well or Augustine that wee vnderstand aright wee haue it of God of our selues wee haue nothing but onely sinne that is within vs. And surely deserued paine through Adams Augustine fault would bring al men into euerlasting death vnlesse the vndeserued grace of God through fayth in Christ deliuered some from it §. 11. All men in the first man namely Adam vvere created of God saith S. Ambrose Ambrose without vice or fault all our nature was sound and in health but by the sin of the same man we haue lost it Also We say truly in affirming that the Augustine first man onely could fulfill that he would when as yet his free-vvill of choyse vvas sound and whole before the fault But man misvsing his free-will lost both Augustine himselfe and his will The first man vvas created in nature Augustine without blame in nature without fault he was created vpright he did not make him selfe vpright It is knowne what hee made himselfe falling out of the hande of the Potter he was broken For hee that made him did gouerne him but hee was willing to forsake him that made him and God suffered him so to doe as it were saying thus Let him forsake me that he may find himselfe and that he may by his misery proue that without mee he can doe nothing By this meane therefore would God shew vnto man what free-will is able to doe vvithout God Free-vvill before the fall of Adam vvas Augustine an vpright free-will before which fire and water was layde of God and the first man did reach his hand vnto which hee would hee did choose fire forsooke vvater See therefore the righteous Iudge the same which man beeing free did choose he did receiue hee would haue euill the same did follow him We had free-will before sinne to worke Chrisostome well but after sinne we had none because we were not able by our owne power and strength after sinne to escape from the power of the deuill But as a ship when the sterne is broken is driuen hether and thether where the tempest will so by the deuill wee are driuen from one sinne to another neither hetherto can vvee doe any thing but euen as the deuill will And except GOD doe deliuer vs with the strong hand of his mercie we shall remaine in the bonds chaines of sinnes vnto death For by our owne willes and negligence wee are bound but it is onely by the mercies of almighty God that wee are loosed and set at libertie §. 12. No man can beleeue hope or loue vnlesse Augustine he will saith S. Augustine yet euen the selfe same will to beleeue hope and loue commeth not of our selues but from God Wee indeed thinking beleeue thinking we speake thinking we doe whatsoeuer Augustine we doe But as touching that that appertaineth vnto the way of godlinesse and true vvorship of God wee are not able to thinke any thing as of our selues but our ablenesse commeth of God For our own harts and our owne thoughts are not in our owne powers Also that we should beleeue in GOD liue godly it lyeth not in the wil or running Augustine of man but in the grace and mercy of God Not that we ought not both to wil and to runne but because that God himselfe by his holy Spirit doth worke in vs both to will and also to runne §. 13. Mans naturall free will then vve doe verily Maxentius beleeue saith Maxentius is of no more value but onely for carnall or worldly desires or such deseruings which possiblie may seeme glorious among men but not with God For those things which belong vnto euerlasting life we can neither thinke neither will neither desire neither performe except it be by the infusion and operation of the holie Ghost Besides our prayers are alwayes made Ambrose in vaine if it be in our owne free-wil to do what we will Let no man therefore flatter himselfe Augustine for of his owne hee is a very sathan hee hath that of GOD onely whereby hee is blessed §. 14. There is a sentence in Salomons Prouerbs where the Wiseman thus speaketh saying * The preparations of the hart are Prou 16 1 in man but the aunswere of the tongue is of the Lord. Vpon which wordes S. Augustine thus Augustine writeth Some not vnderstanding thys place wel are deceiued insomuch that they beleeue that to prepare the hart that is to beginne goodnesse without the helpe of the grace of God pertaineth vnto man But God forbid saith he that the chyldren of promise should so vnderstand it as though thereby they woulde confute the Lord whereas they haue heard him saying * Without mee yee can doe nothing And Iohn 15 5 say Behold we are able of our selues to prepare our hart by that to think som goodnes God forbid that any man should vnderstand it so saue the proude defenders of their will For therefore it is written It is the mans part to prepare the hart the aunswere of the tongue is of the Lord because the man prepareth the hart yet for all that man cannot prepare his hart without the helpe of God For God dooth so worke in the harts of men and in their free will it selfe that euery good thought good counsaile and all good motions of the will or minde is of God Hee doth first preuent vs with his grace Gregory that wee may be willing to leaue euill and doe good and afterward with his helping hand also he doth folow vs least we should will in vaine Yea It is God that worketh in vs both Augustine to will also to worke We will then but it is God that worketh in vs euen to vvill We work then but it is God also that doth worke in vs the worke euen freelie of his own good will It is expedient for vs both to beleeue this and also to confesse this This is godly this is true that our confession may be humble and lowly and that all goodnes may be ascribed vnto GOD alone No man can come vnto me saith Christ Iohn 6 44 except the Father which hath sent mee draw him Neither can any man say that Iesus is the 1 Cor 12 3 Lord but by the holy Ghost For to beleeue is the gift of God As Mat 16 17 Christes owne wordes testifie vnto Peter where he sayth * Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas For flesh and bloode hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my Father which is in heauen Also It is written in the Prophets And Iohn 6 45. they shall be all taught of GOD. Euery man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father commeth vnto me Yea All that the Father giueth mee Iohn 6 37 ◠shall come to mee and him that commeth vnto mee I cast not away §. 16. Moreouer Except a man be borne againe
preserued according to that speech of Ieremie in his Lamentations where hee sayth * It is the Lords mercies Lam 3. 22. that we are not consumed because his coÌ„passions faile not For hee hath mercy on whom hee will Exod 33 19 haue mercie and hee hath compassion on whom he will haue compassion ¶ Of the iustice of Almightie God §. 1. AS it is a matter most needfull for euerie Christian beleeuer to knowe that God his Creator is very kinde and mercifull so is it likewise greatly necessary for him to remember that the Lord of euerlasting glorie is also iust and true For he that dooth continue in his sin running the race of his life in all kind of wilful negligence and buildeth the whole burden of his iniquities vpon the perswasion of his Makers mercie without any reckoning or regard of his iustice such a man for certaintie liues in a most lothsome state and is ready at euery step which hee treadeth to set his foote with Pharao in the perrilous path of presumption Contrariwise he that doth acknowledge God to be iust seuere and true by too much hammering the same in his braine looseth or letteth slippe the sweete taste feeling comfort of his vnspeakeable loue and mercie entertaineth by this meanes a seruaunt more then he needeth who wayting continually at his elbowe neuer ceaseth to prompt and perfect his maister in * Caines part vntill the disquiet of his Gene 4 13 minde driue him to the soule-destroying sinne of desperation Wherefore sith we haue already found in our short discourse of Gods mercy the precious potion which presently cureth the dangerous disease of all such troublesome and distempering thoughts Let vs now likewise by expressing some few speeches of Gods iustice seeke out such simplâ—s as may dreadfully keepe vs from the offence of too much boldnes in ouer-prouing the great patience of our most mightie Preseruer §. 2. Vnderstand therfore that when the Altie discended from heauen in a clowde proclaimed his Name vnto his seruaunt Moises in Mount Sinai because he would haue him know that hee was the God of iustice as well as the Lord of mercie hee vttered these speeches as he passed by him saying * The Lorde the Lorde strong Exod 34 5 6 7 mercifull and gracious slow to anger aboundant in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercie for thousands forgiuing iniquitie and transgression and sinne Then followeth And not making the wicked innocent visiting the iniquitie of the Fathers vpon the chyldren vpon childrens children vnto the third fourth generation The same Moises likewise that he might cause the people to consider Gods iustice as wel as make them mindful of his mercy forgetteth not in his repetition of the Law to tell them That the Lord theyr God is a Deut 5 9 10. iealous God visiting the iniquitie of the Fathers vpon the chyldren euen vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate him and shewing mercy vnto thousands of them that loue him and keep his commaundements And to the intent also that Gods iustice might be as well remembred as his mercie the Prophet Ieremie in his prayer which hee made vnto the Lord in prison spareth not to speake of them both together saying * O Lord our GOD it is thou that Ierem 32 17 18. hast made heauen and earth by thy great power and by thine out-stretched arme and there is nothing hid from thee Thou shewest mercy vnto thousands and recompencest the iniquity of the Fathers into the bosome of theyr children after them Besides the Prophet Dauid in the ninth Psalme plainely affirmeth that * the Lord Psalm 9 16 our God is knowne by executing iudgement §. 3. Saint Chrisostome as we read speaking generally of the iustice of Almighty God maketh breefely this definition therof saying The iustice of God is that wherby all Chrisostome those good things be performed which do belong vnto a true God and can be doone by none but by him alone As namely his creating and making of those things which be not and his breeding increasing gouerning continuall preseruing of those things which be But Saint Ambrose speaking more particulerly of Gods iustice deuideth the same into three parts saying The first is that as Ambrose hee is God so hee is the onely Creator and conseruer of all things vvhich is nothing else but the goodnes of his own nature The second is that as he is Lord maister so he gouerneth all things by iust authoritie according to the pleasure of his owne will The third is that as hee is Iudge so hee will deale rightly in iudgement with all men and revvarde euery one at his death according to the workes which hee hath doone in this life And like as S. Ambrose maketh mention of three sorts of iustice to bee in God so S. Augustine speaketh of three speciall Augustine causes which daily mooue men to sinne against their Maker The first is saith he when we foolishlie flatter our selues in our iniquities thinke that the Almighty seeth not our sinnes The second is when wee perswade with our selues that GOD careth not for our sinnes The third is because we weigh not Gods iustice but supposing him to be onely mercifull we will therefore of purpose vvexe more and more sinful But let not my brother saith S. Bernard Bernard the subtilties of sathan so seduce thee that by too much buzzing in thy braine the greatnes of Gods mercy he thereby cause thee cleane to extinguish the remeÌ„brance thou should'st haue of thy Creators iustice Neither bee thou dravvne at any time through his inducements to tempt and abuse Ambrose the patience of the most Mighty for it is the next way to shutte thee out of the grace of saluation vtterly to disappoint thy selfe of all the mercy and fauour which the Almighty was minded to haue vsed towards thee §. 4. VVe read in the fift of S. Iohn that our Sauiour Christ hauing by the onely power of his worde miraculously made vvhole a man which had beene diseased eyght and thirty yeeres chaunced afterward to finde the same fellow in the Temple and before they parted hee gaue him this kinde and freendly admonishment to forewarne him saying * Beholde thou art made vvhole Iohn 5 8 14 sinne no more least a worse thing come vnto thee The like counsaile also in effect giueth Sirach vnto all men in the fift of his booke where he saith Because thy sinne is forgiuen Ecclê° 5 5 6. thee my sonne be not without feare to heape sinne vpon sinne neyther say vnto thy selfe The mercy of God is great he will forgiue my manifold sinnes for mercie and wrath come from him and his indignation commeth downe vpon sinners And * as his mercy is great so is his punishment Ecclê° 16 12 also for hee iudgeth a man according to his workes §. 5. Perfect as Moises saith is the vvorke of
flash and the largest date of his daies to no longer abiding then a bauens blaze And with good consideration also dyd that Wiseman silently make aunswere who beeing demaunded what he thought of the life of man Suddainly turned himselfe about before them that asked the question Solon and presently departed out of their sight Giuing them thereby to vnderstand that our life is no more but onely a turne about and of short continuance §. 5. Short is Mans life saith Aurelius and Mar. Aur. vpon very short and suddaine vvarning we are commaunded to leaue the Worlde to close our eyes and to follow the common course of death Yea assoone as thou art borne to possesse the earth incontinent Death issueth Basill out of his Sepulcher to finde thee and although thou art vncertaine and knovvest neyther when nor where he will meet thee yet must thou remember that alwayes and in euery place he seeketh for thee And when thy last howre is come necessitie Polion carrieth thee hence though thou bee neuer so much vnwilling to depart For Death is a thing that cannot bee Pythagoras eschewed and therfore it ought of all men the lesse to be feared §. 6. VVhat man liuing in this vvorld saith Thales Thales can eyther by his power or policie preuent the suddaine stroake of death or vvho can assure himselfe of so much certaintie as to performe tomorrow what he left vndone to day For man hath no assurance of his owne life but liues vncertaine of his last howre finding nothing in this world that he may boldly leane or trust vnto Hee vvanders alwayes vp and downe Socrates among most vncertaine and doubtfull chaunces onely comforting his mind with hope but neuer knowing certainlie vvhat shall befall him or howe when or where he shall leaue his carkasse When hee goeth out of his house hee is Seneca not sure to returne into the same againe and when he entereth into his house hee is asmuch vncertaine to goe foorth againe Likewise when he sitteth downe to meate he knoweth not that he shal rise vp againe and lying down in his bed at night he cannot promise to come safe from thence the next morning But this thing onely of all other in the Demonax world is most certaine to man that death is common to all though to some one way and to some another §. 7. Lastly if we well weigh with our selues how fraile short and vncertaine the life of man is we shall finde small cause to blame Zerxes that great King of Persia for weeping wheÌ„ from the toppe of an high Hill hee behelde his whole Army and fell into this remembrance with himselfe that within fewe yeeres following there should not one man among so many thousands in that huge company be left aliue With as little reason also may vvee reproue Thales the Philosopher for saying The life of man is no more but euen as it were the shooting of a starre that passeth at a trice and is quickly gone out of sight and within a little vvhile after the verie signe thereof which was left behind vanisheth out of sight also So fareth it vvith man For within few daies after he is dead the very remembrance of him dyeth with his life though the party in this worlde were neuer so great and honourable Besides this is very certaine that there is Salust nothing in this tottering world among meÌ„ perpetuall nor any thing firme stable but all thinges passe repasse continually like vnto the ebbing flowing of the Sea And all things at the last haue an end by Mar. Aur. Death saue onely Death himselfe whose end is vnknowne For black vglie Death maketh al things Augustine subiect to the rigour of his Law And as there is nothing among men â—laeto more certaine then death so is there nothing more vncertaine to man then the howre of his death ¶ Of the many miseries happening to Man in this life §. 1. GReat trauaile saith Sirach is created Ecclus 40 1 2 3 4. for all men and an heauy yoake vppon the sonnes of Adam from the day that they goe out of theyr Mothers vvombe till the day that they be buried in the earth the common Mother of all things Namely theyr thoughts and theyr feare of hart theyr imagination of the thinges they waite for and the day of theyr death Euen from him that sitteth vpon the glorious throne vnto him that is lowest the most simple vpon earth From him that is gorgiously arrayed and weareth a Crowne Ecclus 40. 5 6 7 8 c. euen vnto him that is but homly porelie clothed there is nothing but wrath enuie trouble vnquietnesse and feare of death with rigorous anger and strife Also in the time of night vvhen Man should take his rest vpon his bed the sleep changeth his vnderstanding and knovvledge so that little or nothing is mans rest in his sleepe as well as in the day of his labour For hee feareth and is disquieted in the vision of his hart like vnto one that runneth out of a battaile And when all is past he awaketh out of his sleepe and meruaileth that the feare was nothing Such things as these happen vnto all flesh both man and beast but seuen times more vnto the vngodly And this also is the state or condition of Mans life sette downe by the holy Ghost himselfe in the booke of Iob That while Iob. 14 22. man liueth he shall be sorrowfull and so long as his soule is in him it shal mourne Onely the Sunne the Moone the starres Marlorate the Sea the Land are pleasant because they are by nature beautifull but all other thinges are doubtfull and greeuous And Man aboue them all for if any good thing happen vnto him hee feeleth vndoubtedly there-withall somâ— inward sorrowe and discontentment Yea the whole life of man is of it selfe a Menander most greeuous thing ful fraught with miserie and continually accompanied vvith innumerable cares and griefes So that it is counted no better thing but Plato euen a miserable fetter which chayneth the pure and euerlasting soule to the vile sinfull and corruptible body §. 2. Certainly saith Hermes God hath so Hermes ordained for man-kinde that vvee should liue in care For wee see by often experience that among all things liuing moouing vpon earth none is more miserable or wretched then Man All manner of beastes are during thys Menander life farre more happy wiser then man For behold the Asse of beasts no doubt a most simple and miserable creature yet hath hee no harme through his owne default saue what doth hap to him by nature But wee besides our naturall euils dailie procure vnto our selues many other For vvee are angry for euery little misfortune displeased at euery euill worde amazed at euery strange chaunce and afraid of euerie shadowe Yet is there none either so great
that he was not able to performe it But afterwards GOD through his great loue and mercy sent his onely Sonne Christ into the vvorld both to fulfill the Lawe and also to offer grace vnto man vvhich remained as it were vppon a scaffold where hee saw nothing but death ready to deuoure him Christ came also at such time as learning did most florish when the greatest Empire Augustine was in the cheefest pride to the ende that all worldly wisedome should acknowledge it selfe to be foolishnes all power weakenesse before him Yet came he not to bee serued but to Mar. 10 45 serue to giue his owne life for the raunsome of many Hee came likewise not to destroy the Math 5 17 Law or the Prophets but to fulfil them Neither came hee to destroy mens liues Luke 9 5. but to saue them For God sent not his Son into the world Iohn 3 17 that he should condemne the worlde but that the world throgh him might be saued And this is a true saying by al meanes 1 Tim 1 15 woorthy to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the vvorld to saue sinners §. 3. It was a matter greatly standing with the Ierome iustice of God saith S. Ierome that Christ should come into the vvorld and become man for vs because that in the same nature whereby GOD was offended in the same nature likewise shoulde satis-faction bee made sinne was committed in mans nature and therefore it was necessarie that Christ should come in mans nature to appease the wrath of God for sinne And forasmuch also as by the right of Chrisostome creation euery man is bound in conscience to fulfill euen the very rigour and extremitie of the mortall Law but man beeing fallen from his first estate was no way able to obserue it therefore it was requisite that Christ should come become man that in mans nature hee might fulfill all righteousnes which the Law doth exact §. 4. Christ came into the world saith Becon Becon both true God true man God of God his Father from before the beginning of all time and man of vs borne of the kindred of Abraham Dauid according to Gods promise Yea true and naturall man made of our fleshe and of our blood this alone excepted that we receiued our nature with sinne and in sin by naturall coniunction but Christ receiued his humanitie of his Mother Mary the blessed Virgine without sinne without the company of any man onely by the operation of the holie Ghost For by the salutation of an Angell the Gregory Worde entred the vvombe and straight the Worde in the wombe became flesh And the same Worde beeing made flesh Iohn 1 14 dwelt among vs and wee sawe the glorie thereof as the glory of the onely begotten Sonne of the Father full of grace and truth §. 5. Furthermore it greatly behooued saith Caluine Caluine that the sonne of God should become for vs Emanuell that is God with vs that in this sort that by naturall ioyning his God-head and nature of man might grow into one together otherwise neither could the neerenesse be neere enough nor alliance strong enough for vs to hope by that God dwelleth vvith vs So great vvas the disagreement betweene our filthines the most pure cleanenes of God And although man had stoode vndefiled without any spotte yet vvas his estate too base to attaine vnto GOD without a Mediatour Besides it was no meane thing that the Caluine Mediatour had to doe for it was so to restore vs into the fauour of God as to make vs of the children of men the chyldren of God of the heires of hell the heires of the kingdome of heauen And who could do this vnlesse the sonne of God were made also the sonne of man so take ours vppon him to conceiue his into vs and to make that ours by grace which was his by nature Therefore it was for the same cause verie Caluine profitable that hee which shoulde be our Mediatour and Redeemer should be both very God and very man It was his office to swallow vp death who could doe that but Life it selfe It was his office to ouercome sinne who could do that but Righteousnes it selfe It was his office to vanquish the powers of the worlde and of the ayre who could doe that but a Power aboue both world and ayre Now in whose possession is life or righteousnes or the Empire and power of heauen Caluine but in Gods alone Therfore the most mercifull God in the person of his onelie begotten sonne made himselfe our Mediatour and Redeemer when his will vvas to haue redeemed And forasmuch therfore as neither being onely God he could feele death nor being onely man he could ouercome death hee coupled the nature of man with the nature of GOD that hee might yeelde the one subiect to death to satisfie for sinnes and by the power of the other hee might wrastle with Death and get the victory for vs. § 6. Christ came from heauen saith Gregorie Gregory into a vvomans wombe from a vvomans wombe into a Cratch or Manger from the manger to the Crosse from the Crosse to the graue from the graue he went to heauen againe Yea hee by his incarnation came downe Ambrose from heauen to vs that wee beeing made partakers of his grace might ascend vp into heauen by him And for this purpose appeared the Son 1 Iohn 3 8. of GOD that he might loose the works of the deuill Which are * Fulgentius sinne death and hell He came also that we might haue life Iohn 10 10 and that we might haue it in aboundance Finally hee came into the vvorlde to Luke 19 10 seeke and saue that which was lost And not to call the righteous but sinners Math 9 13. to repentance §. 7. Moreouer vvee knowe saith S. Iohn 1 Iohn 5 20 that the sonne of God is come hath giuen vs a mind to know him which is true and vvee are in him that is true that is in his Sonne Iesus Christ this same is verie God and euerlasting life Yea hee is come a light into the world Iohn 12 46 that who soeuer beleeueth in him shoulde not abide in darknesse Hee hath also appeared that he might 1 Iohn 3 5. take avvay our sinnes and in him is no sinne Euery spirite therefore which confesseth 1 Ioh 4 2 3 that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God And euery spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God ¶ Of the Passion Death Buriall Resurrection and Ascention of our Sauiour Christ. §. 1. AFter that S. Peter had fully aunswered the demaund of his Maister by Math 16 16 20. cōfessing him to be Christ the sonne of the liuing God our Sauiour presently charged him and the rest of
man of Cyrene named Simon him they compelled verse 32 to beare his Crosse And they brought him to a place named Mar 15 22. Golgotha which is by interpretation the place of Dead-mens skuls * There they Iohn 19 18. crucified him and two other with him on either side one and Iesus in the midst This was done about the sixt howre and Luke 23 44 there was darknes ouer all the Lande vntill the ninth houre The Sunne was darkned and the vaile verse 45 46 of the Temple rent through the midst And Iesus cryed with a loude voyce and sayd Father into thine hands I commend my spirit And when he thus had sayd hee gaue vp the Ghost §. 9. Thus suffered our Sauiour according to his owne fore-telling many wrongs iniuries reproches of his enemies for our sakes And in the end after all his vvhyppings buffettings mockings and reuilings hee was * deliuered to death vpon Rom 4. 25. the Crosse for our sinnes Yea hee was deliuered to death by the Acts 2 23 determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God Otherwise it had not been in the power of his enemies to depriue him of life For no man could take his life from him but he layd it downe of himselfe For he being Iohn 10 18. both God and man had power to lay downe his life power to take it again Yet forasmuch as he came downe from heauen not to doe his owne will but the * will of God which sent him hee therefore Ioh 6 38 vvillinglie gaue * himselfe for our sinnes that hee might deliuer vs from this Gala 1 4. present euill world according to the will of God euen our Father And that by his suffering hee might Ierome make an excellent and merritorious satisfaction vnto his Father for mans iniquity For to this end especially was the passion Chrisostome of our Sauiour Christ that GOD might thereby bring to passe a worke in which he might more fully manifest both his iustice and mercy then hee did in the Creation namely the reconciliation betweene himselfe and man through the suffering of his onely sonne for sinne So that the Passion of Christ being considered Augustine as a bare passion ministers no comfort vnto vs but all our ioy standeth in this that by fayth we apprehend it as a full satis-faction meanes or agreement made vnto God for our iniquities And confesse withall that as the principall Augustine cause thereof was the price of mans Redemption so it was done by the decree and prouidence of God §. 10. After our Sauiour had thus fully suffered for our offences there came a rich man of Math 27 57 58 59 60. Arimathea named Ioseph who had also himselfe beene Iesus disciple hee went to Pilate and requested the body of Iesus And Pilate * after hee vnderstoode that Mar. 15 45. Iesus was dead commaunded the body to be giuen him So Ioseph tooke it wrapped it in a cleane linnen cloth and put it in his new Tombe which he had hewne out in a Rocke wherin before that time was Ioh 19 41 42 * neuer any man layd There then did he and Nicodemus helping him lay the bodie of Iesus And when they had doone Math. 27. 60 they rolled a great stone to the doore of the Sepulcher and departed At this time also there were certaine women Math 27 55 56 which had followed Iesus from Galile ministring vnto him among vvhom was Mary Magdalen and Mary the mother of Iames and Ioses and the mother of Zebedeus sonnes These beheld the Sepulcher Luke 23. 55 56. and sawe howe the body of Iesus was layd And they returned and prepared odours and sweet oyntments but rested the Saboth day according to the commaundement §. 11. On the morrow after the Saboth beeing Luke 24 1 2 3 the first day of the weeke these foresaid women came early in the morning vnto the Sepulcher bringing with them the odours which they had prepared And perceiuing the stone to bee rolled away frō the doore thereof they went in but found not the body of the Lord Iesus And it came to passe that vvhilst they verse 4. 5. 6 7 8. were amazed thereat two men suddainlie stoode by them in shining vestures And as they trembled and durst not looke vp the men said vnto them Why seek ye him that liueth among the deade Hee is not heere but is risen Remember howe hee spake vnto you while hee was yet in Galilee saying The sonne of man must be deliuered into the hands of sinfull men be crucified the third day rise againe And they remembred the vvordes of verse 9 10. Christ and returned from the Sepulcher and tolde all these thinges vnto the eleuen and to all the remnant c. The same day also Iesus himselfe Mark 16 9 10. 11 12 that hee might make manifest his Resurrection to such as loued him appeared first to Mary Magdalen out of whom hee had cast seauen deuils And at another time after that he appeared vnto two of his disciples as they went into the Country And they went and tolde these thinges vnto the Apostles and the rest of his disciples but they beleeued it not After this hee appeared also vnto the Mark 16. 14 eleuen as they sate together and reproued them for their vnbeleefe and hardnesse of hart because they beleeued not thē which had seene him being risen vp againe And further to confirme them in an vndoubted beleefe of his most certaine Resurrection and to assure them by plaine proofes that he was truly their Lorde and maister Christ which appeared vnto them and no deceitfull or deluding Spirit as Luke 24 37 38 39. 40. they at the first sight supposed him to be he first shewed vnto them his hands his feete and then commaunded them to handle and feele his body and to beholde his flesh and bones * Afterwardes he asked verse 41. 42 43 c. them for meat did eate the same in their presence Hee also opened their vnderstanding and expounded the Scriptures vnto them saying Thus it is written and thus it behoued Christ to suffer and to rise againe frō the dead the third day and that repentance remission of sinnes should be preached in his Name among all Nations beginning at Ierusalem c. Afterward he led them * forth into Bethania Luke 24 50 lift vp his hands blessed them And when hee had sundry times presented himselfe aliue vnto them after that he had suffered and sufficiently prooued his resurrection * by many infallible tokens Acts 1 3 4. 5. beeing seene of them by the space of fortie dayes speaking of those things which appertaine to the kingdome of God hee then gathered them together and commaunded them that they shoulde not depart frō Ierusalem but waite for the promise of the Father which said he ye haue hearde of
mee Namely the comming of * the holy Ghost c. Iohn 14 26 §. 12. And when Iesus had spoken these things vnto his Apostles to the intent they might as well be eye-witnesses of his Ascention as records to the worlde of his Resurrection while * they beheld he was taken vp Acts. 1. 9. for a clowde tooke him out of their sight And for further suretie hereof then the bare sight of their eyes onely though that alone were of it selfe aboue all other most sufficient they heard with theyr eares the very same thing which they saw with theyr eyes further affirmed vnto them by tvvo heauenly witnesses for while they looked stedfastly after him towards heauen as hee went * behold two men stoode by thē in Acts 1 10. 11. white apparrell which also said Yee men of Galilee why stand yee gazing into heauen This Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shall so come as yee haue seene him goe into heauen Thus much onely to prooue according to the Scriptures the Passion Death Buriall Resurrection and Ascention of our Sauiour Christ VVhom * the Heauen Acts 3 21. must containe vntil the time that all things be restored vvhich GOD hath spoken by the mouth of all his holie Prophets since the vvorld began ¶ Of the seuerall benefites which wee haue by the Death Resurrection and Ascention of our Sauiour Christ. §. 1. AS by diuers places in the Booke of GOD we finde it manifestly affirmed that there is only but one God which alone by his owne almightie power hath made Heauen and Earth the Sea all that in them is So from the selfe same sacred Scriptures it may plainlie bee proued by the speech of the Apostle that there is onely but one Mediatour betweene God and man namely the man 1 Tim. 2. 5. 6. * Christ Iesus who gaue himselfe a raunsome for all men to be a testimonie in due time Hee alone died for our sinnes according 1 Cor. 15 3 4. to the Scriptures and he was buried and rose againe the third day according to the Scriptures Yea hee died for all that they vvhich 2 Cor 5 15 liue should not henceforth liue vnto themselues but vnto him which died for them and rose againe §. 2. Christ that he might kill death saith S. Augustine Augustine was clothed with death for death coulde not die but in life euen as that which is sower bitter dieth not but in that which is pleasant and sweet And as Elizeus made the yron to swim Cyrill which naturally sinketh so Christ by his death brought vs backe from the gates of hell which deseruedly we should haue entered Hee also by his owne death hath destroyed Heb. 2 14 15. him that had the power of death that is to say the deuil and hath deliuered all them which for feare of death remained all their life time subdued vnto bondage Yea he by his comming hath abolished 2 Tim 1 10 or put away death and brought life and immortalitie vnto light through the Gospell §. 3. O Death where is thy sting saith the 1 Cor 15 55 56 57 Apostle ô graue vvhere is thy victorie the sting of Death is sinne the strength of sinne is the Lawe but thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ For hee onely deliuereth vs from the 1 Thes 1 10. wrath of God to come And to him also giue all the Prophets Acts 10 43. witnesse that through his Name all that beleeue in him should receiue the forgiuenesse of theyr sinnes §. 4. VVee were not redeemed as S. Peter 1 Pet 1 18 19 20. affirmeth with corruptible things as Siluer and Gold from our vaine conuersation which we receiued by the traditions of the Fathers but with the precious bloode of Christ as a Lambe vndefiled and without spot which was ordained before the foundation of the world but was declared in the last times c. VVho his owne selfe bare our sinnes in 1 Pet 2 24 his bodie on the tree that we being deliuered from sinne shoulde liue in righteousnesse by whose stripes we were healed For hee hath taken on him our infirmities Esay 53 4. and borne our paines He was wounded for our transgressions Esay 53 5 hee was broken for our iniquities The chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are made whole All wee like sheepe haue gone astray verse 6 we haue turned euery one to his own way and the Lord hath layde vpon him the iniquitie of vs all Yea God hath made him which knewe 2. Cor. 5 21. no sinne to be sinne for vs that we should be made the righteousnesse of GOD in him And those things which GOD before Acts 3 18 had shewed by the mouth of all his Prophets that Christ shoulde suffer the same hath hee fulfilled Yet was his death voluntary and not of Augustine constraint §. 5. Mankind laboureth in this world saith Bernard S. Bernard of a three-folde disease his birth his life his death The first vncleane the second sinfull the third dangerous but Christ by his cōming brought vnto vs three remedies Hee vvas borne hee liued he died His birth refined ours his life instructed ours his death ouercame ours And as a strong corrasiue layd to a sore Ierome eateth away all the rotten and dead fleshe so Christes death beeing applyed to the hart of a penitent sinner by fayth weakens consumes that corruption of sin which cleaueth so fast vnto our natures dwelleth within vs. §. 6. It was very needfull saith S. Augustine Augustine that Christ the sonne of God should both become man die for vs for two causes First to satisfie Gods iustice Secondly that hee might fulfill the truth of Gods VVord vvhich had saide That man eating the forbidden fruite shoulde die the death For surely if the sonne of God had not Beza come into the worlde in our nature sinne onely excepted and died vpon the Crosse to appease the wrath of God for mans offences wee should yet remaine subiect to eternall death and damnation But he hath loued vs hath giuen himselfe Ephe 5. 2 for vs to be an offering a sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauour vnto God Yea hee hath loued vs and washed vs Reue. 1 5. from our sinnes in his owne blood Hee also hath redeemed vs from the Gala 3 13. curse of the Law whē he was made a curse for vs. And hee likewise beeing rich for our 2. Cor 8. 9. sakes became poore that wee through his pouertie might be made rich §. 7. Christ saith S. Peter hath once suffered 1 Pet 3 18. for sinnes the iust for the vniust that he might bring vs to God and was put to death cōcerning the flesh but was quickned in the Spirit Yea euen when Christ suffered death Epiphanius
in his flesh vpon the Crosse the God-head and manhood vvere still together but his Godhead did not suffer that we might be iustified not onely in his flesh but also in his Diuinitie and that we might be saued both in his God-heade and manhood together For we could neuer haue beene deliuered Augustine by that one onely Mediatour between God and men the man Christ Iesus vnlesse he had beene also God The benefites which we dâ—ily receiue by Ambrose his death are foure The first is the change of our naturall death The second is in that he hath quite taken away the second death from those that are in him The third is that his death is a meanes to satisfie his last will and Testament The fourth is that it doth serue to abolish the originall corruption of our sinfull harts The meanes also of our saluation by him Augustine are two his Merrite his Efficacie The first is in that by his obedience to the Law and by his death he made full satis-faction vnto his Father for all our sinnes freed vs from death and reconciled vs vnto God The second is in that he gaue his Spirit to mortifie the corruption of our natures that we thereby may daily die vnto sin and liue vnto righteousnes haue true comfort in terrors of conscience and in the pangs of death Beleeuing assuredly that what-so-euer Caluine Christ hath suffered hee hath suffered for vs and that all his righteousnes through fayth is made our righteousnesse For hee himselfe alone hath fully discharged by his death the debt which all vvee owed and hath made vs by his obedience the sonnes of God fellow heires with him of euerlasting glory For hee hath put out the hand-vvriting Colos 2 14 15. that was against vs contained in the Lawe written which was contrary to vs he euen tooke it out of the way fastned it vpoÌ„ the crosse hath spoiled the Principalities Powers hath made a shew of theÌ„ openly triumphing ouer theÌ„ in the same crosse §. 8. The Lawe saith S. Iohn was giuen by Iohn 1. 17. Moises but Grace and Truth came by Iesus Christ For God sending his owne sonne in the Rom 8 3 similitude of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Lawe might be fulfilled in vs which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit And wee through the spirit waite for Gala 5 5 the hope of righteousnes through faith Be it knowne vnto you therefore men Acts 13 38 39 brethren that through this man Christ is preached vnto vs the forgiuenesse of sinnes from all things from which we could not be iustified by the Law of Moises by him euery one that beleeueth is iustified For the Lawe made nothing perfit but Heb 7 19. the bringing in of a better hope made perfect whereby we draw neere vnto God And albeit that we in time past beeing Ephe. 2. 11. 12. 13. Gentiles and vncircumcised people in the flesh were indeede without Christ and were aliants from the common-wealth of Israell and strangers from the couenaunts of promise and had no hope and were without God in the world yet nowe by the meanes of Christ Iesus we which once were farre off are made neere by the blood of Christ For hee being our peace hath made of Ephe 2. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. both one and hath broken down the stop of the particion Wall that was betweene the Iewes and vs in abrogating through his flesh the hatred namely the Lawe of Commaundements which standeth in ordinances for to make of twaine one nevv man in himselfe so making peace And that he might reconcile both vnto God in one body thorow his Crosse and sley hatred thereby he came preached peace both to vs vvhich were a farre off and to them also that were neere For through him vvee both haue an entrance vnto the Father by one spirit And GOD vvhich is rich in mercie through his great loue wherewith he loued Ephe 2 â— 5 6 7. vs euen wheÌ„ we were dead by sinnes hath quickned vs both Iewes and Gentiles together in Christ by whose grace we are saued and hath raised vs vp together and made vs sitte together in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus That he might shew in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace through his kindnes towards vs in Christ Iesus Not by the vvorkes of righteousnesse Titus 3 5 6 7. which we had doone but according to his mercie hee saued vs by the washing of the newe birth and the renewing of the holie Ghost which he shed on vs aboundantlie through Iesus Christ our Sauiour that we beeing iustified by his grace shoulde bee made heires according to the hope of eternall life For God so loued the vvorlde that hee Ioh 3 16. hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shoulde not perrish but haue euerlasting life And heerein was the loue of God made 1. Ioh 4 9. manifest amongst vs in that hee sent his onely begotten sonne into the world that we might liue through him Yea heerein is loue not that wee loued 1 Ioh. 4. 10. GOD but that he loued vs and sent his Son to be a reconcilâ—ation for our sinnes For Christ vvhen we vvere yet of no Rom 5 6 strength at his time died for the vngodly And hee beeing very God equall vvith Philip. 2. 6 7 8. the Father in power and glory made himselfe notwithstanding of no reputation taking on him the forme of a seruaunt and was made like vnto men and was found in shape as a man Hee humbled himselfe became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse That hee might heâ—eby deliuer vs from the wrath of God and from the danger of Becon eternall damnation whereunto through our Father Adams transgression vvee all remained subiect Likevvise then as by the sinne of one Rom 5 18. namely Adam there sprang vp euill on all men to condemnation euen so by the righteousnesse of one namely Christ â—pringeth good vpon all men to the righteousnes of life For as by one mans disobedience many verse 19 were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many also be made righteous §. 1. CHrist saith the Apostle is risen from 1 Cor. 15. 20. the dead was made the first fruites of them that slept For since by man came death by man verse 21 22 came also the resurrection of the dead and â—â— in Adam all die euen so in Christ shall 〈◊〉 be made aliue Yea Christ himselfe and no other for him did by his owne power raise himselfe Augustine to life Which proueth that hee was not onely man but also true God VVherefore if he were able to giue lyfe Ierome vnto himselfe beeing deade and buried then much more now beeing aliue and in
heauen glorified hee is able by his owne power to raise vp all those that be his members from death For his Resurrection euen vnto the dead Bernard is life to the Saints glory and to sinners mercie And like as when a man is cast into the Chrisostome Sea hauing all his body vnder the vvater and that there is nothing to be looked for but present death yet if hee carry his head aboue the water theâ—e is good hope of his recouerie so Christ himselfe though hee were dead and buried in the graue is risen againe as a sure pledge that all the iust shal likewise rise againe For hee is the headâ— vnto his Church and therefore all his members must needes follow him in theyâ— time §. 2. The resurrection of our Sauiour Christ Augustine saith S. Augustine vvâ—s long since preâ—â—gured in our first Father Adaâ— For as he rising from his sleepe did know Eue to â—e flesh of his flesh so Christ rising from â—is death by the wound of his side acknovvledged his Church And his resurrection is sufficiently â—uailable Augustine for all them that beleeue in him for by the same power whereby he raised himselfe he raiseth all his members and therefore he is called a quickning Spirit Besides it was most needfull that Christ Ambrose our Sauiour shoulde rise againe after his death for these three causes following First that he might thereby shewe to all the people of God that he had fully ouercome death Secondly Christ vvhich died vvas the sonne of GOD therefore the Authour of life it selfe and for this cause it was neyther meete nor possible for him to be holden of death but needes he must rise from death Thirdly Christ his Priest-hood consisteth of two parts one to make satisâ—faction for sinne which he perâ—â—â—ted by his one onely sacrifice vpon the Crosse the other to apply through the secrete working of his holy Spirite the vertue of this sacrifice to euery one that beleeueth in him vvhich could not be vnlesse hee had risen againe from the dead §. 1. CHrist our Sauiour hauing once offered himselfe a sufficient sacrifice vnto his Father for our sinnes sitteth as the Apostle saith for * euer at the right hand of Heb 10 12 13. God and from hence-forth tarrieth vntill his enemies be made his footestoole For vvith one offering hath hee made verse 14 perfit for euer them that are sanctified Yea be is now at the right hand of God 1 Pet 3 22 gone into heauen and to him the Angels powers and might are subdued Also when hee ascended vp on hiâ— hee Ephe 4 8 ledde captiuitie captiue gaue gifts vnto men Hee gaue some to be Apostles some to Ephe 4 11 12 13. be Prophets some to be Eâ—angelists and some to be Pastours and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the Ministerie and for the edification of the body of Christ till vvee all meete together in the vnitie of fayth and knowledge of the sonne of GOD vnto a perfit man §. 2. Christ saith S. Ierome is ascended into Ierome heauen and sitteth at the right hand of the Father the same nature of flesh wherein he was borne suffered and rose againe remaining still For the substance of his humaine nature vvas not done avvay but glorified Wherefore vvee must beleeue that although Cyrill Christ be absent from vs as concerning his body yet by his diuine power he gouerneth vs and all things and is euermore present with all the faithfull according as himselfe hath promised euen * vntill Math. 28. 20 the end of the world For like as when he was conuersant here Cyrill on earth as man yet then he filled heauen and did not leaue the company of Angels euen so beeing nowe in heauen with his flesh yet he filleth the earth and dwelleth in all them that loue him So that he is with vs not with vs for Virgilius those whom he left and went from as concerning his humanitie those he left not nor forsooke them not as touching his diuinitie For as touching the forme of a seruaunt which hee tooke away from vs into heauen he is absent from vs but by the forme of God which goeth not from vs he is alwayes present with vs in earth And neuerthelesse both present and absent he is all one Christ §. 3. Christ by his ascention saith S. Augustine Augustine hath like a noble Captaine taken sinne and â—athan prisoners and hath pinioned theÌ„ fast so that all the power which they heeretofore had is nowe in Christes hand And this benefite likewise comes vnto Augustine vs by his ascention that he is ascended not onely to rest personally in heauen himselfe but also to prepare a place of endlesse felicitie for as many as shall beleeue in him And that hee might the better by his ascention Ambrose take away al excuses froÌ„ them that will not seeke his king dome hee hath seâ—â—e markes and boundes in the way and hath placed guides in it namely his Ministers to shew all passengers a straight and ready course vnto the kingdome of God Nay more euen with his owne bloode Ierome hee hath vouchsafed to trayne the way for vs to the kingdome of heauen and hath there made a perpetuall purchase for vs requiring nothing of vs but that we would come to possesse the place which he hath already payd for §. 4. VVee reade saith S. Bernard that no Bernard man ascendeth vp to heauen but hee that came downe from heauen What shall we doe then shall we despaire Nay rather by this saith hee our hope is made stronger for although Christ onely ascend yet rest we fully assured that euery part of him goeth with him for a bone of him shall not be broken and the heade in Gods kingdom is not found without the members Thou therefore which fearest death remember Ierome that Christ is gone into heauen to prepare a place for thy bodieâ— vvhere it must be glorified and liue for euer vvith the blessed Trinitie all the holy Saints and beautifull Angels though for a while it lie dead â—ot in the earth For as sure as Christ our Captaine is ascended Beza into heauen in mans nature so certainly shall all we that are his members by his almightie power be likewise receiued into heauen in the same nature wherein he is ascended §. 5. What shall wee then say to these things Rom. 8 31 32. If GOD be on our side vvho can be against vs Who spared not his own sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Who shall lay any thing to the charge of verse 33. 34 Gods chosen It is GOD that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ vvhich is dead yea or rather vvhich is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God
of things which did appeare For God in the beginning by the onely Lactantius power of his Word made all things of nothing and he likewise by the power of his Worde alone is able to destroy all thinges againe when it pleaseth him §. 3. From fayth if it be perfect and liuelie Euagoras vve come to feare from feare to flying of sinne and by flying of sinne vvee attaine vnto a patient minde to suffer tribulation by the which we obtaine sure hope trust in GOD through the which hope our soules sitte safe in a sure chayre of a certaine expectation of that glory which is layd vp in store for vs in the kingdom of heauen For * 2 Cor 5 7 we walke by fayth and not by sight And by it our fore-fathers were well reported Heb. 11. 2 of §. 4. By fayth Abraham when he was called Heb 11 8. obeyed God to goe out into a place which hee should afterward receiue for inheritance and he went out of his owne countrey not knowing whether he went Through fayth also Sara the wife of Abraham Heb 11 11. receiued strength to conceiue seede and was deliuered of a childe when she was past age because shee iudged him faithfull which had promised By fayth Moises when hee was come to Heb. 11 24. 25. age refused to be called the sonne of Pharaos Daughter and chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinnes for a season Esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater verse 26. riches then the treasures of Egipt for hee had respect vnto the recompence of the reward By fayth the woman of Cananee after Math. 15 22 23. 24. c. three repulses giuen her from our Sauiour Christ himselfe receiued helpe for her daughter which was misterably vexed with an vncleane spirit By fayth Saint Peter confessed his Lord Math 16 16 and Maister Iesus to be Christ the sonne of the liuing God And who-soeuer else hauing in him Math 16 18 the Spirit of God shall confidently make such like confession of his fayth when he is demaunded as S. Peter made our Sauiour giueth him this assurance that the gates of hell shall not be able to preuaile against it Wherfore if thou shalt confesse with thy Rom 10 9 mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beleeue in thy hart that God raised him vp from the dead thou shalt be saued For with the hart man beleeueth vnto verse 10. righteousnes and with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation §. 5. VVho is it that ouercoÌ„meth the world 1 Iohn 5 5 saith S. Iohn but he which beleeueth that Iesus is the sonne of God For whosoeuer confesseth that Iesus is 1 Ioh 4 15 the sonne of GOD he dwelleth in God and God in him Yea who-soeuer beleeueth that Iesus is 1 Ioh 5 1 the Christ is borne of God And all that is borne of God ouercommeth 1 Iohn 5 4 the vvorld the victory that ouercommeth the world is our fayth And * the ende of our fayth is the saluation 1. Pâ—t 1 9 of our soules §. 6. Verily verily saith Christ he that beleeueth Iohn 6 46 in mee hath euerlasting life And this is the vvill of him that sent Iohn 6. 42 mee that euery man which seeth the Son and beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day Nowe although euery man cannot with Iohn 20 29 his bodily eyes as S. Thomas did first see Christ and afterward beleeue yet are all men euen by the mouth of Truth pronounced blessed which haue not so seene him and yet haue beleeued §. 7. VVee read in S. Iohn that when Martha Iohn 11 39 40. seemed doubtful that Christ could not call againe her brother Lazarus to life because he had beene foure dayes dead and buried in his graue our sauiour thus gently reproued her saying Saide I not vnto thee that if thou diddest beleeue thou shouldest see the glorie of God Also vvhen certaine friendes of Iairus came vnto him willing him to forbeare to Mark 5 35 36 trouble Christ any further for the health of his daughter seeing shee was already dead Our Sauiour notwithstanding thus comforted the discomforted father saying Be not afrayd onely beleeue For if thou canst beleeue all things are Mark 9 23. possible to him that beleeueth Expressing vnto vs by these speeches both the great power of God wonderfull force of fayth §. 8. VVee reade furthermore in the Acts of the Apostles that vvhen Paule and Silas Acts 16 22 23 24 25 were whypped imprisoned at Philippi a cheefe Citty in Macidonia for theyr testimony of Iesus at midnight they prayed and sung Psalmes vnto God and suddainely there was a great Earth-quake so that the whole foundation of the prison was shaken and by and by all the doores opened and euery mans bands vvere loosed Then the Keeper of the prison vvaked verse 27 28. out of his sleepe and when he saw the prison doores open hee drewe out his sword and would haue killed himselfe supposing that the prisoners had beene fled But Paule cryed out with a loude voyce vnto him saying Doe thy selfe no harme for vvee are all heere Then called he for a light leaped in verse 29 30. and came trembling fell downe before Paule Silas and brought them out and said Sirs what must I do to be saued To which demaunde of his they made verse 31 no other aunswere but onely this Beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued and thine houshold Our Sauiour Christ beeing likewise demaunded by certaine Iewes which heard him teach what they might doe to worke Iohn 6 28 29. the workes of God or the works which might be acceptable vnto God This is the worke of God quoth he that yee beleeue in him whom hee hath sent For except yee beleeue that I am hee Iohn 8 24 namely the Christ the Sonne of GOD which according to the saying of the scripture shoulde come into the vvorld to redeeme both you and all man-kinde from death and hell you shall die in your sinnes Search therefore the Scriptures for in Iohn 5 39 them yee thinke to haue euerlasting life and they are they which testifie of mee Also while ye haue light beleeue in the Iohn 12 36 light that yee may bee the children of the light §. 9. The Father loueth the Son saith Christ Iohn 3 35 36. hath giuen all things into his hand Hee that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life hee that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Hee that beleeueth in the Sonne shall Iohn 3 18. not be condemned but hee that beleeueth not is condemned already because he beleeueth not in the Name of the onelie begotten Sonne of God §. 10. He
that beleeueth in the Sonne of God 1 Iohn 5. 10 hath the witnes of God in himselfe hee that beleeueth not God hath made him a lyer because hee beleeued not the record that God witnessed of his Sonne And this is the record that God hath verse 11 12 giuen vnto vs euerlasting life and this life is in his Sonne Hee that hath the Sonne hath life and hee that hath not the Sonne of God hath not life These thinges haue I written vnto you 1 Iohn 5. 1â— that beleeue in the Name of the Sonne of GOD that yee may know that yee haue euerlasting life and that ye may beleeue in the Name of the Sonne of God For hee that shall beleeue and be baptized Mar. 16. 16. shall be saued but he that will not beleeue shall be damned §. 11. S. Paule going about in his Epistle to the Galathians to prooue our iustification to come onely by the grace and mercie of God through fayth in Iesus Christ not by the works of the Law beginneth thus VVee * which are Iewes by nature and Gala. 2. 15. 16. not sinners of the Gentiles knowe that a man is not iustified by the vvorkes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ Euen wee I say haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that wee might be iustified by the fayth of Christ and not by the works of the Lawe because that by the works of the Lawe no flesh shall be iustified But wee beleeue to be saued through Acts 15. 11. the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ For as many as are of the workes of the Gala. 3. 10. Law are vnder the curse For it is written Cuâ—sed is euery man that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them And that no man is iustified by the lawe Gala 3 11. in the sight of God it is euident for the iust shall liue by fayth I through the Law saith he am dead to Gala 2 19. 20. the Law and that I might liue vnto God I am crucified with Christ Neuerthelesse I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in mee and in that that I nowe liue in the flesh I liue by the faith in the Son of God vvho hath loued mee and giuen himselfe for mee I do not abrogate the grace of God for verse 21. if righteousnes be by the lawe then Christ died without a cause But nowe is the righteousnes of GOD Rom 3 21 22 made manifest without the Lawe hauing witnes of the Law of the Prophets To wit the righteousnes of God by the fayth of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue For by grace we are saued through faith Ephe 2 8 9 and that not of our selues it is the gift of God Not of works least any man should boast himselfe §. 12. If Abraham saith the same Apostle Rom 4 2 3. were iustified by works he hath wherin to reioyce but not with God For what saith the Scripture Abraham beleeued God it was counted to him for righteoushes Now to him that worketh the wages is verse 4 5 not counted by fauour but by debt but to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his fayth is counted for righteousnes For * Gregory onely beleeuing is righteousnes Besides it is not vvritten for Abraham Rom 4 23 24 25. onely that it was imputed to him for righteousnes but also for vs to whom it shall be imputed for righteousnesse which beleeue in him that raised vp Iesus our Lord from the dead who was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification Knowe yee therefore that they vvhich Gala 3 7 are of fayth the same are the chyldren of Abraham For the Scripture fore-seeing that God verse 8 9. would iustifie the Gentiles through fayth preached before the Gospell vnto Abraham saying In thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham For the promise that hee should be the Rom 4 13 heire of the world was not giuen to Abraham or to his seede through the Law but through the righteousnes of fayth For if verse 14 they which are of the Law be heires faith is made voyde and the promise is made of none effect For the Law causeth wrath but vvhere verse 15. no Law is there is no transgression By the lawe also commeth the knowledge Rom 3 20. of sinne Nay I knew not sinne but by the lavve Rom. 7 7. for I had not knowne lust except the law had said Thou shalt not lust Therefore is the promise by faith that it Rom. 4 16. might come by grace and the promise might bee sure vnto all the seede not to that onely which is of the lawe but also to that which is of the faith of Abraham who is the father of vs all §. 13. Doe wee then make the lawe of none effect Rom 3 31 through fayth God forbid yea vvee rather establish the law For the doctrine of faith is the ornament Caluine of the lawe and by it wee embrace Christ who by his death hath fully satisfied the lawe So that the law which could not bring vs to saluation by reason of our owne corruption is nowe made effectuall to vs by the meanes of Christ Iesus Iâ— the lawe then against the promise of Gala 3 21 22. God God forbid For if there had been a lawe giuen which coulde haue giuen life surely righteousnes shoulde haue beene by the law But the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sin that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ shoulde be giuen to them that beleeue But before faith came we were kept vnder verse 23. the law shut vp vnto the faith which should afterward be reuealed Wherefore the lawe was our Schoolemaister verse 24 to bring vs to Christ that vvee might be made righteous by fayth But after that fayth is come we are no longer vnder a Schoole-maister for wee are all the sonnes of God by faith in Iesus Christ Not that the doctrine or any commaundement Caluine of God in the law concerning vertuous life is abolished but that all Iewish Ceremonies are nowe ceast and the curse or condemnation of the lawe which vvas due vnto vs for our sinnes is cleane taken avvay through fayth in our Redeemer Christ Iesus Who came into the world as hath already Math 5 17. been shewed not to destroy the law or the prophets but that he might fulfil them VVee conclude therefore that a man is Rom 3. 28. iâ—stisâ—â—d by faith vvithout the vvorkes of the Lawe And beeing iustifieâ—d by faith wee haue Rom 5 1 2 peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also â— vvee haue acâ—esse through fayth vnto this grace whereiâ— we stanâ—â— and reioyce vnder the hope
examples that the Saints of God yea such men as vvere most high in Gods fauour haue alwaies beene carefull to serue their Creator with feare and reuerence And without true feare and reuerence Augustine no man liuing can be righteous in the sight of God Boldly hereby may we then with Sirach Ecclê° 18 26 count him a vvise man that feareth God in all his actions And rightly with Salomon pronounce Prou. 28. 14 him blessed that standeth alwaies in dread to doe that which may offend his Maker But hee that hardneth his owne hart shall fall into euill Happy therefore is the man vnto whoÌ„ Ecclê° 25. 12. it is graunted to haue the feare of God And blessed is the soule of him that feareth Ecclê° 34. 15 the Lord. Yea blessed is euery one that feareth Psal 128. 1. the Lord and walketh in his wayes It shal goe wel with such men at the last Ecclê° 1 13. and they shall finde fauour in the day of their death For who so feareth the Lord hee shall Ecclê° 1 18 prosper and at the end of his life hee shall be blessed Yea the spirits or soules of such men Ecclê° 34 13 shall surely liue for their hope is in the Lord their God that can helpe them ¶ Of Loue. §. 1. LOue as Plotinus saith is a diuine Plotinus passion of the soule or Spirit inspiring it with a celestiall desire of heauenly things and inflaming the harâ— to God-ward through the hope vvhich iâ— conceiueth of euerlasting felicitie But like as I haue saide before of Feare that there are two sorts thereof so doe I heere certifie vnto euery one that readeth that diuers worldly men haue out of this holie roote of Loue deriued tvvo seuerall Trees Namely this diuine Loue wholelie dedicated to Pietie and an immodest affection extending it selfe to base Concupiscence vvhich they entitle by the name of Loue also This vile Loue or rather Concupiscence is as Aristotle saith the vvorst Aristotle worke of a mans Malus Genius It disturbeth the passions of the hart and maketh the sences mad It is the roote of violence furie murders and execrations and the sole confounder of all the holy actions of the soule Full fraught with this filthy lust-loue was the heart of wicked Amnon vvhen 2. Sam. 13. through his deceitfull policie he obtained meanes to abuse by violence the body of his sister Thamar But the other Loue sirnamed Charitie which is true perfect diuine and onelie sacred * is the very originall and cheefe Gregory ground of all godly actions It is the way of man to God the vvay Augustine of God to man It is heauens Embassadour to the soule Rauisius and the whole scope or fulfilling of all Gods commaundements §. 2. This Loue as the Apostle saith suffereth 1 Cor 13 4. 5 6 7. long It is bountifull It enuieth not It doth not boast it selfe It is not puffed vp It disdaineth not It seeketh not that which is her owne It is not prouoked to anger It thinketh not euill It reioyceth not in iniquitie but reioyceth in the truth It suffereth all thinges It beleeueth all things It hopeth all things It endureth all things This loue teacheth vs true vvisedome Plato namely to loue the soule more then the body not the body â—etter then the soule This loue beeing both diuine and charitable mooueth a man according to the Deut 6 5 commaundement of God in the Law to loue his Maker aboue all things and his Leuit 19. 18 neighbour as deerely as hee loueth himselfe This loue beeing a good and gracious Plotinus affect of the soule so worketh in the harts of the godly that they haue no fancie to esteeme value or ponder any thing in the wide world beside or before the care and studie how to please God For the greatest argument of godly loue Pacuuius is to loue that which God willeth and to forbeare to doe that which he hath forbidden §. 3. This loue resembleth fire which naturally Erasmus inflameth all things that it toucheth This loue teacheth vs according to the commaundement of our Sauiour Christ Math 5 44. to loue our enemies to blesse them that curse vs to do good to them that hate vs and to pray for them that hurt vs and persecute vs. Yea this loue couereth all trespasses Prou 10 12 It is strong as death Much water cannot Cant 8 6. 7 quench it neither can the floods drown it This loue maketh men to forsake sinne Chrisostome and embrace vertue This loue increaseth fayth begetteth Augustine hope and maketh vs at peace with God This loue in aduersity is patient in prosperitie Bernard temperate in passions strong in good workes quicke in temptations confident in hospitality bountifull This loue is neuer idle but alwayes labouring Ambrose to serue him whom it loueth §. 4. This loue as Pacuuius saith cannot Pacuuius stand with any worldly care or studie for the things of this life neither abideth it the coupling with any other loue It beareth no partiall affection to kindred It knoweth no difference betweene poore rich It knoweth not what meaneth mine and thine Neither can it deuide a foe from a friende For hee that truely and perfectlie loueth GOD loueth him alone nothing besides him nor with him but all thinges indifferently in him and for him By which speech it appeareth that the * right measure where-with vvee ought to Bernard loue God is to loue him entirelie without either end or measure Not in part but in whole as hee himselfe in his holy VVorde hath willed vs Leuit 6. 5. Luke 10 27 namely vvith all our heart vvith all our soule with all our minde with all our strength VVhich speech of GOD beeing by Maister Becon in a certaine Sermon of his Becon expounded hee enterpreteth the same in this manner saying To loue God with all our hart is to preferre the loue of him both aboue before all things else whatsoeuer To loue God with all our soule is to loue him discreetly To loue God with all our minde is continually to meditate vpon his commaundements And to loue him with all our strength is manfullie to suffer all kinds of aduersities with willingnesse patience for the testimonie of his truth §. 5. VVith this sacred and religious loue of man to his Maker was the hart of holie Dauid greatly enflamed as may for example be seen in sundry places of his psalmes where in zealous affection to the Lorde and his Lavv he first of all saith * One Psalm 27. 4 thing haue I desired of the Lorde the which I will still require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to beholde the beauty of the Lord and to visite his holy Temple I haue loued ô Lord saith hee the habitation Psalm 26.
offences out by repentance which hee hath coÌ„mitted and cease to renew those sinnes againe which he now is sorry for For those sinnes shall neuer be condemned Leo. in iudgement which were purged before with confession true repentance Neither is Iesus Christ any longer theyr Cassiodoruâ— Iudge but their Aduocate vvho accuse themselues by their owne confession So that confession ioyned with true contrition Augustine openeth the gates of heauen and stoppeth the mouth of hell §. 11. Satisfaction beeing the third last part Augustine of repentance is cheefely to cutte off the causes of such sinnes as in former time we haue loued not to cherrish henceforth by suggestions any entrance into them For wee doe not truly satis-fie although Gregory wee cease from iniquitie vnlesse wee persecute by opposite bewailings the euils which heere-to-fore wee haue most affected endeuour with all our might daily to with-stand all such kind of pleasures as prouoke men to sin and wickednes Wee ought also to vnderstand that in Phil. Mel. the worke of true repentance satis-faction is to be made three seuerall waies First vnto God to wit when through faith and confidence wee humbly present our selues in prayer before him and earnestly intreate his maiestie that he will vouchsafe to accept the passion and death of his Sonne Christ as a perfect full and sufficient satisfaction for all the sinnes which we haue committed Secondly satis-faction is to be made vnto the Church after Excommunication for such offences as we haue done testifying thereby both in the sight of God and man our humble submission and vnfained repentance Thirdly satisfaction ought to be made vnto our neighbour or brother if we haue any way wronged him either in vvord or deede namely thus hee must be recompensed by confessing the fault vnto him and restitution must likewise be made according to the damage we haue done him otherwise our repentance is greatly to bee suspected of hipocrisie if beeing able we make not recompence by restitution Againe in making satis-faction the reconciliation Chrisostome ought to be equall to the precedent offence and thou oughtest to bee as ready to lament as thou wast to offend And as thine intent was before to offend such also ought now thy deuotion to be in repenting For according to the greatnes of thy sinnes ought the greatnesse of thy greefe sorrowe to be and as thy delight and loue was before to those things which were euill so ought now thy hatred lothing to be against those things vvhich are euill §. 12. Vnderstanding novve by these fevve former speeches vvhat true repentance is * Let vs according to the counsell which Lament 3. 40 41. the Prophet Ieremie giueth search try our wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord. Let vs lift vp our harts with our hands vnto God in the heauens Yea let vs as Erasmus willeth returne Erasmus againe vnto the Lord our God with hartie sorrow and true repentance humbly confessing before him the faultes which vvee haue committed and earnestly desiring of him that hee vvill alvvaies heereafter so strengthen vs with his grace that wee may daily more more dutifully becom obedient to his holy will euer study to please him our whole life time following For if we acknowledge our sinnes God 1 Ioh 1 9. is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes Hee that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper Prou 28. 13 but hee that confesseth forsaketh them shall haue mercie Wherfore if the testimony of thine own Pacuuius conscience doe at any time accuse vexe or trouble thee for any euill conceiued or done confesse thy fault speedily deferre not the time dally not with God but bee earnestly repentant trust in his mercy and seeke not to hide thine iniquity from him so will he haue compassion on thee not impute sinne vnto thee Besides when thou truly repentest and askest pardon of God for thine offences Boâ—tius then cannot thy sinnes disquiet thee nor haue any power to hurt thee But vvhen thou art vnrepentant and ceaâ—est to call for mercie then thy sinnes rage ouer thee and cry dailie vnto God for vengeance against thee Also the sinne that is not foorth-with Gregory clensed and purged by repentance doth speedily draw on another with his weight Sleepe not therefore without repentance Plato for thy sinnes done and past §. 13. It behooueth a man so to liue saith Basill Basill that hee looke for death euery howre and to be alwaies in a readines for the comming of death For as God findeth thee to bee when he Gueuara calleth thee so will he iudge thee And as the tree falleth so shall it be taken Eccles 11 3. vp Trouble not thy selfe then with taking Sâ—crates thought how thou maist liue long but rather be careful to liue well and forasmuch as thou arâ— vncertaine in what place Death abideth foâ— thee be thou ready prepared in eacâ— placâ— to mâ—â—te him Let not thy â—eaâ— be layde downe to rest Isidore before thou hast considered how thou hast bestowed the day past If thou hast vvell done giue thanks to God if otherwise repent and aske him forgiuenesse Also if thou intend to doe well deferre Plato it not till to morow for thou knowest not what may chaunce vnto thee this night Neuer trust too much to time for it suddainlie Hermes deceiueth them that trust thereto Thinke not that another time vvill be Rauisius soone enough for thee to repent if thou now feele thy conscience touched with the remembrance of thy sinne For although we finde that God in many Gregory places of his holy Word hath promised pardon to the penitent yet we no where read that euer hee promised to morrowe vnto a sinner §. 14. Certainly saith Aurelius those men Mar. Aurel. doe liue very euill that are alwaies beginning to liue well forasmuch as theyr often beginnings doe make theyr liues still more and more vnperfect Well therefore saith Zenophon that to Zenophon see is a small matter but to fore-see is a token of good wit And the difference betweene a wise man Diâ—genes and a foole is this the one is prouident to preuent an euill before it come the other wisheth for remedy when it is too late As may for example more plainelie be perceiued by reading the different doings of these two men following Baltazar the king of Babel as Daniell affirmeth euen in the time of his banquetting amongst his Dan. 5. 5. 6. thousand Princes perfectly discerned the hande of a man writing vppon the plaister of his wall and was greatly for the time terrified thereby insomuch that the verie ioynts of his loynes were loosed his countenaunce changed his thoughts troubled and his knees smote one against the other for feare of Gods iudgements Yea by Daniels diuine interpretation
brought life and immortalitie vnto light through the Gospell §. 11. Deerely beloued saith S. Peter I beseech 1 Pet 2 11 you as strangers and pilgrimes abstaine froÌ„ fleshly lusts which fight against the soule And haue your conuersation honest among verse 12. the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euill dooers may by your good workes which they shall see glorifie God in the day of visitation Yea let your light so shine before men Math. 5 16. that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen §. 12. Be sober also and watch for your aduersary 1 Pet. 5 8 9. the deuill walketh about like a roaring Lyon seeking vvhom hee may deuoure whom resist stedfast in the faith Ioyne moreouer vertue with your faith 2 Pet 1 5 6 7 8 and with vertue knowledge and vvith knowledge temperance and vvith temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlines brotherly kindnes with brotherly kindnes loue For if these things be among you and abound they will make you that yee neither shall be idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ §. 13. Be yee therefore followers of God as Ephe. 5 1. 2. deere children and walke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs to be an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour vnto God But fornication and all vncleanenes or verse 3 4 couetousnes let it not bee once named â—mong you as it becommeth Saints neyther filthines neither foolish talking neyther iesting which are things not comelie but rather giuing of thanks For this yee know that no whoremonger verse 5. neither vncleane person nor couetous person which is an Idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God Wherefore be yee not vnwise but vnderstand Ephe 5 17 what the will of the Lord is And be not drunke with wine wherein Ephe. 5 18 19 20 21 is excesse but be fulfilled with the Spirit Speaking vnto your selues in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melodie to the Lord in your harts Giuing thanks alwayes for all things vnto God euen the Father in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ and submitting your selues one to another in the feare of God §. 14. Flee fornication euery sinne that a man 1 Cor 6 18. doth is without the body but he that coÌ„mitteth fornication sinneth against his own bodie And who will count him iust that sinnâ—th Ecclê° 10 30 against himselfe or honour him that dishonoureth his owne soule Know ye not that your body is the temple 1 Cor 19. 20 of the holy Ghost which is in you whoÌ„ yee haue of God ye are not your own for ye are bought for a price glorifie God therefore in your body and in your spirit for they are Gods Know yee not likewise that to whomsoeuer Rom 6 16 you giue your selues as seruaunts to obey his seruaunts yee are to whom yee obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnes Know you not also that all wee which Rom. 6. 4. haue been baptized into Iesus Christ haue been baptized into his death We are buried then vvith him by Baptizme into his death that like as Christ was raised vp froÌ„ the dead by the glory of the Father so we also should walke in newnes of life For all that are baptized into Christ Gala 3 27. haue put on Christ And if we be grafted with him to the similitude Rom. 6. 5. 6 7 of his death euen so shall we be to the similitude of his resurrection knovving this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sinne might be destroyed and hence-foorth wee should not serue sinne For hee that is dead is freed from sinne Wherefore if wee be dead with Christ Rom 6 8 9. 10. 11. wee beleeue that wee shall liue also vvith him for in that hee died hee died once to sinne but in that hee liueth hee liueth to God Likewise thinke yee also that ye are dead to sinne but are aliue to God in Iesus Christ our Lord. Let not sinne raigne therefore in your verse 12 13 mortall body that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof Neither giue yee your members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne but giue your selues vnto God as they that are aliue from the dead giue your members as weapons of righteousnes vnto him For the wages or reward of sinne is Rom 6. 23. death but the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Mortifie therefore your members which Colo 3 5 6 are on the earth namely fornication vncleanenes the inordinate affection euil concupiscence and couetousnes which is idolatry For the which thinges sake the vvrath of God commeth on the chyldren of disobedience §. 15. Furthermore These are the thinges Zach 8 16 17. that yee shall doe Speake yee euery man the truth vnto his Neighbour execute iudgement truly and vprightly in your gates and let none of you imagine euill in his heart against his Neighbour Neither loue any false oath for all these are the thinges that I hate saith the Lord. See that none recompence euill for euill 1 Thes 5 15 vnto any man but euer follow that which is good both toward your selues and toward all men If it be possible as much as in you is Rom 12 18 haue peace with all men And let loue be without dissimulation Rom 12 9 Abhorring that which is euill and cleauing vnto that which is good Also seeing your soules are purified in obeying the truth through the Spirit to 1. Pet 1 22. 23. loue brotherly without faining loue one another with a pure hart feruently beeing borne a newe not of mortall seede but of immortall by the word of God who liueth and endureth for euer Let all bitternes and anger and wrath crying euill speaking be put away from Ephe 4 31 32 you with all maliciousnesse And be yee curteous one to another and tender harted freely forgiuing one another euen as God for Christes sake freely forgaue you Be all of one minde one suffer with another 1. Pet. 3 8 9 loue as brethren bee pittifull bee curteous not rendering euill for euill neither rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise blesse knowing that yee are there-vnto called that yee should be heyres of blessing Blesse them which persecute you blesse Rom 12. 14 15. 16. I say curse not reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe Be of like affection one towards another be not hie minded but make your selues equall to them of the lower sort Be not wise in your owne eyes But rather pray vnto the most High that Ecclê° 37 15 hee will direct thy way in truth §. 16. Yee haue heard that it hath been said Math 5
43 44 45 Thou shalt loue thy neighbour and hate thine enemie But I saith Christ say vnto you loue your enemies blesse them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that hurt you and persecute you that yee may be the chyldren of your Father which is in heauen For he maketh his sunne to arise on the euill and on the good and sendeth downe raine on the iust and vniust For if yee loue them which loue you verse 46. 47 what reward shall yee haue doe not the vngodly euen the same And if you be Luke 6 32 friendly to your Brethren onely what singuler thing doe yee Doe not euen the vngodly likewise Yee shall therefore be perfect as your Math. 5. 48 Father which is in heauen is perfect §. 17. Auenge not your selues but giue place Rom 12. 19 vnto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemie hunger feede verse 20 him if he thirst giue him drink for in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire vppon his head Contrariwise hee that seeketh vengeance Ecclê° 28. 1 shall finde vengeance of the Lord and he will surely keepe his sinnes Should a man beare hatred against man Ecclê° 28. 3 and yet desire forgiuenes of the Lord Hee will shew no mercy to a man that is verse 4. like himselfe and will hee aske forgiuenes of his owne sinnes If he which is but flesh nourish hatred and aske pardon of God who will intreat Ecclê° 28 5. for hys sinnes Remember therefore the end and let verse 6 enmitie passe imagine not death and destruction to another through anger but perseuer in the commaundements And forgiue thy neighbour the hurt that Ecclê° 28. 2 hee hath done thee so shall thy sinnes be forgiuen thee also when thou prayest §. 18. If thy Brother trespasse against thee rebuke Luk 17 3 4 him and if hee repent forgiue him And though hee sinne against thee seauen times in a day and seauen times in a day turne againe vnto thee saying It repenteth mee thou shalt forgiue him For if you doe forgiue men their trespasses Math 6 14 15 your heauenly Father will also forgiue you your trespasses but if you do not forgiue others God will not forgiue you Be alwaies therefore as ready to forgiue Iunius thy brother vvhen hee repenteth as thou thy selfe art willing to be pardoned of God when thou prayest And be not ouercome of euill but ouercome Rom 12 21 euill with goodnes §. 19. Nowe the end of all things saith the Apostle 1. Pet 4 7 8 is at hand be yee therefore sober and watching in prayer But aboue all things haue feruent loue among you for loue couereth the multitude of sinnes Be yee likewise harberous one to another verse 9 10 vvithout grudging And let euery man as hee hath receiued the gift minister the same one to another as good disposers of the manifold grace of God If any man speake let him talke as the wordes of God If any man minister let 1 Pet 4 11 him do it as of the abilitie vvhich God ministreth that GOD in all thinges may be glorified through Iesus Christ §. 20. Cast away prophane and olde wiues fables 1. Tim 4 7 8. and exercise thy selfe vnto godlines For bodilie exercise profiteth little but godlines is profitable vnto all things which hath the promise of the life present and of that that is to come Flee also from the lusts of youth follow 2. Tim 2. 22 after righteousnesse faith loue and peace vvith them that call on the Lord with a pure hart For the end of the commaundement is loue out of a pure hart and of a good conscience 1. Tim 1. 5. and of faith vnfained §. 21. Be nothing carefull but in all things let Phil. 4. 6. 7 your requests be shewed vnto GOD in prayer and supplication with giuing of thanks And the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding shall preserue your harts and mindes in Christ Iesus Bee also at peace among your selues 1. Thes 5 13. 14 admonish them that are vnrulie comfort the feeble minded beare with the meeke be patient toward all men Reioyce euermore pray continually in 1. Thes 5. 16 17 18. all things giue thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus toward you Quench not the Spirit despise not prophesying 1. The. 5. 19 20 21 22 try all thinges and keepe that which is good Abstaine from all appearance of euil Let your conuersation be without couetousnes Hebr 13 5 and be content with those things that ye haue Remember them that are in bonds as Heb. 13 3. though yee were bounde with them and them that are in affliction as if yee were also afflicted in the body Bee alwaies affectioned to loue one Rom 12 10 another with brotherlie loue Reioyce in hope be patient in trouble Rom 12. 12 13. and continue in prayer Distributing vnto the necessitie of the Saints and giuing your selues to hospitalitie Also vvhatsoeuer thinges are true Philip 4 8 vvhatsoeuer things are honest what soeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer things pertaine to loue whatsoeuer thinges are of good report if there be any vertue or if there be any praise thinke on these things which ye haue both learned and receiued and heard Those things also doe the God of verse 9. peace shall be with you §. 22. Finally my bretheren be strong in the Ephe. 6. 10. 11 12. Lord and in the power of his might Put on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the assaults of the deuill For wee wrestle not against fleshe and blood but against principalities against powers against vvorldly gouernours the princes of the darknesse of this world and against spirituall wickednesses which are in the hie places For this cause take vnto you the vvhole Ephe. 6 13. Armour of God that yee may be able to resist in the euill day and hauing finished all things stand fast Stande therefore and your loynes girded Ephe 6 14 15. about with the truth hauing on the brest-plate of righteousnes and your feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace Aboue all take the shielde of faith verse 16. 17 vvhere-with yee may quench all the fierie darts of the vvicked and take the helmet of saluation and the svvorde of the Spirit which is the word of God And pray alvvaies with all manner of verse 18. prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watch there-vnto vvith all perseuerance and supplication for all Saints Let euery one also that calleth on the 2 Tim 2 19 Name of Christ depart from iniquitie And what-soeuer yee would that men Math 7 12 should do vnto you euen so doe yee vnto them for this is the
hedged in with bushes and the path thereof couered with thornes whereby no man may trauaile VVoe vnto them that speake good of Esay 5 20 euill and euill of good which put darkenesse for light and light for darkenes that put bitter for sweet and sweet for sower VVoe vnto them that excell in gluttony Esay 5 22 23 and drunkennes which iustifie the vvicked for a reward and take away the righteousnes of the righteous from them For as the flame of fire deuoureth the Esay 5. 24. stubble as the chaffe is consumed of the flame so shal theyr roote be as rottennesse and theyr blossome shall vanish avvay like dust because they haue cast off the Lawe of the Lord of hostes and contemned the word of the holie one of Israell §. 16. There is a way saith Salomon vvhich Prou. 14. 12 13. seemeth right to a man but the issues therof are the wayes of death Euen in laughing the hart is sorrowfull and the ende of that mirth is heauinesse Doubtlesse the Wiseman in this speech of his meaneth the way of worldly pleasures VVhere-into * Euagoras the wicked beeing once entred they are daily so ledde away vvith the vaine delights thereof that they neuer regard godlines till the deceits of iniquitie bring them to destruction For the end of all worldly pleasure is Theophilact sorrow and paine And the stipend or revvard of sinne Rom 6. 23 is death Not the death of the body onely for that Rauisius as all men knowes is naturall and ordinarie but the death both of body and soule which is endlesse and eternall §. 17. Through the sundry subtilties of sinne Origen and the contempt of Gods law saith Origen many thousands in this world passe after death to perpetuall perdition And vvho-soeuer refuseth to followe Virgilius righteousnesse shall for his recompence dwell with confusion For destruction shall be to the workers Prou. 21. 15 of iniquitie And the man that wandereth out of the Prou 21 16 way of wisedome shall remaine in the congregation of the dead §. 18. The hart that is obstinate shall be laden Ecclê° 3. 29. with sorrowes and the wicked man shall heape sinne vpon sinne Because he hath refused knowledge hee Hosea 4. 6. shall be refused of the Lord. And for that he hath left the way of vnderstanding Gueuara and life he shal fal into diuers dangers by the deceits of false doctrine For errour and darknesse are appoynted Ecclê° 11 16 for sinners And they that worke wickednes shal be Ecclê° 27. 27 wrapped in euils §. 19. Inquisition saith the Wiseman shall be Wisd 1 9 made for the thoughts of the vngodly the sounde of his wordes shall come vnto God for the correction of his iniquities The wicked deedes which he hath done Bernard shall stand vp to declare against him and the reward of his vnrighteousnes shall be powred vppon him His vnquiet conscience shal be his chiefest Pet. Lomb. accuser and the sinne of his owne impietie shall bee most forward to conuict him §. 20. The vngodly shall be punished according Wisd 3. 10. to theyr imaginations for they haue despised the righteous and forsaken the Lord. They haue thought euill in theyr harts Wisd 2 21. 22. against the godly and haue gone astray through theyr owne folly for theyr owne wickednesse hath blinded them and they doe not vnderstand the misteries of God neither hope they for the reward of righteousnes nor can discerne the honour of the soules that are faultlesse The way that they walke is as the darknes Prou. 4. 19 they know not wherein they shal fall They meete with darknes euen in the Iob. 5. 14. day time and grope at noone day as in the night The hope that they haue is indignation Prou. 11 23 Prou 13. 21 Psal 112. 10 * Affliction dooth followe them * And theyr desire shall perrish Theyr hope is a false hope Like vnto the hope of * Siseras mother vvho pleasantly Iudges 5. 28 29. 30. perswaded herselfe that her Sonne was gorgiously attyred in roabes of needle worke and very busie after the battell in deuiding the spoyles of Israel when hee lay sencelesly sleeping in * Iaels tent with Iudges 4. 21 a nayle driuen through his forehead Or like the hope of Haman * Who Ester 6 6 7. 8. 9. c. proudly thought in his hart that King Ahashuerosh would doe honour to no man more then to him vvhen contrariwise all the glory which he wisht vnto himselfe he was coÌ„maunded to shew vnto Mordecaâ— the man whom aboue all men els he most hated and * the euill death vvhich hee Ester 7 10. prepared for the same man was his ovvne latter ending §. 21. All iniquitie saith Sirach is as a double Ecclê° 21. 3. edged sword the wounds whereof cannot be healed Dishonour shame euill death damnation Paâ—â—â—ius waite vpon pride enuie murther and such other like vices And the match that kindleth against Cicero vngodly people the fierce wrath of God is their owne wilful persisting in sinne and iniquitie For as theyr harts wexe harder and harder Arnobius through theyr custome in sinning daily more and more impenitent so they hourely heape vp displeasure vnto themselues against the day of Gods wrath and the terrible appearing of his iust iudgement §. 22. Oh howe vnhappy then are the liues of Constantius all those men that leaue vertue to follovve vice and forsake wisedome to embrace wickednesse For they thereby make theyr mindes vnapt Plotinuâ— to receiue any goodnes and clog theyr consciences vvith many molestations They liue alwaies doubtfull of their own Pet. Lomb. safetie in the day time and theyr sleepe is vnquiet and full of feares in the night The morning is euen to them as the Iob. 24. 17. shadow of death And they buy hell dearer then good Gregory men buy heauen §. 23. They are ready to flee when none pursueth Prou. 28 1. them And are very often dreading that some Pâ—t Mart. deserued danger will suddainely fall vpon them The reason is for that all wickednes in it Orosius selfe is full of feare And the conscience that is touched doth Wisd 17 10 alwayes fore-cast cruell things For there can be no greater trouble to Tremelius the vngodly in this lyfe then the inward vexations of their own guiltie conscience The testimony whereof is as a thousand Marlorate witnesses against them and the doome of it is euerlasting damnation Insomuch that the consciences of the Mart. Bucer wicked which are wounded ouer-burdened with the weight of sinne doe most certainly feele euen in thys world part of hell torments And many times the sting or gnawing Erasmus vvorme thereof enforceth the miserable offender cleane to remooue all his confidence from the comfort of Gods mercie
and wretchedly to end his dayes in anguish and desperation For saluation is farre from the vngodlie Psalm 119. 155 because they seeke not the statutes of the Almightie But ceaselesse sorrowes and perpetuall Cyprian paines continually doe attende them as a iust reward ordained of GOD for theyr loue of vnrighteousnes carelesse neglecting the knowledge of his waies For they that plow iniquitie and sowe Iob. 4. 8. wickednes shall reape the same And such as forsake the Lord shall bee Esay 1. 28. consumed §. 24. These few many moe such like speeches to expresse the wrath of God against the wicked are set downe not onely in the sacred Scriptures but also in the works of diuers worthy Writers which being rightly considered wee may well be mooued at the remembrance thereof to say with Origen * Farre better were it for the vngodly Origen that they had neuer beene at all then to be borne into the world and not liue as they should doe For besides all the former places to this purpose already recited wee finde it further to the terrour of the vnrighteous by seueral sentences affirmed * That the vngodly Wisd 14. 9. man and his vngodlines are both alike hated of God And that a wicked mans life is his soules Chrisostome death That hee that committeth sinne is of 1. Ioh. 3. 8. the deuill And the vengeance belonging to the Ecclê° 7. 17. vnrighteous is fire and wormes That hee which worketh wickednesse Ecclê° 27. 27 shal be wrapped in euills shal not know from whence they come vnto him That malice shall sley the vngodly man Psal 34. 21. and they that hate the righteous shall perrish That the congregation of the vvicked Ecclê° 21. 9. is like towe wrapped together and theyr end is a flame of sire to destroy them That the transgression of a wicked man Prou. 29. 6. is his snare And he that soweth iniquitie shall reape Prou. 22. 8. affliction That hee which diggeth a pit shall fall Ecclê° 27. 26 therein and he that layeth a snare for another shal be taken in it himselfe That the way of the vngodly is made Ecclê° 21 10 plaine with stones but at the end thereof is hell darknes and paines That as the dry ground and heate consume Iob. 24. 19 the snow waters so shal the graue the sinners That when the vngodly man dyeth his Prou. 11. 7. hope perrisheth the confidence of the wicked shal come to nought That although men mourne for theyr Eccê° 41. 11. body yet shall the wicked name of the vngodly be put out That their portion shall be cursed in the Iob. 24. 18. earth Theyr name shall rotte Prou. 10 7. Iob. 8. 22. Prou. 24. 22 Prou. 14 11 Iob 24. 20. Theyr dwelling places shal not remaine Theyr destruction shal come suddenly Theyr houses shal be destroyed And they themselues shall be no more remembred That hee that is wicked shall fall in his Prou. 11. 5. owne wickednes And hee that transgresseth shall be taken Prou. 11 6. in the sinne of his transgression That the curse of God is in the habitation Prou 3 33. of the vngodly And the vnrighteous mans substance Ecclê° 40 13 shall be dryed vp like a riuer That vvicked men wanting the feare of Boetius GOD are hunted of euill to theyr owne ouerthrow and destruction That as vnto the good theyr goodnesse Hermes is a reward so vnto the wicked theyr owne euill is a punishment That the eyes of the wicked shall fayle Iob 11 20 theyr refuge shall perrish and theyr hope shal be sorrow of minde That such as seeke to get wealth by any Plato wicked meanes shall possesse there-with more vnquietnes then profit and the substance that by sinne is attained shall by some misfortune be consumed That the robbery of the vnrighteous Prou. 21 7 shall destroy them And the riches of the vngodly are layde Prou 13 22 vp for th 〈…〉 st That â—â—e Lord will be a swift witnesse Mala 3 5 against the Southsayers and against the adulterers and against false swearers and against those that wrongfully keepe backe the hyrelings wages and vexe the widow and the fatherlesse and oppresse the stranger and feare not to offend him That the vngodly are kept vnto the day Iob 20 30 of destruction and shall be brought forth to the day of wrath That for vnrighteousnes other mischieuous Socrates deedes the soules of the vngodly shall after this life be greeuously tormented in hell That when the vngodly shall say Peace 1 Thes 5 3 and safetie then shall come vppon them suddaine destruction as the trauaile vpon a woman vvith childe and they shall not escape That the wicked haue no gaine by the Cyprian death of Christ but all the benefites comming to mankinde by his Passion vvhich they haue despised doe most iustly condemne them That outwardly they receiue the Sacrament Augustine of Christes body and blood but the thing it selfe inwardly in theyr harts they haue not and therefore they eate drink thevr owne iudgement That the wicked by reason of their vnquiet Esay 57 20 conscience which alwaies tormenteth them are like the raging Sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vp mire and dyrt And the Lord himselfe hath said it that Esay 48 22 there is no peace to the vngodly person That the Lord hath made all things for Prou 16 4 his owne sake yea euen the vvicked for the day of euill And as all that is of the earth shal turne Ecclê° 41 10 to earth againe so the vngodly goe from the curse to destruction That as GOD greatly delighteth in the Hillarius louers of his Law so hee highly contemneth the peticions of the disobedient That the chyldren of the vngodly are Ecclê° 41 5 abhominable chyldren And the of-spring of the vnrighteous Ecclê° 40. 15 shall not obtaine many branches That God will lay vp the sorrow of the Iob 21 19 wicked father for his children And the posteritie of the vngodly generation Ecclê° 41 6. shall haue a perpetuall shame That if the vnrighteous happen to liue Pet. Ramus long theyr sorrowes at theyr death shall be the greater And according to the number of theyr Mar. Buâ—er sinnes here on earth such shal be the quantitie of theyr punishments in hell That as GOD vnto the godly is most Plotinus sweet gentle and louing so vnto the wicked proude and disobedient hee is verie seuere sharpe and rough specially appearing and felt for euer vpon them in the terrible day of damnation and vengeance That as euerlasting felicitie doth quickly Lactantius follovv the godly after the short race of theyr â—orldly miserie so euerlasting wretchednes speedily followeth the vngodly after the short race of their earthly felicitie That all such as for