Touchstone to Determine the True Catholic Faith, Part 4
Text.Sanctified in God the father.] That is, of God the father. For so the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet (Beth) hath the force of foreign the gréeke preposition, which in English signifieth (of.) God is called often in the holie scriptures, the holy one of Israell. And in the prophet Esay one of the Cherubins cried to the other and said,Esay. 6 Holy, holy, holy, Lorde God of hosts, his glory filleth the whole earth. So in the Reuelation, S. Iohn sawe foure be astes, which had sire winges, and were full of eies, and they ceased not day and night saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lorde God almighty, which was, which is, Reue. 4.8and which is to come. So that God is most holie, hee is holinesse it selfe. What goodnesse, or holinesse any man hath, hee hath it, like an emptie vessell, euen from the bountifulnes of God. And therefore in the gospell we read. Of his fulnes, we al receiue: Iohn. 1.16holinesse, righteousnesse, and what good thing soeuer we hauehave.Iames. 1.17. And S. Iames saith, Euerie good and perfect gift commeth from aboue, from the father of light, with whom is no variablenes, or mutabilitie by changing: who cannot change himselfe as men do many times, who are good sometimes, in the begining of their life, and euill afterwarde. As we reade of that wicked monster Nero: Nero.then whose …ue first yeares of gouernement, none was more gracious or vertuous; but then those eight following, none were more wicked, villanous or monstrous.Psal. 118 But our God is good and gracious for euer. And God who giueth this holinesse to all his children, giueth them a speciall commandement, and charge warely to kéepe the same. Sanctifie your selues therefore, and bee holy. For I am the Lord your God, keepe ye therefore my ordinances, and do them: Leu. 20.7I am the Lord which doth sanctifie you. Here is the giuer of this precious iewell, of our holinesse set downe, God himselfe. And also a commandement from him, that we careleslie loose not, this his inestimable gift. And this holinesse is kept, by kéeping the Lordes commandements, by obeying his worde. As our most blessed sauior, in that his most seruent praier to God his father for all his, doth plainly teach vsus. Sanctifie them with thy truth. Iohn. 17Thy worde is truth. Euen as muske maketh our bodies swéet, and frankinsence our houses: so doth Gods word make our soules holie and sweete before the maiesty of God. Then howe vnwise are they, though they would seeme neuer so holie to the world, that make small accompt of this onelyonly true muske, and frankinsence of their soules; I meane the worde of God. The same doctrine is taught by the prophet Ezechiel. My tabernacle shall bee with them, Cap 13.yea I will bee their God, and they shal be my people. That the heathen may know that I the Lord doe sanctifie Israel, when my sanctuary shall bee among them for euermore. The Lord here is the authour of our holinesse, and that by the meanes of his sanctuarie, of his church, that teacheth his worde: yea, and that so famouslie, that the heathen shall knowe, and talke of, and wonder at the holinesse of his people. So that then: wee are sanctified of God the father. A notable lesson for all men to learne. To know this, will make vsus thankefull to God, humble in our selues. We are all of vsus, of our owne nature, sinfull, like sathan; wicked, like Adam; filthie, like the earth: whereof we were made: But we are sanctified, we are made holie, by the grace of God. No child so resembles his father in conditions, in nature, and workes, as we do sathan, of our own nature. Wee are borne againe, we are newe framed and fashioned,Aug. Sol. cap. 15. by the grace of God. The sprouts, and often buds, nay perfect fruites of euerie sinne, in euerie man almost, may teach vsus the same. As Augustine saith. O Lord, if thou haddest not ruled me by thy grace: I had committed all the sinnes in the worlde. And as the Lorde kept Abimeleche that hee should not violate Sarah Abrahams wife: Gen. 20.6so no doubt he kéepeth all his, by his speciall grace, from all maner of sinne: or else they shoulde sinke downe euen to the pit of destruction. The Lord maketh vsus holie, he giueth vsus not ouer to our own wils:Rom. 8 14. Psal. 119. hee …uleth all his, by his holy spirit, hee maketh vsus to walke in the way of his commandementes. Let vsus therefore be thankefull vntounto him for this his inestimable benefit, let vsus not be proud of it, it is none of our own. Let vsus not despise our brethren that wallow in sinne: but pray for them. For of our selues we should be as euill as they.