the naturall goods For whereas a man is a reasonable creature and sinne is a worke made against nature and it is naturall that euery contrary destroy his opposit it followeth that by how much more our sinns are multiplied by so much the powers of the soule are destroyed troubled not in themselues but in theyr toward workings After this manner doe sinnes make the soule miserable infirme slowe and instable to all goodnes but ready and prompt to all euill they make her weake to resist temptations and slowe to walke the way of the commaundements of our Lord. They also depriue her of thâ— true liberty and domâ—nion of the Spirit and make her captiue to the world the deuill the flesh and her owne appetites and after this manner shee liueth in harder captiuitie then that of Babylon or Egypt Besides all the spirituall sences of the minde are made slow so that they neither heare the voyces and diuine inspirations neither see the great euâ—ls that are prepared for them neither smell the sweet odor of vertue nor the woorthy examples of the Saints nor taste how sweet our lord is nor feele his scourges nor acknowledge his benefites by which he prouoketh theÌ„ to loue And besides all this they take away the peace ioy of conscience extinguish the feruor of the Spirit and leaue a man defiled lothsome deformed abhominable in the sight of God and all his Saints This benefite deliuereth vs from all these euils For the Abiss of diuine mercy is not content to haue pardoned our sinnes and to haue receiued man into his fauour except hee also expell all those euills which sinnes bring with them reforming renewing our inward man After thys manner he healeth our woundes hee washeth our vncleannes he breaketh the bonds of sinners destroyeth the yoake of euill desires deliuereth vs froÌ„ the seruitude of the deuil mittigateth the fury of our peruerse affections restoreth vnto vs the tru liberty pulchritude of the soule giueth vs peace ioy of good conscience quickneth our interior sences maketh them prompt to doe all goodnes slow to all wickednes He maketh them strong to resist temptations of the deuill endoweth them with good works To conclude so absolutely renueth hee and repaireth he our interiour man with all his powers as the Apostle feareth not to call such kind of men iustified renewed or rather newâ— creatures This renouation is so great that when it is giuen by Baptisme it is called regeneration and when it is restored by repentance it is called resurrection not onely because the soule is raised from the death of sinne to the life of grace but because in a certaine manner it imitateth the beauty of the future resurrection And that is so true that no tongue of man is sufficient to expresse the beauty of the iustified soule but only that spirit knoweth this that beautifieth the same and maketh it his temple lodgeth himselfe in it Wherefore if thou compare all the ritches of this world all his honours all his naturall graces and all his acquired vertues with the beautie and ritches of the soule that is iustified all of them shall seeme most obscure vild in comparison thereof For as great difference as there is betwixt heauen and earth betweene the spirit and the bodie betweene eternity and time so great also is founde betwixt the life of grace the lyfe of nature between the beauty of the soule and of the body betwixt the interior and exterior riches betweene spirituall and naturall fortitude For all these are circumscribed by certaine termes are temporall and seeme only faire to the out ward eye to which the generall concourse of God is sufficient but to those other a perticuler supernaturall concourse is required neyther can they be called temporall where as they bring to eternity neither any wayes termed finite beâ—ause they deserue God in whose eyes they are so precious and of such value that by theyr beautie they prouoke God himselfe to loue But whereas God might worke all these thinges by his onely presence he would not doe it but it pleased him to adorne the soule with infused vertues and with the 7. dowers of the holie Spirit with which not onelâ— the very essence of the soule it selfe but also all the powers thereof are inuested and adorned with these diuine habits Besides all these diuine benefites that eternall and infinite goodnesse of God annexeth an other namely the presence of the holy ghost or rather of the whole blessed Trinitie which entreth into the iustified soule and commeth to inhabite in the same that it may teach her how to vse in due sort so great riches Like to a good Father who not content to haue giuen his riches to his sonne giueth him a tutor also who knoweth howe to administer them well So that euen as in the soule of a sinner Vipers Dragons and Serpents inhabite who are the multitude of malignant spirits who haue taken vp their lodging in such a soule as our Sauiour in S. Mathew affirmeth So contrariwise into the iustified soule the holy Ghost with the whole sacred Trinitie doe enter and casting out all monsters and infernall beasts consecrateth the same for a temple for himselfe and placeth his seate there As our Lorde himselfe expresly testifieth in the gospell written by Saint Iohn saying If any man loue mee hee wil obserue my sayings and my Father shall loue him and we will com vnto him make our mansion with him By vertue of these wordes all the Doctors as well Ecclesiasticall as Scholasticall doe confesse that the holy Ghost himselfe truly and after a certaine speciall manner dooth dwell in the iustified soule distinguishing betwixt the holy ghost his gyfts saying moreouer that not onely these gifts of the holy Ghost â—re giuen but that the holy ghost also giueth himselfe who entring into this soule maketh her his temple and habitation fixing his seate in â—he same Hee therefore purgeth â—he same sanctifieth decketh her with his vertues that shee may be a sufficient mansion wherein hee may inhabite The aboue named benefites suffice not except another and that admirable be ioyned vnto theÌ„ nameâ—ie that all the iustified are made the lyuing members of our Sauiour who were first but dead members For they dyd not receaue the â—nfluences from theyr Lord head Christ. Hence doe orher and they very great prerogatiues and excellencies arise For hence commeth it that Gods onelie Sonne loueth them as his owne members and hath no lesse care of them then of himselfe hee is no lesse solicitous for them then for his owne members without intermission hee powreth into them his vertues as the heade into his members Finally the eternâ—â—l Father beholdeth them with fauoâ—rable eyes no otherwise then the liuing members of his onely begotten Sonne vnited with him concorporate by the participation of his Spirit and therefore their acâ—â—ons are gratefull and pleasing as
why whettest thou noâ— thy furie agaâ—nst those that slewe thâ— Lorde VVhy is not thy loue encreased towardes him when as thou seest thy Lorde slaine before thâ—ne ovvne eyes nay more for thy sake VVhy art thou not angry with thy sinnes which put him to death Especially because thou knowest that there was no other enâ—â— of all his savings deedes and â—oâ—m nts then that hee might kindle in our hearts a wrath and hatred agâ—â—nst sinne He suffâ—red because he might slay 〈◊〉 and that hee might restraine â—he power both of our handes and feete hasting after iniquities hee would that his handes should bee fastned to the Crosse. VVith what â—ace thâ—refore darest thou liue so that all Christes labours and sweats shal be spent in vaine for thee whilst thou wilt remayne in that seruitude from which he deliuered thee by the shedding of hys precious bloode It cannot bee but thou shouldst tremble at the very naming of sin when as thou seest that God suffered most terrible torments to the ende that hee might destroy and abollish the same What could hee doe more to with-drawe men headlong running after wickednes then that GOD himselfe should be sent to encounter them hanging on a Crosse who will be so rash that he dare offende God when before him hee seeth both Paradice open and hell with gaping mouth yea and which is farre greater then both to behold God hanging on a crosse Hee that is not mooued with this spectacle I know not truly by what other thing he will be moued ¶ All this Chapter is taken partly out of the first booke of the Guide of a sinner chap. 4 partly out of the first of Prayer and Meditation the 3 chap. Of the 7. tractate on which places he purposely handleth our redemption Thou shalt finde many things also touching this matter in the life of Christ and in the booke of the Catechisme The Argument Without the benefite of Iustification all other benefits had nothing at all profited vs nay rather they had done vs harme Now Iustification is the worke of the holy Ghost without which no man can be saued Iustification therefore is a great bond of our duty especially because it concludeth in it selfe so many and so great goods which are rehearsed in this Chapter Moreouer Iustification is a greater benefitte then Creation And howe a man may gather by certaine coniectures that he is iustified CHAP. 11. NOthing at all had the hetheâ—to rehearsed benefites profited vs if the blessings of vocation and iustification and sanctification had not followed For that I may ouerpasse the other with silence whiâ—h had beene in vaine and to our great mischiefe what vse had there beene of that onely and noble benefit of our redemption if iustification had not been annexed For euen as the plaister is of no vse if it be not applied to the wound or place affected â—o had there beene no profit of this celestiall medicine except by the meanes of this benefitte it had beâ—ne applied This office principally pertayneth to the holy Ghost to whom mans sanctâ—fication also â—s attributed Now a man is iustified when by the vertue of this diuine spirit the chaines and sâ—ares of sinne being broken and rent a sunder he escapeth the dominion and tiranny of the deuill he is raised againe from death to life of a sinner he is made iust and of the sonne of malediction hee is made the sonne of God which can no wayes be done without the peculier helpe and succour of God the which our Lorde testifieth in expresse wordes No man can come vnto mee except my father drawe him Signifying heereby that neither free will nor the forces of humaine nature can of themselues deliuer a man from sinne and bring him vnto grace except the aâ—me of the deuine power be assistant Euen as a stone of his ownâ— nature falleth alwayes downwardes neyther can tend vpwardes without externall ayde So also a manne through the corruption of his sinne alwayes tendeth downward that is falleth in loue and desireth earthlie things But if he be to be erected lifted vpwards that is raysed to loue and supernaturall desire hee had neede of the right hand of the omnipotent and diuine helpe Many benfites are contayned in this one VVhen as therefore the consideration of thys benefite vehemently inciteth a man to gratitude desire of vertue I will heere by the way expresse the great profites which this one onely good is wont to bring with it First by it a man is reconciled to Almightie GOD and is restored to his loue and friendship For the first and greatest of all euills which begetteth mortall sinne in the soule is thâ—t it maketh a man enemie to GOD who whereas he is infinite goodnesse aboue all things hateth and detesteth sin Therefore sayth the Prophet Dauid Thou hatest all those that work iniqâ—ity thou shalt destroy them that speake lyes This is the fountaine â—oote originall of all euills FroÌ„ this so perilous euill we are deliuered by yâ— means of Iustification by which we are reconciled to God and of his enemies made his friends and that not in the common degree of friendship but in the highest degree that may be found which is of the father towardes his sonne This friendship Saint Iohn Euangelist deseruedly coÌ„mendeth when he saith Behold what charity God hath shewed you that you are both benamed and be the sonnes of God Not content to haue said that wee are named he addeth also that wee be that the pufilanimity and little trust of men might manifestly know the beneficence liberality of God And if in this world it be esteemed a thing of great moment if any man should be honoured by his superiours as by Bishops Kings Princes or such like Potentates I pray you what shall it be to be well thought of by the highest Prince the supreame Father and the greatest Lord in comparison of whom all the principalities dignities of this world are as if they were not Another benefit fore-passing the other followeth that Iustification deliuereth a man from the condemnation of eternall punishment of which he was guilty for his sinnes Which how great a benefit it is he aftâ—r a sort knoweth that hath diligently ouer-reade the fift chapter placed before in which we haue rehearsed certayne sortes of punishments From all those punishments God hath deliuered them whom he hath iustified all which after they are reconciled and receaued into his fauour are freed froÌ„ that wrath and paine of diuine reuenge Behold another benefit more spirituall which is the reformation and innouation of the inwarde manne which by sinne was defiled and disordered For sinne doth not onely depriue the soule of God but spoileth it of all supernaturall fortitude and all the ritches and gifts of the holy Ghost by which it was adorned decked and enritched and as soone as it is depriued from the graces of these goods it is wounded maimed and spoiled also of
〈◊〉 were the actions of the liuing members of his Sonne who worketh 〈◊〉 them all goodnes From the 〈◊〉 dignitie it proceedeth that when as these iustified require fauor at God handes they demaund it with grâ—â—t confidence for they knowe thâ—â— they aske the same not for themselues onely but also for the 〈◊〉 of GOD himselfe who in them and with them is continually honoured Neyther doe the diuine benefites heere take theyr end for to all the fore-sayd graces thys is annexed at the last to which all the other are disposed namely the right and possession of eternall lyfe which is giuen to the iustified For euen as that our most mightie Lorde in whom at once infinite iustice and mercies doe shine 〈◊〉 adiudgeth all sinners which doe not repent them to eternall punishments so assumeth hee all truly penitent to eternall life These theÌ„ are the benefitâ— which that onely benefite of Iustification comprehendeth in it selfe which Iustification Saint Augustine esteemeth more then Creation for God created heauen earth by his onelie word but that hee might truly sanctifie man he 〈◊〉 his blood and suffered so many and so diuers tortures for him If therefore wee are indebted to this God such and so many wayes for our creation howe much more owe wee him for our sanctification which benefite by how much more greater labors and afflictions it is attained by so much the more it obligeth vs. But although a man doe not yet euidently know whether he be truly iustified yet euery one may haue great coÌ„iectures of his iustification amongst the which this is not the least namely the ameÌ„dment of life when as hee that was wont to perpetrate a thousand sinns in one day now committeth not one Hee that is such a one let him remember with what iust cause he is bound to serue such a sanctifier who redeemed him deliuered him from so many euils stored him with so many blessings as are hetherto reheaâ—sed And if any man yet be entangled in the vngracious race of his life I knowe not by what meanes God may more mooue him to forsake that condition then if he set before his eyes all the â—â—â—lls incommodities and perrils which sinnes bring with them which a little before haue beene numbred vp by vs aâ— also in shewing him the treasure of great benefites which spring from this incomparable blessing The Argument The graces gifts of the holy-Ghost and those wonderfull effects which they worke in vs are such and so many that whether a man will or no except hee will be altogether ingratefull hee ought in leauing his loose behauiour to intend the seruice of God No lesse are the benefites of Baptisme and most great bounties of the Sacrament of the Eucharist all which inuite vs to the amendment of our liues CHAP. 12. THose things which we haue hetherto spoken comprehende not as yet all those kinds of benefits which the holy ghost worketh in the soule of a man that is iustified neyther is Gods liberalitie concluded in those termes For it suffiseth not the diuine Spirit to haue led man in by the gate of iustice but after that man hath entred hee is likewise assisted by the same Spirit and is led by the hand into all his wayes till the waues of this stormy sea beeing ouer-ceased hee attaine safe and secure to the hauen of saluation For after that by the means of the foresaid benefite the holy ghost hath entred into the iustified soule hee sitteth not there idle it suâ—ficeth him not to grace the soule with his presence but with his vertue also hee sanctifieth the same working in her and with her whatsoeuer is conuenient for her saluation Hee sitteth there like the Father of a familie in his house gouerning the same hee sitteth there like a Maister in a schoole administring it like a gardner in his garden trimming it like a king in his kingdom ruling it like the Sun in the world illuminating it Finally like the soule in the body giuing him lyfe sence motion not as the forme in his matter but as the Father of his familie in his houshold What therefore is more blessed and more to bee desired then for a man to haue in him-selfe such a guest such a guyde such a companion such a gouernour finallie such a tutor and helper who beeing all in all worketh also all things in the soule in which it abideth But especially like fire hee illuminateth our vnderstanding inflameth our will and exalteth vs from the earth vnto the heauens Hee like a Doue maketh vs simple milde peaceable and friendes to all men Hee like a clowd cooleth vs and defendeth vâ— from the burning lust of the flesh and tempereth the madnes and fury of our passions Finally hee like a â—â—hement winde mooueth and inclineth our will to all goodnes seâ—ering the same and drawing it away from all euill inclinations vntill 〈◊〉 last the iustified attaine that perfection that all the vices are hatefull vnto them whicâ— they first loued and the vertues beloued which they 〈◊〉 hated As Dauid manifestly coÌ„fesseth the same to haue chaunced vnto himselfe For hee sayth in a certaine place That hee hated and abhorred iniquitie And in another place That heâ— delighted in the way of â—he â—estimonies of our Lord euen as in all â—iches The reason was because the holie Ghost had â—â—illed into 〈◊〉 soule the woâ—â—wood of earthly things and the honey of the diuine Commaundements in which thou seest manifestly that all our blessings are to be ascribed to this holy Spirit so that if wee decline from euill he is the cause if we doe good wee doe it by his meanes if we perseuer in goodnes by him wee peâ—seuer and if reward be giuen for good by him it is giuen Heere also no small oâ—casion and matter iâ— offred vs to discouâ—se of the benefites of the Sacraments which are but as it were the instruments of our iustification but especially of Baptisme and the Eâ—câ—â—rist For 〈◊〉 Baptisme we are clensed from originall sinne deliuered from the power of the deuil made the 〈◊〉 of God and 〈◊〉 of his kingdom In Baptisme my brother Christ espoused thy soule vnto himselfe and decâ—ed it with iâ—wels iemâ— woâ—thy so high an order of which 〈◊〉 are grace vertue the gift of the â—â—ly Ghost and others 〈…〉 ornaments such as Isaac 〈…〉 Rebecca when hee tooke her to wife What therfore hast thou doâ—â—e that thou shouldst deserue to receiue the least of these things How many thousand I say not of men but of nations are excluded from these blessings by the iust iudgement of God What had become of thee if thou hadst beene borne amongst these nations yf thou hadst not attayned the true knowledge of god but hadst adored blocks stones Howe much art thou indebted to thy Lord God that amidst so great infinite a number of reprobates he would that thou shouldst be reckoned among the
deluge those fiue Citties consumed by fire and brimstone Dathan Abiron swallowed vp by the earth aliue If Nadab and Abihu and out of the new Testament wee adde the suddaine death of Ananias and Saphira to the precedent what wilt thou thinke what wilt thou say what canst thou expect from the diuine mercy perseuering in thy sin But least thou shouldst say that God was seuere cruell in times past but now merciful and peaceable consider that with this affability clemency also hee suffereth al that which thou hast heard neither shalt thou bee exempted or free from these but that thy punishment also shall attende thee albeit thou art called a Christian if so be thou art found a sinner Shall God therfore loose his glory because hee condemneth thee Hast thou I pray thee any thing singuler in thee for which cause God should forbeare thee aboue any others with all thy good euil manners or hast thou som immunity which others haue not by reason of which hee should not condemne thee with the rest if thou be no lesse euil then they are Consider I pray thee the sonnes of Dauid to them for the many singuler vertues of their Father many priuiledges were promised yet neuerthelesse God woulde not leaue their sinnes vnpunished for which cause some of theÌ„ had an euil end Where is therefore thy vaine hope why doost thou vainly trust considering their ouer-throwe that thou pertaking theyr sinnes shalt not be damned Thou art deceiued my brother thou art deceiued if thou thinkest that is to hope in GOD. This is not hope but presumption For it is hope to trust that God will forgiue all thy sinnes and receaue thee into fauour if thou art penitent and forsake thy euill wayes although thou art wicked and abhominable but it is presumption that thou shalt be saued and blessed in perseuerance of thy sinnes Thinke thou that it is no small fault for it is numbred amongst those that are committed against the holy ghost For hee that presumeth after thys manner staineth the diuine bounty with no small iniury and ignominy which in especiall are attributed to the holy Spirit But these sinnes as witnesseth our Sauiour are neyther forgiuen in thys world nor in the world to come The Argument The excusation that the loue of the world is cause of sinne is false and inuented by a carnall Christian who hath not tasted spiritual good and therefore neglecteth and contemneth the same which are good indeede and embraceth those that are false fraile and temporall which he knoweth not himselfe For if he knew them hee should trulie perceiue how light thâ—y are how vnworthy to be esteemed Contrariwise how profitable the spirituall are and how much to be beloued CHAP. 20. BVt perchance thou wilt say that the loue of thys world the thinges that are therein haue captiuated thy hart and led thee from the way of iustice Thys is the excuse of a man that hath not tasted spirituall benefites therefore these carnal goods are so much esteemed by him The clowne thinketh that there is nothing more precious then his cottage because hee hath neuer seene the proude and stately buildings of great citties The infant issuing out of his mothers wombe mourneth and weepeth because hee knoweth not that the world is far more better that hee entreth into then the prison from whence he issueth The men of former times highly esteemed their cottages made of turffe and couered with straw before they saw more substantiall buildings To all these may carnall men bee compared who neuer saw or had experience of the spirituall goods neyther tasted the sweetnes dignity nobility and beauty of the same and therefore they more esteeme these false and fraile benefites which indeede are nothing lesse then the spirituall which are onely thought worthy the name of benefites For if they had knowne them it could not be but that they should despise those that are â—arnall according to that of the prophet And thou shalt destroy thy siluer grauen plates and thy garment made of gold thou shalt disperse theÌ„ like the menstruous cloth of a woman go out shalâ— thou say thereto Euen as therefore men haue cast away their false gods after they acknowledged the true God they also shall cast away and despise the false goods of this world euen presently as soone as they shal taste the true and celestiall goods For as soone as a man hath tasted the sweetnes of spiritual things saith Saint Bernard he despiseth the flesh that is all the goods and pleasures of this world and thys is the principall reason of this error which so much blindeth the men of thys world Besides this errour there is another namely that men not onelie knowe not spirituall thinges but are also vtterly ignorant of temporall For it is impossible that they should loue those temporall goods pleasures in such sort if they had the true knowledge of the spirituall Tell mee I pray thee what is the World with all that which is in it if wee diligently pry into the same and obserue the fallacies thereof together with his weapons and manner of proceeding What other thing I say is it but a den of dolors and troubles a schoole of vanitâ—e a market place of deceit a laboâ—â—th of errours a prison of darknes â— way by-layde with theeues a lakâ— full of mud and a sea which is coÌ„tâ—nually mooued with stormes and tempests What els is the world but a sterill Land a fielde planted with thornes and bryers a Woode full of brambles a flowring garden but producing no fruite VVhat is the world but a flood of teares a fountaine of cares a sweet venome a well-pennd tragedy a delightfull frenzie VVhat goods I pray you are founde in the whole worlde which are not false and what euills that are not assured Hâ—s rest hath labour his securitie is without foundation his feare hath no cause his labours are without fruite his teares without purpose and purpose without successe his hope is vaine his â—oy fayned and his griefe true Repeating therefore all those thinges which are before spoken if by so manie reasons examples and experiences it be manifestly prooâ—ed that there is neither rest nor the felicitie which we seeke to be found but in GOD onely and not in the world why seek we it besides god and not rather him in it Thys it is that blessed Saint Augustine admonisheth when he sayth Run ouer the sea the earth and all thinges search the whole world thou shalt euery way repent thy selfe except God be thy refuge ¶ The Authour disputeth of thys matter most copiously in the guide of a Sinner lib. 1. chap. 28. The Argument That the way of our Lord is no more hard and difficult but made plaine and easie by Christ and his benefites namely his Passion Resurrection and Ascention as also indeuouring in the same wee are assisted by the holy ghost CHAP. 21. THere are some that