God without depraving themselves and without loosing charity nay rather illustrating the glory of God mortifying themselves and growing in charity they come to belieue that God doth all things some with his mediate will and others with his immediate will some as in vessels of hatred of wrath and disfavour and others as in vessels of loue of mercy and favour And those are they who amongst all men are pious knowing God and are iust knowing the Son of God Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. L. In what the Depravation of man doth consist and in what his Reparation doth consist In what Christian Perfection doth consist COnsidering that which I understand and know of Gods being in as much as he is impassible and immortall and in as much as he is wise just and mercifull faithfull and true and considering that which I understand and know of the being of a man in as much as he is passible and Mortall and in as much as he is ignorant impious vindicative false and a lier And understanding by the testimony of holy Scripture that man in his first creation was created after the Image and similitude of God I come to understand that there is as much difference from the kinde of being in which God created man to that kinde of being wherein hee now is and abides as from that being which I know of God to that being which I know of man And knowing by testimony of holy Scripture that for the sinne of the first man from that first perfect being and that being like unto God man is come to this imperfect being and like unto the being of other animals in as much as pertaines to his body and to the being of evill spirits as touching his soule I come to understand that the evill which is to come to mankind by the sinne of the first man consists in this that of impassible he is become passible subject to cold and to heate to hunger and to thrist with all other corporall incommodities and of immortall hee is become mortall subject unto death and of wise he is become ignorant of just impious of mercifull vindicative of faithfull false and of true a lier Whereby I understand that because the evill into which mankinde fell through sin toucheth men in their bodies and in their mindes the grace which God hath pleased to doe unto mankinde by meanes of Iesus Christ our Lord appertaines likewise both to bodies and to mindes and so it is that assoone as a man is called of God he doth accept for his the Iustice of God executed on Christ being made a member of Christ hee begins to be partaker of that first Reparation which is of the minde and is by the death of Christ And it is also true that that man who shall depart from this life a member of Christ shall be partaker of the last Reparation which shall be of the body and shall be by the resurrection of Christ and shall be in the generall resurrection of all men in such sort as they who are members of Christ by the death of Christ doe repaire the evill of their mindes in this present life if not altogether yet in part and they doe repaire by the resurrection of Iesus Christ the evill of their body in life everlasting and then shall they have recovered intirely that Image and that similitude of God with which they were created being in their bodies impassible and immortall and being in their mindes just wise mercifull faithfull and true in which I understand our whole felicity doth consist After that I have understood all this I resolve my selfe that the proper exercise of a Christian in this present life is to attend unto the reparation of his minde to recover the image and similitude of God with which he was created And albeit as I haue said so much of this is recovered as there is as a man may say of the incorporation in the death of Christ in a man neverthelesse I understand it appertaines to a Christian to exercise him selfe to recover it in this manner When he shall be sollicited by the depravation of his minde unto impiety remembring himselfe that God is just he shall say no to me it belongs to be just and not impious When he shall be sollicited unto revenge remembring himselfe that God is mercifull he shall say no to me it appertaines to be mercifull and not vindicatiue When he shall be sollicited unto wrath remembring himselfe that God is patient he shall say no to me it appertaines to be patient and not wrathfull When he shall be sollicited to falsity and lyes remembring himselfe that God is faithfull and true he shall say no to me it appertaines to be faithfull and true When he shall be sollicited to desire to bee esteemed and prized of the men of this world remembring himselfe that God is a Pilgrim and stranger in this present life he shall say no for to me it appertaines to be a pilgrim and stranger with God that I may be altogether like unto God And finally when he shall be sollicited to any thing which may redound to the hurt of his neighbour in any sort whatsoever remembring himselfe that God loues men so much that to repaire their evill and dammage in which they were thrown down headlong he gaue his own Son unto death hee shall say no to me it appertaines to haue loue and charity And so running through all those things with which a man may be sollicited by his own affections through the depravation of the minde he shall finde perfections in God with which he may represse them and so by litle and litle hee shall goe augmenting in himselfe the reparation of his minde which is the first thing and hee shall goe every houre more abilitating the reparation of his body which is the last And in this exercise I understand the Christian perfection consisteth I would say that 〈◊〉 is a Christian more or lesse perfect in this life 〈◊〉 â—…ch as occupying himselfe more or lesse in this exercise he doth obtain more or lesse of that part which is to be gotten in this present life of the image and likenesse of God with which he was created And for this cause I understand that our Lord Iesus Christ concludeth his discourses of Christian perfection saying Be you perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect As if he should haue said Finally I say unto you that you attend to be like unto God in perfection He is perfect and you also attend to bee perfect as he is And this is properly a Christian admonition in as much as it is of Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LI. In what manner God makes himselfe to be felt and in what manner God makes himselfe to bee seene HAving oftentimes said that to those persons who are entered into the kingdome of God accepting the grace of the Gospell God makes them to Feele his presence and to the selfe same he lets his presence
sonne would not for all that ac◅ompt themselves pardoned and so not return to the kingdome And I understand likewise that neither that Prince to whom this should thus happen should attaine his intention in as much as hee sent his sonne to no other purpose then to the end that being acknowledged for his Sonne hee might bee credited in that which hee manifested so neither doth it seem that God attaines his intention in those who knowing Christ for the sonne of God yet not giving confidence to that which hee gives them notice of on Gods behalfe doe not esteem themselves for reconciled to God He attaines his intention onely in those who knowing Christ to be the son of God and giving confidence to that which hee gives them notice of on Gods behalfe doe accompt themselves for reconciled to God and so for pious for just and for holy It is very true indeed that the knowledge which they haue of Christ as the son of God who feel not themselves reconciled to God cannot properly be tearmed knowledge being more properly opinion then knowledge for were it knowledge it would work in them the same effect that it doth in others certifying them of their reconciliation with God and giving them peace in their consciences And moreover know that by Letter S. Paul understands all that which a man doth saith thinketh without being inspired thereunto by God albeit they be such matters as other men have said done and thought being inspired thereunto Letter it was in S. Peter when in Antioch he severd himselfe from the conversation of the Gentiles because he would not scandalize the Iews and Spirit it was in S. Paul when he did reprehend him for it Know further that by Faith S. Paul understands the credit that a man gives to the pardon generall which Christ published which is now in Christs name on Christs behalfe published And that by Hope he understands the patience and sufferance wherewith a man that believes doth hope for the accomplishment of that which he believes without being wearied in his hope and without giving over the pursuit of that which he hopes for And that by Charity he understands that inward bowelly affection wherewith a man that believes and hopes doth loue that which he believes and that which hee hopes for loving God and Christ from whom and by whom he hopes to obtain that which he believes that which hee hopes and that which he loves and loving also all those things that are Gods and that are Christs Know moreover that by the Justice of God S. Paul understands the perfection of God As we when wee would signifie a man to be perfect say he is just our meaning being this that there is nothing in him that is not very good and in effect that there is nothing wanting to him By the Grace of God he understands the favour that God shews unto a man in drawing him to accept the pardon generall and in maintaining and increasing him with other inward favours which are called Grace inasmuch as God bestows them graciously without any respect of desert onely because it is his will That by the Guift of God he chiefly meanes his having given Christ unto us to the end that the rigor of his justice being executed on him we should hold for certain the pardon generall and hee understands particularly those outward guifts of the holy spirit which in S. Pauls time were in abundance cōmunicated to them that believed That by sinne he almost alwaies understands the affection and the appetite to sin which lives in a man through his naturall depravation and through his acquisite and I say almost in as much as some times he meanes by sinne the sacrifice for sinne That by the Old man he understands the man that is not regenerated nor renewed by the holy Spirit And by the New man he understands the man that is renewed and regenerated by the holy spirit And know likewise that by Flesh by the carnall man by the body of sinne and by the law of the members he understands the selfe same that he doth by the Old man that is nature without the spirit and know that by the law of God he understands that which God gave unto the Hebrew people by Mos◅s which sometimes he termes the Law of death because it was its part to condemne and other where he calls i◅ the Law of sinne because it stirred up in men the affections and appetites of sinning That by the Law of the spirit he understands faith by Circumcision he meanes Iudaisme and by Vncircumcision he understands the state of the Gentiles And finally know that by Christian liberty he understands the degree state and dignity unto which God advanceth a man that accepts the grace of the Gospell who being regenerated and renowed and made the son of God is free and exempt from those things whereunto other men are subject in as much as he maintaines himselfe in his regeneration and renovation and doth not deprive himselfe of that sonship for which he is governed and ruled by the spirit of God Of all this you may serve your selfe as it were of a guide by meanes whereof you may understand many of the things which you shall read in S. Paul And because it may perhaps cause admiration in you to see that S. Paul setting himselfe to reprehend vices in some of them to whom he writes and admonishing them of those vices from which they ought to beware names certain vices which are shamefull even in the men of the world So that it may seeme strange that there should be any necessity of admonishing Christian persons touching those vices and that withall he scarce toucheth those vices which are more inward and more pernitious You shall know that in as much as in S. Pauls time there were some who made carnall licentiousnesse of Christian liberty and gave themselves unto vices and villanies it was necessary that S. Paul should touch them in those particulars wherein they did most sinne In such sort as it was needfull even in that time to seek redresse for outward vices in christian persons in as much as they did not esteem them for evill nor were not ashamed of them through the false perwasion which they had run into of christian liberty and because they had put an end to the esteem of the world But it is now needfull to apply remedy to christian men for their inward vices in regard that they partly for God and partly for the world doe abstain from outward vices suffering themselves to be overcome by the inward partly because they doe not know them for vices and partly because the world holds the want of these vices for a vice You shall find some things in S. Paul which you shall not feel in your selfe and other things which you shall not understand and some other which will seem strange to you And all these it seemes fit to mee that you should passe over not ca◅ing much to weary your selfe for the understanding of them in as much as the intention with which you goe about to read S. Paul is not to understand all that S. Paul saith but to frame your mind as God shall give you grace to understand feel and tast in S. Paul I also advise you that when you begin to read an Epistle you leave not to read the argument which you shall find written before it for it gives much light to the whole Epistle But in truth all these advises are nothing and there is one of much more availe then all these that is that when ever you shall take S. Paul into your hands you should commend yo◅r'selfe to God beseeching him that he would send his Holy Spirit that may be your guide in the reading and you shall endeavour to obtain it by meanes of the only begotten son of God Christ Iesus our Lord to whom be glory for ever AMEN FINIS ERRATA PAge 17. line 6. for execution in this manner read in this manner I desire to c. p. 21. l. 1. f. all good the works r. all the good works p 23. l. 22. f. there r. them p. 24. l. 11. f. believe a lye r. unbelieve a lye p. 29. l. 18. f. perceiving r. persevering p. 29. l. 27. f. dispose r. dispoile p. 34. l. 23. f. once r. one p. 35. l. 22. f. by good r. be good p. 39. l. 25. f. meeter r. meet p. 45. l. penult f watchfulnesse r. watchfull p. 50. l. 28. f. peace and conscience r. peace of conscience p. 82. l. 24. f being a man r. being in a man p. 89. l. 20. f. doth reach unto r. doth not reach unto p. 98. l. 3. f. vocation of r. vocation to p. 103. marg f. omnes homo r. omnis p. 105. l. 1. f. that his piety r. that if his piety p. 109. l. 8. f. knowe r. knowing p. 116 l. 6. f. that then holy spirit r. then the holy spirit p. 172. l. 25◅ f. whilest his soul in his body r. his soul in his body p. 193. l. 24. f. Psal. 75. r. 95. p. 198. l. 12. f. felicity r. facility p. 208. l. 30. f. begins love r. begins to give love p. 220 l. 20. f. proceed r. precedes p. 222. l. 9 f. of man r. to man p. 227. l. 10. f. and it was r. it was p. 239. l. 24. f. the waies r. these waies p. 240. l. 35. f. would r. should p. 241. l. 29. f. justice r. justify p. 244. l. 12. f. purposes in such manner r. purposes and desu◅ in c. This note is the French Translators This note is the French Translators These 32 and 33 Consideratio◅s being read together may vindicate the Authors good meaning from his dubi ous and offen sive expressions in the present Consideration See the Preface This XXXVI Co◅sideration saith the translatour seemes expressed in difficult and ambiguous words which may justly breed exception if so it bee not taken altogether I confessed saith he it is one of them which I doe not fully understand See the Preface Hoc est omnes homo The Weeke before Easter Pretending ◅erit
which a man should make with the world and with his own selfe and to the martyrdome whereunto hee ought to be ready Christ added And let him follow mee I conceive a man doth not obtain piety justice and holinesse through the resolution nor through the martyrdome but through the imitation of Christ in as much as imitating Christ he goes recovering in his minde the image and similitude of God with which the first man was created pretending to recover it also in his body in the resurrection of the just where having obtained impassibility and immortality the Christian shall perpetually rejoyce with Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XVIII In what things that person who pretends and desires to enter and to persevere in the kingdome of God ought to be exercised and what a man brings of his own thereunto VNderstanding that which our Lord Iesus Christ saith that none can come unto him except his eternall Father conduct him And understanding what S. Peter saith that Faith is not for all men and that Faith is the gift of God I understand likewise that it is not in any mans power to believe to loue and to haue confidence Neither is it in a mans power to know God nor to know himselfe nor to hate the world and himselfe For as much as all this must come unto him by particular and especiall favour of God in such sort that as it seems hereby it is not in mans power to form himselfe touching the inward so that he should become pious just and holy for all this must come unto him from God On the other side I perceive many Exhortations and Admonitions of which the holy scripture is full by which generally men are exhorted and instructed unto piety iustice and holinesse I conceive that it appertaines to every man to pretend to desire and procure Piety Iustice and Holinesse but seeking it of God pretending to haue it altogether from him and by him And as I understand it appertaines to that Christian man that exercises himselfe in desiring and demanding this to exercise himself with all study and diligence in those things which belong to him and which seem to be in his own power to do that is in refrayning the affections and the appetites at least in outward things in which they may be restrained that is to say not to see that which would give satisfaction to thine eyes and not to heare that which delights thy eares and so in all the other outward senses in which a Christian may overcome himselfe separating his body when he cannot separate his minde But aboue all things a Christian man ought to attend principally not to content the men of this world neither to walk nor to speak after the rellish of their words ever more remembring himselfe of that saying of S. Paul If I seek to please men c. In which matter hee ought to obserue this rule If so be he be sollicited to please men in things contrary unto piety he shall in no wise please them if in things conformable to piety alwaies And if in indifferent things he shall please them in those things in which he displeaseth himselfe and he shall not please them in those things wherein he findes his own proper satisfaction In such manner that then he shall bring himselfe not to please men when they desire of him things contrary to piety and when he shall haue in those things his own proper satisfaction And in this manner he shall not forbeare to satisfie them because he would not satisfie them but because he would not offend piety and because he would not giue nourishment to his minde touching its own satisfaction To this passe a man shall easily bring himselfe recommending himselfe to God and alwaies living with watch over himselfe imagining that hee liues amongst more then mortall enemies amongst which it becomes to stand alwaies on his guard that nothing may happen unto him unawares And exercising and occupying himselfe in this he must not pretend hereby to get piety justice and holinesse but he shall pretend only to keep his minde very wakefull and his manners well moderated to the intent that when it shall please God to give unto him piety justice and holinesse they may fall into his soul so happily and prosperously as water falls on good ground when it is plowed and purged from thornes and stones Holding this for certain that as the Tiller when he cleares his ground from thornes and stones doth no way oblige God that he should send his raine his Sun upon it so neither doth a man by purging and cleansing the appetites of his body and the affections of his minde oblige God that he should send his holy spirit to him And as the Sun and the rain doth more good to the earth which it findes plowed and purged from thornes and stones so in like manner the holy Spirit doth more good to the minde which he findeth free and purged from affections and appetites And after this manner the Christian man understanding that which belongs to him and exercising himselfe therein and understanding what hee is to expect from God and desiring it in short time shall finde himselfe much comfortable to the image of God unto that of Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XIX That the Christian life consisteth in this that a man esteem himselfe dead to the world and pretend to liue to God THe Christian name in the first beginning was in the eyes of the world so vile so despised dishonoured and abject that none accepted it but only they who being called of God and having set an end to Ambition to Glory and all worldly reputation did esteem and judge themselues altogether dead unto the world And properly this name of a Christian was taken by them when they came unto Baptisme in such sort that it was first that they were called of God and that they did esteem and judge themselves as it were dead unto the world and after that they came to Baptisme in which they took the Christian name For those which were baptized although they were formerly called Saints were afterward called Christians in as much as being chosen of God they did accept the justice of God executed on Christ and being baptized they became dead and buried as much as belongs to the world and they were raysed up and did line towards God making profession to imitate Christ who died with ignominy to the world liveth gloriously to God This S. Paul meant where hee saith that the Christians are dead and buried in Babtisme with Christ în his death to the intent that as Christ was dead and buried and liveth so we also being dead and buried may liue We Christians are dead and buried as well in respect of our being dead on the Crosse with Christ as also in respect of the opinion which the world hath of vs and of that which we have of the world and we are raysed up and Liue as
very great difference in that which they that are pious doe and in that which they doe that are impious forasmuch as they neither knew nor doe know the will of God and therefore albeit they did it yet for all this they did not serve nor doe serve God therein But the pious because they know the will of God and knowing it put it in execution they serve God therein And in as much as they who are such doe set themselves to all their works with this knowledge they doe as I understand in all things serve God Those are they who believe and doe Gods justice executed on Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XXVI That the Flesh whilst it is unregenerated Flesh is the enemy of God and that Regeneration is properly the work of the holy Spirit SAint Paul the Apostle speaking by eyperience of the holy Spirit condemnes the Flesh for the enemy of God I understand by Flesh all men in as much as they are not regenerated by the holy Spirit Humane prudence that alwaies opposeth it selfe against the holy Spirit holding this condemnation for an hard and terrible thing and not willing to endure it will haue it that S. Paul meanes by Flesh that which Socrates or Plato would haue meant that is the Iudgement of the Flesh. In this opinion all they who follow humane wisdome doe concurre holding it for an absurd and evill thing to condemne as sinnes al the works of unregenerated Flesh. For according to their opinion there are some with which unregenerated men doe not only not offend God but in effect doe him service such as are those wherein they agree with beasts both the one and the other being moved by naturall instinct as for a Father to beget Children and for a Son to nourish his Father which things humane wisdome saith since they be not vices nay rather being vertues in brute beasts it is no waies just to say that the selfe same should be sinnes in unregenerated men for in such case the condition of man-kinde would come to be worse then that of brute beasts Here I understand humane wisdome deceives itselfe in as much as it doth not consider that the brute beast having neither wisdome nor reason doth not alter the order of God nor the institution of nature and a man not regenerated by the holy Spirit by his prudence and reason doth continually pervert and alter it nay he cannot leaue to pervert and alter it in as much as being proud he goes mending the workes of God by his own reason and by his own prudence and in as much as loving himselfe in every thing that he doth he pretends his own interest and his own proper glory and so hee doth not follow the naturall order nor pretends the glory of God In such sort as the Father bringing up the son and the son nourishing the Father every one of them pretends his own glory his own interest and his own satisfaction That being properly in men through the vice of their corrupted flesh which leaves to loue and to esteem God and esteems and loves it selfe ayming in every thing at its own proper glory and its own proper â—…nterest Whereupon I consider in this present life that which is in the house of a great Lord who hath thirty slaues for whom he doth sufficiently provide all necessary things and ordaining them the things in which he will be served of them Of these thirty slaves I imagine that ten of them are fooles without understanding and without any manner of discourse altogether as Beasts These as I understand it without perverting and without altering the order which their Lord hath given them doe that which is commanded them not pretending any thing else but only to obey their Lord The other ten I suppose are well experienced and haue judgement and discretion who pretending to know and understand as much as their Lord and sometimes more pervert the order that is given unto them supposing to finde the point better and having the eye to their own interresses haue alwaies an eye to gaine their liberty and to be better intreated and more cherished of their Lord not contenting themselves with their servitude nor contenting themselues with that ordinary entertainment which they receaue from their Lord The other Ten I imagine to my selfe are likewise experienced and understanding and such as haue judgement wit and understanding but perswading themselves that their Lord knowes more then they and no waies serving themselves of what they know to understand their Lords meaning in that which is commanded them without perverting or altering the order that is given unto them obey their Lord and contenting themselues of their servitude and of their entertainment obey their Lord pretending only to doe that which is ordained them for the profit for the satisfaction and for the glory of their Lord. The first Ten serue but like Beasts with their bodies and these in the world are the brute Beasts The second Ten in serving pretend to serue but offend and then offend most when they serue most and best for then they doe most alter and pervert the will and order of their Lord And these are all men in as much as they are not regenerated by the holy Spirit The third Ten serve as obedient Sons not perverting nor altering the order and will of their Lord and they serue both with their bodies and with their mindes and these are the men that are regenerated by the holy Spirit without which regeneration it is impossible that men should reduce themselues to this degree And therefore S. Paul well saith that the flesh is the enemy of God and is not subject to the Law and will of God neither though it would could it in as much as a man doting upon his own wisdome and his own reason pretends to mend the works of God and in as much as being enamoured of himselfe in every thing which he doth hee hath an eye unto himselfe To the intent this may be the better understood I say that by regeneration I understand that change and outward and inward Renovation which the holy Spirit doth in those persons who believing in Iesus Christ and accepting as their own Gods justice that hee executed upon Christ are changed and renewed in all their affections in such sort that no waies pretending in the execution of their own appetites nor in the sway of their own affections that which they did pretend before their regeneration having lost that understanding to goe about mending of Gods works and having lost their own loue whereby they loved themselues as if one of the Tenne slaues of the second order should passe to the number of the Ten of the third order Those men who by wit and humane artifice pretend to change themselues and to renew themselues as I understand it doe not obtain this Christian regeneration but that which is humane that which is of the flesh and of humane wisdome reason such
as was that of some heathen Philosophers For in Christian reason the holy Spirit only hath part nay it is so much Regeneration and Renovaâ—…ion in as much as it is wrought by the holy Spirit that is in as much as the holy Spirit works it in a man when he feeling his election and his vocation and permitting the holy Spirit to work in him without pretending to work of himselfe nor to follow his proper judgement nor his proper opinion in any thing when hee thinks himselfe to stand farthest off from his Regeneration and Renovation findes himselfe more neer and more intire and more perfect therein And this is that Regeneration and Renovation which S. Paul saith the holy Spirit works in them which are true Christians And this is that selfe same which the sonne of God himselfe our Lord Saviour Iesus Christ spake of to Nicodemus CONSID. XXVII That by Mortification a Christian man maintaines himselfe in his resolution and by reducing of his minde to God he maintaines himselfe in the certainty of Gods providence THE man that being called of God feeling his vocation and answering unto it applies himselfe with his minde to piety as I understand it is first moved to resolue himselfe touching the world not willing to haue from it any greater part then that which it shall please God that he should haue in the dignities thereof and in the estimation thereof and he is moved to resolve with himselfe not desiring touching his body neither more commodities nor any better condition in outward matters then it shall please God to put him into Furthermore I understand that a man cannot maintaine himselfe in his resolution with the world if so be he doe not mortifie the affections that live in him of Ambition and Avarice and of selfe-estimation neither can he sustaine himselfe in his Resolution with himselfe if he doe not mortifie his sensuall appetites that liue in his body And therefore after that the feeling of his vocation hath moved him to these two Resolutions the feeling of that faith whereunto he is called together with the holy Spirit which together with Faith is communicated unto him dorh mortify in him the affections which might hinder and disturb the Resolution with the world and the appetites that might hinder and disturb the Resolution with himselfe in such sort as Faith and the holy Spirit doth mortifie the affections and appetites of a man to conserue and maintain him in those Resolutions which through his vocation he hath made with the world and with himselfe Whereupon I understand it that for a pious person to feel himselfe sollicited by ambition and his own proper estimation is not a â—…igne that he stands not resolute with the world but that he hath not mortified his affections Likewise I understand that for a pious person to feel himselfe sollicited by the pleasures of the body is not a signe that he stands not resolved with himselfe but that he hath not mortified his Appetites And so I take this Resolution that a pious person who answering to his Vocation is resolved with the world and with himselfe desiring to maintain himselfe in his Resolutions ought to attend unto Mortification which as hath been said maintaines a person in his Resolutions I likewise understand that the selfe same calling of God doth moue a man being called to accept the particular Providence of God in all things holding for certain that all are his works wherein his will doth particularly concurre And I understand that the Faith whereunto a man is called and the holy Spirit which by Faith is communicated unto him doe bring a man to content himselfe of every thing that befals him either good or evill holding it all for good to the intent that hee should sustaine himselfe in his certainty in which he could not maintain himselfe but by being brought to this passe And hence also I understand that for a pious person to resent himselfe of those things which happen amisse to him touching his body is not a signe that he hath not certification of Gods providence but that hee hath not reduced his minde to content himselfe of that which God doth And so I resolve my selfe in this matter that together with a mans attending unto the mortification of his Affections and of his appetites he ought to attend to reduce his minde to this conformity to the will of God For in this manner maintaining his own Resolutions in himselfe he shall also maintain the Certainty of Gods providence and shall likewise maintain himselfe in piety justice and holinesse which is got by believing on Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XXVIII For a man to assure himselfe of his Vocation FOrasmuch as I understand it doth greatly import that a man should be certain that he is called of God to the grace of the Gospell of Christ that is to the intent that believing in Christ he should obtain immortality and eternall life for this certainty works in him the resolution with the world and with himselfe and mortification by which he is maintained in his resolutions I come now to say that a person that shall not haue had a Vocation so evident so cleare and exterior as was that of S. Paul after the comming of the holy Spirit or as was that of the Apostles whilst Christ conversed with men nor so effectuall and powerfull as in some persons in whom although it be inward the effects are so evident as may serve for outward but shall have had a quiet and remisse Uocation as it is in those persons in whom it being inward and notable to shew it selfe by outward signes because they are of themselves outwardly moderate in their affections and appetites I say that such a person may certifie himselfe of his Uocation by the sense that he hath of his justification through Faith I would say that when a Pious person being moved unto Christian piety or having understood the motion shall doubt whether he were moved because he was called of God or that he was sollicited of his own selfe-loue finding in himselfe some sense of his justification by Faith that is of peace of conscience which they obtain who believing make Gods justice their own hee may well assure himselfe that his motion to piety was the Uocation of God and no designe of humane wisdome this being certaine that only they who are called of God doe feel in themselves the benefit of Gods justice executed on Christ Iesus CONSID. XXIX That to believe with difficulty is a signe of Vocation THE Easinesse with which they believe the matters of Christian Faith who believe by Opinion by Relation and by perswasion and the Difficulty with which they believe them who believe them by Inspiration Revelation hath led me to this Consideration that they who believe by Relation amongst some true things believe many false and are likewise more easie to belieue false things then true and they who belieue by Revelation belieue
created after the Image and similitude of God And a little after I read that pretending to get the image of God he became disobedient to God and was driven out of Earthly Paradise Whereupon understanding that the Image and similitude of God with which man was created was different from that which man in his depravation pretended I am come to consider that the Image of God with which a man was created is that which appertained to him as a man that which might stand and be received in him and that the Image of God which a man pretended unto is that which did not appertaine unto him as a Man that which is properly of God not being communicable to the creatures And albeit from the words which containe the creation of man there is only gathered that the Image of God with which he was created did consist in the superiority that he had overall other creatures neverthelesse by that which it seemes to me S. Paul felt and that which I see fulfilled in Christ and feele and see begun in them that are the members of Christ I understand that besides the superiority which the Scripture notes man was like unto God in as much as belongs to his minde in Piety Iustice and Holinesse and as much as belongs to his body in impassibility and in immortality In this I certify my selfe remembring that we recover by Christ that which we lost by Adam We lost by Adam Piety justice and Holinesse and we lost the impassibility and immortality of our bodies and by Christ we shall in this life recover piety justice and holinesse in our mindes and we shall recover in eternall life the impassibility and immortality of our bodies And because I see Christ being raifed impassible and immortall I have said that I see in him that compleat and perfect Image of God which man lost And because I feele that they who are the members of Christ being regenerated by the holy spirit have piety justice holinesse I have said that in them I see the Image of God begun to be repayred which the first man lost Of that Image of God which man pretended unto albeit from holy Scripture I cannot gather that it consisted but only in the knowledge of good and evill neverthelesse by that which I consider in every of those men who have not obtained the christian regeneration and properly by that which even they who have obtained it doe feele in themselves and know of themselves I understand that besides the knowledge of good evill which holy Scripture notes man pretended unto that Image of God which consisteth in the proper being of God who is of himselfe and gives being and life to every thing that is and lives and therefore loves himselfe and for himselfe loves all things and would be loved for himselfe and above all things and hath majesty and glory and omnipotency This I think understanding thus that since there yet liues in a man that cursed perswasion of the enemy of humane kinde there yet liues a rash pretence to obtain that image of God which only appertaines to God not being communicable with the Creatures Whence as I understand it proceeds that a man will not depend on others but on himself to which things he attends as much as is possible for him and that hee loues himselfe and loues all things for himselfe and pretends in every of his own matters his own proper glory and would put in execution every thing that comes into his appetite And from this selfe same fountain I understand proceed in a man those other things which are annexed unto these such as are proper estimation Ambition Vain-glory Anger Envy And I understand that in those men who haue obtained Christian regeneration by Christ so much doth the pretence to Gods image which belongs not to them goe abating as much as they goe recovering that which belongs to them in such manner that as Piety Iustice and Holinesse goe increasing in thē so doth selfe loue ambition and proper estimation arrogancy and their own rashnesse goe decreasing The incorporatiō wherewith they stand incorporated in Christ working this singular effect in them from which it comes that they are humble and obedient sonnes not presumptuous nor disobedient as was the first man To understand this better I set my selfe to consider between God and man the divell and Christ the selfe-same as between a Father and a presumptuous sonne an evill slaue and an obedient sonne And I understand that God did with man giving him his Image and similitude that which a father doth with his sonne giving unto him in his house an authority such as belongs to a son And that man did with God pretending unto the Image of God that which a presumptuous sonne doth with his Father that contents not himselfe with that degree which hee hath in his fathers house as a son but pretends and wills the degree which his father hath And that the Divell did that to man perswading him to become disobedient which an evill slaue doth toward his master procuring to sever his sonnes from his obedience to doe him displeasure and to ruine them And I understand that Christ did with God in contenting himselfe that on him should be executed the iustice of God that which an obedient son doth with his father contenting himselfe that his father should chastize him for that for which hee ought to chastize the other disobedient son to reduce him to his obedience to restore unto him in his house that degree and that dignity which belongs to a sonne From all that is said I take two resolutions The first that it belongs to the pious Christian to desist from the pretence of that Image and similitude of God which belongs not to him renouncing every desire to know all selfe loue all ambition all proper esteem all arrogancy and all presumptiō and to attend to recover intirely that Image and similitude of God which appertaines unto him demanding of God greater piety greater iustice and greater holinesse and demanding of him impassibility and immortality The second that to the pious Christian it belongs to know his reparation from the obedience of Christ and to know his depravation from the disobedience of Adam and so to leaue to imitate Adam and to attend to imitate Christ Who being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God but made himselfe of no reputation taking upon him the forme of a servant for which cause God hath exalted him and given him absolute power and superiority in Heaven and in Earth So much did availe before God the obedience and the humility of Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LXXIII That the union between God and mon is made by loue that loue growes from knowledge what a kind of thing knowledge loue union is SO far forth as I understand doth a man remain united with God in as much as a man Lo◅es God that if the
bound to give unto God They think of the Christian businesse that it is a living under the goverment of the holy spirit in holinesse and iustice And they think of the Gospell that it is a Proclamation that compriseth these two things Remission of sinnes and Iustification by Christ And the regiment and goverment of the holy spirit Of which two things they enioy who believing in Christ accept the Gospell From all this discourse I gather that they who understand Justification to be a fruit of Piety follow Plato and Aristotle And that they who understand Piety to be a fruit of iustification Iustification being a fruit of Faith follow S. Paul and S. Peter It is also gathered that this name Piety understood in the manner in which it is here understood it cannot be attributed to God because he owes no man any thing Nay on the contrary every one owes to him And that which he doth with us is not for piety is not for debt nor for obligation but for compassion for mercy and for liberality being in every thing towards us compassionate mercifull and liberall Which ought principally to be known in this that he put all our sinnes on his pretious son Iesus Christ our Lord to put on us the iustice of the selfesame Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XCVIII How that is to be understood that the holy Scripture saith attributing condemnation sometimes to infidelity and sometimes to evill works and salvation sometimes to Faith sometimes to good works AMongst those things in holy Scripture which give molestation to Christian persons who having faith feel within themselves the fruit of Faith that is Iustification and the fruit of justification that is the peace of conscience when they will examine with them their conceptions their spirituall feelings I hold for very principall this that feeling themselves justifi'd by Faith consequently with peace of conscience cannot understand for what cause Christ speaking of the day of Iudement saith that he will condemne some because they have not done well and will save others because they haue done well Nor for what cause S. Paul saith That God will render to every man according to his works Rom. 2. And S. Peter That God will iudge every one according to his works At which they so much the more marvell in as much as the same Christ saith that he that believes shall be saved and he that believes not shall be damned And the selfesame S. Paul saith that the Faith of the heart iustifieth and the confession of the mouth saveth And the selfesame S. Peter attributes the salvation of the soule to Faith And from their not understanding of this matter it comes to passe that every one of them thinks in this manner If God be to judge me according to my works there is no doubt but he will condemne me for there is not in them any goodnesse nay in those which seem best there is more contamination of selfe-loue interest and proper glory in such sort as if I be to be judged by my work it will goe ill with me Whereupon being desirous to take away this molestation and this scruple of Christian persons and spirituall and to salve the intelligence of the holy Scriptures in such sort as they should not contradict themselves I think thus That in good or evill works God cōsiders not the quantity but the quality which consisteth in the minde of him that doth the works in the thing wherein he implies it That this is true in evill workes needs no proofe and that it is true in good works is evident by that which Christ saith of them that cast their monies into the Treasury of the Temple praysing the minde of him that did the works And it is evident likewise by that which the selfesame Christ saith speaking of the day of judgement where he doth not say that hee will saue them who haue bin charitable simply but they that have been charitable with himselfe that is they who believing shall stand incorporated in him Whence it seems that Christ saith that he will saue them who haue used charity with him and condemne them that haue not used it Now it being cleer that they cannot work with a pious minde but only who are pious and holy nor can know Christ in his members to use charity towards him but they onely who appertain to the selfesame body of Christ it is clearely approved that none can work well work Christianly but those who are the members of Christ those who haue the spirit of Christ and are pious and holy and just and believe in Christ. And this being approved it is likewise approved that it is the selfesame in holy Scripture to say That men shall be saved by their good works and condemned by their evill works and to say That they shall be saved by their Faith and condemned by their Infidelity Whereupon Christian persons are to two things The one That they only work well for holding themselves justified by Christ they doe not pretend to justifie themselves by their own good works and so working they work purely for the loue of God and not for their own proper loue as those men work who not holding themselves justified by Christ pretend to justifie themselves by their own good works and so working for their own proper loue proper interest and not for the love of God they noe not work well for their works doe not please God cannot be called good works The other that God judging them according to their works will not put to their accompt the contamination that he shall know in them having pardoned them originall sin together with all that which they haue from this evill root And because he will put to their accompt the Faith which he shall haue given them and the purity that shall be in their works whether few or many in as much as they shall be the fruit of Faith And so God shall saue them shewing in the outward judgement that he saves them for their good works saving them indeed by the Faith which he shall have given them God shall iustifie the sentence with which he condemnes the impious superstitious and shall save the pious and holy alleaging the outward works of the one and the other the living with holinesse and iustice on the one part and the living with iniustice and impiety on the other part But this shall not be but for men who know not nor see not but in the outward And in the self same sentence they who know and see the inward the root whence this living working on the one part and this living and working on the other grow they being more then men by the Christian regeneration shall know that Faith hath saved them that shall be saved and that infidelity shall haue condemned them that shall be condemned Here may an impious person say to me willing to calumniate holy Scripture and a superstitious willing to canonize his own
Christ Iesus take this Treasure and thinke withall that the benefit lies not in having and possessing it but in the use and fruit that is thence to be gathered He hath made Consideration of these good things not to give nourishment to the imagination only but likewise to put in execution that which hath been considered and resolved on It is necessary indeed that wee should have the knowledge but it is necessary like wise to accompany the practice therewith in as much as the commendacommendation of every vâ—…rtue and art consisteth in the practice and in the performance of action agreeable to that vertue and Art And you that wast all your time idly in reading of Boccace his hundred Novelties and the like lay them a while aside and read these Considerations of Valdesso which are indeed truâ—… Novelties For in them is treated of that great Divine and ioyfull new and gladsome tydings of the Gospell of Iesus Christ of the great Pardon for sins of the Reconciliation made with God by the death of the Sonne of God Here you shall finde the true and holy Enamourments of God and of Christ with mankind Here you shall understand the true Embraces and the true Kisses given by meanes of the holy Spirit And last of all you shall here finde where the true delights and pleasures of those soules are which are enamoured of God and of Christ and disenamoured of the world And if happily the language seâ—…me not so spruce and dainty as that of Boccace call to minde that which great Paul the Apostle of Christ Iesus hath said that the Kingdome of God stands in the power of the Spirit and not in excellency of speech Howbeit to say truth neither is this manner of speech to be slighted For I verily find it exceeding proper and good to expresse that which is intended and that is the chiefe vertue of every Writer But I will here put an end to my discourse that I may no longer deprive you of the sacred reading of these divine Considerations which you also reading and that with diligence and praiers to God for me and all others shall take into due Consideration To the end that we may came all to be enamoured of Christ and incorporated in him as hee is incorporated in us To whom be Honour and Glory everlasting From Basill the 1 of MAY 1550. A TABLE OF THE HVNDRED AND TEN CONSIDERATIONS HOw it is to be understood That man was created after the Image and Likenesse of God 2 That mans happinesse consisteth in knowing God and that wee cannot know God except we first know Christ. 3 In what the Sonnes of God differ from the Sonnes of Adam 4 From whence the revengefull affection proceedes in men And what effects the long sufferance causeth wherewith God goes deferring the revenge of those iniuries which men doe unto him 5 The difficulty that is to enter into the Kingdome of God how it is to be entred and in what it consists 6 Two Depravations of man the one naturall the â—…ther acquisite 7 That God will that wee should remit unto him the execution of all our desires 8 The Covenant whiâ—…h Iesus Christ our Lord made between God and man 9 An excellent Priviledge of Piety 10 In what manner the estate of the Christian person that believes with difficulty is better then of that person â—…hat believes with ease 11 In what manner Gods being Iust doth râ—…dound to the profit of them that by Revelation believe in Christ. 12 In what manner the reason of our inward man serves us to that which the eyes of our outward man 13 A Comparison which sheweth in what the benefit which the Regeneration of mankind hath received from God by Christ Iesus doth consist 14 Amongst the things which Christian piety obligeth us to believe what that is which is believed with greatest difficulty 15 How Christian persons ought to governe themselve in their tribulations afflictions and troubles 16 That the promises of God belong to them who believe them 17 In what manner a man ought to resolve himselfe touching the world and touching himselfe that he may become a true Christian. 18 In what things that person ought to be exercised who pretends and desires to enter and to persevere in the Kingdome of God and what a man puts of his owne thereunto 19 That the Christian life consisteth in this that a man esteeme himselfe dead to the world and pretend to live to God 20 That in the infirmity amendment and health of the mind men ought to governe themselves as in those of the body 21 The difference of sinnes and sinners The obligatioâ—…s of piety The signes of piety and impiety 22 For what reason God gives a child unto a pious person and suddenly takes him away 23 That in him whom God disenamours of the world and enamours of himselfe the selfe same things be fall as doe to him that disenamours himselfe of one woman and emours himselfe of another 24 That those persons who are governed by the holy Spirit in their serving of God pretend to encrease in the love of God 25 In what sort pious persons are moved to put in execution the Justice of God 26 That the flesh whilst it is unregenerated flesh is the enemy of God and that Regeneration is properly the worke of the holy Spirit 27 That by Mortification a Christian man maintaines himselfe in his resolution and by reduoing of his mind to God he maintaines himselfe in the certainty of Gods Providence 28 For a man to assure himselfe of his Vocation 29 That to believe with difficulty is a signe of Uocation 30 That God in communicating spirituall things unto us dealeth as in giving us the fruits of the earth 31 That the livelinesse of affections is more dammageable then that of the Appetites and that it is necessary that both the one and the other should be mortified 32 In what consisteth the abuse and in what coâ—…sisteth the use of Images and of the holy Scriptures 33 In what manner through the patience and through the consolation of the Scriptures wee maintaine our selves in hope 34 In what doth consist the benefit which men have obtatned from God by Christ. 35 Whence it is that that difficulty comes which pious persons have to continue in that which appertaines to piety and justification 36 In what the Christian liberty doth consist hoâ—… it is knowne and how it is exercised 37 That they that know God by mens relation have a false opinion of him and they that know him by the holy spirit have a good 38 By a comparison is shewed in what the errour of false Christians doth consist and what thing that is which true Christians doe 39 That quickening answereth to mortification and the glory of the resurrection answereth to quickening 40 Two wills in God one mediate and another immediate 41 That God will that pious persons should know that all things are to come from him and that they
only true things and oâ—… falsities they admit none in such sort that the difficulty of believing is rather a signe of Vocation then the easinesse He that believes by Revelation believes as much as he feels and because in those things which he doth not feel he findes contradiction he believes that which is inspired and revealed unto him and yet not that alwaies but when the Revelation and Inspiration and the inward sense is liuely and intire They who obtain this Faith Christ calls them Blessed and these selfesame are the sonnes of God And this is the faith that alwaies leads Charity and Hope in its company and without which it is impossible to please God That which purifies the hearts makes them clean quickens them Of which our omnipotent God make us rich by Christ our Lord. CONSID. XXX That God in communicating spirituall things untâ—…â—…s dealeth as in giving the fruits of the earth SEtting my selfe sometimes to accompt with God I say unto him in this sort Wherefore Lord when you call a person to your kingdome doe you not make him presently feel his justification Doe you not presently giue him thâ—… holy Spirit which should rule and govern him And why doe you not show unto him your presence To this it seems to me that he makes answer to me saying For the selfe same cause that I doe not make the graine as soone as it is sowne to spring so that it may be reaped This say I is the curse of sin And this other matter saith he is also through the curse of sinne Againe say I Since you haue done it with S. Paul and with some others why doe you it not generally with all For the selfe same cause replies he that I haue sometimes given men bread to eat without causing it to grow by the ordinary way willing to shew my omnipotency both in the one and the other As those persons say I Lord to whom thou hast given bread by extraordinary waies doe more acknowledge that bread from thy liberality then those other who haue it by ordinary waies even so also all thine elect would more acknowledge all their inward gifts from thy liberality if so be thou wouldst doe with them that which thou didst with S. Paul rather then guîding them as thou guidest them by an ordinary way I will saith God that both the one and the other should acknowledge from me that which they obtain by the ordinary way that so much the more as it seemes to themselves that they get it by industry and labour For in this thing I will that they should mortifie the judgement of theîr humane wisdome which mortification should not be necessary if they had these things by extraordinary way I will haue the labourer to labour the ground and to sow his seed and I will that hee shall attribute to me the fruit of all his labours I will likewise that the spirituall persons labouring and travelling themselves should submit themselves to believe and to loue and that they should so get iustification and the holy Spirit and I will that they attribute all unto me And hold thou it for certain that as the labourer should proue himselfe very rash that should think to gather much grain having the water at his command when he pleased and the Sun when hee pleased so likewise should that spirituall person be very rash who would hope to encrease much in piety having the inspirations in his own power when he would Whereupon hold for certain that he doth take the better who freely in all things and every where leaues it for me to doe without opposing himselfe in any thing and without supposing to governe by himselfe that which ought to be governed by mee With these Considerations I put my minde in quiet when I finde it impatient and not well enduring to expect God remitting my selfe in all things and every where to my God being assured that he doth govern will govern me in this Christian businesse according to my necessity through his only begotten Son Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XXXI That the liuelinesse of Affections is more dammageable then that of the Appetites and that it is necessary that both the one and the other should be Mortified EXamining in what properly the Liuelinesse of Affections and of the Appetites doth consist and when this Liuelinesse doth offend and when it doth not offend and verifyâ—…g that the Liuelinesse of Affections consisteth in the inward satisfaction that is according to the flesh that is when a man abides aliue and vigorous in rellishing with the senses of his minde the things that belong to the world such as are honours done to him selfe-boastings and that which is principall his reputatlon fame And I understand that the Liuelinesse of Appetites consisteth in the outward satisfactions that is when a man abides aliue and vigorous to rellish with his fiue bodily senses the thingâ—… that delight and content the sensuality And resolving my selfe that this Liuelinesse of Affections and Appetites is then hurtfull when he who hath it knowes it not nor understands it or doth not hold it for a fault nor defect and that then it doth not hurt when he that hath it knowes it and understands it and holding it for a defect and vice goes by litle and litle refrayning and mortifying it I come to consider which of the twois most dammageable and most contrary to the holy Spirit either the Liuelinesse of Affections or of that of the Appetites In this resolution I come first considering that the Liuelinesse of Affections holds the inward man aliue in the things of the world and that the Liuelinesse of Appetites holds the outward man in things of the Flesh. And I understand that by how much the soule is more worthy then the Body by so much is the Liuelinesse of Affections more contrary to the spirit then that of the Flesh. Furthermore I consider in this matter A certain person goes to a feast for his own satisfaction I would say to satisfie his Appetites in seeing hearing smelling tasting touching and another person goes to comply with the world for the satisfaction of him that makes the Feast And it will seeme that in him that goes for his owne satisfaction there is greater Liuelinesse then in him that goes for others satisfaction and it is not true for if in him that goes for others satisfaction the Affections of his own proper estimation of the honour of the world were not aliue he would not goe in such sort that albeit he doth not goe being drawn by his Appetites yet hee goes being drawn by his own affections and by theirs whom he desires to please It being very true that that person that goes for his own satisfactioÌ„ satisfies his own Appetites and he that goes for others satisfaction satisfies his own Affections and others It is cleare that the satisfaction of the Affections is more dammageable and more contrary to the
considered foure countersignes whereby spirituall persons may discover whether he that comes unto them comes called of God or comes on his own designes being called by his own proper loue I would say whether he that despising that false religion which the men of the world follow would apply himselfe unto that true religion which the sonnes of God follow comes freed from the deceipt by his own wisdome and by his own humane reason or purely by the participation of the holy spirit For as I understand they who come to bee freed from the deceit of false religions by humane wisdome are alwaies impious and are pernitious to spirituall persons The first countersigne is The great affection to spirituall things being delighted in them and running after them with anxiety And I call spirituall things all those things which are properly of the holy spirit and are inward divine things such as are the reading of holy Scripture disâ—…urses of holy things continuall prayer and continuall adoration in the spirit that is for a man to bee contented with what ever God doth holding it for holy and for just and for good as much as the frailty of the flesh permits The second Countersigne is The totall abhorring of all those conversations and of all those readings of men and of books in which there is no part of the holy spirit to be seen For I understand that a man that hath truly tasted the conversation and the reading of those persons and of those books in which the holy spirit is cannot tast other men and other books and if hee doe rellish them it is a signe he hath not tasted those other The third Countersigne is To approue the things of the holy Spirit the conceits and the knowledges and the apprehensions that are obtained by the holy spirit and that with the minde and not with the wit Humane wisdome doth sometimes approue spirituall things not with the minde but with the wit and by opinion not by inward sense And I understand it that a man that hath the inward feeling doth easily know when one approves it with his minde or with his wit The fourth Countersigne is The Mortification of the minde and of the body of the minde in all the affections that are according to the world amongst which I put especially Curiosity in what way soever it come palliated and adorned and of the body in all the appetites that are according to the flesh Humane wisdome approues and teacheth mortification but however much it approue and teach it there never was yet nor never shall be man that without the Christian spirit I would say without remaining incorporated in Christ can obtaine it in such sort that it may not be easily discerned by him that shall in part haue got it by Iesus Christ our Lord. And therefore I resolve my selfe in this that pious and Christian persons may securely admit unto their conversation and acquaintance those men whom they shall see affectioned unto spirituall things drawn away and disenamoured from those things in which the holy spirit hath no part and those of whom they shall see the things of the holy spirit to be approved and in whom they shall see true mortification holding for certain that humane wisdome and humane craft sufficeth not to feigne nor to dissemble in all these things although it suffice for some of them even in this not altogether but in part And this part is easily discovered by pious persons and Christian to whom it appertaines to use the Serpentine wisdome in such sort that making use of these foure Countersignes they shall know those who come unto them making shew of sheep being indeed wolves and so doing they shall make use of that help which Iesus Christ our Lord gives CONSID. XLVIII That hee who prayes and workes and understands doth then pray worke and understand as hee ought when hee is inspired to pray to worke and to understand S. Paul in the 8 to the Romans understands that Prayer is one amongst those other things wherein in our weaknesses and infirmities wee are favoured of God and helped by the Spirit of God And so hee saith that we not knowing how to pray as wee ought the Spirit of God prayeth for us Whereby I understand that then holy Spirit prayes for us when it moves us and when it moves us to pray for then it prayes in us And I understand that he who prayes with the Spirit of God demands that which is the will of God and so hee doth obtaine what he will And he who praies with his owne Spirit demands that which is his owne will wherein consisteth the not knowing neither what nor how we ought to pray Mans minde is presumptuous and arrogant and not willing to yield that it knowes not what nor how it ought to pray saith I will crave of God that hee should doe his owne will and so I cannot erre and doth not consider that to pray in this manner comes because a man cannot choose and that peradventure it would not goe well with him nor is convenient that God should doe his will as it was not convenient for Ezekias when death was intimated unto him and that he doth not know how he shall content himselfe and conforme with the will of God But man not willing to give himselfe as overcome no not by this neither saith I will demand of God that he would cause that I should content my selfe with that which shall be his will and so I shall be sure to hit the marke and doth not consider that oftentimes it is better for a man not to content himselfe nor to conforme himselfe with Gods will as it was better for Hezekias and as it is better for those persons who grieving and resenting themselves for that which God doth come to re-acknowledge themselves and to know God and to humble themselves and to exalt God in such sort as will they nill they mans mind is forced to confesse that which S. Paul saith that we know not what nor how wee ought to pray And he who confesseth this understanding from the selfe same S. Paul that the Spirit of God praies for us and in us will apply himselfe to pray God that he would give him his Spirit to pray for him and in him When he that prayes by humane Spirit saith those words of the Pater noster Thy will be done albeit they be words spoken with the Spirit of God he doth not pray with the Spirit of God because hee doth not pray being inspired but taught And S. Paul doth not say That the holy Spirit teacheth us to pray but that he prayes by us and that hee prayes in us I will adde this That they who pray with their owne proper Spirit when they obtaine that which they demand in Prayer they feele in their minds a contentednesse mixed with pride and with selfe estimation and they who pray with the holy Spirit obtaining that which they demand
in their Prayers feele a most excessive content mingled with humility and with Mortification And I hold that these feelings are sufficient to give a person intire knowledge whether hee pray with his owne Spirit or with the holy Spirit It is very true that in case a man have never prayed with the holy Spirit he cannot make this difference Cornelius prayed with the holy Spirit before S. Peter went to his house yet he did not understand that hee prayed with the holy Spirit But hee understood it afterward when by S. Peter's meanes hee had obtained of God even more then he pretended I meane not more then the Spirit of God which prayed by him and in him but more then Cornelius himselfe pretended unto in his owne minde in such sort that oftentimes the Spirit of God prayes in us and by us without our knowledge that it is the holy Spirit that prayeth and what that thing is which in Prayer is demanded The selfe same I understand in working as in Prayer For S. Paul likewise puts them for gifts of the holy Spirit to minister that is to doe service to our Neighbour and the exercise of Charity And I understand that because wee doe not know not how nor when to worke God gives us his Spirit that should worke in us Humane wisdome that alwaies opposeth it selfe to the Spirit of God pretends to know how to worke and when it doth worke it workes for its owne proper benefit it workes for its owne proper glory and for its owne proper satisfaction and not purely for the benefits of his Neighbour not for Gods glory not for the satisfaction of them that love God and therefore it knoweth not nor how nor when it ought to worke On the contrary the Spirit of God workes for the profit of the Neighbour for the satisfaction of them that love God and it workes for the glory of God When he that workes by humane Spirit imitateth the workes of holy men followes the doctrine of the Saints I doe not understand that he workes with the holy Spirit but with his owne proper Spirit because hee doth not worke being inspired but taught And S. Paul saith that it is a gift of the holy Spirit to worke by the holy Spirit They who worke with humane wisdome finde content in their owne workes but mingled with arrogancy and with presumption And they who worke with the holy Spirit finde likewise content in their owne workes but most different and mingled with humility and Mortification In such sort as a person examining his minde after hee hath wrought may by his consideration understand whether it bee humane wisdome that hath wrought in them or the Spirit of God It is very true that he who hath never wrought with the Spirit of God cannot make this difference In Cornelius I consider the selfe same in his working as I have done in his Prayer He did worke with the holy Spirit but he did not understand that it was the holy Spirit and he understood it when he saw and felt in himselfe that which arose from his working And betweene that which Cornelius wrought and prayed with the holy Spirit before hee knew Christ and received the holy Spirit and that which he prayed and wrought with the holy Spirit after that he had knowne Christ and received the holy Spirit I make this difference that at the first praying and working he did not understand that hee prayed and wrought by the holy Spirit That which I understand in praying and working I understand likewise in the acknowledgments of God and in the understanding of holy Scripture considering that S. Paul sets also these understandings for gifts of the holy Ghost understanding that humane wisdome not knowing how to understand the things of the Spirit of God God gives his spirit unto them who are his to the intent he may teach them those things Mans minde is proud and haughty in this point as in all others whereupon putting it selfe before the holy spirit it goes helping it selfe as much as it may to gaine by its owne proper understanding and judgment the knowledge of God and the understanding of Scriptures And it is a marveilous thing that how much it labours theâ—…ein so much more it dis-enables it selfe taking and understanding the things of God and of the spirit of God in a contrary sense and by the contrary They who understand and know the holy Spirit by how much more they apply themselves to understand and know by so much doe they know and understand the more When as he who knowes and understands the things of God goes about with his owne proper wit and his proper judgment albeit hee doe understand that which the Saints have understood yet I doe not understand that hee knowes and understands with the holy spirit but with humane wisdome understanding and knowing as being taught and not inspired And S. Paul makes it to be a gift of the holy spirit to know the holy spirit He who knowes and understands the things of God with his owne proper wit and judgment findes the same satisfaction that he findes in other knowledges and in other understandings of humane things and of the writings of men and with this satisfaction looking upon it he feeles pride and selfe-esteeme in his owne minde And he that understands and knowes with the holy spirit findes in that which hee knowes and understands most different satisfaction from that which hee findes in those other things which hee knowes and understands and findes in his minde Humility and Mortification in such sort that by the feeling which a person findes in his owne minde when hee shall have got a knowledge of God and when hee shall have understood a place of holy Scripture hee may Iudge if hee have gained that knowledge and that understanding with his proper wit and Iudgment or with the spirit of God If so be the feeling shall be of pride and of selfe esteeme judging that what he hath knowne and understood is with his owne wit and Iudgment he shall not firme himselfe therein And if the feeling shall be of Humility Mortification judging that what he hath knowne and understood is with the holy spirit he shall firme himselfe and fortify himselfe in it It is very true that he who hath never known nor understood with the holy spirit cannot make this difference From these three considerations I come to take this resolution that as well to pray as is meete as to worke and to know and understand and as for all other things also in which we exercise our selves with our minds or with our bodies in this present life we have need of the government of the spirit of God without which although it be grievous to us we ought to confesse that we know not to pray as we ought and that we know not to know and understand as we ought With this confession wee shall alwaies demande of God his holy Spirit and
selfsame pretending to satisfie his appetites with Barsabe◅ caused her husband to be s◅aine and did with the wife what pleased him to which matter God set no impediment at all In like manner S. Peter not pretending piety denyed Christ and God consented it to him and pretending piety he would not converse with the Gentils and God did not consent to it As likewise he did not consent to it that S. Paul should goe where he pretending piety would haue gone untill that pretence of his became not his but of the holy spirit which abode in him And I hold it certain that the most continuall and ordinary temptation with which pious persons are tempted is this of pretending piety in which the Angell of Satan transfigures himselfe into an Angell of light making that to seem piety which is no piety But pious persons may comfort themselves with two things The one is that against the temptations of the Angels of Satan they haue the illustrations of the holy spirit who discovers the deceit of the malignant spirit And the other is that God useth to restrain with his hand pious persons that they should not fall into this kinde of errour it being so much contrary unto true piety And together herewith pious persons ought alwaies to stand watchfull in such manner as the Angell of Satan comming transfigured into an Angell of light they may know him guard themselves from him Three things here offer themselves to me The first seeing the errour is so great which is committed pretending piety every man ought to goe with more regard to doe those things with which he pretends piety then to doe things with which hee pretends his proper satisfaction The second that those persons which are elected of God doe not erre pretending piety through the illustration which they haue of the holy spirit and because God restraines them with his hand It is a great signe of piety and of the election of God not to erre pretending piety And the third that then a man erres pretending piety when he doth a thing wherewith by himselfe alone he thinks to satisfie God to oblige God As if I should chastise my body not with that intent with which Saint Paul saith he chastised his that is to hold it in servitude and subjection to his spirit but with intent to merit by that chastisement which I doe on myselfe Amplifying this cōparison throughout all the outward things which men doe it is understood when they erre pretending piety And I return to say that he who shall feel himselfe directed by that way through which hee doth not erre pretending piety he may certifie himselfe that he is the sonne of God and consequently Brother of the onely begotten sonne of God Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LXXX What Gods intent is demanding of men that which of themselves alone they cannot giue him And why he giues them not at once all that which he will giue them VNderstanding that it is true in effect that men who see with the eyes of humane wisdome hold it for injustice and cruelty in God that hee demands of men things which they of themselves alone cannot giue him such as are The loue with all the heart even in the time of the law and the Faith of the heart in the time of the Gospell which are two things which a man is of himselfe as able to giue unto God as he is able to touch heaven with his hand And understanding likewise as it is in effect true that the men who see with the eyes of the holy spirit doe in the selfe same demand and through the selfesame demand know mercy and piety in God And they should haue known altogether the contrary in him if so be hee should demand things that men could giue unto him with ease And setting my self to consider whence these two so contrary judgements proceed which humane wisdome and Gods holy spirit make conce◅ing this demand of God I haue understood that the judgement which humane wisdome makes proceeds from the not knowing the being of God and the not knowing the being of man and that the judgement which the holy spirit makes proceeds from the knowledge of Gods being and the being of man And it is certain that because humane wisdome knows not the being of God it proceeds that seeing he demands of men that which they cannot giue it judgeth that he doth this to condemne them as it would of one of the Princes of this world who sould require of his subject◅ that they should not sleep for a whole yeare setting a penalty if so be they did sleep And because humane wisdome knows not the being of a man it proceeds that it would hold it for a better and more profitable thing for a man that God should rather require of him that which he can give rather then that which he cannot giue even as it judgeth and holds for better that a Prince of the world should demand of his vassalls rather that which they can giue him with ease then that which they cannot give him though with difficulty And it is also true that from the knowledge which the spirit of God hath of Gods being it proceeds that not judging of him that which of the Princes of the world it knowes that he demanding of men that which they cannot give him he doth it not to condemne them but to save them and that from the knowledge which the holy Spirit hath of the being of man it proceeds that knowing that he in himselfe is so arrogant that if God should demand of him for his salvation things that he could with facility giue of himselfe he would enter into such pride when he had given them that by the selfe-same way whereby he thought to obtain salvation hee would get condemnation he comes to know that the intent with which God demands of men that which of themselves they cannot giue him is not to condemn thē as humane wisdome judgeth neither is it to difficult their salvation as the selfesame humane wisdome judgeth which hereupon holds God for unjust and for cruell but it is to saue them and to facilitate their salvation God doing this to the intent that men proving to loue God with all their heart he knowing their impossibility in the one and in the other matter should haue recourse to God demanding of him both the one thing and the other to the intent God may giue them both the one thing and the other and they giving to God the one thing and the other may obtain that felicity which they desire not for that which they are of themselves but for that which they are through God In such manner that with much reason not humane but divine men that see with the holy spirit know mercy and piety in God considering that he demands from men that which they cannot giue him of themselves and they would know cruelty in God when he should demand of them that