Touchstone to Determine the True Catholic Faith, Part 48
But you beloued, Text verse 20building forward your selues in your most holie faith, and praying in the holie ghost; keepe your selues in the louelove of God, looking for the mercy of our Lorde Iesus Christ to euerlasting life.] The Apostle hauing sufficientlie made manifest to all men the former deceiuers: now he concludeth with a generall exhortation, to all true christians; and he sheweth in it, what true christians ought to doe. He putteth down certaine principall pointes of christian religion against their Antichristian superstition. One contrarie placed by another, is made more bright: So this comparing of false religion and true together, will adde light to the truth. And the first point of true christian religion is, to build forward our selues in our most holie faith. By this place then is proued that it is a chiefe point of christian religion, that al christians should be builders: that is, should make themselues a fit temple for God, to dwell in.1. Chro. 17.1.4 Wee reade what care Dauid had to build Gods temple; but God would not suffer him: but nowe, euerie man must build a temple to God, euen his owne soule. We reade what cost Salomon bestowed vponupon the temple;2. Chro 4. 1. Pet. 2.5. but now God careth not for such temples made of stone; he will hauehave a temple of liuely stones; we must be his temple. And to build this temple for him, it must be the first worke we should do. Seeing then this worke of building the Lordes temple, is so necessarie and so generall, it behooueth euerie man to learne how to build; and that is, by the knowledge of the scriptures. What Mason can builde a wall, without rule or square? The rule or square of christian building, is the word of God. By it our harts & soules are squared & framed fit for Gods walles. And therefore S. Paul, taking his leaue of the church of Ephesus:Act. 20.32 commendeth them to God, and to the word of his grace, which (saieth he) is able to build further, and to giuegive them inheritāce with all them that are sanctified. 2. Pet. 3.18And therefore S. Peter saith, grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lorde Iesus Christ: and Saint Paul thankes God for the Thessalonians, 2. Thes. 1.2that their faith grewe exceedinglie. Why then, euerie christian must know Gods word, or else how shall he be able to builde? would anie of vsus allowe, or giuegive wages to a worke man, that shoulde builde our walles without line, rule or square? no more will God allowe anie in his spirituall building.1. Pet. 2.4 Of this building S. Peter also speaketh: Ye are come to the Lorde Iesus as to a liuing stone, reiected of men; but precious and chosen of God: wherefore you your selues bee built as liuelie stones, 1. Cor. 14.27.a spirituall house: and S. Paul. Let all things bee done to edification: that is, let this bee the ende of all thy workes, the building of Gods spirituall temple: Be more carefull to build it, then Salomon was for his temple.1. King. 5.14 If Salomons workmen were one monethmonth in Libanus, about the worke of the temple; and two moneths at home, about their owne businesse: Let vsus exceede them, let vsus emploie two moneths about the Lordes building, and but one about our owne businesse.Matth. 6.33. Let vsus first seeke the kingdom of God, and al things else shalbe added vntounto vsus. Let all our other workes giuegive place to the Lords worke.
And here we must not onlie build our selues by reading, & hearing,1 Cor. 14.35 and meditating of the word of God: but we must also build our wiues, as these places proue. If wiues wil learne anything, let them aske their husbandes at home: they ought to bee able to teach them.1. Pet. 3.7 And ye husbands dwell with your wiues according to knowledge, that is, knowing the law of God, and according to that, dealing and gouerning. And our brethren also, as S. Paul commandeth.1. Thes. 5.11 Rom. 15.2 Edifie one another, euen as you doe, and let euerie man please his neighbour in that which is good, to edification. But especiallie we must edifie our children. A sonne in Hebrew is called Ben, that is, a building, because the father should especiallie build his sonne in religion and vertue. Nature teacheth all men this: The sauage beare fashioneth her whelpes beeing deformed with her tongue: So shoulde all christians with gentle admonitions, frame the deformed maners of their children. The Doe her fawn being young, will hide it in the thicket, will cherish it; but beeing waxen strong, she will thrust it out, and make it seeke for liuing it selfe: So should parents their children being yong, nourish them at home: but now waxen strong, send them out into the common wealth. The Tyger when she perceiueth that her whelps are stolen awaie, when shee, being verie swift of fool, cannot recouer them, (the théeues by taking ship, and passing ouer the sea hauing preuented her) on the shoare for sorrowe shee will kill her selfe: and shall it not grieue christian parentes more? to see their children, by the deuill stolen from them, and hoyst vp vponupon the vaine sea of this worlde to all sinne and wickednesse? That commandement of the lawe, whereby fathers were bounde to teach their children,Deut. 6.10 that the passeouer ment: teacheth them this building. And that children ought to know the scriptures: the 119. Psalme,Psal. … 19. which like an alphabet is made for them, plainlie prooueth. All the verses of that Psalme, beginne with Hebrewe letters, in order as they are in the alphabet. By if they may not onelie learne the letters, but the principles of religion: and also the second part of that Psalme teacheth the same most euidentlie. Where withall shall a young man cleanse his way (saieth Dauid?) euen by ruling himselfe after thy word. Why then young men must knowe the worde of God. And Saint Paul writeth, that Timothy knewe the scriptures, 2. Tim. 3.15euen from his childhood. No doubt his grandmother Lois, and his mother Eunice, (whose faith hee commendeth a little before,) had taught him them. And Saint Iohn to all young men thus writeth: you are strong, and you hauehave ouercommed the wicked: 1. Ioh. 2.13because the word of God dwelleth in you. So Isaac no doubt, knew what sacrificement; being a childe, he coulde saie: father, here is the woode, Gen. 22.7.where is the sacrifice? So that then, if wee will hauehave our children leade a pure life, if we wil hauehave them strong, if we will hauehave them ouercome the deuill, if we will hauehave them true catholicks, sonnes of Abraham: we must see, that the worde of God dwell and abide in them. They must not knowe it onelie: but as in their carnall weapons, they must bee cunning in it. So that then, the papists heretofore in their manie workes they did, and whereof they brag; they left this principall work vndone, They did not build thēselues by the word of God, in their most holy faith. That worke which God himselfe commanded from heauen, that is: This is my beloued sonne, Mark. 9.7heare him, these did not, they minded not, they heard not the gospell of Iesus Christ. Their guides, and master-worke men, tooke the rule and square out of mens handes, and who then could build? Therefore in this very pointe, they declare themselues to be those, whome S. Iude here condemnes: They are no builders in the most holy faith. All true christians and catholiques must bee builders, and that by the leuell or square of Gods word.
Text. Phil. 2.15.And that in the most holie faith.] Christians must shine as lights in the world. Now what fellowship is betwixt light and darkenesse? saith Saint Paul. Their libertie must not bee an occasion to the flesh: They must not nowe sinne, 2 Cor. 6.15 Gal 5.14. Rom. 6.1 2. Tim. 2.19 2. Pet. 1.5.that grace may abounde. Let him vtterlie detest iniquitie now, that nameth the Lord Iesus. Our faith must be holie, and therefore S. Peter saith: Ioyne to your faith vertue, to your vertue knowledge, &c. Our faith must hauehave al vertues linked to it: Such a faith had the first christians; they coulde be a touched with no open crime,Eus. eccle. Hist. lib. 3. ca 32. or notorious fault: but that they sung psalmes to Iesus before daie, as Plinius Secundus writeth of them to the Emperour.Matth. 5.20. Our Sauiour tolde his disciples, that their righteousnesse must exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies: and so must we now tell all christians, that theirs must excéede Turkes and Paganes, or else they shall neuer enter into heauen. And yet (as it is reported) their faith in their dealinges, their religion in swearing, their zeale in seruing their deuilish gods; farre exceedeth ours. God stirre vsus vp, and pricke vsus forward; that we may one build another in our most holie faith, and that we may exceed them.
Text.Praying in the holy ghost.] Praier is one of the chiefest exercises of true religion. And therefore after the building and encrease of faith, the apostle addeth praier, which is a speciall meanes to obtaine the same.Luk 17.5 And therefore the apostle praied: O Lord increase our faith. But because our heart of it selfe is vnfit to praie, and we cannot of our selues, 2 Cor. 3.5 Ezech. 36.26. Zach. 7.12. Gen 6, 5.so much as thinke a good thought; and the heart of man vnregenerate, is called a stony heart and an adamant by the prophet; and Moses saieth, that all the deuises of it are euill euen continuallie: Therefore the apostle teacheth vsus here, if we will pray acceptablie, to pray in the holy ghost. And the holie ghost helpeth our infirmitie in praier,Rom. 8.25 as S. Paul teacheth vsus: Likewise the spirit (saith he) also helpeth our infirmitie; for we know not what to pray, as we ought: but the spirit it selfe maketh requests for vsus, with sighes which cannot be expressed. Of this,Heb. 5.7 came those sighes and grones of our sauiour, whereof we read: Who in the daies of his flesh, did offer vp praiers and supplications with strong cryings and teares: And of Dauid, Heare the right ô Lord, consider my complaint, Psal. 6.6.17.1 37.10and hearken to my praier, that goeth not out of fained lippes: and I am wearie of my groning: and Lorde thou knowest all my desires, and my groning is not hid from thee. So then the spirit maketh vsus knowe what to aske, it maketh vsus to praie feruentlie, euen with sighing and groning. In warre, the soldiors do not onlie fight with hand: but crie with voices against the enemie. This crie of the voice, in our spirituall warfare, praier is:Ephe. 6.18 and therefore S. Paul hauing armed a christian soldiour perfectlie; hee addes, praying with all maner of prayer, and supplication in the spirit: and watching thereunto, with all perseuerance. Thus (Iosuah fighting with the hand,Exod. 17.11) Moses cried with the voice against Amalecke: and it is saide there, that Moses praying to God with his voice, did more preuaile then Iosuah with his sworde. Such an excellent thing praier is, against our spirituall enemie the Deuill. And therefore they are not captaines or leaders: but traitours to Gods people, that take from them the sword of the spirit, that is, the word of God, and this crying and courage of the heart, christian praier. To pray in the spirit, is to know what we praie for, to praie with sighing and groning, to praie with faith and assurance.Rom. 8.16 For the spirit of God doeth assuredlie witnesse to our spirit, that we are Gods children. But to praie in latine, taketh away all these. They which praie so, know not for what they praie; and therefore cannot sigh or grone in their praiers, which sighing procéedeth of wanting:Mat. 15.22. As we read of the woman of Canaan, who being touched no doubt at the hart, with the sicknesse of her daughter, cried after our sauiour: and the men of Niniue, knowing and fearing their destruction, fasted and praied to the Lorde strongly, and mightely. Io. 3.8.So that then the papistes heretofore hauehave not praied in ye spirit, they hauehave not had the right vse of praier, they hauehave taken from christian soldiours, this chiefe helpe against satan their spirituall enemie.
Keepe your selues in the louelove of God. Text v. 21] Here is another spirituall point of true catholique religion: You beloued (saith S. Iude) building your selues in your most holy faith, and praying in the holie ghost: keepe your selues in the louelove of God.] This is the chiefe worke of all; In anie wise doe this: Be ye sure that God loueth you. And here let vsus marke well the first assault of our enemie,Gen. 3.5. God doth knowe (saith he) how that in what day ye shall eate of that tree, your eies shall be opened, and yee shall be as Gods, knowing good and euill. He goeth about to perswade Eue, that God loueth her not, that he enuieth mans welfare. And not onelyonly sathan: but our owne flesh, will go about, thus oftentimes to perswade vsus, as Dauid telleth vsus:Psal. 30.23. And I said in my haste, I am cast out of the sight of thine eies. Because God doth not heare vsus by and by when we pray, we thinke that he loueth vsus not, that hee hath cast vsus out of his sight: Neuerthelesse (saith Dauid) thou heardest my praier when I called vponupon thee. And the wicked also will cast this in our téeth: Tush, Psal. 71.9. Mat. 27.43.God careth not for him: persecute him and take him, there is none to deliuer him. And so the Priestes and Pharises vpbraided our sauiour Christ: hee trusted in God that he would saue him; let him deliuer him, if he will hauehave him. Against all these temptations, we must arme our selues, and most assuredly keepe vsus in the louelove of God, as in a most strong tower. This is that which Dauid saith so often:Psal. 18.1.61.3. The Lord is my stony rocke and my defence: and thou hast beene my hope, and a strong tower for me against the enemy. And the name of the Lorde is a strong tower, Pro. 18.10.the righteous runnes into it, and is exalted. And this louelove of God towards vsus, that we should not doubt of it, is confirmed to vsus, as a most strong? su… soldier, by manie places of scripture. Our sauiour praieth to his father,Io. 17.23. that al his may be one with him, as he is one with his father; that the world may knowe, that God sent him, and that he loued all his: euen as he loued him. What can be saide more then this? God loueth his, and that not coldely, after the maner of manie men: but euen as hee loued Iesus Christ, that is, with vnspeakeable and most assured louelove.Rom. 5.5.8.38. And S. Paul saieth, the louelove of God is poured out into our harts, by the holy ghost. And againe, I am perswaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creatures in the world, are able to separate vsus from the louelove of God, which is in Iesus Christ. All the creatures in the world, are not able to batter this castle.1. Pet. 5.7. And in another place, Cast your care on him, for hee careth for you: He that careth for one loueth him. This care and louelove of God towardes vsus, our sauiour teacheth all his,Luke 12.4. as a sure rocke against persecution. And I say vntounto you, my friendes, be not affraid of them that kill the body; and after that, are not able to doe any more: but feare him, which after hee hath killed, can cast into hell. And after:Luke 12. v. 6.7. are not fiue sparrowes bought for two farthings, and yet not one of them is forgotten before God? Yea all the haires of your head are numbred: feare not therefore, ye are more of valew then many sparrowes. And our sauiour himselfe saith, No mā can hauehave greater louelove then this; to giuegive his life for his friends. And it is said of him: that he loued his vntounto the end. Io. 15.13.13. v. 1. Rom. 8.15.The holy ghost also maketh all christians to crie, abba, father, which is a name of louelove. And our sauiour teacheth all his to praie thus: Our father, &c. Mat. 6.9.He that bids vsus call God, our father, teacheth that he loueth vsus. And S. Iohn saith: We knowe and beleeue the louelove of God towardes vsus: 1. Ioh. 4.16.then we doubt not of it. The louelove of God, is the fountaine of all our good thinges we enioie at Gods handes.Ephes. 1.4.6. Hee hath chosen vsus through louelove and through grace, and not through any thing in vsus, saith the Apostle. He that stoppeth this fountaine: stops the well of life. So that then all christians must kéepe them in the louelove of God, as in a most sure castle. This louelove of God must be their trust in all thinges, euen in the assaultes of sathan,2. Cor. 12.9. as it was taught S. Paul: my grace is sufficient for thee. Let not sathan by all his sleightes or deuises at anie time, driue vsus awaie from this:Heb. 2.4. Let this alwaies be our castle. Behold saieth the Prophet Habacucke (gnuphlah) he that trusteth in himselfe as in a tower, that reacheth to the heauens, (be he neuer so politique, as Herod: neuer so high in authoritie, as Nabuchadnezar: neuer so mightie as Goliah) his soule is not right in him. The iust shall liue by faith in his God: that is his life, his castle, his refuge.
Looking for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ vntounto eternall life. Text.] This great merciemercy of God towardes vsus, is declared by two notable allegories in the word of God, First by the prophet Esay: Esay 51.Harken vntounto me ye zealous followers of righteousnesse, you that pursue after it, euen as the hart doth after the water floud: Psal. 42.1.ye seekers of the Lord, looke vntounto the rocke, whereout ye were hewen, and vntounto the hole of the pit, whereout ye were digged. As though the Prophet should teach them, that are nowe zealous in religion, and forward in good workes; that they should remēber from whence they came, and what they were in the beginning: least they should be proude. They should not consider their white feathers: but their foule, and blacke legges, with the swanne. They were all, as rude stones, hewed out of a rocke; pol…ished, squared, and made fit for the temple of God, euen by God himselfe. They were all, as taken out of a most déepe and filthie pit, all defiled with myre and claie, washed with cleane water powred on them, euen of the louing mercy of God himselfe; and that the best of them were no better: God biddeth them looke to Abraham their father, and to Sarah that bare them. For God called him alone, and blessed him, and multiplied him.Gen. 12.1.4. Abraham would hauehave dwelt in Vr of the Chaldees still, if God had not called him thence. And this first calling of God, is repeated twise, Gen. 12. v. 1. & 4. And he feared his life in Egypt: and Sarah laughed behinde the tent doore. Gen. 18.12.12.11.Here were apparant imperfections in Abraham, and Sarah: Here are manifest arguments, of Gods great mercy. And by the prophet Ezechiell; Thus the Lorde comm…ndeth the prophet to saie to Ierusalem:Ezech. 16.4. Thy habitation and thy kinred was from the lande of Canaan: Thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. As though hee should saie; before thy natiuitie thou hast nothing to bragge of; as manie men are wont to bragge of their pedegrees, and of their nobilitie and vertue. In this spirituall generation, all pedegrees must cease; but the pedegrees of shame and confusion. (And in thy natiuitie in this case thou wast: Thy nauel was not cut, thou wast not washed in water, to soften thee; thou wast not salted with salt, nor swadled in cloutes. No eie pitied thee, to doe any of these vntounto thee, or to hauehave compassion vponupon thee; and thou wast cast into the open field, in contempt of thy soule, in the day thou wast borne.) Man had no ancestour to glorie in, nor no friende to helpe or pittie him, in the daie of his birth. (And when I passed by thee, I sawe thee polluted with thine owne bloud, and I saide vntounto thee, in thine owne bloud, liue: and I said to thee, in thine own bloud, liue:) Here is mans miserable estate, destitute of all helpe, polluted in his owne bloud, euen at deathes doore: and here is Gods great merciemercy, euen then, to saie liue. And least this great benefit should be forgotten, both ye miserie, and the benefit, is twise repeated: I said vntounto thee, in thine owne bloud, liue; I said vntounto thee in thine own bloud, liue. And this same our frée saluation, of the meere grace and merciemercy of God without anie thing in vsus, is likewise repeated of S. Paul twise, 2. Ephes. vers. 5. Eph. 2.5. Verse 8.When we were dead by our sinnes, hee hath quickned vsus together in Christ: by grace ye are saued. And againe in 8. verse for by grace ye are saued, through faith, and that not of your selues, it is the gift of God, not of workes, least any man should boast in himselfe. God would hauehave man challenge to himselfe nothing, nor bragge of anie part of his saluation: that glorie he reserueth only and wholie to himselfe. Neither hath God alone thus giuen man life: but adorned him, but sanctified him; as followeth in the prophet. I caused thee to multiplie, as the budde of the fielde, to increase, to waxe great; I caused thee to hauehave ornaments of ornaments: that is most excellent ornaments. Thy brests are fashioned, and thy haire is growen: whereas thou wast naked and bare. Now when I passed by thee, and looked vponupon thee, behold thy time was the time of louelove. Where this worde, behold is in the scriptures, there followeth some strange and wonderfull thing. One in this case, was beloued: this was the time of louelove. To louelove one beautifull or brauelie attyred, were no maruell: but to louelove one thus defiled, thus deformed, thus naked, in this miserable estate, O thing most wonderfull. And such was the time, when God loued vsus first: Euen then: It followeth in the prophet, I spread out my skirtes ouer thee, and couered thy filthinesse. Yea I sware vntounto thee, and came into a league or couenant with thee (saith the Lord God Iehoua) and thou becamest mine. Then I washed thee with water, and I washed thy bloud from thee, and I annointed thee with oile, and adorned thee with all manner of costly ornaments. Here is Gods great mercy set out to vsus ward, by a most liuelie example.Rom. 5.8.9. And if God shewed this great merciemercy vppon vsus, being his enemies: what shall wee hope for, now being iustified, and being his friendes? If he shewed this in our birth: what shall we hope for, at our latter ende, at our iudgment? And surely this is the only staffe we must lean to. And therefore Dauid saith,Psal. 130.3. 1. Io. 2.1. If thou Lord wilt marke what is done amisse, who may abide it? And S. Iohn saieth, If any man sinne wee hauehave an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sinnes: and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world. Iesus Christ was the propitiation of the Apostles sinnes: And S. Paul saith, God hath shut all vnderunder vnbeliefe, Rom. 11.32.that he might hauehave mercy on all. So that all must come to God for their saluation, like beggers, like damned & guiltie prisoners, and must he saued by pardon: not by pleading innocencie. And in another place he concludeth: that all mouthes must be stopped, and the whole world must be subiect, that is, must yéeld themselues as guiltie, to the condemnation of God. Rom. 3.19.No man must bragge of his workes, or challenge anie merit before the maiestie of God. The workes which the Pharisie did,Luke 18.11. were good workes, as to fast, to pray, to pay his tithes: but he bragged of them, he trusted in them, he confessed not, that he was an vnprofitable seruant, hee looked not for, he desired not the merciemercy of God, for his saluation: and therfore hee was reprooued. For who amongst men, will bragge of that, which is not his owne? And such like are our good workes: They are none of ours; they are the free giftes of God. Hee hath wrought all our workes in vsus, Es. 26, 12. Ephes. 2.10.saith the Prophet. And againe, S. Paul saith, we are his workmanship, being created in Christ Iesus to good workes, which God hath prepared before, that wee should walke in them. Here is a second creation in Iesus Christ, to good workes: so that they wholy belong to Gods grace. Mans nature of it selfe, can challenge no part of them. Therefore it hath nothing to brag of, as concerning them: Nay we being regenerate hauehave not so much of our selues, as of our selues, as to thinke a good thought, or to deuise a good worke. For it is said also, that God hath prepared them long before, that we should walke in them. And therfore S. Augustine writeth thus verie excellently,In Enchirid. ad Laurent. de fide cap. 32. and manifestly concerning Gods frée merciemercy, and mans frée will. Againe (saieth he) least anie man should brag, although not of his workes, but of his free will, as though desert had his beginning of that, to which the reward of doing well as due, should be requited; let liberty her selfe, euen the freest man in the world, heare the preacher of grace, saying: It is God that worketh in you, both to wil and to worke, according to his good pleasure. And in another place: Therefore it is not of him that willeth, or of him that runneth: but it is of God, that hath mercy. And after he expoundes this thus against our Semipelagianists, that ioine grace and nature together: If it be said, It is not of him that willeth, or of him that runneth, but of God shewing mercy; because it is of them both, that is both of the will of man, and mercy of God, that we should thus vnderstand it to bee meant: It is not of him that willeth, or of him that rūneth, but of God shewing mercy; as though it should be said, the wil of man alone sufficeth not, if the mercy of God be not there also; nor the only mercy of God, if the will of man be not there also. And in this sense, if it bee well said so, that (it is not of man willing, but of God shewing mercy,) because mans will alone is not able to bring it to passe; why may it not then on the contrary, be as wel said, It is not of God shewing mercy, but of man willing; because the mercy of God alone also, doth not bring it to passe? Therefore if no christian dare say, It is not of God shewing mercy, but of mans willing, least hee should most manifestly speake against the Apostle: it remaines, that therefore it is truely saide, It is not of man willing or running, but of God shewing mercy; that all may be yeelded to God, who prepareth mans good will, that it may be helped, and helpeth it also being prepared. Mans good will goeth before many of the gifts of God; but not all: but those which it doth not go before, it is among them it selfe. Thus farre Augustine most plainly writing of the christian faith to Laurentius, not disputing earnestly against Pelagius; and so by heate of disputation, caried ouer much to speake in the commendation of Gods grace, to depresse the pride of mans nature, as some hauehave written: And his opinion is grounded vponupon the scripture so firmely, as all the enemies of Gods grace, shall neuer be able to ouerthrow it. But most manifestly in his booke of Retractations he taketh away this obiection & friuolous cauil. For first he retracts nothing out of this booke ad Laurentiū de fide. And againe,Ret. lib. 1. cap. 9. Behold (saith he) how long before the Pelagian heresie sprang, we hauehave so disputed, euen as though we had disputed against them. So that Augustine neuer changed his opinion in this matter. He was of the same mind before Pelagius and his heresie was hatched: as he was also after. So that then Augustines opinion is cleare, that man of himselfe, can challenge no part of merit, for his good workes: and that God when he crownes our good works, crowneth his owne giftes. Man must therfore ascribe all his saluation wholie to God, and no part thereof to himselfe. And in another place he saith, O Lord my strength, Meditat. li. 1. c. 5.there shall no flesh be iustified in thy sight. My trust is not in the sons of men, whom if thou shalt iudge, setting mercy aside, shalt thou finde righteous? & vnlesse thou preuentest by shewing mercy vponupon the wicked, there is none that shal glorifie thee being mercifull.
As concerning his regeneration then (as these two allegories of Esay & Ezechiel do prooue) as concerning his daily preseruation and finall coronation, as Dauid, S. Paul, and the fathers Augustine and Bernard do affirme; and as concerning his remuneration, as S. Iude here teacheth: Euerie one must looke for the mercy of Iesus Christ to his saluation. The summe of all this, our sauiour the wisedome of God the father, comprehends in two words, as the toppe of all happinesse & felicitie: Blessed (saith he) are the poore in spirit, Mat. 5.3.for theirs is the kingdome of God. Here is the toppe of blessednesse, to be poore in spirit. And what meaneth this, Our sauiour in another place expoundes it,Luke 17.10. when as you hauehave done al you can, (saith he) say you are vnprofitable seruants, and we hauehave done but that was our duety to doe: That is, not to trust in our works, as the Pharises did, not to iustifie our selues. This God cannot abide; they that do so, though they fast often, and pray long praiers; the kingdome of hell is theirs. They are poore in spirit, which with Marie, though they excell in good works,Such a one was the womā of Canaan, who acknowledged her selfe euen a dogge. as she did: yet thinke themselues as no bodie in Gods sight, and account of themselues basely with her, as those her wordes declare. Thou hast respected not the humility (which is a rare & excellent vertue) but rather the aforeign. Psal. 8.4.base & vile estate of thy handmaid: for so the gréek word signifieth, who account my selfe as a vile woman before thee: And saie with Dauid, What am I, that thou visitest me, or that thou regardest me? Such a poore man in spirit was our father Abraham, who though he were rich in good works:Gen. 18.27. Gen. 32.10. Iob. 15.15. yet called himselfe, speaking to God, dust and ashes. Such a one was Iacob, who confessed himselfe lesse then all the mercies of God. Hereof Iob said, If the heauens be not cleane in thy sight, how much more man, being borne of a woman, a very wonne. Hereof Dauid called himselfe, a worme and no man. Hereof Paul called himselfe,Psal. 22.6. the least of the Apostles, and not worthy to be called an Apostle. 1. Cor. 15.9.Hereof our sauiour himselfe the chiefe patterne of all virtues, would not hauehave his most glorious workes to be preached or published abroad:Mat. 9.30. to giuegive vsus an ensāple, that we should not brag of our workes. And when as his Apostles had returned againe, and dare great miracles, and reioiced therein, he taught them not to reioice in their owne works: but in the mercy of God towards them, and that their names were written in heauen. Here is the only cause of reioicing,Luke, 10.21. that he that wil reioice, must reioice in ye Lord. And againe, that we must not reioice, in things priuate or proper to our selues (as the most part of the world doth at this daie) but in thinges common to all their brethren, that they hauehave one God, one father, one sauiour, one faith, one baptisme, one common inheritance. These should cause vsus to reioice, & not here on earth, our priuate worldly commodities. But to let these ancient Patriarks passe, euen many of the Paganes, who were otherwise very gréedy of vaine glorie,Plut. in Apol. hauehave béene but poore in spirit. Alexander the great; when as his friendes bragged that hee had done more, then euer Hercules had don: Truly (saith he) I do not think yt al my acts with my whole Empire are to be cōpared to one word yt Hercules spoke. Gal. 7. li. Therap.And Galen that famous Phisition did so disdain the peoples commendation, that hee neuer put his name to anie of his workes. And he earnestlie requested his friendes, that they would not doe it after his death, being desirous onelie of knowledge and truth; Accounting (saith he) no possession more pretious then vertue, I neuer put my name to any of my bookes.
What shall I speake of these Paganes, the fathers themselues verie excellentlie hauehave taught vsus this lesson.Manual. ca. 23 Augustine writes thus: That hee doth God great wrong which distrusts in his merciemercy. As much as in him lieth; he denieth God to hauehave louelove, truth, and power, wherein all my hope consists: in the charity of his adoption, in the truth of his promise, and in the power of his redemption Let my foolish conscience murmure as much as it will, saying, who art thou? and howe great is that glory? by what merits doest thou hope to obtaine it? And I will answere boldlie, I know whom I hauehave beleeued. For through exceeding great louelove he hath adopted me to be his son: and hee is true in his promise, and mightie in his performance: hee is able to doe what pleaseth him. I cannot bee terrified with the multitude of my sinnes: if I remember the death of my Lorde, my sinnes cannot ouercome him. Here we may plainlie see howe Augustine was poore in spirit, his whole trust was in the louelove, merciemercy, and power of God. Here is no mention of his owne workes or merits. Bernard also in a gréeuous sicknesse,Author vitae. seemed to be arraigned at Gods iudgement seate, and was there accused of sathan; and there despairing of the righteousnesse of his owne merits: I confesse (saith he) that I am not worthie, nor by my owne merits that I can obtaine the kingdom of heauen. But my Lord, possessing it by a double right: by the inheritance of his father, and by the merits of his passion: being content with the one himself, he hath giuen me ye other. By whose gift. I lawfully challenge that vntounto me, and shal not be confounded. Here we may also see plainly Bernards claime to ye kingdom of heauen: ye free gift of Iesus Christ, his merits, his passion. Hee was also poore in spirit, hee had not anie merit or worke of his owne to plead. But to come to our daies; that same saying of Cosmus Medices, the grandfather of that familie,Ludo…. Guic…iard. in diludiis. who was adorned with the name of the wise: When as hee had bestowed fortie thousand rials vponupon hospitals, & monasteries, and churches, and was therefore commended of one, who tolde him, that hee might looke for a recompence at Gods hande, who was a patrone of the poore. He answered, that he could neuer finde as yet in his billes of reckonings, any mention of these expēses. Surelie, as should seeme, hee followed the counsell of our sauiour in giuing of almes: Let not thy left hand knowe what thy right doth: Matt. 6.3Hee neuer writ nor made anie reckoning of that he gaue to the poore; he was poore in spirit, he confessed it was but his duty to bestow that he bestowed, and ten thousand more if he had béene able.
And that no mans righteousnes consisteth in himselfe, though he had done neuer so manie good workes,Epist. ad Diognes Iustine the martyr thus verie excellentlie teacheth: But when our naughtinesse was comen to a perfection, and that it was made manifest, that the reward of sin was punishment, and death was to bee looked for, and the time appointed of God was come, to declare from henceforth his liberalitie and power, and how for the vnmeasurable louelove he loueth men, hee hath not hated vsus, neither hath he forsaken vsus, neither hath he shewed himselfe mindfull of our sins; but hath patiently borne it, and hath taken vppon him our sinnes. Hee hath giuen his owne sonne to bee the price of redemption for vsus; the holy, for them that transgressed the lawe; the good for the euill, the iust for the vniust, one that knewe no corruption, for them that were guiltie of corruption, the immortall for the mortall. For what other thing could couer our sinnes, but his righteousnesse? In what other man can we wicked and vngodlie wretches be counted for iust, but onelyonly in the sonne of God? O sweet permutation! Oh vnsearchable cunning! oh kindnesse aboue all expectation! that truly the iniquity of many should be hidden in one iust person; and the righteousnesse of one, should make that manie iust persons should be counted for iust. Here we may plainelie set that doctrine of imputation of Christes righteousnesse, which the church of Rome nowe cannot abide, accounted as catholique, in Iustine the martyrs daies: His righteousnesse onlie couers our sinnes; and we vnworthie sinners can be accounted iust in none other but in him. This is then our righteousnesse, to hauehave our sins couered and to be accounted righteous in Iesus Christ.
S. Paul saieth, The wages of sinne is death: But eternall life (is no wages) it is the gift of God (as the word foreign importeth) in our Lord Iesus Christ. Rom. 6.23 Mat. 25.34 foreign.And our sauiour calleth eternall life an inheritance, which in ye gréek taketh his name of Lots, whereof Salomon writes thus: The Lots are cast into the lappe, Pro. 13.6but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord. So that in those things, which are don by lots, man hath nothing to doe, there is no respect of him: but all is of the Lorde. Such an inheritance is our heauenlie inheritance. Ferus writing of Iosuah his diuision of the land of Canaan, saith thus. It is to be obserued (saith he) that Iosuah deuided the land by no other meanes then by lots, committing freely the disposition of the matter to God, by whome the lots are gouerned: that hee might purchase himselfe lesse enuy, and eueryevery man might so receiue his inheritance, as giuen him of God. And so he that receiued more, should giuegive more thankes, and he that receiued lesse, should not murmure against men; but should hope in God that hee could giuegive him more: Euen so Christ deuided his land by lots. For our electiō is of the grace of God, &c. Whosoeuer the refore in the church, hath Christ Iesus for his possession or inheritance: let him know, that it is of grace, and not of merit: that all mouthes should be stopped, and he that will reioice, must reioice in the Lord alone. No man in that inheritance might attribute it to his valiantnesse in fighting, or to anie great exploit that he had done, more then anie other. It was not Gods will that anie then should do so: No more may wee in our heauenlie inheritance when we hauehave done what we can.
The …mmot in gréeke, is called foreign,Pro. 6. ver. 6 and thereof commeth foreign a schoolehouse. And surelie verie fitlie. For she may bee a schoolemistresse to christians in manie vertues; as Salomon also himselfe sendeth the sluggard to her to learne. But as she hath manie excellent properties, as to prouide against the time to come, and that not the basest, but the best corne, that is wheate: yea and that she will carrie a corne, euen bigger then her selfe, that she is girle about the bellie, and that shee hath winges on her former partes, As she may teach all christians by these, to prouide also against the time to come, and that not base, but excellent workes: and that no man should excuse his inhabilitie, seeing she wil beare a graine, as big as her selfe: and that she is girl about the bellie, that wee shoulde also vse abstinence, and fast, if we will hauehave the winges of angels: So her name in the Hebrew no doubt giuen her, of her chiefest propertie, teacheth all christians the most excellentest lesson of all; she is called Nemalah a gnawer, because she gnawes off both ends of her corne; least they should sprout in winter, and so become vnprofitable to her when she had gathered it. Herein especiallie must all christians follow this Emmot, when they hauehave done all they can, if they will hauehave their workes doe them any good: they must gnaw off both endes of them; that is, bragging of them, which may be compared to the vpper ende; and trust in them, which may be compared to the lower ende. For lack of this, both the Pharisies and the Paganes (which were greate workers) lost all their workes: and it is to be feared the Papistes also.