and men gather them vp and cast them into the fire and they burne Here is the roote and here are the branches here is Christ his Church Here are those drie withered branches that are none of the Church but hell fire brands Here are those fruitfull braunches that bring forth much fruit But you will say this is true and plaine but how shall we know whether we be grafted in this vine or no whether we be members of the Church or no The manifest marke whereby this thing also is knowne which troubles so many at this day followes that he that will not wilfully blindfold himselfe may see it If ye abide in me saith our Sauior my words abide in you Vers 7. aske what you will and it shall be done vnto you Here is the meanes and true marke of them that abide in Christ They haue his words abiding in them The knowledge obedience to the word of God is the onely meanes to engraft vs into Christ or to breake vs off As saint Paul teacheth vs by the example of the Iewes Rom. 11.20 For their incredulity they were broken off and we by faith were grafted in their place Wouldest thou then be grafted into Christ wouldest thou be sure that thou art a member of his Church Let his word abide in thée Psal 119.11 Col. 3.16 Deut. 6.7 Let it be hidden within the closet of thy heart and dwell plenteously within the roofe of thy house as S. Paul commandeth Talke of it by thy fire teach thy childrē and thy seruants it And then thou shalt surely abide in the vine and be a member of the true Church And that thou maiest haue an euident token and signe hereof although now signes and miracles are ceased yet God will giue thée a signe to strengthen thy faith Aske what thou wilt and it shall be done vnto thee This is the dignitie of Gods children that they which heare him speaking by his word to them he also will heare them when by their prayers they talke with him And to this Salomon agrees Pro. 28.9 He that turneth away his eares saith hee from hearing the law his prayers are abominable Though they make neuer so long prayers and pray neuer so deuoutly yet if they refuse to heare the law of God their praiers be they neuer so deuout are abominable with God Surely by this it may séeme that their much praying in Poperie did them little good because they heard not thē Gods word And that euen now all the good blessings we enioy in Gods Church farre aboue our deserts we may attribute to our prayers and to our hearing of the law of God Let all Recusants marke this well and be diligent to heare the law of God if they minde to haue their prayers heard Salomon and Iesus Christ teacheth them That if Gods word abide in them then let them aske what they will and they shall obtaine it Otherwise they shall obtaine nothing at Gods hand This marke of Gods Church also was prefigured in the law Deut. 15.17 That seruant that would not go from his master which had solde himselfe at the sixt yeeres ende because he loued his master and because he is well with him Let him take an nawle saith Moses and pearce his eare thorow against the doore Io. 13.13 and he shall be his seruant for euer Iesus Christ is the best master in the world they that will not depart from his house must haue their eares bored thorow with an nawle they must be diligent hearers of his word And such shall be his seruants for euer And to this alludeth Dauid in the Psalme Psalm 40.6 Sacrifice and offring thou didst not desire For mine eares hast thou digged or bored thorow as it is in the Hebrew burnt offering and sinne-offering hast thou not required Then said I loe I come For in the volume of the booke it is written of mee Io. 4.34.14.31 I desired to doe thy good will O my God yea thy law is within my heart Dauid heere prophesieth of Iesus Christ that his eares were not bored thorow onely but euen digged he was so obedient to all his fathers commaundements his law was in his heart and so must all Gods seruants eares be they must follow Iesus Christ They must haue their eares not bored but digged thorow they must be diligent and obedient hearers of Gods word and this is a principall marke of the Church a true cognisance of all Gods seruants To this also agréeth the first Psalme which teacheth the verie first step to blessednes which onely is in Gods house That man is blessed saith the Psalme whose delight is in the law of the Lord and he meditates therein day and night Who would not be blessed That is the marke that all men ayme at The plaine way to attaine it is here set downe To delight in the law of God and to meditate therein day and night This is the faithfull mans delight this is his glorie this is his badge He that doth this is most assuredly Gods seruant is a member of the true Church So that then the first marke of Gods Church is the true knowledge and obedience of his word The second marke is inuocation of his name Gen. 4.25 For thus we read And Adam knew his wife and she brought forth a son and called his name Seth because God saith she hath giuen me another sonne for Abel because Cain slew him And also Seth had a son borne vnto him and he called his name Enoch and then men began to call on the name of the Lord. Here is as it were the petigrée of the Church here was first Abel slaine the first begotten sonne of this mother and then after succeeds him as his heire Seth and after Seth Enoch And then men began to call on the name of the Lord. Here no doubt was typically euē then the verie platforme of Christs Church drawen out Abel the first begotten sonne of the Church Ephes 1.22 Rom. 8.14 was slaine of his owne brother and so was Iesus Christ who is the head of his Church and the first begotten among many brethren After Abel Seth succéeds which signifies in Hebrew put set or placed as a foūdation or an ornament or a comfort therefore Eue giues her sonne this name And this Seth may verie fitly resemble faith Mat. 16.18 1. Cor. 1.30 Io. 14.1 which is put in our hearts by the holy Ghost as a foundation and our onely ornament and comfort among the manifold sorrowes and troubles of this life Let not your heart be troubled saith our Sauiour beleeue in God and beleeue in me Seth begets Enoch which in Hebrew signifies calamities or miseries And this doth faith beget in man True faith makes him confesse his frailtie his miserie how that there remaines no goodnes in him And then followes true inuocation of the name of God which is the second marke of the true
Pintus As this precious stone of it selfe caries a Maiestie and glorie with it it needes not the helpe or skill of man to polish it So much lesse the scriptures They glorifie themselues their authoritie is their owne maiesty And no doubt as in the handling of them of which Pintus seemes here to speake so also in the discerning of them Who requires a witnesse to prooue that the sunne shineth Here the thing it selfe is a sufficient witnes So the scriptures by their owne Maiestie especiallie beare witnesse to themselues To Infidelles perchance which neuer knewe nor read the Scriptures the authoritie of the Church maie bee an Introduction to beleeue them as that woman was to the Samaritanes to beleeue in Christ c. But after they shall haue once read them and hauing also well meditated vpon them day and night and laid them vp in their harts Ioh. 4.42 Luk 2.51 as Mary did the words of Simeon and Anna they will then saie as the Samaritanes also saide to the woman Now we beleeue not because of thy saying For wee haue heard him our selues and knowe that this is indeede that Christ that Sauiour of the world So they will also saie of the Churches Testimonie Pintus of reading the holie scripture writes thus Pintus in 3. cap. Ezech. All holie Scripture giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teach In all mens Books may errours be found be the Author thereof neuer so wise nor neuer so learned for euen as in a fruitfull field sometimes amongst holesome hearbes grow those that bee hurtfull so mens wittes sometimes amongst holesome counselles yeeld also manie errors The heathen Philosophers although setting apart all priuate and publike actions they gaue themselues wholy to search out truth yet they haue committed to writing their own vaine deuises and innumerable vanities For All men are liers as the Psalmist sayeth What shall I speake of the vnprofitable fictions of the Poets The Poets sing of strange but not credible matters If sometimes they affoorde vs any thing that is good they mingle it vvith a thousand lyes But all the holy Scripture is true all to bee read all to be searched all to be deuoured As they which digge mettalles doe not lose the least scrappes but if so bee that they find any mine of gold they diligently search after euery vaine and they take out the earth also with the Gold and they are very circumspect so wee must doe in the holy Scripture we must passe ouer nothing we must not make light account of one word of the holy Scriptures yea we must be much more desirous and diligent in searching out this treasure and wee must endeuour to bring all to light For here is no earth mingled with gold it is all most pure gold tried to the vttermost yea as the Psalmist saith Aboue thousands of gold and siluer In the holy Scriptures because God is the author of it Who can neither be deceiued nor deceiue anie whatsoeuer is written is truth whatsoeuer is taught is vertue whatsoeuer is promised after death is immortality and euerlasting felicity The word of God giueth light and directs vs the way to heauen for the diuine Psalmist saith Thy word is a lanterne to my feet Therefore all that loue God desire to heare it therefore saith Christ our God He that is of God heareth Gods word And in Saint Lukes Gospel Blessed are they which heare the word of God and keepe it O woonderfull reliques being so precious and in the world so little esteemed If we make great account of the garments of the saints and if we reuerence some parts of their garments and that rightlie because they touched their bodies how much more ought wee to esteeme the words of Christ which issued from his heart by his most blessed mouth and touched both his tongue and his lippes They are all heauenly full of holinesse breathing heauenly mysteries Moyses beganne his booke from the generation of the creatures but Saint Matthew began his from the generation of the creator saying The booke of the generation of Iesus Christ. And after This booke is the Chronicle of Iesus Christ this is his testament what sonne will not reade the Testament of his father who is it that wil not giue good heed to his fathers last wil This new Testament is an infinit treasure which can neuer be spent of heauenly wisdome and celestial treasures And after The word of God ought to be in our hands that we might neuer forget it but it cannot be in our hands vnlesse it be first in our heart and therefore before God saith My words shall bee in thy hand he saith They shall be in thy heart He that will not fall into sinnes let him keepe Gods words in his heart The holy Prophet would teach vs this in these words I haue hid thy words in my heart least I should sinne against thee He loued the word of God so greatly that as a most precious treasure and most excellent Iewelles he kept them laid vp in the closet of his heart And Salomon in the Prouerbes speaking of the law of God Bind it saith he alwaies in thie heart and compasse it about thie necke and when thou walkest let it go with thee As in the arke of the Testament was the law of God manna as the holy scriptures do record in many places So in the soule where the word of God is kept Christ that hidden and heauenly manna is there by his grace of whome Esay saieth Truelie thou art a hidden God And the same Christ in Saint Iohns Gospell saith I am the liuelie bread that came downe from heauen In that soule which is refreshed with this heauenly food is the law of God written not with inke that I may vse Saint Pauls words but with the Spirit of the liuing God not in Tables of stone but in the fleshie Tables of the heart Saint Paul saith That those which haue the law of God imprinted in their mind that they shew the worke of the law written in their hearts And these obey and loue GOD whereof the truth it selfe saith in Saint Iohns Gospell If anie man loue me he will keepe mie saieng And in Saint Lukes Gospell Blessed are they which heare the word of God and keepe it For as saint Paul in the Epistle to the Romanes saith Not the hearers of the law are iust before God but the doers thereof shall be iustified And saint Iames saith in his Canonical Epistle Be ye doers of the word not hearers onelie deceiuing your owne selues Euen as he which will make an assault vpon his enimies or defend himself from them stands need of a sword the which being taken in his hand he may strike them that he may obtaine the victory So he that will triumph ouer the world the flesh and the diuell the most cruell enemies of the soule he must carie in his hands that is in his works the word of God
dangers So the Apostles teach three things first the law that is what we must doe and what we must eschew Secondly the gospell Thirdly they bring remedies against perils But he especially counsels them that they should take meate for there is nothing more necessarie to thē that be in danger then the bread of the word of God No man can swimme out and escape from death vnlesse he first strengthen himselfe with the bread of life Wouldest thou escape death then follow Ferus his counsell strengthen thy soule with this bread 8. Of Pilgrimages FIrst concerning Pilgrimages Ioh. 4.21 the Gospell teacheth vs these lessons And Iesus said vnto the woman of Samariah Woman beleeue me the houre commeth when ye shall neither in this mountaine nor at Ierusalem worship the Father c. No nor in any other set place But the houre commeth and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth that is in euerie place Mal. 1.11 And this is that which Malachie also prophesieth of Christs kingdome From the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe of the same my Name is great among the Gentiles and in euery place incense shall be offered in my name Here are two things of vs to be considered First that Gods name alone shall be great among the Gentiles and of it shall proceede incense that most swéet smelling sacrifice vnto God in euerie place And what is this els but prayers to bee made in all places in the name of Iesus Christ The same lesson also grounded no doubt of this Prophesie Saint Paul teacheth al christians I will therefore that men pray euery where 1. Tim. 2.8 lifting vppe pure hands without doubtfulnesse No doubt this prayer in all places is that sacrifice and most pleasant incense whereof Malachie spake before But that place of Saint Paul most manifestly ouerthrowes all Pilgrimages The word is neere thee Rom. 10.8 euen in thy mouth and in thy heart This is the word of faith which we preach for if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus shalt beleeue in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saued For with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation The word of faith the worde of saluation is nigh thée saith Saint Paul thou néedes not go to Rome or to any other place for it For if at home in thine house thou shalt beléeue in the lord Iesus confesse him with thy mouth thou shalt be saued thou néeds not make any great long iournie for to obtain thy saluation Nay our sauiour Christ himselfe most manifestly makes it a signe of heretikes to teach this doctrine of pilgrimages There shall arise false Christes saith he and false prophets c. Mat. 24. Wherefore if they shall saye vnto you behold he is in the desart goe not forth behold he is in secrete places 23. or in their cels cloisters beleeue them not For as the lightning commeth out of the East and shineth into the West 27. So shall also the comming of the sonne of man be Not onely in his comming to iudgement but also to euerie faithfull soule as saint Luke seemes to expound this For as the lightening that lighteneth out of the one part vnder heauen shineth vnto the other part vnder heauen Luke 17.24 so shall the sonne of man be in his day Where as that which saint Matthew calles his comming saint Luke calles his day And saint Luke before calles the light of the Gospell the daie of the sonne of man which in the thicke darkenesse of Antichrist he saith Vers 22. Men shall desire to see but one of them and shall not see it Christ in his kingdome as the true sunne of righteousnesse to illuminate to quicken things nowe dead thorow sinne shines not onely at Rome but thorow the whole world Of Pilgrimages to Rome or to other places Concerning this matter Ferus writes thus By this word hee shewes Fer. in ca. 4. Io. all controuersies of the prerogatiue of places are to be taken away for in the newe Testament the worship of God is tyed to no one place but in all places of his dominion God is praised of the faithfull as it was foretolde by Malachie This is our great comfort that we may finde God in all places For otherwise if we must all goe to Ierusalem who seeketh not howe fewe should haue beene saued therefore he left not one stone vpon another in the Temple of Ierusalem that we might all know that that law of worshipping God in one place was now abrogated as concerning externall things for spiritually we all do worship and sacrifice nowe in Christ the true Temple of God Fer. in pass Parte 4. And againe of the same matter in another place hee writeth thus To conclude saith hee no man knowes where Moses graue is neither makes it any great matter But Christes graue is knowen to all men and so also it was necessarie that of it wee may learne our burials and resurrection for as Christs passion is ours so his buriall is ours also that wee are buried with him in baptisme to death c. It makes no matter for Moses his graue saith Ferus and the chiefe end of Christes graue why it is knowne where it is is not to go to sée it but to beleeue that as hee was buried and rose againe so shall wée also But how contrarie is all this to that which the Rhemists in their Testament haue noted vpon the second chapter of Saint Matthew vpon these wordes Came to adore they write thus This comming so farre of deuotion to visite and adore Christ in the place of his birth was properly a pilgrimage to his person and warrants the faithfull in the like kinde of externall worship done to holy places persons or things But this followes not they came to worship Christ therefore the faithfull may go a pilgrimage to worship holy places or things when as God is onely to be worshipped Then they had a starre to direct them but we haue none now therefore their fact cannot warrant vs. 9. Of Traditions and ceremonies AS concerning traditions and ceremonies Deut. 16.1 and what account to make of them that shadow of the lawe may seeme to teach Thou shalt keepe the moneth of Abib or new corne as Ierome translates it that is when as corne growes to be eared Reue. 11.1.8 And thou shalt celebrate the Passeouer vnto the Lord thy God For in the month of Abib the Lord thy God brought thee out of the land of Egypt The comming out of that corporall Egypt was a signe no doubt of the comming out of the spirituall Egypt as S. Iohn teacheth vs in the Reuelation And amongst manie other resemblances Rom. 15.4 that the one of these hath to the other this is not the least and to be obserued of vs
him Nay that it may be lawfull for the subiect to rebell nay to kill the Prince what is this but in expounding the law of God to imitate the Iewish Talmud But what shal I speake of the other part of their law which they cal Cabala what great matters doth it take vpō it about what trifles is it occupied what great promises doth it make And how euil doth it perform them It promiseth men heauenly things and it leaues not miserable wretches scant those things which concerne man For this it vndertakes that it will expound the inward meaning of the law that it will search out not the outward letter but the inward hidden mysterie And it iudgeth that we must lead our liues according to the meaning and not according to the letter of the law c. What can be greater what more statelie then this promise But in the end what more vaine or friuolous They spend their whole life in expounding the name of God which they cannot attaine vnto c. With one of these two knowledges the Iewes which are desirous of learning being greatly delighted read the scriptures carelesly and they thinke that they are not to be expounded but by the iudgement either of the Talmudists or Cabalists And do not the Papists follow their steps They haue bin altogither occupied in reading studying the Maister of the Sentences the Schoolemen they haue read the scriptures carelesly or not at all and they haue thought that they were to be expounded according to their iudgements And whereas saith Osorius that it was established by Gods law that soothsayers which whisper in their inchātments should not be sought vnto but that all the dealings of our life should be referred to the square of the law of God and to the testimonie the Iewes in steed of the holinesse of the law of God seeke to the dregs and corruption of the law place the art of magicke which they call Cabala in Gods place What can be said or imagined more haynous then this And haue not the Papists likewise done so for all things almost For their diseases for their things stolne or lost for the mischances of their cattell in séeking to witches and coniurers This is too manifest But to concide as Osorius writes to the Iewes the same petition I would make to all true Catholikes I request saith hee but two things at your hands the one is that you would detest that poysoned learning which came nowe from no place else but euen from the bottomlesse pit of hell to the plague of mankinde and that you would onely aske counsell of the law of God and of the testimonies of the Prophets The other thing is that you woulde not come in your praiers and requestes to God bringing any thing with preiudicate mindes from your forefathers but with a simple heart you would earnestly desire of that most high fountain of loue mercy that he would vouchsafe to open to you mercifully that which is necessarie for your saluation The which if you shall do I doe not doubt but that he will lighten your mindes with the brightnesse of his holy spirit that then at length you may see what Godhead and power lies hid in Christ nailed vpon the crosse These two requests I would also make to all Catholikes that they would now loath the intricate doctrines of the schoolemen 2. Cor. 11.3 Reue. 9.2 Psal 19.3 and loue the simplicitie of the Gospel of Iesus Christ Surely this is that smoke that came out of the bottomlesse pit which darkened both the sunne and the ayre that is Iesus Christ who is the true sunne of righteousnes and the aire that is the word of God which is the aire and life of our soules And of this ayre Dauid saith I opened my mouth and drew in my breath Psal 119.131 for I loued thy commaundementes And that these would onely in matters of saith and religion nowe aske counsell of the law and worde of God and that they would lay aside that preiudicate opinion of their fathers that because their fathers beléeued so that therefore they also will beléeue so Osorius telles the Iewes this is no sure argument and so most I tell them and that they would pray vnto God with a single heart to shew them which is the right way and then they should sée what power remaines in Iesus Christ so that they néede not the merits of any saints but his alone nor the mediation of any Angels but his onely to their saluation 10. Of the Popes Supremacie MAster Bellarmine of that place of our Sauiour in the 16. of Matthew writes thus Vpō this rocke Bellar. de Ro. Pontifice li. 1. cap. 10. Of the first question there are foure opinions The first is that common opinion of all Catholikes That Peter was that rocke vpon which Christ said he would build his Church that is that person which was called Peter yet not as he was a particular person but as he was Pastor and head of the Church After he reckons vp three other opinions the second of Erasmus who saith vpon this place that euerie faithfull Christian is this rocke The third of Caluine who saith that Christ is this rocke and the fourth of Luther who saith that faith or the confession of faith to be the rocke which our Sauiour ment But he concludes that the first opinion which is truest is plainely gathered out of the text for that pronoune this when it is said and vpon this rocke declares some rocke which the Lord had spoken of a little before But immediatly before the Lord had called Peter a rocke for he spake in the Siriake tongue and in the Siriake tongue Peter is called a Cephas as we read in the first of Iohn and Cephas signifieth a rocke as Ierome teacheth vpon the second Chapter of the Galathians so that Master Bellarmine would haue Peter to be that rock whereon Christ did build his Church and that because his name which Christ gaue him in the Siriake tongue signifies a rocke But he might as well consider that his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which no doubt the holy Ghost gaue him by the Greeke interpretor of S. Matthewes Gospell properly signifies a stone So that whereas Cephas in the Siriake signifies eyther a rocke or a stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Gréeke doth seeme to restraine it to expound it Zonah in the Hebrewe signifies an vachast woman or a victualer by which name Rahab was called in the Hebrewe Ios 2.1 Heb. 11 3◠but the Gréeke restraines the ample signification of that word and calles her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is an harlot But if it be graunted that Christ spake of a rocke mentioned a little before why may it not be then of that rocke which Peter confessed which he might call that rocke And so a greater man then Master Bellarmine euen Gregorie the great and sometime a Bishop of Rome
to anie other The same Granatensis writes thus of himselfe Ibidem And surely the errours of my life and sinnes are so manie and so great that some men being in the same state of damnation as well as I and not considering O Lord thy omnipotencie but measuring according to their owne frailtie and wauering mindes with their forward thoughts haue entered into iudgement with thee saying Mine iniquities are greater then that they may be pardoned and giuing no credite to thy words and promises imagine that as some angrie or cruell man thou thinkest vpon punishment and reuenge and not vpon grace and pardon And such O my God when they shall see that thou wilt forgiue me my sinnes shall be ouercome and ashamed of their iudgements And they shall acknowledge that which thou spakest by thy Prophet that is As high as the heauens are exalted from the earth so are thy waies farre aboue the waies of men and thy thoughts aboue their thoughts Therefore O Lord haue mercie vpon me and blot out mine iniquitie Thus farre Granatensis He confesseth himselfe to be a damnable sinner Here is no merits then and yet for all that he hopes for pardon comes to the throne of Gods mercie nay they which think God to be an angrie God so that he will not heare sinners he plainlie teacheth that they haue a wrong opinion of God And do not the papists teach this in their doctrine of intercession to saints Angels This faith al the scriptures teach vs that when we pray in the name of Iesus Christ God doth most assuredly heare vs. And so we ought to frame our words when we pray as though we were in the presence of God and our hearts after we haue praied that God in whose presence we haue praied hath granted our requests This faith the gospell teacheth They which beléeue not this denie the faith of the Gospell And the same Granatensis that he may the more déepelie imprint and fasten this loue of God in our hearts which is the very roote of the assurance which we haue in our prayers in another place let vs marke how excellentlie he commendeth and expresseth this excéeding great loue of God towards vs. Can there be any greater argumēt of the goodnes of God wished or desired then to consider that a God of such infinite Maiestie Granat de perfect amor dei cap. 28. who not for any need but onely of his owne goodnes doth stoupe downe humble himselfe so greatly that as a steward purueyour of birds fishes and wormes he prouides all things necessary for their life Neither being content with this alone he doth humble himselfe so far that he giues them also pleasant things wherewith they may delight themselues stirring vp in them also certaine motions of pleasures That euen as thou O Lord hast not only an essence or being but also a most happie and blessed essence so also thou wouldest haue all thy creatures be they neuer so vile and base in their kinde to participate of thee and to enioy both these that they should haue both an essence and also a most happie and ioyfull essence Who is not now amased to see such a miracle who hereby acknowledgeth not the infinite kindnes nobilitie and liberalitie of Gods heart who shewes himselfe so louing and courteous to so vile creatures which if a man meet withall he will make no account to trample vnder his feet Which of vs is it that thinkes it concernes him any thing at all whether a Flie or Pismire haue food or not or whether she be merie or sad Who therefore will not maruell that a God of such great maiestie in comparison of whom all the world is no bigger almost then a little Pismire not onely to haue special care of the liues of these smal vermine but also of the delights and pleasures wherewith euerie one of these is delighted when as he lookes at the hands of these neither for praise nor thanks O wonderfull goodnes O inestimable sweetnes O my God how great incomprehensible are those things which in the bosome of thy glorie thou hast reserued for thy faithfull friends when as thou hast such a speciall care of vile wormes How can I distrust of thy prouidence mercie towards men whom thou hast bought with thy precious bloud when as that is not wanting euen to the beasts of the field Thus farre Granatensis This onelie consideration should make vs pray to God alone Chap. 29. And after of the praiers of the faithfull he writes thus What shal I say O Lord of thy readines in hearing the praiers of the iust what of thy speedines in fulfilling their desires how often doest thou promise vs this in thy holy scriptures that thou mightest take away our infidelity distresse In a certain place thou saiest which of you askes bread of his father and will he giue him a stone our askes fish and will he for fish giue him a serpent or if he aske an egge will he reach him a Scorpion If ye therefore when as ye are euill know to giue good things to your children how much more shall your heauenly father from heauen giue his holy spirit to them which aske him And in another place Aske and it shal be giuen to you seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you But the words of our Lord which are in S. Iohns Gospell doe declare the same much more manifestly by which it is manifest that God hath at once opened to his friends all the gates of his mercie when as he saith If you abide in me and my words abide in you aske whatsoeuer ye will and it shall be done vnto you Could the heart of man if a wish were giuen him to wish whatsoeuer he would haue wished a more large or greater benefit when as in these words he hath leaue giuen him to aske whatsoeuer he will And he giues his word also that whatsoeuer he asketh he shall obtaine These are the promises of the Gospell from which they also disagree not which are found euerie where amongst the Prophets The Psalmist saith in a certaine place he will doe the will of them that feare him and he will heare their prayer and will saue them And in another place The eies of the Lord are vpon the iust and his eares are open vnto their prayers And in another place hee saith He hath regarded the prayer of the humble and hath not despised their petition Esay also sings the same song to vs. For after he had shewed with what good works God is especially serued by and by he addeth the reward that shall be giuen to them that serue him saying Then he shall call and the Lord shall heare him he shal crie and the Lord shal say Behold here am I. And as though this were but a small thing thou thy selfe O Lord addest a farre greater and more bountifull promise in the same Prophet
thy truth and faith in thée Rom. 8.30 that thou hast poured into vs good inspirations and good thoughts that thou hast deliuered vs from that euill one Matt. 6.13 and preserued vs from all perils and dangers from sodaine death burning with fire robbing with théeues and such like casualties Iob. 1 19 Luk. 13.4 wherewith manie are sodainlie taken in the night vnawares that thou hast with such greate patience and mercie staied thy wrath so long frō vs Rom. 2 4. giuen vs so large a time of repentance amendment or life For these and all other thy benefites which thou hast bestowed vpon vs from the first day of our birth vntill now Psal 105.2 which are mo in number then the haires of our heads we giue thee as we are most bound O most mercifull Father in the name of thy Sonne Iesus Christ continual and most humble and heartie thanks And we offer vnto thee O Lord all that we go about to do or suffer to be done Psal 37.5 all our labours all our studies all our exercises in a word all that we are to doe or wherein we shall bee employed or occupied this daie And we beséech thée poure downe thy blessing vpon them and prosper and giue good successe vnto them Psal 90.17 118.25 To thee also we offer euē our selues our soules and bodies with all ours Psal 150.6 that both we and all things els maie shewe thy praises set forth thy honour and declare thy glorie Into thy hands we commit all our affaires so that thou maiest do and worke in all things and dispose of all things whatsoeuer as shall please thy most holy and sacred will euen as though they were thine owne businesses and affaires and none of ours Moreouer Matt. 26.39 for as much as of our selues we are not able to doe thee anie seruice giue vs O Lord thy grace that we maie be so strengthened therwith Ephe. 3.16 that we may think saie or do nothing which is not agréeable to thy most blessed will O Lord make our wils alwaies agrée with thy wil. Psal 19.14 1. Cor. 3.5 And we most humblie beséech thée euer to assist vs with thy grace and to giue vs power and strength against all kind of sinnes especiallie against those whereunto we are inclined of our owne natures as pride couetousnesse enuie maliciousnesse gluttonie vncleannesse vaine glorie idle words such like so that through the power of thy might Ephes 6.10 we maie get victorie against these and all sinnes whatsoeuer Furthermore for as much as man is borne to labour and trauell as the birds to flie and thou hast ordained him the day to labour in Iob. 5.7 Psal 104.25 thou wouldst not haue him liue idly or spend his time vainlie endue vs all O Lord with thy grace that wee maie euerie one labour and studie to serue thée faithfullie in our callings Ephe. 4.1 2. Tess 1.11 And that labouring for the bodie and sustentation of this present life we maie yet cast awaie the great blindnesse of our minds and carefulnesse of worldly thinges and maie alwaies labour without all care ioyfully Matt. 6.33 1. Pet. 5.7 euen as the birds flie putting our whole trust in thée being most assuredlie perswaded that thou carest for vs and therfore O good Father giue vs grace to cast all our worldly cares vpon thée And giue vs alwaies onlie this care that we maie put our whole studie and care in kéeping of thy commandements O good Lord 2. Pet. 1.5 Iam. 1.23 make vs not only hearers but doers of thy word O Lord let vs not haue only a shew of thy religion but let the force and power thereof shine in our liues and conuersations 2. Tim. 3.5 Matt. 18.7 that we be not offences and stumbling blockes but lights and good examples to others And that wee may dayly do this Matt. 5.16 O good Lord as it hath pleased thée to make the Sunne to shine vpon the earth to giue our bodies light so we most humbly beséech thée inlighten our mindes and hearts by thy holy Spirit 2. Pet 1.19 that we may bee euermore directed in the way of righteousnesse Psal 90.2 And as this day addeth somwhat to our age so let thy holy spirit adde therein somewhat to our knowledge and faith that so growing in the measure of thy grace daily Ephes 4 15. Luk. 1.71 till we come to our perfection which is in Christ Iesus we maie serue thée in holinesse and righteousnesse not onlie this daie but all the dayes of our life Graunt vs these our petitions deare Father and all other necessarie graces for vs and thy whole Church for thy deare Sonne Iesus Christ his sake our most blessed Sauiour to whom with thee and the holie Ghost be all honour and glory now and for euer Amen Amen A Forme of Euening Prayer for Christian Families O Almightie God our heauenlie Father Psal 47.7 73.24 139.1 which art the great king ouer all the world which gouernest and preseruest all things which searchest vs out knowest vs which knowest our sitting downe and our vprising and vnderstandest our thoughts long before which art about our path and about our bed and spiest out al our waies We thanke thée through our onely Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ for blessing vs this daie past in all the studies businesses and affaires that we haue gone about We confesse what soeuer we haue brought well to passe to haue beene thy great mercies towards vs. Psal 108.13 Wée thanke thée for sauing vs from all dangers of bodie and soule we confesse our life our strength all the good things we haue Iam. 1.17 wholie and onlie to depend of thée And now as the day which thou hast made for labour is past and the night is come Gen. 1.25 which thou hast in like manner created for the refreshing of our wearie bodies and minds graunt vs therefore so to take our bodilie rest therein that our soules maie continuallie watch for thée and our heartes be lifted vp to loue thée Cant. 5.2 Grant that our sléepe be not excessiue but onelie sufficient to comfort our weake natures Giue euerie one of vs good Lord we beseech thée thy grace Pro. 6.9 that before we suffer our eies to sléepe or our eie lids to slumber or the temples of our heads to take anie rest to examine our consciences and to iudge our selues and to call to remembrance all our actions that wée haue done this daie whether all our thoughts words and works haue béene agréeable to thy holie will and commandements Psal 145.2 or no. And if we haue done anie thing well to giue thée in the name of Iesus Christ heartie and humble thanks for it Matt. 6.12 and if we haue omitted anie good worke which we might haue done to condemne our negligence slacknes and wearinesse in thy
common father to vs all so we should be all as brethren one to another and it is greatly to be feared that at this daie that the lacke of this naturall and brotherly loue amongst our selues makes God withdrawe this his fatherlie loue and care from vs. Wilt thou not accompt the poore thy brethren and deale with them as with brethren Surely then God will not be thy father Oh what a losse is this We had better make leases of our lands for nothing nay léese all the goods in the world then léese this Mat. 16.26 Which art in heauen Here is his Maiestie declared vnto vs we haue a mightie father a father of the greatest maiestie in the world The winde the raine the thunder that comes from heauen how mightie how terrible how forcible are they But our father whose dwelling is in heauen 1. King 8.27 naie whom the heauen of heauens cannot containe is of farre greater might These are but his seruants as the Psalmist saith Psal 104.4 He makes the spirits or windes his messengers and his seruants the flames of fire He is most terrible when he is angrie Psal 18.7.2.12 yea if his anger be kindled but a little Oh let vs feare him let vs not sinne presumptuouslie euen the smallest sinnes He is most mercifull Psal 19.13 where hee loues Oh let vs praie vnto him he is able to helpe Heb. 10.26 Psal 103.8 let vs trust in him Let vs not thinke that the darkenesse or anie worldlie pretence whatsoeuer can couer or hide our sinnes Ps 94.9 139.1 The sunne which is but a little aduanced in the heauens we sée howe his beames will pierce into euerie corner much more the power of our God which dwelleth aboue all the heauens his eies his brightnesse his maiestie is in euerie place Hallowed be thy name We will not name the Emperor nor anie king nor anie meane gentleman without reuerence 1. Tim. 1.17 Psal 138.2 and without his titles We cannot sée God he is inuisible he hath onely giuen vs his name here amongst vs to see how we will vse it Hereby are we tried as we accompt of his name so we accompt of him as we esteeme it so we estéeme himselfe Let it be of the greatest accompt amongst vs aboue the names of all Kings and Princes let it be our greatest iewell let vs alwaies vse it most reuerentlie and holilie Let here all Ruffians and Atheists and blasphemous swearers and periured persons quake and tremble that make so light accompt of the name of God This is such a sinne that now although they make light accompt thereof yet God hath tolde them most plainlie in his lawe which if they were not starke deafe they would marke and remember that he that committes it Psal 58.4 he will not accompt him guiltlesse but at that great daie of iudgement when as he will pardon other sinnes he will most assuredlie condemne this Exod. 20.7 Thy kingdome come who hauing land purchased for him would not long to be in the possession of it who being an apprentice would not gladlie be at libertie who hearing his sonne to be a King Gen. 45.27.28 would not now gladlie make haste to go to sée him Did not Iacob thinke you when as he heard that Ioseph his sonne was a Prince in Egypt thinke euerie daie a yeere till he were with him Such are all our estates here in this world we haue not great lands or possessions purchased for vs but euen a kingdome yea and that such a kingdome as farre surpasseth all the kingdomes and monarchies of the world Reu. 1.6 who would not desire to be in the possession of such a kingdome who would not long to sée it we are here all apprentices watching and manie times wanting and euer warring and labouring Who would not gladly be at liberty Iob. 7.1 be deliuered from this bondage be in franchised into that citie where there is not want nor watching nor warring Reu. 21.4 nor labouring but ioie rest peace plenty and fréedome for euermore We doe not onelie heare good newes as Iacob did that our son is a Prince in Egypt but that we our selues are made Kings and Priests by the meanes of Iesus Christ Reu. 1.6 1. Pet. 2.9 and that of the kingdome of heauen and that we are now fellowe heires with him 1. Co. 3.21.22 Rom. 8.17 This is the summe of the Gospell This is our ioyfull newes And did Iacob make hast to go into Egypt and shall not we hasten to our heauenlie kingdome O we of little faith Reu. 22.17 and therefore in the Reuelation the spirit and the spouse say Come Lord Iesu As though they should saie Come Lord Iesu and end this our apprentiship finish this our pilgrimage giue vs now possession of that kingdome which we beléeue that thou hast purchased for vs. And it is all one with that our Sauiour here teacheth vs to praie O Lord let thy kingdome come Iacob was not so sure of his sonne Iosephs kingdome in Egypt nor anie apprentice is so sure after his yeeres expired of his fréedome nor anie purchaser of the landes he hath purchased as we are sure of this our kingdome Mark 16.16 1. Ioh. 5 13. Mat. 5.18 our libertie our heauenlie inheritance The Gospell witnesseth it vnto vs it assures vs thereof Heauen and earth shall passe away but one tittle or iot thereof shall not passe away And therefore being thus assured we saie boldly let thy kingdome come and therefore as Saint Paul teacheth Wee groane and sigh for that great day of our deliuerance out of this bondage and apprentiship with all the creatures of God Rom. 8.22 which also grone with vs that they may be deliuered also into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God And thinking therefore of that great daie of iudgement which is terrible to all Infidels wicked persons and Idolaters Psal 97.7 Esay 2.20 Confounded at that daie saith Dauid and let them hide their faces all such as worship carued Images and delight in vaine gods Reu. 9.20 And to Dauid agrees Esay and S. Iohn Let all papistes marke this then wee are not dismaide but lift vp our heads because we know then that our redemption drawes neere Luke 21.28 Wée praie also O Lorde let thy kingdome come Rom. 6 12. let not sinne raigne in our bodies let vs not delight in it let vs not submit our selues vnto it let not the law of our mēbers Rom. 7.23 which manie times is so imperious and with authoritie euen commands and with necessitie forceth vs that we must néedes doe this or that let not this law O good Lord euer preuaile against vs Eph. 5.18 but be thou our king Let thy holie spirit euer beare rule in our hearts Psal 2.6 Rom. 8.14 Psal 119. 105. Ioh. 18.12 let thy most holie law be a lanterne to our waies and a
heauenly father will also forgiue you But if you doe not forgiue men their trespasses no more will your heauenly father forgiue you your trespasses Marke here is both the affirmatiue and the negatiue to make vs learne this lesson Hée strikes on this naile as should seeme with manie strokes to fasten it firmely in our heartes and yet it being so manifestlie taught vs wee our selues praying so our sauiour teaching it againe both affirmatiuelie and negatiuelie and as it were sounding it into both our eares both into our right eare and into our left yet howe hardlie will we learne it Wée will saie wee cannot forgiue O stubborne and disobedient and deafe and hard hearted Christians canst thou not forgiue surelie then thou shalt neuer be forgiuen Thy blessed sauiour who cannot lie telles thee so plainlie in his Gospell and wilt thou not beleeue him he tels thee so twise together and wilt thou not heare him Wilt thou spend thy goods and thy time and also thy life manie times in going to law which all thou mightest haue emploied far better otherwise then in seeking reuenge against thy brother God turne thy heart If thou looke euer to haue forgiuenesse at Gods handes of thy so manie and greeuous sinnes forgiue thy brother his small trifles wherewith he sinnes against thee O happie sinne saith one that cancels such a great obligation and another saieth God hath put his mercie into thine owne hands Forgiue and thou shalt be forgiuen if thou lacke Gods mercy thou maiest thanke thy selfe thereof If this lesson were throughlie learned so manie Nisi-prices as they call them so manie vaine suites and quarrels more now adaies then euer haue béene would not be in the world Now there is no forgiuenesse we all saie nowe I will doe to him as he hath done to me I will bee euen with him But Salomon the wisest that euer was a good counseller if thou wilt be ruled by him bids thée not saie so and he giues thée that lesson twise in his Prouerbes Pro. 20.21 24.29 marke it well But thou wilt saie maie I not go to law then I answere thée with Peter 1. Pet. 2.21.22 Christ suffered for vs leauing vs an example that we should follow his steppes who did no sinne neither was there any guile found in his mouth who when he was reuiled reuiled not againe when he suffered euen slanderous speeches and the very spoiling of his garments he threatned not but committed his cause to him that iudgeth righteously that is to God Art thou then reuiled and slandered nay are thy goods taken wrongfullie from thée naie euen thy coate from thy backe euen in this case Peter bids thee follow the example of thy Sauiour He committed his cause to God No not here in this ease he appealed to anie Magistrate And the Apostle to the Hebrewes of the first Christians writes thus Heb. 10.34 That they suffered with ioy euen the very spoiling of their goods knowing in themselues that they had a better and an enduring substance And this is that which S. Paul also teacheth all Christians 1. Cor. 6.7 Now verely without all doubt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a defect or want an imperfection among you that you go to lawe one with another why doe ye not rather suffer wrong As though he should saie To go to lawe is no sinne but it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lower degrée in Christianitie Why doe ye not rather suffer wrong 1. Cor. 3.12 Ioh. 2 10. this is a greater vertue this is golde the other is siluer this is wine the other is water this is to sit on the right hand of Christ Mat. 20.23 Mat. 5.19 the other on the left this is to be great in the kingdome of heauen the other to be little And in worldly affaires we make this difference we preferre golde before siluer wine before water the right hand before the left the chiefest roome before the lowest and shall wee not doe so also in our heauenly This is also that which the Apostle praies for the Philippians Phil 1.9 And this I pray saith he that your loue may abound yet more more in all knowledge and iudgement that ye may trie or discerne what things differ among themselues what things are more excellent one then another and that he may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is pure in iudgement There are things in Christianity that differ one from another euen as there are also in the things of this life And shall we choose the worser O foolish Christians Let vs learne to pray this prayer of the Apostle that we maie be pure in iudgment that we be able to discerne as well in heauenlie things as in our earthlie affaires what things excell There are diuers giftes of the holie Ghost prophesying speaking with diuers toongs 1. Cor. 12.29 doing of miracles But saith Saint Paul doe all prophesie doe all speake with toongs haue all the gift of healing Seeke you earnestly for the most excellent gifts Ver. 31 c. 14.1 and I shew you a waie that farre excelleth all these Pursue you after loue euen as dogges doe after a wilde beast He that loues his brother farre excelles him that speakes and vnderstands all languages euen the Gréeke and Hebrew toong nay that speakes with the toongs of Angels nay him that can doe all miracles euen raise vp dead men nay him that is a Martyr and giues his bodie to be burned without it And shall we preferre a little vile earth a little money a little pleasure of our owne froward willes by séeking reuenge before this so excellent a vertue O foolish iudges and esteemers of things Secondly I safe here to these contentious persons as our sauiour Christ said to the Iewes who brought the woman to him that was taken in adulterie He that is guiltlesse Ioh. 8.7 let him throwe the first stone at her So let him that néedes craue no mercie at Gods hands for his sinnes séeke to be reuenged and euen with his brother But let all such well marke that saying of Ecclesiasticus He that seeketh vengeance Eccles 28.1.2 shall finde vengeance of the Lord and he will surely keepe his sinnes Forgiue thy neighbour the hurt that he hath done thee so shall thy sinnes be forgiuen thee also when thou prayest That parable of the seruant in the Gospell that owing his Maister a thousand talents Mat. 18.23 and would not forgiue his fellow seruant an hundreth pence who was therefore condemned confirmes this doctrine of Ecclesiasticus Luke 6.37 Forgiue and it shall be forgiuen you saith our Sauiour Who is there now that knowes either the Maiestie of God or the grieuousnesse and multitude of his owne sinnes and what is due vnto them that will not gladlie embrace and accept of this condition offered him of God If here on earth we were in anie mans debt and he
would be content to release vs such a great debt for doing him some such light seruice for such a small trifle howe glad would we be how would we thanke him and shall we not doe the like to God In as much as ye are able saith Saint Paul liue peaceably with all men Rom. 12.18 not reuenging your selues my beloued but giue place to anger Shall I suffer the wicked to escape vnpunished then saith the malicious person Yea for though thou forgiue him yet shall he not escape vnpunished For it is written saith the Apostle vengeance is mine and I will reuenge saieth the Lord. If thou shalt seeke reuenge then God will not reuenge but if thou forgiue with Iesus Christ and commit thy cause to God then God will reuenge thy cause as he did his cause euen fortie yéeres after by ouerthrowing the common wealth of the Iewes and at their solemne feast of their passeouer besieging them euen as they then apprehended Christ and by selling them euen thirtie for a penie as they solde him for thirtie pence So Amalecke pursued Israell when they came out of Egypt Exod. 17 18. nowe being wearie and wanting water and faint but in the daies of king Saul a great while after 1. Sam. 15.2 God remembred what Amalecke had done to Israell and when as no doubt both the Israelites and the Amalekites had forgotten it euen then he remembred it and reuenged it Sufferest thou wrong then haue thou patience forgiue thy brother fréelie commit thy cause to God neither craue the magistrates sword for what is that but to seeke reuenge and in the end God shall reuenge thy cause as he did Christs as he did Israels And therefore to this purpose also Ecclesiastes saieth If in a countrie thou seest the oppression of the poore and the defrauding of iudgement and iustice bee not astonied at the matter either at the will of God which suffers it or at the frowarde will of the man that dare doe it Eccl. 5.7 For hee that is higher then the highest of them that doe this iniurie bee they neuer so high marks it and regards it and there be higher then they Do not thou so much as maruell at it be not grieued there at in thy mind let it neuer trouble thee for be sure God marks it and if he marke it he will also surelie reuenge it And also Dauid in the Psalmes saieth thus to the same effect Psal 10.14 Thou hast seene O Lord this oppression and the sorrowe of the poore mans heart thou respectest to put the matter into thy hands the poore will leaue it vnto thee thou hast euer beene a helper to the fatherlesse God seeth all wrongs and he seeth also the sorrowes of poore mens harts which no mortall iudge can see therfore commit thy cause into his hands he will giue right iudgement So we read that Ieremy did when the Iewes sought his life But thou O Lord of Sabboth saith he who iudgest iustly triest the raines and hearts Ier. 11.20.21 Let me see thy reuenge vpon them for I haue reuealed my cause to thee But thou wilt saie I forgiue my brother fréelie but yet I will goe to law with him Is this to forgiue thy brother fréelie This is as Ioab did 2. Sam. 20.9.10 to embrace and kisse Amasa friendlie with thy mouth and to kill him with thy handes Is this to forgiue as thou wouldest haue God to forgiue thee Wouldest thou haue God enter into iudgement and goe to law with thée Euen as thou wouldest haue God forgiue thee so fréelie oughtest thou to forgiue thy brother As Saint Paul teacheth Coloss 3. Cap. ver 13. Forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarrell to another euen as Christ forgaue you euen so doe ye Lastlie if so be thou wilt needes goe to law be sure that thou haue euer charitie in thy heart Ephes 4 26. For if the sunne set on thine anger thou giuest place to the diuell as Saint Paul teacheth thee Oh that our quarrellers and contentious persons which delight in nothing but in going to law would remember this and beleeue it I thinke it would make them make hast to be friendes with their brethren Who would set open the doores of his house but one night for feare of robbing And shall we haue lesse care of our soules by our sléeping in malice or anger we set open the doore of our soules to the diuell to enter into it and to spoile it of all heauenlie vertues There is no theefe so watchfull as he is nor so bloodthirstie as saint Peter telleth vs 1. Pet. 5.8 He is like a roaring and raging lion walking about continually to seeke whom he may deuour Hée will not onelie robbe but kill And dost thou not feare him Darest thou through thine anger towardes thy brother leaue the doore of thy soule open vnto him Mat. 5.40 see that according to thy sauiours counsell rather then thou wouldest loose this rich iewell of Christian charitie thou wouldest loose both coat and cloake and lands and all Againe by this petition we maie learne that wee all are sinners If wee euen the Apostles of Christ saieth Saint Iohn whome Iesus loued shall say Ioh. 13.23 1. Io. 1 8. that we haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and there is no trueth in vs And who is there then else that must not saie so This lesson must humble vs it must stop our mouthes it is like the Peacockes deformed feet which when shée beholdes shée pluckes in her proude taile This will make vs pure in spirit Mat. 5.3 And lead vs not into temptation Gods grace is as it were a bridle to vs without which we should stumble and fall continuallie euen to the bottomlesse pitte of hell without it we cannot so much as thinke a good thought nor speake a good worde nor doe a good worke It is like to the Oare of a boate without it the boate wanders vp and downe the streame it is caried hither and thither so vaine and foolish likewise are all mens deuises if God guide them not And therefore we praie here that God will not leade vs into temptation that he will not take his grace from vs that he will not giue vs ouer vnto ouer selues that hee will not take this his bridle Rom. 1.24 this his heauenlie Oare from vs that he will guide vs euer with his heauenlie grace Rom. 8.1.4 and leade vs with his holie spirit least we incline our heartes and eares vnto vanitie Psal 119 37.52.11 And this is that which Dauid praieth O forsake me not O Lord my God be not farre from me And againe Cast mee not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me And againe Teach me to doe thy will for thou art my God Let thy good spirit leade me into the land of righteousnes Psal 143.10 King Saul maie teach
bee strong then against this enemie call vpon the Lorde praie One compares prayer to Sampsons haire when it was long hee was of an inuincible strength but when it was cut short Iudg. 16.19 hee was no stronger then another man Euen so whosoeuer thou art praie continuallie Pray thrise a daie with Dauid and Daniel and thou shalt be as strong as Sampson Psal 55.17 thy soule shall be endued with much strength but if thou neuer vse to praie Dan. 6.10 thou shalt be no stronger then another man Nay euen Sampson himselfe vsed prayer though his haire were growne long now againe yet when he came to take the piller in his hand and to pull the house on the Philistines heads hee prayed O Lorde God I beseech thee thinke vpon me O God I beseech thee Iudg. 16.28 now strengthen mee at this time onely Hée vsed also prayer besides his haire S. Iames also saieth ye haue not because you aske not And our sauiour vseth so manie words as one noteth Aske seeke and knocke to declare our dulnes and slacknesse in prayer Stella in 12. ca. Luc. Let vs pray that we maie haue And resist him stedfast in the faith Ephes 6.16 Aboue all things as saint Paul counselleth vs against this enemie let vs take the shield of faith Beleeue assuredly in Iesus Christ and in his death passion be strong in his power and might Eph 4.8 He hath led captiuitie it selfe captiue euen that mightie conquerour that conquered all men he hath not onelie conquered him but also hee hath made him thy captiue The verie witches confesse that against those that are strong in faith neither they nor their diuell haue anie power Iesus Christ is Vcal and Ithiel Prou. 30.1 of whome that man of might Agur the sonne of Iache prophesied which is the son of Hammoshe the bundell of all religion knit vp togither as the Hebrew word maie seeme to signifie that is Iesus Christ is euer with vs and can doe all thinges And this lesson no doubt Saint Paul had learned Phil. 4.13 who said I can doe all things through Christ which strengtheneth me For thine is the kingdome the power and the glorie for euer and euer Psal 97.1.99.1 Our God is the great king ouer all the world if we marke he gouernes all things Psal 62.11 but most secretlie and most patiently euen as corne growes To him also belongs all power Those euer which haue gloried in their owne strength he hath ouerthrowne by weake meanes Iudg. 4 3.21 1. Sam. 17.51 Sisera who had nine hundred chariots of yron by a woman Goliah whose speare was like a weauers beame Psal 65.1 by a boy To him belongs all glorie they which go about to robbe him thereof Act. 12.22 shall bee eaten with wormes like Herode To him therefore with the sonne and the holy Ghost be all honour glorie power and saluation nowe and for euer Amen Amen The Contents or points of the true Catholiques Catechisme 1. Of mans free will 2. Of Iustification 3. Of speciall grace 4. Of good workes 5. Of the certaintie of Saluation 6. Of the reading the Scriptures and their sufficiencie 7. Of Pilgrimage 8. Of Traditions 9. Of the Popes Supremacie and in this Article is declared howe the Papists haue iniuriously dealt with Ferus in leauing out manie thinges in his Commentaries vpon Matthew printed at Rome concerning this matter which are in the copies printed at Paris 10. Of Antichrist and the calling of the Iewes 11. Of Miracles and apparitions of spirits 12. Of Inuocation 13. Of Pâ—â—â—atorie 14. O Idolatrie The true Catholiques Catechisme or briefe summe of Religion 1. Of mans free will THE Fathers of the councell of Trent Conc. Trid. Sess 6. ca. 5. concerning this weightie matter declare their iudgment thus The beginning of iustification in those that haue yeeres of discretion is from God by Iesus Christ his grace preuenting them that is by his calling by which they are called without any of their deserts as such who by their sinnes were turned away from God and are now prepared by his grace stirring them vppe and helping them to conuert themselues to their owne iustification by their free assenting and working iointly with this grace So that God toucheth mans heart by the light of his holy spirit neither doth man himselfe nothing receiuing that inspiration who might also haue refused it nor yet could he haue mooued himselfe without the grace of God to righteousnesse before him of his owne free will And therefore it is said in the holy Scripture Turne ye vnto me and I will turne vnto you We are here put in mind of our freedome And when we answere turne vs O Lord vnto thee and we shall be turned we confesse that we are preuented by the grace of God This is the sentence of the councell of Trent wherein they teach that in mans first calling to God Gods grace doth but only stirre vp his will as being a sléepe and helpe it as being weake And that being thus wakened and helped and strengthned it doth fréely and willingly yéeld to this grace and so helpes her owne iustification But this their assertion diminisheth the grace of God which euerie true Catholique must acknowledge that he hath receiued and it extols too much mans corrupt nature Rom. 6.8 Ephes 2.1 2. Cor. 3.5 which euerie true Christian must with the Apostle confesse to be in himselfe Man was not onely a sléepe through his sinnes but dead in them as Saint Paul teacheth neither was he onely weake but vnapt vnfit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Gréeke worde signifies to thinke a good thought much lesse to doe a good worke There remained not in man as in one that sléepeth his former strength so that hee néedes nothing Gen. 3.10 but wakening to doe his dutie but he was now quite spoiled and robbed thereof and left naked as Adam himselfe confesseth and now stands néede of a supplie of newe strength to be giuen him And therefore our Sauiour to let passe all Metaphors and allegories tels Nicodemus in plaine termes That vnlesse a man be borne againe Ioh 3.3 he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen This is more then the helping of a man vp that is fallen downe or wakening one that is a sleepe Man must be borne againe he is starke dead he must haue new life put in him if he euer will enter into the kingdome of heauen And this must all Gods children confesse This was the first lesson concerning his saluation that our Sauiour Iesus taught Nicodemus and as manie as do minde to be saued must also learne it Mat. 5.3 and this will make them poore in spirit which is the first steppe to blessednesse Nay our Sauiour there plainly teacheth that that which is borne of the flesh is flesh Whereby we maie learne what we are by our owne nature nothing but flesh sonnes
purged the temple of God prophaned of the wicked and he cast out all the vncleannesse thereof into the brooke Cedron saith the Scripture I am O Lorde thy liuely temple prophaned of the diuell and defiled with most vile sinnes but thou art that most cleare fountaine of Cedron who by thy streame maintaines all the beauty of heauen Into this fountaine were all my sinnes cast and all my iniquities were drowned in it For thou by the merit of thy vnspeakeable humilitie and charitie by which thou wast moued that thou shouldest take all my sinnes vpon thee diddest not onely deliuer me from them but also madest me partaker of thy goods Thou vndertookest my death and thou gauest me thy life thou tookest vpon thee my flesh and thou gauest me thy spirit thou tookest vpon thee my sinnes and gauest me thy grace Therefore O my redeemer all thy treasures and riches are mine Thy purple clotheth me thy crowne honoureth me thy wounds make me beautifull thy sorrowes are my pleasures thy bitternesses refresh me thy stripes heale me thy bloud enricheth me and thy loue as it were makes me drunken But what maruell is it if thy loue were able to make me drunken when as the selfe same loue wherwith thou hast loued me was able to make thy selfe drunken who made thee as another Noah naked and to be laughed at in the peoples eies The purple garment of thy feruent loue caused thee to beare that scornefull purple and the zeale of my saluation moued thee to hold in thy hand that reede of despite and the pitie wherewith thou pitiedst me being now about to perish crowned thee with that crowne of shame Thus farre Granatensis This euerie true Christian must beléeue and apply to himselfe and is not this to haue a speciall faith And againe the same Granatensis writes thus That our will may be inclined to loue God it behooueth that our vnderstanding go before it weighing diligently how worthy to be beleeued God is in himselfe and then next how good he is towardes vs. I thinke there is no man but knowes how great the goodnesse of God is his sweetnes his kindnes his liberalitie his nobilitie and of all other his perfections which are innumerable Againe how pitifull he is towards vs how tenderly he loues vs what hath he not done What hath he not suffered euen from his birth to his Crosse for our sakes what great good things hath he prepared for vs euen from the beginning how many bestowes he vpon vs euen now presently how many will he giue vs hereafter from how great euils hath he deliuered vs how patiently hath he waited for vs to come to repentance how louingly hath he dealt with vs in bestowing all his benefits vpon vs which are innumerable By considering and meditating diligently and exercising himselfe in the deepe contemplation of these benefits man shall by little and little feele his heart kindled with the loue of this bountifull God For if bruit beasts loue their benefactors and if as the Spanyard saith a gift breakes a rocke and as a certaine Philosopher said he that found out benefits found out fetters wherewith mens hearts are fettered togither who now will be so cruell and hard harted who considering the hugenesse and vnmeasurable greatnesse of these benefits wil not be kindled with the loue of such a benefactor And after As by vse often writing one becomes a good scriuener and by painting a good painter and by working a good smith so by louing one becomes a louer that is that euen as vse of writing makes a good writer so the vse exercise and continuance of louing God which is almost brought to passe by meditation causeth that one shall be a perfect louer of God And after Fire out of his Region is by and by extinguished vnlesse there be some that continually throwing on wood doe nourish it by which it is maintained so it is necessarie that the fire of charitie may be maintained in this life whereas she is out of her naturall place and a stranger that she be also nourished with wood and the wood wherwith she is nourished are the considerations of Gods benefits and of his perfections for euerie one of these things being well considered is as it were a piece of wood or a firebrand that kindles this loue of God in our hearts Therefore it is requisite that we feede this fire often with this wood least this heauenly fire goe out in our hearts The which thing the Lord also meant in the olde lawe when he said Fire shall euer burne on my altars that is in the hearts of iust men Therfore let the Godly man take care euerie morning to maintain this fire with the consideration of these things that so euer it may be preserued and so it is said in the Psalmes And while I mused the fire kindled Thus farre Granatensis Euerie man must muse vpon Gods benefites and applie them to himselfe and so kindle in his heart the fire of Gods loue and without this wood it is impossible but this fire will go out And after he writes thus It is most certaine that no mans toong is able to speake or vtter the great loue wherewith Christ loued not onely his vniuersall Church Die lunae Med. de ven Sacram but also euery particular soule of his elect For euerie particular soule is chosen of God euerie particular soule is the spouse of Christ This euerie Christian must beléeue That saying of Ferus is worthy to be written in letters of gold I would to God saith he this word should remaine euer laide vp and fast fixed in our hearts Fer. in cap. 2. Act. that in euerie tribulation or temptation but especially at the point of death we might boldly say I know assuredly that God hath made Iesus to be crucified for me my Lord my king and my Byshop What is it that this faith were not able to doe Againe the same Ferus touching the same matter writes thus This is chiefely to be marked Fer. in cap. 17. Gen. that he which before said generally that he was God now he promiseth that he will be our God For no profit els would come vnto vs if so great and mightie a God were not our God But he is ours by couenant and free mercie not by merites or deserts Of speciall grace also Petrus Berchorius writes thus in his Dictionarie In verbo pertinere Of God euery Christian may say to euery infidel that saying which we reade 2. Kings 19.42 Dauid belongs more to me then to thee c. Thus farre Berchorius But as the text it selfe séemes to inferre Euerie Christian maie saie to another Christian for these were the speeches of the men of Iudah to the men of Israel that the true Dauid which is Iesus Christ belongs to him by tenne parts more then to him For thus it is read in the Hebrew text And the man of Israel answered the man of Iudah
liue by faith Heb. 10.38 but he that shal withdrawe himselfe hee that shall shrinke as wee saie and whose heart shall faile him My soule shall haue no pleasure in him This faith wee must haue in all things in the matter of our saluation in receiuing of the Sacraments as here Granatensis teacheth vs Mark 11.24 Iam. 1.6 Heb. 11.6 and in our prayers as also our Sauiour and saint Iames instruct vs And without this faith it is impossible to please God in any thing we go about Ferus of the certaintie of our saluation writes thus O father I will that those which thou hast giuen me be with me c. All the Gospelles are full of such promises And Saint Iohn plainly affirmes that the Gospell for no other end hath beene and is now preached vnto vs then that we should haue all these promises common to vs together with the Apostles And a little after Fer. in cap. 1. Epist Iouis Our Apostles for this end preached the gospell that mens consciences might be comforted and that all Christians might be knitte and remaine so knitte fast and vnited to God and the Church that is the society and communion of the faithfull Therefore he that teacheth to this end that mens consciences may bee made to doubt or troubled and that the Communion of Saints may bee rent and that men may be pulled backe from GOD and heauenly things c. surely he is not ledde with the Spirit of the Apostles And here vvho sees not if vve shal pronounce sentence according to this doctrine of Saint Iohn how many of them which thinke themselues euen next to the Apostles will be one day reiected for false prophets Ferus maie seeme here to touch the pope for his doubtfull doctrine of saluation Philippus de Dies also of the certainty of our saluation B. Dionys Epist 8. Phil de Dies Sum praed Tit. amor Dei erga hominem Exod. 20. writes thus Saint Denis in his Epistle very greatly extolling the loue of God saith We dare boldly auouch this for truth that God himself for the greatnes of his loue is as it were euen besides himselfe as we say hauing a care of his creatures and through loue he abaseth himselfe from his high estate of Maiesty that he should be present amongst all things Wherefore also hee is called A zealous God that is earnest and feruent in loue towards those things which are worthy to be loued And this is his property both to be the onely thing which is to bee beloued and also to bee loue it selfe The Kingly Prophet Dauid considering the excellency of this loue of God towards man faith What is man that then art mindfull of him or the Sonne of Adam that thou visitest him In this place this holy King as that wise learned man Eusebius notes vseth two meanes that is to saie Enos and Adam whereof the one was giuen to man to signifie the wants and imperfections which the soule runnes into through sinne and the other to declare the mortality and misery which naturally in his body he is subiect vnto For Enos is deriued of a certaine word that signifieth forgetfulnes and so Enos is nothing else then one that is forgetful or that lacks memory and Adam signifies that which is earthly and mortal This did so woonderfully amaze the holy prophet that he said Who is man O Lord who being vnmindfull of thee and offending thy Maiesty that he should be euer imprinted in thy memory Dost thou remember him who forgets thee Doest thou seeke for visit and loue exceedingly him that flies away from thee A thing verily to be greatly woondred at that God of such infinit maiesty should set his loue vpon such a miserable thing Whereupon Saint Ierom expounds those words of the diuine Psalmist Thou hast done Psal 39. Beat. Ieron super Psal O Lord thy manie woonderfull works and in thy thoughts who is like vnto thee on this manner Thou hast wrought O Lord my God many wonderfull things worthy of thy wisedome and power but of all other this is the chiefe thy very thoughts in the fauour which thou yeeldest to men in the loue wherewith thou louest them in the helpe that thou affoordest them and in the iustification which thou bestowest vpon them Is not this of all other miracles the greatest that God should loue men so greatly and should thinke on them so earnestly that he should say Prou. 9. My delight is to be with the Sonnes of men Truly this secret was made manifest onely to the diuine hart that when as the most high God hath not communicated to the Angels his personall essence and also the diuine properties which are in it as the Apostle also considered saying Hath he taken vpon him the Angels who as farre as mans reason can iudge would not perchance haue beene so vnmindfull of his benefits but would haue beene more thankfull then men when as I say he hath not granted all these things to the Angels yet he hath vouchsafed to communicate to bestow them most liberally vpon vnthankfull and miserable men Of which vnspeakeable loue it comes that the good things which he doth to vs he saith that he doth them to himselfe Wherefore the Patriarch Iacob amongst the blessings of his Son Dan being sodainly turned to thinke of the Messias speaking vvith the eternall father he said O Lord I will looke for thy saluation which the Chaldee paraphrase expounds literally of the Messias for Iacob being now about to die did prophesie of Sampson which was to spring of the Tribe of Dan and to saue the people of the Hebrewes from the tyranny of the Philistines But that hee might giue to vnderstand that he should not be the true Sauiour being as it were rapt into a trāce he breakes out into these words O Lord I wil looke for thy saluation as though he should haue saide I will not looke for Sampson nor Gedeon nor Iepthe nor others as though they were true Sauiours but I will yet looke for the true Messias which shall come being the true Sauiour of the world With such so stately a title Simeon also named him saying Luc. 2. Psalm 11◠O Lord now thou lettest thy seruant depart c. Because mine eies haue seene thy saluation The Kingly prophet also calles him so And let thy mercie come vpon me O Lord euen thy saluation according to thy word Christ is called the mercy of God because he is the beginning and foundation of all the mercies of God For in this mercy wherein the word became flesh all other haue their foundation And therefore Saint Paul saith to the Ephesians Ephes 1. In whome we haue redemption by his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of our sinnes according to the riches of his grace And thy saluation according to thy word that is according to thy promise In all these places Christ our Lord who is our saluation is called the saluation
of God because the eternall father for the exceeding great loue wherewith he loueth vs he cals that his saluation which is our saluation Wherefore also the Prophet Esay speaking in the person of God saith Esa 42. I haue giuen thee to be a light to the Gentiles that thou maiest be my saluation euen to the vttermost parts of the earth O blessed and praised be such a God who loues vs so that he calles our saluation his saluation Saint Paul also shewes vs this loue saying I beseech you 1. Thes 4.1 that you walke as you ought to walke and to please God for you know what commandements I haue giuen you by the Lord Iesus for this is the will of God euen your sanctification Marke I beseech you what commandements these are and what is this will of God The former words did seem to require that he should haue added This is the will of God that you should praise him that you should offer him sacrifice and yet notwithstanding hauing made that preface before he addeth that the will of God is Our sanctification which in truth is accounted one of the greatest good things which man hath Therefore O my brethren giue thanks to God for this his singular loue wherewith he loues you for his will and that thing which most pleaseth him is your profit and commoditie This loue wherewith the highest loueth vs he cals the coards wherewith he drawes vs vnto him when as he faith by the prophet Osee Ose 11. I will draw them with the coardes of Adam that is with what affection I made Adam their first parent holy and created him in grace as the interlmeal Glosse expounds it with the same loue I will sanctifie these which he addes expounding it In the bonds of loue that is with the affection of charity Whereas another translation hath I wil draw them with the coards of men that is with the same loue that I bound vnto me Abraham Isaac and the other patriarches I wil also ioine them vnto me Although Lira expounds it thus With coards that is with benefites bestowed vpon them which drawe the heart of man and are certaine bonds of loue Saint Ierom expounds it otherwise that is I haue had a care of them for the coards and bonds of loue wherewith I haue bound Abraham Isaac and Iacob vnto me Wo be vnto vs if so be that we shall not be thankefull for such singular loue as those fathers were Thus farre Philippus de Dies If this ought to bee the faith of all Christians and that they ought to haue this firme and most assured beliefe of the loue of God towards them and that not onelie the Scriptures but the fathers doe teach them most manifestlie this excéeding great loue of God towards them who then will doubt of his saluation To doubt is plainlie to denie this excéeding great loue And after of the loue of Christ our redéemer hee writes thus Ibidem Tit. amor Christi Cant. 1 Whereas we reade in the Canticles My beloued is to me a grape of Ciprus another Text hath My loue is to me a cluster of Camphire O heauenly and most fit similitude Alcamphor is a certaine Tree whose gumme hath this property that if a graine or a little of it be kindled with fire and be put in a Lampe full of water it will giue a most cleare and bright flame It is a woonderful thing that that flame should not be extinguished with the water but that it should burne and shine more clearely This graine and not onely a graine but a cluster is our Lord Iesus Christ For those waters of the vnthankefulnes of his enemies and those waters of so manie and great torments which entred in euen to his very soule did not only quench his loue but caused it to glister shine more brightly while it shewed more manifestly his vnspeakeable loue patience mildnes and liberality When as euen the selfe same night wherein he was betraid he ordeined that most high mystery of his most blessed body and bloud and hanging on the crosse prayed for his enemies Let vs learne of this our heauenly master to shew loue to our enemies and to haue in greater trauell and paines greater patience Thus farre Philippus de Dies Such a loue must euerie Christian beleeue that Iesus Christ hath towards him that no waters in the world either of sinnes or of vnthankefulnesse is euer able to quench and this flesh and bloud and our spirituall enemie go about to make vs often forget And therefore saint Paul prayeth for the Ephesians Ephes 3.19 Iud. Ep. v. 21. that They maie know the loue of Christ which passeth all knowledge and that they maie be filled with al the fulnesse of God And this also no doubt Saint Iude meaneth in his Epistle when as hee sayeth Keepe you your selues in the loue of God Theodoret also writes thus of this matter In ca. 8. ad Heb He cals heauen the vaile c. God hath promised the kingdome of heauen to all that beleeue in him we hope for saieth hee those good things and we hold fast this hope as a sure Anchor for this Anchor beeing hid in the bottome of our hearts will not suffer that our soules should bee dasht hither and thither And also by another mans hee shewes the certaine hope of our good things and such a hope as cannot be gainesaid Whither our forerunner Iesus is entred for vs for our sakes saith he He became man for our sakes he gaue his body to be slaine and hauing vanquished and ouercome death he hath ascended into heauen being the first fruits of them which sleepe And he hath giuen vs here a greater confidence by calling him our forerunner For if he be our forerunner and hath ascended for vs then we must needes follow him and ascend also And Basill writes thus of euerie Christian In examer Homilia 5. Thou also shalt be like a fruitfull Oliue in the house of God neither shalt thou euer bee depriued of thy hope but shalt euer haue thy saluation flourishing in thee through faith Ambrose of the certaintie of our saluation writes thus Ambros de Iacob beat vâ—t cap. â— But thou fearest the manifold chances of this life and the deceits of the enemy when as thou hast God himselfe to be thy helper and his so great fauour towards thee that he spared not his owne sonne for thy sake The scripture hath vsed a comfortable word that it might declare the good will of God the father towards thee who offered himselfe wholy to die for thee In that he was a father he left nothing to himselfe he offered it all for thy sake onely hee left not the fulnesse of his deity Consider the loue of a father as concerning pity hee hazarded the life of his sonne he drunke for thy sake the sorrowfull cuppe of one that is childlesse least the price of thy redemption should not haue
For the word of God is the sword of God whereof saint Paul speakes to the Ephesians Take vnto you the Sword of the Spirite which is the word of God c. Thus farre Pintus The scriptures are most pure gold and shall wée not earnestly labour for them They are our fathers will and testament and shall wée not reade them They are the onelie sword to haue in our hands against the world the flesh and the diuell our most deadlie enemies and shall wée goe vnarmed amongst so manie and so cruell enemies Or shall Priests onelie haue this sword as the Papists teach and not Laie men As though these enemies onelie assaulted them Granatensis also takes awaie Maister Staphilus his obiection Lib. 1. de ora◠med cap. 1. Thou wilt say peraduenture sayeth hee that this exercise of praying and meditating of the holy Scriptures belongs onely to religious men and to Priests and not to men that are occupied about worldly businesses It is true sayeth hee that that belongs chiefly vnto them by reason of their estate and office yet the men of the world cannot be excused if they haue not also a certaine manner of prayer although they be not in that degree of perfection which the other be in if so be that they desire euer to liue in the feate of God and not to sinne mortally For it is necessary that worldly men haue faith hope and charity humility and the feare of God contrition also and deuotion and the hatred of sinne And therefore as all these vertues for the most part as we haue said proceede of the affection of the mind which must necessarily flow from some consideration of the vnderstanding if the worldly man haue not these considerations how can he preserue these vertues How can a man continue faithfull vnlesse hee often meditate on those things which faith commandeth How can hee bee inflamed with charity strengthened in hope brideled through the feare of God bee moued to deuotion and contrition and the contempt of himselfe wherein consists the vertue of humility which belongs to all these vertues if he doe not frame himselfe to meditate vpon those things by which those affections as we haue proued before are woont to be kindled And a little after Hitherto may be added the dangers of the world and that great difficulty which man feeles herein that he can hardly keepe himselfe free from sinne in such a fraile body in such a dangerous world and amongst so many enemies which we haue Therefore although thou be not a religious man and thy condition doe not bind thee yet looke that the greatnes of the perill thou art in do bind thee I confesse truly that the state of a religious man is very hard and great but thy danger is greater then his The religious man is looked vnto of his superior he is kept in of his cloister he is fenced as it were and walled about with his attendance with his obedience with prayer with fasting with saying his seruice with the strictnes of his order with good company and with all other exercises and businesses which belong to the monastery But the man that liueth in the world besides that he is naked and destitute of all these helpes he is compassed about on euery side with Dragons and Scorpions he walks euer vpon serpents and Cocatrices both at home and abroad both in himselfe and without himselfe in his doores and windowes night and day a thousand kind of snares are set in his way amongst all which hee is bound to keepe a pure heart chast eyes and a cleane body euer in the midst of the flame of his youth and of the euill companies and examples of this life wherein he sees or heares nothing that tasteth of God Wherefore if the religious man who is a Souldiour by profession ought euer to go armed how much more behooueth it that a man of this world should euer goe armed who is not so safe as the other not so much for the strict bond of the state of his perfection then as for the greatnesse of the dangers wherein he is Those which haue some enemies whom they doe feare doe goe no lesse armed then Souldiours those for their othe wherewith they are bound these for necessity Amongst these weapons we put not onely prayer but fasting also and silence and reading and hearing of the word of God the receiuing of the Sacraments the eschewing of the occasions of sinne and other corporall exercises which all are as it were a * Salsitudo quaedam brine as we call it which preserue this our carnall nature prone to vices least it putrifie and wormes be ingendered in it Thus farre Granatensis wherein he plainelie prooues that Laie men as well as cleargie or religious men are bound to studie and reade and meditate vpon the Scriptures For how else can they haue faith sayeth hee or hope or charitie without which none can bee saued how else can they withstand their enimies amongst the midst of whome we dailie walke They haue béene traitours to their brethren that haue spoiled them of this spirituall Armour Againe the same Granatensis De Deuot. li. 1. ca. 9. of the reading of the Scriptures verie excellentlie writes thus The deuout reading of heauenly Bookes profits to this guard and puritie of the heart for as Saint Bernard sayth our heart is like to a Milne which neuer rests but euer grinds that which is put into it if Wheat it grinds Wheat if Barlie it grinds Barlie Therefore it is very profitable to be occupied in the reading of holy Bookes that when the mind would thinke or meditate of any matter it might meditate on those things wherewith it was occupied For this cause Saint Ierome doeth so greatly commend the reading of the holy Scripture in all his Epistles but especially in that which hee wrote to Demetriades the Virgine in the beginning wherof he sayeth thus O thou daughter of God I wil commend this one thing vnto thee and one aboue all other things and repeating it I will giue thee counsell thereunto againe and againe that is that thou occupy thy mind with the loue of the reading of the holy Scripture neither that thou receiue into the good ground of thy heart the seedes of Darnell or Oates And in the end of his Epistle he repeates the same counsell againe saying I ioine the end and the beginning together neither I thinke it sufficient to haue admonished thee once loue the holy Scriptures and wisedome shall loue thee loue hir and she shall preserue thee honour hir and she shall embrace thee Here wee maie plainelie see how that Granatensis Bernard and Ierome are not of Staphilus and Stapletons mind that the reading of the holie Scriptures doe not hurt the soules of the faithfull which thing if it had doone as some of our latter Papists thinke then these men would neuer haue so earnestlie perswaded all men vnto it In 2. Act. Ferus
condition annexed vnto them that is If so bee we to day heare his voice Oh let euerie good christian heare his voice to day that is with all spéede possible that God maie be his God that he maie bee one of the people of his pasture and a shéepe of his hands The doctrine is plaine the contempt thereof is very dangerous Who now will be a Recusant The Prophet Dauid discoursing excellently of the corruption of our nature doth thus vnfould the sins thereof Psal 53.5 Haue they no knowledge Here is the roote of all sinne to be ignorant to lacke knowledge now followes the branches Working iniquitie eating my people as though they would eate bread they haue not called vpon God they feared where no feare was These are the fruits of ignorance to doe wickedlie to deale cruellie with Gods people not to call vpon God and to be fearefull and superstitious These are the workes of darkenesse these are the workes of the seruants of the prince of darkenes these are the fruits which procéede of ignorance of the Scriptures And I pray God for want of this roote the like fruits of doing wickedly of dealing cruellie of praying idolatrously and of fearing superstitiously be not in manie at this day Stella writes thus of the blessed Virgine Stell in 2. cap. Luc. The most wise Virgine had not a fooles heart of which the wise man saith It is like a broken vessell and can hold no wisedome But she was like the Arke of the couenant wherein both the tables of the new law that is of the Gospel and of the olde law also were contained or laid vp For whatsoeuer things were spoken before of our blessed and mightie Sauiour or what things himselfe our Sauiour opening his mouth taught his Disciples and the rude multitude all those things the pure Virgine without wearinesse kept in her faithfull heart and did ruminate or meditate vpon them Let vs learne therefore being stirred vp by the blessed Virgines example to meditate vpon heauenly things and to carrie in our mindes those things which God teacheth the which we shall excellently doe if we shal daily meditate vpon Gods mysteries In the olde lawe those beasts which did not chew the cudde as swine and such like were accounted vncleane and by Gods commandement the people of Israell might not eate of them So doe thou alwaies meditate and as it were chew the end as concerning those things which the Lord God the creator and maker of all things hath done for thee how for thy sake he tooke the shape of a seruant how he suffered most bitter death for thee a miserable sinner c. Thus farre Stella Where we may note that he wisheth all Christians to be like the blessed virgine Heb. 9.4 in this that she had both tables of the Testaments laide vp in her heart And how can they be like her herein which séeme otherwise verie deuoutly to honour and reuerence her Reu. 22.9 euen more then she requires euen as Saint Iohn did to the Angell which will scarcely take the tables of the Testaments that is the holy scriptures into their handes How can they haue them in their hearts nay surely if this be the onely marke of cleane beastes to chew the cudde as Stella affirmeth that is to meditate vpon the word of God then they surely which thinke they are not bound to know the scriptures and so cannot meditate vpon them and therefore doe not chew the cudde are euen as swine and vncleane beasts before God how religious or holy otherwise outwardly they appeare Ferus of Marie writes thus when she saw Christ Marke heere the good workes of Marie Ferus in 11. ca. Io. nay thou shalt see here the roote and true order of good workes When as she did see Iesus saith hee This is the roote of all good workes the knowledge of Christ For he which sees him not that is doth not know him will neuer fall down before him nor pray vnto him Afterward she fell downe at Iesus feete For the throwing downe of our selues immediately followes the knowledge of Christ He falles downe happily that falles before the Lord. And againe he standes vpright vnhappily which before God doth not humble but aduance himselfe As did that chiefe Angell and that Pharisee in the Gospell who standing not onely in bodie but in minde did bragge of his good workes Héere we may learne that Ferus affirmes that knowledge is the roote of all good workes and if this be true how could they do anie good works in poperie in their great blindnes and ignorance Surely it could not be but that they erred often and if they did any it was by chance rather as a blinde man may doe a thing rightly then by anie certaintie In 2. ca. Luc. Of the excellencie and sufficiencie of the scriptures Stella also writes thus The giuing of vs the lawe wherein we should liue should most of all mooue vs and euen force vs to loue God with all our heart and to serue him faithfully For although the gift of our creation to his owne image and likenesse and that he would make vs capable of that heauenly inheritance although I say this were a great and an excellent gift yet notwithstanding if God had not giuen vs his law wherein he should declare vnto vs his will shewing vnto vs also what we should doe that we might obtaine that same blessednesse for which we were created without all doubt our life had beene sorrowfull and miserable If a King should say to any one if you shall doe that which pleaseth me I will aduance you to great honours so that none in my kingdome shall be compared vnto you but contrariwise if you shall not doe that which pleaseth mee you shall not escape vnpunished yea being fast bound in chaines and as it were buried in a darke dungeon you shall die miserably What thinke you would this man doe what would hee chiefely care for Certainly to know the Kings pleasure and then with all his endeuour to doe it For by this meanes he should gaine the greatest good thing in the world and contrarily if he did not this he should purchase himselfe euerlasting confusion But if the King would not declare to this man his pleasure and what thing he delighted in or what he hated surely this man must needs liue a miserable and sorrowfull life vntil he could come to the knowledge of the Kings pleasure So Nabuchadnezzar commanded his wise men vpon paine of death that they should shew him the dreame he had dreamed But now if the king should declare to this man al his pleasure should disclose to him faithfully his very hart how glad would he be how greatly would he reioice because now he saw plainly the gate of his pleasure opened vnto him We know assuredly being led not only through faith but also by reason that there is one only God in the world there is no
mā doubts but that he is good merciful iust We know also assuredly that they which obey the will of this most holy God to be crowned with most excellent rewardes in that heauenly kingdome and againe that those which offende him impudently with sins offences shall be thrown with great shame reproch into that miserable darke dungeon of hel If now God had not giuen vs his law wherin he had declared to vs as well those things which were to be eschewed as those things which were to be embraced sorrowfull surely and most sorrowfull heauie had beene the life of man For although we had knowen that we had bin created to euerlasting felicitie yet we should haue bene vtterly ignorant how we should haue obtained it Therefore that great God and parent of all things hath bestowed vpon vs a singular and most excellent benefit when he did proclaime his law by which all Christians may plainely vnderstand what was necessarie to obtaine euerlasting life and what was also required to eschewe that darke dungeon of hell So the notable Psalmist speaking to God saith Because of thy law I haue endured thee patiently If thou hadst not giuen mee thy law I could neuer haue endured this life So the same Psalmist saith againe Thy word is a lanterne to my feet a light to my pathes That benefit was no small benefit by which God bound all men to him when as he gaue them his lawe to the square and leuell whereof they should frame and apply all their actions c. What can be said more in the commendation of Gods word then this It makes knowne to vs Gods pleasure and will It is a rule and square to frame all our actions by It is Gods lanterne to direct our steppes in the darke night of this world and what neede we then anie other Is not this sufficient And after he writes thus Wilt thou know how excellent and of what great force the law of God is consider with thy selfe but a little this one thing that God himselfe did not disdaine to submit himselfe vnto it and to obey it O then a most excellent and princely lawe and shall not man submit himselfe vnto it and obey it Nay shall anie man say that he is aboue it and hath power to dispense with it Ibid. as the Pope now doth Of mans will the same Stella also verie excellently writes thus The beginning of our miserie and vndoing was the pride of our first parent when as he refused to keepe that commaundement which he ought to haue kept He had rather doe his owne will then Gods will Therefore when God came to redeeme vs it was necessarie that he should come humble to cure our pride and obedient to cure our disobedience which disobedience was the fountaine and cause of all our euils There is nothing burnes in hell but mans owne will the which man had rather fulfill then the will of God So the Lord God himselfe witnesseth Of olde times thou hast broken the yoke and burst my bonds and hast said I will not serue the Lord but will walke after mine owne deuises From the smallest to the greatest all will fulfill their owne willes euery one is ruled by his owne iudgement doth that which seemeth good to himself Thus farre Stella Where we may learne that we must not doe our owne willes Mat. 16.24 Psal 119.115 Io. 15.15 we must denie our selues as our Sauiour teacheth in the gospell and that especially in Gods seruice we must do the will of God And his will is reuealed to vs in his word To the same effect the same Stella writes thus againe in the same Chapter In these fewe wordes saith hee the Euangelist saith thrise According to the law of God first According to the law of Moses Secondly As it is written in the law of the Lord And thirdly As it is said in the law of the Lord. Wherein the Euangelist would signifie vnto vs how studious our thoughtes ought to be and our wordes and workes howe greatly they ought to be conformable to the law of God Because Christ whatsoeuer he did he did it according to the law of God The which thing Dauid also declared in the Psalme saying What loue haue I vnto thy law O Lord All the day long is my studie in it If this be true what degenerate Christians be they which thinke they ought not to know the law of God which all their life neuer care for it These follow not Dauids steps nor the holy steps of Iesus Christ And after let vs also wōder at Iesus Christ beleeuing those things stedfastly not which appeare outwardly but which the holy scriptures the Catholike saith do testifie according to that whē thou entrest into the house of God stand fast draw neere that thou maist heare for we cannot see the maiestie of God with our eies neither comprehend it with all our witte but with our faith and hearing only without any more search or enquirie Beware of that He that searcheth the Maiestie of God shall be confounded of his glory So many Iewes Philosophers and Heathens were confounded erred and were deceiued who because they would not captiuate their vnderstanding into the obedience of Christ and according to their knowledge worship him fell into many errors and heresies For euen as in Isaake now being olde all his senses were deceiued when he blessed his sonne Iacob besides his hearing so about the vnderstanding of our Sauiour Christ all mans senses are deceiued besides hearing The voyce saith hee is the voyce of Iacob In this thing onely he said trueth but he was deceiued in that he said thy handes are the handes of Esau So thou O faithfull Christian when thou hearest Simeon confessing Iesus Christ to be the light and saluation of the world and Anna confessing that he is the King of Israell and that the redeemer which was so greatly looked for is comed beleeue that these things are true for Isaackes hearing was not deceiued c. I would to God the Papistes would obserue this rule in their worship of God their inuocation of Saints their Latine prayers their images haue no warrant in the worde of God where heare they that these are commanded That which hee saith after of hearing the Church and the Martyres is true if they shall speake that which they haue heard from God for they maie not speake of their owne heads Gal 1.8 Againe of the excellencie of the Scriptures he writes thus The word was vpon Iohn he saith because it descended vpon him For Esay saith Euen as the showers and snow doe descend from heauen c. so shall the word be that proceedeth out of my mouth For that word vpon signifieth an excellencie because the word of God doth not ascend vp into the hart of man but the word doth descend to the heart and the heart ascendeth vnto the word So holy Dauid cals all his Psalmes by
neglecting these do teach vs to seek for righteousnes remissiō of sinnes through a vaine rash confidence Behold saie they here there is Christ The which is in truth to seduce for these things are to be founde no where else then in the Catholike Church his spouse by Christ Thus the Romane edition enterlaceth and addes to Ferus They doe mislike that righteousnes and remission of sinnes should be obtained from Christ and by Christ They will haue as should séeme our owne workes and their sacraments of pardones ioyned with him and their Church For that they meane by the Catholique Church This they would force Ferus to teach which he neuer taught But Ferus in his true originall concludes this matter thus Christ therefore meanes in these wordes that wee should hope or looke for no other Christ but him that is that we should seek for righteousnes saluation remission of sinnes of him alone nothing regarding if the false prophets taught any other thinge Secondly of these wordes thou hast taught thee that Christ is tyed to no place outward shew peculiar kinde of worshippe or state of men that he should be found there alone and no where else otherwise all men must be forced to goe to one place or to be of one trade He is not bounde to Ierusalem nor to any other Citie that there all men should finde him neyther that he should bee founde of any other but of him that went thither Christ may be founde in euery Citie and in euery state and trade of mans life which is not repugnant to the word of God There are two things to which he hath bound himselfe wherein he hath foretold that he may be found that is to saie his word and his sacraments annexed to his worde There thou shalt finde Christ in deede neither is hee a false Prophet that sendeth thee thither Thus farre Ferus Where wee may note that to teach men to séeke for righteousnes in any other thinge then in Christ is to looke for another Christ is to denie Christ to becomed in the flesh And therefore is to be a disciple of Antichrist Though they séeme neuer so much to reuerence Christ with their toongs if they beleeue not with their hearts that he is such a Christ as the gospell teacheth that he alone is our righteousnes they are of Antichrist Secondlie if we will haue Christ we must séeke him in his word He is tyed to no place but to it How greatlie then did they beguile our forefathers which taught them to goe a pilgrimage to vndertake great iournies to séek Christ at Ierusalem and other places and in the meane time negelectd and neuer regarded his word Surelie they taught men the wrong waie to finde Christ if this be true that Ferus taught which is most true No nor if Christ bee not tied to any one state of men more then to another then not to their Friers as they bragge he is more then to anie other kinde of men If this doctrine had been taught our forefathers I thinke they would not haue bestowed their landes vpon Frieries and Monasteries as they did Lastlie whereas Ferus saith that Christ is only tyed to his word and sacraments annexed to his word the Romane edition leaues out Annexed to his word as though there might be sacraments not annexed or grounded vpon the word of God As in truth manie of their sacraments are Againe Ferus vpon these words Let them that be in Iewrie flie vnto the hilles writes thus But whither must we flie To the hils to the higher places As he did which saide I haue lift vp mine eies vnto the hilles from whence commeth my helpe And also In thee O Lord haue I put my trust I shall neuer bee put to confusion And I haue lift vp my soule vnto thee Happie is hee that hath fled to the hilles he shal be safe in deede Ferus heere by these hilles meanes heauen and that we must trust onelie in God as is most manifest by the scriptures he alleadgeth The Romane edition addeth Wee must flie vnto the hilles that is to the Catholique Church And to the superior places as he did shal said I haue lift vp mine eies vnto the hilles c. They would haue men trust in their Church as should séeme And so they abuse both Ferus meaning and the Scriptures he alleadgeth which cannot be referred to the Church but to God alone Gagneius vpon that place of S. Peter Babylon Coelected writes That the Greeke scholia and al other interpretors doe interprete Rome to be Babylon which he so calles for the confusion of their Idols Where we maie note first that Peter makes himselfe equall with other elders calling himselfe Compresbyterum that is a fellowe elder in his former epistle And in this his second epistle If Babylon be Rome as Gagneius séemes to affirme he makes it equal with other Churches calling it Coelected that is equallie chosē of God with other Churches And what prerogatiue then can either Peters successors or the Church of Rome challeng Secondlie if by al interpretors iudgments as Gagneius affirmes by Babylon Rome is vnderstood then no doubt this séemes to giue a light to S. Iohns Reuelation foreshewing where that Babylon should be which he should prophecie of For all the scriptures are as a golden chaine one linked within another and like that strange whéele Exechiel sawe A wheele appeared on the earth by the beasts hauing foure faces The fashion of the wheeles and their worke was like a Chrisolite Eze. 1.15 and they foure had one forme And their fashion and their worke was as one wheele in another wheele This strange whéele no doubt represented the gospell The scriptures agrée altogither S. Peter and S. Iohn did meane one Babylon And that former is Rome by Gagneius and all interpretors iudgments And surelie the second also Who will now then if he doe but marke these two places conferred togither for in scriptures one place expoundes another looke for anie good from thence Againe if Peter had béene made head of the Church by our sauiour he had sinned in not taking that power and authoritie vppon him in debasing himselfe and making himselfe equall with other pastors In 1. cap. Luc. Stella saith That it is humilitie to accept any honour offered of God And it were pride to put any let or hinderance vnto it How then did not Peter here by Stella his iudgment offend in pride in putting a stoppe or hinderance to that authoritie which our sauiour had giuen him when as he makes himselfe equal with other pastors That place of S Paul which they alleadge for the authoritie of the Church of Rome ouer all the world I thanke my God thorowe Iesus Christ for you all because your faith is published thorowe the whole world In 2. cap. Luc Stella expounds That is in manie places Stella also of the obedience to the ciuill magistrate writes thus That wee
was pierced but this which Zacharie speaks of shall be after Neither was it fulfilled in the destruction of Ierusalem as some other haue expounded it Because the incredulous Iewes hauing now quite forgotten the death of Christ when as Ierusalem was destroyed neuer thought of Christ neither that they suffered all those euils for his sake but rather for the sins of some seditious persons and of some other that then were in the citie as Iosephus himselfe thought I will not refuse to speake that saith hée which sorrow enforceth me to speake I suppose Lib. 6. de bel Iudaic. cap. 16. that if the Romans had not comed against those wicked persons that either the citie should haue beene destroyed by some earthquake or ouerflowed with some Deluge or should haue beene consumed with thunder and lightning from heauen as was Sodom For she then had brought forth a farre more wicked brood then euer Sodome did To conclude togither with their wickednes past all cure the whole people also perished So that this prophecie is to be fulfilled in the true naturall Iewes and as yet it hath not béene fulfilled in them And no doubt our blessed Sauiour himselfe in the Gospel had relation to the prophecie of Zacharie Mat. 24. â—0 who speaking of the day of iudgement saith Then shall appeare the signe of the sonne of man in heauen and then shall all the kinreds of the earth weepe And they shall see the sonne of man comming in the clouds of heauen with power and great glorie What other signe can any man iudge here to be meant then the signe of the crosse the glorie brightnes of Iesus Christ going before him cannot be that signe for of that he ads a little after Then shall they see the son of man come in the clouds of heauen with power and great glorie But before this great glorie shall this signe appeare So that it cannot be properly this great glorie They are two distinct things Let vs marke diligently here also how the Euangelist cals it the signe of the sonne of man and not the signe of the sonne of God And therefore shall be an humble and not a glorious signe All the whole life of our Sauiour was humble but especially in his death on the crosse he declared this his humilitie That he touched leapers that he talked so familiarly with that sinfull woman of Samaria that he was baptised of Iohn Mat. 8.3 Io. 4.7 Mat. 3.15 Ioh. 13.5 Phil. 2.6 nay that he washed his Apostles feete but aboue all other signes of his humilitie this was the greatest that he died vpon the crosse And therefore saint Paul saith who when he was in the shape of God and thought it no robberie to be equall with God but he made himselfe of no reputation and tooke on him the forme of a seruant and was made like vnto men and was found in shape as a man He humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse Wherefore God hath also greatly exalted him and giuen him a name aboue euerie name On the crosse appeared his greatest humilitie So that the crosse in this respect may verie fitly be called the signe of the sonne of man And this also the spéeches of the Iewes spoken to our sauiour may insinnate If he be the king of the Iewes let him come down from the crosse And we will beleeue in him It was the crosse that they stumbled at Mat. 27.42 Gal. 5.11 Es 9.6 that to this day is that that offends the Iewes And that is Christs greatest glorie His principalitie is vpon his shoulder as Esay saith Nay it shall be such a signe as shall make all the tribes of the earth to wéepe which beleeue not in Christ And surely what other signe can this be then the signe of the crosse What other signe in heauen could make the Iewes to wéepe but the signe of the crosse No doubt the sight of this will euen breake their hearts make them burst out into teares and to fulfill this prophecie of Zacharie Dom. 24. Post Pent. Conc. 1. To this effect Granat hath a notable sentence and to the confirmation thereof he cites Eusebius Emissenus and he writes thus Before the comming of this heauenly king the triumphant signe of the crosse more cleere then the sunne shall appeare And then saith the Lord all the tribes of the earth shall lament because in that signe all the wicked shall manifestly see their condemnation The infidels because they haue blasphemed the crosse of Christ the faithfull which haue liued wickedly because they haue made no vse of such a great benefit and remedie For as Eusebius Emissenus saith So farre more greater shall be the sinners of men how much more Gods benefits haue stretched forth themselues vnto them Therefore saith he it is to be beleeued that the Lord will pronounce and speake to the vessels of iniquitie at his iudgement that same voice which he spake at his resurrection declaring the precious prints of the wounds which he receiued on his crosse Put thy finger in hither and behold my hands and bring hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and acknowledge O wickednes of men what for thy sake and of thee I suffered For those same signes of his nailes healthfull to the godly but terrible to the wicked which shal not be done away vntil the day of iudgment no doubt are reserued to cast men in the teeth withall Thus farre he Neither shal that crosse condemne onely our ingratitude and make it void of all excuse but our slothfulnes also and our idlenes for by what meanes possible can a wicked man excuse himselfe when as he seeth the crosse of Christ which is a most forcible remedie against that excuse of our infirmitie and all other our euils Wherefore to all other crimes wicked man may haue somthing to say but to these that is his slothfulnes and ingratitude infirmitie nothing at all for if it shall be laid to his charge Thou hast beene an extortioner an adulterer thou hast cursed forsworne blasphemed He may answere perchance I am a fraile man conceiued in sin I was prone to sin I was compassed about with sinful flesh But when the Iudge shal replie Is there not Rosine in Gilead and is not there a phisition there which is as though he should say were there not medicins in my Church were there not sacraments which flowed out of my side Was there not confession there a remedie of former sins the Eucharist a treacle and preseruatiue for those which were to come was there not in my crosse most vehement procurements of charitie and most cleare examples of most great humilitie patience obedience and of all vertues by which thou mightest haue caried thine infirmity wherfore then is not the wound of the daughter of my people healed That is wherfore hast thou not healed thy wounds with these medicines which the
and that God will defend the Iewes for all this their ingratitude De ciuit Dei lib. 20. ca. 30. Saint Austen also referres this prophecie of Zacharie to be fulfilled in the end of the world It shall repent saith he at that day the Iewes yea euen those which shall receiue the spirit of grace and mercy hat in this passion they haue triumphed ouer him when as they shall haue respect vnto him comming in his maiestie and shall know that this is he whom being humble before and of no account among them they haue laughed to scorne in their parents Although their parents the ringleaders of that most hainous offence rising againe shall see him also but to be punished not to be pardoned Therefore in this place he meanes not them whereas he saith I will powre out vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and mercie and they shall now haue a speciall regard of me for that they made a iest of me but only those which come of their progenie which at that time shall beleeue by the meanes of Elias Thus farre Austen where he also thinkes that this prophecie of Zacharie shall be fulfilled in the end of the world and in the ofspring and progenie of those Iewes which put Christ to death But Austen here saith that Elias shall come But what then Ierome denies it Ier. in cap. 4. Mat. and cals them heretiques that say so And whether of these now shall we beléeue The Angell also taught Zacharie that in Iohn Baptist that prophecie of Malachie was fulfilled and he repeats the verie words of that prophecie that he shal turne the hearts of the fathers to the children c. least any one should doubt Luk. 1.17 whether he meant that prophecie or no. And our sauiour also in the gospel plainly teacheth that Elias was thē come and that they had done to him whatsoeuer they would Therefore he is not to come and to be killed againe of Antichrist as the papists teach Luk. 17.12 Likewise also saith he shall the sonne of man suffer of them They may as well say that Christ shall come and suffer againe as to say that Elias shall come and suffer againe for Christ himselfe compares both their sufferings togither And speaking of the prophecies which should be fulfilled All the law and the prophets saith he prophecie but vnto Iohn Mat. 11.13.14 And if ye will receiue it he is Elias which was to come What can be more planly spoken The prophecie of Malachie is fulfilled Iohn is not a type or figure of Elias as the papists would haue him but he is Elias which was to come saith our Sauiour And shall we not beléeue the Angell that taught Zacharie alleadging the verie words of the prophecie of Malachie that Iohn should fulfill it nor our Sauiour who agrées with the Angell and saith that that prophecie is fulfilled Nay who saith plainly that Iohn is Elias which was to come In this matter being so plaine to doubt surely is great incredulitie Nay our Sauiour addes yet more to make vs very wel to marke and beléeue this Vers 15. He that hath eares to heare let him heare saith he And yet for all this shall we not heare this doctrine of our blessed Sauiours owne mouth shall we not beléeue it So that then the prophecie of Malachie is fulfilled alreadie And what néds then Elias to come againe to fulfil it But they will say Elias neuer died but all men must die And therefore he must needs come againe to suffer death 1. Cor. 15.51 Must all men die Those that liue when Christ comes againe to iudgement shal not die vnlesse you cal that their change to be a death 2. Cor. 5.4 They shall not be vncloathed but cloathed vpon which thing saint Paul himselfe desired And so no doubt Elias and Enoch haue died already and are chaunged And therefore their bodies now vnlesse God should create them new bodies cannot suffer death And therefore for this cause they néed not nay they cannot come Now if Austen Gal. 1.8 nay if an Angell from heauen shall teach any thing contrarie to the gospell let him be acursed saith Saint Paul neither doth Saint Austen affirme this out of the scriptures but rather by tradition No man saith he will denie the iudgement but he that will denie the scripture But we haue learned that at the daie of iudgement or about that time these things shall be meaning Elias the Thesbite the conuersion or the faith of the Iewes that Antichrist shall persecute Lib. 20. de ciui ca. 30 that Christ shall come to iudgement that there shall be a resurrection of the good and a spoile of the wicked a consuming of the world by fire and a renewing of it againe All which that they shal come we must beleeue but in what manner and what order they shall come experience shall then better teach then now any mans wit can perfectly comprehend Lib. 20. ciu ca. 29. But I thinke that they shall come in order as I haue said And of Elias comming thus he writes in another place By this great Elias and wonderful prophet that the Iewes shall beleeue in the true Christ that is in our Christ before the iudgement by Elias who shal expound the law vnto them it is a verie common thing in the mouthes and hearts of the faithfull It was as should séeme a common spéech among the Christians in Saint Austens daies that Elias should come but we must ground our faith vpon the scriptures not vpon spéeches To these fathers Rup lib. 5 in Zac. Rupertus a latter writer agréeth And it shall come to passe that in that day I wil destroy al nations which come against Ierusalem This saith he needs no fauourable exposition for although this word conterere may sometime signifie mercie yet no man doubts or is ignorant but in that day of iudgement God ought to breake in peeces or destroy al nations which come against Ierusalem which haue shed so many martyrs bloud and haue not repented But before this the remnant of the Iewes are to be conuerted And therefore he saith And I will power vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the dwellers of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and prayers that is the spirit of the rem ssion of their sinnes which is the chiefest and greatest gift of grace And it shall come to passe that they shall be the house of Dauid and the inhabiters of Ierusalem And after this shall be the great day of iudgement of which he said In that day I will seeke to breake in peeces all nations which come against Ierusalem And therefore by and by he addeth and they shall behold me whom they haue pierced and they shall lament ouer him as ouer their onely begotten sonne c. Here is Rupertus iudgement that God will powre vpon the Iewes the spirit of mercie
dreame of vs we not knowing that we doe appeare Nay he thinkes that those apparitions are of Angels which appeare sometimes to men and commaund that their bodies should be buried when as they themselues whose bodies they are know no such thing If Austen smelled thus much in his daies concerning burying of bodies of Saints that they were not the saints themselues that appeared but angels the saints neuer knowing we may suspect that they were also euill angels that did appeare then because they lied but if they were good angels as Austen thought yet we maie iudge of the like thus much that those apparitions which were in time of Poperie which often appeared and craued to be holpen out of purgatorie in the likenesse of mens soules were not their soules nor perchance the soules of such neuer knew anie such thing but were lying angels Of the knowledge also of them which are dead Austen in the same booke writes thus Those which are dead Cap. 15. may know some things here which are necessarie for them to know and againe not know what is not necessarie for them to know both things past present and also things to come the spirit of God reueâ—ling it vnto them as also not all men but the Prophets while they liued here knew Neither knew they all things but such things as Gods prouidence iudged fit for them to know So that by S. Austens iudgement first it is vncertaine whether the Saints know anie thing at all of our earthlie affaires or no. And againe if they know they know not all things but such things as God reueales to them and thinks méete for them to know And now in this vncertaintie of their knowledges who will make their prayers vnto them and not be sure whether they be heard or not especiallie when as the same S. Austen in another place writes If faith want prayer dies De verb. dom secund Lucam ser 36. for who will pray that beleeues not Wherfore the blessed Apostle when as he exhorted to prayer said Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued And that hee might shew faith to be the fountaine of praier neither that the streame can runne where as the head of the water is dried vp he added and said But howe shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued Therefore that we may pray aright let vs beleeue and let vs pray also that faith faile not by which we pray So that without certaine faith that our praiers are heard and obtained praiers by S. Austens iudgment in this place are nought but such praiers can no man make to saints Againe Ser. 120. de temp he teacheth that prayers are now the sacrifices of christians Therefore God commanded the Iewes to leaue the whole land and to offer sacrifices in one place and to pay their vowes because then all the land was vncleane with the smoake of Altars and with the sauour of graues and with other pollutions which from the sacriledge of the prophane Gentiles were brought vpon it But to vs nowe that Christ is comed and hath purged the whole earth all places are become places fit for vs to pray in And therefore S. Paul exhorts and commands to pray without ceasing and in euery place c. So that now in stoode of all Iewish sacrifices praier is the Christians sacrifice and in stéede of their one place Ierusalem where they were bounde to offer their sacrifices onely we maie now praie in all places And againe De ciu lib. 10. cap. 4. he that sacrificeth to gods but to God alone shall be destroyed for that I may say nothing of other things which belong to the seruice wherewith God is worshipped as concerning sacrifice there is no man dare say but that it belongs to God alone And againe Who euer thought that he ought to offer sacrifice but to him either whom he knew to be God or supposed or imagined to be God So that praiers being now Christians sacrifices and sacrifices being due onlie to God therfore praiers by Austens iudgement should be due to God also onlie Lib. 22. ca. 10. And in another place of Martyrs he writes thus We build not so our Martyrs Churches as to gods but memorials as to dead men whose spirits doe liue with God neither there doe we erect Altars vpon which we may sacrifice to Martyrs but we ofter all our sacrifices to our onely God and also the God of the Martyrs At which sacrifice as men of God which through the confession of his faith haue ouercome the world they are named in their place and order yet they are not called vpon of the priest when he sacrificeth for he offers sacrifice to God and not to them although he offer sacrifice at their memorials for hee is Gods priest and not theirs And the sacrifice he offers is the body of Christ which he offers not to them because they are it themselues Here S. Austen doth teach vs most manifestlie these thrée things That sacrifice belongs onlie to God and that inuocation is sacrifice and that the bodie of Christ which the Priest offers is not Christs naturall bodie as the Papists teach and would haue vs beléeue that S. Austen taught when he speakes of the oblation of Christs bodie in the Eucharist but his mysticall bodie and the sacrifice of that bodie I think the Papists will not saie anie thing profits the dead And if inuocation be sacrifice as S. Austen here plainlie teacheth shall we inuocate martyrs and saints If the priests in those daies did not inuocate them shall we now This is S. Austens resolute iudgement His speeches in his other booke of the care of the dead are but doubts Rom. 8.26 Saint Paul of prayer writes thus Likewise also the spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray as we ought but the spirit it selfe makes requests for vs with sighs which cannot be expressed But he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the meaning of the spirit for he maketh request for the Saints according to the will of God We must alwaies praie in the holy Ghost Iude v. 20. as S. Iude teacheth vs but onlie God which searcheth the hearts as S. Paul here teacheth knoweth and vnderstandeth the sighings of the spirit and no angell or saint els therfore we must make all our praiers to God alone and not to anie saint or angell Prayer is a talking with God and therefore Dauid saith Psal 5.1 Heare my words O Lord and vnderstand my meditation But are we sure when we speake to a saint that he heares vs And who will speake to anie that he is not sure whether he heareth him or no And Ferus also yéelds this reason Fer. in cap. 12. Act. why we should inuocate onlie Iesus Christ Christ saith he was present in the congregation at Antioche according to his promise Where two or three be gathered togither in my
farre Iansenius The consent and vnitie of the Church addes force to her common prayers saith Iansenius as also to generall councels and therefore not onely priuate deuotion as Master Harding and Master Stapleton teach but common seruice ought to be in a tongue knowne and with consent of the people if they minde to haue those prayers of anie force with God Ferus also vpon that place teacheth the same doctrine Fer. in 18. cap. Mat. If saith he one being in some great extremitie or in some great danger should heare some such like word of him that could helpe him as thou hearest here of Christ how gladly wouldest thou receiue it how diligently wouldest thou doe that he commanded But we haue not one or two promises but many and yet we doubt to call vpon God and yet we see all things full of perils and dangers the which is a certaine signe that greater plagues remaine for vs. For what good thing can we looke for at Gods hands of whom we will not vouchsafe to bestow so much honour that in our present perils and dangers we will not seeke for his helpe O nation voide of counsell and wit I would to God thou wouldest be wise and vnderstand and wouldest foresee thy latter ende For they which are made more obstinate by the scourges of God what doe they deserue els then greater scourges We maie note here howe Ferus makes our common praiers vnderstood the onlie means to turne awaie Gods roddes from vs and a chiefe part of his honour And after vpon these words I say vnto you againe that if two of you c. As though he should say If you be able to doe so much with God who can doe all things that he will performe that which you desire if only two of you shall agree among themselues how much more will he ratifie the sentence of the whole Church yea I am in the midst amongst them condemning the wicked if so be that they seeke not reuenge nor the death of their brother but the glorie of God and the saluation of their brother that is if they condemne in my name Againe Christ here teacheth vs how we ought to deale with him that is excommunicate For he is not to be accounted as an enemy but through the same charitie wherwith nothing is omitted for his amendment we must also pray for him that God would conuert him whom man by all his diligence and by doing what he could could not conuert And Christ here promiseth that he will grant whatsoeuer we shall desire for our brother if we shall continue in charitie Thus farre Ferus Here we maie note that the sentence of excommunication must be done by common consent knowledge of the Church and likewise their common prayers to God for his amendment Their common Latine and blinde prayers they made in Poperie quite ouerthrew this order of Christs Church and tooke this helpe from the congregation of succouring their brethren who had fallen into anie grieuous crime And here who markes not Sathans sleights who as he is the author to make sillie soules fall into grieuous sins so no doubt he was the counseller of hindring the meanes of their recouerie as much as in him laie in stopping all those meanes which after their sinne might doe them good And what greater harme could he deuise against the fraile sinner whereof no doubt euerie congregation hath great store then to take awaie this forcible and healthfull remedie of the common praiers of the Church made by consent to heale their deadly wounds To which Christ hath annexed this notable promise That whatsoeuer two or three of them agreeing shal aske he wil most assuredly grant Mat. 18.19 This most bountifull promise was made to common prayers and not to priuate deuotions And therefore Sathan bendes his most force to hinder this mutuall consent this vnderstanding in common prayer He is content to let men priuatelie in their priuate deuotions praye with their vnderstandings That cannot so much hurt him as the other Vpon this promise and ground no doubt the common prayers of the faithfull in the primitiue Church were grounded As appeareth in the actes of the Apostles where saint Luke thus describeth the estate of the primitiue Church immediatelie after Christ Act. 1.14 These all continued with one accord in praier and supplication with the women Marie the mother of Iesus with his brethren Their common praiers were made with one accord not onlie their priuate deuotions as the Papists would make men beleeue And whie should not all Churches follow the example of this Church Ferus vpon this place writes thus Though they had saith he a certaine promise of the holy ghost yet without ceasing they continued in prayer For there is no Church where there is no praier Againe they praied with one accord There is no Church where there is not vnanimitie The prayers are not acceptable where there is no concord Lastly they continued in prayer for he is not worthie to be heard which doth not continue in prayer And this was the chiefe worke which Luke left in writing of the Apostles Such was the first Church but now the matter is altered now there is another state of the Church The brawles and quarrels which are in the Church Ferus mislikes He would haue prayers be made of brethren agréeing and consenting togither As were those in the Primitiue Church And after he writes thus Thou learnest here who receiued the holy Ghost and what they did They were all of one accord they dwelt aloft they prayed and to these came the holy Ghost Therefore it is no maruell if the holy Ghost do not flie vnto vs for where the heart is tainted with quarrels anger and enuie there is no place left to the holy ghost For the authour of vnitie and concorde requires not anie or a common vnitie or agreement but a most streight and heauenlye consent The like forme of common praiers we read in the Acts when the Apostles were forbidden to preach in the name of Iesus Act. 4.24 Assoone as they were let go they came to their fellowes shewed all that the high Priests Elders had said vnto them And when they heard it they lift vp their voices to God with one accord said c. Here is the forme of common prayers the Apostles vsed they lift vp their voices to God altogither no doubt they vnderstood their praiers So when Peter was cast in prison of Herode it is writen Act 12.5 that earnest praier was made of the Church of God for him These were common prayers And no doubt all the faithfull vnderstood the praiers and gaue their consents And this is that which saint Paul teacheth to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 14.15.16 What is it then I wil pray with the spirit but I wil pray with the vnderstanding also I will sing with the spirit but I will sing with the vnderstanding also
well know what they say Let vs now discouer such sleights and crafts of the enemy and let vs also consider the diligence of the Saints in eschuing them that by imitating them we may set light by and make no account of those who can ouercome none but such as willingly yeeld them selues vnto them By these things which haue been spoken the saying of Aggathon the Abbot may bee prooued true who being asked what spirituall exercise of all other was most painful answered prayer because while we pray that euill spirit doth trouble vs sometimes assaulting vs openly sometimes secretly laying siege against vs and by all meanes endeuouring that he may confound and trouble the mindes of them that pray being not ignorant what a forcible matter with God is the constant continuall and perseuerant intention of the minde of him that prayeth with humilitie This Papist confesseth that when we praie we must not rashlie powre out our words but with discretion that we must not be like drunken men when we praie praying we cannot tell what And were not such like all the Latine praiers which without vnderstanding the simple people made in Poperie He confesseth that amongst all other our spirituall workes Satan labours especiallie to hinder our praiers or to peruert them which thing he néede not doe in Poperie he had framed them as the common prouerb is the bowe to his own bent They in those daies praied ignorantlie without faith with wandring mindes being fixed on nothing euen as hee would haue them The same Viuiennus also of prayer writes thus Lib. 2. de offic boni patrisfam cap. 25. With what kinde and how great an affection of his minde Dauid prayed he himselfe testifieth saying I haue made my supplication before thy face with my whole heart And againe I haue cried with my whole heart heare me O Lord. He hath cried vnto the Lord with his heart who hath prayed earnestly not they which doe make a chattering with their words and doe not conceiue with their minde that which they post ouer with their lippes And after him Salomon the most wisest king of all the kings of Iudah in that booke if it be his which is intituled the booke of Wisedome I gate me vnto the Lord and I made my prayer vnto him and I spake from the verie bottome of my heart He is to be prayed vnto with our whole heart who is commaunded to be loued with our whole heart But they which praie carelesly doe seeme to make light account of him of whom they do request anie thing and therefore they do not obtaine their requestes They do but chatter like Parats Pies by Viuiennus his iudgment that know not what they do pray for And such like chatterings were all the Latine prayers in poperie which the common people daily did make Caietane also agréeing with him of prayer writes thus Prayer saith he with a good intent without attention that is Sum. Caieta◠diligent marking or vnderstanding is vnlawfull for the want of deuotion or reuerence that is ioyned with it Thus farre Caietane He that praies must marke what he praies whether he pray himselfe or giue his consent by saying Amen to the prayers of another And therefore the simple Christian and vnlearned must as well vnderstand the common prayers of the Church as his owne priuate prayers Shall he say Amen and giue his consent to that he knowes not what it is That were an absurd thing euen in our trifling worldlie matters no man will do so and shall we do so in heauenly matters matters of great waight and importance But in the darkenes of poperie the most part neither vnderstood their priuate nor their publike prayers and how then could they haue that attention which Caietane héere requires Bernardus de Frenesda another Papist In praef 2. par Granat de devot med of prayer also writes thus It is the generall doctrine receiued of all the Saints that there are three things necessarie to a iust man which bring him vnestimable commodities and that by these three the iust man is preserued in his righteousnes And these are praying reading and wel-doing In these should a wise man daily exercise himselfe and so discreetly with Christiā zeale measure and diuide his time that he should be euer occupied in one of these Prayer giues light purgeth comforts makes merrie kindles zeale lightens afflictions nourisheth deuotion ingenders confidence if our owne spirit do not reproue vs expels slouthfulnes terrifieth the diuels ouercomes temptations These are the most excellent fruits commodities of prayer But now the same author teacheth vs also the true manner of prayer Then saith he we do pray truly when as we thinke on nothing else and when all our thoughts are bent on heauenly things whenas our heart is inflamed with the fire of the holy Ghost His prayer is perfect whose cause tongue deeds and speech and life and thoughts cries And he addeth that the third effect of prayer is the spirituall refreshing of the soule And that to this effect of prayer is necessarily required the attention or marking of the soule not that which is spēt about the material words of the prayer nor that only which is about the meaning of the words but that which respects the end of the prayer which is God and that thing for which a man prayeth We may learne here by his iudgement that he which will reape this last and most principall fruit and effect of prayer which is the spirituall refreshing of his soule must not onelie marke the meaning of the words of his prayer but chiefelie the Maiestie of God and the thing he praies for If this be true then the papists haue bereaued their brethren of this chiefe fruit of prayer which is the spirituall refreshing of their soules when as they taught them to pray in Latine when as they neither vnderstood the words of their prayer nor the thing they prayed for And so by this authors iudgement though they prayed manie and long prayers in those daies and did rise vp earlie to prayer yet the poore sillie soules for lacke of vnderstanding these their prayers were famished and receiued no spirituall refreshing or comfort thereby De orat med tract 7. ca. 8. Granatensis himselfe also of praier writes thus Euen as one that is sicke takes more profit of the meat he eats and chewes himselfe then of that which being chewed of another is giuē him like abroth or some pottage so the prayer a man makes himselfe of thos◠words which the holy ghost ministreth vnto him is more profitable then that which is framed and made by other mens words which are often repeated as of some that know not what they meane without any attention or deuotion Thus farre Granatēsis We may note here how he also condemnes praiers without vnderstanding And because that when we repeat prayers made of others though we do vnderstand the meaning of the words
pastors to feed their flocks themselues and our blessed Sauiour enioines this thing to Peter Ier. 23.2.4 Ezec. 34.16 as his principall duetie to feede his flocke The true shepheard is to binde vp the woundes of his flocke and to heale them himselfe He that doth not so is that idol shepheard Zach. 11.16 whereof Zacharie prophesieth He shall not looke for the thing that is lost nor seeke the tender lambes nor heale that which is hurt nor feede that that standeth but he shall eate the flesh of the fatte and shall teare thir hoofes and clawes in peeces And haue not the shepheards in poperie done thus Psal 119.105 whereof manie of them neuer preached Is not the word of God the lanterne and candle in Gods house to lighten our pathes and wherewith also to séeke that which is lost Luke 15.8 which candle that wise woman which was a figure of Christs Church lighted and therewith sought for her lost groat which the foolish woman the Popes Church hath quite put out and hidden vnder a bushell Matt. 5.15 Is it not the leaues of that tree of life Iesus Christ which serue to heale the nations Reu. 22.2 as Saint Iohn sheweth vs in the Reuelation Are not the scriptures those fruitfull trees also whereof Ezechiel prophecieth that by the riuer of Gods spirit which is our only comforter in this life as our Sauiour doth teach vs do grow on the brinke thereof on this side and on that side whose leafe shall not fade neither shall the fruit thereof faile and it shall bring forth new fruit according to his moneths because their waters run out of the sanctuarie and the fruit thereof shall be meat and the leaues therof shal be for medicine Is not here a liuelie description of Gods spirit and of the scriptures The one is a well a streame springing into euerlasting life a comforter that onlie like water comforts in all the heats and broyles of this life as our sauiour teacheth And the other as trees that grow on the brinke of this heauenlie riuer The word of God and his spirit are neuer separated which euer haue their leaues and fruit no winter can make their fruit fade nor frost cause their leaues fall Nay because they are watered from the sanctuary they do not onlie like other trées bring forth stil the same fruits but new fruits euerie moneth And their fruits are meate and their leaues medicines If this be true then the papists in whose coasts in times past these fruitfull trées were not seene growing and flourishing lacked also that heauenly and comfortable riuer that procéeded out of the sanctuary They had in those daies worldlie comfortes enough like to that rich man but they lacked the comfort of Gods spirit their soules were famished for the want of these trées whose fruits are the onelie food of soules And their sinnes and wounds of their soules were putrified and festered for lacke of these leaues to heale them which are the onely plaisters for spirituall sores as the prophet Ezechiel Saint Iohn do plainlie teach If we will liue we must applie these leaues to our hearts as the preacher doth teach vs. It is better saith he to go into the house of mourning then of feasting because this is the end of all men Eccl. 7.4 And the liuing will lay it to his heart And Abacucke saith that the iust shall liue by faith Abacuck 2.4 And Saint Paul that faith commeth by hearing the word of God Therefore what life could be in that Church where Gods word was seldome or neuer taught It is written of the blessed virgine Marie Luk. 2.19.51 that she laid vp her sonnes words Iesus Christs words and the words of the shepheards in her heart So must all good women that minde to be blessed that loue the blessed virgine follow likewise these her holie steps and laye vp Iesus Christs words their pastors words in their hearts and the words of no others They must not séeke straungers to confesse their sinnes and to lay open their sores vnto as the popish Church teacheth Nay euen now when as these trées beginne againe to flourish in the world many are not thankefull to God for such a great blessing that now hath made these holesome and fruitfull trées to spring againe in their coasts but doe finde fault with them do despise them They will haue nothing but olde fruit They can abide no new fruit But here they must learne that these trées bring forth new fruits euerie moneth They must not be so wedded to antiquity as to contemne condemn all nouelty but rather let them marke well what euerie thing is Let them say if it be a fruit of the tree of life if it haue a roote and ground in the scriptures 1. Thes 5.21 1. Io. 4.1 I will receiue it most thankfully ioyfullie Let euerie one of vs Trie all things and keepe that which is good as Saint Paul counselleth vs and examine the spirits whether they be of God or no as S. Iohn also commaundeth and not wilfully shut our eies or straight way cast it out of our hands we wil none of it because it séemes new Let vs remēber how that these fruitfull trees of the Lord which are watered with the water that comes out of the sanctuarie bring forth new fruits euerie moneth They diminish the dignitie of these trées are enemies to their owne health nay to their owne onely true greatest ioy and pleasures that they can haue in this world that beleeue not this and will not taste of these new most pleasant fruits And here also we must marke another singular smacke or relish and another speciall commendation or priuiledge which these fruits which the word of God hath beyond all other fruits and writings of men whosoeuer Psal 12.6 The words of the Lord saith Dauid are pure words as siluer purified to the Lord of the whole earth and fined seuen times And no siluer else whatsoeuer nay all the golde of man yea of the fathers whosoeuer is but drosse to this siluer And so must all Christians account of the fathers and yet I cannot tel how it comes to passe that in many mens mouthes the writings of the fathers haue a better relish and pleasanter taste then the word of God But let all men heere learne that euen the gold of the fathers euen the purest doctrine they teach is impure in comparison of the doctrines of the scriptures They haue onely this commendation that they are siluer purified seuen times to the Lord of the whole earth And in the repairing of the Church of Christ which now in our daies is in hand which Antichrist had defaced Re. 11.1 2.3.4 Saint Iohn in the Reuelation borrowes this testimonie of Dauid where after he had declared how much of Gods house should be repaired againe how farre the builders should procéed in that worke he addes what
intreate of the punishment of them that are dead For therefore a great tribulation shall go before and afterward fire shall descend and shall quickly purge all the relickes of sinne in iust men For as Ireneus notes in the ende of his fift booke Then sodainly the Church which is on earth shal be taken to her spouse Neither then shall be any time of purging any more as there is now after death before iudgement Here is purgatorie and no purgatorie for those fathers in déede speake of a purging which shall be at the daie of iudgement by fire but not of those onely that then shall liue as M. Bellarmine here séemes to expound Ierom but of all men in generall as appeareth by the words Ierom there vseth Peccatores quosque flumina ignis ante cum traehent voluentia The rowling streames of fire shall drawe before him all sinners not those that be liuing as Master Bellarmine expounds him And the Lord is called a fire and a consuming fire that he may burne our wood hay and stubble alluding to that place of Saint Paul That if any man haue built vpon Iesus Christ wood hâ—y or stubble the day of the Lord shall trie euerie mans worke not the workes of them that liue then onely but euerie mans worke And after he addeth That according to the saying of Ezechiel whatsoeuer in our gold and siluer that is in our vnderstanding and word is mingled with brasse iron or lead in the Lords furnace may be a Percoquitur thorowly fined that pure gold and siluer may remaine Here Ierome speakes of all sinners not of those that shall liue then And he addeth That our gold and siluer that is iust mens workes as well as sinners drosse shall then bee examined And in another place which hath béene alleadged before he manifestly confirmeth this exposition As we beleeue saith he that the torments of the Diuell and of all them which denie God and of wicked men which say in their heart there is no God Ieron in 66. ca. Esaiae are euerlasting So also wo is me of sinners yea of Christians whose workes shall be purged and tried with fire we suppose that the sentence of the iudge shall not be extreame but mixed with mercie This place against M. Bellarmines exposition prooues that all Christians workes which are sinners shall be tried and purged at that daie and not those onely that then are liuing in stéede of the purgatorie they should haue endured Saint Augustine also saith which place Master Bellarmine there also hath alleadged for purgatorie Aug. de ciuit lib. 20. cap. 25. of these things which haue been spoken it seemes to appeare most euidently that in that iudgement there shall be some purgatorie punishment of some but he names not who they be It should séeme he means those whom Ierom meant before Neither doth that place of Irenaeus which alleadgeth make anie thing for his purpose For Irenaeus there first writes thus The day of the Lord is as it were a thousand yeeres Iren. lib. 5. And in sixe daies were all things finished that were made And therefore it is manifest that the sixt thousand yeere shall be the consummation of all these things And therefore in all that time man being made in the beginning by the hand of God that is of the Sonne of the Spirit that he may be according to the image and likenesse of God the chaffe being cast away which are Apostacie and the corne being taken into the barne that is they which bring forth fruits to God through faith And therefore tribulation is necessarie for them that shall be saued that being as it were broken in peeces and made into smal powder and sprinkled here and there through patience by the word of God yea euen beene all a fire they might be fit guests for the kings banquet And as one â— our Christians who being iudged to be cast to wild beasts to be torne in peeces of them for his martyrdome towards God said Because I am the corn of Christ I am grinded by the teeth of these wild beasts that I might be found fine manchet of God And after The nations are so farre profitable and fit for the iust in as much as the stubble is profitable for the increasing of the wheat the chaffe thereof to burne for the purifying of Gold And therefore in the end when the Church departing hence shall be taken aloft there shall be saith he tribulation such as neuer was nor shall be That shall be the last combate of the iust wherein the conquerors shall be crowned with incorruption Thus farre Irenaeus And here M. Bellarmine mistakes a word for repetente Ecclesia as it is in Irenaeus printed at Basil Anno Dom. 1526. which is as much as to say the Church repairing againe to a place he puts in repente that is sodainly As though this sodainnesse of her departure should be the cause of that her purging by fire because she could not stay to endure the fire of Purgatorie It may séeme of that one word he grounds this his exposition And if he doe it is but his collection it is not Irenaeus assertion as he saith and that also of a false foundation taking repente for repente which is in the auncient copie And if so be that the word were repente so dainly yet there néeded not anie Purgatorie fire to the end that they might attaine saluation For euen sodainly God is able and hath also saued sinners as Elias is called of Saint Iames A man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subiect to like affection and perturbations euen as we are Iam. 5.17 and therefore a sinner yet was he translated into heauen sodainly And our Sauiour himselfe speaketh thus of Zacheus who before was a Publican as soone as he beléeued on him This day is saluation come vnto this house Christ also healed very many both of their bodily Luke 19.9 Mark 5.34 Luke 7 50. and spirituall diseases sodainly saying thy faith hath saued thee No doubt if these had then died they should haue béene saued euen sodainly without enduring anie Purgatorie There is a place in saint Paul where the word sodainly is vsed 1. Thes 5.3.4 For when they shall say peace and safetie then shall come vpon them sodaine destruction c. But you brethren are not in darknesse that that day should come on you as a theefe in the night But that sodaine destruction or punishment respects the wicked not the faithfull that shall then liue at that day more then them that haue liued before that day Here is not one word of anie purging but of the purging of afflictions And that shall be all the time of the continuance of the world saith Irenaeus And that shall so cleane purge vs as it shall make vs fit guestes for the Lords banquet and what other purgatorie then shall the faithfull stand néede of Here is not that those that liue at the
in some other place yet for their plainenes and excellencie I cannot here passe them ouer Heb. 3 6. But Christ as the sonne is ouer his owne house saith Saint Paul Whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the reioycing of our hope euen vnto the end Here are two plaine markes of the Church we are Gods house we are Gods Church if so be we keepe and hold fast these two things that is our confidence in our praiers 1. Io. 5.14 as saint Iohn expounds it And our reioycing of the certaine hope of our saluation vnto the end This is our confidence we haue in him saith saint Iohn that if we aske anie thing according to his will he heareth vs. And if we know that he heareth vs whatsoeuer we aske we know that we haue the petitions that we haue desired of him This ought to be euerie Christians confidence and assurance that whatsoeuer they aske in the name of Iesus Christ which is agréeing to the will of God they are sure they shall obtaine it And they know that Iesus Christ heares them they know that their petitions are granted This is the first marke of Gods Church no doubt euerie Christian ought to haue this confidence whensoeuer he praies that he may say as our Sauiour said when he praied to God his father I thank thee father that thou hast heard me I know that thou hearest me alwaies Io. 11.41 Ro. 15.4 Io. 17.23 Psal 56.9.31.22.118.5.68 3 This is written for our learning God loues vs now as he loued him This the world must know much more euerie Christian himselfe This confidence Dauid had in all his praiers as appeareth in his Psalmes And the second marke also saint Iohn agréeing with saint Paul hath put downe in the former verse which is the ground of this Vers 13. These things haue I written vnto you saith saint Iohn which beleeue on the name of the son of God that ye may know that ye haue eternall life and that ye may beleeue in the name of the sonne of God All Christians must know that they haue eternall life And that this their knowledge might be sure and certaine Saint Iohn a faithfull witnesse writes thus vnto them Who will not beléeue in our affaires the deposition of a faithfull and honest man and shall we not beléeue the testimonie and writing of saint Iohn And againe in his first Chapter he writes thus The life appeared and we haue seene it and be are witnesse 1 Iohn 1.3 and shew vnto you the eternal life which was with the father and appeared vnto vs. This I say that we haue seene and heard declare we vnto you that ye also may haue fellowship with vs and that our fellowship also may be with the father and with his sonne Iesus Christ And these things write we vnto you that your ioy may be full Who would not read such a comfortable letter who durst euer haue presumed to thinke thus much in his heart That we vile wretches and miserable sinners should be fellowes with the Apostles nay should haue fellowship and a communion euen with God the father and his sonne Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost if saint Iohn had not written it And now that he hath written this vnto vs who dare doubt of it Oh the fellowship with God the father with his son Iesus Christ and with the holy Ghost the ioyfullest letter that euer was read Will God nay doth God euen now account vs as his friends as those whom he sets most by Who reads this reioyceth not euen from his heart whom will not this glad tidings cause to reioyce daily as often as he thinkes thereon Nay who will euer now cease to thinke thus let all other matters be forgoiteÌ„ I haue fellowship with God the father with his sonne Iesus Christ and with the holy Ghost What do I care for else He that walkes in the sunne the excéeding great light thereof so daseleth his eies that when he comes into his owne house though it be richly furnished â—e sées nothing So should this excéeding great ioy drowne all our other ioyes whatsoeuer This rich fellowship with God the father and his sonne and the holy Ghost should so dasell our eies that we should now make no account of these our earthly riches And this ioy of this rich and certaine hope being thus certified vs by a faithfull witnes Saint Iohn is the marke of the true Church They which lacke these markes are none of the Church what fair shewes soeuer they haue besides And this is the verie scope of saint Iohns Epistle I write vnto you saith he these things not that ye may reioyce onely but that your ioy may be full And this he writes to all Christians who will then doubt of his saluation And here I note how the Church of Rome doth take quite away saint Iohns knowledge and assurance I write vnto you saith he that you may know that you haue eternal life And again this is our confideÌ„ce that when we pray we know that he heareth vs. We know that we haue the petitions that we aske of him This certainty this knowledge the Church of Rome caÌ„not abide She teacheth that no Christian can say he knowes that he shall be saued and therefore she teacheth men to doubt of their saluation She teacheth that we are not sure whether being hindred by our sinnes Iesus Christ will heare vs or no And therefore she teacheth to make mediators vnto him As though anie thing could be added to his loue towards vs. Nay his mother the blessed Virgine Marie nor all the saints and Angels in heauen doe not loue vs so dearely as he doth if the loue of all these were put altogither And whereas they vrge our sinnes to discourage vs and to weaken this our confidence 1. Ioh. 1. vers 8. Saint Iohn in his first chapter doth confesse also so much that we are all sinners or else if we denie that we are lyars And yet for all that in this chapter he teacheth vs this ioy of our saluation and this confidence and assurance of our praiers And is the Church of Rome the true Church Is she Gods house that holdes not fast this confidence in her praiers and this certaintie of the hope of her saluation Let all men of indifferencie iudge Saint Iude in his Epistle hauing foretold of heretiques that should trouble the Church briefely knits vp as in a little bundell the markes of the true Church being the same in substance which saint Paul and saint Iohn haue taught vs. Iude epist Vers 20. But ye beloued saith he edifie your selues in your most holy faith That is studie read meditate and be expert in the scriptures So shall you be sure to be within Gods league and couenant and be a shéep of Iesus Christs fold as hath béene noted before Secondly pray in the holy Ghost that is with knowledge with
6.2 as saint Paul termes them must be faithfull sayings They must be verities as our Sauiour often in the Gospell confirmes all his with Amen which signifies truly and verily And saint Paul saith that all the promises of God in Christ are yea 2. Cor. 1.20 and in him are Amen They must bee so sure euen as though they were ratified with an oth Againe sweare to me by the Lord saith she teaching vs that all our lawfull othes must be made in the name of the Lord Ier. 5.7 Psal 63.11.50.15 and not by anie creatures And that this is a chiefe part of Gods honour to be sworne by in iudgement as it is also to be called vpon in trouble Againe that you shall shew mercie to my fathers house Here is the true meanes of Christian saluation By mercy we are all saued Epist Iud. 21 euen as this Rahab and her fathers house was saued through mercie Ro. 15.7 12.10 Here is also Christian charitie she is not onely carefull for her selfe nor for her father and mother but also for her brethren and sisters and all that belongs to them And that they should quicken them or cause them to liue Here is spiritual regeneration 2. Cor. 5.14 Io. 3.3 Rom. 10.17 without the ministerie all men are but dead men The iust man liues by faith and faith comes by hearing the word of God and how can they heare without a Preacher There is no life of grace and goodnes in man They haue tasted of that bitter fruit of Eue their grandmothers apple they haue died the death And this is that which she addes also saying And you shall deliuer our soules from death And she required also a signe of the truth Heere is not onely preaching the truth by words but also by signes And here are the Sacraments of Gods Church expressed Rom. 4 1◠They are signes of the truth they confirme that to the eie also which the tongue preacheth to the eare And the men said vnto her Our soule shall die for yours if you shall not disclose this our businesse And it shall come to passe that when the Lord giues vs this land we will deale mercifully and truely with thee Here is the chiefe duetie of all christians they must be faithfull to God and to their brethren 1. Sam. 15.31 Mat. 26.25 Ioh. 1.47 they maie not be traitors like Achitophel like Iudas they must all be men of truth like Nathaniel that true Israelite in whom was no deceit Ioh. 1.47 They must not be hypocrites that is to shew a lambes face and haue a lyons heart to haue sweet words in their mouthes Psal 55.21 and swords in their hearts as Dauid describes the wicked And she let them downe by a coard thorow her window because her house was ioyning to the walles of the towne and she dwelt in the wall This coard which let them downe and saued them maie fitly resemble the passion of Christ as a part maie signifie the whole He was bound for vs with a coard Mat. 27.21 when hee suffered his passion As this coard saued them so his passion saueth vs. Againe as that red coard let them downe Phil. 2.5.6 so the bloudy passion of our Sauiour lets vs downe it makes vs humble while we remember what he hath done for vs. What is it now 2. Cor. 5.14 that wee ought not to doe againe for his sake to our brethren Christ also is the true wall Zach. 2.5 Esay 26.1 that defends vs from our enemies And her house was in the wall So must all christians dwell in Christ that is 1. Ioh. 4.8 dwell in charitie as S. Iohn expounds it if they minde to dwell safely And she said vnto them Verse 16. flie vnto the hill least the pursuers meet with you and hide you there three daies till the pursuers be returned and then returne your way Here is also the state of Christs church declared While it remaines in this world it shall bee persecuted it shall not haue an houres rest Mat. 4.2 but some or other will assault it If Christ fast Sathan will assault him in the wildernesse if he a little take his rest in the ship Matt. 8.24 Matt. 22.15 the sea with her waues will go about to drown him if he go on the land the prowd Pharisees will lay awaite for him Mat. 10.24 So the disciple is not aboue his maister Luk. 9.23 so euerie good christian in all places euerie day shall haue his crosse shall haue his pursuers all the three daies of the continuance of this world in the daie of nature before the floud as the histories of Abel and Noah Gen. 4 8.6.3 2. Sam 15.1 Iob. 1.10 Acts 8.1 in the daie of the lawe as the histories of Dauid and Iob in the day of grace as the histories of Christs church plainly prooue And all these 3 daies all Gods children must hide them in that hill that is in Iesus Christ On this hill called Moriah as all the Iewes with one consent saith Munster Munster in annot in 22. cap. Gen. doe affirme Abel and Cain offered their sacrifices and Abraham his sonne Isaac and Dauid his sacrifice also on the threshing floore of Araunah and on that hill Salomon built his temple He is that womans seed that should breake the Serpents head Gen. 3 15. Gal. 3 10. Gen. 49 10. that one seed of Abraham wherein all nations shall be blessed that Messiah that should come whom Iacob prophesied of that was all their comforts And the men said vnto her we will be free of the oath which thou hast made vs sweare Verse 18. Behold when we come into the land thou shalt binde this coard of red threed in the window whereby thou lettest vs down and thou shalt bring thy father and thy mother and thy brethren and all thy fathers houshold home to thee And whosoeuer then doth go out of the doores of thy house into the streets his bloud shall be vpon his head and we will be guiltlesse but whosoeuer shall be with thee in the house his bloud shall be on our head if any touch him And if thou vtter this our businesse we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made vs sweare Here is the preaching of the Gospell that bringeth saluation 1. Cor. 11.26 Rom. 10.9 Gal. 2 20. 1 Pet. 4.2.3 Gal. 6.14 We must binde the red thréed in our windowes that is we must beleeue Iesus Christs death and passion with our harts and with our mouthes also confesse it and in the windowes of all our senses expresse it We must be crucified to the world and the world also must be crucified vnto vs. The honors pleasures riches of this world must not be our delight we must not set our hearts vpon thē Psal 62.10 1. Thes 5.14 Heb. 10.25 We must bring our fathers and mothers and brethren
it shall be opened vnto you Luk. 18.1 And he spake a parable vnto them to the end that they ought alwayes to pray and not to waxe faint and not to giue ouer saying There was a iudge c. Reioyce euermore Pray continually in all things giue thanks For this is the will of God in Iesus Christ towards you 1. Thess 5.16.17 Ioh. 16.24.24 Ephes 5.20 Col. 3.17 Iames 4.2 that is these are the things that God would haue you doe these are the things that hee delightes in so that they bee done in the name of Iesus Christ Ye haue not because ye aske not A Thanksgiuing vnto Iesus Christ for the benefites he hath bestowed on vs taken out of Granatensis which may be called the true Catholikes Graces Gen. 1.26 I Giue thée heartie thankes most swéete Iesu for that thou hast created me according to thine owne image and likenesse Psal 104.30 139.15 for this bodie which thou hast giuen me with all the senses thereof for this my soule with all the powers of it that with them I might both knowe thée Col. 3.5 and loue thee Giue me grace O Lord so to serue thée my creator and heauenly Father that all my sinfull passions vaine affections being mortified killed in me 1. Cor. 3.17 thy image maie be renued in me againe vnto the which I was created and that I may be made like thee in the innocencie of life Psal 22.10 I thanke thée O my swéete Sauiour for the benefite of my preseruation for euen thou the same who hast created me doest euer preserue and kéepe me in this essence and being which thou hast giuen me Moreouer I giue thée most humble thankes because also for this same preseruation of mine thou hast created all things whatsoeuer are in the world Psal 115.16 1. Cor. 3.22 as the heauen the earth the sea the sunne the moone the starres beastes fishes birds trees and in a word all creatures els whereof thou hast made some to sustaine and féede me some to heale me some to refresh and delight me some to teach me and other some to correct me I beséech thée O Lord giue me grace that I may so vse all these in this world as I ought to do and according to that right vse whereunto thou hast made them that is Rom. 1.20 that I may by thē come vnto the knowledge of thée my onlie true God and Lord and that by them there may be stirred vp and kinled in my heart an admiration and wonderfull loue of thy holy name O Lord Iesu 1. Pet. 1.19 I thanke shée for the benefit of my redemption that is for that incomprehensible goodnesse and for that exceeding great mercie which thou hast shewed towards me Also for that most feruent loue Phil. 2.7 wherewith thou hast redéemed me descending downe into the earth that thou mightest lift me vp to heauen being made man Rom. 15.7 that thou mightest make me God and suffering most cruell death that I might haue true life Ioh. 14.6 Luke 2.7.21 Matth. 1.14 4.2 Luke 6.12 9 58. I thanke thée for the humilitie of thy incarnation for the pouertie of thy birth for the bloud of thy circumcision for thy flight into Egypt for thy fasting in the wildernes for thy watching all night in prayer lastly for the pouertie humilitie and miserie of all thy whole most holy life I giue thée thanks for the labours paines reproches mockes Luk. 22 64.23 33.22.44.54.64 Matth. 26.67 Matt. 26.21 Luk. 22.64 Ioh 19.2 Mark 15.32.26 Ioh. 20.25.19.24.30 Mat. 11.35.16 17. Act. 12.28 and taunts which thou enduredst for me in thy most sorrowfull and shamefull death I thanke thée for thy prayer in the garden for thy bloudie sweat for thy attachment for thy buffettings for thy spittings vpon for thy slaunders for thy stripes for thy crowne of thornes for thy purple robe for thy railings vpon for the gall vineger thou drankest for the nailes for the speare for the crosse and for thy death which for me and my saluation thou enduredst I giue thee thanks O swéete Iesu that euen from my cradle thou hast receiued me into the lap and bosome of thy Church that thou hast instructed and taught me in the Catholike faith that thou hast made me a Christian and that thou hast sustained and preserued me both in bodie and soule euen till now I desire thy gratious goodnesse graunt me thy grace that thou onlie maist be the most pleasant and sweete meat of my heart Ioh. 6.27 Ioh. 7.37 and that my soule may alwaies thirst for thée the verie fountaine of the water of life that when the course of this my pilgrimage is ended I may then reioyce in thy most blessed happinesse and felicitie 2. Tim. 4.7 Psal 17.15 Reu. 22.1 and taste of that plentifull and euerflowing floud of delights which comes from the well of life and of all good things els I giue thée thanks most louing Iesu who hast deliuered me from manie and verie great perils and daungers both of soule and bodie Psal 68.20 euen vnto this present day without all my forecast or wisedome when as I in the meane time was worthie to be neglected and reiected of thée I giue thée thankes that when as I lay snorting and as it were buried in the filthinesse of my sinnes that thou hast waited for my repentance so long Rom. 12.11.2.4 and with such great patience notwithstanding that I haue offended thee so often and haue resisted thy holy inspirations Act. 7.51 Graunt vnto me O Lord that hereafter I may follow thée with an humble affection and that with all readinesse and obedience I may obey and embrace thy heauenlie inspirations and good motions Psal 119.122 and that I may driue out of my heart the loue of all visible things 1. Ioh. 2.15 that so being wholie occupied and employed in thy seruice I may neuer be separated from thée hereafter I giue thée hartie thankes O Lord that besides all these benefites thou hast done and 〈◊〉 vpon me thou hast instituted and ordained such most excellent and wonderfull sacraments for my saluation 1. Cor. 11.25 Ephes 4.5 and for a remedy to cure and heale my wounds that thou hast visited me with so manie good holie thoughts and inspirations Also for the blessednesse of eternall glorie Psal 40.5 which thou hast prepared for me if I make not my selfe vnworthie thereof through my manifolde sinnes and wickednesse 2 Pet. 2.22 These O Lord are but thy common benefites which I haue remembred There are manie other which I neither remember nor knowe for the which I giue thée no lesse thanks then for these I haue now reckoned vp yea so much the greater thanks I giue thée for them as the greatnes of thy goodnesse appeares in them more manifestlie For at what time I slept thou didst wake to defend me
disquieted within me O put thy trust in God For I will yet giue him thankes which is the helpe of my countenance and my God The ioy of the Lord is your strength Nehe. 8.10 Rom. 15.13 O Lord of hope fill vs with all ioy and peace through faith that we may abound in hope through the power of the holie Ghost When we shall heare the clocke strike let vs say Blessed be the houre wherein our Lord Iesus Christ was borne and died for vs. When as we shall haue done any thing well let vs say Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs Psal 115.1 but vnto thy name giue the glorie For thy louing mercie and for thy truths sake When we shall take a iourney I will go forth in the strength of the Lord God Psal 71.16 and I wil make mention of thy righteousnes only In a doubtfull matter let vs pray thus In silence and confidence is our strength Esa 30.15 In dangers let vs pray thus Our helpe standeth in the name of the Lord Psal 124.8 who hath made heauen and earth For Faith let vs pray thus with the Apostles O Lord increase our faith Luke 17.5 For the loue of God O Lord poure thy loue abundantly into our hearts Rom. 5.5 by thy holy Spirit For remission of sinnes Haue mercie vpon me O God after thy great goodnesse Psal 51.1 according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Psal 19.13 Who can tell how oft he offendeth O cleanse thou mee from my secret sinnes Psal 25.7 O remember not the sinnes and offences of my youth but according to thy mercie thinke vpon me O Lord for thy goodnes For good thoughts Psal 19.14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be alwayes acceptable in thy sight O Lord God my strength and my redeemer For good workes Psal 119.122 Make thy seruant delight in that which is good that the proud do me no wrong At the houre of death Psal 31.5 Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth For the Church pray thus Psal 28.10 O saue thy people giue thy blessing vnto thine inheritance feede them and set them vp for euer Psal 80.7 Turne vs againe thou God of hosts shewe the light of thy countenance and we shall be saued Psal 85.4 Turne vs O God our Sauiour let thine anger cease from vs. In the afflictions of the Church Amos 7.2 O Lord God spare vs I beseech thee who will raise vp Iacob for he is small Psal 51.18 O be fauourable and gracious vnto Sion build thou the wals of Ierusalem Psal 122.6 7 8 O pray for the peace of Ierusalem they shall prosper that loue thee Peace be within thy walles and plenteousnesse within thy pallaces for my brethrens and companions sake I will wish thee prosperitie Saint Gregorie his Prayer Greg. post Psalmos poenitent O good Iesu the word of the Father the brightnesse of the Fathers glorie on whom the Angels do desire to looke teach me to doe thy will that being led by thy good Spirit I may come to that blessed Citie where is an euerlasting day and one spirit of all men where is certaine securitie and secure eternitie and eternall tranquilitie and quiet felicitie and happie pleasure and pleasant ioy where thou God liuest with the Father and the holie Ghost for euer and euer Amen He that shall vse these short prayers no doubt as arrowes they shall mount vnto the skies and enter euen into the eares of God A View of Gods houshold and of all his Seruants THis is set downe by king Dauid very excellently in the Psalme They haue seene O Lord Psal 68.25 thy goings how thou my God and king hast walked in the Sanctuarie Here Dauid teacheth vs that the Lord God as a mightie Prince sometimes as it were euen walketh in his Sanctuarie and among the faithfull in the congregation Now followeth his traine The singers Sharim go before the Musitians Nogenim they which play with the hand on instruments of musicke follow after in the middest are virgins playing on timbrels or drummes Here is Gods traine first singers then virgins and lastly they which plaie with the hand And these may signifie vnto vs thrée sorts of men in Gods Church Singers maie represent Martyrs or Confessors of the faith Virgins those that next to them though they haue not shed their bloud for the loue of Christ yet for his sake they haue abandoned all the vaine and fleshly delights and pleasures of this world and therefore by good right they challenge to themselues the middle or second place And lastly are those cunning Musitians which play with the hand Gal. 5.6 these are those Christians whose faith worketh through charitie Who haue sowne plentifully with their handes the Lords talents that he hath blessed them withall 2. Cor. 9.6 as Saint Paul exhorteth them to doe And they which haue done so do receiue plentifully againe as our Sauiour witnesseth Matt. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world for I was an hungrie and ye gaue me meate c. And how fitly agrées all these together Martyrs may bée rightly called Singers for as Prudentius writeth of Romanus the martyr when as the cruell persecutor had bored through his chéekes he spake thus to him Prudent in Rom. mart O Ruler fierce I yeeld thee thanks that for one mouth too straite Now manie mouthes thou hast me made my Christ his praise to speake Virgins may bee said to play with Drummes For their praise soundeth farre and wide Matth. 19.12 Of virginitie Christ said He that can comprehend it let them comprehend it As though hée should say it is a price propounded of me to all my disciples to runne for 1. Cor. 7.32 Happie is he that can attaine it And S. Paul erhorting all men to virginitie I would haue you without care saith he But this thing can only virginitie afford you The vnmaried man careth for the things of the Lord how he may please the Lord But hee that is maried careth for the things of the world how he may please his wife Yea there is difference betweene a virgin and a wife They are not all one the one farre excelleth the other The vnmaried woman careth for the things of the Lord that she may be holy both in body and spirit but she that is maried careth for the things of the world how shee may please her husband Here is the excellencie of virginitie put downe weighed as it were in a paire of ballance and compared with mariage that euerie one maie sée the excellency and difference of the one before the other The virgin careth only for the Lord the maried person for the world The virgin
of the sonne 1. Thes 5.5 Mat. 14.31 They are children of light Peter maie doubt and also be afraide but hee cannot be drowned Luk. 22.31 Matth. 8.24 Psalm 94 18. Sathan may fift him but his faith shall not faile The shippe euen wherein Christ is maie be full of water but it cannot sinke Dauids foote may slippe but Gods mercie holds him vp The fire maie bee couered with ashes Psal 116.10 30.6 8 9 31. but at last it will burst out And Dauid will speake with his tongue God maie bee angrie with his ouer night but ioâ—e shall come in the morning If Dauid seede breake Gods law and do not walke in his iudgements if they prophane his statutes and keepe not his commandements He will visite their iniquities with a rodde and their sinnes with scourges but his louing kindnesse will he not take vtterly from them nor suffer his trueth to faile He hath sworne once by his holinesse that he will not faile Dauid The Apostles maie bee at their wittes ends 2. Cor. 4.8 but neuer driuen to despaire For that saying of the Prophet Esay shal stand fast for euer to Christs Church and to euerie member thereof Esay 54.7 For a moment in mine anger I hid my face froÌ„ thee for a little season but with euerlasting mercie haue I had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy redeemer For this is vnto mee as the waters of Noah for as I haue sworne that the waters of Noah should no more goe ouer the earth so haue I sworne that I would not be angrie with thee or rebuke thee that is to destruction Ferus verie excellentlie confirmes this Doctrine In cap. 19. Act. vpon these words If they had receiued the holie Ghost or no Being about to search out whether they beleeued aright or no he enquires whether they had the chiefest fruit of faith which is the holy Ghost And the holy Ghost though it be inuisible yet it doeth make manifest it selfe by many signes This is a most sure and euident argument of the holy Ghost and of a true faith the security of our conscience For the holy Ghost witnesseth to our Spirits that we are the sonnes of God not by nature but by adoption and by the grace of God It doeth also encourage vs and make vs take pleasure and delight in God and it makes vs to stand and to trust without any care or feare as Iohn sayth We now know and beleeue the loue that God hath towards vs. To feele this loue of God is to be wel affected towards God in praising of him in giuing him thanks and in beleeuing in him And being iustified through faith we are now at peace with GOD. What is better then peace What is more excellent or more to bee wished for then peace with God This is the chiefest and most excellent good thing in the world as on the contrary to haue God our enemy is the greatest euill in the world as Cain had whose sinnes the Lord discouered so also he brings to light al the sins of the wicked of whom the holy Prophet writes thus I will reprooue thee and set thy sinnes in order before thy face And againe Psal 49. I will discouer his shame he is a vagabond and cursed vpon the earth and in his labours But the Christian hath peace and what peace I pray you is that Heare what God saith by his prophet I will heale all their sorrowes and griefes and I will loue them freely Esay 47. for mine-anger is turned away from them If God forgiue sinnes who shall condemne vs If hee loue vs freely what can the hatred of the world hurt vs If hee asswage his anger what harme can the diuels malice doe vs So he sayeth in Esay I will not be angry for euer c. This is our true peace but from whence haue we it Surely from no where else but only by Christ And hence he is called The king of righteousnes and of peace As Melchisedecke also who was a Type of him was also in times past adorned with these titles He therefore that as yet lacks this foresaid peace truely cannot haue neither the holy Ghost not a liuely faith And what else is this frée loue this forgiuenesse of sinnes this turning awaie of anger this Christian peace which euerie Christian must haue which hath receiued the holie Ghost and hath a true and sure faith but the certaintie of his owne saluation And they answered we haue not as yet heard whether there be any holy Ghost or no. These frankely and freely and very apparently bewray and confesse their ignorance they haue not as yet heard that the holy Ghost doth worke these things in the hearts of the faithful And how many are there at this day who haue beene a great many yeares Christians and yet neuer haue felt this peace of conscience when as it is the first and principall vertue of the Gospell to make quiet our consciences Ferus here complaines greatlie of the want of this peace and shall wee not exhort all men then diligentlie to labour for it They which haue not this quietnesse and peace of conscience haue not as yet tasted the first droppe of the Gospell Of the force of faith both in the receiuing of the holie sacraments and in the certaintie of our saluation that lesson of Granatensis is worth the marking De Euch. lib. 3. cap. 1. He that sayth hee with all his soule and with all his strength striues to be purged from his sins and to be cured of all his faults vites and imperfections and to bee enriched with heauenly graces and now from wandring after the vanities of this world to returne to his beginning againe let him so order and gouerne his life that he may be fit verie often to receiue and be satiated with this most excellent Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ and by this meanes inwardly to be vnited with our most glorious God euen as if one should droppe a droppe of vvater into a Tunne of Wine so that if all creatures were gathered together they could not find any space or distance betweene such a soule and God himselfe And although perchance a man doe not feele in himselfe by and by this vnion yet let him not be troubled in his mind but with a most strong faith let him beleeue Christ who saith He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me and I in him And how much lesse he feeles God in himselfe so much more assuredly let him beleeue him for then his faith shall be more perfect and shall receiue greater rewards of God if so be he doe as much as in him lyes Thus farre Granatensis This is the nature of faith to beleeue the word euen against reason against sense The more lets and obiections which it ouercommeth the greater Crowne it shall haue And this is that which S. Paul saith The iust man shal
must all his Christians So did Saint Paul who writes thus of himselfe God forbid that I should reioyce but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the world is crucified to me Gal. 6.14 I vnto the world What worldly pompe or delight was there in the crosse of Iesus Christ but hunger cold nakednesse vineger raylings and such like In these S. Paul reioyced Let the worldlings with that rich man delight in their braue apparell in their daintie fare in their state and pompe S. Paul with his Sauiour Iesus Christ will despise all these and reioice rather in nakednes in hunger in reproches as he himselfe witnesseth in another place Euen vnto this houre we both hunger and thirst are naked 1. Cor. 4.11 are buffetted haue no certaine dwelling place no place to put our heads in This is the crosse of Christ which Saint Paul reioyced in Here is a contempt of all the pleasures of the world And in another place We approue our selues the ministers of God in much patience 2. Cor. 6.4 in afflictions in necessities in distresse Here is the proofe that S. Paul was an Apostle of Iesus Christ and by the same arguments must all Christians proue themselues to be Christians For thus our Sauiour pronounceth of his Apostles and in them of all Christians Blessed are ye poore Luke 6.20 for yours is the kingdome of God Blessed are yee that hunger for ye shall be satisfied Blessed are ye that weepe now for ye shall laugh Blessed are ye when men hate you and when they separate you and reuile you and put out your name as euill for the Sonne of mans sake Reioyce you in that day and be glad For behold your reward is great in heauen for after this maner did their fathers to the Prophets But woe vnto you that are rich for you haue receiued your consolation Wo be vnto you that are full for ye shall hunger Wo be to you that now laugh for ye shall waile and weepe Wo be to you when all men speake well of you for so did their fathers to the false prophets c. Here is plainly put downe Diues and Lazarus Diues was rich was full reioyced euerie daie was highly no doubt commended of all men and Lazarus was poore hungry despised contemned of all men But mark what followes befals to both these Abraham told there Diues Sonne Luke 16.25 remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures or good things and contrariwise Lazarus paines or euill things Now therefore hee is comforted and thou art tormented The same here our Sauiour pronounceth to all those which embrace the pleasures of this present world Woe to them that now laugh for that they haue receiued their consolation And againe Blessed are they which now weepe and that despise the pleasures of this world for that their consolation is to come And here is plainelie portrayed out vnto vs the crosse of Christ wherein Saint Paule gloried hunger wéeping reuilings and such like to which a blessing is pronounced But a wo and curse to the contrarie Let all Christians therfore hearing this lesson at their Sauiours mouth and séeing it plainly put in practise of Saint Paul and of all the rest of the Apostles nay perceiuing the terrible execution of the transgression thereof verified in that rich man learne to despise this world and all the pleasures and delights thereof and only to reioyce in the crosse of Christ with Saint Paul and to remember that solemne vow they made in their Baptismes Let them not buy repentance so deare The money they bestow vpon these vaine delightes and pleasures maie be far better bestowed with Cornelius vpon almesdeeds and works of mercie Act. 10.1 Such a despiser of the world was Abraham Gen. 14.22 Who told the king of Sodom that he would not take of all that was his so much as a thréed or a shoo latchet whē as he offred him all the spoiles We would haue said who but a foole would haue refused gold whē as it was offred him But such a foole was Abraham We would haue bin sure to haue taken the riches with this flattering perswasion beguiling our owne selues as manie doe now adaies Iam. 1.22 that when we had possessed them we wold haue bestowed them well But Abrahā chose the safer way not to meddle with them at all His like contempt of the world appeares in his dealing with his brother Lot whē their heardsmen fell out Who though he was the elder had the promises of God made vnto him Gen. 13.1 9 yet he said Let there be no strife I pray thee between thee and me neither betweene thine heardsmen and mine heardsmen for we are brethren Is not the whole land before thee Depart I pray thee from me If thou wilt take the left hand then I wil go to the right if thou go to the right hand then I will take the left If Abraham had made account of the world he would not haue yéelded from his right hee would not haue giuen Lot leaue to haue chosen The like we reade of Moses who when as he was come to age refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter Heb. 11.24 chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God He reioiced rather in the crosse of Christ with Saint Paule then in worldlie pleasures with Diues Some here would haue said though I be in Pharaohs Court I will serue God in my heart I maie do both But Moses thought that Pharaohs delightes and pleasures and Gods loue and fauour could not stand together The prophet Zacharie writes thus of Christs Church Zach. 14.16 that euery one that is left of all the nations which came against Ierusalem shall go vp from yeare to yeare to worship the king the lord of hosts to keepe the feast of Tabernacles And they which will not come vp c. vpon them shall be no raine A strange law and no lesse strange punishment God séemes to renewe againe the ceremonies of the olde law which by the comming of our Sauior are abrogated Againe it is very strange that omitting all the other feasts hee will haue one onlie to remaine that is the feast of Tabernacles Here no doubt the Prophet teacheth vs to forsake the letter For the letter killeth The feast of Taberbernacles was ordained as appeareth in Exod. 23. that the children of Israel might remember their abode in the wildernesse 40. yeares without anie dwelling houses And this feast though it be abolished literally yet God will haue the faithfull still to obserue it spiritually that as they trauailed in the wildernesse those fortie yeares so we also in this world should be as pilgrims and strangers all the course of our life and that we should know that we are borne here in the world no◠that we should fixe our hearts here but that we should as it
wâ—re trauell to heauen To this all Gods creatures do as it were exhort vs which shew vnto vs the excellencie of their Creator that we should seek him alone And when as the holy Ghost is compared to Raine as Dauid saith prophesying thereof Psal 68.9 Thou Lord shalt send a gracious Raine on thine inheritance c. Zacharie plainly testifieth that vpon those that do not thus celebrate this feast of Tabernacles but are carefull of these worldly affaires that heauenlie raine shall not fall O terrible sentence O barren soules that lacke this heauenlie and gracious raine The like lesson God taught all men by the burning of Iericho and all that was therein which no doubt was a type of this world and her delights and pleasures Iosua 6.24 Whereof when as Achan amongst the spoyles saw a goodly Babylonish garment and two hundred shekels of siluer a golden tongue as it is in the Hebrue and coueted them and hid them in his tent Hee was stoned to death with stones for his labour And here are those thrée dearlings of the world againe plainly described to vs which S. Iohn mentioneth which are not of the father a Babylonish garment which maie signifie the pride and state of this life two hundred shekels of siluer which may signifie couetousnesse and the desire and lusts of the eyes And a golden tongue which maie signifie the lust of the flesh which must haue a golden tongue must bee dayly fed daintily with Diues Luke 16.19 Zephanie 1.8 God wil visite such as are clothed in strange apparell no meane diet or fare will content it These things damned Achan Let all true Christians despise and contemne them Let our garment not be in the fashion not strange not Babylonish but comely and such as our owne countrie hath vsed Let our treasures bee not excessiue Let not our tongue bee a golden tongue but content with simple fare as was our Sauiour Iohn 6.9 who is read to haue had barly bread and fish for his prouision Iosuah no doubt was a figure of our Sauiour Iesus and that earthlie Canaan of our heauenlie inheritance Iosua 3.17 But how brought Iosuah the Israelites into that Canaan The first thing they did they went ouer Iordan drie shod And what doth that teach vs but that wee must also passe ouer the Iordan of this life drie shod so that our féete must not be dipped in the delightes pleasures honours desires and affaires of this present world 1. Cor. 7.29 And hereof the Apostle said The time is but short henceforth let them which haue wiues bee as though they had none and they that weepe as though they wept not c. And Dauid Psal 66.6 They passed through the riuer on foote there did wee reioyce in him The true souldiers of Iesus Christ passe ouer the floud of this life with drie féete but there that is in the life to come we shall reioyce in him we shall be as it were drowned in that bottomlesse sea of pleasures The like contempt of the world Iosuah himselfe declared who when as he had conquered all the land of Canaan was serued the last himselfe Iosua 19.49 When as they had made an end of deuiding the land by the coasts thereof then the children of Israel gaue an inheritance vnto Iosuah the son of Nun amongst them according to the word of the Lord they gaue him the citie which he asked euen Tymnah-serah in mount Ephraim and he built the citie and dwelt therein Here he was not his owne caruer but the children of Israel gaue him it and it was called Tymnah serah that is a great image such an account made he of his inheritance but euen as of an image as of a type of that heauenlie inheritance The like account made Dauid of this world Psal 119.17 Psal 16.2.3 though a king O Lord saith he thou art my portion And againe Thou art my Lord my goods are nothing vnto thee To thy Saints that are in the earth or to the excelleÌ„t my delight is in them All Dauids account was of God he made no account of his riches and then next vpon Gods Saints that is vpon his seruants and vpon the poore He set more by the poore then he did by his riches O that this mind were in vs Christians Matt. 9.9 Rom. 13.7 Matt. 17.27 Matthew sitting at the receipt of custome which was a gainfull and a lawfull office for as Saint Paul saith Tribute is to be paid to whom tribute belongeth and our Sauiour paide tribute himself yet he despised this gainefull and lawfull office and followed Iesus Christ But especially that notable example of Zacheus and that singular commendation that our Sauior yéeldes to him for it should teach all Christians to despise the world As soone as Christ had entred into his house Luke 19.8 hee stood forth and said vnto the Lord Behold Lord the halfe of my goods I giue vnto the poore and if I haue taken anie thing from anie man by forged cauillation I restore him foure fold What néed he haue giuen halfe of his goods to the poore but that he despised them and this world and that his delight was now vpoÌ„ Gods Saints as Dauids was To make restitution was necessary but the other was voluntarie And our Sauiour addeth This day is saluation come vnto this house Here are euident signes of a liuelie faith This mans faith flames through charitie for as much as he is become the sonne of Abraham Gal. 5.6 Gen. 18.1 Such a faith had Abraham which wrought through charitie as appeared by his sitting in his tent doore euen in the heate of the day which was extreme in those countries to waite that hee might entertaine strangers As soone as Christ entred into Zacheus his house he stood forth and said thus Behold Lord the halfe of my goods I giue vnto the poore c. They which lacke this faith and this charitie it is to be feared that Christ is neither yet entred into their houses nor into their hearts where Christ is by and by this fire flameth And surelie this his liberalitie to the poore maie séeme but reasonable that a man should giue againe halfe to God Pro. 19.17 1. Cor 4.7 1. Sam. 12.8 who gaue him all that he hath and reserue but the other halfe for himselfe and his children And it séemes to be written for an example not for vs onlie to talke of but for all rich men to follow Whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning Rom. 15.4 saith Saint Paule And nothing is put downe idlie in the Scriptures Christ Iesus will feede the fancies or pleasures of no men no not of kings no not of Herod himselfe Luke 23.9 O that our rich men then would follow this so manifest an example then should the poore be sufficientlie relieued and they do but their duties and be blessed for their labours Then should they be