the same or of the want of Gods holy assistance to that effect if we would with humilitie accept thereof Thys Esay made plaine when hee prophecied of thys perspicuitie that is of thys 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 miracles as also the multitude of Gentiles that shoulde embrace hys doctrine together with the ioy and exultation of theyr conuersion hee fore-sheweth presently the wonderful prouidence of God also in prouiding for Christians so manifest a way of direction for theyr faith religion as the most simple and vnlearned man in the world should not be able but of wylfulnes to goe astray therein His wordes are these directed to the Gentiles Take comforte 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 pathe and a waie which shall be called The holie waie and it shall be vnto you so direct a way as fooles shall not be able to erre therein By which wordes wee see that among other rare benefits that Christes people were to receiue by hys comming thys should be one and not the least that after hys holie doctrine once published and receiued it shoulde not be easie for the weakest in capacitie or learning that might bee whom Esay heere noteth by the name of fooles to runne awry in matters of their beleefe so plaine cleere and euident shoulde the way for tryall thereof be made God hath opened himselfe vnto vs in the holie Scriptures the wrytings and doctrine of Moses and the Prophets of Christ and hys Apostles wherin is contayned whatsoeuer is necessarie for our saluation For although the inuisible thinges of God that is hys power and God-heade may be seene by the workmanship and creation of the world wherin as in a booke written with the hand of God and layde open to the eyes of men the glorie of GOD and hys mightie power appeareth Yet because eyther we reade not thys Booke at all or if wee doe wee reade it careleslie therefore it was necessarie 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 holie wyll reuealed vnto vs in his wrytten word Which Saint Augustine therefore verie well calleth the Letters or Epistle of God sent vnto vs from our heauenly Countrey to teach vs to liue godlie and righteouslie whilst wee soiurne heere in thys present worlde Thys is that Lanthorne wherby our feete may be directed and that light wherby our pathes may be guided vnto Christ it is that most certaine infallible rule and leuell of all our actions wherby both our faith lyfe are to be squared and framed Yea it is that holy and vndefiled way and with all that plaine and easie way denoted by Esay which euen in the very entraunce thereof gyueth light vnderstanding as Dauid speaketh vnto the simple And although wee must confesse wyth S. Peter that there are some thinges in the Scripture harde to be vnderstoode yet wee may also say wyth the same Peter that they are harde to those that are vnlearned and vnstable which peruert and wrest them to theyr owne destruction So that if the Gospell of Christ be yet hid it is hid in them that perrish whose sences sathan hath closed that the light thereof should not shine vnto them And heere-hence is it that the Apostle Saint Paul pronounceth so peremptorilie of a contentious and hereticall man that he is damned by the testimonie of his owne iudgment or conscience for that hee hath abandoned this common direct and publique way which all men might see hath deuised particuler paths and turnings to him selfe 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 wilfull blindnesse and not of ignoraunce applying these words of prophecie vnto them They that sawe mee ran out from mee Thus then it appeareth that the plaine and direct way mentioned by Esay wherein no simple or ignoraunt man can erre is the doctrine taught by the mouth of our Sauiour Christ and hys Apostles which howsoeuer it seeme to be obscure and darksome to men of peruerse mindes that are not exercised in it yet to the godlie and studious readers and hearers that haue theyr eyes opened and theyr mindes lightened to see the trueth it is most plaine and easie to be vnderstood And thys is the cause that those holie and sage Apostles of Christ for the better preuenting of all bye-waies crooked paths and blinde lanes of errours that afterwardes might aryse as by reuelation from Iesus they vnderstoode there should doe manie so earnestly exhorted and so vehementlie called vpon the people to stand fast in the documents then receiued to holde firmelie the fayth and doctrine alreadie deliuered as a Depositum and treasure committed to be safelie kept vntill the last daie And aboue all other things they most diligently fore-warned them to beware of newe-fangled Teachers whom they called Heretiques who should breake from the vnitie of that bodie whereof Christ is the head and shoulde deuise newe glosses expositions and interpretations of Scripture bring in newe senses doctrines opinions and diuisions to the renting of Gods Church and Cittie nowe builded to the perdition of infinit soules The Apostle S. Paule euen whylst hee liued founde some of his Schollers to be remoued by new-fangled Teachers to another Gospell and the better to make them see theyr errour hee appealeth to the Gospell which he had taught them The Gospell he preached was not after man neyther receiued he it of man but by reuelation from Iesus Christ. He brought them no fancies visions dreames interpretations of scripture hatched in hys owne braine but the pure sincere doctrine receiued by reuelation from God himselfe and faithfully deliuered vnto them without hacke or mayme as hee receiued it Therefore Saint Ierome vpon that place considering howe all Heretiques haue iugled wyth the Scriptures from time to tyme sayth That Marcion and Basilides and other Heretiques the contagious botches plague sores of the Church haue not the Gospell of God because they haue not the spirit of God without which that which is taught groweth to be mans Gospell Thys maketh that learned Father to resolue vpon the matter that it is a dangerous thing peruersly to expound the holy Scriptures for by thys meanes that is by wrong and peruerse interpretation that which is Gods gospell is made mans Gospell et quod peius est and that which is worse saith this holy Father it is made the deuils Gospell
vs Christians of these dayes to behold the certaintie of these scriptures layde open before vs vpon which the foundation of our whole fayth dependeth THE FIRST PROOFE OF SCRIPTVRES FIrst therefore the Iewe for proofe of his Scriptures alledgeth the great and 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 wrytings of Panyms or Infidels Nay further he sheweth that the most part of things recounted in the Bible were done before most of the Panym gods were exstant that the very last VVryters of the Hebrue Canon which are Esdras Aggeus Zacharias and Malachie almost sixe hundreth yeeres before the comming of Christ when the second Monarchie of Persians beganne were before most of the Heathen auncient Hystoriographers 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 arriued no higher then the dayes of K. Salomon which was fiue hundreth yeres after Moses the first wryter of the Bible After whose tyme the most part of Heathen gods were long vnborne as Ceres Vulcan Mercurie Apollo AEsculapius Castor Pollux and Hercules as the Gentiles them selues in theyr Genealogies do confesse And as for Abraham that lyued fiue hundered yeeres before Moses he was not onely elder then these gods which I haue named but also then Iupiter Neptune Pluto and such other who for dignities sake and antiquitie are called by the Gentils Dii maiorum gentium the gods of greater Nations And yet before Abraham doe the scriptures containe the storie of two thousand yeeres or there abouts So that by thys it is euident that the writing of Heathens and the multitude of their gods are but late fables in respect of the old and venerable antiquitie of Hebrue Scriptures consequently the authority of these scriptures must in reason be greater then of all other wrytings in the world besides seeing they were extant before all others in those first times of simplicitie and sinceritie and were in part translated into dyuers languages before the Monarchie of the Persians that is before any storie of the Gentiles were wrytten as Eusebius out of many heathen Authors declareth THE SECOND PROOFE OF SCRIPTVRES NExt to the reason of antiquitie is alledged the maner of wryting authorysing and coÌ„seruing these scriptures which is such as greatly confirmeth the certaintie of things contained therein For first what soeuer is sette downe in these wrytings was either taken immediatly from the mouth of God as were the propheciâ—s and bookes of the lawe or els collected from time to time by generall consent according as matters miracles fell out as were the booke of Iudges the bookes of Kinges and Chronicles and some other that containe recordes and Hystories of tymes Which bookes were not gathered by some one priuate man vpon heare-say or hys owne imagination long after thinges doone as Heathen hystories and other prophane records and monuments are but they were written by generall agreement in the selfe same dayes when things were in sight and knowledge of all men and so could not be feygned Secondly when bookes were wrytten they were not admitted into the common authoritie of scriptures that is of Gods word or diuine wrytings but vpon great deliberation and most euident proofe of theyr vndoubted veritie For eyther the whole congregation or sinagogue who had the approuing hereof and among whoÌ„ commonlie were dyuers Prophets did knowe most certainly the things and miracles to be true as did also the whole people that were recorded in these writings concerning Hystories or els they sawe the same confirmed from GOD by signes and wonders as in the bookes of the Prophets of their lawgyuer Moses it fell out Thirdly when any thing was written and admitted for scripture the care of conseruation thereof was such and the reuerence of Iewes thereunto so great as may easily assure vs that no corruption or alteration could happen vnto it For first the thing was coppied out into twelue Autenticall copies for all the twelue Tribes then again in euery Trybe there were so many copies made as were particuler Sinagogues within that Trybe All was doone by speciall Notaries Scribes ouer-seers and witnesses The copies after diligent reviewe taken were layde vp by the whole congregation in the Treasure house of the Temple vnder diuers locks and keyes not to be touched but by men appointed not to be vsed but with singuler reuerence To adde diminish corrupt or alter was present death by the lawes of the Nation And then how was it possible saith the Iewe that among these wrytings eyther falshoode should creepe in or trueth once receiued could afterwarde be corrupted It is not possible saith he in reason and therefore obserueth he another thing in this case which in trueth is of very great consideration to witt that no other Nation vnder heauen did euer so much esteeme theyr owne wrytings that they would offer to die for the same as the Iewes were ready to doe for euery sentence syllable of theyr scriptures Wherefore also it did proceed that in all theyr miseries afflictions wherin they were a spectacle to all the world in all theyr flights and banishments to Egypt Babilon Persia Media other corners of the earth in all theyr spoyles assaults and deuastations at home they yet euer had speciall care to conserue these wrytings more then theyr own lyues so haue kept the same without mayme or corruption more ages together then all Nations in the world haue doone anie other monuments THE THIRD PROOFE OF SCRIPTVRES THE thyrde perswasion which is vsed by the Iewe for the veritie of these Scriptures is the consideration of the particuler men that wrote them who were such as in reason cannot be suspected of deceipt or falshood For as I haue sayde the stories of the Bible were written froÌ„ time to time by publique authoritie and by the testimonie of all men that sawe 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 continuall myracles and yet so scrupulous and timerous of theyr own speeches as they durst say nothing but onelie Our Lord saith this the Lord of hostes commaundeth that c. And when they preached and read their wrytinges in the hearing of all the people they protested that it was not mans worde but Gods and that for such they left it in the publique Treasurie of theyr Nation vntyll by tract of tyme the euent and fulfilling of theyr prophecies shoulde proue them true as alwayes it did and theyr own both liâ—es and deathes declare that they meant no falshood their liues beeing such as were not
betweene God and his Cittie of Ierusalem And nowe tell me deere Christian brother whether it be possible for any hart or tongue in the world to coÌ„ceiue or expresse more waies or significations of most vehement good will and burning affection then of Gods part in thys treatie hath beene declared What louer or enamoured person vpoÌ„ earth what passionate hart could wooe more earnestly sue more diligently sollicite more artificially complaine more pittifully expostulate more amiably conferre more intrinsically remit offences more readilie offer benefits more aboundantly conclude more sweetly and giue more pregnant testimonie of vnfained loue or more assured certaintie of eternal league and amitie theÌ„ doth almightie GOD vnto this Nation that so greeuously had offended him who will not confesse nowe with the Prophet Dauid that sweet and mercifull is the Lord and his miserations spread ouer all the rest of his most wonderfull workes Who will meruaile if the same Prophet made a vowe that his euerlasting song shoulde bee of the mercies of this hys Lord and maker But yet this thing is made much more apparant by that which his diuine Maiestie did afterwardes to the same people in the daies of Ieremie the Prophet aboue an hundreth yeeres after this treatie in the tyme of Esay at what tyme God beeing resolued to destroy them and theyr Cittie for theyr obduration in their sinnes when the hower of execution drew neere his bowels of mercie were so touched with commiseration towards them as he called to Ieremie commaunded him once againe to goe vp to the Temple gate where all the people did passe in and out and there with a loude voyce to cry as followeth Heare ye the word of God ô all you of Iuda that doe passe in and out by these gates thus faith the Lord of hostes the God of Israell yet doe you amend your waies and I will dwel in this place wyth you c. And when this exhortation and blessed indeuour of almightie God could not moue or profit them any thing at all then his vnspeakable goodnes began with sharp threats in this manner My furie and indignation is gathered together vpon this Cittie vpon the inhabitants vpon the very beastes and Cattel thereof as also vppon 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 Kings and Princes of Iuda the bones of their priestes prophets and inhabitants and shall dry them at the Sunne and cast them out vnto the dunghill After all which long and dreadfull commination hee altereth his speech presently againe and sayth wyth a very lamentable and pittifull voyce And will not he that is fallen notwithstanding all this rise vp again Wil not he that is departed from me returne vnto me againe O why dooth my people runne from me so obstinatlie By which louing complaint and infinite other meanes of mercie that God vsed to that people wheÌ„ no amendment at all could be procured hys diuine Maiestie was inforced to call Nabuchodonosor king of Babilon before the wals of Ierusalem to destroy it But euen nowe also consider the bowels of hys vnspeakeable mercie For hoping that by thys terrour they might perchaunce be styrred vppe to conuersion hee sent Ieremie the Prophet to them againe wyth thys embassage Tell the inhabitants of Ierusalem wil ye not yet receaue discipline and obey my wordes Wherat those gracelesse people were so little mooued as they tooke Ieremie and cast him into pryson for his message thereby exasperated most greeuously Gods further indignatioÌ„ against them Notwithstanding all which his incomprehensible clemencie woulde not thus abandon them but commaunded holy Ieremie to write out all his threates and promisses in a booke together and to sende the same vnto them foorth of the prison where he lay by his seruant Baruch to be reade in their hearing and so he did Whereof when Ioacim the King had vnderstanding hee commaunded Baruch to be brought into his presence and there to reade the Booke by the fyer syde as the Scripture noteth And when he had heard but three or foure pages thereof he cut them out with a pen-knife and threwe the whole booke into the fire and so consumed it At which obstinate and impious dealing albeit almightie God were exceedingly offended yet commaunded he the same booke to be indited written againe in much more ample manner then before thereby if it had been possible to haue stirred vppe and gained that people vnto him But when thys by no means in the 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 BabiloÌ„ In which place and miserie notwythstanding theyr demerits hys infinite mercy could not forsake them but sent hys Prophet Ezechiell as also Baruch vnto them with extreame coÌ„plaint of their obduration and yet offering vnto them mercie and pardon euen then if they would repent And what more wonderfull clemencie then this can possibly be imagined deere Christian brother May in reason any man euer nowe enter into doubt or dispaire of Gods mercie howe great and greeuous soeuer the burden of his sinnes be wheÌ„ he considereth this proceeding of his eternall Maiestie wyth the people of Israell for so manie yeeres and ages together whom hymselfe calleth notwithstanding Gentem Apostatricem dura facie indomabili corde an apostaticall Nation of a shameles countenance and incorrigible disposition Can God deuise any more effectual and forcible meanes to erect and animate a sinner confidently to returne vnto him then aâ—e these And yet gentle reader for thy further comfort and encouragement in this behalfe I wil adioyne one thing more which dooth exceede and passe all reason and reach of humaine imagination and this is that God promiseth to a sinner that faithfully will returne vnto hym not onely to forgette and vtterly extinguish all memorie of his former iniquities but also to make more ioy and tryumph at his conuersion and to loue and cherish him more tenderly at his returne then if he had neuer fallen or departed from his seruice Thys God himselfe signifieth by the Prophet Esay when he saith Call vnto Ierusalem speake vnto her hart that is comfortably for that her iniquitie is forgiuen she hath receiued double at Gods hands for all her sinnes committed And more plainely in an other place by the same Prophet The lyght of the Moone shalbe as the light of the Sun and the light of the sunne shall be as the light of seauen dayes seauen times put together when God shall binde vppe the woundes of his people and heale their sores And to thys purpose doe appertaine directly those most wonderfull Parables
THE Seconde parte of the Booke of Christian exercise appertayning to RESOLVTION Or a Christian directorie guiding all men to their saluation Written by the former Authour R. P. PSAL. 62. ver 4. One thing haue I requested at Gods hands that wil I demaund stil which is to dwel in his house all the dayes of my life to the ende I may know and doe his will AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Charlwoode and Simon Waterson Anno. 1590. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE Sir Thomas Heneage Knight vize Chamberlaine to her excellent Maiestie Treasurer of her royall Chamber and one of her Highnesse most honourable priuie Councell All happinesse in this life and in the life to come hartilie wished To the Christian Reader health GEntle Reader not manie yeeres since a booke was published of Christian exercise appertaining to Resolution written by a Iesuit beyonde the Seas yet an English-man named Ma. Robert Parsons which Booke Ma. Edm. Bunney hauing dilligently perused committed to the publique viewe of all indifferent iudgements as glad that so good matter proceeded from such infected people and that good might arise thereby to the benefite of others Since the manifestation of that booke the first Author thereof named Ma. Parsons hath enlarged the same Booke with a second part and new additions wherein hee hath concluded and finished his whole intent of the Resolution and that vppon some speciall causes as himselfe setteth downe For hauing enlarged diuers poynts which before he omitted and comming to the reasons of this newe supply in his Praeface he saith in this manner Beeing admonished by the writings of diuers that since the publishing of my first booke it hath beene misliked in two principall poynts First that I speake so much of good works and so little of faith Secondly that I talked so largely of Gods iustice and so breefely of his mercie Beside conceiuing by the information of many that diuers persons hauing a desire in themselues to read the former Booke but yet beeing weake and fearfull to be touched so neere in conscience as they imagined that booke did durst neuer intermedle therewith beeing informed there was nothing in the same wherewith to entertaine themselues but onely such vehement matter of perswasion as would greatly trouble and afflict them For remedie of which inconueniencie I haue framed this second part of that worke and therein inserted diuers Chapters and discourses of matters more plausible and of themselues more indifferent wherewith the Reader may sollace hys minde at such times as he findeth the same not willing to feele the spurre of more earnest motion to perfection Heereupon grewe the cause of his framing this seconde Booke which performeth what you haue reade in his owne wryting And considering howe diuers were desirous to haue thys latter part because they had thorowlie read the other after passage the perusing of sundrie learned men who haue thought it as worthy to be seene as the first it is gentle Reader presented to thy viewe reade it indifferentlie and iudge therof as thou findest occasion A necessarie Table guiding the Reader to euery 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 world by inconsideration and how necessarie it is for euerie man to enter into cogitation of his owne estate The seuerall matters handled in thys Chapter THE charitable proceeding of GOD by his Prophets in fore-telling men of their wickednesse and reuealing the causes thereof Page 1. The danger of inconsideration declared in two speciall causes page 2. The complaint of the Prophet Ieremie for inconsideration page 4. The misterie and sealed secrete of inconsideration page 5. Lack of consideration cause of eternall destruction a poynt that fooles wil not consider page 7. Inconsideration the cause of so much sinne at thys day page 8. Wilfull mallice obstinate corruption in the vanities of thys life and idle negligence three speciall causes of inconsideration 10 11 12. How we must stand vpon our watch that consideration is the onely doore to our watch with the many commodities and effects therof 14,15,16 That all vertues are stirred vp and quickned by consideration 17. How holy men exercised themselues in consideration namely the three first Patriarches Moses Iosua King Dauid king Salomon and king Ezechias as also what fruite holy Iob gathered by consideration and two principall effects ensuing thereon 18. 19. 20. The importaunce of consideration breefelie described page 22. The second Chapter That there is a God which rewardeth good and euill against all the Atheists of olde and of our time With the proofes alleaged for the same both by Iewe and Gentile The matters handled in thys Chapter are deuided into foure Sections The first Section If there be a God he is a iust rewarder 31. The works of the world declare the workman 31. How the miracles of heauen doe teach to know GOD. 33. In what manner the earth teacheth vs there is a God 34. Howe the Sea dooth wonderfully shewe there is a God 35. The parts of man in body and soule doe amply declare GOD. 36. The second Section Howe the Heathen prooued there was a God by theyr Phylosophie 38. The three argumēts of the natural Philosopher Ex motu ex fine Ex causa efficiente 39,40,41,42 The foure arguments of the Metaphisicke or supernatural Phylosopher The first ens finitū 44. The second that euery multitude or distinction of things proceedeth from some vnitie as from hys fountaine 46. The thyrde subordination of creatures in thys worlde 47. The fourth prouidence in making the verie least creature in the world 49. The fift immortalitie of the soule of man 52. And the meaning of olde Phylosophers touching Anima mundi 53. The three Arguments of the Morrall Phylosopher 1. How in the naturall inclination of man there is a dispositiō to cōfesse som God or Deitie 54. The reason why there can be but one God 56. All olde Phylosophers acknowledged one God 59. Cicero his opinion of the Panime Gods how they were made 60. 2. The second argument of Morrall Phylosophie de vltimo fine et summo hominis bono 61 Euery thing in this worlde hath a naturall desire to his ende 61. The contention of Phylosophers about the felicitie of man 63. Howe nothing in this life can be our felicitie page 64. Howe farre Morrall Phylosophie teacheth in determining mans felicitie 65. 3. The thyrd argument touching reward and punishment 66. The third Section How the Iewes were able to prooue God 68. Theyr first proofe of Scripture is antiquitie 70. The manner of writing authorising and conseruing the Scriptures the second proofe 72. Consideration of the particuler men that wrote them and their sinceritie the thyrd proofe 75. Consent and approbation of all later writers of the Bible that ensued after Moses the fourth proofe page 81. The subiect handled in the Scriptures with the ende whereto thy leuell the fift proofe 82. The
beastes doe water that commit all sinne all iniustice all turpitude without remorse or scruple of conscience what is the cause of this I say but lacke of consideration lacke of vnderstanding lacke of knowledge For as Christ said to Ierusalem touching her destruction si cognouisses et tu c. If thou also ô sinfull soule diddest know what hangeth ouer thy heade for this carelesse life of thine if thou daughter of Babilon wouldest remember and ponder in thy hart what shalbe the end of thy delights thou wouldest not liue so pleasantly as thou dost Nunc autem abscondita sunt ab occulis tuis But now saith Christ these things are hidden from thine eyes Not but that thou maist haue knowne them if thou wouldest but for that thou art one of them who say to God scientiam viarum tuarum nolumus wee will not haue vnderstanding of thy waies one of them qui sunt rebelles lumini that are rebellious against the light illumination of Gods grace one of them qui nolunt intelligere vt bene agant that will not vnderstande to doe well And finally one of them qui declinant aures ne audiant legem that turn away their eares to the end they may not heare Gods lawe quorum oratio est execrabilis whose not onely life but also prayer is execrable and detestable in the sight of their maker Truelie nothing in reason can be lesse tollerable in the presence of Gods maiestie then whereas he hath published a lawe vnto vs with so great charge to beare it in minde to ponder in hart to studie meditate vppon it both day night at home abroad at our vprising our downe lying to make it our cogitation our discourse our talk our exercise our rumination and our delight that wee should notwithstanding contemne the same as to make it no part of our thought but rather to flee the knowledge thereof as wee see most men of the world doe for not troubling theyr consciences But the holie Ghost hath layd down the reason hereof long agoe in these words Cum sit timida nequitia testimonium condemnationis For that wickednes in it selfe is alwaies fearfull it giueth witnes against it selfe of damnation whensoeuer it thinketh of the Lawe of God or of honestie So Felix the Gouernour of Iurie when S. Paule began to talke of iustice chastitie and Gods iudgements before him he was wonderfully afearde and said to Paule that hee shoulde depart for that time and that he would call for him afterwarde when occasion shold require But he neuer did and what was the cause for that as Iosephus testifieth hee was a wicked man and Drusilla his faire Ladie that was with him at Saint Paules speech was not his true Wife but taken by allurement and violence from another and therefore it offended thē both to heare preaching of chastitie This then is one principall cause why men of this world wil not enter into consideration of their own estate and of Gods commaundements least they shoulde reade and see their owne faultes and beare witnesse against themselues of theyr own condemnation Whereunto the Scripture annexeth another cause not farre vnlike to this which is that worldly men doe so drowne themselues in the cares and cogitations of this life as they leaue in their minds no place to thinke vppon Gods affayres which are the busines of theyr owne soules This expresseth Ieremie the Prophet most effectually when hauing made his complaint that notwithstanding his preaching crying in the Temple gate for long time together where all the people passed by him and heard him yet no man saith he would enter into consideration or say with himselfe what haue I doone and reason Omnes enim conuersi sunt ad cursum suum quasi equus impetu vadens ad praelium All men are sette vpon theyr own courses and waies and doe run in the same with as great vehemencie and fearce obstination as a furious armed horse when hee heareth the Trumpet in the beginning of a battaile By which comparison the holy Ghost expresseth very liuelie the irrecouerable state of a setled worldlie man that followeth greedilie his owne designments in the negotiation of earth These are two of the cheefe causes of inconsideration I meane wilfull mallice obstinate corruption in the vanities of this life And yet mentioneth the Scripture a thyrde sort also of inconsiderate men who neither of direct mallice nor yet of great occupation in worldly affaires doe neglect consideration but rather of a certaine lightnesse idle negligence for that they will not trouble their heads with any thing but disport and recreation of whom it is written aestimanerunt lusum esse vitam nostram They esteeme this life of ours to be but a play-game And in another place of the same men Ita securi viuunt quasi iustorum facta habeant They liue as securelie confidently without care and cogitation as if they had the good workes of iust men to stand for them But as the holie Ghost pronounceth in the same place hoc vanissimum this is vanitie and follie in the highest degree For as in things of this life he were but a foolish Merchant that for quietnesse sake would neuer looke into his account Booke whether he were behind hand or before and as that Shyppe-maister were greatly to be laughed at that for auoiding of care woulde sitte downe and make good cheere and let the shyp goe whether shee would so much more in the busines of our soule it is madnes and follie to flie consideration for eschewing of trouble seeing in the ende this negligence must needes turne vpon vs more trouble and irremediable calamitie For as Ieremie sayth to all such men in nouissimo die intelligitis ea in the ende of your dayes you shall not choose but knowe and see and vnderstand these things which now for delicacie you wyll not take the paynes to thinke of But when shall this be trow you he telleth plainly in the same place whē the furie of our Lorde shall come foorth as a whirle-wind and shall rush and rest vpon your heades as a tempest then shall you know and vnderstand these things It seemeth that the Babylonians were a people verie faultie in this point of consideration as all wealthie people are not onelie by that which before hath beene touched of the daughter of Babylon that woulde not consider her ending daies but also for that not long before the most terrible destruction of that great Cittie by the Medes Persians God cryed vnto her in these wordes My deerely beloued Babylon put aside the table and stand vpon thy watch ryse vp you Princes from eating drinking take your Targets in your hands goe and set a watchman vpon the walles whatsoeuer he seeeth let him tell you And then was there a
watchman set vpon the walles and a Lyon to denounce wyth open mouth whatsoeuer daunger hee sawe comming towards them And GOD taught the Prophet to cry in this sort to their Sentinell or watchman Custos quid de nocte custos quid de nocte Thou watchman what seest thou comming towards thee by night what espiest thou ô Sentinell drawing on vs in the darknesse By all which circumstaunce what els is insinuated but that God wold haue vs stand vpon our watch for that his iudgments are to come vpon the world by night when men least thinke thereof they are to come as a theefe at midnight as also in another place we are admonished and therefore happy is the man that shall be founde watchfull But nowe the doore and sole entraunce into thys watch whereof the securitie of our eternall life dependeth can be nothing els but consideration for that where no consideration is there can be no watch nor fore-sight nor knowledge of our estate and consequentlie no hope of saluation as holy S. Bernard holdeth which thing caused that blessed man to wryte fiue whole Bookes of consideration to Eugenius Consideration is the thing that bringeth vs to know GOD and our selues And touching God it layeth before vs his Maiestie his mercie his iudgments his commaundements his promises his threatnings his proceeding with other men before vs whereby wee may gather what wee also in time must expect at his hands And for our selues consideration the key that openeth the doore to the closet of our hart wher al our bookes of account doe lye it is the looking glasse or rather the very eye of our soule wherby she taketh the view of herself looketh into all her whole estate into her riches her debts her dueties her negligeÌ„ces her good gifts hir defects her safety hir danger hir way she walketh in her course she followeth her pace she holdeth and finally the place ende whereunto she draweth And without this coÌ„sideration she runneth on headlong into a thousand brakes and bryers stumbling at euery steppe into some one inconuenience or other and continually in perrill of some great deadly mischiefe And wonderfull truely it is that in all other busines of this life men can see and confesse that nothing may be begunne prosecuted or well ended without consideration yet in this great affayre of winning heauen or falling into hell fewe thinke consideration greatly necessarie to be vsed I might stand heere to shew the infinite other effects and commodities of consideration as that it is the watch or larum bel that stirreth vppe and awaketh all the powers of our minde the match or tynder that conceiueth and nourisheth the fire of deuotion the bellowes that enkindeleth and inflameth the same the spurre that pricketh forwarde to all vertuous zealous and heroycall actes and the thing indeed that giueth both light life and motion to our soule Our fayth is confirmed and increased by consideration of Gods workes and miracles our hope by consideration of his promises of the true performaunce thereof to all them that euer trusted in him our charitie or loue to God by consideration of his benefits and innumerable deserts towards vs our humilitie by consideration of his greatnes of our owne infirmitie our courage and fortitude by contemplation of his assistaunce in al causes for his honor our contempt of the world by consideration of the ioyes of heauen eternall and so all other vertues both morrall and diuine doe take their heate quickning and vitall spirit from consideration By the exercise of consideration and meditation holy Dauid saith that he felt a burning fire to flame within his breast that is the fire of zeale the fire of feruour in Religion the fire of deuotion the fire of loue towards God and his neighbour And in anoplace he saith that by the same exercise hee swept and purged his owne spirit which is to be vnderstoode from the duste of this world from the dregges of sinne from the contamination and coinquination of humaine creatures for that consideration indeed is the verie fan that seuereth and driueth awaie the chaffe from the corne For which cause wee shall neuer reade of any holy man from the beginning of the worlde neyther before Christ nor after who vsed not much familiarlie this most blessed exercise of consideration pondering And for the first three Patriarches it shall be sufficient to remeÌ„ber the custome of young Isaac recorded in Genesis Which was to goe forth towards night into the fieldes ad meditandum that is to meditate consider and ponder vppon the workes iudgments and commaundements of GOD. And thys hee did beeing yet but a childe and vnmarried farre different from the custome of young Gentlemen nowe adaies who frequent the fieldes to follow their vanities and as lyttle Isaac could not haue this custome but from his Father Abraham so no doubt but hee taught the same to his sonne Iacob Iacob againe to his posteritie And as for Moses and his successor Iosua it may easilie be imagined howe they vsed this exercise by the most earnest exhortations which they made thereof to others in their speech and wrytings The good kings of Iuda also notwithstanding their manie great temporall aâ—faires do testifie of themselues concerning this exercise as Dauid almost euery where that the commaundements of God were his dailie meditation not onely by day and that tota die all the day et per singulos dies euery day in matutino in the morning et septies in die seauen times a day but also hee insinnuateth this custome by night meditatus sum nocte cum corde meo I doe meditate by night in my hart vpon thy commaundements ô Lord signifying here by both his watchfulnesse by night when other men were a sleepe and the hartie care that he had of this exercise which we esteem so little Salomon also King Dauids sonne so long as hee liued in the grace and fauour of God obserued this exercise of his Father and exhorteth other men to haue continuall daily cogitation in this affaire Which if himselfe had continued still it is likely hee had neuer fallen from God by women as he did The good King Ezechias is reported to haue meditated like a Doue that is in silence solitarinesse with himselfe alone which is the true way of profitable meditation Esay testifieth of his own watching by night in this exercise and howe he did the same with his spirit alone in the very bowels of his hart Holie Iob maketh mention not onelie of his manner of considering but what also hee considered and what effect he found in him selfe by the same First hee considered as I sayde the wayes foote-steppes and commaundements of GOD then his dreadfull power to wit howe no man was able to auert or turne away his
for proofe that there is a GOD. THE MORRAL PHYLOSOPHER THere remaineth yet a thirde part of humaine wisedome or phylosophie called Morrall whose reasons and arguments for proofe of this veritie I haue of purpose referred to the last place for that they be more plaine and easie then the former and more sensible to the capacitie of euery simple and vnlearned reader For first of all hee obserueth in the verie naturall inclination of man be his manners otherwise neuer so euill that there is a certaine propension and disposition to confesse some God or Deitie as by example he proueth in all Nations were they neuer so fierce or barbarous yet alwayes coÌ„fessed they som God by nature though no man did teach or instruct them therein The same is confirmed by the common vse of all Heathens in lyfting vp theyr eyes hands to heauen in any suddaine distresse that commeth vpon them Which importeth that nature her selfe hath ingrafted this feeling that there is a God Yea further he alledgeth that by experience of all ages it hath beene proued that Atheists themselues that is such men as in theyr health and prosperitie for more libertie of sinfull life woulde striue against the beeing of any GOD when they came to die or fall into any great miserie they of all other men would shew themselues most fearefull of this God as Seneca declareth as Suetonius sheweth in the example of Caligula Which is a token that theyr conscience inforced them to beleeue a God-head Nay Zeno the Phylosopher was wont to say that it seemed to him a more substantiall proofe of this veritie to heare an Atheist at his dying day preache God from a payre of gallowes or rather such place of miserie when he asked God and nature forgiuenes theÌ„ to hear al the Phylosophers in the world dispute the poynt for that at this instant of death and miserie it is like that such good fellowes doe speake in earnest and sobrietie of spirit who before in theyr wantonnesse impugned God eyther of vanitie ambition sensualitie or dissimulation Nowe then when the Morrall Phylosopher hath proued by thys naturall inclination of man that there is a God which hath imprinted in vs such a feeling of himselfe as no conscience can denie him when it commeth to speake sincerelie then steppeth he a degree further and proueth that this God which is acknowledged can be but one for that if he be God he must be infinite and if he be infinite he can haue no companion for that two infinite things cannot stand together without impeachment the one of the others infinitie Hee proueth the same by the custome of most Gentiles who as Lactantius well noted in his time when they swore or cursed or prayed or wished any thing hartilie especiallie in affliction that lighteneth the vnderstanding their fashion was to say God and not the Gods And for the learneder sort of theÌ„ how soeuer they dissembled and applyed themselues outwardly to the errour of the common people yet in earnest they neuer spake of more then of one God as Plato signifieth of himselfe to Dionysius King of Sicilie in a certaine Letter wherin hee gaue him a signe when hee spake in earnest and when in iest Hinc disces tu scribam ego serio nec ne cum serio ordior Epistolam ab vno Deo cum secus a pluribus By thys signe shall ye know whether I wryte in earnest or not For when I wryte in earnest I beginne my Letter with one God and when I wryte not in earnest I doe begin my Letter in the name of many gods Iulian the Apostata in his three most scornefull bookes that hee wrote against vs Christians whom contemptuously he called Galileans endeuouring by all his meanes to aduaunce and sette forth the honour of Paganisme alledgeth this Plato for a cheefe pyller and father therof and dareth preferre him before our Moses yet you see what he testifieth of himselfe And that thys was his perpetuall opinion three of hys most worthiest schollers I mean three of the most learned that euer professed the Platonicke sect Plotinus Porphyrius and Proclus all Heathens themselues doe testifie and proue in diuers parts of theyr works assuring that both they and theyr Maister Plato neuer beleeued in deede but onely one God And as for Socrates that was Platos Maister and pronounced by the Oracle of Apollo to be the wisest man in all Greece the worlde knoweth that he was put to death for iesting at the multitude of gods among the Gentiles Aristotle that ensued after Plato began the sect of Peripatetickes and was a man so much giuen to the search of Nature as in many things hee forgat the Author of Nature or at least wyse he treated little and verie doubtfully thereof yet in his olde age when hee came to wryte the booke of the worlde to King Alexander which Booke S. Iustine the Martyr esteemed greatly called it the Epitome of all Aristotles true phylosophie hee resolueth the matter more cleerelie saying thus of GOD Hee is the father of gods and men he is the maker and conseruer of all things that be in the world And he addeth further in the selfe same place that the multitude of many gods was inuented to expresse the power of this one God by the multitude of his ministers so that hee maketh all gods to be seruaunts besides onelie one Which sentence of theyr Maister Theophrastus and Aphrodiseus two principall Peripatetickes doe confirme at large Zeno the cheefe and father of all the Stoickes was wont to say as Aristotle reporteth that eyther one God or no God Which opinion is auerred euery where by Plutarch and Seneca two most excellent wryters and great admirers of the Stoicke seueritie And before them by Epictetus a man of singuler account in that secte whose wordes were esteemed oracles Dicendum ante omnia vnum esse Dâ—um omnia regere omnibus prouidere Before all things sayth he we must affirme that there is one God and that this God gouerneth all and hath prouidence ouer all As for the Academikes who made the fourth diuision or secte of Phylosophers it is sufficient which I haue meÌ„tioned before that Socrates theyr founder was caused to die for hys opinion in thys matter albeit it seeme that such as insued in that secte whose profession was to dyspute and doubt of euerie thing came at length by their much iangling and dysputing to beleeue and holde nothing Whereof Cicero himselfe may bee an example who in his bookes De natura Deorum followeth so farre the Academical veine of doubtfull dysputing to and fro about the nature of gods as he may seeme so did hee to diuers Christians of the Primatiue Church to be very irresolute whether there were any God or no. Albeit in the ende hee make shewe to conclude
and for bringing all Sciences to perfection especiallie Astronomie and Astrologie which as they write coulde not be brought to sufficient perfection by any one man that had lyued lesse then sixe hundred yeres in which space the great yere as they call it returneth about Of the Tower of Babylon 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 tyme and of Sibylla as also the wordes of Hestiaeus concerning the Lande of Sennaar where it was builded And these Gentiles do shewe by reason that if there had not beene some such miracle in the diuision of tongues no doubt but that all tongues being deriued of one as all men are of one father the same tongues would haue retained the selfe same rootes and principles as in all dialects or deriuation of tongues wee see that it commeth to passe But now say they in many tongues at thys day we see that there is no likelihood or affinitie among them but all different the one from the other and thereby it appeareth that they were made diuers distinct euen from the beginning Of Abraham OF Abraham and hys affayres I haue alledged some Heathen wryters before as Berosus Hecataeus and Nicholaus Damascenus But of all other Alexander Polyhistor alledgeth Eupolemus most at large of Abrahams beeing in Egypt and of his teaching them Astronomie there of his fight and victorie in the behalfe of Lot of hys entertainment by King Melchisedech of his wyfe and sister Sara and of other his doings especially of the sacrifice of hys sonne Isaac To whom also agreeth Melo in his bookes written against the Iewes and Artabanus And of the strange Lake whereinto Sodom and Gomorra were turned by theyr destruction called Mare mortuum the deade Sea wherein nothing can liue Both Galen Paufanius Solinus Tacitus and Strabo doe testify shew the perticuler wonders therof Of Isaac Iacob Ioseph Iob c. FRom Abraham downe to Moses writeth very particulerly the forenamed Alexander albeit he mingle sometimes certaine fables whereby appeareth that he tooke hys storie not out of the Bible wholie And hee alledgeth one Leodemus who as he saith liued with Moses and wrote the selfe same thyngs that Moses dyd so that these writers agree almost in all thinges touching Isaac Iacob Ioseph and all theyr affaires euen vnto Moses and vvith these doe concur also Theodotus a most auncient Poet Artabanus Phylon Gentiles Aristaeus in like maner about Aristotles tyme wrote a booke of Iob. Of Moses OF Moses and hys actes not onely the forenamed especially Artabanus in his Booke of the Iewes doe make mention at large but many other also as namelie Eupolemus out of whom Polyhistor reciteth very long narrations of the wonderfull and stupendious thinges doone by Moses 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 circuÌ„cision of him which afterwarde alwaies they retained and so doe vnto this day And as for his miracles doone in Egipt his leading the people thence by the redde Sea hys liuing with them fortie yeeres in the wildernesse the Heathen writers agree in all thinges with the Scriptures sauing onely that they recount diuers things to the prayse of Moses which hee hath not written of hymselfe adding also his description to wyt that he was a long tale man with a yellow beard and long haire wherwith also accordeth Numenius Pythagoricus touching the acts of Moses whose life hee sayth that he had read in the auncientest recordes that were to be had The storie of Iosua the Iudges and the Kinges BVT the fore-named Eupolemus goeth yet forwarde and pursueth the storie of Iosua of the Iudges of Saul Dauid and of Salomon eueÌ„ vnto the building of the Temple which he describeth at large wyth the perticuler Letters written about that matter to the King of Tyrus which Iosephus sayth were in hys daies kept in the recordes of the Tyrians And with Eupolemus agree Polyhistor and Hecataeus Abderita that liued 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 hid buried according to the fashion of that tyme in the Sepulcher of his father Dauid which to be no fable though not mentioned by the scripture Iosephus well prooueth for that Hircanus the high Priest and King of Iurie beeing besieged in Ierusalem by Antiochus surnamed Pius not many yeeres before our Sauiour Christ his natiuitie to redeeme him selfe the Cittie and to pay for hys peace opened the said sepulcher of Dauid and fetcht out of one part thereof three thousand Talents in ready money which amount to sixe hundred thousand pounde English if we account the Talents but at the least size of talentum Haebraicum The things that ensued after King Salomons daies AND as for the things that ensued after Salomon as the diuision of the Trybes among themselues and theyr diuers warres afflictions and transmigrations into other Countries many Heathen writers do mention and recorde them among other Herodotê° Diodorê° Siculus And the foresayd Alexander Polyhistor talking of the captitie of Babylon saith that Ieremie the Prophet tolde Ioachim hys King what woulde befall him and that Nabuchodonoser hearing thereof was mooued thereby to besiege Ierusalem Of the flight of Senacherib froÌ„ the siege of Ierusalem and howe he was kylled at hys return home by his own sons in the temple according to the prophecie of Esay and storie of the booke of Kings for that hee had blasphemed the Lord God of Israell Herodotus witnesseth and that after his death he had a statue or Image of mettall erected in hys memorie with this inscription in Greek He that beholdeth me let him learne to be godly Confer Xenophon also in his seâ—enth booke De Cyropaedia you shal see him agree with Daniell in his narrations of Babylon And finallie I wyll conclude with Iosephus the learned Iewe that wrote immediatly after Christes ascention and protesteth that the publique writinges of the Syrians Chaldeans Phaenicians and innumerable histories of the Grecians are sufficient to testifie the antiquitie truth authoritie certaintie of the holie Scriptures if there were no other proofe in the world besides The conclusion of thys Chapter with the application SECT 4. THus farre haue I treated of the vvayes and meanes which haue beene left vnto the worlde from the beginning thereby to know and vnderstand theyr Maker In treating which poynt I haue stayed my selfe the longer for that it is the ground and foundation of all that is or may be saide heereafter It is the first finall and cheefest principle of all our eternall saluation or damnation and the
Gods word So againe where God sayth by Ose I will saue the house of Iuda by Iâ—houa their God which is by Christ Ionathan translateth it thus I wyll saue Iuda by the worde of their God In lyke manner where Dauid wryteth Iehoua saide to my Lorde sitte at my right hande c. Ionathan expresseth it thus Iehoua saide vnto hys word sitte at my right hand So Rabbi Isaac Arama writing vpon Genesis expoundeth thys verse of the Psalme he sent his word healed them c. to be meant of Messias that shall be Gods word And Rabbi Simeon the cheefe of all the Cabalists vpon those words of Iob I shall see God in my flesh gathereth that the worde of God shall take fleshe in a womans wombe So that thys doctrine was nothing strange among the auncient Rabbines For further confirmation whereof seeing the matter is of so great importance coÌ„sider what is recorded in a Treatise called Zoar of high authoritie among the Iewes where Rabbi Simeon that was last before alleaged citeth a place out of old Rabbi Ibba vpon these words in Deuteronomie Iehoâ—â— our Lord is one Iehoua which wordes the said auncient Rabbi Ibba interpreteth thus by the first Iehoua in this sentence being the incommunicable name of God is signified sayth hee GOD the father Prince of all things By the next words our Lord is signified God the sonne that is fountaine of all Sciences And by the seconde Iehoua in the same sentence is signified God the holy Ghost proceeding of them bothe To all which is there added the word One to signifie that these three are indiuisible But this secrete shall not be reuealed vntill the comming of Messias Hetherto are the words of Rabbi Ibba reported in Zoar by Rabbi Simeon where also the sayd Rabbi Simeon interpreteth these words of Esay Holy Holie Holie Lord God of Sabaoth in thys manner Esay by repeating three times holy sayth he doth as much as if he had sayd Holy Father holie Sonne and holie Spirit which three holies doe make but one onely Lord God of Sabaoth Finally I wyll conclude thys controuersie betweene the later Iewes and vs with the authoritie of learned Philo who liued in the very same time wyth Christ was sent Embassadour twyse to Rome in the behalfe of his Nation in Alexandria that is first in the fifteene yeere of Tyberius the Emperour which was three yeeres before Christes passion and the very same yeere wherin he was baptised by S. Iohn and the second tyme about eyght yeeres after to witt in the fyrst yeere of the raigne of Caligula This man that was the learnedest that euer wrote among the Iewes after the wryters of holie Scripture ceased made a speciall Booke of the banishment of his Countrimen wher he hath this discourse ensuing What time may be appointed saith he for the returne home of vs banished Iewes it is harde to determine For by tradition wee haue that wee must expect the death of an High Priest But of those some die quickly and some liue longer But I am of opinion that thys High Priest shal be the very word of God Which shall be voyde of all sinne both voluntarie and inuoluntarie whose father shall be God and this word shall be that fathers wisedome by which all things in this world were created Hys heade shall be annoynted with oyle and his kingdome shall florish and shine for euer This wrote Philo at that time when he little imagined that the same High Priest whom he so much expected and the same worde of God whose kingdome he describeth was now alreadie come into the world And this shall suffise for our second consideration what manner of Messias the Iewes did expect The thyrd consideration NOwe in the thyrd place commeth to be considered what authoritie and power the Messias should haue at his appearaunce vpon earth and whether he should chaunge and abrogate the Law of Moses or no wher in there is no lesse controuersie betweene vs and the later Iewes then in the former point of his diuinitie For we holde with S. Paule that the Lawe of Moses was giuen vnto the Iewes but for a time to entertaine that people withall and by the outwarde signes and ceremonies which it had whereof the most part or all prefigured Christ to come to be theyr Schoole-maister leader to the times of fayth wherein it should be abrogated and a farre more perfect Law set down by Christ in place thereof This we prooue first for that the Lawe of Moses was an imperfect Lawe bringing nothing to perfection as S. Paule well noteth It was as S. Peter saith a burden-som Lawe which the Iewes themselues were not able to beare for the multitude of ceremonies therein contained It was a carnall and seruile Lawe consisting most in the externall It was a Law of terror and feare more then of loue and libertie of the spirit It was a Lawe as I said before of signes and figures for things to come consequently to cease wheÌ„ those things which it prefigured shold come to be present It was a Lawe peculiar and proper for the Iewes alone without respect of all the rest of the world and the exercise therof was allowed onely in the Countrie of Iurie and that which is more it was not permitted but in one place only of that Countrey that is in Ierusalem whether euery man was bound to repaire three tymes a yeere to wit at the Pasqua at the Pentecoste and at the feast of Tabernacles and in that place alone to make theyr sacrifices and in no other Countrey or place besides Nowe then reasoneth the learned Diuine if thys Lawe of Moses were for the Iewes and Iurie onely howe could it serue for the time of the Messias who was to be King as well of the Gentiles as of the Iewes and to rule all people in the worlde that should beleeue in him vnder one Lawe If the exercise of this Lawe were allowable onely and lawfull in Ierusalem how coulde it possiblie be fulfilled by Christians that are dispersed ouer all the world As for example hovve coulde they repayre to Ierusalem thrise euerie yeere howe shoulde euery woman that should dwell in England or India repaire to Ierusalem for her purification after euerie child-birth as by the Law of Moses she was commanded Most euident is it then which we said before that thys Law was giuen but to endure for a time And to vse S. Pauls owne wordes it was but introductio melioris spei an introduction to a better hope It was but an entertainment to that people which by theyr beeing among the Egiptians were prone to idolatrie vntill Christ shold come and ordaine a perfect Law That is a Lawe of spirit and internall affection a Lawe of loue and libertie a Lawe that shoulde be common to all men serue for al
Arte-Magick Thus said the Iewes of the miracles of Iesus and so sayd Iulian the Apostata of the wonderfull strange things doone by S. Peter and Saint Paule affirming them to haue beene the most expert in Magick of any that euer lyued that Christ wrote a special 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 Christ departed One Hierocles also wrote a booke wherin he feigned Appolonius Tyanaeus to haue doone the lyke myracles by Magicke which Christ and hys Apostles did by diuine power And finally it is a generall opinion â—â—aâ— both Nero and Iulian gaue themselues so extreamely to the studie of that vaine Science as no men euer dyd the like vppon emulation only of the miracles done in Rome by Peter and Paule when Nero liued and by other Saints and Disciples in the tyme of Iulian But what was the end Plinie that was a Pagan writeth 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 malitious Heathen And if it were not written yet theyr seuerall extraordinarie calamities and most miserable deathes which by all their Magick they coulde not fore-see doth sufficientlie testifie the same vnto vs especially the last words of Iulian Uicisti Galilaee vicisti Thou hast wonne ô Galilaean thou hast gotten the victorie Acknowledging thereby as wel the trueth of Christes myracles and of his folowers as also the vanitie follie and madnes of hys owne endeuours Thus then went forward Christes Apostles preached him euery where throughout the world Domino cooperante sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis that is as S. Marke affirmeth the Lorde Iesus working with them and confirming theyr preaching by signes and myracles In respecte of which benigne assistance of Iesus in theyr actions Saint Luke sayth further they dealt most confidently in the Lord his word of grace giuing testimonie vnto their dooings and shevving foorth signes and most prodigious wonders by their hands No persecution no terrour no threates of enemies no difficultie or daunger that might occurre coulde stay theÌ„ from theyr course of setting foorth Christes name and glorie And they were so assured of the trueth by the inwarde illuminations which they had and by thys certaine testimonie of Gods fauour and assistance in dooing myracles â—s one of them wryteth thus That which wee haue hearde which wee haue seene with our eyes which we haue beheld which our hands haue handled of the word of life that we doe testifie announce vnto you And another who had beene a greeuous persecutor and was conuerted wythout any conference with any Christian in the world sayd of Iesus that was dead and risen againe that neither tribulation nor distresse nor famine nor beggerie nor danger nor persecution nor dint of sword could daunt him from the seruice of such a Mayster And in another place he sayth that hee esteemed all things of thys world wherein a man might glorie to be as very dounge and detriments in respect of the eminent knowledge that is hys worde of his Lorde 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 endured thys in these Apostles for a tyme onely but all theyr liues which as they spent the same with alacritie in the seruice of Iesus so in the ende they gaue vp the same most cheerefully to what soeuer death presented it selfe for confirmation sealing of theyr former doctrine neuer so full of confidence courage and consolation as at that houre nor euer so boldly denouncing theyr Maister or talking so ioyfully of rewards Crownes and kingdomes as at the very last instant vpshotte of their worldly combat Thys then declareth most manifestly that the actions of these men proceeded not of humaine spirit nor could be performed by the power of man but by the diuine force supernaturall assistance of their Lord and God whom they confessed The thyrd Consideration AND thus much in breuitie of Christes Apostles There ensue next his Euangelists that is such men as haue left vnto vs written hys byrth life doctrine and death Wherein is to be noted that Iesus beeing God tooke a different way froÌ„ the custome of man in deliuering vnto vs his Lawes and precepts For that men who haue been law-makers vnto the world knewe no surer way of publishing theyr Lawe and procuring authoritie to the same then to write them with their owne handes and in theyr life time to establish theyr promulgation So Lycurgus Solon others among the Graecians Numa to the Romaines Mahomet to the Sarafins and diuers other in like manner But Iesus to shew hys diuine power in directing the penne and style of his Euangelists would not leaue any thing written by himselfe but passed from thys world in simplicitie and silence wythout any further shew or ostentation of hys owne doings meaning notwithstanding by hys eternall wisedome that the prophecie of Ezechiell shoulde be fulfilled which fore-signified the beeing of his foure irrefragable witnesses which day night without rest shold preach extoll magnifie theyr Lord Maister to the worlds end Foure then were fore-prophecied and foure as wee see by Gods prouidence were prouided to fulfill the same prophecie The first and last are two Apostles that wrote as they had seene The two middle are two disciples who registred things as they had vnderstoode by conference with the Apostles The first Gospell was written by an Apostle to giue light and open the way to al the rest And the last in like manner was written by an Apostle to giue authoritie and confirmation to all the former The first was written in the Hebrue or Iewish tongue for that Iesus actions were done in that Countrie to the ende that thereby eyther the whole Nation might beleeue them or the obstinate impugne them The other three were wrytten in the publique tongues of all other Nations that is in the Greeke Romaine languages if it be true which diuers holde that S. Markes Gospell was first written in Latine They wrote theyr stories in diuers Countries each one remaining farre distant from another and yet agreed they all as wee see most exactlie in the very same narration They wrote in diuers times the one after the other and yet the latter did neyther correct nor reprehend any thing in the former They published theyr stories when infinite were aliue that knewe the facts and manie more that desired to impugne them They sette downe in most of theyr particuler narrations the time
The first what infinite multitudes of all states conditions sexe qualities and age did suffer dailie for testimonie of this trueth The second what intollerable and vnaccustomed torments not hearde of in the worlde before were deuised by Tyrants for afflicting thys kinde of people The thyrde what inuincible courage and vnspeakable alacritie the Christians shewed in bearing out these afflictions which the enemies theÌ„selues could not attribute but to some diuine power and supernaturall assistance And for thys later poynt of comfort in theyr sufferings I wil alleage onely this testimonie of Tertulian against the Gentiles who obiected that wicked men suffered also as well as Christians whereto thys learned Doctor made aunswere in these words Truth it is that many men are prone to ill and do suffer for the same but yet dare they not defende theyr euill to be good as Christians doe theyr cause For that euerie euill thing by nature dooth bring wyth it eyther feare or shame and therefore wee see that malefactors albeit they loue euill yet would they not appeare so to the world but desire rather to lye in couert They tremble when they are taken and when they are accused they denie all and doe scarse oftentimes confesse their dooings vpon torments And finally wheÌ„ they are condemned they lament mone and doe impute their hard fortune to destinie or to the Planets But the Christian what doth hee like to this is there any man ashamed or doth any man repent him wheÌ„ he is taken except it be for that hee was not taken rather If hee be noted by the enemie for a Christian hee glorieth in the same yf he be accused he defendeth not himselfe if hee be asked the question hee confesseth it willingly if he be condemned hee yeeldeth thanks What euill is there then in the Christian cause which lacketh the naturall sequel of euill I meane feare shame tergiuersation repentaunce sorrowe and deploration What euil I say can this be deemed whose guiltines is ioy whose accusation is desire whose punishment is happines Hetherto are the words of learned Tertulian who was an eye witnesse of that hee wrote and had no small part in the cause of those that â—uffered beeing himselfe in that place and state as daily he might expect to taste of the same affliction To which combat howe readie he was may appeare by diuers places of this his Apologie wherein hee vttereth besides hys zeale and feruour a most confident securitie and certaine assuraunce of Iesus assistaunce by that which hee 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 Iesus then the fortitude inuinsible which aboue all humane reason force and nature he imparted to his 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 vpon the spirits infernall Which thing partly may appeare by the Oracles alleaged in the ende of the former Section wherein those spirits fore-told that an Hebrue childe should be borne to the vtter subuersion and ruine of theyr tyrannicall dominion and much more at large the same might bee declared by other aunswers and Oracles vttered after Christes natiuitie and registred in the monuments euen of the Heathens themselues Whereof he that desireth to see more ample mention especially out of Porphyrie who then was liuing let him read Eusebius sixt booke De preparatione Euangelica wher he shall finde store and namely that Apollo many times exclaimed Hei mihi congemiscite Hei mihi hei mihi Oraculorum defecit me claritas Woe vnto me lament yee wyth me woe vnto me woe vnto me for that the honour of Oracles hath nowe forsaken mee Which complaints and lamentations are nothing els but a plaine confession that Iesus was he of whom a Prophet saide diuers ages before Attenuabit omnes Deos terrae hee shall weare out and bring to beggerie al the Gods or Idols of the earth Thys confessed also the wicked spirits themselues when aâ— Christes appearing in Iurie they came vnto him diuers times and besought him not to afflict or torment them nor commaund theÌ„ presently to returne to hell but rather to permitte them some little time of entertainement in the Sea or Mountaines or among heards of Swyne or the like Which confession they made in the sight of all the world and declared the same afterwards by theyr facts and deedes For presently vppon Iesus death vppon the preaching of hys name and Gospell throughout the worlde the Oracles which before were aboundant in euerie Prouince and Countrey were put to silence Whereof I might alleage the testimonies of very many Gentiles themselues as that of Iuuenall Cessant Oracula Delphis All Oracles at Delphos do now cease c. That also of another Poet Excessere omnes adytis arisque relictis Dii quibus imperium hoc steterat c. That is the Gods by whom this Empire stood are all departed from theyr Temples and haue abandoned theyr Altars and place of habitation Strabo hath also these expresse words The Oracle of Delphos at this day is to be seene in extreame beggerie and mendicitie And finally Plutarch that liued within one hundred yeeres after Christ made a speciall booke to search out the causes why the Oracles of the Goddes were ceassed in hys tyme. And after much turning and winding many wayes resolued vppon two principall points as causes thereof The first for that in his tyme there was more store of wise men then before whose aunswers might stand in steede of Oracles and the other that peraduenture the spirits which were accustomed to yeelde Oracles were by length of tyme growne olde and dead Both which reasons in the very common sence of all men must needes be false and by Plutarch himself can not stand wyth probabilitie For first in his Bookes which he wrote of the liues of auncient famous men he confesseth that in such kind of wisedome as he most esteemed they had not theyr equals among their posterity Secondly in his Treatises of Phylosophy he passeth it for a ground that spyrits nor depending of materiall bodies cannot dye or wexe olde and therefore of necessitie hee must conclude that some other cause is to be yeelded of the ceassing of these Oracles which cannot be but the presence and commaundement of some higher power according to the saying of S. Iohn To this end appeared the sonne of GOD that hee might dyssolue or ouerthrow the workes of the deuil Neyther did Iesus thys alone in his own person but gaue also power and authoritie to his dysciples and followers to do the like according to theyr commission in Saint Mathewes Gospell Super omnia Demonia et spiritus immundos c. You shall haue authoritie ouer all
so we must examine the trueth of our fayth by cōsideration of our life for then not otherwise are we true Christians if wee fulfill in works that whereof we haue made promise in words That is in the day of our Baptisme we promised to renounce the pompe of this world together with all the workes of iniquitie which promise if wee performe nowe after Baptisme then are we true Christians and may be ioyfull But contrariwise if our life be wicked contrary to our profession it is saide by the voyce of trueth it selfe Not euery one that shall say to mee Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heauen And againe why doe yee call mee Lord Lord doe not performe the things that I tell you Heer-hence is it that God complained of his old people the Iewes saying this people honoureth me with their lips but their harts are farre off from me And the Prophet Dauid of the same people They loued him with their mouth and wyth their tongues they lyed vnto him Wherefore let no man presume to say he shall be saued if faith and good life be diuorced put a sunder which S. Chrisostome noteth by the wofull and heauie chaunce iudgment that happened vnto him who in the Gospell was admitted to the feast of Christian faith knowledge but for lacke of the ornament or garment of good life was most contumeliouslie depriued of his expectation Of whom Saint Chrisostoms words are these He was inuited to the feast and brought vnto the Table but for that by his foule garment he dishonored our Lord that had inuited him he was not onely thrust from the Table banquet but also bounde hande and foote and cast into vtter darknes where there is eternall weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherefore let vs not deere bretheren let vs not I say deceiue our selues and imagine that our dead and vnfruitfull faith wyll saue vs at the last day for except wee ioyne pure life to our beleefe and in this heauenly vocation of ours doe apparrell our selues with the worthy garmēts of vertuous deeds whereby we may be admitted at the mariage day in heauen nothing shall be able to deliuer vs from the damnation of this miserable man that wanted his wedding weede Which thing S. Paule well noteth when hauing sayde wee haue an euerlasting house in heauen not made with mens handes he addeth presentlie thys exception Si tamen vestiti et non nudi inueniamur That is if wee be founde at that day well apparrelled and not naked Would God euery Christian desirous of hys saluation woulde ponder well thys discourse of S. Chrisostome And so wyth thys alone to conclude our speeche in thys Chapter without allegation of further matters or authorities which are infinite to thys effect it may appeare by that which hath alreadie beene sette downe wherein the true profession of a Christian consisteth and thereby each man that is not partiall or blinded in his owne affection as many are may take a viewe of his state and condition and frame vnto himselfe a verie probable coniecture how he is like to speed at the last accounting day That is what profite or damage hee may expect by hys knowledge and profession of Christian Religion For as to him that beleeueth soundly and walketh vprightly in his vocation performing effectually euery way his professed duetie there remaine both infinite and inestimable rewards prepared so to hym that strayeth aside and swerueth from the right path of fayth and life prescribed vnto hym there are no lesse paines and punishments reserued For which cause euery Christian that is carefull of his owne saluation ought to sixe his eyes verie seriouslie vppon them both and as in beleefe to shewe himselfe constant firme humble and obedient so in life conuersation to be honest iust pure innocent and holie And for this seconde poynt concerning life and manners hath been already handled in my former booke which as I vnderstand is imprinted in England I shall neede to wade the lesse in further discourse heereof But for I haue beene admonished by the writinges of diuers howe my former booke hath beene misliked in two speciall poynts first that I speake so much of good workes and so little of faith secondly that I talke so largelie of Gods iustice and so breefelie of his mercie whereby the consciences of many haue beene offended let the last Chapter going before of beleefe and life aunswer the first and that which immediatly followeth serue for the latter obiection and so I doubt not but a Christian man may be thorowlie resolued OF THE ONLY IMPEDIMENT THAT IS WONT TO LET SINNERS FROM Resolution Which is the mistrust and diffidence in Gods mercy through the multitude and greeuousnesse of their offences CHAP. VI. AMong all other the moste greeuous and perrilous cogitations which in thys worlde are accustomed to offer themselues to a minde intangled and loden wyth great sinnes this vsually is the first through the nature of sinne it selfe and crafty suggestion of our ghostly enemie to fall into distrust and dyspaire of Gods mercie Such was the cogitation of most vnhappie Caine one of the first inhabitants of the earth who after the murder of his owne onely brother and other sinnes by him committed brake into that horrible and desperate speeche so greatly offensiue vnto his Lorde Maker Mine iniquitie is greater then that I may hope for pardon Such was in like manner the desperate conceite of wicked Iudas one of the first of thē that were chosen to the peculier seruice of our Redeemer who feeling hys conscience oppressed wyth manifolde iniquities and most of all with the prodition of his owne Lord and Maister tooke no other way of amendmēt or redresse but to destroy himselfe both in bodie and soule adioyning onoly these words full of miserable distrust and desperation I haue sinned in betraying the innocent and iust blood By which wordes and most wretched ende he more greeuouslie offended and iniured his most louing and mercifull Sauiour then by all his former iniquities committed against him This then most louing brother is the first and greatest rocke wherat a sinful soule ouer burdened wyth the charge of her owne iniquities and tossed in the waues of dreadfull cogitations by the blastes stormes of Gods threates against sinners doth cōmonlie make her shypwracke That is that most horrible depth and dungion wherof the holie scriptures saith The impious man when he is come into the bottome and profunditie of his sinnes contemneth all Thys is that remedilesse sore and incurable wound wherwith God himselfe charged Ierusalem when hee sayd Insanabilis fractura tua thy rupture is irremediable And the Prophet Michaeas considering the same people thorowe the multitude of their wickednes to encline now to dispayre of Gods goodnes towards them brake forth into thys most pittiful cōplaint For this will I