affirming that Ambrose so said,i that he might not be thought presumptuously to put confidence in his course of life and carriage, though never so pure. So Augustine likewise himself to his adversaries;k For my reputation among men, I have witnesses great store, that have known me, to testify for me: but in the sight of God my Conscience alone can speak for me; which albeit I bear fearless against your false accusations, yet dare I not justify my self before the eyes of the Almighty, but expect rather a largess of mercy flowing from him, than a strict judicial trial. And Bernard of himself;l Let others plead their merits, and boast and brag that mthey have borne and endured the heat and the burden of the day: but nit is good for me to cleave to God, and to put my trust in him. And when he was even at deaths door, writing to some of his friends;o Pray ye my Saviour not to delay now my timely departure, but to keep and protect me in it. Be careful by your prayers to fence mine heel being bare of Merits it self. pWhere Saint Bernard, saith Bellarmine, howsoever out of the Conscience of his good life he desired to have his death no longer delayed, yet was so far from trusting in his Merits, that he made account he had none. And again,q when he was even now (as it were) at the last gasp;r I confess, saith he, that I am not worthy of, nor can by mine own merits obtain the Kingdom of Heaven: But my Lord Jesus Christ, who holdeth it by a double right, the Inheritance of his Father, and the merit of his Passion, contenting himself with the one, bestoweth on me the other. This then hath been, by our adversaries their own confession, the ordinary practice of Gods People, even the greatest, the godliest, the worthiest of them. And can we imagine but that their Faith and their Doctrine then at other times was correspondent thereunto? No undoubtedly. Thus they did, and thus they died themselves: and thus taught they their people to do, and to die. Yea thus were our Ancestors here in England above five hundred years agone taught to prepare themselves for death, by Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury, who then lived. Among other Questions he willeth that this be demanded of the sick man that lieth a dying;* Dost thou believe and hope to be saved, or to come to life eternal, not by thine own merits, but by Christs?
affirming that Ambrose so said,i that he might not be thought presumptuously to put confidence in his course of life and carriage, though never so pure. So Augustine likewise himselfe to his adversaries;k For my reputation among men, I have witnesses great store, that have knowne me, to testifie for me: but in the sight of God my Conscience alone can speake for me; which albeit I beare fearlesse against your false accusations, yet dare I not justifie my selfe before the eyes of the Almightie, but expect rather a largesse of mercy flowing from him, than a strict judiciall triall. And Bernard of himselfe;l Let others plead their merits, and boast and brag that mthey have borne and endured the heat and the burden of the day: but nit is good for mee to cleave to God, and to put my trust in him. And when hee was even at deaths doore, writing to some of his friends;o Pray ye my Saviour not to delay now my timely departure, but to keepe and protect me in it. Be carefull by your prayers to fence mine heele being bare of Merits it selfe. pWhere Saint Bernard, saith Bellarmine, howsoever out of the Conscience of his good life he desired to have his death no longer delaied, yet was so farre from trusting in his Merits, that he made account he had none. And againe,q when hee was even now (as it were) at the last gaspe;r I confesse, saith he, that I am not worthy of, nor can by mine owne merits obtaine the Kingdome of Heaven: But my Lord Iesus Christ, who holdeth it by a double right, the Inheritance of his Father, and the merit of his Passion, contenting himselfe with the one, bestoweth on me the other. This then hath beene, by our adversaries their owne confession, the ordinary practice of Gods People, even the greatest, the godliest, the worthiest of them. And can we imagine but that their Faith and their Doctrine then at other times was correspondent thereunto? No undoubtedly. Thus they did, and thus they died themselves: and thus taught they their people to doe, and to die. Yea thus were our Ancestors here in England above five hundred yeers agone taught to prepare themselves for death, by Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury, who then lived. Among other Questions he willeth that this bee demanded of the sicke man that lieth a dying;
- iNe crederetur praesidens de suis purgatissimis moribus praesumere, Possidon. in vit. August.
- kAd existimationem hominum magna testium, qui me noverunt, suppetit copia: ad Dei verò conspectum sola conscientia; quam contra vestras criminationes cum intrepidam geram, non me tamen sub oculis omnipotentis justificare audeo; magisque ab illo effluentem misericordiae largitatom, quam judicis summum •xamèn expecto, Aug. contra Crescon. l. 3. c. 80.
- lPraetendat alter meritum; sustinere see jactet pondus dici & aestus. Mihi adhaerere Deo bonum est, ponere in Domino Deo spem meum. Bern. in Psal. 90. Serm. 9.Praetendat alter meritum; sustinere se jactet pondus dici & aestus. Mihi adhaerere Deo bonum est, ponere in Domino Deo spem meum. Bern. in Psal. 90. Serm. 9.
- mMatth. 20.12.
- nPsal. 73.28.
- oOrate Salvatorem, ut tempestivum jam exitum non differat, sed custodiat. Curate inunire vobis calcaneum nudum meritis, Bern. epist. 310.
- pUbi B. Bern. ex conscientia bonae vitae optat non differri diutiu• mortem. Et tamen adeò non confidebat in meritis, ut existimaret se nudum esse meritis. Bellar. de Justific. l. 5. c. 7.Vbi B. Bern. ex conscientia bonae vitae optat non differri diutiu• mortem. Et tamen adeò non confidebat in meritis, ut existimaret se nudum esse meritis. Bellar. de Iustific. l. 5. c. 7.
- qCum extremum jam trahere spiritum videretur. Gulielm. in vit. Bern. l. 1. c. 13.
- rFateor, non sum dignus ego, nec possum propriis meritis regnum obtinere coelorum. Caeterum Dominus meus duplici jure illad possidens, haereditate Patris & merito passionis, altero ipse contentus, ulcerum mihi donat. Bern. ibid.
