the waters vvere gathered that it should bring forth beasts as foules and fishes and it was so For the dumme waters and without life brought foorth lyuing thinges at the commaundement of GOD that the Nations might prayse thy wonderous works Vpon the sixth day thou gauest commaundement 2. Esdr 6. 53 vnto the Earth that before thee it should bring forth beasts cattell creeping things And besides this Adam also whom verse 54 thou madest Lorde ouer all the workes vvhich thou hast created Of him come wee all and the people also whom thou hast chosen §. 4. Hee that liueth for euer made al thinges Ecclus. 18. 1 2. together saith Sirach the Lord who onlie is iust and there is none other but hee and hee remaineth a victorious King for euer He ordereth the world with the power of his hande and all thinges obey his will for hee gouerneth all things by his power and deuideth the holie thinges froÌ„ the prophane O hovve delectable saith he are all the Ecclus 42 22 23 workes of God and to be considered euen to the sparkes of fire they liue all and endure for euer and when soeuer neede is they are all obedient They are all double one against another verse 24 25 he hath made nothing that hath any fault the one commendeth the goodnesse of the other and who can bee satis-fied with beholding Gods glory For all the workes of the Lord our God Ecclus 39 33 34 are good and hee giueth euery one in due season and when neede is So that a man neede not say this is worse then that for in due season they are all worthie praise §. 5. The heauens declare the glory of God Psal 19 1 2 saith Dauid and the firmament sheweth his handie worke Day vnto day vttereth the same and night vnto night teacheth knowledge The Sunne also a meruailous instrument Ecclus 43 2 3 4 when it appeareth declareth at his going out the worke of the most mightie God At noone it burneth the earth and who may abide the heate thereof It burneth the mountaines three times more then hee that keepeth a fornace with continuall heate It likewise casteth forth fierie vapours and with shining beames it blindeth the eyes Great is the Lord our God that made it Ecclê° 43 5 and by his commaundement hee causeth it to runne hastily For it turneth round about heauen in 1 Esdr 4. 34 one day and runneth againe into his owne place The Moone also hath hee made to appeare Ecclê° 43 6. 7 according to her season that shee shoulde be a declaration of the time and a signe for the world The remembrance of solemne feasts are verse 8. appoynted by her she is a light that diminisheth and increaseth againe The month is called after the name thereof and shee groweth wonderously in her changing The Armie of Heauen also is in the Ecclê° 43. 9 height in the firmament of heauen it giueth a cleere and glorious shine This is the cleerenes of the starres the beautifull apparrell of heauen and the ornament that shineth in the high places of the Lord. By the commaundement of the Holie verse 10 one they continue in their order and not one of them faileth in his watch Looke vpon the Raine-bow and prayse Ecclê° 43. 11 him that made it very beautifull is it in the brightnesse thereof It compasseth the heauen about vvith a verse 12 glorious circle and the handes of the most High haue bended it Through his commaundement also hee Ecclê° 43 13 maketh the snowe to fall and the thunder of his iudgement to smite speedily At the worde of his mouth the treasures verse 14 are opened and the clowdes flee foorth as the fowles For in his power hath hee strengthened Ecclê° 43 15 the clowdes and by his might hath he broken the haylestones The Mountaines melt at the sight of verse 16 him and the South-winde bloweth according to his will The sounde of his thunder beateth the Ecclê° 43 17 earth so doth the storme of the North The vvhirle-winde also as byrds that flie scattereth the snow and the falling downe thereof is as the Grashoppers that light vpon the ground The eye meruaileth at the beautie of the verse 18 whitenes thereof and the heart of man is astonished at the raine of it Hee also poureth out the frost vpon the Ecclê° 43 19 earth like salt and when it is frosen it sticketh on the toppes of pales When the colde North-winde blovveth verse 20. an Ice is frosen of the vvater and it abideth vpon all the gatherings together therof couereth theÌ„ ouer as it were with a breast-plate It likewise deuoureth the mountaines Ecclê° 43. 21 and burneth the Wildernesse and destroyeth that that is greene like fire But the remedy of all these saith Sirach verse 22 is when a clowde commeth hastily and when a dew commeth vppon the heate it refresheth it §. 6. VVith all manner of liuing beastes as the vviseman saith hath the Lord our God Ecclê° 16 30 couered the face of the earth and they shal all be turned into it againe In the desert likewise hath hee made 2 Esdras 16 52 53 springes of vvater and Pooles vppon the toppes of Mountaines to poure out floods froÌ„ the high Rocks to water the ground Yea he hath made Man also and put his hart in the midst of his body and giueÌ„ him breath life and vnderstanding So that among all the vvorkes of God Augustine his creation of Man as S. Augustine saith is the cheefest and hath the most principall or first place For in creating all other creatures but Ambrose Man hee saide FIAT Let this be and that be but in creating Man hee spake in the person of the Trinitie saying FACIAMVS Let * vs make Man according to our similitude c. But heere by the way vvee ought thus much to vnderstand that Man as Beza Beza â— saith is the Image of God neyther as touching his body neyther yet as touching his soule but as touching the principalitie and dominion that God hath giuen him For GOD calleth the principality and Chrisostoms lordship that he gaue to Adam his Image and likenes because hee made him Emperour Ruler ouer all things vpon earth Besides the Image of Almighty God in Man is referred as S. Augustine saith vnto Augustine the workes of righteousnesse and true sanctification of our liues As the speech of God himselfe importeth in the Law where he sayth Be * ye holy because I the Lord Leuit 19. 2. your God am holy And the very wordes likewise of the Apostle testifie asmuch vnto vs vvhere hee saith * Put yee on the new man vvhich Ephe 4 24 after God is created vnto righteousnes and true holines Moreouer God hath created Man as S. Bernard saith foure seuerall waies The Bernard first without Man and Woman as
killed heere on earth for the word of God and for the testimonie of his truth And to shew that they liue there he further addeth in the next veâ—se folowing that they cryed vnto God with a loude voyce verse 10 saying Howe long Lorde holy and true tariest thou to iudge auenge our blood c. King Salomon also in his booke of wisdome affirmeth that the soules of the righteous Wised 3. 1. 2 3 4. are in the hande of God and no torment shall touch theÌ„ Though in the sight of the vnwise saith hee they appeared to die and their end was thought greeuous and their departing from vs destruction yet they rest in peace and though they suffer paine before men yet is theyr hope full of immortality §. 7. Besides these former places of holy scripture wee finde also diuers other proofes in the booke of God concerning this poynt as namely the hopefull speech of Dauid vvho when newes was brought him that his base-borne child for whom hee fasted prayed and wept was dead hee lamented no longer but presently washed his handes and called for meate And being demaunded 2 Sam 12. 23. the reason thereof by his seruants hee aunswered I shall goe to him but he shall not returne to mee Also when old Tobias was derided of his kinsfolkes and acquaintance and scoffingly Tobie 2. demaunded by theÌ„ where his hope was for the which he had doone almes and buried the dead considering he was now euen after the finishing of a good vvorke suddainly smitten blinde hee nothing there-with dismayed confidently rebuked them saying Say not so for wee are the children of holy men and looke for the life which God shall giue vnto them that neuer turne their beleefe from him The same Tobias also at another time to witnesse vnto the worlde vvhat confident hope hee alwaies had of the soules immortalitie earnestly requested of the Almightie Tobie 3 6 that his spirit might be taken from him and that his body might be dissolued and become earth The like may be read in the prayer of Elias wheÌ„ he desired to die saying ô Lord 1 Reg 19 4 I pray thee take my soule for I am no better then my Fathers c. §. 8. And to shew yet a little further that it resteth in the power of God to take the soule from the body and to giue it againe at his pleasure vvee finde in the first Booke of Kings that the fore-said Elias found such 1 Reg 17 22 23. fauour in the sight of God that vvhen the sonne of his hostesse was dead he through his earnest prayer obtained that the childes soule was restored to him againe So did Elisha in the same manner obtaine 2 Reg 4 32 33. his peticion of the Lord and reuiued the dead body of the Shunamites sonne We reade also in the Gospell written by S. Mathew that after our Sauiour had giuen vp the Ghost the Scpulchers of dead Math 27 52 53. men through the miraculous working of the Almightie opened themselues and many bodies of the Saints which slept arose and came foorth of the graues after his resurrection and vvent into the holie Citty and appeared vnto many So that by these sayings and examples Gene 5 24. 2 Reg 2 1â— Num 16 32 33 with the taking vp of Henoch and Elias both body and soule into heauen the swallowing downe of Corath Dathan and Abiram quicke into hell and sundry other proofes in the Booke of God to this purpose we may sufficiently assure our selues that the soule of Man is immortall that there is not onely a place of rest ordayned of God for the godly but also a lothsome pitte or place of punishment appointed by him for the wicked after this life The veritie whereof is likewise further witnessed vnto vs by the wordes of S. Augustine Augustine where he sayth The soules of the godly beeing separated from their bodies are in rest and the soules of the vngodlie doe suffer punishment vntill such time as the bodies of the righteous doe rise againe vnto life euerlasting and the bodies of the vnrighteous vnto eternall death which is also called the second death ¶ Of the first Iudgement after death called by Diuines particuler Iudgement when the soule of euery man after it is parted foorth of his body shall presently receiue sentence from God eyther of eternall ioy or euerlasting payne §. 1. IT is appointed vnto men saith the Apostle Heb 9 27 that they shal once die and after that commeth the iudgement For wee must all appeare before the Iudgement-seate of Christ that euery man 2 Cor 5 10 may receiue the workes which are done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Also at the very houre of death the soule Cyprian must render vp a particuler account vnto God concerning all her doings in this life and then shall it be iudged knowe assuredly what shall become of it for euer If it finde fauour in the sight of God it Basill shal presently enter into the rest and ioy of the righteous if otherwise it shall be condeÌ„ned by the Iudge to perpetual torments Yea Of euery idle vvorde that men Math. 12. 36 shall speake in this life they shal giue an account at the day of iudgement For GOD will bring euery worke into Eccles. 12. 14. iudgement with euery secret thing whether it be good or euill Hee vvill render vnto man according to Iob 34 11. his worke and cause euery one to finde according to his way That is to them which by continuaunce Rom 2 7 8 in well dooing seeke glorie and honor immortalitie shall be eternall life but vnto them that are contentious and disobey the truth and obey vnrighteousnesse shall be indignation and wrath Tribulation and anguish also shall be Rom 2 9 10 vpon the soule of euery man that doth euil of the Iewe first and also of the Grecian But to euery man that doth good shall be glory and honour and peace c. §. 2. Againe so soone as the soule of man saith Augustine S. Augustine is parted froÌ„ the body it passeth presently to the tribunall seate of God vnder the custodie both of good and euill Angels and after it hath there abidden the triall of a straite examination it shall forthwith receiue the sentence either of eternall blessednes or els of endlesse vvoe and miserie Yea euery one of vs shall giue accounts Rom 14 12 of himselfe to God And euery man shall receiue his wages 1 Cor 3 8. or reward according to his worke But in most happy state shall the soules Beda of all the godly bee after theyr departure hence vvho through grace giuen them from GOD haue earnestly in this life resisted euill and followed goodnes for they shall then enter into that place of perpetuall happines which Christ their Captaine hath prepared
for all the companie of the faithfull in the kingdome of his Father And thus much likewise witnesseth the words of S. Iohn in the Reuelation where hee sayth * Blessed and holy is hee that Reue. 20 6◠hath part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power Blessed also are the dead which hereafter Reu◠14 13 die in the Lord euen so saith the Spirite for they rest from theyr labours and theyr workes follow them ¶ Of the last Iudgement after death commonly called the general iudgement or Doomes day When the body and soule of euerie Man departed out of this life beeing by the power of God ioyned againe together shall with the rest of all mankind then liuing receiue the finall sentence either of eternall pleasure or paine §. 1. AFter death saith Esdras shall the 2 Esdras 14. 35. day of Iudgement come vvhen we shall liue againe and then shall the names of the righteous be made manifest and the workes of the vngodly shall be declared And many of them that sleepe in the Dan 12 2. dust of the earth shall awake Some to euerlasting life and som◠to shame and perpetuall contempt §. 2. But before the comming of this day saith Christ there shall be great warres Luke 21 10 11. troubles in the worlde For Nation shall rise against Nation and Realme against Realme There shall also be great Earthquakes in diuers places and pestilence and hunger and fearefull things appearing frō heauen and many other great signes and wonders There shall be signes in the Sunne and Luke 21. 25 26 in the Moone and in the starres and vpon the earth trouble among the Nations with perplexitie The Sea and the waters shall roare and mens harts shall fayle them for feare and for looking after those thinges which shall come on the World For the powers of heauen shall be shaken §. 3. After this shall appeare the signe of the Math. 24 30. sonne of man in heauen and then shall all the kindreds of the earth mourne Then also shal the wicked goe into the Esay 2 19 holes of the Rockes and into the Caues of the earth frō before the feare of the Lord and from the glory of his Maiestie vvhen he shall rise to destroy the earth Then shall they beginne to say to the Luke 23 30 Mountaines fall on vs and to the Hils couer vs hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth vpon the throne and from the Reue 6 16 17 wrath of the Lambe for the great day of his wrath is come and who can stand In those dayes men shall seeke death and Reue 9 6. shall not finde it and shall desire to die death shall flee from them And they shall see the Sonne of man Math. 24. 30 come in the clowdes of heauē with power and great glory Who beeing ordained of Acts. 10 42 * God to be the Iudge both of the quicke and deade shall sende his Angels vvith a Mat. 24 31. great sound of a trumpet and they shal gather together his Elect from the 4. windes and from the one end of heauen vnto the other §. 4. Then shall Christ sitte vpon the throne Math 25 31 32 33. of his glory and before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall seperate them one from another as a sheepheard seperateth the sheepe from the goates And hee shall set the sheepe on his right hand and the goates on the left The shall the earth restore those that 2 Esdr 7 3◠haue slept in her and so shall the dust those that dwell therein in silence and the secret places shall deliuer the soules that were cōmitted vnto them And they shall come foorth that haue Iohn 5 29. doone good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation For Christ our righteous Iudge vvill Math. 16. 27 then giue to euerie man according to his deedes And reward euery one according Reue 22 12 as his worke shall be Hee will then say to the righteous whom Math 25. 34 35 c. hee hath placed on his right hand Come yee blessed of my Father inherite yee the kingdom prepared for you from the foundations of the world For I was hungry ye gaue mee meate I was thirstie and yee gaue me drinke I was a stranger and yee lodged mee I was naked and yee clothed mee I was sick and yee visited me I was in prison and yee came vnto mee Then shall the iust say Lord when haue we doone these things vnto thee And the King shall answere Verily when you did them to the least of my bretheren you did them to mee Then will he say to the wicked standing Math. 25 41 42 c. on his left hand Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his Angels For I vvas hungry and ye fed mee not I was thirstie and ye gaue mee no drinke I was a stranger and ye lodged mee not I was naked and you clothed me not I was sicke in prison and ye visited me not Then shall they also aunswere saying When ô Lord haue wee seene thee hungry or thirstie or a stranger or naked or sicke or in prison and haue not ministred vnto thee And he shall aunswere Truly I tell you inasmuch as yee haue not doone it to one of the least of these my bretheren yee did it not to mee And these men shall goe into euerlasting paine and the righteous into life eternall §. 5. Miseries saith Esdras shal then vanish away 2 Esdr 7 33 34. and long suffering shall haue an end Iustice onely shall cōtinue the Truth shal remaine and Faith shall be strong The worke shall follow and the rewarde verse 35 shall be shewed the good deedes shall be of force and vnrighteousnes shal beare no more rule For the day of Iudgement shall be the 2 Esdr 7 43. end of this world and the beginning of the immortalitie to come wherein all corruption shall cease Then shall no man bee able to saue him 2 Esdr 7. 45 that is destroyed nor oppresse him that hath gotten the victory §. 6. VVe finde in the New Testament that Saint Paule the Apostle vvriting to the Corinthians to prooue the resurrection of the dead and the second cōming of Christ vseth many arguments to expresse the same and neere vnto the end of his chapter he thus concludeth * Behold I shewe 1 Cor 15 51 52 53 you a secret thing vve shall not all sleepe or die but wee shall all be changed in a moment in the twinckling of an eye at the last trumpet for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised vp incorruptible and we shall be changed For this corruptible must put on incorruption And this mortall must put on immortality c. According
also to the former part of the Apostles speech in the afore-saide chapter concerning the comming of Christ to iudgement with the resurrection of mens bodies and the immortality of the soule speaketh holy Iob in the 19. of his booke with a confident and perfect hope thereof saying * I am sure that my Redeemer liueth Iob 19 25 26 27 and that he shall stand the last on the earth And though after my skin wormes destroy this bodie yet shall I see GOD in my flesh whom I my selfe shall see and mine eyes shall behold and none other for me though my raines are consumed within mee The aforesaide S. Paule likewise comforting the Thessalonians with the remēbrance of the resurrection of the body and last Iudgement saith thus * I vvould not 1. Thes 4 13. 14. 15. 16 c. Bretheren haue you ignorant concerning them that are a sleepe that ye sorrow not euen as other which haue no hope For if we beleeue that Iesus is deade and is risen euen so them which sleepe in Iesus vvill God bring with him For this say we vnto you by the worde of the Lorde that vvee which liue and are remaining at the comming of the Lorde shall not preuent them which sleepe For the Lord himselfe shall descend from heauen with a showte and with the voyce of the Archangell with the trumpet of GOD and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then shall we which liue remaine be caught vp with them also in the Clowdes to meet the Lord in the ayre and so shall wee euer be vvith the Lord. By the testimony of vvhich places it plainely appeareth that at the last iudgement there shall not onely bee a generall raysing vp of all mens bodies which from the beginning of the vvorld haue already departed out of this life but also a suddain changing of all mens bodies then liuing on the earth which change shal be vnto them in sted of death And then shal the saints of God presently after the finall sentence frō Christ our Iudge pronounced enter both body soule into endlesse pleasure the wicked both body and soule into eternall paine ¶ of the vncertaine time of the last Indgement §. 1. NOvv for that the time of this day is vncertaine the houre of Christes comming vnknowne our Sauiour himselfe his beloued Apostles haue therefore vouchsafed to leaue behind them many forewarning speeches as a very necessary meanes to make vs more wary watchfull of the same Affirming that suddainly * and in an houre that we think not Math 24. 44 will the sonne of man come But of that day and howre saith Christ Math 24 36 knoweth no man no not the Angels of heauen but my Father onelie But as the dayes of Noe were so likewise Math. 24 37 38 39 shal the comming of the Sonne of man be For as in the dayes before the floode they did eate drinke marry and giue in marriage vntill the day that Noe entred into the Arke and knewe nothing vntill the flood came and tooke thē all away so shal also the cōming of the sonne of man be Likewise also as it was in the dayes of Luke 17 28 29 30 Lot they eate they dranke they bought they solde they planted they built but in the day that Lot went out of Sodome it rained fire brimstone from heauen and destroyed them all After these ensamples shal it be in the day when the sonne of man is reuealed At that day he that is vpon the house Luke 17 31 his stuffe in the house let him not come downe to take it out and hee that is in the fielde likewise let him not turne backe to that he left behind Then two shall be in the fieldes the one Math. 24 40 41 42. shall be receiued the other refused two women shall be grinding at the Mill the one shall be receiued and the other shal be refused Watch therfore for yee know not what houre your Maister will come Whether at euen or at midnight at the Mar 13 35 Cock-crowing or in the dawning Of this be sure saith Christ that if the Math 24. 43 44. good-man of the house knew at what time the thiefe would come hee woulde surelie watch not suffer his house to be digged through Therfore be ye also readie for in the houre that ye thinke not will the sonne of man come If thou wilt not watch saith hee I vvill Reue 3 3 come on thee as a theefe thou shalt not know what houre I will come vpon thee §. 2. These and sundry other such like speeches are set down in the New-Testament as admonishments to forewarne vs caueats to make vs careful how we spend our time least at that houre wee be found with the fiue foolish Virgins vnprouided For * the day of the Lord will come as a theefe 2 Pet 3 10. in the night in the which the heauens shal passe away with a noyse and the elements shal melt with heate the earth with the works that are therein shal be burnt vp Seeing then that all these thinges must be 2 Pet. 3. 11. 21 13 14. dissolued what manner of persons ought we to be in holy conuersation godlines looking for and hasting to the comming of the day of God by vvhich the heauens beeing on fire shall be dissolued and the elements shall melt with heate But vvee looke for newe heauens and a new earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Wherfore beloued seeing that yee looke for such things be diligent that yee may bee founde of him in peace without spot and blamelesse c. And take heede to your selues least at Luke 21 34 any time your harts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and least that day come on you at vnwares For as a snare shall it come on all them verse 35 36 that dwell on the face of the vvhole earth VVatch therefore and pray continually that ye may be counted woorthy to escape all those thinges that shall come to passe and that ye may stand before the Sonne of Man And those things that I say vnto you I Mar 13 37 say vnto all men vvatch For blessed is that seruaunt whom his Math 24 46 Maister when he commeth shall finde so dooing ¶ Of Christ Why hee came into the world and of the profit vvee haue by his Death Resurrection and Ascention IOHN 17. verse 3. To know GOD and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent is life euerlasting ¶ Of Christ. c. §. 1. AT sundry times and in diuers manners Heb 1 1 2 saith the Apostle God spake in the old time to our Fathers by the Prophets in these last dayes hee hath spoken vnto vs by his Sonne vvhom he hath made heire of all things by whom also he made the worlds Who beeing the brightnesse of the glorie
mee they will persecute you also If they haue called the Maister of the Math 10 25 house Beelzebub howe much more them of his houshold But all these thinges will they doe vnto Iohn 15 21 you for my Names sake because they haue not knowne him that sent mee Yea the time shall come that whosoeuer Iohn 16. 2. killeth you will thinke that he dooth God seruice Notwithstanding blessed are ye if you 1. Pet. 3. 14. suffer for righteousnes sake For vnto such appertaineth the kingdome Math 5 10 of heauen Yea blessed are yee when men reuile Math. 5 11 12. you and persecute you and say all manner of euill against you for my sake falselie reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you §. 5. Let not saith he your harts be troubled Iohn 14. 1. yee beleeue in God beleeue also in me In the world ye shall haue affliction but Iohn 16 33 be of good comfort I haue ouer-com the world And feare not them which kill the bodie Math. 10. 28 Luk. 12 4. 5 and after that are not able to doe any more but rather feare him which is able to destroy both body soule in hell yea I say vnto you feare him For what shall it profit a man though Math 16. 26 hee should winne the whole world if hee lose his ovvne soule or what shall a man giue for recompence of his soule VVho-soeuer therefore shall confesse Math 10 32 mee before men him will I confesse also before my Father which is in heauen But vvho-soeuer shall denie mee before verse 33 men him will I also denie before my Father which is in heauen Who-soeuer likewise shal be ashamed Luke 9. 26 of mee and of my words of him shall the sonne of man be ashamed when hee shall come in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy Angels §. 6. Deerely beloued saith S. Peter thinke 1. Pet. 4 12. it not strange concerning the fierie tryall which is among you to prooue you as though some strange thing were come vnto you But reioyce in as much as yee are partakers verse 13. of Christes sufferings that when his glorie shall appeare yee may be glad and reioyce For vvee must through many afflictions Acts 14 22 enter into the kingdome of God And all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus 2. Tim. 3. 12 shall suffer persecution §. 7. If yee be railed vppon for the Name of 1. Pet 4 14. Christ blessed are you for the Spirit of glory of God resteth vpon you which on their part is euill spoken of but on your part is glorified But let none of you suffer as a murtherer 1. Pet 4 15. or as a theefe or as an euill dooer or as a busie-body in other mens matters But if any man suffer as a Christian let verse 16. him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God in that behalfe For it is better if the will of God be so 1 Pet 3 17. that yee should suffer for well-doing then for euill doing And the lesse iustice that a godly man Tremelius findeth at the handes of the vngodly the more comfort shall he receiue in cōscience at the mercifull hand of God §. 8. My sonne saith Sirach submit not thy Ecclus 4 27 28. selfe vnto a foolish man neyther accept thou the person of the mightie But striue for the truth vnto death and defende iustice euen to the losse of thyne owne life and the Lord thy God shall fight for thee against thine enemies Be fauourable to all men be likewise in Socrates subiection to al lawes but aboue al things fulfill the will of God rather then the will of man For a righteous and godly man hauing Pet. Ramus in him the spirit of zeale and constancie neuer feareth in his afflictions the crueltie of any man but vvill boldlie to the death stand vnto the truth And forasmuch as hee knoweth that Rauisius almightie God is the truth and that truth is GOD hee likewise wisely considereth that he which departeth from the one departeth from the other But hee that eyther for feare of punishment Hemingius or else in hope of a Tyrants fauour forsaketh the truth before men vpon earth leaueth the most certaine promise of perpetuall felicitie for an vncertaine assurance of short-lasting vanitie and by seeking to deliuer his body from danger cloggeth his conscience with griefe and his soule with sorrow §. 9. If then thou be desirous to liue euerlastingly Gueuara faint not at any time vnder the burden of thine afflictions neither be thou mooued from thy hope of heauens helpe through the multitude of thy miseries but patiently put thy trust in the promises of Gods mercie and pray often for such perseuerance as may bring thee to eternall blessednes In all thy troubles stand vnto the truth Plotinus and commit thy selfe in thy greatest necessitie wholy altogether to the most high and mighty GOD neyther fearing them that threaten nor beleeuing thē that speak thee faire but trust in him alone that is most kinde and compassionate true of his promise and able to make both his vvord and worke good For more wisedome is it that a man for Hermes his soules sake shoulde suffer death then lose his soules happines for the loue of this life Blessed therfore is the man that endureth Iames 1 12 tentation for when hee is tryed hee shall receiue the crowne of life vvhich the Lorde hath promised to them that loue him §. 10. The peaceable and blessed life of the Bernard godly saith S. Bernard is in heauen and is onely to be attained vnto by faith patience and perseuerance For as without fayth it is vnpossible to Hillarius please God so without patience and perseuerance no man shall see God And although indeede the death of the Basill bodie by diuers meanes for diuers causes be vnto many men very tedious and bitter yet the death therof for the testimonie of Gods truth is vnto the godly man most easie most ioyfull most sweete and most delectable because he seeth through the eye of fayth the present performance of all Gods heauenly promises made vnto him in his holy word if he zealously continue constant in the veritie of his Christian profession §. 11. Thou therefore my sonne saith Paule vnto Timothie suffer affliction as a good 2. Tim. 2. 3. 4. souldiour of Iesus Christ No man that warreth entangleth himselfe with the affayres of this life because hee would please him that hath chosen him to be a Souldiour And Christ beeing our Captaine hath Rauisius called vs by the voyce of his Gospell to a spirituall warfare The foes against whom wee must continually fight are fleshlie assaultes worldly wickednes and the deceits of the deuill
make whole and there is none that can deliuer out of mine hand I destroy the tokens of the Soothsayers Esay 44. 25 and make them that coniecture fooles I turne the Wisemen backward and make theyr knowledge foolishnes I forme the light and create darknesse Esay 45 7. I make peace and create euill I the Lord saith hee doe all these things §. 8. Our God is in heauen faith Dauid and Psal 115. 3 he doth whatsoeuer pleaseth him The heauen is his seate and the earth is Esay 66. 1. his footestoole Hee remaineth for euer his throne is Lam. 5 19. frō generation to generation * And there 1. Sam. 2 2. is no God like our God For hee as Salomon saith hath the Wisd 16. 13 power of life and death he leadeth down euen to the gates of hell and bringeth vp againe §. 9. God that made the world and all things Acts 17 24 25. that are therein saith the Apostle seeing that he is Lord of heauen and earth dwelleth not in Temples made with hands neither is he worshipped with mens hands as though he needed any thing seeing he giueth to all life and breath and all things For in him we liue and mooue and haue verse 28. our beeing Yea hee as Plato saith by his almighty Plato power is in all things and in euery part of the world by his prouidence all things are preserued gouerned and moued and hee himselfe is of none other either mooued or gouerned but is the first incomprehensible mouer The eyes of all things waite vpon him Psalm 145. 15 16. and he giueth them theyr foode in due season hee openeth his hand and filleth with his blessing euery liuing thing But if he hide his face they are troubled Psalm 104 29. if hee take away their breath they die and returne to their dust For in his hand is the soule of euerie lyuing Iob 12. 10. thing and the breath of all mankind §. 10. The earth is the Lords saith Dauid and Psal 24. 1 all that therein is the world is his and so are all they that dwell therein Prosperitie and aduersitie life and death Ecclus 11 14 15. pouertie and riches come of the Lorde Wisedome and knowledge and vnderstanding of the Lawe are all of the Lord loue and good workes come of him For hee only is the Authour of all goodnesse Hermes and the giuer of all good gifts Yea euery good and perfect gift as Saint Iames. 1. 17. Iames saith is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lights with whō is no variablenesse neyther shadowe by turning For the diuine nature and substance of Aristotle God suffereth neither change nor end because as Aristotle truly sayth it is both immutable and infinite §. 11. To come to preferment also is neyther Psalm 75. 6 7. from the East nor from the West nor yet from the South but the Lorde as Dauid saith is the Iudge hee putteth downe whō he will and hee setteth vp whom hee pleaseth It is the Lorde that giueth and it is the Iob 1 21 Lord that taketh away euen as it pleaseth the Lord so commeth things to passe §. 12. VVe read in the second booke of chronicles that when Asa King of Iudah was 2. Chron. 14 9 10 11. vrged to giue battaile against an Armie of tenne hundred thousand Ethiopians first before he beganne the fight hee made his humble supplication to the Almighty and in his prayer to shewe that the conquest consisted not in the great companie of his enemies souldiers but only in the might power of him that made both heauen and earth he said Help vs ô Lord our God It is nothing with thee to saue with manie or with no power helpe vs ô Lorde our God for we rest on thee and in thy Name saith hee are wee come against this multitude Ionathan likewise venturing by stealth 1. Sam. 14 6 to set vppon the Philistians garison at vnawares and beeing accompanied with none but onely his Armor bearer for his better encouragement he told him that it was not hard with the Lord to saue with many or with few For the victorie of the battell dependeth 1. Mac. 3. 19. not on the many thousands that are in the host but the strength commeth from heauen And is onely at his pleasure to be disposed whose power as * Iudith saith standeth Iudith 9 11. not in the multitude of Souldiers nor his might in strong men As may more at large be perceiued by reading the happy successe which folowed the enterprises of the aforesaide King Asa and Ionathan the Sonne of Saule against theyr enemies §. 13. Another example also concerning the power of Almightie God in this poynt is set downe in the booke of Iudges where Iudges 7 12 Gedion beeing appointed by the Lord to goe fight against the Midianites which were so mightie an host that as the Text sayth they lay in the valley like a company of Grashoppers and theyr Cammels were without number as is the sand by the Sea-side for multitude mustred vp an Armie Iuges 7. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. of thirty two thousand men And when he had done thus the Lord God called vnto him and said Gedion the people that are with thee are too many for me to giue the Midianites into theyr handes least Israell make their vaunt against me say Mine hand hath saued me Now therefore saith the most Mightie proclaime in the audience of the people and say Whosoeuer he be that is timerous or fearefull let him returne and depart Then saith the Text there departed of the people twentie two thousand and ten thousand remained And the Lord called againe vnto Gedion and sayd The people are yet too manie bring them therefore downe vnto the water I will try them for thee there and of whom I say vnto thee this man shal goe with thee the same shall goe with thee and of whomsoeuer I say vnto thee this man shall not goe with thee the same shall not goe So Gedion according as he was commaunded brought downe the people to the water and the Lord said vnto him As many as thou shalt see to lap the water with theyr tongues as a dogge lappeth put thē by themselues and euery one that shal bow downe on his knees to drinke put them likewise apart Now among those tenne thousand that came to the water to drink there was found but onely three hundred which lapped the vvater by putting their handes to theyr mouthes by which 300. men God most miraculously saued Israel deliuered the Midianites into their hands So that both by this example the former that sentence of our Sauiour is verified where hee sayth * The things which Luke 18 27 are vnpossible with men are possible with GOD. And surelie as Plato sayth hee alone is Plato most worthy to be taken for
an Oratour Plato or so mightie an Enchaunter as the life of Man is for it subtilly perswadeth vs the contrary of that which wee often both see in others and feele in our selues For notwithstanding that we knowe our owne frailetie and that wee must die yet vvhat wrongs what hatreds what labours of the body and molestations of our minde doe we greedily deuise and daily begin afresh euen as it were in hope or rather full assuraunce of so much time of life as shall be sufficient to finish our determinations and suffer vs to enioy the desired fruite of our enterprises Rightly therefore saith the Phylosopher Socrates that the cheefe cause of all euils that happen to man is man him-selfe for hee through his greedy lusts and couetous desires is both troublesome to himselfe and offensiue to all other creatures VVhat a shame and folly is it then for Theophr men to complaine of God for the shortnesse and many miseries of their life when as they themselues through riot malice contention murder and vvarres make it much more shorter and fuller of troubles then otherwise it would be both in themselues and sundry other men §. 3. If man would consider well his life saith Marcus Aurelius Aurelius hee should surely finde that there is nothing in it but trouble of hart vexation of minde combersome businesse and carefull thoughts One while prouiding things necessary to defend the body from cold another while seeking meanes needfull to protect it from too much heat To day diligent in casting plots which way hee may best augment his wealth to morrow circumspect howe hee may safely keepe the goods which he hath alreadie gotten Sometime very prouident for the foode of his belly next altogether mindfull for clothes to his backe In the day time molested with a thousand cogitations in the night time disquieted vvith fantasies and visions So that hee is neuer apt of himselfe to Bias. keepe any meane or measure in his actions concerning either gladnesse or sorow but is continually driuen and carried away by the violence of affection sometime vvith compassion and sometime with rage and furie euen as his desire present doth ouerrule and gouerne him VVhereby it is manifest that miseries in Herodotuâ— this world haue power ouer man not man ouer miseries And sooner shall vvee want teares to lament Senecâ— then cause of sorrowe to complaine during this life Wherefore if we reckon our life by the Melancthon yeeres of nature howe long wee may liue wee shall finde the time very short but if we count it according to the coÌ„tinuall cares and troubles therein we shall thinke it too too long And surely were it not for the hope wee Bernard may haue heere to attaine at last to the kingdom of heauen this life of ours would seeme little better then the life of hell it selfe §. 4. O life saith Pythagoras how or which Pythagoras way may a man gette from thee vvithout deaths helpe Thy euils are infinite and no man is perfectly able either to auoyde or to abide them For there is no kinde of life in this world Menander but it may be exceedingly discommended as hauing in it no notable vvoorthy or honorable thing but all mingled with frailty weakenes and many molestations VVhat life then should a man leade Abroad that is to say in offices he is oftentimes combered with strifes and many troublesome actions at home he is vexed with greefes in the fielde wearied with labours on the sea molested with feare in wandering or â—ournying if it be voyde of perrill yet shall hee finde it painfull and tedious Art thou a maried man then canst thou not liue without cares Art thou vnmaried then is thy life vaine solitary Hast thou chyldren they bring with them many sorrowes Hast thou none the want of them makes thy life seeme vnpleasant Art thou a young man youth is wanton wilde and foolish Art thou an olde man age is froward weake and feeble §. 5. Alas alas saith the vveeping Phylosopher Heraclituâ— how many are the miseries strange the calamities that diuers wayes happen to men in this life One beeing in the morning in wealthy estate is by some suddaine accident ere night made miserably poore and needâ—e wofully bewayling the losse of his children wife and goods Another lamenteth the lacke of his health libertie or necessary liuing A third labouring for his liuing mayneth himselfe by mischaunce with his owne working-toole whilst hee is earnestly plying his busines The idle person is pined vvith famine bitten with dogs imprisoned and whipped in euery good Towne The gamster breaketh his leg in dauncing his stones in vaulting his lunges in running his arme his shoulder or his necke in wrestling The adulterer consumeth himselfe with botches and filthy lepry The dicer is suddainly stabbed in with a dagger The studient is continually troubled vvith the rewme or the gowte VVhat man is free from the strokes of theeues and murtherers or from the woundes slaughters and violence of souldiers Besides all these wee often see iust innocent men wrongfully punished imprisoned banished and some-time put to a shamefull kinde of death Chyldren are smothered in the cradle fall into the fire are drowned in the vvater ouer-run vvith beastes poysoned with Spyders murthered plagued or infected with the corruptioÌ„ of the ayre And besides these also we are subiect to diuers sicknesses and casuall mishaps as falling of houses dearth famine thunderbolts lightning floods and many moe troublesome chaunces vvhich suddainly light vpon all mankind indifferentlie The consideration whereof caused Aristotle Aristotle to say That Man is the patterne of frailety the spoyle of time the play of fortune the image of inconstancie the tryall of enuie and misery and all the rest of him fleame and choller ¶ Of the causes why God suffereth man to be so much subiect to misery §. 1. THE many miseries happening to Granado man in this life are ordained of God saith Granado as a punishment for our sinnes and a meanes to vvithdraw our harts from the inordinate loue of this present world Yea the very cause saith he why God would haue vs to be so often molested and vexed in this life is that wee might the more willingly forsake it and sigh continuallie for the true life vvhich is only to be enioyed in the world to come For little reckoning would we make Hâ—rmes small regard would we haue of the blessed life of the soule which it entereth into after it is parted from the body if this life had any certaine pleasure in it Wherefore hee that thinketh to liue in Plato this world without labour and sorrowe is a foole for GOD hath so appointed our state that we by vertue of our soule should suffer subdue all kinde of aduersities Yea God hath purposely ordained the Euagoras greefes miseries sorrowes of this life to be so many and
so great and the pleasures thereof so small and fewe to make vs the more desirous of the heauenly life which is nothing els but ioy and pleasure And surely it seemeth by the speech of the Apostle that he knew well which was the better choyse of the twaine vvhen hee said * I desire to be dissolued or loosed Philip. 1 23 from this flesh and to be with Christ which is best of all For we know saith he that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroied we 2 Cor 5 1 2 haue a building giuen of God that is an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens And therefore doe wee sigh desiring to be clothed vvith our house which is from heauen §. 2. These things being thus ô howe happie Rauisius were it nowe saith Rauisius for vnhappie man if forgetfulnesse deceiued him not to remember the sickle estate of his life both how short it is and also how full of miserie vanitie and woe an approued exile and hath nothing in it permanent But is euen a continuall conflict strife Mar. Aurâ—l warre a wandering wildernesse and a vale of wretchednesse wherin we are continually compassed with most terrible fierce and feareful enemies to the deadly wounding sleying and ouer-throwing both of body and soule into hell All these miseries considered why should man then haue any desire to liue in this wretched world to abide in such a lothsome and laborious life VVere not death much rather to be desired VVere not the howre of death much better then the continuaunce of such a life For to the godly death is no death but rather the most happie messenger and quick dispatcher of all such displeasures the end of al trouble and sorrow the bedde of all rest the doore of good desires the gate of gladnesse the port of Paradice the hauen of heauen the entrance to felicity the manumission from all griefe and misery and the beginning of euerlasting ioy and blessednes Death therefore ought rather to be desired Hâ—rmes then despised for it changeth vs from this world of vncleanenes shame to the pure world of worship and worth From this transitory life to life euerlasting from a worlde of folly and vanities to a worlde of wisedome reason and truth and from a world of trouble trauaile and paine to a world of rest comfort and consolation Let each man therfore wisely consider of Pacuuius his own estate let him also feare to offend the maiestie of Almightie God and not feare the day nor howre of death but alwayes abide with patience his appoynted time and vvhen hee perceiueth that his turne is come let him giue thanks vnto his Maker for his change ¶ Of the parting of the soule from the bodie and of the immortalitie thereof §. 1. TO all thinges saith Salomon there Eccles. 3 1. 2 is an appointed time and a time to euery purpose vnder the heauen a time to be borne a time to die a time to plant and a time to pluck vp that vvhich is planted For here haue we no continuing Citty Heb. 13 14 but we seeke one to come All flesh waxeth old as doth a garment Ecclê° 14. 17 and this is the condition of all times Thou shalt die the death For vvhat man is he that liueth shal Psal 89 48. not see death Sith that law is generall which coÌ„maundeth Salust to be borne and to die §. 2. All things that are of the earth saith Sirach Ecclê° 40 11 shall turne to earth againe and they that are of the waters shall returne into the Sea But the soule or spirit of man being immortal Eccles. 12. 7 shal returne vnto God that gaue it For as the beginning of our creation coÌ„meth Aristotle from GOD so it is meete that after death our soule returne vnto him againe §. 3. GOD hath created saith Beda three Beda kindes of liuing Spirits the first incorporeall proper to Angels onely the second couered ouer with flesh but not mortall or dying there-with that is the soule or Spirite of man dwelling in his body the third carnall and dying with the flesh namelie the spirite or life of beastes The soule of man also beeing once Augustine made shall surely endure for euer eyther in the body or out of the body For it should neuer beare the name to bee made according to the Image of Gods own likenesse if it might possibly be enclosed in the bonds of death §. 4. The most precious excellent creature Hermes that God hath created here on earth saith Hermes is man the most worthy thing in him is his soule or spirit vvhich endeuouring in this life to follow goodnes shall after death be rewarded with eternal glory For this is to be beleeued that the soules Socrates of good men so soone as they are foorth of the bodie they passe speedily into a better life but the soules of the wicked goe from this world to a worse If death were the dissoluing both of bodie Plato and soule then happy were the wicked which beeing once ridde of theyr bodie should also for euer after be ridde of theyr soule and wickednes but forasmuch as it is euident that the soule is immortall there is no comfort left for the vngodly to trust in For the immortalitie of the soule excludeth all hope from the wicked and establisheth the good in theyr goodnes §. 5. By the iustice of God saith Plato the Plato soule must needes be immortall and therfore no man ought to liue carelesse or negligent thereof For though the body die yet the soule Solon dieth not but by the stroke of death it passeth foorth of the body into another world more swiftly theÌ„ any bird that flieth Yea the soules of all men doubtlesse Socrates are immortall but the soules of the godlie are both immortall and diuine Wherefore if thy soule be good the Basill stroke of death cannot hurt thee for thy spirit shall thereby liue blessedly in heauen §. 6. But for better proofe of this matter then the speech of any Philosopher in the world can affoord we finde it plainly affirmed in the Gospell of S. Luke by the testimonie Luke 16 22 23. c. of Truth it selfe that the soule of Lazarus was no sooner out of his body but it vvas immediatly carried vp by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Contrariwise the soule of Diues after his death was speedily borne to hell torments The first to ioy pleasure the last to paine greefe Betweene which two places also there is such a great gulfe or swallowing pit sette that there cannot possibly be any passage from one of them to the other Saint Iohn likewise witnesseth in the Reuelation that wheÌ„ the 5. seale of the booke Reue. 6. 9. of God was opened he saw vnder the Alter in heauen the soules of them that were
8 of thine house the place where thine honour dwelleth The zeale of thine house ô Lord hath Psalm 69 6. eaten mee vp One day in thy Courts is better then a Psal 84 10. thousand other-where I had rather be a Doore-keeper in the house of my GOD then to dwell in the Tents of the vngodly As the Hart brayeth for the Riuers of Psal 42 1 2 water so panteth my soule after thee ô Lord. My soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God When shall I come appeare before the presence of God I will loue thee deerely ô Lorde my Psal 18. 1. strength VVhom haue I ô Lord in heauen but Psal 73 25. thee and there is none vpon earth that I desire in comparison of thee I haue longed ô Lord for thy saluation Ps 119. 174. and thy law is my delight Oh how I loue thy law It is my meditation Psal 119. 97 continually Oh teach mee thy statutes ô Lorde Psalm 119. 26 27. make mee to vnderstand the vvay of thy commaundements and I will meditate in thy wondrous workes Teach mee ô Lord the way of thy statutes Psal 119 33 34 I will keepe it vnto the end Giue mee vnderstanding and I will keepe thy Law yea I will keepe it with my vvhole hart Direct me in the path of thy commaundements verse 35 for therein is my delight Behold I desire thy commaundements verse 40 quicken me in thy righteousnes And incline my hart vnto thy testimonies verse 36 Deale with thy seruaunt ô Lord according Ps 119 124. 125. to thy mercie and teach mee thy statutes I ô Lord am thy seruaunt graunt mee therefore vnderstanding that I may know thy testimonies Looke vpon mee and be mercifull vnto Psalm 119 132. mee as thou vsest to doe vnto those that loue thy Name Direct my steps in thy Worde and let verse 133. none iniquitie haue dominion ouer me Teach mee to doe thy will for thou art Psal 143. 10 my God Let thy good Spirit lead me vnto the Land of righteousnesse By these and manie moe such like sayings in the Booke of Psalmes dooth thys princely Prophet make manifest as I said before with vvhat earnest zeale feruent affection hee alwayes loued the Lord and his Law The true and perfect loue also of man to his Maker was as it seemeth deeply rooted in the hart of old Eleazer when he refused all the friendship worldly fauours 2 Mac 6 28 that were offered vnto him by the seruants of Antiochus and chose rather to suffer death by torments then to saue his life by breaking the rules of his Religion With the like loue and constancie did the seauen brethren and their mother endure 2 Mac. 7. death by tortures vnder that wicked Tyrant Antiochus and left behinde them a woorthy remembrance of their feruent affection to the Lawe of the Lorde their God VVe reade also in the Newe-testament that Saint Stephen the first Martir after Acts 7 59. Christ through his religious loue to his Lord and Maister willingly suffered himselfe to be stoned to death commending his spirit into the hands of his Creator And such like diuine and holy loue to Christ our Captaine ought euery Christian professor to harbour in his heart else may it greatly be doubted that hee shall shoote short of life euerlasting §. 6. But as I said in the beginning this loue is both diuine and charitable First mouing man to loue the Lord and his lawe for the sundry blessings and benefits which God both already hath and daily doth bestowe vppon him through Christ Secondlie to loue his neighbour or brother as himselfe because GOD in his holy Worde hath so commaunded him and for that hee is the very forme of his own Image or likenes With which kinde of charitable loue of man to man or man to his neighbour was the heart of the Samaritane softned vvho Luke 10. 33 34 35. finding a stranger in the high-vvay halfe dead first bound vp the wounds of his body then setting him vpon his own beast brought him to an Inne and made prouision for him commaunding the Host of the house to take care of him and looke quoth he what-soeuer the charges of this man commeth vnto more then the two pence which I now giue thee at my next comming hether I will pay thee all But with more then charitable loue of man to his neighbour was the hart of holy Moises moued when through his great affection hee prayed vnto the Lord to pardon the foolish and Idolatrous sinne of his people Yea such was his feruent affection more theÌ„ charitable loue towards them that he desired of GOD in his prayer to Exod 32 32 graunt that theyr foule offence might be forgiuen or else his owne name to be rased out of the Booke of life And vvith more also then charitable loue of man to his neighbour was the Apostle Saint Paule acquainted when verie zeale for Gods glory and loue to his owne Nation enforced him to say * I vvould Rom 9 3. wish my selfe to be separated from Christ or to loose mine owne saluation for my Bretheren that are my kinsmen according to the flesh I terme these two last ensamples more then charitable loue because it made these men ready to refuse their ovvne soules health rather then their Brethren should be vnpardoned and cast from their Creator for their offences §. 7. By which few examples onely wee may sufficiently perceiue the forcible effect of true and perfect loue and iustly may wee confesse with the afore-named Apostle That * although we speak with the tungs 1 Cor 13 1 2 3. of men and Angels and haue not loue we are but as sounding Brasse or a tinckling Cymball And though wee had the gift of prophecie and knewe all secrets and all knowledge yea if we had all fayth so that we could remoue mountaines and had not loue we were nothing And though vvee feede the poore with all our goods giue our bodies to be burned haue not loue it profiteth vs nothing For God hath chosen vs in Christ Iesus Ephe 1 4 before the foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue And this commaundement haue we of 1 Ioh 4 21. him that he which loueth GOD should loue his brother also For as a King is honoured in his Image Bernard so God in man is either loued or hated hee cannot hate man who loueth GOD neither can hee loue GOD who hateth man Also like as the body without the soule Fulgotiâ—â— enioyeth no life so all other vertues without godlie loue are but colde and fruitlesse §. 8. If wee loue one another saith S. Iohn 1 Ioh 4 12 God dwelleth in vs and his loue is perfect in vs. Also hee that loueth his Brother abideth 1 Ioh 2 10 in the
7 saith Salomon and blessed shall his children be after him The path of the righteous is to decline Prou 16 17 from euill and hee keepeth his soule that keepeth his way The way of the wicked is abhomination Prou. 15. 9 vnto the Lord but he loueth him that followeth righteousnes And better is the poore that walketh in Prou. 28 6. his vprightnes then he that peruerteth his wayes though hee be rich For there can be no greater gaine then Bullenger the good that commeth by godlinesse nor any sweeter comfort then the inward solace of an vnpolluted soule §. 22. The way of the righteous shineth as the Prou. 4. 18 light which shineth more and more vnto the perfect day And vnto them ariseth light in darknes Psal 112 4 Through his religious knowledge and Pacuuius vnderstanding the godly man shal diuers wayes be helpfull to others by his own vertues hee shall be able to withstand many vices For the righteousnes of an vpright man Prou 11 5 ordereth his way It preserueth him in his life * And causeth Prou. 13. 6 Prou 14 32 him to haue hope in his death It also deliuereth from death Prou 11 4 And defendeth the faithfull from eternall Pet. Mar. destruction For hee that walketh or continueth to Prou 28 18 the end in his vprightnes shall be saued And there is no confusion vnto them Dan 3 40 that put theyr trust in God §. 23. Doubtlesse saith Marlorate diuers are Marlorate the fauours and many the mercies which almightie GOD sheweth vnto the godly heere in this life but most vnspeakeable are the sundry consolations which through fayth they feele in conscience at the verie houre of theyr death Marke as Dauid saith the vpright man Psal 37 37 behold the iust for the end of that man is peace And the last houre of his life is the first Cyrill houre of his soules entrance into endlesse felicitie §. 24. Thus much in effect Balaam the lucrelouing Prophet could confesse to be true vnto the comfort of other men though hee himselfe walked in the way of wickednes when hee saide * Oh that my soule Num 23 10 might die the death of the righteous and that my last end might be like his For as many as in this life beleeue in Christ and keepe his doctrine * they shall Iohn 8 51. neuer see death Nor come into condemnation but haue Iohn 5 24 euen as it were alreadie passed froÌ„ death vnto life They finde by experience that the true seruice of GOD giueth inward testimonie Mar. Bucer of eternall saluation vnto theyr soules vvhere-vnto all worldly wealth is not worthy to be compared and that the peace of conscience excelleth al earthly possessions Death vnto them is no death but rather Erasmus a long-desired releasement from their many molestations in this life a most pleasant passage into the Paradise of GOD. VVhere with a number more then may bee numbred of Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Saints and holy Martyrs they shall be made partakers of euer-during happinesse and continue alwayes in the company of Christ Iesus theyr most mercifull Protector VVherfore if thou desire to prosper in Origen thy life and to speede well at thy death bestow thy studie in the lawe of the Lord practise to please him according to his precepts For it is a pleasure full of profit a solace Plotinus voyde of all sorrow for a man to giue his minde to godly meditation §. 25. Light saith the Psalmist is sowen for Psal 97 11 the righteous and ioy for the vpright in hart To euery man that doth good shall be Rom. 2. 10. glory and honour and peace And to the righteous God will recompence Prou. 13 21 good For GOD greatly esteemeth vertuous Socrates people though in this worlde they be little set by For them are good things created from Ecclê° 39 25 the beginning and euill thinges for the vvicked For them is euerlasting rest and glorie 2. Esdr 8 59 made ready but thirst and paine is long since prepared of God for the vngodly Yea the Lord himselfe hath promised 2. Esdr 8. 39. that he wil reioyce in the wayes of the righteous and that hee will remember the pilgrimage the saluation and the revvard that they shall haue For glorious is the fruite of good labours Wisd 3 15 and the roote of wisedome shal neuer fade away §. 26. Theyr first felicitie after this life is the Iust Mar. sweete rest quiet peace that their soules possesse in Christ But the second shall be the immortalitie and glory both of theyr body and soule together at the day of generall iudgement when with triumphant ioy they shall in the sight of all their enemies receiue openly theyr portion in the kingdome of perpetuall blessednes For they shall liue for euer their reward Wisd 5. 15. also is with the Lord and the most High hath care of them Therefore shall they receiue a glorious verse 16. kingdome and a beautifull crowne at the Lords hand for with his right hand shall he couer them and with his arme shall hee defend them Their recompence or reward consisteth Constantiuâ— not onely in Gods grace and fauour towards them during this life but also in his most mercifull receiuing them into eternall felicitie and safe preseruing them froÌ„ the danger of damnation which is the second death of the vngodly So that heauen is not onely the seate of Erasmus Gods glory and the habitation of his holie Angels but it is also the resting place of the faithfull and the inheritance of all his Saints §. 27. The certaine truth vvhereof is further vvitnessed vnto vs by the words of Christ himselfe where among many other petitions made vnto his Father both for himselfe and the faithfull in the end hee concludeth his speech with this saying * Father Iohn 17 24 I will that they which thou hast giuen mee be with mee euen where I am that they may beholde my glory vvhich thou hast giuen mee Also in another place he sayth * If any Iohn 12 26 man serue mee let him followe mee for where I am there shall also my seruant be and who-soeuer serueth mee him will my Father honour And what honour receiued from anie Tertullian Prince in this vvorld be it neuer so great is worthy any way to be compared vnto the least honour vvhich the seruaunts of GOD shall receiue from theyr Creator in the kingdome of Heauen VVhere life shall not be limitted vnto Beda them by number of monthes or yeeres nor theyr pleasures appointed at certaine times and seasons but as God himselfe is without any ending so shall theyr life be euerlasting And as his power endureth perpetually so shall their pleasures last continually §. 28. For it is a thing agreeable to reason that
Mar. Aurel. those men which be good among so many euils in this life should be greatly honoured with God after theyr death And assuredly it is to be beleeued that Plato all they which in this worlde follow vertue and liue more godly then other men shall after their soule is by the stroke of death departed from theyr body ascend vp into a purer life and dwell for euer in the presence of God Happy therefore are the righteous yea Gueuara double happy are the righteous First for that they shal in this life be blessed in their labours from GOD with aboundance of all things necessary for them Secondly for that they shall be made partakers of Gods endlesse glory in the world to come §. 29. VVhere among many other fauours and inestimable delights from the Maker Hemingius of all things granted vnto them they shall be permitted daily to behold the beautie of all beauties most to bee reioyced in namely the vnmeasurable maiestie amiable countenaunce of Almightie GOD theyr Creator Father and Preseruer According to that sentence of our Sauiour in the Gospell where he saith * Blessed Math. 5. 8. are the pure or vpright in hart for they shall see GOD. Not as wee see nowe for nowe wee see 1. Cor. 12. 13. through a glasse darkly but then shall vve see face to face Nowe wee knowe in part but then shall we knowe euen as wee are knowne §. 30. Then also shall the iust men shine as Math. 13. 43 the Sunne in the kingdome of theyr Father And they that in this world turne many Dan 12 3 to righteousnes shall shine as the starres for euer and euer They shall sit also vvith Christ himselfe Math. 19. 28 in his kingdome vpon twelue thrones iudge the twelue Tribes of Israell Yea they shall iudge the Nations and Wisd 3 8 haue dominion ouer the people theyr Lord shall raigne for euer-more §. 31. Then shall the righteous stand in great Wisd 5. 1. boldnesse before the face of such as haue dealt extreamely with them and taken away theyr labours And vvhen the vngodly see them they verse 2 shall be vexed with horrible feare shall stand amazed at theyr wonderfull deliuerance And changing then theyr mindes and verse 3 sighing through inward greefe they shall say within thēselues These are they whom wee some-time had in derision and iested vpon VVee fooles thought theyr life to be Wisd 5 4 madnesse and theyr end to be without honour But loe howe they are counted among verse 5 the chyldren of God and theyr portion is among the Saints §. 32. Then as Anselmus saith shall all the Anselmus whole company or number of the righteous receiue fully theyr rewarde together from GOD and they shall euery one of them be blessed of him with sundry blessings both in bodie and soule They shall first and formost be blessed The seuerall blessings that the bodies of the faithfull shall receiue in the kingdome of heauen According to the saying of Anselmus in body with such wonderfull beauty that they shall euery way be equall to the Sunne in brightnes and glory Secondly they shal be endued with such agilitie or quicknes that they shall be like vnto the Angels of GOD in theyr speedie moouing Thirdly theyr fortitude shall be so sufficient that no creature what-soeuer shall be able to withstand theyr strength Fourthly theyr libertie shall be so free secure that nothing shall haue any power eyther to hinder or resist them Fiftly they shall possesse perfect health vvithout any manner of greefe or infirmitie Sixtly they shal be throughly filled with an ineffable delight and vvholy replenished with an vnspeakeable aboundance of inestimable ioy Yea euery part and member of them shall be filled with such wonderful sence and feeling of incomparable pleasure and delight that the whole man shall quaffe of the riuer of Gods pleasure and be made drunke vvith the plentie of ioy vvhich hee shall haue in the House of the Lord. Seauenthly they shall be blessed vvith such length and perpetuity of life as shall neuer receiue any end but cōtinue alwaies in eternall ioy and pleasure and endure therein euen with GOD himselfe so long as his life and power lasteth which can neuer come to conclusion nor at any time be diminished §. 33. And as concerning the soules of the The seuerall beatitudes of glorified soules in the kingdom of God According to the saving of Anselmus righteous they shal then also be enriched with as many fauours from GOD as each glorified body hath The first beatitude which shal be giuen them is perfect wisedome for there the soule of euery simple Swaine shall possesse more knowledge vnderstanding then euer did all the Phylosophers or greatest Clarkes in this life The second beatitude or blessednesse of the soule shal be the true amitie vnfayned friendship of one righteous person to another as members all of one body whose head is Christ Iesus the Lord. And in that blessed societie shal neuer be any enuy hatred or discorde but euen as long and as well as any man in that kingdome dooth loue himselfe so long and so well shall he loue euery one else that resteth in the same fellowship with him Theyr third beatitude shall be the concord or agreement which then shal rest betweene the body and the soule of euery Saint that disagreed in this life for they shal then be at peace and vnitie the body shall will as the soule willeth and the soule shall desire as the body desireth so that in all poynts there shall be perfect agreement betweene them Besides this concord shal not onely rest betweene the body soule of euery particuler Saint but also between the whole congregation of the godly for they shal will no contrarieties but all shall will as one willeth and one shall will as all willeth Their fourth beatitude shal be honour for almightie GOD shal then fully deliuer all his Saints from the filthy vlcers of sinne many miseries and infinite infirmities passions where-vnto the corruption of the flesh made them in this vvorlde daily subiect Hee shall heale them restore them to perfect health most mercifully adorne them with the ornament of absolute righteousnes and immortality He shall adopt them for his sonnes and chyldren and shall make them inheritours of his heauenly kingdome and coheires with his best beloued and onely begotten sonne Christ Iesus Theyr fift beatitude shall be power for the righteous shal then be able to doe what they wil because they shal haue the Creator of heauen and earth agreeable in all things to what-soeuer they desire Theyr sixt beatitude shall be securitie that is they shal not onely haue power to doe what they wil and to enioy what pleasure soeuer theyr hart desireth but they shall also be without any feare or doubt of euer losing the same seeing God which is
doth hee not make intercession for vs vnto himselfe page 197 198 That in Christ and through Christ we haue all things page 198 199. ¶ The seuerall matters handled in the fourth Discourse OF Fayth page 200. What fayth is page 200. The force of faith page 201 202 Onely beleeuing is righteousnes 210. That the doctrine of fayth is the ornament of the Law page 211 That a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law page 213 Of good workes page 213 214 That fayth without works is vaine page 214 215 The agreement of the two Apostles S. Paule and S. Iames concerning fayth and workes page 215 216 ¶ Of Feare page 227 That there are two sorts of Feare page 217. 218 The difference betweene seruile feare filiall feare page 218 219 The worthines of true feare page 220 221 222. c. ¶ Of Loue. page 227 That there are two sorts of Loue. page 227. 228 The difference between Concupiscence and diuine Loue. page 227. 228 The worthines of diuine loue and the sundry effects thereof page 228 229 ¶ The seuerall matters handled in the fift Discourse WHat the will and desire of GOD is concerning men page 240 That it is the will of God that all men should be saued page 241 Gods desire and willingnes that sinners should repent and amend page 242. What true repentance is the seuerall parts thereof page 248. 249 That in the worke of true repentance satisfaction ought to be made three seuerall wayes page 251 252 ¶ The seuerall matters handled in the sixt Discourse WHat seruice God requireth of man during this life page 264 The seruice which God requireth of vs is that vvee keepe his commaundements page 264 265 266 267 c. Of compassion towardes our brethren and forgiuing one another page 280 281. 282 283 Of Prayer page 228. Of thankes-giuing page 293 Of Fasting page 295 Of Almes-deedes page 299 To beware that the almes vvhich wee giue be of our owne true-gotten goods page 306. 307. Of Humilitie page 308 That there be three degrees of humilitie page 308 Of Obedience page 311. 312 ¶ A further Declaration of our dutie towardes God and our neyghbour 315. Against Images page 315 Against swearing page 319 Of sanctifying the Sabaoth day 321. Of honouring our Parents page 322 Against pride page 325. Against enuie hatred malice anger wrath and murther page 330 Against sloth and idlenes page 336. Against couetousnes page 340 Against vsury page 346 Against gluttony page 349 Against drunkennesse page 353 Against adultery and fornication page 357 358 359 Against stealing lying slaundering falswitnes bearing coueting another mans vvealth page 363 364 365 366. c. Against iniustice wrongfull dealing oppressing the poore page 368 Against ouer-hastie rash iudgement page 375. Against iustifying our selues foolish boasting and ouer-much regarding of other mens faultes page 378. c Against the following of false-teachers page 384 Against the choyse of meates and difference of dayes page 387. Against ouer-curious searching adding of any thing to the vvorde of God page 392. Against foolish securitie page 394 Against the loue of the world 396. Against euill company keeping 399. ¶ A breefe collection of certaine other godly precepts and counsels from page 404. to page 429. ¶ The seuerall matters handled in the seuenth Discourse OF trouble and affliction wherby God tryeth his chyldren page 429. The tryall of Abraham page 430. The tryall of Tobie page 431 The tryals of Dauid page 431. The tryals of Iob. page 432 433. 434 Of trouble and persecution for the Gospels sake page 445 c The example of S. Paules sufferings diuers other Saints of God 455. 456 457 ¶ The seuerall matters handled in the eyght Discourse OF the many fauours of God towards the godly heere in this lyfe c. page 462 463 464 c. The seuerall blessings of glorified bodies in the kingdome of heauen page 488. The sundry beatitudes of the soules of Gods Saints in heauen page 489 ¶ The seuerall matters handled in the ninth Discourse OF the heauie wrath of God against the vngodly heere in thys life c. page 495 496 497 c. The prosperitie of the wicked theyr suddaine fall page 498 499. Theyr seuerall practises against the godly and the euill successe that followes them in the end page 499 500 c. The fearefull trouble of conscience that many times molesteth the vnrighteous in this life page 515 Of the seuerall torments and perpetuitie of the paines that the damned shall suffer after this life in hell page 523 524 525 526 527 c. FINIS N L
a God which is not onely a Creator but also a Preseruer a Sauiour a Comforter and a Deliuerer in time of neede §. 14. I knowe saith Dauid that the Lord is Psal 135. â— 6. great and that our God is aboue all Gods Whatsoeuer pleased him that did hee in heauen and in earth in the Sea and in all the deepes He hath made the earth by his power Ierem. 10. 12 13. established the world by his wisedom and hath stretched out the heauens by his discretion he giueth by his voyce the multitude of waters in the heauen he causeth the clowdes to ascend from the ends of the earth hee turneth lightnings to raine and bringeth forth the windes out of his treasures Hee giueth peace and prosperitie vnto Aeneus Siluius such as serue him and sendeth trouble and aduersitie to theÌ„ that disobey him hee lifteth to honour whoÌ„ hee liketh bringeth to base estate whom hee pleaseth he maketh manifest his might on whom he will by what meanes hee will and at what time hee will no man beeing able to withstand his power For when hee giueth quietnes who can Iob 34 29 make trouble Or wheÌ„ he hideth his face who can behold him whether it be vpon whole Nations or vpon one man onelie §. 15. VVith the Lorde our God also and in Pet. Mâ—r. â— his only power as Peter Martir affirmeth it resteth to pardon our offences and forgiue vs our sinnes For who is hee as the Scribes said vnto Mark 2 7. Christ that can forgiue sinnes but GOD onely No man as Saint Ambrose saith can be Ambrose partner with God in forgiuing of sinnes for it is Christes onely office that hath taken away the sinnes of the whole world Yea it appertaineth onely vnto GOD faith he to forgiue sinnes and to giue the holy Ghost hee alone forgiueth sinnes which alone died for our sinnes Also that the Lorde might euidentlie Augustine shewe saith S. Augustine that sinnes be forgiuen by the holy Ghost whoÌ„ he hath giuen vnto his faithfull not by the merrites of men hee sayth in a certaine place Take * yee the holy Ghost and straightway Iohn 20 22 23. after these words vttered hee said this saying If yee forgiue any man his sinnes they are forgiuen That is the holy Ghost forgiueth and not you §. 16. Besides this poynt may be further prooued by the speech of Almighty God himselfe where speaking by the mouth of his Prophet vnto Israell he saith I euen I am Esay 43 25 he ô Israel that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes any more Againe I haue put away thy transgressions Esay 44. 22. ô Israel like a clowde and thy sinnes as a mist saith the most mercifull turne vnto me for I haue redeemed thee Againe I am the Lorde thy God ô Israel Hosea 13. 4. from the Land of Egipt thou shalt knowe no God but me for there is no Sauiour besides me Also sundry times may be found in the booke of Psalmes with what thankfulnes the Prophet Dauid confesseth the pardon of all his sinnes to proceede onely from the mercy of his Maker As namely amongst the rest in the 103. psalme where he saith Psalm 103. 2. 3. 4. Praise the Lord ô my soule and forget not all his benefites which forgiueth all thy sin and healeth all thine infirmities which redeemeth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercy louing kindnesse §. 17. Moreouer there is as the Apostle affirmeth Iames. 412 one Law-giuer which is able to saue and to destroy And that Law-giuer is God vnto whoÌ„ as Iob saith it * certainly appertaineth to Iob 3431. say I haue pardoned I will not destroy Blessed therefore and most happy is hee Psalm 32 1 whose wickednesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Yea blessed is the man as the Psalmist verse 2. saith vnto whom the Lord our GOD imputeth not iniquitie §. 18. The Lord our God is terrible and verie Ecclê° 43 29 great saith Sirach and meruailous is his almightie power He is to be feared aboue all Gods for all Psal â—6 4 5 the Gods of the Heathen are Idols and vanitie but the Lord our God made the heauens Hee is the liuing God an euerlasting Iere. 10. 10. King At his anger the earth shall tremble and the Nations cannot abide his wrath For who can stand as Nahum saith Nahum 1 6. before the wrath of the Lord or who can abide in the fiercenesse of his wrath His wrath is powred out like fire and the rocks are broken by him Yea the pillers of heauen tremble and quake at his reproofe the sea also is made Iob 26. 11. 12. calme by his power and by his vnderstanding he smiteth the pride thereof §. 19 Behold as Sirach saith the heauen yea Ecclê° 16 18 the heauen of all heauens which are for God the deepe the earth all that therein is shall be moued when he shall visite All the world which is created made verse 19 by his will the mountaines also the foundations of the earth shall shake for feare saith hee when the Lord looketh vppon them And this whole speech of Sirach in effect is likewise further witnessed by the wordes of God himselfe in the prophecie of Esay where speaking in prayse of his owne power hee saith Behold at my rebuke Esay 50 2 3 I dry vp the Sea I make the floods desert their fish rotteth for water dieth for thirst I clothe saith hee the heauens with darknesse and make a sacke theyr couering And for some proofe of his power according to the tenure of this speech vvee finde that his might was sufficientlie made manifest by example when hee sent such a * palpable darknesse ouer all the Land of Exod 10 22 23 Egypt the place where the children of Israell dwelt onely excepted that for the space of three dayes no man could see another neither could any one rise vp from the place where he was He also by his power after this parted in sunder the Red-sea and made the waters Exod 14. 16. c. thereof to stande like two walls and a path of dry ground to appeare in the middest whiles all his people had safe passage from the furie of Pharao and his mightie host which speedily pursued after them to their owne destruction §. 20. Moreouer the Lord our God in the last booke of Moises both to terrifie the rage of Tyrants comfort in calamities as many as put their confidence in him vttereth this fearefull menace following against all the wilful contemners of his power glorie saying * If I whet my glittering sword Deu. 32 41. 42. and my hand take holde on iudgement I will execute vengeance on mine aduersaries and will reward them that hate me I will make my arrowes drunke with blood
which giueth to all men liberallie and reprocheth no man and it shall bee giuen him For it is he that leadeth vnto Wisedome Wisd 7 15 16. and teacheth howe to vse the same aright In his hand are both wee and our wordes yea all our wisedome our vnderstanding and the knowledge of all our workes §. 4. If riches saith the Wiseman bee a possessioÌ„ Wisd 8 5 6 to be desired in this life what is richer then Wisedome that worketh all thinges For if Wisedom worketh what is it among all things that worketh better then shee If a man loue righteousnesse her labours verse 7 are full of vertue for shee teacheth sobernesse prudencie righteousnes strength which are the most profitable thinges that men can haue in this lyfe If a man desire great experience she can verse 8. tell the things that are past and discerne the things that are to come shee knoweth the subtilties of words and the solution of dark sentences she foreseeth the signes wonders or euer they come to passe the successe or end of all times ages to ensue Who so awaketh vnto her betimes shall Wisd 6 14. haue no great trauaile in seeking her for he shall finde her sitting at his doores To think vpon her is perfect vnderstanding verse 15 and who so watcheth for her shall be soone without care For shee walketh about seeking such as verse 16 bee meete for her and sheweth herselfe cheerefully vnto them in theyr wayes and meeteth them in euery thought Shee is an infinite treasure vnto men Wisd 7 14 which who so vse become pertakers of the loue and freendship of Almighty God are accepted for the gifts of knowledge vnderstanding All Gold is but grauell in respect of her Wisd 7 9 and Siluer shall be counted but clay before her She is more worth then precious stones Prou 8 11. yea all things that thou canst desire are not to be compared vnto her She hath her dwelling with knowledge verse 12 and prudent counsell is her owne By her Kings doe raigne and Counsellers Prou 8 15 16 make iust lawes through her doe Princes beare rule and all the Iudges of the earth execute iudgement By her also wee may be preserued from Solon the many perrils of this world and through her wee may attaine vnto a happy end §. 5. To conclude Of all the giftes that euer Plato God gaue vnto man saith Plato Wisedom is the most excellent For shee is the defence of the soule and the mirrour of reason she is the ground roote of all good endeuours she ordereth the mind of man and instructeth his vnderstanding she directeth his life and ruleth the works thereof shee teacheth what ought to be doone and what to be left vndone and vvithout her saith he no man liuing can be safe Also this likewise knew Salomon a far better Diuine then Plato to be most true as appeareth in his prayer which he so earnestly made vnto the Lord for wisedome and where vvithall in the same place hee plainely confesseth that * although a man Wisd 9 6 be neuer so perfect among the chyldren of men yet if the wisedome of GOD be not with him he shall be nothing regarded For the wisedome of this world is foolishnes 1 Cor 3 19 with God Because as the Apostle saith it is earthlie Iames 3 15 sensuall and deuilish But the vvisedome that is from aboue verse 17. is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercie good fruites without iudging and without hipocrisie ¶ Of the knowledge of Almightie God §. 1. THe Lord looketh downe from heauen saith Dauid and beholdeth all Psalm 33 13 14. the children of men From the habitation of his dwelling hee beholdeth all them that dwell vpon the earth Hee facioneth the harts of euery one of verse 15. them he vnderstandeth all their works For hee is as Hannah saith a God of 1 Sam 2 3 knowledge by him enterprises are established Yea from the beginning of the world Acts 15 18 saith S. Iames the Lorde our God knoweth all his workes He also vnderstandeth and seeth both Pet. Lomb. the deedes and the thoughts of all men liuing in the world and froÌ„ his knowledge no secrete can be hid For his eyes as Sirach saith are ten thousand Ecclê° 39. 19 times brighter theÌ„ the Sun beholding all the waies of men and the ground of the deepe considereth the most secret parts * Hee knewe all things or euer they vvere verse 20. made after they be brought to passe also hee looketh vpon them all The works of all flesh are before him Ecclê° 39 19 20. nothing can be hid froÌ„ his sight Hee seeth from euerlasting to euerlasting and there is nothing wondeful or hard vnto him For his wisedome is great he is mightie Ecclê° 15 18 in power and he beholdeth all things continually So that nothing can be doone in heauen Caluine earth or hell without his prouidence Neither is there any creature which is not Heb 4 13 manifest in his sight but all thinges are naked and open to the eyes of him concerning whom we speake For his eyes are vpon the wayes of man Iob 34 21. he seeth all his goings * His eyes in euery Prou 15 3 place behold the euill the good And hee onely knoweth the harts of all 1 Reg 8 39 the chyldren of men §. 2. Behold saith Esdras the Lord our God 2 Esdr 16 46. knoweth all the workes of men their imaginations their thoughts their harts Yea hee knoweth our inuentions and verse 55. what we think or imagine in our hart wheÌ„ we sinne and would hide our selues No thought may escape him neyther Ecclê° 42 20 may any word be hid from him For he * vnderstandeth euery hart Ecclê° 16 20 Hell with her paine saith Salomon is Prou 15 11 knovvne vnto the Lord hovve much more the harts of all the sonnes of men The graue likewise is naked before Iob 26 6 him and destruction cannot bee couered from him The wayes of all men in the worlde are Bernard knowne to him the words of all mouthes in the world are heard of him and the thoughts of all harts in the world are plainly perceiued of him There is nothing so secrete but he seeth P. Melanct. the same nor any purpose so priuilie practised but it is openly knowne vnto him The righteous and the vnrighteous are Bullenger both in their doings of him regarded and hee discerneth the counterfeite Christian from the faithfull professor §. 4. Saint Paule the Apostle writing vnto his Scholler Timothie in his second Epistle and second chapter both for his confirmation comfort against the doctrine of false Teachers telleth him That * the 2 Tim 2 19 foundation of God
Psal 145. 17 the Psalmist saith in all his vvayes and holie in all his workes Yea his vvayes are righteous the iust Hose 14 10 shal walke in them but the wicked shall fall therein For as his wayes are plaine and right vnto Ecclê° 39 24 the iust so are they stumbling blocks vnto the wicked §. 4. But to the end wee should not imagine the wayes of Almightie God to be like our wayes nor his secrete intents to resemble our deuises it hath pleased the Lord himselfe in the prophecie of Esay fully to assure vs of the contrarie by his owne speech where he saith * My thoughts ô house of Esay 55 8 9 Israell are not your thoughts neyther are your wayes my waies For as the heauens are higher then the earth so are my wayes higher then your wayes and my thoughts aboue your thoughts And an example partly to approue this speech of God may be founde in the first Booke of Samuell where wee reade that when the Prophet according as hee vvas appointed went about to annoynt a nowe King in steed of Saule ouer Israell he first after he came to Bethlehem called for Elihab 1 Sam 16 the eldest sonne of Ishai a goodlie tall fellowe and presently supposed him because he was of an high stature and comlie countenaunce to bee the man whom God had chosen But when the Lorde refused him â—ee called for the second sonne and after that the third so in order vntill he had seene seauen of Ishais sonnes at the last when there remained onely but one more named Dauid the most vnlikely amongst all the rest to be elected King the Lord far contrary both to the expectation of his Father and the Prophet as soone as the lad came into their presence called vnto Samuell saying Arise and annoynt him for this is hee Giuing vs hereby to vnderstand that he respecteth not as wee doe the outvvarde appearance comly proportion of euerie beautifull person but rather the godlie inclination of mans minde and the feruent affection of his hidden hart §. 5. Now although indeede we are not able as S. Ierome saith by reason of our manie Ierome â— infirmities to conceaue Gods wonderfull counsels or attaine to the knowledge of his hidden purposes for that his secrete determinations seeme like a deepe Gulfe vnto vs yet must we alwayes in duetie acknowledge him in whatsoeuer hee doth to be iust and true in all his wayes and humblie confesse that he keepeth an vpright and euen hand in the performing of all his promises whatsoeuer And far more fitly also wil it become vs reuerently to admire the meruailous vvorkings of the Almightie then ouer busily to beate our braines about matters that are beyond our capacity saying in all humility of spirit as the Apostle in his Epistle to the Romaines saith * O the deepenesse of Rom 11 33 the riches both of the wisedome knowledge of God! howe vnsearchable are his iudgements his wayes past finding out ¶ Of the Word of God §. 1. THE Worde of the Lord our God Heb 4 12. as saith the Apostle is liuely and mightie in operation and sharper then anie two edged sword It entereth through euen vnto the deuiding in sunder of the soule and the spirit and of the ioynts and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the hart §. 2. The Word of God as Saint Ambrose Ambrose saith is the pleasant Garden of Paradice where the Tree of knowledge is appoynted by God vnto all the elect In the midst whereof standeth the Tree of Life which is Christ our Sauiour No Cherubin with a fierie sword saith hee keepeth the enterance but it is opened by the instinct of the holy Ghost and the light of the Gospel to all that are hungry In it are the Riuers of liuely vvater by which the Church of all the faythfull is ouerflowne and cherrished and the mindes of the godly inriched with the treasures of heauenly graces Therein also are Trees of all sorts verie faire and fruitfull that is the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles planted by Gods owne hand and the voyce of God continually walking earnestly seeking the saluation of mankinde and leading them vnto the way of life §. 3. The Word of God as Saint Augustine Augustine sayth is the vvombe of God vvherein all his Children are conceaued carried borne and nourished It is the Lanthorne vvhereby our feete Fulgentius may bee directed and the true Light by vvhich our pathes may bee guided vnto Christ It is as it were the Lydian Touchstone Ambrose which rightly tryeth all the opinions and teachings of men whether they be true or counterfeit It is as the Apostle saith the * sword of Ephe 6 17 the Spirit And the * power of God vnto Rom 1 16 saluation to euery one that beleeueth It is the mistery or secrete of the vvill of Rom. 16. 25 GOD. And his Letters or freendly Epistles sent Augustine vnto vs from our heauenly Countrey to instruct vs in fayth and godlines of life It is the liuelie meate or foode of mans Ambrose soule with the which it is nourished fedde and daily gouerned It is the wholsome doctrine of the holie Ierome Ghost wherein is contained whatsoeuer is needful to be knowne of vs in this life concerning our future felicitie in the vvorld to come §. 4. The very authoritie of Gods Worde alone is as S. Augustine saith more theÌ„ all Augustine the sharpnesse of mans imagination or inuention for it hath one constant plaine simple holy meaning wherein the truth consisteth by vvhich onely wee fight and ouercome And whatsoeuer in argument saith S. Gregorie hath not authoritie from the Gregory Word of GOD it may well be auoyded vvith the same ease vvith vvhich it is affirmed For as whatsoeuer gold is vvithout the Origen Temple is not sanctified so vvhat-soeuer sence is without the holy Scriptures although vnto some it seeme wonderfull yet it is not holy because it is not contayned in the sence of the Scriptures §. 5. The entrance as Dauid saith into the Psalm 119. 130. Word of the Lord sheweth light and giueth vnderstanding vnto the simple For it is * prooued to bee most pure It Ps 119 140. Ecclus. 1. 5 Ps 119 160 Psalm 119 72 104 is * the wel-spring of wisedome And the * beginning of it is truth The Lawe of thy mouth ô Lord sayth hee is better vnto mee then thousandes of golde and siluer By thy precepts haue I gotten vnderstanding And by thy coÌ„maundements thou hast Psa 119 98 made me wiser then mine enemies Therefore loue I thy commaundements Psalm 119 127 aboue gold yea aboue most fine gold I reioyce also at thy Word as one that Psalm 119. 162. findeth a great spoyle And my soule ô Lorde hath kept thy Psalm 119. 167. testimonies for
of things which did appeare For God in the beginning by the onely Lactantius power of his Word made all things of nothing and he likewise by the power of his Worde alone is able to destroy all thinges againe when it pleaseth him §. 3. From fayth if it be perfect and liuelie Euagoras vve come to feare from feare to flying of sinne and by flying of sinne vvee attaine vnto a patient minde to suffer tribulation by the which we obtaine sure hope trust in GOD through the which hope our soules sitte safe in a sure chayre of a certaine expectation of that glory which is layd vp in store for vs in the kingdom of heauen For * 2 Cor 5 7 we walke by fayth and not by sight And by it our fore-fathers were well reported Heb. 11. 2 of §. 4. By fayth Abraham when he was called Heb 11 8. obeyed God to goe out into a place which hee should afterward receiue for inheritance and he went out of his owne countrey not knowing whether he went Through fayth also Sara the wife of Abraham Heb 11 11. receiued strength to conceiue seede and was deliuered of a childe when she was past age because shee iudged him faithfull which had promised By fayth Moises when hee was come to Heb. 11 24. 25. age refused to be called the sonne of Pharaos Daughter and chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinnes for a season Esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater verse 26. riches then the treasures of Egipt for hee had respect vnto the recompence of the reward By fayth the woman of Cananee after Math. 15 22 23. 24. c. three repulses giuen her from our Sauiour Christ himselfe receiued helpe for her daughter which was misterably vexed with an vncleane spirit By fayth Saint Peter confessed his Lord Math 16 16 and Maister Iesus to be Christ the sonne of the liuing God And who-soeuer else hauing in him Math 16 18 the Spirit of God shall confidently make such like confession of his fayth when he is demaunded as S. Peter made our Sauiour giueth him this assurance that the gates of hell shall not be able to preuaile against it Wherfore if thou shalt confesse with thy Rom 10 9 mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beleeue in thy hart that God raised him vp from the dead thou shalt be saued For with the hart man beleeueth vnto verse 10. righteousnes and with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation §. 5. VVho is it that ouercoÌ„meth the world 1 Iohn 5 5 saith S. Iohn but he which beleeueth that Iesus is the sonne of God For whosoeuer confesseth that Iesus is 1 Ioh 4 15 the sonne of GOD he dwelleth in God and God in him Yea who-soeuer beleeueth that Iesus is 1 Ioh 5 1 the Christ is borne of God And all that is borne of God ouercommeth 1 Iohn 5 4 the vvorld the victory that ouercommeth the world is our fayth And * the ende of our fayth is the saluation 1. Pâ—t 1 9 of our soules §. 6. Verily verily saith Christ he that beleeueth Iohn 6 46 in mee hath euerlasting life And this is the vvill of him that sent Iohn 6. 42 mee that euery man which seeth the Son and beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day Nowe although euery man cannot with Iohn 20 29 his bodily eyes as S. Thomas did first see Christ and afterward beleeue yet are all men euen by the mouth of Truth pronounced blessed which haue not so seene him and yet haue beleeued §. 7. VVee read in S. Iohn that when Martha Iohn 11 39 40. seemed doubtful that Christ could not call againe her brother Lazarus to life because he had beene foure dayes dead and buried in his graue our sauiour thus gently reproued her saying Saide I not vnto thee that if thou diddest beleeue thou shouldest see the glorie of God Also vvhen certaine friendes of Iairus came vnto him willing him to forbeare to Mark 5 35 36 trouble Christ any further for the health of his daughter seeing shee was already dead Our Sauiour notwithstanding thus comforted the discomforted father saying Be not afrayd onely beleeue For if thou canst beleeue all things are Mark 9 23. possible to him that beleeueth Expressing vnto vs by these speeches both the great power of God wonderfull force of fayth §. 8. VVee reade furthermore in the Acts of the Apostles that vvhen Paule and Silas Acts 16 22 23 24 25 were whypped imprisoned at Philippi a cheefe Citty in Macidonia for theyr testimony of Iesus at midnight they prayed and sung Psalmes vnto God and suddainely there was a great Earth-quake so that the whole foundation of the prison was shaken and by and by all the doores opened and euery mans bands vvere loosed Then the Keeper of the prison vvaked verse 27 28. out of his sleepe and when he saw the prison doores open hee drewe out his sword and would haue killed himselfe supposing that the prisoners had beene fled But Paule cryed out with a loude voyce vnto him saying Doe thy selfe no harme for vvee are all heere Then called he for a light leaped in verse 29 30. and came trembling fell downe before Paule Silas and brought them out and said Sirs what must I do to be saued To which demaunde of his they made verse 31 no other aunswere but onely this Beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued and thine houshold Our Sauiour Christ beeing likewise demaunded by certaine Iewes which heard him teach what they might doe to worke Iohn 6 28 29. the workes of God or the works which might be acceptable vnto God This is the worke of God quoth he that yee beleeue in him whom hee hath sent For except yee beleeue that I am hee Iohn 8 24 namely the Christ the Sonne of GOD which according to the saying of the scripture shoulde come into the vvorld to redeeme both you and all man-kinde from death and hell you shall die in your sinnes Search therefore the Scriptures for in Iohn 5 39 them yee thinke to haue euerlasting life and they are they which testifie of mee Also while ye haue light beleeue in the Iohn 12 36 light that yee may bee the children of the light §. 9. The Father loueth the Son saith Christ Iohn 3 35 36. hath giuen all things into his hand Hee that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life hee that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Hee that beleeueth in the Sonne shall Iohn 3 18. not be condemned but hee that beleeueth not is condemned already because he beleeueth not in the Name of the onelie begotten Sonne of God §. 10. He
of the glory of God Neytheâ— doe weâ—soâ— onely but also vvee Rom 5 3 â— 4. 5. reioyce in tribulations knowing thaâ— tribulatioâ— bringeth forth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of GOD 〈◊〉 abroade in our harts by the holy Ghost which is giuen â—nto vs. Thus much for fiâ—â—th onely §. 14. NOwe as we finde true fayth in Iesus Christ to be the chiefe onely means of our iustification so may vvee likewise certainly assure our selues that it is also the very vvell-spring or Fountaine 〈◊〉 whence alâ—â—e all good works â—oe flow For surely it is as much impossible for true â—ayth to be without good workes as it is for a man to speake without a toâ—â—gâ—e to see wanting eyes or to liue lacking a hart Aâ— example further to confirme vs in the vndoubtâ—d truth â—eereof may be read in the story of Zaccheâ—s who had no sooner â—â—câ—iued Christâ—into his house and much mâ—re into his â—art by fayth but presently hee brake forth into these spâ—â—ches saying â— Behold Lord the halfe of â—â—y Luke 19 8 goodâ—â— giue vnto the pâ—ore and if I haue taken from any man by false or vnlawfull meanes â— restore him foure fold Againe vvhat 〈◊〉 it my Brâ—â—heren Iam 2 14. 15 16 17 saith â— Iames though 〈◊〉 say â—ee hath fayth when â—ee hath no works Caâ— that fayth saue him For if a brother or a sister be naked and dâ—stituâ—â— of daily fâ—â—de and one of you say vnto theÌ„ Depart in peace God send you warmnes and foode Notwithstanding you giue them not those things which are needfull to the body what helpeâ—h 〈◊〉 Euen so the â—ayth if it haue no workâ—â— iâ— dead in itselfe But some man might say Thou hast the Iames 2 18 â—aith and I haue workes Shewe mee thy faith out of thy workes and I will shewe thee my faith by my workes Thou beleeuest that there is one God verse 19. thou doost well the deuils also beleeue it and tremble But wilt thou vnderstand ô thou vayne verse 20 21 22 man that faith vvithout workes is dead VVas not Abraham our Father iustified through workes when he offered Isaac his sonne vpon the Altar Seest thou not that the fayth wrought vvith his workes and through the works was the faith made perfect And the Scripture was fulfilled which verse 23 saith Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes he was called the friend of God Yee see then how that of workes a man verse 24 is iustified and not of faith onely For as the body vvithout the Spirit is verse 26. dead euen so the fayth without workes is dead §. 15. Wee must not yet heere thinke that the Augustine sayings of the two Apostles S. Paule and S. Iames are contrary one to the other where as Paule saith A man is iustified without workes And Iames saith Fayth without workes is vaiâ—e For Paule speaketh of the workes that goe before fayth and Iames speaketh of the vvorkes vvhich follovve after fayth Our Religion likewise doth not discerne Augustine the righteous from the vnrighteous by the lawe of workes but by the lawe of faith vvithout the which euen those works that seeme good are turned into sinnes For vvhatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne Rom 14 23 And where faith is not good vvorkes is Augustine not The intent indeede maketh a good worke but fayth directeth that intent Besides good workes make no man to be accounted iust or righteous in the sight of God but a man being once iustified by faith doth good workes through loue Also in Iesus Christ neither Circumcision Gala 5 6. auaileth any thing neither vncircumcision but fayth which worketh by loue For like as the goodnesse of a Tree is Luther alwayes knowne by the good fruite which it bringeth foorth euen so the fayth of a godly man is euermore declared vnto the world by his religious obedience towards the law of GOD and his workes of charitie towards his neighbour VVee are iustified therfore by that Beza liuely fayth which doth apprehend all the mercifull promises of God made towards vs in Iesus Christ VVhich fayth neyther sleepeth nor is Beza idle but alwayes awaketh and is continually busied about the performing of some good worke Resting fully perswaded that good Bernard vvorkes are the vvay to the kingdome of heauen though they be not the cause of raigning there ¶ Of Feare §. 1. FEare as Pacuuius saith is a diuine Pacuuius affection or passion of the minde by a feeling regard conducting vertue to all the actions of the soule It groweth from an vndoubted beleefe in GOD and maketh a man carefull to lead his lyfe pleasing in the sight of his Creator But before I enter any further into the discourse of this Vertue I am to enforme the Reader that there are two sorts of Feare The one Seâ—uile or slauish the other Fâ—liall or chyld-like The Seruile or slauish feare is that which euery bond-man beareth to his bodilie Maister or wicked offenders to wise Iudges This feare is also a defect of the minde and a harmefull hinderance to all vertuous resolutions killing courage by cowardise and pietie through distrustment It many times causeth the tongue to controle the hart and maketh the mouth to marre the meaning of the minde It teacheth men to talke according to the time and enforceth faint-harted subiects to sooth the sinnes of their Soueraigne Like vnto those people of whom Plutarch Plutarch speaketh Whose hearts saith hee harbour hatred against an vngodly Tyrant for his bad gouernement yet notwithstanding with the labour of their lyps they neuer cease fearefully to flatter him in his folly to the end hee should not hurt them But the Filiall or Chyld-like Feare vvhereof I onely meane in this place to speak is a diuine chastiser of euill in it selfe hauing in it such force that it causeth concupiscence to flie and maketh a man to abstaine from all sinne and wickednes It dependeth not on hate but on loue not resembling the feare of seruaunts but the feare of sonnes not like the trembling and despayring feare of * Saule when sathan in 1 Sam 28 19 20 the forme of Samuell fore-told him how little awhile he had to liue But rather like the reuerent and religious feare of Dauid * when hee kept Abishaâ— his Captaine froÌ„ 1 Sam 26. 9 killing the Lords annoynted This 〈◊〉 feare as wee finde in diuers places of the holy Scripture hath alwaies been a guide vnto the godly to direct their dooings and a Tutor to teach them the perfect pathway to eternall felicitie §. 2. Plato the Prince of Phylosophers affirmeth Plato that this excellent feare was so excellently excelling in the harts of the Heathen that in Sparta they built a Temple to true Feare in which they daily vsed to burne thevâ— first sacrifice
examples that the Saints of God yea such men as vvere most high in Gods fauour haue alwaies beene carefull to serue their Creator with feare and reuerence And without true feare and reuerence Augustine no man liuing can be righteous in the sight of God Boldly hereby may we then with Sirach Ecclê° 18 26 count him a vvise man that feareth God in all his actions And rightly with Salomon pronounce Prou. 28. 14 him blessed that standeth alwaies in dread to doe that which may offend his Maker But hee that hardneth his owne hart shall fall into euill Happy therefore is the man vnto whoÌ„ Ecclê° 25. 12. it is graunted to haue the feare of God And blessed is the soule of him that feareth Ecclê° 34. 15 the Lord. Yea blessed is euery one that feareth Psal 128. 1. the Lord and walketh in his wayes It shal goe wel with such men at the last Ecclê° 1 13. and they shall finde fauour in the day of their death For who so feareth the Lord hee shall Ecclê° 1 18 prosper and at the end of his life hee shall be blessed Yea the spirits or soules of such men Ecclê° 34 13 shall surely liue for their hope is in the Lord their God that can helpe them ¶ Of Loue. §. 1. LOue as Plotinus saith is a diuine Plotinus passion of the soule or Spirit inspiring it with a celestiall desire of heauenly things and inflaming the harâ— to God-ward through the hope vvhich iâ— conceiueth of euerlasting felicitie But like as I haue saide before of Feare that there are two sorts thereof so doe I heere certifie vnto euery one that readeth that diuers worldly men haue out of this holie roote of Loue deriued tvvo seuerall Trees Namely this diuine Loue wholelie dedicated to Pietie and an immodest affection extending it selfe to base Concupiscence vvhich they entitle by the name of Loue also This vile Loue or rather Concupiscence is as Aristotle saith the vvorst Aristotle worke of a mans Malus Genius It disturbeth the passions of the hart and maketh the sences mad It is the roote of violence furie murders and execrations and the sole confounder of all the holy actions of the soule Full fraught with this filthy lust-loue was the heart of wicked Amnon vvhen 2. Sam. 13. through his deceitfull policie he obtained meanes to abuse by violence the body of his sister Thamar But the other Loue sirnamed Charitie which is true perfect diuine and onelie sacred * is the very originall and cheefe Gregory ground of all godly actions It is the way of man to God the vvay Augustine of God to man It is heauens Embassadour to the soule Rauisius and the whole scope or fulfilling of all Gods commaundements §. 2. This Loue as the Apostle saith suffereth 1 Cor 13 4. 5 6 7. long It is bountifull It enuieth not It doth not boast it selfe It is not puffed vp It disdaineth not It seeketh not that which is her owne It is not prouoked to anger It thinketh not euill It reioyceth not in iniquitie but reioyceth in the truth It suffereth all thinges It beleeueth all things It hopeth all things It endureth all things This loue teacheth vs true vvisedome Plato namely to loue the soule more then the body not the body â—etter then the soule This loue beeing both diuine and charitable mooueth a man according to the Deut 6 5 commaundement of God in the Law to loue his Maker aboue all things and his Leuit 19. 18 neighbour as deerely as hee loueth himselfe This loue beeing a good and gracious Plotinus affect of the soule so worketh in the harts of the godly that they haue no fancie to esteeme value or ponder any thing in the wide world beside or before the care and studie how to please God For the greatest argument of godly loue Pacuuius is to loue that which God willeth and to forbeare to doe that which he hath forbidden §. 3. This loue resembleth fire which naturally Erasmus inflameth all things that it toucheth This loue teacheth vs according to the commaundement of our Sauiour Christ Math 5 44. to loue our enemies to blesse them that curse vs to do good to them that hate vs and to pray for them that hurt vs and persecute vs. Yea this loue couereth all trespasses Prou 10 12 It is strong as death Much water cannot Cant 8 6. 7 quench it neither can the floods drown it This loue maketh men to forsake sinne Chrisostome and embrace vertue This loue increaseth fayth begetteth Augustine hope and maketh vs at peace with God This loue in aduersity is patient in prosperitie Bernard temperate in passions strong in good workes quicke in temptations confident in hospitality bountifull This loue is neuer idle but alwayes labouring Ambrose to serue him whom it loueth §. 4. This loue as Pacuuius saith cannot Pacuuius stand with any worldly care or studie for the things of this life neither abideth it the coupling with any other loue It beareth no partiall affection to kindred It knoweth no difference betweene poore rich It knoweth not what meaneth mine and thine Neither can it deuide a foe from a friende For hee that truely and perfectlie loueth GOD loueth him alone nothing besides him nor with him but all thinges indifferently in him and for him By which speech it appeareth that the * right measure where-with vvee ought to Bernard loue God is to loue him entirelie without either end or measure Not in part but in whole as hee himselfe in his holy VVorde hath willed vs Leuit 6. 5. Luke 10 27 namely vvith all our heart vvith all our soule with all our minde with all our strength VVhich speech of GOD beeing by Maister Becon in a certaine Sermon of his Becon expounded hee enterpreteth the same in this manner saying To loue God with all our hart is to preferre the loue of him both aboue before all things else whatsoeuer To loue God with all our soule is to loue him discreetly To loue God with all our minde is continually to meditate vpon his commaundements And to loue him with all our strength is manfullie to suffer all kinds of aduersities with willingnesse patience for the testimonie of his truth §. 5. VVith this sacred and religious loue of man to his Maker was the hart of holie Dauid greatly enflamed as may for example be seen in sundry places of his psalmes where in zealous affection to the Lorde and his Lavv he first of all saith * One Psalm 27. 4 thing haue I desired of the Lorde the which I will still require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to beholde the beauty of the Lord and to visite his holy Temple I haue loued ô Lord saith hee the habitation Psalm 26.
hee also vnderstood verse 25. the misticall meaning of those words which were written the summe vvhereof coÌ„tained no lesse for his offences then the speedy subuersion of his whole kingdom and his owne vtter ouerthrovve for euer Yet seeing and knowing all this but wanting grace to fore-see preuent the danger by true repentance hee perrished the verse 30. same night according to the saying of the Prophet Contrariwise by Samuell it is affirmed that king Dauid did not only see the foulenesse of his offence wherein too long hee had in a manner sencelesly liued so soone as the shril-sounding voyce of Nathan had once by denouncing Gods anger thorowly 2 Sam. 12. chap. awaked him out of his deadly slumber but also presently fore-saw by beleeuing the speech of the Prophet speedilie preuented by his vnfained repentance and amendement the heauy wrath of the Almighty which otherwise was likely for his iniquitie to fall vpon him Marke therefore what counsell Sirach giueth to this purpose and endeuour diligently to follow the same where he sayth My * sonne hast thou sinned doe so no Ecclê° 21. 1. 2 more but pray for thy former sinnes that they may be forgiuen thee Flee froÌ„ sin as from a Serpent for if thou commest too neere it it will bite thee the teeth thereof are as the teeth of a Lyon to sley the soules of men Make much also of time and eschew Ecclus 4 20 the thing that is euill Remember that death tarrieth not and Ecclê° 14 12 that the couenaunt of the graue is not shewed vnto thee Defraude not thy selfe of the good day Ecclê° 14 14 neither let the portion of good desires ouer-passe thee Giue and take and sanctifie thy soule verse 16. vvork thou righteousnes before thy death for in the hell there is no meate to finde Neither is there any more place or time Cyprian of repentance left for any man after hee is once departed out of this vvorlde life is heere either lost or wonne euerlasting saluation is onely heere prouided for by the due worshipping of God and the fruites of fayth And no man is letted eyther by sinnes Cyprian or by yeeres to come to the obtaining of saluation for as long as the soule is yet abyding in the body no repentance is in vaine And what-soeuer is truly doone is neuer too late done Yet thus much alwaies vnderstand that Osorius thy repentance is then most acceptable to God when thou doost offer the same in the prime of thy youth and in the time of thy perfect health For such as neuer cease to sin till sin through age feeblenes begin to forsake them it may greatly be feared that they in the meane while daily drinke vp the dreggs of Gods wrath §. 15. Furthermore although there be indeed Augustine * many in the vvorld which are not ashamed to sinne but are ashamed to repent yet if thou looke for fauour in Heauen thou must both confesse and forsake thy sinnes heere on earth For hee that heere in this life receiueth Ambrose not remission of his sinnes shall haue no part with the godly in the felicity to come Followe therefore for thine owne good the example of King Dauid and with the like humility of heart be ready to say vnto God as he said * Lord haue mercy vpon Psalm 41 4 me and heale my soule for I haue sinned against thee Or as Manasses King of Iuda in his penitent 2 Chro 36. prayer said * I haue sinned ô Lord I haue sinned aboue the number of the sand of the Sea My transgressions are multiplied my offences are exceeding manie and I am not vvoorthy to behold and see the height of the heauens by reason of the multitude of mine iniquities For I haue prouoked thy wrath and done euill before thee I did not thy will neyther kept I thy commaundements Nowe therefore I bowe the knee of my hart beseeching thee of grace I haue sinned ô Lord I haue sinned I acknowledge my transgressions but I humbly beseech thee to forgiue mee O Lord forgiue mee and destroy mee not vvith my transgressions Be not angry with mee for euer by reseruing euill for mee neither condemne me into the lower parts of the earth For thou art the God euen the God of them that repent and in mee thou vvilt shew all thy goodnes for thou ô Lord vvilt saue mee that am vnvvoorthy according to thy great mercie therefore I will praise thee for euer all the dayes of my life c. Or as the prodigall sonne spoken of by Christ in the gospell did remember thine owne estate in time liue no longer like a slaue to sinne and a stranger from the fellowship of the faithfull but rather returne home say vnto God thy Father as hee said to his * I haue sinned ô Father against heauen and before thee and am no Luke 15 16 more worthy to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hired seruaunts And thou shalt surely finde if thou make an vnfained conuersion that the Lord thy God will be ready to receiue thee For there * is more ioy among the Angels in Luke 15 7. Heauen for one sinner that conuerteth then for ninetie and nine iust men vvhich neede none amendement of life Yea at the true repentance and conuersion Bernard of sinners the Father reioyceth the Sonne reioyceth and the holy Ghost reioyceth The first figured in the prodigall Sonne The second in the lost sheep The third because they are the temple chosen vessels of the holy Ghost euen all the Angels in heauen doe reioyce §. 16. O how good a thing is it then as Sirach Ecclê° 20. 4. saith so soone as thou art reprooued to manifest thy repentance for thereby shalt thou escape wilfull sinne Who so hateth to be reformed is in the Ecclus 21 6. way of sinners but hee that feareth the Lord conuerteth in hâ—rt Seeke the Lord therefore vvhile hee Esay 55 6 may be founde call vpon him while he is neere For hee vvill be founde of them that Wisd 1. 2. tempt him not and appeareth vnto such as proue not vnfaithfull vnto him Get thee righteousnes before thou come Ecclê° 18. 18 to iudgement Learne before thou speake and vse phisicke or euer thou be sicke Examine thy selfe before thou bee iudged verse 19. and in the day of the visitation thou shalt finde mercy Humble thy selfe before thou be sicke verse 20. and whilst thou maist yet sinne shewe thy conuersion Let nothing let thee to pray alwayes vnto verse 21. God and deferre not vnto death to be reformed for the reward of GOD endureth for euer And in what place or state soeuer a man Gregory shall be founde when he departeth out of this life in the same state and degree the last day of the worlde shall finde him For such as euery man shall be in
brought life and immortalitie vnto light through the Gospell §. 11. Deerely beloued saith S. Peter I beseech 1 Pet 2 11 you as strangers and pilgrimes abstaine froÌ„ fleshly lusts which fight against the soule And haue your conuersation honest among verse 12. the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euill dooers may by your good workes which they shall see glorifie God in the day of visitation Yea let your light so shine before men Math. 5 16. that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen §. 12. Be sober also and watch for your aduersary 1 Pet. 5 8 9. the deuill walketh about like a roaring Lyon seeking vvhom hee may deuoure whom resist stedfast in the faith Ioyne moreouer vertue with your faith 2 Pet 1 5 6 7 8 and with vertue knowledge and vvith knowledge temperance and vvith temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlines brotherly kindnes with brotherly kindnes loue For if these things be among you and abound they will make you that yee neither shall be idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ §. 13. Be yee therefore followers of God as Ephe. 5 1. 2. deere children and walke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs to be an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour vnto God But fornication and all vncleanenes or verse 3 4 couetousnes let it not bee once named â—mong you as it becommeth Saints neyther filthines neither foolish talking neyther iesting which are things not comelie but rather giuing of thanks For this yee know that no whoremonger verse 5. neither vncleane person nor couetous person which is an Idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God Wherefore be yee not vnwise but vnderstand Ephe 5 17 what the will of the Lord is And be not drunke with wine wherein Ephe. 5 18 19 20 21 is excesse but be fulfilled with the Spirit Speaking vnto your selues in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melodie to the Lord in your harts Giuing thanks alwayes for all things vnto God euen the Father in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ and submitting your selues one to another in the feare of God §. 14. Flee fornication euery sinne that a man 1 Cor 6 18. doth is without the body but he that coÌ„mitteth fornication sinneth against his own bodie And who will count him iust that sinnâ—th Ecclê° 10 30 against himselfe or honour him that dishonoureth his owne soule Know ye not that your body is the temple 1 Cor 19. 20 of the holy Ghost which is in you whoÌ„ yee haue of God ye are not your own for ye are bought for a price glorifie God therefore in your body and in your spirit for they are Gods Know yee not likewise that to whomsoeuer Rom 6 16 you giue your selues as seruaunts to obey his seruaunts yee are to whom yee obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnes Know you not also that all wee which Rom. 6. 4. haue been baptized into Iesus Christ haue been baptized into his death We are buried then vvith him by Baptizme into his death that like as Christ was raised vp froÌ„ the dead by the glory of the Father so we also should walke in newnes of life For all that are baptized into Christ Gala 3 27. haue put on Christ And if we be grafted with him to the similitude Rom. 6. 5. 6 7 of his death euen so shall we be to the similitude of his resurrection knovving this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sinne might be destroyed and hence-foorth wee should not serue sinne For hee that is dead is freed from sinne Wherefore if wee be dead with Christ Rom 6 8 9. 10. 11. wee beleeue that wee shall liue also vvith him for in that hee died hee died once to sinne but in that hee liueth hee liueth to God Likewise thinke yee also that ye are dead to sinne but are aliue to God in Iesus Christ our Lord. Let not sinne raigne therefore in your verse 12 13 mortall body that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof Neither giue yee your members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne but giue your selues vnto God as they that are aliue from the dead giue your members as weapons of righteousnes vnto him For the wages or reward of sinne is Rom 6. 23. death but the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Mortifie therefore your members which Colo 3 5 6 are on the earth namely fornication vncleanenes the inordinate affection euil concupiscence and couetousnes which is idolatry For the which thinges sake the vvrath of God commeth on the chyldren of disobedience §. 15. Furthermore These are the thinges Zach 8 16 17. that yee shall doe Speake yee euery man the truth vnto his Neighbour execute iudgement truly and vprightly in your gates and let none of you imagine euill in his heart against his Neighbour Neither loue any false oath for all these are the thinges that I hate saith the Lord. See that none recompence euill for euill 1 Thes 5 15 vnto any man but euer follow that which is good both toward your selues and toward all men If it be possible as much as in you is Rom 12 18 haue peace with all men And let loue be without dissimulation Rom 12 9 Abhorring that which is euill and cleauing vnto that which is good Also seeing your soules are purified in obeying the truth through the Spirit to 1. Pet 1 22. 23. loue brotherly without faining loue one another with a pure hart feruently beeing borne a newe not of mortall seede but of immortall by the word of God who liueth and endureth for euer Let all bitternes and anger and wrath crying euill speaking be put away from Ephe 4 31 32 you with all maliciousnesse And be yee curteous one to another and tender harted freely forgiuing one another euen as God for Christes sake freely forgaue you Be all of one minde one suffer with another 1. Pet. 3 8 9 loue as brethren bee pittifull bee curteous not rendering euill for euill neither rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise blesse knowing that yee are there-vnto called that yee should be heyres of blessing Blesse them which persecute you blesse Rom 12. 14 15. 16. I say curse not reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe Be of like affection one towards another be not hie minded but make your selues equall to them of the lower sort Be not wise in your owne eyes But rather pray vnto the most High that Ecclê° 37 15 hee will direct thy way in truth §. 16. Yee haue heard that it hath been said Math 5
which vvee haue already receiued as vvee are vvilling vvhen vvee pray to obtaine from him those graces which are most needfull for vs. Yea wee ought to preuent the Sunne-rising Wisd 16. 28 to giue thankes vnto God to salute him vvith prayses before the day spring At thy downe lying therefore and at thy vprising at thy sporting eating and banquetting Tertullian be mindfull of thy Maker be thankfull vnto him for his benefits and remember his manifold mercies Be thankefull vnto him for thy creation Becon redemption vocation and sanctification Be likewise thankfull vnto him for the Euagoras sundrie helpes and succours which many times he hath graciously extended towards thee and also for the daily sustenaunce which he prouidently prouideth for thee For the hope of the vnthankfull shall Wisd 16. 29 melt as the winter yee and flowe away as the vnprofitable waters But he that offereth praise shall glorifie Psalm 50. 23 mee saith the Lorde and to him that disposeth his way aright will I shewe the saluation of God ¶ Of Fasting and Almes-deedes §. 1. THat which goeth into the mouth saith Math 15 11 Christ defileth not the man but that vvhich commeth out of the mouth that defileth the man Perceiue yee not that vvhat-soeuer entereth Math. 15. 17 into the mouth goeth into the bellie and is afterward cast out into the draught But those thinges vvhich proceede out of verse 18 the mouth come from the hart and they defile the man For out of the hart come euil thoughts verse 19. murders adulteries fornications theftes false testimonies slaunders These are the thinges vvhich defile a verse 20. man but to eate with vnwashen handes defileth not a man §. 2. Wherefore if at any time thou feele thy Luther conscience inwardly greeued vvith the remembrance of thy sinnes past and art truly willing in hart to fast for thy former offences endeuour then diligently to purge thy soule from filth by abstaining froÌ„ euill for God is better pleased there-with then by thy abstaining from meates If thou wilt fast fast after the commaundement Origen of Christ in the Gospell and keep in thy fasting the rules of the Gospell Fast from all sinne abstaine from the meate of hatred and malice take no delight in vaine pleasures be not enflamed with the vvine of excesse fast from euill actions for beare euill thoughts touch not the stolne bread of wrong and peruerse doctrine lust not after the deceitfull foode of Philosophy which may leade thee away from the truth of Gods word This kind of fasting pleaseth God and this kinde of fasting is allowed of him §. 3. The honour of fasting is not the abstinence Chrisostome from meates but the flying from sinne For what auaileth it if wee abstaine froÌ„ Bâ—con the lawfull vse of meates needfull and by backe-byting and slaundering eate deuoure our brothers flesh The most healthfull kinde of fasting is Ambrose to keepe our bodies from excesse surfetting and our soules from sinne vice And then are our fastings acceptable to Augustine God when they that fast through neede and necessity are charitably refreshed of vs. For it is not such a kinde of fasting as hypocrites vse which pleaseth the Lorde Esay 58 5 6. namely that a man should afflict his soule for a day and bowe downe his head like a Bulrush and lie vpon the ground in sackcloth and ashes but rather this is the fasting which pleaseth the Lord to wit that thou loose him out of bondage that is in thy danger that thou breake the oath of wicked bargaines that thou let the oppressed goe free and take from them all manner of burdens To deale thy bread to the hungry and verse 7. to bring the poore that vvander home to thy house when thou seest the naked that thou couer him hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh Then shall thy light breake forth as the verse 8. morning and thy health shall grow speedily thy righteousnesse shall goe before thee and the glory of the Lord shall embrace thee Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall aunswer thou shalt cry and hee shall say verse 9 Heere I am If thou take away from the mids of thee the yoake the putting foorth of the finger wicked speaking If thou powre out thy soule to the hungry verse 10 11 and refresh the troubled soule then shall thy light spring out in the darknesse and thy darknes shall be as the noone day And the Lord shall guide thee coÌ„tinually and satisfie thy soule in drought and make fatte thy bones thou shalt be like a watred garden and like a spring of vvater whose waters faile not §. 4. Seeke therefore to restraine and bridle Fulgentius thine owne flesh by moderate fasting and abstinence endeuour diligently to doe good by exercising the vvorkes of mercy towards the poore and pray alwaies earnestly vnto God for his grace that thou maist be made willing to doe his will Likewise know this that vvee ought a Bernard great deale rather to fast from sinnes vices then from meates Let therfore thine eyes fast let thine eares fast let thy tâ—nge fast let thy handes fast and let also thy soule fast Let thine eyes fast from all vaine and wanton lookes let thine eares fast from Bernard filthy and naughtie tales and rumours let thy tongue fast from backbyting slaundering murmuring and from vnprofitable vaine filthy words let thy hands fast from vaine signes and from vvorkes what-soeuer are not commaunded but much more warily let thy soule and minde fast from fond imaginations and from thine owne vngodly desires For â—urelie without wee fast after this manner our fasting is no true fast Also vvhen yee fast looke not sowre as Math. 6. 16. hypocrites doe for they disfigure theyr faces that they might seem vnto men to fast Verily I say vnto you that they haue theyr reward But when thou fastest annoynt thine verse 17 18. head and wash thy face that thou seeme not vnto men to fast but vnto thy Father vvhich is in secret and thy Father vvhich seeth in secret will reward thee openly §. 5. To doe good and to distribute saith Hebr. 13 16 the Apostle forget not for vvith such sacrifices God is pleased While we haue therefore time let vs doe Gala 6 10. good vnto all menâ— but specially vnto them that are of the houshold of fayth Doe good vnto the righteous and thou Ecclus 12 2 shalt finde great reward though not of him yet of the most High Helpe thy neighbour according to thy Ecclê° 29. 22 power and beware that thou thy selfe fall not Giue almes according to thy substance Tob 4. 8. and though thou haue but a little be not afraide to giue a little almes For if there be first a willing minde it is 2. Cor. 8 12 accepted according to
griefe vexation §. 9. If thou vvilt liue according to nature Seneca thou shalt neuer be poore but if thou wilt liue after thine owne greedy desire thou shalt neuer be rich If thou couet to bee rich in vvorldly Hermes wealth thou shalt receiue there-with sorrow care trouble of minde many other greeuances but if thou seeke to be godly thou shalt thereby finde comfort quiet euerlasting felicitie Prepare thy selfe therfore of such riches Plotinus as when the shyp is broken may swimme and scape to land with theyr maister For no man is more wealthy then hee Augustine that is rich in good workes ¶ Against Vsury §. 1. IF thou lend money to my people sayth Exod 22 25 the Lord that is to the poore with thee thou shalt not be as an Vsurer vnto him yee shall not oppresse him with vsury If thy brother bee impouerished and Leuit 25 35 fallen in decay with thee thou shalt relieue him and as a stranger and soiourner so shall hee liue with thee Thou shalt take no vsury of him nor aduantage Leuit 25 36 but thou shalt feare thy GOD that thy brother may liue by thee Thou shalt neither giue him thy money verse 37 to vsury nor lend him thy victuals for increase Moreouer if thou take thy neighbours Exod 22 26 raiment to pledge thou shalt restore it vnto him before the Sunne goe downe For that is his couering onely and this verse 27. is his garment for his skinne wherein shall he sleepe Therefore when he cryeth vnto mee I will heare him for I am mercifull §. 2. Some men saith S. Ierome thinke vsurie Ierome to be onely in money which thing the Scripture fore-seeing doth name the ouerplusse in all things For vsurie is vvhere more is required Bernard then was deliuered whether in money or in meates or in any other thing As if thou deliuer tenne shillings lookest for more at the returne thereof or deliuerest a bushell of Corne and requirest aboue that So after the like sort in any thing els whatsoeuer is receiued more then the principall it is vsury Yea whatsoeuer name thou giuest it the Ambrose ouer-plus in all things receiued more then was deliuered is vsurie §. 3. Vsury saith Constantius is the daughter Constantius of Auarice the nurse of Idlenes the cause of ciuill discord among brethren It is also a secret euill which daily deuoureth Cassianus the wealth of our neighbour may wel be likened to a greedy whirle-poole which speedily swalloweth what-soeuer it catcheth Of all euill members therfore in a Common-wealth Perdicas none is more perrillous then the greedy-minded Vsurer for he priuily deceiueth euery man with whom he medleth and neuer doth good to any so long as he liueth Hee is worse then a theefe for a theefe Agesilaus robbeth onely by night but the Vsurer robbeth both by day and night And like as a Hare deliuereth nourisheth Pet. Lomb. and is with young all at once so the fraudulent Vsurer before hee hath fully finished his deceite against one man casteth in his mind how he may best beguile another through some subtile bargaine §. 4. But hee that increaseth his riched by vsurie Prou 28 8 and interest gathereth them for him which will be mercifull vnto the poore And as a Partrich gathereth together Iere 17 11 the young vvhich shee hath not brought forth who afterward forsake her vvhen they perceiue that she is not their damme so he that getteth riches and not by right shall leaue them in the middes of his dayes and at his end shal be a foole For the gathering of treasures by a deceitfull Prou 21 6 tongue is vanity tossed to and fro of them that seeke death And hee that through vsury oppresseth Basill the poore robbeth both his conscience of comfort and his soule of saluation ¶ Against Gluttony and drunkennesse §. 1. BE not greedy saith Sirach in all delights neyther be thou too hastie vpon all meates For excesse of meates bringeth sicknes gluttony turneth into cholerick diseases By surfet many haue perrished but hee that dâ—eteth himselfe prolongeth his life Oh how little is sufficient for a man well Ecclê° 31 19 taught For thereby hee belcheth not in his chamber nor feeleth any paine A sweet wholsome sleepe also commeth verse 20. of a temperate feeding such a man feeleth no inward paine hee riseth vp betimes in the morning and is well at ease in himselfe But an vnsatiable eater sleepeth vnquietly and is troubled with panges of the belly and many other hurtfull diseases §. 2. Gluttony is a filthy vile and vgly vice Gueuara consisting onely in a greedie desire after daintie fare It is the sworne enemie to temperance Hipocrates a mortall or deadly foe to health and a most lothsome blemish to humanitie Oh what a monstrous sight is it to behold Protogenes the full furnished table of some vnsatiable and rich glutton how with sundry sorts of the most rarest meates costliest delicates it is thorowly beset and couered from end to end And as the maister of the feast is himselfe there-vnto strangely affected such guests for his companions will he coÌ„monly be sure to haue about him who like flattering Parasites weighing his inclination will for theyr owne profit sake highly extoll him in his grosse worke of vvickednesse and feede his humour not onely with vaine talke and foolish iesting but nowe and then also with some shew of scurility to make his meate haue the better digestion But they that are so greatly addicted to Crates belly-cheere and regard more the pampering of theyr panch then the wisedome of the minde may well be likened to fooles who giue more credite to theyr owne conceit then to any other mans grounded reason And the man that refraineth not his apperite Prou 25 28 is like a Citty broken downe and without walles §. 3. It is not the needfull vse of meate that Augustine any man ought to forbeare but it is the inordinate desire thereof which ought to be blamed And he is not to be counted a glutton Aristotle which feedeth onely sufficiently for the nourishment of his owne nature but hee that gurmundizeth much more in quantitie then sundry other men hee that dailie delighteth to fare deliciously satisfying the pleasure of his sensual appetite through excesse and making his belly his God For meate and drinke are the good gifts Gueuara of God and ought of all men thankfullie to be receiued and moderately taken at times conuenient for our naturall vse and sustenaunce but hee that greedily consumeth more then hee needeth abuseth both his body through his misdiet the good gifts of God by turning them from the right vse for which they were ordained §. 4. Of all the parts of mans body sayth Tully Tully the bolly is the most
vnthankfull for it neuer requiteth any pleasure doone vnto it but continually craueth more then is needfull for it And when it is full fraught with daintie Gregory fare then are the prickings and prouocations to lust most forward to stirre vp the flesh to filthy sinne VVherefore if thou sitte at a costly table Ecclê° 31 12 13. open not thy mouth wide vpon it say not Behold much meate Remember that an euill eye is a shrew and what thing created is worse then a wicked eye for it weepeth for euery cause Stretch not thine hand where-soeuer it Ecclê° 31 14. looketh neyther thrust it with thine eye into the dish Ponder vvith thy selfe vvhat thy neghbour verse 15 would faine haue that sitteth by thee and be discreet in euery poynt Eate modestly that which is sette before verse 16. thee and deuoure not least thou be hated of them that behold thee Leaue thou off first for nurtures sake verse 17. be not insatiable least thou offend §. 5. My sonne saith Tobie drinke not wine Tob 4 15 to make thee drunken neyther let drunkennesse goe with thee in thy iourney For drunkennes increaseth the courage Ecclê° 31 30 of a foole till hee offend it diminisheth his strength and maketh woundes Shewe not thy valiantnes at any time in Ecclê° 31 25 vvine for wine hath beene the destruction of many And as the fierie fornace prooueth the verse 36 yron in the tempering so doth wine proue the harts of the proude by drunkennes §. 6. Drunkennesse saith Macrobius is a Macrobius deformed monster with many heads as filthy talke fornication wrath murther swearing cursing and diuers other dishonest actions It disturbeth mans reason robbeth him Boetius of his sences enfeebleth his remembrance sendeth in forgetfulnes powreth in errors induceth to sluggishnes in the end vtterly vndooeth him that delighteth therein §. 7. Wine was made from the beginning to Ecclus 31 27 28 make men glad and not for drunkennes Wine measurably drunken and in time is profitable for the life of man bringeth gladnesse of heart and cheerefulnesse of minde But wine drunken with excesse maketh verse 29. bitternesse of minde with sundry brablings and much strife Also of two much drinking proceede Gallen dropsies where-with the body and oftentimes the visage is svvolne and defaced bedlam furie where-with the mind is molested and perrished but of all other euils most odious swinish beastlines wher-with both the body and soule is defiled and the figure of man is as it were by enchauntment transformed into the likenes of some mishapen creature §. 8. Men ouer-come with wine are far worse Diogenes then beastes for beasts will not enforced to drink any more then may well content them but such men as take pleasure in excesse of drinking voluntarily swallow down more then is sufficient for them and beeing oftentimes not able when they haue it to carry it clenly away they are thereby constrained to shewe foorth theyr owne shame euen in the viewe of euery present beholder And like as when the Wine purgeth it Plutarch commonly breaketh the vessels and that which before lay in the bottom commeth nowe vp to the brim euen so the tongue of a drunkard in the mids of his vncomly mirth sticketh not to reueale to euery new acquaintance in his company the secrete thoughts of his hidden hart §. 9. VVine is a mocker and strong drinke Prou 20 1 is raging whosoeuer is deceiued thereby is not wise For to whom is vvoe to whom is sorrow Prou 23 29. to whom is strife to whom is murmuring to whom are woundes vvithout cause and to whom is the rednesse of the eyes Euen to them saith Salomon that tarry verse 30. long at the wine to them that goe seeke mixt wine VVoe therefore to all such as rise vp Esay 5 11 early to followe drunkennes and to them that continue vntill night till the vvine doe inflame them VVoe vnto them that are mightie to verse 22 drinke wine and to them that are strong to powre in strong drinke For it is a propertie meeter for a spunge Demosth. then for a man to drinke much §. 10. Looke not thou vpon the wine when it Prou 23 31 is redde saith the wiseman and vvhen it sheweth his colour in the euppe or goeth downe pleasantly For in the end it will bite like a serpent verse 32 and hurt like a Cockatrise Thine eyes shall looke vpon strange women verse 33 34 and thine heart shall speake lewde things and thou shalt be as one that sleepeth in the middes of the Sea and as hee that sleepeth in the top of the mast Yea in such danger shalt thou be by reason Iraeneus of thy drunkennes that thou shalt verie hardly be able to vvithstand the sundry prouokements of thine owne flesh which as then will be most prone and readie to pricke thee forward to euill For it is one of the first euils that springeth Ambrose from drunkennes to make shipwracke of chastitie As may for an example appeare by the ardent desire of Olophernes toward Iudeth Iudith 13. in the time of his banketting Who notwithstanding cleane contrary to his expectation after hee had fully tippled som-what more then enough lost his head for his labour by the handes of the selfe same woman vvhilst hee lay in his bedde soundly sleeping ¶ Against adultery and fornication §. 1. THou shalt not saith the Almightie Exod 20 14 commit adulterie Thou shalt not giue thy selfe vnto thy Leuit. 18. 20 neighbours wife by carnall copulation to be defiled with her §. 2. He that committeth adultery with a woman Prou 6 32 sayth Salomon is destitute of vnderstanding hee that doth it destroyeth his owne soule And all the chyldren that are borne of Wisd 4 6 the wicked bed shall be witnes of the wickednesse against theyr Parents when they be asked §. 3. Yee haue heard saith Christ that it was Math. 5. 27 28. sayd to them of olde time Thou shalt not commit adultery But I say vnto you that whosoeuer looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his hart Wherefore if thy right eye cause thee to offend plucke it out and cast it from thee Math 5 29. For better it is for thee that one of thy members perrish then that thy whole bodie should be cast into hell §. 4. To plucke out the eye that offendeth is not meant by the wordes of Christ that thou shouldest disfigure thy face but rather as Sirach saith to turne away thine Ecclus 9 8. eye from beholding a beautifull woman and not to looke vpon others beauty For many haue perrished by the beautie of women and through the beholding thereof loue is kindled as a fire King Dauid by ouer-much looking 2 Sam 11 2 3 c. at the
bayte of beautie forgot himselfe so fell in loue vvith another mans vvife from loue hee fell to vnlawfull lust from lust to dissembling and counterfet shewe of kindnes towards her innocent husband And in the end when he could deuise no other shift to couer his owne shame hee caused Vriah himselfe to carry a letter to Ioab his cheefe Captaine wherin was politiquely plotted the death of him that brought it Moreouer a rash and wicked eye that Platâ— delighteth to behold vanitie may well be called the windowe of death for it is the deadly minister of the harts coÌ„cupiscence and the fore-runner of filthy facts thefts robberies extortions sundry other iniquities §. 5. All men are indeede by nature naturallie Aeneas Siluius giuen to feele in themselues the boyling and raging lusts of the fraile and vnconstant flesh Notwithstanding hee that suffereth himselfe to be led captiue in the filthy sinne of whoredome and adulterie falleth thereby into innumerable inconueniences For first of all this wicked euill cleane taketh away from a man his good name and credite It also consumeth his substance and bringeth him in the end to plaine beggery It killeth at once both the strength and beautie of the body It decayeth and greatly hurteth health It ingendereth many bad diseases It disfigureth the flower of youth long before the time It hasteth or draweth on riueled ill-fauoured age It diminisheth the strength and quicknes of the wit It dulleth the sight of the minde It draweth from him all honest studies maketh him delight in nothing but that which is vile and vnhonest It taketh away the vse of reason which is the natiue propertie of man It maketh a young man peeuish melancholy slaunderous It maketh an olde man odious wretched filthy * Demonax Finally it is a pleasure bought vvith paine a delight hatcht with disquiet a content passed with feare and a sinne finished with sorrowe §. 6. Can a man saith Salomon carry coales Prou 6 27 28 29. in his bosome his clothes not be burnt or can a man goe vpon coales his feete not be hurt So hee that goeth in to his neighbours wife toucheth her shall not be guiltlesse Flie therfore the filthy lusts of the flesh Hermes and as thou wouldest willingly for thy bodily healths sake abstaine from hurtfull meate so oughtest thou to abstaine from sinne for the saluation of thy soule For when lust hath conceiued it bringeth Iames 1 15 forth sinne and sinne vvhen it is finished bringeth forth death §. 7. Know yee not that your bodies are the 1 Cor 6 15 16 17. members of Christ shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Doe yee not knowe that hee which coupleth himselfe with an harlot is one body For two saith hee shall be one flesh But hee that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one spirit Know yee not also that the vnrighteous 1 Cor 6 9. 10 shal not inherite the kingdom of God Be not deceiued neither fornicatours nor idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers nor theeues nor couetous nor drunkards nor raylers nor extortioners shall inherite the kingdome of God §. 8. Woe then be vnto that man which contemning Socrates the excellencie of his own nature and the diuine part that is in him serueth onely his bodily lusts defiling his ovvne soule through his lasciuious desires and beastly delights For hee ceaseth to be a man and is indeed Plato no better then a brute beast that leaueth the rules of reason giueth his mind solely to the fulfilling of his fleshlie inclinations Besides if they bee counted miserable Aristotle which haue cruell Maisters although they may be released from them hovve much more are they miserable which serue theyr bodily lusts as theyr maisters from vvhich they cannot flie For hee that hath enthraled himselfe to Hermes the fulfilling of his fleshly motions is therby more bound then any bond-man else what-soeuer Yea such a man neuer ceaseth to waste Paâ—â—uius consume the strength of his owne bodie hee daily spotteth and polluteth the beauty of his soule hee continually draweth vnto himselfe diuers diseases walketh hourely in danger of eternall damnation §. 9. Enforce thy selfe therefore vvith all the Erasmus might thou maist to abstaine from vngodly lusts and the better to bridle the vnrulie passions of thine ovvne affections endeuour diligently to study and follovve vertue for the desires that are good vvill euermore mortifie and destroy the desires that are euill But if so be that thou canst not abstaine 1. Cor 7 9. thou maist then vse the lawful remedy that God hath appoynted namely marriage For it is better to marry then to burne Also to auoyde fornication let euerie 1 Cor 7 2 man haue his vvife and let euery vvoman haue her owne husband For marriage is honourable among all Hebr 13 4 men and the bedde vndefiled but whoremongers and adulterers God will iudge ¶ Against stealing lying slaundering falsewitnes-bearing and coueting of our neighbours wealth §. 1. YEe shall not steale saith the Lord our Leuit 19 11 God neyther deale falsely nor lie one to another Let him that stole steale no more but Ephe 4 28 let him rather labour and worke vvith his handes the thing that is good that he may haue to giue vnto him that needeth §. 2. My sonne saith Sirach sow not a lye against Ecclus 7 12 13. thy brother neyther doe the same against thy friende Vse not to make any manner of lye for the custome thereof is is not good Aristotle beeing demaunded what vantage Aristotle a man might gette by lying aunswered To be vnbeleeued vvhen hee telleth the truth §. 3. Doubtlesse a lie is a wicked shame in Ecclê° 20. 23 a man yet is it often in the mouth of the vnwise A thiefe is better then a man that is accustomed verse 24. to lie but they both shall haue destruction euerlastingly For by lying the truth is broken God Hermes himselfe greeuously offended the state of our neighbour our selues greatly impaired §. 4. The conditions of lyers are alwayes vnhonest Ecclê° 20 25 their shame is euer with them He that is knowne to be a lyer shal commonly Thales be helde in contempt amongst all men such onely as before thought well of his company will afterward care verie little for his acquaintance Besides hee that is accustomed to lying Becon looseth not onely his credite good name amongst men but also shutteth himselfe out from the grace and fauour of GOD and most horribly ioyneth himselfe to the deuill who hath no truth in him But is a lyer from the beginning the Iohn 8 44 father of lyes VVherefore cast off lying and speake Ephe 4 25 euery man the truth vnto his neighbour for we are members one
snared and taken euen Prou 6 1 2 with the words of his owne mouth Beware therefore howe thou passe thy Euripides word for another man least he scape free and thou fall into danger For suretiship hath destroyed manie a Ecclê° 29. 20 rich man and remoued them as the waues of the sea mighty men hath it driuen away from theyr houses caused them to wander among strange Nations §. 19. My sonne saith Tobie sette our Lorde Tob. 4. 6 God alwayes before thine eyes and let not thy will be set to sinne or to transgresse the commaundements of the Almighty Doe vprightly all thy life long and follow not the wayes of vnrighteousnes for if thou deale truly thy dooings will prosperously succeed to thee and to all them which liue iustly Doe no euill so shall no harme come vnto Ecclê° 7 12. thee depart from the thing that is wicked and sin shall turne away from thee Resist the deuill and hee will flee from Iames 4 7 thee But if thou yeelde vnto his desire in one Bullenger sinne he will presently seeke to drawe thee to another Sowe not therefore vppon the furrowes Ecclus 7 3 of iniqâ—itie least thou reape them seauen-folde §. 20. Be not deceiued God is not mocked Gala 6 7 8 for whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he also reape He that soweth to his flesh shal of the flesh reape corruption but hee that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting Now the workes of the flesh are manifest Gala 5 19 20 21. which are adultery fornication vncleanenesse wantonnesse idolatry vvitchcraft hatred debate emulation vvrath contentions seditions heresies enuy murders drunkennes gluttony and such like wherof I tell you before as I also haue told you in time past that they which doe such things shall not inherite the kingdome of GOD. But the fruite of the Spirit is loue ioy Gala 5 22 23. peace long suffering gentlenes goodnes faith meekenes temperancie against such there is no lawe §. 21. Looke well to thy selfe least the reyne Mar. Aurel. of thy youth and the libertie of thine own estate cause thee to commit that which is euill Follow not thy lusts but turne thee froÌ„ Ecclê° 8 30 31 thine own appetites for if thou giuest thy soule her desires it shall make thine enemies that enuy thee to laugh thee to scorne Doe not what thou wouldest but what Hermes thou shouldest and the better to abstaine from euill keepe thy selfe from the company of those that are wicked §. 22. Suffer not thy hands to work thy tunge Socrates to speak or thine eares to heare that which is euill or wicked But beware of sinne as the serpent of the Plato soule which spoyleth men of all theyr ornaments and seemely apparrell in the sight of God Binde not two sinnes together for in Ecclus 7 8 one sinne shalt thou not be vnpunished §. 23. Be not secure least want of care procure Thales thy calamity neither be thou too carefull least pensiue thoughts oppresse thee with misery Be not too rash in wordes nor too forward Crates and hastie in thy deedes But what-soeuer thou takest in hand remember Ecclus 7 36 the end and thou shalt neuer doe amisse For good respect due consideration Plato to the end of things preserueth both body and soule §. 24. Take good aduisement vvith thy selfe Alex. Seue before thou beginne any thing but vvhen thou hast begunne dispatch it speedily Attempt not two things at once for the Crates one of them will hinder the other Begin nothing before thou first call for Hermes the helpe of God for God whose power is in all things giueth most prosperous furtherance and happy successe vnto all such good works as we doe begin in his name §. 25. Be not faint-hearted when thou makest Ecclê° 7 10 thy prayer neither slack or negligent in giuing of almes Let not thy hand be stretched out to receiue Ecclê° 4. 31 shut when thou shouldest giue For it is a more blessed thing to giue theÌ„ Acts 20 35 to receiue §. 26. Be not hasty in thy tongue neither slack Ecclê° 4 29 and negligent in thy works Desire not to be wise in wordes but in Hermes workes for wisdome of speech wasteth with the world but workes wrought by wisedom increase into the world to come Powre not out words where there is no Ecclê° 32 4 audience and shew not forth wisedom out of time For a wise man wil hold his tongue till Ecclê° 20 7 he see opportunitie but a trifler a foole will regard no time Reproue not another man for such euils Socrates as are founde in thy selfe vnreformed but first learne to liue wel then teach others by thyne owne example For hee that teacheth good and dooth Plutarch euill is like him which lighteth vp a candle to other men and goeth darkling himselfe §. 27. Comber not thy minde vvith worldlie Seneca carefulnes neither let the vaine delights of this life draw thy thoughts from vertue to followe the falshoods of them But seeke to inrich thy selfe with store of Zenophâ—n vvisedome and vnderstanding that thou maist rather profit thy Country by thy good instructions then proue preiudiciall to the people by thy bad example Let iust men eate and drinke with thee Ecclus 9 18 and let thy reioycing be in the feare of the Lord. Be not proude in prosperitie neither despaire Tully in aduersitie VVish not for those thinges that thou Crates maist not obtaine neither praise any vnworthy person because thou knowest him wealthy Take not thy enemie for thy friend nor Quintil. thy friend for thyne enemie Be not too hastie to meddle with matters Dion that are doubtfull neyther let thy tongue runne beyond thy wit §. 28. If thou talkest with any man haue respect Aristotle to keepe a measure in thy communication for if thou be too breefe thou shalt not well be vnderstood and if thou be too long thou shalt not well be borne in minde of him that heareth thee Be not too hastie to giue credite to another Demonax mans wordes neither laugh his speeches to scorne that talketh with thee for the one is the propertie of a foole the other the conditions of a mad man Affirme nothing before thou knowe the Demosth. truth neither let thine owne beautie thy youth or thy riches deceiue thee Doe good to other men but harme not Sigismund thy selfe be bountifull but not prodigall be readie to relieue him that is in necessitie but let not thy gifts be aboue thine ability §. 29. Bee not vnthankfull to him that hath Protogenes done thee good Seeke not to rule others before thou thy Pythagoras selfe hast first learned to obey Speake no vntruth of any man liuing Plutarch neither suffer thy
Of trouble and affliction §. 1. MY sonne saith Sirach if thou wilt Ecclus. 2. 1. 2 come into the seruice of GOD stand fast in righteousnes feare and prepare thy soule to tentation Settle thine hart be patient bow downe thine eare and receiue the words of vnderstanding shrinke not away when thou art assayled but waite vpon GOD patiently Ioyne thy selfe vnto him and depart not verse 3 4 5 away that thou maist be increased at thy last end Whatsoeuer commeth vnto thee receiue it patiently and be patient in the change of thine affliction For as gold siluer are tryed in the fire euen so are men acceptable in the fornace of aduersitie And as the fornace proueth the Potters Ecclê° 27 5 vessell so dooth tentation try the thoughts of men §. 2. The Lord will try the righteous sayth Psalm 11. 5 Dauid but the wicked and him that loueth iniquitie doth his soule hate Hee ledde the chyldren of Israel whom Deut. 8. 2. he deerely loued fortie yeeres together in the Wildernesse before hee brought them to the Land of Promise onely to humble them and to proue and know what was in theyr harts whether they would keepe his commaundements or no. §. 3. Hee commaunded the Patriarch Abraham Gene. 22 1 2. as we reade to kill and offer vp vnto him his true-borne best-beloued sonne Isaac whom not many yeeres before hee had giuen him for the comfort of his age promising withall that in that child and in his seed all the Nations of the earth should be blessed yet on the suddaine when Abraham least thought of any such matter he willed him to the performance heereof and told him also in what place hee would haue it done All this it pleased him to do not for any desire hee had to receiue at his seruaunts hand any such kinde of offering or bloodie sacrifice but onely to prooue what faithfull loue was harboured in the hart of Abraham towards him For when hee perceiued the Patriarchs Gene. 22 15 16 17 18 readie obedience here-vnto hee speedilie sent his Angell and caused him to forbeare to doe it saying and swearing vnto Abraham by himselfe that because he had been found faithfull in his triall and had not refused at his commaundement to offer vp his onely sonne his seede should surely be multiplied as the starres of heauen and the sand vpon the Sea-shoare and all Nations should be blessed in him according to his former promise §. 4. He proued likewise the loue patience Tobie 2 of old Tobias by suffering him in his sleep to be depriued of his eye-sight and after his triall restored his sight againe vvith greater cause of comfort reioycing then he had before Howe many troubles also the Prophet Dauid sustained as seuerall proofes and tryalls of his vertue patience before hee coulde peaceably possesse the kingdome which God had promised vnto him may be seene at large in the sundry conflicts 1 Sam. chap. 16. 17 18 19 20 c. which he had with his hate-bearing enemie King Saule §. 5. But among diuers other examples in the Booke of God concerning this matter we finde that it pleased the Lord to proceede very farre in prouing the constant loue patience of holy Iob when he gaue sathan leaue to try him by sixe seuerall temptations as namely thus First hee maliciously brought the Shabeans vpon his Heardsmen Iob. 1. 14. 15. and other seruaunts as they were busie at theyr labour who violently slew the keepers of his cattell and carried his Oxen and Asses away Secondly he caused fire to fall from heauen Iob. 1. 16. vpon his sheepe their sheepheards which speedily burnt and consumed them leauing but one amongst many to bring him the bad newes Thirdly he procured the Chaldeans to sette out three bands of men who likewise Iob. 1. 17 by violence ouercame his seruaunts carried his Camels away Fourthly hee caused a furious and tempestious Iob 1 18 19 winde to ouer-turne the house wherein all his children were banquetting and suddainly in the midst of theyr mirth depriued them of theyr liues Not content with all this because Iob still continued constant he obtained leaue of God to proceede with his fift plague which was the afflicting of Iobs own bodie Iob 2 6 7 with greeuous botches and boyles not in one place or two but all ouer euen from the sole of his foote to the crowne of his head These fiue plagues beeing fully practised to proue him and sathan notwithstanding still preuented of his purpose determined once more to try him by a more terrible temptation then all the rest namely with the temper of his wiues tunge which last plague onely of it selfe exceeded all the former as far as they in theyr degrees surpassed one another As for the first affliction Iob beeing a man of such wonderfull wealth as the beginning of his booke reporteth him to be Iob 1 3. it could surely of him be counted no more harme but euen as it were the sting of a nettle or a flea-byting The second was a shrewd pinch The third was a sore bruze The fourth more greeuous to be borne then all the former The fift exceeded them all and went so neere his hart that it caused him more to complaine then any of the rest But the sixt and last went manie degrees beyond the whole number of the other in that it leueld at his vtter ouerthrowe and finall destruction both of body and soule For after hee had lost all his substance and his children and was brought to such a miserable estate through the sundry sores vpon his body that he knew not where to rest himselfe or by what meanes to finde any ease but was constrained to forsake all company sitting vpon a heape of ashes or dunghill to scrape away the filthy matter Iob 2 7 8 that issued from his fleshe with a potshard now euen nowe in the midst of all his anguish and sorrowe his wife vvhich in all humaine reason should haue been his most kinde comforter forgetting both her owne present state her husbands future felicitie came vppon him in rayling manner with an open mouth saying * Doost Iob 2 9 thou continue yet in thine vprightnesse Curse God and die But holy Iob more regarding his soules good then the pacifying of his bodies paine also to make manifest to all men howe much in hart he honoured his Maker presently rebuked her for her follie saying Thou speakest like a foolish vvoman Iob 2 10 What shall we receiue good at the hand of God and not receiue euill Also in the thirteenth chapter of his Booke and as it seemeth euen in the extreamest time of his fierie tryall hee vehemently brake forth into this confident and prayse-worthy resolution saying * Loe Iob 13 15 though GOD kill mee yet will I trust in him And after all his troubles were ended and
hedged in with bushes and the path thereof couered with thornes whereby no man may trauaile VVoe vnto them that speake good of Esay 5 20 euill and euill of good which put darkenesse for light and light for darkenes that put bitter for sweet and sweet for sower VVoe vnto them that excell in gluttony Esay 5 22 23 and drunkennes which iustifie the vvicked for a reward and take away the righteousnes of the righteous from them For as the flame of fire deuoureth the Esay 5. 24. stubble as the chaffe is consumed of the flame so shal theyr roote be as rottennesse and theyr blossome shall vanish avvay like dust because they haue cast off the Lawe of the Lord of hostes and contemned the word of the holie one of Israell §. 16. There is a way saith Salomon vvhich Prou. 14. 12 13. seemeth right to a man but the issues therof are the wayes of death Euen in laughing the hart is sorrowfull and the ende of that mirth is heauinesse Doubtlesse the Wiseman in this speech of his meaneth the way of worldly pleasures VVhere-into * Euagoras the wicked beeing once entred they are daily so ledde away vvith the vaine delights thereof that they neuer regard godlines till the deceits of iniquitie bring them to destruction For the end of all worldly pleasure is Theophilact sorrow and paine And the stipend or revvard of sinne Rom 6. 23 is death Not the death of the body onely for that Rauisius as all men knowes is naturall and ordinarie but the death both of body and soule which is endlesse and eternall §. 17. Through the sundry subtilties of sinne Origen and the contempt of Gods law saith Origen many thousands in this world passe after death to perpetuall perdition And vvho-soeuer refuseth to followe Virgilius righteousnesse shall for his recompence dwell with confusion For destruction shall be to the workers Prou. 21. 15 of iniquitie And the man that wandereth out of the Prou 21 16 way of wisedome shall remaine in the congregation of the dead §. 18. The hart that is obstinate shall be laden Ecclê° 3. 29. with sorrowes and the wicked man shall heape sinne vpon sinne Because he hath refused knowledge hee Hosea 4. 6. shall be refused of the Lord. And for that he hath left the way of vnderstanding Gueuara and life he shal fal into diuers dangers by the deceits of false doctrine For errour and darknesse are appoynted Ecclê° 11 16 for sinners And they that worke wickednes shal be Ecclê° 27. 27 wrapped in euils §. 19. Inquisition saith the Wiseman shall be Wisd 1 9 made for the thoughts of the vngodly the sounde of his wordes shall come vnto God for the correction of his iniquities The wicked deedes which he hath done Bernard shall stand vp to declare against him and the reward of his vnrighteousnes shall be powred vppon him His vnquiet conscience shal be his chiefest Pet. Lomb. accuser and the sinne of his owne impietie shall bee most forward to conuict him §. 20. The vngodly shall be punished according Wisd 3. 10. to theyr imaginations for they haue despised the righteous and forsaken the Lord. They haue thought euill in theyr harts Wisd 2 21. 22. against the godly and haue gone astray through theyr owne folly for theyr owne wickednesse hath blinded them and they doe not vnderstand the misteries of God neither hope they for the reward of righteousnes nor can discerne the honour of the soules that are faultlesse The way that they walke is as the darknes Prou. 4. 19 they know not wherein they shal fall They meete with darknes euen in the Iob. 5. 14. day time and grope at noone day as in the night The hope that they haue is indignation Prou. 11 23 Prou 13. 21 Psal 112. 10 * Affliction dooth followe them * And theyr desire shall perrish Theyr hope is a false hope Like vnto the hope of * Siseras mother vvho pleasantly Iudges 5. 28 29. 30. perswaded herselfe that her Sonne was gorgiously attyred in roabes of needle worke and very busie after the battell in deuiding the spoyles of Israel when hee lay sencelesly sleeping in * Iaels tent with Iudges 4. 21 a nayle driuen through his forehead Or like the hope of Haman * Who Ester 6 6 7. 8. 9. c. proudly thought in his hart that King Ahashuerosh would doe honour to no man more then to him vvhen contrariwise all the glory which he wisht vnto himselfe he was coÌ„maunded to shew vnto Mordecaâ— the man whom aboue all men els he most hated and * the euill death vvhich hee Ester 7 10. prepared for the same man was his ovvne latter ending §. 21. All iniquitie saith Sirach is as a double Ecclê° 21. 3. edged sword the wounds whereof cannot be healed Dishonour shame euill death damnation Paâ—â—â—ius waite vpon pride enuie murther and such other like vices And the match that kindleth against Cicero vngodly people the fierce wrath of God is their owne wilful persisting in sinne and iniquitie For as theyr harts wexe harder and harder Arnobius through theyr custome in sinning daily more and more impenitent so they hourely heape vp displeasure vnto themselues against the day of Gods wrath and the terrible appearing of his iust iudgement §. 22. Oh howe vnhappy then are the liues of Constantius all those men that leaue vertue to follovve vice and forsake wisedome to embrace wickednesse For they thereby make theyr mindes vnapt Plotinuâ— to receiue any goodnes and clog theyr consciences vvith many molestations They liue alwaies doubtfull of their own Pet. Lomb. safetie in the day time and theyr sleepe is vnquiet and full of feares in the night The morning is euen to them as the Iob. 24. 17. shadow of death And they buy hell dearer then good Gregory men buy heauen §. 23. They are ready to flee when none pursueth Prou. 28 1. them And are very often dreading that some Pâ—t Mart. deserued danger will suddainely fall vpon them The reason is for that all wickednes in it Orosius selfe is full of feare And the conscience that is touched doth Wisd 17 10 alwayes fore-cast cruell things For there can be no greater trouble to Tremelius the vngodly in this lyfe then the inward vexations of their own guiltie conscience The testimony whereof is as a thousand Marlorate witnesses against them and the doome of it is euerlasting damnation Insomuch that the consciences of the Mart. Bucer wicked which are wounded ouer-burdened with the weight of sinne doe most certainly feele euen in thys world part of hell torments And many times the sting or gnawing Erasmus vvorme thereof enforceth the miserable offender cleane to remooue all his confidence from the comfort of Gods mercie
and wretchedly to end his dayes in anguish and desperation For saluation is farre from the vngodlie Psalm 119. 155 because they seeke not the statutes of the Almightie But ceaselesse sorrowes and perpetuall Cyprian paines continually doe attende them as a iust reward ordained of GOD for theyr loue of vnrighteousnes carelesse neglecting the knowledge of his waies For they that plow iniquitie and sowe Iob. 4. 8. wickednes shall reape the same And such as forsake the Lord shall bee Esay 1. 28. consumed §. 24. These few many moe such like speeches to expresse the wrath of God against the wicked are set downe not onely in the sacred Scriptures but also in the works of diuers worthy Writers which being rightly considered wee may well be mooued at the remembrance thereof to say with Origen * Farre better were it for the vngodly Origen that they had neuer beene at all then to be borne into the world and not liue as they should doe For besides all the former places to this purpose already recited wee finde it further to the terrour of the vnrighteous by seueral sentences affirmed * That the vngodly Wisd 14. 9. man and his vngodlines are both alike hated of God And that a wicked mans life is his soules Chrisostome death That hee that committeth sinne is of 1. Ioh. 3. 8. the deuill And the vengeance belonging to the Ecclê° 7. 17. vnrighteous is fire and wormes That hee which worketh wickednesse Ecclê° 27. 27 shal be wrapped in euills shal not know from whence they come vnto him That malice shall sley the vngodly man Psal 34. 21. and they that hate the righteous shall perrish That the congregation of the vvicked Ecclê° 21. 9. is like towe wrapped together and theyr end is a flame of sire to destroy them That the transgression of a wicked man Prou. 29. 6. is his snare And he that soweth iniquitie shall reape Prou. 22. 8. affliction That hee which diggeth a pit shall fall Ecclê° 27. 26 therein and he that layeth a snare for another shal be taken in it himselfe That the way of the vngodly is made Ecclê° 21 10 plaine with stones but at the end thereof is hell darknes and paines That as the dry ground and heate consume Iob. 24. 19 the snow waters so shal the graue the sinners That when the vngodly man dyeth his Prou. 11. 7. hope perrisheth the confidence of the wicked shal come to nought That although men mourne for theyr Eccê° 41. 11. body yet shall the wicked name of the vngodly be put out That their portion shall be cursed in the Iob. 24. 18. earth Theyr name shall rotte Prou. 10 7. Iob. 8. 22. Prou. 24. 22 Prou. 14 11 Iob 24. 20. Theyr dwelling places shal not remaine Theyr destruction shal come suddenly Theyr houses shal be destroyed And they themselues shall be no more remembred That hee that is wicked shall fall in his Prou. 11. 5. owne wickednes And hee that transgresseth shall be taken Prou. 11 6. in the sinne of his transgression That the curse of God is in the habitation Prou 3 33. of the vngodly And the vnrighteous mans substance Ecclê° 40 13 shall be dryed vp like a riuer That vvicked men wanting the feare of Boetius GOD are hunted of euill to theyr owne ouerthrow and destruction That as vnto the good theyr goodnesse Hermes is a reward so vnto the wicked theyr owne euill is a punishment That the eyes of the wicked shall fayle Iob 11 20 theyr refuge shall perrish and theyr hope shal be sorrow of minde That such as seeke to get wealth by any Plato wicked meanes shall possesse there-with more vnquietnes then profit and the substance that by sinne is attained shall by some misfortune be consumed That the robbery of the vnrighteous Prou. 21 7 shall destroy them And the riches of the vngodly are layde Prou 13 22 vp for th 〈…〉 st That â—â—e Lord will be a swift witnesse Mala 3 5 against the Southsayers and against the adulterers and against false swearers and against those that wrongfully keepe backe the hyrelings wages and vexe the widow and the fatherlesse and oppresse the stranger and feare not to offend him That the vngodly are kept vnto the day Iob 20 30 of destruction and shall be brought forth to the day of wrath That for vnrighteousnes other mischieuous Socrates deedes the soules of the vngodly shall after this life be greeuously tormented in hell That when the vngodly shall say Peace 1 Thes 5 3 and safetie then shall come vppon them suddaine destruction as the trauaile vpon a woman vvith childe and they shall not escape That the wicked haue no gaine by the Cyprian death of Christ but all the benefites comming to mankinde by his Passion vvhich they haue despised doe most iustly condemne them That outwardly they receiue the Sacrament Augustine of Christes body and blood but the thing it selfe inwardly in theyr harts they haue not and therefore they eate drink thevr owne iudgement That the wicked by reason of their vnquiet Esay 57 20 conscience which alwaies tormenteth them are like the raging Sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vp mire and dyrt And the Lord himselfe hath said it that Esay 48 22 there is no peace to the vngodly person That the Lord hath made all things for Prou 16 4 his owne sake yea euen the vvicked for the day of euill And as all that is of the earth shal turne Ecclê° 41 10 to earth againe so the vngodly goe from the curse to destruction That as GOD greatly delighteth in the Hillarius louers of his Law so hee highly contemneth the peticions of the disobedient That the chyldren of the vngodly are Ecclê° 41 5 abhominable chyldren And the of-spring of the vnrighteous Ecclê° 40. 15 shall not obtaine many branches That God will lay vp the sorrow of the Iob 21 19 wicked father for his children And the posteritie of the vngodly generation Ecclê° 41 6. shall haue a perpetuall shame That if the vnrighteous happen to liue Pet. Ramus long theyr sorrowes at theyr death shall be the greater And according to the number of theyr Mar. Buâ—er sinnes here on earth such shal be the quantitie of theyr punishments in hell That as GOD vnto the godly is most Plotinus sweet gentle and louing so vnto the wicked proude and disobedient hee is verie seuere sharpe and rough specially appearing and felt for euer vpon them in the terrible day of damnation and vengeance That as euerlasting felicitie doth quickly Lactantius follovv the godly after the short race of theyr â—orldly miserie so euerlasting wretchednes speedily followeth the vngodly after the short race of their earthly felicitie That all such as for