examples that the Saints of God yea such men as vvere most high in Gods fauour haue alwaies beene carefull to serue their Creator with feare and reuerence And without true feare and reuerence Augustine no man liuing can be righteous in the sight of God Boldly hereby may we then with Sirach Ecclê° 18 26 count him a vvise man that feareth God in all his actions And rightly with Salomon pronounce Prou. 28. 14 him blessed that standeth alwaies in dread to doe that which may offend his Maker But hee that hardneth his owne hart shall fall into euill Happy therefore is the man vnto whoÌ„ Ecclê° 25. 12. it is graunted to haue the feare of God And blessed is the soule of him that feareth Ecclê° 34. 15 the Lord. Yea blessed is euery one that feareth Psal 128. 1. the Lord and walketh in his wayes It shal goe wel with such men at the last Ecclê° 1 13. and they shall finde fauour in the day of their death For who so feareth the Lord hee shall Ecclê° 1 18 prosper and at the end of his life hee shall be blessed Yea the spirits or soules of such men Ecclê° 34 13 shall surely liue for their hope is in the Lord their God that can helpe them ¶ Of Loue. §. 1. LOue as Plotinus saith is a diuine Plotinus passion of the soule or Spirit inspiring it with a celestiall desire of heauenly things and inflaming the harâ— to God-ward through the hope vvhich iâ— conceiueth of euerlasting felicitie But like as I haue saide before of Feare that there are two sorts thereof so doe I heere certifie vnto euery one that readeth that diuers worldly men haue out of this holie roote of Loue deriued tvvo seuerall Trees Namely this diuine Loue wholelie dedicated to Pietie and an immodest affection extending it selfe to base Concupiscence vvhich they entitle by the name of Loue also This vile Loue or rather Concupiscence is as Aristotle saith the vvorst Aristotle worke of a mans Malus Genius It disturbeth the passions of the hart and maketh the sences mad It is the roote of violence furie murders and execrations and the sole confounder of all the holy actions of the soule Full fraught with this filthy lust-loue was the heart of wicked Amnon vvhen 2. Sam. 13. through his deceitfull policie he obtained meanes to abuse by violence the body of his sister Thamar But the other Loue sirnamed Charitie which is true perfect diuine and onelie sacred * is the very originall and cheefe Gregory ground of all godly actions It is the way of man to God the vvay Augustine of God to man It is heauens Embassadour to the soule Rauisius and the whole scope or fulfilling of all Gods commaundements §. 2. This Loue as the Apostle saith suffereth 1 Cor 13 4. 5 6 7. long It is bountifull It enuieth not It doth not boast it selfe It is not puffed vp It disdaineth not It seeketh not that which is her owne It is not prouoked to anger It thinketh not euill It reioyceth not in iniquitie but reioyceth in the truth It suffereth all thinges It beleeueth all things It hopeth all things It endureth all things This loue teacheth vs true vvisedome Plato namely to loue the soule more then the body not the body â—etter then the soule This loue beeing both diuine and charitable mooueth a man according to the Deut 6 5 commaundement of God in the Law to loue his Maker aboue all things and his Leuit 19. 18 neighbour as deerely as hee loueth himselfe This loue beeing a good and gracious Plotinus affect of the soule so worketh in the harts of the godly that they haue no fancie to esteeme value or ponder any thing in the wide world beside or before the care and studie how to please God For the greatest argument of godly loue Pacuuius is to loue that which God willeth and to forbeare to doe that which he hath forbidden §. 3. This loue resembleth fire which naturally Erasmus inflameth all things that it toucheth This loue teacheth vs according to the commaundement of our Sauiour Christ Math 5 44. to loue our enemies to blesse them that curse vs to do good to them that hate vs and to pray for them that hurt vs and persecute vs. Yea this loue couereth all trespasses Prou 10 12 It is strong as death Much water cannot Cant 8 6. 7 quench it neither can the floods drown it This loue maketh men to forsake sinne Chrisostome and embrace vertue This loue increaseth fayth begetteth Augustine hope and maketh vs at peace with God This loue in aduersity is patient in prosperitie Bernard temperate in passions strong in good workes quicke in temptations confident in hospitality bountifull This loue is neuer idle but alwayes labouring Ambrose to serue him whom it loueth §. 4. This loue as Pacuuius saith cannot Pacuuius stand with any worldly care or studie for the things of this life neither abideth it the coupling with any other loue It beareth no partiall affection to kindred It knoweth no difference betweene poore rich It knoweth not what meaneth mine and thine Neither can it deuide a foe from a friende For hee that truely and perfectlie loueth GOD loueth him alone nothing besides him nor with him but all thinges indifferently in him and for him By which speech it appeareth that the * right measure where-with vvee ought to Bernard loue God is to loue him entirelie without either end or measure Not in part but in whole as hee himselfe in his holy VVorde hath willed vs Leuit 6. 5. Luke 10 27 namely vvith all our heart vvith all our soule with all our minde with all our strength VVhich speech of GOD beeing by Maister Becon in a certaine Sermon of his Becon expounded hee enterpreteth the same in this manner saying To loue God with all our hart is to preferre the loue of him both aboue before all things else whatsoeuer To loue God with all our soule is to loue him discreetly To loue God with all our minde is continually to meditate vpon his commaundements And to loue him with all our strength is manfullie to suffer all kinds of aduersities with willingnesse patience for the testimonie of his truth §. 5. VVith this sacred and religious loue of man to his Maker was the hart of holie Dauid greatly enflamed as may for example be seen in sundry places of his psalmes where in zealous affection to the Lorde and his Lavv he first of all saith * One Psalm 27. 4 thing haue I desired of the Lorde the which I will still require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to beholde the beauty of the Lord and to visite his holy Temple I haue loued ô Lord saith hee the habitation Psalm 26.
8 of thine house the place where thine honour dwelleth The zeale of thine house ô Lord hath Psalm 69 6. eaten mee vp One day in thy Courts is better then a Psal 84 10. thousand other-where I had rather be a Doore-keeper in the house of my GOD then to dwell in the Tents of the vngodly As the Hart brayeth for the Riuers of Psal 42 1 2 water so panteth my soule after thee ô Lord. My soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God When shall I come appeare before the presence of God I will loue thee deerely ô Lorde my Psal 18. 1. strength VVhom haue I ô Lord in heauen but Psal 73 25. thee and there is none vpon earth that I desire in comparison of thee I haue longed ô Lord for thy saluation Ps 119. 174. and thy law is my delight Oh how I loue thy law It is my meditation Psal 119. 97 continually Oh teach mee thy statutes ô Lorde Psalm 119. 26 27. make mee to vnderstand the vvay of thy commaundements and I will meditate in thy wondrous workes Teach mee ô Lord the way of thy statutes Psal 119 33 34 I will keepe it vnto the end Giue mee vnderstanding and I will keepe thy Law yea I will keepe it with my vvhole hart Direct me in the path of thy commaundements verse 35 for therein is my delight Behold I desire thy commaundements verse 40 quicken me in thy righteousnes And incline my hart vnto thy testimonies verse 36 Deale with thy seruaunt ô Lord according Ps 119 124. 125. to thy mercie and teach mee thy statutes I ô Lord am thy seruaunt graunt mee therefore vnderstanding that I may know thy testimonies Looke vpon mee and be mercifull vnto Psalm 119 132. mee as thou vsest to doe vnto those that loue thy Name Direct my steps in thy Worde and let verse 133. none iniquitie haue dominion ouer me Teach mee to doe thy will for thou art Psal 143. 10 my God Let thy good Spirit lead me vnto the Land of righteousnesse By these and manie moe such like sayings in the Booke of Psalmes dooth thys princely Prophet make manifest as I said before with vvhat earnest zeale feruent affection hee alwayes loued the Lord and his Law The true and perfect loue also of man to his Maker was as it seemeth deeply rooted in the hart of old Eleazer when he refused all the friendship worldly fauours 2 Mac 6 28 that were offered vnto him by the seruants of Antiochus and chose rather to suffer death by torments then to saue his life by breaking the rules of his Religion With the like loue and constancie did the seauen brethren and their mother endure 2 Mac. 7. death by tortures vnder that wicked Tyrant Antiochus and left behinde them a woorthy remembrance of their feruent affection to the Lawe of the Lorde their God VVe reade also in the Newe-testament that Saint Stephen the first Martir after Acts 7 59. Christ through his religious loue to his Lord and Maister willingly suffered himselfe to be stoned to death commending his spirit into the hands of his Creator And such like diuine and holy loue to Christ our Captaine ought euery Christian professor to harbour in his heart else may it greatly be doubted that hee shall shoote short of life euerlasting §. 6. But as I said in the beginning this loue is both diuine and charitable First mouing man to loue the Lord and his lawe for the sundry blessings and benefits which God both already hath and daily doth bestowe vppon him through Christ Secondlie to loue his neighbour or brother as himselfe because GOD in his holy Worde hath so commaunded him and for that hee is the very forme of his own Image or likenes With which kinde of charitable loue of man to man or man to his neighbour was the heart of the Samaritane softned vvho Luke 10. 33 34 35. finding a stranger in the high-vvay halfe dead first bound vp the wounds of his body then setting him vpon his own beast brought him to an Inne and made prouision for him commaunding the Host of the house to take care of him and looke quoth he what-soeuer the charges of this man commeth vnto more then the two pence which I now giue thee at my next comming hether I will pay thee all But with more then charitable loue of man to his neighbour was the hart of holy Moises moued when through his great affection hee prayed vnto the Lord to pardon the foolish and Idolatrous sinne of his people Yea such was his feruent affection more theÌ„ charitable loue towards them that he desired of GOD in his prayer to Exod 32 32 graunt that theyr foule offence might be forgiuen or else his owne name to be rased out of the Booke of life And vvith more also then charitable loue of man to his neighbour was the Apostle Saint Paule acquainted when verie zeale for Gods glory and loue to his owne Nation enforced him to say * I vvould Rom 9 3. wish my selfe to be separated from Christ or to loose mine owne saluation for my Bretheren that are my kinsmen according to the flesh I terme these two last ensamples more then charitable loue because it made these men ready to refuse their ovvne soules health rather then their Brethren should be vnpardoned and cast from their Creator for their offences §. 7. By which few examples onely wee may sufficiently perceiue the forcible effect of true and perfect loue and iustly may wee confesse with the afore-named Apostle That * although we speak with the tungs 1 Cor 13 1 2 3. of men and Angels and haue not loue we are but as sounding Brasse or a tinckling Cymball And though wee had the gift of prophecie and knewe all secrets and all knowledge yea if we had all fayth so that we could remoue mountaines and had not loue we were nothing And though vvee feede the poore with all our goods giue our bodies to be burned haue not loue it profiteth vs nothing For God hath chosen vs in Christ Iesus Ephe 1 4 before the foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue And this commaundement haue we of 1 Ioh 4 21. him that he which loueth GOD should loue his brother also For as a King is honoured in his Image Bernard so God in man is either loued or hated hee cannot hate man who loueth GOD neither can hee loue GOD who hateth man Also like as the body without the soule Fulgotiâ—â— enioyeth no life so all other vertues without godlie loue are but colde and fruitlesse §. 8. If wee loue one another saith S. Iohn 1 Ioh 4 12 God dwelleth in vs and his loue is perfect in vs. Also hee that loueth his Brother abideth 1 Ioh 2 10 in the
euerlasting saluation of the godly not only in choosing but also in regenerating in iustifying and in glorifying them Also King Salomon as we reade in his booke of Wisedome after some mention made of Gods almighty power vttereth these speeches following in praise of his loue and mercie saying Thou ô Lord Wisd 11. 20 21 22 23. hast mercy vppon all for thou hast power ouer all and makest as though thou sawest not the sinnes of men because they should amend For thou louest all the things that are and hatest none of them whō thou hast made For thou vvouldest haue created nothing that thou hadst hated And how might any thing endure vnlesse it were thy will or howe coulde any thing be preserued except it were called of thee But thou sparest all for they are thine ô Lord which art the louer of soules And * for that thou Wisd 12 16 art Lorde of all thinges it causeth thee to spare all things And not much vnlike to this saying of Salomon is the confession of Esdras vnto the Angell which was sent to instruct him where hee saith I knovve Lord that the 2 Esdr 7. 62 63 64. c. most High is called mercifull in that hee hath mercy vppon them which are not yet come into the world And that he hath pittie on those that walke in his Lawe And that hee is patient for hee long suffereth those that haue sinned as his creatures And that hee is liberall for hee will giue as much as needeth And that he is of great mercy for hee ouercōmeth in mercy those that are present those that are past them that are to come For if hee were not aboundant in his mercies the world coulde not continue nor they that haue the possession thereof He pardoneth also for if he gaue not of his goodnesse that they which haue doone 2 Esdras 7. 68 69 70. euill might be releeued from their wickednesse the ten thousand part of men should not remaine aliue And if hee beeing Iudge forgaue not those that be healed with his word tooke away the multitude of their sinnes there should be very fewe people left among an innumerable multitude §. 5. Moreouer the Lorde our God is so full of pitty and compassion that as Gueuara Anth. Gueuara saith hee neuer sendeth downe his wrath vpon any people as a punishment for their offences but hee first seeketh rather by admonishment to bring them to his mercy and fauour through their true humilitie and vnfained repentance And many also are the testimonies which we finde in holie Scripture concerning the great kindnesse and compassion of Almighty God to the penitent but among sundry other I suppose for breuities sake that this one example following may sufficiently serue to instruct vs. Ionas beeing sent of God to preach and Ionas 3 4 5 6 7 c. denounce his iudgements against Niniuie the cheefest Citty of the Assyrians entred into the same a dayes iourney saith the Text and he cryed and sayd Yet fortie dayes and Niniuie shall be ouerthrowne Whereupon the King beleeuing the speech of the Prophet descended from his princely throne and speedily caused thys Proclamation to be made that neither man nor beast should taste any foode nor drink any water but let man beast quoth he put on sackcloth and cry mightilie vnto God yea let euery man turne from his euill wayes and from the wickednesse that is in their hands And * when the Almightie verse 10. saw theyr workes that they repented turned from theyr euill waies hee repented himselfe of the euill that hee had saide hee would doe vnto them and he did it not Which thing as the Text saith displeased Ionas exceedingly and hee was angry Notwithstanding he prayed vnto the lord and said I pray thee ô Lord was not this my saying when I was yet in my countrey Therefore I preuented it and fledde vnto Tarshish for I knew sayth hee that thou art a gracious God and mercifull slowe to anger and of great kindnesse repenting thee of the euill c. After this Ionas went out of the Cittie Ionas 4 1 2. and sate him downe vnder the East side thereof expecting what should bee doone vnto the same And the Lord in one night caused a Gourde to spring vp ouer Ionas that it might be a shadow ouer his head a defence for him against the heate of the Sunne but the next morning hee prepared a Worme also which smote the Gourd and it withered Then Ionas perceiuing himselfe bereft Ionas 4 5 6 7 8 c. of this succour and wexing faint through the extreame heate of the Sunne wished in his hart to die and sayd It is better for me to die then to liue But the Lord God called vnto him and said Ionas doost thou well to be angrie Thou hast pitty on the Gourde for which thou hast not laboured neither madest it to grow which came vp in a night and perished in a night and should not I sayth the most merciful spare Niniuie that great Cittie wherein are six-score thousand persons that cannot discerne betweene theyr right hand and their left and also much cattle By the which speech of the Almightie and example of his clemencie most plainlie it is approued that the Lord our God as S. Iames saith * is very pittifull mercifull Iames 5 11 And that as Ieremie saith * hee dooth Lam 3 33. not punish willingly Nay more so prone is the Almighty to pardon and so much inclined to mercie that although through mans vnrighteousnesse he be highly prouoked to anger and euen ready as it were to execute his fierce wrath vpon the vngodly yet notwithstanding it sometimes pleaseth him to spare a great company of wicked offenders by reason that some fewe righteous persons haue theyr habitation among them As may for example be seene in the eighteene of Genesis where we finde that according to the sixe seuerall peticions of the Patriarch Abraham hee was content to graunt first that if fiftie secondly that if fortie-fiue thirdly that if fortie fourthly Gene. 18. that if thirtie fiftly that if twentie lastlie that if but tenne righteous men coulde bee founde in all Sodome the whole Cittie shoulde bee spared for those tenne mens sake §. 6. Thus proue we our God to be as Dauid saith a pittifull God and mercifull slowe Psal 86 15 to anger and great in kindnes and truth Yea such a God whose compassion also is of no short cōtinuaunce but as the Psalmist saith * endureth for euer euer vppon Psal 103 17 them that feare him and his righteousnesse vppon theyr childrens children Shewing mercy vnto thousands of them Deut. 5. 10. that loue him and keepe his commaundements All yee therefore that worshippe the Dan 3 90. Lord blesse the God of Gods praise him and acknowledge him for his mercy endureth world without end And onely by the reason thereof all men liuing are
in his flesh vpon the Crosse the God-head and manhood vvere still together but his Godhead did not suffer that we might be iustified not onely in his flesh but also in his Diuinitie and that we might be saued both in his God-heade and manhood together For we could neuer haue beene deliuered Augustine by that one onely Mediatour between God and men the man Christ Iesus vnlesse he had beene also God The benefites which we dâ—ily receiue by Ambrose his death are foure The first is the change of our naturall death The second is in that he hath quite taken away the second death from those that are in him The third is that his death is a meanes to satisfie his last will and Testament The fourth is that it doth serue to abolish the originall corruption of our sinfull harts The meanes also of our saluation by him Augustine are two his Merrite his Efficacie The first is in that by his obedience to the Law and by his death he made full satis-faction vnto his Father for all our sinnes freed vs from death and reconciled vs vnto God The second is in that he gaue his Spirit to mortifie the corruption of our natures that we thereby may daily die vnto sin and liue vnto righteousnes haue true comfort in terrors of conscience and in the pangs of death Beleeuing assuredly that what-so-euer Caluine Christ hath suffered hee hath suffered for vs and that all his righteousnes through fayth is made our righteousnesse For hee himselfe alone hath fully discharged by his death the debt which all vvee owed and hath made vs by his obedience the sonnes of God fellow heires with him of euerlasting glory For hee hath put out the hand-vvriting Colos 2 14 15. that was against vs contained in the Lawe written which was contrary to vs he euen tooke it out of the way fastned it vpoÌ„ the crosse hath spoiled the Principalities Powers hath made a shew of theÌ„ openly triumphing ouer theÌ„ in the same crosse §. 8. The Lawe saith S. Iohn was giuen by Iohn 1. 17. Moises but Grace and Truth came by Iesus Christ For God sending his owne sonne in the Rom 8 3 similitude of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Lawe might be fulfilled in vs which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit And wee through the spirit waite for Gala 5 5 the hope of righteousnes through faith Be it knowne vnto you therefore men Acts 13 38 39 brethren that through this man Christ is preached vnto vs the forgiuenesse of sinnes from all things from which we could not be iustified by the Law of Moises by him euery one that beleeueth is iustified For the Lawe made nothing perfit but Heb 7 19. the bringing in of a better hope made perfect whereby we draw neere vnto God And albeit that we in time past beeing Ephe. 2. 11. 12. 13. Gentiles and vncircumcised people in the flesh were indeede without Christ and were aliants from the common-wealth of Israell and strangers from the couenaunts of promise and had no hope and were without God in the world yet nowe by the meanes of Christ Iesus we which once were farre off are made neere by the blood of Christ For hee being our peace hath made of Ephe 2. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. both one and hath broken down the stop of the particion Wall that was betweene the Iewes and vs in abrogating through his flesh the hatred namely the Lawe of Commaundements which standeth in ordinances for to make of twaine one nevv man in himselfe so making peace And that he might reconcile both vnto God in one body thorow his Crosse and sley hatred thereby he came preached peace both to vs vvhich were a farre off and to them also that were neere For through him vvee both haue an entrance vnto the Father by one spirit And GOD vvhich is rich in mercie through his great loue wherewith he loued Ephe 2 â— 5 6 7. vs euen wheÌ„ we were dead by sinnes hath quickned vs both Iewes and Gentiles together in Christ by whose grace we are saued and hath raised vs vp together and made vs sitte together in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus That he might shew in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace through his kindnes towards vs in Christ Iesus Not by the vvorkes of righteousnesse Titus 3 5 6 7. which we had doone but according to his mercie hee saued vs by the washing of the newe birth and the renewing of the holie Ghost which he shed on vs aboundantlie through Iesus Christ our Sauiour that we beeing iustified by his grace shoulde bee made heires according to the hope of eternall life For God so loued the vvorlde that hee Ioh 3 16. hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shoulde not perrish but haue euerlasting life And heerein was the loue of God made 1. Ioh 4 9. manifest amongst vs in that hee sent his onely begotten sonne into the world that we might liue through him Yea heerein is loue not that wee loued 1 Ioh. 4. 10. GOD but that he loued vs and sent his Son to be a reconcilâ—ation for our sinnes For Christ vvhen we vvere yet of no Rom 5 6 strength at his time died for the vngodly And hee beeing very God equall vvith Philip. 2. 6 7 8. the Father in power and glory made himselfe notwithstanding of no reputation taking on him the forme of a seruaunt and was made like vnto men and was found in shape as a man Hee humbled himselfe became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse That hee might heâ—eby deliuer vs from the wrath of God and from the danger of Becon eternall damnation whereunto through our Father Adams transgression vvee all remained subiect Likevvise then as by the sinne of one Rom 5 18. namely Adam there sprang vp euill on all men to condemnation euen so by the righteousnesse of one namely Christ â—pringeth good vpon all men to the righteousnes of life For as by one mans disobedience many verse 19 were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many also be made righteous §. 1. CHrist saith the Apostle is risen from 1 Cor. 15. 20. the dead was made the first fruites of them that slept For since by man came death by man verse 21 22 came also the resurrection of the dead and â—â— in Adam all die euen so in Christ shall 〈◊〉 be made aliue Yea Christ himselfe and no other for him did by his owne power raise himselfe Augustine to life Which proueth that hee was not onely man but also true God VVherefore if he were able to giue lyfe Ierome vnto himselfe beeing deade and buried then much more now beeing aliue and in
And so much likewise affirmeth Socrates who was Platos Socrates Schoole-maister But King Salomon the sonne of Dauid beeing farre wiser in knowledge then eyther Socrates or Plato giueth in his Prouerbs many prayses of this vertue Telling vs plainly that * the feare of the Lord Prou 9. 10 which is a dutifull reuerence and avve of the Almighty firmely fixed in the harts of all the godly is Initium sapieâ—â—e the very beginning of vvisedome That in it is an assured strength Prou. 14. 26 Prou 10 27 Prou 14 27 That it increaseth our dayes That it is as a Well-spring of wisedome to auoyde the snares of death That it leadeth to life and that hee that Prou. 19. 23 is filled there-with shall prosper and shall not be visited with euill §. 3. Iesus likewise the sonne of Sirach who well deserueth the name of a second Salomon for his great wisedome telleth vs in the beginning of his Booke That the feare of the Lord is worship tryumph Ecclê° 1 11. gladnesse and a ioyfull crow 〈…〉 That it is an holy knowledge Ecclê° 1. 16. That it is both wisedome discipline Ecclê° 1 32. Ecclê° 25 13 That it is the beginning of the loue of GOD. That it passeth all things in clearenes Ecclê° 25 11 That it maketh a merry hart giueth Ecclê° 1 12. gladnesse ioy and long life That it expelleth sinne and driueth away Ecclê° 1 26. anger That it is the Crowne of vvisedome Ecclê° 1. 22 giueth pleace and perfect health That it is the roote of vvisedome and Ecclê° 1. 24. the branches thereof are long life That it is a pleasant garden of blessing Ecclê° 40. 27 that there is nothing so beautifull as it is Neither is there any thing sweeter then Basill the same §. 4. Besides Sirach doth not onely giue coÌ„mendations of this vertue it selfe but also vttereth sundry speeches in prayse of the man that is enriched there-with and consequently declareth how much mindfull it maketh them that haue it prouident to please God in all theyr proceedings saying Ecclê° 10. 25 The great man the Iudge and the man of authoritie are all of them honourable yet is there none of them greater then he that feareth the Lord. Hee that hath small vnderstanding and Ecclê° 19. 23 feareth God is better then hee that hath much wisedome and transgresseth the law of his Maker Oh howe great is the man that findeth Ecclê° 25. 10 wisedome knowledge yet is there none aboue him that feareth the Lord. §. 5. They that feare the Lord saith he will Ecclê° 2. 18 prepare their harts humble their soules in his sight They will also seeke out the thinges Ecclê° 2. 1â— that are pleasant vnto him They will keepe his commaundements Ecclê° 2. 19. Ecclê° 32. 15 And receiue his doctrine They will honour theyr Parents doe Ecclê° 3. 8 seruice vnto them Yea they that feare the Lord will be diligent Ecclus. 15. 1. Ecclê° 2. 16 to do good and will not disobey his VVorde And such as feruently loue the Lord wil euer be careful to keep his wayes For as by the feare of God our harts are Vincentius first framed to the obedience of his holy will so through the loue of God vvee are afterwards enforced to goe forward daily more and more with ioy and delight in his seruice Yet * Augustine â—ee that loueth GOD best alwayes feareth him most §. 6. VVith this holy religious and louing Gene 39 10 11. 12. feare of the Lorde was the hart of Ioseph the sonne of Iacob fully stored when beeing seruaunt with Potiphaâ— in Egipt hee fledde from the company and vnlawfull liking of his maisters wâ—fe This true and reuerent feare also of the Almightie kept the three young men Dan. 3. 18. mentioned in Daniell from falling downe before the false God vvhich Nabuchadnezzar the great King of Babell had sette vp It likewise caused Daniell himselfe to do Dan 6 10. contrary to the Decree of Darius And made the * faire and constant wife of Ioakim Dan 13. to withstand the wit-wanting Rethorick of the two Isralite Rulers Also whosoeuer else he be that truelie Gueuara feareth God as he ought shall vndoubtedlie finde the same such a stay vnto him in the time of temptation that he shall thereby be kept safe from falling in those dangers which lead men into destruction For the feare of God doth not onelie Boetius withdraw the hand the eye other members of the body from committing euill but it also helpeth to clense the minde and to keep the consent thereof from yeelding to euill Very well therefore saith Saint Bernard Bernard That there is nothing of greater force and efficacie to keepe vs in the grace fauour of God then to liue coÌ„tinually in his feare and to eschew by all meanes that may bee the performance of our proude and presumptious thoughts But if the feare of GOD be once gone Bernarde from a man then there remaineth in him nothing else but lewdnes of life extreame rashnes forgetfulnes of vertue a harmfull running head-long into all kindes of sinne and wickednes §. 7. It is written of Iob that hee was an vpright and iust man one that feared God Iob 1 1 and â—sâ—hewed euill VVhereby I vnderstand that the true feare of God kept him vpright in life and his abstaining froÌ„ euill caused him to be counted iust And to shew further that Iob ledde his whole life in the feare of God it is as a speciall testimony plainly expressed vnto vs by his owne speech where in effect hee thus speaketh saying * I am afrayd of all Iob 9 28 my dooings ô Lorde knowing that thou wilt not iudge mee innocent or without sinne in thy sight The Prophet Dauid likewise although himselfe be many times praysed in the sacred Scriptures for his religious holinesse and vprightnes of life yet to make known vnto all men how much he was acquainted with the true feare of GOD hee spareth not to reueale the same in the hundred and nineteene Psalme where hee saith * My Psalm 119 120. flesh trembleth for feare of thee ô Lord and I am afrayd of thy iudgements VVee finde furthermore that S. Paule the Apostle was commended by the Lord himselfe to be an elect and chosen vessell Acts 9 15 vnto him to beare his Name before the Gentiles and Kings of the Earth Yet notwithstanding in his first Epistle to the Corinthians by his owne words it is witnessed how greatly hee feared God in all his actions as namely in the 9. chapter where hee saith * I doe beate downe my 1 Cor. 9. 27 bodie and bring it into subiection least by any meanes it should come to passe that after I haue preached to others I my selfe should be reproued §. 8. Thus see wee both by seuerall sentences and
light there is none occasion of euill in him But he that hateth his brother is in darknesse verse 11. and walketh in darknesse knoweth not vvhether hee goeth because that darknesse hath blinded his eyes §. 9. Loue saith the Apostle doth no euill Rom 13 10 to his neighbour therefore is loue the fulfilling of the lawe For all the law is fulfilled in one vvord Gala. 5 14. which is this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Wherefore If any man say I loue 1 Ioh 4 20. God and hate his brother he is a lyer for howe can hee that loueth not his brother whom he hath seene loue God whom he neuer saw Moreouer Whosoeuer he be that hath this worlds good seeth his brother haue 1 Iohn 3 17 neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him howe dwelleth the loue of God in him For by the true and perfect loue which Erasmus we beare vnto God we rightly vnderstand what our dutie is towards our neighbour And this is the coÌ„maundement of God 1 Ioh 3 11. which we haue heard from the beginning That we should loue one another * Euen Ephe 5 2. as Christ himselfe hath loued vs. §. 10. Beloued let vs therefore loue one another 1. Ioh 4 7 8 for loue commeth of God euerie one that loueth is borne of God and knoweth God He that loueth not knoweth not God for God is loue Let vs not loue in vvorde neither in 1. Ioh. 3. 18. tongue onely but in deede and in truth That we may walke worthy of the vocation Ephe 1 1 2. 3. where-vnto wee are called vvith all humblenes of minde meekenesse with long suffering supporting one another through loue endeuouring to keepe the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace ¶ What the will and desire of Almighty God is concerning men and how louingly he admonisheth euery one to come to repentance promising mercy forgiuenes to all those that amend 2. ESDRAS 7. verse 20. 21. Many perrish in this life because they despise the Law of God that is appointed For God hath diligently admonished such as came so oft as they came what they should doe to haue life and what they should obserue to auoyd punishment ¶ What the will of God is c. §. 1. THis is the will of God as saith the Apostle euen our sanctification 1. Thes 4. 3. 4. 5. 6. that we should abstaine from fornication that euery one of vs should knowe howe to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour and not in the lust of concupiscence as doe the Heathen which know not God that no man oppresse or defraude his brother in any matter for the Lord is the auenger of all such things He therefore that despiseth these things 1 Thes 4 8. despiseth not man but God who hath giuen vnto vs his holy Spirit And whose will is that all men should 1 Tim 2 4 be saued and come vnto the knowledge of the truth For it is not the will of God that one of Math 18 14 the least should be lost §. 2. Deerely beloued saith S. Peter be not 2 Pet 3 8 9 ignorant of this one thing that one day is with the Lord as a thousand yeeres and a thousand yeeres as one day The Lord is not slack concerning the promise of his comming as some men count slacknes but is patient toward vs would haue no man to perrish but would haue all men to come to repentance For GOD would not that man should 2 Esdr 8 59 perrish But vnto them that will repent hee giueth Ecclê° 17 22 them grace to returne and exhorteth such as faile vvith patience and sendeth them the portion of the veritie Amend your liues therefore and turne Acts 3 19. that your sinnes may be put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And as it came into your minde to goe Baruc 4 28. astray from your God so endeuour your selues tenne times more to turne againe to seeke him For he that is Lord ouer all is rich vnto Rom. 10 12 all that call vpon him §. 3. Make no tarrying to turne vnto the Ecclus 5. 7. Lord neither put it off from day to day for suddainly shall the wrath of the Lord breake forth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed thou shalt perrish in time of vengeance VVherefore as the holy Ghost sayth Hebr 3 7 8 To day if yee shall heare his voyce harden not your harts Yea this day if yee heare his voyce Heb 4 7 harden not your harts For it is a fearefull thing to fall into the Heb 10 31 hands of the liuing God §. 4. VVee finde in the eyghteene of Ezechiell and the 23. verse that the Almightie by the mouth of the same Prophet exhorting the Children of Israell to repentance first maketh this demaund of them Ezec 18 23 saying * Haue I any desire that the wicked should die or shall hee not liue if hee returne from his wayes Then followeth in the 27. and 28. verses Ezec 18 27 28 31 32 sundry promises of Gods loue mercie vnto him that truly repenteth and forsaketh his sinnes And in the 31. 32. verses of the same chapter he thus concludeth all his former speech held with them to that purpose saying Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby you haue transgressed and make you a newe heart and a nevve Spirite for vvhy vvill yee die ô house of Israell For I desire not the death of him that dieth cause therefore one another to returne and liue §. 5. We finde likewise in the prophecie of Esay that the Lord beeing there desirous to withdraw that wicked obstinate people of Israell from their greeuous offences in which too long they had wilfully continued beginneth also first with a gentle admonishment saying * VVashe you Esay 1 16 17 make you cleane take away the euill of your workes from before mine eyes cease to do euill learne to doe well seeke iudgement relieue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse and defend the widdow And hauing thus fore-told them vvhat they ought to doe hee then presently addeth * Come nowe and let vs reason together Esay 1 18 though your sinnes were as Crimson they shall be made white as snowe though they were redde like Skarlet they shall be as vvooll Declaring heereby vnto vs howe readie he is to receiue them that truly repent and how prone to put all their former offences cleane out of his remembrance As may further appeare againe euen by the witnesse of his owne wordes in the 18. chapter of the afore-named Ezechiell vvhere hee saith * If the wicked will returne Ezec 18 21. from all his sinnes that he hath committed keepe all my statutes do that which is lawfull and right hee shall surely liue and shall not
brought life and immortalitie vnto light through the Gospell §. 11. Deerely beloued saith S. Peter I beseech 1 Pet 2 11 you as strangers and pilgrimes abstaine froÌ„ fleshly lusts which fight against the soule And haue your conuersation honest among verse 12. the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euill dooers may by your good workes which they shall see glorifie God in the day of visitation Yea let your light so shine before men Math. 5 16. that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen §. 12. Be sober also and watch for your aduersary 1 Pet. 5 8 9. the deuill walketh about like a roaring Lyon seeking vvhom hee may deuoure whom resist stedfast in the faith Ioyne moreouer vertue with your faith 2 Pet 1 5 6 7 8 and with vertue knowledge and vvith knowledge temperance and vvith temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlines brotherly kindnes with brotherly kindnes loue For if these things be among you and abound they will make you that yee neither shall be idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ §. 13. Be yee therefore followers of God as Ephe. 5 1. 2. deere children and walke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs to be an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour vnto God But fornication and all vncleanenes or verse 3 4 couetousnes let it not bee once named â—mong you as it becommeth Saints neyther filthines neither foolish talking neyther iesting which are things not comelie but rather giuing of thanks For this yee know that no whoremonger verse 5. neither vncleane person nor couetous person which is an Idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God Wherefore be yee not vnwise but vnderstand Ephe 5 17 what the will of the Lord is And be not drunke with wine wherein Ephe. 5 18 19 20 21 is excesse but be fulfilled with the Spirit Speaking vnto your selues in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melodie to the Lord in your harts Giuing thanks alwayes for all things vnto God euen the Father in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ and submitting your selues one to another in the feare of God §. 14. Flee fornication euery sinne that a man 1 Cor 6 18. doth is without the body but he that coÌ„mitteth fornication sinneth against his own bodie And who will count him iust that sinnâ—th Ecclê° 10 30 against himselfe or honour him that dishonoureth his owne soule Know ye not that your body is the temple 1 Cor 19. 20 of the holy Ghost which is in you whoÌ„ yee haue of God ye are not your own for ye are bought for a price glorifie God therefore in your body and in your spirit for they are Gods Know yee not likewise that to whomsoeuer Rom 6 16 you giue your selues as seruaunts to obey his seruaunts yee are to whom yee obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnes Know you not also that all wee which Rom. 6. 4. haue been baptized into Iesus Christ haue been baptized into his death We are buried then vvith him by Baptizme into his death that like as Christ was raised vp froÌ„ the dead by the glory of the Father so we also should walke in newnes of life For all that are baptized into Christ Gala 3 27. haue put on Christ And if we be grafted with him to the similitude Rom. 6. 5. 6 7 of his death euen so shall we be to the similitude of his resurrection knovving this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sinne might be destroyed and hence-foorth wee should not serue sinne For hee that is dead is freed from sinne Wherefore if wee be dead with Christ Rom 6 8 9. 10. 11. wee beleeue that wee shall liue also vvith him for in that hee died hee died once to sinne but in that hee liueth hee liueth to God Likewise thinke yee also that ye are dead to sinne but are aliue to God in Iesus Christ our Lord. Let not sinne raigne therefore in your verse 12 13 mortall body that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof Neither giue yee your members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne but giue your selues vnto God as they that are aliue from the dead giue your members as weapons of righteousnes vnto him For the wages or reward of sinne is Rom 6. 23. death but the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Mortifie therefore your members which Colo 3 5 6 are on the earth namely fornication vncleanenes the inordinate affection euil concupiscence and couetousnes which is idolatry For the which thinges sake the vvrath of God commeth on the chyldren of disobedience §. 15. Furthermore These are the thinges Zach 8 16 17. that yee shall doe Speake yee euery man the truth vnto his Neighbour execute iudgement truly and vprightly in your gates and let none of you imagine euill in his heart against his Neighbour Neither loue any false oath for all these are the thinges that I hate saith the Lord. See that none recompence euill for euill 1 Thes 5 15 vnto any man but euer follow that which is good both toward your selues and toward all men If it be possible as much as in you is Rom 12 18 haue peace with all men And let loue be without dissimulation Rom 12 9 Abhorring that which is euill and cleauing vnto that which is good Also seeing your soules are purified in obeying the truth through the Spirit to 1. Pet 1 22. 23. loue brotherly without faining loue one another with a pure hart feruently beeing borne a newe not of mortall seede but of immortall by the word of God who liueth and endureth for euer Let all bitternes and anger and wrath crying euill speaking be put away from Ephe 4 31 32 you with all maliciousnesse And be yee curteous one to another and tender harted freely forgiuing one another euen as God for Christes sake freely forgaue you Be all of one minde one suffer with another 1. Pet. 3 8 9 loue as brethren bee pittifull bee curteous not rendering euill for euill neither rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise blesse knowing that yee are there-vnto called that yee should be heyres of blessing Blesse them which persecute you blesse Rom 12. 14 15. 16. I say curse not reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe Be of like affection one towards another be not hie minded but make your selues equall to them of the lower sort Be not wise in your owne eyes But rather pray vnto the most High that Ecclê° 37 15 hee will direct thy way in truth §. 16. Yee haue heard that it hath been said Math 5
honoureth and obeyeth Tertullian his Prince honoureth and obeyeth God for the Prince is Gods Vizegerent here on earth and representeth amongst men vsing his authoritie as hee ought the glorious state and high Maiestie of GOD in heauen §. 9. Obey them saith the Apostle that haue Heb 13 17 the ouer-sight of you and submit your selues for they watch for your soules as they that must giue accounts that they may doe it with ioy not with griefe for that is vnprofitable for you The Elders that rule well saith hee are 1 Tim 5 17. 18 woorthy of double honour specially they that labour in the Word doctrine For the Scripture saith Thou shalt not mousell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne and The labourer is worthy of his wages Nowe therefore we beseech you brethren 1 Thes 5 12 13 that yee knowe them which labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you that yee haue them in singuler loue for their workes sake * And Philip. 2. 29. make much of such §. 10. Honour all men loue brotherly fellowship 1 Pet 2 17. feare God honour the King For the Kings wrath is like the roaring Prou 19 12 of a Lyon but his fauour is like the dewe vpon the grasse And as Princes are men before God so Lactantius are they Gods before men This alwaies yet remember That vvee Acts. 5 29. ought rather to obey God than man ¶ A further declaration of diuers other speciall commaundements which we finde contained in the Booke of GOD concerning our dutie towards him and our loue towards our neighbour With many profitable sayings tending to the same effect and purpose collected foorth of the workes of sundry learned and worthy Writers ¶ Against the worshipping of Images and false Gods §. 1. THus spake the Almightie vnto Israell Exod. 20 1 2 3. in the twenty chapter of Exodus saying I am the Lorde thy GOD which haue brought thee out of the Lande of Egypt out of the house of bondage Thou shalt haue none other Gods but mee Thou shalt make thee no grauen Image verse 4. neyther any similitude of things that are in heauen aboue neither that are in the earth beneath nor that are in the waters vnder the earth Thou shalt not bowe downe to them Exod 20 5 nor serue them for I am the Lorde thy God a ielous God visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vppon the children vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate mee And shewing mercy vnto thousands in verse 6. them that loue mee and keepe my commaundements §. 2. To vvhom saith Esay vvill yee liken Esay 40 18. GOD or what similitude will yee set vp vnto him Hee is a King euerlasting immortall 1 Tim 1 17 and invisible * And there is none like vnto Deuâ— 33. 26 to him Take therefore good heede vnto your Deut 4 15 16. selues for ye saw no image in the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb out of the middes of the fire that yee corrupt not your selues make you a grauen image or representation of any figure whether it be the likenes of male or female The likenes of any beast that is on the verse 17 18 earth or the likenes of any fethered foule that flieth in the ayre The likenesse of any thing that creepeth on the earth or the likenes of any fish that is in the vvaters beneath the earth c. For the Lord thy GOD is a consuming Deut 4 24 fire and a ielous God §. 3. Confounded be all they saith Dauid Psalm 97 7 that serue grauen Images and that glorie in their Idols Miserable are they and among the dead Wisd 13 10 is their hope that call them Gods which are the workes of mens hands For the worshipping of Idols vvhich Wisd 14 26 ought not to be named is the beginning the cause and the end of all euill The inuenting of them was the beginning Wisd 14 11 of whoredome and the finding of them is the corruption of life For they were not from the beginning verse 12. 13 neyther shall they continue for euer The vaine-glory of men brought them into the world therefore shal they come shortly to an end They haue mouthes and speake not Psalm 115 5. 6. 7. they haue eyes and see not they haue eares and heare not they haue noses and smell not they haue hands and touch not they haue feete walk not neither make they any sound with theyr throate They that make them are like vnto theÌ„ and so are all they that put theyr trust in Psal 115 8 them But cursed be the Image the image-maker Wisd 14 8 hee because hee made it and it because that beeing a corruptible thing it was called God §. 4. VVho-soeuer saith S. Augustine adoreth or maketh his prayer beholding an Image Augustine hee is so moued thereby in his owne minde that he thinketh the Image heareth him and also hopeth that it will performe his peticion An vnhappy memory therfore is that which to remember Christ vvho neuer Carolus magnus ought to depart out of the hart of the iust man standeth in neede of a sightfull conceite nor otherwise can haue the presence of Christ within him vnlesse hee haue his Image painted on a vvall or expressed in some other matter for such a memory as is nourished and kept by Images proceedeth not of harty loue but necessitie of eye-sight And out of all doubt there is no true religion Lactantius to be looked for wheresoeuer an Image hath any abyding ¶ Against swearing §. 1. THou shalt not take the Name of the Exod 20 7 Lord thy God in vaine for the Lorde will not holde him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vaine Yee haue heard that it was saide to them Math 5 33 of old time Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe but shalt performe thine oath vnto the Lord. But I say vnto you sweare not at all neither verse 34 35 by heauen for it is the throne of God nor yet by the earth for it is his footestoole neyther by Ierusalem for it is the Cittie of the great King Neyther shalt thou swear by thine head verse 36. because thou canst not make one hayre white or blacke But let your communication bee Yea verse 37 yea Nay nay for vvhat-soeuer is more then these commeth of euill §. 2. Aboue all thinges my brethren sweare Iames 5 12. not neither by heauen nor by earth nor by any other oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay least yee fall into condemnation Accustome not thy mouth to swearing Ecclê° 23 9 for in it there are many falles neyther take vp for an ordinary vse the naming of the Holy one for thou shalt not escape vnpunished for such things For as a seruaunt
doctrines of deuils vvhich speake lyes through hypocrisie and haue theyr consciences burned with an hote yron forbidding to marry and commaunding to abstaine from meates which God hath created to be receiued vvith giuing thanks of them which beleeue and knowe the truth For euery creature of God is good and verse 4 5 nothing ought to be refused if it be receiued with thanksgiuing For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer Yee therefore beloued seeing yee know 2. Pet. 3. 17 these things before beware least ye be also plucked away vvith the errour of the wicked and fall from your owne stedfastnesse For of this sort are they vvhich creepe 2. Tim. 3. 6. 7. into houses and leade captiue simple women laden with sinnes and led with diuers lusts VVhich vvomen are euer learning and are neuer able to come to the knowledge of the truth ¶ Against ouer-curious searching and adding of any thing to the word of God §. 1. SEeke not out saith Sirach the thinges Ecclus 3 22. that are too hard for thee neither search the things rashly which are too mightie for thee But what God hath commaunded thee verse 23. thinke vpon that with reuerence and bee not curious in many of his workes for it is not needfull for thee to see with thine eyes the things that are secrete Be not curious in superfluous matters for verse 24 25 many things are shewed vnto thee aboue the capacitie of men The medling vvith such hath beguiled many an euill opinion hath deceiued their iudgement Thou canst not see without eyes professe verse 26. not the knowledge therefore vvhich thou hast not §. 2. I through the grace that is giuen vnto Rom 12 3 mee saith the Apostle say to euery one that is among you that no man presume to vnderstand aboue that which is meet to vnderstand but that he vnderstand according to sobrietie as GOD hath dealt to euery man the measure of fayth For hee is sufficiently rich in vnderstanding Hermes that knoweth how to doe well and hee hath power enough that can refraine from dooing euill §. 3. Ye shal put nothing vnto the word which Deut 4 2 I commaund you saith Moises neyther shall yee take ought there-from that yee may keepe the commaundements of the Lord your GOD which I commaund you Therefore what soeuer I commaunde Deut. 12. 32. you take heede you doe it Thou shalt not turne away from it to the Iosua 1 7. right hand nor to the left that thou maist prosper whether soeuer thou goest §. 4. Put nothing vnto the word of God saith Prou. 30. 6. Salomon least hee reproue thee and thou be founde a lyer For I protest saith the holy Ghost vnto Reue. 22. 18 euery man that heareth the wordes of the prophecie of this booke If any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in thys Booke And if any man shall diminish of the Reue. 22 19 words of the booke of this prophesie God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy Citty and from those thinges vvhich are vvritten in this booke ¶ Against foolish securitie §. 1. SAy not thou I will hide my selfe from Ecclê° 16 17 the Lord for who will think vpon me from aboue I shall not be knowne in so great an heape of people for what is my soule among such an infinite number of creatures But rather remember vvhat our Sauiour Christ saith in Saint Mathewes Gospell namely that one sparrow falleth not to the ground without the will of God our heauenly Math. 10. 29. 30. Father and that all the haires of our head are numbred by him Howe much more then may wee vndoubtedly beleeue that wee our selues are knowne and numbred of him For hee onely is the Creator and Preseruer of men and without his permission wee are not able to drawe our breath a minutes while §. 2. Besides thus speaketh the Lord himselfe Iere 23 23 24. interrogatiuelie by the mouth of Ieremy saying Am I a GOD at hand and not a GOD farre off Can any hide himselfe in secrete places that I shall not see him saith the Lord Doe not I fill heauen and earth saith the Lord And to this effect likewise tendeth the speech of the Prophet Dauid in the 139. psalme where he saith O Lord thou hast Psalme 139. 1. 2 3 c. tryed mee knowne mee thou knowest my sitting my rising thou vnderstandest my thought a farre off thou compassest my pathes and my lying downe and art accustomed to all my wayes For there is not a word in my tongue but loe thou knowest it vvholie ô lord Thou holdest mee straite behinde and before and layest thy hand vpon mee Thy knowledge is too wonderfull for mee it is so high that I cannot attaine vnto it Whether shall I goe from thy Spirit or whether shall I flee from thy presence If I ascend into heauen thou art there If I lie downe in hell thou art there Let mee take the wings of the morning and dwell in the vttermost parts of the sea yet thither shall thy hand leade mee thy right hand hold mee If I say yet the darknesse shall hide me euen the night shall be light about mee Yea the darknes hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the day and the darknes and the light are both alike For thou hast possessed my reines thou hast couered mee in my mothers vvombe ¶ Against the loue of the world §. 1. LOue not the vvorld saith Saint Iohn 1 Ioh 12 15. neither the things that are in the world If any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him For all that is in the worlde as the lust verse 16 17 of the flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the World And the vvorld passeth away the lust thereof but hee that fulfilleth the will of God abideth euer Yee adulterers and adultresses know ye Iames 4 4 not that the amitie of the world is the enimitie of God Whosoeuer therefore vvill be a friende of the world maketh himselfe the enemie of God And they that waite vpon lying vanities Ionas 2. 8. forsake theyr owne mercie §. 2. VVhat is there in the World saith Seneca Seneca wherefore it should be loued The flowers of this life to wit the lusts pleasures thereof are all of them false shewes shadowes and vanities the fruites of it are labour care sicknes and tediousnesse the tree it selfe is corruption frailety And hee that is enamored of the world Seneca may well be likened to the man which voluntarily runneth into the Sea who if hee chaunce to scape the dangers thereof men will say hee is greatly fortunate but if hee perrish they will say he was wilfully deceiued
§. 3. The vvorld saith Socrates hath so manie Socrates sundry changes in the vanitie thereof that it leadeth all men vvandering in vnstedfastnesse It is a speciall enemy to those vvhom it Crates hath raised to honour It neuer paieth vnto any man that which Euripides it promiseth It endeuoureth daily to drawe the soule Aristotle from God through fained delights And whosoeuer busily seeketh after the Hermes pleasures thereof followeth a shaddovve which when hee thinketh he is surest of it speedily vanisheth away turneth to nothing Besides if any man desire to reade more largely of the delights of the world the seuerall falshoods of them let him looke into the Booke of Ecclesiastes there he Ecclesi cap. 1. 2 3. c. shall finde what the Preacher through his owne experience speaketh of them And how withall after a long repetition of the tryall of all the pleasures vnder the sunne hee at last giueth forth these words in their discommendation saying * Vanitie of Eccle 12 8 vanities all is vanitie Put no confidence therfore in the mutable vanities of this euer-changing world Plotinus neither suffer thy selfe to be seduced by the deceits thereof for the pleasures of the world leade diuers men to perdition and whosoeuer trusteth vnto them shall most certainly be deceiued §. 4. A man may vse this world indeede as Plato Plato saith for necessities sake but hee that abuseth it that is hee that wholy delighteth therein looseth thereby his loue to God depriueth himselfe of eternall saluation To preuent vvhich danger * Let him 1 Cor 7 31 that vseth this world be as though hee vsed it not For the too much loue of this Worlde was the onely cause why the Noble men of Iurie coulde not resolue themselues to followe Christ For * they loued the prayse Iohn 12 43 of men more then the prayse of God And deceiued themselues as vnaduisedly 2 Tim 4 10 in theyr choyse as euer Demas did wheÌ„ he forsooke S. Paule to embrace vanitie ¶ Against euill company-keeping §. 1. MY sonne saith Salomon if sinners Prou. 1 10 11 12 13 14 doe entise thee consent thou not If they say Come with vs we will lay vvaite for blood and he priuily for the innocent without a cause vvee will swallowe them vp aliue like a graue euen whole as those that goe downe into the pit we shall find all precious riches and fill our houses with spoyle cast in thy lot among vs wee will all haue one purse My sonne vvalke not thou in the vvay with them refraine thy foote from theyr Prou 1 15. 16. path For theyr feete runne to euill and make hast to shedde blood They cannot sleepe except they haue Prou 4 16 17. done euill and their sleepe departeth except they cause some to fall For they eate the bread of wickednes drinke the wine of violence Hee that toucheth pitch shall be defiled Ecclê° 13 1 with it and hee that is familiar vvith the proude shall become like vnto him For it is a corrupting of the godly to Gregory keepe company with the wicked §. 2. Shâ—nne the company of a lyer as much Hermes as thou mayst and beware least any one through flattery perswade thee to thinke otherwise of thy selfe then thou art indeed But if thou must needs keepe company Thales with the man that vseth to lye in anie wise beleeue him not for if thou credite him to day which telleth thee a lie of another body hee will not sticke to morrowe to tell an vntruth of thee to another man §. 3. Moreouer a man vvere better saith Plutarch Plutarch to fall amongst a sort of Rauens then to giue entertainement to flattering companions for Rauens neuer seeke to eate a man till hee be dead but flatterers will not spare to feede vpon him while hee is aliue And like as a Camelion can change himselfe Hermes into al colours saue white so can a flatterer frame his tongue to any talke whatsoeuer saue honestie §. 4. Take not thy pleasure in great voluptuousnes Ecclê° 18 32 neither intangle thy selfe with such company Become not a begger by making bankets verse 33 of that which thou hast borrowed so leaue nothing in thy purse Keepe not company with drunkards nor Prou 23 20 with gluttons For the drunkard and the glutton shall verse 21. be poore and the sleeper shall be clothed with ragges §. 5. Vse not the company of a woman that Ecclê° 9. 4 is a singer a dauncer neyther heare her least thou be taken by her craftines Cast not thy minde vpon harlots in anie Ecclus 9 6 manner of thing least thou destroy both thy selfe and thine heritage Meete not an harlot least thou fall into Ecclê° 9 3 her snares Desire not her beauty in thy heart neyther Prou 6 25. let her take thee with her eye-lids For the whoredome of a woman may be Ecclê° 26. 9 knowne by the pride of her lookes And an harlot will make a man to beg Prou. 6. 26 his bread §. 6. I haue compassed about saith Salomon Eccles 7 27. 28. both I and mine hart to know and to enquire and to search wisedome and reason and to know the wickednes of folly the foolishnes of madnes and I finde more bitter then death the woman whose hart is as nets and snares and her hands as bands hee that is good before God shall be deliuered from her but the sinner shall be taken by her The lippes of a strange woman saith Prou 5 3 4 5 hee droppe as an honny-combe and her mouth is more soft then oyle but the end of her is bitter as vvorme-wood and sharp as a two edged sword Her feete goe down to death and her steps take hold on hell Shee weigheth not the vvay of life her verse 6. paths are moueable thou canst not know them Beeing foule by nature shee notwithstanding deceiueth the simple vvith her Hermes painted face and vnder faire white ruddie colours shee hideth her filthy and ill-fauoured visage Shee lyeth also in waite as for a pray Prou 23 28 shee increaseth the transgressours among men §. 7. Keepe thy way farre from her and come Prou 5 8 not neere the doore of her house For a whore is as a deepe ditch and a Prou 23 27 strange woman is as a narrow pit Let not thy heart decline to her wayes Prou 7 25 26 neither wander thou in her pathes for she hath caused many to fall downe wounded and the strong men are all slaine by her Her house is the vvay vnto the graue verse 27. which goeth downe vnto the chambers of death Her mouth likewise is as a deepe pit Prou 22 14 and he with whom the Lord is angry shall fall therein Surely her house tendeth to death and Prou 2
mee they will persecute you also If they haue called the Maister of the Math 10 25 house Beelzebub howe much more them of his houshold But all these thinges will they doe vnto Iohn 15 21 you for my Names sake because they haue not knowne him that sent mee Yea the time shall come that whosoeuer Iohn 16. 2. killeth you will thinke that he dooth God seruice Notwithstanding blessed are ye if you 1. Pet. 3. 14. suffer for righteousnes sake For vnto such appertaineth the kingdome Math 5 10 of heauen Yea blessed are yee when men reuile Math. 5 11 12. you and persecute you and say all manner of euill against you for my sake falselie reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you §. 5. Let not saith he your harts be troubled Iohn 14. 1. yee beleeue in God beleeue also in me In the world ye shall haue affliction but Iohn 16 33 be of good comfort I haue ouer-com the world And feare not them which kill the bodie Math. 10. 28 Luk. 12 4. 5 and after that are not able to doe any more but rather feare him which is able to destroy both body soule in hell yea I say vnto you feare him For what shall it profit a man though Math 16. 26 hee should winne the whole world if hee lose his ovvne soule or what shall a man giue for recompence of his soule VVho-soeuer therefore shall confesse Math 10 32 mee before men him will I confesse also before my Father which is in heauen But vvho-soeuer shall denie mee before verse 33 men him will I also denie before my Father which is in heauen Who-soeuer likewise shal be ashamed Luke 9. 26 of mee and of my words of him shall the sonne of man be ashamed when hee shall come in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy Angels §. 6. Deerely beloued saith S. Peter thinke 1. Pet. 4 12. it not strange concerning the fierie tryall which is among you to prooue you as though some strange thing were come vnto you But reioyce in as much as yee are partakers verse 13. of Christes sufferings that when his glorie shall appeare yee may be glad and reioyce For vvee must through many afflictions Acts 14 22 enter into the kingdome of God And all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus 2. Tim. 3. 12 shall suffer persecution §. 7. If yee be railed vppon for the Name of 1. Pet 4 14. Christ blessed are you for the Spirit of glory of God resteth vpon you which on their part is euill spoken of but on your part is glorified But let none of you suffer as a murtherer 1. Pet 4 15. or as a theefe or as an euill dooer or as a busie-body in other mens matters But if any man suffer as a Christian let verse 16. him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God in that behalfe For it is better if the will of God be so 1 Pet 3 17. that yee should suffer for well-doing then for euill doing And the lesse iustice that a godly man Tremelius findeth at the handes of the vngodly the more comfort shall he receiue in cōscience at the mercifull hand of God §. 8. My sonne saith Sirach submit not thy Ecclus 4 27 28. selfe vnto a foolish man neyther accept thou the person of the mightie But striue for the truth vnto death and defende iustice euen to the losse of thyne owne life and the Lord thy God shall fight for thee against thine enemies Be fauourable to all men be likewise in Socrates subiection to al lawes but aboue al things fulfill the will of God rather then the will of man For a righteous and godly man hauing Pet. Ramus in him the spirit of zeale and constancie neuer feareth in his afflictions the crueltie of any man but vvill boldlie to the death stand vnto the truth And forasmuch as hee knoweth that Rauisius almightie God is the truth and that truth is GOD hee likewise wisely considereth that he which departeth from the one departeth from the other But hee that eyther for feare of punishment Hemingius or else in hope of a Tyrants fauour forsaketh the truth before men vpon earth leaueth the most certaine promise of perpetuall felicitie for an vncertaine assurance of short-lasting vanitie and by seeking to deliuer his body from danger cloggeth his conscience with griefe and his soule with sorrow §. 9. If then thou be desirous to liue euerlastingly Gueuara faint not at any time vnder the burden of thine afflictions neither be thou mooued from thy hope of heauens helpe through the multitude of thy miseries but patiently put thy trust in the promises of Gods mercie and pray often for such perseuerance as may bring thee to eternall blessednes In all thy troubles stand vnto the truth Plotinus and commit thy selfe in thy greatest necessitie wholy altogether to the most high and mighty GOD neyther fearing them that threaten nor beleeuing thē that speak thee faire but trust in him alone that is most kinde and compassionate true of his promise and able to make both his vvord and worke good For more wisedome is it that a man for Hermes his soules sake shoulde suffer death then lose his soules happines for the loue of this life Blessed therfore is the man that endureth Iames 1 12 tentation for when hee is tryed hee shall receiue the crowne of life vvhich the Lorde hath promised to them that loue him §. 10. The peaceable and blessed life of the Bernard godly saith S. Bernard is in heauen and is onely to be attained vnto by faith patience and perseuerance For as without fayth it is vnpossible to Hillarius please God so without patience and perseuerance no man shall see God And although indeede the death of the Basill bodie by diuers meanes for diuers causes be vnto many men very tedious and bitter yet the death therof for the testimonie of Gods truth is vnto the godly man most easie most ioyfull most sweete and most delectable because he seeth through the eye of fayth the present performance of all Gods heauenly promises made vnto him in his holy word if he zealously continue constant in the veritie of his Christian profession §. 11. Thou therefore my sonne saith Paule vnto Timothie suffer affliction as a good 2. Tim. 2. 3. 4. souldiour of Iesus Christ No man that warreth entangleth himselfe with the affayres of this life because hee would please him that hath chosen him to be a Souldiour And Christ beeing our Captaine hath Rauisius called vs by the voyce of his Gospell to a spirituall warfare The foes against whom wee must continually fight are fleshlie assaultes worldly wickednes and the deceits of the deuill