any signes for God hath sufficiently yeelded to our infirmitie that in the beginning of the law and gospell he adioyned to his word certaine signes as seales by which we might be assured that they were the word of God But now he will not at our pleasure giue any more signes but he will haue vs beleeue his word For we walke not by sight but by faith And hereupon he saith to Thomas Blessed are they which haue not seene and yet haue beleeued Therefore not without cause he condemnes those which as yet seeke for signes For first not to beleeue without signes is against the nature of faith For faith is a substance of those things which are not seene but are hoped for Secondly not to beleeue without signes is iniurious to God as though he could either deceiue or be deceiued Thirdly it is daungerous to giue more heed to signes then to the word of God it selfe for the diuell can shew signes the which thing we see in the enchaunters of Egypt Hereof also Moses forbiddeth that no credit should be giuen to the Prophet doing miracles and in the meane while teaching against the law because miracles cannot make the false word true but seduce rather but if they be annexed to the true word they confirme and seale vs the more in the truth Lastly faith conceiued by miracles is not so constant for they which beleeue not because of the word but by reason of miracles oftentimes fall into incredulitie in the time of tribulation neither continue stedfast in faith as we may see in the Israelites who verie often when as the miracles ceased fell a doubting Againe he writes thus Then we may safely beleeue miracles if the doctrine agree with the word of God which they teach that they are done in Christ And againe of the ends of miracles he writes thus God hath annexed miracles to his word Fer. in 3 ca. act as it were certaine seales by which we should be assured that they were not the words of man but of God which we see confirmed with such great signes which belong onely to God to doe for which cause Christ did not onely miracles himselfe but gaue his Apostles also power to do the same as also in times past to Moses and the Prophets Thus much Ferus Therefore miracles of themselues if they be separated from the word are of no force to establish anie doctrine 13. Of Apparitions of spirits AGainst Appearing of spirits Ierome writeth thus Ierom. in 8. ca. Esai This you ought to know that euerie nation asketh counsell of their owne Gods and enquires of the dead for the liuing but to you he hath giuen his law for to helpe you that you may say The diuination of the heathen is not such which often deceiueth the worshippers And not like ours which without any gift is drawen out of the law of God And after No maruell if you follow your traditions when as euerie nation asketh counsell of their Idols speaking of the Scribes and Pharisées following the traditions of their fathers Therefore we will not aske counsell of you being as it were dead concerning the liuing God hath rather giuen you a law and the testimonie of the Scriptures which if ye will not follow you shall haue no light but euer darknes shall oppresse you May we not say the like of the Papists who followed the apparitions of spirits and the traditions of the elders Saint Bernard also asketh a question of the blessed Virgine of whom it is said that she cast in her mind what that salutation should meane Oleast in 2. ca. Gen. And why she should suspect talking with an Angell and he answereth wilt thou O man be in daunger without care feare then securitie it selfe Wilt thou be safe and sure from the diuell then feare Angels from heauen Thou hast heard that Sathan hath transformed himselfe into an Angell of light that he might deceiue man Thus much Oleaster alleadgeth out of Bernard I would to God they themselues had followed this holy fact of the blessed virgin who at the first suspected the Angell that appeared to her and that they had not giuen credit to the apparitions of Angels nor of the Saints No nor to the blessed virgin her selfe or of the soules of any departed of whom they haue learned most part of their religion Sathan may seeme a saint the blessed virgine nay euen an Angell of God Beware therefore how thou at all beléeuest such apparitions least thou be deceiued Looke rather to Moses and the prophets according to thy Sauiours counsell then to these doubtfull apparitions And after Why O woman dost thou lie saying God hath forbidden both to eate and touch the tree when as God onely forbad the eating thereof Note heere that he calleth it a lie to adde to the commaundement of God though it seeme religious as not so much as to touch the trée This Eue might seeme to haue said of a deuotion that she bare to the commaundement that she would not so much as touch the trée But that had béene superstition that had béene more then God commanded she might lawfully haue touched the tree And many such superstitions beside the word Eue the mother Church of Rome vpon a good intent for deuotion bringeth now into the Church Stella also of Reuelations writes thus Simeon beleeued the scriptures which spake of Messias and after he had Reuelations Stell in 2. Luc. Hereby we are taught that they are worthy to haue Reuelations shewed them which beleeuing the scriptures obtaine those things which they beleeue and doe them Secondly that those Reuelations are certaine which doe not dissent from the Scriptures Thus farre Stella I would to God they had examined all their reuelations and apparitions by this rule of the scriptures then the papists by lying spirits had not béene so often deceiued as they haue béene Of the nature and sleights of the diuell In orat dom Ludouicus Viues hath verie excellently writen thus Thou O Lord art onely good and whatsoeuer thou hast created are good because thou art the creator of them But he that is thy continuall enemie the diuell is naught and wicked He is thy enemie and therefore also ours because thou accountest vs for thy children He can hurt thee by no manner of meanes but he can and is willing to hurt vs diuersly and he is euer readie to destroy vs neuer sleeping his opportunitie And which of vs in any respect is able to resist him for if we deale with him in strength he is most strong neither is there any power found vpon earth as Iob saith that may be compared vnto him If by pollicie he is most craftie he will counterfait loue fauor to thee whose destruction aboue all others he longeth for and to whom euery minute he imagineth mischiefe Nay also he will seeme to beare a faire shew as that he alloweth truth and vertue which he hates most deadly and he will
would be content to release vs such a great debt for doing him some such light seruice for such a small trifle howe glad would we be how would we thanke him and shall we not doe the like to God In as much as ye are able saith Saint Paul liue peaceably with all men Rom. 12.18 not reuenging your selues my beloued but giue place to anger Shall I suffer the wicked to escape vnpunished then saith the malicious person Yea for though thou forgiue him yet shall he not escape vnpunished For it is written saith the Apostle vengeance is mine and I will reuenge saieth the Lord. If thou shalt seeke reuenge then God will not reuenge but if thou forgiue with Iesus Christ and commit thy cause to God then God will reuenge thy cause as he did his cause euen fortie yéeres after by ouerthrowing the common wealth of the Iewes and at their solemne feast of their passeouer besieging them euen as they then apprehended Christ and by selling them euen thirtie for a penie as they solde him for thirtie pence So Amalecke pursued Israell when they came out of Egypt Exod. 17 18. nowe being wearie and wanting water and faint but in the daies of king Saul a great while after 1. Sam. 15.2 God remembred what Amalecke had done to Israell and when as no doubt both the Israelites and the Amalekites had forgotten it euen then he remembred it and reuenged it Sufferest thou wrong then haue thou patience forgiue thy brother fréelie commit thy cause to God neither craue the magistrates sword for what is that but to seeke reuenge and in the end God shall reuenge thy cause as he did Christs as he did Israels And therefore to this purpose also Ecclesiastes saieth If in a countrie thou seest the oppression of the poore and the defrauding of iudgement and iustice bee not astonied at the matter either at the will of God which suffers it or at the frowarde will of the man that dare doe it Eccl. 5.7 For hee that is higher then the highest of them that doe this iniurie bee they neuer so high marks it and regards it and there be higher then they Do not thou so much as maruell at it be not grieued there at in thy mind let it neuer trouble thee for be sure God marks it and if he marke it he will also surelie reuenge it And also Dauid in the Psalmes saieth thus to the same effect Psal 10.14 Thou hast seene O Lord this oppression and the sorrowe of the poore mans heart thou respectest to put the matter into thy hands the poore will leaue it vnto thee thou hast euer beene a helper to the fatherlesse God seeth all wrongs and he seeth also the sorrowes of poore mens harts which no mortall iudge can see therfore commit thy cause into his hands he will giue right iudgement So we read that Ieremy did when the Iewes sought his life But thou O Lord of Sabboth saith he who iudgest iustly triest the raines and hearts Ier. 11.20.21 Let me see thy reuenge vpon them for I haue reuealed my cause to thee But thou wilt saie I forgiue my brother fréelie but yet I will goe to law with him Is this to forgiue thy brother fréelie This is as Ioab did 2. Sam. 20.9.10 to embrace and kisse Amasa friendlie with thy mouth and to kill him with thy handes Is this to forgiue as thou wouldest haue God to forgiue thee Wouldest thou haue God enter into iudgement and goe to law with thée Euen as thou wouldest haue God forgiue thee so fréelie oughtest thou to forgiue thy brother As Saint Paul teacheth Coloss 3. Cap. ver 13. Forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarrell to another euen as Christ forgaue you euen so doe ye Lastlie if so be thou wilt needes goe to law be sure that thou haue euer charitie in thy heart Ephes 4 26. For if the sunne set on thine anger thou giuest place to the diuell as Saint Paul teacheth thee Oh that our quarrellers and contentious persons which delight in nothing but in going to law would remember this and beleeue it I thinke it would make them make hast to be friendes with their brethren Who would set open the doores of his house but one night for feare of robbing And shall we haue lesse care of our soules by our sléeping in malice or anger we set open the doore of our soules to the diuell to enter into it and to spoile it of all heauenlie vertues There is no theefe so watchfull as he is nor so bloodthirstie as saint Peter telleth vs 1. Pet. 5.8 He is like a roaring and raging lion walking about continually to seeke whom he may deuour Hée will not onelie robbe but kill And dost thou not feare him Darest thou through thine anger towardes thy brother leaue the doore of thy soule open vnto him Mat. 5.40 see that according to thy sauiours counsell rather then thou wouldest loose this rich iewell of Christian charitie thou wouldest loose both coat and cloake and lands and all Againe by this petition we maie learne that wee all are sinners If wee euen the Apostles of Christ saieth Saint Iohn whome Iesus loued shall say Ioh. 13.23 1. Io. 1 8. that we haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and there is no trueth in vs And who is there then else that must not saie so This lesson must humble vs it must stop our mouthes it is like the Peacockes deformed feet which when shée beholdes shée pluckes in her proude taile This will make vs pure in spirit Mat. 5.3 And lead vs not into temptation Gods grace is as it were a bridle to vs without which we should stumble and fall continuallie euen to the bottomlesse pitte of hell without it we cannot so much as thinke a good thought nor speake a good worde nor doe a good worke It is like to the Oare of a boate without it the boate wanders vp and downe the streame it is caried hither and thither so vaine and foolish likewise are all mens deuises if God guide them not And therefore we praie here that God will not leade vs into temptation that he will not take his grace from vs that he will not giue vs ouer vnto ouer selues that hee will not take this his bridle Rom. 1.24 this his heauenlie Oare from vs that he will guide vs euer with his heauenlie grace Rom. 8.1.4 and leade vs with his holie spirit least we incline our heartes and eares vnto vanitie Psal 119 37.52.11 And this is that which Dauid praieth O forsake me not O Lord my God be not farre from me And againe Cast mee not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me And againe Teach me to doe thy will for thou art my God Let thy good spirit leade me into the land of righteousnes Psal 143.10 King Saul maie teach
of nature by Ferus iudgement profits nothing but rather hinders our saluation And after Fer. in cap. 10. Act. These beasts signifie all them which should beleeue of the Gentiles For the Church was to bee collected not onely of the Iewes but also of the prophane Gentiles And they are fitly compared to beasts for what is man without the knowledge and the feare of God but a beast according to that Man when as he was in honour vnderstood not c. He was compared to beastes and became like them he liues like a beast as a swine that is washed wil wallow in the myre againe he lacks reason he is full of poison The poison of Aspes is vnder their lippes He is more fierce and cruell then any beast See what a miserable creature a sinner is If thou doest not knowe thy selfe at least wise hereof learne to knowe thy selfe Thus farre Ferus Here man maie see as in a looking glasse what hee is of his owne nature he is a Lyon a Beare a filthie Swine no Lyon so cruell no swine so filthie as he Fer. Ibid And here also wee maie learne out of Ferus what kind of sinners these beastes doe signifie he names thrée kinds of beasts For all that is in the world is either the concupiscence of the flesh or the concupiscence of the eyes or the pride of life Foure footed beasts signifie riotous persons creeping things signifie couetous men foules of the Aire ambitious men that ambitiouslie seeke after honors Peter is commanded to eate and deuour all these c. Sée then what accompt God makes of thee what an vglie monster thou art in his eies whosoeuer art giuen to thy pleasures who soeuer art couetous and greedie of this earthlie claie whosoeuer art ambitous and gapes after honors and promotions Though thou seeme in thine owne eies neuer so glorious nor of so great estimation thou art but a filthie swine a creeping vermine and a soaring Kyte And learne hereby rather to please God then either man or thy selfe Againe vpon these wordes I also am a man hee wrytes thus Ibid. He teacheth the Apostles successours that they ought to flie ambition for it is an horrible fault and it makes vs ascribe vnto our selues those things which God workes in vs or by vs as it were by instruments when as all glory is due vnto God And therefore Paul ascribed to himselfe all the paines he tooke but to God all the fruites of his labours I saieth he haue laboured more then they all but not I but the grace of God with me The fruit of Gods word he yéelds wholie to God For he works in vs both to will and to performe hee teacheth them also to challenge no praise to themselues for these thinges which they haue doone in Christs name and by his power The false Apostles and Byshops obserue neither of these Fer. in cap. 13. Act. And after Thou seest how necessary Christ is ascribe not light to reason nor saluation to thy works but both to Christ And after vpon these words And they beleeued as manie as were predestinate No man beleeues but hee which is predestinate No man comes to me vnlesse my father draw him Here he giues vs to marke that faith is not of the desert of man but of the mercie and election of God for the Lord saith in the Gospell to Peter confessing Christ Flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen And to Nicodemus vnlesse one be borne againe from aboue he cannot see the kingdome of God All these places doe not impute to God the fault why the wicked are condemned but rather they proue euidently that the election and grace of God is the cause of the saluation of the godly least any man should attribute to our strength that which belongs onely to God Thou seest also here who are predestinate to life they who beleeue in Christ therefore thou needest not curiously dispute of predestination beleeue in Christ and bring forth good works in him and thou art sure that thou art predestinate Otherwise if thou were the very signet of Gods right hand thou shalt be cast away Our owne forces and strength by Ferus his iudgement maie challenge no part in our saluation And declare thy faith by thy good workes as Saint Iames teacheth thee and bee sure of thy predestination saieth Ferus In cap. Act. 17. And vpon these wordes God is in vs. The power of God appeares in no creature more then in man although he fulfill all things as he saith by the Prophet Ieremie An◠I God onely nigh at hand and not a farre off also Therefore he saith truly that God is not farre off of euery one of vs who workes by vs as a workeman with the toole which he hath made And after They are fit to receiue the word of God which earnestly thirst after it In cap. Act. 18. which shut the eies of reason who altogether distrusting to their owne righteousnes wisedome or knowledge do relie onely vpon the word of God acknowledging themselues to be blind and euer to erre and stumble vnles they be lightned with the heauenly light And for this cause they require and earnestly desire often this lightening in their godly prayers Of them it is said in the fift of Matthew Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnes And a little after The flesh is euer fearefull Ibid. and escheweth perils and trembles at death nor can endure any trouble for the Lords sake Therefore we haue need of the grace of God by which we are that we are By this it appeares that there is no goodnes in the flesh And of Abraham he writes thus In cap. Act. 19. True faith doubts not of the word of God though all things seeme contrary So Abraham beleeued God when as he had heard of him This shall not be thy heire meaning Ismael but he that shall proceed out of thine owne bowels he shall bee thine heire Though he himselfe were an old man and had a very old woman to his wife who also was barren yet he beleeued God promising him a sonne against nature against reason against mans capacity That I may say with Paul He beleeued in hope against hope he gaue God the glory and hee brought in bondage himselfe and his owne reason And that was accompted to him for righteousnes that is pleased God more then all thinges that Abraham had doone hitherto That for this faith he was iust and so accompted of before God c. Thus we may see what is in man euen regenerate still flesh bloud resisting the will word and promises of God which all good Christians must striue dailie to conquour 1. Epist Ioh. 5.4 And this is that great victory of faith which Saint Iohn speakes of And of S. Paul when he was come to Ierusalem the same Ferus writes thus Letting all other things
rest of the apostles condemne in their Epistles and not that Euangelicall and liuelie faith which S. Paul calles faith Some men in those dayes taught that if one kept a whore openlie and yet said that hee beleeued in Christ by his faith hee should bee saued Aug. de fide oper cap. 1. Against such saint Austen makes that Booke and affirmes that such a faith cannot profit anie man Againe here we note howe the Fathers are to be vnderstood when as manie times they saie that charitie couers sins and mercie saues and such like phrases they vse that as saint Austen doeth here saie that faithfull charitie liues well so also faithfull charitie couers sinnes and faithfull mercie saues As Saint Paul also saieth of faithfull prayer that it saues He that calles on the name of the Lord saieth hee shall be saued But howe shall they call on him on whom they haue not beleeued So that prayer hath this vertue to saue not of her selfe but of faith And so we maie no doubt saie of other good workes Euerie thing the more excellent it is doeth more communicate his vertue to others as euen the verie fire his heate to the colde and harde Iron so that now Iron burnes but it is by reason of fire that impartes his vertue vnto it so likewise the sunne impartes his forces to these inferior creatures so trees impart their sappe to their fruites and shall wée thinke that faith is lesse forcible then fire Phil. 1.11 and are not workes called the fruits of righteousnesse and why maie not faith which is the roote of righteousnesse impart this his sappe vnto them De Iacob beat vit lib. 2. cap. 1. Vno fidei munimine tegant Ambrose of faith and workes writes thus In this field flourish the Pomegranets which containe many fruits vnder one rinde of faith and do as it were nourish them with the embracing of charitie so that faith as the rind of the Pomegranet containes manie kernelles vnder it so doth faith couer all our works They may not appeare in Gods sight without it it giues life vnto them And charity is as it were the nurse of them as necessary as the nurse is to the child after it be born so necessary also is charity to all our good works Cap. 2. And after writing howe Isaac smelled a swéete sauour of Esaues garmentes which Rebeccah had put on her sonne Iacob he writes thus Peraduenture it meanes this That we are not iustified by workes but by faith because the infirmitie of our flesh is an hinderance to our workes but the brightnesse of faith ouershadowes the error of our deedes which deserues pardon of our sinnes So that whereas in our best good workes are imperfections by reason of the infirmitie of our flesh the glorie of faith lighteneth and couereth them This is Ambrose his iudgement Our workes then of themselues can iustly challenge no rewarde nay they must craue pardon for their imperfections and the helpe of faith to patronize them Againe how that all men are sinners he writes thus Amb. de lac beat vit l. 2. c. 5 Oh how happie is that man in whom the enemie can finde nothing that he may challenge to be his in whom the Diuell can finde nothing that he may say iustly to bee his this seemes impossible in man But Iacob herein bare a type of him who said in the Gospel The Prince of this world comes and in me he shall finde nothing Ambrose here plainlie affirmes that no man except only Iesus Christ is frée from sinne he excepts not the blessed virgin Marie as the Papists doe now Of whose iudgement were Chrysostome and Theophylact as Titilman notes vpon Iohn Titil in Ioh. cap. 2. But now saith he that it is reuealed to the Church that she is without sinne we must beleeue it though these fathers in their daies taught contrarie So lightly they account of the fathers when they make against them That lesson of Peter is worth the marking 1. Pet. 1.13 Therefore the loines of your minde being girded vp and being sober trust perfectly in that grace which is brought vnto you by the Reuelation of Iesus Christ And after If you call him father Verse 17. which iudgeth without respect of persons according to euerie mans worke passe the time of this your pilgrimage here in feare Here is a briefe summe of a Christians iustification and conuersation He must trust perfectly in the loue of God brought to him and declared by Iesus Christ as concerning his frailties and sinnes of infirmitie For who can say my heart is cleane But he must also haue the loines of his minde girded vp and passe the time of this his pilgrimage in feare As concerning presumptuous sinnes Psal 19.13 Psal 59.5 Rom. 6.12 Psal 119.122 De iustificatione lib. 2. cap. 7. he maie not sinne of malicious wickednes Sinne may no more raigne in him he may not take delight and pleasure in sinne This is the summe of Saint Peters doctrine concerning the conuersation and iustification of all Christians Maister Bellarmine first of Iustification writes thus The fourth and fift error which also haue many maintainers place our iustification in the imputation of Christs righteousnesse as though therefore we were righteous before God because Christ doth couer vs with his righteousnesse and seeing vs thus couered pronounceth that he accompts vs iust This doctrine Maister Bellarmine accounts erronious which agrées with the Scriptures euen as saint Paul most plainly prooueth Roman 4.6 The Prophet Dauid also saith he declareth the blessednesse of man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes saying Blessed are they whose vnrighteousnesse are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Here are Dauids and saint Paules plaine resolutions that the blessednesse of euerie man consists in the couering of his sinnes and in the imputation of righteousnesse without workes To this agrées also saint Iohn 1. Ioh. 2.2 If anie man sin as before he had affirmed that all men did euen we the Apostles haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the iust and he is the propitiation or couering of our sinnes Euen Iesus Christ couers the Apostles sinnes And this is that which our Sauiour himselfe teacheth all Christians Luke 9.26 For whosoeuer shall be ashamed of me and of my wordes of him shall the son of man be ashamed when hee shall come in his glorie What meanes this that Christ will be ashamed of some at his comming No doubt that he will not clothe them with his righteousnesse nor shadowe them vnder his winges But Maister Bellarmine goeth on further and writes thus Our aduersaries saith he affirme that the imputation of Christs righteous is necessarie not only because sinne truely euer remaines in vs but also because our inherent righteousnesse is not so perfect that it might simply and absolutely iustifie vs. But we will easily refute this cause if our aduersaries will beleeue the
Scriptures For our inherent righteousnesse or our inward renouation is knowne chiefely to consist in faith hope and charitie wherefore if we shall proue that faith hope and charitie can bee perfect in this life we shall also proue that the imputation of Christs righteousnesse is not necessarie But how contrarie also is this his doctrine to the scriptures We know in part saith saint Paul and we prophesie in part 1. Cor. 13.10 but when that which is perfect is come that which is in part shall be abolished There is no perfection in this life that shall come hereafter in the life to come No doubt that prayer of the Apostles is set downe as a paterne for all Christians to vse Luke 17.5 euen vnto the worlds ende And the Apostles said vnto the Lord Increase our faith How contrarie also he is in this his assertion to Ferus and other Papists hereafter euidently shal God willing appeare Of the merites also of good workes Maister Bellarmine writes thus And first of the nature of a merit or deseruing Lib. 5. de Iustifica cap. 18. many thinges saith he as the sunne the moone the fields vineyardes and gardens yeelde vs great commodities and yet they are not said properly to deserue any thing of vs because they doe not their dueties voluntarily neither can they choose but they must doe as they doe Then wages is due to a desert or merit but debt ariseth not but hereof that one giues another that which was his owne For if he should not giue his owne but that which was another mans nothing were owing or due to him There is nothing properlie ours but that which is in our owne power either to doe or to let passe These things are in our power and of these we are properlie said to haue the Lordship To conclude our euill workes vnlesse they be done freely deserue no punishment therefore neither good works shall deserue any reward vnlesse they be done voluntarily His drift is to proue that we haue in vs fréewill and therefore we maie deserue of God And therefore he writes thus after Now truely the good workes of the iust deserue eternall life ex condigno worthily not onely by reason of the couenant and acceptation of God but also by reason of the worke it selfe So that in the good workes which proceede from grace there is a certaine proportion and equalitie to the reward of eternall life And after he writes thus Whereby we perceiue that same degree of glorie which is due to vs by right of inheritance is giuen vs also by right of the reward For one thing as we haue often said may bee due by two titles that is by inheritance and of merites How contrarie also in this doctrine is he to the doctrine of the scriptures whereas Christ shall saie to all his Come ye blessed of my father Matth. 25.34 Luke 12.32 inherite ye the kingdome prepared for you And againe Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome He dare affirme that the saints of God shall not onely inherit this kingdome by their fathers frée gift as the scriptures in these places manifestly teach but also that they shall deserue it How contrarie is he also herein to Philippus de Dies Who saith that the iust can challenge nothing of God and to Ferus as appeares in this that followes But here first let vs marke howe contrarie this his doctrine is to that which Gregory a Byshoppe of Rome concerning this matter Greg. in 7. Psal paenit taught in his dayes The mercie of the Lord sayeth hee is for euer and euer vpon them that feare him if so be that the blessednesse of the Saints is mercy and is not gotten by merites where is that which is written And thou shalt giue to euery man according to his works If it be giuen according vnto works how shall it bee accounted merite But it is one thing to giue according to workes and another to giue for our workes In that hee saieth he will giue euery one according to his works the quality of works is vnderstood that he whose works shall appeare good shall haue that glorious reward For to that blessed life wherein we shall liue with God and of God no labour can be equal nor no works compared especially when as the Apostle saith The sufferings of this life are not worthy the glory which shall be reuealed in vs. Maister Bellarmine saieth that in the good works which proceede from grace there is a certaine proportion and equalitie but Gregory saith no labour or worke can bee compared vnto it And after hee writes thus Although in this respect also it may bee called mercie because it is giuen for those vvorkes which vnlesse Gods mercy did preuent him no man could obtaine wherefore it is said in the Psalme My God his mercie hath preuented me For vnlesse he had made the Vesselles of wrath Vessels of mercy his owne holy life had separated none from that lumpe of perdition his owne righteousnesse had deliuered none from the punishment of euerlasting death Therefore it is certaine that to whome he giues mercifully that in this life they should do well he giues them more mercifully that in that euerlasting blessednes they shuld a hundreth fold be rewarded This is the grace which for grace the Apostle affirmes shall be giuen vnto the Saints of God that to whō in this life is giuen the grace of sanctification to them of this also in the life to come shal be giuen the grace of euerlasting hapines Here wee maie note how Gregory makes two expositions of these wordes God shall render to euery one according to his works And in both he takes awaie all merite and in both he sets downe the onelie cause of our reward to be mercie In the first hee saieth not for our workes as anie cause of our saluation but according to our workes as effectes we shall bee rewarded Againe not according to the quantitie of our workes wherein manie Pagans haue excéeded manie Christians as they which voluntarilie did giue themselues to death for the loue of their countrie these were great workes and of these the Romane histories and other doe testifie but according to the qualitie euen be they neuer so few or so small yet if they shall procéede from a liuelie faith they shall bee rewarded as our sauiour witnesseth Euen a cuppe of cold water giuen in his name Mat. 10.42 shall not loose his reward Naie shall surpasse all the Cuppes of most bitter death which those Pagans suffered for their countrie sakes Such an excellent thing is Christian faith it alone giues vertue and makes acceptable vnto God all our workes Our reward shall bee like theirs that came into the Vineyeard at the last houre of the day Mat. 20.24 the mercifull housholder made them equall with them that came first To teach vs that it is not our vvorking or running
of coldwater in respect of that which God giues and must giue vs and is the worke in it selfe then answerable to the reward O proude spéech Mat. 5.3 But to prooue the same by more euident examples Blessed are the poore in spirite sayeth our Sauiour for theirs is the Kingdome of heauen what proportion or equalitie is there I praie you betwéene this pouertie and lowlinesse of minde and the Kingdome of heauen Blessed are the peace-makers for they shall be called the Sonnes of God Verse 9. What proportion is there betwéene this small worke to make two which are at variance friendes and betwéene this honorable title And blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake Verse 10. for theirs is the Kingdome of heauen What persecution in the world that anie mortall man can endure is equal or worthy of the kingdome of heauen If Maister Bellarmine will affirme this saint Paul will denie it I account sayeth hee that the sufferinges of this present life are not worthy of the glorie which shall be reuealed vnto vs. Roman 8.18 He waighed our workes and the great glorie of the kingdome of heauen in another manner of ballance then Maister Bellarmine doeth If the cruell sufferinges and tormentes of Martyrs by saint Pauls iudgement are not worthie of the glorie which shall bee reuealed vnto vs much lesse the workes of iust and good men whatsoeuer Againe Master Bellarmine of the substance and nature of good workes writes thus The turning of man to God as also euery other good worke as it is a worke it is onely of free-will although not without generall grace and as it is good so it is only of grace and as it is a good worke so it is of free-will and grace together Hée ioines in the substance of euerie good worke Gods grace and mans frée-will â— Corin. 3.5 but saint Paul sayeth We are not fitte of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues And againe Philip. 2.13 It is God which works in vs both to will and to do according to his good pleasure And saint Austen sayeth So God workes in our free-will Aug. de Eccl. dog cap. 23. that euen a holy thought a good counsell and the very motion of a good will is of God So that this turning of man to God as it is a worke is of God also by his iudgement And saint Paul speaking of mans saluation sayeth Ephes 2.8.9 that wee are saued by grace through faith and that not of our selues it is the gift of God This faith this chiefe worke of Christians this our first turning to God is not of vs no not anie part thereof It is the free gift of God But Maister Bellarmine saieth partly of vs whereas saint Paul saith plainelie not of vs. And concerning our good works saint Paul sayth that by them we are not saued And hee doeth not onelie affirme this Ephes 2. â— but hee addeth also a reason to prooue it Least anie man should reioice or boast no man maie bragge or boast of his saluation at all no not in part And that which followes in saint Paul takes awaie Maister Bellarmines ground For we are his workmanshippe Verse 10. created of Iesus Christ to good works Wée are as it were nowe created againe to doe good workes in Iesus Christ wée are not by grace onelie helped or sette free or stirred vp to good workes as maister Bellarmine teacheth but both the worke and the goodnes thereof is Gods and not ours Wée were like a golden vessell created of God most absolute and perfect but so dashed and so deformed of sathan that no straightning or beaâ—ing would serue the turne Wée must needes bee new molten and cast againe before wée can serue the Lordes vse Scouring would not suffice or strengthening by soulder The Vniuersitie of Collen also writes thus Neither from vs Contr. Monhe dialog 5. nor from our selues our works do challenge the cause of their merites as though without any grace we might obtaine euerlasting life but what merite soeuer is in them wee must attribute it to the grace of God So that mans owne nature can challenge no part in the merite This is their opinion Granatensis also speaking of the kingdome of heauen Lib 2. Mem. cap. 4. writes thus speaking of those thinges which wée loose thorowe sinne The Kingdome of heauen is also lost which comes of grace For as the Apostle sayeth Glory is giuen by grace And of the conceit and opinion that euerie Christian ought to haue of himselfe hee writes thus The true louer of humility thinkes no better of himselfe then of a deade and stincking carion scrawling with wormes Med. vit Christi 20. whose stench he is not able to abide himselfe Then hee will remember that saying of Saint Paul If anie man thinke himselfe to be anie thing when as indeed he is nothing he deceiueth himselfe And also that What hast thou that thou hast not receiued And if thou haue receiued it why doest thou bragge as though thou hadst not receiued it To which agrées also that saying of the Apostle 2 Cor. 3.3 Not that we are sufficient of our selues to thinke anie thing as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of God And that Worke your saluation with feare and trembling Phil. 2.12.13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to finish c. Therefore all that is good is of God and he that attributes any thing to himselfe steales Gods honor from him Macarius to the same effect writes thus Euen as if a King should giue a beggar his treasure to keepe he that tooke it onely to keepe doth not account it his own but in euery place still confesseth his owne pouerty neither dare he impaire or spend any thing of another mans treasure euer thinking thus with himselfe that it is not onely another mans treasure but also that a mighty King gaue it him to keepe Citatur à Dadrao Loc. com tit de humilitat which when he list will call for it againe They ought to be of the same mind which haue receiued the grace of God that is to say that they thinke humbly of themselues and confesse still their owne pouerty for euen as that beggar which receiued that treasure of the King to keepe if hee bragging of another mans treasure should bee puffed vp in his owne works and beginne to waxe proude the King will take away his treasure from him which hee gaue him onely to keepe and then he shall be such a one as he was before that is a beggar So they which haue the grace of God if they shall be puffed vp therewith and waxe proude in their hearts God doeth take away his grace from them and then they remain such as they were before when as they had receiued no grace from the Lord. Such poore beggars Macarius makes all Christians that haue nothing of their
owe vnto God and how these our debts and dueties are farre greater then our power and hability nay when as we cannot vnderstand how much we are indebted vnto him Thus far Granatensis Where hee plainelie teacheth that all our workes are not merites but dueties nay that no man knowes howe much hee owes to GOD and therefore can neuer challenge anie merite And againe in another place hee writes thus These sayeth hee foure other excellent and notable vertues do follow Inward and outward humility pouerty of body and soule patience in aduersity and tribulations and a pure intent in good works that they all be doone onely for the loue of God without mingling of anie profit or respect either temporall or spirituall Thus farre Granatensis If wée must respect no profit neither temporall nor spirituall in dooing of our good works then not the saluation of our soules which marke in Poperie their blinde guides taught all men to aime at And in another place against merites hee writes thus most plainelie Againe sayeth hee hee that is about to pray on the one side must know that he deserues no good thing and on the other he must beleeue that although he haue no merites yet God of his infinite mercy and goodnesse will giue him that that shall bee most profitable to his saluation Therefore man must be content whether he receiue at Gods hands much or little and receiue all things thankefully whatsoeuer God doth accounting himselfe vnworthy of all things God giues him and to be ready to do all things that God commaunds him And to giue God his due thanks not so much for those things which hee hopes to receiue as for these which he hath receiued already Thus farre Granatensis where hee plainely confesseth that there is no merites in man for which he can challenge to receiue anie thing at Gods hands Lodouicus Viues of good works writes thus Praepar anim ad r and. 35. Take heede againe and againe least that it euer come into thy mind that thou canst profit or do any good to God neither flatter thy selfe of thy good worke as though by it thou hadst bound or demerited God vnto thee which thought is most hurtfull and oftentimes the marrer of all good works To take which from our minds our Lord said After that yee haue doone all these things say that ye are vnprofitable seruants Ferus also of the trust in our workes writes thus Fer. in 2. Act. Againe by this sound it is foreshewed that the holy spirit cannot be receiued vnlesse the hart be first shaken So when the Lord was about to come to Elias there went before him a wind that ouerthrew the mountaines then after a fire and an Earthquake The same thing God doeth in vs before he come to our heart first hee sends a mightie wind ouerthrowing the mountaines that is he ouerthrowes all things which seeme great and takes away all trust but yet the Lord is not present for there are many which haue nothing wherein they may trust and yet they haue not God But this is the first steppe of his comming Then followes the earthquake when man vnderstands what he is and when he considers the misery of the world then the holy Spirite is nearer but yet hee is not present Thirdly the fire of the conscience followes and then the Lord is not farre off For it is a great matter to feele sinne After the fire followes the noise of a soft ayre that is the grace of God making ioyfull a terrified conscience Thus farre Ferus Where he plainelie teacheth that all mountaines what great good workes wee haue doone soeuer must first bee ouerthrowne in vs wée must haue no trust in our selues before God come to vs and that this is the first steppe of his grace Let them that trust in their workes here take heede to themselues and see by Ferus his iudgement how farre they are from the grace of God God hath not so much as made one steppe to come vnto them Oh what a miserable case are all such in then And againe vpon that place Whosoeuer shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saued Our name sayeth hee is sinne vnrighteousnesse lying vanity c. The name of God is that hee is onely good true mighty iust mercifull and wise c. Of this Name Christ saieth Father I haue declared thy name vnto men He therefore that accuseth his owne name and cals vpon the name of God that is desires helpe by the goodnesse truth mercy and power of God he shall be saued whether he be Iew or Gentile So Dauid called vpon the name of the Lord O Lorde in thy name saue me and in thy power iudge my cause and in thy righteousnesse deliuer me And againe in thee O Lord haue I put my trust I shall neuer be put to confusion deliuer me in thy righteousnesse Here thou hast the perill and the remedy death and life are sette before thee take heede least thou forget thy selfe Call vpon the Lord while he is neare Hitherto he hath terrified them threatning like a people and he hath foreshewed them generally the medicines whereby euilles may be driuen away Nay after least any should bee affraid to come vnto God he plaies the Preacher of the Gospell and settes the mediator before their eyes who alone hath manifested to the world the name of his father vnto whose power also the Father hath committed all things By whom onely and alone we also haue accesse vnto the Father Thus farre Ferus All men that will bee saued must accuse their owne name that is their owne righteousnesse before the Maiestie of God and they must call vpon the mercie of God and his trueth and goodnesse by the mediation onelie of Iesus Christ Here is death and life set before euerie man by Ferus his iudgement Cap. 3. Againe of the Iewes hee writes thus The people also did lie lame before the Temple They had the Priesthood the Temple the sacrifices examples of things to come but they onely trusted in the externall things they neuer entred into the Temple to consider what those externall things meant Some went in as the Prophets by the shadowes gathering the things signified but the lame people followed them not Thus farre Ferus Such like were our forefathers who put much trust in externall thinges and they deuised of man neuer knew what they meant And how coulde that profit them seeing the trust in externall thinges and which God commanded could not profit the Iewes And againe hee writes thus Neither can any externall thing sanctifie vs or cleanse vs but onely that hee with his Spirite and his bloud cleanseth vs. Thirdly he is iust and iustifieth vs when hee communicates vnto vs his merites and righteousnes with the which being clothed we dare appâ—are before God So the Psalmist testifieth I will make mention of thy righteousnesse onely And againe In thee O Lord haue I put my trust I
anie thing and excellent personages and the dignitie of the things themselues The things themselues oftentimes do speake and witnesse And here concerning the certaintie of our saluation first that plaine and short Epistle which saint Iohn writes to all that beléeue in Iesus Christ as a most ancient record doth testifie Ioh. Epist 1. ca. 5.13 Secondlie saint Iohn himselfe who wrote the Epistle who was the beloued Disciple on whome Iesus Christ leaned and lastlie the dignitie of Christians all that beléeue in Iesus Christ must know that they haue eternall life Faith in Iesus Christ is no small iewell it bringes with it this vertue euen the assurance and knowledge of our saluation They diminish and take the dignitie both of faith and of Christians from them that deny this which saint Iohn repeates twise in that his short Epistle as a thing not lightly to be regarded as a thing which the diuell should go about to steale from Christians and to deface for he cannot abide the dignitie of faith These things haue I written to you sayeth saint Iohn which beleeue on the name of the son of God that ye may know that ye haue eternall life and that ye may beleeue on the name of the Sonne of God Let vs marke here first that he sayth that all Christians must know that they haue eternall life now that they shall haue it but that they must now know that they are assured of it euen as if they had it already Secondlie that he repeates that they which beléeue on the name of the sonne of God haue this knowledge and this assurance And he vrgeth this knowledge and assurance as a spur and a mightie cause to make them beléeue on the name of the sonne of God Who would not to be assured of his saluation to know certainly that he should be saued doe any thing Nowe saint Iohn teacheth all true Christians that to the obtaining of this so waightie a matter there is one thing necessary and that is To beleeue on the name of the sonne of God who will not now beléeue and euery day pray for increase of faith that heares and beleeues this In ca. 5. Epi. Io. Ferus also as I haue noted before affirmeth that as Christ had witnesse from heauen and on earth that he was the onely true Sauiour of the world so euery Christian hath the same Testimonie that he is the sonne of God And shal any christian doubt then whether he be the sonne of God or no First the Father from heauen witnesseth they shall be my sonnes and my daughters and I wil be their father Secondly the holy Ghost witnesseth to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God And thirdly the Sacrament of Baptisme wherewith we are washed and the Sacrament of the Eucharist wherewith we are sed doth witnesse the same what can then be more happie then a Christian saith Ferus that hath so manie Testimonies Master Bellarmine that Salomon spake generally of the vncertainty which iust men haue of their proper grace either as men or as the sonnes of God may be gathered of two things first of these words that all things are kept vncertaine or before their faces But here Bellarmine must not mistake Salomon for all things are not kept vncertaine as the words seeme to import for then the Articles of our faith should bee vncertaine which I thinke Bellarmine will not affirme among which Articles also are contained the remission of sinnes and the resurrection of the bodie I maruell why they will not make the one of these as certaine to euerie mans conscience as the other So that then these words of Salomon that all things are vncertain must be restrained within their limits and to bee vnderstood in that respect hee spake them which the words following doe declare that is that by these externall euents a man cannot iudge anie thing but all things are vncertaine Secondlie Master Bellarmine saieth that of the intent or purpose of Salomon this may be gathered which was to shew that this was one of the miseries of this life and that not the least that euen iust men might iustly feare least peraduenture they were not iust but if they knew they were iust howsoeuer they know it then saieth hee all things were not reserued as vncertaine to come But what was Salomons purpose appeareth by the Chapter going before And I see all the worke of God saieth hee that man cannot find it out the worke that is done vnder the Sunne Eccl ca. 8. v. 17 the which man studies to search out and cannot find the same yea though a wise man saie he will search it out yet he cannot find it And then followes I gaue my mind to this whole matter and to declare it all Here is first Salomons purpose that Gods works are woonderfull and that no man can attaine to the depth or to the reason of them not to teach as master Bellarmine teacheth that this is not the least misery of man to feare whether he be iust or no. And then after Salomon hath put downe this his intent and purpose he sets downe this foundation concerning the matter propounded That all men whether wise or iust whether seruants or masters are in the hands of God How soeuer God dealeth with men this is a sure ground That be they wise and iust they are in the hands of God and therefore are sure to be saued whatsoeuer befall them But his loue or hatred saieth hee man knowes not for all things happen to the good and wicked alike so woonderfull are the works of God that by them no man can tell his loue or his hatred This is Salomons drift and purpose as most euidentlie appeares out of this Text whereas that first ground That the iust and wise men are in the hands of God whatsoeuer befalles them seemes to inferre necessarilie this certaintie of our saluation But to conclude this place doth not that saying of the Apostle prooue euidentlie the certaintie of our saluation That the feruent desire of the creature waiteth Rom. 8 20.21.22 when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed For wee know that euery creature groneth with vs also and trauelleth in paine together vnto this present And not onely the creature but we also which haue the first fruits of the spirit euen we doe sigh in our selues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our bodies If all the godlie doe sigh and grone for the daie of Iudgement with the earth which then shall most assuredlie be restored to the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God doe wee thinke that they doe doubt of their saluation or doe wee thinke God deales more hardlie with them then with the earth It is sure of deliuerance and liberty euen now which causeth it to grone and are not they That saying also of Peter confirmes the same That all Christians should looke for 2. Pet. 4 12. hasten vnto the day of God
nowe teachest he would by and by haue cried out and would haue stopped his eares and as his manner was he would haue said O good God into what times hast thou reserued me that I should heare these things Would not he also by and by haue fled from the place where sitting or standing he should haue heard such words Héere we may plainly see what maner of traditions they were which the father 's kept and in the commendations wherof they wrote that is such traditions as were agréeable to the scriptures and no other And this one place of Eusebius may be a rule to square all other places of fathers whosoeuer when they highly commend traditions To teach all Christians that they meane no other traditions then Policarpe and Irenaeus that is such as are agréeing to the scriptures Among the Iewes that olde and subtile serpent Sathan had sowen tares amongst the Lordes wheat Munster in annot in cap. 1. Gen. as appeareth by the manifolde dreames and strange opinions of the Rabbins besides the scriptures As that before the world God had created seuen things that is to say paradise the law the iust men the throne of maiestie Ierusalem and Messias Againe they say that the moone was in the beginning created equall in light with the sunne but that this her light was diminished In annot in 7. cap. Gen. for her pride Againe All the Rabbines of the Hebrewes thinke generally that the waters which increased in the floud were hotte and that so the fishes also perished What are all these but sathans plantes so ouershadow the Lords trueth So likewise amongst vs Christians in the time of the Gospell hee hath not beene idle He hath mixed his drosse amongst the Lords gold as appeares in the Popes Legend and other Histories Longinus was a certaine Centurion who standing with other soldiers saith their Legend by the commaundement of Pilate Legend aurea de sancto Long. thrust the Lords side thorow with his speare And after seeing the signes which then happened that is the sunne to be darkened and the earthquake he beleeued but especially for this cause as some say that when as his eies were dimmed either by some infirmity or by age by chance some of the blood which ranne out of Christs side running downe his speare touched his eies and presently he saw most cleerely This is one of their traditions But Granatensis as should séeme not liking this fable in his meditations of Christes passion I thanke thee saith hee O Lord Iesu Orat. 6. parad prec that thou wouldest suffer thy side to be pierced of a certaine soldier He names not Longinus but agreeth with the scripture and goes no further that a certaine soldier pierced him to the heart with his speare So likewise they haue added manie things to the other scriptures of God as in an olde printed booke in verse made in those daies I read thus of Putifats wife and Ioseph He said Madam I will be true to my Lord Traitor will I neuer be to my Soueraigne Therefore beleeue me at a word Rather then do so I had rather be slaine With that loude did she crie and brake her lace in twaine And smote her nose that it gusht out all on bloud And rent down her serket that was of silk ful good She told the Knights that Ioseph would by her laine And that he tare her robes all asunder And helpe had not come the thiefe had me slaine Heere is no mention made howe she kept his garment when he fled away from her whereof the scripture makes mention but of dashing her selfe on the nose and rending her robe whereof in scripture there is no mention Of the first originall of bonefires in their Legend Leg. aur in Nat. Ioh. bap thus wee may read The bones of dead beastes being out of all places gathered together are burnt of some vpon this daie whereof there is two causes as Iohn Beleth saith one an obseruation of an auncient custome for there are certaine beasts called Dragons which doe flye in the ayre and swimme in the water and goe on the earth and sometime when as they goe on earth they are inflamed with lust and doe throw their seede into springs and flouds whereof followed a plaguie and vnholsome yeare Against this this remedie was founde out that a fire should be made of the bones of beasts and this fire would driue them away and because this chanced about this time therefore yet this of some is obserued Another cause is to signifie vnto vs that the bones of Saint Iohn Baptist were burnt in the Citie called Sebasta of the infidels Also then they carie in their hands burning firebrands because Iohn was a light shining burning And they turne about a wheele because then the sunne declines in his circle to signifie that the fame of Iohn who was supposed to be Christ did descende and diminish What preseruatiues against Dragons what doctrines for their soules were these Io. 5 35. Especially when as they neuer then heard in the scriptures read that Iohn was a burning light But that fable of Formosus is notable Fasc Tem. 6 aetate Christi an Dom. 9 14. which Fasciculus Temporum makes mention of This Sergius saith that booke when as he came to Rome by the ayde of the French men tooke Christopher the Antipope and sate in his steed And to reuenge his repulse he drew the body of Formosus out of his graue and being clothed like the Pope he commanded his head to be chopt off in his pontificall chaire and to be throwne into Tiber. But the fishers brought him into the Church the Images bowing themselues vnto him and saluting him reuerently as all they did see which were present This is reported in that historie And after Fulbertus Byshop of Carnotensis in his sicknesse was visited of the blessed Virgin Marie and restored againe with her most blessed milke Also of the visitation of Elizabeth they saie in their Legend that the blessed Virgin carried with her Cousin three moneths waiting vpon her and that she tooke the childe being borne in her holy armes from the ground as it is written in the Scholasticall historie and did most diligently the dutie of a nurse carrying him about This teacheth their Legend Whereas the Gospel saith that she abode with her thrée moneths and after returned to her owne house Luc. 1.56 and that when Elizabeths time was comed that she should be deliuered she brought forth a forme and her neighbours and Cousins reioiced with her But this as should séeme was after Maries departure And this Stella affirmes also in 2. cap. Luc. Thus they erre not knowing the Scriptures That miracle is strange of Germanus the Byshop of Antisiodore Fasc temp Fol. 50. which is written of him that he restored three dead men to life againe and also his Asse That he would shew a miracle vpon his asse séemes verie strange But to
againe and that Elias in his owne person shal not come but that in Iohn the prophesie of Malachie was fulfilled and that all things are restored alreadie which is the ende for which our Sauiour saith that Elias shall come And Iohn Baptist shall turne the hearts of the fathers vnto the children and the vnbeleeuers to the wisedome of the iust to make a perfect people to the Lord as the Angell teacheth which is the end also why Malachie saieth that Elias shall come So that then both the ends and offices of Elias being fulfilled alreadie by the testimonie of an Angell and of Saint Ierome in this place what néede is there why Elias should come And in that other place which I haue cited before Ierome in this point calles them Iewish heretickes which teach that Elias in his own person shall come he would neuer haue changed his opinion and embraced that doctrine which himselfe before had called heresie without some great and waightie reasons and also he would haue set downe the reasons In explic orationis Ierem. And this opinion of Fathers as should séem he often mentions in other places but neuer as his owne For thus hee writes In that he saith renew our daies as from the beginning he saies it to desire this that as in the beginning he made the first Patriarkes deuout vnto him through perfect faith and charitie so he would vouchsafe through the same his grace to make them faithfull and deuout vnto him The which thing many thinke is promised them by Malachie the Prophet by the comming of Elias And I will send you Elias the Prophet before that great and terrible daie of the Lord c. Many saith Ierom thinke thus but he saith not that he doeth thinke so he is the same still that he was before And vpon the 29. of Ezechiel he inueies against those which followe and beléeue Iewish fables But to make this matter yet more plainer that Ierom did neuer change his opinion concerning this matter Let vs heare the opinion of Rupertus Rupertus in Malac. a great learned Papist who touching this matter writes thus Of the comming of Elias I dare determine nothing because some of the Doctors to whom we almost all agree doe beleeue that he shal come in deed and that he shall restore all things and that he shall be put to death Others thinke the contrarie to whom S. Ierom that famous man seemes to agree saying Although also there be many amongst vs that thinke he shall come in deed and that he shall restore all things and that he shall suffer death yet our Lord being asked of the Apostles concerning the comming of Elias answered Elias is now comed alreadie and they knew him not but they haue done to him whatsoeuer pleased them willing them to vnderstand Iohn in Elias And therefore by and by after be addeth If ye will receiue him Iohn is that same Elias which is to come Here we maie plainly sée that by Rupertus his iudgement Ierom neuer changed his opinion as Mast Bellarmine would make vs beléeue that he did Againe we maie note here Ieroms bulwarke against all the sayings of the fathers in this matter which must be ours also not onely in this but in all other doubts and controuersies whatsoeuer He alleadgeth the authority of the Gospel against all the sayings of the Fathers and so must we doe not onely in this but in all other controuersies whatsoeuer If all the fathers séeme to teach that which is contrarie to the scriptures we must here with Ierom forsake them all and cleaue to the authoritie of the scriptures No doubt Ierom had read Tertullian and Iustine and Ambrose and Austen which all seeme to saie that Elias himselfe shall come but he preferres as we maie here plainely sée the authoritie of the Gospell before all these That resolution also of Theodoret concerning this matter Theo. in Gen. quest 45. is worth the marking who vpon Genesis writes thus Hee makes this question Into what place did the God of all things translate Enoch He answereth that we are not to enquire for those things which are committed to silence but we are to reuerence those things which are written I thinke that the God of all things hath done this to comfort his valiant champions For when as Abel the first fruit of righteousnesse being as yet vnripe was cut vp by the rootes and then no hope of the resurrection did comfort men The God of all things did translate Enoch who was most acceptable vnto him and did separate him from the societie of men that whosoeuer did determine to liue godly might perceiue what great account God made of him when as the God of all things who is iust and doth iustly gouerne all things did thus honour Enoch nor suffered not Abel to want an ornament For for this cause he beheld him when he was slaine and he also translated Enoch that by him he might declare to all men the resurrection that should be For he which in this life hath not obtained the reward of his vertue shall most assuredly obtaine it in the life to come I would to God all Christians would here follow the counsell of Theodoret and not be curious in searching for the comming of Elias or other such hard points which the scripture hath not reueiled vnto vs but reuerently meditate vpon those things which are plaine and are written Ierom also takes away that same offence whereat manie at this day stumble which is the outward name and shew of the Church Manie thinke that so long as they embrace the Church which hath continued so manie hundreth yéers they are safe enough But of the Church Ierom writes thus Ier. in 2. cap. Soph. Of the Church it seemes at the first sight a blasphemous thing to say that she shall become a wildernesse and that no man shall walke in her and that beasts shall dwell in her And that hereafter how scoffingly it shall be said vnto her This Citie is plagued with all euils which dwelt in hope which said in her heart I am and there is none other besides me any more How is she become a wildernesse a pasture of wilde beasts But he that shall consider that saying of the Apostle wherein it is said In the latter times shall be perilous seasons men shall be louers of themselues couetous arrogant proud blasphemers disobedient to parents vnthankefull wicked c. and also that which is written in the Gospell that iniquitie being increased the charitie of manie shall wax colde in so much that at that time shal be fulfilled But the sonne of man when he commeth shall he finde faith vpon the earth will not maruel at the last desolation of the Church which Antichrist raigning shall become a wildernesse and be giuen to wilde beasts and suffer all things which the Prophet here nowe describes It appeares here by Ieromes iudgment that the Church shall not continue alwaies in
which call vpon him and beleeue in him c. This great zeale and loue of Christ towards his verie enemies in the midst of all his torments must néedes worke an assured confidence that he will now heare vs which beléeue in him And therfore we néede not flie to anie other in our prayers but only to him If he so willingly saith Ferus forgaue the sinne done against his owne person he will no doubt farre more easily forgiue vs. Therfore we come boldlie and without all feare to God hauing so louing a patron and aduocate Fer in 4. cap. Mat. Ferus also of Inuocation that it is a part of Gods honour writes thus Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God This adoration consists not in bowing of the knee or such like but in spirit and truth To worship God to beleeue in him to serue him to cal vpō him without these thou art an Idolater whatsoeuer thou doest if thou loue or feare any other thing more then God if thou in thy necessitie call not vpon him for for this cause he sends thee aduersities that thou shouldest call vpon him And they haue not inquired after the Lord but haue trusted in the helpe of Egypt And so many of vs do Thus farre Ferus Here we may plainlie sée first that Ferus makes this Inuocation of God a speciall part of Gods worship or Latria and that to this end to make vs to call vpon him he sends vs afflictions Secondly how he reprooues them that trusts in Egypt that is in man either liuing or dead or in what thing soeuer Dom. 23. post pent conc 2. Philippus de dies also of prayer writes thus Whosoeuer doth knocke at the doores of the tender mercie of God with his prayers with faith and reuerence with humilitie and sure confidence with all which this woman was furnished he truely toucheth the Lord and drawes his vertue and spirit to him Therefore happy is he that truely can say with the Prophet I will offer the fat burnt offrings He offers to God fat burnt offrings which offers him prayers full of humilitie assurance of obtaining them and deuotion And he offers prayers without marrow which offers prayers without loue deuotion or attention And these whether they be Clergie or Lay-men although they pray a great number of Psalmes or of other prayers as a taske without any intention of the minde blessing God with their mouths but with their hearts giuing themselues to pleasures and delights in the streetes these truely thrust the Lord they touch him not because they onely touch him with their bodies and not with their spirit And therefore they receiue from him neither any vertue or grace What must we doe then brethren Truely that of Saint Paul I will praie with my spirit I will pray with my minde I will sing with my spirit I wil sing with my minde Thus much Philippus de Dies Wherein he condemnes all the Latine prayers made of the ignorant and simple people which vnderstand no Latine And such were almost all their prayers in the daies of our forefathers because they lacked this marrow of truth and confidence of the assurance of obtaining their prayers at Gods hands they lacked this minde and vnderstanding which S. Paul speaketh of And as Dies truely affirmes they that pray so thrust and throng Christ but they touch him not Stella also to the same effect writes thus In 1. cap. Luc. My soule doth magnifie the Lord saith the blessed virgin Marie And that verie fitly for God is to be praised rather in heart and minde then in voice according to that of S. Paul Sing to God in your hearts And after My soule saith she doth magnifie the Lord because my toong stambreth neither can it number all the benefits bestowed vpon me Therefore I offer the inward affection of my minde in giuing of thanks And againe Where we are taught that God is to be praised rather in minde and heart then in body But many haue the prayer of the voice onely and mouth and not of the heart to whom the Lord saith This people honoureth me with their lips but their hearts are farre from me And of our Sauiour Iesus he writes thus In that they led Iesus with them to Ierusalem Idem in ca. 3◠Luc. thou oughtest to learne that in all thy iournies and in all thy trauailings most sweete Iesus ought to accompanie thee Haue him alwaies before thine eies let no worldly matter enter into thy minde but in all thy affaires direct all thy thoughts to him as it were to a marke If we ought to haue him alwaies before our eies why should we haue then anie other And that Iesus Christ is so louing towards vs that we néede not haue anie other he writes thus after preferring his great loue towards vs before the loue of Iohn the greatest saint in the world and so by a consequent before anie other saint whatsoeuer Therefore saith he Iohn preached in the wildernesse because in the Citie there are so many sins and abominations that Iohn could not abide them Iohn was grieued at the heart neither could he digest so many sinnes But when as he saw the Pharisees he could not abide them but he burst out saying O ye generation of vipers c. But Christ hath a better stomacke to beare with our iniquities and to cure our infirmities as one that loues vs with all his heart and with all his affection and winkes at the sinnes of men that they might repent And for this cause Iohn would not enter into Cities that he might not see the lying of artificers the vsury of merchants the vanitie and pompe of noble men c. Thus farre Stella But quite to ouerthrow all inuocation of Angell or Saint whatsoeuer Coloss 2.18 doth not S. Paul most euidently write thus Let no man make you shoote at a wrong marke or defraude you of your price at his pleasure through humilitie in worshipping Angels intruding himselfe into those things he knowes not puffed vp vainly by the conceipt of his owne flesh As though he should saie If any man teach you this doctrine that it is humilitie to worship Angels and that you maie not presume to come in Gods sight such a one beguiles you he makes you lose your price lose your reward For he that runnes in a race must obey his pleasure that maketh and appointeth the game masterie If you pray neuer so much and fast neuer so often if you doe not these according to Gods word in the name of Iesus Christ you lose your price and he that teacheth contrary is puft vp of the pride of his owne minde he followes his owne reason and not the light of Gods word and therefore in these matters is starke blinde and knoweth nothing As S. Paul teacheth of all such If any man saith he teach any other doctrine and giues not heede respects not the holesome words of our Lord Iesus
Else when thou blessest with the spirit how shall he which occupieth the roome of the vnlearned say Amen at thy giuing of thanks seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest Thou verily giuest thanks wel but the other is not edified S. Paul here speakes manifestly of common prayer in the Church both of praying singing of Psalmes and not only of priuate hymnes or some particular songs which some Christians made to their owne comforts and to praise God as Master Bellarmine expounds this place Saint Pauls doctrine agrées with the promise of our sauiour Lib. 2. de verb. dei cap. 16. and with the practise of the Church before recited The same doctrine he deliuereth to Timothie a Bishop to be deliuered to the whole Church I will therefore saith he first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thanks be made for all men for kings 1. Tim. 2.1 and all that are in authoritie that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlines and honestie No doubt he meanes here common praiers And he puts downe the benefits which are reaped thereby which being knowen and vnderstood of the Church should as it were whet on this their desire of praying These benefits they should know assuredlie they did reape by their prayers and that they were to obtaine them by no other meanes but by prayer And therefore séeing they are such things as no man can be without all men greatliest desire it behooueth them especially to praie for these and as they know and vnderstand the price of them to be so much the more earnest by their prayers in begging them of God The like doctrine he teacheth all men after in their priuate prayers I will saith he that men pray in all places lifting vp pure hands without doubtfulnes They must haue faith ioined with their prayers and beleeue verilie they doe receiue that which they praie for according to our sauiours doctrine or else they shall obteine nothing at Gods hands But this faith of receiuing the things they praie for argues a knowledge They cannot beléeue they receiue the things they praie for vnlesse they know what they praie for so that by saint Pauls doctrine both common priuate prayers must be made with our vnderstanding The same teacheth saint Iames Is anie sicke amongst you Let him call for the elders of the Church let them pray for him Ia. 5.14 And annoint him with oyle in the name of the Lord And the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke Here are common praiers set downe but they must be done in faith and in the name of the Lord Iesus S. Iames agrees with the gospell Our common praiers must haue these two conditions which the gospel teacheth they must be made in faith and with knowledge as is before repeated And they must be made in the name of the Lord Iesus They must not be barbarous prayers without vnderstanding as saint Paul tearmes them but Christian prayers framed according to the doctrine of Iesus Christ The same doctrine saint Iohn teacheth 1. Io. 5.14.15 And this is the assurance which we haue in him that if we aske anie thing according to his will he heareth vs. And if we know that he heare vs whatsoeuer we aske we know that we haue the petitions that we haue desired of him Saint Iohn ioines the same two conditions to common prayers which saint Iames did that is faith and assurance that we shall obtaine our petitions and knowledge And this is that which our sauiour himselfe also teacheth all his Io. 16.24 Hitherto haue ye asked nothing in my name Aske and ye shall receiue that your ioy may be full What can be greater ioy to a man then to haue his suit granted of a mortall man euen of a king but to haue it granted at the handes of God is the cause of the greatest ioy in the world Prou. 13.12 The hope that is deferred saith Salomon is the fainting of the heart bu◠when the desire commeth it is a tree of life But how shall w◠know that our suits and prayers be granted vs or not vnlesse we know what we pray for Therefore they take from vs this tree of life which teach vs to praie in Latin and not to vnderstand our prayers They take from vs the greatest ioie we haue in the world And what kind of enemies are they 1. Iohn 5.16 The same doctrine saint Iohn giues of priuate prayers If anie man saith he see his brother sinne a sinne not vnto death let him aske and he shall giue life for them which sinne not vnto death All Christians ought to praie for their brethren when they sée them offend They should praie God to amend them And should they not then vnderstand their prayers I would to God all Christians would attentiuelie marke this forcible effect of prayer they shall by their praiers giue life to their brethren offending To restore a dead man in bodie to life againe what a great commendation would we account it but it is a farre greater matter to restore a dead man in soule to life againe And this most assuredly doth faithfull praier Oh that all Christians would remember this and practise it and cease in their brothers sinnes as most men do now a daies either to backbite them or slaunder them but rather as saint Iohn here counselleth pray for them Neither were the common prayers onelie in the Gospell but in the law also in a knowne tongue Before the captiuitie Dauid saith O come let vs sing vnto the Lord Let vs heartily reioyce in the strength of our saluation This exhortation had béene in vaine if the people then had not vnderstood what had beene said And in another Psalme he concludes thus Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for euer and euer Psal 106.48 And let all the people say Amen prase ye the Lord. And againe speaking of the Church of Christ Psal 47.7 he saith God is king ouer all the earth sing ye praises with vnderstanding All Christs subiectes must be children to maliciousnes but not in wit they must be men in vnderstanding And they must praise God with their vnderstandings He requires only the heart He will be worshipped in spirit and truth Iohn 4.23 Esay 29.13 as our sauiour teacheth And againe We must not now worship him as the wicked did in Esaias daies This people honoureth me with their lips but their heart is farre from mee This kinde of worship God condemned in the Iewes and do we thinke that he wil allow of such like amongst christians Of the common praiers also of the Iewes after the captiuity Neh. 8.6 we read thus in the booke of Nehemiah And Esdrah praised the Lord the great God and all the people answered Amen c. No doubt if they had not vnderstood his praises they could not haue answered Amen So that contrarie to M. Hardings and Mast Stapletons assertions
well know what they say Let vs now discouer such sleights and crafts of the enemy and let vs also consider the diligence of the Saints in eschuing them that by imitating them we may set light by and make no account of those who can ouercome none but such as willingly yeeld them selues vnto them By these things which haue been spoken the saying of Aggathon the Abbot may bee prooued true who being asked what spirituall exercise of all other was most painful answered prayer because while we pray that euill spirit doth trouble vs sometimes assaulting vs openly sometimes secretly laying siege against vs and by all meanes endeuouring that he may confound and trouble the mindes of them that pray being not ignorant what a forcible matter with God is the constant continuall and perseuerant intention of the minde of him that prayeth with humilitie This Papist confesseth that when we praie we must not rashlie powre out our words but with discretion that we must not be like drunken men when we praie praying we cannot tell what And were not such like all the Latine praiers which without vnderstanding the simple people made in Poperie He confesseth that amongst all other our spirituall workes Satan labours especiallie to hinder our praiers or to peruert them which thing he néede not doe in Poperie he had framed them as the common prouerb is the bowe to his own bent They in those daies praied ignorantlie without faith with wandring mindes being fixed on nothing euen as hee would haue them The same Viuiennus also of prayer writes thus Lib. 2. de offic boni patrisfam cap. 25. With what kinde and how great an affection of his minde Dauid prayed he himselfe testifieth saying I haue made my supplication before thy face with my whole heart And againe I haue cried with my whole heart heare me O Lord. He hath cried vnto the Lord with his heart who hath prayed earnestly not they which doe make a chattering with their words and doe not conceiue with their minde that which they post ouer with their lippes And after him Salomon the most wisest king of all the kings of Iudah in that booke if it be his which is intituled the booke of Wisedome I gate me vnto the Lord and I made my prayer vnto him and I spake from the verie bottome of my heart He is to be prayed vnto with our whole heart who is commaunded to be loued with our whole heart But they which praie carelesly doe seeme to make light account of him of whom they do request anie thing and therefore they do not obtaine their requestes They do but chatter like Parats Pies by Viuiennus his iudgment that know not what they do pray for And such like chatterings were all the Latine prayers in poperie which the common people daily did make Caietane also agréeing with him of prayer writes thus Prayer saith he with a good intent without attention that is Sum. Caieta◠diligent marking or vnderstanding is vnlawfull for the want of deuotion or reuerence that is ioyned with it Thus farre Caietane He that praies must marke what he praies whether he pray himselfe or giue his consent by saying Amen to the prayers of another And therefore the simple Christian and vnlearned must as well vnderstand the common prayers of the Church as his owne priuate prayers Shall he say Amen and giue his consent to that he knowes not what it is That were an absurd thing euen in our trifling worldlie matters no man will do so and shall we do so in heauenly matters matters of great waight and importance But in the darkenes of poperie the most part neither vnderstood their priuate nor their publike prayers and how then could they haue that attention which Caietane héere requires Bernardus de Frenesda another Papist In praef 2. par Granat de devot med of prayer also writes thus It is the generall doctrine receiued of all the Saints that there are three things necessarie to a iust man which bring him vnestimable commodities and that by these three the iust man is preserued in his righteousnes And these are praying reading and wel-doing In these should a wise man daily exercise himselfe and so discreetly with Christiā zeale measure and diuide his time that he should be euer occupied in one of these Prayer giues light purgeth comforts makes merrie kindles zeale lightens afflictions nourisheth deuotion ingenders confidence if our owne spirit do not reproue vs expels slouthfulnes terrifieth the diuels ouercomes temptations These are the most excellent fruits commodities of prayer But now the same author teacheth vs also the true manner of prayer Then saith he we do pray truly when as we thinke on nothing else and when all our thoughts are bent on heauenly things whenas our heart is inflamed with the fire of the holy Ghost His prayer is perfect whose cause tongue deeds and speech and life and thoughts cries And he addeth that the third effect of prayer is the spirituall refreshing of the soule And that to this effect of prayer is necessarily required the attention or marking of the soule not that which is spēt about the material words of the prayer nor that only which is about the meaning of the words but that which respects the end of the prayer which is God and that thing for which a man prayeth We may learne here by his iudgement that he which will reape this last and most principall fruit and effect of prayer which is the spirituall refreshing of his soule must not onelie marke the meaning of the words of his prayer but chiefelie the Maiestie of God and the thing he praies for If this be true then the papists haue bereaued their brethren of this chiefe fruit of prayer which is the spirituall refreshing of their soules when as they taught them to pray in Latine when as they neither vnderstood the words of their prayer nor the thing they prayed for And so by this authors iudgement though they prayed manie and long prayers in those daies and did rise vp earlie to prayer yet the poore sillie soules for lacke of vnderstanding these their prayers were famished and receiued no spirituall refreshing or comfort thereby De orat med tract 7. ca. 8. Granatensis himselfe also of praier writes thus Euen as one that is sicke takes more profit of the meat he eats and chewes himselfe then of that which being chewed of another is giuē him like abroth or some pottage so the prayer a man makes himselfe of thos◠words which the holy ghost ministreth vnto him is more profitable then that which is framed and made by other mens words which are often repeated as of some that know not what they meane without any attention or deuotion Thus farre Granatēsis We may note here how he also condemnes praiers without vnderstanding And because that when we repeat prayers made of others though we do vnderstand the meaning of the words
a Christian doth not iudge anie man be he neuer so miserable and be he neuer so holy he doth not match him with God Clemens Alexandrinus writes thus Numa the king of the Romans was one of Pythagoras schollers Lib. 1. stromat and therefore being helped of those things which he had receiued from Moses forbad the Romans that they should make anie image of God either like to man or beast Therefore in the hundreth and seuentie yeeres wherin they builded their temples they made neither carued or grauen nor painted Image For Numa did secretly teach them that it is not lawfull for any man to approach neere that which is the best thing of all other but only with his heart and mind c. Thus Numa out of Moses taught the first Romans But now our Romanists will not learne this out of Moses nor Numa nor Clemens who all doe teach them this same most auncient and true lesson Ferus also séemes to take away the verie foundation and ground of all idolatrie and images Fer. in pass part 3. This custome of letting one loose at Easter saith he sprang of their deliuerance out of Egypt which was done on Easter day and this custome had a shew of pitie and religion but indeed it was against the law of God which commaunds to punish the offenders Neither had the Iewes any need that by this deliuerance of a man out of bonds that they should be put in mind of their deliuerance out of Egypt for God himselfe ordained them a signe of the remembrance hereof that is the paschall Lambe all that feast But they being not content with that signe which God had ordained appointed another also themselues and that against the law So hypocrisie is not content with the word of God but euer addes and prefers her owne deuises before the word of God And thus farre Ferus And haue not the papists themselues done thus by erecting their Images to put vs in minde of Christs death and his benefits He hath ordained the sacrament of the holy communion to be a continuall remembrance vnto vs of that most excellent benefit But this memoriall by their Latine praiers not vnderstood they haue defaced and deuised new signes and remembrances thereof of their owne that is images and that against the law Deut. 27.15 Where as God accurseth the making of any molten Image and setting it vp secretly much more publikely Secondly another signe of remembrance of his goodnes and graces towards vs and an Image truly liuely representing vnto vs his Maiestie hath God appointed that is his most holy word and he commaunds vs all to studie and meditate therein day and night Psal 1.3 He that doth fulfill this commaundement needs no Image to put him in minde of God nay all the images in the world are not able to represent vnto vs the maiestie of God so liuely nor to put vs in minde of his benefits so effectually Ier. 10.8 as this can do In comparison of this all Images are lying teachers and schoolemasters as the prophet cals them And this signe of remembrance also haue they quite taken away from Gods people and against his commaundement in steed thereof Psal 1.2 Col. 3.16 haue erected them Images which they call lay mens bookes But God appoints them another booke to hearken vnto Moses himselfe who gaue the children of Israel the law against Images Heb. 11.27 obserued the same By faith saith saint Paul Moses forsooke Aegypt and endured all things patiently as though he had euer seene him which is inuisible A liuelie faith must euer represent God vnto vs as it did to Moses and not anie Images In Deuteronomie also God expresly forbids anie such remembrances of Images Deut. 17.22 Thou shalt not erect to thy selfe Maâ—sbah which as Mercerus notes signifies anie thing that is made in remembrance or signification of anie other thing which thy Lord thy God hates God hates such remembrances and shall we thinke to honour him therewith But the insufficiencie of the teaching of these their Images a papist himselfe teacheth vs. Michael ab â—sselâ— in prafat Gran. Those painters and caruers saith he are most commended whose pictures do in euerie respect agree with them of whom they were taken And that was the cause why Alexander would onely be painted of Apelles and formed of Lysippus But these with their Images shew onely the members portraiture and colours of the bodie but they cannot shew the manners and actes of a man No nor they which write anothers mans life in their oration can so liuely paint him out as a man doth set forth himselfe in his owne writing For not another mans but a mans owne speech declares what he is And therefore euerie one may see of Ludouicus his works what kind of man he was inflamed and lightened with the heat and light of Gods spirit c. All images therefore are insufficient liuely to paint out any man And the same reason which he alleadgeth here for Granatensis stands good in Christ Iesus himselfe No painter can so liuely paint him out vnto vs as his owne worde doth I would to God the Church of Rome would allow the people this Image of Christ and God to looke on and let their other woodden and carued Images go Franciscus Euia in his direction to confessors In direct confess howe they should examine those that come to confession in the breaking of euerie one of Gods commandements neuer speakes word of the making or worshipping of Images or of the sinne of Idolatrie as though that were either a light or els no sinne at all Whereas God addes to that commandement that most terrible threatning Exod. 20.5.6 that he will punish the third and fourth generation of them that hate him And S. Iohn in his Catholike Epistle biddes all Catholikes beware of Idols 1. Ioh. 5.21 It is the last commandement in his Epistle And as a speciall caue at aboue all the other commandements added as his commandement also in the end and as it were the farewell of his Epistle and shall we make no account of it Nay S. Iohn in the Reuelation saith Reu. 9.20 that some were dead that did worship not only deuils as infidels but also images of gold and siluer as superstitious Christians yea and that there were some liuing which should be so addicted to this vaine superstition that although they heard out of Gods owne mouth that all such idolaters should die yet they would not repent If S. Iohn plainly saie that to haue Images of gold and siluer be a sinne whereof we ought to repent I maruell that in their penances the popish confessors will inioine no penance for this sinne They are not of S. Iohns minde 19. Of Charming and enchanting AS concerning charmes and exorcismes Ferus writes thus The Iewes said Fer. in 19. c. act that Salomon ordained charmes or exorcismes but some denie that
lambs for so Gedithaik the Hebrew word signifies nigh vnto the tents of those sheepheards Here is that heauenly Oracle first she must know for her selfe Habac. 2.4 Heb. 8.10 The iust man must liue by his own faith And this is now the new couenant that all shall know me saith the Lord from the smallest to the greatest They which lacke this knowledge no doubt are without the couenant And this is life eternall saith our Sauiour that they know thee to be the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Io. 17.3 They which know not thus much shall neuer haue eternall life But how now shall we attaine this true knowledge and be sure not to go astray in so manie by waies as now are in the world The answere is plaine and easie Follow the tract of those sheepe Hatsoon saith the spouse as it is in the Hebrew that is of the first Christians not of euerie common shéepe as the Papists would haue vs. The shéepe will make a tract or way by which it may appeare which way they haue gone Euen so let vs follow the steppes of the ancient Christians Let vs beléeue to be saued as they beleeued let vs liue as they liued and then surely we shall rest with Iesus Christ For as saint Paul saith The Corinthians wanted nothing 1. Cor. 1.7 but were euen now readie to looke for the comming of our Lord Iesus to iudgement What things then they had not as necessarie to their saluation what néed we thē And S. Peter saith testifieth that that was the true grace of God wherein the Christiās stood in his daies 1. Pet. 5.12 And shall we beleeue to please God now by any other new deuises And this is that which saint Paul teacheth the Corinthians For this cause haue I sent vnto you Timothie 1. Cor. 4 17. which is my beloued sonne and faithfull in the Lord which shall put you in remembrance of my waies in Christ Saint Paul would haue the Corinthians follow his tract follow his waies And againe in the same Epistle Be ye followers of me 1. Cor. 11.1 euen as I am of Christ And againe to the Philippians Brethren be yee followers of me and looke on them which walk so Phil. 3.17 as ye haue vs for an example And to Timothie he writes thus 2. Ti. 3.10 Thou hast fully knowne my doctrine manner of liuing purpose faith long suffering loue patience c. And to the Hebrewes Remember them that haue the ouersight of you Heb. 13.7 which haue declared to you the word of God whose faith follow considering what hath been the end of their conuersation No doubt these are those shéepe which the bridegroome here counselleth his spouse to follow And feed thy younglings Vers 2. Here all Catholickes must learne another principall marke of Gods Church that is to instruct their young children in the law of the Lord as Dauid teacheth them also Wherewith shall a young man redresse his waie euen by taking heed thereunto according to thy word Psal 119.9 1. Ioh. 2.14 And saint Iohn also in his Epistle I write to you babes that you haue knowne the father Euen young infants must know God the Father and then Iesus Christ the Sonne also who makes God to be our louing father Luk. 2 14. and then the holy Ghost by whom this loue of God is shed into our hearts And saint Paul writes of Timothie Rom. 5.5 2. Ti. 3.15 that he knew the scriptures of a child And shall we not beléeue all these and instruct our children in the lawe of the Lord By the Tents of those shepheards that is of the Apostles whō Christ made pastors of his Church not of euery common shepheard nor also of anie one of those shepheards no not of Peter Ephe. 4.11 God hath giuen Apostles Prophets and Euangelistes to the building of his Church and no one Apostle Embrace therefore all the Apostles writings and féede on them and not on Peters onely embrace and follow all the Apostolical Churches as the fathers did and not the Romane Church onely And here I cannot but giue a lift at that great rocke which being deriued from that rocke whereof our Sauiour Christ speaketh in the 16. of Matthew the Papists oppose for the defence of their Church that because hel gates haue neuer preuailed against her Mat. 16.18 as they haue done against others because that now only of the Apostolical Churches she remaines therefore that she is the true Church But I answere that if by hell gates be vnderstood Heresies as some of the Fathers haue expounded them Epiphan in ancorato August de symbolo ad Catechum lib. 1. ca. 6 Bellarm. de Ro. Pont. lib. 4. ca. 3 D. Reinolds against Hart. ca. 7. deuis 8. and as Master Bellarmine seemes to affirme neither haue heresies preuailed against anie of the other Apostolike Churches For Artius though he assaulted the Church of Alexandria and Nestorius the Church of Constantinople yet they preuailed not but had the repulse in the end Nay in the Church of Rome there haue bin Bishops that haue béene heretiks as hath beene of late verie learnedly proued Neither hath hell gates at this day that is heresies preuailed against those Churches of the East which now the Turk possesseth but rather his sword power And that partly for their own sins partly for the sin of the Pope as may appeare by that prophecy of Zachary Zach. 11.17 O Idol sheepheard which leauest the flocke the sword shal be vpon his arme and vpon his right eie His arme shall be cleane dried vp and his right eye shall be vtterly darkened Which prophecie I haue handled else where in a Treatise of the Epistle of saint Iude. Har. euang ca. 66. But if by the gates of hell be meant the kingdome of the diuell as Iansenius doth expound them surely then also the gates of hell haue preuailed against the Church of Rome as well as against other Churches For from what monstrous sinnes hath she béene frée as appeareth by their owne histories But the true meaning of this promise Read Platina that hell gates shall not preuaile against the Church of Christ and against that faith which Peter professed is that although Sathan assault it with all his power and might with sinne heresies persecutions c. yet it shall neuer be quite ouerthrowne Mat. 24.2 as is now that stately Temple of Ierusalem which though it were builded on an earthly hill hath not now one stone left on another but shall remaine euer vnto the worlds ind Nay euen the reliques of those other Apostolicall Churches professing Christianitie remaine yet vnder the Turkes tyrannie so that Rome cannot brag that she alone remaines God shall haue at the least two witnesses to confirme his truth for euer Reuel 11.3 So that whereas the bridegroome bids his spouse to
the ancient Christians Christians differ not from other men neither in countrey nor speech Iust epist ad Diog. nor in ciuill gouernement They dwell in no cities by themselues neither vse they anie language that differs from the common speech of other men neither haue they a kinde of life which is famous for any singular or odde thing in it neither doe they go about to learne any thing deuised of curious heads neither are they patrons of any mans opinion as many are but inhabiting partly in the cities of the Grecians and partly of the Barbarians as euerie mans lot hath befallen him following the maners of the people with whom they dwell in their apparell and liuing and other things which concerning this present life they set before our eyes a wonderfull state of their common wealth They dwel in their owne countries but as it were strangers They haue all things common with other men as citizens and they distribute all things away as it were some trauelling into another countrie Euery strange region is their countrie And all their countries are to them as strange regions and dominions They marie wiues as other men do and beget children but they make not their children away as the heathen do They haue a common table but not polluted with excesse They are in the flesh and yet they liue not according to the flesh They liue here vpon earth but they haue their conuersation in heauen They obey lawes which are made nay in their maner of liuing they farre exceede and go beyond the lawes They loue all men and all men persecute them They are not knowne what they are and yet they are condemned to death They are murdered and yet they are multiplied They are poore yet they make many rich They want al things and yet they abound in all things They are dishonoured and in their ignominie their glorie shines They are slandered and yet all men beare record of their innocency They are reuiled and they giue good speeches againe They are iniured and they honour their persecutors And when as they liue like good men they are punished as though they were wicked And when as they are punished they reioyce as though then they were reuiued The Iewes make warre against them as against strangers the Grecians persecute them they which hate them cannot tell wherfore they hate them And that I may in one word say all That which the soule is in the bodie that are Christians in the world The soule dwelleth in the bodie but it is not of the body So Christians dwell in the world but they are none of the world The inuisible soule is placed in the visible bodie as in a garrison so Christians are knowne while they liue in the world but their diuine worship of God is inuisible The flesh hates the soule and makes war against it because it cannot enioy her pleasures And the world also hates Christians they resist their pleasures The soule loues the flesh which hates her and loueth her members So also Christians loue them which hate them The soule is inclosed within the bodie but it preserueth the body so also Christians are kept in the world as in a prison but they preserue the world The immortall soule dwelleth in a mortall tabernacle and Christians inhabite amongst those things which are corruptible as strangers looking for the immortality of heauen The soule the worse it is fed is the better so Christians whiles they are daily punished are increased c. By this it appeareth how zealous in the seruice of God how homely and simple in their apparel what contemners of the world Christians were in the beginning Who condemne by their examples the Atheists and lukewarme Christians in religion the curious and couetous worldlings of our age who are as it were wedded to this world and take their delights and pleasures therein who will haue all things as they saie in print both their houses and apparell and whatsoeuer they haue else Surely this is not to contemne the world as they did These former vsed the world onelie for the present necessitie they tooke no pleasure therein as manie doe and with great costs labour to obtaine at this daie Athenagoras also a verie ancient Christian in his Apologie for the Christians Athenagor Apol. pro Christianis speaketh thus to the Emperours When as all men through your great clemencie and benignitie haue their right and cities according to their dignities enioy their freedomes nay the whole world by the meanes of your prouidence and wisedome enioyes most firme and sure peace onely of vs who are called Christians you haue no care For you suffer vs who haue committed no euill yea who aboue other as it shall bee declared in the progresse of this Defence haue behaued ourselues most religiously and obediently both towards God and your Empire to bee vexed spoiled banished manie bringing false accusations against our verie names Wherefore we were bold at this time manifestly to declare our cause vnto you And you shall perceiue by this our discourse that against all right and reason we are thus punished Wherefore we beseech you that you will haue also some care of vs that wee now at the last may cease to bee murthered of those our accusers We passe not for the losse of goods nor for the glorie and credite of our good names or for any such like or greater things wherein men may hurt or iniurie vs. For although these things be made great account of amongst the common people wee are wont to despise them For we haue learned that if we be stricken or beaten to abstaine from striking againe or if any inuade or take violently away our goods not to goe to law with them but also to those that haue giuen vs one blow to turne the other cheeke and to them that will take away our coate to offer our cloake also And seeing wee make thus small account of our liues and bodies they seeke for our riches and they babble out huge heapes of crimes against vs which neuer once so much as came into our minds to thinke but which might rather be laid to their charge and to such like as they are But if any shall bee able to conuict vs not onely of any great but of anie small offence we doe not onely desire that punishment may bee remitted vs but wee are readie to endure what punishment soeuer But if so be that we be accused onely for our name because we are called Christians for euen vnto this day all those vncertaine rumours and reports which are spred abroad on vs are lies neither is any Christian conuicted of anie hainous offence it is your parts O most wise and curteous Princes by your lawes to deliuer vs from this iniurie that as in all the world both euerie priuate man and all men in euerie towne by your bountifulnesse do enioy common peace quietnesse so we may haue cause also
to thanke you that we as it were triumphing may reioice that we also are deliuered froÌ„ these slaunderous accusations Here also we maie see the same Christians most liuely painted out which before we saw in Iustine holy in life and conuersation Despisers of this world not giuen to quarrelling or going to law they had learned another lesson saith Athenagoras in those daies which condemnes the quarrelling and contentious Christians of our age who sue at lawe now for euerie light trifle their brethren When as I haue heard that euen in the memorie of some yet liuing to haue a sute in lawe in a whole towne or to haue one goe to London was counted a great strange matter euen as now it is counted to trauell to Rome or to Constantinople So peaceablie they liued in those dayes A man in all his life neuer sawe London that was a rare thing But nowe our sutes are so common that they make the waie thither beaten The former Christians were not so contentious as wée maie learne here by Athenagoras Eusebius also verie excellentlie describeth thus vnto vs the maners and conuersation of Christians in his time De demonst Euang. lib. 3. cap. 8. If it be now a thing most certaine that the Disciples of our Sauiour were such like why was not then their maister also such a one long before And if you will learne of the Disciples what a kind of maister they had you haue at this day innumerable scholers of the words of Iesus of whom there are manie great assemblies of men who both as it were in battell aray stand and fight against the naturall pleasures of the body also who keep their minds safe and stand without anie wound froÌ„ all vnlawful affections or lusts of the flesh who wheÌ„ as they haue spent their whole life eueÌ„ to their old age most temperately may yeeld vnto vs most euident proofes of the information of his doctrin what his doctrine teacheth Neither men only vnder this Schoolemaster do teach vs this philosophy but so manie thousands of women thorow the whole world which are so many as their number cannot bee told who as it were certaine priests worshipping the God of the whole world and hauing imbraced that heauenly philosophie and for the loue of this heauenly wisedome make no account of off-spring and children as of things which pertaine to the body but with all their studies and diligence hauing a care of their soules haue dedicated themselues wholy both in bodie and soule to the king of all things and to the God of all the whole world that so they might practise perfect and perpetuall chastitie and virginitie Behold here another notable description of Christians They despised not only the world but also the pleasures of the flesh They embraced virginitie they did dedicate themselues as spouses wiues onelie and wholy to the king of all kings as Saint Paule teacheth 1. Cor. 7.34 They seeke to please the Lord only they are holy in bodie and spirit So are not they who are maried And in those daies of this sort were thousands so manie as their numbers could not be told How are now Christians degenerated from this Surelie now we maie saie They marie and are maried as our Sauiour prophecieth in the Gospell Mat. 24.38 Luk. 17.27 so few at this time embrace virginitie in comparison of the thousandes in those dayes Apolog. ca. 34 Tertullian also a verie ancient Father describeth the conuersation of Christians in his dayes thus Now I will declare the workes of the sect of the Christians that seeing I haue repeated the euils wherewith they are charged I may also declare the good things wherein they are occupied Wee are all one bodie bound together with one maner of religion with one truth of discipline and with one league of hope we meete altogether in our assemblies that praying with our prayers we may as it were euen with an armie of souldiers take God And this force is pleasant to God We pray also for the Emperours and for their officers and for all those that bee in authoritie for the whole world for peace and for the stay of the end of the world We meete altogether also to haue the holy Scriptures read as the present state of the time forceth vs either to forewarne any thing to come or to consider anie thing that is past We feed as it were our faith with that most holy word we strengthen our hope therewith as with an anchor we make sure our confidence And we also print deeply into our mindes the doctrine of those holy precepts by often beating vpon them There also are exhortations corrections and euen as it were Gods iudgement seat For we pronounce sentence there against sinners most seuerely that to others in the sight of God this may seeme to be but a preamble of Gods iudgement to come If any offend so that he bee accounted worthie to be excommunicated from the communion of prayer and of the assembly and of other holy exercises certaine chosen Elders set in authoritie who haue obtained that honour not with anie money but for their good report for none of Gods things with vs are bought and sold and they do excommunicate all such Of euerie artificer also we gather somewhat for the poore but not anie grieuous summe of money as though he should pay for his religion Euery one brings his little almes euery moneth or when he will puts it according to his abilitie in the poore mens box For with vs no man is compelled to do this but euery one contributes willingly And this same worke of chaâ—itie is a cause why we are euill spoken of some See say they how they loue one another wheÌ„ as they hate one another how they are ready euen to die one for another when as they themselues are more readie to kill one another But I suppose they are grieued at no one thing more then that we call one another brethren when as amongst them all names of kinred through pride and ambition are but counterfeit We are your brethren by the law of nature as it were of one mother although you in this point doe a little degenerate from the nature of men because that you are euill brethren among your selues But how much more rightly are they called accounted brethren which acknowledge one God for their father which haue drunke one spirit of iustification which as it were from one wombe of ignorance haue aspired to the same light of truth But perchance therefore we are accounted lesse brethren because no tragedy exclaimes of our brotherhood or else because we are as brethen in the communicating of our temporall goods which amongst you most commonly breakes this brotherhood We which are ioyned together in soule and heart make no account to communicate our riches one to another there is no difference of anie things amongst vs but of our wiues c. Such vnitie as