there the same Father speaking of the just and righteous saith Bernard ub◠suprà Iustus nunquam arbitratur se comprehendisse nunquam dicitsatis est sed semper esurit sititque justitiam The just man never supposeth that he hath comprehended never saith it is enough but alwayes hungreth and thirsteth after righteousnesse So that if he might liue alwayes he would alwayes as much as in him lieth striue to be more righteous But as the emptiest bladders are most filled with winde so the poorest Christians haue many times the greatest conceit and opinion of their own sufficiency they thinke they haue enough when as in truth they haue a great deale too little Omnia illi desunt Bern. de consid l. 2. ca. 7. qui nil sibi deesse putat he wants all things who thinketh he wanteth nothing saith holy Bernard When our Saviour rehearsed the precepts of the second Table to the young man he answered presently All these things haue I kept from my youth up Mat. 19. v. 20 21. what lacke I yet but the wisedome of GOD threw downe his pride and stopped his mouth with a Si vis esse perfectus c. If thou wilt be perfect goe and sell all that thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heaven This was a corrosiue to his stomach a pill which he could not well digest And yet there ought to be in every one of us such a measure of perfection as that through effectuall charitie and loue of God we should be readie and willing upon just occasion actually to relinquish father and mother wife and children our goods our lands our liues and all things for the asserting of GODS glorie and for the testimony of Iesus This historie of that young man in the Gospell teacheth us how forcible a remora the loue of the world and worldly things is to stay the shippe of the Christian soule saying on in her voyage unto perfection and felicitie Whereupon the Apostle St. Iohn cryes amaine unto us 1 Iohn 2.15 Loue not the world nor the things of the world for if any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him CHAP. XXIX Of three evill qualities in spirituall sloath ACarelesse negligence of our estate in pietie is attended with three evill properties First it is cold and remisse in proficiency secondly it is heavie and dull in going on to perfection thirdly it is a waster and destroyer of grace and so a maine enemie to perfection Wherefore this spirituall sluggishnesse is by Iohannes de sancto Geminiano aptly compared to Saturne the highest planet for three things First He is infrigidativus of a cold qualitie Ioan. de Sanct. Gem. de exempl Simili◠rerum lib. 1. cap. 2. secondly He is tardè incessivus of slow motion thirdly He is faetuum mortificativus a destroyer of young ones First as Saturne is of a cold cooling qualitie causing coldnesse in the inferior bodies and exciting melancholy So spirituall sloath makes a carelesse Christian become cold and remisse in charitie in the loue of God and man for he neither so loveth GOD objectivè as to will more good to Him than to any creature neither doth he so loue Him appretiativè as to value Him at a higher rate or price than the whole world or his owne life Nedum intensivè much lesse doth he loue God with a greater and more ardent degree of loue than his owne life or any other creature And seeing the love of our neighbour is the reflection of Gods loue in out hearts this being so remisse that other of necessitie must be very coole and so coole as that he neither loveth his neighbour as himselfe after the rule of the Law nor as Christ loved us which is the rule of the Gospell So that whereas inward perfection consists in the loue of God and our Neighbour saith Aquinas Aquin. in Heb. cap. 6. lect 1. the spirituall sluggard must needs come short of perfection being so cold and defectiue in this golden vertue of Charitie which is Vinculum perfectionis Col. 3.14 the very bond of perfection Againe as Saturne is of a slow motion finishing his course through the Zodiacke in no lesse than thirtie yeares so the spirituall sluggard is very slow in the use of grace and exercise of good workes going so slowly on unto perfection as that he doth scarce formicinum gradum movere mooue as fast as the pismire and stands in neede to be brobd with Salomons goade and set on his way with a Vade ad formicam piger c. Goe to the Ant thou sluggard Prov. 6.6 consider her wayes and be wise which having no guide over-seer or ruler provideth her meate in the summer and gathereth her food in the harvest Lastly as Saturne is destructiue to young ones lately brought forth so spirituall drowsinesse and remissenesse even slay the fruits of grace and vertue when they begin to spring up If any pious motions to good be lately engendred in the heart either by reading the word of life or hearing it read preached or expounded or by private admonition or any good meanes by and by this pestilent vice is readie to strangle them in the birth Children borne under the dominion of Saturne are not vitall many times die within a few dayes as the Astrologers say so good motions begunne in the spirituall sluggard oft die as soone as they be borne and so never come to perfection So that whereas Fulgentius saith of Saturne Filios verò suos comedisse fertur Fulg. Myth ad Catum l. 1. in Fab. Sat. quòd quodcunque tempus gignit consumit He is said to devoure his sonnes because whatsoever time begetteth it consumeth this spirituall sloath doth it not in a long tract of time but in the nativitie or soone after for this common pernicious vice is like the red Dragon in the Apocalyps Apoc. 12.4 which stands before the woman readie to be delivered for to devoure her childe as soone as it is borne But wee must shake off this pestiferous Viper wee must be vigilant and stand upon our watch every houre least whilst wee sleepe the enemie come and sow tares amongst the good seeds of grace sowen in our hearts When the fire of the Spirit is begun to be enkindled in us let us not quench it and put it out againe with the cold water of carelesse remissenesse and negligence but as the Trumpet of grace exhorteth let us with all diligence and holy endeavour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1.6 blow up the sparkes of grace already sparkling in our soules let us by all meanes nourish them but not extinguish them that so we may grow up into Christ our head unto a perfect man following the most wholesome counsell of the great Apostle St. Peter concluding his last Epistle with this heavenly exhortation Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour
a spirituall not corporall manner after a supernaturall not after a naturall manner And therefore difficult to understand and hard to utter But by this union wee are in Christ and Christ in us we liue in Christ and Christ in us we are made one with Christ and Christ with us that so by degrees we may be conformed unto him first by grace after by glorie CHAP. XV. Of the knowledge of our selues necessary to perfection THe old precept in the schoole of the Grecian Philosophers may deserue a due place amongst us in the schoole of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know thy selfe For this knowledge is necessary unto perfection and directeth us to it Plin. Nat. Hist li. 2. cap. 1. Whereupon Plinie the Pagan cryes amaine Furor profectò furor egredi c. t is madnes t is madnes for a man to goe out of himselfe and as if he knew all within to prie and search into all things without as if he could measure any thing who knowes not how to measure himselfe Now if thou wouldest wisely measure thy selfe take St. Bernards counsell who adviseth thee seriously to consider three things Bern. de consid ad Eug. li. 2. cap. 4. first Quid sis secondly quis sis thirdly qualis sis first What thou art in regard of nature secondly who thou art in respect of thy person thirdly What an one thou art in regard of thy manners Wouldst thou know what thou art by nature I will not instruct thee out of the store-house of nature no let God himselfe teach thee let him instruct thee out of Paradise saying dust thou art and to dust shalt thou returne Here he who is α and â— tells thee thy beginning and thine ending 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all is dust earth the meanest the lowest the basest of all the elements is predominant in thoâ— thou commest into the world clad with clay with teares and weeping mournfully thou goest on with labour and shame irke somely thou goest our with paine and anguish dreadfully A wofull entrance a miserable continuance a searfull Caâ—astâ—ophe And wouldst thou further understand what thy life is here on earth Surely thy dayes are no better than Iacobs were few and evill Gen. 47. v. 9. And Ioh tells thee that thou art of short continuance and full of trouble The shortnes of thy life is such as David compares it to an hand bredth St. Iames to a vapour others to a shadow to a dreame or the dreame of a shadow and nothing can be found so transitory to be a perfect Embleme of our short continuance Wisd 5.9 As soone as wee were borne wee began to dram towards our end saith the Wiseman Ambr. de voc gent. li. 2. ca. 8. Nec priùs incipit augeri atas nostra quà m minui neither doth our age begin to increase before it begin to decrease saith St. Ambrose O then let us consider let us seriously consider that this breve suspirium this short sigh this momentanie life is momentum illud unde pendet eternitas that moment whereon depends eternitie either eternall woe or everlasting felicitie O thou creator of men thou knowest our frame thou remembrest that we are but dust O teach us so to number our dayes that we may applie our hearts unto wisedome Our life for the quantitie is vaine and momentanie and for the qualitie thereof it is evill and full of trouble afflicted with many perturbations of minde wiâ—â— innumerable crosses from our selues and from others with infinte distractions and vexations of spirit So that Scaliger might well say Hominis vita non hac est sed via ad vitam this is not the life of man Scalig. exerc 205. Sect. 2. but the way unto life Here is nothing but labour and shame and sorrow So that our life is indeede 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a weake miserable life or rather no life no time thereof is truely pleasing and delight some to us Flor. Granat parre 1. cap. 15. Quod praeterijt dolet quod praesens est affligit quod futurum est turres We sigh and sorrow for that which is past we are afflicted and discontent with that which is present and we are afraid of that which is to come We are afraid to be unclothed to put off our tabernacle of clay to be resolved into dust Arist Eth. 3. cap. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 death is a thing most fearfull saith Aristotle this nature cannot brooke abhorret à non esse shee abhorres a not being Grace may correct but not change and take away nature Hoc habet humanus affectus quoniam diligit vitam odit mortem Pet. Lombar sent 3. dist 17 mans affection is such that he loveth life and hateth death saith Peter Lombard Now consider how many distempers from the elements from our meats and drinkes are wee subject unto how many casuall accidents from evill Angells and men and other creatures are we daily exposed unto so that we haue cause perpetually to be in expectation of death yea to complaine and cry out with the chosen vessell of mercie O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Who shall as Gorran glosseth upon it deliver me à corpore hoc mortifero samp mortali Gorran in Rom. 7.24 sub cujus dominio captivus sum in quo declino ad mortem naturae per quod inclinor ad mortem culpae in quo horreo montem Gehenna Who shall deliver mee from this mortiferous and mortall bodie under whose dominion I am held captiue wherein I decline to the death of nature by which I am inclined to the death of sinne wherein I abhorre the death of Hell Such so variable and mutable so transitorie and mortall is the state of man than whom as Plinie notes Plin. not hist 2.7 nothing is more proud and nothing more miserable CHAP. XVI Of the further knowledge of our selues HAving considered what thou art by nature if thou wilt goe on to perfection thou must also consider who thou art in person and what an one in qualitie After our generall calling of Christianitie there be many particular callings and states of men both in Church and Common-weale whereby they are distinguished one from another and hence ariseth the distinction and difference of the persons of men whereby they are obliged and bound to performe certmine offices services and ministeries for the good of others Now thou must consider what person thou art whether a King or a subordinate Magistrate or an inferiour subject whether a Bishop or a Priest or a lay man whether a Divine or a Physitian or a Lawyer whether a Souldier or a Merchant or an artificer or an husbandman or a labourer or whatsoever calling thou art of And herein thou must employ thy endeavours to the glory of God and the common good of men following that excellent rule of St. Augustine Aug. in Ioan. tract 10. Fac
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
crowne meete for your labour Perseverance immediately beginneth to attend on grace the mother of all vertues when it is first infused but is not compleate untill death untill the infusion of finall grace which perfectly extinguisheth all evill concupiscence and is the utter deletion or taking away of all sinne and sinfulnesse As the Crowne on the Kings head giveth an eminent splend our and luster to his royall robes and other 〈◊〉 ornaments so the grace of perseverance is the glorious complement crowne of all other vertues and is an infallible guide to leade us into the kingdome of glorie Therefore our Saviour saith not he that shall begin Math. 24.13 but he that shall endure unto the end shall be saved And to the Angell in the Church of Smyrna he saith Be thou faithfull unto death and I will giue thee a crowne of life Apoc. 2. â—0 We are now in our spirituall course and race we must so runne that we may obtaine wee are now in the combat we must so fight that we may over come Which that we may doe we are to implore and desire by fervent and incessant prayer that God would prevent and follow us with grace all the dayes of our life that so at the end of our dayes we may confidently and comfortably say with the chosen vessell of mercy I have fought a good fight 2 Tim. 4. v. 7 8. I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue me at that day and not unto me onely but unto them also which loue his appearing CHAP. XXXIII Of perfection in glorie SAint Paul the chosen vessell of mercy and trumpet of grace Rom. 8.30 uniteth and maketh up the golden chaine of our salvation with foure linkes First Predestination secondly Vocation thirdly Iustification fourthly Glorification Where hee expresseth not our sanctification as being included in our glorification according to the exposition of Aquinas Aquin. in cp ad Rom. cap. 8. saying Glorificamur in hac vita per prefectune virturis gratia in futura per exaltationem gloria We are glorified in this life by proficiency of vertue and grace in the life to come by exaltation of glory And indeed grace is glorie inchoate or begun glorie is grace consummate and perfected and our imperfect perfection by grace here is a previous preparing and disposing of us unto that absolute perfection which wee shall haue being cloathed and adorned with the stole of glorie For even in this life wee are freed in part from those foure evills which are maine impediments to our absolute perfection and this freedome is meerely from grace in Christ Iesus The first evill hindering our perfection is error in the understanding from which we are freed in part by the Spirit of grace leading of us into all truth and teaching us all things necessary unto salvation The second evill a let to perfection is sinne in the will from which wee are also partly freed by grace in Christ and that two wayes First Rom. 6.14 from the dominion of it For sinne shall not haue dominion over you because yee are not under the Law but under grace saith the Apostle secondly from the condemnation of sinne seeing Rom. 8.1 there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit The third evill hindrance of our perfection is misery and afflictions from which by faith and spirituall fortitude we are freed in part that they may not swallow us up that the flouds of great waters the over-flowings of feare and despaire may never prevaile against us never over whelme us In the world you shall haue tribulation but be of good cheare saith Christ I haue overcome the world The last evill letting our perfection is death And from this also we are freed in part by grace not onely from spirituall and eternall death but even from corporall in two respects First from the sting thereof 1 Iohn 1. v. 7. which is sinne 1 Cor. 15.56 for by the bloud of Christ wee are cleansed from all sinne Secondly in regard of dominion for death shall not tyrannize over us for ever for in the resurrection at the sound of the Trumpet 1 Cor. 15.52 wee shall be raised incorruptible and never die any more Whereas the bodies of the unjust shall rise but from corporall to eternall death wherein they shall be ever dying but never dead which moved holy Bernard to cry out Bern. de consid li. 5. ca. 12. Alas saith he quis det illis semel mori ut non moriantur in aternum who might grant them once to die that so they might not die for ever Thus are we freed in part by grace from these foure evill impediments of perfection But in the stare of glorie we shall be wholy and entirely exempted from the in for then shall we be free from all darknesse of error obliquitie of sinne from all of stictive misery and destroying death Yea we shall be free from them after a more excellent mother than Adam was in Paradise in the state of innocency For it pleased the omnipotent goodnesse and wisedome who bringeth light out of darknesse life out of death and good out of evill even by the fall of man to raise him up in Christ to a more eminent and high state of perfection It is true that Adam in his integritie had power not to erre not to sinne not to suffer misery not to die but it is also true that he had power to erre to sinne to suffer misery to die which by wofull experiment he brought into act by disobeying the command of his creator Ever since the poison and contagion of disobedience hath tainted and corrupted all the veines of his rebellious children and miserable posteritie Now in the state of glory in that heavenly Paradise we shall obtaine such a transcendent degree of perfection as that we shall haue no power in our understanding to erre in our will to sinne no power to suffer misery and devouring death In that ineffable glorie wee being perfectly changed into the image of the Lord the knowledge of all things shall be seene of us not by parts but wholly and at once as St. Prosper saith Prosp de vita contemplat li. 1. cap. 6. We shall see all things clearely without error by beholding him who is all truth Now wee see through a glasse darkly that incomprehensible light we behold him now through a three-fold glasse First of the creatures secondly of his workes of justice and mercie thirdly of the holy Scriptures But then we shall see him perfectly clearely face to face with unspeakeable joy and delight and herein confists our essentiall alsufficient blessednesse therefore Philip said unto Christ Lord shew us the Father and it sufficeth Iohn 14.8 Now we know God but imperfectly