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
had temperamentum absolutè temperatissimum a temperament absolutely most temperate such as none but he and the Second Adam are supposed to haue yet that was not sufficient to immortalitie And therefore by Gods gracious indulgence he might freely feede on the tree of life by meanes whereof he might be preserved from decaying by age or any other cause and that through some naturall vertue in the tree or rather Gods blessing or both And thus Adam was mortall Aug. ubi suprd conditione corporis animalis by the condition of a naturall body but immortall beneficie conditoris by the benefit of his creator as St. Augustine excellently explaineth it If so be that Adam had not sinned yet fuisset mortalis he should haue beene mortall neverthelesse if he had not sinned Valles sacra Philos c. 6. fuisset nunquam moriturus he should never haue died as Vallesius aptly noteth So then no sinne Rom. 5.12 no death By one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne Contrary to the heresie of Pelagius and Augustinus Steuchus a Pontifician of later times Whitak de not eccl ca. 7. If Adam then had not sinned he had not died but should haue beene immortall Immortalitateminori in qua posset mori Aug. Ench. cap. 105. with a lesser immortalitie wherein he had a power to die saith St Augustine-Quamvis major futura sit in qua non possit mori although a greater immortalitie be to come wherein he cannot die And this must be in Heaven in the state of glory where is no disobedience or sinne and consequently no death Rom. 6.23 for as the Apostle saith the wages of sinne is death Christ Iesus is our life Col. 3.4 both here in the kingdome of grace and there in the kingdome of glorie For He as head and fountaine of life communicateth life to all the members of his mysticall body He being the last Adam who was made a quickening Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 enlivening us not onely with naturall sensitiue and rationall life as our Creator but also with spirituall life as our Redeemer and eternall life as our Glorifier Augustus the Emperour in Romani nominis aeternitatem natus borne to eternize the Roman name Onuph de imperat Com. cap. 4. according to Onnphrius was wont many times as Suetonius writes in his life to pray for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sueton. in vita Augusti cap. 99. for his friends and himselfe not immortalitie but aneasie death without paine But our blessed Saviour did not onely pray for but doth also giue unto his friends his my sticall members 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immortalitie for speaking of them his Sheepe Iohn 10.28 he saith I giue unto them eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hands Our life consists in the knowledge and loue of Christ saith Aquinas we know Him Aquin. in Colost cap. 3. lect 1. and loue Him in this world in part and it is our spirituall life we shall know him and loue him in the other world perfectly and that will be eternall life As the first Adam brought death into the world so the second Adam abolishing death 2 Tim. 1.10 hath brought life and immortalitie to light Aug. in Ioan. tract 22. Who according to St. Augustine speaketh on this wise to thee Wouldst thou not erre I am the way Wouldst thou not be deceived I am the truth Wouldst thou not die I am the life Iohn 14.6 I am the way the truth and the life So may I say unto thee Wouldst thou not haue thy body perpetually detained under the power of darknesse and dominion of the graue Iohn 11.25 Loe He saith I am the resurrection and the life Beleeue on me let me be thy spirituall foode feede on me by faith for He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud bath eternall life and I will raise him up at the last day If Christ dwell in us now by faith spiritually Ephel 3.17 he will surely dwell in us hereafter by glory eternally and that after an admirable manner which now we know not 1 Iohn 3.2 For now we are sonnes of God saith St. Iohn but it doth not yet appeare what we shall be It is not here revealed unto us we are unworthy to know it we are unable to comprehend it Onely thus much we are taught out of the divine Oracles that in the stole of glorie we shall see God clearely face to face wee shall with unspeakeable joy and delight ever behold Him who is the blessed life of man saith St. Augustine Aug de civit Dei lib. 19. cap. 26. whom to behold is life and the life is eternall CHAP. XXXV Of different perfection in glorie SPirituall gifts and graces are diversly dispensed by Christ and given to the Saints on earth after a different manner For to every one is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Ephes 4.7 Thus much the Apostle instancing in some particular graces insinuateth touching faith the prime cardinall vertue he saith Rom. 12.3 6. God dealeth to every man the measure of faith and a proportion of faith and entreating of chastitie and continency he said Every man hath his proper gift of God 1 Cor. 7.7 one after this manner and another after that When as the Apostles said to our Saviour if the case was such it was not good to marry He answered them all men cannot receiue this saying Math. 19.11 Ambr. de voc gent. li. 2. c. 3. saue they to whom it is given Hereupon St. Ambrose saith Multis modis innumer abilibus differentijs gratia opera dona variantur inque ipsis singulis generibus muneruns dissimiles sunt gradus impares quantitates The gifts and workes of grace are varied after many manners and innumerable differences and in the severall kindes of gifts there be unlike degrees and unequall quantities Now as there are many different degrees of grace in the militant Church so there be also many different degrees of glorie in the triumphant Church Ambr. de bon mort cap. 11. according to that of St. Ambrose Erit or do diversus claritatis gloria sicut erit meritorum There shall be a different order of excellency and glory as there shall be of merits Hence it was that St. Augustine upon those words of Christ Aug. in Ioan. cap. 14. v. 2. in my Fathers house are many mansions saith they are diversae meritorum in una vita aterna dignitates diverse dignities of merits in one eternall life And St. Hierome saith Multae sunt mansiones apud patrem Hieren advers Pelag. li. 1. quia merita diversa there are many mansions with the Father because there are diverse merits Here note by the way that St. Ambrose St. Augustine St. Hierome and other of the ancient Fathers by merits so frequētly
who is the resurrection and the life And therefore as by the will of the Father Rom. 4.25 He was delivered to death for our sinnes so he was also raised againe for our justification Here you see that our most gracious and mightie Redeemer was as Gorran saith Pugil in morte victor in resurrectione Gorran in Ro. cap. 1. a Champion in his death a conquerour in his resurrection For now He triumphed over the graue and death declaring to the world to men and Angells that he was perfectly just otherwise he could never haue risen unto Glory had he beene uncleane had he beene any way polluted and defiled with sinne for into the heavenly Ierusfalem such shall in no wise enter Yea He rose againe for our justification to shew himselfe a justifier of all that beleeue in him to shew that he had taken away their sinnes the wages wherof is death that so they might at the last day rise againe unto eternall life The resurrection and glorification of our Lord Iesus Christ August desurrect dom Cant. Allelujah according to St. Austine doe shew what life we are to receiue when he shall come to render digna dignis evill to the evill and good to the good then all the members of his mysticall body shall rise up in Him their head and so liue ever with him Fulgent serm de dupl nativ Christi for as Fulgentius saith Resurgens è sepulcro fecit nos participes vitae suae by rising out of the sepulchre He made us partakers of his life And we know as the Scripture teacheth us 2 Cor. 4.14 that He who raised the Lord Iesus shall raise up us also by Iesus And when Christ Coloss 3.4 who is our life shall appeare then shall we appeare also with Him in glorie CHAP. XIII Christs Intercession WHen the sonne of God had suffered his most dolorous and bitter agony on the Altar of the Crosse when he had victoriously triumphed over the graue in his most glorious resurrection He ascended upon high and led captivity captiue and is set on the right hand of God continually making intercession for us there he ever presents unto the Father his humane nature wherein He died and rose againe and performed so great things for us there we sinners haue an Advocate with the Father 1 Iohn 2.1 even Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes whereupon St. Augustine saith Aug. in Psal 94. Sacerdotem si requiras supra caelos est interpellat prote qui in terra mortuus est prote if thou require a Priest He is aboue the Heavens He maketh intercession for thee who on earth died for thee Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth Rom. 8. v. 33.34 it is Christ that died yea that is risen agaìne who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us What greater comfort and consolation haue we in our pilgrimage than to know and beleeue that the Lord Iesus is our most faithfull Advocate who intercedeth for us day and night who as St. Ambrose speakes Amh. in ca. 8. ad Rom. Semper causas agit nostras apud patrem perpetnally pleades our causes before the Father Who as the Apostle saith maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God He onely intercedeth for all Saints and none of all the Saints intercede for him So he is our onely true perfect Mediatour He intercedes with the Father for us merito suo by vertue of his owne merit The Saints on earth intercede for others but merito Christi through Christs merit for all their holy requests for others all their pious intercessions are offered upon the Golden Altar and doe sweetly ascend up unto the throne of grace Apoc. 8.3 per Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum through Iesus Christ our Lord. CHAP. XIIII Our union with Christ WHat will it availe us to know the merit of Christs death the power of his resurrection the benefit of his intercession unlesse we participate of so great blessings But participate of them wee cannot unlesse we haue communion with Christ unlesse we be of him and in him as the branches are in the Vine unlesse we be members of his bodie flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones And this is a great mysterie concerning Christ and the Church Eph. 5.32 which to understand in some measure is most necessary but to haue a spirituall sense and feeling of it is even an unspeakeable fountaine of joy and consolation As we are of and in Adam by nature so are we of and in Christ by grace And Christ who cannot be had by portions is whole in the whole Church and whole in every faithfull member of the Church And thus he communicates himselfe unto us by his Spirit for the same Spirit which giveth life unto the Head quickeneth and enliveneth the members also for if any haue not the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9 he is none of his and therefore in Iohn 14.19 he saith to his Apostle Because I liue yee shall line also And all this proceeds from our union with him which he insinuateth in the twentieth verse following At that day shall yee know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you This holy Spirit whereby wee are united to Christ is the seede whereby we are borne of God and the sonnes of God Because yee are sonnes saith the Apostle God hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father Obscuro For our spirituall subsisting in Christ is correspondent to his personalitie and subsistence whereby he is the Sonne of God So in him we also are the sonnes of God He is such by nature we onely through him by adoption and grace Hence is it that St. Peter saith We are partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 which is communicated to all the three subsistences in the blessed Trinitie and consequently to the Sonne and in him to us This Christ prayed for and was heard in that he requested and desired for the faithfull in those words That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us Iohn 17.21 And St. Iohn intimateth as much saying Truely our fellowship is with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ 1 Iohn 2.3 Entreating here of the union of the Church with Christ I was drawne to speake of our adoption through Christ For by one and the same Spirit we are adopted in Christ and united unto him He unites himselfe to us by grace we are united to him by faith And so the whole person of the faithfull is united to the whole person of Christ first to his flesh then through his flesh to the Word which was made flesh And this union is wrought after