Father you shall not neede to trouble your selues with too great anxiety in these matters for that a fathers hart cannot but be prouident and carefull for hys chyldren The lyke deduction maketh hee in the same place to the same effect by comparison of the byrdes of the ayre and other irresonable creatures for which if God doe make sayth he so aboundant prouision as all the whole world may witnesse that hee doth much more carefull wil he bâ— to prouide for men that are his own chyldren which are more deere vnto hym then any other terrestiall thing created All which speeches and reasons of our Sauiour are deriued from the nature and property of a Parent which cannot but affect loue his chyldren especially such a Father whom Christ calleth celestiall who in thys perfection of true fatherlie loue so far exceedeth all earthly Parents put together as in power clemencie goodnes almighty God surpasseth the infirmity of hys feeble creatures Such a father as hath not onely gyuen lyfe and beeing vnto hys chyldren but also as S. Paule sayth hath poured into theyr harts the diuine spirit of hys onely eternall Sonne styrring them vp to most assured coÌ„fidence inuincible hope in hys fatherly goodnes protection And vppon assurance of thys hope haue as well sinners as Saints from the beginning fled vnto hym confidently vnder thys title of paternitie and neuer were deceiued So the Prophet Esay as wel in hys own name as in the name of the sinfull people of Israel doubted not to cry Thou art our Father Abraham hath not knowne vs and Israell is ignorant of vs Thou O Lord art our Father thou art our Redeemer And to confirme thys assuraunce vnto vs Christ sent that most sweet comfortable embassage vnto hys Disciples presently vpon his resurrection Goe and tell my bretheren that I doe ascend vnto my Father vnto your Father vnto my God and vnto your God By which words of Father and God the one of loue and the other of power the one of will the other of abilitie hee tooke away al doubt of not speeding froÌ„ each man that should make recourse to this merciful Lord and Father God himselfe also after many threates vsed by the Prophet Ieremie against the people of Israel for theyr sinnes in the end least they should dispaire turneth about hys talke changeth his stile assuring them of many graces fauours if they woulde returne vnto him telling the house of Israel that hee had loued her from the beginningâ— and had sought to drawe her vnto hym by threates to the end he might take mercy vpon her that now he intended to builde her vp againe to adorne her with ioy exultation to gather her children from all corners of the earth to refreshe them with the waters and Riuers of lyfe and all this saith he Quia factus sum Israeli Pater for that I am become now a father to Israel And in the same place to wicked Ephraim the head Citty of the rebellious kingdome of Samaria he sayth Ephraim is becom my honorable sonâ— my delight deerly beloued child therfore my bowels are mooued with compassion vppon him and in aboundance of mercy will I take pittie of him So much attributed God to this respect of beeing a father vnto Israel and Ephraim and of theyr being his children that for thys cause onely notwithstaÌ„ding their infinite enormous sinnes his bowels of endlesse mercy were moued with loue compassion towards them And these are those tender mercifull bowels which holy Zacharie father to S. Iohn Baptist protesteth to be in almighty God towards man kind that had offended hymâ— These are those which were in y t good old father mentioned in the gospel who being not onely offended but also abandoned by his younger sonne yet after he saw him return home again notwithstanding hee had wasted all hys thrift substance had wearied out hys body with wicked lyfe he was so far off from disdaining to receiue hym as hee came foorth to meete with hym fel vpon his necke kissed hym for ioy adorned him with newe apparel and rich Iewels prouided a solemne banquet for himâ— inuited his friends to be merry with hym shewed more exultation tryumph for his return then if he had neuer departed from hym By which parable our Sauiour Christ endeuoured to set â—orth vnto vs the incomprehensible mercy of his heauenly father towards sinners in which respect he is truly called by hys Apostle Pater misericordiarum the father of mercies For that as S. Bernard well noteth this sea Ocean of mercies doth flow peculiarly from the hart of a Father which cannot be sayde so properly of the gulfe and depth of his iudgements For which cause he is called in scripture the God of iustice reâ—enge and not the Father And finally thys blessed name of father in God doth import vnto vs by Gods owne testimony al sweetnes al loue al friendshyp all comfort all fatherly prouidence care protection all certainty of fauour all assuraunce of grace all security of mercy pardon and remission of our sins when soeuer vnfainedly we turne vnto hym And in thys poynt hys diuine Maiestie is so forward and vehement to giue vs assurance that being not coÌ„tent to set foorth hys loue vnto vs by the loue of a fathers hart hee goeth further and protesteth vnto vs that hys hart is more tender towardes vs in thys behalfe then the hart of any mother can be to the onely child infant of her owne wombe For thus he sayth to Sion which for her sins began to doubt least he had forsakeÌ„ her Can the Mother forget her owne infant or can she not be mercifull to the childe of her owne wombe if shee could yet can I not forgette or reiect thee behold I haue written thee in the flesh of mine owne handes And thys for so much as GOD is called our Father There remaineth yet a third consideration which more setteth forth Gods inestimable loue then any of the other demonstrations before handled And that is that he gaue the lyfe and blood of hys onely begotten eternal sonne for purchasing redeeming vs when we were lost a price so infinite and inexpiable as no doubt hys diuine wisedom would neuer haue giuen but for a thing which he had loued aboue all measure Which our Sauiour himselfe that was to make the payment doth plainly signifie and therefore also seemeth as it were to wonder at such a bargaine when he sayth in the Gospel So deerely hath God my Father loued the worlde that he hath giuen for it his onely begotten sonne In which words he ascribeth this most wonderful dealing of hys Father vnto the vehemencie and excâ—eding aboundance of loue as doth also his deerest Disciple and Apostle S. Iohn saying In this appeareth the great loue and charitie of
God towardes vs that he sath sent hys onely begotten Sonne into the world to purchase life for vs. In this I say is made euident his exceeding charitie that we not louing him he loued vs first and gaue his own son to be a raunsome for our sins Wher vnto also the holy Apostle S. Paul agreeth admiring in like manner the excessiue loue of god in these words God doth meruailously commende and set forth hys great loue vnto vs in that we being yet sinners he gaue his son to the death for our redemption And in another place framing out as it were a measure of Gods mercy by y e aboundance of his loue sayth thus God who is rich in mercie through the exceeding loue which he bore vnto vs wee beeing dead in sin he reuiued vs in Christ and raysed vs vp euen vnto heauen making vs to sitte downe there with hym to the end he might declare to all ages worlds ensuing the most aboundant riches of hys grace and goodnes towards vs. Thys was the opinion of that noble Apostle S. Paule and of all hys coequals Apostles Euangelists Disciples and Saints that this work of our redemption proceeded only froÌ„ the inflamable fornace of Gods immeasurable loue And therefore to make no other conclusion heereof then that which S. Paule hymselfe doth make If God haue not spared his owne propper and onely begotten sonne but hath giueâ— him vp to death for gayning vs vnto hym how can it be that with him he hath not giuen vs al other things If when we were hys enemies and thought not vpon hym hee sent to seeke vs so diligently by such a messenger as hee loued so deerely allowing hym to lay downe a price for vs which he so infinitely esteemed what shall we thinke that he wil doe vnto vs now wee being made hys owne by our redemption if we return willingly vnto hym when our receiuing shal cost hym nothing els but onely a mercifull looke vppon vs which is not so much from the infinite bowels of hys bottomlesse mercie as is one droppe of water from the most huge gulfe of the maine Ocean sea And thys shall suffise for the fiâ—st poynt of Gods loue declared vnto vs by the three most sweet and comfortable names and respects of Creator Father and Redeemer The second part how God expresseth his loue towards sinners NExt after which we are to consider in what manner God is accustomed to expresse declare thys loue of hys in his dealings and proceedings towards sinners And first of al the wise man hauing had long experience of thys matter beginneth to describe and sette â—oorth in thys sort saying vnto God hymselfe Thou O Lorde doost dissemble the sinnes of men to giue vnto them tyme of repentance And then when they will not vse thys benefite of hys forbearing but wil needes enforce him to punish and correct them he sayth further of thys correction Such as wilfully doe runne astray O Lord and will not turne vnto thee thou dost correct them sweetly by little litle admonishing and exhorting them to leaue theyr sinnes and to beleeue in thee These two poynts then of exceeding clemencie by the testimonie of the wiseman are founde in Almighty God first to wincke at the wicked lyfe of men and to expect theyr conuersion with vnspeakeable patience and longanimitie according as also the Prophet Esay beaâ—eth witnesse adioyning the cause thereof in these words The Lorde doth attend your conuersion to the end 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 mildnes as alwaies in this life hee reserueth place of pardon And to these two we may adioyne yet a third property of his mercie more admirable perhaps then the formerâ— which is as Tertullian excelleÌ„â—ly noteth that he being the partie offended yet first and principally desireth reconsiliation he hauing receiued the wrong iniurie yet doth he most busily intreate for amitiâ— attonement And whereas in all ryght and equitie he might denie vs pardon and for hys power take reuenge of vs at hys pleasure yet doth he not onely offer vs peace of hys owne accorde but also sueth vnto vs by all meanes possible to accept thereof humbling in a certaine manner hys diuine Maiestie to our basenes and vilitie and behauing himselfe in thys respect as a Prince that were enamoured of hys bond-slaue and abiect seruaunt Thys might be declared by many of hys own speeches and doings in holy Scripture but one place out of the Prophet Esay shall serue for all where Almighty GOD so earnestly wooeth y e conuersion of Ierusalem as no louer in the world could vtter more signes testimonies of a hart inflamed sette on fire with loue then he dooth towards that Cittie which so highly had offended hym For first after many thrâ—ates poured out against her if she dyd not return least she might perhaps fall into despayre he maketh this protestation in the beginning of hys 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 hee entreth into this dyspute and doubt with hymselfe about punishing her for her sinnes what shal I do Shall I treade her vnder my feete and put her to the fire or els will she stay my puissaunt hand and make peace with me will she I say make attonement with me After which doubt and cunctation he resolueth himselfe to change hys manner of stile to â—al a lyttle to chyde with her and then he sayth Harken O ye deafe inhabitants of Ierusalem looke about ye yee blinde folke that will not see who is blind and deafe but my seruaunt that wil not regarde or listen to the Messengers which I sende O thou which hast open eares wilt thou not heare And then a lyttle after he beginnâ—th to smooth and speake faire againe saying Euer since thou hast beene gracions and glorious in mine eyes I haue loued thee and for thy soule wil I giue whole Nations Feare not for that I am with thee Wherwith shee beeing little or nothing mooued he returneth to a sweet maner of complaynt saying Thou hast enthrallâ—d me by thy sins and with thine iniquities thou hast greatly afflicted mee Which beeing sayde and she somewhat moued thereby to loue him as it seemeth he turneth vnto her with thys most comfortable and kynde speech I am he I am he which cancelleth thine iniquities for myne own sake wil neuer think any more vpon thy sins All which being done they now reconciled and made fast friends together his diuine Maiestie beginneth a very louing conference as it were and sweet expostulation wyth her sayiug in these words Call thou to
Babylon put aside the Table stand vpon thy watch ryse vp you Princes from eating and drinking take your Targets in your hands goe and set a watchman vppon the walles and what soeuer hee seeth let him tell you And then was there a watchman set vppon the walles and a Lyon to denounce with open mouth whatsoeuer daunger he saw comming towards them And God taught the Prophet to cry in thys sort to theyr Sentinell or watchman Custos quid de nocte custos quid de nocte Thou VVatchman what seest thou comming towards thee by night what espyest thou O Sentinell drawing on vs in the darkenesse By all which circumstaunce what els is insinuated but that God wold haue vs stand vppon our watch for that his iudgements are to come vppon the world by night when men least think therof they are to come as a theefe at midnight as also in an other place we are admonished and therfore happie is the man that shall be founde watchfull But nowe the doore and sole entrance into thys watch wherof the securitie of our eeternal life depeÌ„deth can be nothing els but consideration for that wher no consideration is there can be no watch nor fore-sight nor knoweâ—edge of our â—state and consequentâ—y no hope of our saluation as holy S. Bernard holdeth which thing caused that blessed man to write â—iue whole bookes of consideration â—o Eugenius Consideration is the thing that â—ringeth vs to knowe God and our â—elues And touching God it layeth â—efore vs his Maiâ—stie his mercie his â—udgments his commaundements â—is threatnings his promises his â—roceeding with other men before â—s wherby we may gather what we â—lso in time must expect at his hands And for ourselues consideration â—s the key that opneth the doore to the closet of our hart vvhere all our Bookes of account doe lye it is the looking glasse or rather the very eye of the soule vvhereby she taketh the view of herselfe and looketh into al her whole estate into her ritches her debts her duties her negligences her good gifts her defects her safety her daunger her way she walketh in her course shee followeth her pace shee holdeth and finally the place end vvherevnto she draweth And without this consideration shee runneth on headlong into a thousand brakes and bryers stumbling at euery step into some inconueniencie or other and continually in perrill of some great and deadly mischeefe And vvonderfull truely it is that in all other busines of thys lyfe men can see and confesse that nothing may bee begun prosecuted or vvell ended without consideration and yet in this great affayre of vvinning heauen or falling into hell fevve thinke consideration greatly necessarie to be vsed I might stand here to shew the infinite other effects and commodities of consideration that as it is y e watch or larum bell that stirreth vp and awakeneth all the powers of our mind the match or tinder that conceiueth nourisheth the â—ire of deuotion the bellows that enkindleth enflâ—mâ—th the same the spur that pricketh forward to all vertuous zealous and hâ—roycâ—ll acts and the thing indeede that giueth both light lyfe and motion to our soule Our faith is â—onfirmed increased by coÌ„sideration of Gods works and myracles our hope by consideration of his promises of the true performance therof to all them that euer trusted in him our charitie or loue to God by consideration of his benefits innumerable deserts towards vs our humilitie by consideration of his greatnes of our own infirmitie our courage fortitude by contemplation of his assistance in all causes for his honour our coÌ„tempt of the world by consideration of the ioyes of heauen eternall and so all other vertues both morral diuine doe take their heate quickning and vitall spirite from consideration By the exercise of consideration â— meditation holy Dauid saith that he felt a burning fire to flame within his breast that is the fire of zeale the fire offeruour in Religion the fire of deuotion the fire of loue towardes God and his neighbour And in an other place he saith that by the same exercise he swept and purged his owne spirit which is to bee vnderstood from the dust of thys world froÌ„ the dregs of sin from the coÌ„tamination and coinquination of humane creatures for that consideration indeed is the very fan that seuereth and driueth a way the chaffe from the corn For vvhich cause vve shall neuer reade of any holy man from the beginning of the world neither before Christ nor after who vsed not much and familiarly this most blessed exercise of consideration and pondering And for the first three Patriarches it shalbe sufficient to remember the custome of young Isaack recorded in Genesis VVhich vvas to goe foorth towards night into the fielde ad medit andum that is to meditate consider ponder vpon thâ— vvorkes iudgments and commaundements of God And this hee diâ— beeing but a childe and vnmarried farre different from the custome oâ— young Gentlemen now adaies whâ—â— frequent the fieldes to followe theyr vanities and as little Isaack coulde not haue that custome but from hys Father Abraham so no doubt but hee taught the same to his sonne Iacob Iacob again to his posteritie And as for Moses his successor Iosua it may easily bee imagined howe they vsed this exercise by the most earnest exhortations vvhich they made thereof to others in their speech writings The good Kings of Iuda also notvvithstanding theyr many great temporall affayres doe testifie of themselues coÌ„cerning thys exercise as Dauid almost euery vvhere that the commaundements of God vvere his dayly meditation not onely by day that tota die all the day et per singulos dies euery day et in matutino in the morning et septies in die seauen times a day but also hee insinuateth this custome by night meditatus sum nocte cum corde meo I doe meditate by night in my hart vpon thy commaundements ô Lord signyfying heereby both hys vvatchfulnes by night vvhen other men vvere a sleepe and the hartie â—â—re that hee had of this exercise which vve esteeme so little Salomon also King Dauids son so long as he lyued in the grace and fauour of God obserueth this exercise of his Father and exhorteth other men to haue continuall and daylie cogitation in this affaire Which if himselfe had continued still it is likely he had neuer fallen from God by women as he did The good K. Ezechias is reported to haue meditated lyke a Doue that is in silence solitarines with himself alone which is the true vvay of profitable meditation Esay testifieth of his owne vvatching by night in this exercise and howe hee did the same vvith his spirite alone in the very bowels of his hart Holy Iob maketh mention not onely of his manner of
and are assertained of resurrection to glory in y e life to come by hys mighty working that is able to subdue all things to hymselfe Seeing therefore that the summe and substance of our whole Religion and of our eternall saluation or damnation consisteth in the knowledge of thys one vertue it shall be worth the labour breefely but yet plainly to describe the forme force and nature of thys faith whereof we speake Wherin you shall not looke for the diuers significations which that word receiueth in scripture nor for any declaration of those vnprofitable faythes wherof S. Iames speaketh which are coÌ„mon to the wicked and to the deuils themselues whereby 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 chyldren of GOD whereby thâ—y beleeue thaâ— Christ is theyr Iesus by whom they are saued from theyr sinnes from the punishment due vnto them for the same and by whom onely they are restored vnto the fauour of God and made heyres with Christ of his heauenly kingdome In the Epistle to the Hebrues there is a notable description of that liuely faith where it is said to be y e ground of things that are hoped for and the euidence of thinges y t are not seene Of whiâ—h description of y e Apostle we may make a plaine definition after thys sort Fayth is an assured perswasion of our saluatioÌ„ by y e means of Christ which is grounded on the promises of God and sealed in our harts by the holy Ghost This definition is drawne from the forme and propertie of true fayth but the other in the Epistle to the Hebrues seemeth rather to be taken froÌ„ the substaunce of faith and speaketh of the obiect matter thereof But both of theÌ„ tende to one the same thing namely to expresse the nature of true fayth to consist in the certainty of that eternall lyfe which is purchased vnto vs by Christ Iesus which althogh we enioy not presently yet by faith we are as fully assured of it as if we had possession and fruition thereof already And heereof it is that y e Apostle calleth it plerophoria fulnesse or assurance of fayth when wee are perswaded that wee are so highly in Gods fauour that nothing is able to separate or remoue vs froÌ„ the loue that God beareth vs in his sonne and our Sauiour Christ Iesus Thys fulnes of faith containeth in it these three things Fyrst a notice or knowledge of the mercifull promises of God in Christ Iesus Secondly an vndoubted perswasion 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 hee also eate it digest it so it is not enough for vs to know the promises of God vnlesse we beleeue the same to be true and apply them to our owne selues And as it is not enough for a wounded man to haue a soueraigne salue or Medicine in hys windowe vnlesse he apply it to hys wound so is it not sufficient for vs to knowe that Christ is the Sauiour of the world vnlesse also we acknowledge hym to be a Sauiour vnto vs lay hold on hym by the hand of fayth Wherefore thys is the propertie and effect of a sauing fayth euen to apply Christ wyth hys gyfts vnto euery one of the faythful to make all coÌ„clusions of Gods promises particuler that is peculier to themselues and their own saluation And therefore it is that fayth is called the lyfe of the soule because it is the instrument wherwith Christ the true lyfe foode of our soule is to be eaten Yea it is the mouth the tongue the teeth the stomack and that heate of our harts and soules whereby Christ the word of GOD is spiritually taken eaten and digested of vs wyth which worde or rather with which Christ our soules doe lyue namely with the flesh blood of Christ which we eate and drink whilst we embrace receiue Christ by a lyuely fayth Wherupon S. Cyprian hath thys sweet saying Quod est esca carni hoc animae est fides c. That which meate is to the fleshe that is â—ayth to the soule That which foode is to the body that is the worde to the Spyrite So that fayth is the bond which doth so straightly vnite and knit vs vnto Christ no otherwise then the members are vnited to the heade whereby we pertake his spiritual graces as the members of mans body receiue nutriment from the head and in a word what good things soeuer are necessary for our eternall lyfe doe flowe and are deriued vnto vs from Christ as from a most plentiful wholesom fountaine are câ—nueied vnto vs by the instrument of fayth as by a strong and substantiall Conduit-pype It were too long and not so pertinent to the purpose to reâ—ite all the propeâ—ties of this sâ—â—ing faith wherof we speake it may suffise therâ—ore to haue shewed you these few notes and effects thereof by the due consideration whereof it shall be easie for any to examine try themselues as the Apostle speaketh whether they be in the faith or no consequently whether they be true Christians for the first part of y t profession namely for matters of beleefe which coÌ„sisteth as hath been shewed not onely in beleeuing whatsoeuer is propouÌ„ded vnto vs in the holy Scripture although that also be a true fayth but also in the assurance of Gods loue fauour towards vs wrought in our harts by the preaching of the Gospel sealed by the holy Ghost whereby we do firmely perswade themselues that our sins are as vtterly forgiuen vs for Christ his sake as if he neuer had committed any and his righteousnes as perfectly imputed vnto vs as if we had performed the same in our own persons Wherfore to coÌ„clude thys first part of our present speech hee that not onely protesteth with S. Ierome that he dooth abhorre all sectes and names of particuler men as Marcionists Montanists Valenâ—inians the lyke which like the builders of Babel haue built vp Churches Sinagogues and Conuenticles to gette themselues a name that men might be called after them Marcionists Montanists and such others hee I say that loatheth detesteth sects and as hee was not baptised in the name of Marcion Montan or Valentine but in the Name of Iesus Christ so refuseth hee to be called a Marcionist Montanist or Valentinian or by any name of any man vnder heauen and therewithall reioyceth in the Name of Christ to be called a Christian giuing al doctrines and Gospels the slyp pitcheth him vpon the doctrine and Gospell of IESVS taught by his holy Apostles he that can captiuate hys vnderstanding to the obedience of Christ to
beleeue huÌ„bly such things as Christ by his Apostles proposeth to hym albeit hys reason or sence should stand against the same And not onely so but also perswadeth assureth hys own hart soule that all the mercifull promises that God maketh in his word doe belong vnto hym in especiall and that he is one of that nuÌ„ber which God hath elected to saluation and for whose sinnes Christ Iesus the son of GOD was content to die and to rise again for hys iustification he that findeth hymselfe to be in this faith or rather thys fayth to be in hym and feeleth the fruites effects thereof that is as they are reckoned by the Apostle Rom. 5. to be at peace wyth 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 shedde abroâ—d in his hart by the working of the holy Ghost c. Thys man no doubt is in a most sure case for matters of his fayth and cannot possibly walke awry therein but may thynke hymselfe a good Christian for thys first poynt which is for matters of beleefe The second part of this Chapter THere followeth the second parte of Christian proâ—ession concerning lyfe and 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 lyfe then from sincere fayth wherein there can be no comparison at all seeing the path of our beleefe is so manifest as hath beene shewed that no man can erre therin but of inexcusable wilfulnesse Which wilfulnes of errour the holy Fathers of Christes Primatiue Church dyd alwaies referre to two principall and originall causes that is to pryde and ouerweening in our owne conceits and to malice against our Superiours for not gyuing our selues contentation to the things that wee desire Of the first doe proceede new opinions new glosing expounding and applying of the Scriptures preâ—erring our owne iudgement before all other past or present the contempt and debasing of holy Fathers and Councels whatsoeuer proofe standeth not with our owne lyking and approbation Of the second fountaine are deriued other qualities conformable to that humor as are the denying of iurisdiction authority in our Superiours the contempt of Prelates the exaggeration of the faults defects of our Gouernours the impugnation of al byshoplike dignities or Ecclesiasticall eminencie and especially of that rule wherunto appertaineth the correction of such like offenders and finally for satis-fying this deuilish and pernicious venime of malice those wicked â—eprobates do incite arme the people against theyr spirituall Pastours they kindle factions against Gods faithfull Ministers they deuise a new Church a newe forme of gouernment a newe kingdome and Ecclesiasticall Hieraâ—chie vpon earth wherby to bring men 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 pride and malice haue beene the cause of obstinate errour in all Heretiques from the beginning as â—ul well noted that holy and auncient Martyr S. Cyprian when he sayd so long agoe These are the beginnings originall causes of Heretiques wicked Scismatiques first to please and lyke wel of themselues and then being puffed vp with the swelling of pryde to contemne their Gouernors and Superiors Thus doe they abandon and forsake the church thus doe they erect a prophane Altar out of the church against the church Thus doe they breake the peace and vnitie of Christ doe rebel 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 we 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 we haue euil passions in ordinate appetites wicked desires or vnlafull inclinations within our mind euery one whereof is the cause oftentimes of dysordered life breach of Gods commaundements For which respect there is much more set downe in scripture for exhortation to good lyfe then to fayth for that the error heerein is more ordinary and easie and more prouoked by our owne frailtie as also by the multitude of infinite temptations Wherefore wee reade that our Sauiour Christ in the verie beginning of hys preaching strayght after he was baptised and had chosen vnto him S. Peter and S. Andrew Iames and Iohn some other fewe Disciples went vp to the Mountaine there made his most excellent famous and copious Sermon recited by S. Mathew in three whole chapters wherein he talketh of nothing els but of vertuous lyfe pouertie meekenes iustiâ—e purity sorrow for sinne patiâ—nce in suffering contempt of rychesâ— forgiuing of iniuries fasting prayer repentance entrance by the straight gate and finally of perfection holinesse and integritie of conuersation and of the exact fulfilling of euery iote of Gods Law and coÌ„mandements He assured hys Disciples with great asseâ—eration that he came not to breake the Lawe but to fulfill the same and consequently who soeuer should breake the least of hys Commaundements and shoulde teach men so to doe that is should perseuere therin without repeÌ„tance and so by hys example drawe other men to doe the like should haue no place in the kingdom of heauen Againe he exhorted them most earnestly to be lyghts and to shyne by good works to al the world that except theyr iustice dyd exceede the iustice of the Scribes and Pharisies which was but ordinary and externall they could not be saued Hee told them plainly they might not serue two Maisters in thys lyfe but eyther they must forsake God or abandon Mammon He cryed vnto them Attendite stand attent and consider wel your state and condition and then againeâ— seeke to enter by the straight gate And lastly he concludeth that the only trial of a good tree is the good fruite which it yeeldeth without the which fruite let the Tree be neuer so faire or pleasant to the eye yet it is to be cutte down and burned And that not euery one that shall cry or say vnto him Lord Lord at the last day shal be saued or enter into the kingdome of heauen but onely such as did execute in deedes the will and commaundements of hys Father in thys life For want whereof he assured them that many at that day who had not only beleeued but also doone miracles in hys Name should be denied reiected and abandoned by hym Which long lesson of vertuous lyfe being the first that euer our Sauiour gaue in publique to his Disciples then newly gathered togeâ—her as S. Matthew noteth hauing treated some-what before of poynts of fayth and by some miracles and preaching shewed himselfe to be
the true Messias doth sufficiently teach vs that we must not only belieue in his name doctrine but conforme our liues actions also to the prescript rule of his commaundements For albeit in Christian Religion faith be the first principall foundation whereupon all the rest is to be staied and grounded Yet as in other materiall buildings after the foundation is layde there remaineth the greatest labour time cost cunning and diligence to be bestowed vpoÌ„ the framing furnishing of other parts y t must ensue euen so in thys celestiall edifice or building of our soule hauing laid on the foundation and ground of true beleefe the rest of all our life time labor studies is to be imployed in the perfecting of our lyfe and actions and as it were in raysing vp the wals and other parts of our spiritual building by the exercise of all vertues dylligent obseruation of Gods coÌ„mandements without the which it will be to no more purpose for vs to brag of our knowledge in the scriptures or to say we haue fayth looke to be saued as wel as other men then it wil be to purpose to haue a foundation without a building vpon it or a stock or tree y t beareth no fruite Which thing S. Iames speaking of that historical and dead fayth wherby the wicked and the very deuils themselues belieue that there is one GOD expresseth most excellently in thys fit similitude As a bodie without a spirit is dead euen so saith he is fayth without workes Thys poynt of doctrine of vertuous life obseruing of Gods commandements not our sauior Christ alone in hys Sermon most earnestly vrged as hath beene sayde but hys fore-runner also S. Iohn the Baptist and his followers the holy Apostles whereof the one continually called vpoÌ„ the people to bring forth fruits meete for repentance the other in all theyr wryting no doubt in all theyr Sermons after matter of doctrine and fayth propounded do proceede to exhortation precepts of Christian lyfe In so much as S. Augustine other auncient Fathers are of opinion that the rest of the Apostles S. Peter S. Iames S. Iohn and S. Iude perceiuing the loosenes and security of the people in their times directed theyr writings eyther onely or principally to thys ende euen to perswade and enforce the necessitie of good life conuersation among Christians Yea and that Saint Paule himselfe when he concludeth that a man is iustified by fayth without the works of the Law doth not exclude the workes of charitie as effects and fruites of fayth which followe hym that is already iustified in the sight of God but hee excludeth them as causes of saluation which goe before him that is to be iustified Whereby it appeareth that saint Paul handling the causes of our iustification in the sight of God is not repugnant â—r contrary to S. Iames speaking oâ— the notes and signes whéreby we are iustified that is as the worde is taken els where declared or knowne to be iust or righteous before men The sum is that although good works are not the causes of our saluation yet they are the way as it were the path that leadeth thervnto because by them as by certayne marks we perceiue our selues to haue entered and to haue proceeded in the way of eternal life Yea they are the fruites and effects wherby we testifie and declare both vnto our selues and to others the truth of that fayth which we professe And therefore our Sauiour Christ willeth vs in y e gospel to let our light shine before men that they seeing our good works may take occasion therby to glorifie our heauenly Father And his holy Apostle Saint Iames byddeth those carnall and sensuall Christians that stoode so much vpon the onely name of faith to shew hym theyr fayth by their works that is they should declare testifie vnto men as I haue sayde the fayth which they professed by the fruites thereof To men I say 〈◊〉 cause men which iudge but by 〈◊〉 outwarde appearance onely cannot know the goodnes of a Tree but by the good fruite which it yeeldeth they cannot discerne the inwarde fayth but by the outward workes But as for God that searcheth the secrets of the hart and raynes it needeth not that we should shewe him our fayth by our works nor may we looke for iustification at his hands by the best of them for theÌ„ might we haue wherof to boast but there is no boasting with God therfore no iustifying by works in hys sight Yet notwithstanding the Lord requireth good works at our hands to the end that hymselfe myght be glorified our needie bretheren relieued comforted others gained wonne by our example to the embracing of the same fayth and Religion which we professe our owne fayth exercised and strengthened our calling election made sure confirmed And it is very requisite y t the chyldren of God which are bought with so high a price as with the blood of Iesus shold glorify god both in soule body because they are redeemed both in soule body and not lyue vnto theÌ„selues but vnto him which dyed and rose againe for them This is the end of our election before the foundations of the worlde were layde as the Apostle testifieth Ephes 1 4 euen that we should be holie and blamelesse before hym 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 ordayned that wee should walke This is the end of our redemption as old Zachary prophecied Luke 1 74 75 that beeing redeemed and deliuered from all our spirituall enemies and from eternall destruction wherunto we were subiect we should serue God without feare in holines and righteousnesse before hym all the daies of our lyfe Finally this is the ende of our vocation For God hath not called vs to vncleannesse but vnto holinesse and as he that hath called vs is holy so must we be holy in all maner of coÌ„uersation And it cannot be that they which are truely iustified that is to say made righteous by a liuely faith in Christ should not also in some measure be sanctified that is made holy by a faithfull lyfe in hym Let not men therfore deceiue theÌ„selues with the onely name shadow of faith without the nature and substaunce thereof Let them not promise vnto themselues euerlasting life because they knowe y e true God and whoÌ„ he hath sent Iesus Christ but let them remember how Christ hys Apostle whom he deerely loued expoundeth that saying when hee wryteth By thys we knowe GOD truly if we keepe his commaundements and whosoeuer sayth that â—e knoweth hym and yet keepeth not his commaundements is a lyar and the trueth is not in hym
such as wil truely turne vnto him in what tyme state condition or age soeuer in this lyfe which shal be shewed and sette downe by these four poynts and parts that doe ensue The first part touching the loue that God beareth towards man FIrst of all by the infinite and incomprehensible loue y e almightie God beareth vnto man which loue is alwaies y e Mother of fauor grace and mercy If you demaund of mee in what sorte I doe prooue that the loue of God is so exceeding great towards man I answer as the Cosmographer is wont to doe who by the greatnes multitude of y e streames and Riuers doth frame a coniecture of the Fountaine from which they flowe The proper Riuers which are deriued and doe run forth of loue are good turnes and benefits which seeing they are infinite endlesse and inestimable bestowed by God vpon man as in the place before hath beene declared and the whole vniuersall frame of thys world doth aboundantly beare witnes it foloweth most euidently that the origine fountaine wel-spring of al these fauours graces and good turnes must needes be infinite immeasurable and far surpassing all compasse of mans vnderstanding If you require of me the cause reason why Almighty God should so wonderfully be affected towardes man I can directly yeelde ye none at all but rather meruaile thereat with holy Iob why so soueraigne a Maiestie should set his hart vpon so base a subiect Notwithstanding the holy Scripture seemeth to alledge one principal reason of his loue when it sayth Nâ—hil odâ—sti â—orum que fecisti et parcis omnibus quia tua sunt Demine qui diligis animas That is Thou ô Lord which louest soules canst not hate those thinges which thou hast made but dost vse mercie towardes all men for that they are thyne And the lyke manner of reasoning vseth God himselfe when he sayth by the Prophet Ezechiel Behold all soules are mine and heerevpon he inferreth a little after Numquid voluntatis meâ— est mors impij Can I haue the wil to damne a wicked man seeing y t his soule is mine created redeemed by me as who would say thys were a case against all order and equity And the reason of this maner of speech argument is for that euery man naturallie is inclined to loue the things that be of his own making So we see that if a man haue an Orchard wherein be great varietie of Trees plants yet if there be but one of his own peculier grafting that florisheth prospereth well he taketh more delight therein then in any of the rest for that it is hys owne workmanshyp So in lyke manner if a man haue a Vineyard of his owne planting and trimming For which respect the holie Prophet Dauid finding himselfe and the whole kingdome of Iurie in great affliction calamity thought no other meanes so forcible to draw God to compassion and commiseration of theyr case as to cry out to hym in this maner Thou which gouernest Israel looke towards vs be attent Thou hast brought foorth a Vineyard out of Egipt thou hast purged the same from Gentiles and hast planted it Thou O God of all power turne towards vs looke vpon vs from heauen and visite this thy vineyarde which thine owne right hande hath planted The like maner of perswasion vsed the holy Prophet Esay to moue God when he said Looke vppon vs I beseech thee O Lorde which are the worke of thine owne hands But aboue all other the blessed man Iob standeth as it were in argument and dysputation with God about thys matter saying haue not thy hands made me haue they not framed me of clay and earth hast not thou compacted me as cheese is made of mylke hast not thou knyt my bones and sinewes together and couered my fleshe with skyn hast not thou giuen me lyfe and conserued my Spyrite with thy continuall protection how soeuer y u seeme to dissemble these matters hide theÌ„ in thy hart yet I know that thou remembrest them all and art not vnmindful of them By which wordes thys holy man signified that albeit god suffered him greatly to be tempted and afflicted in thys lyfe so farre foorth as hee might seeme to haue forgotten him yet was he well assured that his diuine Maiestie coulde not of his goodnes forsake or despise him for that he was his creature the proper workmanshyppe of hys own hands In which very name of workmanship holy Dauid tooke such great comfort considering that the workman cannot chuse but be louing and fauourable towardes hys owne worke especially so excellent and bountifull a workman as is almighty God towards a work made as man is to his own shape likenes that in all his necessities yea euen in hys greatest infirmities of fleshe and most grieuous offences committed against hys Maiestie he conceiueth most assured hope of mercy and pardon vpon this consideration that he was his workmanship and consequently wel knowne to his diuine wisedome of how brickle infirme a mettal he was made For thus at one time among other he reasoneth of thys matter Looke how far distant the East is from the West so far off hath God remoued our iniquities from vs. Euen as a father dooth take compassion of hys own chyldren so doth the lord take mercy vpoÌ„ vs for that he wel knoweth the mould wherof we are made and doth remember that we are nothing els but dust In which discourse the holy Prophet maketh mention of two things that did assure hym of Gods mercy the one that God was hys Creator and maker and therby priuie to the frailty of hys constitution nature the other that he was hys Father whose property is to haue compassion on hys chyldren and thys is a second reason more strong forcible perhaps then the former why euery man may be most assured of pardon that hartily turneth vnto almighty GOD considering that it hath pleased his diuine Maiestie not onely to be vnto man a Creator 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 this world Wherof a certaine Phylosopher sayd well that no man coulde conceiue the loue of a Parents hart but hee only y t had a chyld of hys owne For which respect our Sauiour Christ to put vs in minde of this most feruent loue and thereby as it were by one fire to enkindle another within our harts dyd â—se oftentimes ordinarily to repeate thys sweete name of Father in his speeches to hys followersâ— and thereupon founded dyuers most excellent and comfortable dyscourses as at one time when he exhorted them from ouer-much carâ— and worldly solicitude hee addeth thys reason Your Father in Heaueâ— knoweth that you haue neede of these thinges As who woulde say hee knowing your wants being your