which Plutarch in his forenamed booke doth report that in the later yeares of Tyberius raigne a strange voice and exceeding horrible clamour with hideous cries skriches and houlinges were heard by many in the Greciāsea complaining that the great God PAN was now departed And this Plutarch that was a Gētile affirmeth to haue bene alleaged and proued before th' Emperour Tyberius who maruailed greatly could not by al his diuines and South sayers whom he called to that consultation gather out any reasonable meaning of this wonderful accident But we Christians comparing the time wherin it happened vnto the time of Iesus death and passion and finding the same fully to agree may more then probably persuade our selues that by the death of their great God PAN which signifieth all was imported the ruine and vtter ouerthrow of all the wicked spirites and Idoles vpon earth AND THVS HATH the Deitie of Iesus bene declared and proued by his omnipotent power in subduing infernal enimies Now resteth it for vs to make manifest the same by his like power and diuine iustice shewed vpon diuers of his enimies here on earth whos greatest punishment albeit for the most part he reserueth for the life to come yet sometimes for manifestation of his omnipotēcie as especially it was behoueful i thos first daics of his appearāce in the world he chasteneth thē also euen here on earth in the eye and sight of al men So we read of the most in famous and miserable death of Herode the first surnamed Ascolonita who after his persecution of Christ in his infancie and the slaughter of the infantes in Bethleem for his sake was wearied out by a lothsome life in feare and horrour of his owne wife and children whom after he had most cruelly murdered was enforced also by desperation thorough his inspeakable vexations grieues and torments to offer his owne hand to his owne destructiō if he had not bene staied by friends that stood about After him Archelaus his eldest sonne that was a terrour to Iesus at his returne from Egipt fel also by Gods Iustice into maruailous calamities For first being left as king by his father Augustus would not allow or ratefie that successiō but of a king made him a Tetrarch assigning to him onlie the fourth part of that dominion which his father had before And then againe after nine yeares space tooke that away in like maner with the greatest dishonour he could deuise seazing vpon al his treasure and riches by way of confiscation and condemning his person to perpetual banishment wherin he died most miserablie in Vienna in France Not long after this the second sonne of Herode the first named Herode Antipas Tetrarch of Galiley who put S. Ihon Baptist to death and scorned Iesus before his passion wherat both him self and Herodias his concubine were present was deposed also by Caius th' Emperour being accused by Agrippa his nearest kinseman and most contumeliously sent in exile first to Lions in France and after that to the most desert and inhabitable places of Spaine wher he with Herodias wandered vp and doune in extreme calamitie so long as they liued and finally ended their daies abandonned of al men In which miserie also it is recorded that the daunsing daughter of Herodias who had in her Iolitie demaunded Iohn Baptists Head being on a certaine time enforced to passe ouer a frosen riuer the yse brake and she in her fall had her head cut of by the same yse without hurting the rest of her body to the great admiration of al the lookers on The like euent had an other of Herode familie named Herod Agrippa th' acculer of the fornamed Herod the Tetrarch who in his great glorie and triumphe hauing yut to death S. Iames the brother of S. Ihon Euangelist and imprisoned S. Peter was soone after in a publique assemblie of Princes and Nobles at Caesarea striken from heauen with a most horrible disease wherby his bodie putrified and was eaten with vermine as both S. Luke reporteth and Iosephus confirmeth And the same Iosephus with no small maruaile in hym self declareth that at the verie time when he wrote his storie which was aboute 70 yeares after the death of Herod the first the whole progenie and ofspring kinred and familie of the said Herod which he sayeth was exceeding great by reason he had niene wiues together with many children brothers sisters nephews and kinsefolke were all extinguished in most miserable sorte and gaue a testimonie saith Iosephus to the world of the most vaine confidence that men doe put in humane felicitie And as thes punishements lighted openlie vpon Iesus professed enimies in Iurie So escaped not also the Romans their chastissement I meane such as especiallie had their handes in persecution of hym or of his followers after hym For first of Pontius Pilate that gaue sentence of death against hym we reade that after great disgrace receyued in Iurie he was sent home into Italie and ther by manifold disfauours shewed vnto him by the Emperour his maister sel into such desperation as he slewe him self with his owne handes And secondlie of the very Emperours them selues who liued from Tyberius vnder whom Iesus suffred vnto Constātine the great vnder whom Christian religion tooke dominion ouer the world which contained the space of three hūdreth yeares very few or none escaped the manifest scourges of Gods dreadful iustice shewed vpon them at the knitting vp of their daies For examples sake Tyberius that permitted Christians to liue freely and made a lawe against their molestation as before hath bene shewed died peaceably in his bedde But Caligula that folowed him for his contempt shewed against al diuine power in making him self a God was soone after murdered by the cōspiracie of his dearest friendes Nero also who first of al other beganne persecution against the Christians within fewe monethes after he had put S. Peter and S. Paul to death in Rome hauing murdered in like manner his owne mother brother wife maister was vpon the sudaine from his glorious estate and maiestie throwen doune into such horrible distresse and confusion in the sight of al men as being condemned by the Senate to haue his heade thrust into a pillorie and ther most ignominiously to be whipped to death was cōstrained for auoiding th' execution of that terrible sentence to massacre him self with his owne handes by the assistance of such as were dearest vnto him The like might be shewed in the tragical endes of Galba Otho Vitellius Domitian Commodus Pertinax Iulian Macrinus Antoninus Alexander Maximinus Gordianus Aurelianus Decius Gallus Volutianus Aemilianus Valerianus Galienus Caius Carinus Maximianus Maxentius Licinius and others whos miserable deathes a noble man Councellour wel neare a thousand yeares past did gather against Zosimus a heathen writer to shew therby the pouerful hand of
540. The 2. 3. partes of the same chap. how and by how many waies God expresseth his forsaid loue vnto vs and what assurance he geueth of pardon to such as repent from Pag. 540. vnto 560. Tuesday The 4. part of the same chap. containing exāples and instructions how to auoide temptations of desperation 560. The 1. part of the 2. chap. of the fallacie of suppused difficulties with the particuler helpes to ouercome the same Pag. 570. vnto 618. VVednesday The 2. part of the same chap. containing means and instructions for ouercomming of difficulties Pag. 618. vnto the end The first 2. pointes of the 3. chap. about Tribulatiō beginning Pag. 631. vnto 656. Thursday The second 2. pointes of the same chap. begīning Pag. 656 vnto the end of the cha The 1. point of the 4. chap. treating of the vanities of the world Pag. 688. vntil 720. Friday The other partes of the same chap. 720. vntil the ende The 5. chap. of examples of Resolution Saturday The sixt chap. against Presumption The 7. chap. of Delay Sonday The first part of the 8. chap. of Slothe vntil Pag. 861. The 2. and 3. partes of the same chap. treating of Negligence and hardnes of hart from Pag. 860. vntil the ende FINIS A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPAL MATTERS HANDLED in this booke A ACcompting day 349. Tvvo accompting daies or iudgements and the reasons therof 352. Angels appearing at the houre of death 434. Antichrist vvhat vvonderful slaughter he shal make at his comming 358. Apostles called by Iesvs 225. their miraculous doings 251. Archilaus Herodes sonne hovv he ended 275. Arist rus a Gentile vvhat testimony he giueth to our scriptures 79. Ascension of Christ proued 243. Atheists of old time 34. vvhat Zeno said of their deathes 〈◊〉 9. Tvvo causes of Atheisme in thes our daies 862. S. Augustins most notable conuersion 620. B S. Iohn Baptists behauiour to Christ and the vvhole story proued 118. Beautie hovv vaine a thing 706. Beginners in Gods seruice cheefly by God cherished 596. hovv they must behaue them selues 619. The better men they are to be aftervvards the greater cōflicts they haue at their conuersion 617. Benefits of God bestovved vpon vs 407. Bethleem appointed before for Christs Natiuitie 209. Bondage and slauery of vvicked men to their sensuality 607. Bookes of deuotion mere profitable then of controuersies praef 6. a. only vvriten by Catholiques 9 a. vvhy they can not be vvritē by Heretiques Ibid. 22. a. Buny hovv he hath set forth this booke of mine praef 10. b. vvhy he dedicateth the same to my L. of Yorke Ibid. 8. a His ignorāce 8. b. He maketh his aduersaries to speake like him self Ibid. 11. a. He inserteth parētheses Ibi. 11. b. He maketh marginal notes Ibid. 12. a. He thrusteth out Ib. 14. a. He mangleth Ib. 15. a. His foolish pacification Ibid. b. C Catholique vvhat it meaneth vvhy inuented 305. vvho is a good Catholique 308. Charitable deeds of our forfathers 343. Christ promised diuersly 141. promised as a spiritual and not a temporal K. 144. promised to be God and man 152. that he should change Moyses lavv 162. hovv he vvas fortold to Gentiles 169. false Christs diuers 203. Christs birth and infancy 207. Christs doctrine vvhat it vvas 220 his Passion and Resurrection 229. Christian Religiō proued pa. 131. It hath bene in substance from the beginning of the vvorld and none euer saued but by it 134. The definition of a good Christian. 338. Christian faith can not be obscure 300. Christian vvisdome vvherin it standeth 340. Christian vocation hovv perfect if it vvere fulfilled 344. Church of Christ hovv it encreased streight after he departed 246. Clemency and mercy hovv vvonderful in Christ. 558. Concupiscence and vvhat misery it bringeth men vnto by yeelding therunto 334. Consideration See the vvhole Chapter pag. 1. See inconsideration Consolation internal of Gods seruants 595. the force therof 593. Conuersion hovv it ought to be made 619. Item 628. VVhy it auaileth not ordinarily vvhen it is made at the last instant 835. The vvatche of Christians the dore vvherof is Consideration 13. D Death hovv terrible it vvil be See the vvhole 10. chap. 419. the causes of miserie to vvordly men in the same 413. the frequent premeditation of death most profitable 440. Delay of our conuersion from day to day hovv dangerous and hurtful See the vvhol 〈◊〉 chapt par 1. the cause vvhy the diuel persuadeth vs to delay 819. Dispaire of Gods mercie hovv greeuous a sinne and hovv to be auoided chap. 1. part 2. pag. 523. 524. 525. c. Hovv to resist al temptations of the diuel therunto pag. 561. 562. c. Difficulties vvhich are imagined in vertuous life remoued See al the 2. chapt 570. Doctrine of Christ vvhat it vvas 220. E The Ende for vvhich man vvas created cha 3. pa. 110. Enimies of Christ and Christians vvhat end they haue 274. Eternitie vvhat a thing it is and hovv to be esteemed 470. Euangelistes of Christes did vvrite most truly 258. F Fatherhood vvhat à thing it is by comparison of God tovvarde mankind 533. 534. c. Faith is easily discerned in Christian religion vvhich is the true 301 at large The vvaye to auoide al errour in beleefe 303. Faith vvithout vvorkes is not sufficiēt Feare of Godes iudgementes necessarie 398. lacke of feare proceedeth of infidelitie 406. the force of Feare 445. the praise of true Feare 810. tvvo kindes of Feare 813. Felicitie of man and beastes 54. G Gentiles hovv they had Christ fortold vnto them 169. vnto 184. Holy Ghost vvhat he did at his comming 247. Glorified bodies haue 7. priuileges 495. God is proued against Atheistes 25. God proued one by al sectos of Philosophers 51. Grace of God hovv strong and forcible 579. 580. c. H Hardnes of hart hovv dangerous an impediment 867. tvvo degrees thei of ibid. Heauen and the revvardes ther resorued see the vvhol 12. chapt Hovv the greatnes therof is found out 483. Heauen hovv it is bought 515. Heresies hovv they first rose and vvhy and hovv they are auoided 306. tvvo causes of Heresies vvith their effectes 311. Heretical practice in corrupting bookes prefat 9. b. Heretical pride Ib. 16. Herod Ascolonita or the elder vvhat he vvas hovv he rose and hovv he liued 189. hovv miserably he died 124. 8 274. Herod Antipas or the second his ende 124 175. Herod Agrippa hovv he died 125. 276. see the death of Herodias Ibid. Hel the names nature therof 456. The intollerable paines therof 459. Honour of the vvorld hovv vaine 701. Hope in the good bade hovv different 599. I Ievvishe nation hovv obstinate against Christian religion according as vvas foreprophetied 184. hovv they vvere chastened and destoyed 278. 279 c. Ignorance voluntarie hovv greeuous a thing pa 8. 9. Immortalitie of the soule proued therby also God being 47. Inconsideration soe chap 1.
putt to death vpō a Crosse by the Gentiles The testimonie of Iosephus may suffice for all herein whose wordes are that the principal Ievves ofbis countrie hauing accused and deliuered ouer Iesus to Pilat that vvas Gouernour of Iurie for the Roman Emperour he adiudged hym to the Crosse. The same doe all other Iewes Gentiles recorde and in this they take great offence and scandale that we should attribute diuinitie vnto a man that had suffred on the Crosse. But if we shew that this was th' eternal preordination and appointement of God for sauing of mankinde and that the same was fortolde both to Iewe Gentile from the beginning and so vnderstood also by the Iuishe Doctors of elder tymes then euerie reasonnable man I trow will remaine satisfied and preferre Gods diuine wisdome before mās follie First then consider that when Christ had ended his preaching and wrought so manie miracles as seemed sufficient to his eternal wisdome and when the tyme was come preordained for his passion wherof he tolde publiquelie his disciples before he went vp to Hierusalem of purpose to receyue his death and made a solemne entrie into that Citie vpon an asse which was prophetied of hym by Zacharie manie yeares before Reioyce daughter of Sion Bcholde thie I VST KING SAVEOVR shall come vnto thec vpon an asse And after his abode some dayes in that place he was betrayed and solde by his owne disciple as Dauid beforehande in manie places had foretolde should come to passe Then folowed his apprehension and most seruile abusage by the Iewes wher of it was foreprophitied in his person by Esay I gaue my bodie to them that beate it and my cheekes to them that bussited the same I did not turne my self avvay from them that reproched mee nor yet from them that did spitte in my sace After this barbarous intreatie by the Iewes they deliuered hym ouer to Pilat a Gentile and neuer ceased to solicite and pursue their vnquenshable hatred against him vntil they sawe him on the Crosse. Where also he was vsed in the highest degree of spiteful dealīg Wherof the foresaid Dauid made mention longe before in the person of the Messias when he said they pearsed my handes and seete they deuided among them my apparaile and vpon my vpper Garmente they did caste lottes And aganie of another crueltie he cōplaineth saing they gaue me Gaule to eate and in my 〈◊〉 they refreshed me vvith vinegar And finallie that Christ should die for the sinnes of mankind ys a common principle bothe prefygured and foretolde throughout all the olde scripture Prefigured by the sacrifice of Isaac by the raising vp of the Brasen Serpent and by all other sacrifices that were in that lawe Fortolde not onely by the scriptures before aleadged but also must plainely by Daniel who was tolde by an Angel that after a certaine time by him there apointed vngetur sanctus senctorum The Saint of Saintes shal be anointed occidetur Christus this anointed Saint or Christ shal be put to death Zacharie also about the same time doth not onely fortel his death but also the kinde therof and from what people he should receyue the same for thus he saith in the person of Christ him self The inhabitantes of Icrusalem at that daye shal looke vpon me vvhom they haue Crucisied But if ye will reade the whole storie of Christs passion set downe at large 600 yeares before it fel out I referre you to a narration of Esay who to signifie the straungnes of the case begineth with this preface vvho vvill gyue credit to that vve shal reporte c. And then after a litle he goeth on in thes wordes He shall mount vp as a tvvigge from a drie earth He hath no fourme or beautie vpon him VVe beheld him and ther vvas no countenance in him vve savve him the most contemtible and dispised man in the vvorld A man full of paines and experienced in infirmitie His countenance vvas obscure and despicable and vve made no accompt of him Truly he tooke vpon him self our greefes and did beare our paines VVe accompted him as a leaper as a mā stricken and punished by God But he vvas vvounded for our iniquities and crushed in peaces for our vvickednes The discipline or correction of our peace lieth vpon him and by his vvoundes vve are made vvhole VVe haue all erred gone astraye like sheepe euery man after his ovvne vvayes and God hath layde vpon him the iniquitie of vs all He vvas offred vp for vs because he vvould soe he shal be led le to his slaughter as a sheepe and as a Lambe he shal be silent before his Shearours For the sinnes of my people haue I stricke thyn saith God He hath donne no iniquitie neither vvas there decepte founde in his mouth Yet vvould our Lord crush hym in infirmitie But if he shal gyue his life for sinne then shal he see a long seede or generation and the vvill of our Lord shal be derected in his hād And for so much as his soule hath susteined labour it shal see and be filled And this MY IVST SERVANT in his knovvledge shal Iustifie many and beare their iniquities And I vvil allotte vnto hym verie many people and he shal deuide the spoiles of the stoute for that he hath deliuered his soule vnto death and vvas accompted among the vvicked prayed for his transgressours Thus particularlie as ye see was the death and Passion of Christ foretolde by the Prophettes of Israel to that Nation Now heare ye the prophetie of Sibylla if ye please wherin she foreshewed the same to the Gētiles Thes are her wordes set downe by Lactātius He shal appeare miserable Ignominious and descurmed to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may giue hope vnto the miserable Aftervvard he shall come into the handes of most vvicked 〈◊〉 faithlesse men they shal busset hym vvith their sacrilegious fistes and shal spitte vpo hym vvith there vncleane mouthes He shal yeelde his innocent backe to the vvhippe and shal say nothing vvhile he receyueth the stripes to th end he may speake to those that are deade He shal 〈◊〉 Crovvne of thornes and they shal giue hym Gaule to eate and vinegar to drinke And this shal be the hospitalitie he shal finde amonge them What thinge can bee more plainly described then this Neither doe the Auncient Rabbines and teachers among the Iewes dessent from this For that in their Talmud that was gathered aboue 1200. yeares gone the plaine sentēce of diuers are sette downe that their Messias at his comming shal be put to death And as for Rabbi Ionathan Authour of the Chaldaie paraphrase who died a litle before Christ was borne he applieth the whole narration of Esay before recited as needes he must to the murder of the Messias by the Iewe. Whereupon RabbiSimeon that liked the next age after writeth thes
what maruelous and dreadful maiestie feare terrour thunder and sound of trumpets the ten commandements of God which containe the perfect forme of a vertuous life were pronounced by Angels vnto the people of Israel Which terrour and maiestie S. Paul applieth expressie to this meaning that we should greatly tremble to violate or transgresse this law which was deliuered with such circumstance of dread and horrour seing that the lawes of great princes potentates are exacted commonly and executed vpon the offendours with much more terrour then they were proclaimed Secondly the same in part may be conceyued if we consider what Iudge or Auditour we shal haue in this accompt Which S. Paul declareth plainly in thes words VVe must al be sommoned before the tribunal seate of Christ and euerie man receyue either good or euil according as he hath behaued him self vvbiles he liued vpon earth Which thing Christ hym self confirmeth in diuers parables when he promiseth to take accompt of al his talents lent vnto his seruants in this world And in S. Mathews Ghospel he expresseth the particuler maner of that accompt saing The Sonne of man shal come vvith his Angels in the glorie of his Father to take an accompt and then shal he giue vnto euerie man according to his vvorkes And yet more particularly and seuerely of the same matter and daie I saie vnto you that euerie idle vvord that men shal speake they shal giue accompt therof in the daie of iudgment By which speech of our Saueour we are admonished not only that we shal giue an accompt of our doinges but also that we shal yeeld the same to him self who saieth in an other place Ego sum Iudex testis I am both Iudge and witnes in this accompt We are instructed also that this accompt shal be most exact and exquisite not omitting the least errours and offenses that haue passed in our life That particuler reward or punishment shal be assigned to eche mā cōfourme to the qualitie of his accompt And finally that this accompt or day of reconning for declaration of the terrour maiestie that shal be vsed therin is called here by Christ a iudgment and tribunal wherin sentence of life or death is to be pronounced Of which iudgmente or accompting daye the scripture noteth vnto vs two kindes The first wherof is called a particuler iudgment for that it is exercised vpon euerie soule immediately after her departure from the bodie according to the wordes of holie S. Paul It is appointed for euery man once to die and after that to haue his iudgment The second is called a general iudgment for that it shal be executed vpō al the world together at the last daie when mankinde shal be translated from this terrestrial habitation And of this iudgement are to be vnderstood aswel thos former wordes of Christ touching his cōming in glorie as also infinite other places and passages of Scripture which doe forewarne and admonish vs of this most dreadful daie And albeit in the first particuler iudgment eche soule that departeth hence receyueth an irrevocable sentence either of life or death eternal as may appeare by the examples of Lazarus and of the riche glutton wherof the one was determined to euerlasting repose and the other to eternal torments immediatly vpon their separation from this world yet are ther alleaged by the holie Saintes of God diuers most cleare facile and euident reasons why his diuine wisdome besides that first priuate and particuler daie of trial hath ordained also this second which shal be publicke manifest and vniuersal The first wherof is that the bodie of man rising from his sepulcher at that daie may be partaker of eternal punishment or glorie with the soule euen as in this life it was participant of the vertues or vices which the soule did exercise The second reason is for that as Christ was contemptible in this world and dishonoured publiquily and put to confusion with his Saints after him in the sight of al men so was it conuenient that once in this world he should shewe his power and maiestie and that in the sight of al his creatures together but especially of his wicked enimies who after that daie are neuer to see or beholde him more The third is that both wicked sinners blessed Saītes of God might receyue their rewardes and final paimentes openly in the sight and hearing of eche other to the more hart breake and confusion of the impious and triumphāt ioye of the vertuous who commonly in this world were contemned ouerborne and troden doune by the other The fourth and last is for that men when they die doe not commonly cary with them al the good or euil which they haue wrought hauing left behinde them diuers thinges which may encrease their merite or demerite after their deathes as are their examples their instructions gyuen to other their temporal faculties or abilities bookes preachings exhortatiōs other like meanes wherby good or euil may proceede after their departure The reward wherof can not so conueniently be assigned vnto thē whiles this world endureth for that their ioyes or punishmentes in the places wher they are may daily be augmented by the hurt or good that may be wrought in the world by thos meanes which they left behind them So diuines doe holde for examples sake that the glorie of S. Paul is encreased daily in heauen and shal be vnto the worlds ende by reason of them that daily doe profite by his writing and rare examplar life vpon earth as also on the contrarie part that the tormentes of Arrius Sabellius and other wicked heretiques are continually augmented by the numbers of thē who frō time to time are corrupted with their seditious and pestilent writiges The like they holde of dissolute Poets and other loose writers which haue left behind them lasciuious wantō and carnal deuises as also of negligent parents maisters or teachers who by their rechelesnes and euil examples gaue occasion to corrupte the children cholers or seruants committed to their gouerment and instruction But after this general daie of iudgment once past their shal be no more place of meriting either good or euil for that the world then and ther shal receyue an ende and a final sentence be pronounced of what soeuer hath passed from the first foundation and establishment therof Of this last and general iudgment then which containeth a confirmation or ratefying of the particuler going before as also a final conclusion clearing and knitting vp of al accomptes and reckonings with mākinde for his trafique stewardship in this worldlie pilgrimage The holie Scripture of God amoni heth vs most carefully to haue continual remembrance and consideration as of the greatest and most important busines that euer we shal deale in and as the forceblest means to restraine vs from sinne that possiblie may be deuised among 〈◊〉
dearly beloued disciple of our Saueour setteth out the same more at large according as it was reuealed vnto him i this maner I heard saieth he a voice like the sound of a thunder saing come and see and I did see And beholde a white horse and one that sat vpon him that had a bowe and he went to conquere After which folowed a blacke horse and he that rode vpon him had a paire of balance in his hande After him passed forth a pale horse and he that sat vpon him was called DEATH and HEL folowed behinde him and he had authoritie giuen to him to slea by sword by death and by the beastes of the earth The earth did shake the sunne grewe blacke like a sacke the moone like blood the Starres fel from heauē the skie doubled it self like a folded booke euery hil and Iland was moued from his place the kinges of the earth and princes and tribunes and the riche and stoute hid thē selues in dennes and in the rockes of hilles Then appeared ther seuen Angels with seuen trumpetes and eche one prepared him self to blowe his blast At the first blast came ther haile and fire mixt with blood At the second blast came a whole mountaine of burning fire into the sea and the third part of the sea was made blood At the third blast fel ther a great Starre from heauen named Absinthiū burning like a torch and infected the riuers and fountaines At the fourth blast was stricken doune the third part of the sunne moone Starres an egle flewe into the element crying with a hideous voice woe woe woe to al them that dwel vpon the earth At the fifte blast fel an other starre from heauen which had the keye of the pit of hel he opened the pit and ther arose a smoke as from a great fornace and ther came forth certaine locustes like scorpions who tormented al such as had not the marke of God in their foreheads And at thes daies men shal seeke death and shal not finde it And thes locustes were like barbed horses with Crounes on their heads Their faces like men their heare like women their teeth like lions and the noise of their winges like the noise of many chariotes running together their tales like scorpiōs and their stinges were in their tailes their king was an Angel of hel named Abbadō which signifieth an vtter destroier At the sixt blast of the trumpet were loosed foure Angels tied before then rushed forth an army of horsmen in number twentie hundreth times tē thousand And I sawe the horses and they which sat vpon them had brestplaces of fire and brimstone The heads of thes horses were as lions out of their mouthes came fire smoke and brimstone wherby they slewe the third part of men which had not repented and their strength was in their tales which were like serpentes Then was ther an Angel which putting one foote vpon the sea an other vpon the land did sweare by him that liueth for euer and euer that after the blast of the seuenth trumpet ther should be no more time And so when the seuenth Angel had sounded ther came great voices from heauen saying the kingdome of this world is made to our Lord and his Christ and he shal raigne foreuer And I heard a great voice saying to the seuen Angels goe and poure out seuen cuppes of Godes wrath vpon the earth and so they did And the first brought forth cruel woundes vpō men The lecōd turned the sea into redde blood The third turned the riuers and fountaines into like blood The fourth afflicted men with fire and made them blaspheme God The fifte made them eate their owne tongues for sorowe The sixt dried vp the water And I sawe three foule spirites like frogges issue out of the mouth of a dragon And finally the seuenth cuppe being poured out ther came a mightie voice from the throne of God saying it is dispatched And ther folowed lightenings and thunders and voices and earthquakes such as neuer were since men dwelt vpon the earth Thus farre this Apostle Euange list and prophet S. Iohn And now tel me my good Christiā brother is it possible for any tongue either humane or Angelical to expresse a thing more forceblie thē this is here set doune what mortal hart can chuse but tremble euen at the reading and remembrāce only of thes inspeakable and incomprehensible terrours What maner of daie will that be trowest thou when the heauens shal mourne the whole earth shal shake the sunne and moone loose their light the Starres fal doune the sea and floods forsake their chanels and natural courses al the elementes be dissolued the face of the earth ouerflowed with blood and the vniuersal world on a flaming fire Is it maruaile now if the Scriptures auouch that the iust men and Angels them selues shal be afraid of that daie And then to reason as S. Peter doth if innocency Iustice shal scarsely esteeme them selues secure in that fearful trial what shal become of sinne and iniquitie what shal become I saie of the careles and dissolute Christian when he shal see so infinite a sea of miseries rushe vpon him O that mē would thincke vpon this daie while they haue yet time O that they would awake and prepare them selues by vertuous life to stand secure confident at this woful houre Who is ther now a daye which taketh that care that holy Ierome did who was wont to saie hauing much lesse cause then wee that he did neuer eate nor drincke nor sleepe nor take any other action in hand without the fearful remembrance of this accompting daie And this of the preparations There foloweth the execution of thinges done in that iudgment VVHEN THE FORMER preparations shal be fulfilled and finished and the whole world brought to that pitiful state and plight which I haue described then saieth the Scripture shal the signe of the fonne of man appeare in the skie and al the tribes of the earth shal see him cōming in the cloudes of heauē amiddest al his Angels with much power and glorie in great authoritie and maiestie And ther in a moment in the twinckling of an eye he shal send his Angels with a trūpet with a great crie at midnight they shal gather together his elect from the foure partes of the world euen from heauen to earth Hitherto are the wordes of holie Scripture Wherin is set doune the first act of this dreadful iudgment which is the cōming of the Iudge to his throne and tribunal seate so much the more terrible and ful of maiestie in this his second appearāce by how much more contemptible he was and despised in his first being vpon earth for the worke of our redemption So S. Iohn affirmed that he which was siaine as a lambe should come againe to iudge as a Lion Of which
haue mercie of the saith God to Ierusalem by his prophet Ieremie or vvho vvil be sorovvful for the at this day vvho vvil goe to intreate for thie peace Thou bast abandoned me saith God thou hast gone from me and novv vvil I strech out my hand and kil the. And yet further by an other prophet he demādeth of wicked men VVhat vvil ye doe in this day of my visitation and of calamitie that commeth vpō you to vvhose helpe vvil ye flie vvher vvil ye leaue your glorie And in an other place expressīg yet more effectuallie their state and miserie he saith they shal crie to the Godes vvhom they serued in this life and they shal not saue them in this time of affliction that is they shal crie cal vpon their frēdes acquaintance wealth honour and other idoles which they serued more then God in this life but they shal receaue no help or comfort from them O deare Christian brother what difference of cogitatiōs what chāge of iudgmentes what discouerie of vanities wil this day bring Thy harte within thee wil now beginne to reason Loe heere is an end now of al my delites and worldlie prosperities Al my ioyes al my pleasures al my mirth al my pastimes are now finished Where are my friendes that were wont to laugh with me my seruātes wont to attende vpon me my children wont to disporte the time with me where are al my coches and horses wherwith I was wont to make so goodlie a shew the cappes and knees of people accustomed to honour me the troupes of suters following me where are al my daliances and trickes of loue al my pleasant musicke al my gorgeous buildinges al my costlie feastes and banquettinges And aboue al other where are now my deare sweete frindes who seemed they would neuer haue forsaken me But alas al are now gone haue left me heere alone to aunswere the reckoninge for al and none of them wil doe so much as to goe with me to iudgement or to speake one worde in my behalfe Woe worthe me that I had not foreseene this daye rather and so haue made better prouision for the same It is now to late and I feare me I haue purchased eternal damnation for a litle pleasure and haue lost vnspeakable glorie for a fleetinge vanitie O how happie and twise fortunate are they whoe so liue as they may not be a fearde of this daye I now see the difference betwixt the endes of good and euil maruaile not though the scriptures saye of the one the death of sainctes are precious And of the other the death of sinners is miserable O that I had liued so vertuouslie as some other haue donne or as I had oftē inspirations from God to doe or that I had done the good deedes I might haue donne how sweete and comfortable woold they be to me now in this my last extremest distresse To thes cogitations and ruful speeches my louing brother shal thie soule be driuen at this last howr of her departure if now thou preuent it not by wisdome and diligence For which preuention the spirit of God hath reueiled vnto vs two principal means the first wherof is the diligent excercise of good workes in this life wherunto Christ him self assureth a good and happie passage at our death For so he pronounced plainlie by a voice from heauen to his deare Apostle S. Iohn they shal novv rest repose from their labours for that their good deedes doe follovv them And holie Dauid the prophet expresseth the maner of a good mans departure more in particuler saying Dominus opem seret illi super lectum doloris cius God shal help and assist him vpon the bed of his sorow that is vpon the bed of his last departure which to a worldlie man may rightlie be called the bed of sorow for that it is nothing els but a collection and heape of al sorowes together The second meane wherby to preuent this sorowful day is continuallie to premeditate and hold in mind the coming therof as holie Iob did who saith of him self al the dayes of my life doe I attend the comming of my change or departure from this vvorld Out of which attētion premeditation doe proceede sundrie most excellent effectes and frutes for preuention of al euil that may insue at that day The first wherof is to stand in continual awe and feare of death as holie Dauid did who confessed of him self that the feare of death vvas fallen vpon him Out of which feare doth proceed a second effect of great weight in mans life named heedfulnes or sollicitude which the blessed mā Iob had by his fornamed meditation of death for so he saith of him self that by consideration he vvas made sollicitous vvith scare and therupon he addeth further that he doubted al his vvorkes In which case S. Paul also signifieth him self to be when he exhorted al men to be careful to doe good vvorkee vvhiles they haue time and for that this time is but short so to vse this present vvorld as though they vsed it not The third effect that followeth by the meditation of death is the vnderstanding of our owne basenes and vilitie wherunto S. Paul exhorted the Corinthians when he said vnto them Except you be reprobates you knovv your selues For he that thinketh often vpon the state of a dead man shal easilie confesse with saint Iames that our life is a vapor and with Esay that al the glorie of man is but as a flovver of the field And wil finallie say to him self with the wise man Quid superbit terra cinis Whie doth earth and dust ware proude and take so much vpon it Thes are three most excellent effectes that doe insue by frequent meditation and consideration of death But besides thes ther followeth also a fowerth which is the casting from vs of al superfluous worldlie cares which are commonlie in them that consider not ther ende according as the wise man warneth vs when he saith God hath giuen or permitted to the sinner affliction and superfluous care to scrape and gather together to leaue it to such as to God it shal best please And out of this effect is ingēdred by litle and litle and by degrees an other more high and excellent thing called the cōtempt of creatures for the loue of their Greator wherunto S. Paul was arriued when he wrote thos finie wordes I doe esteeme al thinges as dunge for the gaining of Christ. And from this proceedeth an other which is the sixt and last called the cōtempt or rather the loue and desire of death Which S. Paul also had attained vnto when he said of him self I doe desire to be dissalued and to be vvith Christ. And the holie prophet Dauid who said in the beginning as you haue heard that the feare of death vvas fallen vpon him came at
other so beholding daily the wounderful examples of godes infinite mercie towardes them that doe repent we may therby conceyue the seueritie of his Iustice towards such as he reserueth to punishment in the life to come and whom for that cause he calleth in holy writ Vasa furoris that is vessels of furie wheron to exercise the rage of his dreadful and most terrible indignation A third consideration to induce vs to the vnderstāding of the greatnes of Gods punishmentes in general may be his maruailous patience and long suffering of sinners in this life As that for example he permitteth diuers mē from sinne to sinne from day to day from yeare to yeare frō age to age to liue continually in the contempt of his Maiestie and transgression of his commaundementes refusing al persuasions allurementes good inspirations or other meanes of grace and fauor that his merciful goodnes can deuise to offer for their amendment And what man in the world could suffer this or what mortal hart were able by inestimable sufferāce for bearing in this life to shew such patience but now if al this should not be requited with seueritie of punishment in the worlde to come it might seeme to be against the law of iustice and equitie and so one arme in God to be longer then the other S. Paule toucheth this reason in his epistle to the Romans where he saith duest thou not knovv that the benignitie of God is vsed to bring thee to repentance and thou by thy bard and impenitent hart doest heape vp vengeace vnto thy self in the day of vvrath and appearance of Gods iust iudgementes vvhich shal restore to euerie mā according to his vvorkes In which sentence S. Paul vseth the phrase of heaping wrath or vēgeāce to signifie therby that like as the couetous man doth laie vp money daily to make his heape encrease so the irrepentant sinner doth heape sinne vpon sinne and God on the contrary side heapeth vengeance to vengeance vntil his measure be ful to restore in the ende measure against measure as the prophet saith and to paye vs home according to the multitude of our ovvne abhominations This was the meaning of almightie God when he said to Abraham that the iniquities of the Amorrheans vvere not yet complet As also in the reuelations vnto S. Ionn Euangelist when he vsed this conclusion of that booke He that doth euil let him doe yet more euil and he that lieth in filth let him yet become more filthie for beholde I come quicklie and my revvard is vvith me to render to euerie man according to his deedes By which wordes God signifieth that his forbearance and tolleration with sinners in this life is an argument of his greater seueritie in the life to come which the prophet Dauid doth insinuate in like maner when talking of a careles sinner he saieth God shal deride him for that he seeth before hand that his daie vvil come Which daie no doubt is to be vnderstoode the daye of account and punishmēt after this life for so doth God more at large declare him self in another place in these wordes And thou sonne of man this saieth thy Lord God the end is come now I save the end is come vpon the. And I wil shew on the my furie and wil iudge the according to thy waies I wil laye against the al thine abominatiōs myn eye shal not spare the nether wil I take anie mercie vpon the but I wil laie thine owae waies vpon the thou shalt know that I am the Lord. Behold affiction commeth on the end is come the end I saie is come it hath watched against the and beholde it is come destruction is now come vpon the the time is come the daie of slaughter is at hand Shortlie wil I power out my wrath vpon the and I wil fil my furic in the and I wil iadge the according to thy waies and I wil lay al thy wickednes vpō the myn eye shal not pitie the nor wil I take any compassion vpon the but I wil lay thy waies vpon the and thy abhominations in the middest of the and thou shalt know that I am the Lord that striketh Hitherto is the speech of almightie God deliuered by the mouth of his holie Prophete SEING THEN we now vnderstand in general that the punishmentes of God in the life to come are most certaine to be greate and seuere to al such as fal into thē for which cause S. Paul affirmeth that it is a horrible thing to fal into the handes of the liuing God Let vs consider some what in particuler what maner of paines and punishmentes they shal be For better conceyuing wherof it is to be noted that there be two sortes of sinners in this worlde the one which die in the guilt of mortal sinne and in the disfauour and hatred of almightie God of whom it is said the portion of vvicked men shal be in the lake burning vvith fire and brimstone vvhich is called the second death The other which haue the guilt of their sinne pardoned by their repentance in this life but yet haue not made that temporal satisfaction to gods iustice nor are so thoroughlie purged in this world as they may passe to heauen without punishmēt and of these it is writen They shal suffer detrimēt but yet they shal be saued as by fire Vpon which wordes of S. Paul the holie father S. Austen writeth thus Because S. Paul sayeth that these mē shal be saued by fire therfore this fire is cōtemned But surely though they shal be saued by it yet is this fire more grieuous then whatsoeuer a man can suffer in this life albeit you know how greate and intollerable thinges men haue or maie suffer The same S. Augustine in an other place expoundeth yet further the words of the said Apostle i this maner They which haue donne thinges worthie of temporal punishment of whom the Apostle saieth they shal be saued by fire must passe through a firie riuer and most horrible shallowes of burning flames signified by the prophet when he saith and a fludd of fire vvent before him and looke how much matter there is in their sinnes so longe must they sticke in passing through how much the fault requireth so much shal the punishment of this fire reuenge And because the word of God doth compare the soule of a sinner to a pot of brasse saying put the pot emptie vpon the coles vntil al the rust be melted of therfore in this fire al idle speeches al filthie cogitations al light sinnes shal boile out and consume which by a shorte waie might haue bene seperated from the soule in this life by almes teares Hitherto S. Augustine And the same holie father in an other place hath these wordes If a sinner by his conuersion escape death and obtaine life yet for al that I can not promise him
as we reade that the conscience of wicked Cain was after he had slain his own brother and of Antiochus for his wickednesse done to Ierusalem and of Ludas for his treason against his maister as our Saueour also doth signifie generallie of al naughtie men when he saieth that they haue a worme that gnaweth their consciences both day and night The reason wherof the holie scripture openeth in an other place when it saieth al vvickednesse is sul of feare geuing testimonie of damnation against it self and therfore a troubled conscience alvvaies presumeth cruel matters That is to say it presumeth cruel thinges to be imminent ouer itself as it maketh account to haue deser ued But yet further aboue al other holie Iob most liuelie setteth furth this miserable state of wicked mens consciences in thes wordes A vvicked man is proued al the dayes of his life though the time be vncertaine hovv long he shal playe the tyrant The sound of terrour is alvvaies in his eares and although it be in time of peace yet he alvvay suspecteth some treason against him He beleeueth not that he can rise againe from darknesse to light expecting on euery side the svvord to come upon him VVhen he sitteth doune to eate he remembreth that the day of darknesse is redy at hand for him tribulation terrefieth him and anguish of minde enuironeth him euen as a king is enuironed vvith soldiars vvhen he goeth to vvarre Can any thing be expressed more effectuallie louing brother then this matter is here let doune by holie writ it self what creature may be imagined more miserable and pittiful than this man which hath such a boucherie and slaughter house within his owne brest and harte what feares what anguishes what desperatiōs are here declared S. Chrisostome discourseth most excellentlie vpō this point Such is the custome of sinners sayeth he that they suspect al thinges in so much as they doute their owne shadowes they are afeard at euery litle noise and they thinke euery man that cometh towardes them to come against them If men talke together they thinke they speake of their sinnes Such a thing is sinne as it bewrayeth it self though no man accuse it It holdeth alwayes the sinner in extreme feare albeit ther be no appearance of any danger to wardes hi. Heare how notablie holy writ describeth this feare of sianers the iust mās libertie The vvicked man flieth though no man pursue him And whie doeth he flie if no man pursue him for that he hath within his owne conscience an accuser that doth pursue him the which accuser he alwayes carieth aboute with him And as he can not flie from him self so cā he not flie from this accuser that resteth within his conscience but where soeuer he goeth he is pursued beaten and whipped by the same and his wounde is incurable But the iust man is nothing so The iust man saveth Salomon is as consident as a lion Hitherto are the wordes of S. Chrisostome VVHERBY AS also by the scriptures before alleaged we take notice yet of an other prerogatiue of vertuous life which is a most liuelie hope or cōfidence of eternal saluation this being one of the greatest treasures and richest Iewels that Christian men haue left them in this life For by this we passe through al afflictiōs al tribulations and aduersities most ioyfullie By this we say with S. Paul VVe doe glorie in our tribulations knovving that tribulation vvorketh patience and patience proofe proofe hope vvhich consoundeth vs not This is our most strong and mightie comfort this is our sure ankor in al our most tēpestuous times and stormes according as the same holie Apostle auoucheth when he saith that it is a most strong solace and comfort vnto vs when we make our refuge to the hope that is proposed by God that can not lie which hope we hold as the sure infallible anker of our soule This is that noble helmet of saluation as the same Apostle calleth it which beareth of al the blowes that this world can laye vpon vs. And finallie this is the onelie rest set vp in the harte of a vertuous man that come life or come death come health or come sickenesse come wealth or come pouertie come prosperitie or come aduersitie come neuer so violent seas and waues of persecution he fitteth doune quietlie and sayeth calmelie with the Prophet my trust is in God and therfore I feare not vvhat flesh can doe vnto me Nay further with holy Iob amiddest al his miseries he singeth this most confident dittie si occiderit me in ipso sperabo if God should kil me yet would I put my trust in him And this is as the scripture sayed before to be as confident as a Lion whose propertie is to shew most courage when he is in greatest peril and neare vnto most troubles But now as the holy Ghost sayeth non sic impij non sic The wicked can not saie thus they haue no parte in this cōfidence no interest in this consolation Quia spes impiorum peribit sayeth the scripture the hope of wicked men is vaine and shall perish And againe praestolatio impiorum furor the expectation of wicked men is furie And yet further spes impiorum abhominatio animae The hope of wicked men is abhomination and not a comfort vnto their soule And the reason hereof is double First for that in verie deed though they say the contrarie in wordes wicked mē doe not put their hope and confidence in God but in the world in their riches in their strength friendes and authoritie finallie in the deceauing arme of man euen as the prophet expresseth in their persone when he sayeth VVe haue put a lye for our hope That is we haue put our hope in thinges transitorie which haue deceaued vs. And this is yet more expressed by the scripture saying the hope of vvicked men is as chasse vvhich the vvinde blovveth avvay and as a buble of vvater vvhich a storme disperseth and as the smoke vvhich the vvinde blovveth abrode and as the remembrance of a guest that stayeth but one day in his inne By al which metaphores the Holie Ghost expresseth vnto vs both the vanitie of the thinges wherein in deed the wicked doe put their trust and how the same faileth them after a litle time vpon euery smal occasion of aduersitie that falleth out This is that also which God meaneth when he so stormeth thundreth against those which goe into Egypt for helpe doe put their confidence in the strength of Pharao accurfing them for the same promising that it shal turne to their owne confusion which is properlie to be vnderstoode of all those which put their cheef confidence in worldlie helpes as al wicked men doe whatsoeuer they say or dissemble to the contrarie For which cause also of dissimulation they are called hypocrites by Iob
which letters we hope wil come hither quickly and so we stand resolued by Gods grace to al sufferance expecting at the mercy of our Lord a croune of life euerlasting Know you also that Sixtus the Bishope of Rome was put to death the eight day before the Ides of August last I beseech you that thes things may be signified by your means to al our felow bishopes in thos Prouinces to the end that by their good exhortatiōs the whole brother-hood of Christians may be strengthened and prepared to this spiritual combat that is imminent and that no man in thes times thinke so much vpon death as of the immortalitie which hath to folow death Let euery man I say with ful faith and al vertue dedicated to our Lord reioice rather thē feare in this confession which we must make assuring our selues that the true souldiours of Christ our God shal not be slaine but crouned therin After this not many daies he liuing in certain orchardes or gardins in the country was aduertised by his frendes that two Pursiuantes were sent to take him bring him to the citie of Vtica whervpō he fled And least any man should thinke perhaps that it was of feare he wrot an epistle which was the last that is extant of his wryting vnto the Preestes deacōs and people of his Church of Carthage wher he was bishope shewing them the reason why he had retired him self from the hādes of the Purseuantes in thes wordes When it was brought vnto vs deare brethren that officers were sent to lead me vnto Vtica by the coūsel of our deare frends I was content vpon iust cause to retire my self from our orchardes for that it seemed to me conuenient for a Bishope to make his last confession in that citie where he hath gouuerned Gods Church to the end that by his confession he may honour his flocke people And it seemed to me that the honour of our glorious Church of Carthage should be much deminished at this time if I the bishope thereof should receaue my sentence and death in Vtica For which cause I haue alwaies desired praied almightie God that I might make my confession suffer in Carthage and from thence depart vnto my Lord. So then here we abide presently in a very secret place expecting the retourne of the Proconsul from Rome to Carthage who wil bring with him I doubt not the determination of the Emperour touching both bishopes and Iaimen that are Christians and wil decree that which our Lord for the present wil haue to be done And as concerning you my dearest brethen according to the discipline which alwaies you haue receaued from me out of our Lordes commādementes doe you obserue al tranquilitie among your selues let no man raise tumultes touchīg the doings of his brethrē let no man offer him self to the persecutions but when he is apprehended then let him speak for in that instant God wil speak in vs who rather wil haue vs CONRESSOVRS thē PROFESSOVRS in his cause Touching other things that I would haue you obserue I hope before my sentence be giuen by our Lordes instruction to dispose in general Christs IEVVS keepe and preserue you al long in his Church Soone after this was writen that is vpon the 13. of September as Pontius and other doe write came sodainly vpon him two purseuantes and apprehending him brought him to the new Proconsul called Galerius Maximus at Carthage wher after a glorious confession made of his faith the particularities wherof were here to long to be set downe his sentēce was reade that he must be behedded Wherunto S. Cyprian answered Deo gratias and so the next daie after receaued his Martyrdome at a place called Sexti not far of from Carthage shutting vp his owne eyes with al peace and confort of minde and commanding twentie crounes of gold to be giuen to him that cut of his head And Pontius that was ther present addeth thes wordes The brethren stoode rownd about him weeping and did cast their napkins and prayer bookes before him that none of his blood might be drūk vp of the ground His body by reason of the curiositie of the Gentils that pressed about him was buried for the present in a place nigh bv but the night following it was taken thence againe by the Christiās and caried solemly with torches wax tapers to the possession of one Macrobius Candidus in the way called Apellensis nigh to the fish pondes c. And the reuerend opinion of this mans sanctitie was so great among Christians euen presently vpon his death that they builded Churches in his honour and memorie as may appeare by the storie of S. Victor bishop of Vtica who liued the next age after and recordeth in his first booke de persecutione Vandalica how that the heretical Vandals that were Arians ouerthrew two goodly Churches in Africa dedicated to S. Cyprian th' one in the place wher he was martired called Sexti th' other in the place wher his body was buried called Mappalia S. Augustine also in his confessions lib. 5. cap. 8. maketh mention of a Church in Africa dedicated to S. Cyprian wher Monaca his mother praied for him at his departure towardes Italie And in diuers places he mentioneth the solemnitie which yearly was celebrated in the day of his martirdome which day according to the Churches phrase he calleth his natiuitie And in his tenth tome he hath a whole sermon made in the feast of S. Cyprians natiuitie of which sermō not only venerable Bede maketh mention in his commentarie vpō the second epistle to the Ephesians but also Possidius S. Austens scholler in Indiculo And finally S. Augustine euery wher not only maketh most honorable mention of this blessed martir but also against the Donatistes desireth to be holpen by his praiers now in heauen Wherfore his exāple ought greately to moue vs. I might here recompt many other persecutions and the singuler combats of infinit particuler men which could neuer I dare say weary the Christian reader But yet would they be to long for this place Eusebius affirmeth that to set doune onely the fight susteined in his time vnder Diocletian Maximianus Maximinus and other tyrants which was the last general affliction before the general peace restored by Constantine were a matter of infinit volume For saith he the persaecution began in the moneth of Marche whē Christians were ready to celebrate the feast of Christs holy passiō At what time Diocletians first edict was that al Christiane Churches through out the world should presently be ouerthrowne al Pastors therof taken and by al maner of torments that mans wit could deuise be enforced to sacrifice together with their people Thē saith Eusebius was it a time when ech man might easily see who loued the world or loued God who was a good Christian and who was a counterfete who was true corne
Dan. 8. The fortelling of great Alexander Ioseph l. 1. de antiq Iudaic. 〈◊〉 VVhat maner of persons our prophetes vvere Ptolo. in l. de fructu Moses Narbon in lib. Abubacher 〈◊〉 Roger. Baco l. de sex sciēt experimentalib Amos 1. Exod. 15. Iudic. 5. 1. Reg. 2. Luc. 1. c 2. Act. 21. THE. 8. proofe of scripturs Approbatiō of heathen vvriters I. The creation of the vvorlde Gen. 1. 2. 2. The slud of Noe. Gen. 6 7. 8. Iosep. lib. 1. antiq Iudaie Euseb. li. 9. de prap Euāg ca. 4. 3. The longe life of the first fathers Gen. 5. 10. 11. 4. The Toure of Babylon Gen. 11. Enseb. li. 9. de praepar cap 4. Marke this reason 5. Of Abraham Gen. 11. 12. 13. 14. c. Alex. Polyhist lib. de Iudaica historia Melo li. de fraudibus Iudaeorum Artaban in Iudaeorumhist Gal. de simplic pausan in Eliae Solin in Poli. hist. Tacit. li. vlt. hist. 6. Of Isaac Iacob Iob Ioseph c. Gen. 15. 16. 17. 18. c. Aristaeus li de Iob. 7. Of Moyses Exo. 2. 3. 4. 5. c. The discription of Moyses person out of heathen vvriters 8. The storie of Iosue the Iudges and the kinges Iosep. lib. 8. de antiq cap. 2. The treasures hiddē in the sepulcher of Dauid Ioseph l. 13 de antiq cap. 16. * The same thing attempted Herode in his time as Iosephus saith l. 18. antiq 9. The things that ensued after Salomons dayes Iere. 37. 4. Reg. 4 Os Senacherib Esa. 31. 33. 36. 4. Reg. 9. Hero l. 2. Dan. 16. Ioseph l. 1. de Antiq. Iudaica No excuse of the ignorance of God The errour of the olde Philosophers Rom. 1. 2. Rom. 1. Rom. 1. v. 28. Rom. 1. E v. 32. A general sentēce pronounced by S. Paul Rom. I. V. 18. Th' application to our selues Rom. 1. v. 20. Luc. 12. A necessarie Consideration Prou. 16. Man made to serue God Iob. 11. Sap. 15. Pro. 15. Eccle. 11. 12. Mat. 12. Accompt to be rēdered Psal. 9. 43 141. Profitable 〈◊〉 and considerations Gen. 14 Deut. Luc. 1. The. 1. consequence upon due consideration of our ende The 2. consequēce Hovv eche 〈◊〉 may take a scāteling of his estate A right course Philip. 2. A vvrong and dangerous course The reason vvhie so fevv are saued Mat. 7. 20 22. Lut. 13. Iacob 4. Mat. 19. Marc. 10. Luc. 19. A perfect example of a good conuersion Mat. 19. Marc. 10. The vvrōg course of the vvorld A Cōparison expressing theranitie of our occupatiōs Math. 16. Psal. 4. Hiere 2. A Comparison 8. Cor. 9. Sap. 5. The complainte of vvorldlīgs in th' ende of their life The fondé iudgemēt off the vvorld Sap. 5. Psal. 10 Gal 6. A comparyson expressing our gryese in th' ende for our running a vvronge course The miserie of a soule that hath gone avvrie at the last day Sap. 5. Alexāders death Iul. Caesar death Tvvo rare examples Ioseph l. 14 15. 18 de antiq Iudaica de bell Iud. l. 2 * For enuie onlie of Agrippa his fortune Herodias did ruine her self and her husband as Ioseph saith l. 18. antiq cap. 8. 9. 15. Her husband vvas Herod An tipas that slevv S. Iohn Baptiste and vvas sonne to Herode the first Luc. 3. Mat. 14. Herodes death Iosep. l. 15. antiq * This Herod vvas called Ascolonita slevv th' infantes in Bethlem Matth 2. The death of Agrippa Iosep. l. 19. cap. 7. * S. Luke saith he vvas stroké by Gods Angel Act. 12. And cōsider hovv Ioseph'agreeth vvith that Narration Euseb. l. 2. hist. cap. 9. Sincere and profitable counsaile Eccle. 4. Ioh. 9. Deut. 32. Eccle. 37. Eccle. 24. Great follie and errous Esa. 55. Ephe. 1. 1. Thes. 2. 2. Pet. 1. Luc. 15. Sap 4. Errour in cur course of life is not pardoned Ose. 4. Esa. 28. A profitable forevvarning Math. 25. Luc. 16. A rare chance that happened to Balsasar K. of Babylon Dan. 5. If God examine straitlie th' actiōs of infidells much more of Christiās is they be careles Dan. 5. Sopho. 1. A dreadful diuision Math. 24. The cōclusion Rom. 12. Pro. 5. Eccle. 12. Of religion See S. Tho. 2. 22. quest 81. 82. 83. Pietie Obseruāce Malac. 1. The actis and operations of Religion Iacob 1. August lib. 10. de ciuit cap. 1. Hovv much it importeth to be religions The necessitie of Chri stiā religiō Act. 4. Hovv men vvere saued in olde time vvithout Christiā religiō Gal. 3. 4 Ephes. 3. Colos. 1. See S. Angust li. 19. cont Fanst. cap. 14. All olde Sainctes beleeued in Christ and vvere saued by Irym Gen. 3. v. 15. Apoc. 13. Act. 15. v. 11. Rom. 5. Ephe. 8. * Reade S. Thom in 1. 2. qu est 103. art 4. August l. 18. de ciu c. 47. ep 49. 157. tract 45. in Ioh. Cle. Alex. lib. 6. strom Hieron in cap. 3. ad Gal. The differences betvvene our beleefe and th' old fathers Esay 7. Gen. 49. * 〈…〉 The causes of this Chapter Heb. 11. Act. 14. The diuers testimonies from God of the thinges that vve belieue The vndoubted vvitnesses to be alleageà in this chapter The drifte of this chapter The principal heades The Ievve and Gētile Ephes. 1. 1. Tim. 2. Tit. 1. 1. Pet. 1. Esa. 2. 11. 19. Icrem 9. 12. 16. THE. 1. consideration THE Messias promissed 1. The first couenant to Adam Gen. 2. Gen. 3. * Rabbi Mose Ben maimon in hunc locū Tharg Hie. ros in Gen. 3. To Abraham and Isaac Gen. 12. 18. 22. 3. Jacobs prophetie of Christ. Gen. 49. Tharg Hie ros Onkelos in hunc locū The Messias must be a spiritual not a temporal king The tradition of the Ievves in Misdrasch Thehilim See the titles of thes psalmes 41. 44 45. 46. 47 48. 82. 84 86. 87. 5. Moyses prophetie of Christ. Deut. 13. Deut. 34 6. Dauids propheties of Christ. Psal. 88. 2. Reg. 7. 1. Para. 22 Psal. Reg. 5. 1. Para. 22 3. Reg. 12 Psal. 2. 45. 47. 67. 72. Psal. y 1. 7. Ieremies prophetie touching Christ. Ierem. 23 33. 8. Ezechiels prophetie of Christ. Ezec. 34. Christ is called Dauid Thalm. tract Sanh ca. helec The propheties of Esay touchīg Christ. Esa. 2. Mich. 4. Esay 4. v. 2. Esa. 9. v. 6. Esa. 11. v. 1. Psal. 71. Ecclc. 45. VVōnderful properties of Christ. Math. 1. Luc. 3. Act. 13. Rom. 15. Other properties of Christ. Esa. 25. v. 8. Esa. 35. v. 5. Esa. 42. v. 2. Esa. 49. v. 6. Act. 13. 47. The commission of Christ. 10. The prophetie of Daniel touchinge Christ. Dan. 9. v. 23. The Butt of all scripture THE. 2. Consideration THAT Christe should be God and man The custome of Heretikes That Christ must bee both God and man Gen. 3. r. 15. The. 1. proofe Esa. 4. v. 2. Esa. 9. Psal. 71. Psal. 109. Esa. 53. Psal. 96. Heb. 1. Psal. 110. Math. 2. Marc. 12. Luc. 20. * Iehoua in Hebrne