passion worke but litle to their amendment Parents must also prouide for their children with a moderate care and not as some doe who vnder pretence of proulding for them neuer thinke themselues rich enough These ought to consider that their children are the children of God and he will prouide for them if they serue him and the best foundation of riches and of a long and prosperous race is to bring vp their children in the knowledge and feare of him for if God build with them their houses will stande Many poore children who haue bene left without parents haue prospered better with the blessing of God then others haue done with large reuenewes left them Finally parents must be most of all carefull that they giue noe ill example to their children this being that vpon which the good or euill of the whole world very much dependeth euen as the goodnes of the branches dependeth of the roote and bole of the tree Otherwise occasion is giuen for children to learne their parents vices and to teach them to their children againe and soe vice goeth from generation to generation by the ill example of parents and as the links of a chaine are drawne by one another and fall one after another soe fathers draw their children downe into sinne after them that for many generations they come in the end to meete all in hell I et parents and children often reade the booke of Toby they haue there an example of a good father and of a good sonne and God blessing them both THE FIFT COMMANDEMENT THOV shalt not kill By which we see that this as all other places of scripture hath its propper sense For as S. Aug. de ciu c. 20. sayth we are not forbidden here to kill meate for our sustenance nor to kill men in our owne defence as in a iust warre or for execution of iustice vpon malefactors Because nature allowing and requiring these things God doth not disallow of them Some also by particular inspiration of God haue lawfully killed as Moyses who although he were the mildest man in the world yet when he saw an infidel heathen beating one of the people of God moued with a holy zeale he killed him and buried him in the sand This was lawfull as being by diuine inspiration in signe of future mysterys Exod. 32. Soe when he saw the people committing of idolatry he ioyned vnto him those that were of our Lord the Leuites and sent them to kill the idolatrous people and they returning with the slaughter of about three thousand men he commended them saying you haue consecrated your hands this day to our Lord that blessing may begiuen to you Phinees also moued with the like zeale Nu. 5. killed the two fornicators in their wicked act and auerted the wrath of God by it God the authour of the Commandements dispensed then in the keeping of them and soe they were not formally broken That which is forbidden here is to kill vpon priuate authority and not onely to kill Anger but also all actions of anger by which the peaceable conuersation of men is disturbed Mat. 5. You haue heard saith Christ how it was said of old thou shalt not kill and who soe killeth shall be in danger of iudgement but I say to you that whosoeuer is angry with his brother shall be in danger of iudgment and whosoeuer shall say to his brother Raca shall be in danger of Councell And whosoeuer shall say thou foole shall be guilty of the hell of fire By which we are taught the right vnderstanding of this Commandement to be not onely to prohibite killing but also to be inwardly angry or to make outward shewes or to giue words of anger Of all the sinnes which are committed by men none are soe horrible to nature as the sinnes of blood Is 8. and to shew how great a sinne it is to kill Christ would call the deuill a mankiller from the beginning because the malice and euill of murder could not be better expressed then by putting it and the deuill together and making him the authour of it Cain was the first mankiller amongst men who inticeing his brother into the fields roze vp against him and killed him And presently he was strucke with such a horrour at his crime that he despaired of mercy and like a desperate reprobate went hanging downe his head thinking that euery one that saw him would kill him and cried Gen. 4. Loe now thou dost cast mee out this day from the face of the earth and from thy face I shall be hid and I shall be a vagabonde and fugitiue vpon earth euery one therefor that findeth mee shall kill mee And God to increase this horrour of murder in vs both in the law of nature and of Moyses prohibited the eating of blood Lou. 17. Nay they were not soe much as to let blood to ly open vpon the ground but to couer it And euen dumbe beasts that could not sinne were to loose their liues if they killed any man All this was that men should abhorre the sinne of murder and not be ouer bloody then when the true worship of God was mainteined rather by force and by shedding of their enemys blood then propagated by patience as now it is in the faith of Christ Here enter those ignominious single combats of which the Councell of Trent hath these words That the detestable vse of Duells contriued by the deuill to a bloody death of the body and destruction of the soule may be quite banished out of the Christian world In which yong men who vnderstande not what belongeth to wisdome and true glory meete in the field to wound teare and kill one another like madd doggs And after their miserable deaths they become infamous to posterity purt out of the Communion of Saints both of the militant and triumphant Church of God and depriued of christian buriall to ly like doggs in the fields That the words of the Apocal. 22. are fully verifyed in them Without are doggs sorcerers and murderers There is a booke here newly published called LA DESTRVCTION DE DVEL in which is shewed how contrary to reason and true christian honour Dâ—â—els are and in which is declared how that the Marshals of France and diuerse Gentlemen of quality haue protested against them and promised that they will neuer regard any challenge nor fight a duell vpon any occasion of iniury whatsoeuer An heroicall and christian like minde guided by vertue and discretion will make iniurys honorable through patience which is the most propper vertue and honour of christians Christ was borne patient liued a patient life and at his death his patience was most eminently great more then we can vnderstande He founded his Church first in his owne sufferings and then in those of his Apostles after him and after them he enlarged it by the patience of many martyrs and soe he still continueth and preserueth it And therefor christians
signe of the Cros vpon her brest and that soe she should be cured She did soe and was restored to perfect health This happened in S. Augustines time in the city in which he liued and himselfe hauing had the examining of it caused it to be published We haue then S. Paul and those that liued in the Apostles times honoring the Cros as we now doe and we may see by the writings of their successors the Saints of the primitiue Church the power and vertue of the signe of the Cros and what deuotion was then borne to it He whom all this is not sufficient to moue but shall still oppose this blessed signe sheweth an intollerable obstinacy in himselfe and that he needeth rather some meanes to mollify his hart and to moue his will then any arguments to conuince his vnderstanding and therefor let him haue recourse vnto God by prayer as I shewed in the last title of the former discourse that he will enlighten and inspire him to the truth for he may deceiue himselfe but God can not deceiue him I haue now noe more to say of the signe of the Cros. You haue seene first how it is to be made Secondly what mysterys are conteined in it to wit the mysterys of the B. Trinity and of the Incarnation Thirdly what reuerence we ought to beare vnto it Let vs confesse the greatnes of God in the mystery of the blessed Trinity and feare him let vs acknowledge his loue in the mystery of the Incarnation and loue him and let vs honour that holy signe by which those mysterys are signifyed The Cros is the sword of Christ the glory of christians the terrour of deuils our armes and armour against all dangers both of body and soule It is saith S. Augustine the chaire in which our master satte to teach vs. Aug. tract 119. in lo. to 3 1. ad Tim. 3. He taught vs from thence a lesson of all vertues of perfect charity towards God and our neighbour of humility patience meekenesse fortitude pouerty and of perfect resignation with the will of God in all things If thou feelest thy selfe cold in the loue of God negligent in frequenting the Sacraments in comming to masse c. and hast but litle feeling of goodnes nor care of Gods seruice in thee behold Christ vpon the Cros heare him how he calleth vpon thee to see him paining vnto death for the loue of thy soule If thou art offended at thy enemy and dost not forgiue him behold thy master on thee Cros and heare him not onely forgiuing but excusing and praying for his enemys If thou feelest in thy selfe a desire of praise worldly glory and preferment behold the sonne of God in his passion become the abiect of men that a notorius condemned theefe was preferred before him If by sicknesse soares and other like afflitions thou art moued to impatience see him in his Passion how he gius his blessed head his face his hands his feete and his whole body as a lambe to his enemys to be bounde to be beaten to be nailed stabbed cut and wounded as they would themselues See the blood running out of his crowned head by drop after drop where the thornes pierced it and out of his hands and feete and wounded side not by drops but by a continuall course vntill they were left dry What did he say to those that tormented him and in his torments vpbraided him with false crimes all that time he answered not a word in his owne behalfe but with silence went on stoode still or layed downe as they would haue him that carried him from place to place and from one paine to another he neuer opening his mouth to desire any ease or to intreate for any thing to teach thee meekenesse He defended innocency against the power of kings priests and presidents to teach thee fortitude in Gods cause He became naked to teach thee pouerty He tooke the cuppe of his Passion willingly from the Angell and drunke it vp to the bottome more then ne needed for the health of mankind because it was for the honour of God and his diuine will that he should doe soe Learne thou to resigne thy will to the will of God and to be contented in all occasions as he shall dispose of thee Finally there is neither writing nor preaching nor any words whatsoeuer that imprinteth soe much the loue of God in our harts nor moueth soe efficaciously to all vertues noe not the holy scriptures themselues nor any remedy soe good against all kind of sinnes as the meditation of Christs Passion which is read vnto vs in the signe of the Cros. L. 6. in Ep. ad Rom. Origen asking by what meanes we shall performe the Apostles words that sinne reigne not in vs Rom. 6. answereth where the death of Christ is carried there sinne can not reigne for saith he the Cros of Christ hath such power that if we beare it before our eyes and keepe it in our mindes noe concupiscence noe lust noe anger noe enuy can ouercome vs He â—5 in Mâ—t. to 2. the whole army of sinne is put to slight S. Chrysostome let them attende that are ashamed of the Cros of Christs Passion For if the Prince of the Apostles S. Peter were called Satan when he had not learned the mystery of the Cros Mat. 16. because he said Lord be it farre from thee this shall not be vnto thee how shall they be pardoned that dare to deny the Cros now when it is preached all ouer let none be ashamed of these signes of our saluation but let vs carry the Cros of Christ about vs as a ioyfull crowne for all things that are conducing to saluation are accomplished in it When we are regenerated the Cros is present when we are fedd with the most sacred soode when we are placed in the order of consecrating all ouer and at all times that signe of victory is vsed Wherefor let vs haue that signe in our houses in our windowes on our foreheades and in our mindes with much deuotion It is the signe of our saluation of our vniuersall liberty of the mildnesse and humility of our Lord. When therefor thou signest thy selfe with the signe of the Cros thinke of the mystery of the Cros and extinguish the fire of wrath and other Passions in thee When thou signest thy selfe with the signe of the Cros arme thy face with confidence and thy minde with the thoughts of freedome For Paul exhorting to true freedome calleth vs to the memory of the Cros saying you are bought with a great price Cor. 1.6 This was the price of the Cros. We must not onely make it with our singars on the body but with consideÌ„ce on our soules and if soe thou make it none of the wicked deuills will dare to encounter thee when he seceth the speere of his mortall wound For if we are affraid to behold the place where condemned persons are executed what dost thou
thinke will the deuill doe to see the sword with which Christ disarmed him and cut of his head be not thou then ashamed of soe great a good least Christ be ashamed of thee when he commeth in his maiesty Thou shalt see then this signe borne before Christ as bright as the sunne The Cros shall goe before him and shall speake with a lowde voice for him to shew that there was nothing wanting on his part This signe both now and of old doth open the doores that are shutt is hath extinguished poyson it hath tamed wild beasts it hath cured the mortall stings of serpents The Cros hath conuerted the world it hath put away feare and brought the truth it hath turned earth into heauen men into Angells death into sleepe it hath brought all our enemys downe to the ground If a gentill shall say to thee adore not him that was Crucifyed be not affraid with a cleere voyce and countenance to say I adore him and will adore him for euer And if he shall lauhg at thee weepe thou with many teares to see his madnes Giue thankes vnto our Lord by whom we haue these things which none without the diuine grace can say We wiâ—h a lowde and cleere voyce and with speciall confidence will cry out The Cros is our glory our freedome our crowne the head and fountaine of our happines I would I could say with S. Paul the world is Crucifyed to mee and I to the world But my Passions hinder mee that I can not say soe Whâ—efore I admonish you and much more my selfe that we be Crucifyed to the world that we haue nothing to doe with he earth but that our wh le mindes be inslaâ—â—â— with the desire of heauenly glory Thus S Iohn Chrysostome and there remaineth nothing for mee to adde to his words words worthy of his holy zeale and eloquence I would I had an Angells voice to sing them as they deserue I would repeato that saying ouer and ouer againe Th Cros is our glory our freedome our crâ—wne the head and fountaine of our happinesse Make it not onely with the fingars on the body but with confidence on the soule and make it as a profession of this faith as an incitement vnto all vertues as an armour against all temptations as a defence against all dangers as a comfort in all afflictions It is the beginning of our awaking of our sleeping of our prayers of our studies of our preaching of our Catechizing of our eating of our drinking of our walking of our riding of our working and of our leauing of from worke all our actions shall beginne and end with this blessed signe and words In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Amen THE FOVRTH DISCOVRSE OF THE CREEDE OF THE AVTHORITY AND VSE of the Creede I INTENDE now to declare the Creede vnto you in which not onely the cheife mysterys of the christian faith but all whatsoeuer the christian doctrine teacheth in some sort is conteined But first we will haue recourse vnto God and craue his assistance by our blessed Ladys intercession Haile Mary c. Before we declare the articles of the Creede in particular we will say somethinge of the authority and vse of the whole Creede to shew how authentical and pious it is Although the Creede be not deliuered in any part of the scriptures yet it is of equall authority with them to vs neither they nor it being receiued by vs but for the testimony of the Church which both of them haue and which in all thinges we are bounde to beleeue the same autority of the Catholike Church which hath deliuered the scriptures to vs deliuering also the Creede to be beleeued in the same manner by diuine faith the one by writing the other by word of mouth from time to time both of which traditions being in themselues by humane meanes onely a like fallible and by the power of God a like infallible S Pauls writings are receiued by vs as the word of God and he himselfe hath said of his preaching although not written that it was to be receiued not as the word of man but as the word of God Thes 1.2 And againe he planely commandeth them to receiue the like traditions which are deliuered by word of mouth as well as those that are written saying Breth en stande and hold the traditions which you haue learned whether it be by word or by our Epistle Thes 2.2 These are as plane words as S. Paul could speake or write to let vs vnderstande that the words of the Church are to be receiued as the writings which it deliuereth and the holy fathers by these words vnderstande the same autority to be for all the mysterys of faith and for the lawfullnes of all the ceremonys generally practised and allowed of by the Church although not mentioned expresly in the scriptures as is for the scriptures themselues L. 3. c. 3. S. Irenaeus biddeth vs in all questions of controuersy to haue recourse vnto the Apostolicall traditions and to try them by the Apostolicall succession of bishops and in particular by the chayre of Rome and saith that there are many nations of barbarous people simple for their learning but most wise in the constancy of their faith who neuer had the scriptures S. Clement the disciple of S. Peter and the adiutor of S. Paul speaking of the Creede saith that the Apostles before that they separated themselues into seueral countreys to preach the ghospell conferred together and by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost made the Creede as a rule to direct them and others in the faith which they were to preach and therfor saith he it is called the Symbole which is a Greeke word signifying a collection or a conference for that it was made by the general assembly and conference of the Apostles S. Ambrose hath these words Ep. 81. The Apostles like a company of skillfull workmen conserring together made the Symbole as a kea to locke vp the Diabolical darknes and to let in the light of Christ and we must deliuer this kea to ourbrethren that the Disciples of Peter may vse it to locke the gates of hell and open the gates of heauen to themselues S. Augustine speaketh thus of it Serm 80. de temp The Apostles haue deliuered a sure rule of faith comprehended according to the Apostolicall number in twelue sentences They called it a Symbole by which Catholike vnion might be conserued and haeretical pranity conuinced It is a Symbole breife in words but large in mysterys for whatsoeuer is praefigured in the Patriarks whatsoeuer is declared in the scriptures anâ— whatsoeuer is foretold by the Prophets either of God the Father of God the Sonne or of the Holy Ghost or of the receiuing of the Sacraments or of the death and resurrection of our Lord is conteined and breifly confessed in it Let therefor euery one learne that Apostolical faith when
loose their sensible feare of God when they offende him yet naturally they haue still the same feare of him and he allwais the same power ouer them And if any man come to that hardnes of hart as to haue noe feeling of the diuine power when he sinneth it is by long continuance and custome of sinne that he looseth that actuall feeling and feare of God yet naturally and radically he allwais hath it and can loose it noe more then birds and beasts can euer leaue to haue a natural feare of man Tertullian and Seneca haue obserued that atheists when they fall into any great misery Ter. Apoll. Senec. l. 1. deâ—rn and especially when they come to dy of all men are most deiected to thinke of the iustice of God and the punishments that abide them and are more vexed in conscience then any detesting then their former wickednes and the pleasures of their life for which they denyed God And Zeno the Philosopher was soe well satisfyed with this experience that he vsed to say that to him it a was a better proofe of the diuine power to heare the atheist who blinded with sensuality had denyed God to confesse him againe when he was freed from that passionate desire then it was to heare it prooued by the best arguments of Philosophy This may be deduced out of S. Pauls argument to the Philosophers of Athens when preaching to them he said God is not farre from euery one of vs. Act. 17. For in him we liue and moue and be That is that we haue within vs a feeling of God that gaue vs the perfections which we could not haue of ourselues and that we haue noe such feeling of stocks or stones of which their idols were made as not hauing power by nature to giue being life and motion And this natural feeling and feare of God as it pleased him to imprint it in our harts soe he hath a care to preserue it in vs and hath therfor shewed sometimes his exemplat iudgments vpon men of such atheistical spirits as haue striuen to pull downe sanctity of life and to destroy vertue Cantip. l. 2. apum a. 48. Cantipratensis relateth of one Simon a libertin of Paris that railing against Christ for teaching holinesse of life he fell downe to the ground giuing a great roare like a beast his eyes rowling after a gastly manner and making a terrible noyse with his tongue but could not vtter a word but Alis Alis which was the name of his concubine And it is reported of Machiauel that prophane Politician that when he dyed being strucken with despaire he vttered certaine words wnworthy to be rehearsed If then by nature we haue a feeling of God and for that feeling we naturally feare and abhorre to offende him and if wisemen haue obserued in atheists that when calamitys befall them and especially at their deaths they are glad to retract their errour and repenting for it to humble themselues to God or els to dy after a most miserable and horrible manner how great then and enormous is their wickednesse and how desperatly senslesse is he of his owne good who for that delight which is common to other sinners will surmount them all in a higher degree of malice and by a singular prophanenesse put himselfe vpon the racke of his owne conscience soe greeuous that for feare of worse torments he shall be forced either to confesse that which before he denyed or els which is worse to dy a miserable death and perhaps in that desperate manner as to be made an example to the world of the diuine iustice Let vs now shew in a word or two how NATVRALL REASON DOTH demonstrate the power of God FAith is the first foundation of religion and the first foundation of faith is to beleeue that there is a God who will reward those that worship him He that will come vnto God must first beleeue that he is and is a rewarder of those that seeke him Heb 11. Sayth S. Paul and therfor the first thinge which the Apostles would propose to be professed in the Creede was I beleeue in God and the last thinge which they would conclude it with was life euerlasting a necessary beginning to bring vs to that happy end The first words of the Creede being then the foundation of faith and he hauing giuen vs natural reason as a guide to the higher light of faith it was necessary that this first article and foundation of faith should be â—ithin the limits of natural reason soe farre as that discerning by nature that there was a superiour of nature we might haue recourse vnto him as to our superiour and receiue from his authority the articles of faith which he will haue vs to beleeue with subordination to that gouernment which he hath instituted in the Church And that we might see this first verity the Apostle sayth that God left not himselfe without testimony being beneficiall from heauen giuing raines and fâ—â—tefull seasons Act. 14. filling our harts with fâ—ode and gladnes He hath indeede left as many testimonys of himselfe as there are creatures of his making the least of which is sufficient to prooue him as the cause from whence they proceede and the power of which they depende But the more eminent creatures of God declare his perfections after a more eminent manner and they alltogether manifest his power soe that we are forced to confesle it to be infinite and that he is incomprehensible in goodnes and without number of greatnes because he eminently must conteine in himselfe the perfections of all that are and of all that are possible and those are without end and therefor he is infinitly greater then any limited reason can comprehende But let vs see the testimonys which God hath left of himselfe I will now dilate my speech a litle vpon the creatures of God that we may see and honour him in them Truely if we will consider the admirable composition which we see in this world and will hearken to the harmony which it maketh we cannot but come in minde of the maker of it and admire and blesse him Reg. 3.10 And as the queene of Saba when she saw the great works which Salomon had done and the excellent fine order of his house and seruants admiring at it was soe rauished with astonishment that she had noe longer spirit with admiring him soe the soule of man may well be rauished with admiration to consider the power and wisdome of that workeman who hath builded the heauens as a house but much more admirable and in a higher nature of workmanship then Salomons was and with a household of seruants in better order then Salomon could deuise for his We shall see conteined in this house a number of creatures astonishing vs with strange and vnspeakeable varietys some with being onely some with life some with sense and some with reason euery one it is propper kind and in its
bread of God or if you thinke that he onely can prosper you and reward you euen with temporal blessings why doe you serue any other but him for them Serue God and be constant to his seruice according to the rules of the Catholike Church â—nd you can want nothing that is good for you Holy Toby was constant to the seruice of God and euen in time of great persecution he had enough both for himselfe and for others and although he lost much and gaue much away for Gods sake yet God allwais increased his store It ought to be a comfort to vs to heare king Dauid in his old age sing I haue bene yong Ps 36. for I am old and I haue not seene the iust forsaken nor his seede seeking bread This day We are taught here to aske but for one day and soe from day to day that we may haue confidence in God and not set our mindes too much vpon riches and of prouiding without end as some doe who neuer know when they haue enough Esa 5. Woe to you that ioyne house to house and lay field to field euen to the end of the place shall you alone dwell in the midst of the earth Their couetousnes is with out limit as though all had bene made for them and theirs Better were it for them to thinke how to liue in an orderly and discreete way and to bring vp their children in the feare and seruice of God with an indifferent competency Some authors vnderstande here by bread the blessed Sacrament of Eucharist which appeareth as bread and is indeede the bread of Angels in that it conteineth him who feedeth the Angels with the ioy of his presence Hence S. Ambrose taketh occasion to commende the often receiuing of the blessed Sacrament saying if it be our daily bread why shall we be a yeare before we receiue it THE FIFT PETITION AND forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them their trespasses against vs. Amongst the infinite testimonys of the loue of God towards vs There is none greater then the passion of Christ by which the maine fountaine of his mercy was opened to cleanse us from sinne that we might hope and aske confidently that our trespasses might be forgiuen And as the Councell of Trent hath declared there is none in this world soe free from sinne Ia. 3. but that he may say this petition Saint Iames speaketh in general in many things we offende all Eccl. 7. And the wise man was inspired to say There is not a iust man in the earth that doth good and sinneth not We all then haue reason to pray for this and as there is not any euill in the world so great as sinne so there is nothing which we haue more reason to pray for then the forgiuenesse of sinnes Esa 7. The iniquity of the house of Iacob shall be forgiuen and this is all the fruit that his sinne be taken away It is indeede all the fruit that a sinner can desire to haue his sins taken away and it is fruit enough for so he hath the cheife thing which he can wish for in this world to wit grace by which he hath right vnto heauen Yet as great as this fruit is of the forgiuenes of our sinnes we are not taught so much as to aske it but with this condition that we will forgiue to our neighbour his trespasses against vs. Christ was a most perfect master of all vertues and nothing was there necessary or good for vs to learne but he hath taught it most perfectly both by word and by worke yet of all the lessons which he hath giuen there is nothing so much inculcated by him as charity and meekenes to others First in his owne person he hath giuen vs such an example that we cannot comprehende the dignity of it The very Sonne of God to suffer words and blowes and in the end death it selfe by his wicked and cursed seruants that he might change their curse into blessings what shall we say or thinke of this He could with one twinkle of his eye haue destroyed his enemys and freed himselfe but he would let them goe on in persecuting of him vnto death and then pray for them He was scoffed at and held his peace he was accused and answered not for himselfe he was strucken and bore it patiently hee was crucifyed and prayed for those that crucifyed him his whole life and death was a continuall patterne of this vertue and for his words his paraboles and preachings they were allways commending it tending continually to the loue of God by the loue of our neighbour And S. Iohn his beloued disciple that slept in his bosome was so filled with the same spirit of his master that in his first Epistle declaring how great a connexion there is betwixt the loue of God and the loue of our neighbour he proceedeth to these earnest termes Io. 1.4 If any man shall say that I loue God and hateth his brother he is a lyer And it is recorded of this holy Apostle that at his death these were his last words litle children loue one another And when he had repeated this Sentence often ouer to his disciples they desiring him to speake something els to them he reprooued them for it telling them that it was a saying worthy of their master It is to be obserued here that where as other vertues are asked onely in generall hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdome come c. this is asked in particular that we be forgiuen as we forgiue Now what Christian is there that can professe himselfe a disciple of Christ and yet stande at defyance against his neighbour how can he say this soueraigne prayer euery day and let his hart fester so long against any man that the sunne set before he pacify himselfe If we read in the law of Moyses of some examples in which the Saints of God haue taken revenge of their enemys as when Elias commanded fire to come downe from Heauen to consume the two Captaines of King Ochosias and their souldiers it was by particular inspiration and in zeale of iustice that Kings might learne reuerence to the seruants of God Besides Christ was not then come who was to mollify the hardnesse of that law by more mildnesse in the law of grace and therefore he said you haue heard that it was said of old Mat. 5. Thou shalt loue thy neighbour and hate thy enemy But I say to you loue your enemys doe good to them that hate you For if you loue them that loue you what reward shall you haue doe not also the Publicans this and if you salute you brethren onely doe not also the heathens this be you perfect therefore as also your heauenly Father is perfect We haue the examples of Martyrs Confessors and of all sorts of Saints who in the law of Christ haue come to this perfection as to loue those that hated them S. Steuen being appreheÌ„ded
brought before the councell of the Iewes and accused by false witnesses ceased not still to do good for euill but made a discourse to them to shew that Christ was expected by the holy Patriarkes to come to redeeme them and therefore exhorted them to beleeue in him And when they were euen cut in their harts and gnashed with their teeth against him and were stoning him to death he fell downe vpon his knees and prayed for them crying with a lowd voyce Act. 7. Lord lay not this sinne vnto them It was a fine example that which S. Gregory relateth of Libertinus a Monke Gregor dial c. 1. who hauing receiued a great blow on the face by his Superiour suddenly striking with a boord at him he went away quietly into his cell without shewing the least signe of impatience and comming the next day to the Abbot that had strucken him to aske leaue to goe abroade the Abbot suspected that he would forsake the Monastery but perceiving his occasions to be reall and iust and obseruing his bruised face which with a meruelous tranquillity of minde hee endured he fell downe vpon his knees and asked pardon And the other againe fell prostrate to his Superiour confessing his autority ouer him We haue in good authors the examples euen of wild beasts who haue rendered themselues seruiceable to the Saints of God and followed them for their mildnes How generous and Christianlike is this spirit of patience in bearing and pardoning of iniurys when the minde setleth it selfe for the loue of God and inwardly contented with that satisfaction one pittyeth to see his enemy in passion euen as one that were in a calme and safe harbour would pitty to see another on the raging sea in shippwrack and either by some discreet word laboureth to pacify him or giueth him leaue to pacify himselfe Ps 86. The mild shall inherit the land and shall be delighted in the multitude of peace But to see some of an implaceable minde bearing grudges in their harts and neuer making and en of their malice what spirit shall we call this vnworthy of the name of a Christian and it is a dissembling spirit with which many are deceiued who thinke themselues free from it Presently vpon euery occasion they are thinking how to be reuenged of their neighbour and when they can neither spare him with a good word nor a good looke they will tell you that they are in charity with him and meane him noe hurt A peruersed and childish saying If others should behaue themselues in like manner to them they would easily see the shame of it but in themselues they see it not nor consider not the hurt which they occasion by their ill exāple and behauiour Which if all should imitate there would be noe freindship nor true charity in the world If neither the loue of God nor any godnes of nature will moue these to amēde Let them feare some exēplar punishment by the words of the holy Ghost Eccle. 28. who saith He that will be reuenged shall finde reuenge of our Lord and hauing spent all that chapter in speaking against that sinne he draweth to an end in these words Blessed is he that is couered from a wicked tongue that hath not passed into the anger therof For the yoke of it is a yoke of iron and the band of it is a band of brasse The death of it is a most wicked death and hell is more profitable then it To aske with more earnestnes the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and to receiue our petition it is necessary to stirre our selues vp to a great compunction of hart and vehement detestation of sinne as the greatest of all euills that can befall vs. First it is the cause and origen of all euills as it depisueth vs of God an infinite good Secondly by sinne we are made slaues to the deuill the hardest master and most cruell tyrant of the world and of the spouses and temples of God his horrid and vgly mates accursed of God and giuen to the sorrows of an eternall destruction know you not that you are the temple of God Cor. 1.3 saith the Apostle but if any violate the temple of God God will destroy him Thirdly by sinne we are at continuall warre and vnquietnes with in ourselues For as long as we haue any sense of reason although we be out of the state of grace we must be sensible of sinne which is contrary to reason And therefor Abigail wisely disswaded Dauid from taking reuenge of Nabal saying this shall not be an occasion of sobbing to thee Reg. 1.25 and a scruple of hart And Dauid complaining of the sinnes of his former life saith that as arrowes they stacke fast in him Ps 37. and that his bones had noe peace at the face of his sinnes There is noe paine nor torment in the world to compare with a guilty conscience the vengeance of God purseing vs as our shaddows and affrighting vs with feare of punishment when we haue sinned And therefor the Holy Ghost in the scriptures compareth sinners to sicke lame sore and diseased persons Tribulation and anguish vpon euery soule that worketh euill Rom. 2. but glory and honour and peace to euery one that worketh good Saith the Apostle This is sinne and these are breisly and in general the euills of it Which if we will consider as we ought we shall desire aboue all things in the world and with as much earnestnes cry vnto God to be freed from any mortal sinne as we would to be freed from some grecuous torment Know thou and see saith Hieremy that is an euill and a bitter thinge for thee to haue left the Lord thy God Hier. 2. And those that will not see this nor vnderstande the euill of sinne to seeke the forgiunes of it are said in the scriptures to haue a hart of stone and of Adamant And such is the goodnes and mercy of God vnto sinners that he neuer denyeth the forgiuenes of sinnes to those that truely seeke for it King Dauid washed his couch with teares S. Peter went out and wept bitterly after his sinne S. Mary Magdalene shed many teares vpon the feete of Christ Let vs imitate them THE SIXT PETITION AND lead vs not into temptation Hauing in the former petition prayed for the forgiuenes of our sinnes we pray now not to be led into temptation For when our sinnes are forgiuen vs then we are in more danger of temptation because we are then the freinds of God and the professed enemys of the deuill and therefor he striueth more against vs. Tobias a holy man was tempted euen to the feare of death by the vehemency of paine which in his eyes he suffered And the Angell when he cured him told him Tob. 12. because thou wast acceptable to God it was necessary that temptation should prooue thee Iob a iust and perfect man was strucken in his goods in his children and
her and and to make them virgins and therefore those words of the Scriptures are well applyed vnto her by the Church I am exalted as a Cedar in Libanus Eccli 24. I as a vine haue fructifyed sweetnesse of odour Christ would bee botne of a Virgin for the honour of virginity and to condemne Iovinian and other licentious haeretiks that were to condemne it And therefore hee would obserue it himselfe and haue his mother to obserue it by vow Neither was her marriage opposite to this vow for as it was reuealed vnto her that without detriment of her virginity she should conceiue so without doubt her integrity in marriage which was lesse was also by diuine reuelation made knowne to her Christ would also be borne of a married woman for the honour of marriage and to refute the Encratites and such like phantasticall haeretiks that were to condemne it and also to cōserue her honour that she might not be suspected tohaue conceiued vnlawfully and as such to be subiect to the penalty of the law S. Ignat. Martyr and S. Iohn Damascen adde also a third reason to wit to conceale the manner of her conception from the deuill that he might not striue to hinder in any thing the more perfect working of that mystery which was fullfilled in her and therefore they seeme to thinke that God would binde and limit his vnderstanding so that seeing her to be married he should not attende to the manner of her conceiuing but that she conceiued as a married woman In briefe the summe of her prayses out of the Sentences of the Fathers alleadged is That she excelleth in dignity sanctity and glory all men and Angells euen the highest Seraphims that she is the miracle of the world that she is our Lady our Mistres our Queen the Mother of God the Treasure of Sanctity that she was vndefiled and vntouched with sinne that her life is the rule and discipline of ours that she was a perpetuall Virgin and the crowne of virginity that she is the Mistres and Scepter of the Catholike Faith and that she is our Aduocate These are the praises which you haue seene giuen aunciently by the holy Fathers to her and which all Catholickes will euer giue her Well might the Angell salute her full of grace whom God had filled with such graces With what reuerence may we thinke he comported himselfe to her he named her not at first hy her proper name as we doe when we say Haile Mary full of grace with more hopes and confidence to require her intercession which the Angell required not but afterwards seeing her troubled at his speech to comfort her he presently called her by her name saying Feare not Mary it being then nececessary to condescende to a more familiar manner of speaking then at first he would vse of due submission vnto her Out of all which we may gather what obligation we haue to be deuoted to our blessed Lady and how pleasing that deuotion is to God OVR LORD IS WITH THEE SVCH words are often read in the Scriptures to haue bene vsed by way of saluation So did the Angell salute Gedeon Iud. 6. saying Dominus tecum our Lord be with thee So said Booz to his reapers of corne Ruth 2. Our Lord be with you But in these places it is rather vnderstoode optatiuely wishing and praying that God might bee with them then as the Angell spoke to our blessed Lady indicatiuely declaring that God was then actually with her saying Our Lord is with thee and in the Greeke the article is here added to shew that God was after a singular manner with her to wit disposing and preparing her by a more eminent degree of grace presently to bee incarnated in her BLESSED ART THOV AMONG WOMEN THESE words were first spoken by the Angell and afterwards by S. Elizabeth who when the Mother of God came to visit her was inspired to repeate them ouer againe and to cry them out with a lowd voice as it were to proclaime her blessed in that house of Prophets where Christ our B. Lady S. Iohn Baptist saint Elizabeth and Zachary then were altogether reioicing in Christ and in her blessednesse all of them either Prophets or more then Prophets She is called blessed by contrarys to Eue who by her sinne prouoked our curse and our blessed Lady by her sanctity was the meanes of our blesse and therefore as it was threatned to the serpent Gen. 3. when he seduced Eue accursed art thou among all catle so an Angell was sent to the B. Virgin to say Blessed art thou among women and saint Elizabeth was inspired torepeate it ouer againe Shee was indeed that blessed Mother who by her Sonne bruised the serpents head and tooke away the curse of our first mother from vs. Apply here the words of the holy Ghost Eccl. 33. Against euill is good and against death is life so also against a iust man a sinner And so looke vpon all the workes of the highest two against two and one against one Against the euill of Eue is the good of Mary against death by Eue life by Mary against Eue a sinner wee haue Mary a iust woman without sinne Christ and Mary against the serpent and Eue Christ against the serpent and Mary against Eue and so two against two and one against one Eue brought sinne by yeelding to the serpent the blessed Virgin brought Christ to sight against him and to free vs. Euer blessedmay he be and blessed that woman by whom wee are all blessed Let now noe haeretike dare to blaspheme against her whom the Angell first saluted full of grace and then stiled blessed among women and whom S. Elizabeth also declared and proclaimed blessed Who dare calumniate her whom God hath soe honored We detest the rotten breasts and stinking mouths of those who shall dare to detract from any of the Saints of God and much more from the blessed among women The Angell hauing deliuered his embassage to her expected her answere the which she gaue in these humble words Behold the handmaid of our Lord be it done to mee according to thy word Where she consenteth to the will of God giuing her virginal body for his Sonne to be incarnated in Presently at these words a marriage was contracted betwixt the diuine and humane nature and they being instantly vnited together in the wombe of the B. Virgin THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH Let euery Christians knee bend at these words and doe homage in his hart to the Word Incarnated and let him honour the Virgin chosen of God to be the meanes of fullfilling that high mystery For the greater honour of which wee will declare sometihing of the circumstances of it Angell Gabriel First for the Angels name that brought the message he is called by the Euangelist Gabriel not that the Angels haue any proper names but that they are assumed or attributed to them in respect of some mystery to which those Angels
thoughts and bringforth good works by them Such obiects are all the ceremonys of the Church the saying of the Rosary the signe of the Cros often repeated the Auâ— Mary bell and the like And those that would take away those holy obiects from before vs would take away a great meanes of the good liues of christians But because we haue made mention of the Aut Mary bell Of the Aue Mary bell we will make a litle digression to declare in a word or two the meaning of it The Aue Mary bell ringeth thrice euery day to put vs in minde of three holy mysterys In the morning in honour of Christs Resurrection which was in the morning time at noone in honour of his crucifying and death which was about noone time at night in honour of the Incarnation which is thought to haue bene fullfilled about midnight At the ringing of this bell all Catholikes where soeuer they be in their houses in the streets or fieldes say the Angelical Salutation as they know and the prayer after it in honour of those mysterys In which the Catholike Church sheweth the care which she hath ouer her people instituting this short but most profitable deuotion to call them thrice on the day to the seruice of God and to keepe their harts from time to time in a continuall tendernes towards him Thus much for the Aue Mary bell There are dinerse other wayes of saying the Rosary beside that which I haue declared Sometimes we say sixty tenns and three haile Marys that is sixty three haile Marys in honour of the sixty three yeares of our B. Ladys life S. L. 2. virg Ambrose faith that her life is a patterne of all vertues which if it be it is good to kepe it before our eyes at our prayers This deuotion is called a Rosary or the Beades It is called a Rosary because those prayers ascende as a sweet odour of roses to God as when S. Apoc. 8. Iohn saw the prayers of the faithfull to ascende as the odour of incense We call it the Beades meaning the instrument which we vse when we say those prayers and improperly we terme it the saying of our beades for the saying of our prayers on them or by them to remember them the better But if the number of those prayers be in it selfe lawfull the instrument which we vse but for memorys sake can not with reason be disallowed of Sozomen relateth of S. Paul the Ermite that he vsed euery day to say three hundred prayers and at the end of euery one to set downe a litle stone for his memory sake Soe we vse beades which signify in English any litle peeces of stone bone wood or other substance to remember our prayers by them And here it may be obserued that it is not likely that S. Paul said euery day three hundred seueral prayers but that he said some one prayer soe many times ouer for if they had bene different prayers they would haue destinguished themselues and he should not haue needed stones to destinguish them Nay if we consider it rightly we shall finde that the letting downe of a beade or stone at euery seuerall prayer would rather haue hindered and confounded his memory for soe he must both remember to set downe a stone to signify the number and must haue allwais the same prayer corresponding to that number and remember which prayer that was and therefor he would not haue vsed stones but to remember how often he had said the same prayer Hier. ep ad Fur. S. Hierome aduiseth his freind to select a certaine number of verses out of the scriptures and to say them as a daily taske offered vp to God Now if S. Hierome had aduised his freind to say those verses often ouer and to vse peeces of stone bone wood or the like as a memorial to remember them by what hurt had he done he had done that which the Catholike Church doth that is he had aduised to a pious exercise and to a good meanes to helpe their memory But the enemys of the Catholike Church haue some thing to obiect against the Rosary by which the solidity of it will appeare more First they say that the words of the Angell Haile full of grace c. And the words of S. Elizabeth are not prayers for they aske nothing therefor they are not to be vsed as prayers Here we haue that the words of the Rosary are Angelicall taken our of the holy Scriptures and we inferre therefor they are good to be vsed in our prayers The lepar said to Christ If thou wilt thou canst make mcâ— cleane Mat. 8. In which words he formally and expresly asked nothing Yet they were well vsed of him to procure health of Christ For although formally and expresly such words aske not yet vertually and effectually they are prayers that is they haue the vertue and effect of prayers with God who granteth our desires for the reuerence and humility which we shew by such words and soe the leprous man vertually and effectually asked by those words and obtained his desire Soe when Lazarus was sicke his sistars Martha and Mary sent vnto Christ saying onely Lord behold he whom thou louest is sicke Io. 11. in which words they did not formally and expresly desire Christ to come to heale him but vertually they did and by them they implyed as much as to say we beseech thee to heale him S. Augustine They did not say come and cure him Tract 49 in lo. it was enough to say he whom thou louest is sicke for of those whom thou louest thou deseâ—test none They well knew that Christ was not a desertour of his freinds and therefor they expresly asked not but onely told him the condition of his freind and this had the effect of prayer with him Soe the words of the haile Mary as they are termes of reuerence and humility to our B. Lady haue the effect of prayer although expresly they aske nothing Secondly they obiect the words of the Haile Mary are the words of the Angell as by office therefor he that vseth them taketh vpon him the Angells office It was indeede the Angells office in the sonne of God his Incarnation to say the words of the Rosary and to say Glory in the highest to God in his natiuity and in both sentences we reuerence those mysterys and giue glory to God by rehearsing them S. Athanasius reioyceth that all the quires of the coelestial Hierarchys are iucessantly singing that glorious and ample hymne to wit Haile full of grace and that we the terrestrial hierarchy of men repeate it although the Angel Gabriel was first appointed to say it S. Athanasius made a good argument but it was quite contrary to this This was his argument The words of the Haile Mary are holy and mysterious words spoken by an Angell to honour the B. Virgin therefor it is sitting that all Angels and men should incessantly
words and signifying it also in action consecrating vnder two destinct formes to represent the separation of his Body and Blood in his Passion This although it be a commemoratiue and representatiue sacrifice representing and cōmemorating hisbeing offered on the Cros yet that bindereth not but it is a true Sacrifice as that was and of the very same thing after a different manner offered For if the figuratiue sacrifices of the law of Moyses were true sacrifices which represented this not as yet come but when it was to come after many hundreds of yeares how much more may that of the last supper be a true sacrifice which represented it as immediatly to bee offered and how much more may ours be a true sacrifice which representeth it as all ready offered Those were representations of a true sacrifice yet themselues also true sacrifices therefore it is not contrary to the nature of a sacrifice to be the representation of a sacrifice But they say that the sacrifices before Christ were true and reall creatures representing a future sacrifice different from them but we say that we offer vp the same thing that is represented in it how can it be the same and yet a representation of it Yes we offer vp the same Body that was offered on the Crosse and represent the same body offered in a different manner The same thing in a different state and condition may represent it selfe as it was before or shall be bereafter in another manner and state If a champion that had ouercome his enemy should represent afterwards the manner of his encounter then he should represent himselfe in a different state and that which represented should be the same as the thing which it did represent If Dauid for his greater glory had in his owne person exhibited to the people his victory ouer the Philisthaean Gyant then he had bene both a representation of Dauid and true Dauid representing the victory which himselfe had gotten so the Body of our Lord as it is offered at Masse representeth it selfe as it was offered on the Crosse and is the same in a different manner and state on the Crosse it was after a cruell and bloody manner as fighting on the Altare it is after an vnbloody manner as in peace after the victory Thus also the same sacred Body of our Lord in his glorious Transfiguration represented it selfe as it was to be in the state of glory afterwards Soe that the same thing may represent it selfe and the Masse may be a representatiue and commemoratiue sacrifice of that of the Cros and yet offer the same thing that was then offered Nay by how much more vnion that which representeth hath to that which it doth represent the more liuely and naturall is the representation of it as it were a more liuely and naturall representation of Dauids victory represented by himselfe then by another because it had more connexion and relation to the former action The being therefore a commemoratiue and representatiue sacrifice doth not hinder the Masse for being a true sacrifice of the same thing which is represented in it It representeth the oblation of the Crosse and in all places wheresoeuer Masse is said there the death of our Redeemer is commemorated and the same thing is offered all ouer and the very same that was offered on the Crosse The words of S. Chrysostome shall declare this point of the Christian doctrine What doe we saith he doe not we offer euery day we doe offer indeede Hom. in 7. ad hob and that in commemoration of his death And this is but one host and not many because he was but once offered and this Sacrifice is an example of that We offer still the same thing not to day one Lambe and to morrow another but allways the very same Because it is offered in many places are there therefore many Christs No! but the same Christ Here he is intirely and there intirely the same body This is enough in confirmation of the Catholike verity and we will dispute no more of it but blesse God for it Attende then ô Christian and consider the diuine loue to thee and how much thou art honoured in this mistery Thou by thy sinnes hadst lost the fauour of God and wert condemned for euer to be banished from him he to redeeme thee out of that state sent his onely sonne to suffer doath for thee who hauing giuen his life to restore thee to the state of grace would not leaue thee so but would remaine allwais with thee and be offered euery day for thee to keepe thee in that happy state With what loue and reuerence then ought we to be present at Masse Hauing said thus much of the Masse as it is a Sacrifice Let vs now come to THE PARTS AND CHREMONYS OF MASSE BEFORE that I speake of the parts and ceremonys of the Masse in particular I will say something of the nature of ceremonys in generall The vse of ceremonys in the seruice of God is grounded vpon the condition of our nature for man being a corporall creature must honour God according to his nature after a corporall manner Angels onely by intellectuall and and spirituall acts honour God because they are onely Spirits but men being both spirituall and corporall both spiritually and corporally according to there nature must honour him spiritually with inward acts of minde and corporally with outward actions of the body and therefore we pray not onely by spirituall and mentall prayer as the Angels doe but also with vocall words and vse ceremonys to signify outwardly our inward reuerence to the mysterys which are signifyed by them So that ceremonys are in vertue and effect words being altogether as proper signes and indeede more naturall to expresse our affections then words are The Sonne of God hauing assumed the nature of man by humane actions glorifyed his Father not onely spiritually with his minde but also corporally with his body by words and ceremonys when he prayed sometimes lifting vp his hands sometimes his eyes sometimes kneeling and prostrating himselfe and he iustifyed the like ceremonys in his disciples as when in that glorious solemnity in which they and the Hebrew children conducted him solemnly into Hierusalem they vsed both words and ceremonys to expresse their affection and ioy in him They cryed out Luc. 19. Mat. 21. Blessed is he that commeth King in the Name of our Lord Peace in Heauen and glory on the High And they carried boughs and spred their garments for him to treade vpon and when the Pharisys desired him to rebuke them they were rebuked themselues for desiring it The Magdalene comming to be cleansed at the fountaine of life spoke not with words but by many ceremonys her earnest repentance weeping washing and wipeing our Saviours feete kissing his sacred Body and annointing his head and when the Pharisy murmured at it Christ iustifyed those actions in her and gaue him to vnderstande that if he also had done
his life time another sinneth and is punished with the death of wife or children another receiueth some affront and pineth away with greefe and malice that he can not reuenge himselfe another hath his house burned or robbed another hath his croppe wasted and destroyed Another hath diseases and losses in his cattell and a thousand kindes of temporall punishments are iustly inflicted vpon men for their sinnes and come not by chance as some would perswade themselues For God seeeth the malice of all our actions and because he will not publish them vntill the day of iudgment he punisheth them with such afflictions as are commune to all to bring vs to repentance This doctrine is prooued by that which Christ said to the man whom he cured of eight and thirty yeares infirmity Io. 5. Behold thou art made whole sinne noe more least some worse thinge chance to thee In which we see two things First that sinne is punished with temporal afflictions as corporall infirmitys and secondly that if they mende not with those but sinne againe they may expect some worse thinge euen temporally And what is that a suddaine and miserable death For we are neuer soe much in danger of our liues as when we are in mortal sinne Because the deuill hauing then the possession of our soules bringeth vs as much as he can vpon perils of death to secure his possession And therefor Balaam that wicked Prophet counsailed King Balac to draw the Israelits into sinne that he might more easily oue come Ortg. ho. 20. in 25. nu and kill them as though he had said saith Origen This is a people which sighteth not by their owne strength but by the fauour of their God make them to offende him and the victory is thine owne and for this thou shalt endeauour to ouerthrow their chastity Fight not with them by force of armes bring not men to assalt and resist them Bring women to tempt them to sinne sinne will dull their weapons weaken their strength and â—ill them A company of Madianite women are brought for that purpose they draw the Israelits to fornicate with them and after that to adore their idols then God forsaketh them and they are ouerthrowne in their sinne Thus doth Origen describe that passage And in an other place he hath these words Orig. in c. 31. nu The Israelits when they came against Madian were numbred six hundred thousands of sighting men yet all these when thâ—y were in sinne were ouercome by the Madianites and the Madianites againe who had ouercome six hundred thousands of Israelites when they were in sinne were ouercome themselues by twelue thousand of them when they were free from sinne It was to this purpose all that which Achior said to Holofernes who leading an army with intention to subduâ— the whole world and passing without resistance through many peoples to the borders of Israel where as others at his approching had presently sent messengers to yeeld to him he seeeth the Israelits to make preparations of warre and to fortify places against him and calling his captaines together to informe himselfe of the nature and strength of that people Achior captaine of the Ammonites declared vnto him the beginning and progresse of the Israelits what strange victorys they had gotten by the helpe of God and how easily they had bene defeated when they were in sinne And although he counsailed not as Balaam did to draw them into sinne yet he aduised him at least to informe himselfe well whether they were in sinne or noe before he assalted them Iudith 5. Now therefor my Lord search if there be any iniquity of theires in the sight of their God and let vs goe vp to them because their God will deliuer them to thee but if there be noe offence of this people before their God we can not resist them because God will defende them And it cost Holofernes his life and the ouerthrow of his whole army because he would not follow his counsaile For the Israelits crying humbly to God and pleasing him he fought himselfe soe for them that Holofernes was killed and his huge army put to flight by one woman onely To what purpose now shall the Potentates of this world build vpon humane pollicys and strength to raise great Monarchys to themselues and their children when all their power is soe easily confounded They giue themselues to sinne and to neglect of their charge and then God who supported them letteth them fall and they being dashed to peeces he raiseth another to stande as long as it pleaseth him Esni 14. I will destroy the name of Babylon and the remaines and buâ—de and progeny Anâ— I will make it the possession of the hedge â—â—gg And I will sweepe it with a beesome wearing it saith the Lord of hosts Vpon which place S. Hierome hath these words Hiero. in c. 14. Esa Babylon was by the description of authors a citty builded on a plane fâ—wers quare in forme and had from corner to corner sixteene miles soe that in compasse it conteined threescore and fower miles The tower or Capitol theirof is said to haue bene fower miles in hight And for the marble temples golden statuas and streetes shining with gold and pretious stone it is almost incredible that which is recorded of it All this I say to shew the wrath of God against sinne For now we see the ruines onely left and those become the possession of the hedgehogg the words of the Prophet being truely fullfilled I will sweepe it with a beesome wearing it It is the goodnes of God to ight against his enemys and to defende his freinds and it is the malice of sinne to destroy those that committe it and of the deuill to seeks the death and destruction of those that serue him Prosperity Victory and glory are the rewards of vertue aduersity and death are the stipends of sinne And this is soe certaine and general in it selfe that the holy Church saith noe aduersity shall hurt where noe iniquity reigneth The fourth euill of sinne is that it bringeth miserys not onely vpon the sinners themselues but also vpon their kinred and freinds It happeneth sometimes that a man hauing committed some greeuous sinne resteth himselfe with out punishment liuing in prosperity perhaps all his life time and after his death when he is in hell then his children or allyance are strucken with temporal punishments and become miserable in their bodys or goods which prosper not with them through his sinne Thus many are punished here in their bodys with temporall afflictions directly for the sinnes of others and indirectly also in their soules for that they follow their euill footstepps and committe sinne by their example I am the Lord thy God mighty ielous Exod. 20. visiting the iniquity of fathers vpon the children vpon the third and fourth generation of those that hate mee C ham seeing the nakednesse of his father Noe when he was a sleepe derided