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
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
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
in margin word r. world THE TRVE CATHOLIQVES Alphabet or A. B. C. taken out of Saint Ierom. OOR Sauiour Christ in the gospel Mat. 10.1.11.1 Luke 6.13 often cals all those which followed him Disciples that is Schollers now the first thing that a scholler must learne is his Alphabet And that Christians might haue as it were an Alphabet to learne the holy ghost hath put downe that also in manie places of the scriptures First in the 119. Psalme Of which Psalme euerie part begins in the Hebrew with a letter as they are placed in order in the Alphabet Gra. lib. 1. Deuot. cap. 5. nay that Psalme containes in it as some haue noted the word Lawe or Testimonie almost in euery verse To the ende no doubt that euerie Christian should be a scholler and learne that Psalme It is verie easie it is euen milke for children The Prouerbs of Salomon also end with an Alphabet they are also short and fit lessons for yoong beginners in the Lords schoole to learne The Lamentations of Ieremy haue foure Alphabets in them as Ierom notes in the preface of the Lamentations And he expounds euerie letter of the Hebrew Alphabet verie excellently in that place to euerie Christians comfort and edification teaching therein which is the true Church and which teacheth her children the true Alphabet which I haue set downe here as thy Alphabet good Christian Reader if thou wilt be Christs and S. Ieroms scholler Euen as saith he in our writings we cannot come to reade and spell the words vnlesse wee begin at the elements or letters Ieron in praef Lam. 1. so in the Scriptures we cannot know the greater matters vnlesse we beginne at the morall precepts contained in them According as the Prophet saith By thy commandements I get vnderstanding that is after his good workes he got the vnderstanding of secrets But now I must fulfill your request saith he to Eusebius that I may expound euery letter and the meaning thereof Aleph signifies learning Beth a house Gimel fulnesse or plentie Daleth a Gallerie or boards * Ista or â—aec He those Vau and Zain these Ceth life Teth goodnesse Iod a beginning Caph a hand Lamed of learning or of the heart Mem of them Nun euerlasting Samech helpe Gnain a fountaine or eie Pe a mouth and not a bone Tsadi of righteousnesse Koph a vocation Resh of the head Shin of the teeth Tau signes And here marke well least thou be deceiued with the ambiguity of the letters for there are many of them one very like another After the exposition of the letters now the order of the vnderstanding and meaning of them is to be shewed The first connexion of them is Aleph Beth Gimel Daleth that is doctrine a house fulnesse of boards Because the doctrine of the Church which is the house of God is fully and plentifully found in the fulnesse and plentie of the holie scriptures The second connexion is of He Vau Zain Ceth that is those and these be life for what life can there be else without the knowledge of the scriptures by which Christ himselfe is knowen who is the life of the faithfull The third connexion hath Teth and Iod that is a good beginning because that although now we know all things which are written yet we know but in part 〈◊〉 now we sée as it were thorough a glasse darkely but when as â—â—e shall be accompted worthy to be with Christ shal be like the Angels then we shall néede bookes no more The fourth connexion hath Caph Lamed that is the hand of the heart or of discipline The hand is meant in working the heart and discipline is meant in vnderstanding because we can doe nothing vnlesse we first know what we must doe The fift connexion hath Mem Nun Samech that is of these we haue an euerlasting helpe This néedes no exposition but is clearer then the sunne that by the scriptures euerlasting helps are ministred to the faithfull The sixt connexion hath Gnain Pe Tsadi that is the fountaine or the eye of the mouth of righteousnesse agreeing with that we haue expounded in the third number The seuenth connexion which is the last that there maie be also a secret meaning or mysterie in the number of seuen hath Koph Resh Shin Tau that is the calling of the head the signes and the téeth By the teeth a distinct voice is formed and by these signes we go to the head of all which is Christ by whom we come to the kingdome of heauen Now haue we added these things saith Ierom that we might instruct the Reader that these things were not in vaine set downe of the Prophet according to the lawes and order of the letters but all things which are written doe belong to the mysteries of Christ and his Church If this be the true meaning of the Hebrew Alphabet by Saint Ieroms iudgement and as it were also an Alphabet of Christian Religion which belongs to Christ his church and that she is the true church which teacheth her children the same then surely the church of Rome is not the true church which doth not teach her children this Alphabet nay which teacheth doctrine quite contrarie to this that the fulnesse of Christian doctrine is not contained in the scriptures that lay men maie haue life without the knowledge of the scriptures and that they maie doe such good workes as please God without the knowledge of them that they are not helpers but hinderers of their saluation and the verie fountaines of heresies But the scriptures are by Saint Ieroms iudgement the very beginning and first steppe to Christianitie and that in heauen we shall not néede them but here we doe and that no man can doe anie thing well vnlesse he know first what he must doe And no doubt his meaning is that he ought to haue this knowledge out of the scriptures and that they are not authors of heresies but euerlasting helpers to our saluation and containe in them plentifully all the doctrine which is necessarie for the Church Surely it appeares by this that the Church of Rome teacheth not her children the verie first steppe to heauen and this good beginning and therefore shee is Antichrists Synagogue and the mother of perdition by Ieroms iudgement and that without Gods great mercie shée endangereth the saluation of her children Maister Bellarmine in his Hebrew Grammar yéeldes the meaning of euerie Hebrew letter and also makes mention of Saint Ieroms exposition here declared but belike it pleased him not he puts downe another of his owne The true Catholiques Pater noster or Lords prayer expounded briefly by Saint Augustine Ench. ad Laur. cap. 114. CVrsed is euery one as the holy scriptures witnesse that puts his trust in man And by this also whosoeuer shall trust in himselfe is within the compasse of this curse And therefore we are to desire of none other but of God whatsoeuer we hope either to doe
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
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
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
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
be vnder his kingdom And sée how euidentlie in these fewe wordes hee describes this kingdome of Antichrist first It shal be nothing else but an abomination Secondly it shall make a desolation of true faith and religion Thirdly it shall sitte in the Church This abomination shall rest in the hearts of men that externally they shall séeme the temples of God but inwardly in stead of Christ an Idoll shall sit That is this abomination shall polish it selfe with a faire shew that it shall be able to beguile the saints vnlesse they were by Gods power preserued What can be more manifestlie sayde then this that there shal be in the Church of Christ such an abomination that shall quite ouerthrow all true religion and shall polish it selfe with a great shew of holines Doth not this plainly paint out poperie who will venter the health of his soule vpon the name of the Church wherein his abomination shall rest and that with such a great shew of holines But he goes forward When you shall see the abomination that is when that sonne of perdition shall make himselfe manifest For he shal bee made manifest Although his kingdome begun by and by in the Apostles time as Paul saith Now the mysterie of iniquitie worketh And Iohn saith Now there are many Antichristes yea euen as Christs kingdome began from that iust Abell so the kingdome of Antichrist from that wicked Caine yet in the end of the world that impietie shall manifestly discouer it selfe and of this Christ here puts vs in minde And Christ hath added He that readeth let him vnderstand By which word he giues vs to vnderstād that that abomination apostasie shall creepe in so secretly that none vnlesse he be verie attētiue watchfull shal be able to perceiue the same The which is most worthie of marking otherwise the same thing shall happen to vs with Antichrist as befell to the Iewes with the true Christ for they onely looked for in Christ promised an earthlie kingdome worldlie iurisdiction and peace This they gaped after and do as yet gape for In the meane while they knew not Christ being present amōg thē yea they cōdemned him as a wicked man to death who if they had cōpared Christs doctrine miracles to the scriptures might easilie haue knowne him So it falles out for the most part with vs we marke onely those thinges which are externally spokē of Antichrist which as long as we see not we liue carelesse And in the mean time no mā marks that this abomination in many things is fulfilled dayly which one shall easilie perceiue that compareth Christs doctrine to our times Marke therefore that as Christ came first secretly so that he was knowne but of a few neither did it appeare who he was before that he had ouercome the Diuell and Death but these being ouercome when as he raigned then at last he appeared to the world by the preaching of the Apostles All power saith hee is giuen to mee goe yee therefore and teach c. So the kingdome of Antichrist enters in secretly neyther shall it be perceiued till he hath gotten possession of the temple and then shall Antichrist himselfe appeare To conclude if Christ at the first had shewed who he had been all men would haue receiued him So the Deuill if in the beginning hee should haue shewed his wickednesse manifestly all would haue fled from him Againe as Christs kingdome began before hee appeared in the flesh for all the elect from Abel euen to the worlds ende belong to the kingdome of Christ and are one bodie with him So Antichrists kingdome began before he appeared himselfe as S. Paul saith the mysterie of iniquity worketh which shal be reueiled in his time yea all the wicked from Cain euen to the last of them doe belong to the kingdome of Antichrist are one bodie with him Let euery bodie nowe consider himselfe and search the Temple of his hart least peraduēture he find any thing of Antichrists kingdom abomination that is of Idolatrie in himselfe Which that thou maist the better doe Take with thee the first commaundement wherein wee are taught to haue but one God If thou findest any thing in thy selfe wherein thou trustest besides God whether it be any externall thing as to trust in thine owne righteousnes and merits now thou hast that abomination in thy heart and that true Antichrist For Christ teacheth contrarie thinges If thou hearest or seest any thing in the Church which is repugnant to the doctrine of Christ to his life that truly belonges to the kingdome of Antichrist for this is a true saying He that is not with me is against me Thus farre Ferus And secondlie here we may not that Antichrist shall come in closelie and priuilie that he shall possesse the temple that is the heart of man and that the onelie way to discouer him is by the scriptures that all doctrines contrarye to them are Antichristian And that this is a principall braunch of antichristian doctrine to taste of one for all to trust in our owne merits or righteousnes And is not this most euidentlie to affirme that the Church of Rome is the seate of Antichrist who hath taught and doth teach this doctrine Againe vpon these wordes Behold here is Christ or there Ferus writes thus Doe the false prophets preach Christ yea verelie for to preach Christ is to preach righteousnes sanctification forgiuenes of sinnes and redemption For Christ is become al these thinges vnto vs. And these thinges the false Prophets preach how we may obtaine righteousnes and redemption But they teach not that we must looke for and seeke these thinges onely from Christ and onely by Christ Yea they neglecting Christ doe teach to seeke for righteousnes and forgiuenes of sinnes in other thinges Behold say they here or there is Christ which in deede is to seduce and leade out of the way For these thinges are founde no where else but in Christ There is no other name vnder heauen by which wee must be saued Thus farre Ferus If this be true then let all the world iudge who be false prophets whether the Papists or wee who teach all men to trust onelie in Christ and by his meanes onely to séeke for all good thinges at Gods handes when as they teach men to trust in their owne works and to hope for remission of sinnes by the merits of their friers which things onlie are to bee founde in Christ saith Ferus and in nothing else This doctrine Ferus taught we teach But the latter edition of Ferus printed at Rome hath thus corrupted Ferus To preach Christ is to preach righteousnes sanctification remissiō of sinnes redemptiō for Christ is become all these thinges vnto vs. These thinges also the false prophets preach how we shall obtaine righteousnes and redemption but they teach not vs to obtaine these things by Christ his sacramēts and following his steps yea they
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
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
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
2. The. 2 3. was the mother of that sonne of perdition and neither taught true Christian religion nor yet eternall life That saluation comes of the Iewes Here our Sauiour doth teach this woman also what thee must know and in her all Christians They must know their saluation from whence it comes and be thankfull to God for it The Church of Rome hath erred in this point also who hath taught that saluation hath not comed of the Iewes that is by the means only of Iesus Christ but by the bloud of Martyrs She hath added here in England euen the bloud of Thomas which euē Ferus condemnes vpon these words of Saint Iohn Ferus in 1. cap. ep Io. And the bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all our sinnes Mark saith he that he mentioneth not anie bloud but the bloud of Christ For no other bloud can or euer could do this Act. 4.12 c. There is no other name giuen vnder heauen saith Peter in which we must be saued To Iesus Christ alone the people and the children crie Hosannah that is saue vs Lord and as it is also in the Psalme Matt. 21.9.15 Hashlikah and O Lord send vs now prosperitie Matt. 28.18 He alone blesseth the works of our hands and also saues our soules He hath all power in heauen and earth And so must all true Catholikes crie also to him alone and to none else This is also a marke of the true Church But the houre comes and is euen now when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and truth Reu. 22.17 Here is another euident mark of the true Church She still waites for the cōming of Iesus Christ she accounts the time of this world but an houre euen then when Christ spake this and that now the houre is almost quite runne a small time or nothing thereof remaines She thinks that this world is of no great continuance as the Popish Church doth not thinke who teacheth that as yet Antichrist is not comed She thinks that those things which S. Iohn said should be fulfilled shortly Reu. 1.3 are fulfilled alreadie She thinkes not that the greater part of them are yet to be fulfilled as the Church of Rome doth She euer stands in the doore of her tent with Abraham Gen. 18.1 1. King 19.13 and in her caues mouth with Elias still looking when the Lord will come When the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and truth For such worshippers the Father now lookes for Here is another marke of the true Church Ioh. 4.23 To worship the Father God alone and also the maner how in spirit truth In spirit that is with our hearts and in truth that is without all types and shadowes Iohn 19.30 The law now hath an end the sunne shines all shadowes must vanish awaie Our humble hearts now must bée those sacrificed bulles Rom. 12 1. and our chast hearts those sacrificed Turtles and our good hearts those sacrificed Rammes and our bountifull hearts those sacrificed sheepe and our ioyfull hearts those sacrificed calues which God requires Heb. 13 15. God will not be worshipped now with those Iewish shadowes Col. 2.17 which he himselfe commanded the true sonne of Righteousnesse Iesus Christ being comed into the worlde much lesse with Popish shadowes and mysteries and mans deuise Reu. 14.9 or with Popish Images Exod. 20 4. Esa 40 25. which his Lawe and Prophets flatly condemne God is a Spirit and therefore he will be worshipped in spirit and truth Those externall things 2. King 12.28 which séeme pleasant to flesh and bloud as Ieroboams golden calues which he made as some thinke because that God would more highly esteeme golden calues Dan. 3.15 2. King 10.22 then calues of flesh Nebuchadnetzars Psalterie and musicke Baals Priests gay garments and robes frankinsence and such like thinges whatsoeuer wherein flesh and bloud takes so great pleasure and delight are an abomination to the Lord as our Sauiour Christ tels vs in the Gospell Luke 16.15 That which is verie highly esteemed amongst men is abominable before God Hée requires the loue of thy heart the faith and trust of thy soule Eccle. 9.10 Heb. 13.16 the knowledge of thy vnderstanding the obedience of thy will the praise of thy mouth and the good workes of thy handes And this is that which Dauid saith in the Psalme Psal 50.8 that at that great day of iudgement God shall not reproue the people for their burnt offrings of bullocks or goats but if they shal not haue offred him praise and thankesgiuing Let all true Catholikes feare this reproofe God hath foretold vs like a good Maister what hée will reproue vs for and what he will finde fault with in his house when he comes againe and shall we not take héede thereof O carelesse and disobedient seruants Let vs offer to him alone our praise and thankesgiuing and all our prayers least we be reproued and condemned of him when hée comes The true worshippers This proues that there shall be false worshippers in Gods house Esa 1 22. Mat. 13.25 25 33. there shall bee there copper as well as gold there shall be tares as well as wheate there shall be goates as well as sheepe O let vs marke this point well here is the brand wherewithall the Lords shéepe are discerned here is the touchstone whereby the Lords gold is tried from copper Matt. 3.12 here is the sieue and fanne which tries the Lords wheat from the chaffe that we may be shéepe and not goates gold and not copper wheat and not chaffe Let vs take diligent heed of this Vers 25. And the woman said vnto him I know that Messias shall come which is called Christ and when he shall come he shall shewe vs all things This opinion shée had of Christ that he should teach thē all things when he came And shall we beléeue lesse of him Shall we beléeue any doctrine which he neuer taught in his word And our Sauior himself agrees to this her spéech saying I will call you no more seruants Ioh. 15.15 because the seruant knoweth not what his maister doth but I haue called you friends because I haue made manifest to you all things that I haue heard of my father He testifieth here plainlie that he fulfilled her spéech that he had told them all things necessarie to their saluation he kept nothing backe to be reuealed after by the meanes of the Church and therefore he commands his Apostles to go and preach to all nations Matt. 28.10 baptizing them and teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer he had commanded them and nothing els And Saint Paul saith 1. Tim. 6.3.4 He that teacheth anie other doctrine and agrees not with the whole some words of our Sauiour Christ and that doctrine which agrees with godlinesse is puft vp and knowes nothing how wise
caried very earnestly by the broad way to the pleasures of the flesh riches of this world being accustomed to obey no body being desirous of reueÌ„ge ambitious c. These stumbling blockes as much as in him lyeth euerie good Christian must endeuour to take out of the waie We must not onlie commend praise vertue with our mouthes but also embrace the meanes by the which we maie attaine the same which are contempt of the world heartie earnest prayer fasting such like That holinesse of life which flourished amongst all sorts of men in the Primitiue Church appeares not in our daies because we vse not those means of fasting and prayer which they vsed If we would vse the like tillage to the grounds of our hearts which they then vsed without all doubt we should haue the same fruits of righteousnesse Can euen the best land bring forth good corne without tillage Sow to your selues in righteousnes saith the Prophet and reap after the measure of mercie Break vp your fallow ground Hos 10.12 Fasting no doubt is this spirituall ploughing and braking vp of our fallow ground mercie is that spirituall sowing which the Prophet here speaks of They which will haue the land of their hearts beare good corne plentifullie and be fruitfull in all good workes let them vse these meanes let them vse this husbandrie Manie amongst vs at this daie are like the Iewes which relie onlie on the word of God and search out therein manie high points Rom. 2.17 those things which differ are most excellent but those works of charity to their neighbors of contempt of the world of mercie to the poore of watching in prayer of fasting which so manifestlie almost euerie where it commends to vs commands they practise not And is this to professe Gods word This is plainlie to doe as the Iewes did to brag of it and not to follow it The which if we do Rom. 2.23 it shall no more profite vs then it did theÌ„ For they were as S. Paul there saith catechized instructed in the law euen as well as we are and knew the will of God And here I would to God all Christians would marke what Basill writeth concerning another Christian exercise which is watching in prayer which point also I haue handled before out of the Scriptures But as concerning that matter that we are accused of Basil epist 63. that is for the singing of Psalmes by which thing they chiefly terrifie the simpler sort which slaunder vs yet this I haue to answer that the customes which now are vsed are correspondent and agreeable to all the Churches of God The people rising in the night go to the house of prayer making a confession to God in labours and vexation of mind and continuall teares at length rising from prayer they are appointed to sing Psalmes and being deuided into two parts they sing one part answering another after that they strengtheÌ„ theÌ„selues with exercising meditation of the word of God they prepare to their hearts thereby attention and hauing reiected all vaine cares soundnes constantnesse Then one of them hath this office committed to him to begin the Psalme al the rest sing after him and so they passe ouer the night with varietie of singing of Psalmes prayers being entermingled at the breake of the day they altogether as being one man with one mouth with one hart offer to God a psalme of confession and they professe repentance euerie man with his own words If you flie froÌ„ vs for these things you must also fly froÌ„ Egypt you must also fly from both Libyas from the Thebans Palestines Arabians Phoenicians Syrians they that dwell by Euphrates that I may say all in one word all those with whoÌ„ watchings prayers coÌ„mon singing of Psalmes are of great account Here is plainlie set downe the forme of common prayers vsed in the Primitiue Church They rose to praier before daie they made a general confession as we do all together of their sinnes but with teares which we leaue out They read the Scriptures with them strengthened their faith They sang Psalmes all together sometimes and other somtimes prayed Thus they spent their nights and this was the common practise of all the Churches in those daies but now we cannot abide either to wéepe or to watch in prayer Let vs follow their holie footsteps which agree with the Scriptures as before hath béene declared They which beare the names of Christians are not true Christians indéed are like to counterfeit coin which although it haue as it were the Princes image stamp vpoÌ„ it yet is none of his but is forged of some rebel or enemie so these although they haue the outward stamp of the sacraments are not pure gold within but drosse They are not gold but copper Gold is a soft thing pliable and comfortable restoratiue as Phisitians saie but copper is stiffe hard hurtfull to man These lacke the true gold of faith Their faith worketh not by charitie they are not mercifull Gal. 5.6 2. Tim. 3.3 they are not comfortable to their brethren Their beleefe is a counterfeit beléefe it is of copper they are not louing kind they deale hardlie with their brethren They speak Gnathok as it is in the Hebrew Psal 93 4 which signifies anie thing that is old old things are commonly stiffe stubborne that is stubbornly roughly to their brethren Luke 16.24 they coÌ„fort them not they kill their hearts And though such Hypocrits can saie to Abraham with that same rich man father AbrahaÌ„ to our Sauior Christ with many Christians at the day of iudgment Lord Lord open vnto vs we haue eaten at thy table Luke 13.26 we haue receiued thy Sacraments we haue heard thee preach not seldome but often euen euerie Sabboth plentifully euen in our streetes Yet the Lord at his comming for all these externall religious works of inuocation of his name alone and receiuing his sacraments and of hearing him preach shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall punish to the example of all others such counterfeit Christians which haue wrought iniquitie and he shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matt. 25.32 Luk. 12.46 cut them in the middle because they haue but halfe serued him their part shal be with hypocrits For that seruant which knew his masters will prepared not himself not did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes But he that knew it not yet did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes For vnto whomsoeuer much is giuen of him shall bee much required and to whom men much commit the more of him will they aske O terrible sentence The hypocriticall Christian is in worse case then the infidell and Pagan For he not knowing Gods will and yet sinning shall be punished but with a few stripes but the other which knew his masters will and yet offended shall be punished with many stripes And wo be to him that shall be punished with manie stripes at Gods hand who is not able 〈◊〉 â—ndure one There is a parable in thâ—â—â—spel of a father and two sons and he came and said to the elder Son go worke to day in my vineyard And he answered and said I will not Matt. 21.28 yet afterward he repented himselfe and went Then came he to the second said likewise And he answered and said I wil Sir or as it is in the Gréek I Lord I will worke in thy vineyard He made a great shew of willingnesse but he went not What thinke ye saith our Sauiour Euen in mans reason the former is preferred and this yonger with his great shewes is condemned This parable was theÌ„ verified among the Iewes of the bragging and learned Pharisies and repenting and ignorant sinners and I pray God it be not verified likewise in our daies of some vaine protestants puft vp with knowledge and of some ignorant and repenting Papists That same parable also of the virgins was neuer more trulie verified then now Matt. 25.11 it is to be feared manie that be virgins and hate the spirituall fornication of the whoore of Babylon haue lampes of faith Reuel 17.5 yet for want of the oyle of mercie and light of good works shall be excluded though they knocke and praie saying Matt. 5.16 Lord Lord open vnto vs. Let your light so shine before men saith our Sauior that men may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen This lesson is generall to all Christs disciples Our workes should be séene Manie Christians worldly stately works at this daie are séene but their good works are not séene Reuel 14.13 Blessed are they that die in the Lord saith the Spirit they rest froÌ„ their labors their works follow theÌ„ Many do such works now as cannot follow them but remaine behind them But such works shall not profite them Phil. 2.15 That yee saith Saint Paul to the Philippians may be blamelesse and pure and the sonnes of God without rebuke in the midst of a naughtie and crooked generation amongst whoÌ„ ye shine as lights in the world Such should all Christians bee They should be blamelesse But now one shall hardly heare anie one spoken of but that he shall bee blamed for some thing They should be lights giuing good examples in the midst of a crooked generation but now almost all men giue euill example to their brethren Eph. 4. Luke 15.8 Exod. 19.5 Rom. 4 11 24 Matth. 25.1 Phil. 2.15 Luke 12.37 2. Tim. 1.17 The Lord Iesus giue all Christians grace to walke worthy of their callings of that most honourable name wherewith they are called that they may be the Lords trâ—â—ne his iewels that they may be Abrahams sons and wise â—ins that they may be blamelesse and as shining torches in the â—dst of this wicked world and froward generation That Iesus Christ at his comming may acknowledge them for his obedient and watchfull seruants for his glorious names sake to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost one God immortall inuisible and only wise be al praise honor and glory power and saluation both now and for euer Amen FINIS
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