could gather their forsight of thinges by Astronomie or Astrologie that is by contemplation of the starres as some fond Gentiles did pretēde though Ptolomie denye that such thinges can be forrolde but only by inspiratiō frō God nether yet were they so sharpe witted as to attaine to prophetie by stronge imaginations as most vainlie Auerroes and his followers hold that some man may nor finallie were they so delicatelie fed as by exacte dyet and rules of Alchymie to come to prophetie as Alchymists dreame that a man may doe and that Apollonius Thyanaeus did who by Stellified meates as they speake came to be Stellified hym self and so by helpe of his glasse called Alchymusi to fortell some matters and affaires to come Our prophetes I say knew none of thes phantasticall deuises being for the most parte poore simple vnlearned men as in particuler is recorded that Dauid was a shepheard Amos was a keeper of Oxen yea often tymes they were women as Marie the sister of Aaron called in scripture by the name of Prophetesse Debora the wife of Lapidoth Anna the mother of Samuel Elizabeth the mother of Iohn Baptist Anna the daughter of Phanuel and finallie the most holy and blessed virgine Marie with the daughters of philippe and many such other both in the olde and new testamēt who prophetied stranglie nor could possiblie receyue suche forknowledge of thinges to come but only from the spirite of God and by inspiration of the Holie Ghost which is a manifest demonstratiō of th' excellencie of Holie write and of the certaintie conteined therin AND NOVV albeit this might seeme sufficient in the iudgement and consciēce of euerie reasonable man as the Iew supposeth to proue that the scriptures be onlie from God and cōsequentlie by thē that there is a God yet hath he one reason more to confirme their sinceritie which I will alleage in this place and therwith make an ende His reason is that although thes Holie writinges whiche proceede of Gods spirite doe not take their testimonie or confirmation from mā yet for more euidencie of the truth God hath so prouided that all the principall and most straunge and wonderful thinges recompted in scripture should be reported also and confirmed by insidels Pagās Gentiles and heathē writers them selues albeit in some poynctes they dyffer from the scripture in the manner of their narration for that they adioine superstitions therunto Which maketh the more for approbation of the thinges for that hereby it appeareth they tooke not their stories directelie from the Bible but by tradition and most auncient antiquities of their owne First then he sheweth that the creation of the world which is the maruaile of all maruailes with the infusiō of mans soule from God is both graunted and agreed vpon by all those heathen Philosophers whiche I haue cited before albeit the particularities be not so sett downe by them as they are in the scriptures by all other that doe sce in reason that of necessity their must be yelded some Creator of thes thinges Next to this the flud of Noe is mentioned by diuers most auncient heathē writers as by Berosus Chaldaeus Ieronymus Egyptius Nicolaus Damascenus Abydenus and others according as both Iosephus and Eusebius doe proue And in Bresile and other countries discouered in our age where neuer teachers were knowen to be before they talke of a certaine drownig of the world whiche in tymes past happened and doe say that this was left vnto them by tradition from tyme out of minde by the first inhabitantes of those places Of the longe life of the first Patriarches according as the scripture reporteth it not onlie the former authours but also Manethus that gathered the historie of the Egyptiās Molus Hestiaeus that wrote the actes of the Phaenicians Hesiedus Hecataeus Abderida Helanicus Acusilaus Ephorus doe testifie that thes first inhabitantes of the world liued commonly a thousand yeares a peece and they alleage the reason therof to be both for the multiplication of people and for bringing all sciences to perfectiō especially Astronomie and Astrologie which as they write could not be brought to sufficient perfection by anie one mā that had liued lesse then 600. yeares in which space the greate yeare as they call it returneth aboute Of the Tower of Babylon and of the confusion of tongues at the same Eusebius citeth the testimonies at large both of Abydenus that liued about king Alexanders time and of Sibylla as also the wordes of Hestiaeus concerning the lande of Sennaar where it was builded And thes Gentiles doe shew by reason that if there had not bene some such miracle in the diuision of tongues no doubt but that all tongues being deriued of one as all mē are of one father the same tongues would haue retained the self same rootes and principles as in all dialectes or deriuations of tongues we see that it cōmeth to passe But now saye they in manie tongues at this day we see that there is no likelihode or affinitie among them but all different th' one from th' other and therby it appeareth that they were made diuers and distincte euen from the beginning Of Abraham and his affaires I haue alleaged some heathen writers before as Berosus Hecataeus and Nicolaus Damascenus But of all other Alexander Polyhist or alleageth Eupolemus most at large of Abrahams being in Egypt and of his teaching them Astronomie there of his fight and victorie in the behalf of Lot of his entertainement by king Melchisadech of his wife sister Sara of other his doinges especiallie of the sacrifice of his sonne Isaac To whome agreeth Melo in his bookes writen against the Iewes and Artabanus And of the straunge lake wherinto Sodoma Gomorra were turned by their destruction called mare mortuum the dead sea wherin nothig can liue both Galen Pausanias Solinus Tacitus Strabo doe testifie and shew the particuler wonders therof From Abraham downe to Moyses writeth verie particulerly the fornamed Alexander albeit he mingle some tymes certaine fables wherby appeareth that he tooke his storie not owt of the Bible wholie And he alleageth one Leodemus who as he sayeth liued with Moyses and wrote the same self thinges that Moyses did so that thes writers agree almost in all thinges touching Isaac Iacob Ioseph and all their affaires euen vnto Moyses and with thes doe concurre also Theodotus a most auncient Poet Artabanus and Philon Gentiles Aristaeus in like maner aboute Aristotles time wrote a booke of Iob. Of Moyses and his actes not onelie the fornamed especiallie Artabanus in his booke of the Iewes doe make mention at large but manie other also as namelie Eupolemus out of whom Polyhistor reciteth verie longe narrations of the wonderful and stupēdious thinges donne by Moyses in Egipt for which he sayeth that in his time
Hales Scotus Durand Iandun Capreolus and others of that profession shal easily see that in this matter ther is no comparison and consequently that M. Bunis litle studie in the scholemen is lesse then nothing at al not knowing so much as the very subiect and argument which they handle or the manner how they handle the same But al this was spoken by M. Buny for a vaine florish and to persuade his reader that as him self was very learned so al that was in this booke being taken out of Dunsies as now in England they tearme scholemen might appeare more contemptible in euery mans iudgement and so in reason stand the more subiect to M. Bunis learned censure to put out cut of mangle change pare away whatsoeuer it pleased him Yet protesteth he forsooth very solemly That he allovveth vvel of the matter in general and that he is glad that some of vs also haue taken paines in this kinde of labour and that others of our prosession are sometimes occupied in reading such bookes As who would say that this were a strange and rare matter in our behalfe either to write or reade bookes of this qualitie or argument But here I would demande of M. Buny in sincerite where or when any of his religion did either make or set forthe of them selues any one treatise of this kinde or subiect I meane of deuotion pietie and contemplation Of ours I can name infinite both of times past and present As in times past S. Bernard S. Bonauenture S. Auselme Iohn Gerson Thomas de kempis Dionisius Cathusianus and others whom no man wil deny to haue bene al of our religion For this time present the most excellent writinges of Ludouicus de Granada Diegostella Polancus Angerius and this present booke with infinite others writen in this kinde doe testifie that this argument is not strange among Catholiques but rather proper and peculier vnto them alone seing that M. Buny is not able to name one on his side from the first heretique that cuer wrote vnto this daie which of his owne accorde hath employed him self in this subiect except it were of enuie and malice to defile and corrupt an other mans labours to the end they should not worke that good effect which otherwise they would as M. Buny hath now done mine and as one Rogers an other like companion whom also he nameth hath corrupted in englishe the most excellent worke of Thomas de Kempis of the imitation of Christ striking out without conscience whatsoeuer he pleaseth whereas the same booke before was truly set forth in our natiue tongue by a Catholique An other also of the same crue hath vsed the like violence vnto the holie meditations of S. Augustin and Saint Bernard putting out and in what liked him best and making thos blessed men to speake like protestātes against whom they were most opposite enimies The same hath M. Buny done vnto me throughout my whole booke and to most of the ancient Fathers therin named also as afterward shal be declared And this shameles shift of corrupting other mens bookes is an old occupation of heretiques from the beginning as may appeare by the often complaintes of most ancient fathers whos workes they were not ashamed to infect and corrupt whiles they were yet liuing In respect of which impudencie the holie Apostle S. Paul wel prophetied of them to his scholer Timothie that they should haue cauteriatam conscientiam a seared and yron-burned cōscience And againe that they should sinne wilfully and damnably in their owne knowledge and iudgement So we reade that old heretiques aduentured to corrupt not only priuate mens workes and treatises but also the holic Canons of general Councels them selues wherof therwere so many witnesses yet liuing to controle them This may appeare by the greuous complaint which holie Athanasius made in his time against the Arians for corrupting the first Nicen Councel and other fathers after him for like heretical attemptes in their times especially against the sacred text of diuine scripture in corrupting whereof al heretiques from time to time haue bene most malepert bold and impudent for shadowing their sectes with some shew of holie write And to the ende M. Buny may not here eskape and tel his reader that this was a spirit of heretiques in old time and not to be found in the protestantes of thes daies I doe referre him not only to the collections which diuers Catholiques of this age haue gathered against them touching thes attemptes but also to the testimonies confessions and accusatiōs of protestantes them selues one against and other for like impudencie Especially against the Sacramentaries or thos that folowed th' opinion of Zuinglius wherof I thinke M. Buny wil not deny him self to be one whom Martin Luther the father of al protestantes doth affirme to be the most horrible corrupters of other mens bookes that euer were concluding his whole inuectiue against them with this sentēce Their opinion of the Sacrament they began vvith lies and vvith lies they do desend the same and they broch it abrode by the vvicked fraude of corrupting other mens bookes The like he saieth and much more of their corrupting the holie scriptures in diuers places But what was Martin Luther him self irreprehensible in this pointe wherin he accuseth so vehemently the Sacramentaries No truly if we beleeue Zuinglius who termeth him both A foule corruptour and horrible salsifier of Gods vvord one that folovved the Marcionistes and Arians that rased out such places of holie vvrite as vvere against them Beza accuseth Occolampadius together with al his brethren the diuines of Basile for great impietie ī abusing the sacred scriptures traslated by them The like he doth but with much more vehemencie against Castalio an other brother affirming his dealing with holie scripture to be both bold pestilent sacrilegious and ethnical Carolus Molineus was a brother also of the same blood and yet he cōfesseth of Caluin That he made the text of the Gospel to leape vp and dovvne at his pleasure that he vsed violence to the same and added of his ovvne to the very sacred letter for dravving it to his purpose This same authour testifieth and crieth out of Beza quod de facto 〈◊〉 mutat that actually he is not ashamed to change in his translations the very text of holie scripture when it maketh against his purpose I might passe on further in stirring this euil sauoured sinke of heretical iniquitie discouered and moued by their owne brethren for such is alwaies the agreement of like mates were it not that the matter it self is vnfit for thes pages and the dealiag of M Buny with me in this booke shal easilie dec are their spirit and practise if nothing therin were alleaged besides Now then I come to shewe how dexterously he hath behaued him self in this edition of my booke FIRST IN A L places wher conueniently he maye he maketh
me speake after the phrase of Protestantes as for example page 204. of his booke wher I talke of Catholique preestes that heare confessions he maketh me saie men that be skilful to giue Counsail c. Againe page 229. wher I saie out of holie scripture here hence doe proceede al thos large promises to virginitie chastitie voluntarie pouertie c. he maketh me saie hence doe procede thos promises to mortification and nevvnes of life he striketh out the scriptures which I alleage for the other In like maner page 368. when I saie penance satissaction He maketh me saie toile of amendment And so in infinite other places which were to long here to recite M. Buny maketh me to speake like a good minister of England Neither dealeth he only thus with me but ī like maner also with the ancient fathers so long as by that meanes he can hold in with them and when he can not then he breaketh of and biddeth them a dieu Let one or two examples serue for al page 374. he ronneth on a whole halfe lease with S. Augustine turning euery wher the wordes penance and satisfaction into repentance vntil at légth S. Augustine saieth that this penāce must be inioined to the penitent by the preest and ther M. Buny leapeth ouer that but yet after a line or two ioineth with him familiarly againe and so runneth on vntil he cometh to an other blocke that cā not be remoued wher he is inforced againe to leape ouer So in like maner page 209. wher S. August recounteth the storie of S. Antonie the monke of Egipt M. Buny leaueth out the name Monke and teacheth S. Augustine to say S Antonie that had professed a priuate and solitarie life in Egipt And then wher S. Augustin writeth that ther vvas a Monasterie of the same monkes norished by S. Ambrose vvithout the vvalles of Millan M. Buny maketh him to leaue out the names of Monkes Monasterie as also the name and almes of S. Ambrose to say onlie that others as he then heard did the like euen in Millan it self And finally he frameth euery mans speech wher he can to such a stile as though he had bene trained vp in Iohn Caluins schole SECONDLY when he hath not commoditie to change the very wordes or els dareth not for that they are scripture then seeketh he to salue the matter with inserting some parenthesis as though the same were of th' authour him self So page 39. I say that our Sauiour being demanded by a certaine prince how he might be saued would geue him no other hope albeit he were a prince but if thou vvilt enter into life kepe the commandementes Wher M. Buny helpeth the matter out with this parenthesis saying He vvould geue him no other hope so long as he sought saluation by his vvorkes but keepe the commandementes c. As though this prince had sought his saluation erroniously that Christ had answered him in his error so deceaued him In like maner page 229. wher I alleage out of S. Paul and out of the reuelations that men shal be crowned in heauen according to their fight in this life M. Buny bodgeth in this parenthesis in some good measure therby to limite the Holie Ghost in his meaning Semblably page 229. when I alleage plainly the wordes of scripture No man knovveth vvhether he be vvorthie of loue or hatred in Gods sight He addeth this parenthesis by outward things as who would say that by inward things ech man might know the same which the Holie Ghost in this place did not forsee THIRDLY when he can not accōmodate the matter ether by changing the wordes or by putting in a parenthesis then maketh he oftentimes certaine amotations in the margent wherof certaine be idle and foolish some be ridiculous and absurd and other be wicked and tending to impietie Of the first kinde you may see examples page 171. wher for that I saie that our natural passions moderated may serue vs to vertue he maketh a longe and fond annotation that we doe hold that the soule doth follow the temperature of the body and thervpon doe grounde that our Lady was borne without original sinne and other such docttines which is neither so no so nor the good man vnderstandeth what he saieth in this point nor what we hold albeit if you will beleeue him he hath studied the schoelmen Page 228. wher I saie that ther was no reason in our fight whie almightie God should so much abuse his owne only sonne in this world as to suffer so many indignities as he did this man saith in a margical note that ther vvas great reason in it And so consequently doth bring the inscrutable misterie of the sonne of God his abasement wherat S. Paul so often times wondered and wherat the very Angels remaine astonished within the compasse of humane wit reason which euery simple man by nature may comprehend Of the second kinde which are absurde you may finde examples page 153. wherby a marginal note he discrediteth the beleefe of S. Cyprian about the knowledge that we shal haue of our fathers mothers and other acquaintance in heauen as though one Cyprian with Christian men of reason weighed not more in the affaires of our soule then ten coople of Bunis were they neuer so vendible So againe page 214. vpon the religious rule of life which S. Augustine reporteth to haue bene reuealed to his mother for him to follow M. Buny writeth That it vvas but a more careful indeuour in the vvay of godlines And page 212. he addeth to the same That it vvas but such as vve al saieth he are bound vnto But yet he that shal reade either S. Augustine him self or els Possidonius his scholler declaring the particulers of that rule which he saw S. Augustine obserue in life and prescribe vnto others he wil easily confesse I thinke that how soeuer the ministers of England may be bounde therunto by M. Bunis word in this annotation yet that they doe obserue but few partes therof in conuersation especially touching wiuing I am of opinion that M. Buny wil not denie S. Augustins rule to containe some-what more thē he and his fellowes at this day doe practise To like fond absurditie appertaineth that which is noted by him page 300. wher I affirming that Gods secret iudgement of ech mans particuler predestination is vncertaine to vs he noteth in the margent that calling and iustifying are very plaine and infallible tokens therof and so far is it not vncertaine to the faithful as who would saie that it were an easie mater for him that hath faith to know who are so called or iustified as is requisite to assure a man of his particuler predestination whereas notwithstanding Christ saith of the first that many are called vvhich are not chosen and of the second S. Paul saith in him self that he vvas guiltie of nothing and yet
the causes of my large and ample additions in this booke And yet was ther besides al thes one cause more which also I conceaued by information of others An I this was that diuers persons as I was tolde hauing desire in them selues to reade the former booke but yet being weake and feartul to be touched so nere in conscience as they imagined this booke would doe durst neuer intermedle therwith being informed that ther was nothing in the same wherwith to intertaine them selues but only such vehement matter of persuasiō as would troble and afflict thom For remedie of which inconueniencie if it were an inconueniencie I haue inserted diuers chapters and discourses of matters more plausiole and of them selues more indifferent whervvith the reader may solace his minde at such times as he findeth the same not willing to feele the spurre of more earnest motion to perfection And to the end he may the better be able to serue him self at al times and to al purposes of whatsoeuer is contayned within this booke I haue thought good to set downe in the end of al a short draught or methode for the particuler vse of euery part and parcel therof how it may sorue either to prayer or meditation or els to instruction exhortation consolation or other effect according to the time and place or to the neede state condition other qualetie of the person that shal come to reade the booke Now then good reader and my deare Christian brother hauing nothing els at this time to admonishe the of I wil end this preface and remit the to the reading of the booke it self that followeth exhorting the most earnestly for thine owne soules sake in the tender bowels of our sweet Sauiour IESVS that thou reade the same with attention as matter that appertaineth nearest of al other vnto the and with al to yeld most hartie and humble thākes to almightie God that in his Catholique Church fayleth not from time to time to sende diuers strange and stronge meanes whereby to stirre vp men to consideration of their estate and to the gayne of their saluation in the life to come This I say by almightie Gods diuine goodnes and prouidence is ordinarie in his spouse the Catholique Church wher his spirit abideth vntil the worldes end and it is so in her alone as it is her proper and peculier possession and neuer trulie to be founde in them who liue out of her albeit for a time and in some pointes they maye haue a shewe or shadoe therof This we see fulfilled in al heretiques and sectaries both of old and of our daies who albeit some times they wil seeme to writ bookes of institutions to manners and good life yet their doctrine therin being as wilde as their faith is wandering they neuer bring any thing to passe but from worse to worse wherof the whole world at this daye doth giue experience The reason of this in general may be taken from the nature and spirit of heretiques described vnto vs for our admonishment in holie scripture wherof one principal point is that they shal be as S. Paul saith Sine pace without al rest or peace and consequently alvvaies learning and neuer attaining to the knowledge of truth They shal bestow al their time in iangling and quarreling and in the meane space as S. Peter wel noteth they shal vvalke according to their ovvne concupiscences albeit they talke neuer so much of mortification and of their quickning spirite for which cause he calleth them also illusores mockers and deceauers that is as S. Paul seemeth to interprete the same fellovves that vvith seigned vvordes shal make their ovvne gaine and vvhich hauing a shevv of pietie shal in life deny the force or vertue thereof And this why heretiques in general can neither teach true pietie and deuotion not yet giue example therof in their owne liues But now if we looke into the particuler sectes that are of this our most vnhappie time we shal finde a more peculier reason why they in special much lesse may doc the same For that in truth the very groundes of their opinions doc resist altreating of such affaires neither can you vrge almost any one point of true pietie but that 〈◊〉 must impugne some principal article of their doctrine As may appeare by that which hath bene declared before concerning the places both of fathere and scriptures thrust out by M. Buny in my former booke wherof also it were not hard to make diuers most cuident demonstrations in this place For if for example sake you exhort men to labour for their owne saluation as S. Paul did Philip. 2. ver 12. then you teach them to put confidence in their owne workes which with protestantes is abhominable If you encourage men to suffer in respoct of rewarde as Christ did Matth. 5. ver 12. then fal you flatly vpon the doctrine of merite If you tel them that heauen is put in their owne handes to gaine as our Sauiour did Math. 11. ver 12. then allow ye not only of morite but also of free wil. If you wish men to liue in feare and trembling in respect of Gods secret iudgements and of the vncertaintie of our saluation as S. Paul did Phi. 2. ver 12. Hob. 3. ver 14. and S. Peter 2. ep 3. ver 17. then impeach you the certaintie of protestantes predestination If you counsail men to make amendes by good workes forth 〈◊〉 euil life past as S. Iohn Baptist did Luke 3. ver 8. then you reach satisfaction If you terrifie them with the feare of hel and with the declaration of the paines in the world to come as Christ did Math. 8. ver 12. then with them you offer iniurie to Gods infinit mercie If you exhort men to fasting praying loue of virginitie desire of pouertie chastesing their own bodies restitutió penance and the like as al the course of holie scripture doth then runne you into plaine and open papistrie And then deare Christian brother what treating can ther be of pietic in life wher none of thes important matters may be once named Truly good brother wel may a man vainlie talke in the aire of a quick ening spirite and mstrification as they are wonte in pastime to doe but nothing in sinceritie-wil euer be brought to passe where thes weightie pointes be not soundly and seriously handled For take away the mention of thes thinges forth of holie scripture it self together with the large and frequent exhortations that therin are made vnto them and very litle wil remaine about other affaires the cheefe indeuour of Gods holie spirit being bent as is manifest to the setting forthe and inculcating of thes matters aboue al other vnto Christian people Which spirit of almightie God the Catholique Church his holie and deare spouse taking vpon her to imitate after the foundation of true faith once laide calleth vpon her children both daily
infinite and consequently deserueth infinite hatred and infinite punishment at gods handes Hereof foloweth the reason of diuers thinges both sayed and donne by God in the scriptures and taught by diuines towching the punishments of sinne which seeme verie straunge vnto the wisedome of the world and in deede to them scarce credible As first of al the most dreadful punishment of eternal and irreuocable damnation of so manie thowsandes or rather millions of Angels that were created to glorie with almost infinite perfection that for one onlie sinne but once committed and that onlye in thought as diuines are of opinion Secondlie the rigourous punishment of our first parents Adam and Eue and al their posteritie for the eatinge of a seely aple for which fault besides the chastisinge of the offenders themselues and al the creatures of the earth for the same and al their children and ofspring after them both before our redemption and after for albeit we are deliuered frō the guilte of that sinne yet tēporal punishmētes doe remaine vpon vs for the same as hunger thirst cold sicknes death and a thousand other miseries besides also the infinite soules damned for the same before the comming of Christ by the space offower thousand yeres as also since as wel infidels which are not baptized as others besides al this I say which in mās reason maye seeme seuere enough gods wrath and iustice could not be sufficiētly satisfied except his owne onlie sonne had come downe into the worlde takē our flesh vpon him and by his paines death made satisfaction for the same And when he was now come into the world had in our flesh subiected him self vnto his fathers iustice albeit the loue his father bare vnto him were infinite and euery litle paine that he endured for vs or at leastwise euery droppe of bloode which he shed for our cause had ben sufficient for the whole satisfactiō for that his fleshe being vnited to his godhead made euerie such satisfactorie action of his of infinite value and merite and consequently of infinite satisfaction correspondent to the infinitie of our first parents sinne yet to the ende that God might shew the greatnes of his hatred and iustice against the said sinne and al other he neuer ceased to adde affliction to affliction and to heape tormentes vpō the bodie and flesh of this his most deare and blessed sonne for by Esaye he sayeth that him self was the doer therof vntil he had brought him vnto that most rueful plight that his flesh being all mangled and most lamentably torne in peeces retained no one droppe of blood within it He spared him not I saye euen then when he beheld him sorowful vnto death and bathed in that agonie of blood and water when he hard him vtter thos most dolorous and compassionable speeches O my father if it be possible let this cuppe passe from me And after that againe muche more pitifully vpon the Crosse O my God my God vvhy hast thou forsaken me Notwithstanding al which cries and lamentatiōs his most merciful father louing him as he did would not deliuer him but for satisfying of his Iustice laied vpon him stripe vpon stripe paine vpon paine torment after torment vntil he had rendred vp his life soule into his sayed fathers handes which is a wounderful dreadful documēt of godes hatred against sinne I might here mention the sinne of Esau in selling his inheritance for a litle meate of which S. Paule sayeth he founde no place of repentance after though he sought the same vvith teares Also the sinne of Saule whos sinne beinge but one and that onlie of omissiō in not killinge Agag the kinge of Amalech and his cattel as he was willed was notwithstanding vtterlie cast of by God for the same though he were his annointed and chosen seruāt before could neuer get remission therof albeit both he and Samuel Gods holie prophet did greatly lament and bewaile and made intercession in that behalfe In like maner might I alleage the exāple of kinge Dauid whose two sinnes albeit vpon his hartie repentance God forgaue yet notwithstanding the said repentance and sorrow and all the weepinge fastinge watchinge lyinge on the grounde wearinge of sackloth and other bodilie chasticementes which this holie prophet recordeth that him self did put in vre God punished him besides with maruelous seueritie as by the death of his dearlie beloued childe by manie other continual afflictions and temporal punishementes during the rase of his whole life And al this to shew his hatred against sinne thereby to terrifie vs from committinge the same Of this also doe proceede al those harde and seuere speeches of holie write touching sinners which comming from the mouth of the Holie Ghost and therfore no doubt both true and certaine may iustlie yeeld greate cause of feare to al such as liue in sinful state As for example where it is saied death bloode contentiō edge of svvorde oppression hunger contrition and vvhippes all thes thinges are created for vvicked sinners And againe God shal raine snares of fyre vppon sinners brimstone vvith tēpestuous vvindes shal be the portion of their cup. And yet further ī manie other places thes most dreadful speeches and comminations are to be founde God wil be knowen at the day of iudgement vpon the sinner who shal be taken in the workes of his owne handes manie whippes belong vnto a sinner let sinners be turned into hell God shal scatter al sinners and shal dash ther teeth out of their mouthes God shal scoffe at a sinner when he seeth his daye of destructiō cōmeth on the sworde of sinners shall turne into their owne hartes The armes of sinners shal be crushed and broken and they shal wither and dry vp like haye from the face of the earth desire not the glorie and riches of a sinner for thou doest not know the suddaine subuersion which shall come vpon hym for God hath gyuē him riches to deceyue him therwith beholde the daye of our Lord shal come a cruel daye and ful of indignation wrath and furie to make desolate the earth and to crush in peeces her sinners within her Thē shal the iust man reioice seinge this reuenge and shal wash his handes in the blood of sinners Thes loe my deare brother and innumerable other such sentēces of scripture pronounced by the holie spirit of God against sinners maye instruct vs of their pitifull estate of the vnspeakable hatred of his diuine Maiestie against thē so lōg as they persist in their sinful life and cōuersation Of all which considerations the self same holie scriptures doe gather certaine conclusions greatelie to be obserued wherof the first and more general is that sinne bringeth al people to miserie secondlie and more particulerlie that he vvhich loueth sinne bateth his ovvn soule Or as the Angel Raphael
foote not able once to moue as the scripture expressie noteth The third gift and qualitie is supernatural strength wherewith the glorified bodie shal so abound as Anselmê° saieth that he shal be able to moue the whole earth if he wold and contrariwise the damned body shal be so weake and impotent as he shal not be able to remoue the verie wormes frome his owne face and eyes The fourth qualitie is penetrabilitie or free power of passage whereby the glorified bodie shal be inabled to pearse and penetrate any other bodies what soeuer as walles doores the earth or firmament without any resistance quite contrarie to the nature of a corruptible bodie So we see that Christs bodie glorified after his resurrection entered the house wher his disciples were the dores being shut and pearsed also the heauens at his AscensioÌ„ The fift rare qualitie is most absolute health whereby the glorified body shal be deliuered from al diseases paines of this life and from al troubles encombrances belonging to the same as are eating drinking sleeping and other like and shal be set in a most perfect and florishing state of health and freedome neuer decayable again whereas the damned bodie in contrarie maner shal be filled and stuffed with innumerable diseases paines and torments which no tongue of man is able to expresse The sixt perfection is delite and pleasure wherewith the glorified bodie aboue al measure shal be replenished al his senses together finding now their peculier and proper obiects in much more excellencie then euer they could in this world Now I say euerie part sense meÌ„ber and ioint shal be filled with exceeding delectation and pleasure according as in the damned ech part and sense shal contrariwise be afflicted and tormented I wil alleage S. Anselmus his wordes for that they expresse vnto vs this matter most liuelie Al the whole glorified body layeth he shal be filled with abundance of al kind of comfort the eyes the eares the nose the mouth the hands the throte the lungs the hart the stomacke the backe the bones the marowe and the very-entrales them selues and euery part thereof shal be replenished with such vnspeakable swetenesse and pleasure that truelie it may be sayed that the whole man is made t drinke of the riuer of Gods diuine delites and made-dronke vvith the abundance of Gods house In contrarie wise the damned bodie shal be tormented in al his partes and members eueÌ„ as if you saw a man that had a burning yron thrust into his eyes an other into his mouth an other into his brest an other into his ribbes and so through al the ioints partes and members of his bodie Would you not thinke him miserable and the other man happie The seuenth and last excellencie of a glorified body is called perpetuitie or securitie of life wherby it is made assured neuer to die or alter more from his felicitie according to the saying of holie scripture the iust shal liue for euer And this is one of the chiefest prerogatiues most excellent dignities of a glorified bodie wherby al care doubt and feare is taken away al danger of hurt and noyance For if al the world should fal together vpon such a bodie it could not hurt or harme it any thing at al where as the damned bodie lieth alway in dying and is subiect to the griefe of euery blow and tormeÌ„t laied vpon it so must remain for al eternitieÌ„ Thes seuen most excellent qualities prerogatiues dignities and preemineÌ„cies shal adorne and beautifie or rather deifie in a certaine sorte the bodies of the iust in the life to come And albeit this vniuersal happinesse be but accidental as I haue sayed and nothing in deed to the essential felicitie of the Queene mistres her self that is our soule yet is it a matter of no smal importance as you see but such as if any bodie in this life had but any one iote of the least part therof we should esteeme it most happie And to obtaine so much in this world many men wold aduenture farre whereas to get theÌ„ al together in the life to come no man almost wil moue his fingar But now to leaue this to come to the most excelleÌ„t essential point of this felicitie that is to the part which pertaineth to the soule it is to be vnderstood that albeit there be many things that doe coÌ„curre in this felicitie for the accoÌ„plishment perfection of ful happinesse Yet the fontaine of al is but one onelie thing called by diuines Visio dei beatifica the sight or visioÌ„ of god that maketh vs happie Haec sola est summuÌ„ bonuÌ„ nostruÌ„ sayeth S. Augustin this onelie sight of god is our intire happinesse Which Christ also affirmeth wheÌ„ he sayeth to his father this is life euerlasting that men knovv the true god and Iesus Christ vvhome thou hast seut S. Paul also putteth our felicitie in seing god face to face And S. Iohn in seing god as he is And the reason of al this is for that al the pleasures delites and coÌ„tentations of this world wherin mortal meÌ„ doe solace them selues being nothing els but litle peeces crummes of Gods incomprehensible felicitie the same are coÌ„tained much more perfectlie and excellentlie in god him self from whom they are deriued then they are in their owne natures imparted vnto man as also al the perfections of Gods creatures are more fullie in him theÌ„ in them selues Whereof it foloweth that who soeuer is admitted to the visioÌ„ presence of almightie God the Creatour and fontaine of al delites he shal ther finde al the goodnesse and perfections of worldlie thinges compact and vnited together and presented vnto him at once So that whatsoeuer may delite either bodie or soule there he shal enioye it wholie knit vp together as it were in one bundle and with the presence thereof shal be rauished in al partes both of mind and bodie in such sort as he shal not be able to imagine think or wish for anie one ioye whatsoeuer but there he shal finde the same in his ful perfectioÌ„ There he shal finde al knowledge al wisedome al beautie al riches al nobilitie al goodnes al pleasure and whatsoeuer besides may deserue either loue or admiration or woorkethanie pleasure or contentation vnto man Al the powers of our mind shal be filled with this sight presence and fruition of God al the senses of our bodie shal be satisfied passinglie contented with the same God shal be the vniuersal felicitie of al his saints containing in him self alone al particular felicities without end number or measure He shal be a glasse to our eyes musike to our eares honie to our mouthes most swete pleasant balme to our smel He shal be light to our vnderstaÌ„ding contentation to our wil continuation of eternitie to our memorie In him shal we
which should haue many children crying to her at once for meate she hauing no bread at al or not sufficient to breake vnto them so the wicked man being greedilie called vpon without ceasing by almost infinit passions to yeld vnto their desires must needes be vexed and pitifullie tormēted especiallie being not able to satisfie any one of the least of their petitions An other cause of vexation in thes mē is for that thes passions of disordinate concupiscence be oftentimes contrarie the one to the other and doe demāde most opposite and contrarie thinges representing vnto vs most liuelie the confusion of Babel where one tongue spake against an other and that in diuerse and contrarie languages So we see oftentimes that the desire of honour saieth to his maister spend here but the passion of auarice saieth hold thy handes Lecherie saieth venture here But pride saieth No it may turne thee to dishonour Anger saieth reuenge thy self here but ambition saieth it is better to dissemble And finallie here is fulfilled that which the prophet saieth vidi iniquitatem contradictionem in ciuitate I haue seene iniquitie and contradictiō in the self same citie Iniquitie for that al the demandes of thes passions are most vniust for so much as they are against reason her self Contradictiō for that one contradicteth the other in their demandes From al which miseries God hath deliuered the iuste by geuing them his peace vvhich passeth al vnderstanding as the Apostle saieth and which the world can nether geue nor taste of as Christ hym self affirmeth And thus many causes may be alleaged now besides many other which I passe ouer to iustifie the veritie of our Saue ours wordes affirming that his yoke is svveet and easie to wit the assistance of grace the loue of God the light of vnderstanding the internal consolation the quiet of cōscience the confidēce therof proceeding the libertie of soule and bodie with the sweet rest and peace of our spirites both towardes God our neighbours and our selues By al which meanes helpes priuileges and singuler benefites the vertuous are assisted aboue the wicked as hath bene shewed and their way made easie light and pleasant TO AL VVHICH yet we may adioine one other great priuilege as the last but not the least comfort to them that walke vnder the yoke of Christs seruice and this is the promise and most assured expectation of reward to wit of eternal glorie and felicitie to the good and of euerlasting damnation and tormētes vnto the wicked O good God what a matter is this to comfort the one if their life were paineful and to afflict the other amiddest their greatest pleasures and swetest delectations The labourer when he thinketh of his good paye at night is encouraged to goe thorough with the heat of the day though it be painful vnto hym Two that should passe together towardes their countrie the one to receaue honour for good seruice done abrod th' other as prisoner to be arraigned of treasons committed in forraine dominions against his Soueraigne could not be alike merie in their inne vpon the way For albeit he that stood in danger should sing or make shew of courage and comfort and set a good face vpon the matter yet th' other might wel thinke that his hart had many a cold pul within hym as no doubt but al wicked men haue when they think with themselues of the life to come If Ioseph and Pharaos baker had knowē both their distinct lottes in prison to wit that on such a day one should be called furth to be made Lord of Egypt and th' other to be hanged vpon a paire of new gallowes they could hardly haue bene alike merie whiles they liued together in the time of their imprisonmēt The like may be sayed and much more truely of vertuous and wicked men in this world For when the one sorte doe but thinke vpon the day of death which to thē is to be the day of their deliuerance from this prison their hartes can not but leape for verie ioye considering what is her after to ensew vnto thē But th' other are afflicted and doe fal into melancholie and extreme desolation as oftē as mention or remembrāce of death is offered for that they are sure that it bringeth with it their eternal bane according as holy scripture saieth The vvicked mā being dead there remaineth no more hope vnto hym Wel then deare Christian brother if al thes thinges be so what should stay thee now at length to make this resolution wherunto I exhort thee wilt thou yet say notwithstanding al this that the matter is hard and the way vnpleasant or wilt thou beleeue others that tel the so albeit they know lesse of the matter then thy self Beleeue rather the word and promisse of thy Sauiour Christ which assureth thee the contrarie Beleeue the reasons before alleaged which doe proue it most euidentlie Beleeue the testimonies of them which haue experienced the matter in them selues as king Dauid S. Paul S. Iohn Euangelist and others whos testimonies I haue alleaged before cōcerning their owne proofe Beleeue many hundredes which by the holy grace of God are conuerted day lie in Christendome frō vicious life to the perfect seruice of their Lord al which doe protest that them selues haue found much more facilitie and comfort thē ether I haue said in this place or can say in the matter And for that perhaps thou mayest replie that such men as haue experiēced this in them selues are not now liuing in the place wher thou art to geue this testimonie of their owne experience I can and doe assure thee vpon my consciēce before almightie God that I haue had conserēce with no smal number of such persons my self and that to my singuler comfort in beholding the strong hand and exceeding bountifulnesse of Gods sweetnes towards them in this case Oh deare brother no tongue can expresse what I haue seene herin and yet sawe I not the least part of that which they inwardly felte But yet this may I say that they that attend in the Catholique Church to deale with soules in the holy sacrament of Confession are in deed thos of whom the prophet saieth that they vvorke in multitudes of vvaters and doe see the maruailes of God in the depth In the depth I say of mens conscieuces vttered with infinit multitudes of teares whē God toucheth the same with his holy grace Beleeue me good reader for I speake in truth before our Lord IESVS I haue seene so great and exceeding consolations in diuers great sinners after their conuersion as no hart can almost cōceaue and the hartes which receaued thē were hardlie able to-containe the same so abundātlie distilled doune that heauēlie dewe from the most liberal and bounteful hand of God And that this may not seme strange vnto thee thou must know that it is recorded of one holy man called
vp some thinges whetin before for want of leasure and time I could not geue to my self any reasonable conteatation as also to a dioine certaine new chapters which partly in mine owne concept and partly also vpon information of others I thought not vnmeet for the furnishing of this first argument and subiect of Resolution And standing determined vpon this as also comprehending in mind and cogitation the whole general corps of that which was to ensue in th' other two bookes I wel saw that I should not be able according to my first designement to compact the whole in one reasonable volume and therfore I resolued to deuide the same into two Waerof the first should conteine matter of discourse know edge speculation and confideration to moue vs to resolue the second should handle things appetteining to exercise vse and practise for putting in execution our good desires after resolution This being my cogitation and the matter now wel forward for the print I was enformed of two other editions come forth of my forsaid booke without my knowiedge the one by a Catholique as it seemeth who perceuing ai copies of the former print to be spēt for satisfying of them that desired the booke procured the same to be set forth againe albeit somewhat incorrected and very disordrely not hauing the consent or aduise of such as therin should haue geuen him best direction The second was published by one Edmund Bany minister at Bolton Percy as he writeth in the liberties of Yorke who with publicke licence vnder my Lord Archbishop of Yorke his protection set forth the same to the benefice of his brethren but yet so punished and plumed which he termeth purged as I could hardly by the face discerne it for mine when it came vnto my handes and I tooke no smale compassiō to see how pitifully the poore thing had bene handled Of this edition then of M. Buny letting passe th' other as a matter onely of a discretion without malice I haue to a laertise the reader some few things as wel for mine own discharge wherin I am charged by him as also for the readers admonishment not to thinke in deed that booke to be mine which in my name this preacher hath published And for vttering that which I haue to say in some kinde of order and conueniencie of methode I shal touch breefly in this preface thos principal pointes insuing First how this booke came foorth from me in the first edition Secondly how it was set foorth afterwardes by M. Edm. Buny Thirdly what he meaneth by his treatise annexed therunto tending as he saith to pacification Fourthly how the same booke commeth foorth at this present and how the discret reader may vse it to his best commoditie of the first edition TO shew how this booke came foorth at the first it shal be requisite perhaps to repeate breefly ī this place the things that I saied in my first preface induction which preface and induction M. Buny hath left out in his edition protesting That he durst not in conscience and in dutie tovvardes God commend the same in my vvordes vnto the reader And yet trulie was ther nothing in effect therin Gentle reader but that which here in this place shal be repeated First that the primatiue occasion inducing me to thinke vpon this worke was the sight of a booke intituled The excrcise of a Christian life writen in Italian by Doctor Loartes of the Societie of IESVS and translated some years since by a vertuous learned gentilman of our countrie Which booke for that I vnderstood of certaintie to haue profited many towardes pietie and deuotion I was moued to cause the same to be printed againe with certaine ample additions to the furnishing of some matters which that author had omitted deuiding my whole purpose into three seueral bookes wherof the first was to persuade mē vnto true resolution the secōd to instruct vs how rightely to beginne the third how a man may hould but and perseuer Secondly I shewed that being entred into the worke and hauing set downe an other order and method to my self then that treatise of D. Loartes did obserue and hauing begunao the first booke touching resolution whereof no part was handled in that other treatise I found by experience that I could not wel conioine th' one with th' other if I would satisfie either th' order or argument by me conceaued and therfore that I was inforced to resolue vpon a further labour then at the first I had intended and this was to draw out the whole three bookes my self not omitting any thing that was in the said exercise or other like good treatisses to this effect And al this to the end that our countriemen might haue some one sufficient directiō for matters of spirit and vertuous life among so many bookes of controuersies as haue bene writen are in writing daily Which bookes said I albeit in thes our troblesome and quarrelous times they be necessary for defence of our faith against so manie seditious innouations as now daily are attempted yet help they litle oftentimes to good life but rather doe fil the heades and hartes of men with a spirit of contradiction and contention which for the most part doe hinder deuotion which deuotion is nothing els but A quiet calme and peacable state of our soule induced 〈◊〉 a iotful promptnes and alacritis to the diligent execution of al things that doe or may apperteine to the honour and seruice of almightbe God For which cause the holie Apostle dehorted greatly his scholer Timothie from this contention and contradiction of wordes affirming clearly that it was profitable to nothing but to subuect the hearers I affirmed further that our forfathers were most happie in respect of vs who receauing with humilitie one vniforme faith without contention or contradiction from their mother the holie Catholique Church did attend onlie to build vpon that foundatiō good workes and vertuous life as holie scripture commandeth vs to doe wheras we spending now al our time in iangling about this first foundation of faith haue no leasure to build either gould or siluer theron as th' Apostle exhorteth vs but doe weary out our selues and our owne contentious spirits without commoditie dying with much labour and litle profit with great disquiet and smale reward For which cause I exhorted the discret reader of whatsoeuer religion and faith he were to moderate this heate and passion of contention and to enter into the careful studie and exercise of good deedes which are alwayes better among true Christians then wordes assuring him that this is the right way to obteine at Gods hāds the light of true beleefe if he were amisse Alleaging for example therof the most famous conuersion of Cornelius the Gentile whos vertuous life praiers and almouse deedes obteined at the hands of almightie God as S. Luke doth testifie that S.
lyke or at least wise delyuer them selues from the plagues of Egipt whie did they crie oute the fingar of God is here where did you euer heare such workes donne by magicke as Moyses did when he deuided the redde sea when he called into his cāpe so many Quayles vpon the suddayne as sufficed to feede six hundred thousand men besides women and children When he made a rocke to yeld foorth a fountaine whē he caused a dewe to fall frō heauē that nourrished his whole campe for fortie yeares together when he caused the grounde to open and swalloe downe alyue three of the richest noble men of all his armie together with their tabernacles and all other bagges and baggage When he caused a siar to come from heauen and cōsume siftie gentlemen of the former Rebelles adherētes without hurting any one that stoode about them Thes thinges did Moyses and manie other in the sight of all his armie that is in the sight of so manie hundred thousand people amōg which there were diuers his emulators and sworne enimies as by the storie icripture it self appeareth Core Dathan and Abiron with their faction soughte in all thinges to disgrace hym to deminishe his credite and therfore if any one pointe of thes miracles had bene reprouable Moyses would neuer haue durst to putt the same in writinge nor would the people haue stode with hym much lesse haue receaued his writinges for diuine and for gods owne wordes beinge sollicited agaynst hym by so potent meanes had not they knowen all thinges to be most true therin conteined and had seene his straunge miracles and familiaritie with God But he dealt plainelie and simplie in this behalfe he wrote the thinges of his owne doinges which euerie man present did know to be true and of Gods speeches and communicatiōs to hym self he wrote so much as he was commaunded wherof both God and his consciēce did beare hym witnesse He caused the whole to be reade vnto the people and layed vp in their Sacred Arcke and Tabernacle as gods owne writing and couenaunt with that nation He caused all the whole armie to sweare and vowe th' obseruāce therof And thē drawing towards his death he made a most excellēt exhortation vnto them persuading them sincerlie to the seruice of their God and cōfessing his owne infirmities and how for his oftences he was to die before their enterance to the lande of promisse He cōcealed notth ' offēces of his brother Aarō of his Grand-father Leui of his sister Marie and other of his kinred as worldlie princes for their honours are wonte to doe nether did he goe aboute to bring in gouernment after his disceasse any one of his owne sonnes which is greatelie to be obserued notwithstandinge he lefte behynde hym goodlie gentlemen fitt for that roome hym self of power to place them if he had endeuored But he lefte the gouernment to a straūger named Iosue as God had commaunded hym All which thinges sayeth the Iewe doe proue suffiçientelie that Moises was no man of ambition or of worldlie spirit but a true Scruaunt of God and consequētlie that he wrought not by magicke or falshod but by the onlie power of his Lorde and Master and that his writinges are true and of the same authoritie that in his lyfe and death he affirmed them to be that is th' vndoubted worde of almightie God THIS HE confirmeth yet further by a fowerth reason which is the consent and approbatiō of all later writers of the Bible that insued after Moyses For as among prophane writers of worldlie spirite it is a common fashion for hym that followeth to reprehende the former and to hunte after praise by his ancetours disgrace so in thes writers of the Bible it is a most certaine argument that all were guyded by one spirite from God that in continuance of so manie ages thousand yeares no one yet euer impugned th' other but alwayes the later supposing and approuing the former for true doth build therupon as vpon a sure fondatiō So the writinges of Iosue doe confirme and approue the writinges of Moises and the recordes of the Iudges doe reuerence and allowe the booke of Iosue The Storie of kiges chronicles doth referre it self to the storie of iudges One Prophete cōfirmeth other And finallie Christ approueth thē all by the knowē diuisiō of law psalmes ad Prophetes which is a demonstratiō that all their spirites agreed i one And thus hytherto haue bene declared thes fower considerations that are external or without the Bible to witte th' antiquitie and continuāce of the scriptures the maner of their writing and preseruing from corruption The sinceritie vertue and simplicitie of their writers together with their agreement and coherēce in one spirit But now further sayeth the learned Iew if you will but open the booke it self and looke into the texte that which therin is conteined you shall see gods owne hande gods owne characters gods owne signe and seale and subscription to the paper You shall see Gods omnipotencie Gods spirite Gods prouidence no lesse in thes letters of his booke then you beheld the same before in the tables of his creatures Nay much more sayeth he for that thes letters were deuised for declaration of thos tables to th' ende that such as for their blyndnes could not see hym in his creatures might learne at least to reade hym in his scriptures CONSIDER thē first sayeth he the subiecte or argumēt which the scriptures doe handle together with the scope and ende wherto they doe leuell You shall finde that the first is nothing els but th' actes and gestes of one eternal God as before hath bene mentioned and the secōd nothing els but the onlie glorie exaltation of the same great God together with the saluatiō of mankynde vpō earth And shall you finde anie writinges in the world besides that haue so worthie an argument or so highe an Ende Reade all the volumes and Monumentes of the Pagans turne ouer all their authors of what kynde or name or profession soeuer and see what mention they make of thes two thinges I meane of the honour of God of the saluation of man Reade their Philosophers see whether euer they name or pretende thes thinges Reade their Historiographers and marke how manie battails and victories they attribute vnto God They will describe to you oftē the particuler cōmēdatiō of euerie Captaine they will defraude no one souldiar of his praise in the victorie they will attribute much to the wisdome of the general much to his courage much to his watchfulnes much to fortune They will attribute to the place to the wynde to the wether to the shining of the sunne to the raising of the dust in th' enimies eyes to the flying of some litle birde in the ayer and to a thowsand such petie obseruatiōs besides but to God
nothing Where as cōtrarie wise in the scriptures it is in euerie battail recorded God deliuered them into their enimies handes God ouertbrevv them God gaue the victorie Againe consider the lawes and law makers among the Gentiles as Lycurgus Solon Draco Numa and the like and see whether you may finde any one such law or tending to such an ende as this is of the Iewes thou shalt loue thie God vvith all thie hart and vvith al thie soule and shalt loue thy neighbour as thie self Consider in all the Southesayers and Diuiners amōg the Gentiles whether they vsed to say ī their predictions as the prophetes of Israel did Dominus dixit our Lord hath spoken it or els Ego dico I doe speake it Compare their Versifiers and Poetes with those of the scripture and see whether they haue laboured in the praise of men or of God And where as heathen Poetes haue filled vp their bookes as also the most parte of ours at this day with matter of carnal loue marke whether anie of thē euer brake forth into such pangues of spiritual chaste loue as Holie Dauid did whē he said I will loue the my God my strēgth my firmament my refuge my deliuerer my helper my protector and the horne of my saluation And againe in an other verse What haue I desired vpon earth besides thee my flesh and harte haue fainted for thee thou God of my hart thou God that arte my parte and portion euerlasting By all which is euident that as prophane writinges and writers which doe treate of men extoll men seeke the grace of men referre all to the commoditie and good liking of men doe proceede of the spirite of mā are subiecte to those infirmities of falshode errour vanity wherwith man is intangeled in this life so the scriptures which handle matters aboue the compasse of flesh and blood that referre all to God and supernatural endes could not proceede of nature or of humane spirit For that by nature the Iewes were men as the Gentiles were and had their infirmities of flesh blood as th' other had And therfore it must needes be concluded that thes high and supernatural writinges amonge them proceeded from God that specially directed them gaue them lighte of vnderstanding aboue all other nations people in the world NEXT AFTER the argument and Ende of the scriptures the Iew willeth vs to consider the peculier stile and phrase which they vse for that sayeth he it being different from all other maner of writing in the world and vnimitable to man it doth discouer the fingar of God by which it was framed For where as humane writers doc labour much in adorninge their stile and in reducing their wordes to number weight measure and sounde with addition of manie figures and other ornamentes for allurement of the reader the scripture taketh quite an other course and vseth a most maruelous simplicitie therby to accommodate it self to the capacitie of the weakest but yet alwayes carying with it so greate profunditie as the best learned in searche therof shall confesse their owne ignorance For examples sake consider but the verie first wordes of the Bible In the beginning God created heauen and earth and the earth vvas emptie and voide and darkenes vvas vpon the face of the depth and the spirit of God vvas caried vpon the vvaters and God said lett light be made and light vvas made c. What can be more plaine and simple then this narration to instruct the most vnlearned aboute the beginning and creation of the world and yet when learned men come to examine euerie pointe therof how what and where and in what manner when thinges were donne it astonisheth them all to cōsider the difficulties which they finde and the depthe of so infinite inscrutable mysteries Besides this there goeth in the same simplicitie a straunge Maiestie and grauitie of speech declaring sufficientlie from how greate and potent a prince it proceedeth For as great Monarches in their edictes and proclamations are wonte to speake vnto their subiectes not in figures and rhetorical phrases but plainlie breeflie and peremptorilie to shew their authoritie so the scriptures to declare whose edictes they be doe vse the like maner of phrase and stile to all the world without alluring or flattering anie man and without respect of Monarche Emperour prince or potentate Fac hoc viues doe this and thou shalt liue Si peccaueris in me morieris in aeternum if thou sinne against me thou shalt die euerlastingly And albeit as I haue said the scripturs doe vse this simplicitie of speech and doe not admitte that kynde of painted and artificial stile which humane writers dos so much couet yet in persuading instructing mouing of affections and all other effectes whiche speech or writinge can worke there is no comparason a thing most wōderful betwene anie other writinges in the world and thes Wherof I. could alleage manie proofes and examples but that it were to longe Let anie man reade attentiuelie but the first chapter of the prophetie of Esay and cōpare it with anie one parte or parcel of Tullies or of Demostines oratiōs see whether the difference of wordes be as great as the difference of motions Let diuers hymnes and holie psalmes of the scriptures be cōferred with the most pathetical poemes that mans wit hath inuēted and see whether there be anie comparason in styrring and fiaring of affections or no This am I sure that Iosephus the Iew who for glorie of his eloquence had his image of mettal erected by Titus the Emperour ī the market place of Rome wrote the same storie which the scriptures conteine and bestowed much labour and humane cūning therin But yet euen in thos places when he endeuoured most to shew his arte as in the sacrifice of Isaac by his father and in the meeting of Iephte with his onely daughter which by vow he was cōstrained to put to death the scriptures are able to pearse the hart wring owt teares of the reader whom Iosephus will not greatelie moue with his rhetorical narration though otherwise verie learned and artificiallie penned Aristaeus that learned Gētile of whom we haue made mention before who was in special fauour with Ptolomie the second greate Monarche of Egipt aboute 300 yeares before Christes natiuitie and a chief doer in procuring the translation of the Hebrue Bible into the greeke language reported of his owne knowledge to that king two straunge accidentes which had happened in his time which he had vnderstoode of the parties themselues to whom they had happened The first was of Theopompus an eloquent Historiographer who hauing translated certaine thinges out of the Bible and endeuouring to adorne the same with vaine colours of eloquence could not perfourme his desire but was strokē with a suddain maze and gyddines
in the head and was warned in his sleepe not to proceede further in that worke after that sorte for that such manner of style was to base for so high matters as the scriptures conteined The other example was of one Theodectes a writer of tragaedies who tolde Aristaeus that once he attēpted to bring certaine matters out of the Iewes Bible into a pagan tragedie and that theruppō he was presentlie strikē blīd wherwith he being asto nished and falling to repentance for that he had donne and decisting from the enterprise as also Theopompus did they were both of them restored againe to their healthes And thus much did thes three Paganes confesse of the authoritie diuinitie and peculier sacred stile of our scriptures BVT NOVV further it insueth in order that after the subiect and phrase we should consider a litle the contentes of thes scriptures whiche will perhappes more clearlie direct vs to the vewe of their authour then any thing els that hytherto hath bene said And for our present purpose I will note onlie two special thinges conteined in the Bible The first st albe certaine high hiddē doctrines which are aboue the reach and capacitie of humane reason and consequētlie could neuer fall into mans braine to inuent thē As for example that all this wonderful frame of the world was created of nothing where as philosophie saith that of Nothing nothing can be made that Angels being created spirites were damned eternallie for their sinnes that Adam by disobedience in Paradise drew all his posteritie into th' obligation of that his synne and that the womas seed should deliuer vs from the same That God is one in substance and three in persons that the secōd of thes persons beig God should become man and die vpon a Crosse for mankinde that after hym the way to all felicitie honour should be by contempt suffering and dishonour Thes doctrines I say and many more conteined in the Bible being thinges aboue mans capacitie to deuise and nothing agreinge with humane reason most euidentlie doe declare that God was th' authour enditer of the scripturs for that by hym onlie and from no other thes highe and secret mysteries could be reueiled The second thing conteined in scriptures that could not proceede but from God alone are certaine propheties or fortellinges of thinges to come Wherin God hymself prouoketh th' Idoles of the Gentiles to make experience of their power in thes wordes Declare vnto vs vvhat shall insue hereafter thereby vve shall knovv that you are Godes in deed Which is to be vnderstoode if they could fortell particulerlie plainlie what was to come in thinges meerlie contingent or depending of mans will they should therby declare their power to be diuine For albeit thes Idoles of Gentiles as Apollo and other that gaue foorth Oracles which were nothing els in deed but certaine wicked spirites that tooke vpon them these names did some times happen vpon the truth and fortel thinges to come as also some Astrologers Southsayers and Magitians doe ether by forsight in the starres other elementes or by th' assistance of thes wicked spirites and deuils yet are the thinges which they pronosticate ether natural and not contingent so may be forseene fortolde in their causes as raine heate colde wīdes the like or els if they be meere accidental thes predictions of theirs are only coniectures and so most incertaine and subiecte to errours This testifieth Porphyrie the greate patron of Paganisme in a special booke of th' answers of his Godes wherin he sweareth that he hath gathered trulie without addition or detraction the Oracles that were most famous before his tyme with the false and vncertaine euent therof In consideration of which euent he setteth downe his iudgment of their power in predictions after this manner The Godes doe fortell some naturall thinges to come for that they doe obserue the order and coniunctiō of their natural causes But of thinges that are contingēt or doe depend of mans vvill they haue but coniectures only in that by their subtilitie and celeritic they preuent vs. But yet they often tymes doe lye and deceaue vs in both kyndes for that as natural thinges are variable so mans vvill is much more mutable Thus farre Porphyrie of the propheties of his Godes whereunto agreeth an other heathen of greate credit among the Graecians named Oenomaus who for that he had bene much delighted with Oracles more deceaued wrote a special booke in th' ende of their falshod and lies and yet sheweth that in manie thinges wherin they deceiued it was not easie to cōuince them of opē falshod for that they would inuolue their answers of purpose with such obscurities generalities equiuo cations and doubtefulnes as alwayes they would leaue them selues a corner wherin to saue their credites when th' euent should proue false As for example when Craesus that famous riche Monarche of Lidia cōsulted with Apollo whether he should make warre against the Persiās therby obtaine their Empire or no Apollo desirous of bloodshed as all wicked spirites are gaue his oracle in thes wordes for deceauing of Craesus If Craesus vvithout feare shal passe ouer Halys this was a riuer that laye betwene hym and Persia he shal bringe to confusion a greate riche kingdome Vpon whiche wordes Craesus passed ouer his armie in hope to get Persia but so one after he lost Lidia by euel vnderstanding of this doubteful prophetie This then is th' imbecilitie of both humane angelical power ī pronosticatig things to come which are mere cōtingēt In which kinde not withstanding seing that the scriptures haue manie and almost infinite propheties fort old manie yeares some tymes ages before they came to passe sett downe in plaine particuler and resolut speech at such tymes as there was nether cause to coniecture them nonprobabilitie that euer they should be true deliuered by simple and vnlearned persons that could forsee nothing by skill or arte and yet that all thes by their euentes haue proued most true and neuer anie one iote in the same haue fayled this I say alone doth conuince most apparentlie all proofes and reasons and other argumentes laid a syde that thes scriptures are of God and of his eternal and infallible spirite And therfore of thes propheties will I alleage in this place some few examples Abraham the first father and special Patriarche of the Iewes had manie propheties and predictions made vnto hym as of his issue when he had yet none nor euer lyke to haue of his inheritinge the land of Canaan and the lyke But this which followeth is wōderfull of his posterities discent into Egipt of their tyme of seruitude and manner of deliuerauce thēce the same being fortolde more thē fower hundreth yeares before it was fulfilled at that tyme whē no likelihode therof ī the world appeared The wordes are thes
the sonne of Barachias Wherof the first was a Prophet in Ieremies tyme a hundred years after Esay the secoÌ„d liued fowers kore years after that againe in the dayes of pari ' as by the beginig of his prophetie appeareth and yet both as you see were distinctely named by Esay so long before And whereas this booke of Esay was pronouÌ„ced opeÌ„lie to the people as other propheties also were and published into manie thousand handes before the captiuitie of Babylon fellowt and then carried also with the people and dispersed in Chaldea other partes of the world there can be no possible suspition of forgerie in this matter for that all the worlde both sawe it and redde it manie yeares before the thing came to passe yea when there was no opinioÌ„ of suche possibilitie The same captiuitie and destruction of Ierusalem by the Babyloniens was prophetied by Ieremie a hundred yeares after Esay and a litle before the matter came to passe Yea whiles the Babylonians were aboute the walles of Ierusalem and besieged the same for two yeares together Ieremie was within and tolde euerie man that it was but in vaine to defende the Citie sor that God had now deliuered it And albeit he were accompted a traitour for so speaking especiallie when by an armie of Egipt that came to th' ayde of Ierusalem froÌ„ Pharao the siege of Babylonians was raised for a certaine tyme yet Ieremie continued still his asseueration and said to Zedechias the king thou shalt be deliuered into the handes of the king of Babylon And to the people haec dicit Dominus tradendo tradetur haec ciuitas c. this sayeth our Lord this Citie most certainlie shal be deliuered into the handes of the Babylonians And so he continued notwithstanding he were putt in prison and whipt threatened daylie to be hanged vntil in deed the Citie was taken and Zedechias eyes puld out his children slaine before his face and all other thinges perfourmed which Ieremie had prophotied and fortolde them before And which is yet more maruelous Ieremie dyd not onelie fortell the particulers of this captiuitie but also the determinate tyme how longe it should indure sayinge And all this land of Jurie shal be into vvildernesse and astoniednesse and all this people shal serue the kinge of Babycon for threescore and ten yeares and vvhen three scare and ten yeares shal be complete I vvill visite vpon the kinge of Babylon and vpon that NatioÌ„ sayeth our Lordo and I vvill lay the same into aeternal desolation Eut vpon Iuda vvill I cast my pleasant eyes and vvil bringe them backe to this land againe c. In which prophetie is conteined first the particuler tyme how longe this captiuitie should indure Sechdlie the destruction of Babylon and of that Monarchie by the Persians and thirdlie the returning home of the Iewes againe which three thinges to haue bene after fulfilled not onelie Esdras that liued at that tyme and was an actor in perfourmaunce of the last but all other heathen writers besides doe recorde and testifie And this prophetie of Ieremie was so famous and certainlie beleeued amongest all the Iewes in the tyme of their captiuitie as when the daye of expiration drew neare Daniel writeth thus of hym selfe In the first yeare of Darius I Daniel vnderstoode in the scriptures the number of the seueÌ„tie yeares vvherof God spake to Ieremie that they should be fulfiled touching the desolation of Ierusalem and I turned my face to my Lord God and besoght hym in fasting and sakcloth c. Mother onelie the Iewes vnderstoode and beleeued this prophetie but euen Cyrus hym self that was a GeÌ„tile gaue full credit ther vnto therby was iuduced to restore the Iewes as appeareth both by his owne wordes and proclamation sett downe by Esdras that executed the same by his deedes also in restoring home the Iewes and rebuilding their temple at his owne great charges as all historiographers of the heathens doe confesse I might here alleage infinite other examples and make no ende if I would followe the multitude of propheties which are dispsed throughout the whole scripture I might shew how Daniel fortolde to Balsasar king of Babylon in the myddest of his triuÌ„phe and in the hearing of all his peeres the destruction which in sned vpon hym the verie same night after I might alleage how the same Daniel in the first yeare of Darius the Median in the beginning of that second Monarchie of Medians and Persians fortolde how manie kinges should regine after in Persia how the last who was the fowerth after hym his name also Dariê° should fight against the GraeciaÌ„s be ouercome by a GraeciaÌ„ king which was AlexaÌ„der and how that kingdome also of Greece should be deuided torne in peeces after Alexanders death and not passe to his posteritie as Iustine and other heathen writers doe testifie that it was by Antigonus Perdiccas Seleucus Antiochus Ptolomaeus and other Captaines of Alexander that deuided the same among them selues aboue a hundred yeares after Daniel was deade I might declare how the same Daniel forsawe and fortolde the fower greate Monarchies of the world and described the same as distinctelie as if he had liued in them all and as by experience we finde since to be true I might alleage the particuler descriptioÌ„ of the fight betwene Darius and Alexander sett downe by Daniel vnder the names of the greate Ramme the fearce Goate with one horne which Goate hymself interpreteth to be meant of a Graecian kinge that should conquer the Persians And therfore Alexander as Iosephus reporteth comming to Ierusalem about a huÌ„dred yeares after and reading this prophetie of Daniel interpreted vnto hym by Iaddus the highe priest assured hym self that he was the man therin signified and so after sacrifice doÌ„ne to the God of Israel of whom he affirmed that he had appeared vnto hym in Macedonie had exhorted hym to take this warre in hand and after he had bestowed much honour and manie benefits vpon the highe priest and inhabitans of Ierusalem he went forward in his warre against Darius with greate alacritie and had that famous victorie which all the world knoweth A hundreth such propheties more which are as plaine as euident and as distincte as this I might alleage of Elias Elizaeus Samuel Dauid Ezechiel the twelue lesser prophetes and of other which I haue not named And in verie truth the whole scripture is nothing els but a diuine kynde of bodie replenished throughout with the vital spirit of prophetie and euerie daye some prophetie or other is fulfilled though we marke it not and shal be to the worldes ende And the miracle of this matter is yet more increased if we consider what manner of people they were for the moste parte by whome thes propheties of hydden thiges were vttered to witt not such men as
he was worshipped as a God in that countrie and called by many Mercurius And that the Ethiopians learned circuncisioÌ„ of him which afterward alwayes they retained and so doe vntill this day And as for his miracles donne in Egypt his leading the people thence by the reade sea his liuing with them fortie yeares in the desert the heathen writers agree in al things with the scriptures sauing onely that they recoÌ„pt diuers things to the praise of Moyses which he hath not writen of him self adding also his description to witt that he was a longe taule man with a yeolowe bearde and longe heare Wherwith also accordeth Numenius Pythagoricus touching the actes of Moyses whose life he sayeth that he had reade in the auncientest recordes that were to be had But the fornamed Eupolemus goeth yet forwarde pursueth the storie of Iosue of the Iudges of Saul Dauid of SalomoÌ„ eueÌ„ vnto the building of the temple which he describeth at large with the particuler letters writeÌ„ about thatmatter the king of Tyrus which Iosephus sayeth were in his dayes kepte in the recordes of the TyriÌ„aÌ„s And with Eupolemê° agree Polyhister Hecataeus Abderita that liued serued iÌ„ warre with king AlexaÌ„der the great and they make mention amongest other thiÌ„ges of the inestimable riches of SalomoÌ„ and of the treasures which he did hyde and burie according to the fascion of that tyme in the sepulcher of his father Dauid which to be no fable though not mentioned by the scripture Iosephê° well proueth for that Hircanus the highe Priest and kinge of Iurie being besieged in Ierusalem by Antiochus surnamed Pius not manie yeares before Christs natiuitie to redeeme hym self and the cittie and to pay for his peace opened the said sepulcher of Dauid and fecht out of one parte therof three thousand Talentes in redy monie which amounte to six hundred thousand powndes Englishe if we accompt the talentes but at the least size of talentum Haebraicum And as for the thinges which ensued after Salomon as the diuision of the tribes among them selues and their diuers warres afflictions and transmigrations into other coÌ„tries manie heathen writers doe mention and recorde them and among other Herodotus and Diodorus Sieulus And the fornamed Alexander Polyhistor talking of the captiuitie of Babylon sayeth that Ieremie a Prophet tolde Ioachim his kinge what would befall hym and that Nabuchodonosor hearinge therof was moued therby to besiege IerusaleÌ„ Of the flight of Senacharib from the siege of Ierusalem how he was killed at his returne home by his owne childreÌ„ in the temple according to the prophetie of Esay and storie of the booke of kinges for that he had blasphemed the Lord God of Israel Herodotus witnesseth and that after his death he had a Statua or image of metal erected in his memorie with this inscription in greeke He that beboldeth me lett hym learne to be godlie Conferre Xenophon also in his seuenth booke de Cyropaedia and you shall see hym agree with Daniel in his narrations of Babylon And finallie I will conclude with Iosephus the learned Iewe that wrote imediatelie after Christs ascension and protesteth that the publique writinges of the Syriaus Chaldaeans Phenicians and innumerable hystories of the Graecians are sufficieÌ„t to testifie the antiquitie truth authoritie and certaintie of holie scriptures if there were no other proofe in the world besides The coÌ„clusion of the chapter vvith th' applicatioÌ„ Sect. 4. THus farre haue I treatede of the wayes and meanes which haue bene left to the world from the beginninge therby to know vnderstande their Maker In treating which point I haue stayed my self the longer for that it is the grouÌ„d foundatioÌ„ of all that is or maye be said hereafter It is the first final chiefest principle of all our eternal saluation or damnatioÌ„ and of the total weale or woe that must befail vs possesse vs for euer Which grounde and veritie if it be so certaine and euident as before hath bene shewed by all reason and proofe both diuine and humane and that the matter be so testified and proclamed vnto vs by all the creatures of heauen and earth and by the mouth and writing of our Creator hymself as no ignorance or blindnes can excuse the same no slouthfulnes dissemble it no wickednes denie it what remaineth then but to consider with our selues what seruice this God requireth at our hádes what gratitude what duetie what honour for our creation to th' eÌ„de that as we haue proued hym a most bountiful Creator so we may fynde hym a propitious iudge munificent rewarder For it is not probable that his diuine maiestie which hath appointed euerie other creature to some action for his owne glorie as hathe bene declared at large before should leaue mankinde onelie whiche is the worthiest of all the rest without obligation to his seruice In which one pointe not withstanding though neuer so cleare such is the fondnesse of our corrupt nature without gods holie grace fayled thos auncient wise men of the world of whom S. Paul speaketh so much in his epistle to the Romans taking compassion of their case and callinge them fooles and all their great learniÌ„ge philosophie meere fondnesse for that vvheras by the meanes before mentioned they came to knovv God they did not seeke to glorifie hym as appertained vnto God not yet did render hym due thankes but vanished avvaye in their cogitations c. That is they tooke no profitt by this knowledge of theirs but applied their cogitations vpon the vanities of this worlde more then vpon the honour and seruice of this their God For whiche cause S. Paul adioyneth presentelie in the same place that forso much as they did thus did not shew foorthe by their lyfe and workes that they had the knowledge of God in deede God deliuered them ouer to a reprobate sense and suffered them to fall into horrible synnes which S. Paul doth name and detest in all that chapter and finallie concludeth that their euerlasting perdition ensued principallie vpon this one pointe that wheras they knevv the iustice of God by all the wayes and argumeÌ„tes that before haue bene declared yet would they not vnderstand saith he that death was due to all such which liued in wickednes as they did And the same Apostle vpon consideration of thes matters wherin he standeth long for th' importance therof pronounceth in sine this general sentence with great asseueration and vehemencie of spirit that the vvrath of God is reucaled from heaueÌ„ vpon al impietie and iniustice of thos men vvho holde the knovvledge of God in vnrighteousnes that is who beig indued with the knowledge of God doe liue notwithstanding vnrighteouslie or as he saidbefore doe consume their dayes in vanitie not makiÌ„g accompt of the seruice which they doe owe to that God for their Creation and
that they tooke litle pleasure in the wayes they had walked not withstanding they were esteemed most prosperous and happie by men of this world Iosephus the Iewe recompteth two very rare examples of humane felicitie in Herode the first and Agrippa his Cosine wherof th' one by Antonie the Triumuir and th' other by Caligula th' Emperour both of them being otherwise but priuate gentilmen and in great pouertie and miserie when they fled to Rome were exalted vpon the suddaine to vnexpected great fortune and made riche Monarches and glorious Potentates They were indued at seueral tymes with the kingdome and crowne of Iurie that in such ample sorte as neuer any of that Nation after them had the like For which cause they are called in the Hebrue storie for distinctions sake Herode the Great and Agrippa the Great They ruled and commaunded all in their dayes they wanted nether siluer nor gold nor pleasures nor pastimes nor friendes nor flatterers And besides all thes gyftes of fortune they abounded also in ornamentes and excellencie of bodie and witte And all this was increased and made the more admirable by reason of their base low estate before in respect wherof their present fortune was esteemed for a perfect paterne of most absolute felicitie This they enioyed for a certaine space and to assure thē selues of the continuāce they bent all their cares cogitations and studdies to please the humours of the Roman Emperours as their Gods and authours of all their prosperitie and felicitie vpō earth In respect of whose fauours as Iosephus noteth they cared litle to violate their owne religiō of the Iewes or anie thing els that was most Sacred And this forsooth was esteemed of manie a most wise politique prosperous and happie course But what was th' ende and consummation of this their rase First Herode fell sicke of such an incurable and lothesome desease and was tormented in the same with so manie terrours and horrible accusations of his conscience as he pronounced hym self to be the most miserable afflicted creature that euer liued and so calling one daye for a knife to pare an aple would nedes haue mundered hym self with the same if his arme had not bene stayed by them that stoode by And for Agrippa Iosephus reporteth how that vpon a certaine daye which he kept festiual in Caesarea for the honour of Claudius the Roman Emperour when he was in his most extreme pompe and ioylitie in the middest of all his Peeres Nobles and Damosels cōming foorth at an hower appointed all glittering in golde siluer to make an oration vnto the people his voice gesture countenāce and apparel so pleased as the said people began to crie being sollicited ther vnto by some flaterours that it vvas the voyce of God and not of man wherin Agrippa taking pleasure and delectation was stoocken presentlie from heauen with a moste horrible putrifaction of all his bodie wherof he died repeating onlie to his friendes thes wordes in the middest of his tormētes Behold ye mee that doe sente to you a God hovv miserablie I am Inforced to departe from you all Now then would I demaunde of thes two so fortunate men who laying a side all care of God and religion did follow the prefermentes of this world so freshelie and obtained the same so luckelie how they liked of this their course and rase in th' ende Trulie I doubt not but if they were here to answer for them selues they would assure vs that one hower bestowed in the seruice of God and of their saluation would more haue comforted them at that last instant then all their labours toiles which they tooke in their liues for pleasing of Emperours and gathering the grace and good likinge of mortal men Vse then ô Christian vse this experience to thy commoditie vse it to thy instructiō vse it to thy forwarning That which they are now thou shalt be shortlie and of all follies it is the greatest not to profite or flee daungers by th' exāple of others The difference betwene a wise mā and a foole is that th' one prouideth for a mischiefe while tyme serueth th' other would doe whē it is to late If thou mightest feele now the state and case wherin thy poore hart shal be at the last daye for neglecting the thing that of all other it should haue studdied thought vpō most thou wouldest take frō thy meate sleepe and other necessaries to repaire that is past Hytherto thou hast time to refourme thy course if thou please which is no small benefite if all were knowen For in this sense no doubt is it most true which the wise man saith that better it is to be a lyuing dogge then a dead Lyō For that while the daye tyme of this life indureth all thinges amisse may easelie be amēded But the dreadful night of death will ouertake thee shortlie then shall there be no more space of reformation Oh that men would be wise and forsee thinges to come sayeth one prophet The greatest wisdome ī the world deare brother is to looke and attēde to our owne saluation For as the scripture sayeth most trulie he is a vviseman in deede that is vvise to his ovvne soule And of this wisdome it is writen in the verie same booke as spoken by her self In mee is the grace of all life and truth and in mee is the hope of all life and vertue In moral actions and humane wisdome we see that the first and chyefest circumstance is to regarde well and consider the ende And how thē doe we omit the same in this greate affaire of the kingdome of heauen If our ende be heauē what meane we so much to affect our selues to earth if our ende be God whie seeke we so greedilie the worldlie fauour of men if our ende be the saluation and eternitie of our soule why doe we follow vanities and temporalities of this life vvhie spende ye your monie and not in breade sayeth God by Esay vvhie bestovve ye your labour i thinges that vvill not yeld you savuritie If our inheritance be that we should reigne as kinges whie putt we our selues in suche slauerie of creatures if our birth allow vs to feede of bread in our fathers howse whie delighte we in huskes prouyded for the swine But alas we may saye with the wise man in scripture Fascinatio nugacitatis obscurat bona The bewitching of worldlie trifles doth obscure and hyde from vs the things that are good behouesull for our soules ô most daungerous inchantement But what shall this excuse vs no trulie for the same spirite of God hath left recorded Populus non intelligens vapulabit The people that vnderstādeth not shal be beaten for it And an other prophet to the same effect pronounceth This people is not vvise and therefore he that made them shall not pardon them neither
and two thousand after that vnder the Messias Which last two thousand yeares by all computation could not beginne much from the birth of Iesus And the Rabbines a great while gone complained in their Talmud that ther seemed to them in thos dayes seuen hundred fourtiene yeares past since Christ by the scriptures should haue appeared and therefore they doe maruaile whie God so longe deferreth the same Another obseruation they haue vpon the wordes of Esay paruulus natus est nobis a lytle childe is borne vnto vs. In which wordes for that they finde th' Ebrue letter MEM to be shutt in the middest of a worde which is strange in that tongue for that MEM is wont to be open in the middest of wordes and shutt onlie in the ende they gather manie secretes And amonge other that seinge MEM signifieth six hundred years so longe it should be after Esay vntill the tyme of Christe Which accompt of theirs falleth out so iust that if you recone the yeares from Achaz kinge of Iuda in whose tyme Esay spake thes wordes vntil the tyme of king Herode vnder whome Christ was borne you shall perceyue the number to faile in litle or nothing A muche like obseruation hath Rabbi Moses the sonne of Maimon whom the Iewes doe holde in extreme greate reuerence calling hym the doctor of iustice in his epistle to his countrimen of Africa concerning the tyme of Christs appearance Which he thinketh to be past accordinge to the scriptures aboue a thousand yeares in his dayes he lyued about the yeare of Christ. 1140 but that God deferreth his manifestation for their sinnes To which purpose also apperteineth the tradition of one Elias as Rabbi Iosue reporteth it iÌ„ the Thalmud that the Messias was to be borne in deede according to the scriptures before the destruction of the second temple for that Esay sayeth of the Synagoge before she vvas vvith child she brought foorth and before the greefe of trauaile came she vvas deliuered of a man child That is saith he before the Synagogue was afflicted and putt to desolation by the Romans she brought forthe the Messias But yet sayeth he this Messias for our sinues doth hyde hym self for a tyme in the sea and other deserte places vntill we be worthie of his comming To the like effect is th' obseruation of the Talmud it self and of diuers Rabbines therin concerning the wicked manners of men that should bee at Christs appearance vpon earth of whom they doe pronounce thes wordes The vvise men in Israel shal be extinguished the learning of our Scribes and Pharisies shal be putrisied the scholles of Diuinitie shal be stevves at that tyme. Which thig Iosephus that liued in the same age with Christ affirmeth to be fulfilled in the time of Herod in so much that if the Romans had not destroyed them without doubt sayeth he either the earth would haue opened and swallowed theÌ„ doune or els fire from heaueÌ„ would haue consumed theÌ„ All then runneth to this ende both by scripture tradition obseruation and instincte of God hym self that about Herodes tyme the true Messias should be borne And hereof came that common and publique fame that is recorded by Tacitus Suetonius and Iosephus which was also writen in open sight vpon the chiefest Tower of the Cittie of IerusaleÌ„ that out of Iurie should rise a general Lord of th' vniuersal vvorld Which prophetie as the Romans either contemned or turned an other waye applying the same afterwarde to Vespasian so the Iewes vnderstood it of their Messias and Herode feared the matter greatelie and for that was so watchefull to exstinguishe the line of Dauide as hath bene shewed Hereof also it did proceede that the Magi or wise men of the Easte attended so diligentelie about that tyme to expect the Starre that Balaam had promissed at the comming of this kinge Herehence also it was that the whole people of Iurie remained so attent at this tyme more then euer before or sence in expecting the Messias Where vpon as soone as euer they heard of Ihon Baptist in the desert they ranne vnto hym askinge if he were Christ As afterward also they flocked to Iesus demauÌ„ding art thou he vvhich is to come or doe vve expect an other Which wordes importe the great expectation wherin that people remained in thos dayes Nether wanted that expectation in the chief gouernours theÌ„ selues as may appeare by that speech of theirs to Iesus hovv loÌ„ge vvilt thovv kill vs with this expectation if thou he Christ tell vs plainlie Of which fame expectation and greedie desire of the people diuers deceyuers 〈◊〉 occasion to call them selues the Messias in those dayes and the people followed them presentelie which thing had not happened in any age before And among other there is named one Iudas Gaulonites or Galilaeus as S. Luke calleth him and an other Iudas the sonne of Ezeehias both of them verie wicked and liceÌ„tious felowes One also called AtoÌ„ges a Shepheard and two other named Theudas and Egyptius most notable deceyuers And aboue all there was one Barcozbam who as the Talmud saith for thirtie years together was receyued for the Messias by the Rabbines them selues vntil at last they slewe hym for that he was not able to deliuer them from the Romans Which facilitie in the people when Herode sawe he caused Nicolaus Damascenê° as I noted before to deuise a petigree for hym from the auncient kinges of Iuda And so he as well as other tooke vpoÌ„ hym to be the Messias whom-diuers carnal Iowes that expected the Messias to be a magnificent king as Herod was would seeme to beleeue diuulgate abrode and therof in the Gospell they are thought to haue bene called Herodiani that is Herodians or followers of Herod who came to tempt Christ with the scribes and pharisees Wherfore to conclude at length this weightie pointe of the tyme of Christs appearing seing that about the birth of Iesus vnder Herodes reigne there coÌ„curred so many signes argumeÌ„tes together as the general peace of the Roman Empire the defection of the line and regimeÌ„t of Iuda the open decaye of the second temple the iust calculation of Daniels hebdomades the attestation of Oracles th' obseruation of Rabbines the publique fame and expectation of all the Iewes together with the palpable experience of more then fiftien hundreth yeares past since Iesus appeared wherin we see the Iuishe people in vaine to expect an other Messias they being dispersed ouer all the world without temple law sacrifice Prophet or promisse for their redemptioÌ„ which neuer happened to them vntill after Iesus death for that in all other their banishementes captiuities and afflictions they had some prophetie consolatioÌ„ or promisse for their deliueric Thes thinges all I say considered and putt together we may moste vndoubtedlie and assuredlie conclu le that Iesus was borne
vttereth the same ī otherwordes they vvhich commit sinne are enimies to their ovvne soules Wherfore they laye downe to al men this general seuere most necessarie commaundement vpon al the paines before recited Flee from sinne as from the face of a snake And againe Bevvare thou neuer consent to sinne For how soeuer the worlde may make litle accounte of this matter by whome as the scripture noteth the sinner is praised in his lustes and the vvicked man is blessed for his vvickednes yet most certaine it is for that the spirite of God auoucheth it that he vvhich committeth sinne is of the deuil and therfore is to receyue his portion amonge deuils and damned spirites at the latter daye And is not al this sufficient most deare brother to breed in vs a detestation of sinne with feare and horrour to commit the same Is not this of force and strength sufficient to shake the hartes of them that wallowe perpetually in the pudle of sinne and doe commit the same daylie without scruple remorse or consideration what desperate obstinacie obduration is this Surely we find now by experiēce that the holye Ghost prophesied ful truelie of thes men when he sayed sinners alienated from God are possessed vvith a surit like a serpent and like a deafe cocatrise vvhich stoppeth her eares against the enchaunter This surie I saie is the furie or madnesse of willfull synners which stoppe their eares like serpentes to all the holy enchauntmentes that God can vse vnto them for their conuersiō that is to all his internal motions and good inspirations to all remorse of their owne consciences to all threatninges of holie scriptures to al admonishmentes of gods seruauntes to al examples of vertuous liuers to al the punishementes that light vpon the wicked and to all the other meanes which God can vse for their saluation Good Lorde what man would commit a mortal sinne for the gayning of ten thowsande worldes if he considered the infinite dōmages hurtes inconueniences mileries which doe ensue by cōmitting of the same For first who soeuer sinneth mortallie leeseth the grace of God inherent in his soule which is the greatest gift that can be gyuen to man in this life cōsequētlie he leeseth al those thinges which did accompanie that grace as are the vertues infused and the seuen giftes of the Holy Ghost wherby the sowie was beautified in the sight of her spouse and armed against al assaultes of her ghostlie enimies Secondlie he leeseth the fauour of God and consequentlie his fatherly protection care and prouidēce ouer him enforceth hym to be his professed enimie Which how great a losse it is we may esteeme in part by the state of a worldly princes seruant and fauorite who being in highe grace and credit with his Soueraine should by some one great offence lose al his fauour at one instant and incurre his mortal hatred and displeasure Thirdly he leeseth all his inheritance clayme and title to the kingdome of heauē which is due onlie by grace as S. Paul wel noteth and consequentlie he depriueth hym self of all dignities and commodities depending therupon in this life as are the condition and high priueledge of being the sonne of God the communion of Sainctes the protection of holie Angels and the like Fourthlie he looseth the quiet ioye and tranquillitie of a good conscience and all the fauours cherishmentes consolations and other comfortes wherwith the holie Ghost is wont to visite the mides of the Iust. Fifthly he looseth the merit and rewarde of his good workes done al his life before and whatsoeuer he doth or shal doe while he continueth in that miserable and sinful state Sixtlie he maketh hym self guiltie of eternall punishment and enrolleth his name in the booke of perdition and consequentlie byndeth hym self to althose miseries and inconueniences wherunto the reprobate are subiect that is to saie to be an inheritour of hel and damnation to be in the power of the deuill and his Angels to be thral to synne and euerie temptation therof and his sowle which was before the temple of the holy ghost the habitation of the blessed Trinitie the spouse of God place of repose for holy Angels to visit now to be a dēne of dragons a nest of scorpions a dongeō of deuilles a sincke swine-stie of al filth and abhomination and hym self a companion of the miserable damned spirites Lastlye he abandoneth Christ and renounceth al the interest and portion he had with hym treading hym vnder his feete defiling his most pretious blood Crucifying hym againe as S. Paul auoucheth in that he sinneth agaist him who died for sinne and maketh hym self a persecutour of his redeemer For which cause the same Apostle pronounceth a most hard and heauie sentence against such men in thes wordes If vve synne vvillfullye novv after vve haue receyued knovvledge of the trueth there remaineth no more sacrifice for synnes but rather a certaine terrible expectation of iudgement and rage of fyre vvhich shall consume the aduersaries To which S. Peter agreeth when he saieth It had bene better not to haue knovvē the vvay of iustice thē after such knovvledge to slyde backe agayne from the holye commaundement vvhich vvas gyuen This being so let sinful worldlinges goe now and solace them selues in their vanities and watōnes as much as they lift Let them excuse and pleasantlye defend the same by saing pryde is but a pointe of gentrye glouttonie good fellowship anger and reuenge but an effect of courage lecherye and wantonnes a trycke of yowth they shall one daye finde that these excuses will not be receyued but rather that al such pleasant deuises toies wil be turned into teares al such fond concepts into doleful lamentations They shall proue to their great cost that God will not be iested with but that he is the same God still and will aske as seuere accounte of them as he hath done of other before although now it pleasenot them to keepe any accounte at al of their life and actions but rather to turne all to disporte and pleasure persuading them selues that how soeuer God hath delt before with other yet vnto thē he wil pardon al. But this is a mere madnes and a voluntarie deluding of our selues for that God hym self by his sacred word instructeth vs to reason after an other sashion Which I wil here breefly touch exhorting euery prudent Christian seriously to examine the same At what time the great Apostle of the Gentiles S. Paul tooke vpō him to make a comparison betweene the grieuous sinnes of his nation the Iewes for which they were reiected and made reprobate by God and thos which Christians doe commit after their Redemption he framed this collection concerning Gods iustice due vnto them both saing If God spared not the naturall boughes take heede least he spare not thee And there-vpon he inferreth this admonition
liberal pay for so litle paines king Dauid discoursing with him self on a certaine time how his owne palace being richly builded of Cedar timber the arke of his Lord and maken was lodged only vnder a poore tēt resolued with him self to erect a house and temple for the same Which onelie cogitation God tooke in so good parte as he sent Nathan the prophet vnto him presentlie to refuse the thing but yet to tel him that for so much as he had determined such a matter God wold build a house or rather a kingdome to him and his posteritie which should last for euer and from which he wold neuer take away his mercie what sinnes or offences so cue they committed Which liberal promisse we see now fulfilled in the Church of Christ descended originally from that noble family What should I labour to heape together moe examples to this effect Christ him self gyueth a general note hereof when he calleth the workemen and payeth to ech man his wages so duelie as also when he sayeth of him self behold I come quicklie and my revvard is vvith me By which places it is euident that God suffereth no labour in his seruice to be lost or vnpayed And albeit as hereafter in place conuenient more amply shal be shewed he payeth also and that abundantlie in this life present yet as by these two texts appeareth he deferreth his chiefe paye vnto his comming in the end of the day that is after this life in the resurrection of the iust as him self saieth in an other place OF THIS PAIMENT then reserued for gods seruants in the life to come we are now to consider what maner a thing it is and whether it be worth so much labour and trauail as the seruice of God requireth And first of al if we beleeue the holie scripture calling it a kingdome a heauenlie kingdome an eternal kingdome a most blessed kingdome we must nedes confesse it to be a maruailous great reward seing that in this world hardlie can there be found so bountiful a Monarch as wil bestowe a kingdome vpon his seruant in recompēse of his seruice and if he would and were able to performe the same yet would it be nether heauenly nor eternal nor blessed kingdome such as this is which God hath promised vnto his seruants Secondlie if we credit that which S. Paul saieth of this reward that nether eye hath seene nor eare beard nor hart of man conceyued how great a matter it is thē must we yet admit a greater opiniō thereof For that we haue sene many wounderful things in our dayes we haue heard more wounderful we may conceyue most wounderful and almost infinit How then shal we come to vnderstand the greatnesse and value of this reward surelie no tongue created either of man or Angel can expresse the same no imagination conceyue no vnderstanding comprehend it Christ him self hath said nemo scit nisi qui accipit No man knoweth it but he that enioyeth it And therfore he calleth it hidden manna in the same place Notwithstanding as it is reported of a learned Geometrician who finding the length of Hercules foote vpon the hil Olimpus drew out his whole bodie by the proportion of that one part so we by some things set doune in holy scripture and by some other circumstances agreing therunto may frame a coniecture of the matter though it be farre vnequal and inferiour to the thing it self I haue before declared how this reward in holy writ is called a heauenly euerlasting most blessed kingdome By which wordes is signified that al shal be kinges and most happie kinges that shal be found worthie of this reward To like effect is it called in other places a crovvn of glorie a throne of Maiest c a paradise or place of pleasure a life euerlasting S. Iohn the Euangelist being in his banishment by special priuilege made priuie to some knowlege and feeling thereof aswel for his owne comfort as for ours taketh in hād to describe it by comparison of a citie affirming that the whole bodie therof was of pure gold inuironed with a great and high wal of the pretiouse stone called Iaspis This wal had also twelue foundations made of twelue distinct pretious stones which he there nameth also twelue gates made of twelue riche stones called Margarits and euerie gate was an entire Margarit The stretes of the citie were paued with gold interlayed also with pearls and pretious stones The light of the citie was the clearenesse splēdour of Christ him self sitting in the middest thereof from whose seat proceded a riuer of water as cleare as cristal to refresh the citie and on both sides of the bankes there grew the tree of life geuing out continual and perpetual fruit There was no night in that citie nor any defiled thing entered thereinto but they which are within shal raigne sayeth he for euer and euer By this description of the mostriche and pretious things that this world hath S. Iohn wold geue vs to vnderstand the infinite finite value glorie Maiestie of this felicitie prepared for vs in heauen though as I haue noted before it being the princelie inheritance of our Saue our Christ the kingdome of his father the eternal habitation of the holie Trinitie prepared before al worldes to set out the glorie and to expresse the power of him that hath no end or measure ether in power or glorie we may verie wel thinke with S. Paul that nether tongue can declare it nor hart imagine it When God shal take vpon him to doe a thing for the vttermost declaration in a certain sorte of his power wisdome and eternal Maiestie imagine you what a thing it wil be It pleased him some time to make certaine creatures to serue him in his presence and to be witnesses of his glorie and thereupon with a word he created the Angels both for number and perfection of nature so strange and wonderful as the cogitation therof astonieth our vnderstanding For as for their number they were almost infinite passing the number of al the creatures of this inferiour world as diuers learned men and some ancient fathers are of opinion albeit Daniel according to the custome of holy writ doe put a certain number for an vncertaine when he sayeth of Angels a thousand thousands did minister vnto him that is vnto God and ten thousand times a hundreed thousand did stand about him to assist And for their perfection of nature it is such being as the scripture saieth celostial spirits and like burning fire as they farre surpasse al inferiour creatures in natural knowledge power beautie and al other excellēcies which i one Angel are more for perfectiō of nature not respectig grace then in al other creatures of the world put together What an infinit Maiestie thē doeth this argue in the Creator After this when many of these Angels were now fallen it pleased
enioye al the varietie of times that delite vs here al the beautie of creatures that allure vs here al the pleasures and ioyes that content vs here In this vision of God sayeth one doctor we shal know we shal loue we shal reioice we shal praise We shal know the verie secrets and iudgements of God which are a depth vvithout bottome As also the causes natures beginnings ofsprings and ends of al creatures We shal loue incomparablie both God for the infinite causes of loue that we see in him and our brethren and companions as much as our selues for that we shal see them as much loued of God as our selues for the same cause for which we are loued whereof ensueth that our ioye shal be without measure both for that we shal haue a particular ioye for euery thing we loue ī God which are infinit and also for that we shal reioice at the felicitie of euerie one of our brethren as much as at our owne and by that meanes we shal haue so many distinct felicities as we shal haue distinct companions in our felicitie which being without number it is no maruaile though Christ sayed goe into the ioye of thy Lord and not let thy Lordes ioye enter into thee for that no one hart created cā receaue the fulnes and greatnes of this ioye And hereof finallie it doth insue that we shal praise God without end or wearines with al our hart with al our strength with al our powers with al our partes according as the scripture sayeth Happie are they that liue in they house ô Lord for they shal praise thee eternallie vvithout end Hitherto this learned doctor Of this most blessed visiō sight possession and fruitiō of almightie God wherunto in heauen th' elect are admitted the learned father S. Augustine writeth thus Our Saueour in the Gospel said vnto his Disciples Happie are the cleane of hart for they shal see God By which wordes we are let to vnderstand that ther is a sight and vision of God which is sufficient of it self to beatifie men and make them happie A visiō which nether eye hath seene in this world nor eare hath heard nor hart conceaued A vision deare brethrē that passeth al the beautie of earthlie things of gold of siluer of woodes of feeldes of sea of ayer of sunne of moone of starres of Angels for that al thes things haue their beautie from thence VVe shal see him face to face saieth his Apostle and vve shal knovv him as vve are knovven That is we shal know the power of the father we shal know the wisdome of the sonne we shal know the goodnes of the Holie Ghost we shal know the indiuisible nature of the most blessed Trinitie And this verie seing of the face of God is the ioye of Angels and of al other saints and celestial spirites in heauen This is the reward of life euerlasting this is the glorie of al blessed Cherubins their euerlasting pleasure their croune of honour their game and goal of felicitie their riche rest their beautiful quietnes their inward and outward consolation their diuine paradise their heauenlie Ierusalem their happines of life their fulnes of blisse their eternal triumphe their pretious peace of God which passeth al vnderstāding This sight of God is the ful beatitude the total glorification of man and Angels to see and behold him I say that made both heauen and earth to see and behold him deare brother that made thee that redemed thee that glorified thee For in seeing him thou shalt know him in knowing him thou shalt loue him in louing him thou shalt possesse him in possessing him thou shalt praise him and in praising him thou shal spend thie whole eternitie For he is the inheritance of his people he is the possession of their felicitie he is the reward of their expectation I vvilbe thy great revvard saieth he to Abraham O Lord thou art great and therfore no marmile if thou be a great reward The sight of thee therfore is al our hiar al our reward al our ioye felicitie that we expect seing thou hast saied that this is life euerlasting to see knovv thee our true God Iesus Christ vvhom thou hast sent Thus vttered S. Augustine his feeling in thes affairs AND NOVV HAVING thus declared the two general partes of heauēlie felicitie the one appertainīg to our soule the other to our bodie it is not hard to esteeme what excesse of ioye both of thē ioined together shal worke vnto vs i vs at the most happie day of our glorificatiō Which the forsaid holie S. Augustine conceaued and expressed in thes most zelous and affectuous wordes O ioye aboue al ioyes passing al ioyes without which there is no ioye when shal I enter into thee when shal I enioye thee to see my God that dwelleth in thee O euerlasting kingdome ô kingdome of al eternitie ô light without end ô peace of God that passeth al vnderstāding wherin the soules of Saintes doe rest with thee ô Lord and euerlasting ioye is vpon their heades and they doe possesse ioye and exultation and al paine and sorovv is fledde from them O how glorious a kingdome is thine ô Lord wherin al Saintes doe raigne with the adorned vvith light as vvith pretious apparel and haue crovvnes of pretious stones vpon their heades O kingdome of euerlasting blisse where thou art present ô Lord the hope of al Saintes and the diademe of their euerlasting glorie replenishing thē with ioy on euerie side by thy blessed sight O Lord in this kingdom of thine there is infinit Ioye and mirth without sadnesse health without sorow life without labour light without darknesse felicitie without abatement al goodnes without euil Here youth florisheth that neuer waxeth old life that knoweth no end beautie that neuer fadeth loue that neuer cooleth health that neuer diminisheth ioye that neuer coaseth Here sorow is neuer felt complaint is neuer heard matter of sadnesse is neuer seene nor euil successe is euer feared For that they possesse thee ò Lord which art the perfectiō and culme of their felicitie Hitherto blessed Augustine And now deare Christian brother if we that liue in thes dayes and doe read thes thīges would enter in deed into thes considerations as this holie man other his like did no doubt but we should be more inflamed with the loue of this heauenlie felicitie prepared for vs then we are and consequentlie should striue more to gaine it then alas we doe And to the ende thou maiest conceaue some more feeling in the matter cōsider but a litle withme what a ioiful day shal that be at thy house when hauing liued in the feare of God atchiued in his seruice the end of thy peregrination thou shalt come by the meanes of death to passe from miserie and labour co life of immortalitie and in
of the reader to reduce the whole summe vnto two general heads partes In the first wherof shal be shewed the manifold sundry helpes that almightie God doth lend to man for the faciliting of the way of his holie commandementes and in the second shal be layed doune certaine instructions admonishmentes and examples how to make our auaile of thos helpes that are lent vnto vs. The first part Of the helpes that are geuen to Christians for making vertuous life easie IT were a verie hard and difficil matter for any man to take vpon him to set forth al and euerie the particuler waies and meanes wherby our most merciful Lord and Saueour doth comfort strengthen and cherish the soule that resolueth to liue faithfullie in his seruice Ther are infinite secretes that doe passe betwene them infinit priuie tokens and significations of loue that none els can expresse or conceaue wherof the Prophet Esay hauing had a taste cried out Secretum meum mibi Secretum meum mihi My secret is to my self my secret is to my self But yet of thos publique and ordinarie waies wherby it is euident in holie write that almightie God is accustomed to worke this effect of making sweet and easie his commandementes I shal here recount the chiefe and principal for our common consolation encoragement AND FIRST OF AL other we must recon in this number the infusion of Gods most holie pretious grace into our mindes and soules wherby they are beautified and strengthened against al difficulties and temptations as S. * Paul was in particular against the tribulations and temptations of the flesh And this grace is of such efficacie and force in the soule where it once entereth that it altereth the whole state thereof making thos thinges cleare which were obscure before thos thinges pleasant which were bitter before thos thinges easie which were hard and difficult before And for this cause also it is saied in scripture that it maketh a new spirit a new hart wher it is bestowed by almightie God which his diuine Maiestie signifieth by the Prophet Ezechiel in thes wordes when he treateth of the graces that should be geuē at the comming of Christ in flesh I vvil geue vnto them a nevv hart and vvil put a nevv spirit in their bovvelles to the end they may vvalke in my preceptes and keepe my commandementes What can be spokē more effectuallie of the power of Gods holie grace to the perfourmance of good workes In like maner of the force and efficacie of the same grace to resist mortifie conquer the passions of our flesh and sensualitie which by their rebellion against vertue doe make the way of Gods commandementes vnpleasant S. Paul testifieth clearlie when he writeth thus to the Romans This vve knovv that our old man is crucified to the ende that the bodie of sinne may be destroyed vve be in bondage no more therūto In which wordes by the old man and the bodie of sinne S. Paul vnderstandeth our rebellious appetite and concupiscence which is so crucified and destroied by the most noble sacrifice of Christ our Saueour as we may by the grace purchased vnto vs in that holie sacrifice resist and conquere this appetite and so keepe our selues from the seruitude of sinne that is from any consent and guilt of mortal sinne if we wil our selues And this is that noble entire victorie which God promised so long agoe to euerie Christian soule by the meanes of Christ when he said Be not a feard for I am with thee step not aside for I thy God haue strengthened thee and haue assisted thee and the right hand of my iust MAN hath taken thy defence Behold al that fight against thee shal be confonded and put to shame thou shalt seeke thy rebelles and shalt not find thē they shal be as though they were not for that I am thy Lord and God Loe here a ful victorie promised vpon our rebelles by the helpe of the right hand of Gods iust man that is a ful cóquest vpon our disordinate passiōs and temptations by the aide of grace from IESVS Christ. And albeit thes rebelles are not here promised to be taken cleane away but onelie to be cōquered and confonded yet is it saied that they shal be as though they vvere not Wherby is signified that they shal not hinder vs in the way of our saluation but rather aduance and further the same if we wil. For as wild beastes which of their owne nature are fearse would rather hurt then profite mankind being mastred and made tame become verie cōmodious necessarie for our vses so thes rebellious passions of ours which of thē selues would vtterlie ouerthrow vs being once subdued and mortified by Gods grace and our own diligence doe stand vs in singular steade to the practise and exercise of al kinde of vertues As for exāple choler or angre to the inkendling of zeale hatred to the pursuing of sinne a hautie mind to the reiectig of the world loue to the embracing of algreat and heroical attemptes in consideration of the benefites receaued from God Besides this the verie conflict and combat it self in subduing thes passions is left vnto vs for our great good that is for our patience humilitie merite and victorie in this life and for our glorie and croune in the life to come as S. Paul affirmed of him self and coufirmed to al others by his example Now then lett the slothful Christian goe put this handes vnder his girdlie and saye There is a lyon in the vvaye and a lyonesse in the parthredie to deuoure hin for which he dare not 〈◊〉 furth of dores Let him crie It is colde and therefore he dareth not goe to plovve Let him excuse him self that it is vneasie to labour and therfore he can not purge his vineyarde of nettles and thistles nor build any vval about the same That is let him saye that his passions are strong and therfore he can not conquere them his body is delicate and therfore he dare not put it to trauayle the way of vertuous life is hard and vneasie and therfore he can not applie him self therunto Let him saye al this and much more which ydle and slothful Christians are accustomed to bring for their excuse let him alleage the same as much and as often times as he wil it is but an excuse and a false excuse and an excuse moste dishonorable and detractorie to the force of Christ holie grace purchased vnto vs by his bitter passion that now his yoke should be vnpleasant seing he hath made it sweete that now his burden should be heauie seing he hath made it light that now his commaundementes should be greeuous seing his most deuine Maiestre affirmeth the contrarie that now we should be in seruitude of our passions seing he hath by his grace deliuered vs and made vs truelie free
as the scripture saith to purge and fine the soule as fire purgeth fineth gold in the fornace For besides the purging and remouing of greater sinnes by consideration and contrition which tribulation woorketh as hath bene shewed it purgeth also the ruste of infinite euil passions appetites and humours in man as the humour of pride of vaine glorie of slouth of choler of delicate nisenes and a thousand more which prosperitie ingendreth in vs. This God declareth by the prophet Ezechiel saying of a rustie soule put her naked vpon the hote coles and let her heate there vntil her brasse be melted from her and vntil her corruption be burned owt and her ruste cōsumed There hath bene much labour and sweate taken about her and yet her ouer much ruste is not gone out of her This also signifieth holy Iob when hauing sayed that God instructeth a man by discipline or correction to the end he may turne him from the thinges that he hath done and deliuer him from pride which is vnderstoode of his sinful actes he addeth a litle after the maner of this purgation saying his flesh being consumed by punismentes let him returne againe to the daies of his youth That is al his fleshlie humours palsions being now consumed by punishmentes and tribulations let him beginne to liue againe in such puritie of soule as he did at the beginning of his youth before he had contracted these euil humours and diseases by prosperitie NETHER ONELIE is tribulation a strong medicine to heale sinne and to purge awaye the refuse metalles in vs of brasse tinne yron lead and drosse as almightie God by Ezechiel sayeth but also a most excellent preseruatiue against sinne for the time to come According as good king Dauid saied thy discipline o Lord hath corrected me for euermore That is to say it it hath made me wary and watchful not to commit sinne againe according as the scripture sayeth in an other place Agrenous infirmitie or afflictiō maketh the soule sober For which cause the prophet Ieremie calleth tribulation virgam vigilantem A watcheful rodde that is as S. Ierome expoundeth it a rodde that maketh a man watchful The same signified God when he saied by Ose the prophet I vvil hedge in thy vvaye vvith thornes That is I wil so close thy life on euerie side with the remembrance and feare of affliction that thou shalt not dare to treade awrie lest thou treade vpō a thorne Al which good Dauid expresseth of him self in these wordes before I was humbled broght lowe by affliction I did sinne and offend the ô Lord but after that time I haue kept thy commandementes OF THIS ALSO appeareth yet an other cause why God afflicteth his elect in this life and that is to preuent his iustice vpon them in the world to come I mean that Iustice which otherwise remaineth to be executed vpon euery one after their departure hence in that most greuous purging fire wherof I spake before Touching which S. Barnard sayeth thus Oh vvold to God some man vvolde novv before hand prouide for my head abundance of vvaters and to mine eyes a fountaine of teares for so happely the burning fire should take no hold vvhere running teares had clensed before And the reason of this is as that holy man him self noteth after for that God hath said by Naum the prophet I haue afflicted the once and I vvil not afflict thee againe there shal not come from me a double tribulation SIXTHLIE God sendeth tribulation vpō his seruants to examine proue them therby whether they be fatheful constant or no that is to make thē selues and other men see and confesse how faithful or vnfaithful they are This in figure was signified when Isaac wold grope and touche his sonne Iacob before he wold blesse him And this the scripture expresseth plainlie when talking of the tribulations layed vpon Abraham it addeth tentauit Deus Abraham God tempted Abraham by these meanes to proue him And Moyses saied to the people of Israel Thou shalt remember hovv thy God ledde thee fortie yeres about the desert to afflict thee and tempt thee to the end it might appeare vviat vvas in thy hart vvhether thou vvoldest keept bis commandemētes or na And againe a fewe chapters after Your God and Lord doth tempt you to the end it may be manifest vvhether you loue him or no vvith al your hart and vvith al your soule In which sense also the scripture sayeth of Ezechras after many praises geuen vnto him that God left him sor a time to be tempted that the thoughtes of his hart might therby be made manifest And that this is Gods fashion towards al good men king Dauid sheweth in the persone of al when he sayeth Thou hast proued vs ò Lord thou hast examined vs by fire thou hast layed tribulation vpon our backes and hast brought men vpon our heades And yet how wel he liked of this matter he signifieth when he calleth for more therof in an other place saying Trie me ò Lord and tempt me burne my reines and hart vvithin me That is trie me by the way of tribulation and persecution search out the secretes of my hart and reines let the world see whether I wil sticke to the in aduersitie or no. Thus sayed that holie prophet wel knowing that which in an other place the holy Ghost vttereth that as the fornace trieth the potters vessels so tribulation trieth men For as the sounde vessels onelic do hold when they come to the fornace and thos which are crased doe breake in peeces so in time of tribulation and persecution the vertuous onely stand to it and the counterfeit bewraye them selues according to the saying of Christ In tempore tentationis recedunt They depart from me in time of temptation THE SEVENTH reason whie God layeth tribulation vpon the vertuous is therby to make them runne vnto him for aide helpe euen as the mother to make her child to loue her more and to runne vnto her procureth the same to be made afearde and terrified by others This God expresseth plainlie by the prophet Ole saying of them that he loued I vvil dravv thē vnto me in the ropes of Adam in the chaines of loue and vvil seeme vnto them as though I raysed a yoke vpon their iavv bones By the ropes of Adam he meaneth affliction wherby he drew Adam to know him self as also appeareth by that he addeth of the heauy yoke of tribulation which he wil lay vpon the heades and faces of his seruantes as chaines of loue therby to draw them vnto him This chaine had drawen Dauid vnto him when he saied O Lord thou art my refuge from the tribulation of sinners As also thos wherof Elay saieth they saught the out ò Lord in their affliction Also thos of whom Dauid saied Infirmities vvere
multiplied vpon them and after that they made hast to come And God saieth generallie of al good men They vvil rise betimes in the morning and come to me in their tribulation Wherfore holy king Dauid desiring the weale of certaine men and to winne them to God saieth in one of his psalmes Fil their faces o Lord vvith shame and confusion and then vvil they seeke vnto thy name And this is true as I said in the elect and chosen seruantes of God But in the reprobate this rope draweth not this yoke holdeth not nor doth this chaine of loue winne them vnto God wherof God him self complaineth saying In vaine haue I stricken your children for they haue not receaued my discipline And againe the prophet Ieremie saieth of them to God thou hast crushed them and they haue refused to receaue thy discipline they haue hardened their faces euen as a rocke and vvil not returne to thee Behold they haue rent the yoke and broken the chaines OF THIS NOVV ensueth an eight reason why God bringeth his seruantes into affliction to wit therby to shew his power and loue in deliuering them For as in this world a princelie mind desireth nothing more thē to haue occasiō wherby to shew his habilitie good wil vnto his deare frend so God almightie which hath al occasions in his owne handes and passeth al his creatures together in greatnesse of loue and nobilitie of mind worketh purposely diuers occasions and opportunities wherby to shew and exercise she same So he brought the three childrē into the burning fornace therby to shew his power and loue in deliuering them So he brought Daniel into the liōs dēne Susanna vnto the point of death Iob into extreme miserie Ioseph into prison Tobie vnto blindnes therby to shew his power and loue in their deliuerance For this cause also did Christ suffer the shippe to be almost drouned before he would awake S. Peter to be almost vnder water before he would take him by the hande AND OF THIS one reason many other reasons and most comfortable causes doe appeare of Gods dealing herin As first that we being deliuered from our afflictions might take more ioy and delite thereof then if we had neuer suffered the same For as water is more grateful to the waiefaring man after a long drouth a calme more pleasant vnto passingers after a troublesome tempest so is our deliuerie more sweet after persecution or tribulation according as the scripture saieth Speciosa misericordia Dei in tempore tribulationis the mercie of God is beautiful and pleasant in time of tribulation This signified also our Sauiour whē he saied your sorovv shal be turned into ioy that is you shal reioice that euer you were sorowful This had Dauid proued when he saied thy redie o Lord and thy staffe haue comforted me that is I take great comfort that euer I was chastised with them And againe according to the multitude of my sorovves thy consolations haue made ioiful my mind That is for euery sorow that I receaued in time of afflictiō I receaue now a consolation after my deliuerance And again in an other place I vvil exult and reioice in thy mercie ô Lord. And wherfore good king wilt thou so reioice it foloweth immediatly For that thou hast respected my abasement and hast deliuered my soule frō the necessitie vvherin shee vvas and hast not left me in the handes of mine enemie This then is one most gracious meaning of our louing and merciful father in afflicting vs for a time to the end our ioy may be the greater after our deliuerance as no doubt but it was in al thos whom I haue named before deliuered by Gods mercie I meane Abrahā Ioseph Daniel Sidrach Misach and Abdenago Susanna Iob Thobias Peter and the rest who tooke much more ioy after their deliuerance then if they had neuer bene in affliction at al. When Iudith had deliuered Bethulia and returned thither with Holofernes head there was more hartie ioy in that citie then euer there would haue bene if it had not bene in distresse When S. Peter was deliuered out of prison by the Angel there was more ioy for his deliuerance in the Church then could haue bene if he had neuer bene in prison at al. OVT of this great ioy resulteth an other effect of our tribulation much pleasant to God and comfortable to our selues and that is a most hartie and earnest thankesgeuing to our Lord for our deliuerance such as the prophet vsed when he saied after his deliuerance I for my part vvil sing of thy strength and vvil exalt thy mercie betimes in the morning for that thou hast bene my aider and refuge in the daey of my tribulation Such hartie thankes and praise did the childrē of Israel yeeld to God for their deliuerance when they were passed ouer the read sea in that notable song of theirs which beginneth Cantemus domino and is registred by Moyses in Exodus From like hartie affect came also thos songes of Anna Debora and Iudith moued therunto by the remembrance of their afilictions past And finally this is one of the cheefest things that God esteemeth and desireth at our hādes as he testefieth by the prophet saying cal vpon me in the day of tribulation I vvil deliuer thee and thou shall honour me BESIDES AL thes effects God hath yet further reasons of laying persecution vpon vs as for example to the end that by suffering perceiuing in deed Gods certaine assistance and consolation therin we may come to be so hardie bold and constant in his seruice as nothing afterward can dismay vs. Euē as Moyses albeit he were first afeard of the serpent that was made of his rodd and so fled away from it yet afterwardes whē he by Gods commandement had once taken it vp by the taile he feared it no more This the prophet Dauid expresseth notablie whē he saieth God hath bene our refuge and strēgth and helper in our great tribulations and therfore vve vvil not feare if the vvhole earth should be troubled and the mountaines cast into the middest of the sea What greater considence can be imagined then this AGAINE by persecution afflictiō God bringeth his children to the exercise and perfect possession of al the holy vertues belonging to a Christian man As for example faith is exercised in time of tribulation by considering the causes of Gods permission and beleeuing most assuredlie the promises he hath made for our deliuerance Hope is exercised in conceauing assuring our selues of the rewards promised to thē that suffer patiently Charitie is exercised in considering the loue of Christ suffering for vs and therby proueketh the afflicted to suffer againe for him Obediece is exercised in cōforming our willes to the wil of Christ. Patience in bearing quietlie
men that knew wel what they saied and had often tasted of affliction them selues and therfore could say of their owne experience how infallible Gods assistance is therin To this supreme courage magnanimitie and Christian fortitude the scripture exhorteth vs when it saieth If the spirit of one that is an authoritie doe rise against thee see thou yeeld not from thy place vnto him And againe an other scripture saith striue for iustice euen to the losse of thy life and stand for equitie vnto death it self God shal ouerthrow thine enemies for thee And Christ him self yet more effectually recom nēdeth this matter in thes wordes I say vnto you my freendes be not a fearde of them vvhich kil the body and aftervvard haue nothing els to doe against you And S. Peter addeth further 〈◊〉 cōturbemini That is doe not onely not feare them but which is lesse doe not so much as be troubled for al that flesh and blood cā doe against you Christ goeth further in the Apocalips and vieth maruailous speeches to entise vs to this forticude For thes are his wordes he that hath an eare to heare let him heare what the spirit saith vnto the churches To him that shal conquere I wil geue to eate of the tree of life which is in the paradise of my God This saieth the first and the last he that was dead and now is a liue I know thy tribulation and thy pouertie but thou art riche in deed and art blasphemed by thos that say they are true Israelites and are not but are rather the Sinagogue of Satan Feare nothing of that which you are to suffer behold the deuil wil cause some of you to be thrust into prison to the end you may be tempted you shal haue tribulation for tēne daies But be faithful vnto death and I wil geue the a croune of life He that hath an eare to heare let him heare what the spirit saieth vnto the churches He that shal ouercome shal not be hurt by the second death And he that shal ouercome and shal keepe my workes vnto the end I wil geue vnto him authoritie ouer nations euen as I haue receaued it from my father and I wil geue him besides the morning starre He that shal ouercome shal be appareled in white garmentes and I wil not blot his name out of the booke of life but wil confesse his name before my father and before his Angels Behold I come quicklie hold fast that thou hast lest an other man receaue thy croune He that shal conquere I wil make him a pillar in the temple of my God he shal neuer goe foorth more and I wil write vpon him the name of my God and the name of the citie of my God which is new Ierusalem He that shal conquere I wil geue vnto him to sit with me in my throne euen as I haue conquered and doe sit with my father in his throne Hitherto are the wordes of Christ to S. Iohn And in the end of the same booke after he had described the ioyes and glorie of heauen at large he concludeth thus And he that fate on the throne said to me Write thes wordes for that they are most faithful and true Qui vicerit possidebit haec ero illi Deus ille erit mihi 〈◊〉 timidis autem incredulis c. pars illorum erit in stagna ardenti igne sulphure quod est mors secunda He that shal conquer shal possesse al the ioyes that I haue here spokē of and I wil be his God and he shal be my sonne But they which shal be fearful to sight or incredulous of thes thinges that I haue saied their portiō shal be in the lake burning with fire and brimstone which is the second death Here now we see both allurements threates both good and euil life death the ioyes of heauen and the burning lake of hel proposed vnto vs. We may streach out our handes vnto which we wil. If we fight and conquere as by Gods grace vve may then are we to enioy the promises laid doune before If we shew our selues ether vnbeleuing in thes promises or feareful to take the sight in hand being offered vnto vs then fal we into the danger of the contrarie threates euen as S. Iohn affirmeth in an other place that certaine noble men did amōg the Iewes who beleeued in Christ but yet durst not confesse him for feare of persecution HERE THEN must ensew an other vertue in vs most necessary to al tribulation and affliction and that is a strong firme resolution to stand and go through what opposition or contradiction soeuer we find in the world ether of fauning flatterie or of persecuting crueltie This the scripture teacheth crying vnto vs esto firmus in via domini Be firme and immouable in the way of our Lord. And againe State in side 〈◊〉 agite Stand to your faith playe the men And yet further conside in Deo mane in loco 〈◊〉 Trust in God and abide firme in thy place And finally 〈◊〉 nō dissoluantur 〈◊〉 vestrae Take courage vnto you and let not your handes be dissolued from the worke you haue begonne This resolution had the three children Sydrach Misach Abdenago when hauing heard the flattering speech and infinite threates of cruel Nabuchodonasor they answered with a quiet spirit O king we may not answere you to this long speech of yours For behold our God is able if he wil to deliuer vs from this furnace of fire which you threaten and from al that you cā doe othervvise against vs. But yet if it should not please him so to doe you must know Sir king that we doe not worshippe your goddes nor yet adore your golden Idole which you haue set vp This resolution had Peter and Iohn who being so often brought before the councel and both commanded threatned and beaten to the end they should talke no more of Christ they answered stil Obedire oportet Deo magis quam hominibus we must obey God rather then men The same had S. Paul also when being requested with teares of the Christians in Cesarea that he wold forbeare to goe to Ierusalem for that the holie Ghost had reuealed to manie the troubles which expected him there he answered what meane you to wepe thus and to afflict my hart I am not onelie readie to be in bondes for Christs name in Ierusalem but also to suffer death for the same And in his epistle to the Romanes he yet further expresseth this resolution of his when he sayeth what thē shal we saye to these thinges if God be with vs who wil be against vs who shal separate vs from the loue of Christ shal tribulation shal distresse shal hungar shal nakednes shal peril shal persecution shal the sworde I am certaine that nether death nor life nor
men that is God shal permit wicked mē to fal into snares which are as plentiful in the world as are the droppes of raine which fal doune from heauē Euery thing almost is a deadly snare vnto a carnal and loose harted mā Euery fight that he seeth euery word that he heareth euery thought that he conceaueth his youth his age his freendes his enemies his honour his disgrace his riches his pouertie his compagnie keeping his prosperitie his aduersitie his meate that he eateth his apparel that he weareth al are snares to draw him to destruction that is not watchful Of this then and of the blindnes declared before doth folow the last and greatest miserie of al other which can be in this life And that is the facilitie wherby worldly men doe runne into sinne For truely saieth the scripture miseros facit populos peccatum Sinne is the thing that maketh people miserable And yet how easily men of the world doe commit sinne and how litle scruple they make of the matter Iob signifieth when talking of such a man he saieth bibit quasi aquam iniquitatem He suppeth vp sinne as it were water that is with as great facilitie custome ease aduētureth he vpō any kind of sinne that is offered him as a man drinketh water when he is a thirst He that wil not beleeue the saying of Iob let him proue a litle by his owne experience whether the matter be so or no. Let him walke out into the streetes behold the doinges of men vew their behauiour cōsider what is done in shoppes in halles in consistories in iudgement seates in palaces and in cōmon meeting places abroad what lying what slandering what deceiuing there is He shal find that of al things wherof men doe make any accōpt in the world nothing is so litle accounted of as to commit a sinne He shal see iustice solde veritie wrested shame lost and equitie despised He shal see the innocent condemned the guiltie deliuered the wicked aduaunced the vertuous oppressed He shal see many theeues florish many vsurers beare great sway many murderers and extorsioners reuerenced and honoured many fooles put in authoritie and diuers which haue nothing in them but the forme of men by reason of money to be placed in great dignities for the gouernmēt of others He shal heare at euerie mans mouth almost vanitie pride detraction enuie deceit dissimulation wantōnesse dissolution lying swearing periurie and blaspheming Finally he shal see the most part of men to gouerne them selues absolutely euen as beastes doe by the motion of there passions not by law of iustice reason celigion or vertue The. 5. pointe of the parable OF THIS DOTH ensue the fifte point that Christ toucheth in his parable and which I promised here to handle to wit that the loue of this world choketh vp and strangleth euerie man whom it possesseth fromal celestial and spiritual life for that it filleth him with a plaine contrarie spirite to the spirite of God The Apostle saieth Si quis spiritum Chrsti non habet hic non est cius If any man haue not the spirit of Christ this felow belongeth not vnto him Now how contrarie the spirite of Christ and the spirite of the world is maie appeare by the twelue fruites of Christs spirite reckned vp by S. Paul vnto the Galathians to wit Charitie which is the roote and mother of al good workes Ioye in seruing God peace or trāquilitie of minde in the stormes of this world Patience in aduersitie Longanimitie in expecting our reward Bogitic in hurtig no man Benignitie in sweete behauiour Gentlenes in occasion geuē of anger Faithfulnes in performig our promises Modestie without arrogancie Continencie from alkind of wickednes Chastitie in conseruing a pure minde in a cleane and vnspotted bodie Against thes men saith S. Paul there is no lavv And in the verie same chapter he expresseth the spirite of the world by the contrarie effectes saying the worcks of flesh are manifest which are fornication vncleannes wantonnes lecherie idolatrie poysonninges enemities contentious emulations wrath strife dissention sectes enuie murder drōkennes glutonie and the like of which I fortel you as I haue tolde you before that those men which doe such things shal neuer obteine the kingdome of heauen Here now may euery man iudge of the spirit of the world and of the spirit of Christ and applying it to him self may coniecture whether he holdeth of the one or of th' other S. Paul geeueth two pretie short rules in the very same place to trye the same The first is They vvhich are of Christ haue crucifie ltheir flesh vvith the vices concupisconces therof That is they haue so mortified their owne bodies as they commit none of the vices and sinnes repeated before nor yeld not willinglie vnto the concupiscences or temptations therof The second rule is if vve liue in spirite then let vs vvalke in spirit That is our walking behauiour is a signe whether we be aliue or dead For if our walking be spiritual such as I haue declared before by the twelue fruites therof then doe we liue and haue life in spirite but if our workes be carnal such as S. Paul now hath described then are we carnal and dead in spirite nor haue we any thing to doe with Christ or portion in the kingdome of heauē And for that al the world is ful of those carnal workes and bringeth forth no fruites in deede of Christs spirit nor permitteth them to grow or prosper within her thence is it that the scripture alwaies putteth Christ and the world for opposite and open enemies Christ him self saith that the vvorld can not receaue the spirit of trueth And againe in the same Euangelist he saieth that nether he nor anie of his are of the world though they liue in the world And yet further in his most vehement prayer vnto his father Pater iuste mundus te non cognouit iust father the world hath not knowen thee For which cause S. Iohn writeth If any man loue the vvorld the loue of the Father is not in him And yet further S. Iames that vvbs soeuer desireth only to be a sreend of this vvorld is therby made an enemie to God What wil worldly mē saie to this S. Paul affirmeth plainlie that this world is to be dāned And Christ insinuateth the same in S. Iohns gospel but most of al in that wonderful fact of his whē praying to his Father for other matters he excepteth the world by name Non promun lo saith he I doe not aske mercie and perdone for the world but for those which thou hast geuen me out of the world Oh what a dreadful exception is this made by the Sauiour of the world by the lambe that taketh awaie al sinnes by him that asked perdone euen for his tourmentours and crucifiers to except I saie now the world
things vvith the conclusion of this first booke CHAPT VIII BESIDES al other impedimētes lettes and hinderances which hitherto haue bene named recounted there remaine yet diuers other to be found if a mā could examine the particular consciences of al such as doe not resolue But thes three here mentioned and to be handeled in this chapter are so publique and knowen as I may not passe them ouer without discouering the same for that many times men are sicke and euil affected within and yet know not their owne diseases the onely declaration wherof to such as are desirous of their oune health is sufficient to diuert the danger of the sickenes Of Sloth FIRST THEN the impediment of slouth is a great and ordinary let of resolution to many men but especially in idle and delicate people whos life hath bene in al case and rest and therfore doe persuade themselues that they can take no paines nor abide anie hardnes though neuer so faine they would Of which kind of persons S. Paul saieth that nise people shal not inherite the kingdome of heauen Thes folkes doe proceede in this order They wil confesse to be true so much and a great deale more then is said before and that they would also gladlie for their partes put the same in execution but that they can not Their bodies may not beare it they can not fast they can not watch they can not praie They can not leaue their disportes recreations and merie companions they should die presently as they saie with melanchely if they did it yet in their hartes they desire forsooth that they could doe the same which seing they can not no doubt say they but God wil accept our good desires pardon vs in the rest But let them hearken a litle what the scripture saith hereof Desires do kil the slothful man saith Salomon his handes vvil not fal to any vvorke al the daie long he coucteth and desireth but he that is iust vvil doe and vvil not cease Take the slothful and vnprofitable seruant saith Christ and fling him into vtter darkenes vvhere shal be vveeping and gnashing of teeth And when he passed by the way and founde a figge tree with leaues without fruit which signified desires without workes he gaue it presentlie an euerlasting curse Finallie the prophet Dauid detesteth thos men and saith also they are detested of God qui in labore hominū non sunt which are not in the labours of men Of this fountaine of sloth do proceed many effectes that hinder the slothful frō al good resolution And the first is a certaine heauines and sleepie drowsines towardes al goodnes according as the scripture saith pigredo immittit soporem sloth doth bring drousines For which cause S. Paule saith surge qui dormis arise thou which art a sleepe and Christ crieth out so often videte vigilate looke about you and watch You shal see many men in the world with whom if you talke of a cowe or a calfe of a fat oxe of a peece of groūd or the like they can both heare and talke willinglie and freshly But if you reason with them of their saluation and of their inheritance in the kingdome of heauen they answere not at al but wil heare as if they were in a dreame Of thes persons then saith the wise man how long wilt thou sleepe ô slouthful felow when wilt thou arise out of thy dreame A litle yet wilt thou sleepe a litle longer wilt thou slumber a litle wilt thou close thy handes together and take rest and so pouertie shal hasten vpon thee as a run ning poste and beggarie as an armed man shal take possesse thee The second effect of slouth is a certaine fond feare of paines and labour and of casting dowtes where none be according as the scripture saith pigrum deiicit timor feare discourageth the slothful man And the prophet saith of the like they shake for feare vvhere there is no feare Thes men doe frame vnto them selues strange imaginations of the seruice of almightie God and of verie dangerous euentes if they should imbrace and folow the same One saith if I should fast much it would without dowte corrupt my blood An other saith if I should pray and stand bareheaded long I should die most certainly with rheume A third saieth if I should kepe account of al my sinnes to confesse them it would quicklie kil me with sadnes And yet al this is nothing els but slouth as the scripture testifieth in thes wordes Dicit piger leo est foris in medio platearum occidendus sum The slouthful man saith sitting stil in his house ther is a Lion without if I should goe out of dores to labour I should certainly be slaine in the middest of the streetes A third effect of sloth is pusillanimitie and faintnes of hart wherby the slouthful man is ouerthrowen and discouraged by euery litle contrarietie or difficultie which he findeth in vertue or which he imagineth to finde therin Which the scripture signifieth when it saith inlapide luteo lapidatus est piger the slouthful man is stoned to death with a stone of durt that is he is ouerthrowne with a difficultie of no importance Againe De stercore boum lapidatus est piger the slouthful man is stoned dead with the dung of oxen which commonly is such a substance as hardly can doe any hurt A fowerth effect of slouth is idle lazines which we see in many men that wil take and consult of this that about their amendement but wil execute nothing Which is most fitlie expressed by the Holie Ghost in thes wordes Sieut ostium vertitur in cardine suo it a piger in lectulo suo As a dore is tossed in and out vpon his hingels so is a slothful man lying lazelie vpon his bedde And againe vult non vult piger A slothful man wil and wil not that is he turneth him self to and from in his bedde betwene willing and nilling he doth nothing And yet further in an other place the scripture describeth this lazinesse saying the slothful man putteth his handes vnder his girdle and vvil not vouchsase to lift them vp to his mouth for that it is painful Al thes and many more are the effectes of slothe but thes fower especiallie haue I thought good to touch in this place for that they let and hinder greatlie this resolution which we talke of For he that liueth in a slumber wil not heare or attend to any thing that is said of the life to come and besides this imagineth feareful matters in the same and thirdlie is throwen downe by euerie litle blocke that he findeth in the way and lastlie is so lazie as he can beare no labour at al this man I say is past hope to be gained to any such purpose as we speake of TO REMOVE therfore this
the temptations of the world and deuil the resisting wherof is much more difficult in time of peace and wealth then in time of external affliction and persecution for that thes enemies are stronger in flatterie then in force which a godly father expresseth by this parable The sunne and wind saieth he agreed one day to proue their seueral strengthes in taking a cloke from a waiefaring man And in the forenoone the wind vsed al violence that he could to blow of the said clok But the more he blew the more fast held the trauailer his clock and gathered it more closely about him At after noone the sunne sent forth her pleasant beames by litle and litle so entered into this man as he caused him to yeeld to put of not onely his cloke but also his cote Whereby is proued saieth this father that the allurementes of pleasure are more strong and harder to be resisted then the violence of persecution The like is shewed by the example of king Dauid who resisted easily many assaults of aduersitie but yet fel dangerously in time of prosperitie Wherby appeareth that vertuous men haue no lesse warre in time of peace then in time of persecution Nor euer wanteth there occasion of bearing the crosse and suffering affliction to him that wil accept of the same And this may susfice for this first point to proue that euery man must enter into heauen by tribulation as S. Paul saieth The second part TOVCHING THE second why God wold haue this matter so it were sufficiēt to aunswer that it pleased him best so without seeking any further reason of his meaning herein euen as it pleased his diuine Maiestie without al reason in our sight to abase his sonne so much as to send him hither into this world to suffer and die for vs. Or if we wil needes haue a reason hereof this one might be sufficiēt for al that seing we looke for so great a glory as we doe we should labour a litle first for the same and so shew our selues worthie of Gods fauour and exaltation But yet for that it hath pleased his diuine Maiestie not onely to open vnto vs his wil and determination for our suffering in this life but also diuers reasons of his most holy purpose and pleasure therin for our further encouragement and consolation that doe suffer I wil in this place repeate some of the same for declaration of his exceeding great loue and fatherlie care towardes vs. THE FIRST cause then and the most principal is to encrease therby our merit and glorie in the life to come For hauing appointed by his eternal wisdome and iustice that none shal be crouned there but according to the measure of his fight in this world the more and greater cōbates that he geueth together with sufficient grace to ouercome them the greater crowne of glorie prepareth he for vs at our resurrection This cause toucheth S. Paul in the wordes before alleaged of the saintes of the olde testament to wit that they receaued no redemption from their miseries in this world to the end they might find a better resurrection in the world to come This also meant Christ expresselie when he saied Happie are they vvhich suffe persecutiō for theirs is the kingdom of heauen happie are you vvhen men speake euil and persecute you c. reioyse be glad I saye for that your revvard is great in heauē Hereunto also appertaine al those promises of gaining life by leesing life of receauing a hundred for one and the like Herehence do procede al those large promises to virginitie and chastitie and to such as geld them selues for the kingdom of heauen to voluntarie pouertie and to the renouncing of our owne wil by obedience Al which are greate conflictes against the fleshe world and our owne sensualitie and can not be performed but by sufferings and affliction Finally S. Paul declareth this matter fullie when he sayeth that a litle and short tribulation in this life vvorketh a beape of glorie aboue al measure in the hight of heauen THE SECOND cause why God appointed this is to draw vs therby from the loue of the world his professed enemie as in the next chapter shal be shewed at large This cause S. Paul vttereth in these wordes VVe are punished of God in this life to the end vve should not be damned vvith this vvorld In like maner as a Nurse that to weane her child from the loue and liking of her milke dothe anointe her teat with Aloes or some other such bitter thing so our merciful Father that wolde retire vs. from the loue of wordlie delites wherby infinite men doe perish daily vseth to send tribulation which of al other thinges hath most force to woorke that effect as we see in the example of the prodigal sonne who could by no meanes be stayed from his pleasures and retired home to his olde Father but onelie by affliction THIRDLIE God vseth tribulation as a most present and soueraine medicine to heale vs of many diseases otherwise almost incurable As first of a certaine blindenes and careles negligence in our estate contracted by wealth and prosperitie In which sense holy scripture saieth that affliction geueth vnderstanding And the wise man affirmeth that the rodde bringeth vvisdom This was shewed in figure when the sight of Tobie was restored by the bitter gaule of a fish And we haue cleare examples in Nabuchodonasor Saul Antiochus and Manasses al wich came to see their owne faultes by tribulation which they wolde neuer haue done in time of prosperitie The like we read of the brethren of Ioseph who falling into some affliction in Egypt presentlie entred into their owne conscience and sayd VVe suffer those thinges vvorthely for that vve sinned against our brother And as tribulation bringeth this light wherby we see our owne defectes so helpeth it greatlie to remoue and cure the same wherin it may be wel likened vnto the rodde of Moyses For as that rodde striking the hard rockes brought foorth water as the scripture saieth so this rodde of affliction falling vpon stonie harted sinners mollifieth them to contrition and often times bringeth forth the fluddes of teares to repentance In respect wherof holy Tobie saieth to almightie God In time of tribulation thou forgeuest sinnes And for like 〈◊〉 it is compared also to a file of yron which taketh away the rust of the soule In like maner to a purgation that driueth out corrupt humours And finallie to a goldsmithes forge which cōsumeth away the refuse metals and fineth the gold to his perfection I vvil trie thee by fire to the quick saieth God to a sinner by Esay the prophet and I vvil take avvaie al thy tinne and refuse metal And againe by Ieremie I vvil melt them and trye them by fire This he meant of the fire of tribulation whose propertie is according