them selues their successours to the worlds end this I say being once brought to passe and the litle stone that was cut out of a hill without handes being now made a huge mountaine that had spreed it self ouer the whole face of the earth according to Daniels prophetie thē thos holy and sage Apostles for preuenting of al new doctrines and false errours that might afterwardes arise as by reuelation from Iesus they vnderstood there should doe many most earnestly exhorted and with al possible vehemēcie called vpon the people to stand fast in the documents and traditions then receaued to holde firmly the faith and doctrine already deliuered as a Depositum and treasure committed to be safely kept vntil the last daie And aboue all other thinges they most diligently forewarned them to beware newfangled teachers whom they called Herctiques who should breake from the vnitie of this vniuersal bodie already made and knit together and should deuise new gloses exposition and interpretations of Scripture bring in new senses doctrines opinions diuisions to the renting of Gods Church and Citie now builded and to the perdition of infinite soules For discerning of which kinde of most pernicious people as S. Austen and other holie fathers doe note for more perfecte distinction betwene them and true Christians the said Apostles inuented the name Catholique and set doune in their cōmon Creede that clause or article I beleeue the Holie Catholike Church By whiche word Catholike that signifieth vniuersal they gaue to vnderstand to al posteritie that whatsoeuer doctrine or opinion should be raised afterward among Christians disagreeing from the general consent doctrine and tradition of the vniuersal Church was to be reputed as errour heresie and vtterly to be reiected And that the only Anckor staie and securitie of a Christian mans my nde in matters of beleefe for his saluation was to be a Catholike that is as all aunciēt fathers doe interprete the same one who layīg aside al particuler opinions and imaginations both of hym self and others doth subiect his iudgment to the determination of Christes vniuersal visible and knowen Church vpon earth embrasing whatsoeuer that beleeueth and abādoning whatsoeuer that reiecteth And this is that plaine direct sure and infallible waye among Christians whereof we spake out of Esaie and other prophetes and Saintes of God before wherin no man can erre though neuer so simple but only of wilful and obstinate malice which is declared in this maner followinge The Ghospel of Christ being once preached and receyued vniformely ouer al the world and Churches of Christianitie erected throughout all Countries Prouinces and Nations in the Apostles time as hath bene said it is to be considered that this vniuersal church bodie or kingdome so gathered foūded established was to continue visibly not for one or two ages but vnto the worlds ende For so it was foreshewed and promissed most perspicuouslie by Daniel when he foretelling the soure great Monarchies that after him should ensue adioineth thes euident wordes of the church and kingdome of Christ In the daies of thes kingdomes shal God raise vp a Celestial kingdome vvhich shal indure for euer vvithout subuersiō that kingdome shal not be deliuered ouer to any other people By which last wordes as also by diuers promisses of Christ hym self in the Ghospel we are acertained that the very same visible congregatiō Church bodie common weale gouernment and kingdome which was established by the Apostles in their time should endure and continue by succession of folowers vnto the worlds ende neither should it passe ouer or be deliuered to any other people that is no new teachers or later doctrines dissenting from the first should euer finallie preuaile against it Which prophetie to haue bene fulfilled frō that day vnto this is made euident and most apparant by the recordes of al ages wherin albeit diuers errours and heresies haue sprong vp and made great blustering and disturbance for a time yet haue they bene repressed and beate doune againe by the same Church and her visible pillars in the ende For examples sake in the first age there rose vp certaine seditious fellowes amōg the Iewes making some cōtention about their ceremonies as also did Simon Magus Nicolaus Cerinthus Ebion and Menander that were heretiques Against whō besides the Apostles stoode ī defence of that which was published before their Disciples S. Martialis S. Dionisius Areopagita Ignatius Policarpus others In the secōd age rose vp Basilides Cerdon Marcion Valentinus Tacianus Apelles Montanus and diuers others against whom stoode in the battaile Iustinus Martyr Dionisius bishop of Corinth Irenaeus Clemens Alexandrinus Tertulian and their equals And so douneward frō age to age vnto our daies whatsoeuer heresie or different opinion hath bene raised contrary to the general consent of this vniuersal bodie it hath bene checked and controlled by the watchmē pastours chief gouernours of this bodie and finally hath bene condemned and anathematized by their general assemblies consent and councelles gathered from time to time as occasions serued in al partes of the world Wherby it is most manifest that he who relieth vpon this general consent of Christes Church in earth and adhereth to nothing against the iudgmēt of the same cā not possibly erre in matters of beleefe but walketh in that sure secure and infallible path wherin Esaye sayeth that a very foole can not goe amisse Wherfore to conclude this first parte of our present speech cōcerning the trial of our faith and beleefe he that is a true Catholique and holdeth hym self within th' obedience of this general and vniuersal Church which hath descended by succession from Christ and his Apostles that is as olde Vincentius said eleuen hundred years agoe in his most excellent treatise against innouations of heretiques he that Ioueth the Churche and bodie of Iesus Christ so much as he preferreth nothinge in the world before the Catholique and vniuersal doctrine therof not any priuat mans authoritie loue wit or eloquence not reasons of nature or pretēce of scriptures against that which before hym was beleeued by all men he that followeth vniuersalitie antiquitie and consent in his beleefe and standeth firmelie to that faith which hath bene held from time to time in al places in al seasons by al or the most parte of Bishopes Priestes and Doctours in Christianitie he that cā say with S. Augustine that he trulie followeth that vniuersal Church which had her beginninge by the enteringe in of Natiōs got authoritie by miracles was increased by charitie and established by continuance which hath her succession of bishopes from the Chaire of Peter vntil our time that Church whiche is knowen in the worlde by the name of Catholique not onlie to her friendes but also among her enimies for that euen heretiques in common speech doe terme her so hauinge no other meanes to distinguishe them-selues and their followers from
him self and the rest most euident to all the worlde as dōne in publique before infinite witnesses Neither is it possible they could be forged for that as in the like I haue noted before it had bene most easye to haue refelled them and therby to haue discredited the whole proceedings of Christian religion in thos first beginnings As for example if the miracle of Peters deliuery forth of the handes and prison of Herod Agrippa had any way bene to be touched with falsehood how many would ther haue bene of Herodes Officiers Courtiars seruantes or friends that for defence of their Princes honour so deeply tainted by this narratiō of S. Luke published not lōg after the thig was dōne how many I say would haue offred them selues to refuce and disgrace the writer therof hauing so pregnant meanes by publike recorde to doe the same So againe wheras the same Luke reporteth of his owne knowledge that in a Citie of Macedonie named Philippi S. Paul Silas after many miracles dōne were whipped and put in prison with a diligēt guarde in the lowest prison of al their feete locked fast in stockes of tymber and that at midnight when Paul and Silas beganne to pray the whole prison was shaken and all the dores throwen open as also the gyues not only of thos two but of al the other prisoners vpon a sudaine burst in sunder that therupon not only the Iayler cast him self at the feete of Paul but the Magistrates also who the daie before had caused them to be whipt came and asked them pardon and entreated them to depart from their Citie This storie I say if it had bene false ther needed no more for consutatiō therof but only to haue examined the whole Citie of Philippi which could haue testified the contrary And yet amongst so many aduersaries eager impugners of Christian religiō as Gods enemie stirred vp in the primatiue Church of all sortes and sectes of people no one euer appeared that durst attempt to take in hand the particuler improouing of thes or the like miracles but rather confessing the factes sought alwayes to discredite them by other sinister calumniations namely and commonlie that they were wrought by the deceits and sleights of art magike Thus said the Iewes of the miracles of Iesus and so said Iulian th' Apostata of the wonderful straunge thinges done by S. Peter and S. Paul affirming them to haue bene the most expert in Magike of any that euer liued and that Christ wrote a special booke of that profession and dedicated the same to Peter and Paul wher as notwithstanding it is most euident that Paul was a persecutour diuers yeares after Christ departed One Hierocles also wrote a booke wherin he feigneth Appolonius Tyanaeus to haue done the like miracles by Magicke which Christ and his Apostles did by diuine power And finally it is a general opinion that both Nero and Iulian gaue them selues so extremely to the studie of that vaine science as no men euer did the like vpon emulation onely of the miracles done in Rome by Peter and Paul when Nero liued and by other Saintes disciples in the time of Iulian. But what was the ende Plinie that was a Pagane writeth thus of Nero that as no man euer laboured more then he in that science so no man euer left a more certaine testimonie of the maruailous exceeding vanitie therof The like in effect writeth Zosimus of Iulian albeit him self a malitious heathen And if it were not writen yet their seueral extraordinarie calamities and most miserable deathes which by al their Magike they could not forsee doth sufficiently testifie the same vnto vs especially the last words of Iulian Vicisti Galilae vicisti Thou hast woune ô Galilaean thou hast gotten the victorie Acknowleging therby as well the truth of Christs miracles and of his folowers as also the vanitie follie and madnes of his owne endeuours Thus then went foreward Christs Apostles and preached him euery wher throughout the world Domino cooperate sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis that is as S. Marke affirmeth Our Lord Iesus working with them confirming their preaching by signes miracles In respect of which benigne assistance of Iesus in their actions S. Luke saieth further they dealt most confidently in our Lord his vvord of grace giuing testimonie to their doinges and shevving forth signes and most prodigious vvonders hy their handes No pers cution no terrour no threats of enemies no difficultie or daunger that might occurre could staie them from their course of setting foorth Christs name and glorie And they were so assured of the truth by the inward illuminations which they had and by this certaine testimonie of Gods fauour and assistance in doing miracles as one of thē writeth thus That vvhich vve haue eard vvhich vve haue sene vvith our eyes vvhich vve haue beheld vvhich our handes haue handled of the vvorde of lise that vve doe testesie and announce vnto you And an other who had bene a greeuous persecutour and was cōuerted without conference with any Christian in the world said of Iesus Christ that vvas dead and resen againe that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bulatiō nor distresse nor sainine nor beggarie nor dāger nor persecutiō nor dint of svvorde could daunt him from the seruice of 〈◊〉 a maister And in another place he saith that he esteemed all thing of this world wherin a man might glorie to be as 〈◊〉 dunge and detrimentes in respect of the eminent knowledge that is his worde of his Lord Iesus Christ. In which verie name he tooke so exceedig great delight as in a few Epistels which he left writē he is obserued to haue vsed this sentence Dominus noster Iesus Christus aboue two hundred tymes Neither endured this in thes Apostles for a time onlie but all their liues which as they spent with alacritie in the seruice of Iesus so inthe ende they gaue vp the same most cherefully to what soeuer death presented it self for cōformation sealing of their former doctrine neuerso ful of cōfidence courage and consolatiō as at that houre nor euer so boldly denouncing their Maister or talking so ioyfully of rewardes Crounes c Kigdomes as at the verie last instant and vpshot of their wordly combat This thé declareth most manifestly that the actions of thes men proceeded not of humane spirit nor could be perfourmed by the power of má But by the diuine force and supernatural assistance of their Lord and God whom they confessed AND THVS MVCHE in brauitie of Christs Apostles Ther ensue his Euangelistes that is such men as haue lefte vnto vs writen his birth life doctrine death Wherin is to be noted that lesus being God tooke a different way from the custome of man in deliuering vnto vs his lawes and preceptes For that men who haue bene law-makers vnto the worlde knew no surer way
is we see the Iuishe people abandoned and afflicted aboue al Nations of the world dispersed in seruilitie throughout al corners of other Nations without dignitie or reputation without king prince or common wealth of them selues prohibited by al Princes both Christian other to make their sacrifices wher they inhabite depriued of al meanes to attaine to knowledge in good literature wherby daily they fal into more grosse ignorance and absurdities against common reason in their later doctrine then did the most barbarous infidels that euer were hauing lost al sense and feeling in spiritual affaires al knowledge and vnderstāding in celestial thinges for the life to come hauing among them no Prophet no graue teacher no man directed by Gods holy spirite and finally as men forlorne and filled with al kinde of miserie doe both by their inward and external calamities preach denounce testifie to the world that Iesus whom they Crucified was the only true Messias and Saucour of mankinde and that his blood as they required lieth heauilie vpon their generatiō for euer Wherfore to conclude this whole discourse and treatise of the proofes and euidences of our Christian religion seing that by so manifolde and inuincible demōstratiōs it hath bene declared laied before our eyes that Iesus is the only true Saucour and redeemer of the world and consequently that his seruice and religion is the only waye and meane to please almightie God and to attaine euerlasting happines ther remaineth now to consider that the same Iesus which by so many Prophets was promised to be a Saucour was also foretolde by the self same Prophetes that he should be a Iudge and examiner of al our actions Which later point no one Prophet that hath forshewed his cōming hath omitted seriously to inculcate vnto vs. No not the Sibyls them selues who in euery place where they describe the most gracious cōming of the Virgins sonne doe also annexe therunto his dreadful appearance at the day of iudgmēt especially in thos famous Acrosticke verses wherof there hath bene so much mention before the whole discours vpon the words Iesus Christ the sonne of God Saucour and Crosse containeth nothing els but a large and ample description of his most terrible cōming infire and flame and conflagration of the world at that dreadful daie to take accompt of all mēs wordes actions and cogitations To which description of thes Pagane Prophetes is consonāt the whole tenour and cōtext of the olde Bible foreshewing euery where the dreadful Maiestie terrour and seueritie of the Messias at that day The new Testament also which tendeth wholy to comfort and solace mankinde and hath the name of Euangile in respect of the ioyful newes which it brought to the world omitteth not to put vs continually in minde of this point And to that ende both Iesus him self amiddest al his sweet and comfortable speeches with his Disciples did admonishe them often of this last daie and his Apostles Euangelistes Disciples after him repeated iterated and vrged this important consideration in al their wordes and writinges Wherfore as by the name and cogitation of a Saueour we are greatly stirred vp to ioye alacritie confidence and consolation so by this admonishment of Gods Saints and of Iesus himself that he is to be our Iudge and seuere examiner of al the minutes and moments of our life we are to conceyue iust feare and dread of this his second comming And as by the whole former treatise we haue bene instructed that the only waie to saluatiō is by the profession of Iesus religion so by this accompt that shal be demanded at our handes at the last daie by the Authour and first institutour of this religion we are taught that onles we be true Christiās indeed and doe performe such duties as this law and religion prescribeth vnto vs so farre of shal we be from receyuing any benefite by the name as our iudgment shal be the more grieuous and our final calamitie more intollerable For which cause I would in sincere charitie exhorte euery man that by the former discourse hath receyued any light and is confirmed in his iudgment concerning the truth of Christian religion to employ his whole endeuours for the attainemēt of the fruite and benefite therof which is by being a true and real Christian for that Christ him self foresignified that many should take the name without commoditie of their profession And to the ende ech man may the better knowe or coniecture of him self whether he be in the right way or no and whether he perfourme in deede the dutie required of a true Christian I haue thought conuenient to adioyne this chapter next following of that matter and therin to declare the particuler pointes belonging to that profession Which being knowen it shall be easie for euerie one that is not ouer partial or wilfullie bent to deceaue hym self to discerne of his owne estate and of the course and waye that he holdeth Which is a highe pointe of wisdome for all men to doe while they haue tyme least at the later daye we hauing passed ouer our liues in the bare name onlie of Christianitie without the substance doe finde our selues in the number of thos most vnfortunate people who shall crye Lord Lord and receaue no comfort by that confession HOW A MAN MAY IVDGE OR DISCERNE OF HIM SELF VVHETHER HE BE a true Christian or not VVith a declaration of the tvvo partes belonging to that profession vvhiche are beleefe and lyse CHAPT V. AS IN humane learning and sciences of this worlde after declaratiō made of the vtilitie possibilitie certaintie conueniencie and other qualities cōmendations and proprieties therof the next point is to shew the meanes and way wherby to attaine the same so much more in this diuine heauenly doctrine of Christian religion which concerneth our soule and euerlasting saluation for that we haue shewed before not only the most vndoubted truth wherupon it standeth but also that the knowledge therof is so absolutelie necessary as there is no other name or profession vnder heauen wherby mankinde can be saued but only this of Iesus it foloweth by order of good consequence that we should treate in this place how a man may attaine the fruite of this doctrine that is to saye how he may come to be a good Christian or if alredy he professe that name how he may examine or make trial of him self whether he be so in deed or not Which examination to speake in briefe consisteth wholie in consideration of thes two pointes First whether he beleeue vnfainedly the total summe of documēts mysteries left by Iesus his disciples in the Catholique Church and secondlie whether he performe in sinceritie the rules and preceptes of life prescribed vnto Christians for direction of their actions So that on thes two points we are to bestowe our whole speeche in this chapter AND FOR THE FIRST how to examine
geuē vnto vs against the same they crie with S. Paul that they finde a lavv in their members repugning to the lavv of their minde which is the rebellion of concupiscence left in our flesh by original sinne but they confesse not or cōsider not with the same apostle that the grace of God by Iesus Christ shall deliuer them from the same They remember not the comfortable saying of our Saueour vnto S. Paul in the middest of his greatest temptations Sufficie tibi gratia mea My grace is sufficient to strengthen thee against them al. Thes men I say doe as Helizeus his disciple did who casting his eyes onelie vpō the number of his enemies that is vpon the huge armie of Syrians redie to assault him thought hīself lost vtterly vnable to stand in their sight vntil by the prayers of his master the holie Prophet he was permitted by God to see the Angels that stoode there present to fight on his side and then he wel perceaued that his parte was the stronger So fareth it with the weake and distrustful people who feeling and considering onlie the miseries and infirmities of their own nature wherby day lie strong tentations do rise against them doe account the batail painful and the victorie vnpossible hauing not tasted in deed nor euer proued through their own default and negligence the manifold helpes of heauenlie and spiritual succours which almightie God neuer faileth to send vnto such as are content for his sake to take this cōflict in hand S. Paul had wel tasted that ayde who hauing reckned vp al the hardest incounters and impedimentes that might be he adioineth notwithstanding Sed in his omnibus superamus propter cum qui dilexit nos But we ouercome in al these combates by his assistance that loueth vs. And then falleth he to that most wonderful protestation wherof both heauen earth and hel may stand in admiration that nether death nor life nor Angels nor other thing should be able to seperat him from Christ or to make him abandon his seruice and al this vpon the confidence of spiritual ayd frō his said Saueour wherby he sticked not to auouch that he could doe al things The Prophet Dauid also had proued the force of this assistance when he saide I did runne the vvay of thy commaundementes ô Lord vvhen thoudiddest enlarge my hart This enlargement of hart was by spiritual consolation of internal vnction wherby a mans hart drawen together by anguishe and sorow is opened and enlarged at what time Gods holie grace is powred ito it no otherwise then a drie purse is softened and enlarged by annointing it with oyle Of which diuine oyle and heauenlie comfort when this blessed seruant of God had receaued his part he confessed presentlie that he did not onlie walke the wayes of Gods commandementes with ease but also did runne them ouer with exceeding pleasure Euē as a carte wheele which creketh and complaineth vnder a smal burden when it is drie doth runne on merilie and without al noise when a litle oyle is put vnto it Which thing aptlie expresseth our state and condition who without Gods assistance are able to doe nothing but with the ayde thereof are able to conquere and ouercome al things And surelie I would gladlie aske these men that imagine the way of Gods holy law to be so hard and ful of difficultie how the prophet could say who was a man as we are I haue taken pleasure ô Lord in the vvay of thy commaundementes euen as in al the riches of the vvorld And in an other place That the same commandementes vvere more pleasant and more to be desired then any gold or pretious stone and more svveter thē hony or the hony combe By which wordes he yeeldeth to vertuous life not onely due estimation of honour and value aboue al treasures in the world but also of pleasure delite and sweetnes therby to confound al those that abandone forsake the same vpon idle pretensed and feined difficulties And if king Dauid could say thus much in the old testament and of the old law which notwithstanding was infinitlie more hard thē is the new with how much more reason may we speake it now in the time of grace when not onlie the seruice of God in it self is without al comparison more sweet and easie but also the peculier helpes and assistances of almightie God much more effectual and abundant For further declaratiō wherof I would demand of thee thou poore infortunat Christian that deceauest thie self with thes bugges and fancies of imagined difficulties whie Christ our Saueour came into this world whie tooke he our flesh vpon him whie laboured he and tooke so much paines among vs whie shed he his blood whie praied he to his father so often for vs whie appointed he the Sacramentes as conduites to deriue his most holie grace vnto vs whie sent he the Holie Ghost into the world what signifieth Ghospel or good tidings what meaneth the words Grace Mercie brought with him what importeth the comfortable name of IESVS Is not al this to deliuer vs from sinne from sinne past I say by his only death from sinne present and to come by the same death and by the assistance of his holy grace bestowed on vs more abundantlie then before Was not this one of the prīcipal effectes of Christ his comming as the prophet noted that craggie pathes should be made streight and hard vvayes plaine was not this the cause whie he indued his church with the seuen blessed giftes of the Holie Ghost and with the vertues infused to make the yoke of his seruice sweet the exercise of good life easie the walking in his commandemētes pleasant in such sort as men might now sing in tribulations haue confidence in perils securitie in afflictions and assurance of victorie in al temptations is not this the beginning midle and ende of the Ghospel were not thes the promises of the Prophetes the tydinges of the Euangelistes the preachinges of the Apostles the doctrine beleef and practise of al saincts and finallie is not this verbum abbreuiatum The word of God abbreuiated and made short wherin doe consist al the riches and treasures of our Christian profession But for that this matter is of exceeding great weight to the strēgthening of Christians in their vocation against the temptations of pusilanimitie and deiectiō which are verie ordinarie dāgerous to most mē in the world it shal not be amisse perhappes to treate discusse the same more at large in this place laying doune the particuler meanes and helpes which euerie man hath or may haue in this busines if he want not wil to vse and applie the same to his assistance and commoditie And for that the feeld is large the matters are many which doe appertaine vnto this point I haue thought conuenient for more plainesse and perspicuitie
the riches of iniquitie The rich gloutton might haue escaped his tormentes haue made him self a happie man by helpe of worldly wealth if he had listed And so might many a thousand that now liue in Christianitie and wil goe to hel for the same cause that the glutton did Oh that men would take warning one by an other and be wise whiles they haue time S. Paul saieth Deceiue not your selues Looke vvhat a man sovveth and that shal he reape What a plentiful haruest then might riche men prouide to thē selues if they would hauing such store of seede by them and so much ground offered them daily to sow it in Why doe they not remember that sweet haruest-song Come ye blessed of my father enter into the kingdom prepared for you for I vvas hungrie and you fed me I vvas thirstie and you gaue me to drink I vvas naked and you appareled me Or if they doe not care for this why doe they not feare at least the blacke Sanctus that must be chaunted to them for the contrary Agite anne diuites plorate vlulantes in miserijs vistris quae adueniēt vobis goe now you riche men weepe and houle in your miseries that shal come vpō you The holy father Iohn Damaseen reporteth a goodly parable of Barlaam the heremite to our purpose There was saieth he a certaine citie or common wealth which vsed to chuse to them selues a king from among the poorest sorte of people and to aduaunce him to great honour wealth and pleasures for a time But after a while when they were wearie of him there fashion was to rise against him and to dispoile him of al his felicitie yea of the verie clothes of his backe and so to banish him naked into an Iland of a farre countrie where bringing nothing with him he should liue in great miserie and be put to exceeding slauerie for euer Which practise one king at a certaine time considering by good aduise for al th' other though they knew that fashion yet through negligence pleasures of their present felicitie cared not for it tooke resolute order with him self how to preuent this miserie which was by this meanes He saued euery day great sommes of money from his superfluities and idle expences and so secretly made ouer before hand a great treasure vnto that iland wherunto he was in daunger daily to be sent And whē the time came that in deed they deposed him from his kingdom and turned him away naked as they had done th' other before he went to the ilād with ioy and confidēce where his treasure lay and was receiued there with exceeding great triumph and placed presently in greater glorie then euer he was before This parable teacheth as much as possibly may be said in this point For this citie or common wealth is this present world which aduaunceth to authoritie poore men that is such as come naked into this life and vpon the soudaine when they looke least for it doth pul them doune againe and turneth them of naked into their graues and so into an other world where bringing no treasure of good workes with them they are like to finde litle fauour but rather eternal miserie The wise king that preuented this calamitie is he which in time of wealth in this life according to the counsail of our Saueour Christ doth seeke to lay vp treasure in heauen by almes deedes and other good works against the day of his death when he must be banished hence naked as al the prices of that citie were At which time if their good deeds do folow them then as God pmiseth they shal be happie men and placed in much more glorie then euer this world was able to geue them But if they come without oile in their lampes then is there nothing for them to expect but nescio vos I know you not And when they are knowen Ite maledicti in ignem aeternum goe you accursed into fire euerlasting EXAMPLES OF TRVE RESOLVTION IN THE TVVO FORMER POINTES of suffering for Christ and contemning the vvorld Adioined for the better declaration and confirmation of the tvvo chapters next going before CHAPT V. FOR so much as the two precedent chapters of contemning the world and suffering for Christ are by their own natures and in mans natural sight and reason very dreadful and lothsome to flesh and bloud and to whatsoeuer depēdeth therof in such sort as diuers persons who otherwise esteme thē selues no euil Christians doe take horrour and auersion euen at the very name and mention of such things persuading them selues that the necessitie of Christiā profession requireth not any resolution to so high a perfection I am moued in this place to adioine to the former treatises a breefe declaration of the practise and excercise of ancient Christians in thes two points wherby their opinions and censures may better be seire thē by their words and wherin ech other Christiā that liueth at this day may behold as in a table or glasse what behoueth him to doe when occasion is offered if he professe to serue vnder the same banner and doe expect his paye at the handes of the same king and maister that they did Many things haue bene said before cōcerning thes two misteries of worldlie contempt and sufferance in tribulation And among other matters it hath bene declared that the very foundatiō of Christian Religion which is the holie crosse and Crucifix standeth builded principaly vpon thes two pillers It hath bene showed how Christ our Sauiour when he sent forth his Apostles and disciples as the first spiritual fathers and masters of the world instructed thē especially in thes two doctrines as most behooful and necessarie to the end which he pretēdeth And for that his diuine wisdome did easily foresee that deedes haue much more force to persuade then wordes he did set forth this doctrine most exactly in the example of his own life making the same a paterne of al worldly contempt and suffering for iustice as also did his said Apostles and disciples after him to the true and perfit imitation of their maister Thus much then hath bene treated before and many particulers haue bene declared as wel of the holie Apostles extreme suffering in al kindes and maners of affliction as also of their vtter dispising whatsoeuer was pretious or pleasant in this world for the perfect seruing of their Lord and maister No allurements of this world could intise them no dignities delight them no flatterie deceiue them no pleasure peruert them no labours weary them no difficultie stay them no terrour or tyrannie of mortal man could feare them from their course begonne as long as their soules remained within their bodies Some of them ended their liues by the sword some vpon the crosse others were stoned and throwne downe from highe pinacles others were scorched skinned aliue and al this for the perfect seruing of
the first in doinge of that seruice whersoeuer he came therby to touch his holy body He praied vehemently in the fier and gaue immortal thankes vuto almightie God that had made him worthy of that daies combate during which time the fier diuided it self in two partes and would not touch him in so much that the magistrate was constreined to send one to ronne his body through with a sword wherwith he died Thus far repeteth Eusebius out of the epistle of thes men that were present at his martyrdome they doe adde further thes wordes in the same epistle that the Iewes and Gentils ther present did suggest to the Magistrate to take heede least we did steale away his body and so begin to honour him in stead of our God crucified Vpon which suggestion his body by commandement was burned ther in our presence after it was dead but yet we afterward gathered vp his bones out of the ashes and laid them vp as things more pretious then gold or pretious stones in a place conuenient for such a treasure hoping that one day God wil permit vs to come togither in peace and to celebrate the festiual day of this his holy martyrdome I haue bene the lōger in setting downe the cōbat and end of this glorious Sainct for that he was a most rare and singuler man and his example may serue vs for our instruction to diuers purposes but especially how we ought to be firme and cōstant in holding the general vniforme doctrine and interpretation of scripturs deliuered by tradition from th' apostles in the Catholique church with detestation of al new opiniōs as also S. Ignatius warned vs before The holy bishop and martyr of God Irenaeus that liued in his time and went from Liōs in France vnto Asia to see and heare him reporteth certaine things of this blessed man which I can not in this place omit notwithstanding I make haste for that they may greatly profit such men in thes our dayes as haue grace to be moued or holpen with any thing Policarpe saith he was not only instructed by th' apostles them selues but also made bishop by them of Smirna He liued familiarly with many that had sene and spoken with our Saueour in flesh and we in our youth saw him in Asia for he liued long and ended his life by a most famous martyrdome He taught alwaies thos things which he had learned of the apostles which the Church deliuereth and which are only true Which may be proued by the consent of al the churches of Asia and by the bishopes which haue succeded after him He was a more faithful witnes of the truth then Valentinus or Marcion or al the body of other heretiques together which haue brought pestilent new sectes into the Church He wēt to Rome Anacetus being thē bishop and reduced to the church and true religion diuers that were peruerted by the for said heretiques and protested openly that he had receaued of th' apostles them selues that only and sole truth which is deliuered by the Catholique church Ther are yet a liue that haue heard him tel how that S. Iohn th' apostle of our Saue our being once at Ephesus going into a common bath and seing Cerinthus the heretique to be within ranne out againe in hast saying to them that were with him let vs flee from hence least the bath fal downe and destroy vs in which the enimie of God Cerinthus remaineth The same Policarpe at the same time when he was at Rome meeting by chance with Marcion the heretique ther and being demanded of him whether he knew him or not answered vea I know the for the cheefe child of Satan So wary were the holy apostles and their schollers not so much as to talke with such fellowes as indeuored by their new commētaries and expositiōs of scriptures to change the truth before receaued And so S. Paul warneth vs al to doe when he saith Auoid an heretical man after one or tvvo admonitions assaring thy self that such a one is peruers and sinneth being condemned by his ovvne proper iudgement Hitherto are the words of holy Irenaeus The same Irenaeus writing to one Florinus his old acquaintance in schole of Polycarpus now beginning to be an heretike in Rome as foloweth Thes opinions of thine O Florinus to speake frendly are not true nor wholsome Thes opinions are repugnant to the Church Thes opinions thou receauedst not by tradition from the Preestes that before vs were scholers to the Apostles I did see thee when I was but a child with Polycarpus in Asia at what time thou liuing very gorgiously in the Emperours court diddest indeuour to hold a good opinion with Polycarp I remember those times wel they stike in my mind more firmly then other things that passed since In so much that I can tel at this time the very place wherin this blessed man did sit whē he spake vnto vs. I can tel the order and maner of his comming in the forme and fashion of his life the shape of his body the maner of his disputing of his preaching to the multitude I remember how he was wont to recompt vnto vs the familier conuersation that he had with S. Iohn th' Euangelist with diuers others who had seene our Sauiour I remember how he would tel vnto vs their speaches what he had heard them say of Christ of his miracles vertues and doctrine which they had seene with their owne eyes and heard with their eares which were al agreing with the scriptures that now we haue Thes things through the great mercy of God towards me I heard at that time both diligently and attentiuely not so much committing them to inke papire as to the inward cogitation of my minde And while I liue I doe and shal by Gods holy grace most carfully renewe the memory therof And now here before almighty God I may truly protest that if this holy and Apostolical preest Polycarp should haue heard of such new opinions as you defende he would haue stopped his eares and cried out according as his fashion was O good God vnto what miserable times hast thou reserued me to heare thes things And presently would haue risen and runne away from the place where he had bene standing or sitting when such doctrine should haue bene vttred Hitherto Irenaeus AND NOVV deare Christiā brother who would not be moued with the graue and zelous speeches of thes reuerend men that liued so nighe to the times of the holy Apostles and of our Saueour him self How exceeding great was their care amiddest al their other tribulations and at the very last time when they were to depart out of this world for Irenaeus also soone after suffered martyrdome to forwarne Christiā people to beware of heresie and schisine and to detest al maner of new commentaries expositiōs vpon holy scriptures other then the vniuersal traditiō of the