the meere dispelling of ignorance which is as blindnesse to the minde or cleere manifestation of truths how abstract simple soeuer if before obscure and vnknowne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vnderstanding and therefore containe as many 〈◊〉 of goodnesse as they quench of our naturall thirst after knowledge â—â— true it is what was intimated before that the most slender truth we can imagine is a surface not meerely Mathematicall but Physicall of goodnesse the greatest good we can desire but a solidity of truâ—â— Whence as truth and goodnesse are one in that incomprehensible fountaine from which they flowe so shall our apprehensions of them when we come to a distinct view thereof be coincident For it includes a contradiction that we should apprehend the truth of that obiect in whose actuall contemplation or apprehension consists the greatest felicity out humane nature is capable of otherwise then as the greatest good conceiueable Such is the glory of the God-head bodily dwelling and personally shining in the Man CHRIST IESVS This is a truth so cleere so sweet and solid as will in the first moment of its distinct apprehension throughly quench our extreame thirst after knowledge and at once more fully satiate all our desires whether of truth or goodnesse then the light of the Sunne in his strength doth the appetite of sight So strict is the cleere vnion of his truth and goodnesse both infinite in him and will fill euery corner and angle of our apprehensiue faculties euen whiles the sight thereof enlargeth our capacities to comprehend ten thousand times more then before they could So forcible againe is the attractiue influence thence diffused throughout our soules as will perfectly vnite our most distracted appetites or inclinations into one maine flame of desire to continue holy as he is holy we shall not then say This is profitable That is pleasant but yonder other truly good and honest For this sanctitie whereby we are made conformable to that Holy one and capable of his glorious presence shall become all in all as it were a perfect vnity of the former Trinity 8. But in this life from imperfection partly of the obiects apprehended partly of our apprehension we frame vnto our selues distinct conceits as of profit pleasure and honesty so likewise of truth and goodnesse That truly is a morall good and absolutely honest which qualifies our soules for better attaining that blessed sight of our Redeemer To our nature taken in this life as it is all that generally is good and the compleate obiect of mans corrupted will which besides the delight directly arising from the representation of its nature or possession of its right shape or resemblance inflames other parts of the soule with a desire of further vnion with it or more reall fruition of it and emploies our motiue or practique faculties for bringing the match about Rightly to apprehend or finde out the true conceit or notion of Temperance or that harmony of affections which is required to this or other morall vertues doth as much delight the soule as contemplation of those Mathematicall proportions betwixt sounds whence melody resultes But so to apprehend this vertue as to take denominatioÌ„ from its acquaintance includes further such a loue and liking of this Idea or image in the braine as causeth vs submit all our affections to it to addict our best abilities to the seruice of it and direct our actions to attaine familiarity with so beautifull and chaste a mistris as it represents All morall knowledge if it be perfect includes as great a delight in the exercise or practice of duties subordinate or the internall sense of that consort or concordance the sensitiue affections haue one with another and all with reason as men vsually take in the hearing of melodious sounds For practice or right composall of affections being the end as the Philosopher teacheth of all morall discipline knowledge in that subiect is imperfect vnlesse it bring foorth good actions with ioy Whence a meere contemplator of moralities and a moralist differ as if a Musitian besides his skill to set a graue or pleasant lesson should further out of the honesty of his minde desire to heare it perpetually sung or to haue his spirits alwaies so composed as they are whilst externall harmony workes vpon them But as a man either by dulnesse of hearing farre distance or intentiuenesse on other obiects may perceiue the sound indistinctly and yet be nothing at all affected with the melody so may he likewise as most haue an imperfect or confused notion of morall doctrines as true without delight in their practice neuer moued with that internall harmonie of affections which is most sweet and pleasant to all such as haue their wits at home and their mindes attentiue to such musicke 9. That this sufferance of our imaginations to wander abroad or fixing our desires on forraine obiects doth either altogether hinder the forcible impressions of morall truths vpon our soules or worke such disturbance in our conceits as great noises do in men intentiue vnto contemplations needs no further confirmation then euery mans owne experience The reason is as plaine as the thing it selfe is true for euen our most abstract speculations or apprehensions suppose an inclination of the soule though this in some be scarce sensible because but weake as the obiect is but slender in others much weakned either for want of positiue attention or renitency of some contrary inclination The ground of this assertion we take as granted by all because for ought we know neuer denied by anie that whether the vegetatiue sensitiue and intellectiue faculties haue their distinct soules or substances for their seuerall originals or all spring from one the inclinations of all three are so vnited in one common center that the intention of one doth alwaies hinder the execution of what another intends and diminish the natiue force of the soule in all by dissipation or distraction Thus intention of minde as hard students know much weakens the digestiue faculty by this meanes comming euen with the belly whose seruice most binders all true deuotion or contemplation But more offensiue are the contrary inclinations of one and the same facultie when they come to band directly one against another From this diuision of inclinations within vs it is that Mathematicall truths are easily assented vnto by youth which as the Philosopher obserues rather recite morall duties by rote then belieue them because these in his phrase of speech are not knowne but by experience And seeing experience as he elsewhere notes ariseth from many memories of the same obiect all presupposing distinct apprehensions of its truth Impossible it is youth should either haue experience or true knowledge of moralities vntill affection or passion bee asswaged Nor doe these whilest vnnurtured disenable young men onely for action or practice of what is good as the same Philosopher or some for him may seem to say Rather euen this backwardnesse to practice they especially
rather morall then meerely speculatiue nor can wee euer vnderstand them a right but we must vnderstand them as good to vs. But though so to vnderstand any obiect be the cleerest and best â—â—ration or definition the most acute follower Aquinas hath can giue of will or volition yet vnto many not much addicted vnto either it will I doubt seeme a doctrine new and strange that we should will whatsoeuer we vnderstand to be good to vs. 5. But Truth I hope shall not be worse entertained by the ingenious and courteous Reader because a stranger Rather then it should it shall learne the common language after some briefe aduertisements for auoiding the errors thence occasioned or for discouering the originall of the former vnnecessary distinction which doubtlesse was for want of another more needfull betwixt our intellection or approbation of good whilest simply considered in it selfe and whilest compared either with some other more familiar good we must forgoe or some euill which would befall vs if we should continue or accomplish our former choise or approbation For as a candle though as truly bright as visible remaines only visible and rather obscure then bright while actually compared with the mid-day Sunne so our vnwillingnesse to purchase the good which we late approued appearing most cleere and euident from actuall refusall of it and free choise of the contrarie when we come to examine the termes or conditions vpon which it is profered doth quite ouershadow and drowne all former acts of our will or desire to haue it as simply considered and leaues only a conceit of it as true in the braine Yet that both are properly acts of the will or desires is most apparant in matters of secular vse or commodity For euery man knowes it is one thing to desire a commodity simply another to accept it at such a rate A mans vnwillingnesse to giue fiue hundred pound for a Farme doth not argue his vnwillingnesse to haue it gratis or if hee perfectly knew another purchase to be as well worth a thousand his willingnesse would be the same to haue it for fiue hundred as to haue the former gratis Thus many diuine truths are in our first apprehensions assented vnto as good and therefore truly willed whilest simply considered which yet we euidently refuse or will when we come to question about their price And this later act obliterating all impression of the former we vsually appropriate that vnto the vnderstanding though as much belonging vnto the wil. For I neuer knew any so idle or dissolute but would diuerse times wish hee were like some godly men whom he will not imitate and yet his wish to be like them is as proper an act of the will as his vnwillingnesse to imitate them this later notwithstanding wee vsually appropriate to the will though equally appertaining to the vnderstanding would wee make an equall comparison In the former we cannot but will diuine truths simply because simply considered wee vnderstand them as good in the later we do not therefore truly will them because wee doe not at the instant of choyce apprehend or vnderstand them as good being compared either with some entising sensuall good or much seared euill their prosecution would depriue vs of or procure vs. For as in the Article of euerlasting life by Gods assistance shall be shewed it is impossible the intellectiue nature should will or chuse a lesse good before a greater vnlesse there be a defect in such acts as are confined vnto the vnderstanding euen by such as distinguish it from the vvill as either the representation of the good in grosse acknowledged for greater is not formall distinct or cleere or because the approhension is dull or the impression weake Here it contents me that in this resolution I follow our Apostles forme of speech To will sayth he is present with mee but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good Thus he attributes the first act of the intellectiue nature whereby he assented vnto diuine truths contained in the lawe of God as good whilest simply considered vnto the will that afterwards hee effected not the purchase of what he so willed or approued hee ascribes not to anie peculiar defect in the will but to want of abilitie arising partly from the strength of sinnefull affection partly from weakenesse or insufficiencie of Assent or inclination of the minde as it comprehends both the will and vnderstanding 6. But is there no difference betweene Truth and Goodnesse no vse of any distinction betwixt the will and the vnderstanding Yes wee deny not all but had rather seeke a true difference betweene the one couple and a commodious distinction between the other Truth precisely considered includes a right apprehension or representation of the obiect whether actuall or possible As the representation of a winged horse or Hippocentaure or Chymera is false but of a winged Eagle true because the Eagle actually is the horse possibly cannot be such Although it were all one in respect of our ends or purposes whether the Eagle had fowre feet without feathers or the horse wings without feet Goodnesse as in common vse of speech it is made the peculiar obiect of the will besides the true representation of the obiect or conformitie of our imagination to it as hauing actuall or possible being includes a conueniencie in respect of vs or oppertunity of furthering our desires That properly is good which is agreeable that bad which is contrary that indifferent which is alike farre from contrarietie or agreement to such affection as we haue or should haue 7. Notwithstanding this distinction whilest we consider the whole latitude of obiects good and true Truth and Goodnesse in morall matters fully apprehended are in a sort coinsident altogether as vnseparable as sound and melody are in a pleasant consort to attentiue eares within iust distance And as of sounds perceiued by one and the same â—are some are dissonant some consonant some neither one nor other to the internal harmony or constitution of our soules so of truths assented vnto by one and the same intellectiue faculty some are pleasant some distastfull some indifferent in respect of our desires or morall purposes Such as are either indifferent in their nature or essence or vnto some certaine point or degree of apprehension we are sayd to apprehend or conceiue as meerely true And this apprehension or conceit we vsually appropriate to the vnderstanding not that it absolutely excludes euery degree or branch of goodnesse but all besides that immanent delight which floweth from the bare representation or is comprised within the impression made vpon the apprehensiue faculty neuer diffusing it selfe into any other part of the soule saue only that which first entertaines and embraceth the obiect vnapt either by internall nature or imperfect apprehension to make any further entrance As the bare quality of light though not accompanied with any other visible ornaments after long darknesse pleaseth the eye so doth
was against his brother Abell for they slew him because their owne workes were euill and his good as their fathers had done the Prophets to whom this vngratious seed did seeke to testifie their loue as being now out of sight and no eye-fore to their purposes no way offensiue to their eares because their speeches were not personally directed to them and what might be as fitly applied to others they had the wit not to applie to themselues But whiles vertue and pietie breath in the presence of the vngodly they are still desirous to breake the vessell wherein this treasure lies yet what was the reason or what doth the euent protend to vs that the children should still delight to build stately mansions for their dead bones whose glorious soules the fathers enuied imprisonment in these brittle cabbins of clay vntill the time of Messiahs death vnto whose memory the reliques of that vngratious seed performes no like solemnity giues no signification either of loue to him or sorrow for their fathers sinne but rather openly professe oh had we liued in the daies of our fathers wee would haue beene pertakers with them in that praier His blood bee vpon vs and vpon our children This doubtlesse beares record that Gods wrath according to their wish is come vpon them to the vtmost that the measure of the fathers iniquity and theirs was then fulfilled that vntill Christs death there were meanes left to know those things which were for their peace time for repentance but since they haue resembled the state of the damned in Hell continually blaspheming that holy name which brought saluation to the world Now seeing their conceipted swelling loue vnto his forerunners deceased did in the fulnesse of time wherein it should haue brought forth life prooue but dead and abortiue this should stirre vs vp to a more exquisite examination of our faith to make sure triall whether our loue to Christ whom they slew be not conceiued from the same grounds theirs was vnto the Prophets whom their fathers had slaine least ours also become as fruitles or rather bring forth death in that day wherin Christ shall be manifested againe after which shall be no time for repentance no meanes to amend what is then found amisse 3. Admit our affection to CHRIST IESVS the son of Mary borne in Bethlehem and crucified at Ierusalem by the Iew were more feruent then the Scribes and Pâ—â—arises loue to Abraham to Moses and the Prophets our zeale to his Gospell more ardent then theirs to the law such prouocations or allurements as flesh and blood may suggest either to beginne or continue these embracements or our imaginations of them are on our part more in number and more potent First by Nature fashions of the time education we are more prone because more ingenuous then they were to conceiue well of men deceased especially of men whose good fame hath bin propagated to vs with applause though noâ— of all but of some great or better part of our predecessors The praises giuen to Pompey Caesar by their followers oft times draw yong schollers into faction as the seuerall characters of those two great peeres liues and dispositions suit with the different idaeall notions they haue framed vnto themselues of braue mindes of noble generals or good patriots Amongst Critiques some canuase for one Poet or classique Author some for another as they finde them most commended by writers whose iudgements they best approoue or are most beholden to or as they apprehend their skill in that kind of learning they most affect To make comparison of any liuing with the dead especially in whose works those men haue much laboured would seeme odious and this great affection they beare vnto their writings they would haue apprehended as no meane argument of their owne like skill and iudgement though not blessed with like inuention Many scarce honestly minded themselues will esteeme of their great benefactors as of Saints ready to apologize as is fit for such actions as men in their owne times vnto whom the censure of such matters belonged might iustly haue taxed All these motiues of loue vnto men deceased may in their nature and substance be but carnall and yet all concurre as the vsuall grounds of most mens affection or loue to Christ For whilest we reade the legend of his life we cannot but approoue the peoples verdict of him he hath done all things well nothing idlely nothing vainely nothing rashly much lesse maliciously to the hurt or preiudice of any his deserts towards vs we cannot apprehend by the lowest kinde of hystoricall beliefe as true but we must conceiue them withall as infinitely greater then Abrahams were to the Iewes Abraham did but see the promise a farre off and gaue a copie of the assurance to posterity CHRIST sealeth it with his blood and instaâ—â—s vs in the inheritance bequeathed Moses deliuered Abrahams seed out of Egypt CHRIST vs from the land of darkenesse Moses freed them from the tyrannie of Pharach and from working in the fornace CHRIST vs from the futie of those euerlasting flames for which out soules and bodies had serued for such matter as the bricke was to the other Ioshuah placed them in the land of Canaan CHRIST vs in the heauenly places the benefits already bestowed by him vpon his people are much greater then all theirs that haue gone before Abraham was ignorant of these Iewes Isaac knew them not nor could Moses heare their praiers who is like vnto the Lord our God who dwelleth on high who humbleth himselfe to behold the things that are in heauen and in the earth he that raiseth vp the poore out of the dust and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill that he may set him with Princes euen with the Princes of his people But so il doth the naturall crookednesse of mans corrupted heart and preposterousnesse of his desires paralell with the righteousnesse of his Sauiour that euen the humility wherein the first appeared which chiefely exasperated the proud Iew to contemne and despise him doth eleuate the mindes of many seely and impotent deiected creatures amongst Christians vnto a kinde of carnall glory whereunto otherwise they could hardly aspire For many such as defect of nature want of art good education or fortunes haue made altogether vncapable of comparison with others for wit streÌ„gth of bodie wealth or other endowments in the custome of the present world vsed for measures of mens worth or serving to notifie the degrees of betterhood in any kinde will oft times glory in this comparison that they owe as good soules to God as the best and thinke themselues as great men in our Sauiours bookes as greatest kings because their estate is as his was on earth low and base in the sight of men This their reioycing were not in vaine did they vse the low esteeme that others make of them as an aduantage for more easie descent to true humility and lowly
latter that honour so giuen to parents though in abundance was but the fruite either of such goodnesse of nature as hath beene in many heathen which neither knew God nor his lawes or of some carnall hopes to get a better portion by pleasing them that such abstinence from theft or performance of honest actions were but the ofspring either of secular feare to be disgraced or of a desire to be well reputed in the world And whosoeuer is either kept backe from euill or drawne to good vpon no better motiues then these wil when oportunitie serues be as much emboldened by them to transgresse diuine precepts of greater consequence As what sonne is there which much reuerenceth his father out of anie affection or inclination not seruiceable to faith but at his instance would aduenture vpon such actions as much dishonour God and are most displeasant to his Sauiour Or who is hee that refraines to defile his fingers with theft or cozenage onely because they are vncleanely sinnes and most obnoxious to shame and disgrace by humane lawes but would pollute his heart with legitimated sacriledge for maintenance of his credit or hope of estimation with them whose applause or sauour he must glories in 5 As there is no surer argument of liuely saith then this vniformity whereof we speake so can there bee no token of hypocrisie or crookednesse of heart more coÌ„spicuous or infallible than to be scrupulously timorous in som points presumptuous or confident in others vpon faithfull examination as doubtfull and vpon like doubt euidently as dangerous or to bee zealous and forward in some duties and negligent dull or backwards in others as necessary It is a matter as the author of the two-fold martyrdome tells vs that must be considered How mightily doe some Christians abhorre things sacrificed vnto Idoles going into prophane Temples or the Idoles themselues when as S. Paul proclaimes that neither is the Idole nor things sacrificed vnto Idoles ought much lesse is the Temples built of stone ought and yet the mindes of many are so possessed with a religion of these matters that sooner would they die than taste of things sacrificed to Idoles and they deeme their offence cannot be expiated If they goe into the Temple of Iupiter Apollo or Diana or if they doe but touch an Idole they thinke themselues grieuously polluted The religion of such men for mine owne part I cannot but approue if it be like it selfe in all points But now adaies with griefe alas wee may behold some in those points if â— might speake home superstitiously fearefull and yet in others vvhich minister iuster cause of feare too too secure The touching of Idoles going into a Temple or eating of things sacrificed to Idoles doe not in themselues pollute the soule but loue of money rauin hypocrisie and such like monsters pollute the soule immediatly His conclusion is Therefore let no man flatter himselfe God is not mocked let our religion be vniformly constant let vs not detest others being our selues obnoxious to crimes more grieuous let vs not bee religiously timorous in this or that point and in some others impudently impious But hauing taken the profession of CHRIST vpon vs let our whole life giue testimony of him let vs euery way glorifie his Name by obeying his precepts that men may hereby know wee trust him in that wee loue him from our soules and that wee did not dissemblingly consecrate our selues vnto his seruice at our Baptisme Many like passages of this Author I leaue to the Readers meditations partly sorry I had not perused him before this treatise was conceiued and otherwise finished and yet partly glad in that the Lord had put the like meditations into my heart To interfert more proofes of antiquity would be troublesome vnto me ayming especially out of Gods word to set the wâ—rpe with what speed I can and afterwards if God permit to weaue such authority of Fathers into it as his prouidence shall direct me to 6. To gather all into a briefe summe True faith first acquaints vs with the nature of God and his attributes it teacheth his will to bee the rule of goodnesse and enioines vs nothing but what is good to vs that he loues all good and hates all euill without any respect to their persons in whom they are found the greater of either kinde the more and the lesser the lesse Here then is the triall of our faith if it haue taught vs wholly to submit our wils vnto his will to like whatsoeuer hee likes to hate whatsoeuer he hates to loue that best which his word tells vs he loues most and likewise to hate that most which hee most hates though otherwise either pleasant to our naturall disposition or not so displeasant or distastfull as many other matters would bee did wee follow the faâ—â—â—ions of the world Firme Assent to these and other attributes will vniformly extend that vniuersall precept It is better to obey God than man to our owne soules and affections Nay it is the very principall or graund-stemme of faith to be in heart perswaded and resolued that it is much better at all times to obey the lawe of God than our owne affections the lusts of the flesh or the lawe of sinne And then onely we pray in faith when we say not with our lippes alone but with our hearts and soules Not our will but thy will bee fulfilled By retaining any branch of our owne wills or desires vnrenounced or not resigned vp into Gods hands wee giue him hold of vs who neuer will let hold go vnlesse we cut off the member which offendeth vs. For as one very well obserues so the snare be strong and the hold sure a bird though caught but by one clawe shall as certainly be the Fowlers portion as if she had been taken by both the wings The soule which altogether delights in it owne will not doing any part of what God would haue it doe is like a bird caught in a net or so entangled in lime-twigs that it cannot take wing or make anie shewe of escape But the â—oule which obserues most and dispenseth with some one or few branches of Gods will although for a time she may soare aloft in Pharisaical perswasions and build her nest aboue the moone is but deluded by Lucifer who as he luâ—ed her thither can at his pleasure call her downe as birds are by little children which suffer them oft-time to make some handsome flight but with a long string about their feete This is a snare which men of better place meanes and sufficiency or of more stayed iudgement had neede with watchfull care to auoid for such commonly therefore abstaine from most other actuall sinnes because they secretly delight in some one or few which out of experience perhaps of many they haue made choise of as most pleasant either because they are naturally inclined or haue been long accustomed to them or because they expose them not to
could not bee greater then they often exposed themselues vnto against the enemie yet feare of disgrace which might ensue would in this case asswage that boldnesse whereunto hope of honour vsually animates greatest spirits Cato then and other such resolute Romans as gaue Caesar to vnderstand they had lesse dread of death then of his pardon would haue prooued but dastards in the campe of CHRIST for many principall points of whose seruice he that is more afraid of a miserable or disgraced life then of a violent or bloody death is very vnfit Now faith if it be vniformely set equally enclines vs to make choice of either station as the disposition of our lot shall fall The best ground of our qualification for vndergoing either will be with deliberate vnpartiality to rate as well the calamities or incumbrances as the prosperities or pleasures incident to this mortall life no higher then in nature they are for quality vaine and for durance momentary still weakning our naturall desires of the one and fortifying our feeblenesse or peculiar indispositions to sustaine the other Some are more easily deiected with feare of ignominy others of want or pouerty most are apt to be much moued with bodily pain but all most with that which is most contrary to the inclinations or accustomances in whose exercise oâ— practice they most delight And seeing the abundance of our desires or affectiors vsually brings forth a conceited greatnesse of the sensuall obiects whereon they are set the enfeebling or pining of internall appetites will be the readiest way to erect our spirits and ruinate all drowsie imaginations of greater terror then can really be presented to resolute and vigilant thoughts The best meanes againe to enfeeble inbred appetites or impaire the strength of naturall or customary inclinations is substraction of their fewell as much familiarity with their proper obiects or affectation of what we see most followed by others which vsually haue wit enough to accomplish their chiefe desires but want grace to account the inconueniences that without great circumspection alwaies attend on their accomplishment What though our meanes be so short as will not permit vs to fare deliciouslie our presence not so gratious as to win their fauour that behold vs our countenances not so armed with authority as to imprint awe in our inferiours our wits not so nimble as may enable vs to lead a faction our experience not so great as to compasse preferment or winde our selues out of intricate perplexed businesses yet all these defects haue this comfort annexed That although we had Diues fare and Cressus wealth Tullyes eloquence and Caesars fortune Aristotles subtilty and Achitophels policy Sampsons strength and Absolons beauty Salomons wisdome with all and all his roialty yet were we bound to vse all these blessings as if we vsed them not to employ them not to our owne but to his praise that gaue them in whom without these we may more truely delight then any can doe in their abundance For to whom much is giuen of him much shall be required This in the first place not to reioice though in miraculous effects of graces bestowed vpon him but rather in that his name is written in the booke of life in whose golden lines none are enfraunchised but such as in pouerty of spirit haue serued an apprentiship to humility Thus may the brother of lowest degree so he will not be wilfully proud nor stretch his desires beyond the measure God hath destributed to him stoope without straining to that pitch whereto euen such as are of gifts most eminent or in highest dignity must of necessity descend but by many degrees and with great difficulty seldome without some grieuous fall or imminent danger of precipitation 4. But is not this to calumniate our Creators goodnes as if he did baite his hookes with seeming blessings or set golden snares to entangle the soules of his seruants No reason taught the heathen to thinke more charitably of their supposed Goddesse Nature on whom they fathered that truth which faith instructs vs to ascribe vnto our heauenly Father Natura beatis Omnibus esse dedit si quis cognouerit vti If from true blisse thou chance to stray doe not the blame on nature lay Enough shee gaue thereto t' attaine but gifts without good vse are vaine The gifts meane or great bestowed on euery man by his maker are best for him so he would faithfullie implore the assistance of his spirit wholly submitting himselfe to his direction for their vsage His mercy is many times greatest to such as he endowes with least blessings of art or nature in that as their spirits are vsually slow their capacities shallow and abilities weake so their conquest ouer delight or pride in their own good parts in which the strength and vertue of faith consists especially is the easiest their aptitude to delight in spirituall goodnesse the greatest and their alliance to true humility most immediate His mercies againe many waies appeare most towards such as excell in gifts of nature First if they seriously addresse their best faculties to contemplate the fountaine whence they slow or to esteeme of their Creators goodnesse by his good blessings bestowed on themselues they haue a perpetuall spurre to stirre vp their alacrity in good courses a curbe to restraine them from falling into ordinary and vulgar sinnes whereinto others vsually slide through deiection of minde or opportunitie of their obscure place and low esteeme with others The best lesson I remember in old Chaucer and for ought I can perceiue the onely right vse can be made of a mans notice of his owne worth is to thinke euery offence of like nature more grieuous in himselfe then in others whom he accounts his inferiours Againe as eminencie of naturall or acquired worth exposeth men to more then ordinary spirituall danger so no question rightly emploied it makes them capable of great reward and few of this temper if free choice were left vnto themselues but would rather desire to get honour though with aduenture of an auoidable danger then to be assured of ordinary recompence for safe emploiments Briefly as their stocke or talent is greater and through indiscreet or vnthrifty courses may bring them into great arrerages at their finall accompts so watily and faithfully emploied it alwaies yeelds greater encrease to Gods glory who will not suffer the least excesse of good seruice done to passe without an ouerplus of reward That which turnes all his blessings into curses is an ouerweening conceipt of our owne worth and a perswasion thence arising that wee are sit for any fortunes whereunto industrious practices authorised by humane Law can raise vs and inwardly furnished for sustaining any place for which the dispensers of ciuill honour can be wrought outwardly to grace or qualifie vs. As the disease it selfe is deadly so is it vsually accompanied with a phreneticall symptome for like wandering Knights that seeke aduentures in vnknowne Countries we apprehend
hane fashioned my conceipt vnto the form of words wherein he expresseth his from which my phrase or dialect doth somwhat differ In the maine point we well agree that Faith is an assent as well vnto the goodnesse as vnto the truth of matters diuine That which hee with some auncient Schoole men tearmes certainty of adherence is in my dialect stability oâ— firmnesse of beleefe which I deriue not so much from the euidence or certainty of things beleened as from their worth and goodnesse All of vs by nature adhere more firmly to things of great and knowne worth then wee could doe vnto the very same if their worth either were in it selfe or by vs esteemed lesse albeiâ— their certainty were equall The next lesson which reason will hence learne is That vnto some truths our adherence may be more firme then vnto others of greater euidence and certaintie in case the former excell the later more in goodnesse then they are exexceeded by them in euidence and certaintie But seeing with the Romanist we admit the nature of faith to consist in Assent we might perhaps be thought to confine it wholy as hee doth to the vnderstanding an error iustly abandoned by most in reformed Churches who in this respect for the most part either define it not by Assent or else to make vp one entire and compleate definition match Assent with other tearmes not so well consorting with it as the rules of art in my occasions require To this purpose rather in defence of mine owne then any waie to preiudice other mens methods which must be measured by the end at which they aime the first and second Chapters are premised But some perhaps would reply that Assent being terminated vnto truth can haue no greater alliance with goodnesse then with those differences assigned vnto it by other writers reiected by vs not as false but as not formall And the obiection to speake the truth could not be put off as impertinent did we follow the Romanist in another erroneous principle not discouered much lesse disclaimed by such as most oppugne them from which principle notwithstanding the worst inconueniences can in this argument be obiected to their doctrine directly follow and are not so cleerely or fully auoided by those that contradict them as by vs that assent vnto them in defining Christian faith by Assent Not with the moderne pontifician onely but generally amongst the schoolemen faith and works are so dissociated as if they were of linages altogether distinct and had small or no affinity Most protestant writers acknowledge them to be of entire blood yet somewhat farther remoued then in my opinion they are The principall reason whereof as I coniecture is that they esteeme more of schoole-philosophy then schoole-diuinity and with the schoole-men specially Aquinas and his followers imagine the will and vnderstanding from which faith and good works in their â—erauldry seuerally discend to be faculties really distinct like brother and sister being indeed but two names or titles of one and the same intellectuall nature as truth and goodnesse their supposed really different obiects in matters morall differ onelie in degrees of apprehension as one and the same person knowne a farre off vnder the common notion of a man is oft times cleerely discerned by his approach to be an honest man and our louing friend Sutably to this true Philosophie learned out of the best professors of that facultie and to omitte other Schoole-men out of the wise and learned Gerson I place faith neither in the wil nor vnderstanding but in the intellectual nature as subiect to both these titles or appellations The inference hence taken is that faith although it be formally an Assent may be as imediately terminated vnto the goodnesse as vnto the truth of reuelations diuine And these being of all the matters that can be reuealed or knowne both in themselues and in respect of vs far the best I make that faith which primarily distinguishethâ— true Christian from an hypocrite or fruitlesse professor of orthodoxall religion to bee an assent or adherence vnto reuelations diuine as much better then any contrary good the world the diuell or flesh can present to peruert our choice of what they prescribe for our sauing health or habitually to interrapt or hinder the prosecution of their designes By these deductions drawne forth at large in the sixth Chapter the Reader may easily perceiue the linke betweene faith and works to be most immediate and essentiall This maine conclusion whereon the most of the Treatise following depends is further confirmed Chap. 7. by instances of sacred writers ascribing all the victories of Gods Saints ouer the world Diuell or flesh vnto faith or apprehension of diuine promises better then ought could come in competition with them all backsliding into euill or backwardnesse in good courses vnto want of faith or apprehension of Gods iudgements or threatnings as more terrible then any tortures which man can deuise against his fellow creatures Briefely the whole drift or scope of the Apostle from the later part of the tenth Chapter to the Hebrewes vnto the end of that Epistle iumps fully with the former conclusion Whereunto likewise the vsuall dialect of the holy spirit when he speakes absolutely not with reference to the solecismes of hipocrites or such as haue diuorced truth from honesty or set words and works at variance is exactly consonant It is generally obserued by all interpreters of sacred writ that the termes which it vseth to expresse the proper asts or exercises of sence and vnderstanding still include those affections or practique faculties which are most homogeneall to them The true reason whereof is not because hee who sees the heart and inspires it with faith speakes more vulgarlie or grosly but rather more metaphysically then many Diuines or Philosophers doe as supposing the truth before specified concerning the identity of the wil and vnderstanding with the essentiall combination of truth and goodnesse in matters practicall The consequences hence inferred and exemplified at large in the eight and ninth Chapters are in briefe vnto this purpose As the apprehension of diuine infalibility breeds an infallibility of perswasion or sure reliance vpon his promises so assent vnto his goodnes or imitable attributes assimulates our soules to them Euery obiect rightly apprehended or vnderstood imprints it similitude vpon the apprehensiue faculty The diuine nature therfore must leaue an impression or stampe in our soules as well of his goodnesse as of his veracity otherwise wee apprehend him who is essentially as good as true without any liuely apprehension of his goodnesse This stampe or character of goodnesse diuine is as a touch to drawe the soule as the Adamant doth the iron after it selfe and in this adherence of the intellectiue nature once touched with grace vnto the celestiall promises the definition of sauing faith is accomplished Chap. 9. whose generall or cheefe properties are set foorth Chap. 10. For conclusion of the first Section Chap. 11. I
apply them to vs in particular then we our selues possibly can doe by beginning our faith at this particular application where it must end The next thing then to be sought out is the nature of Assent in generall and what manner of Assent this is which we require as due to sacred Historians or matters related by them CHAP. III. What Assent is whence the certainety firmenesse and stability of it properly arise 1. CReatures of euery kinde haue seueral propensions or inclinations to such others as suite best vnto their natures and hardly admit of anie rest vntill they get some manner of vnion or coniunction with them That which in substances liuelesse or meerely naturall wee call propension descending to such as are endued with knowledge or apprehension is differenced by the title of desire The propension most natiue to the intellectiue faculty is desire of truth vnto which found out the adherence must needs be correspondent and this adherence we properly call Assent which notwithstanding by a great Artist is defined to be a knowledge or apprehension of conuenience betwixt things compared in any enuntiation But this definition he chiefely intended in oposition to such as restrain Assent onely vnto the reflexiue or examinatiue acts of the vnderstanding Neither I think would haue denyed this adherence wherein Assent more properly consists then in knowledge which it necessarily supposeth to be an vnseperable concomitant to all acts of knowledge whether reflexiue or direct especially if their obiects bee worth the contemplation For vnlesse that proportion which breeds a mutuall liking betwixt the obiects apprehended and the apprehensiue facultie varie continuance of vnion is alwaies as much desired after it is gotten as the vnion it selfe was before Wherefore as desire of truth brings foorth motion by impelling our soules vnto the search of it so the apprehension of it necessarily infers a setling or fastening of them to it found For as test terminates the naturall motions or actuall propensions of liuelesse bodies so the desires of the sensitiue or intellectiue nature attaining their proper obiects are alwaies crowned with ioy pleasance and complacency in their purchase 2. That such is the nature of Assent as wee haue said may appeare from its contrary dissent which ouer and aboue knowledge or apprehension includes an auersion in the intellectiue facultie or a bearing off from what it apprehends as false Whence he that beares testimony to an vntruth may as truely be said to assent vnto it as his action may bee accounted voluatarie that casts his goods ouerboord in a storme which kinde of action the Philosopher makes to be mixt though more inclining vnto voluntary because it takes the denomination especially from the present resolution So likewise in the former testimony there is a mixture of Assent because albeit the partie simply knew it for vntrue and therefore dissonant to his intellectiue nature which can no better brook the apprehension of apparant disconuenience betwixt things compared in enunciations then the sense of touch can the impression of heate and cold together yet for the time present hee is not auerse from it but rather adheres vnto it as it lies in his way to honor gaine promotion or other sinister ends vpon which his minde is mole strongly set then vpon truth 3. Doubt likewise which is the meanes betwixt Assent and dissent if it proceed from want of examination is but a suspence or inhibition of the soule from any determinate inclnation one waie or other if from apprehension of reasons diuerse or contrarie drawing neer to an equality in strength it is but a tremulous motion of the vnderstanding not finding where to settle or fixe its approbation 4. Certainty is but an immunity from change or mutabilite and according to this generall notion vniuocally agrees as well to the obiect knowne as vnto assent or adherence to their knowledge Those obicts are in thēselues most certain whose nature is least obnoxious to alteration Assent most certaine we likewise account all of whose mutability or change there is no danger as admitting no possibility or preiudice by oppositions of contrarie oppinions whence we must of necessity distinguish between the Certainety the Stability the Strength or vigor of assent or adherence vnto known truths Certainty ariseth from cleernes of apprehensiō Stability from the immutability or setlednes of the exact proportion betwixt the apprehensiue facultie and the obiect on which the cleerenesse of apprehension is grounded The Strength or vigour of euery Assent springs from the woorth or right valuation of the obiect For vnto all truthes alike cleerely apprehended our adherence is not equall but greater to such as are apprehended of greatest vse or worth albeit the danger or possibility of dislike or disproportion betweene the obiect and the apprehensiue faculty be more then is betweene it and other obiects the cleere apprehension of whose certaine truth may much lesse affect the soule 5. That the certainety of Assent doth accrewe partly from the certainety of the obiect but more immediately from our apprehension of it is set down at large in the first section of our first booke that the strength of our Assent or adherence vnto supernaturall obiects doth naturally spring from a right apprehension or estimate of their worth was intimated in the second Section of that Booke and will manifest its truth throughout this whole discourse what temper or disposition of the apprehensiue faculty is fittest for grounding the stability of certaine adherence vnto diuine truths shall be generally shewed in the last section of this Booke more particularly in the seuerall Articles wherinthe danger of dissent or dislike is greatest Now seeing certainety is the onely sure ground of all stability or strength in perswasions without which supposed to their beginnings the greater they are the worse they proue in their endings the subiect of the next enquirie is what measure of certainety or eui dence is required to the nature of that assent wherein Christian faith consists CHAP. IIII. What correspondencie euidence and certaintie hold in Assent or perswasions what measure of either in respect of what obiects is necessarily required to the constitution of that Assent wherein Christian faith consists 1. ASsents as all agree are most properly differenced by the diuers measures of their credibility certainty or perspicuity whose growth in matters secular is alwaies equall That the obiects of our beliefe are all in themselues most certaine were damnable to doubt But whether vnto the nature of that Assent whose differences or properties we seeke such exact certainty be so necessarily required that without it we cānot truly be said to haue Christiā beleef is somwhat doutfull Or if such certainty be so necessary the doubt is greater whether the euidence must or if it must how possibly in this life it can be thereto commensurable But by apprehension or representation there can bee no beliefe or knowledge of any truth And if we seeke all the
euidence of instinct or working alwaies manifest in the effect though the cause oft-times be hidden or doubtfull An euidence likewise there is of bodily strength eyther passiue to sustaine contrary force or violence or actiue to repell it by opposing the like Proportionall hereunto there is an euidence of conscience vpon iust examination alwaies witnessing either our strength or weaknesse to resist temptations or our vigour alacrity or dulnesse in doing of good But this kinde of euidence belongs rather vnto the triall of faith inherent or our perswasions of it after we haue it then vnto the obiects or grounds whence it ariseth 5. The Iesuite hauing defaced the image of his Creator as essentially good as true in his heart and out of the reliques of it erecting an Idoll in his braine to represent the visible Church or Pope both which he adores as gods for their veracity though not for sanctity imagines no euidence possible in matters diuine but meerely speculatiue and hence argues Faith to be an Assent ineuident or obscure because not euident after the same manner Mathematicall theorems or common naturall notions are to the speculatiue vnderstanding or the Sunne Moone or Starres of the first magnitude to ordinary sights As if an English-man Dane or German should conclude Italians French-men Spaniards or generally all forreiners to be Blacke-moores because not of the same complexion they themselues are The like loosenesse we finde in some more ancient Schoolemens collections that the obiects of faith are neither euident nor properly intelligible but only credible because neither of such propositions as euery one that heares will approue nor of euident deductions from such But the question is not of the vniuersality or extent but of the intensiue perfection of euidence and no man I thinke will denie that manie Truths altogether vnknowne to most may be as intensiuely euident to some particular dispositions as generall maxims are to all Otherwise S. Paul should haue had no exact euidence of special reuelations made to him no Prophets of their cleerest visions not CHRIST IESVS himself of his fathers will in whose bosom he was seeing he did not make that enident to the Iewes Euery mans thoughts are as manifest to himselfe as the principles of any science though he cannot so certainly manifest the one as the other to his auditours None of reformed Churches I thinke did euer auouch that he could make the Articles of faith euident to all endued with naturall reason but that the spirit of God which first reuealed and caused them to be written in Characters visible vnto all cannot as euidently imprint them vpon the hearts of all his children what reason haue we to deny Because faith is the argument of things not seene 6. A worke it were worth his paines that is not fit for very great nor necessarily engaged to other good emploiments to obserue how many opinions which could neuer haue been conceiued but from a misconceit of Scriptures haue been fastened to the Temple dore as more certaine then Propheticall oracles First by continuall hammering of Schoolemen afterwards by instruction giuen from the great Pastor to the Masters of Romish assemblies which for the most part do but riuet the nailes the other had driuen or driue such faster as they had entered not without disturbance of their opposites What a number of such opinions as the Trent Councell ties our faith vnto as Articles necessary to saluation were in ages last past meere schoole points held pro con by the followers of diuerse factioÌ„s in that profession And though these Trent Fathers doe not expresly teach vs that beliefe is an Assent ineuident and obscure yet doth it bind vs to belieue it to be such as none euer would haue conceiued but from a mistaking of the Apostles words lately cited which notwithstanding he vttered not anie waies to disparage the euidence but rather to set forth the excellency of that heauenly vertue He supposed as shall hereafter be deduced nor doth that learned Iesuite which long agoe had robbed the whole society of ingenuity and buried it with him in his graue in his Commentaries vpon that place dissent from vs that faith is an assurance or instrument by which the sonnes of God attaine vnto a kinde of sight or glimmering but euident view of diuine mysteries altogether as inuisible but more incredible to the naturall man then Galilaeus supposed late discoueries to meere countrey men vtterly destitute of all other helpes or meanes for discouering such appearances besides the eyes nature hath giuen them Hee that said faith is the argument of things vnseene did neuer deny it to include an euident knowledge or apprehension of some things present which the world sees not yet such as he there describes it is to the regenerate only or vnto them whom God hath giuen this heauenly treasure as a pledge of his future fauours But regeneration renewing of the inner man or fruites of the spirit are termes as vnusuall for the most part in their schooles as their schoole-termes in common talke of the illiterate among vs and yet before our regeneration or participation of Gods spirit wee dispute of the euidence or obscurity of faith but as blinde men may of the differences betwixt day and night not able to frame any distinct or proper conceit truely representing the face of either though daylie hearing liuely discriptions of both or learned discourses about their natures or essentiall properties But when God begins to open our hearts that we may see our naturall misery it is with vs as it was with such as being born blinde were restored to sight by our Sauiour as for illustrations sake we may suppose in the beginning of some dismall night some howers before the moons aâ—isall At the first opening of their eies they might perceiue an euident distinction betwixt the greatest darkenes inci-dent to night by tempests stormes or ouer-casting and their wonted blindnesse an euident difference againe betweene such darknesse and light shortly after ensuing vpon the remooual of cloudes or apparition of starres And albeit they did heereafter expect a cleerer distinctioÌ„ betwixt this time that which they had often heard others call the day yet easie it had beene to haue perswaded them the Moones apparance had brought the morning with it vntill the dawning had cleered the doubt during which as the Sunne did neerer and neerer approach the distinction betwixt day and night grew cleerer and cleerer Euident it was now vnto them that the Sunne should in time appeare although it selfe were yet vnseene whose actuall apparition could onely terminate the former expectation and leaue no place for further errot the brightnesse of it being able so fully to satiate the capacity of the visiue facultie and so all sufficient for presenting other visibles as distinctly and cleerely as their hearts could desire to their view 7. Though not of our outward senses yet of the more excellent internall faculties of our soules all
taken or such characters of their manners as seeme ill-fauoured whiles they behold others stigmatized or branded with them All truth notwithstanding is in it selfe delightfull euen pabulum animae the soules food as the heathen obserued and the knowledge of particulars rightly detiued from the generals in euery faculty in it selfe most pleasant But vnto distempered soules the apprehensions of such slender abstract truthes as exasperate no internall humours relish best as doth small drinke or water to sicke or aguish bodies although the chiefe pleasure or profit either bring is onely mitigation of present paine But whiles we descend to particular applications in moralities obsequium amicos adulation which is but a branch of falsehood findes best entertainment because corrupt affection would apprehend its owne praises true and all true imputation false veritas odium parit Truth is excluded as an vnwelcome guest because distastfull vnto sensuall in-bred humours or desires which like wanton Strumpets hauing gotten possession of the mariage bed bring our soules out of loue with such obiects as they haue been affianced vnto by yeelding ful Assent vnto the generalities whence they naturally and lineally descend For euen in matters practicall or essentially morall the vniuersalls may be ranked amongst the obiects speculatiue and be referred to the vnderstanding though their particulars belong more properly to the will 12. Hence if it be demanded whether this Assent of faith do especially belong to the speculatiue or practique vnderstanding or vnto the will supposing the vse of this distinction late specified the demaund if generall is captious For in respect of some obiects it may be referred to the wil in respect of others to the vnderstanding or in respect of the generals to the one in respect of the particulars to the other As our Assent vnto the Article of creation and resurrection scarce admits any positiue repugnancie of affection or inbred desire the onely cause of mens distrust to them is a meere natural imperfection of the vnderstanding or a speculatiue error springing from broken and impertinent inductions as shall hereafter be declared But our Assent vnto the Articles of the last iudgement and eternall life with the particulars concerning Christs death and passion is vsually assaulted by opposite affections So when S. Paul reasoned of righteousnesse temperance and iudgement to come Felix trembled and answered Goe thy way for this time when I haue a conuenient season I will call for thee the reason of this resolution is plaine For if the roote of this former distinction be properly in the obiect onely not in the faculty we cannot absolutely ascribe faith so to the speculatiue as to exclude it from the practique vnderstanding or so to the vnderstanding at al as to bereaue the wil of its presence seeing all these make but one faculty But well may one and the same habit or it acts though all seated in one and the same indiuiduall or indiuisible faculty receiue diuers denominations from references vnto obiects of different nature This imagination of plurality in causes or faculties occasioned onely from extrinsecall denominations giuen vnto them from diuersities proper onely to their obiects or effects as we often mistake in thinking bodies to be in the place of their appearance is such a transcendent perpetuall error as he that will take warning of it in his yonger daies may in contemplations morall naturall or theologicall haue immediate and free accesse to truth into whose presence others seldome are admitted but after long windings and turnings by vnnecessary distinctions or diuisions and yet after all scarce euer see her but masked in terms of art 13. But euen in matters either by nature so abstract or otherwise so generall that our apprehension of them or Assent vnto them cannot be directly hindred by any contrary naturall inclinations we may often finde great incumbrances from indirect or accidentall oppositions Thus desire of glory or hope of victory in scholastique encounters moues men often to disclaime the truth which others haue found out or well illustrated whereunto notwithstanding they would quickly yeelde their firme Assent might the glory of the inuention be reputed theirs or were it no preiudice to their high esteeme of their owne wits to learne of others For this reason I haue knowne of good scholars some out of iealousies least their discoueries should be published in anothers name some out of charitie refraine discourse amongst such as too much delight or glory in that faculty for the most part so willing to contradict others obseruations that a man can hardly put forth a truth before them without danger of thrusting them into the opposite error Surely neither was it desire of gaine nor loue of pleasure nor any other carnall affection besides this foolish hope of vaine-glory or delight arising from curiosity of speculation that of late hath tempted some to misbelief in the Article of the blessed Trinity The admirable vnity of perpetuall Assent to which great mistery amongst such bitter dissentions as are this day maintained by diuers Churches in most other points of Christian saith I haue euer more ascribed to want of direct oppositions vnto any carnal affection or resolution much beneficiall to the chiefe managers of affaires through Christendom then vnto positiue deuotion or true feare and reuerence of that great maiesty which all haue so long professed to be one in Three For did this vnanimous consent in that graund mistery amongst parties otherwise discordant spring from these liuely rootes of true religion all sorts would be afraid so grieuously to dishonour his name by other heresies and such vnchristian resolutions as to maintaine with profession of allegeance vnto Christ is worse then once for all to renounce him Could the abridgement of honour due either to the Sonne or holy Ghost haue brought as great reuenewes to the Papacie as toleration of stewes or filthy practice of Indulgences the acknowledgement of either person as God had been held long since a sinne more grieuous then fornication adultery oridolatrie Euen we of reformed Churches as many as sincerely adore that glorious Vnity in the power of Maiestie haue iust cause to sing daily prayses to Him that the profession of three persons in one Deitie was not so grieuous an eâ—e-sore to some great States-men or Polititians as three Abbies or Deaneries in one shire otherwise the heauenly doctrine of the blessed Trinity had been at this day as offensiue as that Tithes are due vnto the sonnes of Leui iure Diuino or by right more soueraigne then to be counter checked by any decree or lawe sinfull man can deuise But vnto me as to our Apostle it euer hath bin and euer shal be matter of ioy consolation that the doctrine of Christ and of his Gospell whether of pretence or sincerely is euery way maintained though by the pouerty and affliction of his true disciples For vnlesse hope of worldly gaine or other respects had moued Christian Princes and their States-men
an vnpleasaÌ„t spectacle to such as delighted in setting pruning or nourishing plants But that is but a weak resemblance of this mans torture first stript of his skin hauing afterwards all the vtmost parts of his body lopped off lastly his raw bulk broiled or carbonadoed quick Yet the second sprig of the sameroot made spectator of al this misery to cause him abhor like butchery practices vpon himselfe constantly pitching the feare of God higher then any present racke or torture could raise or improue his naturall feare of tyrants rage with his mortall life breathes out that euerlasting truth which his Redeemer afterwards gaue in charge to his disciples For when hee was at the last gaspe he sayd Thou like a fury takest vs out of this present life but the king of the world shall raise vs vp who haue dyed for his lawes vnto euer lasting life The third after like derision and torments as his brothers had suffered willingly yeelds his tongue vnto the tormentour but first consecrates therewith his other members as an acceptable sacrifice vnto his God esteeming their losse as gaine for the keeping of his lawe For stretching forth his hands with boldnesse he spake couragiously these haue I had from heauen but now for the loue of God I despise them and trust that I shall receiue them of him againe Nor could like torments wrest any other confession from the fowrth â—â—r when he was ready to die he sayd thus It is better that wee should change this which wee might hope for of men and waite for our hope from God that wee may be raised vp againe by him as for thee thou shalt haue no resurrection to life The fift againe lesse feares the torments which he suffered than the scandall which might redound to Gods Church from relation of their grieuousnesse vnlesse the error were preuented Thou hast power ô king among men and though thou be a mortall man thou dost what thou wilt but thinke not that God hath for saken our nation The fixt likewise at the point of death charitably instructs the tyrant as our Sauiour afterwards did the Iewes concerning them whose blood Pilate had mingled with their owne sacrifice * Deceiue not thy selfe foolishly for wee suffer those things which are worthy to be wondred at for our owne sakes because wee haue offended our God but thinke not thou which vndertakest to fight against God that thou shalt be vnpunished But the mother sayth this Author was maruellous aboue all other and worthy of honourable memory For if by faith the Elders obtained honour and good report the weaknesse of her sexe doth witnesse the admirable strength of her faith that seeing her seauen sonnes slaine within the space of one day suffered it with a good will because of the hope that she had in the Lord. That which enspired her breast with this hope her hopes with wisdome and her womanly affections with such manly courage was her firme Assent vnto the Articles of the creation and the resurrection for with these arguments shee wisely armes them against the terrours of death or torture b I cannot tell how you came into my womb for I neither gaue my breath nor life neither was it I that formed the members of euery one of you But doubtlesse the Creator of the world vvho found the generation of man and found out the beginning of all things vvill also of his owne mercy giue you breath and life againe as you now regard not your owne selues for his lawes sake The seauenth whom Antiochus had tempted to disloialty as well by hopes of honour as threats of tortures she thus intreats in particular O my sonne haue pitty vpon me that bare thee nine moneths in my vvomb and gaue thee sucke 3 yeeres and nourished thee and brought thee vp vnto this age and endured the troubles of education I beseech thee my sonne lâ—oke vpon the heauen and the earth and all that is therein and consider that God made them of things thâ—â— were not and so was mankinde made likewise Feare not this tormentor but being worthy of thy brethren take thy death that I may receiue thee againe in mercy vvith thy bretlren Nor did her words want effect for this also esteemed obedience much better then honor or preferment yea as much dearer then sacrifice though of himselfe For he sayd I as my brethren haue done offer my body and life for the lawes of our fathers beseeching God that he wil soone be merciful vnto our notton and that thou O Tyrant by torment punishment maist confesse that he is the onely God And that in me and my brethren the vvrath of the Almighty which is righteously fallen vpon our nation may cease so he also dyed holily and put his whole trust in the Lord. That a dumbe creature shall gently and quietly licke her yong ones newly ript out of herbelly euen while the Anatomists knife did lance and dissecate her liuing members seemed to me when first I read it in an Author of this profession and practise a wondrous effect of natures force euincing the truth of our Apostles saying that loue which thus excludes all sense of paine would if perfect expell all feare but doubtlesse more then naturall was this womans loue or rather great was her faith that Gods loue vnto her sonnes and her was greater then the loue of mothers to their children which could thus out of pitty and compassion expose them to such sauage cruelty patiently behold their liue Anatomy afterwards content her selfe to be a subiect of like practises For last of all after the sonnes the mother dyed 12. So consonant to the grounds of our Apostles discourse and these late mentioned resolutions is that excellent exhortation Mattathias made vnto his sons before his death that we may without presumption presume one and the same spirit did set the seuerall parts of this lesson and tune their hearts to this consort albeit hee did not pen these latter ditties Now hath pride and rebuke gotten strength and the time of destruction and the wrath of indignation now therefore my sonnes be ye zealous for the lawe and giue your liues for the couenant of your fathers Call to remembrance what our fathers did in their time so shall ye receiue great honour and an euerlasting name Was not Abraham found faithfull in temptation and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse Iosephs chastity Phineas and Eliahs zeale Iosuahs valour and Calebs fidelity Dauids mercy and Daniels innocency are all ascribed to faith by him as well as Ananias Azarias and Mâ—saels safety or Abrahams late mentioned acts for after an enumeration of these particulars he thus concludes And this consider ye in all ages that none that put their trust in him shall be ouercome All that was commendable in these auncient Worthies was from their trust in the Lord and that from their firme Assent vnto his power his bounty
in sciences or workes of nature or of addition and substraction in Arithmetique or of laying or reducting sums in accompts As young Dauid first encountred Beares and Lions or other enemies of his flocke and afterwards ouercomes the great Goliah that had defied the whole host of Israell so true and liuely faith first begins with petty desires or such temptations as are incident to our present state or calling alwaies so much lesse grieuous in themselues as our places are meaner and hauing gotten mastery ouer them still encreaseth as difficulties or oppositions multiply vntill at length it become victorious ouer the diuell world and flesh by a sincere discharge of particulars contained in the view of Baptisme Hypocrisie acknowledgeth the same summe of Christian duties or practices and subscribes vnto it not onely in grosse but vnto most particulars therein contained yet still reducts or exonerates as much as well displeasing humours disallow vntill it finally dissolue what true faith doth build euen vnto the first foundation if the opposition betweene it and carnall feares hopes loue or hate come once to be direct eager What protestation could any true professor either conceiue in tearmes more decent or submissiue or tender in more serious and ample forme then that supplication which the remnant of Iudah and Ierusalem presented vnto the Prophet Ieremy after the captiuity of their brethren Then all the Captaines of the host and Iehonan the sonne of Kareah and Iezaniah the sonne of Hoshaiah and all the people from the least vnto the most came and sayd vnto Ieremiah the Prophet Heare our prayer we beseech thee and pray for vs vnto the Lord thy God euen for all this remnant for we are left but a few of many as thine eyes doe behold that the Lord thy God may shewe vs the way wherein we may walke and the thing that we may doe After he had vndertaken this sacred businesse and past his word for his integrity in translating it they more pathetically oblige themselues to whatsoeuer obedience God by his mouth shall enioine them Then they sayd to Ieremiah The Lord bee a witnesse of truth and faith betweene vs if we do not euen according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send thee vnto vs whether it bee good or be euili wee will obey the voice of the Lord God to whom wee send thee that it may be well with vs when wee obey the voice of the Lord our God A man would think the proposall of Gods commaundement by a Prophet so well knowne vnto this people one whom they had chosen for this purpose should haue enforced them to performance of their promise Yet Ieremiah foreseeing the hypocrisie of their hearts though hidden from their owne eyes returnes his message in such a forme as if hee had vsed artificiall inuention to perswade obedience Hauing called some of the parties that had late made this serious protestation he tells them Thus sayth the Lord God of Israell vntowhom ye sent me to present your prayers before him if yee will dwellin this land then I will build you and not destroy you and I will plant you and not root you out for I repent me of the euill that I haue done vnto you Feare not for the king of Babed of whom ye are afraide be not afraid of him saith the Lord For I am with you to saue you and to deliuer you from his hand And I will grant you mercy that he may haue compassion vpon you and hee shall cause you to dwellin your land But if ye say wee will not dwell in this land neither heare the voice of the Lord your God saying Nay but wee will goe into the land of Egypt where we shall see no warre nor heare the sound of the trumpet nor haue hunger of bread and there we will dwell and now therefore heare the word of the Lord yee remnant of Iudah thus sayth the Lord of hosts the God of Israell If ye set your forces to enter into Egypt and go to dvveâ—l there then the sword that yee feared shall take you there in the Land of Egypt and the famine for which you care shall there hang vpon you in Egypt and there shall ye die And all the men that set their forces to enter into Egypt to dwell there shall die by the sword by the famine and by the pestilence and none of them shall remaine or escape from the plague that I will bring vpon them For thus sayth the Lord of hostes the God of Israell As mine anger and my vvrath hath been poured out vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem so shall my vvrath be poured out vpon you vvhen you enter into Egypt and ye shall be a detestation and an astonishment and a curse and a reproach and ye shall see this place no more O yee remnant of Iudah the Lord hath sayd concerning you Goe ye not into Egypt know certainly that I haue admonished you this day And as Iosuah at his last farewell vnto his people suspecting their pronenesse to idolatrie did by a seeming prouocation of them to the practice and profession of it wisely wrest from them more serious protestation to the contrary and a stricter obligement to the seruice of the onely true God then otherwise they would haue conceiued so Ieremiah instructed by his God that the hypocrisie of this peoples heart now secretly began to work giues them notice of it most desirous to be disapproued by them in the euent Surely yee dissembled in your hearts when you sent me vnto the Lord your God saying pray for vs vnto the Lord our God and according vnto all that the Lord our God shall say so declare vnto vs and we vvill doe it And now I haue this day declared it to you but ye haue not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God nor anie thing for vvhich he hath sent me vnto you Now therefore know certainly that yee shall die by the sword by famine and by the pestilence in the place whither ye desire to goe and soiourne Ierusalems ruines and the Temples ashes did witnesse the seuerity and iustice of their God against the obstinate and disobedient The Babylonians themselues knew Ieremiah for a Prophet euen this people to whom hee brings this message were well perswaded of his familiarity with their God and hee himselfe had past his word for acquainting them fully with his will Then Ieremiah the Prophet sayd vnto them I haue heard you behold I will pray vnto the Lord your God according vnto your words and it shall come to passe that whatsoeuer thing the Lord shall answere you I will declare vnto you I will keepe nothing backe from you And was it possible the same men should bee so dislike themselues as to forget their late protestations and refuse to do Gods will so fully made knowne vnto them by his Prophet To doe the will of God if so they knew it to
most potent or apt to moue it as a iust ballance is alwaies farthest cast by the greatest waight But though when temptations are a farre off and our corrupt humours not stirred we say with Peter Verba viâ—ae aeternae habes Lord thou hast the wordes of eternall life and what pleasures of this transitory life should we affect in comparision of them yet we cannot alwaies approoue our sayings by actuall choice when both are offered to our tast And no maruell seeing our sence of the one is of all others the most quicke our conceipt of it distinct and proper of the other most men in this life haue no semblable apprehension no true or liuely tast but rather a smel some heare-say conceipt or imaginary representation Besides the pleasures of that bodily sence by which we liue and other desires of the flesh too deepely incorporated in our corrupt nature often lust so vehemently against the spirit inclining vs to a liking of the sood of life that we cannot doe as we would nor continue our assent vnto it as better for the time being then prosecution of some sensuall good comming in actuall competition with it lately adâ—â—dged of farre better worth whilest contrary inclinations were not swared with present oportunity of enioying their proper obiects The immediate cause of this backe starting with the remedy comes most fiâ—ly to be discussed ced in the article of euerlasting life But albeit euen the best are sometimes yea often ouertaken with this fault the habituall constitution of euery faithfull soule must be much better and our faith howsoeuer defectiue in degrees must be for essence or quality a true tast for as a learned interpreter of sacred writ hath well obserued out of Plato Omâ—is vita gustu ducitur without tast there is no life The degrees of perfection which our spirituall tast wants in respect of that bodily sence whereto it answeres in proportion is recompenced euen in this life by the greatnes of the good it apprehends or penury of eternall comfort or refreshing wherewith who so will seriously looke into the state of his owne soule shall finde it pinched euen in the abundance of worldly contentments 3. This true tast of Gods word reuealed for our good alone it is which can sweeten affliction to vs and make vs couragious to aduenture vpon all difficulties that can bee obiected to deterre vs from entering into the land of promise Such speculatiue conceipts of this food of life as we may find in the subtile disputes of greatest Schoolemen are of as little force to enflame our hearts with longing after that heauenly kingdome as poeticall descriptions of some farre Countries pleasures oâ— commodities are to make vs vndertake their Conquest yea as much lesse auaileable to this purpose as their stile is lesse apt to moue affection then the others No imperiall Law I thinke did euer prohibit any prouince to haue maps of the imperiall seat or homericall descriptions of the Emperour and his Nobles banquets though some to my remebrance haue strictly restrained all transportation of grapes or other pleasant commodities into barbarous countries least barbarians hauing experience of their sweetnes might out of loue to the Land wherein they grow be tempted to worke some mischiefe to the inhabitants as the Gals are said to haue beene drawne ouer the Alpes vpon the like temptatioÌ„ Generally euery obiect caeterisparibus moues the obiect to which it belongs so much the more and breeds an assent so much the firmer and more stedfast as the conceipt of it is more proper distinct or homogeneall Sight of beauty decent gestures or comely motion more deepely wounds the hearts of louers then the most hyperbolicall sonets that can be made in praise of feature vnseene Smell of meates is more forcible then sight to stirre the appetite because this sence hath greater affinity then the other with tast which alone can rightly iudge of meates and drinkes because the temper of it only rightly symbolizeth with their qualities 4. Euery child of Adam is an old man from his birth iust of Barzillahs temper without all tast of such dainties as the great King hath prouided for him All of vs by nature herein worse then his decrepit age that we neuer had any true rellish of them but soit is with vs vntill regenerated as if we should imagine one grieuously distempered from his cradle to whom others may truly commend sundry meates for sweet and wholesome which notwithstanding prooue distastfull bitter to his palate albeit from a good opinion of their loue and honesty that vppon experience commend them to him still retaining a confused assent to such goodnesse in them as he cannot perceiue but guesses at as many well disposed naturall men doe at the sweetnesse of the bread of life not distrusting the reports of others that so much magnifie it yet erring as much in their conceipt of it as he that had neuer seene house or towne better built then the thatched cottages of that poore village wherein hee was borne should in his imaginations of London Venice or some like famous Citie whose error best appeares when hee comes to compare his former fancies with the distinct view or sight of their greatnesse their stately and magnificent buildings Now as our naturall life beginnes and is maintained by bodily tast so is the new man framed and nourished in vs by this tast spirituall which onely rightly apprehends the nature worth and qualities of heauenly mysteries it selfe consisting in a temper of mind symbolizing with diuine goodnesse or with the heauenly mind of the second Adam Our soules and affections thus affected haue the same proportion to the seuerall branches of Gods will reuealed that euery sence or faculty hath to it proper obiect and this apprehension of our spirituall food by a proper distinct symbolicall conceipt of it goodnesse is the last and most essentiall difference wherein the nature of faith as Christian consists which cannot possibly be wrought but by the spirit of God For as the obiect is such must the assent be supernaturall otherwise it cannot haue that proportion to food spirituall that bodily tast hath to naturall The particular manner of the spirits working this alteration in our soules is a mystery at the least to my simplicitie inscrutable To the capacity of the vulgar we may resemble his working in generall to a Phisitian that restores one desperately sicke and vtterly destitute of tast to a right rellish and appetite of his meate partly by remouing the distempered humours wherein that sence of life lay buried partly by reuiuing his dead spirits by insusing of some pretious water Answerable to one of these meanes is the infusion of supernaturall grace which quickeneth vs vnto life making vs new men in CHRIST IESVS answearable to the other is practice of ordinary meanes appointed by God for mortification of the old man all which without the operation of the spirit are nothing auaileable What is required
regeneration may be one and the same in such as perish and those that are saued so cannot the radication or working of it be so the seed which fell by the high way side in stony ground among thornes and in good soile is supposed by our Sauiour one and the same but the radication of it was in some none in others too shallow in others it failed in the setling or taking Thus charity was to be raised in these Corinthians hearts by faith for essence and quality one and the same with that whereby they wrought miracles but by the same faith rightly set firmâ—lier rooted and better taken in their harts or center wherein naturall desires concurre so as it might spread it selfe vniformely with them directing them vnto obiects spirituall and good and fix them fastest vpon such as it adiudged best and most effectuall for edifying themselues and others For had these Disciples by Saint Pauls example a affected no knowledge so much as to know Iesus Christ and him crucified had they gloried in nothing saue in the crosse of the Lord Iesus Christ cructfying them vnto the world and the world vnto them both which were principall lessons of faith or had their Assent or adhaerence vnto Gods loue and mercies in Christ beene as firme and sure as their perswasions of his power to produce effects beyond the course of nature it had wrought as great miracles in themselues as it did in others euen the same minde which was in Christ Iesus such loue to all his members though their corriuals in spirituall guifts as he bare to them when they were his enemies and that was a loue truely wondrous The arguments brought by Pontificians to prooue the faith which worketh miracles and iustifies vs to be the same make in my iudgement most against themselues if we consider that these ministeriall effects wrought vpon others were but emblemes of those internall miracles which faith once rooted in the heart and set vpon it proper and more principall obiects alwaies workes in the belieuers themselues To cast out diuels was but a signe of that conquest which true faith in Christ alwaies obtained ouer hell and death to speak with new tongues but a pledge of that renouation which true faith alwaies workes in the heart and conscience to take away serpents a document of the vertue of faith in resisting or deading such temptations as made way for death into the world the drinking of deadly poison without hurt a sensible token of that soueraign antidote which true faith affords against all the infections our eares are often enforced to sucke from others pestiferous perswasions health restored to others by laying on of hands an irreuocable earnest of that eternall saluation which Faith if firme and rightly set neuer failes to take sure hold of as Gregory excellently expounds that saying of our Sauiour And these signes shall follow them that belieue In my name shall they cast out Diuels they shall speake vvith newe tongues they shal take vp serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them they shal lay hands on the sick they shal recouer 6. Howsoeuer vpon these reasons the Apostle grounds that exhortation in his very entrance into that discourse couet ye earnestly the gifts and yet shew I vnto you a more excellent waâ—e Loue he meant wherein they might eagerly striue to excell each other without any danger of dissention Many admirable commendations he bestowes vpon it in the words following to kindle a desire of it in their harts as well knowing their faith to be strong enough in matters they much affected but not qualified for iustification because not rightly planted noâ— set on such obiects as would bring forth Christian loue and true humility but rather pride and contention Far was it from his thoughts that the ardour of this sweet affection could otherwise kindle then froÌ„ a firm beliefe ful adhereÌ„ce to the loue of God For we loue him because he loued vs first yea because d vve haue knowne and belieued the loue that God hath to vs for God is loue nor can we faithfully apprehend this attribute in him but it will prodâ—ce the like affection in vs. And yet for the right planting and radication as well of faith as loue spirituall thence springing the exercise of brotherly kindnesse or nourishing of good naturall affection is alwaies auaileable and was peculiarly necessarie vnto this people whose contentious spirits did hinder the right growth and peruert the vse of that faith which God had giuen them Generally the ordinary meanes appointed by God for the right fashioning of Christ in our hearts is the precedent practice of those duties which the doctrine of faith enioines vs as shall hereafter be shewed 7. To such as waigh the circumstances aboue expressed Saint Pauls meaning in the words late cited may best be gathered from the like speech of S. Iames He that keepes the vvhole laâ—e and yet faileth in one point is guilty of all seeing his failing in the one as shall appeare witnesseth he keeps none aright The ground of this inference presupposed these words If I had all faith so that I could moue Mountaines and had not loue I vvere nothing sound as if the Apostle had sayd though I had faith of force enough to produce variety of miracles and all other effects whatsoeuer and yet not effectuall to bring forth Christianloue neither I nor it were anie thing vvorth For in that it works not loue it is apparently dead in it selfe vnable to giue life to any but once firmely belieuing Christ loued vs it is impossible we should not loue him againe and for him our neighbours not belieuing this truth aright wee cannot belieue any other point as we should nor by that faith which rooted as our Sauiour speakes in an honest heart brings forth fruit with patience to saluation Is there any Iesuite that will or dare affirme that faith the Corinthians had was altogether such as Saint Paul ascribes righteousnesse vnto such as the Prophet speakes of when he sayth the iust shall liue by his faith For of that faith Paul being witnesse the performance of Gods will and patient expectation of his promises or as Romish writers confesse feare of God entire submission of our mindes vnto his will and stedfast reliance vpon his prouidence are infallible consequences 8. The Schoole-mens collections from the former place of Saint Paul that charity is as it were the soule and perfection of faith are of as little validity as if from this of Saint Iames late cited I should inferre some one Commandement to be the form or soule of all the rest because if we transgresse one that for example Thou shalt do no murther our obseruation of all the rest should profit vs nothing to saluation Or if the Reader will remember the definition or proprieties of faith last set down this conceit is as preposterous as if we
death Thus much of true faith and the errors concerning the Nature of it It remaines we intreate of misperswasions concerning the possession or presence of it with the right vse of it and other spirituall graces that attend it SECTION 2. Of immature perswasions concerning mens present estate in grace with the meanes to rectifie or preuent them CHAP. I. The generall heads or springs of hypocriticall perswasions with briefe rules for their preuention 1. HHappy were we whom God hath appointed to sowe good seede in others hearts because not altogether without hope to see some fruits of our labours if this censorious age would permit vs to strike as freely at the rootes of Atheism infidelity or hypocrisy as it is ready to censure Atheists Infidels Hereticks or Hypocrites To me it hath often seemed a question very doubtfull but farre aboue my capacity to determine whether such as reuolt from the orthodoxall Church vpon obseruation of monstrous dissonancy betweene the truthes professed in it and the professors liues or resolutions be in case better or worse then such as embrace true religion vpon no better grounds then they or their confederates oppugne it Thus much the word of God will warrant that the portion of hypocrites shall be the bitterest in the life to come And yet hypocrisie if it be of that stampe which our Sauiour so much condemnes is alwaies moulded in that deepe notice or strong perswasion which men haue of their owne loue and others opposition vnto diuine truthes of their owne diligence and others negligence in performance of sundry duties expresly required by Gods lawe And this is a miserie of miseries peculiar to the hypocrite that whereas the height of others impiety ariseth from their opposing the way of truth and godlinesse this monster the more he detests falsehood and error or the impietie whether of others practises or opinions the more still he increaseth his owne corruption and warres vnwittingly against his owne soule For seeing loue to himselfe indulgence to his deare affections or carnall glorying in prerogatiues perhaps spirituall is the common roote as well of his imaginary loue vnto such points of truth as haue some kinde of coniunction with his humours as of the detestation he beares to others obliquities that in life or profession ill consort with him the oftener he lookes either on their knowne transgressions or his owne precise obseruance of such duties as by nature hee is addicted or otherwise accustomed to by both meanes he more pampers and nourishes that vicious habit whence the forementioned bad fruites did growe And thus at length by vsing the helpe of strong but impure vnruly affections to abandon particular errors he ouerthrowes his owne soule as the ancient inhabitants of this land did their state by vsing the Saxons aide to driue out the Picts 2. After this manner the Iew by nursing a loathsome conceit of Publicanes and open sinners dissoluâ—nessesse not tyed vnto so much as any solemn acknowledgement of their misdeeds or set forme of repentance tooke a surfet of those outward ceremonies which God had ordained as sauees to sharpen not as foode to satiate his appetite of sauing health Other-whiles fiercely bending his indignation against the idolatrie of the heathen by too much depression or debasement of their folly he sublimated his owne naturall inclination vnto pride and haughtinesse into presumptuous boasting in the purity of that lawe which God had giuen him by Moses Whence in the fulnesse of time sprung an irreconcileable hatred of the long expected Messias desperate contempt of his Gospell and wilful refusall of saluation preached in his name But howsoeuer the deadlinesse of this disease was most conspicuous in the fall of Gods chosen people whom wee may without suspition of slaunder seeing the holy Ghost hath written the obseruatioÌ„ safely charge with the infection yet the danger of it amongst all professors of true religion throughout euery age and nation continues the same as hauing a perpetuall cause in nature For whether wee speake of contraries morall or phisicall the enmities of the extreames is alwaies greater then betwixt them and the meane from which they alwaies so much further decline as they more eagerly entend their force each against other The greater strength heate and cold from their vicinity gather whether by mutual irritation or a secret kinde of daring each other to combate or by a stricter vnition of the materiall parts wherein their forces lodge the more both disagree with the luke-warme temper The more likewise the prodigall detests the niggards manners or the niggard his the farther both roaue the one ouer the other short from that marke whereat they aime but which truly liberality only hits And as the mutuall discord of extreames grows greater by the increase of their seueral strengths so the hastie or violent introduction of the one into a subiect capable of both makes waie for the others entertainment and excludes the meane which findes no entrance but where it is vshered by moderation So water too much or too violently heated is more apt to freeze then to retaine the middle temper Young prodigalls we often see turne old niggards seldome liberall vnlesse their education haue been exceeding good their naturall discretion extraordinary or the seeds of vertue in them very strong And what more vsuall then for a niggards feast because not agreeable to his ordinary disposition to smell of waste and prodigalitie Buzzards by naturall constitution through extreamity enforced to take heart and turne againe ouerrunning valour boisterously rush into fury And desperate hotshots once made to feele the smart of their folly become afterwards basely timerous The Cynicke could spurne at his fellow Philosophers pride but so as his scornfull heeles did bewray his preposterously proud ambitious heart 3. Are these obseruations true in workes of nature or morall affections onely and not in perswasions of religion Yes euen in these also for hath not the vntimely heat of indiscreete precisenesse disposed sundry in our daies to freeze the sooner in the dregges of Popery Haue not others mounted so high in groundlesse and presumptuous confidence that their sudden fall hath made them sinke for any helpe man could affoord without recouery into the very suds of melancholy and desperation Others vpon a dislike of their former hot enforced zeale haue changed their wonted confidence into carelesnesse and become open professors of licentiousnesse like the possessed childe in the Gospell falling sometimes into the fire sometimes into the contrary element And experience prooues it so common a thing for young Saints such I meane as affect to be ripe in holinesse ere well growne in ordinary discretion or common honesty to prooue old diuels that the bent of nature vnseasonable or too much curbed in the parents oftentimes burst out in the vnbridled affections of their children 4. The reason of the experiments whether in nature moralities or religion is as perspicuous as they are true For contrarie exstreames alwaies
CHRIST as we doe but terminated his beliefe vnto the generall mercie and prouidence of God whereof the great mystery of the incarnation was the principall branch and CHRIST IESVS in the fulnesse of time exhibited in our flesh the visible fruit of life which that other IESVS did but hope for as yet in the roote not distinctly knowing it nor the vertue of it but ready actually to embrace it and feed vpon it whensoeuer it should be brought forth For as much as I haue obserued out of this speech is implied in the exegeticall repetition of it He that belieueth the Lord taketh hâ—ed to the Commaundements and hee that trusteth in him shall not be hurt there shall no euill happen vnto him that feareth the Lord but in temptation euen againe he will deliuer him 3. That wee may practice what is commaunded and yet not keepe the commandement Saint Iames hath put out of all question If yee fulfill the râ—iall Law according to the Scripture thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe ye doe well But if ye haue respect to persons ye commit sinne and are conuinced of the Law as transgressors For whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law and yet offend in one point is guilty of all This fulfilling of the Law or keeping of the commaundements which as Solomon saith is the whole man or the whole duty whereunto man was ordained the complete and perfect Christian vertue consists of two parts a bodie and a soule The bodie is the doing of what the written Law commaunds whether by acts positiue or inhibitiue the soule is the reason or internall law of the minde which impels seuerall faculties to such acts or workes For to speake properly and scholastickely all performance of good workes commaunded or forbearance of things forbidden spring not immediately out of faith as the truncke out of the roote the branches out of the truncke or the fruit out of the branches But as the fruits of righteousnesse are of seuerall kindes and qualities so haue they seuerall faculties or affections for their proper stockes out of which they grow The auoidance of adultery fornication or whatsoeuer pollutions of the flesh with the fruites of holines contrary to these vices spring immediately from the vertues of temperance and chastity Abstinence from murder with the acts of mercy opposite to the seuerall branches thereof flourish out of the affection or vertue of humanity courtesie gentlenesse or the like So haue the acts of the affirmatiue precept contained in that negatiue thou shalt not steale as of euery other Commaundement whether positiue or inhibitiue a peculiar habite or inclination out of which they bud yet as all motion is inspired from the head albeit we goe vpon our feete or moue our hands or other member to defend our selues or serue the necessities of nature So although we are truely said to walke in Gods waies to fight his battailes or doe him seruice when we vse any facultie or affection to his glory yet is our firme assent vnto his good will and pleasure reuealed vnto vs by the doctrine â—f faith as the animall faculty which impels vs to these exercises Hence as we gather the body is dead if it want spirit or motion so as Saint Iames implies the image of God and his goodnesse or to vse another Apostles words the forme or fashion of CHRIST IESVS in vs is without life vnlesse our faith and assent vnto them haue this soueraigne commaund to impell and moue euery faculty to execute that part of Gods will whereto by the doctrine of faith it is designed And yet as the exercise of outward members increaseth internall vigor and strength and refresheth the spirits by which we moue so doe the acts of euery faculty vertue or affection righly imploied perfect faith not by communication or imputation of their perfection to it as the Romanist out of his doting loue to his faithlesse charitie dreames but by stirring vp exercising or intending its owne naturall vigor or perfection Vnlesse euery practique facultie receiue this influence from liuely faith or from the image of God or Christ which it frameth in our mindes and proposeth as a visible patterne for ouâ— imitation in all our workes thoughts and resolutions dâ—cimur vt neruis alâ—enis mobile lignum we may be operatiue as puppets are nimble in outward shew but our seeming workes of charity or best other we can pretend will be as a pish and counterfeit as their motions neither in their kinde truely vitall But as puppets are mooued wholly at his direction and bent that extends or slackes the strings whereon they dance so are our soules carried hither and thither as the diuell the world and flesh or our owne foolish affections â—osse them vsually excessiue where they should be sparing and there most sparing where they should exceed This difformity was most apparent in their workes whose reformation Saint Iames seekes for destitute of all good workes most of them were not but onely of vniformity in working They had learned to giue honour not verball but reall where honour was due duty and good respect to whom such offices belonged The rich and men of better place and fashion they did friendly and louingly entertaine which was a worke in it nature good and commendable but their abundant kindnesse towards equals or superiours became as a wen to intercept that nutriment which should haue descended to other inferiour members of CHRISTS body and by these outward exercises of magnificence their internall bowels of compassion become colde towards their poore brethren whom principally they should haue warmed and refreshed Yet such defects or difformities in their actions these halfe Christians halfe gentiles true hypocrites hoped to couer with the mantle of faith whose nature vse and properties they quite mistooke That they were not without workes the world might witnesse and no question but these enterteinments were intended as feasts of charity and with purpose to winne the fauour of the great ones with whom they liued to their profession in which respect their kindnesses might well seeme vnto themselues exercises of religion as the like doe to many of the best sort amongst vs when there is any ground of hope for gaining furtherance and countenance to good purposes as indeed with such references they are if done in fath but that this difformity in these mens workes did proceed from a precedent defect in faith is manifestly implied in that the Apostle seekes their reformation by reducing them to such an vniformity in working as can proceed onely from such true and liuely faith as hath beene described For the rectifying of faith it selfe he expresseth vnto them the exemplary forme or patterne first of the imitable perfection of the godhead then of that which is in CHRIST of both which as hath beene obserued true faith in the minde is the liue operatiue image and must imprint the like character vpon inferior faculties or affections ere their
the dead from whence also he receiued him in a figure And as hee staggered not at the first promise concerning his birth through vnbeliefe so neither did he now dispute with God about the lawfulnesse of his act nor reason how he should be raised againe Iustified he was at both instants by his beliefe not as terminated to his worke or to the possibilitie of Isaacks birth and resurrection but as through them it found accesse to his birth death and resurrection whom Isaac prefigured Hauing performed Gods will in obeying his Commaund to sacrifice his onely sonne hee patiently expected the promise concer-cerning his Redeemer whose incarnation whose sufferings and exaltation are obiects of Faith not of works effected by God and not by man although to the like application of their benefits the right works as were in Abraham be most necessary seeing true beliefe of this promise as in the first section was declared virtually includes the same minde in vs that was in CHRIST a readinesse to doe workes of euery kinde which notwithstanding are no associates of Faith in the businesse of iustifycation Not to bee weake in faith not to doubt of the promise through vnbeliefe to be strengthened in faith to be fully perswaded that bee which had promised was able also to performe were pure acts of faith though virtually including works as proper thereto as forcibly excluding all other vertues from sharing with it in this businesse as can possibly bee conceiued yet sayth the Apostle euen for these acts late mentioned it was imputed to him for righteousnesse How preposterous then and basely shuffling are the glosses put by Bellarmine vpon the Apostle in this place as if his purpose had been to shew that the impious and vniust could not be iustifyed by workes onely because Abraham though iust before was not made more iust by meere workes without faith when as he leuels his whole discourse to the cleane contrarie point maintained by vs That seeing righteousnesse was imputed to Abraham by faith and not through works none after him should in this life at any time whether before or after the infusion of grace or inherent righteousnesse presume to seeke or hope for like approbation from God otherwise then onely by faith Thus much the Apostle hath as fully and plainly expressed as any ingenuous Reader can desire Now it was not written for his sake alone that it to wit the strength and full assurance of his faith was imputed to him sorrighteousnesse but also for vs to whom it the like faith shall be imputed for righteousnesse if wee belieue in him that raised vp IESVS our Lord from the dead The ground of the Apostles reason or similitude here mentioned wherein the force and strength of our argument is included supposeth all our righteousnesse whether actuall or habituall should bee as vnapt to attaine euerlasting life or saluation which is the end of all graces bestowed vpon vs as Abrahams decrepit body was to produce so many nations yet as he onely by belieuing God who was able to effect thus much and more obtained the promise and was blessed with more children from Sarahs dead wombe then the most fruitfull Parents that liued before or should come after them so wee onely by like firme beliefe in the same God which raised vp our Lord IESVS CHRIST from the dead shall bee partakers of the promise made in him heires of eternall life whereto seeing our inherent rightcousnesse hath no proportion it must for this reason still be sued for as a meere gift of God farther exceeding all desert of any supernaturall grace in vs then the mighty increase of Abrahams seed did the strength of his decaied nature 6. The first spring of all Romish errors in this argument issues out of their generall ignorance of Saint Pauls phrase amongst many of whose sayings seeming hard and incompatible with their schoole conceits that Rom. 4. of Gods iustifying the impious and vngodly ministers greatest offence and causeth them to inuert the course of their diuinitie quite contrary â—o the Apostles methodâ— To pronounce him iust that is internally impious and vniust cannot in their schoole learning stand with Gods truth but to make him which ere while was by nature vniust and impious inherently and perfectly iust by plentifull infusion of grace is an argument as they deeme of his goodnesse no disparagement to his iustice as perchance it were not might wee iudge of his purpose to saue sinners by the rules of humane reason neuer consulting the Canons of life But if wee conceiue of Gods grace by his comments in whom it dwelt in great abundance this verie conceipt of being iustified by its inherence includes extreame antipathy to the nature and vtterly peruerts the right vse of it as to restraine thâ—â— same Apostles speeches to the first iustification or prime infusion of inherent righteousnesse which is the necessarie consequent of the former error is coÌ„tradictiously to contest with the spirit by which he vttered these diuine Oracles For if belieuing him which iustifies the impious were imputed for righteousnesse vnto Abraham after he had been for a long time more righteous then the ordinarie sort of Gods Saints or Elect Abraham all this while vnfaignedly belieued himselfe to be a sinner no way iustified in himselfe but seeking to be iustified by him who if he shew not mercie vnto sinners whiles they are sinners all mankind should vtterly perish Against this poisonous leauen wherewith the Pharisee first and the Romanist his successor since hath infected the bread of life and tainted the first fruites of Gods spirit S. Paul prescribes that Catholick antidote There is no difference all haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God and are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in CHRIST IESVS Abraham was all his life time comprehended in this catalogue and is made by the Apostle as a perpetuall so a principall instance of that finall resolution Therefore we conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Lawe Was hee then in no sort iustified by workes Yes hee might boldly contest as Iob did and euery godly man yet safely may with others for integrity of life and plenty of workes in which hee might iustly reioice or glorie yet with men not with God In this sense their resolution which say we are iustified by workes before men not before God is most true and warranted by that place of Saint Paul let them nothence deny or occasion others to forget that such integritie or comparatiue rightcousnesse to inherent is necessarily presupposed to iustification in the sight of God and doth not only declare our faith or iustification to men seeing it implies a contradiction in the vnanimous tenent of all reformed Churches to admit faith precedent and workes onely subsequent to the iustification whereof Paul here speakes His drift and scope in that third and fowrth to the Romans
for the nature physicall properties or the quantitie of the mettall but for the princes estimate whose image and superscription it beares One corallarie of this conclusion gathered by these authors themselues was that the entitie or qualitie of grace might increase without any necessarie increase of the value or estimate of it with God as the kings maiesty if it should please him might make the same portion of siluer which now goes for a shilling to be currant but for nine pence or rather make that peece as large as the shilling though retaining the same value inscription it now beares We shall perchance no way crosse these professours tenent but onely better illustrate our owne if we say As it is not the legall instrument though bearing the sâ—ale or inscription royall but the princes will and pleasure thereby authentiquely testified which frees the malefactor from sentence of condemnation so neither is it grace or righteousnesse inherent though these be the image and character of our righteous Iudge but the mercy and free pardon of our God proclaimed indefinitely to all the penitent but sealed to euery faithfull soule in particular by those pledges of the spirit which finally absolues vs from the curse laide vpon vs by the Law and enstates vs in the promises of the Gospel In both pleas the sanctified soule vseth saith all other graces or parts of righteousnes inherent no otherwise then a penitent malefactor would doe the instrument wherein the princes pleasure is contained if he were to plead his cause before the prince himselfe in whose presence though with ordinary Iudges they will sometimes be too bold I presume no malefactor would stand vpon tearmes of integrity or present innocency because he had his pardon vnder seale seeing that was giuen him to plead for mercy not for iustice Not altogether different from these exemplifications of our assertion some schoolemen though seeking to come as neer the Romish Church present tenents as they could thought it no inconuenience to hold that the grace wherby men become truely and inherently iust was not of it owne nature absolutely incompatible with all degrees or reliques of sin in respect of which we might stand in need of Gods fauour and mercy after communication of grace But this and the like opinions are vtterly destroyed root and branch by the thunderbolt of the former decree and their authors and followers censured by Vasquez for holding it but as possible to the absolute power of the Almightie to replenish our soules vvith grace and not take away all staine of sinne for that any reliques of the one should lodge in the same brest with the other implies a contradiction in his diuinity which vaine surmise shall be refuted when we come to handle the nature of sin and the necessity of grace How friuolously he alleageth that of Saint Iohn whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not to this purpose the Reader may perceiue by the true interpretation of that place in the Chapter following 6. For the time I would request as many as feare the shipwracke of faith and conscience to rest contented with this short discouery of two rocks against which all that follow the Trent Councels direction ineuitably dash The first an cuacuation of Christs priesthood for by their doctrine after grace is infused and remaines inherent a man may bee iustified saued and glorified without any more reference to Him then Adam in the state of integrity had Christ say they hath restored vnto vs what we lost in Adam What was that Inherent righteousnesse so we grant with the Antient. But in what measure In as full and perfect as Adam had it before his fall or without admixture of corruption drawne from his loynes So farre the Romanists seeks to extend the authoritie of some Fathers The best vse and end then of grace in his construction is to passe ocuer the euerlasting Couenant of grace in Christ that wee may recoue the state which our first Parents forfeited This is the most immediate and necessarie consequence of the Trent Fathers determination for if habituall grace be as they decree the sole formall cause of iustification that once gotten will exclude all necessity or vse of any other cause or meanes of reconciliation or acceptance with God Agreeable hereto as Vasquez disputes at large they admit no application of Christs merits but onely in the collation of gifts inherent or infusion of Charity Admitting then one of their Church should remaine in the state of habituall grace a weeke or two before his death let vs suppose as for disputation sake or sure tryall of a true formall cause it is lawfull by their rules giuen to this purpose to suppose any impossibility that Christ had neuer beene incarnate crucified raised from the dead or set at the right hand of God the former party notwithstanding should be as certainly saued as hee can be by beliefe of all these Articles and become heire infallible of as great glory and felicity as wee hope for by incorporation into Christs body Nor doth Christ if their opinion may stand sit at the right hand of his Father to make intercession for vs after grace is infused or whiles wee retaine it but that it may be infused and recouered if it should chance to be lost Now what heresie was there broached more blasphemous against Christ than this which abolisheth the principall part of his mediation what could more directlie cuacuate that great mysterie of the true and reall vnion betwixt the head of the Church and the members By this doctrine neither are our persons in this life reconciled to God nor our nature exalted to dignity in the life to come by being vnited to Christ but immediately by our inherent righteousnesse without any intermediation of his person his sacrifice merites or other benefit of his passion as any cause at all or bond of our vnion or acceptance with God after the infusion of grace which is the onely formall linke betwixt the diuine nature and ours whence it necessarily followes that our humane nature must though by another kinde of vnion and lesse measure of an inferiour grace bee as immediately vnited to God as immediately approued for iust as immediately meritorious of glory as immediately capable of Gods presence as Christ was Might not that great Schooleman for such I haue euer accompted Vasquez with lesse danger to his soule or repugnancie to this great mysterie â—hole truth directly to deny he durst not or other tenents maintained by him haue granted that as Christ is truely reputed holy not onely from the Holinesse formally inherent in his humane nature but from the vnction of the deitie or vncreated holinesse whereto hee is hypostatically vnited so might all partakers of such faith as Saint Paul ascribes righteousnesse vnto bee truely and properly called and reputed righteous in the sight of God from the absolute righteousnesse of Christ as man to whom they are by the
was exactly figured in the sacrifices of the Law daily offered euen for such as by the Law were cleane and obserued Gods commaundements with as great constancy and deuotion as any now liuing doe This might instruct vs that our persons become not immediately capable of diuine presence or approbation by infusion of habituall grace or freedome from the tyrannie of sinne these are the internall characters of our royall Priesthoood whose function is continually to offer vp the sweete incense of prayers from hearts in part thus purified by faith For by such sacrifices are wee made actuall partakers of that eternall sacrifice whose vertue and efficacy remaines yesterday to day the same for euer It being so perfect and all sufficient could not be offered more then once but through the vertue of it the offrings of our Priesthood must be continually presented vnto our God Nor can we so often lift vp our hearts towards heauen but the voice of CHRISTS blood neuer ceasing to speake better things then that of Abels still ioines with our praiers and distinctly articulates our imperfect sighs or mutterings alwaies crying father forgiue them father receiue them to thy mercy seeing they are content to bee partakers of my sufferings and seeke to bee finally healed onely by my wounds As the Apostle teacheth vs that there is giuen no other name vnder heauen besides CHRIST whereby we may be saued so was it foretold by the Prophet that this saluation must be by calling vpon his name not by mediation of grace or other fruites of the spirit obtained by inuocation but by inuocation of it in truth and spirit seeing his spirit was poured out vpon all flesh to this end that all should call vpon his name and by so calling be saued This though vsually expressed in other tearmes is the opinion of orthodoxall antiquity in this point and if my coniecture faile me not the dreaming fancies of a daily propitiatory sacrifice in the Masse was first occasioned from dunsticall or drowsy apprehensions of the primitiue dialect wherein as all theâ—â— speeches of the auncient are full of life Christs body and blood are said to be often offered not in scholastique propriety of speech but in a rhetoricall figuratiue or exhortatory sense because our daily sacrifices become acceptable to God throught it because the benefits of it are as effectually applied vnto vs by our faithfull representations of it as if it were daily offered in our sight The error of moderne Romanists hence occasioned is the same with that of the old Heathens which dreamed of as many Gods as they had seuerall blessings from the Authour of all goodnesse who is but one The Prebendes of Colen notwithstanding haue made a declaration of the third sacrifice in their masse much what to our purpose so much of it as I haue here set downe needes little correction in fauourable construction Howsoeuer it sutes verie well with their forecited opinion concerning iustification How farre dissonant or consonant that is vnto the truth I leaue it to the Readers censure As for the Iesuites resolution of the same controuersie by the Trent Councels determination it is but a further document of his Magicall faith and that hee finally vseth the grace of God but as a charme or Amulet able to expell death by the ful measure of it onely worne or carried about not by actuall operation or right vse But what marueill if hee openly renounce CHRIST for his Mediatour in the principall act of redemption when as he hath chosen the Pope for the Lord his Rocke and Redemer euen for that Rocke whereon that Church against which the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile must be founded CHAP. IX That firmely to belieue Gods mercies in CHRIST is the hardest point of seruice in christian warfare That our confidence in them can be no greater than our fidelitie in practise of his Commaundements That meditation vpon CHRISTS last appearance is the surest method for grounding true confidence in him 1. LEast the end of this discourse should misse the end and scope wherto the whole was purposely directed I must intreate the Christian Reader to pardon my feare and iealousie which from the reasons mentioned in the first chapter of this section too well experienced in the temper of this present age is alwaies great least disputation against Romish heresie cast vs into a relapse of that naturall carelesnesse or hypocrisie whereof all more or lesse haue participated But for whose auoidance hereafter if thine heart be affected as mine now is and I wish it alwaies may continue let this meditation neuer slip out of thy memory That seeing the last and principall end of all graces bestowed vpon vs in this life is rightly to belieue in CHRIST this cannot bee as the drowsie worldling dreames the easiest but rather the most difficult point of Christianity The true reason why vnto many not otherwise misaffected it seems not such is because in this time of his absence from earth our imaginary loue of his goodnesse wanting direct opposition of any strong desire or resolution to manifest the leuitie or vanity of it fancieth a like affection in him towards vs. And seeing loue is not suspicious but where it is perfect excludes all feare the very conceipt of great mutuall loue betwixt CHRIST and vs not interrupted expels all conceit of feare or diffidence Hence wee vsually rest perswaded our assent vnto Gods mercies in Him is more strong then vnto most other obiects of Faith when as indeed these being the highest it would appeare to bee in respect of them the weakest had it as many daily temptations to encounter it as wee finde in practices of other duties whose habituall performance is the necessary subordinate meane to support it All the difficulties we daily struggle vvith are but straglers of that maine armie with whose entire ioint force we are to haue the last conflict about this very point which vntill the hower of death or other extraordinary time of triall is seldome directly or earnestly assaulted But then whatsoeuer breach of Gods commaundements loue either to the world or flesh hath wrought in our soules will affoord Sathan aduantage and opportunitie for more facile oppugnation of our confidence For as euerie least sinne in it owne nature deserueth death so doth the consciousnesse of it more or lesse impell the minde to distrust of life Yet euen the greatest will be content in these dayes of peace and securitie to sleepe with vs and lie quiet in hope to preuent vs in the waking and with the ioint force of lesser to surprise the soule or gaine the start or first sway of the spirit an aduantage much preiudiciall to strength otherwise more then equall Much harder it is to retract a bodie after actuall motion begun then to restraine propensions or inclinations from bursting out into actuall motions Our often yeelding vpon foreâ— warning of their assaultes in manie pettie temptations or
louing toward their neighbours is a fearefull signe that worldly affection hath got the start of faith in the spring and will hardly be ouertopped in the growth that the minde thus affected is sickely and faint yet willing to stay the working of conscience with these repasts And were it not the nature of this disease to put out the eye of reason and relie wholy vpon forced perswasions it were impossible such palpable contradictions betwixt most mens ordinary resolutions and fundamentall principles of faith as any heathen that could but vnderstand what the words of Scripture meant would vpon the first view of both clearely descry should goe so long oft times for ought we can perceiue the whole course of their liues without controle or checke and without notice of their danger He is in worse case questionlesse then the meere naturall or reasonable man euen blinded by Gods iust iudgement for his hypocrisie that can suffer himselfe to be perswaded he hath truely denied himselfe taken vp his Crosse forsaken all and made fit to follow Christ when as the world sees and his practice proclaimes he mindes nothing either so intensiuely or continually as the increasing of his wealth or raising his owne or his childrens fortunes already greater then they are Christianly capable of 8. For this againe is a fundamentall rule whereof there may be perswasions either right onely in their kinde and but naturall or truely spirituall That great estates worldly dignities or plentifull matter of carnall contentments can neuer be rightly managed or morally well vsed without great morall wisdome good education sobriety of life and discretion Much more necessarie as naturall reason rightly perswaded of Scriptures truth will acknowledge is an abundant measure of faith to vse abundance in any kinde or such prerogatiues as flesh and blood are prone to delight in to the glory of God the good of his Church and saluation of our owne soules Hence as we rightlier reckon mens wealth or competence of estate by the ouerplus of their certaine incomes compared with their necessary outlayings then by the largenesse of annuall reuenues without such allocations or deductions so must we measure the strength or efficacy of true faith not by the multitude of degrees or the intensiue perfection of the perswasion or assent in it selfe considered or with reference to it positiue obiect but by the excesse which it hath in respect of contrary desires or temptations incident to our course of life If the assent of faith be as twelue and any naturall delight in prerogatiues though spirituall such as the Corinthians had be as thirteene that mans faith is worse then nothing whereas if six degrees of the same assent should in some other match with three or foure of the like naturall delight or affection the soueraignty of his faith is much greater then the formers because better able to quell all contrary motions or rebellions of the flesh Though faith we had of force sufficient to moue mountaines yet were it possible Achans vast desires might harbour with it in the same brest a wedge of gold would ouersway it or wrest it out of it place and hale the soule wherein it lodged maugre all it force and strength to hell But he that had no minde of earth nor longed not after this bright clay might easily be aduanced to heauen by faith not able to worke any externall effects halfe so wondrous Lucifer and his wicked confederates haue perswasions of some diuine truthes so firme and strong as would almost enforce any man liuing vnto goodnesse which notwithstanding no way benefit but rather exasperate them to mischiefe because ouermatched with malicious hellish inclinations That excellent knowledge which was the ground of their first station though more firme by much then the faith whereby we stand was ouerturned by delight or pride in this their proper excellency The name of grace or faith in scriptures includes besides the quality infused this relation of excesse or soueraignety ouer the desires of the flesh But whether it be possible that grace should be the same as well for quallity as degrees in the carnally minded and truely sanctified I dispute not Howsoeuer let the nature or entitatiue perfection of it be neuer so great vnlesse it can thus conquer affection and bring the body in subiection to the spirit it is not the grace we are finally to pray for nor hath it that faith whose right plantation we seeke for it associate In this sence we may safely admit the opinion of Canus and Victoria That the entity or quality of grace may encrease without any encrease of Gods fauour or good acceptance not onely as approueable and free from Vasquez censure but as necessary and vnquestionable vnlesse our loue vnto the world and flesh or estimate of all delights and proffers they can present vniformely decay as the entity of this infused qualitie or our habituall assent vnto diuine truth encreaseth This decrease of carnall affection may as we said of other perswasions and resolutions be either naturall or truely spirituall the later kinde onely pleaseth God and is the immediate obiect of diuine approbation but through the righteousnesse of CHRIST of which because it is wrought in faith it is capable so is not our naturall resolution to abandon such delights and pleasures as others follow though morally sincere and purposely intended to the end wee may bee fitly qualified for Christs seruice CHAP. IIII. That the obseruance of the former rule is most easie vnto men of meaner gifts vnto whom in this respect Gods mercy is greater then if their gifts were better and yet his mercy iustly to be esteemed greatest of such as haue most excellent gifts by nature 1. GOds vnspeakeable wisdome in recouering the sonnes of Adam his forlorne patients by bringing them low manifested in the absolute necessitie of the former precepts being duly waighed the eunuch can haue no reason to say I am a dry tree nor the siliest catife that creepes on earth any iust cause to complaine of his wretched estate Indeed were good naturall parts whether of body or minde with such ornaments as art can put vpon them or other externall graces of wealth authority or birth bestowed on man for his owne sake or that hee might relie or trust in them hee that excels in any or many of these might haue whereof to reioice amongst his brethren so had they iust cause to be deiected that were conscious of their wants But if we consider the pronenesse of mans heart to waxe proud of good qualities and the direct opposition betwixt all pride and the fundamentall qualification before expressed for the receiuing of faith and grace that the renouncing all delight in these or other naturall dignities is but an appertenance of that precept to denie our selues and forsake all we haue we would quickely subscribe vnto our Apostles resolution that if wee must needes boast or glory we would boast in that wherein
or of whom we expect no greater good then vsuall delight but it should be odious and detestable if it were shewed towards such as haue engaged their liues lands or goods for vs or vnto them in whose defence or maintenance our very liues and substance are due as to our Prince our parents or country But for the euerlasting kingdome what can be too deare Not the whole world if we had it and all the holdfasts it can lay vpon vs. The passiue incapacity or bad quality of the vnregenerate which in proportion answeres to stony ground is in generall impatiency of aduersity and that but a veine or seame of mans hard and stony heart before it be rightly enstamped with that fundamentall precept of denying himselfe and loosing life for CHRISTS sake which in effect containes as much as Moses tables and the Prophets The branches of this generall aduersitie which though in the purchase of so glorious a Kingdome doth offend vs are of diuers kinds not all alike apt to endanger euery nature or disposition To be crost in suites of honor or preferment is vnto some as bitter as death but many there be who haue wained their thoughts from great matters and yet can hardly brooke a broken estate or places far below their education or merits in mens esteeme that be indifferent Others not greedy of glory or farre spreading fame are iealous of their reputation within it precincts and very impatient of disgrace amongst their equals or acquaintance whereof notwithstanding we should be sorry onelie to giue iust occasion but glad to suffer it vniustly laid vpon vs for truths sake All of vs haue some or other tender parts of our soules which we cannot endure should be vngently touched euery man must bee his owne methodist to find them out and to accustome them by little and little to more familiaritie with those grieuances whose assaults if suddaine were like to daunt them when they should fight the good fight of faith All of vs haue many secret concomitants of life from which we cannot willingly part our safest course would be gently to cut the strings or loose the ligaments one after another which tie vs vnto this present world that we may be drawne out of it as our teeth by this method are out of our lawes with lesse dfficulty when God shall call vs. O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liueth at rest in his possessions vnto the man that hath nothing to vex him and that hath prosperity in all things yea vnto him that is yet able to receiue meate To like purpose if I mistake not the circumstances was his meaning Illi mors grauis incubat Qui notus nimis omnibus Ignotus moritur sibi That knowledge onely count thine owne Which to thy selfe thy selfe makes knowne The life men liue by fame is light Death alwaies sad without foresight CHAP. VI. Of that temper of heart which in proportion answeres to thornie ground of the deceitfullnesse of riches how difficult a matter it is to haue them and not to trust in them The reason why most rich men of our times neuer mistrust themselues of putting this trust in Mammon _1 BVt many as was intimated in the former parable that can hold the armor of faith close about them in stormes of aduersitie are often enticed to put it off by faire countenance of the world or smiling graces of blind fortune wooing them to follow the vnlawfull fashions of her Court. Many Confessors in time of persecutions haue prooued apostataes and factious schismatickes after long peace and prosperity Now it would be I thinke lesse grieuous for a traueller to die in a farre Country in his setting foorth then to be drowned within ken of shore at his returne a misfortune more ful of misery then can be expressed to haue escaped Sylla and Charibdis rage or safely to haue passed the streights of Magellan and afterwards through carelesnesse to cast away both ship and passenger vpon the golden sands of Tagus Orinoque or Riodel plato Much harder notwithstanding is their mishap which begin in the spirit and end in the flesh not that they were at any time actuall participants of the sanctifying spirit but that they had a resolution in it kind truely answerable to his prescriptions vntill some aduentitious contagion of the flesh did pollute and corrupt it The imperfection of these mens constitution our Sauiour exemplifies by ground in it selfe not bad but wherein good seed well sowne comes to no proofe by reason of thornes brakes or such other weedes or trash as vsually grow vp in the fields of sluggards or men so detained with other businesses that they cannot intend their husbandry The meanes whereby weedes hurt the corne are especially two either by stealing away the strength and vigor of the soile which should nourish it for which reason trees too closely set cannot thriue or by a kind of antipathy or secret enmitie which may bee either in the essentiall properties of the very seeds or roots or in the cumbersome vicinitie of the blades or stalkes each according to their strength apt to stifle other That which in respect of our spirituall growth in faith answeres in proportion to thornes or tares amongst corne is in generall worldly care or sollicitude especially the deceiptfulnesse of riches or voluptuous life It is hard to handle pitch and not to be defiled with it it is harder for the soule of man to be much conuersant in any matter and not take some touch or tincture from it whence all acquired inclinations good or bad vsually spring according to the different qualities of the obiects whereto wee are much accustomed From this aptitude of the soule to receiue impression from externals it fals out that as men set to wooe or deale for others take often oportunitie to bespeed themselues so these things which are first sought for onely as ordinarie meanes for attaining some good end vsually intercept the desire or loue we beare vnto the goodnesse of it which is successiuely infinite For things in themselues good admit no stint of desire but the more we possesse of them the more we seeke which desire or inclination once alienated from the end vnto the means makes vs exorbitant in all ouâ— courses This miscarriage of our intentions is the sourse of all idolatry of superstition of hypocrisie of all inordinatenesse in moralities and is hardest to be preuented in the most ordinary or necessary meanes of life as in meates and drinks in gathering riches and worldly substance The reason is obuious in as much as our soules are as apt to receiue impression from these obiects as from others and yet must of necessity be most conuersant in these 2. Sport or bodily exercise is meate and drinke to youth of better mettall of which who is carefull for the belly saue onely to satisfie present appetite or to enable their bodies to actiuitie yet by eating well
of ill report is danted with shadowes and made to fly the field for feare of being lashed with absent tongues And no maruell when as the reprochfull censure of the multitude or of men on whose voice and sentence it mosts depends though bequeathed by our Sauiour as an especiall blessing descending by inheritance to his chosen from their fathers the true Prophets is apprehended by the ambitious or popular minded as the most grieuous curse that can be fall them Blessed are ye saith our Sauiour when men hate you and when they separate you and reuile you and put out your name as euill for the Sonne of mans sake Reioice ye in that day and be glad for behold your reward is great in heauen for after this manner their fathers did to the Prophets On the contrary what he denounced as a woe is made chiefe matter of their ioy that affect an vniuersall esteeme of honest discreet men Woe be to you when all men speake well of you for so did their Fathers to the false Prophets Thus much of this poisonous weed whose fertile growth in the Cleargie seemes to bee prouoked by couetousnesse in the Laitie For the more conscionable Patrons be and the more worldly or troublesome Parishioners be the more vnsatiable are many Ministers desires of dignities or pluralities as if they sought to beate their aduersaries at their owne weapons to outweary the minor sort insuites of law to outuie the greater in secular pompe or brauery Manie other branches there be of voluptuous life through whose deceitfulnesse the word of life is secretly choakt or stifled in mindes otherwise well affected and by good husbandry apt to fructifie but their particular discussion I must referre to the Readers priuate meditations contenting my selfe only to touch the generalitie 6. The course of a Christians life may most fitly be compared to a nauigation his body is as the barke the humane soule the owner and the spirit of God the Pilot. As there is no sea-faring man that can be secured of continuall calme but must resolue as to meet with stormes and with rough or growneseas so to redeeme himselfe and his passengers from their rage sometimes with losse of fraughtage sometimes of tackling or in desperate extremities of the vessell with her burthen so is there no Christian that can expect or may desire a generall exemption from temptations but must be contentto preuent the shipwracke of faith and conscience one while with losse of goods or other appertinences of mortall life otherwhiles with losse of some bodily part for if either hand or foote shall offend vs it must be cut off rather then Christ should be forsaken sometimes with loosing all feasts of friendship or dependance for he that loues father or mother brother or sister kith or lâ—in superiour or inferiour more then Christ is not worthy of him sometimes with dissolution of body and soule for whosoeuer will saue his life when Christs cause shall demaund the aduenture of it shall loose it and he that will loose it shall saue it Now where the fraughtage or furniture of life is pretious as if our fare be delicate our other pleasures or contentments in their kinde rare and delectable our alliance or acquaintance choice and amiable our reuenues ample or authority great the flesh once tempted to forsake these for preseruing conscience vpright and confessing Christ is ready to wrangle with the spirit as a greedy or iealous owner would doe with a skilfull Pilot aduising in atempest to lessen the danger by lightening the ship If the commodities bee grosse or base the owner perhaps can bee well content to haue some part cast ouerboord but it costly and deere or such as his heart is much set vpon he had rather adventure to perish with them vnder hatches then to see them cast into the sea for to part from them is death Some Christians when blasts of temptation arise rather then they will breake with their deare friends and acquaintance doe finally sinke with them as ships are sometimes cast away through the owners vnwillingnesse to cut the cables or loose the anchors some when stormes of persecution beginne to rage rather then they will hazard losse of body lands or goods in Truths defence drowne both body and soule in perdition Seeing the wisest of vs as we are by nature or left to our owne directions are more cunning Merchants then Marriners and for the most part as ignorant of the voiages we vndertake as skilfull in the commodities we traffique for the best resolution for our safety would be to load our selues with no greater quantity of riches honour or other nutriment of voluptuous life then shall be appointed vs by the peculiar instruction of Gods spirit which best knowes the true burthen of those brittle barkes how well or ill they are able to abide rough seas or such stormes as he alone foresees are likely to assault vs. And seeing we are all by profession lastly bound for a City which is aboue whose commodities cannot be purchased with gold or siluer or pretious stones much lesse may we trucke for them with our vncleane worldly pleasures or delightes which may not be so much as admitted within the wals or gates our wiâ—est resolution in the second place is to accouÌ„t eueÌ„ the choisest coÌ„modities that sea or land or this inferior world can affoord but as trash or luggage seruing onely for ballance in the passage so shall we be ready to part with it when anie tempest shall arise and if extremity vrge vs like Saint Paul and his company to saue our soules with losse of the barke that beares vs and of all the whole burthen besides 7. But this aduise may seeme like their philosophicall fancie who would perswade vs that splendent mettall which is enstamped with Caesars image and superscription and furnisheth vs with all things necessary were but a piece of purified clay or earth and water close compacted Shall we whom none makes reckoning of bring downe the price of these things which men in authoritie and the common consent of nations would haue raised vnto the skies Shall we belieue our selues before our betters that bodily pleasures great preferment or other contentments which almost all accompt worthy of their daily and best emploiment are nothing worth Sure the Heathen thought this very argument no better Nugae non si quid turbida Roma Elcuet accedas examenveimprobum in illa Castiges trutina nec te quaesiuer is extra Deeme not all naught vnsteedy Rome accompteth light Her seales are false and cannot way mens worth aright But naught without can him that 's well within affright Let vs aske counsell of our owne hearts and they will better enforme vs then ten thousand by-standers that liue but by heare-say and see onelie others outsides not what is within themselues Though we haue riches and all other materials of worldly solace in greatest abundance yet our liues consist
makes the body a sitte shop or receptacle for the humane soule which comes afterwards to exercise all her functions and operations in so doth the spirit vsually preorganize the heart for liuely and diuine faith to work the workes of God in it aright But as these workes are wrought immediately by faith though principally by the spirit which infuseth it so likewise is the heart organized by such morall or imperfect faith as they sometimes that had afterwards sinne against the holy Ghost but by it as the spirits instrument vsually preexistent to the faith which neuer failes or vnto the life of grace VVhatsoeuer may bee rightly ascribed vnto the man already regenerate in production of true fruits of the spirit as much I thinke we may giue without offence to our endeauours in framing this passiue capacity or disposition In the former after our regeneration wee are by consent of most diuines coworkers with the spirit of God albeit the works be of a supernatural quaility and so whatsoeuer we are we may without inconuenience be thought in the other it being of a nature as far inferior to the former works as the grace wherby it is wrought is to the spirit of sanctification But in what sense wee are said to cooperate with God by Gods assistance in it proper place where notwithstanding any captious or preiudicate surmise of this assertion it shall be made cleare that I giue as little to mans abilities in eyther worke as he that in reformed Churches giues the least But to our present purpose 2 The meere naturall man whether Infidell or carelesse liuer the excesse of his indocility supposed is so affected to the word of faith as a Barbatian that neither knows letter of booke nor other nurture is to ingenuous arts or liberall scienences Such as submit themselues to sacred discipline and heare the VVord preached with intention though but morrally sincere to profit by it are in this like little children or nouices in good literature that as these abstaine from sport or play for feare of chiding or whipping and follow their bookes sometimes onely for like motiues sometimes for shame least their equals should outstrippe them sometimes in hope of commendation or other childish reward so hee that is not yet but desires to bee regenerated eschews what Gods Lawe forbids but with difficulty and reluctance oft times for feare of ecclesiastique or humane censure sometimes vpon suspition rather then religious dread of plagues from Heauen hee addresseth himselfe likewise to the practise of affirmatiue precepts but vncheerefully and with distraction moued thereto either because he would not be vnlike those men whose vprightnes his conscience cannot but coÌ„mend or from som surmise rather then sure hope of diuine reward for so doing neuer from vniforme and sincere delight in the good it selfe enioyned or in the fountaine of goodnesse whence the iniunction was deriued Yet thus to be held in compasse and as it were bound to good outward abearance much auailes for bringing vs to our right mindes or for our recouery from hereditary madnesse from which our soules in some measure freed still take some tincture from the goodnesse of the obiects whereunto they are applyed and this restraint of desires or interposed abstinence from lusts of the flesh yeild opportunities or fit seasons for heauenly medicines to worke vpon vs which otherwise would proue but as good phisicke to full stomacks leauing no more impression of their sweetnesse in our mindes then wholsome foode doth in distempered or infected pallates The temper of the heart once seasoned with habituall grace is in respect of the word of faith like to a minde come to maturity in choicer learning and reaping fruits more sweet then hony or the pleasantest grape from seedes as bitter as the birch or willow so as now no bodilie paine or griefe not gout or stone or other disease can withdraw him from those studies vnto which smart of the rod in his yonger daies could hardly driue him To enforce or allure him to them vpon any other respects then onely for their natiue sweetnesse were as superfluous and impertinent as to threaten an ambitious man with honour or hiring a miser to fill his bagges with gold The fruits precedent and subsequent to true faith are in shape or outward forme as often heretofore hath been implyed the same but different in their taste or relish as also in their manner of production To abstaine from wrongs personall or reall from all pollution of the flesh to abiure ambitious proiects to mislike reuengefull wanton or couetous thoughts are fruits that may vniformely spring from that honesty and goodnesse of heart vsually precedent as we suppose to the internall renouation of the minde but must bee enforced as it were by art or externall culture The contrary positiue practises which â—esemble the workes of true sanctity notwithstanding all outward helps or enforcements of discipline good example or the like are seldome brought foorth without such testinesse or morosity as wee see in children breeding teeth whereas true faith alwaies brings forth her fruit with ioy Abstinence from euill to the minde once purified by it is as a perpetuall pleasant banquet to mortifie all bodily members more sweet then life accompanied with perfect health or then the liuelihood of youth the choicest pleasures the world or flesh can proffer though lawfull or freed from the sting of conscience seeme but as dregges to be able to represse them or intirâ—ly to enjoy our soules without them is the pure quintesence of that delight or ioy which others take in them But this is a peace which is not vsually gotten without long warre and many combats â—o thus composed we are in actuall league with Goâ— full conquerors ouer sinne and Sathan In the conflicts that procure it or rather are precedent to the procurement of it the flesh I take it hath not alwaies the sanctifying spirit for it antagonist these are sorrowes which vsually goe before the conception of true faith of which likewise such as are actuall participants doe not alwaies fight the good fight of faith but euen these sometimes whiles this generall sleeepes as they that haue not as yet taken anie earnest or prest money of him alwaies before regeneration offer battaile to the world diuell and flesh out of such resolutions to renounce them as haue beene obserued to be right in their kinde and suggested by the spirit as only assistant not as inhabitant in the heart But howsoeuer our finall victory ouer the flesh cannot be gotten but by the spirit dwelling in vs yet to entertaine these skirmishes or conflicts though out of resolutions not inherently spirituall is to verie good purpose For seeeing we cannot assigne the very mathematicall point how far reason directed by scripture or ecclesiastike discipline or externally guided by the spirit but not yet quickned by sanctifying grace or faith apt to iustifie can reach nor know the very instant wherein such grace or faith
is created in our soules we are therefore more strictly bound to perpetuall vigilancy to stand continually vpon our guard vsing such weapons as we haue alwaies imploring Gods fauour to furnish vs with better and his assistance in the vse of these still expecting his leasure for accomplishing his worke in vs or for notifying the accomplishment 3. But before the light of the heauenly kingdome be incorporated in our soules though after the habituation of greater resolutions right and good in their kinde we haue vsually many transient gleames or illuminations which inspire our hearts with secret ioy and rauish our spirits whose representations notwithstanding as quickely vanish as the sight of our owne bodily shape in a glasse Here then is a point of true wisdome accurately to obserue the circumstances or meanes vsed by the diuine prouidence for their introduction and vpon notice of them to estrange our selues from all other occasions for purchasing the like opportunities as were then affoorded vs. Some mans heart perhaps hath beene thus illuminated in his retired thoughts or vacancy from secular disturbances vacancy then is to him the field wherein this treasure lies hid which he must compasse though with losse of gainefull clients or multiplicity of businesses in humane esteeme very honourable and commodious Others it may be haue felt like motions vpon visitation of the sicke or some kinde office performed to the afflicted such it behooueth to consecrate their time before sacrificed to sport and merriment to purchase the continuance of this inward ioy by taking all occasions to visit the house of mourning The spirit sometimes instils some drops of this gladsome ointment into our solues by soft insusurrations in silent night It well befits such as haue beene inuited to these diuine cōferences to alienate some howers allotted for quiet rest to beg his returne with sighes and grones to entreat his presence with feruent praiers and entertaine his aboade with hymnes and spirituall songs Vpon what occasions soeuer the least earnest of our enheritance is proffered it stands vs vpon out of hand to make vse of that aboue all other for better entertaining the like or speedier going through with offers made Seeing by grace we can doe all things and without it nothing or to no purpose our hearts should be alwaies ready as to watch when the Lord doth knocke or giue any signe of his presence so to be doing what he commaunds vpon the first signification of his will for then we may be sure the Lord who is our strength is with vs how long to continue we cannot tell Et semper nocuit differre paratis especially when as well the preparation or furniture as the oportunities are not ours but wholly at an others disposall who vpon iust contempt or dislike may retract or with-hold them at his pleasure Now to foreslowe the purchase of a pearle so inestimable as this we seeke vpon what tearmes soeuer proffered is not onely niggardly or foolish but so demeritorious and meerely swinish as makes vs vncapable of like proffers which yet are alwaies irreuocable pledges of more reall perpetuall fauours 〈…〉 ey be respectfully accepted in due season Wisdome saith the wise man is glorious and neuer fadeth away yea shee is easily seene of them that loue her and found of such as seeke her Shee preuenteth them that desire her in making her selfe first knowne vnto them Who so seeketh her early shall haue no great trauell for he shall finde her sitting at his doores To thinke therefore vpon her is perfection of wisdome and whos◠watcheth for her shall quickly bee without care For shee goeth about seeking such as are worthy of her sheweth her selfe fauourably vnto them in the waies and meeteth them in euery thought 4. It may be doubted but not fit in this place to be discussed nor is it possible perhaps to be finally resolued in respect of all or most men whether these precedent representations or excitements bee of the same nature with the neuer fading fruites of the spirit differing onely in degrees of permanency or consistence or rather to borrow a similitude from the Mineralist resemble some lighter mettall lying nearer the day seruing to encourage vs to goe on with the worke begunne and withall directing vs to the place where the true treasure lies vntill we haue some sight or experience of the one or other our deniall of our selues and for saking all though right in it kinde is verie imperfect and as it were onely by way of sequestration appointed by order of authority which in secular matters such as haue possession are afraid to disobey though verie willing it might not interpose Thus we before our regeneration renounce the vse or fruition of such contentments as nature ciuill merit or custome haue entitled vs vnto because we feare their actuall vsurpation at least in such measure as we are capable of might defeate vs of greater hopes or cause vs incurre dangerous contempts but we retaine our right or interest in them still often desirous we might safely reape such fruites of them as others doe alwaies prone either to bee tempted with oportunities of enioying them or secretly or warily to encroach vpon the bounds of prohibition prefixed by the interpreters of Gods Law whom out of this longing humour we supect to be more scrupulous then they needed But after we come once to view the seame or veine wherein this hidden treasure lies if we be marchantly minded and not of pedling dispositions we accompt all wee possesse besides as drosse or as the Apostle speakes dung in respect of our proffered title to it for whose further assurance wee alienate all our interest in the world the flesh with all their appertinences with as great willingnes as good husbands doe base tenements or hard rented leases to compasse some goodly royalty offered them more then halfe for nothing Of wisdome saith the wise man in the person of Salomon I preferred her before Scepters and thrones and esteemed riches nothing in comparison of her neither compared I vnto her any precious stone because all gold in respect of her is as a little sand and siluer shall be counted as clay before her I loued her aboue health and beauty and chose to haue her in stead of light for the light that commeth from her neuer goeth out 5. Now as e wisdome so much more grace whereof wisdome is but a branch being but one can doe all things or rather containes all goodnesse in it and for this reason is set forth vnto vs in sundry names of things most pretious sometimes of treasure pearle hidden manna of the food of life most vsually vnder the title of the kingdome of heauen so is there scarce an inclination or affection to any transitory good or contentment but simbolizeth in some part with the right desire of this inestimable goodnesse and the industry vsed for procuring the one the desire or affection it selfe being sublimated or
gaudeâ—â— fit nec passiâ— esse gaâ—d â—◠〈◊〉 nisi cum vâ—aâ—râ—mus Christum quae câ—tiâ—as â—niâ—â—i 〈◊〉 mâ—ntâ—a est amâ—re pressuras pâ—naâ— lachrymas mundi non fâ—stâ—nare potius ad gaudium quod nunquam possit at fâ—ri Hoâ— autem fit fratres dilect â—â—mi quio fides dâ—â—st quid â—emâ— credit vera esse qua promiâ—â—â—t Deus 〈◊〉 est cuius sermo credentibus â—terâ—us firmus est Si tâ—â—â— vâ—r grauis 〈◊〉 aliquid â—oâ—bâ—neâ—â—r haberes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nec te fallâ— aut decipi ab eo crederes quem stare in 〈◊〉 atque in actâ—bus suis scires Nunc Deus â—â—cem loquitur tu mente increduâ—a perfidus â—â—â—ctuas Deus tibi deâ—â—c mundo recedenti immortalitatem atque â—â—ernâ—taâ—em pollicitur tu dubitas hoc est Deum omnino non neâ—â—e hoc est Christum credentium magistrum peccato incredulitatis offendere hoc est in Ecclesia constitutum fidem in domo fidei non habere Cyprian de Mortalit â—e Verâ—ntamen pâ—test forte mouerâ— quid tam multos viâ—emus credentes IESVM fâ—lium Dei esse adhuc tamen mund◠〈◊〉 cupid â—tatibus iâ—â—eâ—iâ—os Qâ—iâ—i ergo ait quis est qui 〈◊〉 mundum nisi qui credâ— quia Jesâ—â— est filius Dei â—um ipse iam mundus id credat An non ipsi quoâ—â—â— Damonâ—â— credunt â—ontremâ—cum Sed dico Putaâ—ne filium Dei IESVM reputat quisquis ille est hoâ—o quiâ—â—â—â— nec tâ—â—retur â—â—n miâ—â—â—ienibus nec â—â—â—rahitur â—rom ssionibus â—â—t praeceptis obtem perat nec consilâ—j aâ— quiesâ—it Nunne â—â— etiam si 〈◊〉 se nâ—sseâ— Deum â—actis tamen negat Bernard in Act Pas de 〈◊〉 Tesâ—â—â—â— in Câ—â—â— eâ— tâ—◠〈◊〉 1. b Ad sextum argumentum respondeo Patres cum dicunt fidem sine operibus non esse veram fidem tantum vèlle significare quod non sit viua perfecta qualis reuera deberet esse Nam hic loquÌ„endi modus est vsitatus vt rem quae in aliquo genere imperfecta est dicamus non esse veram in eo genere sicut gaudium aut dolore verhi gratia imperfectum aut non ita magnum dicere solemus non esse verum gaudium aut dolorem lametsi aliquod gaudium sit aut dolòr Marke 〈…〉 verse 16. * Fortasse vnusquisque apud semetipsum dicat Egoiam credidi salvâ—s ero verum dicit si fidem operibus tenet vera etenim fides est quae in hoc quod verbis dicit moribus non contradicit Hinc est etenim quod de quibusdaÌ„ falsis fiaelibus Paulus dicit qui confitentur se nesse Deum sactis autem negant Hinc Ioannes ait Qui dicit se nosse Deum maÌ„data eius non eustodit meadax est Quod cum ita sit fide inostrae veritatem in vitae nostrae considerationem debemus agnossere Tunc enim veraciter fideles sumus si quod verbis promittimus opevâ—bus complemus In die quippe Baptismatis omnibus nos antiqui hostis operibus atque omnibus pompis abrenunciare promisimus Itaqueâ—ausquisque vestrum ad confiderationem suam mentis oculos reducatâ— fi seruat post Baptismum quod ante Baptismum spoponâ—it certus iam quia fidelis est gaudeat Sed ecce si quod promisit minime seruaâ—it si ad excercendu prauâ—â— opera ad concupiscendas mundi pompas dilapsus est videaâ—us fiâ—â—m scit plangere quod errauit Apud miscricordem â—â—mnamque iudicem nec ille fallax habetur qui ad veritatem reuerti tur etiam postquam mentiturquia omnipotens Deus dum libeter paenitentiam nostram suscipiâ— ipse suo iudicio hoc quod erranimus al scondit Greg. Hom 29. in Ascen Demmi c Hiac accepisse videtur Paulus illud ad Rom IuÌ„stificati ex fide pacem habemus erga Deum nam hic sequitur Cultus Iustiuae quies siducin â—d est culâ—us seruitium seu obsequium ad iustitiam consequendam est nos â—ostiaque omnia Deo committere tanquam patri amâ—nâ—issimo cui fidem dedimuâ— quem pro De oaâ—cepimus cui obtemperare cuâ—â—â—â—legem exanimo sâ—â—uare promissimus quiqâ—os in suam fidem suscepit quibus etiam nisi in obedientes esse â—ellemus se nunquam desâ—tuâ—um â—icâ—ssim pol icitus est Haec omnia includâ—t fides Paulina cui iustitiam tribuit ipsc Forer in 32. cap Iesatae verse 17. h Rom. 5 ver 1. a Quid sit credere in hac disputatione ex alijs locis scripturae discendumest praecipue cap. 7. Johannâ— Qui credit in me sicutdicit scriptura flumina de veÌ„tre eius fluant aequae viuae Scriptura quam co locâ— respicit sâ—luatâ— habetur 2. Paralip cap. 16. vbi sic scriptum est Oculi Domim contemplantur vniuersam terram prebent fortitudinem ijâ— qui cordâ— perfecto credunt in cum Corde autem perfecto credunt qui non soluâ—s fidem adhibent illis quae dicuntur in scripturis vel alias diuinitus reuelantur sed praeterea omnes animae vires accomodant vt faciant quod habes fides vel quod â—a prescribit Atque hoc modo accipitur a Paulo credere videlicet vt sit edauditum verbum commoneri tota anâ—mi adhaesione complecti id quod dicitur Sasbout in vers 17. 1. ad Rom. i Psa 78. ver 9. c 1. Cor. â—â— k 1. Cor. 1. v. 5. * Adde vltimò etiaÌ„ comentarium S. Augustini vt aliâ—s interim pretermittam Nam tractat 53. in Iobannem Vidite inquit Augustinus quemadmodum notauerit Euangelista improbaueâ—it quosdam quos tamen in eum â—â—â—did sse dixit qui in hoc ingressu fidei si proficerent amorem quoque humanae gloriae proficiendo superarent Quod â—â— fides ista proficere poterat amorem humanae gloriae proficiendo superare certe vera fideâ— erat â—adâ—m eâ—im est fide◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfâ—â—â—â— sed â—oâ—â—â—mper â—que magna 〈◊〉 â—â— fidâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nonâ—â—t â—adem qu◠〈◊〉 noâ—â—â—â—e 〈…〉 de 〈…〉 * If the Reader well obserue the nature and properties of faith before explicated he cannot possibly bee ignorant that euery least degree of faith brings forth a correspondent degree of loue that it is as impossible loue should increase without a correspondeÌ„t increase of faith precedent as that inequality betwixt two subiects should grow greater without any variation of their quantities * Creation applied vnto this subiect more properly in Scripture phrase includes the renouation it selfe wrought in our hearts then the grace or quality infused by which it is wrought for whether that be of one and the same nature in all God onely knowes bound we are to beleeue that he is able to câ—eate new hearts in diuers persons by meanes whether externall or internall and infused in nature quality much different See section 3. chap. 1. â— 1. Cor. 3. b Galas 6. ver 14. a Mark 16. 17. 18 b