to his creatures of the world but it is measured with his iustice and paysed with his wisedome and mercie And so following eftsones our first matter if it be true as it is most cleare from error or falshode that the Lord is iust and in his iudgements righteous and doth all things by waight and measure how can this be w tut apparance of contradiction when hee gaue heauen to the théefe without deseruing it and led him with him into Paradise hauing done to him no seruice For sinnai for sinner wicked for wicked vnthaÌ„kful for vnthankful théefe for théefe it séemes to the aduise reason of man that God might aswel haue employed his kingdome in Judas that had followed him thrée yeres as vpon the théefe that accompanied him on the crosse but thrée houres fur erat loculos habebat it was written of Judas he was a théefe and had the bagge and of the other it is also written that he was a théefe and a robber wherein if in the maner and fashion of robbing they were different much lesse were they like of name and fact So that if Iesus Christ had taken his kingdome from a wicked man to haue giuen it to a good man that had bene to do iustice vprightly but to take it from one théefe to bestowe it on an other robber séemes a thing very straite and hard for that in the world there can be nothing worse employed then that which is geuen to a person vnworthy God the creator tooke the right of inheritance from Cain to bestowe it on Abell he depriued Jsmaell to giue it to Jsaac and Esau to transferre it to Jacob he tooke it from Ruben too bestow it on Juda he deposed Saule to the end to rayse Dauid to the Empire depriued Holy to aduaunce â–ª Samuell al which he did for that in the one fort of them he found great merites and in the other plentie of wickednes and abhominable crimes But in these two théeues the world discerned little apparance of merit and lesse expectation of any good thing in a life so euill disposed as theirs where being detected iudicially the very testimony of their faultes proued in them sufficient matter to bée reprehended and corrected But since GOD is of a power to pearse into the thoughtes hartes and intencions of men and to him selfe he hath reserued the solucion and triall of thinges that hée doth I say that in this nor in any other case what so euer there is nothing wherein it is lawfull for man to argue with GOD For in this did hée iustly send Judas into hell and wyth the same equitie translate the théefe into Paradiseâ—… for that the one was worthy of glory for confessing his trespasse and the other deserued to loase it for that hée was a Treator to the lyfe of his Mayster Let vs not marueile at the thinges that GOD doth and much lesse rise into thought and wonder at the thinges which the almightie in his eternall counsell foreséeeth one man findes out an other by the habitte that they beare but GOD iudgeth euery one by the harte that hée hath yea hée leadeth the actions and effectes of their lyfe not according to their worldly appetite or wisedome but as hée hath preordeined in his eternall presence whereby it followeth that in the soueraigne and high tribunall of Iesus Christ the trueth of his iustice neuer was corrupted nor the measure of his mercie falsefied Therefore if Iesus Christ communicated the kyngdome of heauen to the théefe he did it in these good reasons and considerations first because hée confessed him to bée Lord hée accompanied him on the Crosse hée rebuked his other companion acknowledged him selfe to bée wicked died with Iesus Christ and to him recommended himselfe Oh infinite bountie and secret iudgements of God séeing that in recompence of a fewe transitory yeares wherein the théefe was a sinner in the world the Lord was content to be satisfied wyth the thrée houres wherein hée became a good man on the Crosse Yea those thrée houres onely wherein hée accompanied Iesus in his Passion serued him more then the thrée yeares of the Apostleshippe of Judas And these houres béeing the last and extréeme seasons and respite of his temporall lyfe hée employed so well that the more hée had sinned at leasure wyth so much more deuoute diligence hée repented and so much the more soddenly aspired to his conuersion But let vs nowe ioyne to the example of this théefe his singular excellencies and withall let it bée a chiefe office in our Christian dutie to knowe that the foundation of our health and heauenly felicitie consistes in the true fayth wée haue in Iesus Christ by meanes whereof as wée ought to doe our dutie and thereby stand in grace to obtaine that wée would or desire so without this meane wée can not be saued nor yet deserue to bée called Christians For to be a Christian is no other thing then to beléeue in Iesus Christ our GOD and serue him as our redéemer And that this good théefe was made a Christian it is a good argument to holde that he would not haue aunswered for Iesus Christ if hée had not bene a friend to Iesus Christ neither would hée haue recommended him selfe to him as to God had hée not beléeued him to bée god That this théefe was baptized we make no doubt but the maner and place of his baptizing is to vs vnknowne onely we may say that if there were want of water to performe the ceremonie there wanted no teares of the mother nor bloud of the sonne to regenerate him At the baptisme of Christ was onely S. Iohn but at the conuersion of this théefe was Iesus himselfe his mother S. John Mary Maudlen Nicodemus Joseph together with the inhabitants of JerusaleÌ„ vpon which we may inferre the in the house of God more honour is reserued to good théeues then to wicked Emperours This theefe was so good a christian and beleued with so great zeale in Iesus Christ that in faith he surmounted all those that till then were dead and withall was no lesse equall to all such as then liued For publikely and without feare he confessed Iesus Christ to bée God where all the others either denied him or doubted of him So much the more merit hath the fayth of a Christian sayth S. Gregory by how much lesse the reason of man hath force or vigor of it So that the merit of our catholique faith consistes not so much in thinges that the eye séeth as in that the hart beleueth But let vs conferre a little the simple beléefe of this théefe with the faith of those that were dead long afore him and such also as liued at the instant with him and we shall find that by how much they excelled him in good life and conuersation by so much did he requite it in the recompence of his faith and beliefe Abraham had faith but
requirs him he graunteth him not that he demaundes But thrise happie was this théefe who afore all thinges desired the Lorde to haue remembrance of him when he came into his kingdome wherby demaunding pardon and remission of his sinnes he obteined the kingdome of heauen more easelie then he thought for Abraham demaunded of God linage and there was giuen to him a sonne of whose race Christ discended according to the fleshe Jacob prayed for the redeliuerie of Beniamin which he saw accomplished Tobias beséeching God for the returne of his sonne from Niniuie imbrased him safely restored and richely maried Iudith praied to God to chase away Holofernes and his Campe from her towne of Bethulia he put the Enemie into her power Anna in great compassion desired issue and she brought forth Samuell the Prophet And loe this good théefe besought God to haue remembrance of him in the other worlde and the Lorde did not onely pardon him in this worlde but also glorifyed him in his eternall kingdome Right true and absolute is the testimonie of the Scripture speaking of the liberalitie of God Quod ipse dat omnibus affluenter God geues to al men in great aboundance which is contrarie to the manner of the Princes of the world who if they geue it is not in plentie and if they distribute in fulnesse they geue it to few But such is the bountie and blessed liberalitie of our Lorde that he refuseth not to geue that which is demaunded and much lesse geues in penurie that which is required of him Aperis tu manum tuam et imples omne animall benedictione All those in this worlde sayth the Prophete that geue anye thinge geue it cloase fisted as the saying is But the Lorde alwayes encreaseth in liberalitie wyth his handes open who as he is Pitifull to pardon so also in his rewardes and recompence he expresseth hyghe Liberalitye Here also is to be noted that this Théefe in his inuocation to Christ dyd not desire the LORDE to haue remembraunce of him to the ende he were not Crucifyed nor required him to be mindefull of him that he myght escape the Perilles of Death since it was he onely that gaue lyfe But he sayde onely Lorde forget me not when thou commest into thy Kyngedome For séeing thée on thy Knées afore Pilate sayth he and béeing asked whether thou were a Kynge and had Realmes I hearde thée Aunswere that thy Kyngedome was not of this Worlde Which béeing true I beséeche thée Oh swéete comfort of my Soule that when thou art in Possession of thy Kyngedome of rest thou wilt then haue remembraunce of me being the greatest Sinner in the Worlde This Théefe séeing GOD in presence hearing him speake in person and touching him wyth his handes and woulde not demaund of him other thinges then of the Worlde to come can not but put men in a maze and drawe euen Aungels to admiration From the houre that our Blessed Sauiour suffered his bloude to be dispearced vppon the Crosse there hath bene great effect and vertue of it in the Church whereof appeared right good Testimonye in the discourse and action of this Théefe whose lyfe and whole course of his behauiour hauing béene infected wyth wicked conuersation he demaunded presently to be made a neyghbour of the Hierachies and companion to our redéemer And hauing done no seruice to GOD he asked of him wyth full mouth the Kingdome of Heauen which he obteyned not so much through the merite of his inuocation and Prayers as by the meane and vertue of the bloud of Iesus Christ wherin there is no reason to doubt but as our Lorde was readye to yéelde vp the spirite and that the effusion of his bloud prepared to an ende so this good théefe saw the Heauens open together wyth the great glory layde vp for our sauiour by which occasion he cryed in sewertie of fayth Memento mei cum veneris in regnum tuum For otherwayes it had béene vaine for a Théefe to haue demaunded wyth such boldenesse the Kyngedome of infallible felicitye But whether the Maiestie and presence of Heauen were open to him or not there is no necessitye of reasoning Onely let vs ioyne our selues to his Fayth and opinion and wyth his Prayer let vs call vppon the Lorde to remember vs when he comes into his Kyngedome for there may we be sewer he will remember vs since in this world he will not recompence the seruices that we haue done to him and in the other he will laye vpon vs the offences we haue committed agaynst his Maiestye Let vs beséech him that if in recompence that we are Baptized if for the renoume name and tittle we beare of Christians if for that we are his Seruauntes and specially if because he hath redéemed vs it will please him to blesse vs wyth any rewarde let it not be bestowed vppon vs here on earth but when he shall be established in the estate and maiestie of his kyngedome For all such as he markes with recompence and rewarde in the Booke of this worlde it is a signe that he hath razed them out of the register of Heauen Jsaac was aduaunced more then Jsmaell Jacob preferred aboue Esau Juda fauoured more then Ruben Joseph raysed aboue his Bretherne and Nahabor aduaunced to the Vines of Samaria But let vs praye for no other aduauncement then Dum veueris in regnum tuum For out of thy house all honors all preferments all riches and dignities are contemnible For the ende of this discourse we haue to note that Christ pardoning this théefe sayde not Amen dico vobis but speaking singulerly he sayde Amen dico tibi Whereby as in the manner and estate of his pardon he manifested his mercie so in forgeuing him alone he shewed his vpright iustice Many nations and men of sundrie qualities and Countreyes standing then round about the crosse would haue bene glad to haue obteyned remission but amongest them all to this théefe onely was graunted pardon the better to aduertise vs that since he forgaue him we should not dispaire by the same meane to obteyne remission And since he pardoned but him alone let vs not sinne the more in hope that he will pardon vs So for conclusion let vs not forget that he forgaue the people afore they had transgressed and pardoned the théefe after he had sinned by which we are instructed to feare his Iustice and to remember his mercye which it may please him to exhibitte towardes vs here by grace and in the worlde to come by glory A discourse expounding this text of the Psalme Irasoimini et nolite peccare CHrist gréeuing still with the encrease of abuses in the Temple saw great necessitie of Discipline and therefore in one daye he whipped out the Vserers reuersed their exchaunges and dispersed their treasors Wherin we haue to note which of these two thinges were of a most importance eyther the zeale that Christ had or the fault that was in them béeing sewer that
the Samartiayne in forgeuing her adulteries vpon the théefe in purging his theftes vpon S. Peter that had denied him and vpon the wretched Hebrues that conspired his death Oh mercifull Iesus delight of our soules since the time is past wherein thy father was named the God of reuenge the season come wherein he is called vpon by the name of father of mercies we besech thée oh sauiour of the race of man to haue pitie vppon our soules amend our liues we that are thy brethern members of thy church and since in losing our selues we lose much the meane of our safetie stands onely in thy goodnes pardon vs according to thy holy custome propertie of thy nature oh creator of all things redéemer of al faultes since thou hast spoken by thy Prophete J will not the death of a sinner but that he liue and bee conuerted Beholde vs Oh Lorde in thy presence and conuerted to thée Receaue vs Oh infinit and perpetual God as our Father and pardon vs as thy childrē and as we confesse with humilitie Tibi solipecauimus so let it be thy pleasure to saye to thy Father Pater ignosce illis he was called in the olde law the God of reuenge because his will was that there should be restitutiō of eye for eye tooth for tooth and hande for hand But in the law of grace he is called Father of mercy for that he hath cōmaunded to render loue for hate honour for infamy clemencie for cruelty pardon for iniurie Locuti sunt aduersum me lingua dolosa et odio circundiderunt me expugnauerunt me gratis ego autem orabam sayth Dauid speaking in the person of Iesus Christ Oh sinagog full well doe I know that thou canst worke me no more euil then thou hast already don for thou hast hated me with thy hart blasphemed me with thy tonge killed me with thy hands in recompence of these deadly wrongs I prayed to my father for thée with vehement humilitie called vpon him to heare my praier This Prophecie sure as it was pronoūced by Dauid both king Prophet so hath it also ben accomplished by Iesus Christ For at the time when they crucified him with nailes torments at the instāt when they blasphemed him with their tongues at the season when they helde his Prophets in derision ▪ yea when he licored the earth with his bloud and opened the heauens with his tears euen then did he pray with great cōpassion to his father to pardon them oh wonderfull boūtie of our sauiour who seing euen frō the crosse his greatest enemies Quod loquuti sūt aduersum illum quod odio circundiderūt without occasiō expugnauerūt illū yet he praied for thē as if they had ben frée exempt from fault great is the action of this boūty ouerpassing the reach of man and exceding the iudgment of Angels and yet a worke right worthie of the Lorde betwéene whose holy intentions and Wicked working of his Ennemies is expressed no small difference For that for loue they rendred hate they appoynted him prisoner where he purchased their deliuery they accused him where he excused them they persented him afore Pilate where he offered them to God his father yea where he desired to haue them pardoned they procured to sée him crucified so that in this he expresseth a greater zeale to them then they can beare to themselues for that he holdeth the offender absolued demaūdes pardon of his Father afore the falt he confessed They prepared gal and vineger to present him in the passion of death and sharped their launce to pearce his sydes and yet he besought his father to remit the punishemēt afore they had actually commited the sinne if the sonne of God would haue demaunded any other thing of his Father the present view and estate of his martirdome ministred sufficient occasion for he might haue desired of his Father to remoue the panges of his passion or to ease the paines of his fleshe pearced thorow with nailes to take his enemies from his presence to preuent the obloquie to suffer betwéene two théeues or lastly he might haue demaūded that after his death to his body might be ioyned a sepulcher But to requestes of such nature the sauiour of the world séemed to cary small regard lesse expectation of cōfort or ease to his owne distresse no he estéemed it a thing far more worthy of him an act of greater charity to require pardō for his enemies rather thē to séek solace for his presēt sorowes or be careful for his pains to com ech redéemer of the world let it please thée we besech thée that as in the act of the holy sacrifice celebrated by thée vpō the crosse thou prayedst for thine enemies besought thy father to pardō thē that euen by the same boūty thou wouldst also vouchsafe to prai to thi father for vs particularly saying pater ignosce illis for albeit we were not of the nōber of those that crucified thée yet we ar not exempt frō trāsgressing thy commaundementes and are euen with the first that haue offended thée it suffised not Christ to saye onely Pater ignosce illis but in excusing them he added Nesciunt Quid faciunt Oh Father sayth he forgeue them as people that know not the harme that they doe in putting me to death and as men ignorant of the displeasures that wil happen for want that they haue not knowne me vouchsafe to supplie the fault of their ignoraunce Quia nesciunt quid faciunt Rightly spake the Lorde of them when he sayd They know not what they doe for ignorance was to them knowledg that by his bloud should be a appaised the wrath of the Father the seats eftsoones replenished which were made voyd by the offence of the wicked Angels the olde sinne of Adam defaced the vniuersall world redéemed This was an assured argument of their ignorance for that they put to death the sonne of God the inheritour of eternitie the workeman of the world the lord of angels he which is not only iust but iustice it selfe truly they knew not what they did since the time will come wherin shal be redemaūded of thē the blood of the innocent their citie destroyed layd open to spoyle their riche temple reuersed their sacrifices confoūded their law take end yea vntill the reuolution of the world they shall wander as vagabounds without law without king Nesciunt quid faciunt for by the effusion of that precious bloud the Church hath succéeded the smagog Iesus Christ taken place of Moyses baptim supplanted circumcision the Apostles succeded the Prophets the olde testament the new the crosse of Iesus Christ abollished the serpent of brasse the sacraments of the Church defaced the olde sacrifices so that as they toke away the lyfe of Iesus christ with paines on the crosse so in the same he put end to their sinagog
in the Companie of Robbers dyd suffer a slaunderous Death yet it was not for the he had any communitie with the offences of the théeues and much lesse suffered for his proper crimes but for the Sinnes of the Worlde Quae non rapui tunc exsoluebam I make sayth Christ by the Prophete satisfaction for the faltes done by others others haue eaten the Apple and yet I paye the price of it Though I haue committed no Crime yet mine innocencie is put to punishement Yea where others haue troubled the commonweale I am committed to iustice and hauing no nature or effect of offence in me yet I passe vnto death for the sinnes of the whole Worlde Right iust was the occasion of our Sauiour to holde such argument For that if they crucifyed him vnder a most smarting and infamous death it was not for that he had deserued it but to the ende that by it mankinde should be redéemed This théefe sayd not with sewertie that he was Christ and therefore by making wicked doubt question whether he were the sonne of God or not he deserued not with his companion to be made a Christian But the good théefe making no doubt of his omnipotencie sayde absolutly Lorde haue remembrance of me and therefore was not onely adopted to Christianitie but also there was ioyned to his fayth recompence of eternall saluation In the same maner S. Peter said not if thou be Christ I wil beleue in thée but he protested in bolde fayth and cryed J beleue that thou art the Sonne of the euerliuing God For who will receaue the grace and blessing of God his fayth ought to be without scrupull or doubt he that wil obteine any thing of god saith the Apostle it apperteines to him to aske it with a faith that is not doubtful for if God giue vs not forthwith that which we demaunde of him it is more for that we know not how to aske him then that he is harde to grauÌ„t our requests Let it then be farre from vs to say with the wicked théefe If thou be Chrict saue thy selfe and vs also but let vs rather with the Blinde man of Hierico say Oh sonne of Dauid haue pitie vpon vs For so shall we be made to sée with the blinde man and not caried into damnation wyth the Théefe Who in saying to Christ Salua te met ipsum et nos thought to perswade him to leaue the Passions of the Crosse and put himselfe in libertie and deliuer him from death For this was the opinion of this wicked théefe that euen as Pilate put on him the senteÌ„ce of death for his thefts and roberies euen so also there was no lesse guiltinesse in Christ as béeing vntruely holden a Seducer of the People and a man contrarie to the common Weale And therefore he thought that as the Terrors of Death made him vnwilling to dye so also there remayned in Christ a desire to lyue longer Wherein his error was so much the greater by how much he considered not that ther was necessitie of Christs death for the redemtioÌ„ of the world for which cause though he wished to liue loÌ„ger yet our sauiour desired the present stroke of death according to his owne words to his disciples Desiderio desideraui hoc pasâ—ha manducare vobiscuÌ„ at other times sayth he I haue celebrated with you this feast the which at this preseÌ„t I esteme to be truly passeouer in holy scripture The doubling and reiteration of a worde is a signe of vehement and great desire the which was wel expressed in the zeale of our sauiour who by this phrase Desiderio desideraui published manifestly that he had no lesse desire to dye for vs then most desirous to redéeme vs For of that nature was his thirst and desire to ouercome our perpetuall death that he expected nothing more then the houre wherein he might employ for vs his most holy and vndefiled lyfe There was great similitude and likenes betwéene the blasphemie of this wicked théefe and the request of the Jewes who willed him to descend from the crosse and they would all beléeue in him wherevnto if our sauiour had condiscended and abandoned the agonies of the crosse al the world had stand crucified with death sinne and the perpetuall perplexities of Hell Oh wicked théefe Oh people hardened and obstinate if Christ had come down from the crosse according to your requestes or if he had deuided himselfe from the paines of death following the blasphemous motion of the condemned théefe much lesse that it had bene happie with any sort of people but of the contrary Hell had bene alwayes open for you and the gates of Paradise perpetually closed agaynst our posterities For the Lorde came not to descende but to mount and ascende not to eschew the crosse but to dye vpon it Cum exaltatus fuero a terra omnia traham ad me ipsum sayth our Lorde Iesus Christ Because now I goe Preaching from one countrey to an other and that I haue my ryches dispersed you cannot haue knowledge of my might nor of the vertue and benefites that are in my power But when you sée me elected and chosen to the crosse euen in the same place shall be my treasure This spéech truely is of great admiration for the good sort and leaues no little feare to the wicked Omnia traham ad me ipsum by the which we are instructed that who will obteine any thing of Iesus Christ ought to aske it vpon the crosse For neuer was the Lorde so liberall as when he was Crucifyed at no time so rych as when he was Naked nor at any time so mighty as when he was condemned to death All these treasures did Christ bring with him from heauen to earth and from the earth he recaryed them with him to the trée of his suffering and being there he dispersed them through out the worlde so that he that is found most neare the crosse of our sauiour on him is bestowed the most plentifull rewarde it was on the crosse that he recomded his soule to his Father his Church to S. Peter to Nicodemus his body and to the good théefe the ioyes of Paradise it was on the crosse where he commaunded the Sunne to hyde his lyght the stoanes to breake the vayle of the Temple to rent the graues to open and the dead to ryse agayne which carieth an assured Testimonie that in his death was wrought the effect of our lyfe it was on the crosse that he spake to his Father gaue comfort to his mother had remembrance of his Disciple pardoned the beléeuing théefe and illumined the centurion to the end he might know Iesus christ to be the redéemer and confesse himselfe a sinner it was on the crosse where his side was opened his bloud shed where he shewed most plentifully his charitie expressed most myldly his patience and vsed greatest clemencie Yea it was the place where his death tooke ende and our redemption receaued beginning Lastly
it was by the occasion that God spake to him from heauen Esay had fayth but it was because he had séene God in his maiestie Moyses had faith but it was for that God did communicate with him in a bush that burned and was not consumed Ezechiell had fayth but it was for that he had séene God enuironed with Seraphins Great sure was the faith of these holy personages but much greater no doubt was that of this sinfull théefe For if they beléeued in God it was because they had séene him and spoken face to face to him But so simple and resolute was the fayth of this théefe that he beléeued Iesus Christ to be God and had neither séene his maiestie nor yet to doe the workes of God yea though Christ did them yet he vnderstood them not In like sort touching his comparison with such as were then on liue We doubt not but Saint Peter had faith but it was for that he saw Christ march vppon the waues of the sea Mary Maudlein beléeued but it was for that he raysed againe her brother Lazarus The woman of Chanan had fayth but it was because she had séene him expulse the wicked spirit out the body of her daughter the Centurion beléeued because Iesus Christ had healed his seruant And Saint Iohn had fayth but it was because he had reapposed in the lap and bosome of Christ Right slender was the faith that these men had considering the wonders and miracles which they saw Christ do but oh blessed and happy théefe who notwithstanding he saw no action of these great wonders neither Christ to commaund the waues nor stay the wyndes nor chase out Deuils nor yet raise the dead to life yet with open voyce he durst confesse his creator and take him for a redemer yea in calling him Lord he acknowledged that he had created him and in crying to him to haue remembrance of him hée confessed that he had redéemed him and therefore as a good and faythfull Christian he beléeued with his hart and confessed with his mouth What habit or apparance of a Lord saw he in Christ when he sayd to him domine memento mei Yea what argument of confidence or assurance could he gather in him séeing that to whom so euer is called Lord it appertaines that he be frée which was farre frō Iesus Christ being bound to the crosse to be called Lord it behoueth to be mightie or at least compotently rich which appeared not in Iesus Christ being naked dismembred and crucified to the port and name of a Lord belongs great traine and seruice which was not expressed in the state of Iesus Christ who was forsaken euen of his owne followers And to the dignitie and place of a Lord belonges to be well obeyed and honoured which fell out contrary in the person of Iesus Christ for that euery one conspired against him and opprobriously crucfiied him betwéene two théeues yea by so much more worthy was the faith of this théefe by how much hée saw the Lord suffer imprisonment as a man and whipped and scourged as a man and yet confessed him to be God and called him God saying Lord haue remembrance of me Since this théefe was executed and Iesus Christ crucified great hath ben the number of saintes that beléeued in him greater the companie fellowship of Martirs that haue suffered for his fayth So that the example of the théefe beléeuing vpon so small occasion puts all posterities in remembrance how iustly we are boūd to fixe settle our fayth vpō the same son of God whom the théefe acknowledged to be the sauiour of the world In déede the writers of the gospell make no mencion of the race nation of this théefe neither what proportion of age he boare what offēces he had don nor what law he held for that to Pilate the iudge being a Romane belonged this prerogatiue to crucifie indifferenly the Gentils apprehend the Jews but what mystery so euer may be ascribed to the scripture for vsing scilence in this case let vs gather and beleue that God is no acceptor of persons but receiuing all sorts that beleue in him he makes no difference in his election whether they be noble or of base bloud pore or rich cōquerors or captiues infamous or well renowmed only it suffiseth that we repute Iesus Christ as our onely king obserue faythfully the precepts he hath left amongst vs so that of what sort of sinners so euer we be how late so euer we come to the crosse let vs not dispaire to be hard since we read not that to this thefe was ministred either baptisme or confession nor that he fasted vsed restitution nor had repentance vntill he was committed to execution when one sighe powred out in faith suffised to make him a christian and in one onely worde pronounced in hope was vertue to translate his soule into heauen To robbe in infancie to robbe in youth and to robbe in olde age the experience is dayly afore our eyes but to rob at the very article and instant of death we neuer red of any but of this théefe who then stole the kingdome of heauen Our originall Father Adam was a théefe when he stole the Apple in Paradise Fayre Rachell was a théefe when she Robbed the Idols from her Father Laban Achior was a robber in stealing the rod of Golde in Hierico Dauid was a théefe when he conueied the launce and flasket of water from the beds head of Saule Judas was a théefe in stealing the Almes of Iesus Christ And the seruauntes of Dauid were none other then theues when they stole the water in Bethelē But amongst them all none was more famous more suttle more notorious nor more cunning then this théefe who rob bed yea afore he was layd vpon the crosse and being crucified for Pilate taking from him his lyfe on the crosse he stole from Iesus Christ in the same place an other lyfe where vpon S. John Chrisostom speaking vpon that théefe sayth that for theft Adam was chased out of Paradise and for theft this théefe was bestowed in Paradise He that lost his lyfe by a trée went out of Paradise this entred into Paradise that recouered his lyfe vppon a trée he was chased out that beléeued not in God and this entred in because he confessed God to be God a Théefe was the first that issued out of Paradise and a Théefe was the first that entered into Paradise Yea at the houre of middaye GOD did iustice of the first Théefe and at noone tyde he Pardoned this Théefe wyth whom the Lord graunt vs to be Théeues not to steale the Apple as did Adam nor the Idols with Rachell nor the Flaskette as Dauid dyd nor the Golden Rodde with Achior but to steale for our selues the blessed fruition of the Maiestie of GOD which being the praye of this Théefe he is therby become perpetually happie euen in the bo-some of Abraham the
to haue him steale from her to enriche his frende to communicate wyth his minion and be a straunger to his Wife and to minister to the wantes of his Concubine and be wythout pitie to his proper Children In the Lawe of Christianitie the same fayth the woman is bounde to kepe to her Husband he is al so bounde to obserue to her But if Wyues had the lyke authoritie to chastise as Husbandes take libertie to accuse sure they would neyther take to such sorrow the disorders of their Husbandes nor in them would be founde such facilitie to offende Besides from the season that Man and Woman be vnited by the holy promise and couenaunt of mariage they haue so small iurisdiction in perticuler ouer themselues that it is a kinde of theft if eyther the one or the other alien or deuide their bodies Consider therefore Sir the great occasions you giue to your Wyfe who hauing youth riches and beutie and courted with no simple importunities If she were otherwayes then she is she would perhaps bestow her hart vpon some one of those many that bestow vpon her their eyes occasion may doe much and there is no worse thing to tempt a Woman then the ill example of her husband For your parte if you thinke your Wyfe not worthie to receiue recompence of affection at least haue consideration of her merit and let not her loyaltie discouer your penurie nor her constancie complaine of your want of honor If you will not obserue to her the Law of a husband for the respectes of your soule your honor your goodes and your health at least remember that what pleasures or felicyties you finde in the companie of your Concubine are nothing in regarde of the disquiets you shall finde when you come home For how wise how secret how temperate or how holy so euer a Wyfe be yet she had rather die then not to giue reuenge to the iniuries of her Husbande or not to make him féele her Ielousie And therefore to men that are drowned in fancie wyth forreyne Women it is in vayne to repose in the Baude who will be corrupted or in the Concubine whose indifferencie makes her a blab Séeing in cases of Ielousie Wyues are so suttle and wyth all so liberall that the better to espie and trace out the Confederacies of their Husbandes they will not sticke to corrupt hte Quicke by money and Coniure the deade by Charmes And so God graunt you that you want and defende you from that you deserue A Treatise of the Resurrection of IESVS CHRIST ▪ together wyth an Exposition of the Fifth Article of the Créede that he discended into Hell and roase againe the thirde day ACcording to your request I haue sent you herewith the declaration of the fifth Article of the Créede in substance as I published it but not in sort as I pronounced it For that it is impossible that in the Penne should be represented the facilitie grace and edifying vertue of the Tongue according to the opinions of the best Philosophers and Orators both Gréeke and Latine wyth whom the Penne was accompted insufficient to satisfie or compare wyth the honor which they had gotten wyth the Tongue and specially to recorde or write Sermons wherein they helde that the matter should loase his Grace and the auther his reputation Notwithstanding according to your power to commaunde me you shall finde no want of desire to doe you seruice albeit vnder this condition that if you be not satisfyed the fault is more in your importunitie then in my charitie and so to the matter The fifth article of our faith expressing that Christ discended into hell roase eftsones the third day contayneth two partes whereof the first comprehendes our confession that he went into hell and in the second is contayned his resurrection Some deuines deuide it into two articles but wée draw it into one contayning notwithstanding two partes tending to one end We confesse that our redéemer being buried his holy bodie remayned in the graue thrée dayes being in déede dead during that season But his soule in the meane while was not ydle for that it discended into hell to do there a wonderfull action which he accomplished And so we confesse that on the third day his soule was reioyned to his bodie to geue it reall and essentiall life So that there can be no dout that he roase not againe hauing obteyned the victorie against death Wherein if we consider thinges in iudgement and equitie we shall find great matter in the humilitie of the sonne of God and in whom may be séene the singuler mercie of the father not sparing his sonne and his readie obedience to accomplish the eternall will of his father all inuiting vs to beare no small loue and thankfulnes to him In this article and in the former are declared the degrées by the which the sonne of God discended and embased himself euen to thinges incredible for a personage of that dignitie The first degrée was to make him man and to vouchsafe to be borne at a time certaine he which was borne eternally The second was that he yet humbled himself more to suffer sentence and publike condemnation as a malefactor In the third he tooke vppon him the torments of the crosse a death most cruell and more infamous then any other sort of passion By the fourth he was content to suffer death not as God albeit being God but as man in such sort as the very person of God suffred death In the fifth he suffred himselfe to be buried as others that were dead making himselfe like them in all thinges as if he had bene comprehended vnder the curse of Adam to retorne into dust whereof he was formed yea he that was frée from sinne and the curse And by the last steppe or degrée he discended into hel whether were discended such as stood destitute of their proper iustice to the end to open to them the gate of the kingdome of heauen By these degrées if we consider spiritually the discending of Iesus Christ we shall find it as long as is the distance of heauen from whence he came vntill the Center of the earth whether he discended And as there restes no other place any further to embase the sonne of God so would he not bée committed to more humilitie only there remayned one degrée which proceded of sinne and the fellowship of Sathan ▪ out of the which the person of Christ was exempted hée which came to redéeme sinners and iustifie men and vanquish the deuill All that he could suffer to be made a sacrifice for our sinnes the sonne of God was enclined embased vnto it sinne only except whereunto he could not be subiect for that there is too great enimitie betwene the iustice of the sauiour the malignity of sinne The greatest part of the degrees aboue mencioned concerning the discending and humilitie of the sonne of God are declared by the Apostle who speaking by
honour For shée béeing the Daughter of an Emperour the wyfe of an Emperour hauing with all the helpe of riches beautie and authoritie shée forbeares not to vse the priuilege of her libertie not as shée ought but as shée list This béeing a propertie anexed to most women rather to desire libertie then that they knowe how to vse it And that which worse is shée will neuer suffer reformation of this error wythout the preiudice of myne honour So that in a fourme of lyfe as this is and wyth the felowship of a Wyfe such as is Faustine it had bene better for mée to haue taken the state of a labourer then to haue bene raysed to the place of the Empire For that when the reckoninge is made as there is no land so hard which the Plough doth not tourne vp so there is no man so humble which will bée commaunded I was neuer so well serued as when I had but one Page and now that I am Emperour all men call mée seruauntes and yet I am made seruaunt to them all Wherein thou mayest sée a lamentable difference betwéene that I was then and the condicion I liue in nowe For when I followed the studie of Philosophie I had contentment of minde where the pompes of the Empire so carieth mée into straunge spirites that I haue forgot the vertue and Science I knew and nowe am trauayled in infirmities which I can not auoide When I was a priuate man all men held their eyes fixed vppon mée and now that I am a Prince there are fewe that employe not their tongues against mée the same wel approuing that as in Princes there is alwayes something to bée warned so in Subiectes are many thinges to bée corrected All this good Pution I debate wyth thée to the end thou owe compassion to my estate past and beare pitie to that I am nowe hauing neyther time to communicate wyth those friendes wyth whom I haue ben brought vp nor oportunitie to séeke my solace in the sciences I haue learned For of the one side the cares of the Kyngdome doe carie mée into thoughtes and heauines and on the otherside the libertie of my Wife leaues mée in trouble of conscience Thus Sir touching the congratulation you sent mée for the Bishoppricke you are aunswered by Marcus Aurelius by whom you sée it is more suretie to the man of religion and learning to follow the exercise of study then to aspire after gouernment and rule for that in the one he findes contentment with stabilitie where the other ministreth nothing but passion perplexitie and perpetuall subiection to reuolution and change There are no greater riches then Honor nor pouertie more intollerable then Infamy THese be the thrée things which aboue al others holde most affection in men and which euery man kéepes in greatest recommendation Helth of their persons plenty of welth and conseruation of honor and renowne All which as they import not little to the stablishment of our worldly felicitie so to obtaine and kéepe them I neuer knew any in whom remayned a desire and delite in life who would not withall passe many perils to winne them and suffer no lesse paines to weare them To desire these things nature enclineth vs and no law defends vs since without Helth without Welth and without Reputacion life is of no other vse to men than a trée which bringes forth goodly broade leaues to shadow the owner from Sunne and weather and yéeldes no fruit to féede him and his familie But of all these thrée with all the rest whatsoeuer that which is and ought to be most deare is the honor we haue and the good renowme we haue gotten since honor only is the true stipend and effect of vertue and all other things are the rewardes of Fortune Yea Honor is so high and precious a temper that without Helth and Welth it is much worth wher those two without that loaseth their value What hath that man that hath not honor and what can be wanting to him to whom is no lacke of Honor No man in office can administer well onlesse he haue honour and in a common weale what can not that man do who hath reputation and fame For honour being◠the merit of vertue and vertue the ready instrument to get affection and loue he is most worthy of authority whose vertue is best proued and that man best hable to cōmaunde ouer a common weale to whom the multitude giues opinion iudgement and estimation of honour The man of Honour saith Plato neuer dyeth where he that is infamous detected ought not to liue Wherein he made an example in Thelemon the good and Alcibyades the wicked the one being the glory of Grece and the other the scourge and persecutiō of Athens Better is a good name saith the wiseman then many riches and better to haue renowne amongest the good sort then to be lord ouer the whole world ther being no such riches vnder heauē as to be wel thought of of men But such is the infelicitie of mankind that much lesse that the counsell of the wiseman is followed séeing it is not once remembred For that what of the right hand and what on the left what with conscience and what without men take pleasure to banishe honour by little and little from their house vpon condition notwithstandinge to suffer wealth and treasure to enter in great aboundance In cases of mariage if the woman be vertuouse and noble it is holden for no portion al men hauinge regarde to the value of her substance and more embracing a thousand Duckattes in gold then two thousand good conditions in the partie Yea wée sée many maides now a daies rather chosen for their bewty then maried for their vertue But to those matches GOD suffereth to happen many crosses because who in his choise hath more regarde to wealth then to vertue findes for the most parte that which hee feareth and misseth that he desireth For if she be riche her pride and stomacke are intollerable and if she be faire she will leade him in suspition of her lightnes if shée be young and not instructed her nature carieth her with a swift pace into disobedience and dishonest practises And if she be old without vertue there is no more possibilitie to make her tractable then without water to quench a flame whose nature is neuer to cease to burne as long as he findes matter to féede his heate So that to such as enter mariage with those corrupt affections as there is small merit of pitie or compassion so most commonly they want no time to repent nor matter to complaine vppon Let your light shine afore men saith Christ to his disciples meaning that to the establishment of their credite was necessary they had good renoume shining by their sinceritie of life not only afore God but euen in the faces of men the better to warrant their Doctrine For that as to a good and vertuous life
to liue long For that greater is the penaunce by his long lyfe in couetousnesse then any other reuenge that can be taken of him Great is that ambicion and slaunderous that couetousnesse which neyther for shame of the worlde nor for feare of death is restrained or moderated and tenne times great is the abuse of him who hauing no necessitie séekes to exchaunge contentment for care solace for sorrow libertie for bondage pleasure for paine and watching for sléeping Yea accursed is that man that fals from the reputation of seruice in warres to the profession of broakage in martes and Marchaundise And forbearing to climbe hilles and mountaynes to resist the enemie is contented to kéepe the vally and Robbe his Countreymen that be passengers euen lyke to many olde men who when they waxe weake in force without séeke to growe strong in malice wythin By these Sir I wish you to consider what Dampnable office you haue taken in hand and into what discredible Opinions you are growen with bringing to your friendes no small griefe and to your selfe a lamentable infamie I aduise you for ende to chaunge your mind séeing it is easier to suffer that want of wealth thē to dissemble the abuse of honor A Letter in consolation declaring the discommodities of anger and the benefites of patience I Would you were as good a Phisition as I know you to be a true christian then would you eyther vse the proper remedie to infelicities which is patience or at least shake of the heauinesse of your misfortune which iustly béecomes a wiseman For as to all naturall infirmities afflicting the body phisicke is able to aforde cures proper and conuenient So when tribulations happen and the minde is trauelled the man of God will not contest or argue why he is visited but looke vp to the will of the Lorde wyth whom our medicines are alreadie compounded though not swéete and pleasaunt to our taste yet necessarie and profitable to our saluation and health And albeit oftentimes he deales not wyth vs as we would and looke for yet we finde from time to time that he trauelleth to our remedie and knowing best the humor that offendes vs he can in due season applye the medecine that best worketh to our deliuery And therefore when we are in tribulation and séeme to aske of God in vaine we ought not forthwith to enter into murmure but to weigh with that little he denyeth vs then the many graces he hath graunted vs afore it being to great an vnthankefulnesse to forget the many blessinges we haue receiued and béeing denyed but small thinges to rayse great complaynies agaynst him But as a mischiefe knowne of before and diligently looked for is not so gréeuous as when it comes vppon a suddeyne So for that I haue alwayes knowne you to bée resolute in the chaunces of tyme and fortune I hope you stande now in leaste necessitie of Councell when there is most occasion of courage or vertue estéeming it all one to foresée a mischiefe when you are sewer of the remedie And yet béecause Afflictions are the true Touche stoanes to trye the Affections of Friendes I thought good to offer myselfe to Communicate wyth you not in direction for that I know you hable and well aduised but in Councell which béeing faythfully giuen ought to finde no season vnapt to be receiued Lyke as in experience of Worldly thinges euery newe mutation bringes wyth it for the present a newe care and leaues notwythstanding the minde in greater sewertie at last So for your part if you knewe the necessitie of afflietions your owne debilitie If you considered wel of fortune and her chaunges If you weighed men wyth their malices And discerned betwéene the worlde and his allurementes you would not suffer heauinesse for that which is necessary nor séeke your succoures in thinges that entertaine your misery since it is more miserable to be with out vertue then to be afflicted Such is the suttle malice of the world that the lesse héed men giue to it the more doth it prepare to strike them to the end to giue them afterwards a greater wounde Many men sounde and disposed dye sooner of diseases newely growen then the weake that haue languished many yeares in their infirmities And therefore séeing it is most sewer that the wretched man canne not passe wythout myserie he is more Wise that canne taste his trauelles by little and little then hée that tryeth them al together For that many thinges are Eaten by morsels which if they weare Swallowed togeather woulde bringe Perill of Stranglinge Euen so at sundrye times wée suffer many perplexities which if they should trauell vs all at once our frayltie weare too weake to resiste them for that they woulde deuoure vs all in one daye So that séeing God hath so ordeyned that what wée holde our selues most sewer of wée sée oftentimes suffer most Perill Why doe wée complayne of want of reste when wée haue vndertaken a Iourney wearie and troublesome Why doe wée thinke muche to stomble hauing chosen a stoanie way How canne wée thinke to sléepe in securitie when in the seames of our Bedde bée sowen thoughtes and cares Lastly there is no reason to thinke wée should bée frée in Heauen séeing wée stande bounde to the Worlde There is no more Power in fortune to assure thinges then in the Sea to bée calme béeing Subiect to the Wyndes And no more Authoritie hath shée to dispose thinges then the simple Maryner that committes his Sayles to the Wynde which dryueth his Shippe not whether hée woulde but whether the Waues and Wynde doe shooue her It is an infallible rule that all Naturall courses are Subiect to mutation euery yeare and all Worldely menne that hunte after Fortune are sewer to suffer Eclipse euery moment So that séeing Naturall thinges béeing necessarie canne not reteyne alwayes one essence and béeing It is most iuste that the goodes of fortune perishe which are superfluous I am sorie for your miseaduenture as if it hadde happened to my selfe And more sorie that I canne not as I woulde make knowne wyth what hearte I beare compassion to you Since it is one principall office amongest Friendes to Communicate in fortunes and though their persones bée deuided yet to exercise Communitie of councell comforte and remedie So that hauing no possibilitie to come to you standinge Subiect to the Seruice of the Prince and lesse expectation of reliefe béeing not hable to minister to mine owne wantes I thought to vse the industrie of my Penne to declare the disposition of my harte hoping you will accept that that is and looke for no more then may be and where in giuing you aduise to make no reckoning of that is happened you may perhappes take occasion to thinke that eyther I know not the grauetie of the chance or els that I estéeme you to haue want of iudgment I cannot but confesse to holde this opinion that albeit you are subiect to
frendship or in me is lacke of liberalitie The frendshippe grounded vpon couetousnesse is ended by couetousnesse and therfore amongest true friendes there ought to be no ende in friendshippe nor limit in liberalitie Where you wryte to be aduertised of the affayres of the Bishoppe of T. I aunswere that it is no small payne to haue to doe wyth men wanting gouernement and of no will to put their minds in quiet and tranquilitie Séeing that in whom is no controlement of tongue nor brydle to restrayne their selfe wil in them is for the most parte sufficient occasion to trouble whole Common Weales where they dwell and to themselues to bring no small contention Yea there cannot be a greater disgrace in a man then to be discontented in himselfe For albeit no man in this worlde can liue contented on all partes yet we may eyther quite exempt our selues or at least auoyde many of those troubles and displeasures which of our selues we searche There be many people of this nature not onely not to eschew harmes and inconueniences but also will put wynges to their fortune and runne to séeke them afore they be ready to happen More is the necessitie of industrie to restraine and stay such men from doing harme to themselues then for auoyding hurt to others Of that sort of men is the Bishop of T. who beareth his great affaires as the Sumpterhorse doth his burthen who whylest it is in laying on his backe standeth still and sturreth not but if you offer to take it of he yearkes and flinges as though there were perill towardes him Your L. may be sory for the losse of our dear friend F. M. who losing his lyfe hath left his friendes voyde of the societie of a noble Gentleman assuring you that if he had beléeued my aduise that misefortune had not happened For that I alwayes told him that a faction of the communalty is no other thing then a hollow Eccho which resoundes wyth a voyce and sounde cleare but can not be founde nor beareth no substance And therefore to men that trauell in the action of great affaires it is no wisedome to reiect the Councell of friendes for that otherwayes who will not take moderate correction shall be sewer to suffer penaunce of a blouddie and vyolent force A discourse touching such as are in the Ministery and professe Religion Qui perseuerauerit vsque in finem saluus erit SAint Mathew in his xxiiij chapter promiseth this comfortable recompence to such as folow the seruice of god in religion that who perseuereth to the end shall be saued receiue for rewarde the euerlasting ioyes of heauen Wherein albeit the redéemer of the world taught his Disciples to be Christians and that in renouncing their proper wills and tyed them straytly to the law and obseruation of his commaundementes yet by the doctrine of these wordes we see it doth little auayle all that they can doe if they perseuer not to the end But to make more plaine and easie to the vnderstanding of men these wordes of Iesus Christ we must first presuppose that as many vices are disguised wyth the similitude of vertues so in many vertues is a plaine face and apparance of vice as patience constancy magnanimity benignity long suffring humility force the truth and property of all which being knowne we shall find that euery one is subiect to his perticular and diuerse diffinition The vertue of patience is no other thing then a hart martired in sorrows and passions expressing notwithstanding in his outwarde actions a spirite of contentment and gladnes and not onely beareth his present perplexities but also is prepared to the passion of al such as may happen of this sort was the patience of Tobias Job in whom much lesse that there could be discouered any estat or shew of their griefes but as true examples of patience seemed to take pleasure in their aduersities euen as the Salimander that delyts to bath his limmes amid the flames of most whot burning fyre The vertue of constancie is then declared when a man neyther by trouble disgrace or misfortune chaungeth not his hearte from the deuotion and businesse he followeth as was expressed in the perseueraunce of the happye Ioseph in Egipt and the assuraunce of that affable Moyses in the Desart In whom the offer of Beautie and what else appertayneth to the swéete desires of the fleshe had no power of Temptation in the one nor in the mutinie and murmure of so many factious people was possibilytie to wythdraw the other from the seruice he was called vnto That is true Magnanimitie when the harte of one man alone dare enterprise vppon graue thinges both daungerous to beginne and very harde to execute the efect of this vertue was well expressed in the Prophete Dauid when he assayled and vanquished the Gyant and in Elyas when he roase to confounde Jezabell The vertue of Benignetie or myldenesse of hearte is ioyned to that man who séekes not nor will not render ill for ill no not so much as to recompence a wrong receiued wyth iniuries or vyle wordes according to the myldnesse of Micheas who suffering an outrage of a blow on the eare the iniurie was afterwardes reuenged by a Dog. The vertue of long sufferance appeareth in that man that is neyther wearie nor vexed though his troubles and perplexities encrease and his helpes and remedies diminishe are far of according to the experience testimonie of S. Paule who was trauelled with many malices dangers in the worlde and that for many yeares The vertue of méekenesse or humilitie followeth that man whose harte is resolued into such tranquility that he is not mooued for any iniurie he heareth and much lesse disquieted for any vice he séeth Wyth this vertue was endued the holy man S. John Euangelist in whose humilytie and myldnesse of minde is an example to all Christians to yéelde to the aduersities that the enemies of God impose vppon them hoping for that comfort and rewarde which that holy man did fynde This is a true effect of the vertue of force when a man stands so resolute and valiant in mind that neyther by Temptation he waxeth weake nor by importunitie of trauell he forbeareth to doe good Of this vertue were notable and holy examples S. Anthony and S. Hillary suffering great Temptations in the Desert and yet not forbearing euen there to doe great seruices to god But for that our principall intention is to entreate of the excellencies of perseuerance adioyning wyth all what necessity we haue of the vertue of force it is not impertinent that we touch somewhat the opinions of the Philosophers and also what the holy Fathers thought particularly of it S. Augustine sayth that no other thing is the vertue of force then a Burning and vehement affection trauelling a frée and liberall minde passible to all thinges whether their qualetie be harde or easie vntill he attayne to that he
desireth or possesse the thinges whereon he hath fixed his affection and zeale Cicero speaking of force attributed firmenesse and constancie to no other thing then a determination of a valiant minde who dissembleth that which he desireth and suffereth thinges that he would not Macrobus referreth to no other thing the vertue of force then to the harte of a man Heroycall and valiant whom prosperitie cannot rayse into wéening or fircenes nor aduersitie makes weake or faynt in courage Aristotle giues this iudgment of the vertue of force that it is a certayne strength and courage of a mynde resolute which estéemeth aduersitie to bée no other thing then the stipende and recompence of some dishonest act Lucius Senequa attributes so much to the excellency of a man hardy and valiant that he makes it more easie to take a Cytie well garded then to vanquish a minde enuironed wyth force and vertue Saynt Hierome sayth that no other thing is the discourse of this lyfe then a high and publyke way on whose right hande marcheth the valyant and hardy man on the left part the coward and faynt harted and betwéene them goeth he that we call strong and resolute Plato is of opinion that the prerogatiues of constancie and force are to moderate anger wyth méekenesse malice wyth loue aduersitie wyth perseuerance and feare wyth patience S. Gregory referreth the vertue and operation of constancie and force to vanquishe the fleshe to resist appetytes to dispise delytes to affect thinges of hard enterprise and not to eschew those that are perillous and paynefull So great is the qualetie of this vertue of force that it is necessary to all the other vertues For if it minister not to iustice Temperance Chastetie and wisedome to come to their endes they would easely loase their operation and suffer conuersion So that to enterprise any good worke wisedome is necessary for the beginning discretion to manage and guide it and constancie to bring it to execution The good lucke and felicitie of the good Pilot consistes not altogether to guyd well the Helme but rather that he bring it to aryue safe at the Hauen Euen so Iesus Christ promyseth not the Kyngdome of Heauen to such onely as are Baptized nor to him that is called a Christian and muche lesse to any that for a tyme doth the Woorkes of a Christian if he perseuere not in his Seruice For the Crowne of Tryumphe is not bestowed vppon him that goeth to the Warres but is worthely reserued for suche as obtayne the victorye Euen as in the lyke resemblaunce it is a vayne Labour to the Husbandman to manure and sowe his Lande if afterwardes eyther for feare to be tyered or in doubt to be made wearie wyth trauell he forbeare to labor in Haruest and forgetteth to bring his Corne home to the Barne Lykewyse if a Poore man making some voyage and doubting to fynde the way harde or vneasie or his Iourney long retourneth géeuing ouer that hée hath begone Let him assuredly looke to loase that hee hath spent and wythall to forgoe the purpose and expectation of his Trauayle Hée that Laboureth by the daye is not payed his hyer for that hée brynges onely his Mattocke into the Garden but workyng from Morning till night hée is woorthye of his Wages and hath it The wyfe of Loth was transformed into an Image or stoane of Salt for that shée tourned her heade to looke backe to Sodome contrarie to the Commaundement of God saying Goe alwayes furth right without loking backe The same being an example and doctrine to instruct vs how wretched the worlde is and hauing once forsaken it wée ought not so much as once Looke backe to it and muche lesse reappose Confydence in it Great was the constancie of Moyses and Aaron in not condiscending to the Requestes Presentes and Threates which the great Kynge Pharao practised to haue them abyde in Egypt and not to drawe from thence the People of Israell wyth whom I agrée that in cases to retourne to the worlde and giue ouer any good thing that we haue begon we ought to reiect the prayers of our frendes and much lesse to be moued wyth any other temptation Of this is a good example Ioseph the sonne of Jacob who being solde into Egipt and in great opportunitie to possesse the beautie of the queene would not for all that defyle his conscience but had regard to his constancie and bare care to the reputation of his master By his example let vs be warned that greater necessity haue we of resolute minds to resist vices and present sinnes together with the offers and temptations that are ministred then to repulse or defende an enemie that assayleth vs Many were the perswasions of the Bretherne of Dauid to haue the kinge to retourne to his howse and goe no more to the Warres but muche lesse that their importunities were sufficient to make him giue ouer Armes séeing he redoubled his courage and eftsoones assailed the great Goliath Géeuing vs to know thereby that wée ought rather to loase the liues that wée haue then to leaue of the good wée haue béegonne Muche was estéemed the Constancie of Nehemias and Esdras in the Buylding of the Temple which they made at Ierusalem in which worke many threatened them they suffered many passions of iniuries and were by many wayes dysswaded from their enterprise Wherefore let the Seruaunt of god hold it for a signe that he doth then some good worke when the wycked wythstande or contende agaynst him Great was the Constancie of Mardocheas vnckle to the Quéene Hester when he could not be brought to doe worship nor any humylity to proud Hamā a grauer of Idols great enemy to the Hebrues by whose examples we are taught that it belongs to vs to estrāge our selues altogither from those men that diswade vs from our saluatiō inuite vs to sinne No lesse was the constancy of the holy woman Susanna in disobeying the wicked iudges desiring her to defile mariage and consent to thir cursed luste Whose vertue may serue as a doctrine to all Christians that neyther for feare of Punishment nor by force none ought to commit any great transgression séeing God kéeps a garde and reckoning aswell of our honor as our lyfe and is as ready for our defence as he was to preserue the chastetie of Susanna All these examples I thought not amisse to reduce into discourse to the ende that good men might striue still to pursue the seruice of the Lorde and the wicked be afryayde to tourne backe Wherein let all men hold this for a fayth and law infallible that the Lorde neuer forgetteth him that serueth him and much lesse is farre from those that follow him according to his prouidence ouer the Prophet Daniell who being out of his Countrey and by the sentence of tyrantes throwne into the Denne of Lyons abandoned of all succour of men was not forgot of the Lord who sent his Prophete Abacuke not onely to
with faire Dana it was no other thing as Isidore sayth then a great masse of Golde which he made slyde in to the handes of her kéepers to betray the chastety of that fayre Lady When they make him to transforme himselfe into Amphitrio it was no other thing then the consent that Amphitrio gaue him to lye wyth his wyfe and that for the rewarde of a great summe of money The Metamorpheses that he suffred into a Bull to steale Europa was no more but the Image of a Bul painted on the sayles of the ship wherein Iupiter bestowed her when he toke her away Such like were the transformatiōs of Iupiter wherin may be discerned the simplicitie and great blindnesse of such as worshipped that licencious king for a true God gouernour of heauen and earth he that was the most vnbridled brydled and dissolute man and most drowned in his proper lustes of all other in his time And séeing vpon him they imposed the title of God of al gods by him we may iudge the qualety of the other gods of whom the most part called him father as in déed most of them issued of him as Phoebus the god of science Mars the ruler of battles Mercury the infuser of cloquēce Bacchus the image of epicurity Vulcan the spirit of fier Venus the vaine idoll of loue others there were that wer his parents as Pluto prince of hell Neptune the directer of the waters Ceres the disposer blisser of corne and Diana the figure and example of chastety And so reckoning by degrées they established particuler gods to all thinges that might be imagined estéeming one God to be insufficient to reigne alone to lead the vnuersall worlde within the power of his gouernement yea they adioyned to this Idolatry the worshipping of certaine beasts planets trées by reason of the properties they saw in them the Egiptians as Iueuenal saith were so far drowned in this superstition that they worshipped as gods Onyons Léeks attributing much to their felicity happines who had of those plants in their gardins as the ignorance of those blind people led them to do honor sacrifice to such things as to gods so they held it for religion to giue obedience to them holding such accursed as were not forward in the seruice and ministery of such vaine triffling things M. Varo wryteth that Brasillius the Philosopher found at Rome MMD. CCC Gods which caryeth no smal possiblity of truth séeing the abuse there was so great general that they gaue cerimony worship and sacrifice as to a God to all things wherof they had receiued any benefit or that they supposed had any power to kéepe them in feare Tullus hostillius third king of Rome being vexed with a feuer tertiā which had tourned his complexion to a pale and yellow did sacrifice to his ague the soner to make it to leaue him Flora a publike curtisan a woman whose body was abandoned to all lust allurements of the flesh was canonized honored with an Image or figure for that of al the goodes she had got with the filthy sweat trauel of her body she cōstituted the Senate to be heire they gaue her diuine honor celibrated her feast euery yere wherin as a special cerimony there was liberty to al yoūgmē to be naked to exercise their pleasure with the first woman they founde S. Augustine writeth that the consuls and wise men of Rome tooke councell to abollishe that vile and abhominable custome But albeit for certaine perils and impediments they durst neuer execute it yet to deface the memory of that lewd woman giue greater apparance to their supersticions the named Flora the Goddes of flowers Amid these great darknesses obscurities of ignorance wherin this people of the Gentils was plunged there wer many notwithstanding in whom was some impression of light possessed with those natural iudgments reasons which drew them out of that blindnes as in déede all the schole of philosophy generally acknowledged one author mouer of al things from whom as out of a spring proceeded al the vniuersallity of things were fed enterteind by him as the true soueraigne gouernour of the whole of this knowledge Socrates was not depriued who being at poynt of death sayd he was willing to dye to confesse on onely Lord to whom he had alwaies labored to doe seruice according to the power of his humayne frayelty neuer hauing intention to offende him Aristotle at the article of death recommended himselfe to the soueraigne Creator saying Oh cause of all causes haue pytie on me Plato and Cicero in their treatises of common weales were of the same opinion it was the fayth of Virgill that al procéeded of God and that as wel the heauen and earth as the aire and water are ful of his greatnes acknowledging by that the essence of one onely God. Cicero speaking of the nature of Gods and Varro in his vayne Etimologies being albeit both Pagans and much addicted to their ceremonies scoffed notwithstanding at the feastes and assemblies which the populer sort made to honour their Gods partly through ignorance more by flatterye but most of all for feare It is no néede here to proue by the doctrine of the scripture that all those Gods were but illusions dreames procéeding of the inuention of man and abuse of the Diuell séeing that since the sonne of the euerlasting trueth is appeared wich is the sonne of the onely God all these damnable superstitions are not onely discouered but by the beames of that sonne shining in the myndes and eyes of men they are put to flight and vanished as the clowdes giue place when the sonne approcheth They are falne into ruine as buildings ill foūded and méeting the firme vessel of the word of God their tickle ship driuen by the wind of abuse and deceyt is confounded and swallowed in the golphe of Christian religion Thus much for the first poynt of your demaunde which I doubt not is eyther sufficiently aunswered or at least nothing left doubtfull There resteth now to touch what opinion the Poets and other auncients had of these Gods and the plurality of them As Hesiode Archilachus Horace Menander Esope Apuleius Ouid and many other wryters of great grauety and authority who published not their inuentions and fictions to other effect then to disclose to men the meanes to become more wyse and draw to a more Ciuill fourme of lyfe in the world For which purpose they spred many fictions and fabulous metaphors tending to sundry artes and professions For fables according to the opinion of Apthonius and Hermogenes haue taken their name of Fari in Latine signifying to discourse and speake so that a fable may be taken for a discourse fayned inducing oftentimes vnder an honest recreation and delitfull resemblaunce the readers to consider the morrall sence and doctrine hyd vnder those fabulous discourses which discouering
the customes and conuersasions of men they doe also impropriate many thinges to the actions of men extolling men of vertue and imbasing such as séeke their felicity in vices and are as it were men of nothing There is the first poynt to be considered by all men of iudgement in the reading as well of Ouid as of other Poets And for the second it is to be noted that when there was any man excellent whether in sciences or in armes or in influency of wit or had some other singuler or soueraygne qualety which made him seruiceable to his common weale suche men the Poets called the Children of God and when they dyed they helde them transformed into Planets and Starres the same to sturre vp others the rather to vertue if any man brought forth any act of vertue or singularytie of what nature or moment so euer it were they extolled him to the heauens as appeareth in the glory which they gaue to the Philosopher Promotheus who for that he was the first in Egypt that shewed vnto men a forme of Ciuylity instructing them to liue lyke men and shake of that beastly ignoraunce wherein they were resolued They fayned that he had stolne the fire from heauen which is wisedome to communicate it to men for that Atlas was a great Astrologian they feine that he holdes vp the heauen And because Iupiter and his race were also singuler in that science they ascrybed their names to principall Planets In other places the Poets séeing the hartes of men after they had once receiued the impression of errors in their braines to continue hardened and obstinate in their false imaginations feyned that Dewcalion Pirrha had conuerted stoanes into men But as Paulus Perusus Wryteth those simple People had red in the auncient histories of the Greekes the particuler deluge that fell in Thessalie during the which the people of that country sought their safety in the Hill Pernassus other high mountaines remaining there in great amaze amongst the rocks forrestes caues without any courage or disposition to discend eftsoons to the plaines folow the commodities of the earth til by Dewealion Pirrha his wife skilful in the course of the stars they were satisfied by naturall reasons that those great waters were caused by certaine constellations influencies that it wold be a very lōg time afore the like imundatiō hapned The Poets also when they went about to aduaunce chastety fained a transformation of persons chaste into trées alwayes gréene as the Oliue and Lawrell into the which were transhaped Lotus and Daphe signifying by that continuall gréenesse virginity vndefyled and so following those fictions they compared men both good and ill to many trees according to the good and bad properties they had In like sort they feyned that all youngmen dying in the flower of their age and hauing any sparcke of vertue were transfigured into flowers gréene tender and delicate withering forthwith Ouid makes Hyacintus a yong and forward prince to be chaunged into a Flower And so sayth he of Adonis Narcissus Ermaphroditus wyth others And of the contrary when he sought to blame and deface vices the better to make men abhorre them he transformeth men dissolute and licencious into brute beastes ▪ the same agreeing with the text of Boecius that who liueth beastly and according to the inclinations of beastes may be holden transhaped changed into beasts The Giants for that they were men proude and intractable denying the truth and power of their Gods raysed warre against them were by the fiction of the Poets cōnuerted into Apes truely resembling that wicked men and such as by presumption and hawtinesse of hart will not acknowledge their Creator but hunt after brutallity are not improperly compared to beasts retayning no other thing of men then the outward figure as we see in the similitude and proportiō of Apes with this opinion agreeth Cicero who holdeth the warres of the Giants none other thing then a life disordered vnbridled and out of reason thervpon came the Metamorphoses of Licaon into a Wolfe For being king of Arcadia he was so tirannous towards his people that they drew into reuolt by the Councell and ayde of Iupiter he was constrayned to retyre into the Forrestes Praying by rauyne and stealth vppon Passengers as the Woolfe doth vppon the Sheepe The Poets also paynting forth any cruel tyranny feyned Tyrauntes transchaunged into Hawkes of praye as Dedalion whom they make cōuerted into a Bitter And for suche as dare not iustefye themselues in the face of the world by reason of their lyfe abhominable they feyne them conuerted into Byrdes and fowle that flye not but by night Such one was Nictimenes transfygured into an Owle the caryers of newes and Tales were chaunged into Crowes and Rauens Men Effeminate employing their time to Frissle their heyre Perfume their Garmentes and beholde their face in a Glasse are lykened to the Seamews and Cranes which are alwaies pruning their Feathers And to detect the abhomination of pryde presumption vaineglory they brought in the daughters of Cinaca who for that they were the Daughters of a Riche and myghty Father dispysed all other that were pore But God made their pryde subiect to such iustice that their pouerty and misery brought them in the end to lye alwaies at the gates of the temples begging almes so according to the fiction of the poets they were tourned into stons seruing as the stayrs or steps of the temple Such as drowned or strangled themselues represented the insatiable desire of the couetous who albeit haue all they desire yet they rest not contented but in following the infinit motion of their appetyte they finde their owne destruction by dispaire feyning for an example of that figure Mydas to be conuerted into Golde For a spectacle of enuy and the workes thereof they paynt out Aglauros For a paterne of whordome they bring in Circes who was a whorso excellent in bewtie that she enchaunted all such as behelde her according to the fiction of Horace And because bawdes and whoremongers alwayes attending on the trayne of publyke women are lyke vnto swyne the Poets feyned the followers of Vlisses to be transfigured into swyne To blase prodigallity and such as were too much giuen to their delytes they paynted Acteon tourned into a hart who was so much drowned in the pleasures of hunting that in the ende his Dogs deuoured him Epicures and such as séeke so much to please the lycorrous taste of their mouth that no ryches can suffize them they feyne in the ende to eat one an other as dyd Erisichcton whom they feyned to eat himselfe vnder this figure that he consumed the money which the whoremongers gaue him to lye wyth his Daughter They feyne also this Erisichcton to be the sonne of Proteus a God of the Sea transformed into sundry sortes of Creatures signifying thereby the lyghtnes of our affections who by their inconstancy