thousand times Luther in Gal. cap. 5. that he would become a better man yet after all his vowes he perceived no impreouement or bettering of himselfe Now in that he was not better he was imperfect but in as much as be desired carnestly and endeavoured to be a better man he was perfect Bern. uhi supro For as Saint Bernard saith Indefessum proficiendi studium jugis conatus ad perfectionens perfectio reputatur An indefatigable desire of profiting and continwall endeavouring to be perfect is perfection Wee desire to be vertuous holy and good but are not such as we desire to be and therefore St. Augustine saith Aug. 1. cp Ioan. ca. 3. Tota vita boni Christiani sanctum desiderium est the whole life of a Christian is an holy desire but if there be in us a desire a readie and willing mind God will accept of that from us which he himselfe hath wrought in us If through 〈…〉 of Christ sanctifying of us and renewâ—â—◠〈…〉 God 's image we bring forth the fruits of the Spirit Rom. 7.6 walking in newnesse of Spirit and not in the oldnesse of the Letter then are we perfect according to the state of this life If we walke in the Spirit Gal. 5.16 striving against sinne and the flesh wrastling with Satan and the world obeying the secret motions and sweet invitations of grace then are wee perfect Aug. de doct Christ 3.39 quanturn in hac vita as St. Augustine speakes with such a measure of perfection as is attaineable in this life If so be then we referre our whole life to God and his glorie if wee endeavour and studie to walke in the Spirit and to bring forth abundantly the fruits of the Spirit then are wee perfect for wee keepe the Law seeing the righteousnesse of the Law is fulfilled in them Rom. 8.3 who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit And if wee doe this what is it but to doe the will of God but to please God but to hearken unto the voice of God speaking to Abraham the. Father of the faithfull and in him to all that be of the faith of Abraham Ger. 17.1 saying I am the almightie God walke thou before me and be thou prefect CHAP. XXXII Of Perseverance PErseverance is a stable and firme continuance in grace and righteousnesse And it is a singular gift of God not to be acquired by humane meanes or merits It is a rare and admirable vertue which the old Philosophers and Sages of the world could not well understand and no marvaile seeing Adam adorned with such ornaments of grace did not learne it in Paradise Now this singular gift and rare endowment is necessarily required to the consummating of our perfection by inherent righteousnesse This the first Adam wanted this the second Adam in whom is the fulnesse of all grace freely conferreth and bestoweth on us and therefore Fulgentius saith well Per illum amisimus priorem gratiam peristum recepimus ampliorem Fulg. ferm de dup nat By him the first Adam wee lost the former grace by this the second Adam we haue received more ample grace Although Adam was perfect and righteous in the day he was created yet for want of perseverance hee became imperfect and unrighteous whereupon St. Augustine noteth thus much Etsi peceatum in solo libero arbitrio erat constitutum Aug. Ench. ad Laur. cap. 106. 〈◊〉 temen retinen dae justitiaesufficieâ—at solum liberuâ—â— arbitrium nisi participatione immuâ—abilis boni divinam adintorium praberetur Although sinne stood in the free will alone yet the free will alone was not sufficient to retaine righteousnesse unlesse divine ayde was affâ—â—â—ded by partaking of the unchangeable good So that as without perseverance we cannot hold on our way and retaine righteousnesse so neither without it can wee be perfected and consummate in righteousnesse Hell is full of good purposes but no performances of good be there therefore now let us not be wearie of well-doing for in due season we shall reape an eternall reward Let us not be like to pope Eugenius to whom St. Bernard saith Bern. de consid ad Eug. li. cap. 1. Vbi incipis ibi desicis where thou beginnest there thou endest When we purpose to ascend up into the tabernacle of the Lord and climbe up the craggie rocke of vertue wee must not delay and conferre with flesh and bloud or stand to parley with the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is no fit time to sit downe and demurre for as St. Ambrose saith Dum cunctaris dubitas iter quod ingressus es perdidisti whilst thou delayest and doubtest Ambr. in sest Cathedrae S d Petri. thou hast lost thy journey which thou didst begin The traveller by holding on his way with patience at length commeth to his inne the little bird carrying at hee bill a little clay or straw and such like matter by little and little at length sinisheth her nest the Merchant patiently holding on his course amids many stornes and tempests and other dangers at Sea at length commeth to the Haven where he would be the painefull Mason by laying stone upon stone in continding his labour at length erects a stately and goodly building Now if diligent perseverance be able to doe these things being assisted by nature how much more powerfull shall he be in spirituall affaires being assisted by grace Oh let us be constant immoveable alwayes abounding in the workes of righteousnesse let us not faint nor fayle in doing well that we may obtaine an inheritance which faileth not let us by patient continuance in well doing seeke for honour and glorie and immortalitie Rom. 2.7 then shall God render unto us eternall life Christ is the forerunner Heb. 6.20 we must with the Apostle Philip. 3. ver 12. follow after and that with all diligence and constant perseverance Bern. ep 254. for as St. Bernard saith Quid prodest Christum sequi si non contingat rensequi What will it avaite us to follow after Christ if happily we overtake him not Though thou run never so if thou continuest not unto death saith he Bravium non apprehendis Bravium Christus est thou layest not hold on the prize the prize is Christ Wherefore if hee running on thou makest a stand thou commest not nearer unto him but setrest thy selfe further off from him Surely the faithfull and zealous follower will runne and not be wearie the righteous will hold on his way saith Iob Iob 17.9 and he that hath cleane hands shall be stronger and stronger But you haue neede of patience saith the Apostle that after you haue done the will of God you might receiue the promise Vt perseveret is in agonè Amb. in Heb. cap. 10. v. 36. do nec recipiatis coronam condignam labori vestro saith S. Ambrose you haue neede of patience that yee may persevere in the combat untill yee receine a
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
departure from them and comming againe unto them he saith Joh. 14. v. 29. and this haue I told you before it is come to passe that when it is come to passe yee might beleeue Now wee may not thinke that the Apostles beleeved not before because Christ said that yee might beleeue but as St. Augustine expounds it Aug. in Ioan. tract 79. Creditur autem hoc non â—â—de nova sedaucta this is beleeved not by a new faith but by saith increased For in every vertue and consequently in faith there be three things remarkable First initium secondly incrementum thirdly complementum First the beginning secondly the growth or increase thirdly the fulnesse and perfection Faith is begun in spirituall babes or infants growes and increaseth in proficients is full and perfect in men of ripe yeares who dare boldly considently say as it is written Let us draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith Hebr. 10.22 having our hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience and our bodies washed with pure water CHAP. XXI Of righteousnesse inherent and first of righteousnesse according to morall Philosophie THat I may treat of this argument with more perspicuitie to be better understood it is not amisse to follow that old Pule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that will teach well must first looke into the names of those things whereof he treateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Eth. 2. cap. 7. For seeing there are more things than names and consequently many things without names hence it coÌ„meth to passe that there be many names equivocall signifying more things than one whereby the understanding is apt to be deceived Wherefore it is necessary to consider what is meant by that righteousnesse whereof I am now to speake In the schoole of humane philosophie wee are taught that there be three things in the soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is passions powers habits Arist eth 2.4 Now it is not of passions or powers but of habits that we are called vertuous or vicious good or evill And amongst habits is ranked Righteousnesse by which men worke righteousnesse desiring and doing those things that are just And this is taken ambiguously either for a particular vertue or a generall for a particular vertue as when it is made one of the foure cardinall vertues and so distinguished from prudence temperance and fortitude Cicero Offic. 1. as you haue it in the Oratour and in St. Bernard Bern. de confid ad Eug. li. 1. cap. 8. saying Modum justitia quaerit prudentia invenit fortitudo vendicat temperantia possidet justice seekes mediocritie prudence findes it fortitude challengeth it temper ance possesseth it Otherwhile it is taken for a generall vertue a panarie or cornucopia of vertues Whereupon Aristotle saith Arist Eth. 5. cap. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not a particular kinde of vertue but an universall vertue according to that of Theognis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In righteousnesse all vertue is summarily comprised The consideration hereof mooved the Philosopher to magnific it and adorne it with that encomium Arist Eth. 5. cap. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither is the glorious evening starre nor Lucifer the bright morning starre so wondered at and admired of men as the vertue of righteousnesse which if wee could behold with mortall eyes it would ravish and bewitch us with the loue of it So greatly so highly did the pagan Philosopher extoll the morall vertue of righteousnesse CHAP. XXII How Christian inherent righteousnesse differeth from morall righteousnesse CHristian righteousnesse excelleth morall righteousnesse as much as supernaturall things things naturall as heavenly things earthly as the spirit the flesh Morall righteousnesse coÌ„meth short of Christian inherent righteousnesse two wayes First Quoad rectum principium secondly quoad debitum finem first in respect of the procreant cause secondly in regard of the due end Out of what fountaine flowes humane righteousnesse Surely from humane instruction humane motiues meanes and industrie But our inherent righteousnesse flowes from GOD the onely fountaine of all true good and is by him infused into our hearts through the powerfull operation of his sanctifying Spirit What was the end which the pagan Philosophers aimed at in the exercise of morall righteousnesse Was it any other than that of the vaine-glorious Pharisees in the Gospell the praise of men and their owne glorie But the end which we aime at in our good works is the true end Finis ultimus ultimatus the last end even Gods glory the very butte and marke whereat we shoote the arrowes of all our pious endeavours and holy actions according to that most excellent rule of the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether yee eate or drinke or what soever you doe doe all to the glorie of God Againe Christian inherent right cousnesse is notably distingnished from morall righteousnesse for morall righteousnesse is acquired by many precedent acts of ventue according to 〈◊〉 Act les Rule Arist Eth. li. 2. cap. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habits are gotten by semblable acts and operations But in righteousnesse inherent it is farre otherwise for the habit is first infused of God not acquired by man or humane meanes then from the habit so infused flow many subsequent acts of righteousnesse even all good workes The man must be righteous before his worke be righteous we must be arbaresy ustitis Esay 61.3 trees of righteousnesse before wee can bring forth the fruits of righteousnesse Math. 7.17 the good tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt tree emill fruit from hence our Saviour inferres this conclusion Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them Now inherent righteousnesse complies with morall righteousnesse in this that it is some times taken for a partioular vertue respecting onely our neigh bour as the proper object thereof and so the Apostle hath it Tit. 2.12 where he saith The Grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaohing us that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts wee should liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world There righteousnesse towards man is distinguished from prery towards God and sobrietie in our selues Sometimes it is taken for a generall vertue comprehending many vertues in it so Moses useth it saying Deut. 6.25 And it shall be our righteousnesse if wee obserue to doe all these Commandements before the Lord our God as He hath commanded us Where righteousnesse hath for the proper adequate object thereof God man and our selues Thus St. Peter taketh it after he had said that God is no respecter persons he addes this proose Act. 10.35 But in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him So our blessed Saviour seemes to take it Math. 6.33 Secke yee first the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and so St. Iohn If yee know that he is righteous 1 Ioh. 2. v. 29. you know that
we that dath righteousnesse is borne of him and in the same Eplistle He that doth righteousnesse is righteous as He is righteous In this fense the Trumpet of grace teâ—â—eth the Law the Law of righteousnesse saying of the Iewes Rom. 9.31 〈◊〉 Israel which followed after the Law of righteousnesse hath not attained unto the Law of righteousnesse So God by Ezechiel Ezech. 18.20 The righteousnesse of the righteous shall be upon him and after speaking of the reformed penitent vers 22. In his rightenousnesse that he hath done he shall liue Where he implies all duties of obedience injoyned in the Law to be the way unto life according to that of Moses Levit. 18. â—â— He that doth them shall line in them CHAP. XXIII Of the nature of inherent righteousnesse AS the will of man was depraved and became imperfect through the losse of originall righteousnesse in the state of innocency so it must be in some measure perfected by inherent righteousnesse beforeman be fitted and prepared to passe from the stare of grace unto the state of glorie Inherent righteousnesse called sometimes by Divines regeneration or renovation or inchoation of a new life in us is a supernaturall gift and singular endowment powred into our hearts by God through the operation of his Spirit And by meanes of this habituall endowment wee are inclined and disposed to doe well to obey Gods will to doe those things that are just to be fruitfull in good workes and to worke all righteousnesse And so by degrees we haue Gods image renewed in us and put on the coate which Adam put off for by this meanes wee put on that new man which after God is created in right cousnesse and true Holinesse Ephes 4.24 Now by this righteousnesse we are truely and really just though imperfectly and it is called our owne righteousnesse to distinguish it from the imputed righteousnes of Christ Iesus which is every way most perfect and absolute The chosen vessell of mercie calls it our owne righteousnesse Zanch. in cap. 3. ad Philop. And this he doth as Zanchic observeth for two causes First because it is really and truely infused into our hearts of God by his Spirit and so is made ours Secondly because the actions of pietie equitie temperance and all righteousnesse flowing from it are performed by us For God by his grace giues us a will and desire to serue him and feare him and to doe righteously but it is we that will and desire it is we that serue God and feare him and doe the workes of righteousnesse CHAP. XXIIII Of the fruit of inherent Iustice IF we would goe on still unto perfection we must bring forth the fruit of inherent justice we must walke in the way of actuall righteousnesse and be ever found in the practise of vertue and exercise of good workes we must not suffer the heavenly fire enkindled in our hearts to goe out and die but blow it up daily by vertuous operations and actions Habituall righteousnesse is that roote of grace the branches whereof are holy desires and endeavours and the fruits growing on them are good workes wherein wee must labour to abound that so as St. Peter saith 2 Pet. 1 1â— An abundant entrance may be ministred unto us into the everlasting kingdome of our Lord and Savlour Iesus Christ Now as we see the Rose growing on the branches and crop it for the fragrant smell and other uses but the roote in the ground is hid and wee see it not So the roote of righteousnesse is hid in the heart and seene onely of God who onely is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the understander of the heart before whom all things are naked and bare even the thoughts of men and Angells but the fruit of good workes is seene of men and is profitable to the doers and to them that see them Yea by them we are declaratorily justified before men and reputed just in the judgement of the Church as Zacharie and Elizabeth were in the Synagogue Act. 1.6 For this cause our blessed Saviour stirreth up and exhorteth his Disciples to the practise and exercise of good workes Math. 5.16 saying unto them Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heaven If wee be living branches abiding in thetrue Vine let us giue eare unto the Vine saying unto us Joh. 15.7.5.8 I am the Vine and yee are the branches He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit And after Herein is my Father glorified that yee beare much fruit so shall you be my Disciples Here Christ insinuateth that if wee be in him we must bring forth fruit yea much fruit many good workes laying up in store for our selues a good foundation against the time to come 1 Tim. 6.18 that we may lay hold on eternall life We must not verbally only but really professe Christ we must not say Lord Lord but doe what he bids us Marcus Aurelius observeth that the old Greekes were wont to speake much Mar. Auret cap. 8. and doe little but the ancient Romanes were wont to speake little and doe much Let not us Christians be like the talkatiue Grecians but the actiue Romanes let not us be good speakers and ill doers like unto the Philosopher in Gellius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A. Gell. li. 17. cap. 19. factis procul verbis tenus all words and no deeds least we be no better than the figge treegrowing betweene Hierusalem and Bethany which bare leaues and no fruit and therefore was accursed of Christ It is not suitable to be called Christians and in our liues to imitate pagans Non sufficit nobis nomen Christianum Amb. in serm de ascen Dom. quod accepimus si non opera bona Christiani fecerimus saith St. Ambrose the name of Christian which we haue taken on us is not sufficient for us unlesse wee doe the good workes of a Christian What shall the name availe us without workes correspondent Nomenhabes factum non habes saith St. Augustine Aug. in 1. ep Ioan. c. 3. v. 17 thou hast the name but not the deede thou sayest well and doest ill thou wearest Christs liverie and vauntest of the cognisance of his name but indeede thou servest Satan and doest the workes of the Devill and doest the workes of the Devill and art unlesse thou repent to be ranked amongst those miserable for lorne hypocrites of whom St. Paul writes to the Bishop of Crete saying They professe they know God Tit. 2.16 but in workes they denie Him being abhominable and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate CHAP. XXV Of the nature and qualitie of good workes MAnuall Artists doe by a certaine rule trie and examine their worke whether it be right or wrong even so in Religion wee trie and examine our morall actions by the Law of GOD as an infallible rule