by the vniuersall cry of Christian Preachers in all Ages hath byn successiuely sounded vnto theÌ„ then vpon theÌ„ that depose their priuate conceyts gotteÌ„ by their own inquisition into Gods worde to be the only Christian diuine sauing Truth so filling the world with innumerable dissonant sects For as what fancy thinketh that the bell ringeth so what Heresy imagineth that in their conceyte the Scripture soundeth This being so why doth Heresy insult vpon Religion in regard of an accident common vnto men and vnto which their owne sect is continually subiect Why should Charity be frighted to see such deaths in their dearest Friends that may happen and often do happen vnto greatest Saynts Why doth Fayth complayne or wonder at this course of Gods prouideÌ„ce which he hath set down to himselfe in his Word and which hath been still his ordinany since the world Why doth zeale grieue without comfort to see the Church her enemies triumph not rather pitty their case that after a moment of malice and contempt shall be carryed to burne for euer in Hell The Holy Ghost doth acknowledge this kind of Crosses to be the greatest the worst vnder the sunne yet not so ill vnto you the children of the Church as vnto the sonnes of men I meane them whose Religion as different from the Catholike is humane nothing but a denyall of high mysteries * As that the Eucharist is not bread but the body of Christ That the Saintes heare our prayers That God assist his Church she cannot erre That the Body of Christ is in sundry places at once That Sacraments worke Grace Priests remit sins c. Tobias c. 2. contrary to the seeming of flesh and bloud Vnto these Humanists I say this accident is worse and causeth greater mischiefe then vnto you It doth grieue and afflict your hart it doth harden and obdurate their hart It doth fill you with sorrow and sadnes It filleth them with malice and contempt It bringeth teares from your eyes grones from your breast it fetcheth blasphemyes from their mouths iniuries from their handes It makes you weary of mortall and miserable life vnder the sunne not desiring comfort till you come to enioy with your Friends the felicity aboue the sunne It makes them ioy in the sunne-shine of the greatest vanity vnder the sunne not admitting of the light of Faith that looketh aboue the sunne so continuing in their errours vntill they be carried from vnder the sunne vnto the greatest mysery that is vnder the earth Call to mind the ExaÌ„ple of the holy Tobias in whom you may behold a patterne of your present afflicted state He was strucken blind with swallows dunge falling into his eyes when coÌ„ming home from burying the bodyes of the faythfull that had been slayne he cast himself down vnder the wall of his house to sleep through wearines of pious labour not able to go further A strange miserable accident scarse euer heard of before sent as it might seeme by the hand of Gods prouidence vpon him euen in his most feruent exercise of Religion Amici cognati eius deridebant eum c. 2. v. 15. Neyther was infidelity then waÌ„ting straight to scorne and deride his piety yea his owne countrymen and kindred insulted vpon him Where is thy hope for which thou didst good workes Now thine almes-deedes appeare As if they had sayd Now the fruite of thy deedes of Charity is seene Now thy Religion of workes is brought to light Thou art punished with blindnes that thou maist see thine own blindnes to thinke that one by workes can please God winne his loue merit his fauour purchase heauen Thus did auncient Infidelity speake in the Puritan language which now dayly soundes in our eares HeÌ„ce we know that for God to send strange disasters vpon his seruants hath been euer his custome wherby their ReligioÌ„ hath byn brought into scorne and themselues into sorow as now we are In which occasion on what can we better thinke for our comfort then on the golden wordes of this glorious Toby which he spake in answere vnto his deriders shewing the TraditioÌ„ of his holy Auncestors that deliuered from hand to hand that doctrine vnto him from which they had changed Nolite ita loqui quia FILII SANCTORVM sumus vitam illam expectamus quam daturus est ijs qui Fidem suam NVNQVAM MVTANT ab eo Do not speake in this manner because we are the ChildreÌ„ of the Saints or holy Fathers and we exspect that life which God will giue vnto them that NEVER CHANGE THEIR FAITH froÌ„ him vpon any accident or occasion whatsoeuer Put before your eyes the patience of holy Iob in that most rufull and horrible disaster when all his ten Children with many seruants were oppressed by the fall of an house togeather all once Betwixt which accident and our mischance there are so many similitudes In domo fratris primogeniti Iob. 1 13. Le Filz aisné de l'Eglise Hoc est Praecepâ—uÌ„ meum Ioa. 15. 22. Orig. l. 1. in Iob. corporall in their behalfe spirituall on our side as that may seeme to haue byn a figure of this That happened in the house of the first begotteÌ„ sonne of Iob This in his house who represents the person of that King that is tearmed the fiâ—st-begotten Sonne of the Church They were oppressed as they were sitting at the meate of their body These as tâ—ey were taking the ghostly refection of their soule They died as they were keeping a Feast in token of their fraternall vnanimity and concord These as they were at a spirituall banquet at a Sermon wherin was preached vnto them the Christian Precepts of mutuall charity and loue So the words of Origen are true of them both Tunc nouissimum vnanimitatis concordia prandium pranderunt super terram In coelis namque aeternae gloriae incorruptionis beatitudine pariter fruuntur The cause of that slaughter was Satan in malice agaynst the Religion of their Father The cause of this slaughter was the same Satan for he is the Author of all euill in hatred of the ReligioÌ„ of their Fore-fathers of the Holy Catholike Church their Mother See Titelmanus in Iob. FactuÌ„ est in principio Hebdomadae ita paraphrasis Chaldaica Iob. 1.5 They were slayne after the circle of the seauen dayes were runne about on the Sabboth when in the morning before they had byn sanctified by the sacrifice of their holy Father offering an Holocaust for euery one These also were slayne when the weeke was expired on the day of the Christian Sabboth when the most of them at least had byn sanctified in the morning by the Christian most pure Sacrifice and by being partakers of the Sacrament or Holocaust of Christ his most pretious Body and Bloud giuen whole and entire seuerally to euery one Compare your case with that of this holy Prophet and consider what reason of comfort he had which you haue not much more strong
what cause of sorow you haue which he had not in greater measure what solace had Iob that you want That his Children so suddainly slayne were of holy life Lib. 1. in Iob. The same you may presume of these your Friendes and take the wordes of Origen as agreeing equally vnto them both They were simple and sincere of hart chast and pure in soule of vnspotted conscience beloued of God deare to his Angels for their innocency full of brotherly charity one towards another not any did or could speake of them an euill word That they had byn sanctified not long before by the sacrifices then in vse These also on the very same day were expiated by the Christian Sacraments by a sacrifice of a farre greater force yea of infinite price De sanctitate secuÌ„ loquentes cum sororibus c. That they died holily in an action of brotherly charity and loue In a farre more holy action and exercise of piety were these taken away that what Origen sayth of theÌ„ is much more certayne of these They were taken as they were discoursing of Piety and Sanctity among themselues honouring God in their hartes praysing him as their Creatour adoring him as their Benefactour giuing him thankes as vnto their Foster-father Filij sancti sanctissimi Patris As little Innocents sit and stand play and sport togeather without any malice or vncleanes in minde so were these holy Children of their most holy Father when the blow came vpon them On the other side what cause haue you of afflictioÌ„ that did not presse more heauily vpon the fatherly hart of holy Iob You haue lost them that were deare vnto you but not more deare then was vnto him his whole family of children A stroake sayth Origen whereof none can coÌ„prehend the dolefulnes but such as know by experieÌ„ce what is the loue of a Father though the sole imaginatioÌ„ therof may moue any mans hart vnto teares of compassion He lost his Sonnes whom he had nourished to whom he had giuen best education Orig. l. 1. in Iob. that now were come to ripe yeares His Sons whom he had brought vp in piety seasoned with the feare and worshippe of God settled in charity and mutuall loue made in all kind of sanctity like to himself His Sonnes whose yssue he did desire to see whose posterity he did so earnestly expect from whom in his old age he did hope for comfort These Sonnes and not they only but also his Daughters so chast so pure so religious immaculate without blemish on whose heades on the day of their mariage he did intend to set garlands of ioy All these perished togeather at once and togeather with them spes quanta nepotum all his ioyfull hopes of glorious ofspring The death of your Friendes was dreadfull horrible wherof the very remembrance is execrable how much more the sight Not more rufull terrible then the death of the holy Children of this blessed Patriarke which Origen describes in these wordes Orig. vbi supra They dyed not an ordinary but a most lamentable death they were most miserably slayne Their bodyes were torne in peeces with stones bruysed with the weight of beames couered and defiled with dust lime and rubbish Mamocks of their torne flesh togeather with peeces of their broken bones their braynes their bowells their bloud the brothers with their sisters the sisters with their brothers lay mingled with clay morter and stone in one inseparable masse For the Diuell left nothing of them entyre not their sculls not their bowels not their stomackes not their armes not their handes not their leggs not their feete in summe not any part of their body A rufull spectacle a wofull sight yea rather no spectacle no fight at all For nothing was to be seen nothing that could be known flesh and bones stones and timber clay and morter bloud and wine lay so confusedly togeather in one heape Neyther the maisters from the seruants nor the brothers from the sisters nor his children among themselues were discernable the one from the other eyther by their faces or by their persons Thus dyed the holy innocent Children of Iob whose death yet was deare and precious in Gods sight that we might not iudge of the sanctity of mens liues by the hydeous â—hew of their deaths But Iob his Religion you will say was not reproached in regard of this accident Yes and perchance much more then the Catholike now is in respect of this late Euent For I am perswaded that all moderate Protestants behold this mischance with the eye of pitty as a misery indifferently incident vnto mankind not with eyes of disdayne as an argument of iust contempt of the ReligioÌ„ of them that stood obnoxious therunto Neyther do I thinke that they vnto whome indiscreet auersion from euery thing of our Church hath giuen the name of Pure do presse this fall as a iust reason to fall from our Religion except they be so voyd of discretion and vnwise as to make the truth of GODS Word which will not fayle though heauen earth passe away to depend on the staÌ„ding or falling of an house If some whom the temporalities they haue gotten by the banishment of our ReligioÌ„ engage and late vayne and idle feares of loosing what they haue gotten enrage against the Roman Church if these men I say by their declamations in pulpit incense the rude vulgar multitude to take this occasion to insult vpon our Religion Beato Iob insultabaÌ„t Reges Tob. 2.15 they do no more vnto vs then was also done vnto the most holy Iob in his distresse by the Ministers of Satan For who knowes not how he was assaulted and iusulted vpon by them that vpon the newes of his mishapp came to comfort him Orig. l. 1. in Iob. but the Diuell changed their hartes into bitternes agaynst him filled their mouths with blasphemyes and iniurious wordes So that in place of consolatioÌ„ they fell to reproach his Religion vrging the sayd mischance to condemne his sincerity of diuine seruice true practise of piety Wherfore as you are the consorts of holy Iob in your triall so be like vnto him in your trust and confidence in God and from his goodnes expect in deuout silence the like reward of your constancy not only a crowne of patience in the next world but also increase of temporall comfort in the present CHAP. II. Comfort by the Examples of former Christian tymes THe comfort of holy Scripture is seconded by the practise of Gods Prouidence in the Christian Church QuaecuÌ„que sunt carnis incoÌ„moda SaÌ„ctis sunt cum ceteris sine exceptione communia Cyp. ser de mortal which hath been still subiect vnto the dreadfull mischances of mortality no lesse then other men wherby both Pagans and Heretikes haue byn moued to insult vpon the Catholike Christians as I shall demonstrate by diuers Examples of the first six hundred yeares during which tyme most
Protestants dare not say that Christianity was vnsound Examples within the first three hundred yeares BEing to alleadge Examples of dreadfull deaths and mischances happened vnto Saints since the Christian tymes where can I better beginne then with Christ Iesus himselfe Heb. 12.2 Eph. 1.22 Rom. 8.19 the founder of our Fayth the accomplisher of our Hope the head of the Christian elect the Patterne of perfection according to the modell wherof the Saints of God are framed Could the eternall Father designe for his beloued Sonne any kind of death more dismall and pittifull more disgracefull and horrible then that of the Crosse A death infamous vnto the Gentile execrable vnto the Iew Maledictushomo qui peÌ„det in ligno Deut. 21.23 branded with a curse by Gods owne word Which Crosse though he imbraced out of his voluntary choyce and infinite charity for the redeÌ„ption of maÌ„kind yet that the same might seeme more ignominious in the eye of the world he would haue things carryed in such sort as if against his will his enemyes through the treachery of his disciple strength of their practises had preuayled to lay that horrible death vpon him This course of prouidence God vsed towards Christ Iesus the Saint of Saints for the Comfort of Christian Saints amongst whome as Saint Angustin writes Multi multarum mortium faeda varietate consumpti sunt Lib. 1. de ciuit c. 11. Many haue byn destroyed with strange variety of dreadfull deaths By this ExaÌ„ple we are taught that as sayth the same excellent Doctour No death is euill which is the sequell of good life That death is made miserable not by the miseryes that go before it but by the miseryes that follow vpon it That men seeing they must of necessity dye are to regard not the horrour of the mischance by which they are taken away but the quality of the place they are by death carryed vnto But as Christ Iesus in regard of the dignity of his person is without peere so this example by reason of the strangenes therof shall passe as incomparable and not to be put in number with the rest I will therfore pose proud presumers that dare determine when on whome God sendeth his vengeance with the different kind of prouidence he shewed towards two Roman Emperours of coÌ„trary dispositions to wit Caius Caligula Senec coÌ„solat ad Heb. Quid suÌ„ma vitia in summa fortuna possintâ— Hieron de obitu Nepotiani and Titus Vespasianus The one surnamed the monster of mankind whom Nature as Seneca writes may seeme to haue brought forth to no other end then that in him as in a glasse it might appeare vnto what extremity of wickednes man may arriue when the basest disposition vnto vice and the highest condition of Prince meete togeather in the same person The other surnamed Delitiae generis humani The ioy and pleasure of mankind in whom was seene a secret neuer before nor perchance since seen in the world Nec caedes fecit nec amoribus inseruiuit comis continens adeo mores statim mutauit Sueton. in Tito c. 11. Dio Sueton in Caio Dio Sueton in Tito Philo de legat ad Caium one made better that is mild modest chast clement and courteous by being raysed vnto the height and dignity of Emperour I will not stande to rehearse the barbarous crueltyes of Caligula without any cause vsed vpon his nearest kindred and friendes nor the incredible clemencyes of Titus towards his enemyes and euen vnto them that he knew by dayly practises went about to shorten his life This I may further affirme that the first to wit Caius was an enemy of true Religion or rather a bloudy persecutour of all Religion causing himself euery where to be adored as the only God with murders and massacres of theÌ„ that would not yeeld vnto this impiety Titus on the other side a friend and fauourer of Christians who stayed the persecution that Nero had raysed against them Oh into what danger of erring do they precipitate theÌ„selues that presume they can diue into the depth of Gods secrets and will iudge of men and Religion by disasterous euents For the dayes of the Empire of the most wicked Caius were full of prosperity Sueton. in Câ—io c. 31. no misfortune of warre no famines no plagues no burning of townes no earth-quakes no falling of houses in so much as the barbarous Tyrant was grieued thereat wishing that his Empire by some memorable calamity might be made renowned vnto posterity On the other side what of the short Empire of Titus Sueton. in Tito c 8. The same was from the beginning to the end infested with dreadfull aduersityes with fires from heauen with earth-quakes so strange and hydeous as the like were neuer heard off before nor recorded in any History Dion in Tito IncendiuÌ„ noÌ„ ex terrâ— diuinuÌ„ potius quam humanum id malum fuit wherwith not only townes and cittyes but many whole countryes were layd wast and destroyed chiefly the citty of Rome with all the most excellent ornaments therof These calamityes were the cause that he pined away with sorrow to the great griefe of all good men particularly of Christians his death being also hastned with poyson giuen him by Domitian his vnnaturall Brother whose cruelty he could neuer ouercome with all kind of curtesies clemencies and tokens of more theÌ„ brotherly loue Who considering these things will not rest astonished at Gods inuestigable iudgments Who will not with the Prophet acknowledge Psal â—3 5 that he is terrible in his counsels aboue the Sonnes of men Specially seeing Infidels tooke this occasion of calamityes happening vpon this Emperour the friend of Christians Tertul. Apolog. cap. 40. otherwise so iust and benigne to calumniate their Religion as if all miseryes were sent vpon the world in regard of them which scaÌ„dalous conceyt by this accident of Titus his vnfortunate raigne tooke such roote in the hart of Pagans Aug. l. 1. de Ciuit. c. 2. as it neuer afterward went out so long as they breathed within the Roman Empire Heerin they were confirmed by the successe of the raigne of Gordian the Emperour a friend of Christian Religion if not also a worshipper of Christ secretly See the life of S. Cecily Virg. and Mart. Iulius Capitolin in Gordiano Nissen in vita Greg. Thaum Ciuitates omnes quae circuÌ„ circa Regiones Cyp. serm de mortal Orig. contra Col. l. 3. and in hart In the beginning of his Empire when he had forbidden the persecution raysed against Christians by Maximinus the Thracian his bloudy barbarous Predecessor presently happened most horrible Earth-quakes wherwith whole Cittyes with all the people dwelling therin perished and were swallowed vp aliue by the opening of the ground many of them without question being Christians of very holy life For Christians were then so multiplied as they filled all Cittyes Townes and almost Villages of the Roman Empire