one thinkes he if a shew of holines if a place of dignitie be not a meane to tempt If thou be the Sonne of God cast thy selfe down being the Sonne of God thou canst by thine owne power saue thy selfe if not thou hast the ministerie of Angels to saue thee The Scripture it selfe saith it and therefore doubt not throw thy selfe downe He shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee Casting thy self down the Angels sauing thée all the world will giue thée applause and thou shalt be so glorious as neuer was any Wee sée the drift of this temptation when intemperancie doth not take place when a meane estate beneath doth not seduce yet to be aloft the tempter thinkes it a fitter opportunitie of preuailing But what doth hee say Ego mittam te I will cast thée downe no. But Tu te mitte Cast thy selfe downe to shewe that he can hurt none vnlesse any by consenting to temptation hurt himselfe for he that desireth that all might fall can perswade but not cast downe his property it is to suggest but our duty it is to resist his suggestions a diabolicall voyce truly prouoketh to descend not to ascend The tempter sayth in desperate manner throw thy selfe downe but God sayth in hope of mercy raise thy selfe vp 13 In that hee alleadgeth scripture or rather misse-alleadgeth holy writ it teacheth vs with the men of Berea to try whether it be so or no. Wee sée it hath béene the manner of deceiuers following this old deceiuer to forge euidence and somtimes saith Origen to shew themselues like subtill Pyrats who set vp lights néere dangerous rockes that the trauailer repayring thither thinking by the lights all is safe is by that meanes entrapped and taken of his enemies In this fashion peruerse men to strengthen their fancies vse also to deale and force scriptures to the bent of their owne opinions But consiâ—…er wee a little the place of scripture héere alleadged taken out of the ninety and one Psalme all which Psalme say the auncient Fathers concerneth Gods protection of the faithfull man ouer whom he hath appointed the ministerie of Angels Now for Christ who was God from euerlasting he rather kéepes the Angels then the Angels him therfore no way was it appliable vnto him They shall keepe thee that is to say thy self O man which art fraile weak least at any time thou dash thy foote against a stone or fall away being striken at the stone of offence so in the first place the text is not rightly vnderstoode if wee respect the state of the righteous man as the Prophet meaneth yet héere is a contrary sence hee shall keepe thee in all thy wayes true but not in all thy presumptions Hee shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee well shalt thou therefore tempt God the Lord of Angels Christ aunswered rather thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God In the third verse of the same Psalme it is said Hee shall defend thee from the snare of the hunter and in the thirtéenth verse Thou shalt goe vpon the Lyon and Adder both which places concerne our preseruation from the tempter which he leaueth out and onely inserteth 〈◊〉 vnperfect sentence which Christ soone aunswereth Non tentabiâ—… Dominuâ—… deum tuum thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God 14 Hath the deuill yet done tempting no he taketh our blessed Sauiour into an exceeding high mountaine and there sheweth him the Kingdomes of the world with the glory of them at once making a large promise to bestow them all who had not authority to dispose of any one he will giue kingdomes but vppon such a condition as should make any good dealer breake off from coping with so bad a bargayner The condition is hee must be worshipped what should man forsake the worship of God and bestow that vpon anie but God for riches or kingdomes themselues these were déere riches and Kingdomes in déede no saith Balaam I cannot doe it if he would giue me a house full of siluer and gold 15 Hitherto hath our Sauiour shewed no signe of his Deity the tempter takes him to be man therfore tempts him as man in the Desert where is hunger hee tempts him to gluttonie vpon the temple where was the chaire of doctors he tempts him to vain glory vpon the high mountaine whence worldly things are séene hee tempts hun to couetousnesse which is indéede as the Apostle saith Idolatrie for héere hee would haue worship All in vaine was it to shewe Christ the glory of the world who beheld it no otherwise then Phisitians are wont to doe vlcers diseases of their patients he offereth earthly kingdomes to him who had in his owne hands to bestow heauenly hee would haue worship of him whoÌ„ all the Angels doe worship at whose very sight himselfe did tremble And héere is to be noted that by this temptation vppon the mountaine thou mayst learne that when thou art great and high the deuill setteth before thée great and high desires would haue thee fall downe that thou mayest accomplish them Ambitio saith Saint Ambrose domesticum malum vt dominetur alijs prius seruit curuatur obsequio vt honore donetur dum vult esse sublimior sit remissior This ambition hath a domesticall danger that it may rule it serues that it may be honoured it bends bowes in giuing honour while it would be aboue others it becomes inferiour to others 16 Let men knowe that all rightfull power preheminence is from God and that all ambitious power is of the tempter In this temptation consider wee Christes answer vnto the tempter Dominum Deum tuum adorabis et ei soli seruies Thou shalt worship thy Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue And this aunswere Christ giueth him with authoritie commaunding him to depart at which commaunding the tempter leaueth him finding himselfe euery way confounded and that his combate with Christ was â—…mpar congressus hee was not able to stand in this champions hands Now concerning the last assault we may call to minde how quickly our sauiour reiects him when once he begins to mention Gods worship whereby wee are taught to beare iniuries offered to our selues but no wayes to tolerate iniurie offered vnto God For the other temptation sayth Saint Chrysostome Mitte te deorsum Cast thy selfe downe Christ was not so much moued did not rebuke the tempter but when hee began to meddle with Gods worship and speake of casting that away vpon worldlie glory Christ sends him packing with a vade Sathana anoyd Sathan and tels him for worship it was Gods onely and none but Gods 17 Against the temptation of intemperancie wee learne these things first not so much to respect the life of the body as the life of the soule for should we regard the house and let the housholder pine away in misery Should the seruant be adorned and the Maister himselfe become an abiect Secondarily
a storme comes it is gone To let riches and glorie goe and to build vppon the Rocke Our trust in God only is that building which wel neuer faile what wind what storme what waters so euer swel and rage against it excepting our trust in him all humane respects are but froth 8 Fie vpon that folly that delights more to séeme vnto men then to be in truth verity vnto God doth not that wife displease her husband who adorues her selfe to please others the same do they who by these actions onely seeke to please men A strange practise there is in the worlde that goeth about to alter that countenance which God hath formed so and so as if he had not done as was meete they thinke they would teach him how and how hee must haue made them Christ said of the tribute money whose image is this the same may be sayde concerning some whose visage or countenance is this The workeman is wont to grow out of loue with his work séeing it deformed by others How can wee pray or looke vp to God when wee are not of that forme hee hath giuen vs or how can we lift vp our eyes to heaueÌ„ but thinke impietie shall not enter there These think to deceiue others whereas indéede they deceiue themselues and I pray God they doe not one day find as much Pictures desire to make somwhat in shew they respect not anie thing within but what is it to haue a foule guest in a faire house or a little praise and glory with men and to loose praise and acceptation with God Saint Ambrose saith of Ioseph â—…ulcher corpore sed pulchrior animo hee was faire in body but fairer in mind which is best of all 9 To glory in honour praise of men in building in banquetting is as friuolous as to account none worthy of honour but our selues To séeke for ostentations sake to excell others is méere vanity Thy wordes said Phocion to a boasting companion are like a Cypers trée tall enough but without fruit Goe to the Sepulchers saith Saint Austen there shew me a difference if you can amongst the bones betwéene the rich and poore betwéene the maister the seruant betwéene the greatest senator lowest subiect Loe this is hee saith the Prophet That put his trust in riches as if he wold infer you sée what comes of putting trust in earthly things It is said of Herod in the Acts of the Apostles that he that gloried to himselfe of applause giuen him what becam of this the holie Scripture telleth vs he was eaten vp with wormes and Iosephus also writing of his end accordeth with the holy scripture that it was miserable but first saith he there appeared an Owle sitting vpon his head after hee was taken with the before named torments hee was a little before called a God now it appeares hee is a miserable man where were all his Phisitians they could not ease his pains no all his seruants cannot defend him from silly wormes 10 Christ told theÌ„ that sought superiority aboue others they knew not what they sought The people could not in any thing more displease the Apostles then when they would run in to sacrifice vnto them the iust man saith Gregory when he is praysed is then humbled fearing he is not vnto God as hee is estéemed of with men when he hath done any thing amisse he accuseth himself if any thing wel he giueth all the praise only vnto God according to that of the Prophet Non nobis Domine non nobis Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the praise The Prophet teacheth vs to speake twise against our owne praise wee are so ready to praise our selues yea in our best actions saith S Ambrose take héede of that same théefe glory which would steale away from vs all acceptation with God Si putaui aurum robur meum saith Iob if I haue thought gold my strength if I haue lifted vp my hand against the fatherlesse if I haue said to treasure My trust if I haue exalted my self in riches by which kind of spéech the holy man in effect saith I haue not thought gold my strength or said to treasure my trust or exalted my selfe in riches or lift vp my hand against the fatherlesse 11 Plutarch writeth that it was the manner of vain glorious men to haue a kinde of Iester sing their praises in great assemblies but how farre godly men haue béene from this foolishnesse who could not abide such iarring enterludes wee may easily perceiue Moyses would not be counted the sonne of Pharaohs daughter though hee might Saint Paul would not count himselfe worthy of the name of an Apostle the rich man glorieth in his riches but Saint Paul in his infirmities the proud man in his glory he in a good conscience the voluptuous man in excesse he in being content all the instruments with their noise could not make the thrée children fall down before the Idol nor all the popularity in the world make good men affect vain glory they know both what it is and how soone it vanisheth Those who from some high Turret or Tower behold things farre beneath vnder them thinke they are great but those aboue account them small little in like manner those whose minds are eleuated to heauenly things and haue their affections on high worldly glory séemes to these so little and so little worth as they cannot but wonder why men néere these in affection should so much desire it as they doe being so transitorie and variable as they are 12 Where is Pharaoh that gloried in his Chariots doth not his ouerthrowe tell boasting Champions that an hoast is nothing without the God of hoasts Where are the Giants that wold build so high glory in a name doth not Gods word tell vs they were scattered and defeated of their purpose Is glory then so fléeting ' then may worldlings say farewell world for as much as there is no trust in thee which failest theÌ„ whom thou most fauourest they soonest fall when they think them selues surest Farewell world thou that quarrellest but doest not pacifie in thée there is no ioy without trouble no peace without discord no loue without suspition no rest without feare no aboundance without blemish no honour without discontent no estate without carefulnesse of mind Farewell glory of the world for in thy delights promises are made and neuer kept in thy vineyard men labour but are neuer rewarded Farewell world which callest the rash valiant the proud séemely the couetous good husbands the babler cloquent the wanton youthfull Farewel world which deceiuest all that trust thée which doest promise to the ambitious honours to the gréedy rewards to the couetous riches to the young tune farewell I say vaine glory which because thou art not of God failest all 13 It was before said that our Sauiour tolde them that
teach a long way by precepts is by example oftentimes made short and easie Hee fulfilled in his owne person whatsoeuer hee taught others to doe that in him the world might haue a light both of good teaching and good following 7 For the application héereof and what wee may obserue by Christes teaching first that he was the very Prophet whom God had promised by Moyses to raise whom all should heare and hearing follow Wee often meruaile at their hardnesse of heart who hauing Christ amongst theÌ„ their eares were so dull they would not heare him their eyes so blind they would not sée him who came as hee ought to haue come according to all the prophecies of olde let the Scriptures themselues in this case manifest as much and let all gaine-sayers for euer be silent In the next place we may consider that Iesus Christ is the same for euer many Christians would haue béene glad if it had so pleased God to haue béene present with those eye-witnesses in beholding their Redéemer For what a ioy would the 〈◊〉 haue offered the beholders his â—…enerable countenance his gracefull behauiour and to haue heard his most admirable manne of exhortation which would haue made a Christian soule to dissolue it selfe as it were into commiseraâ—… 8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…t all for he had not so soone 〈◊〉 but there was somewhat more behinde which was an et custodiunt that is a kéeping of those instructions that they heare to shew that the scope of his teaching was not to haue his Auditors to heare onely or admire but to kéep and follow not to discourse but to practise for hee shewes that hearing and kéeping and blessing goe together In the law were those cleane sacrifices which did chew the cud onely no they must chewe the cud and deuide the hoofe Christ saith of Mary that heard the word Mary hath chosen the good part hearing is but a part when the Prophet speakes of the Testimonies of Gods law hee addeth this In custodiendo merces magna In kéeping of them there is great reward he doth not say in audiendo in only hearing The promises of saluation in holie scriptures are not so much layde forth to the hearâ—… as to the 〈◊〉 practise to doe his Fathers will that sent 〈◊〉 Thus â—…he ioyned in one doing and teaching so should wee beléeuing and following that so a right faith and a christian life which are as it were coupled together wee should in no case seuer You know these things happie are you if you do them What soeuer we professe wee must not thinke to come to heauen by doing nothing worthy of our Christian calling T is true saith Saint Bernard of good works that they are not causa regnandi the cause of raigning yet are they via ad regnum the way to the kingdome they doe 〈◊〉 instâ—…e before God yet sure they do glorifie God in his seruants Chap. 12. Of Christes example in visiting the sicke feeding the hungry and curing all that came vnto him doth lay before vs a most absolute rule of shewing mercy and compassion WHether it were to beholde our Sauiours myracles for so came manie of the people Iohn 6 2. or to be cured of their corporall maladies so came a multitude Luke 6 17. Whether it were of desire to commune with him so came Nichodemus Iohn 3. 2. or of an affection to sée him of whom so great fame went abroade so came Zache Luke 19. 3. Whether for these causes or any other so it was that a company of people all together came flocking after our Sauiour in great aboundance as when some skilfull Phisition repaireth to any populous Citie the diseased of all other draw vnto him so came they vnto Christ who was able not onely to cure their sicke bodies but euen to raise to life againe their sick nay respecting the life of grace their dead soules looking vpon all with the eye of mercie shewing hee would not the death of a sinner that came to die for sinners 2 Ancient and latter records make mention of an Epistle sent by Lentulus the Procensull vnto the States Senate of Rome in which he shewes them of one Iesus who appeared in Iurie going about doing good and healing all of what infirâ—… y so euer they were taken Iosephus affirmeth hee was a holy man if I may saith he call him a man Iulian the Apostata himselfe confessed thus much of him indéede saith he hee cured certaine blind men and recouered some few that were diseased in bodie yea Iulian and that was enough to haue made thée sée him to be the sonne of God hadst thou not béene obstinately blind For was it euer heard since the beginning of the world that any gaue sight vnto men borne blinde except Christ the redéemer of the world The great power hee shewed in healing onely by his worde the diseases of the body might haue moued thée to beléeue on him for the health welfare of thy soule Sae him Iulian doing such works and if for no other cause yet beléeue him for his workes sake The Centurion had authoritie ouer his Souldiours if hee said to one goe he goeth to another coâ—…e and hee commeth Christes authority was as absolute ouer all diseases if he said goe they departed if come they obeyed but chiefly was he wont to commaund them to depart and not onely diseases but euen his authority was the same ouer the deuils themselues whom hee cast out bringing many tormented creatures into their right minds againe 3 Well did our sauiour Christ compare himselfe unto a Phisition and so was he for there was no disease so desperate but hee could sâ—…e it He wrought manie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he cured the soule of 〈◊〉 hee wrought a cure indéed 〈◊〉 effecting whereof hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kindes of medicines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by diet when hee faâ—…d fortie dayes and fortie nights The seegâ—… by Electuarie whâ—… 〈◊〉 most precious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his last suppâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sweate at his agâ—…e in the 〈◊〉 The fourth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his face was â—…etted 〈◊〉 by thâ—… Iewes The fifth by pâ—…tion when he tasted vineger mixed with gall The sixt by letting of blood when his hands and féete were pierced yea when his heartvaine was striken his side goared with the speare Heire was a cure of all cures which all the Galenists in the world may admire with reuerence and become his patients who was such a Phisition for vs all A strange kind of prescription he enioyned euery one of his patients must kéepe it Behold thou art made whole sinne no more least a worse thing come vnto thee Christ hath wrought thy â—…re thy câ—…re must be to obserue a good dyet for the time to come because the relapse is wont to prouâ—… dangerous 4 And héere we may not omit to obserue the 〈◊〉 of Christes curing hee sayth vnto the sicke man in the second of
oppression at home When the Queene of the South came from farre to heare the wisedome of Salomon beholding his princely order magnificent state shee had heard much but saw more what doth she but by and by begin to magnifie the Author of Salomons estate O blessed be the Lord thy God saith she which loued thee to set thee on the throne as King in stead of the Lord thy God because thy God loueth Israel for euer to mâ—…ke thee King to doe equitie and righteousnes As if she would haue saide O Salomon such a state such a gouernment such a peace such a time such a temple such wisedome it is not of man nor from man Blessed be the Lord thy God which loued thee to set thee on the throne of Israel 7 Affectionate were the harts of the people to Dauid their king whom God had set ouer them what should Dauid aduenture himselfe O no better it were that many miscarie yea tenne thousand say the people as it were with teares of thankfulnesse God saue our Dauid for iâ—… Dauid goe the light of Israel is extinguished they would not the least hurt should befall him who was the stay of them all and therefore as humble suters seemed to begge his preseruation at the handes of God Those of Beâ—…hulia sayde to Iudith thou art the reioycing of our Nation good Iudith thou hast done much good in Israel blessed be thou of God The Apostle willeth that praiers and supplications and giuing of thanks be made for all for Kings and all that are in authoritie that wee may liue a peaceable life vnder them in all godlinesse and honestie Great cause had the men of Israell to beseech God that Iosias might continue with them for if hee were taken away it was because hee should not sée the euill to come O saith the Prophet saue and deliuer Dauid from the hand of strange children that there be no leading into captiuitie nor no complayning in our stréetes And thus should we adde vnto obedience loue to loue prayer for whom God amongst men hath set in commission with himselfe to rule for him His debetur saith Tertullian honor propter excellentiaÌ„ timor propter dataÌ„ potestatem obedientia propter morale debitum amor propter affectionis operationeÌ„ To these honour is due for their excellencie feare for their power giuen them obedience for ciuill dutie tribute for the preseruation of peace loue for affection which bringeth forth prayer and piety so what should Christians of all other in the world but honour them whom God hath placed in his owne roome for the establishing of his owne lawes worship heere beneath amongst men and specially appointed ouer his Church which is the company of Christian people for the quiet and conseruation thereof according to that of the Prophet spoken â—…ong before Kings shal be thy nursing Fathers and Queenes thy nursing Mothers Chap. 21. That Christians may lawfully enioy earthly commodities and possesse riches but how should they be affected towards them MAn who consisteth of two parts the one earthly the other heauenly hath answerable hereunto meanes alotted him of God for the preseruation of either and therefore first temporal things for the state being and in good tune eternall for the time to come Before God created man he first made him prouision and God said Adam haue dominion ouer the fish of the Sea the fowles of the ayre euery thing that moueth vpon the earth and againe Adam I haue giuen thée euery hearbe bearing seede and euery trée in which is fruit and so euery thing serues Adam and Adam is onely to serue God Abrahams seruant sayde God hath blessed our Maister Abraham meruailously hee hath giuen him Shéepe Oxen siluer and gold men seruants and mayde seruants Iacob speaking of his two bands or great heards of shéepe and Cammels that went befoâ—…e him saith With my staffe or without any prouision at all a poore lone man as it were came I ouer this Iordan Lord I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies As if Iacob should haue said these Kine and Bullockes these Asses and Foales all this substance round about me They are the mercies of God and so come from the great store-house of heauen There was a man in the land of Uz called Iob an vpright and iust man and one that feared God and eschewed euill saith the holy Scripture The next thing mentioned of Iob is his substance was very great yea hee was the greatest of all the men of the East hee was withall iust vpright one that feared God he did not forget God when hee shold most haue remembred him that is when he was blessed and prospered by him but as hee abounded in riches amongst men so did he also encrease or abound in deuotion towards God whoÌ„ he feared Iob did sacrifice euery day Héere was right possessing of earthly substance rich godly together rich in godly actions this was a rich man indéede when both met together If riches encrease there is the encrease of riches which are giuen from God himselfe Set not thy heart vpon them there is the vse of riches and with what prouiso we doe enioy them 2 To call in question whither Gods people may possesse earthly coÌ„modities is an inuention more strange then true hee which would haue euery Trybe a part alotted for an inheritance for them and theirs amongst his people did entend no other but that they should successiuelie haue an inheritance to possesse and why hee hath giuen the earth and earthly things vnto the sonnes of men The lawes of nature and Nations tell vs that amongst men there must be meum tuum mine and thine and the Gospel doth well accord with this as requisite amongst Christians Accipe quod tuum est take that which is thine or that which God hath alotted thée out and giuen thee to enioy The Apostles say where shal we buy so there was possessed wherewithall to buy It was a méere irreligious rapinous and scoffing deuise of Iulian to spoile and pray vpon both the goods of the Church and people of God after this manner If thou wilt be perfect leaue all that thou hast onely séeke treasure in heauen this is fittest for men of your profession who haue renounced the world The like saide Foelix that was a great agent vnder the before named Iulian beholding the munificence and ornaments of the Church with what sumptuous vessels is the sonne of Marie ministred vnto in short time this vnhappy Foelix did come to wretched end The like said Auxentius when hee would haue the Church and Church possessions to wast and consume them as hee list but S. Androse tels him if Naboth would not leaue his Fathers inheritance should I quoth he leaue Christs inheritance These be but shifts pretended when the greatest persecutors of Christians could formally tell them Their God was no