signes which haue bene frō the beginning to fortell vnto vs the true Meisias were fulfilled in hym and his actions or no. And for that the matters are manie and diuers that will come herein to be handled I will for order sake reduce all to fower considerations Wherof the first shal be touching the tyme foreprophetied of the comming of Meisias and whether the same agreed with Christes Natiuitie or no. The seconde shal be of diuers particulers that passed in Christes incarnation birth circumcision and other accidētes vntill the tyme that he began to preach The third shal be of his life conuersatiō miracles and doctrine The fowerth and last of his Passion death resurrection and Ascensiō In all which as I sayed before I will vse no one Authour or testimonie of our owne side for prouing anie thing that is in controuersie bytwene vs but all shall passe by trial either of their owne scriptures or of manifest force and consequence of reason or els by expresse recorde of our professed enimies FOR THE first then concerning the tyme which is the principal and head of all the rest it is to be noted that by consent of all writers both Pagan Iuishe Christian Iesus whom we beleeue and confesse to be true Christ was borne the 25. daye of December in th' ende of the 41. yeare of th' Emperour Augustus reigne which was 15. years before his reigne ended Also in the beginning of the 33. yeare of Herodes reigne in Iurie which was 4. yeares and more before his death And from the beginning of the world as some accompt 5199. And as other 4089. for that in this pointe betwene the Hebrues and Graecians there is a differēce of some litle more then a hundreth years concerninge their reconinge The state of the worlde at Iesus Natiuitie was this The three Monarchies of the Assyrians Persians and Graeciās were past ouer and ended the Romans were entered into the fowerth that was greater then anie of the rest according to the prophetie of Daniel 500 yeares before Octauius Caesar surnamed Augustus after fyue ciuil warres by hym self waged and after infinit broyles and bloodshed in the worlde reigned peaceablie alone for many yeares together in tokē of an vniuersal peace ouer all th' earth he caused the temple gates of IANVS to be shutt according to the custome of the Romans in such cases albeit this had happened but twise before from the buylding of Rome vnto that tyme. And the verie same daye that Christ was borne in Iurie Augustus commaūded in Rome as afterward was obserued that no man should call hym LORDE therby to signifie the free libertie rest ioye securitie wherin al mē were after so longe miseries which by continual warres the world had suffered By this we gather first that this tyme of Iesus birth agreed exactelie with the prophetie so longe before sett downe in Daniel who lyued in the first Monarchie that after his tyme there should be three Monarchies more and the last biggest of all at whose appearinge the Messias should come and build vp Gods kingdome throughout all the world Secondlie we see that fulfilled which Esay aboue a hundreth yeares before Daniel fortold that at the cōming of Christ people should sitt in the beautie in peace And againe there shal be no ende of peace And yet further he shall be Prince of peace And kinge Dauid longe before hym againe in his dayes there shal ryse iustice and abundance of peace Which thinge though especiallie it be to be vnderstoode of th' internal peace and tranquilitie of our myndes and soules yet considering that external peace also was necessarie for a tyme for the quiet plantinge publishinge of Christes Gospel and seinge that the same wās brought to passe most miraculouslie vpon the suddain when in reason men least might expect the same for th' infinite warres wherin the worlde a litle before had bene and by reason of the Roman Monarchie so freshelie established whiche in their begininges are wont to be troublesome this peace I saye can not be but a greate argument that this was the proper tyme of the Messias his comminge And this for the state of the world in general But now for the particuler state of Iurie at Iesus natiuitie thus it was according as Iosephus the Iew who was borne within fyue yeares after Christ his passion describeth the same One Herod a straunger whose father called Antipater came out of Idumaea was rysen to acquaintance and fauour with the Romans partelie by his said fathers meanes who was as Iosephus wordes are a vvell monicd man industrious and sactious and partelie also by his owne diligence and ambition being of hymself both wittie beautiful and of excellent rare qualities By which cōmendatiōs he came at length to marry the daughter of Hyrcanus kinge of Iurie that was descended liniallie of the house of Dauid and tribe of Iuda And by this mariage obteined of his father-in-law to be Gouernour of the prouince of Galilie vnder hym But Hyrcanus afterwardes fallinge into the handes of the Parthyians that caried hym into parthia Herod ranne away to Rome and there by the helpe and special fauour of Antonie that ruled in company together with Octauius he obteined to be created kinge of Iurie without all title or interest ī the world For that not onlie his said fatherinlaw Hyrcanus was yet a lyue in Parthia but also his yonger brother Aristobulus and three of his sonnes named Antigonus Alexander and Aristobulus and diuers other of the blood Royall in Iurie Herodthen hauing procured by thes meanes to be kinge of Iurie procured first to haue into his handes the forsaid kinge Hyrcanus and so put hym to death as also he brought to the same ende his yonger brother Aristobulus together with all his three sonnes He putt to death also his owne wife Mariamnes that was kinge Hyreanus daughter as also Alexandra her mother And soone after two of his owne sonnes by the said Mariamnes for that they were of the blood Royal of Iuda And a litle after that againe he put to death his third sonne named Antipater He caused to be slaine at one tyme 40. of the chiefest noble men of the tribe of Iuda And as Philo the Iewe writeth that liued at the same tyme with hym he putt to death all the Sanhedrin that is the seuentie and two Senatours of the tribe of Iuda that ruled the people He kylled the chief of the sect of Pharisies He burned the genealogies of all the kinges and princes of the house of Iuda and caused one Nicolaus Damascenus an Historiographer that was his seruant to draw out apetidegree for hym and his line as though he had descended from the auncient kinges of Iuda He translated the highe priesthode solde it to straungers And finallie he so rased dispersed and mangled the house of
the consideratiō of this starre for that after the appearance therof he perceyued the power of his Godes decayed toke a iourney into Iury in company of other Astronomers to informe hym self further of the matter Wherunto Chalcidius a Platonike doth adde that the Chaldaean Astronomers did gather by contemplatiō of this Starre that some God discended from heauen to the benefit of mankinde And finally the Sibyls talking of the cōming of Christ affirmed plainly Rutilans cum sydus monstrabit a blasing Starre shall declare his comming Which prophetie Virgile the Poet hauing read in Augustus tyme and soone after hauing seene the same fulfilled applied it as I shewed before of al the rest to the flattering of Caesar and therfore he saieth in the place before alleaged Ecce Dionaei processit Caesaris astrum Beholde the Starre of Caesar descended of Venus hathe now appeared which Starre in deede was the Starre of Caesars Lord and Mayster AFTER fortie daies past ouer S. Luke reporteth how Iesus by his mother was presented in the temple of Ierusalem and there withall recounteth two straunge thinges that happened at the same time to witte that two graue and reuerend persons Simeō surnamed Iust and Anna the Prophetesse both of singuler sanctity amongst the Iewes cōmig into the Temple at the very time when Iesus was there in his mothers armes tooke notice of him and acknowledged him publiquely for the Messias and Saue our of the world Fortelling also by the spirit of prophetie diuers particuler thinges that were to ensue both to Christ and Christians and especially to his mother the blessed Virgin Which thinges being published at that time confirmed afterward by the euent doe well declare that this narration of S. Luke could not be forged as doe also the number of particuler circumstances set doune about the time place persones most notoriouslie knowen to al Lerusalem For as for Anna she had liued from her youth vntil four skore yeares of age in the temple therby was knowen to the most parte of Iurie And as for Simeon he was the scholler of the most famous HILLEL and cōdisciple to Ionathan maker of the 〈◊〉 paraphase of whō I spoke before and the Iewes Thalmud confesseth that by the death of thes two mē but especially of Simeon failled the spirit of the great Synagogue called Sanhedria which after the captiuity of Babylō vntil Herods time supplied in a sorte the spirit of prophetie that was expresly in Israel before the said captiuity OF CHRISTS flight into Egypt for feare of Herod S. Luke well noteth that it was prophetied by Osee longe before that God vvould call his sonne oute of Egypt And the prophet Esay describeth the same very particulerlie when he sayeth Behold our Lord Iehoua shall ascende vp or ride vpō a light cloude which was his flesh or humanitie and shal goe dovvne into Egypt and all th' idoles of Egypt shall shake at his presence Which later pointe Eusebius sheweth that it was fulfilled most euidentlie in the sight of all the worlde for that no Nation came to Christian religion with so greate celeritie or with so greate feruour as did th' Egyptians who threw downe their Idoles before any other heathen Nation And as they had bene the first in idolatrie to other countries so were they the first by Christes cōminge vnto them that afterwarde gaue example of true returne to their Creatour It followeth in Esay And I vvil gyue vp Egypt into the handes of cruel Lordes and a Potēt kinge shall take dominion ouer them Which was fulfilled aboute the verie time wherin Christ was to come For that then after manie spoiles and cruelties excercised vpon Egypt by the Roman Lordes and Princes Pompey Caesar Antonie and others in th' ende Cleopatra their Qiene that was the last of all the bloode and lyne of the Ptolomces was inforced to slea her selfe and so Augustus th' Emperour tooke possession of all Egypte and subiected it as a prouince to the Romans Empire But consider you how Esay concludeth the matter after all thes temporal afflictions threatened against Egypt and confesse that suche aduersitie is no signe of Gods disfauour to them who receaue it For thus sayeth God after all his cominations In that day there shal be an Aulter of Iehoua in the middest of Egypt they shall crie to God in their tribulation and he shal send them a SAVEOVR c. Blessing shal be in the middest of that lande to vvhome our Lord God of hostes hath gyuen his benediction saying Blessed is my people of Egypt And here we make an ende of our second consideration IN THE THIRD PLACE there cōmeth to be considered according to our former diuision the life conuersation doctrine and miracles of Iesus And first touching things done by hym after his cōminge out of Egypt whiche might be about the sixt or seuēth yeare of his age vntil his Baptisme by S. Iohn whiche was the 30. there is litle recorded either in Prophane or Ecclesiastical writers For that as S. Iustin S. Chrysostome S. Augustine and others doe write he bestowed that time in the common exercises and labours of mans life therby to shew hymself trueman and giue demonstration how much he detested idlenes OF S. Iohn Baptist all Hebrue writers of that time doe make mention with exceeding praise and admiration of his holines especially Iosephus that liued īmediately after Christs dayes sayeth hewas Vir optimus Iudaeos excitans ad virtutum studia A most excellent man stirring vp the Iewes to the exercise of vertue He addeth also that partly for feare of the great concourse of people which flocked vnto hym and partly by the sollicitation of Herodias cōcubine and brothers wife to Herode Antipas the great Herodes sonne for whos cause he had turned of his owne wife daughter of Areta king of the Arabians he was apprehended and imprisoned in the Castle of Acherun and therin soone after put to death Which murther Ioseph esteemed to be the cause of all the miserie whiche ensued afterward to Herode and his whole familie Of this man it was writen by Malachie the prophet Beholde I send my messenger or Angel before me and he shal prepare the vvay before my face and presently shal come to his Temple the RVLER vvhom you seeke and the MESSENGER OF THE TESTAMENT vvhich you desire Which prophetie was fulfilled most euidently when vpon the preaching of S. Iohn Christ came vnto hym and albeit S. Iohn had neuer sene hym before yet he acknowledged hym for the Messias in the presence of infinite people and his acknowledgment was confirmed by the visible descending of a doue voyce frō heauen in the sight and hearing of all the people present accordinge as three of our Euangelistes doe reporte Which they would neuer haue presumed to doe had not the matter bene most euident without al
all others in those first tymes of simplicitie and sinceritie were in parte translated into diuers liguages before the Monarchie of the Persians that is before any storie of the Gentiles were writen as Eusebius out of manie heathen authours declareth NEXT TO the reason of antiquitie is alleaged the manner of wryting authorising cóseruing thes scriptures which is such as greatelie cōfirmeth the certaintie of thinges conteyned therin For first what soeuer is sett downe in these wrytinges was ether taken immediatelie frō the mouth of God as were the propheties and bookes of the law or els collected from tyme to tyme by general consent according as matters miracles sell out as were the booke of iudges the bookes of Kinges and Chronicles and some other that conteine recordes and histories of tymes Which bookes were not gathered by some one priuate man vpon hearsaye or by his owne imagination longe after thinges donne as heathen histories and other prophane recordes monumtes are but they were writen by general agreement in the self same dayes when thinges were in sight and knowledge of all men and so could not be seigned Secondlie when bookes were writen they were not admitted into the canon or authoritie of scriptures that is of gods worde or diuine writinges but vpon great deliberation and most euidēt proof of their vndoubted veritie For ether the whole cōgregatió or Synagoge who had th' approuing here of and among whom commonlie were diuers prophetes did know most certainlie the thinges and miracles to be true as did also the whole people that were recorded in thes writinges conteining histories or els they saw the same confirmed frō God by signes and wonders as in the bookes of their prophetes of their-law gyuer Moises it fell out Thirdlie when anie thing was writen and admitted for scripture the care of cōseruation therof was such and the reuerence of Iewes therunto so great as may easilie assure vs that no corruption or alteration could happen vnto it For first the thig was copied out into twelue Autentical Copies for all the twelue tribes and then againe in euerie tribe ther were so manie Copies made as were particuler synagoges within that tribe All was donne by special Notaries Scribes ouerseers and witnesses The Copies after diligent renewe taken were layde vp by the whole Cōgregatiō in the treasure-howse of the temple vnder diuers lockes and keyes not to be touched but by men appointed nor to be vsed but with singuler reuerence To adde diminish corrupt or alter was present death by the lawes of the Nation And how then was it possible sayeth the Iewe that among thes writinges ether falshode should creepe in or truth once receaued could afterwardes be corrupted It is not possible sayeth he in reason and therfore obserueth he an other thing in this case which ī truth is of verie great consideration to witt that no other Nation vnder heauē did euer so much esteeme their owne writīges that they would offer to die for the same as the Iewes were redieto doe for euerie sentēce and syllable of their scriptures Wherof also it did proceede that in all their miseries and afflictions wherin they were a spectacle to all the world in all their flightes and banishementes to Egipt Babylon Persia Media and other corners of the earth in all their spoiles assaults and deuastations at home they yet euer had special care to conserue these writinges more then their owne lyues and so haue kepte the same without may me or corruptiō more ages together then all Nations in the world haue donne any other monumentes THE THIRD persuasion which is vsed by the Iewe for the veritie of his scriptures is the consideration of the particuler men that wrote them who were such as in reason can not be suspected of decept or falshod For as I haue said the Stories of the Byble were writen from tyme to tyme by publique authoritie and by the testimony of all men that saw and knew the thinges that are rehersed The bookes of propheties were endited by the prophetes them selues who were plaine simple and sincere mē authorized from God by continual miracles and yet so scrupulous and timerous of their owne speeches as they durst say nothing but only our Lord saith this the God of Hostes commaundeth that c. And when they had preached and reade their writinges in the hearinge of all the people they protested that it was not mans worde but gods and that for such they left it in the publique treasurie of their Nation vntill by tracte of tyme th' euent and fulfilling of their propheties should proue thē true as alwayes it did and their owne both liues and deathes declare that they meant no falshode their liues being such as were not subiect to the corruption pride vanitie or ambitiō of this life as other prophane and heathen writers were and their deathes for the most parte offered vp in holie martirdome for defence of that truthe whiche they had preached writen as appeareth in Esay that was sawed in peeces by kīg Manasles in Ieremie that was stoned to death by the common people in Ezechiel that was slayne by the capitaine of the Iewes at Babylō in Amos whose braines were beaten oute by Amasias the wicked idolitrous priaest in Bethel in Micheas whose necke was broken by prince Ioam sonne to kinge Achab in Zacharie that was slaine at th' Aulter and the lyke And this for the Prophetes of later tymes amōg the Iewes But now if we cōsider the first Prophete of all that wrote among that people I meane Moyses that was not only a Prophet but also an Historiographer a Law giuer a Captaine and a Prieste the first that euer reduced that people to a common wealth and the first that putt their actes gestes in writing or rather th' actes and gestes of almightie God towardes them this man I say if we cōsider hym onlie I meane the circūstances of his person the Iewe thiketh this a sufficiēt motiue to make anie mā of reason beleeue what so euer he hath lefte writen in the Bible without further confirmatiō And first for his antiquitie I haue spokē before and the heathēs doe confesse it for miracles donne by hym the greatest ennemies that euer he had in the world that is Appiō in his fowerth booke agaīst Iewes and Porphirie in his fowerthe booke agaīst Christiās d ee acknowledge them and Porphirie adioyneth more for proofe therof that he fownde the same cōfirmed by the storie of one Saconiathō a Gentile who liued as he saith at the same tyme with Moyses But what all those miracles say they were donne by artemagicke not by the power of God as Moyses boasted But thē asketh thē the Iew wher Moises a shepheard could learne so much magick or why could not the Magitians of Pharao whose studie was in that profession from their infancie ether doe the
contende This yet maketh the Patriarche Iacob more plaine who prophesing at his death of the comminge of Christ hathe thes wordes the scepter or gouernment shall not be taken from the house of Iuda vntill be come that is to be sent and he shal be the expectation of Nations Which later wordes the fornamed Chaldie paraphrase as also great Onkelos both of singuler authoritie amōgest the Iewes doe interprete thus Donee Christus seu Messias veniat c. vntil Christ or the Messias come which is the hope and expectation of all Nations as well Gentiles as of vs that are Iewes the gouernment shall not ceasse in the house or tribe of Iuda By which sentence of scripture and interpretation of the Iewes thē selues we come to learne besides the promisse for the Messias two cōsequences in this matter against the Iewes of later tymes First that if their Messias must be the hope and expectation as well of Gentiles as of Iewes then can he not be a temporal kinge to destroye the Gentiles as the latter Iewes would haue it but a spiritual king to reigne ouer them and to bring in subiection their spiritual enimies for them I meane the fleshe world and deuil as we Christians doe beloeue Secondlie if the temporal kingdome of the house of Iuda where of Christ must come shall ceasse and be destroyed at the comming of Messias as this scripture auoucheth how then can the Iewes expect yet a temporal king for their Messias as most fondlie they doe But to leaue this controuersie with the later Rabines and to goe forward in declaration of that which we tooke in hand that is to shew howe Christ was fortolde fore-promissed to the Iewes it is to be noted that after the death of Iacob last mentioned there is litle recorded in scripture of the doinges of his people during the fower hundred yeares of their bondoge in Egypt But yet the tradition of that Nation teacheth that as soone as they were deliuered out of Egypt and were in the desert towardes the lande of promisse the three sonnes of Chore called Aser Eleana Abiasaphe of whome there is mention in the sixth chapter of Exodus and other where made diuers songes and Psalmes in the praise and expectation of the Messias to come and that the holie men of that tyme did solace thē selues with singing the same and that king Dauid afterward in the second parte of his Psalmes begining from the 41. vnto the 87. gathered the most parte of those olde songes together as yet they are to be seene in his psalter But Moyses who liued with that people gouerned them in the wildernes had a cleare reuelatiō from God of this Messias in thes wordes I vvill raise vp a Prophet to this people from amongest their brethren euen as thy self and I vvill putt my vvordes in his mouth and he shal speak vnto them all thinges vvhich I shal ordaine vnto him and he that shal refuse to heare the vvordes vvhich he shal speake vnto thē in my name I vvill he reuenged vpon that man Which wordes that they can not be vnderstoode of anie other Prophet that euer liued after Moyses among the Iewes but onlie of Christ it appeareth plainelie by this testimonie of the holye ghoste And were arose not anie other Prophet in Israel like unto Moyses c. After Moyses about fower hundred yeares ensued Dauid whoe for that he was a holie man and the first king of the howse of Iuda out of whose linage the Messias was to come the particulers of this mysterie were more abundantlie and manifestlie reueiled vnto hym then vnto anie other And first for assurance that Christ should be borne of his stocke and linage thes are the wordes of God vnto hym I haue svvorne to Dauid my seruant I vvil prepare thie seed for eternitie and vvill build vp thie seat to all generations Which wordes albeit the later Iewes will applie to king Salomon that was Dauides sonne and in some sense they may so bee for that Salomon was a figure of Christ to come yet properlie thes wordes and his kingdome shal stand for euer and for all eternitie which are so often repeated in this and other places of scripture can not be verified in Salomō whose earthelie kingdome was rent torne in peeces straight after his death by Ieroboam and not longe after as it were extinguished but they must needes be vnderstoode of an eternal king which should come of Dauids seede as must also thes other wordes of God in the psalmes Thou arte my sonne this day haue I begotten the I vvill gyue vnto thee the Gentiles for thine inheritance Which was neuer fulfilled in Salomon nor in anie temporal king of Iurie after hym And muche lesse thes wordes that follow He shall endure vvith the sunne and before the moone from generation to generation There shal rise vp in his dayes peace vntil the moone be taken avvay he shal reigne from sea to sea vnto the endes of the vvorld All kinges shal adore hym and all Nations shal serue hym for that he shal deliuer the pooreman that had no helper he shal saue their soules and deliuer them from vsurie and from iniquitie all tribes of the earth shal be blessed in hym and all Nations shal magnisie hym Thes wordes of Christs eternal kingdome of his enduring to the worlds ende of his vniuersal raigne ouer Iew and Gentile of his adoration by all Nations of his deliuerie of soules from bondage of iniquitie and finallie of his making blessed all tribes of the earth can not possiblie be applied to anie temporal kinge that euer was among the Iewes or euer shal be but onlie to Christ. This promisse made vnto Dauid for Christ to come of his seede is repeated after his death by manie prophetes and confirmed by God as in Ieremie where God vseth thes wordes Behold the dayes come on and I vvill raise vp to Dauid a iust seede and he shal reigne a kinge and shal be vvise and shal doe iudgement and iustice vpon earth And in his dayes shal Iuda be saued and Israel shal dvvel confidentlie this is the name that men shall call hym OVR IVST GOD. All this was spoken of Dauids seede aboue fower hundred yeares after Dauid was dead Whiche proueth manifestlie that the former promisses and speeches were not made to Dauide for Salomon or for anie other temporal kinge of Dauids lyne but for Christ who was called so peculierlie the sonne and seede of Dauid for that Dauid was the first king of the tribe of Iuda and not onelie was Christs Progenitor in flesh but also did beare his Type and Figure in manie other thinges For which cause likewise in the prophet Ezechiel who lyued about the same tyme that Ieremie did the Messias is called by the name of Dauid hym self For this God spake at that tyme vnto Ezechiel I vvil saue my
doctrine monumeÌ„tes euen from the beginning albeit the lower they went the more corrupt they were and more obscured in diuine knowledge by their excercise iÌ„ idolat ie So wee know that the Romans had their learning from the Grecians the Graecians froÌ„ th' Egyptians th' Egyptians from the Chaldaeans who were the first people that receyued instruction in diuine matters from Adam Methusalem Noe others of those first and auncient fathers Now then it is to be considered that by consent of writers there were three famous men that liued together in those auncient times to witt Abraham who descending from HEBER was the father and beginner of the Iewes or Hebrues And wth hym Iob and one Zoroastres that were not of that linage of Heber but as we call them for distinctioÌ„s sake either heathens or Gentiles albeit that difference was not then in vre And of Iob we know by the testimonie of his booke that he was a most holie and vertuous maÌ„ Of Zoroastres we know onlie that he was greatelie learned and left monumeÌ„tes therof vnto his posteritie This Zoroastres liuing in Abrahams time might by accompt of scripture see or speake with Noe. For that Abraham was borne aboue three skore yeares before Noe disceassed And Noe was borne aboue fyue hundreth yeares before Methusalem dyed which Methusalem had lyued two hundred and fortie yeares with our first father Adam that had enioyed conuersatioÌ„ both with God Angels And therby no doubt could tell many highe and secrete mysteries especiallie touchinge Christ in whom all his hope for redemption of his posteritie did consist Which mysteries hidden knowledge it is not vnlike but that AbrahaÌ„ Iob Zoroastres and others who lyued at that tyme with them might recevue at the third hand by Noe and his children I meane Sem Cham and Iaphet who had lyued before the Fludde and had seene Methusalem which Methusalem lyued as I sayed so many yeares with Adam Herehence it is that in the writinges of Zoroastres which are yet exstant or recorded by other authours in his name there are founde verie many plaine speches of the sonne of God whom he calleth Secundam mentem the second mynde And muche more is it to be seene in the writinges of Hermes Trismegistus who lyued after in Egypt receyued his learninge from this Zoroastres that thes first heathen philosophers had manifest vnderstanding of this second person in Trinitie whom Hermes calleth the first begotten sonne of God his onlie sonne his deare eternal immutable incorruptible sonne vvho Sacred name is inessable thos are his wordes And after hym againe among the Graecians were Orphens Hesiedus others that vttered the like specches of the sonne of God as also did the Platonistes whose wordes and sentences were to longe to repeate in this place But he that will see them gathered together at large lett hym reade either Origen against Celsus the heathen or els S. Cyril in his first booke against Iulian th Apostata And this shall suffice for this first way wherby the Gentiles had vnderstanding of Christ. For the second thing which I mentioned it is to be vnderstoode that amonge the GeÌ„tiles there were certaine prophetisses or women prophetes called Sibyllae which in the greeke tongue as Lactantius gathereth maye signifie so much as either Councelours to God or Reutilours of Gods Councel And thes women being endued as it seemeth with a certaine spirit of prophetie did vtter from tyme to tyme though in such termes as most GeÌ„tiles vnderstoode them not most wonderful particularities of Christ to come agreiÌ„g as it were wholie with the prophetes of Israel or rather setting downe manie thinges in much more plaine and euident speeche then did th' other th' one of them beginning her greeke meerer in thes verie wordes knovv thie God vvhich is the sonne of God c. An other of theÌ„ maketh a whole discourse of Christ in greeke verses called Accrostichi for that the begiÌ„ning of euerie verse is by some letter appointed in order foorth of some one senteÌ„ce that runneth through the whole As for example the sentence that passed throughe the beginning of those verses whiche now we talke of was this Iesus Christ Sonne of God Saueour Crosse. And there were so manie verses in the whole discourse as there are letters in this senteÌ„ce The total argumeÌ„t beiÌ„g of the incarnatioÌ„ life death glorie and iudgement of the sonne of God And the last two verses of all the meeter are thes He that hath bene here described by our Accrossike verses is an immortale Saueour and a Kynge that must suffer for our sinnes And for that thes propheties of the Sibylls are of marueilous importaÌ„ce to coÌ„firme the veritie of our Christian religioÌ„ and are alleaged ofteÌ„ for that purpose by the most graue learnedst fathers of our primatiue churche as for example by Iustinê° the martyr in his apologie for Christians by Origen against Celsus by Arnobius and his scholler LactaÌ„tius against Gentiles by S. Cyril against Iulian th' apostata by S. Augustine in his Cittie of God by Eusebius and Constantine th' Emperour and others I will say somewhat in this place for th' authoritie and credite of thes verses least anie man perhappes might imagine as some Gentiles in olde tyme would seeme to doe that they were deuised or inuented by Christians And the most of my proofes shall be out of a learned oration writen in latine by the foresaid Emperour to a Councel of Prelates in his dayes wherein he indeuoureth to shew the vndoubted authoritie of thes Sibyll propheties which he esteemed so much after diligent search made for their credite and sinceritie as they seeme to haue bene a great cause of his constant zele and feruour in Christianitie First then he sheweth that thes predictioÌ„s of the Sibylles could not be deuised or seigned by Christians or made after the tyme of Christes natiuicie for that Marcus varro a wost learned RomaÌ„ who liued almost a hundrethe yeares before Christ maketh mention at large of thes Sibylles who in number he saith were ten and of their writinges countries ages as also of the writers or authours that before his tyme had left memorie of them And both he and Fenestella an other heathé doe affirme that the writinges of thes Sibilles were gathered by the Romans from al partes of the world wher they might be heard of and layed vp with diligence and great reuerence in the Capitole vnder the charge and custodie of the highe priestes and other Officers in such sorte as no man might see or reade them but onlie certaine Magistrates called the Fistine and muche lesie might any man come to falsifie or corrupt them Secondlie he sheweth that Sibylla Erythraea who made the former Acrostike verses of Christ restisicth of her self that she liued about 600. years after the fludde of Noe and her
nothing Where as cōtrarie wise in the scriptures it is in euerie battail recorded God deliuered them into their enimies handes God ouertbrevv them God gaue the victorie Againe consider the lawes and law makers among the Gentiles as Lycurgus Solon Draco Numa and the like and see whether you may finde any one such law or tending to such an ende as this is of the Iewes thou shalt loue thie God vvith all thie hart and vvith al thie soule and shalt loue thy neighbour as thie self Consider in all the Southesayers and Diuiners amōg the Gentiles whether they vsed to say ī their predictions as the prophetes of Israel did Dominus dixit our Lord hath spoken it or els Ego dico I doe speake it Compare their Versifiers and Poetes with those of the scripture and see whether they haue laboured in the praise of men or of God And where as heathen Poetes haue filled vp their bookes as also the most parte of ours at this day with matter of carnal loue marke whether anie of thē euer brake forth into such pangues of spiritual chaste loue as Holie Dauid did whē he said I will loue the my God my strēgth my firmament my refuge my deliuerer my helper my protector and the horne of my saluation And againe in an other verse What haue I desired vpon earth besides thee my flesh and harte haue fainted for thee thou God of my hart thou God that arte my parte and portion euerlasting By all which is euident that as prophane writinges and writers which doe treate of men extoll men seeke the grace of men referre all to the commoditie and good liking of men doe proceede of the spirite of mā are subiecte to those infirmities of falshode errour vanity wherwith man is intangeled in this life so the scriptures which handle matters aboue the compasse of flesh and blood that referre all to God and supernatural endes could not proceede of nature or of humane spirit For that by nature the Iewes were men as the Gentiles were and had their infirmities of flesh blood as th' other had And therfore it must needes be concluded that thes high and supernatural writinges amonge them proceeded from God that specially directed them gaue them lighte of vnderstanding aboue all other nations people in the world NEXT AFTER the argument and Ende of the scriptures the Iew willeth vs to consider the peculier stile and phrase which they vse for that sayeth he it being different from all other maner of writing in the world and vnimitable to man it doth discouer the fingar of God by which it was framed For where as humane writers doc labour much in adorninge their stile and in reducing their wordes to number weight measure and sounde with addition of manie figures and other ornamentes for allurement of the reader the scripture taketh quite an other course and vseth a most maruelous simplicitie therby to accommodate it self to the capacitie of the weakest but yet alwayes carying with it so greate profunditie as the best learned in searche therof shall confesse their owne ignorance For examples sake consider but the verie first wordes of the Bible In the beginning God created heauen and earth and the earth vvas emptie and voide and darkenes vvas vpon the face of the depth and the spirit of God vvas caried vpon the vvaters and God said lett light be made and light vvas made c. What can be more plaine and simple then this narration to instruct the most vnlearned aboute the beginning and creation of the world and yet when learned men come to examine euerie pointe therof how what and where and in what manner when thinges were donne it astonisheth them all to cōsider the difficulties which they finde and the depthe of so infinite inscrutable mysteries Besides this there goeth in the same simplicitie a straunge Maiestie and grauitie of speech declaring sufficientlie from how greate and potent a prince it proceedeth For as great Monarches in their edictes and proclamations are wonte to speake vnto their subiectes not in figures and rhetorical phrases but plainlie breeflie and peremptorilie to shew their authoritie so the scriptures to declare whose edictes they be doe vse the like maner of phrase and stile to all the world without alluring or flattering anie man and without respect of Monarche Emperour prince or potentate Fac hoc viues doe this and thou shalt liue Si peccaueris in me morieris in aeternum if thou sinne against me thou shalt die euerlastingly And albeit as I haue said the scripturs doe vse this simplicitie of speech and doe not admitte that kynde of painted and artificial stile which humane writers dos so much couet yet in persuading instructing mouing of affections and all other effectes whiche speech or writinge can worke there is no comparason a thing most wōderful betwene anie other writinges in the world and thes Wherof I. could alleage manie proofes and examples but that it were to longe Let anie man reade attentiuelie but the first chapter of the prophetie of Esay and cōpare it with anie one parte or parcel of Tullies or of Demostines oratiōs see whether the difference of wordes be as great as the difference of motions Let diuers hymnes and holie psalmes of the scriptures be cōferred with the most pathetical poemes that mans wit hath inuēted and see whether there be anie comparason in styrring and fiaring of affections or no This am I sure that Iosephus the Iew who for glorie of his eloquence had his image of mettal erected by Titus the Emperour ī the market place of Rome wrote the same storie which the scriptures conteine and bestowed much labour and humane cūning therin But yet euen in thos places when he endeuoured most to shew his arte as in the sacrifice of Isaac by his father and in the meeting of Iephte with his onely daughter which by vow he was cōstrained to put to death the scriptures are able to pearse the hart wring owt teares of the reader whom Iosephus will not greatelie moue with his rhetorical narration though otherwise verie learned and artificiallie penned Aristaeus that learned Gētile of whom we haue made mention before who was in special fauour with Ptolomie the second greate Monarche of Egipt aboute 300 yeares before Christes natiuitie and a chief doer in procuring the translation of the Hebrue Bible into the greeke language reported of his owne knowledge to that king two straunge accidentes which had happened in his time which he had vnderstoode of the parties themselues to whom they had happened The first was of Theopompus an eloquent Historiographer who hauing translated certaine thinges out of the Bible and endeuouring to adorne the same with vaine colours of eloquence could not perfourme his desire but was strokē with a suddain maze and gyddines
being only a peece of earth or claye before Now ymagine then of what sea of loue al this proceeded But yet adde further how he hath created all this magnificēt world for the and all the creatures therof to serue thee in this busines the heauens to gouerne the and to geeue the light the earth ayer and water to minister most infinite varietie of creatures for thy behoof and sustenance and of al thes hath made the Lord maister to vse them for thine auaile and benefite in his seruice Which giftes being so manifold and magnificent as they are I appeale to thine owne cōscience good Christian brother how intollerable an ingratitude it is so greatly to dishonour iniurie the giuer as to applie thes giftes to his offence which he bestowed vpon the for his seruice Next after this ensueth the benefite of thy redemption much more excellent and bountiful thē the former the effect wherof is that wheras thou hadst lost al those former giftes and benefites and hadst made thy self guiltie by sinne of eternal punishmēt and damnation wherunto the Angels were now deliuered for their sinne committed before God chose to redeeme the and not the Angels and for satisfying of thine enormous fault vouchsafed to deliuer his owne only soone to the most opprobrious death of the Crosse O Lord God what hart can possibly conceyue the greatnes of this benefite Suppose with thy self gentle Christian for better vnderstanding of this benefite that thou being a poore and abiect person vnder the dominion of some great mightie Emperour hadst with some of his principal Peres committed grieuous crimes against his Emperial Maiestie thou oftentimes and they but once and being both by law conuicted and redie to suster Iustice for the same so singulerly should the Emperours fauour extend it self in thy behalf as deliuerig ouer thos other great princes to execution for their demerites he conceyued a desire to saue and pardon thee And finding no other conuenient meanes in respect of his Iustice how to doe the same should vpon his only sonne and heire of al his Empire laie the paines shame and tormēts of death due vnto thy trespasses Tel me now if being so abiect and cōtemptible a creature thou shouldst receyue so great a grace of a mightie Emperour who had for fewer offences euen in thy sight put to death greate and glorious princes as God did thos principal Angels how wonderfully wouldest thou thincke thy self bound and beholden vnto him for the same But if further this sonne and heire of this noble Monarch refusing to speake one word for thos great princes should not only accept willingly this dishonour and punishment laid vpon him by his father for thy sake but also should offer himself therunto and craue most instantly that he might by his death make satisfaction for thine offences and not only this but also to deriue vnto thee the participatiō of his inheritāce making thee of a bondslaue heire apparant to so Puissant an Emperour coheire to him self could thy hart possibly conceyue so great a benefite were it possible that thy powers of bodie soule should not dissolue in the cogitation of so inspeakable a grace would not thy bowels burst in sunder with the vehemencie of loue towards such a benefactour Or can any mā of reason euer imagine that thou wouldest willingly for a thousand worlds offend any more so gratious a Lord And yet is this benefite of thy redemption deare brother by infinite degrees surpassing both this and al other temporal graces that mans wit can imagine in al and euery circumstance that before hath bene mentioned In the third place doe come to be considered two other benefites named vocation and Iustification The first wherof is that wherby God of his infinite depth of mercies hath called vs from infidelitie to the state of Christians and therby made vs partakers of this our redemption last mentioned which infidels are not For albeit he payed the ransome for al in general yet hath he not imparted the benefite therof to al but to such onlie as best it pleased his diuine goodnes to bestow it vpon After which grace of vocation and our acceptance therof insued immediatlie our iustification wherby we were not onlie set sree from al our sinnes committed before and from al paine and punishement dew to the same but also our soules were beutified and enriched by the infusion of his holie grace inherent accompanied with the vertues theological as faith hope and charitie with the most pretious giftes of the Holie Ghost and by this grace wee were made iust and righteous in the sight of God and entitled to the most blessed inheritance of the kingdome of heauen the worthines of which gift no tongue of man or Angels can expresse After these doe ensue a greate number of benefites together apperteining properly to such as are made the children and true frendes of God euery one wherof in it self is of most infinite price and valew Among which are in the first place to be nombred the holie Sacraments of Christs Church left vnto vs for our comfort and preseruation after we be entred into the bosome therof They being nothing els in deed but certaine sacred cōduits to cōuaie vnto vs the holie grace of God especially thos two which appertaine to al men in general I meane the holy Sacraments of penance and of the blessed bodie and blood of our Sauyour wherof the first is to purge our sowles from sin so often as she falleth the seconde to feede and comforte the same after she is purged The first is as a bathe made of Christs owne pretious bloode to washe and clēse our woundes therein the secōde as a most comfortable and riche garment to couer our soule after she is washed In the first Christ hath left with his spouse the Church al his authoritie which he hath in heauē or earth to remit sinnes in the secōd he hath left him self his owne flesh and bloode to be a pretious foode wherwith to seede and cherish our soule after her sinnes be remitted Besides al thes ther yet remaineth an other benefite which we cal the benefite of Preseruation wherby God hath kept and preserued vs from infinite dangers wherūto many others before vs haue fallen and into which our selues had fallen in like maner if gods-holie hande had not stayed vs as from heresie and infidelitie and manie other greeuous sinnes but especially frō death damnation which longe a goe by our wickednes we deserued to haue bene executed vpon vs. Wherunto maie be annexed also the most singuler benefites of godlie inspirations and admonitions wherby God hath often both knocked inwardlie at the dore of our conscience and warned vs outwardly by so many wayes and meanes as are good bookes good sermons good exhortations good companie good exāple of others a thousand other most merciful means besides which at
placed to be despised and not to be honoured How great honour was that trow you which he did to Abraham in the sight of so many kings and princes of the earth as of Pharao Abimelech Melchiseedech and others How great honour was that he did to Moyses in the face of Pharao and of al his court by the wonderful signes that he wrought by him What excessiue honour was that he did to holie Iosue when in the sight of al his armie he stayed the sunne and Moone in the middest of the firmament at Iosues appointement obeying therein as the scripture saieth to the voice of a man what honour was that he did to Esay in the preface sight of king Ezechias whē he made the sunne to goe backe tenne degrees in the heauens what honour was that he did to helias in the sight of wicked Achab when he yelded the heauens into his hands and willed him to say that neither raine nor dew should fal vpon the ground for certain yeres but by the wordes of his mouth onely what honour was that he did to Elizeus in the sight of Naaman the noble Syrian whom he cured onelie by his word from the leprosie whos bones also after his death raised vp by onelie touching the dead to life inallie not to alleage more examples herein what singular honour was that he gaue to al the Apostles of his sonne that as many as euer they laid handes on were healed from al infirmities as S. Luke affirmeth Nay which is yet more the verie girdles and napkins of S. Paul did the same effect and yet more then that also so many as came within the onelie shadow of S. Peter were healed from their diseases Is not this maruailous honour euen in this life was there euer Monarch prince or potentate of the world that could vaunt of such points of honor And if Christ did this to his seruantes euen in this world whereof notwithstanding he saith his kingdome was not what honour shal we think he hath resesued for the life to come where his kingdome shal be in al fulnes and where al his seruants shal be crouned as eternal kings with him Lastlie for some further declaration of this matter and for expressing th' incomparable excellencie of heauenlie blisse some diuines doe vse a consideration of the three different places wherunto man by his creation is ordained albeit in al pointes it be not necessarie to hold the same iust proportion The first of which places is our mothers wombe the second this present world the third is coelum Empireum which is the place of blisse in the life to come Now in these three places say the learned we must hold some like proportion by al reason betwene the third and second place as we see sensiblie to be obserued betwene the second and first So that in what proportion the second doeth differ from the first in like measure must the third be different from the second on rather much more for that eternal and heauēly thinges doe exceede al comparison of trāsitorie thinges amōg themselues By this proportion then we must say for exāple sake that as farre as the whole world doth passe the wombe of one priuate woman so much in al beautie delites and Maiestie doth the place of heauēlie blisse passe al this whole world with the ornamentes therof And as much as a man liuing in the world doth exceede a child in his mothers bellie for strength of bodie beautie wit vnderstāding learning and knowledge so much and farre more doth a Saint in heauen passe al men of this world in al these excellencies and infinite more besides And looke how great horrour a mā of perfect age would conceaue to returne into his mothers wombe againe so much and farre greater would a glorified soule haue to come back from that eternal blisse into this vale of miserie The nine moneths also of life in the mothers wombe are not so litle in respect of any mans age in the world as is the longest life vpon earth in respect of euerlasting life in heauen Nor the blindenesse ignorance and other miseries of the child in his mothers wombe are any way to be compared to the cecitie darknes folie other calamities of this life in respect of the cleare light most excellent knowledge deuine vnderstāding other singuler prerogatiues of the Saints in heauen So that by al thes reasons laid together ther may a general coniecture be framed of the most infinit and incomprehensible excellencie of this reward wherof we treate BVT NOVV TO CONSIDER the same thing somewhat more in particular it is to be noted that this reward or glorie of heauen shal comprehend in it self two partes or members the one called essential belonging to the soule the other termed accidental belonging to the bodie The essential part consisteth in the vision or sight of God as afterward shal be shewed The accidental consisteth in the change and glorification of our flesh after the general resurrectiō wherby this corruptible bodie of ours shal put on incorruption as S. Paul sayeth and of mortal become immortal Al this flesh I say of ours that now is so combersom and aggreeueth the minde that now is infested with so many inconueniences subiect to so many mutations vexed with so many diseases defiled with so many corruptiōs replenished with so infinit miseries and calamities shal then be made glorious most perfect to endure for euer without change or mutation and to raigne with our soule euerlastinglie And for this purpose as diuines doe proue the same shal be endued with certaine excelles qualities and giftes from God which S. Anselm whom in this matter I wil folow doth reckon to be seuen to wit beautie agilitie fortitude penetrabilitie health pleasure perpetuitie Al which excellencies either doe want in the damned bodies or else their contraries are found therin And first of al concerning the priuiledge and high excellencie of beautie how singuler it shal be in the bodies glorified our Saueour him self in some part declareth when he sayeth At that daie shal the Iust shine as the sunne in the kingdome of their father A maruailouse speech and in humane sense almost incredible that our putrefied bodies should shine and become as cleare as the sunne Whereas in the contrarie part the bodies of the damned shal be as black and vglie as filth it self The second prerogatiue assigned to the bodies of the iust is agilitie or velocitie whereby their flesh is deliuered from al lumpish heuinesse wherwith it was pestered in this life and made as light as the Angels them selues which are spirits and doe passe from place to place with infinit swiftnesse as also doe ascend and descend of them selues against the nature of corruptible bodies whereas in the meane space the damned bodies shal be bound both hand
contradictions and tribulations bothe within and without left vnto man in this life As for exāple within are the rebellions of his concupiscence other miseries of his minde wherwith he hath continualie to make warre if he wil saue his soule Without are the world and the deuil which doe neuer cease to assault him now by faire meanes and now by foule now by flatterie now by threates now alluring by pleasure and promotion now terrefying by affliction and persecution Against al which the good Christian hathe to resist manfullie or els he leeseth the crowne of his eternal saluation The verie same thing also may be shewed by the examples of al the most renowned saintes from the begining who were not onelie assaulted internallie with the rebellion of their owne flesh but also persecuted afflicted outwardlie by diuerse aduersities therby to confirme more manifestlie this purpose of almightie God vnto vs. This we see in Abel persecuted and slaine by his owne brother as sone as euer he begāne to serue God sincerly The same we see in Abrahā afflicted diuerslie after he was once chosen by almightie God Of the same cuppe dranke al his children and posteritie that succeded him in Gods fauour as Isaac Iacob Ioseph Moyses and al the prophetes of whom Christ him self geueth testimonie how their blood was shed most cruellie by the world The affliction also of Iob is wonderful seing the scripture affirmeth it to haue come vpon him by Gods special appointement he being a most iust man But yet more wonderful was the afflictiō of holie Tobias who among other calamities was stricken blinde by the falling doune of swallowes dung into his eyes of which the Angel Raphael tolde him afterwarde Because thou vvere a man grateful to God therefore it vvas of necessitie that this tentation should proue thee Beholde the necessitie of afflictions to good men I might adde to this the example of Dauid and others but that S. Paul geueth a general testimonie of al the saintes of the olde testament saying That some were racked some reproched some whiped some chained some imprisoned other were stoned cut in peeces tempted and slaine with the sword some went about in heare clothe in skinnes of goates in great neede pressed and afflicted wandering and hyding them selues in wildernesses in hilles in caues and holes vnder grounde the worlde not being woorthie of them Of al which he prononceth this comfortable sentence to be noted of al men Non suscipientes redemptionem vt meliorem inuenirent resurrectionem That is God wolde not deliuer them from these afflictions in this life to the end their resurrection and rewarde in the life to come might be more glorious And this of the saintes of the olde testament But now in the new testament founded expresselie vpon the crosse the matter standeth much more plaine and that with great reason For if Christ could not goe into his glorie but by suffering as holy scripture affirmeth then by the most reasonable rule of Christ affirming that the seruant hathe not priuilege aboue his maister it must needes in reason folowe that al haue to drinke of Christes cuppe which are appointed to be partakers of his glorie And for proofe herof looke vpon the dearest frendes that euer our Sauiour had in this life see whether they had parte therof or no Of his mother old Simeon prophesied and tolde her at the beginning that the svvorde of tribulatiōs should pearce her harte signifying therby the extreme afflictions that she felt afterward in the death of her sonne and other miseries heaped vpon her Of the Apostles it is euident that besides al their labours trauailes needes sufferinges persecutions and calamities which were infinite and in mans sight intolerable if we beleue S. Paul recoūting the same besides al this I saye God wold not be satisfied except he had their blood also spent in his seruice and so we see that he suffered none of them al to die naturallie or in his bed but onelie S. Iohn by a special priuilege particulerlie granted to him from Christ albeit if we consider what S. Iohn also suffered in so long a life as he liued being banished by Domitian to Pathmos at an other time thrust into a tonne of hoate boyling oyle at Rome as Tertulian and S. Ierome doe reporte we shal see that his parte also was no lesse then others in this cuppe of his maister I might reckō vp here infinite other exāples but it needeth not for it may suffice that Christ hathe geuen this general rule in the new testament He that taketh not vp his crosse and folovveth me is not vvoorthie of me By which is resolued plainelie that there is no saluation now to be had but onely for them that take vp that is doe beare willingly their proper crosses and therwith doe folow their captaine walking on with his crosse vpon his shoulders before them But here perhappes some man may say if this be so that no man can be saued without a crosse that is without afflictiō and tribulation how doe al thos that liue in peacible times and places where no persecution is no trouble no affliction or tribulatiō To which I answere first that if there were any such time or place the mā liuing therein should be in verie great danger according to the saying of the prophet they are not in the labours of other men nor yet vvhipped punished as others are and therfore pride possessed thē and they vvere couered vvith iniquitie and impietie and their iniquitie proceeded of their fatnesse or abundāce Besides this albeit men suffered nothing in this life yet as S. Austen largelie proueth if they died out of the state of mortal sinne they might be saued by suffering the purging fire in the next according to the saying of S. Paul that such as build not gold or siluer vpon the true foundation but wood straw or stuble shal receaue dammage thereof at the day of our Lord to be reueiled in fire but yet by that fire they shal be saued Secōdlie I answer that there is no time and place so voide of tribulation but that there is alwaies a crosse to be found for them that wil take it vp For euer is there either pouertie sicknesse slaunder enemitie iniurie contradiction or some like affliction offered continually For that thos mē neuer want in the world wherof the prophet saied They that doe render euil for good did detract me for that I folovved goodnesse At the least wise there neuer wāt thos domestical enemies of which our Sauiour Christ for warneth vs I meane ether our kinred and carnal friends who commonly resist vs if we beginne once throughly to serue almightie God or els our owne disordinate affections which are the most perilous enemies of al other for that they make vs warre vpō our own ground Again there neuer want
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.