sectaries for that they acknowledged not their true mother which is pride and singularitie After this his proud enterāce he beginneth his seely discourse and for methodes sake maketh many diuisions and subdiuisions euery thing running therin by couples wherin he is so fertile and abundant as by methode he confoundeth al memorie But yet as I may I wil here recite the cheef pointes therof First then he saith that ther is great reasō why we should ioine with them and none at al why they should yeld to vs. The first he proueth for that it becommeth the Church of God to be at vnitie in it self Which reason how far it proueth his purpose the reader can consider The second he declareth for that the gaine that they should receaue by comming to vs in his opinion should be very smal both touching matters of religion as also of state For in religion he maketh his accompt that they should haue nothing more thē now they haue except only certaine Sacramentes Images and ceremonies which he calleth representations al which he esteemeth of smale auaile In matters of state likewise he supposeth the commodities would be few and litle as namely to be deliuered from the Popes curse which he saieth they finde now by experience not to be so hurtful as hertofore it was esteemed which reason as you know may as wel serue against Godes curse also for that it doth not alwaies shew forth presently his sensible effect Next after this he declareth how that by yelding to vs they should not only not receaue gaine but also great hurtes that in double maner First in religion wherin among other things they should be bounde to coafession penance which thinges saith he are burdensome and abhorring from mans nature Then in state for that by this meane they should come vnder the gouernement of the Byshope of Rome which he estemeth intolerable adding further that this only reason of state holdeth many of their side from comming to vs who otherwise in conscience would-haue no scrupule at al which is such a confessiō as I meruail that euer my Lord Archebishope would let it passe in print For howsoeuer this poore Minister to terrifie the common people deuiseth bugges vpō the Ecclesiastical authoritie of the bishope of Rome if it should be restored in England againe yet euery man of reason can consider with him self that the Emperour the kinges of Spaine France Polonia and other Princes admitting the-same authoritie doe finde no such incōueniēces as neither our Princes of Englād euer did for so many ages together when they were more potent and glorious then they haue bene since the suppression therof Wherfore if this reason only doe stay so many from vs as M. Buny affirmeth it is very like we shal haue the greater part shortly when God shal open their vnderstanding in a matter that in it self is so plaine and palpable This being done he commeth to shew the cōmodities that we should receaue by ioining with them and thos also after his maner he maketh of two sortes First in religion and thē in our ciuil state In religiō saith he we should first receaue the free vse of holie seriptures as though amōg vs now ther were no vse therof and then also we should be deliuered from the burden of confession and penance as also from al vowes of chastitie pouertie and obedience And finally we should so cleaue to Christ alone saith he as vve should abandon al other helpes both in heauen and earth of Angels Saintes other men as also our ovvne Which saith he were a great aduantage And then he maketh a solemne protestation in thes wordes If any people can be found in the vvorld that doe more abādone al other meanes in heauen earth then vve doe then vve must pronounce against our selues that in this respect they are nerer to this aduantage then vve art Vnto which protestation notwithstanding I doubt M. Buny if he should be wel vrged would be very much ashamed to stand and cleaue For albeit I confesse that he and his felowes doe very litle in deede wherby to helpe them selues by their workes yet by this reason they should doe far better ī doing nothing at al. For he that should neuer pray nor desire other men to pray for him he that should neuer fast or doe other good deede but should rather defie the same and lay al vpon Christes passiō he should more abandone al other helpes and meanes both in heauen and earth besides Christ then many of the best protestantes doe Next in our ciuil state he saith that we should greatly be bettered by ioyning with them being made partakers of the blessednes of England which is greater as he saith at this time then euer it vvas since the lande vvas first inhabited Wherof he seemeth to alleage two reasons or causes First for that Protestantes in thes temporal affaires are alwaies prosperous for saith he how soeuer it goe with others that are not frindes to the ghospel yet shal the fauorers therof alwaies prosper howsoeuer it be with the residue of the children of Israel yet the tribe of Iuda shal alwaies florish The other places the people are going vnder their burdens but in England al is mirth and saftie The second cause of this blessednes of England is for that England saith he is gouerned by a Prince of their owne countrie one that dealeth mildly with them one that sendeth not ther pleas abrod to other cōsistories one that drieth them not vp with exactions And when conuenient collections are made the mony that is exacted of subiectes is not sent saith he out of the realme to the maintenance of forraine powers but is imployed at home to their honour and defence Wherin notwithstanding it seemeth that this good man talketh rather by meditation or fiction then by any great intelligence he hath in such affaires After al this he goeth about to remoue certaine graue impedimentes which he imagineth doe let many Catholiques from coming vnto their side For which cause he sheweth first that we Catholiques should not leese altogether our credites by making vs Protestantes or at least wise we should not leeso the same with them that be good and of their side or if we did somewhat impare the same yet patiēce were to be vsed for the Ghospels sake In like maner he sheweth that the holie saintes of heauen would not be angrie with vs as we seeme to doubt for leauīg their patronage Also that keruers kandlemakers belcasters organistes and other such like who might feare to want by following the Ghospel albeit in truth they should leese no smale part of their gaine yet might the matter be eased and they comforted otherwise Thus discourseth this wise man in very great sadues And after al this he hādleth diuers other pointes both of controuersies in religion of the harde dealings
Knovv thou before hande that thy issue shal be a straunger in a forraine lande and they shal subiect them to seruitude and shall asstict them for fovver hundred yeares but yet I vvill iudge the nation vnto vvhome they haue bene slaues and ester that they shal departe thence vvith greate riches This is the prophetie and how exactelie it was afterwarde fulfilled by the ruine of the Egytians and deliuerance of the Israelites euen at that tyme which is here appointed not onelie the booke of Exodus doth declare wher the whole storie is layed downe at large but also the cōsent of heathen wryters as before hath bene touched And it is speciallie to be noted that this prophetie was so cōmon and well knowen amōg all Iewes from Abrahams tyme downe vnto Moyses and so deliuered by tradition frō fathers to their children as it was the onelie comfort and staye not onlie of all that people in their seruitude of Egypt but also of Moyses and others that gouerned the people afterwardes for fortie yeares together in the deserte was the onelie meane in deede wherby to pacifie them in their distresses and miseries and therfore Moyses in euerie exhortation almost maketh mention of this promisse and prophetie as of a thing well knowen vnto them all and not deuised or inuēted by hym selfe or anie other Longe after this Iacob that was Abrahams nepheue being in Egipt making his testament said of his sowerth sonne Iuda Iuda thie brothers shal praise thee and the childrē of thie father shal bovve vnto the c. the Scepter shal not be taken from Iuda vntil he come that is to be sent and he shal be the expectation of nations Which later parte of the prophetie all Hebrewes doe expounde that it was meant of the comming of Messias which was fulfilled almost two thousand yeares after at the coming of Christ as shal be shewed in an other special chapter For at that tyme kinge Herod 2 straūger putt owt quite the line of Iuda from the gouernment of Iurie But for the first parte touching Iudas scepter it is wonderfull to consider the circumstances of this prophetie For first when it was spokē and vttered by Iacob there was no probabilitie of anie Scepter at all to be amōg the Iewes for that the Israelites or sōnes of Iacob at that daye were poore and few in nūber and neuer like to be a distincte nation of themselues or to depart foorth of Egypt againe And secondlie if anie such thinge should come to passe as they might be a people and haue a scepter or gouernmēt of their owne yet was it not lyklie that Iuda and his posteritie should possesse the same for that he had three elder brothers to witt Ruben Simeō and Leuie who in all likelihode were to goe before hym And thirdlie when Moyses recorded and putt in wryting this prophetie whiche was diuers hundreth yeares after Iacob had spoken it it was muche lesse likelie that euer it should be true for that Moyses then present in gouernmēt was of the tribe of Leuie Iosue designed by Godfor his successour was of the tribe of Ephrai and not of Iuda Which maketh greatelie for the certaintie of this record For that it is most apparent that Moyses would neuer haue putt suche a prophetie in writing to the disgrace of his owne tribe and to the preiudice and offence of Rubē Simeon Ephraim and other tribes nether would they euer haue suffred such a derogation but that it was euident to them by tradition that their Grandsire Iacob had spoken it albeit then presentelie there was no greate likelihode that euer after it should come to be fulfilled And this was for the tyme of Moyses but yet consider further that from Moyses to Samuel that was last of all the Iudges there passed fower hūdreth years more yet was there no apparēce of fulfillinge this prophetie in Israel for that the tribe of Iuda was not established in gouernmēt At lengthe they came to haue kinges to rule then was there chosen one Saul to that place not of the tribe of Iuda but of Beniamin he indued with diuers children to succede hym And who would then haue thought that this prophetie could euer haue bene fulfilled but yet for that it was gods worde it must needes take place and therfore when no man thought therof there was a poore shepheard chosen owt of the tribe of Iuda to be kinge the regiment scepter so established in his posteritie that albeit manie of his descendentes offended God more greeuouslie then euer Saul did who was putt out before and albeit ten tribes at once brake from Iuda and neuer returned to obedience againe but conspired with the Gentiles and other enimies of euerie syde to extinguishe the said kingdome and regiment of Iuda yet for the fulfilling of this prophetie the gouernmēt of Iuda held owt still for more then a thowsand and two hundred yeares together vntill Herodes tyme as I haue said Which is more then anie one familie in the world besides can shew for his nobilitie or continuance in gouernment The same Iacob when he came to blesse his litle nepheues Manasses and Ephraim that were Iosephs children though hym self were now dimme of sight and could not well discerne them yet dyd he putt his right hande vpon the head of the youger and his left hand vpon the elder and that of purpose as it proued afterwarde For when Ioseph their father misliked the placing of their Grād-fathers hādes would haue remoued the right hande fró Ephraim and haue placed it vpon the head of Manasses that was the elder Iacob would not suffer hym but answered I knovv my Jonne I knovv that Manasses is the elder be shall be multiplied into manie people but yet his yonger brother shal be greater then be Which afterward was fulfilled for that Ephraim was alwayes the greater and strōger tribe and in fine became the head of the kyngdome of Israel or of the ten tribes wherof there was no suspition or likelihode when Iacob spake this or when Moyses recorded it And how then came Iacob to forsee this so manie hundred yeares before as also to forsee and fortell the particuler places of his childrens habitations in the lande of promisse as Zabulon at the sea side Aser in the fertile pastures and other the like fower hundred yeares and more Wherhence had he this I say to fortell what lottes so longe after should appointe but onelie from God who gouerned their lottes The like might be asked concerninge Moyses who before his death in the desert deuided out the lande of Canaan to euerie tribe euē as though he had bene in possession therof as afterwarde it fell out by casting of lottes as in the booke of Iosue it doth appeare And could any humane witt or science thinke you forsee
this assurance vnto vs Christ sent that most sweet and comfortable embassage vnto his disciples presentlie vpon his resurrection Goe and tel my brethren that I doe ascend vnto my father and vnto your father vnto my God and vnto your God By which two wordes of Father and God the one of loue and th' other of power the one of wil the other of abilitie he tooke away al doubt of not speeding from each man that should make recourse to this merciful Lord and Father God him self also after many threates vsed by the prophet Ieremie against the people of Israel for their sinnes in the end lest they should dispaire turneth about his talke and changeth his stile assuring them of many graces and fauours if they would returne vnto him telling the house of Israel that he had loued her from the beginning and had sought to draw her vnto him by threates to the end he might take mercy vpon her and that now he intended to build her vp againe to adorne her with ioy and exultation to gather her children from al corners of the earth to refresh them with the waters and riuers of life al this saith he quia factus sum Israeli pater for that I am become now a Father to Israel And in the same place to wicked Ephraim the head citie of the rebellious kingdome of Samaria he saith Ephraim is become my honorable sonne my delicate and dearely beloued child therefore my bovvels are moued vvith compassion vpon him and in abundance of mercy vvil I take pitie of him So much attributed God to this respect of being a father vnto Israel and Ephraim and of their being his children that for this cause only notwithstanding their infinit enormous sinnes his bowelles of endles mercie were moued with loue and compassion towardes them And thes are thos tender merciful bowelles which holie Zacharie father to S. Iohn Baptist protesteth to be in almightie God towardes mankind that had offended him Thes are thos which were in that good old father mentioned in the Gospel who being not only offended but also abandoned by his yonger sonne yet after he saw him returne home againe notwithstanding he had wasted al his thrist and substance and had weried out his bodie with wicked life he was so far of from disdaining to receaue him as he came forth to meete with him sel vpō his neck and kissed him for ioy adorned him with new apparel and riche iewelles prouided a solemne banket for him inuited his friēdes to be merie with him and showed more exultation and triumph for his returne then if he had neuer departed from him By which parable our Saueour IESVS endeuored to set forth vnto vs the incomprehensible mercie of his heauenly Father towardes sinners in which respect he is truely called by his Apostle pater misericordiarum the father of mercies For that as S. Bernard wel noteth this sea Oceā of mercies doth flow peculiarly frō the hart of a father which can not be said so properly of the gulfe and depth of his iudgementes For which cause he is called in Scripture the God of iustice and reuēge and not the Father And finally this blessed name of father in God doth import vnto vs by Godes owne testimonie al sweetenes al loue al frendship al comfort al satherly prouidēce care and protection al certaintie of fauour al assurance of grace al securitie of mercie pardon and remission of our sinnes whensoeuer vnfainedly we turne vnto him And in this point his diuine Maiestie is so foreward and vehement to geue vs assurance that being not content to set forth his loue vnto vs by the loue of a fathers hart he goeth further and protesteth vnto vs that his hart is more tēder towardes vs in this behalf then the hart of any mother can be to the only child and infant of her own wombe For thus he saith to Sion which for her sinnes begā to doubt least he had forsaken her Can the mother forget her ovvainfant or can she not be merciful to the child of her ovvne vvombe if she could yet can I not forget or reiect thee behold I haue vvritten thee in the flesh of my ovvne handes And this for so much as God is called our Father Ther remaineth yet a third consideration which more setteth forth Gods inestimable loue then any of the other demonstrations before handled And this is that he gaue the life and blood of his only begotten and eternal sonne for purchasing and redeeming vs when wee were lost a price so infinite and inexplicable as no doubt his diuine wisdome would neuer haue giuen but for a thing which he had loued aboue al measure Which our Sauiour him self that was to make the paiment doth plainly signifie and therfore also seemeth as it were to wonder at such a bargaine when he saieth in the Ghosple So dearly hath God my father loued the vvorld that he hath giuen for it his only begotten sonne In which wordes he ascribeth this most wōderful dealing of his father vnto the vehemencie and exceeding aboundāce of loue as doth also his dearest disciple and Apostle S. Sohn saing In this appeareth the great loue and charitie of God towards vs that he hath sent his only begotten sonne into the world to purchase life for vs. In this I saie is made euident his exceeding charitie that we not louing him he loued vs first and gaue his owne sonne to be a ransome for our sinnes Wherunto also the holie Apostle S. Paul agreeth admiring in like maner the excessiue loue of God in thes wordes God doth maruailouslie commend and set forth his great loue vnto vs in that we being yet sinners he gaue his sonne to the death for our redemption And in an other place framing out as at were a measure of Gods mercie by this aboundance of his loue faieth thus God who is rich in mercie thorough the exceeding loue which he bore vnto vs we being dead in sinne he reuiued vs in Christ and raised vs vp euen vnto heauen making vs to sitte doune ther with him to the ende he might declare to al ages and worldes ensuing the most abundant riches of his grace and goodnes towards vs. This was the opinion of that noble Apostle S. Paul and of al his coequals Apostles Euangelistes Disciples Saints that this worke of our redemption proceeded only from the inflamed fornace of Gods immeasurable loue And therfore to make no other conclusion her of then that which S. Paul him self doth make If God haue not spared his owne proper only begotten soone but hath geuen him vp to death for gaining vs vnto him how can it be that with him he hath not geuen vnto vs al other thinges If when we were his enemies and thought not vpon him he sent to seeke vs so diligently by such a messinger as he loued so dearly allowing
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
Prophet of the great Gad. To thes predictions of Prophetes in Iurie and among the Gentiles doe agree the Doctours of the Iewes them selues in many places of their Thalmud to witte that the Messias shal be most wonderful in working miracles And in their publicke commentarie vpon Ecclesiastes they haue thes wordes All the former miracles of Prophetes and Saintes shal be nothing to the miracles of the Messias vvhen he coÌ„meth And thus much of the fortelling of Christes miracles But now for the fulfillinge therof in Iesus that is how thes predictions were perfourmed in the stupendious workes and actions of our Saueour ther is no difficultie For that besides the former testimonie of Iosephus which were sufficient in this case the Iewes them selues doe graunt recorde Iesus miracles in diuers treatises of their Tha'mud yea they make mentioÌ„ of many wonderful thinges which Iesus did that are not writen by our Euangelistes The same doth Mahomet in his Alcorane affirming Iesus the sonne of Marie to haue bene a great prophet and to haue wrought his miracles by the only power and spirit of God and that hym self was sent to confirme Iesus doctrine sauing only in the point of his godhead wherin he sayeth that Iesus went to farre and had a checke for the same at Gods hand when he returned to heauen Thus much doe thes enimies confesse of Iesus miracles Which as it is much coÌ„ming froÌ„ such witnesses so if they would either deny or dissemble the same they might be proued agaist theÌ„ by most euideÌ„t reasoÌ„s especiallie in two pointes wherin ther can be no probablitie of denial The first is the calling and retaining of his apostles and other followers wherof Iosephus also in the place before alleaged maketh mention as of a great miracle who were of diuers callinges states conditions trades and occupations in the world And yet all vpon the suddaine lefte both father mother wife children and other temporal respectes and followed hym who had nothing to gyue or promisse them in this world A man that neuer spake them fayre nor vttered doctrine that was not repugnant to the sensualitie of this life as may appeare by their owne writinges testimonies of hym A maÌ„ that was conténed by the better sorte as then it might seeme that is by the wise and learned of that countrie especiallie misliked by them that were in gouernment as a dangerous and troublesome man to the state One that had neither friendes in the world to beare hym out nor house to put his head in And yet not withstanding all this that worldlie men and women and some such also as were great sinners and loose liuers before should leaue all their worldlie hope staye and condition to follow such a man with so great inconuenieÌ„ces losses daungers and disfauours as they did and should coÌ„tinue with hym in all his afflictions and be content to die and lose their liues rather then forsake hym or abandone his seruice this I saye is such a miracle as neuer in the world fell out the lyke and must needes be grauÌ„ted by th' enimie to be supernatural The second point is of external thinges factes donne by Iesus aboue all power of humane abilitie in the sight knowledge of all the Iewes which factes were published by our Euangelistes and especiallie by S. Mathew in th' Hebrue tongue while yet the persons were aliue vpon whom they were wroughte or infinite other that might be witnesses therof As for example the raising of Lazarus in Bethania that was a village but a mile or two distant from Hierusalem at whose death and burial being a Gentleman manie Scribes and Pharysies must needes be present according to the Iuishe custome at that tyme reported by Iosephê° and they sawe hym bothe disceassed interred and the funeral feaste obserued for hym as also raised againe by Iesus after fower dayes of his burial With whom they did both eate and drinke and conuerse after his returne to life and euerie daye might beholde hym walking in the streetes of Hierusalem This storie I saye how could it be feigned So in like manner the raising of the Archisinagogues daughter whose name is affirmed to be Iairus with diuers other circumstances that doe make the thinge most notorious The raysing of the wydows soÌ„ne before the gare of the Citie of Naim in the presence of all the people that bare the Corps and stoode about it The healing of the Cripple in Hierusalé that had layé 38. yeares lame at the Pooles syde or bathe called Probatica which mira cle was donne also in the sight of almost infinite people The casting out of a legioÌ„ of deuils from a man that for manie years together was knowen to liue possessed in the mountaynes which deuills by peculier licence obtained of Iesus to enter into a heard of Swyne so presentelie caried two thousand of them awaye into the sea and drowned them Wherupon the whole countrie about of the people called Gerasines being striken with feare vpon sight of the fact besought Iesus most humblie to departe from their borders The feeding filling of more then 5000 men besides women and children with fiue barlie loues and two fishes onlie The turning of water into wine at the mariage of Cana in the presence of all the Guestes The healing of hym by a word onlie that had an incurable dropsie and this at the table of a principal Pharisie and in the sight of all that satt at dinner with hym Thes I saye and diuers other such miracles which were donne in the presence and sight of so infinite people and recorded by our Euangelistes at such tyme wheÌ„ manie desyred to discredit the same and might haue donne easelie by manie witnesses and authoritie if anie parte therof had bene subiect to calumniation can not in reason or probabilitie be doubted of And therfore I must conclude that seing thes thinges are aboue all power of humane nature and could not be donne but by the fingar and vertue of God hym self considering also that it is impossible that God should assiste or gyue testimonie to falshood it must needes insue that all was true and sincere which Iesus affirmed consequentelie seing he affirmed hym self to be the sonne of God and the true Messias it must needes follow by thes miracles that he was so in deede which is the ground of that speech of his to the faithlesse Pharysies if you vvill not beleeue my vvordes beleeue my deedes And thus much of Iesus life doctrine conuersation and miracles THERE REMAINETH now onlie the sowerth and last consideration of this section which is the passion resurrection and ascension of Iesus And aboute his passion there is litle or no controuersie for that all his enimies doe agree graunte that he was betrayed by his owne disciple apprehended afflicted and deliuered vp by the Iewes and finallie
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
O most dreadful separation what would Alexander Caesar Pompeie and other such potentates of the earth giue at that daie to haue but the lowest roome amōg them of the right hand They I saie who had al the roome of this world at their pleasure al dignities vnder their owne commandrie would now make more accompt of the meanest place and corner among Gods elect then of al the pompe and brauerie of ten thousand worldes if they were to liue againe their cogitatiōs at this daie being farre different from that they were vpon earth and their iudgmēts wholy contrary But alas ther is no time of alteration or amendment now They must stand to that which is past and according to their former demeanours they must receyue their doome They haue a Iudge present whose power they can not auoide whos wisdome they can not deceyue whos equitie they can not bowe whos seueritie they can not mollefie whos indignation they can not appease whos determination they can not alter and from whose sentence they can not possiblie appeale O my deare and louing brother no tongue of man beleeue me can expresse what a singuler treasure a good consciēce wil be at this daie when thou shalt see al the Princes and Monarches of this world stand ther naked trembling appalled being vtterly destitute of an answere to the whole multitude of their most secret sinnes displaied openly before their faces An vnspottel conscience I say at this instant shal be a greater consolation then al the dignities or pleasures of a thousand worldes For wealth wil not help the iudge wil take no giftes our owne submission wil not be admitted intreatie of friēdes wil not preuaile intercession of Angels and other Saintes shal haue no place for that their glorie shal be at this daie as the prophete saieth to binde kings in fetters noble princes in yron manacles to execute vpon them the iudgement prescribed Alas what wil al thos delicate and daintie people doe at this instāt who liue now in ease and pleasures and can take no paine in the seruice of God nor abide to heare the naming of this daye what shift I saie wil they finde out ī thos extremities whether wil they tur ne thē whos help wil they craue They shal see al things crie vengeance round about thē al things yeeld them cause of feare and horrour but nothing any one sparcle of hope or consolation Aboue them they shal beholde their Iudge offended with their wickednes beneath them hel open and the cruel fornace redie boiling to recevue them to torment On the right hād shal be their sinnes accusing them on the left hād the Diuels redie to execute Gods eternal sentēce vpon them Within them shal lye their conscience gnawing without them al damned soules bewailing on euery side the whole world burning O merciful Iesus which art to behold this ruful spectacle what a passage shal this be what wil the wretched sinner doe saie or thincke when he shal be enuironed with thes inexplicable miseries how wil his hart susteine thes anguishes what waie wil he take To goe backe is impossible to goe foreward is intollerable to stand ther stil is not permitted what then shal he doe but as thou O Lord with thy sacred mouth hast foretold that he shal drie and wither vp for verie feare seeke death and death shal flie from him crie and beseech the hilles and mountaines to fal doune and couer him and they refusing to doe him that releefe or afford him so great a comfort he shal stand ther as a most desperate forlorne and miserable catise vntil he receyue that dreadful and irreuocable sentēce of thine Goe yee accur sed into euerlasting fire THIS SHALBE THE LAST act and conclusiō of this woful tragedie For so it is recorded by the Iudge him self Then shal the sonne of man saie to thos on his right hand Come yee blessed of my father and possesse the kingdome which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world I was hungrie and you gaue me to eate I was a straūger and you gaue me harbour I was naked and you clothed me I was sicke and you visited me I was in prison and you came to comfort me And to them on his left hand he shal saie Depart from me yee accursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuil and his Angels for I was hungrie and you fedde me not I was a straunger and you harboured me not I was naked and you clothed me not I was sicke and in prison and you visited me not Then shal they saie vnto him O Lord when haue we sene the hungrie thirstie or a straunger or naked or sicke or in prison and did not minister vnto the And he shal answere I tel you for that you haue not done thes thinges to one of thes lesser your brethern you haue not done them to me And then thes wicked shal goe into eternal punishment and the iust into life euerlasting Hitherto are the wordes of Christ him self In which may be noted first that in recounting the causes of thes miserable mens damnation our Saueour alleageth not lacke of beleef or that they were not faithful wherof the reason may be that which him self vttereth in an other place of Infidels saying he that beleeueth not is alredy iudged And S. Paul of an heretique that he is condemned by his ovvne proper iudgmēt Secondly he obiecteth against them not any actual enormous sinnes wherof per haps maie be assigned for a reason which S. Iohn doth insinuate and signifie that such kinde of manifest deadlie sinners are now euidently appertaining to the dominion of Satan Wherfore Christ vrgeth only agaīst thes reprobates certaine omissions of good workes and charitable deeds commended vnto vs by the rule of Christiā perfectiō And for thes he pronounceth against them his most dreadful sentence of euerlasting damnation Which sentence being once passed the Iudges mouth and recevued in the eares of al that infinite assemblie ther present imagine thou my soule what an vniuersal shoute and outcrie will therupon straight ensue the saued reioysing and singing eternal praises in the glorie of their Saueour the damned bewailing blaspheming and cursing the daie of their natiuitie the Angels commending and extolling the equitie of that iudgment against which the parties that are conuicted shal not be able to finde any lest exceptiō Cōsider the intollerable vpbrading of thos most insolent infernal spirites against the miserable condemned soules that are deliuered to their praie with how bitter scoffes and tantes wil they traile them to their torments with what intollerable insultation wil they execute the sentence of God against them Consider the eternal separation that now must be made of Fathers and children of mothers and daughters friendes and companions the one to glorie the other to miserie without any hope euer to heare or see
canst not hate thos thinges which thou hast made but doest vse mercy towards al for that they are thine And the like maner of reasoning vseth God him self when he saieth by his Prophet Ezechiel behould al soules are mine and hereupon he inferreth a litle after Numquid voluntatis meae est mors impij Can I haue the wil to damne a wicked man seing that his soule is mine created and redeemed by me as who would saie this were a case against al order and equitie And the reason of this maner of speech and argument is for that euery man naturally is enclined to loue the things that be of his owne making So we see that if a mā haue an orchard wherin be great varietie of trees and plantes yet if ther be but one of his owne peculier grafting that florisheth and prospereth wel he taketh more delite therin then in any of the rest for that it is his owne workemanship So in like maner if a man haue a vineyard of his owne planting and trimming For which respect the holy prophet Dauid finding him self and the whole kingdome of Iurie in great affliction calamitie thought no other means so forcible to draw God to compassion and commiseratiō of their case as to crie out to him in this maner Thou vvhich gouernest Israel looke tovvards vs and be attēt Thou hast brought forth a vineyard out of Egipt thou hast purged the same from Gentiles and hast planted it Thou ô God of al povver turne tovvards vs looke vpon vs from heauen and visite this thy vineyard vvhich thy ovvne right hand hath planted The like maner of persuasion vsed the holy prophet Esaie to moue God when he said looke vpō vs I beseech the ô Lord vvhich are the vvorke of thine ovvne hands But aboue al other the blessed man Iob standeth as it were in argument and disputation with God about this matter saying haue not thy hāds made me haue they not framed me of clay and earth hast not thou compacted me as cheese is made of milke hast not thou knit my bones and sinowes together and couered my flesh with skinne hast not thou giuen me life and conserued my spirite with thy continual protection how soeuer thou seme to dissemble thes matters and hide them in thy hart yet I know that thou remēbrest them al and are not vnmindful of them By which words this holy man signified that albeit God suffered him greatly to be tempted and afflicted in this life so farre forth as he might seme to haue forgotten him yet was he wel assured that his deuine Maiestie could not of his goodnes forsake or despise him for that he was his creature and the proper workemanship of his owne hands In which verie name of vvorkemanship holy Dauid tooke such great comfort considering that the workeman can not chuse but be louing and fauourable towards his owne work especially so excellent and bountiful a workeman as is almightie God towards a worke made as mā is to his owne shape and likenes that in al his necessities yea euen in his greatest infirmities of flesh and most grieuous offenses committed against his Maiestie he conceaueth most assured hope of mercie and pardon vpon this cōsideratiō that he was his workemanship and consequentlie wel knowen to his deuine wisdome of how bricle infirme a metal he was made For thus at one time among other he reasoneth of this matter Looke how farre distant the east is from the west so farre of hath God remoued our iniquities from vs. Euen as a father doth take compassion of his owne children so doth our Lord take mercie vpon vs for that he wel knoweth the mould wherof we are made and doth remember that we are nothing els but dust In which discourse the holie Prophet maketh mention of two thinges that did assure him of Godes mercie th' one that God was his Creator and maker and therby priuie to the frailtie of his constitution nature th' other that he was his father whos propertie is to haue compassion on his children and this is a second reason more strong and forcible perhappes then the former whie euerie man maie be most assured of pardon that hartely turneth vnto almightie God considering that it hath pleased his deuine Maiestie not only to be vnto man a creatour as he is to al other thinges but also a father which is the title of the greatest loue and coniunction that nature hath left to thinges in this world Wherof a certaine philosopher said wel that no mā could conceaue the loue of a parents hart but he onlie that had a child of his owne For which respect our Sauiour IESVS to put vs in mind of this most feruent loue and therby as it were by one fire to enkendle an other within our hartes did vse often times and ordinarily to repeat this sweet name of Father in his speeches to his folowers and therupon founded diuers most excellent and comfortable dissourses as at one time when he dehorted them from ouer much care and worldlie solicitude he addeth this reason Your father in heauen knovveth that you haue need of thes thinges as who would saie he knowīg your wantes and being your father you shal not need to trouble yourselues with too great anxietie in thes matters for that a fathers hart can not but be prouidēt and careful for his children The like deduction maketh he in the same place to the same effect by comparison of the birdes of the aire and other irreasonable creatures for which if God doe make saith he so aboundant prouision as al the whole world may witnesse that he doth much more careful wil he be to prouide for men that are his owne children which are more deare vnto him then any other terrestrial thing created Al which speeches and reasons of our Sauiour are deriued from the nature and propertie of a parent which can not but affect and loue his children especially such a father whom Christ calleth celestial who in this perfection of true father ly loue so farre exceedeth al earthly parents put together as in power clemencie and goodnes almightie God surpasseth the infirmitie of his feeble creatures Such a father as hath not only geuen life and being vnto his childrē but also as S. Paul saieth hath powred into their hartes the deuine spirite of his only eternal sonne stirring them vp to most assured confidence and inuincible hope in his fatherly goodnes and protection And vpon assurance of this hope haue aswel sinners as Saints from the beginning fled vnto him confidently vnder this title of paternitie and neuer were deceaued So the prophet Esaie aswel in his owne name as in the name of the sinful people of Israel doubted not to crie Thou art our father Abraham hath not knovven vs and Israel is ignorant of vs Thou o Lord art our father thou art our redeemer And to cōfirme
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
wrake A day and a night was I in the bottome of the sea oftentimes in iourneys in dangers of fluddes in dāgers of theeues in dangers of Iewes in dāgers of Gentiles in dangers of the citie in dāgers of wildernes in dangers of sea in dangers of false brethren in labour and trauaile in much watching in hungar and thirst in much fasting in cold and lack of clothes and besides al thes external thinges the matters that dailie doe depēd vpō me for my vniuersal care of al Churches By this we may see now whether Christs holy Apostles taught vs more by wordes then they shewed by their owne examples about the necessitie of suffering in this life Christ might haue prouided for them if he would at leastwise thinges necessarie to their bodies and not haue suffered them to come into thes great extremities of lacking clothes to their backes meate to their mouthes and houses to pat their heades in He that gaue thē authoritie to doe so manie other miracles might haue suffered them also to haue procured sufficient maintenance for their bodies which should be the first miracle that worldly men would worke if they had such authoritie Christ might haue saied to Peter when he sent him to take his tribut from out of the fishes mouth take so much more as wil suffice for your necessary expēces when you trauaile ouer foraine countries But he woulde not nor yet diminish the great afflictions which I haue shewed before though he loued them as dearely as euer he loued his owne soule Al which was done as S. Peter interpreteth to geue vs example what to folow what to looke for what to desire what to comsort our selues in amiddest the greatest of al our tribulatiōs Saint Paul vseth this as a principal consideration when he writeth thus to the Hebrewes vpon the recital of the sufferinges of other saintes before thē Wherfore we also brethren saieth he hauing so great a multitude of witnesses that haue suffered before vs let vs lay of al burdens of sinne hanging vpon vs and let vs runne by patience vnto the battaile offered vs fixing our eyes vpon the authour of our saith and fulfiller of the same IESVS who putting the ioyes of heauen before his eyes sustained patiētly the Crosse contemning the shame and confusion therof and therfore now sitteth at the right hand of the seate of God Thinke vpon him I say which sustained such a contradictiō against him self at the hādes of sinners be not wearie nether faint yee in courage For you haue not yet resisted against sinne vnto blood and you haue for gotten perhaps that comfortable saying which speaketh vnto you as vnto children My sonne doe not contemne the discipline of our Lord and be not vvearie vvhee thou art chastised of him For whom God loueth he chastiseth and he whippeth euery sonne whom he receaueth Perseuer therfore in the correctiō laied vpon you God offereth him self to you as to his children For what child is there whom the father correcteth not if you be out of correction wherof al his children are made partakers then are you bastardes not children Al correction for the present time when it is suffered seemeth vnpleasant and sorowful but yet after it bringeth foorth most quiet fruite of iustice vnto them that are exercised by it Wherfore strengthen vp your wearie handes and loosed knees make way to your feete c. That is take courage vnto you and goe forward valiantly vnder the Crosse laied vpon you This was the exhortation of this holy captaine vnto his countrie man souldiers of IESVS Christ the Iewes Saint Iames the brother of our Lord vseth an other exhortation in his Catholike epistle to al Catholikes not much different from this Be you therfore patient my brethren saith he vntil the cōming of our Lord. Beholde the husbandman expecteth for a time the fruite of the earth so pretious vnto him bearing patientlie vntil he may receaue the same in his season be you therfore patient and comfort your hartes for that the cōming of our Lord wil shortlie draw neere Be not sadde and complaine not one of an other Beholde the Iudge is euen at the gate Take the prophetes for an example of labour and patience who spake vnto vs in the name of God Beholde we account them blessed which haue suffered You haue heard of the sufferance of Iob and you haue seene Isa e that our Lord is merciful and ful of compassion I might here alleage many things more out of the scripture to this purpose for that the scripture is moste copious herein and in verie deed if it should al be melted and poured out it would yeld vs nothing els almost but touching the crosse and patient bearing of tribulatiō in this life But I must end for that this chapter groweth to long as the other did before And therfore I wil onelie for my conclusion set down the confession and most excellent exhortation of olde Mathathias in the time of the cruel persecution of Antiochus against the Iewes The storie is thus reported in the scripture At that time the officers of Antiochus said vnto Mathathias thou art a prince of greatest estate in this citie adorned with children and brethern come thou therfore first and doe the kinges commādement as other men haue done in Iuda and Ierusalem and thou and thy children shal be the kings freends and enriched with gold and siluer and many giftes frō him Wherto Mathathias answered with a loude voice if al nations should obey Antiochus to depart from the obedience of the lawes of their auncestours yet I my children and brethern wil folow the lawes of our fathers Let God be merciful vnto vs at his pleasure c. And the daies came of Mathathias his death and then he saied vnto his children Now is the time that pride is in her strength Now is the time of chastisemēt towardes vs the time of euersion indignation is come Now therfore ô Children be you zelous in the lawe of God yeld vp your liues for the testament of your fathers remember the workes of your auncestours what they haue done in their generations and so shal you receaue great glorie and eternal name Was not Abraham found faithful in time of temptation and it was reputed vnto him for iustice Ioseph in time of his distresse kept Gods commandementes and was made Lord ouer al Egypt Phinees our Father for his zeale towardes the lawe of God receaued the testament of an euerlasting presthode Iosue for that he fulfilled Gods word was made a captaine ouer al Israel Caleb for that he testified in the Church receaued an inheritance Dauid for his mercie obteined the seat of an eternal kingdome Elias for that he was zealous in zeale of the lawe was taken vp to heauen Ananias Azarias and Misael through their beleefe were deliuered from the flame of the fire Daniel for
the most barraine places therof as they can tel which haue seene their mines What a base matter is this then for a man to tie his loue vnto God commāded in the ólde law that what soeuer did goe with his breast vpon the ground should be vnto vs in abhomination How much more then a reasonable man that hath glewed his hart and soule vnto a peece of earth VVe came naked into this vvorld and naked vvee must goe soorth againe saieth Iob. The mille whele stirreth much about and beateth it self from daie to daie and yet at the yeres end it is in the same place that it was ī the beginning so riche men let them toile labour what they can yet at their death must they be as poore as at the first daie wherin they were borne When the riche man dieth saith Iob he shal take nothing with him but shal close vp his eies and finde nothing Pouertie shal laie handes vpon him and a tempest shal oppresse him in the night a burning winde shal take him awaie and an hurle winde shal rushe vpon him and shal not spare him it shal binde his handes vpon him and shal hisse ouer him for that it seeth his place wether he must goe The prophet Dauid in like wise forewarneth vs of the same in these wordes Be not afraid vvhen then seest a man made riche and the glorie of his house multiplied For vvhen he dieth he shal take nothing vvith him nor shal his glorie desiend to the place vvhether he goeth he shal passe into the progenies of his aunceslours that is he shal goe to the place where they are who haue liued as he hath done vvorld vvithout end he shal see no more light Al this and much more is spoken by the Holie ghost to signifie the dangerous vanitie of worldlie wealth and the folie of those men who labour so much to procure the same with the eternal peril of their soules If so many phisitions as I haue here alleaged scriptures should agree together that such or such meates were poisonned and perillous I thinke fewe men wold geue the aduenture to eate therof though otherwise in taste they appeared sweet and pleasant How thē cometh it to passe that so manie earnest admonitions of God himself can not staie vs from the loue of this dangerous vanitie Nolite cor apponere saith God by the prophet that is set not your hartes vpon the loue of riches Qui diligit aurum non iustificabitur saith the wise man he that loueth gold shal neuer be iustified I am angrie greatlie vpon riche natiōs saith God by Zacharie Christ saith Amen dico vobis quia diues difficilè intrabit in regnum calorū Truelie I saye vnto you that a riche man shal hardlie get into the kingdome of heauen And againe vvoe be to you riche men for that you haue receaued your consolation in this life Finallie S. Paul saith generallie of al and to al They vvhich vvilbe riche doe fal into temptations and into the snares of Satan and into many vnprofitable and hurtful desires vvhich doe drovvne them in euerlasting destruction and perdition Can any thing in the world be spoken more effectualie to dissuade from the loue of riches than this must not here now al couetous men of the world ether denie God or condemne them selues in their own consciences Let them goe now and excuse them selues by the pretēce of wife children kinsfolke as they are wōt saying they meane nothing els but to prouide for their sufficiencie Doth Christ or S. Paul admit this excuse wher Gods seruice and their own saluation commeth in question ought we so much to loue wife or children or other kinred as to endanger our soules for the same Tel me deare Christian brother what comfort may it be to an afflicted father in hel to remember that by his meanes his wife and children doe liue wealthelie in earth that for his eternal woe they inioy some few years pleasurs No no deare brother this is vanitie a mere deceate of our spiritual enemie For within one moment after we are dead we shal care no more for wife children father mother or brother in this matter thē we shal for a mere straunger and one penie geuen in almes while we liued for Gods sake shal comfort vs more at that daie thē thousandes of poundes bestowed vpon our kinred for the natural loue we beare vnto our own flesh blood The which one poīt would Christ al worldly men could consider and then no doute they would neuer take such care for kinred as they doe especially vpon their death beddes whence presentlie they are to depart to that place where flesh and blood holdeth no more priuilege nor riches haue any power to deliuer but onely such as were wel bestowed in the seruice of God or geuen to the poore for his names sake And this shal be sufficient for this point of riches THE THIRD branche of worldlie vanities is called by S. Iohn concupiscence of the flesh which conteineth al pleasures and carnal recreations of this life as are banquetting laughing playing and such other delites wherwith our flesh is much comforted in this world And albeit in this kind there is a certaine measure to be allowed vnto the godly for the conuenient maintenance of their health as also in riches it is not to be reprehēded yet that al thes worldly solaces are not onely vaine but also daungerous in that excesse and abundance as worldly wealthie men seeke and vse them appeareth plainlie by thes wordes of Christ. VVoe be vnto you vvho novv doe laugh for you shal vvepe VVo be vnto you that novv liue in fil satietie for the time shal come vvhen you shal suffer bungar And againe in S. Iohns gospel speaking to his Apostles and by them to al other he saith you shal ' vvepe morne but the vvorld shal reioise making it a signe distinctiue betwene the good and the badde that the one shal mourne in this life and th' other reioise and make them selues merie The very same doth Iob confirme both of the one th' other sort for of worldlinges he saith that they solace them selues with al kind of musicke and doe passe ouer their dayes in pleasure and in a verie moment doe goe doune into hel But of the godly he saith in his owne persone that they sigh before they eate their bread And in an other place that they feare al their workes knowing that God spareth not him which offendeth The reason whereof the wise man yet further expresseth saying That the vvorkes of good men are in the handes of God and no ma knovveth vvhether he be vvorthie of loue or hatred at Gods handes but al is kept vncertaine for the time to come And old Tobias insinuateth yet an other cause when he saith VVhat ioy can
of Iewes whom we see dispersed ouer al the world at this daie in bondage both of bodie soule Which worke of Gods Iustice though it be most terrible yet was his mercie greater to thē as appeareth by Christs wordes if they had not reiected the same Thirdlie his mercie exceedeth his iustice euen towardes the damned them selues in that he vsed many meanes to saue them in this life by geuing them freewil and assisting the same with his grace to doe good by mouing thē inwardlie with infinite good inspirations by alluring thē outwardlie with exhortatiōs promisses examples of others as also by sicknes aduersities and other gentle corrections By geuing them space to repent with occasions opportunities and excitations vnto the same By threatning thē eternal death if they repented not Al which thinges being effectes of mercie and goodnes towardes them they must needes confesse amiddest their greatest furie and tormentes that his iudgementes are true iustified in them selues and no waies to be cōpared with the greatnes of his mercies By this then we see that to be true which the prophet saieth Misericordiam veritatem diligit dominus God loueth mercie and trueth And againe Mercie and trueth haue met together Iustice and peace haue kissed on an other We see the reason why the same prophet protesteth of him self I vvil sing vnto thee mercie and iudgement ô Lord not mercie alone nor iudgement alone but mercie and iudgement together that is I wil not so presume of thy mercie as I wil not feare thy iudgement nor yet wil I so feare thy iudgement as I wil euer despaire of thy mercie The feare of Gods iudgement is alwaies to be ioined with our confidence in Gods mercie yea in verie Saintes them selues as Dauid saith But what feare that feare trulie which the scripture describeth whē it saith the feare of our Lord expelleth sinne the feare of God hateth al euil He that feareth God neglecteth nothing he that feareth God wil turne and looke into his owne hart he that feareth God wil doe good woorkes They which feare God wil not be incredulous to that which he saith but wil keepe his waies and seeke out the things that are pleasant vnto him They wil prepare their hartes sanctifie their soules in his sight This is the description of the true feare of God set downe by holie scripture This is the description of that feare which is so much commended and commanded in euerie part and parcel of Gods worde Of that feare I saie which is called Fons vitae radix prudentiae corona plenitudo sapientiae gloria gloriatio beatum donum That is the fountaine of life the roote of prudence the crowne and fulnes of wisdome the glorie and gloriation of a Christian man a happie gift Of him that hath this feare the scripture saith happie is the man vvhich feareth our Lord for he vvil place his minde vpon his comman lementes And againe the man that feareth God shal be happie at the last end and shal be blessed at the day of his death Finally of such as haue this feare the scripture saith that God is their foundation God hath prepared great multitude of sweetnes for them God hath purchased them an inheritance God is as merciful to them as the father is merciful vnto his children And to conclude Voluntatem timentium se faciet God wil doe the wil of those that feare him with this feare This holie feare had good Iob when he said to God I feared al my vvorkes And he yealdeth the reason therof For that I knevve that tbovv sparest not him that offendeth thee This feare lacked the other of whō the prophet saieth The sinner hath exasperated God by saying that God wil not take accompt of his doings in the multitude of wrath Thy iudgementes ò Lord are remoued from his sight And againe vvherfore hath the vvicked man stirred vp God against him self by saying God vvil not take account of my doings It is a great exasperation of God against vs to take the one halfe of Gods nature from him which is so make him merciful without iustice and to liue so as though God wold take no account of our life wheras he hath protested most earnestlie the contrarie saying that he is like a hard and couetous man which wil not be contēt to receiue his owne againe but also wil haue vsurie for the lone that he wil haue a straite reckoning of al his goodes lent vs that he wil haue fruite for al his labours bestowed vpon vs finallie that he wil haue account for euery word that we haue spoken Our Sauiour Christ in the three score and eight psalme which in sundrie places of the gospel he interpreteth to be writen of himself among other dreadful curses which he setteth down against the reprobate he hath these let their eyes be daseled in such sorte as they may not see povvre out thy vvrath my Father vpō thē let the furie of thy vengeance take hād fast on thē Adde iniquity vpō their miquitie let him not enter into thy iustice Let them be blotted out of the booke of life let them not be enrolled together vvith the iust Here loe we see that the greatest curse which God can laye vpon vs next before our blotting out of the booke of life is to suffer vs to be so blinded as to adde iniquitie vpon iniquitie and not to enter into cōsideration of his iustice For which cause also this confident kinde of sinning vpon hope of Gods mercie is accounted by diuines for the first of the six greuous sinnes against the holie Ghost which our Sauiour in the gospel signifieth to be so hardlie pardoned vnto men by his Father And the reason why they cal this a sinne against the holie Ghost is for that it reiecteth wilfullie one of the principal meanes left by the holie Ghost to retire vs from sinne which is the feare and respect of Gods iustice vpon sinners Wherfore to conclude this matter of presumption me thinkes we may vse the same kinde of argumēt touching the feare of Gods iustice as S. Paul vseth to the Romanes of the feare of Gods ministers which are temporal princes Wouldest thou not feare the power of a temporal prince saith he doe wel then and thou shalt not onelie not feare but also receiue laude and praise therfore But if thou doe euil then feare for he beareth not the sword without a cause In like sort may we saye to those good felowes which make God so merciful as no man ought to feare his iustice Would ye not feare my brethrē the iustice of God in punishmēt liue vertuouslie then and you shal be as voide of feare as lions are saieth the wiseman For that perfect charitie expelleth feare But if you liue wickedlie then haue you cause to feare
for God called not him self a iust iudge for nothing If the matter had bene so secure as many men by flatterie doe persuade themselues it is S. Peter would neuer haue said vnto Christians now baptized VValke you in scare during the time of this your earthely babitation Nor S. Paul to the same men VVorke your ovvne saluation in feare trembling But here perhappes some men wil aske me how then docth the same Apostle in an other place say That God hath not geuen vs the spirit of feare but of vertue loue and sobrietie to which I answere that our spirite is not a spirit of seruile feare that is to liue in feare onely for dreade of punishment without loue but it is a spirit of loue ioined with the feare of childrē wherby they feare to offend their father not onely in respect of his punishment but principally for his goodnes towardes them and benefites bestowed vpon them This S. Paul declareth plainly to the Romanes putting the differēce betwene seruile feare and the feare of children you haue not receiued againe the spirit of seruitude saith he in feare but the spirit of adoption of children vvherby vve crie to God Abba father He saith here to the Romanes you haue not receiued againe the spirit of seruitude in feare because their former spirite being gentiles was onely in seruile feare for that they honoured and adored their Idoles not for any loue they bore vnto them being so infinit as they were and such not able leudnes reported of them I meane of Iupiter Mars Venus and the like but onely for feare of hurt from them if they did not serue adore and honour them S. Peter also in one sentence expoandeth al this matter For hauing said timorem corum ne timueritis feare not their feare meaning of the seruile feare of wicked men he addeth presentlie Dominum autem Christum sanctificate in cordibus vestris c. cum modestia timore conscientiam habentes bona That is doe you sanctifie our Lord IESVS Christ in your hartes hauing a good conscience with modestie and feare So that the spirit of seruile feare which is grounded onely vpon respect of punishment is forbidden vs but the louing feare of children is commaunded And yet also about this are there two things to be noted The first that albeit the spirite of seruile feare be forbiden vs especiallie whē we are now entered into the seruice of God yet is it most profitable for sinners and for such as yet doe but beginne to serue God for that it moueth them to repētance to looke about them for which cause it is called by the wiseman the beginning of vvisdome And therfore both Ionas to the Niniuites and S. Iohn Baptist to the Iewes and al the prophets to sinners haue vsed to stirre vp this feare by threatning the daungers and punishmentes which were imminent to them if they repented not But yet afterward when men are cōuerted to God and doe goe forward in his seruice they change euery day this seruile feare into loue vntil they arriue at last vnto that state wher of S. Iohn saith that perfecti loue or charitie expelleth feare Wherupon S. Austen saieth that feare is the seruant sent before to prepare place in our hartes for his mistres which is charitie Who being once entered in and perfectly placed feare goeth out againe geueth place vnto the same But where this feare neuer entereth at al there is it impossible for charitie euer to come and dwel saieth this holy father The second thing to be noted is that albeit this feare of punishment be not in verie perfect men or at leastwise is lesse in them then in others as S. Iohn in the place before alleaged teacheth yet being ioined with loue reuerence as it ought to be it is most profitable and necessary for al common Christians whose life is not so perfect nor charitie so great as that they haue that perfection wherof S. Iohn speaketh This appeareth by that that our Sauiour Christ persuaded also this feare euen vnto his Apostles saying Feare you him vvhich after he hath slaine the bodie hath povver also to send both bodie and soule vnto hel fire this I saye vnto you feare him The same doth S. Paul to the Corinthians whoe were good Christians laying downe first the iustice of God therupō persuading thē tò feare Al vve saith he must be presēted before the tribunal seat of Christ to receiue ech man his proper desertes according as he hath done good or euil in this life And for that vve knovve this vve doe persuade he feare of our Lord vnto men Nay that which is more S. Paul testifieth that notwithstanding al his fauours receiued frō God he retained yet him self this feare of Gods iustice as appeareth by those wordes of his I doe chastise my bodie and doe bring it into seruitude least perchance vvhen I haue preached to others I become a reprobate myself Now then my frend if S. Paul stoode in awe of the iustice of God notwithstāding his Apostleshipp and that he was guiltie to him self of no one sinne or offence as he protesteth what oughtest thou to be whose conscience remaineth guiltie of so many misdeedes and wickednes This knovv you saieth S. Paul that no fornicatour vncleane person couetous man or the like can haue inheritāce in the kingdome of Christ. And immediatly after as though this had not bene sufficient he addeth for preuenting the folie of-sinners which flatter thē selues Let no man deceiue you vvith vaine vvordes for the vvrath of God commeth for thes thinges vpon the children of vnbeleef Be not you therfore partakers of them As if he should say They that flatter you say Tush God is merciful and wil pardon easily al thes and like sinnes thes mē deceiue you saith S. Paul for that the wrath and vengeance of God lighteth vpon the children of vnbeleef for thes matters that is it lighteth vpon thos which wil not beleeue Gods iustice nor his threates against sinne but presuming of his mercie doe perseuere in the same vntil vpon the sodaine Gods wrath doe rush vpon them and then is it to late to amende Wherfore saieth he if you be wise be not partakers of their folie but amend your liues presently while you haue time And this admonition of S. Paul shal be sufficient to ende this chapter against al thos that refuse or deferre their resolution of amendement vpon vaine hope of Gods pardon or tolleration THE SIXT THING THAT VSETH TO STAY AND HINDER MEN FROM MAture resolution VVhich is the deceitful hope and persuation to doe it better or vvith more ease aftervvard CHAPT VII THE reasons and authorities which hitherto haue bene alleaged might seme I doubt not sufficient in the iudgement and censure of any reasonable man to proue the necessitie of the resolution wherof we