * Exod. recordare Domine Abraham Isaac Jacob scruoruÌ„ tuum and Moyses in respect of the good workes of Abraham Isack and Israel the faithfull seruants of God Likewise the ancient Iews made intercession to God through the prayers of their progenitors departed And the holy Prophet Ieremy (k) Baruch cap. 3. prayeth thus O lord omnipotent God of Jsra Heare the prayer of the dead of Israel and though some sectaries count Baruch as apocryphall neuertheless the ancient Fathers and Councills haue ranked that book with diuine scripture both vnder the name of Ieremy Baruchs vncle and vnder the inscription of Baruch which is more proper Again the Councill of Laodicea in the last canon mentioneth Baruchs lamentations and Ieremyes Epistles Moreouer the Councils of Florence and Trent haue defined this catholick truth after his death praid much for the people of Israel 2. Mach. 75. Neither doth the Prophet Isaias preiudice this catholike truth saying cap. 63. Abraham knew vs not and Israel was ignorant of vs for he meant only that Abraham and Iacob did not acknowledge the Iews of those days for their children because of their greiuous sinns and iniquities as the ancient Fathers interpret that scripture Nor Ecclesiastes when hee saith the dead know noe more and haue reward noe more For his meaning is not to take all vnderstanding and knowledge from soules remoued out of their bodyes but to inculcate vnto vs that it is impossible after our departure out of this world to merit a reward the time of this life being a necessarie requisite there to according to Christs own testimony Io. 9. the night cometh when noe man can worke But now the ingagement mentioned in the character of Purgatory calleth for an answere vnto the Digbean White that hath studied diuinity 40. yeares who as to the contents of this character mainly resisteth the constant (l) Mr. White in the third account of the midle state of souls boldly asserts that though to pray for the blessed be against the common practice of the Church neuertheless he is not of so vveake a stomack as not to digest that morsell so that he maks not only the Church liable to errour as to manners and doctrines vniuersally receiued approued and practiced which is a manifest heresy but himselfe the Churches Reformer and vniuersall practice of the Catholick Church agreeing with so large and euident testimony of scriptures Councills and Fathers as are set down for example in the third accompt of his midle state of souls to proue that the ancient practice of the Church was to pray for the dead euen after their souls were beatified He alledged the 2. Epis and 1. cap. to Timothie where the Apostle thus prays for Onesiphorus Our lord grant him Onesiphorus to find mercy from our lord in that day by which words this knowing Master that hath studyed 40. years to build a Theology on Digbean peripateticks will of necessity proue that S. Paul prayed that Onefiphorus might find mercy after he was beatified Shall I deny saith he the Apostle prayed that Onesiphorus might find mercy euen after his soule was beatified the Text on all sides confessed for bids me what then will our aduersaries say this was not to pray for the blessed common sense permit's them not S. Paul did it But doubtless no knowing man in Theology or ecclesiasticall historie that is vnpartiall dare say for his credits sake that Mr. White doth clearly proue against the whole practice of the Church that the faithfull on earth must pray for the blessed because the Apostle prayed for Onesiphorus saying Our lord grant vnto him that he may find mercy of our lord in illo die in that day for Onesiphorus was not dead when S. Paul prayed that he might find mercy of our lord in illo die In consequence of which Mr. Whites inference from the words alledged carries no weight with it at all being grounded vpon a very false supposall Howeuer the good prayer of the Apostle was not in vain for according to the martyrologes both Latine and Greek Onesiphorus was honored afterward with a crown of martyrdom in Hellespont in consequence wherof doubtless he found mercy of our lord in that day that is in the day of particular iudgment after his death for it is the constant Tenet of the Catholick Church * Apoc. 14. Beati mortui qui in Domino moriuntur à modo iam dicit spiritus vt requiescant à laboribus suis Hic sacer textus osteÌ„dit beatos morientes id est martyres aliosque fideles decedentes perfectè iustos sine omni macula reatu poenae id est obligatione ad poenam noÌ„ expectaturos vniuersale iudicium vt accipiaÌ„t beatitudinem ita explicat S. Aug. l. 20. de ciuit cap. 9. that martyrs by their death suffered for the confessing of Christs faith be perfectly purged of sin both in order to the guilt and paines therof and immediatly possess their glorious crowns which is the beatificall vision as S. Austin lib. de peccatorum meritis expresly teacheth saying he that prayeth for a martyr doth an iniury to a martyr The same doctrine the Councill of Trent ses
tempus Iudex vice Christi cogitatur Because due obedience is not exhibited to Christ's Vicar and the Chaire by our lords voice founded on S. Peter As in the old law schisms so in the new law heresies spring vp The Childrē of Israël fell into schisms when they fell away from their due Obedience to the Chaire of Moyses and Christians fall into heresies as oft as they rise against the Chaire of S. Peter coyning or following vnauthorised nouelties whereby Christian souls are misled into most desperate precipices of errours in regard whereof I haue been mou'd to write a Theology conform to the ancient Cycli and weights of the holy Churches sanctuary that is to set forth a whole body of Christian doctrine built vpon Scriptures Traditions Councils and Fathers which deserue to be prefer'd before Schollars of new Notions that is Christian people ought to adhere conforme their conciences to and rely their eternity rather on those then these which is the Counsell that the great S. Austin guies in his 2. Booke against Julian the Pelagian Bishop who had brocht new opinions to the preiudice of souls exhorting all Christians to regard rather the learning of the holy Fathers which flourished in the precedent ages and the constant and vniuersall practice of the Catholicke Church then the prophane nouelties vented and spred by the Pelagians Saying Hos antiquos Patres oportet vt Christiani populi vestris prophanis nouitatibus anteponant eisque potius quam vobis eligant adherere My lord herein lies the sole intent of these conceptions which I present you with and vnder your authority aduenture into publick view vnto aduantaging such as are piously sober d Secundum S. Aug. l. 14. de Trinit c. 1. munns Theologiae est pijs opitulari veritatem contra impios defendere and to defend the truth against such as are impiously wanton This is the ayme of my Theologicall discourses and the height of my desires is but this that they may be receiu'd into your Lordships protection which is ground warrantable enough to gaine them credit in regard of the high measure of knowledge which is extraordinary in you beseeming a well studied diuine as appears by your own writings which together with your other gifts of nature and grace renders you admired by all that know your Lordship aright Besides that which alone might embolden me to address these endeauors vnto your Lordship is your eminent nobility The best blood that is in any English subiect run's in your Lordships veins as euidence your paternall and maternall descents from the most renown'd and ancient Houses of Pembrock Northumberland and Derby Again your sundry noble allyances The lord Talbot that was Heire of Shrewsbury maryed your only Daughter a Lady of great vertue and Vere vidua A widow indeed hauing for aboue these 20. yeares continued in her widow hood notwithstanding her Ladyships youth person birth and great doury which made her the ambition of many noble Suitours Moreouer your Lordships onely and most hopefull son marryed to the most accomplished in honour obligingness sweetnes and piety the lady Elizabeth Daughter to Edward Lord Marquess of Worcester which brings forth also an alliance with the most illustrious House of Norfolke Arundell and Surrey Since I am fallen vpon your eminent Nobility has not your owne Lady much added thereto if your House were without an ample series of renowned progenitors might not your posterity haue a glorious Rise from her Ladyship whose eminent vertues haue rendered her memory blessed Nobilitas sola est atque vnica virtus Besides has not that gallant Person the lord Crauen her Ladyships Brother added something of greatnes to your posterity whose braue and gallant actiōs performed a broad in foraine parts haue gain'd much honour to his Country Moreouer the rising of that family is honorable the supream prouidence haueing brought it to the height of Eminence which it now happely enioyes as the same prouidence e Aug. l. 5. de Ciuit. Dei cap. 15. profitetur Deum terrenam gloriam excellentissimi Imperij cōcessisse bonis artibus Romanorum id est vt ipsemet interpretatur virtutibus quibus ad tantam gloriam nitebantur extended the Empyre of the ancient Romans in regard of Morall vertues which were eminent in your ladies Father and Mother the Raisers of it for as much as their zeale to the law of nature that is to do Iustice giuing to euery one what is euery on 's own and to shew mercy vnto the distressed feeding the hungry and cloathing the naked rendered them admired of such as knew them and according to holy Scriptures God exalted the Midwiues of the Hebrew women and made them houses Exod. 1. For their complyance to the law of nature in preseruing of innocent Babes which the Tyrant of Fgypt had commanded them to kill and since I am fallen vpon Gods merveilous rewarding of morall good works in confirmation of this truth I might produce conuincing examples in our own Country where very many in these times through a supream prouidence are aduanc'd to honours dignities and eminent offices that is God hath built them new Houses of nobility or encreased the glory of the old for preseruing loyalty to their king which is the law of nature written in their hearts they feared God and honoured his annoynted against the commandement of the Tyrant of England and therefore are exalted and truly vpon this score the supream prouidence hath built his Grace the Duke of Albermarle a more glorious House thē any subiect in the Christian world this day enioys in as much as through a happy managing of his loyalty he carries the name not onely of Paterpatriae but likewise of Pater Caesaris hauing preseru'd both Caesar and his Countries In consequence of the premises his Maties Catholick subjects that with the effusion of their blood and loss of their Estates haue cherefully performed that duty of nature in order to loyalty may hope that a speciall prouidence in good time will make for them Houses of Ease which shall be the daily prayer of MY LORD YOVR HONORS Most humble and most obedient Seruant GEO. LEYBVRN PREFACE TO THE COVNTRY-MISSIONARY SR Although these holy Characters so named because they describe and set forth the holy Mysteries of Christian Religion containe Theology but compendiously dressed vp neuertheless vvant noe Requisits either essentiall or necessary thereto being built on the foundation of holy Scriptures Traditions Councils and Fathers vvherin lies the consistency of true Theology vvhich as the pillar of fire led the Israëlits by night in their vvay to the land of promise so in as much as it carries the lights of the best Antiquity shevvs Christians their vvay thorovv the darke Mysteries of Christian faith as by night vnto an heauenly Inheritance prefigured in the land of promise that is God hath instituted this diuine science to direct Gouernours of souls in the pursuance of their pastorall function vvhich
her exemption from the guilt of Originall sin according to Pope Alexander the seuenth who hath declared in a speciall Bull put forth 1661. that by the feast which the Church celebrates of the Immaculate Conception is meant the blessed Virgins preseruation from Originall sin This feast of the Immaculate Conception was as to the western Church first celebrated in England and afterwards in France by the canons of lyons and though S. Bernard reprehended the practice there of as to the same canons neuertheless he was not against the feast it selfe being offended only because the said canons had introduced it by their own priuate auctority But in the Greek Church the feast of the Conception was celebrated before the year 1000. as attestes Gailatinus l. 1. c. 4. Besides since God in the creation of our first Adam prepared for his entertainment a terrestiall paradise beautified with all manner of pleasant trees bearing fruit and flowers breathing sweet smells (e) S. Austin l. de nat gra c. 36. giues euidence enough of the blessed Virgins preseruation euen from the guilt of originall sin for prouing there against the Pelagians that young children are not without sin which of necessity is meant of originall young babes not being capable of actuall offence refuseth to bring in question the Virgin Mary Now if S. Austin had impugned the Pelagians as to actuall sin he ought not to except the Blessed Virgin only but likewise all young children these hauing nothing of actuall or personall transgression whereby plainly appeares that S. Austin did not thinke that the Virgin Mary was guilty of originall sin doubtles in the incarnation of our second Adam he made his spirituall paradise to wit the Virgin Mary fan beyond the other as to beauty goodnes and splendour * S. Ansel l. de Concept Virginali c. 18. decens inquit crat vt ea puritate qua maior sub Deo nequit intelligi Virgo illa Deipara niteret In her he planted spirituall trees of all vertues and flowers of all the graces that euer had been distributed to any human or Angelicall creature And as God in the temporall generation of his onely son thought fit waueing other feisable waies of his mercy to make the Virgin Mary an Instrument of vniuersall redemption so with reference to the merits of the said son he constituted her a meanes of particular saluation he in fused into her soul the plenitude of celestiall gifts wherby it plainly appeares that all necessary requisits to the purchase of eternall life proceed from God by the Virgin Mary through the merits of her son IESUS and therefore both primitiue and modern times haue stiled her (f) S. Athanas ser in Euan. prayeth thus to the mother of God we together with the Angell Gabriel extoll thee saying Hail Mary full of grace our lord is vvith thee pray for us ô Mistris ô Lady ô Queen ô mother of God queen of mercy that opens the bowels of Gods charity and compassion to whom she will (g) S. Ephrem in quadam Orat. de Deipara makes his prayer to the blessed Virgin thus Virgin before and after trauell by tsiee we are reconciled to Christ our God thy son thou art the helper of sinners the Heauen of such as are lost with tempests the worlds comfort the deliuerer of the imprisonned and the Redeemer of Captiues S. Austin de fide symbolo de agone Christiano saith that as Adam and Eue procured our fall so both sexes conduced to our saluation insomuch that the most grieuous sinner cannot perish injoying the support of her protection As Christs saying to S. Peter feed my lambs feed my sheep was directed to one and intended to many lawfully succeeding him that gouernment being of necessary and continuall vse in the Church soe his saying to S. Iohn behold thy mother was addressed to one and meant to all * Aug. ser 18. de sanctis Tom. 10. vel vt alij sentiunt S. Fulgentius habet haec verba sancta Maria succurre miseris inua pusillanimes refoue fiebries ora pro populo ... intercede pro deuoto femineo sexu that none at all might want a powerfull and tender mother of loue and mercy to fly vnto for protection in their necessity Hence is euidenced * S. Ansel apud S. Antonium 4. p. tit 15. cap. 14. item S. Bernardus sic alloquitur Deiparam quemadmodum ô beatissima omnis à te auersus à te despectus necesse est vt intereat ita omnis ad te conuersus à te respectus impossibile est vt pereat that as it is necessary for such as are auerse from the Virgin Mary and by her despised to perish so it is impossible for such as are conuerted to her and by her respected not to be saued CHAR. V. OF THE SON OF THE VIRGIN MARY THE CONTENTS The promised Messias mediator of God and men his aboundant loue shewn in the pursuance of his mediatiou and the blessed effects thereof THe son of the Virgin Mary is Iesus-Christ (a) According to S. Austin ser 3. de Ascens to assert Christ to be man only is to deny the glory of the maker and to say that he was God only is to deny the mercy of the Redeemer for neither God alone could haue suffered nor man alone ouercome death perfect God and perfect man God the second person in the blessed Trinity made * Aug. ser Nat. Domiui Deus filius inquit se hominec fecit vt homo fieret Deus himselfe man to make man God not by the conuersion of his diuinity into mans flesh but by the assumption of human nature to his diuine person so that in this mistery of Hypostaticall vnion God and man are not two but one Christ containing three substances the diuine of his person the spirituall of his soul and the materiall of his body (b) The Prophet Daniel cap. 3. and sundry other texts of the old Scripture giue clear evidence of Christs comming into the world his destroying of sin and his redeeming of mankind By the vertue of his Incarnation he finished preuarication put an end to sin abolished iniquity brought euerlasting grace and accomplished the visions and predictions of the holy Prophets who is the anointed holy of holyes the promised Messias that came into the world a * Timor 2. vnus Deus vnus mediator Dei hominū mediator of God and men for peace and in fauour of these so charitably mediated that he gaue his body in a sacrifice for the effecting of it (c) S. Iohn the Euangelist cap. 3. calleth Iesus-Christ the lamb of God that taketh away the sinns of the world he wash't away their sinns the sole ground of Gods heauy displeasure in his own blood * Jsai 53. tanquam ouis ad occisionem ductus as an innocent lamb caried to the slaughter-house he emptied his veines superabundantly bleeding euen to the
if they had not resisted diuine grace whereby they might haue been elected GOds charity to man is the (a) T is called the will of mercy in regard it proceeds from God only being man on his part hath nothing that is able to merit Gods loue towards him because he is conceiu'd and born in sin which makes him a child of wrath and not of lou◠will of his mercy towards all men to iustification and glorification which is the end of their creation * Orig. tract 340. in Mat. Deus inquit quantū ad se homines non ad perditionem creauit sed ad vitam aeternam for God made no man to damnation in consequence of which his will on his part is to saue (b) S. Ignatius Epis 6. ad philad writeth that God is so exceeding a great louer of mankind that he desires to saue all men and bring them to the knowledg of truth in testimony whereof saith this great Saint God makes the sun to shine as vvell on the vvicked as the iust and bring all vnto the knowledge of the truth and in euidence thereof sweares by the mouth of his Prophet Ezechiel c. 33. * Ezech. 33. quare moriemini domus Israël dicit Dominus viuo ego nolo mortem impij Ubi Tertul. l. de pen. c. 4. ait Deu inrasse vt sibi crederetur quatenus dixit viuo ego he coueteth not the death of a sinner saying As I liue I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his euill waies and liue which plainly she wes Gods loue and mercy to a sinner for whose sake he sweares and argueth withall the vnhappines of a sinner that shall not belieue God when he sweares Howeuer God doth not saue all sinners because all * Occumen in cap. 2. ad Timoth. Si Deus inquit vult omnes homines saluos fieri quare non fit quod vult non fit quia illi nolunt nihil enim ex necessitate facit in nobis Deus Idem docet Aug. l. 1. de gen con Manichaeos cap. 3. will not be saued and Gods will to saue on his part (c) S. Austin l. de spir lit c. 33. or 32. writeth That the vvill of God is that all men be sau'd and come to the knovvledge of the truth but addeth not so as that he vvill take avvay their free vvill according to the good or euill managing vvhereof each one shall be judged most justly from whence this great Doctour infers that those Infidels vvhich doe not performe the vvill of God for as much as they doe not belieue in the Gospell of Christ depriue themselues of an exceeding great benefit and thereby shall experience in their punishments his povver vvhose mercy in gifts they haue contemned and the same S. Austin l. 2. Act. cum felice Manichaeo saith expresly that it is not an action vnbeseeming God to say to those goe yee into euerlasting fire vvhich through their ovvn free vvill despised his mercy doth not take away free will on their part but most iustly he iudgeth them according to the vsage of their liberty prepared by his grace well or amiss he doth not necessitate either to vertue or vice for where there is necessity neither vertue can merit the crown of glorification nor vice the pain of damnation * Aug. l. 3. de lib. arb cap. 18. nemo peccat in eo quod vitare non potest a fault that cannot be auoided is not counted a sin vnto damnation and therefore (d) S. Austin l. 3. de lib. arbit c. 19. l. de natura gra c. 67. arguing against the Pelagians saith That God imputes to no man as a fault vnuoluntary errour Again saith he t is not ascribed to any man as a crime that he healeth not his vvounded members caused through Adams transgression but in regard he contemneth God that is vvilling to heal them Furthermore l. de praedes Sanctorum c. 7. he teacheth That no man is bar'd from knovving to seek profitably vvhat vnprofitably hekuovves not or from an humble Confession of his ovvn infirmity and vveaknes to the end God may assist him so seeking and confessing who neither erreth nor laboureth while he assisteth which testimonies clearly euidence against the new Teachers of these dayes that S. Austin belieued that God giues sufficient grace to euery man vnto bringing him to the knowledge of his truth God doth not impute to any man as a damnable offence for being defectiue in binding vp his wounded members or in driuing away his ignorance blindnes and difficulty of liuing aright vnto iustice these being necessary infirmities which came of Adams disobedience the offence that God imputs vnto sinners is for resifting him who is willing to cure them for he giues to euery one sufficient * S. Tho. 1. 2. q. 106. a. 2. ad 2. Scotus in primum dis 46. q. vnica ad primum arg agnoscunt gratiā sufficientem in statu naturae lapsae cui homo refragari seu resistere possit hi Doctores sunt duo Theologiae Scholasticae Principes remedies or meet helps through grace to heal his wounds and to know to seek vnto his aduantage what he is ignorant of to his disaduantage God shuts not the door of his mercy against the greatest sinners who is the vniuersall Father of mercy from these premises is conuincingly deducible the full reason of the different * Aug. l. de praedest gra cap. 15. docet Nabuchodonosor manum Dei sentientem in recordatione propriae iniquitatis ingemuisse Pharaonem vero contra misericordissimam Dei voluntatem pugnasse arbitrio Dicant autem hune librum falso ascribi Aug. vtcunque hoc sit locus cit in canonem Ecclesiae redactus est Decret par 1. cau 23. q. 4. cap. Nabuchodonosor ends of Nabuchodonosor and Pharaoh though in both was parity as vnto nature for both were men as vnto dignity for both were kings as vnto iniustice for both vniustly detained captiue the people of God as vnto correction for both were chastened for the same fault and as vnto the mercifull will of God whose bountifullnes lead them both vnto repentance Neuertheless there was no parity in their ends for Nabuchodonosor by a happy managing of his free will in obedienee to Gods mercifull will (e) S. Austin l. de predes Sanctorum saith that vnless our lord shald build the house those labour in vaine that endeauour to build it Wherby he expresseth the necessity euen of inward grace vnto iustification of life and indeed the written law or Euangelicall doctrines which are outward graces only if inward grace were wanting would rather exasperate then heal the wounds as S. Austin teacheth in sundry other places and in his book despir lit cap. 5. saith expresly that the doctrine wherby we receiue the precept vnto liuing continently and godly is the killing letter if the
priuant quod non credunt Euangelio experturi scilicet in supplicijs eius potestatem cuius misericordiam in donis cōtempserunt they depriue themselues of a great good or benefit and shall sind in punishments the power of him whose mercy in gifts they haue contemned Ill runners of the second Class are wicked Christians who willfully deuesting themselues of sanctifying grace receiued in or after baptism become seruants to sin which doth so * Psal 37. sicut onus graue grauatae sunt super me scilicet iniquitates meae Prouerb 5. iniquitates suae capiunt impiū funibus peccatorum cōstringitur ouerburden and with cords bind them that as Asses ouerloaden they cannot goe or fleas tyed in chaines they cannot leap so they cannot run * Haebr 12. Adulteri fornicatores c. nō possidebunt regnum Dei such are voluptuous luxurious wanton drunken and all vnjust Christians who will neuer obtaine the inheritance of Heauen not because they cannot (g) Oecumenius in cap. 2 1. ad Timoth. saith that-seeing it is the will of God to bring all men to the knowledge of his trueth why is not his will done he answereth that therefore it is not done because all men will not doe his will and God forceth or necessitateth no man to doe his will but because they will not take of their loads and deliuer themselues out of their cords (h) The Apostle Rom. 2. saith Dost not knovv O sinner that the bountifullnes of God leadeth thee to repentance but thou after thine hard and impenitent heart heapest vp as a treasure vnta thy selfe vvrath against the day of vvrath and of the reuelation of the just judgment of God where by the diuine bountifullnes is meant diuine grace which the sinfull Iews through their hardnes of heart resisted which is in their power to do through teares of true repentance whereto the diuine bountifullnes leadeth euery sinner By help of teares occasioned through diuine grace holy Dauid S. Peter and S. Paul and S. Mary Magdelen cast of the heauy loades and troublesom fetters which sin had caused and thereby restored to their liberty run happily vnto obtaining the prize which is eternall glory In the great day (i) According to the holy Euangelist S. Mathew cap. 25. Christ shall say in the day of generall Judgment Come yee blessed of my Father possess the inheritance of the kingdom prepared for you from the fundation of the vvorld c. from this sacred text euidently appeares that the kingdom of Heauen is ordain'd for such as shall do good works of mercy namely giuing meat to the hungred drink to the thirsted cloathing to the naked c. in consequence of which God electeth those to glory whose good works he had foreseen of generall accounts when the great king of Heauen and earth shall distribute rewards * Mat. 16. tunc reddet vnicuique secundum opera eius according to the works of each one the good runners will be put on his right hand and among the sheep intituled the blessed of his Father for hauing giuen meat to the hungry drink to the thirsty clothes to the naked assistance to the sick and almes to the imprisoned which are the works of mercy contrary wise the ill runners wanting such merits and that through their own fault will be put on the left hand of the king among the goates and condemned to the euerlasting fire of hell and * Aug. non est indignū Deo dicere ijs ite in ignem eternū qui misericordiam eius contempserunt it is not an action vnworthy a king infinitly iust to say to such as haue contemned his mercy Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his Angells CHAR. XXJ. OF REPROBATION THE CONTENTS There is no positiue Act in the diuine will to reprobate that is to exclude any one from the kingdom of Heauen and to adjudge to euerlasting pains of hell without a foreknowledge of euil works God deserteth noe man before himselfe be deserted nor does he refuse to giue euen his plenteous grace that leadeth effectually vnto iustification of life if his call thereto be not rejected REprobation is a definitiue or absolute sentence of Gods iustice vnto excluding from his glory and punishing with euerlasting fire such as shall depart out of this life in mortall sin committed * Definita est reprobatio in ordine ad adultos by an act of their own will This double paine one of separation from God called Poena damni the other of sensible torment named Poena sensus is expressed in the sentence it selfe Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the deuill and his Angells Matt. 25. Where departure doth import separation from God and euerlasting fire sensible punishment but Gods knowledg of himselfe as iust reuenger doth not precede his foreknowledg of man as vniust offender for though God can deliuer without merits Gratis whom soeuer he pleaseth out of the lump of perdition that is out of originall and actuall sinns because he is infinitly good yet he doth not condemne any vnto euerlasting pains for noe fault because he is infinitly iust whereby is plainly euident that there (a) According to the Euaugelist S. Matthew c. 23. God on his part would Gather his children together as the henne gathereth her chickins vnder her vvings and they vvill not that is God on his part is vnvvilling to depart from them though on their parts they vvill depart from him Isai 54. is noe positiue act in his diuine will to exclude from Heauen and adiudg to Hell without preuision of ill works proceeding from human free will besides it would contradict Gods generall condition will so often inculcated in holy scripture to saue all reasonable creatures which obserue his lawes and ordinances if he had an absolute priuate will to damne some without respect to transgression of the same lawes and ordinances again that proceeding might argue in God either forgetfullnes of his generall will or mutability in changing or illusion in inculcating it which to conceiue of God were both blasphemy and sacraledg for thereby he would be deuested of his goodnes and be also beleiued to necessitate man to ill leauing him without free will or to work as birds build their nests in the summer by naturall instinct and consequently to extinguish in him his own image and likenes Liberum arbitrium free will being an essentiall part thereof Neither can God be said according to truth and equity to harden any man whom pertiacy and obstinacy through perseuerance in wickedness hath not hardened before that is (b) According to S. Austin l. de nat gra c. 26. God neuer deserts any man that desertes not him first To desert or forsake God is to resist and cast away the inward helps of his mercy namely holy illuminations and inspirations which lead to iustification of life God doth