Iesus Christ Rom. 5.1 And this peace and beginning of life surmounteth al vnderstanding Philip. 4.7 as Saint Paule doth witnes God his children doo feele And indeed it is a thing rauishing our soules with ioye vnspeakable when GOD maketh the brightnes of his face to shine vpon vs As also Dauid sheweth Psalm 80. whē he asketh so oft of God this grace for a full measure of all felicitie As touching the bodie the first degree of life lieth in this that the afflictions of it be not onlie mitigated made light by this life of the soule reconciled to God and feeling ioye through the brightnes of his countenance Rom. 8.27 Heb. 12.6 but also are conuerted being the fruits of the loue of God towards vs into saluation and glorie The second degree of life may bee considered in the seperation of the soule and the bodie The second degree of life the which improperlie as touching the faithful is called death For euen as touching our bodies although they goe to rot in the earth yet being then deliuered and free from all sicknes from hunger thirst heate cold and from a thousand other torments which of their nature are a kind of death they goe to rest in their beds Esay 57.1 as Esai saith and being deliuered from their labours and trauailes Apoca. 14.13 they are blessed as Saint Iohn saith And this rest proceeding from the fauour of God cannot properlie be called death but is to them a kind of life But speciallie the soule thē entreth into the possession of the second degree of life For being deliuered from the bodie she is carried vp by the Angels into the bosome of Abraham Luk. 16.22 Luk. 23.43 and into Paradise with Iesus Christ exempted then from ignorance from incredulitie frō mistrust from couetousnes ambition enuie hatred feare terrour lustes and from all other passions vices and corruptions which are deadlie in thē which also bring forth the fruites of death And contrariwise is then fully sanctified victorious and assured against Satan Hell sinne and all other enemies waiting after that with great ioye for the accomplishment of her glorie in the resurrection of her bodie The third degre The third degree of life shall bee at the glorious comming of Iesus Christ when our bodies being awaked out of their sleepe they shall rise againe all renued bodies incorruptible 1. Cor. 15.42 spirituall and immortall Philip. 3.21 yea fashioned like to the image of the glorious bodie of Iesus Christ And so being ioyned together againe to their soules 1. Thess 4.17 they shall be together caught vp into the clowdes before our Lord Iesus Christ in the ayre Ephe. 4.10 Ioh. 14.2 Ioh. 17.24 and exalted aboue all the heauens into the house of God our father 1. Thess 4.17 Then also shall be the accomplishmēt of the life of our soules reunited to their bodies being together where Iesus Christ is and with him as members of his bodie his brethren and his spouse vnited to him by him to God the fountaine of life And by this vnion inioying a communitie in all his goods and of this incorruptible inheritance 1. Pet. 1.4 which can neither faile nor fade away referued for vs in heauen Then shall God wipe all teares from our eyes Reue. 21.4 death shall be no more neither shal there be any sorrow crie or trauaile any more All these old things shall be gone away God shall make all things new Then shall we be before the throne of God Reue. 7.14 and shall serue him night and day in his Temple and shall be led by the Lambe to the liuing fountaines of waters Reue. 19.7 Then shall be the day of our mariage with the Lambe when being clothed with pure bright raiments wee shall sit at his mariage banquet Then shal we be like vnto the Angels If our bodies shall shine then as the Sunne Matth. 22.30 what shall the brightnes of our soules be Matth. 13.43 Then our pilgrimage being finished we shall be indeed the citizens of this heauenlie and holie Ierusalem Bern. meditation 9. which shall bee all of pure gold like vnto the cleere glasse Reue 21.18 hauing the foundations of the wall garnished with pretious stones whereof also the twelue gates are twelue pearles which hath no need of the Sunne nor of the Moone to shine in it because the brightnes of God shall be the light of it and the Lambe him selfe shall be the candle of it O how happie shall the citizens be that shall liue in such a Citie See then what good things are signified by life euerlasting and the three degrees of it But Saint Paul lifteth vs vp yet higher into the contemplation of this life which wee shall inioy after the resurrection Then 1. Cor. 15.24 saith Saint Paule Iesus Christ shall giue vp his kingdome vnto God his father as if he should say Father behold those whom thou hast giuen to me before the foundation of the world they were lost thou diddest send me to saue them I haue redeemed them with my bloud thou hast appoynted me King ouer them they are my kingdome which I haue gotten and which I haue so guided and gouerned that hauing sanctified and deliuered them from all their enemies I haue brought giuen and presented thē vnto thee that hauing as touching my selfe accomplished the worke charge which thou haddest enioyned me frō this time forth thou maiest be king raigning immediatlie in them and filling them with all happines and glorie Then shall there be no creature either in heauen or in earth that shall haue any domination or Lordship There shall bee neither King nor Prince 1. Cor. 15.28 neither Master nor Lord. There shall bee neither father mother husband nor wife There shall be neither Prophet Doctor Minister nor Pastour There shall be neither riches nor estates All the enemies also of Iesus Christ shall bee destroyed for euermore death being swallowed vp into victorie and Satan with his angels and all the reprobate being cast into the bottomlesse pit Contrariwise the Elect being fullie sanctified shall bee lifted vp both in bodie soule aboue all the heauens The worke of Christ shall be finished And all being done Reue. 21.6 The verie same offices which Christ hath receiued shall exercise for the accomplishment of our saluation to be a King a Priest and a Prophet and to sit at the right hand of God shall cease but so as the fruites and the incomprehensible benefits gotten by thē vnto the church shal euer abide to his euerlasting glorie But what shall that be then God the Father the Sonne and the Holie ghost one onlie God shall be immediatlie all thinges both in this man Christ and in all vs the members of his bodie The Godhead I say shall be in the man Iesus Christ and in vs King Prince father riches life and
whom by good right we should loue more than our selues See then more than a sea of ioy proceeding from the happines of the seruants of God Let vs now vnderstand the great deapth of ioy which we shall feele entering into the ioye of our Lord. The cause why wee should loue God saith Saint Bernard is God him selfe Bernard in tract de diligendo deo And the measure which wee ought to keepe in this loue is to loue him without measure and so infinitlie But according to that wee knowe him 1. Cor. 13.12 we loue him But now we knowe him but in part and as it were in darknes euen so very little and obscure is the loue which we beare him But when wee shall knowe him as he is wee shall loue him according as he is What shall our loue bee towards him then 1. Cor. 15.24 when Iesus Christ hauing giuen ouer his kingdome to God his Father God the Father the Sonne and the Holie ghost one onlie God 1. Cor. 15.28 shall bee all things in this man Iesus Christ and in vs and when wee shall knowe him as hee is beholding the brightnes of his face and his Godhead then raigning immediatly in vs filling vs with all happines Without doubt this contemplation of the glory of the diuine maiestie shal bring forth in vs an infinite loue towards God Now to returne to the meditation of Saint Augustine if according to that we loue each one wee should reioyce of his happines Then as in this blessed felicitie each one of vs shall loue God without comparison more than himselfe and more than all the Angels and elect with vs so shall we feele more ioy without comparison of the blessednes and glorie of God than of our owne or of al the Angels and the elect with vs. And if then wee shall loue God with all our heart with all our soule with all our vnderstanding yet so as al our hart al our vnderstanding and all our soule shall not be capable of the excellencie of this loue Surelie wee shall so feele ioy with all our heart with all our vnderstanding and with all our soule as yet all our heart al our vnderstanding and all our soule shall not bee able to comprehend the fulnes of this ioye Howsoeuer it bee then that this full ioy yea more than full through the greatnes of it whereof all our heart all our vnderstanding all our soule shall not be capable cannot enter into vs It shall remaine that we filled with the sea of ioye of the felicitie of the Angels and of all the elect shall enter into this great deapth of ioye proceeding from the contemplation of the glorie of our God And this shal be the ioy of the Lord Matth. 25.21 into which all his faithfull seruants shall enter Now when this felicitie so great and ioy incomprehensible shall indure so manie yeares as there bee drops of water in the sea Of the eternitie of the life to come or graines of sand in the whole earth yet should not this be a perfect happines For howsoeuer the continuance shall seeme to vs infinite yet the end will once come And indeed the drops of water and the graines of the sand are numbred before God But this our felicitie and ioy shal last without end Such shall bee the life euerlasting As also Saint John saith Apoc. 22.5 1. Tim. 1.17 we shall raigne in heauen world without end We shall bee the kingdome of that immortall king whom Esai calleth the father of eternitie Esai 9.6 who hath promised life and immortalitie to those that shall beleeue the Gospell 2. Tim. 1.10 Also death shall then bee swallowed vp into victorie The author and prince of life 1. Cor. 15.45 hauing vanquished the diuell Act. 3.15 who had the rule ouer death shall make vs partakers of the life that is euerlasting And as we shall be vnited to the fountaine of life Heb. 2.14 Apoc. 21.6 so shall it run in vs eternallie For as the fountain of this life which we shall inioy hath no beginning so the life that procedeth from it shall haue no end The mercie of GOD saith S. Bernard is from eternitie to eternitie vppon those that feare him from eternitie because of the predestination to eternitie because of the glorification The one hath no beginning the other hath no ending This therefore shall be a happines incomprehensible for the greatnes and infinite for the eternitie of it Behold also how we shall then inioy a ful and perfectioy Ioh. 16.22 which shal neuer be taken away from vs. Now this life is promised and assured to all the children of God in as much as they are heires of God the fountaine of life Rom. 8.17 Psal 36.10 Ioh. 14.6 Ioh. 3.15 coheires and members of Iesus Christ who is the way the trueth and the life who also hath so oftē protested that whosoeuer beleeueth in him he hath life euerlasting Ioh. 6. Let vs conclude then that the children of God are truelie and onlie blessed being assured to inioye this great and incomprehēsible happines of life euerlasting which is purchased promised and kept for them in Iesus Christ our Lord. How we shall knowe that we are the children of God CAP. 2. OF this conclusion it followeth that there is no greater ioy or contentmēt in this present life or any thing more sure or more necessarie for the happie ouercomming the difficulties of it thā to knowe and feele that wee are the children of God For this foundation being laid wee ought to bee assured that whatsoeuer shall happen vnto vs can bee none other than the blessing of a father and so consequentlie a meane aide and way disposed by his prouidence either to leade vs vnto life euerlasting or to increase our glorie in it True it is that GOD onelie knoweth his owne 2. Tim. 2.19 whom hee hath chosen before the foundation of the world to bee his children 2. markes of our adoption Yet there are two principall meanes by which he giueth vs to vnderstand who are his children the one is outward by markes visible vnto men the other is inward by testimonies which he that is the child of GOD feeleth in himselfe The outward marke lieth in this Of the outward mark that we be mēbers of the church of Christ Now wee call that the church of Christ in which the word of God is trulie preached the Sacramēts are purelie ministred and one onelie God is called vpon in the name of his onelie sonne Iesus Christ Matth. 13. First this Church is often called the kingdome of heauen because that by it wee enter in thether so that it is as it were the suburbs or the gate of it Whereof it followeth that being the true members of the Church we are in the way and forwardnes to enter make our abode in heauen Mat. 21.13 It is also
glorie To be short all things such a heape of happines and felicitie that as sundrie vessels cast into the sea are full of water so as they can neither want nor haue more So this sea of Diuinitie being all things in vs al we shall be filled and satisfied with life glorie so as we can neither want nor receiue more Then shall we not onlie tast how sweete our God shall be Psal 34.9 but we shall be filled and throughlie satisfied with his sweetnes most wonderfull Cipri de ascē Christi 1. Cor. 15.18 Then shall the sonne himselfe be subiect to the father to wit as touching his humanitie but that shall be for the increase of his glorie and our felicitie For the sonne of man abiding still vnited to the sonne of God August lib. 80. quaest 69. lib. de trinit 1. cap. 8. and then ceasing the gouernement which he shall haue vntill the resurrection God shall in such sort be in this sonne of man and in vs that the maiestie and brightnes of the diuinitie then raigning immediatlie shall cause the difference between the diuinitie of Christ Ihe 17.22 and his humane nature subiect vnto it to appeare But as the principall glorie of the sonne of man Phil. 2.7 is to be vnited vnto the sonne of God in one person and that this his diuinitie shall be for the most part as it were hid vntil that day and that then it shall bee fullie reuealed how much more the diuine maiestie of the sonne of God shall cause the subiection of the sonne of man to appeare so much the greater shall appeare the glorie of this sonne of man vnited in one person to the Godhead then raigning in his full maiestie and glorie As if a mā may find any thing neuer so little to represent this high mysterie wee may consider that the felicitie and glorie of the brethren of Ioseph was so much the greater Gen. 47. that by the greatnes of Ioseph exalted to the gouernment of Aegypt they were subiect vnto him and there appeared a great difference between Joseph and his brethren not by the diminishing of them but by the increasing of Ioseph his brethren hauing this happines and honor to be the brethren of Ioseph so much more great and honorable by how much the greatnes of the maiestie glorie of Ioseph made their subiection more to appeare And this is it that may in some sort be noted in the church For although that now her subiection and the difference appeare betweene her gathered and composed of sinfull men hauing their sanctification and their life of their head Iesus Christ and betweene him verie GOD and perfect man sitting at the right hand of God the father almightie yet as then the more great the glorie of Christ shall appeare shewing himselfe immediatlie with his diuine maiestie in his brightnes so much the more clearelie shall the subiection and difference of the Church appeare not by diminishing the happines and glorie of it but by the increase of the glory of her head brother and bridegrome The Church hauing this happines honor to be and stil to abide vnited vnto Christ making with her this new man whereof Saint Paule speaketh Ephe. 2.15 yea so much the more happie glorious by how much the excellencie of the maiestie and glorie of Christ the sonne of man with vs shall exceed in greatnes being vnited to the sonne of God shining then with the Father and the Holie ghost one onlie GOD in his diuine maiestie Hereof also it followeth that our chiefe felicitie shal be to behold this glorie of Christ And indeed this is that benefite and happines which he asked for vs of God his father saying Father Ioh. 17.24 my desire for those whome thou hast giuen me is that they bee where I am and that they may see my glorie And what glorie That we should see him 1. Ioh. 3.2 as he shall bee in maiestie incomprehensible as touching his Godhead and consequentlie in soueraigne glorie as touching his humanitie vnited to this diuine maiestie Behold also how this shall be accomplished which is written 1. Cor. 13.12 that wee shall see God face to face for the accomplishmēt of our felicitie Which that we may the better comprehend Ioh. 15.11 Ioh. 16.24 Matth. 25.21 we must finallie conclude that the fruit thereof shall bee this ioy full and perfect which Christ hath promised vs promising further to make vs enter into the ioye of our Lord. Aug. in manuel cap. 35. Saint Augustine in a certaine meditation which is inded both holie and heauenlie sheweth verie excellentlie how great this our ioy shall be and that ioy of our Lord which we shall enter into Hauing discoursed of the euerlasting felicitie of the children of God thus he saith O heart humane poore needy O hart exercised with miseries almost cōsumed of thē what should thy ioy be if thou haddest the full inioying of the aboūdāce of these good things Aske of thy soule if thou were capable of the ioy which thou shouldest feele of one such felicitie But if besides any other whō thou louest as thy selfe should inioye the same happines with thee surelie this superabounding ioy which thou shouldest feele of thine own happines should it not be twise doubled for the glorie the ioy of him whō thou louest as thy self for whose happines thou shouldest bee as ioyfull as for thine owne happines Now if there were two three yea a great nūber inioying the same happines with thee whom also thou louedst as thy selfe thou shouldest feele as much ioy for the happines of each of them as for thine owne happines What then shall be in this perfect charitie when wee shall loue all the blessed angels and all the elect louing euerie each one of them euen as our selues and being no lesse ioyfull of the felicitie of each of them than of our owne Surelie if neuer a one of the elect shall be capable of his owne ioy for the greatnes of it how shall he bee capable of so manie ioyes for the happines of so manie of the elect for whom he shall feele as much ioy as for his owne Loe what it is Saint Augustine saith But yet how much shall this ioy be augmented for the happines felicitie and glorie of this elect of God in whome wee our selues haue been elected who hauing died for the elect shall sanctifie preserue and lift them vp into heauen to the inioying of this felicitie who is not onlie man holie and iust but also true God especiallie beholding him in his glorie to bee vnited in one person to the Godhead then shining in his Maiestie Surelie if wee louing other elect as our selues should haue as much ioy of the happines of each of them as of our own what shall be the ioy that we shall receiue of the happines and glorie of this soueraigne Elect Iesus Christ
true faith cannot be without good works Now I feele my selfe so miserable a sinner that it maketh me to doubt of mine adoption Indeed this is a thing greatlie to be lamented that we render no better obedience vnto God that there is in vs no greater zeale of his glorie nor more feruent charitie towards our neighbours and to be short no better amendement of life But if thou hast begun to hate flee sinne if thou feelest that thou art displeased at thy infirmities and corruptions If hauing offended God thou feele a sorrowe and griefe for it if thou desire to abstaine if thou auoidest the occasions if thou trauailest to doo thine indeuour if thou praiest to God to giue thee grace All these holie affections proceeding from no other than from the Holie ghost ought to be vnto thee so manie pledges and testimonies that he is in thee Rom. 8.5 As also Saint Paule teacheth vs saying that as those that delight in the workes of the flesh are of the flesh So on the other side those that delight in the workes of the spirit are of the spirit These holie desires then to the workes of the spirit are testimonies of the spirit dwelling in thee So as being thus led by the spirit of God thou art the child of God saith Saint Paul Rom. 3.14 Rom. 3.10 And indeed seeing the children of Adam are naturallie inclined to all vices and corruptions it is a marke of regeneration so of being the child of God when contrarie to nature we are displeased with our infirmities and fighting against them wee desire and indeuour to fashion our selues according to the will of our GOD. Mat. 22.37 God hath commaunded vs to loue him with all our heart with all our vnderstanding and with al our soule Now as we cannot know God in this life but in part and darklie so we can not loue him but in part 1. Cor. 13.9.12 Aug. ad Bonif lib. 3. ca. 7. yea verie little The perfection is reserued for heauen as also S. Augustine saith All the faithfull ought earnestlie to aspire to this that they may once appeare before God pure and without spot But for as much as the best and most perfect estate that we can attaine vnto in this present life is no other thing than to profite from day to day then shall we come to this marke when after putting off this sinfull flesh wee shall cleaue fullie to our God Therefore also as the same author saith when men speake of the perfection of the children of God in this life to this perfection is required the acknowledging of their imperfection It is as well in trueth as in humilitie that the Saincts acknowledge how imperfect they are God deferreth the accomplishment of our holines and charitie vntill the life to come to the end that this pride which taketh force through the increase of vertue should not ouerthrowe vs but that walking in humilitie God might accomplish his mercie in pardoning vs 2. Cor. 12.9 his power in sustaining vs and his truth in sauing vs. And in deede there is nothing more weake saith S. Augustine than the proude nor more strong than the humble For as the proude trusting in himselfe who is nothing but vanitie hath God his aduersarie who resisteth the proude 1. Pet. 5.5 Iam. 4.6 so the humble mistrusting himselfe hath God for his strength and saluation God indeede in his lawe requireth a perfect obedience But that which he looketh for of vs his children in this life consisteth more in the desire to obey than in the obedience it selfe Rom. 8.5 According whereunto hee saieth by his Prophet Malachi I will spare them Mal. 3 17. as a father dooth his owne sonne that serueth him If a child take paine to write well or to do as he should do anie other seruice that his father hath commaunded him although there be great want both in the writing and in the other seruice yet in bearing with him hee praiseth him and saieth that hee hath written well hee had doone his duetie Godlines the loue towardes God and the obedience that we owe vnto him is often signified by the feare of God the which also Dauid calleth the beginning of Wisedome Psa 111.10 And those that haue this feare of God are acknowledged called the children of God Then if thou feel such loue reuerēce toward God that thou feare to offend him thou art the child of God Psa 112.1 But then thou fearest to offend God when thou shunnest the occasions and inticements to sinne and when hauing offended thorough ignorāce ouersight or other infirmitie thou feelest sorrow and displeasure to raise thee vp againe being resolued to sin no more and praying to God that he will cōduct thee by his holy spirit that thou maist walke constantly according to his worde 1. Iohn 3.9 S. Ihon saith that the children of God sinne not not that they offend not God euery day or that they commit not sometimes most greeuous offences as Dauid and Saint Peter 2. Sam. 11 Mat. 26.74 And as dailie experience dooth too much conuict euerie one of vs. But he saith that they sinne not because they loue God and are afraideto offend him and doe not willingly giue themselues to doo euill but haue sinne in such detestation that they feele in themselues that conflict which Saint Paule setteth foorth vnto vs in his owne person Rom. 7 in as much as they woulde doo the good which they cannot doo and doo vnwillingly the euil which displeaseth them whereof it followeth as the Apostle concludeth that if they doo that which they would not doo it is no more they which do it but sinne which dwelleth in them which on the one side ought to giue thē occasion to mourne and to crie wyth the Apostle Alas wretch that I am who snall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death But on the other side they ought to feele the comforte which hee addeth saying I thanke my God through Iesu Christ And wherefore Rom. 8.1 Because there is no condemnation to those who thus fighting against the flesh walke after the spirit and consequently are in Iesus Christ For therest when thou feelest a doubt of thine adoption through the want of rendering to God such obedience as thou oughtst knowe that Satan is at hand with thee falsifying the gospel in persuading thee that thou shouldest bee saued by thy workes or willing to make thee blaspheme Iesus Christ in making thee beleeue that thou mayest and oughtest to be at the least in some part a Sauiour of thy selfe and so a companion of Iesus Christ Answere to this temptatiō that thou arte a poore sinner 1. Tim. 1.15 Matt. 9.13 Rom. 8.5 Rom. 8.1 Rom. 7.22 but that Christ came to saue sinners and that there is saluation in none but in hym Furthermore if thou feel a desire to the works of the Spirit thou art of the
or slaine of theeues or caried away slaues to the Barbarians Now although these examples ought to suffice to make vs vnderstand what the condition of the Church hath alwaies been and so consequentlie of the children of God we will yet notwithstanding set forth some particular examples of those that haue been the most excellent seruants and children of God Abel hauing offered vnto GOD a more excellent sacrifice than Cain Examples of particular members of the Church afflicted in the time of the old testament Gen. 4. Mal. 1.2 Gen. 28. and so receiuing the testimonie that he was iust was mischieuouslie traiterouslie murthered by his brother Among the Patriarches let vs consider the afflictions of Iacob beloued of GOD After he had been long time in feare of the threatnings of his brother Esau at the last he was constrained to forsake his fathers house Being with Laban his vnckle Gen. 31. he serued him the space of 20. yeares feeding his flockes induring the cold of the night and the heate of the day In the meane time he receiued so manie iniuries at the hands of his vnckle that he resolued with his wiues the daughters of Laban to steale away from him and to depart without bidding him farewell He being thus as it were fled he was pursued of Laban prouoked to anger determining to vse him violentlie if God as himselfe confesseth had not forbidden him Hauing escaped his hand he fell into a newe and horrible feare Gen. 32. for the comming and meeting of his brother Esau fearing as he sheweth by the praier which he made to GOD least he would slay both him with his wiues and children Gen. 35.22 His eldest sonne committed adulterie and that not with a straunge woman but with his fathers owne concubine His daughter is rauished and defiled Gen. 34. His children prophane circumcision the sacred seale of the couenant of God making it to serue to murther as they did al the inhabitants of Sichem Gen. 35. who asked nothing of thē but friendship By this crueltie more than barbarous they exposed their father themselues and all their house to manifest daunger of vtter rooting out by their neighbours if GOD had not held them backe His owne children hauing sold their brother Ioseph they made their father beleeue that he was deuoured of wild beasts Gen. 37. Being pressed with famine he sent his sonnes into Aegypt to get corne Gen. 42. whereby Simeon being kept prisoner he vnderstood that there was no hope of his deliuerie but in sending his yongest sonne Beniamin which was as it were to take away his soule What manner of life then is this of the good Patriarch but continuall anguishes and afflictions as himselfe confesseth saying vnto Pharao Gen. 47.9 that the daies of his pilgrimage were fewe and euill Among the Prophets let vs take Moses to whome GOD shewed himselfe more familiarlie When he was yet a little infant he was put foorth and abandoned vnto death Exod. 2. beeing after come to the age of fortie yeares and feeling that God had ordained him to deliuer his people Israel Act. 7.25 Exod. 2. he began to exercise his vocation in slaying the Aegyptian wherevpon he was constrained to forsake the Court of Pharao and to flie And withdrawing him selfe into the land of Madian he serued Iethro feeding his sheepe the space of fortie yeares He I say that was taken for the sonne of Pharaos daughter that might haue enioyed the riches and pleasures of Aegypt Being after returned into Aegypt by the cōmandement of GOD to deliuer the people of Jsrael incontinently so soon as he began to exercise his charge in speaking to Pharao the Jsraelites being more afflicted than before tooke occasion to murmur against him Hauing conducted the people to the red sea Exod. 14.1 againe they rose against him with dangerous complaints And sinallie hauing retired themselues into the desert he was in continuall trouble anguish and torment for the plaints and murmuring of the people for the enuie of his owne brother and sister but aboue all Num. 12.1 for the vengeances that God executed vpon his people and speciallie for their sinnes as whē they made the golden Calfe Exo. 32 19. And this hauing continued the space of 40. yeres Deut. 34. at the last he died in the desert without entring into the land of promise Wee may to this purpose set downe many other notable examples as of Iob Dauid and others But as euerie one may note their great and sundrie afflictions by the reading of the sacred Histories so it shall suffice to set foorth this which the Apostle writeth to the Hebrues Heb. 11.35 speaking of diuers of the faithfull and seruants of GOD Some saith he were racked would not be deliuered to the end that they might obtaine a better resurrection Other were tried with mockings and stripes yea and by bands and imprisonment They were stoned they were hewen asunder they were tempted they were slaine with the sword they wandered vp and downe in sheepe skinnes and in goates skinnes being destitute afflicted and tormented of whome the world was not worthie wandering in deserts and in mountaines and in deepe pits and caues of the earth As touching the examples of the children and seruants of God Examples of the children seruants of God afflicted vnder the newe Testamēt which haue been since the comming of Christ in the flesh he alone maie and ought to suffice for as much as wee must bee fashioned like to his image and followe his steps Now this Prince of glorie making his entrance into this world created and maintained by him found no place in the Inne it pleased him to bee borne in a stable and to be laid in a manger in stead of a cradle Luk. 2. By and by after Herode sought to slay him Matth. 2. for the which cause he was carried into Aegypt by Ioseph and Marie And what pouertie trow ye indured he there Is he returned into Iudea Mark 6.3 there he passed his life vntill he was 30. yeares old in the abiect and base estate of a Carpenter Did he begin his charge Matth. 4. after hee had fasted fortie daies and fortie nights he was hungrie and had not whereof to eate in the desert During these fortie daies and fortie nights he was assailed of Satan and tempted and sinallie indured those three mightie assaults recited of the Euangelists Hee suffered pouertie Luk. 9.58 not hauing one pillowe to rest his head on and liued by almes Hee was violently pressed with iniuries Luk. 8.3 being called glutton drunkard deceiuer and one possessed with diuells Mat. 11.19 He was carried violentlie to the top of a mountain to throw him downe headlong Mat. 27.63 Hee was betraied of one of his owne Apostles He was taken prisoner Ioh. 7.20 Luk. 4.29 Matth. 26. 27. spet on buffeted beaten mocked scourged crowned with
thornes He was condemned to die and hanged vpon a crosse betweene two theeues And besides these persecutions and outward torments what anguishes did he feele when he swet bloud and water for distresse and feare When hee cast his face vpon the earth when he cried on the crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me let vs adde to this example Act. 9.16 that of S. Paule that vessell of election When he was conuerted Iesus Christ said vnto him that he would shewe him what he should suffer for his name And so it came to passe as he himselfe doth brieflie recite making comparison of his owne person with some of the false Apostles 2 Cor. 11.23 Are they the ministers of Christ I am aboue them in trauailes more aboundant in stripes more than they in prisons more in deaths often Of the Iewes I haue receiued saith he fiue times fortie stripes sauing one I haue been three times beaten with rods once I was stoned three times I suffered shipwracke night and day haue I bin in the deepe sea in iornies often in perills of floods in perills of theeues in perills of mine owne nation in perills of the Gentiles in perills in the Citie in perills in the deserts in perills in the sea in perills among false brethren in labour trauaile in watching often in hunger in thirst in fasting often in cold and in nakednes besides the things that happen to me without there is that which combereth me euerie day euen the care that I haue of all the Churches Now The vse of the afflictions of the church and of the members thereof let vs applie these exaÌ„ples to our purpose When the Church is persecuted and the members thereof afflicted the flesh calleth in doubt whether we bee the true Church and children of God or no. But what afflictions indure we that the most excellent seruants and children of God haue not suffered before vs as it appeareth by the examples here before alledged And where is it that we find that troubles the crosse are markes of the false Church and of the children of the world and not rather the contrarie as it hath been shewed aboue The people of Israel beeing so grieuouslie afflicted in the captiuitie of Babilon and that for their sinnes God by Esay calleth them his welbeloued one Esay 41.8 4â— â—3 and his elect and protesteth that hee can lesse forget them than the mother her child And that he had them grauen in his hands hauing them alwaies before his eyes And speaking of them to Ezechiel he saith Ezec. 11.15 Thy brethren thy brethren the men of thy kindred He contenteth not himselfe to call them once his brethren but doubleth the word saying Thy brethren thy brethren and addeth men of thy kindred that he should not thinke because they were in this miserable condition that they were cast off of GOD but that he should acknowledge them for his brethren In like manner the Holie ghost speaking of those that were murthered and cast to wild beastes Psalm 79.2 calleth them the seruants of God and his faithfull ones The Apostle to the Hebrues speaking of the faithfull which were tormented and afflicted after sundrie manners and cruellie put to death saith Heb. 11 3â— That the world was not worthie of them It is as if he should say that they being the welbeloued children of God and brethren of Iesus Christ the world full of abominable people was not worthie that they should be conuersant and be any more among them And so farre off was it that S. Paule entred into doubt of himselfe for his troubles that contrariwise he alledged them to prooue that he was a more excelleÌ„t seruant of Christ thaÌ„ the others 2. Cor. 11.23 hauing indured more than they al. And if this senteÌ„ce pronounced by the father touching Iesus Christ Mat. 17.5 This is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased bee true euen then when he swet bloud water for distresse and then when he thought he was forsaken of GOD Luk. 9.31 so as being in this hell he continued still the dearelie beloued sonne of GOD what occasion haue we then when wee are afflicted with our head to doubt of our adoption Let vs set before vs the great number of faithfull which were before the throne in the presence of the Lambe clothed with loÌ„g white robes holding palmes of victorie in their hands and let vs vnderstand by the testimonie of the holie Ghost Reue. 7.9 who they be These are they saith he which are come from great tribulation and haue washed their long robes haue made them white in the bloud of the Lambe Therfore are they before the throne of God and serue him day and night in his temple And he which sitteth vppon the throne will ouer shadowe them they shall neither haue thirst nor hunger and the Sunne shall beate vpon theÌ„ no more neither any heate for the Lambe which is in the midst of the throne shall gouerne them and leade them to the fountains of liuing waters and God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes When S. Peter exhorted his disciples to constancie saying 1. Pet. 5.9 That they knew well that the same afflictions were accomplished in the companie of their brethren which were in the worlde And when Iesus Christ said to his Apostles Mat. 5.12 ye are happie when you suffer iniuries and reproches for so haue they persecuted the Prophets which were before you The intention neither of Christ nor of Saint Peter was to set before them the comfort of miserable persons as it is saide to haue companions in their miseries but rather to shew them that the afflictions which they indured were proper to the seruants and children of GOD and that therefore they ought to comfort themselues beeing honoured with the liuerie of their other brethren and members of Christ yea the most excellent seruaunts of God as the Prophets were Rom. 8.28 And indeede seeing those whom God had foreknowne those hee hath predestinate to be fashioned like vnto the Image of Christ Let vs not doubt for so Saint Paule saith that it is a true saying that if we die with him 2. Tim. 2. 11 we shall liue also with him and if wee suffer with him wee shall also raigne with him Let vs remember the saying of Christ to his Apostles Iho. 15.20 The seruant is not aboue his Master If they haue persecuted mee they will also persecute you if the world hate you know that they haue hated mee before you And this should be a thing monstrous to see Iho. 15.18 vnder a head crowned with thornes members handied delicatelie Shall wee doubt then of our adoption beeing called vnto the same condition which the welbeloued Sonne of GOD tooke vpon him going to the inioying of his glorie Will wee refuse to follow him ascending vp by the crosse into his
Kingdome Hee hath suffered sayth Saint Peter 1. Pet. 2.21 Leauing vs an example that wee should followe his steps Let vs not then thinke it strange as he faith in an other place 1. Pet. 4.12 when wee are as in a fornace for our triall as if an vnwonted thing had come vnto vs. Butrather in as much as wee communicate with the afflictions of Christ Let vs reioyce that when his glorie shall appeare wee also may reioyce wath gladnes Now let vs vnderstand how he addeth that suffering iniurie for Christes sake wee are happy forasmuch as the spirit of God which is the spirit of glory resteth in vs and the feeling which we haue causeth vs to glorifie him though of the blinde worlde he is euill spoken of Seeing then the heauenly father hath vouchsafed vs such loue 1. Ihon. 3.1 that wee are called the sons of God although the world persecute vs because it knoweth neither the Father nor vs Let vs saie boldlie with S. Ihon We are now the children of God And although it dooth not yet appeare what we shal be yet we knowe as hee also addeth that when Christ shall appeare we shall be like vnto him for we shall see him as hee is Col. 3.3 Let vs be contented to be dead in this worlde and to haue our life hid with Christ in God beeing assured that when Christ our life shall appeare we shall also appeare in glorie If the Diuell will gather of our afflictions that we are not the children of GOD let vs say boldlie that he is a lyar or let him first plucke out of the ranke of God his children the Martyres the Apostles the Prophets and other of the best and most approoued children and seruants of GOD which haue beene afflicted as well as wee and more than wee Euen the holie Virgine and Christ himselfe But rather seeing that wee beare their liuerie let vs acknowledge our selues the children of GOD with them and let vs say with a holie resolution with Saint Paule Rom. 8.38 that there is neyther death nor life nor Angells nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor heighth nor depth nor anie other creature which can separate vs from the loue of GOD which he beareth vs in Iesus Christ our Lorde That the faithfull haue the common afflictions of the children of Adam because of the excellent fruites of them testimonies of their adoption and of the loue of God toward them CAP. 9. TO bee yet better confirmed in this trueth let vs now consider how the afflictions themselues euen those that are common to the childrē of Adam serue for our profite and saluation First 1. Fruit to awake vs out of our sinnes for as much as the reliques of sinne abide still euen in the most perfect in this life which maketh them hardened in their faults and inclined to offend God We haue neede of helpes to be waked to be humbled and drawen from our sinnes to keep vs in the time to come and so to dispose vs to a perfect obedience holie and acceptable vnto God And to this ende tend the afflictions of the children of God which for this cause are called chastisements corrections and medicines of our soules The children of Jacob hauing committed a detestable crime in selling then brother Joseph Gen. 42.21 but they neuer thought of it vntill that beeing in Aegypt pressed with reproches and imprisonment they called to minde their sinne saying one to the other surely we haue sinued against our brother for we saw the anguish of his soule when hee besought vs and wee woulde not heare him and therefore is this trouble hapned vnto vs. Manasses King of Iuda hauing set vp Idolatrie againe persecuted those that woulde purelie serue the Lorde 2. Chro. 33 so as Ierusalem was full of blood and hauing shut his eares to the admonitions of the Lorde at the last was taken by the army of the king of the Assyrians bound with manacles fettered in chaines and carried prisoner into Babylon Then being in affliction he was exceedingly humbled before God hee prayed to the Lord and was heard and caried backe vnto Jerusalem Then hee pulled downe all Idolatrie reformed the seruice of God and commanded Iuda to serue the Lorde the God of Israell Yea the poore pagane marriners of whom the historie of Ionas maketh mention seeing the continuaunce of the tempest concluded to cast lots to know who was the cause of that affliction and God making it to appeare that it was the sinne of Ionas Ion. 1.7 thereof is come a common Prouerb in a daungerous tempest that there is some fonas in the ship And this proceedeth of a feeling and apprehension of the prouidence and iustice of GOD this little sparke yet still remaining in man of the image of God whereby we thinke that it is hee that afflicteth that he is iust doth nothing but iustlie and so that afflictions are corrections of our sinnes Therefore Jeremie iustly reproueth the blockishnesse of the people of Israel in this that being afflicted Ierem. 8.6 no man saide what haue I done See now why God to make vs more liuelie feele his iudgements to the intent to wake vs vp to conuert vs vnto him sendeth vs oftētimes afflictions which after a sort answere haue some conformitie to our sins As for example EZechias king of Iuda sinned by ambition or vain confidence in shewing all his treasures to the Embassadors of the king of Babel and GOD tolde him by the Prophet Esay that all his treasures should be transported into Babel Esa 39 Dauid offended God in committing adultery 2. Sam. 11 and in putting to death Vriah and GOD chastised him in this 2. Sam. 13 that Amnon his sonne defiled his sister Thamar and that Amnon was slaine by his brother Absolom that Absolom laie publikely with his fathers Concubines 2. Sam. 16. 22 according to that which God had saide vnto him 2. Sam. 12 11 Thou hast done it in secrete and I will doo it in the sight of all the people The child borne in adultry died 2. Sam. 12 10 he was threatned that the Sword should not depart from his house Now as the afflictions bring vs to the feeling of our sinnes 2. Fruit amendment of life and first in workes to wake vs vp and to humble vs so therof riseth the resolutions and protestations to fall into them no more but to amend them And this is it that is seene in those that by tempest of sea or some grieuous disease are in manifest danger of death They examine their cōsciēce their sinnes infirmities then come before them they aske pardon and make protestations to liue better in time to come The same also we see in children that are beaten of their fathers This is it which the Apostle to the Hebrewes teacheth vs saying That no chastisement for the time seemeth pleasant
vs that according to the loue that he beareth vs and according to his infinite wisedome hee will dispose nothing of vs which shall not be to his glorie and to our benefite and saluation It is well knowne that fathers mothers take no pleasure to afflict their children and to make them to weepe And although they haue power to beate them to appoynt them their diet and to put them abroad either to schoole or to serue some other yet when they doo this men doo not onlie confesse that they haue authoritie so to do but also euerie one beleeueth that it is for the benefite of the children whose duetie also it is to like well of it and to render vnto them willing obedience Now properlie God onlie is our father Mat. 23.9 as Iesus Christ saith Call ye no man father vppon the earth ye haue but one father which is in heauen What iniurie then doo we to this onlie true father that we being afflicted by his hand after what manner soeuer doo not sanctifie his name conforming our selues to his will thinking and confessing that all proceedeth from his goodnes and loue to his glorie and our benefite and saluation See how in the schoole of affliction we learne what it is properlie to obey God and that is verie necessarie for vs. Heb. 5.8 For if Iesus Christ being the sonne notwithstanding learned obedience by the things which he suffered how much more had wee neede to learne to submit our hearts and our neckes by afflictions to the guiding of our God as children yeelding themselues peaceablie to the gouernment of their father saying with Iob The Lord hath giuen the Lord hath takē his name be blessed Iob. 1.21 And with Dauid persecuted of Absalom If God say to me 2. Sam. 15.16 thou pleasest me not behold I am here let him do vnto me whatsoeuer pleaseth him And beeing readie to sacrifice our owne children with our owne hands vnto God when he shall commaund vs as Abraham did in olde time Gen. 22. To bee short in following GOD as the old prouerbe is in what condition or estate soeuer it shall please him to call vs. If then afflictions serue Sen. de Gita beata cap. 15. to awake vs out of sinne to humble vs to correct the infinite corruptions that are in vs to pull vs from the world to cleaue vnto God to draw our harts from the earth to lift them vp to heauen to fashion vs in the obedience of GOD to giue vs increase in patience and faith To be short to make vs so much the more feruently to pray vnto God it resteth that wee conclude that indeede they proceed from the loue of God toward vs of the care that he hath of our saluation and so that in afflicting vs he sheweth himselfe indeed our father as the Apostle to the Hebrues doth also teach vs saying Heb. 12.6 That God chastiseth those whom he loueth and correcteth euery child whom he receiueth If you indure saith he chastisement God offereth himselfe vnto you as vnto his childrē For what child is it whom the father doth not chastise Then if ye be not vnder chastisement whereof all are partakers yee are bastards and not sonnes Rods then are testimonies that he accōpteth vs his lawfull children and not bastards And nature it selfe teacheth it vs. For if wee see two children striue together and a man comming by taketh the one of them and beateth him leauing the other we will iudge by and by that this man is the father of him that he did beate and that the other appertained not vnto him And this is it that S. Peter meaneth saying that iudgement beginneth at the house of God 1. Pet. 4.17 shewing that they are his children and household seruants which are afflicted in this life The which thing a good auncient father did thinke and well expresse calling his afflictions Grego Nazian bitter arrowes shot from a sweet and amiable hand Therefore as when we see the Carpenters strike with their hatchets vpon pieces of wood to pare it or plane it and Masons to polish stones with the strokes of an hammer wee gather that these are stones and timber which the master would imploy to some building Euen so let vs conclude of our selues that if God lift vp vpon vs the hatchets and hammers of afflictions to polish vs It is a manifest and sure testimonie that he hath chosen vs to put in the building of his temple And that so we are his children both welbeloued and happie But let vs passe to another consideration of singular comfort Of the afflictions for the name of Christ and of their fruites CHAP. 10. TRue it is that God being iust doth neuer afflict vs vniustlie which thing we ought alwais to think and confesse to humble our selues and to giue glorie vnto God Neuerthelesse GOD doth not alwaies take occasion of our sinnes to punish vs but often times hee sheweth this fauour to his children to dispose that the cause and title of their afflictions should bee honorable calling them persecutions and sufferings for righteousnes sake Matt. 5.10 Mar. 10.29 Col. 1.24 Matth. 5.11 Rom. 8.35 What are the afflictions for Christ for the Gospell for the Church for the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and for the loue of GOD. And this commeth when we are persecuted of men because wee will not approue iniquitie or false doctrine nor defile our selues with idolatries and superstitiōs but serue God purelie and holilie according to his word To be short when we will liue in the feare of God in Iesus Christ as Saint Paule speaketh 2. Tim. 3.12 who speaking of these afflictions saith Phil. 1.29 To you it is giuen of God not onlie to beleeue but also to suffer for his name They that suffer for Christ are happie wherein he sheweth that such afflictions are the gifts of GOD proceeding from good will loue towards vs And see why Iesus Christ said Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousnes sake 1 By the testimonie of the word of the God Mat. 5.10 Also Blessed are you when men shall reuile you and persecute you speak all manner of euill against you lying of you for my sake reioyce ye and be glad Wherevnto Saint Peter agreeth 1. Pet. 4.14 saying If ye suffer wrong for the name of Iesus Christ ye are happie Now if we haue no other foundation than the onelie testimonie of Iesus Christ to assure vs that being persecuted for his name God loueth vs and will make vs blessed were it not an vntollerable impudencie for the diuell and an incredulitie inexcusable for vs to call that in doubt which he who is the trueth it selfe doth affirme Notwithstanding to the end that we may the more liuelie feele this felicitie than when wee are persecuted for his name let vs consider the reasons which the holie ghost giueth vs. First when Iesus
Christ had said blessed are they which suffer for righteousnes sake he addeth as a reason 2. For the promises 1. Of the kingdome of heauen Mat. 5.10 For theirs is the kingdome of heauen They that through zeale and charitie imploye themselues to maintaine the innocencie and right of an other and aboue all the trueth of God incurre ordinarilie the hatred of the world lifting vp it selfe against them to bring them to ruine But let them comfort themselues for what can they leese seeing the kingdome of heauen is theirs and cannot bee taken from them Yea farther seeing these persecutions assure them and prepare them to come thether Iesus Christ addeth that wee are blessed Mat. 5.12 and that wee ought to skip for ioye when anie iniurie is offered vs either in word or deed 2. For the reward lying on vs for his names sake For your reward saith he is great in heauen Note that he saith in heauen for it shall be speciallie in the life to come that we shall receiue it Yet notwithstanding in an other place he promiseth recompence in this present life 1. In this life For marke what he speaketh to his Apostles Mar. 10.29 Verelie I say vnto you that there is none that shall forsake house or brethren or sisters fathers mothers or wife or children or lands for the loue of me and of the Gospell which shall not now in this world receiue an hundred folde as much houses brethren sisters fathers mothers children and lands with persecution and in the world to come life euerlasting Now the purpose of Iesus Christ is to teach vs that when by persecution it shall happen that wee shall be constrained to forsake father mother brothers sisters and lands he will giue vnto vs in that poore vile and base estate cansed through persecution more ioye contentment and happines than if wee had recouered an hundred fathers for one and an hundred times as much lands and possessions as was taken from vs. And experience maketh the faithfull to feele the trueth of this promise And we should feele it much more aboundantlie if the mouth of our faith were greater But yet in this weakenes of faith doo not we knowe that the wicked in their aboundance are poore and wee in our pouertie are rich Their couetousnes is insatiable and like vnto fire which the more wood you put on the greater it is As for vs wee finde contentment and rest in the prouidence of GOD which neuer forsooke those that put their trust in him In the time of Eliah 1. King 17. manie had greater store of foode than the widdowe of Sarepta vnto whom he was sent but she hauing this blessing of the Lord that the oyle failed not in the cruse nor the flowre in the barrell she had more than the richest in the countrie As he that hath a spring of running water in his house may say that hee is more assured and hath more plentie of water than he that hath it in a cesterne and that all broken Besides this great happines that we feele our selues to be the children of God that being pilgrimes in this world the end of our voyage is to come to heauen which also wee see open and Iesus Christ reaching out his hands vnto vs to gather vs into his glorie giueth vs more contentment without comparison in eating of bread and drinking of water than the vnfaithfull haue in all delicates hauing nothing in their hearts but the world and the earth and liuing or rather languishing in continuall feare to be sodainlie depriued of all that wherein they set their whole felicitie This is it which Dauid noteth Psal 37.10 saying A little that the righteous hath is more worth than the great aboundance of the wicked Yea the verie ordinary experience teacheth vs that GOD prouideth for our necessities both more aboundantlie than euer we looked for also by such meanes as we neuer thought accomplishing in his children persecuted that which Saint Paule saith 1. Tim. 4.8 That godlines hath the promise of this present life and of the life to come If then as it is said the contented bee rich and that it is not the aboundance which giueth this contentment but the feeling that wee are the children of a father that is almightie which loueth vs with a loue incomprehensible in his beloued sonne who hath taken vpon him to make vs happie It must needes followe that euen in this life we recouer an hūdred times as much as we haue lost through persecution And who is he that can doubt if he carefullie meditate this sentence of Saint Paule Rom. 8.31 He that hath loued vs so much as he gaue his owne and onlie sonne vnto the death for vs much more shall he giue vs all other things with him And indeede seeing wee are the members brethren of him whom God hath appoynted the vniuersall heire of all things let vs not doubt but that all things are ours As also the goods of the house appertaineth to the pupils although the Tutor gouerne it and giueth it them by portion and that which is more hee shall sometimes appoint to euery one his diet according to that which by the coūsell of the Phisition shall bee thought fit Mat. 6.33 And indeede if wee seeke first the kingdom of God and his righteousnes Let vs not doubt following the promise of Iesus Christ but that all other things shall be added In the meane time we must especially lift vp our vnderstanding to the reward promised in the life euerlasting For true it is that besides this contentment whereof wee haue spoken God to shew that it hapneth not for lacke of power to enrich his children that pouertie and other afflictions do often follow and accompanie the profession of the Gospell dooth oftentimes dispose that they which haue forsaken father mother their worldly goods for the name of Iesus Christ finde afterwardes many which serue them for fathers and mothers and obtaine after greater possessions in following the Gospell than they had before Alwayes this is not the purpose of Christ to haue vs to rest vpon so bare recompence as to giue vs goods which are common to the wicked and the infidels Saint Paule proposeth to the bondslaues of men for recompence of their faithfull seruice Col. 3.24 the inheritance of Heauen The children then of the house of God shold do thēselues great wrong to looke for at the hands of a Father so mightie so rich so liberall earthlie and transitorie riches other commodities of the flesh Hee esteemeth it not agreeable to his greatnes nor to the anguishes and trauailes of those which haue forsaken father mother their goods and their life for his seruice to giue them things so vaine to the ende that they should not set their mindes thereon thinking that their felicitie lay in them The Master of a house who keepeth his inheritance for his Sonne doth not thinke
that he doth any thing for him to clothe him with the liuerie of his seruants as also when any one shall be receiued for a Prince into any countrie he may well cast some peeces of golde or siluer amongst the people to shew his liberality but the honors and dignities are distributed among his fauourits GOD wil not feast our bodies with the seruice of our soules He is liberall and iust therefore will recompence Spirituall conflicts with Spirituall Crownes and accept our labors not according to the vilenes of our harts but according to the dignity of his greatnes seeing also that he crowneth not in vs our workes August but properly his owne Of one and the selfe same seruice there is one recompence of a King and an other of a Merchant so as when we would content our selues with earthly goods God might answere with better reason than in old time Alexander the great that it were enough in regarde of vs that shoulde receiue it but not in regard of him that should giue it vs. They that knowe the vanity of worldly thinges haue no contentation but in heauenly things yea Manuel Aug. cha 3 and will say with Saint Augustine Lorde if thou shouldest giue mee all that thou hast created in the world that shoulde not suffice thy seruant except thou gaue mee thy selfe As also he saith in another place All aboundance which is not my God is to me scarcitie 2. In the life to come Wee must then set before vs the reward promised in the eternall life wherwith without al doubt Moses was liuely touched in his hart when he refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter choosing rather to bee afflicted with the people of GOD than to enioy for a small season the pleasures of sin esteeming the reproch of Christ greater riches than al the treasures of Aegypt For saith the apostle he had respect to the reward which also he receiued not in this present life wherin he was afflicted vntil his death but in heauen whither hee lifting vp his eies feared not the furie of the King but held fast as if hee sawe him that is inuisible The same Apostle writing to the Hebrevves that beleeued sheweth very well that they also did vnderstand this reward For he beareth them witnesse Heb. 10.34 that they had taken ioyfullie the spoyling of their goods knowing that they had a better riches inheauen which abideth for euer Wherein also he confirmeth them adding this exhortation Then cast not off your confidence which hath great reward The fruite in the life to come incomprehensible first for the greatnesse Rom. 8.18 Now although as touching our selues we can not comprehend what this reward shall be yet ought we certainly to beleeue it that it is most certaine because Iesus Christ hath promised it and most excellent seeing that Saint Paule affirmeth that the suffrings of this present life are not woorthie of the glorie to come which shall be reuealed in vs. As also he sayth in an other place 2. Cor. 4.17 That our transitorie afflictions which indure but a small time and are gone in a moment shal bring forth in vs an eternal waight of glorie maruelous excellent And to giue some taste in waighting for the ful reuelation and inioying of it let vs note in this last sentence of Saint Paule the comparison that hee maketh of our afflictions that are swift and passing in a moment and the eternall waight of glorie maruellous excellent which they bring foorth For true it is that our outward man decayeth as hee said meaning thereby the losse of health of riches honours friendships aliances and other such aides and commodities of this life and the life it selfe but in the meane time the inward man is renued euery day by an happy and excellent chaunge in goods and honours that are spirituall heauenly and eternall And indeede what is all that which we suffer and lose here for Iesus Christ in respect of the infinite and incomprehensible good things which we shall recouer in heauen whereof also we haue a feeling in this present life Are we constrained to forsake a fleshlie father Beholde the heauenly father which offereth himselfe at hand who alone properly is our Father as is saide before Iohn 9. What lost the man borne blinde beeing cast out of the Synagogue and refused of the Scribes and Pharisies when Iesus Christ met hym and receyued hym If any spoyle our worldly goods God offereth vs the Kingdome of heauen If the earth will not beare vs the heauens open to receiue vs. If the people of the worlde driue vs away the Angells offer their presence acknowledging vs their companions in glory If men curse vs those wordes are but winde and God in the meane time doth blesse vs turneth euen the curses of our enemies into blessings as Dauid speaketh 2. Sam. 16 12 If we be thrust out of our offices or dignities Iesus Christ giueth vs things more excellent making vs kings and priests to God his father Rene. 1.6 If our parents disdaine vs wil not know vs Christ is not ashamed to auow vs and call vs his brethren Heb. 2.12 If we be depriued of the succession inheritance of our parents Christ acknowledgeth vs the heires of God his father and fellow heirs with him Do any make vs weep for sorow Christ presenteth him selfe to wipe away our tears to turne our sorows into perfect ioy Are we not receiued into any town to be an inhabitant there God giueth vs freedome in heauen to dwel in that heauenly Ierusalem the streets whereof are paued with sine gold the wals are made of pretious stones the gates are pearls whereof the son of god is the temple the sun Are we put to death it is to enter into a better life ful of ioy and glorie And indeed let vs consider here the wōdersul goodnes of God A she knoweth that we are too much tied to goods dignities and other commodities of the flesh that in stede of willingly laying vp our tresure in heauē we lay it vp in earth he so disposeth that we shal be persecuted for his name doth therin as a good faithful Tutor who takyng the mony of his pupill putteth it out to profit or buieth for him good rents with it And hereunto tendeth that which Dauid sayeth Psal 56.9 Thou hast nūbred my fleetings do thē put my tears in thy bottle are they not noted in thy register This beeing true how much more wil he put the drops of blood which we shed for his name into his barell and in his Register the reproches the flittings the losses of father mother lands and other goods the imprisonments the other afflictions and aboue all the deaths which we indure for his seruice and glorie As also it is written Psa 116.15 Right deare in the sight of God is the death of his Saints And to what ende
honor Act. 22.20 calling him the Martyr of Iesus Christ And S. Iohn maketh mention of Antipas Reu. 2.13 whome hee calleth a faithful Martyr of Christ And in the same booke of the Reuelation he saith that he saw the great whore drunk with the bloud of the Saints Reu. 17.6 with the bloud of the Martyrs of Iesus In like manner the apostle to the Hebrues hauing recited how many faithful had bin mocked scourged cut in peeces stoned Heb. 11. 12. otherwise persecuted he addeth that in them wee haue as it were a cloude of martyrs or witnesses cōpassing vs round about and exhorting vs to follow constantly their exāple The Apostles did well vnderstand and confesse this honor who after they had been publikelie whipped for the name of Iesus Christ Act. 5.40 they went before the councel reioycing that they had this honour to suffer reproach for his name And indeed when when we indure persecution to maintaine the glorie the authoritie and the truth of Christ against Antichrist and his supposts it is as if Iesus Christ shuld borrowe our goods our renowme our bloud our life to serue for autenticall seales most sure witnesses that cannot faile of the right and the glorie that appertaineth vnto him And what are we poore wormes of the earth that the eternall Sonne of GOD the King of Kings and Lord of Lords shall doo vs this honor to put his glorie as it were into our handes to bee the keepers and defenders of it against those that would spoile him of it And heere let vs consider the incomprehensible wisedome and goodnes of God towards vs. The most perfect offend God daylie and one onely sinne be it neuer so little to our iudgement deserueth death and euerlasting condemnation then it is yet more than the losse of our goods the corporall life Now in stead of exercising his iust iudgements vpon vs hee doth vs this honour that it which wee endure which is not the thousand part of that wee haue deserued chaungeth the nature and instead of beeing the punishment of sinne God imputeth it as a most excelent seruice for the maintenance of his glorie But yet there is more 2. Frute the glorie of God declaclaring and accomplishing his power in our infirmitie and shewing his goodnes and the trueth of his promises first toward euery faithfull For what are wee to suffer willinglie The loue of riches ambition the plesure of fleshly commodities the affectiō toward father mother wife children aboue al to this life is so strong and vehement in vs that in stead of renouncing them for Christ we renounce Christ and his Kingdome to entertaine vs. And experience sheweth this too much We are also so very impatient and daintie when there is any question of suffering that if we should but onely snuffe a candle with our fingers we wet them with our spittle that wee might not feele the fire of that small snuffe which yet we throw from our fingers in al haste and how then should we abandon our bodies to the death entring quicke into the fire to be there consumed if God did not strengthen vs supernaturally Howe shoulde wee maintaine his trueth against the supposts of Antichrist if the spirit of his father the which he promised vs Mat. 10.19 20 did not worke mightily in vs Then when we see these vessells so fraile and weake to surmount the threatnings of kings the apprehension of fire the assaults of Antichrists supposts and the temptations proceeding from father mother wife and children are not these so many testimonies of a wonderfull and mighty grace and power of God which fortifieth them and maketh them victorious against Sathan the worlde and the flesh I can doo all things sayth Saint Paule through Christ who strengtheneth me Phil. 4.13 2. Cor. 12 10 And in an other place I reioyce sayth he in infirmities in iniuries in necessities in persecutions in anguishes for christ For whē I am weake then am I strong euen thorough the might and power of Christ which shewed it selfe and was made perfect thorough his weaknesse as hee had saide before So then this constancie this faith this zeale other vertues which God communicateth by his free goodnes to his elect are manifest by persecutions which otherwise shoulde bee hid As in running the course the agility or swiftnes of the horse is known the strength of a mā in the combat the sauour of many drugges in rubbing or brusing of them or casting them into the fire as we see in the incense The Starres saith Saint Bernard which appeare not by day shine in the night Bernar. in Can. so the vertue that is hid in prosperitie sheweth it selfe in aduersitie Now 2. Toward the body of the church this which wee haue saide of the power of GOD shewing it selfe in the infirmitie of his children to his glorie is seene also in the bodie of the Church which ordinarily is so poore so weake so little holpen at the handes of men that if GOD did not sustaine it it shoulde quickly be swallowed vp Then when we see it so mightelie assailed by the potentates of this worlde conspiring her ruine by so many forces and slights and by so many heretiks doth not God in the guiding deliuering and preseruing of it shewe that it is hee himselfe and he alone which maintaineth and defendeth it And that his power and wisedome is woonderfull in preseruing it against so many enemies and that his truth is certaine in accōplishing that which he hath promised vs of being with his Church vntill the end of the world And that it is he which is the stone cut out without hand which hath broken Mat. 28.29 Dan. 2.34 and dooth still breake the great image representing the empires and kingdomes of the worlde Which to shew vnto vs more liuely oftentimes he so disposeth that leaning vpon the strength of men she hath beene throwen downe and being throwen downe God hath lift her vp againe without meanes and beyond all hope of man that all men may know that the preseruation of the Church is not the worke of Man but indeede the very worke of God Iudg. 7.2 As also the Lord declareth to Gedeon this his intent commaunding him to abate his army There is too many people with thee sayth the Lord that I shoulde giue Madian into their handes least peraduenture Israel would glory in themselues against mee saying 3. Fruit the aduāce ment of the church My hand hath deliuered me See also howe it commeth to passe that when the Deuill thinketh quite to ouerthrowe the Church by persecution God quite contrary hath aduanced and increased it Saint Luke hauing recited that the high Priestes and the chiefe rulers of the Temple Act. 4 the Sadduces laying hands vpon the Apostles put them into prison he addeth by and by that many of those that heard the word beleeued and the number was