gouernour of Iurie when S. Paul began to talke of iustice chastitie and gods iudgmentes before hym he was wonderfullie a feard and said to Paul that he should departe for that tyme and that he vvould call for hym againe aftervvard vvhen occasion should require But he neuer dyd and what was the cause For that as Iosephus testifieth he was a wicked man Drusilla his fayre ladie that was with hym at S. Pauls speeche was not his true wife but taken by allurement and violence from an other and therfore it offended them both to heare preaching of chastitie This then is one principall cause whie men of this world will not enter into consideration of their owne estate and of gods cōmandementes least they should reade and see their owne faultes beare witnesse against thē selues of their owne condemnation Wherunto the scripture annexeth an other cause not far vnlike to this which is that worldlie men doe so dro vne them selues in the cares and cogitations of this life as they leaue in their mindes no place to thinke vpon gods affaires which are the busynes of their owne soules This expresseth Ieremie the prophet most effectuallie when hauing made his complaint that not withstānding his preaching and crying in the temple-gate for long tyme together where all the people passed by hym and heard hym yet no man sayeth he would enter into consideration or say with hym self vvhat haue I donne wherof he addeth presentlie the cause and reason omnes enim conuersi sunt ad cursum suum quasi equus impetu vedens ad praelium All men are sett vpon their owne courses and wayes and doe runne in the same with as great vehemēcie and fearse obstination as a furious armed horse whē he heareth the trompett in the beginning of a battaile By which cōparison the holie ghost expresseth verie lyuelie the irrecouerable state of a setled worldlie man that followeth greedilie his owne designmentes in the negotiation of earth Thes are two of the chyefe causes of inconsideration I meane wilful malice and obstinate occupation in the vanities of this life And yet mētioneth the scripture a third sorte also of inconsiderate men who nether of direct malice nor yet of greate occupatiō in worldlie affaires doe neglect consideration but rather of a certaine lightenesse and idle negligēce for that they will not trouble their heades with any thing but disporte and recreation of whom it is written aestimauerūt lusum esse vitā nostra They esteeme this life of ours to be but a plai-game And in an other place of the same mē ita securi viuunt quasi iustorum facta habeant They lyue as securelie and considentlie without care or cogitation as if they had the good workes of iust men to stand for them But as the holie Ghost pronoūceth in the same place hoc vanissimum this is vanitie and folie in the highest degree For as in thinges of this life he were but a foolish marchant that for quietnes sake would neuer looke into his accōptbookes whether he were behind hand or before and as that ship-master were greatelie to be laughed at that for auoiding of care would sett downe and make good cheere let the shippe goe whether she would so much more in the busines of our soule is it madnesse and follie to flye consideratiō for eschuyng of trouble seing in th ende this negligence must needes turne vppō vs much more trouble and irremediable calamitie For as Ieremie sayeth to all such men in nouissimo dicrum intelligetis ca in the ende of your dayes you shall not chuse but know see and vnderstand thes thinges which now for delicacie you will not take the paines to thinke of But when shall this be trow you he telleth plainlie in the same place vvhen the furie of our lord shall come foorth as a vvhirle vvinde and shall rushe and rest vppon your heades as a tempest then shall you know and vnderstand thes thinges It seemeth that the Babylonians were a people verie faultie in this pointe of cōsideration as all wealthie people are not only by that which before hath bene touched of the daughter of Babylon that would not consider her endinge dayes but also for that not long before the most terrible destruction of that greate Citie by the Medes and Persiās God cried vnto her in thes wordes My deerlie beloued Babylō put aside the table and stand vppon thy watch rise vp you princes from eating and drinking take your targetes in your handes goe and set a watcheman vppon the walles and what so euer he seeth let hym tell you And then was there a watcheman sett vppon the wales and a Lyō to denounce with open mouth what soeuer danger he saw comming towardes them And God taught the people to crie in this sorte to their sentinel or watchman Custos quid de nocte custos quid de nocte Thow watcheman what seest thou coming towardes vs by night what espyest thou ò sentinel drawing on vs in the darkenesse By all which circūstance what els is insinuated but that god would haue vs stād vppon our watch for that his iudgementes are to come vppon the world by night when men least thinke therof they are to come as a theese at mid-night as also in an other place we are admonished and therfore happie is the man that shal be founde watcheful But now the dore and sole entrance into this watch wherof the securitie of our eternal life depēdeth can be nothing els but consideration For that where no cōsideratiō is there can be no watch nor fore-sight nor knowledge of our estate consequentlie no hope of saluation as holie S. Bernard holdeth which thing caused that blessed man to wryte fyne whole bookes of consideration to Eugenius Consideration is the thing which bringeth vs to know both god and our selues And touching god it layeth before vs his Maiestie his mercie his iudgementes his commandemēts his promisses his threatninges his proceeding with other men before vs wherby we may gather what we also in tyme must expect at this hādes And for our selues consideration is the keye that openeth the dore to the closet of our hart where all our bookes of accompt doe lye it is the looking glasse or rather the verie eye of our soule wherby she taketh the vew of her self and looketh into all her whole estate Into her riches her debtes her dueties her negligēces her good guiftes her defectes her saftie her dāger her way she walketh in her course she followeth her pace she holdeth and finallie the place and ende wherto she draweth And without this consideratiō she runneth on hedlong into a thousand brakes and bryars stumbling at euerie steppe into some one inconuenience or other and continuallie in perill of some great and deadlie mischiefe And wonderful trulie it is that in all other busines of this
Iesus vpon his enemies adding further more that since the time of Constantine whiles Emperours haue bene Christians few or no such examples can be shewed except it be vpon Iulian th' Apostata Valens the Arrian heretique or some other of like detestable and notorious wickednes And thus much of particuler men chastised by Iesus But if we desire to haue a full example of his iustice vpon a whole Nation together let vs consider what befell Hierusalem and the people of Iurie for their barbarous crueltie practised vpon him in his death and Passion And trulie if we beleeue Iosephus and Philo the Iuishe historiographers who liued either with Christ or immediatelie after him It can hardlie be expressed by the tongue or penne of maÌ„ what insufterable calamities and miseries were inflicted to that people presentelie vpon th' Ascension of Iesus by Pilat their gouernour vnder Tyberius th' Emperour and then againe by Petronius vnder Caligula and after that by Cumanus vnder Claudius and lastlie by Festus Albinus vnder Nero. Through whos cruelties that nation was enforced finallie to rebell and take armes against the Roman Empire which was the cause of their vtter ruine and extirpation by Titus and Vespasian At what time besides the ouerthrowe of their Citie burniÌ„g of their Temple and other infinite distresses which Iosephê° an eye-witnes protesteth that no speech or discourse humane can declare the same authour recordeth eleueÌ„ hundreth thousand persons to haue bene slaine and foure skore and seuentiene thousand takeÌ„ aliue who were either put to death afterward iÌ„ publique triumphes or solde openly for bondslaues into all partes of the world And in this vniuersal calamitie of the Iuishe Nation being the most notorious and grieuous that euer happened to Nation or people before or after them for the Romanes neuer practised the like vpoÌ„ others it is singulerly to be obserued that in the same time and place in which they had put Iesus to death before that is in the feast of their Paschal wheÌ„ their whole NatioÌ„ was assembled at Hierusalem from al partes Prouinces Countries of the earth they receyued this their must pittiful subuersion and that by the handes of the Romane Caelar to whom by publique crie they had appealed froÌ„ Iesus but a litle before Yea further it is obserued noted that as they apprehended Iesus made th' eÌ„traÌ„ce to his passioÌ„ vpoÌ„ the mount Oliuet sp Titus as Iosephus writeth vpon the same mounte planted his first siege for their final destruction And as they ledde Iesus from Caiphas to Pilate afflicting him in their presence so now were themselues ledde vp and doune from Iohn to Simon two tyrantes that had vsurped dominion within the Citie and were scourged and tormented before their tribunal seates Againe as they had caused Iesus to be scoffed beaten and vilanously entreated by the souldiours in Pilates Palace so were now their owne priÌ„cipal rulers noble meÌ„ as Ioseph ' noteth most scornesully abused beaten and crucisied by the same souldiours Which later point of crucising or villanous putting to death vpoÌ„ the Crosse was begunne to be practised by the Romans vpon the Iuishe Gentrie immediatelie after Christes death and not before And now at this tyme of the warre Iosephus affirmeth that iÌ„ some one daie 500 of his nation were taken put to this opprobrious kinde of punishement in so much that for the greate multitude saith he Nec locus suffâ—eret Crucibus nec crucis corporibâ—â— that is nether the place was sufficient to containe so many Crosses as the Romans sett vp nor the Crosses sufficient to sustaine so many bodies as they murdered by that torment This dreadful and vnspeakeable miserie fell vpoÌ„ the Iewes about fortie yeares after Iesus Ascention when they had shewed them selues most obstinate and obdurate against his doctrine deliuered vnto them not only by him self but also by his Disciples of which disciples they had slaine now S. Stephen and S. Iames and had driuen into banishment both S. Peter and S. Paul and other that had preached vnto them To which later two Apostles I meane S. Peter S. Paul our Sauiour Iesus appeared a litle before their martirdomes in Rome as LactaÌ„tius writeth and shewed that within three or foure yeares after their deathes he was to take reuenge vpon their Nation by the vtter destruction of Ierusalem and of that generation Which secrete aduise the said Lactantius affirmeth that Peter and Paul reueyled to other Christians in Iurie wherby it came to passe as Eusebius also and other authours doe mention that al the Christians liuing in Ierusalem departed thence not long before the siege begaÌ„ne to a certaine towne named Pella beyond Iordan which was assigned vnto them for that purpose by Iesus himself for that it being in the dominion of Agrippa who stoode with the Romans it remained in peace and safetie while al Iurie besides was brought to desolation This then was the prouidence of God for the punishment of the Iewes at that time And euer after their estate declined from worse to worse and their miseries daily multiplied throughout the world Wherof he that wil see a ver lamentable narration let him read but the last booke only of Iosephus historie de Bello Judaico wherin is reported besides other thinges that after the warre was ended and al publique slaughter ceased Titus sent sixtieÌ„ thousand Iewes as a present to his father to Rome ther to be putt to death in diuers and sundrie maners Others he applied to be Spectacles for pastyme to the Romans that were present with him wherof Iosephus saieth that he sawe with his owne eyes two thousand fiue hundreth murdered and consumed in one day by fight and combat among them selues and with wilde beastes at the Emperours appointement Others were assigned in Antioche and other great Cities to serue for faggots in their famous bonefires at times of triumphe Others were solde to be bondslaues others coÌ„demned to digge shew stones for euer And this was the ende of that warre and desolation After this againe vnder Traiane th' Emperour ther were so infinite a number of Iewes slaine and made awaye by Marcus Turbo in Africa and Lucius Quintus in the East as al histories agree that it is impossible to expresse the multitude But yet more wonderful is it which the same historians doe reporte that in the 18. yeare of Adrian th' Emperour one Iullus Seuerus being sent to extinguishe all the remnant of the Iuishe generation destroied in smal time 980 Townes and villages within that countrie and slewe fiue hundreth and fowre skore thousand of that bloode and nation in one daye at which tyme also he beate downe the Citie of Hierusalem in such sorte as he lest not one stone standing vpon an other of their auncieÌ„t buildinges but caused some parte therof to be reedefied againe and inhabited by only Gentiles He chaÌ„ged the name of the Citie and
put to fight with diuers wild beastes by which he was greatly torne and tormented but not slaine And then after al this he was placed naked in a chaire of burning yron and ther examined of his faith And when the smoke and lothsome stinch of his flesh that broiled offended them that stoode about him he said vnto the people ò brethren this is in deed to denoure mans flesh wherof falsly you accuse vs. And finallie the storie addeth that after thes tormentours had ended their furie ī the slaughter of so many Christiās as it was a very horrour vnto them selues to behold their bodies and bones yet were they not so satisfied But first caused the said bodies to be watched in that place for the space of six daies together vntil they were putrified to the end that Christians should not steale them away and then also doubting least some of their reliques might be reserued if they should so abandone them they burnt al to ashes caste the same into the great riuer of Rhodanus that ronneth through the citie Thes were the combates gētle reader wherby almightie God in thos daies would proue and trie his trustie seruantes Heare now an other breefe description set doune by Dionisius bishope of Alexādria of the things that he and other Christians suffered ther in his citie not long after vnder Decius the Emperour He writeth the historie to the Bishop of Antioche and the same is recorded by Eusebius I speak before God saith he his diuine Maiestie knoweth that I speak the truth c. The persecution began here against vs before the Emperors edict came forth as it were by a certaine prophesie that shortely it would insue First they began with a certaine godly woman named Quinta whō they drew by the heels about the citie vpō the pauemēt whipped her naked and finally murdered her with stones After that they came in furie vnto al our houses drew vs forth that is euery man his neighbour according as either hatred moued him or couetousnes to haue his goodes For what so euer was pretious in our houses they tooke with them and the rest they flung out into the streets This indured for diuers monethes and many noble Martyrs died in this time as Appollonia Serapion and others albeit some that were not worthie of this conflict made shipwrake of their saluation At length was published the most horrible edict of Decius against vs and then might you see that dreadful sentence of our Sauiour fulfilled that the very elect if it vvere possible should be driuen to fal For first of al thos that were rich among vs or of any great calling wherof ther were many some of them preuented the Magistrates and offered them selues voluntarily as good subiectes to fulfil the Emperours commandement Others permitted them selues as vnwilling to be drawē by the Magistrates to adore their Gods others went as allured and constrained as it were by persuasiōs of their neighbours frendes and kinsfolkes others did it secretly in their owne houses at home others went with so euil a wil and with so ilfauored a countenance to sacrifice as they were laughed at by the enimies them selues for that they had neither corage to deny it nor yet hart to doe it Others wēt openly and impudently vnto it affirming that they had neuer bene Christians in their liues al which to behold made vs remember that saing of our Sauiour hovv hard it is for a riche man to be saued Many of the poore sort followed the example of riche men some fled some were taken and caried to prison and after diuers daies were induced to forswere Christ. Others came out and began to suffer tormentes but presently fainted and denied their faith But afterward ensued the glorious spectacle of the chosen martyrs wherof the first was old Iulian that could not moue by reason of the goute yet being set vpon a camel and whipped naked through out al the streetes of Alexandria which you know is very large was afterward burned aliue After him followed Cronion Macar Alexander Heron Dioscorus Ammon Zeno Ptolomaeus Ingenes Mercuria Dionysia and others And the said Dioscorus for that he was but yet a child after a certaine time was let goe by the president hoping that he might be corrupted But he is here with me very constant and most redy to sustaine a greater conflict when God shall cal him to it Thus wrot this blessed man of God adioining many things of his own examinations and sufferings which for breuitie sake I omit onely I may not let passe that rare zeale which he shewed amiddest al thes his afflictions against Schismatiques and Heretiques as may appeare by thos wordes of his which he writeth in an epistle to Nouatus when he by new inuentions began to trouble the Church of Rome The wordes are recorded by Eusebius are thes which ensue It should haue bene thy deuty O N ouatus saith he to haue suffered al inconueniences in the world rather then to haue broken the concord of Gods Church And truely that martyrdome which is suffered for the defence of the consent and vnitie of Christs Church is no lesse but rather much more commendable in mine opinion then that which is suffered for not sacrifising to Idoles For that in the later a man suffereth martyrdome for sauing his owne soule but in the former he suffereth for sauing the whole Church And thus far of Dyonisius At the very same time with this holy mā though somewhat yonger liued the famous Prelate and martyr of God S. Cyprian who as by his owne writings appeareth and is recorded by Pontius his Deacon that liued with him and by S. Hierom S. Augustine others that ensued him not onely made many martyrs in his time by his exhortations and by his exāple in suffering but also cōcluded his own life with a most famous martirdome susteined with al ala critie for his masters sake He wrote a whole worke in exhortation to martirdome and an other of the good that commeth to Christians by suffering and many epistles to the same effect purpose especially to such as were in prisons mines banishment and persecution in which writings of his he doth most deuinely set out the dignity of this thing And in the end whē his owne time drew nere to suffer in like maner for that th' Emperours edict was determined against Christians S. Cyprian being in banishment and hauing receaued newes therof by some that he had sent for that purpose to Rome aduertised one Successus a Bishop of the whole matter and by him the rest of the brethren in Africa in thes wordes Brother Successus know you that the men whom I sent to Rome are returned and doe bring for certain that Valerian the Emperour hath writen to the Senate that al bishops preestes and deacons be executed presently c. The copy of
of a Leuit God punished the whole tribe in this order as holy scripture recounteth He caused al the other eleuen tribes to rise against them first to come to the house of God in Silo to aske his aduise and to folow his direction in this warre against their brethren And thence hauing by Godes appointement ioined battaile twise with the tribe of Beniamin the third daie God gaue them so great a victorie as they slew al the liuing creatures within the compasse of that tribe except onelie six hundred men that escaped awaie into the desert the rest were slaine both man woman children and infantes together with al the beastes and cattel al the cities villages and howses burnt with fire And al this for one sinne committed onelie at one time with one woman And who then deare Christian brother wil not confesse with Moyses that God is a iust God a great God and a terrible God Who wil not confesse with S. Paul that it is horrible to fal into the handes of the liuing God Who wil not say with holy Dauid A Iudicijs tuis timui I haue feared at the remembrance of thy iudgementes If God would not spare the destroying of a whole tribe for one sinne onely if he would not perdon Chore Dathan and Abiron for once the sonnes of Aaron for once Ananias Saphira for once if he would not forgiue Esau though he demaunded it with teares as S. Paul saieth if he would not remit the punishment of one fault to Moyses Aaron albeit they asked it with great instance if he would not forgiue one proude cogitation vnto the Angels nor the eating of one apple vnto Adā without infinite punishment nor would passe ouer the cuppe of affliction from his own deare sonne though he required the same thrise vpō his verie knees with the sweate of blood and water in his presence what reason hast thou my brother to thike that he wil let passe so many sinnes of thine vnpunished what cause hast thou to induce thy imagination that he wil deale extraordinarilie with thee breake the course of his iustice for thy sake Art thou better then thos whom I haue named or hast thou any priuilege from his Maiestie aboue them If thou wouldest consider the great and strange effectes of his iustice which we see dailie executed in the world thou shouldest haue litle cause to persuade thy self so fauorablie or rather to flatter thy self so daungerously as thou doest We see that notwithstanding Godes mercie yea after the death and passion of Christ our Sauiour for sauing of the whole world yet so many infinite millions be damned daily by the iustice of almightie God so many insideles heathens Iewes and Turkes that remaine in the darknes of their owne ignorance and among Christīans so many heretiques and misbeleuers and among Catholiques so many euel liuers as Christ truely said that few were they which should be saued albeit his death was paid for al if by their own wickednes they made them selues not vnworthie therof And before the comming of our Sauiour much more we see that al the world went awrie to damnatió for many thousand yeres together excepting a few Iewes which were the people of God And yet among them also the greater part perhappes were not saued as may be cōiectured by the speeches of the prophetes from time to time and specially by the sayings of Christ to the harisees and other rulers therof Now then if God for the satisfying of his justice could let so many millions perish through their own sinnes as he doth also now daily permit without any preiudice or impechement to his infinit mercie why may not he also damne thee forthy sinnes notwithstanding his mercie seing thou doest not onely commit them without feare but also doest confidently persist in the same The 2. part of the chapter BVT HERE now perhappes some man may say if this be so that God is so seuere in punishment of euery sinne and that he damneth so many thousandes for one that he saueth how is it true that the mercies of God are aboue al his other vvorkes as holy scripture affirmeth and that it passeth and exalteth it self aboue his iudgement For if the number of the damned doe exceede so much the number of thos which are saued it seemeth that the worke of iustice doth passe the worke of mercie To which I answere that touching the smal number of them that are saued as also of th' infinit quantitie of such as are damned we may in no wise doute for that besides al other prophetes Christ our Sauiour hath made the matter certaine and out of question We haue to see therfore how notwithstāding al this the mercie of God doth exceede his other workes And first his mercie may be said to exceede for that al our saluation is of his mercie and our damnation from our selues only as from the first and principal causes therof according to the saying of God by the prophet Perditio tua Israel tantummodò in me auxilium tuum Thy perdition is onely from thy self ô Israel and thy assistance to doe good is onely from me So that as we must acknowledge Gods grace and mercie for th' author of euerie good thought and acte that we doe and consequently ascribe al our saluatiō vnto him so none of our euil actes for which we are damned doe proceede from him but onely from our selues and so he is no cause at al of our damnation and in this doth his mercie exceede his iustice Secondlie his mercie doth exceede in that he desireth al men to be saued as S. Paul teacheth and him self protesteth when he saieth I vvil not the death of a sinner but rather that he turne from his vvikednes and liue And againe by the prophet Ieremie he complaineth greeuouslie that men wil not accept of his mercie offered Turne from your vvicked vvaies saith he vvhy vvil ye die a you house of Israel By which appeareth that he offereth his mercie most willinglie and freelie to al but vseth his iustice onelie vpon necessitie as it were cōstrained therunto by our obstinate behauiour This our Sauiour Christ signifieth more plainlie when he saith to Ierusalem O Ierusalem which killest the prophetes and stonest them to death that are sent vnto thee how oftē wold I haue gathered thy children together as the henne clocketh her chickins vnderneth her winges but thou woldest not behold thy house for this cause shal be made desert and left without children Here you see thee mercie of God often offered vnto the Iewes but for that they refused it he was enforced in a certaine maner to pronounce this heauie sentence of destruction and desolatiō vpon them which he fulfilled within fortie or fiftie yeares after by the handes of Titus and Vespasian Emperours of Rome who vtterlie ouerthrewe the citie of Ierusalem and the whole nation
their last extremety shal cry for help and their crie shal be as sharp to pearse mēs eares as a sword is yet notwithstāding no mā shal heare thē And thou ô Lord which onely canst help them shalt be so farre of from hearing or pitying their case as thou shalt also laugh at their miserie and destruction By al which is signified the great calamitie of such as deferre their conuersion vnto the last day expressed by three circumstances in the former sentence alleaged For first he saith they vvil turne at the euening that is at the houre of death For as the euening is the end of the day and the beginning of night euen so is this time the end of light and the beginning of al darkenes vnto the wicked In which sense Christ said I must vvorke the vvorkes of him that sent me vvhiles the day lasteth for night vvil come on vvhen no man can vvorke more At this time then that is at this euening in this twy light betwene day and darkenes when the pleasant brightnes and heate of al sunne beames is past the brightnes I meane of honour of vainglorie and of worldlie pompe is consumed when the heat of concupiscence of carnal loue of delicate pleasures is quenshed when the beautiful sommer day of this life is ended and the boisterous winter night of death draweth on thē saieth the prophet wil the wicked man beginne of force to turne vnto God then wil he forsooth repent then wil he resolue him self and make his conuersion But what shal this be accepted You haue heard the prophets request to God Non miserearis doe not take mercie on them Not for that the prophet wisheth God to be vnmerciful but for that he wel knew Gods immutable iustice towardes such kinde of men Who 's miserie in this extremitie he expresseth further by saying they shal suffer hungar as dogges which is as if he should haue saied euen as dogges when they are hungrie are rauenous doe seeke by al meanes for meate be it neuer so homelie and wil refuse nothing that is offered but wil deuoure al thos things most gredilie which they contemned whiles their bellies were ful so thes men that would not heare of penance while they were in health wil now admit any thing and make strange of nothing Now I say when they can liue no longer wil they promise any paines what praiers you wil what fasting you please what almes deedes you can desire what austeritie soeuer you can imagine They wil promise it I say vpon conditiō they might now haue life againe vpon condition that the day might be prolonged vnto them albeit if almightie God should graunt them their request in this also as many times he doeth they would performe no one point therof but would be as careles as euer they were before yet for the present you shal see thē as hungrie as dogges saieth the prophet most redie to deuour any thing that may be deuised for their saluation And not contented with this the same prophet addeth yet a further clause of miserie And that is that they shal circuite or runne about the cilic euen as dogges doe when they are hungrie putting in their heades at eucry dore for releef though it be with great danger to be beaten out againe This expresseth an vnspeakable distresse and calamitie of wicked men at the last day when they shal circuite and runne about the whole citie of God both in heauen and earth to seeke help and shal finde none When they shal crie with sighes and grones as pearsing as a sword and yet shal not be heard For whether wil they turne them selues in this distresse vnto their worldly wealth power or riches alas they are gone and the scripture saieth riches shal not profit in the day of reuenge Wil they turne vnto their carnal frends But what comfort can they geue besides onely weeping and comfortles mourning Wil they aske helpe of the Saints in heauen to pray for them in this instant It is good surely so to doe but yet they can not chuse but remember what is writen The sainies shal reioise in glorie exultation shal be in their throtes and tvvo edged svvordes in their handes to take reuenge vpon nations and increpations vpon people to binde kings in fetters and noble men in manacles of iron to execute vpon them the prescript iudgement of God and this is the glorie of al bis saintes Their onely refuge thē must be vnto God who in deed is the onely sure refuge of al but yet in this case the prophet saieth here that he shal not heare them but rather contemne and laugh at their misery Not that he is contrarie to his promise of reccauing a finner at what time soeuer he repēteth and turneth from his sinne but for that this turning at the last day is not commonly true repentance and conuersion for the causes before rehearsed To conclude then this matter of delay what wise man is ther in the world who reading this wil not feare the deferring of his conuersion though it were but for one day Who doeth know whether this shal be the last day or no that euer God wil cal him God saith I called and you refused to come I held out my hand and you vvold not looke tovvardes me and therfore vvil I forsake you in your extremitie He doth not say how many times or how long he did cal and hold out his hand God saith I stand at the dore and knocke but he saith not how often he doth that or how many knockes he geueth Againe he said of wicked Iezabel the faigned prophetesse in the Apocalips I haue geuen her time to due penance and she vvold not and therfore shal she perish but he saieth not how long this time of repentance endured We read of wonderful examples herin HEROD the father had a cal geuen him and that a lowd one when Iohn baptist was sent vnto him and when his hart was so farre touched as he willingly heard him and folowed his counsaile in many thinges as one Euangelist noteth But yet because he deferred the matter and tooke not time when it was offered he was cast of againe and his last doings made worse then his former HEROD tetrarche the sonne had a cal also when he felt that desire to see Christ some miracle done by him but for that he answered not vnto the cal it did him no good but rather much hurt What a great knocke had PILATE geuen him at his hart if he had bene so fortunate as to haue opened the dore presently when he was made to vnderstand the innocencie of Christ as appeareth by washing his handes in testimonie therof and his wife also sent vnto him an admonition about the same No lesse knocke had king AGRIPPA at his dore when he cried out vpon the hearing of S. Paul O Paul thou
withstanding God saith as you see that the glorie of this second temple shal be much greater then the first by the comminge of Christ into the same Which thing Malachie the prophet that lyued at the same tyme when the second temple was in buildinge confirmeth yet more expresselie in thes wordes Beholde I send my Angel and he shal prepare the vvay before my face And straight after shal come to his temple the Lord or ruler vvhom you seeke and the MESSENGER OF THE TESTAMENT vvhome you desyre Beholde 〈◊〉 cometh cometh saith the Lord of hosles and vvho ca imagine the day of his comming or vvho can stande or abyde te see him for he shal be as a purging fire c. By all which is made euidēt that Christ must come and appeare in the seconde téple before it be destroyed as Iesus did and therfore he can not be new to come seing the laid temple was destroyed aboue 1500. year past by the Romas as hath bene said Which destruction and final desolation was prophetied by Daniel to ensue soone after the byrth and death of Christ in thes wordes After sixtie and tvvo heb 〈◊〉 Christ shal be slaine And a people vvith their Captaine to come shall destroye the Cittie and the Sanctuarie and th' ende therof shal be vastitie or spoile And after the vvarre ended there shall ensue th' appointed desolation Which prophetit to haue fallen out lytterallie about fortie yeares after Iesus was put to death when Ierusalem was destroyed and the temple ouerthrowen by Titus the storie of Iosephus the learned Iewe who was a Captaine against Titus in that warre doth manifestlie at large declare AND for that we haue made mention here of Daniels prpohetie concerning the particuler tyme of Christs comming and of his death which confirmeth the purpose we treate so perspicuouslie as nothing can be said more euident it shall not be amisse to examine the same before we passe anie further For better conceyuinge wherof it is to be vnderstood that this greeke worde Hebdomada signifying seuen doth sometyme importe a weeke of seuen dayes accordinge to our commó vse and then it is called in scripture Hebdomada dierum a weeke of dayes as Dan. 10. v. 2. where Daniel sayeth that he did mourne three weekes of dayes But at other tymes it signifieth the space of seué yeares and is called in Scripture Hebdomada annorum a weeke of yeares As in Leuiticus wher it is said Thou shalt number to theoseuen vveekes of years that is seuen tymes seuen vvhich make fortie and Nine years Now then it is certaine that Daniel in the prophetie before alleaged where he assigneth 62. weekes to the tyme of Christs death could not meane vveekes of dayes for that he appointeth onlie seuen weekes to the rebuilding of the cittie of Ierusalem of the Temple of the walles aboute which were not ended but in fortie and nyne yeares after as may be gathered by the bookes of Esdras which 49. weekes doe make iust seuen weekes of yeares And therfore it is certaine that such Hebdomades of yeares are meāt here by Daniel in all the prophetie First then when th' Angel came to cōfort hym and to open vnto hym secretes for the tyme to come he said thes words Marke my speech and vnderstand the vision The seuentie hebdomades or vveekes are shortened or hastened vpon thy people and vpon thie holie Cittie to th' end all preuarication and sinne may take an ende and iniquitie be blotted out euerlasting iustice be brought in place therof to th' ende that visions and propheties may be fulfilled and the HOLIE OF HOLIES may be annointed In which wordes it seemeth that the Angel did allude by naming seuentie vnto the seuētie yeares of captiuitie prophetied by Ieremie after which ended the people should be deliuered frō their tēporal bondage in Babylō And therfore Daniel now being ī that place perceauing the same time to be expired prayed to God with great instance to fulfill his promisse made by Ieremie Wherto th' Angel answered that it should be donne And as after the expiration of seuentie years God was now to deliuer them from the bodilie captiuitie of Babylon so was he also after seuentie hebdomades more to deliuer them from bondage of sinne and preuarication and that by th' annointed MESSIAS which is indeede the Holie of all Holies This I say may be the reason of naming seuentie hebdomades therby to allude to the number of the seuentie years of that Babylonical seruitude For that immediatelie after the Angel appointeth the whole exacte nūber to be three skore and nine hebdomades that is seuen to the building of the cittie and temple three skore and two from that to the death of Christ in thes wordes Knovv thou and marke that from the ende of this speech to the tyme that Ierusalem shal be builded and vnto Christ the Captaine there shal be hebdomades seuē and Hebdomades sixtie tvvo and the streetes and vvalles of Jerusalem shal be builded againe though vvith much difficultie of the tymes and after sixtie and tvvo Hebdomades Christ shal be slaine And the people that shal denie hym shal not be his c. And then vnto consummation and ende shal perseuer desolation Now then if we putt thes yeares together whiche are here mentioned by Daniel that is first the seuen Hebdomades which make fortie and nyne yeares and then the three skore and two from the restauratiō of Ierusalem which make fower hundred thirtie and fower more we shall fynde the whole number to be 483. yeares Which being begonne from the first yeare of Cyrus as some wil for that he first determined the Iewes reduction or from the second yeare of Darius as other will for that he confirmed and putt the same in execution or from the twēteth yeare of the said Darius for that then he made a new edicte in the fauour of Nehemias and sent hym into Iurie euerie waye they will ende in the reigne of Herod and of Augustus vnder whome Christ was borne or in the reigne of Tyberius Caesar vnder whome he suffered And by no interpretation in the world can it be auoided but that this tyme appointed by Daniel is now owt aboue a thousand fyue hūdred yeares past whyle yet the temple stoode and was not putt to desolation And therfore of necessitie Christ must be come about that tyme and neuer more hereafter to be looked for THE traditions and obseruations of th' old Iewes thē selues doe maruelouslie confirme this belief of ours for that they all did runne to this one pointe that aboute the tyme of Augustus his reigne wherin Iesus was borne the Messias should appeare It is often repeated in the Thalmud that one Elias left this traditiō that the worlde should endure six thousand yeares two thousand before the law of Moyses two thousand vnder the same law
skore witnesses at the leaste in whose presence he ascended from the toppe of the mount Oliuet after 40 dayes space which he had spent with them frō the tyme of his resurrection He alleageth also the appearing of two Angels among all the people for testimonie therof He nameth the day and place when wher it happened He recompteth the verie wordes that Iesus spake at his Ascension He telleth the maner how he ascended and how a cloude came downe and receiued hym into it He declareth what the multitude did whether they went and in what place they remained after their departure thence And finallie he setteth downe so manie particulers as it had bene th' easiest matter in the world for his enimies to haue refuted his narration if all had not bene true Neither was ther any to receyue more dōmage by the falsehood therof then hym self and thos of his profession if the matter had bene feigned Wherfore to conclude at length this treatise of the Birth Life Doctrine Actiōs Death Resurrection and Ascenciō of Iesus seing nothing hath happened in the same which was not fortolde by the prophets of God nor any thing forshewed by the same prophetes concerninge the Messias whiche was not fulfilled most exactly within the compase and course of Iesus abode vpon earth we may most certainly assure our selues that as God can neither foretell an vntruth nor yelde testimonie to the same so can it not bee but that thes things which we haue shewed to haue bene so manifestly fore-prophesied and so euidently accomplished must needs a-certaine vs that Iesus was the true Messias Whiche thing shal vet more particulerly appeare by that which ensewed by his power and vertue after his Ascention which shal be the argumēt of the section that foloweth Hovv Iesus proued his Deitie after his departure to heauen Sect. 3. AS BY THE DEEDES AND Actions of Iesus while he was vpon earth compared with the predictions of Gods prophetes from time to time he hath bene declared in the former sections to be the true Messias and Sauiour of the world so in this that now we take in hand shal the same be shewed by such thinges as ensued after his Ascention and departure from this world Wherin his power and Deitie appeared more manifestly if it may be then in other his workes which he wrought in this life In which kinde albeit I might treate of many and almost infinite branches yet for order and breuities sake I meane only to take in consideration thes fewe that ensue Wherin not only the power of Iesus but also his loue his care his prouidence and most perfect accomplishment of all his promisses and finallie the iustificatiō of all his speeches prophesies and doctrines vpon earth haue bene declared And to reduce what is to be said herein to some order and methode it is to be noted that in the first place shal be considered the sustentation protection encrease and continuation of Iesus litle Church and kingdome that him self first planted and left vpon earth The second consideration shal be of his Apostles and their actions The third of his Euangelistes The fourth of his witnesses Martyres throughout the worlde The fifte shal treate of the kingdome of infernal powers beaten doune by his vertue The sixt of the punishment and inst reuenge that lighted vpon his enimies who most impugned his diuine person in this world The seuenth last shall declare the fulfilling of all such propheties and predictions as proceeded from his diuine mouth while he was conuersant vpon earth NOVV THEN for the first it is to be considered that at Iesus departure out of this world from the Moūt Olieut S. Luke reporteth that al the multitude of his folowers which there had beheld his Ascention into heauen returned backe together into the Citie of Ierusalem and there remained in one house together cōtinuing in praier and expectatiō what should become of them The whole Citie was bent against them them selues were poore and simple people and diuers of them womē Lands or Reuenues they had not to mainteine them nor friends in Court to gyue them countenance against their enimies The name of Iesus was most odious and who soeuer did fauour him was accompted a Traitour ennemie to the state There wanted not perhaps among them who considering the great multitude would imagine with themselues what should become of them wher they should finde to maintaine sustaine them what should be the ende of that feeble congregation For abrode they durst not goe for feare of persecution continue long together they might not for want of necessaries Besides that euery houre they expected to be molested and drawē forth by Catchpoles Officiers And albeit in thes distresses the freshe memorie of Iesus and his sweet promisses made vnto them at his departure as also the delectable presence of his blessed mother and her often evhortations and encouragements vnto them did comfort them greately as wel may be supposed yet to him that by humane reason should ponder and weigh their present state and condition it could not chuse but seme hard and no waies durable But be hold vpō the sudaine when they had continued now ten daies together and might by al probabilitie finde them selues in very high degree of temporal distresses Iesus performed his promise of sending them a COMFORTER which was the Holy-Ghost By whos comming besides the internal ioye and incredible alacritie and exultation of minde they receyued also fortitude and audacitie to goe forth into the world They receyued the gift of tongues enabling them to conuerse and deale with al sortes of people They receyued wisdome and learning with most wonderfull illuminatiō in highest mysteries wherby to preach to teach and conuince their aduersaries They receyued the gift of prophetie to foretell thinges to come together with the power of Working Signes Miracles wherby the whole world remained astonished And for a taste or earnest-penie of that which should ensue concerning th' infinite encrease of that litle congregation they sawe three thousand of their aduersaries conuerted to them in one day by a sermon of S. Peter Which encrease went on so fast for the time that ensued that within fortie yeares after the Gentiles them selues cōfesse that the branches of this congregation were spread ouer al the world and beganne to put in feare the verie Emperours them selues Whereof not long after a man as learned as euer was any conuerted from paganisme to Christianitie beareth recorde in his defense to an Emperour and his officers who according to the nature of persecutours accōpted Christians for Traitours to his state and dignitie Which vulgar obiection this forsaid learned man refuteth in thes wordes If we were enemies to your estate you might well seeke new Cities Coūtries wherof to beare gouernment for that you should haue in your Empire more ennemies then Citizens We haue filled your Townes your
him self and the rest most euident to all the worlde as dōne in publique before infinite witnesses Neither is it possible they could be forged for that as in the like I haue noted before it had bene most easye to haue refelled them and therby to haue discredited the whole proceedings of Christian religion in thos first beginnings As for example if the miracle of Peters deliuery forth of the handes and prison of Herod Agrippa had any way bene to be touched with falsehood how many would ther haue bene of Herodes Officiers Courtiars seruantes or friends that for defence of their Princes honour so deeply tainted by this narratiō of S. Luke published not lōg after the thig was dōne how many I say would haue offred them selues to refuce and disgrace the writer therof hauing so pregnant meanes by publike recorde to doe the same So againe wheras the same Luke reporteth of his owne knowledge that in a Citie of Macedonie named Philippi S. Paul Silas after many miracles dōne were whipped and put in prison with a diligēt guarde in the lowest prison of al their feete locked fast in stockes of tymber and that at midnight when Paul and Silas beganne to pray the whole prison was shaken and all the dores throwen open as also the gyues not only of thos two but of al the other prisoners vpon a sudaine burst in sunder that therupon not only the Iayler cast him self at the feete of Paul but the Magistrates also who the daie before had caused them to be whipt came and asked them pardon and entreated them to depart from their Citie This storie I say if it had bene false ther needed no more for consutatiō therof but only to haue examined the whole Citie of Philippi which could haue testified the contrary And yet amongst so many aduersaries eager impugners of Christian religiō as Gods enemie stirred vp in the primatiue Church of all sortes and sectes of people no one euer appeared that durst attempt to take in hand the particuler improouing of thes or the like miracles but rather confessing the factes sought alwayes to discredite them by other sinister calumniations namely and commonlie that they were wrought by the deceits and sleights of art magike Thus said the Iewes of the miracles of Iesus and so said Iulian th' Apostata of the wonderful straunge thinges done by S. Peter and S. Paul affirming them to haue bene the most expert in Magike of any that euer liued and that Christ wrote a special booke of that profession and dedicated the same to Peter and Paul wher as notwithstanding it is most euident that Paul was a persecutour diuers yeares after Christ departed One Hierocles also wrote a booke wherin he feigneth Appolonius Tyanaeus to haue done the like miracles by Magicke which Christ and his Apostles did by diuine power And finally it is a general opinion that both Nero and Iulian gaue them selues so extremely to the studie of that vaine science as no men euer did the like vpon emulation onely of the miracles done in Rome by Peter and Paul when Nero liued and by other Saintes disciples in the time of Iulian. But what was the ende Plinie that was a Pagane writeth thus of Nero that as no man euer laboured more then he in that science so no man euer left a more certaine testimonie of the maruailous exceeding vanitie therof The like in effect writeth Zosimus of Iulian albeit him self a malitious heathen And if it were not writen yet their seueral extraordinarie calamities and most miserable deathes which by al their Magike they could not forsee doth sufficiently testifie the same vnto vs especially the last words of Iulian Vicisti Galilae vicisti Thou hast woune ô Galilaean thou hast gotten the victorie Acknowleging therby as well the truth of Christs miracles and of his folowers as also the vanitie follie and madnes of his owne endeuours Thus then went foreward Christs Apostles and preached him euery wher throughout the world Domino cooperate sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis that is as S. Marke affirmeth Our Lord Iesus working with them confirming their preaching by signes miracles In respect of which benigne assistance of Iesus in their actions S. Luke saieth further they dealt most confidently in our Lord his vvord of grace giuing testimonie to their doinges and shevving forth signes and most prodigious vvonders hy their handes No pers cution no terrour no threats of enemies no difficultie or daunger that might occurre could staie them from their course of setting foorth Christs name and glorie And they were so assured of the truth by the inward illuminations which they had and by this certaine testimonie of Gods fauour and assistance in doing miracles as one of thē writeth thus That vvhich vve haue eard vvhich vve haue sene vvith our eyes vvhich vve haue beheld vvhich our handes haue handled of the vvorde of lise that vve doe testesie and announce vnto you And an other who had bene a greeuous persecutour and was cōuerted without conference with any Christian in the world said of Iesus Christ that vvas dead and resen againe that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bulatiō nor distresse nor sainine nor beggarie nor dāger nor persecutiō nor dint of svvorde could daunt him from the seruice of 〈◊〉 a maister And in another place he saith that he esteemed all thing of this world wherin a man might glorie to be as 〈◊〉 dunge and detrimentes in respect of the eminent knowledge that is his worde of his Lord Iesus Christ. In which verie name he tooke so exceedig great delight as in a few Epistels which he left writē he is obserued to haue vsed this sentence Dominus noster Iesus Christus aboue two hundred tymes Neither endured this in thes Apostles for a time onlie but all their liues which as they spent with alacritie in the seruice of Iesus so inthe ende they gaue vp the same most cherefully to what soeuer death presented it self for cōformation sealing of their former doctrine neuerso ful of cōfidence courage and consolatiō as at that houre nor euer so boldly denouncing their Maister or talking so ioyfully of rewardes Crounes c Kigdomes as at the verie last instant and vpshot of their wordly combat This thé declareth most manifestly that the actions of thes men proceeded not of humane spirit nor could be perfourmed by the power of má But by the diuine force and supernatural assistance of their Lord and God whom they confessed AND THVS MVCHE in brauitie of Christs Apostles Ther ensue his Euangelistes that is such men as haue lefte vnto vs writen his birth life doctrine death Wherin is to be noted that lesus being God tooke a different way from the custome of man in deliuering vnto vs his lawes and preceptes For that men who haue bene law-makers vnto the worlde knew no surer way
schollers and auditours Papias Ignatius Policarpus al which agree of the foure Ghospels and other writinges left vnto vs in the newe Testament affirming S. Iohn to haue approued the same These men were maisters againe to Iustinus Martyr Irenaeus and other whose writinges remaine vnto vs. And if they did not yet their sayinges and iudgementes touching the Scriptures are recorded vnto vs by Eusebius and other fathers of the next age after and so from hand to hand vntil our dayes So that of this ther can be no more doubt then whether Rome Constantinople Hierusalem and other such renoumed Cities knowen to al the world at this day be the very same wherof Authours haue treated so much in auncient times AND THVS MVCHE of Christs Euangelistes for whose more credit and for confirmation of thinges by them recorded his diuine prouidence preordained that infinite witnesses whom we cal Martyrs should offer vp their blood in the primatiue Churche and after Wheras for no other doctrine profession or religion in the world the like was euer heard of albeit among the Iewes in the tyme of the Machabies and at some other tymes also when that nation for their sinnes were affâ—icted by Heathen Princes some fewe were tyrannized and iniuriouslie put to death yet commonly and for the most parte this was rather of barbarous furie in the Paganes for their resistaÌ„ce theÌ„ directly for hatred of Iuishe religioÌ„ And for the number ther is no doubt but that more Christians were putt to death within two monethes for their beliefe throughout the world then were of Iewes in two thouland yeares before Christs comming Which is vndoubtedly a matter verie wounderful considering that the Iuishe religion impugned no lesse the Pagan Idolatrie then doth the doctrine of the Christians But this came to passe that Christes wordes might be fulfilled who said I come not to bring peace but the svvorde And againe I sende you forth as sheepe among vvolues That is to saye to be torne and harried and your bloud to be deuoured In which extreme and most incredible sufferinges of Christians thre pointes are worthie of great consideration The first what infinite multitudes of al states conditions sexe qualities and age did suffer dailie fortestimonie of this truth The second What intollerable and vnacustomed tormentes not hard of in the worlde before were deuised by Tyrantes for afflicting this kinde of people The third what inuincible courage and vnspeakable alacritie the ChristiaÌ„s shewed in bearing oute these afflictions which the enimies theselues could not attribute but to some diuine power and supernatural assistance And for this later point of comfort in their sufferings I will alleage onlie this testmonie of TertuliaÌ„ against the GeÌ„tiles who obiected that wicked men suffered also as wel as Christians Wherto this learned Doctour made answere in these wordes Truth it is that many men are prone to yl and do suffer for the same but yet dare they not defend their euil to be good as ChristiaÌ„s doe their cause For that euery euil thig by nature doth bring with it either feare or shame therfor we see that malefactours albeit they loue euill yet would they not appeare so to the world but desire rather to lie in couert They tremble when they are taken and when they are accused they deny all and do scarse oftentimes coÌ„fesse their doings vpon torments And finally when they are condemned they lament mone and do impute their il fortune to destinie or to the planets But the Christian what doth he like to this Is their any man ashamed or doth any man ' repent him when he is taken except it be for that he was not taken rather If he be noted by the enemy for a Christian he glorieth in the same if he be accused he defendeth not him self if he be asked the question he confesseth it willingly if he be coÌ„demned he veldeth thankes What euil theÌ„ is ther in this Christian cause which lacketh the natural sequele of euil I meane feare shame tergiuersatioÌ„ repentance sorowe and deploration what euil I say can this be deemed whose guiltines is ioye whose accusation is desire whose punishment is happines Hitherto are the wordes of learned Tertulian who was an eye-witnes of that he wrote had no smal part in the cause of thos that suffred being him self in that place and state as daily he might expect to taste of the same affliction To which combat how redie he was may appeare by diuers places of this his Apologie wherin he vttereth besides his zeale feruour a most confident securitie and certaine assurance of Iesus assistance by that which he had sene performed to infinite other in their greatest distresses from the same Lord before So that nothing doth more a-certaine vs of the diuine power and omnipotencie of Iesus then the fortitude inuincible which aboue al humane reason force and nature he imparted to his Martyrs AFTER VVHICH consideration there coÌ„meth to be weighed the fifte point before mentioned which is of the same power and omnipoteÌ„cie of Iesus declared and exercised vpon the spirites insernal Which thing partely may appeare by the Oracles alleaged in the ende of the former section wherin thos spirites foretolde that an Hebrew Childe should be borne to the vtter subuersion and ruine of their TyraÌ„nical dominion And much more at large the same might be declared by other answers Oracles vttered after Christes natiuitie and registred in the monumentes euen of the heathens them selues Wherof he that desireth to see more ample mention especially out of Porphyrie who then was liuing let him read Eusebius sixte booke de preparatione Euangelica where he shal finde store and namely that Apollo many times exclamed Hei mihi congemiscite Hei mihi hei mihi Oraculorum defecit me claritas Woe vnto me lament yee with me woe vnto me woe vnto me for that the honour of Oracles hath now foresakeÌ„ me Which coÌ„plaintes and lamentations are nothinge els but a plaine confession that Iesus was he of whom a prophet said diuers ages before Attenuabit omnes Deos terrae he shal weare-out bring to beggarie al the Godes or Idols of the earth This confessed also the wicked spirites them selues when at Christs appearing iÌ„ Iurie they came vnto him at diuers times and besought him not to afflict or torment them nor command them presently to returne to hel but rather to permit them some litle time of entertainment in the sea or mountaines or amoÌ„g heardes of swine or the like Which confession they made in the sight of all the world and declared the same afterwardes by their factes and deedes For presently vpon Iesus death vpon the preaching of his name and Ghospel throughout the worlde the Oracles which before were aboundant in euery prouince and countrie were put to sileÌ„ce Wherof I might alleage the testimonies of verie many GeÌ„tiles them selues as that of Iuuenal
svveet and merciful is our Lord and his miserations aboue al the rest of his mast vvonderful vvorkes Who wil maruail if the same prophet made a vowe that his euerlastīg song should be of the mercies of this his Lord and maker But yet this thing is made much more apparant by that which his deuine Maiestie did afterwardes to the same people in the daies of Ieremie the prophet aboue an hundreth yeares after this treatie in the time of Esaie at what time God being resolued to destroie them and their citie for their obduration in their sinnes when the hower of execution drewe neare his bowels of mercie were so touched with commiseratiō towardes them as he called to Ieremie and commaunded him once againe to goe vp to the temple gate wher al the people did passe in and out and ther with a loude voice to crie as foloweth Heare yee the word of God ò al you of Iuda that doe passe in and out by thes gates thus sayeth the Lord of hostes the God of Israel yet doe you amend your waies and I wil dwel in this place with you c. And when this exhortation and blessed indeuour of almightie God could not moue or profit them any thing at al then his vnspeakable goodnes began with sharpe threates in this maner My furie and indignation is gathered together vpon this citie and vpon the inhabitantes and vpon the very beastes and cattel therof as also vpon the fruite and trees of this region The carcases of this people shal be foode to the birdes of the aire and to the beastes of the filde their enimies shal come cast forth of their sepulchers the bones of the kīges and princes of Iuda the bones of their priestes prophetes and inhabitantes and shal drie them at the sunne and cast them out vnto the dunghil After al which lōg and dreadful cōmination he altereth his speech presentelie againe and saith with a very lamentable and pitiful voice And vvil not he that is fallen notvvithstanding al this rise vp againe VVil not be that is departed from me returne vnto me againe O vvhy doth my people runne from me so obstinatelie By which louing complaint and infinite other meanes of mercie that God vsed to that people when no amendment at al could be procured his diuine Maiestie was inforced to cal Nabuchodonosor king of Babilon before the walles of Hierusalem to destroy it But euen now also consider the bowels of his vnspeakable mercie For hoping that by this terrour they might perchance be stirred vp to conuersion he sent Ieremie the prophet to them againe with this embassage tel the inhabitantes of Hierusalem vvil ye not yet receaue discipline and obey my vvordes Wherat thos graceles people were so litle moued as they tooke Ieremie and cast him into prison for his message and therby exasperated most grieuoulie Gods further indignation against them Notwithstanding al which his incomprehensible clemencie would not thus abandon them but commanded holie Ieremie to write out al his threates and promisses in a booke together and to send the same vnto them forth of the prison wher he lay by his seruant Baruch to be read in their hearing and so he did Wherof whē Ioacim the king had vnderstanding he commanded Baruch to be brought into his presence and ther to read the booke by the fier side as the Scripture noteth And whē he had heard but three or foure pages therof he cut them out with a penne knif and threwe the whole booke into the fier and so consumed it At which obstinat and impious dealing albeit almightie God were extremely offended yet cōmanded he this same booke to be indited and writen againe in much more ample maner then before therby if it had bene possible to haue stirred vp gained that people vnto him But when this by no means in the world could be brought to passe then permitted his diuine Maiestie the whole citie to be destroied according to his former threate and that rebellious people to be lead away captiue in bōdage to Babilon In which place and miserie notwithstanding their demerites his infinit mercie could not for sake them but sent his prophet Ezechiel as also Baruch vnto them with extreme complaint of their obduration and yet offring vnto thē mercie and pardon euen thē if they would repent And what more wonderful clemencie then this can possibly be imagined deare Christian brother May in reason any man euer now enter into doubt or despaire of Gods mercie how great and greeuous soeuer the burden of his sinnes be when he considereth this proceeding of his eternal Maiestie with the people of Israel for so many yeares and ages together whom him self calleth notwithstanding Gentem Apostatricem dura facie indomabili corde an apostatical nation of a shameles countenance and incorrigible disposition Can God deuise any more effectual and forcible means to erect animate a sinner confidently to returne vnto him then are thes And yet gentle reader for thy further confort and encouragement in this behalf I wil adioine one thing more which doth exceed and passe al reason and reache of humane imagination and this is that God promiseth to a sinner that faithfullie wil returne vnto him not only to forget and vtterly extinguishe al memorie of his former iniquities but also to make more ioy and triumphe at his conuersion and to loue and cherishe him more tenderlie at his returne then if he had neuer fallen or departed from his seruice This God him self signifieth by the Prophet Esay when he saith cal vnto Hierusalem speake vnto her hart that is comfortably for that her iniquitie is for giuen she hath receaued dubble at Gods handes for al her sinnes committed And more plainelie in an other place by the same Prophet the light of the moone shal be as the light of the sunne and the light of the sonne shal be as the light of seuen dayes seuen tymes put together vvhen God shal binde vp the vvoundes of his people heale their fores And to this purpose doe appertaine directelie thos most wonderful parables of our Saueour in the Ghospel concerning th' extraordinarie ioye and feasting that the careful woman made when she had founde againe her grote that was lost the good Shepherd when he brought backe the sheepe that was astray and the merciful father when he receaued home his sonne that before had abādoned him And to the same purpose doth it also appertaine that in the Prophet Dauid God glorieth especiallie in the seruice of thos people that before had not knowen him And this shal suffice for this seconde pointe to shew what wonderful meanes almightie God doth vse in setting forth his mercie for allurement of sinners vnto repentance AND SO HAVING declared what exceeding great loue and mercie God beareth towardes man and how effectuallie he expresseth the same by his
founde no place of repētāce albeit with teares he sought the same Wherof S. Chrisostome geueth the reason in thes wordes For this cause Esau obtained not pardon for that he did not repente as he should haue done his teares proceeding rather of anger and temptation then of true sorovv When the people of Israel came to be a distinct nation and to be gouerned at Gods appointement how greeuouslie trow you did they offend day lie and almost howerlie his diuine Maiestie And how gratiouslie did his vnspeakable clemencie remitt and pardon their manifold and innumerable sinnes trespasses done agaist him The whole scripture in truth seemeth nothing els but a perpetual narration of Gods incredible patience and infinite mercies towardes them And if I would speake of particuler persons amōg them which he receaued to his fauour after greate and manifold offences committed ther would be no end of that recital Let Manasses that most impious and wicked king be an exāple for al of whos enormous life and most detestable actes whole pages are replenished both in the bookes of kinges and Chronicles and yet afterwardes notwithstanding the same man falling into miserie and calamitie among the Babylonians a fortunate schoole oftentimes for Princes who in their prosperitie are wont to contemne God he begā to be sorowful for his former life and actions and to doe great penance as the scripture saith in the sight of God for the same Wherat his diuine and incomprehēsible mercie was so much moued presentlie as he receaued him to fauour and brought him backe from his prison and fetters to his kingdome and imperial throne of Maiestie The exāple also of the Niniuites is very notable singuler in this behalf against whom almightie God hauing decreed a sentence of death to be executed within a certaine time he commanded Ionas the prophet to goe and denounce that sentēce vnto them But Ionas wel knowing the nature and disposition of God towardes mercie forsaw as afterwardes he signifieth that if he should goe and beare that embassage vnto them and they therupon make change of ther liues his Maiestie would presentlie pardon them and so he should be taken for a false and lying prophet For auoiding which inconuenience he chose rather to flee away by sea to the citie of Tharsis and ther to hide himself But almightie God raised a tempest in that iourney and disposed in such sort as Ionas was cast into the sea and ther receaued and deuoured by a whale from whos belly he was commanded afterwardes to repaire to Niniue and to doe his former message which he perfourmed And the tenour of his message was that within fortie dayes that huge citie of Niniuie should be destroyed Which he hauing denounced vnto them the sequel fel out as Ionas before had suspected For the Niniuites beleeuing the message and betaking them selues to repentance God forgaue them presentlie wherat Ionas was exceedinglie greeued offended complained sweetlie to God of his strāge dealing herin demanding whie he had inforced him to come and preach destruction vnto them knowing wel before hād that he would pardon them But his merciful Lord answered him fullie to this pointe by a certaine accident that fel out wherto Ionas was not able to replie one word For so it chanced that Ionas sitting without the walles of Niniuie vnder an Iuie bush that in one night by Gods appointment was sprōg vp to couer him frō the sunne the same Iuie by Gods ordināce perished vpon the suddaine and was consumed by a worme leauing the poore prophet destitute of that consolation of shadoe which he receaued by it Wherwith he being not a litle disquieted and afflicted God said vnto him thou Ionas art sorowful and much grieued for losse of thine Iuie tree which not withstanding thou diddest not plant nor make to grow nor tookest any labour at al about it But the same grew vp in one night and in one night it perished againe And shal not I then be careful to pardon my greate citie of Niniuie wherin ther be aboue an hundred and twentie thousand innocent people which can not distinguish betwene their right hand and their left This was the answer of almightie God to Ionas for defence of his singuler inclinatiō to mercie in respect that the Niniuites were his owne creatures his owne workmanship and the labours of his own handes as al other people also are Of which kinde of reason and consideration ther haue bene diuers thinges said and declared before for manifestation of Gods infinit mercie And al this that hitherto hath bene spoken is of thinges onlie donne in time of the old testament before the appearance of Christ our Saueour in flesh But now if we looke into the time of grace when God incarnate came him self in person to shew the riches of his endles mercie vnto mortal men vpon earth we shal see more examples without comparison of this exceeding clemencie For that now our Creator and shepheard ouercome as it were with extreme compassion came down into the vale of our miserie with resolution not onlie to offer pardon and forgeuenes to al his sheepe that were a stray and would returne but also to follow seeke them out being found to lay them on his own shoulders and so to beare them backe vnto the fold againe and ther to geue his life and blood for their defence against the wolfe O sweet Lord what greater loue cā be imagined then this what more pregnant signification of inflamed charitie can mans cogitation conceaue or apprehend is it maruaile now if he which descēded vnto vs with this hart and with thes bowels of burning affectiō did set open the gates of al his treasures fauours graces vnto vs Is it maruaile if the holie apostle S. Paul doe saye of this time Superabundauit gratia that grace did ouer abounde and yet further in an other place that Christ being verie God did in a certaine sort impouerish and emptie him self with the most wonderful effusion of mercies and hauoke of heauen which at this time and euer since he hath made Herehence it proceeded that al his delite and pleasure vpon earth was to conuerse with sinners and to geeue them cōfort corage and cōfidence in him Which he did so manifestlie in the sight of al the world as he was very scandalous and offensiue therby to the Scribes and Pharisees and other principal rulers among the Iuish nation Herehence also did proceed thos his most maruailous speeches and strange inuitations of wicked men vnto him as for example at one time among other when he cried out in publique Come vnto me al ye that doe labour and be heauie loden and I vvel refresh you And at an other time going into the temple of Ierusalem vpon a high festiual day when al the people were gathered together he stood vp in the middest of
wrake A day and a night was I in the bottome of the sea oftentimes in iourneys in dangers of fluddes in dāgers of theeues in dangers of Iewes in dāgers of Gentiles in dangers of the citie in dāgers of wildernes in dangers of sea in dangers of false brethren in labour and trauaile in much watching in hungar and thirst in much fasting in cold and lack of clothes and besides al thes external thinges the matters that dailie doe depēd vpō me for my vniuersal care of al Churches By this we may see now whether Christs holy Apostles taught vs more by wordes then they shewed by their owne examples about the necessitie of suffering in this life Christ might haue prouided for them if he would at leastwise thinges necessarie to their bodies and not haue suffered them to come into thes great extremities of lacking clothes to their backes meate to their mouthes and houses to pat their heades in He that gaue thē authoritie to doe so manie other miracles might haue suffered them also to haue procured sufficient maintenance for their bodies which should be the first miracle that worldly men would worke if they had such authoritie Christ might haue saied to Peter when he sent him to take his tribut from out of the fishes mouth take so much more as wil suffice for your necessary expēces when you trauaile ouer foraine countries But he woulde not nor yet diminish the great afflictions which I haue shewed before though he loued them as dearely as euer he loued his owne soule Al which was done as S. Peter interpreteth to geue vs example what to folow what to looke for what to desire what to comsort our selues in amiddest the greatest of al our tribulatiōs Saint Paul vseth this as a principal consideration when he writeth thus to the Hebrewes vpon the recital of the sufferinges of other saintes before thē Wherfore we also brethren saieth he hauing so great a multitude of witnesses that haue suffered before vs let vs lay of al burdens of sinne hanging vpon vs and let vs runne by patience vnto the battaile offered vs fixing our eyes vpon the authour of our saith and fulfiller of the same IESVS who putting the ioyes of heauen before his eyes sustained patiētly the Crosse contemning the shame and confusion therof and therfore now sitteth at the right hand of the seate of God Thinke vpon him I say which sustained such a contradictiō against him self at the hādes of sinners be not wearie nether faint yee in courage For you haue not yet resisted against sinne vnto blood and you haue for gotten perhaps that comfortable saying which speaketh vnto you as vnto children My sonne doe not contemne the discipline of our Lord and be not vvearie vvhee thou art chastised of him For whom God loueth he chastiseth and he whippeth euery sonne whom he receaueth Perseuer therfore in the correctiō laied vpon you God offereth him self to you as to his children For what child is there whom the father correcteth not if you be out of correction wherof al his children are made partakers then are you bastardes not children Al correction for the present time when it is suffered seemeth vnpleasant and sorowful but yet after it bringeth foorth most quiet fruite of iustice vnto them that are exercised by it Wherfore strengthen vp your wearie handes and loosed knees make way to your feete c. That is take courage vnto you and goe forward valiantly vnder the Crosse laied vpon you This was the exhortation of this holy captaine vnto his countrie man souldiers of IESVS Christ the Iewes Saint Iames the brother of our Lord vseth an other exhortation in his Catholike epistle to al Catholikes not much different from this Be you therfore patient my brethren saith he vntil the cōming of our Lord. Beholde the husbandman expecteth for a time the fruite of the earth so pretious vnto him bearing patientlie vntil he may receaue the same in his season be you therfore patient and comfort your hartes for that the cōming of our Lord wil shortlie draw neere Be not sadde and complaine not one of an other Beholde the Iudge is euen at the gate Take the prophetes for an example of labour and patience who spake vnto vs in the name of God Beholde we account them blessed which haue suffered You haue heard of the sufferance of Iob and you haue seene Isa e that our Lord is merciful and ful of compassion I might here alleage many things more out of the scripture to this purpose for that the scripture is moste copious herein and in verie deed if it should al be melted and poured out it would yeld vs nothing els almost but touching the crosse and patient bearing of tribulatiō in this life But I must end for that this chapter groweth to long as the other did before And therfore I wil onelie for my conclusion set down the confession and most excellent exhortation of olde Mathathias in the time of the cruel persecution of Antiochus against the Iewes The storie is thus reported in the scripture At that time the officers of Antiochus said vnto Mathathias thou art a prince of greatest estate in this citie adorned with children and brethern come thou therfore first and doe the kinges commādement as other men haue done in Iuda and Ierusalem and thou and thy children shal be the kings freends and enriched with gold and siluer and many giftes frō him Wherto Mathathias answered with a loude voice if al nations should obey Antiochus to depart from the obedience of the lawes of their auncestours yet I my children and brethern wil folow the lawes of our fathers Let God be merciful vnto vs at his pleasure c. And the daies came of Mathathias his death and then he saied vnto his children Now is the time that pride is in her strength Now is the time of chastisemēt towardes vs the time of euersion indignation is come Now therfore ô Children be you zelous in the lawe of God yeld vp your liues for the testament of your fathers remember the workes of your auncestours what they haue done in their generations and so shal you receaue great glorie and eternal name Was not Abraham found faithful in time of temptation and it was reputed vnto him for iustice Ioseph in time of his distresse kept Gods commandementes and was made Lord ouer al Egypt Phinees our Father for his zeale towardes the lawe of God receaued the testament of an euerlasting presthode Iosue for that he fulfilled Gods word was made a captaine ouer al Israel Caleb for that he testified in the Church receaued an inheritance Dauid for his mercie obteined the seat of an eternal kingdome Elias for that he was zealous in zeale of the lawe was taken vp to heauen Ananias Azarias and Misael through their beleefe were deliuered from the flame of the fire Daniel for
the riches of iniquitie The rich gloutton might haue escaped his tormentes haue made him self a happie man by helpe of worldly wealth if he had listed And so might many a thousand that now liue in Christianitie and wil goe to hel for the same cause that the glutton did Oh that men would take warning one by an other and be wise whiles they haue time S. Paul saieth Deceiue not your selues Looke vvhat a man sovveth and that shal he reape What a plentiful haruest then might riche men prouide to thē selues if they would hauing such store of seede by them and so much ground offered them daily to sow it in Why doe they not remember that sweet haruest-song Come ye blessed of my father enter into the kingdom prepared for you for I vvas hungrie and you fed me I vvas thirstie and you gaue me to drink I vvas naked and you appareled me Or if they doe not care for this why doe they not feare at least the blacke Sanctus that must be chaunted to them for the contrary Agite anne diuites plorate vlulantes in miserijs vistris quae adueniēt vobis goe now you riche men weepe and houle in your miseries that shal come vpō you The holy father Iohn Damaseen reporteth a goodly parable of Barlaam the heremite to our purpose There was saieth he a certaine citie or common wealth which vsed to chuse to them selues a king from among the poorest sorte of people and to aduaunce him to great honour wealth and pleasures for a time But after a while when they were wearie of him there fashion was to rise against him and to dispoile him of al his felicitie yea of the verie clothes of his backe and so to banish him naked into an Iland of a farre countrie where bringing nothing with him he should liue in great miserie and be put to exceeding slauerie for euer Which practise one king at a certaine time considering by good aduise for al th' other though they knew that fashion yet through negligence pleasures of their present felicitie cared not for it tooke resolute order with him self how to preuent this miserie which was by this meanes He saued euery day great sommes of money from his superfluities and idle expences and so secretly made ouer before hand a great treasure vnto that iland wherunto he was in daunger daily to be sent And whē the time came that in deed they deposed him from his kingdom and turned him away naked as they had done th' other before he went to the ilād with ioy and confidēce where his treasure lay and was receiued there with exceeding great triumph and placed presently in greater glorie then euer he was before This parable teacheth as much as possibly may be said in this point For this citie or common wealth is this present world which aduaunceth to authoritie poore men that is such as come naked into this life and vpon the soudaine when they looke least for it doth pul them doune againe and turneth them of naked into their graues and so into an other world where bringing no treasure of good workes with them they are like to finde litle fauour but rather eternal miserie The wise king that preuented this calamitie is he which in time of wealth in this life according to the counsail of our Saueour Christ doth seeke to lay vp treasure in heauen by almes deedes and other good works against the day of his death when he must be banished hence naked as al the prices of that citie were At which time if their good deeds do folow them then as God pmiseth they shal be happie men and placed in much more glorie then euer this world was able to geue them But if they come without oile in their lampes then is there nothing for them to expect but nescio vos I know you not And when they are knowen Ite maledicti in ignem aeternum goe you accursed into fire euerlasting EXAMPLES OF TRVE RESOLVTION IN THE TVVO FORMER POINTES of suffering for Christ and contemning the vvorld Adioined for the better declaration and confirmation of the tvvo chapters next going before CHAPT V. FOR so much as the two precedent chapters of contemning the world and suffering for Christ are by their own natures and in mans natural sight and reason very dreadful and lothsome to flesh and bloud and to whatsoeuer depēdeth therof in such sort as diuers persons who otherwise esteme thē selues no euil Christians doe take horrour and auersion euen at the very name and mention of such things persuading them selues that the necessitie of Christiā profession requireth not any resolution to so high a perfection I am moued in this place to adioine to the former treatises a breefe declaration of the practise and excercise of ancient Christians in thes two points wherby their opinions and censures may better be seire thē by their words and wherin ech other Christiā that liueth at this day may behold as in a table or glasse what behoueth him to doe when occasion is offered if he professe to serue vnder the same banner and doe expect his paye at the handes of the same king and maister that they did Many things haue bene said before cōcerning thes two misteries of worldlie contempt and sufferance in tribulation And among other matters it hath bene declared that the very foundatiō of Christian Religion which is the holie crosse and Crucifix standeth builded principaly vpon thes two pillers It hath bene showed how Christ our Sauiour when he sent forth his Apostles and disciples as the first spiritual fathers and masters of the world instructed thē especially in thes two doctrines as most behooful and necessarie to the end which he pretēdeth And for that his diuine wisdome did easily foresee that deedes haue much more force to persuade then wordes he did set forth this doctrine most exactly in the example of his own life making the same a paterne of al worldly contempt and suffering for iustice as also did his said Apostles and disciples after him to the true and perfit imitation of their maister Thus much then hath bene treated before and many particulers haue bene declared as wel of the holie Apostles extreme suffering in al kindes and maners of affliction as also of their vtter dispising whatsoeuer was pretious or pleasant in this world for the perfect seruing of their Lord and maister No allurements of this world could intise them no dignities delight them no flatterie deceiue them no pleasure peruert them no labours weary them no difficultie stay them no terrour or tyrannie of mortal man could feare them from their course begonne as long as their soules remained within their bodies Some of them ended their liues by the sword some vpon the crosse others were stoned and throwne downe from highe pinacles others were scorched skinned aliue and al this for the perfect seruing of
was many yeares and by him made bishope of the Church of Smyrna and for that his fight and martyrdome for Christian religion ensued not longe after the death of Ignatius it shal not be amisse to speake of him also in this place The storie is set downe at large by Eusebius and others out of an Epistle writen by the Christians of the Church of Smyrna which were al present at the whole tragedie of his death the summe wherof is this that wheras at a certaine day by the commandement of the Emperour Antonius incredible and innumerable tormēts were vsed against Christiās in the citie of Smyrna diuers did beare the same out with inuincible courage to the singuler comfort of their brethren and to the great admiration of their enemies albeit one Quintus that was newly come out of Phrygia and had rashlie offered him self to the tortours before he was sought for fel shamefully the same day denied his profession Polycarpus then while thes thinges were in doing remained secretly in a house therby with other christians whether euery thing was brought to him by the brethren as soone as they were done and at length newes came that Polycarpus himself was sought for Wherat he nothing moued answered with a quiet mind and countenance that he was ready meaning in deede to expect the officers ther vntil they came for him But the christians that were present with him inforced him whether he would or no to retire him self vnto a litle village not far of where he made his abode for certaine daies whiles he was sought for in the citie During which time he did nothing els saith the storie but pray day and night and that especially for the peace and vnitie of the Church for that heresies now pubblicly begon to swarme He had a vision also which he tould vnto thos that were ther present with him signifying that he must goe to Christ by fier At length the purseuants that had sought him al about the citie came by Gods permission vnto the village where he was and therupon he sted by night vnto another whether they followed him also And ther finding two children in the street enforced the one of them by beating to discouer the house wherin he laie Comming therfore into the house and vnderstanding that he was in a chamber aboue sent for him to come downe and albeit the messenger fauouring Polycarpus shewed him a way how to escape by an other house yet he refused the same saing we haue fled inough let Gods wil be done And so comming downe with a mery countenance bid them hartely welcome and commanded the meate left in the house to be set before them beseeching them only to giue him one houres space wherin to pray vnto his Lord before he departed Which they willingly granted being much moued with his gray haires and fatherly countenance as allo cast into admiratiō with the feruour of his praiers that he made ther by him self whiles they were eating Which being ended they tooke him forthe placing him vpon an Asse and so led him towardes the citie of Smyrna very early in the morning vpon the great saboth day hauing aduertised the Magistrates before of their comming who for that cause were gathered together with al the people in the market place And to make the matter more solemne they sent forth one Herode that was prouost of the peace to mete him and fetch him in He therfore comming forth with great pompe in his coche met with Polycarpus first saluted him with great honour and reuerence causing him to come downe from the asse and to sit with him in his coche there began to flatter him saing You are a graue and wise man haue respect vnto your self what great matter man is it to say Lord Caesar or to make a sacrifice But Polycarpus held his peace and when the other went forward to vse many wordes to that purpose Polycarpus answered Syr in fine I am not to folow your counsel At which wordes he taking great disdaine thrust him headlong out of his coche and that with such violēce as he wounded pitifullie his legge in going forth But the old man making no accompt therof followed merily the soldiars that lead him And when he came to the place wher the iudges were he entred in with a mery countenance and much the more for that at the very instant when he entred ther was a cleare and lowd voice heard from heauen saying beos good corage Polycarpe bebaue thy self valiantly When he came before the high magistrate named Procōsul first ther was an insinite crie geuen out by the people against him Which being appeased the Proconsul asked him whether he were Polycarpus to which he answered yea Then said the Proconsul haue regarde vnto thy oldage Father repent desire that wicked mē may be destroied Wherat Polycarpe turned him self vnto the multitude and lifting vp his handes to heauen with a deepe sigh said ô Lord destroy or take awaie the wicked Then said the Proconsul sweare also by Caesars fortune and defie Christ. Wherto Polycarp answered I haue serued Christ now fourescore years and more and he neuer yet did me any hurt but much good and how thē can I defie my Lord king that hytherto hath so mercifully dealt with me Then vrged the Procōsul againe that he shoulde sweare by Caesars fortune Wherto th' other replied if thou name Caesars good fortune so often for oftentations sake know thou that I am a Christian which hath 〈◊〉 to doe with fortune and if thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what Christian 〈◊〉 appoint a day and I wil teache the. 〈◊〉 this people quoth the Proconsul to be content with that No said Policarpe I 〈◊〉 them not worthie to be dealt withal in such a matter but to the as to a Magistrate our profession teacheth vs to haue respect and reuerence After this there passed diuers other speaches betwene them the one threatening tormentes beastes fier and sword and th' other shewing al desire and readines to susteine the same The people cried out continually that he might be torne with wild beastes But that was denied for that the beastes were wearied out vpon other martyrs before Thē cried they that he might be burned aline which Policarp hearing and remembring the vision which he had seene in the village before his apprehension fel downe of his knees and praied and soone after rising againe turned him to the people and said be ve content for you shal haue your desire for it is determined that I shal be burned aliue and a litle after the Proconsul gaue sentence for his burning When he was brought vnto the fier he put of his own apparel saith the storie but when he came to his showes he had some difficultie therin for lake of vse being neuer permitted by Christians to doe that office to him self before euery one thinking it a felicitie to be
which letters we hope wil come hither quickly and so we stand resolued by Gods grace to al sufferance expecting at the mercy of our Lord a croune of life euerlasting Know you also that Sixtus the Bishope of Rome was put to death the eight day before the Ides of August last I beseech you that thes things may be signified by your means to al our felow bishopes in thos Prouinces to the end that by their good exhortatiōs the whole brother-hood of Christians may be strengthened and prepared to this spiritual combat that is imminent and that no man in thes times thinke so much vpon death as of the immortalitie which hath to folow death Let euery man I say with ful faith and al vertue dedicated to our Lord reioice rather thē feare in this confession which we must make assuring our selues that the true souldiours of Christ our God shal not be slaine but crouned therin After this not many daies he liuing in certain orchardes or gardins in the country was aduertised by his frendes that two Pursiuantes were sent to take him bring him to the citie of Vtica whervpō he fled And least any man should thinke perhaps that it was of feare he wrot an epistle which was the last that is extant of his wryting vnto the Preestes deacōs and people of his Church of Carthage wher he was bishope shewing them the reason why he had retired him self from the hādes of the Purseuantes in thes wordes When it was brought vnto vs deare brethren that officers were sent to lead me vnto Vtica by the coūsel of our deare frends I was content vpon iust cause to retire my self from our orchardes for that it seemed to me conuenient for a Bishope to make his last confession in that citie where he hath gouuerned Gods Church to the end that by his confession he may honour his flocke people And it seemed to me that the honour of our glorious Church of Carthage should be much deminished at this time if I the bishope thereof should receaue my sentence and death in Vtica For which cause I haue alwaies desired praied almightie God that I might make my confession suffer in Carthage and from thence depart vnto my Lord. So then here we abide presently in a very secret place expecting the retourne of the Proconsul from Rome to Carthage who wil bring with him I doubt not the determination of the Emperour touching both bishopes and Iaimen that are Christians and wil decree that which our Lord for the present wil haue to be done And as concerning you my dearest brethen according to the discipline which alwaies you haue receaued from me out of our Lordes commādementes doe you obserue al tranquilitie among your selues let no man raise tumultes touchīg the doings of his brethrē let no man offer him self to the persecutions but when he is apprehended then let him speak for in that instant God wil speak in vs who rather wil haue vs CONRESSOVRS thē PROFESSOVRS in his cause Touching other things that I would haue you obserue I hope before my sentence be giuen by our Lordes instruction to dispose in general Christs IEVVS keepe and preserue you al long in his Church Soone after this was writen that is vpon the 13. of September as Pontius and other doe write came sodainly vpon him two purseuantes and apprehending him brought him to the new Proconsul called Galerius Maximus at Carthage wher after a glorious confession made of his faith the particularities wherof were here to long to be set downe his sentēce was reade that he must be behedded Wherunto S. Cyprian answered Deo gratias and so the next daie after receaued his Martyrdome at a place called Sexti not far of from Carthage shutting vp his owne eyes with al peace and confort of minde and commanding twentie crounes of gold to be giuen to him that cut of his head And Pontius that was ther present addeth thes wordes The brethren stoode rownd about him weeping and did cast their napkins and prayer bookes before him that none of his blood might be drūk vp of the ground His body by reason of the curiositie of the Gentils that pressed about him was buried for the present in a place nigh bv but the night following it was taken thence againe by the Christiās and caried solemly with torches wax tapers to the possession of one Macrobius Candidus in the way called Apellensis nigh to the fish pondes c. And the reuerend opinion of this mans sanctitie was so great among Christians euen presently vpon his death that they builded Churches in his honour and memorie as may appeare by the storie of S. Victor bishop of Vtica who liued the next age after and recordeth in his first booke de persecutione Vandalica how that the heretical Vandals that were Arians ouerthrew two goodly Churches in Africa dedicated to S. Cyprian th' one in the place wher he was martired called Sexti th' other in the place wher his body was buried called Mappalia S. Augustine also in his confessions lib. 5. cap. 8. maketh mention of a Church in Africa dedicated to S. Cyprian wher Monaca his mother praied for him at his departure towardes Italie And in diuers places he mentioneth the solemnitie which yearly was celebrated in the day of his martirdome which day according to the Churches phrase he calleth his natiuitie And in his tenth tome he hath a whole sermon made in the feast of S. Cyprians natiuitie of which sermō not only venerable Bede maketh mention in his commentarie vpō the second epistle to the Ephesians but also Possidius S. Austens scholler in Indiculo And finally S. Augustine euery wher not only maketh most honorable mention of this blessed martir but also against the Donatistes desireth to be holpen by his praiers now in heauen Wherfore his exāple ought greately to moue vs. I might here recompt many other persecutions and the singuler combats of infinit particuler men which could neuer I dare say weary the Christian reader But yet would they be to long for this place Eusebius affirmeth that to set doune onely the fight susteined in his time vnder Diocletian Maximianus Maximinus and other tyrants which was the last general affliction before the general peace restored by Constantine were a matter of infinit volume For saith he the persaecution began in the moneth of Marche whē Christians were ready to celebrate the feast of Christs holy passiō At what time Diocletians first edict was that al Christiane Churches through out the world should presently be ouerthrowne al Pastors therof taken and by al maner of torments that mans wit could deuise be enforced to sacrifice together with their people Thē saith Eusebius was it a time when ech man might easily see who loued the world or loued God who was a good Christian and who was a counterfete who was true corne