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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
die All his transgressions that he hath committed verse 22. they shall not be mentioned vnto him but in his righteousnes that hee hath done he shall liue Moreouer VVhen the wicked saith Ezec 18. 27 hee turneth away from his wickednes that he hath committed and doth that which is lavvfull and right hee shall saue his soule aliue Because hee considereth and turneth away verse 28 from all his transgressions that he hath committed hee shall surely liue and shall not die Againe vvhen I saith the most Mercifull Ezech. 33 14 15 shall say vnto the wicked Thou shalt surely die if hee turne from his sinnes and doe that which is lawfull and right to wit If hee restore the pledge and giue againe that hee had taken away by robberie and walke in the statutes of life without committing iniquitie then shall hee surely liue and not die None of the sinnes that hee hath committed verse 16 shall be mentioned vnto him or any more thought vpon for insomuch as he doth nowe the thing that is lawfull and right hee shall surely liue §. 6. These places of Scripture onely if no moe such could be found might serue sufficiently to proue that God delights not in a sinners death Yet notwithstanding for our greater comfort and as it were more certaine assurance the Lord besides his promise hath vouchsafed to giue his oath to this effect And because he knewe none eyther in heauen or earth greater to sweare by hee hath therefore sworne vnto vs by himselfe saying * As truly as I liue I haue Ezec. 33 11. no pleasure in the death of the vvicked but rather that the wicked shoulde turne from his euill way and liue And to make yet a little more manifest how greatly he desireth our good he spareth not by sundry other speeches both in the old and New-Testament to expresse his kindnes and compassion towards vs in this poynt As namely in the fift Booke of Moises vvhere hee saith * Oh that there Deut 5 29. were such a hart in my people as to feare mee and to keepe all my coÌ„maundements alway that it might goe vvell vvith them and with their children for euer Behold saith he I stand at the doore Reue 3 20 knock if any man heare my voyce and open the doore I will come in vnto him and will sup with him and he with me Also by the voyce of his Gospell hee daily more nowe then euer heretofore manifesteth his euerlasting loue towardes vs in that he therby vouchsafeth coÌ„tinually to call vs saying * Come vnto mee all yet Math. 11. 28 that are weary laden and I wil ease â—ou Take my yoake on you learne of me verse 29 30 that am meeke and lowly in hart and yee shall finde rest vnto your soules For my yoake is easie and my burden light § 7. Clense therefore your hands yee sinners Iames. 4. 8 and purge your harts yee vvauering minded Circumcise the fore-skin of your hearts Deut. 10 16 and harden your necks no more Returne vnto the â—ord and he will returne Mala 3 7 vnto you Cease from your sinnes and forget your 2 Esdr 16. 59 iniquities and medle no more from henceforth with them so shall God leade you foorth and deliuer you from all troubles Yea let the wicked forsake his wayes Esay 55 7 the vnrighteous his ovvne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and hee vvill haue mercy vpon him and to our GOD for hee is very ready to forgiue §. 8. Returne then vnto the Lord and forsake Ecclê° 17 23 thy sinnes make thy prayer before his face and take away the offence Turne againe vnto the most High for verse 24 hee will bring thee from darknes to wholsome light forsake thine vnrighteousnes and hate greatly all abhomination Learne to know the righteousnesse and verse 25 iudgements of God stand in the portion that is sette forth for thee and in the prayer of the most high GOD and goe in the portion of the holie world with such as be liuing and confesse God Also if thou be withered and worne away Chrisostome of sin renew thy selfe againe through hartie sorrow and true repentance For godly sorrowe causeth repentance 2 Cor 7 10 vnto saluation not to be repented of but worldly sorrow causeth death And the best remedy if thou hast offended Hermes is true repentance and amendement of life §. 9. But to the ende we may some-what the better vnderstand what true repentance is I will heere rehearse some fewe places collected froÌ„ diuers of the diuine Doctors of the Church and first of all from S. Augustine vvhere speaking to this purpose hee saith * True repentance is greatly to Augustine deplore sinnes past and fully to resolue in minde hart neuer to commit any heereafter It consisteth of three parts namelie Contrition of hart Confession of mouth and Satisfaction of deede For vvee haue saith hee offended God three manner of wayes by the delight of thought by the lapse of tongue by the pride of works And these three are to be cured by three contrary remedies Delight of thought by the inward sorrow contrition of the hart The lapse of tongue by the confession of the mouth And the pride of works by our vpright liuing and vncorrupted satis-faction Contrition is a hartie sorrowe inward Bernarde greefe taken for the sinnes which we haue already committed with a full inten and purpose of confession and satisfaction heereafter not to commit any more For otherwise thy repentance is no true Augustine repentance but rather seemeth to be fained if thou pollute thy selfe againe vvith thy former offences thy penitent teares are to small purpose if thou multiply thine iniquities For true repentance is to cease from sinne Wee ought also in the true contrition of Cassianus hart to be sorowfull for these three things First for the sinnes wee haue committed Secondly for the good wee haue omitted Thirdly for the time we haue lost And this kinde of contrition is more auailable Augustine in the sight of God then to goe on pilgrimage throughout the world §. 10. Confession which hath the second place Augustine in true repentance is the health of the soule an expeller of vices a restorer of vertue an impugner of wicked spirits an impediment of the deuill By it the lurking disease of the soule is Isidore opened to the praise of God through it we obtaine hope of pardon for all our offences past Besides vvhen the confession of the Ambrose hart proceedeth forth of the mouth then the vengeance of GOD ceaseth to pursue the penitent person And hee likewise that accuseth himselfe Augustine of his sinnes preuenteth thereby the deuill of his purpose so that hee cannot accuse him at the day of iudgement if in confessing his sinnes vnto God he blot those
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
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
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
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
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
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
which seeing another about to be kissed will needes thrust forth his head to take away the curtesie from him ¶ Against iustifying our selues foolish boasting and regarding of other mens faultes §. 1. IVstifie not thy selfe before the Lorde Ecclus 7 5 saith Sirach for he knoweth thy hart Neyther boast thy selfe at any time of thy Pet. Lomb. good deedes least thy euill be also layde to thy charge For hee that prayseth himselfe is not allowed 2 Cor. 10 18. but he whom the Lord prayseth Besides he that supposeth himselfe to be Fulgosius righteous falleth thereby vnaduisedly from his hope in God by trusting too much to his owne merrites looseth the coÌ„fidence he should haue in his Creators mercy Resembling the folly of the foolish-bragging Luke 18 11 Pharisee which entred into the temple with the Publican to pray But S. Paule teacheth vs better wisedom by his owne example where he saith * I 1 Cor 4 4 know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified but he that iudgeth mee is the Lord. §. 2. How saith Iob should man compared Iob 9 2 3 vnto God be iustified If God would dispute with him man could not aunswere him one thing of a thousand If I woulde iustifie my selfe saith hee Iob 9 20 mine owne mouth shall condemne mee and if I would be perfit he shall iudge me wicked For hee is not a man as I am that I Iob 9 32 should aunswere him if wee come together to iudgement Well therefore saith the Psalmist * Enter Psal 143 2 not ô Lord into iudgement vvith thy seruaunt for in thy sight shall no man lyuing be iustified §. 3. Let no man glory in his works saith S. Ambrose Ambrose because no man is iustified by his workes but hee that is iust hath it freely by gift For if God would deale with vs according Augustine to that we haue deserued he should find nothing but that he might condemne And woe would be to all our righteousnesse Augustine if it be iudged mercie beeing taken away or set aside §. 4. If any man saith the Apostle seeme to Gala 6 3 himselfe that hee is some-what when he is nothing he deceiueth himselfe in his imagination Let him therefore that thinketh he standeth 1. Cor. 12. 10. take heede least hee fall And let not the sinner say that hee hath 2 Esdr 16 45. not sinned for coales of fire shall burne vppon his head which sayth I haue not sinned before the Lord God his glory §. 5. This saith S. Bernard is our righteousnesse Bernarde to lay sure holde on the worthines of Christ by faith and humbly to confesse before God that we of our selues are altogether vnrighteous And then are wee said to be righteous Ierome when as we doe acknowledge our selues to be wicked sinners But if wee behold our owne merrits wee Ierome shall thereby be driuen to desperation For vvee are counted but vnprofitable Luke 17 10 seruaunts when we haue done all that wee can do seeing we haue done no more then was our dutie to doe And in dooing no more but vvhat wee Chrisostome ought we deserue no greater reward then that we beare about vs. §. 6. If our dooings were good indeed saith Origen Origen then vvere vvee not vnprofitable seruaunts but any good deede of ours is called good not rightly nor duly but by abuse of speech For holy men do know that euer since the Gregory fall of the first father Adam they be borne of a corruptible stocke and that they bee not by any vertue of theyr owne but onely by the heauenly grace that doth preuent them turned into good desires or workes and what euill soeuer they knowe to bee in themselues they confesse that it is deserued and come of theyr mortall kinde but what good soeuer they see to be in themselues they acknowledge it to be the gift of the immortall God And for this gift which they haue receiued they count themselues debters vnto him vvhich by preuenting them did giue vnto them grace that they should will that good thing which they would not and by following did graunt that they should be able to doe that good thing which they would §. 7. Be not vain-glorious at any time of thine Iunius owne dooings saith Iunius neyther vse to speak many words in thine own praise For it is farre better to bee silent then Alex Seâ—e to bragge or boast vaine-gloriously anie thing in our owne commendation Let another man praise thee and not Prou 27 2 thine owne mouth a stranger and not thine owne lips For nothing dispraiseth a man so much Arnâ—bius as his owne praysing especially vvhen he maketh repeticion of his charitable deeds §. 8. It is a token of an impudent creature Plato saith Plato to seeke to gette credite vvith others by commending himselfe And such kinde of people as praise theÌ„selues Plâ—tarch may fitly be compared to famished persons for like as the famished for lacke of other meate are faine some-times to eate theyr owne flesh so many that are vaine glorious are forced to prayse themselues because no man else will giue them any coÌ„mendation §. 9. Despise not the man saith Sirach that Ecclus 8 9 turneth himselfe away from sinne neyther cast him in the teeth with his former fault but remember that vvee are all vvoorthy blame Be not glad when thine enemy falleth Prou 24 17 18. neyther let thy hart reioyce when he stumbleth least the Lord see it and it displease him and he turne his wrath from him Laugh no man to scorne in the heauines Ecclê° 7 11 of his soule for GOD vvhich seeth all things is hee that can bring downe and set vp againe §. 10. To reioyce at the harme which another Socrates man receiueth is a signe of an euill nature in thy selfe And busily to vpbrayd a penitent person Crates with his passed offences is the next way to depriue thy selfe of all mens compassion when thou standest in neede Flie therefore and eschew thine owne vices Socrates and be not curious in serching after other mens sinnes For it is the propertie of a foole to looke Tully narrowly into other mens faultes to forget his owne But it is a signe of great wisedome warilie Thales to auoyde those euils our selues vvhich wee thinke worthy to be blamed in other men ¶ Against the following of falseteâ—â—hers §. 1. BE not carried about saith the Apostle Hebr. 13. 9. with diuers and strange doctrines For he that is hastie to giue credit is light Ecclê° 19. 4 minded he that erreth sinneth against his owne soule Let no man deceiue you vvith vaine Ephe. 5. 6. vvordes But beware of false Prophets vvhich Math 7 15 16. come to you in sheepes clothing but inwardly they are rauening Wolues Ye shall know them by
theyr fruites Beleeue not euery spirit but try the spirits 1 Iâ—h 4. 1 whether they are of God or noâ— for many false Prophets are gone out into the vvorlde Yea many deceiuers are entred into the world which confesse noâ— that Iesus Christ 2 Ioh 1 7 is come in the flesh Hee that is such a one is a deceiuer and â—n Antichrist §. 2. I beseech you Brethren saith S. Paule Rom 16 17 18 marke them diligently which cause diuision and offences contrary to the doctrine which yee haue learned and aâ—oyde them For they that are such sâ—rue not the Lorde Iesus Christ but theyâ— owne 〈◊〉 and with faire speeches and flattering deâ—eâ—ue the harts of the simple Yee are deerely bought be not the seruaunts 1. Cor 7 23 of men But stand fast and keepe the instructions 2. Thes 2. 15 which you haue beene taught eyther by word or by our Epistle If any man teach otherwise and consenteth 1 Tim 6 3 4 5. not to the wholesome wordes of our lord Iesus Christ to the doctrine which is according to godlines he is pufâ— vp and knoweth nothing but doateth about questions and strife of words whereof commeth enuie strife raylings euill surmisings vaine disputations of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth vvhich thinke that gaine is godlinesse From such separate thy selfe §. 3. Brethren saith the same Apostle be Phil. 3 17 followers of me looke on them which walke so as yee haue vs for an ensample For many walke of whom I haue tolde verse 18 19 you often and now tell you weeping that they are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ whose ende is damnation vvhose God is theyr belly and vvhose glorie is to their shame which mind earthly things But our conuersation is in heauen from verse 20 whence also we looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ Who shall change our vile body that it verse 21. may be facioned like vnto his glorious bodie according to the working whereby hee is able euen to subdue all thinges vnto himselfe §. 4. Let vs henceforth be no more chyldren Ephe 4 14 15. wauering and carried about with euerie winde of doctrine by the deceit of men with craftâ—nes wherby they lay in waite to deceiue But let vs follow the truth in loue and in all things grow vp vnto him which is the head euen Christ And beware least any man spoyle you Colos 2 8. thorow Philosophy and vaine deceite after the traditions of men and according to the ordinaunces of the world and not after Christ For whosoeuer transgresseth and abydeth 2 Ioh. 9. 10 not in the doctrine of Christ he hath not God He that endureth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Sonne If there come any vnto you and bring verse 11. not this doctrine receiue him not to house neither bid him God speede For hee that biddeth him God speede is partaker of his euill deedes ¶ Against the choyse of meates and difference of dayes §. 1. LEt no man saith the Apostle trouble Colos 2 16 17. your conscience about meate drink or in respect of an holy-day or of the new Moone or of the Sabboth dayes vvhich are but shadowes of thinges to come but the body is in Christ It is a good thing that the hart be stablished Heb 13 9 with grace not with meates which haue not profited them that haue been occupied therein For the kingdome of God is not meate Rom 14 17 nor drinke but righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost For whosoeuer in these thinges serueth verse 18. Christ is acceptable vnto God is commended of men §. 2. One beleeueth that he may eate al things Rom 14 2 and another that is weake eateth hearbs This man esteemeth one day aboue another Rom. 14 5 day and another man counteth euerie day alike Let not him that eateth despise him that Rom 14 3 eateth not and let not him vvhich eateth not iudge him that eateth for God hath receiued him Let euery man also be fully perswaded Rom. 14 5. 6. in his minde that hee which obserueth the day obserueth it to the Lord and hee that obserueth not the day obserueth it not to the Lord. He that eateth eateth to the lord for he giueth God thanks and he that eateth not eateth not to the lord and giueth God thanks Meate maketh not vs acceptable to God 1 Cor 8 8 For neither if we eate are wee the better neither if we eate not are we the worse VVhat-soeuer is solde in the Shambles 1 Cor 10 25 26 eate ye aske no question for conscience sake For the earth is the Lords and all that therein is §. 3. And seeing that GOD hath created all Erasmus things for the vse of man requireth nothing of vs but holinesse what forceth hee whether vvee eate flesh of foure-footed beastes or of fishes or of Birds that flie There is none of all these that eyther maketh or marreth holinesse neither putteth any thing to it or taketh any thing from it The choyse of these things and the putting Erasmus of difference betweene one and another may make a man superstitious to haue vaine religion in himselfe but it cannot make him holie Christ taught no difference heerein therefore it may bee counted great rashnes if a wretched man should goe about to burthen charge any man with such ordinances Let euery man eate what hee liketh as his body requireth so it be doone soberlie measurably and for all thinges let him giue thankes vnto God For to beleeue that meates are euill or Augustine causeth euill or sinne to them that receiue them it is the propertie not of Christian men but peculiarly of the Hierarchies Maniches which were heretiques §. 4. VVherefore if yee be dead with Christ Colos 2. 20. 21. 22 from the ordinaunces of the world vvhy as though yee liued in the world are yee burdened with traditions As Touch not Taste not Handle not Which all perrish with the vsing are after the commaundements and doctrines of men VVhich things haue indeed a shewe of Colos 2. 23 wisedome in voluntarie religion humblenesse of minde and in not sparing the body neither haue they it in any estimation to satisfie the flesh But I know am perswaded through Rom. 14 14 the Lord Iesus that there is nothing vncleane of it selfe but vnto him that iudgeth any thing to be vncleane to him it is vncleane Vnto the pure all things are pure but Titus 1. 15. to them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen theyr mindes and consciences are defiled §. 5. Nowe the Spirit speaketh euidently that 1 Tim 4 1 2. 3. in the latter times some shall depart from the fayth and shall giue heede vnto spirits of errour and