diuers times he hath vsed and doth vse therby to gaine vs and our sowles vnto his eternal kingdome by stirring vs vp to abandon vitious life and to betake ourselues to his holy and swete seruice Al which most rare and excellent benefites being measured either according to their inestimable value in themselues or according to the loue of that harte from which they do proceede or els if we respect the maiestie of the giuer or meanesse of the receyuer ought in reason to moue vs most vehementlie to gratitude towardes so bountiful a benefactour And this gratitude shoulde be to resolue ourselues at length to serue him vnsaynedlie to preferre his fauour before al wordlie or mortal respectes whatsoeuer Or if we can not obtaine so much of ourselues yet at leastwise not to offende him anie more by our sinnes and wickednes There is not so fearse or cruell a nature in the world as I noted before but is mollisied allured and wōne by benefites And stories do make reporte of straunge examples in this kinde euen among brute beastes as of the gratitude of lyons dogges and other like towardes their maisters and benefactours Onliean obstinate sinner is he among all the sauuage creatures that are whom neither benefites can moue nor curtisies can mollifie nor promises can allure nor gyftes can gayne to the faithfull seruice of God his Lord and maister The greatest synner that is in the world if he geeue his seruante but twentie nobles a yeare or his tennant some litle farme to liue vpon if they for this should not serue him at a becke he crieth out of their ingratitude But if they should further malitiouslie seeke to offende him and to ioyne in amitie with his professed enimie how intollerable a matter would this seeme in his conceit And yet him self dealing much more ingratfullie and iniuriouslie with almightie God esteemath it a matter of smal consideration easely pardonable He dealeth I saie far more ingratfullie with God for that he hath receyued a thousand folde for one in respect of all the benefites that one mortal man can gyue vnto an other Seing that of God he hath receyued al in al the bread which he eateth the grounde he treadeth the light he beholdeth the aire he enioyeth and finally what so euer he possesseth ether within or without his bodie as also the minde with al her spiritual endumētes wherof eche one is more worth then ten thousand bodies Of this extreme ingratitude and iniurie God himself is enforced to complaine in diuers places of holy scripture as where he saith they repaied me euil for good And yet much more vehemētlie in an other place he calleth the heauens to witnes of this iniquitie crving out Obstupescite caeli super hoc O you heauens be you astonished at this As if he should saye by a figuratiue kinde of speech goe out of your wittes you heauens with meruaile at this incredibile iniquitie of man to wardes me For so he expoundeth the whole matter more at large in an other place Audite cals auribus percipe terra c. Harken oye heauens and thow earth bende hither thine eares I haue nourished vp children and haue exalted them and now they doe cōtemne me What a lamentable complaint is this of almightie God against most vile and base wormes of the earth But yet he amplifieth this iniquitie more vehemētly by certaine examples and comparisons The oxe saieth he knovveth his ovvner the asse knovveth the manger of his Lord and maister but yet my people knovveth not me VVoe be to this synful nation to this people loden vvith 〈◊〉 to this noughtie seede to vvicked children What complaint can be more vehement then this what threatning can be more dreadfull then this woe comming from the mouth of him which may punishe vs at his pleasure Wherfore deare brother if thou haue grace cease to be vngrateful to God any longer cease to offend him which hath by so many waies preuented the with benefites cease to render euil for good hatred for loue contempt for his father lie affection towardes the. He hath done for the al that he can he hath geeuen the al that thow art yea and in a certaine maner al that he is worth hym self and meaneth besides to make the partaker of al his glorie in the world to come and requireth no more for al this at thy handes but loue and gratitude O my louing brother why wilt thou not yelde vnto him this his desire why wilt thou not doe as much to him as thou woldest haue an other mā to doe to the for lesse then the ten thousand parte of thes benefites which thow hast receyued for I dare bouldly saye if thow haddest gyuen but an almes to a poore man at thy dore thou wooldest thike him bounde to loue the for it al beit besids this ther were nothing in the that greatly might deserue his loue But thy Lord and maister setting a parte al his giftes bestowed vpon the hath infinite causes to drawe thy loue vnto him that is to saye all the causes which any thing in the world hath in it to purchase loue and infinite more besydes For if all the perfections of thinges created both in heauen and in earth that may procure loue were ioyned together in one as al their beautie al their vertue al their wisdome al their sweetnes al their nobilitie al their goodnes and other like excellencies yet thy Lord Sauy our whom thou contemnest surpasseth all thes and that by infinite and infinite degrees for that he is not onlie all thes thinges together but morouer he is verie beautie it self vertue it self wisedome it self sweetenes it self nobilitie it self goodnes it self and the verie fountaine and welspring from which by litles peeces and parcels al thes thinges are deriued vnto his creatures Be a shamed then good Christian of this thine ingratitude to so great so good and so bountifull a Lord and resolue thy self for the tyme to come to amende thy course of life and former behauiour towardes him Say at lēgth with the Prophet hauing considered thine owne ingratitude O Lord pardon me mine offences for they are great in thy sight I know there is nothing ô Lord which doth so much displease the or drie vp the fountaine of thy mercie or so byndeth thy handes frō doinge good as doth ingratitude in the receyuers of thy benefites Wherin hitherto I haue exceeded al others But I haue done it ò Lord in mine ignorance not considering thy infinite giftes bestowed vpon me or what account thou wouldest demaunde againe of the same But now seing thou hast vouchsafed to make me woorthie of this special grace also wherby to see knowe mine owne errour default I hope hereafter by direction of the same grace to shew my self a better childe towardes the. O my God I am vāquished at lēgth with cōsideratiō of thy
being only a peece of earth or claye before Now ymagine then of what sea of loue al this proceeded But yet adde further how he hath created all this magnificēt world for the and all the creatures therof to serue thee in this busines the heauens to gouerne the and to geeue the light the earth ayer and water to minister most infinite varietie of creatures for thy behoof and sustenance and of al thes hath made the Lord maister to vse them for thine auaile and benefite in his seruice Which giftes being so manifold and magnificent as they are I appeale to thine owne cōscience good Christian brother how intollerable an ingratitude it is so greatly to dishonour iniurie the giuer as to applie thes giftes to his offence which he bestowed vpon the for his seruice Next after this ensueth the benefite of thy redemption much more excellent and bountiful thē the former the effect wherof is that wheras thou hadst lost al those former giftes and benefites and hadst made thy self guiltie by sinne of eternal punishmēt and damnation wherunto the Angels were now deliuered for their sinne committed before God chose to redeeme the and not the Angels and for satisfying of thine enormous fault vouchsafed to deliuer his owne only soone to the most opprobrious death of the Crosse O Lord God what hart can possibly conceyue the greatnes of this benefite Suppose with thy self gentle Christian for better vnderstanding of this benefite that thou being a poore and abiect person vnder the dominion of some great mightie Emperour hadst with some of his principal Peres committed grieuous crimes against his Emperial Maiestie thou oftentimes and they but once and being both by law conuicted and redie to suster Iustice for the same so singulerly should the Emperours fauour extend it self in thy behalf as deliuerig ouer thos other great princes to execution for their demerites he conceyued a desire to saue and pardon thee And finding no other conuenient meanes in respect of his Iustice how to doe the same should vpon his only sonne and heire of al his Empire laie the paines shame and tormēts of death due vnto thy trespasses Tel me now if being so abiect and cōtemptible a creature thou shouldst receyue so great a grace of a mightie Emperour who had for fewer offences euen in thy sight put to death greate and glorious princes as God did thos principal Angels how wonderfully wouldest thou thincke thy self bound and beholden vnto him for the same But if further this sonne and heire of this noble Monarch refusing to speake one word for thos great princes should not only accept willingly this dishonour and punishment laid vpon him by his father for thy sake but also should offer himself therunto and craue most instantly that he might by his death make satisfaction for thine offences and not only this but also to deriue vnto thee the participatiō of his inheritāce making thee of a bondslaue heire apparant to so Puissant an Emperour coheire to him self could thy hart possibly conceyue so great a benefite were it possible that thy powers of bodie soule should not dissolue in the cogitation of so inspeakable a grace would not thy bowels burst in sunder with the vehemencie of loue towards such a benefactour Or can any mā of reason euer imagine that thou wouldest willingly for a thousand worlds offend any more so gratious a Lord And yet is this benefite of thy redemption deare brother by infinite degrees surpassing both this and al other temporal graces that mans wit can imagine in al and euery circumstance that before hath bene mentioned In the third place doe come to be considered two other benefites named vocation and Iustification The first wherof is that wherby God of his infinite depth of mercies hath called vs from infidelitie to the state of Christians and therby made vs partakers of this our redemption last mentioned which infidels are not For albeit he payed the ransome for al in general yet hath he not imparted the benefite therof to al but to such onlie as best it pleased his diuine goodnes to bestow it vpon After which grace of vocation and our acceptance therof insued immediatlie our iustification wherby we were not onlie set sree from al our sinnes committed before and from al paine and punishement dew to the same but also our soules were beutified and enriched by the infusion of his holie grace inherent accompanied with the vertues theological as faith hope and charitie with the most pretious giftes of the Holie Ghost and by this grace wee were made iust and righteous in the sight of God and entitled to the most blessed inheritance of the kingdome of heauen the worthines of which gift no tongue of man or Angels can expresse After these doe ensue a greate number of benefites together apperteining properly to such as are made the children and true frendes of God euery one wherof in it self is of most infinite price and valew Among which are in the first place to be nombred the holie Sacraments of Christs Church left vnto vs for our comfort and preseruation after we be entred into the bosome therof They being nothing els in deed but certaine sacred cōduits to cōuaie vnto vs the holie grace of God especially thos two which appertaine to al men in general I meane the holy Sacraments of penance and of the blessed bodie and blood of our Sauyour wherof the first is to purge our sowles from sin so often as she falleth the seconde to feede and comforte the same after she is purged The first is as a bathe made of Christs owne pretious bloode to washe and clēse our woundes therein the secōde as a most comfortable and riche garment to couer our soule after she is washed In the first Christ hath left with his spouse the Church al his authoritie which he hath in heauē or earth to remit sinnes in the secōd he hath left him self his owne flesh and bloode to be a pretious foode wherwith to seede and cherish our soule after her sinnes be remitted Besides al thes ther yet remaineth an other benefite which we cal the benefite of Preseruation wherby God hath kept and preserued vs from infinite dangers wherūto many others before vs haue fallen and into which our selues had fallen in like maner if gods-holie hande had not stayed vs as from heresie and infidelitie and manie other greeuous sinnes but especially frō death damnation which longe a goe by our wickednes we deserued to haue bene executed vpon vs. Wherunto maie be annexed also the most singuler benefites of godlie inspirations and admonitions wherby God hath often both knocked inwardlie at the dore of our conscience and warned vs outwardly by so many wayes and meanes as are good bookes good sermons good exhortations good companie good exāple of others a thousand other most merciful means besides which at
that is if we can not reioyse at it in deede yet ought we to thincke it a matter in it self worthie of reioysing reprehending our selues for that we can not reach vnto it And if we cā not mount thus high nether as in deede we ought to doe yet in anie case to remēber what in an other place he saieth patientia vobis necessaria est vt reportetis promissionem You must of necessitie haue patience if you wil receaue Gods promisse of euerlasting life SECONDLIE we ought to doe as the Apostles did when they were in the most terrible tempest of the sea Christ being with them but a sleepe that is we must goe and awake him we must crie vnto him with the prophet Exurge quare obdormis domine O Lord arise why doest thou sleepe in our miserie This wakening of Christ doth please him wonderfullie as before hath bene shewed but especialie if it be done with that assured confidence of true affectioned children wherwith S. Marke describeth the Apostles to haue awakened Christ. For their wordes were these Maister doth it not appertaine vnto the that vve perish here As who would saie are not we thy Disciples and seruantes art not thou our Lord and Maister is not the cause thine is not al our trust and hope in the how chaunceth it then that thou sleepest and sufferest vs to be thus tossed tombled as if we appertained nothing vnto the With this zele and affection praied holy Esaye when he sayed attend o Lord from heauen looke hither from the holie habitation of thy glorie where is thy zeale where is thy fortitude where is the multitude of thy merciful bowels Haue they shut thē selues vp now towards vs thow art our father Abraham hath not knowen vs Israel hath bene ignorant of vs thow art our Father ô Lord turne thy self about for thy seruāres sake for loue of the tribe of thine inheritance Thus I say we must cal vpon God thus we must awake him when he seemeth to sleepe in our miseries with earnest with deuout with continual prayer alwaies hauing in our minde that most comfortable parable of Christ wherin he saieth that if we should come to our neighbours dore and knocke at midnight to borowe some bread when he were in bedde with his children and most loth to rise yet if wee perseuer in asking and beating at his dore stil though he were not our freend yet would he rise at length and geue vs our demaunde therby at least to be ridde of our crying And how much more wil God doe this saieth Christ who both loueth vs and tendreth our case most mercifullie But yet here is one thing to be noted in this matter and that is that Christ suffered the shippe almost to be couered with waues as th' Euangelist saieth before he wold awake therby to signifie that the measure of temptations is to be left onelie vnto him self It is sufficient for vs to rest vpon the Apostles wordess He is faithful and therfore he vvil not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength We may not examine or mistrust his doings we maye not inquire why he doth this or why he suffereth that or how long wil he permit the euils to raigne God is a great God in al his doings and when he sendeth tribulation he sendeth a great deale together to the ende he maye shew his great power in deliuering vs and recompence it after with greate measure of cōfort His temptations often times doe goe very deepe therby to trie the verie hartes and reines of men He went farre with Elias when he caused him to flie into a mountaine and there most desirous of death to saye They haue killed al thy prophetes o Lord and I am left alone and novv they seek to kil me also He went farre with Dauid whē he made him crie out why dost thou forget my pouertie and tribulation And in an other place againe I saied with my self in the excesse of my mind I am cast out from the face of thy eies ô Lord. God went farre with the Aposties when he enforced one of them to writ we wil not haue you ignorant brethren of our tribulation in Asia wherein we were oppressed aboue al measure and aboue al strength in so much as it lothed vs to liue any longer But yet aboue al others he went furthest with his owne deare sonne when he cōstrained him to vtter thos pitiful and most lamentable wordes vpon the crosse My God my God vvhy hast thou for saken me Who can now complaine of any proofe or temptation what soeuer laid vpon him seing God would goe so farre with his owne deare and onely sonne HEROF then enseweth the third thing necessarie vnto vs in tribulation which is magnanimitie grounded vpon a strong and inuincible faith of Gods assistance and of our final deliuerance how long soeuer he delay the matter and how terrible soeuer the storme doe seeme for the time This God require that our hādes as maye be seene by the example of the disciples who cried not vve perish before the waues had couered the ship as Saint Mathew writeth and yet Christ saied vnto them abi est sides vestra where is your faith S. Peter also was not a feard vntil he was almost vnder water as the same Euangelist recordeth and yet Christ reprehended him saying thou man of litle saith vvhy diddest thou doubte What then must we doe in this case deare brother surelie we must put on that magnanimous faith of valiant king Dauid who vpon the most assured trust he had of Gods assistance saied In deo meo transgrediar murum In the helpe of my God I wil goe through a wal Of which inuincible saith S. Paul was also when he saied Omnia possumineo qui me consortat I can doe al thinges in him that comforteth and strengtheneth me Nothing is vnpossible nothing is to harde for me by his assistance We must be as the scripture saieth quasi leo considens absque terrore Like a bolde and confident lion which is without terrour that is we must not be astonied at anie tempest atanie tribulation at anie aduersitie we must saye with the prophet Dauic experienced in thes matters I vvil not feare many thousandes of people that should enuironne or beseege me together If I should vvalke amiddest the shadovv of death I vvil not feare If vvhole armies should stand against me yet my hart should not tremble My hope is in God therfore I vvil not feare vvhat man can doe vnto me God is my helper and I vvil not feare vvhat stesh can doe vnto me God is my he per and protector and therfore I vvil despise and contemne mine enemies And an other prophet in like sense Behold God is my Sauiour and therfore vvil I deale considentlie and vvil not feare Thes were the speeches of holy prophetes of
lyke or at least wise delyuer them selues from the plagues of Egipt whie did they crie oute the fingar of God is here where did you euer heare such workes donne by magicke as Moyses did when he deuided the redde sea when he called into his cāpe so many Quayles vpon the suddayne as sufficed to feede six hundred thousand men besides women and children When he made a rocke to yeld foorth a fountaine whē he caused a dewe to fall frō heauē that nourrished his whole campe for fortie yeares together when he caused the grounde to open and swalloe downe alyue three of the richest noble men of all his armie together with their tabernacles and all other bagges and baggage When he caused a siar to come from heauen and cōsume siftie gentlemen of the former Rebelles adherētes without hurting any one that stoode about them Thes thinges did Moyses and manie other in the sight of all his armie that is in the sight of so manie hundred thousand people amōg which there were diuers his emulators and sworne enimies as by the storie icripture it self appeareth Core Dathan and Abiron with their faction soughte in all thinges to disgrace hym to deminishe his credite and therfore if any one pointe of thes miracles had bene reprouable Moyses would neuer haue durst to putt the same in writinge nor would the people haue stode with hym much lesse haue receaued his writinges for diuine and for gods owne wordes beinge sollicited agaynst hym by so potent meanes had not they knowen all thinges to be most true therin conteined and had seene his straunge miracles and familiaritie with God But he dealt plainelie and simplie in this behalfe he wrote the thinges of his owne doinges which euerie man present did know to be true and of Gods speeches and communicatiōs to hym self he wrote so much as he was commaunded wherof both God and his consciēce did beare hym witnesse He caused the whole to be reade vnto the people and layed vp in their Sacred Arcke and Tabernacle as gods owne writing and couenaunt with that nation He caused all the whole armie to sweare and vowe th' obseruāce therof And thē drawing towards his death he made a most excellēt exhortation vnto them persuading them sincerlie to the seruice of their God and cōfessing his owne infirmities and how for his oftences he was to die before their enterance to the lande of promisse He cōcealed notth ' offēces of his brother Aarō of his Grand-father Leui of his sister Marie and other of his kinred as worldlie princes for their honours are wonte to doe nether did he goe aboute to bring in gouernment after his disceasse any one of his owne sonnes which is greatelie to be obserued notwithstandinge he lefte behynde hym goodlie gentlemen fitt for that roome hym self of power to place them if he had endeuored But he lefte the gouernment to a straūger named Iosue as God had commaunded hym All which thinges sayeth the Iewe doe proue suffiçientelie that Moises was no man of ambition or of worldlie spirit but a true Scruaunt of God and consequētlie that he wrought not by magicke or falshod but by the onlie power of his Lorde and Master and that his writinges are true and of the same authoritie that in his lyfe and death he affirmed them to be that is th' vndoubted worde of almightie God THIS HE confirmeth yet further by a fowerth reason which is the consent and approbatiō of all later writers of the Bible that insued after Moyses For as among prophane writers of worldlie spirite it is a common fashion for hym that followeth to reprehende the former and to hunte after praise by his ancetours disgrace so in thes writers of the Bible it is a most certaine argument that all were guyded by one spirite from God that in continuance of so manie ages thousand yeares no one yet euer impugned th' other but alwayes the later supposing and approuing the former for true doth build therupon as vpon a sure fondatiō So the writinges of Iosue doe confirme and approue the writinges of Moises and the recordes of the Iudges doe reuerence and allowe the booke of Iosue The Storie of kiges chronicles doth referre it self to the storie of iudges One Prophete cōfirmeth other And finallie Christ approueth thē all by the knowē diuisiō of law psalmes ad Prophetes which is a demonstratiō that all their spirites agreed i one And thus hytherto haue bene declared thes fower considerations that are external or without the Bible to witte th' antiquitie and continuāce of the scriptures the maner of their writing and preseruing from corruption The sinceritie vertue and simplicitie of their writers together with their agreement and coherēce in one spirit But now further sayeth the learned Iew if you will but open the booke it self and looke into the texte that which therin is conteined you shall see gods owne hande gods owne characters gods owne signe and seale and subscription to the paper You shall see Gods omnipotencie Gods spirite Gods prouidence no lesse in thes letters of his booke then you beheld the same before in the tables of his creatures Nay much more sayeth he for that thes letters were deuised for declaration of thos tables to th' ende that such as for their blyndnes could not see hym in his creatures might learne at least to reade hym in his scriptures CONSIDER thē first sayeth he the subiecte or argumēt which the scriptures doe handle together with the scope and ende wherto they doe leuell You shall finde that the first is nothing els but th' actes and gestes of one eternal God as before hath bene mentioned and the secōd nothing els but the onlie glorie exaltation of the same great God together with the saluatiō of mankynde vpō earth And shall you finde anie writinges in the world besides that haue so worthie an argument or so highe an Ende Reade all the volumes and Monumentes of the Pagans turne ouer all their authors of what kynde or name or profession soeuer and see what mention they make of thes two thinges I meane of the honour of God of the saluation of man Reade their Philosophers see whether euer they name or pretende thes thinges Reade their Historiographers and marke how manie battails and victories they attribute vnto God They will describe to you oftē the particuler cōmēdatiō of euerie Captaine they will defraude no one souldiar of his praise in the victorie they will attribute much to the wisdome of the general much to his courage much to his watchfulnes much to fortune They will attribute to the place to the wynde to the wether to the shining of the sunne to the raising of the dust in th' enimies eyes to the flying of some litle birde in the ayer and to a thowsand such petie obseruatiōs besides but to God
the consideratiō of this starre for that after the appearance therof he perceyued the power of his Godes decayed toke a iourney into Iury in company of other Astronomers to informe hym self further of the matter Wherunto Chalcidius a Platonike doth adde that the Chaldaean Astronomers did gather by contemplatiō of this Starre that some God discended from heauen to the benefit of mankinde And finally the Sibyls talking of the cōming of Christ affirmed plainly Rutilans cum sydus monstrabit a blasing Starre shall declare his comming Which prophetie Virgile the Poet hauing read in Augustus tyme and soone after hauing seene the same fulfilled applied it as I shewed before of al the rest to the flattering of Caesar and therfore he saieth in the place before alleaged Ecce Dionaei processit Caesaris astrum Beholde the Starre of Caesar descended of Venus hathe now appeared which Starre in deede was the Starre of Caesars Lord and Mayster AFTER fortie daies past ouer S. Luke reporteth how Iesus by his mother was presented in the temple of Ierusalem and there withall recounteth two straunge thinges that happened at the same time to witte that two graue and reuerend persons Simeō surnamed Iust and Anna the Prophetesse both of singuler sanctity amongst the Iewes cōmig into the Temple at the very time when Iesus was there in his mothers armes tooke notice of him and acknowledged him publiquely for the Messias and Saue our of the world Fortelling also by the spirit of prophetie diuers particuler thinges that were to ensue both to Christ and Christians and especially to his mother the blessed Virgin Which thinges being published at that time confirmed afterward by the euent doe well declare that this narration of S. Luke could not be forged as doe also the number of particuler circumstances set doune about the time place persones most notoriouslie knowen to al Lerusalem For as for Anna she had liued from her youth vntil four skore yeares of age in the temple therby was knowen to the most parte of Iurie And as for Simeon he was the scholler of the most famous HILLEL and cōdisciple to Ionathan maker of the 〈◊〉 paraphase of whō I spoke before and the Iewes Thalmud confesseth that by the death of thes two mē but especially of Simeon failled the spirit of the great Synagogue called Sanhedria which after the captiuity of Babylō vntil Herods time supplied in a sorte the spirit of prophetie that was expresly in Israel before the said captiuity OF CHRISTS flight into Egypt for feare of Herod S. Luke well noteth that it was prophetied by Osee longe before that God vvould call his sonne oute of Egypt And the prophet Esay describeth the same very particulerlie when he sayeth Behold our Lord Iehoua shall ascende vp or ride vpō a light cloude which was his flesh or humanitie and shal goe dovvne into Egypt and all th' idoles of Egypt shall shake at his presence Which later pointe Eusebius sheweth that it was fulfilled most euidentlie in the sight of all the worlde for that no Nation came to Christian religion with so greate celeritie or with so greate feruour as did th' Egyptians who threw downe their Idoles before any other heathen Nation And as they had bene the first in idolatrie to other countries so were they the first by Christes cōminge vnto them that afterwarde gaue example of true returne to their Creatour It followeth in Esay And I vvil gyue vp Egypt into the handes of cruel Lordes and a Potēt kinge shall take dominion ouer them Which was fulfilled aboute the verie time wherin Christ was to come For that then after manie spoiles and cruelties excercised vpon Egypt by the Roman Lordes and Princes Pompey Caesar Antonie and others in th' ende Cleopatra their Qiene that was the last of all the bloode and lyne of the Ptolomces was inforced to slea her selfe and so Augustus th' Emperour tooke possession of all Egypte and subiected it as a prouince to the Romans Empire But consider you how Esay concludeth the matter after all thes temporal afflictions threatened against Egypt and confesse that suche aduersitie is no signe of Gods disfauour to them who receaue it For thus sayeth God after all his cominations In that day there shal be an Aulter of Iehoua in the middest of Egypt they shall crie to God in their tribulation and he shal send them a SAVEOVR c. Blessing shal be in the middest of that lande to vvhome our Lord God of hostes hath gyuen his benediction saying Blessed is my people of Egypt And here we make an ende of our second consideration IN THE THIRD PLACE there cōmeth to be considered according to our former diuision the life conuersation doctrine and miracles of Iesus And first touching things done by hym after his cōminge out of Egypt whiche might be about the sixt or seuēth yeare of his age vntil his Baptisme by S. Iohn whiche was the 30. there is litle recorded either in Prophane or Ecclesiastical writers For that as S. Iustin S. Chrysostome S. Augustine and others doe write he bestowed that time in the common exercises and labours of mans life therby to shew hymself trueman and giue demonstration how much he detested idlenes OF S. Iohn Baptist all Hebrue writers of that time doe make mention with exceeding praise and admiration of his holines especially Iosephus that liued īmediately after Christs dayes sayeth hewas Vir optimus Iudaeos excitans ad virtutum studia A most excellent man stirring vp the Iewes to the exercise of vertue He addeth also that partly for feare of the great concourse of people which flocked vnto hym and partly by the sollicitation of Herodias cōcubine and brothers wife to Herode Antipas the great Herodes sonne for whos cause he had turned of his owne wife daughter of Areta king of the Arabians he was apprehended and imprisoned in the Castle of Acherun and therin soone after put to death Which murther Ioseph esteemed to be the cause of all the miserie whiche ensued afterward to Herode and his whole familie Of this man it was writen by Malachie the prophet Beholde I send my messenger or Angel before me and he shal prepare the vvay before my face and presently shal come to his Temple the RVLER vvhom you seeke and the MESSENGER OF THE TESTAMENT vvhich you desire Which prophetie was fulfilled most euidently when vpon the preaching of S. Iohn Christ came vnto hym and albeit S. Iohn had neuer sene hym before yet he acknowledged hym for the Messias in the presence of infinite people and his acknowledgment was confirmed by the visible descending of a doue voyce frō heauen in the sight and hearing of all the people present accordinge as three of our Euangelistes doe reporte Which they would neuer haue presumed to doe had not the matter bene most euident without al
of publishing their lawes and procuring authoritie to the same then to write them with their owne handes and in their life time to establishe their promulgation So Lycurgus Solon others among the Grecians Numa to the Romanes Mahomet to his Sarasins and diuers other in like maner But Iesus to shew his Diuine power in directing the penne and stile of his Euangelistes would not leaue any thing writing him self but passed from this world in simplicitie and filence whithout any further shewe or ostentatiō of his own doings meaning notwithstāding by his eternal wisdome that the prophetie of Ezechiel should be fulfilled which foresignified the being of his fowre irrefragable witnesses which daie and night without rest should preache extolle and magnifie their Lord and Maister to the worldes ende Foure then were fore-prophetied and foure as we see by Gods prouidence were prouided to fulfil the same prophetie The first and last are two Apostles that wrote as they had sene The two midle are two diseiples who registred thinges as they had vnderstoode by conference with the Apostles The first Ghospel was written by an Apostle to giue light open the waie to al the rest And the last in like maner was written by an Apostle to giue authoritie and confirmation to al the former The first was writtē in Hebrue or Iewish tongue for that Iesus actions were dóne in that countrie to th' ende that therby eyther the whole Nation might beleeue them or the obstinate impugne them The other three were written in the publique tongues of al other nations that is in the Greeke and Romane languages if it be true which diuers holde that S. Marcs Ghospel was first written in Latin They wrote their stories in diuers countries eche one remaning farre distant frō an other and yet agreed they al as we see most exactly in the verie same narration They wrote in diuers times the one after the other and yet the later did neither correct nor reprehend anie thing i the former They published their stories when infinite were aliue that knew the factes and many more that desired to impugne them They set doune in most of their particuler narrations the time the day the houre the place the village the house the persons the men the women and other the like Which circumstances the more they are in number the more easie to be refuted if they were not true Neither did they in Iurie write of thinges done in India but in the same countrie it self in Townes Cities that were publiquely knowen in Bethania and Bethsaida villages hard by Ierusalem in the Suburbes and hiles about the Citie in such a Streete at such a Gate in such a Porch of the Temple at such a fishpoole which al people in Ierusalem did euery daie beholde They published their writinges in their owne life time and preached in worde so much as in writing they had recorded They permitted the same to the iudgment and examination of al Christs church especially of the Apostles who were able to discerne euerie least thing therin contained So Marke set forth his Ghospel by the instruction and approbation of S. Peter as also did Luke by the authoritie of S. Paul They altered not their writinges afterward as other authours are wont in their later editions nor euer corrected they anie one iote of that which they had first set doune And that which neuer happened in any other writinges in the world besides nor euer Prince or Monarch was able to bring to passe for credite of his edictes or sanctions they gaue their liues for defence and iustefying of that they had written Their maner of writing is sincere and simple without al arte amplification or Rhetorical exornatiō They flatter none no not Iesus him self whom they most adore nor in confessing him to be their God and Creatour doe they conceale his infirmities of fleshe in that he was man as his hunger and thirst his being wearie how he wept his passions of feare and the like So lykewise in the Apostles that were the gouernours superiours and heads of al the rest doe thes Euangelistes dissemble hide or passe ouer no such thinges as were defects and might seeme to worldlie eies to turne to their discredites As for exāple how Christ rebuked them for their dulnes in vnderstanding how after long instruction they proposed notwithstanding verie rude and impertinent questions vnto him how Thomas would not beleeue the attestation of his fellowes how S. Ihon and S. Iames the sonnes of Zebedee ambitiouslie sollicited to haue the preheminence of sitting nearest to Christ ī his glorie Which later clause beīg set doune clearly by S. Marke while yet S. Ihon the Apostle was liuing the same was neuer denied nor taken yll by the said Apostle neither S. Markes Ghospel the lesse approued by him albeit he liued longest and wrote last of al the rest Nay which is more and greatly no doubt to be obserued thes Euangelistes were so sincere and religious in their narrations as they noted especiallie the impersections of them selues and of such other as they principally respected So S. Mathew nameth him self Mathevv the Publican And so S. Marke being Peters disciple recordeth particulerly how S. Peter thrise denied his maister S. Luke that was scholler and dependent of S. Paul maketh mention alone of the litle differences betwene Paul and Barnabas in the storie of S. Stephens death after al his narration ended he addeth a clause that in humane iudgement might haue bene left out to witt Saulus erat consentiës neci eius Saul was cōsenting culpable of Stephens death Wherby we may perceaue most perspicuouslie that as thes men were plaine sincere and simple and farre from presuming to deuise any thinge of them selues so were they religious and had scruple to passe ouer or leaue oute any thinge of the truth in fauour of them selues or of any other whosoeuer Thes mens writinges then were published receyued for vndoubted truth by all that liued in the verie same age and were pryuie to the particulers therin cōteined They were copied abrode into infinit mens handes and so conserued with all care reuerence as holie and diuine scripture They were read in churches throughout all countries and Nations expounded preached and taught by all pastours and commentaries made vpon them by holie fathers from tyme to tyme. So that no doubt can be made but that we haue the verie sa ne writinges incorrupt as th' authours left them for that it was impossible for anie enimie to corrupt so manie Copies ouer al the world without discoucrie and resiitance And the same very text wordes and sentences which from age to age the learned fathers doe alleage out of thes scriptures we fynde them now as they had them at that tyme. As for example S. Iohn that lyued longest of all th' Apostles and Euangelistes had amōge other
hartie repentāce and other such means of holie Sacramentes as God hath left for this purpose in his Church he had discharged his conscience of the burden of sinne and made an attonement betwene his soule Saueour O merciful Lord how dangerous is his estate vntil he haue donne it how manie wayes may he fal into thos heauie handes of his eternal iudge wherof S. Paul conceyued horrour in onlie thinking One litle stone falling from the house toppe as he passeth by one slippe of his horse as he rideth one assault of an enimie whē he thinketh not vpon him one poore ague by a surfect or other distēperature one suddaine mischance of a milliō that may fal vnto him is able to bereaue him of this life to cast him into thos termes of euerlasting calamitie wherehence the whole world shal not be able to deliuer him And is not this then a matter to be feared is not this a case to be preuented O how trulie saith the holie scripture blessed is the man vvhich alvvaies is fearful and he that hath a hard hart shal fal into perdition Our Lord God of his mercie gyue vs his holie grace to feare him as we should and to make such accounte of his iudgementes and iustice as by threatning the same he would haue vs to doe for th' auoiding of sinne And thē shal not we delaye the time but shal resolue our selues to serue him whiles he is content to accept of our seruice and to pardon vs al our offences if we would once firmelie make this resolution from our hart AN OTHER CONSIDERATION FOR THE FVRTHER IVSTIFYING OF Gods iudgementes and manifestation of our grieuous offence Taken from the inestimable Maiestie of him vvhom vve offende and of the innumerable benifites vvhich he hath bestovved vpon vs. CHAPT IX ALBEIT the most parte of Christians through their wicked life arriue not to that state when holy Dauid was when he sayed to God thy iudgementes ô Lord are pleasant vnto me as in deed they are to all those that lyue vertuouslie and haue the testimonie of a good conscience yet at leastwise that we maye be inforced to confesse with the same Prophet that the iudgementes of our Lord are true and iustified in them selues I haue thought expedient to adde a reason or two in this chapter wherby it maye appeare how great our offence is in sinnīg against God as we doe and how righteous his iudgemētes iustice are agaist vs for the same AND FIRST OF AL IS to be considered the maiestie of hym against whom we sinne For most certaine it is as I haue noted before that euerie offence is so much the greater and more grieuous by how much greater and more noble the person is against whom it is done and the partie offending more base and vile And in this respect almightie God to terrifie vs from offending hym nameth hym self oftentimes with certaine great and dreadful titles of maiestie as to Abraham I am an omnipotēt Lord. And agayne to Esay heauen is my seate the earth is my footestole And at an other time he cōmaunded Moyses to beare to the people in his name this ambassage harden not your neckes any longer for that your Lord and God is the God of godes and the Lord of lordes a greate God both potent and terrible vvhich accepteth nether person nor bribes First then I saye consider gentle Christian of what an infinite maiestie he is whom thow a poore worme of the earth hast so often and so contemptuously offended ī this lyfe We see in this world that no man dareth to offende openly or say one worde against the maiestie of a temporal Prince within his owne dominions But what is the maiestie of all earthly princes put together if it be compared to the thowsand parte of Gods incomparable inestimable maiestie who with one worde made both heauen and earth and all the creatures therin and with halfe a worde could annihilate and destroie the same againe Whom all the creatures which he made both Angels heauens Starres and elementes doe serue at a becke and dare not once offend vnder vvhom as holy Iob saieth doe croucb and trēble euē they that beare vp susteine the vvorld Onlie a sinner is he which emboldeneth hym self against this maiestie and feareth not to offēd the same whom as the holye Catholique Church doth professe day lie in her preface to the blessed sacrifice the Angels do praise the dominations doe adore the powers do tremble and the highest heauens together with Cherubins and Seraphins thrones and al other multitudes of celestial spirites doe continually praise with hymnes of glorie Remember then deare Christian brother that euerie tyme thou doest commit a capital sinne thou gyuest as it were a blowe in the face to this great God of eternal maiestie whos mansiō as S. Paul describeth is in a light inaccessible such as no man in this vvorld can endure to behold Wherof S. Iohn th' euangelist gyueth good testimonie by his owne experiēce who notwithstādig he were an Apostle and most dearly beloued of his God and maister yet when Christ appeared vnto him after his Resurrection with certaine sparcles only of his dreadful gloric vttering words of most sweet consolation vnto hym he was for al that so astonied oppressed with feare that he fel doune starke dead as him self confesseth vntil the same his Lord and Maister vouchsafed to raise him vp againe The like trial of this inexplicable maiestie had Moyses the familiar friend and trustie seruant of God who after many conferences desiring once in his life to see him whos wordes he had so often heard made humble petition for the same But God answered that no man might see hym and lyue Yet notwithstanding to satisfie his request and to shew him in parte what a terrible and maiesticall God he was he promised Moyses that he should see some part of his glorie how beit he added that it was needfull he shoulde hyde him self in the hole of a rocke be couered with Gods owne handes for his defence whiles he or rather his Angel as diuines doe interprete did passe by in glorie Who being once past God remoued his hande and suffered Moyses to behold the hynder partes only of the Angel which was notwithstanding most terrible and dreadful The same maiestie was reuealed also in some part to Daniel who sawe God as he writeth placed vpon a most glorious throne his apparell vvas as vvhit as snovv bis beare lyke vnto fyne vvoolle bis throne vvas of a flame of fyre and his chariottes vvere a burning furnace a svvift flud of fyre ranne from his face thousand thousandes did serue him and ten thousand hundred thousands did assist him Al this and much more is recorded in holy scripture to admonishe vs therby what a wonderful prince of maiestie he is whom a synner doth offend Which thing that iust and
vnde pendet aeternitas This life is the momēt wherof dependeth al eternitie of weal or woe hereafter If it be but a moment deare brother and yet a moment of so great consequence and importance how is it passed ouer by earthelie men with so litle care and cogitation what reason may be alleaged of this so dangerous a negligence what cause may be assigned of so extreme a follie Al the creatures of earth heauen and hel euen from the very first to the last if thou examine them al may be argumentes and motiues vnto thee to leaue this perilous course wherin thou art al are or may be bookes lessons and sermōs vnto thee preaching and protesting some by their punishment some by their glorie some by their beautie and al by their creation that thou oughtest without delay to make resolution of an other kinde of life and that al is vanitie al is folie al is iniquitie al is miserie besides the onelie seruice of thie Lord and maker And so with this wil I make here an ende of this first part reseruing some other things to be spoken in the second for remouing of such impedimēts as our spiritual aduersarie is wont to cast against this good worke of Resolution as against the first step and degree of our saluation Our Lord God Sauiour Iesus Christ who was content to paye his own pretious blood for the purchasing of this noble inheritance of his kingdome vnto vs geue vs his holy grace to esteeme of it as the great weight of the matter requireth and not by negligence to loose our title and portion therin The end of the first part containing motiues to resolution THE SECOND PARTE WHICH TREATETH OF THE LETTES and impedimentes that hinder resolution THE PREFACE IN the former parte of this booke gentle reader ther haue bene layed doune sundry reasons and considerations wherby to stirre vp men to the firme resolution of seruing God which might be sufficient no doubt to that effect the nature of vertue being also cōsidered which of her self draweth reasonable men to loue and admiration of her were not the subtiltie of our spiritual enimie very greate and dangerous in this behalfe and his indeuours most diligent against our purpose For so it fareth that when he seeth by the former reasons and demonstrations alleaged that the iudgement of man is conuinced in the pointes which are treated and that it can no longer resist or deny but that the onlie true wisdome were in deed to breake of from the vanities and sinful life of this world and to be-take our selues to the gainful 〈◊〉 mightie God then this infernal foe 〈◊〉 able further to delude our iudgemente 〈◊〉 blynd our vnderstandings imployeth him self by al meanes possible for retaining of his pray to stay our wil from yelding consent vnto our iudgement all eaging for his dissuation either the difficultie of obtaining pardon or the paines and hardnes of vertuous life or the losse of worldlie honour and earthlie commodities or some other such like fraude or trifle wherby to let and hinder our resolution or at least wise to prolonge it so farre forth as he may be in hope that we shal neuer make it afterwards to our gaine or comfort For preuenting of which malitious and most perilous indeuour of our ghostelie aduersarie this second parte is adioined conteining the cheefe and principal impedimentes that vsuallie doe rise against resolution the remooual and confutation of which lettes and impedimentes shal bring no smal light vnto the studious reader for the true vnderstanding both of his owne estate and of the deceptes and illusions vsed towards him by his enimie Read then this parte also deare Christian brother vvith no lesse diligence then the former for that the profit therof shal be equal and thy contentement perhapes farre greater in respect of the varietie of matters handled therin and of the manifold comfortes which thy soule in perufing shal receaue therby OF THE FIRST IMPEDIMENT THAT IS WONT TO LET SINNERS from resolution VVhich is the mistrust and diffidence in Gods mercie through the multitude and grieuousnes of their offences CHAPT I. AMONG al other gricuous and most perilous cogitatiōs which in this world are accustomed to offer them selues to a mind entangled and lode with great sinnes this vsually is the first thorough the nature of sinne it self and craftie suggestion of our ghostly enemie to fal into distrust and despaire of Gods mercie Such was the cogitation of most vnhappie Cain one of the first inhabitantes of mankind vpon earth who after the murther of his owne only brother and other sinnes by him committed brust furth into that horrible and desperate speech so greatly offensiue to his Lord and Maker mine iniquitie is greater then that I may hope for pardon Such was in like maner the desperate conceit of wicked Iudas one of the first of them that were chosen to the peculiar seruice of our Redeemer who feeling his conscience oppressed with manifold enormous iniquities and most of al with the prodition of his owne Lord maister tooke no other ware of amendment or redresse but to destroie him self both in bodie and soule adioining only thos words ful of miserable distrust and desperation I haue sinned in betraying the innocent and iust blood By which wordes and most wreched ende he more grieuouslie offended and iniuried his most louing merciful Saueour then by al his former iniquities committed against him This then most louing brother is the first and greatest rocke wherat a sinful soule ouerburdened with the charge of her owne iniquities and tossed in the waues of dredful cogitations by the blastes and stormes of Gods threats against sinners doth commonlie make her shipwrake This is that most horrible depth and dungeon wher of the holie Scripture saieth The impious man vvhen he is come into the botome and prosonditie of his sinnes contemneth al. This is that remediles sore and incurable wound wherwith God him self charged Ierusalem when he said Insanabilis fractura tua Thy rupture is irremediable And the Prophet Michaeas considering the same people thorough the multitude of their wickednes to eneline now to despaire of Gods goodnes towards them brake forth into this most pitiful complaint for this vvil I vveepe and lament extremely I vvil strippe of my clothes and vvander naked I vvil rore like vnto Dragons and sound out my sorovve as Strutbious in the desert for that the vvound and maladie of my people is desperate This is that great and maine impediment that stoppeth the conduits of Gods holie grace from flowing into the soule of a sinful man This is the knif that cutteth in sunder al thos heauely blessed cordes wherwith our sweet Lord and Saneour endeuoureth to draw vnto repentance the hartes of sinners saing by his prophete I vvil pul them vnto me vvith the chaines of loue and charitie For by this meanes
them al and brake forth into this vehement inuitation with a lowd voice as S. Iohn Euangelist recordeth if any man among you be thirstie let him come vnto me he shal drinke Hereby it came to passe that his diuine Maiestie was termed commonlie Publicanorum peccatorum am cus The frend and familiar of wicked Publicans and sinners And herof finallie it did proceed that he receaued al imbraced al and forgaue al that repaired vnto him were they Scribes Pharisees Souldiars Publicans Vserers Harlotes Theeues Persecutours or whatsoeuer most grieuous offendours besides wherof particuler examples in eche kinde might be alleaged assuring vs furthermore that after his resurrection and blessed ascensiō to the right hand of his father he would be more bountiful yet in this maner of proceeding and dravv al vnto him self being at one time both our Iudge and Aduocat our king and Mediatour our God and Redeemer our Father and brother our Priest and Sacrifice and he that both pleadeth and determineth our cause together What then should not we hope at this time deare Christian brother at the handes of this our Lord and Maister which hath left vnto vs such wordes such deedes such assured euidencies of his infallible loue and abundant mercies towards vs why should not his dealinges with other men before vs geeue vs hart and corage to confide assuredlio in him for the time present and to come why should not his former most infinit mercies be vnto vs oderiferous alluring sauours and oyntmentes to make vs as the spouse did in the Canticles follow and runne after him Heare what deuout S. Bernard doth meditate vpō this passage of Christs fragrant ointmentes O sweet Iesus saith he the freshe and oderiferous smel of thie wonderful clemencie doth allure vs to runne after the when we heare saye that thou despisest not beggars nor abhorrest sinners Wee know right wel ô Lord that thou didest not reiect the theefe that confessed thee nor the sinful woman that wept vpon thee nor the Chananaean that humbled her self before thee not the wicked adulteresse brought vnto thee nor the toullar or tribut gatherer that followed thee nor the publican that repaired vnto thee nor the disciple that denied thee nor Saul that did persecute thee nor thie tormentours that did naile thie sacred bodie vpō the crosse O Lord al thes are fragrant smels and sauours of thie most sweet mercie and at the sent of thes thie ointmentes we doe follow and runne after thee Thus farre S. Bernard AND SO VVITH THIS to come to the fourth and last part of this chapter and to applie al that hath bene said of Godes mercie to our present purpose What man is ther liuing in the world that reading and beleeuing thes thinges can doubt or mistrust to receaue pardon for his sinnes If God be he that iustifieth vvho is able to condemne vs saieth the holie Apostle S. Paul If God be minded to deliuer vs who can take vs out of his hands If God protest that he wil pardon vs why should we make any doubt or questiō therof at al Why should not we ioine rather with that confident and faithful seruāt of his S. Paul who saieth vnto vs and to al other sinners liuing in his maisters name let vs repaire vnto him vvith a true hart in fulnes of faith hauing purged our hartes from an euil conscience let vs hold fast an immouable confession of our hope seing he is faithful vvhich hath giuen vnto vs his promis and let vs consider hovv one of vs may prouoke an other to charitie and good vvorkes By which wordes the holy Apostle signifieth that what sinner soeuer shal resolue with him self to purge his conscience frō wickednes for the time to come and to employ the rest of life in charetie good workes he may confidently and boldly repaire vnto almightie God with most certaine assurance to receaue pardon and remission And alas deare brother why then should anie man despaire wherfore should any man cast away his owne soule that God so much desireth to saue what a pitiful and lamentable case is it to behold so many Christians in the world to goe languishing in ther sinnes and to giue thē selues ouer to al kind of careles and dissolute sensualitie which by God him self is called desperation vpon this conceit wicked cogitation that now they are gone so farre and so deeply rooted and habituated in this kind of life as either it is impossible or in vaine for them now to thincke of change or amendements O deare Brother let thes men harken to this excellent discourse of holy Chrisostome which ensueth If thou be a wicked man saieth he thincke vpon the Publicane If thou be vncleane of life consider the harlot If thou be a murtherer remember the theef If thou be a swearer cal to mind the Blasphemer Cast thine eyes vpon Saul and Paul first a persecutour and then a preacher first a violent robber afterward a good steward and Dispenser First chaffe afterward corne first a wolfe afterward a sheppard first lead after gould first a pirate afterwards a good pilot first a dispersour afterward a gatherer first a breaker doune of Gods vineyard afterward a plāter first a destroier afterward a builder Thou hast sene manifold wickednes but now behold vnspeakable mercie Thou hast heard the pride of the seruant consider now the loue and clemencie of the Maister I wil not thou saie to me I ame a blasphemer I haue bene a persecutour I haue lead an vncleane and abhominable life and therfore I doubt lest I shal not haue pardon Saie not so vnto me for here thou hast examples to the contrarie in euerie of thes manie other sinnes Thou maiest safely fly to what port thou list and that either in the old or new Testament For in the old thou hast Dauid in the new thou hast Paul I wil not haue the therfore alleage excuses vnto me for couering thine owne cowardnes Hast thou sinned doe penance hast thou sinned a thousand times repent a thousand times vnfainedly This is the only ointment that may be poured in to an afflicted consciēce the torment wherof I doe wel knowe For the Diuel standeth by whetting his sword of desperation and saing vnto the Thou hast liued wickedly al thy youth thy former yeares thou hast mispent thou hast hanted plaies and spectacles with thy companions and hast folowed after louse and lasciuious women thou hast taken other mēs goods from them wrongfully thou hast bene couetous dissolute and effeminate thou hast foresworne thy self thou hast blasphemed committed many other hainous and enormous crimes and therfore what hope canst thou haue of saluation Truly none at al. Thou art a mere castawie and canst not now goe backe and therfore my counsaile is that now thou vse the pleasures and commodities of this world and passe ouer thy time in mirth of hart without cogitation
If God be vvith vs vvho vvill be against vs sayeth the Apostle God is my helper and defender saieth holie Dauid for vvhom shal I quake or treÌ„ble If whole armies should rise against me yet wil I alwaies hope to haue the victoric And what is the reason for that thou art vvith me ô Lords thou fightest on my side thou assistest me with thy grace by helpe and assistance whereof I shal haue the victorie though al the squadrons of my enemies that is of the flesh the world and the deuil should at once rise against me Nay I shal not onelie haue the victorie but I shal haue it also most easilie and with al pleasure coÌ„fort delite For thus much signifieth S. Iohn in that hauing saied that the commaundemeÌ„tes of Christ are not greeuous he inferreth presently as the cause there of Quoniam omne quod natum est ex Deo vincit mundum For that al which is borne of God ouercommeth conquereth the world that is the grace and heauenlie assistance which is deriued and sent vs from God aboue doth both conquer the world with al the difficulties and temptations therof as also make the commaundements of almightie God most easie vnto vs and al vertuous life veric sweet and pleasant But here perhappes you wil saye vnto me Christ him self confesseth it to be a yoke and burden and how then can it be so pleasant easie as you make it wherto I answer that Christ addeth also that it is a sweete yoke a light burden wherby your obiection is taken away Againe it is further signified that there is a burden which greeueth not the bearer but rather helpeth and refresheth the same like as the burden of fethers vpon a birdes back beareth vp the bird and is nothing at al greeuoê° vnto her So in like maner though it be a yoke yet is it a sweete yoke a comfortable yoke a yoke more pleasant than hony or hony combe as sayeth the Prophet And whie so because we drawe therin with a sweete yokefelow we drawe with Christ him self that is to say Christes holie grace draweth at the one end of the yoke and our endeuour at the other And because when a great oxe and a litle doe drawe together in one yoke the weight lieth al vpon the greater oxe his neeke for that he beareth vp the yoke from the other therof it cometh that we drawing in this yoke together with Christ which is infinitly stronger and greater then we are he lighteneth vnto vs the whole burden and onelie requireth that we should goe on comfortablie with him and not refuse to ioyne and perseuer vnder this sweet yoke in his companie for that the paines shal be his and the pleasure and profit ours And this him self signifieth verie expreslie in the Ghospel when he inuiteth al men that are heuelie loden to come vnto his yoke and he wil refreshe theÌ„ Wherby he declareth plainly that his calling vs to the bearing of his sweet yoke is onlie therby to disburden and ease vs and not any waye to loden or agreeue vs to disburden vs I say of the heauie loadinges packes and yokes of this world as from the burden for example of a guiltie conscience the burden of melancholie the burden of enuie hatred and malice the burden of pride the burdeÌ„ of ambition the burden of couetousnes the burden of wrath the burden of feare the burden of al wickednesse and of hel fire it self From al these burdens lodinges and miserable yokes our most louing Saucour desireth to deliuer vs by couering our neckes onelie with his yoke and burden so lightned and sweetned by his holy grace as the bearing therof is not trauailsome but most easie pleasant iocunde and comfortable And thus much of the first and principal helpe that maketh the path of vertuous life easie I meane of Gods holie grace inhereÌ„t in mans soule which is the ofspring and fountaine of al other helpes that doe insue THE SECOND thing that maketh this yoke so sweet this burden so light this waie of Gods commaundementes so pleasant to resolued men is vehemencie of loue loue I meane towards God whose commaundementes they are which we take in hand For that euery maÌ„ can easelie tel hath experienced in him self what an irresistable force the passion of loue conteineth and how it maketh most facil the verie greatest paines that are in this world What maketh for examples sake the mother to take such incessant paine in the bringing vp of her child to indure with comfort so many trauailes as she doth but onelie loue what causeth the wife to fit so attentiue at the beds side of her husbande when he is sicke but onelie loue what moueth the beastes and birdes of the ayer to spare from their owne foode and to endaunger their own liues for the feeding and defending of their litle ones but onelie the great force and puissance of loue S. Austen doth prosecute this pointe at large by many other examples as of Marchantes that refuse no aduenture of sea for loue of gaine of huntars that refuse no season of euill weather for loue of game of soldiers that refuse no danger of spoyle And he addeth in the end that if the loue of man can be so great towardes creatures here as to make great labours easie and in deede to seeme no labours but rather pleasures how much more shal the loue of good men towardes God make al their paines and trauailes comfortable which they take in his seruice This extreme loue was the cause and reason whie al the intollerable paines afflictions which our Saue our Christ suffered for our sake did seeme nothing vnto him And this loue also was the reciprocal cause why so infinit trauailes and tribulations as zelous Christians from the beginning haue suffered for their Lord and Maister seemed nothing vnto them Imprisonmentes tormentes losse of honour goodes and life haue seemed verie trifles to innumerable seruantes of God in respect of this feruent and burning loue This loue droue infinite virgines and tender children to offer them selues in time of persecution for zelous affection toward him which in the cause was persecuted This loue caused holie Apollonia of Alexandria being broght to the fire to slip out of the handes of such as ledde her and ioyfullie to runne into the same of her self This loue inforced blessed Ignatius the auncient Martir to saye being condemned to beastes and fearing least they would refuse his bodie as they had done the bodies of diuers Martirs before him that he would not permit that but would rather prouoke them to pulle and teare his bodie in peeces Thes are the effectes deare brother of feruent loue which doe make euen the thinges that in this world are most difficult and dreadful of theÌ„ selues to appeare verie facile sweete and pleasant and much more the lawes and commaundementes of almightie
the riches of iniquitie The rich gloutton might haue escaped his tormentes haue made him self a happie man by helpe of worldly wealth if he had listed And so might many a thousand that now liue in Christianitie and wil goe to hel for the same cause that the glutton did Oh that men would take warning one by an other and be wise whiles they haue time S. Paul saieth Deceiue not your selues Looke vvhat a man sovveth and that shal he reape What a plentiful haruest then might riche men prouide to thē selues if they would hauing such store of seede by them and so much ground offered them daily to sow it in Why doe they not remember that sweet haruest-song Come ye blessed of my father enter into the kingdom prepared for you for I vvas hungrie and you fed me I vvas thirstie and you gaue me to drink I vvas naked and you appareled me Or if they doe not care for this why doe they not feare at least the blacke Sanctus that must be chaunted to them for the contrary Agite anne diuites plorate vlulantes in miserijs vistris quae adueniēt vobis goe now you riche men weepe and houle in your miseries that shal come vpō you The holy father Iohn Damaseen reporteth a goodly parable of Barlaam the heremite to our purpose There was saieth he a certaine citie or common wealth which vsed to chuse to them selues a king from among the poorest sorte of people and to aduaunce him to great honour wealth and pleasures for a time But after a while when they were wearie of him there fashion was to rise against him and to dispoile him of al his felicitie yea of the verie clothes of his backe and so to banish him naked into an Iland of a farre countrie where bringing nothing with him he should liue in great miserie and be put to exceeding slauerie for euer Which practise one king at a certaine time considering by good aduise for al th' other though they knew that fashion yet through negligence pleasures of their present felicitie cared not for it tooke resolute order with him self how to preuent this miserie which was by this meanes He saued euery day great sommes of money from his superfluities and idle expences and so secretly made ouer before hand a great treasure vnto that iland wherunto he was in daunger daily to be sent And whē the time came that in deed they deposed him from his kingdom and turned him away naked as they had done th' other before he went to the ilād with ioy and confidēce where his treasure lay and was receiued there with exceeding great triumph and placed presently in greater glorie then euer he was before This parable teacheth as much as possibly may be said in this point For this citie or common wealth is this present world which aduaunceth to authoritie poore men that is such as come naked into this life and vpon the soudaine when they looke least for it doth pul them doune againe and turneth them of naked into their graues and so into an other world where bringing no treasure of good workes with them they are like to finde litle fauour but rather eternal miserie The wise king that preuented this calamitie is he which in time of wealth in this life according to the counsail of our Saueour Christ doth seeke to lay vp treasure in heauen by almes deedes and other good works against the day of his death when he must be banished hence naked as al the prices of that citie were At which time if their good deeds do folow them then as God pmiseth they shal be happie men and placed in much more glorie then euer this world was able to geue them But if they come without oile in their lampes then is there nothing for them to expect but nescio vos I know you not And when they are knowen Ite maledicti in ignem aeternum goe you accursed into fire euerlasting EXAMPLES OF TRVE RESOLVTION IN THE TVVO FORMER POINTES of suffering for Christ and contemning the vvorld Adioined for the better declaration and confirmation of the tvvo chapters next going before CHAPT V. FOR so much as the two precedent chapters of contemning the world and suffering for Christ are by their own natures and in mans natural sight and reason very dreadful and lothsome to flesh and bloud and to whatsoeuer depēdeth therof in such sort as diuers persons who otherwise esteme thē selues no euil Christians doe take horrour and auersion euen at the very name and mention of such things persuading them selues that the necessitie of Christiā profession requireth not any resolution to so high a perfection I am moued in this place to adioine to the former treatises a breefe declaration of the practise and excercise of ancient Christians in thes two points wherby their opinions and censures may better be seire thē by their words and wherin ech other Christiā that liueth at this day may behold as in a table or glasse what behoueth him to doe when occasion is offered if he professe to serue vnder the same banner and doe expect his paye at the handes of the same king and maister that they did Many things haue bene said before cōcerning thes two misteries of worldlie contempt and sufferance in tribulation And among other matters it hath bene declared that the very foundatiō of Christian Religion which is the holie crosse and Crucifix standeth builded principaly vpon thes two pillers It hath bene showed how Christ our Sauiour when he sent forth his Apostles and disciples as the first spiritual fathers and masters of the world instructed thē especially in thes two doctrines as most behooful and necessarie to the end which he pretēdeth And for that his diuine wisdome did easily foresee that deedes haue much more force to persuade then wordes he did set forth this doctrine most exactly in the example of his own life making the same a paterne of al worldly contempt and suffering for iustice as also did his said Apostles and disciples after him to the true and perfit imitation of their maister Thus much then hath bene treated before and many particulers haue bene declared as wel of the holie Apostles extreme suffering in al kindes and maners of affliction as also of their vtter dispising whatsoeuer was pretious or pleasant in this world for the perfect seruing of their Lord and maister No allurements of this world could intise them no dignities delight them no flatterie deceiue them no pleasure peruert them no labours weary them no difficultie stay them no terrour or tyrannie of mortal man could feare them from their course begonne as long as their soules remained within their bodies Some of them ended their liues by the sword some vpon the crosse others were stoned and throwne downe from highe pinacles others were scorched skinned aliue and al this for the perfect seruing of
probabilite had bothe sene him and heard him in his life This man then hauing liued verie long in this his charge of bishoprike being now a hundred and twentie yeares olde was in the time of Traian the Emperor S. Iohn the Euangelist being dead a litle before accused by certaine heretiques who then first as Egisippus saith who liued in the same time beganne to shew them selues openly in the world hauing liued secretly in corners before for that al the holy Apostles and others which had heard our Sauiour speake were now dead and therfore thes heretiques deuised now what new expositions vpon scriptures liked them best And for that this man was the only or cheefe piller that stood against them for defence of the Catholique faith and apostolical traditiō at that daie they caused him coningly to be apprehended and presented before Atticus then gouern our of Iurie for the Emperour Who after many allurementes and threates vsed vnto him when by no me ās he could moue him to relent from his cōstancie in Christes seruice he caused him to be beaten with whippes and to be tormented many daies together which the old man indured with most wonderful corage in so much that Atticus being astonied saith our author that one of six skore years of age could beare so many torments commanded him finally to be nailed on a crosse as his master Christ was and so he died At the very same time liued therin Asia a man of singuler name for his holines called Ignatius disciple to the apostles by them or deined bishop of Antioche after that S. Peter had lest the same This mā being accused for his faith to the gouernour of Syria and standing constant in the confession therof was condemned by him to be torne in peeces of wild beastes But for that he was a person of great marke he was sent prisoner to Rome vnder the custodie of ten soldiars to suffer ther. And albeit thes soldiars vpon the way vsed him very discurteously and kept him straite yet founde he meanes either by speech or letters to comfort al Christians as he passed by them But especially as Eusebius noteth he inculcated two pointes to be remembred of them Primum vt haereses quae tum primò emergere caeperunt maxime praecaue ēt deinde vt apostolorū traditioni 〈◊〉 adhaerescerēt first that they should aboue al other things take heed of new opinions and heresies which then first began to creepe abroad and secōdly that they should sticke and cleane most firmely to the tradition of th' Apostles for the true vnderstanding and interpretation of scriptures that is to say they should admit no other interpretation but that which al churches by general and vniforme consent had receaued from th' apostles insinuating hereby that this should be an infallible rule to guide men by vnto the worlds ende Besides this the good man got time also and opportunitie in his iourney to write diuers epistles to sandry churches which Eusebius in his storie setteth downe And among other things either he being informed or fearing of him self that the Christians in Rome hearing of his comming would make means to the Emperour to get pardon for his life and so depriue him of martyrdome he write a most earnest letter vnto them beseeching them not to doe so Out of which letter both Eusebius and S. Hieron doe cite thes most excellent words following In this my iourny saieth he from Syria to Rome I am inforced to fight day and night with ten leopards that is with ten soldiars sent to keepe me Who the more benifites I doe bestow vpon them the worse and the more cruel they are towards me But their iniquitie is my instruction and yet hereby I am not iustified Would God I were once come to inioy thos beastes that are appointed to deuoure me I desire greatly that it may be hortly that they may be stirred vp to eate me quickly least perhapes they abstaine to touch me as they haue done from the bodies of other martyrs But if they should refuse to set vpon me I wil intise them on my self Pardon me my children for I know what is good for me Now I begine to be Christs true disciple desiring nothing that is sene in this world with mans eyes but only IESVS Christ my Sauiour Fire crosse beastes breaking of my bones quartering of my members tearing and renting of my body and al th' other tormentes that the diuel can inuent let them al come vpon me only that I may inioy my IESVS Thus far doth Eusebius cite the words of his own epistle which yet is exstant And S. Irenaeus S. Ierom doe 〈◊〉 yet further that when he came to suffer and heard the roringes of the lions redy to come forth vpon him he vsed thes words I am Gods corne and the teeth of thes wild beastes must grinde me to the ende I may be pure and good bread for Christs table He suffered saith S. Ierome in th' eleuenth yeare of Traians reigne and his reliques were carried backe againe by Christians from Rome to Antioche and ther are kept without the gate called Daphnitica Here we see the feruour of this seruant of God we see his constancie his corage his comfort in suffering And how came he deare brother to this most happie and blessed estate We heare him say of him self that novv he began to be Christes true disciple vvhen he desired nothing that mans eye can behold but only his Lord and Sauiour IESVS Christ. This burning loue then of IESVS did consume in him al other loue and affection that stayeth worldly men from like resolution He was no frende or louer of this world Heare the saying of an other light and lanterne of Gods church which liued at the very same time and suffered so one after him for the same cause and spake with him in his iourney toward Rome I meane S. Policarpus who wrote thus of Ignatius presently after his martyrdome vnto the Philippenses I beseech you brethren to yeld al obedience wher it is due and to vse al patience in your afflictions according to the example which you haue seene in Ignatius and other martyrs as also in S. Paul and the rest of the Apostles assuring your selues that thos men ranne not in vaine but in faith and iustice and therfore are gone to the place which was due vnto them being now with their Lord of whos afflictions they were made partakers in this life They were no louers of this world but they loued their maister who suffered death for our loue and rose againe for our glorification Thus far Policarpus And for that we are fallen into the mention of this rare and worthie man Policarp who albeit he sawe not Christ hī self in flesh yet did he liue most familiarly with diuers of the Apostles especially with S. Iohn Euāgelist whose domestical disciple he
Possidius But S. Victor comming to declare the said persecution more in particuler sheweth that albeit they were cruel against al Catholiques in general yet saith he praecipuè in ecclesijs basilicisque caemiterijs monasterijs sceleratijss saeuiebant They principally did excercise their wicked crueltie vpon Churches oratories church-yards and Monasteries And then he goeth forward shewing their further cruelties and outrages in abusing preestes and monkes and in spoiling alters of which he saith in particuler de pallis altaris proh nesas camisias sibi femoralia faciebant Of the corporesses and other clothes of the aulter sie on the villanie they made them selues shirtes and briches Further he addeth that they gathering diuers sacred Virgins together against al shame would behold and handle the priuie partes of their bodies whom afterward for that they would not be leud with them they tormented with fire and threw into riuers with stones tied to their feet saying vnto them tel vs how doe your bishops and clergie men vse to lie with you besides al this he saith that they prohibited Catholiques Missas agere vel tractare to haue Masse or to talke therof they forbide them also to burie Christians solemly with lightes tapers and torches and finally they forbid them al excercise of their Catholique Christian religion And for that in thes things they were not obeied as they desired but were resisted openly and manfully by them that had spirit corage from God to doe it therfore did they rage and fome aboue al measure and did excercise more extremitie in al despiteful and villanous kind of cruelties then did the Pagan persecutours either before or after NOVV THEN to make here our staie and to passe no further in this discourse thou seest deare brother in this descent of Gods Church for fiue hūdred years together after Christs departure how ordinarie a thing it was to our Saue our to send persecution vnto his dearest seruants for their trial and merit In which matter notwithstanding is diligently to be considered first the greatenes and sharpnesse of this trial to the end we be not desmaied when the like more or lesse doe fal vnto our lot Secondly how pittiful and miserable the fal of diuers were in this trial to the losse of their soules and eternal desolation Thirdly how the causes of this their fal were either pride and temeritie wherby they tempted God or els the loue of this present world wherby they were allured to forsake their Lord and master Fourthly how glorious the victorie was of thos that were resolute and how euerlasting their reward both in this world in the world to come Besides this it shal not be amisse for thee to consider and that for thy particuler comfort if thou be a Catholique how careful thes holy Martyrs were that suffered in the primatiue Church to keepe them selues within the vnitie of Catholique faith doctrine deliuered vniuersally by tradition in al Churches frō age to age to the end their sufferinges and labour might reccaue their merit How diligēt also they were in aduertising others of this important pointe assuring them that without this their trauailes could be of no profit or auaile And as it is most euident and certaine that al thes blessed martyrs Sainctes which before I haue named together with their brethren did cōtinue by successiō for fiue hundred years together in the common knowen faith of Christēdome called at that time Catholique and did defend the same both by wordes writing and suffering against al apostaces heretiques schismatiques or other newfangled enemies whatsoeuer So is it as euidēt apparēt to the world that the same vniuersal general church faith and doctrine which thes men left haue continued euer since vntil this daie and shal doe to the worlds ende fighting and striuing against al new vpstart enemies of the same traditiō of Christian religion which thes mē so carefully commended vnto vs. By al which as also by the maner of persecution that was then and by the thinges them selues that were suffered at heretiques hādes in thes old times euerie Catl olique man that by Gods special grace is made worthie to suffer the like in thes our daies maie take singuler comfort and great instruction therin considering nubem illam testium propositam as S. Paul calleth it that is the great multitude and cloude of examples and witnesses that haue gone before vs to instruct and animate vs in this battaile And the holy Apostle vseth the word cloude to allude by a metaphore vnto that cloude which out Sauiour sent to the people of Israel to direct their iourney in the deserte insinuating hereby that thes excellent examples of holy Martyrs and Confessours which I haue named before to haue suffered so valiantely in the primatiue church ought to be vnto vs a most certaine direction both for corage cōstancie wisdome alacretie and resolution in this spiritual fight assuring our selues that we following their steppes in fighting for the like cause against the like enemies with like fortitude and humilitie and in like patience and longanimantie as they did we shal not want the like grace like comfort like assistance like merit and reward at our merciful Sauiours hand as they receaued THE FIFT IMPEDIMENT OF RESOLVTION IN THE SERVICE OF ALmightie God Proceeding of ouer much presumption in the mercie of our Sauiour vvithout remembrance of his iustice CHAPT VI. AS many men for their excuse against the resolutiō which we persuade doe serue them selues with the reasons that before we haue confuted So is ther an other forte of people that taketh a more shorte way to dispatch their handes of al that can be said to moue thē by seare quite contrary to them whom in the first chapter of this second part I answered this way is to lay the whole matter of their stay vpon the backe and shoulders of our Sauiour Christ himself and to answere what soeuer you can say against them with this onely sentence God is merciful Of thes men our Saue our seemeth to complaine greeuously by the prophet when he saieth Supra dor sum meū fabricauerunt peceatores prolongauerunt iniquitatem Sinners haue built vpon my backe they haue prolonged their iniquitie By which wordes he signifieth that prolonging of our iniquities in hope of Gods mercie is to build our sinnes on his back and shoulders But what foloweth wil God beare this iniurie no verelie for the next wordes ensuing are Dominus iustus cōcidet ceruices peccatorum God is iust and he wil cut in sunder the neckes of sinners Here loe are two cooling cardes for the two warme imaginations before recited For meane you Syr to prolong your iniquitie for that God is merciful remember then also that he is iust saieth the prophet Are ye gotten vp vpon the backe of almightie God to make your nest of sinne there take heed for he wil fetch