conquest apperteyneth because hee is shaddowed vnder Gods winges so that no euill can come nighe him neither touch his house his famely his cattell nor his ground as Moyses to mans great comforte writeth after this maner And the haile smote throughout the Land of Egipt al that was in the feeld both man and beasts also the haile smote all the herbes of feelde and brake to peeces al the trees of the feelde Onely in the Lande of Goshen where the children of Israell were was no hayle Where vnto consenteth Dauid saying The Lorde saueth both man and beast Surely the Children of Israell and al that is theirs that is to say the true and liuely members of Christ with all their goods are vnder the wings of the Lord in the custody and Tutele of his Angels in whose hands they are borne whiles they walke in Gods wayes and doo the workes of their vocation Which addition is especially to bee remembred For there are manie in the shadowe of the Churche that pollute themselues against their conscience with many gréeuous offences and busie themselues in other mens matters and presumptuously obiect themselues againste great daungers tempting almightie god But these men kéepe not the heauenly discipline of this warrefare albeit outwardly they make a shewe that they be souldiers vnder this Capitayne King Osias contrary to his vocatiō went into the Church to offer sacrifice he was not couered vnder Gods wings but striken with an incurable Leprosie The sonnes of Aaron were not kept by the Angels but in the sight of the Lord were killed for laying straunge fyre vpon the Aulter so Chore Dathan and Abiron were swalowed vp quicke into the earth Absolon walking in his owne wayes was myserablie hanged by the hayre This victorie therefore properlie appertayneth vnto those who abide vnder Gods winges walke in his wayes doo the workes of their vocation in true repentaunce and fayth are content with their estate which they labour to adorne and bewtifie and auoyde sinnes of presumption against the conscience Such men are not only partakers of this glorious victorie but also sée oftentymes the fall of those Tyrauntes that with sworde and fyre persecuted them for the profession of the gospell So Noha sawe the wycked men in the firste age drowned with the floode who had long mocked and laughed him to scorne Loth sawe the fearfull destruction of Sodome The children of Israel with their owne eyes behelde the army of Pharao drowned in the red sea Dauid saw the distruction of Saul and of many other his enimies so Mardocheus behelde Hamon Iohn the Euangliste Cernithus the hereticke Many godly Christians sawe the destruction of that bloodye Tyraunte Maxentius Didimus Bishoppe of Alexādria sawe in his dreame the death of Iulian the Reneger Alexander Bisshop of Cōstantinople with many other faithfull men saw howe Arius the dampned heretique perished terribly but worthily And examples in all tymes and ages plainly verify that saying of Dauid Doubltes with thy eies thou shalt behold and see the reward of the wicked This is verilye no small comfort that the holie ghost doeth succour and releeue all such as are oppressed for the profession of the gospell And that we who are oppressed of tyrauntes shall see in this life theyr ruine and fall or if that come not alwayes to passe in this worlde yet without all doubte wee shall see their eternall obiection and condempnation which farre passeth all worldlye paine and punishment For there can bee no conuenient proportion or comparison betweene thinges finite and infinite temporall and eternall But heere aryseth a question and a great scruple in mennes mindes howe this promise of the holy ghoste can bee true That no euyll shall come nigh the godly nor his familie but that they shal be shadowed vnder Gods winges and kept by his holy Angels For both many examples in the holye scripture and dayly experience teacheth that the most excellent lyghtes and members of Christes church are first and most commonlie taken away with sworde fyre pestilence and other plagues and mischiefes Abell dwelling vnder the shadowe of the highest beleeuing in Christ and walking in his wayes was murdred of his wicked and vnnaturall brother Caine. Ioseph from his chyldhoode fearing the Lorde and doing the worke of his vocation is solde by his brethren into Egipte was there without cause imprisoned Esaias the Prophet in whome was many excellent gyftes wherewithall he gouerned the Church was cutte in two peeces by the tyraunt Manasses Apries king of Egipt caused Ieremy to be stoned to death Herode cutte of Iohn Baptist heade then whom there was no greater amongst the sonnes of women Nero caused Saint Paule to be crucified And the cruell tyrannie of Diocletian Maximanus and Maximinus murdred in one moneth seuenteene thousād Christians bicause they would not offer sacrifice to the Idolles of the Panims Nowe when carnall reason considereth these such lyke examples it begynneth to doubte of Gods prouidence of his promises touching mans protection and defence wherof I speake somewhat in my Booke intytuled The armour of proofe But because it is verie pertinent to this tractation I wyll handle the matter more perticularlie largelie in this place If say they God doth protect and defend his seruauntes vnder his winges and keepeth them by his holy Angelles why then are there many thousandes of those that serue God sincerely and call vpon him earnestly either murdred cruelly or spoiled miserablie or drawne into heauie bondage vvhere they serue barbarous godles people painefully And heare I haue good occasion to speak generally of the causes of persecutions againste the Church of God but I will kéepe my self within compas deduce my Reader to the consideratiō of those things which are most needful for these troublesom times I wyl first speake of the sartenty of Gods promises whiche are in the obiection infyrmed and weakened I say therefore that these promises of God made to his Churche are not therefore frustrate because throughout all times some members thereof perrishe For the body of the Church is preserued and shall continewe vntyll the ende of the worlde allthough some bowghes and Braunches be cut of and albeit some of the souldiers of this armye fall with sworde as oftentimes it cōmeth to passe that both the godly and vngodly perish together yet other souldiers by and by succéede in their places who fight manfully for the lawe and for the congregations This heauenly capitaine the sonne of God shall alwayes haue a strong army allthough the number be somtime more sumtime lesse No infernall power shal preuaile against this whole armie wherin if peraduenture there bee some as fearfull as hayres or hartes yet the capitaine hath the hart of a Lion and is therefore called the Lion of the tribe of Iuda And if he doo not saue his armie by those meanes which humaine reason deuiseth
The Castell of Christians and Fortresse of the faithfull beseeged and deecnded now almost sixe thowsand yeares VVritten by Iohn VVolton one of the Cathederall Church in Exetor ¶ The contentes or table of this booke OF the temptacions and assaultes of Sathan against mankinde vniuerfally Chap. 1. The same handled more particulerlye Chap. 2. Of the subtyll pollycies and practyees of the Diuell agaynst man in this warrefare Chap. 3. VVhat Capytaynes and Souldiers the the diuel vseth in these assaultes and warfare agaynst man Chap. 4. Of mans onelye succour and refuge in these assaultes of the Diuell Chap. 5. Of the armye of our heauenly Chaptaine in these warres Chap. 6. Of the Armour of Christes souldiours in this warfare Cap. 7. Of the Victorie of those that serue vnder the banner and ancient of Iesus Christ Cap. 8. ¶ The ende of the Table To the right honorable Frauncys VValsyngham Secretary to the Queenes most excelent Maiestie and one of her highnes priuy Counsell Iohn Walton witheth the fauour of God continual health and felicitie THose that deeply consider the estate of Christes Churche and atentiuely obserue the course of the same doo well perceiue how aptly and truly it is resembled to battayle and warfare whiles it wandereth heere vppon earth For it is much lyke an army being alwayes in the feelde pursued by the enime and continually â—â—â—ed with assaultes and allarmes The Church neuer â—â—â—yeth 〈◊〉 â—â—ace nor faithfull leagâ—â—s and if sometime there are any outward shewes of these thinges they are full of fraude and deceiue For the capital enimie of Christ is neuer quiet but always inuieth his glory and dignytie layeth snares to intrappe the godly and insatiably thirsteth after their bloud And although he seeme sometime to remit his vehement assaultes yet he continueth one and the same diuel and sendeth foorth still supplies against the Army of Christ who practise new sleightes and polycies now putting on the vysor of faithful friends then shewing themselues cruell enimies seekynge all meanes to suppresse and treade downe the Church of Christ which thing our sauiour testyfieth in that reuealation to his so deerely beloued apostle and Disciple on this wyse And vvhen the Dragon savv that he vvas cast into the earth he persecuted the manchilde And the Dragon vvas vvroth vvith the vvoman and vvent and made vvarre vvith the remnaunt of hir seede vvhiche kept the commaund ementes of God and haue the testimonie of Iesus Christe The Prophet Dauid also complayneth thus in the person of the Church Many are come aboute mee fat Bulles of Basan close mee in on euery side They gape vppon mee vvith their mouthes as is it vvere a ramping and roring Lyon many Dogges are come about mee and the counsel of the vvicked sayeth seege against mee And Iob the patterne of patience â—eâ—â—eth vs that mans lyfe is a vvar are heere vppon earth And that it fareth so in deede with the churche of Christ not onely those that are studious of antiquytie and faithful in the 〈…〉 doo right well know but also this our miserable and wofull age with many lamentable crampies dooeth aâ—â—â—dantly testifie the same vnto vs For although great vexations and troubles haue alwayes afflicted the Church yet both experyence sheweth and almighty God hath with many â—â—stimoâ—â—â— foretolde that this â—â—ble and baâ—â—â— age of the world should be 〈…〉 and troublesom then the golden and siluer age Already passed both for the great sin and iniquitle of men in the laâ—â— dayes especially bicause the diuill that old dragon is now most furius knowing the heauy and horyble day of doome to be at hand the remembraunce whereof maketh him tremble and quake bicause his fowle and detâ—itable fylthines and vncleanesse shall lye open to the eyes of all angels and men when he with all the route of vnbeleeuers shall be cast downe into endlesse torments where shall bee weeping and grinting of teeth And also vnderstanding as the Angel sayeth that hee hath but a short time he powreth out most abundantiye his malyce and poyson into the worlde and disturbeth both good common weales and godly congregations All partes of the worlde run vpon weeles bloudy warre râ—geth euery where and whyther soeuer a man turne his eyes ether towarde East of west North of South al things wil appeere to be ful of daungers In the East the Turke enlargeth hys dominion wastinge the Churche not onely with sworde but also with biasphemous oppinions In the North east the Tartarians and Muscouittes beâ—e Gods people In the South and West parts of Italy Flaunders Fraunce and Spayne wee see no durable leagues of peace but Iâ—unaâ—ity and crueltie practised vpon all degrees ages and sexes shewing any harty loue and iyncere affection to the Gospell of Christ Amongst these heauy confusions of nations and kingdomes the shyppe of Christ hauing binne long tossed with boystious stormes and contrary blasses â—and driuen vppon many rocks and quicksandes insomuch that it seemed to be in peryll of drowning hath at the laste recouered a calme roade and quiet hauen in thys Ilande where the Prophets and their Children haue â—â—me harbored and lodged as it were in annother Sarepta and we our selues haue enioyed blessed peace now a good space and season Which thinges when woe beholde let vs not so muche busye our selues inquyringe the causes why God hath so sharply punished other nations and mercyfully spared vs but rather call to minde the speach of the sonne of God when Pilats crueltye was opened vnto hym in that hee had murdered certen Galyleans and inforced the rest to drynke the bloud of their Cosyns in their sacryfyces Although the matter was horyble yet our Sauiour lettynge Pylate passe applyeth the example to the Andytory sayinge vnlesse you repent you shall all perish Euen so the calaâ—mities and deathes of our neighbours ought to admonish vs of our synnes and to moue vs to repentaunce And let vs bee carefull that wee abuse not this peace and quyetnesse beeinge the inestimable benifyt blessing of God for it can not longe continue amongsts vs if wee spende it in fylthy concupiscences and beastly pleasures GOD giueth pleasaunt peace fyrme leages and carefull Princes at certayne times and seasons For what cause that men may tumble and wallow in fylthye pleasure nothinge lesse But rather that mariges procration and education of Children may bee as it were a frye or nurcerye for his Churche and that the doctrine of GODS essence and will reuealed by his sonne may bee publyshed farre and nigh that true discipline and Christian conuersation may bee effectuallye practised and executed If wee abuse then this diuine benefyt of peace contemninge the knowledge of God and neglecttnge good lyfe commaunded in his woorde this blessynge can not bee durable with vs and those plagues which GOD hath now a longe tyme withdrawne from vs wyll bee acquited at the last with heauy and intollerable sharpnesse when hee beginneth to punish But
carnall securitie dystrust cuyll concupiscence tormentes of the Conscience and horrible terrors of death wherewithall Saule Caine Iudas and suche like being vexed and afflicted fell into damnable dyspayre and murdred them selues These myseries of man myght be séene by Reason and felto by dayly experience if we were not too perciall and euen wylfullye blinde in our owne causes Whereof so many complaintes are almost in euerie page of prophane wryters out of the which heape a learned man of our tyme hath made thoyse of three principall sentences The first is out of Aristotle who asketh this question vvhat is man He is an example of weaknesse a spoyle of time a plaie of fortune an Image of inconstancie a ballaunce of enuie and callamitie and whatsoeuer is besides is but fleame and Choler The seconde saying is taken out of Euripides There is no myserie nor wofull mishappe and mischiefe vvhereunto mans nature is not subiecte The thirde is of Pindarus vve are men but of one day vvhat is some body and what is no body all men are no better then a dreame of a shadowe And vnto these thrée sentences we maye reduce all other complaintes which eyther the Cthincke Poets Historians or Philosophers haue vttered of the fraylnesse of mans lyfe All which sentences Ludouicut Vines endeuored to comprehende briefly after this manner Mans body is infirme and subiect to all iniuries euerie member hath his especiall malladie And as for his minde it is exceeding sicke and vnquiet blinde and improuident neither doth vvyll suffer it selfe to be lyghtned being much lyke the taste of a sick man desiring those thinges that be hurtfull and lootheth those things that be wholsome vnruely and intractable towarde such as would cure him all his affections are out of order and whole man is a seruaunt of those thinges vvhich are needfull for him vvherof he vvas sometime Lord and maister Thus man lyeth in this sicknesse as it vvere in his death bedde vntill he giue vp the goast vvhich is called Death vvheras mannes byrth might more aptly be tearmed Death as Manilius vvriteth Nascentes morimur finisque ab origna peÌ„det Such a continuall death is laide vppon Adams children for a punishment of his transgression being much more bytter then if he had immediatly dyed Thus we sée the estate of this our sorrowfull and short lyfe some part wherof aâ— Seneca wryteth vve spende in doing euil a greater part in doing nothing and the greatest part of al in doing those thinges that appertayne nothing vnto vs. These thinges moued Theophrastus to vtter his lameÌ„table complaint That Nature is rather a stepdame to mankind then a louing mother For whereas she hath dealt with brute Beastes lyberally and louingly geuing vnto many of them a long lyfe seruing to no purpose She hath lent to man a verie short time vnto whome moe yeares had bene conuenient to the ende he might haue commen to perfite knowledge in wisdome which is mannes chiefe felicitie Besides these thinges she hath expelled him into this worlde poore and weake not able to do any thing but with howling and crying to foreshew his miserable estate and coÌ„dition Albeit I am not ignoraunt that Theophrastus saying hath beene reprehended both of humaine and deuine wryters of these because he vsurped the woord Nature as they suppose for God himselfe so charged the Creatour with the faulte of she Creature And it can not be denyed but that both Philosophers and Diuines haue tearmed God by the name of Nature For so speake not onely Hippocrates Seneca but also Lactantius although else where hee séemeth to mislyke that phrase As for those wordes of Saint Augustine Omnis quippe natura vel Deus est qui nullum habet autorem vel deus non est qui ipsum habet autorem Are not to this purpose for the worde Nature there hath a farre other signification And y great Phylosopher of our tyme Mattheus Beroaldus amongst many significations of the worde alloweth that manner of spéeche yet the wordes of his Maister Iohn Caluine please me much better writing hereof after this manner I graunt that vve may godly vse this phrase Nature is God so it proceede of a sincere minde but because the speache is harde and vnproper for that Nature is an order appointed by God It seemeth vnto mee very daungerous and hurtfull in matters of so great moment and vvherein there ought to be a singular Religion to vvrappe and confounde the eternall God vvith the inferiour course of his handy vvorkes Of the same mynde was Lactantius wryting That the subuersion of true Religion brought forth the name of Nature For they being eyther ignoraunt by vvhome the vvorlde vvas made eyther desirous to perswade that nothing vvas made by God sayd that Nature vvas the mother of all thinges meaning that all things sprang of their owne accord vvherin they opened their great vnskilfulnesse For if prouidence and Gods povver be set apart Nature is plainly nothing And if they call God Nature vvhat peruersenesse is it to tearme it Nature rather then God Nature verily is not God but the vvorke of God. But in my opinion Theophraste who had that name geuen him partlye for his diuine sentences of God and his prouidence and partly for his swéete vaine in wryting vsed not the woorde Nature in any such sence but rather for vitious corrupte qualities which haue infected this diuine workemanshippe Hereof that common saying commeth that the beginning of vertue is of Nature to wyt of Perfect Nature and that vices procéede of Nature verily of corrupt and poysoned Nature And if any man thinke that I thus conuÌ„erre Theophrastes wordes ledde with ioylfulnesse to discent from others rather then with a desyre to séeke oute Truth let him vnderstand that I haue not sucked this out of my owne conceit but haue receiued the same of that learned father Saint Augustine who alleadging the very same sentence cyted out of Theophraste by Cicera pronounceth thereof after this manner The same Tullie in his third booke of a common wealth writeth that man is brought forth into this lyfe not of a Mother but of a stepdam in body both naked weake and infyrme and in his minde perisiue in sorrowes abiecte in feare faint in labours prone to lecherie vvherein notwithstanding there is couered certaine dâ—â—â—sâ— sparkes of vvitte and vnderstanding VVhat saye you to these things he saue the disease but he was ignoraunt of the cause Hitherto Augustine who notwithstanding myslyketh this complaint if it be applied to Nature sincerre and incorrupt But to the ende that this matter may bee more easily discussed you shall vnderstande that the worde Nature as we reason of it in this place hath two significations as Saint Augustine in sundry places hath obserued The fyrst estate of man vvhich vvas sincere and vvithout sinne is properly called mans Nature but by translation we vse it
and presumptuous aduenture of his in geuinge three desperate charges and onsets in the wyldernesse vpon his most mighty Lord and creatour euen Iesus Christ the sonne of God our sauiour and redéemerâ— where he tempted him with hunger ambicion and manifest Idâ—lalatry If he feared not such strong Captaynes so carefull and vigyleâ—â— let vs vs be assured that he wyll not spare vs so weake carelesse and neglygent in our vocation and chargeâ— and that hée wyll not awaye vntyll he haue eyther by open might or priuy vndeâ—uinyng blowne vs vp with our fore and castel Xenophon writeth that great Babilon was taken on the holy daye when the Cittizens wallowed in surfetting and drunkennesse and euen so the deuyll dealeth most commonly with mankind and oppresseth them in their security For when the wicked shall saye peace and quietnesse Then shall a sudden destruction fall vppon them And if he happen somtime to sustayn a repulse and to counterfeyte a running away yet he eyther returneth in short space more fearcely then before or else in his counterfeyte flyght layeth subtell snares to catch intrap his purseuer much like the Parthians who fayning to retyre doo euen in their fleyght most annoy their enemy with their arrowes so cunning and nymble they are on horsbacke to shoote bacwarde at the face of their enemyes Euen so this crafty deuell dealeth For hauing long and many wayes assayde to make man yéelde vnto him with the delectatins and pleasures of the flesh and not able to preuayle that way he maketh a shewe of rasing his séege and running awaye but euen then in his fayned flyght he shooteth backe the arrowes of Selfeloue into Mannes breast which Saint Barnarde aptlie nameth the Cockatrices eye with the verie aspecte and sight whereof mans corupt nature hath bene wounded and infected from the beginning For no soner haue wee resisted vices but straight waye wee are puffed vppe with a vaine conceyte and opinion of our owne holynesse and with the proude Pharisée condempne others and iustisse our selues What a fearefull ennemie is this then that so subtilly can make vertues occasions of vices so that one of the Fathers had good cause to say That all other vices haue place in euyll deedes but onlie pride hath some power in good deedes Moreouer this souldior hauing a repulse or two one waye approueth anonother and if the boweor byll wyll not serue then fetcheth he out his other artyllerie whereof he hath plentifull and great store and for a shorte space withdraweth himselfe as wearie of the besiedge But loe He fetcheth seuen other spyrites worse then himselfe and they making a breache enter in there and the ende of that man is worse then the beginning That is to say if auarice be ouertheâ—tone lecherie aryseth if a man suppresse that ambicion foloweth if ambicion bee troden downe anger vexeth pride puffeth vp wine allureth So that the deuyll coÌ„meth againe with many fellowes whome mans nature of it selfe can not possiblye withstande and resist We sée no tyme then left for vs to spend in ydlenesse and filthy pleasure which thing whyles many haue wholly embraced and followed the denyll hath soddainly in their securitie come in vpon them deuowred them as daylye experience and the fearefull example of Caine Saule and Ludas doo declare whereof I shall speake more amply in their proper place Secondly the holy ghost calleth this Author of so many Euells a Hunter who hath good skyll and perfit knowledge in all tongues and hath not vsed the trade of huntyng twenty or one hundred yeares but euen from the begynning of the worlde and his age is not in the declining estate but yet fresh gréene he watcheth for his game both daye and night he keepeth good dogges and bloodhoundes that wyll exactly followe the trace and foote of the game If he finde out any great game he followeth such at an ynche euen through the most hard and diffycult places neyther wyl he rest before hetyre and wery them and so he eyther kylleth them with his dogges or snareth them in his nettes And if any be so strong that they breake the netts he pursueth them with his Crossobome and Giume and so one waye or other maketh an ende of them He is not thought to be a good huntseman sayth Plato which cannot dessemble his purpose or that putteth vp the game before all thinges be ready But this strong Hunter the Deuyll is very wary in his doinges and compasseth the whole woode about before he cast of his hounds Xenophon in his Booke of hunting sheweth that there are diuerse wayes and meanes to catch great Beastes whereof one in my opinion is especiallie to be obserued and noted Hunters sayth he take Lyons Pauthers Beares and other great beasts with baites of poyson You wyll aske howe verelie they mingle poyson with that meate wherewithall they knowe the Beast is delighted and they laye the same eyther by the water syde or else in some suche places whether they knowe the Beastes vse to frequent and haunt And sometyme the Hunter setteth wine and venerie in such places wherewithall the wylde Boore yea and the Lyharde who with her swyftnesse escapeth the chase of Dogges is moste easilie taken The lyke traines are vsed of the infernall hunter being an obsolute craftesman in such sleyghtes â— For with these practises he intangled and tooke for a tyme the eyght preacher of righteousnesse Noha with that good father other wise called Loth And with lyke policie he snared that famous Captaine of the Thebans Pausanias who as it is thought was present at the battayle of Thermopylis where a small bande of men not aboue three thoussand Gretians some accoumpt but three hundred through commoditie of the places withstoode the great and mightie army of Xerxes and slewe twentie thousande in the place albeit they also fell with the rest Neyther doo we reade of the lyke conflyct in any history except that but of the Heluetians by Basil in the time of the Counsayle there when tyme the Pope Eugenius perswaded the Doulphin of Fraunce with a great army of Gascones and Bryttons to dissolue the counsayle by forre These men exercising all kinde of cruelty in that expedition were incountered by one thousande and sixe hundred Heluetians who slewe twentie thousand of theyr aduersaries and albeit they also perished in that battayle yet the residew of the Dolphins armie fledde and the Counsull was delyuered from feare for that tyme But to returne to my matter Pansanias was praiseworthie in many of his doinges and especiallye for his modestie in victorie For when he was aduised to sette the noble mennes heads of Persia slaine in battayle vppon long Poles because the Petsians had so despitefullie dealt with Loonido the king of the Thebans he aunswered that he woulde not vse any contumely toward deadde men and besydes that hauing taken a noble and ryght bowtyfull Ladie
watching gréedely young chickens and when he espyeth any peaking farre from their dame he straight way falleth downe ceasoneth vpon the praye and caryeth it awaye euen so the Infernall Gleade flyeth byther and thyther in the ayre where he is a Prince as the Apostle sayeth and is lyke an Arrow flying in the noone day as the Psalmist noteth and with his bryght eyes beholdeth men walking vpon the earth and if he espye any of them wander and erre from the foundament of fayth and from the society of Christs Churche hée falleth sodenly vppon them and all to renteth them The dyuills practises are terrible and fearful when he openly assaulteth mankinde sheweth himself plainely in his coolers euen as he is that is to saye a cruell Théefe and murderer but his practyses are more daungerous when hée dealeth couertly and as the Apostle writeth transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light And example of this his practise is extant in the historie of the Origen of the world When hée tooke vppon him the shape of the Serpente being the wysest of all the beastes of the earth and comming to Eue tooke occasion to talke of God and faigned himselfe to lament his vncurtuous harde dealing with Adam and Eue in enuying them perfite felicitie And therewithall promised them equalitie with God if they woulde obeye and followe his counsayle And so he deceiued them being ouer credulous and drewe them violently with all their posteritie into those miseries out of the which they coulde be deliuered by no meanes but onelie with the price of Christes moste precious blood So he deceyued Achab when he became a lying spyrite in the mouth of his Prophetes and in the name of the Lord promised him victorie against the Syrians And after the same manner he seduced all the Paynims vnder the color of wisedome and trueth whereby they faygned infinit Gods serued Idolles poluted them selues with al filthy lust Moreouer in tempting of Christe he pretended him self carefull for his glorie and health and couered the malice with sentences of scripture And perswading Gregorie the first to offer prayers and sacrifices for the deadde he shewed him selfe in reuelations and apparitions in the forme of those that were sometime his familiar friendes Wée our selues attending warely shall finde his lyke practises with vs he kéepeth styll his olde woonte For if at any time he solicite vs to forsake God to renege our faith to geue our selues to superstitions and curious artes to folow filthy vnlawful pleasures to coÌ„mpt all kinde of mischiefe he doeth not shew himselfe openly and in his very colors for then his hornes and nayles as they saye woulde make vs lathe and deteste him But he counterfeyteth the forme of a friende faigneth him selfe carefull for our wealth shadoweth false doctrine with a color of trueth excuseth our denyall of God through necessity and fynally extenuateth yea and sometime commendeth abhomynation and witkednesse with the cloke of profitte and common example of worldinges We haue good cause therfore to record these thinges oftentimes to watch and pray that we fall not into temptation Antigonus the king was wont to praye that God woulde defend him from fayned friendes for he thought himselfe able with moane pollicy to with stande his open enemyes howe muche more ought Chrystians to praye agaynst the temptations of the deuyll who often commeth with subtyll suggestions vnto man hauing according to the prouerbe hony in his mouth but â—aull and poyson in his harte which he desireth to conuey and powre into vs. Fiftlie and finallie this enemie of mankinde is resembled to a roaring Lyon which image and picture is most terrible For the strength of Lyens and gréedinesse in pursuing their praye is well knowne Euen so the deuyll inflamed with mallice against the sonne of God and his scruaunts grinteth his teeth against vs egerlie coueting to swallowe vppe and destroye both our bodies and soules Peraduenture he desisteth from open assaultes for a tyme and season but this pollicie he vseth that the Castell may be kept more nerlygentlic The lyke practise is vsed of prudent Captaines in their temporall warres who when they see their aduersarie vnprouided they then set vpon him and easily spoyle him as we our selues knowe by Callys which taken by y English hardly after the besiedge of thirteene monethes being vnfurnished of â—â—en was easily woÌ„ne by the French almost within thirtene howres such an especiall commeditie it is to vse occauÌ„on and opportunity Euen so fareth our ghostly enemie with vs in suirituall temptations and assaultes for then doeth hee with his doubble 〈◊〉 and great engyns of warre batter our Forte and Castell when it is weake vnprouided At the howre of death carnall man is weake in body and faint in minde for besides the paines of the disease and the face of death which of all terrible thinges is most terrible the weeping and wayling of wife and chyldren the care of our wyll and Testament and the setting of our goodes in order doeth exceedingly withdraw our mindes front the contemplation of heauenly heauenly thinges at what tyme the deuyll goeueth most terrible and sharpe assaultes For he then especially setteth before our eyes calleth to our remembraunce our works our wordes our thoughtes euen from our tender yeares And whereas before tyme he couered sinne perswaded vs to accounâ—â— it but a tryfle he nowe appéereth and vnfoldeth the same yea and amplyfieth the heynousnesse of the offence and vseth all meanes to weaken and cutte of our fayth and hope of forgeuenesse And to the â—nde he might carrie vs into the gulfe of dispayre hee putteth vs in minde of the iudgemente seate of God of the endlesse tormentes in hell of Gods seueritie of examples of his wrath and indignation Whereof aryseth to seelye man in that afflycted case an astonied minde an vnquiet conscience an vncertaine hope and finally without Gods especiall grace and protection a shipwracke of faith and a sinking into the bottomlesse pyt of hell There are many other pictures and Images of the deuyll in the holy scripture As Math. 12. Luk. 22. Iob. 11. et 3. Ephe 6. All which tende to this ende that we laying asyde all other cogitations shoulde wholly bende our selues to resyste so mightie and malyeious an enimie And for that we being both carefull and vigelaunt are weake inough of our selues to encounter him much more vnable shal we be if we entrappe our mindes in vnnecessary most vaine cogitations of the world Hereunto we may ought to adde that this our aduersary seeketh not our goodes bodies only but he greedely gapeth as it were in one morsell to swallowe vp both body and soule The strife therefore betweene him and vs is about a matter of great importauÌ„ce euen for life death saluation dampnation wherefore as the Apostle sayth it standeth us vppon to take vnto vs the whole armour of
bee turned from the fountaine of all goodnesse vnto the bothomlesse lake of all euyll from sweete lyfe to bytter death from true blessednesse to euerlasting miserie On the other side as touching the elect and faythfull this is the effect and end of Gods presence in his Church To confyrme them in fayth to moue them to be thankefull towarde him vnder whose wings they are couered to make them feare God in whose fighte they walke that they should also in tyme of trouble cal vpon him being present with them that in patience they should looke for victorie agaynst worlde and diuell Hereof spryng those sayings full of diuine consolation The Lorde is with vs feare not And another And nowe O Lorde our God saue vs out of the hand of Sennacherib that all kingdomes of the earth may knowe that thou only art God. Wherefore let vs plucke vp our hartes vnto vs and be of good comfort for without all doubt God wyl through all tymes saue preserue that Church which kéepeth the doctrine that hath bene delyuered by the Prophetes Apostles and by Christ himselfe as that swéete promise in the Prophet testifieth This is my couenaunt which I wyl make with them sayth the Lorde My spirite that is vpon thee and my vvords vvhich I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede nor out of the mouth of the seede of thy seede saieth the Lord euen from henceforth for euermore Euen so wee maye assure our selues that Christe wyll be present in our Church sytting at the ryght hand of his Father and rayning in the myddle of his enimies But wee must remember that it is our partes to thinke vpon our duetie and calling to retaine stedfastly the confession of sincere Doctrine to bewtifie Gods Churche with good endeuoure lyfe and manners Then wyll hee not fayle vs to pytche his Campe round about this Christian Castell and faithfull Fortresse that no euyll thing shal approch nigh vnto it he wyl be the maister and leader of his Sheepe that it shall not bee drowned with the floodes of persecutions Hée wyll blesse this our Countrey that it shall continew another Sarepta and bee an harbour for his seruauntes Hee wyll defende our gratious and godlye Queene with the custodie of his holye Angelles hee wyll adorne her Nobilytie with prudent counsayles and happie euentes He wyll represse the sedicious enterprises of diuelles and wicked men whose only bent and chiefe desire is all to rent the vnitie and concorde of his Churche and to dysturbe peace and tranquilitie in Common weales He wyll styrre vp dayly learned and faithful Pastors and Ministers that shall fight against Idolatrie and al erronious opinions which Lurke and Pope mayntaine with sauage immanitie and crueltie against the honour of Christ And finally he wyll abandon and remoue from vs sedicious warres persecutions famine contagious disseases that wee hauing restfull quiet mindes may wholy giue our selues to prayer and all other holye exercises yeelding vnto him only praise and thankes for the myraculous propagation and conseruation of his Church FINIS The continuall warfare of christies church Luk. 11. Eph â—6 Iob. 4. Reue. 12. Warres in all partes of the world Englande the hauen of Christes ship the harbour of persecuted men for the Gospell What good men should do in the consideration of these things Luk. 13 For what causes peace and other temporall blessinges are giuen to common Wealthes Consolations amoÌ„gst these worldly calamyties The perâ—ce armour of godly men Esa. 46. Esa. 49. Esa. 40. Esa. 44. ct 46. Esa. 11. Warre shal not ouercoÌ„e Christes Church 2. Reg. 19. Esa. 37. Esa. 31. The godlye dye with honour and tirantes with dishonour Dan. 3. 2. Mac. 7 Psa 112. prouer 10 Sapi. 3. Exod 12. God increseth his lyttle flock and maketh theÌ„ a mightye people August in psalm 10. Some common weales that cannot bee ouerthrowen Gene. 7. The commodyties which england inicyeth by imbracinge the worde of God. 1. Reg. 18. Sirach 40 Ephe 4. Autor serm ad fratres in eremo Iob. 14. 1. Cor. 15. Gen. 3. The generasion of man vncleane Psal. 50. Mans birth All liuing creatures haue their deÌ„fences man only excepted Plinius lib. 7 cap. 1. et cap. 50. Perils and daungers whereunto man is subiect Solon Man is mane soe and enemy Painefull and fearful Death Euerlasting death Eccless 3. Sodayne deathes â—arnon security or diâ—fydence The complayntes of Philosophers touching mans stailnesse Selueccerus in prolegon ad Genesin 1. Aristo 2. Euripides in orest et Cicero Tuse 4 3. Pindari in pithijs od 8 De veritate fidei lib. 1. cap. 16. Seneca epist. 1 ad Lucil. Theophracomplaint of Nature Lucretius lib. 5. plinius lib. 7 Salust in praesat Belli Inguâ—th Lactant. de opificio cap. 3. et 4. Lud. viues de veritate Fidei lib. 1. cap. 12. Seneca de breuitate vitae Cicero Tusce lib. 3. Of the word Nature Seneca de benef lib. 4 cap. 7. Gallenus de placitis hippocr et plat lib. 9 lactantius lib. 2. cap. 9 De anima et eius origine lib. 2. cap. 3 Mathous Beroalduâ— Cron. lib. 2. cap. 6. Caluniuc lib. 1 institut cap. 5. Lactant lib. 3. cap. 28. what Theophrast meant by the word Nature Augu coÌ„tra Iusianum lib. 4. ca. 12. repetit ex lib. 3. Cic. de Repub. The sygnifycations of the worde Nature Aug. retrac cap. 10. De trinitat lib. 13. ca. 12 In Psal. 38. Ephe. 2. Sulucte reyrehenbeth Theophraste but yeldeth no reason De natura et gratia cap. 1. Rom. 10. Ibidem cap. 3. 2. Cor. 5. Ephe. 2. The disorder of the Ethnickes Lege Calu Iustit lib. 2. cap. 1. Seneca his iudgement of this matter Lact lib 1. cap 5. et lib. 2. ca. 9. Seneca de breuitate vitae Our lyfe is long enough if we coulde vse it well Exigua pars est qua vitimus Man hath great causes to lament portus nauigantiuÌ„ mors What the worde of God pronounceth of mans estat Gen. 6. et 18. Gen. 47. Deu. 34. Psa 90. Mans lyfe a peregrination Hebr. 11. Phili. 3 2. Co. 5. The disposition of straungers Mans dayes are euyll Ecclesia 1. 2. et 9. Cic. de niuent lib. 1. Wisdome abused Ierem. 9 Mans daugerous condiciou set out in some symylitudes 1. Pete 5. Iob. 7. Sic enim vertit Chaldeus Paraphrastes Ephe. 6. Nah. 3. Man is borne to labour Iob. 5 1. Tim. 1. Iob. 7. Esa. 3 S. Psa. 89. 2. Tim. 4. 2. Tim. 4. 2. Cor. 4. The wilful obstinacy of the world Luke No man content with his estate Herodotus Many and great peâ—ua in all vocations Deut. 34. Psal. 90. Math. Of Oeconomie or house-keeping The sorrowes of parents Gen. 4. Gen. 34. 2. Sa. 13. A lamentable story Georg. Maiot in postill Grafton in parte 6. polid lib. 1. Ferrex porrex Videna The tragedye Gorbedug Petryls and miseris in ciuill regement Demostenes