in which ether is contrarie or impertinent or not profitable to this ende though it were to gaine kingdomes it is vanitie and lost labour that will turne vs in tyme to griefe and repētance if we change not our course for that it is not the matter for which we came īto this life nor wherof we shal be demanded an accompt except it be to receyue iudgement and punishement for the same Secondlie it followeth of the same consideration that seing our onlīe busines and affaire in this worlde is to serue our Maker and saue our owne soules and that all other earthelie creatures are put here to serue our vses to that onlie ende we should for our partes be indifferent to all thes creatures as to riches or pouertie to health or sicknes to honour or cōtempte to lytle learning or much learning and we should desire onlie so much or litle of either of them as were best for vs to th' attainement of our said ende and Butte pretended that is to tho seruice of God the weale of our soules For who so euer desireth seekthe loueth or vseth thes creatures more thē for this rūnneth from his ende for which he came hyther By this then may a careful Christian take some scanteling of his owne estate with God and make a cōiecture whether he be in the right waye or no. For if he attende onlie or principallie to this ende for which he was set hyther if his cares cogitations studdies endeuours labours talke conuersation and other his actiōs doe runne vpon this matter and that he careth no more for other creatures as honours riches learnig and the lyke thē they are necessarie vnto hym for this ende that he pretēdeth If his dayes life be spent in this studdie of the seruice of God and procuring his owne saluatiō in carefulnes feare and trembling as th' Apostle aduiseth hym then is he doubteles a most happie and blessed man and shall at length attaine to the kingedome which he expecteth But if hē finde hym self in a contrarie case and course that is not to attende in deede to this matter for which onlie he was sent hyther nor to haue in his hart studie this seruice of God and gayning heauen but rather some other vanitie of the world as promotion wealth pleasure sumptuous apparrel gorgeous buildinges beautie fauour of princes or anie other thing els that apparteineth not vnto this ende if he spend his tyme about thes trifles hauing his cares and cogitations his talke and delight more in thes thinges then about th' other greate busines of gayning Gods eternal kingdome for which he was made and placed in this wold Then is he I assure hym in a peri lous waye leading directelie to perditió except he alter and change his course For most certaine it is that who so euer shal not attende vnto the seruice he came for shal neuer attaine therewarde assigned and promissed to that seruice And for that the most parte of all this worlde not onlie of infidels but also Christiās doe rūne amisse in this pointe and doe not take care of that affaire and busines for which alone they were created and placed heere hence it is that Christe and his holie Sainctes bothe before and after his appearance in fleshe haue spoken so hardlie and seuerelie of the verie simal number that shal be saued euen among Christians and haue vttered certaine speeches which seeme verie rigourous to fleshe and blood to such as are most touched therin scarse credibile albeit they must be fulfilled As among other thinges that a louer of this worlde can not be saued that riche men doe enter as hardlie into heauen as a Camel through a Needles eye and the like The reason of which maner of speeches doth stande in this that a riche man or worldling attending with all his industrie to heape riches as the fashion is can not attende nor euer doth to that for which he came into this world and consequentelie can neuer attaine heauen except God worke a miracle and therby doe cause hym to spende oute his riches to the benefyte of his soule as some tymes he doth and so doe lessen the Camel in suche sorte as he may passe the Needles eye Wherof we haue a verie rare example in the Gospel of Zachaeus who beinge a riche man did presentelie vpō th' entering of Christ into his house and muche more as appeareth into his harte resolue hym self to change his former course touchinge riches and at one blowe to begynne withall gaue awaye halfe of all he possessed to the poore and for the rest made proclamation that who soeuer had receaued anie wrong at his handes as comonlie manie doe by them that are riche he should come and receyue fower tymes so much amendes By which almes and restitution he deliuered hym self from the Camels gibbe or bunch on his backe that letted his passage through the Needles eye And this extraor dinarie fauour and grace he receyued by the fortunate presence of his most blessed and bountiful Guest who had signified before in an other place that hym self was able so to drawe the Camel as he should passe the Needles eye for that thinges impossible to man were possible to God But to leaue this and to goe forwarde in our former purpose no mauaile it is if in the world abrode so fewe be saued seing that of thousandes skarse one doth accompt of that busines whiche of all other is the chiefe and principall Consider you the multitude of all sorte of people vpon earthe and see what their trafike and negotiation is see whether they treate this affaire or no see wherin their care and studie and cogitation consisteth How manie thousandes finde you in Christiandome who spende not one houre of fower and twentie nor one halfe daye of fortie in the seruice of God or busines of their soule how infinite haue you that breake their braines aboute worldlie cōmodities and how few that are troubled with this other cogitation how manie finde tyme to eate drinke sleepe disporte decke and trim ne them selues to the vew of others and yet haue no tyme to bestowe in this greatest busines of all other busines how manie passe ouer whole dayes weekes monethes and yeares and finallie their whole liues in haukīg hūting other pastimes without regarde of this importāt affaire how manie miserable women haue you in the world that spend more dayes in one yeare in pricking vp their apparell and adorning their carcasse then they doe houres i prayer for the space of all their life And what alas shall become of this people in th' ende what will they doe or saye at the daye of accompte what excuse will they alleage what waye will they turne them If the marchand-factour which I mentioned before after manie years spent in forraine countries vpon his Masters exspences should returne at length
Cities your Prouinces your Ilādes your Castles your Forteresses your Tentes your Campes your Courtes your Pa laces your Senates and your market places Only we haue left your idolatrous temples vnto your selues al other places are ful of Christians If we were enemies what dangerous warres might we make against you albeit our number were farre lesse who esteeme so litle of our liues as to offer our selues daily to be slaine at your handes This then is your safetie in very deed not your persecuting of vs but that we are honest patient and obedient and that it is more lauful in Christian religion to be killed then to kill By which wordes of Tertulian in this first beginnings and infancie as it were of Christian religion for he liued in the second age after Christ we see how this litle flocke and kingedome of Iesus was increased not withstanding all the resistance and violence of the world against it Which appeareth by the same Tertulian to haue bene such was euen at that tyme when he wrote those wordes the fowerth persecution being then in most furie as all the malefectours of the world together had not so much rigour shewed against them as had the most innocent Christiā that liued for confeising onlie that name and religion This then declared must apparentelie that it could not proceede but of some diuine power and supernatural assistance that in so shorte a space amiddest the contradiction and opposition of so manie aduersaires amōge the whippes swordes and tortures of so greate potent and violent persecutours this poore simple and feeble cōgregatiō should pearse through and augment it self so strongelie Especiallie if we cōsider th' outwarde meanes of this increase wherein ther was nothing to allure or cōtent mans nature nothing gorgeous nothinge delectable nothinge to please or entertaine sensualitie We reade of an Emperour that takinge in hande to conquer the world made this Proclamation for winninge men vnto his partie Who soeuer will come and be my Seruaunt if he be a footeman I will make hym a horsman If he be a horsman I will make hym ryde with Coches If he be a Farmour I will make hym a Gentleman If he possesse a cotage I will gyue hym a village If he haue a village I will gyue hym a Cittie If he be Lorde of a Cittie I will make hym Prince of a regiō countrie And as for Gold I wil power it foorth vnto them by heapes weight and not by number This was Cyrus edict and proclamation to his followers very glorious as we see in pompe of wordes and ostentation of stile Let vs now compare the proclamation of Iesus whos entrance and preface was Paenitētiā agite doe ye penāce And then it followed In hoc mundo pressuram habebitis In this world you shall receyue affliction And then after againe they shal vvhippe and murder you And yet further you shal be hateful in the sight of all mē for my sake Thē is ther adioy ned he that loueth his life shal loose his soule After that ensweth he that vvil follovv me must beare his Crosse. And finallie the cōclusion is he that cōmeth to me and doth not hate his father his mother his vvife his children his brethrē his sisters as also his ovvne life he is not vvorthie to be my seruant This was the entertainment proposed by Iesus to such as would come and serue vnder his Banner with expresse protestatiō that hym self was sent into the world not to bring peace rest and ease to flesh and blood but rather to be the cause of sworde fire tribulation combat enmitie And yet with thes colde offers presented to the world by poore abiecte most contemptible officers and by this doctrine so Crosse and opposite to mans nature inclination and sensual appetite he gained more hartes vnto hym within the space of fortie yeares as hath bene said then euer did Monarche in the world possesse louing subiectes by what soeuer temporal alluremente they did or might propose Which argueth most euidently the omnipotent puissance of hym that contrary to mans reason could bring to passe so miraculous a conquest THER FOLOVVETH in order the cōsideration of Christs Apostles which in some respect may be said more straunge and wonderful then the former in that they being both rule and simple and vnletteredmen for the most parte of the baser sort should be chosen and assigned to so great a worke as was the conuersiō of all Countries and Natiōs and to stand in combat with the power learning and wisdome of all the world Neither only had they to contend and fight against their enemies but also to direct and gouerne and menage al thos who should be adioyned to their maisters kingdome To which charge they seemed so vnto warde and insufficient in al that time wherin they liued with him vpon earth as by their questions and demandes made vnto him 2 litle before his passion they might appeare to haue learned very litle in three whole years conuersation and instructiō and in very deed to be incapable of so high mysteries and functions Yet notwithstanding thes men who of them selues were so weake and impotent after strength and confirmation receyued by the descending of Gods holy spirit into them became so perfect able and most excellent men as they brought the whole world in admiration of them Not only by the most exquisite perfectiō of their doctrine wherin of a sudaine without studie they excelled and conuinced the greatest Philosophers then liuing but also and that especially by the rare and stupendious Miracles which they wrought in the sight of al men The contemplation wherof as S. Luke reporteth droue the beholders not only into great meruaile but also into feare and exceeding terrour And for example he recompteth the restoring of a lame mā at the Temple gate of Ierusalem which had bene a Criple for the space of fortie yeares or more and the miracle dōne and testefied in the presence and knowledge of all the Citie He recordeth also the dreadful death of Ananias and Saphira by the only speech and voice of S. Peter as īn like maner the healīg of infinite sicke people by the presence shadowe of the same Apostle He reporteth the most wonderful deliuerance of the said S. Peter out of the hands and prison of Herode by an Angel The varietie of lāguages which all th' Apostles spake The visible descending of the holy Ghost vpon al such on whom the said Apostles did but laie their handes The miraculous conuersiō of S. Paul by Christs appearing vnto him in the way when he went to persecute Of which miracle S. Paul protested in euery place afterward and once especiallie in open audience and iudgement before Agrippa the king and Festus Gouernour of Iurie Thes miracles and manie moe are recorded by S. Luke wherof some part were sene by
length to crie out my soule doth thirst after God that is the liuelie vvel-spring vvhen shal I come and appeare before the face of God So that from the feare of death which is the first effect that springeth of the remembrance meditation therof he was come now to the loue and most earnest desire of the same which is the highest degree of comfort and the most supreme felicitie that saintes doe arriue vnto in this life Endeuour then my deare Christiā brother by frequent and diligent premeditation of this passage to attaine to this felicitie or at least wise to some parte or degree therof Feare death now that thou maist not feare it then For as God by his holie spirite assureth the he that feareth novv shal be in securitie at the last in the day of his departure Nay as holie Iob further describeth the matter he shal laugh at that day whē other mē are in spoile famine he shal not feare the beastes of the earth his legue shal be with the stones of Nations that is he shal be no more moued or terrified with comming of death then stones are he shal see that his tabernacle shal be that day in peace he shal enter into his sepulcher in al aboundance as a mow of corne in the haruest time that is he shal departe hence in aboundance of al grace and merit at the houre of his death which to a vertuous man is the day of haruest wherin he shal reape the rewardes of his good deedes which he hath sowen in this life Thus describeth Iob the blessed departure of a godlie man cōcluding his whole discourse with this admonition and exhortatiue clause Ecce hoc ita est quod auditum mente pertracta Behold this thing is as I haue said which thou hauing vnderstoode passe it not ouer sleightlie but reuolue and discusse the same diligentlie in thie minde OF THE GREATE AND SEVERE PAINES AND PVNISHMENTES APPOINted by God for sinners after this life As also of tvvo kindes and sortes herof the one temporal for them that shal be saued th' other eternal for the damned CHAPT XI AMONGST all the meanes which God vseth towardes the children of men in this life to moue them to the resolution wherof I entreate the strōgest most forcible is the consideratiō of punishmentes prepared by him for rebellious sinners and transgressours of his cōmaundemēts Wherfore he vseth this motiue often as may appeare by al the prophetes who doe almost nothing els but threaten plagues and destruction to offendours And this meane hath oftentimes preuailed more then anie other that could be vsed by reason of the natural loue which we beare towardes our selues and consequentlie the natural feare which we haue of our owne danger So we reade that nothing could moue the Niniuites so much as the fortelling them of their imminent destruction And S. Iohn Baptist albeit he came in a simple and contemptible maner yet preaching vnto the people the terrour of vengeance to come and that the axe vvas novv put vnto the tree to cut dovvne for the fire al such as repented not he moued the verie publicanes souldiers to feare being otherwise people of verie harde metal in such sort as they came vnto him vpon this terrible embassage and asked what they should doe to auoide these punishmentes For which cause hauing now cōsidered in the former chapters of death and of godes seuere iudgment ensuing thervpon wherin euerie man hath to receyue according to his workes in this life it followeth that we consider also of the punishmentes which are appointed for thē that shal be founde faultie ī that accounte hereby at leastwise if no other consideration wil serue to induce Christians to this resolution of seruinge God For as I haue noted before if euerie man haue naturallie a loue of him self and desire to cōserue his owne ease then should he also haue feare of peril wherby he is to fal into miserie calamitie This expresseth S. Bernard verie excellently according to his wonte O man saieth he if thou haue left al shame which appertaineth to so noble a creature as thou art if thou feele no sorow as carnal men doe not yet loose not feare also which is founde eué in brute and sauage beastes We vse to loade an asse and to werie him out with laboure and he careth not because he is an asse but if thou wouldest thrust him into fire or flinge him into a ditch he would auoide it as much as he coulde for that he loueth life and feared death Feare thou then and be not more insensible thā a beast Feare death feare iudgment feare hel This feare is called the beginning of wisdome and not shame or sorow for that the spirite of feare is more potent to resist sinne then the spirite of shame or sorow Wherfore it is saide remember the ende and thou shalt neuer sinne that is remember the final punishmentes appointed for sinne after this life Thus far S. Bernarde First therfore to speake in general of the punishmentes reserued for the life to come if the scriptures did not declare in particular their greatnes vnto vs yet are there manie reasons to persuade vs that they are most seuere grieuous and intollerable For first as God is a God in al his workes that is to saye greate wounderful and terrible so especiallie he sheweth the same in his punishmentes being called for that cause in holy scripture Deus iustitiae God of iustice as also Deus vltionum God of reuenge Wherfore seing al his other workes are maiestical and exceeding our capacities we may likewise gather that his hande in punishment must be also most wonderful God himself teacheth vs to reason in this maner when he sayeth And vvil ye not then feare me and vvil ye not tremble before my face vvho haue set the sande for limites to the sea and haue giuen the vvaters a commaundemēt neuer to passe the same no not then vvhen they are most troubled and the vvaues therof most outragious As who would say if I be wonderful and doe passe your imagination in these woorkes of the sea and other of this world which you behould dailie then haue yee iust cause to feare me considering that my punishmētes are like to be correspondent to the greatnes of my other actions An other coniecture of the great and seuere iustice of God in punishing may be the consideration of his infinite and vnspeakable mercie which as it is the verie nature it self of God and consequently without ende or measure as his godhead is so is also his iustice And these two are the two armes as it were of his diuine Maiestie embracing kyssing one th' other as the scripture saieth And therfore as in a man of this world if we had the measure of one arme we might easely cōiecture the length of the
the temptations of the world and deuil the resisting wherof is much more difficult in time of peace and wealth then in time of external affliction and persecution for that thes enemies are stronger in flatterie then in force which a godly father expresseth by this parable The sunne and wind saieth he agreed one day to proue their seueral strengthes in taking a cloke from a waiefaring man And in the forenoone the wind vsed al violence that he could to blow of the said clok But the more he blew the more fast held the trauailer his clock and gathered it more closely about him At after noone the sunne sent forth her pleasant beames by litle and litle so entered into this man as he caused him to yeeld to put of not onely his cloke but also his cote Whereby is proued saieth this father that the allurementes of pleasure are more strong and harder to be resisted then the violence of persecution The like is shewed by the example of king Dauid who resisted easily many assaults of aduersitie but yet fel dangerously in time of prosperitie Wherby appeareth that vertuous men haue no lesse warre in time of peace then in time of persecution Nor euer wanteth there occasion of bearing the crosse and suffering affliction to him that wil accept of the same And this may susfice for this first point to proue that euery man must enter into heauen by tribulation as S. Paul saieth The second part TOVCHING THE second why God wold haue this matter so it were sufficiēt to aunswer that it pleased him best so without seeking any further reason of his meaning herein euen as it pleased his diuine Maiestie without al reason in our sight to abase his sonne so much as to send him hither into this world to suffer and die for vs. Or if we wil needes haue a reason hereof this one might be sufficiēt for al that seing we looke for so great a glory as we doe we should labour a litle first for the same and so shew our selues worthie of Gods fauour and exaltation But yet for that it hath pleased his diuine Maiestie not onely to open vnto vs his wil and determination for our suffering in this life but also diuers reasons of his most holy purpose and pleasure therin for our further encouragement and consolation that doe suffer I wil in this place repeate some of the same for declaration of his exceeding great loue and fatherlie care towardes vs. THE FIRST cause then and the most principal is to encrease therby our merit and glorie in the life to come For hauing appointed by his eternal wisdome and iustice that none shal be crouned there but according to the measure of his fight in this world the more and greater cōbates that he geueth together with sufficient grace to ouercome them the greater crowne of glorie prepareth he for vs at our resurrection This cause toucheth S. Paul in the wordes before alleaged of the saintes of the olde testament to wit that they receaued no redemption from their miseries in this world to the end they might find a better resurrection in the world to come This also meant Christ expresselie when he saied Happie are they vvhich suffe persecutiō for theirs is the kingdom of heauen happie are you vvhen men speake euil and persecute you c. reioyse be glad I saye for that your revvard is great in heauē Hereunto also appertaine al those promises of gaining life by leesing life of receauing a hundred for one and the like Herehence do procede al those large promises to virginitie and chastitie and to such as geld them selues for the kingdom of heauen to voluntarie pouertie and to the renouncing of our owne wil by obedience Al which are greate conflictes against the fleshe world and our owne sensualitie and can not be performed but by sufferings and affliction Finally S. Paul declareth this matter fullie when he sayeth that a litle and short tribulation in this life vvorketh a beape of glorie aboue al measure in the hight of heauen THE SECOND cause why God appointed this is to draw vs therby from the loue of the world his professed enemie as in the next chapter shal be shewed at large This cause S. Paul vttereth in these wordes VVe are punished of God in this life to the end vve should not be damned vvith this vvorld In like maner as a Nurse that to weane her child from the loue and liking of her milke dothe anointe her teat with Aloes or some other such bitter thing so our merciful Father that wolde retire vs. from the loue of wordlie delites wherby infinite men doe perish daily vseth to send tribulation which of al other thinges hath most force to woorke that effect as we see in the example of the prodigal sonne who could by no meanes be stayed from his pleasures and retired home to his olde Father but onelie by affliction THIRDLIE God vseth tribulation as a most present and soueraine medicine to heale vs of many diseases otherwise almost incurable As first of a certaine blindenes and careles negligence in our estate contracted by wealth and prosperitie In which sense holy scripture saieth that affliction geueth vnderstanding And the wise man affirmeth that the rodde bringeth vvisdom This was shewed in figure when the sight of Tobie was restored by the bitter gaule of a fish And we haue cleare examples in Nabuchodonasor Saul Antiochus and Manasses al wich came to see their owne faultes by tribulation which they wolde neuer haue done in time of prosperitie The like we read of the brethren of Ioseph who falling into some affliction in Egypt presentlie entred into their owne conscience and sayd VVe suffer those thinges vvorthely for that vve sinned against our brother And as tribulation bringeth this light wherby we see our owne defectes so helpeth it greatlie to remoue and cure the same wherin it may be wel likened vnto the rodde of Moyses For as that rodde striking the hard rockes brought foorth water as the scripture saieth so this rodde of affliction falling vpon stonie harted sinners mollifieth them to contrition and often times bringeth forth the fluddes of teares to repentance In respect wherof holy Tobie saieth to almightie God In time of tribulation thou forgeuest sinnes And for like 〈◊〉 it is compared also to a file of yron which taketh away the rust of the soule In like maner to a purgation that driueth out corrupt humours And finallie to a goldsmithes forge which cōsumeth away the refuse metals and fineth the gold to his perfection I vvil trie thee by fire to the quick saieth God to a sinner by Esay the prophet and I vvil take avvaie al thy tinne and refuse metal And againe by Ieremie I vvil melt them and trye them by fire This he meant of the fire of tribulation whose propertie is according
what eche tribe should attaine after his death by drawinge of lottes Againe the same Moyses forsawe and fortolde in publique hearing of all the people how in tymes to come longe after his death the Iewes should forsake God and for their synnes be cast into manie banishementes and finallie be forsaken and the Gentiles receaued in their roome as in deed it came to passe And whence trow you could he learne this but from God alone In the booke of Iosue there is a curse layed vpō the place where Iericho stoode and vpon what soeuer person should goe about to rebuild the same to wit that in his eldest sonne he should lay the foundations and in his yongest sonne should he builde the gates therof which is to saye that before the foundations were layed and gates builded he should be punished with the death of all his children Which thing was fulfilled almost fiue hundred yeares after in one Hiel who presumed vnder wicked kinge Achab to rebuild Iericho againe and was terrified from the same by the suddaine death of Abiram and Segub his children as the booke of kinges reportech according to the vvorde of our Lord vvhich he had spoken in the hande of Iosue the fonne of Nun And since that tyme to this no man ether Iewe or Gētile hath taken vpon hym to raise againe the said Citie albeit the situation be most pleasant as by relation of Stories and Geographers appeareth In the third booke of kinges it is recorded that when Ieroboam had withdrawen ten tribes from th' obedience of Roboam kinge of Iuda to th' ende they might neuer haue occasion to revnite thē selues againe to Iuda by their goinge to sacrifice in Ierusalem as by the law they were appointed he builded for them a goodlie gorgeous highe Aulter in Bethel and there cōmanded them to doe their deuotions And when he was one day thero present hymself and offering his incense vpon the said Aulter and all the people lookinge on there came a man of God sayeth the scripture and stoode before the Aulter and cried out aloude and spake thes wordes O Aulter Aulter this sayeth our Lorde behold a childe shal be borne of the hovvse of Dauid vvhose name shal be Iosias and he shal sacrifice vpon thee thes idolatrous priestes that novv burne francomsense vpon the and he shal burne the bones of men vpon thee Thus spake that man of God in the presence and hearinge of all the people more then three hundred yeares before Iosias was borne and it was registred prosentelie according to the manner of that tyme which I haue noted before and with the same were registred also the miracles which happened about that fact as that the Aulter clefte in two vpō the mans wordes and Ieroboam extendinge owt his hande to apprehend hym lost presentelie the vse and feeling therof vntill it was restored againe by the said holie mans prayers who notwithstanding for that he disobeyed Gods commandement in his returne and dyd eate with a prophet of Samar a which was forbidden hym he was slaine in his way homeward by a Lion and his bodie was brought backe againe buried in Bethel nigh the said Aulter amongest the sepulchers of those idolatrous preestes of that place but yet with a superscription vpon his tombe conteining his name and what had happened There passed three hundred yeares and Iosias was borne and came to reigne in Iuda And one daye cōming to Bethel to ouerthrow the Aulter and to destroye the sepulchers of those idolitrous priestes that had bene buried i that place whē he began to breake their tombes he fownde by chance the sepulcher of the said man of God with the superscription vpon it By which superscription and by relation of the citizēs of Bethel when he perceaued that it was the sepalcher of hym that had fortolde his byrth his name and his doinges so manie hundred years before he was borne he lett the same stande vntouched as the fowerth booke of kinges doth declare Now consider whether among anie people in the world but onlie amonge the Iewes ther were euer anie such prophetie so certaine so particuler so longe fortolde before the tyme and so exactelie fulfilled But yet the holie scriptures are full of the lyke and tyme permitteth me onlie to touch some few of the principal Esay the prophet is wonderful in fortelling the mysteries and actes of the Messias his natiuitie his life and all the particulers that happened in his passiō In so much that S. Ierome sayeth he may seeme rather to write a storie of deedes past then a prophetie of euentes to come But yet among other thinges it is to be noted that he liuing in a peaceable and prosperous tyme in Iuda when the Iewes were in amitie and greate securitie with the Babyloniās he forsawe and fortolde the destruction of Ierusalem by the said Babylonians and the greeuous captiuitie of Iewes vnder them as also the destruction of Babylon againe by Cyrus kinge of Persia whose expresse name and greatnes he published in writing almost two hundred yeares before he was borne saying in the person of God First to Ezechias king of Iuda that reioysed in the frindshippe he had with Babylon behold the dayes shall come vvhen all that thou and thye fathers haue layed up shall be caried avvay to Babylon and thy children shal be eunuches in the king of Babylons Palace And next to Babylō he said the destruction of Babylon vvhich Esay the sonne of Amos savve c. houle crie for that the day of our Lorde is at hande c. And thirdlie to Cyrus not yet borne who was preordained to destroye the same and to restore the people from banishemēt to rebuild the temple in Ierusalē he sayeth thus I say to Cyrus thou art my shepheard and thou shalt fulfill all my vvill I say to Ierusalem thou shalt be builded againe I say to the temple thou shalt be founded again This sayeth our Lord to my amointed Cyrus I vvill goe before thee vvill humble the glorious people of the earthe in thy presence I vvill breake their brasen gates crushe in peeces their yron barres for my seruant Iacobs sake haue I called thee by thie Name and haue armed the vvher as thou knovvest not me Can anie thing be more clearlie or miraculouslie spoken in the world then to name a heathé not yet borne that should conquerre so stronge a Monarchie as Babylon was at this tyme should builde againe the temple of Ierusalem which others of his owne religiō had destroyed before hym what cause what reason what lykeliehode could be of this yet Esay speaketh it so confidentelie as he sayeth that he savve it and he nameth two witnesses therof that is Vrias and Zacharias that were not borne in manie yeares after saying and I tooke vnto me tvvo faithful vvitnesses Vrias the prieste and Zacharias
doctrine monumeÌ„tes euen from the beginning albeit the lower they went the more corrupt they were and more obscured in diuine knowledge by their excercise iÌ„ idolat ie So wee know that the Romans had their learning from the Grecians the Graecians froÌ„ th' Egyptians th' Egyptians from the Chaldaeans who were the first people that receyued instruction in diuine matters from Adam Methusalem Noe others of those first and auncient fathers Now then it is to be considered that by consent of writers there were three famous men that liued together in those auncient times to witt Abraham who descending from HEBER was the father and beginner of the Iewes or Hebrues And wth hym Iob and one Zoroastres that were not of that linage of Heber but as we call them for distinctioÌ„s sake either heathens or Gentiles albeit that difference was not then in vre And of Iob we know by the testimonie of his booke that he was a most holie and vertuous maÌ„ Of Zoroastres we know onlie that he was greatelie learned and left monumeÌ„tes therof vnto his posteritie This Zoroastres liuing in Abrahams time might by accompt of scripture see or speake with Noe. For that Abraham was borne aboue three skore yeares before Noe disceassed And Noe was borne aboue fyue hundreth yeares before Methusalem dyed which Methusalem had lyued two hundred and fortie yeares with our first father Adam that had enioyed conuersatioÌ„ both with God Angels And therby no doubt could tell many highe and secrete mysteries especiallie touchinge Christ in whom all his hope for redemption of his posteritie did consist Which mysteries hidden knowledge it is not vnlike but that AbrahaÌ„ Iob Zoroastres and others who lyued at that tyme with them might recevue at the third hand by Noe and his children I meane Sem Cham and Iaphet who had lyued before the Fludde and had seene Methusalem which Methusalem lyued as I sayed so many yeares with Adam Herehence it is that in the writinges of Zoroastres which are yet exstant or recorded by other authours in his name there are founde verie many plaine speches of the sonne of God whom he calleth Secundam mentem the second mynde And muche more is it to be seene in the writinges of Hermes Trismegistus who lyued after in Egypt receyued his learninge from this Zoroastres that thes first heathen philosophers had manifest vnderstanding of this second person in Trinitie whom Hermes calleth the first begotten sonne of God his onlie sonne his deare eternal immutable incorruptible sonne vvho Sacred name is inessable thos are his wordes And after hym againe among the Graecians were Orphens Hesiedus others that vttered the like specches of the sonne of God as also did the Platonistes whose wordes and sentences were to longe to repeate in this place But he that will see them gathered together at large lett hym reade either Origen against Celsus the heathen or els S. Cyril in his first booke against Iulian th Apostata And this shall suffice for this first way wherby the Gentiles had vnderstanding of Christ. For the second thing which I mentioned it is to be vnderstoode that amonge the GeÌ„tiles there were certaine prophetisses or women prophetes called Sibyllae which in the greeke tongue as Lactantius gathereth maye signifie so much as either Councelours to God or Reutilours of Gods Councel And thes women being endued as it seemeth with a certaine spirit of prophetie did vtter from tyme to tyme though in such termes as most GeÌ„tiles vnderstoode them not most wonderful particularities of Christ to come agreiÌ„g as it were wholie with the prophetes of Israel or rather setting downe manie thinges in much more plaine and euident speeche then did th' other th' one of them beginning her greeke meerer in thes verie wordes knovv thie God vvhich is the sonne of God c. An other of theÌ„ maketh a whole discourse of Christ in greeke verses called Accrostichi for that the begiÌ„ning of euerie verse is by some letter appointed in order foorth of some one senteÌ„ce that runneth through the whole As for example the sentence that passed throughe the beginning of those verses whiche now we talke of was this Iesus Christ Sonne of God Saueour Crosse. And there were so manie verses in the whole discourse as there are letters in this senteÌ„ce The total argumeÌ„t beiÌ„g of the incarnatioÌ„ life death glorie and iudgement of the sonne of God And the last two verses of all the meeter are thes He that hath bene here described by our Accrossike verses is an immortale Saueour and a Kynge that must suffer for our sinnes And for that thes propheties of the Sibylls are of marueilous importaÌ„ce to coÌ„firme the veritie of our Christian religioÌ„ and are alleaged ofteÌ„ for that purpose by the most graue learnedst fathers of our primatiue churche as for example by Iustinê° the martyr in his apologie for Christians by Origen against Celsus by Arnobius and his scholler LactaÌ„tius against Gentiles by S. Cyril against Iulian th' apostata by S. Augustine in his Cittie of God by Eusebius and Constantine th' Emperour and others I will say somewhat in this place for th' authoritie and credite of thes verses least anie man perhappes might imagine as some Gentiles in olde tyme would seeme to doe that they were deuised or inuented by Christians And the most of my proofes shall be out of a learned oration writen in latine by the foresaid Emperour to a Councel of Prelates in his dayes wherein he indeuoureth to shew the vndoubted authoritie of thes Sibyll propheties which he esteemed so much after diligent search made for their credite and sinceritie as they seeme to haue bene a great cause of his constant zele and feruour in Christianitie First then he sheweth that thes predictioÌ„s of the Sibylles could not be deuised or seigned by Christians or made after the tyme of Christes natiuicie for that Marcus varro a wost learned RomaÌ„ who liued almost a hundrethe yeares before Christ maketh mention at large of thes Sibylles who in number he saith were ten and of their writinges countries ages as also of the writers or authours that before his tyme had left memorie of them And both he and Fenestella an other heathé doe affirme that the writinges of thes Sibilles were gathered by the Romans from al partes of the world wher they might be heard of and layed vp with diligence and great reuerence in the Capitole vnder the charge and custodie of the highe priestes and other Officers in such sorte as no man might see or reade them but onlie certaine Magistrates called the Fistine and muche lesie might any man come to falsifie or corrupt them Secondlie he sheweth that Sibylla Erythraea who made the former Acrostike verses of Christ restisicth of her self that she liued about 600. years after the fludde of Noe and her
my eyes sleepe or rest to the temples of my head vntill I find out the place that is appointed for my Lord the tabernacle or house for the God of Iacob And then the mysterie being reueiled vnto hym he sayeth presentely Beholde vve haue heard of it novv in Ephrata or Bethleem vve haue founde it out in the fieldes of vvoode And to shew how he reuerenced the place for that cause he addeth immediatelie vve vvill adore in the place vvher his seete haue stoode Wherby he for prophitieth not onlie th' adoration vsed after in that place vnto Iesus by the Magi or three kinges of th' east but also of all other adoratiō vsed in the same place in the memorie of Iesus by other deuout Christians vntill this daye For which respect Origē sayeth that the place of Bethleem was most famous and renoumed in his dayes For th' Angels appearing to the shepheardes in the night of the Natiuitie there can be no more said but the credite honestie and simplicitie of them that reported it and likelie it is they would neuer feigne a thing that might haue bene refuted by testimonie of the sheapheards them selues if it had bene false Of the name of IESVS gyuen to hym in his circumcision it was to be seene sett downe in a booke that how so euer it were not scripture yet was it extant in the worlde before Christ was borne I meane the fowerth booke of Esdras which hath thes wordes in the person of God the father Beholde the tyme shal come vvhen the signes shall appeare that I haue tolde c. And my sonne IESVS shal be reueiled vvith these vvho are vvith hym c. And after those yeares my sonne CHRIST shall dye and th' earth shall render thos that sleepe therin Rabi Hacadosch also proueth by arte Cabalist out of manie places and textes of scripture that the Messias name at his comming shal be IESVS And among other he addeth this reason that as the name of hym who first brought the Iewes out of bondage into the lande of promisse was Iesus or Iosue which is al one so must his name be Iesus that shall the second tyme deliuer thē from the bondage wherin they are and restore them to their olde aunciēt possession of Iurie which is the chiefe benefite they expect by the Messias Finallie it is not probable that the virgine Marie should feigne this name of her self for that among the Iewes there were manie other names of more honour and estimatiō at that tyme as Abraham Isaac Iacob Moyses and Dauid And therfore if she would haue feigned any it is like shee would haue taken one of thē as soone as this which had not bene the name of anie greate Patriarche THERE followeth the comming of the three Magi or wise men from th' easte of whom Cyprians wordes are it is an olde tradition of the churche that the Magi of th' easte vvere kinges or rather litle Lordes of particuler places Which is to be vnderstood such litle kinges as Iosue slew thirtie in one battaile And it is to be noted that S. Mathew maketh mention of the comming of thes kinges to Hierusalem as of a knowen and publique matter wherof all Ierusalem and Iurie was able to beare hym wituesse For he talketh of their open comming to Ierusalem and of their inquirie for the new borne king of their speech and conference had with Herod as also of Herodes consultation with the Scribes and Pharasies about the place of the Messias birth And finallie he sheweth the most pittiful murder that insued of almost infinite infantes in all the circuite of Bethleem for this matter Which could not be a thinge vnknowen to all Iurie much lesse feigned by S. Mathew for that he should haue gyuen his aduersaries the greatest aduātage in the world if hè had begunne his Ghospell with so notorious and opē an vntruth which might haue bene refuted by infinite persons that were yet a liue Epiphanius is of opinion that thes kinges arriued in Hierusalem two yeares after Christs Natiuitie for that Herod slew all infantes of that age But other hold more probablie that the starre appeared vnto them two yeares before Christs Natiuitie so that they came to Bethleē the thirtienth daye after Christs birth according as the Church doth celebrat th' epiphanie S. Basil thinketh that they were learned men and might by their learning and art magike wherin those countrimen at that tyme were verie skilful vnderstand and feele that the power of their heathē Godes was greatlie deminished and broken They might also be stirred vp with that commō brute and general prophetie spred ouer all th' east in those dayes as both Suetonius and Iosephus doe recorde that oute of Iurie should come an vniuersal Kinge ouer all the vvorld By thes meanes I say and by the prophetie of Balaam left a nonge them from Moyses tyme for he was a Gētile wherby was signified that a starre should rise and declare a greate and mightie king in Israel they might be induced at the sight of this Starre to take so longe a iourney as they did towardes Iurie This Starre as I haue said was fortold by Balaam a heathen Prophete aboue 1500. yeares before it appeared And after Balaam againe it was prophetied by Dauid that kinges of Arabia Saba and other Eastren countries should come and adore Christ and offer both gold and other gystes vnto hym The murder also of those infantes of Bethleem was presignified by Icremie in the weeping of Rachel for thee slaughter of her children which Rachell was buried in Bethleem and for that cause thos infantes were called her children albeit she were dead aboue 2000. yeares before they were slaine and aboue 1500. before Ieremie wrote the prophetie Amongest which infantes Herode also for more assurance slewe an infant of his owne For that as Philo noteth he was descended by his mother of the lyne of Iuda Which crueltie comming to Augustus eares he said as Macrobius reporteth that he had rather bee Herods swyne thē his sonne for that he being a Iewe was forbidden by his religion to kill his swine though not ashamed to kill his sonne The same Starre wherof we speake is mentiōned by diuers heathen writers as by Plinie vnder the name of a Comete for so they termed all extraordinarie Starres which appeared in the later ende of Augustus daies and was farre different from al other that euer appeared And therfore contrary to the nature of thos kind of Starres it was adiudged by the whole college of Southsaiers to portend vniuersal good vnto the earth and for that cause had an image of metal erected to it in Rome and as Plinies wordes are Is Cometa vnus toto orbe colitur that only Comete is worshipped throughout the whole world Origine also writeth of one Chaeremon a Stoike that was much moued with
desolation and afflictiō to haue had among them the dead bodie of him on whos only life their vniuersal hope and confidence depended The Scribes Pharisees beīg a stonished with the sudaine newes of his rising againe cōfirmed vnto them by their owne souldiars that sawe it found no other waie to resist the fame therof but onely by saying as also their posteritie doe vnto this dave that his disciples came by night and stole away his bodie whiles the souldiours were a sleepe But what likelihood or possibilitie can there be in this For first it is euident to al the world that his Apostles thēselues who were the heads of al the rest were so dismaied discomforted and deiected at that time as they durst not once goe out of the dore For which cause only thos seely women who for their sexe esteemed them selues more free from violence presumed alone to visite his Sepulcher which no one man durst for feare of the souldiours vntil by thos women they were informed that the forsaid band of souldiours were terrefied and put to flight by Christes Resurrection And how then was it likely that men so much amazed ouercome with feare should aduenture to steale a bodie from a Guarde of Souldiours that kept it Or if their hartes had serued them to aduenture so greate a daunger what hope or probabilitie had ther bene of successe especiallie consideringe the said bodie lay e in a new sepulcher of stone shutt vp and locked and fast sealed by the Magistrate How was it possible I say that his disciples should come thyther breake vp the Monument take out his bodie and carie the same away neuer after to be sene or founde without espial of some one amōgest so many that attended ther Or if this were possible as in reason it is not yet what profite what pleasure what comfort could they receaue hereby We see that thes apostles and disciples of his who were so abandoned of life and hart in his Passion after two dayes onlie they were so changed as life and death can be no more contrarie For wheras before they kept home in all feare and durst appeare no wher except amonge their owne priuate friēdes now they came foorth into the streetes and common places and auouched with all alacritie and irresistible constancie euen in the faces and hearinge of their greatest enimies that Iesus was rysen frō death to life that they had sene hym spoken with hym and enioyed his presence And that for restimonie and confirmation hereof they were most redie to spēd their liues And could all this trow you proceede onlie of a dead bodie which they had gotten by stealth into their possession Would not rather the presence and sight of such a bodie so torne mangled deformed as Iesus bodie was both vpō the Crosse and before haue rather dismayed them more then haue gyuen them cōfort Yes trulie And therfore Pilat the Gouernour considering thes circumstances and that it was vnlikelie that either the bodie should be stolne without priuitie of the Souldiars or if it had bene that it should yeeld such life hart consolation courage to the stealers beganne to gyue eare more diligentelie to the matter and calling to him the Souldiars that kept the watch vnderstoode by them the whole truth of th' accident to witt that in their sight and presence Iesus was risen out of his sepulcher to life and that at his rising ther was so dreadful an earth-quacke with trembling opening of sepulchers rounde about such skriches cries cōmotion of all elementes as they durst not abyde longer but ranne and tolde the Iuishe magistrates therof who being greatelie discontented as it seemed with th' aduertisement gaue them money to saye that while they were sleeping the bodie was stolne by his disciples frō them All this wrote Pilate presentlie to his Lord Tyberius then Emperour of Rome And he sent withal the particuler examinations and confelsions of diuers other that had sene and spoken with such as were risen from death at the same tyme and had appeared to many of their acquaintance in Hicrusalem assuring them also of the resurrection of Iesus Which informations when Tyberius th' Emperour had considered he was greatelie moued therwith proposed to the Senate that Iesus might be admitted among the rest of the Roman Godes offering his owne consent with the priuiledge of his supreme royal suffrage to that decree But the Senate in no wise would agree therunto Whervpon Tyberius being offended gaue licence to all men to beleeue in Iesus that would and forbydde vpō paine of death that anie officer or other should molest or trouble such as bare good affectiō zeale or reuerence to that name Thus much testifiethe Tertulian againste the Gentiles of his owne knowledge who liuing in Rome a learned man pleader of causes diuers years before he was a Christian which was about 180. yeares after Christes Ascension had great abilitie by reason of th' honour of his familie learning and place wherin he liued to see and know the recordes of the Romās And the same doth cōfirme also Egesippus an other Auncient writer of no lesse authoritie then Tertulian before whom he liued Neither onlie diuers Gentiles had this opinion of Iesus resurrection againe from death but also sundrye Iewes of great credite and wisdome at that tyme were inforced to beleeue it notwithstanding it pleased not God to gyue them so much grace as to become Christians This appeareth plainelie by the learned Ioiephus who writing his storie not aboue fortie years after Christs Passion tooke occasion to speake of Iesus and of his disciples And after he had shewed how he was Crucified by Pilat at th' instance of the Iewes and that for all this his disciples ceased not to loue hym still he adioyneth furth with these wordes Idcirco iliis tertio die vita resumpta denuo apparuit That is for this loue of his disciples he appeared vnto them againe the third daye whē he had resumed life vnto hym Which expresse plaine and resolute wordes we may in reason take not as the consession onlie of Iosephus but as the common iudgement opinion and sentence of all the discrete and sober men of that tyme layed downe and recorded by this Historiographer In whose dayes ther were yet manie Christians a lyue that had seene spoken with Iesus after his resurrection and infinite Iewes that had heard the same protested by their fathers brethren kinlfolke friends who had bene them selues Eye-witnesses therof AND thus hauinge declared and prooued the resurrection of our Saue our Iesus both how it was forshewed as also fulfilled there remaineth nothing more of necessitie to be said in this Section For that who soeuer seeth and acknowledgeth that Iesus beinge deade could rayse hym selfe againe to life will easilie belieue also that he was able to ascende to heauē Wherof notwithstandinge S. Luke alleageth six
of a Leuit God punished the whole tribe in this order as holy scripture recounteth He caused al the other eleuen tribes to rise against them first to come to the house of God in Silo to aske his aduise and to folow his direction in this warre against their brethren And thence hauing by Godes appointement ioined battaile twise with the tribe of Beniamin the third daie God gaue them so great a victorie as they slew al the liuing creatures within the compasse of that tribe except onelie six hundred men that escaped awaie into the desert the rest were slaine both man woman children and infantes together with al the beastes and cattel al the cities villages and howses burnt with fire And al this for one sinne committed onelie at one time with one woman And who then deare Christian brother wil not confesse with Moyses that God is a iust God a great God and a terrible God Who wil not confesse with S. Paul that it is horrible to fal into the handes of the liuing God Who wil not say with holy Dauid A Iudicijs tuis timui I haue feared at the remembrance of thy iudgementes If God would not spare the destroying of a whole tribe for one sinne onely if he would not perdon Chore Dathan and Abiron for once the sonnes of Aaron for once Ananias Saphira for once if he would not forgiue Esau though he demaunded it with teares as S. Paul saieth if he would not remit the punishment of one fault to Moyses Aaron albeit they asked it with great instance if he would not forgiue one proude cogitation vnto the Angels nor the eating of one apple vnto Adā without infinite punishment nor would passe ouer the cuppe of affliction from his own deare sonne though he required the same thrise vpō his verie knees with the sweate of blood and water in his presence what reason hast thou my brother to thike that he wil let passe so many sinnes of thine vnpunished what cause hast thou to induce thy imagination that he wil deale extraordinarilie with thee breake the course of his iustice for thy sake Art thou better then thos whom I haue named or hast thou any priuilege from his Maiestie aboue them If thou wouldest consider the great and strange effectes of his iustice which we see dailie executed in the world thou shouldest haue litle cause to persuade thy self so fauorablie or rather to flatter thy self so daungerously as thou doest We see that notwithstanding Godes mercie yea after the death and passion of Christ our Sauiour for sauing of the whole world yet so many infinite millions be damned daily by the iustice of almightie God so many insideles heathens Iewes and Turkes that remaine in the darknes of their owne ignorance and among Christīans so many heretiques and misbeleuers and among Catholiques so many euel liuers as Christ truely said that few were they which should be saued albeit his death was paid for al if by their own wickednes they made them selues not vnworthie therof And before the comming of our Sauiour much more we see that al the world went awrie to damnatió for many thousand yeres together excepting a few Iewes which were the people of God And yet among them also the greater part perhappes were not saued as may be cōiectured by the speeches of the prophetes from time to time and specially by the sayings of Christ to the harisees and other rulers therof Now then if God for the satisfying of his justice could let so many millions perish through their own sinnes as he doth also now daily permit without any preiudice or impechement to his infinit mercie why may not he also damne thee forthy sinnes notwithstanding his mercie seing thou doest not onely commit them without feare but also doest confidently persist in the same The 2. part of the chapter BVT HERE now perhappes some man may say if this be so that God is so seuere in punishment of euery sinne and that he damneth so many thousandes for one that he saueth how is it true that the mercies of God are aboue al his other vvorkes as holy scripture affirmeth and that it passeth and exalteth it self aboue his iudgement For if the number of the damned doe exceede so much the number of thos which are saued it seemeth that the worke of iustice doth passe the worke of mercie To which I answere that touching the smal number of them that are saued as also of th' infinit quantitie of such as are damned we may in no wise doute for that besides al other prophetes Christ our Sauiour hath made the matter certaine and out of question We haue to see therfore how notwithstāding al this the mercie of God doth exceede his other workes And first his mercie may be said to exceede for that al our saluation is of his mercie and our damnation from our selues only as from the first and principal causes therof according to the saying of God by the prophet Perditio tua Israel tantummodò in me auxilium tuum Thy perdition is onely from thy self ô Israel and thy assistance to doe good is onely from me So that as we must acknowledge Gods grace and mercie for th' author of euerie good thought and acte that we doe and consequently ascribe al our saluatiō vnto him so none of our euil actes for which we are damned doe proceede from him but onely from our selues and so he is no cause at al of our damnation and in this doth his mercie exceede his iustice Secondlie his mercie doth exceede in that he desireth al men to be saued as S. Paul teacheth and him self protesteth when he saieth I vvil not the death of a sinner but rather that he turne from his vvikednes and liue And againe by the prophet Ieremie he complaineth greeuouslie that men wil not accept of his mercie offered Turne from your vvicked vvaies saith he vvhy vvil ye die a you house of Israel By which appeareth that he offereth his mercie most willinglie and freelie to al but vseth his iustice onelie vpon necessitie as it were cōstrained therunto by our obstinate behauiour This our Sauiour Christ signifieth more plainlie when he saith to Ierusalem O Ierusalem which killest the prophetes and stonest them to death that are sent vnto thee how oftē wold I haue gathered thy children together as the henne clocketh her chickins vnderneth her winges but thou woldest not behold thy house for this cause shal be made desert and left without children Here you see thee mercie of God often offered vnto the Iewes but for that they refused it he was enforced in a certaine maner to pronounce this heauie sentence of destruction and desolatiō vpon them which he fulfilled within fortie or fiftie yeares after by the handes of Titus and Vespasian Emperours of Rome who vtterlie ouerthrewe the citie of Ierusalem and the whole nation
pa. 1. The danger therof 1. the cause therof sensualitie or vvilful obstinacie 2. 3. 4. c. vvhv men doe flye the same 9. 10. the commodities and effectes therof 14. 15. Ingratitude intolerable of men towardes God 4. 5. Iugement day see the vvhole 7. chap. 349. vvhy tvvo Iudgemantes are appointed 353. Iustice of God hovv terrible and seuere 799. L Labour appointed to man by God 336. most necessarie both in the old and nevv testament 337. Libertie and freedome of soule hovv singuler it is in good man 605. Life and conuersation of Christ vvhat it vvas 222. vvhat it ought to be in true Christians 320. at large Good life hath tvvo necessitie partes 324. Loue of God tovvardes mankinde hovv great it is hovv it may be seene 529. 530. c. at large soe also the causes and effectes therof ibid. The force of lone in good men tovvardes God 586. 587. c. M Magnanimitie and true Christian fortitude 673. Magi ther comming prophetied and the storie proued 212. hovv long they vvere in comming ibid. Maiestie of God hovv vvonderful 400. Mans final ende chap. 3. pag. 110. Martyrs of the primatiue Church hovv vvōderful 264. Mathematique only hath no proper means to proud God 35. Mercie of God infinite and aboue al sinnes vvhatsoeuer see the vvhole first chapt part 2. pag. 523. Miracles of Iesvs 223. Monastical life vvhy and vvhen it vvas begonne 339. old Monkes vvhat austeritie they vsed 331. Moral Philosophie hovv it proueth God 48. Moyses particulerly considered vvhat maner of man lre vvas 68. Moyses lavv vuperfect to be changed 163. N Natural Philosophie hovv it proueth God 36. Negligence hovv great an impedimēt to our conuersion 860. hovv it bringeth men to Atheisme 861. O Oracles of Gentile Godes hovv false and vncertaine It. vvhat they fortold of Christ before his natiuitie 181. vvhen and hovv the ceassed 268. P Passion of Christ proued 229. Peace of minde and conscience in the vertuous hovv great a matter 597. Philosophie proueth-God 35. sovver sectes of old Phllosophers confessing one God 51. Pilate hovv he died 277. Pleasures of this vvorld hovv vaine 715. Porphyrie a great enimie of Christians yet vvhat he confesseth of Christ 223. and againe 273. Presumption hovv dangerous and detestable to God see the 6. chapt part 2. pag 793. Principles to be supposed in al sciences vvithout proose 25. The prophesies of scripture hovv they proue the scripture to be of God pag. 81. vvhat manner of men our Prophetes vvere 68. 98. hovv diuels may prophetie 81. Proclamation that Christ made at his comming 250. the Proclamation or publication of the lavv of good life vvith hovv greate dread 350. Punishmentes after this life See the 11. chapt 444. Purgatorie proued vvith the greatnes of the paines therof 452. the feare that old Saintes had of the same 454. R Rabbins among the Jevves of tvvo sortes Cabalistes and Thalmudistes 157. Redemption vvhat a benefite 409. Religion vvhat it meaneth and signifieth 132. no man euer sayed but by Christian Religion from the beginning of the vvorld 134. Resisting of sinne hovv it ought to be 316. Resurrection of Christ proued 235. Revvard expected by the iust hovv great a consolation 613. Riches hovv vaine and perilous 711. The Roman Monarchie fortold 188. S Scepter of Iuda hovv it pphetied of vvhē it failed 191 Sciēces ech one proueth God 35. fovver principal Ib. Scriptures their certaintie proued by many arguments 62. 63. confirmed by Gēntiles 100. Sensualitie hovv dangerous 2. Sibyls vvhat they vvere and of their prophesies touching Christ at large 174. Sinne hovv it is to be resisted 326. sinne hath 3. degrees 327. of the nature of sinne sinners see the 8. cha 378. VVhy euery Sinne is so hateful to God deserueth infinite punishment 384. the losses that come by Sinne 390. Sloth hovv great an impediment to the true seruice of God 853 fovver euel effectes therof 854. The soules immortalitie proueth God 47. hovv many things the soule attendeth vnto at one time Spirits subdued by Christ Christians in the primatiue Church 267. Starre of the Kings forprophetied proued 213. T Temple of Hierusalem tvvise builded 192. 193. c. The prerogatiues of the 1. temple 195. of the 2. 196. Time hovv pretious vvhile it indureth 476. Tradition of learning among Ievves Gentiles from the beginning 171. The true scriptures knovven only by Tradition 273. Tribulatiō vvhat it vvorketh pag 631. good men must suffer 634. the causes hereof 641. VVhy it should be occeaued ioifully 656. VV VVickednes vvicked men hovv fullof miserie 611. VVisdome of Christians vvherin it consisteth 340. vvisdome of the vvorld 703. VVooing vvhich God vseth tovvardes a sinner 542. The vvorldes vvrong course 118. vvorldes vanitie miserie see al the 4. chap. part 2. pag. 688. VVorldlinges lament vvhen it is to late 120. VVorkes necessarie besides faith 314. the diligēce of old Christians in vvorking vvhile they had time 342. V Vaine glorie vvhat a vanitie 696. Vision of God maketh soules happie in heauen 499. Vocatiō vvhat a benefite 411. Y Yoke of Christs hovv svvet and easie 584. FINIS * 1. Of inconsideratiō * 2. That ther is a God * 3. Why mā was created * 4. Proofes of Christian religion * 5. Who is a true Christian * 6. Two partes of good life 7. Of the accompting daye 8. Of the nature of inne and inners 9. Maiestie and benefites 10. Of the day of our departure 11. Punishemētes after death 12. Of rewardes after this life * 1. Dispaire of Gods mercie 2. Against supposed difficulties 3. Feare of persecution 4. The loue of the world * 5. Exāples of true resolutiō 6. Against presumption 7. Against delay 8. Sloth Negligence obduration The reason of printing againe this first booke of Resolution Nevv additions The vvhole vvorke deuided into tvvo volumes 1. Speculatiue 2. Practive Tvvo editions of the booke of Resolution vvithout the authors knowledge M. Ed. Bany Of M. Bunies edition Fovver pointes of this preface In his preface to the reader The first occasion of setting soorth the booke of Resolution Bookes of deuotion more profitable to good life thē bookes of controuersies The description of deuotion 2. Timot. 2. Our fathers happie that builded and contended not about the foundation 1. Co. 3. Act. 10. Tvvo partes of Christian aiuinisie Speculation easier then practise The three bookes of this Christiā directorie vvith their argumentes A title giuen by M. Buny Heb. 13. An old trick of beretiques to abuse simple people vvith obscure places of scripture See Epiph. cont heres and 〈◊〉 Quod vult Deum 2. Pet. 3. My L. of yorkes armes The epistle dedicaterie In his Ep. dedicat My L. of yorkes mortificatiō and calling vpō others * His L. hostise of Doncaster Sir Robert Stapleton others The preface to the reader M Banies ignorance M. Bunies vanitie Ep. Dedicate Only Catholiques vvrite boo kes of deuotion bookes 1. Tim. 4. Tit. 3. Athanas.