the Prophet was culpable for vsing scilence and Cayn condemned because he spake by which we may gather the great necessitie we haue of wisdome to vse time to speake and time to suffer scilence For as the trée is known by his fruite the vertue of a man discerned by his workes so in his wordes and spéeche are disclosed the qualitie of his wisedome or simplicitie And as Iesus Christ in all his actions was no lesse pacient to heare then moderate in speaking so we finde not in scripture that he euer deliuered worde in vaine nor neuer helde his peace but for feare of slaunder And although it be a miserable compulsion to vse scilēce in things which we haue desire to disclose yet considering scilence bringes sewerty and conteines in it selfe many other goodly thinges let vs stand restrained to the two seasons which Socrates aloweth without reprehension the one is when we speake of that which we manifestly know and the other when we haue in hande thinges necessary In which two times onely as speache is better then Scilence so in all other Seasons experience approueth that we ought to preferre scilence afor speaking To what purpose or intentions tended all the speaches of Iesus Christ THe wordes of our Sauiour tended eyther to the prayse of his Father as when he humbled himselfe in this speach Confiteor tibi pater or to teach men what they ought to do when he sayd Beati mites or else to reprehend wickednesse and sinne when he cried vae vobis legis peritis So that when he was not occupied to giue prayse and glorie to his Father nor to preach doctrine nor to rebuke vices it was then he was setled in a deuout and holy scilence The Hebrewes led him to their consistories a fore thrée iudges that is to say they brought him to the Palaice before Herod to the Bishops house before Annas to the trée of the crosse before his Father at which place only he spake and in the others he vsed scilence and therefore afore the two first tribunals he was accused of crime because he held his peace standing as aduocate afore the thirde he spake And albeit right great infinit were the works which our Redéemer did from the time he was taken till he was crucified yet his wordes were fewe and his spéeches in very small number the better to teach vs that in time of tribulation and aduersitie we ought more to séeke our consolation in a holy and deuout patience then to preferre or expresse great eloquence Christ then being vpon the hill of Caluary not onely condemned to death but very nere the passion of the same hauing his flesh pearced with nayles his hart burning in zeale and loue cryed to his father Pater ignosce illis quia nesciunt quid faciunt as if he had sayd Oh eternall father in recompence that I am come into the worlde and in consideration of the preaching that I haue made of thy name In satisfaction of the paynes and crucifying that I endure and in respect that I haue reconciled the world to thée I require no other reward but that it may be thy good pleasure to pardon these mine enemies who haue sinned to the end I should dye and I suffer death because they may liue Forgeue them since thou knowest and all the world séeth that in my bloud is payde and satisfied their crime with my charitie I haue raysed and put them in my glory so that let my death be sufficient to the end that no other death haue more place in the world Pardon them since thou knowest that the death which triumphed in the crosse and by the which I am nailed to the same is crucified heare in this trée by meanes wherof oh euerlasting Father I beséech thée estéeme more the charity wherein I dye for them then the malice by the which they prosecute my death Forgeue them Oh heauenly Father since if thou considerest these my enemies in the nature and merite of their sinnes there will not be founde in the furies of Hell tormentes worthye enough to punishe them Then better is it Oh gracious Father that thou Pardon them since that as there was neuer the lyke faulte committed so shalt thou neuer haue occasion to vse the like mercie And séeing my death is sufficient to saue all such as are borne or to bée borne those that are absent present deade and on liue It is no reason that these heare should be shutte out from that benefite being a thing of most equitie iustice and right that as my bloud is not spilt but with thy consent so also by thy hands it should be well employd In this we haue to note that Christ sayd not Lorde pardon them but he sayde Father forgeue them as discribing this difference betwéene those two estates that to a Lorde belonges properly to haue Bondemen Subiectes and Vassalls and the name of a Father presupposeth to haue children so that he required his Father not to iudge them as Lorde but besought him to pardon them as a Father Christ also sayde not condicionally Father if it be thy pleasure forgeue them but he prayed absolutely after himselfe had forgeuen them that his Father would Pardon them by which example we are put in remembraunce that the reconcilement which we make with our Enemies ought to be pure absolute and without affection Besides our Redéemer sayd not singulerlie Father Pardon him but he spake plurally by which we may be informed that as he prayed not particularly for any one in priuate but generally for all so his blood dispersed on the crosse was not only sufficiēt to redéem one onely Worlde but to satisfie the Raunsome of a Million of Worldes And out of this misterie may be drawne this construction that our Sauiour praying generally for all expresseth himselfe so liberall to geue and so mercifull to pardon that when he forgeues a sinner any offence he pardoneth with all his other crimes It is not also without misterie that Christ sayd not I forgeue them but besought his Father to Pardon them For that if the Sonne onely had pardoned them after his death the Father might haue demaunded the iniurie because that if the Sonne had forgeuen them he had done it as a man where the execution of the iustice remayned in God but as the deuine worde yea the liuing Lorde hath perfourmed this pardon with so true a hart so hath he not suffered that there remaine in it any scrupule And therefore he besought his Father to pardon them to the end that by the humanitie which he endured and diuinitie which suffered it his enemies might be at the instant absolued and we others haue hope to obteine remission ¶ That when CHRIST our Lord gaue pardon he left nothing to forgeue IN lyke sort we haue to note that Iesus Christ required not his Fathere to pardon them after his death but besought him to forgeue them at the instant
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
amorous dames geue to their seruaunts and friends 169 A letter aunswering certaine perticuler requestes from the Court and that it is not cōuenient to visite often those women whose husbands be absent 171 A discourse touching such as are in the ministerie and professe religion 173 Still touching the discourse of religion and of the professors of the same 178 The end of this discourse rebuking such Ministers as are wanderers 180 A resolution of certaine familiar and naturall questions with apparant coniectures and tokens of death 182 A discourse of the cononising of the Pagan Gods and why they are holden for Gods together with an exposition of sundrie poeticall inuentions tending to the same 187 A rebuke to ambicion vnder the speech of a sauage man vttered in the Senate of Rome 193 ¶ FINIS To the Gouernour Angulo declaring many good doctrines with other consolations to such as are Widowers THe fourth of Ianuary I receyued your letters which standing albeit more vpon varietie of wordes then necessitie of matter yet they well expressed your setled grauetie and no lesse resembled our auncient friendshippe Amongest other things bearing prayse to your behauiour I am glad you haue forsaken the warres and giuen ouer the regiment of Nanarre for that I hold those people hard to reclaime and not easie to gouern And in this common absence of oures albeit we could not cōueniently cōmunicate in the state and parts of our priuat conuersation yet for that you were employed out of the realme I remayned alwayes in desire to knowe howe you kept societie with fortune because such are the checkes and mutations which she bringes generally vppon the people of the world that she neither dissembleth with the straūger and much lesse pardoneth such as be naturall For which cause Cicero writing to his friēd Attiquus restrayneth one friend to wishe to an other more then these thrée things to enioye health to possesse honour and not to suffer necessitie the same well expressing a Christian modestie and truly agréeing with humaine reason For to him that hath sufficiencie to furnish the vse necessitie of his life what remaineth to be required more who enioyeth continuall health lacketh nothing to make vp the ful felicitie of his worldly delites what can that man haue lost in this worlde who neuer lost the reputation of honour Therefore neyther I for you nor you to me are bound to desire more one for an other then to haue health for the solace of our transitory time to enioye a compotent measure of wealth for the administration of our life and to be raised to honour by the which we may retayne reputation For as all other thinges are passed to vs by fortune not to honour vs but to affront vs So sir I wish you this moderation to rest contented with that which God hath bestowed of you and giue him often recompence of humble thankes for taking you out of so many daungers for as much do we owe to God for the daungers from which he deliuereth vs as for the great wealth dignities wherevnto he hath alwayes raised vs. God is so good and loues vs with so swéete affection that alwayes he requireth vs continually he doth vs good neuer ceasseth to visite vs and seldome spareth to aduertise vs yea he handleth vs not as our offences deserue but as his mercie willeth euill should it stand with vs sniners if with the rod of sinne God should do present iustice séeing that such is the horrer and infamie of sinne that if imediatly with the fact God would put vs to punishments our soules would be caried forthwith into the bottomes of hell As it is suffred in the high and hidden secretes of God to dissemble some things to pardon others and correct the rest so let vs remember that God vseth no small mercie to hym whom he chastiseth in this worlde since that to whome hée giues no affliction it séemes he is of him much forgotten Therefore when God administreth to vs diseases sorrowes deathes and infelicities they be not thinges wherewith hée chastiseth vs but necessarie matters by the which he visiteth our fraile condicion wherein his intention is not to loase vs but to admonish vs not to make vs stumble but to holde vs from falling not to poyson vs but to purge vs not to make vs slide into sinne but to call vs to amendement of behauiour so that with this full measure of bountie and mercie he giues vs not onely that which we aske but prepares vs more to that which he would we should demaund of him this giues me occasion to smile that our power being little our selues so small a thing and our knowledge so slender yet we thinke and conster to great importance all our enterprises when in déede that which in our opinion wée holde most profitable takes sometime a contrary habit and becomes most hurtfull and against vs. By meanes whereof the Lorde with good reason vsing his wonderfull mercie takes from vs those occasions wherewith we may offend him and leades vs in the exercise of such thinges as stand vs in most stéede to serue him God deales in one sort with the Christian sinner and in an other maner with the iust man to the sinner he pardoneth his offence and from the iust he takes away the occasions to sinne by which we finde that we stand more déepely bound to him which suffreth vs not to fal then to him that lendes vs his hand to helpe vs vp againe This much sir to instruct you in patience for the losse of so good a wife whose death if you lament in the office of a good husband I haue not ben without my sorow according to the dutie of a faithfull friend And albeit there is no doubt but your wife was a right worthy member of a noble house and therewithall plentifully replenished with euery condicion appertayninge to the vertue and modestie of a woman yet since in her creation she brought with hir a subiection to death I thinke your wisedome is too great to make that grieuous to you which nature ordeyneth common to all yea if in your wife were fully filled a full example of all perfection you can not in better sort expresse your zeale then to suffer God to haue his will without grudge And if you reioysed in the vse of so happie a wife whilest she liued let your gladnes still continue for that you hope she is now happely layde vp wyth God with whom this is one familiar propertie that the more honest we be the lesse while we liue for that being deare to him he doth the sooner drawe vs to his kingdome I knowe that in your wife God had expressed a spirit of great méekenesse to you made her very acceptable to her neighbours most plawsible to your parents very pitifull to the poore wherein by how much she was agréeable to all and her nature hurtfull to none by so much haue you to hope
it was by the occasion that God spake to him from heauen Esay had fayth but it was because he had séene God in his maiestie Moyses had faith but it was for that God did communicate with him in a bush that burned and was not consumed Ezechiell had fayth but it was for that he had séene God enuironed with Seraphins Great sure was the faith of these holy personages but much greater no doubt was that of this sinfull théefe For if they beléeued in God it was because they had séene him and spoken face to face to him But so simple and resolute was the fayth of this théefe that he beléeued Iesus Christ to be God and had neither séene his maiestie nor yet to doe the workes of God yea though Christ did them yet he vnderstood them not In like sort touching his comparison with such as were then on liue We doubt not but Saint Peter had faith but it was for that he saw Christ march vppon the waues of the sea Mary Maudlein beléeued but it was for that he raysed againe her brother Lazarus The woman of Chanan had fayth but it was because she had séene him expulse the wicked spirit out the body of her daughter the Centurion beléeued because Iesus Christ had healed his seruant And Saint Iohn had fayth but it was because he had reapposed in the lap and bosome of Christ Right slender was the faith that these men had considering the wonders and miracles which they saw Christ do but oh blessed and happy théefe who notwithstanding he saw no action of these great wonders neither Christ to commaund the waues nor stay the wyndes nor chase out Deuils nor yet raise the dead to life yet with open voyce he durst confesse his creator and take him for a redemer yea in calling him Lord he acknowledged that he had created him and in crying to him to haue remembrance of him hée confessed that he had redéemed him and therefore as a good and faythfull Christian he beléeued with his hart and confessed with his mouth What habit or apparance of a Lord saw he in Christ when he sayd to him domine memento mei Yea what argument of confidence or assurance could he gather in him séeing that to whom so euer is called Lord it appertaines that he be frée which was farre frō Iesus Christ being bound to the crosse to be called Lord it behoueth to be mightie or at least compotently rich which appeared not in Iesus Christ being naked dismembred and crucified to the port and name of a Lord belongs great traine and seruice which was not expressed in the state of Iesus Christ who was forsaken euen of his owne followers And to the dignitie and place of a Lord belonges to be well obeyed and honoured which fell out contrary in the person of Iesus Christ for that euery one conspired against him and opprobriously crucfiied him betwéene two théeues yea by so much more worthy was the faith of this théefe by how much hée saw the Lord suffer imprisonment as a man and whipped and scourged as a man and yet confessed him to be God and called him God saying Lord haue remembrance of me Since this théefe was executed and Iesus Christ crucified great hath ben the number of saintes that beléeued in him greater the companie fellowship of Martirs that haue suffered for his fayth So that the example of the théefe beléeuing vpon so small occasion puts all posterities in remembrance how iustly we are boūd to fixe settle our fayth vpō the same son of God whom the théefe acknowledged to be the sauiour of the world In déede the writers of the gospell make no mencion of the race nation of this théefe neither what proportion of age he boare what offēces he had don nor what law he held for that to Pilate the iudge being a Romane belonged this prerogatiue to crucifie indifferenly the Gentils apprehend the Jews but what mystery so euer may be ascribed to the scripture for vsing scilence in this case let vs gather and beleue that God is no acceptor of persons but receiuing all sorts that beleue in him he makes no difference in his election whether they be noble or of base bloud pore or rich cōquerors or captiues infamous or well renowmed only it suffiseth that we repute Iesus Christ as our onely king obserue faythfully the precepts he hath left amongst vs so that of what sort of sinners so euer we be how late so euer we come to the crosse let vs not dispaire to be hard since we read not that to this thefe was ministred either baptisme or confession nor that he fasted vsed restitution nor had repentance vntill he was committed to execution when one sighe powred out in faith suffised to make him a christian and in one onely worde pronounced in hope was vertue to translate his soule into heauen To robbe in infancie to robbe in youth and to robbe in olde age the experience is dayly afore our eyes but to rob at the very article and instant of death we neuer red of any but of this théefe who then stole the kingdome of heauen Our originall Father Adam was a théefe when he stole the Apple in Paradise Fayre Rachell was a théefe when she Robbed the Idols from her Father Laban Achior was a robber in stealing the rod of Golde in Hierico Dauid was a théefe when he conueied the launce and flasket of water from the beds head of Saule Judas was a théefe in stealing the Almes of Iesus Christ And the seruauntes of Dauid were none other then theues when they stole the water in Bethelē But amongst them all none was more famous more suttle more notorious nor more cunning then this théefe who rob bed yea afore he was layd vpon the crosse and being crucified for Pilate taking from him his lyfe on the crosse he stole from Iesus Christ in the same place an other lyfe where vpon S. John Chrisostom speaking vpon that théefe sayth that for theft Adam was chased out of Paradise and for theft this théefe was bestowed in Paradise He that lost his lyfe by a trée went out of Paradise this entred into Paradise that recouered his lyfe vppon a trée he was chased out that beléeued not in God and this entred in because he confessed God to be God a Théefe was the first that issued out of Paradise and a Théefe was the first that entered into Paradise Yea at the houre of middaye GOD did iustice of the first Théefe and at noone tyde he Pardoned this Théefe wyth whom the Lord graunt vs to be Théeues not to steale the Apple as did Adam nor the Idols with Rachell nor the Flaskette as Dauid dyd nor the Golden Rodde with Achior but to steale for our selues the blessed fruition of the Maiestie of GOD which being the praye of this Théefe he is therby become perpetually happie euen in the bo-some of Abraham the
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
wouldest mount vp to the highest Empire of heauen and there erect thy Throane and be lyke to the most high and mightie God it was good iustice that thou shouldest fall from that thou wast since thou aspirest to be that thou oughtest not yea in thy ouerwéening expressed in Proude and Arrogant wordes was wrought the reason and effect of thy wretched fall wherein let all men be warned to take héede what they saye what they doe and what they thinke since Lucipher was not throwne from the seate where he sate euen into the bottomlesse Pitte where he fell but for the disdainefull wordes which he spake and arrogant thoughtes he conceiued So that as his weening defaced him in heauen so through his wickednes was he recommended to Hel. Senacherib King of the Assirians and a great Blasphemer against the omnipotencie of God preparing a mightie Armie against Jerusalem sent his Heralds to King Ezechias with this sommonce Non te seducat deus tuus in quo fiduciam habes non enim poterit vos quis de manu mea eripere Take héede King Ezechias sayth he and be not abused in confidence and opinion that the ayde of thy God or the power of thy huge Armie are hable to protect thée from the stroake of my hande for that I will compell thée eftsoones to communicate in the tribute and subiection of thy Auncesters But so God kindled in indignatioÌ„ against these arrogaÌ„t threats that euen afore he had done any pillage or murder in the countrye and in the beginning of the Siege afore Hierusalem beholde the Angall of the Lorde killed in one night a Hundreth and fourscore Thousande men of his Armie and himselfe fléeing to his Citie of Niniue was there slaine by his owne children loasing in this sort through the wickednesse of his tongue his Honor his hoast his Kingdome and his Sinfull lyfe where many other Princes of the Assirians Perses Meades and Egiptians afore him notwithstanding they executed great cruelties ouer the common weals of the Hebrues yet they made warres with their weapons and kept their tongues in rest and therefore were punished with more fauor then most wicked Senacherib Therefore amongst Princes in Kingdomes magistrates in publyke office and Prelates in their congregations as it is a thing of most equitie that they doe iustice so is it no lesse vnséemely to be Blasphemers or wicked speakers since oftentims men doo more accompt of iniurious words spoken against them then of the punishment that is layd vpon them And neyther for the Prince in his kingdome nor the generall in the Camp nor to the church man in time of peace can it be any way conuenient to be proude in their conuersations lesse byting in their woordes The kindred of Cayn sonnes of the Patriarke Noe sayd they would build a tower whose toppes should aspire to heauen to saue them from the surie of the fludde if God sent any vpon the earth Wherein as they imagined that in their handes laye the power too auoyd death and not in the might of God to take from them their lyfe So we haue assuredly to holde it a great Misterie that for so great an offence GOD would not Punishe them in their persons nor spoyle their goodes nor reuerse their Cyties and much lesse take from them their vices but onely he Chastised them in their Tongues agaynst whose Pryde and Arrogancie it is a good argument that GOD boare a greater displeasure then agaynst the Huge Tower they had erected For that if he hadde not more dispized theyr conspyring Tongues then theyr suttle Buyldinges he would rather haue defaced theyr Tower then confuzed and Chaunged theyr Languages Before these Cursed BABILONIENS drewe into Councell to Buylde this Tower the whole Worlde spake but one sort and Phrase of Language But GOD séeing the disposition of People and Nations declining too doe Wickedly tooke from them the manner of speaking where if it had so pleased him he might haue drowned them as he dyd the Armye of Pharao or stricken them Blynde as he dyd the Sodomites or haue Burnt then quicke as he dyd the Children of Aaron But according too the Custome of his Iustice since wyth theyr Tongues they had disobeyed him he prouided that in their Tongues more then in any other thing was published their Punishement Oh that men in these times would looke vppe too the iustice which God thundred vpon Babylon so should they forget to Murmure forbeare to blaspheame yea if the impression of those threats would take place in their minds I doubt not but the backbiters would turne their tongs from slaunder al men cease to sinne yea if the consideration of Gods iustice stood afore the secret conscience iudgments of princes they would not be so subiect to flatterie although the time is now growne to this corruption that who cannot flatter is estéemed eyther malicious or proude Such is the danger of the tong that if it be not restrained to order limit it hath a naturall libertie to speake euen to our owne hurt And the spéech being none other thing than the image figure of the minde there is no lesse necessitie of temperance councel in the controlement of our tong then to gouerne our conscience There is no other member apperteyning to man wherein we haue a more facilitie to offende then in the tongue by whose vnbridled swiftnes we are often times caried into voices souÌ„ding euen to our proper harms as happened to the Amalechite that brought Dauid the first newes of the death of Saule I come from the Camp of the Hebrues sayth he bring thée tydinges that thy auncient enemie king Saule is dead wherof these eyes are true witnesses for that these handes slewe him obeying his owne request But Dauid notwithstanding he was deliuered of an enemie could not but disdaine the boldnes of the messenger to lay violent handes vpon the Lords anoynted and therefore he gaue this sentence of him Let thy bloude be vpon thine owne heade since thy mouth hath condemned thy life and thy selfe hast spoken against thy selfe saying J haue killed the anointed of the Lord whose garmeÌ„t thou oughtest not so much as to touch and much lesse spoyle the libertie of his life Here Dauid did not iustice vpon this messengere so much for the murder he had done as for that he made vaunt and glorie of it So that as he slewe Saule wyth the sworde so also he Killed himselfe wyth his proper Tongue And albeit in respect of the Auncient Quarrell and Warres betwéene Saule and Dauid this poore Amalechite had thought to haue béene the bringer of gladde Tydinges and for recompence to haue receiued great aduauncement yet greater was the consideration of Dauid to reuenge the offenâ—â—â—â—…ne against God then eyther to reioyce in the newes or regard the commodities that grue to him by the death of King Saule Wherein by somuch was his perfection and charitie greater
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
notwythstanding with so great Warre that on the one syde he leuyed those Prisoners that were kept restrayned and on the other his vertue so weakened their infernall forces that they remeyned euer since vanquished It was then that they sawe and knew that their Hell whither they thought to haue reduced all mankinde was forced and dissolued And that sinne which they had introduced into the worlde and death that ensued it were deade and vanquished by the conquest of this newe and inuincible Prince That was it which the Apostle spake of that the sonne of God hath defaced and sacked the powers of Hell the worlde am putting them to publyke confusion and Triumphing ouer them in his proper person So that the enterprises of our Sauiour in this comparison represent vnto vs the forme and actions of a valiant Capteyne marching before men before Aungelles and before the face of the Father wyth a great troupe of enemies vanquished bounde and spoyled of their forces In the beginning of this Article wée touched that our Lorde made his discending by certeyne degrées yea euen to a Wonderfull embasement of himselfe and knowne onely to the diuine wisedome This embasement hath ben Prophecied vnder the signe of discending from Heauen vnto the the Bottomes of the Earth But now we say that of all those degrées by the which he discended and of al other things which in the wisedome of the world made him séeme so embased vanquished he caried a wonderfull victory which encreased alwais more more In the first degrée he was made man that was the true and eternall sonne of god This step and wonderfull humilitie albeit it is great yet he neuer abandoned his diuinitie no he could not loase it and much lesse diminishe it by it his humanitie was greatly exalted being by the same meane so connexed with the diuinitie that one selfe person was GOD and man ▪ if it were possible that God might gaine in any thing it might be sayd that he gained in this but hauing want of nothing he gaines not as a néedie man For he hath no necessitie of any thing and much lesse can there be added to his greatnesse But because the gaine of men is great in this receiuing a benefite which was neuer Communicated with Angelles for God neuer tooke aliance nor séede of Aungelles but chused the Linage of Abraham we say also that there was a gaine and profite to God béeing a true declaration of his riches and of his workes which are comformable to him together wyth a playne manifestation of his mercie This victorie against sinne and the deuill is truly worthie of the person of the Sonne of God Séeing that mankinde which was put to perdition by the suttletie of the Serpent is redéemed and redeliuered from the seruitude of the Deuill and restored to an estate of habilitie to be the Children of God by the meane of this sauiour The seconde degrée of this discending of the Lord was in that he was condemned publykly as a malefactor In this descending there is a great want and yet by it he recouered a wonderfull victorie For béeing our brother he deliuereth vs from the eternall condemnation so that all our libertie and absolution depende vppon his Condemnation he hath payde the debtes which he made not euen so those shall be discharged which ought them He was Condemned by the Sentence of men and wée absolued in the iudgement of God hauing deliuered vs from the cursse of the law which had condemned vs The thirde degrée was when he was iudged to the Death of the Crosse For by his death he brake the forces of Death dispoyling him of his weapons wherewyth he had made so great and vniuersall slaughters For which cause the Apostle demaundes of death where was his victorie and where were become the meanes by the which he determined so many men By the fourth steppe or degrée he was put into the Sepulcher but the better to comprehend the true sense of this passage it is méete we make some iudgment and construction of thinges The storye of the Gospell declareth that our Lorde being dead Joseph demaunded of Pylate to take his bodie from the crosse and burie it which Pylate suffered by the ordinance of god And hauing taken it from the crosse they wrapped it in a newe Linnen cloath and layde it in a Sepulcher where no man had yet lyen Lastly hauing embawmed him wyth the oyntmentes which Nicodemus brought they left the body in the graue roulling to the mouth therof a great stoan Mary Nagdalin and the other Mary considering well in their vnderstanding the sayd sepulcher All this serueth to two effectes the first is to render testimony of the truth of the death of Iesus Christ shewing also a great misterie comprehended vnder the graue but the Church comprehendes both the one and the other in one worde his Sepulcher and that he remayned there thrée dayes expresseth the truth of his death making by that meane his resurrection more euident In this Article the imbasement and humilitie of the sonne of God encreaseth more and more as also his spirite and victorie which he hath obteined for vs For it is sayd first of al that he suffered the condemnation of Pilate and was executed and so being dead his body was buried It séemes that all these bring encrease to the victory of the deuill the world and death But of the contrarie it is our victory that is enlarged For by how much nere doth approch and is manifested the death of our Lorde by so much more is at hand the end and ruine of our death Death is dead and vanquished in such sort that he hath no power agaynst vs and for such one we put him into the graue Esay hath Prophesied that the Lord should destroy death eternally and drye vp the teares of his people and take away the dishonor of the earth in which words may be discerned the full victory against death which hath no power to cōfoūd nor make sorowful the true Christian It is not sayd by this that we shall not die and not féele death which is naturall but by this is expounded that the pricks and sorrows of death are vanquished haue no authority against a Christian séeing that for the exchange of this temporall lyfe he goeth to the eternall life accompanied with the fayth that he hath had that Christ is his redemption his life In this is performed the Prophecie of Ose speaking in the name of the Lord Oh death J will be thy death the same agréeing with the Apostle who assureth vs that our death is vanquished by the passion of Iesus christ our sepulcher buried in his yea our death hath lost his forces which made him reigne ouer vs and our graue hath lost his power and possibilitie to reteine vs stil seing it cannot now any more hold vs in propertie or perpetuitie but as it were by deputation and for a time In
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
passe him into the land of promise he promised to make his name great and raise his renoume aboue men on the earth For my condicion sayth God is not to haue friends if they be not honored Wherein we may note that in recompence that Abraham abandoned his countrey his friendes his goods and all other his long experienced felicities yea béeing readie liberally to sacrifice his only sonne Yet God promised him not patience restitution of riches nor long life but onely to giue him honour A grace not small comming from the hand of God and a blissing great to bée bestowed on men For to whom the Lord giues honour for his person and glory for his soule there resteth no more to make that man happy in the world and much lesse to trouble God with further desires since riches being to be got by industrie and fortune to be gouerned by prouidence and pollicie and since sicknes and health are subiect to naturall causes and short or long life limited by the will and resolution of God what can be more required for the worldly glory of man then to haue honour and credite which is a treasure better resolued then riches and cares not what pollicie can do against it it triumphes aboue fortune is not tied to the destinie of sicknes nor subiect to the power of death but as a thing not transitorie it carieth men to immortalitie and dieth not til heauen earth come to their accompt Spoliauit me gloria mea abstulit coronam meam de capite meo I knowe not sayth the holy man Iob why the Lord hath set mée vppon the dunghill replenished with this deformitie of botches the same making straungers to abhorre mée and mine owne people to misknow mée But the thing that I féele wyth most bitternes is that hée hath taken my Crowne from my head that is my credite and defaced my glory which is mine honour and renowme Job in his affliction lost seuen thousand shéepe thrée thousand Camels fiue hundreth yoke of oxen and fiue hundreth she Asses yet all these temporall spoyles brought not such griefe vnto him as the losse of his renoume and credit for that in this miserable life there is nothing can be called losse but when we lease good renoume What hath that man that hath not honour What do we leaue behind vs if we die not with renoume Yea we liue in vaine if our life be infamous since a man of naughtie reputation being slaunderous to himselfe can not but bée also hurtfull to others For that to such one the good sort will geue no fayth nor the wicked any obedience no man will suffer him as his neighbour nor any chuse him for his friend Séeing of that qualitie are infamie and leprosie that with their onely conuersation they infect a man The man infamous and dishonored standes so defaced in confidence and credite that no man wyll trust him and much lesse to bée taken for a publique witnesse wherein sure the Lawe hath great conformitie with reason séeing it is not conuenient in wisedome equitie and nature to referre our goods and causes to the trust and direction of him who can not kéepe his proper honour reputation Libera me Domine ab homine malo à viro iniquo c. If I haue any part in thée oh great GOD of Israel sayth Dauid I beséech thée defend mée from him that is not a christian and from a christian euil renoumed since most commonly ill renoume is accompanied wyth ill conscience Wherein if any wyll say it is no generall rule that infamie and a corrupt conscience are coupled together for that many are vniustly sclaundered it may bée confessed but wyth this addicion that where the condicions of the ill man are instruments to detect him the vertues of the good man kéepe him alwayes from sclaunder For vertue is of that force that forth with shée disclaymeth and proueth the fault not to bée in the abuse of the good man but in the enuie that is borne him Jn die illa attenuabitur gloriae Jacob marcescet pinguedo carnis eius Esay speaking of the Sinagoge crieth out oh sorrowfull Sinagoge and vnhappie house of Jacob know thou that when hée shall come into the worlde that is so much desired of men thy fatte flesh shall growe leane and all thy glory shall bée consumed because thou hast bene a Rebell agaynst thy Kyng peruerted the Lawe By the fat flesh of Israell was ment the Patriarches and Prophetes and the glory of Jacob was the renoume they had by reason of the Scepter and Priesthode And yet in place of this fatnes came féeblenes and leanes to this renoume succéeded infamie For after the Passion of Christ they had no more Prophets and much lesse gathered honour or renoume the wordes of Esay being truly and fully accomplished for that after the death of Christ the Citie was destroyed the temple reuersed the priesthood finished the Scepter confounded the lawe expired and the whole people so dispersed that euen till this day they haue not recouered their honour nor restored their common weale Here it is not without misterie that the Prophet sayd that altogether their fatnesse should not bée consumed but that their glory should decline and their fatnesse become leane Geuing to vnderstand that for their greater punishment God would not altogether destroye that people but so appoynted that thorowe out the world and to the end of the world they might wander in sorowe feare captiuitie pouertie desolation dishonour and infamie neither obseruing Law nor acknowledging any Kyng By all these let vs bée taught how much wée are bound to estéeme honour and with what griefe wée ought to féele the losse of it séeing that as GOD doth geue it of his speciall grace so also hée takes it away oftentimes for our offences The Author modestly reprehendeth his friend for not yéelding to his request I Vnderstand Sir that you make no lesse vaunt for denying my request then I was shamefast to desire you which hath giuen mée some occasion of debate eftsones betwéene your authoritie and my iudgement and your frowardnes and my condicion The man that doth ill is but simply wicked but hée that glorieth in his ill is not wythout a Sipirite of the Deuill For as the Condition of the Deuill is inclyned to deceaue so the nature of the vayne and Frowarde is hardlye Corrected and therefore to the Glorious and Obstynate manne it is in vayne to géeue Councell and muche lesse to minister Correction since where reason yéeldes to selfe wyll and Sensualitie suffereth no Councell there the mynde is tourned into Partialytie and all the Senses resolued into Faction I saye thus muche vppon the occasion of my Requeste to you to beare fauour to my Friende to whom much lesse you Ministred any friendeshippe séeing you would not once vouchesafe to bestowe an Aunswere to my Letter an iniurie which I haue felt
proue them For first experience sheweth vs that as man falleth in corporall strength so his iudgement begins to growe weake and frayle but the sense and vnderstanding remayne in puretie and vertue The reason is for that the strength of the body and forces naturall are powers materiall and subiect to alteration and change But the sense and vnderstanding béeing not materiall can not therefore fall into mutation but by some accident and by the alteration of the body according to the Doctrine of Aristotle that the vnderstanding waxeth not olde although the body doth And therefore there may be sometimes wherein man may loase all his corporall forces afore the vnderstanding tast of any such infirmitie But to say that that time may bée reduced into an age to call it old age it can not well bée so for that the sense and vnderstanding are weakened in olde age So that that age may bée called vnweldinesse according to the Etymelogie of Isidore saying thus Some thinke the Latines called olde men senes because of the debilitie of sence falling vppon olde men whom the greatnes of age makes raue and subiect to incertaine fancies The naturall Philosophers say also that fond men and idiots haue for the most part their bloud cold as men wise and well compound haue it hot and sturring the same béeing the occasion that olde men hauing their bloud cold and young children in whom it is not yet hot enough are not resolute in their iudgements so that it is no great error to compare together old men and children as equall in temperature For doting olde men are foolish by the greatnes of their age and in young children is no power of iudgment by reason of their minoritie Secondly this second opinion which establisheth onely sixe ages is most commonly approued of wisemen and agréeth with the iudgement of Jsidore that the Philosophers haue distinguished the life of man by those sixe termes Thirdly this second opinion hath a similitude with the names which the Greekes haue attributed to ages calling that which followeth youth Presbiter and in place of olde age they vse geron so that Presbiter is an other age then olde age as also Jsidore calles it Vnweldinesse And sure those that stand in that estate and proportion of age may bée called neither young nor olde but occupie as it were a meane degrée betwene both according to the opinion of Jsidore speaking thus The sixth age saith hée which is called Vnweldinesse is referred to such as enter into olde age and is as the dekaye and declination of youth falling into olde age and yet in true propertie is neither olde age nor youth but it contaynes euen the selfe same which the Greeks call presbiter This age begins at fiftie and endes at thréescore and ten Wherein if any would dispute by the wordes of Isidore that the age of Vnweldinesse followeth olde ages and that it is an estate most neare vnto death by this Latine text of Jsidore qu 〈…〉 〈◊〉 senioris est grauiâ—â—s c. vsing the comparatiue seâ—â—â—ris It may hée aunswered that senioris is taken here for one that approcheth olde age euen as adolescentiâ— in Latine signifieth one that is yet in his childhode and not yet so sufficient as hée whom the Latines call adolescens This phrase and maner of speach is common and vsed for the most part amongest the Latine authors and Poeta as Ouid Terence with many others So that wée may heare applie senior to one that groweth neare olde age according to this iudgement of Jsidore He that the Latines call senior saith he is yet in his gréennes and hath not shaked of the dispositions and disportes of yourth by which occasion Ouid sayth such men are betwene young men and olde men For according to the Latines adolescantiar meaneth not him that is more then a young man but signifieth such one as is not yet entred into Mans estate euen as senior resembleth him that hath not yet challenged old age The conclusion of this discourse wherein the author is resolued that there bée but thrée ages THis hath bene the chiefest industrie of the Philosophers treating of ages to establish how many there were and how long euerie age that was to be limitted might endure But the Poets haiel gone further as deuiding euery age into their partes assigning properly his beginning his middle and his end according to the Doctrine of Aristoris that all thinges are drawne into those thrée These may bee referred to Puerilitas Adolescentia and Iuuentus assigning to euery part of them their names as in the pertition of Adolescentia wee may vse the first estate the perfect estate and the state declining Touching Juuentus which begins at eight and twentie yeres and continueth till fiftie contayning in reminder two and twentie there would fall to euery part seuen yeares and some what more And so the seuen first yeares continuing till two and fortie or thereabout may bée referred to youth perfect or thorowly growen And the seuen last yeares continuing to fiftie are attributed to youth declining or decreasing These ages thus distinguished by partes and manies are deuided euen as is the life of man which is reduced into these thrée yeares beginning middest and end The beginning containes the first part of the life in the which man riseth still growing and encreasing The second part which is the meane that largeth that estate of man that is fully growen which appeareth in his middell age In the last part lieth the state declining as in which man begins to decay and loase his naturall force This distinction is also obserued in all ages For they haue their beginnings which is the first part And the middest béeing an estate best disposed For then is man his his flower and perfection and the body hath then his best perfection when man is established in his middle age This maner of diuision of ages into thrée is very familiar wyth the authors who assigne to euen part his particuler names The thrée names afore recyted haue taken their beginning of M. varo to whom Seruius wroat them vppon the fifth booke of the Eneidos of Virgill But others vsing common phrases call these partes by these names first middle and last amongest whom Salust sayth that Mithrodoces comming to the Crowne in his laste puerilitye killed his Mother that age lasketh seuen yeares beginning at seauen and continuing till fourtéene and so deuiding it into thrée partes euery part conteynes two yeares and somewhat more and therefore we establishe the last Puerilitie betwéene twelue and thirtéene yeares that is to say about foure Monthes wythin the twelfth yeare and it may continue to the ende of the fourtéenth month in which age Mithridates began to raigne Some call verdure or gréenesse the beginning of all ages and that by the resemblance of trées who first appeare gréene afore they heare frente and in experience and operation of nature we sée euery beginning of the age is green