falsum si verum est ostende quis fuerit si falsum est quicquid falsum est nunquam fieri potest That is for a man to be able to be without sinne if he will is either true or false if it be true shew who it is if it be false what soever is false can never be done As if he had said to Critobulus either shew me a man that is without sinne and keepeth the Law or else your disputing is de impossibili of a thing impossible and therefore vaine and frivolous It is said of no man but the man Christ Iesus who is also God that he did all things well that he did no sinne Mar. 7.37 1 Pet. 2.22 in his mouth there was no guile It was his incomparable priviledge and unparalleled prerogatiue to be agnus immaculatus a Lambe without blemish and without spot as he is called by St. Peter 1 Pet. 1.19 As for us we haue all gone astray like sheepe wee all haue beene as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnesse is as filthy ragges and there is none just on earth that doth good and sinneth not God in the beginning inriched us with grace and enabled us to doe his will but wee by transgression are become bankrupts unable to performe our due obedience So that when we looke our selues in the glasse of the Law wee espie our manifold staines and spots of sinne wee see our miserable infirmity and disability to good which causeth us to implore the divine aide and assistance of grace And indeede to this end as St. Augustine notes The Law was given Aug. de Sp. lit ca. 19. that grace might be sought for and grace was given that the Law might be fulfilled for it was not through the fault of the Law that it was not kept but through the fault of the wisdome of the flesh which fault was to be revealed by the Law and healed by grace Whence wee gather that Rom. 8.3 that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 8. vers 3. doth accrew unto it from us in quo infrim abatur per carnem in as much as it was weakened through the flesh So that during the combat of the Spirit and the flesh and the contrarietie of these two in us posito hoc our condition being this as the Apostle saith Wee cannot doe the things we would Gal. 5.17 but wee would keepe the Law Rom. 7.22 for we delight in the Law of God after the inner man Yet upon a new supposall of the impediment remooved St. Augustine grants a possibilitie of keeping the Law Aug. de Sp. lit ca. 3.5 saying Behold how that perfect righteousnesse is without example in men and yet it is not impossible for it might be if so great a will was applied as is sufficient to so great a thing And it would be so great if we were ignorant of none of those things which pertaine to righteousnesse and those things did so delight our minde that that delight did overcome whatsoever other impediment of pleasure or sorrow Which that it is not so it is not in respect of impossibilitie but Gods judgement So much St. Augustine grants upon a supposall which by the judgement of God shall not be and he said a little before Aug. ubi supra Neminem tam perfectae justitiae in hac vita fuisse velesse vel futurum esse that none in this life hath beene so perfectly righteous or is or shall be When God gaue the Law in Mount Sinai he knew mans weaknesse how unable he was to keepe it Bern. in Cant. serm 50. Nec latuit praeceptorem praecepti pondus hominum excedere vires Neither was the Commander ignorant that the waight of his commandement exceeds the powers of men But he did it to throw downe the wisedome of the flesh which is an enemie to God and his Law he did it to cause man to see his owne vilenesse his spirituall povertie and weaknesse Bern. ubi supra For Mandando impossibilia non praevaricatores homines fecit sed humiles by commanding things impossible he made not men sinners but humble saith St. Bernard He thought it behoouefull that man should be admonished of his insufficiency that so he might seeke and thirst after a Mediatour that he might more ardently defire grace by praying to him who is all-sufficient who is nigh to all that call upon him to all such as call upon him faithfully Gods commandements implie perfection and he commands us to be perfect but to this end that wee seeing and acknowledging our owne wants and imperfections may vehemently desire to be perfected by his grace And here wee are to obserue that golden rule of St. Prosper worthy to be observed of all In Omnibus menitis Dei atque mandatis Prosp ep ad Demet. ☜ una eademque ratio est divinae gratiae humanaae abedientiae nec ob aliud unquam datur praeceptum nisi ut quaeratur praecipientis auxilium In all Gods admonitions and commands there is one and the same reason both of Gods grace and of mans obedience neither is the commandement at any time given for any other thing but that the helpe of him that commandeth may be sought for So much obedience as the Law requireth of us so much grace wee stand in need of and this are wee to obtaine by prayer from him who is the fountaine of grace Wee and our Fathers haue done amisse wee haue turned aside every one to his owne way wee all haue sinned and come short of the glory of God and so all doe greatly stand in need of his grace Prov. 20.9 Iob 25.4 Who can say I haue made my heart cleane I am pure from my sinne or how can he be cleane that is borne of a woman We reade in holy Writ that there was one Lot in Sodome whose righteous soule they vexed with their uncleanenesse of two amongst all the thousands in Israel who were vouchsafed as worthy to enter into the land of Canaan the land flowing with milke and honey Iosuah the sonne of Nun and Caleb the sonne of Iephunnch yea wee reade of three who might deliver their owne soules from temporall judgements by their righteousnesse Noah Iob and Daniel These and many other we reade of in holy Writ who were righteous in mans judgement and in Gods gracious acceptation but we reade not that any one of them did perfectly keepe the Law and was without sinne Ambr. apol 1. David ca. 4. Whereupon St. Ambrose saith Da mihi aliquem sine prolapsione delicti Shew me any one without the fault of sinne Such an one would be a rare miracle worthily to be admired of all But alas such an one is like the mountaine of gold or the Philosophers stone or the second intentions in Logicke which haue no reall absolute existence and indeede are nothing saue onely in the theorie and operation of the understanding In scholasticall
THE PEARLE OF PERFECTION SOVGHT AFTER By CHARLES ODINGSELLS Doctour of Divinitie GEN. 17.1 I am the Almightie God walke before me and be thou perfect LONDON Printed by M.D. for Iohn Williams at the signe of the Crane in Pauls Church-yard 1637. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER in GOD RICHARD Lord Arch bishop of Yorke his Grace Primate of ENGLAND and Metropolitane And one of his MAIESTIES most Honourable Privie Councell THere are not a few who with NAAMAN the Syrian take greater delight in Abana and Tharpar rivers of Damascus than in Iordane wherein our Saviour was baptized than in the waters of Israel the holy waters of Sailo which run gently than in the living waters of the Sanctuarie Ezek. 47 9. which given 〈…〉 to them which mooue therein These are they who after the vulgar estimation preposterously judge the fine meale of pure literature to be course bran and their own course bran of humane knowledge and observation to be fine meale who with Aesops Cocke refuse the pearle and choose the barley corne Such I desire not to please but those who are meliore luto of a better mould and temper of sounder resolution and judgement The argument of perfection worthy to be intreated of is handled by me not as I would much lesse as it requireth but so as by reason of my bodily infirmities and other defects I could I haue propounded this briefe indigest worke as a short modell and briefe draught to be curiously polished and embellished by some others to whom God hath beene pleased to giue a greater measure of knowledge with more health and strength of bodie and withall a richer Librarie a speciall helpe not in the last place requisite For surely as in other Sciences and arts so also in our transcendent Science of Theologie the Philosophers rule is true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist polit li. 3. ca. 12. He that shall excell in his worke must haue excellent tooles to worke withall In the meane time I am bold to present unto your Grace this imperfect worke of perfection in token of my dutifull and humble respect to your Lordship our most worthy Metropolitane and Diocesan To whom wee under your Graces jurisdiction doe by good right owe all canonicall obedience and observance unto whom I in particular doe earnestly desire and wish all spirituall and corporall happinesse here on earth and after everlasting fruition of eternall glorie and felicitie in the Heavens Your Graces in all humble dutie to command CHARLES ODINGSELLS A Table of all the principall things contained in the severall Chapters of this Booke Chapter 1. THE Proeme to perfection Folio 1 Chapter 2. The etymologie of perfection Folio 3 Chapter 3. The divers kindes of perfection Folio 4 Chapter 4. Of Spirituall perfection Folio 5 Chapter 5. Of perfection in the state of grace Folio 7 Chapter 6. Concerning knowledge Folio 9 Chapter 7. Concerning knowledge supernaturall Folio 12 Chapter 8. Of the knowledge of God by affection and not bare apprehension onely Folio 15 Chapter 9. Of the knowledge of God in Christ Folio 16 Chapter 10. Concerning Christs Incarnation Folio 18 Chapter 11. Concerning Christs Passion Folio 20 Chapter 12. Concerning Christs Resurrection Folio 22 Chapter 13. Concerning Christs Intercession Folio 24 Chapter 14. Of our union with Christ Folio 26 Chapter 15. Of the knowledge of ourselves necessary to perfection Folio 28 Chapter 16. Of the further knowledge of our selues Folio 31 Chapter 17. Of righteousnesse perfecting the will Folio 33 Chapter 18. Of righteousnesse imputed Folio 35 Chapter 19. Of imputed righteousnesse made ours by faith Folio 37 Chapter 20. Of the different participating of imputed righteousnesse by faith Folio 39 Chapter 21. Of righteousnesse inherent and first of righteousnesse according to morall Philosophie Folio 43 Chapter 22. How Christian inherent righteousnesse differeth from morall righteousnesse Folio 45 Chapter 23. Of the nature of inherent righteousnesse Folio 48 Chapter 24. Of the fruits of inherent justice Folio 49 Chapter 25. Of the nature and qualitie of good workes Folio 52 Chapter 26. That no man by his owne righteousnesse keepeth the Law and is without sinne Folio 56 Chapter 27. Of the growth and increase of inherent righteousnesse Folio 61 Chapter 28. Of spirituall sloath an enemy to perfection Folio 64 Chapter 29. Of three evill qualities in spirituall sloath Folio 67 Chapter 30. What perfection of inherent righteousnesse is attainable in this life Folio 70 Chapter 31. Of perfect righteousnesse in this life more punctually and plainly Folio 73 Chapter 32. Concerning Perseverance Folio 76 Chapter 33. Of perfection in Glorie Folio 80 Chapter 34. Of perfection by immortalitie in Glorie Folio 87 Chapter 35. Of different perfection in Glorie Folio 91 THE PEARLE OF PERFECTION CHAP. I. The Proeme to Perfection THE generations of men had been multiplyed upon the face of the earth above five thousand yeares before the mines of gold were found out in the Westerne Indies And no marvaile seeing the spirituall gold of the Sanctuarie the saving Truth of God in Christ was not discovered unto the Gentiles to Kingdomes and Nations untill the world had continued in blindnesse and ignorance well-nigh foure thousand yeares But as humane truth which with Gollins is temporis filia Gell. noct art lib. 12. cap. 11 the daughter of time though shee be long buryed deepe below yet remaines not alwayes in the darke night of obscuritie but commeth at length to light So the divine and heavenly truth was not alwayes to bee concealed from the miserable lapsed progenie of Adam but by the providence of God was in due time revealed even in plenitudine temporis Gal. 4.4 in the fulnesse of time in the accepted time 2 Cor. 6.2 in the day of salvation Then the Messias the Life and the Truth came into the world then the desire of the Nations the bright morning Starre appeared in our flesh full of grace and truth And He He set mens hearts on fire inflaming them with the loue of truth Hee excited and stirred up the mindes of men to a diligent enquiry and searching after her that so having found her they might goe and sell all to buy her that they might deny themselues and their owne carnall wisedome that they might renounce the world lightly esteeming of transitory pleasures profits and preferments the worlds three minions and darlings and all to purchase the pearle of true perfection a pearle most precious and of inestimable value Which now shineth and giveth a bright luster in the militant Church by grace but hereafter shall bee more admirably polished and adorned by glorie in the tryumphant Church in heaven in the Kingdome of God in that Kingdome whereof according to St. Augustine Aug. Marcelâ—no epist 5. The King is Veritie The Law is Charitie the measure is Eternitie CHAP. II. The Etymologie of Perfection PErfection is in Latine perfectio and this from the verbe perficere compounded of per and facere and it signifieth
the Eagle soaring upon high could say Iohn 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Word was made flesh And the trumpet of grace proclaiming the great mysterie of godlinesse beginnes with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God was manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 Thus the Sonne of God by nature voluntarily and graciously became the sonne of man that the sonnes of men might in him become the sons of God by grace In this most mysterious worke of Christs in carnation St. Bernard observeth Bern. de consid li. 5. c. 9. that as in GOD there are three persons and one essence so by a most convenient contrarietie there be in Christ three essences and one person Which three essences are his reasonable soule his humane flesh his Deitie Now the two former essences make up the humane nature in Christ for although there be three essences yet are there but two natures And though there be two natures yet is there but one person and not two as Nestorius the hereticke taught Now although the humane nature in Christ be not a person yet is it individually and numerically distinguished from the particular humane nature in Moses and Peter and each other man But it is individnum extraordinarium it is an extraordinarie individuall humane nature which never had any subsistence in it selfe or for it selfe but in divino supposito 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Word in the Sonne of God And it is an extraordinary individuall humane nature because altogether without sinne First without originall sinne which is propagated from Adam by the Father but our Saviour had no such earthly Father and consequently no originall sinne Secondly without actuall sinne in that the humane nature in the first moment of conception was by Hypostaticall union of the Deitie perfectly sanctified made impeccabilis free from any power or possibilitie of sinning Hence by way of excellency he is that sonne of man 2 Cor. 3.28 who knew no sinne Now our blessed Saviour in regard of his two natures was medius inter Deum hominem a meane betwixt God and man as participating of both but a Mediatour in respect of his office of reconciliation and redemption For there is one God and one Mediatour betwixt God and men 1 Tim. 2.5 the man Christ Iesus And it is to be observed that the Apostle saith not God but the man Christ Iesus For God could not die unlesse he had been man But God was made man that he might die for man and so reconcile man unto God Hereupon Fulgent serm de dupl nativ Domini Fulgentius saith Conceptus in utero factus est particeps mortis nostrae being conceived in the wombe he was made partaker of death with us And Saint Augustine to the same purpose saith Aug. in Psal 148. Accepit exte unde moreretur prote He tooke that of thee wherein he might die for thee CHAP. XI Christs Passion SINNE according to St. Iohns description is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Iohn 3.4 a transgression of the Law a privation of righteousnesse commanded therein Now a privation is minimae entitatis sed maximae efficaciae of the least entitie but of the greatest efficacie Which is most true in sinne For what was there in the whole world in heaven or earth that could cause the death of the Son of God or as St. Augustine speakes Vt aeternus moreretur that he who is eternall should die but onely sinne And that not his owne but ours our prophanenesse our crueltie pride luxurie covetousnesse intemperance our lies our oaths our innumerable sinnes All which were made his not by inherence but by imputation And he tooke them all upon him not subjectivè but expiativè not subjectiuely but by way of expiation to satisfie the justice and appease the wrath of his Father for them For by shedding his bloud on the Crosse for our sinnes he cancelled the fearefull bond and put out the hand-writing against us And so as the Apostle testifieth in him haue we redemption through his bloud even the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Ephes 1.7 according to the riches of his grace Our most gracious Saviour in that bitter agonie of his most dolorous passion upon the Crosse might well complaine with Ieremie the sonne of Hilkiah Behold and see Lam. 1.12 if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow And may not all that by faith embrace him crucified on the Crosse most truely say behold and see if there be any loue like unto his loue who so loved us that he laid downe his life for us who so loved us that he gaue himselfe for us Here is loue without measure unparalleled charitie without any example Iohn 15.13 Greater loue hath no man than this that a man lay downe his life for his friends Yea but the loue of Iesus exceeded the loue of men it passed the loue of Damon and Pythias of David and Ionathan it surpassed the loue of women For as the chosen vessell of mercy noteth God commendeth his loue towards us in that while wee were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Rom. 5.8 and in the tenth verse following more emphatically he intimateth that when wee were enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled wee shall be saved by his life O most wonderfull death O most meritorious work of supenerogation wherein stands our righteousnesse and everlasting salvation O most happie death bringing to man eternall life Mors Christi mors est meae mortis quoniam ille mortuus est ut ego viverem Bernard ad Milit. rempl cap. 11. saith holy Bernard The death of Christ is the death of my death for he dyed that I might live CHAP. XII Christs Resurrection LEt us now passe from the Crosse of our Lord Iesus and walke unto his sepulcher in the garden of Iosseph of Arimathea and see whether his most sacred body be there But loe we haue the voice of an Angell telling us He is not here Math. 28.6 for he is risen Here our blessed Saviours resurrection is proclaimed by an Herald from Heaven by an Angell Whereby we know that he is a perfect Mediatour betwixt God and us tam merito quà m efficaciâ as well by the merit of his passion as by the power and efficacy of his resurrection Satan the Serpent thought he had strangled the fruit of our redemption by procuring that ignominious and shamefull death of Christ on the Crosse supposing to haue kept him under the chaines of darknesse Aug. serm 1. in fest ascens But as St. Augustine writeth Muscipula Diaboli crux Christi esca quâ caperetur mors Christi the Crosse of Christ was the Devills trap the baite whereby he was taken was the death of Christ So the deceiver was deceived the subtile Serpent was beguiled for it was not possible that he should keepe him under death who is the Lord of life John 11.25
If they erre from this rule they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transgressions evill workes if they accord with the rule and are conformable to the morall Law they are so farre forth to be judged good workes Now in a good worke two things are remarkeable first as it is a worke secondly as it is good for as it is a worke it is from nature as it is good it is from grace and as it is a good worke both from nature and grace and all from God who is the onely author of nature and doner of grace God doth not onely giue us our being and preserue us in it but supports and sustaineth us by his concurrence in all our actions For he as universall and supreme agent hath his influence into all the actions and operations of inferiour agents so that in him we both liue and moue and haue our being and without him wee neither mooue nor worke wee can doe nothing yet in that by his concurrence wee immediatly doe this or that worke it is said to be from us but if it betruely good the goodnesse of it is immediatly from Gods grace working in us both to will it and to doe it of his good pleasure We must alwayes lay this for a ground that good workes must flow from the fountaine of faith without which it is impossible to please GOD Omne etenim pietatis opus Prosp in Epigram nisi semine recto exoritur fidei peccatum est Everie pious worke is sinne if it grow not out of the right seede of faith In the next place wee are to consider that the goodnesse of a morall act depends of two things First the object secondly the circumstances Pet. Soto de instit sac part 2◠lect 4◠The object is some dutie of obedience commanded in the Law the circumstances are the end time place c. but the chiefest is the end intended for this according to Aquinas doth qualifie and specifie the act for actus exterior saith he informatur ex voluntate Aqui. in Rom. ca. 14. lect 2◠Rom. 2.14 the outward act is formed by the will that is intending such an end Now when the Gentiles which haue not the Law doe by nature the things conteined in the Law their works are morally good in respect of the object But because they intend not Gods glorie but their owne they faile in the circumstance their intention is evill and consequently their workes Whereupon St. Augustine considering that they neither proceeded of faith nor aimed at the right end remoues all goodnesse from them saying Aug. praesas in Psal 31. Vbi fides non erat bonum opus non erat bonum enim opus intentio facit intentionem fides dirigit where there was no faith there was no good worke for intention makes the worke good and faith directs the intention And after Non valde aspicias quid facit homo sed quid cum facit aspiciat Doe not greatly obserue what a man doth but what he aimeth at when he doth it And indeed heathens and hypocrites doe good works quoad genus operis but not quoad intentionem mandantis they doe the worke conteined in the Law but not according to the intention of the Commander who intendeth his owne glorie And so their workes although they seeme glorious and specious to men yet are they but like an earthen pot guilded over which seemes gold and is not or like grapes curiously painted on the wall which the birds flie to but cannot feede on them Sunt opera saith St. Augustine Aug. in Ioan. tract 25. quae videntur bona sine fide Christi non sunt bona quia non referuntur ad eum finem ex quo sunt bona there be workes which seeme good without faith in Christ and are not good because they are not referred to that end whereby they are good Hence is it that according to that trite and usuall distinction both the works of pagans and hypocrites are deemed good sesundùm substantiam actus non secundùm modum requisitum in regard of the substance of the act but not in regard of the manner requisite to such an act For to honour their parents to relieue the poore and such like may be good in the substance of the act and yet come short in the circumstance and faile in the manner Whereas we know that God lookes not so much to our doing as to our well-doing and as it hath beene observed by Divines Flor. Granat parte 6. ca. 4. Deus non tam remunerat verba quà m adverbia God doth not so much reward verbs as adverbs not so much doing as well-doing Rom. 2.7 for as the Apostle saith He will render to them who by patient continuance in well-doing seeke for honour and glorie and immortalitie eternall life Moses said unto the house of Israell Deut. 6.25 it shall be our righteousnesse if we obserue to doe all these Commandements before the Lord our God as he hath commanded Not onely that which he hath commanded us but in such manner as he hath commanded For that which is good loseth the beautie and glory of the goodnesse of it when it is not done after a good manner Men spend a part of their life idely doing nothing another part carelesly in doing that which concernes them not and another part wickedly in doing ill But wee that are Christians must endeavour to spend all our dayes in doing well and striue to imitate our gracious Saviour of whom it is said Mark 7.37 He hath done all things well The sonne of Amos exhorteth us to learne this lesson saying Cease to doe evill learne to doe well Esa 1.16 17. And the Lord God himselfe in the beginning of times said unto Cain the second man in the world If thou doest well shalt not thou be accepted Gen. 4.7 if thou doest not well sinne lieth at the doore O let us then be diligent in well-doing painfull labourers in Christs Vineyard let us be fruitfull in good workes committing the keeping of our soules unto God in well-doing as unto a faithfull creatour CHAP. XXVI That no man by his owne righteousnesse keepeth the Law and is without sinne THe morall Law is a rule of obedience telling us what we ought to doe not teaching us what we are able to doe As long as wee are in this bodie of death the remainder of the old Adam the part unregenerate Galat. 5.17 the flesh fighteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh So that wee cannot doe what we would and consequently wee cannot keepe the Law as we would Upon this unavoidable Supposition I may conclude that it is a vaine and needlesse speculation to dispute of mans possibilitie to keepe the Law and so to be without sinne if he will And thus much St. Hierome intimates Hieron li. 1o. adv Pelag. Posse hominem esse sine peccato si velit aut verum est aut
quicquid potes pro persona quam portas perficis zelus domus tuae comedit me Doe what in thee lieth correspondent to the person thou sustainest and then thou doest perfectly performe that the zeale of thy house hath eaten me up In the next place consider what an one thou art whether pious or prophane cruell or mercifull humble or proud covetous or liberall temperate or intemperate in a word thou must consider wherein thou dost swarue from the rule of obedience and transgresse Gods law For nisi ad regulam Seneca ad Lucil ep 11. pratia non couriges saith Seneca thou wilt not correct that which is amisse but by the rule But if thou strictly examine thy selfe by that rule it is to be feared thou wilt finde thy selfe a great sinner a grievous sinner perhaps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of measure sinfull thou wilt see thy prevarications und aberrations multiplied super numerum to be as David complained innumerable more than the haires of thy head Oh but the slnggish sinner will not looke into that cleare glasse to see his festered sores his otting corrupting Uicers least the sight thereof should trouble and torment him For he thinkes it true which the Preacher saith He that increaseth knowledge Eccles. 1.18 increaseth sorrow which St. Ierome expounds thus Hieron lib. 2. advers Pelag. he understands that he wants perfection and knowes by that which he doth know how much it is which he doth not know But the carnall sinner expounds it otherwise by searching into the Law and the severall branches of obedience therein contained he discovereth the multitude of his sinnes and transgressions and consequently the guilt of many foule and monstrous aberrations for as that holy Father Fulgentius saith Fulgent de gra incarn Dum. nosiâ—â—â—â—s Christi Quantum ignorantta peccati minuitur tantum reatus peccatorum augetur as much as the ignorance of sinne decreaseth so much the guilt of sinne increaseth Now the guilt of sinnes increaseth the sight of God justice and the extreame malediction or curse of the Law cause remorse of conscience increase sorrow But if this sorrow be seasoned and sanctified with grace and faith in Christ Iesus it is not that sorrow in morall Philosophie which is affectus destructivus subjecti an affection or passion destroying the subject but it is affectus perfectivus salvativus subjecti an affection perfecting preserving the subject for it is a pious a profitable sorrow or as the Apostle speakes 2 Cor. 7.10 a godly sorrow which causeth repentance unto salvation not to be repented of CHAP. XVII Of righteousnesse perfecting the will IN the day when Adam was created he was perfect in his understanding and will but by disobedience he became imperfect in both and so was cast out of that earthly Paradise Now unlesse we be renewed in Christ after the image of God and regaine such or greater perfection than Adam had in science and sanctitie in knowledge and righteousnesse we shall never enter into the paradise of heaven What knowledge is especially necessary unto perfection is formerly discovered So that in the next place it remaineth to enquire what righteousnesse is requisit to perfect us and prepare us for the kingdome of heaven Which before we come to let us still remember that as I intimated heretofore there is a double perfection compatible to man The first is absolute proper to the glorified ones in the Church triumphant and not to be found in any of the children of men so long as they be here in earthly tabernacles and mortall bodies of clay The second not absolute but correspondent to the state of this life and this is that which by all meanes wee must striue and endeavour to attaine unto whilst we are members of the militant Church whilst we are as yet strangers and pilgrims and way-faring men on earth This then premised consider we the righteousnesse whereby we are perfected according to the state of this present life And it is two-fold the first is the righteousnesse of another but imputed unto us called therefore imputed righteousnesse The second is our owne righteousnesse which is wrought in us by God through the sanctification of his Spirit called inherent righteousnesse And first we will treat of that righteousnesse which being without us is imputed unto us of God and so made ours otherwise we could never be perfect disciples in the schoole of Christ. CHAP. XVIII Of righteousnesse imputed THe righteousnesse which is without us and not our owne but imputed unto us as being the righteousnesse of another is the righteousnesse of Iesus our Mediatour now his righteousnesse is of two sorts first the righteousnesse of his person wherewith he himselfe is clothed and adorned secondly the rightousnesse of his merit whereby he doth cloath and adorne us poore naked miserable sinners and that of his meere grace free bountie and goodnesse The righteousnesse of Christs merit is that meritorious obedience which in our nature he performed for us to appease Gods wrath conceived against us for our sinne to satisfie his severe justice that wee being absolved from sinne by his death might be reconciled unto God and so become heires of eternall life This meritorious righteousnesse of our blessed Saviour without which we are altogether imperfect is in it selfe most perfect and it pleaseth God to account it unto us as our righteousnesse and to impute it unto us as done by us For Christ sustaining and bearing all our persons in his death by the will and determinate counsell of the Father died for us all So that that righteousnesse which he performed for us in our name may not unfitly be said to be ours as done by us For as St. Gregory saith Greg. Moral expos in Iob. lib. 24. cap. 7. Iustitia nostra dicitur non quae ex nostro nostra est sed quae divina largitate fit nostra it is called our righteousnesse not which is ours of our own but which is made ours by Gods bountie â—erem 23.6 And in this regard the sonne of Hilkia by the spirit of prophecy might well entitle him Iehovam justitiam nostram the Lord our righteousnesse And thus much the trumpet of grace proclaimeth 1 Cor. 1.30 teaching us that Iesus â—hrist is of God made unto us wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption CHAP. XIX Of imputed righteousnesse made ours by faith GOD of his meere grace giues unto us the meritorious obedience of his Sonne accounting it unto us as ours and withall by the same grace giues us faith to apprehend it and apply it to our selues For by this hand of faith we claspe and embrace and lay fast hold on Christs righteousnesse and so make it ours Now this faith is a principall beame of that grace which enlighteneth all the faculties of the reasonable foule and is partly in the understanding and partly in the will for it is not a bare assent given to
crowne meete for your labour Perseverance immediately beginneth to attend on grace the mother of all vertues when it is first infused but is not compleate untill death untill the infusion of finall grace which perfectly extinguisheth all evill concupiscence and is the utter deletion or taking away of all sinne and sinfulnesse As the Crowne on the Kings head giveth an eminent splend our and luster to his royall robes and other 〈◊〉 ornaments so the grace of perseverance is the glorious complement crowne of all other vertues and is an infallible guide to leade us into the kingdome of glorie Therefore our Saviour saith not he that shall begin Math. 24.13 but he that shall endure unto the end shall be saved And to the Angell in the Church of Smyrna he saith Be thou faithfull unto death and I will giue thee a crowne of life Apoc. 2. â—0 We are now in our spirituall course and race we must so runne that we may obtaine wee are now in the combat we must so fight that we may over come Which that we may doe we are to implore and desire by fervent and incessant prayer that God would prevent and follow us with grace all the dayes of our life that so at the end of our dayes we may confidently and comfortably say with the chosen vessell of mercy I have fought a good fight 2 Tim. 4. v. 7 8. I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue me at that day and not unto me onely but unto them also which loue his appearing CHAP. XXXIII Of perfection in glorie SAint Paul the chosen vessell of mercy and trumpet of grace Rom. 8.30 uniteth and maketh up the golden chaine of our salvation with foure linkes First Predestination secondly Vocation thirdly Iustification fourthly Glorification Where hee expresseth not our sanctification as being included in our glorification according to the exposition of Aquinas Aquin. in cp ad Rom. cap. 8. saying Glorificamur in hac vita per prefectune virturis gratia in futura per exaltationem gloria We are glorified in this life by proficiency of vertue and grace in the life to come by exaltation of glory And indeed grace is glorie inchoate or begun glorie is grace consummate and perfected and our imperfect perfection by grace here is a previous preparing and disposing of us unto that absolute perfection which wee shall haue being cloathed and adorned with the stole of glorie For even in this life wee are freed in part from those foure evills which are maine impediments to our absolute perfection and this freedome is meerely from grace in Christ Iesus The first evill hindering our perfection is error in the understanding from which we are freed in part by the Spirit of grace leading of us into all truth and teaching us all things necessary unto salvation The second evill a let to perfection is sinne in the will from which wee are also partly freed by grace in Christ and that two wayes First Rom. 6.14 from the dominion of it For sinne shall not haue dominion over you because yee are not under the Law but under grace saith the Apostle secondly from the condemnation of sinne seeing Rom. 8.1 there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit The third evill hindrance of our perfection is misery and afflictions from which by faith and spirituall fortitude we are freed in part that they may not swallow us up that the flouds of great waters the over-flowings of feare and despaire may never prevaile against us never over whelme us In the world you shall haue tribulation but be of good cheare saith Christ I haue overcome the world The last evill letting our perfection is death And from this also we are freed in part by grace not onely from spirituall and eternall death but even from corporall in two respects First from the sting thereof 1 Iohn 1. v. 7. which is sinne 1 Cor. 15.56 for by the bloud of Christ wee are cleansed from all sinne Secondly in regard of dominion for death shall not tyrannize over us for ever for in the resurrection at the sound of the Trumpet 1 Cor. 15.52 wee shall be raised incorruptible and never die any more Whereas the bodies of the unjust shall rise but from corporall to eternall death wherein they shall be ever dying but never dead which moved holy Bernard to cry out Bern. de consid li. 5. ca. 12. Alas saith he quis det illis semel mori ut non moriantur in aternum who might grant them once to die that so they might not die for ever Thus are we freed in part by grace from these foure evill impediments of perfection But in the stare of glorie we shall be wholy and entirely exempted from the in for then shall we be free from all darknesse of error obliquitie of sinne from all of stictive misery and destroying death Yea we shall be free from them after a more excellent mother than Adam was in Paradise in the state of innocency For it pleased the omnipotent goodnesse and wisedome who bringeth light out of darknesse life out of death and good out of evill even by the fall of man to raise him up in Christ to a more eminent and high state of perfection It is true that Adam in his integritie had power not to erre not to sinne not to suffer misery not to die but it is also true that he had power to erre to sinne to suffer misery to die which by wofull experiment he brought into act by disobeying the command of his creator Ever since the poison and contagion of disobedience hath tainted and corrupted all the veines of his rebellious children and miserable posteritie Now in the state of glory in that heavenly Paradise we shall obtaine such a transcendent degree of perfection as that we shall haue no power in our understanding to erre in our will to sinne no power to suffer misery and devouring death In that ineffable glorie wee being perfectly changed into the image of the Lord the knowledge of all things shall be seene of us not by parts but wholly and at once as St. Prosper saith Prosp de vita contemplat li. 1. cap. 6. We shall see all things clearely without error by beholding him who is all truth Now wee see through a glasse darkly that incomprehensible light we behold him now through a three-fold glasse First of the creatures secondly of his workes of justice and mercie thirdly of the holy Scriptures But then we shall see him perfectly clearely face to face with unspeakeable joy and delight and herein confists our essentiall alsufficient blessednesse therefore Philip said unto Christ Lord shew us the Father and it sufficeth Iohn 14.8 Now we know God but imperfectly