any man but in trueth shall hée bring forth iudgement He shall not be sorrowfull nor turbulent c. And finally in the forty nine Chapter he alleageth the words of God the Father vnto Christ touching hys commission in this sort It is too-little that thou be to me a seruaunt to raise vp the Trybes of Iacob and to conuert vnto me the drâ—gs of Israell Beholde I haue appointed thee also â—or a light vnto the Gentiles that thou be my saluation vnto the vttermost parts of the earth DANIELS PROPHECIE OF CHRIST AND to conclude thys matter without alleaging more prophecies for the same which in trueth are infinite throughout the Bible Daniell that liued in the ende of the captiuitie of Babylon a little before Aggaeus Zacharias and Malachias who were the last Prophets that euer florished among the Iewes almost fiue hundred yeeres before the natiuitie of Christ thys Daniell I say reporteth of himselfe that beeing in Babylon and hauing fasted worne sacke-cloth and prayed long vnto God there came the Angel Gabriell vnto him at the time of euening sacrifice and fore-told him not onely of the deliuerance of the people of Israell from the captiuitie of Babylon out of hande for that the seauentie yeres of their punishment fore-told by Ieremie were now expired but also he tolde him further that the time of the vniuersall deliueraunce of man-kind from the bondage and captiuitie of sinne was nowe shortenedâ— and that after seuentie Hebdomades which as shall be shewed after make vppe iust the tyme that passed from the rebuilding of the Temple of Ierusalem after theyr deliueraunce from Babylon vnto the byrth of Christ there should be borne the Sauiour of the world and be put to death for the redemption of man-kinde The Angels words are these I am come to shewe vnto thee O Daniell for that thou art a man of good desires And therefore doe thou marke my speeche and vnderstande thys vision The seauentie hebdomades are shortened vppon thy people and vpon thy holy Cittie to the end preuarication may be consumed and sin receiue an end to the ende iniquitie may be blotted out and eternall iustice brought in her place and to the ende visions and prophecies may be fulfilled and the SAINT OF SAINTS annoynted Knowe thou therefore and marke that from the end of the speech for rebuilding of Ierusalem vnto Christ the CAPTAINE there shall be hebdomades seuen and hebdomades sixtie two and after sixtie two hebdomades Christ shal be put to death and the people which shall denie him shall not be his people I might passe on further to other Prophets and make no ende if I would alleage what might be sayde in thys behalfe for that the whole Scripture runneth all to this one point to fore-tell and manifest Christ by signes figures parables prophecies and for thys cause was it principally written But that which is already spoken shall be sufficient for our first consideration whereby is seene that among the Iewes from age to age Christ was prophecied and fore-tolde together with the eternitie of hys kingdom that shoulde be spirituall The second consideration NOwe followeth there a second consideration of the qualitie of Christes person of no lesse importaunce then the former and wherein the later Iewes doe more dyscent from vs that is of the God-head of the Messias promised I say the later Iewes or Rabines are different heerein from vs as also they are in many other poynts and articles wherein theyr auncestors that were no Christians did fully agree Euen as all Heretiques are wont to doe that first breake in one point and then in another from the true Catholique fayth of Christ to followe mens traditions and so doe runne on from one to one making themselues in all thinges as dislike as they can for hatred of that vnitie whereunto theyr pryde wyll not suffer them to returne So is it in the generation of this reprobate people who first agreed wyth vs in all or most pointes touching Christ to come and denyed onely the fulfilling or applycation thereof in Iesus our Sauiour but afterward theyr vngracious of-spring beeing not able to stand in that issue against vs deuised a newe plea and betooke themselues to a far higher degree of impietie affirming that wee attribute many thinges vnto Iesus that were not fore-tolde of the Messias to come and among other that he shoulde be God and the sonne of God and the second person in Trinitiâ— c. But heerein no doubt these obstinate and gracelesse men doe shewe themselues both ignoraunt of theyr own Scriptures and disagreeing from the wrytings of theyr own fore-fathers For as for scriptures it is â—uident by all or most of the Prophets allâ—â—ged before that Christ or the Messias must be GOD and the sonne of God indued wyth mans nature that is both man and God So in Genesis where he is called the sâ—ede of the woman it is apparent that he shall be man and in the same place when hee is promised to crush the deuill and breake his heade vvho can do thys but onely God Likewise when he is called Germen Iehouae the seede of our Lord God his God-head is signified as is hys man-heade also when in the same place he is named the fâ—uite of the earth Who can interprete these speeches That his kingdom shall be euerlasting That he shall endure vntil the Moone be taken away after That God begate him before Lucifer was created That no man can tell or recounte his generation That all Nations and Angels must adore him That he must sitte at the right hande of God and many other such speeches pronounced directly and expresly of the Messias who I say can vnderstand or interprete them but of God seeing that in man they cannot be verified And as for the last of these testimonies concerning Christes sitting at hys Fathers right hande three of our Euangelists doe report that Iesus did blanck diuers of the learnedest Pharisies with alleaging onelie these words of Dauid The Lord said to my Lord sitte at my right-hande vntill I put thine enemies as thy foote-stoole For saide Iesus yf Christ be Dauids sonne howe did Dauid call hym hys Lord signifying heereby that albeit the Messias was to be Dauids Sonne according to his man-head yet was he to be Dauids Lorde according to his God-heade And so doe both Rabbi Ionathan and the publique Commentaries of the Hebrues interprete the place Micheas is plaine And thou Bethleem out of thee shall proceede a RVLER in Israel and his going soorth is from the beginning and from the dayes of eternitie This cannot be vnderstoode of any mortall man that euer was or shall be But yet Esay goeth further when he sayth A little child is borne vnto vs and a young sonne is giuen vnto vs and his principalitie is vpon his owne shoulder and his name shall be GOD the
ensue is rightly to knowe GOD for by knowing him we shall know our selues and all thinges els which are necessray for vs to know and without knowing him al knowledge in the world is vanitie and meere follie Haec est vita aeterna sayth Christ to hys Father vt te cognoscant solum Deum verum et quem misisti Iesum Christum Thys is lyfe euerlasting that men knowe thee which art onely true God and Iesus Christ whoÌ„ thou hast sent Gods nature and essence we cannot know in this life but the onely meane to knowe God in this worlde is to knowe his Maiestie to know his mercie to know his iustice to know his iudgments to know his hatred to sinne his fauour to the good his benefits and promises to all his grace his threates his wayes his commandements his dealings towardes other men before vs all which things the considerations following do sette before our eyes and consequently they doe teach vs to knowe God aright Reade then therefore deere brother with attention and remember the wordes that God vseth to vs all vacate videte quoniam ego sum Deus Take leysure and consider that I am a God It must not be doone in haste nor as the fashion is for curiositie onelie to reade three or foure leaues in one place and so in another but it must be doone with such serious attention as appertaineth to so great a businesse which in trueth is the weightiest that possible vnder heauen may be taken in hand It is the busines whereof Christ meant especiallie when he sayde vnum est necessarium one onely thing is necessarie For that all other things in this worlde are but tryfles to this and this alone of it selfe of more importance then they all THAT THERE IS A GOD VVHICH REVVARDETH GOOD AND euill against all Atheists of old and of our tyme. With the proofes alledged for the same both by Iewe and Gentile CHAP. II. IT is a thing both coÌ„mon and ordinary in sciences arts wheÌ„ they are learned or deliuered by other to suppose dyuers poynts pâ—inciples and to passe them ouer without proofe as eyther knowne before to the learner or els so manifest easie and euident of themselues as they neede no other proofe but onely declaration So when wee take in hande to instruct a man in chyualrie or feates of armes we doe suppose that hee knoweth before were hee neuer so rude what a man what a horse what armour what fighting meaneth as also that warre is lawfull and expedient in diuers causes that Princes of the worlde may wage the same that souldiers haue to liue in order and dyscipline vnder theyr regiment and that Kings for this cause doe holde their Generals Lieutenants Coronels Captaines and other like officers in theyr bandes garrisons campes and armies In manuall artes and occupations likewise it is euident that diuers thinges must be presupposed to be foreknowne by the learner as in husbandry or agriculture in building in painting and other such exercises when a man is to be taught or instructed it were not conuenient for the teacher to stand vppon euerie poynt or matter that appertayneth to the same but must leaue passe ouer many things as apparent of them selues or easily to be discerned of euery learner by nature sence reason or common experience But yet in liberall sciences and professions of learning is this more apparent where not onely such common and vulgare poynts are to be presumed without proofe or dyscourse but also certaine propositions are to be graunted in the beginning as groundes whereupon to builde all the rest that ensueth So the Logitian for example wil haue you yeelde ere hee enter with you that contradictorie propositions cannot be together either false or true neyther that one thing may be affirmed and denied of another in one and the selfe same respect and time The Morall Phylosopher will haue you graunt at the beginning that there is both good and euill in mens actions and that the one is to be followed and the other refused The Naturall Phylosopher wil haue you confesse that all physicall bodies which depende of nature haue motion in themselues and are subiect to alterations and what soeuer is mooued is mooued of another The Mathematique at his first enterance will demaund your assent that euerie whole is bigger then his parts as also the Metaphysique or supernaturall Phylosopher that nothing can be and not be at one time And so other such like principles and common groundes in these and al other sciences are to be demaunded graunted and agreed vpon at the beginning for the better pursute establishment of that which hath to followe beeing thinges in themselues as you see eyther by nature common sence or experience most cleere and manifest And is not this also in Diuinitie trowe you and in the affayres that we haue now in hande yes truelie if wee beleeue S. Paulâ— who wryteth thus to the Hebrues Credâ—â— oportet accedentem ad Deum quia est et inquâ—rentibus se remunerator sit He that is in comming towards God must beleeue that then is a GOD and that he is a rewarder of sucâ— as seeke him Beholde heere two principles wherein a man must be resolued before heâ— can seeke or draw neere vnto God The one that there is a GOD and the other that thâ— same God is iust to rewarde euerie man according to his deserts Which two principles or general ground are so euident indeede of their own natures and so ingraffed by Gods own hand into the minde and vnderstanding of euerie perticuler man at his natiuitie according to the saying of the Prophet the light of thy countâ—naunce is sealed vpon vs O Lorde that were not the tymes we liue in too-too wicked the shamelesse induration of sinners intollerable we should not neede to stande vppoâ— the proofe of these poynts for confirmatioâ— of our cause that wee nowe intreate of resolution but rather supposing and assuring our selues that no reasonable creature liuing could doubt of these principles should pursue onely the consideration of other things that might stir vp our wils to performancâ— of our dueties towardes this God that hath created vs and remaineth to pay our reward at the ende But for so much as iniquitie hath so aduaunced her selfe at this daie in the harts of manie as not onely to contemne and offend their maker but also to denie him for patronage of their euill life and for extinguishing the worme of their owne afflicted and most miserable consciences I am enforced before all other things to discouer this fond and foule error of theirs and to remooue also this refuge of desperate iniquity by shewing the inuincible veritie of these two principles the one depending of the other in such sorte as the first beeing proued the second hath of necessitie to follow For
if once it be manifest that there is a GOD which hath care and prouidence of all those whom hee hath created and gouerneth then must it ensue by force of all consequence that he is also to rewarde the same men according to theyr good liuing and deserts of thys life Fyrst then to prooue this principle that there is a GOD I neede vse no other argument or reason in the world but onely to referre each man to his own sence in beholding the world wherof euery part and portion is a most cleere glasse representing God vnto vs or rather a fayre Table wherin God hath drawne and imprinted himselfe in so manifest charecters and legible Letters as the symplest man liuing may reade and vnderstand the same In respect heere of saide the wise man so long agoe That vaine and foolish were all those who considering the workes that are seene in this worlde could not thereby ryse to vnderstande the worke-man And hee giueth this reason a magnitudine enim specâ—â—â— creaturae cognoscibiliter poterit Creator horuâ— videri For that by the greatnes of beautie in the creature may the Creator thereof be seene and knowne Which Saint Paule confirmeth when hee saith that the inuisible things of God may be seene and knowne by the visible creatures of thys world Which is to be vnderstoode in this sence that as a prisoner in a dungion may easilie by a lyttle beame that shyneth in at a chynck conceiue there is a Sunne from whence that beame descendeth and as a trauayler in the wyldernesse that falleth vppon some channell or brooke may ascende by the same to the well or Fountaine euen so he that beholdeth considereth the wonderfull workes of thys worlde may thereby conceiue also the wonderfull Artificer or worke-man that made them If a man shoulde passe by sea into some forraine strange or sauage Countrey where nothing els but byrdes and beastes doe appeare yet if he should espie some exquisite building or other worke of arte and reason in the place he would presently assure himselfe that some men dwelt or had beene in that Countrey for that such thinges coulde not be doone by beastes or vnreasonable creatures euen so in the viewe and consideration of thys world If we cast our eyes vpon the heauens we remaine astonished with the miracles that we beholde but who made them wee see the skyes of exceeding great highnesse dystinguished wyth colours and beautie most admirable adorned with starres Plannets innumerable and these so qualified wyth theyr diuers different and vnequal motions as albeit they neuer mooue or goe together yet doe they neuer giue let or hinderaunce the one to the other nor change their course out of order or season Quis enarrabit caelorum rationem concentum caeli quis dormire faciet Who is able to declare the reason of these heauens or who can make cease or sleepe the vniforme course of their motions saith GOD to Iob As who woulde say that because no man or mortall creature can doe this therefore may wee imagine of what power and perfection theyr maker is Which K. Dauid had doone when hee pronounced caeli enarrant gloriam Dei opera manuum eius annunciat firmamentum the heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmament dooth preache the workes of his hands vnto vs. If we pull downe our eyes from heauen to earth wee beholde the same of an infinite bignesse distinguished with hils and dales woodes and pastures couered wyth all varietie of grasse hearbes flowers and leaues moystened wyth Riuers as a bodie wyth veines inhabited by creatures of innumerable kindes and qualities inriched with inestimable and endlesse treasures and yet it selfe standing or hanging rather with all his weyght and poyse in the midst of the ayre as a little balle without proppe or pyller At which deuise and most wonderfull miracle God himselfe as it were glorying said vnto Iob. Where wert thou when I laid the foundations of the earth Tell me if thou haue vnderstanding who measured it out or drew his lyne vpon the same Whereupon are fastened the pillers of his foundation or who laide the first corner stone thereof If we looke neyther vppe nor downe but cast our countenaunce onelie aside we espie the Sea on each hande of vs that enuironeth rounde about the land A vaste creature that containeth more wonders then mans tongue can expresse A bottomlesse gulfe that with out running ouer receiueth all Riuers which perpetuallie doe flow A restlesse fight and turmoyle of waters that neuer repose neyther day or night A dreadfull raging and furious element that swelleth and roareth and threatneth the land as though it would deuoure it all at once And albeit in situation it be higher then the earth as the Phylosopher sheweth and doe make assaults dailie towardes the same with most terrible cryes and waues mounted euen to the skye yet when it draweth neere to the land and to his appointed borders it stayeth vpon the suddaine though nothing be there to let it and is enforced to recoyle back againe murmuring as it were for that it is not permitted to passe any further Of which restraint God asketh Iob this question Who hath shut vppe the Sea vvith gates when he breaketh foorth in rage as from his mothers wombe Whereunto no man being able to giue aunswere God aunswereth himselfe in these wordes I haue limitted him with my boundes and I haue sette him both a doore and a barre and haue said vnto him hytherto shalt thou come and shalt not passe further heere shalt thou breake thy svvelling vvaues This in summe is of things without vs. But if wee shoulde leaue these and enter to seeke God within our selues whether wee consider our bodies or our soules or any one part thereof we shall finde so many strange things or rather so many seas of miracles and wonders that preach and teach theyr maker vnto vs as we shall not onely perceiue see God most euidentlie but rather as a certain olde Heathen hath written we shall feele handle him in his workes Which kinde of speech also S. Paul himselfe doubteth not to vse affirming that God hath giuen space to euerie man in this life to seeke him si forte attractent eum aut inueniant if perhaps they would handle him or finde him out Which manner of words doe signifie that by consideration of Gods creatures and especially of the wonders in man himselfe we may come to see and perceiue the Creator so cleerelie that in a sorte we may be said to feele handle him So ioyntlie doe all thinges concurre to the manifestation of theyr maker so manifestlie and effectuallie doe they teach demonstrate and paint out God vnto vs nothing being so little that declareth not hys greatnes nothing so great which acknowledgeth not his soueraigntie nothing so low that leadeth vs not vp to beholde his
agreemeÌ„t and coherence in one spirit But now further saith the learned Iewe if you will but open the booke it selfe and looke into the Texte and that which therin is contained you shal see Gods owne hand Gods owne charecters Gods owne signe and seale and subscription to the paper You shall see Gods omnipotencie Gods spirite Gods prouidence no lesse in these letters of his booke then you beheld the same before in the tables of hys creatures Nay much more sayth hee for that these letters were deuised for declaration of those tables to the end that such as for theyr blindnesse could not see him in his creatures might learne at least to reade him in hys scriptures THE FIFT PROOFE OF SCRIPTVRES COnsider then first saith hee the subiect or argument which the Scriptures doe handle together with theyr scope and ende whereunto they doe leuell You shal finde that the first is nothing els but the acts and gestes of one eternal God as before hath been mentioned and the second nothing els but the onely glorie and exaltation of the same great GOD together with the saluation of man-kinde vpon earth And shall you finde any wrytings in the worlde besides that haue so worthy an argument or so high an ende Reade all the volumes monuments of the Pagans turn ouer all theyr Authors of what kinde name or profession so euer and see what meÌ„tion they make of these two things I meane of the honour of God and the saluation of man Read theyr Phylosophers see whether euer they name or pretende these things Read theyr Historiographers and marke how many battailes and victories they attribute vnto God They wil describe to you often the perticuler commendation of euerie Captaine they will defraude no one Souldiour of hys prayse in the victorie they wyll attribute much to the wysedom of their Generall much to his courage much to â—â—s watchfulnes much to his fortune They wyll attribute to the place to the winde to the wether to the shyning of the Sunne to the raysing of the duste in the enemies eyes to the flying of some little byrde in the ayre and to a thousande such pettie obseruations besides but to God nothing Where as contrariwise in the scriptures it is in euery battayle recorded God deliuered them into theyr enemies handes God ouerthrewe them God gaue the victorie Againe consider the Lawes and Lawemakers among the Gentiles as Lycurgus Solon Draco Numa and the like and see whether you may finde any one such Lawe or tending to such an ende as thys of the Iewes Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart and with all thy soule and shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Consider in all the South-sayers and Diuines among the Gentiles whether they vsed to say in theyr predictions as the Prophets of Israell did Dominus dixit the Lord hath spoken it or els Ego dico I doe speak it Compare theyr versifyers and Poets with those of the scripture and see whether they haue laboured in the prayse of men or of God And whereas heathen Poets haue filled vppe theyr Bookes as also the most part of ours at thys daie wyth matter of carnall loue marke where any of theÌ„ euer brake foorth into such panâ—â— of spirituall chaste loue as holie Dauid did when he said I wyll loue thee my God my strength my firmament my refuge my deliuerer my helper my protector the horne of my saluation And again in another verse What haue I desired vpoÌ„ earth besides thee my flesh and hart haue fainted for thee thou God of my hart thou GOD art my part and portion euerlasting By all which is euident that as prophane wrytinges and writers which doe treate of men extoll men seeke the grace of men referre all to the commoditie and good liking of men doe proceede of the spirite of man and are subiect to those infirmities of falsehoode errour and vanitie wherewith man is intangled in thys life so the Scriptures which handle matters aboue the compasse of flesh and bloode that referre all to God and supernaturall endes could not proceede of nature or of humaine spirit For that by nature the Iewes were men as the Gentiles were and had theyr infirmities of fleshe and blood as the other had And therfore it must needes be concluded that these high and supernaturall writings among them proceeded from God that specially directed them and gaue them light of vnderstanding aboue all other nations and people in the world THE SIXT PROOFE OF SCRIPTVRES NExt after the argument and end of the Scriptures the Iewe wylleth vs to consider the peculier style phrase which they vse for that saith he it beeing different froÌ„ all manner of wrytings in the world and vnimitable to man it dooth dyscouer the finger of God by which it was framed For wher as humaine writers doe labour much in adoring theyr stile and in reducing their words to number weight measure and sound with addition of many figures and other ornaments for allurement of the Reader the Scripture taketh quite another course and vseth a most meruailous simplicitie therby to accomodate it selfe to the capacitie of the weakest but yet alwaies carrying with it so great profunditie as the best learned in the search thereof shall confesse theyr owne ignoraunce For examples sake consider but the very first wordes of the Bible In the beginning God created heauen and earth and the earth was emptie and voide and darkenes was vpon the face of the depth and the spirit of God was carried vpon the waters and GOD saide let light be made light was made c. What can be more plaine simple theÌ„ this narration to instruct the most vnlearned about the beginning creation of the world and yet when learned men come to examine euery point therof how and what where and in what manner and when things were doone it astonisheth them all to consider the difficulties which they finde and the depth of so infinite inscrutable misteries Besides thys there goeth in the same simplicitie a strange maiestie and grauitie of speeche declaring sufficiently from howe great and potent a Prince it proceedeth For as great Monarches in theyr Edicts and proclamations are wont to speak vnto their subiects not in figures or rethoricall phrases but plainly breefelie and peremptorilie to shewe theyr authoritie so the scriptures to declare whose Edicts they be do vse the like manner of phrase and style to al the worlde without alluring or flattering any man and without respect of Monarche Emperour King Prince or Potentate Fac hoc et viues doe thys and thou shalt liue Si peccaueris in me morieris in aeternum if thou sin against me thou shalt die euerlastinglie And albeit as I haue sayde the Scriptures doe vse this simplicitie of speech and doe not admitte that kind of paynted and
Ierusalem Babilon ESay the Prophet is wonderfull in foretelling the mysteries acts of the Messias hys natiuitie his life and all the perticulers that happened in his passion In so much that S. Ierome saith he may seeme rather to wryte a storie of deedes past then a prophecie of euents to come But yet among other things it is to be noted that hee liuing in a peaceable prosperous time in Iuda when the Iewes were in amitie and great securitie with the Babylonians he fore-sawe and fore-told the destruction of Ierusalem by the said Babylonians and the greeuous captiuitie of the Iewes vnder them as also the destruction of Babylon againe by Cyrus King of Persia whose expresse name and greatnesse he published in writing almost two hundred yeeres before hee was borne saying in the person of GOD First to Ezechias King of Iuda that reioyced in the freendship hee had wyth Babylon behold the dayes shal com when all that thou and thy fathers haue layd vp shall be carried awaie to Babylon and thy children shall be Eunuches in the King of Babilons Pallace And next to Babylon he sayd The destruction of Babylon which Esay the sonne of Amos sawe c houle and crie for that the day of the Lord is at hand c. The wonderfull prophecie for Cyrus King of Persia. THyrdly vnto Cyrus not yet borne who was preordained to destroy the same to restore the people of Israell from banishment to rebuilde the Temple in Ierusalem he saith thus I say to Cyrus thou art my sheepheard and thou shalt fulfill all my will I say to Ierusalem thou shalt be builded againe I saie to the Temple thou shalt be founded againe Thys saith the Lord to my annointed Cyrus I vvyll goe before thee and will humble the glorious people of the earth in thy presence I wil break their brasen gates and crush in peeces theyr yron bars for my seruaunt Iacobs sake haue I called thee by thy Name and haue armed thee where as thou knowest not me Can any thing be more cleerely or myraculously spoken in the worlde then to name a Heathen not yet borne that shoulde conquer so strong a Monarchie as Babilon was at thys time and shoulde builde againe the Temple of Ierusalem which others of hys owne Religion had destroied before him What cause what reason what likeli-hoode could be of this yet Esay speaketh it so confidentlie as he saith that he sawe it And hee nameth two witnesses thereof that is Vrias and Zacharias that were not borne in manie yeeres after saying and I tooke vnto mee two faithfull witnesses Vrias the Priest and Zacharias the sonne of Barachias Whereof the first was a Prophet in Ieremies time a hundred yeeres after Esay and the second lyued fourescore yeeres after that againe in the dayes of Darius as by the beginning of hys prophecie appeareth and yet both as you see were distinctly named by Esay long time before And wheras this booke of Esay was pronoūced openlie to the people as other prophecies were published into many thousand handes before the captiuitie of Babilon fell out and then carried also wyth the people and dispersed in Chaldea other parts of the world there can be no possible suspition of forgerie in this matter for that all the worlde both sawe it and red it many yeeres before the thing came to passe yea when there was no opinion of any such possibilitie to come The prophecies and dooings of Ieremie in the siedge of Ierusalem THE same captiuitie and destruction of Ierusalem by the Babylonians was prophecied by Ieremie a hundred yeeres after Esay and a little before the matter came to passe yea whiles the Babylonians were about the walles of Ierusalem and besiedged the same for two yeeres together Ieremie was within and tolde euery man that it was but in vaine to defende the Cittie for that God had nowe deliuered it And albeit hee were accounted a Traytor for so saying especially when by an Armie of Egypt that came to the ayde of Ierusalem from Pharao the siedge of the Babylonians was raysed for a certaine time yet Ieremie continued still in his asseueration and said to Zedechias the King thou shalt be deliuered into the handes of the King of Babilon And to the people haec dicit Dominus tradendo tradetur haec ciuitas c. This saith the Lord this Cittie most certainlie shall be deliuered into the handes of the Babylonians And so hee continued notwithstāding he were put in prison whipt and threatned dailie to be hanged vntill indeede the Cittie was taken and Zedechias eyes puld out his children slaine before hys face and all other things performed which Ieremie had prophecied and fore-told them before And which was yet more meruailous Ieremie did not onelie fore-tell the perticulers of this captiuitie but also the determinate time howe long it shoulde endure saying And all this land of Iurie shall be into wildernesse and astoniednesse and all this people shall serue the King of Babilon for threescore and ten yeeres and when threescore and ten yeeres shall be complete I will visite vppon the King of Babilon and vpon that Nation saith the Lord I will lay the same into eternall desolation But vppon Iuda will I cast my pleasant eyes will bring them backe to this lande againe c. In which prophecie is contained first the perticuler time howe long thys captiuity shold endure Secondly the destruction of Babylon and of that Monarchie by the Persians And thirdlie the returning home of the Iewes againe which three thinges to haue beene afterwarde fulfilled not onelie Esdras that lyued at that time and was an actor in performance of the last but all other Heathen Wryters besides doe recorde and testifie And this prophecie of Ieremie was so famous and certainlie beleeued amongst all the Iewes in the time of their captiuitie as when the daie of expiration drewe neere Daniell writeth thus of himselfe In the fyrst yeere of Darius I Daniell vnderstoode in the scriptures the number of the seauentie yeeres whereof God spake to Ieremie that they shoulde be fulfilled touching the desolation of Ierusalem and I turned my face to my Lord God and besought him in fasting sackcloth c. Neither onelie the Iewes vnderstood beleeued this prophecie but euen Cyrus himselfe that was a Gentile gaue full credite thereunto therby was induced to restore the Iewes as appeareth both by his own words proclamations sette downe by Esdras that Executed the same and by his deedes also in restoring home the Iewes and rebuilding theyr Temple at his owne great charges as all Historiographers of the Heathens doe confesse I might heere alledge infinite other examples and make no ende if I would follow the multitude of prophecies which are dyspersed throughout the whole scripture I might shewe howe Daniell fore-told to
Gods word So againe where God sayth by Ose I will saue the house of Iuda by Iâ—houa their God which is by Christ Ionathan translateth it thus I wyll saue Iuda by the worde of their God In lyke manner where Dauid wryteth Iehoua saide to my Lorde sitte at my right hande c. Ionathan expresseth it thus Iehoua saide vnto hys word sitte at my right hand So Rabbi Isaac Arama writing vpon Genesis expoundeth thys verse of the Psalme he sent his word healed them c. to be meant of Messias that shall be Gods word And Rabbi Simeon the cheefe of all the Cabalists vpon those words of Iob I shall see God in my flesh gathereth that the worde of God shall take fleshe in a womans wombe So that thys doctrine was nothing strange among the auncient Rabbines For further confirmation whereof seeing the matter is of so great importance coÌ„sider what is recorded in a Treatise called Zoar of high authoritie among the Iewes where Rabbi Simeon that was last before alleaged citeth a place out of old Rabbi Ibba vpon these words in Deuteronomie Iehoâ—â— our Lord is one Iehoua which wordes the said auncient Rabbi Ibba interpreteth thus by the first Iehoua in this sentence being the incommunicable name of God is signified sayth hee GOD the father Prince of all things By the next words our Lord is signified God the sonne that is fountaine of all Sciences And by the seconde Iehoua in the same sentence is signified God the holy Ghost proceeding of them bothe To all which is there added the word One to signifie that these three are indiuisible But this secrete shall not be reuealed vntill the comming of Messias Hetherto are the words of Rabbi Ibba reported in Zoar by Rabbi Simeon where also the sayd Rabbi Simeon interpreteth these words of Esay Holy Holie Holie Lord God of Sabaoth in thys manner Esay by repeating three times holy sayth he doth as much as if he had sayd Holy Father holie Sonne and holie Spirit which three holies doe make but one onely Lord God of Sabaoth Finally I wyll conclude thys controuersie betweene the later Iewes and vs with the authoritie of learned Philo who liued in the very same time wyth Christ was sent Embassadour twyse to Rome in the behalfe of his Nation in Alexandria that is first in the fifteene yeere of Tyberius the Emperour which was three yeeres before Christes passion and the very same yeere wherin he was baptised by S. Iohn and the second tyme about eyght yeeres after to witt in the fyrst yeere of the raigne of Caligula This man that was the learnedest that euer wrote among the Iewes after the wryters of holie Scripture ceased made a speciall Booke of the banishment of his Countrimen wher he hath this discourse ensuing What time may be appointed saith he for the returne home of vs banished Iewes it is harde to determine For by tradition wee haue that wee must expect the death of an High Priest But of those some die quickly and some liue longer But I am of opinion that thys High Priest shal be the very word of God Which shall be voyde of all sinne both voluntarie and inuoluntarie whose father shall be God and this word shall be that fathers wisedome by which all things in this world were created Hys heade shall be annoynted with oyle and his kingdome shall florish and shine for euer This wrote Philo at that time when he little imagined that the same High Priest whom he so much expected and the same worde of God whose kingdome he describeth was now alreadie come into the world And this shall suffise for our second consideration what manner of Messias the Iewes did expect The thyrd consideration NOwe in the thyrd place commeth to be considered what authoritie and power the Messias should haue at his appearaunce vpon earth and whether he should chaunge and abrogate the Law of Moses or no wher in there is no lesse controuersie betweene vs and the later Iewes then in the former point of his diuinitie For we holde with S. Paule that the Lawe of Moses was giuen vnto the Iewes but for a time to entertaine that people withall and by the outwarde signes and ceremonies which it had whereof the most part or all prefigured Christ to come to be theyr Schoole-maister leader to the times of fayth wherein it should be abrogated and a farre more perfect Law set down by Christ in place thereof This we prooue first for that the Lawe of Moses was an imperfect Lawe bringing nothing to perfection as S. Paule well noteth It was as S. Peter saith a burden-som Lawe which the Iewes themselues were not able to beare for the multitude of ceremonies therein contained It was a carnall and seruile Lawe consisting most in the externall It was a Law of terror and feare more then of loue and libertie of the spirit It was a Lawe as I said before of signes and figures for things to come consequently to cease wheÌ„ those things which it prefigured shold come to be present It was a Lawe peculiar and proper for the Iewes alone without respect of all the rest of the world and the exercise therof was allowed onely in the Countrie of Iurie and that which is more it was not permitted but in one place only of that Countrey that is in Ierusalem whether euery man was bound to repaire three tymes a yeere to wit at the Pasqua at the Pentecoste and at the feast of Tabernacles and in that place alone to make theyr sacrifices and in no other Countrey or place besides Nowe then reasoneth the learned Diuine if thys Lawe of Moses were for the Iewes and Iurie onely howe could it serue for the time of the Messias who was to be King as well of the Gentiles as of the Iewes and to rule all people in the worlde that should beleeue in him vnder one Lawe If the exercise of this Lawe were allowable onely and lawfull in Ierusalem how coulde it possiblie be fulfilled by Christians that are dispersed ouer all the world As for example hovve coulde they repayre to Ierusalem thrise euerie yeere howe shoulde euery woman that should dwell in England or India repaire to Ierusalem for her purification after euerie child-birth as by the Law of Moses she was commanded Most euident is it then which we said before that thys Law was giuen but to endure for a time And to vse S. Pauls owne wordes it was but introductio melioris spei an introduction to a better hope It was but an entertainment to that people which by theyr beeing among the Egiptians were prone to idolatrie vntill Christ shold come and ordaine a perfect Law That is a Lawe of spirit and internall affection a Lawe of loue and libertie a Lawe that shoulde be common to all men serue for al
Countries tymes places and persons a Law that shold be written in the bowels of our harts a Law that should be tollerable easie sweet plaine light breefe flexible as well to the poore as to the rich a Lawe to conclude that should consist in charitie This signified Moses when he said to his people after hee had deliuered the former Lawe vnto them The Lorde shall rayse vnto you a Prophet of your owne Nation and from among your owne bretheren as my selfe hym shall you heare As though he had saide you shall heare me vntill he come that must be a Law-giuer as my self but yet of a more perfect Lawe and therefore more to be hearde and obeyed And then he addeth who soeuer shall refuse to heare the words of this Prophet I my selfe will reuenge it saith the Lorde GOD. Which wordes can not be verified in anie other Prophet after Moses vntill Christ for that of those Prophets the Scripture sayth There arose no Prophet like vnto Moses in Israell Which is to be vnderstood that they had no authoritie to be Law-makers as Moses had but were all bounde to the obseruation of that Lawe onely which Moses left vntyll Christ came whom Moses heere calleth a Prophet as himselfe that is a Law-maker exhorteth all men to heare and obey him Thys yet is made more playne by the prophecie of Esay who sayth Out of Sion shall come a Lawe and the word of God out of Ierusalem which cannot be vnderstoode of Moses Law that had been published eyght hundred yeeres before thys was spoken that from the Mount Sinai and not from Sion But Christes Lawe began from Sion and Ierusalem and from thence was spred into all the worlde Which the same Esay fore-sawe when talking of the comming of the Messias he sayth In that day there shall be an Altar to God in the midst of the Land of Egipt And the tytle of the Lorde at the ende thereof c. And God shall be knowne to the Egiptians at that daie and they shall honour him with sacrifices and oblations Which words coulde not be verified in the olde Lawe of Moses for that by that Lawe the Egiptians coulde haue neither Aultar nor Sacrifice but at Christes comming it was fulfilled when the Egiptians were made Christians and enioyed both the Aultars and sacrifices that Christians do vse The same thing was fore-told by God in Malachie where hee sayth to the Iewes and of the Iewish sacrifices I haue no pleasure in you neither will I recâ—iue oblations at your handes For that from the vprising of the sunne vnto the going downe therof my name is great among the Gentiles and they doe sacrifice vnto me euerie where and doe offer vnto my name a pure oblation saith the Lorde God of hostes In which words we see first a reprobation of the Iewishe sacrifice and consequently of the Lawe of Moses which dependeth principallie of that sacrifice Secondly wee see that among the Gentiles there should be a pure manner of sacrifice more gratefull vnto GOD then the other was and such as might be performed in euery place of the worlde and not to be tyed to one place onely as the Moisaicall Law and sacrifice was And finally I wil conclude thys whole matter with the expresse wordes of God himselfe concerning the ceremonies and precepts of the old Lawe Dedi eis praecepta non bona iudicia in quibus non viuent I gaue vnto them precepts that were not good and iudgements wherin they shall not lyue That is they were not good to continue perpetually nor shall they lyue in them for euer but vntill the time by mee appointed of which time hee determineth more perticulerly by Ieremie the Prophet in these words Behold the daies shal come and I wil make a newe Couenaunt or Testament with the house of Israell and Iuda not according to that Couenaunt which I made with your Fathâ—rs when I brought them forth of the Lande of Egipt Where you see that at the coÌ„ming of Christ into thys world for of him hys byrth hee talketh at large in thys Chapter there shall be a newe Testament contayning a different Law from that of the olde Testament which was giuen to the Iewes at their going forth of Egipt Thus much then hetherto hath beene shewed that Christ in all ages was fore-told and promised that hee shoulde be GOD and that hys authoritie should be to change the Lawe of Moses that was giuen but for a tyme and to establishe a newe Lawe and Couenaunt and a newe Testament of hys owne that shoulde endure and continue for euer The fourth consideration AND albeit these thinges be very wonderfull and sufficient to establish anie mans beleefe in the world when he shall see them fulfilled which shall be the argument of my seconde Section yet resteth not the Scripture heere but passeth further fore-telleth euery perticuler acte accident circumstaunce that shall fall out of importance about the Messias in his comming incarnation byrth lyfe death and resurrection As for example at what perticuler time season he should appeare Genesis 49. verse 10. That he should be borne of a Virgine Esay 7. ver 14. That the place of hys birth should be the Towne of Bethleem Mich. 5 verse 1. That at hys byrth all the Infants rounde about Bethleem should be slaine for his sake Ieremie 31 verse 15. That the Kinges of the East shoulde come and adore him and offer Gold and other gyfts vnto him Psalme 71. verse 10. That hee shoulde be presented by hys Mother in the Temple of Ierusalem Malach 3 verse 1. That he should â—lee into Egipt and be recalled thence againe Ose 11. verse 2. Esay 19 verse 1. That Iohn Baptist shoulde goe before him and crye in the Desert Esay 40 verse 3. Malac. 3. ver 1. After thys that he should begin his own preaching with all humilitie quietnes and clemencie of spirit Esay 42 verse 2. That he should doe strange miracles and heale all diseases Esay 29 verse 8. and 35 verse 5 61 verse 1. That hee should die for the sins of all the world Esay 53 Daniel 26. That he should be betrayed by his owne Disciple Psalme 40 verse 10 and 54 verse 14 and 108 verse 8. That hee shoulde be solde for thirtie peeces of siluer Zacharie 11 verse 12. That with those thirtie peeces there should be bought afterward a Field of pot-shardes Ieremie 30. That hee should ryde into Ierusalem vpon an Asse before his passion Zacharie 9 verse 9. That the Iewes shoulde beate and buffet hys face and defile the same with spitting vpon him Esay 50 ver 6. That they shoulde whyppe rent and teare his bodie before they put him to death Esay 53 verse 2 Psal 37 verse 18. That they should put hym to death among theeues and malefactors Esay 53 verse 12. That
the beautie in peace And againe there shoulde be no ende of peace And yet further hee shall bee Prince of peace And King Dauid long before hym againe In his daies there shal rise iustice and aboundance of peace Which thing though especially it be to be vnderstood of the internall peace tranquilitie of our mindes and soules yet considering that externall peace also was necessary for a tyme for the quiet planting publishing of Christes Gospell seeing that the same was brought to passe most miraculously vpon the suddaine when in reason men might least expect the same for the infinite warres wherein the worlde a lyttle before had beene and by reason of the Romaine Monarchie so freshlie established which in theyr beginnings are wont to be troublesome thys peace I say can not be but a great argument that thys was the proper tyme of the Messias hys comming And thus much for the state of the worlde in generall And nowe for the perticuler state of Iurie at Iesus natiuitie thus it was according as Iosephus the Iew who was borne wythin fiue yeeres after Christes passion describeth the same One Herod a stranger whose Father called Antipater came out of Idumaea was risen to acquaintaunce and fauour wyth the Romans partly by hys said fathers meanes who was as Iosephus wordes are a well monied man industrious and factious and partly by hys owne dilligence and ambition beeing of himselfe both wittie beautifull and of excellent rare qualities By which commendations he came at length to marry the Daughter of Hyrcanus King of Iurie that was descended linially of the house of Dauid and Trybe of Iuda And by this mariage obtained of hys Father in Lawe to be Gouernour of the Prouince of Galilie vnder hym But Hyrcanus afterwardes falling into the hands of the Parthyans that caryed him into â—â—rthya Herode ranne awaie to Rome and there by the speciall helpe fauour of Anthony that ruled in coÌ„pany together with Octauiê° he obtained to be created King of Iurie without any tytle or interest in the world For that not onely his sayd Father in Law Hyrcanus was yet aliue in Parthia but also his younger brother Aristobulus and three of hys sonnes named Antigonus Alexander and Aristobulus dyuers others of the bloode royall in Iurie Herode then hauing procured by these meanes to be King of Iurie procured fyrst to haue in hys hands the fore-said King Hyrcanê° so put him to death he also brought to the same ende hys younger brother Aristobulus and hys three sonnes likewyse He put to death also hys owne Wife Mariamnes that was King Hyrcanus Daughter as also Alexandra her Mother and soone after two of hys owne sonnes which he had by the sayde Mariamnes for that they were of the blood royall of Iuda And a little after that againe he put to death hys thyrd sonne named Antipater He caused also to be slaine at one time fortie of the cheefest noble men of the Trybe of Iuda And as Phylo the Iewe wryteth that liued at the same time wyth hym he put to death all the Sanhedrin that is the seauentie and two Senatours of the tribe of Iuda that ruled the peoâ—â—â— He kylled the cheefe of the sect of the Pharisies He burned the Genealogies of all the Kings and Princes of the house of Iuda caused one Nicholaus Damascenus an Historiographer that was hys seruaunt to drawe out a petidegree for hym and his lyne as though he had descended from the auncient Kings of Iuda He translated the High priest-hood solde it to strangers And finally hee so rased dyspersed and mangled the house of Iuda as no one iote of gouernment dignitie or principalitie remained therin And when he had doone all thys theÌ„ was IESVS of the same house and line of Iuda borne in Bethleem the proper Cittie of Dauid which Dauid was the founder and first Authour of Regalitie in Iuda Nowe then consider the prophecie of Iacob concerning the perticuler tyme of Christes appearaunce almost two thousand yeeres before these things fell out Come hether my children said he that I may tell you the things which are to happeÌ„ in the later daies c. The Scepter shall not be taken from Iuda vntill he come who is to be sent and he shall be the expectation of Nations Which prophecie that it was fulfilled nowe at Christes natiuitie when Herode had extinguished all gouernment in Iuda no man can denie that wyll acknowledge the thinges sette downe before which are recorded by Writers both of that tyme and of the Iewish Nation and Religion themselues And that it neuer was fulfilled from Dauids daies who began the gouernment of the house of Iuda vntill thys tyme appeareth plainely by all Hystories Records both diuine prophane For that from Dauid who was the first King vnto Zedechias that was the last and died in the captiuitie of Babylon the Scripture sheweth howe all the Kinges descended of the house of Iuda And during the time of theyr captiuitie in Babylon which was seauenty yeres the Iewes were alwaies permitted to chuse themselues a Gouernour of the house of Iuda whom they called RESCHGALVTA And after theyr delyuerie from Babylon Zorobabel was theyr Captaine of the same Trybe and so others after him vntyll you come to the Macchabees who vvere both Captaines and Priestes for that they were by the mothers side of the Tribe of Iuda and by the fathers side of the Trybe of Leui as Rabbi Kimhi holdeth And from these men downe to Hyrcanê° Aristobulus whom Herod slew there continued stil the same lyne as Iosephus declareth So that by thys prophecie it is euident that Iesus was borne at the proper tyme appointed for the Messias when there was neither Kyng nor Captaine nor High Priest nor Counsellour nor any one Gouernour of the house tribe of Iuda left in Iurie An other prophecie there is no lesse euident then the former wherein it is affirmed that the Messias shold come before the second Temple of Ierusalem that was builded by Zorobabel after the Iewes were returned from theyr captiuitie in Babylon shoulde be destroyed by the Romaines For better vnderstanding whereof it is to be noted that the Temple of Ierusalem was builded twice fyrst by Salomon which lasted about foure hundred and fortie-two yeeres and then it was burned destroyed by Nabuchodonozor King of Babylon Wherefore about seauentie yeeres after it was builded again by Zorobabel who reduced the Iewes from Babylon and so it continued vntill it was destroyed the second time by Tytus son to Vespasian the Romaine Emperour about fortie and sixe yeres after our Sauiour Christ his ascention At what time it had lasted froÌ„ Zorobabel almost sixe hundred yeeres and from Salomon aboue a thousand And as in the time of the seconde building the people of Israell were poore
shall goe down into Egipt and all the Idols of Egipt shall shake at his presence Which later point Eusebius sheweth that it was fulfilled most euidentlie in the sight of all the world for that no Nation came to Christian religion with so great celeritie or feruour as did the Egyptians who threw downe theyr Idols before any other heathen Nations And as they had been the first in idolatry to other Countries so were they the first by Christes coÌ„ming vnto them that afterwarde gaue example of true returne to theyr Creator It followeth in Esay And I will giue vp Egipt into the hands of cruell Lords a Potent King shall take dominion ouer them Which was fulfilled about the very time wherein Christ was to come For that then after many spoyles cruelties excercised vppon Egypt by the Romaine Lords and Princes as Pompey Caesar Anthonie others in the end Cleopatra their Queene that was the last of all the bloode and lyne of the Ptolomiâ—s was inforced to sley her selfe and so Augustus the Emperor tooke possession of all Egypt and subiected it as a Prouince to the Romaines Empire But consider you howe Esay concludeth the matter after all these temporall afflictions threatned against Egipt confesse that such aduersitie is no signe of Gods dys-fauour to them who receiue it For thus sayth God after all hys cominations In that daie there shal be an Aultar of Iehoua in the middest of Egipt they shall cry to God in their tribulation and he shal send them a Sauiour c. Blessing shall be in the midst of that Land to whom the Lorde God of hostes hath giuen his benediction saying Blessed is my people of Egipt And heere we make an ende of our second consideration The thyrde consideration NOwe in the thyrd place there commeth to be considered according to our former dyuision the life conuersation doctrine and myracles of Iesus And first touching things doone by him after his coÌ„ming out of Egypt which might be about the sixt or seauenth yeere of hys age vntil hys baptisme by S. Iohn which was the thyrtith there is little recorded eyther in Prophane or Ecclesiasticall Wryters For that as Saint Iustine S. Chrisostome S. Augustine and others doe write hee bestowed that time in the common exercise and labours of mans life therby to shewe himselfe true man and gyue demonstration how much he hated and detested idlenes Of Saint Iohn Baptist all Hebrue wryters of that time doe make mention with exceeding prayse and admiration of hys holinesse especially Iosephus that liued immediatly after Christes daies sayth he was Vir optimus Iudaeos excitans ad virtutum studia A most excellent man stirring vp the Iewes to the exercise of vertue Hee addeth also that partly for feare of the great concourse of people which flocked vnto him and partlie by the solicitation of Herodias concubine and brothers wyfe to Herode Antipas the great Herods sonne for whose cause he had turned off hys owne Wife daughter to Areta King of the Arabians hee was apprehended and imprisoned in the Castle of Acherun and therein soone after put to death Which murder Iosephus esteemed to be the cause of al the misery which insued afterward to Herod and his whole familie Of thys man it was written by Malachie the Prophet Behold I send my messenger or Angel before me he shall prepare the way before my face presently shal com to his temple the RVLER whom ye seeke and the MESSENGER OF THE TESTAMENT whom you desire Which prophecie was fulfilled most euidently vppon the preaching of S. Iohn when Christ came vnto him and albeit S. Iohn had neuer seene him before yet he acknowledged him for the Messias in the presence of infinite people hys acknowledgment was confirmed by the visible descending of a Doue voice from heauen in the sight hearing of all the people present according as three of our Euangelists doe report Which they would neuer haue presumed to doe had not the matter been most euident and without al compasse of deniall or contradiction And truely no one thing in all this storie of Iesus life doth more establish the certaintie of hys beeing the true Messias then that S. Iohn Baptist whose wisedome learning vertue and rare sanctitie is confessed and recorded by the writings of all our aduersaries should refuse the honour of the Messias offered vnto himselfe and lay it vpon Iesus as also shoulde direct those Disciples that depended vpon him to the onely folowing and embracing of Iesus doctrine Which is most euidently prooued that hee did for that so many folowers and disciples as himselfe had not one appeared euer after that was not a Christian. When Iesus was baptised he began to preache and his whole doctrine was directed to the manifestation of hys Fathers will and amendment of mans life It tendeth all to thys one ground and principle Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy soule thy Neighbour as thy selfe It was plaine easie perspicuous and euident though it treated of most high misteries It had neither pompe nor pryde of rethoricall words nor flattering of mans wickednes as the doctrine of manie Phylosophers had Neyther consisted it of vnprofitable externall ceremonies as the later obseruations of the Iewish Lawe dyd nor was it fraught wyth carnalitie and spirit of thys world as the Turkish Alcoran and other sectaries doctrine is But all was simplicitie all was spirit all was trueth al was honestie all was humilitie all was charitie It tooke away or dysanulled no one perfect or spirituall poynt of Moses Lawe but rather reuiued interpreted fulfilled and made perfect the same For whereasâ— that coÌ„maunded externall obseruaunce this addeth also internall obedience Whereas that sayd loue your freendes thys adioyneth loue also your enemies Whereas that commaunded we should not kyll thys further commaundeth to speake no angry words Wheras that prohibited to commit actuall adulterie thys also forbiddeth to couet in minde Whereas that sayd take no interest or vsurie of a Iewe that is thy Countriman thys fayth take it of no man whatsoeuer Wheras that accounted euery Iewe onely to be thy neighbour thys teacheth euery person liuing to be thy brother Whereas that taught thee to offer vp a Calfe a Sheepe or an Oxe for thy sinnes thys instructeth thee to offer vp a contrite hart by fayth in the bloode of hym that died for all with a firme and resolute purpose of amendement of life And finally thys doctrine tendeth wholy to the true sincere and perfect seruice of GOD thy Lord that made and redeemed thee to the exaltation of hys onely name power goodnes and glorie to the depression of mans pryde by discouering his misery to the contempt of this world vaine pompe thereof to the mortification and subduing of our sensual appetite to the true loue vnfayned charitie of our neighbour to
great inconueniences losses dangers and dis-fauours as they did and should continue with him in all hys afflictions and be content to die loose their liues rather then forsake him or abandon his seruice this I say is such a miracle as neuer in the worlde fell out the like and must needes be graunted by the enemie to be supernaturall The second poynt is of externall things and facts doone by Iesus aboue all power of humaine abilitie in the sight and knowledge of all the Iewes which facts were published by our Euangelists and especially by Saint Matthew in the Hebrue tongue while yet the persons were aliue vpon whō they were wrought or infinite other that might be witnesses thereof As for example the raysing of Lazarus in Bethania that was a Vyllage but a mile or two distant from Ierusalem at whose death and buriall beeing a Gentleman many Scribes Pharisies must needes be present according to the Iewish custom at that time as is reported by Iosephus and they sawe him both deceassed interred and the funerall feast obserued for him as also raised againe from death by Iesus after foure dayes of hys buriall With whom they dyd both eate and drinke and conuerse after hys returne to life and euery day might behlode him walking vppe and downe openly in the streetes of Ierusalem This storie I say how coulde it be feigned So in like manner the raysing of the Archisinagogues daughter whose name is affirmed to be Iairus wyth diuers other circumstaunces that doe make the thing most notorious The raising of the widdowes son before the gate of the Cittie Naim in the presence of all the people that bare the saide corps stood about it The healing of the Cripple in Ierusalem that had layne thirtie and eyght yeeres lame at the Pooles side or Bath called Probatica which miracle was done also in the sight of infinite people The casting out of a Legion of deuils frō a man that for many yeeres together was known to liue possessed in the Mountaines which deuils by peculier lycence obtayned of Iesus to enter into a hearde of Swyne and so presently carried two thousande of them away into the Sea and drowned them Whereuppon the whole Countrey about of the people called Gerasines beeing striken with extreame feare vpon sight of the fact besought Iesus most humbly to depart frō their borders The feeding and filling of fiue thousand men besides women and children with fiue Barley loaues and two fishes onely The turning of water into wine at a marriage in Cana in the presence of all the Guestes The healing of hym by a worde onelie that had an incurable dropsie and thys at the table of a principall Pharisie and in the sight of all that sate at dynner wyth him These I say and diuers other such myracles which were done in the presence and sight of so infinite a number of people and recorded by our Euangelists at such tymes when many desired to discredite the same might haue doone easilie by many witnesses and authoritie if any one part thereof had been subiect to calumniation cannot in reason or probabilitie be doubted of And therfore I must conclude that seeing these things are aboue all power of humaine nature and coulde not be doone but by the finger and vertue of the liuing GOD himselfe considering also that it is impossible that God should assist or giue testimonie to any falsehoode it must needes ensue that al was true and sincere which Iesus affirmed and consequently seeing he affirmed himselfe to be the Sonne of God and the true and onelie Messias it must needes follow by these miracles that hee was so indeede which is the ground of that speech of hys to the faithlesse Pharisies If you will not beleeue my words beleeue my deedes And thus much of Iesus life doctrine conuersation and miracles The fourth Consideration THere remaineth nowe onely the fourth and last consideration of thys Section which is the passion resurrection ascention of Iesus And about his passion there is little or no controuersie for that all his enemies doe agree and graunt that hee was betrayed by his owne disciple apprehended afflicted and deliuered vppe by the Iewes and finally put to death vppon a Crosse by the Gentiles The testimonie of Iosephus may serue for all heerein whose wordes are these That the principall Iewes of his Country hauing accused and deliuered ouer Iesus to Pilate that was Gouernour of Iurie for the Romaine Emperor he adiudged him to the Crosse. The same doe other Iewes and Gentiles record and in thys they take great offence scandale that wee shoulde attibute diuinitie vnto a man that had suffered death vpon the Crosse. But if wee shewe that this was the eternall preordination and appointment of God for sauing of mankinde and that the same was fore-tolde both to Iewe and Gentile from the beginning and so vnderstood also by the Iewish Doctors thēselues of elder times then euery reasonable man I trowe will remaine satis-fied and preferre Gods diuine wysedome before mans follie First then consider that when Christ had ended hys preaching and wrought so many miracles as seemed sufficient to hys eternall wisedom and when the time was come pre-ordained for his passion whereof hee tolde publiquely his Disciples before hee went vppe to Ierusalem of purpose to receiue his death and made a solemne entrie into that Cittie vppon an Asse which was prophecied of him many yeres before Reioyce daughter of Sion Behold thy IVST KING and SAVIOVR shall come vnto thee vpon an Asse And after hys aboade some dayes in that place he was betrayed and sold by his owne Disciple as Dauid before hand in many places had fore-told shold come to passe Then followed his apprehension and most seruile abusage by the Iewes whereof it was fore-prophecied in hys person by Esay I gaue my bodie to them that beate it and my cheekes to them that buffeted the same I did not turne my selfe away from them that reproched mee nor yet from them that did spitte in my face After this barbarous intreatie by the Iewes they deliuered him ouer to Pilate a Gentile and neuer ceassed to solicite and pursue theyr vnquenchable hatred against him vntill they sawe him on the Crosse where also hee was vsed in the highest degree of spightfull dealing Wherof likewise the Prophet Dauid made mention long before in the person of the Messias when hee sayd They pearsed my handes and feete they deuided among them my apparrell and vppon my vpper garment they did cast lots And againe of another crueltie hee complaineth saying they gaue me Gaule to eate and in my thyrst they refreshed me with Vineger And finally that Christ shoulde die for the sinnes of mankinde is a common principle both prefigured and fore-tolde throughout all the olde Scripture Prefigured by the sacrifice of Isaac by the
the same or of the want of Gods holy assistance to that effect if we would with humilitie accept thereof Thys Esay made plaine when hee prophecied of thys perspicuitie that is of thys most excellent priuiledge in Christian Religion so many hundred yeeres before Christ was borne For after that in diuers Chapters hee had declared the glorious comming of Christ in signes miracles as also the multitude of Gentiles that shoulde embrace hys doctrine together with the ioy and exultation of theyr conuersion hee fore-sheweth presently the wonderful prouidence of God also in prouiding for Christians so manifest a way of direction for theyr faith religion as the most simple and vnlearned man in the world should not be able but of wylfulnes to goe astray therein His wordes are these directed to the Gentiles Take comforte and feare not Behold your God shall come and saue you Then shall the eyes of the blinde be opened and the eares of the deafe shall be restored c. And there shall be a pathe and a waie which shall be called The holie waie and it shall be vnto you so direct a way as fooles shall not be able to erre therein By which wordes wee see that among other rare benefits that Christes people were to receiue by hys comming thys should be one and not the least that after hys holie doctrine once published and receiued it shoulde not be easie for the weakest in capacitie or learning that might bee whom Esay heere noteth by the name of fooles to runne awry in matters of their beleefe so plaine cleere and euident shoulde the way for tryall thereof be made God hath opened himselfe vnto vs in the holie Scriptures the wrytings and doctrine of Moses and the Prophets of Christ and hys Apostles wherin is contayned whatsoeuer is necessarie for our saluation For although the inuisible thinges of God that is hys power and God-heade may be seene by the workmanship and creation of the world wherin as in a booke written with the hand of God and layde open to the eyes of men the glorie of GOD and hys mightie power appeareth Yet because eyther we reade not thys Booke at all or if wee doe wee reade it careleslie therefore it was necessarie that the Lord God should adde another Booke more plaine and easie to be read so as he may run that readeth it and this is as hath been said his holie wyll reuealed vnto vs in his wrytten word Which Saint Augustine therefore verie well calleth the Letters or Epistle of God sent vnto vs from our heauenly Countrey to teach vs to liue godlie and righteouslie whilst wee soiurne heere in thys present worlde Thys is that Lanthorne wherby our feete may be directed and that light wherby our pathes may be guided vnto Christ it is that most certaine infallible rule and leuell of all our actions wherby both our faith lyfe are to be squared and framed Yea it is that holy and vndefiled way and with all that plaine and easie way denoted by Esay which euen in the very entraunce thereof gyueth light vnderstanding as Dauid speaketh vnto the simple And although wee must confesse wyth S. Peter that there are some thinges in the Scripture harde to be vnderstoode yet wee may also say wyth the same Peter that they are harde to those that are vnlearned and vnstable which peruert and wrest them to theyr owne destruction So that if the Gospell of Christ be yet hid it is hid in them that perrish whose sences sathan hath closed that the light thereof should not shine vnto them And heere-hence is it that the Apostle Saint Paul pronounceth so peremptorilie of a contentious and hereticall man that he is damned by the testimonie of his owne iudgment or conscience for that hee hath abandoned this common direct and publique way which all men might see hath deuised particuler paths and turnings to him selfe And heere-hence is it that the auncient Fathers of Christes primatiue Church dysputing against the same kind of people defended alwaies that theyr errour was of malice and wilfull blindnesse and not of ignoraunce applying these words of prophecie vnto them They that sawe mee ran out from mee Thus then it appeareth that the plaine and direct way mentioned by Esay wherein no simple or ignoraunt man can erre is the doctrine taught by the mouth of our Sauiour Christ and hys Apostles which howsoeuer it seeme to be obscure and darksome to men of peruerse mindes that are not exercised in it yet to the godlie and studious readers and hearers that haue theyr eyes opened and theyr mindes lightened to see the trueth it is most plaine and easie to be vnderstood And thys is the cause that those holie and sage Apostles of Christ for the better preuenting of all bye-waies crooked paths and blinde lanes of errours that afterwardes might aryse as by reuelation from Iesus they vnderstoode there should doe manie so earnestly exhorted and so vehementlie called vpon the people to stand fast in the documents then receiued to holde firmelie the fayth and doctrine alreadie deliuered as a Depositum and treasure committed to be safelie kept vntill the last daie And aboue all other things they most diligently fore-warned them to beware of newe-fangled Teachers whom they called Heretiques who should breake from the vnitie of that bodie whereof Christ is the head and shoulde deuise newe glosses expositions and interpretations of Scripture bring in newe senses doctrines opinions and diuisions to the renting of Gods Church and Cittie nowe builded to the perdition of infinit soules The Apostle S. Paule euen whylst hee liued founde some of his Schollers to be remoued by new-fangled Teachers to another Gospell and the better to make them see theyr errour hee appealeth to the Gospell which he had taught them The Gospell he preached was not after man neyther receiued he it of man but by reuelation from Iesus Christ. He brought them no fancies visions dreames interpretations of scripture hatched in hys owne braine but the pure sincere doctrine receiued by reuelation from God himselfe and faithfully deliuered vnto them without hacke or mayme as hee receiued it Therefore Saint Ierome vpon that place considering howe all Heretiques haue iugled wyth the Scriptures from time to tyme sayth That Marcion and Basilides and other Heretiques the contagious botches plague sores of the Church haue not the Gospell of God because they haue not the spirit of God without which that which is taught groweth to be mans Gospell Thys maketh that learned Father to resolue vpon the matter that it is a dangerous thing peruersly to expound the holy Scriptures for by thys meanes that is by wrong and peruerse interpretation that which is Gods gospell is made mans Gospell et quod peius est and that which is worse saith this holy Father it is made the deuils Gospell
be saued as well as other men then it wyll be to purpose to haue a foundation without a building vppon it or a stocke or tree that beareth no fruite Which thing S. Iames speaking of that historicall and dead fayth whereby the wicked the very deuils theÌ„selues beleeue that there is one GOD expresseth most excellently in this fitte similitude As a bodie without a spirit is dead euen so saith he is fayth without workes Thys poynt of doctrine of vertuous life and obseruing of Gods commaundements not our Sauiour Christ alone in his Sermon most earnestly vrged as hath beene sayde but his fore-runner also Saint Iohn the Baptist and hys followers the holie Apostles whereof the one continually called vpon the people to bring foorth fruites meete for repentance the other in all theyr writings no doubt in all their Sermons after matter of doctrine and faith propounded do proceede to exhortation and precepts of Christian life In so much as Saint Augustine other auncient Fathers are of opinion that the rest of the Apostles S. Peter S. Iames S. Iohn and S. Iude perceiuing the loosenesse and securitie of the people in theyr tymes directed theyr writinges eyther onely or principally to this ende euen to perswade and enforce the necessitie of good life and conuersation among Christians Yea and that Saint Paule himselfe when hee concludeth that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Lawe doth not exclude the works of charitie as effects and fruites of fayth which followe him that is alreadie iustified in the sight of God but hee excludeth theÌ„ as causes of saluation which goe before him that is to be iustified Wherby it appeareth that S. Paule handling the causes of our iustification in the sight of God is not repugnant or contrary to S. Iames speaking of the notes and signes whereby we are iustified that is as the word is taken els where declared or known to be iust or righteous before meÌ„ The sum is that although good workes are not the causes of our saluation yet they are the way as it were and the path that leadeth thereunto because by them as by certaine markes we perceiue our selues to haue entered and to haue proceeded in the waie of eternall life Yea they are the fruites and effects whereby we testifie and declare both vnto our selues and to others the trueth of that faith which we professe And therefore our Sauiour Christ willeth vs in the Gospel to let our light shine before men that they seeing our good works may take occasioÌ„ therby to glorifie our heauenly father And his holy Apostle Saint Iames biddeth those carnall sensuall Christians that stood so much vpon the only name of faith to shewe him theyr fayth by their workes as he would shew them his faith by his worksâ— that is they should declare and testifie vnto men as I haue said the fayth which they professed by the fruites thereof To men I say because men which iudge but by the outward appearaunce onely cannot knowe the goodnes of a tree bâ—t by the good fruite which it yeeldeth they cannot discerne the inwarde faith but by the outwarde workes But as for God that searcheth the secrets of the harts and reynes it needeth not that wee shoulde shewe him our faith by our workes nor may wee looke for iustification at his handes by the best of them for then might wee haue whereof to boast but there is no boasting with God and therefore no iustifying by workes in his sight Yet notwithstanding the Lorde requireth good workes at our hands to the end that himselfe might be glorified our needie bretheren releeued and comforted others gained wonne by our example to the embracing of the same faith and Religion which we professe our owne faith exercised and strengthened and our calling and election made sure and confirmed And it is very requisite that the children of GOD which are bought with so high a price as with the blood of Iesus should glorifie God both in soule body because they are redeemed both in soule and body and not liue vnto theÌ„selues but vnto him which died and rose againe for them Thys is the ende of our election before the foundations of the world were layde as the Apostle testifieth Ephes. 1.4 euen that we should be holy and blameles before him in loue Thys is the ende of our creation as the same Apostle witnesseth Ephesians 2. 10. Where he saith that we are Gods workmanshyp created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes wherein he hath ordained that wee shold walke This is the end of our redemption as olde Zacharie prophecied Luke 1. 74 75. that beeing redeemed and deliuered from all our spirituall enemies and from eternall destruction whereunto we were subiect we should serue God without feare in holines and righteousnes before him all the daies of our life Finally this is the ende of our vocation For God hath not called vs to vncleannesse but vnto holinesse and as hee that hath called vs is holy so must we be holie in all manner of conuersation And it can not be that they which are truely iustified that is to say made righteous by a liuely fayth in Christ should not also in some measure be sanctified that is made holie by a faithfull lyfe in him Let not men therefore deceiue themselues with the onely name and shadowe of faith without the nature substance therof Let them not promise vnto themselues euerlasting life because they knowe the true God and whom hee hath sent Iesus Christ but let them remember howe Christes Apostle whoÌ„ he deerely loued expoundeth that saying when he writeth By this wee knowe God truely if wee keepe his commaundements and whosoeuer sayth that he knoweth him and yet keepeth not his commaundements is a lyer and the trueth is not in him For as it is a true saying and by all meanes woorthy to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the worlde to saue sinners so is it as true a saying and no lesse woorthie to be affirmed that they which haue beleeued God should be carefull to shew foorth good works Saint Gregorie vpon the words of Christ to S. Thomas Blessed are they who haue not seene and yet haue beleeued hath a notable discourse to this purpose If any sayth hee inferre heereof I beleeue and therefore am blessed and shall be saued he saith truely if his life be aunswerable to his beleefe for that a true faith dooth not contradict in manners the things which hee professeth in words For which cause S. Paule accuseth certaine false Christians in whom he found not vertuous life aunswerable to theyr profession that they confessed God in wordes but denyed him in theyr deedes And Saint Iohn auoucheth that whosoeuer saith hee knoweth GOD and keepeth not his commandements is a lyer Which beeing
aboundantly beare witnesse it followeth most euidently that the origine fountaine wel-spring of all these fauours graces and good turnes must needes be infinite immeasurable and farre surpassing all compasse of mans vnderstanding If you require of me the cause and reason why Almightie God should so wonderfullie be affected towards man I can directlie yeelde you none at all but rather meruaile thereat wyth holy Iob why so soueraigne a Maiestie shoulde sette hys hart vpon so base a subiect Notwithstanding the holy scripture seemeth to alleage one principal reason of thys loue whē it saith Nihil odisti eorum quae fecisti parcis omnibus quia tua sunt Domine qui diligis animas That is Thou ô Lorde which louest soules canst not hate those things which thou hast made but dost vse mercie towards all men for that they are thyne And the like manner of reasoning vseth God hymselfe when hee sayth by hys Prophet Ezechiell Behold all soules are mine and heereuppon hee inferreth a little after Numquid voluntatis meae est mors impii Can I haue the wyll to damne a wicked man seeing that his soule is mine created and redeemed by me as who woulde say thys were a case against all order and equitie And the reason of this manner of speech and argument is for that euery man naturally is enclined to loue the things that be of his owne making So wee see that if a man haue an Orcharde wherein be great varietie of trees and plants yet if there be but one of his own peculier grafting that florisheth and prospereth well he taketh more delight therein then in any of the rest for that it is hys owne workmanship So in like manner if a man haue a Vineyarde of his owne planting and trymming For which respect the holie Prophet Dauid finding himselfe and the whole kingdome of Iurie in great affliction and calamitie thought no other meanes so forcible to drawe God to compassion and commiseration of their case as to cry out to him in this maner Thou which gouernest Israell looke towards vs and be attent Thou hast brought forth a vineyard out of Egipt thou hast purged the same from Gentiles and hast planted it Thou O God of all power turne towardes vs looke vpon vs from heauen and visite thys thy vineyard which thine owne right hand hath planted The like manner of perswasion vsed the holy Prophet Esay to moue God when he sayd Looke vpon vs I beseech thee O lord which are the worke of thine owne hands But aboue all other the blessed man Iob standeth as it were in argument and dysputation wyth God about thys matter saying haue not thy handes made mee haue they not framed me of clay and earth hast not thou compacted me as cheese is made of milke hast not thou knit my bones and sinowes together and couered my flesh wyth skyn hast not thou giuen me life conserued my spirit with thy cōtinuall protection howe soeuer thou seeme to dissemble these matters hide them in thy hart yet I know that thou remembrest them all and art not vnmindfull of them By which wordes thys holy man signified that albeit God suffered him greatly to be tempted and afflicted in thys life so farre forth as he might seeme to haue forgotten him yet was he well assured that his diuine maiestie coulde not of hys goodnes forsake or despise him for that hee was his creature and the proper workemanshyp of his own hands In which very name of workemanshippe holy Dauid tooke such great comfort considering that the workeman cannot chuse but be louing and fauourable towards his owne work especiallie so excellent and bountifull a worke-man as is almightie GOD towards a worke made as man is to his own shape and likenes that in all his necessities yea euen in his greatest infirmities of fleshe and most greeuous offences committed against his Maiestie he conceaueth most assured hope of mercy pardon vpon this consideration that he was hys workmanship cōsequently wel known to his diuine wisdom of how brickle infirme a metal he was made For thus at one tyme among other hee reasoneth of thys matter Looke how farre distant the East is from the West so far off hath God remooued our iniquities from vs. Euen as a father doth take compassion of his owne children so doth the Lord take mercy vpon vs for that hee well knoweth the moulde whereof wee are made and doth remember that wee are nothing els but dust In which discourse the holy Prophet maketh mention of two thinges that dyd assure him of Gods mercie the one that God was his Creator and maker and therby priuie to the frailtie of hys constitution nature th'other that he was his father whose propertie is to haue compassion on his chyldren this is a second reason more strong and forcible perhaps then the former why euery man may be most assured of pardon that hartilie turneth vnto almightie GOD considering that it hath pleased his diuine Maiestie not onelie to be vnto man a Creatour as he is to all other things but also a father which is the title of the greatest loue and coniunction that nature hath left to things in thys world Wherof a certain Phylosopher said well that no man coulde conceiue the loue of a Parents hart but he onelie that had a childe of his owne For which respect our Sauior Christ to put vs in mind of this most feruent loue and thereby as it were by one fire to enkindle another wythin our harts did vse oftentimes and ordinarilie to repeate thys sweete name of Father in hys speeches to his followers and theruppon founded diuers most excellent comfortable discourses as at one time when hee exhorted them from ouer-much care and worldly solicitude hee addeth thys reason Your father in heauen knoweth that you haue neede of these thinges As who would say hee knowing your wants and beeing your Father you shall not neede to trouble your selues wyth too great anxietie in these matters for that a Fathers hart cannot but bee prouident carefull for hys chyldren The like deduction maketh he in the same place to the same effect by comparison of the byrdes of the ayre and other irreasonable creatures for which if God doe make saith hee so aboundant prouision as al the whole worlde may witnesse that hee dooth much more carefull wyll he be to prouide for men that are his owne children which are more deere vnto him then any other terrestiall thing created All which speeches and reasons of our Sauiour are deriued from the nature and propertie of a Parent which cannot but affecte and looue hys children especiallie such a Father whom Christ calleth celestiall who in thys perfection of true fatherly loue so farre exceedeth al earthly Parents put together as in power clemencie goodnes almightie GOD surpasseth the infirmitie of hys feeble creatures Such a father
them vpoÌ„ their first signification of greefe and sorrowe for the same And not onelie thys but our Sauiour also Iesus Christ was promised to be sent for restoring them and their posteritie to the glorie and felicitie which by their fall they had lost After thys vntill the tyme of Abraham and of the people of Israell as some vvorkes of Gods iustice are recorded in holie writte that were exercised vppon irrepentant offenders so are there many more celebrated of his mercie only two persons in particuler are mentioned who notwithstanding some sorrowe which they seemed to haue of their offences were yet reiected the first whereof was the murderer Caine who at the beginning denyed hys wickednes vnto God and then beeing conuicted despayred of remission The second was Esau whom S. Paul calleth a prophane fornicator who found no place of repentaunce albeit with teares he sought the same Whereof S. Chrisostome giueth the reason in these wordes For this cause Esau obtained not pardon for that hee did not repent as hee should haue doone his teares proceeding rather of anger and temptation then of true sorowe When the people of Israell came to be a distinct Nation to be gouerned at Gods appointment how greeuously trowe you did they offende daily and almost hourelie his diuine Maiestie And howe graciouslie did his vnspeakable clemencie remit pardon their manifolde and innumerable sinnes and trespasses doone against him The whole Scripture in truth seemeth nothing els but a perpetual narration of Gods incredible patience and infinite mercies towardes them And if I woulde speake of perticuler persons among them which he receiued to his fauour after great and manifold offences committed there would be no ende of that recitall Let Manasses that most impious and wicked king be an example for al of whose enormous life most detestable acts whole pages are replenished both in the bookes of kings and Chronicles and yet afterwardes notwithstanding the same man falling into miserie and calamitie among the Babilonians a fortunate schoole oftentimes for Princes who in their prosperity are wont to contemne God he beganne to be sorrowful for hys former life and actions and became repentant as the Scripture saith in the sight of God for the same Whereat his diuine incomprehensible mercie was so much moued presently as he receiued him to fauour and brought him backe from his prison and fetters to hys kingdome imperial throne of Maiestie The example also of the Niniuites is very notable and singuler in this behalfe against whom almighty God hauing decreed a sentence of death to be executed within a certayne time he commaunded Ionas the Prophet to goe and denounce that sentence vnto them But Ionas well knowing the nature and disposition of God towardes mercie fore-sawe as afterwardes hee signifieth that if hee shoulde goe and beare that embassage vnto them and they thereuppon make chaunge of theyr lyues his Maiestie woulde presentlie pardon them and so hee shoulde be taken for a false and lying Prophet For auoiding which inconuenience he chose rather to flee away by sea to the Cittie of Tharsis there to hide himselfe But almightie God raised a teÌ„pest in that iourney and disposed in such sort as Ionâ—s was cast into the sea and there receiued and deuoured by a whale froÌ„ whose belly he was commaunded afterwardes to repaire to Niniuie and to doe his former message which hee performed And the tenour of his message was that wythin fâ—rtie dayes that huge cittie of Niniuie should be destroyed Whych hee hauing denounced vnto them the sequel fell out as Ionas before had suspected For the Niniuites beleeuing the message betaking themselues to repentance GOD forgaue them presently whereat Ionas was exceedinglie greeued offended and complained sweetly to God of hys strange dealing herein demaunding why he had enforced him to come preach destruction vnto them knowing before hand that hee would pardon them But his mercifull Lorde aunswered him fully to this poynt by a certaine accident that fell out wherto Ionas was not able to reply one word For so it chaunced that Ionas sitting wythout the walles of the Cittie Niniuie vnder an Iuie bushe that in one night by Gods appointment was sprong vp to couer him from the sunne the same Iuie by Gods ordinance perished vpon the suddaine and was coÌ„sumed by a worme leauing the poore Prophet destitute of that coÌ„solation of shadow which he receiued by it Wherewyth he beeing not a little disquieted and afflicted God said vnto him thou Ionas art sorowful and much greeued for losse of thine Iuie tree which notwithstanding thou diddest not plant or make to growe nor tookest any labour at all about it But the same grew vp in one night and in one night it perished againe And shall not I then be carefull to pardon my great Cittie of Niniuie wherein there be aboue an hundred twenty thousand innocent people which cannot distinguish betweene their right hande and theyr left This was the answer of almighty God to Ionas for defence of his singuler inclination to mercy in respect that the Niniuites were his owne creatures his own workmanâ—hip and the labours of his own hands as all other people also are Of which kynde of reason and consideration there haue beene diuers thinges sayde and declared before for manifestations of Gods infinite mercie And all thys that hetherto hath been spoken is of things onely doone in time of the olde Testament before the appearance of Christ our Sauiour in the flesh But nowe if wee looke into the tyme of grace when God incarnate came himselfe in person to shew the riches of hys endlesse mercie vnto mortall men vpon earth wee shall see more examples without comparison of his exceeding clemencie For that nowe our Creator and shepheard ouercome as it were with extreame compassion came downe into the vale of our miserie with resolution not onely to offer pardon and forgiuenes to all his sheepe that were astray would returne but also to follow and seeke them out and beeing found to lay them on his owne shoulders and so to beare them back vnto the fold againe and there to giue his life and bloode for theyr defence against the Wolfe O sweete Lorde what greater loue can be imagined then this what more pregnant signification of inflamed charitie can mans cogitation conceiue or apprehende is it meruaile nowe if hee which descended vnto vs with his hart and wyth these bowels of burning affection did sette open the gates of all his treasures fauours and graces vnto vs Is it meruaile if the holy Apostle Saint Paul doe say of this time Superabundauit gratia that grace did ouer abound and yet further in another place that Christ being very God did in a certaine sorte impoueriâ—h and emptie himselfe with the most wonderfull effusion of mercies and hauocke of heauen which at this
time and euer since he hath made Heerehence it proceeded that all his delight and pleasure vpon earth was to conuerse with sinners to giue them comfort courage and confidence in him Which hee did so manifestly in the sight of al the world as hee became very scandalous offensiue thereby to the Scribes Pharisies other principall Rulers among the Iewish Nation Heere-hence also did proceede those his most meruailous speeches and strange inuitations of wicked men vnto him as for example at one tyme among other when hee cryed out in publique Come vnto mee all yee that doe labour and be heauie loden and I wyll refresh you And at another time going into the Temple of Ierusalem vpon a high festiuall day when all the people were gathered together he stoode vp in the midst of them all and brake forth into thys vehement inuitation wyth a loude voyce as S. Iohn Euangelist recordeth If any man among you bee thirstie let him come vnto me and he shal drink Heerby it came to passe that his diuine maiestie was termed commonly Publicanorum et pâ—ccatorum amicus the freende and familiar of wicked Publicans and sinners And heereof finally it did proceede that he receiued all embraced all and forgaue all that repaired vnto him were they Scribes Pharisies Souldiours Publicans Vsurers Harlots Theeues Persecutors or whatsoeuer most greeuous offenders besides whereof particuler examples in each kinde might be alleaged assuring vs furthermore that after hys resurrection and blessed aâ—cention to the right hande of hys father he woulde be more bountifull yet in thys manner of proceeding and drâ—w all men vnto him beeing at one tyme both our Iudge and Aduocate our King and Mediatour our God and Redeemer our Father and Brother our Priest and Sacrifice and he that both pleadeth and determineth our cause together What then shoulde not we hope at thys tyme deere Christian brother at the hands of this our Lorde and Maister which hath left vnto vs such wordes such deedes such assured euidences of hys infallible loue and aboundant mercies towards vs why shold not hys dealings wyth other men before vs giue vs hart and courage to trust assuredlie in him for the time present and to come why shoulde not his former most infinite mercies be vnto vs odoriferous alluring sauors oyntments to make vs as the spouse did in the Canticles follow and runne after him Heare what deuout S. Bernarde dooth meditate vppon this passage of Christes fragrant oyntments O sweete Iesus saith hee the fresh and odoriferous smell of thy wonderfull clemencie doth allure vs to runne after thee when we heare say that thou despisest not beggers nor abhorrest sinners Wee know right well ô Lord that thou diddest not reiect the theefe that confessed thee nor the sinfull woman that wept vnto thee nor the Chananaean that huÌ„bled herselfe before thee nor the wicked adultresse brought vnto thee nor the touller or tribute gatherer that followed thee nor the publican that repaired vnto thee nor the disciple that denied thee nor Saule that did persecute thee nor thy tormenters that did naile thy sacred bodie to the Crosse. O Lorde all these are fragrant smels and sauours of thy most sweet mercie and at the sente of these thy oyntments we doe followe and runne after thee Thus farre S. Bernard The fourth part The application of all that hath beene said AND so wyth this to come to the fourth and last part of thys Chapter and to apply all that hath beene said of Gods mercie to our present purpose What man is there liuing in the worlde that reading and beleeuing these things can doubt or mistrust to receiue pardon for hys sinnes If God be hee that iustifieth who is able to condemne vs saith the holy Apostle S Paul If God be minded to deliuer vs who can take vs out of his hands If God protest that he wyll pardon vs why should we make any doubt or question thereof at all Why shoulde wee not ioyne rather wyth that confident and faithful seruaunt of his S. Paul who saith vnto vs and to all other sinners liuing in his maisters name Let vs repaire vnto him with a true hart in fulnesse of faith hauing purged our harts from an euill conscience let vs hold fast an immouable confession of our hope seeing he is faithfull which hath giuen vnto vs his promise and let vs consider howe one of vs may prouoke another to charitie and good workes By which words the holy Apostle signifieth that what sinner soeuer shall resolue with himselfe to purge his conscience from wickednesse for the tyme to come and to employ the rest of his life in charitie and good works he may confidently boldly repayre vnto almightie God wyth most certaine assuraunce to receiue pardon remission And alas deere brother why then should any man despaire Wherefore shoulde any man cast awaie hys owne soule that GOD so much desireth to saue what a pittifull and lamentable case is it to behold so many Christians in the world to goe languishing in their sinnes to giue themselues ouer to all kind of carelesse and dissolute sensualitie which by God himselfe is called desperation vpon this conceit and wicked cogitation that nowe they are gone so farre and so deepely rooted and habituated in thys kinde of life as eyther it is impossible or in vaine for them now to thinke of change or amendment O deere brother let these men harken to thys excellent dyscourse of holy Chrisostome which ensueth If thou be a wicked man saith he thinke vpon the Publicane If thou be vncleane of lyfe consider the harlot If thou be a murderer remember the theefe If thou be a swearer call to minde the blasphemer Cast thyne eyes vpon Saul and Paul first a persecutour and then a preacher first a violent robber afterwarde a good steward and dyspenser First chaffe afterward corne first a woolfe afterward a sheepheard first lead afterward gold first a pirat afterwards a good pilot first a dispersor afterwarde a gatherer together first a breaker down of Gods vine yard afterwarde a planter first a destroyer afterward a builder Thou hast seene manifold wickednes but nowe behold vnspeakable mercie Thou hast heard the pride of the seruant consider now the loue and clemencie of the Maister I will not thou say to me I am a blasphemer I haue beene a persecutor I haue led an vncleane and abhominable life and therefore I doubt least I shal not be pardoned Say not so vnto me for here thou hast examples to the contrary in euery of these and many other sinnes Thou mayst safely flie to what port thou list and that eyther in the old or new Testament For in the old thou hast Dauid in the newe thou hast Paul I will not haue thee therefore alleage excuses vnto mee for couering thyne owne cowardnes Hast thou sinned repent hast thou sinned a