A SERMON OF Sanctification, Preached on the ACT Sunday at OXFORD, julie 12. 1607. By RICHARD CRAKANTHORP Doctor of Divinity.  
LONDON Printed for Tho. Adam's. 1608.   

To the right Worshipful his most loving Patron Sir JOHN L●V●SON Knight, R. C. wisheth welfare and prosperity.  
SIr, I willingly acknowledge that by two assured bands of love and duty, I am obliged unto you. The former arose from that unsained affection which I ever bare from my first acquaintance in our College towards those three Gentlemen your sons: In whom I have always both entirely loved and honoured those excellent virtues which give an assured promise of much comfort to their Parents, and fruit unto their Country, and of their happy succeeding in those virtuous steps of piety and true honour, which both yourself, and their most renowned Grandfather of honourable and blessed memory, Sir Walter Mildmay have trodden before them. I am further engaged unto you by that most loving respect it pleased you to have of me, when contrary to the corrupt custom of many patrons in this age, of your own accord you called me to this place, myself being far absent, and neither knowing nor once dreaming thereof. In regard of both which, if I present unto you these small fruits of my studies in that place, which by your means I quietly enjoy, I nothing doubt but you will receive them not only as an assured pledge of my love unto you, but specially as a fit argument whereon to exercise your religious meditations and retired thoughts amids those manifold encumbrances and troubled affairs which you now sustain: to all which wishing an happy end and issue, and to yourself increase of all God's graces and blessings, I take my leave.  
From Black Notley in Essex this first of Decemb. 1607. Your Worships in all duty, RICHARD CRAKANTHORP   

A SERMON OF Sanctification.  1. THESSALON. 5.23. 
Now the very God of peace sanctify you throughout, and I pray God that your whole spirit, and soul, and body may be kept blameless unto the coming of our Lord jesus Christ.  
WHat blessing the Apostle prayed for the Thessalonians in this his conclusion and valediction unto them, the same do I wish unto you, Reverend, and right Worshipful, beloved in our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, in this which I intent to be my last speech in this kind and my valediction to this place, to which with the like, & even the same Christian duty, but with far more and more effectual bands of private affection, I am more nearly tied and linked, than was ever S. Paul (as I suppose) to the Church and Saints of Thessalonica. In the Apostles prayer there are four several points to be considered: First, the blessing which he prayed for, and that was sanctification and holiness. [Sanctify you, and keep you blameless.] Secondly, the Author and worker of this sanctification, and that is God, who is here described by one special title, noting both his love unto us, and our love one toward another. [The very God of peace sanctify you.] Thirdly, the manner of this sanctification, which is, that it must be total and entire, whereof two special branches are here set down: The one internal in the spirit, that is in our mind or understanding; and in our soul, that is in our will and affections: The other external in our bodies and outward actions. [Sanctify you throughout that 〈…〉 spirit, and soul 〈◊〉 body may be kept 〈◊〉▪] The Fourth and last is the time and continuance in this sanctification, and that is unto our dying day [Unto the coming of our Lord jesus Christ] Of these points while according to the str●●tnesse of this time I shall entreat, I earnestly desire once again of our God the assistance of his holy spirit: and of you your Christian and wont patience and attention.  
Sanctify you.] The first point is the blessing which the Apostle wisheth to them, namely, sanctification and holiness. A duty so often required of us in holy scripture, that I may truly say of it, the whole Law, the Prophets and the Apostles do all aim at this. In the 19 of Exod. 
v. 5.6.  God severing his people from all other nations, makes sanctity and holiness to be the badge of them. If ye will hear my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then shall ye be my chief treasure above all people, ye shall be also a kingdom of Priests, and an holy nation unto me. In the 4. of Esay 
b 〈◊〉. 3.  the Prophet saith of all God's children, They shall be called holy, and every one shallbe written among the living in jerusalem. And again, 
c 〈…〉 21.  Thy peo- shall be all righteous. And 
d 〈◊〉 62.12.  they shall call them the holy people, the redeemed of the Lord. And in another place 
e 〈◊〉 61.6.  telling every one of God's children, ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord, and men shall say unto you, The ministers of our God: from hence he exhorts and persuades them all unto sanctity and holiness. Be 
ca ●2. 11.  ye clean ye that bear the vessels of the Lord. The same reason doth Saint Peter use in his 1. epist. chap. 2. 
g 〈◊〉 9  Ye are a chosen generation, a total Priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the virtues of him that hath called you. What a motive and spur ought thi● to be unto us to lead a sanctified and holy life, that God himself doth profess of a●l such, and of such only that they are his chosen and elected children: that they are his chiefest treasure, on which his heart is set? as himself doth witness Esay 62. 
h 〈◊〉 4.  where speaking to every one of his children he saith, Thou shalt be called Hephzabah, for the Lord delighteth in thee: that they are to him for their renown as kings, for sanctity as a kingdom of Priests. That as the Priests in the old Law 
i Ex 28.30.  were not only to have Urim and Thummim upon their breast plate, to signify that inward light of knowledge and perfection of piety, that should be in their hearts, but to wear also a plate of pure gold upon their foreheads, whereon was engraven as on a signet Holiness to the Lord. So every true Christian and child of God being now by Christ himself, and by his spirit appointed and anointed to be a Priest unto God, to offer up not only those other spiritual sacrifices of prayer, praise and thanksgiving, which the Prophet 
k Hos. 14.3.  calls the Calves of our lips, but that which the Apostle 
l Rom. 12.1  reckons as the chief sacrifice of all other, to offer up ourselves, our souls and bodies as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God, they should all so shine forth in piety, and in the virtues of a godly life, as if continually they did wear that Levitical plate, or had engraven in Capital and fair letters upon their foreheads, that is, in true and real actions of their lives and conversation, Holiness unto the Lord.  
Let me then in a word exhort and beseech every one of you to embrace this sanctity and holiness of life. Ye are the houses 
m Heb. .3 6.  yea the temples of God, now the 
n 1 Cor. 3.16  temple of God is holy which ye are, and 
o Psal. 93.5.  holiness becomes the Lord's house for ever: ye are the children of God, and therefore must bear the print and image of your father which is 
p Eph. 4.24.  righteousness and true holiness, that as 
q 1. Pet. 1.15.16.  he which hath called you is holy, so ye may be holy in all manner of conversation, because it is written, Be ye holy for I am holy. Ye are fellow Citizens 
r Eph. 2.19.  with the Saints, let your conversation (as the Apostle 
s Psal. 3.20  saith) be in heaven, that is, an holy conversation, which is in truth an heavenly conversation, as first descending from God, and from heaven, and then most undoubtedly making you to ascend to God, and unto heaven.  
Sanctity and holiness is the very end of our election, for God 
t Eph 1.4.  hath chosen us, that we should be holy and without blame before him. It is the end of our redemption, for Christ hath redeemed us, that 
u Luk. 1.74.  we being delivered from our enemies should serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives. It is the end of our vocation that 
1. Thes 4.4.7.  every one should possess his vessel in holiness and honour, for God hath called us not unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.  
Without this, had ye all the blessings that mortality doth possess, or man's heart can desire, yet never can they bring either true happiness, or sound comfort unto the mind. Riches are accounted a great blessing of God, and indeed they are even a crown of glory, when they are found in the way of righteousness, but without sanctity all the wealth in the world is worse than poverty. A small 
Psal. 37. ●6.  thing that the righteous hath is better than great riches of the ungodly. Better 
Prou. 15.16. & cap. 16.18.  is a little, even a morsel of bread, and a dinner of green and sour herbs, with the sear of God, and with righteousness, than is a stalled ox, and the revenues of iniquity. Godliness of itself is gain, yea as the Apostle 
a 1. Tim. ●. 6.  saith, it is great gain, for it 
b ca 4.8.  hath the promise both of this life, and of the life to come, and by it we assuredly gain God's favour in this present life, and eternal felicity in the life to come. And no 
c Psal. 84.11.  good thing shall God withhold from him that leads a godly life: but of all other gain and advantage without this, it is most true which our Saviour saith, 
d Luk. 9.25.  What advantageth it a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what canst thou or any man give for the recompense of his soul unto God?  
Honour and renown a great blessing of God, God himself threatening it as a curse unto the wicked, that he will make them a reproach, 
e Deut. 28 37 jer. 24 9  a proverb, and a common talk among the people, yea a detestation and hisling as the Prophet 
f jer. 25 9  speaketh; but except the ground and foundation of a man's honour be sanctity and holiness, whose praise (as the Apostle 
g Rome 2.29.  saith) is not of men, but of God; all our honour is nothing else, but an idle bruit, and blast of the people, a vain tympany and swelling of a man's name, whose root as the Prophet 
h I●sa. 5.24.  saith is rottenness, and the bud thereof shall vanish into dust, yea into dung. 
i 1. Mac. 2.62  In the 1. Chro. 4. 
v. 10.  It is said of jabesh that he was more honourable than his brethren, and the reason is set down in the next verse, for jabesh called on the God of Israel, that is, was a religious and holy man. On the contrary, 2. Chron. 26. 
k 1 Maca. 2.18.  It is said of V●ziah when he had lifted up his heart against God, Thou hast transgressed, thou shalt have none honour of the Lord. God makes no other reckoning of the wicked and ungodly, be they never so glorious in the reputation and eyes of men, but as of ignominious and vile persons. And so he expressly calls them, Psa. 15 
l Vers. 4. . In whose eyes a vile person is contemned: and that wicked king Antiochus, who was surnamed by men Epiphanes, that is, illustrious and glorious, yet even this Epiphanes in the 11. 
m Vers. 21  of Daniel is entitled by God himself a vile person: In his place shall stand up a vile person. Whereas all the godly and holy servants of the Lord in the 4. of Esay are not only called glorious, The 
n Verse 2.  bud of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, but even glory itself, Upon 
o Verse 5.  all the glory shall be a defence, that is, upon all God's children. The reason of all which is either that which S. Peter gives, 1. epist. 4. chap. 
p Vers. 1.  Because the spirit of glory, which is the spirit of sanctification, doth rest on them: or else that which God himself gives, 1. Sam. 2. 
q Verse 3.  Them that honour me, will I honour: but they that despise me they shall be despised.  
Learning and knowledge a singular & rare blessing of God, of which S. Austen truly saith, in his fourth book of Confess. and 16. chap. Scis tu Domine Deus quòd & celeritas intelligendi. & discendi acumen donum tuum est, sed non inde tibi facrificabam. Both the sharpness of wit to apprehend, and quickness of understanding to discern and judge, they are both thy gifts, O God, though oftentimes for these we do not sacrifice to thee, but to ourselves. But had we all the learning that man's wit can comprehend, knew we not only five and twenty as did Mithridates, 
r ●ul. G●l. li. 17. cap. 17.  but all the languages and tongues of men and Angels, knew we all secrets and all prophecies, and in a word, had we, as the Apostle saith, 
s 1. Cor. 13 2.  all knowledge, and yet had not sanctity and holiness, which is contained in the love of God, and of our neighbours, as S. Austen rightly expounds 
t Lib. 15. de trinit. ca 18.  it, I might truly say not only with the Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, all this knowledge were as nothing, but more peremptorily with the Apostle, we ourselves were nothing. The reason whereof, S. Austen gives in his fifth book of Confess. and fourth chapter. Infoelix homo qui s●iat illa omnia te antem nesciat: Beatus antem qui te scit. etiamsi ●●la nesciat. Qui verò & te, & illa novit, non propter illa beatior▪ sed prepter te solum beatus est. Wretched man were he that had learned all other things, & yet had not learned God and godliness; but he is a happy man that learns this, though he never learn aught else but this. And he that knows both this and other things is not more happy for knowing them, but he is only happy for knowing thee O God.  
How greatly God hath in his mercy enriched with all kind of knowledge this our most flourishing church and kingdom, and herein this and the other Sacred fountains of learning, f●om which as from the 2. great rivers of Eden so many streams of living water have been and are daily derived, that they have not only moistened the near gardens of the Lord, but like the overflowings of jordan have abundantly watered the whole land even from Dan to Beersheba, I suppose no man so blind as not to perceive, nor so malevolous, as with thanksgiving not to acknowledge. And for my own part I suppose and dare confidently aver, that never was this Island in any age so abundantly, I say not furnished, but even blest and beautified, not only with the substance, but with the ornaments also of all learning, as in this our age, and in the two most happy reigns of this and our late, both most renowned and incomparable Princes, since those dark mists of superstition and Idolatry have been dispelled and abandoned.  
Now this I pray with the Apostle, 
Phil. 1.9.  that ye may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement; but my special prayer for you is the same which our Apostle here useth, that both ye yourselves, and all your learning and studies may be sanctified unto God. That ye would join as S. Peter 
2. Pet. 1.6.7.  exhorts with your knowledge temperance, with temperance patience, with patience godliness, with godliness brotherly kindness, with brotherly kindness love; for if ye do these things ye shall never fall. Esteem all other k●●●ledge, yea all things else whatsoever, with the Apostle, 
Phillip 3 8.  but as loss and dung for the excellent knowledge of Christ jesus our Lord, even this practic knowledge of which Saint john testifieth 
z 1 joh. 2.4.  He that saith he knows him, and keeps not his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him; and of which our Saviour saith, 
a joh. 17 3.  This is eternal life, to know thee to be the only very God, and him whom thou hast sent jesus Christ. And seeing sanctity and holiness is both the badge and cognizance of God's children and servants, the end of their vocation and calling, the only means to make all other gifts of God to be true blessings unto us, without which they are indeed blessings in themselves, but to us they shall be turned (as the Prophet 
b Mala. 2.2.  saith) into cursings: I conclude this my exhortation unto you with those few, but most effectual words of the Apostle, 
c Heb. 12.14.  Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. And this be spoken of the first point, namely the subject of the Apostles prayer, which is sanctification and holiness.  
God sanctify you.] The second point which I proposed was the author and worker of this sanctification, and that is here set down to be God himself, [God sanctify you:] for whence else can any sanctity or holiness proceed, but only from him who is first of himself and essentially holy? yea as S. Austen 
d Qui● quid de de● dicitur, vel intel●g●tur, non secundum accide●, sed secundu●● substantiam di●itur. lib. 5. de trinit. cap. 3.  shows, even holiness itself, and therefore called 
e Psal. 78 41.  the holy one of Israel; of whom the Seraphins sing 
f Isa. 6.3.  holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; and then is effectively holy, as causing and working holiness in others, as himself doth often witness, I the Lord do sanctify you, whom the Apostle 
h jam. 1.17.  calls the Father of lights, that is, of all shining virtues; and the spouse in the fourth of Canticles, the fountain of gardens, because from him alone doth spring and issue all those odoriferous graces and gifts of piety, which are more pleasant unto God, then are all the beds of of myrrh and spices: 
g Exo. 31.16 Leuit. 20 8.  of whom S. Austen most truly saith, 
k Lib. 2 de lib. arb. cap. 17. & 19  Quantacunque bona, quamuis magna, quamuis minima, esse non possunt nisi ab ●o, 
i Verse 15.  a quo sunt omnia bona. Every good gift and every perfect gift cometh from above, even from the father of light.  
Now as God worketh in us this sanctity and holiness, so is he the only worker and sole agent therein, without any help, furtherance, or cooperation of ourselves, of our free will, or of any power or faculty that is in man, for the 
l 1. Cor 2.14.  natural man perceives not the things that are of God, neither can he, for they are even foolishness unto him, and the 
m Rom. ●●  wisdom of the flesh is enmity with God, and of 
n 2. 〈◊〉. 3 5  ourselves we are not sufficient to think any thing (that belongs to piety and God's service, as S. Austen 
o  expounds it) but all our sufficiency is of God. And most clearly Philipp. 2. 
p 〈◊〉 13.  It is God that worketh in us both the will and the deed; to which purpose S. Austen excellently saith in his Ench●●●●d L●urent. 32. cap. Nolentem praevenit ut velit, volentem subsequitur ne frustra vel●: God at the first by his prevenient grace doth work this in us to be willing, and after with his subsequent grace he accompanies us, that being willing we should not will in vain. And again in his book De great. & lib. arbitr. and 17 chap. Vt velimus sine nobis operatur, cum autem volumus, & sic volumus ut faciamus, nobiscum cooperatur: God without us, or any help or work of ours doth make us willing, and he doth cooperate & work with us when we are made willing. It is most sure indeed as he saith, that it is we that will when we are willing, but it is he that makes us to be willing, of whom it is said: The will is prepared of the lord Velle & currere meum est. sed ipsum meum sine dei semper a●xilio non orit meum, saith S. Jerome ad C●esiph. To will is mine, & to work is mine, but even this that is mine without God's special and continual help cannot be mine. All which S. Austen fully expresseth in the place 
q De g●. & 〈◊〉 ca 17.  before alleged, Sine illo vel operant ut velimus, vel cooperant cum volumus ad bona p●etati● opera nihil valemus: Without God's operation to make us willing, and cooperation when we are willing, in the good actions of piety we are neither able nor willing to work any thing.  
This the Scripture further to declare teacheth 
r Eph 2 1. ●.  us that the unregenerate man is dead in sin and trespasses. And most significantly is he said to be dead in sin: for though it be most true that by the transgression and fall of Adam, the natural faculties of man's mind are not extinct nor abolished, yet are they so exceedingly maimed and weakened thereby, that they which were before naturales potentiae, as the Logicians call them, that is natural powers and abilities, are now by reason of that original transgression of our nature, become in man natural impotencies and debilities. And they which in the integrity of man's nature had strength and power both to will and to perform the works of piety and grace, are now in the infirmity and corruption of the same nature disabled wholly to the works of grace, and retaining only an ability to the works of nature, to all and every action of piety and grace, are, as the Apostle, & after him S. Austen 
s I 〈…〉, & 〈…〉. & 〈…〉; ●amp● etc. 〈…〉. 30. , teacheth, wholly dead, and quite lost, in this state no more able to will or move to any action of grace, then is a dead man in nature able to will or move to any action of nature.  
For which cause the Scripture calls our conversion unto God sometimes a resurrection 
t Reu. 20.6.  from death, sometimes a new creation 
u Eph. 2.10. & G●l. 6.15.  in Christ, but most usually a new birth 
Ioh 3 3.7. & 1. Pet. 1. ●. 23. , a quickening 
Eph. 2 5. , or regeneration; to teach us, that as in our natural birth and first creation, we are no agents at all to give life, will, or motion to ourselves, but all proceeds from him who breatheth life into a lifeless body; right so in our new birth, or new creation, which is our conversion unto God, we which to grace are wholly dead, cannot possibly be any agents to give either a spiritual life and quickening, or will or motion unto ourselves, but all proceeds only from that spirit of grace, by which being first spiritually revived and quickened, we are then made both willing and able to perform the works of grace. And like as iron of itself being a dead and dull metal, hath no other motion nor inclination at all, but only to the earth, and centre, yet when it is once touched with the loadstone, it than directs all his course and motions toward the pole in heaven, nor ever can rest till it point thereat: Even so it is in us, we of ourselves, in this our depraved nature being in all spiritual actions like iron of a very hard, and beside of a dull and dead metal, all the motions, affections and inclinations both of our mind and will b●nd only to the earth, and to base and earthly desires; but when once our hearts are touched with God's spirit as with a loadstone, and we anointed with that sacred unction, of which the Apostle 
1. ●oh 2 20  saith, that it is H●lie, then by the force, and divine virtue, and vigour thereof, both ourselves, our wills and actions are converted and turned towards God, and toward heaven, and bend to Christ jesus, as to the only Cynosure, and that celestial pole whereby we are directed in this our short, but very troublesome and tempestuous passage, till we arrive at our last and best haven in God's kingdom and in heaven.  
All which God most clearly expresseth to be his own work, and in no part ours. Ezek. 36. 
a Vers. 26.27.  A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away your stony heart, and I will give you an heart of flesh, and I will cause you to walk in my statutes, to keep my judgements, and to do them. The giving of a new spirit to quicken, of a new heart to will and desire, the changing of our stony, and as S. 
b De gra & lib. arb ca 14.  Austen calls them, inflexible hearts into pliable and teachable hearts of flesh, the making of us to walk in his statutes, and to do them, all this God challengeth wholly to himself alone, leaving nothing in this whole work for us, but only that excellent confession of S. Cyprian, so often commended by S. Austen 
c Lib. de Cor. & gra. cap 7. & 9 & lib. de bono p●●s. cap. 19 , In nullo gloriandum est, quia nihil est nostrum, we must boast ourselves of nothing, because nothing is our own, but all is the gift and work of God.  
As for the manner of this working of God in our hearts, though I may not in this straightness of time at large stay to unfold it, yet suffer me in this place especially, though but in few words to touch the same, the rather because hereon in my opinion depends the very point, and main issue of the whole controversy twixt us and them. For it is most injurious to the grace of God which they teach, that in our conversion God's grace is only excitans gratia, as if by it we were only awakened out of some slumber or sleep in sin. The efficacy of which grace consists, as they suppose, in those motions, inducements, and suggestions, which God proposeth to our understanding, that our reason being enlightened and informed thereby, our will of itself without any further agency or special work of God may at his own choice freely yield, or deny assent thereto. This Bellarmine at large declareth in his first book De gra. & lib. arbitr. and in diverse chapters 
d Cat. 2. § 〈◊〉. cap. 12. § igitur. & § Ha●●●●o. & §. ●ursus.  thereof, where in the whole scope of his treatise he showeth, that God in our conversion is no Physical 
e ●idimus vesse n●ll●um fieri a ●●o non per Physi a●● actionem sed per vocationem quae est mora●u●n●●natio. cap. 12. § Rursus. , but only a moral cause and agent, which works suadendo, hortando, corsulendo, as he saith, by advising, exhorting, & proposing persuasions unto us, as if a man should persuade his friend to some journey or voyage which he were able to undertake, but only unwilling till he were induced thereto by some reasons; which is Bellarmine's own comparison 
f Cap. 14. § A● ut. . And to omit other citations in his 6. book 15. chap. and 8. proposition, he expressly saith, Gratia dei quantumuis essicax, nihil est aliud nisi suasio, quae non determinat voluntatem, sed inclinat per modum proponentis obiecti, the grace of God how effectual soever it be, is nothing else but a suggestion and motion which doth not determine the will, but incline it by proposing objects unto it.  
I will here omit what before out of the Scripture is declared, that God's grace in our conversion is not only an excitant, but a vivificant grace, whereby we are not wakened, but revived and quickened, as the Apostle saith, from the death of sin; as also that it is not only an alluring or persuading, but an attracting, and drawing grace, as both Christ himself witnesseth 
g joh. 6.44. , None can come to me except the father draw him, and his Church acknowledgeth 
h Cant. 1.3. , Draw me, and we will run after thee. Of which drawing S. Jerome truly observes, handling those words of our Saviour in his 3. book adversus Pelagiano●, frangit superbientem arbitrij libertatem, this doth overthrow the arrogant freedom of our will: for he that is drawn comes not of his own will, sed aut retrectans & tardus, aut invitus adducitur, but either with struggling or unwillingly is he brought unto Christ.  
But to omit these, S. Austen is most clear and pregnant in refuting these new Romish, but in very deed old Pelagian fancies. In his first book against Pelag. and Celest. 10. chap. he first shows how Pelagius with these very answers of Bellarmine, shifted off that testimony of S. Paul. It is God that worketh in us to will, he works it, said Pelagius, when by revealing wisdom in desiderium Dei stupentem sus●itat voluntatem, he awakens and stirs up our stupid will to the desire of God, when he inflames us with proposing the promises of future glory & rewards, and when he doth suad●re omne bonum, advise and counsel us unto all goodness. Thus said Pelagius▪ Sed nos eam gratiam nolumus, saith S. Austen, but this is not that grace which the Scripture, & which we do teach, for it is not enough that the promises be proposed, unless they be believed, nor that wisdom be revealed, unless it be loved, nec suadetur solum omne quod bonum est, verùm & persuadetur, neither doth God's grace in our conversion only counsel and persuade us unto good, but it makes a man effectually to yield unto God's motions and persuasions: and in the 24. chap. speaking of this very work of God, which is as he there saith, inward and hidden, he adds, mirabili ac ineffabili potestate operatur Deus in cordibus hominum, non solùm veras revelationes, sed etiam bonas voluntates, that God by a wonderful and ineffable power, (which must needs be more than any persuasion) doth work in men's minds not only true Revelations (which is wrought upon the reason) but good affections and desires, which is wrought immediately upon the will. The very same doth he again teach in his 107. epist. where purposely he refutes Vitalis for saying, that to consent to God's calling or his Gospel was not any special gift of God, but an act flowing from the freedom of our will, when our understanding is enlightened by the doctrine of God. As also in his book de spir. & lit. 34. chap. where having declared how God useth these persuasions unto us, whether external in his word preached, or internal in the ears of our hearts (which in the Scripture 
i Matt. 22.14. Apoc 3.20.  are fitly termed the vocation and calling, or the knocking of God at our hearts) he truly saith, that to consent or dissent is an act indeed of our will, but this that we do consent is the gift and work of God in our hearts, which work he elsewhere more especially declares, to consist not only in setting those objects before our mind or will, but praebendo 
k  voluntati v●res efficacissimas, in giving most effectual strength unto the will to affect and to desire the same, and making a man not only to see the truth, but to love it also, which ariseth at he saith, not from the freedom of our will, but from the spirit of God which is given unto us. And afterwards 
m Cap. 34  he moves (as he well terms it) a profound, but a very notable question to this purpose, how it comes to pass that when God useth the same or the like persuasions and suggestions to two men, uni ita suadeatur ut persuadeatur, the one is effectually persuaded, & not the other: did man's conversion depend on man's own will? he might most easily have answered this question, because the one by the freedom of his will assented unto God's motions, and the other by the like freedom of his will dissented there from, or else because to the one, the persuasions and suggestions were congruous and fitting, and not unto the other. But S. Austen knowing right well, that it might justly & no doubt would again be replied, what should work the congruity of the ones will unto God's persuasions, and not of the other? which he saw could be referred to no other cause but only to the grace of God given to the one, and not given to the other, therefore he tells us, that he can give no other answer to that question, but that of the Apostle, 
n Rom. 11 33.  O altitudo, O the depth of God's judgements▪ who of his mercy gives his grace, and thereby makes the one willing to turn to God, and so he is effectually persuaded, and in his justice withholds that grace from the other, and so he remains still unwilling & unperswaded. In which answer, as being most sufficient, S. Austen so fully rests himself, that he adds this conclusion, If any desire a better answer, quaerat doctiores, let him seek to those that are more learned, but take heed he find not those that are more presumptuous.  
Thus we see that there is a further working of God's grace on our wills, besides that illumination & persuasion which is wrought on our understanding: for though it be most true which both Philosophers and the Schoolmen teach, that the will doth ever follow the last judgement and conclusion of our practic reason, yet because (which is most specially to be observed in this point) even this last judgement of our reason is subject to the power & arbitrement of our will, that so having had a most pregnant and fit reason and conclusion proposed unto it, yet of it own freedom and liberty by a certain connivence may avert, and turn itself from that, and ●●●nd or look only at another, though far worse and weaker conclusion, and b● this attendance make this to be the last determination of reason: therefore lost our will, which of itself is ever most ready to turn away from God, and from all his persuasions be they never so forcible, should at the time or instant of our conu●●●●on use this her liberty in turning away f●om them, 
.  God who hath the hea●●s of all men in his own hand, and who hath, as S. ●●●ten at large and excellentlently showeth 〈◊〉, more power over man's will● than 〈◊〉 himself, by his divine and secret, but, as S. Austen calls it, most omnipotent power and 〈◊〉 operation of grace, doth both sta● and hold our will that it avert not from his motions, and so bends and incline 〈◊〉, and by it own willingness, as S. Austen saith, and therefore without all force and violence, doth even draw it to yield her consent unto his persuasions, as to the last, and (as they are indeed) the best judgement and determination of our practic reason. Which work of God's grace is so effectual in men's hearts, that as S. Austen in his book de praedest sanct▪ 8. chap. truly saith, a nullo duro cor●● re●●●u●tur. it is never rejected of any though most obdurate and inflexible heart or will, for this grace doth even 〈…〉 the heart, and makes it willing to embrace, affect and will that whereunto God persuadeth.  
But leaving these obscure, though indeed most needful subti●●●es of lea●●●ng unto thos● in this place, whose wits and study's are more conversant and exercised therein, then ou●s, whose endeavours are ●●plo●ed unto most plain and vulgar persuasions, I rather desire b●●●fly to answer, and, if I can to wipe away that one doubt and objection, which as it is most pop●l●r and plausible, so is it ever most obvious in this cause wh●ch is, that 〈◊〉 we have not liberty and free will to turn unto God and godliness, than all precepts, exhortations, admonitions, and reproofs▪ may seem to be in vain; for what folly were it, say they▪ to exhort, or command us to do that which is not in our power o● liberty to perform? as if a man should exhort one to run which were fast enclosed in a pit or prison, out of which he had no power nor free liberty to come forth.  
For answer whereunto, I first say the same that S. Austen doth in his book de great. & lib. arbitr. 16. chap. where setting down this very objection of the Pelagians, magnum aliquid Pelagi●m se sc●re put●nt, quan lo dicunt, non iuberet deu● quod ●ciret non posse ab homine fieri; God would never (said they) command that which he knew man could not perform: S Austen answers them, that therefore God commands somewhat which man cannot do, that man may learn to seek of God ability to do it. Fides enim impetrat quod lex imperat, for faith obtains in prayer, what God commands in his law; as he there and elsewhere 
n L●b e●l●m cap. 14. & 〈…〉 117.  declares: For which cause S. Austen himself very often 
o 〈…〉 10 cap. 19 31.37. & 〈…〉 11  useth that worthy prayer which Pelagius much disliked, as you may see in S. Austin's book De bon persever. cap 20. Da Domine quod jubes. & iube quod vis, Give me O Lord ability to do what thou commandest, and command me what thou wilt. To which purpose he again most fitly saith in his book De corrept. & great 2. chap. speaking of precepts, reproofs, and prayers, O homo in praeceptione cognosce quid debeas habere, in correptione cognosce tuo te vitio non habere, in oratione cognosce unde accipias quod vis habere: O man, by God's commandments thou mayest learn what is thy duty, and what thou oughtest to do; by God's reproof thou mayest learn it is thy own fault that it thou canst not do; by thy own prayer to God thou mayest learn of whom to seek, that it thou mayest be able to do.  
Besides which use, rightly noted by S. Austen, to give yet further satisfaction to this doubt; Is it indeed folly or vanity, as they collect, to command man to do that which is no way in his free will or ability to perform? What will then or ability had dead Lazarus to rise out of that loathsome p●t of his grave, when Christ commanded him and said 
joh. 11. 4●.  unto him, Lazarus come forth? What power again or free will to rise from death had either Dorcas▪ or the other maid in the Gospel, when Christ commanding said 
Luk. ● 54.  unto the one, and as Christ's messenger S. Peter said 
Act●● 4●.  to the other, Maid arise. And to omit inti●it like examples, what power o● freedom of will had either the impotent and palsy man that was carried by others to stand up; or S. Peter himself to come out of Herod's prison wherein he was ●ast lock●, and settered with iron chains; when Christ commanded 
Ma●k▪ 2. ●1.  the one to arise, and take up his bed and walk, and the Angel from Christ commanded 
Act. 12 7.  the other to arise quickly, and follow him out of the prison? Indeed for a mortal man whose words are only significative, or for any creature whatsoever by his own authority to have commanded or exhorted any of these in this sort, had been mere folly and madness; but for Christ jesus and almighty God, whose words as the Prophet 
Psal 3● 9  shows, are not only significative, but operative, d●xit & fa●●a sunt. & whose spirit effecteth what his words betokeneth, for him thus to command, is so far from being any token of folly, that it is in truth a most undoubted argument of his omnipotent Majesty, and of his infinite power. And this God himself declares in that most lively type and figure of our regeneration, Ezech. 37 
〈◊〉 4.5 etc. . What a ridiculous matter might it seem for the Prophet to command and exhort the dead bones to come together? yet when the Prophet at God's commandment, and from God prophesied unto them, and said; O dry bones hear the word of the Lord, the bones came together bone unto bone, and as he continued prophesying, the sinews and the flesh grew upon the bones, and the skin covered the flesh. And when he again prophesied unto the wind and breath, saying, Come f●om the four winds O breath and brea●h upon these, the breath came into them, and they stood up, and were living men. Right so in our new birth or regeneration, which the Apostle calls our first resurrection, though the Prophets and messengers of God prophesy and preach God's word unto such as are quite dead in sin, even mere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like to those dead and dry bones, yet because the word which they preach is not man's word, but Gods 
Lu●. 8 11. , which like the bow and arrows of jonathan 
2. Sam. ● 22.  never returns void 
Isay 55.11.  or empty unto God, though in the reprobate it take no other effect but publish and witness unto them their duty, and so leave them without all excuse in the sight both of God and men, yet in those whom God effectually calleth, happily at the first Sermon or exhortation, it brings bone unto bone, & at a second Sermon or exhortation, it brings flesh and sinews upon the bones; and as Ezechiel with others the servants of God continue their prophesying and preaching, at last even those dead and dry bones become not only living souls, but sanctified temples unto God.  
Wherefore to end this argument, wherein by reason partly of the obscurity, and partly of the variety of the matter, I have stood longer than I first intended, I conclude this whole point with that short sentence of S. Austen in his 3. book De lib. arb. 16. chap. Deus & velle praecepit, & posse prael vit, & non impune nolle permisit: God commands all men to be willing, he gives unto some his grace to be able, he permits others to remain unwilling, but never withal to remain unpunished. And this be spoken of the author of our sanctification, which is God, of whom the Apostle here desires this sanctity when he prayed, God sanctify you.  
God of peace.] The title which the Apostle gives to God is not lightly to be overpassed, in that he here calls him the very God of peace. And though many reasons might be alleged why God is so called, yet for our present purpose I will propose but one, which is to put us all in mind of that Christian charity, peace and concord which ought to be among all God's children, seeing this God, who is God and father unto us all, is the God of unity and love; and as the Apostle here describeth him, The very God of peace.  
And truly whether it be to teach us the necessity of this lesson, or to signify our dullness and frowardness in learning and practising thereof, or for some other reason, I cannot tell, but I verily suppose that neither any one doctrine is more often urged in the whole Scripture, then is this doctrine of charity, nor any one sin more often and more earnestly reproved therein, then is the want of charity. Our Saviour tells 
b Mat 22.39.  us that of the two great commandments whereon depends the whole Law and the Prophets, the one is this lesson of love and charity. And lest any should imagine that himself had abrogated any part of that law, he renews 
c joh. 1● 34  this precept in a most effectual manner: A new commandment give I unto you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you, that ye also love one another: By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another. Of this the Apostle 
d Gal. 5 14  testifies, The whole law is fulfilled in one word, which is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; & 
e Rom. 1● 8.  He that loveth another hath fulfilled the law, for 
f 1 Tim. 1.5.  The end of the law is ●oue out of a pure heart. Of this S. john saith, 
g 1. joh. 4.20.  If any man say I love God, and hate his brother, he is a liar: for how can he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, love God whom he hath not seen? Of this S. Peter saith, 
h 1. Pet 4 8.  Above all things have fervent love among you. And to omit other testimonies, S. Austen often 
i joh. 5. de bap. 〈◊〉. & ca 23 〈◊〉 5. the 〈◊〉 1●. 1●.  and truly saith of this, that without it multa sancta haberi possunt▪ sed prodesse non possunt▪ faith, knowledge, and many gifts and graces of God without charity may be in a man, but without charity they can never profit a man.  
I have heretofore in my cursory observations upon the 1. to Titus spoken somewhat of this point in the hearing of divers of you; and being now occasioned by my text to handle the same point again, though it were not hard to find variety of arguments in a matter so plenteous, that I may truly say, non copia, sed modus quarendus est, yet let it not seem grievous unto you, which to me seems most convenient, and which the Apostle 
〈◊〉 3●.  teacheth to be for you a sure thing, if from that same fountain of love and duty which I have unto this place, I recommend unto you some part of that same exhortation from the same God of peace.  
Let me first say unto you as Moses once said to Gods own people, Deut. 2●. 
 Let there not be among you any root that brings forth gall and wormwood. Your Colleges they are seminaries of piety, nurseries of Religion and virtue, and like the house of Bethel, or the garden of Eden, they are the very houses of God, and pleasant gardens of the Lord, the trees of knowledge and trees of life (which are the best, nay the only timber wherewith to build the temple and sanctuary of God) must so successively grow in these gardens, that it may ever truly be said of them, anul●o 
 uno non deficat alter aureus. And I pray God to bless and multiply such blessed pla●●s in all your Colleges. But if instead hereof there should be nourished in these places those venomous and deadly weeds, which Moses calls the roots of gall and wormwood, which are the very bane and poison not only of men's studies, but of men's minds and manners, what other fruit may be expected, then that which God laid 
 as a curse upon the earth: Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth? or as the Poet 
 expresseth it, Pro molli viola, pro●purpureo narcis●o Card●●●s, & ●●●ines surget paliurus acuris, Infoelix lolium, & steriles dominantur a●●nae. Take heed therefore, I beseech you, there be no roots of gall or wormwood in your hearts, or among you.  
Let me again say unto you as S. james 
 doth, Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show forth his works in meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, rejoice not, neither be liars against the truth: This wisdom descendeth not from above, but it is earthly, sensual, and devilish, for where is envying and strife, there is sedition, and all manner of evil works; but the wisdom that is from above is first pure, and then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.  
When the strife began betwixt Abraham and Lot, the Scripture 
Gen. 14 ●.  notes it as a special memorandum, And there were Canaanites, and Perezates at that time in the ●and: Doubtless there are at this time also our land, and I wish there be not among ourselves, too many who carry Cananitish hearts and minds, who would no less than the old Canaanites, Rejoice and triumph in your discord, and blaspheme the name of God and his holy religion which we profess; saying among themselves, Aha, so would we have it. Lest any such thing be ever heard in Gath, or spoken in the streets of Askalon, let these who have the spirit of Abraham, learn also the speech and language of Abraham, who though he was both in age and dignity superior to his nephew Lot, yet came and said 
abide. ●8.  unto him. I pray thee let there be no strife between thee and me, nor between thy servants, and my servants, for we are brethren; brethren not so much by blood, as by Religion to be linked together, as S. Austen 
I●● de mor. 〈◊〉. ca 10.  observeth.  
It was a devilish precept of Machiavelli 
Prin. ca 20 , and most cunningly every where practised by the jesuits, as their own professors 
Sp●r. dise. 〈◊〉 17▪ & Q●●d. pa 69  observe and witness, but derived first from the lowest pit of hell, Divide & impera. far be it from any of Christ's disciples to learn such lessons, or from so Antichristian teachers, much rather let us oppose hereto that undoubted maxim of our Saviour 
Mat 12. 2●.  who is truth itself, Every kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to nought, and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand; or that wise counsel of Caselius a Lawyer, mentioned in Macrobius 
Sat. lib. 2. ca 6. . Who being asked by a Merchant how his partner and he should divide their ship between them, answered, Navem, si dividis, perdis; nec tu illam, nec socius habebites: ye all sail in one ship, divide and cut this ship a sunder, you spoil it, if not with it yourselves. Or if there be any that wish or seek a rent and division thereof, let such remember, that she was not the true and natural mother which said, 
1. King. 3. 2●.  Let it be neither thine nor mine, but divide it, but she only who was content it should be whole, though it were with the certain loss of her own tender and most dear infant. And we must suffer as S. Austen 
a I●●. ●. de lap ca 25.  wisely observes. Infantile corpus a falsa matre nutriri potius, quam concidi: rather the wrong mother to noise the child, than it being divided them both to lose it.  
I will end this my exhortation unto you with those words of the Prophet, 
b Psal. 34.12.14.  What man is he that would live and fain see good days? keep th● tongue from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile, eschew evil, and do good, seek peace, and follow after it.  
Now as charity is most acceptable, and like the ointment of Aaron 
Psal. 133 2.  pleasing unto God, so do the Scriptures in infinite places witness how much God hateth and detesteth the want of charity; yet out of that main Ocean I will but take one drop or two. In the 1. 
d v. 3.4.5.  of Amos God threateneth to break the bars of Damascus, and send a fire into the house of Hazael, and devour the palaces of Benhadad; and why? because they were not satisfied with the overthrow of the Gileadites their enemies, but further without all compassion to wreak their wrath upon them, they threshed Gilead and that with threshing instruments of iron. Likewise in the second chap. 
e v. 1.2.  God threatens to destroy the Moabites, and that they shall die with shouting, & with the sound of a trumpet, because they were not contented only to spoil the Edomites, though they were not theirs only, but God's enemies, but to satisfy their rage and malice, they burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime. This is that which God so earnestly reproves in the Edomites, in the prophesy of Obadiah 
f v. 10. ad 16. , & threatens for this cause to cut them off for ever. Thou shouldest not have beholden the day of thy brother when he was made a stranger, thou shouldest not have rejoiced in the day of their destruction, nor have spoken proudly in the day of affliction, neither shouldst thou have looked on their affliction in the day of their destruction; but as thou hast done, it shall be done to thee, thy reward shall be upon thine own head.  
I might add hereto a further judgement of God, mentioned in the Apostle, 
g 1. joh. 3.15.  Whosoever hateth his brother is a manslayer, & ye know that no manslayer hath eternal life abiding in him. But having spoken thus much concerning that brotherly charity and peace which we ought to have one towards another, I would gladly add somewhat of that peace, which we all jointly owe unto the Church of God.  
Of this peace the prophet David saith 
h Ps. 122.6.7. , O pray for the peace of jerusalem, they shall prosper that love thee, Peace be within thy walls. Of this the Apostle saith 
i Rom. 16.17.18. , I beseech you mark them diligently which cause division and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have received, and avoid them, for they that are such serve not the Lord jesus, for 
k 1. Cor. 14.33.  God is not the author of division, but of peace in all churches.  
Of this Dionysius that ancient Bishop excellently writ to Nonatus, when he began his schism, as you may see in his epistle set down by Eusebius in his 6. book and 44. chap. If you Nonatus have gone unwillingly (as you pretend) from the Church, show it by your voluntary and willing returning to the Church again. Oportebat quidem nihil non ferre ne ecclesia Dei sc●nderes▪ you should have borne with whatsoever, rather than have made a rent in the Church of God. It is a more glorious martyrdom to suffer for avoiding a schism, then for avoiding the sin of Idolatry. In the one you suffer martyrdom but for one soul, in the other you suffer for the whole Church of God. Thus said Dionysius. Of this Gregory Nazianzen was so studious and zealous, that when the Church at Constantinople began to be divided, as he supposed by occasion that he possessed that sea, he openly said, and his speech was much more commendable than his fact, Si propter me ista tempestas, If this stir and tempest be for my sake, take me, & cast me into the sea, that the storm may cease, and the Church may enjoy her calm, as Ruffinus reports in his 2. book & 9 chap. To this S. Cyprian at large persuaded in his book de unitate ecclesia: Let no man think, saith he, that the good will depart from the Church; Triticum non rapit ventus, sed paleas: It is not wheat but chaste which the wind blows away. Those can never abide in God, that will not abide in the unity of the Church of God. Though such give their bodies to be burned, or to be devoured of wild beasts, Non est illa corona fides, sed poena persidiae, That is no crown of their saith, but a punishment for their perfidiousness: Occidi talis potest, coronari non potest: A man may happily be killed, but never crowned in a schism. Of this Martianus, though no good bishop, most passionately said, when Sabbatius whom he had formerly ordained Presbyter, began to make a tumult and division in the Church, Multa satius ●●●sset, It had been much better, and I wish rather I had laid my hands upon thorns then imposed them upon the head of this troublesome Sabbatius as Socrates relates in his 5. book and 20 chap. For preserving this peace Polycarp and other ancient bishops were so careful, that though they differed in judgement about some rites and smaller matters, yet never for that cause would they break the unity of the Church, or make a separation one from another, as Eusebius declares in his 5. book and 23. chap. Frivolum enim & quidem meritò indicarunt consuetudinis gratia a se mutuò segregari eos, qui in praecipius religionis capitibus cons●ntir●nt, saith Zozomen in his 7. book, and 19 chap speaking of Polycarp and Victor, They judged it frivolous and childish, and indeed not without cause, to disagree and make a separation for customs & ceremonies, when they did agree in the substance & chief points of Religion. For this S. Austen so earnestly pleads (besides many other places) throughout his whole 7. books, De Baptismo contra Donatistas', that I suppose the diligent perusal of those books would easily persuade a man that is not too much led with a partial or s●lfe conceit, to do much, and to suffer much more for the unity and peace of the Church; of which he thus 
l ●ib. 6. ca 21  saith, Omnia bono pacis & unitatis esse toleranda, That all things must be borne with for peace & unities sake; & cause him ever to shun yea detest a rent or schism in the church: of which he again saith, and proves it in his 2. book and 8. chap. That the sin of schism is more heinous, then is the sin of Idolatry: and more peremptorily in his 1. book contra epist. Parmen. 4. chap. sacrilegium schismatis omnia sc●lera supergreditur, there is no sin, no sacrilege, nor robbery so great, as is this, to rob God's Church of her unity and peace.  
But because I hasten to say somewhat of the other points which remain, I will not go forward in this so large and spacious a field, but conclude this whole point of peace, partly with those words of our Saviour, 
m Mark. 9.50.  Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one towards another, partly with the words of the Apostle 
n 2. Cor. 13.11. , Finally brethren fare ye well, be of one mind, & live in peace, and the God of love and peace shall be with you. And this be spoken of the title that is here given to God, that he is called, The very God of peace.  
Sanctify you throughout, that your whole spirit, and soul and body may be kept blameless] The manner of our sanctification (which was the third general point I proposed) is here set down, which is, that it must be total, and entire, that both our understanding & reason, which is meant by the spirit; and our will and affections, which are meant by the soul●: and our external and outward actions, which are meant by 〈…〉, may all be holy, and so we wholly sanctified in the sight of God. By which integrity of sanctification, the Apostle means not any such perfection of santitie as is void of all sin; for the Scripture every where doth witness, that no such sanctity is to be expected or hoped for, while we carry about th●se bodies of sin. The Apostles confess plainly of themselves, and such as are most righteous in this life, In 
o jam. ● 2.  many things we sin all: And if 
p 1. Ioh 1.8.10.  we say we have no sin, we make God a liar, and his word is not in us. This was the prerogative of Christ alone, that he knew 
q 2 Cor. 5.21.  no sin, and in all things 
r Heb. 4 15.  he was tempted like us, sin●e only excepted: Of whom S. Austen saith 
s Lib. 2. cont 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 cap 32. , That he was therefore prefigured by the spotless lamb, to signify that he alone should be without all spot of sin, to heal all our sins, S●lus in hominibus▪ qua● quarebatur in pecoribus: He only among men was such as they sought among the beasts, that is, without spot and blemish. But of all other besides him, the Scripture saith 
t Isa. 53.6. , All we like sheep have gone astray, and the Lord hath laid upon him the in qu●tie of us all. And again, 
u Gal. 3.22.  the Scripture hath concluded all under sin▪ for 
Rom. 2.23.  all have sinned, and are deprived of the glory of God. Nemo mundusa a ●eccat●●, saith S. Jerome 
Lib. 2. , against jovinian, nec si v●ius quidem dies fuerit vita eius: None is clean from sin, no not though he live but one day upon the earth. And S. Bernard in his 23. sermon upon the Cantic. most significantly saith, Non peccare Dei justitia, hominis justitia indulgentia Dei, not to sin is God's justice, to have pardon of sin is man's justice.  
It was one heresy of the Pelagians, as S. Austen shows in his book, De haeresibus ad quod vult. haer. 88 and in his book De bono pursue 5. chap. that the just in this life are void of all sin, and without spot or wrinkle; which error of theirs S. Austen almost every where refels, but specially in his books Contra 〈◊〉 epist Pelag. in the first whereof, and 14 chap. he saith, Mul●● fideles ●unt sine crimine, sine peccato autem dix●r●m nemi●em▪ Many godly and faithful men do live without crime, (so did Zacha●●e and Elizabeth, as he elsewhere 
Lib 1 cont. Dei & Cel. ca 48.  declares) but without sin not any: which distinction he again repeats and explains in his 〈◊〉. ad L●u●▪ 64. chap. and in the third book, and 7. chap. We call (saith he) the virtues of just men perfect in such sort that there belongs unto their perfection, Ipsius imperfectionis & in ver tate cognitio, & in humilitate confessio, Both the knowledge and acknowledgement of our own imperfection. And therefore in his 9 book of Confessions, & 13. ch. Vae etiam laudabili vitae hom●●ū●i 〈◊〉 misericordia discutia● eampunc; Woe be, saith he, even to best & most praise worthy life of man if thou shalt examine it in justice, & not in mercy.  
S. Jerome likewise at large and excellently refuting the same heresy of the Pelagians, both in his epistle ad 〈◊〉▪ and in his three books advers. Pelag. truly saith, 
 Haec hominibus ●ola perfectio, si imperfecto● se esse neverint: This is the only perfection of men in this life to know and acknowledge their own imperfection. And whereas the Pelagians often & insolently objected 
●para  that in the Scriptures both Moses and Christ himself doth exhort us to be perfect, S. Jerome answers that they do it in this meaning, Vt secundum vires nostras vnu●qui●que quantum valu●rit, exten●●tur: That every one should 〈◊〉 as much as they can unto perfection, and with the Apostle 
Psal ● 14.  forgetting that which is behind, endeavour themselves to that which is before, and follow hard to the mark; but yet still the perfection of virtue which they do, or can attain unto in this life, is only an inchoate as S. Austen 
〈◊〉 ca 115.  terms it a begun and daily increasing, but not a complete and finished sanctification, or as S. Jerome saith, 
〈◊〉 3.  it is here in Vmbra & imagine, only in a shadow, and some lineaments of perfect sanctity; but hereafter it shall be in full beauty, & complete glory: here they have it in uta 
 & cursu▪, as passengers, not as possessors, as in the way, not as in their country, for there shall be Sine omni sorde perfectio, perfection without any spot or admistion of sin, but here is only perfection, Secundum 
Lib. 1. Psal. 32.6.  humanae fragilitatis modulum, such as man's frailty can receive; of whom the Prophet 
〈◊〉 2.  saith, For this, that is for his sin & iniquity as S. Jerome expounds it, shall every holy man make his prayer unto thee. And in a word, there shall be as he calls 
Lib. 1. Psal. lib. 4. de 〈…〉. cap. 15 & 16. Sa●●. in ca 5 ad Rom. D●m. So●● lib. 1. de na●u●a & gra●●a 6.  it, a perfect perfection, but here Cuntiorum in vita justorum imperfecta perfectio est: All, even the most just men have but an imperfect perfection.  
How near to those old Pelagians, whose heresy these worthy fathers so learnedly confuted, the Papists & the church of Rome approach, may easily appear not only by their particular tenants, both of the blessed virgin, whom they teach 
〈◊〉 conf. 〈◊〉 pag. 138. 〈…〉 ad literam 〈◊〉  to have been void of all, both actual and original sin, and of S. Francis, whose life was, as they affirm, a fulfilling of the whole Gospel according to every line and letter, of whom for that cau●e they sing 
a ibid.  their solemn hymn 
Franciscus ●uangelicum  
Nec apicem vel unicum  
transgreditur vel ●●ta.  but also by their general doctrine concerning the fulfilling of the law of God, of which they teach, that it is not only possible, but even necessary 
 also for attaining eternal life, to keep, and fulfil the commandments of God's law, especially seeing And. Vega in his ●●. book and 19 chap. upon the Trent Council, sets it down for a Catholic and Trent conclusion, that there is no moment of time wherein a man may not singula & omnia vitare peccata, shun and avoid all and every sin; and further, that the just and righteous men often, yea truly ple●●nque sic esse, for the most part do so avoid all sin indeed.  
Which new Pelagianism it were not hard to refute, but that in this straightness of time I much rather desire to touch that which concerns our lives then our learning. And that is one special lesson which the Apostle here teacheth, that in true sanctification we must not think it sufficient in some one duty to perform obedience unto God, and in some other (as many do) to take allowance and dispensation unto ourselves, but we must willingly resign, and submit ourselves wholly unto God, and to his law, striving with all our knowledge, with all our affections, and in all our actions to perform acceptable service unto God. For of those who at their pleasure take such allowance in any one commandment or branch of God's law, seeing the reason and formal cause of their obedience is not the voice of God, but their own will and choice, of such S. james truly saith, 
p Cap. 2.10  That whosoever keeps all the rest of the law, and yet faileth in one point, he is guilty of all: not because vices and virtues are link together, for that both in nature is impo●●●ble, and S. Austen ●c●●tes it in his treatise on those words, 
q Lib. descent 〈◊〉 Apost. ad H●●. cap 6.  but because such a man setting light by God's authority and love, on which, as both Tertullian 
Lib. de audit. 〈◊〉 enim quia 〈◊〉 est id 〈◊〉 au●cult●●● d●benius, sed q●ia deus p●ae 〈◊〉.  and S. Austen 
ibid. ca 11.  rightly teach, depends as on a foundation the true observing of every commandment▪ and for which only we should yield obedience to God's law; such one, I say, neglecting & violating the ground of obedience, though but in one point, is indeed guilty of all, as being then ready upon any occasion of his own pleasure to take like allowance to himself in any part of the law, as he hath already done in that one. And therefore God in his law requires an entire and total obedience to be given to him, Thou 
Deut 6 5.  shalt love the Lord with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength: Thou 
t C●●. 2. ●2. ● cap. ●●. 2  shalt observe and do all that I command thee: Thou 
〈◊〉 28. 1●.  shalt not decline from any of the words which I command thee: Let 
2 〈◊〉 7 1.  v● cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit: Cast 
 away all your transgressions and iniquities, for why will ye die O ye house of I●rae●? And to omit S. Austin's comparison, that even one wound or disease if we neglect or refuse the cure thereof, will endanger the whole body though the rest be ●ound, or that one chink, if it be not prevented, may endanger the whole ship; I rather propose that one, but most effectual testimony of God, Ezech. 18. 
〈◊〉. 10.11 etc.  If a father beget a son, that is a thief, or a shedder of blood, 〈◊〉 he do any one of these things, though he do not all these things, but either hath eaten upon the mountains, or defiled his neighbour's wife, or hath oppressed the poor and needy, or hath spoiled by violence, or hath lift up his eyes unto Idols, or hath given forth upon usury, or hath taken increase, shall he live? He shall not live; but in the abominations that he hath done, he shall die the death. Consecrate therefore, I beseech you, yourselves wholly unto the Lord.  
Consecrate first as the Apostle here teacheth your spirits and inmost affections unto God, for God loveth 
a Psal 51.6.  truth in the inward parts. And as he is 
b joh. 4.13.  a spirit, so he looks to be served first and chief in spirit and in truth. Be thou upright (said 
c Gen. 1● 1.  God to Abraham) before me, that is, not only before men, but in my sight, who search 
d jer. 17.10.  the hearts and reins: without this all external and outward holiness, is but Pharisaical ostentation, and that outward cleansing of the cups, and painting the tombs which within are full of hypocrisy and iniquity, full of filthiness and rottenness, against which our Saviour hath denounced 
e Matt. 23.25.28.  a woe in the Gospel. Well may ye by this visor of sanctity dazzle and blear the eyes of men, as the Poet 
f lib. 1 epist 16.  signified, Pulchra laverna da mihi sallere▪ d●●ustum 〈◊〉 evider●: but never can ye deceive the all-seeing eyes of him who saith by the Prophets, 
g lib. 27 28.  I know thy dwelling, thy going out and thy coming in; and again, 
h jer. 16.17.  Mine eyes are upon all thy ways, they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes; of whom the Psalmist saith, 
i Psal. 13●. 1.23.  Thou art about my path, and about my bed, & spiest out all my ways, there is not a word in my tongue but thou knowest it altogether, yea thou understandest my thoughts long before; and of whom the Apostle 
k  saith, All things are naked and open unto his eyes. Let me then here say unto you as David 
l  did unto his sin, when drawing near unto his death, he bequeathed this as a part of his last and best legacy unto him; Thou my son, serve thou the Lord with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind, for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of thoughts, it thou (thus) seek him he will be found of thee, but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever.  
Consecrate next your bodies unto God, that as the Apostle here wishes, your bodies may be kept holy, and without blame. I beseech you by the mercies of God, saith the Apostle, 
m Rome 12.1.  that ye give up your bodies a living sacrifice, holy & acceptable to God; and aga●ne, 
n 〈◊〉 6.13 1●.  Give your bodies not as servants of iniquity unto sin, but as weapons of righteousness unto God. Know 
1. Cor. ●. 15.19.  ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ, and temples of the holy Ghost? and ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price, glorify therefore God both in your spirit and in your bodies, for they both are Gods.  
Consecrate last, your external and outward actions unto God, that ye may show forth the virtues of him that hath called you, and that your lives being as lamps of piety unto others, may shine forth in good works, which God hath ordained, that we should walk in them. If we have only outward sanctity, we deceive others, if we have only inward sanctity we deceive ourselves: for never is faith, charity, or holiness rooted in the heart, but it buds forth, and shows itself in the fruits of good works, and of a godly life. If these things, saith S. Peter 
p 2. Pet. 1.8. , that is, godliness, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, and love be in you, they will make you that ye shall neither be idle nor unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ. In the 2. Corinth. and 5. chap. 
q v. 14.  S. Paul gives a reason why he took all that toil and labour in the Gospel, and in gaining others unto God, and the reason is this, the love of Christ, saith he, constraineth us. Doubtless where the true love of God and Christ is in a man's heart, it will even constrain him to his duty, and to obedience unto God, and will be like the fire in jeremy's 
r jer. 20 9  bosom, which could not be shut up, but made him weary of forbearing, that he could not stay. Amor Dei, saith S. Gregory, 
s Lib quest. 83 q●. 76.  otio●us non est, operatur magna si est, si operari renuerit, amor non est; Where the love of God is it is not idle, but works greatly, & where it doth not work, it is not.  
There were some even in the Apostles time, as S. Austen shows, who boasting of their faith, and yet living a most dissolute and wicked life did reckon themselves as good Christians, and as sure inheritors of God's kingdom as the best: Which most pernicious and pestilent heresy, being first broached by that arch-heretic Simon Magus, as Irene declares in his first book, and 20. chap. was afterwards embraced and maintained by the Eunomians, who taught, as S. Austen shows in his 54. heresy, Ad quod vult. that if a man did believe their doctrine, it skilled not how he lived, neither how many sins he committed, nor how long he persevered therein. To which heresy when some in S. Austin's own time inclined, he purposely writ against them his book De side & operibus; the sum and effect whereof, is the very same which S. james in his epistle most effectually urgeth, What 
u I●m ca 2.14. etc.  availeth it my brethren though a man say he hath faith when he hath no works? Can such a faith save him? And the Apostle answering that such is but a dead and even a diabolical faith, in the end he useth a most fit comparison to express the same, that as the body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, without breath (for so the word doth there rather signify then the soul, seeing good works do not animate or give life to faith, but as an effect doth follow it, as S. Austen 
Opera sunt ex f●●e, non ex operibus fides: lib. de grae. & lib. arb. cap. 7. sequuntur opera justificatum, non praecedunt iustificandum. lib. de fid. & oper. cap. 14.  truly declares) as without breath then, the body both is and thereby is known of all to be but a dead body: so that faith which breatheth not forth in good works, both is in itself, & is thereby also evidently discerned and known of all to be a dead faith, which can neither save, nor as the Apostle 
y jam. 2.19.  teacheth, justify a man in the sight of God: for a true and justifying, or as S. Austen 
z Ca 14. & 16.  calls it, an evangelical faith doth ever work by charity, Galath. 5. 
a v. 5. . And of it S. Austen saith, 
b Lib. Qu●st. 83. qu. 76.  justificatus per fidem quomodo potest nisi justè operari? He that by faith is justified, cannot but work the actions of justice. And more plainly in the 23. chap. of the book before alleged; Inseparabilis est bona vita a fide, imo verò ca ipsa est bona vita: A good life is never severed from faith, yea rather faith is a good life itself.  
It is a memorable story which Ruffinus sets down in his 2. book and 6. chap. of one Moses an holy man in the primitive church, who being to be ordained a Bishop, refused to have Lucius a wicked persecutor to lay his hands, or give consecration unto him: At which Lucius disdaining, and supposing he had taken some exception to his faith, If you be ignorant, said he, or misinformed of my faith, I will recite and relate my belief unto you. You need not, said Moses, recite your faith unto me, I know it well enough, so many servants of God that you have condemned to the mines and minerals, so many bishops, presbyters, & deacons, that you have banished, so many Christians that you have delivered, some to the fire, and others to the fury of wild beasts, these do report and make known your faith unto me. Nunquid verior potest esse fides quae auribus capitur, quam quae oculis pervidetur? I will rather believe mine own eyes, and your actions concerning your faith, than your bare words and profession. To which purpose S. Austen saith in his 3. tract upon the epistle of S. john, Non attendamus ad linguam, sed ad facta: Let us not look to a man's words, but to his works; he that in works denies Christ, he is an antichrist: Opera loquuntur, & verba requirimus? His works do speak what he is, we need not seek to his words.  
I might here justly, and, would the time have permitted, I would more at large have refelled that most shameless slander which they have devised against us, that we prohibit and contemn good works, as Bellarmine was not ashamed to publish in his book called judic. de lib. concor. and 7. lie, that we account men free from doing of them, or observing the law of God, as he again without all truth hath affirmed in his 4. book of justif & 1. chap. Yea further that we teach Licere quod lubet, that a man may live as he list, as Dominicus Soto reporteth in the Preface of his book De natura & great. which he offered to the Council of Trent.  
For answer whereunto, though we do most truly teach both out of the Apostle 
c Rom. 3.28.  that we are not justified by the works of the law, but by faith; & out of S. Hilary 
d Comm in Matt can. 8.  that ●ides sola justificat, faith only doth justify; and out of S. Austen, 
e In psat. 88 ser 2  that Fides sola mundat; & out of S. Ambrose 
f In cap. 4. ad Rom.  that a wicked man is justified before God, Persidem solam, by faith only; and out of S. Jerome, 
g In●dem cap.  that God doth justify a wicked man per sidem solam, by faith only; and out of Origen, 
h In ca 3. ad Rom.  Dicit sufficere solius fidei justificationem, the Apostle teacheth, that justification by faith only is sufficient, which he by divers examples at large declares, in those who, as he saith, fide sola justificati sunt, were justified by faith only; & out of S. chrysostom, 
i H●mil. 3. in epist. ad Tit.  Why bringest thou other things? Quasi fides sola iustificare non sufficiat, as if faith only could not justify thee: why dost thou put thy neck into voluntary bondage under the yoke of the law? that is a sure argument of distrust and want of faith: and to omit many others out of S. Basil, 
k Serm. 22. de homilitate.  that this is full reioicei●g when a man knows himself to be void of justice, sola autem sia in Christum justificatum, But by faith only to be justified; though this we constantly and truly teach, for which doctrine of sola ●ides, which they call heresy, we with all these holy men are condemned this day; yet are we so far from despising and much more from forbidding good works, as they unjustly slander us, that we every where profess and teach of them with S. Bernard 
l Lib. de gra. & lib. arbitr. verb. vit. , that they are via regni, non causa regnandi, the way that we must walk to ●eauen, though not the price to purchase heaven; that they are necessary, necessitate praesentiae, though not necessitate efficienti●, necessary to be in those that are justified and shall be saved, though neither to concur to the act and work of their justification, nor to the merit and worth of their salvation. Yea and even in ●he very article of that public confession 
m Conf. Aug. 〈◊〉. 20.  which Bellarmine there handleth, and in vain strives to confute, it is expressly affirmed, Docent nostri quòd necesse ●it bona opera facere, we teach that it is necessary for God's children to do good works, and to walk in them. A very pregnant conjecture that the jesuit could not without some check of conscience so willingly and wittingly oppugn an evident and known truth.  
With which short and undeniable answer contenting myself at this time, and for a further refutation of that slander referring every man to all our writings and sermons, wherein we do both more earnestly persuade unto, and more truly magnify & prise good works than do any of their sworn 
n Capi. Ego. N●extr. de iur●●ur. & co●●. tried. fess. 25. de ref●r. cap. 2.  professors to the triple crown of Antichrist: For conclusion of this whole point, I exhort and beseech you all so to live in sanctity, and abound in the fruits of faith, that by our good works we may stop the mouths, if it be possible, of those that so maliciously speak evil of us, as of evil doers, and that the truth of our faith may be be●ter witnessed by our works, then by our words, and by our godly conversation rather than by a verbal profession. Take heed ye be not ●ike those whom the Apostle 
o Epist ad Titum 1.16.  condemns: They profess they know God, but in their works they deny him. Hast thou faith? Show it, saith S. james 
p Ca● 2 18. , by thy works. Let ours (saith the Apostle 
q 〈◊〉 ad Tit. 3.14 ) learn to show forth good works, that they be not unfruitful; and with our Saviour 
r Matt. 5.16.  I conclude, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. And this be spoken of the third general point, namely the manner of our sanctification, that it must be total and entire.  
Unto the coming of our Lord jesus Christ] The 4. general point, and the last which I intent to observe, is the time or continuance which the Apostle requires in our sanctification, namely, that we should persevere therein unto the end of our lives, and to our dying day: for the life of a Christian is compared to a race, wherein none receive the prize but they only that continue and run out unto the end, So 
s 1 Cor. 9 24.  run then that ye may obtain: It is compared to a combat 
t 2. Tim. 4.7. , and the garland of immortality, and crown of righteousness for which we all do strive, hath not engraven upon it certanti, but vincenti dabitur, to him 
u Reu. 3 7.17.26.  that overcometh, and keepeth my words unto the end, will I give to eat of the tree of life, and of the hidden Manna. Be thou 
v. 10.  faithful then unto the death, and I will give thee the crown of life: Non quaeruntur in Christianis initia, sed finis, saith S. Jerome ad Furiam, It is not enough to begin, but to end well is the honour of a Christian life. The Prophet 
y Psal. 84 6.  sets it down as a property of the faithful, They will go from strength to strength, until every one of them appear before God in Zion. Let us not be weary, saith S. Paul 
z Gal. 6.9.  of well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. He that continueth, saith S. john 
a Epist 2 v. 9 , in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. To them 
b Rom. 2.7  that by continuance in well-doing seek glory and honour, shall be immortality and eternal life. Behold, saith 
c cap. ●1. 22.  the same Apostle, the bountifulness and severity of God, toward them which have fallen, severity, but toward thee bountifulness, if thou continue in his bountifulness, or else thou also shalt be cut off. And to such only as persevere is the promise of our Saviour made, Matth. 24. 
d 〈◊〉 13.  He that endureth to the end he shall be saved.  
Beloved, if any have not already entered into the course of such a sincere and godly life, as both long since they solemnly vowed, and do now outwardly profess, such I cannot exhort with the Apostle to continue or go forward, but to desist from that course, and without delay even while it is called to day, as the Apostle saith, 
e Heb 2.7.  To turn unto God: nor ever to use any of those sluggish and dilatory answers, which S. Austen 
f Lib. 8. cons. ca 5.  most justly condemns, that when God calls you to arise from sin, and to be partakers of his grace, you should reply and say unto him, Modò & ecce modò, & sine paululum, sed modò & modò non habebant modum: Yet a little sleep, a little slumber and rest in sin: but rather follow that worthy example of S. Austen, 
g ibid. ca 12.  who after a long strife and combat betwixt the flesh and the spirit, at last, as being impatient of longer delay, he braced out into that most pathetical exclamation, Quamdiu, quamdiu, ●ra● & ●ra●? quare non hody? quare n● hac hora finis turpitudinismeae? How long shall I put off from day to day? why not even this day, nay why not this very hour do I make an end of all my filthiness, & embrace the love of God.  
But because not only Christian charity, but my private affection to this place makes me to judge the best of you, that you have not only begun, but have well proceeded in the course of a godly life, my only exhortation shall be unto you, that ye never turn back from God, nor from a Christian and a godly life, but continue and persevere therein, as our Apostle saith, even to the coming of our Lord jesus Christ: for although it be impossible (which I have heretofore in sundry Sermons out of this place made clear) that those who are once truly sanctified by God's spirit, and seasoned with his grace, should ever afterwards either totally or finally relapse or fall away from God; yet that even such by their voluntary running into some grievous transgressions, may so far decline from God, and from many degrees of his grace, that they may leave a grievous wound unto their conscience, and a blemish to their profession and calling, those known examples of holy David, S. Peter, and divers others do more then sufficiently witness unto us, which are purposely registered in the book of God, not so much to be a staff of comfort to uphold those from despair which by like infirmity fall into like sins, but specially to be a caveat and warning to all other, wisely to prevent, and manfully to resist all the motions of sin, and even the first suggestions of Satan, cum videant tantorum vtr●rum & cavendat tempestates & slenda nausragia, as S. Austen observes of those very examples in his 3. book De doctr. Christ. and 23. chap. that seeing Satan hath already given the foil to those who were so full fraught with piety, and so strong and valiant champions in this spiritual conflict, that they were able to encounter yea to overthrow even Goliath of the Philistims, how vigilant and watchful aught we to be, who have neither so great strength, nor skill, to make resistance against so mighty, so subtle, and so expert an enemy?  
Wherefore let me put you in mind of the Apostles 
h Heb. 2.12.  exhortation, Take heed lest at any time there be found in any of you an evil heart and unfaithful to depart away from the living God: Remember the Apostles 
i Gal. 3.1.  reproof, O foolish Galathians, are ye so foolish that when ye have begun in the spirit, ye will end in the flesh? Better it had been, as S. Peter saith 
k 2. Pet. 2.21. , never to have known the way of righteousness, then after ye have known it to turn from the holy commandments of God. O what a grief would it be unto you, if when ye have formerly been as fair lamps in God's Church, giving much light and warmth unto many others, those graces of God's spirit should afterward be so far smothered, and almost quenched, that they could yield neither more heat than some small sparks, and those covered also under the finders of many sins, nor give more light than the snuff of a candle, which is both dim and noisome? Or what a grief would it be for a Christian mind that he should ever have just cause to complain as Milo 
l Cit de sen.  did, who having in his younger days been renowned and famous throughout all Greece for his strength, afterwards coming to the Olympic games, bemoaned the want and decay thereof, and stretching out his arms said, At high lacerti nunc mortui sunt, ah the strength and sinews of my arms are now withered and decayed; far greater sorrow would it bring unto a Christian heart, if in his old age, which should be best of all, finding an impairing of his spiritual strength and former graces of God's spirit, he should then have cause to lament and say; Time was indeed when this arm of my faith did strongly lay hold on Christ, time was, when there was pith, strength, and sinews in my zeal to God, and love to God's children; At high lacerti nunc mortui sunt, but alas, all the pith and sinews of my former piety are dead, quite decayed and gone.  
Let us rather strive to be like Moses 
m Deut▪ ●4 7.  the holy servant of the Lord, who being an hundred and twenty years old, yet neither was his strength abated, nor his eye sight dim, but he was able clearly to discern from mount Pisgah, in the land of Moab, even to the utmost coasts of the land of Canaan: so let us all continue, yea increase in piety, that in our latter age our spiritual strength may not be abated, not our eyesight dim, but then especially we may both more earnestly than ever before desire and most clearly discern and see the blessed felicity of that heavenly Canaan, the land of our possession and peace. And let us learn that one precept of the Orators, who though in every part of their speech they use great care and diligence, yet in the end and conclusion thereof, they set forth all their Art and skill to stir up the affections and passions of their hearers, that then they may leave as the last, so the deepest impression of those things which they would persuade: whose wisdom in this one point let us all learn to imitate and follow, that our whole life being nothing else, but a continued and persuasive oration unto our God, to be admitted into his heavenly kingdom, in every part of our lives we may express our piety, zeal, and godliness, which are the most oratorious and persuading reasons with almighty God; but when we come to the last act and epilogue of our age, then especially let us strive to show forth all our Art and skill in a Christian and godly life, that so stirring up as it were all the affections of God, and even the bowels of his compassion unto us, we may then leave as the last, so the best and deepest impression of our love in God's heart. That as the Sun, though at all times glorious, yet of all other at his setting is most beautiful and comfortable to behold; so we having throughout all our lives, even from the East of our age continued a constant course of holiness, shining in piety, and every where spreading abroad the beams of a godly life, when we draw near unto our western home, and to that day which shall only be our setting, and not our dying day, we may then depart more comfortable and glorious both in the sight of God and of men; that our setting to this world may be unto us a rising above the heavenly horizon, and our farewell to this world may bring unto us a happy, and most gladsome welcome of all the blessed Angels and Saints of God, yea of Christ jesus our God, our Saviour, and our husband, with whom we shall then rest and reign in eternity, and in eternal felicity for evermore.  
Grant this O Father for thine own sake, and thou which hast said 
n Apo. 22. 2●.  I come quickly, cause us in an earnest and longing desire to answer, Amen. Even so come Lord jesus come quickly. The grace of our Lord jesus Christ be with you all, Amen.