the suggestion of the holy Ghost saith that the sonne of God being very God was content to disguise himselfe not to be entreated of the world as God but embasing his estate euen to take vppon him the forme of a bondman and appeare to the world in the representation of a man becomming altogether a seruaunt whose obedience refused not the passions of death yea the infamous execution of the crosse In this as is sayed is expressed the greatest part of this wonderfull embasement of estate which the sonne of God tooke vppon him séeing of very God he is made very man and being man he embased himselfe vnder all men being handled as a poore slaue of whom the world made no reckoning From thence he suffred an other embasement euen to be passed to condemnation of death and not a death in common maner but the execution whereunto were ioyned dishonour infamie and bitter torments Of this humilitie the Prophets haue written saying he was put on the ranke of offendors and accompanied with wicked men In an other place Esay giues this testimonie of him that he neuer hid his face from such as would buffet him nor his shoulders from those that would strike him nor bis beard from any that would rent it In Jeremie also is declared the assemblie of the wicked against the Lord and the conspiracies which they leuied to persecute destroy him to empoyson his meate and life In S. John albeit he had made the world yet hee was misknowne of the world and the Euangelist hath comprehended in few wordes the depth of the place from whence the Lord discended séeing being the workman of the worlde he is come notwithstanding in such extremitie that the world misknew him For much lesse that he was acknowledged for Lord and maker of the world séeing hée was not iudged worthy to dwell in the world being innocent he hath bene condemned and albeit his iustice and integritie were publike and manifest yet the world made no conscience to throw vppon him those great wronges yea being assuredly knowne htat his enemies accused him by faulse testimonie yet the wisemen of the world would rather condemne iustice then displease the wicked Lastly the humilitie and handling of Christ agréed fully with the Prophet Dauid speaking in the person of our Lorde in these termes J am no man but a worme of the earth the reproch retraict and shame of men and the scome of the people There rested yet one degrée spoken of in this present article of the Créede wherein we confesse that the sonne of God discended into hell after his death And touching the declaration of this last discending we haue to consider that this article may be vnderstanded in two sorts they both being certaine catholique and ful of great misteries The first intelligence hath bene alreadie begone to be declared and containes a demonstration of the great humilite and wonderfull embasement supported by the sonne of God in this world being reduced to the vtter extremities of sorrowe torments shame and infamie There is no spirit sufficient to comprehend fully the great sorow expressed by the Lord in these words my soule is heauie euen vnto death The feare and heauines being so much the more apparant great terrible by how much they enforced drops of bloud to fall from his face euen to the earth All the other Passions wherewith the world vexed him were of no meaner effect and therfore complayning to his father he cried Oh saue me Lord for the waters and broyles of the tempest are entred euen to take away my life I am sunke in a gulfe of myer and can find no place firme to fix my foote vppon Wherein is ment no other thing but the storme and furie of our sinnes with the punishments due together with a signification of all our miseries and that which the Deuill and the world could doo by the meane of the vnrighteous and wicked keping warre against our Sauiour with persecutions torments and vexations In this sort was his discending into the deapth and bottome of the earth and by consequence the first intelligence of our Article which together with all that depends vppon it may be proued by the second vnderstāding which must presuppose that such as afore the comming of Christ were dead in his fayth and in his spirit and knowledge had obtayned pardon and were truly reconciled with God notwithstanding the gates of heauen were not open to them vntill the Lorde which deliuered them had passed therein as the onely iustifier and true pacifier In the meane whyle they remayned in rest in a place named Hell or bottome of the earth exspecting their deliuerie when the sonne of God should come to draw them from thence But all this whyle they were neyther in the companie of the Damned and much lesse endured their tormetes neyther had the Deuill any iurisdiction of them Séeing if they had bene of the reprobate and Damned sort the Deuill had had perpetuall power ouer them as he hath had and hath ouer the Cursed and miserable who die wythout repentance of their sinnes and without participating in the benefit of the bloud of the Sonne of god And for that by the occasion of sinne and reigne of the Deuill the gates of heauen were cloased and the ioy and vse of beatitude stood restreyned and limited to a certaine time I say that that place was a prison and the prison of Hell a place wherein the Fathers of fayth exspected the comming of the Sauiour of the worlde In this place then were the auncientes that were iust not that they felt the tormentes of the Damned but had onely a careful desire to sée the prophesies accomplished and themselues deliuered and al to enioy the presence and companie of the Sauiour together wyth that most happie vision of the maiestie of god So that in this sort did the soule of Iesus Christ discende into that place accompanied wyth his diuinitie which neuer forsooke him and dissoluing the prisons he brake in péeces all the Cheines and Linkes that helde tyed the soules of the faythfull This was it that Zachary the Prophet ment when he sayd that by the vertue of the bloud of thy stomacke and of thy Testament thou hast drawen thy prisoners out of the Lake wyth out Water Wherein the Prophete speaketh euen wyth the Sonne of God as true God and Sauiour of men and foreséeing such great miserie he sayth that by the vertue of his bloud wherin consisted the Saluation of men he had drawen his Subiectes and frendes out of their darke prison which he signifieth by the Lake wythout Water Séeing that in such lyke places Conquerors are woont to bestow their Prisoners for their more punishement and better securitie in prison By the same also the Prophete takes the comparison of a great Prince that entreth into the Lande of his enemie not to shake his Sworde and remaine there but to surmount and hauocke
end the power of God raysed him againe drue him out of the graue hauing vanquished death Of this besides many other prophesies Dauid hath written most manifestly speaking in the person of our Lorde as a man that by the inspiration of the holy Ghost J always sayth he set afore mine eyes the Lord whom I haue of my right hande to kepe me that J fall not For this cause doe J reioyce and my tongue shall beare Testimonie of my contentment but specially for that my fleshe shall rest in hope For Lorde thou wilt not leaue my lyfe in the graue nor suffer thy holy one to see corruption Thou hast shewed me the way of lyfe euen so shalt thou fill me wyth pleasure by thy presence For thou bearest in thy right hand a perpetual blisse In these wordes the Lord sheweth the singuler fauor which he receiued of his father in the death had not domination ouer him but was subdued and vanquished shewing withall the gladsome contentment he had to sée the eternall Father on his right hand In this hope he offered his body to the death dispersed it vpon the crosse receiued the graue being certeine of his resurrection victory that aswell touching himselfe as also for all mankind wherin declaring also his confidence ioy of his victory he sayth that his Father hath not suffered that his lyfe should remaine prisoner in the graue for euer and much lesse that his soule should be there deteyned not retourne eftsoones to be revnited to his body And lastly that his most holy body conceiued by the holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin and who had passed so many Passions of Tormentes for the Seruice and Obedience of his Father should not suffer corruption in the Graue but afore Nature coulde accomplishe that operation his Soule shoulde eftsoones receaue coniuntion wyth his Bodye The Prophet sayth moreouer that he hath shewed him the way to retorne to life concluding with action of thankes that he hath surmounted death and sinne The sonne of God did not only obteyne priuilege to rise againe but also to him was ioyned power to make his resurrection afore there was any such signe of corruption in his body as naturally appeares on others that be dead this respect was kept on the behalfe of his most holy person and the flesh which he had taken for that effect béeing pure and wihtout any marke of sinne Besides all these we may consider vppon the end of this Psalme a great misterie of the victorie which our Lord obtayned against death together with the assurance of our resurrection the same leauing vs satisfied and certayne that once againe we shall réenter into the possession of our bodies after wée haue abandoned them by the rigor of death With this Psalme S. Paule proues the resurrection of the Messias against the Jewes saying that Dauid was dead and buried whose Sepulcher was well enough knowne amongst the Jewes concluding that séeing the body of Dauid had passed by that corruption which is common and generall to all dead men it was not possible that those wordes should be vnderstanded by him and therefore what he said he meant it by Iesus Christ whom neyther hell nor the graue had power to deteyne and to whose flesh could be attributed no sense or suffrance of corruption So that Dauid being a Prophet and hauing receiued promise by othe that the Messias should discend of his séede prophesied of his comming vnder the forme of wordes afore recited This is of great importance for Christians to whom it is a true approbation and sommarie of all the workes which the Lord did and of all our religion together with an assured gage or pawne of all our hope Saint Paule sayth that it is concluded the resolution alreadie set downe against the aduersaries and vnbeleuing that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God the same being proued in this that the father hath raysed him from the dead with a great force and wonderfull testimonie thereby to shew that he was his onely sonne Wherein on the one side might be séene the sentence of men the condemnation of the worlde the reprobation of the people of the Jewes the iniuries outrages and tormentes of the Crosse and of death which may alleage agaynst the sauiour of the worlde that he was not the Sonne of God but an abuser Séeing he was condemned by so great personages endured so many afflictions yea fixed on the crosse in such sort and such extremitie that the miserable worlde might estéeme him for such one as of long time had bene Prophecied that is that he was not reputed a man as others were but as one most abandoned of God and of all men And on the other side might be séene the holy Prophesies workes and wordes of our Sauiour and his Doctrine expressing the reason of his comming and the misery of his death together wyth the sentence of his Father who to shew himselfe true in his workes and promises had raised him againe from death declaring that he was his true sonne All these thinges béeing of such importance were foretolde by Iesus Christ afore his death béeing willing to Prophesie and published his resurrection both to his frendes and to his enmies to comfort the one and conuince the other Yea he thought méete to manifest it to all to make the worlde vnderstande that he was sent of the eternall Father to saue the worlde and that it was he that had ben promised in the Law offering himselfe to death of his onely and proper will. The Jewes demaunded of him some signe to know who he was but he aunswered that they should haue no other signe but that of Jonas For as Jonas issued out of the bellie of the Whale the thirde day So the thirde day after his death he should eftsoones ryse out of the center of the earth hauing in that action vanquished death As he went once to Hierusalem he tolde his Disciples that he should be deliuered into the handes of the gentiles he comunicated the forme of his death assuring them that the third day he should rise againe And speaking with them a little before his death he comforted them saying that after his resurrection he would go before them to Gallely So that our confession by the which we acknowledge our Lorde to be risen againe the third day is confirmed by good and great testimonies requisite in a thing of so high misterie and importance being also matter of no small consolation to the children of GOD together with assured testimonyes that may bee gathered againste the wicked in the Holy Scriptures and predictions which our Lorde made before hys death Certaine Meditations and considerations vpon the resurrection of Iesus Christ THe firste consideration that the faithfull christian may take of this resurrection of Christe dependes vppon the meane wée haue already spoken of For in his resurrection we may comprehend that which appertaines to the
malice that thou takest no more shame of thy Sinnes then a common woman deuiding her body to straunge Fleshe yet if thou come afore me in Prayer and call me Father I will aunswere thée and acknowledge thée for my Sonne By this we haue to thinke that it was not to obteyne a small thing when he began his Prayer by this inuocation Father forgeue them yea he made offer of the same Phrase for the remission of his Enemies which he would haue done if he had prayed for the aduauncement of his best friendes But in recompence of this Wonderfull affection and Zeale that Nation replenished with malice Cryed out to Pylate to Crucifye him who refusing to committe his Innocencie to sentence and not fynding in him worthynesse of Death they cryed eftsoones Sanguis eius super nos et super Filios nostros Be not so scrupulus to Iudge an offendour saye they for if thou thinke thou doest an vniust thing let the Venggeance of his innocencie fal vpon vs and our Posteritie but from this petition Iesus Christe séemed to appeale for that as they Cryed that his bloud might be agaynst them so of the contrary he sought to make that Holy effusion profitable to them So that where they demaunded of Pylate their condemnation he Prayed to his Father for their Pardon For a man to doe no Euill to his Ennemie may very well happen to Pardon Ennemies belonges to the Office of CHRISTIANS to loue an Ennemie is the worke of a perfect man But to pardon him which would not obteyne pardon was neuer done by any but by Iesus Christ For when the Hebrewes cryed Sanguis eius super nos Christ lyft vp his voyce and zeale to his Father Pater ignosce illis There was no great distance betwéene the time of the petition of the Jewes and the Prayer of our Sauiour for as they cryed at the the third hower to haue him crucified and that the reueng of his bloud might light vpon them and theirs so at the ninth hower Christ prayed to his Father to forgeue them Oh Father sayth he let not the vengeance of my death redownd vpon them neyther stretch out thine Ire vpon this people that know not what they do for they are ignorant of the price of their demaunde and protestation that with such obstinate vehemencie they pursue to Pilate Much better then did the Apostle consider and féele this great miserie when he sayde Accessitis ad sanguinis aspersionem melius loquentem quam abell Oh wretched Hebrews and happie Oh we Christians who haue obteined pardon by the effusion of the bloud of the Sonne of God shed by your meane this spéech sure was farre otherwayes then the saying of Abell crying iustice iustice but our Sauiour sayd mercie mercie So that the iniquitie so generall and sinne so wicked as ours is had néede of such an aduocate as is Iesus Christ for who was so fitte to obtaine Pardon for our sinnes as he whose innocencie made him without sinne That God was wont to be called the God of vengeance and now is he named the Father of mercie IEsus Christ Langushing in torment and Martirdome vpon the Crosse expressed an other maner of Testament to the worlde then King Dauid who in the very passions of death charged Salomon his Sonne not to suffer the gray heares of Joab to come to the graue without bloud nor the liues of his subiects seruantes to end without reuēg yet they had not somuch as touched his garmēt to offend him where the Lord would not cease to purchase pardō euen for those by whose violēt hāds was wrought the effect of his death Deus vltionum dominus deus vltionum saith Dauid speaking of the iustice of god thou Lord art the god of reuenge since that from the instant that we commit the offence it is thou that thondrest punishment vpon vs yea thou art so called because of the feare that the world hath of thée that thou dealest with the generations of men in so great rigor with the auncients he was called the God of reuenge for the immediatly that Adam had transgressed he was chased out of the earthly paradise the regions of the earth by the vniuersalflud were drowned the two cities by his rigor subuerted the faction of Aron and Abiram consumed the idolators that offred worship to the calfe cōmitted to death the théefe of Hiericho stoaned and the host of Senacherib ouerthrowne yea without offring wrong to any he did iustice to all That god in those times was the god of vēgeāce appeareth in the actiō on the moūt Raphin whē the Hebrues demaūded of Moyses to geue them flesh to eate which tourned to their great domage for that they had scarcely begon to tast the flesh of the quailes falling in their host whē loe the indignation of the lord slew such multitudes of them that the scripture forbears to expresse the nomber The reuēge of the offence of the king Abimelech denying the Jsraelites to passe thorow his coūtries was it not executed thrée hūdreth years after the falt in the raign of Saule to whō god said I kepe remēbrāce of the smal regard which Abimelech gaue to my cōmaundements stopping the passage of my people thorow his realmes against whom looke that thou rise arreare thine armie cut in péeces all his people sparing neither man woman nor beast by which example with many others of equall continuance and equitie the men of the world may perceiue how déepe and vnsearchable are the iudgmentes of god who somtimes punish the ymediat offender oftentimes transferreth the correction vpon such onely as discende of their race So that he punisheth no man without desert and therfore not without mistery is he called by the Prophet the God of reuenge because that albeit he vseth to dissemble for sometime our transgessions committed against his maiestie yet they are not parpetually forgotten with him The same God that the Hebrues had and worshipped in those times doe the Christians hold at this day as true and soueraigne Lord of whom the Apostle yéeldes better testimonie to the Church then did Dauid to the sinagog For Dauid called him the God of vengeance and the Apostle honoureth him by the name of Father of mercie and consolation wherin as Dauid was not without some occasion to ascribe vnto him that surname title so the Apostle also had better reason to inuocate him in the phrase of mercifull father for that in that law of rigor feare God had a propertie to chastise people nations where in this law of grace he visiteth vs in affection mercy whereby hauing chaunged custome he hath also ioyned vnto him an other propertie of name title being now worthely called the father of mercy according to his many examples of mercie pitie expressed vpon many sinners as vpon S. Mthew in remitting his vseries vppō Mary Magdaline in pardoning her vanities vpō
Father of fayth The good THEEFE hauing no other thing to offer to God offered him his hart and his tongue SAint Paule hauing séene the great secrets of god of which it belongeth not to man to speake being asked what we ought to do to please God Aunswered Commendat vobis Deus charitatem suam the chiefest thing saith he which God recommends vnto you is charitie which consisteth in this that you loue him as he loueth you which you shall more easely accomplish if you loue your Christian neighbour not so much for that he loueth you as for that he loueth and deliteth in god Wherein the Apostle doth not so expressely say that God recommends vnto vs his fayth his hope his patience his chastitie and his humilitie But aboue all things he enioyneth vs to haue charitie as therby to giue vs to vnderstand that that man that deliteth truly in God can not be reproued of any vice For what can be lacking to him that wanteth not charitie as also who wanteth charitie is imperfect in all other vertues Let the charitable man and he that delites to be pitifull be assured that God will alwayes lend him his hand to the end he decrease not in fayth loase not his hope defile not his chastetie dispise not humilitie nor forget patience For afore the tribunall and iudgement seat of God is neuer vsed crueltie to him the on earth hath exercised charitie si charitatem nō habeo factus sum sicut sonās aut cimbalē tynniens saith the Apostle though I speake sayth he as an Angell and all other vertues except charitie were familiar with me yet I should be but as a Bell that calleth the people to seruice yet entreth not therein it selfe The man then that is not charitable but taketh delite in his rigor is no way worthy of the name of a Christian and much lesse deserueth to be called friend because that in the hart wherein is not lodged charitie shall neuer be found fidelitie If we aske the scripture what thing charitie is we shal find by many texts that it is a vertue drawing to none other effect then to loue God for himselfe and our neighbour for the loue of God Wherevppon the loue of God and the feare of God ought alwayes so to be coupled within the harts of the iust that wee neuer ought to feare God only to the end he preserue vs from hell nor loue him altogether in this respect that he graunt vs Paradise but we ought both to loue and feare him because he is the Supreame and Soueraigne good and on whome doth depende and come all felicitie If men loue one an other it is eyther for benefites all readie receaued or for hope of good tournes to come But in the house of GOD there is no Sufferance nor Custome of suche affections For suche is the nature measure and proportion of Gods goodnesse towardes vs that the respect and intention of our zeale ought not to consist onely for that he is all in al for vs but because the greatnesse of his goodnesse deserueth it by which occasion the Prophete cryed oftentimes Paratum con meum the better to instruct vs that his hart was not onely ready to loue the creator but also to beare affection to the creature That man is ignorant in charitie who estemeth himselfe to loue God and hath no care of his neighbour and lesse is he a follower of charitie that is reputed to beare affection to his neyghbour and loueth not God since that all our Christian charitie consistes in this to doe seruice to Iesus Christ and worke some Good or benefite to our neighbour For the Lorde beares such a zeale to the Christian soule that in louing vs he will be onely and singuler and when we loue him he will be accompanied the same being contrary to the loue of the worlde with whom it is not suffered to haue the hart deuided into many partes but in the diuine loue and holy affection of the Lorde we are required to loue Iesus Christ and haue care ouer our neyghbour specially if he be a christian for otherwayes we ought to wish vnto him good eschew his conuersatiō This discourse haue I brought in to expresse testifie the wonderfull charitie which the good théefe had on the crosse who in the perplexitie of death in a small moment of time gaue good declaration of the affection he boare to Iesus Christ right published the zeale he had to saue his companion the wicked théefe Besides he was not without feruent desire to reléeue his sauiour of the paines he suffered which he wel testified in the seruice he did to him For dissembled loue is shewed in the propertie of spéech where the true frendship affection is expressed in the seruice gifts that are ministred the same appearing for the most part amongst our vaine worldlinges with whom swéet alluring words are familiar but the office effect of seruice are most commonly forgotten where in déede whose loue is chast ioyned with the holy loue of god there their mouthes kepe seilence their hands minister distributiō Cain offered to God fruits of the earth Abell brought firstlings of the fattest of his flocke Noe presented Muttons Abraham gaue Pigions Melchisedech brought Bread and Wyne Moyses Insence Dauid Golde Siluer Jeptha sacrificed his Daughter Annas Samuell his sonne All which offeringes presented by those holy personages beare great reckoning are much to be accompted of But farre more worthy was the seruice sacrifice of this théefe for that where they offered to God things apperteining to their houses he presented to the Lord his proper hart wherein he discouered a difference betwéene the oblation of things that we haue neare vs and to make an offering of our selues Therefore let no man maruell why I debate so much in prayse of this théefe For if I be asked what it was that he offered I may estsoones make a question what it was that he kept for himselfe When one man geueth to another his proper being ▪ doth he not geue by consequence his will and habilitie This théefe gaue not to God his eyes for the they were cloased vp shut he gaue him not Golde nor siluer hauing lost all by the iustice of his offēce he could not compart with him his cloths being riffeled by the executioners he offered him not his hāds féete for that the one were nailed the other bound And much lesse could he communicate with him his body for that it was crucified onely he offered that which he had remayning which was his hart wherwith he beleued his tongue by the which he confessed him to be god So that as he testified his fayth affection towards God with all that he had in his power so we haue to thinke that if there had remayned in him any propertie of more precious or greater thinges he would
yea the souereigne delight of mortal folks is the solace of their lyfe and the greatest terror they suffer is the opinion and conceit of death Beastes exercize generation fruites returne séedes to their planter corne yéeldes his graine of increase and birds leaue egges in their nestes And all for no other reason then that knowing they can not alwayes liue they leaue others to liuein their place yea for no other purpose doe men beasts eate drinke sléepe and execute their other naturall actions then therby the more to preserue and pamper lyfe and with more securitie to prolong and shyft of death And for that in generall experience nature loues her conuersation and abhorreth all thinges hurtfull to her increase we sée there is nothing more comforts the man that is sicke then when he is tolde that he may eate of what his appetite lykes best euen so there is no worde that doth more amaze or mortifye him then when he is put in remembrance of his mortalitie and to prepare his conscience for with one woorde he hath sewertie of lyfe and wyth an other he heareth his sentence of death Whereof was verifyed a right true experience in the good king Ezechiell to whom in one houre in one house and to one person euen to himselfe was pronounced by the Prophete Esay that he was condemned to death and that GOD had eftsoones giuen him Pardon So that hauing deserued by the grauitie of his sinnes that GOD should take his lyfe from him God afterwardes through the fulnes of his mercie and consideration of his teares and repentance found occasion to pardon his death how incensat and rude soeuer any creature is yet we sée he hath iudgment to eschew the fire that burnes him to auoyd the Laborinth made to his distruction not to clime with desperate perill those high rockes from whose tops is present effect of death whereunto by what other reason is he induced then to preserue life which he holdeth deare flée death which nature teacheth him to feare The brute beast fléeth death and yet he is of a condition not to iudge of the worthines solace of life but to man nothing is more deare then life of al other thinges he holdeth death in most terror for that liuing he knoweth what he is being dead he cannot tel what shal become of him since after death there is no restitution no more then a trée once hewen downe can be eftsoons replanted Frendship the office of societie require that we wish to our frends much habilitie might power but with a greater affection we wish them long life yea this stands in common regard with vs all rather to séeke to prolong our lyfe thē encrease our welth not to make a greater care to augment our treasor then to continue our dayes which being true what a wonderfull prouidence of God nature is this that the confidence of life death consistes only in the tong who hath the same office in the administration of the life of man which is incidēt to the portall or wyket of a great palaice thorow the which do enter al things that we eat vse by the other do issue all that we thinke and speake So that it holdes good conformatie with the saying of the Wiseman that lyfe and death are in the power of the tongue since lyfe is at the portall of our Palaice readie to depart when death striking on the hamor of our conscience séekes to enter yea there is no part of our bodie wherein we stande more subiect to daunger of lyfe and death then in our mouth and tongue for that they being the open gates of the tower and truncke of the bodie lyfe may go out without speaking and death hath libertie to enter without knocking Habemus thesaurum in vasis fictilibus sayth S. Paule as if he had sayde Oh what payne haue Christians to beare in féeble and frayle vessels such precious treasures as fayth in the vnderstanding charitie in the will pietie in the handes loue in the hart chastetie in the bodie and lyfe and death in the tongue Yea they are vertues infused into vessels corrupt and appoynted to consociate members putrifyed who being so daungerous to be managed and most easie to be broken what suretie or gard is there to the lyfe when in the mouth is found no gouernement and to the tongue is denied the gyfte of secrecie For hauing no boanes to controule it nor senewes to restrains it what science or meane hath it to doe that we commaunde it or how can it reteine and kéepe secret thinges which are referred to his trust and confidence Therefore to the man that feareth death and desireth long lyfe it is necessarie he minister gouernement to his tongue lest he know not how to prolong his lyfe and much lesse finde out where vpon his death may come Salomon then sayde wisely that death and lyfe were in the power of the Tongue Meaning that as to some men the tongue hath saued their lyfe so in others wicked speach hath wrought the occasion of their death For that to a Noble minde an iniurious worde doth more hurt then a great cutte or wounde of a swoorde on the bodie of a barbarous or rude man And to proue by many examples and figures in the Scripture the operation of the tongue in the action of lyfe and death we reade that Cayn béeing asked of God why he had slaine his Brother Abell In place to repent him of the fact and aske Pardon of God he sayde that his fault was greater then that Gods mercie could forgeue it against whom S. Augustine cryeth vehemently that much lesse that the mercie of the Lord could be inferior to the fault of Cayn séeing that to pardon and forgeue is a thing proper to God and to reuenge and punishe is farre estranged from his nature So that there is no doubt but greater was the offence of Cayn in the wordes he sayd then in the Murder he did since if with the stroake of the swoorde he tooke away the lyfe of his Brother by the Blasphemie of his tongue he gaue death to his soule To kil his Brother was euil done but to dispaire in Gods mercie was euen a transgression of the deuill for that more doe we offende God to estéeme him without mercie then in any other sinne we commit against his maiestie Some of the Jewes Crucified Iesus with torments and some with their tongues in whom I thinke was déeper effect of sinne then in the rest that pearced his bodie with nayles For that they layd their handes on him by ignorance but the other fylled their tongues with false testimonie Blasphemed Crucifyed him by malice It is written in the Prophete Esay discoursing vppon the fall of Lucipher Quia dicebat in corde suo in coelum conscendam et super astra dei c. Because thou hast sayd Oh Lucipher that thou
to haue him steale from her to enriche his frende to communicate wyth his minion and be a straunger to his Wife and to minister to the wantes of his Concubine and be wythout pitie to his proper Children In the Lawe of Christianitie the same fayth the woman is bounde to kepe to her Husband he is al so bounde to obserue to her But if Wyues had the lyke authoritie to chastise as Husbandes take libertie to accuse sure they would neyther take to such sorrow the disorders of their Husbandes nor in them would be founde such facilitie to offende Besides from the season that Man and Woman be vnited by the holy promise and couenaunt of mariage they haue so small iurisdiction in perticuler ouer themselues that it is a kinde of theft if eyther the one or the other alien or deuide their bodies Consider therefore Sir the great occasions you giue to your Wyfe who hauing youth riches and beutie and courted with no simple importunities If she were otherwayes then she is she would perhaps bestow her hart vpon some one of those many that bestow vpon her their eyes occasion may doe much and there is no worse thing to tempt a Woman then the ill example of her husband For your parte if you thinke your Wyfe not worthie to receiue recompence of affection at least haue consideration of her merit and let not her loyaltie discouer your penurie nor her constancie complaine of your want of honor If you will not obserue to her the Law of a husband for the respectes of your soule your honor your goodes and your health at least remember that what pleasures or felicyties you finde in the companie of your Concubine are nothing in regarde of the disquiets you shall finde when you come home For how wise how secret how temperate or how holy so euer a Wyfe be yet she had rather die then not to giue reuenge to the iniuries of her Husbande or not to make him féele her Ielousie And therefore to men that are drowned in fancie wyth forreyne Women it is in vayne to repose in the Baude who will be corrupted or in the Concubine whose indifferencie makes her a blab Séeing in cases of Ielousie Wyues are so suttle and wyth all so liberall that the better to espie and trace out the Confederacies of their Husbandes they will not sticke to corrupt hte Quicke by money and Coniure the deade by Charmes And so God graunt you that you want and defende you from that you deserue A Treatise of the Resurrection of IESVS CHRIST ▪ together wyth an Exposition of the Fifth Article of the Créede that he discended into Hell and roase againe the thirde day ACcording to your request I haue sent you herewith the declaration of the fifth Article of the Créede in substance as I published it but not in sort as I pronounced it For that it is impossible that in the Penne should be represented the facilitie grace and edifying vertue of the Tongue according to the opinions of the best Philosophers and Orators both Gréeke and Latine wyth whom the Penne was accompted insufficient to satisfie or compare wyth the honor which they had gotten wyth the Tongue and specially to recorde or write Sermons wherein they helde that the matter should loase his Grace and the auther his reputation Notwithstanding according to your power to commaunde me you shall finde no want of desire to doe you seruice albeit vnder this condition that if you be not satisfyed the fault is more in your importunitie then in my charitie and so to the matter The fifth article of our faith expressing that Christ discended into hell roase eftsones the third day contayneth two partes whereof the first comprehendes our confession that he went into hell and in the second is contayned his resurrection Some deuines deuide it into two articles but wée draw it into one contayning notwithstanding two partes tending to one end We confesse that our redéemer being buried his holy bodie remayned in the graue thrée dayes being in déede dead during that season But his soule in the meane while was not ydle for that it discended into hell to do there a wonderfull action which he accomplished And so we confesse that on the third day his soule was reioyned to his bodie to geue it reall and essentiall life So that there can be no dout that he roase not againe hauing obteyned the victorie against death Wherein if we consider thinges in iudgement and equitie we shall find great matter in the humilitie of the sonne of God and in whom may be séene the singuler mercie of the father not sparing his sonne and his readie obedience to accomplish the eternall will of his father all inuiting vs to beare no small loue and thankfulnes to him In this article and in the former are declared the degrées by the which the sonne of God discended and embased himself euen to thinges incredible for a personage of that dignitie The first degrée was to make him man and to vouchsafe to be borne at a time certaine he which was borne eternally The second was that he yet humbled himself more to suffer sentence and publike condemnation as a malefactor In the third he tooke vppon him the torments of the crosse a death most cruell and more infamous then any other sort of passion By the fourth he was content to suffer death not as God albeit being God but as man in such sort as the very person of God suffred death In the fifth he suffred himselfe to be buried as others that were dead making himselfe like them in all thinges as if he had bene comprehended vnder the curse of Adam to retorne into dust whereof he was formed yea he that was frée from sinne and the curse And by the last steppe or degrée he discended into hel whether were discended such as stood destitute of their proper iustice to the end to open to them the gate of the kingdome of heauen By these degrées if we consider spiritually the discending of Iesus Christ we shall find it as long as is the distance of heauen from whence he came vntill the Center of the earth whether he discended And as there restes no other place any further to embase the sonne of God so would he not bée committed to more humilitie only there remayned one degrée which proceded of sinne and the fellowship of Sathan ▪ out of the which the person of Christ was exempted hée which came to redéeme sinners and iustifie men and vanquish the deuill All that he could suffer to be made a sacrifice for our sinnes the sonne of God was enclined embased vnto it sinne only except whereunto he could not be subiect for that there is too great enimitie betwene the iustice of the sauiour the malignity of sinne The greatest part of the degrees aboue mencioned concerning the discending and humilitie of the sonne of God are declared by the Apostle who speaking by
his enemie and take from him by force his Seruauntes and Subiectes whom of long time he had holden Prisoners By this is shewed the great power of Iesus Christ according to his owne phrase in these tearmes So long as a strong man sayth he and well furnished wyth weapons kepes his house and defendes it by force all that he hath is in peace But if there come one more mightie then he he makes him forsake his garde chaseth him out of his house and becomes Lord of al his goods euen so did our Lord with the Deuill expressing vppon him his wonderful power and great victory which he obtayned against the kingdome of darknes For séeing the Deuill hath layed aside his weapons it is a signe he is vanquished and séeing death is conquered the Deuill must néedes remayne disfurnished of Armes And séeing the depthes and bottomes of the earth haue bene illuminated by the light and presence of our sauiour the kingdome of darkenesse is defeyted and brought to ruine And so for conclusion we find thrée great considerations in the first part of this Article Wherof the first hath ben debated comprehending the great discending and extreame humilitie which the Sonne of God tooke vppon him to saue man and confound the works of sinne The second consists in this that whilest his most holy body accōpanied with his diuinitie remayned in the graue to testifie that he was truly dead His soule discended into the darke prisons where were deteined the holy fathers notwithstanding they were not in the power of the deuill For albeit they were iustified by the vertue of the mediator and their fayth and repentance yet they were banished from heauen and put as it were in prison to witnesse the effect and operation of sinne together wyth the necessitie which man had of the comming of the sonne of God to geue them their full remedie So that the sauiour of the worlde entering into this prison and confounding all darkenesse by his great light did fully comfort and satisfye by his presence the holy soules which exspected him wyth a desire farre aboue the iudgement or comprehēcion of man it was then that those good auncient Fathers saw the accomplishment of the promise long afore made to them that out of their séede should ryse one that should breake the heade of the great Serpent Then all their desires were accomplished beholding euen wyth their eyes the maiestie and presence of him whom so often they had séene in contemplation and Spirite In whom they had layde vppe all their hope from the remembrance of whom they dyd neuer swarue and by the onely thought of whom they had ouercome all their aduersities taking comfort in him in their miseries and perplexities Then did Abraham sée him who was promised to blesse al his people and al Nations in the faith of whom he was circumcised and made alliance with god Jsaac saw him whom he prefigured when his father thought to haue sacrifised him he saw the sprinkles and markes of the bloud whose effusion was most swéete before the face of the father from the beginning of the world Jacob who had called vpon this sauiour in his death saw his desiers fulfilled no more resting which he might require Melchisedech saw the great sacreficator the sacrifice of whom had neither end nor rule Moises spake then with the great Prophet which God promised to send to deliuer his people from the captiuity of the spirituall Egipt whose power and authoritie should be so perentory and great that who would not obey him should dye eternall death And the great Prophete Dauid embraced then the health which hee had so long desired he saw then that great and mighty Christ of whom hée had made so many holy ditties and songes in whose hope he had so many times taken comfort and vanquished sinne Lastly all the iust of the times past saw the accomplishment of their desiers the end of their sighes the remedye of their miseries the comfort of their sorowes the victory againste death hell and sinne and all by the presence of the captaine which came to guide them euen vnto the sight and maiestie of god Oh how possible are the perplexities which men suffer vnder hope of the promises of GOD How happie is that abiding or expectation which for pawne hath the verity of GOD Howe well assured and well recompenced is that patience which is of longe sufferance and neuer swarueth All these auncient Fathers were in diuers seasons and yet they had all one faith they were all inspired with one spirite all serued one Lorde all liued and dyed in one hope they all bare their crosse in this lyfe they all were made prisoners in that place lastely they all saw in one instant him whom they had so long expected together with the fulfillinge of al the promises which had ben made to them There the Sauiour of the worlde spake to them publishinge good newes touchinge their remedyes and restitution And comunicated with them the greatnes of the misteries which it behooued him to doe for their Redemption there is no doubt but with them he vsed most deare familiaritie Yea he who was alwaies so ioyfull with his owne vsed no lesse fauour and consolation to those with whom his Father had made alliance and so iustely kept his promises And they likewise rendred no small thankes and praises to the Lorde that had so accomplished his worde for the Saluation of the world yea they departed out of their olde prisons with no small triumphes to follow their captaine which had ouer come so many and greate ennemies The third consideration is that our sauiour Iesus Christ did not only breake the prisones and deliuer the holy Fathers but also by this discending hée brought a great astonishment and feare into hell and ouer the whole kingdome of the deuill making him know that his forces were dissolued and that now was brought to effect the breaking of his head expressed long before by prophesie and that the gates of his darke kingdome were throwne open and all hys workes brought to nought Euen as a captaine victor entering into the fortresse of his ennemie and hauing once pluckte downe the munition and ensignes so committes it to ruine and spoile that he leaues an easines to subdue it as often as he will euen in the same sort the Sunne of God gaue such a terrour to the kingdome of hell that sathan and his ministers knew well their forces were broken that there remained vnto them no possibilitie eftsones to reestablish a kingdome of sufficient power to resist the meanest souldier of that great captain that hereafter he could take no prisoners except some wretched cowardes people of smal valure which would offer thēselues to be captiues of their proper and miserable will. In this sort the princypalitie of hell so felte the inuincible and assured power of him who being dead and his body left in the Sepulcher shaked them
dignitie of his person to declare him such one as he is By which he hath shewed that he came to vanquishe and surmount sinne and death and to pronounce that as who so euer would followe him should liue eternally so to such was reserued euerlastinge death as would not obey his woorde and doctrine For in him saith he is conteined resurrection and lyfe yea and the Saluation of those that beléeue in him To that to proue those thinges and to assure consolation to all such as should giue faith to his woordes it was requisite that he should not only manifest himselfe the author of lyfe in raising others but that also he should expresse it in his proper person giuing this testimony of himselfe that albeit he was dead yet he had more power then death for that he was able to returne to lyfe By this it appeares that the resurrection of Christe is a trew proofe of his greatnesse and a declaration that he is the Sonne of GOD hath surmounted all trauels and perplexities hath domination ouer death and ouercome hell sinne and the deuill séeinge hée hath disfurnished them of their principall weapons wherewith they did tirrannise ouer the Linage of man which is death that followeisd It also a proofe that as wée honour serue and beléeue in a man dead and crucified so also we must obey followe and serue in faith a man that hathe foretolde his Resurrection and which is risen againe from the dead séeing that one of the reasons why he dyed was the more to declare his power and manifest further his force and excellencie of life together with his power against the kingdome of sathan In the Seconde consideration is inclosed a wonderfull secret greatly auailing the estate of mankinde it is deuyded into two partes according to the testimony of the Scripture whereof the one consistes in his death and the other in his resurrection Touching his death wee haue alreadie debated that in it was comprehended the death of our trauelles the death of our death the mortification of our olde Adam and the spoile of the forces of the wicked roote of sinne which raigned ouer vs And in his resurrection we say now is comprehended the reestablishment of our lyfe the newnes of our iustice the vertue and spirituall generation of the new Adam in vs the woorkes of this newe lyfe the hope that this newe people of GOD hath to returne to Heauen and finally the thoughtes and operations agreable to the maiestie of god Christe was not sacrificed only for himselfe but for vs he is not risen againe onely to declare what hee was but wyth all to make himselfe suche a one to vs as his Father mighte receiue vs He is dead for our sinnes risen againe for our iustificaiton His death made to dye all wicked thinges but in his resurrection were reuiued al good thinges In effect we haue to consider touching the vertue of the misterie of the resurrection that he is also so risen againe in vs Spirituallie that if it be not long of our obstinacie and Rebellion we shall féele the force of his Resurrection in vs that is he will engender in vs a power and will to doe the workes worthie of a newe lyfe and will make vs to rise agayne to a newnesse of lyfe by the which we shal be founde agréeable before the face of God And béeing risen wyth him we shall vanquishe death and sinne and be made frée from the seruitude of Sathan being affected to the commaundementes of God louers of his iustice and zealous of his glory to perticipate in the ende wyth the heauenly lyfe by the communion which we haue wyth the lyfe of Iesus Christ in thoughts and workes So that let all Christians vnderstande that if in humilitie they search a remedie for their sinnes opening wyth all the gate of their harte they shall finde wyth in Iesus Christ raysed agayne And that being in the companie of so great a Lorde liuing who hath vanquished death they can not haue in them any deade thing For they shall also rise againe spiritually wyth the Lorde into that newnes of lyfe whereof we haue spoken Let vs therefore take héede to refuse the mortification of our wicked workes of our disordered appetites and our wicked affections For if we bowe or bende our selues we shall wythout doubt apperteyne to the other parte of this misterie and rise againe wyth Iesus Christ In this sort is to be vnderstanded the saying of the Apostle That we are buried wyth Christ by Baptisme and dead to our sinnes and to our olde Adam For that as Iesus Christ is risen agayne from the deade for the glory of the Father So we must enter into a newnes of lyfe béeing assured to keepe him companie in the Resurrection if we accompanie him in his death he dyed to make dye our sinnes and liued agaiâ—e to giue life to our iustice and therefore if behooues vs to dye as touching our sinnes and to be diligent to do good workes whervnto let euerye good Christian referre all his care and study and raise al his thoughts demaunding al those things in his prayers and searching them neither more nor lesse then he would do a precious treasure wherin lyeth hidde al his felicitie The victory is already gained and the faithfull are assured of their forces for that the sonne of God soliciteth for them and holdes al these benefites in his disposing In him we may be bolde to repose our sewertye séeing he hath so much suffred for vs and to make vs communicate with these graces his mercy will neuer faile vs séeing he hath not denied it vs to get them Sure in respect they haue cost him so deare and that the paiment is already made it will not be hard to giue them vnto vs. In the third consideratcon of this article the good christian hath to vnderstand that in the resurrection of the lord we get not only spiritual resurrection as hath ben saied but also we haue assurance of the resurrection of our bodies So that considering that Iesus Christ is risen from the dead for our welth and profit we may be assured that he is risen both in body and soul that our resurrection is no lesse certain then his rising againe being the assurance and gage of our resurrection and he being in all things our first borne captain he marched before vs and we must follow him All the wretchednes that the deuill had caused were repaired by the son of God for as the deuill threw spirituall death vppon mankind so in the vertue of our sauiour that death is destroyed vanquished and a life spiritual giuen vnto men The deuil procured corporal death to mans race for death was brought into the world by sinne but the sonne of God hath ioyned to vs a corporall resurection For as death was introduced by a man so by a man came restitution resurrection we were all dead in Adam euen so
discretion of the doers for that according to Aristotle all the operations and mocions of man procéede of the vnderstanding and will. And therefore it is hard to iudge of the workes and dispositions of litle children till by encrease of yeares they enter into the vse of reason a time when they haue habilitie to do well or ill The same béeing the cause why the Cannon speakes not indistinctly of all children but onely of such as are somewhat raysed into yeares and age For it impugnes nothing the opinion of such as saye that litle children are without sinne but meanes expressely of such as are ten or twelue yeares of age who in déede are not exempted from sinne Mans estate which is the third age begins at fiftene yeares and continueth till eight and twentie according to Isidores opinion This age the Latines call Adolescentia for two reasons the one for their possibilitie and nearenesse to engender the other for that they encrease and rise into strength Touching the first it is referred to the beginning of this age wherein young men approch the power of procreation which was further from them in their childhode as hath bene sayed The second consideration beholdes chiefely the end of that age according to the opinion of many who holde that man encreaseth till twentie or two and twentie yeares which is the end of Mans estate But Jsidorus sayth that Adolescentia lasteth till eight and twentie yeres notwithstanding man doth not alwayes rise in increasing till then and yet it séemes that that age tooke his name directly of encrease for that then man comes to his perfect growth In the ages afore rehearsed Jnfancie and Puerilitie man groweth still yea and in one part of the third age which is Adoloscentia But in the ages following he groweth nothing for that he hath taken his perfection afore And therefore seeing all growing endes in Adoloscentia for after that age man encreaseth nothing the name of encrease or growing doth most properly appertaine to him Youth which is the fourth age entreth at nine and twentie and endeth at fiftie as Isidore affirmeth The Latines call it Inuentus by reason of the helpes and aides that the world hath of men of that age as in deede that title is most proper to him by reason of the force and vertue which men of that age haue In the former ages men are not knit nor haue their forces accomplished But in this age they haue their full strength and are well hable to endure all impositions of paine burdens or trauell In this is discerned the difference of the two opinions the one establishing seuen ages and Isidore reckoning but sixe Such as make a nomber of seuen deuide youth adioyning vnto him an other part which they call Virilitie But according to Isidore there is but one age and that is called Youth which me thinkes is not to begin at the end of Mans estate at eight and twentie yeres as Isidore holdeth But it were better to determine Mans estate at one and twentie yeres a time wherein he hath taken his groath and thereto establish the beginning of youth which is to last vntill thirtie yeres or there about and after it may succéede Virilitie which may endure vntill L where Jsidore establisheth the end of youth According to this order the names of the ages may go properly with them For Junentus takes his name of this Latine Verbe iunare signifying to aide or helpe and in that age men are most conuenient to be employed and of most habilitie to giue aide And Virilitie deriueth from this Latine Noune Vires signifying strength as an age wherein men being compleate are in there greatest force And so as the youngman is good to minister aide and helpe so in the man accomplished is good habilitie to do things of himselfe For to haue necessitie of aide is referred to the forces yet weake and not accomplished but to do any thing of our selues is a true signe of strength fully furnished Besides it is of common proofe that a man comes not to his full strength till he be thirtie yeres olde and therefore by good reason that estate of age may be called Virilitie But Jsidorus thinking not to seperate virilitie from youth sets downe other termes and limits to ages establishing the end of Mans state at eight and twentie yeres and not at one and twentie and appoynting the begining of youth at nine and twentie a season that best makes perfect the strength of men he puts no difference betwene virilitie and youth The fifth age is called Grauetie or Vnweldinesse Touching this age the two opinions aforesayd do differ in name only Jsidore calling it vnweldinesse and the other giuing it no title at all They both séene to take the commoditie of the Latine word the one calling it senectus and the other seniam notwithstanding it concerne diuerse ages This age of vnweldinesse begins at fiftie yeres and ends at thréescore and ten as Jsidore holdeth who calleth it vnweldinesse because the qualitie of heauines or waight makes fall all things lower And as in the other foure ages afore men grow either in stature or in force so in this age their strength séemes to determine and their bodies and partes begin to decaye decline to debilitie For vntil fiftie yeres man mayntaines alwayes his strength and stature but after he begins to feint as one that had runne his course and doth nothing but heape infirmities and weaknesse euen vntill death According to the opinion of such as establish seuen ages this estate of yeres is called old age wherunto Isidore consents not but calles that old age which begins at thréescore and ten and continueth til death though man liue neuer so long So that all the other ages are restrained to certaine limits of yeares but this last age is subiect to no terme for that the day and houre of mans death are not knowne Jsidore speaking of this age sayth that old age béeing the sixth age can not bée limitted nor made subiect to terme for that there is attributed vnto it the residue of the life of man which passeth the first fiue ages But touching all that hath bene sayd heretofore that euery age of the life of man hath his certaine termes and limits except the last It is to be vnderstand that al is spoken of the ages of men of our time and not of such as were afore the floud since in those seasons the age of men were a thousand yeres Neither do we meane the men of the second age which begonne from the floud vntill Abraham for that in that age there were men that liued sixe hundreth yeares and some foure hundreth as appeareth by the Doctrine of Genesis And yet those men sayth Jsidore had no more age then we and all their yeares limitted to a certaine time and terme except the last age whereunto could bée ascribed no certaintie of terme for that as it is found in Genesis
the more Subiect to complaynt by how muche their mindes lyue alwayes trauelled in trouble and Ielousie You aske me how it happeneth that Louers in the presence of their Ladyes lose liberty of speache and doe oftentimes forget that which they had studyed and well considered to speake It may bée that infyrmitie procéedes of the trouble of the minde engendred by a looke or glaunce cast by stealth vppon the thing that they Loue and standing so amazed in minde the tongue hath no facilytie to the action of his dutie séeing the beginning of the speach deriueth of the mind or spyrit to whom the tongue serues as an interpretor to expresse his conceytes This happeneth also to many who called to question in the presence of a Prince or magestrate fall oftentimes into a passion of stutting or meare scilence specially if they bée trauelled either with feare or falshod of conscience To that you aske me why Louers are shamefaste to discouer their affections I say that men haue certaine appetites naturall and necessary as to drinke and eate which of necessity they must satisfy to preserue lyfe and auoyde death so they haue other affections which albeit are natural yet not necessary but superfluous vaine and withall dishonest from those are deryued many disordered appetites as is the rage of loue which is an affection blind engendred of Idlenes and for that it bringes vnto men an estimation of beast lines and dishonesty The most sort séeke as much as they can to hyd their loue vnder figures apparances to liue in expectatiō of that they desire You aske me also how it happeneth that louers discerne not the vices falts of their amorous frends That must néeds be an error deriuing of their proper affection which deuides them from their true iudgment sences For louers as saith Plato are like to such as hunt after estats offices or to those that are giuen to wyne to whom al estats are welcome al wines seeme to giue a pleasing tast besides according to the philosophers al great mocions hinder those that be lesse So that loue hauing occupied the chief most principal mocions of the spirit troubleth for the most part the vertue original of the sences the same being the cause with Plato why louers are made blinde with the sight of their Ladies and according to the same the poets haue fained Cupid without eyes And where you desire me to giue a reasō why men be hoarse of corrupt voyce after they haue slept I thinke that impedimēt comes no otherwaies then by a replexiō of humors caused by a rawnes or indigestiō of meat the same occupying the vpper parts of the body makes the head dull heauie therfore the pipe of the weysand being ful of the said humors they must necessarily be impedimentes to the voyce and make it hoarse and hollow Thus muche touching the Exposition of your Philosophicall demaundes And now where you require me by a speciall and lardge request to Communicate wyth you what I haue harde and read eyther in Phylosophye or Physscke by what apparant signes tokēs may be iudged whether one that is sicke shall dye or lyue for that as you say you haue a daughter in daunger and would gladly know her destiny The resolution of this demaund albeit appertaineth more properly to your doctor of Physicke then vnto me that am a Diuine studying more how to Preache then to iudge of complexions yet séeing you will haue my opinion I pray you let me debate with you as a Christian that as God hath nombered the yeares of our lyfe and set downe a limit which no man can passe so if it bée his good pleasure your Daughter shall yet lyue but if hée thinke it conuenient for her Saluation hée knoweth best when to call her to him For it is not onely hée that géeueth lyfe but hée is euen the selfe lyfe And therefore according to the office of a Diuine more then in the councell of a Phisition I wyshe you to put her in remembraunce of her mortalitye and prepare her to God in whom and none other all good Christians ought to béelieue is power to chaunge our lyfe and translate vs to himselfe Many and many haue I knowne abandoned of the worlde and extreamely past succour and helpe of man haue yet receiued restitution of God and liued many yers and many againe recouered of sicknes past all apparaunce of daunger and yet payd their tribute to nature when was no expectation of death A thing that is not to be construed to the well or ill handling of the Phisition but to be referred to the prouidence of God which hath so ordeyned it The king Ezechias was giuen ouer of the Phisitions and the sonne of the host of Samaria was dead but at the commaundement of God the Chylde reuiued and Ezechias was recouered But leauing those Testimonies of Scripture to a further leasure let vs gather some opinions of the Philosophers who wyth many auncient Phisitions haue set downe in wryting certayne notable Signes to discerne the perill of Death in such as are Sicke Plynie in his seauenth Booke and one fifty Chapter sayth that a man being sicke of any sharp infirmitye as of a Frenzie if hee fall sometimes into a suddayne myrth or burst out into great laughing that Patient expresseth great tokens of present death if any bée sicke of a corruption of humors malencholike and set himselfe to behold or stare much vppon another without sturring his eye of long such one is not farre from death If a man be sicke of a Feuer collerike or sharp and his pulse moue vncertainely sometimes quicke and somtimes slow such one no doubt enclines to death Who is sicke of a burning Feuer and vseth sometimes to draw vp the shéete or double the cloathes of the bed or plucke of the thrumbes of the same in that man is great coniecture of the end of his lyfe One that hath lyen long sicke and beginnes to shut and close his eyes often and set his téeth and mouth carieth great apparance of death He that is striken wyth the plague and being halfe awake and beginneth to raue and murmure to himselfe caryeth manifest coniecture of death If any aboue the age of fourescore yeares fall into a gréedy hungar to eate and drinke wythout measure it is a signe they haue not long to liue A young Chylde being sharppe in wit and ready in aunsweres or that he shew in that tender age a discression accomplished in that childe is no iudgement of long life These be the coniectures of the Philosophers which I haue gathered more to content you then that I assure them to be infallible aduising you for end to recommend your daughter to God who only hath power to dispose all thinges by the same prerogatiue whereby he hath made them of nothing A discourse of the Canonisiing of the Pagan Gods and why