whom by good right we should loue more than our selues See then more than a sea of ioy proceeding from the happines of the seruants of God Let vs now vnderstand the great deapth of ioy which we shall feele entering into the ioye of our Lord. The cause why wee should loue God saith Saint Bernard is God him selfe Bernard in tract de diligendo deo And the measure which wee ought to keepe in this loue is to loue him without measure and so infinitlie But according to that wee knowe him 1. Cor. 13.12 we loue him But now we knowe him but in part and as it were in darknes euen so very little and obscure is the loue which we beare him But when wee shall knowe him as he is wee shall loue him according as he is What shall our loue bee towards him then 1. Cor. 15.24 when Iesus Christ hauing giuen ouer his kingdome to God his Father God the Father the Sonne and the Holie ghost one onlie God 1. Cor. 15.28 shall bee all things in this man Iesus Christ and in vs and when wee shall knowe him as hee is beholding the brightnes of his face and his Godhead then raigning immediatly in vs filling vs with all happines Without doubt this contemplation of the glory of the diuine maiestie shal bring forth in vs an infinite loue towards God Now to returne to the meditation of Saint Augustine if according to that we loue each one wee should reioyce of his happines Then as in this blessed felicitie each one of vs shall loue God without comparison more than himselfe and more than all the Angels and elect with vs so shall we feele more ioy without comparison of the blessednes and glorie of God than of our owne or of al the Angels and the elect with vs. And if then wee shall loue God with all our heart with all our soule with all our vnderstanding yet so as al our hart al our vnderstanding and all our soule shall not be capable of the excellencie of this loue Surelie wee shall so feele ioy with all our heart with all our vnderstanding and with all our soule as yet all our heart al our vnderstanding and all our soule shall not bee able to comprehend the fulnes of this ioye Howsoeuer it bee then that this full ioy yea more than full through the greatnes of it whereof all our heart all our vnderstanding all our soule shall not be capable cannot enter into vs It shall remaine that we filled with the sea of ioye of the felicitie of the Angels and of all the elect shall enter into this great deapth of ioye proceeding from the contemplation of the glorie of our God And this shal be the ioy of the Lord Matth. 25.21 into which all his faithfull seruants shall enter Now when this felicitie so great and ioy incomprehensible shall indure so manie yeares as there bee drops of water in the sea Of the eternitie of the life to come or graines of sand in the whole earth yet should not this be a perfect happines For howsoeuer the continuance shall seeme to vs infinite yet the end will once come And indeed the drops of water and the graines of the sand are numbred before God But this our felicitie and ioy shal last without end Such shall bee the life euerlasting As also Saint John saith Apoc. 22.5 1. Tim. 1.17 we shall raigne in heauen world without end We shall bee the kingdome of that immortall king whom Esai calleth the father of eternitie Esai 9.6 who hath promised life and immortalitie to those that shall beleeue the Gospell 2. Tim. 1.10 Also death shall then bee swallowed vp into victorie The author and prince of life 1. Cor. 15.45 hauing vanquished the diuell Act. 3.15 who had the rule ouer death shall make vs partakers of the life that is euerlasting And as we shall be vnited to the fountaine of life Heb. 2.14 Apoc. 21.6 so shall it run in vs eternallie For as the fountain of this life which we shall inioy hath no beginning so the life that procedeth from it shall haue no end The mercie of GOD saith S. Bernard is from eternitie to eternitie vppon those that feare him from eternitie because of the predestination to eternitie because of the glorification The one hath no beginning the other hath no ending This therefore shall be a happines incomprehensible for the greatnes and infinite for the eternitie of it Behold also how we shall then inioy a ful and perfectioy Ioh. 16.22 which shal neuer be taken away from vs. Now this life is promised and assured to all the children of God in as much as they are heires of God the fountaine of life Rom. 8.17 Psal 36.10 Ioh. 14.6 Ioh. 3.15 coheires and members of Iesus Christ who is the way the trueth and the life who also hath so oftē protested that whosoeuer beleeueth in him he hath life euerlasting Ioh. 6. Let vs conclude then that the children of God are truelie and onlie blessed being assured to inioye this great and incomprehēsible happines of life euerlasting which is purchased promised and kept for them in Iesus Christ our Lord. How we shall knowe that we are the children of God CAP. 2. OF this conclusion it followeth that there is no greater ioy or contentmēt in this present life or any thing more sure or more necessarie for the happie ouercomming the difficulties of it thā to knowe and feele that wee are the children of God For this foundation being laid wee ought to bee assured that whatsoeuer shall happen vnto vs can bee none other than the blessing of a father and so consequentlie a meane aide and way disposed by his prouidence either to leade vs vnto life euerlasting or to increase our glorie in it True it is that GOD onelie knoweth his owne 2. Tim. 2.19 whom hee hath chosen before the foundation of the world to bee his children 2. markes of our adoption Yet there are two principall meanes by which he giueth vs to vnderstand who are his children the one is outward by markes visible vnto men the other is inward by testimonies which he that is the child of GOD feeleth in himselfe The outward marke lieth in this Of the outward mark that we be mēbers of the church of Christ Now wee call that the church of Christ in which the word of God is trulie preached the Sacramēts are purelie ministred and one onelie God is called vpon in the name of his onelie sonne Iesus Christ Matth. 13. First this Church is often called the kingdome of heauen because that by it wee enter in thether so that it is as it were the suburbs or the gate of it Whereof it followeth that being the true members of the Church we are in the way and forwardnes to enter make our abode in heauen Mat. 21.13 It is also
her and that hauing restored the Iudges and Counsellers so as they had bene at the beginning it shoulde be called the righteous and faithful Citie Experience sheweth that in the prosperitie peace of the church many thrust in themselues sul of auarice ambition pride and of other corruptions and vanities to be short it hapneth euen as in a sweet rainie season that many weeds come vp amongest the good hearbes which should bee choaked of them if the Gardeiner pulled thē not out Thē when such people departe from the Church returning to their vomit it is as if God gaue a purgatiō to it to make it more holy more acceptable to her bridegrome Let vs further consider the causes of reuoltes If this hapned then when the Church was in peace prosperitie it shold seeme there were more occasion to call into dout our doctrine But it is in the time of persecution that these reuolts are seen so it is feare to leese their goods their dignities their parents their country their liues that causeth them to reuolt It is then the flesh it is the world it is the mistrust of God and not the allowing of the Papisticall doctrine that maketh them to change their religion 2. Tim. 4.10 As also S. Paule saith that Demas had forsaken him hauing loued this present worlde And indeed did this miserable Iohn Haren reuolt during the prosperous estate of the towne of Bruges wherein he was minister By no meanes But perceiuing the danger although he might yet haue exercised his ministerie he began to seeke the meanes as a hireling to forsake his flocke He knoweth what letters I writ vnto him reprouing his slothfulnes his crafts and euill conscience in the reasons which he put forth to haue some colour to withdraw himself He knoweth also what reproofes he had receyued by the letters of others that he should not defile his ministerie in intermedling so ernestly in the matters of war of policie After the Towne of Bruges was rēdred to the enemy he withdrew him self into Zeland Holand Where perceiuing that hee began as good reason was for many considerations to bee suspected in our churches and in no reputation he gote him out of the countrie So feeling in his conscience small apparance to be established in his Ministery againe hauing no hope of preferment in any other vocation and being pursued by the iust iudgement of God falling vpon euil consciences he reuolted thinking happilie that hee should receiue some recompence for the offence that he had offered against the holie Ministerie and at the least to enter againe into the possession of his goods This then is not the chaunging of doctrine which mooued him but as wee haue saide it is the flesh and the world it is enuie that maketh the Monke It is ambition the mother of heresie as saint Augustine sayth It is an euill conscience the rocke that maketh the shippewracke of Faith as Saint Paule sayth 1. Tim. 1.19 which hath made him to chaunge his profession To be short GOD could no longer suffer such an hypocrite in his church nor such a filth in his holie temple hee woulde bee sanctified in taking vengeance vpon him who so inordinately approched vnto him Hee hath set him foorth for an example of his iudgements that those that make profession of Religion and chieflie the Ministers of the worde may study more and more to walke with a good conscience to keepe themselues in their vocation to renounce the passions of the flesh the illusions of the world and so with feruent praiers to continue constantly in the grace of the Lorde Furthermore let him make as manie shewes as he wil let him sweare let him lift vp his hands and his eies to heauen let him weare a great paire of beads let him goe oft and deuoutlie to the masse yet shall hee not easily make the Iesuites who are cunninger than he to beleue that hee dooth it indeede and from his heart For those who among them haue any little more wit than the common sort vnderstand well enough if they wold confesse it that the change of the holy Supper into the Masse the worshipping of bread in it the fiery purgatory after death the opinion of meriting paradise by workes specially those of supererogation the setting foorth of God the father who is an inuisible and eternal spirit vnder the figure of an old man the worshipping of images the inuocation of Saints departed candles lighted at noone dayes borne in procession the great beads hanging at their neckes and other such idolatries superstitions are either so abhominable or so manifestly contrary to the word of God yea or so absurd that he that hath once knowne them by the light of the gospell can neuer allow thē in his heart But be it that by the inchantment of satan and iudgement of God he were indeed become a Papist and that S. Paule himself shuld reuolt preaching another gospell we ought as he himselfe protesteth to holde him accursed Gal. 1. and not to be mooued to doubt of our faith For our religion saith is not founded vpō the constancie or stedfastnesse of men but vpon the truth o our God and vppon the testimonie of the holy Ghost in our hearts If men be vnfaithfull saith S. Paule 2. Ti. 2.13 he remaineth notwithstanding faithfull and can not denie himselfe When Iesus Christ forsaken of his Disciples should aske vs if wee also would leaue him we are taught to answer with the Apostles Lord Ioh. 6.67 whether shall wee goe thou hast the words of eternall life The faithfull Pastormust without being astonished at the reuolt of manie say with Esai Esai 8.18 Behold I my children which god hath giuen me are for signes and wonders The horrible and fearfull vengeance which waighteth on and followeth these cursed apostates at the verie heeles should make vs to tremble to resolue to renounce all that is vppon the earth that we may get and hold fast all that is in heauen so leauing these poore reuolters to the iudgement of God to cast our eyes vppon those who euen in our time haue indured so constantlie the losse of their goods reproaches prisons to be short who chearfullie haue entered into the flaming fire by eruell death mounted into the kingdome of heauen to the ende that such autentique seales of the heauenlie doctrine may confirme our hearts to continue constantlie chearfullie to follow their steps and so be their companions in glorie Of the assu rāce of our adoption notwithstanding the reuolts We ought not to be troubled at these reuoltes as if we were not assured to continue in the faith whereby also it shall come to passe that wee shall be in doubt whether we are or shal continue the Children of GOD. For as the markes of our adoption set foorth here before are of two sorts the one inward before God and the other
outward before men they which haue the inward markes which consist in the testimonie of the holy Ghost in our hearts in the peace of our consciences and in the holy desire of our soules feele these graces which assureth them that they are the children of GOD chosen to eternal life yea more certainly than we are assured by the light of the Sunne that we see by the heat that we feele that the Sun shineth And in deed they haue the white stone whereof mention is made in the reuelation Reue. 2.17 in that stone a new name of the childe of god writtē which none can know but he that receiueth it The world saith Christ cānot receiue the spirit of truth because it hath not seen him neither hath known him Ioh. 14.17 but ye know him saith hee to his Apostles for hee abideth with you and shall be in you As touching the outwarde marke of beeing a member of the visible Church it is also verie certaine in respect of God inasmuch as speaking to vs and sealing his words by the sacraments he neither wil nor can deceiue or lie But if mē hearing his word cōmunicating at the Sacraments reiect in their hearts the spirituall graces which are offered vnto them and so abide vnfaithfull and wicked within when notwithstanding they are helde for faithfull and the childrē of god because of the outward profession it is no meruaile if God at the last do discouer them cast them off shewing therin that they wer neuer his And this is it that S. Iohn saith of such 1. Ioh. 2.19 They went out frō amongst vs but they were not of vs for if they had bin of vs they would haue tarried with vs. But this is that it might appeare that all are not of vs. They that are once grafted in Christ can not perish for the giftes of God are without repentance Ro. 11.29 But euerie plant Matt. 15.13 saith Iesus Christ which my father hath not planted shall bee pulled vp Matt. 13. The parable of the seede falling into diuers sortes of earth teacheth vs two points to this purpose First that manie shal heare the gospel but without frute Secondlie that it shall be their own falt For if entring into the Church they bring their cares and loue to the world without hauing will to forsake them so as it like thornes choake the good seede of the word 2. Tim. 2.19 And so hauing no moisture of the grace of God they wither at the first sunne of persecution a man may see the cause of their reuolte to wete because they were not the children of God Saint Paule hauing said that God knoweth who are his addeth and whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of Christ let him depart from all iniquitie shewing thereby that if there bee anie which ioyne themselues to the Church calling vpon the name of Christ and doo not depart frō iniquity they discouer thereby that God neuer tooke them for his Which thing is good to be noted For manie thinke that to be of our Church nedeth nothing but to chāge the masse to the preaching and to the communicating at the Lords supper And when they vnderstand that to be the childe of God is required to renoūce themselues to leaue couetousnes ambition drunkennesse the world and all pompes to be short that they must put off the olde man and be a new creature not beeing disposed to do this they leaue the preaching and returne to the Masse Now be these the children of God that reuolt that they should make those that are in deed and continue to doubt Nay rather they are the children of the world who hauing brought the world in with them haue also carried the world away with them They therefore that haue once beleeued who also beleeuing feele a desire to liue according vnto god are assured that they cannot perish He that beginneth this good work in them Phil. 1.6 wil accōplish it euen vnto the day of christ And to this purpose saith S. Augustine verie wel Aug. de cor rect gra ca. 12. to 7. He which made vs good maketh vs also to perseuer in goodnes but they that fal and perish were not of the number of the predestinate It remaineth that considering in the fall of hipocrites the double mercie of god toward vs. First that he hath receiued vs into the number of his children Secondly that he will continue this grace towards vs euen to the ende there remaineth I say that we feele our selues double bound to practise the exhortation of S. Paule beseeching vs by the mercies of God to offer our selues a liuing sacrifice holy pleasing to God Rom. 12.1 not to be fashioned like this wicked world but rather endeuouring to this that being tranfformed by the renuing of our vnderstanding we may approoue and follow the good and perfect will of God And let vs remember that which S. John saith 1. Iohn 3.3 That they that haue hope to liue with Iesus Christ and to see him as hee is do purifie themselues as he is pure That afflictions ought not to make vs to doubt of our adoption but rather confirme vs. CHAP. 6. LET vs now come to that stūbling blocke and trouble that proceedeth from our afflictions What apparaunce is there saieth the flesh that wee are the Children of GOD Our goods are violently taken from vs our possessions are confiscate and our Offices and Estates are taken away We are driuen out of our Countrey yea from Countrey to Countrey like vagabonds wee are hated of father and mother and of our other kinsfolk frends we are drawen and kept in prison wee are derided and brought into extreame calamities miscries we are as sheepe of the shambles apointed to the sword to the gallowes and to the fire To bee short wee see nothing but the signes of the wrath and the curse of God vpon vs. And that which more is the Church which wee haue said was the kingdome of Christ and the house of God how is it assailed by the mightie men of this world whome also we see to come to the end of their enterprises to oppresse tread vnder foote rent and scatter this Church exercising al crueltie against it as hūgrie wolues vpon a flock of sheep forsaken of their shepheard They triumph in their victories and wee hang down the head weep bowing down our necks vnder the yoke of afflictions They increase in riches we consume in pouertie they are aduaunced to honours and dignities and we are despised as rebels wicked and seditious people See what the flesh saith and yet these are but discourses and complaints of great ignoraunce or infirmitie For what is that which troubleth and offendeth vs in this condition and estate Euen that whereby wee ought rather to be confirmed in the assuraunce that wee are the children of GOD and indeede happie First if GOD had promised
It is to this ende as Iesus Christ him selfe teacheth his Apostles Ihon 16.1 that we shold not be troubled or offended when we see the faithful to be spoiled chased away imprisoned mocked murthered that then we should remember that it was told vs before And that it commeth not to passe by fortune or chaunce nor by the absolute will of meÌ„ that we are afflicted But by the appointment of God the father and that this is the entertainment which he hath ordained for his seruants and children But our flesh doth Iudaize too much in this behalfe For as the Ievves in olde time looking for a Messias triumphing in the world were offended at his humilitie base estate so at the crosse of Iesus Christ and therefore reiected both him and his doctrine euen so our flesh at this day doth still imagine a gospel of veluet agreeable to their desires and a kingdome of Christ that were of this world See now why it is troubled and offended deriding a Christ crowned with thornes bearing his crosse vppon his shoulders and laying it vpon all those that will be the children of God with him But if the Iewes had wel weied that which Esai foretold of the Messias Esai 53. That he should grow vp as a roote out of a drie grouÌ„d That he shuld haue in him neither fashion nor beautie to be desired That he should be despised and reiected of men a man so afflicted and accustomed to sorowes that men shuld hide their faces froÌ„ him so much should he be contemned That hee should bee oppressed with iniurie afflicted led to the slaughter as a Lambe To bee short that he shuld be numbred among the transgressors Also that which Zacharie saith Behold thy king commeth to thee humble Zach. 9.9 riding vpon an Asse And that which Daniel saieth That the Christ should be cut off Dan. 9.26 and should not be If I say the Iewes had well weighed these Prophecies and manie other like these touching the abasement and afflictions of Christ so far off is it that they would haue reiected him that on the contrarie they would haue knowen by the accomplishment of those thinges that were foretolde of him that he was in deede the Messias promised In like manner if we would carefully meditate on that which the holie Ghost hath fore spoken of our condition and that wee must be conformable vnto the image of Christ Rom. 8.17 suffer and die with him the tribulations which accompanie the profession of the Gospell shoulde bee vnto vs signes and testimonies that wee are Christians and the Children of God Luk 2 When the Angell shewed vnto the Shepards the natiuitie of Iesus Christ saying I shewe vnto you greatioy that this day is borne to you a Sauiour in the Citie of Dauid which is Christ the Lord Hee addetth you shall haue these signes yee shall finde the childe wrapped in swaddeling cloathes and laid in a maunger Now if these shepheards beeing come to Bethlehem had found the holie Virgine in an honourable pallaice and the Childe in a magnificall and royall cradle had they not had iust occasion to doubt of the tidings of the Angell this estate not agreeing with the signe that hee had giuen But hauing found the Childe in poore estate in a maunger as the Angell had foretolde they were confirmed to beleeue that it was the Messias Euen so GOD hauing reuealed vnto vs by his Woord that hee hath chosen vs to be his Children hauing sealed it in vs by the testimonie and effects of the vnction of the holie Ghost and hauing also giuen vs the markes in this that he hath made vs the members of his Church hee hath foretolde and hath also giuen one signe more of our adoption that we shall be reproached persecuted If then the world did make much of vs loued and honoured vs we might after some sort dout of the word of God and of our election and adoption But seeing the accomplishment of that that was foretolde vs we ought to bee so much the more confirmed in this assurance that we are not of the world but appertaine to our God And this is it that Iesus Christ tolde his Apostles saying Ioh. 15.19 If yee were of the world the world would loue his owne but nowe because I haue chosen you out of the world the world hateth you If we aske the way to goe to anie place that one tell vs for a signe of the right way that it is at the beginning durty afterward full of hils we wil leaue the other waies which seeme straight drie faire and easie and finding in that way which wee take durte and hills foretold and giuen vs for a signe wee will bee so much the more confirmed that wee are in the right way So the holie Ghost hauing foretolde Act. 14. â—â— that thorough manie tribulations wee must enter into the Kingdome of heauen Matt. 7.13 and that the waye leading to eternall life is narrow and difficult If wee finde the way of the Gospell narrow full of troubles let vs acknowledge that we are in the right way to the kingdom of heauen that we ought therfore to bee so much the more confirmed in assuraunce that wee are the Children of God That the Children of God haue alwaies been afflicted and yet still beloued of God CHAP. 8. THis that the Holie Ghost hath fore spoken that the condition of the Children of GOD is to bee afflicted hath by experience been found to bee true in all ages whether we consider the people and Church of GOD in the whole bodie or speake of it particularly in the members of it Examples of the afflictions of the Church during the time of the olde testament How long and greeuously was the people of Israel afflicted in Aegipt Moses reciteth that their life was vexed bitterly thorough grieuous seruitude and that all the seruice wherein they serued was tyrannous Pharaoh intending to destroy them Exo. 1.14 and to roote them out by trauaile and excessiue labour And not so being able to come to his purpose neither yet by the commaundement made to the midwiues Exo. 1.18 to slay secretly all the male children which should be borne at the last he appointed certeine of the Aegiptians his subiects to bee their hangmen openly Exo. 1.22 Whereby also when Moses was borne his parents hauing hid him some time with great feare they were at the last constrained for the auoiding of the furie of these hangmen to put him out into the brinke of the riuer as abandoning him vnto death Could there be anie more barbarous crueltie vsed to anie people And yet did they still continue to bee grieuouslie afflicted foure score yeares after the birth of Moses So that it is not without a cause that the Lord called Aegipt the house of bondage Exo. 20.2 Deut. 4.20 and an iron fornace The which also he confirmeth
Heb. 12.11 but grieuous but after it bringeth the peaceable fruites of righteousnes And before he had said That God chastiseth vs for our profite that we might be partakers of his holinesse Prosper in son ex Aug. ◠The goodnesse of God saith S. Augustine is angrie with his children in this world that hee may not bee angrie with them in the life to come and by his mercie he vseth some temporal seueritie to exempt thē from euerlasting vengeance According vnto this S. Bernard made this praier vnto God Lord burne and cut in this temporall life that thou maist be mercifull to me in the life that is euerlasting And it is the same that S. Paule teacheth saying When we are iudged and afflicted 1. Cor. 12.32 we are nurtured of the Lord that wee might not be condēned with the world And to this purpose Dauid protesteth that before hee was afflicted bee went wrong Psa 119.67 but now saith he I keepe thy commandements A game It was good for me that I was afflicted Psa 119 71 that I might keepe thy statutes Medicines are giuen either to heale diseases or to preuēt thē and therefore are verie requisite for the health and life of man Nowe what bee these afflictions but medicines of our soules as also S. Augustine saith This which thou so lamentest is thy medicine and not thy punishment As in a house where there are manie children the rod is necessarie as in a Citie subiect to diuers diseases where there is an euill aire Phisitions are needfull so in the house of god where ther are manie children inclined to euill the rod is many times more necessarie than bread and in such an hospitall full of diseases and sores as the Church is for out of it they are dead it is a great fault if there be not Phisitions and Surgeons to heale the corruptions of our soules to keep vs from offending God from falling into death Many accustomd to delicate meats haue their mouths out of tast after falling sick they take bitter drinks to recouer againe the health of their bodies let vs chearfully doo the same for the health of our soules And indeede behold the difference betweene a madd man and one that is sicke of a corporall disease The mad man is angry with the Phisition chaseth him away and throweth awaye the medicine but the other sendeth for a Phisition taketh drinke at his hand thanketh him yea and giueth him a reward So when God the soueraigne Phisition of our soules visiteth vs and giueth vs wholsome medicines let vs not be like mad men reiecting the hand of God but receiuing the medicine let vs giue him thankes and blesse him after the example of Iob 2. In words afflictiō of heart Furthermore howsoeuer the goods and other commodities of this life ought to bee helpes to lift vp our hearts to the spring from whence they come that is to the goodnesse and power of God to prayse him our corruption and affection to the world dooth turne them quite contrarie to thornes and hinderances so as God oftentimes cutteth them off or taketh them away or mingleth thē with afflictions to turn vs from euill to draw vs vnto him and the better to dispose vs to his seruice Experience sheweth that in bankets and feasts men talke of the world but where sicknesse death and burials are they talk of euerlasting life It is also seene that riches lift vs vp in pride and insolencie and that pouertie bringeth vs downe and humbleth vs that in prosperity we triumph and feele not the force of the spirituall instructions and teachings but being afflicted with sicknesse or anie other way thē we are godly people wee confesse that all flesh is but grasse and that we haue here no abiding Citie To be short our infirmities tending vnto death make vs to lift vp our vnderstanding and affections to a better life Then God who is good and dooing well vnto men who taketh not pleasure in our euills afflicteth vs not but to wake vs the better to sanctifie vs in his obedience purifying our affections and by the sorrowes of troubles maketh vs to abhorre our corruptions the verie cause of them He doth as the good keeper of a vine Iohn 2. who cutteth his vine that it may beare more and better fruite not suffring it to grow wilde in leauing too mame boughes on it And as we cut the winges of hennes and other birdes that they should not flie away and be lost so God cutteth off from vs the commodities of the flesh to keepe vs downe that we lift not vp and destroy our selues with vain confidence pride We see also that the corne shut within the chaffe commeth not foorth if the eare be not beaten and that it tarieth stil in the chaffe if it be not fanned The like hapneth to the childrē of god if they be not beaten and fanned by tribulations to be seperated frō the chaffe of the world and the pleasures impediments that be in it The Prophet Oseas when he would shew how God wold turne away his people from following idolatrie Hose 2.6 I will hedge saith he thy way with thornes wherein hee giueth vs to vnderstand that as the beasts that go by the way see on the side of them faire flelds assaying to goe to thē running vpon the hedges of thornes if they feele the sharpe prickes they goe backe and return into the way So when the children of God goe out of the right waye to heauen to goe to the fieldes of this world o◠the flesh God maketh thē to come vpon the thornes of afflictions to the ende that by their prickings they may turne backe againe When a Mother willing to weane her childe shal say vnto him night and day My childe it is time to weane thee thou art growen great inough and I am with childe my milke is corrupt it will make thee sick yet he is so fond of the breast that he cānot forsake it but if the Mother put worm wood or mustard vpō the breast the childe sucking it and feeling the bitternesse hee quite forsaketh it without sucking anie more Euen so though the preachers preachvnto vs and exhort vs to forsake the corrupt milk of the world and of the flesh yet we seeme dease still and are alwaies backward vntill God put vppon these cursed teates the mustard and wormwood of afflictions to weane vs. We haue also of our owne nature too much considence in our selues 3. In confidence in humane meanes so as we know not what it is to hope in God against hope to trust to him without gage in the hand So the riches estates traffiques the leaning vpon men on the husband to the wife on the father to the children on the good Prince to the Subiects are vnto vs as vayles that keepe downe our sight vppon the earth and as staues for
appearing to Moses in the middest of a burning bush saying Exo. 3.2 I haue seene the affliction of my people They were not so soone in the way to depart out of Aegipt but they wer pursued by the Armie of Pharaoh Exod. 14.9 hauing the sea before them the mountaines on their sides and so seeing present death before their eyes Did they escape the hands of Pharaoh in passing ouer the sea on drie foote Then they entred into the horrible and fearefull Deferts and going three dayes through the Desertes they found no water the first that they founde was so bitter Exo. 15.22 that they coulde not drinke it They were assayled of enemies vexed with fierie Serpents and inflammations vnaccustomed and wandred vp and downe fortie yeares in those Deserts liuing by Manna and water Num. 21.6 In the time of the Iudges how ofte was the people of god broght vnder the cruell tyranie of diuers enemies Vnder the raigne of Manasses King of Iuda there was such persecution against the faithfull 2. King 21.16 that Ierusalem was filled with bloud from the one ende to the other But aboue all it was vnkindlie handled both before and during the Captiuitie of Babylon 2. King 25 Ier. 39. and 52. The Citie of Ierusalem was taken and sacked the Temple of God spoyled burnt and destroyed Hee that escaped the pestilence famine and the sword was transported into Babylon among the Idolatours their Enemies and plunged into all miseries and calamities and that by the space of three-score and tenne yeares Ier. 25.12 as it was foretolde The Prophet Esai doth sufficientlie set before vs their miserable estate calling the Iewes persons despised Esa 46.7 an abhominable people seruaunts to Lordes wormes of Iacob the dead men of Israel Esa 41.14 people afflicted ouerwhelmed with tempests Esa 54.11 without anie comfort Are they returned out of this captiuitie into Iudea There they were vext of their enemies aboue al how many horrible cruelties did thei indure by Antiochus Herod and other tyrants Let vs also see what complaints the people of God make of the calamities that befell them by the Assirians or as other thinke by this Antiochus saying O God the heathen haue entred into thine inheritance Psalm 79. they haue polluted thy holie temple and haue brought Ierusalē to a heape of stones They haue giuē the dead bodies of thy seruants for meat to the foules of the ayre and the flesh of thy Saints to the beastes of the earth they haue shed their bloud like water on euerie side of Ierusalem and there was none to burie them We haue been a reproach to our neighbours and a mockerie and a derision to those that are about vs. Againe Psalm 44. Thou hast put vs O Lord farre from thee as sheepe to be eaten and thou hast scattered vs among the heathen Thou hast sold thy people without gaine and doest not increase their price Thou hast smittē vs downe into the place of dragons hast couered vs with the shadowe of death Also comparing the church to a vine Psalm 80. wherefore saith he hast thou broken downe her hedges that all they that go by pluck of her grapes The boare out of the wood hath destroyed it the wild beasts of the field haue eaten it vp It is burnt with fire cut down To be short we may behold the estate of the Church in these words Let Israel now say Psal 129. They haue often times afflicted me from my youth they haue often times vexed me The plowers haue plowed vpon my backe made long furrowes In like manner after the ascension of Iesus Christ into heauen Examples of the afflictions of the Church since the time of the newe testament hath not the Church been and that continuallie persecuted and extreamelie afflicted as may appeare by the booke of the Acts of the Apostles and by the Ecclesiasticall histories in the verie which a man may note ten general persecutions which were kindled in al the quarters of the earth by the publike decrees of the Emperours besides those that were particular which were made in diuers places by the Gouernors or seditious of the people It is a horrible thing to thinke and almost incredible of the bloud which was then shed of the desolations of Cities yea and of some whole Prouinces For as the Church was then spred ouer all the world so in all the kingdomes of the earth this furie of persecution was kindled It was enough for any to confesse that they were Christians and they should be slaine by thousands Among other persecutions made by Hadrian Emperour of Rome in the 9. yeare of his Empire he caused ten thousand Christians to be crucified in Armenia Henrie of Erford Dioclesian and Maximinian hauing enterprised to constraine the Christians by al manner of torments and cruelties Oros lib. 7. chap. 25. Vrsperg to renounce their religion and to sacrifice to the Idols they forced them after a fashion so furious that in the space of 17. daies there were 30000. put to death and as manie or more chained and carried to the mettalls a torment resembling after a sort the punishment of the gallies at this day Vincent in his mirrour lib. 12. chap. In those daies such crueltie was exercised at Trenios vppon the riuer Mosel that the riuer was red with the bloud of the Christians beeing slaine The booke intituled Fasciculus temporum witnesseth that the Christians that were in England were all put to death Euse lib. 8. chap. 11. To bee short whole townes were burned with their inhabitants for the hatred of Christian religion As touching the varietie of the sorts of tormens and cruelties the diuell surmounted himselfe in deuising them Some were cut in peeces Some were tormēted with stripes of rods euen to the bones Some were cast to the Lions to the Beares and to the Tygers to bee deuoured Some were couered with beasts skins to be torne in peeces of wolues and doggs Some were burned quicke Some were broyled vpon gridirons Some were crucified Some had their bodies dropped on with burning pitch and boyling lead Some were drawne vpon the pauement of the streetes Some were dashed against the stones Some were tumbled downe headlong from high places into riuers Some they smothered with smoake proceeding from a small fire Some had their intrailes pearced with sharpe stakes Some were throwne into the Lime kils Some were slaine with the stripes of staues and lead Some had sharpe reedes thrust betweene their nailes and their flesh Some had red burning plates put vnder their armepits Some were scorched quicke and then sprinckled with vineger or powdred with salt Some were set vp quicke vppon forks and suffered to die of hunger or thirst And those that could escape into the deserts mountaines either they died of hunger or of thirst or of cold or they were deuoured of wild beasts