probabilite had bothe sene him and heard him in his life This man then hauing liued verie long in this his charge of bishoprike being now a hundred and twentie yeares olde was in the time of Traian the Emperor S. Iohn the Euangelist being dead a litle before accused by certaine heretiques who then first as Egisippus saith who liued in the same time beganne to shew them selues openly in the world hauing liued secretly in corners before for that al the holy Apostles and others which had heard our Sauiour speake were now dead and therfore thes heretiques deuised now what new expositions vpon scriptures liked them best And for that this man was the only or cheefe piller that stood against them for defence of the Catholique faith and apostolical traditiō at that daie they caused him coningly to be apprehended and presented before Atticus then gouern our of Iurie for the Emperour Who after many allurementes and threates vsed vnto him when by no me ās he could moue him to relent from his cōstancie in Christes seruice he caused him to be beaten with whippes and to be tormented many daies together which the old man indured with most wonderful corage in so much that Atticus being astonied saith our author that one of six skore years of age could beare so many torments commanded him finally to be nailed on a crosse as his master Christ was and so he died At the very same time liued therin Asia a man of singuler name for his holines called Ignatius disciple to the apostles by them or deined bishop of Antioche after that S. Peter had lest the same This mā being accused for his faith to the gouernour of Syria and standing constant in the confession therof was condemned by him to be torne in peeces of wild beastes But for that he was a person of great marke he was sent prisoner to Rome vnder the custodie of ten soldiars to suffer ther. And albeit thes soldiars vpon the way vsed him very discurteously and kept him straite yet founde he meanes either by speech or letters to comfort al Christians as he passed by them But especially as Eusebius noteth he inculcated two pointes to be remembred of them Primum vt haereses quae tum primò emergere caeperunt maxime praecaue ēt deinde vt apostolorū traditioni 〈◊〉 adhaerescerēt first that they should aboue al other things take heed of new opinions and heresies which then first began to creepe abroad and secōdly that they should sticke and cleane most firmely to the tradition of th' Apostles for the true vnderstanding and interpretation of scriptures that is to say they should admit no other interpretation but that which al churches by general and vniforme consent had receaued from th' apostles insinuating hereby that this should be an infallible rule to guide men by vnto the worlds ende Besides this the good man got time also and opportunitie in his iourney to write diuers epistles to sandry churches which Eusebius in his storie setteth downe And among other things either he being informed or fearing of him self that the Christians in Rome hearing of his comming would make means to the Emperour to get pardon for his life and so depriue him of martyrdome he write a most earnest letter vnto them beseeching them not to doe so Out of which letter both Eusebius and S. Hieron doe cite thes most excellent words following In this my iourny saieth he from Syria to Rome I am inforced to fight day and night with ten leopards that is with ten soldiars sent to keepe me Who the more benifites I doe bestow vpon them the worse and the more cruel they are towards me But their iniquitie is my instruction and yet hereby I am not iustified Would God I were once come to inioy thos beastes that are appointed to deuoure me I desire greatly that it may be hortly that they may be stirred vp to eate me quickly least perhapes they abstaine to touch me as they haue done from the bodies of other martyrs But if they should refuse to set vpon me I wil intise them on my self Pardon me my children for I know what is good for me Now I begine to be Christs true disciple desiring nothing that is sene in this world with mans eyes but only IESVS Christ my Sauiour Fire crosse beastes breaking of my bones quartering of my members tearing and renting of my body and al th' other tormentes that the diuel can inuent let them al come vpon me only that I may inioy my IESVS Thus far doth Eusebius cite the words of his own epistle which yet is exstant And S. Irenaeus S. Ierom doe 〈◊〉 yet further that when he came to suffer and heard the roringes of the lions redy to come forth vpon him he vsed thes words I am Gods corne and the teeth of thes wild beastes must grinde me to the ende I may be pure and good bread for Christs table He suffered saith S. Ierome in th' eleuenth yeare of Traians reigne and his reliques were carried backe againe by Christians from Rome to Antioche and ther are kept without the gate called Daphnitica Here we see the feruour of this seruant of God we see his constancie his corage his comfort in suffering And how came he deare brother to this most happie and blessed estate We heare him say of him self that novv he began to be Christes true disciple vvhen he desired nothing that mans eye can behold but only his Lord and Sauiour IESVS Christ. This burning loue then of IESVS did consume in him al other loue and affection that stayeth worldly men from like resolution He was no frende or louer of this world Heare the saying of an other light and lanterne of Gods church which liued at the very same time and suffered so one after him for the same cause and spake with him in his iourney toward Rome I meane S. Policarpus who wrote thus of Ignatius presently after his martyrdome vnto the Philippenses I beseech you brethren to yeld al obedience wher it is due and to vse al patience in your afflictions according to the example which you haue seene in Ignatius and other martyrs as also in S. Paul and the rest of the Apostles assuring your selues that thos men ranne not in vaine but in faith and iustice and therfore are gone to the place which was due vnto them being now with their Lord of whos afflictions they were made partakers in this life They were no louers of this world but they loued their maister who suffered death for our loue and rose againe for our glorification Thus far Policarpus And for that we are fallen into the mention of this rare and worthie man Policarp who albeit he sawe not Christ hī self in flesh yet did he liue most familiarly with diuers of the Apostles especially with S. Iohn Euāgelist whose domestical disciple he
finallie we may consider that Constantine was the first publique Christian Emperour and liued within 300. years after Christ whē the recordes of the Romās were yet whole to be seene He was a religious wise and graue Emperour and therfore would neuer haue bestowed so muche labour to confirme suche a thing at such a tyme to such an audiēce had not the matter bene of singuler importance And thus much of the second pointe touchinge prophetes among Gentiles There remaineth onlie a worde or two to be spokē of the thirde which is of the confession of deuils and Oracles concerning Christs comminge especiallie whē the tyme of his appearance drew neare and that they begā to forefeele his power and vertue Wherin as I might alleage diuers examples recorded by the Gentiles them selues so for that I haue bene somewhat longe in the former pointes and shall haue occasion to saye more of this matter in an other place hereafter I will touche onlie here two oracles of Apollo concerninge this matter Th' one wherof was to a priest of his owne that demaunded hym of true religion and of God to whom he answered thus in greeke ô thou unhappie priest vvhy doest thou aske me of God that is the father of all thinges and of this most renoumed kynges deare and onlie sonne and of the spirit that conteineth all c. Alas that spirit vvill inforce me shortelie to leaue this habitation and place of oracles Th' other oracle was to Augustus Gaesar euen about the verie tyme that Christ was redy to appeare in flesh For where as the said Emperour now drawinge into age would needes goe to Delphos and there learne of Apollo who should reigne after hym what should become of thinges whē he was dead Apollo would not answere for a greate space notwithstanding Augustus had bene verie liberal in making the greate sacrifice called Hecatombe But in th' ende when th' Emperour began to iterate his sacrifice againe and to be instant for an answer Apollo as it were inforced vttered thes straunge wordes vnto hym An Hebrue childe that ruleth ouer the blessed Gods commaundeth me to leaue this habitation and oute of hand to gett me to hel But yet doe you'departe in silence from our Aulters Thus much was Apollo inforced to vtter of his owne miserie and of the cōming of th' Ebrue boye that should putt hym to banishment But yet the deceptful spirit to holde still his credire would not haue the matter reueiled to many Wherupon Augustus falling into a greate musinge with hym self what this answer might importe returned to Rome and builded there an Aulter in the Capitole with this latine inscription as Nicephorus affirmeth Ara primogeniti Dei Th' Aulter of Godes first begotten sonne Thus then haue I declared how that the cōming of Gods sōne into the world was for tolde both to Iewe and Gentile by all meanes that possiblie in reason might be deuised that is by propheties signes figures ceremonies tradition and by the confession of deuils them selues Nor onlie that his comming was fortold but also why and for what cause he was to come that is to be a Saueour of the world to die for sinne to ordeine a new law and more perfect common wealth How also he was to come to witt in mans fleshe in likenes of sinne in pouertie humilitie The tyme likewise of his appearance was foresignified together with the maner of his birth life actions death resurrection and ascensiō And finallie nothing can be more desired for the fore knowledge of anie one thing to come then was deliuered vttered cōcernīg the Messias before Christ or Christians were talked of in the world Now thē remaineth it to consider examine whether thes particularities fortolde so lōg agoe of the Messias to come doe agree in Iesus whom we acknowledge for the true Messias And this shall be the subiect argument of all the rest of our speeche in this chapter Hovv the former predictions vvere fulfilled in Iesus at his being vpon earth Sect. 2. ALbeit in the pointes before recited which are to be fulfilled in the Messias at his comming we haue some controuersie and disagreemēt with the Iewe as hath bene shewed yet our principal contention in them all is with the Gentile and heathen that beleeueth no scriptures For that in diuers of the fornamed articles the Iewe standeth with vs and for vs offereth his life in defence therof as farre foorth as if he were a Christiā In so much that the Gētile oftē times is inforced to maruaile when he seeth a people so extremelie bent against an other as the Iewes are against Christiās and yet to stand so peremptorilie in defence of thos verie principles which are the proper causes of their disagreement But hereunto the Iew maketh answer that his disagreement from vs is in th' application of thos principles For that in no wise he will allowe that they were or may bee verified in Iesus And herein he standeth against vs much more obstinatelie then doth the Gentile For that the Gentile as soone as he commeth once to vnderstande and beleeue the propheties of scripture he maketh no doubt or difficultie in th' application thereof for that he seeth the same most euidentelie fulfilled in our Saueour Which is the cause that fewe or no Gentiles since Christs appearance haue come to be Iewes but that presentelie also they passed ouer to be Christians But the Iewe by no meanes wil be moued to yeeld albeit he haue neither scripture nor reason nor probabilitie for his defence Which among other thinges is a verie great argument to proue that Iesus was the true Messias in deed seing that among the markes of the true Messias set downe by Gods Prophetes this was one that he should be refused by the Iuishe Nation Herehence are those wordes of the Holie Ghost so longe before vttered The stone vvhich the builders refused is made the head stone of the corner this is donne by God and is maruailous in our eyes Hence is that great complainte of Esay touching th' incredulitie obstinacie of this people against their Messias at his comming which Moyses also longe before Esay expressed most effectuallie It maketh then not a litle for our cause gentle reader that the Iuishe Nation is so wilfullie bent against vs and that they refused Christ so peremptorilie at his being among them For whom so euer that Nation should receyue and acknowledge it were a great argument by scripture that he were not in deede the true Messias But yet to demonstrate 〈◊〉 worlde how litle shew of reason they haue in standing thus against their owne saluation and in refusing Iesus as they doe I will in as great breuitie as I may runne ouer the chief pointes that passed at his being vpon earth and therby examine by the testimonies of his greatest enimies whether the forsaid propheties and all other
Cessant Oracula Delphis Al Oracles at Delphos doe nowcease etc. That also of an other Poete Excessere omnes adytis arisque relictis Dij quibus imperium hoc steterat c. That is the Goddes by whom this empire stood are al departed from their temples and haue abandoned their Altars places of habitatiō Strabo also hath thes expresse wordes The Oracle of Delphos at this daye is to be sene in extreme beggarie and mēdicitie And finally Plutarche that liued within one hundreth yeares after Christ made a special booke to search out the causes why the Oracles of the Goddes were ceased in his time And after much turning winding many waies resolued vpon two principal pointes as causes therof The first for that in his time ther was more store of wise men then before whos answers might stād in stead of Oracles and the other that peraduenture the spirits which were accustomed to yeeld Oracles were by length of time growen olde and dead Both which reasons in the verie common sense of al men must needs be false and by Plutarch him self can not stand with probabilitie For first in his bookes which he wrote of the liues of auncient famous men he confesseth that in such kinde of wisdom as he most esteemed they had not their equals amōg their posteritie Secondlie in his treatises of Philosophie he passeth it for a ground that spirits not depēding of material bodies can not die or waxe olde and therfore of necessitie we must conclude that some other cause is to be yeelded of the ceasing of thes Oracles which can not be but the presence and commaundement of some higher power according to the saying of S. Iohn To this ende appeared the sonne of God that he might dissolue or ouerthrovve the vvorkes of the deuil Neither did Iesus this alone in his owne person but gaue also power and authoritie to his disciples and folowers to doe the like according to their commission in S. Matheus ghospel Super omnia Demonia spiritus immundos c. You shal haue authoritie ouer al deuils and vncleane spirites Which commission how they afterward put in execution the whole world yeeldeth testimonie And for examples 〈◊〉 onlie I wil alleage in this place an offer or chalēge made for proof therof by Tertullian to the heathen magistrates and persecutcurs of his time his wordes are thes Let ther be brought here in presence before your tribunal seats some person who is certainly knowen to be possessed with a wicked spirite and let that spirite be commaunded by a Christian to speake and he shal as trulie confesse him self to be a deuil as at other times to you he wil falselie say that he is a God Againe at the same time let there be brought forth one of thes your priests or Prophets that wil seeme to be possessed by a diuine spirite I meane of thos that speake gasping c. in whom you imagine your Gods to talke and except that spirit also commaunded by vs doe confesse him self to be a deuil being indeed afraid to lye vnto a Christian doe you shedde the blood of the Christiās in that very place c. None wil lye to their owne shame but rather for honour or aduantage yet thos spirits wil not saye to vs that Christ was a Magician as you doe nor that he was of the common condition of men They wil not saie he was stolne out of his sepulcher but they wil confesse that he was the vertue wisdome and worde of God that he is in heauen and that he shal come againe to be our iudge c. Neither wil thes deuils in our presence denie them selues to be vncleane spirits and damned for their wickednes and that they expect his most horrible iudgment professing also that they doe feare Christ in God and God in Christ and that they are made subiect vnto his seruantes Hytherto are the wordes of Tertullian conteining as I haue said a most confident chalenge and that vpō the liues and blood of al Christians to make trial of their power in controlling thos spirites which the Romanes and other Gentiles adored as their Godes Which offer seing it was made exhibited to the persecutors them selues then liuing in Rome wel may we be assured that the enemie would neuer haue omitted so notorious an aduauntage if by former experience he had not bene persuaded that the ioining herein would haue turned and redounded to his owne confusion And this Puissant authoritie of Iesus imparted to Christians extended it self so farre forth that not only their wordes and commandemētes but euen their very presence did shut the mouthes and driue into feare thes miserable spirites So Lactantius sheweth that in his daies among many other exāples of this thing a seely seruing-man that was a Christiā folowing his maister into a certaine temple of Idoles the Godes cried out that nothing could be weldone as long as that Christian was in presence The like recordeth Eusebius of Diocletian th' Emperour who going to Apollo for an Oracle receyued answere that the iust mē vvere the cause that be could saye nothing Which iust men Apollos priest interpreted to be meant ironically of Christians therevpon Diocletian beganne his most cruel and fearce persecution in Eusebius daies Sozomenus also writeth that luliā th' Apostata endeuoring with many sacrifices and coniurations to drawe an answere from Apollo Daphnaeus in a famous place called daphne in the suburbes of Antioche vnderstood at last by the Oracle that the bones of S. Babylas the Martyr that laie nere to the place were the impedimēt why that God could not speake And therupō Iulian presently caused the same bodie to be remoued And finally here of it proceeded that in all sacrifices coniurations and other mysteries of the Gentils ther was brought in that phrase recorded by scoffing Lucian Exeant Christiani let Christians depart for that while they were present nothing could be wel accomplished To conclude the Pagane Porphyrie that of al other most earnestly endeuored to impugne and disgrace vs Christiās and to holde vp the honour of his enfeebled idoles yet discoursing of the great plague that raigned most furiously in the Citie of Messina i Cicilie wher he dwelt yeeldeth this reason why Aesculapius the God of Physike much adored in that place was not able to helpe them It is no maruailes sayeth 〈◊〉 this Citie so many yeares be vexed vvith the plague seing that both Aesculapius and al other Godes be novv departed from it by the comming of Christians For since that men haue bigunne to vvorship this Iesus vve could neuer obtaine any profite by our Godes Thus much confessed this Patrone of paganisme concerning the mayme that his Godes had receyued by Iesus honour Which albeit he spake with a malitious minde to bring Christians in hatred and persecution therby yet is the confession notable and confirmeth that storie
euery sinful conscience commeth to answere almightie God as did Ierusalem when being admonished of her sinnes exhorted by his prophet to amendment of life she said Desperaui nequaquam faciam I ame become desperate I wil neuer thincke of any such thing To which lamentable estate when a sinful man is once arriued the next steppe he maketh is for auoiding al remorse and trouble of consciēce to engulfe him self into the depth of al detestable enormities and to abandone his soule to the verie sincke of al filth and abhominations according as S. Paul said of the Gentiles in like case that by despaire they deliuered them selues ouer to dis solute life therby to commit al maner of vncleanes Which wicked resolution of the impious is the thing as I haue noted before that most of al other offences vpon earth doth exasperate the ire of Almighty God depriuing his deuine Maiestie of that most excellent propertie wherin he cheifly deliteth and glorieth which is his infinite and vnspeacable mercie This might be declared by diuers and sondrie examples of holy writt how be it two only shal suffice for this present The first is of the people of Israel not long before their banishment to Babilon who being threatned from God by the Prophet Ieremie that manifold punishments were imminent ouer their heads for their grieuous sinnes committed against his Maiestie begāne in stead of repentance to fal to desperation and consequently resolued to take that impious course of al dissolute life alleaged before out of S. Paul for thus they answered God exhorting them by his threats to reforme their wicked liues VVe are novv grovven desperate therfore vve vvil hereafter folovve our ovvne cogitations and euerie one sulfil the vvickednes of his ovvne conceite Wherat God stormed infinitely and brake forth into this vehement interrogation Interrogate Gentes quit audiuit talia horribilia Aske and enquire of the verie Gentiles whether euer among them were heard any such horrible blasphemies And after this for more declaration of this intollerable iniurie herin offerred to his Maiestie he commaunded the Prophet Ieremie to goe forth of his owne house and to get him to a potters shope which in the village was framing his vessels vpon the wheele Which Ieremie hauing done he sawe befor his face a pot crushed and broken by the potter al in peeces vpō the wheele and thincking therby that the vessel had bene vtterly vnprofitable and to be cast away he saw the same clay ptesently framed agayne by the potter into a new vessel more excellent then before Wherat he maruailing God said vnto him Doest not thou thinck Ieremie that I can doe with the house of Israel as this potter hath done with his vessel Or is not the house of Israel in my handes as the clay is in the handes of this craftesman I wil denounce vpon the sodaine against a Nation and kingdome that I wil roote it vp and destroye it and if that nation or kingdome doe repent from their wickednes I also wil repent me of the punishment which I intended to laie vpon them And then he proceedeth foreward declaring vnto Ieremie the exceeding greif and indignation which he conceaueth that any sinner what soeuer should despaire of mercie pardon at his hands The second example is of the same people of Israel during the time of their banishment in Babilon at what time being afflicted with many miseries for their sinnes and threatned with many more to come for that they changed not the course of their former wicked conuersation they beganne to despaire of Gods mercie and to saie to the Prophet Ezechiel that liued banished among them exhorted them to amendment vpon assured hope of Gods fauour towards them Our iniquities and sinnes doe lye greeuouslie vpon vs and vve languish in them and vvhat hope of life then may vve haue At which cogitation and speech God being greatly moued appeared presently to Ezechiel said vnto him Tel this people I doe liue saieth the Lord God of hostes I vvishe not the death of the impious but rather that he should turne from his vvicked vvaies and liue VVhy vvil the house of Israel die in their sinnes rather then turne vnto me And then he maketh a large and vehement protestation that how greuously soeuer any person shal offend him how great punishments soeuer he shal denounce against him yea if he had giuen expresse sentence of death and damnation vpon him yet Si egerit paenitentiam a peccato suo seceritque iudicium iustitiam that is if he repent him self of his sinne and exercise iudgement and iustice for the time to come al his sinnes that he hath committed shal be forgiuen him saieth almightie God for that he hath done iudgment and Iustice. And this now might be sufficient albeit nothing els were spoken for remouing this first obstacle and impediment of true resolution which is the dispaire of Gods infinite goodnes and mercie Neuertheles for more euident clearing and demonstration of this matter and for the greater comfort of such as feele them selues burdened with the heauy weight of their iniquities committed against his deuine Maiestie I haue thought expedient in this place to declare more at large this aboundant subiect of Gods endles mercie towards al such as wil truly turne vnto him in what time state condition or age soeuer in this life which shal be shewed and set doune by thes foure points and partes that doe ensue FIRST OF AL by the infinite and incomprehēsible loue that almightie God beareth vnto man which loue is alwaies the mother of fauour grace and mercie If you demaund of me in what sort I doe proue that the loue of God is so exceeding great towardes man I answere as the Cosmographer is wont to doe who by the greatnes and multitude of the streames and riuers doth frame a coniecture of the fountaine frō which they flowe The proper riuers which are deriued and doe ronne forth of loue are good turnes and benefites which seing they are infinite endles and inestimable bestowed by God vpon man as in place before hath bene declared and the whole vniuersal frame of this world doth aboundantly beare witnesse it foloweth most euidently that the origine fountaine welspring of al thes fauours graces and good turnes must needs be infinite immeasurable and farre surpassing al compasse of mans vnderstanding If you require of me the cause and reason why almightie God should so wonderfully be affected towards man I can directly yeld you none at al but rather meruaile therat with holy Iob why so soueraine a Maiestie should set his hart vpon so base a subiect Notwithstanding the holy Scripture seemeth to alleage one principal reason of this loue when it saieth Nihil odistieorum quae secisti parcis omnibus quia tua sunt Domine quidiligis animas That is Thou O Lord which louest soules
may be proued by many rules of our Sauiour him self As for exāple this is one rule set downe by him self By their fruites yee shal knovv them For such as the tree is within such is the fruit which that tree sendeth forth Againe the mouth speaketh frō the abundance of the hart and consequentlie seing thes mens talke is nothing but of worldlie vanities it is an euident signe there is nothing in their hart but that And then it foloweth also by a third rule vvhere the treasure is there is the hart and so consequently seing their hartes are onelie set vpon the world the world is their onelie treasure and not God and ther vpon are very Atheistes This impediment deare Christian brother reacheth both farre and wide at this daie and infinite are the people who are intangled therwith and the causes therof are two especiallie The first is deuision schisme and heresie in matters of our faith which by raising many doubtes and questions and by contentious quarreling which it maintaineth wearieth out a mans wit and in the end bringeth him to care for no part but rather to contemne al. The second is inordinate loue of the world which bringeth men to hate God and to conceiue enemitie against him as the Apostle saith and therfore no maruaile though indeed they nether beleeue nor delite in him And of al other men thes are the hardest to be reclaymed and brought to any resolution of amendemēt for that they are insensible and besides that doe also flie al meanes wherby they may be cured For as there were final hope to be conceiued of that patiēt which being greuouslie sicke should nether feele his disease nor beleeue that he were distēpered nor abide to heare of phisick or phisition nor accept of anie counsail that should be offered nor admit any talke or consultation about his curing so thes men are in more dangerous estate then anie other for that they know not their owne danger but persuading them selues to be more wise then their neighbours doe remoue from their cogitations al things wherby their health might be procured THE ONELIE waie to doe thes men good if there be any waie at al is to make them know that they are sicke and in great daunger which in our case may be done best as it seemeth to me by geuing them to vnderstand how farre they are of from any one peece of true Christianitie and consequentlie from al hope of saluation that may be had therby God requireth at our handes that we should loue him and serue him vvith al our hart vvith al our soule and vvith al our strength Thes are the prescript wordes of almightie God set downe both in the old and new law And how farre I praye the are thes careles men short of this who emploie not the halfe of their hart nor the halfe of their soule nor the halfe of their strength in Gods seruice nay not the least part therof God requireth at our handes that we should make his lawes and preceptes our studie and cogitation that we should thinke of thē continuallie and meditate vpon them both day and night at home and abrode early and late when we go to bedde and when we rise in the morning this is his commandemēt and there is no dispensation therin But how farre are thes men from this which bestowe not the third parte of their thoughtes vpon this matter no not the hundreth part nor scarse once in a yeare do talke therof Can thes mē saie they are Christians or that they beleeue in IESVS our Saueour Christ making the estimate of things in this life pronounced this sentence Vnum est necessarium one onelie thing is necessarie or of necessitie in this world meaning therby the diligent and careful seruice of God Thes mē finde many things necessarie besides this one thing and this nothing necessarie at al. How farre doe they differ then in iudgement from their Sauiour Christ Christes Apostle saith that a Christian must nether loue the vvorld nor any thing in the vvorld Thes men loue nothing els but that which is of the world He saith That vvho soeuer is a frend to the vvorld is an enemie to Christ. Thes men are enemies to who soeuer is not a frend to the world How then can thes men holde of Christ Christ saith vve should praye stil. Thes men praye neuer Christs Apostle saith that couetousnes vncleanesse or scurrilitie should not be so much as once named among Christians thes men haue no other but such talke Finally the whole course and canon of scripture runneth that Christiās should be attenti vigilantes soliciti instantes feruentes perseuerantes sine intermissione That is attent vigilant careful instant feruent and perseuerant without intermission in the seruice of their God But thes men haue no one of thes pointes nor any one degree therof but in euery one the cleane cōtrarie For they are nether attent to thos things which appertaine vnto God nor vigilant nor solicitous nor careful and much lesse instant and feruent and least of al perseuerant without intermission for that they neuer beginne But on the contrarie side they are careles negligent lumpish remisle key cold peruerse contemning and despising yea lothing and abhorring al matters that appertaine to the mortifiing of them selues and to the true seruice of God What parte haue thes men then in the lot and portion of Christians besides onely the bare name which profiteth nothing And this is sufficiēt to shew how great and dangerous an impediment this careles senseles and supine negligence is against the resolutiō wherof we entreate For if Christ require to the perfection of this resolution that whosoeuer once espieth out the treasure hidden in the field which is the kingdome of heauen and the right way to gaine it he should presently goe and sel al that he hath and buie that field that is to say that he should preferre the pursute of this kingdome of heauen before al the commodities of this life whatsoeuer and rather venture them al then to omit this treasure If Christ I say require this as he doeth when wil thes men euer be brought to this point who wil not geue the least parte of their goodes to purchase that field nor goe forth of the dores to treate the bying therof nor wil so much as thinke or talke of the same nor allow of him which shal offer the meanes waies to compasse it Wherfore whosoeuer findeth him self in this perilous disease I would counsaile him to reade some chapters of the first part of this booke especially the third fift entreating of the causes for which we were sent into this world as also of the account which we must yeld to God of our time here spēt he shal there vnderstand I dout not the errour dāger he standeth in by this damnable negligence wherein he sleepeth
gouernour of Iurie when S. Paul began to talke of iustice chastitie and gods iudgmentes before hym he was wonderfullie a feard and said to Paul that he should departe for that tyme and that he vvould call for hym againe aftervvard vvhen occasion should require But he neuer dyd and what was the cause For that as Iosephus testifieth he was a wicked man Drusilla his fayre ladie that was with hym at S. Pauls speeche was not his true wife but taken by allurement and violence from an other and therfore it offended them both to heare preaching of chastitie This then is one principall cause whie men of this world will not enter into consideration of their owne estate and of gods cōmandementes least they should reade and see their owne faultes beare witnesse against thē selues of their owne condemnation Wherunto the scripture annexeth an other cause not far vnlike to this which is that worldlie men doe so dro vne them selues in the cares and cogitations of this life as they leaue in their mindes no place to thinke vpon gods affaires which are the busynes of their owne soules This expresseth Ieremie the prophet most effectuallie when hauing made his complaint that not withstānding his preaching and crying in the temple-gate for long tyme together where all the people passed by hym and heard hym yet no man sayeth he would enter into consideration or say with hym self vvhat haue I donne wherof he addeth presentlie the cause and reason omnes enim conuersi sunt ad cursum suum quasi equus impetu vedens ad praelium All men are sett vpon their owne courses and wayes and doe runne in the same with as great vehemēcie and fearse obstination as a furious armed horse whē he heareth the trompett in the beginning of a battaile By which cōparison the holie ghost expresseth verie lyuelie the irrecouerable state of a setled worldlie man that followeth greedilie his owne designmentes in the negotiation of earth Thes are two of the chyefe causes of inconsideration I meane wilful malice and obstinate occupation in the vanities of this life And yet mētioneth the scripture a third sorte also of inconsiderate men who nether of direct malice nor yet of greate occupatiō in worldlie affaires doe neglect consideration but rather of a certaine lightenesse and idle negligēce for that they will not trouble their heades with any thing but disporte and recreation of whom it is written aestimauerūt lusum esse vitā nostra They esteeme this life of ours to be but a plai-game And in an other place of the same mē ita securi viuunt quasi iustorum facta habeant They lyue as securelie and considentlie without care or cogitation as if they had the good workes of iust men to stand for them But as the holie Ghost pronoūceth in the same place hoc vanissimum this is vanitie and folie in the highest degree For as in thinges of this life he were but a foolish marchant that for quietnes sake would neuer looke into his accōptbookes whether he were behind hand or before and as that ship-master were greatelie to be laughed at that for auoiding of care would sett downe and make good cheere let the shippe goe whether she would so much more in the busines of our soule is it madnesse and follie to flye consideratiō for eschuyng of trouble seing in th ende this negligence must needes turne vppō vs much more trouble and irremediable calamitie For as Ieremie sayeth to all such men in nouissimo dicrum intelligetis ca in the ende of your dayes you shall not chuse but know see and vnderstand thes thinges which now for delicacie you will not take the paines to thinke of But when shall this be trow you he telleth plainlie in the same place vvhen the furie of our lord shall come foorth as a vvhirle vvinde and shall rushe and rest vppon your heades as a tempest then shall you know and vnderstand thes thinges It seemeth that the Babylonians were a people verie faultie in this pointe of cōsideration as all wealthie people are not only by that which before hath bene touched of the daughter of Babylon that would not consider her endinge dayes but also for that not long before the most terrible destruction of that greate Citie by the Medes and Persiās God cried vnto her in thes wordes My deerlie beloued Babylō put aside the table and stand vppon thy watch rise vp you princes from eating and drinking take your targetes in your handes goe and set a watcheman vppon the walles and what so euer he seeth let hym tell you And then was there a watcheman sett vppon the wales and a Lyō to denounce with open mouth what soeuer danger he saw comming towardes them And God taught the people to crie in this sorte to their sentinel or watchman Custos quid de nocte custos quid de nocte Thow watcheman what seest thou coming towardes vs by night what espyest thou ò sentinel drawing on vs in the darkenesse By all which circūstance what els is insinuated but that god would haue vs stād vppon our watch for that his iudgementes are to come vppon the world by night when men least thinke therof they are to come as a theese at mid-night as also in an other place we are admonished and therfore happie is the man that shal be founde watcheful But now the dore and sole entrance into this watch wherof the securitie of our eternal life depēdeth can be nothing els but consideration For that where no cōsideratiō is there can be no watch nor fore-sight nor knowledge of our estate consequentlie no hope of saluation as holie S. Bernard holdeth which thing caused that blessed man to wryte fyne whole bookes of consideration to Eugenius Consideration is the thing which bringeth vs to know both god and our selues And touching god it layeth before vs his Maiestie his mercie his iudgementes his commandemēts his promisses his threatninges his proceeding with other men before vs wherby we may gather what we also in tyme must expect at this hādes And for our selues consideration is the keye that openeth the dore to the closet of our hart where all our bookes of accompt doe lye it is the looking glasse or rather the verie eye of our soule wherby she taketh the vew of her self and looketh into all her whole estate Into her riches her debtes her dueties her negligēces her good guiftes her defectes her saftie her dāger her way she walketh in her course she followeth her pace she holdeth and finallie the place and ende wherto she draweth And without this consideratiō she runneth on hedlong into a thousand brakes and bryars stumbling at euerie steppe into some one inconuenience or other and continuallie in perill of some great and deadlie mischiefe And wonderful trulie it is that in all other busines of this
life men can see and confesse that nothing may be ether begunne prosecuted or well ended without consideratiō and yet in this greate affaire of gayning heauen or falling into hell few thinke consideration greatelie necessarie to be vsed I might stand here to shew th' infinite other effectes and commodities of consideration as that it is the watche or l'arme-bell that stirreth vp and awaketh all the powers of our minde the match or tynder that cōceyueth and nourisheth the fyar of deuotiō the belloes that enkyndleth and inflameth the same the spurre that pricketh forward to all vertuous zelous and heroical actes and the thing in deede that gyueth both light and life motion to our soule Our Faith is confirmed increased by consideration of gods workes and miracles our Hope by cōsideratiō of his promisses and or the true performance therof to all them that euer trusted in hym our Charitie or loue of god by consideration of his benefites and innumerable desertes towardes vs our Humilitie by cōsideratiō of his greatenesse and of our owne infirmitie Our Courage Fortitude by cōtēplation of his assistance in all causes for his honour our Contempte of the world by consideration of the ioyes of heauen eternall and so all other vertues both moral and deuine doe take their heate and quickening and vital spirite from consideration By th' excercise of consideratiō and meditation holy Dauid sayeth that he felt a burning fyar to flame within his breast that is the fyar of zeale the fyar of feruour in religion the fyar of deuotion the fyar of loue towardes god and his neighbour And in an other place he sayeth that by the same excercise he svvept and purged his ovvne spirit which is to be vnderstoode from the dust of this world from the dregges of synne from the cōtamination and coinquination of humaine creatures for that consideration in deede is the verie fanne that seuereth and driueth away the chaffe from the corne For which cause we shall neuer reade of any holie man from the beginning of the worlde nether before Christ or after who vsed not much and familiarlie this moste blessed excercise of cōsideration pondering And for the first three Patriarches it shal be sufficient to remember the custome of yonge Isaac recorded in Genesis VVhich was to goe foorth towardes night into the fieldes ad meditādum that is to meditate consider and ponder vppon the workes and iudgementes and commādemétes of god And this he did being yet but a childe and vnmarryed far different from the custome of yong gétlemé now a dayes who frequent the fieldes to follow their vanities And as litle Isaac could not haue this custome but from his father Abraham so no doubt but he taught the same to his sonne Iacob and Iacob againe to his posteritie And as for Moyses and his successor Iosue it may easelie be imagined how they vsed this excercise by the most earnest exhortations which they made therof to others in their speech and writinges The good kinges of Iuda also notwithstāding their many great temporal affaires doe testifie of them selues cōcerning this excercise as Dauid almost euery where that the commandementes of god were his daylie meditation not onlie by day and that tota die all the day per singuios dies euerie day in matutino in the morning septie in die seuē tymes a day But also he insinuateth his custome by night meditatus sum nocte cum corde meo I doe meditate by night in my harte vppon thy commaundementeso Lord signifying hereby both his watchfulnes by night when other men were a sleepe and the hartie care that he had of this exercise which we esteeme so litle Salomon also king Dauides sonne so long as he liued in the grace and fauour of god obserued this excercise of his father and exhorteth other men to haue continual and daylie cogitation in this affaire VVhich if hymself had continued still it is liklie he 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 solitarines with hymself alone which is the true way of profitable meditation Esaye testifieth of his owne watching by night in this excercise and how he did the same with his spirite alone in the verie bowels of his harte Holy Iob maketh mention not onlie of his maner of considering but what also he cōsidered what effect he found in hym self by the same First he considered as I said the wayes foot-stepes cōmandemetes of god thé his dreadful power to witt how no man was able to auerte or turne away his cogitation but that his sowle did what soeuer it pleased and by this sayeth he considerans eum timore sollicitor I am made sollicitous or watcheful with feare when I doe consider hym In which wordes he insinuateth two most excellent effectes of cōsideratiō first the feare of god of which it is writen salutis the saurus timor Drnini the feare of God is the treasure of saluation and the second that by this feare he was made sollicitous watchfull and diligent in gods seruice of whiche the prophet Micheas saith thus I vvil tell the ò man vvhat is good and vvhat our Lord requireth at thie handes to witt to doe iudgement and loue mercie and to vvalke sollicitous and vvatchfull vvith thie God But ò thou holie and blessed man Iob did this excercise of consideration bring foorth in thee so greate feare and terror of god and so carefull watchfulnes for obseruing his cōmandementes now I see well the cause why thou wrytest of thv self that thou dydste doubte and feare all thy workes and actions were they neuer so circumspect But what shall we say now a dayes most happie Sainte who do not doubt so much as our owne dissolute careles and inordinate actions who feele no terror of God at all nor doe vse anie one iote of watchfulnes in obseruing his commandementes trulie this proceedeth of nothing els but of inconsideration it proceedeth of lacke of knowledge both of god and of our selues For doubtelesse yf we knewe eyther of thes two thinges a-right as in deede neyther of them can be well vnderstoode without th other it could not be but that manie of vs would chaunge our wrong courses O merciful Lord what synful māin the world would lyue as he doth if he knew ether thee or hymself as he should doo I meane if he considered what thou arte what thou hast bene to other that lyued cōtinued in synne as he doth Not without greate cause cried so often and earnestlie to the that holy Doctor of thy church for obteyninge of thes two poynctes at thie handes vt cognoscam te vt cognoscam me that I may know thee and that I may know my selfe saith he that is that
learner or els so manifest casie and euident of them selues as they neede no other proofe but onely declaration So when we take in hand to instruct a man in chvualrie or feates of armes we doe sappose that he knoweth before were he neuer so rude what a man what a horse what armour what fighting meaneth as also that warre is lawful and expedient in diuers cases that princes of the world may wage the same that soldiars haue to liue in order and discipline vnder their regiment 2nd that kinges for this cause doe hold their Generales Lieutenantes Coronels Captaines and other like officers in their bandes garrisons campes and armies In manual artes and occupations likewise it is euidēt that diuers thinges must be presupposed to be foreknowen by the learner as in husbadrie or agriculture in buylding in paynting and other such excercises when a man is to be taught or instructed it were not conuenient for the teacher to stand vppon euerie pointe or matter that apperteineth to the same but must leaue and passe ouer many things as apparent of them selues or easilie to be discerned of euerie learner by nature sense reason or common experiēce But yet in liberal sciencies and professions of learning is this more apparent where not onely such commō and vulgar poītes are to be presumed without proofe or discourse but also certaine propositiōs are to be graunted in the beginning as growndes wheruppon to buylde all the rest that insueth So the Logitian for example wil haue you yelde ere he enter with you that contradictorie propositions can not be together ether false or true nether that one thing may be affirmed and denied of an other in one and the self same respect and tyme. The Moral philosopher will haue you graunte at the beginning that ther is both good and euyl in mens actions and that the one is to be follovved and the other refused The Natural Philosopher wil haue you confesse that all physicall bodies which depende of nature haue motion in themselues and are subiect to alterations and vvhat soeuer is moued is moued of an other The Mathematique at his first enterance will demande your assent that euerie vvhole is bygger then his parte as also the Metaphysique or supernatural Philosopher that nothing can bee and not bee at one tyme. And so other such lyke principles and common growndes in thes and all other sciences are to be demanded graunted and agreed vppon at the beginning for the better pursute and establishment of that which hath to follow being thinges in them selues as you see eyther by nature comon sense or experience most cleare and manifest And is not this also in diuinitie trow you in the affaires that we haue now in hand yes trulie if we beleeue S. Paul who writeth thus to the hebrues Credere oportet accedētem ad Deum quid est inquirētibus se remunerator sit He that is in cōming towardes God must beleeue that there is a God that he is a rewarder to such as seeke hym Behold here two principles wherin a man must be resolued before he cā seeke or draw neere vnto god The one that ther is a god and the other that the same god is iust to revvard euerie man that seeketh hym according to his desertes VVhich two principles or general groūds are so euidēt in dede of their owne natures and so ingrassed by gods owne hande into the mynde and vnderstanding of euerie particuler man at his natiuitie according to the saying of the prophet the light of thy countenance is sealed vpon vs ò Lord that were not the tymes we lyue in to-to wicked and the shameles induration of sinners intollerable we should not neede to stande vpon the proofe of thes pointes for confirmatiō of our cause that we now intreate of resolution but rather supposing and assuring our selues that no reasonable creature lyuing could doubt of thes principles should pursue onely the consideration of other thinges that might stirre vp our wills to perfourmance of our duties towardes this God that hath created vs and remaineth to paye our rewarde at th' ende But for so muche as iniquitie hath so aduaūced her selfe at this day i the hartes of many as not onely to contemne and offend theyr maker but also to denye hym for patronage of their euyl life and for exstinguishing the worme of their owne afflicted and most miserable consciences I am inforced before all other thinges to discouer this fonde and fowle errour of theirs and to remoue also this refuge of desperate iniquitie by she wing the inuincible veritie of thes two prīciples th' one depending of the other in suche sorte as the first being proued the second hath of necessitie to follow For if once it be manifest that there is a God which hath care and prouidence of all thos whome he hath created and gouerneth thē must it insue by force of all consequence that he is also to rewarde the same men according to their merites and desertes of this life First then to proue this principle that there is a God I neede vse no other argument or reason in the world but onlie to referre eche mā to his owne sense in beholding the world wherof euerie parte and portion is a most cleere glasse representing God vnto vs or rather a sayre table wherin God hath drawen imprinted hymself in so manifest characters and legible letters as the simplest man lyuing may reade and vnderstand the same In respect hereof said the wise man so longe agoe That vaine and foolishe were all thos who cōsidering the workes that are sene in this world could not therby rise to vnderstād the worke-man And he gyueth this reason a magnitudine enim speciei creaturae cognoscibiliter poterit Creator horum videri For that by the greatenes of bewtie in the creature may the Creator therof be sene and knowen Which S. Paul cōfirmeth when he sayeth that the inuisible thinges of God may be sene and knowen by the visible creatures of this world Which is to be vnderstoode in this sense that as a prisonner in a dungeon may easilie by a little beame that shyneth in at a chyncke conceaue ther is a sunne from whence that beame descendeth and as a trauailer in the wildernesse that falleth vpon some channel or brooke may ascende by the same to the well or fontaine euen so he that beholdeth and cōsidereth the wonderful workes of this world may therby conceaue also the wonderful Artificer or workeman that made them If a man should passe by sea into some foraine strāge sauuage countrie wher nothing els but birdes and beastes did appeare yet if he should espie some exquisite building or other worke of arte and reason in the place he would presentelie assure hymself that some men dwelt or had bene in that countrie for that suche thinges
had fower principal sciēces wherof they made profession eche one of thes hauing other lower sciences comprehended vnder it The first of thes foure is called Natural philosophie the second Moral the third Supernatural or Metaphysicke the fowerth Mathematique And for the first three they haue eche one their proper meanes and peculier proofes wherby to cōuince that there is a God The fouerth which is the Mathematique for that it hath no cōsideratiō at all of the efficient or final cause of thinges vnder which two respectes and considerations onlie God may be knowen and declared to mē in his world therfore this science hath no proper meane peculier to it self for prouing this veritie as th' other sciences haue but receaueth the same as borrowed of the former THE NATVRAL phisosopher amóg the Gentiles had infinite arguments to proue by the creatures that there was a God but all he reduced to thre pricipal general heades which he termed exMotu ex Fine ex Causa Efficiēte That is arguméts drawen from the Motions from the Endes and frō the Cause efficient of creatures that we behold which termes th' examples solowinge shall make cleare manisest Th' argument of Motion standeth vppó this general ground in philosophie that vvhat soeuer is moued is moued if an other Wherin also is obserued that in the motions of creatures there is a subordinatiō th' one to th' other As for example thes inferiour bodies vppon earthe are moued altered by the ayre and other elemēts and the elements are moued by the influence and motion of the Moone Sunne and other heauenlie bodies thes planets agayne are moued from the highest Orbe or Spheare of all that is called the first mouable a boue which we cā goe no further among creatures Now then asketh the philosopher here whoe moueth this first moueable for if you saye that it moueth it self it is against our former ground that nothing is moued in nature but of an other And if you saye that some other thing moueth it then is the questiō againe who moueth that other so from one to one vntill you come to some thing that moueth and is not moued 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 philosophers And they thought it a demonstration vnauoydable and it seemeth they were admonished of this argument by consideration of the clocke whose hammer when it stryketh sheweth the next wheele wherby it is moued and that wheele sheweth an other wheele and so from one to one vntill ye come to hym that was the first cause of motion to all the wheeles that is to the clockemaker hymselfe Aristotle to king Alexander vseth this pretie similitude That as in a Quyar of singers when the foreman hath gyuē the first tune or note there insueth presentlie a sweete harmonie and consent of all other voyces both great and small sharpe and meane So God in the creation of this worlde hauing gyuen once the first pushe or motion to the highest heauen called primum mobile ther insue vppon the same all other motions of heauens planetes elements and other bodies in most admirabile order concorde and congruetie for cōseruation and gouernement of the whole And thus is God proued by th' argument of motion Th' other two arguments of th' Ende and of the Cause Efficiēt of creatures are made euidēt in a certaine maner by this that hath bene spoken of Motiō For seing by experiēce 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 byrde is directed to build her nest by nature the fox to make his denne and so the lyke in all other creatures the philosopher asketh here what thīg is that which directeth nature her self seing eche thīg must haue somewhat to directe it to his Ende And no answer can be made but that the Director of Nature must be some thing aboue Nature that is God hymself This argument of the final Ende is most excellentlie handled by Philo Iudaeus in his learned treatise of the vvorkemanshipe of the vvorlde From the Cause efficiēt the Philosopher disputeth thus It is euident by all reason in respect of the corruptions alterations and perpetual motiōs of all creatures that this world had a beginning and all excellēt philosophers that euer were haue agreed theruppon except Aristotle for a tyme 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 contrarie in his booke to king Alexander This then being so that this world had 3 begīnīg it must needes follow also that it had an Efficient cause Now then is the question whoe is that Efficient cause that made the world if you say that it made it self it is absurde for how could it haue power to make it self before it self was and before it had any beeing at all if you say that some thing within the world made the worlde that is that some one parte of the world made the whole this is more absurde for it is as if a man should say that the fingar and this before it was a fingar or parte of the bodie did make the whole bodie Wherfore we must confesse by force of this argument that a greater and more excellent thing then is the whole world putt together or then any parte therof made the world and was the Cause efficient of the frame that we see and this cā be nothing els but God that is aboue the world So that hereby we see how many wayes the Natural philosopher is fraught with arguments to proue there is a God that by reason onlie without all light or assistance of faith BVT THE Metaphisique or Supernatural Philosopher amōg the Gétiles as he to whome it appertained most in special to handle thes high supernatural affaires had manie more arguments and demonstrations to proue and cōuince the being of one God And first of all he said that it could not stande with any possibilitie in his science that eus finitum a thing finite or closed within bosides limites as this world euerie creature therin is could be but from some Maker or Creator For sayeth he the thīg that in it self is not infinite hath his boundes and limmites and cōsequētelie ther must be some thing that assigned thes boūdes and limites And seing ī this world there is no creature so great which hath not boundes and limites we must of necessitic imagine some infinite supreme Creator or Maker that limited thes creatures euen as we see that the potter at his pleasure gyueth boūdes and limites to the pot that he frameth This argument the Metaphisique confirmeth by a ruled principle in his science that euerie
thing vvhich is by participation must be reduced and referred to some other thing that is not by participation but of it self And he calleth a thing by participation which is not in the fullest or highest degree of perfection in his kinde but may haue additiō made vnto it As for exaple water or anie thing els that is heated by the fiar is hoate by participatiō and not of it self for that it maye alvvayes be hoater and haue addition of heate made vnto it But fiar is hoate of it self and not by participation for that it hath heate in the highest degree and in that kinde can receyue no additiō wherfore the heate of all other things which are hoate by participation of fiar are reduced concerning their heate to the heate of fiar as to their original Now then sayeth the Metaphisique we see by experiēce that all the creatures and partes of this worlde are things by participation onlie for that they are finite in nature and haue limitations in all their perfections and may receaue additions to the same and consequentelie they must of necessitie be referred to some higher cause that is infinite in perfection and consisteth of it self alone without participation from others and this is God who being absolute endeles and without all limitation of perfection in hym selfe deriueth from his owne incomprehensible infinitenes certaine limited natures and perfectiōs to euerie creature which perfections in creatures are nothing els but litle particles and participations of the bottōles sea of perfectiōs in the Creator wherunto they are to be referred and reduced as the beame to the sunne and the brooke to the fountaine A second argument vseth the Metaphisique grounded vppon certaine rules of vnitie wherof one principale is that euerie multitude or distinction of things proceedeth from some vnitie as from his fountaine This he sheweth by manie examples of things in this world For we see by experiēce that the diuers motions or mouinges of the lower sphers or bodies celestial doe proceede of the mouing of one highest sphere are to be referred to the same as to their foūtaine Many riuers are reduced to one well or ofspring innumerable beames to one sunne all the boughes a of tree to one stocke In the bodie of mā which for his beautie and varietie is called the little vvorld the veynes which are without number haue all one beginning in the liuer the arteres ī the harte the sinowes in the braine And that which is more the infinite actions of life sense and reason in mā as generatiōs corruptions nourishementes digestions alterations Eeeling smelling tasting seing hearing mouing speaking thinking remembring discoursing and ten hundred thousand particuler actions operations and motions besides which are excercised in mans bodie vnder thes or other such names and appellations all thes I say being infinite in number most admirable in order and distincte in euerie their office and operation doe receaue not withstanding their beginning from one most simple vnitie and indiuisible substance called the soule which produceth gouerneth and directeth them all to so innu nerable differēt and contrarie functions By this concludeth the Metaphisique that as among the creatures we finde this most excellente order and connexion of thinges wherby one bringeth furth manie and euerie maltitude is referred to his vnitie so much more in al reason must the whole frame of creatures conteined in this world wherein there are so manie milliōs of multitudes with their vnities be referred to one most simple abstract vnitie that gaue beginning to them all and this is God A thirde argument vseth the Metaphisique deriued from the subordination of creatures ī this world which subordination is such and so wonderfull as we see no creature by nature serueth itself but an other and all together doe cōspire in seruing the common We see the heauens doe moue aboute continuallie without ceasing and this not to serue them selues but inferior creatures lesse excellent then them selues We see that water moystneth the ground the aver cooleth openneth and cherysheth the same the Sunne heateth and quic keneth it the Moone and Starres powre foorth their influēce the windes refreshe it and all this not for them selues but for other The earth againe that receaueth thes seruices vseth not the same for her self or for her owne commoditie but to bring foorthe grasse wherewith to feede cattaile and they feede not for them selues but to gyue nourishement vnto man Now then sayeth the Metaphisique if a man that stoode a farreof vppon a mountaine should see in a field vnder hym a great huge maine armie of souldiars most excellent well appointed ech one in order agreing with th' other deuided into Rancks Squadrōs Companies offices subordinate th' one to th' other by degrees and yet all tending one waye all their faces bent vppon one place all mouinge marching and turning together all indeuoringe with allacritie towardes the perfourmance of one common seruice bymutual assistance without dissention discorde difference or clamour he that should see this sayeth the metaphisique as he could not but imagine some general high Capitaine to be among thes soldiars whom all obeyed and from whose supreme commandement and order this most excellent subordination agreement and vnion proceeded so much more vpon consideration of the former coherence consent and miraculous subordination of creatures amōg them seiues in their operations must we inferre that they haue some general cómaunder cuer thē all by whose supreme dispcsition eche creature hath his charge peculier taske appointed which he must perfourme for the cōman and vniuersal seruice of the whole The fouerth reason or argument alleaged by the supernatural philosopher is of the marueilous prouidence arte and wisdome discouered in the making of euery least creature within the world For seing there is nothing so litle nothing so base or cōtemptible within the compasse of this heauen that couereth vs but if you consider it you fynde both arte order proportion bewtie and excellēcie in the same this can not proceede of fortune as foolishe Lucretius and some other would haue it for that fortune is casualtie without order rule or certaintie and therfore needes it must come frō the wisdome and prouidence of some omnipotēt Creator If you take a flye or a flea or a leafe fró a tree or any other the least creature that is extant in the worlde and consider the same attentiuelie you shall fynde more miracles thē partes therin you shal fynd suche proportion of members such varietie of colours such distinctiō of offices such correspondence of instrumentes and those so fit so well framed so coherent so subordinate as the more you contemplate the more shall ye maruaile nether is ther anie one thing in the world more effectual to draw a man to the loue and admiration of his Creator then to excercise hym self often in this contemplation for if his harte be
not of stone this will moue his affection We reade of Galen a profane and verie irreligious Phisitian who as hymself confesseth in a certaine place taking vpō hym to consider of the partes of mans bodie and fynding much wisdom in the order vse and dispositiō of the same sought first to gyue the praise and glorie therof to nature or to some other cause then to God But I processe of tyme being oppressed as it were with th' ey ceding greate wisdome cunning and prouidēce which he discouered in euerie least parcell and particle of mans bodie wherin nothing was redundāt nothing defectiue nothing possible to be added altered or better deuised he brake foorth into thes wordes Compono hic profecto cāticum in Creatoris nostri laudem quòd vltrà res suas ornare voluit melius quia vlla arte possent Here trulie doe I make a song in the praise of our Creator for that of his owne accorde it hath pleased hym to adorne and bewtifie his thinges better then by any arte possible it could be immagined Hereby then doth the Metaphisique gather and conclude most euidentlie that there is a God a Creator a most wise and powerfull artificer that made all thinges Such a one as exceedeth all boundes of nature and of humane habilitie For if all the world should ioyne together they could not make the least creature which we see in this world He concludeth also that the forsight and prouidence of this Creator is infinite for thinges to come in all eternitie finallie that his wisdome and cogitatiōs are inscrutable And albeit some tyme he reueile vnto vs some parte therof yet often againe we erre therin For which cause a wise heathē Platonick concludeth thus after long search aboute thes affaires I will praise God saith he in those thinges I vnderstand and I will admire hym in those which I vnderstande not For I see that my self oftentymes doe thinges wher in my seruantes are blinde and cōceaue no reason As also I haue sene litle children cast into the syar Iewels of greate price and their fathers writinges of greate learning and wisdome for that they were not of capacitie to vnderstāde the valure and worthines of the thing One argument more will I alleage of the Methaphisique grounded vpon th' immortalitie of mans soule which immortalitie is proued with one consent of all learned men as Plato alleageth for that it is a spirite and immaterial substance whose nature dependeth not of the state of our mortal bodie for so by experience we see daylie that in olde mē and withered sicklie bodies the minde and soule is more quicke cleere pregnant and liuelie then it was in youth when the bodie was most lustie The same also is proued by the vnquēcheable desyre which our mynde hath of learning knowledge wisdome other suche spiritual and immaterial thinges wheri her thirst by nature is so greate as it can not be satisfyed in this lýfe nether can the obiectes of sense and bodilie pleasures or any other commoditie or delight of this material world content or satiate the restles desyre of this im naterial crea ture Which is an euident argument to the Philosopher that some other obiect and contentatiō is prepared for her in an other world and that of such excellencie and supereminent perfectiō as it shall haue in it all wisdome all learnig all knowledg all bewtie ' and all other causes of loue ioye and contentation wherin our soule may rest for euer This being so saith the Philosopher that the soule and mynde of mā is immortall of necessitie it mast insue that an immortall Creator sent the same into our bodies and that to hym againe it must returne after her departure from this life here This was the true meaning in deede how soeuer some later interpreters haue misvnderstood the same of that aunciēt doctrine of old philosophers which Plutarche alleagethe out of Pythagoras and Plato afirming that all particuler soules of men came sent from one general and common soule of the whole world as sparcles from the fyar and beames from the common sunne and that after their separatiō from their bodies they shall returne againe to that general soule called Anima mundi the soule of the world for that it gyueth lyfe being to the world and so to remaine with that general soule eternallie This was the doctrine of olde philosophers which seemeth in deede to haue bene nothing els though deliueredi other wordes but that which Salomō hym self affirmeth in plainer spech spiritus redibit ad Deum qui dedit illum and our soule or spirit shall returne to God that gaue it vnto vs. And this may suffice for a taste of that which the Metaphysique or Supernatural philosopher can say for proof that there is a God THERE REMAINETH yet a third parte of humane wisdome or philosophie called Moral whose reasons and arguments for proofe of this veritie I haue of purpose referred to the last place for that they be more plaine and easie thē the former and more sensible to the capacitie of euerie simple and vnlearned reader For first of all he obserueth in the verie naturall inclination of man be his manners otherwise neuer so euel that there is a certaine propension and disposition to confesse some God or Deitie as by example he proueth in all nations were they neuer so fearce or barbarous yet alwayes cōfessed they some God by nature though no man did teach or instruct them therin The same is confirmed by the common vse of all heathens in lifting vp their eyes and handes to heauen in anie suddaine distresse that commeth vpon thē Which importeth that nature her self hath ingrated this feeling that there is a God Yea further he alleageth that by experience of all ages it hath bene proued that Atheistes them selues that is suche men as in their health and prosperitie for more libertie of sinful life would striue against the being of anie God when they came to die or fall into great miserie they of all other men would shew them selues most fearful of this God as Seneca declareth and as Suetonius sheweth in th' exāple of Calligula Whiche is a token that their conscience inforced them to beleeue a Godhead Nay Zeno the Philosopher was wont to saye that it seemed to hym a more substantial proofe of this veritie to heare an Atheist at his dying daye preache God frō a payre of galloes or other such place of miserie when he asketh God and nature forgyuenes thē to heare all the philosophers in the world dispute the poite for that at this instāte of death miserie it is lyke that suche good fellowes doe speake in earnest and sobrietie of spirite who before in their wantonesse impugned God ether of vanitie ambition sensualitie or dissimulation Now then when the Moral Philosopher hath proued by this natural inclination of
what eche tribe should attaine after his death by drawinge of lottes Againe the same Moyses forsawe and fortolde in publique hearing of all the people how in tymes to come longe after his death the Iewes should forsake God and for their synnes be cast into manie banishementes and finallie be forsaken and the Gentiles receaued in their roome as in deed it came to passe And whence trow you could he learne this but from God alone In the booke of Iosue there is a curse layed vpō the place where Iericho stoode and vpon what soeuer person should goe about to rebuild the same to wit that in his eldest sonne he should lay the foundations and in his yongest sonne should he builde the gates therof which is to saye that before the foundations were layed and gates builded he should be punished with the death of all his children Which thing was fulfilled almost fiue hundred yeares after in one Hiel who presumed vnder wicked kinge Achab to rebuild Iericho againe and was terrified from the same by the suddaine death of Abiram and Segub his children as the booke of kinges reportech according to the vvorde of our Lord vvhich he had spoken in the hande of Iosue the fonne of Nun And since that tyme to this no man ether Iewe or Gētile hath taken vpon hym to raise againe the said Citie albeit the situation be most pleasant as by relation of Stories and Geographers appeareth In the third booke of kinges it is recorded that when Ieroboam had withdrawen ten tribes from th' obedience of Roboam kinge of Iuda to th' ende they might neuer haue occasion to revnite thē selues againe to Iuda by their goinge to sacrifice in Ierusalem as by the law they were appointed he builded for them a goodlie gorgeous highe Aulter in Bethel and there cōmanded them to doe their deuotions And when he was one day thero present hymself and offering his incense vpon the said Aulter and all the people lookinge on there came a man of God sayeth the scripture and stoode before the Aulter and cried out aloude and spake thes wordes O Aulter Aulter this sayeth our Lorde behold a childe shal be borne of the hovvse of Dauid vvhose name shal be Iosias and he shal sacrifice vpon thee thes idolatrous priestes that novv burne francomsense vpon the and he shal burne the bones of men vpon thee Thus spake that man of God in the presence and hearinge of all the people more then three hundred yeares before Iosias was borne and it was registred prosentelie according to the manner of that tyme which I haue noted before and with the same were registred also the miracles which happened about that fact as that the Aulter clefte in two vpō the mans wordes and Ieroboam extendinge owt his hande to apprehend hym lost presentelie the vse and feeling therof vntill it was restored againe by the said holie mans prayers who notwithstanding for that he disobeyed Gods commandement in his returne and dyd eate with a prophet of Samar a which was forbidden hym he was slaine in his way homeward by a Lion and his bodie was brought backe againe buried in Bethel nigh the said Aulter amongest the sepulchers of those idolatrous preestes of that place but yet with a superscription vpon his tombe conteining his name and what had happened There passed three hundred yeares and Iosias was borne and came to reigne in Iuda And one daye cōming to Bethel to ouerthrow the Aulter and to destroye the sepulchers of those idolitrous priestes that had bene buried i that place whē he began to breake their tombes he fownde by chance the sepulcher of the said man of God with the superscription vpon it By which superscription and by relation of the citizēs of Bethel when he perceaued that it was the sepalcher of hym that had fortolde his byrth his name and his doinges so manie hundred years before he was borne he lett the same stande vntouched as the fowerth booke of kinges doth declare Now consider whether among anie people in the world but onlie amonge the Iewes ther were euer anie such prophetie so certaine so particuler so longe fortolde before the tyme and so exactelie fulfilled But yet the holie scriptures are full of the lyke and tyme permitteth me onlie to touch some few of the principal Esay the prophet is wonderful in fortelling the mysteries and actes of the Messias his natiuitie his life and all the particulers that happened in his passiō In so much that S. Ierome sayeth he may seeme rather to write a storie of deedes past then a prophetie of euentes to come But yet among other thinges it is to be noted that he liuing in a peaceable and prosperous tyme in Iuda when the Iewes were in amitie and greate securitie with the Babyloniās he forsawe and fortolde the destruction of Ierusalem by the said Babylonians and the greeuous captiuitie of Iewes vnder them as also the destruction of Babylon againe by Cyrus kinge of Persia whose expresse name and greatnes he published in writing almost two hundred yeares before he was borne saying in the person of God First to Ezechias king of Iuda that reioysed in the frindshippe he had with Babylon behold the dayes shall come vvhen all that thou and thye fathers haue layed up shall be caried avvay to Babylon and thy children shal be eunuches in the king of Babylons Palace And next to Babylō he said the destruction of Babylon vvhich Esay the sonne of Amos savve c. houle crie for that the day of our Lorde is at hande c. And thirdlie to Cyrus not yet borne who was preordained to destroye the same and to restore the people from banishemēt to rebuild the temple in Ierusalē he sayeth thus I say to Cyrus thou art my shepheard and thou shalt fulfill all my vvill I say to Ierusalem thou shalt be builded againe I say to the temple thou shalt be founded again This sayeth our Lord to my amointed Cyrus I vvill goe before thee vvill humble the glorious people of the earthe in thy presence I vvill breake their brasen gates crushe in peeces their yron barres for my seruant Iacobs sake haue I called thee by thie Name and haue armed the vvher as thou knovvest not me Can anie thing be more clearlie or miraculouslie spoken in the world then to name a heathé not yet borne that should conquerre so stronge a Monarchie as Babylon was at this tyme should builde againe the temple of Ierusalem which others of his owne religiō had destroyed before hym what cause what reason what lykeliehode could be of this yet Esay speaketh it so confidentelie as he sayeth that he savve it and he nameth two witnesses therof that is Vrias and Zacharias that were not borne in manie yeares after saying and I tooke vnto me tvvo faithful vvitnesses Vrias the prieste and Zacharias
he was worshipped as a God in that countrie and called by many Mercurius And that the Ethiopians learned circuncisioÌ„ of him which afterward alwayes they retained and so doe vntill this day And as for his miracles donne in Egypt his leading the people thence by the reade sea his liuing with them fortie yeares in the desert the heathen writers agree in al things with the scriptures sauing onely that they recoÌ„pt diuers things to the praise of Moyses which he hath not writen of him self adding also his description to witt that he was a longe taule man with a yeolowe bearde and longe heare Wherwith also accordeth Numenius Pythagoricus touching the actes of Moyses whose life he sayeth that he had reade in the auncientest recordes that were to be had But the fornamed Eupolemus goeth yet forwarde pursueth the storie of Iosue of the Iudges of Saul Dauid of SalomoÌ„ eueÌ„ vnto the building of the temple which he describeth at large with the particuler letters writeÌ„ about thatmatter the king of Tyrus which Iosephus sayeth were in his dayes kepte in the recordes of the TyriÌ„aÌ„s And with Eupolemê° agree Polyhister Hecataeus Abderita that liued serued iÌ„ warre with king AlexaÌ„der the great and they make mention amongest other thiÌ„ges of the inestimable riches of SalomoÌ„ and of the treasures which he did hyde and burie according to the fascion of that tyme in the sepulcher of his father Dauid which to be no fable though not mentioned by the scripture Iosephê° well proueth for that Hircanus the highe Priest and kinge of Iurie being besieged in Ierusalem by Antiochus surnamed Pius not manie yeares before Christs natiuitie to redeeme hym self and the cittie and to pay for his peace opened the said sepulcher of Dauid and fecht out of one parte therof three thousand Talentes in redy monie which amounte to six hundred thousand powndes Englishe if we accompt the talentes but at the least size of talentum Haebraicum And as for the thinges which ensued after Salomon as the diuision of the tribes among them selues and their diuers warres afflictions and transmigrations into other coÌ„tries manie heathen writers doe mention and recorde them and among other Herodotus and Diodorus Sieulus And the fornamed Alexander Polyhistor talking of the captiuitie of Babylon sayeth that Ieremie a Prophet tolde Ioachim his kinge what would befall hym and that Nabuchodonosor hearinge therof was moued therby to besiege IerusaleÌ„ Of the flight of Senacharib from the siege of Ierusalem how he was killed at his returne home by his owne childreÌ„ in the temple according to the prophetie of Esay and storie of the booke of kinges for that he had blasphemed the Lord God of Israel Herodotus witnesseth and that after his death he had a Statua or image of metal erected in his memorie with this inscription in greeke He that beboldeth me lett hym learne to be godlie Conferre Xenophon also in his seuenth booke de Cyropaedia and you shall see hym agree with Daniel in his narrations of Babylon And finallie I will conclude with Iosephus the learned Iewe that wrote imediatelie after Christs ascension and protesteth that the publique writinges of the Syriaus Chaldaeans Phenicians and innumerable hystories of the Graecians are sufficieÌ„t to testifie the antiquitie truth authoritie and certaintie of holie scriptures if there were no other proofe in the world besides The coÌ„clusion of the chapter vvith th' applicatioÌ„ Sect. 4. THus farre haue I treatede of the wayes and meanes which haue bene left to the world from the beginninge therby to know vnderstande their Maker In treating which point I haue stayed my self the longer for that it is the grouÌ„d foundatioÌ„ of all that is or maye be said hereafter It is the first final chiefest principle of all our eternal saluation or damnatioÌ„ and of the total weale or woe that must befail vs possesse vs for euer Which grounde and veritie if it be so certaine and euident as before hath bene shewed by all reason and proofe both diuine and humane and that the matter be so testified and proclamed vnto vs by all the creatures of heauen and earth and by the mouth and writing of our Creator hymself as no ignorance or blindnes can excuse the same no slouthfulnes dissemble it no wickednes denie it what remaineth then but to consider with our selues what seruice this God requireth at our hádes what gratitude what duetie what honour for our creation to th' eÌ„de that as we haue proued hym a most bountiful Creator so we may fynde hym a propitious iudge munificent rewarder For it is not probable that his diuine maiestie which hath appointed euerie other creature to some action for his owne glorie as hathe bene declared at large before should leaue mankinde onelie whiche is the worthiest of all the rest without obligation to his seruice In which one pointe not withstanding though neuer so cleare such is the fondnesse of our corrupt nature without gods holie grace fayled thos auncient wise men of the world of whom S. Paul speaketh so much in his epistle to the Romans taking compassion of their case and callinge them fooles and all their great learniÌ„ge philosophie meere fondnesse for that vvheras by the meanes before mentioned they came to knovv God they did not seeke to glorifie hym as appertained vnto God not yet did render hym due thankes but vanished avvaye in their cogitations c. That is they tooke no profitt by this knowledge of theirs but applied their cogitations vpon the vanities of this worlde more then vpon the honour and seruice of this their God For whiche cause S. Paul adioyneth presentelie in the same place that forso much as they did thus did not shew foorthe by their lyfe and workes that they had the knowledge of God in deede God deliuered them ouer to a reprobate sense and suffered them to fall into horrible synnes which S. Paul doth name and detest in all that chapter and finallie concludeth that their euerlasting perdition ensued principallie vpon this one pointe that wheras they knevv the iustice of God by all the wayes and argumeÌ„tes that before haue bene declared yet would they not vnderstand saith he that death was due to all such which liued in wickednes as they did And the same Apostle vpon consideration of thes matters wherin he standeth long for th' importance therof pronounceth in sine this general sentence with great asseueration and vehemencie of spirit that the vvrath of God is reucaled from heaueÌ„ vpon al impietie and iniustice of thos men vvho holde the knovvledge of God in vnrighteousnes that is who beig indued with the knowledge of God doe liue notwithstanding vnrighteouslie or as he saidbefore doe consume their dayes in vanitie not makiÌ„g accompt of the seruice which they doe owe to that God for their Creation and
other benefites Which thinge if S. Paul might trulie saye vnto these Gentiles before his tyme who had onelie natural knowledge and vnderstanding of God that is so much as by his creatures was to be gathered what may or shal be said vnto vs who haue not onelie that light of nature which they had but also the wrytinges à nd lawe of God hymself communicated speciallie vnto the Iewes and aboue that also haue hearde the voyce of his onelie sonne vpon earth and haue receiued the doctrine of his most holie ghospel and yet doe liue as negligentelie manie of vs as did the verie heathens touching good life and vertue Surelie in this case I must denounce against my self that if it be true as it can not be false which this blessed Apostle affirmeth here of thes heathen philosophers that by that litle knowledge they had of God they vvere made inexcusable then by the most iust certaine rule of Christ layed downe in S. Luke cui multum datum est multum quaretur ab eo that of euerie man which hath receiued much a greater accompte shal be taken for the same we are forced to inferre that our accompt shal be greater and our selues much more inexcusable before his diuine maiestie thē the verie Gentiles and heathens are if after all our knowledge and manifest vnderstanding of his Godhead and iustice vve vanishe avvay in our cogitatiōs as they did as most parte of the world at this day are sene to doe that is if we applie our cogitatiōs cares aboute the vaine affaires of this tēporal life and trāsitorie cōmodities which we should bestowe vpō the seruice and honour of this our Lord and Creator OF THE FINAL ENDE AND CAVSE WHIE MAN WAS CREATED BY GOD and placed in this world And of th' obligation he hath therby to attende to th' affaire for vvhich he came hyther CHAPT III. BY the Chapter precedent I nothing doubt gétle reader but if thou haue sene and perused the same thou remainest sufficientlie informed of thy Creator Now followeth it by order of good consequence that we cōsider with some attention for that it standeth vs much vpon what intent purpose God had in creating vs and this world for our sakes and in placing vs therin as Lords of the same By the former considerations we haue learned that as among other creatures nothing made it self so nothig was made for it self nor to serue it self The heauens we see doe serue th' ayer th' ayer serueth th' earth th' earth serueth beastes the beastes serue man and then is the questió whom mā was made to serue For in hym also holdeth the former reason that seig he was not made by hym self it is not likelie that he was made to serue hym selfe If we consult with the scripture herein we finde a general sentence layed downe without exception Vniuersa propter semetipsum operatus est Dominus our Lorde hath made all thinges for hym self And if all the man likewise no doubte who is not the least of the rest which he hath made And hereby it cometh to passe that man can not be said to be free or at his owne appointement or disposition in this world but obliged to perfourme that thing for which he was sent into this habitation Which pointe holie Iob declareth plainelie in a certaine inuectiue that he maketh against such men as were careles and negligent in consideration of this affaire A vaine man sayeth he is lifted vp in pride and thinketh hym self to be borne as free as the colt of a vvilde asse That is he thinketh hym self bound to nothīg subiect to nothīg accōptable for nothing that he doth in this life but onlie borne free to passe his time ī disporte pleasure as a wilde colte in a desert that hath no Master to tame hym Whiche in other words the wise mā vttereth thus He estremeth this life of ours for aplaigame therfore careth not how he liueth or wherin he spéd passe-ouer the tyme. And this of the man whó the scripture calleth Vaine But now for the sooer wise and discrete of whom it is writen the vvay of life is vpon the learned to th' ende they may decline from the lovvest hell they are farre from so greate follie as to imagine that no accompt shall be demanded of our being in this world for that they haue reade that God shall bring into iudgement vvhat so euer is donne for euerie fault that is commytted And the Christian man knoweth further by the mouth and asseueration of his Saue our and Redeemour that he shall be accomptant for euerie idle worde that he misvttereth and finalie there is no man that is ether of reason or conuersant in the writinges and testament of his Creator but remembreth well that among all other irritations wherby the wicked man is said to prouoke Gods patience to indignation none is more often repeated or more greeuouslie taken then that he said in his harte God vvill as ke no accompt With thes men then alone shall be my speeche in this present chapter who haue a desire to discharge well this accompte For attayning wherof trulie I can gyue them no better counsaile instruction or aduise then to doe in this case as a good marchant-factour is wonte to doe when he arriueth in forraine Countries or as a souldiar or Capitaine sent by his prince to some greate exploite is accustomed when he cometh to the place appointed that is to weigh and consider deepolie for what cause he came thither whie he was sent to what ende what to attempte what to prosecute what to perfourme what shal be expected and required at his handes vpon his returne by hym that sent hym thyther For thes cogitations no doubt shall stirre hym vp to attende to that for which he came not to imploy his tyme in impertinent affaires The lyke would I counsail a Christian to putt in vre concerning the case proposed and to demande of hymself betwene God and his conscience why and wherfore and to what endo he was created sent hythe into this worlde what to doe wherin to bestowe his dayes c. And then shal he fynde that for no other cause matter or ende but onlie to serue God in this life and by that seruice to gaine heauen and saluation in the lyfe to come This was the condition of our creation as Moyses well expresseth and this was the consideration of our redeeming fortolde by Zacharie before we were yet redeemed that vve being deliuered foorth of the handes of our enimies should serue God inholines and righteousnes all the dayes of our liues Of this consideration doe ensue two consequentes to be obserued Whereof the first is that seinge our ende and final cause of being in this worlde is to serue God and therby to worke our owne saluation whatsoeuer thinge we doe or bestowe our tyme
in which ether is contrarie or impertinent or not profitable to this ende though it were to gaine kingdomes it is vanitie and lost labour that will turne vs in tyme to griefe and repētance if we change not our course for that it is not the matter for which we came īto this life nor wherof we shal be demanded an accompt except it be to receyue iudgement and punishement for the same Secondlie it followeth of the same consideration that seing our onlīe busines and affaire in this worlde is to serue our Maker and saue our owne soules and that all other earthelie creatures are put here to serue our vses to that onlie ende we should for our partes be indifferent to all thes creatures as to riches or pouertie to health or sicknes to honour or cōtempte to lytle learning or much learning and we should desire onlie so much or litle of either of them as were best for vs to th' attainement of our said ende and Butte pretended that is to tho seruice of God the weale of our soules For who so euer desireth seekthe loueth or vseth thes creatures more thē for this rūnneth from his ende for which he came hyther By this then may a careful Christian take some scanteling of his owne estate with God and make a cōiecture whether he be in the right waye or no. For if he attende onlie or principallie to this ende for which he was set hyther if his cares cogitations studdies endeuours labours talke conuersation and other his actiōs doe runne vpon this matter and that he careth no more for other creatures as honours riches learnig and the lyke thē they are necessarie vnto hym for this ende that he pretēdeth If his dayes life be spent in this studdie of the seruice of God and procuring his owne saluatiō in carefulnes feare and trembling as th' Apostle aduiseth hym then is he doubteles a most happie and blessed man and shall at length attaine to the kingedome which he expecteth But if hē finde hym self in a contrarie case and course that is not to attende in deede to this matter for which onlie he was sent hyther nor to haue in his hart studie this seruice of God and gayning heauen but rather some other vanitie of the world as promotion wealth pleasure sumptuous apparrel gorgeous buildinges beautie fauour of princes or anie other thing els that apparteineth not vnto this ende if he spend his tyme about thes trifles hauing his cares and cogitations his talke and delight more in thes thinges then about th' other greate busines of gayning Gods eternal kingdome for which he was made and placed in this wold Then is he I assure hym in a peri lous waye leading directelie to perditió except he alter and change his course For most certaine it is that who so euer shal not attende vnto the seruice he came for shal neuer attaine therewarde assigned and promissed to that seruice And for that the most parte of all this worlde not onlie of infidels but also Christiās doe rūne amisse in this pointe and doe not take care of that affaire and busines for which alone they were created and placed heere hence it is that Christe and his holie Sainctes bothe before and after his appearance in fleshe haue spoken so hardlie and seuerelie of the verie simal number that shal be saued euen among Christians and haue vttered certaine speeches which seeme verie rigourous to fleshe and blood to such as are most touched therin scarse credibile albeit they must be fulfilled As among other thinges that a louer of this worlde can not be saued that riche men doe enter as hardlie into heauen as a Camel through a Needles eye and the like The reason of which maner of speeches doth stande in this that a riche man or worldling attending with all his industrie to heape riches as the fashion is can not attende nor euer doth to that for which he came into this world and consequentelie can neuer attaine heauen except God worke a miracle and therby doe cause hym to spende oute his riches to the benefyte of his soule as some tymes he doth and so doe lessen the Camel in suche sorte as he may passe the Needles eye Wherof we haue a verie rare example in the Gospel of Zachaeus who beinge a riche man did presentelie vpō th' entering of Christ into his house and muche more as appeareth into his harte resolue hym self to change his former course touchinge riches and at one blowe to begynne withall gaue awaye halfe of all he possessed to the poore and for the rest made proclamation that who soeuer had receaued anie wrong at his handes as comonlie manie doe by them that are riche he should come and receyue fower tymes so much amendes By which almes and restitution he deliuered hym self from the Camels gibbe or bunch on his backe that letted his passage through the Needles eye And this extraor dinarie fauour and grace he receyued by the fortunate presence of his most blessed and bountiful Guest who had signified before in an other place that hym self was able so to drawe the Camel as he should passe the Needles eye for that thinges impossible to man were possible to God But to leaue this and to goe forwarde in our former purpose no mauaile it is if in the world abrode so fewe be saued seing that of thousandes skarse one doth accompt of that busines whiche of all other is the chiefe and principall Consider you the multitude of all sorte of people vpon earthe and see what their trafike and negotiation is see whether they treate this affaire or no see wherin their care and studie and cogitation consisteth How manie thousandes finde you in Christiandome who spende not one houre of fower and twentie nor one halfe daye of fortie in the seruice of God or busines of their soule how infinite haue you that breake their braines aboute worldlie cōmodities and how few that are troubled with this other cogitation how manie finde tyme to eate drinke sleepe disporte decke and trim ne them selues to the vew of others and yet haue no tyme to bestowe in this greatest busines of all other busines how manie passe ouer whole dayes weekes monethes and yeares and finallie their whole liues in haukīg hūting other pastimes without regarde of this importāt affaire how manie miserable women haue you in the world that spend more dayes in one yeare in pricking vp their apparell and adorning their carcasse then they doe houres i prayer for the space of all their life And what alas shall become of this people in th' ende what will they doe or saye at the daye of accompte what excuse will they alleage what waye will they turne them If the marchand-factour which I mentioned before after manie years spent in forraine countries vpon his Masters exspences should returne at length
desolation and afflictiō to haue had among them the dead bodie of him on whos only life their vniuersal hope and confidence depended The Scribes Pharisees beīg a stonished with the sudaine newes of his rising againe cōfirmed vnto them by their owne souldiars that sawe it found no other waie to resist the fame therof but onely by saying as also their posteritie doe vnto this dave that his disciples came by night and stole away his bodie whiles the souldiours were a sleepe But what likelihood or possibilitie can there be in this For first it is euident to al the world that his Apostles thēselues who were the heads of al the rest were so dismaied discomforted and deiected at that time as they durst not once goe out of the dore For which cause only thos seely women who for their sexe esteemed them selues more free from violence presumed alone to visite his Sepulcher which no one man durst for feare of the souldiours vntil by thos women they were informed that the forsaid band of souldiours were terrefied and put to flight by Christes Resurrection And how then was it likely that men so much amazed ouercome with feare should aduenture to steale a bodie from a Guarde of Souldiours that kept it Or if their hartes had serued them to aduenture so greate a daunger what hope or probabilitie had ther bene of successe especiallie consideringe the said bodie lay e in a new sepulcher of stone shutt vp and locked and fast sealed by the Magistrate How was it possible I say that his disciples should come thyther breake vp the Monument take out his bodie and carie the same away neuer after to be sene or founde without espial of some one amōgest so many that attended ther Or if this were possible as in reason it is not yet what profite what pleasure what comfort could they receaue hereby We see that thes apostles and disciples of his who were so abandoned of life and hart in his Passion after two dayes onlie they were so changed as life and death can be no more contrarie For wheras before they kept home in all feare and durst appeare no wher except amonge their owne priuate friēdes now they came foorth into the streetes and common places and auouched with all alacritie and irresistible constancie euen in the faces and hearinge of their greatest enimies that Iesus was rysen frō death to life that they had sene hym spoken with hym and enioyed his presence And that for restimonie and confirmation hereof they were most redie to spēd their liues And could all this trow you proceede onlie of a dead bodie which they had gotten by stealth into their possession Would not rather the presence and sight of such a bodie so torne mangled deformed as Iesus bodie was both vpō the Crosse and before haue rather dismayed them more then haue gyuen them cōfort Yes trulie And therfore Pilat the Gouernour considering thes circumstances and that it was vnlikelie that either the bodie should be stolne without priuitie of the Souldiars or if it had bene that it should yeeld such life hart consolation courage to the stealers beganne to gyue eare more diligentelie to the matter and calling to him the Souldiars that kept the watch vnderstoode by them the whole truth of th' accident to witt that in their sight and presence Iesus was risen out of his sepulcher to life and that at his rising ther was so dreadful an earth-quacke with trembling opening of sepulchers rounde about such skriches cries cōmotion of all elementes as they durst not abyde longer but ranne and tolde the Iuishe magistrates therof who being greatelie discontented as it seemed with th' aduertisement gaue them money to saye that while they were sleeping the bodie was stolne by his disciples frō them All this wrote Pilate presentlie to his Lord Tyberius then Emperour of Rome And he sent withal the particuler examinations and confelsions of diuers other that had sene and spoken with such as were risen from death at the same tyme and had appeared to many of their acquaintance in Hicrusalem assuring them also of the resurrection of Iesus Which informations when Tyberius th' Emperour had considered he was greatelie moued therwith proposed to the Senate that Iesus might be admitted among the rest of the Roman Godes offering his owne consent with the priuiledge of his supreme royal suffrage to that decree But the Senate in no wise would agree therunto Whervpon Tyberius being offended gaue licence to all men to beleeue in Iesus that would and forbydde vpō paine of death that anie officer or other should molest or trouble such as bare good affectiō zeale or reuerence to that name Thus much testifiethe Tertulian againste the Gentiles of his owne knowledge who liuing in Rome a learned man pleader of causes diuers years before he was a Christian which was about 180. yeares after Christes Ascension had great abilitie by reason of th' honour of his familie learning and place wherin he liued to see and know the recordes of the Romās And the same doth cōfirme also Egesippus an other Auncient writer of no lesse authoritie then Tertulian before whom he liued Neither onlie diuers Gentiles had this opinion of Iesus resurrection againe from death but also sundrye Iewes of great credite and wisdome at that tyme were inforced to beleeue it notwithstanding it pleased not God to gyue them so much grace as to become Christians This appeareth plainelie by the learned Ioiephus who writing his storie not aboue fortie years after Christs Passion tooke occasion to speake of Iesus and of his disciples And after he had shewed how he was Crucified by Pilat at th' instance of the Iewes and that for all this his disciples ceased not to loue hym still he adioyneth furth with these wordes Idcirco iliis tertio die vita resumpta denuo apparuit That is for this loue of his disciples he appeared vnto them againe the third daye whē he had resumed life vnto hym Which expresse plaine and resolute wordes we may in reason take not as the consession onlie of Iosephus but as the common iudgement opinion and sentence of all the discrete and sober men of that tyme layed downe and recorded by this Historiographer In whose dayes ther were yet manie Christians a lyue that had seene spoken with Iesus after his resurrection and infinite Iewes that had heard the same protested by their fathers brethren kinlfolke friends who had bene them selues Eye-witnesses therof AND thus hauinge declared and prooued the resurrection of our Saue our Iesus both how it was forshewed as also fulfilled there remaineth nothing more of necessitie to be said in this Section For that who soeuer seeth and acknowledgeth that Iesus beinge deade could rayse hym selfe againe to life will easilie belieue also that he was able to ascende to heauē Wherof notwithstandinge S. Luke alleageth six
Cities your Prouinces your Ilādes your Castles your Forteresses your Tentes your Campes your Courtes your Pa laces your Senates and your market places Only we haue left your idolatrous temples vnto your selues al other places are ful of Christians If we were enemies what dangerous warres might we make against you albeit our number were farre lesse who esteeme so litle of our liues as to offer our selues daily to be slaine at your handes This then is your safetie in very deed not your persecuting of vs but that we are honest patient and obedient and that it is more lauful in Christian religion to be killed then to kill By which wordes of Tertulian in this first beginnings and infancie as it were of Christian religion for he liued in the second age after Christ we see how this litle flocke and kingedome of Iesus was increased not withstanding all the resistance and violence of the world against it Which appeareth by the same Tertulian to haue bene such was euen at that tyme when he wrote those wordes the fowerth persecution being then in most furie as all the malefectours of the world together had not so much rigour shewed against them as had the most innocent Christiā that liued for confeising onlie that name and religion This then declared must apparentelie that it could not proceede but of some diuine power and supernatural assistance that in so shorte a space amiddest the contradiction and opposition of so manie aduersaires amōge the whippes swordes and tortures of so greate potent and violent persecutours this poore simple and feeble cōgregatiō should pearse through and augment it self so strongelie Especiallie if we cōsider th' outwarde meanes of this increase wherein ther was nothing to allure or cōtent mans nature nothing gorgeous nothinge delectable nothinge to please or entertaine sensualitie We reade of an Emperour that takinge in hande to conquer the world made this Proclamation for winninge men vnto his partie Who soeuer will come and be my Seruaunt if he be a footeman I will make hym a horsman If he be a horsman I will make hym ryde with Coches If he be a Farmour I will make hym a Gentleman If he possesse a cotage I will gyue hym a village If he haue a village I will gyue hym a Cittie If he be Lorde of a Cittie I will make hym Prince of a regiō countrie And as for Gold I wil power it foorth vnto them by heapes weight and not by number This was Cyrus edict and proclamation to his followers very glorious as we see in pompe of wordes and ostentation of stile Let vs now compare the proclamation of Iesus whos entrance and preface was Paenitētiā agite doe ye penāce And then it followed In hoc mundo pressuram habebitis In this world you shall receyue affliction And then after againe they shal vvhippe and murder you And yet further you shal be hateful in the sight of all mē for my sake Thē is ther adioy ned he that loueth his life shal loose his soule After that ensweth he that vvil follovv me must beare his Crosse. And finallie the cōclusion is he that cōmeth to me and doth not hate his father his mother his vvife his children his brethrē his sisters as also his ovvne life he is not vvorthie to be my seruant This was the entertainment proposed by Iesus to such as would come and serue vnder his Banner with expresse protestatiō that hym self was sent into the world not to bring peace rest and ease to flesh and blood but rather to be the cause of sworde fire tribulation combat enmitie And yet with thes colde offers presented to the world by poore abiecte most contemptible officers and by this doctrine so Crosse and opposite to mans nature inclination and sensual appetite he gained more hartes vnto hym within the space of fortie yeares as hath bene said then euer did Monarche in the world possesse louing subiectes by what soeuer temporal alluremente they did or might propose Which argueth most euidently the omnipotent puissance of hym that contrary to mans reason could bring to passe so miraculous a conquest THER FOLOVVETH in order the cōsideration of Christs Apostles which in some respect may be said more straunge and wonderful then the former in that they being both rule and simple and vnletteredmen for the most parte of the baser sort should be chosen and assigned to so great a worke as was the conuersiō of all Countries and Natiōs and to stand in combat with the power learning and wisdome of all the world Neither only had they to contend and fight against their enemies but also to direct and gouerne and menage al thos who should be adioyned to their maisters kingdome To which charge they seemed so vnto warde and insufficient in al that time wherin they liued with him vpon earth as by their questions and demandes made vnto him 2 litle before his passion they might appeare to haue learned very litle in three whole years conuersation and instructiō and in very deed to be incapable of so high mysteries and functions Yet notwithstanding thes men who of them selues were so weake and impotent after strength and confirmation receyued by the descending of Gods holy spirit into them became so perfect able and most excellent men as they brought the whole world in admiration of them Not only by the most exquisite perfectiō of their doctrine wherin of a sudaine without studie they excelled and conuinced the greatest Philosophers then liuing but also and that especially by the rare and stupendious Miracles which they wrought in the sight of al men The contemplation wherof as S. Luke reporteth droue the beholders not only into great meruaile but also into feare and exceeding terrour And for example he recompteth the restoring of a lame mā at the Temple gate of Ierusalem which had bene a Criple for the space of fortie yeares or more and the miracle dōne and testefied in the presence and knowledge of all the Citie He recordeth also the dreadful death of Ananias and Saphira by the only speech and voice of S. Peter as īn like maner the healīg of infinite sicke people by the presence shadowe of the same Apostle He reporteth the most wonderful deliuerance of the said S. Peter out of the hands and prison of Herode by an Angel The varietie of lāguages which all th' Apostles spake The visible descending of the holy Ghost vpon al such on whom the said Apostles did but laie their handes The miraculous conuersiō of S. Paul by Christs appearing vnto him in the way when he went to persecute Of which miracle S. Paul protested in euery place afterward and once especiallie in open audience and iudgement before Agrippa the king and Festus Gouernour of Iurie Thes miracles and manie moe are recorded by S. Luke wherof some part were sene by
infinite and consequently deserueth infinite hatred and infinite punishment at gods handes Hereof foloweth the reason of diuers thinges both sayed and donne by God in the scriptures and taught by diuines towching the punishments of sinne which seeme verie straunge vnto the wisedome of the world and in deede to them scarce credible As first of al the most dreadful punishment of eternal and irreuocable damnation of so manie thowsandes or rather millions of Angels that were created to glorie with almost infinite perfection that for one onlie sinne but once committed and that onlye in thought as diuines are of opinion Secondlie the rigourous punishment of our first parents Adam and Eue and al their posteritie for the eatinge of a seely aple for which fault besides the chastisinge of the offenders themselues and al the creatures of the earth for the same and al their children and ofspring after them both before our redemption and after for albeit we are deliuered frō the guilte of that sinne yet tēporal punishmētes doe remaine vpon vs for the same as hunger thirst cold sicknes death and a thousand other miseries besides also the infinite soules damned for the same before the comming of Christ by the space offower thousand yeres as also since as wel infidels which are not baptized as others besides al this I say which in mās reason maye seeme seuere enough gods wrath and iustice could not be sufficiētly satisfied except his owne onlie sonne had come downe into the worlde takē our flesh vpon him and by his paines death made satisfaction for the same And when he was now come into the world had in our flesh subiected him self vnto his fathers iustice albeit the loue his father bare vnto him were infinite and euery litle paine that he endured for vs or at leastwise euery droppe of bloode which he shed for our cause had ben sufficient for the whole satisfactiō for that his fleshe being vnited to his godhead made euerie such satisfactorie action of his of infinite value and merite and consequently of infinite satisfaction correspondent to the infinitie of our first parents sinne yet to the ende that God might shew the greatnes of his hatred and iustice against the said sinne and al other he neuer ceased to adde affliction to affliction and to heape tormentes vpō the bodie and flesh of this his most deare and blessed sonne for by Esaye he sayeth that him self was the doer therof vntil he had brought him vnto that most rueful plight that his flesh being all mangled and most lamentably torne in peeces retained no one droppe of blood within it He spared him not I saye euen then when he beheld him sorowful vnto death and bathed in that agonie of blood and water when he hard him vtter thos most dolorous and compassionable speeches O my father if it be possible let this cuppe passe from me And after that againe muche more pitifully vpon the Crosse O my God my God vvhy hast thou forsaken me Notwithstanding al which cries and lamentatiōs his most merciful father louing him as he did would not deliuer him but for satisfying of his Iustice laied vpon him stripe vpon stripe paine vpon paine torment after torment vntil he had rendred vp his life soule into his sayed fathers handes which is a wounderful dreadful documēt of godes hatred against sinne I might here mention the sinne of Esau in selling his inheritance for a litle meate of which S. Paule sayeth he founde no place of repentance after though he sought the same vvith teares Also the sinne of Saule whos sinne beinge but one and that onlie of omissiō in not killinge Agag the kinge of Amalech and his cattel as he was willed was notwithstanding vtterlie cast of by God for the same though he were his annointed and chosen seruāt before could neuer get remission therof albeit both he and Samuel Gods holie prophet did greatly lament and bewaile and made intercession in that behalfe In like maner might I alleage the exāple of kinge Dauid whose two sinnes albeit vpon his hartie repentance God forgaue yet notwithstanding the said repentance and sorrow and all the weepinge fastinge watchinge lyinge on the grounde wearinge of sackloth and other bodilie chasticementes which this holie prophet recordeth that him self did put in vre God punished him besides with maruelous seueritie as by the death of his dearlie beloued childe by manie other continual afflictions and temporal punishementes during the rase of his whole life And al this to shew his hatred against sinne thereby to terrifie vs from committinge the same Of this also doe proceede al those harde and seuere speeches of holie write touching sinners which comming from the mouth of the Holie Ghost and therfore no doubt both true and certaine may iustlie yeeld greate cause of feare to al such as liue in sinful state As for example where it is saied death bloode contentiō edge of svvorde oppression hunger contrition and vvhippes all thes thinges are created for vvicked sinners And againe God shal raine snares of fyre vppon sinners brimstone vvith tēpestuous vvindes shal be the portion of their cup. And yet further ī manie other places thes most dreadful speeches and comminations are to be founde God wil be knowen at the day of iudgement vpon the sinner who shal be taken in the workes of his owne handes manie whippes belong vnto a sinner let sinners be turned into hell God shal scatter al sinners and shal dash ther teeth out of their mouthes God shal scoffe at a sinner when he seeth his daye of destructiō cōmeth on the sworde of sinners shall turne into their owne hartes The armes of sinners shal be crushed and broken and they shal wither and dry vp like haye from the face of the earth desire not the glorie and riches of a sinner for thou doest not know the suddaine subuersion which shall come vpon hym for God hath gyuē him riches to deceyue him therwith beholde the daye of our Lord shal come a cruel daye and ful of indignation wrath and furie to make desolate the earth and to crush in peeces her sinners within her Thē shal the iust man reioice seinge this reuenge and shal wash his handes in the blood of sinners Thes loe my deare brother and innumerable other such sentēces of scripture pronounced by the holie spirit of God against sinners maye instruct vs of their pitifull estate of the vnspeakable hatred of his diuine Maiestie against thē so lōg as they persist in their sinful life and cōuersation Of all which considerations the self same holie scriptures doe gather certaine conclusions greatelie to be obserued wherof the first and more general is that sinne bringeth al people to miserie secondlie and more particulerlie that he vvhich loueth sinne bateth his ovvn soule Or as the Angel Raphael
noli altum sapere sed time Be not high minded but feare Againe he reasoneth thus vpon the olde and the new lawe He that brake the lawe of Moyses being conuicted by two or three witnesses died for the same without commiseration or mercye how much more greeuous punishment then doth he deserue who breaking the law of Christ by wilfull sinne treadeth the Sonne of God vnder his feete polluteth the bloode of the new testament and reprocheth the holie Ghost In like maner reasoneth S. Peter and S. Iude towching the sinne of Angels and ours If God spared not the Angels when they sinned but did thrust them downe to hell there to be tormented and to be reserued vnto iudgement with eternall chaines vnder darckenes how much lesse will he spare vs And agayne if the Angels which passe vs in power and strength be not able to beare gods horrible iudgement against them what shall we doe And yet further in an other place the same Apostle reasoneth thus if the iust man shal hardlie be saued where shal the wickedman and sinner appeare By al which examples we are instructed how to reason maturely sincerely in our owne cause As for example eche man may truly saie thus vnto hym self if God haue punished so seuerelie one sinne in the Angels in Adam and in others before recited what shall I looke for which haue committed so manie sinnes against hym If God haue damned so manie soules for lesser sinnes then mine are what will he do to me for mine that are farre greater If God haue borne longer with me then he hath done with many other whom he hath cut of without geuing them of repentance what reason is there that he should beare longer with me If Dauill and others after their synnes forgyuen tooke such paines in afflicting them selues for satisfaction of the temporal punishement in this life what punishemēt remaineth for me either here or in the wold to come for satisfaction of so manie sinnes cōmitted If it be true that our Sauvour saith that the waye is harde and the gate narrow wherby men goe into heauen and that they shal aunswere for euerie ydle worde before they enter therein what shal become of me that doe liue so easie a life and doe keepe no accounte at al of my deedes and much lesse of my wordes If good men in olde time did take such paines for their saluation and yet as S. Peter saieth the verie iust were scarcely saued what a state am I in which take no paine at al but doe liue in all kinde of pleasure and worldly contentations Thes argumētes consequentes and conclusions are more true good Christian and would proue more profitable vnto vs if we would excercise our selues therin and therby enter into some cogitation of our owne daungers and into iust feare of Gods seuere iudgementes without flatteringe or deceyuinge our selues For wāt wherof either onlie or principallie the most parte of enormous sinnes from time to time are committed according as holy Dauid most euidentlie declareth when hauing shewed and detested the multitude of sinnes which the world committeth he reduceth al as it were vnto two prin cipal causes Wherof the first is that men deceyue them selues and others by vaine flatterie in deminishing their sinnes of whom he saith they are taken in their ovvne deuises for that they praise the vvicked man in the lustes desires of his ovvne minde The second is for that this deceipt and flatterie is referred commōlie by the vitious man to the driuing of Gods iudgementes out of his memorie to the end he may sinne with lesse feare and scruple For so saith the prophet expresselie The sinner hath exasperated God against him in that he hath said god in the multitude of his vvrath vvil not require an accounte of my doinges But what effect ensueth of this heare the wordes immediatelie folowing he hath not God before his eyes his vvayes are filthie from time to time And what is the cause of al this for that thy iudgementes o Lord are remoued from his sight that is for that he wil not see he wil not behold he wil not heare he wil not consider or beare in mind thy iudgementes ô Lord but wil needes flatter delude and deceyue hym self Herof it commeth that he neuer maketh an end of his filthie life wicked wayes but exasperateth thie iustice o Lord against him vntil it be ouer late to repent or amende Thus said this holie Sainte of wicked sinners but what of him self heare his wordes deare brother and imprint them in thie memorie I haue kept the vvayes of my Lord saith he haue not donne vvickedlie in the sight of my God for that al his iudgements are before my eyes and I haue not tast his iustices from me Beholde the vertuous life of king Dauid beholde the cause therof For that Gods iudgemētes were continuallie before his eyes therfore was his life pure and voide of wickednes or as in other wordes at an other time he expresseth I vvil cōfesse vnto the o Lord in the direction or puritie of my hart for that I haue learned the iudgementes of thie iustice And againe in the same place I haue chosen to vvalke the vvay of truth for that I doe not forget o Lord thy iudgementes that is as a litle after he expoundeth the same for that I doe feare and trēble at thy iudgementes O most excellent effecte of the feare of Gods iudgementes No maruaile though it be called the beginning of al wisdom and the verie dore and entrance to eternal saluation no maruaile if the same holie prophet in the verie same psalme doe pray so hartilie strike through my flesh vvith thy feare ò Lord. S. Paule after he had shewed to the Corinthians that we must al be presented before the tribunal of Christ euerie man to receyue according to his merites he maketh this conclusiō VVe knovving therfore thes thinges deare bretheren doe persuade the feare of our Lord vnto al men And S. Peter hauing made a longe declaration of the Maiestie of God and of Christ now raining in heauen concludeth thus yf then you cal him father vvhich doth iudge euerie man according to his vvorkes vvithout exceptiō of persons doe you liue in feare during the time of this your habitation vpon earth A necessarie lesson no doubt for al men but especiallie for such who by reason of their sinful life doe remaine in displeasure and hatred of almightie God and hourelie doe stand obnoxious as I haue shewed to the seueritie of his most dreadful iudgementes wherinto if once they fal especiallie by departure from this life the matter remaineth remediles for all eternitie insuinge as God him self hath forwarned vs. Which thing being so what man of wisdome would not feare what Christiā that is careful of his owne estate would eate or drinke or take his repose with quiet vntil by
may perfectly conceyue the same but he that seeleth them albeit in part some smal coniecture may be made therof by thes three general pointes ensuing wherunto the rest may be referred THE FIRST IS THE excessiue paines which commonlie mē suffer in the separation of their soules and bodies which hauing liued so longe time together vnited as two deare frendes in loue and pleasure are now most loth to parte were it not that violently they are enforced therunto This paine may partlie be conceyued if we would driue out life but from the least parte of our bodie as for example out of our litle fingar like as surgeans are wont to doe when they wil mortifie any one place to make it breake What intolerable paine doth a man suffer before this member be dead what raging greefe doth he abyde If then the mortifying of one litle parte onlie doe so much afflict vs Imagine what the violent mortifying of al the partes together wil doe For we see that first the soule is driuen by death to leaue the extreamest partes as the toes feete and fingers then the legges and armes and so consequently one parte dieth after an other vntill life be restrained onlie to the harte which holdeth out longest as the principal part but yet finallie must be also constrained to render it self though with neuer so much paine and resistance Which paine how great and stronge it is may appeare by the breaking in peeces of the verie stringes and holdes wherwith it was enuironed through the excessiue vehemencie of this deadlie torment Neuertheles before it come to this pointe of yelding no man can expresse the cruel conflict that is betwixt death and her and what distresses she abideth in the time of her agonie Imagine that a prince possessed a goodlie citie in al peace wealth and pleasure and greatlie frinded of al his neighbours round about him who promised to assiste him in al his needes and affairs that vpon the sudden his mortal enimie should come and besiege this citie and taking one holde after an other one wall after another one castell after an other should driue this prince onlie to a litle tower and besiege him therin al his other holdes being beaten doune and his men slaine in his sight what feare anguishe and miserie woold this afflicted prīnce be in How often would he looke out at the windowes loope holes of his tower to see whether his friendes and neighboures would come to help him or no And if he saw them all to abandone him and his cruel enemie euen readie to breake in vpon him would he not trow you be in a most pitiful plight Euen so then fareth it with a poore soule at the hower of death The bodie wherin she raigned like a iolie princesse in al pleasure whiles it florished is now battered and ouerthrowen by her enimie which is death the armes legges and other partes wherewith she was fortified as with walles and wardes during time of health are now surprised and beaten to the grounde and she is driuen onlie to the harte as to the last and extremest refuge wherein also she is most fearcelie assayled in such sorte as she can not possiblie hold out longe Her dearest friendes who soothed her in time of prosperitie and promised assistance as youth agilitie strength courage diet phisicke and other humane helpes doe now vtterlie abandone her the enimie wil not be pacified or make any league at al but night and daye assaulteth this Turret wherein she is retired and which now beginneth to shake and shiuer in pecees in such sort as she expecteth hourelie when her enimie in most raging dreadful maner wil burst in vpon her What thinke you is now the state of this afflicted soule It is no maruaile if a wise man become a foole or a stoute worldling most abiect in this instant of extremitie as we often see they doe in such sorte that they can dispose of nothing well either towardes God or the world at this houre The cause wherof is the extremitie of paines oppressing their mindes as S. Austē wel noteth geuing vs ther withal a most excellent fore-warning of this daie if men were so happie as to follow it When you shal be in your last sicknes deare bretheren sayeth he ò how harde and painful a thing wil it be for you to repent of your faultes committed and of good deedes omitted and why is this but onlie for that all the intentiō of your minde wil runne thither where al the force of your paine is Manie impedimentes shall let men at that day As the paine of the bodie the feare of death the sight of children for the which their fathers shall often times thinke thē selues damned the weeping of the wife the flatterie of the world the temptation of the deuil the dissimulation of phisitions for lacre sake and the like And beleeue thou ò man which readest this that thou shalt quickelie proue al this trew vpon thy self and therfore I beseech the that thou wilt doe penance before thou come vnto this last daie Dispose of thy house and make thy testament whyle thou arte whole while thou art wise while thou art thine owne man for if thou tarie vntil the last daie thou shalt be led whether thou wouldest not Hitherto are S. Austens words THE SECONDE THING which shal make death most terrible and grieuous to a worldlie man is the sudaine parting and that for euer and euer from al the thinges which he loued most dearely in this life as from his riches possessiōs honours offices faire buildinges goodlie apparel and rich iewels as also from wife and children kindred and frindes and al other earthly delightes and commodities wherewith in this life he thought him self a most happie man And now to be plucked from thes vpon the sudaine without hope euer to see or vse them againe and that often times when he least doubteth any such matter must needes be a pointe of extreme griefe especiallie if he be in the state which holie Iob describeth when he saith The vvicked man dieth vvhen he is strōge and vvhole of bodie riche happie vvhile his entrals are ful of fatte and vvhiles his bones are vvel vvatred vvith marooe O Iesu what a griping griefe how intollerable a torment vvil this be O how true an oracle is that of God which saieth O mors quam amara est memoria tua homini pacem habenti in substantiis suid O death how bitter is thy memorie vnto a man that hath peace and rest in his substance riches as who would say there is no greater bitternes or greefe in the world to such a man then to remember or only thinke on death but much more to taste and trie it himself yea and that immediately when it shal be saied vnto him as Christ reporteth it was vnto that great wealthie man in the Ghospel which had his barnes ful and was nowe
length to crie out my soule doth thirst after God that is the liuelie vvel-spring vvhen shal I come and appeare before the face of God So that from the feare of death which is the first effect that springeth of the remembrance meditation therof he was come now to the loue and most earnest desire of the same which is the highest degree of comfort and the most supreme felicitie that saintes doe arriue vnto in this life Endeuour then my deare Christiā brother by frequent and diligent premeditation of this passage to attaine to this felicitie or at least wise to some parte or degree therof Feare death now that thou maist not feare it then For as God by his holie spirite assureth the he that feareth novv shal be in securitie at the last in the day of his departure Nay as holie Iob further describeth the matter he shal laugh at that day whē other mē are in spoile famine he shal not feare the beastes of the earth his legue shal be with the stones of Nations that is he shal be no more moued or terrified with comming of death then stones are he shal see that his tabernacle shal be that day in peace he shal enter into his sepulcher in al aboundance as a mow of corne in the haruest time that is he shal departe hence in aboundance of al grace and merit at the houre of his death which to a vertuous man is the day of haruest wherin he shal reape the rewardes of his good deedes which he hath sowen in this life Thus describeth Iob the blessed departure of a godlie man cōcluding his whole discourse with this admonition and exhortatiue clause Ecce hoc ita est quod auditum mente pertracta Behold this thing is as I haue said which thou hauing vnderstoode passe it not ouer sleightlie but reuolue and discusse the same diligentlie in thie minde OF THE GREATE AND SEVERE PAINES AND PVNISHMENTES APPOINted by God for sinners after this life As also of tvvo kindes and sortes herof the one temporal for them that shal be saued th' other eternal for the damned CHAPT XI AMONGST all the meanes which God vseth towardes the children of men in this life to moue them to the resolution wherof I entreate the strōgest most forcible is the consideratiō of punishmentes prepared by him for rebellious sinners and transgressours of his cōmaundemēts Wherfore he vseth this motiue often as may appeare by al the prophetes who doe almost nothing els but threaten plagues and destruction to offendours And this meane hath oftentimes preuailed more then anie other that could be vsed by reason of the natural loue which we beare towardes our selues and consequentlie the natural feare which we haue of our owne danger So we reade that nothing could moue the Niniuites so much as the fortelling them of their imminent destruction And S. Iohn Baptist albeit he came in a simple and contemptible maner yet preaching vnto the people the terrour of vengeance to come and that the axe vvas novv put vnto the tree to cut dovvne for the fire al such as repented not he moued the verie publicanes souldiers to feare being otherwise people of verie harde metal in such sort as they came vnto him vpon this terrible embassage and asked what they should doe to auoide these punishmentes For which cause hauing now cōsidered in the former chapters of death and of godes seuere iudgment ensuing thervpon wherin euerie man hath to receyue according to his workes in this life it followeth that we consider also of the punishmentes which are appointed for thē that shal be founde faultie ī that accounte hereby at leastwise if no other consideration wil serue to induce Christians to this resolution of seruinge God For as I haue noted before if euerie man haue naturallie a loue of him self and desire to cōserue his owne ease then should he also haue feare of peril wherby he is to fal into miserie calamitie This expresseth S. Bernard verie excellently according to his wonte O man saieth he if thou haue left al shame which appertaineth to so noble a creature as thou art if thou feele no sorow as carnal men doe not yet loose not feare also which is founde eué in brute and sauage beastes We vse to loade an asse and to werie him out with laboure and he careth not because he is an asse but if thou wouldest thrust him into fire or flinge him into a ditch he would auoide it as much as he coulde for that he loueth life and feared death Feare thou then and be not more insensible thā a beast Feare death feare iudgment feare hel This feare is called the beginning of wisdome and not shame or sorow for that the spirite of feare is more potent to resist sinne then the spirite of shame or sorow Wherfore it is saide remember the ende and thou shalt neuer sinne that is remember the final punishmentes appointed for sinne after this life Thus far S. Bernarde First therfore to speake in general of the punishmentes reserued for the life to come if the scriptures did not declare in particular their greatnes vnto vs yet are there manie reasons to persuade vs that they are most seuere grieuous and intollerable For first as God is a God in al his workes that is to saye greate wounderful and terrible so especiallie he sheweth the same in his punishmentes being called for that cause in holy scripture Deus iustitiae God of iustice as also Deus vltionum God of reuenge Wherfore seing al his other workes are maiestical and exceeding our capacities we may likewise gather that his hande in punishment must be also most wonderful God himself teacheth vs to reason in this maner when he sayeth And vvil ye not then feare me and vvil ye not tremble before my face vvho haue set the sande for limites to the sea and haue giuen the vvaters a commaundemēt neuer to passe the same no not then vvhen they are most troubled and the vvaues therof most outragious As who would say if I be wonderful and doe passe your imagination in these woorkes of the sea and other of this world which you behould dailie then haue yee iust cause to feare me considering that my punishmētes are like to be correspondent to the greatnes of my other actions An other coniecture of the great and seuere iustice of God in punishing may be the consideration of his infinite and vnspeakable mercie which as it is the verie nature it self of God and consequently without ende or measure as his godhead is so is also his iustice And these two are the two armes as it were of his diuine Maiestie embracing kyssing one th' other as the scripture saieth And therfore as in a man of this world if we had the measure of one arme we might easely cōiecture the length of the
This thing ò man that is the kingdome of heauen requireth no other price but thy selfe it is so much vvoorth as thou art vvoorth geue thy self and thou shalt haue it By which he signifieth that euery man how poore or needie soeuer he be in this world may gaine this inheritance to him self may make himself a prince a king a Monarch if he wil euen the meanest and miserabl est man I say vpon earth O most wonderful bountie and liberalitie of our Saueour ô princelie hart and vnspeakable mercie ô incredible prodigalitie in a certaine maner so to say of treasures so inestimable as are the most infinite and endlesse riches of heauen Tel me now gentle reader and most louing and deare brother why wilt thou not accept of this offer of thie Saueour why wilt thou not account of this his kingdome why wilt thou not buye this endles glorie of him for so litle a labour as he requireth for it Hear how earnestly he persuadeth thee to bargaine with him Suadco tibi emere a me saith Christ aurū ignitum probatum vt locuples sias I doe giue thee counsaile to buye of me pure and tried gold to th' end thou maiest be riche Why wilt thou not folow this counsaile deare brother especiallie of a marchant that meaneth not to deceaue thee Nothing can greeue this thie Saue our more then that men wil seek with such paines to buy straw and chaffe in Egipt wheras he wold sel vnto thē fine gold at a lower price and that they wil needes purchase pudle water with more labour and cost thē he wold require for ten times so much pure liquour out of the verie fontaine of life it self There is not the wickedst man that liueth in the world but taketh more trauaile in gaining hel as after more largelie shal be declared then doth the most painful seruant of God in purchasing of heauen and eternal blisse O folie ô madnes Follow not then ô thou careful Christian this fanatical frensie of earthelie wisdome make not thie self partaker of their errour For the day wil come when thou shalt see them doe heauie penance for their sollie at what time thie hart shal be right ioiful that thou hadst neuer any part or portion amōg them Let them goe now and bestow their time in transitorie vanities in finful pleasures and delites of this world let them build now their pleasant palaces let them purchase dignities scrape peeces paches of earth and ground together let them hunt after honours and frame castels in the aier the time wil come ere long if thou belieue Christ him self wherin thou shalt haue sinal cause to enuie their felicitie If they doe imagin and talke baselie now of the glorie and riches of God and of his Saintes in heauen not esteeming them in deed in respect of their owne or contemning them rather for that carnal pleasures are not reconed therin doe thou make litle account of their wordes for that the sensual man vnderstandeth not the things vvhich are of God If horses were promised by their maisters a good feast and banquet most euident it is that they could imagin nothing els but prouander and water to be their best cheere for that they haue no knowledge of daintier dishes so fareth it with thes men who being accustomed only to the pudle of fleshlie pleasures can mount with their mindes to no higher thig thē brutish sensualitie But I haue shewed to thee before gentle reader some waies and considerations to conceaue greater matters albeit as I haue aduertised the often we must confesse stil with S. Paul that no humane hart can conceaue the least parte therof For which cause alse it is not vnlike that S. Paul him self was forbidden to vtter the things which he had seene and heard in his most wonderful miraculous assumption vnto the third heauen Wherfore to conclude at length this whole chapter thou hast to consider my deare and louing brother that this greate Game and Goale of heauēlie blisse which hitherto I haue endeuoured to describe vnto thee is set vp onlie for them that wil runne vnto it as S. Paul wel noteth and no man is crouned in this glorie but such onelie as wil fight for it according as the same Apostle doth teach and forwarne vs. It is not euerie one that saieth to Christ Lord Lord shal enter into the kingdome of heauen but they onelie which shal doe the wil of Christs eternal father that is in heauen Albeit this kingdome of Christ be set out to al men yet euerie man shal not arriue to raigne with Christ but such onelie as shal be content to suffer with Christ. Though the kingdome of heauen be subject to violence as hath bene said yet no man can enter there by force but he onelie whose good deedes shal follow him to make open the gates that is except he enter as the prophet saith vvithout spot and haue vvroght iustice My meaning thē is that as I haue shewed the exceeding greatnes and worthines of this treasure gentle reader so thou being a Christian shouldest also conceaue the right way of gaining the same which is no other by the testimonie of Christ him self but onelie by holie and vertuous life in keping his commandemētes Thou art therfore to sit doune consider according to thy Saueours counsaile what thou wilt doe and determine herin whether thou haue so much spiritual money as is sufficient to build this tower and to make this heauenlie warre or no that is whether thou haue so much good wil and holie manhood in thee as to bestow the paines of a vertuous life if it be rather to be called paines then pleasure required for the gaining of this eternal kingdome This is the question this is the principal pointe this is the verie whole issue of al the matter and hitherto hath appertained whatsoeuer hath bene spoken in this booke before either of thy Creatour and creation of thie particular end or of the Maiestie bountie and iustice of thie God and Saueour as also of the account he wil demand of thee and of the punishment or rewardes laid vp for the life to come Al this I say hath bene meant by me to this onelie end and purpose that thou measuring the one part and the other shouldest finallie resolue thie self what thou wouldest doe and not to passe ouer thy time in careles negligence as manie are accustomed to doe neuer espiing their own errours vntil it be to late to amend them For the loue of God then deare Christian brother and for the loue thou bearest to thy own soule eternal welfare shake of this most dangerous securitie wherin flesh and blood is wont to lulle the careles people of this world make some earnest resolution for looking to thy state in the life to come Recalle to mind oftentimes that worthie sentence Hoc momentum
sueing vnto sinners for their conuersion it followeth that we should in this third place examine some what more in particuler what certaine assurance his diuine Maiestie geueth of vndoubted pardon and ful remission of their sinnes to al such as vnfainedlie shal resolue them selues to make their refuge vnto him Which thing albeit euerie mā by that which before hath bene treated may sufficientlie conceaue yet for th' importāce of the matter it shal not be amisse in this place also to adde a word or two for more plaine and euidēt demonstration therof And this shal be donne by setting doune both the wordes and deedes that is both the promisses and perfourmāce which almightie God hath vsed and excercised in this behalf to al such as haue offended him whatsoeuer And for the first which are his promises most apparent it is as wel by the thinges which before haue bene discussed as also by the whole course bodie drift of holie scripture that the promises of mercie and pardon which his diuine Maiestie hath made to synners and wherunto by his sacred word he hath in a certaine maner obliged him self are both manifold vehement absolute resolute vniuersal VVho so euer shal depart from his vvicked vvayes and turne vnto me saith almightie God I vvil receaue him Behold the vniuersalitie of al people and persons without excluding any And then further At vvhat day soeuer an impious man shal returne vnto me from his impietie his vvickednes shal not hurt him saith the same L. God of hostes see the vniuersalitie of al times seasons without exceptiō But yet harken what God addeth besides Leaue of to doe peruerselie saith he to the Iewes c. and then doe you come and finde fault vvith me if you can For if your sinnes vvher as red as skarlet they shal be made as vvhite as snovve c. Consider the vniuersalitie of al kind of synnes be they neuer so greeuous so horrible or haynous And finallie God talking to a soule that hath oftentimes fallen most infinitelie offended him he saith thus it is a common receaued speech that if a womā depart from her husbād and doe ioine her self to an other man she may not returne to her first husband againe for that she is defiled and made contaminate And yet wheras thou hast departed from me and hast committed fornication with many other louers doe thou returne vnto me againe and I wil receaue the saith almightie God By which wordes is expressed the fowerth vniuersalitie containing al states qualities and conditions of men how many waies or how oftentimes or how contemptuouslie soeuer they haue committed sinnes against his diuine Maiestie And what may be added now more vnto this was ther euer prince that made so large an offer vnto his subiectes or was ther euer father that gaue so ample and vniuersal promise of pardō vnto his children Who can now mistrust him self to be excluded from this assurance of mercie wherin al sortes of people al kindes of sinnes al times and seasons al states and qualities of sinners are comprehended O most miserable and infortunate man that excludeth him self whom God excludeth not What is ther in this general and vniuersal promises wherof anie man in the world should haue pretence to make any least doubt or question Of the meaning perhapes and intent of him that promiseth O deare brother it is onlie loue and tharitie and consequentlie can not deceaue vs. Of the truth and suertie of his promisses It is infallible and more certaine then heauen and earth put together Of the power that he hath to perfourme his promisse It is infinite and not restrained by any boundes or limitation wherof thē may we doubt or in which of thes three pointes may we not conceaue most singuler consolation heare the comfortable meditation that blessed S. Bernard made vpon thes three particulers which wee haue now mentioned Tria considero saith he in quibus tota spes mea consistit charitatem vocationis veritatem promissionis potestatem redditionis c. That is I doe consider three thinges saith this holie mā wherin al my hope cōsisteth wherby it is made inuincible First the exceeding loue and charitie of him that calleth me to him by repentance secondlie the infallible truth and certaintie of his promise which he maketh to me of pardon and mercie thirdlie the endles power and abilitie he hath to perfourme whatsoeuer he promiseth This is that triple or threefold rope and chaine which holie scripture saith is hardlie broken for that by this rope let donne vnto vs from heauen which is our contrie into this world that is our prison we may ascende and mount vp if we wil euen vnto the sight and possession of Gods eternal kingdom and heauēlie glorie Thus farre that blessed father But now to the second pointe if we consider how faithfullie almightie God hath put in execution thos promises of his from time to time how 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 shal finde further cause for vs to confide For so much as it is not probable or ī reason to be imagined that he which neuer failed in times past wil breake his promise for the time to come especially seing now in Christianitie when we haue this aduantage aboue other former times as S. Iohn doth also note that he who was and is our iudge is become also our aduouocat to pleade our cause Cast backe thine eyes then my louing deare brother and take a vew of al ages times and seasons past and gone Beginne from the first creation of the world and come donneward euen vnto this daye examine indifferentlie whether in al this wide compasse of times persons places most greeuous offences committed against his diuine Maiestie ther were euer yet any one sinner vpon earth that returned vnsay nedlie and was not receaued The sinne of our first parentes was presentelie forgeuen vnto them vpon their first signification of greefe and sorowe for the same And not onlie this but our Saueour also Iesus Christ was promissed to be sent for restoring them and their posteritie to the glorie and felicitie which by their fal they had lost After this vntil the time of Abraham and of the people of Israel as some workes of Gods iustice are recorded in holie writ that were excercised vpon irrepentant offendours so are ther many more celebrated of his mercie and onlie two persons in particuler are mentioned who notwithstanding some sorow which they seemed to haue of their offences were yet reiected the first wherof was the murderer Cain who at the beginning denied his wickednes vnto God and then being conuicted despaired of remission The second was Esau whom S. Paul calleth a profane fornicator who
which should haue many children crying to her at once for meate she hauing no bread at al or not sufficient to breake vnto them so the wicked man being greedilie called vpon without ceasing by almost infinit passions to yeld vnto their desires must needes be vexed and pitifullie tormēted especiallie being not able to satisfie any one of the least of their petitions An other cause of vexation in thes mē is for that thes passions of disordinate concupiscence be oftentimes contrarie the one to the other and doe demāde most opposite and contrarie thinges representing vnto vs most liuelie the confusion of Babel where one tongue spake against an other and that in diuerse and contrarie languages So we see oftentimes that the desire of honour saieth to his maister spend here but the passion of auarice saieth hold thy handes Lecherie saieth venture here But pride saieth No it may turne thee to dishonour Anger saieth reuenge thy self here but ambition saieth it is better to dissemble And finallie here is fulfilled that which the prophet saieth vidi iniquitatem contradictionem in ciuitate I haue seene iniquitie and contradictiō in the self same citie Iniquitie for that al the demandes of thes passions are most vniust for so much as they are against reason her self Contradictiō for that one contradicteth the other in their demandes From al which miseries God hath deliuered the iuste by geuing them his peace vvhich passeth al vnderstanding as the Apostle saieth and which the world can nether geue nor taste of as Christ hym self affirmeth And thus many causes may be alleaged now besides many other which I passe ouer to iustifie the veritie of our Saue ours wordes affirming that his yoke is svveet and easie to wit the assistance of grace the loue of God the light of vnderstanding the internal consolation the quiet of cōscience the confidēce therof proceeding the libertie of soule and bodie with the sweet rest and peace of our spirites both towardes God our neighbours and our selues By al which meanes helpes priuileges and singuler benefites the vertuous are assisted aboue the wicked as hath bene shewed and their way made easie light and pleasant TO AL VVHICH yet we may adioine one other great priuilege as the last but not the least comfort to them that walke vnder the yoke of Christs seruice and this is the promise and most assured expectation of reward to wit of eternal glorie and felicitie to the good and of euerlasting damnation and tormētes vnto the wicked O good God what a matter is this to comfort the one if their life were paineful and to afflict the other amiddest their greatest pleasures and swetest delectations The labourer when he thinketh of his good paye at night is encouraged to goe thorough with the heat of the day though it be painful vnto hym Two that should passe together towardes their countrie the one to receaue honour for good seruice done abrod th' other as prisoner to be arraigned of treasons committed in forraine dominions against his Soueraigne could not be alike merie in their inne vpon the way For albeit he that stood in danger should sing or make shew of courage and comfort and set a good face vpon the matter yet th' other might wel thinke that his hart had many a cold pul within hym as no doubt but al wicked men haue when they think with themselues of the life to come If Ioseph and Pharaos baker had knowē both their distinct lottes in prison to wit that on such a day one should be called furth to be made Lord of Egypt and th' other to be hanged vpon a paire of new gallowes they could hardly haue bene alike merie whiles they liued together in the time of their imprisonmēt The like may be sayed and much more truely of vertuous and wicked men in this world For when the one sorte doe but thinke vpon the day of death which to thē is to be the day of their deliuerance from this prison their hartes can not but leape for verie ioye considering what is her after to ensew vnto thē But th' other are afflicted and doe fal into melancholie and extreme desolation as oftē as mention or remembrāce of death is offered for that they are sure that it bringeth with it their eternal bane according as holy scripture saieth The vvicked mā being dead there remaineth no more hope vnto hym Wel then deare Christian brother if al thes thinges be so what should stay thee now at length to make this resolution wherunto I exhort thee wilt thou yet say notwithstanding al this that the matter is hard and the way vnpleasant or wilt thou beleeue others that tel the so albeit they know lesse of the matter then thy self Beleeue rather the word and promisse of thy Sauiour Christ which assureth thee the contrarie Beleeue the reasons before alleaged which doe proue it most euidentlie Beleeue the testimonies of them which haue experienced the matter in them selues as king Dauid S. Paul S. Iohn Euangelist and others whos testimonies I haue alleaged before cōcerning their owne proofe Beleeue many hundredes which by the holy grace of God are conuerted day lie in Christendome frō vicious life to the perfect seruice of their Lord al which doe protest that them selues haue found much more facilitie and comfort thē ether I haue said in this place or can say in the matter And for that perhaps thou mayest replie that such men as haue experiēced this in them selues are not now liuing in the place wher thou art to geue this testimonie of their owne experience I can and doe assure thee vpon my consciēce before almightie God that I haue had conserēce with no smal number of such persons my self and that to my singuler comfort in beholding the strong hand and exceeding bountifulnesse of Gods sweetnes towards them in this case Oh deare brother no tongue can expresse what I haue seene herin and yet sawe I not the least part of that which they inwardly felte But yet this may I say that they that attend in the Catholique Church to deale with soules in the holy sacrament of Confession are in deed thos of whom the prophet saieth that they vvorke in multitudes of vvaters and doe see the maruailes of God in the depth In the depth I say of mens conscieuces vttered with infinit multitudes of teares whē God toucheth the same with his holy grace Beleeue me good reader for I speake in truth before our Lord IESVS I haue seene so great and exceeding consolations in diuers great sinners after their conuersion as no hart can almost cōceaue and the hartes which receaued thē were hardlie able to-containe the same so abundātlie distilled doune that heauēlie dewe from the most liberal and bounteful hand of God And that this may not seme strange vnto thee thou must know that it is recorded of one holy man called
the temptations of the world and deuil the resisting wherof is much more difficult in time of peace and wealth then in time of external affliction and persecution for that thes enemies are stronger in flatterie then in force which a godly father expresseth by this parable The sunne and wind saieth he agreed one day to proue their seueral strengthes in taking a cloke from a waiefaring man And in the forenoone the wind vsed al violence that he could to blow of the said clok But the more he blew the more fast held the trauailer his clock and gathered it more closely about him At after noone the sunne sent forth her pleasant beames by litle and litle so entered into this man as he caused him to yeeld to put of not onely his cloke but also his cote Whereby is proued saieth this father that the allurementes of pleasure are more strong and harder to be resisted then the violence of persecution The like is shewed by the example of king Dauid who resisted easily many assaults of aduersitie but yet fel dangerously in time of prosperitie Wherby appeareth that vertuous men haue no lesse warre in time of peace then in time of persecution Nor euer wanteth there occasion of bearing the crosse and suffering affliction to him that wil accept of the same And this may susfice for this first point to proue that euery man must enter into heauen by tribulation as S. Paul saieth The second part TOVCHING THE second why God wold haue this matter so it were sufficiēt to aunswer that it pleased him best so without seeking any further reason of his meaning herein euen as it pleased his diuine Maiestie without al reason in our sight to abase his sonne so much as to send him hither into this world to suffer and die for vs. Or if we wil needes haue a reason hereof this one might be sufficiēt for al that seing we looke for so great a glory as we doe we should labour a litle first for the same and so shew our selues worthie of Gods fauour and exaltation But yet for that it hath pleased his diuine Maiestie not onely to open vnto vs his wil and determination for our suffering in this life but also diuers reasons of his most holy purpose and pleasure therin for our further encouragement and consolation that doe suffer I wil in this place repeate some of the same for declaration of his exceeding great loue and fatherlie care towardes vs. THE FIRST cause then and the most principal is to encrease therby our merit and glorie in the life to come For hauing appointed by his eternal wisdome and iustice that none shal be crouned there but according to the measure of his fight in this world the more and greater cōbates that he geueth together with sufficient grace to ouercome them the greater crowne of glorie prepareth he for vs at our resurrection This cause toucheth S. Paul in the wordes before alleaged of the saintes of the olde testament to wit that they receaued no redemption from their miseries in this world to the end they might find a better resurrection in the world to come This also meant Christ expresselie when he saied Happie are they vvhich suffe persecutiō for theirs is the kingdom of heauen happie are you vvhen men speake euil and persecute you c. reioyse be glad I saye for that your revvard is great in heauē Hereunto also appertaine al those promises of gaining life by leesing life of receauing a hundred for one and the like Herehence do procede al those large promises to virginitie and chastitie and to such as geld them selues for the kingdom of heauen to voluntarie pouertie and to the renouncing of our owne wil by obedience Al which are greate conflictes against the fleshe world and our owne sensualitie and can not be performed but by sufferings and affliction Finally S. Paul declareth this matter fullie when he sayeth that a litle and short tribulation in this life vvorketh a beape of glorie aboue al measure in the hight of heauen THE SECOND cause why God appointed this is to draw vs therby from the loue of the world his professed enemie as in the next chapter shal be shewed at large This cause S. Paul vttereth in these wordes VVe are punished of God in this life to the end vve should not be damned vvith this vvorld In like maner as a Nurse that to weane her child from the loue and liking of her milke dothe anointe her teat with Aloes or some other such bitter thing so our merciful Father that wolde retire vs. from the loue of wordlie delites wherby infinite men doe perish daily vseth to send tribulation which of al other thinges hath most force to woorke that effect as we see in the example of the prodigal sonne who could by no meanes be stayed from his pleasures and retired home to his olde Father but onelie by affliction THIRDLIE God vseth tribulation as a most present and soueraine medicine to heale vs of many diseases otherwise almost incurable As first of a certaine blindenes and careles negligence in our estate contracted by wealth and prosperitie In which sense holy scripture saieth that affliction geueth vnderstanding And the wise man affirmeth that the rodde bringeth vvisdom This was shewed in figure when the sight of Tobie was restored by the bitter gaule of a fish And we haue cleare examples in Nabuchodonasor Saul Antiochus and Manasses al wich came to see their owne faultes by tribulation which they wolde neuer haue done in time of prosperitie The like we read of the brethren of Ioseph who falling into some affliction in Egypt presentlie entred into their owne conscience and sayd VVe suffer those thinges vvorthely for that vve sinned against our brother And as tribulation bringeth this light wherby we see our owne defectes so helpeth it greatlie to remoue and cure the same wherin it may be wel likened vnto the rodde of Moyses For as that rodde striking the hard rockes brought foorth water as the scripture saieth so this rodde of affliction falling vpon stonie harted sinners mollifieth them to contrition and often times bringeth forth the fluddes of teares to repentance In respect wherof holy Tobie saieth to almightie God In time of tribulation thou forgeuest sinnes And for like 〈◊〉 it is compared also to a file of yron which taketh away the rust of the soule In like maner to a purgation that driueth out corrupt humours And finallie to a goldsmithes forge which cōsumeth away the refuse metals and fineth the gold to his perfection I vvil trie thee by fire to the quick saieth God to a sinner by Esay the prophet and I vvil take avvaie al thy tinne and refuse metal And againe by Ieremie I vvil melt them and trye them by fire This he meant of the fire of tribulation whose propertie is according
his simplicitie was deliuered frō the mouth of lions And so doe you runne ouer by cogitation al generations and you shal see that al those that hope in God shal not be vanquished And doe you not seare the vvordes of a sinful man for his glorie is nothing els but dung and vvormes to daie he is great and exalted and to morovv he shal not be found for he shal returne vnto his earth againe and al his fond cogitations shal perishe Wherfore take courage vnto you my children and plaie the men in the lawe of God For ther in shal be your honour glorie Hitherto are the wordes of scripture which shal suffice for the end of this chapter THE FOVRTH AND GREATEST IMPEDIMENT THAT HINdereth resolution to witte The loue and respect vvhich men beare to the pleasures and vanities of this vvorld CHAPT IIII. AS the former impedimentes which now by Gods grace we haue remoued be in verie deed great staies to many mē from the resolutiō we talke of so this that presently we take in hand is not onely of it self a strong impediment and let but also a general cause as it were a commō ground to al other impedimentes that be or may be For if a man could touch the hidden pulse of al such as refuse or neglect or doe differre to make this resolution he should find the true cause origine therof to be the loue and respect which they beare vnto this world what soeuer other excuses they pretend besides The noble men of Iewrie pretended feare to be the cause why they could not resolue to coniesse Christ openly but S. Iohn that felt their-pulses and knew their disease vttereth the true cause to haue bene for that they loued the glory of men more then the glory of God Demas that for sooke S. Paul in his bandes euen a litle before his death pretended an other cause of his departure to Thellalonica but S. Paul saieth it was quia diligebat hoc seculū for that he loued this world So that this world is a general and vniuersal impediment and more largely dispersed in mens hartes thē outwardly appeareth for that it bringeth forth diuers other excuses therby to couer it self in the people wher it abideth This may be confirmed by that most excellent parable of our Sauiour Christ recorded by three Euangelistes concerning the three sortes of men which are to be damned and the three causes of their damnation wher of the third and last most general including as it were both the two former is the loue of this world For the first sorte of men ther mentioned are compared to a high waie wherin al seed of life that is sowen ether withereth presentlie or els is eaten vp by the birdes of the ayer which is as Christ expoundeth it by the deuils in such careles men as contemne what-soeuer is said vnto thē such are insidels heretikes and other like obstinate and contemptuous people The second sorte of damnable people are compared to rockie groundes in which for lacke of depe roote the seed that falleth continueth not and by this are signified light and vnconstant persons that now choppe in and now runne owt now are seruent and by and by keie-colde againe so in time of tēptation they are gone saith Christ. The third sorte are compared to a feild wherin the seed of life groweth vp but yet there are so many thornes about the same which one father expoundeth to be the cares troubles miseries and deceinable vanities of this life as the good corne is choked vp and bringeth soorth no fruite By which last wordes lie signifieth that whersoeuer the doctrine of Christ groweth vp yet bringeth not forth due fruite that is to saie whersoeuer his faith is planted receaued and professed as among Christians it is and yet bringeth not forth vertuous life holie conuersation good workes and due seruice of God corespōdent to this seed ther the principal cause is for that it is choked with the loue and care of this present world This is a parable of maruailous greate importance as may appeare both for that Christ after the recital therof cried out with a lowde voice He that hath eares to heare let him heare As also for that he expounded it him self in secrete onelie to his Disciples And principallie for that before the exposition therof he vsed such a solemne preface saying to you it is geuen to knovv the misteries if the kingdome of heauen but to others not for that they seing doe not see and hearing doe not heare nor vnder stand Wherby Christ signifieth that the vnderstanding of this parable among others is of singular importance for conceauing the true misteries of the kingdome of heauen and that many are blinde which seeme to see and many deafe and ignorant that seeme to heare and know for that they vnderstand not wel the misteries of this parable For which cause also his diuine wisdome maketh this conclusion before he beginne to expound the parable Happie are your eies that see and biessed are your eares that heare After which wordes he beginneth his exposition with this admonitiō Vos ergo audite parabolam Doe you therfore heare and vnderstand this parable And for that this parable doth containe and touch so much in deede as may or is needful to be saied for remouing of this greate and dangerous impediment of worldly loue I meane to staie my self onelie vpon the explication the ros in this place and wil declare the force and truth of certaine wordes here vttered by Christ of the world and worldlie pleasures And forsome order and methodes sake I wil drawal to these six pointes folowing First how and in what sense al this whole world and commodities therof are meere vanities in them selues and of no value as Christ here signifieth and consequentlie ought not to be an impedimēt to let vs from so great a matter as the kingdome of heauen and seruing of God is Secondlie how they are not onelie vanities and trifles but also Deceptions as the wordes of Christ are that is to say deceyte and fallaces not performing to vs in deede those litle trifles which they doe promise Thirdlie how they are spinae that is pricking thornes as our Saueour affirmeth albeit they seeme to worldly men to be most sweet and pleasant thinges Fourthlie how they are arumnae that is to saie miseries and afflictions Fiftlie quomodo suffocant how they strangle or choke their possessours according as the sonne of God in this parable auoucheth Sixthlie how we may vse them notwithstanding without these daungers euils and to our great comfort gaine and preferment The first point of the parable AND NOVV for the first albeit I might stande vpon many reasons and demonstrations yet doe I not see how breefly pithelie it may be better declared that al the pleasures and goodlie shewes of this world are mere vanities
we wolde exercise our selues in these maner of cogitations we might easilie keepe our hartes pure and vnspotted before God in beholding the beautie of his creatures But for that we vse not this passage from the creature to the creator but doe rest onely in the external appearance of a deceatful face letting goe the bridle to our foule cogitations and setting wilfully on fire our own concupiscences hence it is that infinite men doe perish day lie by occasion of this fond vanitie I cal it fond for that euerie childe may discrie the deceate and vanitie therof For take the fairest face in the world wherwith infinite folish men fal in loue vpon the sight therof and rase it ouer but with a litle scrach and al the matter of loue is gone let there come but an Ague for foure daies and al this goodly beautie is distroyed let the soule depart but one halfe hower from the bodie and this louing face is vglie to looke on let it lie but two daies in the graue and those who were so hote in loue with it before wil skarse abyde to beholde it or come neare it And if none of those things happen vnto it yet quicklie cometh on olde age which riueleth the skinne draweth in the eies setteth-owt the teeth and so disfigureth the whole visage as it becometh more contemptible and horrible now then euer it was beautiful and alluring before And what then can be more vanitie then this What more madnesse then ether to take a pride therof if we haue it our selues or to indanger our soules for the same if we behould it in others THE SIXT vanitie belonging to pride of life is the glorie of fine apparel against which the scripture saith In vestitu ne gloriaris vnquam See thou neuer take glorie in apparel Of al vanities this is the greatest which yet we see so common among men of this world If Adam had neuer sallen we had neuer vsed apparel For that apparel was deuised to couer our shame of nakednes and other infirmites contracted by that fal Wherfore we that take pride and glorie in apparel doe as much as if beggar should glorie take pride of the olde cloutes that do couer his sores S. Paul said vnto a bishop If vve haue vvhervvithal to couer our selues let vs be content And Christ touched deeplie the daunger of nice apparel when he cōmended so much S. Iohn Baptist for his austere attire adding for the contradictorie Qui moliibus vestiuntur in domibus regum sunt They which are clothed in soft and delicate apparel are in kinges courtes that is in kinges courtes of this world but not in the kinges court of heauen For which cause in the descriptiō of the riche man damned this is not omitted by our Sauiour That he vvas apparelled in purple and silke It is a wounderful thing to consider the different proceeding of God and the world herin God him self was the first tailer that euermade apparel i this world and he made it for the most noble of al our auncestous in paradise yet he made it but of beasts skinnes And S. Paul testifieth of the noblest saintes of the olde testament that they were couered onelie with goates skinnes and with the heares of Cameles What vanitie is it then for vs to be so curious in apparel and to take such pride therin as we doe we robbe spoile al creatures in the world to couer our backes and adorne our bodies From one we take his wolle from an other his skinne from an other his furre and from some other their verie excrementes as the silk which is nothing els but the excrementes of wormes Nor yet content with this we come to fishes and doe begge of them certaine pearles to hang about vs. We goe doune into the grounde for gold and siluer and turne vp the sandes of the sea for pretious stones and hauing borowed al this of other creatnres we iette vp doune prouoking men to looke vpō vs as if al this now were our own When the stone shineth vpon our fingar we wil seeme forsooth therby to shine When the siluer and silkes doe glister on our backes we looke bigge as if al that beautic came from vs. And so as the prophet saith we passe ouer our daies in vanitie and doe not perceaue our owne extreme folie AND THVS much now may suffice for declaration of the first general head of worldlie vanities termed by S. Iohu Pride of life Ther followeth the seconde which he calleth Concupiscence of the eyes wherunto the auncient fathers haue referred al vanities of riches and wealth of this world Of this S. Paul writeth to Timothie Geue commandement to rich men of this vvorld not to be high minded nor to put confidence in the vncertaintie of their riches The reason of which speech is vttered by the scripture in an other place when it saieth Riches shal not profit a man in the daie of reuēge That is at the daie of death and iudgement Which thing the rich men of this world doe confesse them selues though to late now being in tormentes diuitiarum iactantia quid nobis contulit what hath the brauerie of our riches profited vs Al which doth euidentlie declare the great vanitie of worldlie riches which can doe the possessour no good at al whē he hath most need of their help Riche men haue slept their sleepe saith the prophet and haue found nothing in their handes that is riche mē haue passed ouer this life as mē doe passe ouer a slepe imagining them selues to haue goldē mountaines and treasures wher with to help them selues in al needes that shal occurre when they a wake at the daie of their death they finde themselues to haue nothing in their hādes that can doe thē good In respect wherof the prophet Baruch asketh this question VVhere are they novv vvhich heaped together gold siluer vvhich made no end of their scraping together And he answereth him self immediatlie Exterminati sunt ad inferos descenderunt They are now rooted owt and are gone down vnto hel To like effect saith S. Iames Novvye riche mco doe ye vveepe and vvaile and houle in your miseries that come vpon you your riches are rotten and your gold and siluer is rustie and the rust therof shal be in testimonie against you it shal seede vpon your one flash as if it vvere fire you haue hoarded vp vvrath to your ovvn selues in the last daie If wealth of this world be not onelie so vaine but also so perilous as here is affirmed what vanitie then is it formen to set their mindes so vpon it as they doe S. Paul saieth of him self that he esteemed al but as dung of the earth And he had great reasō surely to say so seing in deed riches are no better then the verie excrements of the earth and fownde onelie in
men that is God shal permit wicked mē to fal into snares which are as plentiful in the world as are the droppes of raine which fal doune from heauē Euery thing almost is a deadly snare vnto a carnal and loose harted mā Euery fight that he seeth euery word that he heareth euery thought that he conceaueth his youth his age his freendes his enemies his honour his disgrace his riches his pouertie his compagnie keeping his prosperitie his aduersitie his meate that he eateth his apparel that he weareth al are snares to draw him to destruction that is not watchful Of this then and of the blindnes declared before doth folow the last and greatest miserie of al other which can be in this life And that is the facilitie wherby worldly men doe runne into sinne For truely saieth the scripture miseros facit populos peccatum Sinne is the thing that maketh people miserable And yet how easily men of the world doe commit sinne and how litle scruple they make of the matter Iob signifieth when talking of such a man he saieth bibit quasi aquam iniquitatem He suppeth vp sinne as it were water that is with as great facilitie custome ease aduētureth he vpō any kind of sinne that is offered him as a man drinketh water when he is a thirst He that wil not beleeue the saying of Iob let him proue a litle by his owne experience whether the matter be so or no. Let him walke out into the streetes behold the doinges of men vew their behauiour cōsider what is done in shoppes in halles in consistories in iudgement seates in palaces and in cōmon meeting places abroad what lying what slandering what deceiuing there is He shal find that of al things wherof men doe make any accōpt in the world nothing is so litle accounted of as to commit a sinne He shal see iustice solde veritie wrested shame lost and equitie despised He shal see the innocent condemned the guiltie deliuered the wicked aduaunced the vertuous oppressed He shal see many theeues florish many vsurers beare great sway many murderers and extorsioners reuerenced and honoured many fooles put in authoritie and diuers which haue nothing in them but the forme of men by reason of money to be placed in great dignities for the gouernmēt of others He shal heare at euerie mans mouth almost vanitie pride detraction enuie deceit dissimulation wantōnesse dissolution lying swearing periurie and blaspheming Finally he shal see the most part of men to gouerne them selues absolutely euen as beastes doe by the motion of there passions not by law of iustice reason celigion or vertue The. 5. pointe of the parable OF THIS DOTH ensue the fifte point that Christ toucheth in his parable and which I promised here to handle to wit that the loue of this world choketh vp and strangleth euerie man whom it possesseth fromal celestial and spiritual life for that it filleth him with a plaine contrarie spirite to the spirite of God The Apostle saieth Si quis spiritum Chrsti non habet hic non est cius If any man haue not the spirit of Christ this felow belongeth not vnto him Now how contrarie the spirite of Christ and the spirite of the world is maie appeare by the twelue fruites of Christs spirite reckned vp by S. Paul vnto the Galathians to wit Charitie which is the roote and mother of al good workes Ioye in seruing God peace or trāquilitie of minde in the stormes of this world Patience in aduersitie Longanimitie in expecting our reward Bogitic in hurtig no man Benignitie in sweete behauiour Gentlenes in occasion geuē of anger Faithfulnes in performig our promises Modestie without arrogancie Continencie from alkind of wickednes Chastitie in conseruing a pure minde in a cleane and vnspotted bodie Against thes men saith S. Paul there is no lavv And in the verie same chapter he expresseth the spirite of the world by the contrarie effectes saying the worcks of flesh are manifest which are fornication vncleannes wantonnes lecherie idolatrie poysonninges enemities contentious emulations wrath strife dissention sectes enuie murder drōkennes glutonie and the like of which I fortel you as I haue tolde you before that those men which doe such things shal neuer obteine the kingdome of heauen Here now may euery man iudge of the spirit of the world and of the spirit of Christ and applying it to him self may coniecture whether he holdeth of the one or of th' other S. Paul geeueth two pretie short rules in the very same place to trye the same The first is They vvhich are of Christ haue crucifie ltheir flesh vvith the vices concupisconces therof That is they haue so mortified their owne bodies as they commit none of the vices and sinnes repeated before nor yeld not willinglie vnto the concupiscences or temptations therof The second rule is if vve liue in spirite then let vs vvalke in spirit That is our walking behauiour is a signe whether we be aliue or dead For if our walking be spiritual such as I haue declared before by the twelue fruites therof then doe we liue and haue life in spirite but if our workes be carnal such as S. Paul now hath described then are we carnal and dead in spirite nor haue we any thing to doe with Christ or portion in the kingdome of heauē And for that al the world is ful of those carnal workes and bringeth forth no fruites in deede of Christs spirit nor permitteth them to grow or prosper within her thence is it that the scripture alwaies putteth Christ and the world for opposite and open enemies Christ him self saith that the vvorld can not receaue the spirit of trueth And againe in the same Euangelist he saieth that nether he nor anie of his are of the world though they liue in the world And yet further in his most vehement prayer vnto his father Pater iuste mundus te non cognouit iust father the world hath not knowen thee For which cause S. Iohn writeth If any man loue the vvorld the loue of the Father is not in him And yet further S. Iames that vvbs soeuer desireth only to be a sreend of this vvorld is therby made an enemie to God What wil worldly mē saie to this S. Paul affirmeth plainlie that this world is to be dāned And Christ insinuateth the same in S. Iohns gospel but most of al in that wonderful fact of his whē praying to his Father for other matters he excepteth the world by name Non promun lo saith he I doe not aske mercie and perdone for the world but for those which thou hast geuen me out of the world Oh what a dreadful exception is this made by the Sauiour of the world by the lambe that taketh awaie al sinnes by him that asked perdone euen for his tourmentours and crucifiers to except I saie now the world
by name from his mercie Oh that worldlie men would consider but this one point onelie they would not I think liue so voide of feare as they doe Can any man maruaile now why S. Paul crieth so carefully vnto vs nolite conformari huic saeculo cōforme not your selues to this world againe that we should renounce vtterly al secular desires Can any man maruaile why S. Iohn which was most priuie aboue al others to Christs holy meaning herein saieth to vs in such earnest sorte Nolite diligere mundum nequè ea quae in mundo sunt doe not loue the world nor any thing that is in the world If we may nether loue it nor so much as conforme our selues vnto it vnder so great paines as are before rehearsed of the enimitie of God and of our eternal damnation what shal become of thos mē that doe not onely cōforme them selues vnto it and to the vanities therof but also doe folowe it seeke after it rest in it and doe bestow al their labours and trauailes vpon it If you aske me the cause why Christ so hateth and abhorreth this world Saint Iohn telleth you Quia mundus totus in maligno positus est for that al the whole world is set on noughtines for that it hath a spirite contrarie to the spirite of Christ as hath bene shewed for that it teacheth pride vainglorie ambition enuie reuēge malice with pleasures of the flesh and al kinde of vanities And Christ on the contrarie side preacheth al humilitie meekenes perdoning of enemies abstinence chastitie sufferance mortification bearing the Crosse with cōtempt of al earthlie pleasures for the kingdome of heauen Christ hateth it for that it persecuteth the good aduanceth the euil for that it rooteth out vertue and planteth al vice And finalie for that it shutteth the doores against Christ when he knocketh and strangleth the hart that once it possesseth Wherfore to conclude this part seing this world is such a thing as it is so vaine so deceitful so troublesome so dangerous seing it is a professed enemie to Christ excommmunicated and damned to the pit of hel seing it is as one father saieth an arcke of trauaile a schole of vanities a marcket of deceite a laberinthe of errour seing it is nothing els but a barraine wildernes a stonie field a dirtie stie a tempestuous sea seing it is a groue ful of thornes a medowe ful of scorpions a flourishing garden without fruite a caue ful of poisoned and deadlie basiliskes seing it is finallie as I haue shewed a fountaine of miseries a riuer of teares a faigned fable a delectable frensie seing as Saint Austen saieth the ioy of this world hath nothing els but false delite true asperitie certaine sorowe vncertaine pleasure trauailsome labour fearful rest greeuous miserie vaine hope of felicitie seing it hath nothing in it as S. Chrisostome saith but teares shame repentāce reproche sadnes negligences labours terrours sicknes sinne and death it self seing the worlds repose is ful of anguish his securitie without foundation his feare without cause his trauailes without fruite his sorowe without profit his desires without successe his hope without rewarde his mirthe without continuance his miseries without remedies seing thes and a thousande euils more are in it no one good thing can be had from it who wil be deceiued with this visard or allured with this vanitie hereafter who wil be staied from the noble seruice of God by the loue of so fond a trifle as is this world And this to a reasonable man may be sufficiēt to declare the insufficiencie of this third impediment The. 6. point of this chapter BVT YET NOVV for satisfying my promisse in the beginuing of this chapter I haue to adde a word or two in this place how we may auoide the foresaid daungers of this world as also vse it vnto our gaine and commoditie And for the first to auoide the daungers seing there are so many snares and trappes as hath bene declared there is no other waie but onelie to vse the refuge of birdes in auoiding the dangerous snares of fowlers that is to mounte vp into the ayer and so to flie ouer them al. Frustra tacitur rete ante oculos pennatorum saith the wise man that is the net is laide in vaine before the eies of such as haue winges and can flie The spies of Hierico though many snares were laide for them by their enemies yet they escaped al for that they walked by hilles saieth the scripture Which place Origen expounding saieth that there is no waye to auoide the daungers of this world but to walke vpon hilles and to imitate Dauid that saied Leuaui oculos meos ad montes vnde ve 〈◊〉 auxiliū mihi I lifted vp mine eies vnto the hilles frō whence al mine aide and assistāce came for auoiding the snares of this world And then shal we saie with the same Dauid Anima nostra sieut passer erepta est de laqueo venantium Our soule is deliuered as a sparo we from the snare of the fowlers We must saie with S. Paul Our conuersation is in heauen and then shal we litle feare al thes deceites and daungers vpon earth For as the fouler hath no hope to catch the birde except he can allure her to pitch and to come doune by some meanes so hath the deuil no way to entangle vs but to say as he did to Christ mitte te deorsum throw thy self doune that is pitch doune vpon the baites which I haue laid eate and deuour them enamour thy self with them tie thine appetite vnto them and the like Which grosse and open temptation he that wil auoide by contemning the alluremēt of thes baites by flying ouer them by placing his loue and cogitations in the mountaines of heauenly ioyes eternitie he shal easily escape al daungers and perils King Dauid was past them al when he saied to God VVhat is there for me in heauen or vvhat doe I desire besides thee vpon earth my flesh and my harte haue fainted for desire of thee Thou art the God of my hart and my portion ô Lord for euer Saint Paul also was past ouer thes daungers when he saied that now he was crucified to the world and the world vnto him and that he esteemed al the wealth of this world as meere dung and that albeit he liued in flesh yet liued he not according to the flesh Which glorious example if wee would folow in contemning and despising the vanities of this world and fixing our mindes on the noble riches of Gods eternal kingdome to come the snares of the deuil would preuaile nothing at al against vs in this life Touching the second point how to vse the riches and commodities of this world to our aduantage Christ hath laied doune plainly the meanes Facite vobis amicos de Māmonainiquitatis Make vnto you freendes of
of a Leuit God punished the whole tribe in this order as holy scripture recounteth He caused al the other eleuen tribes to rise against them first to come to the house of God in Silo to aske his aduise and to folow his direction in this warre against their brethren And thence hauing by Godes appointement ioined battaile twise with the tribe of Beniamin the third daie God gaue them so great a victorie as they slew al the liuing creatures within the compasse of that tribe except onelie six hundred men that escaped awaie into the desert the rest were slaine both man woman children and infantes together with al the beastes and cattel al the cities villages and howses burnt with fire And al this for one sinne committed onelie at one time with one woman And who then deare Christian brother wil not confesse with Moyses that God is a iust God a great God and a terrible God Who wil not confesse with S. Paul that it is horrible to fal into the handes of the liuing God Who wil not say with holy Dauid A Iudicijs tuis timui I haue feared at the remembrance of thy iudgementes If God would not spare the destroying of a whole tribe for one sinne onely if he would not perdon Chore Dathan and Abiron for once the sonnes of Aaron for once Ananias Saphira for once if he would not forgiue Esau though he demaunded it with teares as S. Paul saieth if he would not remit the punishment of one fault to Moyses Aaron albeit they asked it with great instance if he would not forgiue one proude cogitation vnto the Angels nor the eating of one apple vnto Adā without infinite punishment nor would passe ouer the cuppe of affliction from his own deare sonne though he required the same thrise vpō his verie knees with the sweate of blood and water in his presence what reason hast thou my brother to thike that he wil let passe so many sinnes of thine vnpunished what cause hast thou to induce thy imagination that he wil deale extraordinarilie with thee breake the course of his iustice for thy sake Art thou better then thos whom I haue named or hast thou any priuilege from his Maiestie aboue them If thou wouldest consider the great and strange effectes of his iustice which we see dailie executed in the world thou shouldest haue litle cause to persuade thy self so fauorablie or rather to flatter thy self so daungerously as thou doest We see that notwithstanding Godes mercie yea after the death and passion of Christ our Sauiour for sauing of the whole world yet so many infinite millions be damned daily by the iustice of almightie God so many insideles heathens Iewes and Turkes that remaine in the darknes of their owne ignorance and among Christīans so many heretiques and misbeleuers and among Catholiques so many euel liuers as Christ truely said that few were they which should be saued albeit his death was paid for al if by their own wickednes they made them selues not vnworthie therof And before the comming of our Sauiour much more we see that al the world went awrie to damnatió for many thousand yeres together excepting a few Iewes which were the people of God And yet among them also the greater part perhappes were not saued as may be cōiectured by the speeches of the prophetes from time to time and specially by the sayings of Christ to the harisees and other rulers therof Now then if God for the satisfying of his justice could let so many millions perish through their own sinnes as he doth also now daily permit without any preiudice or impechement to his infinit mercie why may not he also damne thee forthy sinnes notwithstanding his mercie seing thou doest not onely commit them without feare but also doest confidently persist in the same The 2. part of the chapter BVT HERE now perhappes some man may say if this be so that God is so seuere in punishment of euery sinne and that he damneth so many thousandes for one that he saueth how is it true that the mercies of God are aboue al his other vvorkes as holy scripture affirmeth and that it passeth and exalteth it self aboue his iudgement For if the number of the damned doe exceede so much the number of thos which are saued it seemeth that the worke of iustice doth passe the worke of mercie To which I answere that touching the smal number of them that are saued as also of th' infinit quantitie of such as are damned we may in no wise doute for that besides al other prophetes Christ our Sauiour hath made the matter certaine and out of question We haue to see therfore how notwithstāding al this the mercie of God doth exceede his other workes And first his mercie may be said to exceede for that al our saluation is of his mercie and our damnation from our selues only as from the first and principal causes therof according to the saying of God by the prophet Perditio tua Israel tantummodò in me auxilium tuum Thy perdition is onely from thy self ô Israel and thy assistance to doe good is onely from me So that as we must acknowledge Gods grace and mercie for th' author of euerie good thought and acte that we doe and consequently ascribe al our saluatiō vnto him so none of our euil actes for which we are damned doe proceede from him but onely from our selues and so he is no cause at al of our damnation and in this doth his mercie exceede his iustice Secondlie his mercie doth exceede in that he desireth al men to be saued as S. Paul teacheth and him self protesteth when he saieth I vvil not the death of a sinner but rather that he turne from his vvikednes and liue And againe by the prophet Ieremie he complaineth greeuouslie that men wil not accept of his mercie offered Turne from your vvicked vvaies saith he vvhy vvil ye die a you house of Israel By which appeareth that he offereth his mercie most willinglie and freelie to al but vseth his iustice onelie vpon necessitie as it were cōstrained therunto by our obstinate behauiour This our Sauiour Christ signifieth more plainlie when he saith to Ierusalem O Ierusalem which killest the prophetes and stonest them to death that are sent vnto thee how oftē wold I haue gathered thy children together as the henne clocketh her chickins vnderneth her winges but thou woldest not behold thy house for this cause shal be made desert and left without children Here you see thee mercie of God often offered vnto the Iewes but for that they refused it he was enforced in a certaine maner to pronounce this heauie sentence of destruction and desolatiō vpon them which he fulfilled within fortie or fiftie yeares after by the handes of Titus and Vespasian Emperours of Rome who vtterlie ouerthrewe the citie of Ierusalem and the whole nation