mee Namely the comming of * the holy Ghost c. Iohn 14 26 §. 12. And when Iesus had spoken these things vnto his Apostles to the intent they might as well be eye-witnesses of his Ascention as records to the worlde of his Resurrection while * they beheld he was taken vp Acts. 1. 9. for a clowde tooke him out of their sight And for further suretie hereof then the bare sight of their eyes onely though that alone were of it selfe aboue all other most sufficient they heard with theyr eares the very same thing which they saw with theyr eyes further affirmed vnto them by tvvo heauenly witnesses for while they looked stedfastly after him towards heauen as hee went * behold two men stoode by thē in Acts 1 10. 11. white apparrell which also said Yee men of Galilee why stand yee gazing into heauen This Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shall so come as yee haue seene him goe into heauen Thus much onely to prooue according to the Scriptures the Passion Death Buriall Resurrection and Ascention of our Sauiour Christ VVhom * the Heauen Acts 3 21. must containe vntil the time that all things be restored vvhich GOD hath spoken by the mouth of all his holie Prophets since the vvorld began ¶ Of the seuerall benefites which wee haue by the Death Resurrection and Ascention of our Sauiour Christ. §. 1. AS by diuers places in the Booke of GOD we finde it manifestly affirmed that there is only but one God which alone by his owne almightie power hath made Heauen and Earth the Sea all that in them is So from the selfe same sacred Scriptures it may plainlie bee proued by the speech of the Apostle that there is onely but one Mediatour betweene God and man namely the man 1 Tim. 2. 5. 6. * Christ Iesus who gaue himselfe a raunsome for all men to be a testimonie in due time Hee alone died for our sinnes according 1 Cor. 15 3 4. to the Scriptures and he was buried and rose againe the third day according to the Scriptures Yea hee died for all that they vvhich 2 Cor 5 15 liue should not henceforth liue vnto themselues but vnto him which died for them and rose againe §. 2. Christ that he might kill death saith S. Augustine Augustine was clothed with death for death coulde not die but in life euen as that which is sower bitter dieth not but in that which is pleasant and sweet And as Elizeus made the yron to swim Cyrill which naturally sinketh so Christ by his death brought vs backe from the gates of hell which deseruedly we should haue entered Hee also by his owne death hath destroyed Heb. 2 14 15. him that had the power of death that is to say the deuil and hath deliuered all them which for feare of death remained all their life time subdued vnto bondage Yea he by his comming hath abolished 2 Tim 1 10 or put away death and brought life and immortalitie vnto light through the Gospell §. 3. O Death where is thy sting saith the 1 Cor 15 55 56 57 Apostle ô graue vvhere is thy victorie the sting of Death is sinne the strength of sinne is the Lawe but thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ For hee onely deliuereth vs from the 1 Thes 1 10. wrath of God to come And to him also giue all the Prophets Acts 10 43. witnesse that through his Name all that beleeue in him should receiue the forgiuenesse of theyr sinnes §. 4. VVee were not redeemed as S. Peter 1 Pet 1 18 19 20. affirmeth with corruptible things as Siluer and Gold from our vaine conuersation which we receiued by the traditions of the Fathers but with the precious bloode of Christ as a Lambe vndefiled and without spot which was ordained before the foundation of the world but was declared in the last times c. VVho his owne selfe bare our sinnes in 1 Pet 2 24 his bodie on the tree that we being deliuered from sinne shoulde liue in righteousnesse by whose stripes we were healed For hee hath taken on him our infirmities Esay 53 4. and borne our paines He was wounded for our transgressions Esay 53 5 hee was broken for our iniquities The chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are made whole All wee like sheepe haue gone astray verse 6 we haue turned euery one to his own way and the Lord hath layde vpon him the iniquitie of vs all Yea God hath made him which knewe 2. Cor. 5 21. no sinne to be sinne for vs that we should be made the righteousnesse of GOD in him And those things which GOD before Acts 3 18 had shewed by the mouth of all his Prophets that Christ shoulde suffer the same hath hee fulfilled Yet was his death voluntary and not of Augustine constraint §. 5. Mankind laboureth in this world saith Bernard S. Bernard of a three-folde disease his birth his life his death The first vncleane the second sinfull the third dangerous but Christ by his cōming brought vnto vs three remedies Hee vvas borne hee liued he died His birth refined ours his life instructed ours his death ouercame ours And as a strong corrasiue layd to a sore Ierome eateth away all the rotten and dead fleshe so Christes death beeing applyed to the hart of a penitent sinner by fayth weakens consumes that corruption of sin which cleaueth so fast vnto our natures dwelleth within vs. §. 6. It was very needfull saith S. Augustine Augustine that Christ the sonne of God should both become man die for vs for two causes First to satisfie Gods iustice Secondly that hee might fulfill the truth of Gods VVord vvhich had saide That man eating the forbidden fruite shoulde die the death For surely if the sonne of God had not Beza come into the worlde in our nature sinne onely excepted and died vpon the Crosse to appease the wrath of God for mans offences wee should yet remaine subiect to eternall death and damnation But he hath loued vs hath giuen himselfe Ephe 5. 2 for vs to be an offering a sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauour vnto God Yea hee hath loued vs and washed vs Reue. 1 5. from our sinnes in his owne blood Hee also hath redeemed vs from the Gala 3 13. curse of the Law whē he was made a curse for vs. And hee likewise beeing rich for our 2. Cor 8. 9. sakes became poore that wee through his pouertie might be made rich §. 7. Christ saith S. Peter hath once suffered 1 Pet 3 18. for sinnes the iust for the vniust that he might bring vs to God and was put to death cōcerning the flesh but was quickned in the Spirit Yea euen when Christ suffered death Epiphanius
hee also vnderstood verse 25. the misticall meaning of those words which were written the summe vvhereof coÌ„tained no lesse for his offences then the speedy subuersion of his whole kingdom and his owne vtter ouerthrovve for euer Yet seeing and knowing all this but wanting grace to fore-see preuent the danger by true repentance hee perrished the verse 30. same night according to the saying of the Prophet Contrariwise by Samuell it is affirmed that king Dauid did not only see the foulenesse of his offence wherein too long hee had in a manner sencelesly liued so soone as the shril-sounding voyce of Nathan had once by denouncing Gods anger thorowly 2 Sam. 12. chap. awaked him out of his deadly slumber but also presently fore-saw by beleeuing the speech of the Prophet speedilie preuented by his vnfained repentance and amendement the heauy wrath of the Almighty which otherwise was likely for his iniquitie to fall vpon him Marke therefore what counsell Sirach giueth to this purpose and endeuour diligently to follow the same where he sayth My * sonne hast thou sinned doe so no Ecclê° 21. 1. 2 more but pray for thy former sinnes that they may be forgiuen thee Flee froÌ„ sin as from a Serpent for if thou commest too neere it it will bite thee the teeth thereof are as the teeth of a Lyon to sley the soules of men Make much also of time and eschew Ecclus 4 20 the thing that is euill Remember that death tarrieth not and Ecclê° 14 12 that the couenaunt of the graue is not shewed vnto thee Defraude not thy selfe of the good day Ecclê° 14 14 neither let the portion of good desires ouer-passe thee Giue and take and sanctifie thy soule verse 16. vvork thou righteousnes before thy death for in the hell there is no meate to finde Neither is there any more place or time Cyprian of repentance left for any man after hee is once departed out of this vvorlde life is heere either lost or wonne euerlasting saluation is onely heere prouided for by the due worshipping of God and the fruites of fayth And no man is letted eyther by sinnes Cyprian or by yeeres to come to the obtaining of saluation for as long as the soule is yet abyding in the body no repentance is in vaine And what-soeuer is truly doone is neuer too late done Yet thus much alwaies vnderstand that Osorius thy repentance is then most acceptable to God when thou doost offer the same in the prime of thy youth and in the time of thy perfect health For such as neuer cease to sin till sin through age feeblenes begin to forsake them it may greatly be feared that they in the meane while daily drinke vp the dreggs of Gods wrath §. 15. Furthermore although there be indeed Augustine * many in the vvorld which are not ashamed to sinne but are ashamed to repent yet if thou looke for fauour in Heauen thou must both confesse and forsake thy sinnes heere on earth For hee that heere in this life receiueth Ambrose not remission of his sinnes shall haue no part with the godly in the felicity to come Followe therefore for thine owne good the example of King Dauid and with the like humility of heart be ready to say vnto God as he said * Lord haue mercy vpon Psalm 41 4 me and heale my soule for I haue sinned against thee Or as Manasses King of Iuda in his penitent 2 Chro 36. prayer said * I haue sinned ô Lord I haue sinned aboue the number of the sand of the Sea My transgressions are multiplied my offences are exceeding manie and I am not vvoorthy to behold and see the height of the heauens by reason of the multitude of mine iniquities For I haue prouoked thy wrath and done euill before thee I did not thy will neyther kept I thy commaundements Nowe therefore I bowe the knee of my hart beseeching thee of grace I haue sinned ô Lord I haue sinned I acknowledge my transgressions but I humbly beseech thee to forgiue mee O Lord forgiue mee and destroy mee not vvith my transgressions Be not angry with mee for euer by reseruing euill for mee neither condemne me into the lower parts of the earth For thou art the God euen the God of them that repent and in mee thou vvilt shew all thy goodnes for thou ô Lord vvilt saue mee that am vnvvoorthy according to thy great mercie therefore I will praise thee for euer all the dayes of my life c. Or as the prodigall sonne spoken of by Christ in the gospell did remember thine owne estate in time liue no longer like a slaue to sinne and a stranger from the fellowship of the faithfull but rather returne home say vnto God thy Father as hee said to his * I haue sinned ô Father against heauen and before thee and am no Luke 15 16 more worthy to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hired seruaunts And thou shalt surely finde if thou make an vnfained conuersion that the Lord thy God will be ready to receiue thee For there * is more ioy among the Angels in Luke 15 7. Heauen for one sinner that conuerteth then for ninetie and nine iust men vvhich neede none amendement of life Yea at the true repentance and conuersion Bernard of sinners the Father reioyceth the Sonne reioyceth and the holy Ghost reioyceth The first figured in the prodigall Sonne The second in the lost sheep The third because they are the temple chosen vessels of the holy Ghost euen all the Angels in heauen doe reioyce §. 16. O how good a thing is it then as Sirach Ecclê° 20. 4. saith so soone as thou art reprooued to manifest thy repentance for thereby shalt thou escape wilfull sinne Who so hateth to be reformed is in the Ecclus 21 6. way of sinners but hee that feareth the Lord conuerteth in hâ—rt Seeke the Lord therefore vvhile hee Esay 55 6 may be founde call vpon him while he is neere For hee vvill be founde of them that Wisd 1. 2. tempt him not and appeareth vnto such as proue not vnfaithfull vnto him Get thee righteousnes before thou come Ecclê° 18. 18 to iudgement Learne before thou speake and vse phisicke or euer thou be sicke Examine thy selfe before thou bee iudged verse 19. and in the day of the visitation thou shalt finde mercy Humble thy selfe before thou be sicke verse 20. and whilst thou maist yet sinne shewe thy conuersion Let nothing let thee to pray alwayes vnto verse 21. God and deferre not vnto death to be reformed for the reward of GOD endureth for euer And in what place or state soeuer a man Gregory shall be founde when he departeth out of this life in the same state and degree the last day of the worlde shall finde him For such as euery man shall be in
bayte of beautie forgot himselfe so fell in loue vvith another mans vvife from loue hee fell to vnlawfull lust from lust to dissembling and counterfet shewe of kindnes towards her innocent husband And in the end when he could deuise no other shift to couer his owne shame hee caused Vriah himselfe to carry a letter to Ioab his cheefe Captaine wherin was politiquely plotted the death of him that brought it Moreouer a rash and wicked eye that Platâ— delighteth to behold vanitie may well be called the windowe of death for it is the deadly minister of the harts coÌ„cupiscence and the fore-runner of filthy facts thefts robberies extortions sundry other iniquities §. 5. All men are indeede by nature naturallie Aeneas Siluius giuen to feele in themselues the boyling and raging lusts of the fraile and vnconstant flesh Notwithstanding hee that suffereth himselfe to be led captiue in the filthy sinne of whoredome and adulterie falleth thereby into innumerable inconueniences For first of all this wicked euill cleane taketh away from a man his good name and credite It also consumeth his substance and bringeth him in the end to plaine beggery It killeth at once both the strength and beautie of the body It decayeth and greatly hurteth health It ingendereth many bad diseases It disfigureth the flower of youth long before the time It hasteth or draweth on riueled ill-fauoured age It diminisheth the strength and quicknes of the wit It dulleth the sight of the minde It draweth from him all honest studies maketh him delight in nothing but that which is vile and vnhonest It taketh away the vse of reason which is the natiue propertie of man It maketh a young man peeuish melancholy slaunderous It maketh an olde man odious wretched filthy * Demonax Finally it is a pleasure bought vvith paine a delight hatcht with disquiet a content passed with feare and a sinne finished with sorrowe §. 6. Can a man saith Salomon carry coales Prou 6 27 28 29. in his bosome his clothes not be burnt or can a man goe vpon coales his feete not be hurt So hee that goeth in to his neighbours wife toucheth her shall not be guiltlesse Flie therfore the filthy lusts of the flesh Hermes and as thou wouldest willingly for thy bodily healths sake abstaine from hurtfull meate so oughtest thou to abstaine from sinne for the saluation of thy soule For when lust hath conceiued it bringeth Iames 1 15 forth sinne and sinne vvhen it is finished bringeth forth death §. 7. Know yee not that your bodies are the 1 Cor 6 15 16 17. members of Christ shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Doe yee not knowe that hee which coupleth himselfe with an harlot is one body For two saith hee shall be one flesh But hee that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one spirit Know yee not also that the vnrighteous 1 Cor 6 9. 10 shal not inherite the kingdom of God Be not deceiued neither fornicatours nor idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers nor theeues nor couetous nor drunkards nor raylers nor extortioners shall inherite the kingdome of God §. 8. Woe then be vnto that man which contemning Socrates the excellencie of his own nature and the diuine part that is in him serueth onely his bodily lusts defiling his ovvne soule through his lasciuious desires and beastly delights For hee ceaseth to be a man and is indeed Plato no better then a brute beast that leaueth the rules of reason giueth his mind solely to the fulfilling of his fleshlie inclinations Besides if they bee counted miserable Aristotle which haue cruell Maisters although they may be released from them hovve much more are they miserable which serue theyr bodily lusts as theyr maisters from vvhich they cannot flie For hee that hath enthraled himselfe to Hermes the fulfilling of his fleshly motions is therby more bound then any bond-man else what-soeuer Yea such a man neuer ceaseth to waste Paâ—â—uius consume the strength of his owne bodie hee daily spotteth and polluteth the beauty of his soule hee continually draweth vnto himselfe diuers diseases walketh hourely in danger of eternall damnation §. 9. Enforce thy selfe therefore vvith all the Erasmus might thou maist to abstaine from vngodly lusts and the better to bridle the vnrulie passions of thine ovvne affections endeuour diligently to study and follovve vertue for the desires that are good vvill euermore mortifie and destroy the desires that are euill But if so be that thou canst not abstaine 1. Cor 7 9. thou maist then vse the lawful remedy that God hath appoynted namely marriage For it is better to marry then to burne Also to auoyde fornication let euerie 1 Cor 7 2 man haue his vvife and let euery vvoman haue her owne husband For marriage is honourable among all Hebr 13 4 men and the bedde vndefiled but whoremongers and adulterers God will iudge ¶ Against stealing lying slaundering falsewitnes-bearing and coueting of our neighbours wealth §. 1. YEe shall not steale saith the Lord our Leuit 19 11 God neyther deale falsely nor lie one to another Let him that stole steale no more but Ephe 4 28 let him rather labour and worke vvith his handes the thing that is good that he may haue to giue vnto him that needeth §. 2. My sonne saith Sirach sow not a lye against Ecclus 7 12 13. thy brother neyther doe the same against thy friende Vse not to make any manner of lye for the custome thereof is is not good Aristotle beeing demaunded what vantage Aristotle a man might gette by lying aunswered To be vnbeleeued vvhen hee telleth the truth §. 3. Doubtlesse a lie is a wicked shame in Ecclê° 20. 23 a man yet is it often in the mouth of the vnwise A thiefe is better then a man that is accustomed verse 24. to lie but they both shall haue destruction euerlastingly For by lying the truth is broken God Hermes himselfe greeuously offended the state of our neighbour our selues greatly impaired §. 4. The conditions of lyers are alwayes vnhonest Ecclê° 20 25 their shame is euer with them He that is knowne to be a lyer shal commonly Thales be helde in contempt amongst all men such onely as before thought well of his company will afterward care verie little for his acquaintance Besides hee that is accustomed to lying Becon looseth not onely his credite good name amongst men but also shutteth himselfe out from the grace and fauour of GOD and most horribly ioyneth himselfe to the deuill who hath no truth in him But is a lyer from the beginning the Iohn 8 44 father of lyes VVherefore cast off lying and speake Ephe 4 25 euery man the truth vnto his neighbour for we are members one
hedged in with bushes and the path thereof couered with thornes whereby no man may trauaile VVoe vnto them that speake good of Esay 5 20 euill and euill of good which put darkenesse for light and light for darkenes that put bitter for sweet and sweet for sower VVoe vnto them that excell in gluttony Esay 5 22 23 and drunkennes which iustifie the vvicked for a reward and take away the righteousnes of the righteous from them For as the flame of fire deuoureth the Esay 5. 24. stubble as the chaffe is consumed of the flame so shal theyr roote be as rottennesse and theyr blossome shall vanish avvay like dust because they haue cast off the Lawe of the Lord of hostes and contemned the word of the holie one of Israell §. 16. There is a way saith Salomon vvhich Prou. 14. 12 13. seemeth right to a man but the issues therof are the wayes of death Euen in laughing the hart is sorrowfull and the ende of that mirth is heauinesse Doubtlesse the Wiseman in this speech of his meaneth the way of worldly pleasures VVhere-into * Euagoras the wicked beeing once entred they are daily so ledde away vvith the vaine delights thereof that they neuer regard godlines till the deceits of iniquitie bring them to destruction For the end of all worldly pleasure is Theophilact sorrow and paine And the stipend or revvard of sinne Rom 6. 23 is death Not the death of the body onely for that Rauisius as all men knowes is naturall and ordinarie but the death both of body and soule which is endlesse and eternall §. 17. Through the sundry subtilties of sinne Origen and the contempt of Gods law saith Origen many thousands in this world passe after death to perpetuall perdition And vvho-soeuer refuseth to followe Virgilius righteousnesse shall for his recompence dwell with confusion For destruction shall be to the workers Prou. 21. 15 of iniquitie And the man that wandereth out of the Prou 21 16 way of wisedome shall remaine in the congregation of the dead §. 18. The hart that is obstinate shall be laden Ecclê° 3. 29. with sorrowes and the wicked man shall heape sinne vpon sinne Because he hath refused knowledge hee Hosea 4. 6. shall be refused of the Lord. And for that he hath left the way of vnderstanding Gueuara and life he shal fal into diuers dangers by the deceits of false doctrine For errour and darknesse are appoynted Ecclê° 11 16 for sinners And they that worke wickednes shal be Ecclê° 27. 27 wrapped in euils §. 19. Inquisition saith the Wiseman shall be Wisd 1 9 made for the thoughts of the vngodly the sounde of his wordes shall come vnto God for the correction of his iniquities The wicked deedes which he hath done Bernard shall stand vp to declare against him and the reward of his vnrighteousnes shall be powred vppon him His vnquiet conscience shal be his chiefest Pet. Lomb. accuser and the sinne of his owne impietie shall bee most forward to conuict him §. 20. The vngodly shall be punished according Wisd 3. 10. to theyr imaginations for they haue despised the righteous and forsaken the Lord. They haue thought euill in theyr harts Wisd 2 21. 22. against the godly and haue gone astray through theyr owne folly for theyr owne wickednesse hath blinded them and they doe not vnderstand the misteries of God neither hope they for the reward of righteousnes nor can discerne the honour of the soules that are faultlesse The way that they walke is as the darknes Prou. 4. 19 they know not wherein they shal fall They meete with darknes euen in the Iob. 5. 14. day time and grope at noone day as in the night The hope that they haue is indignation Prou. 11 23 Prou 13. 21 Psal 112. 10 * Affliction dooth followe them * And theyr desire shall perrish Theyr hope is a false hope Like vnto the hope of * Siseras mother vvho pleasantly Iudges 5. 28 29. 30. perswaded herselfe that her Sonne was gorgiously attyred in roabes of needle worke and very busie after the battell in deuiding the spoyles of Israel when hee lay sencelesly sleeping in * Iaels tent with Iudges 4. 21 a nayle driuen through his forehead Or like the hope of Haman * Who Ester 6 6 7. 8. 9. c. proudly thought in his hart that King Ahashuerosh would doe honour to no man more then to him vvhen contrariwise all the glory which he wisht vnto himselfe he was coÌ„maunded to shew vnto Mordecaâ— the man whom aboue all men els he most hated and * the euill death vvhich hee Ester 7 10. prepared for the same man was his ovvne latter ending §. 21. All iniquitie saith Sirach is as a double Ecclê° 21. 3. edged sword the wounds whereof cannot be healed Dishonour shame euill death damnation Paâ—â—â—ius waite vpon pride enuie murther and such other like vices And the match that kindleth against Cicero vngodly people the fierce wrath of God is their owne wilful persisting in sinne and iniquitie For as theyr harts wexe harder and harder Arnobius through theyr custome in sinning daily more and more impenitent so they hourely heape vp displeasure vnto themselues against the day of Gods wrath and the terrible appearing of his iust iudgement §. 22. Oh howe vnhappy then are the liues of Constantius all those men that leaue vertue to follovve vice and forsake wisedome to embrace wickednesse For they thereby make theyr mindes vnapt Plotinuâ— to receiue any goodnes and clog theyr consciences vvith many molestations They liue alwaies doubtfull of their own Pet. Lomb. safetie in the day time and theyr sleepe is vnquiet and full of feares in the night The morning is euen to them as the Iob. 24. 17. shadow of death And they buy hell dearer then good Gregory men buy heauen §. 23. They are ready to flee when none pursueth Prou. 28 1. them And are very often dreading that some Pâ—t Mart. deserued danger will suddainely fall vpon them The reason is for that all wickednes in it Orosius selfe is full of feare And the conscience that is touched doth Wisd 17 10 alwayes fore-cast cruell things For there can be no greater trouble to Tremelius the vngodly in this lyfe then the inward vexations of their own guiltie conscience The testimony whereof is as a thousand Marlorate witnesses against them and the doome of it is euerlasting damnation Insomuch that the consciences of the Mart. Bucer wicked which are wounded ouer-burdened with the weight of sinne doe most certainly feele euen in thys world part of hell torments And many times the sting or gnawing Erasmus vvorme thereof enforceth the miserable offender cleane to remooue all his confidence from the comfort of Gods mercie
remaineth sure and hath this seale The Lord knovveth vvho are his And the Almightie himselfe talking with his seruant Moises saith * Thou hast Exod. 33. 17 found fauour in my sight I know thee by name Likewise vnto the Prophet Ieremie in the very beginning of his booke hee vseth these words * Before I formed thee in thy Ierem 1 5. mothers wombe I knew thee and before thou cammest out of the wombe I sanctified thee ordained thee to be a Prophet vnto the Nations §. 5. Now as by these few former places wee finde it most apparantly prooued that the freends and seruaunts of Almightie God are alvvayes knowne vnto him so may we likewise by this ensuing example speech of the Prophet to Senacharib certainly assure our selues that the Lord God knoweth vvho are his enemies also For when that proude-daring King of 2 Reg 18 28. 29 30. â— the Assvrians sent Rabsaketh his foule-mouthed messenger to blaspheme the Holie one of Israell the Almightie returned him this aunswere by the mouth of Esay saying * I knowe thy dwelling yea thy 2. Reg. 19 27 28. going out and thy comming in thy furie against mee And because thou ragest against mee and thy tumult is come vp to mine eares I will put my hooke in thy nostrils and my bridle in thy lippes and will bring thee backe againe the same way thou cammest Moreouer the Lord our God as Esdras affirmeth knoweth all them that sinne 2 Esd 15. 26 against him and therefore deliuereth hee them vnto death and destruction For there is as Iob sayth no darknesse Iob 34 22 nor shadow of death that can hide the wicked dooers from his sight Hee declareth the things past and the Ecclê° 42 19 things that are to come he also discloseth the path of those things that are secrete Hee searcheth the ground of the deepe 2. Esd 16. 49 and the treasures thereof hee hath measured the Sea and knoweth what it containeth §. 6. Let all men therefore as Cicero vvell sayth in this be truly perswaded that God â— Citeâ—s is the onely moderator gouernour of all things and that all things also be done by his power and appoyntment And that he it is which most cleerely beholdeth euery man both what hee doth what he admitteth in himselfe with what minde and godlines he doth loue fauour Religion and that hee hath also a respect to the proceedings both of all godly and wicked men Yea the Lord our God onely as Siluius Siluius saith by his eternall wisedom hath made all by his euerlasting prouidence hee preserueth all and by his most absolute vnderstanding he knoweth all For of him and through him and for Rom 11 36 him as the Apostle saith are all thinges to him be glory for euer Amen ¶ Of the great mercie and louing kindnesse of God §. 1. THE Lord our God according to Nehe. 9. 17 the confession of the Leuites in the ninth of Nehemiah is a GOD of mercies gracious and pittifull of long suffering and of great mercie Hee is as Dauid saith good to all and Psal 145 9 his mercies are ouer or aboue all the rest of his workes Yea hee is full of compassion mercy Psal 103 8 9. slow to anger and of great kindnesse Hee will not alway chide neither will he keepe his anger for euer Hee hath not dealt with vs after our sins nor rewarded vs according to our iniquities verse 10 11 12 13 For as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercie toward theÌ„ that feare him and as far as the East is from the West so farre hath he remoued our sinnes from vs. * As a Father hath compassion on verse 14. 15. his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him For hee knoweth whereof we be made hee remembreth that wee are but dust §. 2. Where saith Micah is there anie God Micah 7 18 like vnto the Lord our God that taketh away iniquitie and passeth by or winketh at the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage He retaineth not his wrath for euer because mercy pleaseth him Hee is as Salomon saith gracious and Wisd 15 1 true long suffering gouerneth al things by mercy Hee is as Sirach saith kinde pittiful Ecclus 2 12 hee pardoneth and forgiueth sinnes hee saueth in the time of trouble hee is a defender of all theÌ„ that seeke him in the truth And * as his greatnes is so is his mercy Eccâ—us 2 21 Cyrill For he can no more cease to be mercifull then he can cease to be God The mercie that a man hath saith Sirach Ecclê° 18 12 reacheth vnto his neighbour but the mercy of the Lord is vpon all flesh He is the Father of mercies the God 2 Cor 1 3 of all comfort His mercie reacheth vnto the heauens Psalm 36 5 his faithfulnesse vnto the clowdes His mercie is euerlasting and his truth Psal 100. 5. endureth from generation to generation §. 3. Oh how excellent as Dauid saith is the Psalm 36 7 mercy of the Lord our God! therefore the chyldren of men saith he put theyr trust vnder the shadow of his winges The very remembrance of Gods mercie Bernard saith Bernard maketh glad the harts of all the godly and the hope of heauens helpe is comfortable to euerie penitent person The tongues of all men liuing saith Marlorate Marlorate cannot tell out Gods mercie nor the pennes of all the VVriters in the vvorld sufficiently expresse the same His wrath as Erasmus saith is alvvaies Erasmus giuen by weight but is mercie is infinite without either end or measure Besides if wee aske yet further after the Augustine seuerall workes of Gods mercy wee shall finde as S. Augustine saith that they passe all number as there can be no nuÌ„ber made of our miseries and daily necessities For what man liuing saith Becon can Becon tell how often through frailtie he hath offended or truely reckon how many waies he hath been preserued froÌ„ perrill through the onely mercy of the Almightie extended towards him Also If the sinnes of all the world were as S. Chrisostome saith in one man yet Chrisostome would they be nothing to the mercy of the Almightie but the burthen of them in comparison of his mercie woulde seeme like the Spyders webbe before the boysterous winde Yea the multitude of all mens offences â— Fulgentius in respect of Gods mercie is like a small drop of raine to the greatest Sea §. 4. Furthermore the mercy of the Lorde Chrisostome our God is as S. Chrisostome saith both generall and speciall It is generall in supplying the present wants both of the iust and vniust It is speciall in succouring the iust onely It is likewise temporary saith he in sparing the wicked for a time and it is euerlasting concerning the
well or Augustine that wee vnderstand aright wee haue it of God of our selues wee haue nothing but onely sinne that is within vs. And surely deserued paine through Adams Augustine fault would bring al men into euerlasting death vnlesse the vndeserued grace of God through fayth in Christ deliuered some from it §. 11. All men in the first man namely Adam vvere created of God saith S. Ambrose Ambrose without vice or fault all our nature was sound and in health but by the sin of the same man we haue lost it Also We say truly in affirming that the Augustine first man onely could fulfill that he would when as yet his free-vvill of choyse vvas sound and whole before the fault But man misvsing his free-will lost both Augustine himselfe and his will The first man vvas created in nature Augustine without blame in nature without fault he was created vpright he did not make him selfe vpright It is knowne what hee made himselfe falling out of the hande of the Potter he was broken For hee that made him did gouerne him but hee was willing to forsake him that made him and God suffered him so to doe as it were saying thus Let him forsake me that he may find himselfe and that he may by his misery proue that without mee he can doe nothing By this meane therefore would God shew vnto man what free-will is able to doe vvithout God Free-vvill before the fall of Adam vvas Augustine an vpright free-will before which fire and water was layde of God and the first man did reach his hand vnto which hee would hee did choose fire forsooke vvater See therefore the righteous Iudge the same which man beeing free did choose he did receiue hee would haue euill the same did follow him We had free-will before sinne to worke Chrisostome well but after sinne we had none because we were not able by our owne power and strength after sinne to escape from the power of the deuill But as a ship when the sterne is broken is driuen hether and thether where the tempest will so by the deuill wee are driuen from one sinne to another neither hetherto can vvee doe any thing but euen as the deuill will And except GOD doe deliuer vs with the strong hand of his mercie we shall remaine in the bonds chaines of sinnes vnto death For by our owne willes and negligence wee are bound but it is onely by the mercies of almighty God that wee are loosed and set at libertie §. 12. No man can beleeue hope or loue vnlesse Augustine he will saith S. Augustine yet euen the selfe same will to beleeue hope and loue commeth not of our selues but from God Wee indeed thinking beleeue thinking we speake thinking we doe whatsoeuer Augustine we doe But as touching that that appertaineth vnto the way of godlinesse and true vvorship of God wee are not able to thinke any thing as of our selues but our ablenesse commeth of God For our own harts and our owne thoughts are not in our owne powers Also that we should beleeue in GOD liue godly it lyeth not in the wil or running Augustine of man but in the grace and mercy of God Not that we ought not both to wil and to runne but because that God himselfe by his holy Spirit doth worke in vs both to will and also to runne §. 13. Mans naturall free will then vve doe verily Maxentius beleeue saith Maxentius is of no more value but onely for carnall or worldly desires or such deseruings which possiblie may seeme glorious among men but not with God For those things which belong vnto euerlasting life we can neither thinke neither will neither desire neither performe except it be by the infusion and operation of the holie Ghost Besides our prayers are alwayes made Ambrose in vaine if it be in our owne free-wil to do what we will Let no man therefore flatter himselfe Augustine for of his owne hee is a very sathan hee hath that of GOD onely whereby hee is blessed §. 14. There is a sentence in Salomons Prouerbs where the Wiseman thus speaketh saying * The preparations of the hart are Prou 16 1 in man but the aunswere of the tongue is of the Lord. Vpon which wordes S. Augustine thus Augustine writeth Some not vnderstanding thys place wel are deceiued insomuch that they beleeue that to prepare the hart that is to beginne goodnesse without the helpe of the grace of God pertaineth vnto man But God forbid saith he that the chyldren of promise should so vnderstand it as though thereby they woulde confute the Lord whereas they haue heard him saying * Without mee yee can doe nothing And Iohn 15 5 say Behold we are able of our selues to prepare our hart by that to think som goodnes God forbid that any man should vnderstand it so saue the proude defenders of their will For therefore it is written It is the mans part to prepare the hart the aunswere of the tongue is of the Lord because the man prepareth the hart yet for all that man cannot prepare his hart without the helpe of God For God dooth so worke in the harts of men and in their free will it selfe that euery good thought good counsaile and all good motions of the will or minde is of God Hee doth first preuent vs with his grace Gregory that wee may be willing to leaue euill and doe good and afterward with his helping hand also he doth folow vs least we should will in vaine Yea It is God that worketh in vs both Augustine to will also to worke We will then but it is God that worketh in vs euen to vvill We work then but it is God also that doth worke in vs the worke euen freelie of his own good will It is expedient for vs both to beleeue this and also to confesse this This is godly this is true that our confession may be humble and lowly and that all goodnes may be ascribed vnto GOD alone No man can come vnto me saith Christ Iohn 6 44 except the Father which hath sent mee draw him Neither can any man say that Iesus is the 1 Cor 12 3 Lord but by the holy Ghost For to beleeue is the gift of God As Mat 16 17 Christes owne wordes testifie vnto Peter where he sayth * Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas For flesh and bloode hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my Father which is in heauen Also It is written in the Prophets And Iohn 6 45. they shall be all taught of GOD. Euery man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father commeth vnto me Yea All that the Father giueth mee Iohn 6 37 ◠shall come to mee and him that commeth vnto mee I cast not away §. 16. Moreouer Except a man be borne againe
that he was not able to performe it But afterwards GOD through his great loue and mercy sent his onely Sonne Christ into the vvorld both to fulfill the Lawe and also to offer grace vnto man vvhich remained as it were vppon a scaffold where hee saw nothing but death ready to deuoure him Christ came also at such time as learning did most florish when the greatest Empire Augustine was in the cheefest pride to the ende that all worldly wisedome should acknowledge it selfe to be foolishnes all power weakenesse before him Yet came he not to bee serued but to Mar. 10 45 serue to giue his owne life for the raunsome of many Hee came likewise not to destroy the Math 5 17 Law or the Prophets but to fulfil them Neither came hee to destroy mens liues Luke 9 5. but to saue them For God sent not his Son into the world Iohn 3 17 that he should condemne the worlde but that the world throgh him might be saued And this is a true saying by al meanes 1 Tim 1 15 woorthy to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the vvorld to saue sinners §. 3. It was a matter greatly standing with the Ierome iustice of God saith S. Ierome that Christ should come into the vvorld and become man for vs because that in the same nature whereby GOD was offended in the same nature likewise shoulde satis-faction bee made sinne was committed in mans nature and therefore it was necessarie that Christ should come in mans nature to appease the wrath of God for sinne And forasmuch also as by the right of Chrisostome creation euery man is bound in conscience to fulfill euen the very rigour and extremitie of the mortall Law but man beeing fallen from his first estate was no way able to obserue it therefore it was requisite that Christ should come become man that in mans nature hee might fulfill all righteousnes which the Law doth exact §. 4. Christ came into the world saith Becon Becon both true God true man God of God his Father from before the beginning of all time and man of vs borne of the kindred of Abraham Dauid according to Gods promise Yea true and naturall man made of our fleshe and of our blood this alone excepted that we receiued our nature with sinne and in sin by naturall coniunction but Christ receiued his humanitie of his Mother Mary the blessed Virgine without sinne without the company of any man onely by the operation of the holie Ghost For by the salutation of an Angell the Gregory Worde entred the vvombe and straight the Worde in the wombe became flesh And the same Worde beeing made flesh Iohn 1 14 dwelt among vs and wee sawe the glorie thereof as the glory of the onely begotten Sonne of the Father full of grace and truth §. 5. Furthermore it greatly behooued saith Caluine Caluine that the sonne of God should become for vs Emanuell that is God with vs that in this sort that by naturall ioyning his God-head and nature of man might grow into one together otherwise neither could the neerenesse be neere enough nor alliance strong enough for vs to hope by that God dwelleth vvith vs So great vvas the disagreement betweene our filthines the most pure cleanenes of God And although man had stoode vndefiled without any spotte yet vvas his estate too base to attaine vnto GOD without a Mediatour Besides it was no meane thing that the Caluine Mediatour had to doe for it was so to restore vs into the fauour of God as to make vs of the children of men the chyldren of God of the heires of hell the heires of the kingdome of heauen And who could do this vnlesse the sonne of God were made also the sonne of man so take ours vppon him to conceiue his into vs and to make that ours by grace which was his by nature Therefore it was for the same cause verie Caluine profitable that hee which shoulde be our Mediatour and Redeemer should be both very God and very man It was his office to swallow vp death who could doe that but Life it selfe It was his office to ouercome sinne who could do that but Righteousnes it selfe It was his office to vanquish the powers of the worlde and of the ayre who could doe that but a Power aboue both world and ayre Now in whose possession is life or righteousnes or the Empire and power of heauen Caluine but in Gods alone Therfore the most mercifull God in the person of his onelie begotten sonne made himselfe our Mediatour and Redeemer when his will vvas to haue redeemed And forasmuch therfore as neither being onely God he could feele death nor being onely man he could ouercome death hee coupled the nature of man with the nature of GOD that hee might yeelde the one subiect to death to satisfie for sinnes and by the power of the other hee might wrastle with Death and get the victory for vs. § 6. Christ came from heauen saith Gregorie Gregory into a vvomans wombe from a vvomans wombe into a Cratch or Manger from the manger to the Crosse from the Crosse to the graue from the graue he went to heauen againe Yea hee by his incarnation came downe Ambrose from heauen to vs that wee beeing made partakers of his grace might ascend vp into heauen by him And for this purpose appeared the Son 1 Iohn 3 8. of GOD that he might loose the works of the deuill Which are * Fulgentius sinne death and hell He came also that we might haue life Iohn 10 10 and that we might haue it in aboundance Finally hee came into the vvorlde to Luke 19 10 seeke and saue that which was lost And not to call the righteous but sinners Math 9 13. to repentance §. 7. Moreouer vvee knowe saith S. Iohn 1 Iohn 5 20 that the sonne of God is come hath giuen vs a mind to know him which is true and vvee are in him that is true that is in his Sonne Iesus Christ this same is verie God and euerlasting life Yea hee is come a light into the world Iohn 12 46 that who soeuer beleeueth in him shoulde not abide in darknesse Hee hath also appeared that he might 1 Iohn 3 5. take avvay our sinnes and in him is no sinne Euery spirite therefore which confesseth 1 Ioh 4 2 3 that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God And euery spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God ¶ Of the Passion Death Buriall Resurrection and Ascention of our Sauiour Christ. §. 1. AFter that S. Peter had fully aunswered the demaund of his Maister by Math 16 16 20. cōfessing him to be Christ the sonne of the liuing God our Sauiour presently charged him and the rest of
man of Cyrene named Simon him they compelled verse 32 to beare his Crosse And they brought him to a place named Mar 15 22. Golgotha which is by interpretation the place of Dead-mens skuls * There they Iohn 19 18. crucified him and two other with him on either side one and Iesus in the midst This was done about the sixt howre and Luke 23 44 there was darknes ouer all the Lande vntill the ninth houre The Sunne was darkned and the vaile verse 45 46 of the Temple rent through the midst And Iesus cryed with a loude voyce and sayd Father into thine hands I commend my spirit And when he thus had sayd hee gaue vp the Ghost §. 9. Thus suffered our Sauiour according to his owne fore-telling many wrongs iniuries reproches of his enemies for our sakes And in the end after all his vvhyppings buffettings mockings and reuilings hee was * deliuered to death vpon Rom 4. 25. the Crosse for our sinnes Yea hee was deliuered to death by the Acts 2 23 determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God Otherwise it had not been in the power of his enemies to depriue him of life For no man could take his life from him but he layd it downe of himselfe For he being Iohn 10 18. both God and man had power to lay downe his life power to take it again Yet forasmuch as he came downe from heauen not to doe his owne will but the * will of God which sent him hee therefore Ioh 6 38 vvillinglie gaue * himselfe for our sinnes that hee might deliuer vs from this Gala 1 4. present euill world according to the will of God euen our Father And that by his suffering hee might Ierome make an excellent and merritorious satisfaction vnto his Father for mans iniquity For to this end especially was the passion Chrisostome of our Sauiour Christ that GOD might thereby bring to passe a worke in which he might more fully manifest both his iustice and mercy then hee did in the Creation namely the reconciliation betweene himselfe and man through the suffering of his onely sonne for sinne So that the Passion of Christ being considered Augustine as a bare passion ministers no comfort vnto vs but all our ioy standeth in this that by fayth we apprehend it as a full satis-faction meanes or agreement made vnto God for our iniquities And confesse withall that as the principall Augustine cause thereof was the price of mans Redemption so it was done by the decree and prouidence of God §. 10. After our Sauiour had thus fully suffered for our offences there came a rich man of Math 27 57 58 59 60. Arimathea named Ioseph who had also himselfe beene Iesus disciple hee went to Pilate and requested the body of Iesus And Pilate * after hee vnderstoode that Mar. 15 45. Iesus was dead commaunded the body to be giuen him So Ioseph tooke it wrapped it in a cleane linnen cloth and put it in his new Tombe which he had hewne out in a Rocke wherin before that time was Ioh 19 41 42 * neuer any man layd There then did he and Nicodemus helping him lay the bodie of Iesus And when they had doone Math. 27. 60 they rolled a great stone to the doore of the Sepulcher and departed At this time also there were certaine women Math 27 55 56 which had followed Iesus from Galile ministring vnto him among vvhom was Mary Magdalen and Mary the mother of Iames and Ioses and the mother of Zebedeus sonnes These beheld the Sepulcher Luke 23. 55 56. and sawe howe the body of Iesus was layd And they returned and prepared odours and sweet oyntments but rested the Saboth day according to the commaundement §. 11. On the morrow after the Saboth beeing Luke 24 1 2 3 the first day of the weeke these foresaid women came early in the morning vnto the Sepulcher bringing with them the odours which they had prepared And perceiuing the stone to bee rolled away frō the doore thereof they went in but found not the body of the Lord Iesus And it came to passe that vvhilst they verse 4. 5. 6 7 8. were amazed thereat two men suddainlie stoode by them in shining vestures And as they trembled and durst not looke vp the men said vnto them Why seek ye him that liueth among the deade Hee is not heere but is risen Remember howe hee spake vnto you while hee was yet in Galilee saying The sonne of man must be deliuered into the hands of sinfull men be crucified the third day rise againe And they remembred the vvordes of verse 9 10. Christ and returned from the Sepulcher and tolde all these thinges vnto the eleuen and to all the remnant c. The same day also Iesus himselfe Mark 16 9 10. 11 12 that hee might make manifest his Resurrection to such as loued him appeared first to Mary Magdalen out of whom hee had cast seauen deuils And at another time after that he appeared vnto two of his disciples as they went into the Country And they went and tolde these thinges vnto the Apostles and the rest of his disciples but they beleeued it not After this hee appeared also vnto the Mark 16. 14 eleuen as they sate together and reproued them for their vnbeleefe and hardnesse of hart because they beleeued not thē which had seene him being risen vp againe And further to confirme them in an vndoubted beleefe of his most certaine Resurrection and to assure them by plaine proofes that he was truly their Lorde and maister Christ which appeared vnto them and no deceitfull or deluding Spirit as Luke 24 37 38 39. 40. they at the first sight supposed him to be he first shewed vnto them his hands his feete and then commaunded them to handle and feele his body and to beholde his flesh and bones * Afterwardes he asked verse 41. 42 43 c. them for meat did eate the same in their presence Hee also opened their vnderstanding and expounded the Scriptures vnto them saying Thus it is written and thus it behoued Christ to suffer and to rise againe frō the dead the third day and that repentance remission of sinnes should be preached in his Name among all Nations beginning at Ierusalem c. Afterward he led them * forth into Bethania Luke 24 50 lift vp his hands blessed them And when hee had sundry times presented himselfe aliue vnto them after that he had suffered and sufficiently prooued his resurrection * by many infallible tokens Acts 1 3 4. 5. beeing seene of them by the space of fortie dayes speaking of those things which appertaine to the kingdome of God hee then gathered them together and commaunded them that they shoulde not depart frō Ierusalem but waite for the promise of the Father which said he ye haue hearde of
in his flesh vpon the Crosse the God-head and manhood vvere still together but his Godhead did not suffer that we might be iustified not onely in his flesh but also in his Diuinitie and that we might be saued both in his God-heade and manhood together For we could neuer haue beene deliuered Augustine by that one onely Mediatour between God and men the man Christ Iesus vnlesse he had beene also God The benefites which we dâ—ily receiue by Ambrose his death are foure The first is the change of our naturall death The second is in that he hath quite taken away the second death from those that are in him The third is that his death is a meanes to satisfie his last will and Testament The fourth is that it doth serue to abolish the originall corruption of our sinfull harts The meanes also of our saluation by him Augustine are two his Merrite his Efficacie The first is in that by his obedience to the Law and by his death he made full satis-faction vnto his Father for all our sinnes freed vs from death and reconciled vs vnto God The second is in that he gaue his Spirit to mortifie the corruption of our natures that we thereby may daily die vnto sin and liue vnto righteousnes haue true comfort in terrors of conscience and in the pangs of death Beleeuing assuredly that what-so-euer Caluine Christ hath suffered hee hath suffered for vs and that all his righteousnes through fayth is made our righteousnesse For hee himselfe alone hath fully discharged by his death the debt which all vvee owed and hath made vs by his obedience the sonnes of God fellow heires with him of euerlasting glory For hee hath put out the hand-vvriting Colos 2 14 15. that was against vs contained in the Lawe written which was contrary to vs he euen tooke it out of the way fastned it vpoÌ„ the crosse hath spoiled the Principalities Powers hath made a shew of theÌ„ openly triumphing ouer theÌ„ in the same crosse §. 8. The Lawe saith S. Iohn was giuen by Iohn 1. 17. Moises but Grace and Truth came by Iesus Christ For God sending his owne sonne in the Rom 8 3 similitude of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Lawe might be fulfilled in vs which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit And wee through the spirit waite for Gala 5 5 the hope of righteousnes through faith Be it knowne vnto you therefore men Acts 13 38 39 brethren that through this man Christ is preached vnto vs the forgiuenesse of sinnes from all things from which we could not be iustified by the Law of Moises by him euery one that beleeueth is iustified For the Lawe made nothing perfit but Heb 7 19. the bringing in of a better hope made perfect whereby we draw neere vnto God And albeit that we in time past beeing Ephe. 2. 11. 12. 13. Gentiles and vncircumcised people in the flesh were indeede without Christ and were aliants from the common-wealth of Israell and strangers from the couenaunts of promise and had no hope and were without God in the world yet nowe by the meanes of Christ Iesus we which once were farre off are made neere by the blood of Christ For hee being our peace hath made of Ephe 2. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. both one and hath broken down the stop of the particion Wall that was betweene the Iewes and vs in abrogating through his flesh the hatred namely the Lawe of Commaundements which standeth in ordinances for to make of twaine one nevv man in himselfe so making peace And that he might reconcile both vnto God in one body thorow his Crosse and sley hatred thereby he came preached peace both to vs vvhich were a farre off and to them also that were neere For through him vvee both haue an entrance vnto the Father by one spirit And GOD vvhich is rich in mercie through his great loue wherewith he loued Ephe 2 â— 5 6 7. vs euen wheÌ„ we were dead by sinnes hath quickned vs both Iewes and Gentiles together in Christ by whose grace we are saued and hath raised vs vp together and made vs sitte together in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus That he might shew in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace through his kindnes towards vs in Christ Iesus Not by the vvorkes of righteousnesse Titus 3 5 6 7. which we had doone but according to his mercie hee saued vs by the washing of the newe birth and the renewing of the holie Ghost which he shed on vs aboundantlie through Iesus Christ our Sauiour that we beeing iustified by his grace shoulde bee made heires according to the hope of eternall life For God so loued the vvorlde that hee Ioh 3 16. hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shoulde not perrish but haue euerlasting life And heerein was the loue of God made 1. Ioh 4 9. manifest amongst vs in that hee sent his onely begotten sonne into the world that we might liue through him Yea heerein is loue not that wee loued 1 Ioh. 4. 10. GOD but that he loued vs and sent his Son to be a reconcilâ—ation for our sinnes For Christ vvhen we vvere yet of no Rom 5 6 strength at his time died for the vngodly And hee beeing very God equall vvith Philip. 2. 6 7 8. the Father in power and glory made himselfe notwithstanding of no reputation taking on him the forme of a seruaunt and was made like vnto men and was found in shape as a man Hee humbled himselfe became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse That hee might heâ—eby deliuer vs from the wrath of God and from the danger of Becon eternall damnation whereunto through our Father Adams transgression vvee all remained subiect Likevvise then as by the sinne of one Rom 5 18. namely Adam there sprang vp euill on all men to condemnation euen so by the righteousnesse of one namely Christ â—pringeth good vpon all men to the righteousnes of life For as by one mans disobedience many verse 19 were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many also be made righteous §. 1. CHrist saith the Apostle is risen from 1 Cor. 15. 20. the dead was made the first fruites of them that slept For since by man came death by man verse 21 22 came also the resurrection of the dead and â—â— in Adam all die euen so in Christ shall 〈◊〉 be made aliue Yea Christ himselfe and no other for him did by his owne power raise himselfe Augustine to life Which proueth that hee was not onely man but also true God VVherefore if he were able to giue lyfe Ierome vnto himselfe beeing deade and buried then much more now beeing aliue and in
and maketh request for vs. Sathan and his Angels are fallen and Augustine haue no Sauiour but Man falling had through the great mercy of God a Mediatour and Sauiour to restore him namely Iesus Christ VVho as he stoode in our roome vpon Ambrose the Crosse and made satisfaction vnto his Father for our sinnes so nowe in heauen hee appeares as a publique person in our stead representing all the Elect that beleeue in him Yea the selfe same Christ vvhich dyed Augustine for vs heere vpon the earth maketh intercession vnto his Father for vs now in heauen And whatsoeuer his request was in our Ambrose behalfe heere on earth the same for substance it continues still in heauen §. 6. Before the fall of Adam saith S. Ierome Ierâ—me man could speak to God face to face but now Christ is his Intercessour And thys worke of intercession is the sole worke of Christ God and man not belonging to any other creature besides either in heauen or earth The worke of Christes Passion serueth Chrisostome as a satisfaction vnto Gods iustice for our offences and is as it were the tempering of the plaister by which wee may be healed but Intercession goeth further for it applieth the same satis-faction of Christ to vs and layeth the very salue to the sore of euerie penitent sinner Besides the vvorke of Christes Intercession Chrisostome or Mediation serueth not onely to preserue all repentant sinners in the estate of grace that beeing once sanctified and iustified they may so continue to the end but it also maketh our workes acceptable in the sight of GOD and causeth him to account them righteous through our faith in Christ §. 7. Christ our Sauiour beeing both our Heb 9 24 high Priest and Mediatour as the Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrewes calleth him is not entred into the holy places that are made with hands which are similitudes of the true Sanctuary but is entred into heauen it selfe to appeare nowe in the sight of GOD for vs. Not that hee should offer himselfe often verse 25 26. as the High-priest among the Iewes entred into the Holy place euery yeere vvith other blood for then must he haue often suffered since the foundation of the world but nowe in the end of the world hath he appeared once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe And as it is appointed vnto men that verse 27 28. they shall once die and after that coÌ„meth the iudgement so Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of many and vnto them that looke for him shall hee appeare the second time without sinne vnto saluation Againe among the Ievves many vvere Hebr. 7 23. made Priestes because they were not suffered to endure by reason of death but this man Christ because hee endureth euer hath an euerlasting priest-hood VVherefore verse 24. 25 he is able also perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them For such an High-priest it became vs to verse 26. 27. haue which is holie harmelesse vndefiled separate froÌ„ sinners and made higher then the heauens which needed not daily as those High-priestes to offer vp sacrifice first for his owne sinnes and then for the peoples for that did he once when he offered vp himselfe §. 8. The same Christ likewise being come Hebr 9 11. 12. an High-priest of good things to come by a greater and a more perfit Tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not of this building neyther by the blood of Goates and Calues but by his owne blood entred he in once into the holy place obtained eternall redemption for vs. For if the blood of Bulles of Goates verse 13. 14. and the Ashes of an Heifer sprinckling them that are vncleane sanctifieth as touching the purifying of the flesh hovve much more shal the blood of Christ which through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge our coÌ„science from dead works to serue the liuing God And for this cause is he the Mediatouâ— of verse 15. the newe Testament that thorowe death which was for the redemption of the transgressions that vvere in the former Testament they which were called might receiue the promise of eternall inheritance For where as is a Testament there must verse 16 17 also be the death of him that made the Testament For the Testament is confirmed when men are dead and is yet of no force so long as he that made the same remaineth aliue c. §. 9. Doubtlesse saith S. Paule one wil scarse Rom 5 7 die for a righteous man but yet for a good man it may be that one dare die But God setteth out his loue towards vs verse 8 9 seeing that vvhile vvee vvere yet sinners Christ dâ—ed for vs. Much more then beeing now iustified by his blood we shall be saued from wrath through him For if when we were enemies wee were verse 10 reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more beeing reconciled we shall be saued by his life And not onely so but vvee also reioyce verse 11. in GOD through our Lord Iesus Christ by vvhom vvee haue novve receiued the attonement For God hath not appoynted vs vnto 1 Thes 5 9 10. vvrath but to obtaine saluation by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ vvhich died for vs that vvhether wee vvake or sleepe we should liue together with him Wherefore if any man sinne wee haue 1 Ioh. 2 1 2. an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust hee is the reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world By him vvee haue redemption through Ephe 1 7 8 his blood euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace vvhereby hee hath beene abundant toward vs in all wisedome and vnderstanding By him we are made the sonnes of God Iohn 1 12. if wee beleeue in his Name And of his fulnes haue all wee receiued verse 16 euen grace for grace By his blood also wee may be bold to Heb 10. 19 20. enter into the Holy place by the newe and liuing way which he hath prepared for vs through the vaile that is his flesh For we are made partakers of Christ if Heb 3 14 we keepe sure vnto the end the beginning where-with we are vpholden And we are iustified freely by the grace Rom. 3 24. 25. of God through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood For the blood of Iesus Christ the sonne 1. Iohn 1. 7. of God clenseth vs from all sinne And without sheading of blood is no Heb 9 22. remission §. 10. Seeing then that we haue a great High-priest Heb 4 14 vvhich is entred into Heauen euen Iesus
the Sonne of GOD let vs hold fast our profession For wee haue not an High-priest which verse 15. cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all thinges tempted like as we are yet without sinne Which in the dayes of his flesh did offer Heb 5 7 vp prayers and supplications with strong crying teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death and was also heard in that which he feared And though he were the Sonne yet learned verse 8. 9. hee obedience by the things vvhich he suffered And being consecrate or perfectly holy was made the Authour of eternall saluation to all theÌ„ that obey him And is called of GOD an High-priest Heb 5 10 * Heb 7 21 for euer after the order of Melchisedeck For it became him for whom are all Hebr 2 10. things and by whom are all things seeing that he brought many children vnto glory that he should coÌ„secrate the Prince of theyr saluation through afflictions Yea in all things it behooued him to be Heb 2 17. made like vnto his brethren that he might be mercifull and a faithfull High-priest in things concerning God that hee might make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people For in that he suffered and was verse 18. tempted hee is able also to succour them that are tempted §. 11. These things are written that yee might Iohn 20 31 beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeuing yee might haue life through his Name For other foundation can no man laâ— 1 Cor 3 11 then that vvhich is layde vvhich is Iesus Christ The * Mark 5. 7. Son of the most high God Who gaue himselfe for vs that â—e might Titus 2 14 redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to be a peculier people vnto him-selfe zealous of good workes Neither is there saluation in any other Acts 4 12. for among men there is giuen none other Name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued Let vs therefore by him offer the sacrifice Heb. 13 15 of prayse alwayes vnto GOD that is to say the fruite of those lippes which confesse his Name For he onely is our mouth vvhereby Ambrose we speake vnto the Father he is our eyes whereby we see the Father he is our right hand whereby we offer our selues vnto the Father And vvithout his intercession neyther wee nor any of the Saints haue ought to doe with GOD. But hee euermore prayeth for vs prayeth Beda in vs is prayed of vs. Hee prayeth for vs as our Aduocate and euerlasting Priest Hee prayeth in vs as our head and hee is prayed of vs as our God For he is the Mediator between God Cyrill man not onely because he hath reconciled man vnto God but also because hee is naturally and substantially both God man in one person Yet doth it not folow that he maketh intercession Theod. Beza to himselfe seeing that the Father is one the Son is another in seuerall persons throughly distinct albeit that the Father the son be both one thing one God if the essence of them be considered without their persons For like as in Christ incarnate there be seuerall things not seuerall persons so in the God-head there be seueral persons but not seuerall things §. 12. In him likewise and through him vvee Ambrose haue all things For if wee desire to be cured of our wounds hee is our Phisition If we be greeued with our sinnes hee is our righteousnes If we lacke helpe hee is our strength If we feare death he is our life If we be in darknes he is our light If we will goe to heauen he is our way Yea the whole sum of our saluation all Câ—luine the parts therof are coÌ„prehended in Christ If we seeke for saluation wee are taught by the very Name of Iesus that it is in him If we seek for any other gifts of the Spirit they are to be found in his annoynting If we seeke for strength it is in his dominion If we seek for cleanenes it is in his conception If we seeke for tender kindnesse it sheweth it selfe in his birth whereby he was made in all thinges like vnto vs that hee might learne to sorow with vs If we seeke for redemption it is in his passion If wee seek for absolution it is in his coÌ„demnation If we seek for release of the curse it is in his crosse If we seek for satisfaction it is in his sacrifice If we seek for clensing it is in his blood If we seek for reconciliation it is in his going downe into hell If we seeke for mortification of the flesh it is in his buriall If we seeke for newnes of life it is in his resurrection If we seeke for immortality it is in the same If we seek for the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen it is in his entrance into heauen If we seek for defence for assurednes or for plenty store of all good things it is in his kingdom Finally sith the treasures of all sorts of Caluine good things are onely in him let vs drawe thence from no where els euen till vve be full withall For they which beeing not content with him alone are carried hether thether into diuers hopes although they haue principall regard vnto him yet euen in this they are out of the right vvay that they turne any part of theyr knovvledge or comfort to any other-where ¶ Of Fayth Feare and Loue beeing three speciall Vertues necessarily belonging to euery true Christian. HEBREVVES 11. verse 6. VVithout Fayth it is vnpossible to please GOD for he that is in comming towards God must beleeue that there is a God and that he is a rewarder of them that seeke him ¶ Of Fayth §. 1. FAyth as S. Paule the Apostle affirmeth Hebr. 11. 1. is the ground of things vvhich are hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene It is also a confident perswasion of almighty Vrsinus Gods euerlasting loue and mercie towards vs in and by the meanes of Christ Iesus grounded wholely on the promises of our heauenly Father in his holy Word vvrought in our harts by hearing the Gospell preached and witnessed in vs by the testimony of the holy Ghost By vvhich we certainly assure our selues in soule and conscience that all our sinnes are as freelie forgiuen vs for Christes sake as if we neuer had committed any and all his righteousnesse and obedience as perfectly imputed vnto vs as if wee had performed the same in our owne persons This fayth is the gift of God and breathed Augustine onely by his Spirit into the harts of all those that be his chyldren §. 2. Through fayth we vnderstand that the Hebr. 11. 3. World was ordained by the word of God so that the things which wee see are not made
die All his transgressions that he hath committed verse 22. they shall not be mentioned vnto him but in his righteousnes that hee hath done he shall liue Moreouer VVhen the wicked saith Ezec 18. 27 hee turneth away from his wickednes that he hath committed and doth that which is lavvfull and right hee shall saue his soule aliue Because hee considereth and turneth away verse 28 from all his transgressions that he hath committed hee shall surely liue and shall not die Againe vvhen I saith the most Mercifull Ezech. 33 14 15 shall say vnto the wicked Thou shalt surely die if hee turne from his sinnes and doe that which is lawfull and right to wit If hee restore the pledge and giue againe that hee had taken away by robberie and walke in the statutes of life without committing iniquitie then shall hee surely liue and not die None of the sinnes that hee hath committed verse 16 shall be mentioned vnto him or any more thought vpon for insomuch as he doth nowe the thing that is lawfull and right hee shall surely liue §. 6. These places of Scripture onely if no moe such could be found might serue sufficiently to proue that God delights not in a sinners death Yet notwithstanding for our greater comfort and as it were more certaine assurance the Lord besides his promise hath vouchsafed to giue his oath to this effect And because he knewe none eyther in heauen or earth greater to sweare by hee hath therefore sworne vnto vs by himselfe saying * As truly as I liue I haue Ezec. 33 11. no pleasure in the death of the vvicked but rather that the wicked shoulde turne from his euill way and liue And to make yet a little more manifest how greatly he desireth our good he spareth not by sundry other speeches both in the old and New-Testament to expresse his kindnes and compassion towards vs in this poynt As namely in the fift Booke of Moises vvhere hee saith * Oh that there Deut 5 29. were such a hart in my people as to feare mee and to keepe all my coÌ„maundements alway that it might goe vvell vvith them and with their children for euer Behold saith he I stand at the doore Reue 3 20 knock if any man heare my voyce and open the doore I will come in vnto him and will sup with him and he with me Also by the voyce of his Gospell hee daily more nowe then euer heretofore manifesteth his euerlasting loue towardes vs in that he therby vouchsafeth coÌ„tinually to call vs saying * Come vnto mee all yet Math. 11. 28 that are weary laden and I wil ease â—ou Take my yoake on you learne of me verse 29 30 that am meeke and lowly in hart and yee shall finde rest vnto your soules For my yoake is easie and my burden light § 7. Clense therefore your hands yee sinners Iames. 4. 8 and purge your harts yee vvauering minded Circumcise the fore-skin of your hearts Deut. 10 16 and harden your necks no more Returne vnto the â—ord and he will returne Mala 3 7 vnto you Cease from your sinnes and forget your 2 Esdr 16. 59 iniquities and medle no more from henceforth with them so shall God leade you foorth and deliuer you from all troubles Yea let the wicked forsake his wayes Esay 55 7 the vnrighteous his ovvne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and hee vvill haue mercy vpon him and to our GOD for hee is very ready to forgiue §. 8. Returne then vnto the Lord and forsake Ecclê° 17 23 thy sinnes make thy prayer before his face and take away the offence Turne againe vnto the most High for verse 24 hee will bring thee from darknes to wholsome light forsake thine vnrighteousnes and hate greatly all abhomination Learne to know the righteousnesse and verse 25 iudgements of God stand in the portion that is sette forth for thee and in the prayer of the most high GOD and goe in the portion of the holie world with such as be liuing and confesse God Also if thou be withered and worne away Chrisostome of sin renew thy selfe againe through hartie sorrow and true repentance For godly sorrowe causeth repentance 2 Cor 7 10 vnto saluation not to be repented of but worldly sorrow causeth death And the best remedy if thou hast offended Hermes is true repentance and amendement of life §. 9. But to the ende we may some-what the better vnderstand what true repentance is I will heere rehearse some fewe places collected froÌ„ diuers of the diuine Doctors of the Church and first of all from S. Augustine vvhere speaking to this purpose hee saith * True repentance is greatly to Augustine deplore sinnes past and fully to resolue in minde hart neuer to commit any heereafter It consisteth of three parts namelie Contrition of hart Confession of mouth and Satisfaction of deede For vvee haue saith hee offended God three manner of wayes by the delight of thought by the lapse of tongue by the pride of works And these three are to be cured by three contrary remedies Delight of thought by the inward sorrow contrition of the hart The lapse of tongue by the confession of the mouth And the pride of works by our vpright liuing and vncorrupted satis-faction Contrition is a hartie sorrowe inward Bernarde greefe taken for the sinnes which we haue already committed with a full inten and purpose of confession and satisfaction heereafter not to commit any more For otherwise thy repentance is no true Augustine repentance but rather seemeth to be fained if thou pollute thy selfe againe vvith thy former offences thy penitent teares are to small purpose if thou multiply thine iniquities For true repentance is to cease from sinne Wee ought also in the true contrition of Cassianus hart to be sorowfull for these three things First for the sinnes wee haue committed Secondly for the good wee haue omitted Thirdly for the time we haue lost And this kinde of contrition is more auailable Augustine in the sight of God then to goe on pilgrimage throughout the world §. 10. Confession which hath the second place Augustine in true repentance is the health of the soule an expeller of vices a restorer of vertue an impugner of wicked spirits an impediment of the deuill By it the lurking disease of the soule is Isidore opened to the praise of God through it we obtaine hope of pardon for all our offences past Besides vvhen the confession of the Ambrose hart proceedeth forth of the mouth then the vengeance of GOD ceaseth to pursue the penitent person And hee likewise that accuseth himselfe Augustine of his sinnes preuenteth thereby the deuill of his purpose so that hee cannot accuse him at the day of iudgement if in confessing his sinnes vnto God he blot those
offences out by repentance which hee hath coÌ„mitted and cease to renew those sinnes againe which he now is sorry for For those sinnes shall neuer be condemned Leo. in iudgement which were purged before with confession true repentance Neither is Iesus Christ any longer theyr Cassiodoruâ— Iudge but their Aduocate vvho accuse themselues by their owne confession So that confession ioyned with true contrition Augustine openeth the gates of heauen and stoppeth the mouth of hell §. 11. Satisfaction beeing the third last part Augustine of repentance is cheefely to cutte off the causes of such sinnes as in former time we haue loued not to cherrish henceforth by suggestions any entrance into them For wee doe not truly satis-fie although Gregory wee cease from iniquitie vnlesse wee persecute by opposite bewailings the euils which heere-to-fore wee haue most affected endeuour with all our might daily to with-stand all such kind of pleasures as prouoke men to sin and wickednes Wee ought also to vnderstand that in Phil. Mel. the worke of true repentance satis-faction is to be made three seuerall waies First vnto God to wit when through faith and confidence wee humbly present our selues in prayer before him and earnestly intreate his maiestie that he will vouchsafe to accept the passion and death of his Sonne Christ as a perfect full and sufficient satisfaction for all the sinnes which we haue committed Secondly satis-faction is to be made vnto the Church after Excommunication for such offences as we haue done testifying thereby both in the sight of God and man our humble submission and vnfained repentance Thirdly satisfaction ought to be made vnto our neighbour or brother if we haue any way wronged him either in vvord or deede namely thus hee must be recompensed by confessing the fault vnto him and restitution must likewise be made according to the damage we haue done him otherwise our repentance is greatly to bee suspected of hipocrisie if beeing able we make not recompence by restitution Againe in making satis-faction the reconciliation Chrisostome ought to be equall to the precedent offence and thou oughtest to bee as ready to lament as thou wast to offend And as thine intent was before to offend such also ought now thy deuotion to be in repenting For according to the greatnes of thy sinnes ought the greatnesse of thy greefe sorrowe to be and as thy delight and loue was before to those things which were euill so ought now thy hatred lothing to be against those things vvhich are euill §. 12. Vnderstanding novve by these fevve former speeches vvhat true repentance is * Let vs according to the counsell which Lament 3. 40 41. the Prophet Ieremie giueth search try our wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord. Let vs lift vp our harts with our hands vnto God in the heauens Yea let vs as Erasmus willeth returne Erasmus againe vnto the Lord our God with hartie sorrow and true repentance humbly confessing before him the faultes which vvee haue committed and earnestly desiring of him that hee vvill alvvaies heereafter so strengthen vs with his grace that wee may daily more more dutifully becom obedient to his holy will euer study to please him our whole life time following For if we acknowledge our sinnes God 1 Ioh 1 9. is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes Hee that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper Prou 28. 13 but hee that confesseth forsaketh them shall haue mercie Wherfore if the testimony of thine own Pacuuius conscience doe at any time accuse vexe or trouble thee for any euill conceiued or done confesse thy fault speedily deferre not the time dally not with God but bee earnestly repentant trust in his mercy and seeke not to hide thine iniquity from him so will he haue compassion on thee not impute sinne vnto thee Besides when thou truly repentest and askest pardon of God for thine offences Boâ—tius then cannot thy sinnes disquiet thee nor haue any power to hurt thee But vvhen thou art vnrepentant and ceaâ—est to call for mercie then thy sinnes rage ouer thee and cry dailie vnto God for vengeance against thee Also the sinne that is not foorth-with Gregory clensed and purged by repentance doth speedily draw on another with his weight Sleepe not therefore without repentance Plato for thy sinnes done and past §. 13. It behooueth a man so to liue saith Basill Basill that hee looke for death euery howre and to be alwaies in a readines for the comming of death For as God findeth thee to bee when he Gueuara calleth thee so will he iudge thee And as the tree falleth so shall it be taken Eccles 11 3. vp Trouble not thy selfe then with taking Sâ—crates thought how thou maist liue long but rather be careful to liue well and forasmuch as thou arâ— vncertaine in what place Death abideth foâ— thee be thou ready prepared in eacâ— placâ— to mâ—â—te him Let not thy â—eaâ— be layde downe to rest Isidore before thou hast considered how thou hast bestowed the day past If thou hast vvell done giue thanks to God if otherwise repent and aske him forgiuenesse Also if thou intend to doe well deferre Plato it not till to morow for thou knowest not what may chaunce vnto thee this night Neuer trust too much to time for it suddainlie Hermes deceiueth them that trust thereto Thinke not that another time vvill be Rauisius soone enough for thee to repent if thou now feele thy conscience touched with the remembrance of thy sinne For although we finde that God in many Gregory places of his holy Word hath promised pardon to the penitent yet we no where read that euer hee promised to morrowe vnto a sinner §. 14. Certainly saith Aurelius those men Mar. Aurel. doe liue very euill that are alwaies beginning to liue well forasmuch as theyr often beginnings doe make theyr liues still more and more vnperfect Well therefore saith Zenophon that to Zenophon see is a small matter but to fore-see is a token of good wit And the difference betweene a wise man Diâ—genes and a foole is this the one is prouident to preuent an euill before it come the other wisheth for remedy when it is too late As may for example more plainelie be perceiued by reading the different doings of these two men following Baltazar the king of Babel as Daniell affirmeth euen in the time of his banquetting amongst his Dan. 5. 5. 6. thousand Princes perfectly discerned the hande of a man writing vppon the plaister of his wall and was greatly for the time terrified thereby insomuch that the verie ioynts of his loynes were loosed his countenaunce changed his thoughts troubled and his knees smote one against the other for feare of Gods iudgements Yea by Daniels diuine interpretation
brought life and immortalitie vnto light through the Gospell §. 11. Deerely beloued saith S. Peter I beseech 1 Pet 2 11 you as strangers and pilgrimes abstaine froÌ„ fleshly lusts which fight against the soule And haue your conuersation honest among verse 12. the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euill dooers may by your good workes which they shall see glorifie God in the day of visitation Yea let your light so shine before men Math. 5 16. that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen §. 12. Be sober also and watch for your aduersary 1 Pet. 5 8 9. the deuill walketh about like a roaring Lyon seeking vvhom hee may deuoure whom resist stedfast in the faith Ioyne moreouer vertue with your faith 2 Pet 1 5 6 7 8 and with vertue knowledge and vvith knowledge temperance and vvith temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlines brotherly kindnes with brotherly kindnes loue For if these things be among you and abound they will make you that yee neither shall be idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ §. 13. Be yee therefore followers of God as Ephe. 5 1. 2. deere children and walke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs to be an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour vnto God But fornication and all vncleanenes or verse 3 4 couetousnes let it not bee once named â—mong you as it becommeth Saints neyther filthines neither foolish talking neyther iesting which are things not comelie but rather giuing of thanks For this yee know that no whoremonger verse 5. neither vncleane person nor couetous person which is an Idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God Wherefore be yee not vnwise but vnderstand Ephe 5 17 what the will of the Lord is And be not drunke with wine wherein Ephe. 5 18 19 20 21 is excesse but be fulfilled with the Spirit Speaking vnto your selues in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melodie to the Lord in your harts Giuing thanks alwayes for all things vnto God euen the Father in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ and submitting your selues one to another in the feare of God §. 14. Flee fornication euery sinne that a man 1 Cor 6 18. doth is without the body but he that coÌ„mitteth fornication sinneth against his own bodie And who will count him iust that sinnâ—th Ecclê° 10 30 against himselfe or honour him that dishonoureth his owne soule Know ye not that your body is the temple 1 Cor 19. 20 of the holy Ghost which is in you whoÌ„ yee haue of God ye are not your own for ye are bought for a price glorifie God therefore in your body and in your spirit for they are Gods Know yee not likewise that to whomsoeuer Rom 6 16 you giue your selues as seruaunts to obey his seruaunts yee are to whom yee obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnes Know you not also that all wee which Rom. 6. 4. haue been baptized into Iesus Christ haue been baptized into his death We are buried then vvith him by Baptizme into his death that like as Christ was raised vp froÌ„ the dead by the glory of the Father so we also should walke in newnes of life For all that are baptized into Christ Gala 3 27. haue put on Christ And if we be grafted with him to the similitude Rom. 6. 5. 6 7 of his death euen so shall we be to the similitude of his resurrection knovving this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sinne might be destroyed and hence-foorth wee should not serue sinne For hee that is dead is freed from sinne Wherefore if wee be dead with Christ Rom 6 8 9. 10. 11. wee beleeue that wee shall liue also vvith him for in that hee died hee died once to sinne but in that hee liueth hee liueth to God Likewise thinke yee also that ye are dead to sinne but are aliue to God in Iesus Christ our Lord. Let not sinne raigne therefore in your verse 12 13 mortall body that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof Neither giue yee your members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne but giue your selues vnto God as they that are aliue from the dead giue your members as weapons of righteousnes vnto him For the wages or reward of sinne is Rom 6. 23. death but the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Mortifie therefore your members which Colo 3 5 6 are on the earth namely fornication vncleanenes the inordinate affection euil concupiscence and couetousnes which is idolatry For the which thinges sake the vvrath of God commeth on the chyldren of disobedience §. 15. Furthermore These are the thinges Zach 8 16 17. that yee shall doe Speake yee euery man the truth vnto his Neighbour execute iudgement truly and vprightly in your gates and let none of you imagine euill in his heart against his Neighbour Neither loue any false oath for all these are the thinges that I hate saith the Lord. See that none recompence euill for euill 1 Thes 5 15 vnto any man but euer follow that which is good both toward your selues and toward all men If it be possible as much as in you is Rom 12 18 haue peace with all men And let loue be without dissimulation Rom 12 9 Abhorring that which is euill and cleauing vnto that which is good Also seeing your soules are purified in obeying the truth through the Spirit to 1. Pet 1 22. 23. loue brotherly without faining loue one another with a pure hart feruently beeing borne a newe not of mortall seede but of immortall by the word of God who liueth and endureth for euer Let all bitternes and anger and wrath crying euill speaking be put away from Ephe 4 31 32 you with all maliciousnesse And be yee curteous one to another and tender harted freely forgiuing one another euen as God for Christes sake freely forgaue you Be all of one minde one suffer with another 1. Pet. 3 8 9 loue as brethren bee pittifull bee curteous not rendering euill for euill neither rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise blesse knowing that yee are there-vnto called that yee should be heyres of blessing Blesse them which persecute you blesse Rom 12. 14 15. 16. I say curse not reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe Be of like affection one towards another be not hie minded but make your selues equall to them of the lower sort Be not wise in your owne eyes But rather pray vnto the most High that Ecclê° 37 15 hee will direct thy way in truth §. 16. Yee haue heard that it hath been said Math 5
43 44 45 Thou shalt loue thy neighbour and hate thine enemie But I saith Christ say vnto you loue your enemies blesse them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that hurt you and persecute you that yee may be the chyldren of your Father which is in heauen For he maketh his sunne to arise on the euill and on the good and sendeth downe raine on the iust and vniust For if yee loue them which loue you verse 46. 47 what reward shall yee haue doe not the vngodly euen the same And if you be Luke 6 32 friendly to your Brethren onely what singuler thing doe yee Doe not euen the vngodly likewise Yee shall therefore be perfect as your Math. 5. 48 Father which is in heauen is perfect §. 17. Auenge not your selues but giue place Rom 12. 19 vnto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemie hunger feede verse 20 him if he thirst giue him drink for in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire vppon his head Contrariwise hee that seeketh vengeance Ecclê° 28. 1 shall finde vengeance of the Lord and he will surely keepe his sinnes Should a man beare hatred against man Ecclê° 28. 3 and yet desire forgiuenes of the Lord Hee will shew no mercy to a man that is verse 4. like himselfe and will hee aske forgiuenes of his owne sinnes If he which is but flesh nourish hatred and aske pardon of God who will intreat Ecclê° 28 5. for hys sinnes Remember therefore the end and let verse 6 enmitie passe imagine not death and destruction to another through anger but perseuer in the commaundements And forgiue thy neighbour the hurt that Ecclê° 28. 2 hee hath done thee so shall thy sinnes be forgiuen thee also when thou prayest §. 18. If thy Brother trespasse against thee rebuke Luk 17 3 4 him and if hee repent forgiue him And though hee sinne against thee seauen times in a day and seauen times in a day turne againe vnto thee saying It repenteth mee thou shalt forgiue him For if you doe forgiue men their trespasses Math 6 14 15 your heauenly Father will also forgiue you your trespasses but if you do not forgiue others God will not forgiue you Be alwaies therefore as ready to forgiue Iunius thy brother vvhen hee repenteth as thou thy selfe art willing to be pardoned of God when thou prayest And be not ouercome of euill but ouercome Rom 12 21 euill with goodnes §. 19. Nowe the end of all things saith the Apostle 1. Pet 4 7 8 is at hand be yee therefore sober and watching in prayer But aboue all things haue feruent loue among you for loue couereth the multitude of sinnes Be yee likewise harberous one to another verse 9 10 vvithout grudging And let euery man as hee hath receiued the gift minister the same one to another as good disposers of the manifold grace of God If any man speake let him talke as the wordes of God If any man minister let 1 Pet 4 11 him do it as of the abilitie vvhich God ministreth that GOD in all thinges may be glorified through Iesus Christ §. 20. Cast away prophane and olde wiues fables 1. Tim 4 7 8. and exercise thy selfe vnto godlines For bodilie exercise profiteth little but godlines is profitable vnto all things which hath the promise of the life present and of that that is to come Flee also from the lusts of youth follow 2. Tim 2. 22 after righteousnesse faith loue and peace vvith them that call on the Lord with a pure hart For the end of the commaundement is loue out of a pure hart and of a good conscience 1. Tim 1. 5. and of faith vnfained §. 21. Be nothing carefull but in all things let Phil. 4. 6. 7 your requests be shewed vnto GOD in prayer and supplication with giuing of thanks And the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding shall preserue your harts and mindes in Christ Iesus Bee also at peace among your selues 1. Thes 5 13. 14 admonish them that are vnrulie comfort the feeble minded beare with the meeke be patient toward all men Reioyce euermore pray continually in 1. Thes 5. 16 17 18. all things giue thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus toward you Quench not the Spirit despise not prophesying 1. The. 5. 19 20 21 22 try all thinges and keepe that which is good Abstaine from all appearance of euil Let your conuersation be without couetousnes Hebr 13 5 and be content with those things that ye haue Remember them that are in bonds as Heb. 13 3. though yee were bounde with them and them that are in affliction as if yee were also afflicted in the body Bee alwaies affectioned to loue one Rom 12 10 another with brotherlie loue Reioyce in hope be patient in trouble Rom 12. 12 13. and continue in prayer Distributing vnto the necessitie of the Saints and giuing your selues to hospitalitie Also vvhatsoeuer thinges are true Philip 4 8 vvhatsoeuer things are honest what soeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer things pertaine to loue whatsoeuer thinges are of good report if there be any vertue or if there be any praise thinke on these things which ye haue both learned and receiued and heard Those things also doe the God of verse 9. peace shall be with you §. 22. Finally my bretheren be strong in the Ephe. 6. 10. 11 12. Lord and in the power of his might Put on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the assaults of the deuill For wee wrestle not against fleshe and blood but against principalities against powers against vvorldly gouernours the princes of the darknesse of this world and against spirituall wickednesses which are in the hie places For this cause take vnto you the vvhole Ephe. 6 13. Armour of God that yee may be able to resist in the euill day and hauing finished all things stand fast Stande therefore and your loynes girded Ephe 6 14 15. about with the truth hauing on the brest-plate of righteousnes and your feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace Aboue all take the shielde of faith verse 16. 17 vvhere-with yee may quench all the fierie darts of the vvicked and take the helmet of saluation and the svvorde of the Spirit which is the word of God And pray alvvaies with all manner of verse 18. prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watch there-vnto vvith all perseuerance and supplication for all Saints Let euery one also that calleth on the 2 Tim 2 19 Name of Christ depart from iniquitie And what-soeuer yee would that men Math 7 12 should do vnto you euen so doe yee vnto them for this is the