them selues their successours to the worlds end this I say being once brought to passe and the litle stone that was cut out of a hill without handes being now made a huge mountaine that had spreed it self ouer the whole face of the earth according to Daniels prophetie thē thos holy and sage Apostles for preuenting of al new doctrines and false errours that might afterwardes arise as by reuelation from Iesus they vnderstood there should doe many most earnestly exhorted and with al possible vehemēcie called vpon the people to stand fast in the documents and traditions then receaued to holde firmly the faith and doctrine already deliuered as a Depositum and treasure committed to be safely kept vntil the last daie And aboue all other thinges they most diligently forewarned them to beware newfangled teachers whom they called Herctiques who should breake from the vnitie of this vniuersal bodie already made and knit together and should deuise new gloses exposition and interpretations of Scripture bring in new senses doctrines opinions diuisions to the renting of Gods Church and Citie now builded and to the perdition of infinite soules For discerning of which kinde of most pernicious people as S. Austen and other holie fathers doe note for more perfecte distinction betwene them and true Christians the said Apostles inuented the name Catholique and set doune in their cōmon Creede that clause or article I beleeue the Holie Catholike Church By whiche word Catholike that signifieth vniuersal they gaue to vnderstand to al posteritie that whatsoeuer doctrine or opinion should be raised afterward among Christians disagreeing from the general consent doctrine and tradition of the vniuersal Church was to be reputed as errour heresie and vtterly to be reiected And that the only Anckor staie and securitie of a Christian mans my nde in matters of beleefe for his saluation was to be a Catholike that is as all aunciēt fathers doe interprete the same one who layīg aside al particuler opinions and imaginations both of hym self and others doth subiect his iudgment to the determination of Christes vniuersal visible and knowen Church vpon earth embrasing whatsoeuer that beleeueth and abādoning whatsoeuer that reiecteth And this is that plaine direct sure and infallible waye among Christians whereof we spake out of Esaie and other prophetes and Saintes of God before wherin no man can erre though neuer so simple but only of wilful and obstinate malice which is declared in this maner followinge The Ghospel of Christ being once preached and receyued vniformely ouer al the world and Churches of Christianitie erected throughout all Countries Prouinces and Nations in the Apostles time as hath bene said it is to be considered that this vniuersal church bodie or kingdome so gathered foūded established was to continue visibly not for one or two ages but vnto the worlds ende For so it was foreshewed and promissed most perspicuouslie by Daniel when he foretelling the soure great Monarchies that after him should ensue adioineth thes euident wordes of the church and kingdome of Christ In the daies of thes kingdomes shal God raise vp a Celestial kingdome vvhich shal indure for euer vvithout subuersiō that kingdome shal not be deliuered ouer to any other people By which last wordes as also by diuers promisses of Christ hym self in the Ghospel we are acertained that the very same visible congregatiō Church bodie common weale gouernment and kingdome which was established by the Apostles in their time should endure and continue by succession of folowers vnto the worlds ende neither should it passe ouer or be deliuered to any other people that is no new teachers or later doctrines dissenting from the first should euer finallie preuaile against it Which prophetie to haue bene fulfilled frō that day vnto this is made euident and most apparant by the recordes of al ages wherin albeit diuers errours and heresies haue sprong vp and made great blustering and disturbance for a time yet haue they bene repressed and beate doune againe by the same Church and her visible pillars in the ende For examples sake in the first age there rose vp certaine seditious fellowes amōg the Iewes making some cōtention about their ceremonies as also did Simon Magus Nicolaus Cerinthus Ebion and Menander that were heretiques Against whō besides the Apostles stoode ī defence of that which was published before their Disciples S. Martialis S. Dionisius Areopagita Ignatius Policarpus others In the secōd age rose vp Basilides Cerdon Marcion Valentinus Tacianus Apelles Montanus and diuers others against whom stoode in the battaile Iustinus Martyr Dionisius bishop of Corinth Irenaeus Clemens Alexandrinus Tertulian and their equals And so douneward frō age to age vnto our daies whatsoeuer heresie or different opinion hath bene raised contrary to the general consent of this vniuersal bodie it hath bene checked and controlled by the watchmē pastours chief gouernours of this bodie and finally hath bene condemned and anathematized by their general assemblies consent and councelles gathered from time to time as occasions serued in al partes of the world Wherby it is most manifest that he who relieth vpon this general consent of Christes Church in earth and adhereth to nothing against the iudgmēt of the same cā not possibly erre in matters of beleefe but walketh in that sure secure and infallible path wherin Esaye sayeth that a very foole can not goe amisse Wherfore to conclude this first parte of our present speech cōcerning the trial of our faith and beleefe he that is a true Catholique and holdeth hym self within th' obedience of this general and vniuersal Church which hath descended by succession from Christ and his Apostles that is as olde Vincentius said eleuen hundred years agoe in his most excellent treatise against innouations of heretiques he that Ioueth the Churche and bodie of Iesus Christ so much as he preferreth nothinge in the world before the Catholique and vniuersal doctrine therof not any priuat mans authoritie loue wit or eloquence not reasons of nature or pretēce of scriptures against that which before hym was beleeued by all men he that followeth vniuersalitie antiquitie and consent in his beleefe and standeth firmelie to that faith which hath bene held from time to time in al places in al seasons by al or the most parte of Bishopes Priestes and Doctours in Christianitie he that cā say with S. Augustine that he trulie followeth that vniuersal Church which had her beginninge by the enteringe in of Natiōs got authoritie by miracles was increased by charitie and established by continuance which hath her succession of bishopes from the Chaire of Peter vntil our time that Church whiche is knowen in the worlde by the name of Catholique not onlie to her friendes but also among her enimies for that euen heretiques in common speech doe terme her so hauinge no other meanes to distinguishe them-selues and their followers from
called it AFLIA after th' Emperours name He droue al the progeny and ofspring of the Iewes furth of all thos countries with a perpetual lawe confirmed by the Emperour that they should neuer returne no nor so much as looke backe from any highe or eminent place to that countrie againe And this was done to that Iuishe Natiō by the Roman Emperours for accomplishing that demaund which their prīcipal elders had made not longe before to Pilate the Romau Magistrate concerning Iesus most iniurious death cryinge out with one cōsent and voice to wit Let his blood be vpon vs and vpon our posteritie AND HEERIN ALSO I meane in the most wonderful notorious chastisment or rather reprobation of this Iuishe people which of all the world was Gods peculier before is sett out vnto vs as it were in a glasse the seuenth and last pointe which we mentioned in the beginning of this section to witt the fulfilling of such speeches propheties as Iesus vttered when he was vpon earth as namely at one time after a long and vehement commination made to the Scribes Pharisees and principal men of that Nation in which he repeateth eight seueral times the dreadful threat woe he concludeth finally that al the iust blood iniuriouslie shedde from the first Martyr Abel should be reuenged verie shortelie vpon that generation And in the same place he menaceth the populous Citie of Ierusalē that itshould be made desert And in an other place he assureth thē that one stone should not be left standing therof vpon an other And yet futther he pronounced vpon the same Citie thes words The daies shal come vpon thee and thy enemies shal enuiron thee vvith a vval and shall besiege thee they shall straiten the on euery side and shal beate the to the grounde and thy children in thee And yet more particulerly he foretelleth the verie signes wherby his disciples should perceyue when the time in deed was come vsing this speeche vnto them VVhen you shal see Ierusalem besieged vvith an army then knovve ye that her disolation is at hand for that thes are the daies of reuenge to the ende al may be fulfiled vvhich is vvritten Great distresse shal fal vpon this earth and vengeance vpon this people They shal be slaine by dint of the svvord and shal be led as slaues into al countries And Jerusalem shal be trodden vnder seete by the Gentiles vntil the times of Nations be accomplished This foretold Iesus of the miserie that was to fal vpon Ierusalem and vpon that people by the Romanes and other Gentiles when the Iewes seemed to be in most securitie and greatest amitie with the Romanes as also they were when the same thinges were writē and consequently at that time they might seeme in all humane reason to haue lesse cause thē euer before to misdoubt such calamities And yet how certaine and assured foreknowlege and as it were most sensible forefeeling Iesus had of thes miseries he declared not only by thes expresse words and by their euēt but also by thos pittiful teares he shed vpon sight and consideration of Hierusalem and by the lamentable speeche he vsed to the women of that Citie who wept for him at his Passion persuading them to weepe rather for thē selues and for their children in respect of the miseries to followe then for him Which wordes and predictions of Iesus together with sundrie other his speeches fore shewing so particularlie the imminent calamities of that Nation and that as I haue said at such time when in humane discourse ther could be no probabilitie therof when a certaine heathen Chronicler and Mathematique named Phlegon about an hundreth yeares after Christs departure had diligently considered hauing sene the same also in his dayes most exactelie fulfilled for he was seruant to Adrianus th' Emperour by whos commandement as hath bene said before the final subuersion of the Iuishe nation was brought to passe this Phlegō I say though a Pagan yet vpon consideration of thes euentes and others that he saw as th' extreme persecution of Christians fortold by Christ and the like he pronounced that neuer any man foretold things so certainlie to come or that so preciselie were accomplished as were the predictions and propheties of Iesus And this testimonie of Phlegon was alleaged and vrged for Christians again't one Celsus a heathen Philosopher and Epicure by the famous learned Origen euen the very next age after it was writtē by th' authour so that of the truth of this allegation ther can be no doubt or question at all And now albeit thes predictions and propheties concerning the punishment and reprobation of the Iewes fulfilled so euidently in the sight of al the world might be a sufficient demonstration of Iesus for knowlege in affaires to come yet are ther many other thinges besides foreshewed by him which fel out as exactly as did thes notwithstanding that by no learning mathematical reason or humane cōiecture they were or might be forsene As for example the foretelling of his owne death the maner time and place therof as also the person that should betraie him together with his irrepentantende The flight feare and scandal of his disciples albeit they had promissed protested the contrarie The three seueral denials of Peter The particuler time of his owne resurrection and Ascension The sending of the Holy-Ghost and many other the like predictions propheties promisses which to his Apostles Disciples and folowers that heard them vttered and left them written before they fel out and saw them afterwarde accomplished and who by the falsehood therof should haue receyued greatest dōmage of all other mē if they had not bene true to thes men I saie they were most euident proofes of Iesus diuine prescience in matters that should ensue But yet for that an Infidell with whom onlie I suppose my self to deale in this place may in thes and the like thinges find perhapes some matter of cauillation and saie that thes propheties of Iesus were recorded by our Euangelistes after the particularities therin prophetied were effectuated and not before and consequentlie that they might be forged I wil alleage certaine other euentes both foretolde and registred before they came to passe and diuulged by publique writinges in the face of al the worlde when ther was smal semblance that euer the same should take effect Such were the particuler foretelling of the kinde maner of S. Peters death whiles yet he liued The peculier and differēt maner of S. Iohn th' Euāgelists ending from the rest of the Apostles The prerogatiue giuen to Peter aboue the rest that his Faith and Chaire should neuer faile which we see miraculouslie verefied euen vntil this day the successions of all other Apostles hauing failed and his not The forshewing describinge to his disciples the most extreme and cruel persecutions that should insue vnto Christians for his sake
vttereth the same ī otherwordes they vvhich commit sinne are enimies to their ovvne soules Wherfore they laye downe to al men this general seuere most necessarie commaundement vpon al the paines before recited Flee from sinne as from the face of a snake And againe Bevvare thou neuer consent to sinne For how soeuer the worlde may make litle accounte of this matter by whome as the scripture noteth the sinner is praised in his lustes and the vvicked man is blessed for his vvickednes yet most certaine it is for that the spirite of God auoucheth it that he vvhich committeth sinne is of the deuil and therfore is to receyue his portion amonge deuils and damned spirites at the latter daye And is not al this sufficient most deare brother to breed in vs a detestation of sinne with feare and horrour to commit the same Is not this of force and strength sufficient to shake the hartes of them that wallowe perpetually in the pudle of sinne and doe commit the same daylie without scruple remorse or consideration what desperate obstinacie obduration is this Surely we find now by experiēce that the holye Ghost prophesied ful truelie of thes men when he sayed sinners alienated from God are possessed vvith a surit like a serpent and like a deafe cocatrise vvhich stoppeth her eares against the enchaunter This surie I saie is the furie or madnesse of willfull synners which stoppe their eares like serpentes to all the holy enchauntmentes that God can vse vnto them for their conuersiō that is to all his internal motions and good inspirations to all remorse of their owne consciences to all threatninges of holie scriptures to al admonishmentes of gods seruauntes to al examples of vertuous liuers to al the punishementes that light vpon the wicked and to all the other meanes which God can vse for their saluation Good Lorde what man would commit a mortal sinne for the gayning of ten thowsande worldes if he considered the infinite dōmages hurtes inconueniences mileries which doe ensue by cōmitting of the same For first who soeuer sinneth mortallie leeseth the grace of God inherent in his soule which is the greatest gift that can be gyuen to man in this life cōsequētlie he leeseth al those thinges which did accompanie that grace as are the vertues infused and the seuen giftes of the Holy Ghost wherby the sowie was beautified in the sight of her spouse and armed against al assaultes of her ghostlie enimies Secondlie he leeseth the fauour of God and consequentlie his fatherly protection care and prouidēce ouer him enforceth hym to be his professed enimie Which how great a losse it is we may esteeme in part by the state of a worldly princes seruant and fauorite who being in highe grace and credit with his Soueraine should by some one great offence lose al his fauour at one instant and incurre his mortal hatred and displeasure Thirdly he leeseth all his inheritance clayme and title to the kingdome of heauē which is due onlie by grace as S. Paul wel noteth and consequentlie he depriueth hym self of all dignities and commodities depending therupon in this life as are the condition and high priueledge of being the sonne of God the communion of Sainctes the protection of holie Angels and the like Fourthlie he looseth the quiet ioye and tranquillitie of a good conscience and all the fauours cherishmentes consolations and other comfortes wherwith the holie Ghost is wont to visite the mides of the Iust. Fifthly he looseth the merit and rewarde of his good workes done al his life before and whatsoeuer he doth or shal doe while he continueth in that miserable and sinful state Sixtlie he maketh hym self guiltie of eternall punishment and enrolleth his name in the booke of perdition and consequentlie byndeth hym self to althose miseries and inconueniences wherunto the reprobate are subiect that is to saie to be an inheritour of hel and damnation to be in the power of the deuill and his Angels to be thral to synne and euerie temptation therof and his sowle which was before the temple of the holy ghost the habitation of the blessed Trinitie the spouse of God place of repose for holy Angels to visit now to be a dēne of dragons a nest of scorpions a dongeō of deuilles a sincke swine-stie of al filth and abhomination and hym self a companion of the miserable damned spirites Lastlye he abandoneth Christ and renounceth al the interest and portion he had with hym treading hym vnder his feete defiling his most pretious blood Crucifying hym againe as S. Paul auoucheth in that he sinneth agaist him who died for sinne and maketh hym self a persecutour of his redeemer For which cause the same Apostle pronounceth a most hard and heauie sentence against such men in thes wordes If vve synne vvillfullye novv after vve haue receyued knovvledge of the trueth there remaineth no more sacrifice for synnes but rather a certaine terrible expectation of iudgement and rage of fyre vvhich shall consume the aduersaries To which S. Peter agreeth when he saieth It had bene better not to haue knovvē the vvay of iustice thē after such knovvledge to slyde backe agayne from the holye commaundement vvhich vvas gyuen This being so let sinful worldlinges goe now and solace them selues in their vanities and watōnes as much as they lift Let them excuse and pleasantlye defend the same by saing pryde is but a pointe of gentrye glouttonie good fellowship anger and reuenge but an effect of courage lecherye and wantonnes a trycke of yowth they shall one daye finde that these excuses will not be receyued but rather that al such pleasant deuises toies wil be turned into teares al such fond concepts into doleful lamentations They shall proue to their great cost that God will not be iested with but that he is the same God still and will aske as seuere accounte of them as he hath done of other before although now it pleasenot them to keepe any accounte at al of their life and actions but rather to turne all to disporte and pleasure persuading them selues that how soeuer God hath delt before with other yet vnto thē he wil pardon al. But this is a mere madnes and a voluntarie deluding of our selues for that God hym self by his sacred word instructeth vs to reason after an other sashion Which I wil here breefly touch exhorting euery prudent Christian seriously to examine the same At what time the great Apostle of the Gentiles S. Paul tooke vpō him to make a comparison betweene the grieuous sinnes of his nation the Iewes for which they were reiected and made reprobate by God and thos which Christians doe commit after their Redemption he framed this collection concerning Gods iustice due vnto them both saing If God spared not the naturall boughes take heede least he spare not thee And there-vpon he inferreth this admonition
their maister and to stir vs vp to folowe their examples Which thing the learned and deuout Father S. Iohn Chrysostome considering when he treated of the deedes of S. Peter and S. Paul in particuler breaketh furth into this speech folowing O holie and blessed Apostles of my Sauiour what thankes shal we yeld vnto you for al the labours and toiles that you haue taken for vs When I thinke of thee O Peter I fal into admiration and when I remember thee O Paul I fal besides my self and am oppressed with teares For what shal I say or what shal I think wheÌ„ I behould the afflictions that you haue suffered How many prisons haue you two sanctified how many chaines haue you adorned how many torments haue you â—usteined how many reproches haue you receaued O blessed bee those tongues of yours that haue bene such instruments of the holie Ghost and blessed be your members inbrued with blood for the loue of Christes Church You haue trulie followed your maister in al things c. Reioyce therfore thou Peter to whom it was giuen to die vpon the crosse therby to imitate thy Sauiour and triumphe thou Paul whose head was cut of with the sword for the same cause O this sword shal be to me in steade of a crowne and the nailes wherwith S. Peter was crucified shal be most pretious stones in my Diademe Thus much many things more vttereth this holie father with great feruour in admiration of the sufferings of thes blessed Apostles whose labours how much he indeuored to put in execution in his own life and how far he was made partaker of like afflictions it may appeare to him that wil reade the Ecclesiastical historie which declareth how he both liued and died in continual tribulation O deare christian brother if we had so tender harts in contemplation of thes affaires as had this holie man of God we would be of other iudgment in many things then we are We see that S. Chrysostome was thus moued with the consideration onelie of thes two Apostles trauails But how much might be said of al the rest in like maner Of S. Iames that was called the brother of IESVS and was left by him as the first bishope of Hierusalem it is writen by Egesippus that liued immediatly after his time that he being in singuler auctoritie credit for his holines and wisdome not only among al Christians but also among the whole nation of Iewes for which he was called by the name of Iames the Iust as Iosephus the Iew reporteth yet chose he a most austere and sharpe life neuer testing either wine or flesh or anointig his body with oile according to the fashion of the countrie He was so diligent and painful in continual praying vpon his knees that the skinne therof was as hard as the brayne of a camels knee And being broght forth one daie and placed vpon a pinnacle of the temple of Hierusalem in the presence of in inic people for it was on the highe feast of Easter and ther intreated by al the nobles and Magistrates of Iurie to speake some word in derogation of Christian religion with promisse of infinite honour for the same if he would yeld the runto he made choise not only to lacke that honour but also to be reuiled by the people to be throwen downe from the pinnacle wher he stood and to haue his head cleft in sunder with a staffe or instrument that diars of cloth doe vse rather then to relent one iote in professing that thing which he knew to be true This was the smal accompte that thos men made of worldly dignities and promotions when they broght with them any let or hinderance to Gods perfect seruice And this was the redy desire they haue to suffer in euery least occasion offered for their Masters honour O gentle reader how worthely said our Samour Iesvs of thes meÌ„ you are they vvho baue stood vvith me in my temptations and therfore I prepare for you a kingdome and how iustely may it be verified of vs that which the same our Sauiour in another place saith in tempore tentationis accedunt they abandone me in time of tentation BVT LET VS see now further how thes which insued and liued after the Apostles behaued themselues in this behalfe For better conceauing wherof thou hast to remember louing brother that for the space of three hundred years together after Christs departure out of this world he sent almost continual temptations that is to say continual tribulatioÌ„s afflictions persecutioÌ„s vnto his Church vpon earth except only certaine short times or breathing wherin he ment to make euident proofe of his seruantes patience and of his owne power against his enimies And wheras a litle before his departure he forwarned his disciples of thes things to come assuring them that they should haue pressures and that he sent theÌ„ forth as lambes among wolues he perfourmed the same in such sorte not long after as it may seeme that he brake open al the gates and barres of hel at once as els wher I haue noted and turned forth al the legions of suries therin conteined as most rauenous beares and lions vpon thes his lambes For in ten general most deadful persecutions which in this time by publique authoritie coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„t were excercised it is impossible for man to recounte either the tyrannie and iniquitie of the lawes or the barbarous crueltie of the executors or the infinite multitude of the sufferers or the strange inuentions of the tormentours And albeit in thes times of trial as alwaies it falleth out ther wanted not diuers Christians as Eusebius wel noteth that writeth the storie who for loue of their own ease made shipwrak of their saluation yet without number were thos also that by contempt of the world did beare out the storme and perseuered faithful Of whom for our instruction comfort in like occurreÌ„tes some sew shal be noted in this discourse following After the death of S. Iames before mentioned the destruction of Hierusalem which was especially hastened by God for punishement of that murder as Iosephus the Iewe was of opinion Ege sippus and Eusebius doe reporte that so many of the Apostles and disciples of Christ as were then aliue gathered them selues together and ordeined bishop of HieruialeÌ„ in place of S. Iames one Simeon the soune of Cleophas which Cleophas S. Luke nameth for one of the two disciples that went to Emaus together and talked with Christ vpon the way after his resurrection S. Matthew also and S. Iohn doe make mention of MARY the wife of Cleophas which was continually in the company of the blessed Virgin-mother of our Saue our at his PassioÌ„ which MARY being mother to this Simeon and her husband Cleophas being brother to Ioseph as Egesippus holdeth SimeoÌ„ was accompted as cosine german to our Sauiour IESVS and by al
was many yeares and by him made bishope of the Church of Smyrna and for that his fight and martyrdome for Christian religion ensued not longe after the death of Ignatius it shal not be amisse to speake of him also in this place The storie is set downe at large by Eusebius and others out of an Epistle writen by the Christians of the Church of Smyrna which were al present at the whole tragedie of his death the summe wherof is this that wheras at a certaine day by the commandement of the Emperour Antonius incredible and innumerable tormēts were vsed against Christiās in the citie of Smyrna diuers did beare the same out with inuincible courage to the singuler comfort of their brethren and to the great admiration of their enemies albeit one Quintus that was newly come out of Phrygia and had rashlie offered him self to the tortours before he was sought for fel shamefully the same day denied his profession Polycarpus then while thes thinges were in doing remained secretly in a house therby with other christians whether euery thing was brought to him by the brethren as soone as they were done and at length newes came that Polycarpus himself was sought for Wherat he nothing moued answered with a quiet mind and countenance that he was ready meaning in deede to expect the officers ther vntil they came for him But the christians that were present with him inforced him whether he would or no to retire him self vnto a litle village not far of where he made his abode for certaine daies whiles he was sought for in the citie During which time he did nothing els saith the storie but pray day and night and that especially for the peace and vnitie of the Church for that heresies now pubblicly begon to swarme He had a vision also which he tould vnto thos that were ther present with him signifying that he must goe to Christ by fier At length the purseuants that had sought him al about the citie came by Gods permission vnto the village where he was and therupon he sted by night vnto another whether they followed him also And ther finding two children in the street enforced the one of them by beating to discouer the house wherin he laie Comming therfore into the house and vnderstanding that he was in a chamber aboue sent for him to come downe and albeit the messenger fauouring Polycarpus shewed him a way how to escape by an other house yet he refused the same saing we haue fled inough let Gods wil be done And so comming downe with a mery countenance bid them hartely welcome and commanded the meate left in the house to be set before them beseeching them only to giue him one houres space wherin to pray vnto his Lord before he departed Which they willingly granted being much moued with his gray haires and fatherly countenance as allo cast into admiratiō with the feruour of his praiers that he made ther by him self whiles they were eating Which being ended they tooke him forthe placing him vpon an Asse and so led him towardes the citie of Smyrna very early in the morning vpon the great saboth day hauing aduertised the Magistrates before of their comming who for that cause were gathered together with al the people in the market place And to make the matter more solemne they sent forth one Herode that was prouost of the peace to mete him and fetch him in He therfore comming forth with great pompe in his coche met with Polycarpus first saluted him with great honour and reuerence causing him to come downe from the asse and to sit with him in his coche there began to flatter him saing You are a graue and wise man haue respect vnto your self what great matter man is it to say Lord Caesar or to make a sacrifice But Polycarpus held his peace and when the other went forward to vse many wordes to that purpose Polycarpus answered Syr in fine I am not to folow your counsel At which wordes he taking great disdaine thrust him headlong out of his coche and that with such violēce as he wounded pitifullie his legge in going forth But the old man making no accompt therof followed merily the soldiars that lead him And when he came to the place wher the iudges were he entred in with a mery countenance and much the more for that at the very instant when he entred ther was a cleare and lowd voice heard from heauen saying beos good corage Polycarpe bebaue thy self valiantly When he came before the high magistrate named Procōsul first ther was an insinite crie geuen out by the people against him Which being appeased the Proconsul asked him whether he were Polycarpus to which he answered yea Then said the Proconsul haue regarde vnto thy oldage Father repent desire that wicked mē may be destroied Wherat Polycarpe turned him self vnto the multitude and lifting vp his handes to heauen with a deepe sigh said ô Lord destroy or take awaie the wicked Then said the Proconsul sweare also by Caesars fortune and defie Christ. Wherto Polycarp answered I haue serued Christ now fourescore years and more and he neuer yet did me any hurt but much good and how thē can I defie my Lord king that hytherto hath so mercifully dealt with me Then vrged the Procōsul againe that he shoulde sweare by Caesars fortune Wherto th' other replied if thou name Caesars good fortune so often for oftentations sake know thou that I am a Christian which hath 〈◊〉 to doe with fortune and if thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what Christian 〈◊〉 appoint a day and I wil teache the. 〈◊〉 this people quoth the Proconsul to be content with that No said Policarpe I 〈◊〉 them not worthie to be dealt withal in such a matter but to the as to a Magistrate our profession teacheth vs to haue respect and reuerence After this there passed diuers other speaches betwene them the one threatening tormentes beastes fier and sword and th' other shewing al desire and readines to susteine the same The people cried out continually that he might be torne with wild beastes But that was denied for that the beastes were wearied out vpon other martyrs before Thē cried they that he might be burned aline which Policarp hearing and remembring the vision which he had seene in the village before his apprehension fel downe of his knees and praied and soone after rising againe turned him to the people and said be ve content for you shal haue your desire for it is determined that I shal be burned aliue and a litle after the Proconsul gaue sentence for his burning When he was brought vnto the fier he put of his own apparel saith the storie but when he came to his showes he had some difficultie therin for lake of vse being neuer permitted by Christians to doe that office to him self before euery one thinking it a felicitie to be
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
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
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