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
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
and art comforted all that see my good intent and there-with are pleased First his blessed Name be honoured thy comfort daily increased all our saiths for euer through Iesus Christ established Thine I. B. ⧠The contents of the whole booke following 1. OF God that he is great in power rich in mercie slowe to anger iust in iudgement righteous in all his wayes and wonderfull in all his works 2. What Man is by nature how short and vncertaine the dayes of his life are And how sure it is that after this life ended we must all appeare before the Iudgement seate of God to receiue euery one according as his works shall be 3. Of Christ why he came and what profit we haue by his Death Resurrection and Ascention 4. Of Faith Feare and Loue beeing three principall vertues necessarilie belonging to euery true Christian. 5. What the will desire of Almighty God is concerning men and how louinglie he admonisheth euery one to come to repentance promising mercy forgiuenesse to all those that amend 6. What manner of seruice is required of vs during this life both towards God and our Neighbour 7. Of trouble and affliction whereby God trieth the harts of all those that faithfully feare and loue him 8. Of the manifold benefites of God bestowed vpon the godly heere in this life with the promises of their euerlasting felicitie in the world to come 9. Of the heauie wrath of God against the wicked and vngodly heere in this world with the threatnings of their eternall torments in the world to come ⧠The Names of all the Authors mentioned in this Booke Christian Authours SAint Ambrose S. Augustine S. Ierome S. Chrisostome S. Gregory Clem. Alexandri Epiphanius Hillarius Origen Cyprian Cyrill Isidorus Basill Beda Anselmus Bernard Erasmus Constantius Vincentius Lactantius Ignatius Tertullian Theophilactus Ireneus Iusti. Martyr Cassianus Cassiodorus Eugenius Euagoras Fulgentius Fulgotius Luther Pet. Ramus Marlorate Plotinus Pacuuius Caluine Lyra. Boetius Virgilius Orosius Rauisius Pet. Lombardus Polion Maxentius Carolus Magnus Sigismundus Arnobius Anth. Gueuara Bullenger Leo. Aeneus Siluius Pet. Martyr Phil. MelancthoÌ„ Martin Bucer Hemingius Becon Osorius Beza Granado Iunius Tremelius Vrsinus Heathen Philosophers SOcrates Plato Hermes Plutarch Pythagoras Solon Cicero Macrobius Cleobulus Seneca Crates Thales Chilo Bias Menander Protogenes Antisthenes Anaxagoras Heraclitus Pyndarus Marcus Aurelius Gallen Hipocrates Alex. Seuerus Euripides Aristides Demonax Valerius Max. Dion Theophrastus Salust Quintilian Zenophon Isocrates Xenocrates Diogenes Aristotle Anacharsis Herodotus Thucidides ⧠Faultes escaped Page 14 line 4 for setteh reade setteth Page 39 line 4 for wondefull read wonderfull Page 63 line 25 for or God read our God Page 265 line 28 for that that it read that it Page 352 line 17 for body read belly Page 500 line 25 for misciefe read mischiefe Page 512 li. 20 for imagination read imaginations ⧠The Harmonie of holie Scriptures ¶ Of God that hee is great in power rich in mercy â—â—ow to anger iust in iudgement righteous in all his waies and wonderfull in all his workes VISDOM 15. verse 3. For to know GOD is perfect righteousnesse and to knowe his power is the roote of immortalitie Of God c. §. 1. MOyses the seruaunt of the liuing GOD after hee had seene many miracles and vvrought diuers vvonders through Diuine assistance before the face of Pharao King of Egipt and the children of Israel in the vvildernes talking on a time familiarly with his Maker amongst many other petitions humbly Exo 33. 18 besought the Lord to â—hew him his glorie Wherevnto the Almightie returned this 〈…〉 swere saying Thou canst not see my Exo 33 20. 〈…〉 or there shall no man see mee liue No man saith S. Iohn hath seene God Iohn 1 18 at any time the onely begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him No man knoweth the Son saith Christ Math 11 27 but the Father neither knoweth anie man the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne will reueale him §. 2. What man hath seene GOD thâ—t the Ecclê° 43 31 might tell vs saith the Wiseman oâ— who can magnifie him as hee is Who shall declare * vnto vs the power of his greatnes Ecclus 18 4 or vvho will take vpon him to tell ouâ— his mercie Canst thou saith Zophar vnto Iob by Iob 11 7 8 9 searching finde out God Canst tâ—ou find out the Almightie to his perfection The Heauens are hie saith he what canst thou doe It is deeper theÌ„ Hell how canst thou knowe it The measure thereof is longer then the Earth and it is broader then the Sea By which kinde of questioning the holie man seemeth to tell vs that if we be not able to comprehend the height of heauen the depth of hell the length of the ea 〈…〉 or the bredth of the sea which are but 〈…〉 tures it wil be much more vnpossible for vs to vnderstand the perfection of the Creator which is God himselfe For hee as Sirach rightly saith is * aboue all his workes Ecclê° 43 28 §. 3. Salomon as we reade of him was the richest man in wisedome that euer liued and one that gaue his minde to knowe as much as man might know yet could he not by all his diligence come neere the perfection of the Almightie but plainely euen in his Booke of Wisdome confesseth both his owne and all other mens imperfections in that poynt where he sayth Hardly can we discerne the things that are vpon the earth Wisd 9 16. with great labour find we out the things which are before vs who can theÌ„ seeke out saith he the things that are in heauen For like as the grounde is appointed to beare the wood and the Sea to carrie his 2 Esdr 4 21 floods so they that dwell vppon the earth can vnderstand nothing but that which is vpon the earth and they that are in the heauens the things which are aboue the height of the heauens §. 4. Wisedome willeth vs therefore as Fulgosius Fulgosius sayth not to bee ouer-quisitiue in searching out either the secretes of Gods hidden counsell or the greatnesse of his incomparable maiestie for feare wee be suddainly smitten with the thunderstroake of his glorie But let it rather suffise vs in knowledge touching the proportion of his person to say as Plato that diuine Phylosopher saide Plato God is without any body invisible and also immortall whose forme cannot be deprehended with the eyes of mortall men nor yet described by any sensible knovvledge Or to say as learned Hermes Trismegistus Hermes sayd That is God which lacketh beginning and ending which God beeing made of none hath by his own power created all things Or els to say as much as a more worthie man then any of them both namelie holie Iob sayd Behold God is excellent wee Iob 36 26 know him not neither may the number of his yeeres
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
well or Augustine that wee vnderstand aright wee haue it of God of our selues wee haue nothing but onely sinne that is within vs. And surely deserued paine through Adams Augustine fault would bring al men into euerlasting death vnlesse the vndeserued grace of God through fayth in Christ deliuered some from it §. 11. All men in the first man namely Adam vvere created of God saith S. Ambrose Ambrose without vice or fault all our nature was sound and in health but by the sin of the same man we haue lost it Also We say truly in affirming that the Augustine first man onely could fulfill that he would when as yet his free-vvill of choyse vvas sound and whole before the fault But man misvsing his free-will lost both Augustine himselfe and his will The first man vvas created in nature Augustine without blame in nature without fault he was created vpright he did not make him selfe vpright It is knowne what hee made himselfe falling out of the hande of the Potter he was broken For hee that made him did gouerne him but hee was willing to forsake him that made him and God suffered him so to doe as it were saying thus Let him forsake me that he may find himselfe and that he may by his misery proue that without mee he can doe nothing By this meane therefore would God shew vnto man what free-will is able to doe vvithout God Free-vvill before the fall of Adam vvas Augustine an vpright free-will before which fire and water was layde of God and the first man did reach his hand vnto which hee would hee did choose fire forsooke vvater See therefore the righteous Iudge the same which man beeing free did choose he did receiue hee would haue euill the same did follow him We had free-will before sinne to worke Chrisostome well but after sinne we had none because we were not able by our owne power and strength after sinne to escape from the power of the deuill But as a ship when the sterne is broken is driuen hether and thether where the tempest will so by the deuill wee are driuen from one sinne to another neither hetherto can vvee doe any thing but euen as the deuill will And except GOD doe deliuer vs with the strong hand of his mercie we shall remaine in the bonds chaines of sinnes vnto death For by our owne willes and negligence wee are bound but it is onely by the mercies of almighty God that wee are loosed and set at libertie §. 12. No man can beleeue hope or loue vnlesse Augustine he will saith S. Augustine yet euen the selfe same will to beleeue hope and loue commeth not of our selues but from God Wee indeed thinking beleeue thinking we speake thinking we doe whatsoeuer Augustine we doe But as touching that that appertaineth vnto the way of godlinesse and true vvorship of God wee are not able to thinke any thing as of our selues but our ablenesse commeth of God For our own harts and our owne thoughts are not in our owne powers Also that we should beleeue in GOD liue godly it lyeth not in the wil or running Augustine of man but in the grace and mercy of God Not that we ought not both to wil and to runne but because that God himselfe by his holy Spirit doth worke in vs both to will and also to runne §. 13. Mans naturall free will then vve doe verily Maxentius beleeue saith Maxentius is of no more value but onely for carnall or worldly desires or such deseruings which possiblie may seeme glorious among men but not with God For those things which belong vnto euerlasting life we can neither thinke neither will neither desire neither performe except it be by the infusion and operation of the holie Ghost Besides our prayers are alwayes made Ambrose in vaine if it be in our owne free-wil to do what we will Let no man therefore flatter himselfe Augustine for of his owne hee is a very sathan hee hath that of GOD onely whereby hee is blessed §. 14. There is a sentence in Salomons Prouerbs where the Wiseman thus speaketh saying * The preparations of the hart are Prou 16 1 in man but the aunswere of the tongue is of the Lord. Vpon which wordes S. Augustine thus Augustine writeth Some not vnderstanding thys place wel are deceiued insomuch that they beleeue that to prepare the hart that is to beginne goodnesse without the helpe of the grace of God pertaineth vnto man But God forbid saith he that the chyldren of promise should so vnderstand it as though thereby they woulde confute the Lord whereas they haue heard him saying * Without mee yee can doe nothing And Iohn 15 5 say Behold we are able of our selues to prepare our hart by that to think som goodnes God forbid that any man should vnderstand it so saue the proude defenders of their will For therefore it is written It is the mans part to prepare the hart the aunswere of the tongue is of the Lord because the man prepareth the hart yet for all that man cannot prepare his hart without the helpe of God For God dooth so worke in the harts of men and in their free will it selfe that euery good thought good counsaile and all good motions of the will or minde is of God Hee doth first preuent vs with his grace Gregory that wee may be willing to leaue euill and doe good and afterward with his helping hand also he doth folow vs least we should will in vaine Yea It is God that worketh in vs both Augustine to will also to worke We will then but it is God that worketh in vs euen to vvill We work then but it is God also that doth worke in vs the worke euen freelie of his own good will It is expedient for vs both to beleeue this and also to confesse this This is godly this is true that our confession may be humble and lowly and that all goodnes may be ascribed vnto GOD alone No man can come vnto me saith Christ Iohn 6 44 except the Father which hath sent mee draw him Neither can any man say that Iesus is the 1 Cor 12 3 Lord but by the holy Ghost For to beleeue is the gift of God As Mat 16 17 Christes owne wordes testifie vnto Peter where he sayth * Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas For flesh and bloode hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my Father which is in heauen Also It is written in the Prophets And Iohn 6 45. they shall be all taught of GOD. Euery man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father commeth vnto me Yea All that the Father giueth mee Iohn 6 37 ◠shall come to mee and him that commeth vnto mee I cast not away §. 16. Moreouer Except a man be borne againe
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
20 31 followeth the Lord is better then hee that gouerneth his life without the Lord. And our light affliction which is but for 2. Cor. 4. 17. a moment causeth vnto vs a far more excellent and eternall waight of glory while we looke not on the thinges that are seene but the things which are not seene For the things that are seene are temporall verse 18 but the things which are not seene are eternall For vvee are saued by hope but hope Rom. 8. 24. 25. that is seene is no hope for howe can a man hope for that which he seeth But if wee hope for that we see not we doe with patience abide for it Likewise the Spirit of God also helpeth Rom 8 26. our infirmities for we know not what to pray as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes vvhich cannot be expressed But he that searcheth the harts knoweth verse 27. what is the meaning of the Spirit for hee maketh request for the Saints according to the will of God Also wee knowe that all things worke verse 28. together for the best vnto them that loue GOD. And I count saith the Apostle that the Rom 8 18 afflictions of this present time are not worthie of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs. Neyther may the many yeeres of thys World be any way comparable vnto the length of dayes in the life to come * For Ecclâ—s 18 9. as drops of raine are vnto the Sea and as a grauell stone is in comparison of the Sand so are a thousand yeeres to the dayes euerlasting Of the manifold blessings and fauours of Almightie God extended vnto the godly heere in this life with the promises of theyr euerlasting felicitie in the World to come PROVERBS 21. verse 21. Hee that followeth after righteousnes mercy shall finde life righteousnes and glory §. 1. BLessed is the man saith Dauid that Psal 1. 1. 2. doth not walke in the counsell of the wicked nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seate of the scornefull But hath his delight in the lawe of the Lord and in that lawe doth exercise himselfe both day and night For he shall be like a tree planted by the verse 3 waters side vvhich will bring foorth her fruite in due season whose leafe shall not wither or fade away and looke what-soeuer hee doth it shall prosper Blessed saith Ieremy is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope is the Iere. 17. 7. Lord himselfe For hee shall be as a tree planted by the water which spreadeth out her rootes by the riuer and shall not feele verse 8 when the heate coÌ„meth but her leafe shall be greene shall not care for the yeere of drought neither shall cease from yeelding fruite Yea blessed is the man saith Sirach Ecclê° 14 21 that doth meditate honest things by vvisedome and exerciseth himselfe in iustice reasoneth of holy things by his vnderstanding Which considereth in his hart the wayes verse 22. 23. of VVisedome and vnderstandeth her secrets and goeth after her and continueth in her wayes For he shall looke in at her windowes Ecclê° 14. 24 25 and harken at her doores hee shall abide beside her house and shall fasten a stake in her walles Hee shall pitche his tent nie vnto her verse 26. 27. hand and in his lodging shall good things rest for euermore Hee shall sette his children vnder her couering he shall dwell vnder her branches By her hee shal be defended from the heate and in her glory shall hee rest For life is in the way of righteousnesse Prou 12 28 and in that path-way there is no death §. 2. Blessed therefore is the man that feareth Psal 112. 1. the Lord and delighteth greatly in his commaundements Yea blessed is he that maketh the Lord Psalm 40 4 his trust and regardeth not the proude nor such as turne aside to lies For his seed shal be mighty vpon earth Psa 112. 2 3 and his generation shall be blessed Riches and treasures shall be in his house and his righteousnes shall endure for euer Though he fall hee shall not be cast off Psal 37. 24 for the Lord putteth vnder his hand Surely hee shall neuer be mooued but Psal 112. 6. shall be had in euerlasting remembrance For the Lord loueth iudgement forsaketh Psal 37. 28. not his Saints they shall be preserued for euer-more §. 3. If saith the Almightie vnto Israel yee Leuit. 26. 3. 4. 5. walke in mine ordinaunces and keepe my commaundements and doe them I will then send you raine in due season and the Land shall yeeld her increase and the trees of the fielde shall giue their fruite your threshing shall reach vnto the vintage and the vintage shall reach vnto the sowing time and you shall eate your breade in plenteousnes dwell in your land safely For I will haue respect vnto you and Leuit 26 9 make you increase and multiply you and establish my couenaunt or promise with you Also I will walke among you I will Leuit. 26. 12 be your God and yee shal be my people §. 4. Yea all these following blessings ô Deut. 28. 2. Israel saith Moises shall come vpon thee and ouer-take thee if thou shalt obey the voyce of the Lord thy God Blessed shalt thou be in the Cittie and verse 3 4 blessed also in the fielde Blessed shall be the fruite of thy body and the fruite of thy ground and the fruite of thy Cattell the increase of thy Kine and the flocks of thy sheepe Blessed shal be thy basket thy dough verse 5 6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou commest in and blessed also when thou goest out §. 5. The Lorde likewise shall cause thine Deu. 28. 7. enemies that rise against thee to fall before thy face they shall come out against thee one way and shall flee before thee seauen wayes The Lord shall commaunde the blessing to be with thee in thy store-houses and in Deut 28 8. all that thou settest thine hand vnto will blesse thee in the Land vvhich hee giueth thee The Lord shall make thee an holie people verse 9 vnto himselfe as hee hath sworne vnto thee if thou shalt keepe the commaundements of the Lord thy God and walke in his wayes Then all people of the earth shal see that verse 10 the Name of the Lord is called vpon ouer thee and they shall be afraid of thee And the Lord shall make thee plenteous Deut 28 11 in goods in the fruite of thy body and in the fruite of thy cattell and in the fruite of thy ground in the land which the Lorde sware vnto thy fathers to giue thee The Lord shall open vnto thee his good verse 12. treasure euen the heauen to giue raine to thy land in due season and to
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