and miserable and being subiect feeble and infirme to bee able to hold in it selfe the knowledges and senses of divine things it comes to passe that by the efficacy of them it is affrighted and becomes vile in such manner that it is easily overcome and mastered by the spirit and so it remaines mortified together with all those things which are corrupt in a man by the depravation of the flesh And because the remembrance of the calling by God is very efficacious in men with the knowledge and sense of heavenly things and they are subject frayle and infirme I understand that which God saith That a man who shall see him shall not be able to sustain himselfe with his minde nor with his body And therefore the perfect vision of God is reserved to the just in eternall life when the flesh being raised up shall bee a subject able to endure the vision of God In this mean space on the one side by the benefit of God the Flesh is mortified in the just not onely with the memory of their vocation but also with every other vocation and sense which appertaines to the things of God And on the other side God goes moderating in them these knowledges and these senses to the intent they should not come to nothing accommodating them to the frailty of the flesh as we temper the hot liquour which we would keep in a glasse vessell in such manner as the liquor is conserved in the vessell without breaking the glasse And I understand that corporall and outward exercises together with those other things which are of mans industry doe serve unto those persons which are called of God for a certain entertaining of themselves in that estate in which a knowledge or sense of some of Gods things hath left them which is past and that through their labour there should bee given or communicated unto them another which may make them to make progresse in Mortification in such manner that I haue reason to say that the Christian businesse is not knowledge but experience If it were knowledge it would work the effect that other knowledges doe that is to swell up and make proud those who have them And because it is experience it doth the effect which other experiences doe that is to humble and cast on the ground all that which is humane wisdome and to exalt and lift up to heaven all that which is in the spirit I understand this effect is in them who being called of God are members of Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LVIII Eight differences between them who pretend and procure to mortifie themselves with their proper industry and them who who are mortified by the holy Spirit THis is alwaies a truth that all men in applying themselves to religion as well unto the false which consisteth in superstitious observations as unto the true which consisteth in accepting the grace of the Gospell of Christ doe apply themselves likewise to Mortification But amongst them who procure to mortifie themselves with the holy spirit I haue considered eight notable differences by which a person may know whether he mortifie himselfe by his own industry or whether he be mortified by the holy spirit The first Difference is that they who mortifie themselves with their own proper industry are presumptuous ambitious knowing their own proper vertue in their mortification and they who are mortified by the holy spirit are humble and modest not knowing any proper virtue of their own in their mortifications for the holy spirit works in them that which a very great Feaver doth in a man I would say that as by the presence of a great Feaver a man becomes as it were deprived of all carnall desires keeping aliue only the desire of health so by the presence of the holy spirit a man becomes as it were deprived of all that which is flesh keeping aliue only spirituall desires The second Difference is that they who pretend to mortifie themselves goe alwaies seeking new manners and new inventions to obtain mortification they who are mortified by the spirit embrace those occasions of mortification which are offered unto them by what way soever they come perswading themselves that with thē and in them God will mortifie them The third Difference is that they who mortify themselves alwaies liue sad and discontent because they deprive themselves of their pleasures and corporall contents and are not cherished with the spirituall and they who are mortified liue as it were alwaies cheerefull and contented because they abhor or begin to abhor corporall pleasures and begin to tast spirituall pleasures The fourth Difference is that they who mortify themselues are much like unto a man whose head were cut with a rough and rusty saw in as much as all things are unsweet and sowre unto him And they who are mortified are like unto a man whose head were cut with a sharp sword and an arme skilfull in cutting In as much as the holy spirit mortifies him without that himself feels the mortification That this is true those persons who are mortified by the holy spirit know by experience The fift Difference is that they who mortify themselues living alwaies in continuall trouble and in continuall labour are like unto a man that learnes with exceding paines a most difficult and unpleasant science who finding in the principles thereof much unsweetnesse and much molestation comforts himselfe only with an opinion that he shall proue excellent in that science And they that are mortifyed neither travelling nor labouring themselves in their mortifications are like unto a man that goes delighting and recreating himselfe in the study of that science which he hath already learned wherein finding few things which he understands not hee findes few things that trouble him The sixt Difference is that in them who mortify themselves by themselves there is never true mortification nay rather they are like unto quick lime in as much as the quick lime smoakes not whilst there is no water cast thereon which is no sooner cast upon it then it shewes the fire that it hath within so they whilst they haue no occasion to erre doe not erre and when occasion comes they presently shew the liuelinesse that they haue within them either erring or being straightly sollicited to erre And they who are mortified by the holy spirit haue true mortification and are like unto dead lime in as much that like as the dead lime doth not smoake how much water soever be cast upon it so neither doe they erre nor are much sollicited to erre although many occasions offer themselves unto them And so shall this be The seaventh Difference is that they who mortifie themselves in the occasions of erring doe miserably loose themselves For being deceived by humane wisdome they doe alwaies goe avoiding the occasions which incite them to erre And they who are mortified in the occasions of erring that offer themselues unto them are refined as gold in the fire for
THE HUNDRED AND TEN CONSIDERATIONS OF SIGNIOR IOHN VALDESSO TREATING OF THOSE things which are most profitable most necessary and most perfect in our Christian Profession WRITTEN IN SPANISH Brought out of Italy by Vergerius and first set forth in Italianat Basil by Coelius Secundus Curio ANNO 1550. Afterward translated into French and Printed at Lions 1563. and again at Paris 1565. And now translated out of the Italian Copy into English with notes Whereunto is added an Epistle of the Authors or a Preface to his Divine Commentary upon the Romans 1. COR. 2. Howbeit we sâ—…eak wisdome amongst them that are perfect â—…et not the wisdome of this world OXFORD Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD Printer to the Vniversity Ann. Dom. 1638. The Publisher to the READER THese truly Divine Meditations or Considerations of Signior IOHN VALDESSO a noble man of Spaine who died almost an hundred yeares agoe having been so acceptable to pious Vergerius to learned Coelius Secundus Curio and to many other both French and Italian Protestants that they have been translated out of the originall Spanish Copy and printed three or foure times in those languages It seemeth to mee a reasonable and charitable desire to print them now in English without any alteration at all from the Italian copy the Spanish being either not at all extant or not easy to be found It is certain that the book containeth many very worthy discourses of experimentall and practicall Divinity well expressed and elegantly illustrated especially concerning the Doâ—…trine of justification and mortification and yet â—…otwithstanding there be some few expressions â—…d similitudes in it at which not only the weak â—…der may stumble and the curious quarrell but â—…o the wise and charitable reader may justly â—…lame To have removed these few stumbling blocks or offensive passages by leaving them out or by altering them had not been the worke of a Translator but of an Author besides the ill example of altering antient Authors which is one of the greatest causes of the corruption of truth and learning Therefore it hath been thought fit to print the Book according to the Authors own Copy but withall to give particular notice of some suspitious places and of some manifest errors which follow particularly expressed in the ensuing folios referring the rest if any there be to the judgement of the reader He lived where the Scriptures were in no reputation and therefore no marveil that he should speak so slightly of them but rather on the contrary it may seem a marveilous thing in our eyes to have a Statesman in those parts at that time so farre illuminated and taught of God as he was May it please the Divine goodnesse that every reader may reap the like comfort and profit to his soule by it as the Translator and Publisher humbly and thankfully acknowledge that they have done and they have their main scope and aime in publishing it Glory be to God on high BRIEFE NOTES RELATING TO THE DVBIOVS AND OFFENSIVE places in the following CONSIDERATIONS To the 3 CONSID. upon these words Not for thy speech Other Law and other Doctrine have we THese words about the H. Scripture suite with what he writes elsewhere especially Consid. 32. But I like none of it for it slights the Scripture too much holy Scriptures have not only an Elementary use but a use of perfection and are able to make the man of God perfect 1. Tim. 4. And David though David studied all the day long in it And Ioshua was to meditate therein Day and Night Iosh. the 1. To the 3 CONSID. upon those words As they also mak use of the Scriptures to conserve the health of their minds All the Saints of God may be said in some sence to have put confidence in Scripture but not as a naked Word severed from God but as the Word of God And in so doing they doe not sever there trust from God But by trusting in the word of God they trust in God Hee that trusts in the Kings word for any thing trusts in the King To the 5 CONSID. Vpon these words God regards not how pious or impious we be This place together with many other aâ—… namely Consid. 71. upon Our Father and Consid. 94. upon these words God doth noâ—… hold them for good or for evill for that they observe or not observe c. though it were the Authors opinion yet the truth of it would be examined See the note upon Consid. 36 To the 6 CONSID. The Doctrine of the last passage must be warily understood First that it is not to be understood of actuall sinnes but habituall for I can no more free my selfe from actuall sinnes after Baptisme then I could of Originall before and without Baptisme The exemption from both is by the Grace of God Secondly among Habits some oppose Theologicall vertues as Vncharitableneâ—…e opposâ—… Charity Infidelity Faith Distrust Hope Of these none can free themselves of themselves but only by the Grace of God Other Habits oppose morall vertues as Prodigality opposes Moderation and Pusillanimity Magnanimity Of these the heathen freed themselves only by the generall Providence of God as Socrates and Aristides c. Where he sayes the Inflammation of the naturall he sayes aptly so it be understood with the former distinction for Fomes is not taken away â—…t Accensio Fomitis the naturall concupiscence is not quite extinguished but the heaâ—…e of it afâ—…waged To the 11 CONSID. He often useth this manner of speech â—…leeving by Revelation not by relation whereby I understand he meaneth Only the effectuall operation or illumination of the holy spirit testifying and applying the revealed truth of the Gospell and not any private Enthusiasmes or Revelations As if he should say a generall apprehension or assent to the promises of the Gospell by heare-say or relation from others is not that which filleth the heart with joy and peace in believing but the spirits bearing witnesse which our spirit revealing and applying the generall promises to every one in particular with such syncerity and efficacy that it makes him godly righteous and sober all his life long this I call beleeving by Revelation and not by Relation To the 32 CONSID. I much mislike the Comparison of the Images and H. Scripture as if they were both but Alphabets and after a time to be left The H. Scriptureâ—… as I wrote before have not only an Elementary use but a use of perfection neither can they ever be exhausted as Pictures may be by a plenarie circumspection but still even to the most learned and perfect in them there is somewhat to be learned more Therefore David desireth God in the â—…19 Psalme to open his eyes that he might see the wondrous things of his Lawes and that he would make them his study Although by other words of the same Psalme it is evident that he was not meanly conversant in them Indeed he that shall so attend to the bark of the letter as to
the just being made there shall be nothing more to hope but Charity shall never faile for there shall be alwaies what to Love and there shall be alwaies what to tast For in eternall life we shall love God and Christ and we shall finde rellish and savour in the contemplation of God and of Christ wee who in this present life have lived with Faith Hope and Charity being incorporated in Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LXXI Vpon the most holy prayer of OUR FATHER IN the most holy prayer of Our Father I consider all this First that calling God Father it becomes me to reduce my selfe to hope from God all that which an obedient son may hope from a most good and loving Father And albeit I am a disobedient Son it matters not For God considers me not by that which I am of my selfe but by that which I am by Christ of whom I am a member and who was a most obedient Son through which Sonship I call God Father If I should call him Father for the common generations sake my being would be of importance but calling him so through particular regeneration my being imports not to make mee obedient or disobedient but as I have said the being of Christ who was most obedient And farthermore I understand that it is necessary that I should reduce my selfe to be with God such a one as a good and obedient Son is with his Father Secondly I consider that saying Our I presuppose that I hold for brethren all those who through regeneration hold God for their Father and that I ought to govern my selfe with them as with brethren Thirdly I consider that because God is where he is known holy Scripture useth to say that God is in Heaven for there God is known God is in all his creatures but it is not said that he is but only in them who know him and where he lets himselfe to be known Fourthly I consider that the proper desire of a pious Christian is that Gods Name should be sanctified I would say that God should be esteemed and judged of every one for Holy and for just in all his works as he is in truth Humane wisdome not finding holinesse nor justice in many of those things which be fall men in this life flying from the inconvenience of attributing injustice to God falls into another inconvenience depriving God of his particular Providence in all things And the holy spirit knowing in all things holinesse and justice on Gods part doth not doubt to attribute them all to God desiring that men captivating the judgement of their own humane wisdome should sanctify the name of God confessing and holding that God doth all things and that in all things is holinesse and justice There are some men who sanctify God in the things which they judge good drawing themselves back in those things which they judge to be evill And there are other men who sanctify God generally in all things but with the mouth and not with the heart And the desire of the Pious Christian is that God should be sanctified in all things and that the sanctification should come from the Heart for in this manner God will be sanctified Fiftly I consider that the proper and continuall sighing of a pious Christian consists in the desire that the Kingdome of God should suddenly come when the resurrection of the just being made Christ shall consigne the Kingdome to his eternall father For that shall be properly the Kingdome of God in as much as the just shall be governed immediatly by God seeing God himselfe face to face God reignes in this present life in the just but by Christ as he gives light but by the Sunne and God shall reigne in life eternall by himselfe as by himselfe he shall give light Sixtly I consider that the pious Christians flying from the will of God which is with wrath and that which is mediat by those things which we call second causes doe demand that that will of God should be executed here on earth which is executed in heaven understanding that which is with mercy and with love and that which is immediat by God himselfe Seventhly I consider that the Pious Christians feeling that through the curse for the first mans sinne it results that they eat their bread with sorrow and care they demand of God that freeing them from the sollicitude and the griefe he should provide them of ordinary sustentation in such manner that they may be provided and sustained according to their necessities without griefe or sollicitousnesse acknowledging their sustentation only from the liberality of God and even in this beginning to feele the remedy of the first mans sinne together there with feeling the benefit of Christ. Eightly I consider that the pious Christians not because they make any doubt of the generall pardon which they have had by the justice of God executed in Christ for of this they are most assured but because they rejoyce to remember themselves that they are debtors which remembrance breeds in them humility in the sight of God they aske alwaies of God that he would pardon them those things for which he might in justice chastize them And I understand that they alleage the pardon which they have given to them who were their debtors rather to oblige themselves to pardon then to oblige God that he should for such cause pardon them This I understand thus by that which Iesus Christ himself ads in the Gospell saying If you pardon you shall be pardoned Ninthly I consider that the pious Christians knowing their own weaknesse fear the Temptation in as much as it may sever them from Christian decorum and knowing here with the necessity which they have to be mortified with temptations they demand of God not that he should not tempt them but that the temptations may be of that quality that they should not make them to loose the Christian decorum Tenthly I consider that pious Christians having understood that many are the evills that combat the just they are afraid to be oppressed by them and knowing the frailty of their own forces to be able to make resistance they have recourse to God demanding of him that he should free them from all In these desires and in these demands I understand that pious persons stand and persevere not only through the outward doctrine of Iesus Christ our Lord which they finde written in his history but also through the inward doctrine of the holy spirit who puts these desires into their mindes and moves them to demand these things And they who with the outward Doctrine of Christ have not that inward of the holy spirit in praying â—…s taught and not inspired doe not pray as the true and lively members of Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LXXII That man pretending that part of the image of God which did not appertaine unto him lost that part which did appertaine to him IN the creation of man I read that he was
mortifie it whilst he liues And he mortifies it rather with the consideration then with outward effects And the consideration is of that which Christ suffered of the being dead on the Crosse with Christ and the being raised with Christ and that it is his intent to liue in life eternall with Christ which considerations are of such efficacy in a man that making him to loose the tast of all things of this present life it mortifies in him all that is flesh and all that is world albeit I doe not think that it dies altogether untill that a man dye indeed From all this is gathered that humane wisdome knows not what thing mortification is and that the law of Moses commanded it but did not giue it and that it is onely gotten through the incorpororation wherewith wee who believe are incorporated in Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LXXXV Foure manners by which a Christian knowes God by meanes of Christ. HAving often spoken of the knowledge of God as of a most important thing and so much that in it felicity and eternall life consisteth And having said that there are three waies to know God One by the contemplation of the creatures which is proper to the Gentiles the other by reading of the holy Scriptures which was proper to the Hebrews and the other by Christ which is proper to Christians And having never remained satisfied in this third I would say in the manner of that understanding through the which we Christians know God by Christ after that I had well considered it I finde Foure manners by which we Christians know God by Christ. The first is by the Revelation of Christ The second is by the communication of the holy spirit The third is by christian Regeneration Renovation And the fourth is by a certain inward vision by revelation of Christ. I understand that a Christian knows God when Christ himselfe suffers himselfe to be known because wee then know God in him he being the expresse image of God conformable to that he saith to S. Philip He that sees mee he seeth my Father also Ioh. 14. And conformable to what S. Paul saith Colos. 1. speaking of Christ who is the Image of the invisible God And that it is true that a Christian knows God by Revelation of Christ is manifest by that No man knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Mat. 11. This Revelation I understand is inward having nothing that is visible and so it appertaines to the inward eyes and not to the outward And this presupposeth the knowledge of Christ. I would say that to the knowledge of God by Revelation of Christ the knowledge of Christ proceeds which I understand consisteth in knowing his Divinity his Humanitie his being Divine and Humane his glory and his ignominy his dignity and his basenesse and so his omnipotency and his humility And it is certain that I knowing that Christ is the Image of God and seeing in him Omnipotency Iustice Truth and Fidelity I come to know not now by relation of holy Scripture but by the revelation of Christ himselfe that there is in God omnipotency justice and truth fidelity for as much as these things are in Christ and Christ is the Image of God In such manner as hee who in this manner knowes Christ not by relation of men but by inward revelation of Christ himself may say with truth that he knowes God in Christ As the man to whom S. Paul in whom was a great part of the image of Christ should haue discovered all his minde all his inward things might haue said with truth that hee knew Christ in S. Paul although this comparison serves not to ascertaine but to explain that which I would say By the communication of the holy spirit I understand the christian knowes God for I understand that the holy spirit is given to them that believe in Christ. And understanding by S. Paul that the spirit of God searcheth out the deep secrets of God I understand that we also know God himselfe and by Christ in as much as the holy spirit is given unto us by Christ Christ himselfe being he that gives it unto us by the will and ordinance of God even as by the selfe-same will and ordinance the light is given unto us by the sunne And it is certain that the holy spirit is efficacious in mee that am a christian to make mee know omnipotency in God through the great power which he shewes in mee mortifying me making mee alive to make mee know wisdome in God by the wisdome which I get through his holy spirit to make mee know justice in God because he justifies me in Christ to make me know truth in God because he keepes promise with me and to make me know goodnesse and mercy in God because he beares with my slothfulnesse and sinnes And so I come to know all these things in God not now by relation of Scriptures but by that which the holy spirit workes in me which is communicated to me through Christ. By the Christian Regeneration and Renovation I understand that a christian knowes God For I understand that he being regenerated and renewed by the holy spirit which is communicated unto us by Christ goes on leaving and renouncing the image of Adam which is proper unto us by the humane generation by which we are naturally the sons of wrath we are enemies of God impious rebells and infidels and goes on taking and recovering that image of God which is proper unto us by christian regeneration by which we are as it were naturally the sons of grace adopted sons of God we are the friends of God pious obedient and faithfull and so by litle and litle we come to know God in us knowing in us those divine perfections which the holy spirit attributes to God And getting the regeneration and the renovation through the holy spirit and the holy spirit through Christ it comes to be true that by Christ we know God in us And it is a cleare ease we should never know in God truth fidelity justice bounty were we not first true faithfull just good c. It being naturall of man to judge of others according to that which he knowes in himselfe By a certaine inward vision I understand that a christian knowes God after that he hath known him by the revelation of Christ by the communication of the holy spirit by the Christian regeneration And for as much as belongs to this knowledge I referre my selfe to that which I have said in another Consideration Wherein I have set certain comparisons by which a man that hath not attained to this knowledge of God may in some sort arrive to understand in what it doth consist And if he doe arrive I am sure that there will come upon him so great a desire of this knowledge that he will continually goe after God saying unto him these amorous words shew unto me thy
comforts them and gives them content considering that death is the end of their Pilgrimage They who albeit they be indeed prized loved and favoured of God are not yet despised hated and persecuted of the world doe not as yet esteem themselves Pilgrims in this present life not being handled as Pilgrims albeit they esteem themselves Citizens of eternall life in as much as they know that they are prized favoured and loved of God It is true indeed that this estimation is not entire nor perfect in them untill that the world knowing them prized loved and favoured of God begins to handle them as Pilgrims despising them hateing them and persecuting them For as then they feeling themselves handled by the world as Pilgrims have recourse to Christ and recourse to God and being as they are more prized more loved more favoured of God and more illustrated in the knowledge of eternall life they esteem themselves Pilgrims and strangers in this present life in such manner that however afterwards the world returne to prize love and use them well they doe not leave to esteem themselves Pilgrims and to hold it good to goe out of this pilgrimage Here I understand two things The first that it is Gods will that they whom he loves should live as Pilgrims And the second that between them who hate the world because they are persecuted of the world for piety and them who hate the world for other respects there is this difference that these second although they bear hatred to the world whilest they are despised of the world and would be contented to goe out of the world when the world returnes to prize them loving the world they would by no meanes goe out of the world And the other after that they once hate the world seeing themselves despised hated and persecuted of the world they never more returne to love the world how much soever it love and esteem them This difference proceeds from hence that following the light of the holy spirit and being illustrated in the knowledge of eternall life they doe alwaies hold themselves for pilgrims in this present life and alwaies hold themselves for Cittizens of the Kingdome of God and in eternall life and therefore hate this life and rejoyce to goe out of it On the contrary the other following the naturall light have no certainty of eternall life and if they have any they doe not stand sure to be well in it therefore they doe not altogether hate this life nor rejoyce to goe out of it In this discourse christian persons shall understand that they are to esteem themselves pilgrims and strangers in the world in this present life and that they are to esteem themselves Cittizens of the Kingdome of God and of life eternall And that if so be the feeling themselves very fearefull of death shall make them know that they are not come to this to esteem themselves pilgrims they ought with continuall prayer to pretend it being certain that by how much more perfectly they shall stand therein then they shall be most like to Christ and most like to God who have been and are in this present life strangers and pilgrims and like such have been and are used And to every Christian person it appertaines to procure to be like to God and to the sonne of God Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XCVII Whether Iustification be a fruit of piety and whether piety be a fruit of Justification WIlling to examine between these two gifts of God Piety and Justification which of them may be said to be the fruit of the other that is whether piety be the fruit of justification a man being first just before pious or whether justification be the fruit of Piety a man being pious before just and willing in this matter to proceed with order as it were I first say that by Piety I understand the true divine worship which consisteth in worshipping God in spirit and in truth Iohn 4. approving with the minde whatever God doth holding it for just holy and good In this signification I understand S. Paul useth this word Piety 1. Tim. 3. And I say that by justification I understand the purity of conscience which dares appear in judgement such as was S. Pauls when he said there is laid up for mee a Crowne of righteousnesse c. Passing on farther I understand that calling into counsell for the making of this examination the naturall light prudence and humane wisdome shee will alwaies say and affirme that justification is a fruit of piety understanding that one cannot have justification and purity in his conscience if he doe not first adore God in spirit and in truth giving unto him that which it ought to doe as his creature and that suddenly when he gives to God that which he ought to give hee is iust having cleannesse in his conscience And so it is resolved that Iustification is a fruit of piety since from a mans being pious it redounds that he is iust Farther I understand that calling into counsell for the making of this triall the holy spirit and the Christian spirit he will say and affirme that Piety is the fruit of Iustification understanding that a man cannot haue Piety worship God in spirit and truth if he be not first iust accepting the Gospell of Christ making Christs iustice his and understanding that instantly when a man believing is iust he begins to haue Piety adoring God in spirit and truth And so it is resolved that Piety is a fruit of Iustification for a man is first iust then pious If that were true which naturall light saith prudence and humane wisdome for the selfesame cause it would follow that there hath not been nor is nor shall bee a pious man I would say who should giue entirely compleatly unto God that which he ought to give And it being true that which the holy spirit and the Christian spirit saith it well follows that there hath been is and shall be a great number of iust men for there haue been are and shall be many men that haue been are and shall bee iustistified by Christ accepting and making Christiustice theirs Men that Iudge that Iustfication is a fruit of piety by the selfe same case give testimony of themselves that they iudge by naturall light by prudence humane wisdome as Plato and Aristotle would have iudged who had no notice at all of Christ. And in very truth I knowe not what they think of Christ of the Christian businesse nor of the Gospell The men that iudge that Piety is a fruit of Iustification by the selfesame case give testimony of themselves that they iudge by the holy spirit by the Christian spirit as S. Peter and S. Paul iudged who largely knew Christ and had the spirit of Christ. They haue this opinion of Christ that in him God chastised all our sinnes that is all that wherein we faile unto that which as the creatures of God we are
us in such manner that no need haue we of other regiment nor of other goverment so long as we shall not sever our selves from our heavenly Father And as it is possible that a man may be the son of God and suffer himselfe to be ruled and governed of God so is it possible that a sonne of God should conserve and maintain himselfe in bodily and spirituall health The sonnes of God will make use of the Physitians of the physick to conserue the health of the body as they also make use of the Scripture to conserve the health of their mindes but they doe it without putting cōfidence either in this or in that for all their trust stands put in God They make use likewise to conserve the health of their bodies of the observation of times and places as they make use of some ceremonies to cōlerve the health of their soules This they doe rather to conforme themselues in the outward with the sonnes of Adam then because they feel themselves needing of such observations forasmuch as they being govern'd by God alone observe the will of God and wholly depend on it These truths they understand that prove them the others finde in them many intricacies For the naturall man perceives not the things that are of the spirit of God alwaies he blames them and condemnes them That I may be the better understood I put this Example There are two men would passe a great river by wading there comes to them one that is experienced in the river and saith unto them in this manner If you will passe of your selues alone you are to enter here-away when you are entred you are to govern your selves thus and thus and if so be you will that I should passe you over come after me and haue no feare Of these two men one confident in his own wisdome upon that which hath been told him puts himselfe alone into the water by him I mean the sonnes of Adam The other having confidence in him that is experienced in the river goes after him by him I understand the sonnes of God And as I hold for certain that the presumption and errour of the sonnes of Adam is much greater folly then then that of him who when hee might passe the river with a Guide and safely puts himselfe to the hazard to passe it alone so I hold it for certaine that the prudence and discretion of the Sonnes of God that suffer themselves to be ruled and governed by the spirit of Christ is much greater then that of that man that chooseth rather to passe the river with a Guide then alone And it is to be understood that in as much as wee are Incorporated in Iesus Christ our Lord in so much are wee the Sonnes of God CONSID. IV. From whence the revengefull affection proceeds in men◅ And what effects the long sufferance causeth wherewith God goes deferring the revenge of those injuries which men doe unto him PVtting on one part all the offences that from the beginning of the world untill this present day have been done by men one towards another and putting on the other part onely those which one man inone day only doth to God It seemes to me to behold beyond all comparison a greater Quality and Quantity of these then of them Passing on further and considering the Revengefull affections in men so extreame that there are very few injured who being able to revenge themselves doe not take revenge And considering in God that hee being able with one beck to anihilate all those that offend him he doth not anihilate them but rather tolerates them and comports and gives unto them of his good things I have set my self to examine whence this revengefull affection in men proceeds And what effects the Patience of God doth worke And I hold for certaine that the revengefull affection in men proceeds from the depravation of the first man confirming my selfe in this that if humane nature had not been depraved men would have been most estranged from all revenge For the first man being created unto the Image and likenesse of God it is a manifest thing he was created with an affection estranged from revenge as we know it to be in God This is for that which belongs to men From the patience with which God suffers the injuries which are ordinarily done him I consider that all these effects proceed worthy according to my judgement of great consideration The first is that many of the injurers and impious become servants and pious which would not come to passe if they be punished in their injuring The second that if God should suddainly punish the wicked in a short space all the wicked that are in the world would be consumed And there being no wicked the pious would not have the meanes to exercise their piety the which is necessary should be exercised to the intent that being purified it may shine out to the glory of God The third is that pious men considering how God is estranged from revenge and remembring themselves that that which belongs to them in this present life is to recover the Image of God with which the first man was created they should reduce their mindes to leave all affection of wrath and of revenge saying when they are assaulted these and other like words My intent is to recover the Image and likenesse of God with which the first man was created This was altogether estranged from revenge for as much as God being able to revenge himselfe doth not revenge himselfe And therefore it belongs not to me to revenge my selfe but to doe that which my God doth to whom I procure to liken my selfe These three effects I finde redound to the gaine of the pious And I finde other two which redound to the damage of the impious The first of which is that by how much they live the longer by so much the more doe they offend and doe injuries And in this manner they goe accumulating and increasing eternall condemnation The second is that with the unquietnesse and travaile that they suffer in their owne consciences they begin to feele in this life that which they are to suffer in the other They desire to dye supposing to be free from their punishment And on the other fide they would not dye doubting that it should be augmented unto them In so much that through the patience wherewith God suffers and deferres the revenge of the injuries which men doe unto him I finde three profits of the pious and in the selfe-same I finde two damages of the wicked Whereupon it seemes to me that even as the good redounds to the damage of the wicked so also that which seems evill redounds to the profit of the pious that doe hold and embrace that piety which is obtained by faith in Iesus Christ our Lord. I will here adde three things the first that God commanding me that I should pardon them that doe me injury it is
in those things which are proper to that being of a man which he hath applying himselfe unto them when they offer themselues unto him And as the stranger to piety exercising himselfe in those things which are properly of piety doth not exercise himselfe in piety but in the being of a man which he hath for his principall intent is his own proper interest which is proper to the being of a man so on the other side the person that is altogether pious exercising himselfe in those things which are proper to that being of a man which hee hath exerciseth himselfe in piety because his principall intent is the glory of God which is proper to piety And it will come to passe that one estranged from piety shall preach Christ and shall not exercise himselfe in piety because his principall intent will be his proper glory and his proper interest and on the contrary it will come to passe that a pious person will doe good to one that is without piety and he shall be exercised in piety because his principall intent is the glory of God And although he was not moved to that thing with Christian charity but with humane mercifulnesse neverthelesse he exercised himselfe in piety Whereupon I gather that the greatest of all others are those priviledges which they enjoy which haue piety which is obtained by the holy spirit which is communicated to the faithfull by Iesus Christ or Lord. I will adde this that as he who is estranged from piety is as it were deprived of the knowledge of the difference of works which is here set down so also is he deprived of the knowledge that he doth never exercise himselfe in piety And that he who is pious doth excellently well understand when hee exerciseth himselfe in those things which are proper to a man and when he exerciseth himselfe in those things which are properly of piety and this only bethinking himselfe a litle or to say better not suffering at any time his mind to wander carelesly In effect it is true that these priviledges of piety are Books which Esay saith God hath prepared for them that loue him that is for them that should come to know and to love him being justified by faith in Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. X. In what regard the estate of the Christian person that belieues with difficulty is better then of that Person which belieues with ease AMongst them which haue the name of Christians I doe consider two sorts of men the one extremely facile to believe in matters of Religion all that is told them and the other extremely hard And as I understand it the facility of the one growes from superstition and from litle consideration and the difficulty of the other in believing growes from two much consideration The first on no cause call humane wisdome into counsell and the second call it in all things and so with difficulty they are brought to belieue that which humane wisdome doth not approue The first amongst some true things which they believe believe many false and it comes to passe that they giue much more credit to the many false then to the few true The second doe not believe the false doubt of the true Considering farther I finde that the first by the spirit of God when it is communicated unto them are certified of those true things which they belieue by which certification they goe by litle and litle freeing themselues from deceipt in false things and so they goe leaving there Moreover I finde that the second by the selfesame spirit of God when it is communicated unto them are certified in the true things by which certification they fortify themselues in believing the true things and in not believing the false things in such manner that the holy spirit entring into two persons one very easie to believe and the other very difficult it puts them in that estate that the one combates with his own selfe labouring to driue out of his minde those falsities which with much facility he had been perswaded and the other combates with himselfe labouring to certifie himself in those true things which he hath not been able to believe by the relation of men Both these persons labour but I hold for better the estate of the person that is hard to belieue then of him that is easie and that for three causes principally The first because it is more easie to belieue the truth whereunto the hol spirit helps and many other things help then to belieue a lye which superstition many other things hinder from The second because the person who is easie to belieue may with ease be deceaved and he that is hard suffers himselfe hardly to be deceived And the third because the person that is easie to belieue resteth many daies in errour as they rested in the Primitive Church that were converted from Iudaisme to Christian Religion And he that is hard remaines free from all false opinion in as much as he only belieues that which the holy spirit teacheth him Whereupon I resolue my self that without any comparison that estate is better in which the spirit of God sets the person hard to belieue when it begins to instruct him then that in which it sets that person who is easie to belieue Together with this I resolve my selfe in this that that which is believed without the instruction of the spirit of God alwaies consisteth more in opinion then in faith and is alwaies mingled with false and faigned things Whereupon it may be understood that when a person equally giues credit to all things that are said unto him he is without the spirit of God he belieues by relation humane perswasion and by opinion and not by revelation nor inspiration And it being true that the blessednesse of a Christian man doth not consift in believing but in believing by revelation and not by relation it is concluded that it is not Christian faith that which is by relation but onely that which is by revelation is the Christian and that which makes us blessed and that which brings with it Charity and Hope and that which purifies the heart and is that which in every thing is pleasing unto God Of this selfe same God make us rich by Iesus Christ our Lord CONSID. XI In what maâ—…er Gods being just doth redound to the profit of them that by Revelation believe in Christ. ALL the perfections which the holy Scripture attributeth to God seem even according to humane wisdome to redound to the benefit of man except it bee one which seemes to redound to his dammage for as much as it is beneficiall to a man that God should be omnipotent liberall wise faithâ—…ull benigne mercifull and pittifull but it seemes not that it is beneficiall to him that he should be Iust. For God being Iust and man unjust he findes not how to be able to saue himselfe in Gods judgement The goodnesse of God is so great that being willing
if it should not be true that God would provide things necessary for my sustentation without mine own sollicitousnesse what shall become of me And if it be not true that God hath executed upon Christ the rigour of his justice and that by his order the Proclamation of Pardon generall be published through the world I shall remain miserably abused And it is certain that so much more any person makes these discourses by how much it seemes to him that he might of himself provide both for the one and other thing Passing on further and willing to examine whether with greater difficulty a man brings himselfe to hope from God either the sustentation of his body or that of his minde I suppose it is the sustentation of the body This I suppose to be so in regard that a man brings himselfe with lesse difficulty to expect from God that which he certainly knowes he cannot be able to obtain of himselfe It being therefore true that a man doth more distrust of himselfe touching his justification then his sustentation it is concluded that there is greater difficulty to bring a mans selfe to hope for his corporall then his spirituall sustentation Having gone thus far with my consideration I well understand what the cause is that the rich man enter◅ with difficulty into the kingdome of God And willing to perswade my minde that it should bring it selfe to depend on God as well in corporall as in spirituall things I bring to remembrance how Christ doth promise them for vantage to the◅ who seek the kingdome of God And I suppose that finding all that which Christ promiseth in things pertaining to the soule to be true I haue no cause to doubt that I should not finde him true likewise in those things which appertain to the body When this doth not suffice me I think in this manner Since that I am justified in having accepted and believed the Proclamation of the Pardon generall and since that I am entered into the kingdome of God from which the first man was driven by rebellion and that I goe on recovering the priviledges which the first man lost by his rebellion ought I to doubt that God without my sollicitousnesse will not provide for me in outward things since it is true that the first man as long as he remained in the kingdome of God was provided of them without his own sollicitousnesse And that this is true I know from hence that amongst those other punishmets with which God chastned his rebellion this was once In the sweat of thy browes shalt thou eat thy bread From all these Considerations I gather that it becomes me to attend with my minde to depend on God as well in the sustentation of the body as in that of the mind And so much more in the sustentation of the body now I haue accepted and believed the Proclamation of the Pardon generall and am entred into the kingdome of God as I know that it is true that with greater difficultie a man brings himselfe to trust in this matter then in that other Together with this I gather that I shall then bee entirely a citisen of the kingdome of God when I shall depend altogether on God being a lively and true member of the son of God Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XV. How Christian persons ought to governe themselves in their tribulations afflictions and troubles BEcause humane wisdome as we haue otherwhere said thinks that it is humility not to haue confidence in God and that it is pride to haue confidence in him it is necessary that a Christian person should alwaies stand upon his guard touching this point in such manner that he come not to be couze◅ed with the white for the black nor the black for the white When a pious person findes himselfe in some great trouble distresse he is sollicited by the Divell through the meanes of humane wisdome perswading him that it is amisse to believe that God shall deliver him from that distresse and trouble in which he finds himselfe and that that which appertaines to him is only to bring his minde to content himselfe of that which God will doe concerning him This perswasion seemes pious and holy but being examined with a Christian spirit a man may know in it a certain spice of desperation and diffidence which consisteth in that first part where it is said that it is a misse to haue confidence in God And although the second part with the desire of reducing the minde to submit it selfe to God by good yet it is marred by the first Now to the intent that the second may be good the Christian spirit makes the first good perswading every pious person when it sees him in distresse and trouble that God hath promised that hee will make account of them that make account of him and that he will not suffer them to be evill entreated of worldly persons nay rather he will haue great care of them and will help thē and will defend them Thou makest account of God hold then for certain firme that God makes accompt of thee and that by and by he will draw thee from this distresse and trouble in which thou findest thy selfe in such sort as the wicked who seek thy harm shall haue no cause to rejoyce of thy harme Speaking to him these words it redu◅eth to his memory all the promises that God in holy Scripture makes pertaining hereunto And when the pious person that is in tribulation is made capable of this truth and stands firme and constant in this hope it perswades him to reduce his minde to content himselfe of that which God will doe with him in that tribulation And in such case this conformity with the will of God is pious and holy because it is founded upon confidence which is a pious and holy foundation To this humane wisdome opposeth it selfe and saies Thou having seen that God permits that his should be persecuted afflicted and evill entreated in what canst thou found thy confidence that he will free thee from this affliction and trouble In what I say O Christian canst thou found this confidence To this the Christian spirit replies It is true that God permits all that you say to befall them which are his but when it is for the cause of the Gospell for the manifestation of his own glory for the illustration of his own name and not for the malignity and appetite of the men of this world God well consents that his Saints shall be evill entreated when they are evill entreated because they be Saints For from hence redound all that which we haue spoken of But he doth not now consent when they are evill entreated as men for the things of the world For he hath promi◅ed altogether the contrary David glories not to haue seen in all his life any ◅ust man forsaken of God And in this very selfe same may all just men boast themselves for albeit God permits that
they should suffer when they suffer because they bee Saints just men he doth not consent that they should suffer for those things which indifferently be fall to men in this present life From all this which is spoken it may be gathered that a Christian person when he is evill entreated for his piety and justice rejoycing that in it and by it the name of God is illustrated he ought to remit himselfe wholly and altogether to God reducing his minde to content it selfe of that which God shall ordain and dispose of him and when he is evill entreated as a person of the world he ought to believe and hold for certain that God will draw him out of that affliction and out of that trouble with much satisfaction and his own content and hee ought to reduce his minde to content himselfe of that which God will doe And this truly is a Christian disposition of the soule which is only found in them that stand incorporated in Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XVI That the promises of God belong to them who belieue them CHristian piety requires that a Christian man should hold certainly and firmly that God will maintaine him in this present life with his grace and in his grace that in the other life he will giue him immortality and glory Humane wisdome presuming or pretending piety perswades him that hee ought to hold for certain that God will deal thus with him but on condition that hee haue Faith Hope and Charity which are the gifts of God that giue life and being to a Christian. And in the mean while humane wisdome understands not that a man shall so far enjoy these three Graces as he shall abide certainly and firmly grounded in those other two things wherein Christian piety requires that a Christian man should abide firm and assure himselfe in For in these two things doth Faith and Hope consist from which Charity doth arise and proceed Whence it is well gathered that it belongs to a Christian to shut his eares to humane wisdome and to open them to the Promises of the holy spirit and so to attend to certifie himselfe and found himselfe in those two first things And as I understand the matter he shall then obtain and possesse these three Christian gifts of Faith Hope and Charity when he shall certainly and firmly belieue that God will maintain him in this present life with his grace and in his grace and that in the other life he will give him immortality and glory I know will the pious Christian say that God calls not unto him but those whom he hath first known and predestinate I know also that those whom he calls them hee iustifies and them he glorifies And I know certainly that he hath called me and thereby I assure my selfe that hee hath known and predestinated me and that he hath justified me and that he will glorifie me In this let him stand in this let him confirm himselfe without doubting in any manner For the promises of God are fulfilled with them That this is true may be proved by many authorities of holy Scripture But better it will be to say in this māner That the truth of this matter is not believed except it be experimented and the experience appertaines only to them that stand incorporated in Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XVII In what manner a Man ought to resolue himself touching the world and touching himself that he may become a true Christian. ALL the Christian businesse consists in trusting believing and loving for all this is piety justice and holinesse for as much as a man having confidence gets piety believing gets justice and loving holinesse That a man may trust belieue and love it is necessary to apprehend to understand and know To apprehend in what thing he ought to haue confidence To understand in what it is cōvenient to believe And to know that which ought to be loved Of this wisdome cognition and intelligence a man is uncapable partly for the depravation that is naturall to him by reason of Originall sin and partly by reason of that which is acquired by evill custome worse exercises The Wise man meant this when he said That wisdome entreth not into a minde that is evill enclined nor abideth in a body subject unto sin Whereupon I understand that a man which desireth to trust belieue and loue that he may obtain piety justice and holinesse to such a one it appertaines to bee wise to know and to understand dispoilng his minde of all evill inclinations and estranging his body from all evill exercises and from every evill custome Together with this I understand that to the intent a man may dispoile his mind of every evill inclination it is meeter that a man should couragiously and generously resolve himselfe touching the world turning his back to all the honour thereof to all the glory thereof and to all the estimation thereof not pretending unto it not procuring it nor willing it in any thing nor in any manner putting an end to all kinds of ambition and self esteem Together with this I understand that to the intent a man may estrange his body from all evill exercise and from all evill custome it is meet that a man should valorously resolve touching things which concern himselfe renouncing in good earnest all those things from which there doth come or may come any satisfaction or any corporall content putting an end to all estranging himselfe from it and abhorring it For doing in this manner he shall purifie his soule and his body and he shall make himselfe able God giving unto him that wisdome understanding and knowledge which he is capable of And so doing he shall come to obtain Confidence Faith and Loue and shall be Pious Iust and Holy and consequently he shall become a true Christian. Vnto this resolution I understand that Iesus Christ our Lord inviteth every one of us saying Hee that will come after me c. And as I understand it then a man is to be said to take his crosse upon him when willingly he suffers the martyrdome with which the men of the world will martyrize him whether it be of the body or of the soule That of the body the true Christians of the Primitiue Church did suffer when those which were open enemies of God and of Christ took away their lives because they believed in Christ That of the minde hath been suffered and is daily to be suffered by true Christians that haue followed the steps of the Ancient when they who are secret enemies of God of Christ doe despise them esteem them for vile and for nobody deprive them of honour and fame And as I understand it this is the most cruell and most terrible and most unsupportable martyrdome of all And a man that stands constant in this kind of martyrdome may well hold himselfe for a true martyr of Christ. Together with this I understand that to the resolutions
who haue the spirit of Iesus Christ our Lord. CGNSID LXVIII That the desire of knowledge is Imperfection in a Man contrary to the judgement of Humane Wisdome HVmane wisdome judgeth that the desire to know is a great perfection in man And the holy spirit iudgeth that it is a great imperfection in a man Humane wisdom confirmes her opinion saying that it hath been seen by experience that in the world those men haue lived most virtuously who having the greatest desire to know haue most given themselves to indeavour to know and haue known most And here is alleaged a troup of Philosophers And the holy spirit on the contrary affirmes his sentence saying that through the desire of knowing sinne came into the world and through sin death and with it all the miseries and all the troubles whereunto wee stand subiect in this present life That this is true is proved by the perswasion of the Divell who said unto E◅e You shall be like Gods knowing good and evill Passing on farther the holy spirit faith that the desire of knowledge destroyed the Hebrews in as much as desiring to understand the prophecies that spake of the Messias and procuring to understand them by the way of wit and humane discourse they imagined to themselves and figured a M◅ssias so cōtrary to him whom God sent them as when they had him they knew him not and not knowing him they did not receaue him and from their not receauing him redownded not onely that they did not enioy him but it caused their ruine and perdition Passing on farther the holy Spirit saith that the Gentiles desiring to know the originall and the beginning of naturall things did procure to know them with their own wits and discourses whence comes to passe that which Saint Paul said They became vain in their imaginations and they worshipped the creatures and ran headlong into other absurd and bruitish inconveniences In the selfe same manner the holy spirit saith that many men desiring to know the things which appertain to Christian Religion and procuring it with naturall light haue made such strange conceits of God of Christ and of the Christian state and of the Christian living that a man may say with truth that of Christ they haue nothing but the name participating on one side of the inconvenience of the Hebrewes in as much as they read holy Scripture and desiring to understand it procuring this not with that spirituall light with which it was written but with naturall light they doe not understand it And participating on the other side of the inconvenience of the Gentiles in as much as desiring to know that which the Gentiles knew they read that which the Gentiles writ and they think as the Gentiles thought frame Gentiles mindes The holy spirit having proved his sentence against that desire of knowing which men haue saith further that that vertue which is got by desiring to know and knowing that which may be known with naturall light is rather a vice then a vertue in as much as it makes men presumptuous insolent and consequently impious incredulous That this is true appeares by this that the men that follow their proper naturall light by how much they are more vertuous according to the world by so much they haue lesse confidence in God and doe so much lesse belieue in Christ and therefore are so much more impious and more incredulous in such manner that it stands well to say that the desire to know is a great imperfection in a man In this discourse I learne two things The one that humane wisdome hath no iurisdiction in judging of the perfection and imperfection of a man The other that it appertaines to every man who being called of God to the grace of the Gospell makes answer thereunto to mortifie and kill in himselfe the desire to know of what sort soever it be that he may not fall into the inconvenience of false Christians and of the Gentiles and of the Hebrews nor into that wherein our first Fathers fell and that they may come to the perfection whereunto S. Paul came not desiring nor procuring to know other then Christ and him crucified Which wisdome wee ought to desire and procure but with prayer to God we who having accepted the grace of the Gospell are true Christians incorporated in Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LXIX That a man ought alwaies to acknowledge himselfe incredulous and defectiue in faith and that there is so much faith in a man as much as there is knowledge of God and Christ. VVHen I consider the great efficacy which Iesus Christ our Lord attributes unto Faith saying that with it how little soever it be we may remoue mountaines from one place to another returning upon my self and not finding my selfe with such an efficacious faith I know how weak and feeble my faith is and then I turne my minde to God saying with the Apostles Lord increase my faith and saying with the father of the Lunatique Lord help mine unbelief And understanding that my faith is to come through the guift of God and holding for certain that I shall haue so much of faith as I shall haue of the knowledge of God and of Christ for as much as men how ever good relation they haue of other men doe so much trust them as they know them I turn my selfe to pray God that he would let me know him and would let mee see him and that he would let me know and see Christ as much as may be in this present life to the intent that I may haue confidence and so my faith may be strong and efficacious Wherein I consider the craft of the enemy of mankinde and most full of enmity against Christ in as much as he understanding that the intent with which Christ did so much exaggerate the efficacy of Faith makes that men how much soever they believe and how much confidence soever they haue should alwaies judge themselves incredulous and defectiue in the Faith hath made that amongst men who doe approue the Gospell of Christ it should be an honourable thing to belieue and a shamefull thing not to belieue or to doubt to the intent that perswading themselves for their own honour sake that they doe believe they should not come to knowe themselues incredulous and defectiue in the faith and so they never come to get that which Christ pretends they should get that is the knowledge of God and of Christ by the knowledge Faith and by Faith iustification by justification glorification and eternall life And in very truth great is the blindnesse ignorance of men in every thing that see only with the eyes of humane wisdome very excessiue great in this that not admitting in humane matters one testimony that testifies only of heare-say except he speak of certain knowledge or proper experience it perswades it selfe by it selfe and by others that in divine matters it sufficeth to testifie
abillitated for as much as only those living creatures are deprived of the benefit of the Sun to whom eye-sight is wanting and to them who shut themselves up in caves or dens whereunto the Sun-beames cannot pearce in the selfe same manner God having put in Christ all the treasures of his Divinity this Christ powres out his treasures upon them who being men are cloathed with the same livery with which he was cloathed which treasures are efficacious in those Persons which God hath drawn unto the knowledge of Christ and so they are members of Christ they only being deprived of this divine influence who have not the knowledge of God and consequently are not Pious and who have not the knowledge of Christ and consequently are not just for in them only the divine Treasures which Christ powres out upon men are not efficacious they standing as much deprived of the sense and knowledge of them as he who is borne blind stands deprived of the sense and knowledge of the light of the Sun And I understand that as it appertaines to him who findes himselfe in this privation to pray God that he would open and cleare the sight of his eyes in such sort that he also may enioy the light of the Sun in as much as the Sun of its own selfe lets it selfe to be enioyed so in like manner to him who feeles not in himselfe the guifts of God which are communicated unto men by Christ it appertaines to pray God that he would habilitate him and that he would purify him in such sort as he may become a good subiect to receive the divine trasures efficaciouslie which Christ powres out upon all men In as much as god hath for all put them in him and hee generally powres them out upon all men as S. John very well understood saying That of that which abounds in Christ wee all who are his members receive grace and more grace In as much as god by the meanes of Moses gave not unto us but the law only but by meanes of Iesus Christ he gives grace unto us Iustifying us in the Iustice executed in Christ himselfe and hee gives unto us truth giving unto us his spirit which teacheth us every truth And because all these divine gifts doe come and shall come unto men in this life from Christ and he giues them unto them and communicates them unto them it is rightly said that this is the kingdome of Christ that it shall so long last untill the resurrection of the iust being made Christ consigne the kingdome to his everlasting Father god reignes at present but by Christ even as god sends his light but by the Sun And in the life eternall god shall reigne by himselfe and communicate his light I would say that in the life eternall all divine gifts shall come immediatly from god unto men from god shall come light immediatly unto men In this manner understanding the benefit of Christ towards men the kingdome of Christ in this present life I understand likewise after what sort Christ is the Head of the Church I would say I understand that as from my Head there descends vertue throughout all my members they being all governed and sustained by it so from Christ descends virtue for all them that appertain to the Chursh being all of them sustained and governed with the divine gifts which are communicated to them from Christ. And I understand that they appertain to the Church who being called of god and drawn to the knowledge of Christ are able to receiue with efficacy the divine Treasures which the only begotten Son of god Christ Iesus our Lord sheds upon all CONSID. LXXVI What thing scandall is and in what manner Christian persons ought to govern themselves in the scandall COnsidering how much esteem is made in holy Scripture of a Scandall in as much as Iesus Christ our Lord threatens the world because of the scandall advising us that we should not giue scandall to none of those who belieue in him And in as much as S. Paul saith that for the avoiding of scadalising of one christian hee would forbeare to eat flesh all the time of his life I haue desired to liue in this life in such sort that I bee not cause of scandall to any And I haue desired the same for those persons whom I loue in Christ. And considering that on the other side a man cannot liue in this life without scandalising some for as much as even Christ himselfe scandalised nay he is even called a Rock of offence in as much as many haue fallen stumbling at his humility and abasement and doe fall without being able to rise First I haue considered that scandall is the same as offence and so we say that he is scandalised who for that which he heares or sees done severs himselfe or is sollicited and tempted to sever himselfe from that which he ought not or would not sever himselfe Afterward I haue understood by holy Scripture that God scandaliseth and is scandalised that Gods Saints scandalise and are scandalised That the Saints of the world scandalise and are scandalised And that the men of the world who doe not attend to any holinesse scandalise but are not scandalised God scandaliseth his Saints when they being imperfect and setting themselves with naturall light to judge the works of God are tempted to judge evill of God oâ—… not to belieue the providence of God That this is true appeares by the 73 Psalme Truly God is loving unto Israel God likewise scandaliseth the Saints of the world in all things that are not conformable to humane reason For they having no other then naturall light and judging them there with they doe tax them and condemne them for evill And hence it proceeds that with difficulty they bring themselves to be willing to attribute particular providence to God and that they will not admit predestination except after their own way They who judge the works of God with spirituall light God never scandaliseth them nor them who captivate their understandings to God Neither doth God scandalise the men of the world for they keep noaccompt with God believing that all things come by chance God is scandalised or tempted to doe that which heâ—… would not being as he is mercifull and pittifull when they who he holds for his own and favours as his own distrust themselves of his promises or of his omnipotency and providence in as much as with their diffidence they provoke him to chastise them as it were against his will In this manner the Hebrews in the Desert scandalized him as appeares by the history and by the Psalmes 78 and 75. God is also scandalised from the Saints of the world with the arrogancy and presumption with which they sell themselves for Gods Saints for which God is forced to chastise them with blindnesse as he chastised the Hebrews and chastiseth false Christians And God is scandalised from the impious when with
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