Of which scriptures it doth consequently folow that he gouerneth the world by his prouidence not by the whale of fortune or by force of destinie For if he gouerneâ— theÌ„ he gouerneth vs seing the earth is the Lordes al that is therin the coÌ„passe of y e world al that dwel therin But some do say that he gouerned the Israelites the sede of Abraham the chosen generatioÌ„ but not the refydne of the earth which he gaue vp to their own gouernaunce Verely God ruled all as he is Lord of al. For Paule preacheth to the Athenians that we liue moue and be in him He gaue them also rain light corn grasse as he hymself teacheth Iob out of a storme saying Who deuideth the abouÌ„dauÌ„ce of waters into riuers or who maketh a way for y t stormy wether that it watereth and moystureth the dry and barren grounde to make grasse grow wher no body dwelleth Who is the father of rayne Or who hath begotteÌ„ the drops of our dewe out of whose wombe came the yse Who hath gendred y e coldnes of the ayer y t the waters are as hard as stones and ly coÌ„geled aboue the depe Did he not styr vp Pharao among y e Egiptians Benhadad among y e Sirians Salmanasar amoÌ„g the Assirians Nabuchodonozer among y â— Babilonians Darius among the Medes Artaxarces among the Parthians Alexander among the Macedonians and Vaspasian amoÌ„g the Romaines In the boke of y e Kinges Elias is coÌ„maunded to anoynt Hasaell king of Siria Iehu of Israell Eliseus to be Prophete in his roume Wherby he teacheth vs y t he maketh Prophetes and Kings and taketh away their kingdomes as it is written Propter iniustitias iniurias diuersos dolos c. Because of vnrighteouse dealing wrong dyuers deceipts kingdomes shalbe traÌ„slated from one to another for y e power of the earth is in the hand of God If kings wold earnestly beleue this which is Gods owne voice behold how many kings he deposed in y e boke of kings and for what causes they wold be as earnest to set forth Gods glory that is to cause the gospell to be preached thorowe their dominioÌ„s and to relieue their pore brethren which be members of the same body that they be children of the same father and heires of the same kingdome and that which is done to them is done to Christ as thei haue ben diligent politike yea rather deceitfull in encreasinge their reuenues in filling their hutches w t gold siluer thei wolde first seke for the kingdome of God then God wold be ther castle cast al other things vpoÌ„ theÌ„ or els he is vntrue of his promes One being demauÌ„ded how a king might rule safely and assuredly answered if he dâ—uyse good lawes and se them diligently practised This is a necessary lesson for al princes that wil lyue in quietnes or that wil enioy their crounes with long continuance And a king aught to be a father to his subiects not onli to the gentlemeÌ„ but rather to his pore coÌ„mons for they haue more nede He is the head of them as wel as of the other What causeth vprores insurretioÌ„s soner then oppressioÌ„ of the pore Or what prouoketh y e wrath of God more against them If I were demaunded how a king might not only pas his time safeli but also al his posteritie ofspyrng coÌ„tinue in possessioÌ„ of the kingdome I wold answer if he seke the glory of God vnfaynedly For if kyngdomes be translated for vnrightousnes they ar preserued by rightousnes If promotion come neyther from the east nor from the west but from the king of heauen the wai to attein it and to maintein and continue iâ— â–ª is to please the king of heaueÌ„ The pacient man Iob saith that almightye God oftentimes for the wickednes and sinne of the people suffereth an hipocrite to reigne ouer them Nowe I thinke that ther was neuer more godly pretence more outward shew of holynes more dissimulation in Rulers then now is and this is Ipocrisy and all the people be lyke the rulers I warant you I wold wish that all kings wold diligeÌ„tly reade ouer and earnestly beleue y e cronicle of the kings there thei should fynd that which is written by me kyngs do raigne Cirus kyng of Persie caused a proclamatioÌ„ to be made throughout his empyre that the Lord God of heaueÌ„ had geuen him al the kingdomes of y e earth Is God of lesse abillitie now to do these things theÌ„ he was Or is he of les knowlege and vnderstaÌ„ding But to the matter againe If he do not gouerne y â— world by his prouidence it is either because he cannot and he is not able or that he will not or that he is ignoraunt what is done here But there is no ignoraunce with him to whome all thinges be naked and manifest and he lacketh no cunning for he is almighty and nothing is impossible to him and he lacketh no will for he is full of goodnes mercy compassion and promiseth plenty of all good things to the godly and scarcitie to the euill wherfore he ruleth al by his prouidence he causeth thuÌ„der lightning haile frost snow darknes life death barennes fruitfulnes raine faire wether wind hunger battel peace and pestilence as it is written prosperitie and aduersitie lyfe and death pouertie riches come of the Lord. God sendeth al these things partly to admonish vs of our frailnes partly to punish the il and partly to try the good as I haue intreated before I put case thou knewest not wherfore he ordeined many thinges as thou art ignoraunt why he formed thee a man and not a woman an English man and no Italian were that a iust cause denie hys prouidence Were it not a like thing as if thou shouldest deny that I would be at London at the beginning of Michaelmas tearme because thou knowest not my sute We must think almighty God to forme al thinges to good purposes al be it his workes surmount our capacities When y u â—okest vpon a dial which declareth how the daie passeth away thou art moued to thinke that it is made by art and not by chaunce If one wold carie a globe into Ireland whose dayly turnings would work thesame thing in sunne the Mone and the fiue mouable sterres whiche is done in heauen euery day and euery night which of theÌ„ wold thinke in y t wild countrie the globe to be made without singuler conning And do we think that God gouerneth the world the which comprehendeth both the dial and the globe and the makers of both bi luck and fortune Are the partes gouerned by reason framed by art finished by conning and not the whole Or did Archimides by art couÌ„terfet the mouinges of heauen and God not rule the same bi his prouidence If God doe not rule it there is some thing more
teacheth vs this prouing that there is but vnum primum mobile one first mouer who moueth al the heauenly spheres The Manicheis make two Gods which thei cal Duo principia contraria two principles one contrary to another For they say y e one is an euill God maker of visible things the other a good God maker of inuisible thinges and they say also that both of them be vnbegotteÌ„ vncreat of them selues Then are they immortall But if they be immortal there is no god that only hath immortalitie Paul lieth who saith that God not Gods hath immortalitie And al the prophets euangelistes Apostles be liers teaching w t one assent y t God only forgeueth sin y t God only knoweth al thinges For if ther be two Gods both of theÌ„ must haue these properties If ether of theÌ„ know not all thinges then is he ignoraunt then no God If both knowe all thinges then is ther no God whiche only knoweth all thinges Both also must forgeue syn the good because he is merciful the euill because he is y e cause of al sin then is ther no God which only pardoneth synne Moreouer if both the Manicheis gods be immortal if both pardoÌ„ sinne if both know al science thei be not contrary for knowledge is not coÌ„trary to knowlege but ignorance vnmercifulnes is coÌ„trary to mercy forgeuing death to immortalitie Wherfore ther be not two coÌ„trary principles but one principle one God The christian coÌ„gregation confesseth that the father is PrincipiuÌ„ a principle or beginning for so the beloued disciple calleth him saing In principio erat verbum In the beginning was the word in the father was Christ. Thei acknoweledge Christ also to be Principium who answereth the cruel Iewes demauÌ„ding who he was saying y e beginning which spake vnto you But the father is pricipium non de principio Christ is principiuÌ„ de principio They confesse the almighty coÌ„forter also to be principium forasmuch as he with the father the sonne made all thinges and gouerneth them as I haue proued before Notwithstandinge there be noâ— thre beginnings but one beginning only as there be not thre gods but one God The papistes also bring in many gods but couertly priuely Thei teach the people to pray vnto saintes to Saint Luke for the oxe to Iob for the pox to Rocke for the pestilence to Sith for thinges lost to Christopher for coÌ„tinual health to the Quene of heauen for women with child to Clement for good beere yea they entise the people also to worship honor their images If thei be to be praied vnto for these thinges they be gods for in praying vnto theÌ„ we acknowlege them to hear vs to be almighty to be euery where to know y e thoughtes of al men to be a strong castel vnto such as slie vnto theÌ„ but these thinges belong only to God as I haue proued before Wherfore thei make them gods O crafty deuil O suttel papistes the Iewes are reproued by the voyce of the prophetes for making many gods in y t they praied vnto Baall Astaroth Moloch and the Quene of heauen for ayde soccour Why do we not aske al good thinges of him which is the author geuer of al good thinges both to his ennemies and frindes both to the heathen to the congregation Is his hand smitteÌ„ of that it can not healp Haue we perceyued at any tyme crudelitie or vnkindnes in hym Are hys eares stopped that he can not heare Or his eies so dimme that they cannot se He planted theare he made the 〈◊〉 wherfore he both heareth most easely and seeth most perfitely And because he is the â—ouÌ„taine of al mercy he grauÌ„teth our requestes most mercâ—fully He is not lyke an earthly kinge â–ª who setteth porters at his gates he is not hard to speak with for he is the gate himselfe as he telleth vs Ego sum via veritas vita I am the way the truth and life and Ego sum ostium I am the doore There is but one way onâ— doore and he that entreth in by the doore fyndeth pasture he that entreth in not by the dore he is a thiefe a robber And why For he robbeth God of the glory belonging only to him geuing it to his creatures They which sly vnto saints depart make many wayes many dores and many Gods If they are to be prayed vnto we must beleue on them For the Apostle saith Quomodo inuocabunt in queÌ„ non crediderunt How shal they cal on him pray to him on whom they beleue not If we must beleue on them then let vs be christened in their names But holy baptisme is coÌ„maunded not to be ministred in their names but In nomine in one name of the father the son â—nd the holy ghost Wherfore as they are not to be beleued vpon so are they not to be called vpon but God onli whose highnes disdeineth y e felowship of any creature Let vs therfore praye vnto him for he is the well of water of life let vs not dig vyle and broken pittes which hould no water let vs take hede of the stretes of Egipt and of the wayes of Assiria God is no wildernes to his people nor laÌ„d without light but a mercifull and a liberal God Such aâ— make flesh their arme are accursed Let vs make Christ our arme for he is the arme of God who in al things became lyke vnto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and a faithful bishoppe in thinges concerning God to pourge the peoples sinnes God only knoweth our nede scartheth aur thoughts and inteÌ„ts grauÌ„teth our desires blesseth and crowneth vs and ther be no more Gods no more hearers no more iudgers of thoughts beside him He saith by his Prophet I am the first and the last and beside me is ther no God Haue not I y e Lord done it withoute whome there is none other God the tru God and sauiour and ther is els none but I and therfore turne vnto me all ye endes of the earth so shal ye be saued For I am God and ther is els none If ther be many Gods the diuine power gouernauÌ„ce and rule is deuyded betwene them and then it is not an euerlasting power but mortall for whatsoeuer is deuyded is mortall But naturall reason denyeth God to be corruptible and his power to decaye Wherfore it protesteth y t there is but one God which ruleth all Moreouer the diuine power is a perfit power a general authoritie for God is almighty and general gouernor If ther be many Gods ech of them hath a certeine portion to rule But they which haue but portions are no Gods for the power of God is a perfit power a perfit power coÌ„preheÌ„deth all power If there be many Gods they haue seuerall dominions euery one of them lacketh so much
it is 5 Left hand of God 9 Logyck necessary 17 Lying hated of God Folio 36 Loue suffereth al thinges 86 Lybertines errour 111 Lawe is an axe 126 M Mouth of God what Folio 9 Man made after the Image of God 13 Mans soul what ther is in 14 Malachie maketh nothinge for y e masse is plainly declared 32. Fol. 34 Man that was wounded 35 Ministers haue no sacrifice but common with the laitie 36 Marchaunt man 37 Mydwyues of Egipt Folio 37 Mans soule is bothe mortal and immortall 47 Man maketh himselfe euill 51 Mens knowledge vnperfect 73 Mary Magdalen 76 Ministers howe they do forgeue retaine synne 79 Manichies confuted Fol. 148 N Nose of God what it signifieth 8 No sacrament is a sacrifice 35 No perfect difinition can be made of God Folio 99 O Only God is to be sworne by 10 Our lyfe a shadow in this world 16 Obiections answered Folio 29.42.44 Origenistes belefe 42 Oppression what mischief cometh therof 55 Our life a warfar 134 One God who ruleth all 147 One name 156 〈◊〉 grace 159 Our thoughtes miserable 179 P Picture none can be made of God 1.2 Papistes will haue their gloses 4 Papistes seke al meanes possible to driue vs from scripture 4 Phylosophy the true vse therof 18 Papistes saye here is Christ and there is Christ. 22 Pyghius calleth gods word a nose of waâ— Picklock 23 Pyghius argument answered 32 Peters vision 33 Papistes haue made seuen orders 36 Perfit causes 67 Peters keye what it is Folio 81 Pope cannot shew Peters last will 87 Proceading of the holy ghost 104 Parsonally 108 Papistes stubburn in their doings 116 Prophetes neuer prayed to no creaturs 121 Pithagoras 150 Perminides idem PreachiÌ„g a work â–ª 173 Papistes would be called to geue an auns to their faith 174 Peter prayeth to the holy spirit 175 R Right had of god 9 Reasons to proue thre persons 102.103 Resurrection 115 RaueÌ„s and not doues who 131 Reasons against praiyng to saynctes 146 S Symonides aunswer what god is 2 Spirit of god teacheth what god is 2 Straunge doctrine what it is 3 Samaritanes 3.2 Scripture is the power of god 4 Scripture ought to be studied 4 Scripture is the immortal sede 5 Shoulders of God what is ment 9 Synne seperateth vs from god 20 Substaunce of bread remayneth 24 Substaunce or natural propertie 26 Substaunce of bread not chaunged 27 Sacramentes of the new testament beter then the olde 27 SacrameÌ„tal receiuing necessary 30 Sacrifice of thaÌ„kes offred in all places 33 Scripture vseth to cal al thinges new 34 Scriptur ful of tropes and figures 39 Synne the cause of barones 49 Serpentes flyes and wormes why they were made 51 Syt in the temple of god what is signifieth 90 Samosathan an arch-heretike 109 Spirit is euery wher Folio 112 T Touchstone 3 Tong of god 9 This is my body expounded 24 Thre similitudes in y e sacrament idem Thankes ought to be geuen for the death of Christ. 50 Theues that robbed y e wouÌ„ded man 35 Thorder of ministers â–ª only 36 To affirme y t is false is to lye 38 The mouth that lieth killeth the soule 40 Trouble maketh vs to leran to know god 43 The cause in vs of coÌ„dempnation 45 The holy spirit is the maker of y e world 48 To maiÌ„tein a king 55 Thre opinions 66 To wash Christ. 76 To be renewed 96 the word substaÌ„ce 108 Thre bodies 109 The holy spirit forgeueth sinne 113 Two sortes of resurrections 115 The Godhead is vndefileable 125 The doâ—e a scholemaster vnto vs. 132 The workes of the .iii persons be vnseperated 139 Thaâ—es Milesius 149 Temples are to be dedicate to God only Fol. 176 V Uoice of God must be harkened vnto 1.2 Unwritten verities Folio 104 W What God is 1 WeapoÌ„s of our warfare 3 Worldly wisdom folyshnes 5 What is ment by these wordes he y â— is 7 Wombe of God 9 What stained red clothes be 11 Winges of God what they signifie 12 We shall see God face to face 16 Wickednes coueteth y e darke 2â— We caÌ„not escape gods hand 21 We must receiue the sacrament why 31 Wounded man what is signified 35 Wicked shal haue endles paine 42 Why god doth punish the Godly aferd 43 World is the workemanship of the whole trinitie 47 Why Christ is named a worde 48 World the workmanship of y e trinitie 49 Workes of God in beastes be not vnprofitable 51 Worlde gouerned by Gods prouidence 54 Why good men are afflicted 58 Why starres appeared at the birth of Christ Folio 64 Who is forgeuen and when 80 Who is the rock 83 Why Peter was named Sephas 84 Why Christ byddeth Peter thrise fede my shepe 85 What is most necessary in a preacher 86 Whether God can sin or lye or not 92 Word person 108 Why christ was born of a woman 120 Who are the brethren of Christ. 124 Why christ was born of a virgin espoused and maried 125 Why all men ar borne babes not able men Folio 126 We are the sonnes of God by adoption Fol. 126 Why Christ came in thende of the world Fol. 125 Why Christ was baptised 127 Why Christ suffered death 128 Why he died on the Crosse. 128 Why Christ toke our nature 128 Why the holy ghoste apered 130 Why the spirit is named oyle 167 FINIS AN OTHER TABLE TO finde harde textes and suche as haue bene abused for euill purposes plainly and truly expounded GEne 1. In y e begynninge God created heauen and earth 48 Gene. 1. The spirit of the Lorde was borne vpon the waters 49 Gene. 1. God saide let ther be light God said let there be a firmameÌ„t Folio 49 Gene. 1. Let vs make man to our similitude and after our likenes fol. 13. cha 27. fol. 138 Gene. 1. God behelde all that he had made â—o they were exceading good 49.50 Gen. 2. God rested the seuenth daye from all his workes 71.72 Gene. 3. Adam where art thou 73 Gene. 3. Cursed be the earth in thy worke in sorowe shalt thou â—ate therof 50 Gen. 3. The sede of the woman shal grinde the serpentes head 123 Gene. 4. Where is Abel thy brother 73 Gene. 6. I repent me y t I made man 73 Gene. 12. AbrahaÌ„ said to Sara his wyfe say I pray thee that thou art my sister 38.39 Gene. 18. And the lord appeared vnto AbrahaÌ„ and he lift vp his eies and loked and lo three men stoode not far froÌ„ him 103.104 Gen. 18. And ther came two angels to Sodom at euen 104 Gene. 24. You shall bring my hoare heares w t sorow vnto hel 43 Gen. 26. Isaac dwelled in Gerat the men of the place asked him of his wife he said that she was his sister 38 Gene. 27. Isaac sayde vnto Iacob art thou my son Esau and he said I am Esau thy eldest son 38 Exod. 1. And the mydwyues answered Pharao y e Hebrues womeÌ„ are sturdy women deliuered before we come at them God therfore
here iustly say that euerlasting fier is taken for a long fier albeit the latin word eternum bee some tyme taken so Prodâ—uturno for the Greke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word is neuer taken but for euer more world without end As for their argument that the punishment must be no greater then the fault I answer that our least fault deserueth euerlasting fier because it is committed against GOD who is euerlasting all be 〈◊〉 the fault be begonne and ended in tyme so that he is more to be considered against whose diuine wil it is done then what is done For the scriptur denieth him y e kingdom of heauen that breaketh one of the least coÌ„mauÌ„dements Doth it not cry that in hel there is no redemptioÌ„ And in death who remeÌ„breth thee And who wil geue thee thankes in hell And where the tree falleth there it shall lie The continuance of hel fier is described notablie of Christ where he coÌ„maundeth vs to cut of our hand our fote and to pluck out our eie that is to prefer heauenly thinges to our fathers and mothers familiar frindes saying if thy hand offend thee cut hym of It is better for the to enter into lyfe maimed then hauing two handes to go into hel into fier vnquencheable where their worm dieth not and the fier neuer goth out What caÌ„ be more plainli more vehemently spokeÌ„ of the endles pain of the wycked then these wordes into fier vnquencheable where their worm dieth not and the fier neuer goeth out whiche termes in y e same place be repeated twise more afterward If there be no redemption in hell how is it written in the boke of the kynges our Lord bryngeth folke doune into hel and bryngeth theÌ„ again we read also that Anania Azaria and Misaell blessed the Lorde for delyuering them out of hel and sauing from y e power of death This worde hel in the first place doth not signifie that which is commenly ment therby but a graue or pit that is digged for the Hebrue worde is sheol If any euill chaunce vnto my sonne Ben Iamin in the land whether you go you shal bring down myne hore heares with sorow vnto hel that is into my graue In Daniel it signifieth aduersitie trouble and misery as in many other places The .xi. Chapter ¶ God is ful of rightuousnes and of the prosperitie of euill men and the affliction of good men This endles punishment of the wicked is no derogacioÌ„ to Gods great mercy but rather a mirrour of his rightuousnes for as he is merciful so is he rightuouse as the mercy endureth for euer toward thâ— good so his rightuousnes endureth no lesse time toward the euil Dauid testifieth him to be iust in al his waies holy in al his workes By his rightuousnes he hated Cain Esau the thief on the left hand by his mercy he loued Abel Iacob hym that hong on y e right hand thorow these two happened the blindnes of y e Iewes and the fulnes of the Gentils If he be vnrightuous how shal he iudge y e world His sainctes iudgements be rightuous he shutteth the vnrightuous out of heauen he rewardeth right dealers wherfore he himself must nedes be a rightuous God Thou wilt say why theÌ„ doth he suffer the wicked to prosper geuyng them riches honour and children And why doth he punish the godly with pouertie sicknes and al kind of misery Why doth he suffer wicked Manasses to murder cruelly Esai Why doth he let Ieremy be slaine of Apires Zacharie of the hie priestes Iohn Baptist of Herode Christ of Pilate Why doth he suffer the Deuil to plage y e pacient maÌ„ Iob with al kind of aduersitie Why wyll he al good meÌ„ to bear a crosse in this world S. Paul telleth vs when we ar iudged we are chastened of the Lord lest we be damned with the world And it is good for me said Dauid that I haue bene in trouble that I may learn thy statutes Here two causes be rehearsed why God layeth affliction trouble and the crosse vpon the shulders of his elect that they may auoid dampnation and learne to kepe his coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts for trouble geueth vnderstanding Lord saith Esay in trouble they cry vnto thee the aduersitie which they suffer is a lesson vnto theÌ„ When the outward man perisheth the inward is renued day by day Moreouer God hath set at the entring of the garden of pleasure Cherubin with a fyrie sweard mouing in and out to kepe y e way to the tree of life to which there is no accesse but by affliction which is porter as it is written we must enter thorow much trouble into the kingdom of heauen Wherfore God loueth them whom he troubleth and he scourgeth euery sonne y t he receiueth they that are vnder no correctioÌ„ ar called bastards no sonnes Cato when Pompey was ouerthrowen of valeaunt Iulius Ceasar began to be angry w t God thinking hym percial but we christen mâ—n may not do so knowing aduersitie to be a token of Gods fauour an occasion of vnderstandiÌ„g a cause of ameÌ„dmeÌ„t These scripturs teach vs y t God punisheth his elect for their erudicion and coÌ„moditie nor for any vnrightuousnes albeit y e holiest man that euer was deserueth a crosse in this life His rigtuousnes enpouerisheth vs plageth vs and condempneth vs hys mercy enricheth vs healeth vs crouneth vs. But it is written of Iacob Esau that or they were borne or they had done good or euil God loued the one hated the other which was contrary to al true iudgement S. Paul in the same place compareth God to a potter and men to clay The potter hath power ouer the clay to make euen of one the same lompe one vessel vnto honour and another vnto dishonour And hath not God power ouer vs which be but clay that is naught the children of wrath to condempne or to saue The Latin worde here declareth more plainly what we be which is Ex eodem luto We be al becom durt by the faul of the first Adam If he croune durt it is his mercy thorowe the second Adam If he coÌ„dempne it he geueth right iudgement Thou wilt say then why blameth he vs For who can resist his wyl He made thee not clay that is the child of death but after the Image of God without sin Thou art durt and clay thorow the sinne of Adam not because of thy creation For God wold haue al meÌ„ saued And why be thei not the cause is not in hym but in vs not that we be able to withstand his wil but bycause he will saue none against their wil he wil saue al that is al that wil take it when it is offred them al that refuse not the saluation of their own souls as the Israelites did For Christ saieth vnto them that he wold haue
mightier then he which doth it But he is almightie none is able to coÌ„pare w t him Townes cities kingdoms Empiers be gouerned by counsell much more the whole The world is called of wisemen the citie of al creatures Wherfore as Athens Lacedemon Venise Rome Paris London and Yorke haue Mayres Aldermen Bailifes and Constables to gouerne them after counsel Euen so hath it but who is able to be Maire or Constable therof but y e hiest therfor it is only ruled of him But you wil say that citie is not wel gouerned where vice is mainteined and vertue punished as Telamon who denieth Gods prouidence bicause good men be pained euil fauoured why was Regulus tormented of the Carthaginians why did cruel Cinna kill so many noble men Why did C. Marius sley the good quene Catulus Why did Dionisius Pisistratus Phalaris put so many to death Diogenes Cinicus was wont to say that Harpalus a strong thefe vpon y â— seas bare witnes against God that he was not mindful of vs bicause he coÌ„tinued so loÌ„g Albeit this obiection be partly resolued before yet I will touch it againe that it may be plentifully confuted taking an example of S. Paul who vnto y e PhilippiaÌ„s writeth It greueth me not to write one thing oftentimes for to you it is a sure thing If Paul Gods chosen vessel to whoÌ„ he gaue no singular grace thought it nedeful to write one thing oftentimes how muche more must we thinke the same of our small vnderstandinges and â—eble braines whiche be lesse able to paint Gods secrets at one time When thou seest one exceading riche vnworthy of riches thinke not him happie coÌ„demne not Gods prouidence iudge not al things to go by luck and fortune Remember Lazarus and the rich glutten y e one was cruel proud vnmerciful vnpitiful and yet stored with al thinges The other humble meake ful of pacience ful of goodnes and yet of notable pouertie and siknes he did not accuse God deny his prouidence complaining with any such words as these I haue not greatly sinned against God and yet I am hunger pined pained with cold punished with sicknesse but this euil man liueth in wealth pleasur ease and health How can it be that God is mindfull of vs How it is true y t he gouerneth y e world No truly he toke it pacienly he thought himself worthy of Gods rod. Wherfore he was caried by Aungels into Abrahams bosome the riche man was condempned to hell torments The prosperitie of the euil in this life encreseth their dampnation in the other and the good haue aduersitie in this world that thei be not dampned in the worlde to come There is a comen saying the end trieth y e dede Many theues in this life liue welthily many aduoutrers many extortioners many Idolaters many tenderlin ges c. Is this a sufficient cause to deny Gods prouidce No truly If at the latter day he condemne the good croune the euil then say that he was vnmindful of vs if not say he is a righteous God mindful of both good and il for the end teacheth y e no lesse If therfore thou haue affliction in this lyfe deny not Goddes prouidence but cnumfort thy selfe with thexaÌ„ple of Lazarus of Paul of Christ. Think that he punisheth sin in this lyfe that thou be not daÌ„ned for it in thother But nowe I will speake of euill rulers God suffereth euill men to reygne ouer the people because of their sinne and abhominable liuing as the coÌ„mon saying is Qualis populus talis princeps That is lyke people lyke prince He scourgeth them w t tyraunts because they be a froward and ouerthwart generatioÌ„ going a stray from him and starting aside like a broken bow The boke of the Iudges registreth that God lefte to scourge Israell fyue Lords of the Philistines and all the Sidonites Heuites that dwell in mounte Lybanon he styrred against them when they synned Chusan Rasathaim king of Mesopotamia Eglon Kyng of the Moabies Iabin Kyng of Canaan he suffred Abimelech a cruell tyraunt to raigne ouer them Wherfore was Israell so oft sold into the hands of the Egiptians Chaldees Assirians but for ther wickednes If God spared not his choseÌ„ generatioÌ„ natural braunches and his owne house wil he forbeare the wyld oliues Cinna and Marius Dionisius and Phalaris Pisistratus Harpalus wer rods and scourges wherw t he scourged the heathen for their Idolatry shameful lusts and vnthaÌ„kefulnesse as Chusan Eglon and the Philistines were vnto the Israelytes If they wolde haue forsaken their vicious liuing and returned vnto â—nd whome they knew of his workes but were vnthankefull not glorifiiÌ„g him as God he wold haue deliuered them from those tirauntes by good rulers and magistrates as he deliuered the Israelites from Chusan Rasathaim kyng of Mesopotamia by Othoniell y e son of Kenes from Eglon by Ahud from Iabin king of Canaan by Barak Debora Wherfore these examples do not deny Gods prouidence but proue vs to be sinners and declare his rightful iudgements both vpon y â— Iewe and gentil yea rather they do establish fortifie his gouernaunce teaching hym to be mindful of al natioÌ„s in geuing theÌ„ good kinges for their vertue or cruel tirauntes for their vice Diagoras he that thought God to be vnmindful of men comming to Samothratia a frend of his shewed him a table wherin many were painted which through vowes had escaped shipwrack and were come into the hauen to whom he said but they are not painted which vowed and neuertheles wer drouned ascribing their deliuerauÌ„ce vnto the blindnes of fortune and not vnto the goodnes of God Doth Ionas so Doth Paul so in the Actes when he and al that were with him were in ieoperdie of shipwrack No truly he biddeth them be of good comfort he taketh bread and geueth thankes vnto God who had promised him by an angel that an hear shuld not fall from the head of any of them It chaunsed an other time Diagoras sayling vpon the sea that a great slawe of wynd arose the mariners thought that God had sent them a tempest bicause thei had taken him into the shyp and agreed among them selues to cast hym into the seas thinking that then they would be quiet But Diagoras desired theÌ„ to loke about and shewing them other ships in no lesse daunger he asked them whether Diagoras was in those other shippes also meaning that teÌ„pestes come not of gods prouidence but by fortune luck How much wiser and more likely is the opinion of the noble clerk and most excellent Philosopher Cleanthes who fortifieth Gods prouidence with four reasons One is bicause he forseeth al thiÌ„gs The second for as much as he geueth plentie and scarsitie cold and heat corn encrease of catel and infinite other The third bycause he feareth vs with thunderboltes poureth down shoures haile snow causeth plages
earthquakes and blasing starres The fourth and greatest is the constant turnings of heauen the maruelous iourneis of the sunâ—e the mone the starres y e glorious fairenes of them the coÌ„li order of al things Who entring into a schole wher he seeth all thinges be done in order wil not thinke it to be gouerned by some wise scole master if the scole cannot kepe a good order without a wyse scole master much les the world which comprehendeth al scoles and scole masters But who is able to be scolemaster ouer al creatures but God only Wherfore he ruleth them by his prouidence as the scolemaster doeth his scolers Is not that house best gouerned best stoored with all thynges necessary which is ruled by counsaile is not y e army in better case which hath a wise and polyke Captaine then that which hath a rash and folish The ship likewise that hath a singuler cuÌ„ning master goeth safely and assuredlye But nothing is better ruled then y e world in which y e house the army and ship be contayned which of the comely order great beauty that is in it is called of grekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of the latinistes Mundus If we will search the holy scriptures which beare witnes of God we shall find that he gouerneth the whole worâ—d not as kyngs do their realmes myndfull of weighty matters and vnmindful of smal but y t he is mindfull both of great and small The Rauen the Storke the Oule the Pellicane the Kyte the Sparow and the litle Wren the Quayle the Doue the Swalow all .iiii. foted beastes are preserued by his prouideÌ„ce Did not al maner of creaturs enter into the Arke by couples at his coÌ„maundemeÌ„t and were saued from drouning Doeth not he puruey meat for the RaueÌ„ when his yong flicker about him Did not thei at his coÌ„maundemeÌ„t bring bread and flesh to Elias beside the broke Karith Fyue Sparowes are sold for a farthing yet none of them be forgotteÌ„ of him He fed his heritage with Quayles He geueth Pellicanes Storks Kytes possession in the court of this world He fedeth y e lions whelps in their deÌ„nes and lurking in their couches He shut their mouthes that thei should not hurt his seruaunt Daniell Yea he numbreth the heares of our head and clotheth the lilies of the field I cannot here but som what rebuke such as curiously marketh their birth day and birth star as if their lyfe and doings wer gouerned of necessitie by y e influeÌ„ce and mouing of y e starres They teach that there is such a pith and efficacy in the signifier cyrcle called of the Grekes Zodiacos that euery part therof hath a seueral and vehement operation the which vertue is soÌ„dry and diuers through the seuen mouable stars By it they wil al things to be ruled and specially man whose head as the say is gouerned by Aries the neck by Taurus the shulders by Gemini and his fete by Pisces which be signes in heauen so named of the similitude of those thinges y t they signifie in earth supposing almighty God as one tired w t six daies labour the seuent day to worke no more And if one be borne vnder Aries they promyse him that he shalbe rich and wealthy bicause wethers be profitable beastes rendring to their masters euery year a good fleshe If thou were born vnder Taurus they say thou shalt be a seruaunt a slaue a drudge and an vnderling al thi life for so much as this beast is yoked inplowes and cartes and set to al drudgery And if thou weee borne vnder Scorpius thei tel thee thou shalt be a murtherer a thief a blasphemer â–ª because y e Scorpion is ful of dedly poisoÌ„ deducing y e causes of gouernauÌ„ce in heaueÌ„ of y e properties of beasts in earth This opinioÌ„ hath caused much idolaty and geuing the glory belonging only to God to y e works of his fingers For when men perswaded their selues that al thinges were gouerned by stars the worshipped the sunne the mone and the other mouable vnmouable stars thinking that riches come from them they haue not praied vnto God of whoÌ„ only al good gifts are to be desired The first of Genesis witnesseth wherfore they are formed and created not to rule mans life violently not to gouerne vs as the ryraunt doth his commons but Vt sint in signa tempora dies anâ—os c. to be for signes seasons daies and yeares to shine vpon the earth and to deuide light from darknes Many wold excuse their viciouse liuing by the influences vertue of y e stars saying y t they constraine them vnto sinne as the seruaunt of Zeno the Philosopher blamed his maister for striking him bicause as he said y e stars coÌ„pelled him to sinne If our birth star cause vs to sinne to do that is honest wherfore shuld we be blamed when we do il or praised wheÌ„ we do wel seing it is our nature fatal destinie to do both not in our power to doe otherwise who blameth y e sun bicause he burneth the grasse of the feild making it vnholsome for cattell who prayseth the water for queÌ„ching of mens thyrst Or the Sunne for warming them Because thei cannot do otherwise thei ar neither praysed ne blamed and shall we be blamed or praysed for y t which is not in our power If Christ the liuely image of the father praysed Mary Magdalen iustly for chusing the better part for pouring a box of preciouse ointment vpon him before his burial if he iustly reproued Peter for couÌ„selyng him not to come at Ierusalem and for vsing the teÌ„poral sword against the seruaunt of the high priestes this is an vntrue doctrine which taketh away both prayse dispraise We reade in y e scripture that God hath prepared vnspeakeable tormentes for such as breake his commaundements Wherfore doth he so if destiny compell them to sinne If thou be accused before an officer of murder and laiest for thy selfe that thou hast done it against thy wyll if thou can proue it thou art discharged If y e hangman of Calice put a man to death at the commaundement of an officer he is not blamed therfore Yea mine ennemye wil forgiue me if I hurt him against my wyll And wil almighty God punish vs so greuously for breaking his coÌ„maundementes through fate and destiny You Iustices Shryues Bayliffes and Cunstables why presume ye to punysh euill doers if a thiefe come before you he is not to be blamed but his destiny if an adultrer an Idolatrer an extortioner you can laye nothynge to his charge but to the starres which cause him to be naught will he nill he No man escapeth punishmeÌ„t by laying of destiny for him no officer will accept this aunswer of an euill doer no master wil alowe his seruaunt laying this for him nor the mistres her maide nor the scolemaster his dysciple nor
why did he leaue his accustomed progres Or how could he be a guide vnto the wyse men betwene Bethleem and Hierusalem being placed with the other starres in the firmament of heauen We read that the sunne stode vnder Iosue and went backward vnder Esechias but neuer of no star that left his ordeined circuite and wandred as one that loseth his way Peraduenture an aungell appered vnto the wyse men in the lykenes of a star for they appere in diuers likenesses and shapes At mouÌ„t Oreb an aungell spake vnto Moises out of a bush in the lykenes of fyre and at Galgall to Iosue the sonne of Nun like a man of armes Helias is caried vp to heauen in a charet of fyre and with horses of fyre The charet and the horse be the aungels of God whiche be ministring spirits accomplishing all his commaundementes The aungels appere vnto Abraham and Lot like thre wayfaring men Manne his wyfe sawe an angel talking with them as he had ben a Prophet So it may wel be that an aungel in the similitude of a star was a guide to the wise men For aungeles are called starres in the scriptures as in the reuelation of Iohn Stelle sep tem ecclesiarum angeli The seuen starres are the aungels of the seuen congregations Other thinke that this star was nether aungell nor a materiall star but the holy spirite whiche opened the incarnatioÌ„ of Christ both vnto the Iewes and to the Gentils but vnto the Iewes in the likenes of a Doue to the Gentils in the shape and similitude of a star of whiche Balaam an Astronomer prophecied long before Orietur stella ex Iacob there shall come a starre of Iacob that is a shining light of the holy ghost the which shal leade the HeatheÌ„ to the knowledge of Christ in the likenes of a star as he fell vpon the Apostles in the shape of fyre Thus muche I haue spoken of the starre that appered at the natiuitie of Christ bicause many by it wold proue fate and destinie But what say they is fate and destinie A stedfast and immutable order of causes wherby all thynges are done of necessitie called in Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 True it is nothing is done w tout a cause but yet many thiÌ„gs may seme to be done without any necessary cause for some causes be perfit some in our iudgement again may seme to be vnperfit Fire causeth heat perfectly and water cold but surfiting causeth sicknes a wound causeth death study causeth learning vnperfectly for a man may surfet be wounded and applie his study and yet nether be sick nedy ne learned If all causes were necessary but presuppose they were yet I wold deny all things to be ruled by their necessitie of fate and destinie for almighty God worketh what he will in them of his good pleasure He appered vnto Moises out of a bushe in a flame of fire and yet the bush consumed not He coÌ„maunded the fire not to hurt Ananias Azarias and Misael and saued them harmeles from the hote burning ouen Did necessitie of fate and destinie make Sara Elizabeth which were barren and past chyldren fruitfull Did destinie make Aarons rod bud the sunne to go bakward a maid to conceiue the blynd to see the deaf to heare the dead to aryse If almighty God then did al those thinges he leaueth not his creatures to be gouerned of causes which depeÌ„d one on another but ruleth them at his pleasure Salomon witnesseth of GOD that he doeth lengthen the lyfe of hys and shorten the life of the wicked saying The fear of the Lorde maketh a long life but the yeares of y e vngodly shalbe shortened There be many examples of this in the Bible The Prophet Esay commaundeth kyng Esechias to put his houshold in an order because he shoulde die out of hand and not liue and yet at his earnest request God lengthned his life .xv. yeares Thus we denie that the creatures are gouerned by stoicall destinie ether in their byrth death or any of their actions but only by the prouidence of God as the examples of the Scriptures concerning the birth of Iacob and Esau Phares and zara do witnes for the notable birth of Iacob Esau doth confute destinie and destroy the influence of the starres for they were borne both at one tyme in one place of one woman by one maÌ„ and yet they were as vnlyke as fier and water as lyght and darkenes as blacke white So were Phares and zara two twinnes also the chyldren of Iudas by his daugter Thamar These examples declare destinie influence of the starres to be but a fable yea they fortifie Gods prouidence teachyng him to be a gyuer of dyuers graces vnlyke fortunes and seuerall blessynges I graunt that an Astronomer may tell by the obseruation of the starres to what occupation to what estate of lyfe euery man is most feat most apâ— by nature but that he can tell mans fortune by any of his arte or cunning I deny vtterly For our lyfe is not ruled by the mouynge of the starres but by Gods prouidence who worketh all thynges in heauen and earth How then is that true whiche is wrytten in the boke of generation Compleuit Deus die septimo opus suum requieuit ab vni uerso opere c. He finished and he rested the seuenth day from all hys workes God rested the seuenth day from the workes of creation from formyng of newe creatures but not from gouerning of them The Carpenter after he hath finyshed the the house medleth no more therwith if God should doe so all creatures would peryshe If mans body can lyue without quickenyng of the soule the world may continue without his prouidence For he is to the worlde that the soule is to the body and more necessary to y e gouernauÌ„ce of it then y e soul to y e gouernaunce of the body forasmuch as he is y e maker both of soul body Thou must not imagin that God was wery with syxe dayes labour because he is sayd to haue rested the seuenth day who made all thynges and gouerneth them without labour and rested without werynes For resting signifieth endyng In the seuenth day God rested from al his workes that is he ended he finished the creation of the world Why then doeth not the scripture say he ended all his workes but that he rested from them Truly not without an vrgent cause for God is sayd to haue rested from all his workes whiche he made exceadyng good for because he wyll geue vs rest and quietnes from our trauayl if we wyll doe all good workes as he made all thynges exceading good This phrase of speakyng is vsed muche in the scripture as of the Apostle we knowe not what to desyre as we ought Spiritus intercedit pro nobis gemitibus inenarrabilihus buâ—â—he spirit maketh intercession mightely for vs