compasse of this work I meane onely at thys tyme for the comfort of such as are already in the right way and for some light vnto others who perhaps of simplicity may walk awry to â—ette downe with as great breuiâ—y as possibly may be som few generall notes or obseruations for theyr better helpe in thys behalâ—e In which great affaire of our sayth and beleefe wherein consisteth as well the ground and foundation of our eternall welfare as also the fruite and entire vtilitie of Christes comming into this world it is to be coÌ„sidered that GOD could not of his infinite wisedome fore-seeing all things and times to come nor euer would of his vnspeakable goodnes desiring our saluation as he dooth leaâ—e vs in this life without most sure certaine and cleere euidence of thys matter and consequently we must imagine that all our errors coÌ„mitted heerein I meane in matters of fayth beleefe among Christians doe proceede rather of sin negligence wilfulnes or inconsideraâ—ion of our selues then eyther of dyfficulty or doubtfulnes in the means left vnto vs for discerning of y e same or of the want of Gods holy assistaunce to that effect if we woulde with humilitie accept thereof Thys Esay made plaine when he prophecied of thys perspicuitie that is of this most excellent priuiledge in Christian religion so many hundred yeeres before Christ was borne For after that in diuers chapters hee had declared the glorious comming of Christ in signes and myracles as also the multitude of Gentiles that should embrace hys doctrine together with the ioy and exultation of theyr conuersion he fore-sheweth presently the wonderful prouidence of God also in prouiding for Christians so manifest a way of direction for theyr fayth and Religion as the most simple and vnlearned man in the world should not be able but of wilfulnes to goe astray therein Hys wordes are these directed to the Gentiles Take comfort and feare not Behold your God shall come and saue you Then shall the eyes of the blinde be opened and the eares of the deafe shall be restored c. And there shall be a path away which shalbe called The holy way and it shalbe vnto you so direct away as fooles shall not be able to erre therin By which words we see that among other rare benefits that Christes people were to receiue by his coÌ„ming thys shold be one and not the least that after hys holy doctrine once published receyued it shoulde not be easie for the weakest in capacitie or learning that might be whom Esay heere noteth â—y the name of Fooles to runne awry in matters of theyr beleefe sâ— plaine cleere and euident should the way for tryall thereof be made God hath opened hymselfe vnto vs in y e holy scripturâ—s the wrytings and doctrine of Moses and the Prophets of Christ and hys Apostles wherin is contayned what soeuer is necessary for our saluation For although the inuisible things of God that is hys power and God-heade may be seene by the workmanshyp and creation of the world wherein as in a booke written with the hand of GOD and layd open to the eyes of men the glory of God and hys mighty power appeareth Yet because eyther we read not this booke at all or if wee doe we read it carelesly therefore it was necessary that the Lord God should adde another Booke more plaine and easie to be read so as he may run that readeth it and this is as hath been said his holy will reuealed vnto vs in hys written word Which S. Augustine therefore very well calleth y e Letters or Epistle of GOD sent vnto vs from our heauenly Countrey to teach vs to lyue godly and righteously whilst wee soiourne heere in thys present world Thys is that Lanthorne whereby our feete may be directed and that light wherby our paths may be guided vnto Christ it is that most certaine and infallible rule and leuel of all our actions whereby both our fayth lyfe are to be squared and framed Yea it is that holy and vndefiled way and withal that plaine easy way denoted by Esay which euen the very entraunce thereof gyueth lyght and vnderstanding as Dauid speaketh vnto the simple And although we must confesse with S. Peter that there are some things in the Scripture harde to be vnderstoode yet we may also say with the same Peter that they are hard to those that are vnlearned and vnstable which peruert and wrest them to their owne destruction So that if the Gospell of Christ be yet hyd it is hid vnto them that perish whose sences sathan hath closed that the lyght thereof shoulde not shyne vnto them And heere-hence it is that the Apostle S. Paule pronounceth so peremptorily of a contentious and hereticall man that hee is damned by the testimony of his own iudgement or conscience for that hee hath abandoned thys common direct and publique way which all men might see hath deuised particuler paths and turnings to himselfe And heere-hence is it that the auncient Fathers of Christes Primatiue Church dysputing against the same kind of people defended alwaies that theyr errour was of malice and wilful blindnes and not of ignoraunce applying these wordes of prophecie vnto them They that sawe me ranne out from me Thus then it appeareth that the plaine and direct way mentioned by Esay wherin no simple or ignorant man can erre is the doctrine taught by the mouth of our Sauiour Christ and hys Apostles which howsoeuer it seeme to be obscure darksome to men of peruerse mindes that are not exercised in it yet to the godlie and studious readers hearers that haue theyr eyes opened and theyr mindes lightened to see the trueth it is most plaine easie to be vnderstood And thys is the cause that those holy and sage Apostles of Christ for the better peruerting of al bie-waies crooked pathes and blinde lanes of errors that afterwards might arise as by reuelation from Iesus they vnderstoode there shoulde doe many so earnestly exhorted so vehemently called vppon the people to stand fast in the documents theÌ„ receyued to hold firmely the faith doctrine already deliuered as a Depositum treasure committed to be safely kept vntill the last day And aboue all other things they most dilligentlie fore-warned them to beware of new-fangled Teachers whom they called Heretiques who shold breake froÌ„ the vnity of that body whereof Christ is the head shoulde deuise newe glosses expositions and interpretations of Scripture bring in new senses doctrines opinions and deuisions to the renting of Gods Church and citty now builded and to the perdition of infinite soules The Apostle S. Paule euen whilst he lyued found some of hys Schollers to be remooued by new fangled Teachers to another Gospell the better to make them see their error hee appealeth to the Gospell which he
Scriptures do vse this simplicitie of speech and do not admit that kind of painted and artificiall stile which humane writers doe so much couet yet in perswading instructing mouing of affections all other effects which speech or writing can work there is no comparision a thing most wonderfull betweene any other writing in the world and these Wherefore I could alledge many proofes and examples but that it were too-long Let any man reade attentiuely but the first Chapter of the prophecie of Esay and compare it with any one part or parcell of Tullies or Demosthines Orations and see whether the difference of wordes be as great as the difference of motions Let diuers Himnes and holie Psalmes of the Scriptures be conferred with the most patheticall Poems that mans wit hath inuented and see whether there bee any comparison in stirring and siering of affections or no This am I sure that Iosephus the Iâ—w who for glory of his eloquence had his Image of mettall erected by Titus the Emperour in the Market-place of Rome wrote the samâ— story which the Scriptures contaâ—ne and bestowed much labour and humane cunning therein But yet euen in those places where hee endeuoured most to shew his arte as in the Sacrifice of Isaack by his father and in the meeting of Iephte with his onelie daughter which by vowe he was constrayned to put to death the scriptures are able to pierce the hâ—rt and wring out teares of the Reader whom Iosephus will not greatlie mooue with hys rethoricall narration though otherwise verie learned and artificiallie penned Aristaeus that learned Gentile of whom wee haue made mention before who was in speciall fauor with Ptolomie the second great Monarch of Egipt about three hundred yeres before our Sauiour Christ his natiuitie and a chiefe doer in procuring the translation of the Hebrue Bible into the Greeke language reported of his owne knowledge â—o the saide King Ptolomie two strange accidents which had happened in hys time and which he had vnderstood oâ— the parties themselues to whom they had happened The first was of Theopompus an eloquent Historiographer who hauing translated manie things out of the Bible endeuouring to adorne the same with vaine collours of eloquence could not performe his desire but was striken with a suddaine maze and giddinesse in the head and was warned in his sleepe not to proceed any further in that work after that sort for that such manner of style was too base for so high matters as the scriptures contained The other example was of one Theodectes a writer of Tragaedies who told Aristaeus that he once attempted to bring certaine matters out of the Iewes Bible into a Pagan tragaedie and that thereupon he was presentlie striken blind wherewith he beeing astonished and falling to repentance for that he had done desisting from the enterprise as also Theopompus did they were both of them restored againe to their former healthes And thus much did these three Pagans confesse of the authoritie diuinitie and peculier sacred style of our Scriptures ¶ The seuenth proofe of Scriptures BVT now further it insueth in order that after the subiect and phrase we should consider a little the contents of these Scriptures which will perhaps more cleerelie direct vs to the viewe of their Author then any thing els that hetherto hath been said And for our present purpose I will note onelie two speciall things contained in the Bible The first shal be certain high and hidden doctrines which are aboue the reach and capacitie of humaine reason and consequentlie could neuer fall into mans braine to inuent them As for example that all this wonderfull frame of the world was created of nothing whereas Phylosophy saith That of nothing nothing can be made That Angels being created spirits were damned eternallie for their sinnes that Adam by disobedience in Paradise drewe all his posterity into the obligation of that his sinne and that the womans seed should deliuer vs from the same That God is one in substance and three in person that the second of these persons being God should become man and die vpon a crosse for the raunsome of mankind that after him the way to all felicitie and honour should bee by contempt suffering and dishonour These doctrines I say and many more contained in the Bible beeing things aboue mans capacitie to deuise and nothing agreeing with humane reason most euidentlie do declare that God was the Authour and enditer of the Scriptures for that by him onely and from no other these high secret misteries could be reuealed The second thing contained in the Scriptures that could not proceede but from GOD alone are certaine prophecies fore-tellings of things to come Wherein God himselfe prouoketh the Idols of the Gentiles to make experience of their power in these words Declare vnto vâ— what shall ensue heereafter and thereby wee shall know that you are Godâ— indeede Which is to be vnderstood if they could fore-tell particulerly plainly what was to come in things meerelie contingent or depending of mans will they should thereby declare their power to be diuine For albeit these Idols of the Gentilesâ— as Apollo and other that gaue forth Oracles which were nothing els indeed but certaine wicked spirites that tooke vppon them these names did sometimes happen vpon the truth fore-tel things to come as also most Astrologers Soothsaiers and Magitians doe either by â—ore-sight in the starres and other elements or by the assistance of these wicked spirits and deuils yet are the things which they pronosticate eyther natural not contingent so may be foreseene foretold in their causes as raine heate colde winds and the like or els if they be meere accidentall these predictions of theirs are onely coniectures and so most in certain subiect to errors This testifieth Porphirie the great Patron of Paganisme in a speciall book of the answers of gods wherin he sweareth that he hath gathered truely without addition or detraction the Oracles that was most famous before his time wyth the false and vncertaine euent thereof in consideration of vvhich euent he setteth down his iudgement of their power in predictions after this maner The Gods do fore-tell some naturall things to come for that they do obserue the order and coniunction of their naturall causes but of thinges that are coâ—tingent or doe depende of mans will they haue but coniectures onely in that by their subtiltie and celeritie they preuent vs. But yet they oftentimes doe lie and deceiue vs in both kindes for that as naturall things are variable so mans will is much more mutable Thus farre Porphirie of the prophecies of his Gods wherunto agreeth an other Heathen oâ— great credite among the Grecians named Oenomaus who for that he had been much delighted with Oracles and more deceiuedâ— wrote a special Booke in the ende of their falshood and
had taught them The gospell he preached was not after man neyther receiued he it of man but by reuelation from Iesus Christ. Hee brought them no fancies visions dreames interpretations of Scripture hatched in his owne braine but the pure and sincere doctrine receyued by reuelation from GOD hymselfe and faythfully deliuered vnto them without hacke or mayme as he receiued it Therefore S. Ierome vppon that place considering how all Hereticks haue iugled with the Scriptures froÌ„ tyme to tyme sayth That Marcion and Basilides and other Heretiques the contagious botches and plague sores of the church haue not the Gospell of God because they haue not the Spyrite of GOD without which that which is taught groweth to be mans Gospell Thys maketh that learned Father to resolue vpon the matter that it is a dangerous thing peruersly to expound the holy Scriptures for by thys meanes that is by wrong and peruerse interpretation that which is Gods Gospell is made mans Gospell et quod peius est and that which is worse sayth thys holy Father it is made the deuils Gospell For discerning therefore of thys kynde of most pernicious people and theyr deuilish dealing and least we should be carried away with euery winde of docdrine by the wilinesse of men GOD hath ordained in hys Church Apostles Doctors Prophets Pastors Interpreters whom he hath so guyded and gouerned froÌ„ time to time with hys holy Spyrit that they haue beene able by the Scriptures to represse and beate downe whatsoeuer errours and heresies haue been raysed vp by the enemies of Gods truth contrary to the analogie of fayth rule of charitie that is to say beside the true sence and meaning of the Canonicall Scripture When there rose vp certaine seditious fellowes among the Iewes in the Primatiue Church making som contention about theyr ceremonies as did Simon Magus Nichâ—lasâ— Cerinthus Ebion and Meandâ—r that were Heretiques They were refelled and conuinced out of the scriptures by the Apostles and their Schollers Martialis Dyonisius Areopagita Ignatius Policarpus and other who were no doubt directed and guided by the Spyrit of GOD. Afterwarde when Basilides Cerdon Marcion ValeÌ„tinus Tatianus Apelles Montanus and diuers other troubled the Church wyth monstrous heresie they were coÌ„futed by Iustinus Martyr Dionisius Bishop of Corinth Iraeneus Clemens Alexandrinus Tertullian their equales who in all theyr controuersies had recourse vnto the Scriptures and beeing instructed and ledde by the spyrite of trueth preuailed mightilie against theyr aduersaries And so downward froÌ„ age to age vnto our dayes whatsoeuer heresie or different opynion hath sprung vp contrary to the doctrine of Christ and hys Apostles it hath beene checked and controlled by the Watchmen spiritual Pastors and Gouernors of the Church who alledged alway the coÌ„sent of y e scriptures for decyding of al doubts and were most graciously guided by the Spyrite of GOD in all theyr actions And heereof it is that the worde of God is called the sword of the spirit because as it was giuen by inspiration at the first so beeing expounded by the direction of the same Spirite it is most liuely and mighty in operation sharper then any two edged sword and entering through euen to the deuiding a sunder of the soule and the Spyrit of the ioynts and the marrowe and it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the hart This is that spyriual sword wherwith our Sauior Christ preuailed against sathan the head Lord maister of all Heretiques who notwithstanding pretended scriptures for his deuillish purposes And the Apostle Paule beeing furnished with thys onely weapon dysputed against the peruerse and ouer-thwart Iewes which dwelt at Damascus and confounded them proouing by conference of Scriptures that thys was verie Christ. Now as it was expedient that the Gospels should be written that we learning the truth fooâ—th of them should not be deceyued by the lyes of herâ—sies so was it necessary that the same gospels shold be preached for the confirmation of fayth And heereof it is that the Apostle Saint Paule Rom. 10 sayth that fayth coÌ„meth by hearing the word of God because the word preached is the ordinary meanes to beget and increase faith in vs for the which cause also it is called the incorruptible seede whereby we are borne a newe and whereby the Church is sanctifyed vnto the Lord. Wherfore to conclude this point seeing that the holy Scriptures are that most infallible and secure way mentioned by Esay seeing they are the rule and leuell both of our faith and lyfe containing in them sufficient matter to confute errour confirme the truth able to make a man wise vnto saluation and perfectly instructed vnto euery good worke this ought to be the duty of y e faythful that I may vse the words of Basil to be thorowly perswaded in his mind that those things are true and effectuall which are vttered in the Scripture to reiect nothing thereof For if whatsoeuer is not of fayth be sinne as sayth the Apostle and if fayth commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God without doubt when any thing is without the holy Scripture which cannot be of fayth it must needes bee sinne And therefore to speake as S. Augustine speaketh if any I will not say if wee but which S. Paule addeth if an Angel from heauen shal preach eyther of Christ or of his church or of any other thing which pertaineth to faith or to the leading of our lyfe otherwise then we haue receiued in the holy scriptures of the Law and the Gospell let them bee accursed Now if forsaking al by-pathes of mens inuentions and traditions we wil search diligently in the scriptures wherein we thinke to haue eternall lyfe we shall see that they testifie of nothing so much as of the promises of God in Christ Iesus who as he is the ende of the law for righteousnes to euery one that beleeueth so doe they send vs directly and as it were lead vs by the hand like a carefull Schoole-maister vnto hym teaching vs to apprehend and lay hold on hym with the hand of fayth and to apply hym with hys gifts graces vnto our selues and our own saluation So that fayth is made the meanes and as it were the Conduit to conuay Christ himselfe his death buriall and resurrection and all the rest of his benefits vnto vs which the Apostle witnesseth Colos. 2.12 Yee are buried saith he with hym thorow Baptisme in whom ye are also raised vp together through the sayth of GOD effectually working who raised hym from the dead Whereof it ensueth that all the faythfull doe not only obtaine y e benefit of Christes death and buriall by theyr Baptisme whereby they die vnto sinne but also doe receiue and enioy the fruite effect of his resurrection by a liuely faith wherby they are quickned and raised vp vnto righteousnes in thys life
That they should whip rent and teare his body before they put hym to death Esay 53 ve 2. Psa. 37. verse 18. That they should put him to death among thieues malefactors Esay 53 ver 12. That they should giue him vineger to drinke deuide his apparrel and cast lots for hys vpper garment Psal 68 ver 22 and 21 verse 19. That he shoulde rise againe from death the third day Psalm 15. verse 19. Ose 6 ve 3. That he should ascend to heauen and sit at the right hand of God his Father for euer Psal 67 verse 19 109. verse 1. All these particularities and a nuÌ„ber more were reuealed in scripture touching the Messias some four thousand yeres some two thousand and some one thousand the last of all aboue foure hundred yeeres before Christ was borne Which if we lay together and doe consider withall how exactly they were fulfilled afterwarde in the person of Christ as in the next Section shall be declared if we adde also to this that we haue receiued these Prophecies and predictions from a Nation that most of all other doth hate vs and that the same are to be seene read in theyr Bibles euen worde for word as they are in ours if you hold in memorie also what inuincible proofes are alledged before in the second chapter for the infallible truth and certainty of those Hebrue scriptures you shall find that hardly any thing can be imagined for manifestation of a truth before it com to passe which God hath not obserued in fore-shewing the Messias The fift Consideration AND all these considerations are touching the Iewes There remayneth some-what to be sayde of the Gentiles who albeit they were to receiue their principal knowledge in thys affayre from the Iewish Nation to whom the Messias was first and principally promised and from whom the Gentiles had to expect both theyr Sauiour and hys Apostles as also the Scriptures for testimonie and witnesse of them both and finally al theyr certaine knowledge and sounde vnderstanding in the misteries of Christ yet had they also among themselues some kinde of notice and fore-warning in thys matter which beeing ioyned with that which I haue sette down before of the Iewes and examined at the light of Gods diuine Prophecies before alledged it wil make very much for confirmation of our Christian veritie And therefore thys last consideration shal be of the foreknowledge of Gentiles in thys behalfe For better vnderstanding wherof it is to be noted y t besides all knowledge of y e Messias that diuers Gentiles might haue by the Hebruâ— scriptures which as I haue shewed before were in the Greeke language diuers ages before Christ was â—orne or by the instruction or conuersation of the Iewes with whom many Pagans dyd lyue familiarlie there remained three waies peculier to the Gentiles wherby they receiued some vnderstanding and fore-warning of this great mistery The first was by tradition and writing of theyr auncestours The second by prophecies of theyr owne The third by admonishment of their Idoles Oracles especially when the time of Chrisâ—es appearaunce drew neere And for the first way it is euident that as the Iewes receiued diuers things by succession from their forefathers they againe from Moses and Moses from the Patriarches Iacob Isaack Abraham who was the first man froÌ„ whom that whole Nation proceeded and in whom they were distinguished from all other people in the world so had the Gentiles other Nations theyr succession also of doctrine and monuments euen from the beginning albeit the lower they went the more corrupt they were and more obscured in diuine knowledge by theyr exercise in Idolatry So we knowe that the Romains had their learning from the Graecians the Graecians from the Egyptians and the Egyptians from the Chaldaeans who were the first people that receiued instruction in diuine matters from Adam Methusalem Noe and others of those first auncient Fathers Now then it is to be considered that by consent of Writers there were three famous men that lyued together in those auncient times to wit Aâ—raham who descending from HEBER was the Father and beginner of the Iewes or Hebrues and with him Iob and one Zoroastres that were not of that linage of HEBER but as we call them for distinctions sake eyther Heathens or Gentiles albeit that difference was not then in vre And of Iob wee know by y e testimony of his booke that he was a most holy vertuous man Of Zoroastres we know onelie that he was greatly learned and left testimonies thereof vnto his posteritie Thys Zoroastres lyuing in Abrahams tyme might by account of Scripture see or speake with Noe. For Abraham was borne three-score yeeres before Noe deceassed And Noe was borne aboue fiue hundred yeeres before Metâ—usaleÌ„ died which Methusalem had liued two hundred and fortie yeeres with our first Father Adâ—m and had enioyed conuersation both with God Angels And thereby no doubt could tell many high and secrete misteries especially touching Christ in whom all hys hope for redemption of hys posterity did consist Which misterie and hidden knowledge it is not vnlike but that Abraham Iob Zoroastres others who lyued at that time with them might receiue at the third hand by Noe and his children I meane Sem Cham and Iaphet who had liued before the flood and had seene Methusalem which Methusalem lyued as I said before so many yeeres with Adam Heere-hence it is that in the wrytings of Zoroastres which are extant or recorded by other Authors in his name there be found very plaine speeches of the Son of GOD whom he calleth Secundam mentem the second minde And much more is to be seene in y e writings of Hermes Trismegistus who liued after in Egipt and receiued his learning from thys Zoroastres that these fyrst Heathen Philosophers had manifest vnderstanding of this second person in Trinitie whom Hermes calleth The first begotten Sonne of God his onely sonne his deere eternall immutable and incorruptible Sonne whose sacred Name is ineffable those are hys words And after him againe among the Graecians were Orpheus Hesiodus and others that vttered the like speeches of the son of God as also the Platonists whose wordes and sentences were too-long to repeate in this place But he that will see them gathered together at large let hym reade eyther Origen against Celsus the Heathen or els S. Cyrill in his first booke against Iulian the Apostata And thys shall suffise for thys first way whereby the Gentiles had vnderstanding of Christ. For the second thing which I meÌ„tioned is to be vnderstoode that among the Gentiles there were certayne Prophetesses or women Prophets called Sibyllae which in the Greek tongue as Lactantius gathereth may signifie so much as either Counselleâ—s to God or Reuealers of Gods councell And these women being indued as
which agreeth iust with the eyghteene yeere of Tyberius hys raigne which was the yeere wherein our Sauior Christ suffered And he goeth so nigh as to name the very houres of the day as our Euangelists doe Aesculus an old Astronomer doth confirme the same and prooueth moreouer by the situation consâ—itution of the Sunne and Moone at that time that no Eclipse could then be naturallie Which thing in lyke manner Dyonisius Areopagita did obserue in the very day of Christes passion beeing at that time but twenty fiue yeres olde and yet well studied in Astronomie as himselfe testifieth And finally Lucianus a learned Priest of Antioche was accustomed to prouoke the Gentiles to theyr owne Commentaries stories for recorde and testimonie of those things Of Iesus Resurrection THere ensueth now fâ—r ending confirmation of all that hath beene sayd and prooued before to adde a word or two of Iesus Resurrection Which poynt as of all other it is of most importaunce so was it exactly fore-told both to Iew and Gentile and promised by Christ himselfe in all his speeches while he was vppon earth And among the Iewes it was assured by all the Prophecies before recited which do promise so great aboundance of glorie ioy tryumph to Christes Church after his Passion Which neuer possibly could be fulfilled vnlesse hee had risen from death againe And therefore the sayd Resurrection was prefigured in Ionas together with the time of his abode in the Sepulcher It was also expresly fore-shewed by Dauid affirming That God would not suffer his holy one to see corruption And after him againe more plainly by the Prophet Oâ—e He shall quicken vs againe after two dayes in the thyrd day he shall rayse vs wee shal liue in his sight And to the Gentiles Sibylla left written not far froÌ„ the same time He shall ende the necessity of death by three dayes sleepe and then returning froÌ„ death to lyght againe he shall be the first that shall shew the beginning of Resurrection to his chosen for that by conquering death he shall bring vs lyfe Thus much was promised by prophets before christes appearance And Iesus to comfort his disciples followers reiterated hys promise againe of himselfe in many speeches albeit many times his meaning was not perceiued Which promise of returne from death if it had beene made for some long time to come as Mahomet promised his Sarasins after eyght hundred yeeres to reuisite them again albeit the performance were neuer meant yet might the falshood lurk in the length of tyme. But Iesus assuring all men that hee would rise again within three daies it cannot be imagined but that he sincerely purposed to fulfil hys promise for that otherwise the fraude must haue beene discouered Nowe then let vs consider what manner of performance Iesus made heereof The appearings which Iesus made after his Resurrection AND first the persons most interessed in the matter as they whose totall hope stay refuge and felicitie depended heereof I meane hys appalled dysmaied and afflicted Disciples do recount twelue sundry apparisions which Iesus made vnto them in flesh after his Resurrection The first was to Mary Magdalen apart when she with Solome and other women went and remained with oyntments about the Sepulcher The second was to all the women together as they returned home-wards who also were permitted to embrace his feete The thyrde was to Simon Peter alone The fourth to the two Disciples in theyr iourney to Emaus The fift was to all the Apostles and other Disciples together when the dores were shut The sixt was to the same companie againe after eight dayes when Thomas was with them at what tyme also he did both eate drinke and suffered his body also to be handled among them The seauenth was to S. Peter and Saint Iohn with fyue other disciples when they were a fishing at what time also he vouchsafed to eate with them The eyght was to eleuen Disciples at one time vpon the Mount Thabor in Galiley The ninth was to more theÌ„ 5. hundred bretheren at one time as Saint Paule testifieth The tenth was to S. Iames as the same Apostle recordeth The eleuenth was to al his Apostles disciples friends together vpon the Mount Oliuet by Ierusalem when in their presence he ascended vp to heauen The twelfth and last was after his ascention vnto S. Paule as himselfe beareth witnesse All these apparitions are recorded in Scripture as made by Iesus after hys Resurrection to such as by hys eternall wisedome were preordained to be witnesses of so glorious a spectacle To whom as S. Luke affirmeth He shewed himselfe aliue by many arguments for the space of fortie dayes together and reasoned with them of the kingdome of his Father And why any man should mistrust the testimonie of those men which saw him conuersed with him eate with hym dranke with him touched him and heard him speake whose entire estate and welfare depended wholy of the certainty heerof I see no reason For what comfort had it beene or consolation to these men to haue deuised of themselues these former apparitions What encouragement might they haue taken in those doleful tymes of desolation and affliction to haue had among them the dead bodie of him on whose onely lyfe theyr vniuersall hope and confidence depended The Scribes and Pharisies being astonished with the suddaine newes of hys rysing againe confirmed vnto them by their own Souldiours that saw it founde no other way to resist the fame thereof but onely by saying as all their posteritie doe vnto this day that hys Disciples came by night and stole away his body while the souldiours were a sleepe But what likeli-hoode or possibilitie can there be in thys for first it is eâ—ident to all the worlde that his Apostles themselues who were the heads of all the rest were so dismaied discomforted and deiected at that time as they durst not once goe out of the doore for which cause onely those seely women who for theyr sexe esteemed themselues more free from violence presumed alone to visite the Sepulcher which no one man durst doe for feare of the Souldiours vntill by those women they were enformed that the fore-sayd band of Souldiours were terrified put to flight by Christes Resurrection And then how was it likely that men so much amazed ouercome with feare shold aduenture to steale away a dead body from a Guard of Souldiours that kept it or if theyr hearts had serued them to aduenture so great a daunger what hope or probabilitie had there beene of successe especially considering the said body lay in a newe Sepulcher of stone shut vp locked and fast sealed by the Magistrate Howe was it possible I say that hys Disciples should come thether breake vp the Monument take ouâ— his body and carry the same away neuer after to be
and are assertained of resurrection to glory in y e life to come by hys mighty working that is able to subdue all things to hymselfe Seeing therefore that the summe and substance of our whole Religion and of our eternall saluation or damnation consisteth in the knowledge of thys one vertue it shall be worth the labour breefely but yet plainly to describe the forme force and nature of thys faith whereof we speake Wherin you shall not looke for the diuers significations which that word receiueth in scripture nor for any declaration of those vnprofitable faythes wherof S. Iames speaketh which are coÌ„mon to the wicked and to the deuils themselues whereby they beleeue that Iesus is that Christ but heere my purpose is to entreate of that liuely and sauing fayth which is peculier and propper to the elect and chosen chyldren of GOD whereby thâ—y beleeue thaâ— Christ is theyr Iesus by whom they are saued from theyr sinnes from the punishment due vnto them for the same and by whom onely they are restored vnto the fauour of God and made heyres with Christ of his heauenly kingdome In the Epistle to the Hebrues there is a notable description of that liuely faith where it is said to be y e ground of things that are hoped for and the euidence of thinges y t are not seene Of whiâ—h description of y e Apostle we may make a plaine definition after thys sort Fayth is an assured perswasion of our saluatioÌ„ by y e means of Christ which is grounded on the promises of God and sealed in our harts by the holy Ghost This definition is drawne from the forme and propertie of true fayth but the other in the Epistle to the Hebrues seemeth rather to be taken froÌ„ the substaunce of faith and speaketh of the obiect matter thereof But both of theÌ„ tende to one the same thing namely to expresse the nature of true fayth to consist in the certainty of that eternall lyfe which is purchased vnto vs by Christ Iesus which althogh we enioy not presently yet by faith we are as fully assured of it as if we had possession and fruition thereof already And heereof it is that y e Apostle calleth it plerophoria fulnesse or assurance of fayth when wee are perswaded that wee are so highly in Gods fauour that nothing is able to separate or remoue vs froÌ„ the loue that God beareth vs in his sonne and our Sauiour Christ Iesus Thys fulnes of faith containeth in it these three things Fyrst a notice or knowledge of the mercifull promises of God in Christ Iesus Secondly an vndoubted perswasion of the truth of those promises And thirdly the applying of the same to the comfort of our soules and consciences for our saluation For as it is not enough for a man to haue meate vnlesse hee also eate it digest it so it is not enough for vs to know the promises of God vnlesse we beleeue the same to be true and apply them to our owne selues And as it is not enough for a wounded man to haue a soueraigne salue or Medicine in hys windowe vnlesse he apply it to hys wound so is it not sufficient for vs to knowe that Christ is the Sauiour of the world vnlesse also we acknowledge hym to be a Sauiour vnto vs lay hold on hym by the hand of fayth Wherefore thys is the propertie and effect of a sauing fayth euen to apply Christ wyth hys gyfts vnto euery one of the faythful to make all coÌ„clusions of Gods promises particuler that is peculier to themselues and their own saluation And therefore it is that fayth is called the lyfe of the soule because it is the instrument wherwith Christ the true lyfe foode of our soule is to be eaten Yea it is the mouth the tongue the teeth the stomack and that heate of our harts and soules whereby Christ the word of GOD is spiritually taken eaten and digested of vs wyth which worde or rather with which Christ our soules doe lyue namely with the flesh blood of Christ which we eate and drink whilst we embrace receiue Christ by a lyuely fayth Wherupon S. Cyprian hath thys sweet saying Quod est esca carni hoc animae est fides c. That which meate is to the fleshe that is â—ayth to the soule That which foode is to the body that is the worde to the Spyrite So that fayth is the bond which doth so straightly vnite and knit vs vnto Christ no otherwise then the members are vnited to the heade whereby we pertake his spiritual graces as the members of mans body receiue nutriment from the head and in a word what good things soeuer are necessary for our eternall lyfe doe flowe and are deriued vnto vs from Christ as from a most plentiful wholesom fountaine are câ—nueied vnto vs by the instrument of fayth as by a strong and substantiall Conduit-pype It were too long and not so pertinent to the purpose to reâ—ite all the propeâ—ties of this sâ—â—ing faith wherof we speake it may suffise therâ—ore to haue shewed you these few notes and effects thereof by the due consideration whereof it shall be easie for any to examine try themselues as the Apostle speaketh whether they be in the faith or no consequently whether they be true Christians for the first part of y t profession namely for matters of beleefe which coÌ„sisteth as hath been shewed not onely in beleeuing whatsoeuer is propouÌ„ded vnto vs in the holy Scripture although that also be a true fayth but also in the assurance of Gods loue fauour towards vs wrought in our harts by the preaching of the Gospel sealed by the holy Ghost whereby we do firmely perswade themselues that our sins are as vtterly forgiuen vs for Christ his sake as if he neuer had committed any and his righteousnes as perfectly imputed vnto vs as if we had performed the same in our own persons Wherfore to coÌ„clude thys first part of our present speech hee that not onely protesteth with S. Ierome that he dooth abhorre all sectes and names of particuler men as Marcionists Montanists Valenâ—inians the lyke which like the builders of Babel haue built vp Churches Sinagogues and Conuenticles to gette themselues a name that men might be called after them Marcionists Montanists and such others hee I say that loatheth detesteth sects and as hee was not baptised in the name of Marcion Montan or Valentine but in the Name of Iesus Christ so refuseth hee to be called a Marcionist Montanist or Valentinian or by any name of any man vnder heauen and therewithall reioyceth in the Name of Christ to be called a Christian giuing al doctrines and Gospels the slyp pitcheth him vpon the doctrine and Gospell of IESVS taught by his holy Apostles he that can captiuate hys vnderstanding to the obedience of Christ to