the disciples that they shoulde as then tell no man that he was Iesus the Christ And from that time forth hee began to verse 20. shewe and fore-tell them of his Passion Death and Resurrection saying * The Mark 8 30 31 sonne of man must goe vnto Ierusalem suffer many things of the Elders and of the High-priests and Scribes be slaine and rise againe the third day Also in the 20. of Mathew the ninth of Luke 9 44. Marke and the eyghteene of Saint Luke besides sundry other places he ceaseth not to instruct and perfect them in this poynt bidding them * marke his words diligentlie For it shall come to passe saith he that the Sonne of man shall be deliuered into the hands of men c. Likewise being in the way going toward Mat 20 17 18 19. Ierusalem hee tooke the twelue Disciples apart and began againe to tell them what things should come vnto him saying Behold Marke 10 32 33 34 we goe vp to Ierusalem the sonne of man shall be deliuered vnto the High-priests Luke 18 31 32 33 and to the Scribes and they shall condemne him to death and shall deliuer him vnto the Gentiles And they shall mocke him and scourge him and spet vpon him and kill him but the third day he shall rise againe * For as Ionas was three Mat. 12. 40. dayes and three nights in the Whales belly so shall the sonne of man be three dayes three nights in the hart of the earth And as Moises lift vp the Serpent in the Ioh 3 14 15 wildernesse so must the Sonne of man bee lift vp that who-soeuer beleeueth in him shoulde not perrish but haue euerlasting life §. 2. After all these seuerall fore-tellings of his Passion Iesus entered into Ierusalem and Marke 11 11 15. vvent into the Temple and began to cast out them that sold and bought therein and ouerthrewe the tables of the money-changers and the seates of them that solde Doues Saying vnto them Take these thinges Iohn 2 16 hence make not my fathers house a house of merchandise For it is written My house shall be called Mat. 21. 13. the house of Prayer but ye haue made it a denne of theeues Also hee taught daily in the Temple Luke 19. 47 And the High-priestes the Scribes and the cheefe of the people sought to destroy him But they coulde not finde vvhat they verse 48 might doe vnto him for all the people hanged vpon him when they heard him §. 3. Then one of the twelue named Iudas Math 26 14 15 Iscariot vvent vnto the cheefe Priestes and said VVhat will ye giue mee and I vvill deliuer him vnto you And when they heard it they were glad Mar 14 11 and promised that they woulde giue him Math 26 15 16. money namely thirtie peeces of Siluer And from that time he sought opportunitie to betray him §. 4. Now hee that betrayed Iesus had giuen Math. 26 47. 48. them a token saying VVhom-so-euer I shall kisse that is hee lay hold on him And forth-with hee came to Iesus and said GOD saue thee Maister and kissed him Then the Bande and the Captaine and Iohn 18. 12. 13 14. the officers of the Iewes tooke Iesus and bounde him ledde him away to Annas first for he was father in lawe to Caiphas which was the high Priest that same yeere And Caiphas was he that gaue counsell to the Iewes that it was expedient that one man should die for the people §. 5. The cheefe Priestes therefore and the Mat. 26. 59. 60. 61. Elders and all the whole Counsell sought false witnesse against Iesus to put him to death but found none And though many false witnesses came yet founde they none whose witnes agreed together But at the last came two false witnesses saying Mark 14 56 57 58 59 VVee heard this man say I will destroy this Temple of God made with hands and within three dayes I will builde another made without hands But theyr witnes yet agreed not together Then the high Priest stood vp amongst Math 26 63 64 65 66. them and sayde vnto Iesus I charge thee by the liuing God that thou tell vs if thou be Christ the Sonne of God And when Iesus had told him the truth of that which he asked hee beleeued him not but presently rent his clothes saying Hee hath blasphemed what haue wee any more neede of witnesses Behold now ye Mark 14 61 62. 63 64. haue heard his blasphemy What think ye And they all condemned him to be vvorthie of death §. 6. Then spate they in his face and buffetted Math. 26. 67 Luke 22 63 64 65 him And * the men that helde Jesus mocked him and strooke him And when they had blindfolded him they smote him on the face saying Prophecie vnto vs ô Christ who is hee that smote thee And many other thinges blasphemously spake they against him Besides when the morning vvas come Mat 27 1 all the cheefe Priestes Elders of the people tooke counsel against Iesus to put him to death And they led him away bounde and deliuered verse 2. him vnto Pontius Pilate the Gouernour And they began to accuse him saying Luke 23 2 Wee haue founde this man peruerting the people and forbidding to pay tribute to Caesar saying That hee is Christ a King c. §. 7. Pilate after hee had examined Iesus and Luke 23 4 7. 11. 15. coulde finde no fault in him sent him to Herod Herod with his men of warre despised and mocked him and arrayed him in white and sent him backe againe to Pilate Pilate seeing nothing woorthy of death was done vnto Iesus by Herod assembled together the Iewes demaunded of thē Math 27 22 23 what * hee should doe with Iesus vvhich was called Christ Then aunswered they all at once saying Let him bee crucified And when he asked them saying What euill hath hee doone they cryed the more vehemently Let him be crucified So Pilate willing to content the Iewes Mark 15 15 loosed vnto them Barrabas a malefactour whō they desired and after hee had scourged Iesus deliuered him vnto the Souldiours that he might be crucified §. 8. The souldiours of the Gouernour hauing Math 27 27 28 29 Christ in theyr custody led him into the Common-hall and presently gathered about him the whole Bande and they strypped him and put vppon him a Scarlet robe Then platted they a Crowne of thornes and put it vppon his heade and a Reede in his right hande and bowed theyr knees before him mocked him saying God saue thee King of the Iewes They also spate vpon him smote him verse 30 31 on the heade with the Reede And after they had mocked him they tooke the robe from him and put his owne rayment on him and led him away to crucifie him And as they came out they found a
the Sonne of GOD let vs hold fast our profession For wee haue not an High-priest which verse 15. cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all thinges tempted like as we are yet without sinne Which in the dayes of his flesh did offer Heb 5 7 vp prayers and supplications with strong crying teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death and was also heard in that which he feared And though he were the Sonne yet learned verse 8. 9. hee obedience by the things vvhich he suffered And being consecrate or perfectly holy was made the Authour of eternall saluation to all theÌ„ that obey him And is called of GOD an High-priest Heb 5 10 * Heb 7 21 for euer after the order of Melchisedeck For it became him for whom are all Hebr 2 10. things and by whom are all things seeing that he brought many children vnto glory that he should coÌ„secrate the Prince of theyr saluation through afflictions Yea in all things it behooued him to be Heb 2 17. made like vnto his brethren that he might be mercifull and a faithfull High-priest in things concerning God that hee might make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people For in that he suffered and was verse 18. tempted hee is able also to succour them that are tempted §. 11. These things are written that yee might Iohn 20 31 beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeuing yee might haue life through his Name For other foundation can no man laâ— 1 Cor 3 11 then that vvhich is layde vvhich is Iesus Christ The * Mark 5. 7. Son of the most high God Who gaue himselfe for vs that â—e might Titus 2 14 redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to be a peculier people vnto him-selfe zealous of good workes Neither is there saluation in any other Acts 4 12. for among men there is giuen none other Name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued Let vs therefore by him offer the sacrifice Heb. 13 15 of prayse alwayes vnto GOD that is to say the fruite of those lippes which confesse his Name For he onely is our mouth vvhereby Ambrose we speake vnto the Father he is our eyes whereby we see the Father he is our right hand whereby we offer our selues vnto the Father And vvithout his intercession neyther wee nor any of the Saints haue ought to doe with GOD. But hee euermore prayeth for vs prayeth Beda in vs is prayed of vs. Hee prayeth for vs as our Aduocate and euerlasting Priest Hee prayeth in vs as our head and hee is prayed of vs as our God For he is the Mediator between God Cyrill man not onely because he hath reconciled man vnto God but also because hee is naturally and substantially both God man in one person Yet doth it not folow that he maketh intercession Theod. Beza to himselfe seeing that the Father is one the Son is another in seuerall persons throughly distinct albeit that the Father the son be both one thing one God if the essence of them be considered without their persons For like as in Christ incarnate there be seuerall things not seuerall persons so in the God-head there be seueral persons but not seuerall things §. 12. In him likewise and through him vvee Ambrose haue all things For if wee desire to be cured of our wounds hee is our Phisition If we be greeued with our sinnes hee is our righteousnes If we lacke helpe hee is our strength If we feare death he is our life If we be in darknes he is our light If we will goe to heauen he is our way Yea the whole sum of our saluation all Câ—luine the parts therof are coÌ„prehended in Christ If we seeke for saluation wee are taught by the very Name of Iesus that it is in him If we seek for any other gifts of the Spirit they are to be found in his annoynting If we seeke for strength it is in his dominion If we seek for cleanenes it is in his conception If we seeke for tender kindnesse it sheweth it selfe in his birth whereby he was made in all thinges like vnto vs that hee might learne to sorow with vs If we seeke for redemption it is in his passion If wee seek for absolution it is in his coÌ„demnation If we seek for release of the curse it is in his crosse If we seek for satisfaction it is in his sacrifice If we seek for clensing it is in his blood If we seek for reconciliation it is in his going downe into hell If we seeke for mortification of the flesh it is in his buriall If we seeke for newnes of life it is in his resurrection If we seeke for immortality it is in the same If we seek for the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen it is in his entrance into heauen If we seek for defence for assurednes or for plenty store of all good things it is in his kingdom Finally sith the treasures of all sorts of Caluine good things are onely in him let vs drawe thence from no where els euen till vve be full withall For they which beeing not content with him alone are carried hether thether into diuers hopes although they haue principall regard vnto him yet euen in this they are out of the right vvay that they turne any part of theyr knovvledge or comfort to any other-where ¶ Of Fayth Feare and Loue beeing three speciall Vertues necessarily belonging to euery true Christian. HEBREVVES 11. verse 6. VVithout Fayth it is vnpossible to please GOD for he that is in comming towards God must beleeue that there is a God and that he is a rewarder of them that seeke him ¶ Of Fayth §. 1. FAyth as S. Paule the Apostle affirmeth Hebr. 11. 1. is the ground of things vvhich are hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene It is also a confident perswasion of almighty Vrsinus Gods euerlasting loue and mercie towards vs in and by the meanes of Christ Iesus grounded wholely on the promises of our heauenly Father in his holy Word vvrought in our harts by hearing the Gospell preached and witnessed in vs by the testimony of the holy Ghost By vvhich we certainly assure our selues in soule and conscience that all our sinnes are as freelie forgiuen vs for Christes sake as if we neuer had committed any and all his righteousnesse and obedience as perfectly imputed vnto vs as if wee had performed the same in our owne persons This fayth is the gift of God and breathed Augustine onely by his Spirit into the harts of all those that be his chyldren §. 2. Through fayth we vnderstand that the Hebr. 11. 3. World was ordained by the word of God so that the things which wee see are not made
in his flesh vpon the Crosse the God-head and manhood vvere still together but his Godhead did not suffer that we might be iustified not onely in his flesh but also in his Diuinitie and that we might be saued both in his God-heade and manhood together For we could neuer haue beene deliuered Augustine by that one onely Mediatour between God and men the man Christ Iesus vnlesse he had beene also God The benefites which we dâ—ily receiue by Ambrose his death are foure The first is the change of our naturall death The second is in that he hath quite taken away the second death from those that are in him The third is that his death is a meanes to satisfie his last will and Testament The fourth is that it doth serue to abolish the originall corruption of our sinfull harts The meanes also of our saluation by him Augustine are two his Merrite his Efficacie The first is in that by his obedience to the Law and by his death he made full satis-faction vnto his Father for all our sinnes freed vs from death and reconciled vs vnto God The second is in that he gaue his Spirit to mortifie the corruption of our natures that we thereby may daily die vnto sin and liue vnto righteousnes haue true comfort in terrors of conscience and in the pangs of death Beleeuing assuredly that what-so-euer Caluine Christ hath suffered hee hath suffered for vs and that all his righteousnes through fayth is made our righteousnesse For hee himselfe alone hath fully discharged by his death the debt which all vvee owed and hath made vs by his obedience the sonnes of God fellow heires with him of euerlasting glory For hee hath put out the hand-vvriting Colos 2 14 15. that was against vs contained in the Lawe written which was contrary to vs he euen tooke it out of the way fastned it vpoÌ„ the crosse hath spoiled the Principalities Powers hath made a shew of theÌ„ openly triumphing ouer theÌ„ in the same crosse §. 8. The Lawe saith S. Iohn was giuen by Iohn 1. 17. Moises but Grace and Truth came by Iesus Christ For God sending his owne sonne in the Rom 8 3 similitude of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Lawe might be fulfilled in vs which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit And wee through the spirit waite for Gala 5 5 the hope of righteousnes through faith Be it knowne vnto you therefore men Acts 13 38 39 brethren that through this man Christ is preached vnto vs the forgiuenesse of sinnes from all things from which we could not be iustified by the Law of Moises by him euery one that beleeueth is iustified For the Lawe made nothing perfit but Heb 7 19. the bringing in of a better hope made perfect whereby we draw neere vnto God And albeit that we in time past beeing Ephe. 2. 11. 12. 13. Gentiles and vncircumcised people in the flesh were indeede without Christ and were aliants from the common-wealth of Israell and strangers from the couenaunts of promise and had no hope and were without God in the world yet nowe by the meanes of Christ Iesus we which once were farre off are made neere by the blood of Christ For hee being our peace hath made of Ephe 2. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. both one and hath broken down the stop of the particion Wall that was betweene the Iewes and vs in abrogating through his flesh the hatred namely the Lawe of Commaundements which standeth in ordinances for to make of twaine one nevv man in himselfe so making peace And that he might reconcile both vnto God in one body thorow his Crosse and sley hatred thereby he came preached peace both to vs vvhich were a farre off and to them also that were neere For through him vvee both haue an entrance vnto the Father by one spirit And GOD vvhich is rich in mercie through his great loue wherewith he loued Ephe 2 â— 5 6 7. vs euen wheÌ„ we were dead by sinnes hath quickned vs both Iewes and Gentiles together in Christ by whose grace we are saued and hath raised vs vp together and made vs sitte together in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus That he might shew in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace through his kindnes towards vs in Christ Iesus Not by the vvorkes of righteousnesse Titus 3 5 6 7. which we had doone but according to his mercie hee saued vs by the washing of the newe birth and the renewing of the holie Ghost which he shed on vs aboundantlie through Iesus Christ our Sauiour that we beeing iustified by his grace shoulde bee made heires according to the hope of eternall life For God so loued the vvorlde that hee Ioh 3 16. hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shoulde not perrish but haue euerlasting life And heerein was the loue of God made 1. Ioh 4 9. manifest amongst vs in that hee sent his onely begotten sonne into the world that we might liue through him Yea heerein is loue not that wee loued 1 Ioh. 4. 10. GOD but that he loued vs and sent his Son to be a reconcilâ—ation for our sinnes For Christ vvhen we vvere yet of no Rom 5 6 strength at his time died for the vngodly And hee beeing very God equall vvith Philip. 2. 6 7 8. the Father in power and glory made himselfe notwithstanding of no reputation taking on him the forme of a seruaunt and was made like vnto men and was found in shape as a man Hee humbled himselfe became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse That hee might heâ—eby deliuer vs from the wrath of God and from the danger of Becon eternall damnation whereunto through our Father Adams transgression vvee all remained subiect Likevvise then as by the sinne of one Rom 5 18. namely Adam there sprang vp euill on all men to condemnation euen so by the righteousnesse of one namely Christ â—pringeth good vpon all men to the righteousnes of life For as by one mans disobedience many verse 19 were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many also be made righteous §. 1. CHrist saith the Apostle is risen from 1 Cor. 15. 20. the dead was made the first fruites of them that slept For since by man came death by man verse 21 22 came also the resurrection of the dead and â—â— in Adam all die euen so in Christ shall 〈◊〉 be made aliue Yea Christ himselfe and no other for him did by his owne power raise himselfe Augustine to life Which proueth that hee was not onely man but also true God VVherefore if he were able to giue lyfe Ierome vnto himselfe beeing deade and buried then much more now beeing aliue and in
that beleeueth in the Sonne of God 1 Iohn 5. 10 hath the witnes of God in himselfe hee that beleeueth not God hath made him a lyer because hee beleeued not the record that God witnessed of his Sonne And this is the record that God hath verse 11 12 giuen vnto vs euerlasting life and this life is in his Sonne Hee that hath the Sonne hath life and hee that hath not the Sonne of God hath not life These thinges haue I written vnto you 1 Iohn 5. 1â— that beleeue in the Name of the Sonne of GOD that yee may know that yee haue euerlasting life and that ye may beleeue in the Name of the Sonne of God For hee that shall beleeue and be baptized Mar. 16. 16. shall be saued but he that will not beleeue shall be damned §. 11. S. Paule going about in his Epistle to the Galathians to prooue our iustification to come onely by the grace and mercie of God through fayth in Iesus Christ not by the works of the Law beginneth thus VVee * which are Iewes by nature and Gala. 2. 15. 16. not sinners of the Gentiles knowe that a man is not iustified by the vvorkes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ Euen wee I say haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that wee might be iustified by the fayth of Christ and not by the works of the Lawe because that by the works of the Lawe no flesh shall be iustified But wee beleeue to be saued through Acts 15. 11. the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ For as many as are of the workes of the Gala. 3. 10. Law are vnder the curse For it is written Cuâ—sed is euery man that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them And that no man is iustified by the lawe Gala 3 11. in the sight of God it is euident for the iust shall liue by fayth I through the Law saith he am dead to Gala 2 19. 20. the Law and that I might liue vnto God I am crucified with Christ Neuerthelesse I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in mee and in that that I nowe liue in the flesh I liue by the faith in the Son of God vvho hath loued mee and giuen himselfe for mee I do not abrogate the grace of God for verse 21. if righteousnes be by the lawe then Christ died without a cause But nowe is the righteousnes of GOD Rom 3 21 22 made manifest without the Lawe hauing witnes of the Law of the Prophets To wit the righteousnes of God by the fayth of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue For by grace we are saued through faith Ephe 2 8 9 and that not of our selues it is the gift of God Not of works least any man should boast himselfe §. 12. If Abraham saith the same Apostle Rom 4 2 3. were iustified by works he hath wherin to reioyce but not with God For what saith the Scripture Abraham beleeued God it was counted to him for righteoushes Now to him that worketh the wages is verse 4 5 not counted by fauour but by debt but to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his fayth is counted for righteousnes For * Gregory onely beleeuing is righteousnes Besides it is not vvritten for Abraham Rom 4 23 24 25. onely that it was imputed to him for righteousnes but also for vs to whom it shall be imputed for righteousnesse which beleeue in him that raised vp Iesus our Lord from the dead who was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification Knowe yee therefore that they vvhich Gala 3 7 are of fayth the same are the chyldren of Abraham For the Scripture fore-seeing that God verse 8 9. would iustifie the Gentiles through fayth preached before the Gospell vnto Abraham saying In thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham For the promise that hee should be the Rom 4 13 heire of the world was not giuen to Abraham or to his seede through the Law but through the righteousnes of fayth For if verse 14 they which are of the Law be heires faith is made voyde and the promise is made of none effect For the Law causeth wrath but vvhere verse 15. no Law is there is no transgression By the lawe also commeth the knowledge Rom 3 20. of sinne Nay I knew not sinne but by the lavve Rom. 7 7. for I had not knowne lust except the law had said Thou shalt not lust Therefore is the promise by faith that it Rom. 4 16. might come by grace and the promise might bee sure vnto all the seede not to that onely which is of the lawe but also to that which is of the faith of Abraham who is the father of vs all §. 13. Doe wee then make the lawe of none effect Rom 3 31 through fayth God forbid yea vvee rather establish the law For the doctrine of faith is the ornament Caluine of the lawe and by it wee embrace Christ who by his death hath fully satisfied the lawe So that the law which could not bring vs to saluation by reason of our owne corruption is nowe made effectuall to vs by the meanes of Christ Iesus Iâ— the lawe then against the promise of Gala 3 21 22. God God forbid For if there had been a lawe giuen which coulde haue giuen life surely righteousnes shoulde haue beene by the law But the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sin that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ shoulde be giuen to them that beleeue But before faith came we were kept vnder verse 23. the law shut vp vnto the faith which should afterward be reuealed Wherefore the lawe was our Schoolemaister verse 24 to bring vs to Christ that vvee might be made righteous by fayth But after that fayth is come we are no longer vnder a Schoole-maister for wee are all the sonnes of God by faith in Iesus Christ Not that the doctrine or any commaundement Caluine of God in the law concerning vertuous life is abolished but that all Iewish Ceremonies are nowe ceast and the curse or condemnation of the lawe which vvas due vnto vs for our sinnes is cleane taken avvay through fayth in our Redeemer Christ Iesus Who came into the world as hath already Math 5 17. been shewed not to destroy the law or the prophets but that he might fulfil them VVee conclude therefore that a man is Rom 3. 28. iâ—stisâ—â—d by faith vvithout the vvorkes of the Lawe And beeing iustifieâ—d by faith wee haue Rom 5 1 2 peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also â— vvee haue acâ—esse through fayth vnto this grace whereiâ— we stanâ—â— and reioyce vnder the hope
Our warre-weapons and armour is the shielde of fayth the sworde of the Spirit the brest-plate of righteousnesse and the helmet of saluation The reward of conquest is a crowne of Rauisius life to him that ouer-coÌ„meth which God himselfe hath promised to euery man that perseuereth in vvell-dooing to the end But hee that coward-like leaueth the battaile and forsaketh the fielde shall be pursued spoyled and made a pray to his infernall enemy For no man that striueth for a maisterie 2 Tim 2. 5 shall be crowned except hee striue as hee ought to doe Neyther is hee that putteth his hande to Luke 9 62. the plowe and afterward looketh backe any meete member for the kingdome of God §. 12. If vve suffer with Christ wee shall also 2. Tim. 2. 12 raigne with him but if wee denie him hee also will denie vs. And looke vvith what courage a Christian Pet. Mar. in the time of his triall shall confesse the truth and acknowledge Christ to be his Captaine with as great consolation inward ioy shal his conscience be comforted at the houre of death when his soule is forsaking the prison of his bodie For this is thanke-worthy if a man for 1. Pet 2 19. conscience toward God endure greefe suffer wrong vndeserued §. 13. Take my brethren the Prophets saith Iames 5 10. Saint Iames for an ensample of suffering aduersitie of long patience which haue spoken in the Name of the Lord. And let likewise that generall testimonie which the Writer to the Hebrues giueth in commendation of all the Saints of the olde Testament sufficiently moue vs to be perfectly patient in all our tribulations according to their example where he saith Some of them were tryed by mockings Hebr 11 36 37 38 and scourging some by bondes and imprisonment some were stoned some vvere hewen in sunder some were tempted some were slaine with the sword som went vp and downe in Sheepes skinnes Goates-skinnes in great neede afflicted tormented vvandering in Wildernesses in Mountaines in Dennes and in hollowe Caues of the earth the World not beeing worthy of them Others also were racked woulde not Hebr. 11 35 be deliuered that they might receiue a better resurrection §. 14. Besides these we finde also that the Apostle S. Paule himselfe his fellow seruaunts vnder Christ in the Newe-testament are most worthy examples to be remembred For in diuers places of his Epistles hee spareth not to speake both of his owne and the rest of the disciples sufferings but for himselfe onely in his Epistle to the Corinthians he saith I take pleasure 2. Cor. 12. 10. in infirmities in reproches in necessities in persecutions and in anguish for Christes sake for vvhen I am vveake then am I strong Likewise in the Acts we read that when he was fore-told by a certaine Prophet named Acts 21 11 12. Agabus what trouble shoulde befall him at Ierusalem he desisted not from his iourney thether but rather reproued them that sought with teares to perswade him to the contrarie saying * What doe you verse 13 weeping and breaking mine hart For I am ready not to be bound onely but also to die at Ierusalem for the Name of the Lord Iesus For Christ is to mee both in life and in Philip 1 21 death aduantage And I count all things to be losse and Phil. 3 8 9. iudge them to be dunge that I may winne Christ and be found in him §. 15. Also in the afore-named Epistle to the Corinthians both in the behalfe of himselfe and the rest of his fellow helpers he saith Brethren wee would not haue you 2. Cor. 1. 8. 9 ignorant of our affliction which came vnto vs in Asia how we were pressed out of measure passing strength so that we altogether doubted euen of life Yea wee receiued the sentence of death in our selues because wee should not trust in our selues but in God which raiseth the dead Againe in the 4. chapter of the same 2 Cor 4 8 9 Epistle he saith Wee are afflicted on euerie side yet are we not in distresse we are in doubt but yet we despaire not wee are persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but we perrish not Euery where wee beare about in our bodie verse 10 11 the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life of Iesus might also be made manifest in our bodies for wee which liue are alwaies deliuered vnto death for Iesus sake that the life also of Iesus might be made manifest in our mortall flesh As it is written For thy sake ô Lorde Rom 8 36. are we killed all the day long we are counted as sheepe appoynted to be slaine Neuerthelesse in all these things wee are verse 37 more then conquerours through him that loued vs. §. 16. VVherefore let vs also seeing that wee Heb 12 1 2 are compassed with so great a clowde of witnesses cast away euery thing that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth so fast on Let vs run with patience the race that is set before vs looking vnto Iesus the authour and finisher of our fayth who for the ioy that was sette before him endured the crosse and despised the shame and is set at the right hand of the throne of God Consider therfore him that endured such verse 3 speaking against of sinners least ye should be wearied and faint in your mindes Cast not away your confidence vvhich Heb 10 35. 36 37. hath great recompence of reward for wee haue neede of patience that after yee haue done the will of God ye might receiue the promise For yet a very little while hee that shall come wil come will not tarry Be patient therefore brethren vnto the comming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman Iames 5 7 8 waiteth for the precious fruite of the earth and hath long patience for it vntill he receiue both the former the latter raine Be yee also patient therefore settle your harts for the coÌ„ming of the Lord draweth neere And the GOD of all grace which hath 1 Pet 5 10 called vs vnto his eternall glory by Christ Iesus after that yee haue suffered a little make you perfect confirme strengthen and stablish you For if wee liue wee liue vnto the Lord Rom 14 8 if we die we die vnto the Lord so that whether we liue or die we are the Lords And none neede to feare death saue Socrates those which haue committed so much wickednes as after death deserueth damnation §. 17. Wherfore let them that suffer according 1 Pet 4 19 to the will of God coÌ„mit their soules vnto him in wel doing as vnto a faithful Creator And let all the troubles that can come Pet. Lomb. vppon thee for thy good conuersation in Christ be borne with boldnes comforted with confidence vnder-propped with patience For the necessary patience of him that Ecclê°
Psal 145. 17 the Psalmist saith in all his vvayes and holie in all his workes Yea his vvayes are righteous the iust Hose 14 10 shal walke in them but the wicked shall fall therein For as his wayes are plaine and right vnto Ecclê° 39 24 the iust so are they stumbling blocks vnto the wicked §. 4. But to the end wee should not imagine the wayes of Almightie God to be like our wayes nor his secrete intents to resemble our deuises it hath pleased the Lord himselfe in the prophecie of Esay fully to assure vs of the contrarie by his owne speech where he saith * My thoughts ô house of Esay 55 8 9 Israell are not your thoughts neyther are your wayes my waies For as the heauens are higher then the earth so are my wayes higher then your wayes and my thoughts aboue your thoughts And an example partly to approue this speech of God may be founde in the first Booke of Samuell where wee reade that when the Prophet according as hee vvas appointed went about to annoynt a nowe King in steed of Saule ouer Israell he first after he came to Bethlehem called for Elihab 1 Sam 16 the eldest sonne of Ishai a goodlie tall fellowe and presently supposed him because he was of an high stature and comlie countenaunce to bee the man whom God had chosen But when the Lorde refused him â—ee called for the second sonne and after that the third so in order vntill he had seene seauen of Ishais sonnes at the last when there remained onely but one more named Dauid the most vnlikely amongst all the rest to be elected King the Lord far contrary both to the expectation of his Father and the Prophet as soone as the lad came into their presence called vnto Samuell saying Arise and annoynt him for this is hee Giuing vs hereby to vnderstand that he respecteth not as wee doe the outvvarde appearance comly proportion of euerie beautifull person but rather the godlie inclination of mans minde and the feruent affection of his hidden hart §. 5. Now although indeede we are not able as S. Ierome saith by reason of our manie Ierome â— infirmities to conceaue Gods wonderfull counsels or attaine to the knowledge of his hidden purposes for that his secrete determinations seeme like a deepe Gulfe vnto vs yet must we alwayes in duetie acknowledge him in whatsoeuer hee doth to be iust and true in all his wayes and humblie confesse that he keepeth an vpright and euen hand in the performing of all his promises whatsoeuer And far more fitly also wil it become vs reuerently to admire the meruailous vvorkings of the Almightie then ouer busily to beate our braines about matters that are beyond our capacity saying in all humility of spirit as the Apostle in his Epistle to the Romaines saith * O the deepenesse of Rom 11 33 the riches both of the wisedome knowledge of God! howe vnsearchable are his iudgements his wayes past finding out ¶ Of the Word of God §. 1. THE Worde of the Lord our God Heb 4 12. as saith the Apostle is liuely and mightie in operation and sharper then anie two edged sword It entereth through euen vnto the deuiding in sunder of the soule and the spirit and of the ioynts and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the hart §. 2. The Word of God as Saint Ambrose Ambrose saith is the pleasant Garden of Paradice where the Tree of knowledge is appoynted by God vnto all the elect In the midst whereof standeth the Tree of Life which is Christ our Sauiour No Cherubin with a fierie sword saith hee keepeth the enterance but it is opened by the instinct of the holy Ghost and the light of the Gospel to all that are hungry In it are the Riuers of liuely vvater by which the Church of all the faythfull is ouerflowne and cherrished and the mindes of the godly inriched with the treasures of heauenly graces Therein also are Trees of all sorts verie faire and fruitfull that is the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles planted by Gods owne hand and the voyce of God continually walking earnestly seeking the saluation of mankinde and leading them vnto the way of life §. 3. The Word of God as Saint Augustine Augustine sayth is the vvombe of God vvherein all his Children are conceaued carried borne and nourished It is the Lanthorne vvhereby our feete Fulgentius may bee directed and the true Light by vvhich our pathes may bee guided vnto Christ It is as it were the Lydian Touchstone Ambrose which rightly tryeth all the opinions and teachings of men whether they be true or counterfeit It is as the Apostle saith the * sword of Ephe 6 17 the Spirit And the * power of God vnto Rom 1 16 saluation to euery one that beleeueth It is the mistery or secrete of the vvill of Rom. 16. 25 GOD. And his Letters or freendly Epistles sent Augustine vnto vs from our heauenly Countrey to instruct vs in fayth and godlines of life It is the liuelie meate or foode of mans Ambrose soule with the which it is nourished fedde and daily gouerned It is the wholsome doctrine of the holie Ierome Ghost wherein is contained whatsoeuer is needful to be knowne of vs in this life concerning our future felicitie in the vvorld to come §. 4. The very authoritie of Gods Worde alone is as S. Augustine saith more theÌ„ all Augustine the sharpnesse of mans imagination or inuention for it hath one constant plaine simple holy meaning wherein the truth consisteth by vvhich onely wee fight and ouercome And whatsoeuer in argument saith S. Gregorie hath not authoritie from the Gregory Word of GOD it may well be auoyded vvith the same ease vvith vvhich it is affirmed For as whatsoeuer gold is vvithout the Origen Temple is not sanctified so vvhat-soeuer sence is without the holy Scriptures although vnto some it seeme wonderfull yet it is not holy because it is not contayned in the sence of the Scriptures §. 5. The entrance as Dauid saith into the Psalm 119. 130. Word of the Lord sheweth light and giueth vnderstanding vnto the simple For it is * prooued to bee most pure It Ps 119 140. Ecclus. 1. 5 Ps 119 160 Psalm 119 72 104 is * the wel-spring of wisedome And the * beginning of it is truth The Lawe of thy mouth ô Lord sayth hee is better vnto mee then thousandes of golde and siluer By thy precepts haue I gotten vnderstanding And by thy coÌ„maundements thou hast Psa 119 98 made me wiser then mine enemies Therefore loue I thy commaundements Psalm 119 127 aboue gold yea aboue most fine gold I reioyce also at thy Word as one that Psalm 119. 162. findeth a great spoyle And my soule ô Lorde hath kept thy Psalm 119. 167. testimonies for
well or Augustine that wee vnderstand aright wee haue it of God of our selues wee haue nothing but onely sinne that is within vs. And surely deserued paine through Adams Augustine fault would bring al men into euerlasting death vnlesse the vndeserued grace of God through fayth in Christ deliuered some from it §. 11. All men in the first man namely Adam vvere created of God saith S. Ambrose Ambrose without vice or fault all our nature was sound and in health but by the sin of the same man we haue lost it Also We say truly in affirming that the Augustine first man onely could fulfill that he would when as yet his free-vvill of choyse vvas sound and whole before the fault But man misvsing his free-will lost both Augustine himselfe and his will The first man vvas created in nature Augustine without blame in nature without fault he was created vpright he did not make him selfe vpright It is knowne what hee made himselfe falling out of the hande of the Potter he was broken For hee that made him did gouerne him but hee was willing to forsake him that made him and God suffered him so to doe as it were saying thus Let him forsake me that he may find himselfe and that he may by his misery proue that without mee he can doe nothing By this meane therefore would God shew vnto man what free-will is able to doe vvithout God Free-vvill before the fall of Adam vvas Augustine an vpright free-will before which fire and water was layde of God and the first man did reach his hand vnto which hee would hee did choose fire forsooke vvater See therefore the righteous Iudge the same which man beeing free did choose he did receiue hee would haue euill the same did follow him We had free-will before sinne to worke Chrisostome well but after sinne we had none because we were not able by our owne power and strength after sinne to escape from the power of the deuill But as a ship when the sterne is broken is driuen hether and thether where the tempest will so by the deuill wee are driuen from one sinne to another neither hetherto can vvee doe any thing but euen as the deuill will And except GOD doe deliuer vs with the strong hand of his mercie we shall remaine in the bonds chaines of sinnes vnto death For by our owne willes and negligence wee are bound but it is onely by the mercies of almighty God that wee are loosed and set at libertie §. 12. No man can beleeue hope or loue vnlesse Augustine he will saith S. Augustine yet euen the selfe same will to beleeue hope and loue commeth not of our selues but from God Wee indeed thinking beleeue thinking we speake thinking we doe whatsoeuer Augustine we doe But as touching that that appertaineth vnto the way of godlinesse and true vvorship of God wee are not able to thinke any thing as of our selues but our ablenesse commeth of God For our own harts and our owne thoughts are not in our owne powers Also that we should beleeue in GOD liue godly it lyeth not in the wil or running Augustine of man but in the grace and mercy of God Not that we ought not both to wil and to runne but because that God himselfe by his holy Spirit doth worke in vs both to will and also to runne §. 13. Mans naturall free will then vve doe verily Maxentius beleeue saith Maxentius is of no more value but onely for carnall or worldly desires or such deseruings which possiblie may seeme glorious among men but not with God For those things which belong vnto euerlasting life we can neither thinke neither will neither desire neither performe except it be by the infusion and operation of the holie Ghost Besides our prayers are alwayes made Ambrose in vaine if it be in our owne free-wil to do what we will Let no man therefore flatter himselfe Augustine for of his owne hee is a very sathan hee hath that of GOD onely whereby hee is blessed §. 14. There is a sentence in Salomons Prouerbs where the Wiseman thus speaketh saying * The preparations of the hart are Prou 16 1 in man but the aunswere of the tongue is of the Lord. Vpon which wordes S. Augustine thus Augustine writeth Some not vnderstanding thys place wel are deceiued insomuch that they beleeue that to prepare the hart that is to beginne goodnesse without the helpe of the grace of God pertaineth vnto man But God forbid saith he that the chyldren of promise should so vnderstand it as though thereby they woulde confute the Lord whereas they haue heard him saying * Without mee yee can doe nothing And Iohn 15 5 say Behold we are able of our selues to prepare our hart by that to think som goodnes God forbid that any man should vnderstand it so saue the proude defenders of their will For therefore it is written It is the mans part to prepare the hart the aunswere of the tongue is of the Lord because the man prepareth the hart yet for all that man cannot prepare his hart without the helpe of God For God dooth so worke in the harts of men and in their free will it selfe that euery good thought good counsaile and all good motions of the will or minde is of God Hee doth first preuent vs with his grace Gregory that wee may be willing to leaue euill and doe good and afterward with his helping hand also he doth folow vs least we should will in vaine Yea It is God that worketh in vs both Augustine to will also to worke We will then but it is God that worketh in vs euen to vvill We work then but it is God also that doth worke in vs the worke euen freelie of his own good will It is expedient for vs both to beleeue this and also to confesse this This is godly this is true that our confession may be humble and lowly and that all goodnes may be ascribed vnto GOD alone No man can come vnto me saith Christ Iohn 6 44 except the Father which hath sent mee draw him Neither can any man say that Iesus is the 1 Cor 12 3 Lord but by the holy Ghost For to beleeue is the gift of God As Mat 16 17 Christes owne wordes testifie vnto Peter where he sayth * Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas For flesh and bloode hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my Father which is in heauen Also It is written in the Prophets And Iohn 6 45. they shall be all taught of GOD. Euery man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father commeth vnto me Yea All that the Father giueth mee Iohn 6 37 ◠shall come to mee and him that commeth vnto mee I cast not away §. 16. Moreouer Except a man be borne againe
Iohn 3 3. saith Christ hee cannot see the kingdome of God That is as our Sauiour himselfe expoundeth it Except that a man bee borne of Water and of the Spirit hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God That which is borne of the flesh is flesh Iohn 3 6 and that that is borne of the Spirit is Spirite A man can receiue nothing except it be Iohn 3 27. giuen him from heauen §. 17. Why doe men then presume so much Augustine of the possibilitie of nature saith S. Augustine seeing it is wounded it is â—â—angled it is troubled it is lost It behoueth vs rather truly to confesse it then falsely to defend it For in our flesh the euill lurketh and Bullenger out of vs iniquitie ariseth Whereupon the Apostle in his Epistle to the Romaines saith * I know that in mee that is in my Rom 7 18 19. flesh dwelleth no good thing For to wil is present with mee but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good For I do not the good thing which I would but the euill which I would not that doe I. Also it furthermore seemeth that the verie coÌ„sideration of this our weake sinfull nature where-vnto we are yoked was the only cause which enforced the same Apostle within 5. verses following vehemently to breake forth into these speeches saying O wretched man that I am vvho shall deliuer Rom 7 24. mee from the body of this death But comforting recouering himselfe through faith in his Redeemer he presently maketh this reply in the next verse after saying * I giue thanks vnto God through Rom. 7 25. Iesus Christ our Lord. For hee deliuereth vs from the wrath of 1 The. 1. 10 God to come And GOD hath giuen vs the victorie 1 Cor. 15 57. through him Yea the victory is wholely gotten in his Augustine Name that hath taken man vpon him and hath liued without sinne that in him and through him being both the Priest the Sacrifice remission forgiuenes of sinnes should be obtained and giuen That is to say by the Mediatour of GOD and Man that man Iesus Christ by whom the purging of our sinnes beeing made wee are reconciled vnto God For men bee not seperated from God but by sinnes whereof the purging is not made or which are not purged in this life by our owne vertue and strength but by the mercie of God by his pardon clemencie and not by our own power For the same small vertue and strength that is called ours is graunted and giuen vnto vs by the mercifull goodnesse of Almightie GOD. Thus much onely to shewe vvhat Man is of himselfe by nature ¶ Of the shortnesse and vncertaintie of Mans life §. 1. IT followeth next to be coÌ„sidered what the life of Man is and so consequently how short and vncertaine the same To beginne therefore first with Mans life vve finde in the fourth of S. Iames that the Apostle doth not there compare or liken it to smoake but plainly saith * It is euen Iames 4 14. a vapour or smoake that appeareth for a little time and afterward vanisheth awav We read also in the second Booke of Samuell that the subtile woman of Tekoah pleading with King Dauid for the reconcilement 2. Sam. 14. 4 of his sonne compareth the life of Man to no better thing then water spilt vppon the ground which being once down can neuer be gathered vp againe Besides the Prophet Esay with the afore-said S. Iames S. Peter doe all three agree in one sentence about the life of man Esay 40 6. lames 1. 10. 1. Pet. 1 24 saying * All flesh is grasse and the glorie of man is as the flower of grasse Euen as a flower of the fielde so florisheth Psalm 103 15 16. Man for the winde goeth ouer it and it is gone and the place thereof shall know it no more §. 2. Man that is borne of a woman saith Iob Iob. 14 1 2. is of short continuaunce and full of trouble hee shooteth forth like a flower and is cut downe he vanisheth also as a shadow and continueth not The daies of his life are determined the Iob 14 5. number of his monthes are known to thee ô Lorde thou hast appointed him his boundes beyonde the which hee cannot passe §. 3. The time of Mans life saith the Psalmist Psal 90 10 is threescore yeeres and tenne and if they be of strength foure-score yeeres yet their strength is but labour sorrow for it is cutte off quickly and we flee away If the number of a Mans dayes doe amount Ecclê° 18. 8 to an hundred yeres it is very much And no man liuing hath any certaine knowledge of his death But euen as fishes when they think theÌ„selues Ecclesi 9. 12 in most safetie are taken vvith the hooke and as birdes are caught in a snare when they thinke nothing lesse so death suddainly smiteth men in an euill season when * Granado they are least mindfull of any such matter §. 4. Now if we consider by the authoritie of these few former places onely what and hovve short the life of Man is seeing the longest terme thereof according to the saying of the Psalmist passeth not threescore and tenne or foure-score yeeres for all the rest if any mans life be drawne a little longer is but labour and sorrow and Granado abate out of this saith Granado the time of our infancie vvhich is rather a lyfe of beasts then men and withall the time that we spend in sleep at which instant we haue not the vse of our sences and reason vvee shall finde that this life of ours is a great deale shorter then it seemeth vnto vs. For wee cannot well reckon the time of our infancie for any part of our life because the life of infancie when we are not yet come to the vse of reason which only sheweth vs to be men is as it were the lyfe of a young Goate that goeth wantonly about leaping and skipping in diuers places at pleasure And especially because we plainly perceiue that in all that age there is nothing either learned or doone that may well beseeme the dignitie of a man And as for the time we spend in sleepe that may much lesse bee counted any part of our life seeing it is the coÌ„mon custome of men to sleepe the third part of the day and night which is eyght vvhole howres VVhere-vppon it followeth by thys account that the third part of our life is consumed in sleepe and so consequently that during that time we doe not liue Besides all this if wee doe compare thys life of ours with the eternitie of the life to come which endureth euerlastingly we shall finde that it vvill scarcely seeme so much as a minute Very well therefore and aduisedlie did that Philosopher write vvho likened the life of man to lightning which coÌ„tinueth Crates but a
so great and the pleasures thereof so small and fewe to make vs the more desirous of the heauenly life which is nothing els but ioy and pleasure And surely it seemeth by the speech of the Apostle that he knew well which was the better choyse of the twaine vvhen hee said * I desire to be dissolued or loosed Philip. 1 23 from this flesh and to be with Christ which is best of all For we know saith he that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroied we 2 Cor 5 1 2 haue a building giuen of God that is an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens And therefore doe wee sigh desiring to be clothed vvith our house which is from heauen §. 2. These things being thus ô howe happie Rauisius were it nowe saith Rauisius for vnhappie man if forgetfulnesse deceiued him not to remember the sickle estate of his life both how short it is and also how full of miserie vanitie and woe an approued exile and hath nothing in it permanent But is euen a continuall conflict strife Mar. Aurâ—l warre a wandering wildernesse and a vale of wretchednesse wherin we are continually compassed with most terrible fierce and feareful enemies to the deadly wounding sleying and ouer-throwing both of body and soule into hell All these miseries considered why should man then haue any desire to liue in this wretched world to abide in such a lothsome and laborious life VVere not death much rather to be desired VVere not the howre of death much better then the continuaunce of such a life For to the godly death is no death but rather the most happie messenger and quick dispatcher of all such displeasures the end of al trouble and sorrow the bedde of all rest the doore of good desires the gate of gladnesse the port of Paradice the hauen of heauen the entrance to felicity the manumission from all griefe and misery and the beginning of euerlasting ioy and blessednes Death therefore ought rather to be desired Hâ—rmes then despised for it changeth vs from this world of vncleanenes shame to the pure world of worship and worth From this transitory life to life euerlasting from a worlde of folly and vanities to a worlde of wisedome reason and truth and from a world of trouble trauaile and paine to a world of rest comfort and consolation Let each man therfore wisely consider of Pacuuius his own estate let him also feare to offend the maiestie of Almightie God and not feare the day nor howre of death but alwayes abide with patience his appoynted time and vvhen hee perceiueth that his turne is come let him giue thanks vnto his Maker for his change ¶ Of the parting of the soule from the bodie and of the immortalitie thereof §. 1. TO all thinges saith Salomon there Eccles. 3 1. 2 is an appointed time and a time to euery purpose vnder the heauen a time to be borne a time to die a time to plant and a time to pluck vp that vvhich is planted For here haue we no continuing Citty Heb. 13 14 but we seeke one to come All flesh waxeth old as doth a garment Ecclê° 14. 17 and this is the condition of all times Thou shalt die the death For vvhat man is he that liueth shal Psal 89 48. not see death Sith that law is generall which coÌ„maundeth Salust to be borne and to die §. 2. All things that are of the earth saith Sirach Ecclê° 40 11 shall turne to earth againe and they that are of the waters shall returne into the Sea But the soule or spirit of man being immortal Eccles. 12. 7 shal returne vnto God that gaue it For as the beginning of our creation coÌ„meth Aristotle from GOD so it is meete that after death our soule returne vnto him againe §. 3. GOD hath created saith Beda three Beda kindes of liuing Spirits the first incorporeall proper to Angels onely the second couered ouer with flesh but not mortall or dying there-with that is the soule or Spirite of man dwelling in his body the third carnall and dying with the flesh namelie the spirite or life of beastes The soule of man also beeing once Augustine made shall surely endure for euer eyther in the body or out of the body For it should neuer beare the name to bee made according to the Image of Gods own likenesse if it might possibly be enclosed in the bonds of death §. 4. The most precious excellent creature Hermes that God hath created here on earth saith Hermes is man the most worthy thing in him is his soule or spirit vvhich endeuouring in this life to follow goodnes shall after death be rewarded with eternal glory For this is to be beleeued that the soules Socrates of good men so soone as they are foorth of the bodie they passe speedily into a better life but the soules of the wicked goe from this world to a worse If death were the dissoluing both of bodie Plato and soule then happy were the wicked which beeing once ridde of theyr bodie should also for euer after be ridde of theyr soule and wickednes but forasmuch as it is euident that the soule is immortall there is no comfort left for the vngodly to trust in For the immortalitie of the soule excludeth all hope from the wicked and establisheth the good in theyr goodnes §. 5. By the iustice of God saith Plato the Plato soule must needes be immortall and therfore no man ought to liue carelesse or negligent thereof For though the body die yet the soule Solon dieth not but by the stroke of death it passeth foorth of the body into another world more swiftly theÌ„ any bird that flieth Yea the soules of all men doubtlesse Socrates are immortall but the soules of the godlie are both immortall and diuine Wherefore if thy soule be good the Basill stroke of death cannot hurt thee for thy spirit shall thereby liue blessedly in heauen §. 6. But for better proofe of this matter then the speech of any Philosopher in the world can affoord we finde it plainly affirmed in the Gospell of S. Luke by the testimonie Luke 16 22 23. c. of Truth it selfe that the soule of Lazarus was no sooner out of his body but it vvas immediatly carried vp by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Contrariwise the soule of Diues after his death was speedily borne to hell torments The first to ioy pleasure the last to paine greefe Betweene which two places also there is such a great gulfe or swallowing pit sette that there cannot possibly be any passage from one of them to the other Saint Iohn likewise witnesseth in the Reuelation that wheÌ„ the 5. seale of the booke Reue. 6. 9. of God was opened he saw vnder the Alter in heauen the soules of them that were
verse 3 4. and the ingraued forme of his person and bearing vp all thinges by his mightie word hath by himselfe purged our sinnes and sitteth at the right hande of the Maiestie in the highest places and is made so much more excellent then the Angels in asmuch as hee hath obtained a more excellent name then they For vnto which of the Angels said he at Heb 1 5 any time Thou art my sonne this day begate I thee And againe I will be his Father and he shall be my sonne Or vnto which also of the Angels said Heb 1 13. he at any time Sit at my right hande till I make thine enemies thy foote-stoole §. 2. By this man namely Christ vvere all Colos 1. 16 17. things created vvhich are in heauen and which are in earth things visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers All things were created by him and for him and hee is before all things and in him all things consist Hee is the heade of the bodie of the verse 18 19 20. Church hee is the beginning and the first begotten of the dead that in all things hee might haue the preheminence For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulnes dwell and by him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe and to set at peace through the blood of his Crosse both the things in earth and the thinges in heauen Wherefore God hath also highly exalted Philip. 2 9. 10 11. him giuen him a Name aboue euery name that at the Name of Iesus euery knee should bow both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth And that euery tongue shoulde confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord vnto the glorie of God the Father For in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of Colos 2 9. the God-head bodily And in him are hidde all the treasures of Colos 2. 3. vvisedome and knowledge Vnto him is all power giuen both heauen and in earth Math. 28. 18 For the Father loueth the Sonne and Iohn 3 35 hath giuen all things into his hand The Father iudgeth no man but hath Ioh 5 22 23 committed all iudgement vnto the Sonne because that all men shoulde honour the Sonne as they honour the Father In his hand also are the keyes both of hell Reu 1 18. and of death And hee likewise hath the key of Dauid Reue. 3. 7. which openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth §. 3. VVherefore if any man be willing to Iohn 14 6. come vnto God our Sauiour Christ declareth himselfe to be the Way the Truth and the Light and that no man commeth vnto the Father but by him Hee is the doore by him if any man enter Iohn 10 9 in he shall be saued and shall goe in goe out and finde pasture He is the true light which lighteth euery Iohn 1 9 man that commeth into the world He is that preuailing seed of the woman Gene 3 15. which vvas promised in Paradise by God the Father vnto Adam that hee shoulde breake the head of the deuill He is that spirituall Rock of whō all our 1 Cor. 10. 3. Fathers did eate and drinke He is acknowledged and openly confessed Mark 5 7. by his greatest enemy to be the Sonne of the most high God Yea hee is confirmed by a voyce from Math 3 17 heauen to be that beloued sonne in whom God the Father is well pleased Hee is that sonne whom Dauid vvilleth Psalm 2 12 vs to kisse and embrace least he be angry and we perrish from the right way Hee is the Lord of Lordes and King of Reue 17 14 Kings and they that are on his side are called and chosen and faithfull Hee is the Lambe of God which taketh Iohn 1 29. away the sinnes of the world Hee is that kinde louing Samaritane Luke 10 34 which healed the wounded man that was found in the high-way halfe dead He is that gentle and compassionate Soueraigne Math 28 27 which freely forgaue his seruant the tenne thousand talents that hee owed vnto him He is that cheefe corner stone vvhich Acts 4 11 the Iewes counting themselues builders refused He is the Mediatour of the Newe-Testament Heb 12. 24. He is the end of the Lawe for righteousnesse Rom. 10. 4. vnto euery one that beleeueth Hee is the onely Mediatour betweene 1. Tim 2. 5. God and man He is both the power of God and the 1 Cor. 1. 24. wisedome of God He is our wisdome and righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30 sanctification and redemption He is that Lord of life whom God hath Acts 3. 15. raised from the dead Hee * is our peace And the * Prince of Ephe. 2. 14. Heb 2. 10. our saluation He is the Sheepheard and Bishop of our 1 Pet. 2. 25. soules He is the Vine we are the branches Iohn 15 5 Heb 6 20. He is our high-priest for euer after the order of Melchisedecke Hee is our Aduocate vnto God the Father 1. Ioh 2 1 Hee is the reconciliation for our sinnes 1 Iohn 2 2 not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world Finally hee is the Authour and finisher Heb 12 2. of our fayth For without him we can do nothing Iohn 15. 5. §. 4. If any man thirst saith Christ let him Iohn 17 37 come vnto mee and drinke Hee that beleeueth in mee as sayth the verse 38 Scripture out of his belly shall flowe riuers of water of life I am the light of the world hee that followeth Iohn 8 12 mee shall not walke in darknesse but shall haue the light of life I am the bread of life hee that commeth Iohn 6. 35 to me shall not hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst I am that liuing bread which came down Iohn 6 51 from heauen of whom whosoeuer eateth hee shall liue for euer I am the resurrection the life hee that Iohn 11 25 26. beleeueth in me though he were dead yet shall hee liue and whosoeuer liueth beleeueth in mee shall neuer die ¶ Of Christes comming into the worlde and the seuerall causes thereof §. 1. WEe when vvee were children saith the Apostle were in bondage Gala 4 3 4 5. vnder the ordinaunces of the world But when the fulnes of time was come GOD sent foorth his Sonne made of a vvoman made bond vnto the law to redeeme them which were bond vnto the law that we through election might receiue the inheritance that belongeth vnto the naturall sonnes §. 2. Man liued in the worlde for a time saith S. Augustine without the Lawe written Augustine to teach him that he was not a law to himselfe and a certaine time vnder the Law to make him finde by proofe
of things which did appeare For God in the beginning by the onely Lactantius power of his Word made all things of nothing and he likewise by the power of his Worde alone is able to destroy all thinges againe when it pleaseth him §. 3. From fayth if it be perfect and liuelie Euagoras vve come to feare from feare to flying of sinne and by flying of sinne vvee attaine vnto a patient minde to suffer tribulation by the which we obtaine sure hope trust in GOD through the which hope our soules sitte safe in a sure chayre of a certaine expectation of that glory which is layd vp in store for vs in the kingdom of heauen For * 2 Cor 5 7 we walke by fayth and not by sight And by it our fore-fathers were well reported Heb. 11. 2 of §. 4. By fayth Abraham when he was called Heb 11 8. obeyed God to goe out into a place which hee should afterward receiue for inheritance and he went out of his owne countrey not knowing whether he went Through fayth also Sara the wife of Abraham Heb 11 11. receiued strength to conceiue seede and was deliuered of a childe when she was past age because shee iudged him faithfull which had promised By fayth Moises when hee was come to Heb. 11 24. 25. age refused to be called the sonne of Pharaos Daughter and chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinnes for a season Esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater verse 26. riches then the treasures of Egipt for hee had respect vnto the recompence of the reward By fayth the woman of Cananee after Math. 15 22 23. 24. c. three repulses giuen her from our Sauiour Christ himselfe receiued helpe for her daughter which was misterably vexed with an vncleane spirit By fayth Saint Peter confessed his Lord Math 16 16 and Maister Iesus to be Christ the sonne of the liuing God And who-soeuer else hauing in him Math 16 18 the Spirit of God shall confidently make such like confession of his fayth when he is demaunded as S. Peter made our Sauiour giueth him this assurance that the gates of hell shall not be able to preuaile against it Wherfore if thou shalt confesse with thy Rom 10 9 mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beleeue in thy hart that God raised him vp from the dead thou shalt be saued For with the hart man beleeueth vnto verse 10. righteousnes and with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation §. 5. VVho is it that ouercoÌ„meth the world 1 Iohn 5 5 saith S. Iohn but he which beleeueth that Iesus is the sonne of God For whosoeuer confesseth that Iesus is 1 Ioh 4 15 the sonne of GOD he dwelleth in God and God in him Yea who-soeuer beleeueth that Iesus is 1 Ioh 5 1 the Christ is borne of God And all that is borne of God ouercommeth 1 Iohn 5 4 the vvorld the victory that ouercommeth the world is our fayth And * the ende of our fayth is the saluation 1. Pâ—t 1 9 of our soules §. 6. Verily verily saith Christ he that beleeueth Iohn 6 46 in mee hath euerlasting life And this is the vvill of him that sent Iohn 6. 42 mee that euery man which seeth the Son and beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day Nowe although euery man cannot with Iohn 20 29 his bodily eyes as S. Thomas did first see Christ and afterward beleeue yet are all men euen by the mouth of Truth pronounced blessed which haue not so seene him and yet haue beleeued §. 7. VVee read in S. Iohn that when Martha Iohn 11 39 40. seemed doubtful that Christ could not call againe her brother Lazarus to life because he had beene foure dayes dead and buried in his graue our sauiour thus gently reproued her saying Saide I not vnto thee that if thou diddest beleeue thou shouldest see the glorie of God Also vvhen certaine friendes of Iairus came vnto him willing him to forbeare to Mark 5 35 36 trouble Christ any further for the health of his daughter seeing shee was already dead Our Sauiour notwithstanding thus comforted the discomforted father saying Be not afrayd onely beleeue For if thou canst beleeue all things are Mark 9 23. possible to him that beleeueth Expressing vnto vs by these speeches both the great power of God wonderfull force of fayth §. 8. VVee reade furthermore in the Acts of the Apostles that vvhen Paule and Silas Acts 16 22 23 24 25 were whypped imprisoned at Philippi a cheefe Citty in Macidonia for theyr testimony of Iesus at midnight they prayed and sung Psalmes vnto God and suddainely there was a great Earth-quake so that the whole foundation of the prison was shaken and by and by all the doores opened and euery mans bands vvere loosed Then the Keeper of the prison vvaked verse 27 28. out of his sleepe and when he saw the prison doores open hee drewe out his sword and would haue killed himselfe supposing that the prisoners had beene fled But Paule cryed out with a loude voyce vnto him saying Doe thy selfe no harme for vvee are all heere Then called he for a light leaped in verse 29 30. and came trembling fell downe before Paule Silas and brought them out and said Sirs what must I do to be saued To which demaunde of his they made verse 31 no other aunswere but onely this Beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued and thine houshold Our Sauiour Christ beeing likewise demaunded by certaine Iewes which heard him teach what they might doe to worke Iohn 6 28 29. the workes of God or the works which might be acceptable vnto God This is the worke of God quoth he that yee beleeue in him whom hee hath sent For except yee beleeue that I am hee Iohn 8 24 namely the Christ the Sonne of GOD which according to the saying of the scripture shoulde come into the vvorld to redeeme both you and all man-kinde from death and hell you shall die in your sinnes Search therefore the Scriptures for in Iohn 5 39 them yee thinke to haue euerlasting life and they are they which testifie of mee Also while ye haue light beleeue in the Iohn 12 36 light that yee may bee the children of the light §. 9. The Father loueth the Son saith Christ Iohn 3 35 36. hath giuen all things into his hand Hee that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life hee that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Hee that beleeueth in the Sonne shall Iohn 3 18. not be condemned but hee that beleeueth not is condemned already because he beleeueth not in the Name of the onelie begotten Sonne of God §. 10. He
And so much likewise affirmeth Socrates who was Platos Socrates Schoole-maister But King Salomon the sonne of Dauid beeing farre wiser in knowledge then eyther Socrates or Plato giueth in his Prouerbs many prayses of this vertue Telling vs plainly that * the feare of the Lord Prou 9. 10 which is a dutifull reuerence and avve of the Almighty firmely fixed in the harts of all the godly is Initium sapieâ—â—e the very beginning of vvisedome That in it is an assured strength Prou. 14. 26 Prou 10 27 Prou 14 27 That it increaseth our dayes That it is as a Well-spring of wisedome to auoyde the snares of death That it leadeth to life and that hee that Prou. 19. 23 is filled there-with shall prosper and shall not be visited with euill §. 3. Iesus likewise the sonne of Sirach who well deserueth the name of a second Salomon for his great wisedome telleth vs in the beginning of his Booke That the feare of the Lord is worship tryumph Ecclê° 1 11. gladnesse and a ioyfull crow 〈…〉 That it is an holy knowledge Ecclê° 1. 16. That it is both wisedome discipline Ecclê° 1 32. Ecclê° 25 13 That it is the beginning of the loue of GOD. That it passeth all things in clearenes Ecclê° 25 11 That it maketh a merry hart giueth Ecclê° 1 12. gladnesse ioy and long life That it expelleth sinne and driueth away Ecclê° 1 26. anger That it is the Crowne of vvisedome Ecclê° 1. 22 giueth pleace and perfect health That it is the roote of vvisedome and Ecclê° 1. 24. the branches thereof are long life That it is a pleasant garden of blessing Ecclê° 40. 27 that there is nothing so beautifull as it is Neither is there any thing sweeter then Basill the same §. 4. Besides Sirach doth not onely giue coÌ„mendations of this vertue it selfe but also vttereth sundry speeches in prayse of the man that is enriched there-with and consequently declareth how much mindfull it maketh them that haue it prouident to please God in all theyr proceedings saying Ecclê° 10. 25 The great man the Iudge and the man of authoritie are all of them honourable yet is there none of them greater then he that feareth the Lord. Hee that hath small vnderstanding and Ecclê° 19. 23 feareth God is better then hee that hath much wisedome and transgresseth the law of his Maker Oh howe great is the man that findeth Ecclê° 25. 10 wisedome knowledge yet is there none aboue him that feareth the Lord. §. 5. They that feare the Lord saith he will Ecclê° 2. 18 prepare their harts humble their soules in his sight They will also seeke out the thinges Ecclê° 2. 1â— that are pleasant vnto him They will keepe his commaundements Ecclê° 2. 19. Ecclê° 32. 15 And receiue his doctrine They will honour theyr Parents doe Ecclê° 3. 8 seruice vnto them Yea they that feare the Lord will be diligent Ecclus. 15. 1. Ecclê° 2. 16 to do good and will not disobey his VVorde And such as feruently loue the Lord wil euer be careful to keep his wayes For as by the feare of God our harts are Vincentius first framed to the obedience of his holy will so through the loue of God vvee are afterwards enforced to goe forward daily more and more with ioy and delight in his seruice Yet * Augustine â—ee that loueth GOD best alwayes feareth him most §. 6. VVith this holy religious and louing Gene 39 10 11. 12. feare of the Lorde was the hart of Ioseph the sonne of Iacob fully stored when beeing seruaunt with Potiphaâ— in Egipt hee fledde from the company and vnlawfull liking of his maisters wâ—fe This true and reuerent feare also of the Almightie kept the three young men Dan. 3. 18. mentioned in Daniell from falling downe before the false God vvhich Nabuchadnezzar the great King of Babell had sette vp It likewise caused Daniell himselfe to do Dan 6 10. contrary to the Decree of Darius And made the * faire and constant wife of Ioakim Dan 13. to withstand the wit-wanting Rethorick of the two Isralite Rulers Also whosoeuer else he be that truelie Gueuara feareth God as he ought shall vndoubtedlie finde the same such a stay vnto him in the time of temptation that he shall thereby be kept safe from falling in those dangers which lead men into destruction For the feare of God doth not onelie Boetius withdraw the hand the eye other members of the body from committing euill but it also helpeth to clense the minde and to keep the consent thereof from yeelding to euill Very well therefore saith Saint Bernard Bernard That there is nothing of greater force and efficacie to keepe vs in the grace fauour of God then to liue coÌ„tinually in his feare and to eschew by all meanes that may bee the performance of our proude and presumptious thoughts But if the feare of GOD be once gone Bernarde from a man then there remaineth in him nothing else but lewdnes of life extreame rashnes forgetfulnes of vertue a harmfull running head-long into all kindes of sinne and wickednes §. 7. It is written of Iob that hee was an vpright and iust man one that feared God Iob 1 1 and â—sâ—hewed euill VVhereby I vnderstand that the true feare of God kept him vpright in life and his abstaining froÌ„ euill caused him to be counted iust And to shew further that Iob ledde his whole life in the feare of God it is as a speciall testimony plainly expressed vnto vs by his owne speech where in effect hee thus speaketh saying * I am afrayd of all Iob 9 28 my dooings ô Lorde knowing that thou wilt not iudge mee innocent or without sinne in thy sight The Prophet Dauid likewise although himselfe be many times praysed in the sacred Scriptures for his religious holinesse and vprightnes of life yet to make known vnto all men how much he was acquainted with the true feare of GOD hee spareth not to reueale the same in the hundred and nineteene Psalme where hee saith * My Psalm 119 120. flesh trembleth for feare of thee ô Lord and I am afrayd of thy iudgements VVee finde furthermore that S. Paule the Apostle was commended by the Lord himselfe to be an elect and chosen vessell Acts 9 15 vnto him to beare his Name before the Gentiles and Kings of the Earth Yet notwithstanding in his first Epistle to the Corinthians by his owne words it is witnessed how greatly hee feared God in all his actions as namely in the 9. chapter where hee saith * I doe beate downe my 1 Cor. 9. 27 bodie and bring it into subiection least by any meanes it should come to passe that after I haue preached to others I my selfe should be reproued §. 8. Thus see wee both by seuerall sentences and
doctrines of deuils vvhich speake lyes through hypocrisie and haue theyr consciences burned with an hote yron forbidding to marry and commaunding to abstaine from meates which God hath created to be receiued vvith giuing thanks of them which beleeue and knowe the truth For euery creature of God is good and verse 4 5 nothing ought to be refused if it be receiued with thanksgiuing For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer Yee therefore beloued seeing yee know 2. Pet. 3. 17 these things before beware least ye be also plucked away vvith the errour of the wicked and fall from your owne stedfastnesse For of this sort are they vvhich creepe 2. Tim. 3. 6. 7. into houses and leade captiue simple women laden with sinnes and led with diuers lusts VVhich vvomen are euer learning and are neuer able to come to the knowledge of the truth ¶ Against ouer-curious searching and adding of any thing to the word of God §. 1. SEeke not out saith Sirach the thinges Ecclus 3 22. that are too hard for thee neither search the things rashly which are too mightie for thee But what God hath commaunded thee verse 23. thinke vpon that with reuerence and bee not curious in many of his workes for it is not needfull for thee to see with thine eyes the things that are secrete Be not curious in superfluous matters for verse 24 25 many things are shewed vnto thee aboue the capacitie of men The medling vvith such hath beguiled many an euill opinion hath deceiued their iudgement Thou canst not see without eyes professe verse 26. not the knowledge therefore vvhich thou hast not §. 2. I through the grace that is giuen vnto Rom 12 3 mee saith the Apostle say to euery one that is among you that no man presume to vnderstand aboue that which is meet to vnderstand but that he vnderstand according to sobrietie as GOD hath dealt to euery man the measure of fayth For hee is sufficiently rich in vnderstanding Hermes that knoweth how to doe well and hee hath power enough that can refraine from dooing euill §. 3. Ye shal put nothing vnto the word which Deut 4 2 I commaund you saith Moises neyther shall yee take ought there-from that yee may keepe the commaundements of the Lord your GOD which I commaund you Therefore what soeuer I commaunde Deut. 12. 32. you take heede you doe it Thou shalt not turne away from it to the Iosua 1 7. right hand nor to the left that thou maist prosper whether soeuer thou goest §. 4. Put nothing vnto the word of God saith Prou. 30. 6. Salomon least hee reproue thee and thou be founde a lyer For I protest saith the holy Ghost vnto Reue. 22. 18 euery man that heareth the wordes of the prophecie of this booke If any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in thys Booke And if any man shall diminish of the Reue. 22 19 words of the booke of this prophesie God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy Citty and from those thinges vvhich are vvritten in this booke ¶ Against foolish securitie §. 1. SAy not thou I will hide my selfe from Ecclê° 16 17 the Lord for who will think vpon me from aboue I shall not be knowne in so great an heape of people for what is my soule among such an infinite number of creatures But rather remember vvhat our Sauiour Christ saith in Saint Mathewes Gospell namely that one sparrow falleth not to the ground without the will of God our heauenly Math. 10. 29. 30. Father and that all the haires of our head are numbred by him Howe much more then may wee vndoubtedly beleeue that wee our selues are knowne and numbred of him For hee onely is the Creator and Preseruer of men and without his permission wee are not able to drawe our breath a minutes while §. 2. Besides thus speaketh the Lord himselfe Iere 23 23 24. interrogatiuelie by the mouth of Ieremy saying Am I a GOD at hand and not a GOD farre off Can any hide himselfe in secrete places that I shall not see him saith the Lord Doe not I fill heauen and earth saith the Lord And to this effect likewise tendeth the speech of the Prophet Dauid in the 139. psalme where he saith O Lord thou hast Psalme 139. 1. 2 3 c. tryed mee knowne mee thou knowest my sitting my rising thou vnderstandest my thought a farre off thou compassest my pathes and my lying downe and art accustomed to all my wayes For there is not a word in my tongue but loe thou knowest it vvholie ô lord Thou holdest mee straite behinde and before and layest thy hand vpon mee Thy knowledge is too wonderfull for mee it is so high that I cannot attaine vnto it Whether shall I goe from thy Spirit or whether shall I flee from thy presence If I ascend into heauen thou art there If I lie downe in hell thou art there Let mee take the wings of the morning and dwell in the vttermost parts of the sea yet thither shall thy hand leade mee thy right hand hold mee If I say yet the darknesse shall hide me euen the night shall be light about mee Yea the darknes hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the day and the darknes and the light are both alike For thou hast possessed my reines thou hast couered mee in my mothers vvombe ¶ Against the loue of the world §. 1. LOue not the vvorld saith Saint Iohn 1 Ioh 12 15. neither the things that are in the world If any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him For all that is in the worlde as the lust verse 16 17 of the flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the World And the vvorld passeth away the lust thereof but hee that fulfilleth the will of God abideth euer Yee adulterers and adultresses know ye Iames 4 4 not that the amitie of the world is the enimitie of God Whosoeuer therefore vvill be a friende of the world maketh himselfe the enemie of God And they that waite vpon lying vanities Ionas 2. 8. forsake theyr owne mercie §. 2. VVhat is there in the World saith Seneca Seneca wherefore it should be loued The flowers of this life to wit the lusts pleasures thereof are all of them false shewes shadowes and vanities the fruites of it are labour care sicknes and tediousnesse the tree it selfe is corruption frailety And hee that is enamored of the world Seneca may well be likened to the man which voluntarily runneth into the Sea who if hee chaunce to scape the dangers thereof men will say hee is greatly fortunate but if hee perrish they will say he was wilfully deceiued
him as with a shielde The wicked shall see the same be angry Psal 112. 10 hee shall gnash with his teeth and consume away §. 12. Feare the Lorde therefore yee that be Psalm 34 9. his Saints for nothing vvanteth to them that feare him The Lyons doe lacke and suffer hunger Psal 34 10. but they that seeke the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good Neither shall any euill happen vnto the Ecclê° 33. 1. man that feareth him but when hee is in tentation the Lord will deliuer him and keepe him from harme For his eyes are ouer the righteous and 1 Pet 3 12 his eares are open vnto theyr prayers Hee knoweth the dayes of vpright men Psal 37 18 theyr inheritance shall be perpetuall §. 13. Hee also preserueth the state of the Prou 2 7 righteous is a shield to them that walke vprightly They shall not be confounded in the Psal 37 19 perrillous time and in the dayes of famine they shall haue enough For his eye is vpon them that feare him Psalm 33 18 19 and vpon them that trust in his mercy to deliuer theyr soules from death to preserue them in the time of dearth Yea his eyes haue respect vnto them Ecclê° 34 16 that loue him hee is theyr mightie protection and strong ground a defence from the heate and a shadow for the noone day a succour from stumbling and a helpe from falling §. 14. They that put theyr trust in him shall Psal 125. 1. be euen as the mount Sion which cannot be remoued but remaineth stedfast for euer They shall florish like a Palme tree and Psal 92. 12. shall spread abroade like a Cedar in Lebanon They shall inherite the land and dwell Psal 37 29 therein for euer They shall still bring forth fruite in their Psal 92. 14. age and shall be fat and florishing §. 15. The man that serueth him shall be accepted Ecclê° 35 16 with fauour and his prayer shall reach vnto the clowdes His prayer shall pierce thorowe the Mart. Bucer clowdes and preuaile mightily in the presence of his Maker That which a wicked man feareth shall Prou 10 24 come vpon him but GOD will grant the desire of the godly For a good man getteth fauour of the Prou 12 2 Lord but a man of vvicked imaginations will the Almightie condemne He respecteth not the speech of vngodly Iohn 9. 31 persons when they pray vnto him but if any man be a vvorshipper of him and obedient vnto his will him he will heare For as hee himselfe is all goodnes so loueth Plato hee all those that loue goodnes and as hee can haue no euill in himselfe so can he not away with the workers of iniquitie §. 16. They that trust in the Lord shall vnderstand Wisd 3. 9. the truth and the faithfull shall remaine with him in loue for grace mercie is among his Saints and hee regardeth his elect His secrete is reuealed to them that feare Psal 25. 14 him and his couenaunt to giue them vnderstanding Hee is euer-more mindfull of those men Theophilact that make his Word the guide vnto theyr waies and neuer ceaseth to succour his seruants which through faith confidence continually cleaue vnto him For he alwaies loueth them that loue his Lyra. law and bestoweth many benefites on the man that maketh his coÌ„maundements his daily meditation §. 17. Hee highly regardeth euery one that beleeueth Origen in him and will in time performe what-soeuer hee hath promised vnto the faithfull Hee will most certainly graunt vnto the Euagoras godly all things that are needfull for theyr life present And at his pleasure hee will make the Virgilius penitent to reioyce greatly in his loue and mercie He will also be fauourable to the righteous Eugenius in the time of theyr affliction And be ready to heare the cry of the confident Hillarius when-soeuer they call vpon him Yea before they call hee will aunswere Esay 65. 24. and whiles they speake or whiles they are thinking what to speake hee will heare them By all vvhich former speeches most plainly according to the saying of the Psalmist it appeareth That * they which Psalm 119. 165. loue the lawe of the Lord shall haue great prosperitie and shall haue no hurt That they vvhich obey and serue him Iob. 36. 11. shall end theyr dayes in prosperitie and theyr yeeres in pleasures And that the man that is faithfull shall Prou. 28. 20 abound in blessings §. 18. Taste yee then and see how gracious Psal 34 8. the Lord is blessed is the man that trusteth in him Yea blessed is the man whose strength Psal 84. 5 is in the Lord and in vvhose hart are the vvayes of God Blessed is euery one that feareth the Psal 128 1. Lord and walketh in his wayes For to them that thinke on good things Prou. 14. 22. shall be mercie and truth And as many as in this world endeuour Phil. Mel. to liue vprightly shall after death be receiued of God into euerlasting glory §. 19. A booke of remembrance saith Malachie Mala. 3. 16. is written before the Lord for all them that feare him and that thinke vpon his Name Many sorrowes shall come vnto the vngodly Psal 32 10 but hee that trusteth in the Lord shall be compassed with mercie He will honour them that honour him 1. Sam 2 30 but whosoeuer despiseth him shall of him be despised Hee hath alwayes a speciall respect vnto Pet. Lomb. the godlie and will neuer suffer any that serue him to want theyr reward For the righteous Lord loueth righteousnes Psalm 11 7 his countenaunce doth behold the iust VVhen they cry hee heareth them Psal 34 17 deliuereth them out of all theyr troubles So that theyr hope shall neuer come to Gregory confusion but prosper euen in the time of perrill and lay sure hold on heauen as the cheefest harbour of theyr perfect happinesse §. 20. Hee that walketh in iustice saith Esay Esay 33 15 and speaketh righteous thinges refusing gaine of oppression shaking his handes from taking of gifts stopping his eares from hearing of blood and shutting his eyes from seeing euill Hee shall dwell on hie his defence shall verse 16. be the munitions of Rocks breade shall be giuen him and his waters shall be sure Hee shall receiue a blessing froÌ„ the Lord Psalm 24 5 and righteousnesse from the God of his saluation For the Lorde preserueth all them that Psal 145. 20 loue him Hee delighteth in them that feare him Psal 147. 11 Hee careth for all those that haue confidence 1. Pet. 5. 7 in him And no good thing will hee with-hold Psal 84 11 from them that walke vprightly §. 21. Hee that walketh in his integritie is iust Prou 20.
7 saith Salomon and blessed shall his children be after him The path of the righteous is to decline Prou 16 17 from euill and hee keepeth his soule that keepeth his way The way of the wicked is abhomination Prou. 15. 9 vnto the Lord but he loueth him that followeth righteousnes And better is the poore that walketh in Prou. 28 6. his vprightnes then he that peruerteth his wayes though hee be rich For there can be no greater gaine then Bullenger the good that commeth by godlinesse nor any sweeter comfort then the inward solace of an vnpolluted soule §. 22. The way of the righteous shineth as the Prou. 4. 18 light which shineth more and more vnto the perfect day And vnto them ariseth light in darknes Psal 112 4 Through his religious knowledge and Pacuuius vnderstanding the godly man shal diuers wayes be helpfull to others by his own vertues hee shall be able to withstand many vices For the righteousnes of an vpright man Prou 11 5 ordereth his way It preserueth him in his life * And causeth Prou. 13. 6 Prou 14 32 him to haue hope in his death It also deliuereth from death Prou 11 4 And defendeth the faithfull from eternall Pet. Mar. destruction For hee that walketh or continueth to Prou 28 18 the end in his vprightnes shall be saued And there is no confusion vnto them Dan 3 40 that put theyr trust in God §. 23. Doubtlesse saith Marlorate diuers are Marlorate the fauours and many the mercies which almightie GOD sheweth vnto the godly heere in this life but most vnspeakeable are the sundry consolations which through fayth they feele in conscience at the verie houre of theyr death Marke as Dauid saith the vpright man Psal 37 37 behold the iust for the end of that man is peace And the last houre of his life is the first Cyrill houre of his soules entrance into endlesse felicitie §. 24. Thus much in effect Balaam the lucrelouing Prophet could confesse to be true vnto the comfort of other men though hee himselfe walked in the way of wickednes when hee saide * Oh that my soule Num 23 10 might die the death of the righteous and that my last end might be like his For as many as in this life beleeue in Christ and keepe his doctrine * they shall Iohn 8 51. neuer see death Nor come into condemnation but haue Iohn 5 24 euen as it were alreadie passed froÌ„ death vnto life They finde by experience that the true seruice of GOD giueth inward testimonie Mar. Bucer of eternall saluation vnto theyr soules vvhere-vnto all worldly wealth is not worthy to be compared and that the peace of conscience excelleth al earthly possessions Death vnto them is no death but rather Erasmus a long-desired releasement from their many molestations in this life a most pleasant passage into the Paradise of GOD. VVhere with a number more then may bee numbred of Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Saints and holy Martyrs they shall be made partakers of euer-during happinesse and continue alwayes in the company of Christ Iesus theyr most mercifull Protector VVherfore if thou desire to prosper in Origen thy life and to speede well at thy death bestow thy studie in the lawe of the Lord practise to please him according to his precepts For it is a pleasure full of profit a solace Plotinus voyde of all sorrow for a man to giue his minde to godly meditation §. 25. Light saith the Psalmist is sowen for Psal 97 11 the righteous and ioy for the vpright in hart To euery man that doth good shall be Rom. 2. 10. glory and honour and peace And to the righteous God will recompence Prou. 13 21 good For GOD greatly esteemeth vertuous Socrates people though in this worlde they be little set by For them are good things created from Ecclê° 39 25 the beginning and euill thinges for the vvicked For them is euerlasting rest and glorie 2. Esdr 8 59 made ready but thirst and paine is long since prepared of God for the vngodly Yea the Lord himselfe hath promised 2. Esdr 8. 39. that he wil reioyce in the wayes of the righteous and that hee will remember the pilgrimage the saluation and the revvard that they shall haue For glorious is the fruite of good labours Wisd 3 15 and the roote of wisedome shal neuer fade away §. 26. Theyr first felicitie after this life is the Iust Mar. sweete rest quiet peace that their soules possesse in Christ But the second shall be the immortalitie and glory both of theyr body and soule together at the day of generall iudgement when with triumphant ioy they shall in the sight of all their enemies receiue openly theyr portion in the kingdome of perpetuall blessednes For they shall liue for euer their reward Wisd 5. 15. also is with the Lord and the most High hath care of them Therefore shall they receiue a glorious verse 16. kingdome and a beautifull crowne at the Lords hand for with his right hand shall he couer them and with his arme shall hee defend them Their recompence or reward consisteth Constantiuâ— not onely in Gods grace and fauour towards them during this life but also in his most mercifull receiuing them into eternall felicitie and safe preseruing them froÌ„ the danger of damnation which is the second death of the vngodly So that heauen is not onely the seate of Erasmus Gods glory and the habitation of his holie Angels but it is also the resting place of the faithfull and the inheritance of all his Saints §. 27. The certaine truth vvhereof is further vvitnessed vnto vs by the words of Christ himselfe where among many other petitions made vnto his Father both for himselfe and the faithfull in the end hee concludeth his speech with this saying * Father Iohn 17 24 I will that they which thou hast giuen mee be with mee euen where I am that they may beholde my glory vvhich thou hast giuen mee Also in another place he sayth * If any Iohn 12 26 man serue mee let him followe mee for where I am there shall also my seruant be and who-soeuer serueth mee him will my Father honour And what honour receiued from anie Tertullian Prince in this vvorld be it neuer so great is worthy any way to be compared vnto the least honour vvhich the seruaunts of GOD shall receiue from theyr Creator in the kingdome of Heauen VVhere life shall not be limitted vnto Beda them by number of monthes or yeeres nor theyr pleasures appointed at certaine times and seasons but as God himselfe is without any ending so shall theyr life be euerlasting And as his power endureth perpetually so shall their pleasures last continually §. 28. For it is a thing agreeable to reason that
Mar. Aurel. those men which be good among so many euils in this life should be greatly honoured with God after theyr death And assuredly it is to be beleeued that Plato all they which in this worlde follow vertue and liue more godly then other men shall after their soule is by the stroke of death departed from theyr body ascend vp into a purer life and dwell for euer in the presence of God Happy therefore are the righteous yea Gueuara double happy are the righteous First for that they shal in this life be blessed in their labours from GOD with aboundance of all things necessary for them Secondly for that they shall be made partakers of Gods endlesse glory in the world to come §. 29. VVhere among many other fauours and inestimable delights from the Maker Hemingius of all things granted vnto them they shall be permitted daily to behold the beautie of all beauties most to bee reioyced in namely the vnmeasurable maiestie amiable countenaunce of Almightie GOD theyr Creator Father and Preseruer According to that sentence of our Sauiour in the Gospell where he saith * Blessed Math. 5. 8. are the pure or vpright in hart for they shall see GOD. Not as wee see nowe for nowe wee see 1. Cor. 12. 13. through a glasse darkly but then shall vve see face to face Nowe wee knowe in part but then shall we knowe euen as wee are knowne §. 30. Then also shall the iust men shine as Math. 13. 43 the Sunne in the kingdome of theyr Father And they that in this world turne many Dan 12 3 to righteousnes shall shine as the starres for euer and euer They shall sit also vvith Christ himselfe Math. 19. 28 in his kingdome vpon twelue thrones iudge the twelue Tribes of Israell Yea they shall iudge the Nations and Wisd 3 8 haue dominion ouer the people theyr Lord shall raigne for euer-more §. 31. Then shall the righteous stand in great Wisd 5. 1. boldnesse before the face of such as haue dealt extreamely with them and taken away theyr labours And vvhen the vngodly see them they verse 2 shall be vexed with horrible feare shall stand amazed at theyr wonderfull deliuerance And changing then theyr mindes and verse 3 sighing through inward greefe they shall say within thēselues These are they whom wee some-time had in derision and iested vpon VVee fooles thought theyr life to be Wisd 5 4 madnesse and theyr end to be without honour But loe howe they are counted among verse 5 the chyldren of God and theyr portion is among the Saints §. 32. Then as Anselmus saith shall all the Anselmus whole company or number of the righteous receiue fully theyr rewarde together from GOD and they shall euery one of them be blessed of him with sundry blessings both in bodie and soule They shall first and formost be blessed The seuerall blessings that the bodies of the faithfull shall receiue in the kingdome of heauen According to the saying of Anselmus in body with such wonderfull beauty that they shall euery way be equall to the Sunne in brightnes and glory Secondly they shal be endued with such agilitie or quicknes that they shall be like vnto the Angels of GOD in theyr speedie moouing Thirdly theyr fortitude shall be so sufficient that no creature what-soeuer shall be able to withstand theyr strength Fourthly theyr libertie shall be so free secure that nothing shall haue any power eyther to hinder or resist them Fiftly they shall possesse perfect health vvithout any manner of greefe or infirmitie Sixtly they shal be throughly filled with an ineffable delight and vvholy replenished with an vnspeakeable aboundance of inestimable ioy Yea euery part and member of them shall be filled with such wonderful sence and feeling of incomparable pleasure and delight that the whole man shall quaffe of the riuer of Gods pleasure and be made drunke vvith the plentie of ioy vvhich hee shall haue in the House of the Lord. Seauenthly they shall be blessed vvith such length and perpetuity of life as shall neuer receiue any end but cōtinue alwaies in eternall ioy and pleasure and endure therein euen with GOD himselfe so long as his life and power lasteth which can neuer come to conclusion nor at any time be diminished §. 33. And as concerning the soules of the The seuerall beatitudes of glorified soules in the kingdom of God According to the saving of Anselmus righteous they shal then also be enriched with as many fauours from GOD as each glorified body hath The first beatitude which shal be giuen them is perfect wisedome for there the soule of euery simple Swaine shall possesse more knowledge vnderstanding then euer did all the Phylosophers or greatest Clarkes in this life The second beatitude or blessednesse of the soule shal be the true amitie vnfayned friendship of one righteous person to another as members all of one body whose head is Christ Iesus the Lord. And in that blessed societie shal neuer be any enuy hatred or discorde but euen as long and as well as any man in that kingdome dooth loue himselfe so long and so well shall he loue euery one else that resteth in the same fellowship with him Theyr third beatitude shall be the concord or agreement which then shal rest betweene the body and the soule of euery Saint that disagreed in this life for they shal then be at peace and vnitie the body shall will as the soule willeth and the soule shall desire as the body desireth so that in all poynts there shall be perfect agreement betweene them Besides this concord shal not onely rest betweene the body soule of euery particuler Saint but also between the whole congregation of the godly for they shal will no contrarieties but all shall will as one willeth and one shall will as all willeth Their fourth beatitude shal be honour for almightie GOD shal then fully deliuer all his Saints from the filthy vlcers of sinne many miseries and infinite infirmities passions where-vnto the corruption of the flesh made them in this vvorlde daily subiect Hee shall heale them restore them to perfect health most mercifully adorne them with the ornament of absolute righteousnes and immortality He shall adopt them for his sonnes and chyldren and shall make them inheritours of his heauenly kingdome and coheires with his best beloued and onely begotten sonne Christ Iesus Theyr fift beatitude shall be power for the righteous shal then be able to doe what they wil because they shal haue the Creator of heauen and earth agreeable in all things to what-soeuer they desire Theyr sixt beatitude shall be securitie that is they shal not onely haue power to doe what they wil and to enioy what pleasure soeuer theyr hart desireth but they shall also be without any feare or doubt of euer losing the same seeing God which is