made heyres with Christ of hys heauenlie kingdome In the Epistle to the Hebrues there is a notable description of that liuely fayth wher it is said to be the ground of things that are hoped for the euidence of things that are not seene Of which description of the Apostle we may make a plain definitiō after thys sort Faith is an assured perswasion of our saluation by the meanes of Christ which is grounded on the promises of God sealed in our harts by the holie Ghost This definition is drawne frō the forme proprietie of true faith but the other in the Epistle to the Hebrues seemeth rather to be taken frō the substance of fayth speaketh of the obiect matter thereof But both of them tend to one and the same thing namely to expresse the nature of true faith to consist in the certaintie of that eternall life which is purchased vnto vs by Christ Iesus which although we enioy not presently yet by faith wee are as fully assured of it as if we had possession and fruition thereof alreadi◠And heereof it is that the Apostle calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulnes or assuraunce of fayth when we are perswaded that wee are so highlie in Gods fauour that nothing is able to seperate or remooue vs frō the loue that GOD beareth vs in his Sonne and our Sauiour Christ Iesus This fulnes of fayth containeth in it these three thinges First a notice or knowledge of the mercifull promises of God in Christ Iesus Secondly an vndoubted perswasiō of the truth of those promises And thirdly the applying of the same to the comfort of our soules and consciences for our saluation For as it is not enough for a man to haue meate vnlesse he also eate it and digest it so it is not enough for vs to know the promises of God vnlesse we beleeue the same to be true and applie them to our owne selues And as it is not enough for a wounded man to haue a soueraigne salue or Medicine in his window vnlesse hee apply it to his wounde so is it not sufficient for vs to knowe that Christ is the Sauiour of the worlde vnlesse also wee acknowledge him to be a Sauiour vnto vs and lay holde on him by the hand of fayth Wherefore this is the propertie effect of a sauing fayth euen to apply Christ wyth his gifts vnto euery one of the faithfull and to make all conclusions of Gods promises perticuler that is peculier to themselues theyr owne saluation And therfore it is that fayth is called the life of the soule because it is the instrument wherewith Christ the true life and foode of our soule is to be eaten Yea it is the mouth the tongue the teeth the stomacke and that heate of our harts soules whereby Christ the worde of God is spiritually taken eaten and digested of vs wyth which worde or rather with which Christ our soules doe liue namely with the fleshe and blood of Christ which we eate drink whilst we embrace and receiue Christ by a liuelie fayth Whereupon S. Cyprian hath this sweete saying Quod est esca carni hoc animae est fides c. That which meate is to the flesh that is fayth to the soule That which foode is to the bodie that is the word to the spirit So that faith is that bond which dooth so straightly vnite and knitte vs vnto Christ no otherwise then the members are vnited to the head wherby wee pertake hys spiritual graces as the members of mans bodie receiue nutriment from the head and in a worde what good things soeuer are necessarie for vs to eternall life doe flowe and are deriued vnto vs from Christ as from a most plentifull and wholesome fountaine and are conueied vnto vs by the instrument of faith as by a strong and substantial Conduit pype It were too long and not so pertinent to the purpose to recite all the properties of this sauing fayth whereof we speake it may suffise therefore to haue shewed you these fewe notes and effects thereof by the due consideration whereof it shall be easie for anie to examine and try themselues as the Apostle speaketh whether they be in the faith or no and consequently whether they be true Christians for the first part of that profession namely for matters of beleefe which consisteth as hath beene shewed not onelie in beleeuing whatsoeuer is propounded vnto vs in the holy Scripture although that also be a true faith but also in the assurance of Gods loue fauour towards vs wrought in our harts by the preaching of the Gospel and sealed by the holy Ghost whereby wee doe firmely perswade our selues that our sinnes are as vtterly forgiuen vs for Christes sake as if we neuer had committed any and his righteousnes as perfectly imputed vnto vs as if wee had performed the same in our owne persons Wherefore to conclude this first part of our present speech he that not onely protesteth with Saint Ierome that he dooth abhorre all sects and names of perticuler men as Marcionists Montanists Valentinians and the like which like the builders of Babell haue built vp Churches Sinagogues and Conuenticles to gette thēselues a name that men might be called after them Marcionists Montanists and such others hee I say that loatheth and detesteth sects and as he was not baptised in the name of Marcion Montan or Valentine but in the name of Iesus Christ so refuseth to be called a Marcionist Montanist or Valentinian or by any name of any man vnder heauen therwithall reioyceth in the name of Christ to be called a Christian and giuing all doctrines and gospels the slyppe pitcheth him vpon the doctrine and Gospell of Iesus taught by hys holy Apostles he that can captiuate his vnderstanding to the obedience of Christ to beleeue humbly such things as Christ by his Apostles proposeth to him albeit his reason or sence should stande against the same And not onely so but also perswadeth and assureth his owne hart and soule that all the mercifull promises that God maketh in hys word doe belong vnto him in especiall and that he is one of that number which GOD hath elected to saluation and for whose sins Christ Iesus the sonne of God was content to die and to ryse againe for his iustification he that findeth himselfe to be in thys fayth or rather thys fayth to be in him and feeleth the fruites and effects therof that is as they are reckoned by the Apostle Rom. 5. to be at peace with God to haue an entrance vnto grace to haue spirituall ioy not onely in prosperitie but euen in tribulation and affliction to haue hope that maketh not ashamed and to haue the loue of God shed abroade in hys hart by the working of the holy Ghost c. Thys man no doubt is in a most sure case for matters of his faith and cannot
369. What we promise in our Baptisme 373. The sixt Chapter Of the onely impediment which is wont to let sinners from resolution which is the mistrust and diffidence in Gods mercie through the multitude and greeuousnesse of their offences Dispaire an ordinarie temptation to the greatest sinners page 377. The shipwrack of soules ouerloden with sin 378. The wofull miserie of desperation page 379 The thing wherein GOD most delighteth is mercie 380. A merueylous example of GODS Clemencie page 381. An other example of Gods wonderfull mercie 382. Iudgment and Iustice to be vsed in true repentaunce that is Iudgement vpon our selues and iustice towards others 383. The deuision of this Chapter into four especiall partes 384. The first part touching the loue that God beareth towards man 384. The first cause why God loueth vs for that he is our Creatour and we are his own workes 385. Euery mā is giuen by nature to loue his own 386. The confidence of Iob in that GOD made him 386. The assured hope Dauid had in that hee was Gods wormanshippe 387 The second reason of assuraunce of Gods loue for that he is our Father 388. What a Father God is 390. Christes most comfortable embassage 390. Howe greatly the respect of a Father mooueth GOD. 391. The Fathers liberall harte to the prodigall sonne 392. What the name of Father doth importe 393. The third argument of Gods loue the giueing of his Sonne for vs. 394. The conclusion of this pointe made by Saint Paule 395. The second part how God expresseth his loue towards sinners 396. Two rare pointes of clemencie in God 397. God that is offended seeketh attonement with vs. 398. Gods wooing of Ierusalem his protestation his cunctation his chiding his fayre speech his complaynt his kinde speech his conference his sweete conclusion 398. 399. 400. A consideration vppon the former treatie of God with Ierusalem 400. Gods tender loue to Ierusalen when he was to destroy it 401. A pitifull complaint vsed by God for the wilfulnes of his people 402. The wonderfull proceding of God with Ierusalem 403. The obstinacie of the Iewish nation 404. Epithetons giuen by God to the people of Israell 404. A wounderfull poin includedt in Gods promise to a sinner 405. What ioy there is made at a sinners conuersion 405. The third part what assuraunce GOD giueth to them that repent 406. The promises of GOD to sinners that repent 407. Foure vniuersalities in Gods promises to sinners 409. Three especiall pointes of great comfort 409. How God hath performed his promises to sinners that haue repented 410. Neuer sinner repented that was not pardoned 411. The reiection of Caine and Esau. 412. The infinite sinnes of the Iewish people and their infinit pardons receiued at gods handes 412. The examples of Manasses and the Niniuites 413. A speech of GOD to be heedefully considered 415. Examples of mercies in the new Testament page 416. The wonderfull clemencie of Iesus our Sauiour 417. Great and many causes of assured hope in Christ. 418. The fourth part being the aplication of all that hath beene said before 420. Saint Paules exhortation to confidence 420. An excellent discourse and exhortation of Saint Chrisostome 421. The speach of the deuill to a soule loden with sinne 422 Saint Chrisostomes counsaile against the Deuilles temptation 423 No time to late to repent 424. An exhortation and admonition of Saint Augustine 425. A similitude of the bodie to expresse the miserie of the soule by multiplying sinne 426. Godly mens wordes ought to mooue vs greatlie 427. A notable ciscourse of S. Augustine touching our conuersion 428. Hell was not made for man but for the Deuilll 429. In this life repentaunce is auaileable but not after 429. FINIS OF THE MANIFOLD PERILS THAT ENSVE TO THE WORLDE by inconsideration And howe necessarie it is for euerie man to enter into cogitation of his owne estate CHAP. I. THE Prophets and Saints of GOD who frō time to time haue been sent by his mercifull prouidence to aduertise and warne sinners of their perilous estate condition for sin haue not onely foretold them of their wickednes and imminent dangers for the same but also haue reuealed the causes thereof whereby they might the easier prouide remedie for the inconueniences to come Such is the charitable proceedings of our most mercifull Lord with the children of men And among other causes none is more generall or more often alledged then the lacke of consideration by which as by a cōmon snare deceipt of our aduersarie most men fall into sinne and are holden also perpetually in the same to their finall destruction and eternall perdition So Esay the Prophet speaking of the carelesse nobilitie and gentrie of Iurie that gaue thēselues to banquetting and disport without consideration of their duties towards God repeateth often the threat of woe against them and then putteth downe the cause in these words The lute and harpe and tymprel and shalme good wine aboundeth in your banquets but the works of God you respect not nor haue you consideration of his doings And then ensueth Therefore hath hell enlarged his soule opened his mouth without all measure or limitation and the stout and high and glorious of this people shall discend into it Heere are two causes as ye see two effects lincked together of these Iewes damnation the one depending of the other For as good cheere and sensualitie brought these men to inconsideration of Gods workes and proceedings towards sinners so inconsideration brought them to the mouth and pits brimme of hell I say that inconsideration of Gods works towards sinners brought them to this perrill for that it followeth in the verie same place And the Lord of hostes shall be exalted in iudgement and our holy God shall be sanctified in iustice as if he had said that albeit you will not consider now Gods iudgments and iustice amidst the heate and pleasure of your feastings yet shall he by excercising the same vppon you heereafter be known exalted and sanctified throughout the world The like discourse maketh God himselfe by the same Prophet to the daughter of Babilon and by her to euery sinful and sensuall soule figured by that name Come downe saith he and sitte in the duste thou daughter of Babilon thou hast said I shall be a Ladie for euer and hast not put vppon thy hart the things thou shouldest nor hast thou had remembraunce of thy last end c. Now therfore harken thou delicate daughter which dwellest so confidently there shall come vpon thee an euill whereof thou shalt not know the of-spring and a calamitie shall rush vpon thee from which thou shalt not be able to deliuer thee A miserie shall ouertake thee vpon the suddain which thou shalt not knowe c. Holie Ieremie after hee had weighed with himselfe vvhat miseries for sinne the Prophets Esay Amos Osee Ioel Abdias Micheas Nahum Sophonias and himselfe all which Prophets liued
cogitation but that his soule did what it pleased by this saith he cōsiderans eum timore sollicitor I am made sollicitous or watchfull with feare vvhen I doe consider him In which wordes hee insinuateth two most excellent effects of consideration First the feare of God of which it is written salutis thesaurus timor Domini the feare of God is the treasure of saluation and the seconde that by this feare hee was made sollicitous watchfull and dilligent in Gods seruice of which the Prophet Micheas saith thus I will tell thee O man what is good what our Lord requireth at thy hands to wit to doe iudgment and loue mercie and to walke sollicitous and watchfull with thy God But thou ô holie and blessed man Iob did this exercise of consideration bring forth in thee so great feare and terror of God and so carefull watchfulnesse for obseruing hys commaundements nowe I see wel the cause why thou writest of thy selfe that thou diddest doubt and feare all thy workes and actions were they neuer so circumspect But what shall wee say nowe adayes most happie Saint who doe not doubt so much as our owne disolute carelesse and immoderate actions who feele no terror of God at all nor doe vse any one iote of watchfulnesse in obseruing his commaundements truelie thys proceedeth of nothing else but of inconsideration it proceedeth of lacke of knowledge both of God and of our selues For doubtlesse if we knowe either of these two things aright as indeede neither of them can bee well vnderstood without the other it could not be but that many of vs wold change our wrong courses O mercifull Lord what sinfull man in the world would liue as he doth if he knew eyther thee or himselfe as hee shoulde doe I meane if hee considered what thou art and what thou hast beene to other that liued and continued in sinne as he doth Not without great cause cryed so often and earnestlie to thee that holy Doctor of thy Church for obtayning of these two poynts at thy hands vt cognoscam te vt cognoscam me that I may knowe thee and that I may knowe my selfe sayth he that is that I may consider feele the true knowledge heereof for manie men doe know but with little commoditie We knowe and beleeue in grosse the misteries of our fayth that there is a God which rewardeth good and euill that hee is terrible in his counsels vpon the sonnes of men that there is a hell for sinners a heauen for good liuers a most dreadfull day of iudgment to come a strayte account to be demaunded the like All this wee knowe and beleeue in generall as merchandise wrapped vppe together in a bundle But for that wee vnfolde not these thinges nor rest vpon them in particuler for that we let them not downe into our hearts nor doe ruminate on them with leysure and attention for that we chew thē not well in mind by deepe consideration nor doe digest them in hart by the heate of meditation they remaine with vs as a sword in hys scaberde and doe helpe vs as little vnto good life for which they were reuealed as a preseruatiue in our pocket neuer aplyed can helpe our health We beare the generall knowledge of these misteries locked vppe in our breastes as sealed bagges of treasure that we neuer tolde nor opened and consequentlie we haue neither feeling sence or motion thereby euen as a man may carrie fire about hym in a flynt stone without heate and perfumes in a pommander without smel except the one be beaten and the other chafed All standeth then good Reader in thys one poynt for direction of our selues in this life for reaping benefite by the misteries of our fayth and Religion that wee alot our selues time to meditate ponder and consider what these things doe teach vs. For as the sicke man that had most excellent remedies and precious potions sette before him could expect no profit or ease thereby if he onely did looke vppon them or smelled thē or tooke them into his mouth alone or shold cast them foorth of his stomacke againe before they were setled or had time to worke theyr operation euen so is it in thys case of ours And therefore with great reason sayde Saint Paule to Timothie after he had taught him a long lesson Haec meditare meditate consider and ponder vppon these thinges which I haue shewed you as if in other speeches hee had sayde all that hetherto I haue tolde you or wrytten for your instruction and all that euer you haue hearde or learned besides will auaile you nothing for your saluation except you meditate and ponder vppon the same and doe sucke out the iuyce thereof by often consideration Wherefore to conclude this chapter my deere and welbeloued brother for that consideration is so precious and profitable so needeful and necessarie a thing as hath been declared I thought it conuenient in thys first fronte and enteraunce of my Booke to place the mention and dilligent recommendation thereof as a thing most requisite for all that ensueth For without consideration neyther this that I haue sayd already nor any thing els that shall or may be sayd hereafter can yeeld thee profit as by most lamentable experience we see daily in the worlde where many millions of mē passe ouer their whole age without taking profit of so manie good Bookes so many preachings so many vertuous examples so many terrible chastisemēts of GOD vpon sinners which euery where they see before theyr face But yet for that they wyl not or haue not leisure or dare not or haue no grace to enter into consideration thereof they passe ouer all as sicke men doe pylles diuerting as much as they may bothe theyr eyes cogitations from all such matters as are vngratefull vnto them But as good Ieremie saith the tyme wyll come when they shall be enforced to see knowe and consider these things when perhaps it will be too late to reape any comfort or consolation therby Wherfore deere brother that which perforce thou must doe in time to come and that perchaunce to thy greater damnation I meane to enter into consideration of thyne owne estate doe that nowe willingly to thy comfort and consolation for preparing the way to thy saluation Preuent the day and redeeme the time according to S. Paules wyse counsell run not headlong wyth the world to perdition stay som time as holy Ieremie admonisheth thee and say to thy selfe what doe I whether doe I goe what course hold I what shal be my ende Take some time from thy pleasures from the company of thy pleasant friends to doe this although it be with losse of some pastime and recreation for I assure thee it wyll recompence it selfe in the ende and make thee merry when thy laughing friends shall weepe The effect of all the considerations that
the other by degrees and yet all tending one way all theyr faces bent vpon one place all moouing marching and turning together all endeuouring with alacritie towards the performance of one coÌ„mon seruice by mutuall assistance wythout discention discorde difference or clamour he that shoulde see this saith the Metaphysicke as he could not but imagine some generall high Captaine to bee among these souldiers whom all obeyed and from whose supreame commaundement and order thys most excellent subordination agreement vnion proceeded so much more vpon consideration of the former coherence consent and miraculous subordination of creatures among themselues in theyr operations must we inferre that they haue som general commaunder ouer them all by whose supreame disposition each creature hath his charge peculier taske appointed which hee must performe for the common and vniuersal seruice of the whole The fourth reason or argument alledged by the Supernaturall Phylosopher is of the meruailous prouidence arte and wisedome discouered in the making of euery least creature within the worlde For seeing there is nothing so little nothing so base or contemptible within the compasse of this heauen that couereth vs but if you consider it you finde both arte order proportion beautie excellencie in the same this cannot proceede of fortune as foolish Lucretius and some other would haue it for that fortune is casualtie without order rule or certaintie and therefore needes it must come from the wisdome and prouidence of some omnipotent Creator If you take a flye or a flea or a leafe from a tree or any other the least creature that is extant in the worlde and consider the same attentiuelie you shall finde more miracles then parts therein you shall find such proportion of members such varietie of colours such distinction of offices such correspondence of instruments and those so fit so wel framed so coherent and so subordinate as the more ye contemplate the more yee shall meruaile neyther is there any one thing in the world more effectuall to draw a man to the loue and admiration of his Creator then to exercise himselfe often in this contemplation for if his heart be not of stone thys will moue his affection We read of Galen a prophane very irreligious Phisitian who as himselfe coÌ„fesseth in a certaine place taking vpon him to consider of the parts of mans bodie and finding much wisedome in the order vse and disposition of the same sought first to gyue the prayse and glorie therof to nature or to some other cause then to God But in processe of tyme beeing oppressed as it were with the exceeding great wysedom cunning and prouidence which he discouered in euerie least parcell and particle of mans bodie wherein nothing was redundant nothing defectiue nothing possible to be added altered or better deuised he bâ—ake forth into these words Compono hic profecto canticum in Creatoris nostri laudem quod vltrares suas ornare voluit melius quam vlla arte possent Here truelie doe I make a song in the prayse of our Creator for that of his owne accorde it hath pleased him to adorne and beautifie his thinges better then by any arte possible it could be imagined Heereby then doth the Metaphysick gather and conclude most euidently that there is a GOD a Creator a most wise powrful artificer that made all things such a one as exceedeth all boundes of nature of humaine habilitie For if all the worlde shoulde ioyne together they coulde not make the least creature which wee see in this worlde He concludeth also that the fore-sight and prouidence of this Creator is infinite for things to come in all eternitie finally that his wysedome and cogitations are inscrutable And albeit sometime he reueale vnto vs some part thereof yet often againe wee erre therein For which cause a wyse Heathen Platonick concludeth thus after long search about these affayres I will prayse God saith he in those things I vnderstand and I wyll admyre him in those thinges which I vnderstand not For I see that my selfe oftentimes doe things wherein my seruaunts are blinde and conceiue no reason As also I haue seene little children cast into the fire Iewels of great price their fathers writings of great learning and wysedome for that they were not of capacitie to vnderstand the value and worthines of the thing One argument more will I alledge of the Metaphysicke grounded vpon the immortalitie of mans soule which immortalitie is proued with one consent of all learned men as Plato alledgeth for that it is a spirit and immateriall substance whose nature dependeth not of the state of our mortall bodie for so by experience wee see dailie that in olde men and wythered sickly bodies the minde and soule is more quicke cleere pregnant and liuely then it was in youth when the bodie was most lustie The same is also proued by the vnquenchable desire which our minde hath of learning knowledge wysedome and other such spirituall and immateriall things wherin her thyrst by nature is so great as it cannot be satis-fied in thys life neyther can the obiects of sence and bodily pleasures or any other coÌ„moditie or delight of this materiall world content or satiate the restlesse desire of thys immateriall creature Which is an euident argument to the Phylosopher that some other obiect contentation is prepared for her in another world and that of such excellencie and supereminent perfection as it shall haue in it all wisedome all learning all knowledge all beautie and all other causes of loue ioy and contentation wherein our soule may rest for euer Thys beeing so saith the Phylosopher that the soule and minde of man is immortall of necessitie it must insue that an immortall Creator sent the same into our bodies and that to him againe it must returne after her departure from this life here Thys was the true meaning indeed how soeuer some later interpreters haue mis-understood the same of that auncient doctrine of olde Phylosophers which Plutarch alledgeth out of Pythagoras and Plato affirming that all particuler soules of men came sent from one generall common soule of the whole worlde as sparcles from the fire and beames from the common Sunne and that after theyr seperation from their bodies they shal returne againe to that generall soule called anima mundi the soule of the worlde for that it giueth life and beeing to the worlde and so to remaine with that generall soule eternallie Thys was the doctrine of olde Phylosophers which seemeth indeed to haue beene nothing els though deliuered in other speeches but that which Salomon himselfe affirmeth in plainer wordes et spiritus redibit ad Deum qui dedit illum and our soule or spirit shall returne to God that gaue it vnto vs. And thys may suffise for a taste of that which the Metaphysicke or Supernaturall Phylosopher can say