remaineth sure and hath this seale The Lord knovveth vvho are his And the Almightie himselfe talking with his seruant Moises saith * Thou hast Exod. 33. 17 found fauour in my sight I know thee by name Likewise vnto the Prophet Ieremie in the very beginning of his booke hee vseth these words * Before I formed thee in thy Ierem 1 5. mothers wombe I knew thee and before thou cammest out of the wombe I sanctified thee ordained thee to be a Prophet vnto the Nations §. 5. Now as by these few former places wee finde it most apparantly prooued that the freends and seruaunts of Almightie God are alvvayes knowne vnto him so may we likewise by this ensuing example speech of the Prophet to Senacharib certainly assure our selues that the Lord God knoweth vvho are his enemies also For when that proude-daring King of 2 Reg 18 28. 29 30. â— the Assvrians sent Rabsaketh his foule-mouthed messenger to blaspheme the Holie one of Israell the Almightie returned him this aunswere by the mouth of Esay saying * I knowe thy dwelling yea thy 2. Reg. 19 27 28. going out and thy comming in thy furie against mee And because thou ragest against mee and thy tumult is come vp to mine eares I will put my hooke in thy nostrils and my bridle in thy lippes and will bring thee backe againe the same way thou cammest Moreouer the Lord our God as Esdras affirmeth knoweth all them that sinne 2 Esd 15. 26 against him and therefore deliuereth hee them vnto death and destruction For there is as Iob sayth no darknesse Iob 34 22 nor shadow of death that can hide the wicked dooers from his sight Hee declareth the things past and the Ecclê° 42 19 things that are to come he also discloseth the path of those things that are secrete Hee searcheth the ground of the deepe 2. Esd 16. 49 and the treasures thereof hee hath measured the Sea and knoweth what it containeth §. 6. Let all men therefore as Cicero vvell sayth in this be truly perswaded that God â— Citeâ—s is the onely moderator gouernour of all things and that all things also be done by his power and appoyntment And that he it is which most cleerely beholdeth euery man both what hee doth what he admitteth in himselfe with what minde and godlines he doth loue fauour Religion and that hee hath also a respect to the proceedings both of all godly and wicked men Yea the Lord our God onely as Siluius Siluius saith by his eternall wisedom hath made all by his euerlasting prouidence hee preserueth all and by his most absolute vnderstanding he knoweth all For of him and through him and for Rom 11 36 him as the Apostle saith are all thinges to him be glory for euer Amen ¶ Of the great mercie and louing kindnesse of God §. 1. THE Lord our God according to Nehe. 9. 17 the confession of the Leuites in the ninth of Nehemiah is a GOD of mercies gracious and pittifull of long suffering and of great mercie Hee is as Dauid saith good to all and Psal 145 9 his mercies are ouer or aboue all the rest of his workes Yea hee is full of compassion mercy Psal 103 8 9. slow to anger and of great kindnesse Hee will not alway chide neither will he keepe his anger for euer Hee hath not dealt with vs after our sins nor rewarded vs according to our iniquities verse 10 11 12 13 For as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercie toward theÌ„ that feare him and as far as the East is from the West so farre hath he remoued our sinnes from vs. * As a Father hath compassion on verse 14. 15. his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him For hee knoweth whereof we be made hee remembreth that wee are but dust §. 2. Where saith Micah is there anie God Micah 7 18 like vnto the Lord our God that taketh away iniquitie and passeth by or winketh at the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage He retaineth not his wrath for euer because mercy pleaseth him Hee is as Salomon saith gracious and Wisd 15 1 true long suffering gouerneth al things by mercy Hee is as Sirach saith kinde pittiful Ecclus 2 12 hee pardoneth and forgiueth sinnes hee saueth in the time of trouble hee is a defender of all theÌ„ that seeke him in the truth And * as his greatnes is so is his mercy Eccâ—us 2 21 Cyrill For he can no more cease to be mercifull then he can cease to be God The mercie that a man hath saith Sirach Ecclê° 18 12 reacheth vnto his neighbour but the mercy of the Lord is vpon all flesh He is the Father of mercies the God 2 Cor 1 3 of all comfort His mercie reacheth vnto the heauens Psalm 36 5 his faithfulnesse vnto the clowdes His mercie is euerlasting and his truth Psal 100. 5. endureth from generation to generation §. 3. Oh how excellent as Dauid saith is the Psalm 36 7 mercy of the Lord our God! therefore the chyldren of men saith he put theyr trust vnder the shadow of his winges The very remembrance of Gods mercie Bernard saith Bernard maketh glad the harts of all the godly and the hope of heauens helpe is comfortable to euerie penitent person The tongues of all men liuing saith Marlorate Marlorate cannot tell out Gods mercie nor the pennes of all the VVriters in the vvorld sufficiently expresse the same His wrath as Erasmus saith is alvvaies Erasmus giuen by weight but is mercie is infinite without either end or measure Besides if wee aske yet further after the Augustine seuerall workes of Gods mercy wee shall finde as S. Augustine saith that they passe all number as there can be no nuÌ„ber made of our miseries and daily necessities For what man liuing saith Becon can Becon tell how often through frailtie he hath offended or truely reckon how many waies he hath been preserued froÌ„ perrill through the onely mercy of the Almightie extended towards him Also If the sinnes of all the world were as S. Chrisostome saith in one man yet Chrisostome would they be nothing to the mercy of the Almightie but the burthen of them in comparison of his mercie woulde seeme like the Spyders webbe before the boysterous winde Yea the multitude of all mens offences â— Fulgentius in respect of Gods mercie is like a small drop of raine to the greatest Sea §. 4. Furthermore the mercy of the Lorde Chrisostome our God is as S. Chrisostome saith both generall and speciall It is generall in supplying the present wants both of the iust and vniust It is speciall in succouring the iust onely It is likewise temporary saith he in sparing the wicked for a time and it is euerlasting concerning the
euerlasting saluation of the godly not only in choosing but also in regenerating in iustifying and in glorifying them Also King Salomon as we reade in his booke of Wisedome after some mention made of Gods almighty power vttereth these speeches following in praise of his loue and mercie saying Thou ô Lord Wisd 11. 20 21 22 23. hast mercy vppon all for thou hast power ouer all and makest as though thou sawest not the sinnes of men because they should amend For thou louest all the things that are and hatest none of them whō thou hast made For thou vvouldest haue created nothing that thou hadst hated And how might any thing endure vnlesse it were thy will or howe coulde any thing be preserued except it were called of thee But thou sparest all for they are thine ô Lord which art the louer of soules And * for that thou Wisd 12 16 art Lorde of all thinges it causeth thee to spare all things And not much vnlike to this saying of Salomon is the confession of Esdras vnto the Angell which was sent to instruct him where hee saith I knovve Lord that the 2 Esdr 7. 62 63 64. c. most High is called mercifull in that hee hath mercy vppon them which are not yet come into the world And that he hath pittie on those that walke in his Lawe And that hee is patient for hee long suffereth those that haue sinned as his creatures And that hee is liberall for hee will giue as much as needeth And that he is of great mercy for hee ouercōmeth in mercy those that are present those that are past them that are to come For if hee were not aboundant in his mercies the world coulde not continue nor they that haue the possession thereof He pardoneth also for if he gaue not of his goodnesse that they which haue doone 2 Esdras 7. 68 69 70. euill might be releeued from their wickednesse the ten thousand part of men should not remaine aliue And if hee beeing Iudge forgaue not those that be healed with his word tooke away the multitude of their sinnes there should be very fewe people left among an innumerable multitude §. 5. Moreouer the Lorde our God is so full of pitty and compassion that as Gueuara Anth. Gueuara saith hee neuer sendeth downe his wrath vpon any people as a punishment for their offences but hee first seeketh rather by admonishment to bring them to his mercy and fauour through their true humilitie and vnfained repentance And many also are the testimonies which we finde in holie Scripture concerning the great kindnesse and compassion of Almighty God to the penitent but among sundry other I suppose for breuities sake that this one example following may sufficiently serue to instruct vs. Ionas beeing sent of God to preach and Ionas 3 4 5 6 7 c. denounce his iudgements against Niniuie the cheefest Citty of the Assyrians entred into the same a dayes iourney saith the Text and he cryed and sayd Yet fortie dayes and Niniuie shall be ouerthrowne Whereupon the King beleeuing the speech of the Prophet descended from his princely throne and speedily caused thys Proclamation to be made that neither man nor beast should taste any foode nor drink any water but let man beast quoth he put on sackcloth and cry mightilie vnto God yea let euery man turne from his euill wayes and from the wickednesse that is in their hands And * when the Almightie verse 10. saw theyr workes that they repented turned from theyr euill waies hee repented himselfe of the euill that hee had saide hee would doe vnto them and he did it not Which thing as the Text saith displeased Ionas exceedingly and hee was angry Notwithstanding he prayed vnto the lord and said I pray thee ô Lord was not this my saying when I was yet in my countrey Therefore I preuented it and fledde vnto Tarshish for I knew sayth hee that thou art a gracious God and mercifull slowe to anger and of great kindnesse repenting thee of the euill c. After this Ionas went out of the Cittie Ionas 4 1 2. and sate him downe vnder the East side thereof expecting what should bee doone vnto the same And the Lord in one night caused a Gourde to spring vp ouer Ionas that it might be a shadow ouer his head a defence for him against the heate of the Sunne but the next morning hee prepared a Worme also which smote the Gourd and it withered Then Ionas perceiuing himselfe bereft Ionas 4 5 6 7 8 c. of this succour and wexing faint through the extreame heate of the Sunne wished in his hart to die and sayd It is better for me to die then to liue But the Lord God called vnto him and said Ionas doost thou well to be angrie Thou hast pitty on the Gourde for which thou hast not laboured neither madest it to grow which came vp in a night and perished in a night and should not I sayth the most merciful spare Niniuie that great Cittie wherein are six-score thousand persons that cannot discerne betweene theyr right hand and their left and also much cattle By the which speech of the Almightie and example of his clemencie most plainlie it is approued that the Lord our God as S. Iames saith * is very pittifull mercifull Iames 5 11 And that as Ieremie saith * hee dooth Lam 3 33. not punish willingly Nay more so prone is the Almighty to pardon and so much inclined to mercie that although through mans vnrighteousnesse he be highly prouoked to anger and euen ready as it were to execute his fierce wrath vpon the vngodly yet notwithstanding it sometimes pleaseth him to spare a great company of wicked offenders by reason that some fewe righteous persons haue theyr habitation among them As may for example be seene in the eighteene of Genesis where we finde that according to the sixe seuerall peticions of the Patriarch Abraham hee was content to graunt first that if fiftie secondly that if fortie-fiue thirdly that if fortie fourthly Gene. 18. that if thirtie fiftly that if twentie lastlie that if but tenne righteous men coulde bee founde in all Sodome the whole Cittie shoulde bee spared for those tenne mens sake §. 6. Thus proue we our God to be as Dauid saith a pittifull God and mercifull slowe Psal 86 15 to anger and great in kindnes and truth Yea such a God whose compassion also is of no short cōtinuaunce but as the Psalmist saith * endureth for euer euer vppon Psal 103 17 them that feare him and his righteousnesse vppon theyr childrens children Shewing mercy vnto thousands of them Deut. 5. 10. that loue him and keepe his commaundements All yee therefore that worshippe the Dan 3 90. Lord blesse the God of Gods praise him and acknowledge him for his mercy endureth world without end And onely by the reason thereof all men liuing are
preserued according to that speech of Ieremie in his Lamentations where hee sayth * It is the Lords mercies Lam 3. 22. that we are not consumed because his coÌ„passions faile not For hee hath mercy on whom hee will Exod 33 19 haue mercie and hee hath compassion on whom he will haue compassion ¶ Of the iustice of Almightie God §. 1. AS it is a matter most needfull for euerie Christian beleeuer to knowe that God his Creator is very kinde and mercifull so is it likewise greatly necessary for him to remember that the Lord of euerlasting glorie is also iust and true For he that dooth continue in his sin running the race of his life in all kind of wilful negligence and buildeth the whole burden of his iniquities vpon the perswasion of his Makers mercie without any reckoning or regard of his iustice such a man for certaintie liues in a most lothsome state and is ready at euery step which hee treadeth to set his foote with Pharao in the perrilous path of presumption Contrariwise he that doth acknowledge God to be iust seuere and true by too much hammering the same in his braine looseth or letteth slippe the sweete taste feeling comfort of his vnspeakeable loue and mercie entertaineth by this meanes a seruaunt more then he needeth who wayting continually at his elbowe neuer ceaseth to prompt and perfect his maister in * Caines part vntill the disquiet of his Gene 4 13 minde driue him to the soule-destroying sinne of desperation Wherefore sith we haue already found in our short discourse of Gods mercy the precious potion which presently cureth the dangerous disease of all such troublesome and distempering thoughts Let vs now likewise by expressing some few speeches of Gods iustice seeke out such simplâ—s as may dreadfully keepe vs from the offence of too much boldnes in ouer-prouing the great patience of our most mightie Preseruer §. 2. Vnderstand therfore that when the Altie discended from heauen in a clowde proclaimed his Name vnto his seruaunt Moises in Mount Sinai because he would haue him know that hee was the God of iustice as well as the Lord of mercie hee vttered these speeches as he passed by him saying * The Lorde the Lorde strong Exod 34 5 6 7 mercifull and gracious slow to anger aboundant in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercie for thousands forgiuing iniquitie and transgression and sinne Then followeth And not making the wicked innocent visiting the iniquitie of the Fathers vpon the chyldren vpon childrens children vnto the third fourth generation The same Moises likewise that he might cause the people to consider Gods iustice as wel as make them mindful of his mercy forgetteth not in his repetition of the Law to tell them That the Lord theyr God is a Deut 5 9 10. iealous God visiting the iniquitie of the Fathers vpon the chyldren euen vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate him and shewing mercy vnto thousands of them that loue him and keep his commaundements And to the intent also that Gods iustice might be as well remembred as his mercie the Prophet Ieremie in his prayer which hee made vnto the Lord in prison spareth not to speake of them both together saying * O Lord our GOD it is thou that Ierem 32 17 18. hast made heauen and earth by thy great power and by thine out-stretched arme and there is nothing hid from thee Thou shewest mercy vnto thousands and recompencest the iniquity of the Fathers into the bosome of theyr children after them Besides the Prophet Dauid in the ninth Psalme plainely affirmeth that * the Lord Psalm 9 16 our God is knowne by executing iudgement §. 3. Saint Chrisostome as we read speaking generally of the iustice of Almighty God maketh breefely this definition therof saying The iustice of God is that wherby all Chrisostome those good things be performed which do belong vnto a true God and can be doone by none but by him alone As namely his creating and making of those things which be not and his breeding increasing gouerning continuall preseruing of those things which be But Saint Ambrose speaking more particulerly of Gods iustice deuideth the same into three parts saying The first is that as Ambrose hee is God so hee is the onely Creator and conseruer of all things vvhich is nothing else but the goodnes of his own nature The second is that as he is Lord maister so he gouerneth all things by iust authoritie according to the pleasure of his owne will The third is that as hee is Iudge so hee will deale rightly in iudgement with all men and revvarde euery one at his death according to the workes which hee hath doone in this life And like as S. Ambrose maketh mention of three sorts of iustice to bee in God so S. Augustine speaketh of three speciall Augustine causes which daily mooue men to sinne against their Maker The first is saith he when we foolishlie flatter our selues in our iniquities thinke that the Almighty seeth not our sinnes The second is when wee perswade with our selues that GOD careth not for our sinnes The third is because we weigh not Gods iustice but supposing him to be onely mercifull we will therefore of purpose vvexe more and more sinful But let not my brother saith S. Bernard Bernard the subtilties of sathan so seduce thee that by too much buzzing in thy braine the greatnes of Gods mercy he thereby cause thee cleane to extinguish the remeÌ„brance thou should'st haue of thy Creators iustice Neither bee thou dravvne at any time through his inducements to tempt and abuse Ambrose the patience of the most Mighty for it is the next way to shutte thee out of the grace of saluation vtterly to disappoint thy selfe of all the mercy and fauour which the Almighty was minded to haue vsed towards thee §. 4. VVe read in the fift of S. Iohn that our Sauiour Christ hauing by the onely power of his worde miraculously made vvhole a man which had beene diseased eyght and thirty yeeres chaunced afterward to finde the same fellow in the Temple and before they parted hee gaue him this kinde and freendly admonishment to forewarne him saying * Beholde thou art made vvhole Iohn 5 8 14 sinne no more least a worse thing come vnto thee The like counsaile also in effect giueth Sirach vnto all men in the fift of his booke where he saith Because thy sinne is forgiuen Ecclê° 5 5 6. thee my sonne be not without feare to heape sinne vpon sinne neyther say vnto thy selfe The mercy of God is great he will forgiue my manifold sinnes for mercie and wrath come from him and his indignation commeth downe vpon sinners And * as his mercy is great so is his punishment Ecclê° 16 12 also for hee iudgeth a man according to his workes §. 5. Perfect as Moises saith is the vvorke of
Deut 32 4. the mightie GOD For all his waies are iudgement God is true saith he without wickednes iust and righteous is he If thou sinne against him and prooue Osorius truly penitent hee will be found readie to graunt thee forgiuenesse but if thou persist in euill and presume vpon his mercie the path thou walkest in is very perrillous and thou daily standest in danger of his heauie wrath and iudgement For although it sometimes please God Mar. Aur. as Marcus Aurelius affirmeth to forbeare the sinnes and transgressions of diuers persons that persist in theyr euill liuing a great while yet notwithstanding wee â—ften see by example that hee dooth not sâ—are at length suddainly and vnawares to chastise such offenders vvith so much the greater chastisement according to the measure of theyr many iniquities For God is in his corrections saith he like vnto a man that giueth a blowe to another body the higher that hee lyfteth vp his hande vvith the greater force falleth downe the stroake semblably the more yeeres that the Almightie forbeareth our sinnes the more will he afterward afflict vs with punishment for them vnlesse we repent §. 6. It is not as Melancthon saith the great Phil. Mel. wealth of worldly rich men that can cause theyr Creator to with-hold his wrath from the wicked neyther is it the magnificence of mighty men that can procure him to proue partiall in iudgement For there is no iniquitie with the Lorde 2 Chro. 19 7. our God saith Iehosaphat neyther respect of persons nor receiuing of reward Hee being Lord ouer all will spare no Wisd 6. 7 person neyther shall he feare any greatnes For he hath made the small and great and careth for all alike Hee hath no respect vnto the persons of Iob 34 19 Princes neither regardeth he the rich more then the poore for they be all the vvorke of his hands Hee as Tobie saith is iust and all his Tob 3 2 workes and all his vvayes are mercie and truth and he iudgeth truly and iustlie for euer For his eyes are vpon all the wayes of the Iere 32 19 sonnes of men to giue to euery one according to his wayes and according to the fruite of his workes Whosoeuer he be therefore as Vincentius Vincentius saith that walketh in the vvay of the wicked and yet notwithstanding looketh for the reward of the righteous foolishlie flatters himselfe with a false hope and hath more neede of good counsaile to reclaime him from error then hee hath of badde encouragement to cause him continue his course §. 7. Beholde saith the Almightie all soules Ezech 18 4 20. are mine both the soule of the Father and also the soule of the sonne are mine The same soule that sinneth it shall die the sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the Father neyther shall the Father beare the iniquity of the sonne but the righteousnes of the righteous shall be vpon him and the wickednes of the wicked shall bee vppon himselfe For euery man shall beare his own burden Gala 6 5 And as his workes are founde so shall Luther his reward be giuen Also It is most certaine saith Iob that Iob 34 12 the Lord our God will not doe wickedlie neither will the Almightie peruert iudgement Hee will not cast away an vpright man Iob 8 20. neither wil he take the wicked by the hand For as he is called the * God of iudgement Esay 30. 18 So hee is termed the rightfull * Iudge of Gene 18 25 all the world And therefore hee will vndoubtedly as Dauid sayth * iudge the worlde in righteousnesse Psalm 9 8. and the people with equitie §. 8. Diuers examples also may bee collected from the Scripture concerning the iustice of almighty God and the expressing of his punishments vpoÌ„ offenders but these few folowing shew proofe enough to perswade vs. As namely how he punished * Achan Iosua 7. the sonne of Carmi for his theft Nadab and Abihu for presuming to offer Leuit 10 1 * strange fire before him The two sonnes of Eli * for abusing the 1 Sam 4 Priestes office King Saule * for his disobedience in sparing 1 Sam 15 Agag Gehazi the seruaunt of Eliah * for his 2 Reg 5 couetousnesse Ananiah and his wife Saphira for * lying Acts 5 vnto the holy Ghost By which examples and the like we may coniecture that as the mercy of the Lorde is meruailous great to those that feare and loue him so is his punishment also vppon such as walke in wickednesse and wilfully presume to offend him For as the Angell said vnto Esdras there 2. Esdr 7 19 is no Iudge more iust then God nor anie more wise then the most High ¶ Of the wayes of Almighty God §. 1. THE * vvay of the Lorde or God 2 Sa. 22. 31 as Dauid sayth is vncorrupt And * all his pathes are mercie Psal 25. 10. and truth Vnto such as * keepe his couenaunt Psal 103. 18 thinke vpon his commaundements to doe them §. 2. God hath not as Caluine saith made Caluine manifest vnto man one way onely but he hath shewed vnto vs all his wayes that is all that is needful to make vs walke aright so that wee can neuer goe amisse if we followe the direction which hee in his holie Word hath set downe before vs. §. 3. The wayes of the Lorde our God as S. Augustine Augustine saith are to bee taken for all manner of his dooings and how soeuer it pleaseth him at any time to remoue things first to one side then to another yet his wayes therein are alwaies righteous and he best knoweth wherefore he doth so Besides It is not to be doubted saith he that God doth well yea when soeuer hee suffereth to be done whatsoeuer things are euill done for hee doth not suffer this otherwise then by iust iudgement and surelie all that is iust is good Although therefore those things that be euill inasmuch as they bee euill be not good yet it is good that there should be things not onelie that are good but also that are euill For except it were good that there should bee thinges that are euill the Almightie goodnesse woulde by no meanes suffer them to bee For it is no doubt as easie a thing to him not to suffer that thing to be which hee woulde shoulde not be as it is to doe that which he is willing to doe Therefore whatsoeuer happeneth heere at any time against our wills wee ought to vnderstande that it hapneth not but by the will of God by his prouidence by his decree by his commaundement and by his Law And although wee know not vvhy and wherfore it is done yet we must consider it is done according to his wisedome that gouerneth all things and that it is not done without some speciall cause For the Lord our God is righteous as
a God which is not onely a Creator but also a Preseruer a Sauiour a Comforter and a Deliuerer in time of neede §. 14. I knowe saith Dauid that the Lord is Psal 135. â— 6. great and that our God is aboue all Gods Whatsoeuer pleased him that did hee in heauen and in earth in the Sea and in all the deepes He hath made the earth by his power Ierem. 10. 12 13. established the world by his wisedom and hath stretched out the heauens by his discretion he giueth by his voyce the multitude of waters in the heauen he causeth the clowdes to ascend from the ends of the earth hee turneth lightnings to raine and bringeth forth the windes out of his treasures Hee giueth peace and prosperitie vnto Aeneus Siluius such as serue him and sendeth trouble and aduersitie to theÌ„ that disobey him hee lifteth to honour whoÌ„ hee liketh bringeth to base estate whom hee pleaseth he maketh manifest his might on whom he will by what meanes hee will and at what time hee will no man beeing able to withstand his power For when hee giueth quietnes who can Iob 34 29 make trouble Or wheÌ„ he hideth his face who can behold him whether it be vpon whole Nations or vpon one man onelie §. 15. VVith the Lorde our God also and in Pet. Mâ—r. â— his only power as Peter Martir affirmeth it resteth to pardon our offences and forgiue vs our sinnes For who is hee as the Scribes said vnto Mark 2 7. Christ that can forgiue sinnes but GOD onely No man as Saint Ambrose saith can be Ambrose partner with God in forgiuing of sinnes for it is Christes onely office that hath taken away the sinnes of the whole world Yea it appertaineth onely vnto GOD faith he to forgiue sinnes and to giue the holy Ghost hee alone forgiueth sinnes which alone died for our sinnes Also that the Lorde might euidentlie Augustine shewe saith S. Augustine that sinnes be forgiuen by the holy Ghost whoÌ„ he hath giuen vnto his faithfull not by the merrites of men hee sayth in a certaine place Take * yee the holy Ghost and straightway Iohn 20 22 23. after these words vttered hee said this saying If yee forgiue any man his sinnes they are forgiuen That is the holy Ghost forgiueth and not you §. 16. Besides this poynt may be further prooued by the speech of Almighty God himselfe where speaking by the mouth of his Prophet vnto Israell he saith I euen I am Esay 43 25 he ô Israel that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes any more Againe I haue put away thy transgressions Esay 44. 22. ô Israel like a clowde and thy sinnes as a mist saith the most mercifull turne vnto me for I haue redeemed thee Againe I am the Lorde thy God ô Israel Hosea 13. 4. from the Land of Egipt thou shalt knowe no God but me for there is no Sauiour besides me Also sundry times may be found in the booke of Psalmes with what thankfulnes the Prophet Dauid confesseth the pardon of all his sinnes to proceede onely from the mercy of his Maker As namely amongst the rest in the 103. psalme where he saith Psalm 103. 2. 3. 4. Praise the Lord ô my soule and forget not all his benefites which forgiueth all thy sin and healeth all thine infirmities which redeemeth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercy louing kindnesse §. 17. Moreouer there is as the Apostle affirmeth Iames. 412 one Law-giuer which is able to saue and to destroy And that Law-giuer is God vnto whoÌ„ as Iob saith it * certainly appertaineth to Iob 3431. say I haue pardoned I will not destroy Blessed therefore and most happy is hee Psalm 32 1 whose wickednesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Yea blessed is the man as the Psalmist verse 2. saith vnto whom the Lord our GOD imputeth not iniquitie §. 18. The Lord our God is terrible and verie Ecclê° 43 29 great saith Sirach and meruailous is his almightie power He is to be feared aboue all Gods for all Psal â—6 4 5 the Gods of the Heathen are Idols and vanitie but the Lord our God made the heauens Hee is the liuing God an euerlasting Iere. 10. 10. King At his anger the earth shall tremble and the Nations cannot abide his wrath For who can stand as Nahum saith Nahum 1 6. before the wrath of the Lord or who can abide in the fiercenesse of his wrath His wrath is powred out like fire and the rocks are broken by him Yea the pillers of heauen tremble and quake at his reproofe the sea also is made Iob 26. 11. 12. calme by his power and by his vnderstanding he smiteth the pride thereof §. 19 Behold as Sirach saith the heauen yea Ecclê° 16 18 the heauen of all heauens which are for God the deepe the earth all that therein is shall be moued when he shall visite All the world which is created made verse 19 by his will the mountaines also the foundations of the earth shall shake for feare saith hee when the Lord looketh vppon them And this whole speech of Sirach in effect is likewise further witnessed by the wordes of God himselfe in the prophecie of Esay where speaking in prayse of his owne power hee saith Behold at my rebuke Esay 50 2 3 I dry vp the Sea I make the floods desert their fish rotteth for water dieth for thirst I clothe saith hee the heauens with darknesse and make a sacke theyr couering And for some proofe of his power according to the tenure of this speech vvee finde that his might was sufficientlie made manifest by example when hee sent such a * palpable darknesse ouer all the Land of Exod 10 22 23 Egypt the place where the children of Israell dwelt onely excepted that for the space of three dayes no man could see another neither could any one rise vp from the place where he was He also by his power after this parted in sunder the Red-sea and made the waters Exod 14. 16. c. thereof to stande like two walls and a path of dry ground to appeare in the middest whiles all his people had safe passage from the furie of Pharao and his mightie host which speedily pursued after them to their owne destruction §. 20. Moreouer the Lord our God in the last booke of Moises both to terrifie the rage of Tyrants comfort in calamities as many as put their confidence in him vttereth this fearefull menace following against all the wilful contemners of his power glorie saying * If I whet my glittering sword Deu. 32 41. 42. and my hand take holde on iudgement I will execute vengeance on mine aduersaries and will reward them that hate me I will make my arrowes drunke with blood
which giueth to all men liberallie and reprocheth no man and it shall bee giuen him For it is he that leadeth vnto Wisedome Wisd 7 15 16. and teacheth howe to vse the same aright In his hand are both wee and our wordes yea all our wisedome our vnderstanding and the knowledge of all our workes §. 4. If riches saith the Wiseman bee a possessioÌ„ Wisd 8 5 6 to be desired in this life what is richer then Wisedome that worketh all thinges For if Wisedom worketh what is it among all things that worketh better then shee If a man loue righteousnesse her labours verse 7 are full of vertue for shee teacheth sobernesse prudencie righteousnes strength which are the most profitable thinges that men can haue in this lyfe If a man desire great experience she can verse 8. tell the things that are past and discerne the things that are to come shee knoweth the subtilties of words and the solution of dark sentences she foreseeth the signes wonders or euer they come to passe the successe or end of all times ages to ensue Who so awaketh vnto her betimes shall Wisd 6 14. haue no great trauaile in seeking her for he shall finde her sitting at his doores To think vpon her is perfect vnderstanding verse 15 and who so watcheth for her shall be soone without care For shee walketh about seeking such as verse 16 bee meete for her and sheweth herselfe cheerefully vnto them in theyr wayes and meeteth them in euery thought Shee is an infinite treasure vnto men Wisd 7 14 which who so vse become pertakers of the loue and freendship of Almighty God are accepted for the gifts of knowledge vnderstanding All Gold is but grauell in respect of her Wisd 7 9 and Siluer shall be counted but clay before her She is more worth then precious stones Prou 8 11. yea all things that thou canst desire are not to be compared vnto her She hath her dwelling with knowledge verse 12 and prudent counsell is her owne By her Kings doe raigne and Counsellers Prou 8 15 16 make iust lawes through her doe Princes beare rule and all the Iudges of the earth execute iudgement By her also wee may be preserued from Solon the many perrils of this world and through her wee may attaine vnto a happy end §. 5. To conclude Of all the giftes that euer Plato God gaue vnto man saith Plato Wisedom is the most excellent For shee is the defence of the soule and the mirrour of reason she is the ground roote of all good endeuours she ordereth the mind of man and instructeth his vnderstanding she directeth his life and ruleth the works thereof shee teacheth what ought to be doone and what to be left vndone and vvithout her saith he no man liuing can be safe Also this likewise knew Salomon a far better Diuine then Plato to be most true as appeareth in his prayer which he so earnestly made vnto the Lord for wisedome and where vvithall in the same place hee plainely confesseth that * although a man Wisd 9 6 be neuer so perfect among the chyldren of men yet if the wisedome of GOD be not with him he shall be nothing regarded For the wisedome of this world is foolishnes 1 Cor 3 19 with God Because as the Apostle saith it is earthlie Iames 3 15 sensuall and deuilish But the vvisedome that is from aboue verse 17. is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercie good fruites without iudging and without hipocrisie ¶ Of the knowledge of Almightie God §. 1. THe Lord looketh downe from heauen saith Dauid and beholdeth all Psalm 33 13 14. the children of men From the habitation of his dwelling hee beholdeth all them that dwell vpon the earth Hee facioneth the harts of euery one of verse 15. them he vnderstandeth all their works For hee is as Hannah saith a God of 1 Sam 2 3 knowledge by him enterprises are established Yea from the beginning of the world Acts 15 18 saith S. Iames the Lorde our God knoweth all his workes He also vnderstandeth and seeth both Pet. Lomb. the deedes and the thoughts of all men liuing in the world and froÌ„ his knowledge no secrete can be hid For his eyes as Sirach saith are ten thousand Ecclê° 39. 19 times brighter theÌ„ the Sun beholding all the waies of men and the ground of the deepe considereth the most secret parts * Hee knewe all things or euer they vvere verse 20. made after they be brought to passe also hee looketh vpon them all The works of all flesh are before him Ecclê° 39 19 20. nothing can be hid froÌ„ his sight Hee seeth from euerlasting to euerlasting and there is nothing wondeful or hard vnto him For his wisedome is great he is mightie Ecclê° 15 18 in power and he beholdeth all things continually So that nothing can be doone in heauen Caluine earth or hell without his prouidence Neither is there any creature which is not Heb 4 13 manifest in his sight but all thinges are naked and open to the eyes of him concerning whom we speake For his eyes are vpon the wayes of man Iob 34 21. he seeth all his goings * His eyes in euery Prou 15 3 place behold the euill the good And hee onely knoweth the harts of all 1 Reg 8 39 the chyldren of men §. 2. Behold saith Esdras the Lord our God 2 Esdr 16 46. knoweth all the workes of men their imaginations their thoughts their harts Yea hee knoweth our inuentions and verse 55. what we think or imagine in our hart wheÌ„ we sinne and would hide our selues No thought may escape him neyther Ecclê° 42 20 may any word be hid from him For he * vnderstandeth euery hart Ecclê° 16 20 Hell with her paine saith Salomon is Prou 15 11 knovvne vnto the Lord hovve much more the harts of all the sonnes of men The graue likewise is naked before Iob 26 6 him and destruction cannot bee couered from him The wayes of all men in the worlde are Bernard knowne to him the words of all mouthes in the world are heard of him and the thoughts of all harts in the world are plainly perceiued of him There is nothing so secrete but he seeth P. Melanct. the same nor any purpose so priuilie practised but it is openly knowne vnto him The righteous and the vnrighteous are Bullenger both in their doings of him regarded and hee discerneth the counterfeite Christian from the faithfull professor §. 4. Saint Paule the Apostle writing vnto his Scholler Timothie in his second Epistle and second chapter both for his confirmation comfort against the doctrine of false Teachers telleth him That * the 2 Tim 2 19 foundation of God
8 of thine house the place where thine honour dwelleth The zeale of thine house ô Lord hath Psalm 69 6. eaten mee vp One day in thy Courts is better then a Psal 84 10. thousand other-where I had rather be a Doore-keeper in the house of my GOD then to dwell in the Tents of the vngodly As the Hart brayeth for the Riuers of Psal 42 1 2 water so panteth my soule after thee ô Lord. My soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God When shall I come appeare before the presence of God I will loue thee deerely ô Lorde my Psal 18. 1. strength VVhom haue I ô Lord in heauen but Psal 73 25. thee and there is none vpon earth that I desire in comparison of thee I haue longed ô Lord for thy saluation Ps 119. 174. and thy law is my delight Oh how I loue thy law It is my meditation Psal 119. 97 continually Oh teach mee thy statutes ô Lorde Psalm 119. 26 27. make mee to vnderstand the vvay of thy commaundements and I will meditate in thy wondrous workes Teach mee ô Lord the way of thy statutes Psal 119 33 34 I will keepe it vnto the end Giue mee vnderstanding and I will keepe thy Law yea I will keepe it with my vvhole hart Direct me in the path of thy commaundements verse 35 for therein is my delight Behold I desire thy commaundements verse 40 quicken me in thy righteousnes And incline my hart vnto thy testimonies verse 36 Deale with thy seruaunt ô Lord according Ps 119 124. 125. to thy mercie and teach mee thy statutes I ô Lord am thy seruaunt graunt mee therefore vnderstanding that I may know thy testimonies Looke vpon mee and be mercifull vnto Psalm 119 132. mee as thou vsest to doe vnto those that loue thy Name Direct my steps in thy Worde and let verse 133. none iniquitie haue dominion ouer me Teach mee to doe thy will for thou art Psal 143. 10 my God Let thy good Spirit lead me vnto the Land of righteousnesse By these and manie moe such like sayings in the Booke of Psalmes dooth thys princely Prophet make manifest as I said before with vvhat earnest zeale feruent affection hee alwayes loued the Lord and his Law The true and perfect loue also of man to his Maker was as it seemeth deeply rooted in the hart of old Eleazer when he refused all the friendship worldly fauours 2 Mac 6 28 that were offered vnto him by the seruants of Antiochus and chose rather to suffer death by torments then to saue his life by breaking the rules of his Religion With the like loue and constancie did the seauen brethren and their mother endure 2 Mac. 7. death by tortures vnder that wicked Tyrant Antiochus and left behinde them a woorthy remembrance of their feruent affection to the Lawe of the Lorde their God VVe reade also in the Newe-testament that Saint Stephen the first Martir after Acts 7 59. Christ through his religious loue to his Lord and Maister willingly suffered himselfe to be stoned to death commending his spirit into the hands of his Creator And such like diuine and holy loue to Christ our Captaine ought euery Christian professor to harbour in his heart else may it greatly be doubted that hee shall shoote short of life euerlasting §. 6. But as I said in the beginning this loue is both diuine and charitable First mouing man to loue the Lord and his lawe for the sundry blessings and benefits which God both already hath and daily doth bestowe vppon him through Christ Secondlie to loue his neighbour or brother as himselfe because GOD in his holy Worde hath so commaunded him and for that hee is the very forme of his own Image or likenes With which kinde of charitable loue of man to man or man to his neighbour was the heart of the Samaritane softned vvho Luke 10. 33 34 35. finding a stranger in the high-vvay halfe dead first bound vp the wounds of his body then setting him vpon his own beast brought him to an Inne and made prouision for him commaunding the Host of the house to take care of him and looke quoth he what-soeuer the charges of this man commeth vnto more then the two pence which I now giue thee at my next comming hether I will pay thee all But with more then charitable loue of man to his neighbour was the hart of holy Moises moued when through his great affection hee prayed vnto the Lord to pardon the foolish and Idolatrous sinne of his people Yea such was his feruent affection more theÌ„ charitable loue towards them that he desired of GOD in his prayer to Exod 32 32 graunt that theyr foule offence might be forgiuen or else his owne name to be rased out of the Booke of life And vvith more also then charitable loue of man to his neighbour was the Apostle Saint Paule acquainted when verie zeale for Gods glory and loue to his owne Nation enforced him to say * I vvould Rom 9 3. wish my selfe to be separated from Christ or to loose mine owne saluation for my Bretheren that are my kinsmen according to the flesh I terme these two last ensamples more then charitable loue because it made these men ready to refuse their ovvne soules health rather then their Brethren should be vnpardoned and cast from their Creator for their offences §. 7. By which few examples onely wee may sufficiently perceiue the forcible effect of true and perfect loue and iustly may wee confesse with the afore-named Apostle That * although we speak with the tungs 1 Cor 13 1 2 3. of men and Angels and haue not loue we are but as sounding Brasse or a tinckling Cymball And though wee had the gift of prophecie and knewe all secrets and all knowledge yea if we had all fayth so that we could remoue mountaines and had not loue we were nothing And though vvee feede the poore with all our goods giue our bodies to be burned haue not loue it profiteth vs nothing For God hath chosen vs in Christ Iesus Ephe 1 4 before the foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue And this commaundement haue we of 1 Ioh 4 21. him that he which loueth GOD should loue his brother also For as a King is honoured in his Image Bernard so God in man is either loued or hated hee cannot hate man who loueth GOD neither can hee loue GOD who hateth man Also like as the body without the soule Fulgotiâ—â— enioyeth no life so all other vertues without godlie loue are but colde and fruitlesse §. 8. If wee loue one another saith S. Iohn 1 Ioh 4 12 God dwelleth in vs and his loue is perfect in vs. Also hee that loueth his Brother abideth 1 Ioh 2 10 in the
die All his transgressions that he hath committed verse 22. they shall not be mentioned vnto him but in his righteousnes that hee hath done he shall liue Moreouer VVhen the wicked saith Ezec 18. 27 hee turneth away from his wickednes that he hath committed and doth that which is lavvfull and right hee shall saue his soule aliue Because hee considereth and turneth away verse 28 from all his transgressions that he hath committed hee shall surely liue and shall not die Againe vvhen I saith the most Mercifull Ezech. 33 14 15 shall say vnto the wicked Thou shalt surely die if hee turne from his sinnes and doe that which is lawfull and right to wit If hee restore the pledge and giue againe that hee had taken away by robberie and walke in the statutes of life without committing iniquitie then shall hee surely liue and not die None of the sinnes that hee hath committed verse 16 shall be mentioned vnto him or any more thought vpon for insomuch as he doth nowe the thing that is lawfull and right hee shall surely liue §. 6. These places of Scripture onely if no moe such could be found might serue sufficiently to proue that God delights not in a sinners death Yet notwithstanding for our greater comfort and as it were more certaine assurance the Lord besides his promise hath vouchsafed to giue his oath to this effect And because he knewe none eyther in heauen or earth greater to sweare by hee hath therefore sworne vnto vs by himselfe saying * As truly as I liue I haue Ezec. 33 11. no pleasure in the death of the vvicked but rather that the wicked shoulde turne from his euill way and liue And to make yet a little more manifest how greatly he desireth our good he spareth not by sundry other speeches both in the old and New-Testament to expresse his kindnes and compassion towards vs in this poynt As namely in the fift Booke of Moises vvhere hee saith * Oh that there Deut 5 29. were such a hart in my people as to feare mee and to keepe all my coÌ„maundements alway that it might goe vvell vvith them and with their children for euer Behold saith he I stand at the doore Reue 3 20 knock if any man heare my voyce and open the doore I will come in vnto him and will sup with him and he with me Also by the voyce of his Gospell hee daily more nowe then euer heretofore manifesteth his euerlasting loue towardes vs in that he therby vouchsafeth coÌ„tinually to call vs saying * Come vnto mee all yet Math. 11. 28 that are weary laden and I wil ease â—ou Take my yoake on you learne of me verse 29 30 that am meeke and lowly in hart and yee shall finde rest vnto your soules For my yoake is easie and my burden light § 7. Clense therefore your hands yee sinners Iames. 4. 8 and purge your harts yee vvauering minded Circumcise the fore-skin of your hearts Deut. 10 16 and harden your necks no more Returne vnto the â—ord and he will returne Mala 3 7 vnto you Cease from your sinnes and forget your 2 Esdr 16. 59 iniquities and medle no more from henceforth with them so shall God leade you foorth and deliuer you from all troubles Yea let the wicked forsake his wayes Esay 55 7 the vnrighteous his ovvne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and hee vvill haue mercy vpon him and to our GOD for hee is very ready to forgiue §. 8. Returne then vnto the Lord and forsake Ecclê° 17 23 thy sinnes make thy prayer before his face and take away the offence Turne againe vnto the most High for verse 24 hee will bring thee from darknes to wholsome light forsake thine vnrighteousnes and hate greatly all abhomination Learne to know the righteousnesse and verse 25 iudgements of God stand in the portion that is sette forth for thee and in the prayer of the most high GOD and goe in the portion of the holie world with such as be liuing and confesse God Also if thou be withered and worne away Chrisostome of sin renew thy selfe againe through hartie sorrow and true repentance For godly sorrowe causeth repentance 2 Cor 7 10 vnto saluation not to be repented of but worldly sorrow causeth death And the best remedy if thou hast offended Hermes is true repentance and amendement of life §. 9. But to the ende we may some-what the better vnderstand what true repentance is I will heere rehearse some fewe places collected froÌ„ diuers of the diuine Doctors of the Church and first of all from S. Augustine vvhere speaking to this purpose hee saith * True repentance is greatly to Augustine deplore sinnes past and fully to resolue in minde hart neuer to commit any heereafter It consisteth of three parts namelie Contrition of hart Confession of mouth and Satisfaction of deede For vvee haue saith hee offended God three manner of wayes by the delight of thought by the lapse of tongue by the pride of works And these three are to be cured by three contrary remedies Delight of thought by the inward sorrow contrition of the hart The lapse of tongue by the confession of the mouth And the pride of works by our vpright liuing and vncorrupted satis-faction Contrition is a hartie sorrowe inward Bernarde greefe taken for the sinnes which we haue already committed with a full inten and purpose of confession and satisfaction heereafter not to commit any more For otherwise thy repentance is no true Augustine repentance but rather seemeth to be fained if thou pollute thy selfe againe vvith thy former offences thy penitent teares are to small purpose if thou multiply thine iniquities For true repentance is to cease from sinne Wee ought also in the true contrition of Cassianus hart to be sorowfull for these three things First for the sinnes wee haue committed Secondly for the good wee haue omitted Thirdly for the time we haue lost And this kinde of contrition is more auailable Augustine in the sight of God then to goe on pilgrimage throughout the world §. 10. Confession which hath the second place Augustine in true repentance is the health of the soule an expeller of vices a restorer of vertue an impugner of wicked spirits an impediment of the deuill By it the lurking disease of the soule is Isidore opened to the praise of God through it we obtaine hope of pardon for all our offences past Besides vvhen the confession of the Ambrose hart proceedeth forth of the mouth then the vengeance of GOD ceaseth to pursue the penitent person And hee likewise that accuseth himselfe Augustine of his sinnes preuenteth thereby the deuill of his purpose so that hee cannot accuse him at the day of iudgement if in confessing his sinnes vnto God he blot those
offences out by repentance which hee hath coÌ„mitted and cease to renew those sinnes againe which he now is sorry for For those sinnes shall neuer be condemned Leo. in iudgement which were purged before with confession true repentance Neither is Iesus Christ any longer theyr Cassiodoruâ— Iudge but their Aduocate vvho accuse themselues by their owne confession So that confession ioyned with true contrition Augustine openeth the gates of heauen and stoppeth the mouth of hell §. 11. Satisfaction beeing the third last part Augustine of repentance is cheefely to cutte off the causes of such sinnes as in former time we haue loued not to cherrish henceforth by suggestions any entrance into them For wee doe not truly satis-fie although Gregory wee cease from iniquitie vnlesse wee persecute by opposite bewailings the euils which heere-to-fore wee haue most affected endeuour with all our might daily to with-stand all such kind of pleasures as prouoke men to sin and wickednes Wee ought also to vnderstand that in Phil. Mel. the worke of true repentance satis-faction is to be made three seuerall waies First vnto God to wit when through faith and confidence wee humbly present our selues in prayer before him and earnestly intreate his maiestie that he will vouchsafe to accept the passion and death of his Sonne Christ as a perfect full and sufficient satisfaction for all the sinnes which we haue committed Secondly satis-faction is to be made vnto the Church after Excommunication for such offences as we haue done testifying thereby both in the sight of God and man our humble submission and vnfained repentance Thirdly satisfaction ought to be made vnto our neighbour or brother if we haue any way wronged him either in vvord or deede namely thus hee must be recompensed by confessing the fault vnto him and restitution must likewise be made according to the damage we haue done him otherwise our repentance is greatly to bee suspected of hipocrisie if beeing able we make not recompence by restitution Againe in making satis-faction the reconciliation Chrisostome ought to be equall to the precedent offence and thou oughtest to bee as ready to lament as thou wast to offend And as thine intent was before to offend such also ought now thy deuotion to be in repenting For according to the greatnes of thy sinnes ought the greatnesse of thy greefe sorrowe to be and as thy delight and loue was before to those things which were euill so ought now thy hatred lothing to be against those things vvhich are euill §. 12. Vnderstanding novve by these fevve former speeches vvhat true repentance is * Let vs according to the counsell which Lament 3. 40 41. the Prophet Ieremie giueth search try our wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord. Let vs lift vp our harts with our hands vnto God in the heauens Yea let vs as Erasmus willeth returne Erasmus againe vnto the Lord our God with hartie sorrow and true repentance humbly confessing before him the faultes which vvee haue committed and earnestly desiring of him that hee vvill alvvaies heereafter so strengthen vs with his grace that wee may daily more more dutifully becom obedient to his holy will euer study to please him our whole life time following For if we acknowledge our sinnes God 1 Ioh 1 9. is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes Hee that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper Prou 28. 13 but hee that confesseth forsaketh them shall haue mercie Wherfore if the testimony of thine own Pacuuius conscience doe at any time accuse vexe or trouble thee for any euill conceiued or done confesse thy fault speedily deferre not the time dally not with God but bee earnestly repentant trust in his mercy and seeke not to hide thine iniquity from him so will he haue compassion on thee not impute sinne vnto thee Besides when thou truly repentest and askest pardon of God for thine offences Boâ—tius then cannot thy sinnes disquiet thee nor haue any power to hurt thee But vvhen thou art vnrepentant and ceaâ—est to call for mercie then thy sinnes rage ouer thee and cry dailie vnto God for vengeance against thee Also the sinne that is not foorth-with Gregory clensed and purged by repentance doth speedily draw on another with his weight Sleepe not therefore without repentance Plato for thy sinnes done and past §. 13. It behooueth a man so to liue saith Basill Basill that hee looke for death euery howre and to be alwaies in a readines for the comming of death For as God findeth thee to bee when he Gueuara calleth thee so will he iudge thee And as the tree falleth so shall it be taken Eccles 11 3. vp Trouble not thy selfe then with taking Sâ—crates thought how thou maist liue long but rather be careful to liue well and forasmuch as thou arâ— vncertaine in what place Death abideth foâ— thee be thou ready prepared in eacâ— placâ— to mâ—â—te him Let not thy â—eaâ— be layde downe to rest Isidore before thou hast considered how thou hast bestowed the day past If thou hast vvell done giue thanks to God if otherwise repent and aske him forgiuenesse Also if thou intend to doe well deferre Plato it not till to morow for thou knowest not what may chaunce vnto thee this night Neuer trust too much to time for it suddainlie Hermes deceiueth them that trust thereto Thinke not that another time vvill be Rauisius soone enough for thee to repent if thou now feele thy conscience touched with the remembrance of thy sinne For although we finde that God in many Gregory places of his holy Word hath promised pardon to the penitent yet we no where read that euer hee promised to morrowe vnto a sinner §. 14. Certainly saith Aurelius those men Mar. Aurel. doe liue very euill that are alwaies beginning to liue well forasmuch as theyr often beginnings doe make theyr liues still more and more vnperfect Well therefore saith Zenophon that to Zenophon see is a small matter but to fore-see is a token of good wit And the difference betweene a wise man Diâ—genes and a foole is this the one is prouident to preuent an euill before it come the other wisheth for remedy when it is too late As may for example more plainelie be perceiued by reading the different doings of these two men following Baltazar the king of Babel as Daniell affirmeth euen in the time of his banquetting amongst his Dan. 5. 5. 6. thousand Princes perfectly discerned the hande of a man writing vppon the plaister of his wall and was greatly for the time terrified thereby insomuch that the verie ioynts of his loynes were loosed his countenaunce changed his thoughts troubled and his knees smote one against the other for feare of Gods iudgements Yea by Daniels diuine interpretation
hee also vnderstood verse 25. the misticall meaning of those words which were written the summe vvhereof coÌ„tained no lesse for his offences then the speedy subuersion of his whole kingdom and his owne vtter ouerthrovve for euer Yet seeing and knowing all this but wanting grace to fore-see preuent the danger by true repentance hee perrished the verse 30. same night according to the saying of the Prophet Contrariwise by Samuell it is affirmed that king Dauid did not only see the foulenesse of his offence wherein too long hee had in a manner sencelesly liued so soone as the shril-sounding voyce of Nathan had once by denouncing Gods anger thorowly 2 Sam. 12. chap. awaked him out of his deadly slumber but also presently fore-saw by beleeuing the speech of the Prophet speedilie preuented by his vnfained repentance and amendement the heauy wrath of the Almighty which otherwise was likely for his iniquitie to fall vpon him Marke therefore what counsell Sirach giueth to this purpose and endeuour diligently to follow the same where he sayth My * sonne hast thou sinned doe so no Ecclê° 21. 1. 2 more but pray for thy former sinnes that they may be forgiuen thee Flee froÌ„ sin as from a Serpent for if thou commest too neere it it will bite thee the teeth thereof are as the teeth of a Lyon to sley the soules of men Make much also of time and eschew Ecclus 4 20 the thing that is euill Remember that death tarrieth not and Ecclê° 14 12 that the couenaunt of the graue is not shewed vnto thee Defraude not thy selfe of the good day Ecclê° 14 14 neither let the portion of good desires ouer-passe thee Giue and take and sanctifie thy soule verse 16. vvork thou righteousnes before thy death for in the hell there is no meate to finde Neither is there any more place or time Cyprian of repentance left for any man after hee is once departed out of this vvorlde life is heere either lost or wonne euerlasting saluation is onely heere prouided for by the due worshipping of God and the fruites of fayth And no man is letted eyther by sinnes Cyprian or by yeeres to come to the obtaining of saluation for as long as the soule is yet abyding in the body no repentance is in vaine And what-soeuer is truly doone is neuer too late done Yet thus much alwaies vnderstand that Osorius thy repentance is then most acceptable to God when thou doost offer the same in the prime of thy youth and in the time of thy perfect health For such as neuer cease to sin till sin through age feeblenes begin to forsake them it may greatly be feared that they in the meane while daily drinke vp the dreggs of Gods wrath §. 15. Furthermore although there be indeed Augustine * many in the vvorld which are not ashamed to sinne but are ashamed to repent yet if thou looke for fauour in Heauen thou must both confesse and forsake thy sinnes heere on earth For hee that heere in this life receiueth Ambrose not remission of his sinnes shall haue no part with the godly in the felicity to come Followe therefore for thine owne good the example of King Dauid and with the like humility of heart be ready to say vnto God as he said * Lord haue mercy vpon Psalm 41 4 me and heale my soule for I haue sinned against thee Or as Manasses King of Iuda in his penitent 2 Chro 36. prayer said * I haue sinned ô Lord I haue sinned aboue the number of the sand of the Sea My transgressions are multiplied my offences are exceeding manie and I am not vvoorthy to behold and see the height of the heauens by reason of the multitude of mine iniquities For I haue prouoked thy wrath and done euill before thee I did not thy will neyther kept I thy commaundements Nowe therefore I bowe the knee of my hart beseeching thee of grace I haue sinned ô Lord I haue sinned I acknowledge my transgressions but I humbly beseech thee to forgiue mee O Lord forgiue mee and destroy mee not vvith my transgressions Be not angry with mee for euer by reseruing euill for mee neither condemne me into the lower parts of the earth For thou art the God euen the God of them that repent and in mee thou vvilt shew all thy goodnes for thou ô Lord vvilt saue mee that am vnvvoorthy according to thy great mercie therefore I will praise thee for euer all the dayes of my life c. Or as the prodigall sonne spoken of by Christ in the gospell did remember thine owne estate in time liue no longer like a slaue to sinne and a stranger from the fellowship of the faithfull but rather returne home say vnto God thy Father as hee said to his * I haue sinned ô Father against heauen and before thee and am no Luke 15 16 more worthy to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hired seruaunts And thou shalt surely finde if thou make an vnfained conuersion that the Lord thy God will be ready to receiue thee For there * is more ioy among the Angels in Luke 15 7. Heauen for one sinner that conuerteth then for ninetie and nine iust men vvhich neede none amendement of life Yea at the true repentance and conuersion Bernard of sinners the Father reioyceth the Sonne reioyceth and the holy Ghost reioyceth The first figured in the prodigall Sonne The second in the lost sheep The third because they are the temple chosen vessels of the holy Ghost euen all the Angels in heauen doe reioyce §. 16. O how good a thing is it then as Sirach Ecclê° 20. 4. saith so soone as thou art reprooued to manifest thy repentance for thereby shalt thou escape wilfull sinne Who so hateth to be reformed is in the Ecclus 21 6. way of sinners but hee that feareth the Lord conuerteth in hâ—rt Seeke the Lord therefore vvhile hee Esay 55 6 may be founde call vpon him while he is neere For hee vvill be founde of them that Wisd 1. 2. tempt him not and appeareth vnto such as proue not vnfaithfull vnto him Get thee righteousnes before thou come Ecclê° 18. 18 to iudgement Learne before thou speake and vse phisicke or euer thou be sicke Examine thy selfe before thou bee iudged verse 19. and in the day of the visitation thou shalt finde mercy Humble thy selfe before thou be sicke verse 20. and whilst thou maist yet sinne shewe thy conuersion Let nothing let thee to pray alwayes vnto verse 21. God and deferre not vnto death to be reformed for the reward of GOD endureth for euer And in what place or state soeuer a man Gregory shall be founde when he departeth out of this life in the same state and degree the last day of the worlde shall finde him For such as euery man shall be in
the day Augustine of his death concerning eyther his vertue or vice euen such shall hee appeare againe before God in the day of generall iudgement And except wee be conuerted become Math 18 3 as little children wee shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Not chyldren in vnderstanding but as 1. Cor. 14 15. concerning maliciousnesse or any other euill we must be children and in vnderstanding of a ripe ag◠¶ What manner of seruice is required of vs during this life both towards God and our neighbour ECCLVS 15. verse 17. Before man is life and death good and euill what him liketh shall be giuen him ¶ What seruice God requireth c. §. 1. WHen Christ our Sauiour vvas demaunded by a certaine Ruler Math 19 16 17 Luke 18 18 this question Good Maister vvhat good thing shall I doe that I may haue eternall life He presently returned him this aunswer saying Why callest thou mee good there is none good but one euen God but if thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundedements And beeing likewise asked at an other time by a tempting Pharisee vvhich was the greatest or cheefest commaundement Math. 22 36 37 c. in the lawe of God Hee forth-with made this reply vnto the partie saying Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine hart with all thy soule and with all thy minde This is the first and the greatest commaundement And the second is like vnto this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe On these two commaundements hangeth the whole Lawe and the Prophets Also being in talke with his owne Disciples a little before the time of his suffering amongst many other things which he then taught hee gaue this short lesson following as a speciall rule for them to direct their life by saying * If yee loue me keep Iohn 14 15 my commaundements And as in the 15. of S. Iohns Gospell Iohn 15 14 our Sauiour Christ counteth all those men to be his friendes which doe whatsoeuer hee hath commaunded them So in the second of S. Iohns Epistle the 1 Ioh 2 4. holy Ghost reckoneth euery one to bee a lyer which saith hee knoweth God and keepeth not his commaundements Take heede therefore that ye doe as the Deut 5 32. Lord your God hath commaunded you turne not aside to the right hande nor to the left But vvalke in all the vvayes vvhich the verse 33. Lord your God hath commaunded you that yee may liue and 〈◊〉 that it may goe well with you and that your dayes may be prolonged in the Land which ye possesse §. 2. Let not the Booke of the Law as saith Iosua 1 8 the Lord vnto Iosua depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day night that thou maist obserue doe according to all that is written therein for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and then shalt thou haue good successe Yea let thy minde be vppon the ordinaunces Ecclê° 6 38 of the Almighty be thou continually occupied in his coÌ„maundements so shall he stablish thy heart and giue thee wisedome at thine owne desire For the knowledge of the commaundements Ecclê° 19 19 of God is the doctrine of life and they that obey him shall receiue the fruite of immortalitie §. 3. Delight thy selfe then in the Lord thy Psalm 37 4 God the shall giue thee thy harts desire Commit thy workes vnto him and thy Prou 16 3 thoughts shall be directed Loue the Lord all thy life long and call Ecclê° 13 15 vpon him for thy saluation Beleeue in him and hee will helpe thee Ecclus 2 6 order thy way 〈◊〉 trust in him hold fast his feare and growe old therein Trust in him with all thine hart leane Prou. 3. 5 6 7. not vnto thine owne wisedome In all thy wayes acknowledge him and hee shall direct thy steps Be not wise in thine ovvne eyes but feare the Lord and depart from euill So health shall be vnto thy nauell and verse 8 marrow vnto thy bones §. 4. The Lorde saith Msâ—ah hath shovved Mica 6 8 thee ô man what is good and vvhat hee requireth of thee namely to doe iustice to loue mercy and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God And now ô Israell saith Moises what Deut 10 12 is it that the Lord thy GOD requireth of thee but to feare the Lord thy God to walke in all his waies and to loue him and serue him with all thine hart and with all thy soule For this commaundement which I coÌ„maund Deut 30 11 thee this day is not hid from thee neither is it farre off It is not in heauen that thou shouldest verse 12 13 say Who shall goe vp for vs to heauen bring it vs and cause vs to heare it that wee may doe it Neither is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldest say Who shall goe ouer the Sea for vs and bring it vs cause vs to heare it that we may doe it But the Word is very neere vnto thee verse 14 euen in thy mouth and in thy hart for to doe it And this saith the Apostle is the word Rom 10 8 of faith which vvee preach §. 5. If any man saith Saint Peter long after 1 Pet 3. 10. 11. life and to see good daies let him refraine his tongue from euill and his lips that they speake not guile Let him eschew euill and doe good let him seeke peace and follow after it Let euery man be swift to heare slowe Iam 1 19 to speake and slow to wrath For he that hath knowledge spareth Prou. 17 27 his speech And hee that sinneth not in vvord is a Iames. 3 2. perfect man and able to bridle his vvhole bodie Bee swift to heare good things and let Ecclus 5 12 thy life be pure and giue a patient aunswere If thou hast vnderstanding aunswer thy verse 13. neighbour if not lay thy hand vppon thy mouth least thou be trapped in an vndiscreet word and so be blamed Apply thine heart to instruction and Prou 23 12. thine eares vnto the words of knowledge Be humble to heare the word of God Ecclus 5 11 that thou maist vnderstand it and make a true aunswere with wisedome For to lacke knowledge is a very euill Orosius thing to thinke scorne to learne is worse but to with-stand and repugne the truth against men of knowledge teaching the same is the worst thing that may be and furthest from all grace Wherefore if thou desire to be good Pet. Lomb. endeuour thy selfe to learne to know and to follow the truth for he that is ignorant therein and will not learne can neuer be good Endeuour thy selfe diligently euen in Siluius thy youth to learne wisedome and knowledge though for the time present it seeme painfull vnto thee for it is lesse paine for a man to
that a man hath not according to that he hath not This yet remember that he which soweth 2 Cor. 9. 6 7 sparingly shall â—eape also sparingly hee that soweth liberally shall reape also liberally As euery man wisheth in his hart so let him giue not grudgingly or of necessitie for God loueth a cheerfull giuer §. 6. Because saith the Lord there shall bee Deut 15 11 euer some poore in the Land therefore I commaund thee saying Thou shalt open thy hand vnto thy brother vnto thy needie and vnto thy poore in the land Bestow thy treasure then according to Ecclus. 29. 11 12. the coÌ„maundement of thâ— most High and it shall bring thee more profite then golde Lay vp thine almes in thy secret chambers it shall keepe thee from all afflictions Lay not vp treasures for your selues vpon Math 6 19 20 21 earth where the moth and canker corrupt and where theeues digge through steale but lay vp treasures for your selues in heauen vvhere neither the moth nor canker corrupteth where theeues neyther digge through nor steale For where your treasure is there wil your harts be also §. 7. If thou wilt be a good Merchant or a Augustine gainefull Vsurer giue that which thou canst not keepe that thou maist receiue that which thou canst not loose Giue a little that thou maist receiue a hundred fold giue a temporall fading possession that thou maist receiue an euerlasting inheritance And vvhat-soeuer thou giuest giue it Augustine freelie for hee neuer giues in vaine that giues in zeale Neither doe I remember that euer I Ierome read of any one that dyed an euill death vvho willingly exercised the vvorkes of mercie For they haue the prayers of manie and it is vnâ—ossible but that their prayers should be heard §. 8. Giue vnto the most High according as Ecclê° 35 10 hee hath enriched thee looke what thy hand is able giue with a cheerefull eye For the Lord recompenseth wil giue verse 11. thee seuen times as much Stretch out thine hande vnto the poore Ecclus 7 32 and needy that thy blessing and reconciliation may be accomplished Be as a father vnto the fatherlesse and as Ecclus 4 10 an husbande vnto their mother so shalt thou be as the sonne of the most High and hee shall loue thee more then thy mother dooth §. 9. Charge them that are rich in the vvorld saith Paule vnto Timothie that they bee 1. Tim. 6. 17 18. 19. not high minded and that they trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God which giueth vs aboundantly all things to enioy That they doe good and be rich in good workes and be ready to distribute communicate laying vp in store for themselues a good fouÌ„dation against the time to come that they may obtaine eternall life For hee that giueth almes layeth vp for Tob 4. 9. himselfe a good store against the day of necessity Because the almes of a man is as a thing Ecclê° 17 20 sealed vp before God and he keepeth the good deedes of men as the apple of the eye and giueth repentance to their sonnes and daughters At the last also shall he arise reward verse 21. them and shall repay theyr rewards vpon theyr heads Giue almes therefore of those thinges Luke 11 41 which thou hast Giue of thy bread to the hungry giue Tob 4 16. of thy garments to the needy and naked and of all thine abundance giue almes and let not thine eye be enuious when thou giuest thine almes For nothing doth so much commend a Ambrose Christian as commiseration and charitie §. 10. Let it not at any time grieue thee to doe Plotinus good vnto the poore and needy but rather couet to be liberall in thy gifts to such as want and are distressed for the almesdeedes of the liberall doe more profit the giuer then benefite the receiuer Haue alwaies compassion on the poore Caluine the blinde the lame and endeuour by good counsell to comfort him that is afflicted in conscience Forget not often to visite the sicke to Gueuara relieue them that are in bonds to succour poore Orphanes and to defend the cause of the widdow and oppressed For pure Religion and vndefiled before Iames 1 17. God euen the Father is this to visite the fatherlesse and widdowes in their aduersitie to keepe our selues vnspotted of the world Also like as all things else that are bred vpon the earth are all created and ordained Cicero for the vse commoditie of man so man for the benefit of man is begotten borne into the world to the end they should continually doe good by helping one another And they vvhich exercise almes righteousnesse Tob 12 9 shall be filled with life But euery one that sinneth is an enemie Tob 12 10 to his owne soule §. 11. Almes saith Tobie is a good gift before Tob 4 11 the most High to all them vvhich vse it And it is better to giue Almes then to Tob. 12. 8. lay vp gold Say not vnto thy neighbour Goe and Prou 3 28 come againe and to morrow I will giue thee if thou now haue it For he that giueth vnto the poore shall Prou. 28. 27. not lack but hee that hideth his eyes shall haue many curses Giue almes therefore of thy substance Tob 4 7 and when thou giuest thine almes let not thine eye bee enuious neither turne thy face from any poore body least that God turne his face from thee Giue part of that which thou possessest Iraeneus though thy gift amount to no more in value then the poore vviddowes two mites Giue also at the first asking for the gift Socrates is not worth thankes vvhich is often craued Besides the gift which is grudginglie Plato giuen may well be called a stonie loafe which although it be hard yet it is needfull to be receiued of him that is hungry §. 12. Hee that hath mercie vpon the poore Prou 19 17. lendeth vnto the Lorde and the Lorde vvill recompence him that which hee hath giuen For GOD so greatly loueth the poore Ierome that what-soeuer good deede is done vnto any of them for the loue of him he taketh it as it were doone vnto himselfe And hee shall vndoubtedly finde many Leo. great blessings at Gods hand who letteth not the poore and needy depart from him without comfort §. 13. But vvhen thou mindest to distribute or giue any thing vnto the poore thou Rom 12 8 must euer-more obserue this rule therein namelie to doe the same as the Apostle counselleth with simplicitie Not causing a trumpet to be blowne before Math 6 2 3 4. thee when thou giuest thine almes as the hypocrites doe in the Sinagogues and in the streets to the end they may be seene and praysed of men For verily I say
his vertuous patience thorowly prooued Iob 42 12 13 14. c. we find in the latter end of his booke that it pleased God to blesse him not onely with twise so much riches as he lost but also with as many sonnes daughters the length of an hundred and fortie yeeres life So that before hee died hee sawe his sonnes and his sonnes sonnes euen foure generations §. 6. Thus God as Salomon saith prooueth Wisd 3 5 6. the righteous and findeth them meete for himselfe Hee tryeth them as the golde in the fornace and receiueth them as a perfect fruite offering Hee also chasteneth them measurablie Wisd 12 2. that goe wrong and vvarneth them by putting thē in remembrance of the things wherein they haue offended that leauing theyr wickednesse they may beleeue in him Yea whom-soeuer the Lorde loueth Heb 12 6 him he chasteneth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth If ye endure chastening God offereth verse 7 himselfe vnto you as vnto Sons for what sonne is it whom the Father chasteneth not But if yee be without correction whereof Hebr 12 8 all are partakers then are ye bastards not sonnes §. 7. My sonne saith the wise-man refuse Prou 3 11 12. not the chastening of the Almightie neyther be thou greeued with his correction for the Lord correcteth him whom hee loueth euen as the father doth the childe in whom he delighteth And as a Father nurtureth his sonne so Deut 8 5 the Lord thy God nurtureth thee His rodde or scourge of affliction is no Fulgosius signe of his disfauour to those that beare it with patience but rather a most necessarie meane to put a man in remembrance of his former iniquities and to cause him to liue more godly euer after for feare of some further chastisement It is a heauenly Herrald sent from God Hermes to forewarne men to leaue the loue of transitory pleasures and to seeke after such things as cause comfort in death It is a speciall benefite vnto all the chyldren Iust Mar of GOD in that it reformeth them from vnrighteousnesse and maketh them meete to receiue wisedome and vnderstanding §. 8. Thus much in effect confesseth Dauid in the 119. psalme where hee saith * It is Psal 119 71 good for mee ô Lord that I haue beene afflicted that I may learne thy statutes Before I was afflicted I went astray but Psal 119 67 now ô Lord I keepe thy word Also in the 94. psalme hee plainly pronounceth those men to be blessed whom it pleaseth the Lorde to correct saying Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest ô Psalm 94 12 13. Lord and teachest him in thy Lawe that thou maist giue him rest from the dayes of euill whiles the pitte is digged for the vngodly And blessed likewise doth holy Iob account Iob 5 17 the man whom GOD correcteth therefore refuse not thou the chastising of the Almightie For hee maketh the wound bindeth verse 18 19 it vp hee smiteth and his handes make whole Hee shall deliuer thee in sixe troubles and in the seauenth the euill shall not touch thee He will not forsake for euer But though Lam. 3 31 32 hee send affliction yet will hee haue compassion according to the multitude of his mercies For hee will not lay on man so much Iob 34 23 that hee should enter into iudgement with God §. 9. VVee haue had saith the Apostle the Heb 12 9 fathers of our bodies vvhich corrected vs and we gaue them reuerence should vvee not much rather be in subiection vnto the Father of spirits that we might liue For they verily for a few daies chastened verse 10 vs after theyr owne pleasure but hee chasteneth vs for our profit that we might be partakers of his holines If we would iudge our selues we should 1. Cor 11 31 not be iudged But when we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord to the end we should not 1 Cor 11 32 be condemned with the world §. 10. Let not then the force of anie affliction Ignatius ouer-throw the vertue of thy patience For patience and perseuerance in vveldooing Tertullian are two speciall notes whereby the children of God are truly discerned from hypocrites counterfets dissemblers But rather follow the counsell which S. Iames giueth saying * If any man be afflicted Iames. 5 13 let him pray For the Lorde is neere vnto them that Psal 34 18 are of a contrite hart and will saue such as be afflicted in spirit Yea the Lorde our God is good and Nahum 1 7 as a strong hold in the day of trouble and hee knoweth them that trust in him Hee is neere vnto all that call vpon him Psal 145 18 Yea to all that call vpon him in truth Hee will fulfill the desire of them that verse 19 feare him hee also will heare theyr cry and vvill saue them * Because they trust in Psal 37. 40 him For he knoweth how to deliuer the godly 2 Pet 2 9 out of tentation to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgment to be punished §. 11. My brethren saith the Apostle count Iames 1 2 3 it exceeding ioy when yee fall into diuers tentations knowing that the trying of your fayth bringeth forth patience and let patience haue her perfect worke that yee may bee perfect and entire lacking nothing For this know that trouble affliction Eugeniu◠is sent of God vnto good men not vniustly or cruelly but for a good consideration and most louing intent like vnto the dooings of a kinde and discreete Father who greatly desiring to bring his son whō he loueth to perpetuall honour dignity by such manner of exercise most aptly trieth his vertue and proueth his patience It is also very necessary that the chyldren Gueuara of God should be often tryed in thys life by trouble and affliction that thereby they may the better be brought to knowe theyr owne weakenes thorowly taught in all theyr conflicts to lift vp theyr eyes vnto heauen for helpe succour Besides as yron except it bee sundry Pet. Lomb. times scoured will speedily corrupt and wexe rustie so the vncleane hart flesh of man except it be often scoured with the whetstone of aduersitie it will quickly forget God and soone be ouer-growne vvith the rust of all filthines and sinne §. 12. Indeed it cannot be but that the mindes Cicer◠of men are oftentimes through trouble affliction moued with vexations griefes but yet a meane must be kept in all calamities what-soeuer beyond the which no man that is wise ought of right to passe For although no chastising for the present Heb 12 11 time that it lasteth seemeth to be ioyous but greeuous yet afterward it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnesse vnto them which are thereby exercised And euery man ought for his
better coÌ„fort in this case to lay sure holde on the words of the Apostle vsed vnto the Corinthians where he saith * There hath no 1 Cor 10 13. tentation taken you but such as appertaineth to man God is faithfull which wil not suffer you to be tempted aboue your strength but will euen giue the issue vvith the tentation that yee may be able to beare the same His grace alone is sufficient for as many 2 Cor 12 9 as shall vnfainedly put theyr confidence in him and his power is made perfect through our weakenes §. 13. And although as Dauid affirmeth the Psal 34 19 troubles of the righteous are great yet this comfort euen by the selfe same mans saying presently followeth that the Lorde deliuereth him out of them all Hee also maketh the afflictions of the Tertullian godly serue as fit occasions to drawe theyr mindes wholy vnto him and in the end turneth all the sufferings of his Saints to theyr names eternall prayse their soules greater glory So that it is a surer signe of Gods loue Gregory and fauour towards vs when hee giueth vs force and strength to beare troubles then it is when hee taketh the same temptations away from vs. And no man deserueth to be counted Bernard constant in his tryall except he arme himselfe with patience and be renewed vvith fresh courage euen in the midst of his afflictions Remembring that all the miseries in mans life can neuer be so sharp and bitter Erasmus as euerlasting felicitie will proue vnto the godly sweet and pleasant §. 14. Hold fast therfore the vertue of patience Mar. Aurel. in all thine aduersitie Sorrow truly for thy former sinnes and Eugâ—nius practise to please GOD by thy vertuous amendement Let hope encourage thee to be constant Euagoras though thy miseries be daily augmented And put alwaies such faithful trust in the Rauisius promises of Gods mercy as may keep thee from despaire make lesse thy calamity §. 15. Behold wee count them blessed vvhich Iames. 5 11 endure Yee haue heard of the patience of Iob haue knowne what end the Lord made For the Lord as hath already been said is very pittifull and mercifull VVho-soeuer shall call vpon his Name Rom 10 13 shall be saued And hee that trusteth in the Almightie Ecclê° 32 24 shall take no hurt §. 16. Consider saith Sirach the old generations Ecclus 2 11 of men marke them well was there euer any one confounded that put his trust in the Lord or who hath continued in his feare and was forsaken or whom did hee euer despise that called vpon him I haue been young and nowe am olde Psal 37 25 saith the Psalmist yet neuer sawe I the righteous forsaken nor his seede begging bread Wherefore though the Lord seeme for Ambrose a time to be angry with thee and to turne away his face from beholding thine affliction yet be not thou any whit thereby discouraged but rather endeuour to be the more patient thou shalt assuredly find that hee will not forget thee For hee endureth but a vvhile in his anger Psalm 30 5. but in his fauour is life weeping may abide in the euening but ioy commeth in the morning Hee himselfe hath commaunded vs to call vpon him in the time of our trouble Psal 50 15 and with more then promise to heare hee hath plainly said that he will deliuer vs we shall glorifie him Doubtlesse hee is now no lesse powerfull then heere-to-fore hee hath been for hee is still * God all-sufficient Gene 17 1 His hand is not shortned that it cannot Esay 59 1 saue neyther is his eare heauie that it cannot heare But hee delighteth in them that feare Psal 147 11 him and attend vpon his mercie And is theyrs onelie that patientlie abide Ecclê° 34 19 him in the vvay of truth and righteousnesse ¶ Of trouble and persecution for the Gospells sake where-vnto euery faithfull Christian is continually subiect during this life §. 1. IF any man will follow me saith Christ Math 16 24 let him forsake himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow mee Yea if any man will come after me Luke 9 23 let him denie himselfe take vp his crosse daily and follow mee For whosoeuer beareth not his crosse Luke 14 27 and commeth after mee cannot be my disciple §. 2. Thinke not saith hee that I am come Math 10. 34 to sende peace into the earth I came not to sende peace but the sword For from hence-foorth there shall be Luke 12 52 53. fiue in one house deuided three against two and two against three The Father shall be deuided against the sonne and the sonne against the father The mother against the daughter and the daughter against the mother the mother in lawe against the daughter in law and the daughter in law against her mother in law And who-soeuer will seeke to saue his Mark 8 35 Luk 17 3â— life hee shall lose it but who-soeuer shall lose his life for my sake the Gospels he shall saue it §. 3. Hee that loueth father or mother more Math 10 37 then mee is not worthy of mee And hee that loueth sonne or daughter more then mee is not worthy of mee If any man come to me and hate not his Luk 14. 26 father and mother and wife and chyldren and brethren and sisters yea his owne life also hee cannot be my disciple The disciple is not aboue his maister nor Math 10 24 25 the seruaunt aboue his Lord. It is enough for the disciple to be as his Maister is and the seruaunt as his Lord. And who-soeuer will be a perfect disciple Luke 6 40 shall be as his Maister is §. 4. Behold saith our Sauiour vnto his followers Math 10 16 17 18. I send you foorth as sheepe in the mids of wolues be ye therefore wise as Serpents and innocent as Doues But beware of men for they will deliuer you vp to the Counsels and will scourge you in theyr Sinagogues and ye shal be brought to the Gouernours Kings for my sake in witnes to them and to the Gentiles Yea the brother shall deliuer the brother Marke 13 12 to death and the father the sonne and the chyldren shall rise against their parents and shall cause them to die And yee shal be hated of all men for my verse 13 Names sake but who-soeuer shall endure vnto the end he shall be saued If the world hate you yee knowe that it Iohn 15 18 19 hated mee before you If yee were of the world the world would loue his own but because ye are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Remember that I saide vnto you The verse 20. seruaunt is not greater then his maister If they haue persecuted
him as with a shielde The wicked shall see the same be angry Psal 112. 10 hee shall gnash with his teeth and consume away §. 12. Feare the Lorde therefore yee that be Psalm 34 9. his Saints for nothing vvanteth to them that feare him The Lyons doe lacke and suffer hunger Psal 34 10. but they that seeke the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good Neither shall any euill happen vnto the Ecclê° 33. 1. man that feareth him but when hee is in tentation the Lord will deliuer him and keepe him from harme For his eyes are ouer the righteous and 1 Pet 3 12 his eares are open vnto theyr prayers Hee knoweth the dayes of vpright men Psal 37 18 theyr inheritance shall be perpetuall §. 13. Hee also preserueth the state of the Prou 2 7 righteous is a shield to them that walke vprightly They shall not be confounded in the Psal 37 19 perrillous time and in the dayes of famine they shall haue enough For his eye is vpon them that feare him Psalm 33 18 19 and vpon them that trust in his mercy to deliuer theyr soules from death to preserue them in the time of dearth Yea his eyes haue respect vnto them Ecclê° 34 16 that loue him hee is theyr mightie protection and strong ground a defence from the heate and a shadow for the noone day a succour from stumbling and a helpe from falling §. 14. They that put theyr trust in him shall Psal 125. 1. be euen as the mount Sion which cannot be remoued but remaineth stedfast for euer They shall florish like a Palme tree and Psal 92. 12. shall spread abroade like a Cedar in Lebanon They shall inherite the land and dwell Psal 37 29 therein for euer They shall still bring forth fruite in their Psal 92. 14. age and shall be fat and florishing §. 15. The man that serueth him shall be accepted Ecclê° 35 16 with fauour and his prayer shall reach vnto the clowdes His prayer shall pierce thorowe the Mart. Bucer clowdes and preuaile mightily in the presence of his Maker That which a wicked man feareth shall Prou 10 24 come vpon him but GOD will grant the desire of the godly For a good man getteth fauour of the Prou 12 2 Lord but a man of vvicked imaginations will the Almightie condemne He respecteth not the speech of vngodly Iohn 9. 31 persons when they pray vnto him but if any man be a vvorshipper of him and obedient vnto his will him he will heare For as hee himselfe is all goodnes so loueth Plato hee all those that loue goodnes and as hee can haue no euill in himselfe so can he not away with the workers of iniquitie §. 16. They that trust in the Lord shall vnderstand Wisd 3. 9. the truth and the faithfull shall remaine with him in loue for grace mercie is among his Saints and hee regardeth his elect His secrete is reuealed to them that feare Psal 25. 14 him and his couenaunt to giue them vnderstanding Hee is euer-more mindfull of those men Theophilact that make his Word the guide vnto theyr waies and neuer ceaseth to succour his seruants which through faith confidence continually cleaue vnto him For he alwaies loueth them that loue his Lyra. law and bestoweth many benefites on the man that maketh his coÌ„maundements his daily meditation §. 17. Hee highly regardeth euery one that beleeueth Origen in him and will in time performe what-soeuer hee hath promised vnto the faithfull Hee will most certainly graunt vnto the Euagoras godly all things that are needfull for theyr life present And at his pleasure hee will make the Virgilius penitent to reioyce greatly in his loue and mercie He will also be fauourable to the righteous Eugenius in the time of theyr affliction And be ready to heare the cry of the confident Hillarius when-soeuer they call vpon him Yea before they call hee will aunswere Esay 65. 24. and whiles they speake or whiles they are thinking what to speake hee will heare them By all vvhich former speeches most plainly according to the saying of the Psalmist it appeareth That * they which Psalm 119. 165. loue the lawe of the Lord shall haue great prosperitie and shall haue no hurt That they vvhich obey and serue him Iob. 36. 11. shall end theyr dayes in prosperitie and theyr yeeres in pleasures And that the man that is faithfull shall Prou. 28. 20 abound in blessings §. 18. Taste yee then and see how gracious Psal 34 8. the Lord is blessed is the man that trusteth in him Yea blessed is the man whose strength Psal 84. 5 is in the Lord and in vvhose hart are the vvayes of God Blessed is euery one that feareth the Psal 128 1. Lord and walketh in his wayes For to them that thinke on good things Prou. 14. 22. shall be mercie and truth And as many as in this world endeuour Phil. Mel. to liue vprightly shall after death be receiued of God into euerlasting glory §. 19. A booke of remembrance saith Malachie Mala. 3. 16. is written before the Lord for all them that feare him and that thinke vpon his Name Many sorrowes shall come vnto the vngodly Psal 32 10 but hee that trusteth in the Lord shall be compassed with mercie He will honour them that honour him 1. Sam 2 30 but whosoeuer despiseth him shall of him be despised Hee hath alwayes a speciall respect vnto Pet. Lomb. the godlie and will neuer suffer any that serue him to want theyr reward For the righteous Lord loueth righteousnes Psalm 11 7 his countenaunce doth behold the iust VVhen they cry hee heareth them Psal 34 17 deliuereth them out of all theyr troubles So that theyr hope shall neuer come to Gregory confusion but prosper euen in the time of perrill and lay sure hold on heauen as the cheefest harbour of theyr perfect happinesse §. 20. Hee that walketh in iustice saith Esay Esay 33 15 and speaketh righteous thinges refusing gaine of oppression shaking his handes from taking of gifts stopping his eares from hearing of blood and shutting his eyes from seeing euill Hee shall dwell on hie his defence shall verse 16. be the munitions of Rocks breade shall be giuen him and his waters shall be sure Hee shall receiue a blessing froÌ„ the Lord Psalm 24 5 and righteousnesse from the God of his saluation For the Lorde preserueth all them that Psal 145. 20 loue him Hee delighteth in them that feare him Psal 147. 11 Hee careth for all those that haue confidence 1. Pet. 5. 7 in him And no good thing will hee with-hold Psal 84 11 from them that walke vprightly §. 21. Hee that walketh in his integritie is iust Prou 20.
euerliuing GOD to maintaine it which shal neuer be wearie §. 31. Rightly therefore is hell termed the hold â—rasmus of horrour distresse and misery and the Cell of torment griefe and vexation Wherein nothing els is to be heard but Cassiâ—dorus onely the furious raging of hellish tormentors and the ruthfull lamentations of damned persons Where all hope of ease and comfort for Gregory euer is exempted no redemption from thence may be expected For after the vvhole company of most Anselmus miserable damned vvretches haue there suffered torments both in soule and bodie for their sinnes as many thousand yeres as there haue been dayes since the beginning of the vvorld or as there be drops of water in the deepest Sea yet shall they then notwithstanding haue as farre to the ende of theyr punishment as they had the first day of theyr entrance into those greeuous calamities And as long as Almighty God shall be GOD which is for euer and euer world without end so long shall the wicked burne in the tormenting lake of fire brimstone vvithout mittigation of theyr miseries hope of heauenly fauour or likelihood of any releasement From the which pit of endlesse perdition and stinking dungion of eternall darknesse hee that is the Father of mercies and God of euerlasting glory deliuer all those that belong vnto him for his beloued Sonne Iesus Christ his sake our only Lord and Sauiour Amen FINIS ¶ Behold howe I haue not laboured for my selfe onely but for all them that seeke vvisedome Ecclus. 24. 39. Vnto God alone be giuen all praise honour glory ⧠A necessary Table of all the speciall matters contained in this Booke ¶ The seuerall matters handled in the first Discourse THat the Lord our God is immortall inuisible euerlasting page 1. 2. 3. 4. Of the mightie power of GOD. page 6. 7. 8. 9. c. That it belongeth onely vnto GOD to pardon our sinnes page 23. 24. 25. Of the wisedome of God page 31. Of the knowledge of God page 38. That the Lord God knoweth both the godly and vngodly page 40. 41. Of the great mercie and louing kindnes of God page 43. 44. That the mercy of God is both generall and speciall page 46. Of the iustice of God page 53. The iustice of God deuided by S. Ambrose into three parts page 56. Of three speciall causes that daily moue men to sinne against God page 57. Of the vvayes of God page 63. That the wayes of God are to be taken for all manner of his dooings page 64. That the Lorde is righteous in all his wayes page 65. That the wayes of God are not like vnto the wayes of man page 66. Of the word of God page 68 The authoritie of Gods word page 70 That Gods word coÌ„taineth in it al things needfull for our saluation page 72 That Gods vvorde is easie to be vnderstoode page 74 75 Of the workes of God 76 77 That of all the works of God man is the cheefest page 83 Howe man is saide to be the Image of GOD. page 83 84 God hath created man foure seuerall vvayes page 84 ¶ The seuerall matters handled in the second Discourse OF man of his naturall inclination page 90 91 92 c That man hath no free-will of himselfe to doe any thing that is good page 97 98 99 c That mans naturall free-will reacheth onely but to carnall and worldly matters page 100. Of the shortnes and vncertaintie of mans life page 106 Of the many miseries hapning to man in this life page 113 The causes why God suffereth man to be so much subiect to misery page 121 Of the parting of the soule from the bodie and of the immortalitie thereof 125 Of the first Iudgement after death page 132 133 Of the last Iudgement after death page 135 136 Of the vncertaine time of the last Iudgement page 142 ¶ The seuerall matters handled in the third discourse OF Christ page 146. That by him were all things created page 147 That Christ hath all power giuen him both in heauen and in earth page 148 That Christ is the way the truth the life vnto the kingdome of heauen page 148 149 That Christ is both the power of God and the wisedome of God page 150 That Christ is our wisedome and righteousnes sanctification and redemption c. page 150 151 The seuerall causes of Christes coÌ„ming into the world and the necessity thereof page 152 153 That Christ came to offer grace vnto all men page 152. That Christ came to fulfill the Lawe to make satisfaction vnto his Father for our offences page 153 That Christ came into the world both true God and true man page 154 That Christ came downe from heauen to vs that wee might ascend vp to heauen by him page 157 That Christ came to loose or destroy the workes of the deuill page 157 That Christ came to seeke and to saue that which was lost page 157. Of the Passion Death Buriall Resurrection ascention of our sauiour Christ according to the Scriptures page 158 159 160 161 c That Christ was deliuered to death by the determinate counsell and fore-knowledge of God page 165 166 Of the seuerall benefites which wee haue by the death resurrection and ascention of our Sauiour Christ page 172 173. c That Christ by his death gaue himselfe a raunsome for all men page 172 That Christ was clothed vvith death that hee might thereby kill death for vs. page 173 That Christ by his death hath destroyed him that had the power of death 173. That Christ hath taken on him our infirmities and borne our paines page 174 That Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when he was made a curse for vs. page 176 That when Christ suffered death in his flesh vpon the Crosse the God-head and manhood were together page 177 Of foure benefites that wee receiue by the death of Christ page 177 That the meanes of our saluation by the death of Christ are two-fold 178 That Christ by his death hath put out the hand-writing that was against vs contained in the Law written page 178. That like as Christ by his owne power raised himselfe to life so by his own power hee is able to raise vp all them that are his members page 183. That the resurrection of Christ vvas long since prefigured in Adam 184 That Christ our Sauiour is ascended into heauen and sitteth for euer at the right hand of God page 185 That although Christ be absent from vs as concerning his humanitie yet hee is alwaies present with vs by the power of his diuinitie page 186 That Christ by his ascention hath taken sinne and sathan prisoners page 187 That Christ is ascended to prepare a place for vs in heauen page 187 That Christ being in heauen at the right hand of God maketh request vnto his Father for vs. page 189 That although Christ be both GOD and man yet