our selues in the like persecutions 29 When he was fled from Hierusalem and the priests were departed from him with the Arke of the Lords couenant he went vppon Mount Cliuet barefoote wept as he went had his head couered and so did all the people that were with him And he made his mone vnto the Lord saying O Iehoua how are they increased that trouble me How many are they that rise against me Howe many are they that say of my soule there is no helpe for him in his God 30 Wonder not though this good King with a heauy heart and sorrowfull cheare doth lament bewaile his dolourous estate Would it not grieue a King when hée thinketh of no such matter sodainly to be cast out of his royall seate and brought in danger of his life and that by his owne naturall sonne Can the displeasure of any enemie so much pearce the heart of a kind Father as the vnnaturall cruelty of the son to séeke his death of whom he himselfe had his life It grieued him no smal deale to perceiue such as had bin his wise counsailers whom he much trusted whose duty it had bene with the spending of their own liues to haue defended the common weale brought to good and quiet order both in matter of pollicy and of Gods true Religion to bée the supporters and maintainers of an Hipocrite who had neither respect to Gods true honour nor yet consideration of duty to his most honourable Father neither yet regard to the prosperous weale of his natiue countrey But nothing of all these grieued him so much as this one thing the remembrance and true acknowledging in himselfe that hée himielfe was the onely cause of all these euils Hée called to remembrance that these plagues fell vppon him sent from God whose worke it was and that for his sinnes which were the cause thereof and this made him wéepe and mourne For so soone as the Prophet Nathan had warned him of his offence he cried peccaui I haue sinned and afterward when he saw this grieuous and sodain change follow hée perceiued it came partly for his sin by the worke of God and therefore submitted himselfe wholly to Gods wil saying If I shal finde fauour in the eyes of the Lorde he will bring me againe shew me both his Arke and the Tabernacle thereof 2. Sam. 15 But and the Lord thus say I haue no lust vnto thée behold here I am let him doe with me what séemeth him good in his eyes 31 Thus the worthie man of God acknowledgeth his trobles to be of Gods hand his sinnes to be the cause therefore humbly faithfully submitteth himselfe to Gods â—ordering well content to receiue whatsoeuer should be laid vpon him He assured him selfe that when he himselfe were most weakest then God would declare his strength for his owne glories sake and after he were reduced to faithful repentance by the correction of his merciful father then the rod should be cast into the fire 32 This consideration of plagues and tribulations both to priuate men particularly and also of Realms and whole common wealthes is diligently to be weyed that as they come from God so haue they this ende that they tend partly to his own glory partly to our profit and amendment For although sinne be the general cause wherefore all mankinde was is and shal bée molested with many and sundry kindes of troubles and calamities yet the calamities and afflictions are not all kinde of men alike nor yet for one end and purpose For the wicked and reprobate are punished and whipped of God to a far other end and meaning then the godly and chosen children who are the true Church of God the liuely members of Christ and such as shall be neuer seperated from God and his louing fauour in Christ Iesus 33 These although they be neuer without trouble in this world but alwaies exercised vnder the crosse yet the cause and consideration why God will haue them thus exercised is either for the honor and glory of his owne name or the profite commodity and exceeding benefit of them whom hée thus afflicteth either else for both these considerations together for that there is no trouble that comes to Christes Church or any member thereof which appeareth not plainly to redound to Gods glory and the profit of the afflicted if it be well and iustly considered 34 Thus may you plainly sée how God hath wrought with his Church in olde time and therefore shoulde not discourage your selues for any sodaine chaunge but with Dauid acknowledge your sinnes to God declare vnto him how many they be that vexe you and rise against you naming you Hugonotes Lutherians Heretiques and the children of Belial as they named Dauid Let the wicked Idolaters boast and bragge that they will preuaile against you and ouercome you and that God hath giuen you ouer and will bée no more your God let them put their trust in Absolom with his large golden lockes and in the wisedome of Achitophel the wise counsailer yet say you with Dauid Thou O Lord art my defender and the lifter vp of my head Perswade your selues with Dauid that the Lord is your defender who hath compassed you round about and is as it were a shielde that doth couer you on euery side it is hée onely that may and will compasse you about with glory and honour It is he that wil thrust downe those proud hypocrites from their seate and exalt his lowly and méeke It is hee which will smite your enemies on the chéeke-boane and burst all their féeth in sunder hée will hang vp Absolom by his owne long haire and Achitophel through desperation shall hang himselfe the bandes shal be broken and you deliuered for this belongeth vnto the Lord to saue his from their enemies and to blesse his people that they may safely proceed in their pilgrimage to heauen without feare CHAP. XII Concerning the alterations of true Religion in all ages ALbeit Dauid his kingdome after he was annointed king ouer Gods people were exercised with many troubles during his time yet he obserued the ordinances of the Lord and kept the true Religion among his people according to the commandement of God After him Salomon had gouernance of Gods people who in the beginning of his raigne walked after his father Dauid did build Gods temple obserued the true Religion but that lasted but a while for in his latter yeares he fell to Idolatry and the seruice of false Gods so that the true seruice of God began then to be corrupted 2 After him his sonne Roboam reigned at whose beginning that realm had such a miserable change that it could neuer after recouer it selfe againe sor the kingdome was diuided and tenne tribes which were called afterward Israel fell from Roboam and from the true Religion vnto Idolatrie and false seruing of God and so continued in false superstitious Religion alwaies hating the true religion of God killing
Iesus in the supper in that we are made flesh of his flesh and bones of his bones in that we liue by his holy spirit ought not this vpon good cause to exhort vs to conforme our selues to the Image and likenesse of the holines of our Lord Iesus Christ Can he dwel in vs nourish vs with his own substance quicken vs with his holy spirit ioyne vs vnto himself by the bond of Faith yet so that he his holy spirit and faith bring not forth in vs good holy works Moreouer for so much as he doth not giue himselfe vnto vs halfemeale and destitute of his qualities and riches accompanied with all spirituall giftes and blessings adorned with righteousnesse and perfection accompanied with innocencie sanctification how can we receiue Iesus Christ enriched with all his graces that the righteousnesse of our head may not shine in vs which are members yea shine in all our parts as well inward as outward Must it needs be that the two partes of our soule that is to say our mind and heart which ought to apprehende and take hold of the promises of God which ought to receiue by faith the body and blood of our lord Iesus Christ that is to say whole Iesus Christ true God equal in euery respect to God his father and true man made of humane body and soule that this minde heart I say must be applyed to the meditation and loue of worldly and wicked things being destitute of the knowledge and loue of God and of the loue of our neighbour Doth it behoue our body which is the temple of God to be prophaned That our eares which were created of God to heare his voice shuld be stopped against it and be opened to vanities wanton talke vnchast worldly songes Doth it behooue our tongue which is bound by the right of creation to sing the praises of God and by the right of redemption to shew forth the Lords death till he come h That this tongue which is so proper an instrument of the glory of God should be mute to goodnesse incessantly occupied in backbiting slaundering blaspheming or at the least in speaking idle words whereof one day wée shal yéeld an account before the throne of the Maiesty of God i Mat. 12.36 Doeth it behoue our mouth which ought to receiue the blessed signe of the body and blood of our Lord Iesus to suppresse the benefit of our redemption and to haue adders poyson in it Doeth it behooue our hands which ought to take at the supper the assured gage of the loue of God the infallible pledges of his league with vs the earnest penny of our saluation to be voide of goodnesse beside that be giuen to extortion theft murther oppression violence Doth it behooue our féete which ought to runne and make hast to goodnesse to be ready and light to runne to mischiefe No surely but as he which calleth vs is holy so likewise must we also be wholy holy as he hath brought vs by holy Baptisme into his holy house which is his Church the Cōmunion of Saints Euen so likewise must we lead therein a good holy conuersation as he hath washed vs from our sinnes by the precious blood of his sonne Iesus Christ so must we dye to them liue in righteousnesse as he hath called vs to the the incorruptible hope of the blessed resurrection eternal life so must we lift vp our harts on high and not be buried like Moles in this fraile and transitorie earth To be short séeing that the grace of God is set before vs euery day and his holy word soundeth in our eares l Tit. 2.11 12.13.14 to this onely end that it may be saluation vnto vs and that renouncing all vngodlinesse worldly desires we should liue soberly iustly and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the mighty God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ We must pray vnto this good God that he would giue vs grace so to behaue our selues towardes him in liuing godly so towards our neighbours in liuing iustly so towards the poore in reléeuing them charitably so towards our selues in liuing soberly that we may be found at the day irreprehensible by the meanes of that his wel beloued Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ 3 Thirdly Of thankes giuing we must giue thanks to this good God for the benefit of our redemption for this cause it is that the Auncients called the holy supper Eucharistia that is to say gratefulnesse good grace giuing of thankes For if so be that our ordinary food and daily bread which GOD giueth vs for the nourishmēt of our bodies ought to be sanctified by the word receiued with thankesgiuing ought we not much more to thanke God for the heauenly bread for the nourishment of our soules which is offered vnto vs really giuen vs in the holy Supper of Iesus Christ And we sée also how Iesus Christ himselfe sheweth vs an example hereof For when he tooke the bread of the Supper S Matthewe and S. Marke say that Iesus Christ blessed And S. Luke expoundeth this word to blesse when he saith that he gaue thankes Now then séeing that we sée that Iesus Christ when he tooke the bread of the supper gaue thankes to God his father as he did also when he tooke the cup that for the redemption of mākind it is our duty to do the like And that we may be the better moued to giue thanks to God we haue to consider the greatnesse of the benefit of our redemption and the excellency of the gift which God giueth vs at his holy table which cannot bée done vnlesse we consider our miserable condition which was before figured by the temporall captiuitie of Egypt We see there how Pharaoh was strong and mighty how he knew not the generall how he went about to kill all the séede of the Israelites Exe 1.3 by the suppression and death of their men children we sée also how excessiuely he caused the Israelites to worke without any hope of wages how he would not suffer them by any meanes to sacrifice to the Lord nor to goe forth of the land of Egypt Which thing continued not for one yeare or two but for the space of foure hundred and thirtie f Exo. 12.30 yeares Here may we liuely beholde a draught of our misery We were all lost and destroyed in Adam Wee were holden captiues in the helly Egypt vnder the Tyranny of a spirituall Pharaoh which is the Diuell This Tyrant was strong and mighty hee suffered vs not to serue our GOD. He made vs to labour incessantly in slauish and vnfruitfull workes of sinne to the establishment of his owne kingdome He slew not onely our men children but he led vs all indifferently to vtter ruine and destruction And this Tyranny had not onely continued for a certaine time but had béene eternall and
which is giuen for you This is my blood which is shed for the remission of your sinnes Finally they despise the church and the vnity thereof and willingly excommunicate themselues from the communion which the faithfull haue in the Supper as well with Iesus Christ as one with another Wée sée therefore how fondely these contemners of the Lordes holy Supper doe fall and are vtterly inexcusable And therefore let vs take good héede that wée followe them not if wee will not bée punished with them which for their Oxen a Mat. 12.7 Luke 14.22 Farmes Wiues and Trafficque of Marchaundize refused is come to the marriage in the Gospel Contrariwise of them which come vnwoorthily to the holie Supper of the Lorde or ought not to be thervnto admitted AL Atheistes that is suche as are without GOD These haue not faith misbeleeuers ignoraunt of God and his worde all heretiques and false Prophetes all Magicians Idolaters and superstitious which are partakers of the table of Diuels likewise all they which haue but an hystorical faith all the adherents ministers of the Romish Antichrist and they that establishe by any manner whatsoeuer his kingdome or depende thereon also all they which haue not yéelded themselues to the Churche of God and haue not made profession of their faith Finally all they that customably sweare eyther by the name of God or by their faith and applie it to vaine matters and causes of no value all these ought to abstaine from the Lords table for so much as they haue not a true trust in God without the which wée cannot be members of Iesus Christe nor consequently be apte and méete to receiue life of him which is the onely head of the true fatthfull These haue not repentance AL they which liue slaunderously all impenitentes and vnthriftes al contemners of God of his worde and of his holy assemblies al blasphemers and denyers of the name of God al despisers of correction and Ecclesiastical Discipline they also that haunt and frequent ordinarilie euill companie which walke in the counsel of the wicked a Psal 1.1 which stand in the way of sinners which sit in the seate of the scorneful To be shorte they in whome appeereth no amendement of life no regeneration and they that committe heynous and infamous vices and suche as are to bee punished by the Magistrate all these after that they are knowne to be suche ought not to be admitted to the Supper and if they present themselues vnto it they ought not to be receiued least that that is holy bée giuen to dogges and Swyne b Mat. 7.6 to the great dishonour of GOD and slaunder of his Churche Of them which sinne against the third Article which consisteth in giuing of thankes VVIthout true faith and repentance These are not thankful to God wée can not be méete to set foorth the praises of GOD who wil not bée praised by the mouth of the wicked a Psal 50.16 and therefore al Infidels Ignorants and Impenitents sinne also against this Article and ought not to be receiued to the Lordes Supper Also they that are madde or fooles either by nature or some other accident They also which by reason that they be vnder age as little children cannot shew forth neither the Lords death fit he come nor are capable of the Supper of the Lord. Finally they which by fragilitie vnkindnesse and contempt in time of persecution did forsake Gods cause and renounce the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe ought not also to bée admitted thither vnlesse that they doe first make open confession of their faulte and be reconciled to the Church of God Of them which sinne against the fourth Article which consisteth in loue towardes our Neighbour THe disobedience to father and mother These are voyde of loue to the Magistrate and to al superiours the seditious conspiratours fighters murderers and such as beare malice and hatred against their neighbours they that are carried away with the fire of reuengement whoremongers adulterers incontinent buggerers Drunkards Gluttons Deceiuers Théeues and Vsurers Backebyters Mockers False witnesses Lyers and common periured Persons and in summe all they which make an Arte of the breache of Loue towarde their Neighbours conteined in the second Table of the Lawe of GOD ought not to bée receiued to the Supper For séeing that the Scripture pronounceth thus that such sort of men haue none acquaintance of God are shut out of the kingdome of Heauen a Eph. 5.5 Psal 15. and shall not dwell in the Lordes holy Mountaine they ought of right to bée shutte out from the sacred signes wherby the faithfull are ioyned to IESVS CHRIST and made possessors of eternall life FINIS
mediditation shal be the contemplations of those men who when they might in this life fruitfully haue thought vpon these things would not and they which disdained here to vse these most profitable meditations as a bridle of their lustes shal in that time suffer them as most cruel torments 13 Furthermore the memorie shal bée no smal crosse to the mindes of the damned when they shal beginne to cal to mind their former delights and the pleasures past for the which they are now come vnto these torments For then too late they shal perceiue with what bitter sauce they were seasoned which in times past séemed so swéete vnto them But they shal much more vehemently bée tormented when they shal compare the breuitie of the pleasures past with the eternity of the present sorrowes For what Mathematician so skilful can bée found out which can declare vnto vs how much greter that euerlasting time shal be then the time of those transitorie pleasures How shal they then groane and mourne and what great déepe sighes shal they fetch when they shal finde by experience that their pleasures were most momentanie and that they are gone as a dreame shadow and that their sorrowes shal haue no end 14 But the vnderstanding as it is a faculty more excellent and perspicuous Vnderstanding so shal it bee tormented with a more intollerable crosse In this facultie shal that worme be which the Scriptures so oftentimes threaten to sinners where it is saide that their worme dyeth not and the fire shal not be quenched For as the worme hath his original from the wood and yet doeth continually eate and consume the woode whereof it commeth Euen so this worme springeth from sinne and holdeth a perpetual warre with sinne and is nothing else but a continual repentance and sorrow ful of rage and desperation which they haue by reason of their sinnes when they sée and féele that for them they haue lost the kingdome of heauen and haue incurred those vnspeakeable torments This worme of the damned resteth neither day nor night but biteth and gnaweth continually and féedeth vpon the bowels of those miserable men alwaies bringing to their remembrance the notable opportunitie which they had here in earth not onely with verie small labour to haue escaped those punishments but also without mony or money worth to haue gotten the kingdome of heauen Therefore they shall euermore contend with themselues and say O miserable men that we be to whom the kingdome of heauen was sometimes offered fréely to receiue and possesse the which the Preachers of Gods word did humbly and louingly beséech vs to imbrace we refused If we had truly repented vs of our sins all had ben forgiuen How small a thing had it béene to haue repented If we had craued mercy we had easily obtayned it If wee had called for helpe and grace faithfully it had béene at hande If wée had giuen but a cuppe of cold water for the Lords sake wée had not bene vnrewarded But now wée fast continually and shal bee tormented we shal be afflicted and shal reap no fruite thereof O that golden time mis-spent how is it now gone and neuer shal returne again Who bereaued vs of our wits Who shutte our eyes Who stopt our eares Whoso bewitched vs that we neuer thought vpon these punishments that wée neuer had regard to these times that we neuer foresaw this misery and that we harkened not vnto them which forewarned vs 30 And if the vnderstanding shal féele these thinges what shal wée then say of the wil which is the chiefe and principal cause of sinnes The wil therefore shal bée euermore tormented with a certaine outragious enuie which it shal conceiue of the honour and glory of Almighty God and of all the Saints in heauen according as it is set down in the Psalme The vngodly shall see it and it shall grieue him hee shall gnash with his teeth and consume away the desire of the vngodly shall perish Psal 112.10 ver Also in the willes of these sinners there shal be ioyned with enuy an extreme hatred against God from whēce shal arise horrible curses and blasphemies Heare and tremble oh wicked and prophane which shal neuer cease in their mouthes For when they shal perceiue that there is no hope any more to recouer their saluation and shal also be assured that they shal at no time come into the fauor of God and that their tormēts shal neuer haue ende And further when they shal sée that it is God himselfe which keepeth them as it were fast bounde with chaines in those perpetual torments and that it is hée which doeth from an high cast downe vpon them thundring tempests and with his omnipotēt breath doth kindle those furnaces of hel fire then they wil rage and some like mad dogges and wil neuer cease from barking from blasphemies and cursed speakings They wil curse him because hée created them and adiudged them to death and yet dying are neuer dead They wil curse his punishmentes because hée tormenteth them so vehemently from wicked blasphemies good Lord deliuer vs. They wil curse his benignitie because it is now turned into seuerity They wil curse his crosse and his blood shedde vpon the same because it hath bene profitable to so many nothing auaileable vnto them 31 To cōclude they wil curse al the saints and Angels of heauen because they shall sée them in ioy and felicitie and themselues in euerlasting miserie This shal be ther perpetual simphonie and melodie these shall bee their euening and morning songs these their Psalmes and Himnes which they shal sing in those doleful Temples of diuels where they shal haue fire and brimstone in steede of frankencense the noyse of stripes with whips and maules which shal inforce wéeping howling and gnashing of téeth in stead of Organes Trumpettes Cornettes and Harpes 32 Thus farre concerning the sorrow which ariseth of the losse of the chiefe felicity and which the inward faculties of the mind doe suffer which hath béene shewed to be the greatest and vnspeakeable Nowe also we wil shewe that to bée an excéeding sorrowe which the very tormentes shal worke in the external sences of men 33 Therefore as the reward of the blessed is not some certaine particular goodnesse seuered and deuided from other good thinges but a certaine common and general good or felicitie wherein al good thinges al delights and pleasures are contained So the paine and torment of the damned is not one kinde of sorrowe as of the head of the eyes of the téeth of the raines and so forth But it is a certaine general punishment which comprehendeth all the sorrowes of al the members and sences together 34 If the sorrow and paine of a woman trauailing in childbirth bee so great and so general that it inuadeth euery part what shal become of them vpon whom all maner of sorrowes shal come If a man cannot indure a little fire
Timbrell and Pipe and Wine are in their feastes but they regard not the worke of the Lord. Iob. 21.12 And againe They take the Tabret and Harpe and reioyce in the sound of the Organs They spend their daies in wealth and suddainly they goe down to the graue They say also vnto God depart from vs for wee desire not the knowledge of thy waies c. That is to say we wil not walke in that straite way which thou commandest vs to walke in but we wil goe the broad way 53 When the Phrigians first became christian the gouernor of the citie desired to be resolued by the Bishop who was then about to baptise him of this question namely whether those that shal be saued or those that shal be damned shal be the greater number The bishop answered that the greater number should be lost And I quoth the Gouernour will do as the most doe and so refused his Baptisme Many men at thsi day peraduenture will be ashamed openly to say thus as this Gouernour did and yet in déeds proclaime it 54 Wherefore the greater part of men shal be adiudged to euerlasting paines Few are chosen Many goe the broad way Fewe there be that enter the straite gate the which is not onely proued vnto vs by wordes but also by many tipes and figures of the scripture 55 God in that old world wherin Noah liued entred into iudgement with mankind Gen. 7. and destroyed the euill and the wicked with the flood but saued the good and godly And how many were saued in that great multitude A few saith Saint Peter that is to say 2. Pet. 2.5 eight soules c. 56 Furthermore in the dayes of Abraham by another figure hée setteth before our eyes the small number of them that shal be saued Gen. 19. for when hee destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone from heauen hee among so many people saued only thrée 57 Moreouer in the time of Moses 1. Cor. 10. God brought the people of Israel out of Egypt to plant them in the land of promise a land flowing with milke and hony All which things happened to them in a figure and were done to admonish vs vpon whom the endes of the world are come How many were ther think you of this people which came out of Egypt Six hundred thrée thousand Num. 1. fiue hundred and fifty beside women and children and old men How many of this excéeding multitude entered into the lande of promise Num. 26. No more but Iosua and Caleb 58 To conclude what other thing was the transfiguration of the Lord in the mount but a most manifest figure of blessednes but how many were admitted to this blessednes onely fiue Moses Helias Peter Iames and Iohn to giue vs to vnderstand not only that they are few that shal be saued because there are but few Christians Mat. 17.1 if they bée compared with Ethnicks Iews Sarasins Heretikes and such like which without al doubt perish but also because among Christans few shall be saued Wherefore whosoeuer loueth God truly and his owne soule let him labour and striue to enter in at the straite gate during the time of this pilgrimage CHAP. VI. Concernining repentance without delay IEsus the son of Syrach 2. Eccle. 5. giueth vs a very profitable admonition to turne vnto God from sinne and wickednesse so spéedily as possibly we can in these words Because thy sin is forgiuen be not without feare to heape sinne vpon sinne And say not the mercy of God is great he will forgiue my manifold sinnes for mercy and wrath come from him and his indignation commeth downe vpon sinners Make no tarrying to turne vnto the Lord and put not off from day to day for sodainly shall the wrath of the Lord breake forth and in thy security thou shalt be destroyed Also Eccle. 12. Salomon to the same effect giueth vs most excellent counsail saying Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth while the euill dayes come not nor the yeares approach wherein thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them Héereunto agreeth the saying of Saint Augustine Age poenitentiam dum sanus es sic si ages dico tibi quod securus es quia poenitentiam egisti eo tempore quo peccare potuisti that is Repent thee while thou art in health so doing I say vnto thee thou art without dāger because thou hast repented at what time thou mightest haue sinned 2 Although these diuine testimonies might satisfie a christian man that their hope is vaine and full of perill which deferre their conuersion and repentance albeit but for one houre yet it shal be shewed by other reasons that it may the more plainely appeare how néedful a thing it is for man with all spéede to repent him 3 There are foure principal causes why a man cannot without great labour and difficulty forsake sinne and followe righteousnesse The first cause is a custome of sinning the which being now made as it were another nature can very hardly be ouercome For as Mithridates vsed to eate poyson so long that nature in the ende could very wel brooke and digest it and the people called Gemerij are so well acquainted with darknesse wherein they liue continually that they cannot well endure the light Euen so men that liue continually in sinne and wickednesse thus brought vs to his allure then his care is to hold vs still in his bondage and for feare that we should make conscience of sinne and so turne vnto the Lord by repentance he putteth a faire vizor ouer the ougly face of sinne and so disguiseth her that the proud person which excéedeth in apparell saith that his or her pride is cleanlinesse and decensie The whoremonger and fornicator taketh his filthy life to bée but the course of youth The drunkard and riotous person perswadeth himselfe that his excesse is but good fellowship The couetous person beléeueth that his couetousnesse is good husbandry The idle person which spendeth his whole time in dice cardes and such like neglecting his vocation flattereth himselfe that his time thus wickedly spent is honest recreation Whereas if the diuell had not blinded them so as they might sée sinne in her colours she would séem such a deformed monster as they would loathe her for euer For her eyes are ful of Adultrie her eares are very large and great open to heare all vaine delights her tongue swollen with lying and deceit her throate is an open sepulchre her lippes are boulstred vp with the poyson of Aspes her hands are large to receiue bribes her belly hath a timpanie of surfetting and gluttonie her back is laden with idlenesse and yet her féete are swift to shead blood with her heart she thinketh vpon nothing but how to betray the innocent and oppresse the widow and the fatherlesse Yea from the very top of the head vnto the sole of the foote she is ful of
botches and sores hath no whole part What man will be coupled with this monster who hath no other dowrie and portion of her father the diuell but hell fire Lette him then that hath béene inchanted with her adulterous eyes diuorce himselfe betimes from her company without delay for delay is perilous Her handmaide Security will peraduenture flatter vs say It is yet too soone to depart and so to craue further companie much like vnto Swetonius Tranquillus crowe which in the Emperour Domitians dayes stoode vppon the Capitoll and saide thus All shall be well It is the diuels voyce which saith Cras Cras to morrowe hereafter but God saith Hodie Today if ye will heare his voyce harden not your heartes If we harken to the diuels voice he wil serue vs as he serued Adam Eue and wil lay open our nakednesse and shame 5 A third cause of our delaied repentance is the absence of the holy Ghost from vs. For as the spirite of the Lorde dwelling in our heartes maketh the way of vertue easie and swéete insomuch that the Prophet Dauid saith Psal 119. I haue as great delight in the way of thy commaundementes as in all maner of riches and againe I haue runne the way of thy commandementes when thou hast set my heart at libertie Euen so contrariwise the absence of the holy Ghost maketh the same way hard and vnpleasant And as the light of the Sun chéereth vp mens spirits to goe to their labour euen so the sonne of righteousnesse shining in our heartes with the bright beames of his grace maketh vs to haue a delight in the way of his commandementes The first outward meane of Paules conuersion was the great light which he saw from heauen then he was cast down to the ground and humbled he heareth a voice and acknowledgeth it to be Gods voice Act. 9 3. Act. 26. and 22. And then ariseth vp and saith Quid faciam Domine What shall I doe It is the celestiall illumination that worketh our conuersion vnto God and which frameth our hearts to his obedience And therefore the Lord saith by the mouth of the Prophet Ose thus to sinful men Ose 9.12 Woe vnto them when I shall depart away from them And by the Prophet Ieremie Vnderstand and know what a grieuous thing it is that the Lord thy God hath forsaken thee 6 The last cause is a certaine sicknesse and languishing of all the faculties of our soule For the apple is not so eaten of worms nor the garment with moathes as the powers of the soule are corrupted with sins and wickednesses as the vnderstanding is darkned the iudgement dulled and the wil depraued Whereof it commeth that now to liue a holy and godly life is a very hard and painfull matter Who seeth it not then in what perill and error they are in who putting off their repentunce and conuersion from day to day doe thinke that the same which is now hard vnto them they shall finde afterwardes more easie when all the causes of difficulty and hardnesse are increased when they haue increased the causes of their labour and difficultie by adding sinnes vnto sinnes when an euil custome hath taken more déepe roote Shall not the Diuell then more fortifie his castle which is thy soule Shall not GOD whirh is thy light depart further off from thée Shall not the powers of thy soule then hauing receiued many woundes bée made more weake and insufficient to goodnes Beside this thou must greatly hazard the losse of heauenly treasures by thy long delay God hath thought vpon and loued vs from euerlasting and hath prepared for vs an eternal reward with what face then canst thou holde from God a little momentarie seruice which owest vnto God all that thou art able to doo for euer 7 God hath giuen vnto thée the life of his onely begotten sonne the which is of greater price then the life of all men and of the Angels and by what right and prerogatiue darest thou denie vnto him the flower of thy youth and to spend the same in other things then in the seruice of God and to offer vnto him the dregs and rottennes of old age onely Mala. 1. Consider what the Prophet Malachie saith If yee offer the blinde for sacrifice is it not euill and if yee offer the lame and sicke is it not euill Offer it now vnto thy Prince will hee bee content with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of hostes But cursed be the deceiuer which hath in his flocke a male and voweth and sacrificeth vnto the Lord a corrupt thing All that we haue and our selues wholy are not sufficient to serue the Lord. Therefore let our youth bee dedicated to his seruice as well as our age Let vs serue him not onely in sicknesse but also in health Let vs turne vnto him not onely when we are in affliction vnder the crosse but also in prosperity For forced holinesse is of no great account Pharaos repentance Festus trembling and Iudas sorrowe auailed them nothing Saint Augustine in his second booke of true and false Repentance speaking of that Repentance which affliction wringeth frō men saith Vis dicam liberaliter c. Wilt thou haue me speake my minde fréely I do neither say nor will say that he shall be damned But saith he will ye put the matter out of doubt Repent then whilest thou art in health otherwise whether a man doe safely depart out of this life I my selfe am not sure And the same Author in another place saith us Wilt thou repent thee when thou canst sinne no longer Thy sinnes then haue forsaken thee and not thou thy sinnes 8 Sinne is common to all times ages of mans life yea to fraile youth more then to olde age which caused King Dauid to say Remember not O Lord the sinnes of my youth There is then at no time want of matter in vs for repentance and yet our sinnes are much more then our sacrifices Sinne is common to all but timely and spéedy repentance to fewe 9 But let the exhortation of our Sauiour mooue vs which hée so oftentimes repeateth Math. 24. Mar. 13. Watche watche because yee knowe not the day nor the howre For I demaund of thée whosoeuer thou bée which assurest thy selfe that after a fewe yéeres be past thou wilt repent thée who made thée an vndoubted promise I will not say of yéeres and moneths but of the morow which is but one day nay who can assure thée of one hower And what greater follie and rashnesse can there bée deuised then for a worme of the earth to determine anie thing certaine concerning the times and seasons which the Father hath set in his owne power Art thou ignorant how many this vaine confidence hath deceiued euen to this day 10 But thou wilt say the Lorde is full of compassion and mercy who hath made large promises to those that trust in him who sent his
crookednesse of his legge or from such like cause After the same maner a théefe stretcheth forth his hand he shaketh his sword and it is of God and is good But to kill him whom he should not is euill and commeth from the wicked wil of man which God neither cōpelleth nor mooueth nor helpeth to euill and yet neuerthelesse suffereth that to be done which he desireth Thus then we sée how farre God hath his worke in the sinnes of men in suffering them to be done And although it is in him not to suffer euil the which without his sufferance coulde not bée yet notwithstanding that I may vse Saint Augustines words hee thinketh it better to drawe that wich is good from euill then not to suffer any euill at all For God would not suffer any sinne to be if hée were not so mighty so prudent and so good that both hée knoweth how and also can and wil out of sinne worke greater good 8 What greater euill could there be then so many Prophets so many Apostles so many Martirs and Christ himselfe to be slaine Could not God haue hindred this No doubt most easily but he would not By which we sée how great glary felicity he hath brought to them that suffered how great honour and praise they haue yéelded to God for whome they suffered and how great profit and commoditie their deathes and sufferings hath brought to the whole world Neither did the Church at any time suffer the persecutions of the heathen but it was thereby made the better the more vigilant the more glorious and like gold which comming out of the furnace is more fine and pure 9 The other cause of all our calamities miseries and afflictions of this life is sinne By reason wherof so soone as we are borne wée bring with vs the sentence of death Much like vnto those sicke men of whose life the physitians hauing no hope do onely for a time maintaine life with preseruatiues that so a little while he may linger to make his testament and then depart Euen so it fareth with vs all who do not therefore eate drinke and sléepe that we may neuer dye for that cannot be but that we may prolong our life for a fewe daies and so prepare our selues to 〈◊〉 And as Pyrates which are taken at the sea by the royall ships and are brought to the shoare there to be hanged and haue no longer hope of life then there is space betweene the ship and the land euen so euery one of vs which like Roauers saile heere in the sea of this world being once taken and holden captiue by the ministers of Gods iustice when we are come to a certaine place and point of our age shall without all doubt or mercy abide there and suffer death 10 Sinne therefore hath opened the passage vnto death and the whole host of tribulations do follow death as their captaine and guide and do enter in vppon vs by the same breach of sinne And as we do read of sinne The wages of sinne is death euen so also wée reade of tribulations Miseros fucit populos peccatum That is Sin is the cause of many tribulations 11 Neither is it for one sinne of Adams that so many tribulations come vppon vs but also for an innumerable sort of sinnes which we haue added and do adde daily as the holy ghost by the mouth of the Prophet Dauid hath pronounced If their children forsake my lawe walke not in my iudgemēts if they breake my statutes and keepe not my cōmandements Psal 89. I will visit their iniquities 〈◊〉 the rod and their sins with scourges 12 God afflicted the Iewish nation one while by the Philistines another while by the Madianits another while by the Assyrians and also by the Romanes but alwaies first they sinned and prouoked God to anger as the booke of Iudges the bookes of Kings and of the Prophets do declare God also afflicted the Church of Christians by tyrants as Neroes Dioclesians and such like which most cruelly persecuted the Church the cause of all which persecutions was the sinnes and wickednesses of the Christians as appeareth by Cyprian and Eusebius 13 Thus farre concerning the causes of tribulations now wee wil speake of the effects Concerning the effect and fruit of tribulation Chap. 12. the author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes writeth thus Now no chastising for the present time seemeth to bee ioyfull but grieuous but afterward it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnesse vnto them which are thereby exercised Although therefore wée cannot plainely know the fruites of tribulation before such time as wée come to that blessed and heauenly life which is free from all misery and trouble yet notwithstanding it will be very profitable for vs to speake and thinke vppon the same diligently to desperation But as the phisitian of things venemous and hurtful maketh most healthful medicines euen so Almighty God by his wisedome out of afflictions although they be euill things bringeth forth in his electe most excellent vertues among which patience is one 17 This patience worketh experience also the which is a certaine tryal both of our selues and of our own strength and especially of the might and goodnes of God For in suffering of aduersities we learn how great the corruption of our nature is which being touched with any aduersity straight way except the holy Ghost helpe breaketh forth into murmurings grudgings and into blasphemies and complaints against the prouidence of God Whereof we haue a liuely example set forth in Iob who being deliuered by God vnto the diuel to be tried how great blasphemies powred he out in his afflictions how much complaineth he of the prouidence and iustice of God But the light of the holy Ghost had no sooner illumined him but how did he plucke vp his spirits againe Howe godly and rightly doth he iudge of God The crookednes of our nature is hidden from vs for the heart of man is vnsearcheable But looke how soone the fire is stricken out of the flint stone so soone breaketh out our peruerse nature whē tribulation oppresseth vs. This tryall as Peter saith is euen as a furnace vnto gold And therefore God answered Abraham when hée was now ready to sacrifice his Sonne Now I knowe that thou fearest God No doubt that was knowne vnto God afore But by that fact he brought to passe that this obedience was the better knowne vnto others For we are like vnto certaine spices whose swéete sauour is not felt vnlesse a man bruse them well Wée are also like to stones called Piridites which shew not forth that force which they haue to burne except when they be pressed hard with the fingers 18 The triall also before spoken of bringeth hope Whereby wée sée that God hath so disposed those instruments of his as that they should one helpe another and the one bring in the other By reason of the hope of the glory of God afflictions are not
complaint wée are accompted as shéepe to the slaughter As if they had sayd Wée are otherwise dealt with then the Fathers in the olde time were dealt withal vnto whom God séemed to beare great fauour when as hée enriched them fought for thē gaue them the victorie and with excellent names and titles made them famous and honourable we say they are nowe otherwise dealt with for wée are deliuered vnto the enemies as shéepe to be slaine as vnto whom they may doe what pleaseth them death hangeth all the day long ouer our heads and we are neuer in securitie but yet herein we are comforted that we are not in this perill as men that suffer for euill doing but For thy sake that is for Religion and godlinesse 22 Wherby also we are admonished that paines punishments and death make not Martirs but the cause For otherwise many suffer many grieuous things and yet are not martyrs nor confessors If punishments mke martyrs then the Papists at this day might truely boast of Martyrdome when for their traitrous deserts to their Prince and Countrey they are rightly executed And some Sectaries Scismatickes which would faine be reputed Confessors might then haue some iust colour to complaine of persecution when they are by Ecclesiastical censures iustly punished But these are such Martirs and Confessors of whom S. Augustine writing to Boniface de correctione Donatistatum and in many other places complaineth saying that in his time ther were Circumcellions a furious kind of men which if they could finde none that would kill them would often times breake their owne neckes headlong and would slay themselues These men sayth hée must not be counted martirs These are not shéep but Goates these are not led against their wils but runne headlong through ambition and proud conceit These Rammes follow not the example of Christ of whom it is written that when he was led like a sheepe vnto death yet did he not open his mouth for these open their mouthes too too wide vttering blasphemies against Magistrates These haue forgotten the sentence of the Apostle If I shall deliuer my body to bee burnt 1. Cor. 13. and haue no charitie it profiteth mee nothing Therefore Martyrs and confessors beside the goodnesse of the cause must be méeke patient and charitable 23 Wherefore wée hauing a good cause ought with patience and méekenesse be ready prepared when trial shal be to suffer persecution and tribulation after the example of the holy Martirs of olde time because the crosse alwayes followeth them which wil liue godly in Christ Iesus Then hee who hath promised vs that neither in fire water no nor yet in the shadowe of death hée wil bée from vs but wil bée our buckler defender and shield faithfully wil performe the same in such wise that no temptation shal so assayle vs but that he wil giue vs a ioyfull end and deliuerance 24 The holy Ghost hath caused many histories to bée kept in writing for vs that liue now in the latter age of the worlde to this end that we should not onely beholde in them the fiery raging of the world from the beginning against the people of God and how stoutly they withstood and ouercame by faithful patience the mallice thereof but also by reading of them wee should in our like troubles learne like patience receiue the same comfort and béeing throughly tryed conceiue a sure hope of the same victorie which they after many and sundry trials did win whereof we shal not be disappointed if we to the end striue lawfully If it be too hard and aboue your capacity to behold al the hystories examples propounded in the scriptures and the chronicles of Christs Church with such consideration that you may espye and behold in them the order of Gods working with his Church in al ages and if you doe not vnderstand in diligent perusing thē that the end and issue was euer ioyful and glorious victorie and deliuerance wherwith to comfort your selues in the middest of miseries take into your handes the comfortable historie of king Dauid marke his whole life from that time hée was taken from his Fathers shéepe vntil his death beholde in him your selues whensoeuer you shal be afflicted with any kinde of Crosse 25 After that the Lorde had found out Dauid a man after his owne mind and appointed him king ouer his people who labored worthily to deliuer defend Gods people from their enemies the Idolaters that dwelt neare about him he did not grant vnto him such quietnesse neither to his people but that he was in continual troubles and no smal dangers during the life of Saule and also after Saules death the Idolators and also Saules friendes séeking al the waies that might be to depose him from his kingdome 26 And not onely was hée thus vexed with his forraine enemies but also most grieuously of all other by those of his household who should haue béene his most deare friends his owne natural sonne Absolom his most priuie Counsailers 2. Sam. 15 the nobilitie of his realme the most part of his subiects Absalom pretending to his father Dauid a great holinesse as the maner of hipocrites is desired to haue leaue to goe into Hebron there to sacrifice for the performance of a vow which he had made in the time of his being in Siria but his meaning was to obtaine the kingdome from his Father and to stirre all Israel against him which hée brought to passe Dauid was banished and pursued vnto the death by his own sonne who wrought so much villany against his owne Father that he did not forbear in the despight of him to misuse his Fathers wiues in the sight of all the people How grieuous and dangerous this suddain change was to Dauid and to the godly people which were but a few in respect of the great number of the malicious Hipocrites which followed Absolom it appeareth plainly in the story you may easily consider 27 The best that was like to come of the matter was that while the kingdome of Israel was thus diuided Gods enemies the Pbilistines which had lien long in wait therfore should snatch vp from both the parties the kingdome of Israel and not only vtterly banish Gods true Religion from among the Israelites but also bring them their countrey and their posterity into most miserable bondage and thraldome and that to Gods enemies the most vile people and hated of all the world 28 Dauid in all these perlious dangers of his owne life losse of his kingdome and vtter destruction of Gods people did not discourage himselfe but vnderstanding all this to be the worke of Gods own hand acknowledging the true cause vnfaignedly did perswade himselfe that the Lorde after a time when his good will should bée would giue a comfortable end to all these stormes and bitter pangues His whole behauiour hee himselfe describeth in a Psalme which is left in writing for vs to learne thereafter how to behaue
Iesus Christ our Lorde So that wée must not doe as in times passed the Infidels did which made great lamentations and inuectiues against the Iewes Pontius Pilate Herode Iudas and them that had executed and put Christ to death and in the meane season flattered themselues vaunting of their owne merites and desertes and did not narrowly consider that Iudas Pontius Pilate Herode were but executers and ministers of their impieties and sinnes Let vs therefore consider in the breaking of the breade that our sinnes yea the sinnes of euery one of vs seuerally crucified the sonne of God and brake him with the sorrowes of the first and second death as namely the wordes of the Supper doe shew that the body of Iesus Christ was broken for vs and his blood was shed for the remission of our sinnes And our heauenly Father witnesseth the same speaking of the death of his Sonne Esa 53.3 For the sinnes of my people haue I smitten him Then if it bée so that our sinnes being weighed in the ballaunce of the iustice of GOD were found to bée so weightie and of so great importaunce that his wrath coulde neuer haue béene appeased towardes vs but by the death of his onely Sonne which maketh full satisfaction I say by the cruell ignominious deathe of the Crosse how should not wée hence forward detest and abhorre our sinne as that which is the cruell and bloody murderer of the only Sonne of God Mat. 27 451. Beholde the Sunne and the Moone beholde the Element beholde the vaile of the Temple beholde the stones and rockes which were moued at the death of Iesus Christ which shewed foorth tokens of sorrowe and wée which beare within our selues the cause of his death shal not wée haue in horrour and detestation this cursed enemie sinne that is lodged within vs Shall wée suffer him to rule and dwell in vs as before that il may bring home death vnto vs Not so but wée must detest it as that that before time separated vs from God our chiefest happinesse as that that caused vs to loose the image and similitude of God according to which wée were created at the beginning by GOD. It is that that hath wholy destroyed vs that hath depriued vs of holinesse and righteousnesse that hath banished vs out of Paradice that hath made vs slaues to the tyranny of the Diuell that hath made vs subiect to so many miseries and diseases and to be short both to the first second death It is that which after it had set a barre and diuision betwéen God and vs caused vs to sée our owne filthinesse purchased vnto vs shameful vilainous infamy made vs to tremble at the voyce of our God which was before most pleasant and louing vnto vs. It is that wherby the wrath of God is heaped vpon men that maketh the earth to become barren to bring forth thornes and thistles that causes women to bring forth in sorrow and that men eate their bread in the sweat labour of their bodies Séeing then that sinne bringeth forth and procureth vnto vs daily so many miseries it followeth that we ought to withdrawe our selues from it if we wil not be wilful enemies of our owne happinesse saluation Now then I cite here all disordered and slanderous persons which notwithstnading are so impudent to present themselues to the Lords holy Table I aske them what it is that they promised to God his Church in Baptisme They wil answere me that they promised God to renounce the Diuel all his workes But one of the chiefe and principall workes of the Diuel is sinne Why doe they not then abstaine from it Why are they traytours and disobedient to God his Church Why haue they conspired with the Diuel the world the flesh against their own saluation How dare they peesent themselues before God to aske him pardon and remission of their sins séeing that more and more they heape sin vpon sin crucifie kill againe as much as in them lieth the son of God or at the least make a scorne a scoffe of the purging of this blood which was appli-vnto them in Baptisme Put the case that a wicked man poore and destitute of all helpe wete fallen into a mire whence out he could by no meanes rayse vp himselfe that some young Prince passing that way tooke the paines to draw him out of the ditch to make him cleane to cloath him with gorgious and precious apparell if this wicked man poore miserable caytife fall againe into this myre wilfully by his own folly beray both himselfe his apparell being moreouer in great daunger of his life would not one think that this man were maruellously vnkind and a contemner of that princely bounty and goodnesse on the other side a wilful and sworne enemy of his owne health worthy to be lost and cast away without any helpe or assistance Euen so standeth our cause with Iesus Christ We fel al into the puddle of sinne in the person of Adam g Gen. 3.6 Psal 39.15 we are all wicked doers and worthy of an hundred thousande gibbets before God we can by no meanes get out of our selues and out of the ditche of destruction whereinto we are all fallen by our owne fault Behold the son of God the king of kings the Lord of Lordes which commeth to draw vs out of this puddle which cōmeth to wash vs with his precious blood which vouchsafeth to cloath vs with the proper cloake of his righteousnesse and innocency If we come againe to wallowe our selues in the puddle of sinne if we please our selues in it if we defile bedurt the robe of innocency which he hath giuen vs in Baptisme are we not manifest contemners of the inestimable loue gift of Iesus Christ are moreouer worthy to rot a thousand times in our filthinesse or rather to gnash our téeth euerlastingly with the diuels in hel It is euident Séeing then that it is so that the end of our redemptiō baptisme iustification requireth of vs to abstaine from sin so farforth as possibly we may our fleshly infirmitie wil suffer we must take all paines and diligence by the vertue of the spirit of God to cast out from vs all foulenesse filthinesse Idolatry blasphemy rebellion hatred murther whordome theft and vsury all other things contrary to the holy Lawe if we will not bee more than ingrateful towards Iesus Christ and open enemies of his Churche and our owne saluation But because it is not sufficient for the inducing of a true and he althful repentance to acknowledge our misery to abhorre it to confesse it and to abstaine from it but we must also know desire and do that good which God cōmandeth in his word we must consider the argument which ought earnestly to stirre vs vp to the sanctifying of the name of God First in that we are ioined and made one with Christ
but God sent his sonne for vs to suffer most méekely of wicked men euil sayings reproaches spitting vpon buffetings whipping crowning with thornes wounding and at last death it selfe Thou contemnest great things and magnifiest smal trifles if thou sinnest thou sayest it is nothing if thy head doe ake but a little thou thinkest it to bée a great matter To loose thy soule thou makest no great reckoning but if thou be in perill to loose but a finger thou wilt call together all the Physitions and Chirurgians in the Cittie But Christ with his true example of life taught that there is no euil so much to bée feared as sinne and hel that nothing was so much to be desired as God the glorie of God saluation and vertue and that he is rich noble wise and beautifull indéede which is indued with patience humilitie charity chastity and with other vertues that he is a poore man vile deformed and witlesse which is a fornicator a drunkard a couetous and proude person and which is polluted with other vices as with a leprie and scabbe For Christ being God and hauing all thing in his power to choose what manner of life hée would during the time that hée liued on earth chose the most vile and abiect state of life and therfore for his house had a stable for his bed a manger for clothes of Tapistry hay and the same none of his owne a poore mother thin and a spare diet apparel suteable to bée short he sought no manner of pompe riches or pleasure of this world And contrariwise he refused no labours no afflictions no miseries nor any euils sauing onely sinne only which euil hée would haue his Disciples and professors vtterly to abhorre 9 And thou canst not say that he neither could nor knew how to choose a better state For hée which was God most mightie was also most wise And what other thing doth Isaias commend in him more Isaia 7. then that hée should bée called Emanuel and hée should know how to shun the euill and choose the good Hath not Christ then plainely and euidenly by his example of life taught that there is no euil so much to be eschewed thée as with a shielde who hath saide I am the way the truih and the life him therfore follow in this pilgrimage here on earth so shalt thou neuer erre CHAP. XI Concerning the crosse and tribulations of this life IF in all other things it behooueth a wise man to haue skill to behaue and gouerne himselfe how much more in aduersity the which is of such force to shake discomfort the mind of man that thereof come heresies desperation thefts homicides and all manner of wickednesse with the which all men doe so abound that whether we be small or great rich or poore noble or base or whatsoeuer else we haue more calamity then felicity 2 The efficient cause of these calamities is God himselfe as he testifieth by the mouth of Isay the Prophet saying Isay 45.7 I am the Lord and there is no other I forme the light and create darkenesse I make peace and create euill I the Lord doe all these things And holy Iob whenin one day he had lost all his riches all his children and the health of his body vnderstanding that hée was thus afflicted partly by the Sabeians and partly by the Chaldeans partly by the winde and partly by fire which the diuell in his malice raised and therewithall consumed and spoiled his goods did hée say the Lord hath giuen and the diuell hath taken No verily but hée saide The Lord hath giuen Iob. 1. and the Lord hath taken blessed bee the name of the Lord. And in another place Shall we receiue good from the handes of the Lord and not euill also 3 Wherefore whatsoeuer befall vs whether storme or tempest théeues or murderers losses at the sea or on the land famin or pestilence sicknesses or imprisonment or whether we be afflicted with heretiques or scismatiques with Angels or diuels with heauen or earth or from whence soeuer any tribulation doth come God alone is to be feared to be prayed vnto to be pacified to his will and commaundement all things obey For fire water haile snowe frost raine winde storme and tempest these when they séeme to be grieuous vnto men what do they else but fulfil his word 4 There are two gates then to be considered by which tribulations doe enter into the worlde the one is Gods prouidence the other is sinne Concerning his prouidence Salomon saith Wisdo 6. Chap. 14. Hee hath made the small and great and careth for all alike And againe Thy prouidence O Father gouerneth it And our Sauiour Christ himselfe saith Are not two sparrowes sold for a farthing and one of them falleth not to the ground without your heauenly father Math. 6. The very haires of your head are numbred 5 Not only the scriptures but that most excellent and comely order by which we sée so many seuerall things gouerned being so different so diuers and so disagréeing in natures and in places doth proue vnto vs that all things in the world are gouerned and ruled not by fortune and chance but by the prouidence of God Euen as if thou heare a harpe sound pleasantly or if thou sée a wagon or a ship to goe forward by arte reason and order although thou sée not the harper wagoner or maister of the ship yet thou art out of doubt that there is a harper which causeth the hary to sound in good tune a wagoner and a shipmaister which maketh both the wagon and ship to moue and goe 6 We are two maner of waies afflicted by God For sometimes we are troubled by those things which without any fault of their owne doe hurt vs and sometime by those things which hurt vs not without their fault and sinne The first followe the lawes of nature by which it is ordained that among mortall creatures the weaker shal alwaies giue place vnto the stronger The other doe breake the lawe of God As when we suffer and sustaine any thing at the hands of wicked men God hath a worke therein so farreforth as it may be to our good and therefore suffereth the euil to be done drawing out of the euil a greater good 7 For God is said to work in that which is good for there is nothing so euill which hath not some good ioyned with it And there is no good so small whereof God cānot make a bottomlesse fountaine and as it were an Ocean of all good things As for example behold a lame man What is it to halt To halt is to walke but yet not without a maladie To walke is good but the maladie is euil Whereof or from whence hath the man that walking which is good From the power of his wil and mouing instrument of the mind From whence commeth the maladie commeth it from his will No verily but either of the shortnesse or