this was rather of barbarous cruelty in the Pagans for theyr resistaunce then directly for hatred of Iewish Religion And for the number there is no doubt but that more Christians were put to death within two monethes for theyr beleefe thorow out the worlde then were of Iewes for two thousande yeres before Christes coÌ„ming which is vndoubtedly a matter very wonderfull considering that the Iewish Religion impugned no lesse the Pagan Idolatry then doth the doctrine of the Christians But this came to passe that Christes words might be fulfilled who sayde I come noâ—â—o bring peace but the sworde And aâ—gaine I send you â—oorth as sheepe among wolues That is to say to bee torne and harried and your bloode to be deuoured In which extreame and most incredible sufferings of christiaÌ„s three poynts are worthy of great consideration The first what infinite multitudes of al estates conditions sexe qualities and age dyd suffer dailie for testimony of thys truth The second what intollerable and vnaccustomed torments not hearde of in the world before were deuised by Tyrants for afflicting thys kinde of people The thyrd what inuincible courage and vnspeakeable alacritie the Christians shewed in bearing out these afflictions which the enemies themselues could not attribute but to some diuine power supernaturall assistance And for thys latter poynt of comfort in their sufferings I wil alledge onely thys Testimonie of Tertullian against the Gentiles who obiected that wicked men suffered also as wel as Christians whereto this learned Doctor made answer in these words Trueth it is y t many men are prone to ill and doe suffer for the same but yet dare they not defend their euill to be good as Christians doe theyr cause For that euery euil thing by nature dooth bring with it eyther feare or shame and therefore we see that malefactors albeit they loue euil yet wold they not appeare so to the worlde but desire rather to lye in couert They tremble when they are taken and when they are accused they denie all doe scarce often-times confesse theyr dooings vpon torments And finally when they are condemned they lament mone and doe impute theyr harde fortune to destiny or to the Planetsâ— But the Christian what dooth hee lyke to thys is there any man ashamed or doth any man repent him wheÌ„ he is taken except it be for that he was not takeÌ„ rather if he be noted by the enemy for a Christian he glorieth in the same if he be accused hee defendeth not himselfe if he be asked the question he confesseth it willingly if hee be condemned he yeeldeth thanks What euill is there then in the Christian cause which lacketh the natural sequell of euill I meane feare shame tergiuersation repentance sorrowe and deploration What euill I say can thys be deemed whose guiltinesse is ioy whose accusation is desire whose punishment is happinesse Hetherto are the words of learned Tertullian who was an eye witnesse of that he wrote and had no small part in the cause of those that suffered being himselfe in y t place and state as daily he might expect to tast of the same affliction To which combat how ready he wasâ— may appeare by diuers places of thys hys Apologie wherein he vttereth besides his zeale and feruour a most confident securitie and certaine assurance of Iesus assistance by that which he had seene performed to infinite other in their greatest distresses from the same Lord before So that nothing doth more acertaine vs of the diuine power and omnipotencie of IESVS then the fortitude inuisible which aboue all humaine reason force and nature hee imparted to hys Martyrs The fift Consideration AFter which consideration there commeth to be weighed the fift poynt before mentioned which is of the same power and omnipotencie of Iesus declared and exercised vppon the Spyrits infernall Which thing partly may appeare by the Oracles alledged in the end of the former Section wherein those spyrits fore-tolde that an Hebrew chylde shold be borne to the vtter subuersion and ruine of theyr tyrannicall dominion much more at large the same might be declared by other answers Oracles vttered after Christes natiuity registred in the Monuments euen of the Heathens themselues Wherof he that desireth to see more ample mention especially out of Porphyrie who then was lyuing let hym reade Eusebius sixt Booke De preparatione Euangelica where he shal finde store namely that Apollo many tymes exclaimedâ— Hei mihi congemiscite Hei mihi hei mihi Oraculorum defecit me claritas Woe vnto mâ—e lament ye with me woe vnto me woe vnto me for that the honour of Oracles hath now forsaken me Which coÌ„plaints lamentations are nothing els but a plaine confession that Iesus was he of whom a Prophet sayd diuers ages before Attenuabit omnes Deos terrae he shall weare out and bring to beggery all the Gods or Idols of the earth This confessed also the wicked Spyrits themselues wheÌ„ at Christes appearing in Iurie they came vnto hym dyuers tymes and besought hym not to afflict or torment them nor commaund theÌ„ presently to return vnto hell but rather to permit them some little time of entertainement in the Sea or Mountaines or among heardes of Swyne or the lyke Which confession they made in the sight of all the world and declared the same afterwards by theyr facts and deedes For presently vpon Iesus death vpon the preaching of his name Gospel throughout the worlde the Oracles which before were aboundant in euery Prouince and Countrey were put to silence Whereof I might alledge the testimony of very many Gentiles themselues as that of Iuuenall Cessant Oracula Delphis All Oracles at Delphos doe now cease c. That also of another Poet Excessere omnes adytis arisque relictis Dij quibus imperium hoc steterat c. That is the Gods by whom thys Empyre stood are all departed from theyr Temples haue abandoned theyr Altars and place of habitation Strabo hath also these expresse wordes The Oracle of Delphos at this day is to be seene in extreame beggery mendicitie And finally Plutarch that lyued within one hundred yeeres after Christ made a speciall Booke to search out the causes why the Oracles of the Gods were ceassed in hys tyme. And after much turning and winding many waies resolued vpon two principall points or causes therof The first for that in hys tyme there was more store of Wise-men then before whose aunswers might stand in steede of Oracles and the other that peraduenture the spyrites which were accustomed to yeeld Oracles were by length of tyme growne olde and dead Both which reasons in the verie common sence of all men must needes be false and by Plutarch himselfe cannot stande with probability For first in hys Bookes which he wrote of the lyues of auncient famous men he confesseth that in such kind of wisedome as he
hart we shall find further cause for vs to confide For so much as it is not probable or in reason to be imagined that he which neuer failed in times past wil breake his promise for the time to come especially seeing now in Christianitie when we haue thys aduantage aboue other former tymes as S. Iohn doth also note that he who was and is our Iudge is become also our aduocate to pleade our cause Cast backe thyne eyes then my louing brother and take a viewe of all ages times and seasons past and gone Begin from the first creation of the world and come downwarde euen vnto thys day examine indifferently whether in all thys wide compasse of tymes persons places and most greeuous offences coÌ„mitted against his diuine Maiestie there werâ— euer yet any one sinner vppon earth that returned vnfainedly and was not receiued The sinne of our first Parents was presently forgiuen vnto them vpon theyr first signification of greefe and sorrowe for the same And not onely this but our Sauiour also Iesus Christ was promised to be sent for restoring them and their posterity to the glory and felicity which by their fall they had lost After this vntill the time of Abraham and of the people of Israel as some workes of Gods iustice are recorded in holy writ that were exercised vppon irrepentant offenders so are there many more celebrated of his mercy only two persons in particuler are mentioned who notwithstanding some sorrowe which they seemed to haue of theyr offences were yet reiected the first wherof was the murtherer Caine who at the beginning denyed hys wickednes vnto God and then beeing conuicted dispaired of remission The second was Esau whom Saint Paule calleth a Prophane fornicator who found no place of repentance albeit with teares he sought y e same Wherof S. Chrisostome giueth the reason in these words For this cause Esau obtained not pardon for that hee dyd not repent as he should haue doone his teares proceeding rather of anger and temptation then of true sorrow When the people of Israell came to be a distinct Nation to be gouerned at Gods appointment howe grieuously trow you dyd they offend daily and almost hourely hys diuine Maiestie And howe graciously dyd his vnspeakeable clemencie remit and pardon their manifold and innumerable sinnes and trespasses done against hym The whole scripture in truth seemeth nothing els but a perpetuall narration of Gods incredible patience infinite mercies towardes them And if I would speake of particuler persons among them which hee receiued to his fauour after great and manifold offences committed there woulde be no end of all that recitalâ— Let Manasses that most impious and wicked king be an example for all of whose enormous life most detestable actes whole pages are replenished both in the bookes of Kinges Chronicles and yet afterwards notwithstanding the same man falling into misery calamity among y e Babilonians a fortunate schoole oftentimes for Princes who in theyr prosperity are wont to contemne God he beganne to be sorrowful for his former life actions and became repentant as the scripture sayth in the sight of GOD for the same Whereat his diuine and incoÌ„prehensible mercy was so much moued presently as he receiued hym to fauour and brought hym backe from hys prison and fetters to hys kingdom imperial throne of maiestie The example also of the Niniuites is very notable and singuler in this behalfe gainst whoÌ„ almightie God hauing decreed a sentence of death to be executed within a certaine time he commaunded Ionas the Prophet to go denounce that sentence vnto them But Ionas wel knowing the nature and disposition of God towards mercie foresawe as afterwards he signifieth that if he shoulde goe and beare that embassage vnto them and they therevppon make change of theyr lyues hys Maiestie wold presently pardon them and so he should be taken for a false and lying Prophet For auoyding which inconuenience he chose rather to flee away by sea to the Cittie of Tharsis and there to hide him selfe But Almightie God raised a tempest in that iourney and disposed in such sort as Ionas was cast into the sea and there receiued deuoured by a Whale from whose belly hee was commaunded afterwards to repaire to Niniuie and to doe hys former message which he performed And the tennour of his message was that within forty daies that huge Citty of Niniuie shoulde be destroyed Which he hauing denounced vnto them the sequell fell out as Ionas before had suspected For the Niniuites belieuing the message and betaking themselues to repentaunce God forgaue them presently wherat Ionas was exceedingly greeued and offended and complained sweetly to God of his strange dealing heerein demaunding why hee had enforced him to come and preach destruction vnto theÌ„ knowing before hand that he would pardon them But his mercifull Lorde aunswered him fully to this poynt by a certaine accident that fell out whereto Ionas was not able to reply one word For so it chaunced that Ionas sitting without the walles of the Citty Niniuie vnder an Iuie bush that in one night by Gods appointment was sprung vp to couer him froÌ„ the sunne the same Iuie by Gods ordinance perrished vpon the suddaine and was consumed by a worme leauing the poore Prophet destitute of that consolation of shaddow which he receiued by it Wherwith he beeing not a little disquieted and afflicted God sayd vnto hym thou Ionas art sorrowfâ—ll and much greeued for losse of thine Iuie tree which notwithstanding thou diddest not plant or make to growe nor â—ookest any labour at all about it But the same grew vp in one night and in one night it perrished againe And shal not I then be careful to pardon my great Cittie of Niniuie wherein there be aboue an hundred twentie thousand innocent people which cannot distinguish betweene theyr right hand and theyr leâ—t Thys was the aunswere of Almightie GOD to Ionas for defence of his singuler inclinatioÌ„ to mercy in respect that the Niniuites were his owne creatures hys owne workmanship and the labours of hys owne handes as all other people also are Of which kinde of reason and consideration there haue been diuers things saide declared before for manifestations of Gods infinite mercy And al this that hetherto hath beene spoken is of things onely done in time of the olde Testament before the appearance of Christ our Sauiour in the flesh But now if we looke into the time of grace when God incarnate came himselfe in person to shew the riches of hys endlesse mercie vnto mortall men vpon earth we shall see more examples without comparison of his exceeding clemencie For that nowe our Creator and sheepeheard ouercom as it were with extreame compassion cam down into the vale of our misery with resolution not onely to offer pardon and forgiuenes to all hys sheepe
THE Second part of the Booke of Christian exercise appertayning to Resolution OR A Christian directory guiding all men vnto their saluation VVritten by the former Author R. P. Psalme 27. ver 4. One thing haue I requested of the Lorde and that I vvill demaund still vvhich is to dvvell in his house all the dayes of my life to the ende I may knovve and doe his vvill AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Charlwood for Simon Waterson in S. Paules Church-yarde at Cheape-gate 1592. To the right Honourarable Sir Thomas Heneage Knight Chauncellour of the Dutchie of Lancaster vize Chamberlaine to her excellent Maiestie Treasurer of her royall Chamber and one of her Highnesse most honorable priuie Counsaile All happinesse in this life and in the life to come hartily wished BOth duety for honourable fauours receyued and intire affection the spurre that pricketh forward the verie harshest conceite hath imboldened mee to present this treatise to your honours viewe as a testimonie of good will to shunne the infamous title of ingratitude as also in some measure to expresse my poore yet vnfeyned zeale the boldnesse of the one I presume noble nature wil pardon the slender habilitie of the other I hope the same will accept I know howe far from your honorable thoughts sinister opinions are that might checke the young springing plants whose forwardnes promise greater mattters to ensue I know withall not onely your honorable care to cherish such endeuours but also your prouident and liberall bountie in supporting any towardly hope from falling Ouer faint harted might hee then bee thought that would dismay when doubt is so worthily remooued Then boldly yet as it becoÌ„meth me in duetie I reuerently deliuer your honour this simple gift referring the iudgement both of it and me to your wonted noble consideration And as your yeeres so pray I all blessings of heauen may encrease vppon you to the comfort of such as haue good cause to loue you TO THE CHRISTIAN READER Health CVrteous Reader not many yeres since a book vvas published Of Christian Exercise appertaining to Resolution vvritten by a Iesuit beyond the seas yet an Englishman named M. Robert Parsons vvhich Booke M. Edmund â—unney hauing diligently perused committed to the publique vievv of all indifferent iudgements as glad that so good matter proceeded from such infected people and that good might arise thereby to the benefit of others Since the manifestation of that Booke the first Author thereof named M. Robert Parsons hath enlarged the same Booke vvith a second part and nevv Additions vvherein hee hath concluded and finished his vvhole intent of the Resolution and that vpon speciall causes as himselfe sets dovvn in Preface in this maner Beeing admonished by the writings of diuers that since the publishing of my first Booke it hath been misliked in two principall points First that I speake so much of good works so little of faith SecoÌ„dly that I talked so largely of Gods iustice and so briefly of his mercie Beside conceiuing by the information of manie that diuers persons hauing a desire in themselues to reade the â—ormer booke but yet being weake fearful to be touched so neere in conscience as they imagined that Book did durst neuer intermedle therwith being informed there was nothing in the same wherewith to entertaine themselues but only such vehement matter of perswasion as would greatly trouble and afflict them For remedy of which inconueniencie I haue framed this second part of that work therein inserted diuers chapters and discourses of matters more plausible of themselues more indifferent wherewith the Reader may solace his minde at such times as he findeth the same not willing to feele the spur of more earnest motion to perfection Hereupon grevv the occasion of his framing his second book vvhich being perused by sundrie lerned men vvho haue thought it as vvorthy to bee seene as the first â—s novv gentle Reader presented to thy vievv read it indifferently and iudge thereof as thou findest occasion OF THE MANIFOLD PERILS THAT ENSVE to the VVorld by Inconsideration And how necessarie it is for eueriâ— man to enter into cogitation of his owne estate CHAP. I. THE Prophets and Saints of GOD vvho from time to time haue beene sent by his mercifull prouidence to aduertise vvarne sinners of their perilous estate condition for sin haue not onely foretold them of their vvickednes imminent dangers for the same but also haue reuealed the causes thereof vvhereby they might the easier prouide remedie for the inconueniences to come Such is the charitable proceeding of our most merciful Lord vvith the children of men And among other causes none is more generall or oftner alledged than the lack of consideration by vvhich as by a coÌ„mon snare and deceipt of our aduersarie most men fall into sin and are holden also perpetually in the same to their finall destruction and eternall perdition So Esay the Prophet speking of the carelesse Nobilitie and Gentrie of Iurie that gaue themselues to banquetting and disporte vvithout consideration of their duties tovvards God repeateth often the threate of woe against them and then putteth dovvne the cause in these vvords The Lute and Harpe and Timbrel Shalme good wine aboundeth in your banquets but the workes of God you respect not nor haue you consideration of his dooings And then insueth Therefore hath hell enlarged his soule and opened his mouth without all measure or limitation and the stout and high and glorious of thiâ— people shall descend into it Here are tvvo causes as you see and tvvo effects linked together of these Ievves damnation the one depending of the other For as good cheere and sensualitie brought these men to inconsideration of GODS vvorks proceedings tovvards sinners so inconsideration brought them to the mouth and pits brimme of hell I say that inconsideration of Gods vvorkes tovvards sinners brought them to this perrill for that it follovveth in the very same place And the Lord of hostes shall be exalted in iudgement and our holy God shall be sanctified in iustice as if he had saide that albeit you vvill not consider novv Gods iudgements and iustice amidst the heate pleasure of your feasting yet shall he by exercising the same vppon you heereafter bee knovvne exalted and sanctified thoroughout the vvorld The like discourse maketh God himselfe by the same prophet to the daughter of Babylon and by her to euerie sinfull sensuall soule figured by that name Come dovvne saith he sit in the dust thou daughter of Babylonâ— thou hast said I shalbe a Ladie for euer hast not put vpon thy heart y e things that thou shouldst nor hast thou had remembraunce of thy last ende c. Now therfore harken thou delicate daughter which dwellest so confidently there shal come vpon thee an euill whereof thou shalt not knowe the of-spring and a calamitie shall rush vppon thee from which thou shalt not bee able to
such as were or might bee tempted with infidelitie so can it not be but very comfortable to vs Christians of these daies to behold the certaintie of these Scriptures layd open before vs vpon which the foundation of our whole fayth dependeth ¶ The first proofe of Scriptures FIrst therefore the Iew for proofe of his Scriptures alledgeth the great wonderfull antiquitie thereof For as God sayth he was before Idols and trueth before falshood so was the Scripture which is the Storie of the true God long before the writings of Panims or Infidâ—ls Nay further he sheweth that the most part of things recounted in the Bible were do one before most of the Panym gods were extant and that the very last Writers of the Hebrue Cannon which are Esdras Aggaeus Zacharias and Malachie almost sixe hundred yeeres before the comming of Christ when the second Monarchie of Persians began were before most of the Heathen auncient Historiographers to wit before Hellanicus Herodotus Pherecides Thucydides and Xenophon And albeit the Gentiles had some Poets before as Orpheus Homer Hesiodus and Lycurgus the Law-maker that lyued a good whyle after yet the eldest of these arryued no higher than the daies of K. Salomon which was fiue hundred yeeres after Moses the first writer of the Bible After whose tyme the most part of Heathen gods were long vnborne as Ceres Vulcan Mercurie Apollo Aesculapius Castor Pollux Hercules as the Gentiles themselues in their Genealogies doe confesse And as for Abraham that liued fiue hundred yeres before Moses he was not only elder than these gods which I haue named but also than Iupiter Neptune Pluto such other who for dignities sake and antiquitie are called by the Gentiles Dij maiorum Gentium the gods of great Nations And yet before Abraham doe the Scriptures containe the story of two thousand yeeres or there abouts So that by this it is euident that the writing of Heathens and the multitude of theyr gods are but late Fables in respect of the olde and venerable antiquitie of Hebrue Scriptures and consequently the authoritie of these Scriptures must in reason be greater than all other writings in the world besides seeing they were extant before all others in those first times of simplicitie sinceritie and were in part translated into dyuers languages before the Monarchie of the Persians that is before any story of the Gentiles vvas written as Eusebius out of many Heathen Authors declareth ¶ The second proofe of Scriptures NExt to the reason of antiquitie is alledged the manner of writing authorising and conseruing these Scriptures which is such as greatly confirmeth the certainty of thinges contained therein For first what soeuer is sette downe in these writings was eyther taken immediatly from the mouth of God as were the prophecyes and bookes of the Lawe or els collected from time to time by generall consent according as matters myracles fell out as were the Bookes of Iudges the Bookes of Kings and Chronicles and some other that containe records and Hystories of times Which bookes were not gathered by some one pryuate man vpon heare-say or his own imagination long after things done as Heathen Hystories other prophane records and monuments are but they were vvriten by generall agreement in the selfe same dayes when things were in sight knowledge of all men and so coulde not be feigned Secondly when books were written they were not admited into the common authoritie of Scriptures that is of Gods word or diuine wrytings but vpon great deliberation most euident proofe of theyr vndoubted verity For either the whole Congregation or Sinagogue who had the approouing heereof and among whom commonly were dyuers Prophets did knowe most certainly the things and myracles to be true as did also the whole people that were recorded in these vvritings coÌ„cerning Histories or els they saw the same confirmed from God by signes wonders as in the books of the Prophets and of theyr Law-giuer Moses it fell out Thirdly vvhen any thing vvas written and admitted for Scripture the care of conseruation therof was such the reuerence of Iewes thervnto so great as may easily assure vs that no corruption or alteration could happeÌ„ vnto it For first y e thing was coppied out into twelue Autentical copies for al the twelue Tribes and then again in euery Trybe there were so many copies made as were particuler Synagogues within that Trybe All was doone by speciall Notaries Scribes Ouer-seers and Witnesses The copies after diligent reuiewe taken were laide vp by the whole congregation in the Treasure house of the Temple vnder dyuers locks keyes not to be touched but by men appointed not to be vsed but with singuler reuerence To add diminish corrupt or alter was present death by the Lawes of the Nation And then howe was it possible saith the Iewe that among these writings eyther falshood shoulde creepe in or trueth once receiued could afterward be corrupted It is not possible saith he in reason and therfore obserueth he another thing in thys case which in truth is of very great consideration to wit that no other Nation vnder heauen dyd euer so much esteeme their own writings that they would offer to dye for the same as the Iews were ready to do for euery sentence sillable of their Scriptures Wherfore also it did proceede that in all theyr miseries afflictions wherein they were a spectacle to all y e world in all theyr flights banishments to Egypt Babylon Persia Media and other corners of the earth in al their spoyles assaults and deuastations at home they euer yet had special care to conserue these writings more than theyr owne liues and so haue kept the same wythout mayme or corruption more ages together than all Nations in the world haue done any other Monuments ¶ The third proofe of Scriptures THE thirde perswasion which is vsed by the Iew for the veritie of these Scriptures is the coÌ„sideration of the particuler men that vvrote them who were such as in no reason can be suspected of deceipt or falshood For as I haue sayd the stories of the Bible were written from time to time by publique authoritie and by the testimonie of al men that saw and knew the things that are rehearsed The bookes of the prophecies were indited by the Prophets themselues who were plaine simple sincere men authorised from God by continual miracles yet so scrupulus timorus of their owne speeches as they durst say nothing but onely The Lord sayth thiâ— the Lord of Hostes commaundeth that c. And when they preached read theyr wrytings in the hearing of all the people they protested that it was not mans word but Gods and that for such they left it in the publique Treasurie of theyr Nation vntill by tract of time the euent and fulfilling of theyr prophecies shold proue them true as alwayes it did
and theyr owne both liues deathes declare that they meant no falshood subiect to the corruption pride vanity or ambition of this life as other prophane and Heathen VVryters were and theyr deathes for the most part offered vp in holy martyrdom for defence of that truth which they had preached and written as appeareth in Esay that was sawed in peeces by King Manasses in Ieremie that was stoned to death by the common people in Ezechiell that was slaine by the Captaine of the Iewes at Babilon in Amos whose braines were beaten outâ— by Amasias the wicked and Idolatrous priest in Bethell in Michaeas whose neck was broken by Ioram sonne to King Achab in Zacharias that was slayne at the Altar and the like And this for the Prophets of the latter times among the Iewes But now if we consider the first Prophet of all that wrote among the people I meane Moses that was not onely a prophet but also an historiographer a Law-gyuer a Captaine a Priest the first that euer reduced that people to a Common-wealth and the first that put theyr acts and gestes in writing or rather the acts and gestes of the almighty God towards them thys man I say if we consider him onely I meane the circumstances of his person the Iâ—we thinketh this a sufficient motiue to make any man of reason beleeue what soeuer he hath left writen in the Bible without further confirmation And first for hys antiquitie I haue spoken before and the Heathens doe confesse and for myracles doone by him the greatest enemies that euer he had in the world that is Appion in his fourth booke against the Iewes and Porphyrie in hys fourth booke against Christians doe acknoweledge them and Porphyrie adioyneth more for proofe heereof that he found the same confirmed by the story of one Saconiathon a Gentile who liued as he affirmeth at the same time wyth Moses But what all those myracles say they were doone by Arte-magick and not by the power of God as Moses boasted But then asketh them the Iewe where Moses a sheepeheard could learne so much Magicke or why could not the Magitians of Pharao whose study vvas in that profession from theyr infancie eyther doe the lyke or at least wise delyuer themselues from the plagues of Egypt why did they cry out The finger of God is heere VVhere did you euer heare of such workes doone by Magick as Moses did when he deuided the Red-sea when he called into his Campe so many Quayles vppon the suddaine as sufficed to feede sixe hundred thousand men besides women and Children VVhen he made a Rocke to yeeld forth a Fountaine when he caused a dewe to fall from heauen that nourished hys whole Campe for forty yeeres together VVhen hee caused the ground to open and swallow down aliue three of the richest Noble men of all hys Army together with their Tabernacles and all other bagges baggage When he caused a fire to come from heauen and consume fiftie Gentlemen of the former Rebels and Adâ—â—rents without hurting any one that stood about them These things did Moses and maâ—y other in the sight of al his Army that is in the sight of manie hundred thousand people amoÌ„g which there were diuers his emulators sworne enemies as by the storie and Scripture it selfe appeareth Core Dathaâ— Abiron with their faction sought in all things to disgrace him and to diminish his credite and therefore if any one point of the miracles had been reproouable Moses would neuer haue durst to put the same in writing nor would the people haue stood with him and much lesse haue receiued his writings for diuine and for Gods own words being solicited against him by so potent means had not they knowne al things to be most true therein contained and had seene his strange myracles and familiaritie with God But he delt plainely and simply in thys behalfe he wrote the things of his owne doings which euery man present did know to be true and of Gods speeches communications to himselfe he wrote so much as hee was commaunded whereof both God and his conscience did beare hym witnesse Hee caused the whole to be read vnto the people and laide vp in the sacred Arke and Tabernacle as Gods owne writing couenant with that Nation He caused all the whole Armie to sweare and vow the obseruaunce thereof And then drawing towards his death he made a most exâ—ellent Exhortation vnto them perswading them sincerelie to the seruice of their God and confessing his owne infirmities and hovv for his offences he was to die before their entrance into the Land of promise Hee concealed not the offence of his brother Aaron of his grandfather Leui of his sister Marie and other of his kindred as worldlye princes for their honors are wont to doo neither did hee goe about to bring in gouernment after hys decease anie one of his owne sonnes which is greatly to bee obserued notwithstanding he left behind him goodly gentlemeÌ„ fit for the roome and himself of power to place them â—f hee had endeuoured but hee left â—he gouernment to a Straunger naâ—ed Iosua as God had commaunded him Al which things saith the Iew do â—rooue sufficiently that Moses was â—o man of ambition or of worldly â—pirit but a true seruant of God and consequently that he wrought not by Magicke or falshood but by the onely power of his Lord Master and that his writings are true and of the same authoritie that in his life death he affirmed them to be that is the vndoubted VVord of Almightie God The fourth proofe of Scriptures THis he confirmeth yet farther by a fourth reason which is the consent approbation of al later VVriters of the Bible that ensued after Moses For as among prophane writers of worldly spirit it is a common fashion for him that foloweth to reprehend the former and to hunt aftâ—r praise by his auncetors disgrace so in these VVriters of the Bible it is a most certaine argument that all wer guided by one Spirit from God that in continuance of so many Ages and thousand yeeres no one yet euer impugned the other but alwaies the latter supporting and approuing the former for true doth buiâ—d therupon as vpon a sure foundation Sâ— the writings of Iosua doo confirmâ— and approue the writings of Moses and the records of the Iudges do reuerence and allow the Booke of Iosâ—a The storie of the Kings Chronicles doth refer it selfe to the storie of Iudges One Prophet confirmeth another And finally Christ approâ—eth them all by the known diuision of the Law Psalmes and Prophets which is a demonstraâ—ion that all â—heir spirits agreed in one And thus hethertoo hath been declared the foure considerations that â—re externall or without the Bible to â—it the antiquitie an continuaunce of the Scriptures the maner of
Scriptures do vse this simplicitie of speech and do not admit that kind of painted and artificiall stile which humane writers doe so much couet yet in perswading instructing mouing of affections all other effects which speech or writing can work there is no comparision a thing most wonderfull betweene any other writing in the world and these Wherefore I could alledge many proofes and examples but that it were too-long Let any man reade attentiuely but the first Chapter of the prophecie of Esay and compare it with any one part or parcell of Tullies or Demosthines Orations and see whether the difference of wordes be as great as the difference of motions Let diuers Himnes and holie Psalmes of the Scriptures be conferred with the most patheticall Poems that mans wit hath inuented and see whether there bee any comparison in stirring and siering of affections or no This am I sure that Iosephus the Iâ—w who for glory of his eloquence had his Image of mettall erected by Titus the Emperour in the Market-place of Rome wrote the samâ— story which the Scriptures contaâ—ne and bestowed much labour and humane cunning therein But yet euen in those places where hee endeuoured most to shew his arte as in the Sacrifice of Isaack by his father and in the meeting of Iephte with his onelie daughter which by vowe he was constrayned to put to death the scriptures are able to pierce the hâ—rt and wring out teares of the Reader whom Iosephus will not greatlie mooue with hys rethoricall narration though otherwise verie learned and artificiallie penned Aristaeus that learned Gentile of whom wee haue made mention before who was in speciall fauor with Ptolomie the second great Monarch of Egipt about three hundred yeres before our Sauiour Christ his natiuitie and a chiefe doer in procuring the translation of the Hebrue Bible into the Greeke language reported of his owne knowledge â—o the saide King Ptolomie two strange accidents which had happened in hys time and which he had vnderstood oâ— the parties themselues to whom they had happened The first was of Theopompus an eloquent Historiographer who hauing translated manie things out of the Bible endeuouring to adorne the same with vaine collours of eloquence could not performe his desire but was striken with a suddaine maze and giddinesse in the head and was warned in his sleepe not to proceed any further in that work after that sort for that such manner of style was too base for so high matters as the scriptures contained The other example was of one Theodectes a writer of Tragaedies who told Aristaeus that he once attempted to bring certaine matters out of the Iewes Bible into a Pagan tragaedie and that thereupon he was presentlie striken blind wherewith he beeing astonished and falling to repentance for that he had done desisting from the enterprise as also Theopompus did they were both of them restored againe to their former healthes And thus much did these three Pagans confesse of the authoritie diuinitie and peculier sacred style of our Scriptures ¶ The seuenth proofe of Scriptures BVT now further it insueth in order that after the subiect and phrase we should consider a little the contents of these Scriptures which will perhaps more cleerelie direct vs to the viewe of their Author then any thing els that hetherto hath been said And for our present purpose I will note onelie two speciall things contained in the Bible The first shal be certain high and hidden doctrines which are aboue the reach and capacitie of humaine reason and consequentlie could neuer fall into mans braine to inuent them As for example that all this wonderfull frame of the world was created of nothing whereas Phylosophy saith That of nothing nothing can be made That Angels being created spirits were damned eternallie for their sinnes that Adam by disobedience in Paradise drewe all his posterity into the obligation of that his sinne and that the womans seed should deliuer vs from the same That God is one in substance and three in person that the second of these persons being God should become man and die vpon a crosse for the raunsome of mankind that after him the way to all felicitie and honour should bee by contempt suffering and dishonour These doctrines I say and many more contained in the Bible beeing things aboue mans capacitie to deuise and nothing agreeing with humane reason most euidentlie do declare that God was the Authour and enditer of the Scriptures for that by him onely and from no other these high secret misteries could be reuealed The second thing contained in the Scriptures that could not proceede but from GOD alone are certaine prophecies fore-tellings of things to come Wherein God himselfe prouoketh the Idols of the Gentiles to make experience of their power in these words Declare vnto vâ— what shall ensue heereafter and thereby wee shall know that you are Godâ— indeede Which is to be vnderstood if they could fore-tell particulerly plainly what was to come in things meerelie contingent or depending of mans will they should thereby declare their power to be diuine For albeit these Idols of the Gentilesâ— as Apollo and other that gaue forth Oracles which were nothing els indeed but certaine wicked spirites that tooke vppon them these names did sometimes happen vpon the truth fore-tel things to come as also most Astrologers Soothsaiers and Magitians doe either by â—ore-sight in the starres and other elements or by the assistance of these wicked spirits and deuils yet are the things which they pronosticate eyther natural not contingent so may be foreseene foretold in their causes as raine heate colde winds and the like or els if they be meere accidentall these predictions of theirs are onely coniectures and so most in certain subiect to errors This testifieth Porphirie the great Patron of Paganisme in a speciall book of the answers of gods wherin he sweareth that he hath gathered truely without addition or detraction the Oracles that was most famous before his time wyth the false and vncertaine euent thereof in consideration of vvhich euent he setteth down his iudgement of their power in predictions after this maner The Gods do fore-tell some naturall things to come for that they do obserue the order and coniunction of their naturall causes but of thinges that are coâ—tingent or doe depende of mans will they haue but coniectures onely in that by their subtiltie and celeritie they preuent vs. But yet they oftentimes doe lie and deceiue vs in both kindes for that as naturall things are variable so mans will is much more mutable Thus farre Porphirie of the prophecies of his Gods wherunto agreeth an other Heathen oâ— great credite among the Grecians named Oenomaus who for that he had been much delighted with Oracles and more deceiuedâ— wrote a special Booke in the ende of their falshood and
lyes and yet sheweth that in many things wherin they deceiued it was not easie to conuince them of open falshood for that they would inuolue their aunswers of purpose with such obscurities generalitâ—es equiuocations and doubtâ—ulnâ—sse as alwaies they woulde leaue them selues a corner wherein to saue their credites when the euent shoulde prooue false As for example when Craesus that famous rich Monarch of Lydia consulâ—ed with the Oracle of Apollo whether he should make warre against the Persians therby obtain theyr Empire or no Apollo desirous of bloodshed as all wicâ—ed spirits are gaue his Oracle in these words for deceyuing of Craesus If Craesus without feare shall passe ouer Halys this was a Riuer that lay betweene him and Persia he shal bring tâ— confusion a great riche kingdome Vpon which words Craesus passed ouer his Armie in hope to get Persia but soone after he lost Lydia by euill vnderstanding of this doubtful prophecie This then is the imbecilitie of both humane and angelicall power in pronosticating things to come which are meere contingent In which kinde notwithstanding seeing that the Scriptures haue manie and almost infinite prophecies foretold many yeres somtimes ages before they came to passe set downe in plaine particuler and resolute speech at such tyme as there wâ—s neyther cause to coniecture them nor probabilitie that euer they shold be true deliuered by simple and vnlearned persons that could fore-see nothing by skill or arte and yet that all these by theyr euents haue prooued most true and neuer any one iote in the same haue fayled this I say alone doth conuince most apparently all proofes reasons and other argumeÌ„ts laid aside that these Scriptuâ—es are of God of his eternall and infallible Spirit And therefore of these Prophecies I wil alledg in this place some few examples ¶ The Prophecie to Abraham for his posteritie ABraham the first Father and speciall Patriarch of the Iewes had manie prophecies and predictions made vnto him as of hys issue when he had yet none nor euer like to haue of his inheriting the Land of Canaan and the like But thys which followeth is wonderful of his posterities discent into Egypt of their time of seruitude and manner of deliuerance thence the same being fore told more then foure hundred yeeres before it was fulfilled at that time when no likelyhood thereof in the world appeared The words are these Know thou beâ—oâ—e hande that thy issue shall be a strangeâ— in a forraine Land and they shall subiect them to seruitude and shall afflict them for foure hundred yeeres but yeâ— I will iudge the Nation vnto whom they haue been slaues and aâ—ter that they shall depart thence with great riches This is the Prophecie and how exactlie it was afterward fulfilled by the ruine of the Egyptians and deliuerance of the Israelites euen at that time which is heere appointed not onely the book of Exodus doth declare where the whole storie is laid downe at large but also the consent of Heathen writers as before hath been touched And it is speciallie to be noted that this prophecie was so common and wel known among all the Iewes from Abrahams time down vnto Moses and so deliuered by tradition from fathers vnto their children as it was the onelie comfort and stay not onely of all that â—eople in their seruitude of Egypt but also of Moses others that gouerned the people afterwards for forty yeres together in the desert and was the onely meanâ— indeede whereby to pacifiâ— them in their distresses and miseries and therefore Moses in euery exhortation almost maketh mention of this promise and prophecie as of a thing well known vnto them all and not deuised or inuented by himselfe or any other ¶ The Prophecie for the gouernment of Iuda LOng after this Iacob that was Abrahams Nephewe beeing in Egypt and making his Testament said of his fourth sonne Iuda Iuda thy brother shall praise thee and the children of thy Father shall boowe vnto thee c. The scepter shall not be taken from Iuda vntill hee come that is to â—e sent and he shall be the expectation of Nations Which latter part of the prophecie all Hebrues do expound that it was meant of the comming of Messias which was fulfilled almost two thousand yeeres after at the comming of Christ as shall be shewed in another speciall Chapter For at that time King Herod a stranger put out quite the line of Iuda from the gouernment of Iurie But for the first part touching Iudaes scepter it is wonderfull to consider the circumstances of this prophecie For first when it was spoken and vttered by Iacob there was no probabilitie of any scepter at all to be among the Iewes for that the Israelites or sonnes of Iacob at that day were poore and few in number and neuer like to be a distinct Nation of themselues or to depart foorth of Egypt againe And secondly if any such thing should come to passe as they might be a people and haue a scepter of gouernmeÌ„t of their own yet was it not likelie that Iuda and his posteritie should possesse y e same for that he had three elder Brothers to wit Ruben Simeon and Leui who in all likeli-hoode were to go before him And thirdly when Moses recorded and put in writing thys prophecie which was diuers hundered yeeres after Iacob had spoken it it was much lesse likelie that euer it should be true for that Moses then present in gouernment was of the Tribe of Leui and Iosua designed by God for his successor was of the Tribe of Ephraim and not of Iuda which maketh greatlie for the certaintie of this recorde For that it is most apparant that Moses would neuer haue put such a prophecie in writing to the disgrace of his owne Tribe and to the preiudice and offence of Ruben Simeon Ephraim and other Trybes neyther would they euer haue suffered such a derogation but that it vvas euident to them by tradition that their Grand-sire Iacob had spoken it albeit then presently there was no great likelyhood that euer after it should come to be fulfilled And this was for the time of Moses but yet consider further that from Moses to Samuell that was last of all the Iudges there passed foure hundred yeeres more and yet was there no appearance of fulfilling this prophecie in Israel for that the Tribe of Iuda was not established in that gouernment At length they came to haue Kings to rule and then was there chosen one Saul to that place not of the Tribe of Iuda but of Beniamin and he indued with dyueâ—s chyldren to succeede him And who would then haue thought that this prophecie could euer haue beene fulfilled but yet for that it was Gods word it must needes take place and therefore when no man thought thereof there was a poore Sheepeheard chosen out of the Tribe of Iuda
liued commonly a thousand yeeres a piece and they alledge the reason thereof to be both for the multiplication of people and for bringing all Sciences to perfection especially Astronomie and Astrologie which as they write could not be brought to sufficient perfection by any one man that had lyued lesse then sixe hundred yeeres in which space the great yeere as they call it runneth about Of the Tower of Babilon OF the tower of Babilon and of the confusion of tongues at the same Eusebius citeth the testimonies at large both of Abydenus that lyued about King Alexanders time of Sibylla as also the words of Hestiaeus concerning the Land of Sennaar wher it was builded And these Gentiles doe shew by reason that if there had not beene some such myracle in the deuision of tongues no doubt but that al tongues being deriued of one as all men are of one Father the same tongues woulde haue retained the selfe same rooâ—es and priâ—ciples as in all dialâ—ctâ— or deriâ—ation of tongues we see â—hat it commeth to passe But now say they in many tongues at thys day we see that there is no likâ—lâ—-hoode or affinâ—tie â—mong them but all different the oâ—e â—rom the other and thereby it appâ—arâ—th that they were mâ—de diâ—ers â—nd distinct eâ—en from the â—egâ—nâ—ing Of Abrâ—ham OF Abraham and his â—â—â—ayres I haue allâ—dged sâ—me Heathen Writers before as Berosus Hâ—catâ—â—us and Nicholaus Damascenus But of all other Alexander Polyhistor alledgeth Eupolemus most at large of Abrahams being in Egypt of his teaching theÌ„ Astronomie tâ—ereâ— of his fight and victorie in the behalfe of Lot of his entertainment by K. Melchisedech of his wife and sister Sara and of other his doings especially of the sacrifice of his sonne Isaack To whom also agreeth Melo in hys bookes written against the Iewes and Artabanus And of the strange Lake wherinto Sodome and Gomorra were turned by theyr destruction called Mare mortuum the dead Sea wherin nothing can lyue Both Galen Pausanius Solinus Tacitus and Strabo doe testifie and shew the particuler wonders therof Of Isaacke Iacob Ioseph Iob c. FRom Abraham down to Moises writeth very particulerly the fore-named Alexander albeit he mingle sometimes certaine fables whereby appeareth that hee tooke hys storie not out of the Bible wholy And he alledgeth one Leodemus who as he sayth lyued with Moises and wrote the selfe same things that Moises did so that these writers agree almost in all things touching Isaacke Iacob Ioseph and all their affaires euen vnto Moises with these do concurre also Theodotus a most auncient Poet Artabanus and Phylon Gentiles Aristaeus in like manner about Aristotles time wrote a booke of Iob. Of Moises OF Moises and his acts not onely the fore-named especially Artabanus in hys Booke of the Iewes do make mention at large but manie others also as namely Eupolemus out of whoÌ„ Polyhistor reciteth very long narrations of the wonderful and stupendious things done by Moises in Egypt for which he sayth that in hys time he was worshipped as a God in that Countrey and called by many Mercurius And that the Ethiopians learned circumcision of hym which afterwarde alwayes they retained and so doe vnto thys day And as for his miracles done in Egipt hys leading the people thence by the Redde-sea hys lyuing with them fortie yeeres in the wildernes the Heathen Wryters agree in all things with the Scriptures sauing only that they recount diuers things to the prayse of Moises which hee hath not written of himselfe adding also his description to wit that hee was a long tale man with a yellow beard and long hayre wherwith also accordeth Numenius Pythagoricus touching the actes of Moises whose lyse he sayth that he had read in the auncientest records that were to be had The storie of Iosua the Iudges and the Kings BVT the fore-named Eupolemus goeth yet forward and pursueth the story of Iosua of the Iudges of Saul Dauid and of Salomon euen vnto the building of the Temple which he describeth at large with the particuler Letters written about that matter to the King of Tyrus which Iosephus sayth were in hys dayes kept in the records of the Tyâ—â—ans And with Eupolemus agree Polyhistor and Hecataeus Abderita that liued and serued in warre with King Alexander the great and they make mention among other things of the inestimable riches of Salomon and of the treasures which he had hyd and buried according to the fashion of that tyme in the Sepulcher of hys Father Dauid which to be no fable though not mentioned by the scripture Iosephus wel prooueth for that Hirâ—anus y â— high Priest and King of Iurie beeing besiedged in Ierusalem by Antiochus surnamed Pius not many yeeres before our Sauiour Christ his natiâ—ity to redeeme himselfe and the Cittie and to pay for his peace opened the sayd Sepulcher of Dauid and fecht out of one part thereof three thousande Talents in ready money which amount to sixe huÌ„dred thousand pounds English if we account the Talents but at the least size of Talentum Hâ—braicum The things that ensued after King Salomons dayes AND as for the things that ensued after Salomon as the deuision of the Tribes among themselues and theyr diuers warres aâ—flictions transmigrations into other Countries many Heathen Writers doe mention recorde them among other Herodotus and Diodorus Siâ—ulus And the fore-said Alexander Polyhistor talking of the captiuitie of Babilon sayth that Ieremie the Prophet tolde Ioachim hys King what would befall him that Nabuchodonoser hearing thereof was moued thereby to besiedge IerusaleÌ„ Of the flight of Senacherib from the siedge of Ierusalem and how he was killed at his returne home by hiw owne sonnes in the Temple according to the Prophecie of Esay story of the booke of Kings for that he had blasphemed the Lord God of Israell as Herodotus witnesseth and that after hys death he had a statue or Image of mettal erected in his memory with this inscription in Greeke Hee that beholdeth me let him learne to be godlie Confer Xenophon also in hys seauenth booke De Cyropaedia and you shal see him agree with Daniell in his narrations of Babylon And finally I wil conclude with Iosephus the learned Iew that wrote immediatly after Christes ascention protesteth that the publique writings of the Syrians Chaldaeans Phaenicians and innumerable hystories of the Graecians are sufficient to testifie the antiquity truth authoritie and certainty of the holy scriptures if there were no other proofe in the world besides The conclusion of this Chapter with the application SECT 4. THus â—arre haue I treated of the waies and meanes which haue beene left vnto the worlde from the beginning therby to know and vnderstande theyr Maker In treating which poynt I haue stayed my selfe the longer for that it is the ground and foundation of all
ô Christian vse thys experience to thy commoditie vse it to thy instructioÌ„ vse it to thy forewarning That which they are now thou shalt be shortly and of all follies it is the greatest not to profite or flee from danger by the example of others The difference betweene a wiseman and a foole is this that the one prouideth for a mischiefe while time serueth and the other would doe when it is too-late If thou mightest feele now the state case wherin thy poore hart shall be at the last day for neglecting the thing that of all other it shoulde haue studied and thought vpon most thou wouldest take from thy meate and sleep and other necessaries to repaire that is past Hetherto hast thou time to reforme thy course of lyfe if thou be willing which is no small benefite if all were knowne For in this sence no doubt it is most true which the wise man sayth that better it is to be a liuing dog then a dead Lyon For that while the day time of thys life endureth all things amisse may easilie be amended But the dreadful nyght of death will ouer-take thee shortly and then shall there be no more space of â—eformation Oh that men would be wise and fore-see things to come sayth one Prophet The greatest wisedome in the world deere brother is to looke and attende to our saluation for as the scripture sayth most truely Hee is a wise man indeede that is wise to his owne soule And of this wisdom it is written in the very same Booke as spoken by herselfe In mee is the grace of all life and truth and in me is the hope of all lyfe and vertue In morrall actions and humaine wisedome we see that the first chiefest circumstaunce is to regard well and consider the end And how then doe we omit the same in this great affayre of the kingdome of heauen If our end be heauen what meane we so much to affect our selues to earth If our end be God why seeke we so greedily the worldly fauour of men If our end be the saluation eternitie of our soule why doe wee follow vanities and temporalities of thys lyfe Why spend yee your money and not in bread sayth GOD by the mouth of Esay Why bestow ye your labour on things that will not yeeld ye saturitie If our inheritance be that we should raigne as Kings why put we our selues in such slauery of creatures If our byrth allow vs to feede of bread in our Fathers house why delight we to eate huskes prouided for the swyne But alas we may say with the wise man in the Scripture Fascinatio nugacitatis obscurat bona The bewitching of worldly trifles doe obscure and hide vs from the things that are good and behoueful for our soules ô most daungerous enchauntment But what shal thys excuse vs no truely for the same Spyrite of GOD hath left recorded Populus non intelligens vapulabit The people that vnderstandeth not shall be beaten for it And another Prophet to the same effect pronounceth This people is not wise and therfore he that made them shall not pardon them neyther shal he that created them take mercie of them It is written of fooles Ventum seminabunt et turbinem metent They shall sowe and cast their seede vppon the windes and shall receiue for theyr haruest noâ—hing els but a storme or tempest Whereby is signified that they shall not onelie cast away and leese theyr labours but also be punished for the same Consider then I beseech thee my deere brother attentiuely what thou wilt doe or say when thy Lord shal come at the last day aske thee an account of al thy labors actions time spent in thys life wheÌ„ he shall require a reckoning of his talents lent vnto thee when he shal say as he said to the Farmour or Steward in the Gospel Redde rationem villicationis tuae giue account of thy stewardship and charge committed vnto thee What wilt thou say when he shal examine weigh and try thy doings as gold is examined tryed in the fornace that is what end they had wherto they were applyed to what glory of God to what profit of thy soule what measure weight and substance they beare Baltasar King of Babilon sitting at his banquet merry vppon a time espied suddainly certain fingers with out a hand that wrote on the wall right ouer-against hys Table these three Hebrewe wordes MANE THEKEL PHARES Which words Daniell interpreted in three sentences vnto the King in thys maner Mane God hath numbred thee Baltasar and thy kingdom Thekell he hath weighed thee in y e Goldsmithes ballance and thou art found too-light Phares for this cause hath he deuided thee from thy kingdome and hath giuen the same to the Medes and Persians Oh that these three most golden and most significant words engrauen by the Angell vppon Baltasars wal were registred vpon euery doore and post in Christendome or rather imprinted in the hart of each Christian especially the two first that import the numbring and weighing of all our actions and that in the weights and ballance of the Goldsmyth where euery graine is espied that wanteth And if Baltasars actions that was a Gentile were to be examined in so nyse and delicate a payre of Ballance for theyr trial and if hee had so seuere a sentence pronounced vpon him that he should be deuided from life kingdome as he was the same night folowing Quia inuentus est minus habens for that hee was founde to haue lesse weight in him then he shold haue what shall we thinke of our selues that are Christians of whom it is written aboue al others I will search the sinnes of Ierusalem with a candle What shal we expect that haue not onely lesse weight then we shoulde haue but no weight at all in the most of our actions what may such men I say expect but onelie that most terrible threat of diuisioÌ„ made to Baltasar or rather worse if worse may be that is to be deuided from God and hys Angels from participation of God our Sauior from communion of Saints from hope of our inheritance from our portion celestial lyfe euerlasting according to the expresse declaration made heereof by Christ himselfe in these words to the negligent seruant The Lorde of such a seruant shal come at a day when he hopeth not at an houre that he knoweth not and shall deuide him out and assigne his part with hypocrites where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherfore deere brother to conclude this chapter I can say nothing more in this dangerous case wherin the world so runneth awry but onelie exhort thee as the Apostle doth not to conforme thy selfe to the coÌ„mon errour that leadeth to perdition Fal at length to some reckoning and account with thy selfe and see where thou standest
the second time by Tytus son to Vespasian the Romaine Emperour about fortie sixe yeres after our Sauiour Christ his ascention At what time it had lasted from Zorobabel almost sixe hundred yeeres and from Salomon aboue a thousand And in the time of the seconde building the people of Israell were poore and much afflicted in respect of their late banishment though much assisted to this worke by the liberalitie and munificencie of Darius King of Babilon so was the building and workmanship of thys second Temple nothing comparable for excellencie to the first which was builded by Salomon when the Iewes were in the flower of their glorie and riches This testifieth Aggaeus the Prophet vvho was one of the builders and he testifieth the same to Zorobabel and to the rest of those that were with him by Gods owne appointment in these words The woord of God was made to Aggaeus the Prophet Tell Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel Captaine of Iuda and Iesus the sonne of Iosedec high Priest and the rest of the people Who is there left of you that saw this Temple in his first glorie before our transmigration and what say you to this which now we see is it not in our eyes as though it were not at all That is is it not as though it were a thing of nothing in comparison of y e former Temple which Salomon builded Thus saith Aggaeus by Gods commission of the materiall building of the seconde Temple And yet to comfort the Iewes with all he was commaunded presently in the same Chapter to say thus Comfort thy selfe Zorobabell and comfort thy selfe Iesu thou sonne of Iosedec high Priest and comfort your selues all yee people of the earth saith the Lord God of Hostes do yee the thinges which I couenanted with you when yee came foorth of the Land of Egipt and feare not for that my Spirit shall bee among you Thus saith the Lord God of Hostes a little time yet remaineth when I will mooue both heauen and earth both Sea and Land with all Countries in the world And then shall come the DESIRED OF AL NATIONS And I will fill his house or Temple with glorieâ— saith the Lord GOD of Hostes. Siluer is mine and Gold is myne sayth the Lord GOD of Hostes great shall bee the glorie of this last house or Temple more then of the first saith the Lord GOD of Hostes. Hetherto are the words of God by Aggaeus and the often repetition oâ— the Lord GOD of Hostes is to signifie the certaintie and great weight of the matter promised Now consider then that wheras God had said immediatly before that thys seconde Temple was nothing in respect of y e first for pompe and riches of the material building which the old men in the booke of Esdras doe testifie by their weepingâ— when they saw this second and remembred the first yet now GOD sayth that Gold Siluer is his owne as though he made no account of the aboundance thereof in the former Temple or of the want of the same in thys and that notwithstanding the pouerty of the second building yet shall it be filled and replenished with glorie and that in such sorte as it shall far passe in glory the former and that shall be as both heere is expressed and other where most plainly by the comming of our Sauiour Christ into the second Temple which shall be a greater dignitie then any dignitie what soeuer was found in the first building of Salomons Temple Concerning which poynt it is to be considered y t the learned Iewes besides the materiall dyfference of building before mentioned doe note fiue things of great importance to haue been wanting in the second Temple which were in the first To wit The fire sent from Heauen to burne the Holocaustes The glorie of GOD or Angels appearing among the Images of Cherubines that stood in the Temple The manifest inspiration of Gods Spirit vppon Prophets for that Prophecie fayled in the second Temple The presence of the Arke and last of all Vrim and Thumim All which great wants and differences notwithstanding God sayth as you see that the glory of this second Temple shall be much greater then the first by the comming of Christ into the same Which thing Malachie that lyued at the same tyme when the seconde Temple was in building confirmeth more expresly in these words Behold I send my Angel he shall prepare the way before my face And straight after shall come to this Temple the Lord or Ruler whom ye seeke the MESSENGER OF THE TESTAMENT whom you desire Behold he commeth sayth the Lord of hostes and who can imagine the day of hys comming or who can stande or abide to see him for he shall be as a purging fire c. By all which is made euident thaâ— Christ must come appeare in the second Temple before it be destroyed as Iesus did and therefore hee cannot be now to come seeing the sayde Temple was destroyed aboue one thousande and fiue hundred yeeres past by the Romaines as hath beene sayd Which destruction and finall desolation was prophecied by Daniell to ensue soone after the byrth and passion of Christ in these words After sixtie and two hebdomades Christ shall be slaine and a people with their Captaine to come shall destroy the Cittie and the Sanctuary and the ende thereof shall be vastitie or spoyle And after the warre ended there shall ensue the appointed desolation Which prophecy to haue fallen out litterally about 40. yeres after Iesus was put to death wheÌ„ Ierusalem was destroied the Temple ouerthrowne by Titus the story of Iosephus y t learned Iew who was Captaine against Tytus in that war doth maniâ—estly and at large declare And for that we haue made mention heere of Daniels prophecy concerning the particuler time of Christes comming and of his death which confirmeth the purpose we treate of so perspicuously as nothing can be said more euident it shal not be amisse to examine the same before we passe any further For better conceiuing whereof it is to bee vnderstoode that thys Greeke word Hebdomada signifying seuen doth som-time import a weeke or seauen dayes according to our common vse and then it is called in scripture Hebdomada dieruÌ„ a weeke of daies as in Daniell the tenth chapter and the second verse where the Prophet saith of himselfe that he did mourne three weekes of dayes But at other times it signifieth the space of seauen yeeres and is called in scripture Hebdomada annorum a weeke of yeeres As in Leuiticus where it is sayd Thou shalt number vnto thee seauen weekes of yeeres that is seauen times seauen which make fortie and nine yeeres Now then it is certaine that Daniell in the Prophecie before alledged where hee assigneth sixty-two weekes to y e time of Christes death could not meane weekes of daies
hymselfe at the feete of S. Paule but the Magistrates also who the day before had caused them to be whipt came and asked them pardon and humbly intreaâ—ed them to depart out of theyr Cittie This story I say if it had been false there needed no more for confutation therof but onely to haue examined y e whole citty of Philippi which could haue testified the contrary And yet among so many aduersaries and eager impugners of Christian Religion as Gods enemy styrred vp in the Primatiue Church of all sorts and sects of people no one euer appeared that durst attempt to take in hande the particuler improuing of these or y e like miracles but rather confessing the facts sought alwaies to discredite them by other sinister calumniations namely and commonly that they were wrought by the deceits and sleightes of Arte-Magick Thus sayde the Iewes of the myracles of Iesus and so said Iulian the Apostata of the wonderfull strange things doone by Saint Peter and S. Paule affirming theÌ„ to haue beene the most expert in Magicke of any that euer liued and that Christ wrote a speciall booke of that profession and dedicated the same to Peter and Paule whereas notwithstanding it is most euident that Paule was a persecutor diuers yeeres after Christes departure One Hierocles also wrote a booke wherein he fayned Appolonius Tyanaeus to haue done the lyke myracles by Magick which Christ hys Apostles did by diuine power And finally it is a generall opinion that both Nero and Iulian gaue themselues so extreamely to the studie of that vaine Science as no men euer did the lyke vpon emulation onlie of the miracles doone in Rome by Peter and Paule when Nero lyued and by other Saints and Disciples in the tyme of Iulian. But what was the ende Plinie that was a Pagan wryteth thus of Nero that as no man euer laboured more then he in that Science so no man euer left a more certaine testimonie of the meruailous exceeding vanitie thereof The like in effect wryteth Zosimus of Iulian albeit himselfe a malicious Heathen And if it were not written yet theyr seuerall extraordinarie calamities most miserable deathes which by al their Magick they could not foresee dooth sufficiently testifie y e same vnto vs especially the last wordes of Iulian Vicisti Galilaee vicisti Thou hast wonne ô Galilaean thou hast gotten the victory Acknowledging thereby as wel the truth of Christes myracles and of hys followers as also the vanitie folly and madnes of his owne endeuours Thus then went forward Christes Apostles and preached him euerie where throughout the worlde Domino cooperante sermonem coÌ„firmante sequentibus signis that is as S Marke affirmeth the Lorde Iesus working with them and confirming their preaching by signes myracles In respect of which benigne assistance of Iesus in theyr actions S. Luke sayth further They dealt most confidently in the Lorde his worde of grace giuing testimonie vnto their doings and shewing foorth signes most prodigious wonders by theyr hands No persecution no terrour no threates of enemies no dyfficultie or danger that might occur could stay them froÌ„ their course of setting forth Christes name glorie And they were so assured of the truth by the inwarde illuminations which they had and by this certaine testimony of Gods fauour and assistance in dooing myracles as one of them wryteth thus That which we haue hearde which we haue seene with our eyes which we haue behelde which our hands haue handled of the word of lyfe that we doe testifie and announce vnto you And another who had been a grieuous persecutor and was conuerted without any conference with any Christian in the world sayd of Iesus that was deade and risen again that neither tribulation nor distresse nor famine nor beggery nor danger nor persecution nor dint of sword could daunt hym from the seruice of such a Maister And in another place he sayth that he esteemed al things of this world wherein a man might glory to be as very dounge and detriments in respect of the eminent knowledge that is hys word of hys Lord Iesus Christ. In which very name he tooke so exceeding great delight as in a fewe Epistles which he left written he is obserued to haue vsed this sentence Dominus noster Iesus Christus aboue two hundred times Neyther indured thys in these Apostles for a time onely but al theyr lyues which as they spent the same with alacritie in the seruice of Iesus so in the end they gaue vp the same most cheerefully to what-so-euer death presented it selfe for confirmation and sealing of theyr former doctrine neuer so ful of confidence courage and consolation as at that houre nor neuer so boldly denouncing theyr Maister or talking so ioyfully of rewards Crownes and kingdoms as at the very last instant and vp-shot of theyr worldly combat This then declareth most manifestly that the actions of these men proceeded not of humane spirit nor could be performed by the power of man but by the diuine force and supernatural assistance of theyr Lord and God whom they confessed The third Consideration AND thus much in breuitie of Christes Apostles There ensue next hys Euangelistes that is such men as haue leâ—t vnto vs written his byrth life doctrine death Wherin it is to be noted that Iesus being God tooke a different way from the custome of man in deliuering vnto vs his Lawes and precepts For that men who haue beene Law-makers vnto the worlde knewe no surer way of publishing theyr Lawe and procuring authority to the same theÌ„ to write theÌ„ with their own handes and in theyr life tyme to establishe theyr promulgation So Lycurgus Solon and others among the Graecians Numa to the Romaines Mahomet to the Sarasines and dyuers other in lyke manner But Iesus to shew hys diuine power in directing the penne and style of his Euangelists wold not leaue any thing written by himselfe but passed froÌ„ thys world in simplicity and silence with out any further shew or ostentation of hys owne doings meaning notwithstaÌ„ding by his eternal wisdome that the prophecy of Ezechiel shold be fulfilled which fore-signified the beeing of his foure irrefragable witnesses which day night without rest should preach extoll and magnifie theyr Lord and Maister to the worlds end Foure then were fore-prophecied and foure as we see by Gods prouidence were prouided to fulfill the same prophecie The first last are two Apostles that wrote as they had seene The two middle are two disciples who registred thinges as they had vnderstood by conference wyth the Apostles The first Gospell was written by an Apostle to giue lyght open the way to al the rest And the last in lyke manner was written by an Apostle to giue authority and confirmation to all the former The first was written in the Hebrewe or Iewish tongue for that
compasse of this work I meane onely at thys tyme for the comfort of such as are already in the right way and for some light vnto others who perhaps of simplicity may walk awry to â—ette downe with as great breuiâ—y as possibly may be som few generall notes or obseruations for theyr better helpe in thys behalâ—e In which great affaire of our sayth and beleefe wherein consisteth as well the ground and foundation of our eternall welfare as also the fruite and entire vtilitie of Christes comming into this world it is to be coÌ„sidered that GOD could not of his infinite wisedome fore-seeing all things and times to come nor euer would of his vnspeakable goodnes desiring our saluation as he dooth leaâ—e vs in this life without most sure certaine and cleere euidence of thys matter and consequently we must imagine that all our errors coÌ„mitted heerein I meane in matters of fayth beleefe among Christians doe proceede rather of sin negligence wilfulnes or inconsideraâ—ion of our selues then eyther of dyfficulty or doubtfulnes in the means left vnto vs for discerning of y e same or of the want of Gods holy assistaunce to that effect if we woulde with humilitie accept thereof Thys Esay made plaine when he prophecied of thys perspicuitie that is of this most excellent priuiledge in Christian religion so many hundred yeeres before Christ was borne For after that in diuers chapters hee had declared the glorious comming of Christ in signes and myracles as also the multitude of Gentiles that should embrace hys doctrine together with the ioy and exultation of theyr conuersion he fore-sheweth presently the wonderful prouidence of God also in prouiding for Christians so manifest a way of direction for theyr fayth and Religion as the most simple and vnlearned man in the world should not be able but of wilfulnes to goe astray therein Hys wordes are these directed to the Gentiles Take comfort and feare not Behold your God shall come and saue you Then shall the eyes of the blinde be opened and the eares of the deafe shall be restored c. And there shall be a path away which shalbe called The holy way and it shalbe vnto you so direct away as fooles shall not be able to erre therin By which words we see that among other rare benefits that Christes people were to receiue by his coÌ„ming thys shold be one and not the least that after hys holy doctrine once published receyued it shoulde not be easie for the weakest in capacitie or learning that might be whom Esay heere noteth â—y the name of Fooles to runne awry in matters of theyr beleefe sâ— plaine cleere and euident should the way for tryall thereof be made God hath opened hymselfe vnto vs in y e holy scripturâ—s the wrytings and doctrine of Moses and the Prophets of Christ and hys Apostles wherin is contayned what soeuer is necessary for our saluation For although the inuisible things of God that is hys power and God-heade may be seene by the workmanshyp and creation of the world wherein as in a booke written with the hand of GOD and layd open to the eyes of men the glory of God and hys mighty power appeareth Yet because eyther we read not this booke at all or if wee doe we read it carelesly therefore it was necessary that the Lord God should adde another Booke more plaine and easie to be read so as he may run that readeth it and this is as hath been said his holy will reuealed vnto vs in hys written word Which S. Augustine therefore very well calleth y e Letters or Epistle of GOD sent vnto vs from our heauenly Countrey to teach vs to lyue godly and righteously whilst wee soiourne heere in thys present world Thys is that Lanthorne whereby our feete may be directed and that light wherby our paths may be guided vnto Christ it is that most certaine and infallible rule and leuel of all our actions whereby both our fayth lyfe are to be squared and framed Yea it is that holy and vndefiled way and withal that plaine easy way denoted by Esay which euen the very entraunce thereof gyueth lyght and vnderstanding as Dauid speaketh vnto the simple And although we must confesse with S. Peter that there are some things in the Scripture harde to be vnderstoode yet we may also say with the same Peter that they are hard to those that are vnlearned and vnstable which peruert and wrest them to their owne destruction So that if the Gospell of Christ be yet hyd it is hid vnto them that perish whose sences sathan hath closed that the lyght thereof shoulde not shyne vnto them And heere-hence it is that the Apostle S. Paule pronounceth so peremptorily of a contentious and hereticall man that hee is damned by the testimony of his own iudgement or conscience for that hee hath abandoned thys common direct and publique way which all men might see hath deuised particuler paths and turnings to himselfe And heere-hence is it that the auncient Fathers of Christes Primatiue Church dysputing against the same kind of people defended alwaies that theyr errour was of malice and wilful blindnes and not of ignoraunce applying these wordes of prophecie vnto them They that sawe me ranne out from me Thus then it appeareth that the plaine and direct way mentioned by Esay wherin no simple or ignorant man can erre is the doctrine taught by the mouth of our Sauiour Christ and hys Apostles which howsoeuer it seeme to be obscure darksome to men of peruerse mindes that are not exercised in it yet to the godlie and studious readers hearers that haue theyr eyes opened and theyr mindes lightened to see the trueth it is most plaine easie to be vnderstood And thys is the cause that those holy and sage Apostles of Christ for the better peruerting of al bie-waies crooked pathes and blinde lanes of errors that afterwards might arise as by reuelation from Iesus they vnderstoode there shoulde doe many so earnestly exhorted so vehemently called vppon the people to stand fast in the documents theÌ„ receyued to hold firmely the faith doctrine already deliuered as a Depositum treasure committed to be safely kept vntill the last day And aboue all other things they most dilligentlie fore-warned them to beware of new-fangled Teachers whom they called Heretiques who shold breake froÌ„ the vnity of that body whereof Christ is the head shoulde deuise newe glosses expositions and interpretations of Scripture bring in new senses doctrines opinions and deuisions to the renting of Gods Church and citty now builded and to the perdition of infinite soules The Apostle S. Paule euen whilst he lyued found some of hys Schollers to be remooued by new fangled Teachers to another Gospell the better to make them see their error hee appealeth to the Gospell which he
memory the thinges that are past and let vs iudge our selues heere together Tell mee if thou haue any thing wherby thou maist be iustified Thy first Parent was a sinner c. Wherat she being ashamed hauing nothing in the world to aunswer for her selfe almighty God coÌ„forteth her and knitteth vp y e whole matter in thys most kind and amiable sort Feare not for I will poure out my spirite vpon thee and vppon thy seede and my benediction shall be vppon thyne of-spring thy children shal bud vp and florish as willoes planted by the water side Thus sayth the Lorde and king of Israell the Lord of hostes that is thy redeemer I am the first and the last and besides me there is no other God Be mindfull of thys thou house of Iacob I haue dissolued and dissipated thy sinnes as a clowde is dissolued in the ayre be mindful of this and haue an assured confidence Thus far continueth the treaty betweene God and hys Citty of Ierusalem And now tell me deere christian brother whether it be possible for any hart or tongue in the worlde to conceiue or expresse more wayes or significations of most vehement good will burning affection then of Gods part in this treaty hath been declared What louer or enamoured person vpon earth what passionate hart could wooe more earnestly sâ—e more diligently sollicite more artificially complaine more pittifully expostulate more amiably confer more intrinsically remitte offences more readily offer benefites more aboundantly conclude more sweetly and gyue more pregnant testimonie of vnfained loue or more assured certaintie of eternall league amitie then doth almighty God vnto thys Nation that so greeuouslie had offended him who wil not coÌ„fesse now with the Prophet Dauid that sweet and mercifull is the Lord and his miserations spred ouer all the rest of his most wonderfull workes Who will meruaile if the same prophet made a vowe that hys euerlasting song shoulde be of the mercies of thys hys Lord and Maker But yet this thing is made much more apparant by that which hys diuine Maiestie dyd afterwardes to the same people in the dayes of Ieremie the Prophet aboue an hundred yeres after this treatie in the tyme of Esay at what time God beeing resolued to destroy them their Cittie for their obduration in their sins when the howre of execution drewe neere hys bowels of mercie were so touched with coÌ„miseration towaâ—ds them as he called to Ieremie coÌ„maunded hym once againe to goe vp to the Temple gate where all the people did passe in out and there with a loude voice to cry as followeth Heare ye the word of God ô al you of Iuda that doe passe in and out by these gates thus sayth the Lord of hostes the God of Israel yet doe you amende your waies and I wil dwel in this place with you c. And when this exhortation blessed endeuor of almighty God could not moue or profit them any thing at all then hys vnspeakeable goodnes beganne with sharpe threates in thys maner My furie and indignation is gathered together against this Citty vpon the inhabitants and vpon the very beastes Cattel therof as also vpon the fruite and Trees of thys Region The carkases of thys people shall be foode to the byrdes of the ayre and to the beastes of the field theyr enemies shall come and cast foorth of theyr Sepulchers the bones of the Kinges and Princes of Iuda the bones of theyr Priestes Prophets and inhabitants and shal dry them at the sunne cast them out vnto the dunghil After al which long and dreadful commination he altereth his speech presently againe and sayth with a very lamentable pittifull voyce And will not he that is fallen notwithstanding all this rise vp againe Wil not he that is departed from me returne vnto mee againe O why doth my people runne from me so obstinatly By which louing complaint and infinite other meanes of mercy that God vsed to that people when no amendement at all could be procured hys diuine Maiestie was enforced to call Nabuchodonoser K. of Babilon before the wals of Ierusalem to destroy it But â—uen now also consider the bowels of hys vnspeakeable mercy For hoping that by thys terror they might perchance be styrred vp to conuersion hee sent Ieremie the Prophet to them againe with thys embassage Tell the inhabitants of Ierusalem will yee not yet receiue discipline and obey my words Whereat those gracelesse people were so lyttle moued as they tooke Ieremy and cast him into prison for his message and thereby exasperated most grieuously Gods further indignation against them Notwithstanding all which his incomprehensible clemencie woulde not thus abandon them but commanded holy Ieremie to write out all his threates and promises in a booke together and to sende the same vnto them forth of the pryson where hee lay by hys seruaunt Baruch to be read in theyr hearing so he dyd Wherof when Ioacim the king had vnderstanding hee commaunded Baruch to be brought into his presence and there to reade the Booke by the fire side as the scripture noteth And when hee had heard but three or foure pages thereof he cut them out with a penknife threw the whole booke into the fire so consumed it At which obstinate impious dealing albeit Almighty God were exceedingly offended yet commaunded he the same booke to be indited written again in much more ample manner then before thereby if it had beene possible to haue stirred vp and gayned that people vnto hym But when thys by no means in y e world could be brought to passe then permitted his diuine Maiestie the whole Cittie to be destroyed according to hys former threates and that rebellious people to be led away captiue in bondage to Babilon In which place and miserie notwithstanding theyr demerits hys infinite mercie could not forsake them but sent hys Prophet Ezechiell as also Baruch vnto them with extreame complaint of theyr obdurationâ— and yet offering vnto them mercy and pardon euen then if they would repent And what more wonderfull clemencie then thys can possibly bee imagined deere Christian brother May in reason any man euer nowe enter into doubt or dispaire of gods mercy how great and grieuous soeuer the burden of his sins be when he considereth thys proceeding of hys eternal Maiestie with the people of Israell for so many yeeres ages together whom hymselfe calleth notwithstanding Gentem Apostatricem dura facie indomabili corde an apostalicall Nation of a shamelesse countenance and incorrigible dysposition Can GOD deuise any more effectuall and forcible meanes to erect and animate a sinner confidently to return vnto him then are these And yet gentle reader for thy further comfort and encouragement in thys behalfe I wyll adioyne one thing more which doth exceede and passe all reason reach of humaine imagination and
vnto vs and as it were nayles driuen into the depth of our hearts meaning therby that we should be stirred vp and most vehemently moued when we heare such wise men as the holie Ghost there meaneth which in deed are only they y t haue the knowledge and true feare of God make such exhortations vnto vs and gyue vs such wholesome admonishments as these godly Fathers in thys great affaire haue done And how is it then deere brother that we are nothing styrred vp thereby nothing quickned nothing awaked Well I will conclude thys whole Chapter and treatise with another exhortation admonishment of S. Augustine for that besides the graue authoritie of the man which ought to moue vs much I thinke nothing can be spoken more excellently or more agreeing to our peculier purpose Thus then he sayth Almighty God doth neuer despise the repentance of any man if it be offered vnto him sincerely and simply nay he accepteth the same most willingly embraceth the penitent and endeuoureth to reduce hym to hys former state wherein he was before he fell And that which is yet more if a man be not able to fulfil the whole order of his satisfaction yet dooth not God refuse the least repentaunce that is though it be done in neuer so short a space Neyther doth he suffer the reward to perrish of any little coÌ„uersion And thys doth the Prophet Esay seeme to me to signifie when he saith in gods person to the people of Israel I haue contristed thee a little for thy sinnes I haue striken thee turned my face from thee thou hast been sad hast walked in sorrowe and I haue comforted thee againe These examples then of repentance deere bretheren we hauing before our eyes let vs not perseuere in wickednes nor despaire or reconcilliation but rather let vs say with a confident hart we wil turn home to our Father and present our selues vnto our God for truely my bretheren hee will neuer turne away from the man that turneth vnto hym Himselfe hath sayde y t he is a God which draweth neere vnto vs were it not that our sins doe make a seperation betwixt him vs. Let vs take away then the seperation and obstacle so nothing shal let our coniunction with him which he greatly desireth For to thys end did he create vs that he might bestowe vppon vs eternall blisse in the kingdom of heauen He did not make vs for hel but he made his kingdome for vs and hell for the deuill So hee sayth in the Gospell Come ye blessed of my father enioy the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world And to the damned Depart from me ye accursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his angels If then hell fire was prepared for the deuil and the kingdom of heauen for man from the beginning of the world it remaineth onely that we prouide not to loose our inheritance by persisting in sin So long as we are in thys lyfe howe manie of great soeuer our sinnes may be it is possible to wash them away by true and vnfained repentance but when we shall once depart froÌ„ this world albeit then wee doe repent as no doubt but we shal from the bottom of our harts yet shall it auaile vs nothing And albeit our teeth doe gnash our mouth cry out our eyes gush foorth in teares and our harts lament with innumerable coÌ„plaints and supplications yet shall no man heare vs no man assist vs nor so much as with the typ of hys finger giue vnto vs a drop of water to coole our tongue amidst her torments but we shal receiue that lamentable answer which the rich glutton receiued at the mouth of Abraham There is betweene vs and you a great distance so that none may passe from vs to you nor from you to vs. Hetherto lasteth S. Augustines exhortation And there-withal think I it good to conclude thys Treatise FINIS The end of the second and last Booke tending to Resolution A necessarie Table guiding the Reader to euerie Chapter in thys Booke as also to euery particuler argument handled in each Chapter The first Chapter Of the manifold perils that ensue to the worlde by inconsideration and how necessary it is for eueriâ— man to enter into cogitation of his owne estate The seuerall matters handled in this Chapter THE charitable proceeding of GOD by hys Prophets in fore-telling men of theyr wickednes and reuealing the cause thereof page 1 The daunger of inconsideration declared in two speciall causes eodem The complaint of the Prophet Ieremie for inconsideration page 4 The misterie and sealed secrete of inconsideration page 6 Lack of coÌ„sideration cause of eternal destruction a poynt that fooles will not consider 7 8â— Inconsideration the cause of so much sinne at this day page 10 Wilful malice obstinate corruption in the vanities of thys lyfe and idle negligence three speciall causes of inconsideration 12 13 14. How we must stand vpon our watch that consideration is the only doore to our watch wyth the many coÌ„modities effects thereof 17 18 That all vertues are stirred vp quickned by consideration page 19 Howe holy men exercised themselues in consideration namely the three first Patriarches Moses Iosua King Dauid king Salomon king Ezechias as also what fruite holy Iob gathered by consideration and two principal effects ensuing thereon page 20 21 22 The importance of consideration breefely described page 26 The second Chapter That there is a God which rewardeth good euil against al the Atheists of old and of our time With the proofes alledged for the same both by Iewe and Gentile The matters handled in this Chapter are deuided into foure Sections The first Section IF there be a God he is a iust rewarder 35 The workes of the world declare the workman page 36 Howe the myracles of heauen teach to know GOD. page 37 In what manner the earth teacheth vs there is a God page 38 Howe the Sea doth wonderfully shewe there is a GOD. 39 The parts of man in body and soule do amply declare God page 41 The second Section How the Heathen prooued there was a God by theyr Phylosophy 43 The three arguments of the naturall Phylosopher Ex motu ex fine and Ex causa efficiente 45 47.48 The foure argumeÌ„ts of the Metaphisiâ—k or supernatural philosopher The first ens finitum 49 The second that euery multitude or distiction of things proceedeth from some vnitie as from hys fountaine page 52 The thyrd subordination of Creatures in thys world page 53 The fourth prouidence in making the verie least creature in the world 55 The fiâ—t immortalitie of the soule of Man 59 And the meaning of olde Phylosophers touching Anima mundi 60 The three Arguments of the Morrall Phylosopher 1. How in the naturall inclination of Man there is a disposition to confesse some GOD or Deitie 61 The reason why there can be but