Vnskilfull swimmers when they begin to sinke if they catch hold of weedes in the bottome the faster they hold the surer they are drowned and in like sort they that shake hands with the world and embrace the pleasures and prosperitie thereof most greedily plung themselues most deeply into destruction But God hath called vs. And therefore neither aduersitie nor prosperiti◅ can hurt vs. Maruell not saith our Sauiour thogh the world hate you It hate◅ me before it hated you If you were of the world the world would loue you but because you are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore doth the world hate you Well as the world hateth vs so vve must hate it againe As it contemneth vs so we must contemne it againe According to that of S. Paul The world is crucified to me and I vnto the world I am crucified to the world that is The world contemnes me the world is crucified to me that is I contemne the world The world contemnes me and I contemne it For as Gregorie saies He that hath nothing that he loues in the world hath nothing to feare of the world And Cyprian What neede he to feare of the world who hath God his protectour his tutor his defendour in the world He that is of God ouercommeth the world And this is our victorie whereby we ouercome the world euen our ◅aith Whereupon our Sauiour saies Be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world and behold I am with you euen vnto the ende of the world So that the world and the trouble we shall haue in the world shall haue an ende but the comfort we haue in God shall haue no end Behold I am with you saith he And if God be with vs and haue called vs out of the world what can the world doe against vs If God be with vs who can be against vs The third enemie against vs is the flesh Salomon saith this is one thing which maketh the earth euen tremble when a seruant beginneth to beare rule The flesh is and ought to be a seruant Yet it beareth rule in the vnregenerate Yea it striueth to beare rule and beginneth to beare rule euen in the godly A mans enemies are they of his own house It is mine owne familiar friend that listeth vp his heele against me This familiar friend was Paul much troubled withall when he said I see an other law in my members rebelling against my minde and leading me captiue vnto death And Lot who beeing a iust man that could not be ouercome with all th◅ sinnes of Sodom by immoderate drinking of wine fell to ◅llie And Sampson who otherwise impregnable yet yeelded to Dalila Therefore in the bosome it lieth which striueth to lay our honour in the dust But God hath iustified vs. And hauing iustified vs in some measure also hath begunne to sanctisie vs. So that the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh in so much as we cannot doe as we would Not onely the flesh against the spirit but also the spirit against the flesh So that we cannot doe as we would For if we would serue god so holily as the angels we can not because the flesh lusteth against the spirit againe if we would sinne with full consent of wil so brutishly as the wicked doe we cannot because the spirit lusteth against the flesh But euen as Castor and Pollux liue by turnes one one day an other an other so the flesh and the spirit preuailing sometimes one sometimes an other make mixt actions So that neither can our good actions iustifie vs because in them the flesh lusteth against the spirit nor yet can our ill actions condemne vs because in thē the spirit lusteth against the slesh For now that Sara is mortified her wombe is dead and it ceaseth to be with her after the manner of women Now that Iacob hath wrestled with God his thigh is shrunke vp Now that Paul is conuerted he chastiseth his bodie and bringeth it into subiection Now that the blessed virgin is freely beloued she keepeth her selfe within and knoweth no man And therefore sa◅ the Angel Haile Mary freely beloued the Lord is with thee But the blessed Virgin fearing the Angel added Feare not Mary for thou hast found fauour with God As if he should haue said Feare not the angel of the Lord seeing the Lord of the angel is with thee Thou hast found fauour with God to haue the fruit of thy slesh the sauiour of thy foule So that if God haue a fauour vnto vs and haue iustified vs in Christ what can the flesh doe against vs The spirit will not let it doe as it would For If God be with vs who can be against vs The fourth enemie against vs is the deuill And he is the worst enemie of al◅ Therefore sai's the Apostle we hau◅ not to fight with flesh and blood but vvith principalities and povvers and vvith the Prince of darknesse that ruleth in the aver This Prince vvarreth against ◅s tvvo vvaies By persecutions and per◅vvasions For the first he is described ◅n the Reuelation to ride vpon a blacke and a redde horse The blacknesse of the horse snevveth hovv terrible the deuil is the reddenesse hovv bloodie Neither doth he come single but seauen of them at once possesse Mary Magdalen Neither doe they onely sight against vs beeing aliue but the deuill fought vvith Michael th'arkeangel for the bodie of Moses vvhen he vvas dead Neither doe they terribly set vpon vs to get our bodies onely but our soules also Especialy they do this at the day of death and vvill doe more diligently at the day of iudgement Novv their persvvasions are yet more dangerous then their threatnings When they come to vs in the shape not of an vncleane spirit but of an angel of light Thus Satan did set vpon the first Adam Hath God indeed commanded you not to eate of the tree He makes a question of it And if ye eat you shall be as Gods knovving good euill A faire promise but a contrarie performance So he did set vpon the second Adam All these things vvill ◅ giue thee if thou vvilt fall dovvne and vvorship me He vvould hire Christ and giue him good vvagesto serue him vvhich vvould haue depriued our Sauiour of all his eternall glorie But God hath glorisied vs. It is not now to be doubted whether Satan shall preuaile against vs or not but it is most sure he shall not He hath glorified vs. saith S. Paul Though the possession of it be to come yet the assurance of it is past Euen as our Lord auoucheth is an other place He that beleeueth in me hath passed from death to life Not shall passe but hath passed So S. Paul He hath made vs to sit with himselfe in heauenly places aboue No◅ he will make but he hath Therefore Chrysostome writeth verie resolutely
him First they shall not come neere They that is The waters shal not come neere The holy Church and euery member thereof is likened to a house built vpon a rocke Vpon which though the winds blow and the floods beate yet it can not be throwne down because it is built vpon a rocke So that the floods which shake it can neuer come neere it to ouerthrowe it The same may be said of the ship couered with waters It might well floate but it could neuer be drowned For as soone as the Disciples cryed vpon Christ to saue them presently there followed a great calme Therefore Luther when his life was sought of all the world in a manner translated the Psalme Deus noster refugium into dumb meerer and caused it to be sung in all the reformed churches God is our hope aâ—…d strength a very present helpe in trouble Therefore will we not feare though the earth be mooned and though the hills beâ—…ca ried into the midst of the sea Though the waues thereoâ—… rage and sâ—…ell and though the mountaines shake at the tempest of the same â—… Peter the Apostle began to sincke but he sunke not right downe Christ was readie at hand to helpe him For as soone as he sawe himselfe in present perill and danger forth with he cryed Master saue me Saue me O God for the waters are com in euen vnto my soule I stiâ—…ke â—…ast in the deepe mire where no ground iâ—… I am come into deepe waters so that the floods runne ouer me Take me out of the mire that I sinke not and out of the deepe waters Let not the water flood drown me neither let the deep swallâ—…w me vp let not the pit thâ—…t her mouth vpon me S. Paul likewise suffered shipwrack but lost not by it one haire of his head Wherby we may sâ—…e the absâ—…rdity of the Papists They would prooue that iustifying grace may be lost because some haue made shipwracke of faith But if we should graunt them that the Apostle speaketh of iustifying not of historical faith yet we haue the helpe of a second answer To wit that shipwrack is one thing and drowning an other Therefore faith which is wrackt is not by and by drowned For it may happen to suffer shipwracke as S. Paul did and swimme out safe to the shore But this is but a touch by the way Meane season we see how safe and secure the faithfull man is in Christ. He is a house to which the floods may come neere to shake it but neuer to throvve it downe he is a ship which the waues may come neere to tosse it but neuer to turne it ouer euen as Saint Peter began to sinke but still kept vp his head and Saint Paul suffred shippewracke but was not a haire the worse for it Surly in the flood of many waters they shall not come neere him Secondly him They shall not come neere him This word must in no case be omitted It helpeth vs to answer a verie strong obiection For it may be said Many holy men haue lost their goods haue suffered great torments in their bodie haue beene troubled also in minde how then did not the floods of many waters come neere them The word Him helpes vs to answer The verie Philosophers themselues reckoned their goods pertained no more to theÌ„ then be it spoken with reuerence and regard the parings of their nailes Zenon hearing newes he had lost all he had by sea said onely thus Thou hast done very well Fortune to leaue me nothing but my cloake An other called Anaxarchus when as Nicocreon the tyrant commanded he should be beaten to death in a mortar spake thus to the executioner Beate and bray as long as thou wilt Anaxarchus his bagge or sachell so he called his owne bodie but Anaxarchus thou canst not touch Yet these making so smal reckoning of their goods and bodie set their minde notwithstanding at a high rate The minde of a man is himselfe say they Hence it is that Iulius Caesar when Amyclas the Pilot vvas greatly afraid of the tempest spake to him thus What meanest thou to feare base fellovv dost thou not kâ—…ovv thou cariest Caesar vvith thee As if he should say Caesars bodie may vvell be drovvned as any other mans may but his minde his magnanimitie his valour his fortitude can neuer be 〈◊〉 Thus farre vvent Philosophie But Diuinitie goeth a degree further For Philosophie defineth Him that is a man by his reason and the morall 〈◊〉 of the minde But Diuinitie desineth a Christian man by his faith and his coniunction thereby vvith Christ. Excellently saith Saint Austin When e com's it that the soule dieth Because faith is not in it Whence that the bodie dieth Because a soule is not in it Therefore the soale of thy soule is faith So that if we vvould knovve vvhat is a faithfull man vve must define Him not by his naturall soule as he is resonable but by the soule of his soule vvhich iâ—… his â—…aith And then vve easily ansvver the 〈◊〉 that a 〈◊〉 may come â—…eere a faithfull mans goods neere his 〈◊〉 neere his reasonable soule but â—…o his saith that is to Him it can neuer come neere For if you speake of the life and essence of him that it is faith the Prophet also witnesseth The iust shall liue by faith And the Apostle Now I liue not but Christ liueth in me but that I liue I liue by faith in the sonne of God who loued me and gaue himselfe for me And he that was wiser then all the Philosophers determineth this doubt thus The summe of the matter vvhen you haue heard all is this â—…eare God and keepe his commandements for this is all of man All of man what 's that All of man which will hold out against all floods of many waters For the goods of man may be gotten away by â—…orged cauillation the bodie of man may be weakened by sickenesse the soule of man and the faeâ—…lties thereof as memorie witte and such like may be impaired by age but saith in Christ the feare of God a care to keepe his commaundements is all of man which no 〈◊〉 either in life or in death can ouer whelme All of man wherein man ought to imploy himselfe while he is aliue and vvithout which man is but vanitie when he is dead but with which man both in life and death is most blessed For if this be the summe of all then of any thing but this there is no reckoning at all to be made I haue praied for thee saith our Sauiour that thy faith should not faile and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against thee For loue is strong as death iealously is cruell as the graue the coales thereof are fierie coales and a vehement flame Much water cannot quench loue neither can the floods drowne it Euen as Paul also glorieth that nothing can
yea whole pictures of his passion and of his resurrection in his head in his hands in his side in his ◅eete When king Arthurs bodie was taken vp somewhat more then sixe hundred yeares after his death it was knowne to be his by nothing so much as by the prints of ten seuerall wounds which appeared in his skull Christ our king who did ouercome death could likewise if it had pleased him haue quite and cleane defaced and abolished all the markes of death Neuerthelesse as at his transfiguration he shewed Peter Iames and Iohn the signes of immortality in his body which was then mortall so here contrariwise at his resurrection he sheweth Thomas the signes of mortalitie in his bodie which is nowe immortall That he and all we might vndoubtedly con◅sse that though they perhaps might be deceiued in King Arthurs bodie yet we can neuer be deceiued so long as we beleeue that the verie same bodie of Christ which in Golgotha the place of dead mens skuls was wounded from top to toe and put to death for vs is now risen again from death to life Euen as king Alexanders stagges were knowne a hundred yeares together by those golden collars which by the kings commandement were put about their necks so much more might Thomas know Christ by his woundes which were as a comly ornament to his head and as chaines vnto his necke we also when we preach the resurrection of Christ preach no other thing but that which we haue heard which we haue seene with our eies which we haue looked vpon and our hands haue handled of the word of life Socrates in his Ecclesiasticall historie writeth that Athanasius being accused by one Iannes to haue killed Arsenius and after to haue cut off his hand that he might vse it to magick and ◅orcerie cleared himselfe notably of this slander Hauing by good happe found out Arsenius who lay hid for the nonce he brought him before the Counsell of Tyrus and there asked his accuser whether he euer knew Arsenius or no He answered yes Then Athanasius called him forth with his hands couered vnder his cloake and turning vp the one side of his cloake shewed them one of his hands And when most men surmised that th◅ other hand ◅t leastwise was cur o◅f Athanasius without any more adoe casteth vp the other side of his cloake and sheweth the second hand saying you see Arsenius hath two hands now let mine accuser shewe you the place where the third hand was cut off Christs case was euen almost the same He was thought by some to be quite dead and gone Bu◅ Thomas seeing those very hands of his which were n◅iled to the crosse acknowledgeth that this our brother was dead and is aliue againe was lost an◅ is found For if the spies that were se◅ to viewe Iericho knew Rahabs hou◅ from all the rest by a red thread whi◅h hung out of the windowe how much more easily then might Thomas know Christ especialy seeing Rahabs house was a figure of Christs body the windowe a signe of the wound in his side the red thread a figure of the streame of blood issuing out of that wound When Vlysses had beene long from home no man almost at his returne knew him yet Euriclea his nurce espying by chance the mark of a wound in his foote which he got by hunting the wild boare by and by made him known to his friends In like manner Thomas beholding the wounds not of Christs feete onely but also of his whole bodie beleeueth verily though the wild boare out of the wood stroake sore at him that he might fall yet that he hath now recouered him selfe and is risen and returned home againe Euen as the wise men knewe Christ was borne by the starre which appeared in the East and knewe also where he lay when he was borne by the standing of that star directly ouer against him so Thomas not by one starre but by many starres which notwithstanding are more beautifull and bright then all the starres of heauen knoweth and confesseth that the true sunne of righteousnesse is now risen and shineth ouer all the earth Thus these blessed wounds witnesse and my hands and put forth thy hand and put it into my side and be not faithlesse but faithfull So much for the first cause which is to approoue his resurrection The second caus◅ why Christ hath his wounds yet to be seene in his body is to appease his father Almightie God was once readie to haue destroied the Israelites had not Moyses his chosen stood before him in the gap Moyses as he was a mediator betweene God and the people was a singulur type of the Messias to come And standing in the gap he did as it were point to Christ. For when our Sauiours side was woū ded then indeede there was a great gap and a great breach made by which all we that beleeue in him may escape Therefore Moyses his standing before the Lord in the gap did signifie as S. Barnard noteth that Christ making intercession before his father for vs shold alwaies stand in the gap and shew how he himself was broken vpon the crosse and as I may say troden downe for our redemption That poore creeple also which begged at the beautifull gate of the temple teacheth vs what he continually doth who when he was rich became poore for our sakes The temple is his bodie which after it had been destroied was built vp againe in three daies The beautifull gate of this temple is the pretious wound in his side of which the Psalmist saies This is the gate of the righteous the iust shall enter in by it Therefore as that poore creeple lying at the beautifull gate of the temple was healed by S. Peter so Christ lying a◅ the beautifull gate of his owne body shewing his most grieuo◅s b◅t yet most glorious susferings and torments appeaseth his fathers wrath and obtaineth whatsoeuer he intreateth of him King Ezekias hauing receiued rayling letters from Senacherib went vp to the temple and spread the letters before the Lord and praied saying Open thine eyes O Lord and see and heare all the words of Senacherib who hath sent to blaspheme the liuing God No Ezekias was euer more taunted and reuiled more scorned and reproched then he who was counted the shame of men and the outcast of the people Wherefore now he spreadeth forth and laieth open not onely the blasphemous words which were v◅tred against him but also the dolorous wounds and gashes which were giuen him that so he may put out the hand-writing that was against vs and appease his father and throughly reconcile him to vs. And looke how king Salomon when he praied for the people stood before the altar and stretched out his hands toward heauen in semblable wise Christ who is farre greater then Salomon standeth euermore beside the altar o◅ his crosse and stretcheth out his beskarred and
pure gold for forme with branches and flowers did well nigh dazill the eyes of any that entered into the Temple so the Lord here giues his word that the kings crowne shall euer flourish in the house of our God disparkling and displaying those rayes of Maiestie those beames of beautie which shall amaze the world and be a wonder as well to Angels as to men Wherefore as I said euen nowe of his enemies shame that it shall be threefold so here I repeat the same againe of his crownes flourishing His crowne shall flourish in his owne conscience in the world in the day of iudgement Touching his owne conscience the blessed Apostle calleth the Philippians his ioy and a crowne And to the Thessalonians he writeth thus What is our hope or ioy or crowne of reioycing Are not euen you it in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming yes ye are our glorie and ioy Now if this precious vessell of honour reioyced in nothing so much as in the testimonie of his conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenesse and not in fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God he had his conueration in the world the power of Gods spirit working still most mightily by his ministerie to the conuersion of the world to Christ how much more shall the Lords anoynted haue his conscience crowned with flourishing ioy with comfort with content with heauenly peace when he shall remember that not onely sor matters of religion and Gods true seruice he hath beene and still is with Saint Paul prositable to the Church but also is a strong bulwarke and a tower of defence to maintaine euen the outward 〈◊〉 and prosperitie of Gods people yea the verie particular tight wealth life of euery one of them all this I say and a 100. 〈◊〉 more 〈◊〉 he considereth what a great and a glorious instrument be 〈◊〉 beene euerie way of Gods glorie O Lord God what a heauen shall he haue in his heart what a sweet paradise 〈◊〉 pleasure in his soule what securitie â—…hat assurance of Christâ—… loue what a 〈◊〉 and vndaunted hope of eterâ—… glorie what a slourishing crowne 〈◊〉 reâ—…oycing shall he haue euen in his very conscience vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish Touching the world our holy Prophet speaking to God though in the third person yet of himselfe saies Thou hast preuented him with liberall blessings and hast set a crowne of pure gold vpon his head His honour is great in thy saluation glorie and great worship hast thou 〈◊〉 vpon him Nowe that crowne which is of gold yea of pure gold must needes be verie flourishing euen in the viewe and face of the world Neither is this to be vnderstood of Dauids person onely but euen of his posteritie in all ages to come How was he himselfe crowned with conquests and victories ouer his enemies How was his â—…onne Salomon crowned with riches with wisedome with fame and glorie in the whole world which â—…lourishing of his sonne as of a noble branch graced in a manner the verie rooâ—…e of Dauid himselfe For as his worthie sonne teacheth Childrens children are the crowne of the elders and the glorie of the children are their fathers Therefore as children may iustly glorie of the renowne of their fathers vertue and honour so the excellent father is in a sort crowned with happinesse in this world when he sees his childrens children like to grow vp and flourish after him But vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish Lastly touching the day of iudgement then then shall all the righteous flourish when as hauing beene faithfull vnto the death they shall receiue the crowne of life A crowne as S. Peter calleth it immortall and vndefiled and that fadeth not away Denying that eeuer it fadeth away he affirmeth that it euer 〈◊〉 I would here be bold 〈◊〉 I might doe it without offence as I hope I may to shewe you one goodly 〈◊〉 of grapes of the land of Canaan a land flowing with milke and honie whether you are now going before you enter into it A worthie and vertuous gentleman whom I neede not name in this place because no doubt many ages â—…il name him and renowne him hereafter giueth for his armes three crownes with this posey Quarta perennis erit As if he should say these three crownes which I beare in my coate are but the difference of my house and gentry but Quarta perennis erit the fourth crowne which I looke for in heauen shall be euerlasting and immortall That fourth though it be but one crowne yet shall be worth all those three crowns yea three thousand more such as these are The fourth shall be eternall Now if he and we that are such as he no question is faithfull to God and loyall to the chosen seruant of God may well hope for a most flourishing incorruptible crowne of glorie then much more may Dauid himself reioyce in God his Saâ—…iour and say Quinta aut sexta perennis erit The fift or the sixt shall be eternall This crowne which God of his grace with his own right hand and his holy arme hath set vpon mine head is indeede thanks and praise be giuen vnto the same God a verie flourishing crowne flourishing in mine owne conscience flourishing in the world both for my person and for my posteritie But it is nothing in respect of that flourishing crowne which I shall receiue at the day of iudgement For the iust shall flourish like a palme tree and shal grow like a Cedar in Lebanon Such as be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God And then indeede shall this bountifull promise of God be most fully performed But vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish As for his enemies I shall cloath them with shame but vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish To draw then to an ende it may seeme very strange that Dauid had any enemies Yet out of these words As for his enemies I shall cloath them with shame it may well be gathered that some he had What had Dauid meeke Dauid Lord remember Dauid and all his meekeâ—…esse saies he in the beginning of this Psalme He was the kindest and the meekest man aliue When he had his mortall foe at a vantage and at a dead lift as we say and might haue naâ—…led him fast to the ground with his speare he onely did cut off a lappe of his garment to shew that when he might haue hurt him he would not Posse nolle nobâ—…le Yet this meeke Dauid patient Dauid mercifull Dauid valiant and victorious Dauid holy Dauid had enemies Wherefore you most honourable and blessed seruants of God you that excell in vertue if you haue some enemies thinke not strange of it For if you had nothing in you no feare of God no reuereÌ„ce towards his word no loue and loyaltie towards your Soueraigne no fortitude no temperance no good thing in you you might perhaps
separate him from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus Wherefore seeing the godly man is so inuincible that neither the gates of hell nor the flood-gates of many waters can preuaile against him Surely in the flood of many waters they shall not come neere him In the last place must be considered the asseueration Surely For if both liuing and dying my 〈◊〉 be most certaiâ—…e in Christ and yet I know not so much what comfort can I gather thereby Now in all aduersities this is my greatest ioy that the fauour of God which is most constant in it selfe is fully assured also to me For I know that my redeemer liueth And if I be iudged I know I shall be found righteous And I know whome I haue beleeued and I am sure In one word I am Surely perswaded that neither life nor death nor any thing els can separate vs froÌ„ Christ. Nay in all the flood of waters we shall be more then conquerours They shall not come neere to conquer vs. But rather we shall conquer them Yea that which is strangest of all Surely we shall be more then conquerers ouer them Though an hoast of men were laid against me yet shall not my heart be afraid and though there rose vp warre against me yet will I put my trust in it Not in him as it is ill translated in the English but in it that is In the very warre it selfe I will not feare Nay I will be of good hope Yea Surely in the very warre will I hope and trust For euen as a building made arch-wise the more waight is laide vpon it the more strong still it is so the more force and strength is brought against me the greater triumph victorie I shall haue Therefore I will not be afraid of tenne thousand of the people that haue seâ—… themselues against me round about For a thousand of them shall 〈◊〉 at my side and ten thousand at my right hand but they shall not come neere me The Arke in the 〈◊〉 was not drowâ—…ed as other things were but floated vpon the waters Yea the higher the waters encreased the higher Surely for that did the Arke still arise Likewise the redde â—…ea did not hinder the Israelites passage but opened an easie way to them Yea Surely it vvas morcouer as a vvall to backe them against all their enemies The vvordes o Saint Iames are verâ—…e plaine My brethren count it exceeding â—…oy when you fall into diuers temptations Tentaâ—…ion of it selfe doth vexe and disquiet a man But to the godly it is a ioy As we read els where That they â—…vhich are iustisied by 〈◊〉 haue peace nay haue easie accesse to God and great ioy in tribulations But the Apostle adding that this ioy is not common or ordinarie but Surely exceeding ioy raiseth vp the ampliâ—…ication as high as may be Whereunto S. Paul also accordeth We are afâ—…licted on euery side yet we are not in distresse in pouertie but not ouercome of pouertie we are persecuted but not forsaken cast down but we perish not Here he prooueth directly that the flood commeth not neere the faithfull But where is the Surely It followeth in the same epistle As dying and behold we liue as chastened and yet not killed as sorrowing and yet alwaies reâ—…oycing as poore and yet making many rich as hauing nothing and yet possessing all things O the securiâ—…ie and feliciâ—…ie of the faithfull For his faith maketh life of death ioy of sorrowe riches of pouertie What shall I say more or what would you haue me say more then as the Apostle saies It makes all things of nothing As hauing nothing saies he and yet pâ—…ss ssi g all thingâ—… But the special thing to be noted in this sentence is As dying and Behold we liue For they import that death is no death but As it were death an image or a shadowe of death beeing indeede life and Surely a better life and more immortall then we had here Therefore he saies Behold we liue to shewe that by death the faithfull liue a life wherein there is some great specialty and excellency worthy indeed to be beholded regarded As if he should say Behold we liue Behold we liue a more happy life then euer we liued in our life S. Augustin often commeÌ„deth the saying of his master S. Ambrose when he was readie to die Speaking to Stilico and others about his bed I haue not liued so among you saith he that I am ashamed to liue longer if it please God and yet again I am not afraid to die because we haue a good Lord. He doth not say Mine ovvne goodnesse puts me out of feare but Gods goodnesse This goodnesse of God makes me quiet in my conscience and secure in soule readie to embrace death vvhensoeuer it commeth Wherefore Surely is fitly added For afflictions as vvaters doe not ouercome the faithfull Nay they come not neere him But contrariwise the faithfull conquereth afflictions Yea Surely he is in them all more then a conquerour In vvarre he is not afraid Rather he greatly hopeth And Surely euen in the verie vvarre he hopeth The flood of vvaters commeth not neere to drovvne the Arke but lift it vp And so much the higher Surely the arke still riseth as the flood riseth The sea staieth not the Israelites passage It is a dry land for them to march on As a vvall moreouer to backe them Surely against all their enemies Tentation not onely is no matter of sorrovve but also on the other side of ioy Surely of great ioy Death is no death but a life and Surely such a life as onely of it vve may say Behold vve liue So happie both in life and death is the faithfull man Surely in the flood of many waters they shall not come neere him To conclude then No calamitie or aduersitie can possibly disseuer that coniunction vvhich faith maketh of euery godly man with Christ. For feeling the remission of his sinnes assured and sealed vnto him he contemneth not onely the works of the world and dismaiments of his conscience but euen the very feares and terrours of death This our deare brother M. Edward Liuely who now resteth in the Lord lead a life which in a manner was nothing els but a continuall flood of many waters Neuer out os suits of law neuer-ceasing disquieters of his studie His goods distrained and his caâ—…tell driuen off his ground as Iobs was His deare wife beeing not so well able to beare so great a flood as he euen for very sorrow presently died A lamentable and ruefull case So many children to hang vpon his hand for which he had neuer mainâ—…enance neither yet now had stay his wife beeing gone Well but that sorrowfull time was blowne ouer He was appointed to be one of the chiefest translators And as soone as it was knowne how farre in this trauaile he did more then any of the rest he
was verâ—…e well prouided for in respect of liuing For which my L. his Grace of Canterbury now liuing is much to bâ—… reuerenced and honoured But beeins so well to passe both for himselfe anâ—… for his children so dainely he fell sicke He was taken with an ague a squinsey both together And the more vsuall that was the lesse dangerous was this accompted but the euent shewes the contrarie For the squinsey beeing both by himselfe and his friends no greatly regarded within foure dayes tooke away his life These were many waters and diuerse tribulatioâ—…s Besides a thousand more which I cannot now stand to repeate Yeâ—… he carried himselfe so in life and death as these waters seemed not once to come neere him He was professour of the Hebrewe tongue in this Vniuersitie thirty yeares As his father in law D. Larkyn bad beene professour of Phisick siue or sixe and thirty yeares Which tongue howsoeuer some account of it yet ought to bee preferred before all the rest For it is the antienst the shortest the plainest of all A great part of wisdome as Plato sheweth is in the knowledge of true Etymologies These in other tongues are vncertaine in this taken out of the naturall qualities of euery thing that is named In so much as wheÌ„ any man hath found the Hebrewe Etymologie then he neede seeke no forther Besides all the Scripture written before the birth of Christ except a fewe chapters of Daniel and Ezra were written in Hebrewe And the Rabbins themselues though they haue no small number of fables and lies in them yet diuerse things they haue notwithstanding fit for the opening of the old Testament Therefore though a man cannot reade the Rabbins yet vnlesse he can vnderstand handsomely well the Hebrew text he is compted but a maimed or as it were but halfe a Diuine especially in this learned age Lastly diuerse learned men are of opinion to whome I very willingly assent that the holy tongue which was spoken in paradise shal be eternally vsed in the heauenly paradise where the Saints shall euer extoll and praise God But this worthy professour deceased got him great credit as well by the continuance as by the holinesse of his profession For he was not a professour for one or two yeares as others are but full thirtie yeares together Nathan Cytraeus writeth that in Prage an Vniuersitie of Bohemia where Iohn Hus and Hicrome of Prage professed that they that haue continued professours for the space of 20. yeares together are created Earles and Dukes both together And therefore their style is to be called Illustres whereas they which are singly and simply but onely either Earles or Dukes are called Spectabiles Neither maketh it any matter that they haue no reuenewes to maintaine Earldomes or Dukedomes For they haue the title notwithstanding euen as Suffragans haue of Bishops Our good brother hauing no such profit or dignitie propounded vnto him but contenting himselfe with his stipend spent halfe his life in this place For he was vpon threescore yeares old when he died He wrote a book of Annotations vpon the first fiue small Prophets dedicated to that great paâ—…ron of learning and learned men Sir Francis Walsingham Wherein diuers speeches and phrases of the Prophets are compared with the like in Poets and Oratours both Greek and Latin and many notes neither vnpleasant nor vnprofitable to be read are set out of the Rabbins But in mine opinion he took greatest pains in his Chronologie which he dedicated to Doctor Iohn Whitgift the reuerend late Archbishop of Canterbury This booke indeede is full of hidden learning and sheweth infinite reading in stories I asked him within this little while whether he had written no more bookes He tould me he had but printed no more because he had no time to peruse and per 〈◊〉 them for other businesse Now by busines he meant I weene especially his studie care to performe well his taske in the translation Wherin how excellently he was imploved all they can witnes who were ioyned with him in that labour For though they be the very slower of the Vniuersitie for knowledge of the tongues yet they will not be ashamed to confesse that no one man of their companie if not by other respects yet at leastwise for long experience and exercise in this kind was to be compared with him For indeede he was so desirous that this busines begunne by the commandement of our most gratious Soueraigne King Iames should be brought to a happie ende that oftentimes in many mens hearings he protested he had rather die then be any way negligent herein Which as some thinke by all likelihood came indeede so to passe To wit that too earnest studie and paines about the translation hastened his death and brought it on sooner Now as he liued so in his profession in his writings in his translating as though all the floods of many waters had neuer comn ' neare him euen so also he died During the short time of his sicknes he caried himselfe as alwaies before humbly mildly quietly constantly One of his louing friends standing by his bed and saying M. Liuely I pray God you may haue patience and hope and especially faith vnto the ende He lifting vp his hands said heartily and cheerefully Amen Little he vsed to speake and more he could not say for the paine and impediment of his squinsey Which though it made a speedie ende of him as the apoplexie did of the good Emperour Valentinian yet how could any death be sodaine to him whose whole life was nothing els but a meditation of death and vvhome the Lord whensoeuer he came might finde doing his dutie Wherefore no reason we should lament his departure out of this world He liued blessedly he died blessedly in the Lord. Rather you Reuerend and learned Vniuersitie-men lament for this that you haue lost so famous a Professour and so worthie a writer Lament you translatours beeing now depriued of him who no lesse by his owne merit and desert then by the priuiledge of his place was to order and ouersee all your trauailes Lament you poore orphans eleuen poore children of you which he left behind him as Christ ascending left eleuen Disciples bereaued of your kinde and deare Father destitute of necessaries for your maintenance to seeke of all helpe and meanes but onely as poore folkes vse to speake such as God and good friends shall prouide Lament lament all of you of the tovvne as vvell as of the Vniversitie because our Schoole hath lost such a singular ornament of this age because our Churches haue lost such a faithfull and syncere sâ—…ruant of Christ. Questionlesse as it should seeme by the taking away of this man almightie God is greatly angrie with vs all for our sinnes Christ Iesus our Master as though he meant no more to care for vs seemeth to lie fast asleepe in the ship while vve most miserably in the flood of many waters are
turmoiled and tossed Wherfore let vs in time crie aloud and awake him with our praiers Or rather indeede he is not asleepe but awake alreadie We haue awaked him not with our praiers but with our sinnes Our sinnes haue cried vp to heauen And the Lord beeing awaked as a gyant comes forth against vs and as a mighty man refreshed with wine For not onely those are waters which are in the chanell or in the sea but as waters are here vnderstood euen those fires are waters those fires I say which very lately awaked vs at midnight affrighted vs at noone day which raged on the South side and anon after on the North side oâ—… the towne It was but a fewe mens losse but it was all mens warning And what shall we make nothing of this that one kind of disease deuoureth vp the townesmen an other the schollers This is now the tenth course of schollers which within this moneth hath beene brought forth to buriall not one of them dying of the plague whereas heretofore if one or two scholers haue died in a whole yeare out of all Colledges it hath beene accompted a great matter This and such like grieuous iudgements beloued doe plainely declare that the Lord beeing awaked with the cry of our sinnes is grieuously displeased and offended at vs. Wherefore let vs yet now at the length in the name of God rowfe vp our selues and awake out of our deadly sinnes Let this that our holy brother did so sodainly in a manner fall asleepe be a loud O yes as it were to awake vs all Let euery one of vs amend one iudge one accuse one condemne one that we be not all condemned of the Lord. Let euery one of vs I beseech you crie vp to heauen for mercie and say with Dauid I haue sinned and done wickedly Or with Ionas Take me for I knowe that for my sake this great tempest is vpon you Then our most mercifull father shall blesse vs all as he hath done this holy Saint both in our life and in our death by the pardoning of our offences couering all our sinnes with the bowells and blood of Christ. And though in this world we be euer subiect to a flood of many waters yet he shall drawe vs still out of many waters as hee did Moses Surely in the floode of many waters no more then they did to Ionas they shall not come neare vs. Neither onely shall we be safe in the flood of death but also in the flood of the day of iudgement For that also is a flood and a terrible fearefull one too To wit not of water but of fire As it was in the dayes of Noah so shall it be at the comming of the sonne of man In the first flood they which had not an arke ranne vp to the toppes of houses to the tops of trees to the toppes of mountaines because they desired to hold vp their heads aboue the still rising raging water In the second they which are not found in Christ shall say to the mountaines Fall vpon vs and to the caues Couer vs and hide vs from the wrath of the Lambe Then they shall be glad to creepe into euery hold and corner that they may auoide the burning of fire But we that confesse our sinnes and forsake the fame shall lift our heads to no other mountain but tò Christ from whome commeth our saluation we shall desire to be couered with no other rocke but onely with that out of which came the blood and water of life For neuer did Noahs flood so cleane wash away all wicked men from the face of the earth as the blood of Christ shall purge vs from all our sinnes and present vs blamelesse before the face of our father onely if we be faithfull vnto death For then the next thing is felicitie and the crowne of life Which God for his mercie sake graunt vs all that as we make no doubt but this our holy brother now triumpheth with Christ so all and euery one of vs after we haue waded through this world as a flood of many waters may inherit that kingdome of glorie which our louing Lord Iesus hath purchased for vs with his deare blood to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glorie now and euermore Amen FINIS A SERMON PREACHED AT WHITEhall before the King on tewsday after Lo Sunday 1604. 2. Cor. 3. 18. But all we with open face behold as in a glasse the glorie of the Lord and are transformed into the same image from glorie to glorie as by the spirit of the Lord. THe old Testament and the new Testament in summe and substance are all one Christ Iesus the very summe substance of them both in himselfe is one and the same yesterday and to day and for euer Those mysticall wheeles which Ezekiel sees in a vision are one within an other After the same sort there is gospell in the lawe and there is lawe in the gospell One wheele is within another one testament is within another For neither is the lawe so full of threatenings but that it hath some comforts in it neither is the gospell so full of comforts but that it hath some threatenings in it So that the lawe is nothing else but a threatning gospell and the gospel is nothing els but a comfortable lawe The two cherubims which shadowe the merey-seat haue their faces one toward another In like manner the two testaments which shadowe out Christ the true mercy-seat vnto vs haue their faces one toward another For the old testament looketh forward toward the newe which is come and the newe testament looketh backeward toward the old which is past Those glorious seraphims which sing Holy Holy Holy do call to one another So the lawe and the gospell lauding him alone which is the holy one of God doe call to one another Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world There the lawe calls to the gospell when Iohn commends Christ. Among them that haue beene borne of women there hath not risen a greater then the Baptist. Here on th' other side the gospell calls to the lawe when Christ coÌ„mends Iohn Whereupon also commending his spouse he saies Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins feeding among the lillies The two breasts of the church are the tvvo testaments out of which vve that are the children of the church suck the pure milke of the vvord of God These testaments feede among the lillies Because they treate and discourse especially of Christ vvho saies I am the lilly of the valleyes These testaments also are like tvvo young roes that are tvvins Because tvvins as vve reade of Hippocrates tâ—…ins vvhen they goe they goe together vvhen they feede they feede together And after the same fashion the tvvo testaments beeing the tvvo breasts of the church go together and feede together like tvvo young roes that are