be saued as well as other men then it wyll be to purpose to haue a foundation without a building vppon it or a stocke or tree that beareth no fruite Which thing S. Iames speaking of that historicall and dead fayth whereby the wicked the very deuils theÌ„selues beleeue that there is one GOD expresseth most excellently in this fitte similitude As a bodie without a spirit is dead euen so saith he is fayth without workes Thys poynt of doctrine of vertuous life and obseruing of Gods commaundements not our Sauiour Christ alone in his Sermon most earnestly vrged as hath beene sayde but his fore-runner also Saint Iohn the Baptist and hys followers the holie Apostles whereof the one continually called vpon the people to bring foorth fruites meete for repentance the other in all theyr writings no doubt in all their Sermons after matter of doctrine and faith propounded do proceede to exhortation and precepts of Christian life In so much as Saint Augustine other auncient Fathers are of opinion that the rest of the Apostles S. Peter S. Iames S. Iohn and S. Iude perceiuing the loosenesse and securitie of the people in theyr tymes directed theyr writinges eyther onely or principally to this ende euen to perswade and enforce the necessitie of good life and conuersation among Christians Yea and that Saint Paule himselfe when hee concludeth that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Lawe doth not exclude the works of charitie as effects and fruites of fayth which followe him that is alreadie iustified in the sight of God but hee excludeth theÌ„ as causes of saluation which goe before him that is to be iustified Wherby it appeareth that S. Paule handling the causes of our iustification in the sight of God is not repugnant or contrary to S. Iames speaking of the notes and signes whereby we are iustified that is as the word is taken els where declared or known to be iust or righteous before meÌ„ The sum is that although good workes are not the causes of our saluation yet they are the way as it were and the path that leadeth thereunto because by them as by certaine markes we perceiue our selues to haue entered and to haue proceeded in the waie of eternall life Yea they are the fruites and effects whereby we testifie and declare both vnto our selues and to others the trueth of that faith which we professe And therefore our Sauiour Christ willeth vs in the Gospel to let our light shine before men that they seeing our good works may take occasioÌ„ therby to glorifie our heauenly father And his holy Apostle Saint Iames biddeth those carnall sensuall Christians that stood so much vpon the only name of faith to shewe him theyr fayth by their workes as he would shew them his faith by his worksâ— that is they should declare and testifie vnto men as I haue said the fayth which they professed by the fruites thereof To men I say because men which iudge but by the outward appearaunce onely cannot knowe the goodnes of a tree bâ—t by the good fruite which it yeeldeth they cannot discerne the inwarde faith but by the outwarde workes But as for God that searcheth the secrets of the harts and reynes it needeth not that wee shoulde shewe him our faith by our workes nor may wee looke for iustification at his handes by the best of them for then might wee haue whereof to boast but there is no boasting with God and therefore no iustifying by workes in his sight Yet notwithstanding the Lorde requireth good workes at our hands to the end that himselfe might be glorified our needie bretheren releeued and comforted others gained wonne by our example to the embracing of the same faith and Religion which we professe our owne faith exercised and strengthened and our calling and election made sure and confirmed And it is very requisite that the children of GOD which are bought with so high a price as with the blood of Iesus should glorifie God both in soule body because they are redeemed both in soule and body and not liue vnto theÌ„selues but vnto him which died and rose againe for them Thys is the ende of our election before the foundations of the world were layde as the Apostle testifieth Ephes. 1.4 euen that we should be holy and blameles before him in loue Thys is the ende of our creation as the same Apostle witnesseth Ephesians 2. 10. Where he saith that we are Gods workmanshyp created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes wherein he hath ordained that wee shold walke This is the end of our redemption as olde Zacharie prophecied Luke 1. 74 75. that beeing redeemed and deliuered from all our spirituall enemies and from eternall destruction whereunto we were subiect we should serue God without feare in holines and righteousnes before him all the daies of our life Finally this is the ende of our vocation For God hath not called vs to vncleannesse but vnto holinesse and as hee that hath called vs is holy so must we be holie in all manner of conuersation And it can not be that they which are truely iustified that is to say made righteous by a liuely fayth in Christ should not also in some measure be sanctified that is made holie by a faithfull lyfe in him Let not men therefore deceiue themselues with the onely name and shadowe of faith without the nature substance therof Let them not promise vnto themselues euerlasting life because they knowe the true God and whom hee hath sent Iesus Christ but let them remember howe Christes Apostle whoÌ„ he deerely loued expoundeth that saying when he writeth By this wee knowe God truely if wee keepe his commaundements and whosoeuer sayth that he knoweth him and yet keepeth not his commaundements is a lyer and the trueth is not in him For as it is a true saying and by all meanes woorthy to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the worlde to saue sinners so is it as true a saying and no lesse woorthie to be affirmed that they which haue beleeued God should be carefull to shew foorth good works Saint Gregorie vpon the words of Christ to S. Thomas Blessed are they who haue not seene and yet haue beleeued hath a notable discourse to this purpose If any sayth hee inferre heereof I beleeue and therefore am blessed and shall be saued he saith truely if his life be aunswerable to his beleefe for that a true faith dooth not contradict in manners the things which hee professeth in words For which cause S. Paule accuseth certaine false Christians in whom he found not vertuous life aunswerable to theyr profession that they confessed God in wordes but denyed him in theyr deedes And Saint Iohn auoucheth that whosoeuer saith hee knoweth GOD and keepeth not his commandements is a lyer Which beeing
That which they are nowe thou shalt be shortly and of all follies it is the greatest not to profite or flee frō daungers by the example of others The difference betweene a wise man and a foole is that the one prouideth for a myscheefe while time serueth the other wold doe when it is too-late If thou mightest feele now the state case wherein thy poore hart shall be at the last day for neglecting the thing that of all other it should haue studied and thought vpon most thou wouldest take from thy meate and sleepe and other necessaries to repayre that is past Hetherto hast thou time to reform thy course of life if thou please which is no small benefite if all were knowne For in this sence no doubt it is most true which the wise man saith that better it is to be a liuing dogge then a dead Lyon For that while the day time of this life endureth all thinges amisse may easily be amended But the dreadfull night of death wil ouer-take thee shortly and then shall there be no more space of reformation Oh that men woulde be wise and foresee things to come sayth one prophet The greatest wisedome in the worlde deere brother is to looke and attend to our saluation for as the Scripture sayth most truelie Hee is a wise man indeede that is wise to hys ovvne soule And of this wisedome it is written in the verie same booke as spoken by herselfe In me is the grace of all life and truth and in me is the hope of all life and vertue In morral actions and humaine wisedome we see that the first and cheefest circumstaunce is to regard well and consider the ende And howe then doe we omitte the same in this great affaire of the Kingdome of heauen If our ende be heauen what meane wee so much to affect our selues to earth If our end be God why seeke we so greedilie the worldly fauour of men If our ende be the saluation and eternitie of our soule why doe we followe vanities and temporalities of thys life Why spend yee your mony and not in bread saith God by the mouth of Esay why bestow ye your labour in thinges that will not yeelde you saturitie If our inheritaunce be that wee should raigne as Kings why put we our selues in such slauerie of creatures If our byrth allowe vs to feede of breade in our fathers house why delight we in huskes prouided for the swyne But alas we may say with the wise man in the Scripture Fascinatio nugacitatis obscurat bona The bewitching of worldly trifles doe obscure and hide vs from the things that are good and behoouefull for our soules ô most dangerous enchauntment But what shall this excuse vs no truelie for the same spirite of God hath left recorded Populus non intelligens vapulabit The people that vnderstandeth not shall be beaten for it And another Prophet to the same effect pronounceth This people is not wise and therefore hee that made them shall not pardon them neyther shall he that created thē take mercie vpon thē It is written of fooles Ventum seminabunt turbinem metent They shall sowe and cast theyr seede vppon the windes and shall receiue for theyr haruest nothing els but a storme or tempest Wherby is signified that they shall not onely cast away and leese their labours but also be punished and chastened for the same Consider then I beseech thee my deere brother attentiuelie what thou wilt doe or say when thy Lord shall come at the last day and aske thee an account of all thy labours actions and time spent in thys lyfe when he shall require a reckoning of his talents lent vnto thee when he shal say as he said to the Farmour or Steward in the Gospell Redde rationem villicationis tuae giue account of thy stewardship charge committed vnto thee What wilt thou say when he shal examine and weigh and try thy doings as gold is examined tried in the fornace that is what ende they had whereto they were applyed to what glorie of God to what profit of thy soule what measure weight and substance they beare Baltasar King of Babylon sitting at his banquet merrie vppon a tyme espied suddainly certaine fingers without a hande that wrote on the wall right ouer against his Table these three Hebrue words Mane Thekel Phares Which words Daniel interpreted in three sentences vnto the King in thys manner Mane GOD hath numbred thee Baltasar and thy kingdome Thekel hee hath weighed thee in the Gold-smithes ballance and thou art founde too-light Phares for this cause hath he deuided thee from thy kingdome hath giuen the same to the Medes and Persians Oh that these three most golden and most significant words engrauen by the Angel vpon Baltasars wall were registred vpon euery doore and post in Christendome or rather imprinted in the hart of each Christian especially the two first that import the numbering and weighing of all our actions and that in the weights and ballance of the Gold-smith where euery graine is espyed that wanteth And if Baltasars actions that was a Gentile wer to be examined in so nise and delicate a paire of ballance for their tryall if he had so seuere a sentence pronoūced vpon him that hee shoulde be deuided from life and kingdome as he was the same night folowing Quia inuentus est minus habens for that hee was founde to haue lesse weight in him then hee shoulde haue what shall wee thinke of our selues that are Christians of whom it is written aboue al others I will search the sinnes of Ierusalem with a candle What shall wee expect that haue not onely lesse weight then we should haue but no weight at all in the most of our actions what may such men I say expect but onely that most terrible threat of diuision made vnto Baltasar or rather worse if worse may be that is to be deuided from God and hys Angels from participation of God and our Sauiour from communion of Saints from hope of our inheritaunce from our portion celestiall and life euerlasting according to the expresse declaration made heereof by Christ himselfe in these words to the negligent seruaunt The Lord of such a seruant shall com at a day when he hopeth not at an houre that he knoweth not and shall deuide him out and assigne his part with hypocrites where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherefore deere brother to conclude thys Chapter I can say nothing more in this dangerous case wherein the worlde so runneth a wrie but onely exhort thee as the Apostle doth not to conforme thy selfe to the common errour that leadeth to perdition Fall at length to some reckoning accounte with thy lyfe and see where thou standest and whether thou goest If hetherto thou haue wandered and gone astraie be sorie for
so we must examine the trueth of our fayth by cōsideration of our life for then not otherwise are we true Christians if wee fulfill in works that whereof we haue made promise in words That is in the day of our Baptisme we promised to renounce the pompe of this world together with all the workes of iniquitie which promise if wee performe nowe after Baptisme then are we true Christians and may be ioyfull But contrariwise if our life be wicked contrary to our profession it is saide by the voyce of trueth it selfe Not euery one that shall say to mee Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heauen And againe why doe yee call mee Lord Lord doe not performe the things that I tell you Heer-hence is it that God complained of his old people the Iewes saying this people honoureth me with their lips but their harts are farre off from me And the Prophet Dauid of the same people They loued him with their mouth and wyth their tongues they lyed vnto him Wherefore let no man presume to say he shall be saued if faith and good life be diuorced put a sunder which S. Chrisostome noteth by the wofull and heauie chaunce iudgment that happened vnto him who in the Gospell was admitted to the feast of Christian faith knowledge but for lacke of the ornament or garment of good life was most contumeliouslie depriued of his expectation Of whom Saint Chrisostoms words are these He was inuited to the feast and brought vnto the Table but for that by his foule garment he dishonored our Lord that had inuited him he was not onely thrust from the Table banquet but also bounde hande and foote and cast into vtter darknes where there is eternall weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherefore let vs not deere bretheren let vs not I say deceiue our selues and imagine that our dead and vnfruitfull faith wyll saue vs at the last day for except wee ioyne pure life to our beleefe and in this heauenly vocation of ours doe apparrell our selues with the worthy garmēts of vertuous deeds whereby we may be admitted at the mariage day in heauen nothing shall be able to deliuer vs from the damnation of this miserable man that wanted his wedding weede Which thing S. Paule well noteth when hauing sayde wee haue an euerlasting house in heauen not made with mens handes he addeth presentlie thys exception Si tamen vestiti et non nudi inueniamur That is if wee be founde at that day well apparrelled and not naked Would God euery Christian desirous of hys saluation woulde ponder well thys discourse of S. Chrisostome And so wyth thys alone to conclude our speeche in thys Chapter without allegation of further matters or authorities which are infinite to thys effect it may appeare by that which hath alreadie beene sette downe wherein the true profession of a Christian consisteth and thereby each man that is not partiall or blinded in his owne affection as many are may take a viewe of his state and condition and frame vnto himselfe a verie probable coniecture how he is like to speed at the last accounting day That is what profite or damage hee may expect by hys knowledge and profession of Christian Religion For as to him that beleeueth soundly and walketh vprightly in his vocation performing effectually euery way his professed duetie there remaine both infinite and inestimable rewards prepared so to hym that strayeth aside and swerueth from the right path of fayth and life prescribed vnto hym there are no lesse paines and punishments reserued For which cause euery Christian that is carefull of his owne saluation ought to sixe his eyes verie seriouslie vppon them both and as in beleefe to shewe himselfe constant firme humble and obedient so in life conuersation to be honest iust pure innocent and holie And for this seconde poynt concerning life and manners hath been already handled in my former booke which as I vnderstand is imprinted in England I shall neede to wade the lesse in further discourse heereof But for I haue beene admonished by the writinges of diuers howe my former booke hath beene misliked in two speciall poynts first that I speake so much of good workes and so little of faith secondly that I talke so largelie of Gods iustice and so breefelie of his mercie whereby the consciences of many haue beene offended let the last Chapter going before of beleefe and life aunswer the first and that which immediatly followeth serue for the latter obiection and so I doubt not but a Christian man may be thorowlie resolued OF THE ONLY IMPEDIMENT THAT IS WONT TO LET SINNERS FROM Resolution Which is the mistrust and diffidence in Gods mercy through the multitude and greeuousnesse of their offences CHAP. VI. AMong all other the moste greeuous and perrilous cogitations which in thys worlde are accustomed to offer themselues to a minde intangled and loden wyth great sinnes this vsually is the first through the nature of sinne it selfe and crafty suggestion of our ghostly enemie to fall into distrust and dyspaire of Gods mercie Such was the cogitation of most vnhappie Caine one of the first inhabitants of the earth who after the murder of his owne onely brother and other sinnes by him committed brake into that horrible and desperate speeche so greatly offensiue vnto his Lorde Maker Mine iniquitie is greater then that I may hope for pardon Such was in like manner the desperate conceite of wicked Iudas one of the first of thē that were chosen to the peculier seruice of our Redeemer who feeling hys conscience oppressed wyth manifolde iniquities and most of all with the prodition of his owne Lord and Maister tooke no other way of amendmēt or redresse but to destroy himselfe both in bodie and soule adioyning onoly these words full of miserable distrust and desperation I haue sinned in betraying the innocent and iust blood By which wordes and most wretched ende he more greeuouslie offended and iniured his most louing and mercifull Sauiour then by all his former iniquities committed against him This then most louing brother is the first and greatest rocke wherat a sinful soule ouer burdened wyth the charge of her owne iniquities and tossed in the waues of dreadfull cogitations by the blastes stormes of Gods threates against sinners doth cōmonlie make her shypwracke That is that most horrible depth and dungion wherof the holie scriptures saith The impious man when he is come into the bottome and profunditie of his sinnes contemneth all Thys is that remedilesse sore and incurable wound wherwith God himselfe charged Ierusalem when hee sayd Insanabilis fractura tua thy rupture is irremediable And the Prophet Michaeas considering the same people thorowe the multitude of their wickednes to encline now to dispayre of Gods goodnes towards them brake forth into thys most pittiful cōplaint For this will I
aboundantly beare witnesse it followeth most euidently that the origine fountaine wel-spring of all these fauours graces and good turnes must needes be infinite immeasurable and farre surpassing all compasse of mans vnderstanding If you require of me the cause and reason why Almightie God should so wonderfullie be affected towards man I can directlie yeelde you none at all but rather meruaile thereat wyth holy Iob why so soueraigne a Maiestie shoulde sette hys hart vpon so base a subiect Notwithstanding the holy scripture seemeth to alleage one principal reason of thys loue whē it saith Nihil odisti eorum quae fecisti parcis omnibus quia tua sunt Domine qui diligis animas That is Thou ô Lorde which louest soules canst not hate those things which thou hast made but dost vse mercie towards all men for that they are thyne And the like manner of reasoning vseth God hymselfe when hee sayth by hys Prophet Ezechiell Behold all soules are mine and heereuppon hee inferreth a little after Numquid voluntatis meae est mors impii Can I haue the wyll to damne a wicked man seeing that his soule is mine created and redeemed by me as who woulde say thys were a case against all order and equitie And the reason of this manner of speech and argument is for that euery man naturally is enclined to loue the things that be of his owne making So wee see that if a man haue an Orcharde wherein be great varietie of trees and plants yet if there be but one of his own peculier grafting that florisheth and prospereth well he taketh more delight therein then in any of the rest for that it is hys owne workmanship So in like manner if a man haue a Vineyarde of his owne planting and trymming For which respect the holie Prophet Dauid finding himselfe and the whole kingdome of Iurie in great affliction and calamitie thought no other meanes so forcible to drawe God to compassion and commiseration of their case as to cry out to him in this maner Thou which gouernest Israell looke towards vs and be attent Thou hast brought forth a vineyard out of Egipt thou hast purged the same from Gentiles and hast planted it Thou O God of all power turne towardes vs looke vpon vs from heauen and visite thys thy vineyard which thine owne right hand hath planted The like manner of perswasion vsed the holy Prophet Esay to moue God when he sayd Looke vpon vs I beseech thee O lord which are the worke of thine owne hands But aboue all other the blessed man Iob standeth as it were in argument and dysputation wyth God about thys matter saying haue not thy handes made mee haue they not framed me of clay and earth hast not thou compacted me as cheese is made of milke hast not thou knit my bones and sinowes together and couered my flesh wyth skyn hast not thou giuen me life conserued my spirit with thy cōtinuall protection howe soeuer thou seeme to dissemble these matters hide them in thy hart yet I know that thou remembrest them all and art not vnmindfull of them By which wordes thys holy man signified that albeit God suffered him greatly to be tempted and afflicted in thys life so farre forth as he might seeme to haue forgotten him yet was he well assured that his diuine maiestie coulde not of hys goodnes forsake or despise him for that hee was his creature and the proper workemanshyp of his own hands In which very name of workemanshippe holy Dauid tooke such great comfort considering that the workeman cannot chuse but be louing and fauourable towards his owne work especiallie so excellent and bountifull a worke-man as is almightie GOD towards a worke made as man is to his own shape and likenes that in all his necessities yea euen in his greatest infirmities of fleshe and most greeuous offences committed against his Maiestie he conceaueth most assured hope of mercy pardon vpon this consideration that he was hys workmanship cōsequently wel known to his diuine wisdom of how brickle infirme a metal he was made For thus at one tyme among other hee reasoneth of thys matter Looke how farre distant the East is from the West so far off hath God remooued our iniquities from vs. Euen as a father doth take compassion of his owne children so doth the Lord take mercy vpon vs for that hee well knoweth the moulde whereof wee are made and doth remember that wee are nothing els but dust In which discourse the holy Prophet maketh mention of two thinges that dyd assure him of Gods mercie the one that God was his Creator and maker and therby priuie to the frailtie of hys constitution nature th'other that he was his father whose propertie is to haue compassion on his chyldren this is a second reason more strong and forcible perhaps then the former why euery man may be most assured of pardon that hartilie turneth vnto almightie GOD considering that it hath pleased his diuine Maiestie not onelie to be vnto man a Creatour as he is to all other things but also a father which is the title of the greatest loue and coniunction that nature hath left to things in thys world Wherof a certain Phylosopher said well that no man coulde conceiue the loue of a Parents hart but he onelie that had a childe of his owne For which respect our Sauior Christ to put vs in mind of this most feruent loue and thereby as it were by one fire to enkindle another wythin our harts did vse oftentimes and ordinarilie to repeate thys sweete name of Father in hys speeches to his followers and theruppon founded diuers most excellent comfortable discourses as at one time when hee exhorted them from ouer-much care and worldly solicitude hee addeth thys reason Your father in heauen knoweth that you haue neede of these thinges As who would say hee knowing your wants and beeing your Father you shall not neede to trouble your selues wyth too great anxietie in these matters for that a Fathers hart cannot but bee prouident carefull for hys chyldren The like deduction maketh he in the same place to the same effect by comparison of the byrdes of the ayre and other irreasonable creatures for which if God doe make saith hee so aboundant prouision as al the whole worlde may witnesse that hee dooth much more carefull wyll he be to prouide for men that are his owne children which are more deere vnto him then any other terrestiall thing created All which speeches and reasons of our Sauiour are deriued from the nature and propertie of a Parent which cannot but affecte and looue hys children especiallie such a Father whom Christ calleth celestiall who in thys perfection of true fatherly loue so farre exceedeth al earthly Parents put together as in power clemencie goodnes almightie GOD surpasseth the infirmitie of hys feeble creatures Such a father
most aboundant riches of hys grace and goodnesse towardes vs. Thys was the opinion of that noble Apostle S. Paule and of all his coequals Apostles Euangelists Disciples and Saints that this work of our redemption proceeded only froÌ„ the inflamed fornace of Gods immeasurable loue And therfore to make no other conclusion heereof then that which S. Paule himselfe doth make if God haue not spared his own propper onely begotten son but hath giuen him vp to death for gaining vs vnto him howe can it be that with him hee hath not giueÌ„ vnto vs al other things If wheÌ„ we were his enemies and thought not vpon him he sent to seeke vs so diligently by such a messenger as he loued so deerely allowing him to lay downe a price for vs which he so infinitlie esteemed what shal we think that he will doe vnto vs nowe we beeing made hys owne by our redemption if we returne willingly vnto him when our receauing shal cost him nothing els but onely a merciful looke vpon vs which is not so much froÌ„ the infinite bowels of his bottomlesse mercy as is one drop of water from the most huge gulfe of the maine Ocean sea And this shal suffise for the first poynt of Gods loue declared vnto vs by the three most sweete and comfortable names and respects of Creator Father and Redeemer The second part howe God expresseth his loue towards sinners NExt after which wee are to consider in what maner God is accustomed to expresse and declare thys loue of his in hys dealings and proceedings towardes sinners And first of all the wyse man hauing had long experience of thys matter beginneth to describe and sette it forth in thys sort saying vnto God himselfe Thou O Lordeâ— dost dissemble the sinnes of men to giue vnto them time of repentance And then when they wyll not vse this benefite of his forbearing but wyll needes enforce hym to punish and correct them hee sayth further of thys correction Such as wilfully doe runne astray O Lord and will not turne vnto thee thou doost correct them sweetly by little and little admonishing and exhorting them to leaue their sinnes and to beleeue in thee These two points then of exceeding clemencie by the testimony of the wyse man are founde in almighty God first to wincke at the wicked life of men and to expect their coÌ„uersion with inspeakable patience and longanimitie according as also the Prophet Esay beareth witnesse adioyning the cause thereof in these wordes The Lorde dooth attend your conuersion to the ende he may take mercie on you and thereby be exalted And secondly for the same respect when he is enforced by reason of his iustice to chastise them yet doth he the same with such moderation and mildnesse as alwayes in thys life he reserueth place of pardon And to these two wee may adioyne yet a third propertie of his mercie more admirable perhaps then the former which is as Tertullian excellently noteth that hee beeing the partie offended yet first principally desireth reconsiliation hee hauing receiued the wrong and iniurie yet dooth he most busilie entreate for amitie and attonement And whereas in all right and equitie hee might denie vs pardon and for hys power take reuenge of vs at his pleasure yet doth he not onely offer vs peace of his own accord but also sueth vnto vs by all meanes possible to accept thereofâ— humbling in a certain manner his diuine Maiestie to our basenes vilitie and behauing himselfe in thys respect as a Prince that were enamored of hys bond-slaue and abiect seruaunt Thys might be declared by many of his owne speeches and dooinges in holie Scripture but one place out of the Prophet Esay shall serue for all where almightie GOD so earnestly wooeth the conuersion of Ierusalem as no louer in the worlde coulde vtter more signes and testimonies of a hart inflamed and sette on fire with loue then he doth towards that Cittie which so highly had offended him For first after many threates poured out against her if she did not return least she might perhaps fal into despayre he maketh this protestation in the beginning of his speech Indignatio non est mihi c. Angry I am not ô Ierusalem but whatsoeuer I haue spoken I haue spoken of good wil and loue Secondly he entreth into this dispute and doubt with himselfe about punishing her for her sinnes what shall I doe Shall I treade her vnder my feete put her to the fier or els will she stay my puissant hande and make peace with me will she I say make attonement with me After which doubt cunctation he resolueth himselfe to change his manner of style and to fall a little to chide wyth her and then he saith Harken O ye deafe inhabitants of Ierusalem looke about ye ye blind folke that wil not see who is blind and deafe but my seruant that will not regard or listen to the messengers which I send O thou which hast open eares wilt thou not heare And then a little after he beginneth to smooth speake faire againe saying Euer since thou hast beene gracious glorious in mine eyes I haue loued thee and for thy soule will I giue whole nations Feare not for that I am with thee Wherewith shee being little or nothing moued hee returneth to a sweet maner of complaint saying Thou hast enthralled me by thy sins with thine iniquities thou hast greatly afflicted me Which being sayd and she somewhat moued therby to loue him as it seemeth hee turneth vnto her wyth this most comfortâ—ble and kynde speeche I am hee I am hee which cancelleth thine iniquities for mine owne sake and will neuer thinke any more vpon thy sinnes All which beeing doone and they now reconciled and made fast freendes together hys diuine Maiestie beginneth a verie louing conference as it vvere and sweete expostulation with her saying in these words Call thou to memorie the things that are past and let vs iudge our selues heere together Tell me if thou haue any thing whereby thou maist be iustified Thy first parent was a sinner c. Whereat she beeing ashamed and hauing nothing in the worlde to aunswere for herselfe almightie God comforteth her and knitteth vp the whole matter in thys moste kynde and amiable sort Feare not for I wyll poure out my spirit vppon thee and vppon thy seede and my benediction shall be vpon thyne of-spring thy children shall bud vp and florish as wylloes planted by the water side Thus saith the Lord and king of Israel the Lorde of hostes that is thy redeemer I am the first and the last besides me there is no other GOD. Be mindfull of this thou house of Iacob I haue dissolued and dissipated thy sinnes as a cloude is dissolued in the ayre be mindfull of this and haue an assured confidence Thus farre continueth the treatie
if once it be manifest that there is a GOD which hath care and prouidence of all those whom hee hath created and gouerneth then must it ensue by force of all consequence that he is also to rewarde the same men according to theyr good liuing and deserts of thys life Fyrst then to prooue this principle that there is a GOD I neede vse no other argument or reason in the world but onely to referre each man to his own sence in beholding the world wherof euery part and portion is a most cleere glasse representing God vnto vs or rather a fayre Table wherin God hath drawne and imprinted himselfe in so manifest charecters and legible Letters as the symplest man liuing may reade and vnderstand the same In respect heere of saide the wise man so long agoe That vaine and foolish were all those who considering the workes that are seene in this worlde could not thereby ryse to vnderstande the worke-man And hee giueth this reason a magnitudine enim specâ—â—â— creaturae cognoscibiliter poterit Creator horuâ— videri For that by the greatnes of beautie in the creature may the Creator thereof be seene and knowne Which Saint Paule confirmeth when hee saith that the inuisible things of God may be seene and knowne by the visible creatures of thys world Which is to be vnderstoode in this sence that as a prisoner in a dungion may easilie by a lyttle beame that shyneth in at a chynck conceiue there is a Sunne from whence that beame descendeth and as a trauayler in the wyldernesse that falleth vppon some channell or brooke may ascende by the same to the well or Fountaine euen so he that beholdeth considereth the wonderfull workes of thys worlde may thereby conceiue also the wonderfull Artificer or worke-man that made them If a man shoulde passe by sea into some forraine strange or sauage Countrey where nothing els but byrdes and beastes doe appeare yet if he should espie some exquisite building or other worke of arte and reason in the place he would presently assure himselfe that some men dwelt or had beene in that Countrey for that such thinges coulde not be doone by beastes or vnreasonable creatures euen so in the viewe and consideration of thys world If we cast our eyes vpon the heauens we remaine astonished with the miracles that we beholde but who made them wee see the skyes of exceeding great highnesse dystinguished wyth colours and beautie most admirable adorned with starres Plannets innumerable and these so qualified wyth theyr diuers different and vnequal motions as albeit they neuer mooue or goe together yet doe they neuer giue let or hinderaunce the one to the other nor change their course out of order or season Quis enarrabit caelorum rationem concentum caeli quis dormire faciet Who is able to declare the reason of these heauens or who can make cease or sleepe the vniforme course of their motions saith GOD to Iob As who woulde say that because no man or mortall creature can doe this therefore may wee imagine of what power and perfection theyr maker is Which K. Dauid had doone when hee pronounced caeli enarrant gloriam Dei opera manuum eius annunciat firmamentum the heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmament dooth preache the workes of his hands vnto vs. If we pull downe our eyes from heauen to earth wee beholde the same of an infinite bignesse distinguished with hils and dales woodes and pastures couered wyth all varietie of grasse hearbes flowers and leaues moystened wyth Riuers as a bodie wyth veines inhabited by creatures of innumerable kindes and qualities inriched with inestimable and endlesse treasures and yet it selfe standing or hanging rather with all his weyght and poyse in the midst of the ayre as a little balle without proppe or pyller At which deuise and most wonderfull miracle God himselfe as it were glorying said vnto Iob. Where wert thou when I laid the foundations of the earth Tell me if thou haue vnderstanding who measured it out or drew his lyne vpon the same Whereupon are fastened the pillers of his foundation or who laide the first corner stone thereof If we looke neyther vppe nor downe but cast our countenaunce onelie aside we espie the Sea on each hande of vs that enuironeth rounde about the land A vaste creature that containeth more wonders then mans tongue can expresse A bottomlesse gulfe that with out running ouer receiueth all Riuers which perpetuallie doe flow A restlesse fight and turmoyle of waters that neuer repose neyther day or night A dreadfull raging and furious element that swelleth and roareth and threatneth the land as though it would deuoure it all at once And albeit in situation it be higher then the earth as the Phylosopher sheweth and doe make assaults dailie towardes the same with most terrible cryes and waues mounted euen to the skye yet when it draweth neere to the land and to his appointed borders it stayeth vpon the suddaine though nothing be there to let it and is enforced to recoyle back againe murmuring as it were for that it is not permitted to passe any further Of which restraint God asketh Iob this question Who hath shut vppe the Sea vvith gates when he breaketh foorth in rage as from his mothers wombe Whereunto no man being able to giue aunswere God aunswereth himselfe in these wordes I haue limitted him with my boundes and I haue sette him both a doore and a barre and haue said vnto him hytherto shalt thou come and shalt not passe further heere shalt thou breake thy svvelling vvaues This in summe is of things without vs. But if wee shoulde leaue these and enter to seeke God within our selues whether wee consider our bodies or our soules or any one part thereof we shall finde so many strange things or rather so many seas of miracles and wonders that preach and teach theyr maker vnto vs as we shall not onely perceiue see God most euidentlie but rather as a certain olde Heathen hath written we shall feele handle him in his workes Which kinde of speech also S. Paul himselfe doubteth not to vse affirming that God hath giuen space to euerie man in this life to seeke him si forte attractent eum aut inueniant if perhaps they would handle him or finde him out Which manner of words doe signifie that by consideration of Gods creatures and especially of the wonders in man himselfe we may come to see and perceiue the Creator so cleerelie that in a sorte we may be said to feele handle him So ioyntlie doe all thinges concurre to the manifestation of theyr maker so manifestlie and effectuallie doe they teach demonstrate and paint out God vnto vs nothing being so little that declareth not hys greatnes nothing so great which acknowledgeth not his soueraigntie nothing so low that leadeth vs not vp to beholde his
the other by degrees and yet all tending one way all theyr faces bent vpon one place all moouing marching and turning together all endeuouring with alacritie towards the performance of one coÌ„mon seruice by mutuall assistance wythout discention discorde difference or clamour he that shoulde see this saith the Metaphysicke as he could not but imagine some generall high Captaine to bee among these souldiers whom all obeyed and from whose supreame commaundement and order thys most excellent subordination agreement vnion proceeded so much more vpon consideration of the former coherence consent and miraculous subordination of creatures among themselues in theyr operations must we inferre that they haue som general commaunder ouer them all by whose supreame disposition each creature hath his charge peculier taske appointed which hee must performe for the common and vniuersal seruice of the whole The fourth reason or argument alledged by the Supernaturall Phylosopher is of the meruailous prouidence arte and wisedome discouered in the making of euery least creature within the worlde For seeing there is nothing so little nothing so base or contemptible within the compasse of this heauen that couereth vs but if you consider it you finde both arte order proportion beautie excellencie in the same this cannot proceede of fortune as foolish Lucretius and some other would haue it for that fortune is casualtie without order rule or certaintie and therefore needes it must come from the wisdome and prouidence of some omnipotent Creator If you take a flye or a flea or a leafe from a tree or any other the least creature that is extant in the worlde and consider the same attentiuelie you shall finde more miracles then parts therein you shall find such proportion of members such varietie of colours such distinction of offices such correspondence of instruments and those so fit so wel framed so coherent and so subordinate as the more ye contemplate the more yee shall meruaile neyther is there any one thing in the world more effectuall to draw a man to the loue and admiration of his Creator then to exercise himselfe often in this contemplation for if his heart be not of stone thys will moue his affection We read of Galen a prophane very irreligious Phisitian who as himselfe coÌ„fesseth in a certaine place taking vpon him to consider of the parts of mans bodie and finding much wisedome in the order vse and disposition of the same sought first to gyue the prayse and glorie therof to nature or to some other cause then to God But in processe of tyme beeing oppressed as it were with the exceeding great wysedom cunning and prouidence which he discouered in euerie least parcell and particle of mans bodie wherein nothing was redundant nothing defectiue nothing possible to be added altered or better deuised he bâ—ake forth into these words Compono hic profecto canticum in Creatoris nostri laudem quod vltrares suas ornare voluit melius quam vlla arte possent Here truelie doe I make a song in the prayse of our Creator for that of his owne accorde it hath pleased him to adorne and beautifie his thinges better then by any arte possible it could be imagined Heereby then doth the Metaphysick gather and conclude most euidently that there is a GOD a Creator a most wise powrful artificer that made all things such a one as exceedeth all boundes of nature of humaine habilitie For if all the worlde shoulde ioyne together they coulde not make the least creature which wee see in this worlde He concludeth also that the fore-sight and prouidence of this Creator is infinite for things to come in all eternitie finally that his wysedome and cogitations are inscrutable And albeit sometime he reueale vnto vs some part thereof yet often againe wee erre therein For which cause a wyse Heathen Platonick concludeth thus after long search about these affayres I will prayse God saith he in those things I vnderstand and I wyll admyre him in those thinges which I vnderstand not For I see that my selfe oftentimes doe things wherein my seruaunts are blinde and conceiue no reason As also I haue seene little children cast into the fire Iewels of great price their fathers writings of great learning and wysedome for that they were not of capacitie to vnderstand the value and worthines of the thing One argument more will I alledge of the Metaphysicke grounded vpon the immortalitie of mans soule which immortalitie is proued with one consent of all learned men as Plato alledgeth for that it is a spirit and immateriall substance whose nature dependeth not of the state of our mortall bodie for so by experience wee see dailie that in olde men and wythered sickly bodies the minde and soule is more quicke cleere pregnant and liuely then it was in youth when the bodie was most lustie The same is also proued by the vnquenchable desire which our minde hath of learning knowledge wysedome and other such spirituall and immateriall things wherin her thyrst by nature is so great as it cannot be satis-fied in thys life neyther can the obiects of sence and bodily pleasures or any other coÌ„moditie or delight of this materiall world content or satiate the restlesse desire of thys immateriall creature Which is an euident argument to the Phylosopher that some other obiect contentation is prepared for her in another world and that of such excellencie and supereminent perfection as it shall haue in it all wisedome all learning all knowledge all beautie and all other causes of loue ioy and contentation wherein our soule may rest for euer Thys beeing so saith the Phylosopher that the soule and minde of man is immortall of necessitie it must insue that an immortall Creator sent the same into our bodies and that to him againe it must returne after her departure from this life here Thys was the true meaning indeed how soeuer some later interpreters haue mis-understood the same of that auncient doctrine of olde Phylosophers which Plutarch alledgeth out of Pythagoras and Plato affirming that all particuler soules of men came sent from one generall common soule of the whole worlde as sparcles from the fire and beames from the common Sunne and that after theyr seperation from their bodies they shal returne againe to that generall soule called anima mundi the soule of the worlde for that it giueth life and beeing to the worlde and so to remaine with that generall soule eternallie Thys was the doctrine of olde Phylosophers which seemeth indeed to haue beene nothing els though deliuered in other speeches but that which Salomon himselfe affirmeth in plainer wordes et spiritus redibit ad Deum qui dedit illum and our soule or spirit shall returne to God that gaue it vnto vs. And thys may suffise for a taste of that which the Metaphysicke or Supernaturall Phylosopher can say
are common to vs with beastes and alwayes haue annexed theyr sting dyscontentation when they are past Morrall vertues for that they consist in a certaine perpetuall fight and warre with our owne passions which neuer giue vs reste or repose in thys life Finally whether soeuer wee turne our selues or what soeuer we lay our hands vppon in this life to make our felicitie or summum bonum it faileth vs saith Plato neither giueth it any durable contentation to our minde wherefore this felicitie is to bee sought and obtayned in the life to come Thus farâ— arryueth Morrall Phylosophie by reason to proue that mans felicitie or finall end cannot be in any thing of thys lyfe or world It proueth also by the same reason as in part it hath been touched before that thys felicitie of our mind in the life to come must be a spirituall and immateriall obiect for that our minde and soule is a spirit it must be immortall for that our soule is immortall But what goeth yet humaine phylosophie any further or can Plato assigne the particuler poynt wherein it standeth Heare his words and confesse that not without reason he was called Diuine In thys it coâ—â—isteth sayth he vt coniungamur Deo qui omnis beatitudinis fastigium meta finis That we be ioyned to God who is the toppe the butte and the end of all blessednes And can any Christian thinke you say more then thys Yet harken what a scholler of his saith for explication of hys Maisters sentence Supremus hominis finis supremum bonum id est Deus The finall ende of man whereto hee tendeth is a supreame or soueraigne good thing and thys is God himselfe By which wordes wee see that these Heathens by the ende of man could finde out GOD which was the seconde argument propounded in Morrall phylosophie A third argument vseth the Morral phylosopher for proofe of God which shal be the last I wyll alledge in thys place deduced from consideration of good and euill vice vertue especially of the reward which by nature reason and equitie is due to the one as also of the punishment belonging to the other For sayth he as in all other thinges creatures actions of thys world that passe from the Creator we see proportion order iustice wysedome prouidence obserued so much more must wee assure our selues that the same is obserued in the same Creators actions and proceedings towardes man that is the cheefe and principall of all other hys creatures Nowe then wee see and beholde that all other creatures are directed to theyr endes by nature and doe receiue comfort and contentation so long as they holde that course and losse disease and griefe as soone as they breake and swarue from the same Onelie man hath reason giuen him wherby to know and iudge of hys ende and the holie Scriptures whereby he may eyther direct his way to the same by vertue or runne astray by folowing of wickednesse Whereupon it ensueth that in all equitie and iustice there must remaine rewarde for such as doe well and follow the right pathe assigned them to theyr ende felicitie which is by good life and punishment for the other that abandoneth the same for pleasure and sensualitie But we see in thys world sayth the Phylosopher that most wicked men doe receiue least punishment and many there be as Princes high Potentates whose liues and actions be they neuer so vicious yet are they aboue the correction of mortall men and many poore men in the contrarie part vvho for theyr vertue patience and honestie receiue nothing in thys life but enuie malice contempt reproche despyte and oppression Wherefore saith hee eyther wanteth there prouidence and equitie in the gouernment and dysposition of these great affaires which we see not to want in thinges of lesser moment or els must there be a place of punishment and reward in the life to come vppon the soules of such as passe from hence and a iust and powerfull Iudge to make recompence of these inequalities iniustices permitted in thys world Which Iudge can be none but the Creator himselfe And so hytherto haue I declared howe euery particuler science among the Gentiles had particuler meanes and wayes to demonstrate GOD by contemplation of his creatures and by force of reason which no man coulde denie Nowe remaineth it to shewe howe the Iewe or faithfull Israelite before Christes appearaunce was able to confirme thys veritie to a Heathen which shal be the subiect of the section ensuing Howe the Iewes were able to proue GOD. SECT 3. THE people of Israell that for manie yeeres and ages were the peculier people partage of GOD as they dwelt inuironed wyth Gentiles of each side that impugned their Religion and worshippe of one God and had many weak-lings among them selues that were often tempted to doubt of the same Religion by the example of so manie Nations and Countries about them that made profession of a contrary Religion so had the Diuines and learned men of thys people diuâ—rs forcible proofes most reasonable arguments peculier to themselues besides the gyft of faith or any other demoÌ„stration that hetherto hath beene alledged to confirme theyr bretheren in the beleefe of one God to conuince all Atheists or Infidels in the world And albeit these proofes which they vsed were many as the Creation of the world by one God the deuiding of the Hebrue Religion from the beginning the conuersation of God wyth Abraham of whom the Iewes descended the miraculous deliuering of that nation from Egypt the lawe receiued from Gods own mouth by Moses the strange enteraunce of Iewes into the Land of promise the extinguishing of the Gentiles which before inhabited there the erection of the Iewish Monarchie and protection thereof against al Nations the miraculous deeds sayings of Prophets a thousande reasons besides which confirme most euidently that the Iewes God was the onely true God yet for that all these things and sayings wyth an Infidell had no more credite then the wrytings or scriptures wherein they were recorded heereby it came to passe that all which a Iewe could say for proofe of GOD more then a Gentile depended onely vppon the authoritie of hys scriptures for this cause he referred all hys proofes and arguments to euident the truth certaintie of these scriptures which thing once performed the beeing of one God cannot be called in controuersie for that these scriptures are nothing els but a narratioÌ„ of the acts gestes of that onelye God which the Iewes professe We are nowe to see then what the Iewe was able to say for proofe of hys scriptures and consequently for demonstration of God and of his iudgemeÌ„ts declared therin Which discourse as it was profitable in olde tyme for stay and confirmation of all such as were or might be tempted with infidelitie so can it not be but verie comfortable to
subiect to the corruption pryde vanitie or ambition of this life as other prophane and Heathen writers were and theyr deathes for the most part offered vppe in holy martyrdom for defence of that truth which they had preached and wrytten as appeareth in Esay that was sawed in peeces by K. Manasses in Ieremie that was stoned to death by the common people in Ezechiell that was slayne by the Captaine of the Iewes at Babylon in Amos whose braines were beaten out by Amasias the wicked idolatrous Priest in Bethel in Micheas whose necke was broken by Ioam sonne to King Achab in Zacharias that was slayne at the Altar and the like And thys for the Prophets of later times among the Iewes But nowe if wee consider the first Prophet of all that wrote among that people I meane Moses that was not onlie a Prophet but also an Hystoriographer a Law-gyuer a Captaine and a Priest the first that euer reduced that people to a common-wealth and the first that put their acts and gestes in wryting or rather the acts and gestes of the Almightie GOD towardes them thys man I say if wee consider him onelie I meane the circumstaunces of hys person the Iewe thinketh thys a sufficient motiue to make any man of reason beleeue what soeuer hee hath left written in the Bible without further confirmation And first for his antiquitie I haue spoken before and the Heathens doe confesse and for myracles doone by him the greatest enemies that euer he had in the worlde that is Appion in hys fourth Booke against the Iewes and Porphirie in his fourth booke against Christians do acknowledge them Porphirie adioyneth more for proofe heereof that he found the same confirmed by the storie of one Saconiathon a Gentile who lyued as he sayth at the same tyme with Moses But what all those myracles saie they were doone by Arte-magick and not by the power of GOD as Moses boasted But then asketh them the Iewe where Moses a sheepehearde could learne so much Magicke or why coulde not the Magitians of Pharao whose studie was in that profession from theyr infancie eyther doe the like or at least wise deliuer themselues from the plagues of Egypt why did they cry out the finger of God is heere where did you euer heare of such workes doone by Magicke as Moses did when he deuided the redde Sea when hee called into his Campe so manie Quayles vppon the suddaine as suffised to feede sixe hundred thousande men besides women children When he made a rock to yeeld forth a fountaine when he caused a dewe to fall from heauen that nourished his whole Campe for fortie yeres together whē he caused the ground to open and swallowe downe aliue three of the richest noble men of all hys Armie together with their Tabernacles and all other bagges and baggage When he caused a fire to com from heauen and consume fiftie Gentlemen of the former rebels and adherents without hurting anie one that stood about them These things dyd Moses and many other in the sight of all his Armie that is in the sight of many hundred thousande people among which there were diuers his emulators and sworne enemies as by the storie and scripture it selfe appeareth Core Dathan and Abiron with theyr faction sought in all things to dysgrace him and to diminish hys credite and therfore if any one poynt of the myracles had beene reproueable Moses woulde neuer haue durst to put the same in wryting nor would the people haue stoode with him and much lesse haue receiued hys wrytinges for diuine and for Gods owne wordes beeing solicited against him by so potent meanes had not they knowne all things to be most true therein contayned had seene his strange myracles and familiaritie with God But he dealt plainely and simply in thys behalfe hee wrote the thinges of his owne dooings which euerie man present did know to be true and of Gods speeches and communications to himselfe he wrote so much as he was commaunded whereof both God and his conscience did beare him witnesse Hee caused the whole to bee read vnto the people and layde vppe in the sacred Arke and Tabernacle as Gods owne wryting and couenant with that Nation He caused al the whole Armie to sweare and vowe the obseruaunce thereof And then drawing towards his death he made a most excellent exhortation vnto them perswading them sincerelie to the seruice of theyr God and confessing his owne infirmities and howe for hys offences he was to die before theyr entrance into the Land of promise He concealed not the offence of hys Brother Aaron of hys Graund-father Leuie of hys Sister Marie and other of hys kindred as worldly Princes for theyr honours are wont to doe neyther did he goe about to bring in gouernmēt after hys decease any one of his owne sons which is greatly to be obserued notwythstanding he left behinde him goodly Gentlemē fit for that roome himself of power to place them if he had endeuoured but he left the gouernment to a stranger named Iosua as God had commaunded him All which things saith the Iew do proue sufficientlie that Moses was no man of ambition or of worldly spirit but a true Seruaunt of God and consequentlie that hee wrought not by Magicke or falshood but by the onely power of hys Lorde and Maister and that hys writinges are true and of the same authoritie that in hys life and death he affirmed them to bee that is the vndoubted worde of Almightie God THE FOVRTH PROOFE OF SCRIPTVRES THys hee confirmeth yet further by a fourth reason which is the consent and approbation of all later writers of the Bible that ensued after Moses For as among prophane wryters of worldly spirite it is a common fashion for hym that followeth to reprehende the former to hunt after praise by hys auncetours disgrace so in these writers of the Bible it is a most certaine argument that al were guided by one spirit from GOD that in continuaunce of so many ages and thousand yeeres no one yet euer impugned the other but alwaies the later supposing and approouing the former for true doth builde thereupon as vpon a sure foundation So the writings of Iosua do confirme and approue the writings of Moses and the recordes of the Iudges doe reuerence allowe the booke of Iosua The storie of the Kings and Chronicles dooth referre it selfe to the storie of Iudges One Prophet confirmeth another And finally Christ approoueth them all by the knowne diuision of the Lawe Psalmes and Prophets which is a demonstration that all their spirits agreed in one And thus hetherto hath been declared the foure considerations that are external or without the Bible to wit the antiquitie and continuaunce of the Scriptures the maner of their writing and preseruing from corruption the sinceritie vertue and simplicity of theyr writers together with theyr
totall weale or woe that must befall vs and possesse vs for euer Which ground and veritie if it be so certaine and euident as before hath beene shewed by all reason and proofe both diuine and humaine and that the matter be so testified proclaimed vnto vs by all the creatures of heauen earth and by the mouth writing of our Creator himselfe as no ignoraunce or blindnesse can excuse the same no slothfulnesse dissemble it no wickednesse denie it what remaineth then but to consider with our selues what seruice thys GOD requireth at our hands what gratitude what duetie what honour for our creation to the end that as we haue proued him a most bountifull Creator so we may finde him a propitius Iudge and munificent rewarder For it is not probable that his diuine Maiestie which hath appointed euery other creature to some action for hys owne glorie as hath beene declared at large before should leaue man-kind onely which is the worthiest of all the rest without obligation to his seruice In which one poynt notwithstanding though neeuer so cleere such is the fondnes of our corrupt nature without Gods holie grace fayled those auncient wise men of the worlde of whom S. Paule speaketh so much in hys Epistle to the Romans taking compassion of theyr case and calling them fooles and all theyr great learning and Phylosophie meere fondnesse for that whereas by the meanes before mentioned they came to knowe God they did not seeke to glorifie him as appertained vnto God nor yet did render him due thankes but vanished awaie in their cogitations c. That is they tooke no profite by thys knowledge of theyrs but applied theyr cogitations vpon the vanities of thys world more then vpon the honor seruice of thys theyr God For which cause as S. Paule adioyneth presentlie in the same place that for somuch as they did thus and did not shewe foorth by theyr life and works that they had the knowledge of God indeede God deliuered them ouer to a reprobate sense suffered them to fall into horrible sinnes which S. Paul doth name detest in all that chapter finally concludeth that their euerlasting perdition ensued principally vpon this one point that wheras they knew the iustice of God by all the waies and arguments that before haue been declared yet woulde they not vnderstand saith he that death was due to all such which liued wickedly as they did And the same Apostle vpon consideration of these matters wherein hee standeth long for the importaunce thereof pronounceth in fine thys general sentence with great asseueration and vehemencie of spirit that the wrath of God is reuealed from heauen vpon all impietie and iniustice of those men who holde the knowledge of God in vnrighteousnesse That is who beeing indued with the knowledge of God doe liue notwithstanding vnrighteouslie or as hee saide before doe consume theyr daies in vanitie nor making account of the seruice which they doe owe to that God for theyr creation and other benefits Which thing if S. Paule might truelie say to those Gentiles before hys time who had onely natural knowledge and vnderstanding of God that is so much as by his creatures was to be gathered what may or shall be said vnto vs who haue not only that light of nature which they had but also the wrytinges and lawe of God himselfe communicated specially vnto the Iewes and aboue that also haue heard the voice of his onely sonne vpon earth and haue receiued the doctrine of his most holie Gospell yet doe liue as negligentlie manie of vs as did the very Heathens touching good life and vertue Surely in this case I must denounce against my selfe that if it be true as it cannot bee false which thys blessed Apostle affyrmeth here of these Heathen Phylosophers that by that little knowledge they had of God they were made inexcusable then by the most iust and certayne rule of Christ layde downe by S. Luke cui multum datum est multum quaeretur ab eo that of euery man which hath receiued much a great account shall be taken for the same we are forced to infer that our account shall be the greater and our selues much more inexcusable before hys diuine maiestie then the very Gentiles Heathens are if after all our knowledge and manifest vnderstanding of hys God-head and iustice we vanish away in our cogitations as they did and as the most part of the world at this day are seene to doe that is if we apply our cogitations and cares about the vaine affaires of this temporall life and transitorie commodities which wee shoulde bestowe vppon the seruice and honour of thys our Lord and Creator OF THE FINAL END AND CAVSE WHIE MAN WAS CREATED BY GOD and placed in thys world And of the obligation he hath therby to attend to the affaire for which he came hether CHAP. III. BY the Chapter precedent I nothinge doubt gentle Reader but if thou haue seene perused the same thou remainest sufficiently informed of thy Creator Now followeth it by order of good consequence that we consider wyth some attention for that it standeth vs much vpon what intent and purpose God had in creating vs and thys world for our sakes in placing vs therein as Lordes of the same By the former considerations wee haue learned that as among other creatures nothing made it selfe so nothing was made for it self nor to serue it selfe The heauens wee see do serue the ayre the ayre serueth the earth the earth serueth the beastes the beasts serue man then is the question who man was made to serue for in him also holdeth the former reason that seeing hee was not made by himselfe it is not likely that he was made to serue himfelfe If we cōsult with the scriptures heerin we find a generall sentence layd down with out exception Vniuersa propter semetipsum operatus est Dominus the lord hath made al things for himself And if all then man no doubt who is not the least of the rest which hee hath made And hereby it commeth to passe that man cannot be said to be free or at hys owne appointment or dysposition in thys worlde but obliged to performe that thing for which hee was sent into this habitation Which poynt holy Iob declareth plainely in a certaine inuectiue that he maketh against such men as were carelesse and negligent in consideration of thys affayre A vaine man saith he is lifted vp in pride thinketh himself to be borne as free as the colt of a wild Asse That is he thinketh himselfe bounde to nothing subiect to nothing accountable for nothing that he doth in thys life but onelie borne free to passe hys time in disport and pleasure as a Colt in a desert that hath no Maister to tame him Which in other words the Wiseman vttereth thus Hee esteemeth this
And finally nothing can be more desired for the fore-knowledge of any one thing to come then was deliuered and vttered concerning the Messias before that euer Christ or Christians were talked of in the world Nowe then remaineth it to consider examine whether these particularities fore-told so long agoe of the Messias to come doe agree in Christ whoÌ„ we acknowledge for the true Messias And thys shall be the subiect or argument of all the rest of our speech in thys Chapter How the former predictions were fulfilled in our Sauiour Christ at his being vpon earth SECT 2. ALbeit in the points before recited which are to be fulfilled in the Messias at hys comming wee haue some controuersie and dysagreement with the Iewe as hath beene shewed yet our principal contention in theÌ„ all is wyth the Gentiles and Heathen that beleeue no Scriptures For that in dyuers of the former Articles the Iewe standeth wyth vs and for vs and offereth hys life in defence thereof as farre forth as if he were a Christian In so much that the Gentile oftentimes is inforced to meruaile when he seeth a people so extreamely bent one against another as the Iewes are against Christians and yet doe stande so peremptorilie in defence of those verie principles which are the proper causes of theyr disagreement But hereunto the Iewe maketh aunswer that hys dysagreement from vs is in the application of those principles For that in no wise he will allowe that they were or may be verified in Iesus And heerein he standeth against vs much more obstinately then doth the Gentile For that the Gentile as soone as he commeth once to vnderstand and beleeue the prophecies of Scripture hee maketh no doubt or difficultie in the application thereof for that he seeth the same most euidently fulfilled in our Sauiour Christ. Which is the cause that few or no Gentiles since Christes appearaunce haue come to be Iewes but that presently also they passed ouer to bee Christians But the Iewe by no meanes will be mooued to yeelde albeit hee haue neither scripture nor reason or probabilitie for hys defence Which among other things is a verie greate argument to proue that Iesus was the true Messias indeede seeing that among the markes of the true Messias sette downe by Gods Prophets thys was one that he shold be refused of the Iewish Nation Heerehence aâ—e those wordes of the holy Ghost so long before vttered The stone which the builders refused is made the head stone of the corner this is doone by God and is meruailous in our eyes Heerehence is that great complaint of Esay touching the incredulitie and obstinacie of his people against their Messias at his comming which Moses also long before Esay expressed most effectually It maketh then not a little for our cause gentle Reader that the Iewish Nation is so wilfully bent against vs and that they refused Christ so peremptorily at hys beeing among them For whom soeuer that Nation should receiue and acknowledge it were a great argument by scripture that hee were not indeede the true Messias But yet to demonstrate to the worlde what little shewe of reason they haue in standing thus against theyr owne saluation and in refusing Christ as they doe I will in as great breuitie as I may runne ouer the cheefe poynts that passed at hys beeing vpon earth and therby examine by the testimonies of his greatest enemies whether the fore-sayd prophecies and all other signes which haue beene from the beginning to fore-tell vnto vs the true Messias were fulfilled in hym and his actions or no. And for that the matters are many and dyuers that will come hereiâ— to be handleâ—â— I wyl for order sake reduce all to foure considerations Whereof the first shal be touching the tyme fore-prophecied of the comming of Messias whether the same agreed with Christes natiuitie or no. The seconde shall be of diuers particulars that passed in Christes incarnation byrth circumcision other accidents vntill the time that he began to preach The third shall be of hys life conuersation myracles doctrine The fourth and last shall be of his passion death resurrection and ascention In all which as I said before I wyll vse no one Authour or testimonie of our owne side for approouing any thing that is in controuersie between vs but all shall passe by tryall eyther of theyr owne scriptures or of manifest force and consequence of reason or els by expresse recorde of our professed enemies The fyrst Consideration FOR the first then concerning the tyme which is the principall and head of al the rest it is to be noted that by consent of all Writers both Pagan Iewish and Christian IESVS whom we beleeue and confesse to be true CHRIST was borne the twentie-fiue day of December in the ende of the fortie-one yeere of the raigne of the Emperour Augustus Caesar which was fifteene yeeres before hys raigne ended Also in the beginning of the thirtie-three yeere of Herods raigne in Iurie which was foure yeeres and more before hys death And from the beginning of the worlde as some account foure thousand one hundred ninetie-nine And as others doe account it foure thousand foure-score and nyne for that in thys poynt betweene the Hebrues and the Graecians there is a difference of some litle more then a hundred yeeres concerning theyr reckoning The state of the worlde at Christes natiuitie was this The three Monarchies of the Assyrians Persians and Graecians were past ouer and ended the Romains were entered into the fourth that was greater then any of the rest according to the prophecie of Daniell fyue hundred yeeres before Octauius Caesar surnamed Augustus after fiue ciuil warres by himselfe waged and after infinite broyles and bloodshed in the worlde raigned peaceably alone for many yeeres together and in token of an vniuersall peace ouer all the earth hee caused the Temple gates of Ianus to be shut according to the custome of the Romans in such cases albeit thys had happened but twice before from the building of Rome vnto that tyme. And the very same day that Christ was borne in Iurie Augustus commaunded in Rome as afterward was obserued that no man shold call hym Lorde thereby to signifie the free libertie rest ioy and securitie wherein all men were after so long miseries which by continuall warres the worlde had suffered By thys we gather first that thys tyme of Christes birth agreed exactly with the prophecie so long before sette down in Daniell who lyued in the first Monarchie that after hys tyme there shoulde be three Monarchies more and the last biggest of all at whose appearing the Messias shoulde come and builde vppe Gods kingdome throughout all the world Secondly we see that fulfilled which Esay the Prophet aboue a hundred yeeres before Daniell fore-told that at the comming of Christ people shoulde sitte in
shall goe down into Egipt and all the Idols of Egipt shall shake at his presence Which later point Eusebius sheweth that it was fulfilled most euidentlie in the sight of all the world for that no Nation came to Christian religion with so great celeritie or feruour as did the Egyptians who threw downe theyr Idols before any other heathen Nations And as they had been the first in idolatry to other Countries so were they the first by Christes coÌ„ming vnto them that afterwarde gaue example of true returne to theyr Creator It followeth in Esay And I will giue vp Egipt into the hands of cruell Lords a Potent King shall take dominion ouer them Which was fulfilled about the very time wherein Christ was to come For that then after many spoyles cruelties excercised vppon Egypt by the Romaine Lords and Princes as Pompey Caesar Anthonie others in the end Cleopatra their Queene that was the last of all the bloode and lyne of the Ptolomiâ—s was inforced to sley her selfe and so Augustus the Emperor tooke possession of all Egypt and subiected it as a Prouince to the Romaines Empire But consider you howe Esay concludeth the matter after all these temporall afflictions threatned against Egipt confesse that such aduersitie is no signe of Gods dys-fauour to them who receiue it For thus sayth God after all hys cominations In that daie there shal be an Aultar of Iehoua in the middest of Egipt they shall cry to God in their tribulation and he shal send them a Sauiour c. Blessing shall be in the midst of that Land to whom the Lorde God of hostes hath giuen his benediction saying Blessed is my people of Egipt And heere we make an ende of our second consideration The thyrde consideration NOwe in the thyrd place there commeth to be considered according to our former dyuision the life conuersation doctrine and myracles of Iesus And first touching things doone by him after his coÌ„ming out of Egypt which might be about the sixt or seauenth yeere of hys age vntil hys baptisme by S. Iohn which was the thyrtith there is little recorded eyther in Prophane or Ecclesiasticall Wryters For that as Saint Iustine S. Chrisostome S. Augustine and others doe write hee bestowed that time in the common exercise and labours of mans life therby to shewe himselfe true man and gyue demonstration how much he hated and detested idlenes Of Saint Iohn Baptist all Hebrue wryters of that time doe make mention with exceeding prayse and admiration of hys holinesse especially Iosephus that liued immediatly after Christes daies sayth he was Vir optimus Iudaeos excitans ad virtutum studia A most excellent man stirring vp the Iewes to the exercise of vertue Hee addeth also that partly for feare of the great concourse of people which flocked vnto him and partlie by the solicitation of Herodias concubine and brothers wyfe to Herode Antipas the great Herods sonne for whose cause he had turned off hys owne Wife daughter to Areta King of the Arabians hee was apprehended and imprisoned in the Castle of Acherun and therein soone after put to death Which murder Iosephus esteemed to be the cause of al the misery which insued afterward to Herod and his whole familie Of thys man it was written by Malachie the Prophet Behold I send my messenger or Angel before me he shall prepare the way before my face presently shal com to his temple the RVLER whom ye seeke and the MESSENGER OF THE TESTAMENT whom you desire Which prophecie was fulfilled most euidently vppon the preaching of S. Iohn when Christ came vnto him and albeit S. Iohn had neuer seene him before yet he acknowledged him for the Messias in the presence of infinite people hys acknowledgment was confirmed by the visible descending of a Doue voice from heauen in the sight hearing of all the people present according as three of our Euangelists doe report Which they would neuer haue presumed to doe had not the matter been most euident and without al compasse of deniall or contradiction And truely no one thing in all this storie of Iesus life doth more establish the certaintie of hys beeing the true Messias then that S. Iohn Baptist whose wisedome learning vertue and rare sanctitie is confessed and recorded by the writings of all our aduersaries should refuse the honour of the Messias offered vnto himselfe and lay it vpon Iesus as also shoulde direct those Disciples that depended vpon him to the onely folowing and embracing of Iesus doctrine Which is most euidently prooued that hee did for that so many folowers and disciples as himselfe had not one appeared euer after that was not a Christian. When Iesus was baptised he began to preache and his whole doctrine was directed to the manifestation of hys Fathers will and amendment of mans life It tendeth all to thys one ground and principle Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy soule thy Neighbour as thy selfe It was plaine easie perspicuous and euident though it treated of most high misteries It had neither pompe nor pryde of rethoricall words nor flattering of mans wickednes as the doctrine of manie Phylosophers had Neyther consisted it of vnprofitable externall ceremonies as the later obseruations of the Iewish Lawe dyd nor was it fraught wyth carnalitie and spirit of thys world as the Turkish Alcoran and other sectaries doctrine is But all was simplicitie all was spirit all was trueth al was honestie all was humilitie all was charitie It tooke away or dysanulled no one perfect or spirituall poynt of Moses Lawe but rather reuiued interpreted fulfilled and made perfect the same For whereasâ— that coÌ„maunded externall obseruaunce this addeth also internall obedience Whereas that sayd loue your freendes thys adioyneth loue also your enemies Whereas that commaunded we should not kyll thys further commaundeth to speake no angry words Wheras that prohibited to commit actuall adulterie thys also forbiddeth to couet in minde Whereas that sayd take no interest or vsurie of a Iewe that is thy Countriman thys fayth take it of no man whatsoeuer Wheras that accounted euery Iewe onely to be thy neighbour thys teacheth euery person liuing to be thy brother Whereas that taught thee to offer vp a Calfe a Sheepe or an Oxe for thy sinnes thys instructeth thee to offer vp a contrite hart by fayth in the bloode of hym that died for all with a firme and resolute purpose of amendement of life And finally thys doctrine tendeth wholy to the true sincere and perfect seruice of GOD thy Lord that made and redeemed thee to the exaltation of hys onely name power goodnes and glorie to the depression of mans pryde by discouering his misery to the contempt of this world vaine pompe thereof to the mortification and subduing of our sensual appetite to the true loue vnfayned charitie of our neighbour to
the styrring vppe of our spyrite to celestiall cogitations to peace of conscience tranquilitie of minde puritie of body consolation of our soule And in one worde to reduce man-kinde again to a certaine estate of innocencie simplicitie and Angelicall sanctitie vpon earth wyth hys eye fixed onlâ—e in the eternall inheritance of Gods kingdome in heauen Thys was the doctrine deliuered by Iesus which is the same that the Prophets of God fore-tolde shoulde be deliuered by the Messias And as for hys life and conuersation by the testimonie of his greatest aduersaries it was more admirable then hys doctrine his lyfe beeing a most liuely table wherein the perfection of all his doctrine was expressed A man of such grauitie as neuer in hys lyfe he was noted to laugh of such humilitie as beeing the sonne of God hee scarse vsed in this world the dignitie of a seruaunt of such sweet and milde behauiour as al the iniuries of hys enemies neuer wrested from him one angry worde Finally hee was such a one as hee was described by Esay so many ages before he was borne in these words Hee shall not crie nor contend nor shall any man heare his voice in the streete he shall not crush a broken reede nor tread out a little flaxe that lyeth smoking on the grounde c. And another Prophet not long after hym brake foorth into thys speech vpon consideration of the behauiour that should be in the Messias Reioyce thou daughter of Sion tryumph thou daughter of Ierusalem for behold thy King shal come vnto thee thy iust Sauiour hee is poore and humble c. And as these Prophets dyd fore-tell the vertue and sanctitie of the Messias so the deuils themselues could not but confesse the same to haue beene fulfilled in the person of Iesus as is most euident by the testimonie of Porphyrie a professed enemie of the Christian name Who after consideration of dyuers Oracles vttered by hys Idols touching Iesus he breaketh forth into thys confession It is exceeding wonderfull what testimonie the Gods doe giue of the singuler pietie and sanctitie of Iesus for which they auouch him rewarded with immortalitie but yet these Christians are deceiued in calling him God Thus much wryteth Porphyrie And last of all Iosephus the Iew that was borne immediatly after Iesus wryteth of hym thus There was at thys time one Iesus a wise man if it be lawfull to call hym a man a worker of most wonderfull myracles and a Maister and Teacher of all such men as willingly were content to embrace the trueth In which testimony of Iosephus wee see mention also of Iesus myracles which is the next thyng whereof we are to consider And as Iosephus in thys place being a Iew beareth witnesse that Iesus performed manie strange myracles so most apparently and according to the interpretation of Iosephus in thys place were the same myracles fore-told by the Prophets of God that they shold be doone by the true Messias So Esay in hys thirtie-fiue Chapter describeth at large how the Messias at hys comming shal declare his commission by giuing sight to the blinde hearing to the deafe speeche to the dumbe and agilitie of body to the lame and cripple And that which is more God reuealed thys poynt very particulerly to the Gentiles by the Sibyls among whom one of them wrote thus of Christ to come as Lactantius recordeth He shall doe all by his onely word he shal cure all infirmities he shall raise the deade hee shall make the lame to runne and skip the deafe shall heare the blinde shall see and the dumbe shall speake In fiue loaues and two fishes fiue thousand persons shall be satis-fied and the fragments shall fill twelue baskets to the hope of manie He shall commaund the windes and walke vpon the furious Sea with his feete of peace And after dyuers other Greeke verses to thys purpose she concludeth in these words Men shall saie that I am a mad and lying Prophetesse but when all these things shall come to passe then remember me for then shall no man say more that I was a lyar but rather the Prophet of the great God To these predictions of Prophets in Iurie and among the Gentiles doe agree the Doctors of the Iewes themselues in many places of theyr Thalmud to wit that the Messias shall be most wonderfull in working myracles And in theyr publique Commentarie vppon Ecclesiastes they haue these wordes All the former myracles of Prophets or Saints shall be nothing to the myracles of the Messias when he commeth And thus much of the fore-telling of Christes myracles But novve for the fulfilling therof in Iesus that is how these predictions were performed in the stupendious workes and actions of our Sauiour Christ there is no difficultie For that besides the former testimonie of Iosephus which were sufficieÌ„t in thys case the Iewes themselues doe graunt and record Iesus myracles in diuers places of Treatises of theyr Thalmud yea they make mention of many wonderfull thyngs which Iesus did that are not written by our Euangelists The same dooth Mahomet in his Alcorane affirming Iesus the son of Marie to haue beene a great Prophet and to haue wrought his miracles by the onely power and spyrite of GOD and that himselfe was sent to confirme Iesus doctrine sauing onely in the poynt of hys God-head wherin he sayth that Iesus went too-farre and had a checke for the same at Gods hande when hee returned to Heauen Thus much doe these enemies confesse of Iesus myracles Which as it is much comming from such witnesses so if they would eyther denie or dissemble the same they might be prooued against them by most euident reasons especially in two points wherin there can be no probabilitie of any denyall The first is the calling and retayning of hys Apostles and other followers whereof Iosephus also in the place before alleaged maketh mention as of a great miracle who were of diuers callings states conditions trades and occupations in the world And yet all vppon the suddaine left both father mother wyfe children and other temporall respects and followed him who had nothing to giue or promise them in thys worlde A man that neuer spake them fayre or vttered doctrine that was not repugnant to the sensualitie of thys life as may appeare by theyr owne wrytings and testimonies of him A man that was contemned by the better sort as then it might seeme that is by the wyse and learned of that Countrie and especially disliked by them that were in gouernment as a dangerous and troublesome man to the state One that had neyther freendes in the worlde to beare him out nor a house to put his heade in And yet notwithstanding all thys that worldly men and women some such also as were great sinners and loose lyuers before shoulde leaue all their worldlie hope stay and condition to followe such a man with so
great inconueniences losses dangers and dis-fauours as they did and should continue with him in all hys afflictions and be content to die loose their liues rather then forsake him or abandon his seruice this I say is such a miracle as neuer in the worlde fell out the like and must needes be graunted by the enemie to be supernaturall The second poynt is of externall things and facts doone by Iesus aboue all power of humaine abilitie in the sight and knowledge of all the Iewes which facts were published by our Euangelists and especially by Saint Matthew in the Hebrue tongue while yet the persons were aliue vpon whō they were wrought or infinite other that might be witnesses thereof As for example the raysing of Lazarus in Bethania that was a Vyllage but a mile or two distant from Ierusalem at whose death and buriall beeing a Gentleman many Scribes Pharisies must needes be present according to the Iewish custom at that time as is reported by Iosephus and they sawe him both deceassed interred and the funerall feast obserued for him as also raised againe from death by Iesus after foure dayes of hys buriall With whom they dyd both eate and drinke and conuerse after hys returne to life and euery day might behlode him walking vppe and downe openly in the streetes of Ierusalem This storie I say how coulde it be feigned So in like manner the raysing of the Archisinagogues daughter whose name is affirmed to be Iairus wyth diuers other circumstaunces that doe make the thing most notorious The raising of the widdowes son before the gate of the Cittie Naim in the presence of all the people that bare the saide corps stood about it The healing of the Cripple in Ierusalem that had layne thirtie and eyght yeeres lame at the Pooles side or Bath called Probatica which miracle was done also in the sight of infinite people The casting out of a Legion of deuils frō a man that for many yeeres together was known to liue possessed in the Mountaines which deuils by peculier lycence obtayned of Iesus to enter into a hearde of Swyne and so presently carried two thousande of them away into the Sea and drowned them Whereuppon the whole Countrey about of the people called Gerasines beeing striken with extreame feare vpon sight of the fact besought Iesus most humbly to depart frō their borders The feeding and filling of fiue thousand men besides women and children with fiue Barley loaues and two fishes onely The turning of water into wine at a marriage in Cana in the presence of all the Guestes The healing of hym by a worde onelie that had an incurable dropsie and thys at the table of a principall Pharisie and in the sight of all that sate at dynner wyth him These I say and diuers other such myracles which were done in the presence and sight of so infinite a number of people and recorded by our Euangelists at such tymes when many desired to discredite the same might haue doone easilie by many witnesses and authoritie if any one part thereof had been subiect to calumniation cannot in reason or probabilitie be doubted of And therfore I must conclude that seeing these things are aboue all power of humaine nature and coulde not be doone but by the finger and vertue of the liuing GOD himselfe considering also that it is impossible that God should assist or giue testimonie to any falsehoode it must needes ensue that al was true and sincere which Iesus affirmed and consequently seeing he affirmed himselfe to be the Sonne of God and the true and onelie Messias it must needes follow by these miracles that hee was so indeede which is the ground of that speech of hys to the faithlesse Pharisies If you will not beleeue my words beleeue my deedes And thus much of Iesus life doctrine conuersation and miracles The fourth Consideration THere remaineth nowe onely the fourth and last consideration of thys Section which is the passion resurrection ascention of Iesus And about his passion there is little or no controuersie for that all his enemies doe agree and graunt that hee was betrayed by his owne disciple apprehended afflicted and deliuered vppe by the Iewes and finally put to death vppon a Crosse by the Gentiles The testimonie of Iosephus may serue for all heerein whose wordes are these That the principall Iewes of his Country hauing accused and deliuered ouer Iesus to Pilate that was Gouernour of Iurie for the Romaine Emperor he adiudged him to the Crosse. The same doe other Iewes and Gentiles record and in thys they take great offence scandale that wee shoulde attibute diuinitie vnto a man that had suffered death vpon the Crosse. But if wee shewe that this was the eternall preordination and appointment of God for sauing of mankinde and that the same was fore-tolde both to Iewe and Gentile from the beginning and so vnderstood also by the Iewish Doctors thēselues of elder times then euery reasonable man I trowe will remaine satis-fied and preferre Gods diuine wysedome before mans follie First then consider that when Christ had ended hys preaching and wrought so many miracles as seemed sufficient to hys eternall wisedom and when the time was come pre-ordained for his passion whereof hee tolde publiquely his Disciples before hee went vppe to Ierusalem of purpose to receiue his death and made a solemne entrie into that Cittie vppon an Asse which was prophecied of him many yeres before Reioyce daughter of Sion Behold thy IVST KING and SAVIOVR shall come vnto thee vpon an Asse And after hys aboade some dayes in that place he was betrayed and sold by his owne Disciple as Dauid before hand in many places had fore-told shold come to passe Then followed his apprehension and most seruile abusage by the Iewes whereof it was fore-prophecied in hys person by Esay I gaue my bodie to them that beate it and my cheekes to them that buffeted the same I did not turne my selfe away from them that reproched mee nor yet from them that did spitte in my face After this barbarous intreatie by the Iewes they deliuered him ouer to Pilate a Gentile and neuer ceassed to solicite and pursue theyr vnquenchable hatred against him vntill they sawe him on the Crosse where also hee was vsed in the highest degree of spightfull dealing Wherof likewise the Prophet Dauid made mention long before in the person of the Messias when hee sayd They pearsed my handes and feete they deuided among them my apparrell and vppon my vpper garment they did cast lots And againe of another crueltie hee complaineth saying they gaue me Gaule to eate and in my thyrst they refreshed me with Vineger And finally that Christ shoulde die for the sinnes of mankinde is a common principle both prefigured and fore-tolde throughout all the olde Scripture Prefigured by the sacrifice of Isaac by the
testimonie and confirmation hereof they were most ready to spend their liues And could all thys trow you proceed onely of a dead bodie which they had gotten by stealth into their possession woulde not rather the presence and sight of such a bodie so torne mangled and deformed as Iesus bodie was both vpon the Crosse and before haue rather dismayed them more then haue giuen them comfort Yes truelie And therfore Pilate the Gouernor considering these circumstaunces and that it was vnlikelie that eyther the body shoulde be stolne awaie without priuitie of the Souldiours or if it had been that it should yeeld such life hart consolation courage to the stealers beganne to giue eare more diligentlie to the matter and calling to him the Souldiers that kept the watch vnderstood by theÌ„ the whole trueth of the accident to wit that in theyr sight and presence Iesus was risen out of his Sepulcher to life that at hys rysing there was so dreadfull an earthquake with trembling and opening of Sepulchers rounde about such skriches cries and commotion of all elements as they durst not abide longer but ran and told the Iewish Magistrates thereof who beeing greatly discontented as it seemed with the aduertisement gaue theÌ„ money to say that while they were sleeping the body was stolne away from them by his Disciples All thys wrote Pilate presently to hys Lorde Tyberius who was then Emperor of Rome And hee sent withall the particular examinations coÌ„fessions of diuers others that had seene and spoken with such as were rysen from death at that time had appeared to many of theyr acquaintance in Ierusalem assuring them also of the resurrection of Iesus Which informations when Tyberius the Emperor had coÌ„sidered he was greatly mooued therewith and proposed to the Senate that Iesus might be admitted among the rest of the Romaine Gods offering hys owne consent with the priuiledge of his supreame royall suffrage to that decree But the Senate in no wise woulde agree thereunto Whereupon Tyberius beeing offended gaue licence to all men to beleeue in Iesus that would and forbid vpon pain of death that any Officer or other shoulde molest or trouble such as bare good affection zeale or reuerence to that name Thus much testifieth Tertulian against the Gentiles of hys own knowledge who liuing in Rome a learned man and pleader of causes diuers yeeres before he was a Christian which was about one hundred and foure-score yeres after our Sauiour Christes ascention had great abilitie by reason of the honour of his familie learning and place wherein he liued to see and know the Records of the Romains And the same doth affirme also Egisippus an other auncient Wryter of no lesse authoritie then Tertulian before whom he liued Neither onely diuers Gentiles had thys opinion of Iesus Resurrection againe from death but also sundry Iewes of great credit and wisedome at that time were inforced to beleeue it notwithstanding it pleased not God to giue them so much grace as to become Christians Thys appeareth plainly by the learned Iosephus who writing his storie not aboue fortie yeres after Christes passion tooke occasion to speake of Iesus and of his Disciples And after he had shewed how he was Crucified by Pilate at the instance of the Iewes and that for all thys his disciples ceassed not to loue him styll hee adioyneth forthwith these words Idcirco illis tertio die vita resumpta denuo apparuit That is for this loue of his Disciples he appeared vnto theÌ„ againe the third day when hee had resumed life vnto him Which expresse plaine and resolute words we may in reason take not as the confession onely of Iosephus but as the common iudgement opinion and sentence of all the discreete sober men of that time layde downe and recorded by thys Historiographer In whose dayes there were yet manie Christians aliue that had seene spoken with Iesus after hys Resurrection and infinite Iewes that had hearde the same protested by their fathers bretheren Kins-folke and freendes who had beene themselues eye witnesses thereof And thus hauing declared and prooued the Resurrection of our Sauiour Iesus bothe howe it was fore-shewed as also fulfilled there remaineth nothing more of necessitie to be said in this Section For that who soeuer seeth and acknowledgeth that Iesus being dead could rayse himselfe againe to life will easily beleeue also that he was able likewise to ascende vppe to heauen Whereof notwithstanding Saint Luke alleageth one hundred and twentie witnesses at the least in whose presence he ascended from the top of the Mount Oliuet after fortie daies space which he had spent with them froÌ„ the time of hys Resurrection Hee alleageth also the appearing of two Angels among al the people for testimonie thereof He nameth the day and place when where it happened Hee recounteth the very wordes that Iesus spake at his ascention He telleth the manner how he ascended and howe a Clowde came downe and receiued him into it out of their â—ight He declareth what the multitude did whether they went and in what place they remained afer theyr departure thence And finally hee setteth downe so many perticulers as it had beene the easiest matter in the worlde for his enemies to haue refuted hys narration if all had not been true Neyther was there any to receiue more domage by the falshood thereof then himselfe those of hys profession if the matter had beene feigned Wherefore to conclude at length thys treatise of the Byrth Life Doctrine Actions Death Resurrection and Ascention of Iesus seeing nothing hath happened in the same which was not forâ—-told by the Prophets of God nor any thing foreshewed by the same Prophets coÌ„cerning the Messias which was not fulfilled most exactly within the compasse and course of Iesus abode vppon earth we may most certainly assure our selues that as God can neyther fore-tell an vntruth nor yeelde testimonie to the same so can it not be but that these thinges which wee haue shewed to haue been so manifestly foreprophecied so euidently accomplished must needes assure vs that Iesus was the true Messias Which thing shal yet more particularly appeare by that which ensued by his power and vertue after his ascention which shall be the argument of the next Section which followeth Howe Iesus prooued his Deitie after his departure to heauen SECT 3. AS by the deedes and actions of IESVS while he was vpon the earth compared with the predictions of Gods Prophets from time to time he hath beene declared in the former Sections to be the true Messias and Sauiour of the worlde so in thys that nowe we take in hande shall the same be shewed by such thinges as ensued after his ascention and departure from this world Wherein his power and Deitie appeared more manifestlie if it may be so spoken then in other his workes which hee wrought in his life In which kind albeit
I might treate of many almost infinite braunches yet for order and breuities sake I meane onely to take in consideration these fewe that ensue Wherin not onely the power of Iesus but also his loue his care and prouidence and most perfect accomplishment of all hys promises and finally the iustification of all his speeches prophecies and doctrines vpon earth haue beene declared And to reduce what is to be said heerein to some order and methode it is to be noted that in the first place shall be considered the sustentation protection increase and continuation of Christes little Church and kingdome that himselfe first planted and left vpon earth The second consideration shal be of hys Apostles and theyr Actions The thyrde of hys Euangelists The fourth of hys witnesses and Martyrs throughout the world The fyft shall treate of the kingdom of infernall powers beaten down by his vertue The sixt of the punishment iust reuenge that lighted vppon hys enemies who most impugned his diuine personne in the world The seauenth and last shall declare the fulfilling of all such prophecies and predictions as proceeded frō his diuine mouth while he was conuersant vpon earth The first Consideration NOwe then for the first it is to be considered that at Iesus departure out of thys world from the Mount Oliuet S. Luke reporteth that all the multitude of hys followers which there had beheld his ascention into heauen returned backe together into the Cittie of Ierusalem and there remained in one house together continuing in prayer and expectation what shoulde become of them The whole Cittie was bent against them themselues were poore and simple people and diuers of them women Lands or reuenewes they had none to maintayne them nor freendes in Courte to giue them countenaunce against theyr enemies The name of Iesus was most odious and whosoeuer did fauour hym was counted an enemy to the state There wanted not perhaps among them who considering the great multitude would imagine with themselues what should become of them where they should finde to maintaine and sustaine them what should be the ende of that feeble congregation For abroad they durst not goe for feare of persecution and continue long together they might not for want of necessaries Besides that euery houre they expected to be molested and drawne foorth by Catch-poles and other Officers And albeit in these dystresses the fresh memorie of Iesus and hys sweete promises made vnto them at his departure as also the delectable presence of hys blessed Mother and her often exhortations and encouragements vnto them dyd comfort them generally as may be supposed yet to him that by humaine reason shoulde ponder and weigh theyr present state condition it coulde not chuse but seeme harde and no waies durable But beholde vppon the suddaine when they had continued nowe tenne daies together might by all probabilitie find themselues in verie high degree of temporall distresses Iesus performed his promise of sending them a COMFORTER which was the holie Ghost By whose comming besides the internall ioy and incredible alacritie and exultation of minde they receiued also fortitude and audacitie to goe foorth into the worlde They receiued the gyft of tongues enabling them to conuerse deale with all sorts of people They receiued wisdome and learning wyth most wonderfull illumination in highest mysteries wherby to preach to teach conuince their aduersaries They receiued the gift of prophecie to fore-tell things to come together wyth the power of working signes myracles wherby the whole world remained astonied And for a taste or earnest pennie of that which shoulde ensue concerning the infinite increase of that little Congregation they sawe three thousand of theyr aduersaries conuerted to them in one daie by a Sermon of S. Peter Which increase went on so fast for the tyme that insued that within fortie yeeres after the Gentiles themselues confesse that the braunches of thys Congregation were spread ouer all the world and began to put in feare the very Romaine Emperors themselues Whereof not long after a man that was as learned as euer was any conuerted from Paganisme to Christianitie beareth recorde in hys defence to an Emperour hys Officers who according to the nature of persecutors accounted Christians for Traytors and enemies to his state and dignitie Which vulgare obiection thys foresaid learned man refuteth in these words If we were enemies to your estate you might well seeke new Citties Counteries whereof to beare gouernment for that you should haue in your Empire more enemies thē Cittizens We haue filled your Townes your Citties your Prouinces your Ilandes your Castels your Fortresses your Tents your Campes your Courtes your Palaces your Senats and your Market places Onely we haue left your idolatrous Temples vnto your selues all other places are full of Christians If we were enemies what dangerous warres might we make against you albeit our number were far lesse who esteeme so little of our liues as to offer our selues dailie to be slaine at your handes This then is your safetie in verie deede not your persecuting of vs but that we are honest patient and obedient and that it is more lawfull in Christian Religion to be kylled then to kil By which wordes of Tertulian in thys first beginning and infancie as it were of Christian Religion for hee liued in the second age after Christ we see how this ltitle flocke and kingdom of Iesus was increased notwithstanding all the resistance and violence of the world against it◠Which appeareth by the same Tertulian to haue beene such and was euen at that time when hee wrote those wordes the fourth persecution beeing then in most furie as all the malefactors of the worlde together had not so much rigour shewed against them as had the most innocent Christian that liued for confessing onely that name and Religion Thys then declared most apparentlie that it could not proceed but of some diuine power and supernaturall assistance that in so short a space amidst the contradiction and opposition of so many aduersaries among the whyppes swords tortures of so great potent and violent persecutors thys poore simple and feeble congregation shold pearse through and augment it selfe so stronglie Especially if we cōsider the outward meanes of this increase wherein there was nothing to allure or content mans nature nothing gorgious nothing delectable nothing to please or entertaine sensualitie We reade of an Emperour that taking in hand to conquer the worlde made thys Proclamation for winning men vnto hys partie Who soeuer wyll come and bee my seruaunt if he be a foote-man I wyll make him a horse-man If hee be a horse-man I wyll make hym ryde with Coches If he be a Farmour I will make him a Gentleman If he possesse a cottage I wyll giue him a Village If he haue a Village I wyll giue him a Cittie If he be Lorde of a Cittie I
the day the houre the place the Village the house the persons the men the women and other the like Which circumstaunces the more they are in number the more easie to be refuted if they were not true Neyther dyd they in Iurie write of things done in India but in the same Countrie if selfe in Townes and Cities that were publiquely knowne in Bethania and Bethsaida Villages harde by Ierusalem in the Suburbes and hyls about the Cittie in such a streete at such a gate in such a porch of the Temple at such a fish-poole which al people in Ierusalem did euery day behold They published theyr wryting in their owne life time and preached in worde so much as in wryting they had recorded They permitted the same to the iudgment and examination of all Christes Church especiallie of the Apostles who were able to discerne euery least thing therein contained So Saint Marke set foorth his Gospell by the instruction and approbation of S. Peter as also dyd S. Luke by the authoritie of S. Paule They altered not theyr wrytings afterwarde as other Authors are wont in theyr latter editions nor euer corrected they one iote of that which they had first sette downe And that which neuer happened in any other wrytings in the worlde besides nor euer Prince or Monarch was able to bring to passe for credite of hys Edicts or sanctions they gaue theyr liues for defence and iustifying of that which they had written Their manner of wryting is sincere and simple without all arte amplification or rethoricall exhortation They flatter none no not Iesus himselfe whō they most adore nor in confessing him to be theyr God and Creator doe they conceale his infirmities of flesh in that he was man as hys hunger and thyrst his beeing wearie how he wept his passions of feare and the like So likewise in the Apostles that were the Gouernours superiours and heades of the rest doe these Euangelists dissemble hyde or passe ouer no such things as were defects might seeme to worldly eyes to turne to theyr discredits As for example howe Christ rebuked them for theyr dulnes in vnderstanding howe after long instruction they proposed notwithstanding very rude and impertinent questions vnto hym howe Thomas woulde not beleeue the attestation of hys fellowes how S. Iohn and S. Iames the sonnes of Zebedee ambitiously solicited to haue the preheminence of sitting neerest to Christ in hys glorie which latter clause beeing sette downe cleerelie by Saint Marke whyle yet S. Iohn the Apostle was liuing the same was neuer denyed nor taken ill by the said Apostle neither was saint Marks Gospell any thing the lesse approoued by him albeit he liued longest and wrote last of all the rest Nay which is more and greatlie no doubt to bee obserued these Euangelists were so sincere and religious in theyr narrations as they noted especially the imperfections of themselues and of such other as they principally respected So Saint Mathew nameth himselfe Mathew the Publicane And so S. Marke beeing Peters dysciple recordeth particulerly how S. Peter thrise denied hys Lord and Maister Saint Luke that was scholler and dependent of S. Paule maketh mention alone of the differences betweene Paule and Barnabas and in the Storie of S. Stephens death after all hys narration ended he addeth a clause that in humane iudgment might haue beene left out to wit Saulus erat consentiens neci eius Saule was consenting and culpable of Stephens death Whereby wee may perceiue most perspicuously that as these men were plaine sincere and simple and farre from presuming to deuise any thing of themselues so were they religious and had scruple to passe ouer or leaue out any thing of the trueth in fauour of themselues or of any other whosoeuer These mens wrytings then were published and receiued for vndoubted trueth by all that liued in the verie same age and were priuie to the perticulers therein contayned They were copied and abroad into infinite mens hands and so conserued wyth all care reuerence as holy and diuine scripture They were read in Churches throughout al Coūtries and Nations expounded preached taught by all Pastours and commentaries made vppon them by holy Fathers frō tyme to tyme. So that no doubt can be made but that we haue the very same wrytings incorrupt as the Authours left them for that it was impossible for any enemie to corrupt so many copies ouer the world without discouerie and resistaunce And the same verie text words and sentences which from age to age the learned Fathers doe alleage out of these Scriptures we finde them now as they had them at that time As for example S. Iohn that liued longest of al the Apostles Euangelists had among other Schollers and auditours Papias Ignatius and Policarpus all which agree of the foure Gospels and other writings left vnto vs in the newe Testament affirming S. Iohn to haue approoued the same These men were Maisters againe to Iustinus Martyr Ireneus other whose writings remaine vnto vs. And if they dyd not yet their sayings and iudgments touching the Scriptures are recorded vnto vs by Eusebius and other Fathers of the next age after and so from hande to hande vntill our dayes So that of this there can be no more doubt then whether Rome Constantinople Ierusalem and other such renouned Citties knowne to all the world at thys daie be the very same wherof Authors haue treated so much in auncient times The fourth Consideration AND thus much of Christes Euangelists for whose more credite and for confirmation of things by them recorded hys diuine prouidence preordained that infinite witnesses whom we call Martyrs shoulde offer vppe theyr bloode in the Primatiue Church and after Wheras for no other doctrine profession or Religion in the worlde the like was euer heard of albeit among the Iewes in the tyme of the Machabees and at some other times also when that Nation for their sinnes were afflicted by Heathen Princes some fewe were tyrannized and iniuriously put to death yet commonly and for the most part thys was rather of barbarous crueltie in the Pagans for theyr resistaunce then directly for hatred of Iewish Religion And for the number there is no doubt but that more Christians were put to death with in two monethes for theyr beleefe throughout the worlde then were of Iewes for two thousand yeeres before Christes comming Which is vndoubtedly a matter very wonderfull considering that the Iewish Religion impugned no lesse the Pagan Idolatrie then dooth the doctrine of the Christians But this came to passe that Christes wordes might be fulfilled who saide I come not to bring peace but the sword And againe I sende you foorth as sheepe among wolues That is to say to be torne and harried and your blood to be deuoured In which extreame and most incredible sufferings of Christians three poynts are woorthy of great consideration
For discerning therefore of this kinde of most pernicious people and theyr deuilish dealing and least we shoulde be carried awaie wyth euery winde of doctrine by the wilinesse of men God hath ordained in his Church Apostles Doctors Prophets Pastors and Interpreters whom he hath so guided and gouerned from time to tyme with his holy spirit that they haue beene able by the Scriptures to represse and beate downe whatsoeuer errours and heresies haue beene raysed vp by the enemies of Gods trueth contrary to the analogie of fayth and rule of charitie that is to say beside the true sence and meaning of the Canonicall scripture When there rose vp certaine sedious fellowes among the Iewes in the primatiue Church making som contention about their ceremonies as did Simon Magus Nicholaus Cerinthus Ebion and Menander that were heretiques They were refelled and conuinced out of the scriptures by the Apostles and theyr schollers Martialis Dyonisius Areopagita Ignatius Policarpus and others who were no doubt directed guided by the spirite of God Afterward when Basilides Cerdon Marcion Valentinus Tatianus Apelles Montanus and diuers others troubled the Church wyth monstrous heresie they were cōfuted by Iustinius Martyr Dionisius byshop of Corinth Irenaeus Clemens Alexandrinus Tertullian their equals who in all theyr controuersies had recourse vnto the scriptures and beeing instructed and ledde by the spirit of trueth preuailed mightily against their aduersaries And so downward from age to age vnto our daies whatsoeuer heresie or different opinion hath sprung vp contrary to the doctrine of Christ and hys Apostles it hath beene checked and controlled by the watchmen spirituall Pastours and Gouernors of the Church who alledged alway the consent of the scriptures for deciding of all doubts and were most graciously guided by the spyrite of God in all their actions And heereof it is that the word of God is called the sworde of the spirit because as it was giuen by inspiration at the first so being expounded by the direction of the same spirit it is most liuely and mightie in operation sharper thē any two edged sword and entering through euen to the deuiding a sunder of the soule and the spirit of the ioynts and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the hart Thys is that spirituall sworde wherwith our Sauiour Christ preuailed against sathan the head Lord maister of all Heretiques who notwithstanding pretended scriptures for his deuillish purposes And the Apostle Paule being furnished wyth thys only weapon disputed against the peruerse ouerthwart Iewes which dwelt at Damascus and confounded them proouing by conference of Scriptures that thys was very Christ. Nowe as it was expedient that the Gospels should be written that we learning the trueth foorth of them should not be deceiued by the lyes of heresies so was it necessary that the same Gospels shoulde be preached for the confirmation of fayth And heereof it is that the Apostle S. Paule Rom. 10. sayth that fayth cōmeth by hearing the word of God because the word preached is the ordinary meanes to beget and increase faith in vs for the which cause also it is called the incorruptible seede whereby we are borne a newe and whereby the Church is sanctified vnto the Lord. Wherefore to conclude thys poynt seeing that the holy scriptures are that most infallible and secure way mentioned by Esay seeing they are the rule leuell both of our fayth and life contayning in them sufficient matter to confute errour and confirme the trueth able to make a man wise vnto saluation perfectly instructed vnto euery good worke this ought to be the duetie of the faithfull that I may vse the words of Basil to be thorowly perswaded in his minde that those thinges are true and effectuall which are vttered in the Scripture and to reiect nothing thereof For if whatsoeuer is not of fayth be sinne as saith the Apostle and if fayth commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God without doubt when anie thing is without the holy scripture which cannot be of faith it must needes be sinne And therefore to speake as S. Augustine speaketh if any I will not say if wee but which S. Paule addeth if an Angell from heauen shall preach eyther of Christ or of his Church or of any other thing which pertaineth to faith or to the leading of our life otherwise then we haue receiued in the holy scriptures of the Law and the Gospel let him be accursed Now if forsaking all bie-pathes of mens inuentions and traditions we wyll search diligently in the scriptures wherein we thinke to haue eternall life wee shall see that they testifie of nothing so much as of the promises of God in Christ Iesus who as he is the ende of the Lawe for righteousnes to euery one that beleeueth so doe they sende vs directly and as it were leade vs by the hande like a careful Schoole-maister vnto him teaching vs to apprehend and lay holde on him with the hand of fayth and to apply hym wyth his gifts and graces vnto our selues and our owne saluation So that faith is made the meanes and as it were the Conduit to conuey Christ himselfe hys death burial and resurrection and all the rest of hys benefits vnto vs which the Apostle witnesseth Collos 2. 12. Yee are buried saith he with him through Baptisme in whom ye are also raised vp together through the fayth of God effectually working who raysed him from the deade Whereof it ensueth that all the faithfull doe not onely obtaine the benefite of Christes death buriall by their Baptisme wherby they die vnto sinne but also do receiue and enioy the fruite and effect of his resurrection by a liuely fayth whereby they are quickned and raysed vp vnto righteousnes in thys life and are assertained of resurrection to glorie in the life to come by hys mightie working that is able to subdue all things vnto himselfe Seeing therefore that the summe substaunce of our whole Religion and of our eternal saluation or damnation consisteth in the knowledge of this one vertue it shalbe worth the labour breefely but yet plainly to describe the forme force nature of this faith whereof we speake Wherein you shall not looke for the diuers significatiōs which that word receiueth in the Scripture nor for any declaration of those vnprofitable faythes whereof S. Iames speaketh which are common to the wicked and to the deuils themselues wherby they beleeue that Iesus is that Christ but heere my purpose is to entreate of that liuely and sauing fayth which is peculier and propper to the elect and chosen children of God whereby they beleeue that Christ is theyr Iesus by whom they are saued from theyr sinnes and from the punishment due vnto them for the same and by whom onely they are restored vnto the fauor of God and
made heyres with Christ of hys heauenlie kingdome In the Epistle to the Hebrues there is a notable description of that liuely fayth wher it is said to be the ground of things that are hoped for the euidence of things that are not seene Of which description of the Apostle we may make a plain definitiō after thys sort Faith is an assured perswasion of our saluation by the meanes of Christ which is grounded on the promises of God sealed in our harts by the holie Ghost This definition is drawne frō the forme proprietie of true faith but the other in the Epistle to the Hebrues seemeth rather to be taken frō the substance of fayth speaketh of the obiect matter thereof But both of them tend to one and the same thing namely to expresse the nature of true faith to consist in the certaintie of that eternall life which is purchased vnto vs by Christ Iesus which although we enioy not presently yet by faith wee are as fully assured of it as if we had possession and fruition thereof alreadi◠And heereof it is that the Apostle calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulnes or assuraunce of fayth when we are perswaded that wee are so highlie in Gods fauour that nothing is able to seperate or remooue vs frō the loue that GOD beareth vs in his Sonne and our Sauiour Christ Iesus This fulnes of fayth containeth in it these three thinges First a notice or knowledge of the mercifull promises of God in Christ Iesus Secondly an vndoubted perswasiō of the truth of those promises And thirdly the applying of the same to the comfort of our soules and consciences for our saluation For as it is not enough for a man to haue meate vnlesse he also eate it and digest it so it is not enough for vs to know the promises of God vnlesse we beleeue the same to be true and applie them to our owne selues And as it is not enough for a wounded man to haue a soueraigne salue or Medicine in his window vnlesse hee apply it to his wounde so is it not sufficient for vs to knowe that Christ is the Sauiour of the worlde vnlesse also wee acknowledge him to be a Sauiour vnto vs and lay holde on him by the hand of fayth Wherefore this is the propertie effect of a sauing fayth euen to apply Christ wyth his gifts vnto euery one of the faithfull and to make all conclusions of Gods promises perticuler that is peculier to themselues theyr owne saluation And therfore it is that fayth is called the life of the soule because it is the instrument wherewith Christ the true life and foode of our soule is to be eaten Yea it is the mouth the tongue the teeth the stomacke and that heate of our harts soules whereby Christ the worde of God is spiritually taken eaten and digested of vs wyth which worde or rather with which Christ our soules doe liue namely with the fleshe and blood of Christ which we eate drink whilst we embrace and receiue Christ by a liuelie fayth Whereupon S. Cyprian hath this sweete saying Quod est esca carni hoc animae est fides c. That which meate is to the flesh that is fayth to the soule That which foode is to the bodie that is the word to the spirit So that faith is that bond which dooth so straightly vnite and knitte vs vnto Christ no otherwise then the members are vnited to the head wherby wee pertake hys spiritual graces as the members of mans bodie receiue nutriment from the head and in a worde what good things soeuer are necessarie for vs to eternall life doe flowe and are deriued vnto vs from Christ as from a most plentifull and wholesome fountaine and are conueied vnto vs by the instrument of faith as by a strong and substantial Conduit pype It were too long and not so pertinent to the purpose to recite all the properties of this sauing fayth whereof we speake it may suffise therefore to haue shewed you these fewe notes and effects thereof by the due consideration whereof it shall be easie for anie to examine and try themselues as the Apostle speaketh whether they be in the faith or no and consequently whether they be true Christians for the first part of that profession namely for matters of beleefe which consisteth as hath beene shewed not onelie in beleeuing whatsoeuer is propounded vnto vs in the holy Scripture although that also be a true faith but also in the assurance of Gods loue fauour towards vs wrought in our harts by the preaching of the Gospel and sealed by the holy Ghost whereby wee doe firmely perswade our selues that our sinnes are as vtterly forgiuen vs for Christes sake as if we neuer had committed any and his righteousnes as perfectly imputed vnto vs as if wee had performed the same in our owne persons Wherefore to conclude this first part of our present speech he that not onely protesteth with Saint Ierome that he dooth abhorre all sects and names of perticuler men as Marcionists Montanists Valentinians and the like which like the builders of Babell haue built vp Churches Sinagogues and Conuenticles to gette thēselues a name that men might be called after them Marcionists Montanists and such others hee I say that loatheth and detesteth sects and as he was not baptised in the name of Marcion Montan or Valentine but in the name of Iesus Christ so refuseth to be called a Marcionist Montanist or Valentinian or by any name of any man vnder heauen therwithall reioyceth in the name of Christ to be called a Christian and giuing all doctrines and gospels the slyppe pitcheth him vpon the doctrine and Gospell of Iesus taught by hys holy Apostles he that can captiuate his vnderstanding to the obedience of Christ to beleeue humbly such things as Christ by his Apostles proposeth to him albeit his reason or sence should stande against the same And not onely so but also perswadeth and assureth his owne hart and soule that all the mercifull promises that God maketh in hys word doe belong vnto him in especiall and that he is one of that number which GOD hath elected to saluation and for whose sins Christ Iesus the sonne of God was content to die and to ryse againe for his iustification he that findeth himselfe to be in thys fayth or rather thys fayth to be in him and feeleth the fruites and effects therof that is as they are reckoned by the Apostle Rom. 5. to be at peace with God to haue an entrance vnto grace to haue spirituall ioy not onely in prosperitie but euen in tribulation and affliction to haue hope that maketh not ashamed and to haue the loue of God shed abroade in hys hart by the working of the holy Ghost c. Thys man no doubt is in a most sure case for matters of his faith and cannot
possibly walke awry therein but may thinke himselfe a good Christian for thys first poynt which is for matters of beleefe The seconde part of this Chapter THere followeth the second part of Christian profession concerning life manners which is a matter of so much more difficultie then the former by how many more waies a man may be ledde from vertuous life then from sincere fayth wherein there can be no comparison at all seeing the pathe of our beleefe is so manifest as hath beene shewed that no man can erre therein but of inexcusable wilfulnes Which wilfulnesse of error the holy Fathers of Christes primatiue Church did alwaies refer to two principall and originall causes that is to pride ouerweening in our owne conceits and to malice against our Superiors for not giuing our selues contentation in the thinges that we desire Of the first doe proceede newe opinions newe glosing expounding applying of the Scriptures preferring our own iudgement before all other past or present the contempt and debasing of holy Fathers and Councels and whatsoeuer proofe standeth not with our owne liking and approbation Of the second fountaine are deriued other qualities conformable to that humor as are the denying of iurisdiction and authoritie in our Superiours the contempt of Prelates the exaggeration of the faultes and defects of our Gouernours the impugnation of all Bishoplike dignities or Ecclesiasticall eminencie and especially of that rule whereunto appertaineth the correction of such lyke offenders and finally for satis-fying thys deuillish and pernicious venime of malice those wicked reprobates doe incite and arme the people against theyr spirituall Pastors they kindle factions against Gods faithfull Ministers they deuise a new Church a new forme of Gouernment a new kingdom and Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie vpon earth wherby to bring mē in doubt or staggering what or whom to beleeue or whereunto to haue recourse in such difficulties as doe arise These two maladies I say of pryde and malice haue beene the cause of obstinate errour in all Heretiques frō the beginning as full wel noted that holy auncient Martyr Saint Cyprian when hee sayde so long a goe These are the beginnings and originall causes of Heretiques and wicked Scismatiques first to please like well of thēselues and then beeing puffed vp with the swelling of pride to contemne theyr Gouernors and Superiors Thus doe they abandon and forsake the Church thus doe they erecte a prophane Aulter out of the Church against the Church Thus doe they break the peace and vnitie of Christ and doe rebell against Gods holy ordination Nowe then as these are the causes eyther onely or principally of erring in our beleefe most facile and easie as wee see to be discerned so of errour in lyfe and manners there are many more occasions causes ofsprings and fountaines to be found That is to say so many in number as wee haue euill passiōs inordinate appetites wicked desires or vnlawfull inclinations within our minde euery one whereof is the cause oftentimes of dysordered life and breach of Gods commaundements For which respect there is much more sette downe in Scripture for exhortation to good life then to fayth for that the errour heerein is more ordinary easie and more prouoked by our owne frailtie as also by the multitude of infinite temptations Wherefore we reade that our Sauiour Christ in the very beginning of his preaching straight after hee was baptised and had chosen vnto him S. Peter and S. Andrewe Iames and Iohn and some other fewe Dysciples went vp to the Mountaine and there made hys most excellent famous and copious Sermon recited by S. Matthew in three whole Chapters wherein he talketh of nothing els but of vertuous life pouertie meekenes iustice puritie sorrow for sinne patience in suffering contempt of riches forgiuing of iniuries fasting prayer repentance entering by the straight gate and finally of perfection holines and integritie of conuersation and of the exact fulfilling of euery iote of Gods Lawe and commaundements He assured his Disciples with great asseueration that he came not to breake the Law but to fulfill the same consequentlie whosoeuer should breake the least of his Commaundements and should teache men so to doe that is shoulde perseuere therein without repentaunce and so by his example draw other men to doe the like should haue no place in the kingdome of heauen Again he exhorted thē most earnestly to be lights and to shine by good works to al the world and that except theyr iustice did exceed the iustice of the Scribes and Pharises which was but ordinarie and externall they could not be saued He tolde them plainelie they might not serue two maisters in thys life but eyther they must forsake God or abandon Mammon He cryed vnto them Attendite stand attent and consider well your state and condition and then againe seeke to enter by the straight gate And lastly hee concludeth that the onely tryall of a good Tree is the good fruite which it yeeldeth wythout the which fruite let the tree be neuer so fayre or pleasant to the eye yet is it to be cutte downe and burned And that not euery one that shall cry or say vnto him Lorde Lorde at the last day shall be saued or enter into the kingdome of heauen but onely such as did execute in deedes the wyll commandements of his Father in thys lyfe For want whereof he assureth them that many at that day who had not onely beleeued but also doone myracles in his name should be denied reiected and abandoned by him Which long lesson of vertuous life being the first that euer our Sauiour gaue in publique to his Disciples then newly gathered together as Saint Matthewe noteth hauing treated somewhat before of poynts of fayth and by some miracles preaching shewed himself to be the true Messias doth sufficiently teach vs that we must not onely beleeue in his name and doctrine but conforme our liues and actions also to the prescript rule of his commaundements For albeit in Christian Religion faith be the first and principall foundation wheruppon all the rest is to be stayed grounded Yet as in other materiall buildings after the foundation is layd there remaineth the greatest labour time cost cunning and dilligence to be bestowed vpon the framing and furnishing of other parts that must ensue euen so in thys celestial edifice or building of our soule hauing layde on the foundation and grounde of true beleefe the rest of all our life tyme labor and studies is to be imployed in the perfecting of our life and actions as it were in raysing vppe the walles and other parts of our spirituall building by the exercise of all vertues and diligent obseruation of Gods commandemēts without the which it will be to no more purpose for vs to bragge of our knowledge in the Scriptures or to say wee haue fayth and looke to
thousand times repent a thousand times vnfainedly This is the only oyntment that may be poured into an afflicted conscience the torment whereof I doe well knowe For the deuill standeth by whetting his sword of desperation saying vnto thee Thou hast liued wickedly all thy youth and thy former daies thou hast mispent thou hast hanted playes spectacles with thy cōpanions and followed after loose and lasciuious women thou hast taken other mens goods frō them wrongfully thou hast been couetous dissolute effeminate thou hast forsworne thy selfe thou hast blasphemed and committed many other hainous wicked crimes and therefore what hope canst thou haue of saluation Truely none at all Thou art a meere cast-away and canst not nowe goe backe and therfore my counsaile is that now thou vse the pleasures and commodities of thys worlde and passe ouer thy time in myrth of hart without cogitation of other affaires These are the words of the deuil louing brother these are the counsailes and perswasions of our enemie But mine are contrary If thou haue fallen thou maiest rise againe If thou haue beene a lost cōpanion yet thou maist be saued If thou haue committed fornication and adulterie in time past thou maist be continent for the time to come If thou haue haunted playes and games thou maist draw back thy foote from henceforth If thou haue delighted in leud and euil company thou maist hereafter acquaint thy selfe with good Thys only is necessarie that thou beginne thy conuersion out of hand and that thou repent and take in hande to reforme thy selfe though it be at the first but a little Let thyne eyes begin but to shed forth one teare enter into thy conscience consider thy selfe but indifferently examine thyne actions and what they deserue lay before thy face the day of iudgment with the torments of hell on the one side and the ioyes of heauen on the other Repent confesse amende thy life seeke a medicine for thy wounde out of hande while thou art in thys lyfe in what state or condition soeuer thou be Yea if thou be vpon thy death-bed and readie to breath out thy soule spirit feare not to repent for that Gods mercie is not restrained by the shortnes of time Which I speake vnto you my deere brethren not to make you hereby the more negligent but onely to styrre you vp to the confidence of Gods mercie and thereby to auoid the most daungerous gulfe of desperation Hetherto are the wordes of thys holy and learned Father In which long and large dyscourse of his we are to note that together with most excellent encouragement which hee giueth to all sinners of what state and condition soeuer they be in all times and seasons to trust in Gods mercie and neuer to despaire he giueth also an holesome admonishment that we shoulde not by thys confidence become more negligent in reforming our liues but rather doe it out of hande without all delay or procrastination Whereunto in like manner the holy father S. Augustine in like exhortation against despaire dooth endeuour most vehemently to stirre vs vppe in these words Let no man after a hundred sins nor after a thousande despaire of Gods mercie but yet so let him not despaire as hee seeke presently without all stay to reconcile hymself to God by amendment of life least perhaps after that by custome he hath gotten a habite of sinne he be not able to deliuer him selfe from the snares of the deuill albeit hee woulde And in the very same sermon he discourseth yet further of the same matter in manner folowing Not euery man that hath sinned but he that perseuereth in sinne is hatefull and abhominable in the sight of GOD. For that no man must distrust of Gods mercie towards hym that wyl amende and leaue his sinnes For that God himselfe as a most sweete comforter hath sayd by his Prophet That the impietie of a wicked man shal not hurt him at what time soeuer he shall turne from the sam◠But yet this great mercy of the Lorde is then onely profitable vnto vs if we delay not our conuersion nor doe multiply sinnes vpon sins Which I wil declare vnto you by the example of woundes ruptures of our body by which the infirmities also of our minde and soule may be conceiued Thus then we see if a mans foote leg or arme be broken with howe great paine the fame is restored to his accustomed strength But if any member of our body shoulde be broken twise or three times or more often in one and the selfe same place your charity can imagine howe harde a thing it were for that part to recouer her perfit health againe So fareth it deere brethren in the woundes and ruptures of our soul. If a man doe commit sin once or twise doe vnfainedly with out dissimulatiō make his refuge to the medicine of repentance hee doth out of hande obtaine health again that somtimes without any skar or blemish of the disease past But if he begin to adde sins vpon sins in such sort that the woundes of his soule doe rather putrifie within him by couering and defending them then heale by repentance confession it is to be feared leaste that heuie speech of the Apostle be fulfilled in him to whom he sayth Doost thou not know that the benignitie of God is vsed to bring thee to repentaunce but thou by thy obdurate and irrepentant hart dost heape to thy self wrath in the day of vengeance and of the reuelation of Gods iust iudgement Thus farre S. Augustine But now deere christian brother what can be spoken more effectuallie either to erect vs to hope cōfidence in Gods mercie or to terrifie vs from presumption in delaying our amendment then here hath been vttered by these noble pyllers and fathers of Christes Church and most excellent instruments and temples of his holy spirit The diuine wisedome of almightie God in a certaine place saith That the wordes of wyse men ought to be spurs vnto vs and as it were nailes dryuen into the depth of our hearts meaning thereby that wee should be styrred vppe and most vehementlie mooued when we heare such wise men as the holie Ghost there meaneth which in deed are only they that haue the knowledge and true feare of GOD make such exhortations vnto vs and gyue vs such holesome admonishments as these godly Fathers in this great affaire haue done And howe is it then deere brother that we are nothing stirred vp therby nothing quickned nothing awaked Well I will conclude thys whole Chapter and treatise wyth an other exhortation and admonishion of S. Augustine for that besides the graue authoritie of the man which ought to mooue vs much I thinke nothing can be spoken more excellently or more agreeing to our peculier purpose Thus then he saith Almightie God doth neuer despise the repentaunce of any man if it be offered vnto him sincerely and simplie