be saued as well as other men then it wyll be to purpose to haue a foundation without a building vppon it or a stocke or tree that beareth no fruite Which thing S. Iames speaking of that historicall and dead fayth whereby the wicked the very deuils theÌ„selues beleeue that there is one GOD expresseth most excellently in this fitte similitude As a bodie without a spirit is dead euen so saith he is fayth without workes Thys poynt of doctrine of vertuous life and obseruing of Gods commaundements not our Sauiour Christ alone in his Sermon most earnestly vrged as hath beene sayde but his fore-runner also Saint Iohn the Baptist and hys followers the holie Apostles whereof the one continually called vpon the people to bring foorth fruites meete for repentance the other in all theyr writings no doubt in all their Sermons after matter of doctrine and faith propounded do proceede to exhortation and precepts of Christian life In so much as Saint Augustine other auncient Fathers are of opinion that the rest of the Apostles S. Peter S. Iames S. Iohn and S. Iude perceiuing the loosenesse and securitie of the people in theyr tymes directed theyr writinges eyther onely or principally to this ende euen to perswade and enforce the necessitie of good life and conuersation among Christians Yea and that Saint Paule himselfe when hee concludeth that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Lawe doth not exclude the works of charitie as effects and fruites of fayth which followe him that is alreadie iustified in the sight of God but hee excludeth theÌ„ as causes of saluation which goe before him that is to be iustified Wherby it appeareth that S. Paule handling the causes of our iustification in the sight of God is not repugnant or contrary to S. Iames speaking of the notes and signes whereby we are iustified that is as the word is taken els where declared or known to be iust or righteous before meÌ„ The sum is that although good workes are not the causes of our saluation yet they are the way as it were and the path that leadeth thereunto because by them as by certaine markes we perceiue our selues to haue entered and to haue proceeded in the waie of eternall life Yea they are the fruites and effects whereby we testifie and declare both vnto our selues and to others the trueth of that faith which we professe And therefore our Sauiour Christ willeth vs in the Gospel to let our light shine before men that they seeing our good works may take occasioÌ„ therby to glorifie our heauenly father And his holy Apostle Saint Iames biddeth those carnall sensuall Christians that stood so much vpon the only name of faith to shewe him theyr fayth by their workes as he would shew them his faith by his worksâ— that is they should declare and testifie vnto men as I haue said the fayth which they professed by the fruites thereof To men I say because men which iudge but by the outward appearaunce onely cannot knowe the goodnes of a tree bâ—t by the good fruite which it yeeldeth they cannot discerne the inwarde faith but by the outwarde workes But as for God that searcheth the secrets of the harts and reynes it needeth not that wee shoulde shewe him our faith by our workes nor may wee looke for iustification at his handes by the best of them for then might wee haue whereof to boast but there is no boasting with God and therefore no iustifying by workes in his sight Yet notwithstanding the Lorde requireth good workes at our hands to the end that himselfe might be glorified our needie bretheren releeued and comforted others gained wonne by our example to the embracing of the same faith and Religion which we professe our owne faith exercised and strengthened and our calling and election made sure and confirmed And it is very requisite that the children of GOD which are bought with so high a price as with the blood of Iesus should glorifie God both in soule body because they are redeemed both in soule and body and not liue vnto theÌ„selues but vnto him which died and rose againe for them Thys is the ende of our election before the foundations of the world were layde as the Apostle testifieth Ephes. 1.4 euen that we should be holy and blameles before him in loue Thys is the ende of our creation as the same Apostle witnesseth Ephesians 2. 10. Where he saith that we are Gods workmanshyp created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes wherein he hath ordained that wee shold walke This is the end of our redemption as olde Zacharie prophecied Luke 1. 74 75. that beeing redeemed and deliuered from all our spirituall enemies and from eternall destruction whereunto we were subiect we should serue God without feare in holines and righteousnes before him all the daies of our life Finally this is the ende of our vocation For God hath not called vs to vncleannesse but vnto holinesse and as hee that hath called vs is holy so must we be holie in all manner of conuersation And it can not be that they which are truely iustified that is to say made righteous by a liuely fayth in Christ should not also in some measure be sanctified that is made holie by a faithfull lyfe in him Let not men therefore deceiue themselues with the onely name and shadowe of faith without the nature substance therof Let them not promise vnto themselues euerlasting life because they knowe the true God and whom hee hath sent Iesus Christ but let them remember howe Christes Apostle whoÌ„ he deerely loued expoundeth that saying when he writeth By this wee knowe God truely if wee keepe his commaundements and whosoeuer sayth that he knoweth him and yet keepeth not his commaundements is a lyer and the trueth is not in him For as it is a true saying and by all meanes woorthy to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the worlde to saue sinners so is it as true a saying and no lesse woorthie to be affirmed that they which haue beleeued God should be carefull to shew foorth good works Saint Gregorie vpon the words of Christ to S. Thomas Blessed are they who haue not seene and yet haue beleeued hath a notable discourse to this purpose If any sayth hee inferre heereof I beleeue and therefore am blessed and shall be saued he saith truely if his life be aunswerable to his beleefe for that a true faith dooth not contradict in manners the things which hee professeth in words For which cause S. Paule accuseth certaine false Christians in whom he found not vertuous life aunswerable to theyr profession that they confessed God in wordes but denyed him in theyr deedes And Saint Iohn auoucheth that whosoeuer saith hee knoweth GOD and keepeth not his commandements is a lyer Which beeing
so we must examine the trueth of our fayth by cōsideration of our life for then not otherwise are we true Christians if wee fulfill in works that whereof we haue made promise in words That is in the day of our Baptisme we promised to renounce the pompe of this world together with all the workes of iniquitie which promise if wee performe nowe after Baptisme then are we true Christians and may be ioyfull But contrariwise if our life be wicked contrary to our profession it is saide by the voyce of trueth it selfe Not euery one that shall say to mee Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heauen And againe why doe yee call mee Lord Lord doe not performe the things that I tell you Heer-hence is it that God complained of his old people the Iewes saying this people honoureth me with their lips but their harts are farre off from me And the Prophet Dauid of the same people They loued him with their mouth and wyth their tongues they lyed vnto him Wherefore let no man presume to say he shall be saued if faith and good life be diuorced put a sunder which S. Chrisostome noteth by the wofull and heauie chaunce iudgment that happened vnto him who in the Gospell was admitted to the feast of Christian faith knowledge but for lacke of the ornament or garment of good life was most contumeliouslie depriued of his expectation Of whom Saint Chrisostoms words are these He was inuited to the feast and brought vnto the Table but for that by his foule garment he dishonored our Lord that had inuited him he was not onely thrust from the Table banquet but also bounde hande and foote and cast into vtter darknes where there is eternall weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherefore let vs not deere bretheren let vs not I say deceiue our selues and imagine that our dead and vnfruitfull faith wyll saue vs at the last day for except wee ioyne pure life to our beleefe and in this heauenly vocation of ours doe apparrell our selues with the worthy garmēts of vertuous deeds whereby we may be admitted at the mariage day in heauen nothing shall be able to deliuer vs from the damnation of this miserable man that wanted his wedding weede Which thing S. Paule well noteth when hauing sayde wee haue an euerlasting house in heauen not made with mens handes he addeth presentlie thys exception Si tamen vestiti et non nudi inueniamur That is if wee be founde at that day well apparrelled and not naked Would God euery Christian desirous of hys saluation woulde ponder well thys discourse of S. Chrisostome And so wyth thys alone to conclude our speeche in thys Chapter without allegation of further matters or authorities which are infinite to thys effect it may appeare by that which hath alreadie beene sette downe wherein the true profession of a Christian consisteth and thereby each man that is not partiall or blinded in his owne affection as many are may take a viewe of his state and condition and frame vnto himselfe a verie probable coniecture how he is like to speed at the last accounting day That is what profite or damage hee may expect by hys knowledge and profession of Christian Religion For as to him that beleeueth soundly and walketh vprightly in his vocation performing effectually euery way his professed duetie there remaine both infinite and inestimable rewards prepared so to hym that strayeth aside and swerueth from the right path of fayth and life prescribed vnto hym there are no lesse paines and punishments reserued For which cause euery Christian that is carefull of his owne saluation ought to sixe his eyes verie seriouslie vppon them both and as in beleefe to shewe himselfe constant firme humble and obedient so in life conuersation to be honest iust pure innocent and holie And for this seconde poynt concerning life and manners hath been already handled in my former booke which as I vnderstand is imprinted in England I shall neede to wade the lesse in further discourse heereof But for I haue beene admonished by the writinges of diuers howe my former booke hath beene misliked in two speciall poynts first that I speake so much of good workes and so little of faith secondly that I talke so largelie of Gods iustice and so breefelie of his mercie whereby the consciences of many haue beene offended let the last Chapter going before of beleefe and life aunswer the first and that which immediatly followeth serue for the latter obiection and so I doubt not but a Christian man may be thorowlie resolued OF THE ONLY IMPEDIMENT THAT IS WONT TO LET SINNERS FROM Resolution Which is the mistrust and diffidence in Gods mercy through the multitude and greeuousnesse of their offences CHAP. VI. AMong all other the moste greeuous and perrilous cogitations which in thys worlde are accustomed to offer themselues to a minde intangled and loden wyth great sinnes this vsually is the first through the nature of sinne it selfe and crafty suggestion of our ghostly enemie to fall into distrust and dyspaire of Gods mercie Such was the cogitation of most vnhappie Caine one of the first inhabitants of the earth who after the murder of his owne onely brother and other sinnes by him committed brake into that horrible and desperate speeche so greatly offensiue vnto his Lorde Maker Mine iniquitie is greater then that I may hope for pardon Such was in like manner the desperate conceite of wicked Iudas one of the first of thē that were chosen to the peculier seruice of our Redeemer who feeling hys conscience oppressed wyth manifolde iniquities and most of all with the prodition of his owne Lord and Maister tooke no other way of amendmēt or redresse but to destroy himselfe both in bodie and soule adioyning onoly these words full of miserable distrust and desperation I haue sinned in betraying the innocent and iust blood By which wordes and most wretched ende he more greeuouslie offended and iniured his most louing and mercifull Sauiour then by all his former iniquities committed against him This then most louing brother is the first and greatest rocke wherat a sinful soule ouer burdened wyth the charge of her owne iniquities and tossed in the waues of dreadfull cogitations by the blastes stormes of Gods threates against sinners doth cōmonlie make her shypwracke That is that most horrible depth and dungion wherof the holie scriptures saith The impious man when he is come into the bottome and profunditie of his sinnes contemneth all Thys is that remedilesse sore and incurable wound wherwith God himselfe charged Ierusalem when hee sayd Insanabilis fractura tua thy rupture is irremediable And the Prophet Michaeas considering the same people thorowe the multitude of their wickednes to encline now to dispayre of Gods goodnes towards them brake forth into thys most pittiful cōplaint For this will I
369. What we promise in our Baptisme 373. The sixt Chapter Of the onely impediment which is wont to let sinners from resolution which is the mistrust and diffidence in Gods mercie through the multitude and greeuousnesse of their offences Dispaire an ordinarie temptation to the greatest sinners page 377. The shipwrack of soules ouerloden with sin 378. The wofull miserie of desperation page 379 The thing wherein GOD most delighteth is mercie 380. A merueylous example of GODS Clemencie page 381. An other example of Gods wonderfull mercie 382. Iudgment and Iustice to be vsed in true repentaunce that is Iudgement vpon our selues and iustice towards others 383. The deuision of this Chapter into four especiall partes 384. The first part touching the loue that God beareth towards man 384. The first cause why God loueth vs for that he is our Creatour and we are his own workes 385. Euery mā is giuen by nature to loue his own 386. The confidence of Iob in that GOD made him 386. The assured hope Dauid had in that hee was Gods wormanshippe 387 The second reason of assuraunce of Gods loue for that he is our Father 388. What a Father God is 390. Christes most comfortable embassage 390. Howe greatly the respect of a Father mooueth GOD. 391. The Fathers liberall harte to the prodigall sonne 392. What the name of Father doth importe 393. The third argument of Gods loue the giueing of his Sonne for vs. 394. The conclusion of this pointe made by Saint Paule 395. The second part how God expresseth his loue towards sinners 396. Two rare pointes of clemencie in God 397. God that is offended seeketh attonement with vs. 398. Gods wooing of Ierusalem his protestation his cunctation his chiding his fayre speech his complaynt his kinde speech his conference his sweete conclusion 398. 399. 400. A consideration vppon the former treatie of God with Ierusalem 400. Gods tender loue to Ierusalen when he was to destroy it 401. A pitifull complaint vsed by God for the wilfulnes of his people 402. The wonderfull proceding of God with Ierusalem 403. The obstinacie of the Iewish nation 404. Epithetons giuen by God to the people of Israell 404. A wounderfull poin includedt in Gods promise to a sinner 405. What ioy there is made at a sinners conuersion 405. The third part what assuraunce GOD giueth to them that repent 406. The promises of GOD to sinners that repent 407. Foure vniuersalities in Gods promises to sinners 409. Three especiall pointes of great comfort 409. How God hath performed his promises to sinners that haue repented 410. Neuer sinner repented that was not pardoned 411. The reiection of Caine and Esau. 412. The infinite sinnes of the Iewish people and their infinit pardons receiued at gods handes 412. The examples of Manasses and the Niniuites 413. A speech of GOD to be heedefully considered 415. Examples of mercies in the new Testament page 416. The wonderfull clemencie of Iesus our Sauiour 417. Great and many causes of assured hope in Christ. 418. The fourth part being the aplication of all that hath beene said before 420. Saint Paules exhortation to confidence 420. An excellent discourse and exhortation of Saint Chrisostome 421. The speach of the deuill to a soule loden with sinne 422 Saint Chrisostomes counsaile against the Deuilles temptation 423 No time to late to repent 424. An exhortation and admonition of Saint Augustine 425. A similitude of the bodie to expresse the miserie of the soule by multiplying sinne 426. Godly mens wordes ought to mooue vs greatlie 427. A notable ciscourse of S. Augustine touching our conuersion 428. Hell was not made for man but for the Deuilll 429. In this life repentaunce is auaileable but not after 429. FINIS OF THE MANIFOLD PERILS THAT ENSVE TO THE WORLDE by inconsideration And howe necessarie it is for euerie man to enter into cogitation of his owne estate CHAP. I. THE Prophets and Saints of GOD who frō time to time haue been sent by his mercifull prouidence to aduertise and warne sinners of their perilous estate condition for sin haue not onely foretold them of their wickednes and imminent dangers for the same but also haue reuealed the causes thereof whereby they might the easier prouide remedie for the inconueniences to come Such is the charitable proceedings of our most mercifull Lord with the children of men And among other causes none is more generall or more often alledged then the lacke of consideration by which as by a cōmon snare deceipt of our aduersarie most men fall into sinne and are holden also perpetually in the same to their finall destruction and eternall perdition So Esay the Prophet speaking of the carelesse nobilitie and gentrie of Iurie that gaue thēselues to banquetting and disport without consideration of their duties towards God repeateth often the threat of woe against them and then putteth downe the cause in these words The lute and harpe and tymprel and shalme good wine aboundeth in your banquets but the works of God you respect not nor haue you consideration of his doings And then ensueth Therefore hath hell enlarged his soule opened his mouth without all measure or limitation and the stout and high and glorious of this people shall discend into it Heere are two causes as ye see two effects lincked together of these Iewes damnation the one depending of the other For as good cheere and sensualitie brought these men to inconsideration of Gods workes and proceedings towards sinners so inconsideration brought them to the mouth and pits brimme of hell I say that inconsideration of Gods works towards sinners brought them to this perrill for that it followeth in the verie same place And the Lord of hostes shall be exalted in iudgement and our holy God shall be sanctified in iustice as if he had said that albeit you will not consider now Gods iudgments and iustice amidst the heate and pleasure of your feastings yet shall he by excercising the same vppon you heereafter be known exalted and sanctified throughout the world The like discourse maketh God himselfe by the same Prophet to the daughter of Babilon and by her to euery sinful and sensuall soule figured by that name Come downe saith he and sitte in the duste thou daughter of Babilon thou hast said I shall be a Ladie for euer and hast not put vppon thy hart the things thou shouldest nor hast thou had remembraunce of thy last end c. Now therfore harken thou delicate daughter which dwellest so confidently there shall come vpon thee an euill whereof thou shalt not know the of-spring and a calamitie shall rush vpon thee from which thou shalt not be able to deliuer thee A miserie shall ouertake thee vpon the suddain which thou shalt not knowe c. Holie Ieremie after hee had weighed with himselfe vvhat miseries for sinne the Prophets Esay Amos Osee Ioel Abdias Micheas Nahum Sophonias and himselfe all which Prophets liued
That which they are nowe thou shalt be shortly and of all follies it is the greatest not to profite or flee frō daungers by the example of others The difference betweene a wise man and a foole is that the one prouideth for a myscheefe while time serueth the other wold doe when it is too-late If thou mightest feele now the state case wherein thy poore hart shall be at the last day for neglecting the thing that of all other it should haue studied and thought vpon most thou wouldest take from thy meate and sleepe and other necessaries to repayre that is past Hetherto hast thou time to reform thy course of life if thou please which is no small benefite if all were knowne For in this sence no doubt it is most true which the wise man saith that better it is to be a liuing dogge then a dead Lyon For that while the day time of this life endureth all thinges amisse may easily be amended But the dreadfull night of death wil ouer-take thee shortly and then shall there be no more space of reformation Oh that men woulde be wise and foresee things to come sayth one prophet The greatest wisedome in the worlde deere brother is to looke and attend to our saluation for as the Scripture sayth most truelie Hee is a wise man indeede that is wise to hys ovvne soule And of this wisedome it is written in the verie same booke as spoken by herselfe In me is the grace of all life and truth and in me is the hope of all life and vertue In morral actions and humaine wisedome we see that the first and cheefest circumstaunce is to regard well and consider the ende And howe then doe we omitte the same in this great affaire of the Kingdome of heauen If our ende be heauen what meane wee so much to affect our selues to earth If our end be God why seeke we so greedilie the worldly fauour of men If our ende be the saluation and eternitie of our soule why doe we followe vanities and temporalities of thys life Why spend yee your mony and not in bread saith God by the mouth of Esay why bestow ye your labour in thinges that will not yeelde you saturitie If our inheritaunce be that wee should raigne as Kings why put we our selues in such slauerie of creatures If our byrth allowe vs to feede of breade in our fathers house why delight we in huskes prouided for the swyne But alas we may say with the wise man in the Scripture Fascinatio nugacitatis obscurat bona The bewitching of worldly trifles doe obscure and hide vs from the things that are good and behoouefull for our soules ô most dangerous enchauntment But what shall this excuse vs no truelie for the same spirite of God hath left recorded Populus non intelligens vapulabit The people that vnderstandeth not shall be beaten for it And another Prophet to the same effect pronounceth This people is not wise and therefore hee that made them shall not pardon them neyther shall he that created thē take mercie vpon thē It is written of fooles Ventum seminabunt turbinem metent They shall sowe and cast theyr seede vppon the windes and shall receiue for theyr haruest nothing els but a storme or tempest Wherby is signified that they shall not onely cast away and leese their labours but also be punished and chastened for the same Consider then I beseech thee my deere brother attentiuelie what thou wilt doe or say when thy Lord shall come at the last day and aske thee an account of all thy labours actions and time spent in thys lyfe when he shall require a reckoning of his talents lent vnto thee when he shal say as he said to the Farmour or Steward in the Gospell Redde rationem villicationis tuae giue account of thy stewardship charge committed vnto thee What wilt thou say when he shal examine and weigh and try thy doings as gold is examined tried in the fornace that is what ende they had whereto they were applyed to what glorie of God to what profit of thy soule what measure weight and substance they beare Baltasar King of Babylon sitting at his banquet merrie vppon a tyme espied suddainly certaine fingers without a hande that wrote on the wall right ouer against his Table these three Hebrue words Mane Thekel Phares Which words Daniel interpreted in three sentences vnto the King in thys manner Mane GOD hath numbred thee Baltasar and thy kingdome Thekel hee hath weighed thee in the Gold-smithes ballance and thou art founde too-light Phares for this cause hath he deuided thee from thy kingdome hath giuen the same to the Medes and Persians Oh that these three most golden and most significant words engrauen by the Angel vpon Baltasars wall were registred vpon euery doore and post in Christendome or rather imprinted in the hart of each Christian especially the two first that import the numbering and weighing of all our actions and that in the weights and ballance of the Gold-smith where euery graine is espyed that wanteth And if Baltasars actions that was a Gentile wer to be examined in so nise and delicate a paire of ballance for their tryall if he had so seuere a sentence pronoūced vpon him that hee shoulde be deuided from life and kingdome as he was the same night folowing Quia inuentus est minus habens for that hee was founde to haue lesse weight in him then hee shoulde haue what shall wee thinke of our selues that are Christians of whom it is written aboue al others I will search the sinnes of Ierusalem with a candle What shall wee expect that haue not onely lesse weight then we should haue but no weight at all in the most of our actions what may such men I say expect but onely that most terrible threat of diuision made vnto Baltasar or rather worse if worse may be that is to be deuided from God and hys Angels from participation of God and our Sauiour from communion of Saints from hope of our inheritaunce from our portion celestiall and life euerlasting according to the expresse declaration made heereof by Christ himselfe in these words to the negligent seruaunt The Lord of such a seruant shall com at a day when he hopeth not at an houre that he knoweth not and shall deuide him out and assigne his part with hypocrites where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherefore deere brother to conclude thys Chapter I can say nothing more in this dangerous case wherein the worlde so runneth a wrie but onely exhort thee as the Apostle doth not to conforme thy selfe to the common errour that leadeth to perdition Fall at length to some reckoning accounte with thy lyfe and see where thou standest and whether thou goest If hetherto thou haue wandered and gone astraie be sorie for
present They called theyr Redeemer The expectation of Nations and we call him nowe The saluation of Nations And finally there was no other difference between the old fayth of good men from the beginning ours but onely in the circumstaunces of tyme cleerenes perticularitie and of the maner of protesting the same by outward signes and ceremonies For that in substaunce they beleeued the same Redeemer that we doe and were saued by the same beleefe in his merits as we are For which cause Eusebius well noteth that as we are called nowe Christians so they were called then Christi Psalm 104. that is annointed in prefiguration of the true Christ in whom they beleeued as the first and head of all other anointed and who was the cause and authour of theyr anoynting By thys then it is most manifest that not onely now to vs that be Christians but at all other tymes froÌ„ the beginning of the world and to all other persons and people what soeuer that desired to haue theyr soules saued it was necessary to beleeue and loue Christ and to professe in hart his Religion For which consideration I thought it not amisse in thys place after the former grounds laid that there is a God and that man was created and placed heere for his seruice to demonstrate and prooue also thys other principle that the onely seruice of thys God is by Christian Religion Wherein albeit I doe not doubt but that I shall seeme to many to take vpon me a superfluous labour in proouing a veritie which all men in Christendome doe confesse yet for the causes before alleaged in the second Chapter which mooued me in that place to prooue that there is a God that is to say first for the comfort strength and confirmation of such as eyther from the enemie may receiue temptations or of themselues may desire to see a reason of theyr beleefe and secondly for awaking stirring or stinging of others who eyther of malice carelesnes or sensualitie are fallen a sleepe and haue lost the feeling and sence of theyr beleefe for many such want not in these our myserable daies it shall not bee perhaps but to verie good purpose to laie together in thys place with the greatest breuitie that possibly may be the most sure grounds and inuincible euidences which we haue for declaration and confirmation of this matter For albeit the Apostle S. Paul declareth the things which we beleeue be not such in themselues as may be made apparent by reason of humaine arguments yet such is the goodnes and most sweete proceeding of our mercifull God toward vs as he wil not leaue himselfe without sufficient testimonie both inward and outward as the same Apostle in another place doth testifie For that inwardlie hee testifieth the trueth of such things as we beleeue by giuing vs light vnderstanding with internall ioy and consolation in beleeuing them And outwardly hee giueth testimonie to the same with so many conueniences probabilities and arguments of credibilitie as Diuines doe call them that albeit the very poynt of that which is beleeued remaine styll with some obscuritie yet are there so many circumstaunces of likelyhoods to induce a man to the beleefe thereof as in all reason it may seeme against reason to denie or mistrust them Thys shall easily appeare by the treatise following of Christ and Christianitie and of the foundations of our Religion which shall be confirmed by so many pregnant reasons and most manifest circumstaunces of euident probabilitie as I doubt not but the zealous Christian shal take exceeding comfort therein and esteeme himselfe happie to haue a lotte in that faith and Religion where he shall see and feele so much reason proofe and conueniencie to concurre and shewe it selfe for hys satis-faction And to thys effect it shall be of no mean moment that I haue prooued before the certaintie diuinitie and infallible trueth of the Iewes Scriptures or olde Testament which writings we haue receiued from that Nation that doth as it were professe enmity against vs and the same beeing written so many ages before the name of Christianitie vvas knowne in the worlde it cannot be but of singuler authoritie what soeuer shall be alleaged out of those records for our purpose And therefore as before in proouing our first principle That there is a God wee vsed onely the testimonie of such witnesses as coulde not be partiall so much more in this confirmation of Christian Religion shall we stand onely eyther vppon the confessions of such as are our enemies or vpon the records of others who must needes be indifferent in the cause for that they liued before eyther cause or controuersie in Christianitie vvas knowne or called in question My whole purpose shall be then to make manifest in thys Chapter that Iesus Christ was the Sauiour Redeemer of man-kind fore-promised and expected from the beginning of the worlde that he was the only sonne of God and God himselfe and consequently that what soeuer he hath left vs in hys doctrine and Religion is true sincere and the onely way of saluation vppon earth For cleerer proofe and declaration whereof I will reduce what soeuer I haue to say herein vnto three principall heads or braunches according to the order of three distinct times wherein they fell out That is to say in the first place shall be considered the things that passed before the Natiuitie or incarnation of Christ. In the second the things doone and verified from that time vnto hys ascention which is the space of hys abode vpon earth And in the thyrd place such euents shall be considered as ensued for confirmation of his Deitie after hys departure In declaration of which three generall points I hope by the assistance of him whose cause we handle that so many cleere demonstrations shall be dyscouered as shall greatlie confirme thy fayth gentle Reader and remooue all occasions of temptation to infidelitie Howe Christ was fore-tolde to Iewe and Gentile SECT I. FIrst then for such things as passed before Christ appeared in the flesh do make for proofe of our Christian Religion it is to be noted that they are of two sorts or at least wise they are to be taken fâ—om two kindes of people that is partly from the Iewes and partly from the Gentiles For seeing that Christ was appointed from the beginning yea before the world was created as Saint Paule affirmeth to worke the redemption both of Iewe and Gentile and to make them both one people in the seruice of his Father heere-hence it is that hee was foretolde and prefigured to both these Nations diuers fore-warninges were left among them both for styrring them vppe to expect his comming as by the considerations folowing shal most euidently appeare The first consideration AND to beginne wyth the Iewes no man can deny but that throughout the whole bodie and course of theyr Scriptures that
iam temporis aetas Magnus ab integro saeculorum nascitur ordo Iam redit virgo rediunt Saturnia regna That is nowe is come the last age prophecied by Sibylla called Cumaea now coÌ„meth to be fulfilled the great ordinance and prouidence of God appointed from the beginning of the worlde these were Sibylles words nowe commeth the Virgine and the first golden daies of Saturnus shal return againe Thus much translated Virgil out of Sibylla touching the eternall determination of God for Christes comming into this world as also of hys Mother the Virgine and of the infinite blessinges that shoulde appeare wyth him Nowe ensueth in the same Poet what Sibylla had sayde for Christes actuall natiuitie Iam noua progenies caelo dimittitur alto Chara Deum soboles c. Now a newe progenie or of-spring is sent downe from Heauen the dearely beloued issue or chylde of the Gods And note here that Sibylla sayd plainly Chara Dei soboles the deerely beloued sonne of God and not of Gods but that Virgill would follow the style of hys time And thirdly hee setteth downe out of Sibylla the effect and cause of thys sonne of Gods natiuitie in these words Te duce si qua manent sceleris vestigia nostri Irrita perpetua soluent formidine terras That is thou beeing our leader or Captaine the remnant of our sins shall be made voyde or taken away and shall deliuer the world for euer from feare for the same These are Virgils wordes translated as I sayd out of Sibylla And nowe consider you in reason whether these prophecies might be applyed as Virgil applyed theÌ„ to those poore chyldren in Rome or no who dyed soone after thys flattery of Virgill wythout dooing good eyther to themselues or to others Albeit perhaps in thys point the Poet be to be excused in that he beeing not able to imagine what the Sibyl should mean made hys aduantage thereof in applying the same to the best pleasing of Augustus These then are the proofes which Constantine vsed for the credite and authoritie of the Sibyll verses And of Sibylla Erithraea in perticuler that made the Accrostike verses before mentioned of Christes death passion he concludeth in these wordes These are the things which fell from heauen into the minde of this Virgine to fore-tell For which cause I am induced to account her for blessed whom our Sauiour did vouchsafe to chuse for a Prophet to denounce vnto the worlde his holie prouidence towardes vs. And we may consider in thys whole dyscourse of Constantine for authoritie of these verses Fyrst that he vseth onely the testimony of such wryters as lyued before Christ was borne or Christians once thought vppon Secondly that hee vseth these proofes to no meaner audience then to a Councell congregation of learned men Thyrdly that he was an Emperour which vseth them that is one that had meanes to see and examine the originall Copies in the Romaine Treasury Fourthly for that hee had great learned men about him who were skilfull and would be diligent in the searche of such an antiquitie of importaunce especially Lactantius that was Maister to his sonne Crispus and who most of any other Author reciteth and confirmeth the sayd Sibyls verses and Eusebius Caesariensis that wrote the Ecclesiasticall hystorie and recorded thys Oration of Constantine therein And finally we may consider that Constantine was the first publique Christian Emperour liued within three hundred yeeres after Christ when the Recordes of the Romans were yet whole to be seene He was a religious vvise and graue Emperour and therefore woulde neuer haue bestowed so much labor to confirme such a thing at such a time to such an audience had not the matter been of singuler importance And thus much of the second point touching Prophets among the Gentiles Of the confessyon of Oracles concerning Christes comming THere remaineth onely a word or two to be spoken of the thirde which is of the confession of deuils and Oracles concerning Christes comming especially when the time of hys appearance drew neere and that they beganne to fore-tell his power and vertue Wherin as I might alleage diuers examples recorded by the Gentiles themselues so for that I haue been some what long in the former points and shall haue occasion to saie more of this matter in another place heereafter I wyll touch onely heere two Oracles of Apollo concerning thys matter The one wherof was to a Priest of his owne that demaunded him of true Relgion and of God to whom he aunswered thus in Greeke O thou vnhappie Priest why doost thou aske mee of God that is the father of all thinges and of this most renoumed Kings deere onely sonne and of the spirit that containeth all c. Alas that spirit will enforce me shortly to leaue thys habitation and place of Oracles The other Oracle was to Augustus Caesar euen about the very time that Christ was ready to appeare in flesh For whereas the sayd Emperor now drawing into age would needes goe to Delphos and there learne of Apollo who should raigne after hym and what should become of things when he was dead to which demaund Apollo for a great space wold make no aunswere notwithstanding Augustus had beene very liberall in making the great sacrifice called Hecatombe But in the ende when the Emperour began to iterate hys sacrifice againe and to be instant for an aunswer Apollo as it were inforced vttered these strange words vnto him An Hebrue childe that ruleth ouer the blessed Gods commaundeth me to leaue this habitation and out of hand to gette me to hell But yet doe you depart in silence from our Aultars Thus much was Apollo inforced to vtter of hys owne miserie of the comming of the Hebrue boy that shold put him to banishment But yet the deceytfull spirit to holde stil hys credite would not haue the matter reuealed to many Whereupon Augustus falling into a great musing with himselfe what thys aunswere might import returned to Rome and builded there an Aultar in the Capitole wyth thys Latine inscription as Nicephorê° affirmeth Ara primogeniti Dei The Aultar of Gods first begotten Sonne Thus then haue I declared howe that the comming of Gods sonne into the world was fore-tolde both to Iewe and Gentile by all meanes that possibly in reason myght be deuised that is by prophecies signes figures ceremonies tradition and by the confession of the deuils themselues Not onelie that hys comming was fore-tolde but also why and for what cause he was for to come that is to be the onely Sauiour of the world to die for the sinnes of all men to ordayne a new Law more perfect Common-wealth Howe also he was to come to wit in mans flesh in likenes of sinne in pouertie humilitie The time likewyse of his appearance was prefigured together with the manner of hys byrth life actions death resurrection and ascention
And finally nothing can be more desired for the fore-knowledge of any one thing to come then was deliuered and vttered concerning the Messias before that euer Christ or Christians were talked of in the world Nowe then remaineth it to consider examine whether these particularities fore-told so long agoe of the Messias to come doe agree in Christ whoÌ„ we acknowledge for the true Messias And thys shall be the subiect or argument of all the rest of our speech in thys Chapter How the former predictions were fulfilled in our Sauiour Christ at his being vpon earth SECT 2. ALbeit in the points before recited which are to be fulfilled in the Messias at hys comming wee haue some controuersie and dysagreement with the Iewe as hath beene shewed yet our principal contention in theÌ„ all is wyth the Gentiles and Heathen that beleeue no Scriptures For that in dyuers of the former Articles the Iewe standeth wyth vs and for vs and offereth hys life in defence thereof as farre forth as if he were a Christian In so much that the Gentile oftentimes is inforced to meruaile when he seeth a people so extreamely bent one against another as the Iewes are against Christians and yet doe stande so peremptorilie in defence of those verie principles which are the proper causes of theyr disagreement But hereunto the Iewe maketh aunswer that hys dysagreement from vs is in the application of those principles For that in no wise he will allowe that they were or may be verified in Iesus And heerein he standeth against vs much more obstinately then doth the Gentile For that the Gentile as soone as he commeth once to vnderstand and beleeue the prophecies of Scripture hee maketh no doubt or difficultie in the application thereof for that he seeth the same most euidently fulfilled in our Sauiour Christ. Which is the cause that few or no Gentiles since Christes appearaunce haue come to be Iewes but that presently also they passed ouer to bee Christians But the Iewe by no meanes will be mooued to yeelde albeit hee haue neither scripture nor reason or probabilitie for hys defence Which among other things is a verie greate argument to proue that Iesus was the true Messias indeede seeing that among the markes of the true Messias sette downe by Gods Prophets thys was one that he shold be refused of the Iewish Nation Heerehence aâ—e those wordes of the holy Ghost so long before vttered The stone which the builders refused is made the head stone of the corner this is doone by God and is meruailous in our eyes Heerehence is that great complaint of Esay touching the incredulitie and obstinacie of his people against their Messias at his comming which Moses also long before Esay expressed most effectually It maketh then not a little for our cause gentle Reader that the Iewish Nation is so wilfully bent against vs and that they refused Christ so peremptorily at hys beeing among them For whom soeuer that Nation should receiue and acknowledge it were a great argument by scripture that hee were not indeede the true Messias But yet to demonstrate to the worlde what little shewe of reason they haue in standing thus against theyr owne saluation and in refusing Christ as they doe I will in as great breuitie as I may runne ouer the cheefe poynts that passed at hys beeing vpon earth and therby examine by the testimonies of his greatest enemies whether the fore-sayd prophecies and all other signes which haue beene from the beginning to fore-tell vnto vs the true Messias were fulfilled in hym and his actions or no. And for that the matters are many and dyuers that will come hereiâ— to be handleâ—â— I wyl for order sake reduce all to foure considerations Whereof the first shal be touching the tyme fore-prophecied of the comming of Messias whether the same agreed with Christes natiuitie or no. The seconde shall be of diuers particulars that passed in Christes incarnation byrth circumcision other accidents vntill the time that he began to preach The third shall be of hys life conuersation myracles doctrine The fourth and last shall be of his passion death resurrection and ascention In all which as I said before I wyll vse no one Authour or testimonie of our owne side for approouing any thing that is in controuersie between vs but all shall passe by tryall eyther of theyr owne scriptures or of manifest force and consequence of reason or els by expresse recorde of our professed enemies The fyrst Consideration FOR the first then concerning the tyme which is the principall and head of al the rest it is to be noted that by consent of all Writers both Pagan Iewish and Christian IESVS whom we beleeue and confesse to be true CHRIST was borne the twentie-fiue day of December in the ende of the fortie-one yeere of the raigne of the Emperour Augustus Caesar which was fifteene yeeres before hys raigne ended Also in the beginning of the thirtie-three yeere of Herods raigne in Iurie which was foure yeeres and more before hys death And from the beginning of the worlde as some account foure thousand one hundred ninetie-nine And as others doe account it foure thousand foure-score and nyne for that in thys poynt betweene the Hebrues and the Graecians there is a difference of some litle more then a hundred yeeres concerning theyr reckoning The state of the worlde at Christes natiuitie was this The three Monarchies of the Assyrians Persians and Graecians were past ouer and ended the Romains were entered into the fourth that was greater then any of the rest according to the prophecie of Daniell fyue hundred yeeres before Octauius Caesar surnamed Augustus after fiue ciuil warres by himselfe waged and after infinite broyles and bloodshed in the worlde raigned peaceably alone for many yeeres together and in token of an vniuersall peace ouer all the earth hee caused the Temple gates of Ianus to be shut according to the custome of the Romans in such cases albeit thys had happened but twice before from the building of Rome vnto that tyme. And the very same day that Christ was borne in Iurie Augustus commaunded in Rome as afterward was obserued that no man shold call hym Lorde thereby to signifie the free libertie rest ioy and securitie wherein all men were after so long miseries which by continuall warres the worlde had suffered By thys we gather first that thys tyme of Christes birth agreed exactly with the prophecie so long before sette down in Daniell who lyued in the first Monarchie that after hys tyme there shoulde be three Monarchies more and the last biggest of all at whose appearing the Messias shoulde come and builde vppe Gods kingdome throughout all the world Secondly we see that fulfilled which Esay the Prophet aboue a hundred yeeres before Daniell fore-told that at the comming of Christ people shoulde sitte in
particular places Which is to be vnderstood such little Kings as Iosue slew thirtie in one battaile And it is to be noted that S. Matthewe maketh mention of the comming of these Kings to Ierusalem as of a knowne and publique matter whereof all Ierusalem and Iurie were able to beare him witnesse For hee talketh of theyr open comming to Ierusalem and of the inquirie for the new borne King of theyr speeche and conference had wyth Herod as also of Herods consultation with the Scribes Pharisies about the place of the Messias byrth And finally he sheweth the most pittifull murder that insued of almost infinite infants in all the circuite of Bethleem for thys matter Which could not be a thing vnknowne to all Iurie and much lesse feygned by the holy Euangelist Saint Matthew for that he should haue giuen his aduersaries the greatest aduauntage in the worlde if he had begunne hys Gospell with so notorious and open an vntrueth which might haue been refuted by infinite persons that were yet aliue Epiphanius is of opinion that the three Kings arriued in Ierusalem two yeeres after Christes Natiuitie for that Herod slewe all infants of that age But other hold more probablie that the starre appeared vnto thē two yeeres before Christes Natiuitie so that they came to Bethleem the thirteenth day after Christes birth according as the Church doth celebrate the Epiphanie Saint Basile thinketh that they were learned men and myght by theyr learning and Arte Magick wherin those Countrimen at that time were very skilfull vnderstand and feele that the power of their Heathen Gods was greatlie diminished and broken They might also be styrred vp wyth that common brute and generall prophecie spredde ouer all the Easte in those daies as both Suetonius Iosephus doe recorde That out of Iurie should come an vniuersall King ouer all the world By these meanes I say and by the prophecie of Balaam left among thē from Moses time for he was a Gentile wherby was signified that a starre should ryse and declare a great and mightie King in Israell they might be induced at the sight of this starre to take so long a iourney as they did towards Iurie Thys starre as I haue sayde was foretolde by Balaam a Heathen Prophet aboue one thousand and fiue hundred yeeres before it appeared And after Balaam again it was prophecied by Dauid that Kings of Arabia Saba and other Easterne Countries shoulde come and adore Christ and offer both gold and other gyfts vnto hym The murder also of those infants of Bethleem was presignified by Ieremie in the weeping of Rachell for the slaughter of her children which Rachell was buried in Bethleem and for that cause those infants were called her children albeit shee were dead aboue two thousande yeres before they were slaine and aboue one thousand and fiue hundred yeeres before Ieremie wrote the prophecie Amongst which infants Herod also for more assurance slewe an infant of hys owne For that as Philo noteth he was descended by hys mothers side of the lyne of Iuda Which cruelty comming to Augustus eares he sayde as Macrobius reporteth that hee had rather bee Herods swyne then hys sonne for that hee beeing a Iewe was forbidden by hys Religion to kyll hys swyne though not ashamed to kyll hys sonne The same starre whereof we speake is mentioned by diuers Heathen Writers as by Plinie vnder the name of a Comete for so they termed all extraordinarie Starres which appeared in the later ende of Augustus daies and were farre different from all other that euer appeared And therfore contrary to the nature of those kind of Starres it was adiudged by the whole Colledge of South-sayers to portende vniuersall good vnto the earth and for that cause had an Image of mettall erected to it in Rome and as Plinies words are Is Cometa vnus tota orbe colitur that onely Comete is worshipped throughout the whole world Origine also writeth of one Chaeremon a Stoike that was much mooued with the consideration of thys Starre and for that after the appearaunce thereof hee perceiued the power of hys Gods decayed tooke a iourney into Iurie in company of other Astronomers to informe himselfe further of the matter Whereunto Chalcidius a Platonicke dooth adde that the Chaldean Astronomers did gather by contemplation of thys Starre that some God descended from heauen to the benefite of mankind And finally the Sibyls talking of the comming of Christ affirmed plainlie Rutilans eum sydus mon strabit a blazing starre shall declare his cōming Which prophecie Virgill the Poet hauing reade in Augustus tyme and soone after hauing seen the same fulfilled applied it as I haue shewed before of all the rest to the flattering of Caesar and therefore he sayth in the place before alleaged Ecce Dionaei processit Caesaris astrum Behold the starre of Caesar descended of Venus hath nowe appeared Which starre indeede was the starre of Caesars Lorde and Maister After fortie daies past ouer Saint Luke reporteth how Iesus by his mother was presented in the Temple of Ierusalem therwithall recounteth two strange thinges that happened at the same time to wit that two graue and reuerend persons Simeon surnamed Iust and Anna the Prophetesse both of singuler sanctitie amongst the Iewes cōming into the Temple at the very same time when Iesus was there in hys Mothers armes tooke notice of him and acknowledged him publiquely for the Messias and Sauiour of the world Fore-telling also by the spyrite of prophecie diuers perticuler things that wer to ensue both to Christ and Christians and especially to hys Mother the blessed virgine Which things being published at that time and confirmed afterwards by the euent doe well declare that thys narration of S. Luke could not be forged as doe also the number of perticuler circumstaunces sette downe about the tyme place and persons most notoriously knowne to all Ierusalem For as for Anna she had lyued from her youth vntyll foure-score yeeres of age in the Temple and thereby was knowne to the most part of Iurie And as for Symeon he was the Scholler of the most famous Hillel and condisciple to Ionathan maker of the Chaldie Paraphrase of whō I spake before and the Iewes Thalmud confesseth that by the death of these two men especially of Simeon fayled the spyrit of the great Sinagogue called Sanhedrin which after the Captiuitie of Babylon vntyll Herods time supplyed in a sort the spirit of prophecie that was expresly in Israel before the sayd captiuitie Of Christes flight into Egipt for feare of Herode S. Luke wel noteth that it was prophecied by Ose long before that God would call his Sonne out of Egipt And the Prophet Esay describeth the same very particularlie when he sayth Beholde our Lord Iehoua shal ascend vp or ride vpon a light cloude which was his flesh or humanitie
The first what infinite multitudes of all states conditions sexe qualities and age did suffer dailie for testimonie of this trueth The second what intollerable and vnaccustomed torments not hearde of in the worlde before were deuised by Tyrants for afflicting thys kinde of people The thyrde what inuincible courage and vnspeakable alacritie the Christians shewed in bearing out these afflictions which the enemies theÌ„selues could not attribute but to some diuine power and supernaturall assistance And for thys later poynt of comfort in theyr sufferings I wil alleage onely this testimonie of Tertulian against the Gentiles who obiected that wicked men suffered also as well as Christians whereto thys learned Doctor made aunswere in these words Truth it is that many men are prone to ill and do suffer for the same but yet dare they not defende theyr euill to be good as Christians doe theyr cause For that euerie euill thing by nature dooth bring wyth it eyther feare or shame and therefore wee see that malefactors albeit they loue euill yet would they not appeare so to the world but desire rather to lye in couert They tremble when they are taken and when they are accused they denie all and doe scarse oftentimes confesse their dooings vpon torments And finally wheÌ„ they are condemned they lament mone and doe impute their hard fortune to destinie or to the Planets But the Christian what doth hee like to this is there any man ashamed or doth any man repent him wheÌ„ he is taken except it be for that hee was not taken rather If hee be noted by the enemie for a Christian hee glorieth in the same yf he be accused he defendeth not himselfe if hee be asked the question hee confesseth it willingly if he be condemned hee yeeldeth thanks What euill is there then in the Christian cause which lacketh the naturall sequel of euill I meane feare shame tergiuersation repentaunce sorrowe and deploration What euil I say can this be deemed whose guiltines is ioy whose accusation is desire whose punishment is happines Hetherto are the words of learned Tertulian who was an eye witnesse of that hee wrote and had no small part in the cause of those that â—uffered beeing himselfe in that place and state as daily he might expect to taste of the same affliction To which combat howe readie he was may appeare by diuers places of this his Apologie wherein hee vttereth besides hys zeale and feruour a most confident securitie and certaine assuraunce of Iesus assistaunce by that which hee had seene performed to infinite other in their greatest distresses from the same Lord before So that nothing doth more acertaine vs of the diuine power and omnipotencie of Iesus then the fortitude inuinsible which aboue all humane reason force and nature he imparted to his Martyrs The fift Consideration AFter which consideration there commeth to be weighed the fift poynt before mentioned which is of the same power and omnipotencie of Iesus declared and exercised vpon the spirits infernall Which thing partly may appeare by the Oracles alleaged in the ende of the former Section wherein those spirits fore-told that an Hebrue childe should be borne to the vtter subuersion and ruine of theyr tyrannicall dominion and much more at large the same might bee declared by other aunswers and Oracles vttered after Christes natiuitie and registred in the monuments euen of the Heathens themselues Whereof he that desireth to see more ample mention especially out of Porphyrie who then was liuing let him read Eusebius sixt booke De preparatione Euangelica wher he shall finde store and namely that Apollo many times exclaimed Hei mihi congemiscite Hei mihi hei mihi Oraculorum defecit me claritas Woe vnto me lament yee wyth me woe vnto me woe vnto me for that the honour of Oracles hath nowe forsaken mee Which complaints and lamentations are nothing els but a plaine confession that Iesus was he of whom a Prophet saide diuers ages before Attenuabit omnes Deos terrae hee shall weare out and bring to beggerie al the Gods or Idols of the earth Thys confessed also the wicked spirits themselues when aâ— Christes appearing in Iurie they came vnto him diuers times and besought him not to afflict or torment them nor commaund theÌ„ presently to returne to hell but rather to permitte them some little time of entertainement in the Sea or Mountaines or among heards of Swyne or the like Which confession they made in the sight of all the world and declared the same afterwards by theyr facts and deedes For presently vppon Iesus death vppon the preaching of hys name and Gospell throughout the worlde the Oracles which before were aboundant in euerie Prouince and Countrey were put to silence Whereof I might alleage the testimonies of very many Gentiles themselues as that of Iuuenall Cessant Oracula Delphis All Oracles at Delphos do now cease c. That also of another Poet Excessere omnes adytis arisque relictis Dii quibus imperium hoc steterat c. That is the Gods by whom this Empire stood are all departed from theyr Temples and haue abandoned theyr Altars and place of habitation Strabo hath also these expresse words The Oracle of Delphos at this day is to be seene in extreame beggerie and mendicitie And finally Plutarch that liued within one hundred yeeres after Christ made a speciall booke to search out the causes why the Oracles of the Goddes were ceassed in hys tyme. And after much turning and winding many wayes resolued vppon two principall points as causes thereof The first for that in his tyme there was more store of wise men then before whose aunswers might stand in steede of Oracles and the other that peraduenture the spirits which were accustomed to yeelde Oracles were by length of tyme growne olde and dead Both which reasons in the very common sence of all men must needes be false and by Plutarch himself can not stand wyth probabilitie For first in his Bookes which he wrote of the liues of auncient famous men he confesseth that in such kind of wisedome as he most esteemed they had not theyr equals among their posterity Secondly in his Treatises of Phylosophy he passeth it for a ground that spyrits nor depending of materiall bodies cannot dye or wexe olde and therefore of necessitie hee must conclude that some other cause is to be yeelded of the ceassing of these Oracles which cannot be but the presence and commaundement of some higher power according to the saying of S. Iohn To this end appeared the sonne of GOD that hee might dyssolue or ouerthrow the workes of the deuil Neyther did Iesus thys alone in his own person but gaue also power and authoritie to his dysciples and followers to do the like according to theyr commission in Saint Mathewes Gospell Super omnia Demonia et spiritus immundos c. You shall haue authoritie ouer all
was come vsing thys speeche vnto them When you shall see Ierusalem besieged with an Armie then know ye that her desolation is at hand for that these are the dayes of reuenge to the ende all may be fulfilled which is written Great distresse shall fall vppon thys earth and vengeaunce vpon thys people They shall be slaine by dint of the sworde and shall bee ledde as slaues into all Countries And Ierusalem shall be troden vnder feete by the Gentiles vntill the times of Nations be accomplished Thys fore-tolde Iesus of the miserie that was to fall vpon Ierusalem and vppon that people by the Romaines and other Gentiles when the Iewes seemed to be in most securitie and greatest amitie with the Romaines as also they were when the same things were wrytten and consequentlie at that tyme they might seeme in all humaine reason to haue lesse cause then euer before to misdoubt such calamities And yet howe certaine assured fore-knowledge and as it were most sensible feeling Iesus had of these miseries he declared not only by these expresse words and by their euent but also by those pittifull teares hee shed vpon sight and consideration of Ierusalem and by the lamentable speech he vsed to the women of that Cittie who wept for him at his passion perswading them to weepe rather for themselues and for their children in respecte of the miseries to follow then for him Which wordes and predictions of Iesus together wyth sundry other his speeches fore-shewing so particularly the imminent calamities of that Nation that as I haue said at such time when in humaine discourse there could be no probabilitie therof when a certaine Hethen Chronicler Mathematique named Phlegon about a hundered yeres after Christes departure had diligently considered hauing seene the same also in his daies most exactlie fulfilled for he was seruaunt to Adrianus the Emperour by whose commaundement as hath beene said before the finall subuersion of that Iewish Nation was brought to passe thys Phlegon I say though a Pagan yet vpon consideration of these euents and others that he sawe as the extreame persecution of Christians foretold by Christ and the like he pronounced that neuer any man fore-told things so certainlie to come or that so precisely were accomplished as were the predictions and prophecies of Iesus And this testimonie of Phlegon was alleaged vrged for Christians against one Celsus a Heathen Phylosopher Epicure by the famous learned Origen euen the verie next age after it was written by the Authour so that of the trueth of thys allegation there can be no doubt or question at all Other prophecies of Iesus fulfilled to his Disciples AND nowe albeit these predictions and prophecies concerning the punishment and reprobation of the Iewes fulfilled so euidently in the sight of all the worlde might be a sufficient demonstration of Iesus fore-knowledge in affaires to come yet are there many other thinges besides fore-shewed by him which fell out as exactly as these dyd notwithstanding that by no learning mathematicall reason humaine coniecture they were or might be fore-seene As for example the fore-telling of hys owne death the manner time and place thereof as also the personne that should betray hym together wyth his irrepentant ende The flight feare and scandale of hys Disciples albeit they had promised and protested the contrarie The three seuerall denials of Peter The particuler time of hys owne resurrection and ascention The sending of the holie Ghost and many other the like predictions prophecies and promises which to his Apostles disciples and followers that heard them vttered and left them written before they fell out sawe them afterward accomplished who by the falshood therof should haue receiued greatest domage of all other men if they had not beene true to these men I saie they were most euident proofes of Iesus diuine prescience in matters that should ensue Prophecies fulfilled in the sight of Gentiles BVT yet for that an Infidell with whom onely I suppose my selfe to deale in thys place may in these and the like things find perhaps some matter of cauilation say that these prophecies of Iesus were recorded by our Euangelists after the particularities therein prophecied were effectuated not before and consequently that they might be forged I wil alleage certain other euents both fore-told registred before they came to passe and divulged by publique writings in the face of all the worlde when there was small semblance that euer the same shoulde take effect Such were the particular fore-tellings of the kinde and manner of S. Peters death whiles hee liued The peculier and different manner of S. Iohn the Euangelists ending from the rest of the Apostles The fore-shewing and describing to his disciples the most extreame and cruell persecutions that shoulde ensue vnto Christians for his sake a thing at that time not probable in reason for that the Romaines permitted the exercise of all kindes of Religions and that notwithstanding all these pressures and intollerable afflictions his faithfull followers should not shrinke but hold out and dailie increase in zeale fortitude and number and finally should atchiue the victorie and conquest of all the worlde a thing much more vnlikelie at that day and so farre passing all humaine probabilitie as no capacitie reason or conceit of man might reach or attain the fore-sight thereof And wyth thys wil wee conclude our third and last part of the generall diuision sette downe in the beginning concerning the groundes and proofes of Christian Religion The Conclusion SECT 4. BY all that hetherto hath beene saide wee haue declared and made manifest vnto thee gentle Reader three thinges of great importaunce First that from the beginning and creation of the world there hath beene promised in all times and ages a Messias or Sauiour of man-kind in whom by whom all Nations shoulde be blessed as also that the particuler time maner and circumstance of his comming together with the qualitie of hys person purpose doctrine life death resurrection and ascention were in like manner by the Prophets of God most euidently fore-shewed Secondlie that the verie same perticulers and speciall points that were dissigned and sette down by the sayd Prophets were also fulfilled most exactly with theyr circumstaunces in the person and actions of Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Thyrdlie that besides the accomplishment of all the fore-sayd prophecies there were giuen by Iesus many signes manifestations and most infallible arguments of hys Deitie and omnipotent puissaunce after his ascention or departure from all humaine and corporal conuersation in thys world By all which waies meanes arguments and proofes and by tenne thousande more which to the tongue or pen of man are inexplicable the christian minde remaineth setled and most firmely grounded in the vndoubted beleefe of his Religion hauing besides all other things euidences certainties and internall comforts and assurances which are infinite these eyght demonstratiue
possibly walke awry therein but may thinke himselfe a good Christian for thys first poynt which is for matters of beleefe The seconde part of this Chapter THere followeth the second part of Christian profession concerning life manners which is a matter of so much more difficultie then the former by how many more waies a man may be ledde from vertuous life then from sincere fayth wherein there can be no comparison at all seeing the pathe of our beleefe is so manifest as hath beene shewed that no man can erre therein but of inexcusable wilfulnes Which wilfulnesse of error the holy Fathers of Christes primatiue Church did alwaies refer to two principall and originall causes that is to pride ouerweening in our owne conceits and to malice against our Superiors for not giuing our selues contentation in the thinges that we desire Of the first doe proceede newe opinions newe glosing expounding applying of the Scriptures preferring our own iudgement before all other past or present the contempt and debasing of holy Fathers and Councels and whatsoeuer proofe standeth not with our owne liking and approbation Of the second fountaine are deriued other qualities conformable to that humor as are the denying of iurisdiction and authoritie in our Superiours the contempt of Prelates the exaggeration of the faultes and defects of our Gouernours the impugnation of all Bishoplike dignities or Ecclesiasticall eminencie and especially of that rule whereunto appertaineth the correction of such lyke offenders and finally for satis-fying thys deuillish and pernicious venime of malice those wicked reprobates doe incite and arme the people against theyr spirituall Pastors they kindle factions against Gods faithfull Ministers they deuise a new Church a new forme of Gouernment a new kingdom and Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie vpon earth wherby to bring mē in doubt or staggering what or whom to beleeue or whereunto to haue recourse in such difficulties as doe arise These two maladies I say of pryde and malice haue beene the cause of obstinate errour in all Heretiques frō the beginning as full wel noted that holy auncient Martyr Saint Cyprian when hee sayde so long a goe These are the beginnings and originall causes of Heretiques and wicked Scismatiques first to please like well of thēselues and then beeing puffed vp with the swelling of pride to contemne theyr Gouernors and Superiors Thus doe they abandon and forsake the Church thus doe they erecte a prophane Aulter out of the Church against the Church Thus doe they break the peace and vnitie of Christ and doe rebell against Gods holy ordination Nowe then as these are the causes eyther onely or principally of erring in our beleefe most facile and easie as wee see to be discerned so of errour in lyfe and manners there are many more occasions causes ofsprings and fountaines to be found That is to say so many in number as wee haue euill passiōs inordinate appetites wicked desires or vnlawfull inclinations within our minde euery one whereof is the cause oftentimes of dysordered life and breach of Gods commaundements For which respect there is much more sette downe in Scripture for exhortation to good life then to fayth for that the errour heerein is more ordinary easie and more prouoked by our owne frailtie as also by the multitude of infinite temptations Wherefore we reade that our Sauiour Christ in the very beginning of his preaching straight after hee was baptised and had chosen vnto him S. Peter and S. Andrewe Iames and Iohn and some other fewe Dysciples went vp to the Mountaine and there made hys most excellent famous and copious Sermon recited by S. Matthew in three whole Chapters wherein he talketh of nothing els but of vertuous life pouertie meekenes iustice puritie sorrow for sinne patience in suffering contempt of riches forgiuing of iniuries fasting prayer repentance entering by the straight gate and finally of perfection holines and integritie of conuersation and of the exact fulfilling of euery iote of Gods Lawe and commaundements He assured his Disciples with great asseueration that he came not to breake the Law but to fulfill the same consequentlie whosoeuer should breake the least of his Commaundements and should teache men so to doe that is shoulde perseuere therein without repentaunce and so by his example draw other men to doe the like should haue no place in the kingdome of heauen Again he exhorted thē most earnestly to be lights and to shine by good works to al the world and that except theyr iustice did exceed the iustice of the Scribes and Pharises which was but ordinarie and externall they could not be saued He tolde them plainelie they might not serue two maisters in thys life but eyther they must forsake God or abandon Mammon He cryed vnto them Attendite stand attent and consider well your state and condition and then againe seeke to enter by the straight gate And lastly hee concludeth that the onely tryall of a good Tree is the good fruite which it yeeldeth wythout the which fruite let the tree be neuer so fayre or pleasant to the eye yet is it to be cutte downe and burned And that not euery one that shall cry or say vnto him Lorde Lorde at the last day shall be saued or enter into the kingdome of heauen but onely such as did execute in deedes the wyll commandements of his Father in thys lyfe For want whereof he assureth them that many at that day who had not onely beleeued but also doone myracles in his name should be denied reiected and abandoned by him Which long lesson of vertuous life being the first that euer our Sauiour gaue in publique to his Disciples then newly gathered together as Saint Matthewe noteth hauing treated somewhat before of poynts of fayth and by some miracles preaching shewed himself to be the true Messias doth sufficiently teach vs that we must not onely beleeue in his name and doctrine but conforme our liues and actions also to the prescript rule of his commaundements For albeit in Christian Religion faith be the first and principall foundation wheruppon all the rest is to be stayed grounded Yet as in other materiall buildings after the foundation is layd there remaineth the greatest labour time cost cunning and dilligence to be bestowed vpon the framing and furnishing of other parts that must ensue euen so in thys celestial edifice or building of our soule hauing layde on the foundation and grounde of true beleefe the rest of all our life tyme labor and studies is to be imployed in the perfecting of our life and actions as it were in raysing vppe the walles and other parts of our spirituall building by the exercise of all vertues and diligent obseruation of Gods commandemēts without the which it will be to no more purpose for vs to bragge of our knowledge in the Scriptures or to say wee haue fayth and looke to
most aboundant riches of hys grace and goodnesse towardes vs. Thys was the opinion of that noble Apostle S. Paule and of all his coequals Apostles Euangelists Disciples and Saints that this work of our redemption proceeded only froÌ„ the inflamed fornace of Gods immeasurable loue And therfore to make no other conclusion heereof then that which S. Paule himselfe doth make if God haue not spared his own propper onely begotten son but hath giuen him vp to death for gaining vs vnto him howe can it be that with him hee hath not giueÌ„ vnto vs al other things If wheÌ„ we were his enemies and thought not vpon him he sent to seeke vs so diligently by such a messenger as he loued so deerely allowing him to lay downe a price for vs which he so infinitlie esteemed what shal we think that he will doe vnto vs nowe we beeing made hys owne by our redemption if we returne willingly vnto him when our receauing shal cost him nothing els but onely a merciful looke vpon vs which is not so much froÌ„ the infinite bowels of his bottomlesse mercy as is one drop of water from the most huge gulfe of the maine Ocean sea And this shal suffise for the first poynt of Gods loue declared vnto vs by the three most sweete and comfortable names and respects of Creator Father and Redeemer The second part howe God expresseth his loue towards sinners NExt after which wee are to consider in what maner God is accustomed to expresse and declare thys loue of his in hys dealings and proceedings towardes sinners And first of all the wyse man hauing had long experience of thys matter beginneth to describe and sette it forth in thys sort saying vnto God himselfe Thou O Lordeâ— dost dissemble the sinnes of men to giue vnto them time of repentance And then when they wyll not vse this benefite of his forbearing but wyll needes enforce hym to punish and correct them hee sayth further of thys correction Such as wilfully doe runne astray O Lord and will not turne vnto thee thou doost correct them sweetly by little and little admonishing and exhorting them to leaue their sinnes and to beleeue in thee These two points then of exceeding clemencie by the testimony of the wyse man are founde in almighty God first to wincke at the wicked life of men and to expect their coÌ„uersion with inspeakable patience and longanimitie according as also the Prophet Esay beareth witnesse adioyning the cause thereof in these wordes The Lorde dooth attend your conuersion to the ende he may take mercie on you and thereby be exalted And secondly for the same respect when he is enforced by reason of his iustice to chastise them yet doth he the same with such moderation and mildnesse as alwayes in thys life he reserueth place of pardon And to these two wee may adioyne yet a third propertie of his mercie more admirable perhaps then the former which is as Tertullian excellently noteth that hee beeing the partie offended yet first principally desireth reconsiliation hee hauing receiued the wrong and iniurie yet dooth he most busilie entreate for amitie and attonement And whereas in all right and equitie hee might denie vs pardon and for hys power take reuenge of vs at his pleasure yet doth he not onely offer vs peace of his own accord but also sueth vnto vs by all meanes possible to accept thereofâ— humbling in a certain manner his diuine Maiestie to our basenes vilitie and behauing himselfe in thys respect as a Prince that were enamored of hys bond-slaue and abiect seruaunt Thys might be declared by many of his owne speeches and dooinges in holie Scripture but one place out of the Prophet Esay shall serue for all where almightie GOD so earnestly wooeth the conuersion of Ierusalem as no louer in the worlde coulde vtter more signes and testimonies of a hart inflamed and sette on fire with loue then he doth towards that Cittie which so highly had offended him For first after many threates poured out against her if she did not return least she might perhaps fal into despayre he maketh this protestation in the beginning of his speech Indignatio non est mihi c. Angry I am not ô Ierusalem but whatsoeuer I haue spoken I haue spoken of good wil and loue Secondly he entreth into this dispute and doubt with himselfe about punishing her for her sinnes what shall I doe Shall I treade her vnder my feete put her to the fier or els will she stay my puissant hande and make peace with me will she I say make attonement with me After which doubt cunctation he resolueth himselfe to change his manner of style and to fall a little to chide wyth her and then he saith Harken O ye deafe inhabitants of Ierusalem looke about ye ye blind folke that wil not see who is blind and deafe but my seruant that will not regard or listen to the messengers which I send O thou which hast open eares wilt thou not heare And then a little after he beginneth to smooth speake faire againe saying Euer since thou hast beene gracious glorious in mine eyes I haue loued thee and for thy soule will I giue whole nations Feare not for that I am with thee Wherewith shee being little or nothing moued hee returneth to a sweet maner of complaint saying Thou hast enthralled me by thy sins with thine iniquities thou hast greatly afflicted me Which being sayd and she somewhat moued therby to loue him as it seemeth hee turneth vnto her wyth this most comfortâ—ble and kynde speeche I am hee I am hee which cancelleth thine iniquities for mine owne sake and will neuer thinke any more vpon thy sinnes All which beeing doone and they now reconciled and made fast freendes together hys diuine Maiestie beginneth a verie louing conference as it vvere and sweete expostulation with her saying in these words Call thou to memorie the things that are past and let vs iudge our selues heere together Tell me if thou haue any thing whereby thou maist be iustified Thy first parent was a sinner c. Whereat she beeing ashamed and hauing nothing in the worlde to aunswere for herselfe almightie God comforteth her and knitteth vp the whole matter in thys moste kynde and amiable sort Feare not for I wyll poure out my spirit vppon thee and vppon thy seede and my benediction shall be vpon thyne of-spring thy children shall bud vp and florish as wylloes planted by the water side Thus saith the Lord and king of Israel the Lorde of hostes that is thy redeemer I am the first and the last besides me there is no other GOD. Be mindfull of this thou house of Iacob I haue dissolued and dissipated thy sinnes as a cloude is dissolued in the ayre be mindfull of this and haue an assured confidence Thus farre continueth the treatie
time and euer since he hath made Heerehence it proceeded that all his delight and pleasure vpon earth was to conuerse with sinners to giue them comfort courage and confidence in him Which hee did so manifestly in the sight of al the world as hee became very scandalous offensiue thereby to the Scribes Pharisies other principall Rulers among the Iewish Nation Heere-hence also did proceede those his most meruailous speeches and strange inuitations of wicked men vnto him as for example at one tyme among other when hee cryed out in publique Come vnto mee all yee that doe labour and be heauie loden and I wyll refresh you And at another time going into the Temple of Ierusalem vpon a high festiuall day when all the people were gathered together he stoode vp in the midst of them all and brake forth into thys vehement inuitation wyth a loude voyce as S. Iohn Euangelist recordeth If any man among you bee thirstie let him come vnto me and he shal drink Heerby it came to passe that his diuine maiestie was termed commonly Publicanorum et pâ—ccatorum amicus the freende and familiar of wicked Publicans and sinners And heereof finally it did proceede that he receiued all embraced all and forgaue all that repaired vnto him were they Scribes Pharisies Souldiours Publicans Vsurers Harlots Theeues Persecutors or whatsoeuer most greeuous offenders besides whereof particuler examples in each kinde might be alleaged assuring vs furthermore that after hys resurrection and blessed aâ—cention to the right hande of hys father he woulde be more bountifull yet in thys manner of proceeding and drâ—w all men vnto him beeing at one tyme both our Iudge and Aduocate our King and Mediatour our God and Redeemer our Father and Brother our Priest and Sacrifice and he that both pleadeth and determineth our cause together What then shoulde not we hope at thys tyme deere Christian brother at the hands of this our Lorde and Maister which hath left vnto vs such wordes such deedes such assured euidences of hys infallible loue and aboundant mercies towards vs why shold not hys dealings wyth other men before vs giue vs hart and courage to trust assuredlie in him for the time present and to come why shoulde not his former most infinite mercies be vnto vs odoriferous alluring sauors oyntments to make vs as the spouse did in the Canticles follow and runne after him Heare what deuout S. Bernarde dooth meditate vppon this passage of Christes fragrant oyntments O sweete Iesus saith hee the fresh and odoriferous smell of thy wonderfull clemencie doth allure vs to runne after thee when we heare say that thou despisest not beggers nor abhorrest sinners Wee know right well ô Lord that thou diddest not reiect the theefe that confessed thee nor the sinfull woman that wept vnto thee nor the Chananaean that huÌ„bled herselfe before thee nor the wicked adultresse brought vnto thee nor the touller or tribute gatherer that followed thee nor the publican that repaired vnto thee nor the disciple that denied thee nor Saule that did persecute thee nor thy tormenters that did naile thy sacred bodie to the Crosse. O Lorde all these are fragrant smels and sauours of thy most sweet mercie and at the sente of these thy oyntments we doe followe and runne after thee Thus farre S. Bernard The fourth part The application of all that hath beene said AND so wyth this to come to the fourth and last part of thys Chapter and to apply all that hath beene said of Gods mercie to our present purpose What man is there liuing in the worlde that reading and beleeuing these things can doubt or mistrust to receiue pardon for hys sinnes If God be hee that iustifieth who is able to condemne vs saith the holy Apostle S Paul If God be minded to deliuer vs who can take vs out of his hands If God protest that he wyll pardon vs why should we make any doubt or question thereof at all Why shoulde wee not ioyne rather wyth that confident and faithful seruaunt of his S. Paul who saith vnto vs and to all other sinners liuing in his maisters name Let vs repaire vnto him with a true hart in fulnesse of faith hauing purged our harts from an euill conscience let vs hold fast an immouable confession of our hope seeing he is faithfull which hath giuen vnto vs his promise and let vs consider howe one of vs may prouoke another to charitie and good workes By which words the holy Apostle signifieth that what sinner soeuer shall resolue with himselfe to purge his conscience from wickednesse for the tyme to come and to employ the rest of his life in charitie and good works he may confidently boldly repayre vnto almightie God wyth most certaine assuraunce to receiue pardon remission And alas deere brother why then should any man despaire Wherefore shoulde any man cast awaie hys owne soule that GOD so much desireth to saue what a pittifull and lamentable case is it to behold so many Christians in the world to goe languishing in their sinnes to giue themselues ouer to all kind of carelesse and dissolute sensualitie which by God himselfe is called desperation vpon this conceit and wicked cogitation that nowe they are gone so farre and so deepely rooted and habituated in thys kinde of life as eyther it is impossible or in vaine for them now to thinke of change or amendment O deere brother let these men harken to thys excellent dyscourse of holy Chrisostome which ensueth If thou be a wicked man saith he thinke vpon the Publicane If thou be vncleane of lyfe consider the harlot If thou be a murderer remember the theefe If thou be a swearer call to minde the blasphemer Cast thyne eyes vpon Saul and Paul first a persecutour and then a preacher first a violent robber afterwarde a good steward and dyspenser First chaffe afterward corne first a woolfe afterward a sheepheard first lead afterward gold first a pirat afterwards a good pilot first a dispersor afterwarde a gatherer together first a breaker down of Gods vine yard afterwarde a planter first a destroyer afterward a builder Thou hast seene manifold wickednes but nowe behold vnspeakable mercie Thou hast heard the pride of the seruant consider now the loue and clemencie of the Maister I will not thou say to me I am a blasphemer I haue beene a persecutor I haue led an vncleane and abhominable life and therefore I doubt least I shal not be pardoned Say not so vnto me for here thou hast examples to the contrary in euery of these and many other sinnes Thou mayst safely flie to what port thou list and that eyther in the old or new Testament For in the old thou hast Dauid in the newe thou hast Paul I will not haue thee therefore alleage excuses vnto mee for couering thyne owne cowardnes Hast thou sinned repent hast thou sinned a