fauour Gods truth and some doo not further iustice nor doo in all poyntes as they ought to demeane them selues in their gouernement Who doeth that Surely not thou thy selfe that layest it to Princes charges But beware howe thou resistest them notwithstanding They can not be worse than Herode and Pylate was yet Chryst as thou mayest reade in the Gospell acknowledged their authoritie to bee from his father so farre of from withstanding their lawfull power that he submitted himselfe to al the extremitie they could vse When soeuer God shall giue thée any occasion to complayne of that take héede it bée not the iuste plague of God which he will lay vppon thy shoulders for thyne owne desertes The Scripture truely is playne inoughe in thys case affirming in déede that sometimes God sendeth suche rulers as be not the beste or godliliest disposed but propâ—eâ— peccata populs bicause the people haue offended god And thereof it commeth that he speaketh suche terrible and threatning wordes by the mouthe of the Prophete Zacharie saying that the shepeheardes of Iudah and Israell hée cut of in one moneth and that his soule lothed them and their soule abhorred him Wherevppon holding on his processe he pronounceth agaynst them a very heauy sentence Then sayde I I will not feede you that that dyeth let it dye and that that perisheth let it perishe and let the remnaunt eate euery one the fleshe of his neighboure This commeth to passe so often as we feare not God and embrace not his Gospell as we ought to do It is oure partes therefore that haue true Englishe hearts to make carnest sute vnto God for the Quéenes Maiesties long prosperous reigne and so reliligiously alwayes towards God so loyally towardes oure Quéene to behaue oure selues that we may still haue vertuous and godly rulers But in case it so fall out that Princes alwayes should not satisfie vs I say that their maners and demeanour séeme not alwayes answerable to oure desires yet muste wée diligently take héede that in any wyse we obserue two thinges firste that we preuent not Gods iudgement ouerhastily giuing our vngodlie verdite of them whom we ought not without gret reuerence once to name and secoÌ„dly that we be not lightly moued to shake the foundations of a wel setled state tearing and renting out our owne bowels not only bringing our natiue countrey which we ought to tender aboue all things in the worlde but oure selues and al oures into desperate peril For surely talke we neuer so long at oure pleasure and fantasie what we list it is hard for any body to be vtterly voyd of imperfectioÌ„s Iulius Cesar was rayled at for ambition the greate Alexander was noted for his dronkennesse Pyrrhus was thought rashe in hys counsayle Hanniball not to be sure of hys promise Fabius to be too great a lingerer before he would ioyne in battayle with his armie Marcellus contrarywise to be gréedy of fighting And many other great Potentates there were mo which had somewhat in them to bée amended But seeing we enioy by their occasion no small safetie and quietnesse and not one of vs all is able to do all thinges at all tymes as we shoulde it were more reason we shoulde dispose oure selues if néede were to be bearers than to bée headlong and rash disturbers The kingdome of the Persians helde on sayth Isocrates a long time and not through any other vertue which was in them but bicause they had their Prince in suche highe honour and estimation Ibi enim sunt regna felicia as Austine noteth vbi pleno omnium consensu regibus obeditur For there be the happie realmes where Princes and headrulers with all mens ful consent be obeied Wheras certayne it is that the contrary dothe commonly bréede so muche mischéefe that it is too pitifull to heare of it Therefore if it can not be made to sinke into our heads that we should obey our Princes for conscience sake or bicause they be appoynted ouer vs by the infinit wisedome of Gods Prouidence yet the great and manifold inconuenience that springeth out of the fountayne of sedition shoulde of force moue vs to stand in awe Thus hitherto we haue gone forward without any gret resisting at least w out any great harme The .xv. Chapter That God suffereth euill and hurtefull thinges without any derogation to hys Prouidence BVt Epicure yet our heauy friende sayth playnly he will not take vppe so And now methinketh he beginneth to fall sadly to his businesse and to take vpon him like a clercke For nowe he presseth vs very hardly demaunding vs if God gouerne the worlde howe is it that he suffereth euil For sayth he either God would take euill away and is not able or else he is able and yet not willing or he is neither willing nor able or he is both willing and able If he be willing sayth he and not able it coÌ„meth of weaknesse which very muche swarueth from Gods nature Agayne if he be able and not willing he séemeth enuiouse and that agréeth with hym as little If he be neither willing nor able he is both enuious and weake too and therefore consequently not a god If he bée wylling and able also whiche is the onely propertie of a God then whence I pray you commeth euill or why taketh he it not oute of the way And this his argumente is sette oute by Lactantius in a booke that he wryteth de tra Dei. Wherewith he telleth vs that many of the Philosophers were so troubled that mauger their beardes they were almoste dryuen to thys poynte that they coulde defende Gods Prouidence no longer Whereof truely I doo not so greately moruayle considering howe hardely oure dull eyesighte is able to pierce into the Sunne beames so long especially as it is not cléered with the bryghtnesse of Gods worde But what aunswereth Lactantius to it hym selfe For I woulde gladlyer heare other mennes solutions in mattiers especially of suche weyghte than myne owne God sayth he is able to doo what he wyll and no weakenesse or enuy is in god He is able therefore to take euill out of the way but he will not And yet wee muste not conclude that he is therefore enuious for therefore he taketh it not away bycause as I haue taughte hee also gyueth vs wisedome with it and there is more good and comforte in wysedome than griefes in euilles VVisedome also maketh vs to knowe God and by that knowledge to obteine immortalitie which is the gretest good we can haue So then onlesse we first learne to know euill neither shall we be able to come by the knowledge of that that is good But this Epicure saw not nor any other of the philosophers that by the remouing of euilles wisdome also should be remoued and that no steppes of vertue can remayne afterwardes in man the shewing foorthe whereof consisteth in bearing the bytternesse of euilles and in ouercomming and keeping of them vnder Howe little cause
for vs and vvhen strengthe seemed to faile vs hath pitched his tent roūd about in our defense Therfore may it wel be saide of these our priuie vnderminers as Tullie that Romaine oratoure spake in his first inuectiue against Catiline They doe nothing they goe aboute nothing they thincke of nothing but by and by we do not heare of it only but we see it also and plainly feele it with oure handes And vvhereunto I beseeche your Honoure shoulde vve ascribe this so greate a benefit but to the Prouidence of almightie God By whose aide and furderance to vse againe Tullies ovvne vvords vvhich he hath in his oration pro Rabinio this common weale is much better gouerned than by any reason or counsayle of mortall men whereof as Pindarus also sayth in quarta Oda Pythiorum to shake in sunder the foundations it is for them also an easie mattier who them selues be weaklings and of feble strength but to set a Realme agayne in order as it was before if god be not the guide of Princes it is a harde poynte Hovv greatly then haue vve cause to giue God thankes to prayse him to pray vnto him to seeke his glory and the furtheraunce of his Gospell to stay oure selues quietly vnder the vvings of his most gracious protection to flee to his almightie Prouidence as to our sure ship of safetie our hope our helpe our refuge farre and neare VVhereof vvhen I vvel considered hovv svveete and pleasaunt is the knovvledge hovve profitable and commodious the vse hovv full of maiestie the vvhole mattier it came streightvvay to my mynde that I coulde not by any meanes attempt a more godly labour or more fruitfull for the edifying of the faythfull Christian Of vvhome vvhat great care I haue had both by the very playnnesse and simplicitie of my style vsed for the moste parte throughout my foure bookes and by that paines and trauaile vvhich I haue taken in opening dissoluing of perplexed douts I truste to the indifferent reader it shall vvell appeare VVhich discourse of mine such as it is not ouer curiously in dede attired but yet as mine hope is enspired vvith a vvell meaning spirit cōmitteth it self presently into your Honours hands as a refuge and sanctuarie poynted out and assigned by God him selfe to be a supporter of all godly quarels Sheelde therfore I beseech your Honour that vvorke vvhich according to that habilitie that God hath lente it is a defence and mayntenaunce of that cause vvherby not your Honour only hath ben maruellously preserued and aduanced but the Queenes Maiestie also our most gracious and soueraigne liege Lady yea the good state as I sayde of this vvhole Realme so sore shaken and lyfted at vvith rebellious blastes hath bene straungely and vvonderfully protected I meane alvvayes the good Prouidence of almightie God vvhich as it hath bene euer hitherto your Honors most trustie and assured stay so God graunt it may neuer fayle your Honour to the end still furthering blessing and prospering your good Lordeshippe Amen Dated in London Anno Domini 1572. Maij 19. Your Honors humble Oratour alwayes at commaundement EDVV. CRADOCKE To the Christian Reader grace and peace IT is a Prouerbe amongst the Grekes of no smal antiquitie welbeloued in our sauiour Christ that if in euils any good may be founde the same must be sifted oute A godly lesson surely and very profitable to be obserued in this so great corruption of the worlde Whereby it is very plainly set out vnto vs how we oughte of all things to make our greatest aduauntage not childishely discouraged with all frowarde blastes nor cowardly yelding to any crooked and ouerthwarte assaulte but taking the world as God sendeth it to lerne dayly the experience of godly wisdome and by all meanes to embrace the oportunitie of well doing Therefore whether we be afflicted in body or goods we are taught by this Prouerbe to take holde of some godly lesson or if the loue of our deare frendes be any matier of discomforte to vs we are willed to consider with our selues whether this euill be so incommodious that no goodnesse may grow out of the same or if cloked falsehood and hypocrisie haue deceitfully blinded vs and led vs away we are warned to loke well about vs to see what cōmoditic mighte arise therof Or finally whatsoeuer heauinesse or mischaunce shoulde touche vs we are charged to enter into a discrete sober meditation whether in any respect we might learne to be the better for the same If any sweetenesse may be piked out of that that is soure we must not by and by refuse cast away either the nutkirnell for the huske or the corne for the chaffe or the rose for the prickes that growe about it but waying all thinges with indifferent balaunce we muste picke oute suche mattier as may alwayes stande vs in good steede and with great skill and aduisement make our choyse Wherein the great wisedome and Prouidence shall I say or else also the exceding mercy of almightie god as in all other thinges notably so in this poynt wonderfully is discouered Who as he whippeth vs many sundry times with the rod of his sharpe correction to the intent our sluggishnesse might be wakned our vnstaied life conuersation mighte be bridled with the yoke of discipline so neuerthelesse least we should be to muche discouraged there is no inconueniēce that euer befalleth to vs so great nor no calamitie that besetteth vs so desperate and voyde of comforte but that alwayes there is annexed to it some one thing or other that auayleth vs and assuageth and mollifieth our griefe Wherof it commeth that although muche bitternesse be founde in the lyfe of man and all things goe not alwayes as oure heartes desire yet by reason of this temperature wherwith al things naturally be seasoned to the wise and godly there is nothing that seemeth intolerable yea there is nothing that turneth them not to muche good Whiche truely is not auouched of my parte as any idle inuention of mine owne brayne but the same is playnely testifyed by the open scripture of Gods worde and by manifest examples proued true For first touching the recorde of holy scripture who hath not often heard to his great contentation the comfortable saying of the Prophet Dauid affirming that the very lighte shineth in the middest of the darknesse to them that be righteous and feare God Whereby his meaning is nothing else but that to such as be vpright and keepe them selues vnspotted of worldly blemishe as by S. Iames admonition we are taught and informed by true religiō God sheweth him selfe amiable often tymes when with the cloudes of dispayre they seeme in maner to be ouerwhelmed And S. Paule shooting at the same marke saith playnly that to them which loue God all thinges generally frame to a good ende be they neuer so comberously bestadde or so roughly and daungerously assayled The same if all authoritie were set aside as in
to the state of their owne nature Touching Gods administration of thinges in heauen I thinke no man will resist me in that poynt onely Epicure excepted Whose grosse fantasie is suche that he wéeneth God doth nothing else but walke vp and downe in heauen and take his pastime But for the aunswering of his vayne conceates that which hath bene sayde already mighte suffise That which foloweth hath more controuersie when I ascribe also to God a continuall gouernement of all thinges without exception whatsoeuer it be that is vnder heauen For the chiefe capitaine and ringleader of all the Peripetickes in his treatise concerning good Fortune would proue by two argumentes at the least that thinges casuall and suche as séeme to come by happe be exempted vtterly from Gods gouernement And one of his reasons is the prosperitie of the wicked of whom that God should haue any care he sayth it is an vnlikely mattier His other profe is that if God medled with these mattiers of Fortune so it pleaseth him to call the temporal commodities of this world he would rathest sende them good lucke which were men of wisedome and discretion wheras contrarywise we sée for the most parte that the veriest asses and doltes haue the best fortune Nay he is so far off from condiscending to vs that God should haue any thing to do in these variable accidentes that chaunce in the earth that as Laertius the wryter of his life sayth and S. Ambrose with other mo he restrayneth Gods Prouidence to the precinct of heauen A great aduersarie I ensure you in suche a cause and not altogither of me to be contemned But this yet toucheth me somewhat nigher that myne olde frende Tullie whome hitherto I haue counted so sure a carde should now deale with me so vnkindely in shrinking from me peraduenture when I haue moste néede For hauing tolde me so much before of Gods gouernment of the world yea and proued the matier too so substancially now commeth he me in vpon the sodayn I wot not how with his Magna dij curāt parua negligunt saying after his heathenish maner the Gods care for great matiers but these small trisles they will not looke to And in his oration made in the defense of Roscius Amerinus If the most gracious and mightie Iupiter sayth he by whose becke and arbitrement heauen and earth and the sea is gouerned oftentimes hath anoyed men with vehement winds or immoderat tēpests or excessiue heat or intolerable cold if he haue rased cities destroyed corne wherof me thinketh nothing is done by Gods counsell for any harme but by the extremitie great violēce that hath hapned wheras cōtrariwise the cōmodities which we vse the light which we enioy the breath which we draw is bestowed giuē to vs as we se by him what should we maruel at L. Sylla that when he onely gouerned the publike weale welded the rule of the whole world established with lawes the maiesty of the Empire which by his dedes of armes by his chiualry he had so wel recouered he could not to al things haue a careful eye Onlesse this be taken for a maruel that mans wit and pollicy could not compasse that which God with al his power could not atchieue But what maruell we at Tullie béeing a starke miscreant and a Paynim séeing amongest vs also that be Christians there want not patrons of this learning Surely a certayne graue father writing vpon the first chapter of Habacuk touching these little séely creatures as flyes gnattes wormes and such like teacheth that God dothe not take of them any seuerall or particular care but generally and superficially as it were looketh ouer them For these be his very wordes vppon the same place of Habacuk which I haue noted Lyke as amongest men Gods Prouidence runneth through euery seueral person so amongst other liuing creatures we can conceaue in deede a generall disposition an order and a course of the worlde as for example howe a great meanie of fishes breede and liue in the water how creeping and foure footed beastes multiplie in the earth and with what foode they be nourished But it is a fond toy to bring Gods Maiestie so lowe that he shoulde knowe how many gnattes come into the world and howe many go out what a number of fulsome wormes and of fleys and flees there be on the earth what great fishes there swimme in the water and which of the lesser sorte of them muste be deuoured of the greater Let vs not be suche foolishe flatterers of God that whyles we would make his power to goe downe to these base things we shoulde doo iniurie to oure selues saying that ouer reasonable creatures and vnreasonable Gods prouident care is all alyke Hytherto this wryter But bothe he and the reste of them mighte be soone answered For first as for Aristotle obiecting the prosperitie of these smoothe hypocrites of the worlde and the aduersitie of godly wise men albeit that mighte well inoughe suffise whiche I haue written in my former booke yet this furthermore shall be added oute of Austine De cinitate These goods and euilles which be temporall God woulde haue common both to the good and the euill to this ende and purpose that neither these goods as they are called should be coueted ouer greedily which euill menne also are seene to haue nor these euils of aduersitie should with shame and dishonour be eschewed wherewith good men also many tymes are touched Salomon sayde wisely in the firste chapiter of his Prouerbes when fooles haue prosperitie it is their vndoing What get they then I pray you by the worlds fauning vpon them On the other side sayth the Prophete with all the godly afflicted It is good for me Lorde that thou haste broughte me lowe to the intent I might learne thy statutes What harme then dothe the guiltlesse susteine that can beare Gods fatherly correction But that which Aristotle neuer knew no maruell though he neuer rightly wayed Surely if the calmnesse of this deceuable prosperitie should alwayes laugh vpon vs in this worlde neuer would mans soule desire as full well sayth S. Austine to the widdowe Proba the hauen of true and assured safetie Therefore when Aristotle hath euen vttered to vs all his phantasie let vs yet which be Christians say wyth the Prophete whome we knowe was the instrument of the holy Ghost that the very rod and staffe of Gods chastisement is our comfort Tullie though he be likewise an heathen man yet as meséemeth hath a godlyer meaning in some respecte For supposing that all goodnesse dothe proceede from God whom prophanely he nameth Iupiter yet the hurte that is done by wyndes and tempestes or by any other wayes and meanes commeth not as he thinketh from the spring and fountayne of Gods counsayle but I wotte not of what blinde sway of the worlde The like errour is mayntayned of a kinde of Heretikes whiche be called Coluthiani
doe not in any vvise maintain the vse of theÌ„ Whye tithes vvâ— ordained 2. Paral. 31. That honoure or contempte that is shewed to the Ministers of Gods religioÌ„ is shewed to God. Cap. 3. Here I referre my self to Thomas of Aquine for the better vnderstanding of my meaning vvhose doctrine vvhat it is it maye vvell appeare Quaest 87. art 2. Genes 28 1. Cor. 9. Constitu ApostolicaruÌ„ authore ClemeÌ„â—e Papa Martyre lib. 2. cap. 39. * He doeth not say the tenthe part but that that is due for the tenth parte is rated out by the order of the Churche not expressely by gods word in the nevve Testament Cap. 14. Cap. 17. * That vvhiche the Lord himself appoynted to be giuen him in the old testament that is the tenthe part the same novve is assigned to Gods Ministers by the decree of this counsel in the nevve Cap. 10 Homilia 10 De Genes ad litteras lib. 4 cap. 11. 12. De Genes coÌ„tra Manich. lib. 1. ca. 22. Ioh. Euang. cap. 5. Psal. 121. Basil in 1 cap. Genes Chrysost in 8. cap. Genes Hovv vve haue our beeing of God. He shevveth a similitude of the Sunne hovv gods prouideÌ„ce is extended to al his creatures after a like sort and not after a lyke sort D. Smith pag 129. of a boke of his agaynst the late vvorthy Archbyshop D. Cranmer sayth Christes body is excepted froÌ„ this rule if it be hyd out of sight vnder the phantasticall forms of bread and vvine epist. 57. epist. 101. Lib. 4. contra Martionem Lib. contra Adimantum cap. 12. Ad BonifaciuÌ„ Epi. 23. In his dialogues against Eutiches In Ancorato Anathematismo 11. trac 26 16 Euang 10. hannis tract 27. In ser de S. Martino In lib. de coenâ— Domini Thomas tertia parte sum â–ª q. 76. art teâ—tio Organical bodies be those that consiste of the head armes legs c. Cap. 3. Christes bodily ascention standeth not vvith his bodily presence vpon the earth So doth Canisius the Iesuite in the preface of his first booke de corruptelis verbi Dei. Contra FaustuÌ„ lib. 20. cap. 11. in fine M. Cicero li. 1 de natura Deorum Psal. 139. Ierem. 12 1. Corinth 8 Obiection Ansvver The difference betwixt Gods gouernement and such as be gouernoures vnder God. The names giuen to Angels in scripture Cap. 32 Cap 2 Cap. 1 Cap. 1. ad Colloss The nobler creatures haue preheminence ouer the baser The Maiestie of Angels Cap. 10. Luke 2 Math 28 Cap. 12. Lib. 2. cap. 17. de origine crtoris De Genes ad literam lib. 8. cap 23. Cap. 24. Tomo 3. ser de ascentione domini Holcot in lib. Sap. cap. 8. lect 104 In his 5. boke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Actes 12 Psal. 91. Cap. 17. The author doth not much contende for the matier of our priuate Angel but leaueth it as a mattier disputable rather than much material to or fro Psal. 34. 4. Reg. 19. Genes 24. Cap 33. Genes 32. Colos 2 De Originâ— erroris lib. â—â— cap. 17. Cap. 1â—â— Haeresi 79. Lib. 3. Cap. 10 Lib. 8. ad Romanos In epist. ad Colos cap. 1 Apoc. 19. 22 Lib. 3. cont Collyridianos haeresi 7 9 De vera religione cap. vltimo In epistolam Pauli ad Rom. cap. 1. Chrysostomus de muliere Chananaea homilia 12. in Tomo 50 De ciuitate Dei Lib. 9. cap. 15 In his booke of the profite that is to be taken of enimies Athanasius in Apologia exilij sui 3 Reg. 22. 2. Reg. 17. Ruffious Eccle siastica hesto lib. 11. cap. 33. Esai 5â— Iob. 1. cap. Psal. 119. Psal. 34. Math. 10. Luke 21. Psal. 56. Rom. 8. Psal. 27. Psal. 55. Esai 49. Esai 40. Psal. 149. Phil. 4. Collos 1. Rom 8. Zacha. 2. 1. Peter 3. Epistola 137. Psal. 120. Iacob 3. 2 Reg. 16. Psal. 39. What vve may learne by Dauids example Rom. 5. Mark. 16. Actes 28 Malach. 1. Acts. 14. Hebr. 13. Psal. 37. Acts. 5. 2. Cor. 11. Luke 16. 2. Cor. 4. 2. Cor. 6 3. Reg. 17. Iu the storie of Bel and the Dragon The Emperours auision Albeit that god freely do forgiue oure sinnes yet oftentimes for discipline sake he enioyneth vs temporall punishment in this life Psal. 119. The Index or Table of the principall mattiers conteyned in this Booke A. AChaz his Dyall 13 Aduersitie why God sendeth to godly men 258. 259. Afflictions of the iuste an argument of our resurrection 259. 260. 261. Afflictions necessarie why 263. The names giuen to Angels in the scripture 387 The maiestie of Angels 389 Neither Angels nor saincts muste be honored with inuocation Reade the eight chapter of the fourth booke pag. 414 B. The brayne in the hed as an highe towre kept like a treasure 35 C. The nobler creatures haue prehemineÌ„ce ouer the baser 388 The coÌ„munitie of al things disproued 208 Chrysippus confuted 273 VVhy the Ceremonies of the Iewes were ordeyned 285 Chaunce what it is 287 To vs many thinges fall out by chaunce which to God are certaynely knowen before 294 Cities destroied by poore seely beasts 309 Cruelty superfluous towards dumb beasts to be auoyded 330 Godly mens comfort wherin it standeth 34. 428. 429. 430. 431. 432. 433. and so to the end of the tenth chapiter of the fourth booke Christs bodily asceÌ„tion staÌ„deth not with his bodily presence vpon the earth 372 D. Agaynst Destinie 14 Howe the defenders of Destinie made their doctrine to stande with ordinary meanes 170. 171 Destinie what it is 272 Destinie Gods ProuideÌ„ce coÌ„pared 275 A Doue wrought by maruellous arte by Architas Tarentinus 38 E. The earth our extreme refuge 24. The coÌ„modities taken out of the earth 25 The eyes placed in the head as spyes and watchmen to forsee euill 35 Euill mennes deedes howe they be Gods good workes 137 he sheweth by a similitude 138 In euery euill action three thinges concurre 136 The ende maketh a good or euil acte 139 An euil worke and the deformitie of an euill worke not all one 143 Euill why it is not taken away by God. 246. 247. 248. 249. 250. 251. 222. Epicures sweete doctrine whence it floweth 255 F. Our Freewils how farre they extend 116 117. 118. 119. 120. 121. 122. 123. 125. Fortune what it is 287 Howe Aristotle proueth that God medleth not with matiers of fortune 295 G. That there is a God it is proued 11. 12 God caÌ„ not be stained vvith ignorance 18 From Gods povver nothing exempted 19 God is not blotted vvith those vices vvhiche he detesteth in his creatures Ibidem Hovve God stirreth his creatures by a similitude he declareth 132 God is the orderer and disposer of euill but he poureth no vvickednesse into mennes heartes 134 The venime of oure cursed malice is stirred vp by God as it vvere the fulsome humor of a carraine dravvne vp by the sunne beames 136 Hovve God may be iuste and man a trespasser in the same thing 146. 147 VVhy God is saide to repente and to