c. 1. ◠3 therefore the Apostle wisheth grace to release vs from sinne and peace to quiet our conscience and because there can bee no peace with God except wee haue the grace of Christ therefore first and chiefly he desireth grace and then peace Now touching grace I will onely obserue these 4. points viz. The 1. Acceptation 2. Diuision 3. Necessity 4. Certainty of God 1. To omit all acceptations of small purpose to know set downe by Bellarmine Bel. l. de grat lib. arbit Tho. 1. 2 a. q. 110. ar 1. Grace is diuersly taken and Aquinas and others I say grace is taken two wayes 1. For the free fauour of God whereby hee pardoneth our sinnes and receiueth vs into his grace and so it is vnderstood in Gen. 6. 2. that Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord and so in Luk. 1. 30. that Mary found grace with God and in this sense wee are said to bee iustified by grace for that nihil boni Aug in Ps 31. fecisti datur tibi remissio peccatorum thou hast done no good and yet thy sinnes are forgiuen thee and so Fulgentius saith God giueth grace freely Fulgent l. 1. ad Monimum to the vnworthy for his iustification datur ex prima gratia non solum iustificatis vita beata sed etiam glorificatis vita aeterna So that all our happines iustification and glorification doe proceed onely from this first grace that is the free loue and fauour of Almighty God 2. It is taken for all those gifts that are giuen vnto vs by grace whether they pertaine to saluation as faith hope and charity or onely for the edification 1 Cor. 13. of others as the gift of tongues of miracles of healing and such like and so it is taken in Acts 11. 23. 2. Cor. 6. Ephes 4. 7. And in this sense doe almost all the Schoolemen expound the word grace wheresoeuer they finde it which made them ascribe our iustification to these gifts of grace and not to the free fauour of God from whence proceede all those gifts and graces We say these gifts are means whereby wee are brought to eternall life but that by them wee are iustified or made worthy of eternall life we vtterly denie That wee are iustified only by the free loue fauour of God For the Apostle after hee had proued all to be sinners hee addeth as many as are iustified are iustified freely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through his grace by the redemption which is in Christ Iesus where by the name of grace is vnderstood the free fauour of God without any our dignities either naturall or supernaturall For the word iustified hee opposeth to the two former things that hee had proued 1. That all were sinners 2. That therefore depriued of the glory of God And the word grace hee opposeth to all our workes yea though done by the helpe of Gods spirit so that workes and grace cannot agree to iustifie for if of grace then not of works otherwise grace were no more grace Aug. in Ps 34. quia gratia nullo modo gratia nisi sit gratuita omni modo it can bee grace no way vnlesse it bee freely euery way and by the name of workes hee doth not only meane externall workes but also all inward vertues and faith it selfe as it is a certaine act of the vnderstanding and will And this our Sauiour confirmeth saying when you haue done all that are inioyned you that is whatsoeuer the Luk. 17. law requireth and it requireth faith loue c. when you haue done it not attempted to doe it and when you haue done all this not some part of this but all both the inward and the outward workes yet euen then say that you are vnprofitable seruants and what is that but vnworthy of eternall life And this might bee proued further by the example of Abraham and by many other arguments but that I hope this is sufficient to proue that the Apostle exludeth from our iustification not onely outward workes but also all inward graces and vertues and by being iustified by grace doth vnderstand this free fauour of God which is residing in God and not in vs as the Philosophers say honour resideth in the Arles aethic l. 1. c 5. person honouring and not in the person honoured and doth not vnderstand any vertue infused into vs by grace for that all such graces and vertues be they neuer so excellent yet are they imperfect and tainted by our infirmities and therefore cannot iustifie vs and make vs worthie of eternall life And yet we must vnderstand that That he which is iustified cannot be without good workes it is one thing to say faith iustifieth and not workes and another thing to say that iustifying faith may be without works And that it is one thing to say the free grace and fauour of God iustifieth and not the gifts of grace i. regeneration or renouation of workes and another thing to say that this free grace of God doth iustifie vs without renouation of good workes For as the fire hath heat and light both inseparable in it and yet warmeth vs by the heat and not by the light so the free grace of God and the gift of grace are inseparably conferred vpon a true christian man and yet we are iustified by the former and not by the latter and therefore whosoeuer saith he is iustified by grace and yet is voide of good workes he deceiues himselfe and there is no truth in him For as the fire doth euer yeeld forth his heat and light so the loue and fauour of God doth euer infuse his graces and effects of his loue into our hearts though not thereby to make vs worthy of eternall life but thereby as by externall meanes to bring vs to eternall life These being via ad regnum non causa regnandi the way that leadeth vs but not the cause that procureth vs eternall life as S. Bernard speaketh And so much for the acceptation of grace De 2. Hauing spoken of the first The diuers sorts of infused graces grace i. the free fauour of God from whence all other gifts and graces doe spring we are now to consider of the infused graces or the effects of the fauour of God touching which we must vnderstand that the fauour of God is distinguished into 1. Grace purposing 2. Grace working The 1. is the grace of election wherby he hath chosen vs to saluation before the beginning of the world The 2. is the actuall execution of Ephes 1. 4. this decree generally by creating the world and sending his Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him might haue eternall life And particularly by giuing vnto euery one those helpes that are necessary for to bring them to saluation and these helpes the Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The gift by grace And they are distinguished by the schoolemen into Aquinas 1. 2 ae q. 3.
art 1. Darand in 3. sentent Distinct 13. q 1. 1. Gratias gratis datas graces freely bestowed 2. Gratias gratos facientes graces that make vs acceptable Of the 1. sort are those 9. graces which the Apostle reckoneth 1 Cor. 12. 14. and are giuen for the good of others more then of our selues as when I preach to others and am my selfe a cast away and they are called graces freely giuen because they be onely giuen vnto vs and yet doe not make vs any whit the more acceptable in the sight of God no more then Iudas was for all his Apostleship And Of the second sort are 1. And principally the free fauour of God forespoken of that doth chiefly make vs acceptable in the sight of God and 2. Those infused graces and effects of this first grace that are wrought in our hearts by his holy spirit as faith hope repentance and such like And these are called gratiae gratos facientes graces that make vs acceptable not because they are sufficient to iustifie vs or to make vs worthy of eternall life as the Schoolemen doe imagine but because God is delighted and wel pleased with the workes of righteousnesse And these graces which make vs thus acceptable before God are diuided into 1. Habituall graces as faith hope charity 2. Transient which are called the grace of speciall aide which is a certaine motion of Gods spirit inducing vs to the workes of piety And it is 1. Excitans 2. Adiunans 1. Inciting man to doe well and 2. Helping him forward to doe that good which before it had incited him vnto And this grace of speciall aide is either 1. sufficient 2. effectuall 1. Sufficient whereby a man may will and doe well if he please 2. Effectuall whereby a man is conuerted indeed and doth will and doe that which is good and this effectuall grace is also two-fold 1. Working which is also called preuenient 2. Coworking called subsequent The 1. preuenteth a man from sinning and prepareth his heart to will that which is good The 2. doth effect that a man shall doe and performe indeed that good which before he willed and desired and vnder these heads may all other diuisions of grace be comprehended and subdiuided and therefore so much shall serue for the diuision of grace 3. Touching the necessitie of grace there be two speciall things that doe declare the same 1. The deuils great subtiltie 2. Mans great infirmitie 1. Indeed we haue many enemies but The deuill is our great enemie the deuill is the chiefe of all for he is not only draco 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that great dragon but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greatest enemie that we haue like Iobs Leuiathan the greatest among creatures neither is he only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greatest but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the busiest enemie that we haue like S. Peters roaring lyon that seeketh at all times and by all means to deuoure vs and therefore laqueos ponit in diuitijs laqueos in paupertate Aug. solil q. ca. 16. he laieth snares vpon riches snares vpon pouertie and snares vpon euery thing as Antonie saw in a vision the whole world ouerlaied with nets that thereby he may intrap vs. 2. If we looke into our selues we Man is wonderfull fraile shall finde our selues fragiles ad resistendum debiles ad operandum faciles ad seducendum vnable to resist vnwilling to doe good and ready to be seduced as S. Bernard saith and therefore Bern. de aduent dom ser 7. haue we not neede of grace haue we not neede of helpe but because contraria iuxta se posita magis elucescunt the necessitie of light is seene by the horror of darknesse we must looke a little further into the infirmitie of man that we may thereby see the necessitie of grace But a man without the helpe of grace 1. Cannot doe good 2. Cannot auoid sinne 3. Cannot rise from sinne De 1. S. Augustine saith that sine Aug. in l. de corrept gratia gratia nullum prorsus sine cogitando siue volendo siue agendo faciunt homines bonum without grace we can neither doe nor will nor thinke any good thing and therefore Anselmus saith that as the earth though it may bring forth of it selfe thornes and thistles yet cannot bring forth foode fit for man without the sowing of good seede therein euen so man though Anselm l. 1. de corrupt grat of himselfe he may produce euill workes and idle thoughts yet can he bring forth no good thing without the good seede of the grace of God And as the eie of the body saith Raynerius though it be perfectly whole and sound yet can it not see any thing vnlesse it bee holpen with the brightnesse of the light so a man though he were perfectly iust yet can he not liue iustly vnlesse he be holpen by Rayner tit de gratia the eternall light of grace and so our Sauiour himselfe testifieth sine me nil potestis facere without me ye can doe nothing De 2. As we can doe no good so we cannot auoid euill for the grace of God is the light of a Christian and therefore without grace we are in darknesse and they that walke in darkenesse know not whither they goe And this the Apostle sheweth that before we haue grace to direct vs we are darkened in our vnderstandings and therefore when our blinde iudgements doe leade our blinde affections they must both fall into the ditch De 3. Being fallen into sin we cannot possibly rise from sinne for si stare non potuit humana natura adhuc integra quo minus resurgere iam corrupta if man could not stand when he was in his integritie how can he now arise being full of all infirmitie saith S. Bernard Besides the iustice of God required that he which would not stand in grace when he might should not rise when he would And therefore the glosse vpon the words of the Psalmist Spiritus vadens non rediens obserueth a double infirmitie in man 1. A passing away from the world A twofold infirmitie of man by death and not able to returne againe 2. A passing away from grace to sinne and not able to rise againe And S. Augustine saith that non omnino inueniretur ouis aberrata nisi pastoris misericordia quaereretur the lost sheep had neuer returned to the sheepfold had she not beene sought and brought againe by the sheepheard for as a man that is fallen into a deepe dungeon can neuer be deliuered vnlesse he be helped so a man that is fallen into sinne can neuer rise from sinne vnlesse he be helped by grace and so you see the greatnesse of mans infirmitie he can doe no good he must needes fall and then he cannot rise and therefore as Cassiodorus speaketh mouet pium iudicem Cassiod in Psal fragilitas considerata peccantium the frailtie of sinners being considered it
first was necessary to deliuer vs from hell which for our sinnes we had most iustly deserued and The second was requisite to bring vs vnto heauen for want whereof we were iustly excluded And therefore 1. In respect of the first Christ was How Christ discharged both for vs. contented to become a curse for vs to be wounded for our sinnes and to be broken for our transgressions that we might be deliuered from the curse of the law and by his stripes to be healed For seeing the sonne of God suffered for sinne what could the iustice of God require more for the greatest transgressions 2. In respect of the second he did most perfectly fulfill the royall law that his righteousnesse might be imputed vnto vs because it was done for vs and in our nature in the person of Iesus Christ And therefore S. Paul speaking of this righteousnesse saith that it is made manifest by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue And so you see how Christ by washing vs from our sinnes through his death and passion and cloathing vs with his righteousnesse that he hath performed for vs is become our Iesus our Sauiour to deliuer vs from hell and to purchase vs the inheritance of heauen And yet for all this many are so addicted to humane merits that 1. In respect of satisfaction for our sinnes though they yeeld that originall sin is wholly and freely in all respects satisfied for by Christ Iesus yet for sins after baptisme they haue inuented other fountaines to wash them away as 1. The Sacrament of penance consisting of 1. Contrition The vaine deuices of men to satisfie for their sins 2. Confession 3. Satisfaction 2. The Priests absolution 3. Masses and Mediations of 1. Saints and 2. Angels 4. Workes satisfactory by themselues or others 5. Extreme vnction 6. Suffering for a time the paines of purgatory These must be as 6. planks after shipwracke whereby they seeke to escape the danger of the tempestuous seas of Gods wrath And 2. In respect of enduing vs with righteousnesse they inuent a former A fond distinction of a double iustification and a latter iustification whereof they yeeld the first to be had from Christ and affirme the second to be inherent and from our selues And therefore they teach that God may not impute righteousnesse through faith vnlesse he be righteous of himselfe also and that whosoeuer will defend that the vngodly Concilium Trident. sess 6. can de iustificat are iustified by faith only and that for the obtaining of Gods mercy works are not needfull let him be accursed for that although the merits of Christ are the most especiall deserts through which Gods mercies and the way to the kingdome of heauen is granted vnto vs yet is it in no wise to be reckoned for the only Sentent 3. distinct 20. concl 5. whole and full satisfaction for sins or the sole meanes of our iustification And so in both respects they make Christ to be a defectiue Iesus an imperfect Sauiour neither soly to deliuer vs from hell not yet wholly to indue vs with righteousnesse that we might haue the inheritance of heauen But in a word we answer to these absurdities and 1. We confesse that contrition satisfaction and all such workes of piety are commended and commanded by God most earnestly perswaded vnto by the preachers and most comfortable for the doers yet in no waies as satisfaction for sinnes past but onely for preuention of sinnes to come and for a testimony of our obedience and thankfulnesse vnto God And 2. We say that as there is but one God so there is but one iustification before God and therefore that which they call a former and a latter iustification That a righteous man may be more righteous we say as the Scripture teacheth vs that it is a proceeding and a growing forward from faith to faith and from grace to grace And thereby we doe conclude that he which is iustified may in regard of his apprehension thereof be said to be more iustified according to the measure of his faith to lay hold on that iustification which is most absolute and fully performed in the sight of God and that he which is holy may be said to be more holy according to the measure of grace that he receiueth whereby he laboureth for vprightnesse more and more endeuoreth to liue better and better but hereupon to build two distinct kinds of iustification before the tribunall seat of God were to build without foundation and with ambiguitie of words to deceiue poore simple christians And therefore seeing our Iesus hath trodden the wine-presse alone and will not giue his glory vnto another we doe most constantly beleeue and as constantly teach that sicut nudos nos prima gratia in fide genuit it a nudos per fidem eadem iustificat nudos saluabit as the first grace found vs naked of all goodnesse so it iustifieth vs without respect to any goodnesse of our owne and will likewise saue vs through the faith in the goodnesse of the sonne of That Christ is our sole and perfect Sauiour God and we say that he alone is the way the truth and the life the α and ο the author and the finisher of our faith the beginner and the consummator of our saluation the alone whole and perfect satisfaction both for the guilt and punishment of all our sinnes both originall and actuall and the onely righteousnesse that bringeth vs to eternall life and so alone without any partner agent the most perfect deliuerer of man from hell and the most absolute giuer of euerlasting glory and that neither workes of the law nor inherent righteousnesse nor habituall grace nor any other thing or name vnder heauen can be found whereby we may be saued but only this sweet name of Iesus And if this be not all-sufficient or if he hath not wholly and soly fully and freely satisfied for all my sinnes and perfectly gained vnto me eternall life without any workes or merits of mine then let my body be damned and my soule neuer come vnto Gods kingdome for in him is all my hope and if that faile I perish But seeing as God said to Abraham feare not I am God all-sufficient so the Scripture saith to me feare not he is a Iesus all-sufficient whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall neuer be confounded I will neuer commit these two euils to forsake the fountaine of liuing waters and to digge vnto my selfe pits and puddles but I will trust in him hope in him and place all my ioy in him and take no ioy where I finde not him Si scribas non placet mihi nisi legam ibi Iesum si conferas non sapit mihi nisi sonuerit ibi Iesus Quia Iesus est in ore meo mel in aure melos in corde Iubilum No writing shall please me where I see no Iesus no conference shall content me
of the most base and impotent creature the will of the most omnipotent is frustrated And therefore as Tertullian said of Tertul. in Apologet. ea 5. the heathenish Romans because they had a law that their Emperour might not deifie any man to be a God vnlesse he were approued by the Senate that so the deitie depended vpon mans fauour vt si Deus homini non placuerit Deus non erit if God pleased not men he should not be a God homo iam Deo propitius esse debebit man had that power to shew such fauour vnto God as either to make him or marre him to giue him his deitie or denie his esse Euen so deale these men with the will of God de saluandis hominibus touching the sauing of men it must stand to the curtesie and liking of men If men like to beleeue and will receiue grace then Gods will shall stand that he shall haue men saued and so his desire effected but if men will not yeeld vnto his desire but refuse grace to be saued then his desire shall be void and his will of none effect and so by this meanes if men will not God shall haue no man saued But the word of God and the learned S. Aug. de bono pers Fathers teach vs otherwise that touching those he will haue saued Iubet credere facit vt credant he biddeth them to beleeue and worketh faith and beleefe in them And so S. Gregorie saith Superna gratia prius Greg. Mor. l. 16. c. 10. agit in nobis aliquid sine nobis The heauenly grace doth first worke in vs without vs before we can worke with it So another saith Deus obsignauit pactum in cordibus electorum per internam regenerationem quam ille ipse operatus est in ipsis God sealeth his couenant in the Abbas de ver grat Christi hearts of his chosen by an inward regeneration which regeneration he himselfe worketh in them As therfore he worketh grace faith hope and charitie and all other spirituall graces in all those that are saued so would he worke the same in all if he would haue all to be saued But against this it may be obiected Obiect what S. Peter saith that he would haue 2 Pet. 3. 1 Tim. 2. 4. all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of his will And therefore either there are diuers and contrary wils in God or it is his will that all should be saued but yet are not because they will not beleeue The will of God is not diuers Damasc l. 2. c. 46. I answer That the will of God is diuersly distinguished by the Doctors As Damascen into an 1. Antecedent will 2. Consequent will will Lombard and the Schoolemen Lib. I. c. 45. Into his 1. Signified will 2. Well-pleasing will Tertullian into his 1. Efficient Lib. Exhort ad castitatem will 2. Permissiue will Whereof he calleth the first voluntas pura and the other voluntas indulgentiae S. Augustine into his 1. Effectuall working omnipotent will Enchirid. cap. 102. 103. 2. Not working or not efficient will Others into his Absolute will Conditionall will Others into his Secret will Reuealed will All which and all such like distinctions of Gods will if they be diligently obserued and well vnderstood doe fall into the same end and doe no wayes proue either diuers wils to be in God or any contradiction to be in the will of God For it is most certaine that as the essence of God is most simple without composition or diuision so the will of God which is nothing else but his eternall decree concerning all things is one and the selfe same immutable and vnresistible in so much that the wicked who as much as in them lieth doe resist the will of God reuealed and commanded vnto vs in his word yet notwithstanding will they nill they they fulfill the will of God decreed in himselfe from all eternitie as you may see most plainly in the example of Pilate Herod and the wicked Iewes who in crucifying Christ rebelled and resisted the will of God reuealed in his word yet herein they did performe the secret will of God which before all worlds he had determined should be done as S. Peter sheweth Acts 2. 23. Aug. in Enchirid. cap. 98. Et sic in hoc ipso quod contra voluntatem Dei fecerunt de ipsis facta est voluntas eius And so in this verie thing wherein they did against Gods will God effected his owne will Et de his qui faciunt Idem de cor gratiâ quod non vult facit ipse quae vult And touching these men which doe against his will he doth whatsoeuer he will Quia voluntas Dei Alia quam fieri vult à nobis Alia de nobis saith Zanchie Zanch. cap. 3. de Nat. Dei The will of God is either that which he would haue done of vs or that which hee meaneth to doe concerning vs. And if this seeme to be diuers and contrarie that he should command one thing and doe another as to command Abraham to sacrifice his son and yet to hinder it to command Pharaoh to let Israel goe and yet to harden his heart that he could not let them goe to command the wicked to keepe his lawes and yet to deliuer them to vile affections to say he willeth all to be saued and yet to decree their reprobation c. I answer That herein indeed it may seeme to be diuers and contrarie but that is not in respect of his will simply considered but 1. Partly in respect of the diuers things which God willeth 2. Partly in respect of the diuers manners wherewith he seemes to will the things that he willeth For he willeth 1. Good 2. Euill Sed alio atque alio modo But not after the same manner For he willeth good simply of it selfe and for it owne sake He willeth euill sed propter bonum for to effect a further good as he willed the death of Christ but for the saluation of all the Elect. And therefore the first is called voluntas placens his well-pleasing will and the second is called voluntas permissiua his permissiue will and sometimes he willeth things simply and this is alwayes performed and therefore this is only the will of God properly spoken sometimes he wils things conditionally as when he willeth all to be saued if they beleeue and this is not alwayes fulfilled and therefore properly cannot be said to be the will of God because his will properly taken is alwayes absolute and most certainly accomplished And so in all the Commandements Zanch. quo supra of God we must vnderstand the will of God to be either 1. Declarans 2. Efficiens The first is that which sheweth what should be done and so the Law is called doctrina a rule which sheweth vs what pleaseth or displeaseth God The second is
vnto himselfe euen so though Christ died for them and made satisfaction for their sinnes yet may they be most iustly condemned for not receiuing and applying the same vnto themselues but to suffer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this great price to bee vneffectuall vnto them And this our Sauiour sheweth This Ioh. 3. 19. is condemnation that light is come vnto the world and men loue darknesse more than light for this is spoken of the reprobate and not of the godly for they loue light more than darknesse and therefore this is the condemnation of the wicked that light i. Christ Iesus is come vnto them and yet they refuse to accept him or to apply his benefits vnto themselues and doe loue darknesse more than light because their works are euill And therfore in a word to determine this question I say that the exhibition or giuing of Christ was for all men the manifestation of him by the preaching of the word vnto many and the speciall application of him by a liuely and sauing faith vnto few according to that saying of our Sauiour Christ Manie are called but few are chosen And so you see in what sense Christ may be said to haue died for all men and to procure grace for all men and in what sense he may be said to die only for his elect and to procure grace only vnto the elected Saints And from hence we may behold with ioy and consider with admiration the exuberancie and the exceeding superabundancie of Gods loue vnto his elected Saints and chosen people aboue all other men in the world for being all in the same masse of corruption cui nihil nisi supplicium debebatur to all which was nothing due but destruction we could deserue nothing at the hands of God no more then the wickedest men in the world And yet he doth not only giue his Sonne for vs as he did for all men else and offer his grace vnto vs as he doth vnto many others but also he extendeth his loue further towards vs then he doth vnto any other for he pittieth our vnaptnesse to receiue and vnablenesse to retaine his grace and therefore he helpeth our imbecillitie and worketh grace in our hearts to accept his grace to applie that grace vnto our selues and to retaine that grace vnto our liues end And so not of our selues but by the speciall and effectuall working of Gods grace we only that are elected doe accept apply and retaine the grace of God and all the benefits of Iesus Christ vnto our selues whereby we are iustified and sanctified here and shall be glorified hereafter O that we would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse and shew the wonders that he doth and the exceeding superabundant kindnesse that hee sheweth for vs poore children of men And thus much for the restriction of sauing grace as it is effectuall and beneficiall only to the Saints though the same be done for all and offered as sufficient vnto many yet not effectually wrought in any but only in the Saints and chosen people of God 2. Touching the place where the How the godly dwell alwaies among the wicked Saints inhabit it is said to be Rome concerning which if we doe obserue The antiquitie The iniquitie of the same we shall easily finde subiect for large discourses 1. Some thinke that the Pelasgians ouerflowing the Countrey of Greece came into Italy and builded the Citie of Rome and called it Roma by reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Impetus of the great strength and power thereof which Roma in Greeke doth signifie Others thinke that the Troyans reliquias Virgil. Aeneid DanauÌ„ atque immitis Achillis being tossed to and fro and wearied with their wiues and children landing in Italy their wiues by the aduice of a noble Lady called Roma did burne vp their ships that they might saile no further and therefore they were constrained to tarrie and to build a Citie which they called Roma in remembrance of that noble Lady sic alij atque alij aliud atque Plut. in vit Romuli aliud opinati sunt euery seuerall man had his seuerall iudgement as S. Aug. speaketh in the like case and Plutarch sheweth in this case But the common receiued opinion is that Romulus and Remus being departed from Alba did build the same and erect a sanctuarie of refuge that what malefactor soeuer did flie vnto the same he should be safe from all reuenge whereby in a short time it grew so populous so strong and so great a Citie that it excelled all others and at last became the Empresse and Metropolitan citie of the whole world quae inter alias caput extulit vrbes quantuÌ„ Virgil. Eglog 1. lenta solent inter viburna cupressi 2. For the iniquitie of it it began in bloud when Cain-like Romulus did vnnaturally murder his naturall brother Remus and as Belus king of Niniuie erected a golden statue bearing the image of his father Beel and warranted all malefactors free that fled vnto the same whereby at last the wicked Beda in Luc. ca. 11. fugitiues adored the same for a god and so committed horrible idolatrie euen so by their wicked asylum did the Romans multiply in such multitudes that they exceeded all others And because they gaue tolerations for all Religions there was no hinderance of their increase because all men are euer readier to yeeld their allegeance Valeâ— Max. then their conscience vnto their enemies and so by these meanes they grew to the height of all impietie towards God of all sauage crueltie towards men as we reade of L. Sylla who stroue to be called foelix for his crueltie yet C. Marius iustified him and Caligula went beyond them both but Nero was born to iustifie Caligula saith Suetonius and so of the rest repleti omâ—â—â—â—iustitia they were full of all vnrighteousnesse saith the Apostle Rom. 1. vlt. Yet heere among these wicked people in hac famosa ciuiâ—ate in this citie famous for her infamie did these beloued Saints inhabite whereby we see The care of the Saints 1. Their care and circumspection 2. Their state and condition It is naturall in man to desire societie Arles li. 1. ca. 2. de Repub saith Arist yet there is nothing so dangerous as the societie of wicked men saith Isidorus for though that ship was Isidor lib. 2. sol not troubled that carried Peter yet that was greatly tossed that carried Iudas like that which carried Ionas and therefore all the godly that were with him licet suis meritis firmi yet turbebantur alienis saith S. Ambrose though Ambros l. 4. super Luc. they were firme in respect of their own deserts yet were they hazarded for the wickeds sake And therefore these Christians liuing among the wicked in the midst of impietie were very circumspect of their societie else could they neuer haue preserued their sanctitie euen so should we doe though we
inward testimonie of the Spirit for we haue not receiued the spirit 1 Cor. 2. 12. Rom. 8. 15. of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are giuen to vs of God And so S. Augustine saith persuasisti mihi Domine thy Spirit ô God perswadeth me that I am thy sonne and that thou hast giuen me thy grace and therefore teacheth me to crie Abba father 2. Because we are not to beleeue euery How to know whether we haue the Spirit of God spirit but are to try them whether they be of God wee may know the same by the outward fruits of the Spirit wherof S. Iohn setteth downe three as the true signes and touch-stone whereby wee may know the Spirit of truth from the spirit of errour 1. By the confession of the truth 1 Ioh. 1 Ioh. 4. 2. 3. 2. And this S. Paul likewise sheweth when he saith that with the mouth confession Rom. 10. 10. is made vnto saluation for whosoeuer confesseth Christ before men him will Christ acknowledge before his Father which is in heauen And therefore whosoeuer is ashamed of his profession or conceales the truth of Christian religion he may assure himselfe he wants grace and is as yet void of the Spirit of God 2. By the receiuing of the testimonie of Vers 6. the Sonne of God i. by the hearing of the word of Christ And this our Sauiour toucheth when hee saith My Ioh. 10. sheepe heare my voice And therefore they are not of God that will not heare the word of God 3. By loue and charitie towards our Vers 7. brethren and so our Sauiour saith Hereby shall all men know that you are my disciples if you loue one another and S. Iohn saith Hereby wee know that wee 1 Ioh. 3. 14. are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren And S. Paul doth more largely set downe the fruits of the Spirit of God viz. loue ioy peace long-suffering gentlenesse Gal. 5. 22. goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance c. These and the like graces vnto these are the fruits of the Spirit of God whereby a man may know whether he hath the Spirit of God or not For so S. Iohn sheweth plainly In this the 1 Ioh. 3. 10. children of God are manifest and the children of the deuill whosoeuer doth not righteousnesse is not of God neither hee that loueth not his brother but hee that loueth his brother abideth in the light and he that doth righteousnesse is righteous Vers 7. euen as God is righteous And so we finde that the Saints of God did assure themselues of the grace of God by the fruits of the Spirit of God as Iob saith I know that my redeemer Iob 19. 25. liueth And S. Paul I liue by the Gal. 2. 20. faith in the Sonne of God And lest any man should say that these men knew it by speciall reuelation and not by any outward examination we finde the fathers of the same minde For Epiphanius saith Christ was sent to be a Sauiour that hee might redeeme from bondage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphan in anchor pag. 496. Basil in definitionibus and was made vnto me righteousnesse sanctification and redemption But how knew he this S. Basil sheweth Certo quis persuaderi potest sibi dimissa esse peccata si odit iniquitatem amat iustitiam Any man may know this if hee hateth sin and loueth righteousnesse And so Ferus sheweth the same thing saying In Christo si te per fidem dilectionem inueneris certus esto te esse à Deo iustificatum whosoeuer findeth himselfe to be in Christ by faith and charity he may assure himselfe that he hath grace and is iustified by that grace and so you see that by the fruits of grace we may know we haue grace Yet I say this knowledge of hauing All our knowledge of hauing grace is verie weake grace is weake and full of imbecillitie 1. Because all our knowledge our hope our faith and all other things that we haue are but imperfect and only in part as the Apostle speaketh 2. Because the works of nature are so like the works of grace the faith of hypocrites so hardly to be distinguished from the faith of Gods chosen the spirit of errour so like the Spirit of truth vt nec ovum ouo similius that without diligent search and examination we cannot discerne the one from the other 3. Because all of vs and the best of vs are so prest and almost opprest with sinnes and the cares of this world that we are carelesse and negligent in trying the spirits and examining the certaintie of our estate or of hauing grace by these fruits of grace But they that will trie and examine the same may know the same and the more they trie the better they may know and knowing the same they may speake of the same to the glorie of God and the comfort of themselues for Dicere se esse iustificatum Aug. in Psal 85. non est superbia elati sed confessio non ingrati For a righteous man to say he is iustified is no token of pride and arrogancie but of thankfulnesse true humilitie to confesse to others what he receiued from God But the boasting of the wicked is meere presumption a wonder to see they are so sure of grace and yet the world sees they are full of sinnes And therefore this should teach vs to worke our saluation with feare and trembling and not to be too presumptuous or too cocke-sure of grace but sometimes to be dubious for Is qui nil dubitat nil capit inde boni he that neuer doubts of his estate neuer trieth his estate whereas they that feare and doubt will bee willing to examine themselues and to vse all diligence to know their owne estate whether they haue grace or not for God will not make vs too too certaine causa solicitudinis Bernard lest we should be too too carelesse and yet he would not leaue vs altogether vncertaine gratia consolationis lest we should be deiected But what he denied vs à priori he granted à posteriori that by the fruits and effects of grace we might know whether we haue anie grace De 2. We must consider the certaintie of the continuing or not losing of grace a point of more difficultie and no lesse necessitie to bee knowne then the former For I finde concerning the same three opinions 1. Some say that both good and Whether sauing grace once had may afterward be vtterly lost bad may receiue grace and yet both good and bad by their sinnes may lose the same both totally wholly and finally 2. Others say that both good and bad may haue grace and that both of them may lose it totally but that both of them cannot lose it finally for that the Saints cannot finally lose grace though many
no darknesse at all And therefore God appeared to Moses in a flame of fire to Exâ—d 3. shew that he would cherish and comfort that poore people which were so much distressed and tormented of the Egiptians these be the two properties of fire to cherish or consume for nothing is so comfortable as fire if it be before vs nothing so violent if it be vpon vs so nothing is more comfortable then God vnto the godly nothing more terrible vnto wicked Tu terribilis Deus extunc ira tua who is able to abide his wrath And to these three deriuations of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zanch addeth a fourth That Zanch de nat Dei it may be deriued of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by changing δ. into θ. which signifieth feare because of all nations he should be feared And indeed Primus in orbe Deos fecit timor feare makes vs know there is a God when a mans conscience telleth him that euery good shall be rewarded and euerie euill must be punished And so you haue the significations of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God take it how you will it serueth 1. To shew vs qualis est Deus that The greatnesse of Gods Maiestie should teach vs to feare him God is a great and terrible God that seeth all things disposeth all things and rewardeth all things according to their iust deserts 2. To teach vs quid sit nostri officij what our duties are to feare and tremble to offend this great and terrible God and to be affraid of his iudgements because it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God 2. Though God be a burning fire Exod. 3. yet he consumeth not presently for though the bramble bush burned because God was in it yet it consumed not because his goodnesse preserued Exod. 3. it euen so though in the first place we see his Maiesty and his title of feare and reuerence yet in the second place if you but looke a little further you shall see his lenitie and his titles of loue and boldnesse not one but many like a boundlesse Ocean that would extoll it selfe in goodnesse aboue himselfe Our Father and our Lord Iesus Christ Now these titles are to be considered two waies 1. In respect of the Father 2. In respect of the Sonne In both which respects the loue and goodnesse of God is most abundantly shewed vnto vs 1. In that he is our Father 2. In that he is our Lord and Sauiour Of these in order These two words Our Father containe the sum of the Law and the Gospell Our Father De 1. The titles that doe expresse the goodnesse of the first person are two 1. Pater Father 2. Noster Our Father The first is verbum fidei a word of faith The second is verbum spei charitatis a word of hope and charitie and therefore in these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Father are contained both 1. Lex operandi the law of workes Basil obseru 2. Lex credendi the law of Faith i. both the Law and the Gospell For 1. To loue God with all our heart with all our soule and with all our strength and our neighbour as our selues is the summe of the Law and the Prophets saith our Sauiour but the name of Father vt explicat ita excitat Eliensis in orat domin charitatem as it sheweth the loue of God to man so it stirreth vp and kindleth the loue of man towards God the word noster Our Father sheweth the fraternity and brother-hood of vs all as being the children of the same father and therefore should loue one another euen as brethren ought to doe so here is our loue to God and our neighbour 2. The sum of the Gospell is faith working by charity but Father is a word of faith a word of boldnesse and Our is a word of community a word of charity And therefore as the whole world is described in a little mappe saith Synesius so in these two little words are most closely included the sum of the Law and the Gospell And therefore I will handle them more particularly And first of the word Father then of Our Father De 1. God is said to be a Father God is a Father in two respects in two respects 1. Respectu filij in respect of his sonne Christ Iesus 2. Respectu creaturarum in respect of all his creatures 1. In respect of his Sonne Christ Iesus he is alwaies a Father from all eternities Quia ille semper Pater Aug. to 10. ser 33. in apend de diuersis ille semper filius ac proinde Pater nunquam non Pater filius nunquam non filius he is alwaies a Father the Sonne is alwaies a Sonne and therefore the Father was neuer no Father and the Sonne was neuer no Sonne Sed sicut semper Deus it a semper Pater habens semper filium quem semel genuit ex sua aequalem sibi natura but was as he was euer a God so he was euer a Father hauing euer a Son which he once begat of his own nature coequall vnto himselfe saith Saint Augustine 2. In respect of his creatures he is said to be a Father 1. Generally of all his creatures God is said to be the Father of all his creatures 2. Particularly of man the chiefest of his creatures 1. Seeing all creatures haue their being from him he may be well called the Father of them all quia Pater dat esserei And therefore Iob calleth him Iob 38. Pater pluuiae the father of the raine And Saint Iames calleth him Pater luminum the Father of the Iam. 1. lights And so in respect of creation he is the Father of all things 2. He is the Father of men after a more speciall manner then he is of all other creatures whatsoeuer and that two waies 1. In respect of their generation 2. In respect of their regeneration For 1. Whereas of all other things he did but say fiat lux let there be light and producat terra let the earth bud forth and of all other things he spake the word and they were made he commanded they stood fast yet when man was to be created he said Let vs make God is more properly the Father of men man as consulting with his wisdome in our owne image and likenesse as more properly to be our sonne then any other creature and so he breathed in the nostrils of man the breath of life and man became a liuing soule And therefore the very Heathens doe ascribe to the soule of man both maxima vis maximus honos the greatest power and the greatest honour and the prince of Philosophers telleth vs it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an infusion celestiall and no naturall traduction and therefore doth alwaies seeke to mount vp super altitudines terrae aboue all earthly things haerere origini
beareth witnesse vnto our spirits that we are the sonnes of God and haue our sinnes pardoned our diseases cured and the image of God renewed in vs through Iesus Christ our Lord. And in this respect is God most properly called our father and we his children Hereby then we may see the difference betweene this father and all other fathers of men whether it be 1. In the state of nature 2. In the state of grace For in both respects men are said to haue diuers sorts of fathers 1. In respect of our naturall being I finde foure kinds of fathers as 1. God which maketh vs and breatheth in our nostrils the breath of life 2. The Earth element or matter That fathers are so called in diuers respects whereof we are made For I said to rottennesse thou art my fathers and to the wormes you are my mother and my sisters saith Iob and so the earth is called the mother of vs all 3. Men are called our fathers and that as S. Augustine obserueth fiue Aug. de 12. abus grad waies 1. By Nature as they which begetteth vs of their owne seede and are the instruments of our being and are therefore called patres 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fathers of our flesh Heb. 12. 9. 2. By Nation as those that are our ancestors and predecessors of the same country and people so God said vnto Moses I am the God of thy fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaak and the God of Iaakob 3. By Age as those that are our elders we vse to call them fathers 4. By Admonition whether it be to good or euill For S. Augustine tels vs Aug. in Psal 49. f. 188. that antiqui iniqui patres sunt praesentium qui modo sunt iniqui patres sunt iniquorum posterorum those wicked men that went before vs are the fathers of those wicked men that are Whose councell or example we follow we make our selues their children now and the wicked men that are now are the fathers of them that shall be wicked hereafter and so saith he antiqui iusti patres sunt iustorum qui modo sunt qui modo sunt iusti patres sunt eorum qui futuri erunt the iust men that went before vs are the fathers of those iust men that are now and those iust men that are now are the fathers of them iust men that shall come hereafter And so you see that by following the counsell or example of wicked men we become the children of those wicked men and by following the counsels and examples of good men wee become the children of those good and godly men and therefore they that doe the workes of Abraham are said to be the sonnes of Abraham and so it was taken among the heathens and therefore Mitio saith in Terence Natura tu illi pater es concilijs ego thou art his father by nature and I am his father by aduice and counsell for whosoeuer causeth vs to follow his counsels or examples whether in good or euill we make him our father and our selues his children by imitation Nam ille recte pater tuus quem tu Aug. ser 14. de verbâ—â— Apostoli fueris imitatus For he may rightly be tearmed thy father whom thou doest imitate saith S. Augustine 5. By aid and assistance as when a man doth helpe and further vs in our wants and necessities we may truly say he hath beene a Father vnto vs. 4. We find that not only men but also the Deuils are said to be the fathers of all wicked men for you are of your father Idemibid We are the children of the deuill by imitation the deuill saith our Sauiour vnto the rebellious Iewes but you must vnderstand this in respect of imitation and not of their creation saith S. Augustine Quia constat in Catholica fide quod diabolus nec condidit nec creauit naturam for it is certaine saith he and by our catholike faith we beleeue that the deuill neuer made any nature or being all his drift and desire was to corrupt euery being but because we doe the workes of the deuill Ioh. 8. therefore our Sauiour saith we are the children of our father the deuill And so it appeares that before we haue the grace of Christ to doe the will of God we are all the children of the deuill and so the Apostle sheweth that by nature we are all filij irae the sonnes of wrath this was the miserable estate of vs all before Christ and is still the state and condition of all the wicked men that are voide of the grace of Christ to be the sonnes of their father the deuill And thus you see that God is our father Men are our fathers and the Deuill is our father also But herein is the difference The deuill makes vs his children by imitation our naturall fathers by propagation as being the instruments of the making of our bodies onely and therefore are called the fathers of our flesh but God is the chiefe agent and principall maker not only of the soule which he formeth and maketh without any hand of our naturall fathers and therefore is he only called the father of spirits but also of our bodies For he fashioneth the same beneath in the wombe saith the Psalmist and therefore in respect of our naturall being God is the only chiefe principall father both of body and soule 2. In respect of our spirituall being Diuers are our fathers in respect of regeneration I finde diuers sorts of fathers as 1. And principally God himselfe for of his owne will begat he vs with the word of truth and therefore as he alone is the chiefe and principall father of our generation so he is alone the chiefe and principall father of our regeneration 2. The Ministers of the Gospell are likewise called our fathers so S. Paul sheweth I warne you as my deare children nam ego vos genui I haue begotten Aug. in Psal 78. f. 351. â— 1. you with the seede of the word of God For as the naturall fathers are the instruments of our first birth so are the Ministers the instruments that God vseth for our second birth 3. Kings and Queenes are called our Nurcing fathers and our nursing mothers because they be custodes vtriusque tabulae the preseruers both of Law and Gospell and doe by their power and authority defend and cherish all those children that the Ministers by the preaching of the Gospell haue begotten and brought forth into the Church of God And thus you see that in respect of The difference betwixt our heauenly father and all other fathers spirituall being God is our Father the Ministers are our Fathers and the Magistrates are our Fathers also But herein is the difference these are but the instruments of our regeneration or of our preseruation God himselfe is the chiefe and efficient cause of both And so both in respect of our naturall