Scala cœli Nineteen sermons concerning prayer. The first sixe guiding to the true doore: the residue teaching how so to knocke thereat that wee may enter. The former part containing a preparation to prayer, the latter an exposition vpon the seuerall petitions of the Lords prayer.

The second Sermon. (Book 2)

IAMES 1.16.17.

Erre not my deere brethren.

Euery good giuing, and euery perfect gift, is from aboue, and commeth downe from the Father of lights; with whom is no variablenesse, neither shadow of turning.

AS Saint Paul 2. Cor. 3.5. tels vs, that we are not suf∣ficient to thinke a good thought, but our sufficiency is of God. So the Apostle saith, It is God onely, from whom euery good giuing, and euery perfect gift commeth: And that wee shall erre, if wee ei∣ther thinke, that any good thing, which wee enioy, commeth from

any other but from God, or that any thing else but Good procee∣deth fròm him; so that as well the ability which man had by nature, as our enabling in the state of grace, is from God. He is the foun∣taine, out of whom (as the Wise∣man saith) wee must draw grace by prayer, which is, Situla gratiae, the coūduit or bucket of grace. Ther∣fore hee promiseth, in the old Te∣stament, To power vpon his Church, both the Spirit of grace and of pray∣er, that as they sue for grace, by the one, so they may receiue it in, by the other, Zach. 12.10. Vnto this doctrine of the Apostle, in this place, euen those, that otherwise haue no care of grace, doe sub∣scribe, when they confesse them∣selues to be destitute of the good things of this life, and therefore cry. Quis ostendit nobis bona? Psa. 4.

As before the Apostle shewed

that God is not the cause of any euill; so in this verse he teacheth, there no good thing, but God is the author of it; If he be the foun∣taine of euery good thing, then he cannot be the cause of euill; for no one fountaine doth out of the same hole, yeeld sweete and bitter water. Iam. 3.11.

Secondly, if euery good thing be of God onely, then haue wee need to sue to him by prayer, that from him wee may receiue that, which we haue not of our selues. Wherefore as this Scripture serues to kindle in vs the loue of God, for as much as he containes all good things that we can desire; so it is a speciall meanes to pro∣uoke vs to the duty of prayer.

This proposition hath two parts: first, an Vniuersall affirma∣tiue in these words, Euery good gi∣uing: secondly a preuention, for

where it may bee obiected, that howsoeuer some good things come of God, yet euill things al∣so may successiuely come from him; euen as the heathens say, that Iupiter hath diuers boxes, out of which hee doth powre both good and euill. The Apostle pre∣uenteth that obiection, and saith, that with God there is no variable∣nes, nor shadow of changing: So that as the meaning of these words in the Prophet Hosea 13.9, Salus tua tant ummo do ex me, is both, that saluation is onely of God, and that nothing else but saluation com∣meth from him; so the Apostles meaning in these words is, both, that God is onely the cause of good, and that hee is the cause of nothing else but good, least when wee are tempted vnto euill, wee should make God the Author of all such temptations.

The former part of the propo∣sition called subiection, is, Euery good giuing, &c. The latter part, called praedicatum, is, descendeth from aboue.

Where the heathen call all ver∣tues and good qualities which they haue, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of hauing, the A∣postle calleth them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, of giuing, to teach vs that what∣soeuer good qualities is in any man, hee hath it not as a quality within himselfe, but he receiueth it from without, as it is a gift.

Esau, speaking of the blessings bestowed vpon him saith, I haue enough, Gen. 33. And the rich man Luk. 12. (anima) soule thou hast much good, as though they had not re∣ceiued them from God; but the Saints of God speake otherwise, Iacob saith, these are the children which God hath giuen me, Gen. 33.5. Againe, when Pilate without

all respect of God, of whom the Apostle saith, There is no power but of God, Rom. 13. said, Knowest thou not, that I haue power to cruci∣fie and to loose thee? our Sauiour said againe, Thou shouldest not haue any power ouer mee, except it were giuen thee from aboue. Ioh. 19.10.

The consideration hereof ser∣ueth to exclude our boasting, Rom. 3. That, the Wiseman boast not of his wisedome, Ier. 9. seeing wisedome, strength, and whatsoeuer good things we haue, it is the good gift of God, as the Apostle tels vs, Quid habes, quod non accepisti? 1. Cor. 4.

Secondly, this diuision is to be marked, that of the good things which come from God, some are called Donationes, others Dona: & to these two substantiues, are ad∣ded two adiectiues, whereof one doth answere to the giuings of

Gods goodnesse, the other to the gifts of God ascribeth perfection.

The first errour the Apostle wil∣leth them to beware, is, that they thinke not that God is the cause of any euill, because euery good thing commeth from him: the second errour is; that they should not conceiue this opiniō, that the maine benefites are from God, and the lesser benefites are from our selues; not so, for the Apostle tels vs, that as well, euery good giuing, as euery perfect gift, is from aboue.

That which the Apostle cals Donatio, is a transitory thing: but by gift, he meaneth that which is permanent and lasting.

Ioseph is recorded to haue gi∣uen to his brethren, not onely corne, but victuals to spend by the way, Gen. 45.21. So by giuing, the Apostle here vnderstandeth such things as wee neede in this life,

while we trauell towards our hea∣uenly country, but that which he calleth gifts, are the treasures which are laid vp for vs in the life to come; and thus the words are vsed in these seuerall senses.

Of things transitory the Apo∣stle saith, No Church delt with me in the matter of giuing. Phil. 4.15. there the word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but spea∣king of the good thinges that comes to vs by Christ, hee saith: The gift is not as the fault. Rom. 5.16. where the word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

By Giuings hee vnderstandeth, beauty, strength, riches, and eue∣ry transitory thing whereof wee stand in need, while we are yet in our iourney towards our heauen∣ly country, such as Iob speakes of, Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit. Iob. 1.21. By gift he meaneth the felicity that is reserued for vs after this life, the kingdome of heauen,

that whereof our Sauiour saith, to Martha: Luk. 10. Mary hath cho∣sen the better part, which shal not be taken from her.

That which is a stay to vs in this life, is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but the things which neither eye hath seene, nor eare heard, all which are reserued for them that loue God, 1. Cor. 2. these are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and as well the one, as the other, come from God. So much wee are taught by the adie∣ctiues that are ioyned to these words. Giuings are called good, and the Gifts of God are called perfit, In which words the Apo∣stles purpose is to teach vs, that not onely the great benefites of the life to come, such as are per∣fite, are of him; but that euen that good which wee haue in this life, though it bee yet imperfite, and may bee made better, is receiued from him, and not else where, Who

doth despise little things? saith the Prophet. Zach. 4••10.

God is the Author both of per∣fite and good things: as the Image of the Prince is to be seene as wel in a small peece of coine, as in a peece of greater value; so we are to consider the goodnes of God as well in the things of this life, as in the graces that concerne the life to come, yea euen in this; To thinke that which is good, 2. Cor. 3.

Of him are the small things, as well as the great. Therefore our Sauiour teacheth vs to pray, not onely for that perfite gift: vt adue∣niat Regnum, but euen for these lesser good things, which are but his giuings, namely, that he would giue vs our daily bread.

Vnder Good, is contained all gifts, both naturall, or temporall. Those giuings which are naturall,

as to liue, to moue, and haue vn∣derstanding, are good, for of thē it is said, God saw all that hee made, and lo all was good. Gen. 1.

Of gifts temporall, the heathen haue doubted, whether they were good, to wit, riches, honour, &c. but the Christians are resolued that they are good, 1. Ioh. 3. So our Sauiour teacheth vs to esteeme them, when speaking of fish, and bread, hee saith. If you, which are euill, can giue your chil∣dren good things, Luk. 1 1. And the Apostle saith. Hee that hath this worlds good.. 1. Ioh. 3. For as Au∣gustine saith, That is not onely good, quod facit bonum, sed de quo fit bonum, that is not onely good that makes good, but whereof is made good, so albeit riches doe not make a man good alwaies; yet because hee may do good with them, they are good.

The gift which the Apostle cals perfite, is grace and glory, whereof there is in this life the beginning of perfection, the o∣ther in the life to come, is the end and constancy of our perfection, whereof the Prophet speakes, Psa. 84.12. The Lord will giue grace and glory.

The Apostle saith, Nihil perfe∣ctum adduxit Lex. The Law brought nothing to perfection. Heb. 7. that is by reason of the imperfection of our nature, and ••he weaknes of our flesh. Rom. 8.3.

To supply the defect that is in nature, grace is added, that grace might make that perfite which is imperfite.

The person that giu••th vs this grace is Iesus Christ, by whom grace and truth came. Ioh. 1. And therefore he saith, Estote perfecti sicut Pater vester coelestis perfectus

est. Math. 5. and by this grace not onely our sinnes are taken away, but our soules are endued with inherent vertues, & receiue grace and ability from God, to proceed from one degree of perfection to an other, all our life time, euen till the time of our death, which is the beginning and accomplishment of our perfection, as our Sauiour speakes of his death. Luk, 13.32.

In the latter part of the propo∣sition we are to consider the place, from whence, & the person from whom we receiue these gifts, the one is supernè the other, a Patr•• luminum, Now hee instructeth vs to beware of a third errour, that we looke not either on the right hand, or on the left hand, that we regard not the persons of great men, which are but instruments of God, if wee haue any good from them, all the good wee haue it is

de sursum, the thoughts of our hearts that arise in them, if they tend to good, are not of our selues, but infused into vs by the diuine power of Gods spirit, and so is whatsoeuer good thought, word, or worke, proceeding from vs. This is one of the first parts of diuinity, Iohn Baptist taught; a man can receiue nothing, except it bee gi∣uen him from aboue, Ioh. 3.27. This was the cause of Christs ascending into heauen, Psal. 68. Hee went vp on high, and, dedit dona hominibus. and the Euangelist saith, the holy Ghost (which is the most perfit gift that can come to men) was not yet giuen, because Christ was not yet ascended. Ioh. 7.39. Therefore if wee possesse any blessing, or re∣ceiue any benefite, wee must not looke to earthly meanes, but to heauen.

The thing, which is here men∣tioned

excludeth the fourth er∣rour: we thinke that things come to vs by fortune, or customably: he saies not, that good things fall downe from aboue, but they de∣scend, & qui descendit, proposito de∣scendit. Our instruction from hence is, that they descend from a cause intelligent, euen from God himselfe, who in his counsell and prouision bestoweth his blessings as seemeth best to himselfe: for as the heathen man speakes, God hath, sinum facilem, but not penso∣ratum, that is a lappe, easy to re∣ceiue and yeeld, but not bored through, to let things fal through without discretion.

When the Prophet saith, Tu ape∣ris manum. Psal. 145.15. He doth not say that God lets his blessings droppe out of his fingers. Christ when hee promised to his Disci∣ples to send the Comforter, saith

Ego mittam eum ad vos. Ioh. 16.7. Whereby hee giueth them to vnderstand that it is not by casual∣ty, or chance, that the holy Ghost shall come vpon them, but by the deliberate counsell of God; so the Apostle speakes, of his owne will begat hee vs, by the word of truth.

The person from whom, is the father of lights. The heathens found this to bee true, that all good things come from aboue, but they thought that the lights in heauen are the causes of all good things, therefore is it that they worship the Sunne, Moone, and Starres. Iames saith. Be not de∣ceiued, all good things come not from the lights, but from the Father of lights. The naturall lights were made, in ministerium cunctis gen∣tibus, Deut. 4. and the Angels, that are the intellectuall lights, are ap∣pointed

to do seruice vnto the E∣lect. Heb. 1.13.

It is the Father of lights, that giueth vs all good things; there∣fore he onely is to be worshipped, and not the lights, which he hath made to our vse.

God is called the Father of lights, first in opposition to the lights themselues, to teach vs, that the lights are not the causes of good things, but hee that said, fiat lux, Gen. 1. Secondly in re∣gard of the emanation, whether we respect the Sunne beames cal∣led radij, shining in at a little hole, or the great beame of the Sunne, called Iubar, he is author of both, and so is the cause of all the light of vnderstanding, whether it bee in small, or great measure: Third∣ly, to shew the nature of God: no∣thing hath so great aliance with God, as light, The light maketh all

things manifest. Ephe. 5. and the wicked hate the light, because there workes are euill. Ioh. 3. But God is the Father of lights, because as out of light commeth nothing but light, so God is the cause of that which is good. Prou. 13.

Againe, light is the cause of goodnesse, to those things that are good of themselues; It is a pleasant thing to behold the light. Eccle. 11. On the other side; how∣soeuer good things are in them∣selues, yet they affoord small pleasure, or delight, to him that is shut vp in a darke dungeon, where he is depriued of the benefite of light. So God is the Father of lights, for that not only all things haue there goodnesse from him, but because he makes them good also.

Light is the first good thing that God created for man, fiat lux,

Gen. 1. But God is the Father of lights, to shew that he is the first cause of any good thing, that can come to vs.

Againe, because he is that one∣ly cause of the visible light, which at the first hee created, and also of that spirituall light, whereby he shineth into our hearts, by the light of the Gospell. 2. Cor. 4. The Apostle saith of the whole Trinity, Deus lux est. 1. Ioh. 1.5. More particularly Christ saith of himselfe, Ego sum lux mundi. Ioh. 8.

The holy Ghost is called light, where he is represented by the fie∣ry tongues, Act. 2.3. The Angels are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Heb. 1.7. Dauid also, as a ciuill Magistrate, was called, the light of Israel 2. Sam. 21.17. Ecclesiasticall Ministers are cal∣led light. Vos estis lux mundi. Mat. 5. and not onely they, but the peo∣ple

that are of good conuersati∣on are said to shine, tanquam lumi∣naria in mundo. Phil. 2. All these lights haue there beeing from God, and for this cause he is wor∣thily called, lux mundi, and the fa∣ther of lights; againe, this name is opposed vnto darknesse, God is light, & in him there is no darknes, 1. Ioh. 5.5. Therefore the igno∣rance of our mindes is not to be imputed vnto him. He is the light that lightneth euery one. Ioh. 1.9. and cannot bee comprehended of darknesse: Therefore it is not long of him, that wee, through igno∣rance, are said to sit in darknesse, and in the shadow of death, this comes of the diuell, the Prince of darknesse, who blindeth mens eyes. 2. Cor. 4. God is the Father of lights.

Secondly, he is so called to di∣stinguish him from heate.

The lights which we make for these priuate vses, doe not onely giue light, but heat also; but God giueth light without heat, where∣fore such as are of a fiery spirit, as the Disciples that said, Shall wee command that fire come downe from heauen, and consumne them? are not like God. Christ is called the day-starre, not the dog-starre. 2. Pet. 1. God is said to haue walked in the coole of the day, not in the heat of the day, Gen. 3.8. When God would speake to Eliah, he shewed himselfe neither in the strong wind, nor in earth-quake, nor in fire, but in a small still voyce. 1. Reg. 19.12. To teach men, that, if they will bee like God, they must bee of a meeke and quiet spirit. Hee is said to dwell in the light. 1. Tim. 6. not that he is of a hot fiery nature, as our lights are, but because hee gi∣ueth vs the light of knowledge.

In respect of the number, he is not called the Father of one light, but Pater luminum. It was an imperfection in Iacob, that hee had but one blessing, Gen. 27. God is not the cause of some one good thing, but as ther•• are diuers starres, and one starre diffe∣reth from another in glory. 1. Cor. 15. so as wee receiue many good things, and of them some are greater then others, so they all come from God, who is the Au∣thor and fountaine of them all.

Our manifold imprefections are noted by the word tenebrae, which is a word of the plurall number, and in regard therof it is needfull, that God, in whom wee haue perfection, shall not bee pa∣ter luminis, but pater luminum. Our miseries are many, therefore that hee may deliuer vs quite out of miseries, there is with the

Lord Copiosa redemptio. Psal. 130. The sinnes which wee commit against God are many; therfore he is the Father, not of one mercy, but pater miserecordiarum, 2. Cor. 1. The Apostle Peter tels vs, that the mercy of God is multiformis gratia. 1. Pet. 4. So that whether we commit small sinnes or great, we may be bold to call vpon God for mercy, According to the mul∣titude of thy mercies, haue mercy vp∣on mee, Psal. 51. For as our sinnes do abound, so the mercy of God, whereby hee pardoneth and is in∣clined to pardon vs, is exube∣rans gratia, Rom. 5.

The darkenesse that wee are sub∣iect to is manifold, there is darke∣nesse inward, not onely in the vnderstanding, Ephe. 4. where the Gentiles are said to haue their co∣gitations darkned, but in the heart, whereof the Apostle speaketh,

Hee that hateth his brother, is in darknesse. 1. Ioh. 2.

There is the darknesse of tribu∣lation and affliction, whereof the Prophet speaketh. Thou shalt make my darknesse to be light. Psal. 18. and the misery which the wic∣ked suffer in the world to come, which our Sauiour calleth, vtter darknesse, Math. 22. God doth helpe vs, and giue vs light in all these darknesses, and therefore is called the Father of lights.

As the Sunne giueth light to the body, so God hath prouided light for the soule, and that is first the light of nature, which tea∣cheth vs, that this is a iust thing, ne alij facias quod tibi fieri non vis•• from this light wee haue this knowledge, that we are not of our selues, but of another, and of this light the Wiseman saith. The soule of man is the candle of the

Lord. Prou. 20.27. They that resist this light of nature are called, re∣belles Lumini. Iob. 24. with this light euery one that commeth into this world is inlightned. Iohn 1.9. Howbeit this light hath caught a fall, as Mephibosheth did, and thereupon it halteth, notwith∣standing, because it is of the bloud royall, it is worthy to bee made of.

Next, God kindleth a light of grace by his word, which is, lux pedibus, Psal. 119. and lux oculis, Psal. 19. and that wee may bee ca∣pable of this outward light, hee lightneth vs with his spirit, be∣cause the light of the law shined but darkely; therefore hee hath called vs into the light of his Gos∣pell, which is his meruailous light, 1. Pet. 2.

Hee lighteth the outward dark∣nesse of affliction, by ministring

comfort, there springeth vp light for the righteous, and ioyfull gladnes for such as are true of heart. Psal. 97.11. In the multitude of my sor∣rowes, thy comforts haue refreshed my soule. Psal. 94. Hee giueth vs euerlasting consolation, and good hope through grace. 2. Thess•• 2. And that wee should not bee cast into vtter darkenesse, he hath made vs, meete to bee partakers of the inhe∣ritance of the Saints in light, yea he hath deliuered vs from the power of darknesse, and hath translated vs in∣to the kingdome of his beeloued son. Col. 1.12.

Of these things it followeth: first, if all good things be gifts, we may not boast of them; if they come from God, wee may not for∣get him, from whom wee receiue them.

Secondly, because Gifts are rather Commendata, quam data, because

there is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Phillip. 4. Seeing God will come, and take account of the Talents. Math. 25. Wee must neither wast-ful••y mis∣pend them, Luk. 16. nor haue them without profite. Math. 25. Vt crescit donū sic crescat ratio donati.

Thirdly, seeing they come from aboue, wee must not bee like blind moles, nor as swyne grouelling vpon the earth, which eate the accornes that fall from the tree, and neuer looke vp, but it may teach vs to looke vp; Sur∣sum cor, qui habes sursum caput.

Fourthly, seeing God is Pa∣ter Luminum, wee must walke as Children of light. 1. Thess. 4. For we are not darkenesse, but light. Ephe. 5.

Fiftly, seeing God hath di∣uers good things in his hand to giue, wee must desire to receiue them from him by prayer.