will make him Prince of a Region or Countrey And as for gold I wyll poure it foorth vnto them by heapes and weight and not by number Thys was the Proclamation and Edict of Cyrus to his followers very glorious as we see in pompe of wordes and oftentation of style Let vs nowe compare the Proclamation of Iesus whose entraunce and Praeface was Paenitentiam agite Repent ye And then it foloweth In hoc mundo pressuram habebitis in thys worlde you shall receiue affliction And then after againe They shall whippe and murder you And yet further You shal be hateful in the sight of all men for my sake Then is there adioyned He that loueth hys life shall loose his soule After that ensueth he that will follow me must beare his Crosse. And finally the conclusion is He that commeth to me and doth not hate his father his mother his wife his children his bretheren his sisters and also his owne life for my sake he is not worthy to be my seruaunt Thys was the entertainement proposed by Iesus to such as woulde come and serue vnder his Banner wyth expresse protestation that himselfe was sent into the world not to bring peace rest and ease to fleshe and blood but rather to be the cause of sworde fire tribulation combat and enmitie And yet wyth these cold offers presented to the world by poore abiect and most contemptible Officers and by this doctrine so crosse and opposite to mans nature inclination and sensuall appetite he gained more harts vnto him within the space of fortie yeeres as hath beene sayd then euer did Monarche in the world possesse louing Subiects by what soeuer temporall allurement they dyd or might propose Which argueth most euidently the omnipotent puissaunce of him that contrary to mans reason could bring to passe so miraculous a conquest The second Consideration THere followeth in order the consideration of Christes Apostles which in som respect may be sayd more strange and wonderfull then the former in that they beeing both rude simple and vnlearned men and for the most part of the baser sort should be chosen and assigned to so great a worke as was the conuersion of all Countries and Nations and to stand in combat with the power learning and wisedome of all the worlde Neyther onely had they to contende fight against theyr enemies but also to direct gouerne and menage all those who should be adioyned to theyr Maisters kingdome To which charge they seemed so vntoward and insufficient in all that time wherein they lyued with him heere vpon earth as by they questions and demaundes made vnto hym a little before his passion they might appeare to haue learned very little in three whole yeeres conuersation and instruction and in very deede to be incapable of so hygh mysteries and functions Yet notwithstanding these men who of themselues were weake and impotent after strength and confirmation receiued by the descending of Gods holy Spirite into them became so perfect able and most excellent men as they brought the whole worlde in admiration of them Not onely by the most exquisite perfectiō of their doctrine wherin on a suddaine without studie they excelled conuinced the greatest Phylosophers then liuing but also and that especially by the rare and stupendious miracles which they wrought in the sight of all men The contemplation whereof as S. Luke reporteth droue the beholders not only into great meruaile but also into feare and exceeding terrour And for example he recounteth the restoring of a lame man at the Temple gate of Ierusalem which had been a Cripple for the space of fortie yeeres and more and this miracle was doone and testified in the presence and knowledge of all the Cittie Hee recordeth also the dreadfull death of Annanias and Saphira by the onely speech and voyce of S. Peter as in like manner the healing of infinite sicke people by the presence shadow of the same Apostle He reporteth also the most wonderfull deliueraunce of the sayd S. Peter out of the hands and prison of Herode by the Angell of GOD. The varietie of languages which all the Apostles spake The visible descending of the holie Ghost vppon all such on whom the sayd Apostles did but lay theyr hands The miraculous conuersion of Saint Paule by Christes appearing vnto him in the way when hee went to persecute Of which miracle Saint Paule himselfe protesteth in euery place afterward and once especially in an open audience and iudgment before King Agrippa and Festus Gouernour of Iurie These myracles and many moe are recorded by Saint Luke whereof some part were seene by himselfe and the rest most euident to all the world as doone in publique before infinite witnesses Neyther is it possible they coulde be faigned for that as in the like I haue before noted it had beene most easie to haue refelled them and thereby to haue discredited the whole proceedings of Christian Religion in those first beginnings As for example if the myracle of Saint Peter beeing deliuered forth of the hands and pryson of Herode Agrippa had any way beene to be touched with falsehood howe manie would there haue beene of Herods Officers Courtiers seruaunts and freendes that for defence of their Princes honour so deeplie tainted by this narration of S. Luke published not long after the thing was done how many I say would haue offered themselues to refute and disgrace the VVriter heereof hauing so pregnant meanes by publique record to doe the same So againe whereas the same S. Luke reporteth of hys owne knowledge that in a Cittie of Macedonie named Philippi S. Paule and Silas after many myracles doone were whypped and put in pryson with a diligent guarde in the lowest prison of all theyr feete locked fast in stockes of Tymber and that at midnight whē Paule and Silas beganne to pray the whole pryson was shaken and all the doores thrown open as also the gyues not onely of those two but of all the other prysoners vppon a suddaine burst in sunder and that thereupon not onlie the Iaylor cast himselfe at the feete of S. Paule but the Magistrates also who the day before had caused them to be whypt came and asked them pardon and humblie intreated them to depart out of theyr Citty Thys storie I say if it had been false there needed no more for confutation thereof but onely to haue examined the whole Cittie of Philippi which coulde haue testified the contrarie And yet among so many aduersaries and eager impugners of Christian Religion as Gods enemie styrred vppe in the primatiue Church of all sorts and sects of people no one euer appeared that durst attempt to take in hande the particuler improuing of these or the like miracles but rather confessing the facts sought alwaies to discredite them by other sinister calumniations namelie and commonlie that they were wrought by the deceits and sleights of
Ierusalem Babilon ESay the Prophet is wonderfull in foretelling the mysteries acts of the Messias hys natiuitie his life and all the perticulers that happened in his passion In so much that S. Ierome saith he may seeme rather to wryte a storie of deedes past then a prophecie of euents to come But yet among other things it is to be noted that hee liuing in a peaceable prosperous time in Iuda when the Iewes were in amitie and great securitie with the Babylonians he fore-sawe and fore-told the destruction of Ierusalem by the said Babylonians and the greeuous captiuitie of the Iewes vnder them as also the destruction of Babylon againe by Cyrus King of Persia whose expresse name and greatnesse he published in writing almost two hundred yeeres before hee was borne saying in the person of GOD First to Ezechias King of Iuda that reioyced in the freendship hee had wyth Babylon behold the dayes shal com when all that thou and thy fathers haue layd vp shall be carried awaie to Babylon and thy children shall be Eunuches in the King of Babilons Pallace And next to Babylon he sayd The destruction of Babylon which Esay the sonne of Amos sawe c houle and crie for that the day of the Lord is at hand c. The wonderfull prophecie for Cyrus King of Persia. THyrdly vnto Cyrus not yet borne who was preordained to destroy the same to restore the people of Israell from banishment to rebuilde the Temple in Ierusalem he saith thus I say to Cyrus thou art my sheepheard and thou shalt fulfill all my will I say to Ierusalem thou shalt be builded againe I saie to the Temple thou shalt be founded againe Thys saith the Lord to my annointed Cyrus I vvyll goe before thee and will humble the glorious people of the earth in thy presence I wil break their brasen gates and crush in peeces theyr yron bars for my seruaunt Iacobs sake haue I called thee by thy Name and haue armed thee where as thou knowest not me Can any thing be more cleerely or myraculously spoken in the worlde then to name a Heathen not yet borne that shoulde conquer so strong a Monarchie as Babilon was at thys time and shoulde builde againe the Temple of Ierusalem which others of hys owne Religion had destroied before him What cause what reason what likeli-hoode could be of this yet Esay speaketh it so confidentlie as he saith that he sawe it And hee nameth two witnesses thereof that is Vrias and Zacharias that were not borne in manie yeeres after saying and I tooke vnto mee two faithfull witnesses Vrias the Priest and Zacharias the sonne of Barachias Whereof the first was a Prophet in Ieremies time a hundred yeeres after Esay and the second lyued fourescore yeeres after that againe in the dayes of Darius as by the beginning of hys prophecie appeareth and yet both as you see were distinctly named by Esay long time before And wheras this booke of Esay was pronoūced openlie to the people as other prophecies were published into many thousand handes before the captiuitie of Babilon fell out and then carried also wyth the people and dispersed in Chaldea other parts of the world there can be no possible suspition of forgerie in this matter for that all the worlde both sawe it and red it many yeeres before the thing came to passe yea when there was no opinion of any such possibilitie to come The prophecies and dooings of Ieremie in the siedge of Ierusalem THE same captiuitie and destruction of Ierusalem by the Babylonians was prophecied by Ieremie a hundred yeeres after Esay and a little before the matter came to passe yea whiles the Babylonians were about the walles of Ierusalem and besiedged the same for two yeeres together Ieremie was within and tolde euery man that it was but in vaine to defende the Cittie for that God had nowe deliuered it And albeit hee were accounted a Traytor for so saying especially when by an Armie of Egypt that came to the ayde of Ierusalem from Pharao the siedge of the Babylonians was raysed for a certaine time yet Ieremie continued still in his asseueration and said to Zedechias the King thou shalt be deliuered into the handes of the King of Babilon And to the people haec dicit Dominus tradendo tradetur haec ciuitas c. This saith the Lord this Cittie most certainlie shall be deliuered into the handes of the Babylonians And so hee continued notwithstāding he were put in prison whipt and threatned dailie to be hanged vntill indeede the Cittie was taken and Zedechias eyes puld out his children slaine before hys face and all other things performed which Ieremie had prophecied and fore-told them before And which was yet more meruailous Ieremie did not onelie fore-tell the perticulers of this captiuitie but also the determinate time howe long it shoulde endure saying And all this land of Iurie shall be into wildernesse and astoniednesse and all this people shall serue the King of Babilon for threescore and ten yeeres and when threescore and ten yeeres shall be complete I will visite vppon the King of Babilon and vpon that Nation saith the Lord I will lay the same into eternall desolation But vppon Iuda will I cast my pleasant eyes will bring them backe to this lande againe c. In which prophecie is contained first the perticuler time howe long thys captiuity shold endure Secondly the destruction of Babylon and of that Monarchie by the Persians And thirdlie the returning home of the Iewes againe which three thinges to haue beene afterwarde fulfilled not onelie Esdras that lyued at that time and was an actor in performance of the last but all other Heathen Wryters besides doe recorde and testifie And this prophecie of Ieremie was so famous and certainlie beleeued amongst all the Iewes in the time of their captiuitie as when the daie of expiration drewe neere Daniell writeth thus of himselfe In the fyrst yeere of Darius I Daniell vnderstoode in the scriptures the number of the seauentie yeeres whereof God spake to Ieremie that they shoulde be fulfilled touching the desolation of Ierusalem and I turned my face to my Lord God and besought him in fasting sackcloth c. Neither onelie the Iewes vnderstood beleeued this prophecie but euen Cyrus himselfe that was a Gentile gaue full credite thereunto therby was induced to restore the Iewes as appeareth both by his own words proclamations sette downe by Esdras that Executed the same and by his deedes also in restoring home the Iewes and rebuilding theyr Temple at his owne great charges as all Historiographers of the Heathens doe confesse I might heere alledge infinite other examples and make no ende if I would follow the multitude of prophecies which are dyspersed throughout the whole scripture I might shewe howe Daniell fore-told to
THE Seconde parte of the Booke of Christian exercise appertayning to RESOLVTION Or a Christian directorie guiding all men to their saluation Written by the former Authour R. P. PSAL. 62. ver 4. One thing haue I requested at Gods hands that wil I demaund stil which is to dwel in his house all the dayes of my life to the ende I may know and doe his will AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Charlwoode and Simon Waterson Anno. 1590. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE Sir Thomas Heneage Knight vize Chamberlaine to her excellent Maiestie Treasurer of her royall Chamber and one of her Highnesse most honourable priuie Councell All happinesse in this life and in the life to come hartilie wished To the Christian Reader health GEntle Reader not manie yeeres since a booke was published of Christian exercise appertaining to Resolution written by a Iesuit beyonde the Seas yet an English-man named Ma. Robert Parsons which Booke Ma. Edm. Bunney hauing dilligently perused committed to the publique viewe of all indifferent iudgements as glad that so good matter proceeded from such infected people and that good might arise thereby to the benefite of others Since the manifestation of that booke the first Author thereof named Ma. Parsons hath enlarged the same Booke with a second part and new additions wherein hee hath concluded and finished his whole intent of the Resolution and that vppon some speciall causes as himselfe setteth downe For hauing enlarged diuers poynts which before he omitted and comming to the reasons of this newe supply in his Praeface he saith in this manner Beeing admonished by the writings of diuers that since the publishing of my first booke it hath beene misliked in two principall poynts First that I speake so much of good works and so little of faith Secondly that I talked so largely of Gods iustice and so breefely of his mercie Beside conceiuing by the information of many that diuers persons hauing a desire in themselues to read the former Booke but yet beeing weake and fearfull to be touched so neere in conscience as they imagined that booke did durst neuer intermedle therewith beeing informed there was nothing in the same wherewith to entertaine themselues but onely such vehement matter of perswasion as would greatly trouble and afflict them For remedie of which inconueniencie I haue framed this second part of that worke and therein inserted diuers Chapters and discourses of matters more plausible and of themselues more indifferent wherewith the Reader may sollace hys minde at such times as he findeth the same not willing to feele the spurre of more earnest motion to perfection Heereupon grewe the cause of his framing this seconde Booke which performeth what you haue reade in his owne wryting And considering howe diuers were desirous to haue thys latter part because they had thorowlie read the other after passage the perusing of sundrie learned men who haue thought it as worthy to be seene as the first it is gentle Reader presented to thy viewe reade it indifferentlie and iudge therof as thou findest occasion A necessarie Table guiding the Reader to euery Chapter in thys Booke as also to euery particuler argument handled in each Chapter The first Chapter Of the manifold perils that ensue to the world by inconsideration and how necessarie it is for euerie man to enter into cogitation of his owne estate The seuerall matters handled in thys Chapter THE charitable proceeding of GOD by his Prophets in fore-telling men of their wickednesse and reuealing the causes thereof Page 1. The danger of inconsideration declared in two speciall causes page 2. The complaint of the Prophet Ieremie for inconsideration page 4. The misterie and sealed secrete of inconsideration page 5. Lack of consideration cause of eternall destruction a poynt that fooles wil not consider page 7. Inconsideration the cause of so much sinne at thys day page 8. Wilfull mallice obstinate corruption in the vanities of thys life and idle negligence three speciall causes of inconsideration 10 11 12. How we must stand vpon our watch that consideration is the onely doore to our watch with the many commodities and effects therof 14,15,16 That all vertues are stirred vp and quickned by consideration 17. How holy men exercised themselues in consideration namely the three first Patriarches Moses Iosua King Dauid king Salomon and king Ezechias as also what fruite holy Iob gathered by consideration and two principall effects ensuing thereon 18. 19. 20. The importaunce of consideration breefelie described page 22. The second Chapter That there is a God which rewardeth good and euill against all the Atheists of olde and of our time With the proofes alleaged for the same both by Iewe and Gentile The matters handled in thys Chapter are deuided into foure Sections The first Section If there be a God he is a iust rewarder 31. The works of the world declare the workman 31. How the miracles of heauen doe teach to know GOD. 33. In what manner the earth teacheth vs there is a God 34. Howe the Sea dooth wonderfully shewe there is a God 35. The parts of man in body and soule doe amply declare GOD. 36. The second Section Howe the Heathen prooued there was a God by theyr Phylosophie 38. The three argumēts of the natural Philosopher Ex motu ex fine Ex causa efficiente 39,40,41,42 The foure arguments of the Metaphisicke or supernatural Phylosopher The first ens finitū 44. The second that euery multitude or distinction of things proceedeth from some vnitie as from hys fountaine 46. The thyrde subordination of creatures in thys worlde 47. The fourth prouidence in making the verie least creature in the world 49. The fift immortalitie of the soule of man 52. And the meaning of olde Phylosophers touching Anima mundi 53. The three Arguments of the Morrall Phylosopher 1. How in the naturall inclination of man there is a dispositiō to cōfesse som God or Deitie 54. The reason why there can be but one God 56. All olde Phylosophers acknowledged one God 59. Cicero his opinion of the Panime Gods how they were made 60. 2. The second argument of Morrall Phylosophie de vltimo fine et summo hominis bono 61 Euery thing in this worlde hath a naturall desire to his ende 61. The contention of Phylosophers about the felicitie of man 63. Howe nothing in this life can be our felicitie page 64. Howe farre Morrall Phylosophie teacheth in determining mans felicitie 65. 3. The thyrd argument touching reward and punishment 66. The third Section How the Iewes were able to prooue God 68. Theyr first proofe of Scripture is antiquitie 70. The manner of writing authorising and conseruing the Scriptures the second proofe 72. Consideration of the particuler men that wrote them and their sinceritie the thyrd proofe 75. Consent and approbation of all later writers of the Bible that ensued after Moses the fourth proofe page 81. The subiect handled in the Scriptures with the ende whereto thy leuell the fift proofe 82. The
beastes doe water that commit all sinne all iniustice all turpitude without remorse or scruple of conscience what is the cause of this I say but lacke of consideration lacke of vnderstanding lacke of knowledge For as Christ said to Ierusalem touching her destruction si cognouisses et tu c. If thou also ô sinfull soule diddest know what hangeth ouer thy heade for this carelesse life of thine if thou daughter of Babilon wouldest remember and ponder in thy hart what shalbe the end of thy delights thou wouldest not liue so pleasantly as thou dost Nunc autem abscondita sunt ab occulis tuis But now saith Christ these things are hidden from thine eyes Not but that thou maist haue knowne them if thou wouldest but for that thou art one of them who say to God scientiam viarum tuarum nolumus wee will not haue vnderstanding of thy waies one of them qui sunt rebelles lumini that are rebellious against the light illumination of Gods grace one of them qui nolunt intelligere vt bene agant that will not vnderstande to doe well And finally one of them qui declinant aures ne audiant legem that turn away their eares to the end they may not heare Gods lawe quorum oratio est execrabilis whose not onely life but also prayer is execrable and detestable in the sight of their maker Truelie nothing in reason can be lesse tollerable in the presence of Gods maiestie then whereas he hath published a lawe vnto vs with so great charge to beare it in minde to ponder in hart to studie meditate vppon it both day night at home abroad at our vprising our downe lying to make it our cogitation our discourse our talk our exercise our rumination and our delight that wee should notwithstanding contemne the same as to make it no part of our thought but rather to flee the knowledge thereof as wee see most men of the world doe for not troubling theyr consciences But the holie Ghost hath layd down the reason hereof long agoe in these words Cum sit timida nequitia testimonium condemnationis For that wickednes in it selfe is alwaies fearfull it giueth witnes against it selfe of damnation whensoeuer it thinketh of the Lawe of God or of honestie So Felix the Gouernour of Iurie when S. Paule began to talke of iustice chastitie and Gods iudgements before him he was wonderfully afearde and said to Paule that hee shoulde depart for that time and that he would call for him afterwarde when occasion shold require But he neuer did and what was the cause for that as Iosephus testifieth hee was a wicked man and Drusilla his faire Ladie that was with him at Saint Paules speech was not his true Wife but taken by allurement and violence from another and therefore it offended thē both to heare preaching of chastitie This then is one principall cause why men of this world wil not enter into consideration of their own estate and of Gods commaundements least they shoulde reade and see their owne faultes and beare witnesse against themselues of theyr own condemnation Whereunto the Scripture annexeth another cause not farre vnlike to this which is that worldly men doe so drowne themselues in the cares and cogitations of this life as they leaue in their minds no place to thinke vppon Gods affayres which are the busines of theyr owne soules This expresseth Ieremie the Prophet most effectually when hauing made his complaint that notwithstanding his preaching crying in the Temple gate for long time together where all the people passed by him and heard him yet no man saith he would enter into consideration or say with himselfe what haue I doone and reason Omnes enim conuersi sunt ad cursum suum quasi equus impetu vadens ad praelium All men are sette vpon theyr own courses and waies and doe run in the same with as great vehemencie and fearce obstination as a furious armed horse when hee heareth the Trumpet in the beginning of a battaile By which comparison the holy Ghost expresseth very liuelie the irrecouerable state of a setled worldlie man that followeth greedilie his owne designments in the negotiation of earth These are two of the cheefe causes of inconsideration I meane wilfull mallice obstinate corruption in the vanities of this life And yet mentioneth the Scripture a thyrde sort also of inconsiderate men who neither of direct mallice nor yet of great occupation in worldly affaires doe neglect consideration but rather of a certaine lightnesse idle negligence for that they will not trouble their heads with any thing but disport and recreation of whom it is written aestimanerunt lusum esse vitam nostram They esteeme this life of ours to be but a play-game And in another place of the same men Ita securi viuunt quasi iustorum facta habeant They liue as securelie confidently without care and cogitation as if they had the good workes of iust men to stand for them But as the holie Ghost pronounceth in the same place hoc vanissimum this is vanitie and follie in the highest degree For as in things of this life he were but a foolish Merchant that for quietnesse sake would neuer looke into his account Booke whether he were behind hand or before and as that Shyppe-maister were greatly to be laughed at that for auoiding of care woulde sitte downe and make good cheere and let the shyp goe whether shee would so much more in the busines of our soule it is madnes and follie to flie consideration for eschewing of trouble seeing in the ende this negligence must needes turne vpon vs more trouble and irremediable calamitie For as Ieremie sayth to all such men in nouissimo die intelligitis ea in the ende of your dayes you shall not choose but knowe and see and vnderstand these things which now for delicacie you wyll not take the paynes to thinke of But when shall this be trow you he telleth plainly in the same place whē the furie of our Lorde shall come foorth as a whirle-wind and shall rush and rest vpon your heades as a tempest then shall you know and vnderstand these things It seemeth that the Babylonians were a people verie faultie in this point of consideration as all wealthie people are not onelie by that which before hath beene touched of the daughter of Babylon that woulde not consider her ending daies but also for that not long before the most terrible destruction of that great Cittie by the Medes Persians God cryed vnto her in these wordes My deerely beloued Babylon put aside the table and stand vpon thy watch ryse vp you Princes from eating drinking take your Targets in your hands goe and set a watchman vpon the walles whatsoeuer he seeeth let him tell you And then was there a
watchman set vpon the walles and a Lyon to denounce wyth open mouth whatsoeuer daunger hee sawe comming towards them And GOD taught the Prophet to cry in this sort to their Sentinell or watchman Custos quid de nocte custos quid de nocte Thou watchman what seest thou comming towards thee by night what espiest thou ô Sentinell drawing on vs in the darknesse By all which circumstaunce what els is insinuated but that God wold haue vs stand vpon our watch for that his iudgments are to come vpon the world by night when men least thinke thereof they are to come as a theefe at midnight as also in another place we are admonished and therefore happy is the man that shall be founde watchfull But nowe the doore and sole entraunce into thys watch whereof the securitie of our eternall life dependeth can be nothing els but consideration for that where no consideration is there can be no watch nor fore-sight nor knowledge of our estate and consequentlie no hope of saluation as holy S. Bernard holdeth which thing caused that blessed man to wryte fiue whole Bookes of consideration to Eugenius Consideration is the thing that bringeth vs to know GOD and our selues And touching God it layeth before vs his Maiestie his mercie his iudgments his commaundements his promises his threatnings his proceeding with other men before vs whereby wee may gather what wee also in time must expect at his hands And for our selues consideration the key that openeth the doore to the closet of our hart wher al our bookes of account doe lye it is the looking glasse or rather the very eye of our soule wherby she taketh the view of herself looketh into all her whole estate into her riches her debts her dueties her negligeÌ„ces her good gifts hir defects her safety hir danger hir way she walketh in her course she followeth her pace she holdeth and finally the place ende whereunto she draweth And without this coÌ„sideration she runneth on headlong into a thousand brakes and bryers stumbling at euery steppe into some one inconuenience or other and continually in perrill of some great deadly mischiefe And wonderfull truely it is that in all other busines of this life men can see and confesse that nothing may be begunne prosecuted or well ended without consideration yet in this great affayre of winning heauen or falling into hell fewe thinke consideration greatly necessarie to be vsed I might stand heere to shew the infinite other effects and commodities of consideration as that it is the watch or larum bel that stirreth vppe and awaketh all the powers of our minde the match or tynder that conceiueth and nourisheth the fire of deuotion the bellowes that enkindeleth and inflameth the same the spurre that pricketh forwarde to all vertuous zealous and heroycall actes and the thing indeed that giueth both light life and motion to our soule Our fayth is confirmed and increased by consideration of Gods workes and miracles our hope by consideration of his promises of the true performaunce thereof to all them that euer trusted in him our charitie or loue to God by consideration of his benefits and innumerable deserts towards vs our humilitie by consideration of his greatnes of our owne infirmitie our courage and fortitude by contemplation of his assistaunce in al causes for his honor our contempt of the world by consideration of the ioyes of heauen eternall and so all other vertues both morrall and diuine doe take their heate quickning and vitall spirit from consideration By the exercise of consideration and meditation holy Dauid saith that he felt a burning fire to flame within his breast that is the fire of zeale the fire of feruour in Religion the fire of deuotion the fire of loue towards God and his neighbour And in anoplace he saith that by the same exercise hee swept and purged his owne spirit which is to be vnderstoode from the duste of this world from the dregges of sinne from the contamination and coinquination of humaine creatures for that consideration indeed is the verie fan that seuereth and driueth awaie the chaffe from the corne For which cause wee shall neuer reade of any holy man from the beginning of the worlde neyther before Christ nor after who vsed not much familiarlie this most blessed exercise of consideration pondering And for the first three Patriarches it shall be sufficient to remeÌ„ber the custome of young Isaac recorded in Genesis Which was to goe forth towards night into the fieldes ad meditandum that is to meditate consider and ponder vppon the workes iudgments and commaundements of GOD. And thys hee did beeing yet but a childe and vnmarried farre different from the custome of young Gentlemen nowe adaies who frequent the fieldes to follow their vanities and as lyttle Isaac could not haue this custome but from his Father Abraham so no doubt but hee taught the same to his sonne Iacob Iacob againe to his posteritie And as for Moses and his successor Iosua it may easilie be imagined howe they vsed this exercise by the most earnest exhortations which they made thereof to others in their speech and wrytings The good kings of Iuda also notwithstanding their manie great temporall aâ—faires do testifie of themselues concerning this exercise as Dauid almost euery where that the commaundements of God were his dailie meditation not onely by day and that tota die all the day et per singulos dies euery day in matutino in the morning et septies in die seauen times a day but also hee insinnuateth this custome by night meditatus sum nocte cum corde meo I doe meditate by night in my hart vpon thy commaundements ô Lord signifying here by both his watchfulnesse by night when other men were a sleepe and the hartie care that he had of this exercise which we esteem so little Salomon also King Dauids sonne so long as hee liued in the grace and fauour of God obserued this exercise of his Father and exhorteth other men to haue continuall daily cogitation in this affaire Which if himselfe had continued still it is likely hee had neuer fallen from God by women as he did The good King Ezechias is reported to haue meditated like a Doue that is in silence solitarinesse with himselfe alone which is the true way of profitable meditation Esay testifieth of his own watching by night in this exercise and howe he did the same with his spirit alone in the very bowels of his hart Holie Iob maketh mention not onelie of his manner of considering but what also hee considered and what effect he found in him selfe by the same First hee considered as I sayde the wayes foote-steppes and commaundements of GOD then his dreadfull power to wit howe no man was able to auert or turne away his
cogitation but that his soule did what it pleased by this saith he cōsiderans eum timore sollicitor I am made sollicitous or watchfull with feare vvhen I doe consider him In which wordes hee insinuateth two most excellent effects of consideration First the feare of God of which it is written salutis thesaurus timor Domini the feare of God is the treasure of saluation and the seconde that by this feare hee was made sollicitous watchfull and dilligent in Gods seruice of which the Prophet Micheas saith thus I will tell thee O man what is good what our Lord requireth at thy hands to wit to doe iudgment and loue mercie and to walke sollicitous and watchfull with thy God But thou ô holie and blessed man Iob did this exercise of consideration bring forth in thee so great feare and terror of God and so carefull watchfulnesse for obseruing hys commaundements nowe I see wel the cause why thou writest of thy selfe that thou diddest doubt and feare all thy workes and actions were they neuer so circumspect But what shall wee say nowe adayes most happie Saint who doe not doubt so much as our owne disolute carelesse and immoderate actions who feele no terror of God at all nor doe vse any one iote of watchfulnesse in obseruing his commaundements truelie thys proceedeth of nothing else but of inconsideration it proceedeth of lacke of knowledge both of God and of our selues For doubtlesse if we knowe either of these two things aright as indeede neither of them can bee well vnderstood without the other it could not be but that many of vs wold change our wrong courses O mercifull Lord what sinfull man in the world would liue as he doth if he knew eyther thee or himselfe as hee shoulde doe I meane if hee considered what thou art and what thou hast beene to other that liued and continued in sinne as he doth Not without great cause cryed so often and earnestlie to thee that holy Doctor of thy Church for obtayning of these two poynts at thy hands vt cognoscam te vt cognoscam me that I may knowe thee and that I may knowe my selfe sayth he that is that I may consider feele the true knowledge heereof for manie men doe know but with little commoditie We knowe and beleeue in grosse the misteries of our fayth that there is a God which rewardeth good and euill that hee is terrible in his counsels vpon the sonnes of men that there is a hell for sinners a heauen for good liuers a most dreadfull day of iudgment to come a strayte account to be demaunded the like All this wee knowe and beleeue in generall as merchandise wrapped vppe together in a bundle But for that wee vnfolde not these thinges nor rest vpon them in particuler for that we let them not downe into our hearts nor doe ruminate on them with leysure and attention for that we chew thē not well in mind by deepe consideration nor doe digest them in hart by the heate of meditation they remaine with vs as a sword in hys scaberde and doe helpe vs as little vnto good life for which they were reuealed as a preseruatiue in our pocket neuer aplyed can helpe our health We beare the generall knowledge of these misteries locked vppe in our breastes as sealed bagges of treasure that we neuer tolde nor opened and consequentlie we haue neither feeling sence or motion thereby euen as a man may carrie fire about hym in a flynt stone without heate and perfumes in a pommander without smel except the one be beaten and the other chafed All standeth then good Reader in thys one poynt for direction of our selues in this life for reaping benefite by the misteries of our fayth and Religion that wee alot our selues time to meditate ponder and consider what these things doe teach vs. For as the sicke man that had most excellent remedies and precious potions sette before him could expect no profit or ease thereby if he onely did looke vppon them or smelled thē or tooke them into his mouth alone or shold cast them foorth of his stomacke againe before they were setled or had time to worke theyr operation euen so is it in thys case of ours And therefore with great reason sayde Saint Paule to Timothie after he had taught him a long lesson Haec meditare meditate consider and ponder vppon these thinges which I haue shewed you as if in other speeches hee had sayde all that hetherto I haue tolde you or wrytten for your instruction and all that euer you haue hearde or learned besides will auaile you nothing for your saluation except you meditate and ponder vppon the same and doe sucke out the iuyce thereof by often consideration Wherefore to conclude this chapter my deere and welbeloued brother for that consideration is so precious and profitable so needeful and necessarie a thing as hath been declared I thought it conuenient in thys first fronte and enteraunce of my Booke to place the mention and dilligent recommendation thereof as a thing most requisite for all that ensueth For without consideration neyther this that I haue sayd already nor any thing els that shall or may be sayd hereafter can yeeld thee profit as by most lamentable experience we see daily in the worlde where many millions of mē passe ouer their whole age without taking profit of so manie good Bookes so many preachings so many vertuous examples so many terrible chastisemēts of GOD vpon sinners which euery where they see before theyr face But yet for that they wyl not or haue not leisure or dare not or haue no grace to enter into consideration thereof they passe ouer all as sicke men doe pylles diuerting as much as they may bothe theyr eyes cogitations from all such matters as are vngratefull vnto them But as good Ieremie saith the tyme wyll come when they shall be enforced to see knowe and consider these things when perhaps it will be too late to reape any comfort or consolation therby Wherfore deere brother that which perforce thou must doe in time to come and that perchaunce to thy greater damnation I meane to enter into consideration of thyne owne estate doe that nowe willingly to thy comfort and consolation for preparing the way to thy saluation Preuent the day and redeeme the time according to S. Paules wyse counsell run not headlong wyth the world to perdition stay som time as holy Ieremie admonisheth thee and say to thy selfe what doe I whether doe I goe what course hold I what shal be my ende Take some time from thy pleasures from the company of thy pleasant friends to doe this although it be with losse of some pastime and recreation for I assure thee it wyll recompence it selfe in the ende and make thee merry when thy laughing friends shall weepe The effect of all the considerations that
ensue is rightly to knowe GOD for by knowing him we shall know our selues and all thinges els which are necessray for vs to know and without knowing him al knowledge in the world is vanitie and meere follie Haec est vita aeterna sayth Christ to hys Father vt te cognoscant solum Deum verum et quem misisti Iesum Christum Thys is lyfe euerlasting that men knowe thee which art onely true God and Iesus Christ whoÌ„ thou hast sent Gods nature and essence we cannot know in this life but the onely meane to knowe God in this worlde is to knowe his Maiestie to know his mercie to know his iustice to know his iudgments to know his hatred to sinne his fauour to the good his benefits and promises to all his grace his threates his wayes his commandements his dealings towardes other men before vs all which things the considerations following do sette before our eyes and consequently they doe teach vs to knowe God aright Reade then therefore deere brother with attention and remember the wordes that God vseth to vs all vacate videte quoniam ego sum Deus Take leysure and consider that I am a God It must not be doone in haste nor as the fashion is for curiositie onelie to reade three or foure leaues in one place and so in another but it must be doone with such serious attention as appertaineth to so great a businesse which in trueth is the weightiest that possible vnder heauen may be taken in hand It is the busines whereof Christ meant especiallie when he sayde vnum est necessarium one onely thing is necessarie For that all other things in this worlde are but tryfles to this and this alone of it selfe of more importance then they all THAT THERE IS A GOD VVHICH REVVARDETH GOOD AND euill against all Atheists of old and of our tyme. With the proofes alledged for the same both by Iewe and Gentile CHAP. II. IT is a thing both coÌ„mon and ordinary in sciences arts wheÌ„ they are learned or deliuered by other to suppose dyuers poynts pâ—inciples and to passe them ouer without proofe as eyther knowne before to the learner or els so manifest easie and euident of themselues as they neede no other proofe but onely declaration So when wee take in hande to instruct a man in chyualrie or feates of armes we doe suppose that hee knoweth before were hee neuer so rude what a man what a horse what armour what fighting meaneth as also that warre is lawfull and expedient in diuers causes that Princes of the worlde may wage the same that souldiers haue to liue in order and dyscipline vnder theyr regiment and that Kings for this cause doe holde their Generals Lieutenants Coronels Captaines and other like officers in theyr bandes garrisons campes and armies In manuall artes and occupations likewise it is euident that diuers thinges must be presupposed to be foreknowne by the learner as in husbandry or agriculture in building in painting and other such exercises when a man is to be taught or instructed it were not conuenient for the teacher to stand vppon euerie poynt or matter that appertayneth to the same but must leaue passe ouer many things as apparent of them selues or easily to be discerned of euery learner by nature sence reason or common experience But yet in liberall sciences and professions of learning is this more apparent where not onely such common and vulgare poynts are to be presumed without proofe or dyscourse but also certaine propositions are to be graunted in the beginning as groundes whereupon to builde all the rest that ensueth So the Logitian for example wil haue you yeelde ere hee enter with you that contradictorie propositions cannot be together either false or true neyther that one thing may be affirmed and denied of another in one and the selfe same respect and time The Morall Phylosopher will haue you graunt at the beginning that there is both good and euill in mens actions and that the one is to be followed and the other refused The Naturall Phylosopher wil haue you confesse that all physicall bodies which depende of nature haue motion in themselues and are subiect to alterations and what soeuer is mooued is mooued of another The Mathematique at his first enterance will demaund your assent that euerie whole is bigger then his parts as also the Metaphysique or supernaturall Phylosopher that nothing can be and not be at one time And so other such like principles and common groundes in these and al other sciences are to be demaunded graunted and agreed vpon at the beginning for the better pursute establishment of that which hath to followe beeing thinges in themselues as you see eyther by nature common sence or experience most cleere and manifest And is not this also in Diuinitie trowe you and in the affayres that we haue now in hande yes truelie if wee beleeue S. Paulâ— who wryteth thus to the Hebrues Credâ—â— oportet accedentem ad Deum quia est et inquâ—rentibus se remunerator sit He that is in comming towards God must beleeue that then is a GOD and that he is a rewarder of sucâ— as seeke him Beholde heere two principles wherein a man must be resolued before heâ— can seeke or draw neere vnto God The one that there is a GOD and the other that thâ— same God is iust to rewarde euerie man according to his deserts Which two principles or general ground are so euident indeede of their own natures and so ingraffed by Gods own hand into the minde and vnderstanding of euerie perticuler man at his natiuitie according to the saying of the Prophet the light of thy countâ—naunce is sealed vpon vs O Lorde that were not the tymes we liue in too-too wicked the shamelesse induration of sinners intollerable we should not neede to stande vppoâ— the proofe of these poynts for confirmatioâ— of our cause that wee nowe intreate of resolution but rather supposing and assuring our selues that no reasonable creature liuing could doubt of these principles should pursue onely the consideration of other things that might stir vp our wils to performancâ— of our dueties towardes this God that hath created vs and remaineth to pay our reward at the ende But for so much as iniquitie hath so aduaunced her selfe at this daie in the harts of manie as not onely to contemne and offend their maker but also to denie him for patronage of their euill life and for extinguishing the worme of their owne afflicted and most miserable consciences I am enforced before all other things to discouer this fond and foule error of theirs and to remooue also this refuge of desperate iniquity by shewing the inuincible veritie of these two principles the one depending of the other in such sorte as the first beeing proued the second hath of necessitie to follow For
Maiestie nothing so high that descendeth not to teach vs this veritie It were a labour without ende to goe about in this place to alledge what might be be said in the proofe of this principle that there is a GOD seeing there was neuer yet learned man in the world eyther Gentile or other that acknowledged and confirmed not the same beeing driuen thereunto by the manifest euidence of the trueth it selfe If you obiect against me Diagoras Protagoras Theodorus Cyrenensis Bion Borysthines Epicurus and some fewe others that were open Atheists denied God I aunswere that some of these were vtterly vnlearned and rather sensual beastes then reasonable men and consequently might denie any thing according to the saying of holie Dauid the foole saide in his hart there is no God Others that had some smack of learning rather iested at the falshoode of theyr owne Panisme idoles then denied the being of one true God But the most part of these men indeede and such others as in olde time were accounted Atheists denied not GOD so much in wordes as in life and facts such as S. Paule called Atheists in his daies that obeied their bellies and followed their pleasures in sinne and sensualitie not vouchsafing to think of God in this life such was the Epicure and manie other are at this day of his profession but yet as Lactantius well noteth when the same men came to be sober and speake of iudgment as at theyr death or other time of distresse and miserie they were as readie to confesse GOD as any other whatsoeuer But for learned men and people of dyscretion sobrietie and iudgement there was neuer yet any were he Iewe or Gentile that doubted in this veritie but had meanes of probations to confirme the same as more particulerlie in the rest of this Chapter shall be declared Howe the Heathen prooued there was a GOD. SECT 2. AMong the Gentiles or Heathen people those men were alwaies of most credite and estimation that professed the loue of wisedome for that respect were tearmed Phylosophers Who being deuided into diuers sorts sectes had foure principal sciences whereof they made profession each one of these hauing other lower scienâ—es comprehended vnder it The first of these foure is called Natural phylosophie the second Morral the third Supernatural or Metaphysick the fourth Mathematique And for the first three they haue each one theyr proper meanes and peculier proofes whereby to conuince that there is a GOD. The fourth which is the Mathematique for that it hath no consideration at all of the efficient or finall cause of thinges vnder which two respects and consideration onely God may be knowne declared to men in this world therefore this science hath no proper meane peculier to it selfe for prouing this veritie as the other sciences haue but receiueth the same as borrowed of the former THE NATVRAL PHYLOSOPHER THE Naturall Phylosopher among the Gentiles had infinite argumeÌ„ts to proue by the creatures that there was a God but all he reduced to three principall and general heads which he termed ex Motu ex Fine ex Causa efficiente That is arguments drawn from the Motions from the Endes and from the Cause efficient of creatures that wee behold which termes the examples folowing shall make cleere and manifest The argument of Motion standeth vpon this generall ground in phylosophie that what soeuer is mooued is mooued of another Wherein also is obserued that in the motions of creatures there is a subordination the one to the other As for example these inferiour bodies vpon earth are mooued and altered by the ayre and other elements and the elements are moued by the influence and motion of the Moone Sunne and other heauenly bodies these Plannets againe are mooued from the highest Orbe or Sphere of all that is called the first moueable aboue which wee can goe no further among creatures Nowe then asketh the Phylosopher here who moueth this first moueable for if you say that it mooueth it selfe it is against our former ground that nothing is mooued in nature but of another And if you say that some other thing mooueth it then is the question againe who mooueth that other and so from one to one vntill you come to some thing that moueth and is not mooued of an other and that must be God which is aboue all nature This was the common argument of Plato and of Aristotle and of all the best Phylosophers And they thought it a demoÌ„stration vnauoidable and it seemeth they were admonished of this argument by consideraon of the clock whose hammer when it striketh sheweth the next wheele whereby it is moued and that wheele sheweth to another wheele and so from one to one vntill you come to him that was the first cause of motion to all the wheeles that is to the Clock-maker himselfe Aristotle to King Alexander vseth this pretie similitude That as in a Quyar of singers when the fore-man hath giuen the first tune or note there insueth presently a sweet harmonie and consent of all other voices both great and small sharpe and meane so God in the creation of this worlde hauing giuen once the first pushe or motion to the highest heauen called Primum mobile there insueth vpon the same all other motions of heauens planets elements other bodies in most admirable order concorde and congruetie for conseruation and gouernment of the whole And thus is GOD prooued by the argument of motion The other two arguments of the End and of the Cause efficient of creatures are made euident in a certaine manner by this that hath beene spoken of motion For seeing by experience that euerie thing brought foorth in nature hath a peculier ende appointed whereto it is directed by the selfe same nature as we see the bird is directed to builde her nest by nature the Foxe to make his denne and so the like in all other creatures the Phylosopher asketh heere what thing is that which directeth nature her selfe seeing each thing must haue somewhat to direct it to his ende And no aunswere can be made but that the Director of Nature must bee some thing aboue nature which is God himselfe This argument of the finall Ende is most excellently handled by Philo Iudeus in his learned treatise of the worke-manship of the world From the Cause efficient the Phylosopher disputeth thus It is euident by all reason in respect of the corruptions alterations perpetuall motions of all creatures that thys worlde had a beginning and all excellent Phylosophers that euer were haue agreed thereupon except Aristotle for a time who held a fantasie that the world had no beginning but was from all eternitie albeit at last in his old age he confessed the contrarieâ— in his booke to King Alexander This then beeing so that this world had a beginning it must needes followe also
that it had an efficient Cause Now then is the questioÌ„ who is that Efficient cause that made the world if you say that it made it selfe it is absurd for howe coulde it haue power to make it selfe before it selfe was before it had any being at al If you say that som thing within the world made the worlde that is that some one part of the worlde made the whole this is more absurde for it is as if a man should say that the finger this before it was a finger or part of the bodie dyd make the whole bodie Wherefore we must confesse by force of this argument that a greater and more excellent thing then is the whole worlde put together or then any part thereof made the world was the Cause efficient of the frame that we see and this can be nothing els but God that is aboue the world So that heerby we see howe many waies the Naturall Phylosopher is fraught with arguments to proue there is a God that by reason onely without all light or assistaunce of fayth THE METAPHISIQVE AND HIS ARGVMENTS BVt the Metaphysicke or Supernaturall Phylosopher among the Gentiles as hee to whom it appertained most in speciall to handle these high and supernaturall affaires had manie more arguments and demonstrations to proue conuince the being of one God And first of all he saide that it could not stande with any possibilitie in his science that ens finitum a thing finite or closed with in boundes and limits as this worlde and euerie creature therin is could be but from some Maker or Creator For saith hee the thing that in it selfe is not infinite hath hys boundes and limits and consequentlie there must be some thing that assigned these boundes limits And seeing in this world there is no creature so great which hath not boundes and limits wee must of necessitie imagine some infinite supreame Creator or Maker that limitted these creatures euen as we see that the Potter at his pleasure giueth boundes and limits to the potte that he frameth This argument the Metaphysicke confirmeth by a ruled principle in his science that euerie thing which is by participation must be reduced and referred to some other thing that is not by participation but of it selfe And he calleth a thing by participation which is not in the fullest or highest degree of perfection in his kinde but may haue addition made vnto it As for example water or any thing else that is heated by the fire is hote by participation and not of it selfe for that it may alwaies be hoter and haue addition of heate made vnto it But fire is hoâ—e of it selfe and not by participation for that it hath heat in the highest degree and in that kind can receaue no addition wherefore the heate of all other thinges which are hote by participation of fire are reduced concerning theyr heate to the heate of fire as to theyr originall Nowe then saith the Metaphysick wee see by experience that all the creatures and parts of this world are things by participation onely for that they are infinite in nature and haue limitations in all theyr perfections and may receiue additions to the same and consequentlie they must of necessitie be referred to some higher cause that is infinite in perfection and consisteth of it selfe alone without participation from others and this is God who beeing absolute endlesse and without all limitation of perfection in himselfe deriueth from his owne incomprehensible infinitnesse certaine limitted natures perfections to euerie creature which perfections is creatures are nothing els but lyttle particles and participations of the bottomlesse sea of perfections in the Creator whervnto they are to be referred and reduced as the beame to the Sunne and the brooke to the Fountaine A seconde argument vseth the Metaphysicke grounded vpon certain rules of vnitie whereof one principall is that euerie multitude or distinction of thinges proceedeth from some vnitie as froÌ„ his fountaine This he sheweth by many examples of thinges in thys worlde For wee see by experience that the diuers motions or moouing of the lower Spheres or bodies celestiall doe proceede of the moouing of one highest sphere and are to be referred to the same as to theyr fountaine Many Riuers are reduced to one well or of-spring innumerable beames to one Sunne and all the boughes of a tree to one stocke In the bodie of Man which for his beautie and varietie is called the little world the veines which are without number haue all one beginning in the liuer the arteres in the hart the sinnowes in the braine And that which is more the infinite actions of life sence and reason in man as generations corruptions nourishments digestions and alterations feeling smelling tasting seeing hearing moouing speaking thinking remembring discoursing and tenne hundreth thousand particuler actions operations and motions besides which are exercised in mans body vnder these or other such names and appellations all these I say beeing infinite in number most admirable in order and distinct in euerie theyr office and operation do receiue notwithstanding their beginning from one most simple vnitie and indiuisible substaunce called the soule which produceth gouerneth and directeth them all to so innumerable different and contrarie functions By this concludeth the Metaphysick that as among the creatures wee finde thys most excellent order and connexion of thinges whereby one bringeth foorth manie and euerie multitude is referred to his vnitie so much more in all reason must the whole frame of creatures contained in this worlde wherein there are so many millions of multitudes wyth their vnities be referred to one most simple and abstract vnitie that gaue beginning to them all and this is GOD. A thirde argument vseth the Metaphysicke deriued from the subordination of creatures in this world which subordination is such and so wonderfull as wee see no creature by nature serueth it selfe but another altogether doe conspire in seruing the common Wee see the heauens doe mooue about continuallie without ceasing and thys not to serue themselues but inferiour creatures lesse excellent then themselues We see that water moysteneth the ground the ayre cooleth openeth and cherisheth the same the Sunne heateth and quickeneth it the Moone and Starres poure foorth theyr influence the windes refresh it and all thys not for themselues but for other The earth againe that receiueth these seruices vseth not the same for herselfe or for her own commoditie but to bring foorth grasse wherewith to feede Cattaile and they feede not for themselues but to giue nourishment vnto man Nowe then sayth the Metaphysick if a man that stoode a farre off vppon a mountaine should see in a field vnder him a great huge and mayne Armie of souldiers most excellent well appointed each one in order agreeing with the other deuided into ranks Squadrons Companies and offices subordinate the one to
the other by degrees and yet all tending one way all theyr faces bent vpon one place all moouing marching and turning together all endeuouring with alacritie towards the performance of one coÌ„mon seruice by mutuall assistance wythout discention discorde difference or clamour he that shoulde see this saith the Metaphysicke as he could not but imagine some generall high Captaine to bee among these souldiers whom all obeyed and from whose supreame commaundement and order thys most excellent subordination agreement vnion proceeded so much more vpon consideration of the former coherence consent and miraculous subordination of creatures among themselues in theyr operations must we inferre that they haue som general commaunder ouer them all by whose supreame disposition each creature hath his charge peculier taske appointed which hee must performe for the common and vniuersal seruice of the whole The fourth reason or argument alledged by the Supernaturall Phylosopher is of the meruailous prouidence arte and wisedome discouered in the making of euery least creature within the worlde For seeing there is nothing so little nothing so base or contemptible within the compasse of this heauen that couereth vs but if you consider it you finde both arte order proportion beautie excellencie in the same this cannot proceede of fortune as foolish Lucretius and some other would haue it for that fortune is casualtie without order rule or certaintie and therefore needes it must come from the wisdome and prouidence of some omnipotent Creator If you take a flye or a flea or a leafe from a tree or any other the least creature that is extant in the worlde and consider the same attentiuelie you shall finde more miracles then parts therein you shall find such proportion of members such varietie of colours such distinction of offices such correspondence of instruments and those so fit so wel framed so coherent and so subordinate as the more ye contemplate the more yee shall meruaile neyther is there any one thing in the world more effectuall to draw a man to the loue and admiration of his Creator then to exercise himselfe often in this contemplation for if his heart be not of stone thys will moue his affection We read of Galen a prophane very irreligious Phisitian who as himselfe coÌ„fesseth in a certaine place taking vpon him to consider of the parts of mans bodie and finding much wisedome in the order vse and disposition of the same sought first to gyue the prayse and glorie therof to nature or to some other cause then to God But in processe of tyme beeing oppressed as it were with the exceeding great wysedom cunning and prouidence which he discouered in euerie least parcell and particle of mans bodie wherein nothing was redundant nothing defectiue nothing possible to be added altered or better deuised he bâ—ake forth into these words Compono hic profecto canticum in Creatoris nostri laudem quod vltrares suas ornare voluit melius quam vlla arte possent Here truelie doe I make a song in the prayse of our Creator for that of his owne accorde it hath pleased him to adorne and beautifie his thinges better then by any arte possible it could be imagined Heereby then doth the Metaphysick gather and conclude most euidently that there is a GOD a Creator a most wise powrful artificer that made all things such a one as exceedeth all boundes of nature of humaine habilitie For if all the worlde shoulde ioyne together they coulde not make the least creature which wee see in this worlde He concludeth also that the fore-sight and prouidence of this Creator is infinite for things to come in all eternitie finally that his wysedome and cogitations are inscrutable And albeit sometime he reueale vnto vs some part thereof yet often againe wee erre therein For which cause a wyse Heathen Platonick concludeth thus after long search about these affayres I will prayse God saith he in those things I vnderstand and I wyll admyre him in those thinges which I vnderstand not For I see that my selfe oftentimes doe things wherein my seruaunts are blinde and conceiue no reason As also I haue seene little children cast into the fire Iewels of great price their fathers writings of great learning and wysedome for that they were not of capacitie to vnderstand the value and worthines of the thing One argument more will I alledge of the Metaphysicke grounded vpon the immortalitie of mans soule which immortalitie is proued with one consent of all learned men as Plato alledgeth for that it is a spirit and immateriall substance whose nature dependeth not of the state of our mortall bodie for so by experience wee see dailie that in olde men and wythered sickly bodies the minde and soule is more quicke cleere pregnant and liuely then it was in youth when the bodie was most lustie The same is also proued by the vnquenchable desire which our minde hath of learning knowledge wysedome and other such spirituall and immateriall things wherin her thyrst by nature is so great as it cannot be satis-fied in thys life neyther can the obiects of sence and bodily pleasures or any other coÌ„moditie or delight of this materiall world content or satiate the restlesse desire of thys immateriall creature Which is an euident argument to the Phylosopher that some other obiect contentation is prepared for her in another world and that of such excellencie and supereminent perfection as it shall haue in it all wisedome all learning all knowledge all beautie and all other causes of loue ioy and contentation wherein our soule may rest for euer Thys beeing so saith the Phylosopher that the soule and minde of man is immortall of necessitie it must insue that an immortall Creator sent the same into our bodies and that to him againe it must returne after her departure from this life here Thys was the true meaning indeed how soeuer some later interpreters haue mis-understood the same of that auncient doctrine of olde Phylosophers which Plutarch alledgeth out of Pythagoras and Plato affirming that all particuler soules of men came sent from one generall common soule of the whole worlde as sparcles from the fire and beames from the common Sunne and that after theyr seperation from their bodies they shal returne againe to that generall soule called anima mundi the soule of the worlde for that it giueth life and beeing to the worlde and so to remaine with that generall soule eternallie Thys was the doctrine of olde Phylosophers which seemeth indeed to haue beene nothing els though deliuered in other speeches but that which Salomon himselfe affirmeth in plainer wordes et spiritus redibit ad Deum qui dedit illum and our soule or spirit shall returne to God that gaue it vnto vs. And thys may suffise for a taste of that which the Metaphysicke or Supernaturall Phylosopher can say
totall weale or woe that must befall vs and possesse vs for euer Which ground and veritie if it be so certaine and euident as before hath beene shewed by all reason and proofe both diuine and humaine and that the matter be so testified proclaimed vnto vs by all the creatures of heauen earth and by the mouth writing of our Creator himselfe as no ignoraunce or blindnesse can excuse the same no slothfulnesse dissemble it no wickednesse denie it what remaineth then but to consider with our selues what seruice thys GOD requireth at our hands what gratitude what duetie what honour for our creation to the end that as we haue proued him a most bountifull Creator so we may finde him a propitius Iudge and munificent rewarder For it is not probable that his diuine Maiestie which hath appointed euery other creature to some action for hys owne glorie as hath beene declared at large before should leaue man-kind onely which is the worthiest of all the rest without obligation to his seruice In which one poynt notwithstanding though neeuer so cleere such is the fondnes of our corrupt nature without Gods holie grace fayled those auncient wise men of the worlde of whom S. Paule speaketh so much in hys Epistle to the Romans taking compassion of theyr case and calling them fooles and all theyr great learning and Phylosophie meere fondnesse for that whereas by the meanes before mentioned they came to knowe God they did not seeke to glorifie him as appertained vnto God nor yet did render him due thankes but vanished awaie in their cogitations c. That is they tooke no profite by thys knowledge of theyrs but applied theyr cogitations vpon the vanities of thys world more then vpon the honor seruice of thys theyr God For which cause as S. Paule adioyneth presentlie in the same place that for somuch as they did thus and did not shewe foorth by theyr life and works that they had the knowledge of God indeede God deliuered them ouer to a reprobate sense suffered them to fall into horrible sinnes which S. Paul doth name detest in all that chapter finally concludeth that their euerlasting perdition ensued principally vpon this one point that wheras they knew the iustice of God by all the waies and arguments that before haue been declared yet woulde they not vnderstand saith he that death was due to all such which liued wickedly as they did And the same Apostle vpon consideration of these matters wherein hee standeth long for the importaunce thereof pronounceth in fine thys general sentence with great asseueration and vehemencie of spirit that the wrath of God is reuealed from heauen vpon all impietie and iniustice of those men who holde the knowledge of God in vnrighteousnesse That is who beeing indued with the knowledge of God doe liue notwithstanding vnrighteouslie or as hee saide before doe consume theyr daies in vanitie nor making account of the seruice which they doe owe to that God for theyr creation and other benefits Which thing if S. Paule might truelie say to those Gentiles before hys time who had onely natural knowledge and vnderstanding of God that is so much as by his creatures was to be gathered what may or shall be said vnto vs who haue not only that light of nature which they had but also the wrytinges and lawe of God himselfe communicated specially vnto the Iewes and aboue that also haue heard the voice of his onely sonne vpon earth and haue receiued the doctrine of his most holie Gospell yet doe liue as negligentlie manie of vs as did the very Heathens touching good life and vertue Surely in this case I must denounce against my selfe that if it be true as it cannot bee false which thys blessed Apostle affyrmeth here of these Heathen Phylosophers that by that little knowledge they had of God they were made inexcusable then by the most iust and certayne rule of Christ layde downe by S. Luke cui multum datum est multum quaeretur ab eo that of euery man which hath receiued much a great account shall be taken for the same we are forced to infer that our account shall be the greater and our selues much more inexcusable before hys diuine maiestie then the very Gentiles Heathens are if after all our knowledge and manifest vnderstanding of hys God-head and iustice we vanish away in our cogitations as they did and as the most part of the world at this day are seene to doe that is if we apply our cogitations and cares about the vaine affaires of this temporall life and transitorie commodities which wee shoulde bestowe vppon the seruice and honour of thys our Lord and Creator OF THE FINAL END AND CAVSE WHIE MAN WAS CREATED BY GOD and placed in thys world And of the obligation he hath therby to attend to the affaire for which he came hether CHAP. III. BY the Chapter precedent I nothinge doubt gentle Reader but if thou haue seene perused the same thou remainest sufficiently informed of thy Creator Now followeth it by order of good consequence that we consider wyth some attention for that it standeth vs much vpon what intent and purpose God had in creating vs and thys world for our sakes in placing vs therein as Lordes of the same By the former considerations wee haue learned that as among other creatures nothing made it selfe so nothing was made for it self nor to serue it selfe The heauens wee see do serue the ayre the ayre serueth the earth the earth serueth the beastes the beasts serue man then is the question who man was made to serue for in him also holdeth the former reason that seeing hee was not made by himselfe it is not likely that he was made to serue himfelfe If we cōsult with the scriptures heerin we find a generall sentence layd down with out exception Vniuersa propter semetipsum operatus est Dominus the lord hath made al things for himself And if all then man no doubt who is not the least of the rest which hee hath made And hereby it commeth to passe that man cannot be said to be free or at hys owne appointment or dysposition in thys worlde but obliged to performe that thing for which hee was sent into this habitation Which poynt holy Iob declareth plainely in a certaine inuectiue that he maketh against such men as were carelesse and negligent in consideration of thys affayre A vaine man saith he is lifted vp in pride thinketh himself to be borne as free as the colt of a wild Asse That is he thinketh himselfe bounde to nothing subiect to nothing accountable for nothing that he doth in thys life but onelie borne free to passe hys time in disport and pleasure as a Colt in a desert that hath no Maister to tame him Which in other words the Wiseman vttereth thus Hee esteemeth this
life of ours to be but a plai-game and therfore careth not how he liueth or wherein he spend and passe ouer the time And thys of the man whom the scripture calleth vaine But now for the sober wise and discreet of whom it is written The way of life is vpon the learned to the end he may decline from the lowest hell they are farre from so great folly as to imagine that no account shalbe demaūded of our beeing in thys worlde for that they haue read that God shall bring into iudgment whatsoeuer is doone for euerie faulte that is committed And the Christian man knoweth further by the mouth and asseueration of hys Sauiour and Redeemer that he shall be accountant for euery idle worde that hee mys-vttereth and finally there is no man that is eyther of reason or conuersant in the writings and Testament of his Creator but remembreth well that among all other irritations whereby the wicked man is saide to prouoke Gods patience to indignatiō none is more often repeated or more greeuously taken then that he said in his hart God will aske no account With these men then alone shall be my speech in thys present Chapter who haue a desire to discharge well thys account For attayning whereof truelie I can giue no better counsaile instruction or aduise then to doe in this case as a good Merchant-factor is wont to doe when he arriueth in forraine Countries or as a Souldiour or Captaine sent by his Prince to some great exployt is accustomed when he commeth to the place appointed that is to weigh consider deeplie for what cause he came thether why he was sent to what ende what to attempt what to prosecute what to performe what shall be expected and required at his hands vpon his returne by him that sent him thether For these cogitations no doubt shall styrre him vppe to attende to that for which he came and not to imploy hys tyme in impertinent affayres The like woulde I counsayle a Christian to put in vre concerning the case proposed and to demaunde of himselfe betweene God and his conscience why and wherefore and to what ende hee was created and sent hether into thys world what to doe wherein to bestowe hys daies c. And then shall he finde that for no other cause matter or end but only to serue God in thys life and by that seruice to enioy heauen and saluation in the life to come This was the condition of our creation as Moses well expresseth and this was the consideration of our redeeming fore-told by Zacharie before we were yet redeemed that wee beeing deliuered from the hands of our enemies should serue God in holines and righteousnesse all the daies of our liues Of thys consideration doe ensue two consequents to be obserued Whereof the fyrst is that seeing our ende and finall cause of being in thys worlde is to serue God and so to work our own saluation with feare trembling what soeuer thing we doe or bestow our time in which eyther is contrary or impertinent or not profitable to thys ende though it were to gaine kingdoms it is vanitie lost labour that will turne vs in time to greefe and repentaunce if we change not our course for that it is not the matter for which we came into thys life nor wherof we shall be demaunded an account except it be to receiue iudgment punishment for the same Secondly it followeth of the same consideration that seeing our onely businesse and affayre in thys world is to serue our Maker and saue our owne soules and that all other earthly creatures are put heere to serue our vses to that ende onely we shoulde for our parts be indifferent to all these creatures as to riches or pouertie to health or sicknesse to honour or contempt to little learning or much learning and we should desire onely so much or little of eyther of them as vvere best for vs to the attainement of our sayde ende and Butte pretended that is to the seruice of GOD and the weale of our soules For who soeuer desireth seeketh loueth or vseth these creatures more then for thys runneth from his end for which he came hether But thys then may a carefull Christian take some scantling of his owne estate with God and make a coniecture whether he be in the right way or no. For if hee attende onely or principallie to thys end for which hee vvas sent hether if his cares cogitations studies endeuours labours talke conuersation and other his actions doe runne vppon this matter and that he careth no more for other creatures as honours riches learning and the like then they are necessary vnto hym for thys end that he pretendeth if hys daies and life be spent in thys studie of the seruice of God and procuring his owne saluation in carefulnesse feare and trembling as the Apostle aduiseth him then is he doubtlesse a most happy man shall at length attaine to the kingdome which he expecteth But if he find himselfe in a contrary case and course that is not to attend indeede to thys matter for which onely he was sent hether nor to haue in hys hart and studie thys seruice of God and enioying of heauen but rather some other vanitie of the worlde as promotion wealth pleasure sumptuous apparrell gorgious buildings beautie fauour of Princes or any other thing els that appertaineth not vnto thys end If hee spende hys time about these trifles hauing his cares and cogitations his talke and delight more in these things then about the other great businesse of possessing Gods eternall kingdom for which hee was made and placed in thys world then is hee I assure him in a perrillous way leading directly to perdition except he alter and change his course For most certaine it is that whosoeuer shall not attend vnto the seruice he came for shall neuer attaine the rewarde assigned and promised to that seruice And for that the most parte of all thys worlde not onely of Infidels but also Christians doe runne amisse in this pointe and doe not take care of that affayre and busines for which alone they were created placed heere hence is it that Christ and his holie Saints both before and after his appearance in flesh haue spoken so hardly and seuerely of the very small number that shall be saued euen among Christians and haue vttered certain speeches which seeme very rigorous to flesh and bloode and to such as are most touched therein scarce credible albeit they must be fulfilled As among other thinges that a louer of thys worlde cannot be saued that rich men doe enter as hardly into heauen as a Camell through a needles eye and the like The reason of which manner of speeches doe stande in thys that a rich man or worldling attending with all his industrie to heape vppe riches as the fashion is can
not attende nor euer dooth to that for which hee came into this worlde and consequently can neuer attaine heauen except God worke a miracle and therby doe cause him to spende out his riches to the benefit of his soule as sometimes he doth and so doe lessen the Cammell in such sort as hee may passe the needles eye Whereof wee haue a very rare example in the Gospell of Zacheus who beeing a very rich man did presentlie vpō the entering of Christ into his house but much more as appeareth into hys heart by fayth resolue himselfe to change his former course touching riches and at one blow to beginne with-all gaue away halfe of al he possessed to the poore for the rest made proclamation that who soeuer had receiued any wrong at his hands as commonly many doe by them that are rich he shoulde come and receiue foure times so much amends By which almes and restitution hee was deliuered from the Camels gibbe or bunche on his backe that letted his passage through the needles eye And thys extraordinary fauour and grace he receiued by the fortunate presence of his most blessed bountiful guest who had signified before in another place that himselfe was able so to drawe the Camell as he should passe the needles eye for that the thinges which are vnpossible wyth man are possible wyth God But to leaue this and to goe forwarde in our former purpose no meruaile it is if in the worlde abroade so fewe be saued seeing that of thousandes scarce one doth account of that businesse which of all other is the cheefe and principall Consider you the multitude of all sorts of people vpon earth and see what theyr traffique and negotiation is see whether they treate thys affayre or no see wherein theyr care studie and cogitation consisteth Howe many thousands finde you in Christendome who spende not one houre of foure and twentie nor one halfe day in fortie in the seruice of God or businesse of theyr soule How infinite haue you that breake their braines about worldly commodities how fewe that are troubled wyth this other cogitation How many find time to eate drinke sleepe disport deck trym themselues to the view of others yet haue no time to bestow in thys greatest businesse of all other businesse Howe many passe ouer whole daies weekes monethes yeres and finally their whole liues in hauking hunting and other pastimes without regard of this important affaire Howe many miserable women haue you in the worlde that spende more daies in one yeere in pricking vppe their apparrell and adorning their carcasse then they doe houres in prayer for the space of all theyr life And what alas shall become of this people in the end what wyll they doe or say at the day of account what excuse will they alleage what way wil they turne them If the Merchant-factor which I mentioned before after many yeeres spent in forraine Countries vppon his Maisters expences should returne at length and giue vppe his accounts of so much time mony spent in singing so much in dauncing so much in fencing so much in courting and the like who woulde not laugh at so fonde a reckoning but beeing further demaunded of his Maister what time he had bestowed vppon the Merchandize and affayres for which he was sent if the man should aunswere that he had no leysure to thinke vpon that thing for the great occupation which he had in the other who woulde not esteeme him worthie of all punishment confusion And much more shame and confusion no doubt shall they sustaine at the last dreadfull day in the face and presence of God and all his Angels who beeing sent into thys world to traffique so rich a Merchandize as is the kingdome of heauen haue neglected the same and haue bestowed theyr studies vpon the most vaine tryfles and follies of thys worlde without cogitation or care of the other O yee children of Adam saith the spirit of God why loue you so vanitie and seeke after lyes why leaue you the fountaine and seeke after Cesternes If a golden game of inestimable value shoulde be proposed for such as would runne could win the same and when the course or race were begunne if some should steppe aside and follow flyes or fethers that passed in the ayre without anie regarde of the prize and gole proposed who woulde not meruaile and take pittie of theyr follie Euen so is it with men of thys world if we beleeue Saint Paule who affirmeth that wee are all placed together in a course or race and that the kingdom of heauen is propounded vnto vs for the Game or Prize but euery man saith he arriueth not thether why for that most men do step aside leaue the marke Most men do run awrie and doe follow fethers vp and downe in the ayre most men doe pursue vanities and do wearie themselues out in the pursute thereof vntill they can neither run nor goe nor moue theyr lims any further and then for the most part it is too-late to amend their follie Will you heare the lamentations of such vnfortunate men these are theyr owne words recorded by scripture We are wearied out in the way of iniquitie and perdition and the way of God haue wee not knowne What profite haue wee receiued of all our pompe and pryde vaunting riches what good haue they doone vs They are nowe past away as a shadowe and as a Messenger that rydeth in post and we are consumed in our owne iniquities Thys is the lamentable complaint of such men as ranne awrie and followed a wrong course in theyr actions of thys life These are they who pursued riches honour pompe and such like vanities and forgate the great and weightie businesse for which they vvere sent These are they who were esteemed happy men in this world and thought to run a most fortunate course in that they heaped much riches together aduaunced thēselues and theyr families to great dignities becam gorgious glorious and dreadfull to others and finallie obtayned what soeuer their lust and concupiscence desired This made them seeme blessed to worldly cogitations the way wherein they ranne to be most prosperous and happie And I make no doubt by experience of these our times but they had admirours enuiours in great aboundance who burned in desire to obtaine the same course And yet whē I heare their complaint in thys place theyr owne confession wherin they say expresly we sencelesse men did erre from the waie of trueth when I consider also the addition of scripture Talia dixerunt in inferno they spake these thinges when they were in hel I cannot but esteem their course for most miserable condemne wholy the iudgment of flesh in this affaire Wherfore my deere brother if thou be wise yeelde not to thys deceite of worldlie lyppes tongues that vse to blesse
the tyme lost but passe no further If hetherto thou haue not considered the weightines of thys affayre serue thy selfe of thys admonition and remember that it is written that a wise man profiteth by euerie occasion Esteeme thy resolution in thys one point the cheefest menage that euer shall passe throgh thy hands in thys worlde albeit thou wert a Monarch and Ruler of tenne worldes together And finally I will ende with the verie same wordes where-with the wise man concludeth his whole booke Feare God and obserue his commandements for this is euery man That is in this doth all and euerie man consist his end his beginning his life and cause of beeing that he feare God and direct his actions to the obseruaunce of hys commaundements for that without this he is no man in effect seeing that he looseth all benefit both of his name nature redemption and creation THAT THE SERVICE VVHICH GOD REQVIRETH OF MAN IN thys present life is Religion With the particuler confirmations of Christian religion aboue all other in the worlde CHAP. IIII. HAuing prooued in the former chapters that there is a God which created man and that man in respect thereof and of other benefits receiued is bounde to honor serue the same God the question may be made in this place what seruice thys is that God requireth and wherein it doth consist Wherunto the aunswere is breefe and easie that it is Religion which is a vertue that containeth properlie the worship and seruice that we owe vnto GOD euen as Pietie is a vertu contayning the duetie that children do owe vnto their Parents and Obseruance another vertue that comprehendeth the regard that schollers and seruants beare vnto their Maisters In respect of which comparison and likenesse betweene these vertues God sayth by a certaine Prophet The sonne honoureth his father and the seruaunt his Maister if then I be a Father where is my honor if I be a maister where is my feare The acts of Religion are diuers and different some internall as deuotion and prayer some other externall as adoration worship sacrifice oblations and such like that are declarations and protesâ—ations of the internall It extendeth it selfe also to stirre vp and put in vie the acts and operations of other vertues for the seruice of God in which sence Sâ— Iames nameth it Pure and vnspotted Religion to visite Orphanes and Widdowes in their tribulation and to keepe our selues vndefiled from the wickednes of thys world Finally how soeuer some Heathens did vse this word Religion to some other significations yet as S. Augustine wel noteth the vse therof among the faithfull hath alwaies beene to signifie therby the worship honor and seruice that is due vnto God so that if in one word you wil haue it declared what God requireth of man in this life it may be rightly said that al standeth in thys that he be Religious Heereof it proceedeth that whatsoeuer sort or sect of people in the world professed reuerence honor or worship to God or to gods or to any diuine power essence or nature what soeuer were they Iewes Heathens Gentiles Christians Turks Moores Heretiques or other they did alwaies call theyr said profession by the name of theyr religion In which sense also and signification of the word I am to treate at this tyme of Christian Religion that is of the substance forme manner and way reuealed by Christ and his Apostles vnto vs of performing our duetie and true seruice towards God Which seruice is the first point necessary to be resolued vpon by him that seeketh his saluation as in the Chapter that goeth before hath beene declared And for obtayning thys seruice and the true knowledge therof no mean vppon earth is left vnto man but onely the light and instruction of Christian Religion according to the protestation of S. Peter vnto the Gouernours of the Iewes when hee said There is no other name vnder heauen giuen vnto men whereby to be saued but only this of Christ and of his Religion If you obiect against me that in former tymes before Christes natiuitie as vnder the Lawe of Moses for two thousand yeeres together there were many Saints who without Christian Religion serued God vprightlie as the Prophets and other holie people and before them again in the law of Nature when neyther Christian nor Iewish Religion was yet heard of for more then two thousand yeeres there wanted not diuers that pleased God and serued him truelie as Enoch Noe Iob Abraham Iacob others I aunswer that albeit these men especiallie the former that liued vnder the Law of nature had not so perticuler and expresse knowledge of Christ and of his misteries as we haue nowe for thys was reserued to the tyme of grace as S. Paul in diuers places at large declareth that is albeit they knewe not expresly how in what manner Christ should be borne whether of a Virgine or no or in what perticuler sort he should liue and die what Sacraments he shoulde leaue what way of publishing his Gospel he shold appoint and the like wherof notwithstanding very many perticulers were reuealed to the Iewes from tyme to time and the neerer they drewe to the time of Christes appearance the more plaine reuelation was made of these mysteries yet I say all and euerie one of these holy Saints that liued from Adam vntil the comming of Christ had knowledge ingenerall of Christian Religion and did beleeue the same that is they beleeued expresly that there shoulde come a Sauiour and Redeemer of man-kind to deliuer them from the bondage contracted by the sinne of Adam Thys was reuealed straight after their fal to our first Parents and Progenitors in Paradise to wit that by the womans seede our redemption should be made In respect wherof it is sayd in the Reuelations that Christ is the Lambe that hath beene slaine from the beginning of the world And S. Peter in the first generall Counsaile holden by the Apostles affirmeth that the old ancient Fathers before Christes natiuitie were saued by the grace of Christ as we are now which S. Paul confirmeth in diuers places And finallie the matter is so cleere in thys behalfe that the whole Schoole of Diuines accordeth that fayth and religion of the auncient Fathers before Christes appearaunce was the verie same in substaunce that ours is nowe sauing onely that it was more generall obscure and confuse then ours is for that it was of things to come as ours is nowe of things past and present For example they beleeued that a Redeemer shold come and we beleeue that he is alreadie come They said Uirgo concipiet a Vyrgine shall conceiue and we say Uirgo concepit a Virgine hath conceiued They had sacrifices and ceremonies that prefigured his comming for the time ensuing we haue sacrifice and sacraments that represent his being for the time
iam temporis aetas Magnus ab integro saeculorum nascitur ordo Iam redit virgo rediunt Saturnia regna That is nowe is come the last age prophecied by Sibylla called Cumaea now coÌ„meth to be fulfilled the great ordinance and prouidence of God appointed from the beginning of the worlde these were Sibylles words nowe commeth the Virgine and the first golden daies of Saturnus shal return againe Thus much translated Virgil out of Sibylla touching the eternall determination of God for Christes comming into this world as also of hys Mother the Virgine and of the infinite blessinges that shoulde appeare wyth him Nowe ensueth in the same Poet what Sibylla had sayde for Christes actuall natiuitie Iam noua progenies caelo dimittitur alto Chara Deum soboles c. Now a newe progenie or of-spring is sent downe from Heauen the dearely beloued issue or chylde of the Gods And note here that Sibylla sayd plainly Chara Dei soboles the deerely beloued sonne of God and not of Gods but that Virgill would follow the style of hys time And thirdly hee setteth downe out of Sibylla the effect and cause of thys sonne of Gods natiuitie in these words Te duce si qua manent sceleris vestigia nostri Irrita perpetua soluent formidine terras That is thou beeing our leader or Captaine the remnant of our sins shall be made voyde or taken away and shall deliuer the world for euer from feare for the same These are Virgils wordes translated as I sayd out of Sibylla And nowe consider you in reason whether these prophecies might be applyed as Virgil applyed theÌ„ to those poore chyldren in Rome or no who dyed soone after thys flattery of Virgill wythout dooing good eyther to themselues or to others Albeit perhaps in thys point the Poet be to be excused in that he beeing not able to imagine what the Sibyl should mean made hys aduantage thereof in applying the same to the best pleasing of Augustus These then are the proofes which Constantine vsed for the credite and authoritie of the Sibyll verses And of Sibylla Erithraea in perticuler that made the Accrostike verses before mentioned of Christes death passion he concludeth in these wordes These are the things which fell from heauen into the minde of this Virgine to fore-tell For which cause I am induced to account her for blessed whom our Sauiour did vouchsafe to chuse for a Prophet to denounce vnto the worlde his holie prouidence towardes vs. And we may consider in thys whole dyscourse of Constantine for authoritie of these verses Fyrst that he vseth onely the testimony of such wryters as lyued before Christ was borne or Christians once thought vppon Secondly that hee vseth these proofes to no meaner audience then to a Councell congregation of learned men Thyrdly that he was an Emperour which vseth them that is one that had meanes to see and examine the originall Copies in the Romaine Treasury Fourthly for that hee had great learned men about him who were skilfull and would be diligent in the searche of such an antiquitie of importaunce especially Lactantius that was Maister to his sonne Crispus and who most of any other Author reciteth and confirmeth the sayd Sibyls verses and Eusebius Caesariensis that wrote the Ecclesiasticall hystorie and recorded thys Oration of Constantine therein And finally we may consider that Constantine was the first publique Christian Emperour liued within three hundred yeeres after Christ when the Recordes of the Romans were yet whole to be seene He was a religious vvise and graue Emperour and therefore woulde neuer haue bestowed so much labor to confirme such a thing at such a time to such an audience had not the matter been of singuler importance And thus much of the second point touching Prophets among the Gentiles Of the confessyon of Oracles concerning Christes comming THere remaineth onely a word or two to be spoken of the thirde which is of the confession of deuils and Oracles concerning Christes comming especially when the time of hys appearance drew neere and that they beganne to fore-tell his power and vertue Wherin as I might alleage diuers examples recorded by the Gentiles themselues so for that I haue been some what long in the former points and shall haue occasion to saie more of this matter in another place heereafter I wyll touch onely heere two Oracles of Apollo concerning thys matter The one wherof was to a Priest of his owne that demaunded him of true Relgion and of God to whom he aunswered thus in Greeke O thou vnhappie Priest why doost thou aske mee of God that is the father of all thinges and of this most renoumed Kings deere onely sonne and of the spirit that containeth all c. Alas that spirit will enforce me shortly to leaue thys habitation and place of Oracles The other Oracle was to Augustus Caesar euen about the very time that Christ was ready to appeare in flesh For whereas the sayd Emperor now drawing into age would needes goe to Delphos and there learne of Apollo who should raigne after hym and what should become of things when he was dead to which demaund Apollo for a great space wold make no aunswere notwithstanding Augustus had beene very liberall in making the great sacrifice called Hecatombe But in the ende when the Emperour began to iterate hys sacrifice againe and to be instant for an aunswer Apollo as it were inforced vttered these strange words vnto him An Hebrue childe that ruleth ouer the blessed Gods commaundeth me to leaue this habitation and out of hand to gette me to hell But yet doe you depart in silence from our Aultars Thus much was Apollo inforced to vtter of hys owne miserie of the comming of the Hebrue boy that shold put him to banishment But yet the deceytfull spirit to holde stil hys credite would not haue the matter reuealed to many Whereupon Augustus falling into a great musing with himselfe what thys aunswere might import returned to Rome and builded there an Aultar in the Capitole wyth thys Latine inscription as Nicephorê° affirmeth Ara primogeniti Dei The Aultar of Gods first begotten Sonne Thus then haue I declared howe that the comming of Gods sonne into the world was fore-tolde both to Iewe and Gentile by all meanes that possibly in reason myght be deuised that is by prophecies signes figures ceremonies tradition and by the confession of the deuils themselues Not onelie that hys comming was fore-tolde but also why and for what cause he was for to come that is to be the onely Sauiour of the world to die for the sinnes of all men to ordayne a new Law more perfect Common-wealth Howe also he was to come to wit in mans flesh in likenes of sinne in pouertie humilitie The time likewyse of his appearance was prefigured together with the manner of hys byrth life actions death resurrection and ascention
particular places Which is to be vnderstood such little Kings as Iosue slew thirtie in one battaile And it is to be noted that S. Matthewe maketh mention of the comming of these Kings to Ierusalem as of a knowne and publique matter whereof all Ierusalem and Iurie were able to beare him witnesse For hee talketh of theyr open comming to Ierusalem and of the inquirie for the new borne King of theyr speeche and conference had wyth Herod as also of Herods consultation with the Scribes Pharisies about the place of the Messias byrth And finally he sheweth the most pittifull murder that insued of almost infinite infants in all the circuite of Bethleem for thys matter Which could not be a thing vnknowne to all Iurie and much lesse feygned by the holy Euangelist Saint Matthew for that he should haue giuen his aduersaries the greatest aduauntage in the worlde if he had begunne hys Gospell with so notorious and open an vntrueth which might haue been refuted by infinite persons that were yet aliue Epiphanius is of opinion that the three Kings arriued in Ierusalem two yeeres after Christes Natiuitie for that Herod slewe all infants of that age But other hold more probablie that the starre appeared vnto thē two yeeres before Christes Natiuitie so that they came to Bethleem the thirteenth day after Christes birth according as the Church doth celebrate the Epiphanie Saint Basile thinketh that they were learned men and myght by theyr learning and Arte Magick wherin those Countrimen at that time were very skilfull vnderstand and feele that the power of their Heathen Gods was greatlie diminished and broken They might also be styrred vp wyth that common brute and generall prophecie spredde ouer all the Easte in those daies as both Suetonius Iosephus doe recorde That out of Iurie should come an vniuersall King ouer all the world By these meanes I say and by the prophecie of Balaam left among thē from Moses time for he was a Gentile wherby was signified that a starre should ryse and declare a great and mightie King in Israell they might be induced at the sight of this starre to take so long a iourney as they did towards Iurie Thys starre as I haue sayde was foretolde by Balaam a Heathen Prophet aboue one thousand and fiue hundred yeeres before it appeared And after Balaam again it was prophecied by Dauid that Kings of Arabia Saba and other Easterne Countries shoulde come and adore Christ and offer both gold and other gyfts vnto hym The murder also of those infants of Bethleem was presignified by Ieremie in the weeping of Rachell for the slaughter of her children which Rachell was buried in Bethleem and for that cause those infants were called her children albeit shee were dead aboue two thousande yeres before they were slaine and aboue one thousand and fiue hundred yeeres before Ieremie wrote the prophecie Amongst which infants Herod also for more assurance slewe an infant of hys owne For that as Philo noteth he was descended by hys mothers side of the lyne of Iuda Which cruelty comming to Augustus eares he sayde as Macrobius reporteth that hee had rather bee Herods swyne then hys sonne for that hee beeing a Iewe was forbidden by hys Religion to kyll hys swyne though not ashamed to kyll hys sonne The same starre whereof we speake is mentioned 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 were farre different from all other that euer appeared And therfore contrary to the nature of those kind of Starres it was adiudged by the whole Colledge of South-sayers to portende vniuersall good vnto the earth and for that cause had an Image of mettall erected to it in Rome and as Plinies words are Is Cometa vnus tota orbe colitur that onely Comete is worshipped throughout the whole world Origine also writeth of one Chaeremon a Stoike that was much mooued with the consideration of thys Starre and for that after the appearaunce thereof hee perceiued the power of hys Gods decayed tooke a iourney into Iurie in company of other Astronomers to informe himselfe further of the matter Whereunto Chalcidius a Platonicke dooth adde that the Chaldean Astronomers did gather by contemplation of thys Starre that some God descended from heauen to the benefite of mankind And finally the Sibyls talking of the comming of Christ affirmed plainlie Rutilans eum sydus mon strabit a blazing starre shall declare his cōming Which prophecie Virgill the Poet hauing reade in Augustus tyme and soone after hauing seen the same fulfilled applied it as I haue shewed before of all the rest to the flattering of Caesar and therefore he sayth in the place before alleaged Ecce Dionaei processit Caesaris astrum Behold the starre of Caesar descended of Venus hath nowe appeared Which starre indeede was the starre of Caesars Lorde and Maister After fortie daies past ouer Saint Luke reporteth how Iesus by his mother was presented in the Temple of Ierusalem therwithall recounteth two strange thinges that happened at the same time to wit that two graue and reuerend persons Simeon surnamed Iust and Anna the Prophetesse both of singuler sanctitie amongst the Iewes cōming into the Temple at the very same time when Iesus was there in hys Mothers armes tooke notice of him and acknowledged him publiquely for the Messias and Sauiour of the world Fore-telling also by the spyrite of prophecie diuers perticuler things that wer to ensue both to Christ and Christians and especially to hys Mother the blessed virgine Which things being published at that time and confirmed afterwards by the euent doe well declare that thys narration of S. Luke could not be forged as doe also the number of perticuler circumstaunces sette downe about the tyme place and persons most notoriously knowne to all Ierusalem For as for Anna she had lyued from her youth vntyll foure-score yeeres of age in the Temple and thereby was knowne to the most part of Iurie And as for Symeon he was the Scholler of the most famous Hillel and condisciple to Ionathan maker of the Chaldie Paraphrase of whō I spake before and the Iewes Thalmud confesseth that by the death of these two men especially of Simeon fayled the spyrit of the great Sinagogue called Sanhedrin which after the Captiuitie of Babylon vntyll Herods time supplyed in a sort the spirit of prophecie that was expresly in Israel before the sayd captiuitie Of Christes flight into Egipt for feare of Herode S. Luke wel noteth that it was prophecied by Ose long before that God would call his Sonne out of Egipt And the Prophet Esay describeth the same very particularlie when he sayth Beholde our Lord Iehoua shal ascend vp or ride vpon a light cloude which was his flesh or humanitie
those things There ensueth nowe for ending and confirmation of all that hath been sayd and prooued before to adde a worde or two of Iesus Resurrection Which point as of all other it is of most importance so was it exactly fore-tolde both to Iewe and Gentile and promised by Christ himselfe in all hys speeches whyle hee was vppon earth And among the Iewes it was assured by all the prophecies before recited which doe promise so great aboundance of glory ioy and tryumph to Christes Church after his passion Which neuer possibly could be fulfilled vnlesse he had risen from death againe And therfore the said resurrectiō was prefigured in Ionas together with the time of his abode in the Sepulcher It was also expresly fore-shewed by Dauid affirming That GOD woulde not suffer his holy one to see corruption And after him againe more plainelie by the Prophet Ose He shall quicken vs againe after two daies in the third day he shall rayse vs and we shall liue in his sight And to the Gentiles Sibylla left written not farre from the same time He shal end the necessitie of death by three daies sleepe and then returning from death to light againe hee shall be the first that shall shewe the beginning of Resurrection to his chosen for that by conquering death hee shall bring vs life Thus much was promised by Prophets before Christes appearaunce And Iesus to comfort his Disciples and followers reiterated this promise againe of himselfe in manie speeches albeit oftentimes his meaning was not perceiued Which promise of returne from death if it had beene made for some long time to come as Mahomet promised hys Sarasins after eyght hundred yeeres to reuisite them again albeit the performance were neuer meant yet might the falsehood lurke in the length of time But Iesus assuring all men that he would rise againe within three daies it cannot be imagined but that hee sincerely purposed to performe his promise for that otherwise the fraude must haue been discouered Now then let vs consider what manner of performaunce Iesus made heereof And first the persons most interessed in the matter as they whose totall hope stay refuge and felicitie depended heereof I mean his appaled dismayed and afflicted Disciples doe recount twelue sundry apparisions which Iesus made vnto them in flesh after hys Resurrection The first was to Mary Magdalen a part when she with Solome and other women went remained with oyntments about the Sepulcher The seconde was to all the women together as they returned homewardes who also were permitted to embrace his feete The thyrde was to Simon Peter alone The fourth to the two Disciples in their iourney to Emaus The fift was to all the Apostles and other Disciples together when the doores were shut The sixt was to the same companie againe after eyght dayes when Thomas was wyth them at what time also he did both eate and drink and suffered his body also to be handled among them The seauenth was to Saint Peter and S. Iohn with fiue other disciples when they were in fishing at what time also he vouchsafed to eate with them The eyght was to eleuen Disciples at one time vpon the Mount Thabor in Galiley The ninth was to more then fiue hundred bretheren at one tyme as Saint Paule testifieth The tenth was to S. Iames as the same Apostle recordeth The eleuenth was to all his Apostles Disciples and freendes together vppon the Mount Oliuet by Ierusalem when in theyr presence hee ascended vppe to heauen The twelfth and last was after his ascention vnto Saint Paule as himselfe beareth witnesse All these apparitions are recorded in Scripture as made by Iesus after his Resurrection to such as by his eternall wisedome were preordained to be witnesses of so glorious a spectacle To whom as S. Luke affirmeth He showed himselfe aliue by manie arguments for the space of fortie daies together and reasoned with them of the kingdome of his Father And why any man should mistrust the testimonie of those men which saw him cōuersed with him eate with him drank wyth him touched him and heard him speak and whose entire estate and wel-fare depended wholy of the certaintie heereof I see no reason For what comfort had it been or consolation to these men to haue deuised of them selues these former apparitions What encouragement might they haue taken in those dolefull times of desolation and affliction to haue had among thē the deade body of him on whose onely life theyr vniuersall hope and confidence depended The Scribes and Pharisies beeing astonished with the suddaine newes of his rysing againe confirmed vnto them by their owne Souldiers that saw it found no other way to resist the fame therof but onely by saying as all theyr posteritie do vnto thys day that his Disciples came by night and stole away his body whyle the Souldiours were a sleepe But what likelihood or possibilitie can there be in thys for first it is euident to all the worlde that hys Apostles themselues who were the heades of all the rest were so dismaied discomforted and deiected at that time as they durst not once goe out of the doore for which cause only those seelie women who for their sexe esteemed themselues more free from violence presumed alone to visite his Sepulcher which no one man durst doe for feare of the Souldiours vntill by those Women they were enformed that the fore-said band of Souldiours were terrified put to flight by Christes Resurrection And then howe was it likely that men so much amazed ouercome with feare shold aduenture to steale away a dead body from a Guard of Souldiers that kept it or if theyr harts had serued them to aduenture so great a daunger what hope or probabilitie had there beene of successe especially considering the sayde body lay in a newe Sepulcher of stone shutte vppe locked and fast sealed by the Magistrate Howe was it possible I say that his dysciples should come thether breake vp the Monument take out his bodie and carrie the same away neuer after to be seene or founde without espiall of some one amongst so many that attended there Or if this were possible as in reason it is not yet what profit what pleasure what comfort could they receiue hereby We see that these Apostles and Disciples of his who were so abandoned of lyfe and hart in his passion after two daies onely they were so chaunged as life death can be no more contrarie For whereas before they kept home in all feare and durst appeare no where except among theyr owne priuate freendes nowe they came forth into the streetes common places and auouched with all alacritie and irresistable constancie euen in the faces and hearing of theyr greatest enemies that Iesus was risen from death to life that they had seene him and enioyed his presence And that for
testimonie and confirmation hereof they were most ready to spend their liues And could all thys trow you proceed onely of a dead bodie which they had gotten by stealth into their possession woulde not rather the presence and sight of such a bodie so torne mangled and deformed as Iesus bodie was both vpon the Crosse and before haue rather dismayed them more then haue giuen them comfort Yes truelie And therfore Pilate the Gouernor considering these circumstaunces and that it was vnlikelie that eyther the body shoulde be stolne awaie without priuitie of the Souldiours or if it had been that it should yeeld such life hart consolation courage to the stealers beganne to giue eare more diligentlie to the matter and calling to him the Souldiers that kept the watch vnderstood by theÌ„ the whole trueth of the accident to wit that in theyr sight and presence Iesus was risen out of his Sepulcher to life that at hys rysing there was so dreadfull an earthquake with trembling and opening of Sepulchers rounde about such skriches cries and commotion of all elements as they durst not abide longer but ran and told the Iewish Magistrates thereof who beeing greatly discontented as it seemed with the aduertisement gaue theÌ„ money to say that while they were sleeping the body was stolne away from them by his Disciples All thys wrote Pilate presently to hys Lorde Tyberius who was then Emperor of Rome And hee sent withall the particular examinations coÌ„fessions of diuers others that had seene and spoken with such as were rysen from death at that time had appeared to many of theyr acquaintance in Ierusalem assuring them also of the resurrection of Iesus Which informations when Tyberius the Emperor had coÌ„sidered he was greatly mooued therewith and proposed to the Senate that Iesus might be admitted among the rest of the Romaine Gods offering hys owne consent with the priuiledge of his supreame royall suffrage to that decree But the Senate in no wise woulde agree thereunto Whereupon Tyberius beeing offended gaue licence to all men to beleeue in Iesus that would and forbid vpon pain of death that any Officer or other shoulde molest or trouble such as bare good affection zeale or reuerence to that name Thus much testifieth Tertulian against the Gentiles of hys own knowledge who liuing in Rome a learned man and pleader of causes diuers yeeres before he was a Christian which was about one hundred and foure-score yeres after our Sauiour Christes ascention had great abilitie by reason of the honour of his familie learning and place wherein he liued to see and know the Records of the Romains And the same doth affirme also Egisippus an other auncient Wryter of no lesse authoritie then Tertulian before whom he liued Neither onely diuers Gentiles had thys opinion of Iesus Resurrection againe from death but also sundry Iewes of great credit and wisedome at that time were inforced to beleeue it notwithstanding it pleased not God to giue them so much grace as to become Christians Thys appeareth plainly by the learned Iosephus who writing his storie not aboue fortie yeres after Christes passion tooke occasion to speake of Iesus and of his Disciples And after he had shewed how he was Crucified by Pilate at the instance of the Iewes and that for all thys his disciples ceassed not to loue him styll hee adioyneth forthwith these words Idcirco illis tertio die vita resumpta denuo apparuit That is for this loue of his Disciples he appeared vnto theÌ„ againe the third day when hee had resumed life vnto him Which expresse plaine and resolute words we may in reason take not as the confession onely of Iosephus but as the common iudgement opinion and sentence of all the discreete sober men of that time layde downe and recorded by thys Historiographer In whose dayes there were yet manie Christians aliue that had seene spoken with Iesus after hys Resurrection and infinite Iewes that had hearde the same protested by their fathers bretheren Kins-folke and freendes who had beene themselues eye witnesses thereof And thus hauing declared and prooued the Resurrection of our Sauiour Iesus bothe howe it was fore-shewed as also fulfilled there remaineth nothing more of necessitie to be said in this Section For that who soeuer seeth and acknowledgeth that Iesus being dead could rayse himselfe againe to life will easily beleeue also that he was able likewise to ascende vppe to heauen Whereof notwithstanding Saint Luke alleageth one hundred and twentie witnesses at the least in whose presence he ascended from the top of the Mount Oliuet after fortie daies space which he had spent with them froÌ„ the time of hys Resurrection Hee alleageth also the appearing of two Angels among al the people for testimonie thereof He nameth the day and place when where it happened Hee recounteth the very wordes that Iesus spake at his ascention He telleth the manner how he ascended and howe a Clowde came downe and receiued him into it out of their â—ight He declareth what the multitude did whether they went and in what place they remained afer theyr departure thence And finally hee setteth downe so many perticulers as it had beene the easiest matter in the worlde for his enemies to haue refuted hys narration if all had not been true Neyther was there any to receiue more domage by the falshood thereof then himselfe those of hys profession if the matter had beene feigned Wherefore to conclude at length thys treatise of the Byrth Life Doctrine Actions Death Resurrection and Ascention of Iesus seeing nothing hath happened in the same which was not forâ—-told by the Prophets of God nor any thing foreshewed by the same Prophets coÌ„cerning the Messias which was not fulfilled most exactly within the compasse and course of Iesus abode vppon earth we may most certainly assure our selues that as God can neyther fore-tell an vntruth nor yeelde testimonie to the same so can it not be but that these thinges which wee haue shewed to haue been so manifestly foreprophecied so euidently accomplished must needes assure vs that Iesus was the true Messias Which thing shal yet more particularly appeare by that which ensued by his power and vertue after his ascention which shall be the argument of the next Section which followeth Howe Iesus prooued his Deitie after his departure to heauen SECT 3. AS by the deedes and actions of IESVS while he was vpon the earth compared with the predictions of Gods Prophets from time to time he hath beene declared in the former Sections to be the true Messias and Sauiour of the worlde so in thys that nowe we take in hande shall the same be shewed by such thinges as ensued after his ascention and departure from this world Wherein his power and Deitie appeared more manifestlie if it may be so spoken then in other his workes which hee wrought in his life In which kind albeit
of our Sauiour in the Gospell concerning the extraordinarie ioy feasting that the careful woman made when shee had found againe her grote that was lost and the good sheephearde when he brought backe the sheepe that was astray and the mercifull father when he receiued home his sonne that before had abandoned him And to the same purpose doth it also appertaine that in the Prophet Dauid God glorieth especially in the seruice of those people that before had not known him And this shal suffise for thys second poynt to shew what wonderfull meanes almightie God dooth vse in setting forth his mercie for allurement of sinners vnto repentaunce The third part what assurance God giueth to them that repent AND so hauing declared what exceeding great loue and mercie GOD beareth towards man how effectually he expresseth the same by his suing vnto sinners for their conuersion it followeth that we shold in this third place examine some what more in perticuler what certaine assuraunce hys diuine Maiestie giueth of vndoubted pardon and full remission of theyr sinnes to all such as vnfainedly shall resolue themselues to make their refuge vnto him Which thing albeit euery man by that which before hath beene treated may sufficiently conceiue yet for the importance of the matter it shall not be amisse in thys place also to adde a worde or two for more plaine and euident demonstration thereof And thys shall bee doone by setting downe both the wordes and deedes that is bothe the promisses and performance which almightie God hath vsed and exercised in this behalfe to all such as haue offended him whatsoeuer And for the first which are his promises most apparent it is as well by the thinges which before haue beene discussed as also by the whole course body and drift of holie scripture that the promises of mercy pardon which his diuine maiestie hath made to sinners whereunto by his sacred word he hath in a certain manner obliged himselfe are both manifold vehement absolute resolute and vniuersal Whosoeuer shall depart from his wicked waies and turne vnto me saith almightie GOD I will receiue him Beholde the vniuersalitie of all people and persons without excluding any And then further At what time soeuer an impious man shall returne vnto mee from his impietie his wickednes shall not hurt him saith the same Lorde God of hostes see the vniuersalitie of all tymes and seasons without exception But yet harken what God addeth besides Leaue of to do peruerselie saith he to the Iewes c. and then doe you come finde fault with me if you can For if your sinnes were as redde as skarlet they shall be made as white as snowe c. Consider the vniuersalitie of all kinde of sinnes be they neuer so greeuous so horrible or heynous And finally God talking to a soule that hath often times fallen and most infinitly offended him hee sayth thus It is a common receiued speech that if a woman depart frō her husband and doe ioyne herselfe to another man shee may not returne to her fyrst husband againe for that shee is defiled and made contaminate And yet whereas thou hast departed from me and hast committed fornication wyth many other louers doe thou returne vnto me againe and I wyll receiue thee saith almightie God By which words is expressed the fourth vniuersalitie contayning all states qualities and conditions of men how many waies or howe oftentimes or howe contemptuouslie soeuer they haue committed sinnes against hys diuine Maiestie And what may be added nowe more vnto thys was there euer Prince that made so large an offer to his subiects or was there euer father that gaue so ample and vniuersall promise of pardon vnto hys children Who can nowe mistrust himselfe to be excluded from this assurance of mercie wherein all sorts of people al kind of sinnes all times and seasons all states and qualities of sinners are comprehended O most miserable infortunate man that excludeth himselfe whom God excludeth not What is there in this generall and vniuersall promises whereof any man in the worlde shoulde haue pretence to make any leaste doubt or question Of the meaning perhaps and intent of him that promiseth O deere brother it is onely loue and charitie and consequently can not deciue vs. Of the trueth and suretie of his promises It is infallible and more certaine then heauen and earth put together Of the power that hee hath to performe his promisses It is infinit and not restrained by any bounds or limitation whereof then may wee doubt or in which of these three poynts may we not cōceiue most singuler consolation heare the comfortable meditation that blessed S. Bernard made vpō thes three particulers which we haue now mentioned Tria considero saith he in quibus tota spes mea consistit charitatem vocationis veritatem promissionis potestaetem redditionis c. That is I doe consider three things faith this holy man wherin all my hope consisteth wherby it is made inuinsible First the exceeding loue charitie of him that calleth me to him by repētance secondly the infallible truth and certainty of his promise which he maketh to me of pardon and mercie thirdly the endlesse power and abilitie he hath to performe whatsoeuer he promiseth This is that triple or threefold rope and chaine which holy scripture sayth is hardly broken for that by this rope lette downe vnto vs from heauen which is our Countrey into this world that is our prison we may ascend and mount vp if we wyll euen vnto the sight and possession of Gods eternall kingdome heauenly glorie Thus farre that blessed father But now to the second poynt if we consider howe faithfullie almightie God hath put in execution those promisses of his frō tyme to tyme and howe no one man vpon earth so many ages as the world hath continued was euer yet frustrate of his hope in making his conuersion vnto his Maiestie if he made it from his hart we shall finde further cause for vs to confide For so much as it is not probable or in reason to be imagined that he which neuer failed in times past will breake his promise for the time to com especially seeing now in Christianitie when we haue this aduantage aboue other former times as Saint Iohn doth also note that he who was and is our iudge is become also our aduocate to pleade our cause Cast backe thine eyes then my louing deere brother and take a viewe of all ages times and seasons past gone Begin from the first creation of the worlde and come downeward euen vnto this day examine indifferently whether in all this wyde compasse of times persons places and most greeuous offences cōmitted against hys diuine Maiestie there were euer yet any one sinner vpon earth that returned vnfainedly was not receiued The sinne of our first Parents was presently forgiuen vnto
weepe and lament extreamelie I will strippe off my clothes and wander naked I will rore like vnto Dragons and sounde out my sorrowe as Struthious in the desert for that the wounde and maladie of my people is desperate Thys is that great and maine impediment that stoppeth the conduits of Gods holy grace from flowing into the soule of a sinfull man This the knyfe that cutteth in sunder all those heauenly blessed cordes wherwith our sweete Lord and Sauiour endeuoureth to drawe vnto repentaunce the harts of sinners saying by his Prophet I will pull them vnto me with the chaines of loue and charitie For by this meanes euery sinful conscience commeth to aunswer almighty God as did Ierusalem when beeing admonished of her sinnes and exhorted by his Prophet to amendement of life she said Desperani nequaquam faciam I am become desperate I will neuer thinke of any such thing To which lamentable estate when a sinfull man is once arriued the next steppe he maketh is for auoyding all remorse and trouble of conscience to engulfe himselfe into the depth of all detestable enormities and to abandon his soule to the very sinck of all filth and abhominations according as S. Paule said of the Gentiles in like case That by despaire they deliuered themselues ouer to a dissolute life thereby to commit all manner of vncleannesse Which wicked resolution of the impious is the thing as I haue noted before that most of all other offences vpon earth doth exasperate the ire of almightie God depriuing hys diuine maiestie of that most excellent propertie wherein he cheefely delighteth and glorieth which is his infinite and vnspeakable mercie Thys might be declared by diuers and sundry examples of holie writ howe be it two onely shall suffise for thys present The first is of the people of Israell not long before theyr banishment into Babilon who being threatned from God by the prophet Ieremie that manifolde punishments were imminent ouer their heads for theyr greeuous sinnes committed against his maiestie began in stedde of repentaunce to fall to desperation and consequentlie resolued to take that impious course of all desolute life alleaged before out of Saint Paul for thus they aunswered God exhorting thē by hys threates to reforme theyr wicked liues We are nowe growne desperate and therfore we will heereafter follow our owne cogitations and euery one fulfill the wickednes of his owne conceit Whereat God stormed infinitlie and brake foorth into thys vehement interrogation Interrogate Gentes quis audiuit talia horribilia Aske and enquire of the verie Gentiles whether euer among thē were heard any such horrible blasphemies And after this for the more declaration of this intollerable iniurie heerein offered to hys Maiestie he commanded the Prophet Ieremie to goe forth out of his owne house and to gette him to a potters shoppe which in the Village was framing his vessels vpon the wheele Which Ieremie hauing doone he sawe before his face a pot crushed broken by the Potter all in peeces vppon the wheele and thinking thereby that the vessell had been vtterly vnprofitable and to be cast away hee sawe the same clay presently framed againe by the Potter into a new vessell more excellent then before Wherat he meruailing God said vnto him Dost not thou thinke Ieremie that I can doe wyth the house of Israell as this Potter hath doone wyth hys vessell or is not the house of Israell in my hands as the clay in the handes of thys craftes-man I will denounce vppon a suddaine against a Nation and Kingdome that I wyll roote it vppe and destroy it and if that Nation or Kingdom doe repent from their wickednes I also will repent me of the punishment which I intended to lay vppon them And then he proceedeth forward declaring vnto Ieremie the exceeding greefe and indignation which he conceiueth that any sinner whatsoeuer shoulde despayre of mercie and pardon at hys hands The seconde example is of the same people of Israell during the tyme of theyr banishment in Babilon at what tyme being afflicted wyth many myseries for their sins and threatned wyth many more to come for that they chaunged not the course of theyr former wicked conuersation they began to despayre of Gods mercie and to say to the Prophet Ezechiell that liued banished among them and exhorted them to amendement vppon assured hope of Gods fauoure towards them Our iniquities and sins doe lye greeuously vppon vs and wee languish in them and what hope of life then may wee haue At which cogitation and speech God beeing greatly mooued appeared presentlie to Ezechiell and said vnto him Tell thys people I doe liue saith the Lord God of hostes I wish not the death of the impious but rather that hee should turne from his wicked waies and lyue Why will the house of Israell die in their sinnes rather then turne vnto me And then hee maketh a large and vehement protestation that how greeuously soeuer any person shold offende him and how great punishments soeuer he shall denounce against him yea if he had giuen expresse sentence of death and damnation vpon him yet Si egerit paenitentiam a peccato suo feceritque iudicium iustitiam that is if hee repent himselfe of hys sinne exercise iudgement iustice for the time to come all his sinnes that hee hath committed shall be forgiuen him saith almightie God for that he hath doone iudgment and iustice And thys now might be sufficient al◠be it nothing els were spoken for remoouing thys first obstacle and impediment of true resolution which is the despayre of Gods infinite goodnes and mercie Neuerthelesse for more euident cleering and demonstration of this matter and for the greater comfort of such as feele themselues burdened wyth the heauie weight of their iniquities committed against his diuine maiestie I haue thought expedient in this place to declare more at large this aboūdant subiect of endlesse mercie towardes all such as wyll truely turne vnto him in what tyme state condition or age soeuer in thys life which shall be shewed and sette downe by these foure poynts and parts that doe ensue The first part touching the loue that God beareth towards man FIrst of all by the infinite and incomprehensible loue that almighty God beareth vnto man which loue is alwaies the mother of fauour grace and mercie If you demand of me in what sort I doe proue that the loue of God is so exceeding great towards man I answer as the Cosinographer is wont to doe who by the greatnes and multitude of the streames and Riuers dooth frame a coniecture of the fountaine from which they flow The proper Riuers which are deriued and doe runne forth of loue are good turnes and benefits which seeing they are infinite endlesse and inestimable bestowed by God vpon man as in the place before hath been declared and the whole vniuersall frame of this world dooth
aboundantly beare witnesse it followeth most euidently that the origine fountaine wel-spring of all these fauours graces and good turnes must needes be infinite immeasurable and farre surpassing all compasse of mans vnderstanding If you require of me the cause and reason why Almightie God should so wonderfullie be affected towards man I can directlie yeelde you none at all but rather meruaile thereat wyth holy Iob why so soueraigne a Maiestie shoulde sette hys hart vpon so base a subiect Notwithstanding the holy scripture seemeth to alleage one principal reason of thys loue whē it saith Nihil odisti eorum quae fecisti parcis omnibus quia tua sunt Domine qui diligis animas That is Thou ô Lorde which louest soules canst not hate those things which thou hast made but dost vse mercie towards all men for that they are thyne And the like manner of reasoning vseth God hymselfe when hee sayth by hys Prophet Ezechiell Behold all soules are mine and heereuppon hee inferreth a little after Numquid voluntatis meae est mors impii Can I haue the wyll to damne a wicked man seeing that his soule is mine created and redeemed by me as who woulde say thys were a case against all order and equitie And the reason of this manner of speech and argument is for that euery man naturally is enclined to loue the things that be of his owne making So wee see that if a man haue an Orcharde wherein be great varietie of trees and plants yet if there be but one of his own peculier grafting that florisheth and prospereth well he taketh more delight therein then in any of the rest for that it is hys owne workmanship So in like manner if a man haue a Vineyarde of his owne planting and trymming For which respect the holie Prophet Dauid finding himselfe and the whole kingdome of Iurie in great affliction and calamitie thought no other meanes so forcible to drawe God to compassion and commiseration of their case as to cry out to him in this maner Thou which gouernest Israell looke towards vs and be attent Thou hast brought forth a vineyard out of Egipt thou hast purged the same from Gentiles and hast planted it Thou O God of all power turne towardes vs looke vpon vs from heauen and visite thys thy vineyard which thine owne right hand hath planted The like manner of perswasion vsed the holy Prophet Esay to moue God when he sayd Looke vpon vs I beseech thee O lord which are the worke of thine owne hands But aboue all other the blessed man Iob standeth as it were in argument and dysputation wyth God about thys matter saying haue not thy handes made mee haue they not framed me of clay and earth hast not thou compacted me as cheese is made of milke hast not thou knit my bones and sinowes together and couered my flesh wyth skyn hast not thou giuen me life conserued my spirit with thy cōtinuall protection howe soeuer thou seeme to dissemble these matters hide them in thy hart yet I know that thou remembrest them all and art not vnmindfull of them By which wordes thys holy man signified that albeit God suffered him greatly to be tempted and afflicted in thys life so farre forth as he might seeme to haue forgotten him yet was he well assured that his diuine maiestie coulde not of hys goodnes forsake or despise him for that hee was his creature and the proper workemanshyp of his own hands In which very name of workemanshippe holy Dauid tooke such great comfort considering that the workeman cannot chuse but be louing and fauourable towards his owne work especiallie so excellent and bountifull a worke-man as is almightie GOD towards a worke made as man is to his own shape and likenes that in all his necessities yea euen in his greatest infirmities of fleshe and most greeuous offences committed against his Maiestie he conceaueth most assured hope of mercy pardon vpon this consideration that he was hys workmanship cōsequently wel known to his diuine wisdom of how brickle infirme a metal he was made For thus at one tyme among other hee reasoneth of thys matter Looke how farre distant the East is from the West so far off hath God remooued our iniquities from vs. Euen as a father doth take compassion of his owne children so doth the Lord take mercy vpon vs for that hee well knoweth the moulde whereof wee are made and doth remember that wee are nothing els but dust In which discourse the holy Prophet maketh mention of two thinges that dyd assure him of Gods mercie the one that God was his Creator and maker and therby priuie to the frailtie of hys constitution nature th'other that he was his father whose propertie is to haue compassion on his chyldren this is a second reason more strong and forcible perhaps then the former why euery man may be most assured of pardon that hartilie turneth vnto almightie GOD considering that it hath pleased his diuine Maiestie not onelie to be vnto man a Creatour as he is to all other things but also a father which is the title of the greatest loue and coniunction that nature hath left to things in thys world Wherof a certain Phylosopher said well that no man coulde conceiue the loue of a Parents hart but he onelie that had a childe of his owne For which respect our Sauior Christ to put vs in mind of this most feruent loue and thereby as it were by one fire to enkindle another wythin our harts did vse oftentimes and ordinarilie to repeate thys sweete name of Father in hys speeches to his followers and theruppon founded diuers most excellent comfortable discourses as at one time when hee exhorted them from ouer-much care and worldly solicitude hee addeth thys reason Your father in heauen knoweth that you haue neede of these thinges As who would say hee knowing your wants and beeing your Father you shall not neede to trouble your selues wyth too great anxietie in these matters for that a Fathers hart cannot but bee prouident carefull for hys chyldren The like deduction maketh he in the same place to the same effect by comparison of the byrdes of the ayre and other irreasonable creatures for which if God doe make saith hee so aboundant prouision as al the whole worlde may witnesse that hee dooth much more carefull wyll he be to prouide for men that are his owne children which are more deere vnto him then any other terrestiall thing created All which speeches and reasons of our Sauiour are deriued from the nature and propertie of a Parent which cannot but affecte and looue hys children especiallie such a Father whom Christ calleth celestiall who in thys perfection of true fatherly loue so farre exceedeth al earthly Parents put together as in power clemencie goodnes almightie GOD surpasseth the infirmitie of hys feeble creatures Such a father