Sermon Preached Several Times, Sermon 6

Sermon Preached Several Times · Sermon 6

p. 257IACOBS THANKFVLNES TO GOD, FOR GODS GOODNES to JACOB.

GENESIS 32.10.

I am not worthy of all thy Mercies, and all thy Truth, which thou haſt ſhewed unto thy Servant: For with my ſtaffe came I over this Jordan; and now am I become two troopes.

THeſe Words are parcell of a Prayer conceived by the Patriarch Iacob, in a time of diſtreſſe,Coherence. after his departure from Laban, whenaaVerſe 6. tidings were brought him that his brother Eſau was comming in armes againſt him with foure hundred men at his heeles.

His Prayer conſiſteth of foure parts.Iacobs prayer. Parts 4.

There is in it;

Part 1 1. A ſerious Proteſtation concerning the ground of his journey, and his leaving of Laban, to wit,bbTu …h…iſti. Verſ. 9. Gods owne Word: hee had not done what he did of his owne head, but byccChap. 31.3, 13. Gods ſpeciall direction: a good argument to aſſure him that God would therein ſecure him, having his Word and Warrant for the ground of his Action.ddSumma est Deum ſequi ducem ſecaritas. Incedit tut…s qui ducem ſequitur Deum. Ambr. de Abraam, ſ. 1. c. 2. He walketh ſurely, that walketh warily: He walketh warily, that walketh with warrant.

Part 2 2. An humble Confeſsion andeeVerſ. 10. acknowledgement of Gods goodneſſe towards him; illuſtrate and amplified by his owne unworthineſſe of it; and ſoffIndignitatis agnitio, ingratitudinis amolitio. a ſecret inſinuation of his thankfulneſſe for it.

p. 258Part 3 3. An inſtant ſuit and Supplication to God, that hee would vouchſafe to ſtand by him in his preſent diſtreſſe, andggVerſ. 11. deliver him out of the great danger that hee was in at that inſtant, walking in no other way, than that God himſelfe had ſet him in.

Part 4 4. An Allegation ofhhVerſ. 12. Gods gracious promiſes iiChap. 28.14, 15.formerly made him; which might ſeeme likely to faile, and to be utterly fruſtrate, if he were now left to the merciemercy of his mercileſſe Brother, who minded nothing, but the deſtruction of him and all his.

The words of my Text Text.are the ſecond Part: Part 2 And therein are theſe Particulars;Particulars.

1. His owne Vnworthineſſe; I am not worthy:

1. Iacobs unworthineſſe.2. Gods Goodneſſe; 2. Gods goodnes.laid downe,

1. In the Grounds Grounds 2.of it, MercieMercy, 1. MercieMercy.and Truth; 2. Truth.MercieMercy in promiſing, Truth in performing:

2. In a Fruit Fruit.and Effect of it; Iacobs Iacobs Penurie.preſent eſtate, now at his returne from Laban, compared with what it was, when he went thither:

He went over Iordan with his ſtaffe alone,

And he was now become two bands, or two troopes.

Gods bountie.Where firſt in Generall Generall.obſerve we, ere we come to the Particulars, **foreign. Chryſoſt. tom. 8. ſerm. 14.IacobsIacobs thankfulneſſe. Thankſgiving promiſed before his Petition;

How before he come to crave what he would have of God, he doth in thankfull manner mention what already he had received.

And withall note we, kkArrogans oratio, ſi ab homine quid petiturus, dicas ſtatim, Da mihi, Hoc peto, Debet inchoari Oratio à laude Dei, ut ſequatur ſupplicatio. Ambr. nomine de Sacram. l. 6. c. 5.Obſervat. 1 The uſuall practice of Gods people to beginne their prayers and petitions to God with a thankfull commemoration of mercies formerly received.

So Moſes; llPſal. 90.1.Ps 90:1Lord thou haſt beene our refuge from one generation to another. And the Saints elſewhere;mmPſal. 85.1.Ps 85:1 Lord thou waſt ſometime favourable to thy Land, in bringing againe the Captivitie of Iacob, &c. AndnnPſal. 44.1.Ps 44:1 Wee have heard, O God, from our Fathers reports, what wonderfull workes in times paſt thou wroughteſt for them. And David; ooPſal. 71.18, 19.Ps 71:18Ps 71:19Lord, thou haſt kept me from my childhood up till now: Therefore will I talke of thy wondrous workes. Forſake me not now untill mine old age, nor when I am gray headed, &c.

Reaſons 2 Now this they doe,

Partly, in regard of God;

And partly, in regard of themſelves.

Reaſon 1 Firſt, in regard of God, to teſtifie their Thankfulneſſe to him, andppDeum ſiquidem ad ampliora dandum provocamus, quando ſibi de praeteritis gratias referamus. Sicut agricola terram illam diligentius colit, quae uberius fructum reddit. Alex. Carpent. deſtruct. Vit. Par. 6. cap. 4. to incite him thereby the rather to vouchſafe them further favour, being ſo thankfull for the former. ForqqOptima petitio ipſa gratiarum est actio. Thankſgiving is the beſt, and rrEfficaciſſimum genus est rogandi gratias agere. Plin. Paneg.the moſt effectuall forme of Prayer. AndſſAſcenſus gratiarum deſcenſus gratiae. Invitat ad magna, qui gratanter ſuſcipit modica: & ſpem de futuris recipit, qui tranſacta beneficia recognoſcit: nec deſperatione frangitur, qui magnorum munerum conſolatione roboratur. Caſſiod. Variar. the aſcent of our thankſgivings to God, is a meanes to procure a more plentifull deſcent of his mercies upon us. It is as a little water powred into the Pump, when the Springs lye low, that bringeth up a great deale more together p. 259with it: Or asttMirabili natura, ſi quis velit reputare, ut fruges gignantur, arbores fruticeſque vivant, in coelum migrare aquas, animamque etiam herbis vitalem inde deferre. Plin. hiſt. nat. lib. 31. cap. 1. the Vapours, that aſcending up from the earth, are a meanes to bring downe raine for the watering of it, where it was parched and dried up; and ſo making it fertile, where it was barren before.

Secondly, in regard of themſelves, to ſtrengthen their Faith, in aſſurance of future favour and ſafegard from God, upon ground and experience of his former goodneſſe. ForuuSequentium rerum certitudo est praeteritarum exhibitio. Greg. in Evang. hom. 1. Ex perceptione praeteritorum munerum firma fit expectatio futurorum. Bern. de Temp. 18. & in Pſal. 90. Serm. 7.Ps 90 the receipt of former mercies Reaſon 2 giveth good hope and aſſurance of future favours. xxPſal. 4.1.Ps 4:1Heare me, ſaith David, when I call, yyDeus juſtitiae mi, i. Deus mi juſtiſſime. Sicut Coloſſ. 1.13. Heb. 1.3. Eſa. 2.20. & 31.7. Quanquam potest exponi etiam, Deus vindex & aſſertor juſtitiae meae: uti Iun. & alii.Col 1:13Heb 1:3Isa 2:20Isa 31:7O my righteous God, or God of my righteous cauſe. Thou haſt formerly delivered mee when I was in diſtreſſe: Have mercy therefore now againe on me, and give eare to my Prayer. And,zzPſal. 27.9.Ps 27:9 Thou haſt beene my ſuccour; leave me not now, nor forſake me, aaDeus ſalutis, pro ſalutifero: ut turris ſalutum, pro omni modo ſalutifera. 2 Sam. 22. ult.2 Sam 22O God my Saviour. And,bb1 Sam. 17.37.1 Sam 17:37 The Lord that delivered me from the clawes of the Lion, and the paw of the Beare, will deliver me alſo out of the hand of this uncircumciſed Philiſtine. So the Apoſtle Paul likewiſe;cc2 Cor. 1.10.2 Cor 1:10 Who delivered me then, and doth yet deliver me, and I truſt that he will further deliver me againe. And againe;dd2 Tim. 4.16, 17, 18.2 Tim 4:162 Tim 4:172 Tim 4:18 The Lord ſtood by mee, when all forſooke me: and I was delivered out of the mouth of that Lion: Yea the Lord will deliver me from every evill worke, and preſerve me to his everlaſting Kingdome.

That which may ſerve to teach us; Vſes 2

Vſe 1 Firſt, to keepe in minde carefully Gods former mercies, and not ſuffer them by forgetfulneſſe to ſlip away from us. We ſhould bee in this regard (to uſe the Heathen mans compariſon) likeeeforeign. Carneades apud Plut. de tranquill. Quod Budaeus perperam est interpretatus, dum foreign, eſſe exiſtimavit. Sic qui pomum in manu ſuae die dimidia tenuerit, reliqua dici parte pomi ſervabit odorem. Bernard. de Temp. 31. Civet boxes, which though the Civet bee taken out of them, yet retaine ſtill the ſent of it: The ſweet ſent of Gods mercies and gracious deliverances ſhould remaine ſtill in our mindes by a faithfull and carefull remembrance of them, even when the act it ſelfe is over.

And this ſhould we the rather doe,Inducement. that wee may thereby bee encouraged the more conſtantly and confidently to depend upon God and his goodneſſe for the time to come. For this is one maine cauſe of our uſuall diſtruſt of Gods Providence in times of trouble, or in danger and diſtreſſe, thatffPſal. 78.7, 8, 10, 11, 12. Quod ſcimus cum neceſſe non est, in neceſſitate neſcimus. Bernard. de Conſider. l. 2.Ps 78:7Ps 78:8Ps 78:10Ps 78:11Ps 78:12 we remember not what God hath in former times done either for others, or for our ſelves. This it is that maketh men ready, when charge beginneth to come on them, and things goe backward with them,ggPſal. 125.3.Ps 125:3 to put their hands to iniquity, and by fraud and deceit, or by exaction and oppreſſion, or by becomming inſtruments of evill offices to great ones, to ſeeke to repaire their loſſes, or to enlarge their eſtates: And men are wont to pretend a kinde of neceſſity of ſo doing; they ſhould hhLargitio fontem ipſum benignitatis exhaurit. Ita benignitate tollitur benignitas; quâ quo in plures uſus ſis, eo minus in multos uti poſſis. Cic. Offic. l. 2. & apud Lactant. Inſtit. l. 6. c. 11. Hinc Hieron. ad Paulin. Etiam liberalitate perit liberalitas.not be able to defend the world (as they ſpeake) unleſſe they ſo did; there would be no living for them in the world, if they did otherwiſe. As if God were not as well able to provide for them then, as before-time hee had beene: as if either continuance of time had weakned his hand, or p. 260by his former bounty his wealth and treaſurie were exhauſted or waſted: As with man it oft falleth out. No:iiEſa. 59.1.Isa 59:1 Gods hand is not ſhortned; his Power is not impaired:kkMat. 6.30. foreign.Matt 6:30 but thy truſt in him is ſtraitned; thy faith is not ſtrengthned. It is not his might, but thy faith, that faileth. And one reaſon thereof is, becauſe thou calleſt not to minde, what God hath formerly done for thee, which he is able alſo to doe for thee ſtill. And ſurely if we did but conſider ſeriouſly, who it was thatllPſal. 22.9, 10.Ps 22:9Ps 22:10 kept us and fed us in our Mothers wombe before we were borne, when neither we could ſhift for our ſelves, nor our Parents do ought for us, we might well reaſon thus with our ſelves; He that preſerved and maintained me without any care or travell either of mine owne or others for me then, while I was yet in my Mothers wombe, is much more able by mine honeſt labours and endevours to doe the ſame now for me and mine: hee is able now to give me mmforeign. 2 Cor. 9.8.2 Cor 9:8ſufficiency by them, that then provided ſufficiently for me without them.

Vſe 2 Againe, doe wee deſire to have Gods goodneſſe continued unto us, or enlarged towards us? Let us bee carefull then to ſhew our ſelves thankfull unto him for mercies formerly received. Fornnforeign. Grata mente nihil est Deo gratius: Et gratiarum actio est ad plus dandum invitatio. Chryſoſt. in Geneſ. hom. 52. thankfulnes for former mercies, is a ſtrong inducement to move God to confer further favours. **Pſal. 67.5, 6.Ps 67:5Ps 67:6Let the people (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) prayſe thee, O God; yea let all the people joyne together in the prayſing of thee: And then ſhall the Earth bring forth her increaſe; and God will ſhew himſelfe to be our God, by multiplying his mercies and bleſsings upon us. As on the other ſide, the want of it lieth as a blocke in the way betweene God and us to debarre us of further bleſſings. ForooIndignus est dandis, qui ingratus est pro datis. Aug. de Temp. citante 10. Herolt. de Temp. 112. Non est dignus dandis, qui non agit grates pro datis. Greg. laudante Gul. Perald. Sum. tom. 2. tr. 6. p. 3. c. 1. & in epiſt. Dom. 18. Pent. ſer. 1. & in Evang. dom. 14. Trinit. Ser. 1. Accipiendis indignus est, qui fuerit de acceptis ingratus. Bern. de Diverſ. 27. & Iac. Genuenſ. de Temp. 150. hee is unworthy of future favours, that is not thankfull for former mercies. And**Gratiarum enim ceſſat decurſus, ubi recurſus non fuerit. Bern. de Temp 40. the courſe of Gods gracious goodneſſe ſtoppeth, where no recourſe of thankſgiving is. It is our unthankfulneſſe ppIngratitudo ventus exurens est, exiccant ſibi rorem miſericordiae, fluenta gratiae. Bernard. in Cant. 51.that ſtayeth and ſtauncheth the ſtreames of Gods bounty, that they flow not ſo freely as otherwiſe they would;qqIn Haleſina regione fons est quietus & tranquillus cum ſiletur; ſi inſonent tibiae exultabundus ad cantus elevatur, & ultra marginem extumeſcit. Solin. Polyhiſt. cap. 11. being likerrIta fons divinae bonitatis ad laetam gratiarum actionem exuberat, & beneficiorum ſuorum aquas inundat; ſubſidit, ubi ea deficit. Alex. Carp. deſtruct. vit. par. 6. cap. 4. the Spring Solinus ſpeaketh of, that riſeth and runneth over while men ſing and play to it, but falleth and ſinketh againe as faſt, ſo ſoone as they ceaſe.ſſPetitionibus effectum negat, quod ingrati invenimur. Bernard. de Diverſ. 27. That is it that cauſeth our prayers, though we pray long, and ſue hard, and crie loud, oft to faile; and cauſeth GodttQuid ſibi vult quod minus erga ſuos liberalis nunc divina clementia vidcatur, ut quibus tanta contulit nec vocantibus, nunc orantibus, obſecrantibus, poſtulantibus ſaepiſſimè, imò continuè, minora multo denegare videatur? Bern. ibid. not to anſwer them according either to our deſires, or to his owne wonted dealings with others of his in times paſt; not thatuuNon quod aut manus abbreviata, aut mutata voluntas, aut imminuta facultas. Sed quia non est inventus, qui gratias agat. Idem ibid. hee is become either morexxNum. 11.23. Eſa. 50.2. & 59.1.Num 11:23Isa 50:2Isa 59:1 ſhort-handed, or cloſe-fisted, or hard-hearted, now than heretofore hee hath beene; (for he isyySemper idem. Pſal. 22.2, 3. & 102.27. Mal. 3 6. Heb. 13.8. Iam. 1.17.Ps 22:2Ps 22:3Ps 102:27Mal 3:6Heb 13:8Jas 1:17 ever the ſame;) but becauſe, with thoſezzLuk. 17.17.Luke 17:17 nine Leapers, wee are more frequent and fervent in Prayer than in Prayſe, more forward and earneſt to ſue for what we deſire, than to returne thankes for it againe when we are heard:aaVt accipiant, importuni; donec acceperint, inquieti; ubi acceperint, ingrati. Bern. de Conſider. l. 4. Importunate to have; unquiet, till we have; and unthankfull, when we have once gotten p. 261what wee could have. Yeabbforeign. Philo de vita Moſis. this it is that cauſeth God,ccQuae contulit gratis, tollit ingratis. Quod illo dante ſit noſtrum, nobis ſuperbientibus ſit alienum. Aug. Homil. 14. Nec tantum nihil augetur ingrato; ſed & quod datum est, tollitur. Bern. de Temp. 40. to bereave us oft of thoſe benefits and bleſsings that hee hath formerly beſtowed on us; as being butddQuia dediſſe poenitet, quod periſſe videtur. Nunquid enim non perit, quod ingrato donatur? Idem ibid. 79. foreign. Lucian. anthol. lib. 1. cap. 30. caſt away with us, as thoſe things are, that on unthankfull perſons are conferred.eeHoſea 2.8, 9.Hos 2:8Hos 2:9 Becauſe (ſaith God of the unthankfull Iſraelites) they ſay, I will goe after **foreign amaſios meos.my Sweet-hearts, that give me my meat and my drinke, my wooll and my flax, my wine and mine oyle; and conſider not, that it is I that gave them theſe things: Therefore ffRevertar & tollam, id eſt, tollam denuo, recipiam. Sicut Dan. 9.25. revertetur & aedificabitur, id eſt, reaedificabitur: uti Livel. in Chronol. Perſ.Dan 9:25I will come and take theſe things againe away from them. AndggEzech. 29.3, 9.Ezek 29:3Ezek 29:9 becauſe Pharao ſaith, The River is mine owne; hhEſa. 19.5, 6.Isa 19:5Isa 19:6Therefore, ſaith God, will I drie up the River. For the better underſtanding whereof, and of ſome other the like paſſages in the Prophet, I ſhall tell you that, that (it may be) will ſeeme very ſtrange to many of you, and yet to ſome here preſent peradventure as well knowne as to my ſelfe. There is ſome Countrey in the World where it never raineth all the yeare long.iiforeign. Cteſias in Indie. apud Phot. Biblioth. Cod. 72. Of ſome it is by ſome reported without certaintie or truth. But it is certainly ſo in Aegypt: and even Moſes himſelfe intimateth as much, wherekkDeut. 11.9, 10.Deut 11:9Deut 11:10 hee ſaith that the Land of Canaan was therein unlike it.llforeign. Herodot. Thal. Vndè & Nilus, foreign dictus, quia creditus est, foreign. Idem Euterp. It never raineth there ordinarily from one end of the yeere to the other; Andmmforeign habitum est, quod Pſammenito regnante, foreign Thebae Aegyptiae, foreign. Idem Thal. it is recorded therefore as a ſtrange miracle, a thing never the like heard of, that ſome once in ſuch a Kings reigne it ſo did. But to make amends for that defect, and ſupply the want of it, once a yeere at a certaine time the Rivernnforeign 1 Chron. 13.5. & Ier. 2.18. foreign. Dionyſ. Perieget. Siris Nilus Aethiopibus, & Homero Aegyptus. Plin. hiſt. Nat. l. 5. c. 9. Id nominis habet ab aquarum nigredine; prout & Graecis à colore vulturino, foreign, ſed & foreign dictus est. Vide Scalig. ad Feſt. Nam fruſtra ſunt. qui apud Euſtath. Graecam voci exoticae tribuunt originem.1 Chr 13:5Jer 2:18 Shichor or Nilus ooforeign. Greg. Naz. ad Aegypt. adven. Aegypti ſiccitatem Nilus temperat, Minut. Octav. Nili fluvii opibus & foecunditate paſcitur, Ruffin. hiſt. l. 2. c. 23. Nilus coloni vicefungens (foreign, Herodot.) ī Solſtitio evagari incipit, primum lentè, deinde vehementius quamdiu Sol in Leone est, mox pigreſcit in Virginem tranſgreſſo, atq. in Libra reſidet. Plin. hiſt. Nat. l. 18. c. 18. Hinc Nilus foreign, dictus Aegyptiis. Gregor. Naz. in Athanaſ. Imbriſer, quod imbrium vices ſuppleret; & Spiciſer, quod fruges produceret, Martial. l. 1. ep. 62. & l. 10 ep. 74.overfloweth all the low land, and ſo both filleth their Ponds and Ciſternes, and watreth their grounds for them; andppProinde aut ſterilis annus, aut fertilis est, prout ille magnus influxerit, aut parcior. Sen. quaeſt. Nat. l. 4. c. 2. Si 12. cubita non exceſſit, fames certa est, nec minus, ſi 16. exuperavit. Tanto enim tardius decedit, quanto abundantius crevit, & ſementem arcet. Plin. hiſt. Nat. l. 18. c. 18. & Solin. Polyhiſt. c. 34. Hinc Greg. Naz. in Epiphan. foreign (malè vulgo foreign. if it fall ſhort, it produceth a dearth; if it ſtay over-long it delayeth ſeed-time, and ſo cauſeth a late Harveſt. Now in regard hereof, becauſe in Greece they had no ſuch River that overflowed their land, but their grounds were watered with Raine from Heaven,qqforeign. Herodot. Euterp. the Aegyptians uſed in mockery to tell the Greekes, that if God ſhould forget to raine, they might chance to ſtarve for it. They thought the raine was of God, butrrQuanquam Hom. Odyſſ. N. Nilum foreign appellat. quod & Strabonotat geogr. l. 17. not the River the raine that came downe from Heaven, that came indeed, they thought, from him; but the Water of the River, they thought came not from him, they had that of their owne, andbbAegyptus alendis augendiſque ſeminibus ita gloriata est, ut nihil imbribus coelo que deberet. Siquidem proprio ſemper amne perfuſa, nec alio genere aquarum ſolita pingueſcere, quam quas ipſe devexerat, tantis ſegetibus induebatur, ut cum feraciſſimis terris, quaſi nunquam ceffura cenſeretur. Plin. Paneg. Hinc Tibull. l. 1. cl. 7. ſic Nilum alloquitur, Te propter nullos tellus tua poſtulat imbres: Arida nec pluvio ſupplicat herba lov…. Quia ſcil. Non nubium illa imbribus, ſed terrae ipſius ſudore & Nili fluminis incrementis foveretur. Auguſt. nomine de mira…. S. Scr. l. 1. c. 6. Itaque Aegyptus in hoc ſpem ſuam habet. Nemo (ibi) aratorum caelum ſuspicit. Senec. quaeſt. Nat lib. 4. cap. 2. Quo loco memoria lapſus Ovidio tribuit, quod est Tibulli. were not beholden to him for p. 262it. For this cauſe therefore doth God threaten to drie up, (that is, reſtraine) their River (asccBiennio continuo non aſcendiſſe regnante Cleopatra, conſtat. Per novem annos ſuperioribus ſeculis non aſcendiſſe, Callimachus est autor. Sen. quaeſt. Nat. lib. 4. c. 2. Hinc Ovid. Art. l. 1. Creditur Aegyptus caruiſſè juvantibus arva Imbribus, atque annis ſicca fuiſſe novem. at ſome times alſo it appeareth by ſtories he did) whereonddQuantum crevit Nilus, tantum ſpei in annum est. Nec computatio fallit agricolam: adeo ad menſuram fluminis reſpondet, quam fertilem facit Nilus. Is arenoſo & ſitienti ſolo & aquam inducit & terram. Nam turbulentus cum fluat, faecem relinquit, & quicquid pingue fecum tulit, allinit: juvatque agros duabus ex cauſis, & quod inundat, & quod oblimat. Ita debet illi Aegyptus fertilitatem ſuam: & quicquid non adiit, ſterile ac ſqualidum jacet. Sen. ibid. Mira natura fluminis, quod cum caeteriamnes abluant terras & eviſcerent, (Limum non invehunt Euphrates Tigriſque ſicut in Aegypto Nilus; ſed praepinguem denſamque ubertatem diluunt. Plin hiſt. Nat. l. 18. c. 17.) Nilus contra vires adjicit. Ibid. the fruitfulneſſe and fertilty of their Land did depend. And if we would not have God to deale in the like manner with us, let us take heed how wee bee found faulty in this kinde, as they were. Let us call our ſelves rather to a due and a ſtrict account, how thankfull we have beene for Gods mercies towards us fore-paſſed, how thankfull wee are for his favours which we enjoy at the preſent; and how we come ſhort and faile (as upon due ſearch wee ſhall finde that wee doe much the very beſt of us all) in either; that we may both repent us of our unthankfulneſſe towards him, and grow up dayly more and more in thankfulneſſe for them. That will beeeforeign. Chryſ. in Matth. hom. 25. the beſt meanes to continue them unto us; that will beffBeneficia plura recipit, qui ſcit reddere. P. Syr. Meliora ſiquidem & majora meretur accipere, qui collata bona de corde probatur non emittere. Caſſiodor. in Pſal. Et fidelis in modico, munere dignus ampliore cenſetur. Bernard de Temp. 40. Sicut contra, Infidelis in modico, quod maximum est accipere non meretur. Ibid. 91. the beſt meanes to increaſe them upon us: For**Ant. Rouſ. Oile of Scorp. Conſid. 2. ſect. 4. thankfulneſſe, as good ſeed, being bred of Gods bleſsings, doth not preſerve onelyonly, but increaſe alſo, that that bred it.

And thus much for the Generall.

Particular 1 Proceed we now to the Particulars.Particulars.

Where firſt wee finde, Iacob confeſsing his owne unworthineſſe: Iacobs unworthineſſe.ggMinor ſum cunctis miſerationibus tuis. Vulg.Leſſe than all thoſe favours, (for ſo arehhforeign the words in the Originall) that God had vouchſafed him, and heaped up ſo plentifully upon him.

Senſe.Leſſe than them, or any of them: BecauſeiiMinor ſum, i. indignus ſum miſerationibus tuis mihi impenſis. Hug. Car. Excedunt miſerationes tuae merita mea. Propter ſubſtantiam hoc dicit, quam ſine meritis dedit. Hier. Oleaſt. Indignus in quem tot tantaque conferret. Calvin. Piſcat. altogether unworthy Reaſon 1 of them; as not deſerving, nor having right to require ought, (and much leſſe ſo much as he had received,) by way of due debt and deſert at Gods hands.

Reaſon 2 And againe, Leſſe than them, becauſekkInferior, i. Imparſum omnibus beneficiis his. Iun. unable to requite them: Forllforeign. God and our Parents (ſaith the Heathen man) cannot be requited. mmPſal. 116.12, 13. Quaerebat quid retribueret, & non inveniebat. Imò quaſi aliquid invenit, remanſit in actione gratiarum: nam in relatione defecit. Gratias agere licet, referre non licet: non enim potes. Auguſt. in Pſal. 44.Ps 116:12Ps 116:13Ps 44David ſought ſometime how he might; but hee could not deviſe how.nnQuid dicam aliud quam gratias gratiae ejus? Nos enim gratias agimus: non damus, nec reddimus, nec referimus, nec rependimus gratiam. Idem in Pſal. 88.Ps 88 Thankes alone hee could returne (a poore requitall) and no more.

Obſerv. 2 Where againe obſerve we a ſecond practice of Gods People; When the godly repaire to God for ought by Prayer, they are ever confeſsing and acknowledging their owne vileneſſe and baſeneſſe, p. 263their inabilitie and weakneſſe, their indignitie and unworthineſſe.

So Iacob here: and ſo his Grand-father Abraham before him;ooGeneſ. 18.27.Gen 18:27 How ſhould I that am but ppforeign & cinis.duſt and aſhes, preſume to ſpeake to my Lord? And,qq2 Sam. 7.18.2 Sam 7:18 What am I? ſaith David; or what is my Parentage, that thou ſhouldeſt afford mee ſuch favours? AndrrPſal. 8.4. & 144.3. Iob. 7.17, 18. Miſericordiae tuae est, non meritorum ipſius. Aug. de diverſ. 20.Ps 8:4Ps 144:3Job 7:17Job 7:18 What is man that thou ſhouldſt regard him? or the ſon of man that thou ſhouldſt once thinke on him? ſſMatth. 3.11.Matt 3:11I am not worthy, ſaith Iohn the Baptiſt of our Lord Ieſus, to carry his ſhooes after him; orttMark. 1.7. Luk. 3.16.Mark 1:7Luke 3:16 to untie but his ſhooeſtrings. uuMatth. 8.8.Matt 8:8Vnworthy, ſaith the Centurion, that thou ſhouldſt come under my roofe; or,xxLuk. 7 7.Luke 7:7 that I ſhould come once in thy preſence. yyLuk. 5.19, 21.Luke 5:19Luke 5:21Vnworthy, ſaith the Prodigall Childe, to be called thy ſonne. zz1 Cor. 15.9. Sic de ſe Ambr. de Poenit. l. 2. c. 8. Indignus vocari Epiſcopus.1 Cor 15:9Vnworthy, ſaith the Apoſtle Paul, to beare the name of an Apostle.

And what is the Ground of all this? Doubtleſſe it ariſeth, Grounds 2

Partly from the Conſideration of their owne unprofitableneſſe and Conſiderat. 4 abominableneſſe;

And partly from the Conſideration of Gods Majestie and Greatneſſe.

Firſt from the Conſideration of themſelves. Ground 1

(1) Their vileneſſe and abominableneſſe in evill.

(2) Their pooreneſſe and unprofitableneſſe in good.

1. Their vileneſſe and abominableneſſe by reaſon of Sinne. In regard Conſid. 1 whereof, they are not unworthy onelyonly of ought that is good, but worthy of all evill, if God in the rigour of his juſtice ſhould regard them as in themſelves they are.aaIob 39.37.Job 39:37 Behold, I am vile; ſaith Iob. what ſhould I ſay? bbPſal. 51.5.Ps 51:5Bred in ſinne, ſaith David, and borne in iniquity: AndccIob 15.14, 15.Job 15:14Job 15:15 If the very Heavens themſelves, and ddIob 25.5, 6.Job 25:5Job 25:6the Starres (the brighteſt and cleereſt part of them) be not cleane in Gods ſight: How much more is Man eeLumbricus. Iun.a mirie worme, uncleane? Yea,ffIob 15.16.Job 15:16 how much more (I ſay) is man abominable, that drinketh in iniquity like water? ggCui peccatum aequè familiare ac cibus & potus est. Iun.With whom ſin is as familiar as his ordinary diet, his dayly meat and drinke is? Whereupon well ſaith Augustine, entreating of thoſe words of the Pſalmiſt, hhPſal. 138.8.Ps 138:8Reject not, O Lord, the worke of thy hands: iiOpus tuum in me vide, Domine, non meum. Nam meum ſi videris, damnas me: Tuum ſi videris, coronas me. Nam & quaecunque ſunt bona opera mea, abs te mihi ſunt: & ideò tua magis quam mea ſunt. Aug. in Pſal. 137. Adde quod Bern. de Temp. 48. Neceſſe eſt credere quod aeternam vitam nullis potes operibus promereri, niſi gratis detur & ipſa. Merita enim omnia dona Dei ſunt: & ita homo magis propter ipſa Deo debitor est, quam Deus hominì. Quod idem & Durand. habet in Sent. lib. 2. d. 28. q. 1.Ps 137Regard, O Lord, in me not my worke, but thine owne: for if thou regardeſt my worke, thou damneſt me; if thine owne worke, thou crowneſt me. Since that whatſoever good I have, I have it from thee: and it is therefore rather thine than mine. ForkkRom. 7.18.Rom 7:18 I know, ſaith the Apoſtle, that in me, that is, in this fleſh of mine there dwelleth nothing that is good.

Conſider. 2 2. Their pooreneſſe and unprofitableneſſe even in the good that they doe or have.

1. The pooreneſſe and imperfection of that grace and goodneſſe that is yet in them, and of all that they doe conſequently, while they live here. For our Sanctification is here but in part. Asll1 Cor. 13.9.1 Cor 13:9 we know but in part: ſo we are purged but in part.mmPhilip. 3.12.Phil 3:12 I am not yet perfect, ſaith the Apoſtle. And,nnProv. 21.9.Prov 21:9 who can ſay, I have ſo cleanſed mine heart, ſaith Salomon, that I am wholly free from ſinne? Yea asooMaxima pars eorum quaeſcimus, est minima corum quae ignoramus. Aug. the moſt that any know p. 264is the leaſt of that they know not: ſo the moſt of the ſanctifying Grace that we have, is the leaſt (for the moſt part) of that that we want and ſhould have. There are reliques and remainders of the old man ſtill even in the beſt. They are not ſoppEpheſ. 4.22.—ut lubricus ſerpens Exuit in ſpinis veſtem. Lucret. de rer. Nat. lib. 4.Eph 4:22 ſtript of their old garment, of their**Geneſ. 41.14.Gen 41:14 Priſon apparell, but that many a rag of it hangeth ſtill upon them, andqqHeb. 12.1.Heb 12:1 ſticketh ſo cloſe to them, that they will not off all, till they go altogether for good & all, tillrrRom. 6.7.Rom 6:7 death do that all at once, thatſſ2 Cor. 3.18. & 4.16.2 Cor 3:182 Cor 4:16 grace doth now by degrees. ThoughttPſal. 19 13. & 119.133. Rom. 6.12, 14. Tit. 3.3.Ps 19:13Ps 119:133Rom 6:12Rom 6:14Titus 3:3 ſin reigne not in them, asuuRom. 6.17.Rom 6:17 formerly it hath done: yet it remaineth with them, andxxRom. 7.17, 20.Rom 7:17Rom 7:20 dwelleth ſtill, like a bad Inmate, within them.yyHabitat; ſed non regnat: manet; ſed non dominatur aut praevalet: Evulſum quodammodo, necdum tamen expulſum; dejectum, ſed non prorſus ejectum tamen. Bern. in Pſal. 90. ſerm. 10. Eradicari ſiquidem aut extirpari penitus è cordibus noſtris malitia non poteſt. Idem de Temp. 45.Ps 90 It remaineth, ſaith Bernard, even in the beſt, though plucked up by the root, yet not wholly pulled out; though dejected and throwne down in regard of its regencie, yet not ejected or caſt out in regard of inherencie. It iszzforeign. Method. apud Epiphan. haereſ. 64. like a wilde fig-tree, ſaith Proclus in Epiphanius, that hath ſo pierced into the ſtone-wall of a faire Temple, that though it be cut away, the boughs, body of it, and the maine ſtumpe of it pulled out, yet ſome of the ſtrings of the root,aaRom. 7.19, 20, 21, 23.Rom 7:19Rom 7:20Rom 7:21Rom 7:23 ready ever anon to ſprout out againe, will abide there, doe what can bee done, till the wall it ſelfe bee digged downe. It is asbbLevit. 14.36.—45.Lev 14:36 the fretting Leprouſie in an houſe, that though the walls be ſcraped over and over, againe and againe, yet will not away, untill the building be it ſelfe wholly demoliſhed. AndccHagg. 2.15.Hag 2:15 as wee are our ſelves; ſo is all that commeth from us. There is a tang and taint of this rotten root in all that we doe: as there isddTinguntur ſolis radii, corumque trahunt ſimilitudinem, in quorum oram ſubcundo venere. Plin. hiſt. Nat. lib. 2. cap. 18. a tincture of the ſtained glaſſe in the light that it giveth, and in the rayes of the Sunne, though pure otherwiſe themſelves, that paſſe through it.eeSi de his divinitus diſtrictè diſcutimur, quis inter haec remanet ſalutis locus? quando & mala noſtra pura mala ſunt, & bona quae nos habere credimus, pura bona eſſe nequaquam poſſunt. Greg. Moral. lib. 35. cap. 26. Quouſque enim poena corruptionis aſtringimur, quamlibet rectis operibus inſudemus, veram munditiam nequaquam apprehendimus, ſed imitamur. Ibid lib. 9. cap. 28. Our evill actions are meerly evill, ſaith Gregory, but our good actions (are not, nay) cannot bee purely good. They are butffIpſa & virtutum gandia vulnus habent. Prosper. in ſentent. maimed; ſaith Proſper. They areggTerret me vita mea. Namque diligenter diſcuſſa apparet mihi aut peccatum, aut ſterilitas ferè tota. Quod ſi quid fructus in advidetur, ſic est aut ſimulatum, aut imperfectum, aut aliquo modo corruptum, ut poſſit aut non placere, aut diſpticere Deo. Anſelm. de miſer. homin. ſo imperfect, and ſome way or other corrupt, ſaith Anſelme, that God might well be diſpleaſed with them. hhSed quid potest eſſe omnis juſtitia noſtra coram Deo? Nonne juxta Prophetam, velut pannus menſtruatae reputabitur? Et ſi diſtrictè judicetur, injuſta invenietur omnis juſtitiae noſtra, & minus habens. Bernard. de Temp. 94.Our righteouſneſſe is all (even the very beſt of it) in Gods ſight, ſaith Bernard (alluding to the words of the ProphetiiEſa. 64.6.Isa 64:6 Eſay) but as a menstruous clout (that is, as a filthy, beaſtly, abominable ragge) if it ſhould ſtrictly be examined: kkNoſtra juſtitia, ſiqua est, humilis juſtitia, recta forſitan, ſed non pura. Niſi fortè meliores nos eſſe credimus patribus noſtris qui non minus veraciter quam humiliter aiebant, omnes juſtitiae noſtrae, &c. Bernard. de Verb. Eſa. 5. Sic etiam explicant, huc applicant ſaltem verba illa Prophetae Orig. in Rom. cap. 3. Hieron. in Eſai. cap. 64. Auguſt. nom. ſolilo que cap. 28. Bernard. in dedic. Eccleſ. 5. Ex Pontificiis Hugo Cardinal. in Iob 9. Albert. Mag. in Miſſ. d. 3. tr. 2. cap. 5. Perald. Sum. tom. 2. tr. 6. Par. 3. cap. 3. Pigh. Controv. de Fid. & Iuſtiſ. Ferus in Ioan. cap. 3. & Matth. cap. 12. Quod delet Index Expurg. Hiſp.Isa 5Rom 3Isa 64Eccl 5Job 9John 3Matt 12Vnleſſe we esteeme our ſelves better than our fore-fathers, who have no leſſe truly than humbly confeſſed ſo by themſelves. And, if our beſt righteouſneſſe be ſuch; (no better thanllSciunt Sancti, quia omnis juſtitia humanae injuſtitia eſſe deprehenditur, ſi divinitus diſtricte judicetur. Gregor. Mor. lib. 21. cap. 15. unrighteouſneſſe; ſaith Gregorie; a kinde ofmmInjuſta juſtitia. Bernard ſupra. unrighteous righteouſneſſe, ſaith Bernard:)nnQuid ergò de peccatis erit, quan done ipſa pro ſe poterit reſpondere juſtitia? Bernard ibid. what is our p. 265unrighteouſneſſe then? IfooMatth. 6.23.Matt 6:23 the light that is in us burne ſo dimme, how is it with our darkneſſe, which for the moſt part is more than the light, even in thoſe that have moſt?

Againe, they conſider as their pooreneſſe and imperfection in Grace; Conſider. 3 ſo their unprofitableneſſe, even in the good that they doe out of Grace. For,ppLuk. 17.10.Luke 17:10 When you have done all that ever you can, ſaith our Saviour, ſay that you are (forqqSed hoc, inquies, propter humilitatem monuit eſſe dicendum. Planè propter humilitatem. Sed nunquid contra veritatem? Bernard. de Diverſ. 17. Nam quod Chryſoſt. in Ozian. hom. 3. foreign: nihil huic repugnat ſententiae; cum & ipſe alibi fateatur; foreign. In Mat. hom. 3. i. non tam humilitas id erat quam ſanum judicium: uti vertit Bern. Brix. ad pop. Ant. hom. 38. ſo indeed you are, but) unprofitable ſervants. It is a Question moved by Eliphaz in Iob, rrIob 22.2, 3.Job 22:2Job 22:3Whether a man can be profitable to God, as he may be profitable to man, either himſelfe, or any other. And it is well reſolved and anſwered by Elihu in the Negative: ſſIob 35.7. Iuſtitia noſtra Deus non indigeti. Totumque quod rectè colitur Deus ab homine, prodest homini, non Deo. Neque enim fonti ſe quiſquam dixerit profuiſſe quod biberit, aut luci, ſi viderit. Auguſt. de Civit. lib. 10. cap. 5.Job 35:7If thou doſt well, ſaith he, what good doſt thou to God? or what is he the better for it? And againe,ttIob 35.6. Sed quae flagitia in te, qui non corrumperis? aut quae adverſus te facinora, cui noceri non potest? Sed hoc vindicas, quod in ſeſe homines perpetrant; qui cum in te peccant, impiè agunt in animas ſuas. Idem Confeſſ. lib. 4. cap. 8.Job 35:6 If thou doſt evill, what hurt doſt thou to him? Be thy ſinnes never ſo many, what is he the worſe for it? No:uuPſal. 16.2. Nec ille collato eget, nec nos ei quicquam conferre poſſumus. Senec. de benef. lib. 4 cap. 9. Nec eget bonis, nec timet à malis. Auguſt. in Pſal. 80.Ps 16:2Ps 80 All my well-doing, ſaith David, or my goodneſſe, is nothing to my God. xxIdeò Deus meus, quia bonorum meorum non indiges. Omne enim bonum noſtrum aut ipſe est, aut ab ipſo. Auguſt. epiſt. 5. & de doctr. Chriſt. lib. 1. cap. 31.He were not God, ſaith Augustine, if my well-doing could doe him any good. ForyyNos cum te amamus, à te ad te afficimur, qui poſſumus miſero aliquo modo eſſe & non amare te, hoc est, eſſe & male eſſe. Tibi autem qui ſemper idem es, nihil accedit ſi amando proficimus ad te, nihil decedit, ſi non amando deficimus à te. Guilelm. à S. Theodoric. de amor. Dei, cap. 8. quod Bernardo perperam tribuitur. God (ſaith one well) being ever the ſame, is neither the better for our goodneſſe, nor the worſe for our wickedneſſe. He neither gaineth ought by us, when wee love and ſerve him, and cleave cloſe to him: nor loſeth he ought by us, when we love him not, but leave him and fall away from him. ForzzNec creſcit Deus, accedente te; nec decreſcit decedente te. Auguſt. in Pſal. 145. Si fueris ſine Deo, minor eris: Si fueris cum Deo, major Deus non erit. Non ex te ille major: ſed tu ſinc illo minor. Reficieris, ſi acceſſeris: deficies, ſi receſſeris. Integer manet te accedente; integer manet & te cadente. Idem in Ioan. 11. Non erit major, ſi placet tibi; ſed tu minor eris, ſi displicet tibi. Ib. 18.Ps 145John 11 he can be well enough without us: but we can by no means doe well without him. And therefore he cannot be the better for us; howſoever we may bee the better for him.

Ground 2 Secondly, from the conſideration of Gods infinite Majestie and Dignitie, his worth and his greatneſſe, that dampeth and obſcureth Conſider. 2 all thoſe their excellent parts, for which others ſo much worthily and deſervedly admire them.aaPſal. 8.3.Ps 8:3 Goodly Creatures are the Starres, andbbforeign. Baſil. Sel. hom. in Transfig. foreign. Iſidor. Pol. lib. 1. epiſt. 257. Sol reliquae ſidera occultat; quibus & lumen ſuum foenerat. Plin. hiſt. Nat. lib. 2. cap. 6. Minuta lumina claritas Solit obſcurat. Senec. epiſt. 67. Sic cum Sole perit ſidericus decor. Idem Medea. Per diem fulgorem Lunae Stellarumque omnium Sol exortus abſcondit, Ambroſ. Hexam. lib. 4. cap. 3. Simulque ut Sol ortus ſui ſigna praemiſerit, omnes Stellarum ignes ſub unius luminaris fulgore vaneſcunt. Ibidem cap. 6. Clara latent ſub Sole coruſco Sidera. Dracont. Hexam. Et, Hujus ab aspectu langueſcunt. Ibid. Inde Sol dictus, quaſi ſolus ſit. Cic. de Nat. Deor. lib. 3. Quia postquam exortus est, reliquis obſcuratis ſideribus ſolus apparet. Caſſiod. in Pſal. 103. Iul. Firmic. de Error. Gent. Iſid. Origin. lib. 3. cap. 70. Verum Sol potius à Graeco foreign. Bibliand. de rat, ling. l. 3. c. 2. Priſcis enim Sel dicebatur, ut & Apollo, Hemo, helus. Auſon. Popma de antiq. loc. l. 1. c. 1. & Meurſ. animadv. lib. 3. cap. 8.Ps 103 they ſhine bright in the Night, but when the Sunne is once up, all their light and luſter is gone, it is no more to be ſeene, than as if they were not: Nor doe thoſe worthy Saints of God, whom we juſtly deeme as brightddApoc. 1.20.Rev 1:20 Starres, retaine their glorious luſter p. 266that yet daſleth our eyes, when they appeare in the preſence of theeeAct. 7.2.Acts 7:2 God of Glory. The nearer therefore Gods Saints approach to God, and conſider his worth and his greatneſſe, the more apprehenſive are they of their owne meanneſſe and unworthineſſe. And asffforeign. Plut. pracept. conjug. the Moon never caſteth leſſe light, than when ſhee is neereſt the Sunne, from whom ſhe hath it: ſo never doth ought, (ought, I meane, that excelleth, that is ought,) leſſe appeare in any of us, than when wee approach neereſt the ggIam. 1.17.Jas 1:17Father and hhPſal. 36.9.Ps 36:9Fountaine of Light, from whom we have received whatſoever we have. ForiiNuſquam ſe melius deprehendit modus imperfectionis humanae, quam in ſpeculo viſionis divinae. Bernard. ad frair. de Mont. Dei. no where doth Man better or more fully ſee his owne meanneſſe, than in the glaſſe of Gods Greatneſſe. kkforeign. Greg. Naz. de Saſim epiſc. Si vel terram deſpicimus medio die, vel intuemur quae aſpectui noſtro circum circa patent, validiſſima perſpicaciſſima que acie videmur nobis praediti: at ubi in Solem ſuspicimus atque arrectis oculis contemplamur, vis illa quae egregiè in terra valebat, tanto fulgore protinas conſtringitur & confunditur, ut fateri cogamur, illud noſtrum in conſiderandis terrenis acumen, ubi ad Solem ventum est, meram eſſe hebetudinem. Idem in reputandis nobis contingit, &c. Calvin. Inſtitut. l. 1. c. 1.While wee ſit here in the Church together, and looke one upon another, or upon other things here about us, we may well ſeeme to be well-eyed and quick-ſighted the moſt of us. But if the Sunne ſhould ſhine bright abroad, and we ſhould goe out and looke full on it, our eyes would bee ſoone obſcured and darkned, and all our ſharp-ſightedneſſe would prove nothing but meere dimneſſe and darkneſſe. And ſurely, if the very Seraphim themſelves, though ſo glorious Creatures in themſelves (thatllDan. 10.7, 8, 11, 16, 17. Luk. 1.12. Act. 10.4.Dan 10:7Dan 10:8Dan 10:11Dan 10:16Dan 10:17Luke 1:12Acts 10:4 their preſence when they appeare but in ſome glimpſe onelyonly of that their celeſtiall Glory, is wont to ſtrike ſuch terrour and aſtoniſhment into thoſe to whom they appeare in that manner) yet when they caſt their eyes on that moſt GloriousmmMalac. 4.2.Mal 4:2 Sunne of Righteouſneſſe, thisnnPſal. 8.3. & 74.16.Ps 8:3Ps 74:16 Sunnes Creator, the Author of its excellencie, andooEſa. 24.23.Isa 24:23 infinitely therefore more excellent than it, they are ſo abaſhed at the conſideration of their owne vileneſſe in compariſon of it, thatppEſa. 6.5.Isa 6:5 they clap their wings on their faces, (qqforeign. Chryſoſt. in Eſa. cap. 6.Isa 6 as men are wont to doe their hands, when the lightning flaſheth in their eyes) as wholly overwhelmed with it, and not eaſily enduring it. No marvell ifrr1 King. 19.17.1 Kgs 19:17 Elias, when God ſpake unto him, (though in no terrible manner, but with a ſtill voyce, yet) caſt his mantle over his face, as abaſhed at his appearance; and if other the Saints of God, when by Prayer they repaire unto God, andſſIer. 36.19. Act. 10.33. Eccleſ. 5 2.Jer 36:19Acts 10:33Eccl 5:2 ſet themſelves in his ſpeciall preſence,ttPſal. 16.8.Ps 16:8 beholding God as it were then looking with full eye upon them, anduuPſal. 27.4. & 42.2.Ps 27:4Ps 42:2 looking him in a manner full in the face, doe then eſpecially, as take notice of, ſo confeſſe and acknowledge, their unworthineſſe to approach ſo glorious a Preſence, and to require or expect ought from the hands of ſuch a Majeſty, being ſo meane, ſo vile, ſo baſe, ſo abominable, as they are, and doe then eſpecially ſee themſelves to be.xxLuk. 5.8.Luke 5:8 Lord depart from me; I am a ſinnefull wretch; ſaith Saint Peter to our Saviour, when in a ſtrange draught of fiſh onelyonly, hee ſaw ſome print of his Deity. And,yyIob 42.5, 6.Job 42:5Job 42:6 I have oft heard of thee by report; ſaith Iob to God: but now mine eye ſeeth thee: And therefore doe I even abhorre my ſelfe; and repent me in duſt and aſhes; inzzGen. 2.7. & 3.19. & 18.27. Sirac. 10.9.Gen 2:7Gen 3:19Gen 18:27 ſuch as my ſelfe am. Men are then**foreign. Pythag. apud Plut. de Superſtit. & de defect. orat. holieſt (ſaith Pythagoras) when they repaire unto God: they are humbleſt ſure (ſay I) when they approach neareſt to him.

p. 267Now this may ſerve firſt to teach us Humilitie. For if ſo worthy Vſe 1 Saints and ſervants of God account themſelves unworthy of ought, and thinke and ſpeake ſo meanly of themſelves; what doth it behoove us to doe, that come ſo farre ſhort of them? There are two Vertues eſpecially, that our Saviour Chriſt hath by his owne example commended unto us, to be imitated of us;aaHumilis venit. Zach. 9.9. Mat. 21.5. humilitatem docere venit. Matth. 11.29. Auguſt. in Ioan. 25. Diſcite à me, inquit. Quid diſcimus à te? neſcio quid magnum à magno artifice. Nunquid ut eadem cum illo faciamus? Qui poteſt, quae ſolus Deus facit? Hoc diſce à me, quod ſactus ſum pro te. Quid prodeſt, ſi miracula facis, & humilis non ſis? Idem hom. 34. Nolo à me diſcatis, facere quae feci; ſed quod factus qui feci, ne perirent quae feci. Idem de verb. Ap. 12.Zech 9:9Matt 21:5Matt 11:29 Humilitie in his Life, andbbIoh. 13.34, 35.John 13:34John 13:35 Love or Charitie at his Death: Which we may well therefore tearmeccQuo modo de Fide Baſil. apud Greg. Naz. in Epitaph. foreign. Et de Charitate & Pace, Chryſoſt. in Heb. hom. 31. foreign. Chriſts cogniſances; and the markes and badges of thoſe that be his. And certainly where Humility is wanting, that is wanting that Gods Children have ever moſt of all abounded and excelled in. All their ſpeeches and ſayings generally (if you marke them) ſavour ſtrongly of it.ddPulvis & cinis. Gen. 18.17.Gen 18:17 Duſt and aſhes, ſaith Abraham. eeVermis, non Vir. Pſal. 22.6.Ps 22:6A worme, and no man; ſaith David. ffIumentum, non homo. Prov. 30.2.Prov 30:2Not a man, but a beaſt; ſaith the wiſe man Agur, andggPſal. 73.22.Ps 73:22 Aſaph. hhMinimus Sanctorum. Epheſ. 3.8.Eph 3:8The leaſt and laſt of the Saints; andiiMinimus Apoſtolorum. 1 Cor. 15.9. Sic de ſe Ambr de Poenit. l. 2. c. 8. Minimus Epiſcoporum omnium, & infirmus merito.1 Cor 15:9 of the Apostles; ſaith the Apoſtle Paul of himſelfe: butkkPrimus peccatorum. 1 Tim. 1.15.1 Tim 1:15 the firſt and llPrimus, quo nullus prior. Gerſon, conſol. Theolog. imò, quo nullus pejor. Auguſt. de verb. Ap. 9. & 10. Nec hoc dixit mentiendi praecipitatione, ſed aeſtimandi affectione. Qui enim perfectè examinando ſemetipſum intelligit, ſuo peccato nullius peccatum par eſſe exiſtimat, quod non ſicut ſuumintelligat. Bernard. ad Fratr. de Mont. Dei.chiefeſt of Sinners.

And where men therefore are ſo prone to ſtand upon tearmes of compariſon; I am as good a man as ſuch and ſuch: and, I deſerve as well as they: and, I ſee no reaſon why I ſhould not be reſpected as well as any other: and are ſo ready to thruſt themſelves forward; and notmmRom. 12.10. Phil. 2.3.Rom 12:10Phil 2:3 in giving honour to others, as the Apoſtle exhorteth, butnnHebr. 5.4.Heb 5:4 in taking honour to themſelves, which the Holy Ghoſt reproveth, ſtrive to goe beyond others: it ſavoureth not ofooMatth. 11.29. Col. 3.12, 13.Matt 11:29Col 3:12Col 3:13 the Spirit of Chriſt, not of thatppRom. 8.14.Rom 8:14 Spirit that Gods Children are led by; but of the Spirit and humour rather of thoſe, who in the Goſpell are reported to haveqqMatth. 23.6, 7. Mar. 12.38, 39.Matt 23:6Matt 23:7Mark 12:38Mark 12:39 affected the chiefe roomes at feaſts, and the higheſt ſeats in the Synagogues, to be crowched and cringed to, and to be called, Rabbi Rabbi: therrLuk. 11.43. & 20.46.Luke 11:43Luke 20:46 Scribes and Phariſees, I meane,ſſQui dum in ſe ſingulariter exultant, aliis arroganter inſultant. Bernard. de Grad. humil. who in compariſon of themſelves, ſcorned and contemned all others;ttNon ſum ſicut caeteri, non ſicut iſle. Luk. 18.11. foreign. Baſil. Sel. hom. 34.Luke 18:11 I am not like other men; nor like this Publican: ſaith he. Such ſhould remember thatuuVbi timor, nullus tumor. Bern. in Cant. 23. Quid est enim timere niſi non tumere? Gilbert. in Cant. 19. where the feare of God is, Pride is not: and conſequently, that where ſuch pride is, there is a great want of ſincerity. And conſider withall, that as there is,xxforeign. Chryſoſt. tom. 6. Orat. 83. Quanto quis humilior in ſe fuerit, tanto in Dei conſpectu major erit. Superbus verò quo glorioſior inter homines fuerit, eo apud Deum despectior crit. Auguſt. de Temp. 2 13. & Greg. Moral. lib. 8. cap. 22. no Vertue more acceptable and well-pleaſing to God than Humility: ſo there isyyProv. 6.16, 17. & 8.13. & 16.5. Exoſa ſemper est Deo ſuperbia, Caſſiod. Var. lib. 3. ep. 3.Prov 6:16Prov 6:17Prov 8:13Prov 16:5 no Vice in Gods ſight more abominable than Pride. It is a ſtrange thing, ſaith Auguſtine, entreating of thoſe words of the Pſalmiſt,aaPſal. 138.6.Ps 138:6 Though the Lord bee on high himſelfe, yet beholdeth he the lowly: as for the proud and haughty, hee knoweth them a farre off. bbVidete magnummiraculum: Altus est Deus; erigis te, & fugit à te: inclinas te, & deſcendit ad te. Humilia de proximo reſpicit, ut attollat: ſuperba de longe cognoſcit, ut deprimat. Auguſt. de Temp. 175. Fulgent. de Aſcenſ. Sed & eadem fere Auguſt. in Pſal. 74. & de Diverſ. 36. & de Temp. 213. & in Ioan. 10. & 15. Vis tibi propinquet? humilia te. Nam tanto erit à te altior, quantotu clatior. Idem in Pſal. 137. Neſcio que pacto familiarius ſemper humilitati propinquare ſolet divinitas. Bernard. ep. 42.Ps 74John 10Ps 137It is a ſtrange thing, ſaith he, and yet as true as it is ſtrange: God he ſitteth aloft himſelfe in Heaven: and yet p. 268the higher a man lifteth himſelfe, the further he is from him; the lower a man ſtoopeth, the neerer he is to him. Wee have a very pregnant inſtance of it in the Phariſee and the Publican, by our Saviour propounded.ccLuk. 18.11, 13.Luke 18:11Luke 18:13 The proud Phariſee preſſed as neere God as hee could: the poore Publican, not daring ſo to doe, ſtood aloofe off. AndddPhariſaeus contempſit de longinquo ſtantem, cui Deus confitenti propinquabat. Phariſaeus de propinquo ſtabat; ſed Deus ad illum de propinquo non ſtabat. Publicanus de longinquo ſtabat: ſed Deus ad illum de long. non ſtabat. Auguſt. in Pſal. 31. Publ. de long. ſtabat, & Deo tamen propinquabat. Publ. de long. ſtabat: ſed Dominus illum de propinquo attendebat. Idem de verb. Dom. 36.Ps 31 yet was God farre from the proud Phariſee, but neere to the poore Publican. eeLuk. 18.14. Ille laudabitior, qui humilior, & juſtior, qui dejectior. Ambroſ. de poenit. lib. 2. cap. 10. foreign. Baſil. Sel. hom. 34.Luke 18:14The latter went away justified rather than the former. ForffPſal. 34.18.Ps 34:18 the Lord is neere unto all thoſe that bee of a contrite heart: AndggEſa. 57.15. Quid miramur magnum in anguſto habitare? magis in minimis habitat. Ideò altus habitat in humili, ut exaltet humitem. Auguſt de diverſ. 36.Isa 57:15 hee will dwell with him that is of an humble ſpirit. hhIam. 4.6. 1 Pet. 5.5.Jas 4:61 Pet 5:5Hee reſtsteth the proud: but he giveth grace (that is,iiPatet ex antitheſi, Prov. 3.34, 35. unde Apoſtoli ſumpſerunt. Videantur Mercer. & Piſcat. in Prov. ſed & omnium pleniſſime reverendus ſocer meus Catol. Pinner ſerm: in 1 Pet. 2.17.Prov 3:34Prov 3:351 Pet 2:17 honour and reſpect) to the humble. kkExcelſa ſiccantur: depreſſa rigantur. Auguſt. de verb. Ap. 2. & Bernard. de Temp. 47.The Low valleyes are watered, when the high hills remaine thirſty: AndllLuk. 1.53.Luke 1:53 the poore and lowly are ſatisfied, when the proud rich are ſent away emptie. In a word;mmforeign. Greg. Naz. de Eutax. Non est periculum quantumcunque te humilies, quantumcunque reputes minorem quàm ſis. Est autem grande malum, horrendumque periculum, ſi vel modico plus vero te extollas. Bern. in Cant. 23. much danger there is in Pride; there is not the like in Humility, albeit a man ſhould abaſe himſelfe ſomewhat more, than were meet or requiſite for him to doe.nnQuemadmodum enim ſi per oſtium tranſeas, cujus ſuperliminare nimium baſſum ſit, non nocet quantumcunque te inclinaveris; nocet autem ſi vel tranſverſi digiti ſpatio plus quam oſtii patitur menſura erexeris, ita ut impingas & capite quaſſato collidaris. Sic in anima non est planè timenda quantalibet humiliatio; horrenda autem nimiumque pavenda vel minima temerè praeſumpta erectio. Bernard. ibid. Humilis est janua Crhiſtus Dominus. Qui intrat per hanc januam, humiliet ſe oportet, ut ſano capite intrare contingat. Auguſt. in Ioan. 4….John 4 In comming in at a low portall, if a man ſtoope never ſo low, there is little danger in ſo doing; but if he hold up his head an inch onelyonly too high, he may chance to get a ſound knocke, if not a broken brow by it.

Vſe 2 Secondly, this may well diſcover one reaſon unto us, why our ſuits and prayers many times prevaile not with God, but are returned backe to us without fruit and effect; to wit,ooMicha 6.6, 7, 8. Orandi diſciplina reprobatrix ſuperbiae, juſtiſicatrix humilitatis; Deum docet orare in humilitate, ut allevatorem humilium, non inſuperbia, ut deſtructorem ſuperborum. Tertul. in Marc. lib. 4.Mic 6:6Mic 6:7Mic 6:8 becauſe wee are not ſo humbled as we ought to be, ere we come to commence them; becauſe we are not ſo affected as Iacob here, with any ſerious conſideration or apprehenſion of our owne indignity and unworthineſſe: The want whereof breedethppEccleſ. 5.1, 2.Eccl 5:1Eccl 5:2 irreverence and qqEſa. 58.2, 3. Praeſumptio enim arronganti propior est quam roganti. Ambroſ. de Poeniten. lib. 2. cap 8.Isa 58:2Isa 58:3preſumption in us, the very bane and peſts of Prayer.

There are three ſpeciall faults in Prayer, ſaith Bernard, that hinder the ſucceſſe of it;rrEſt trepida, est tepida, est temeraria oratio. Bern de Temp. 43. Terror, te…or, tumor. Gilbert. in Cant 33. faintneſſe, coldneſſe, and boldneſſe:

There is firſt a faint, a fearfull, a diſtruſtfull Prayer:

There is ſecondly a cold, a formall, a ſuperficiall Prayer:

And there is thirdly a bold, a proud, a preſumptuous Prayer. And this laſt is the worſt.

ſſTrepida nec procedit quidem, nedum aſcendit.The faint and fearfull prayer cannot get out, much leſſe get up: it ſticketh faſt betweene the teeth, or in the throat rather.

ttTenida procedit, ſed in aſcenſulangueſcit & deficit.The cold and formall prayer commeth forth faſt enough, but it cannot get up: it freeſeth (for want of ſpirit and fervour) by the way, ere it come to appeare in Gods preſence.uuIam. 5.16.Jas 5:16 A good mans praier is effectuall, ſaith S. Iames, but provided it be fervent.

xxTemerdria aſcendit, ſed refilit: nec tantum non obtinet gratiam, ſed meretur offenſam. Bern. ibid.The bold and preſumptuous prayer flieth up apace; but it is as faſt p. 269beaten backe againe, for preſenting it ſelfe over-boldly and ſauoily in Gods ſight; and in ſtead of a bleſsing, it bringeth backe a curſe with it. yyforeign. Baſil Sel. hom. 34. Velut dignus, qui cum Deo cominus colloqueretur. Eraſm. Paraphra.Such was that proud Phariſees prayer before ſpoken of:zzLuk. 18.10.Luke 18:10 Hee went up, ſaith our Saviour, into the Temple to pray. But when he was arrived there,aaNon inveniebat quod peteret. Gilb. in Cant. 33. Gratias, inquit, ago, quod nihil peccavi: Non habeo quod ignoſcas. Optat contr. Parmen. l. 2. Aut ſui oblitum, aut à cliſpis ablutum dicas. Bernard. de Grad. humil. he had nothing to aske. He thruſteth himſelfe forward, and offereth God a ſacrifice of praiſe indeed; but of his owne, not ofbbPſal 50 14, 23.Ps 50:14Ps 50:23 his. Heccforeign. Baſil. Sel. ubi ſup. ſpendeth the time not with Iacob in the confeſsion of his owne unworthineſſe, but inddforeign, &c. Idem ibid. Purae putae Pontificidrum Votariorum ampullae: Quibus optimè quadrant & Chryſoſt. illa de Compunct. 2. foreign. commemoration of his merits and good deeds unto God; for feare leſt God ſhould forget them, or not eſteeme of him as his worth (hee thought) well deſerved that he ſhould.

True it is indeed, that even Gods ſincere Servants, aseeEſa. 38.3.Isa 38:3 Ezechias, ffNeh. 13.14, 31.Neh 13:14Neh 13:31Nehemie, ggIob 10.7. & 23.10, 11, 12.Job 10:7Job 23:10Job 23:11Job 23:12Iob, andhhPſal. 44.17, 18, 20.Ps 44:17Ps 44:18Ps 44:20 others doe upon ſpeciall occaſion ſometime make mention, and that in Prayer too, of the ſinceritie of their hearts, their upright carriage, and their carefull endevour for Gods glory, and the good of ii1 Tim. 3.15.1 Tim 3:15his Houſe, the Church. But if we ſhall adviſedly compare theſe and the former together, wee ſhall finde a farre different ſtraine and ſpirit in either; we may diſcerne as much difference betweene the one and the other in their prayers, askkPlurimum intereſt inter barbaricam immanitatem, affect iſque impotentes, qui faciant ut vel mortem impavidi perferant; & Martyrum modeſtiſſimam conſtantiam in ſe imbecillem, in Chriſto fortem. Cypriani nomine de duplic martyr. betweene the vaine-glorious confidence of Heathen Philoſophers, andllScilicet contemptum mortis in multis vi…eas. Sed placidum illud, ac manſuetum, illud humiliter ſublime, & ſublimiter humile niſi in Chriſti Martyribus non videmus. Ibid. Magnitudo cum manſuetudine. Senec. epiſt. the religious conſtancie of Chriſtian Martyrs in their ends. There is a vaunting Pride joyned with a ſcorne of others in the one: There is a neceſſary and lowly touch (either in way ofmmPſal. 7.3, 4, 8. & 17.3. & 26.1, 2, 3.Ps 7:3Ps 7:4Ps 7:8Ps 17:3Ps 26:1Ps 26:2Ps 26:3 juſt apologie, ornnPſal. 26.8, 9. & 27.7, 8, 9.Ps 26:8Ps 26:9Ps 27:7Ps 27:8Ps 27:9 to ſtrengthen their faith in ſome hope of ſpeeding with God, and having their ſuits heard of him) of their owne ſinceritie and integritie in the other. And howſoever therefore we may likewiſe on the like occaſions doe the like, ſo bee wee remember withall to doe it alſo in the like manner as they did: YetooEccleſ. 5.1, 2.Eccl 5:1Eccl 5:2 we muſt take heed how we offer to preſſe over-boldly and preſumptuouſly into Gods preſence; leſt as Iacob ſpeaketh elſe where, and upon another occaſion,ppGen. 27.12.Gen 27:12 we bring a curſe upon our ſelves in ſtead of a bleſsing: RatherqqOmnino ſiquidem oportet nos orationis tempore curiamintrare coeleſtem, in qua Rex regum ſtellato ſedet ſolio, circundante innumerabili & ineffabili beatorum ſpirituum exercitu. Quanta ergò cum reverentia, quanto timore, quanta illuc humilitate accedere debet è palude ſua procedens & repens vitis ranuncula? Bern. de diverſ. 25. conſider wee the greatneſſe and the gloriouſneſſe, on the one ſide, of that unconceiveable Majeſtie that in prayer we approach unto; and on the other ſide, our owne vileneſſe, indignity, and unworthineſſe; that being truly humbled in the view both of the one and the other, our Prayers ſo ſeaſoned, may both finde freer acceſſe to God, and returne with better ſucceſſe to us.

Vſe 3 Thirdly, this directly croſſeth and controlleth that Popiſh conceit of Merit, properly ſo termed, of matter of worth and deſert in Man. Non ſum dignus; I am not worthy of ought; ſaith Iacob: andrrLegatur Chryſoſt. in Matth. hom. 3. & hom. 25. & tom. 8. Serm. 16. it is the common and generall note (as you have heard) of Gods Servants. Whereas our Romaniſts teach their followers to plead to God p. 270for themſelves, as the Iewes did ſometime for the Centurion to our Saviour;ſſLuk. 7.4.Luke 7:4 Dignus eſt; Hee is worthy; he deſerveth, that thou ſhouldeſt doe this for him. ttApoc. 4.11.Rev 4:11Dignus es: Thou art worthy to receive honour and glory; ſing the Saints of God to God. But, Digni ſumus; We are worthie; doe they ſing, and teach theirs ſo to ſing: We are worthie, that God ſhould conferre honour and glory on us: Wee deſerve by our well-doing, not grace onelyonly, but glory too, even eternall glory: AnduuQuo modo Bellarm. ratiocinatur de Poenit. l. 2. c. 8. Si opera juſtorum eam vim habent, ut vitam aeternam verè & propriè mereantur; nullo modo negari poteſt, quin etiam efficacia eſſe poſſint ad ſatisfaciendum pro rea…u poenae temporalis: Siquidem longè majus est gloria aeterna, quam poenae temporalis remiſſio. Abſurdum ergò quod Thom. ſum. par. prima ſecundae q. 114 a. 3. c. 10. Vitam aeternam ſub merito cadere; bona temporalia non cadere. much more than any temporall benefits and bleſsings whatſoever, that come farre ſhort of either.xxPſal. 115.1. 1 Cor. 15.10.Ps 115:11 Cor 15:10 They give all to God: theſe take all to themſelves. There is on their parts nothing but indignitie with the one; nothing but condignitie with the other. Iacob deemeth himſelfe unworthy of ought; and they eſteeme themſelvesyyWorthy of the Crowne; worthie of the Kingdome; worthie of heaven; worthie of ſalvation; worthie of God himſelfe; as meriting and deſerving all this. Rhemiſts on 2 Theſſ. 1.5. and Apoc. 3.4.2 Thess 1:5Rev 3:4 worthy of any thing. There was nothing that he could; and there is nothing but that they doe, or can deſerve it at Gods hands. He knoweth not how to requite what already he hath received: they are able not to requite it onelyonly, but to merit alſo much more. A ſtrange preſumption, whereby men dare arrogate and aſcribe that unto themſelves, that none of Gods holy ones, whoſe ſtories are recorded in Gods Word, ever did, or durſt doe.

Take we Example in this kinde, but by one of them for all. Iob, the onelyonly man of note in the time hee lived in, foraaIob 1.1.Job 1:1 a juſt, and an upright, or a perfect man, one that feared God, and eſchewed evill: bbIob 1.8. & 2.3.Job 1:8Job 2:3no one like him (bycc1 Ioh. 5.9. 2 Cor. 10.18. foreign. Chryſoſt. de Compunct. 2.1 John 5:92 Cor 10:18 Gods owne testimonie) in the whole world then beſides. And yetddPoſt tam magnum de illius juſtitia Dei teſtimonium, quid de ſe ipſe? Auguſt. de Pec. Mer. & Rem. lib. 2. cap. 10. foreign, (Iob—31.) foreign. (Iob 9.15.) Chryſoſt. ubi ſupra.Job 9:15 how he ſtood herein affected, his owne words will beſt ſhew: wherein obſerve wee how in ſtripping himſelfe of all matter of merit, worth, or deſert, he proceedeth and goeth on as by certaine taires and degrees.

Degrees 4 Firſt,eeIob 9.2.Job 9:2 How can any man, ſaith he, be iuſtified, if he be compared ffHebr. Quomodò juſtificabit ſe homo cum Deo? i. Quomodo juſtus invenictur, ficum Deo conferatur? Vatabl. Quanquam potest etiam exponi, cum Deo, i. apud Deum, vel coram Deo, ut Pſalm. 143.2. Et ſic Auguſt. ubi ſupra. Ante Deum.Ps 143:2Degree 1 with God? ggIob juſtitiae Dei comparatione hominis juſtitiam nullam eſſe declarat. Annot. in Vatabl. Bibl.He ſheweth that mans juſtice is juſt none, ſaith the Scholiaſt, if it be compared with Gods juſtice. For,hhCujus participatione juſti ſunt, ejus comparatione nec juſti ſunt. Auguſt. contr. Priſcil. & Origen. cap. 10. ex Iob 4.18. unde ſcitè Hug. Card. ex Greg. Moral. lib. 9. cap. 1. Homo Deo ſuppoſitus juſtitiam percipit, compoſitus amittit. 1 Sam. 2.2.Job 4:181 Sam 2:2 Even thoſe that are juſt by participation from him, are not juſt at all, if they come once in compariſon with him, ſaith Auguſtine.

Degree 2 But how would the caſe ſtand with him, if hee come to bee tried not by that infinite depth of juſtice that is in God, but by the exact rule of righteouſneſſe, that of man God requireth, and is contained in Gods Law? iiIob 9.3.Job 9:3If a man, ſaith Iob, would goe to law with God, or if God ſhould call man to a ſtrict account, man were not able to anſwer God for one of a thouſand. Among a thouſand of his workes, though having done**Iob 31. per totum.Job 31 ſo many good workes, could not Iob picke out any one, of which he durſt ſay, This I dare be tried by; or, I dare offer this to the ſtricteſt p. 271triall. kkSanctus vir omne virtutis meritum eſſe vitium conſpicit, ſi ab interno arbitro diſtrictè jud cetur. Gregor. Moral. l 9 c. 1.The holy man, ſaith Gregory, ſaw that all our worthy vertues would prove vicious, yea vices, if they were brought to a ſtrict triall. And,llQui de perfectione ſe erigit habere ſe benè vivendi nec initium indicat. Idem ibid. Cum itaque de bone vitae perfectione extollimur, hanc nos nec inchoaſſe monſtramus. Ibid. The man therefore that vaunteth himſelfe of his perfection, thereby ſheweth that he hath not yet ſo much as begun to leade a good life. So that,mmIob 9.20.Job 9:20 If I would juſtifie my ſelfe, ſaith Iob, mine owne mouth, (if according tonnOs meum, id est, conſcientia mea. Hugo Card. mine heart it ſpeake) muſt needs condemne me for ſo doing; when I ſee my ſelfe, ſo much amiſſe with me, when I know ſo much evill by my ſelfe.

But ſuppoſe he were not guiltie in this manner to himſelfe, that Degree 3 he ſaw no ſuch thing in himſelfe, or knew nothing amiſſe by himſelfe.ooIob 9.21.Job 9:21 If I were perfect, ſaith he; yet doe I not know mine owne ſoule. As if he ſhould ſay, as Saint Paul ſometime did;pp1 Cor. 4.4.1 Cor 4:4 Though I knew nothing by my ſelfe, (asqqNihil mihi conſcius ſum infidelis dispenſationis, Cajetan. Nullius malae fidei aut negligentiae in fungendo Apoſtolatu, Piſcat. in ſome kinde and caſe the Apoſtle profeſſeth of himſelfe, to wit, for his demeanure toward the Corinthians, his faithfull carriage in his Miniſterie, and thoſe things eſpecially which the falſe Apoſtles charged him with, asrr2 Cor. 1.12.2 Cor 1:12 he elſe-where expoundeth himſelfe:) yet were I not thereby juſtified. Or as David, in Auguſtines Paraphraſe of him,**Quantumlibet rectus mihi videor, producis tu de Theſauro tuo regulam; coaptas me ad eam, & pravus invenior, Aug. in Pſal. 142.Ps 142 How right and ſtraight ſoever I ſeeme to my ſelfe, thou bringeſt a rule out of thy treaſury, which when thou layeſt me to, I am found faultie. For,ſſPſal. 19.12.Ps 19:12 Who (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) underſtandeth all his owne errours? ttIerem. 17.9.Jer 17:9Mans heart (ſaith the Prophet) is deceitfull above all things: ſo deceitfull, thatuuGalat. 6.3. Iam. 1.26.Gal 6:3Jas 1:26 it deceiveth oft even it ſelfe. AndyySaepe ipſa juſtitia noſtra ad examen divinae juſtitiae deducta injuſtitia est: & ſordet in diſtrictione judicis, quod in aeſtimatione fulget operantis. Greg. Mor. l. l. 5. c. 7. thoſe things, ſaith Gregorie, that make a goodly ſhew, even in a mans owne eyes, appeare many times but foule, ſlubbred and ſullied in Gods ſight. aaTanta est profunditas in homine, ut lateat ipſum hominem in quo est: ſed Dominum latere non poteſt. Ier. 17.9.10. Herv. in 1 Cor. 4.Jer 17:9Jer 17:101 Cor 4No man ſeeth exactly the depth of his owne heart. Butbb1 Iohn 3.20. Quantum poſſunt homines de alio judicare, plus homo utique de ſe. Sed Deus plus de homine, quam homo de ſe. Herv. ibid.1 John 3:20 God is greater than our heart, and ſeeth oft that in it, and in the actions that flow from it, that wee ſee not in it or them our ſelves; andccIlle magis novit me, qui est ſcrutator cordis mei. Philip. in Iob 9.Job 9 knoweth conſequently more by us, than wee know by our ſelves. As Paul therefore, ſo Iob, though hee could neither be juſtly taxed for ought by others, nor did know ought amiſſe by himſelfe; though it had beene ſo, I ſay, with him (as yetddIob 9.2, 20, 28, 29, 30, 31.Job 9:2Job 9:20Job 9:28Job 9:29Job 9:30Job 9:31 farre otherwiſe it was) that he had paſſed well botheeTria ſunt judicia, humanum, proprium, divinum: de exterioribus quae ſenſui patent, judicat humanum: de interioribus etiam hominis ipſius ſpiritus; ſed longè praeſtantius Deus; cujus nondum fatetur Ap. evaſiſſe judicium, qui tamen jam humanum tranſcendiſſet & proprium: porro humanum contemnebat, nec proprium timebat, divinum tantùm reſtabat. Bern. de diverſ. 32. Vide Thom, Aquin. in Iob 9. Lect. 3. & Greg. Mor…l. 5. c. 7.Job 9 mans judgement, the ſtricteſt cenſure of others, and his owne too, the teſtimony of his owne Conſcience; yet durſt he not, for all that, offer himſelfe to Gods judgement, there to bee tried by the rigour and ſeveritie of Gods juſtice; well wotting that for all this there he might faile, as both having deceived others, and having beene deceived in himſelfe; whereas there he wasffHeb. 4.12.Heb 4:12 to deale with him, who is ſoggAct. 1.24. & 15.9.Acts 1:24Acts 15:9 well ſeene in mans heart,hhPſal. 33.15.Ps 33:15 his owne worke, that heeiiGal. 6.7. Ier. 17.9, 10.Gal 6:7Jer 17:9Jer 17:10 cannot poſſibly by any meanes be deceived therein.

Laſtly,kkIob 9.15.Job 9:15 Though I were never ſo juſt, ſaith Iob, yet would I not argue Degree 4 with God, but make ſuit unto my Iudge. I would not argue, llPetendo juſtitiam.by demanding p. 272juſtice; but make ſuit, mmPetendo miſericordiam, Lyra.by craving mercy, ſaith Lyra. I would not argue, nnConfidens in meritis meis.truſting to mine owne merits; but make ſuit, ooPlus confidens in ejus miſericordia, quam in meritis meis, Hugo Card.truſting rather, ſaith Cardinall Hugh, to his mercy. ppQuoniam miſericordia nobis neceſſaria est, Auguſt. in Iob 9.Job 9For it is mercy that we ſtand in need of, ſaith Auguſtine: it is that that muſt ſtand us then in ſtead. Since that,qqVt ſaepè diximus, Omnis humana juſtitia inj…ſtitia eſſe convincitur, ſi diſtrictè judicetur, Greg. Moral. lib 9. cap. 14. All mans righteouſneſſe will appeare to bee but unrighteouſneſſe, ſaith Gregory, if it ſhould ſtrictly be examined. AndrrPrece igitur poſt juſtitiam indiget, ut quae ſuccumbere diſcuſſa poterat, ex ſola judicis pietate convaleſ…at, Gregor. ibid. therefore for all a mans righteouſneſſe he had need yet to pray; that, that that might in ſuch ſtrict triall faile, may by his Iudges mercy alone hold out and be made good. For it is all one, ſaith he, as if Iob had there ſaid,ſſVelut ſi apertius fateatur dicens; Etſi ad opus virtutis excrevero, ad vitam non ex meritis, ſed ex venia convaleſco. Idem ibidem. Albeit I grow up and attaine to good workes, yet it is not of merit, but of merciemercy, that I doe atchieve life. And ſuchttPreci itaque innitendum est, cum recta agimus, ut omne quod juſtè vivimus, ex humilitate condiamus. Ibid. Prayer therefore muſt we leane unto, even when wee doe well, that even all our holy life may be ſeaſoned with humilitie: Which the contrary preſumption belike then of merit, deſert, worth, and dignitie, is in Gregories judgement a great enemy unto.

But ſo abſurd and even ſottiſh is the Popiſh doctrine in this Point, that ſome of their chiefe Champions, as halfe aſhamed of it, ſeeke ſometime to qualifie it, and ſometime flatly deny it.

Sometime, I ſay, they ſeeke to temper, and to qualifie, and to correct it, as Apothecaries doe**Nam & ipſa venena inferuntur medicamentis. Iſidor. Orig. lib. 12. cap. 4. poiſons, when in deſperate caſes they miniſter them to trie concluſions with forlorne Patients. Thus Bellarmine having at large diſcuſſed the Point; laid downe a good diſtinction for the clearing of the difference betweene us and them, when wee ſay, thataaCalvinus docet nullam in propriis meritis fiduciam eſſe locandam. Inſtitut. lib. 3. c. 12. §. 3, 4. No confidence is to bee put in mans merits; and they ſay,bbNos aliquam etiam in meritis poni poſſe docemus. Bellar. de Iuſtif. l 5 c 7. that ſome may be; to wit, thatccAliud eſt fiduciam naſci ex meritis: aliud in meritis ponendam. Bellar. ibid. it is one thing for confidence to be put in them, and another thing for confidence to ariſe from them: and with a trembling kinde of aſſertion affirmed the former, that not onelyonly confidence may ariſe from them; but thatddIn bonis meritis, quae verè talia eſſe compertum ſit, fiducia aliqua collota ī potest, modò ſuperbia caveatur. Ib. ſome confidence alſo may be placed in them, if men be certaine that they are ſuch, and ſo that they be not proud of them: (And yet how ſorteth this their doctrine, I pray you, with their Prayers, where they ſay;eeDeus, qui conspicis, quia in nulla noſtra actione confidimus. Collect. in Sexageſ. God that ſeeſt that we truſt in nothing that we doe? Or what is this then, but even to mocke God to his face, when they tell him they doe not that, which indeed they doe?) At length he commeth to conclude that wee have the ſafeſt courſe on our ſide. AsffVtiliſſimum est coram Deo non justitiam praetendere, ſ…d miſericordiam poſtulare, Bernard. ep. 42. it is the beſt and behovefull courſe, ſaith Bernard, not to pretend merit, but to requeſt mercy: So it is the ſureſt and the ſafeſt courſe, ſaith Bellarmine, not to truſt in any worke or worth of our owne, but to rely wholly upon Gods merciemercy. For,ggPropter periculum inanis gloriae, & incertitudinem juſtitiae noſtrae; Tutiſſimum est fiduciam totam in ſola Dei miſericordia & benignitate reponere, Bellarm. de Iuſtif. lib. 5. cap. 7. In regard, ſaith he, of the uncertaintie of our owne righteouſneſſe, and the jeopardy of vaine-glory, it is the ſafeſt courſe for a man to repoſe his whole truſt in the mercy and goodneſſe of God alone. And he produceth to this purpoſe the ſpeeches and practices of divers holy men of God lying upon their death-beds: (as indeed the moſt, even Papiſts alſo, yea and ſome Popes too, whatſoever they were taught or held otherwiſe while they lived, are glad (to prevent the worſt) to die Proteſtants in this Point, and to renounce all their pretended merits, worth, and workes then, when they ſhould ſtand them moſt in ſtead:) For ſo Ambroſe at point of death, ſaith he, ſpake to his p. 273people;hhNon fic vixi, ut me pudeat inter vos vivere: nec mori timeo, quia bonum Dominum habemus, …aulin. in vit. Am. I have not ſo lived among you, that I ſhould bee aſhamed to live longer with you: nor am I afraid to die, becauſe we have a good Master. Which ſpeech of his Auguſtine uſed much to admire and commend; affirming that Ambroſe ſo ſaid,iiNe crederetur praeſidens de ſuis purgatiſſimis moribus praeſumere, Poſſidon. in vit. Auguſt. that he might not be thought preſumptuouſly to put confidence in his courſe of life and carriage, though never ſo pure. So Augustine likewiſe himſelfe to his adverſaries;kkAd exiſtimationem hominum magna teſtium, qui me noverunt, ſuppetit copia: ad Dei verò conſpectum ſola conſcientia; quam contra veſtras criminationes cum intrepidam geram, non me tamen ſub oculis omnipotentis juſtificare audeo; magiſque ab illo effluentem miſericordiae largitatom, quam judicis ſummum …xamèn expecto, Aug. contra Creſcon. l. 3. c. 80. For my reputation among men, I have witneſſes great ſtore, that have knowne me, to testifie for me: but in the ſight of God my Conſcience alone can ſpeake for me; which albeit I beare fearleſſe againſt your falſe accuſations, yet dare I not juſtifie my ſelfe before the eyes of the Almightie, but expect rather a largeſſe of mercy flowing from him, than a ſtrict judiciall triall. And Bernard of himſelfe;llPraetendat alter meritum; ſuſtinere ſe jactet pondus dici & aeſtus. Mihi adhaerere Deo bonum est, ponere in Domino Deo ſpem meum. Bern. in Pſal. 90. Serm. 9.Ps 90 Let others plead their merits, and boaſt and brag that mmMatth. 20.12.Matt 20:12they have borne and endured the heat and the burden of the day: but nnPſal. 73.28.Ps 73:28it is good for mee to cleave to God, and to put my truſt in him. And when hee was even at deaths doore, writing to ſome of his friends;ooOrate Salvatorem, ut tempeſtivum jam exitum non differat, ſed cuſtodiat. Curate inunire vobis calcaneum nudum meritis, Bern. epiſt. 310. Pray ye my Saviour not to delay now my timely departure, but to keepe and protect me in it. Be carefull by your prayers to fence mine heele being bare of Merits it ſelfe. ppVbi B. Bern. ex conſcientia bonae vitae optat non differri diutiu… mortem. Et tamen adeò non confidebat in meritis, ut exiſtimaret ſe nudum eſſe meritis. Bellar. de Iuſtific. l. 5. c. 7.Where Saint Bernard, ſaith Bellarmine, howſoever out of the Conſcience of his good life he deſired to have his death no longer delaied, yet was ſo farre from truſting in his Merits, that he made account he had none. And againe,qqCum extremum jam trahere ſpiritum videretur. Gulielm. in vit. Bern. l. 1. c. 13. when hee was even now (as it were) at the laſt gaſpe;rrFateor, non ſum dignus ego, nec poſſum propriis meritis regnum obtinere coelorum. Caeterum Dominus meus duplici jure illad poſſidens, haereditate Patris & merito paſſionis, altero ipſe contentus, ulcerum mihi donat. Bern. ibid. I confeſſe, ſaith he, that I am not worthy of, nor can by mine owne merits obtaine the Kingdome of Heaven: But my Lord Ieſus Chriſt, who holdeth it by a double right, the Inheritance of his Father, and the merit of his Paſsion, contenting himſelfe with the one, beſtoweth on me the other. This then hath beene, by our adverſaries their owne confeſsion, the ordinary practice of Gods People, even the greateſt, the godlieſt, the worthieſt of them. And can we imagine but that their Faith and their Doctrine then at other times was correſpondent thereunto? No undoubtedly. Thus they did, and thus they died themſelves: and thus taught they their people to doe, and to die. Yea thus were our Anceſtors here in England above five hundred yeers agone taught to prepare themſelves for death, by Anſelme Archbiſhop of Canterbury, who then lived. Among other Questions he willeth that this bee demanded of the ſicke man that lieth a dying;**Credis & ſperas venire ad ſalutem aeternam non t…s m…ritis ſed Chriſti? Dicat, Sic. Anſel. ut refertur in Tract. de Arte moriendi Impreſſ. Biſuntii, Anno 1488. Doſt thou beleeve and hope to be ſaved, or to come to life eternall, not by thine owne merits, but by Chriſts? To which Queſtion hee adviſeth the ſicke man to ſay, yea. And then turning his ſpeech to him by way of inſtruction and exhortation;ſſIn ſola Chriſti morte te totum contege: huic morti te involve: Et ſi Dominus Deus te voluerit judicare, dic, Domine, mortem Domini … Ieſu Chriſti objicio inter te & me & judicium tuùm, aliter tecum non contendo. Si dixerit, quod mereris, damnationem, foreign, Mortem D. mei I. C. objicio inter te & me & mala merita me…: ipſumque digniſſimo paſſionis meritu moſſer… pro merito, q…od ego habere debuiſſem, & (heu) non habeo. Ibid. Cover thy ſelfe, ſaith he, all over with Chriſts death, and winde up thy Soule in it. And if God offer to judge thee, ſay thou; Lord, I ſet the death of my Lord Ieſus Chriſt betweene me and thee, and thy judgement, and I will no otherwiſe contend with thee. If he ſay, thou deſerveſt damnation; ſay thou; I ſet the death of my Lord Ieſus Chriſt betweene thee and mee and mine evill deſerts: And I tender the Merits of his moſt worthy Paſſion p. 274in ſtead of the Merit that I ſhould have, but (alas) have not. This then was the Doctrine and Practice of thoſe Ancient Fathers; and this it was that our Ancestors and Forefathers were taught, contrary to that that the Church of Rome teacheth and maintaineth at this day. Yea this, that fire-brand of the Chriſtian world, Pope Hildebrand made profeſſion of, when he writ on this wiſe (as Baronius reporteth of him) to the Abbot of Clugny, **Ita me gravatum propria actionis pondere invenio, ut nulla remaneat ſpes ſalutis, niſi de ſola miſericordia Chriſti, Greg. PP. 7. in ep. ad Hug. Cluniac. apud Baron. tom. 11. An. 1075. num 7.I finde my ſelfe ſo depreſſed with the weight of mine owne actions, that I have no hope of ſafety left, but in the mercy of Chriſt alone.

But let us examine Bellarmines cautelous concluſion a little.

1. Is this the ſureſt and ſafeſt courſe? why condemne they us then as Heretikes for taking and teaching it? WhyttIndex Expurg. Hiſpan. In libro qui inſcribitur, Ordo baptizandi: Deleantur illa verba; Credis non propriis meritis, ſed Domini Chriſti virtute & merito ad gloriam pervenire? Index Belg. ex Iac. Fabr in Rom. 4. dele; Tu, ſiſapis, neque in fide, neque in operibus, ſed in Deo confide. Et ex Comment. in Gal. 3. Qui confidit in operibus, in ſeipſo confidit, & baculo nititur arundineo. Et ex Comment. in Epheſ. 1. Quid igitur laudabimus? Nunquid nos, aut opera noſtra. &c. Nequaquam.Rom 4Gal 3Eph 1 croſſe they out of their owne Writers ſuch ſpeeches as tend this way? Would they not have men goe the ſafer way? It is their Canoniſts rule, and their Caſuiſts common note, thatuuIn duviis & ambiguis via tutior eligenda este Clemens. 3. in Decretal. lib. 5. tit. 10. cap. 12. Gerſon in Reg. Mor. Martin. Navar. Enchirid. cap. 27. §. 284. The ſafeſt ſide, where any doubt may be, is to be held. And that much doubt may be, yea muſt needs bee here, himſelfe telleth us, when he teacheth, thatxxNon poſſunt homines in hac vita habere …ertitudinem fidei de ſua juſtitia, niſi ea ſpeciali revelatione. Bellarmin. de Iuſtificat. lib. 3. c. 3. Nemo abſque revelatione ceriò ſcire potest, ſe habere verae morita. ibid. cap 5. Hoc ſcire impoſſibile est, niſi ad. ſit revelatio. Ibidem cap. 8. Mans Merits are ordinarily very uncertain; yea ſo uncertaine, that without ſpeciall revelation a man can have no aſſured certainty of them. So that our fault belike herein is only this then, that we are not ſo venturous, or foole-hardie rather, as they are.

2. Is it a ſure, yea the ſureſt and ſafeſt courſe that can bee, to truſt in Gods mercy alone? Then is Gods mercy alone belike able to ſave a man without merits. For in vaine were it to truſt in it alone, if it alone were not ſufficient to ſave: according to that excellent ſaying of Bernard, ſpeaking of thoſe words of the Pſalmiſt; yyPſal. 37.40.Ps 37:40Hee will ſave them becauſe they truſt in him. He zzSalvabit eos. quare? quibus merit…? Audi quod ſequitur; Quia ſperaverunt in eo. Dulcis cauſa▪ attamen effi…me; attamen irrefragabilis. Nimirum haec eſt juſtitia, ſed quae ex fide est, non ex lege, Bern. in Pſal. 90. Serm. 9. …in & Auguſt de verb. Ap. 7. Miſerere mei. Quare? Quia virtutem habeo, qua te promerear? quiae voluntatis arbitrium ger… unde gratiam tuam meritum meum praecedat? Non: quoniam in te ſperavit anima mea. Pſal. 57.1.Ps 90Ps 57:1will ſave them; ſaith he: Why ſo? For what merits of theirs? Marke what followeth: Becauſe they truſt in him: A ſweet cauſe, but effectuall and irrefragable. This is the righteouſneſſe indeed, not of the Law, but of Faith. aaHoc totum est hominis meritum, ſi totam ſpem ponat in de, qui totum hominem falvum fecit. Bern. Idem ibid Serm. 15.This is mans whole merit, that he ſet his whole hope on him, who hath ſaved the whole man. AndbbHaec est vera hominis fiduciae, …ſe deficientis, & innitentis Domino ſuo; ut non niſi in fola Dei miſericordia reſpiret. Idem de temp. 50. This is mans true confidence, to fall from himſelfe, and reſt on his Lord, refreſhed in nothing but his mercy onelyonly. And elſewhere;ccNon … quod queras, quibus meritis ſperemus bona. Sufficit ad meritum ſcire, quod merita non ſufficiant. Idem in Cant. 68. No man need as he for what merits of ours we expect good things at Gods hands. It is merit ſufficient, to know, that no merit is ſufficient. And againe,ddMe…m meum miſeratio Domini Ibid. ſer. 61. Gods mercy is my merit. eeEt ſi mihi meritum deest, ſed non illi miſeratio. Ibid. ſer. 14.Though I want merit, yet wanteth he no mercy. ffNon ſum pla… meriti inops, quamdiu ille miſerationum non fuerit. Quod ſi miſericordia Domini multae, multus nihil ominus ego in meritis ſum. Ibid. ſer. 61.Nor can I want ſtore of merit, ſo long as he hath ſtore of mercy. Much merit have I, ſince that he hath ſo much mercy.

3. But why ſhould they truſt thus in Gods mercy alone? or why may they not truſt ſafely enough in their owne merits alſo? For ſo his Aſſertion was, that in them men might truſt to; and that there was ground good enough for them ſo for to doe.ggPropter juſtitiae incertitudinem. Bellarm. ubi ſup. In regard, ſaith p. 275he, of the uncertainty of a mans owne righteouſneſſe: hhQuia multi ſalluntur, dum putaent ſe habere quod non habent. Idem de Iuſtif. l. 3. c. 8.becauſe a man may be mistaken in it, and imagine that he hath it, when he hath not. But certaine or uncertaine, how can mans merit bee the ground of his ſalvation, if his ſalvation depend upon Gods mercy alone? Or how is mans merit neceſſarily required unto ſalvation, if by Gods mercy alone he may be ſaved without it?

4.iiPropter periculum inanis gloriae. Idem ubi ſup. In regard alſo, ſaith he, of the jeopardie of vain-glory. In which clauſe he acknowledgeth that this their Doctrine of mans merit is a dangerous Doctrine, (as Bernard alſo tearmethkkStultum & periculoſum eſt ſuis quenquam confidere meritis Bern de Diverſ. 32. Periculoſa habitatio eorum, qui in meritis ſuis ſperant; periculoſa quia ruinoſa. Idem in Pſal. 90. Serm 1.Ps 90 the practice of it both fooliſh and perillous) and ſuch as may ſoone puffe up mens minds with vain-glory, yeallDiſcamus de noſtra omninò induſtria, maegis autem de noſtris diffidere meritis, Bern. de Temp. 75. Nam ſibi quidem ipſi fidere, non fidei, ſed perfidiae est: nec confidentiae, ſed diffidentiae magis in ſemetipſo habere fiduciam. Is verè fidelis est, qui nec ſibi credit, nec in ſe ſperat, factus ſibi tanquam vas perditum. Id quod ſola facit humil…tas cordis, ut non ſibi fidelis anima innitatur, ſed deſcrens ſemetipſam, & ſuper dilectum innixa aſcendat de deſerto, Idem de Temp. 16. with pride and preſumption, (hee might well have ſaid) the very bane of all true confidence, grace, goodneſſe and godlineſſe. And conſequently as a moſt dreadfull**De Phariſaeo Chryſoſt. tom. 8. Ser. 14. foreign. rocke threatning ſhip-wracke of ſalvation, to be moſt warily ſhunned and eſchewed of all thoſe that are jealous of miſcarying, and deſirous of eternall well-doing.

I will adde here but the Confeſsion of one or two of their owne Writers: ††Ego prorſus exiſtimo piè & Chriſtianè dici, quod debeamus niti, tanquam reſtabili quae ſuſtentat nos, ſuſtitia Chriſti nobis donata, non autem ſanctitate & gratia nobis inhaerente. Contaren. Card. de Iuſtific.I am wholly of this minde (ſaith Cardinall Contarene) that it is a pious and a Christian-like ſaying, that wee ought to rely, as on a thing ſtedfaſt and able to ſupport us, on Chriſts righteouſneſſe beſtowed upon us, not on holineſſe or grace inherent in us. On this alone, as certaine and ſtedfaſt ought we to reſt. And††Summo conſenſu vereres omnes tradunt, fiduciam remiſſionis peccatorum etiam eorum que post regenerationem admittuntur; & ſpem veniae & vitae eternae, in ſola Dei miſ…ricordia & merito Chriſti eſſe collocandam, Caſſand. Conſult. art. 6. All the Ancients with generall conſent, ſaith Caſſander, deliver, that confidence for remiſsion of ſinnes, and hope of pardon and life eternall, is to bee placed in Gods mercy alone and Chriſts merits. To which purpoſe alſo he alleageth a place of Pope Gregory, to this effect;““Non in fletibus & actibus noſtris, ſed in Advocati noſtri allegatione conſidimus, Greg. in Ezech. hom. 1. We truſt not in our owne teares or deeds, but in our Advocates plea. And as for truſt in ought elſe, ſaith Adrian of Vtrech, who was Biſhop of Rome alſo afterward;††Sunt merita noſtra veluti baculus arundineus; cui dum quis innixus fuerit, confringitur, & perforat manum innitentis, Adrian. de Traject. in 4. Sent. Our merits are but as a ſtaffe of reed, which if a man leane to or rely on, it knappeth aſunder, and runneth thorow his hand that relieth on it. It is the ſureſt courſe, ſaith Bellarmine; it is the only ſure courſe, ſay we, to truſt only in Gods merciemercy. So ſaid the Ancients before us (as ſome of their owne, you ſee confeſſe) with us. And to teach men in ſtead of it to truſt in their owne merits, is to teach them**Bain. ſpirit. Armor. to exchange a rocke for a reed. Nor can there be any ſafetie at all in ſo doing; unleſſe it bee ſafe to rely on ſo deceitfull and dangerous a ſtay as is ſure to ſerve them all (by their owne Adrians confeſſion) that truſt thereunto, as††Eſa 36.6.Isa 36:6 Rabſake ſaith Aegypt did, as““foreign. Plut. Apophth. the Spartan ſaid Athens would have done, if Greece ſhould have relied on it.

Thus then ſometime they ſeeke to ſalve and qualifie this their peſtilent and poyſonfull doctrine, which at other times, as not halfe, but wholly aſhamed to owne it, they doe utterly deny and diſclaime.

It ismmOctavum Philippi Mendacium. In art. 20. Confeſſ. Iubent. Catholici Doctores mereri remiſſionem peccatorum operibus, Bellar. in Iudic. de Libr. Concord. Philip Melancthons eighth lie, ſaith Bellarmine, that our Teachers p. 276will men to merit remiſsion of ſinnes by their workes. Theſe words, I finde not at all in the place out of which they are alledged. Neither know I what Edition of that Confeſsion hee followeth. But ſuppoſe that Philip ſay ſo. Why is it a lie? Is it not true that they teach ſo? Yes doubtleſſe. Bellarmine himſelfe elſe-where confeſſeth, thatnnAndr. Vega l. 13. in Concil. Trident. c. 36 contendit, ſatis fieri pro culpa. Bellar. de poenit. l 4. c. 1. ſome of their Doctors teach, that men by their owne workes make ſatisfaction to God for the fault or offence it ſelfe. Others,ooDocet Rua…d Tapper. inſignis Theologus in explic. art. 6. Lovan. poſſe hominem ſatuſacere Deo pro culpa & poena aeterna per actus quoſdam, &c. Bellarm. ibid. that they ſatisfie both for the fault or offence, and for the puniſhment alſo, yea even the eternall paines thereunto due: Others againe (whom he giveth his voyce with)ppNos Concil. Trid. Seſſ. 6. c. 14 & Seſſ. 14. c. 13. ſequentes, Per opera poenalia verè ac propriè Domino ſatisfieri pro reatu poenae, qui poſt culpam dumiſſam remanet expiandus. Idem ibid. l. 4 c. 7. not for the fault it ſelfe indeed, but for the guilt of ſuch penalties as remaine due for the ſame, after that the fault is forgiven, qqId est, pro poena ſenſus, ut Cajetan. rectè de Contrit. q. 4. quam in Gehenna pati debuiſſet peccator, remota ſolum aeternitate. Ib. c. 1.that is, ſaith he, for the paines that a ſinner ſhould in Hell elſe have ſuffered, the eternity of them onelyonly taken away: that which he tearmeth out of ſomerrProv. 16.6. Dan. 4.24.Prov 16:6Dan 4:24 places of Scripture bothſſNam redimendi verbum neutrobique reperitur. miſ-tranſlated, andttViſe Iun. in utrumque: Et Baium infra. miſ-expounded,uuBellar. ibid l. 4. c. 8. a redeeming or buying out of mens ſinnes; and maintainethxxIdem ibid. l. 2. c. 12. & l. 4. c. 8. remiſsion of ſinnes to bee by ſuch redemption purchaſed and procured.

Againe, thataaApertiſſimè agnoſcit ſatisfactionem condignam eſſe debere, & eam proportionem cum peccato exigere, ut verè per eam offenſio compenſetur, de Poenit. l. 4. c. 9. men by their workes make ſuch condigne ſatisfaction for ſome ſinnes, bbVt injuria Deo facta compenſetur, & divinae juſtitiae ſatisfiat, Ibid.that thereby the offence and wrong done to God is truly recompenced, and his justice fully ſatisfied; and thatccAccedente gratia verè poſſumus aliquo modo exoperibus propriis Deo indebitis, & ad aequal tatem, ac per hoc juſtè & ex condigno ſatisfacere Ib. cap. 7. through Gods grace they doe in ſome ſort by workes of their owne, which they owe not to God, truly or equally, and therefore justly alſo and condignly ſatisfie; for thatddQuia quatenus à ſpiritu procedunt, habent quandam infinitatem, ac per hoc aequalitatem cum injuria, qua Deum peccando afficiebamus, ibid. ſuch workes have a kinde of infiniteneſſe (or infinite worth) in them, and conſequently an equality with the wrong that they did God by their ſinnes, in ſundry places he himſelfe avoweth: which what is it but to merit remiſsion of ſinnes? For hath not he merited remiſſion that hath made ſuch ſatisfaction?

Yea the Objection being made, that theneeVel ſunt duae ſatisfactiones ſimul junctae, una Chriſti, altera noſtra; vel una tantum. Si duae, ergo bis punitur eadem culpa. Si una tantum, vel illa est Chr…ſti, & tunc nos non ſatisfacimus; vel noſtra, & tunc exclud…tur Chriſtus; aut verè dividemus cum Chriſto honorem, nam ille ſolvet pro culpa, nos propaena. Bellar. de Purgat l. 1. c. 14. either there muſt bee two joynt ſatisfactions, the one Chriſts, and the other ours; or but one onelyonly; and that either Chriſts, and then wee doe not ſatisfie; or ours, and then Chriſts is excluded; or elſe wee divide the honour betweene Chriſt and our ſelves, that he pay for the fault, and we for the puniſhment: The Cardinall ſaith, that hereunto three Anſwers are given.

For 1. ſome ſay,ffQuidam aſſerunt eſſe unam tantum. & illam Chriſti eſſe; ac nos propriè non ſatisfacere, ſed ſolum facere aliquid cujus intuitu Deus applicat nobis Chriſti ſatisfactionem. Ita Michael Baius de Indulg cap ult. that there is one only ſatisfaction, and that is Chriſts: and that we, to ſpeake properly, doe not ſatisfie at all, but only doe ſomewhat in regard whereof God applieth Chriſts ſatisfaction to us: AndggQuod eſt dicere, Noſtra opera non eſſe niſi conditiones, ſine quibus non applicaretur nobis Chriſti ſatisfactio, vel ad ſummum, eſſe dispoſitiones. ſo, ſaith hee, ſhould our workes be nothing but conditions, or diſpoſitions at moſt, without which Chriſts ſatisfaction ſhould not be applied to us. That which is indeed in effect the ſame that we ſay. ButhhQuae ſententia erronea mihi videtur, Bellarm. ibid. this he holdeth to be erronious.

2. Some ſay, thatiiAlii dicunt quod ſunt duae, ſed una ab altera dependent. there are two ſatisfactions, but the one depending upon the other; the one Chriſts, and the other ours: kkNam etiamſi una ſufficiat, tamen ad majorem gloriam Dei, cui ſatisfit, & majorem honorem hominis ſatisfacientis, placuit Chriſto conjungere noſtram.for though the p. 277one were ſufficient; yet for greater honour to us, God will have ours added to his. AndllQui modus non videtur mihi improbabilis, Bel. ibid. this he holdeth to be not improbable.

3. Some ſay, andmmTertius modus videtur probabili…r; quod una tantum ſit actualis ſatisfactio, & ea ſit noſtra, Bellar. ibid. that is the more probable, (and that therefore he goeth with) that there is but one actuall ſatisfaction alone, and that ours. nnEt tunc Chriſtus excluditur.And ſo Chriſt conſequently is excluded, and ſhut out at doores, as in the Objection before was ſaid. Yea he ſaith moreover, that asooNon erit abſurdum ſi Sancti viri Re…emptores noſtri eſſe dicantur, cum aliquo modo paſſionibus ſuis delicta noſtra poſſint redimere. Bellarm. de Indulg. l. 1. c. 4. the Saints may well bee tearmed our Redeemers, becauſe that by their ſufferings they may redeeme or buy out our ſinnes: SoppHomo ſui ipſius Redemptor & Salvator appellatur: nec propterea ulla fit Chriſto injuria. Idem de Purgat. l. 1. c. 14. a man may well be ſaid to be his owne Redeemer and Saviour, and yet no wrong done therein to Chriſt, when by his owne worksqqCondignè ſatisfacit. Ibid. cap. 13. he maketh condigne ſatisfaction to God in this manner for his ſinnes.

And now judge you, whether Philip Melancthon lied or no, when he ſaid (if at leaſt he did ſo ſay) that they will men to merit remiſsion of their ſinnes by their workes. But let us heare further how not Melancthon, but Bellarmine lieth himſelfe, where hee chargeth Melancthon with lying.rrNon id habet Catholica doctrina ut operibus illis, quae fiunt ſine fide & auxilio Dei gratuito mereri poſſint homines remiſsionem peccatorum. Bellarm. in Iudic. de lib. Concord. Mendac. 8. We teach not, ſaith he, that by workes done without faith or Gods free helpe, men may merit remiſsion of ſinnes. ſſHuc accedit, quod iſtis etiam operibus, quae fiunt ex fide & auxilio Dei, hon tale tribuimus meritum, ut ei reſpondeat ex juſtitia merces; ſed meritum ſolum impetrationis, ut Auguſtinus loquitur, quod Scholaſtici meritum de congruo, non de condigno nominare ſolent. Bellar. ibid.Nor doe we aſcribe even unto thoſe workes that are done of Faith and by Gods aid, ſuch a merit, as that the reward doth of justice or right anſwer it; (that is, the merit of condignitie) but the merit of impetration onelyonly, as Augustine ſpeaketh; which the Schoolemen are wont to call not the merit of condignity, but the merit of congruity. ttNeque in hoc ulla eſt inter Catholicos differentia, ibid.Nor is there any diſſent among Catholiques herein.

I might here take occaſion to ſhew ſomwhat largely, in what ſenſe theuuIta Hieron i… Hoſh. 4.14. Grandis offenſa, poſtquam peccaveris, iram Dei non mereri. Ambr. in Luc. l. 10. c. 22. O aqua, quae ſacramentum Chriſti eſſe meruiſti. Collatio Carth. cognit. 1. art. 8. Proponant, qui iſta elicere meruerunt. Ibid. cognit. 3. art. 16. Quis ſ…pplicavit, quis legem meruit? Quis judicium poſtulavit? Et Sedul. & alius neſcio quis Hieron. nomine in Rom 4. Magna beatitudo est ſine labore legis & poenitentiae, Domini gratiam ſola fide promereri; ſicut ſiquis aliquam dignitatem gratis accipiat.Rom 4 ancient Fathers, as alſoxxPacem ſub hac lege meruit, ut captivos noſtros redderet. Ammian. hiſt. l. 17. Pacem quam ipſe meruit, ei quoque debere proficere, Ibid. other Writers of thoſe times do ordinarily uſe the word to Merit (becauſe our adverſaries ſo much preſſe the uſe of that Phraſe in thē, as if it implied ſuch Merit as they maintain) to wit, asyyAuguſtinus explicat quom…do fides mereatur, cum dicit eam impetrare remiſsionem peccatorum. Bellar. de Iuſtif. l. 1. c. 21. Sed & Bellarm. ipſe ibid. l 5. c. 2. exponit illud Vulg. verſionis Heb. 13.16. Talibus hoſtiis Deus promeretur, ī ut Oecumenius, placetur Deo.Heb 13:16 Bellarmine himſelfe, withzzQuodſi aliquis veterum vocabulo promerendi uſus est, non aliter intellexit, quam conſecutionem de facto. Stapleton. prompt. Fer. 5. poſt Paſsion. Dominic. Videatur Vega infra. others of his owne ſide alſo acknowledgeth, for to atchieve or obtaine ought on any tearmes whatſoever, be it of free favour, or of due debt and deſert: which is the Merit of Impetration, that he ſaith Augustine ſpeaketh of; andaaMultum intereſt inter meritum & impetrationem, Bel de Bon oper. in particul. l. 1. c. 9. differeth much from Merit or Deſert ſtrictly and properly ſo tearmed, as Bellarmine himſelfe alſo granteth: Since that, by their owne confeſſion,bbImpetramus etiam quae non meremur. Tho. ſum par. prima ſecundae q. 114. a. 9. A man may impetrate, and not deſerve: and a man may deſerve and not impetrate, Anonymus Author contra Bellii Ruinam Papiſmi. Meritum enim inuititur juſtitiae; & non …otest Deus homini negare quod meruit, &c. Sed impetrare est liberalitatis divinae: ſi det, eſt gratiae; ſi non dei, non potest argui injuſtitiae. Adrian. quod lib. q. 8. it is one thing to impetrate or obtaine, and another to merit, that is, to deſerve: And therefore in ſuch ſenſe as they uſe the word Merit, ccVeniam Arbitione precante meruerunt. Ammian. hiſt. l. 15. Quia Dei filium Iudaea contemoſit, Gentilit …s promeruit. Greg. in 1 Reg. 2. Maria ſola mater Domini fieri meruit. Euſebii Emiſſ. nomine in Dominic. 4. Advent. Parere meruit eum, qu…m conſtat nullum habu…ſſe peccatum. Aug. de Nat. & Grat. c. 36. Ipſum Deum hominem fact…m & co…cipere & parere non h…manis meritis, ſed concepti naſcentiſque ex ea ſummi Dei dignatione promeruit. Fulgent. de Grat. & Incarn. c. 7 Letiores interim quod virgas evaſerint, quàm quod meruerint principatum, Bernardus De pueris ad praelaturam promotis, Epiſt. 42. Itaque ingenuè Vega de Iuſtificat. lib. 8. cap. 8. agnoſcit, uſurpari apud Patres nomen Meriti, ubi nulla est ratio Meriti, neque de congruo, neque de condigno.1 Kgs 2a man may bee ſaid ſometime to merit, that is, obtaine and impetrate, p. 278what he deſerveth not; and againe,ddMiles Gallicanis ſudoribus nec donativum meruit, nec ſtipendium. Ammian. hiſtor. l. 17. not to merit, that is, obtaine and impetrate what yet hee hath well deſerved. As alſo in this ſenſeeeSolent meritum appellare quemlibet actum bonum, ratione cujus aliquid aliud accipimus: ut ex Auguſtino perspicue patet, Bellar. de Grat. & lib. Arb. l. 1. c 14. they are wont (Bellarmine himſelfe alſo acknowledging it) to call all good workes Merits, for which we receive ought, though the reward be, asffMercedem quandam eſſe dicimus, quae magis debetur ex gratia, quam ex juſtitia; ſive quae imputetur ſec. gratiam, & non ſec. debitum. Idem de Iuſtific. l. 1. c. 21. he granteth alſo that it may be, not of deſert, right, or due debt, but of favour and grace onelyonly. Wherein Bernard ſingularly well expounding their meaning, and his owne too, where he uſeth thoſe and the like tearmes;ggSi propriè appellentur ea quae dicimus merita noſtra, ſpei quaedam ſunt ſeminaria, charitatis incentiva, occultae praedeſtinationis indicta, futurae glorificationis praeſagia, via regni, non cauſa regnandi, Bernard. de Grat. & lib. arb. If we ſpeake properly, ſaith he, thoſe things that we uſe to call Merits, are certaine ſeeds of Hope, ſparkes of Love, ſignes of our hidden Predestination, preſages of our future glorification; the way to the Crowne, not the cauſe of our Crowning.

I might alſo inſiſt on that which Bellarmine hath elſe-where, thathhQuod nos dicimus mereri, Graeci dicunt foreign, Bellarm. de Iuſtific. l. 5. c. 2. to merit, as they ſpeake, is no more than that which the Greeks call foreign, which word ſignifieth notiiforeign, i. dignum eſſe. Idem ibid. imò dignari: ut Cicer. de orat. l. 3. to be worthy, as he ſaith, contrarie to all uſe and authoritie, butkkforeign, Schol. Thucyd. foreign, Suid foreign. Schol. Sopho. l. to be vouchſafed, reputed or esteemed as worthy, as alſollNon ait, ut digni ſitis, ſed ut digni habeamini, Cajetan. in 2 Thoſſ. 1.5. Cajetan himſelfe therein following their owne vulgar Latine, expoundeth it. And whereas the ſame their vulgar Tranſlation hath it in bad and barbarousmmTalibus hoſtiis promeretur Deus, Heb. 13.Heb 13 Latine, and their Rhemiſts verſion in as bad or worſe Engliſh, nnRhemenſ. Heb. 13.Heb 13with ſuch hoſts God is promerited: ooSenſus est, talibus hoſtiis delectatur, ſive placatur Deus, ut habet commentarius Chryſoſtomi: vel talibus hoſtiis placetur Deo, ut exponit Oecumenius, Bellarm. de Iuſtific. l. 5. c. 2.The meaning of it is, ſaith Bellarmine, that with ſuch Sacrifices God is delighted, or pacified, as Chryſostomes Commentary hath it, (though indeed in Chryſoſtomes Commentarie, there is no ſuch word, or any one word of expoſition, but the ſame word it ſelfe onelyonly) or is pleaſed, (well-pleaſed, it is word for word in the Originall) as Oecumenius expoundeth it. AndppSignificat. Deum delectari bonis, eiſque conciliari, & induci ad benefaciendum iis qui benè operantur, Ibid. it ſignifieth, ſaith he, that God is delighted in good workes, and is therewith conciliated, (that is, moved to befriend, as wee ſay) and induced thereby to doe good unto thoſe that doe well. Which is that that we meane, when we ſay that works are meritorious. Well it were indeed if they either meant or maintained no more than is here ſaid. Little controverſie would there then be betwene us and them.

But to let theſe things paſſe, leſt I be in this point over-long. Doe all Catholikes deny indeed even to works done of Faith and Grace all merit of condignity? And is there no difference at all among them therein? Yea doth not Bellarmine himſelfe maintaine the contrary? Or doth he not know that there is difference among them herein? and that the moſt of them (of later times eſpecially) goe the other way? Yes undoubtedly. But he dealeth herein, as he doth in the point of Adoration of Images. It is aqqImagines coli eadem cultu cum Prototypo, ſive quo coluntur, quorum ſunt imagines; Chriſti & Dei latria: est opinio communi Theologorum ſententia recepta. Sic Thom. Albert. …alud. Almam. Marſil. Maiol. Capreol. Cajetan. & caeteri juniores. Azor. inſtitut. lib. 8. cap. 6. & Greg. de Valent. de Idolatr. lib. 2. cap. 6. common Tenent among them, that Images are to bee worſhipped with the ſelfe ſame worſhip that thoſe are worſhipped with, whoſe Images they are: and ſo conſequently the Images of God and Chriſt with divine Worſhip. And Bellarmine himſelfe, though a little qualifying it, both alloweth and defendeth it,rrSi de reipſa agatur, admitti potest Imagines poſſe coli impropriè vel per accidens, eodem gene…e cultus, quo exemplar ipſum colitur, &c. Bellarmin. de cult. Sanct. lib. 2. cap. 23. that by accident, or improperly they may bee and are ſo worſhipped; to wit, either ſſQuando imago accipitur pro ipſo exemplari, cujus vicem gerit, Ibid.as thoſe Images are Gods or Chriſts Deputies, and ſo receive for p. 279God or Chriſt himſelfe the worſhip due to either; or ttCum exemplar conſideramus quaſi imagine veſtitum, &c. Ibid.as men conceive God or Chriſt clad in that Image, as a King in his roabes, and ſo worſhip the Image in the ſame worſhip together with either. But yet, ſaith hee,uuQuantum ad modum loquendi, praefertim in concione ad populum, non est dicendum imagines ulla… adorari debere latria; ſed è conirario, non debere ſic adorari. Bellarm. ibid c. 22. you muſt not in any wiſe tell the people ſo in the Pulpit, that any Images are to be worſhipped with Divine worſhip; but the conrtary rather, that they are not to be worſhipped. And why ſo? Forſooth,xxOffendit aures Catholicorum. becauſe many good Catholikes cannot endure to heare that Images ſhould ſo be adored: and againe,yyPraebet occaſionem haereticis liberius blaſphemandi, Ibid. Becauſe it giveth Heretikes occaſion to ſpeake more freely evill of them.

And in like manner dealeth he in this matter of Merit. Becauſe our Writers juſtly tax them for extreame arrogance therein. Bellarmine here flatly denyeth it, and ſaith that none of them maintaine it, and we doe but bely them in charging them with it. And yet, to paſſe by what before was alleaged out of him; and what he ſaith elſewhere againe, thataaRemiſſio venialium juſto Dei judicio redditur bonis meritis juſtorum. Bellarm. de Iuſtific l. 1. c. 21. the remiſsion of ſome ſinnes is even in Iuſtice due to mans good merit; Where profeſſedly he handleth the Controverſie concerning the merits of mans workes, he concludeth the direct contrary to what here hee avoweth, and condemneth what he averreth here, as no better than Hereſie.

The very Title of his Diſcourſe is,bbOpera juſtorum ex charitate facta eſſe meritoria vitae aeternae ex condigno. Bellar. de Iuſtif. l. 5. c. 16. That mens works done of charity doe condignely merit or deſerve Life eternall; and that,ccNon ſolum ratione pacti, ſed etiam ratione operum, Ibid. c. 17. not only in regard of Gods Covenant, but in regard of the works themſelves.

In the Diſcourſe it ſelfe he telleth us, thatddCatholici omnes agnoſcunt, opera bona juſtorum eſſe meritoriá vitae aeternae, Ibid. cap. 16. All Catholikes hold that they merit life eternall. ThateeAliqui cenſent non eſſe utendum vocibus his de condigno & de congruo. Sed abſolutè eſſe dicendum, Opera juſtorum eſſe & meritoria vitae aeternae ex gratia Dei. Ita Thom. Waldenſ. de Sacram. tom. 3. cap 7. & Paul Burg. addit. ad Lyr. in Pſal. 35.Ps 35 ſome of them indeed would have no mention made either of condignitie, or congruitie; ffAlii volunt eſſe meritoria de condigno largo modo, quod respectu condigni propriè ſumpti dicatur congruum, respectu congrui poſſit dici condignum. Itá Durand. in 2. Sent. d. 27. q. 2. Et Greg. Arimin. in 1. Sent. d. 17. q. 1. art. 2.Some goe a middle way betweene congruity and condignity; andggQuidam diſtinguunt inter dignum & condignum, & meritum ex digno admittunt, non ex condigno. ſome againe would distinguiſh betweene dignity and condignity. But thathhCommunis ſententia Theologorum admittit ſimpliciter meritum de condigno. Bellarm. ibid. the common opinion of their Divines admitteth merit of condignity: which hee alſo concludeth with.

Againe hee ſaith thatiiQuidam exiſtimant opera bona non eſſe meritoria vitae aeternae ex condigno ratione operis, ſed tantum ratione pacti, & acceptationis divinae, Bellarm. de Iuſtific. l. 5 c. 17. ſome of their Divines hold, that ſuch workes doe not merit life eternall condignely, in regard of the worke it ſelfe, or the worth of it, but in regard of Gods Covenant and his acceptation of them onelyonly; And thatkkIta Scot. in 1. Sent. d. 17. qu. 2. quem alii quoque ex veteribus ſcholaſticis ſequuntur. thus onelyonly the Ancient Schoolemen held. llNon defunt qui cenſent eſſe meritoria ex condigno ratione operis, etiamſi nulla extaret divina conventio. Ita Cajetan. in Thom. p. prima ſecundae q. 114. a. 1. & Dominic. à Soto de Nat. & Grat. cap. 7.Others, that they merit it condignly in regard of the worke it ſelfe, and the worth of it, albeit that God with man had made no ſuch agreement at all. mmNobis media ſententia probabilior videtur, eſſe ſcil. meritoria ex condigno ratione pacti & operis ſimul, Bellar. ibid.He himſelfe thinketh beſt to goe the middle way, as he ſaith the Councell of Trent doth; to wit, that they merit it condignely, in regard both of the agreement and the worke joyntly together. And that wee may not miſtake his meaning herein, he telleth us further, that hee dothnnNon quod ſine pacto & acceptatione non habeat opus bonum proportionem ad vitam aeternam ex operis dignitate, Ibid. not thus determine, as if he held, that ſuch workes did not in regard of the dignity and worth of them well deſerve life eternall, albeit no ſuch agreement were; but merit it in regard of Gods gracious acceptance onelyonly: ooDetrabitur de gloria Chriſti, ſi merita noſtra ſint ita imperfecta, ut non ſint meritoria ex condigno, niſi ratione acceptationis Dei, Ibid.for it were a diſgrace to God, if his grace in us ſhould be ſo poore p. 280and imperfect as to merit no otherwiſe: (as the Lovaine Profeſſors alſo, too baſe and beggerly for usppAbſit ut juſti vitam aeternam expectent ſicut pauperes eleemoſynam, multo namque glorioſius est ipſos quaſi victores & triumphaetores eam poſſidere, tanquam palmam ſuu ſudoribus debitam. Ruard. Tapper. explic. art. L…van. tom. 2. c. 9. to crave it and have it as an almes:) and that they therefore deſerve it, becauſeqqIta ut in bono opere ſit quaedam proportio & aequalitas ad praemium, vitae aeternae, Ibid. there is a kinde of proportion and equalitie; yea notrrSatis est proportionalis aequalitas, Ibid. c. 18. a proportionable onelyonly, butſſModus futuri judicii erit ſec. juſtitiam commutativam, quoniam Deus non ſolum conſtituet proportionalem aequalitatem inter merita & praemia, ſed etiam abſolutam aequalitatem inter opera & mercedes, Ibid. cap. 14. an abſolute equality (for ſo he ſaith in expreſſe tearmes elſewhere) betweene the worke and the wages: And that is properly merit of condignity indeed,ttVbi opus est per ſe aequale mercedi, Ibid. l. 1. c. 21. verè par mercedi, Ibid. l. 5. c. 17. when the worke is equall of it ſelfe to the wages: which merit of condignitie he ſaith therefore isuuMeritum verè & propriè, Bellar. de poenit. l. 4. c. 8. truly and properly, xxSimpliciter & abſolutè tale. Idem de juſtific. l. 5. c. 18.ſimply and abſolutely ſo tearmed;yyMeritum ex juſtitia & ſec. debitum. Ibid. l. 1. c. 21. Ex juſto Dei judicio, Ibid. l. 5. c. 16. Merit in Iuſtice, or of right and due debt: whichaaMeritum ex gratia magis quam juſtitia: meritum imperfectum, Ibid l. 1. c 21. Meritum impetrationis tantum, Ibid. & in Indic. de lib. concord. ſup. that other of congruitie is not. And ſuch workes therefore, ſay our Rhemiſts, arebbRhemenſ. in 2 Tim. 4.8.2 Tim 4:8 truly and properly meritorious, and full worthy of everlaſting life, ſo that Heaven is the due and juſt ſtipend or recompence, which God by his juſtice oweth to perſons ſo working; and thatccIidem in Hebr. 6.10.Heb 6:10 ſo farre forth, that he ſhould be unjuſt, if hee ſhould not render Heaven for the ſame: AlbeitddDamnatum Pariſiis an. Dom. 1354. Fr. Guidonis enunciatum hoc: Quod homo meretur vitam aeternam de condigno: quod ſi non daretur ei, fieret injuria, & quod Deus faceret ſibi injuriam. In Bibliothec. Patr. tom. 4. edit. 2. that aſſertion was by the Divines of Paris almoſt 300. yeers ſince condemned as falſe and hereticall; and by Durandus, ſaith Bellarmine himſelfe,eeTemerarium & blasphemum eſſe dicere, Deum fore injuſtum ſi meritis hominum juſtorum non reddat mercedem, &c. Ex Durando Bellarm. de Iuſtific. l. 5. c. 16. Vide Durandum in 2. Sent. d. 27. q. 2. Nam quod Bellarm. promiſſam, addit, de ſuo est. it is cenſured (and that not unjuſtly) not as bold onelyonly, but as blaſphemous.

But why is Gods agreement needfull then? or why doth Bellarmine require that alſo? Hee telleth you himſelfe; not for any defect or want of worth in the worke; butffRequiritur pactum & conventio: niſi enim id praeceſſerit, non poteſt ex juſtitia commutativa, neque ex diſtributiva etiam, opus alterum obligare, quantumvis eximium ſit, & aequale mercedi, Idem de Iuſtific. l. 5. c. 14. becauſe that without ſome ſuch agreement no reward or wages can of right be claimed for any worke, albeit of it ſelfe otherwiſe it be never ſo worthy.

Laſtly, hee telleth us thatggNon deſunt graviſſimi Autores, qui ſentiant, Omne opus bonum hominis juſti & habitu charitatis praediti, vitae aeternae meritorium eſſe, Ibid. c. 15. there want not very grave Authors, who thinke that every good worke of a juſt man endued with Charitie, meriteth or deſerveth life eternall. hhProbabilius videtur ad meritum exigi, ut opus bonum, vel tunc cum fit, actu imperetur à charitate, atque in Deum ut finem ultimum referatur; vel certè naſcatur ab actu imperato à charitate, atque in Deum ante relato; quod eſt virtute non actu in Deum referri, Ibid.Which he thus farre forth alſo ſubſcribeth unto, if this condition be added, that not onelyonly the partie doing it be endued with Charitie, but the very worke it ſelfe alſo doe actually, or virtually at leaſt proceed from Charitie, and be done for Gods ſake. So that not only the whole courſe and tenour of a godly mans life uprightly and religiouſly led, being laid altogether in one lumpe, but every particular ſuch action of it, conſidered alone by it ſelfe, ſhould by this their doctrine deſerve no leſſe than Heaven at Gods hands. And then belike ſo oft as they have done any good worke meerly for Gods ſake, ſo oft have they deſerved an Heaven at leaſt of him. It were abſurd and ſenſleſſe for a ſorry beggar to imagine (that I may uſe Bellarmines owne compariſon) that by weeding though a whole day in the Kings garden at White-hall, hee had in regard of the worth of the worke done by him, deſerved an hundred Iacobuſſes, becauſe his Majeſtie had promiſed for his dayes worke to give him ſuch wages.iiSi opus aliquod ſit multo inferius mercede ex conventione promiſſa, ut ſi Dominus vineae conduceret operariors, & non denarium diurnum, ſed centum nummos aureos pro mercede promitteret, non eſſet meritumex condigno ratione operis, Bellar. de Iuſtific. l. 5. c. 17. Bellarmine himſelfe will not deny it. But it were much more abſurd for ſuch an one to imagine, that for every weed that in p. 281that his dayes worke he had pulled up (were it done out of never ſo much love to his Soveraigne) he had deſerved, I ſay not an Earledome, or a Dukedome, but a Crowne at leaſt or a Kingdome. And yet is there farre greater diſproportion here betweene the worke that we doe, and the reward that we expect, than could there be between the worke and the wages: Since thatkkFiniti ad infinitum nulla est proportio. itaque rectè Fulgent. ad Monim lib. 1. Tantum ibi gratia, divinae retributions exub…rat, ut incomparabiliter atque ineffabiliter omne meritum quamvis bonae & ex Deo datae humanae voluntatis & operationis excedat. betweene finite and infinite there is no proportion at all. And therefore ſaith our Country-man Thomas of Walden, though no friend to Wickliffe; for he wrote profeſſedly againſt him;llQuid dignum facimus ut participes coeleſtibus fieri inveniamur? &c. Thom. Wald. citante Vega de merit. q. 4. What can we doe that ſhould be worthy of heavenly things, which the Apoſtle ſaith, thatmmRom. 8.18.Rom 8:18 The ſufferings of this life are not worthy of? nnReputo igitur ſaniorem Theologum, fideliorem Catholicum, & Script. ſanctis magis concordem, qui tale Meritum ſimpliciter abnegat, Idem ibid.I account him therefore the ſounder Divine, the better Catholike, (and the Proteſtants belike then are the better Catholikes herein), and one that agreeth more with Gods Word, that ſimply and utterly denieth ſuch Merit. ooTotis licet animae & corporis laboribus deſudemus, totis licet obedientiae viribus exerceamur, nihil tamen condignum merito pro coeleſtibus bonis compenſare & offerre valebimus, Euſ. Emiſſ. nomine, hom. 3. ad Monach.And though a man, ſaith an uncertaine Author, but alleaged commonly by them, as Euſebius Emiſſenus, ſhould with all the ſtrength of body and minde exerciſe himſelfe to the utmoſt, in obedience to God all his life long, yet could he bring out nothing, that by way of condigne merit could countervaile Heavens happineſſe. For, conſidering the extent and continuance of it,ppQuanto labore digna est requies quae non habet finem? Si verum vis computare & verum judicare; aeterna requies aeterno labore rectè emitur. Sed noli timere: in ſericors est Deus, Aug. in Pſal. 93.Ps 93 if we caſt our reckonings up aright, ſaith Auguſtine, it ſhould bee eternall travell at leaſt, that ſhould purchaſe eternall reſt. And conſidering the dignity and excellency of it,qqSi homo mille annis ſerviret Deo etiam ferventiſsime, non meretur ex condigno dimidiam diem eſſe in regno caelorum, Anſelm. de Menſur, c…uc. c. 2. Though a man, ſaith Anſelme, ſhould ſerve God in moſt fervent manner for a thouſand yeers together, yet ſhould hee not thereby condignly merit to bee but halfe a day in Heaven. Andrrforeign, Chryſoſt. in Matth. hom 79. though the godly have done a whole million of good deeds, ſaith Chryſostome, yet that ſuch a Crowne, ſuch an Heaven, and ſo great Honour ſhould for ſo ſmall pidling matters (in compariſon thereof) be conferred on them, it is of Gods free Grace, and (as he there alſo implieth) not of due debt, or of their deſ…rt. For,ſſforeign. Idem ibid. It is of justice, ſaith hee, that the other are puniſhed; it is of grace that theſe are crowned, that is, there isttNon tibi reddit debitam …oenam, ſed donat indebitam gratiam, Aug. in Pſal. 31.Ps 31 deſerved paine, as Augustine ſpeaketh, repaid the one, Grace undeſerved freely bestowed on the other. Anſelme, it ſeemeth, thought he could not in an hundred, nay in a thouſand yeeres, doe that, that they are able to doe in leſſe than an houre. Hee thought and taught that a man could not in a thouſand yeers, by all that ever he did, or could doe, merit halfe a dayes abode in Heaven; and they thinke and teach (if they thinke at leaſt as they teach) that a man may in much leſſe than halfe a daies ſpace doe that, that ſhall merit more than a thouſand thouſand yeers, even an eternall abode in Heaven. Chryſoſtome thought a man could not with a million of good works doe that, that they thinke they can doe with any one alone. For ſo many thouſands of them, ſaith he, cannot in juſtice deſerve the Kingdome of Heaven. Any one alone, ſay they, of thoſe that wee doe, can doe it. Iacob deemed himſelfe unable with all that hee had done or could doe, to require thoſe favours, even in his Temporall eſtate, that God had conferred upon him: Theſe men hold that they can by ſome one good deed of theirs alone, not requite God onelyonly for what p. 282they have already received of him, (foruuFacilius & minus eſt reddere aequivalens ejus quod quis accepit ab ali…, quameum conſtituere debitorem: quia ad conſtituendum eum debitorem requiritur quod plus reddat quam acceperit, ut ſic ratione plurium alius efficiatur debitor, Durand. in 2. Sent d. 27. q. 2. that muſt be done firſt,xxEtſi proximo forte videatur quis reddere plus quam debeat; Deo tamea nemo unquam reddit quod debet. Bernard. de Diverſ. 36. Et hinc Thom. Bradward. de Cauſ. Dei, lib. 1. cap. 39. Nullus potest reddere plenarie debitum quod accepit à Deo, quare nec quicquam mereri ab eo ex pure debito & condigno. which no man indeed can doe, ere they can merit ought at his hands) but engage him alſo to doe further deſervedly for them, even to the conferring of life eternall, and celeſtiall glory on them.

Thus we have ſeene, both what they hold, howſoever they ſeeme ſometime aſhamed of it, and therefore one while deny, what another while they affirme: As alſo how contrary their preſumptuous conceits and poſitions in this kinde are to the humble confeſſions and acknowledgements of Gods ſincere Servants, as well recorded in the Word, as reported elſe-where, yeaaaVide ſupra ex Bellarm. de Iuſtific. lib. 5. cap. 7. related, alleaged, and taken notice of by themſelves.

Vſe 4 But to leave them to theirbbSuperbiae ſpecies est, qua quu credit habere pro meritis ſuis bona, quae à Deo habet. Gul. Perald ſum. tom. 2. tract. 6. part. 3. c. 2. proud and Phariſaicall fancies, and returne home againe to our ſelves; this laſtly ſhould perſwade us with the Apoſtle Saint Paul, ccPhilip. 4.11.Phil 4:11to reſt content with whatſoever eſtate God ſhall ſee good to place us in, with whatſoever he ſhall pleaſe to confer on us, and afford us, or whatſoever he ſhall think fit to call us unto; conſidering that we are not worthy of ought, but unworthy wholly of whatſoever we have, be it more or leſſe. And if we be unworthy of what we have, be it never ſo little; then have we more than we are worthy of, even when we have leaſt: And if wee have more than wee are worthy of; then have wee no cauſe to repine, murmure, grow diſcontent, or complaine, if wee have not ſo much as ſuch and ſuch have; if we cannot goe, or fare as ſuch and ſuch doe; if we have not ſo good trading, or our houſes ſo well furniſhed, our wives and children ſo apparelled, as ſuch and ſuch have.

Errours 2 This it is a great fault in the World, in this age of ours eſpecially, Errour 1 an age of exceſſe; whereinddforeign. Heſiod. Oper. lib. 1. Vicinus dives cupiditatem irritat. Sen. epiſt. 7. each one ſtriveth to goe beyond another, in pride of apparell, in building, in expence in all kinde of ſuperfluitie and exceſſe; thateeInſtat equis auriga ſuis vincentibus; illum Fraeteritum temnens extremos inter euntem, Horat. Sat. 1. like men that runne in a race, we caſt our eyes forward on thoſe that goe before us, but we forget to look backe unto thoſe that come ſhort of us.ffforeign. Plut. de Tranquil. Men and women looke upon thoſe many times that are of higher degree than themſelves, and would faine match them, and goe even with them. Or ſuppoſe it bee but on thoſe, that are of the ſame rancke with themſelves: they ſee how they goe, how they fare, how they ſpend; (and it is many times much more than they are well able to doe, or than their means will well afford) and becauſe they are loth to come behinde any of their owne degree; (that they deeme were a diſgrace to them;) they beginne to thinke thus with themſelves; What difference is there betwixt us and them? and why ſhould not we then doe as they doe? And hence ariſethggforeign. Chryſoſt. in 2 Theſſal. Homil. 2. Quod enixe concupiſcunt ut ſit, centabeſcunt quod eſſe non poſsit, Gilbert. in Cant. 19. a diſcontent in their minds, becauſe they want meanes to doe what they deſire. Which their diſcontent, with their preſent eſtate, together with the inordinate and immoderate deſire of that which they have not, and faine would have, onelyonly becauſe they ſee others have it; is not onelyonly an occaſion p. 283hhforeign, Plutarch. de Tranquil.to deprive and bereave them (withiiEſter. 5.13. Haman, and ^k Ahab) of the comfort and benefit of what they have; butllforeign. Plut. ibid. Quantumlibet ſaepe obligati, ſi quid unum neges, hoc ſolum meminerunt quod negatum est, Plin. epiſt. 4. lib. 3. foreign, Baſil. Caeſar. hom. 5. Qu…d facit oblivionem acceptorum? cupiditas accipiendorum, Senec. epiſt. 82. Non quid habeamus, ſed quid petamus, inſpicimus; non in id quod est, ſed quod appetitur intenti. Nec ea intuemur que nos aliis praepoſuere; ſed ea ſolum quae praecedentium fortuna oſtentat. Non poteſt quiſquam & invidere & gratias agere. Idem de benef. lib. 3. cap. 3. Non quod habet numerat; tantum quod non habet, optat. Manil. Aſtronom. l. it is as a grave alſo, to bury in the thankfull remembrance of thoſe manifold mercies that God hath vouchſafed them, above many other, (it may be) even of their owne ranke; as if God had done nothing for them, (as thoſe murmuring Iewes charged him,mmIn quo dileniſti nos? Malac. 1.2. Et ſic iſti, foreign; (ita quippe legendum.) foreign, Plut. de Tranquil.Mal 1:2 Wherein haſt thou loved us? that is, ſhewed any love to us, done ought for us?) unleſſe they may ſpend, and goe, and be maintained in it, as ſuch and ſuch doe. Yea ſo farre oft doth this corruption prevaile with not a few, that withnnInops potentem dum vult imitari perit. In prato quodam rana conspexit bovem, Et tacta invidia tantae magnitudinis, Rugoſam inflavit pellem; tum natos ſuos interrogavit, an bove eſſet latior. Illi negarant; rurſus intendit cutem majore niſu. —Noviſſimè indignata dum vult validius inflare ſeſe, rupto jacuit corpore. Phaedr. Fab. 28. Vide…tur & Horat. ſerm. l. 2. Sat. 3. Hinc Martial. l. 10. epiſt. 79. Grandis ut exiguam bos ranam ruperat …lim; Sic, puto, Torquatus rumpet Otacilium. Sanum itaque Greg. Naz conſilium de Eutax. foreign. the Frog in the Fable, hh1 King. 21.1 —4.1 Kgs 21:1they ſtretch their ſtates ſo farre to get even with others, that at length all cracketh and commeth to nought, and both they and theirs rue it in the end.

Againe, others having ſometime had more plentifull meanes, Errour 2 and having then (as they might well doe) proportioned their expence accordingly thereunto; when it pleaſeth God to withdraw that their plenty in part, for cauſes beſt knowne to himſelfe, and it may be among others, to trie them, how they will take it, whether they will ſay with our Saviour,ooMatth. 26.39. foreign; Epictet. Arian. diſſert. l. 2. c. 17. Deus quae voluit qui vult, ſemper est foelix. Sic enim homo ab humanis in divina dirigitur, cum voluntati humanae voluntas divina praefertur. Auguſt. in Ioan 52. Vide quid aequins ſit, aut te voluntati divinae conformando ſubdere, aut quod ipſa tuae ſubſerviat voluntati, Gerſon. conſol. Theol. l. 2. c. 1.Matt 26:39 Not my will, but thy will bee done, and ſo practiſe what they daylyppMat. 6.10.Matt 6:10 pray; and with Iob, qqIob 1.21. Abſtulit: ſed & dedit. Sen. ep. 87. Tuliſti, quoniam tuus erat, Bern. de Temp. 110.Job 1:21God hath given, and God hath taken againe; bleſſed be his Name; andrrforeign. Epictet. Enchir. foreign; Idem Arian. diſſert. l. 1. c. 11. Ita Hieron. ad Iulian. Tulifti liberos quos ipſe dederas. Non contriſtor quod recepiſti; ago gratias quod dediſti. Et Iulian. Imper. apud Ammian. l. 25 Vitam repoſcenti naturae, tanquam debitor bonae fidei redditurus exulto. ſo returne God his owne with thankes: Yet out of a pride of heart and ſtoutneſſe of ſtomacke, (ſſQuanti humiliantur, & humiles non ſunt? Bern. in Cant. 34. Et nec fractis cer vicibus inclinantur, Hieron. ad Aug. ep. 26. Many are humbled, ſaith Bernard, yet are not humble:) not enduring to ſtrike ſaile, or to ſtoupe an inch, they will ſtrive to live ſtill according to their former meanes, and ſhape their expence not by what they have, but by what they have had: and ſo whereas the Lord in mercy had yet left them a competency ſtill,ttforeign, Plut. de Tranquil. Meritò itaque Comic. Stich. 1. 2. Eam mulierem ſapientem praedicat, quae aequo animo pati potest ſibi eſſe pejus quam fuit. they caſt the helve (as wee ſay) after the hatchet, and overthrow all: Oruuforeign, Dion. Caff. hiſt. l. 57. Apicius cum ſeſtertiûm millies in culinam congeſſiſſet, aere alieno oppreſſus, rationibus inſpectis, ſuperfuturum ſibi feſtertiûm centies computavit, & velut in ultima fame victurus ſi feſtertiúm centies vixiſſet, veneno vitam finivit, Sen. ad Helv. c. 10. Hinc Martial. lib. 3. epiſt. 22. Dederas, Apici, ter trecenties ventri: Sed adhuc ſupererat centies tibi laxum. Hoc tu gravatus ut famem & ſitim, ferre, ſumma venenum potione duxiſti. Nil est, Apici, tibi guloſius factum. they grow into ſuch inward griefe and diſcontent, p. 284becauſe they cannot doe ſtill as formerly they have done, as either breaketh their hearts and ſhortneth their dayes, or altogether diſableth them unto the cheerfull performance of any good office either to God or man.

All which corruptions might ſoone be helpt, if we could with Iacob here ſay, and thinke as we ſay; Non ſum dignus, Domine; Lord I am not worthie of ought. If we would looke out abroad, butaaforeign, Plut. de Tranquil. foreign, Favorin. —majori ſe pauperiorum Turbae comparet, —Horat. Sat. 1. Si vis gratus eſſe adverſus Deum, & adv. vitam tuam, cogita quam multos anteceſſeris. Cum aspexeris quot te antecedant, cogita quot ſequantur, Senec. ep. 15. Aspice quanto major pars ſit pauperum. Idem ad Helv. cap. 12. caſt our eyes now and then on thoſe that have farre leſſe than we have. As Ariſtippus, when a friend of his came to condole with him for ſome land that he had loſt, demanded of him what he had to live on himſelfe, and when he made anſwer that he had but ſome one ſmall cloſe onelyonly, he told him, thatbbforeign; Ariſtip. apud Plut. de Tranquill. there was cauſe rather for Ariſtippus to bemoane him, than for him to bemoane Ariſtippus, who had more than thrice as much land ſtill left him to live on than he had. It is hard but wee ſhould finde ſome, withccforeign, Diogen. apud Plut. de prof. not. de muribus; quos & reliqis ſuis veſcentes paraſitos ſuos appeſtitabat, Laert. the Cynick, yea not a few be we never ſo needy, that would bee glad of our reliques. Or▪ if wee would butddforeign, —Homer. Odyſſ. foreign. & Diog. apud Laert. & Plut. de Sanit. tuend. Domum redeamus, Cic. Bruto. caſt our eyes home-ward, and conſider our ſelves, and our owne unworthineſſe of ought, we might ſoone ſee how little cauſe we have to be diſcontent in ſuch caſes. For have we but little left? It is more than we deſerve. Hath God taken much from us? hee might well have tooke more. As Anytus, a Gentleman of Athens, told his gueſts that were at table with him, when Alcibiades a young Gallant came in a revelling humour and tooke away the one halfe of his plate that ſtood either for ſhew or ſervice upon the cupboard, and they marvelled much at it, that Anytus could ſo take it, affirming that he had dealt very unkindly with them,eeforeign, Athen. Dipnoſoph. l. 12 Vel ut Plut. in Alcib. foreign, Pulo, tamen Plut. ex Athen. caſtigandum: qui & in Erot. ſic extulit, foreign Xyland.) foreign. Nay rather, quoth he, he hath dealt very kindly with us, that he hath left us halfe, when he might have tooke all: for it was all his, or at his command. So it is here indeed. He taketh part, thatffAct. 17.25. 1 Tim. 6.17.Acts 17:251 Tim 6:17 gave all; and that might therefore as well take all as part; becauſegg1 Chron. 29.12, 14, 16.1 Chr 29:121 Chr 29:141 Chr 29:16 all is but his owne. They tell of a Iewiſh Doctor, that was calledhhRabbi Gam zoth, ex ore D. Leifeild. Rabbi This-too, becauſe hee uſed alwayes to ſay, whatſoever befell him,iiforeign Etiam hoc bonum est, Et hoc etiam; Et hoc; Sic Ezech. Eſa. 39.8. Et Antigonus morbo correptus leviuſculo, foreign. Plut. Apophth. foreign, &c. Plut. de Tranquill.Isa 39:8 This is good too, and this too, and this too, and this too, &c. And in like manner may wee well ſay, how little ſoever be left us, This is more than I am worthie of, and this too, and this too, &c. If God ſhall againe and againe too, never ſo often, impaire our eſtates, and by peece-meale withdraw from us what hee hath formerly conferred on us: And conſequently askkDoles quod amiſiſti? gaude quod evaſiſti, Sen. excerpt. do remed. fortuit. he ſaid to one that though with loſſe of goods, had in ſafety yet eſcaped himſelfe to the ſhore,llforeign, Plut. de Tranquil, not repine or murmur for what is loſt, but be thankfull to GodmmEſa. 1.9. Lament. 3.22. Ezra 9.13, 15. Nehem. 9.31.Isa 1:9Lam 3:22Ezra 9:13Ezra 9:15Neh 9:31 for what is left, andnnforeign, Greg. Naz. Epita. Patr. Habere ſiquidem eripitur; habuiſſe nunquam, Sen. for what formerly wee have had.

p. 285Hitherto wee have conſidered of Iacobs unworthineſſe, by himſelfe Particular 2 here acknowledged:Gods goodneſſe. wee come now to ſee Gods undeſerved goodneſſe to Iacob.

Wherein there offer themſelves to our conſideration;

1. The grounds of it, and

2. The fruit and effect of it.

The grounds of it are two; Grounds 2

Gods MercieMercy, and

Gods Truth:

His MercieMercy in promiſing what hee had now performed; his Truth in performing and making good what he had promiſed.

Ground 1 Firſt, his MercieMercy: where obſerve we that whatſoever wee have or hope from God, it is all of meere merciemercy.Gods MercieMercy.

Vnworthie of all thy Mercies; ſaith Iacob. And,ooPſal. 103.4.Ps 103:4 who ppCoronat te. Vulg. & Vatabl. quia foreign corona. Vnde Aug. de verb. Ap. 2. Poſt redemptionem ab omni corruptione quid reſtat niſi corona juſtitiae? Ipſa certè reſtat; ſed etiam ſub ipſa vel in ipſa non fit caput turgidum, ut recipiat coronam. Dicturus erat, Coronat me; merita mea fatetur, &c. debitum redditur non donatur. Audi, &c. De miſcricordia te coronat, de miſeratione te coronat. Non enim dignus fuiſti quem vocaret, & vocatum juſtificaret, & juſtificatum glorificaret. Et de ſp. & lit. c. 33. Hoe fiet in judicio, ubi neceſſarium fuit commemorare miſeric. & miſerat. Vbi jam exigi debita & reddi merita ſic poſſent videri, ut nullus eſſet miſericordiae locus. Neceſſaria itaque est nobis Salvatoris miſericordia, ſive cum convertimur, ſive cum praeliamur, ſive cum coronamur. Idem de Corrept. & Grat. cap. 13.crowneth, or qqCingit, vel circumtegit, Iun. foreign ſicut Pſal. 5.12. Benevolentiâ tuâ tanquam umbone circumteges eum.Ps 5:12Obſerv. 3 invironeth thee rather, with Mercies; ſaith the Pſalmiſt: andrrPſal. 103.10.Ps 103:10 doth not deale with thee according to thy deſerts. ſſNam ſi ſecundum merita tibi daret, damnaret te, Auguſt. in Pſal. 102. Si quod debetur redderet, utique damnaret. Idem in Pſal. 31. Si vellet pro meritis agere, non inveniret, niſi quod damnaret. Idem in Pſal. 94.Ps 102Ps 31Ps 94For if he ſhould ſo doe, hee ſhould damne thee; ſaith Auguſtine. And,ttPſal. 32.10.Ps 32:10 who ſo truſteth in the Lord, MercieMercy ſhall uuforeignencompaſſe him on every ſide; ſaith David.

Now this point, Confirmation.that all that we either receive or expect is of Gods MercieMercy, howſoever it be by the former conſideration ſufficiently confirmed. ForxxViſe Auguſt. ſupr. de verb. Ap. Serm. 2. if we be not worthy of ought, then is nothing of merit. And if nothing of merit, then all conſequently of merciemercy.

Yet conſider we for the further proofe of it theſe two things;

The manner of Gods Promiſes, and Conſider. 2

The prayers of Gods Saints.

Conſid. 1 Firſt, the Promiſes of God run all upon Mercy. aaExod. 20.6. & 34.7. Deut. 5.10.Exod 20:6Exod 34:7Deut 5:10Gods promiſes.Shewing merciemercy to thouſands, with them that love him, and keepe his Commandements. And,bbLuk. 1.50.Luke 1:50 His mercy is for ever and ever on thoſe that feare him; ccPſal. 103.17, 18.Ps 103:17Ps 103:18and keepe Covenants with him, and thinke upon his Commandements to doe them. And,ddMalac. 3.17.Mal 3:17 I will ſpare them (and there is mercy then) that feare me, and thinke on my Name, as a man ſpareth his Sonne that ſerveth him. eeIam. 2.13. Miſericordiam qui non praeſtat alteri, tollit ſibi. Chryſol. ſer. 42.Jas 2:13There ſhall bee judgement without mercy to thoſe that ſhew no mercy. And,ffIn illo judicio, in que juſti coronantur, & injuſti damnantur, alii cum miſericordia, alii ſine miſeric. judicandi. Nam cum dicit, Iudicium erit ſine miſeric. iis qui non fecerunt miſericordiam manifeſtatur in his, in quibus inveniuntur bona opera miſericordiae judicium cum miſericordia fieri, ac per hoc ipſam etiam miſericordiam meritis bonorum operum reddi, Aug. de Corrept. & Grat. c. 13. If without mercy to thoſe that ſhew no merciemercy; then with merciemercy even to thoſe alſo that ſhew mercy; ſaith Augustine. Yea ſo ſaith our Saviour himſelfe;ggMat. 5.7.Matt 5:7 Bleſſed are the mercifull; for they ſhall have merciemercy ſhewed them. And,hhRom. 6.23.Rom 6:23 The grace of God is (iiSicut Ioan. 12.50. & 17.3. Quod & Piſcator obſervat.John 12:50John 17:3 that is, bringeth) life eternall; ſaith the Apoſtle. Which place Augustine entreating of,kkMors meritò ſtipendium, quia militiae Diabolicae mors aeterna tanquam debitum redditur. Vbi cum poſſet dicere, & rectè dicere, Stipendium juſtitiae vita; maluit dicere, Gratia Dei vita aeterna, ut hinc intelligeremus, Deum nos ad vitam aternam, non pro meritis noſtris, ſed pro ſua miſeratione perducere, Auguſt. de Grat. & lib. arb. cap. 9. & Gloſſ. Ordin. in Rom. 6.Rom 6 The Apoſtle, ſaith he, having ſaid, the wages of ſinne is p. 286Death; becauſe everlasting death is repaied as of debt due to the ſervice of Sin and Satan; he doth not ſay, albeit he might alſo ſo have ſaid; but the reward of Righteouſneſſe is Life eternall: But he choſe rather to ſay, Gods Grace (or llGratia niſi gratis ſit, gratia non est, Auguſt. Enchir. c. 107. Gratia enim vocatur, quia gratis datur. Idem in Ioan. 3. Quomodò est ergò gratia, ſi non gratis datur: quomodo est gratia, ſi ex debito redditur? Idem de Grat. Chriſti, c. 23. Niſi gratuita non est gratia. Ibid. c. 31. Nullo modo est gratia, niſi fuerit omni modo gratuita. Idem de pecc. Orig. cap. 24.John 3free favour) is Life eternall; that thereby wee might learne that God bringeth us to Life eternall, not for our Merits, but of his Mercy. In regard whereof Tertullian alſo very fitly tearmeth (alluding to militarie matters)mmMortis ſtipendium; Vitae donativum. Tertul. de Reſurr. carn. Quo vocabulo uſus est & Durand. in 2. Sent. d. 27. q. 2. the one a Stipend, the other a Donative; becauſe, as Bernard ſaith well,nnAeternam vitam nullis potes operibus promereri, niſi gratis detur & illa, Bern. de Temp. 48. Vnde & ſcitè ſubjungit Idem ibid. Ipſe enim peccata condonat, ipſe donat merita, & praemia nihilominus ipſe redonat. it cannot be had but by donation, or free gift. AndooMerces ex dono nulla est, quae debetur ex opere. Hilur. in Matth. Can. 20. if of free gift, then not of due debt, or deſert for any worke done, ſaith Hilarie. For,ppDebitum & donum non conſiſtunt, Faber. in Rom. 8.Rom 8 gift and debt cannot ſtand together; ſaith Faber. Yea Cardinall Cajetan himſelfe on thoſe words of the Apoſtle, qqNon dicit, quod ſtipendia juſtitiae vita aeterna: ut intelligamus non ex noſtris meritis, ſed ex gratuito Dei dono aſſequi nos vitam aeternam, Cajet. in Rom. 6.Rom 6He ſaith not, The wages of righteouſneſſe is Life eternall; but the grace, that is, the gift of God, is life eternall; that we may underſtand that we attaine life eternall not by our merits, but by Gods free gift. For which cauſe alſo he addeth, In Chriſt Ieſus our Lord. rrEcce meritum; ecce juſtitia, cujus ſtipendium est vita aelerna: nobis autem est don…m ratione ipſius Chriſti Ieſu. Idem ibid.Behold the merit; behold the righteouſneſſe, the wages whereof is life eternall; but to us in regard of Chriſt himſelfe it is a gift. And laſtly, to adde one place more of ſo many as might bee added;ſſPſal. 62.12.Ps 62:12 With thee is mercy, ſaith the Pſalmiſt to God: for thou wilt reward every man according to his works. Concerning which words Gregorie, (on that of the Pſalmiſt, ttPſal. 143.8.Ps 143:8Make me to heare thy mercy in the morning; whichuuGreg. in Pſal. Poenit. 7. he expoundeth the reſurrection) having moved this Queſtion; xxSi illa Sanctorum foelicitas &c. miſericordia est, & non meritis …oquiritur, …bi erit, quod ſcriptum est, Et tu reddes &c. Si ſecundum opera redditur, quomodo miſericordia aeſtimabitur?If the happineſſe of the Saints be of mercy, and not of merit, how is it ſaid, Thou wilt render to each one according to his works? If according to mens works it be rendred, how may it bee deemed mercy? Hee thus anſwereth;yySed aliud est focund…m opera reddere, & aliud propter ipſa opera reddere, Greg. ibid. It is one thing to render according to workes, and another thing to render the reward for the workes themſelves. aaIn eo quod ſec. opera dicitur, ipſa operum qualitas intelligitur, ut cujus apparuerint bona opera, ejus ſit & retributio glorioſa, Ib.In the one is noted onelyonly the quality of the worke, (a farre other expoſition thanbbforeign rectè vertitur, ſecund. in meritum, vel promerito & dignitate operum. Quid est enim reddere ſec. opera, niſi reddere ſicut opera merentur? Bellarm. de juſtific. l. 5 c. 2. Bellarmine giveth of it) that thoſe that have done well, ſhall receive a royall reward. (And in the other then conſequently ſhould be implied an equalitie between the worke and the wages. But)ccIlli namque beatae vitae, in qua cum Deo & de Deo vivitur, nullus poterit aequari labor, nulla opera comparari, &c. Greg. ibid. No labour or worke of ours, (nothing that we can either doe or endure) by the Apoſtles owne teſtimonie, can be equall to, or once compared with that bleſſed life, wherein men ſhall live of God and with God. For,ddRom 8.18. Minora ſunt omnia quae patimur & indigna, pro quorum laboribus tanta rependatu futurorum merces bonorum, Amb. epiſt. 12.Rom 8:18 the ſufferings of this life, (yeaeeNe ſi unus quidem univerſas ſuſtineret, Bern. de Temp. 48. all of them, if any one man could and ſhould undergoe them all, ſaith Bernard, ffforeign, Macar. homil. 15.from the very beginning of the world too, ſaith Macarius, unto the worlds end) are not worthy, ſaith the Apoſtle, of the Glory that ſhall bee revealed (ggforeign. Non dicit, nobis, ſed, in nobis. Neque enim crimus otioſi ſpectatores, ſed participes glo…iae, 1 Ioan. 3.2. Bern. de Praecept. & Dispenſ.1 John 3:2 not, unto us, as he alſo well obſerveth, but) in us. And,hhQuid ſunt merita omnia ad tantam gloriam? Non ſunt talia hominum merita, ut propter ca vita aeterna debeatur ex jure; aut Deus injuriam faceret, ſi eam non donaret, Bern. de Temp. 48. Itaque ſcitè Prosper. in Pſal. 102. Per candem miſericordiam dantur corona meritorum, per quam data ſunt merita coronarum.Ps 102 what are all mans merits then, ſaith Bernard, to it; that it ſhould of right be due to them: or that God ſhould doe men wrong, if hee bestowed it not p. 287on them? asiiRhem. in Heb. 6.10.Heb 6:10 our Rhemists before affirmed that he ſhould.kkNeque gratia ſalutis operibus debetur, ſed ſolius Dei bonitati, Iac. Faber. in Luc. 3.Luke 3 The grace therefore of ſalvation is not due to workes, ſaith Faber, (llDeleatur, Index expurg. Belgic. which the Popiſh purgers croſſe out of him) but to the goodneſſe of God alone. mmNon in Meritis, ſed in miſericordia Dei ſalus humana conſiſtit, Origen. in Rom. l. 9. cap. 11.Nor doth mans ſalvation conſiſt in mans merits, but in Gods mercy, ſaith Origen.

Conſider. 2 Againe, the prayers of Gods Saints ſtrike all upon this ſtring. Of David, Chryſoſtome obſerveth,The Saints Prayers. that though he werennforeign, Chryſoſt. de Compunct. 2. a man of ſingular parts for ſincerity and piety, byoo1 Sam. 13.14.1 Sam 13:14 Gods owne testimony of him; andppforeign, Idem in Pſal. 12.Ps 12 had many good deeds that hee might have alleaged, yetqqforeign. Ibid. in all his prayers ordinarilyrrforeign, Ibid. he hath recourſe onelyonly to Gods mercy, ſſforeign, Ibid.that alone he pleadeth, that alone he relieth upon, ttforeign, Idem de Compunct, 2.and deſireth to be ſaved by. uuforeign, Chryſoſt. in Pſal. 12.Ps 12Let others, ſaith he, alleage and plead what they liſt; xxPſal. 13.5.Ps 13:5I will hope in thy merciemercy: that I plead and alleage, and that doe I hang all mine hope upon. And,yyPſal. 4.2.Ps 4:2 Have mercy on me, and heare me; andzzPſal. 6.2.Ps 6:2 Have mercy on me, for I am weake. And,aaforeign, Chryſoſt. in Pſal. 6.Ps 6 The ſame ſong, ſaith he, have we need to ſing every one of us, albeit we had done ten thouſand times tenne thouſand good deeds, and attained even to the very higheſt pitch and perfection of righteouſneſſe: bbforeign, Idem in Pſal. 4.Ps 4for it is yet of mercy and loving kindneſſe ſtill that wee are heard, and that wee are ſaved for all that. So the ſame David againe elſe-where,ccPſalm. 109.21.Ps 109:21 But thou Lord deale mercifully with me for thy Names ſake. And,ddPſal. 6.4. & 31.16. & 109.26.Ps 6:4Ps 31:16Ps 109:26 Save mee for thy Mercy ſake. eePropter miſericordiam tuam, non propter meritum meum, Auguſt. in Pſal. 6. & Ruffin. ibid.Ps 6For thy mercy, not for my merit, ſaith Auguſtine. ffIn miſericordia tua, non in juſtitia mea. Ruffin. in Pſal. 30.Ps 30For thy mercy, not for my righteouſneſſe, ſaith Ruffine. ggforeign, Chryſoſt. in Pſal. 108. Non quia ego ſum dignus, ſed quia tu es miſericors, Auguſt. in Pſal. 30. Conc. 3.Ps 108Ps 30Not becauſe I am worthie, but becauſe thou art mercifull, ſaith Chryſostome. hhforeign, Chryſoſt. ibid.He flieth onelyonly to Gods goodneſſe and his loving kindneſſe: iiGratuita gratia commendatur, non ex operum debito, Prosper. poſt Aug. in Pſal. 108.Ps 108Commending Gods free grace, not claiming ought as due to his good deeds, ſaith Proſper. It is as if he had ſaid;kkNon de meis meritis conf…dens, ut me ſalvum facias ſupptico, ſed de ſola miſericordia tua praeſumens impetrare, quod non de meritis meis ſpero, Greg. in Pſal. Foenit. 1. I intreat thee to ſave me, ſaith Gregory, not trusting to mine owne merits, but preſuming onelyonly to obtaine that of thy mercy, which by mine owne merits I have no hope to obtaine: Or,llNoli me audire ſecundum judiciariam ſeveritatem, ſed ſec. miſericordiſſimam bonitatem, Aug. in Pſal 30. & ex eodem Lombard. ibid.Ps 30 I intreat thee to heare me, not in thy judiciary ſeverity, but in thy moſt mercifull bountie; ſaith Auguſtine. mmNegat merita ſua, Caſſiod. in Pſal. 30.Ps 30He renounceth his owne merit; andnnSalvum ſe petit fieri, non ſec. merita ſua, ſed propter divinam miſericordiam: in qua dum fixa ſpes ponitur, venia facilius impetratur, Idem in Pſal. 6.Ps 6 he deſireth to be heard, ſaith Caſsiodore, not according to his merits, but for Gods mercy ſake: whereon when our hope is fixed, pardon is the eaſilier obtained. And,ooPſal. 119.41.Ps 119:41 Let thy mercy alſo betide me, and thy ſalvation, according to thy Word. ppSecundum verbum tuum, non ſec. meritum meum, Auguſt. in Pſal. 118.Ps 118According to thy Word, not according to my merit; qqFilius eſſe vult promiſsionis, non elationis, Ibid.A childe he would bee not of pride, but of the promiſe, ſaith Auguſtine. And againe;rrPſal. 25.11.Ps 25:11 For thy Name ſake be mercifull to my ſinne: for it is much. ſſPropter nomen tuum, non propter meritum meum, Ruffin. im Pſal. 24.Ps 24For thy Name, not for my merit; ſaith Ruffine: and Bernard; ttSed & quantumlibet poeniteat, quantumlibet ſe afflictet & maceret, Propter nomen tuum, non propter meritum meum propitiaberis peccato meo, ait juſtus, Bern. de Diverſ. 22.Be I never ſo penitent, and afflict and macerate my ſelfe never ſo much. uuTotam ſalutem ſuam hic attribuit miſericordiae ſalvatoris, Hugo in Pſal. 24.Ps 24He attributeth his p. 288whole ſalvation to the mercy of his Saviour, ſaith Cardinall Hugh. And,xxPſal. 25.7.Ps 25:7 In merciemercy remember me, or think upon me, for thy goodneſſe ſake, O Lord. yyNon ſecundum iram, qua ego dignus ſum; ſèd ſec. miſericordiam tuam, quae te digna est, Aug. in Pſal 24.Ps 24Not in wrath, as I am worthy; but as is worthy of thee in thy mercy; ſaith Auguſtine. zzNon propter meritum meum, ſed propter bonitatem tuam. Ex Aug. Alcuin. & Gloſſ. Ordin. Lomb. in Pſal. 24.Ps 24For thy goodneſſe, not for any merit of mine; ſaith Peter Lombard. For,aaDicendo, Propter bon. t.D. fecit intelligi, Non propter mer. meum. Caſſiod. ibid. When he ſaith, For thy goodneſſe, his meaning is, and he would ſo be underſtood, Not for my merit; ſaith Caſsiodore. Who thence alſo obſerveth that,bbVnde nullum fas est aliquando praeſumere, niſi quem graviter contingit errare, Idem ibid. No man without grievous errour, may preſume at anytime thereon. And yet againe;ccPſal. 31.3.Ps 31:3 For thy Name ſake guide and conduct me. ddPropter nomen tuum, non propter meritum meum, Aug. in Pſal. 30. Conc. 1. & Hugo ibid. & in Pſal. 142.Ps 30Ps 142For thy Name, not for my merit; ſaith Augustine, and Hugh the Cardinall after him:eeNon quia eo ſum dignus; ſed ut tu glorificeris, Idem ibid. Not for my worth, deſert, or dignitie, but for thy Glory. And Hilary on thoſe words of his,ffPſal. 119.149.Ps 119:149 Heare my voyce according to thy mercy, or thy loving kindnes, O Lord. ggNos ſi ſemel jejunamus ut hominibus placeamus, aut exiguum neſcio quid damus, dum pulſantem fores noſtras inopem non ſuſtinemus; deberi nobis ut audiamur exiſtimamus, Hilar. in Pſal. 118. part. 19.Ps 118We, ſaith he, when wee have fasted ſome once, out of vaine-glory, or given ought to a begger for his meere importunitie, thinke that God is bound by and by to heare us; hhPoſt haec &c. in operibus bonitatis totius perfectus, totum de Deo ſperat, totum ex miſericordia ejus expectat, omnem in ea ſpem reponit, audiri ſecundum eam vocem ſuam rogat, Ibid.Whereas David after all his hearty crying, his night watchings, his early meditations, his continency in his younger yeeres, his diligent enquirie into Gods Statutes, and his carefull keeping of his Teſtimonies, having attained to a perfection in all kinde of goodneſſe, yet hath his hope wholly in God, and expecteth all from his mercy, placeth all his hope in it, and deſireth to be heard according to it. And Chryſoſtome preaching upon the Prayer of Eleazer, entreatingiiGen. 24.12.Gen 24:12 mercy and kindneſſe for his Maſter Abraham; (kkSee Sermon on Eleazers prayer. and whoſe merits might better have beene pleaded than his?)llforeign, &c. Chryſoſt. tom. 8. ſerm. 15. That you may not imagine, ſaith he, that he demanded it as a debt, Deale mercifully or ſhew mercy, ſaith hee, to my maſter Abraham. mmforeign, Ibid.Though we had done ten thouſand good deeds, ſaith he, yet is it of grace that we require to be ſaved, and of loving kindneſſe, not of debt or deſert, that we looke to receive this. So the Apoſtle;nn2 Tim. 1.16, 17.2 Tim 1:162 Tim 1:17 The Lord ſhew mercy to Oneſiphorus his family. (The Lord ſhew him mercy, becauſe he ſhewed me mercy.) For he often refreſhed me, and was not aſhamed of my chaines; but when hee was at Rome he diligently ſought me and found me; and in how many things he ſteeded me (or ſupplied me) at Epheſus, thou well knoweſt. And,ooIbid. 18. the Lord grant therefore, that he may finde mercy with the Lord in that day. ppVt ſicut Apoſtolum requirens invenit, ſic & miſericordiam quaerens inveniat apud judicem, Ambr. nomine in 1 Tim. 1.1 Tim 1That as hee ſought me and found me; ſo he may finde merciemercy when he ſhall ſeeke it at the hand of his Iudge; ſaith one that beareth the name of Ambroſe. qqforeign, Chryſoſt. in 2 Tim. hom. 3.That as I found mercy with him, ſo may he finde mercy with God; ſaith Chryſoſtome: And marke you, ſaith he, how hee ſaith,rrforeign. nothing, or not any thing but mercy: Eleemoſynam, that is, word for word, Almes, that whichſſRuard. Tapper. ſupra. Abſit, ut tanquam pauperes eleemoſynam expectent. the Popiſh Profeſſor ſo much ſcorned before: Mercy in that day, wherein ttforeign.we ſhall have much need of it; uuforeign, Chryſoſt. ibid.if Oneſiphorus for all theſe his good workes, wee (the moſt of us) much more. There is mercy as well for thoſe that holpe him, asxx2 Tim. 4.14, 16. Aliter enim de eis, qui ex malitia obſtiterant; aliter pro eis, qui ex infirmitate deliquerant, uti & Aug. obſervat. in Ioſh. quaeſt. 30.2 Tim 4:142 Tim 4:16 for thoſe that forſooke him; as well mercy in rewarding the one, as mercy in pardoning and not puniſhing the other. So Daniel alſo,yyDan. 9.18. Vide Hug. Card. in Iob 9.21.Dan 9:18Job 9:21 Wee preſent theſe our prayers unto thee, not for any our righteouſneſſe, (that is, any righteous workes of p. 289ours; zzforeign, Greg. Naz adv. Eunom Orat. 4.for we have none, ſaith Gregorie Nazianzene; ſuch at leaſt as we dare plead the worth of) but for thy tender mercies. Whereupon alſo ſaith Aquinas, aaImpetratio orationis innititur miſericordiae; meritum autem condigni innititur juſtitiae. Et ideò multa orando impetrat homo ex divina miſericordia, quae tamen non meretur ſecundum juſtitiam. Tho. ſum. part. prima ſecundae q. 114. a. 6.Obtaining by prayer indeed reſteth upon mercy; whereas merit of condignitie reſteth upon Iuſtice or Righteouſneſſe: and therefore by prayer doe men obtaine many things of God in mercy, which yet in juſtice they deſerve not. Yea ſo the Papiſts themſelves in their Liturgie, (retaining yet ſtill ſome broken relikes of Antiquity) contrary to their Schoole-learning, deſire GodbbNon meriti aeſtimator, ſed veniae largiter, Miſſal. in poſt. commun. not to ponder their merits, but to pardon their miſdeeds; and ſo conſequentlyccPſal. 65.3.Ps 65:3 to bee mercifull (as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh) to their ſinnes. And, a Popiſh Writer commenting upon that place;ddQuid meriti apud Deum poterimus obtendere, cui debemus omnia? Luc. 17.10. Quid nobis de bonis operibus poterimus applaudere, cum univerſae juſtitiae noſtrae ſint quaſi pannus menſtruatae apud Dominum? Eſa. 64.6. Nulla igitur in Deum ſunt noſtra merita, cui debita ſunt omniae quae praeſtamus. Iodoc. Clicthov. in Canon. Miſſ.Luke 17:10Isa 64:6 What merit, ſaith he, can we pretend or plead to God, whom we owe all unto? Or how can wee applaud our ſelves in our good deeds, when all our righteouſneſſe is but as a filthy ragge in Gods ſight? Our merits therefore are none to God, whom all that we doe, is due unto, &c. And it is a good rule that Bernard giveth for Prayer in generall:eeQui petit, primò debet attendere, ut pro ſuis meritis nihil accepturum ſe putet, ſed de Dei miſericordia tantum, quicquid rogaverit, impetraturum. Bern. in Sentent. He that commeth, ſaith he, to aske ought of God, muſt in the firſt place have an eye unto this, that hee looke not to receive ought for his owne worth or merits, but hope to obtaine whatſoever hee craves, onelyonly of Gods mercy. And when we come to pray (ſaith Aquinas) we muſt ffCauſam excogitare quare debeat concedi: & hoc non merita noſtra, ſed miſeratio Domini, Aquin. in 1 Tim. 2.1 Tim 2deviſe ſome cauſe why our ſuit ſhould be heard, and that muſt bee not our merit, but Gods mercy: according to that of Daniel above mentioned, which he alſo there alleageth.

It is all of merciemercy therefore, that God promiſeth: It is all of mercy that Gods children pray for. It isggHeb. 4.16.Heb 4:16 a Throne of grace that they repaire unto; and it ishhIbidem. mercy that they there ſue for. It is for mercy all that they pray; And to mercy it is, that they aſcribe all: whatſoever either by praier they obtaine at Gods hand, oriiFides aliquando recipit, quod oratio non praeſumit, Bernard. de Grad. humil. Et inſtat in Laz. reſuſcitato, Ioan. 11.23.John 11:23 without praier they have voluntarily conferred on them by him, (as Iacob here much more than everkkGeneſ. 28.20. Vberior ſemper est Dei gratia, quam noſtra precatio, Ambroſ. in Luc. Et inſtat in latrone in Paradiſum tranſlato. Luc. 23.42, 43. Sic 2 Paral. 1.12. Pſal. 21.4. Luc. 15.19, 22.Gen 28:20Luke 23:42Luke 23:432 Chr 1:12Ps 21:4Luke 15:19Luke 15:22 he did or durſt aske,) they acknowledge all to come of mercy. llGeneſ. 33.6.Gen 33:6They are the children, ſaith Iacob, that God hath of his mercy given thy Servant. And,mmGen. 33.11.Gen 33:11 God hath beene mercifull to me: and therefore have I all this. And here in my Text; All the mercies, that thou haſt ſhewed me. EvennnIuſti nihil tribuent meritis ſuis. Non tribuent niſi totum miſericordiae tuae, Aug. in Pſal. 139.Ps 139 the juſt, ſaith Auguſtine, will aſcribe nothing to their merits, but give all onelyonly to Gods mercy. For,ooDeeſt gratia, quicquid meritis deputas, Bern. in Can. 67. All is taken from the one, that is aſcribed to the other, ſaith Bernard.

Vſe 1 Now this firſt againe ſerveth even to cut the very throat of that Romiſh Doctrine of Merit. For mercy and merit (as they underſtand it) by their owne confeſſion cannot ſtand together. ppId quod ex condigno quis meretur, non ex miſeratione, ſed ex merito accipit, Thom. ſum. part. prima ſecundae q. 114. a. 3.That which a man meriteth, ſay they, he hath not of mercy. And, it is,qqSecundum judicium juſtitiae, Thom. ibid Impetratio orationis nititur miſericordiae; meritum autem condigni innititur juſtitiae, Idem ibid art. 6. according to the judgement (not of mercy, but) of justice, that mans merit is rewarded. Where to omit thatrrEtiam merces noſtra gratia vocatur. Si gratia est, gratis datur. Auguſt. in Pſal. 31. Nam gratia ſic nominatur, quia gratis datur, Idem in Pſal. 43. Opponitur autem gratia debito, Bellarm. de Grat. & lib. arb. l. 1. c. 1. ex Rom. 4.4. & 11.6.Ps 31Ps 43Rom 4:4Rom 11:6 even the reward, that we expect for our well doing to receive, is, as Augustine from the ApoſtleſſRom. 4.4. & 6.22, 23.Rom 4:4Rom 6:22Rom 6:23 Pauls p. 290ſpeech obſerveth, andttAuguſtin. de Civitat. lib. 12. cap. 9. Scripſit ipſam beatitudinem hominibus nunc eſſe donum, quae merces meriti futura erat, ſi primus homo ſtare voluiſſet, Bellarmin. ibidem, lib. 2. cap. 17. Bellarmine himſelfe alſo from him acknowledgeth of grace or free favour, (which before alſo was ſhewed:) and conſequently by their owne grants alſo,uuQuaerimus miſericordiae meritum, & non invenimus: quia nullum eſt miſericordiae meritum, ne gratia evacuetur, ſi non gratis donatur, ſed meritis redditur, Lombard. Sent. lib. 1. d 41. A. ex Aug. ep. 105. not of merit, but of meere mercy. As the Apoſtle reaſoneth concerning Election; xxRom. 11.6. Omne meritum repugnat gratiae, Thom. ſum. part, prima ſecundae q. 114. a. 5.Rom 11:6If it bee of grace, then it is not of workes: for elſe grace were no grace. If it be of works, then it is not of grace: for elſe worke were no worke. So here,yySi miſericordia est, meritis non acquiritur, Greg. ſup. in Pſal. P…n. 7. Vide & quae Thom. ſup. Quod redditur potius ex liberalitate dantis quam ex debito operis, non cadit ſub merito de condigno ſtrictè & propriè ſumpto, Durand. in Sent. lib. 2. d. 27. q. 2. That which is of mercy, is not of merit: for elſe mercy were no mercy. And that which is of merit, is not of mercy: for elſe merit were no merit. Since it is no mercy to afford a man what he hath merited: no juſt merit that hath need of mercy. Or thus;zzMiſeremini mei; non quia dignus, ſed quia inops; non quia merui, ſed quia egeo. Iuſtitia meritum quarit, miſericordia miſeriam, Bernard. epiſt. 12. If it be of right, then it is not of mercy: for elſe right were no right. If it be of mercy, then it is not of right, or due debt: for then mercy were no mercy. SinceaaSi dantur hominibus bona pro meritis eorum, quae gratia Dei erit? Sicut ſi paterfamilias ſolvat operario operationem quam ipſe meruit, in hoc nullam gratiam ei facit, Guil. Perald. ſum. tom. 2. tract. 6. part. 3. cap. 2. it is no point of mercy to give a man his due: nor needeth hee crave or ſue for mercy, that demandeth but his due, and requireth conſequently but his owne: As merit therefore leaveth no place for merciemercy: (bbNon est quo gratia intret, ubi jam meritum occupavit, Bernard. in Cant. 67. there is no entrance for grace, ſaith Bernard, where merit is once got in.) So mercy likewiſe leaveth no place for merit: the rather ſince that alſo, (as well Primaſius obſerveth) a man doth no more than his due, when he hath done all, and can claime nothing as due therefore for what hee doth of due debt. ForccCum juſtificat impium divina miſeratio, locum meriti non potest habere praeſumptio. Debitor enim est, antequam pareat praeceptis: & niſi paruerit, damnatus est. Si autem fecerit, non habet gloriam, quia inutilis ſervus est, qui nihil amplius operatur, Primaſ. in Rom. 4. & Hieron. nomine ibid.Rom 4 he is a debtor (ſaith hee, andddforeign, Rom. 8.12.Rom 8:12 the Apoſtle before him) and ſtandeth bound to doe what he doth, before he doe it; and is juſtly and deſervedly damned, if be doe it not; and when he hath done all he can, he hath nothing to glory of, becauſe hee hath done nothing but what he ſtood bound to doe. It being moſt true thatee59. Bern. in Ser. de quadrupl. deb. demonſtrat pluribus de cauſis in ſolidum, omnia opera noſtra bona eſſe debit… Deo, ita ut poſſit omnia exigere, etiamſi praemium nullum dare velit, Bellarm de Iuſtific. lib. 5. cap. 13. Saint Bernard, ſaith Bellarmine, ſheweth in a Sermon of his, that for ſundry reſpects, the good workes that wee doe are all due to God, and God might therefore well require them of us, though he rendred us no reward for them: and therefore cannot wee challenge any reward at Gods hand for them. AndffQuid ergò de nobis ſentiendum qui non omnia ſervamus, qui multorum rei ſumus? Non inutiles tantum, ſed minus quam inutiles nos eſſe Cajetan in Luc. 17.Luke 17 how much leſſe then can any man by way of condigne merit or due debt claime ought at Gods hand, whenggNemo Deo totum reddit quod debet, Bernard. de Diverſ. Serm. 34. Nullus potest dicere quod debebam feci, niſi qui exemptus est à dicendo, Dimitte nobis debita noſtra, Cajet. in Luc. 17.Luke 17 no man doth any thing neere ſo much as he ought?

hhVide Bernard. in Pſal. 90. ſer. 9. ſup. Sed & Ambr. in Pſal. 118. p. 20. Nemo ſibi arroget; nemo de meritu glorietur: ſed miſericordiam invenire ſperemus omnes per Dominum Ieſum: De illo veniam, de illo indulgentiam poſtulabo.Ps 90Ps 118Let who will, therefore truſt to merit: iiSic Luk. 18.13. Publicanus foreign, Baſil. Sel. ſer. Tota humilitate ad miſericordiam recurramus, quae Sola potest ſervare animas noſtras. Bern. in Cant. 14.Luke 18:13let us fly to, let us rely upon mercy. ForkkQuid faciat juſtus & miſericors Dominus; altera gloriante in lege & applaudente juſtitiam ſibi, nec indigente miſericordia, ſed despiciente ipſam qua indiget; altera è regione propria cognoſcente delicta, confitente indignitatem, renuente judicium, flagitante miſericordiam? Quid, inquam, faciat judex, cui & judicare & miſereri aequè familiare utrumque? Quid poſſit ſanè convenientius, quam ut pro ſuo quaeque accipiat voto, judicium illa, iſta miſericordiam. Illi judicium quaerunt, & habeant: nos autem ſuper miſericordia bonoremus Deum. Est & judicium, ut qui contemnit Dei miſericordem juſtitiam, & ſuam volunt ſtatuere, quae non juſtificat, ſed accuſat, eidem ſuae juſtitiae relinquantur, opprimendi magis quam juſtificandi, Bern. in Cant. 41. as it is a point of mercy with God to vouchſafe mercy to ſuch as ſubmiſſely and ſincerely ſue for it, ſeeke to it, and rely wholly upon it: So it ſhall bee juſt with him to turne them off to their owne merits, and to deale with them as they deſerve, that renouncing his mercy rely on their owne merits, and offer themſelves to be p. 291judged by his Iustice alone: (AndllPſal. 130.3, 4. & 143.2, 3. Inest quippe Deo & miſericordia judicanti, & judicium miſeranti. Nam quiſquis velut nimium juſtus judicium ſine miſericordia quaſi ſecurus expectat, iram juſtiſſimam provocat, Auguſt. epiſt. 29. Itaque, Vae etiam laudabili vitae hominum, ſi remota miſericordia diſcutias eam? Idem Confeſſ. l. 9. cap. 13. Si enim remota tunc pietate diſcutitur, in illo examine etiam juſti vita ſuccumbet. Greg. Moral. l. 9. c. 11.Ps 130:3Ps 130:4Ps 143:2Ps 143:3 in a wofull eſtate are all thoſe, that come ſo to be judged:) That renouncing expreſly as well Chriſts merit as Gods mercy, (they doe ſo in preciſe tearmes, I doe them no wrong)mmSi non pro meritis operum, ſed in gratiam fidei & juſtitiae Chriſti miſericorditer imputatae vita aeterna daretur, non juſtitiâ Iudicis, ſed miſericordia Patris, vel liberalitate Principis opus eſſet, Bellarm. Apolog. adv. Sereniſſ. Reg. Britan. c. 7. Aſſumat Pontificius quivis: videbis ſtatim quid ſequatur, Nihil opus ſcil. alterutrâ. expect and looke for a reward of their workes, not from the mercy of a father, nor from the free bounty and liberalitie of a Prince, (they are Bellarmines owne words) but from the justice of a Iudge; nnMerces ob Chriſti meritum non datur, Suarez in 3. Thom. Disp. 41. §. 3.not for Chriſts merit, (for life eternall, ſay they, is not given for Chriſts merit, ppIn retributione bonorum ad Chriſti meritum non aſpicitur. Quod operibus bonis vita reddatur aeterna, id non Chriſti meritis aſcribendum est. Mich. Baius de merit. oper. lib. 1. cap. 9.nor is it to be aſcribed thereunto) but for the worth of their owne workes.

Yea let us the rather abhorre this peſtiferous Doctrine, which ſo ſtrongly ſavoureth of theqqMatth. 16.60. Luk. 18.11, 12.Matt 16:60Luke 18:11Luke 18:12 Phariſaicall leven; For that asrrOmnia Deo tribuit, &c. quod cum facere oportet, qui novit gratus eſſe, & ut par est, in bonorum confeſſione gratias agere, Faber de Paulo in Epheſ. 1.Eph 1 the acknowledgement of Gods mercy here was the ground of Iacobs thankfulneſſe: ſoſſNimius ſui ſuspectus ingratos, & maxime, facit. Inde est, ut omnia meruiſſe ſe homines exiſtiment, & in ſolutum accipiant. Sen. de Benef. l. 2. c. 26. foreign, Chryſoſt. in Matth. hom. 25. this conceit of mans merit is the very bane of true thankfulnes, andttforeign, Idem in Pſal. 5.Ps 5 their owne bane therefore that are poſſeſt with it, and cauſe of much unthankfulneſſe to God for his mercies. ForuuTeneri neminem ad gratias reddendas pro ea re, quam, ex condigno meruit, recte docet Thom. Bradward. de Cauſ. Dei. lib. 1. cap. 39. how can a man be truly thankfull to God for ought, that thinketh he hath nothing from him, but what hee hath deſerved, hee hath deerly earned, is of right due to him, and he ſhould have wrong if he had it not? And let us acknowledge, (as other the faithfull ſervants of God have done before us) that it is, as our higheſtxx1 Cor. 3.18. Sapiens ne ſit, ut ſit ſapiens, Auguſtin. de Conſenſ. Evang. lib. 2. cap. 31. Stulti eſtote, ut ſitis ſapientes, Tertull. ad Marc. lib. 5. Hoc ipſum ſapere est, inſipientiam agnoſcere, Bernard. in Cant. 20. foreign, Gregor. Nazianz. de ſede Conſtant.1 Cor 3:18 wiſedome to ſee our owne folly; our beſtyy1 Cor. 8.2. foreign, dixit Bion. Contra, foreign, Baſil. hom. 24. Hinc Socrates ſapiontiſſimus est habitus, quod hoc unum ſtire ſe profiteretur quod nihil ſciret, Laert. & Plut. ad Colot. In omni ſi quidem neg…tio pretioſiſſimum eſt, intelligere quemque neſcire ſe quae neſciat. Colum. de re ruſt. lib. 11. cap. 1.1 Cor 8:2 knowledge for us to know our owne ignorance, and how little it is that indeed we know; our greateſtzzPhil. 3.12, 13, 15. foreign. Chryſoſt. in Philip. hom. 12. Virtus quae nunc est in homine juſto perfecta hactenus nominatur, ut ad ejus perfectionem pertineat etiam ipſius imperfectionis & in veritate cognitio, & in humilitate confeſſio. Auguſt. contr. ep. Pelag. lib. 3. cap. 7. Haec hominibus ſola perfectio eſt, ſi imperfectos eſſe ſe noverint, Hier. ad Cteſiphont. c. 3. Beda in Luc. 17. & Aquin. in Caten.Phil 3:12Phil 3:13Phil 3:15Luke 17 perfection to diſcover and finde out our owne imperfections, how farre we come ſhort of that we ſhould be; our maineaaPhilip. 3.9. Tunc juſti ſumus, quando nos peccatores fatemur; & juſtitia noſtra non ex proprio merito, ſed ex Dei conſiſtit miſericordia, Hieron. contr. Pelag. Dialog. 1.Phil 3:9 righteouſneſſe to acknowledge our owne unrighteouſneſſe; and our chiefebbPuritatem hîc accipimus, ut per omnia quae agimus, injuſtitiam noſtram (i. impuritatem) …urè & humiliter Domino conſiteamur, Bern de Diverſ. 16. puritie ſincerely to confeſſe our owne impurity: ſo our onelyonlyccSufficit ad meritum ſcire, quod non ſufficiant merita. Ber. in Cant. 68. Ve ei, cum ſufficere ſua videtur inſufficientia. Idem de Diverſ. 27. Merit to know the inſufficiency of our Merit, to beleeve that wee have no ſuch Merit as the Popiſh ſort imagine; and our onelyonlydd2 Cor 12 11. Gal. 6.3. foreign. Chryſoſt. in Matth. Hom. 25. Digniſunt regno Dei, qui gloriam ejus ſcientes, nullam condignam eſſe putant paſſionem, Primaſ. in 2. Theſſ. 1. Nos digni ſumus, ſed dignatione ipſius, non dignitate noſtra, Bern. de Temp. 116.2 Cor 12:11Gal 6:32 Thess 1 worth and dignity, ſeriouſly to apprehend and ſincerely to acknowledge our owne want of worth and indignity, to account our ſelves with Iacob here unworthie of ought, and to aſcribe it therefore not to our owne merit, but to Gods mercy that we have ought.

p. 292Vſe 2 And ſo paſſe we to a ſecond uſe of this point; which may againe ſerve to teach us lowlineſſe, thankfulneſſe, and contentment of minde.eeGen. 31.38,—40.Gen 31:38 What we have earned dearly and is owing us, wee may juſtly expect, and claime as of right due to us: and we thinke much when we come to demand a debt of one that oweth it us,ffMoleſtum verbum est, & oneroſum, & demiſſo vultu dicendum, Rogo, Sen. de Benef lib. 2. c. 2. to crave it in any ſubmiſſe manner; and much more to bee denied it, when wee make demand of it: for we are wont to ſay in ſuch caſes, that **Meum peto. Plaut. Moſteſt. 3. 1.we aske but our owne. But when we come to crave a courteſie, to requeſt a kindneſſe (from a ſuperior eſpecially) of one that is no way indebted or engaged unto us, we are glad to come with cap in hand, andggA…di voces petentium: Nemo non victuram ſemper in animo ſuo memoriam dicit: nemo non deditum ſe & devotum profitetur, & ſi quod aliud humilius verbum quo ſe oppignoraret, invenit. Senec. de Benef. l. 3. c. 5. foreign Palad. Antholog. ib 1. cap. 42. foreign, Ibid. uſe all termes of ſubmiſneſſe and engagement: nor have we cauſe to be diſcontent, if he deny us; andhhforeign. Theophyl. epiſt. 73. foreign, Gregor. Naz pro Pauper. foreign, Idem epiſt. 45. we are wont to be well content (if but in part he pleaſe to grant our requeſt) with what he is willing to afford us; and thinke that we have cauſe to be thankfull to him for it, whatſoever it be, be it never ſo meane; becauſe it is more than of right we could challenge or demand of him. So here,iiAudacter Deum roga, nihil illum de alieno rogaturus, Senec. epiſt. 10. if we could claime or challenge ought at Gods hand by way of Merit or due debt upon deſert, it were ſomewhat; ſome colour we might have to repine, when we had not what wee would have, orkkIuſtitia enim in aequalitate conſiſtit Thomas ſum. par. ſecunda q. 57. a 1. & q. 62. a. 2. when we have not as others have. But when as God is no way thus indebted to any;ll1 Chron. 29.11, 14, 16.1 Chr 29:111 Chr 29:141 Chr 29:16 all is abſolutely his owne; andmmMatth. 20.15.Matt 20:15 hee may doe as he will with it: when as we come to him asnnforeign, Greg Naz. pro Pauper. Mendici Dei ſumus. Et quod petitur à nobis, à Deo nos petimus, Auguſt. de verb. Dom. 5. Quantumvis dives es, Dei mendicus es, Idem ibid. 41. & in Orat. Dom. An non mendicas, qui panem petis? Idem homil. 14. beggars doe to us, to aske almes, to crave all of meere mercy: wee have great reaſon now to repaire to him in the ſubmiſſeſt manner that may be: wee have no reaſon to repine, if hee give us leſſe than wee would; (Beggars, we ſay, muſt be no chuſers:) orooNemo alii aut participium, aut parilitatem, (aut praeeminentiam etiam) invideat. Quis enim meritum praetendat, ubi in munere ſola eſt gratia? Gilbert. in Cant. 27. Ita enim erga alios largitas, ut erga alios nulla iniquitas, Aug. de Perſever. cap. 4. than he giveth to many others. We would thinke much that any man ſhould take upon him to controll us in the diſpoſing of our almes; (albeit oft-timesppMulti ſunt, qui non donant, ſed projiciunt, Senec. ep. 120. wee erre much therein, andqqErrat, ſiquis exiſtimat facilem rem eſſe donare. Plurimum habet res iſta difficultatis, ſi modo conſilio tribuitur, non caſu & impetu ſpargitur. Idem de Beat. c. 24. Multi perdere ſciunt, donare neſciunt. Tacit. hiſt. l. 5. had need therefore of advice from others:) Great Potentates eſpecially would take it in foule ſcorne, that every baſe fellow ſhould take upon him to direct them where and how to conferre their favours. Much more it is extreme arrogancy and preſumption in us, when wee will take upon us to controll God in the diſtribution of his mercies, as if he did not diſtribute them ſo equally as he ought. Whereas we ſhould rather endevourrrforeign, Ariſtot. Stob. c. 3. Tranſeamus in ea, in quae nos caſus (imò Deus ipſe) deduxerit. Sen. de Tranq. c. 14. foreign. Epictet. Arian. diſſert. l. 1. c. 12. Hinc Thymarides ei qui dixiſſet, foreign, Dii tibi dent quae velis; respondit, foreign. Imò velim ego, quae Dii dederint. Iamb. vita Pythag. to bring our heart to his hand, and ſhape our will to his pleaſure: that where he ſtayeth his liberality, there wee ſtay our deſires; as in the wilderneſſeſſNum. 9.17, 18.Num 9:17Num 9:18 the Iſraelites made ſtay where the Arke ſtaied: and when he enlargeth his hand, wee in thankfulneſſe enlarge alſo our hearts: being thankfull to him for whatſoever wee have, bee it more or leſſe; ſince that it is all of meere mercy; not diſcontent for what we have not, or for what we ſee others have.

p. 293Grounds 2 And thus was the former ground of Gods goodneſſe, his Mercy: the latter followeth now, his Veracitie, his Fidelitie, his Truth.

Particular. 3 Truth hath here reference to a word of Promiſe. Gods truth.And wee may doe well to obſerve how theſe two are ſtill coupled and yoaked together, Mercy and Truth. ſſPſal. 25.10.Ps 25:10All the wayes of God are Mercy and Truth, Mercy & Truth.ſaith the Pſalmiſt; and that even to thoſe that keep covenant with him. And,ttPſal. 36.5.Ps 36:5 Thy MercieMercy, O Lord, reacheth unto the Heavens, and thy Truth or Faithfulneſſe unto the Clouds. And,uuPſal. 40.11.Ps 40:11 Withdraw not thy tender Mercies from me, O Lord: but let thy Mercy and thy Truth alwayes preſerve me. And,xxPſal. 138.2.Ps 138:2 I will praiſe thee for thy Mercy and thy Truth, &c. The one is the ground of Gods gracious Promiſes: the other is the ground of the Performance of what therein he hath promiſed. It is his Mercy that he doth ought at firſt, and that hee promiſeth further to doe ought: And it is his Truth and his Iuſtice, (foryyEpheſ. 4.24, 25. Veritas, ſive veracitas pars est juſtitiae. Ex Cicer. de Invent. Thom. ſum. part. ſecunda ſecundae q. 109. a. 3.Eph 4:24Eph 4:25 Truth is a part alſo of Iustice) that he performeth and maketh good what hee hath promiſed.

Ground 2 So that here is A ſecond ground of Gods goodneſſe, unto thoſe whom by promiſe he hath vouchſafed to tie himſelfe unto, His Word and his Truth.

aaPſal. 43.3.Ps 43:3Obſervat. 4 Send forth thy Light and thy Truth, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, to bring me againe to thine holy Hill. And,bbPſal. 54.5.Ps 54:5 Destroy mine enemies in thy Truth. And,ccPſal. 89.24, 28.Ps 89:24Ps 89:28 My Mercy and Truth, ſaith God, ſhall alwaies bee with him: and my Covenant ſhall ſtand firme with him for ever. For,ddPſal. 89.33, 34.Ps 89:33Ps 89:34 I will not breake my Covenant; nor will I falſifie my Truth. And,eePſal. 146.5, 6.Ps 146:5Ps 146:6 Bleſſed therefore is the man, whoſe hope is in the Lord, who keepeth his Truth for ever. It is his Mercy that moveth him; it is his Truth that bindeth him. It is his Mercy, I ſay, that induceth him to promiſe: it is his Truth that obligeth him to make good what he hath promiſed. A ſure tie-all.ffMark. 13.31.Mark 13:31 Heaven and Earth may faile ſooner than Gods Truth; thanggIoſh. 23.14.Josh 23:14 hee ſhould faile to make good ought that hee hath promiſed to his.

For firſt, it is againſt the very nature of God to doe otherwiſe.Confirmation. hhPſal. 94.9, 10. Non ergò audit, qui fecit tibi undo audias? & non videt, qui creavit unde videas? Oculum in te non intendit ſuum, qui fecit tuum? Aug. de verb. Dom. 10.Ps 94:9Ps 94:10He that made the eare, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, ſhall not hee heare? and Reaſon 1 he that made the eye, ſhall not he ſee? and iiIob 35.9.Job 35:9he that teacheth man wiſedome, that giveth man underſtanding, ſhall not he underſtand himſelfe? So hee thatkkIohn 8.40, 46.John 8:40John 8:46 teacheth man Truth, and of manllPſal. 51.6. Zech. 8.16. Epheſ. 4.25. Iohn 4.24.Ps 51:6Zech 8:16Eph 4:25John 4:24 requireth Truth, ſhall notmmPſal. 89.33.Ps 89:33 hee keepe and obſerve Truth himſelfe? Yea how is it poſſible he ſhould doe otherwiſe who is Truth it ſelfe? who as hee isnnforeign Pſal. 31.5. foreign Eſa. 65.26. foreign, Apoc. 3.14.Ps 31:5Isa 65:26Rev 3:14 a God of Truth andooforeign Deus veritas. Ier. 10.10. Ioh. 14 6.Jer 10:10John 14:6 Truth it ſelfe, ſo his Word alſo isppIam. 1.18. Apoc. 21.5. & 22.6.Jas 1:18Rev 21:5Rev 22:6 a Word of Truth andqqIoh. 17.17.John 17:17 Truth it ſelfe: And thereforerrTitus 1.1.Titus 1:1 he cannot lie, ſſ2 Tim. 2.13.2 Tim 2:13nor deny himſelfe: It werettforeign, Iſidor. Pel. lib. 2. epiſt. 117. Haec poſſe impotentia est, Anſelm. Proſol. cap. 7. Nec est infirmitas iſta, ſed firmitas, qua falſa eſſe non potest Veritas. Magna potentia non poſſe mentiri, Aug. de Trinit. lib. 15. c. 14, 15. Ideo enim verè omnipotens est, quia impotens eſſe non potest, Gomar. de Provid. cap. 3. an impotencie in him, if he were able to doe either.uuMatth. 7.11.Matt 7:11 If you that are evill know how to give good things to your children; how much more, ſaith our Saviour, ſhall your Heavenly Father, who isxxforeign, Solus, bonus, Matth. 19.17.Matt 19:17 Goodneſſe it ſelfe, give good things to his? So ifyyPſal. 15.4.Ps 15:4 an honeſt man will be carefull to keepe his word, one that hath but ſome ſmall p. 294drop of this divine Truth diſtilled into his heart, which floweth infinitely in God, how much more ſhall he doe ſo, who iszz1 Ioh. 5.6, 7.1 John 5:61 John 5:7 Truth it ſelfe, and who**Vult Deum non eſſe Deum, qui vult eum aut impotentem, aut injuſtum eſſe, aut inſipientem, Bern. de Temp. 58. can no more ceaſe to be true or to be juſt than he can ceaſe to be God.

Reaſon 2 Againe, is not God as prone (thinke wee) and as ready unto Mercy as unto wrath; to doe good as toaaEſa. 45.7. Mala ultoria, non peccatoriae: poenae, non culpae; ſupplicia, non delicta, Tertull. in Marc. l. 2. & 3. Mala, non peccata, ſed ſupplicia, Auguſt. epiſt. 120. c. 19. Iuſtitiae, non malitiae mala, quae quia juſtitiae ſunt, nec mala, ſed bona ſunt, Tertull. ibid. Malum quippe malo non malè redditur. Et ei cui redditur malum est; quia ſupplicium est; & ei à quo redditur bonum eſt, quia rectè factum ejus eſt, Auguſt. ad epiſt. Pelag. lib. 2. c. 17.Isa 45:7 doe evill; to bleſſe as to curſe; to fulfill his promiſes, as to execute his threatnings and his menaces; to cauſe to proſper, as to puniſh? Yes undoubtedly, and (if we may ſay ſo)bbExod. 34 6, 7. Pſal. 30.5. & 86.15. & 103.8. & 145.8. foreign, Greg. Naz. Epitaph. Patr. Eſt piger ad poenas Deus, est ad praemia velox. Ovid. Pont. lib. 1. el. 3.Exod 34:6Exod 34:7Ps 30:5Ps 86:15Ps 103:8Ps 145:8 much more. But Gods threatnings againſt the wicked ſhall undoubtedly take effect. God hath evenccDeut. 29.19, 20. & 32.40, 41, 42.Deut 29:19Deut 29:20Deut 32:40Deut 32:41Deut 32:42 by a ſolemne Oath bound himſelfe thereunto: and thatddPſal. 68.21. Mat. 25.46.Ps 68:21Matt 25:46 they ſhall finde to their endleſſe woe one day unfailable, that now either deny it, or make doubt of it. And much more then ſhall his free promiſes bee made good all to the godly: The rather ſince thateeHeb. 6.17, 18. Iurat nobis, per quem Juramus: nec poteſt ab eo quiſquam falli, quo invocato non licet impune mentiri, Athalar. apud Caſſiod. var. l. 8. ep. 3.Heb 6:17Heb 6:18 he hath bound himſelfe by Oath as well to the fulfilling of the one, as to the effecting and executing of the other.

Vſe 1 Now this conſideration may firſt ſerve to cleere many places of Scripture, where Gods children ſeeme to require God evenffPſal. 143.1, 11.Ps 143:1Ps 143:11 in juſtice to heare, and helpe them, and doe for them, and deliver them: And where God is ſaid to beegg1 Ioh. 1.9.1 John 1:9 juſt, either in remitting of mens ſinnes, orhhHeb. 6.10. 2 Theſſ. 1.6. 2 Tim. 4.8.Heb 6:102 Thess 1:62 Tim 4:8 in rewarding of their workes. Which placesiiBellar. de Iuſtif. l. 1. c. 21. & l. 5. cap. 3, 16. Rhemenſ. in Heb. 6. & 2 Theſſ. 1. & alii.Heb 62 Thess 1 Popiſh Writers are wont to abuſe and produce for the juſtification of their pernicious Poſitions concerning mans merit, and the worth of mens workes. As if in thoſe places Gods Children pleaded unto God their owne merits, in regard whereof God in juſtice might not deny them their ſuits, they requiring nothing but what by their owne righteous actions they had even in juſtice deſerved at Gods hands: Or as if Gods juſtice it ſelfe ſo tied him to the rewarding of their workes, in regard of the very worth and dignitie of them, that God could not without ſome taint of injuſtice doe otherwiſe. ButkkApertum eſt qua ratione juſtitiam Domini petebat, qui dicit, Ne intres in judicium, &c. Nam ſi juſtitia judicium ſignificaſſet, hoc petere non poterat, quod pavebat. Caſſiodor. in Pſal. 142. Et cauſa reddita est, quare noluerit ad judicium venire cum Domino, ut non ſola poteſtatis reverentia, ſed ipſa etiam videatur juſtitiae regula formidata, ib.Ps 142 that the juſtice or righteouſneſſe that the Saints and Servants of God ſpeake of in thoſe places, neither is, nor reſpecteth ſimply the juſtice or righteouſneſſe of their perſons, in regard whereof, and for the worth of which, God in juſtice, were engaged to doe for them what they require of him, is hereby apparant, in that in ſome of thoſe very places, where they require or plead this juſtice, llPſal. 143.2, 8. Non contendit judicio, nec praetendit juſtitiam; recuſat judicium, Poſtulat miſericordiam: facilius ſibi veniam impetrare poſſe, quam juſtitiam vendicare confidens. Bern. epiſt. 42. Qui & ſubjungit; Sola profectò quae non ſolet gloriari, non novit praeſumere, contendere non conſuevit, gratiam inventura est in oculis pietatis humilitas.Ps 143:2Ps 143:8they ſue yet for mercy, and renounce their owne righteouſneſſe, and refuſe to be tried by the preciſe Rule of Gods juſtice.

But what juſtice or righteouſneſſe will ſome ſay, then is it?

I anſwer: It is ſometimemmPſal. 4.1, 2. Deus juſte mi: vel Deus juſtitiae mea, i. cauſae juſtae meae, ut Iun. & Piſcat. Sic Pſal. 119.121.Ps 4:1Ps 4:2Ps 119:121 the juſtice of their cauſe; when being falſely accuſed, and wrongfully charged, by their malicious Adverſaries, with ſuch crimes as they never either committed or imagined, they darennPſal. 7.3, 4, 8.Ps 7:3Ps 7:4Ps 7:8 appeale even to Gods juſtice, and offer themſelves to be tried thereby for their innocency therein.

p. 295Sometime it is Gods Iuſtice and Righteouſneſſe, that is, his Truth, or his Faithfulneſſe; which the Pſalmiſt thereforeooPſal. 143.1.Ps 143:1 joyneth together, (it isppVeritatem & juſtitiam pro eodem accipit, Hugo in Pſal. 142. & ex caſſiod. Lombard. ib.Ps 142 Hugh the Cardinals obſervation) as one and the ſame. ForqqBellar. ipſe ex illis verbis Neh. 9.8. Et impleſti verba tua, qu… niam juſtus es, de Iuſtif. l. 5. c. 16.Neh 9:8 Truth or Faithfulneſſe is (as before was ſaid) a branch and a limme of Iustice or Righteouſneſſe. That which even our Adverſaries themſelves alſo confeſſe and acknowledge, expounding ſome ſuch places ſo alſo themſelves.rr1 Iohn 1.9.1 John 1:9 If we confeſſe our ſinnes, ſaith Saint Iohn, God is faithfull and juſt to forgive us our ſinnes, and to cleanſe us (how but byſſIbid. verſ. 7. Apoc. 1.5.Rev 1:5 Chriſts blood?) from all iniquity. Here ttVerba illa, Iuſtus & Fidelis, referuntur ad promiſſionem divinam, Bellar. de Poenit. l. 3. c. 6.thoſe words juſt and faithfull, ſaith Bellarmine, are referred to Gods Promiſe: uuIdeò enim Deus fidelis & juſtus dicitur, quia peccata confitentibus remittit, quia ſtat promiſſis, nec fidem fallit. Bellar. ibid.For therefore, ſaith he, is God ſaid to be faithfull and juſt, becauſe hee ſtandeth to his word, and breaketh not his Faith. Though thereinxxLoquitur de remiſſione venialium, quae juſto Dei judicio redditur bonis meritis juſtorum. Idem de Iuſtif. l. 1. c. 21. he croſſeth himſelfe againe elſewhere; and he addeth wretchedly, yea impiouſly in the ſame place, thataaPromiſſio de remittendis peccatis eis qui confitentur Deo, non videtur ulla extare in divinis literis, Bellar. ubi ſup. there ſeemeth to be no promiſe at all extant in Scripture concerning remiſſion of ſins upon confeſsion of them made unto God. In like manner where the Apoſtle ſaith,bbHeb. 6.10.Heb 6:10 For God is not unjuſt to forget your worke and labour of love, which you ſhew to his Name, in ministring to his Saints. ccManifeſtè ſignificat eum injuſtum fore ſiſ… cus faceret, Bellarm. de Iuſtific. l. 5. c. 16.He ſheweth manifestly, ſaith Bellarmine, that he ſhould be unjuſt, if he did otherwiſe. And therefore ddNon est temerarium & blaſphemum, ſed pium & ſanctum dicere, Deum fore injuſtum, ſi non ſervaret promiſſa, ibid.it is neither bold nor blaſphemous to ſay, that God ſhould be unjuſt, if he ſhould not keepe his promiſes: to confute which aſſertion, eeSee Durands owne words at large in the end.falſly fathered upon Durand, whom therein he doth wrong too, hee produceth that place. Againe whereas Saint Paul ſaith,ff2 Tim. 4.8.2 Tim 4:8 There is a crowne of Righteouſneſſe (and ſo it may be, and yetggforeign, Chryſ. in Pſal. 5.12.Ps 5:12 a crowne of Mercy too, ſaith Chryſostome) laid up for me, which the juſt Iudge will render unto me in that day; and not to me alone, but to all thoſe that love his appearance; hhEſt quam Paulus expectat coronae juſtitiae, ſed juſtitiae Dei, non ſuae. Iuſtum quippe eſt, ut reddat quod debet: debet autem quod pollicitus eſt, Bern. de Grat. & l. Arb.It is not his owne righteouſneſſe, but Gods righteouſneſſe, ſaith Bernard, that the Apoſtle here buildeth upon. For it is a juſt thing for God to pay that that he oweth. And he oweth that that he hath promiſed. iiQui credidit promittenti, 2 Tim. 1.12. fidenter promiſſum repetit: promiſſum quidem ex miſericordiae, ſed j… ex juſtitia perſolvendum.2 Tim 1:12It was out of mercy indeed promiſed, but it is of justice to bee performed. kkEt haec eſt juſtitia, de qua praeſumit Apoſtolus, promiſſio Dei, Ib.And this is the justice that the Apostle here preſumeth of, even Gods Promiſe. For,llIuſtè jam & ex debito requiritur, quodcun que vel gratis, promittitur, Bern. ibid. that may well be of juſtice and due debt required, that was freely promiſed at firſt. To which purpoſe alſo even Bellarmine, mmQuod ex gratia facit Deus, poteſt non facere. Sed tamen cum promiſerit, profectò ſi non abſolutè, certè tamen ratione promiſſionis & pacti non poteſt non facere, Bellar. de Poenit. l. 1. c. 14.That which God doth of grace or free favour, ſaith he, that hee may not doe: (or he may chuſe whether he will doe or no.) But yet when he hath promiſed once to doe it, he cannot now but doe it, though not ſimply and abſolutely, yet in reſpect of his promiſe. Hence is that that Auguſtine, andnnFulgent. ad Monim. praefat. Idem autor est debiti, qui autor eſt doni. Nam & ſcipſum ſua largitate dignatus est facere debitorem. Et Gregor. in Evang hom. 37. Eum cui ipſe debitor ſuerat, ex promiſſione debitorem habere jam ceperat. others after him, ſo oft have:ooAudi Dei m…ſericordiam & veritatem. Donator est indulgenti…, redditor coronae. Vnde debitor? accepit aliquid? Cui debet aliquid Deus? Ecce videmus quiae tenet eum Paulus debitorem. Conſecutus eſt miſericordiam, 1 Tim. 1.16. Iam exigens veritatem, Reddet, ait, 2 Tim. 2.8. Quid tibi reddet, niſi quod tibi debet? Vnde tibi debet? Quid ei dediſti? Quis prior dedit ei & retribuetur ei? Debitorem Dominus ipſe ſe fecit, non accipiendo, ſed promittendo Auguſt. in Pſal. 83. Tenes certum promiſſorem, qui ſe fecit promittendo debitorem, Idem in Pſal. 74. Dignaris eis, quibus debita omn…a dimittis, etiam promiſſionibus tuis debitor fieri. Idem Confeſſ. l. 5. c. 9. In his quae habemus laudamus Deum largitorem: in his quae nondum habemus, tenemus debitorem. Debitor enim factus est, non aliquid à nobis accipiendo, ſed quod ei placuit promittendo. Idem de verb. Ap. 16. Non debendo, ſed promittendo debitorem ſe fecit, Idem de verb. Dom. 31. Promiſſorem tenemus, ut debitorem exigamus. Promiſſor Deus debitor factus eſt bonitate ſua, non praerogantia noſtra, Idem de Temp. 151.1 Tim 1:162 Tim 2:8Ps 83Ps 74 God, ſaith he, albeit p. 296he be debtor to none, yet hath he made himſelfe a debtor to us. But how? Not by receit, but by promiſe. Not by receiving of ought from us; but by promiſing what he pleaſed and thought good himſelfe unto us. In regard whereof very pithily and piouſly ſaith Bernard, ppIus meum voluntas judicis mei. Quid juſtius ad meritum? Quid ditius ad praemium? Bern. in Cant. 14. Et Chryſoſt. in Pſal. 143. foreign.Ps 143My Iudges will (or good will) is my right. What can be righter? What can be richer? What righter for merit? What richer for recompence? NowqqAliter dicimus homini, debes mihi, quia dedi tibi, & aliter dicimus, Debes mihi, quia promiſiſti mihi. Ibi à te proceſſit beneficium, ſed mutuatum, non donatum. Hic tu nihil dediſti, & tamen exigit. Bonitas enim ejus, qui promiſit, dabit; ne in malitiam fides convetatur. Qui autem fallit, malus est. Auguſt. de verb. Apoſt. 16. it is one thing to ſay to one, You owe me this or that, becauſe I have bestowed ſomewhat upon you, or have done this or that for you, and have thereby deſerved it: and another thing to ſay, Yow owe me this or that, becauſe you promiſed to beſtow it on me. In the one, the ground of the debt ariſeth from the worke or deed and deſert of the partie that claimeth it: in the other, from the word and promiſe of him, of whom it is claimed.rrDeo igitur quid dicimus? Redde mihi quia dedi tibi? Quid dedimus Deo, quando totum quod ſumus boni, ab illo habemus? Non est quemadmodum iſta voce exigamus debitorem Deum. Quis enim prior dedit ei, &c. Illo ergò modo poſſumus exigere Dominum noſtrum ut dicamus; Redde quod promiſiſti, quia fecimus quod juſſiſti, & hoc tu feciſti, qui laborantes javiſti, Auguſt. de verb. Ap. 16. Non poſſumus ei dicere, Redde quod accepiſti; ſed poſſumus dicere, Redde quod promiſiſti, Idem in Pſal. 83. & de verb. Dom. 31. Hoc est quod ex Lomb. Tho. Bradward. de cauſ. Dei, l. 1. c. 39. Non eſſe Debitorem nobis Deum niſi ex promiſſo, non ex commiſſo. Non eſt debitor nobis, niſi fortè ex promiſſo: nos verò ei ex commiſſo debitores ſumus, Lombard. Sent. lib. 1. d. 43.Ps 83 In the former ſenſe, ſaith Auguſtine, can no man claime ought of God: becauſe no man can by any ſuch means tie or engage God to himſelfe. But in the latter ſenſe ſome may, in regard of his promiſe paſt to them, by which, though free otherwiſe,ſſOmnis enim vera promiſſio fert ſecum obligationem: & ideo ex juſtitia implenda & ſervanda est, Bellarm. de Iustific. l. 5. c. 16. Et hoc est quod Ambroſ. de Poenit. l. 2. c. 8. Tanquam ex Syngrapha fides impetrat. Ita David, Pſal. 119.49, 50.Ps 119:49Ps 119:50 hee hath bound himſelfe to doe for them, to the performance whereof, his Truth and his Iuſtice doe now tie him. By vertue of which Truth and Iuſtice Gods Saints oft require that of God, which in juſtice otherwiſe they durſt not, nor could claime or challenge at his hands as of due debt or of deſert.

Vſe 2 Againe, this may further be of ſingular uſe to all Gods deare children and faithfull ſervants to hearten and encourage them quietly and contentedly to reſt and repoſe themſelves wholly upon him and his Truth, for the making good of all his gracious promiſes unto them.ttHeb. 13.5, 6.Heb 13:5Heb 13:6 Let your converſation, ſaith the Apoſtle, be without covetouſneſſe, (yea or diſtruſtfulneſſe either;) and reſt contented with what you have. For he hath ſaid, (and what hee hath ſaid, concerneth us, as well as eitheruuGen. 28.15.Gen 28:15 Iacob orxxIoſh. 1.5.Josh 1:5 Ioſhua, to whom it was ſaid)yyforeign, Heb. 13.5. Negativa, quod rariſſimum eſt, ter repetita ut confirmatiſſima fit ſtipulatio divina.Heb 13:5 I will not leave thee, nor in any wiſe will I forſake thee. zzHeb. 13.6.Heb 13:6So that we may boldly ſay (yet not preſuming of our owne merit and worth, but on his Mercy and Truth) with the Pſalmiſt,aaPſal. 23.1.Ps 23:1 The Lord is my feeder; I am ſure to want nothing: and,bbPſal. 27.1. & 118.6.Ps 27:1Ps 118:6 The Lord is mine helper; I need not feare any thing. He hath ſaid it: and that is enough; wee need no other ſecuritie, his bare word is as good, yea better than any bond. For hee isccPſal. 31.5.Ps 31:5 a God of Truth; anddd2 Tim. 2.8.2 Tim 2:8 cannot goe from his word. AndeeEſa 28.16.Isa 28:16 thoſe therefore that truſt in him ſhall not need (as the Prophet ſpeaketh) toffNon praefeſtinabit, i. ex infidelitate & impatientia ad res preſentes confugiet, Iun. make haſte; by ſeeking to unlawfull and indirect courſes for the releeving of themſelves, when they are in ſome want; or for the recovering of themſelves, when they are fallen behinde hand; or for the enlarging of their eſtates, when charge beginneth to grow upon them:ggSicut natare neſcii ubi mergi jam ceperint, quicquid occurrit, vitae retinendae cupidi, temerè arripiunt, Cyrill. Alex. ep. 29 Similes his qui ſubmerſi periclitantur in aquis, quos tenere videas, quicquid primum occurrerit manibus, licet tale ſit, quod omnino prodeſſe non poſſit, Bernard. de Temp. 1. like thoſe that to ſave themſelves being in p. 297danger of drowning, catch hold of whatſoever commeth next hand, ſuch things oft as are meanes rather to enwrap and entangle and ſo to winde them further in, than to beare them up, or to helpe them out. Nor ſhall they needhhforeign, Luk. 12.29. Animi pendere, & dubio ac ſuspenſo animo eſſe, Beza. Sic foreign Thucydid. l. 2. foreign. Vti rectè H. Steph. Nam fruſtrá eſt ibi Schol. qui de ſpe exponit, quaſi ſpe erectum eſſe. Imò, inter ſpemque metumque dubium eſſe. Strigel. Atque ita Thucyd. l. 6. foreign Ne que rempub. dubiam & quaſi pendulam in diſcrimen adducere. foreign Schol.Luke 12:29 to hang (as our Saviour Chriſt ſpeaketh) in ſuſpence; asiiforeign. the Clouds doe in the Aire,kkNe in aere vagamini cogitationibus veſtris, Piſcat. hovering to and fro, as the winde driveth them, and uncertaine whether to hang ſtill there, or to fall downe on the earth: perplexed and diſtracted withllMatth. 6.25. Luk. 12.29.Matt 6:25Luke 12:29 carking care and thought for the things of this life how they ſhall have wherewith to maintaine their charge, and to feed and cloath them and theirs; eſpecially if deare times come, and further charge grow upon them, or if trading decay and wax dead with them, or if thoſe breake that they have dealings with, and the like: As if God were tied to theſe means; or as if the performance of Gods Promiſes depended upon theſe things? But walke they may well cheerfully in themmPſal. 37.3. 2 Sam. 10.12.Ps 37:32 Sam 10:12 carefull performance of thoſe duties that God hath in their ſeverall places impoſed on them, (for there isnnforeign: ſolicitudo diligentiae: quae praecipitur, & probatur, 1 Tim. 5.8.1 Tim 5:8 a diligent care as well asooforeign, ſolicitudo diffidentiae, quae prohibetur & damnatur, Phil. 4.6.Phil 4:6 a diffident; the one enjoyned, the other inhibited) and ſoppPſal. 37.5. & 55.22. 1 Pet. 5.7.Ps 37:5Ps 55:221 Pet 5:7 leave the iſſue and event of all to God and his bleſsing: qqPſal. 34.9, 10. &. 37.25, 26. & 84.11, 12.Ps 34:9Ps 34:10Ps 37:25Ps 37:26Ps 84:11Ps 84:12who will be ſure to provide for them, and will ſuffer neither them, nor theirs (forrrDeut. 32.4. 1 Theſſ. 5.24. 2 Theſſ. 3.3.Deut 32:41 Thess 5:242 Thess 3:3 he is a God of his Word, and thatſſPſal. 18.30. & 34.22.Ps 18:30Ps 34:22 all ſhall finde, that truſt to it) to want any thing at any time, that ſhall be fit for them.