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
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
what eche tribe should attaine after his death by drawinge of lottes Againe the same Moyses forsawe and fortolde in publique hearing of all the people how in tymes to come longe after his death the Iewes should forsake God and for their synnes be cast into manie banishementes and finallie be forsaken and the Gentiles receaued in their roome as in deed it came to passe And whence trow you could he learne this but from God alone In the booke of Iosue there is a curse layed vpō the place where Iericho stoode and vpon what soeuer person should goe about to rebuild the same to wit that in his eldest sonne he should lay the foundations and in his yongest sonne should he builde the gates therof which is to saye that before the foundations were layed and gates builded he should be punished with the death of all his children Which thing was fulfilled almost fiue hundred yeares after in one Hiel who presumed vnder wicked kinge Achab to rebuild Iericho againe and was terrified from the same by the suddaine death of Abiram and Segub his children as the booke of kinges reportech according to the vvorde of our Lord vvhich he had spoken in the hande of Iosue the fonne of Nun And since that tyme to this no man ether Iewe or Gētile hath taken vpon hym to raise againe the said Citie albeit the situation be most pleasant as by relation of Stories and Geographers appeareth In the third booke of kinges it is recorded that when Ieroboam had withdrawen ten tribes from th' obedience of Roboam kinge of Iuda to th' ende they might neuer haue occasion to revnite thē selues againe to Iuda by their goinge to sacrifice in Ierusalem as by the law they were appointed he builded for them a goodlie gorgeous highe Aulter in Bethel and there cōmanded them to doe their deuotions And when he was one day thero present hymself and offering his incense vpon the said Aulter and all the people lookinge on there came a man of God sayeth the scripture and stoode before the Aulter and cried out aloude and spake thes wordes O Aulter Aulter this sayeth our Lorde behold a childe shal be borne of the hovvse of Dauid vvhose name shal be Iosias and he shal sacrifice vpon thee thes idolatrous priestes that novv burne francomsense vpon the and he shal burne the bones of men vpon thee Thus spake that man of God in the presence and hearinge of all the people more then three hundred yeares before Iosias was borne and it was registred prosentelie according to the manner of that tyme which I haue noted before and with the same were registred also the miracles which happened about that fact as that the Aulter clefte in two vpō the mans wordes and Ieroboam extendinge owt his hande to apprehend hym lost presentelie the vse and feeling therof vntill it was restored againe by the said holie mans prayers who notwithstanding for that he disobeyed Gods commandement in his returne and dyd eate with a prophet of Samar a which was forbidden hym he was slaine in his way homeward by a Lion and his bodie was brought backe againe buried in Bethel nigh the said Aulter amongest the sepulchers of those idolatrous preestes of that place but yet with a superscription vpon his tombe conteining his name and what had happened There passed three hundred yeares and Iosias was borne and came to reigne in Iuda And one daye cōming to Bethel to ouerthrow the Aulter and to destroye the sepulchers of those idolitrous priestes that had bene buried i that place whē he began to breake their tombes he fownde by chance the sepulcher of the said man of God with the superscription vpon it By which superscription and by relation of the citizēs of Bethel when he perceaued that it was the sepalcher of hym that had fortolde his byrth his name and his doinges so manie hundred years before he was borne he lett the same stande vntouched as the fowerth booke of kinges doth declare Now consider whether among anie people in the world but onlie amonge the Iewes ther were euer anie such prophetie so certaine so particuler so longe fortolde before the tyme and so exactelie fulfilled But yet the holie scriptures are full of the lyke and tyme permitteth me onlie to touch some few of the principal Esay the prophet is wonderful in fortelling the mysteries and actes of the Messias his natiuitie his life and all the particulers that happened in his passiō In so much that S. Ierome sayeth he may seeme rather to write a storie of deedes past then a prophetie of euentes to come But yet among other thinges it is to be noted that he liuing in a peaceable and prosperous tyme in Iuda when the Iewes were in amitie and greate securitie with the Babyloniās he forsawe and fortolde the destruction of Ierusalem by the said Babylonians and the greeuous captiuitie of Iewes vnder them as also the destruction of Babylon againe by Cyrus kinge of Persia whose expresse name and greatnes he published in writing almost two hundred yeares before he was borne saying in the person of God First to Ezechias king of Iuda that reioysed in the frindshippe he had with Babylon behold the dayes shall come vvhen all that thou and thye fathers haue layed up shall be caried avvay to Babylon and thy children shal be eunuches in the king of Babylons Palace And next to Babylō he said the destruction of Babylon vvhich Esay the sonne of Amos savve c. houle crie for that the day of our Lorde is at hande c. And thirdlie to Cyrus not yet borne who was preordained to destroye the same and to restore the people from banishemēt to rebuild the temple in Ierusalē he sayeth thus I say to Cyrus thou art my shepheard and thou shalt fulfill all my vvill I say to Ierusalem thou shalt be builded againe I say to the temple thou shalt be founded again This sayeth our Lord to my amointed Cyrus I vvill goe before thee vvill humble the glorious people of the earthe in thy presence I vvill breake their brasen gates crushe in peeces their yron barres for my seruant Iacobs sake haue I called thee by thie Name and haue armed the vvher as thou knovvest not me Can anie thing be more clearlie or miraculouslie spoken in the world then to name a heathé not yet borne that should conquerre so stronge a Monarchie as Babylon was at this tyme should builde againe the temple of Ierusalem which others of his owne religiō had destroyed before hym what cause what reason what lykeliehode could be of this yet Esay speaketh it so confidentelie as he sayeth that he savve it and he nameth two witnesses therof that is Vrias and Zacharias that were not borne in manie yeares after saying and I tooke vnto me tvvo faithful vvitnesses Vrias the prieste and Zacharias
the sonne of Barachias Wherof the first was a Prophet in Ieremies tyme a hundred years after Esay the secoÌ„d liued fowers kore years after that againe in the dayes of pari ' as by the beginig of his prophetie appeareth and yet both as you see were distinctely named by Esay so long before And whereas this booke of Esay was pronouÌ„ced opeÌ„lie to the people as other propheties also were and published into manie thousand handes before the captiuitie of Babylon fellowt and then carried also with the people and dispersed in Chaldea other partes of the world there can be no possible suspition of forgerie in this matter for that all the worlde both sawe it and redde it manie yeares before the thing came to passe yea when there was no opinioÌ„ of suche possibilitie The same captiuitie and destruction of Ierusalem by the Babyloniens was prophetied by Ieremie a hundred yeares after Esay and a litle before the matter came to passe Yea whiles the Babylonians were aboute the walles of Ierusalem and besieged the same for two yeares together Ieremie was within and tolde euerie man that it was but in vaine to defende the Citie sor that God had now deliuered it And albeit he were accompted a traitour for so speaking especiallie when by an armie of Egipt that came to th' ayde of Ierusalem froÌ„ Pharao the siege of Babylonians was raised for a certaine tyme yet Ieremie continued still his asseueration and said to Zedechias the king thou shalt be deliuered into the handes of the king of Babylon And to the people haec dicit Dominus tradendo tradetur haec ciuitas c. this sayeth our Lord this Citie most certainlie shal be deliuered into the handes of the Babylonians And so he continued notwithstanding he were putt in prison and whipt threatened daylie to be hanged vntil in deed the Citie was taken and Zedechias eyes puld out his children slaine before his face and all other thinges perfourmed which Ieremie had prophotied and fortolde them before And which is yet more maruelous Ieremie dyd not onelie fortell the particulers of this captiuitie but also the determinate tyme how longe it should indure sayinge And all this land of Jurie shal be into vvildernesse and astoniednesse and all this people shal serue the kinge of Babycon for threescore and ten yeares and vvhen three scare and ten yeares shal be complete I vvill visite vpon the kinge of Babylon and vpon that NatioÌ„ sayeth our Lordo and I vvill lay the same into aeternal desolation Eut vpon Iuda vvill I cast my pleasant eyes and vvil bringe them backe to this land againe c. In which prophetie is conteined first the particuler tyme how longe this captiuitie should indure Sechdlie the destruction of Babylon and of that Monarchie by the Persians and thirdlie the returning home of the Iewes againe which three thinges to haue bene after fulfilled not onelie Esdras that liued at that tyme and was an actor in perfourmaunce of the last but all other heathen writers besides doe recorde and testifie And this prophetie of Ieremie was so famous and certainlie beleeued amongest all the Iewes in the tyme of their captiuitie as when the daye of expiration drew neare Daniel writeth thus of hym selfe In the first yeare of Darius I Daniel vnderstoode in the scriptures the number of the seueÌ„tie yeares vvherof God spake to Ieremie that they should be fulfiled touching the desolation of Ierusalem and I turned my face to my Lord God and besoght hym in fasting and sakcloth c. Mother onelie the Iewes vnderstoode and beleeued this prophetie but euen Cyrus hym self that was a GeÌ„tile gaue full credit ther vnto therby was iuduced to restore the Iewes as appeareth both by his owne wordes and proclamation sett downe by Esdras that executed the same by his deedes also in restoring home the Iewes and rebuilding their temple at his owne great charges as all historiographers of the heathens doe confesse I might here alleage infinite other examples and make no ende if I would followe the multitude of propheties which are dispsed throughout the whole scripture I might shew how Daniel fortolde to Balsasar king of Babylon in the myddest of his triuÌ„phe and in the hearing of all his peeres the destruction which in sned vpon hym the verie same night after I might alleage how the same Daniel in the first yeare of Darius the Median in the beginning of that second Monarchie of Medians and Persians fortolde how manie kinges should regine after in Persia how the last who was the fowerth after hym his name also Dariê° should fight against the GraeciaÌ„s be ouercome by a GraeciaÌ„ king which was AlexaÌ„der and how that kingdome also of Greece should be deuided torne in peeces after Alexanders death and not passe to his posteritie as Iustine and other heathen writers doe testifie that it was by Antigonus Perdiccas Seleucus Antiochus Ptolomaeus and other Captaines of Alexander that deuided the same among them selues aboue a hundred yeares after Daniel was deade I might declare how the same Daniel forsawe and fortolde the fower greate Monarchies of the world and described the same as distinctelie as if he had liued in them all and as by experience we finde since to be true I might alleage the particuler descriptioÌ„ of the fight betwene Darius and Alexander sett downe by Daniel vnder the names of the greate Ramme the fearce Goate with one horne which Goate hymself interpreteth to be meant of a Graecian kinge that should conquer the Persians And therfore Alexander as Iosephus reporteth comming to Ierusalem about a huÌ„dred yeares after and reading this prophetie of Daniel interpreted vnto hym by Iaddus the highe priest assured hym self that he was the man therin signified and so after sacrifice doÌ„ne to the God of Israel of whom he affirmed that he had appeared vnto hym in Macedonie had exhorted hym to take this warre in hand and after he had bestowed much honour and manie benefits vpon the highe priest and inhabitans of Ierusalem he went forward in his warre against Darius with greate alacritie and had that famous victorie which all the world knoweth A hundreth such propheties more which are as plaine as euident and as distincte as this I might alleage of Elias Elizaeus Samuel Dauid Ezechiel the twelue lesser prophetes and of other which I haue not named And in verie truth the whole scripture is nothing els but a diuine kynde of bodie replenished throughout with the vital spirit of prophetie and euerie daye some prophetie or other is fulfilled though we marke it not and shal be to the worldes ende And the miracle of this matter is yet more increased if we consider what manner of people they were for the moste parte by whome thes propheties of hydden thiges were vttered to witt not such men as
he was worshipped as a God in that countrie and called by many Mercurius And that the Ethiopians learned circuncisioÌ„ of him which afterward alwayes they retained and so doe vntill this day And as for his miracles donne in Egypt his leading the people thence by the reade sea his liuing with them fortie yeares in the desert the heathen writers agree in al things with the scriptures sauing onely that they recoÌ„pt diuers things to the praise of Moyses which he hath not writen of him self adding also his description to witt that he was a longe taule man with a yeolowe bearde and longe heare Wherwith also accordeth Numenius Pythagoricus touching the actes of Moyses whose life he sayeth that he had reade in the auncientest recordes that were to be had But the fornamed Eupolemus goeth yet forwarde pursueth the storie of Iosue of the Iudges of Saul Dauid of SalomoÌ„ eueÌ„ vnto the building of the temple which he describeth at large with the particuler letters writeÌ„ about thatmatter the king of Tyrus which Iosephus sayeth were in his dayes kepte in the recordes of the TyriÌ„aÌ„s And with Eupolemê° agree Polyhister Hecataeus Abderita that liued serued iÌ„ warre with king AlexaÌ„der the great and they make mention amongest other thiÌ„ges of the inestimable riches of SalomoÌ„ and of the treasures which he did hyde and burie according to the fascion of that tyme in the sepulcher of his father Dauid which to be no fable though not mentioned by the scripture Iosephê° well proueth for that Hircanus the highe Priest and kinge of Iurie being besieged in Ierusalem by Antiochus surnamed Pius not manie yeares before Christs natiuitie to redeeme hym self and the cittie and to pay for his peace opened the said sepulcher of Dauid and fecht out of one parte therof three thousand Talentes in redy monie which amounte to six hundred thousand powndes Englishe if we accompt the talentes but at the least size of talentum Haebraicum And as for the thinges which ensued after Salomon as the diuision of the tribes among them selues and their diuers warres afflictions and transmigrations into other coÌ„tries manie heathen writers doe mention and recorde them and among other Herodotus and Diodorus Sieulus And the fornamed Alexander Polyhistor talking of the captiuitie of Babylon sayeth that Ieremie a Prophet tolde Ioachim his kinge what would befall hym and that Nabuchodonosor hearinge therof was moued therby to besiege IerusaleÌ„ Of the flight of Senacharib from the siege of Ierusalem how he was killed at his returne home by his owne childreÌ„ in the temple according to the prophetie of Esay and storie of the booke of kinges for that he had blasphemed the Lord God of Israel Herodotus witnesseth and that after his death he had a Statua or image of metal erected in his memorie with this inscription in greeke He that beboldeth me lett hym learne to be godlie Conferre Xenophon also in his seuenth booke de Cyropaedia and you shall see hym agree with Daniel in his narrations of Babylon And finallie I will conclude with Iosephus the learned Iewe that wrote imediatelie after Christs ascension and protesteth that the publique writinges of the Syriaus Chaldaeans Phenicians and innumerable hystories of the Graecians are sufficieÌ„t to testifie the antiquitie truth authoritie and certaintie of holie scriptures if there were no other proofe in the world besides The coÌ„clusion of the chapter vvith th' applicatioÌ„ Sect. 4. THus farre haue I treatede of the wayes and meanes which haue bene left to the world from the beginninge therby to know vnderstande their Maker In treating which point I haue stayed my self the longer for that it is the grouÌ„d foundatioÌ„ of all that is or maye be said hereafter It is the first final chiefest principle of all our eternal saluation or damnatioÌ„ and of the total weale or woe that must befail vs possesse vs for euer Which grounde and veritie if it be so certaine and euident as before hath bene shewed by all reason and proofe both diuine and humane and that the matter be so testified and proclamed vnto vs by all the creatures of heauen and earth and by the mouth and writing of our Creator hymself as no ignorance or blindnes can excuse the same no slouthfulnes dissemble it no wickednes denie it what remaineth then but to consider with our selues what seruice this God requireth at our hádes what gratitude what duetie what honour for our creation to th' eÌ„de that as we haue proued hym a most bountiful Creator so we may fynde hym a propitious iudge munificent rewarder For it is not probable that his diuine maiestie which hath appointed euerie other creature to some action for his owne glorie as hathe bene declared at large before should leaue mankinde onelie whiche is the worthiest of all the rest without obligation to his seruice In which one pointe not withstanding though neuer so cleare such is the fondnesse of our corrupt nature without gods holie grace fayled thos auncient wise men of the world of whom S. Paul speaketh so much in his epistle to the Romans taking compassion of their case and callinge them fooles and all their great learniÌ„ge philosophie meere fondnesse for that vvheras by the meanes before mentioned they came to knovv God they did not seeke to glorifie hym as appertained vnto God not yet did render hym due thankes but vanished avvaye in their cogitations c. That is they tooke no profitt by this knowledge of theirs but applied their cogitations vpon the vanities of this worlde more then vpon the honour and seruice of this their God For whiche cause S. Paul adioyneth presentelie in the same place that forso much as they did thus did not shew foorthe by their lyfe and workes that they had the knowledge of God in deede God deliuered them ouer to a reprobate sense and suffered them to fall into horrible synnes which S. Paul doth name and detest in all that chapter and finallie concludeth that their euerlasting perdition ensued principallie vpon this one pointe that wheras they knevv the iustice of God by all the wayes and argumeÌ„tes that before haue bene declared yet would they not vnderstand saith he that death was due to all such which liued in wickednes as they did And the same Apostle vpon consideration of thes matters wherin he standeth long for th' importance therof pronounceth in sine this general sentence with great asseueration and vehemencie of spirit that the vvrath of God is reucaled from heaueÌ„ vpon al impietie and iniustice of thos men vvho holde the knovvledge of God in vnrighteousnes that is who beig indued with the knowledge of God doe liue notwithstanding vnrighteouslie or as he saidbefore doe consume their dayes in vanitie not makiÌ„g accompt of the seruice which they doe owe to that God for their Creation and
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
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
desolation and afflictiō to haue had among them the dead bodie of him on whos only life their vniuersal hope and confidence depended The Scribes Pharisees beīg a stonished with the sudaine newes of his rising againe cōfirmed vnto them by their owne souldiars that sawe it found no other waie to resist the fame therof but onely by saying as also their posteritie doe vnto this dave that his disciples came by night and stole away his bodie whiles the souldiours were a sleepe But what likelihood or possibilitie can there be in this For first it is euident to al the world that his Apostles thēselues who were the heads of al the rest were so dismaied discomforted and deiected at that time as they durst not once goe out of the dore For which cause only thos seely women who for their sexe esteemed them selues more free from violence presumed alone to visite his Sepulcher which no one man durst for feare of the souldiours vntil by thos women they were informed that the forsaid band of souldiours were terrefied and put to flight by Christes Resurrection And how then was it likely that men so much amazed ouercome with feare should aduenture to steale a bodie from a Guarde of Souldiours that kept it Or if their hartes had serued them to aduenture so greate a daunger what hope or probabilitie had ther bene of successe especiallie consideringe the said bodie lay e in a new sepulcher of stone shutt vp and locked and fast sealed by the Magistrate How was it possible I say that his disciples should come thyther breake vp the Monument take out his bodie and carie the same away neuer after to be sene or founde without espial of some one amōgest so many that attended ther Or if this were possible as in reason it is not yet what profite what pleasure what comfort could they receaue hereby We see that thes apostles and disciples of his who were so abandoned of life and hart in his Passion after two dayes onlie they were so changed as life and death can be no more contrarie For wheras before they kept home in all feare and durst appeare no wher except amonge their owne priuate friēdes now they came foorth into the streetes and common places and auouched with all alacritie and irresistible constancie euen in the faces and hearinge of their greatest enimies that Iesus was rysen frō death to life that they had sene hym spoken with hym and enioyed his presence And that for restimonie and confirmation hereof they were most redie to spēd their liues And could all this trow you proceede onlie of a dead bodie which they had gotten by stealth into their possession Would not rather the presence and sight of such a bodie so torne mangled deformed as Iesus bodie was both vpō the Crosse and before haue rather dismayed them more then haue gyuen them cōfort Yes trulie And therfore Pilat the Gouernour considering thes circumstances and that it was vnlikelie that either the bodie should be stolne without priuitie of the Souldiars or if it had bene that it should yeeld such life hart consolation courage to the stealers beganne to gyue eare more diligentelie to the matter and calling to him the Souldiars that kept the watch vnderstoode by them the whole truth of th' accident to witt that in their sight and presence Iesus was risen out of his sepulcher to life and that at his rising ther was so dreadful an earth-quacke with trembling opening of sepulchers rounde about such skriches cries cōmotion of all elementes as they durst not abyde longer but ranne and tolde the Iuishe magistrates therof who being greatelie discontented as it seemed with th' aduertisement gaue them money to saye that while they were sleeping the bodie was stolne by his disciples frō them All this wrote Pilate presentlie to his Lord Tyberius then Emperour of Rome And he sent withal the particuler examinations and confelsions of diuers other that had sene and spoken with such as were risen from death at the same tyme and had appeared to many of their acquaintance in Hicrusalem assuring them also of the resurrection of Iesus Which informations when Tyberius th' Emperour had considered he was greatelie moued therwith proposed to the Senate that Iesus might be admitted among the rest of the Roman Godes offering his owne consent with the priuiledge of his supreme royal suffrage to that decree But the Senate in no wise would agree therunto Whervpon Tyberius being offended gaue licence to all men to beleeue in Iesus that would and forbydde vpō paine of death that anie officer or other should molest or trouble such as bare good affectiō zeale or reuerence to that name Thus much testifiethe Tertulian againste the Gentiles of his owne knowledge who liuing in Rome a learned man pleader of causes diuers years before he was a Christian which was about 180. yeares after Christes Ascension had great abilitie by reason of th' honour of his familie learning and place wherin he liued to see and know the recordes of the Romās And the same doth cōfirme also Egesippus an other Auncient writer of no lesse authoritie then Tertulian before whom he liued Neither onlie diuers Gentiles had this opinion of Iesus resurrection againe from death but also sundrye Iewes of great credite and wisdome at that tyme were inforced to beleeue it notwithstanding it pleased not God to gyue them so much grace as to become Christians This appeareth plainelie by the learned Ioiephus who writing his storie not aboue fortie years after Christs Passion tooke occasion to speake of Iesus and of his disciples And after he had shewed how he was Crucified by Pilat at th' instance of the Iewes and that for all this his disciples ceased not to loue hym still he adioyneth furth with these wordes Idcirco iliis tertio die vita resumpta denuo apparuit That is for this loue of his disciples he appeared vnto them againe the third daye whē he had resumed life vnto hym Which expresse plaine and resolute wordes we may in reason take not as the consession onlie of Iosephus but as the common iudgement opinion and sentence of all the discrete and sober men of that tyme layed downe and recorded by this Historiographer In whose dayes ther were yet manie Christians a lyue that had seene spoken with Iesus after his resurrection and infinite Iewes that had heard the same protested by their fathers brethren kinlfolke friends who had bene them selues Eye-witnesses therof AND thus hauinge declared and prooued the resurrection of our Saue our Iesus both how it was forshewed as also fulfilled there remaineth nothing more of necessitie to be said in this Section For that who soeuer seeth and acknowledgeth that Iesus beinge deade could rayse hym selfe againe to life will easilie belieue also that he was able to ascende to heauē Wherof notwithstandinge S. Luke alleageth six
loue and how can I haue the harte to offend thee hereafter seing thou hast preuented me so manie wayes with benefites euen when I demaunded not the same Can I haue hādes euermore to sinne agaīst thee which hast gyuen vp thine owne handes to be nayled on the crosse for me No no it is to great an iniurie agaīst thee ô Lord and woe worth me that haue dōneit so oftē heretofore But by thy holy assistāce I trust not to returne to such iniquitie for the time to come to which I beseeche the for thy mercie sake from thy holie throne of heauen to saye Amen OF WHAT OPINION WE SHAL BE CONCERNING THE MATTERS AFORsaid at the time of our death As also vvhat our state shal be at that passage and hovv different our iudgement from that it is novv CHAPT X. THE holy scriptures doe teach vs and experience maketh it plaine that during the time of this life the commodities prefermentes pleasures of the world doe possesse so stronglie the hartes of manie men and doe hold them chained with so forcible enchauntmentes being forsaken also vpon their iust desertes of the grace of God that saye and threaten what a man can and bring against then all the whole scripture euen from the begynning of Genesis to the end of the Apocalips as in decde it is al against synne and synners yet wil it preuaile nothing with them being in that lamentable case as either they beleeue not or esteeme not what so euer is saide to that purpose against their setled lyfe and resolution to the contrarie Of this we haue infinite examples in scripture as of Sodome and Gomorra with the cities ther about which would not heare the warninges that good I ot gaue vnto thē Of Pharao also and his court whom al that euer Moyses could doe ether by signes or sayinges moued nothing at al. Of Iudas in like maner who by no sweet meanes or sharpe threatninges vsed to him by his maister could be brought to change his wicked resolution But especially the holy Prophets sent by God from tyme to tyme to dissuade the people from their noughtie life and consequentlie to deliuer them from the plagues that hanged ouer them doe gyue abundant testimonie of this matter complaining cuerie where of the hardnes of synners hartes that wold not be moued with al the exhortations preachings promisses allurementes exclamations threatnings and thunderinges that they could vse The Prophet Zacharie shal testifie for all in this behalf who faieth of the people of Israel a litle before their destruction This sayeth the Lord of hostes iudge iustije wherunto presentlie he addeth And they vvould not attende but turning their backes vvent avvaye and stopped their eares to the ende they might not neare and they did obdurate their hartes as an adamant stone to the end they might not heare the lavve and the vvordes vvhich God did send in his spirite by the handes of the former Prophetes vvherby godes great indignatiō vvas stirred vp against them This then is and alwayes hath bene the maner of dissolute worldlinges and reprobare people to harden their hartes as an adamant stone against any thing that can be told them for the amendement of their liues and for the sauing of their soules Whiles they are in health and prosperitie they wil not know God as in an other place himself complaineth But yet as the Prophet saieth God wil haue his daye with thes men also when he wil be knowen And this is cognoscetur Dominus iudicia saciēs God wil be knowen when he begineth to doe iudgmēt which is at the daye of their death being in deed the next dore to their iudgement according as S. Paul testifieth saying it is appointed for al men once to die and after that ensevveth iudgement This I saye is the day of God most terrible sorowful and ful of tribulation to the wicked wherin God wil be knowen to be a righteous God and to restore to euerie man according as he hath donne vvhile he liued or as the Prophet describeth it he vvilbe knovven then to be a terrible God and such as one as taketh avvaye the spirite of princes a terrible God to the kinges of the earth At this daye as there wil be a great change in al other thinges mirth being turned into sorow laughinges into weepinges pleasures into paines stoutnes into feare pride into despaire and the like so especiallie wil there be a strange alteration in the iudgement and opinion of men for that the wisedome of God wherof I haue spoken in the former chapters and which as the scripture saieth is accounted folie by the vvise of this vvorld wil then appeare in her likenes and as it is in verie deede wil be confessed by her greatest enimies to be the onlie true wisedome and al carnal wisdome of worldlinges to be meere folie as God calleth it This the holie scripture setteth downe clerelie when it describeth the verie speeches and lamentations of the wise men of this world at the last daye concerning the state of holy men whom they despised in this life We senseles mē did esteeme their life to be mere madnes their end to be dishonorable but looke how they are now acconnted among the children of God and their portion is with the sainctes We haue erred from the waye of trueth and the light of righteousnes hath not shined before vs nether hath the sunne of vnderstanding appeared vnto vs. We haue weried out our selues in the waye of iniquitie and perdition and we haue walked craggie pathes but the waye of our Lord we haue not knowen Hytherto are the wordes of holie scripture wherby we may perceyue what great change and alteration of iudgement there wil be at the last daye from that which men haue now what consessing of folie what acknowledging of errour what hartie sorow for laboure lost what fruiteles repentance for hauing runne a-wrie O that men would ponder and consider attentiuely these thinges now VVe haue vveried out our selues saye thes miserable men in the vvayes of iniqnitie and perdition and vve haue vvalked craggie pathes What a description is this of lamentable wordlinges who beate their braines dailie and wearie out them selues in the pursute of vanitie and chasse of this worlde for which they suffer notwithstanding more paine often times then doe the iust in purchasing of heauen And when they arriue at the last daie to the gate of death weried and worne out with trouble and toyle they finde that al their labour is lost all their vexation taken in vaine For that the litle pelfe which they haue scraped together in this world for which they haue struggled and drudged so extremely wil auaile thē nothing at that instant but rather encrease exceedingly the burden of their afflictions Which afflictions shal be so manifold greeuous and intollerable in the wicked as no mind created
her wicked deedes shal beginne exceedingly to feare and tremble and would gladlie flie and leaue her deedes behinde her seekinge to entreate the Angels and to request but one hower space of delaye But that wil not be graunted and her euil workes crying out al together shal speake against her and save we wil not staye behinde or parte from the thou hast done vs and we are thy workes and therfore we wil follow the whether soeuer thou goest yea euen vnto the seate of iudgement This loe is the state of a sinners soule which partinge from his bodie with most horrible feare goeth onwardes to iudgemēt loden with sinnes and with infinite confusion Contrariwise the iust mans soule goeth out of his bodie with greate ioye and comforte the good Angels accompaininge her with exultation Wherefore brethren seinge these thinges are so doe you feare this terrible hower of death now to the ende you maye not feare when you come vnto it Foresee it now that then you maye be secure Thus farre S. Augustine And for that this holie father learned Doctour in Christes Church maketh mentiō in this place of good and euil Angels which are redie at the houre of death to receyue the soules of such as depart out of this life it shal not be from our purpose to note that oftentimes God doth permit the apparitions of Angels both good and euil as also of other saintes to some men lyinge on their death beddes for a tast ether of comforte or sorow touchinge that which shal ensue in the world to come And this is also one singuler priuiledge among other belonging to this passage And concerning the iust I haue shewed before an example out of S. Cyprian and S. Augustine touching one to whome Christ appeared at the hower of his death And S. Gregorie the greate hath diuers like narratiōs to that purpose i the fourth booke of his dialogues As for example sake of one Vrsinus to whom the blessed Apostles S. Peter and S. Paule appeared But as concerning euil spirites and wicked Angels which shewed thē selues vnto diuers sinners at the houre of death and denounced vnto them their eternal damnation and horrible tormentes appointed in hel we haue manie and most terrible exāples recorded in many graue aunciēt writers As among other that recorded by S. Gregorie of one Chrisorius a greate riche man but as ful of sinne as of wealth to whome lying on his death-bed the infernal fiendes in most vglie māner appeared shewing how now he was deliuered into their power and therfore would neuer depart from him vntil he dying left his soule vnto thē to be caried to eternal tormentes The like examples doth venerable Bede recount to haue happened in our countrie about his time And among other of a certaine wicked Courtier in great fauour with king Coenride to whom lying in the panges of death and being now a litle recouered both the good and euil Angels appeared visibly the one laying before him a verie smal booke of his good deedes the other a greate huge volume of his enormous crimes Which after they had caused him to reade by the permissiō of the good Angels they seazed vpō him assignig also vnto him the certaine houre of his departure according as both him selfe confessed openlie to al that came to visit him and as by his horrible desperate death ensuinge at the very hower by them appointed he manifestlie confirmed The like storie recordeth he in the chapter folowing of one whom he knew him self and as both he S. Gregorie and S. Cyprian also doe note al these such other visions were permitted for our sake which doe yet liue and maye take commoditie by the same and not for their good that died whom they nothing at al auailed Which being so deare Christian brother that is this passage of death being so terrible so daungerous yet so ineuitable as it is seing so manie mē doe perish and are ouer whelmed daylie in passing ouer this perilous gulfe as both holie scriptures and auncient fathers doe testifie by examples recordes vnto vs what man of discretion would not learne to be wise by other mens dangers or what reasonable creature would not take heede looke aboute him being warned so manifestlie and apparantlie of his owne peril if thou be a Christian and doest belieue in deede the thinges which Christiā faith doth teach the thē doest thou know an I most certainlic belieue also that of what state age strength dignitie or condition so euer thou be now yet must hy self which now in health mirth doest real this point and thinkest the same litle appertainig vnto thee one of these daies and that perhaps very shortlie after the readinge hereof come to proue al these thinge in thine owne person that is thou must with sorow and griefe beenforced to thy bed and there after al straggliges with the dartes of death thou must yelde thy bodie which thou louest now so dearly to be the baite of wormes and thy soule to the trial of iustice for her doinges in this life IMAGINE THEN my friend euē thou I saye which art so fresh and froelicke at this instant that the ten twentie or two yeres or perhaps two monethes or daies which thou hast yet to liue were now come to an ende and that thou were euen at this present stretched out vpon a bed wearied and worne with dolour and paine thy carnal frindes about the weepinge and howlinge and desiring thie goodes the phisitions departed with their fees as hauing gyuen the ouer and thou lyinge there alone mute and dumme in most pitiful agonie expecting from moment to momēt the last stroke of death to be gyuen vnto the. Tel me in this instāt what would al the pleasures and commodities of the whole earth auaile the what comfort or ease would it be vnto the now to haue bene of honour in this world to haue gathered wealth and purchassed much to haue borne office and enioyed the princes fauour to haue left thy children and kinred in aboundance to haue trodden donne thine enimies to haue stirred much and borne greate swaye in this life what pleasure I saye or benefite would it be to the to haue bene beautiful to haue bene gallant in apparel goodlie in personage glittering in golde would not al thes thinges rather afflict then profit thee at this instant No doubt but now thou shouldest wel see throughlie perceaue the vanitie of thes trifles thou shouldest proue true the saying of the wise man non proderūt diuitie in die vltionis riches wil profit nothing in the day of Gods reuēge That most excellent demaunde of holie Iob would oftentimes offer it self vnto thie remembrāce Quid ad cum pertinet de domo sua post se What hath a man to doe with his house familie or kinred after he is gone what good what comfort shal he take therby VVho vvil
Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor strength nor height nor depth nor any creature els shal be able to separate vs frō the loue of God which is in Iesus Christ our Lord. Finallie this was the resolution of al the holie Martyrs and Confessors and other seruantes of God wherby they haue withstood the temptations of the deuil the allurementes of flesh and bloode and al the persecutions of tirants exacting things vnlauful at their handes I wil alleage one example more out of holy scripture and that before the comming of Christ but yet nigh vnto the same and therfore no manuaile as the holy fathers doe note though it tooke some heate of Christian feruour and constancie towardes martyrdome The example is wounderful for that in mans sight it was but for a smal matter required at their hādes by the tirantes commandement that is onelie to eate a peece of swines flesh for thus it is recorded in the scripture It hapened seuen brethren to be apprehended together in those dayes and to be broght with their mother to the tyrannous king Antiochus and there to be cōpelled with tormentes of whipping and other instrumētes to the eating of swines flesh against the law At what time one of thē which was the eldest said what doest thou seke or what wilt thou learne out of vs ô king we are readie here rather to die then to breake the auncient lawes of our God Wherat the king being greatlie offended commanded the frying pānes and pottes of brasse to be made burning hote which being redie he caused this first mannes tongue to be cut of together with the toppes of his fingers and toes as also with the skinne of his head the mother and other brethern loking on after this he caused him to be fried vntil he was dead Which being done the second brother was brought to torment after his heare pluckt of from his head together with the skinne they asked him whether he wold yet eate swinnes flesh or no before he was put to the rest of his tormentes wherto he answered noe thervpon was after many tormentes slaine with the other Who being dead the third was taken in hand and being willed to put forth his tongue he held it forth quicklie together with bothe his handes to be cut of saying confidentlie I receaued both tongue and handes from heauen and novv I despise them bothe for the lavve of God for that I hope to receaue them al of him againe And after they had in this forte tormented and put to death six of the brethrē euerie one most cōstantly protesting his faith and the ioye he had to die for Gods cause there remained onelie the yongest whome Antiochus being ashamed that he could peruert neuer a one of the former endeuoured by al meanes possible to draw from his purpose by promising and swearing that he should be a rich and happie man and one of his checi frēdes if he wold yeld But when the youth was nothing moued ther with Antiochus called to him the mother and exhorted her to saue her sonnes life by persuading him to yeld which she feigning to doe therby to haue libertie to speake to her sonne she made a most vehement exhortation to him in the hebrew tongue to slād to it and to die for his conscience which speech being ended the youth cried owt with a loud voice and vttered this noble sentence worthie to be remembred Qucon suslinetis non obtempero praecepto regis sed praecepto legis Whom doe you staye for I doe not obey the commandement of the king but the commādement of the law of God Wher vpon both he and his mother were presentlie after many and sundrie tormentes put to death This then is the constant and immouable resolution which a Christian man should haue in al aduersitie of this life Wher of S. Ambrose saieth thus Gratia praeparandus est animus exercenda mens stabilienda ad constantiam vt nullis perturbari 〈◊〉 possit terroribus vullis frangi mole sliis nullis suppliciis cedere Our minde is to be prepared with grace to be exercised and to be so established in constancie as it may not be troubled with anie terrours brokē with any aduersities yeld to anie punishmentes or tormentes whatsoeuer IF YOV aske me here how a man may come to this former resolution I answere that S. Ambrose in the same place putteth two waies how to attaine the same the one is to remember the endles intolerable paines of hel if we haue it not or doe yeld against our own cōscience for feare the other is to think of the vnspeakable glorie of heauen if we perseuer constant Whereto I wil adde the thirde which with a noble hart may perhappes preuaile as much as either of thē both and that is to consider what others haue suffered before vs especiallie Christ him self and that onelie of mere Ioue and affection towardes vs. We see that in this world louing subiectos doe glorie of nothing more then of their daungers or hurtes taken in bataille for their prince though he neuer tooke blowe for them againe What thē would they doe if their prince had bene afflicted voluntarilie for them as Christ hath bene for vs But if this great example of Christ seeme vnto the to high to imitate looke vpon some of thy brethren before thee made of flesh and blood as thou art see what they haue suffered before they could enter into heauen and thinke not thy self hardlie dealt withal if thou be called to suffer a litle also Saint Paul writeth of al the Apostles together Euen vnto this houre we suffer hungar and thirst lacke of apparel we are beaten with mennes fistes we are'vagabondes not hauing where to staie we labour and worke with our owne handes we are cursed and we doe blesse we are persecuted and we take it patientlie we are blasphemed and we pray for them that blaspheme vs we are made as it were the verie out-castes and purgings of this world euen vnto this day That is though we be Apostles though we haue wrought so many miracles and conuerted so many millions of people yet euen vnto this day are we thus vsed And a litle after describing yet further their liues he saieth we shew our selues as the ministers of God in much patience in tribulations in necessities in distresses in beatinges in imprisonmentes in seditions in labours in watches in fastinges in chastitie in longanimitie in sweetnes of behauiour And of him self in particular he saieth In laboribus plurimis c. I am the minister of God in many labours in imprisonments more then the rest in beatinges aboue measure and oftentimes in death it self Fiue times haue I bene beaten of the Iewes and at euery time had fortie lashes lacking one three times haue I bene whipt with roddes once I was stoned three times haue I suffered ship
the riches of iniquitie The rich gloutton might haue escaped his tormentes haue made him self a happie man by helpe of worldly wealth if he had listed And so might many a thousand that now liue in Christianitie and wil goe to hel for the same cause that the glutton did Oh that men would take warning one by an other and be wise whiles they haue time S. Paul saieth Deceiue not your selues Looke vvhat a man sovveth and that shal he reape What a plentiful haruest then might riche men prouide to thē selues if they would hauing such store of seede by them and so much ground offered them daily to sow it in Why doe they not remember that sweet haruest-song Come ye blessed of my father enter into the kingdom prepared for you for I vvas hungrie and you fed me I vvas thirstie and you gaue me to drink I vvas naked and you appareled me Or if they doe not care for this why doe they not feare at least the blacke Sanctus that must be chaunted to them for the contrary Agite anne diuites plorate vlulantes in miserijs vistris quae adueniēt vobis goe now you riche men weepe and houle in your miseries that shal come vpō you The holy father Iohn Damaseen reporteth a goodly parable of Barlaam the heremite to our purpose There was saieth he a certaine citie or common wealth which vsed to chuse to them selues a king from among the poorest sorte of people and to aduaunce him to great honour wealth and pleasures for a time But after a while when they were wearie of him there fashion was to rise against him and to dispoile him of al his felicitie yea of the verie clothes of his backe and so to banish him naked into an Iland of a farre countrie where bringing nothing with him he should liue in great miserie and be put to exceeding slauerie for euer Which practise one king at a certaine time considering by good aduise for al th' other though they knew that fashion yet through negligence pleasures of their present felicitie cared not for it tooke resolute order with him self how to preuent this miserie which was by this meanes He saued euery day great sommes of money from his superfluities and idle expences and so secretly made ouer before hand a great treasure vnto that iland wherunto he was in daunger daily to be sent And whē the time came that in deed they deposed him from his kingdom and turned him away naked as they had done th' other before he went to the ilād with ioy and confidēce where his treasure lay and was receiued there with exceeding great triumph and placed presently in greater glorie then euer he was before This parable teacheth as much as possibly may be said in this point For this citie or common wealth is this present world which aduaunceth to authoritie poore men that is such as come naked into this life and vpon the soudaine when they looke least for it doth pul them doune againe and turneth them of naked into their graues and so into an other world where bringing no treasure of good workes with them they are like to finde litle fauour but rather eternal miserie The wise king that preuented this calamitie is he which in time of wealth in this life according to the counsail of our Saueour Christ doth seeke to lay vp treasure in heauen by almes deedes and other good works against the day of his death when he must be banished hence naked as al the prices of that citie were At which time if their good deeds do folow them then as God pmiseth they shal be happie men and placed in much more glorie then euer this world was able to geue them But if they come without oile in their lampes then is there nothing for them to expect but nescio vos I know you not And when they are knowen Ite maledicti in ignem aeternum goe you accursed into fire euerlasting EXAMPLES OF TRVE RESOLVTION IN THE TVVO FORMER POINTES of suffering for Christ and contemning the vvorld Adioined for the better declaration and confirmation of the tvvo chapters next going before CHAPT V. FOR so much as the two precedent chapters of contemning the world and suffering for Christ are by their own natures and in mans natural sight and reason very dreadful and lothsome to flesh and bloud and to whatsoeuer depēdeth therof in such sort as diuers persons who otherwise esteme thē selues no euil Christians doe take horrour and auersion euen at the very name and mention of such things persuading them selues that the necessitie of Christiā profession requireth not any resolution to so high a perfection I am moued in this place to adioine to the former treatises a breefe declaration of the practise and excercise of ancient Christians in thes two points wherby their opinions and censures may better be seire thē by their words and wherin ech other Christiā that liueth at this day may behold as in a table or glasse what behoueth him to doe when occasion is offered if he professe to serue vnder the same banner and doe expect his paye at the handes of the same king and maister that they did Many things haue bene said before cōcerning thes two misteries of worldlie contempt and sufferance in tribulation And among other matters it hath bene declared that the very foundatiō of Christian Religion which is the holie crosse and Crucifix standeth builded principaly vpon thes two pillers It hath bene showed how Christ our Sauiour when he sent forth his Apostles and disciples as the first spiritual fathers and masters of the world instructed thē especially in thes two doctrines as most behooful and necessarie to the end which he pretēdeth And for that his diuine wisdome did easily foresee that deedes haue much more force to persuade then wordes he did set forth this doctrine most exactly in the example of his own life making the same a paterne of al worldly contempt and suffering for iustice as also did his said Apostles and disciples after him to the true and perfit imitation of their maister Thus much then hath bene treated before and many particulers haue bene declared as wel of the holie Apostles extreme suffering in al kindes and maners of affliction as also of their vtter dispising whatsoeuer was pretious or pleasant in this world for the perfect seruing of their Lord and maister No allurements of this world could intise them no dignities delight them no flatterie deceiue them no pleasure peruert them no labours weary them no difficultie stay them no terrour or tyrannie of mortal man could feare them from their course begonne as long as their soules remained within their bodies Some of them ended their liues by the sword some vpon the crosse others were stoned and throwne downe from highe pinacles others were scorched skinned aliue and al this for the perfect seruing of