Else when thou blessest with the spirit how shall he which occupieth the roome of the vnlearned say Amen at thy giuing of thanks seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest Thou verily giuest thanks wel but the other is not edified S. Paul here speakes manifestly of common prayer in the Church both of praying singing of Psalmes and not only of priuate hymnes or some particular songs which some Christians made to their owne comforts and to praise God as Master Bellarmine expounds this place Saint Pauls doctrine agrées with the promise of our sauiour Lib. 2. de verb. dei cap. 16. and with the practise of the Church before recited The same doctrine he deliuereth to Timothie a Bishop to be deliuered to the whole Church I will therefore saith he first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thanks be made for all men for kings 1. Tim. 2.1 and all that are in authoritie that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlines and honestie No doubt he meanes here common praiers And he puts downe the benefits which are reaped thereby which being knowen and vnderstood of the Church should as it were whet on this their desire of praying These benefits they should know assuredlie they did reape by their prayers and that they were to obtaine them by no other meanes but by prayer And therefore séeing they are such things as no man can be without all men greatliest desire it behooueth them especially to praie for these and as they know and vnderstand the price of them to be so much the more earnest by their prayers in begging them of God The like doctrine he teacheth all men after in their priuate prayers I will saith he that men pray in all places lifting vp pure hands without doubtfulnes They must haue faith ioined with their prayers and beleeue verilie they doe receiue that which they praie for according to our sauiours doctrine or else they shall obteine nothing at Gods hands But this faith of receiuing the things they praie for argues a knowledge They cannot beléeue they receiue the things they praie for vnlesse they know what they praie for so that by saint Pauls doctrine both common priuate prayers must be made with our vnderstanding The same teacheth saint Iames Is anie sicke amongst you Let him call for the elders of the Church let them pray for him Ia. 5.14 And annoint him with oyle in the name of the Lord And the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke Here are common praiers set downe but they must be done in faith and in the name of the Lord Iesus S. Iames agrees with the gospell Our common praiers must haue these two conditions which the gospel teacheth they must be made in faith and with knowledge as is before repeated And they must be made in the name of the Lord Iesus They must not be barbarous prayers without vnderstanding as saint Paul tearmes them but Christian prayers framed according to the doctrine of Iesus Christ The same doctrine saint Iohn teacheth 1. Io. 5.14.15 And this is the assurance which we haue in him that if we aske anie thing according to his will he heareth vs. And if we know that he heare vs whatsoeuer we aske we know that we haue the petitions that we haue desired of him Saint Iohn ioines the same two conditions to common prayers which saint Iames did that is faith and assurance that we shall obtaine our petitions and knowledge And this is that which our sauiour himselfe also teacheth all his Io. 16.24 Hitherto haue ye asked nothing in my name Aske and ye shall receiue that your ioy may be full What can be greater ioy to a man then to haue his suit granted of a mortall man euen of a king but to haue it granted at the handes of God is the cause of the greatest ioy in the world Prou. 13.12 The hope that is deferred saith Salomon is the fainting of the heart bu◠when the desire commeth it is a tree of life But how shall w◠know that our suits and prayers be granted vs or not vnlesse we know what we pray for Therefore they take from vs this tree of life which teach vs to praie in Latin and not to vnderstand our prayers They take from vs the greatest ioie we haue in the world And what kind of enemies are they 1. Iohn 5.16 The same doctrine saint Iohn giues of priuate prayers If anie man saith he see his brother sinne a sinne not vnto death let him aske and he shall giue life for them which sinne not vnto death All Christians ought to praie for their brethren when they sée them offend They should praie God to amend them And should they not then vnderstand their prayers I would to God all Christians would attentiuelie marke this forcible effect of prayer they shall by their praiers giue life to their brethren offending To restore a dead man in bodie to life againe what a great commendation would we account it but it is a farre greater matter to restore a dead man in soule to life againe And this most assuredly doth faithfull praier Oh that all Christians would remember this and practise it and cease in their brothers sinnes as most men do now a daies either to backbite them or slaunder them but rather as saint Iohn here counselleth pray for them Neither were the common prayers onelie in the Gospell but in the law also in a knowne tongue Before the captiuitie Dauid saith O come let vs sing vnto the Lord Let vs heartily reioyce in the strength of our saluation This exhortation had béene in vaine if the people then had not vnderstood what had beene said And in another Psalme he concludes thus Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for euer and euer Psal 106.48 And let all the people say Amen prase ye the Lord. And againe speaking of the Church of Christ Psal 47.7 he saith God is king ouer all the earth sing ye praises with vnderstanding All Christs subiectes must be children to maliciousnes but not in wit they must be men in vnderstanding And they must praise God with their vnderstandings He requires only the heart He will be worshipped in spirit and truth Iohn 4.23 Esay 29.13 as our sauiour teacheth And againe We must not now worship him as the wicked did in Esaias daies This people honoureth me with their lips but their heart is farre from mee This kinde of worship God condemned in the Iewes and do we thinke that he wil allow of such like amongst christians Of the common praiers also of the Iewes after the captiuity Neh. 8.6 we read thus in the booke of Nehemiah And Esdrah praised the Lord the great God and all the people answered Amen c. No doubt if they had not vnderstood his praises they could not haue answered Amen So that contrarie to M. Hardings and Mast Stapletons assertions
heresie now discourage anie of Gods children So did they reuile and hate the verie names of the true prophets of God Luk. 6.22 as our Sauiour witnesseth So at this day the Papists goe about by all means possible to defame and discredite the persons of the professours of the Gospell But as Saint Paul passed not for the name of Heretike no more let vs. Beleeuing all that is written in the Law and the Prophets Here is another marke of the true Church here is a ground of a true Christians conscience concerning his faith and religion To beleeue all that is written in the lawe and the Prophets This was Saint Paules ground he beléeued no more and according to that he worshippeth God and he cares not let them cal him what they wil. Whosoeuer lacks this ground shall be caried about with euery blast of vaine doctrine Ephe. 4.14 like children To confirme and strengthen vs in our faith God hath put in his Church Apostles and Euangelists Ephes 2.20 and Wee are built vpon the foundations of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone The like marks of the true Church Saint Paule setteth downe in the Epistle to the Romans as arrowes out of the same quiuer of our Sauiour to confound the enemies that would craftily créepe into Gods house Rom. 1.9 2. Pet. 2.1 God is my witnesse saith he whom I serue in my spirit in the Gospell of his Sonne Here also is the platforme of the true Church and a patterne of a true Christian God is only my witnesse saith Saint Paul not anie Saint or Angell The true Church must here with Saint Paul attribute this knowledge and searching of hearts to God alone and not to anie Saint or Angell else whatsoeuer Act. 1.24 15.8 Secondly she must serue this God onely and none els for to whom this knowledge belongeth to him also diuine seruice and Latria as they call it belongs Thirdly Whom I serue in my spirit saith Saint Paule not with anie outward or externall things or ceremonies like a Iew but with my heart as Iesus Christ now hath taught all men to worship the Father Fourthly in the Gospell of his Sonne here he describes the maner how the true Church of God must worship him Our seruice of God must be according to the Gospell of his Son And hereunto Dauid also agréeth in the Psalme There is no speech nor language Psal 19.3 where their voices are not heard speaking of the preaching of Gods word And he addeth Kauam as it is in the Hebrew that is their line their leuell their square is gone through all the earth and their words vnto the ends of the world To teach vs that Gods word is a line leuell square to rule limit and square the faiths of all nations by But to conclude Let vs marke what Saint Paule also writes concerning this matter to the Thessalonians and how he describes the Church and Gods house there From you the word of God was spread 1. Thes 1.10 not only in Macedonia and Achaia but your faith towards God came into euerie place So that we neede say nothing thereof for they shew and declare what an entrance we had vnto you how you turned vnto the Lord from idols to serue the liuing and true God and to looke for his sonne from heauen whom he raised from the dead euen Iesus who deliuereth vs from the anger to come Here are most manifestly set downe the markes of the true Church and the Catholike faith which was in Saint Paules dayes preached through the whole world To turne from Idols and to serue the true and liuing God And here first that blind distinction of Dulia and Latria which the Papists make to cloak the worshipping of creatures is quite ouerthrowne not onely Latria but as by this place appeareth Dulia is due vnto God Secondly we must serue the true and liuing God These two Adiuncts take away all worshipping of false gods and also of Images We must worship no false nor dead thing whatsoeuer we worship it must be liuing and true And therefore we must worship no Images which are dead stockes nay wee must worship nothing but God alone Those Images which the Prophet Dauid describeth Psal 115. what are they els but Papists Images That Psalme followeth the 114. Psal which containeth Israels going out of Egypt it may séeme to describe the spirituall Egypt Thirdly we must now euery day waite and looke for the comming of his Sonne Iesus Christ from heauen We must not thinke that he will not come yet as the Papists teach by their doctrine of Antichrist Fourthly wee must constantly beléeue that Iesus hath not onely deliuered vs by his passion from the guilt of sinne but from the punishment also thereof and anger to come And lastly if the Papists will thereof conclude that the Church of Rome is the mother Church of all the worlde Rom. 1.8 because Saint Paule saith that their faith was published throughout all the world Then the Church of Thessalonica must be her elder sister 1. Thess 1.8 because her faith also was spread through all the worlde and that before hers as should seeme For Saint Paul mentions in his Epistle to the Romans when hee giues this testimony to the Roman Church Rom. 15.26 1. Thess 1.8 the fruits of Macedonia and Achaia which was planted by the Church of Thessalonica And in a word to make an end of this matter let all men marke that plaine lesson which Dauid teacheth them in the Psalme Kings of the earth and all people Psal 148.11 Princes and all Iudges of the world young men and maides old men and children let them praise the name of the Lord. For his name onely is to bee exalted and his praise is aboue the heauens and the earth All Gods seruants must praise his name and they must praise it alone and they which praise anie thing else do not rightlie vnderstand as yet the maiestie of God his praise is aboue heauen earth that is all heauen and earth is not able to expresse the greatnesse of his praise And here is the reason Because he exalts the horne of his people he aduanceth to honor and makes mightie and strong which is a praise for all his saints euen for the children of Israel Gnam kerovo a people that drawes néere vnto him as it is in the Hebrew Would you haue God exalt your horne would you be his people then you must praise him alone then you must draw neere to him and not fly from him to any other The which God giue all grace to do for Iesus Christs sake to whom be praise for euer Amen Certaine Prayers fit for euerie true Catholique dayly to vse both for himselfe and his family taken out of the scriptures Granatensis and others Matt. 7 7. Aske and it shal be giuen you seeke and ye shall find knocke and
that is of the sorrowes of a woman trauelling with child eueÌ„ to Tabbaath to the last moneth in the yeare which answereth to our December which for the abundance of waters Psal 137.8 1. Pet. 5.3 which commonly are â—herein is called in Hebrue Tabbah which signifieth to be drowned Surely such flouds of sorowes and calamities remaine for Rome the daughter of Babylon Reue. 17.2 which Saint Peter calleth Babylon as the prophesies of the holie Scriptures do teach Nay Saint Iohn describeth her most manifestly That great citie which is built vpon seuen hilles and raignes ouer the kings of the earth Psal 73.27 Ier. 3 1. made them drinke the wine of her fornication What citie in the world is thus built and hath had this authoritie ouer Kings Reuel 17.17 and hath made them drinke wine of fornication that is Idolatrie which is so called in the Scripture but Rome The day shall come that these her louers those kings which with one consent haue giuen their kingdome to the beast shall hate her and shall eate her flesh and shall burne her with fire Wee see now the former of these fulfilled so no doubt wee shall see the latter also When God shall put it into their hearts and when his wordes are fulfilled and that euen in one day If Rome be in this case may shee not fitly be called the afflicted tottering house And therefore as the father and prince of the Madianites Dan may resemble the Pope and the Madianites his souldiers which shall one of them kill another so Beth-hashittah may resemble Rome their castle of refuge And God deales euen now as mercifully with his Church 2. Chro. 20.22 as he did in the dayes of good king Iehoshaphat against whom when manie nations had conspired and came to make warre it is thus written When they began to shout and praise the Lord the Lord himselfe laid ambushmeÌ„ts against the children of Ammon Moab mount Seir which were come against Iudah they slew one another 1. King 18.13 Ioh. 3.1 Luke 25 50. Matth. 27.19 euen so the enemies of the Church of God at this day by Gods speciall grace and mercy one of them kill another And euen as in the law Obadiah Ahabs steward nourished the Prophets of the Lord and Nichodemus and Ioseph of Arimathea princes amongst the Iewes Phil. 4.22 Ierem. 38.7 and euen Pilates wife fauoured Iesus Christ euen so now also in the Gospell the Popes darlings and Friers some of them fauour the truth And as Saint Paul also had some friends in Caesars house and Ieremie in the kings court so now hath the Gospell some friends among the Popes traine and that in no smal matters There is no one thing I am perswaded at this day doth so dazell the eyes of a great nuÌ„ber that they cannot behold the cleare light of the Gospel keeps theÌ„ stil in the obedience of the Church of Rome as the reading of Granatensis Stella Ferus Philippus de diez such like But all shall clearly see in this book how that in the principall points of religion they ioyne hands with vs. And that we may say of them 1 King 22.43 as we reade in the booke of the Kings of Iehoshaphat that he walked in all the wayes of Asa his father and declined not therefrom but did that was right in the eyes of the Lord neuerthelesse the high places were not taken away and the people offered still and burnt incense in the high places Good men haue their imperfections So these follow the way of the Fathers in preaching and setting forth zealously the word of God in maintaining the authoritie thereof as also the knowledge reading and meditation thereof they teach also the true vse of prayer with faith deuotion vnderstanding our perfect redemption by Christ and the assured faith that we ought to haue in him and how that we ought to trust in his merits and not in our owne works his exceeding great loue towards vs and the great corruption of our nature without his grace In these points they worship God aright with good king Iehoshaphat and they followe the wayes of their fathers But yet the high places are not taken away they burne incense there still They maintaine the Popes supremacie their patron Col. 2.18 2. King 9.20 10.28 they make prayers to Saints and Angels through their ouermuch humilitie as Saint Paul teacheth vs. Their great and good zeale is like to that wee reade of Iehu And the marching is like the marching of Iehu the sonne of Nimshie for he marcheth furiously And againe So Iehu destroyed Baal out of Israel but from the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat which made Israel to sinne he departed not He was the founder of his kingdome The policie which he deuised to maintaine his estate and kingdome hee also although it were against the word of God embraced So these are zealous Mark 12.34 but they also maintaine their founder the Pope and his authoritie We may say of these truly as our Sauiour Christ in the Gospel sayd of that Scribe Thou art not far from the kingdom of God no more surely are these So that heere good gentle Reader thou maist see Popery pulled vp euen by the roots by the hands of Papists themselues The true Catholike faith out of the Scriptures out of the Fathers out of the mouthes of them who seeme to be the verie enemies therof this small Treatise teacheth Euery one therefore that tendereth his own saluation let him mark wel that faith which herein is taught In the time of ignorance God might and no doubt did shew mercy but now at midday in the most cleare sunshine of the Gospell now I say to shut the eyes is wilful murther Reu. 14.8 For in the Reuelation our daies are most liuely expressed Then I saw saith S. Iohn another Angel fly in the midst of heauen hauing an euerlasting Gospell to preach vnto them that dwel on the earth and to euery nation and kinred tongue and people saying with a loud voice Feare God giue glorie to him for the houre of his iudgement is come and worship him that made heauen and earth the sea and the fountaines of waters Are not here our daies most euidently declared The preaching of the euerlasting Gospell the worshipping of God alone that made all things and not of any creature nay the verie time For the houre of his iudgement is come This preaching of these doctrines and this preaching of the Gospell shall be immediately before the iudgement Hee that is not starke blind cannot choose but see this Now followes the Church of Antichrist And there followed another Angell saying It is fallen it is fallen Babylon the great citie for she made all nations to drinke of the wine of her fornication Here is likewise the Church of Antichrist most euidently described She shall make all nations drinke of the wine
was pierced but this which Zacharie speaks of shall be after Neither was it fulfilled in the destruction of Ierusalem as some other haue expounded it Because the incredulous Iewes hauing now quite forgotten the death of Christ when as Ierusalem was destroyed neuer thought of Christ neither that they suffered all those euils for his sake but rather for the sins of some seditious persons and of some other that then were in the citie as Iosephus himselfe thought I will not refuse to speake that saith hée which sorrow enforceth me to speake I suppose Lib. 6. de bel Iudaic. cap. 16. that if the Romans had not comed against those wicked persons that either the citie should haue beene destroyed by some earthquake or ouerflowed with some Deluge or should haue beene consumed with thunder and lightning from heauen as was Sodom For she then had brought forth a farre more wicked brood then euer Sodome did To conclude togither with their wickednes past all cure the whole people also perished So that this prophecie is to be fulfilled in the true naturall Iewes and as yet it hath not béene fulfilled in them And no doubt our blessed Sauiour himselfe in the Gospel had relation to the prophecie of Zacharie Mat. 24. â—0 who speaking of the day of iudgement saith Then shall appeare the signe of the sonne of man in heauen and then shall all the kinreds of the earth weepe And they shall see the sonne of man comming in the clouds of heauen with power and great glorie What other signe can any man iudge here to be meant then the signe of the crosse the glorie brightnes of Iesus Christ going before him cannot be that signe for of that he ads a little after Then shall they see the son of man come in the clouds of heauen with power and great glorie But before this great glorie shall this signe appeare So that it cannot be properly this great glorie They are two distinct things Let vs marke diligently here also how the Euangelist cals it the signe of the sonne of man and not the signe of the sonne of God And therefore shall be an humble and not a glorious signe All the whole life of our Sauiour was humble but especially in his death on the crosse he declared this his humilitie That he touched leapers that he talked so familiarly with that sinfull woman of Samaria that he was baptised of Iohn Mat. 8.3 Io. 4.7 Mat. 3.15 Ioh. 13.5 Phil. 2.6 nay that he washed his Apostles feete but aboue all other signes of his humilitie this was the greatest that he died vpon the crosse And therefore saint Paul saith who when he was in the shape of God and thought it no robberie to be equall with God but he made himselfe of no reputation and tooke on him the forme of a seruant and was made like vnto men and was found in shape as a man He humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse Wherefore God hath also greatly exalted him and giuen him a name aboue euerie name On the crosse appeared his greatest humilitie So that the crosse in this respect may verie fitly be called the signe of the sonne of man And this also the spéeches of the Iewes spoken to our sauiour may insinnate If he be the king of the Iewes let him come down from the crosse And we will beleeue in him It was the crosse that they stumbled at Mat. 27.42 Gal. 5.11 Es 9.6 that to this day is that that offends the Iewes And that is Christs greatest glorie His principalitie is vpon his shoulder as Esay saith Nay it shall be such a signe as shall make all the tribes of the earth to wéepe which beleeue not in Christ And surely what other signe can this be then the signe of the crosse What other signe in heauen could make the Iewes to wéepe but the signe of the crosse No doubt the sight of this will euen breake their hearts make them burst out into teares and to fulfill this prophecie of Zacharie Dom. 24. Post Pent. Conc. 1. To this effect Granat hath a notable sentence and to the confirmation thereof he cites Eusebius Emissenus and he writes thus Before the comming of this heauenly king the triumphant signe of the crosse more cleere then the sunne shall appeare And then saith the Lord all the tribes of the earth shall lament because in that signe all the wicked shall manifestly see their condemnation The infidels because they haue blasphemed the crosse of Christ the faithfull which haue liued wickedly because they haue made no vse of such a great benefit and remedie For as Eusebius Emissenus saith So farre more greater shall be the sinners of men how much more Gods benefits haue stretched forth themselues vnto them Therefore saith he it is to be beleeued that the Lord will pronounce and speake to the vessels of iniquitie at his iudgement that same voice which he spake at his resurrection declaring the precious prints of the wounds which he receiued on his crosse Put thy finger in hither and behold my hands and bring hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and acknowledge O wickednes of men what for thy sake and of thee I suffered For those same signes of his nailes healthfull to the godly but terrible to the wicked which shal not be done away vntil the day of iudgment no doubt are reserued to cast men in the teeth withall Thus farre he Neither shal that crosse condemne onely our ingratitude and make it void of all excuse but our slothfulnes also and our idlenes for by what meanes possible can a wicked man excuse himselfe when as he seeth the crosse of Christ which is a most forcible remedie against that excuse of our infirmitie and all other our euils Wherefore to all other crimes wicked man may haue somthing to say but to these that is his slothfulnes and ingratitude infirmitie nothing at all for if it shall be laid to his charge Thou hast beene an extortioner an adulterer thou hast cursed forsworne blasphemed He may answere perchance I am a fraile man conceiued in sin I was prone to sin I was compassed about with sinful flesh But when the Iudge shal replie Is there not Rosine in Gilead and is not there a phisition there which is as though he should say were there not medicins in my Church were there not sacraments which flowed out of my side Was there not confession there a remedie of former sins the Eucharist a treacle and preseruatiue for those which were to come was there not in my crosse most vehement procurements of charitie and most cleare examples of most great humilitie patience obedience and of all vertues by which thou mightest haue caried thine infirmity wherfore then is not the wound of the daughter of my people healed That is wherfore hast thou not healed thy wounds with these medicines which the
cleaue fast to the Kings Maiestie our supreme head in earth next vnder Christ of this Church of England as faithfull subiects by Gods law ought to do Though they go about to stirre Gog and Magog and all the rauenours of the world against vs yet we trust in God verily and doubt not but they shal haue such a ruine and ouerthrow as is prophecied by Ezechiel in his 39. chapter against Gog Magog going about to destroy the people of God whom the people of God shall so vanquish and ouerthrow on the mountains of Israel that none of them shall escape but their carcasses there to lie to be deuoured by kites and crowes and birds of the aire And if they shal persist in this their pestilent malice to make inuasion into this Realme then let vs wish that their great captaine Gog I meane the Bishop of Rome may come with them to drinke with them of the same cup that he maliciously goeth about to prepare for vs that the people of God might after surely liue in peace Thus far Bishop Tunstall By whom we may learne these notable lessons that the Pope hath béene no peacemaker but a maker of wars these many yéeres and therefore he is the child of the diuell by his iudgement Secondly that all true subiects ought to trust in God and their Prince and not to feare anie inuasions he shall deuise against them Thirdly that he is that Gog that hidden and hypocriticall enemie of Christ of whom Ezechiel prophecieth and that he and all his shall be destroyed and all their attempts against Gods Church shall not prosper Tunstal a man of great learning and iudgement saw thus much in his daies when the daie of the gospel began but to shine and shal not we now in the cléere sunshine therof acknowledge so much But to returne to Master Bellarmine againe he answeres to the former place De Rom. pont lib. 3. ca. 6. that I haue alleadged out of Ierome vpon Malachie That although Ierome in this place was of this iudgement yet in his Commentaries vpon Matthew he taught the contrarie But Master Bellarmine doth mistake Ierome For Ierome himselfe doth not say vpon Matthew that Elias shall com before the second comming of Christ In Mat. ca. 11. but he there shewes the opinions of others These be his words There are some saith he which thinke that therefore Iohn was called Elias that as in the second comming of Christ according to Malachie Elias must come before must shew the comming of the Iudge So Iohn did in his first comming And so they both are messengers either of his first comming or of his second Ierome shewes here the opinion of others and not his owne why Iohn was called Elias which he had set downe before in these words That Iohn was called Elias not according to the opinion of some foolish Philosophers and certaine heretiques which bring in transmigration of soules from one bodie to another but because according to another testimonie of the gospell he came in the power and spirit of Elias and that he had the same grace or measure of the holy spirit which Elias had And also the austeritie of life and courage of mind both of Elias and Iohn were equall Hee was in the wildernesse so also was he He was girded with a girdle of a skinne so also was he He because he rebuked Ahab and Iezabell of their wickednes was compelled to flie he because he reproued the vnlawfull mariage of Herode and Herodias lost his head These are Ieromes considerations why he thought Iohn might be compared to Elias Then he addes There be some others that thinke c. As though that which followes were not his opinion but the opinion of som others whom he also makes mention of in that other place of Malachie which I haue before alleadged And there he cals them plainely Iewish heretikes And the same opinion of others concerning the comming of Elias Ierom alleadgeth in other places and he inueieth against all such followers of Iewish fables Iohannes Viualdus a Papist in opere regali de duodecima persecutione ecclesiae Dei affirmes plainly that Ierom thought In explic orat Ier. in cap. 29. Ezec. that Elias should not come in his owne person but that the vertue and power of Elias should come But he himselfe saith that he followes rather Austen Thomas and Vincentius So that Ierom in this matter is not contrarie to himselfe as Master Bellarmine would haue him but all one Nay he is so farre from being of the Papists opinion concerning Antichrist that although the booke were sealed and this matter concealed from the fathers and by degrées not all at once opened to the church as we maie note in the Reuelation yet euen by that small light of Gods word Reu. 5.2 6.1 which at that time was giuen the Church of this matter he aiming at the truth doth quite ouerthrow the Papists opinion For vpon the second Chapter of Malachie he writes thus The Iewes saith he vnderstand that which is spoken here of the prophet Behold I will send my Angell of Elias the Prophet and that which followes The Lord whom you seeke for shall by and by come to his temple and the Angell of the testament whom you would haue they referre to their Messias that is to their Christ who they say shall come in the ende of the world But I maruell how that the verie experience of the things which haue chanced hath not taught them the truth for what temple shall their Lord find which is ouerthrowne to the verie foundation Or is it to be builded vp againe of any other before Christs comming What shal their Christ do more when as all things are restored to their former state of another Our Lord in the Gospell expounding Elias to be Iohn Baptist saith If you will vnderstand he is Elias which is to come of whom also this same Prophet whom we now expound speakes of in the end of his prophesie Behold I wil send you Elias the Prophet before that great and fearefull day of the Lord come But how Iohn also might be called Elias he gaue vs also to vnderstand saying that he came in the power and spirit of Elias Thus farre Ierome Where he plainly out of the scriptures refutes the Papists opinion concerning Antichrist Whom they teach shall be borne in Babylon of the tribe of Dan and when he shall come to Ierusalem circumcising himselfe he shall say to the Iewes I am Christ promised vnto you Then all the Iewes shall flocke vnto him and they shall build againe the temple destroyed of the Romans And he shall sit there saying that hee is God and shall kill Enoch and Elias This is the Papists opinion concerning Antichrist as it is set downe in their Catholicon by Ioh. de Ianua a Frier And this their opinion Ierome in this place manifestly refutes who saith that the temple shall not be built
made a league and a couenant with me with sacrifice All true christians must learne that lesson that Naaman the Syrian being now cleansed of his leprosie had learned 2. King 5.17 that he would now offer sacrifice to no other Gods saue to the Lord. As they are all Naamans by nature euen lepers through sinne 1. Cor. 6.11 and now pure by cleansing by water so they must be Naamans also in profession that they will offer sacrifice to no other gods but to the Lord. He confessed that sacrifice was a seruice due to God and that he now detesting all other vaine gods would onely doe this homage to the Lord and shall not christians know and professe as much No doubt he was a figure of christians let the truth surpasse the shadow in cleerenesse As manie as doe offer sacrifice to anie other are more leprous in soule then euer Naaman was in bodie And are not payers sacrifices Doth not S. Paul teach all christians that now the Iewish sacrifices being ceased Heb. 13.15 that they must offer to God the calues of their lippes And doth not Dauid saie euen in the shadowe Psal 141.2 let my prayer be set foorth in thy sight as the incense and let the lifting vp of my hands be an euening sacrifice Then if we will be Gods shéepe we must haue this brand if we will be his Saints we must make this vow that we will sacrifice or make our prayers to none other but to him alone And at the daie of iudgement such onlie shall be gathered into Gods shéepfould and such God shall account for his Saints howsoeuer man and the Pope now doe canunise others This word shall stand sure this word shall be approoued true at that daie Gather my Saints togither who haue made a league and couenant with me with sacrifice Wouldest thou be a Saint then most assuredly canonised not in the Popes Calendar but in heauen make a firme couenant and league with God onely with thy sacrifices and prayers Wouldest thou be at that daie a shéepe gathered into Gods shéepfolde and stand on his right hand while thou liuest here then praise him alone call vpon him alone and vpon none other On the contrarie Psal 79.6 Dauid describes the Malignant Church thus Powre out thine indignation saith he vpon the heathen that haue not knowne thee and vpon the kingdomes which haue not called vpon thy name Ephes 6.12 Here are two markes of Sathans synagogue ignorance and idolatrie Sathan is the prince of darknesse his house shall be a darke house it shall lacke light It shall be like Egypt his children shall not knowe God Exod. 10.22 and therefore neither shall call vpon him Psal 103 11. Esay 65.24 Psal 139.7 Gen. 17.1 Mâ—t. 11.28 For he that knowes what God is that he is most mercifull most ready to heare that he is in all places that he is of all power might alone that he cals euen sinners vnto him he that knowes this I say cannot chuse but he will call vpon God These are they then which shal haue Gods wrath powred vpon them which haue not knowne God nor called vpon his name Ose 2.17 The Idolaters call vpon Baal and other names Acts 4 1â— but there is no other name giuen to men in the which they must be saued but only the name of Iesus Christ Peter teacheth this and I would to God he that would be Peters successour would learne this lesson and teach it also if no other name then not of Saint or Angell And S. Paul makes plain this lesson of Peter Col. 3.17 and takes awaie all the wiles and sleights of Sathan all Popish cauils and distinctions They saie that there is no other name of saluation but there maie be other names of inuocation or intercession But Saint Paul saith plainly doe all things in the name of Iesus Christ Thankesgiuing prayers intercessions inuocations all requests whatsoeuer must be done in the name of Iesus Christ and therefore in no other name Let all Gods seruants marke well these two markes they are the markes of the false Church to be ignorant of God and not to call vpon his name let them take héede If they be signed with these markes God will not be angrie with them onely but he will powre out his wrath vpon them O fearfull sentence And doe we make no account of this matter When as God would renue to Abraham the promise made to Adam of the womans séede to take awaie the curse that Adam by his sinne had deserued and was iustly inflicted vpon him he added that in his seede should all the nations of the world be blessed Gen. 12.3.16 So that now here we maie learne another plaine marke of the true church to haue her blessednesse consist onlie in that one feede of Abraham Gal. 3.16 not in many no nor in anie thing beside God also describing the blessed estate of his church by the Prophet Esay Esay 54.17 writes thus Euerie vessell it is Celi in Hebrew which signifies properly a vessell that is made to holde anie thing against thee shall not prosper and thou shalt condemn euerie tongue that striueth against thee This is the inheritance of the seruants of the Lord that is this for euer is as it were an inheritance which shall succéede in Gods true Church that all those great learned men that shall stand vp against it shall not prosper and all those eloquent tongues that thall speake against her shall be condemned Here is a speciall priuiledge of Gods church which we maie see fulfilled in all ages The Prophet Esay here agréeing with our Sauiour Mat. 16.18 that hell gates may impugne but they shall neuer preuaile against the Church as Arrius Nestorius and other gerat learned heretikes haue testified This is the dignitie of the true Church now followes her cognisance And their righteousnesse is from me saith the Lord not of themselues And this is that which Ieremy also teacheth Behold the daies are comming saith the Lord and I will raise vp to Dauid a righteous branche Ier. 23.5 and a King shal raigne and he shall haue vnderstanding he shall deale wisely he shall doe iudgement and iustice vpon the earth Here is most euidently our Sauiour Iesus Christ described he shall be a braunch of Dauid comming of his Ioynes he shall be righteous Io. 8.46 1. Cor. 1.30 Col. 2.3 euen his verie enemies shall not be able to accuse him of sinne He shall doe wisely he is the wisedome of God the father he shall set vp iudgement and righteousnes vpon earth he shall iudge and condemne that olde Prince of this world Sathan Io. 12.31 and cast him out of doores and shall teach all men the way of true righteousnes that is faith in him And in his daies saluation shall be to Iudah and Israel they shall dwell safely And this shall be the name wherewith they shall
from a thousand dangers Psal 121.4 and euen as it were to loade me with many graces for all which as it is méete that I should craue pardon at thy hands Psal 19.12 not only for the forgiuenesse of these sins which I know but also of those which I know not so it is méete that I should in like sort giue thee as great and bounden thankes as possiblie I can not onlie for the benefites I know but also for those I know not And therefore I worship thee I praise thee I giue thanks to thee in them and for them all Giue me grace O my Redéemer that I may so learne to vse all these thy benefits hereafter Mat. 25.24 that they be not occasions of pride and slouthfulnesse in me but of greater humilitie and thankfulnesse and that they may kindle in me a greater desire and zeale of thy seruice To thee therefore who liuest and raignest with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honor and glorie both now and for euer and euer Amen A Forme of Morning Prayer taken out of Granatensis for Christian families O Lord God of Israel which dwellest betweene the Cherubins 2. King 19.15 thou art the verie God alone ouer all the kingdomes of the earth thou hast made heauen and earth thou hast made winter and sommer Psal 74.16 Gen. 1.1 the day is thine and the night also is thine O Lord God our most bountifull most mercifull and most louing Father wee most wretched sinners here gathered together in thy most holie name humblie prostrate our selues before thy throne of mercie crauing pardon and forgiuenes for al our sins And although we be vnworthie through our manifolde iniquities Luke 18.13 to present our selues before thy glorious Maiestie much lesse to offer to thée any oblation of praise thāksgiuing considering our owne basenesse demerits yet we know that thou art a Lord most bountifull a God most merciful a Father most louing and a sauior most swéet comfortable Luk. 15.20 whose propertie is euer to saue and haue mercie on the humble sorowfull penitent persons that come to thee in the name of thy beloued son Iesus Christ We confesse O Lord our wretchednesse Psal 32.5 wee acknowledge O Father our vnworthinesse wee are hartilie sorie for our sinnes we most humbly craue pardon for them euen for Iesus Christs sake Esay 59.2 we know that our sinnes stand before vs as great huge heaps like walles of iron and gates of brasse which hinder our petitions so that they cannot come before thee Esa 1.18 we do account our sinnes as red as scarlet in thy sight wee feele our burthen is so heauie and intolerable that we are not able to beare it Psal 40.12 we sée in our selues to be no frée spot from the crowne of the heade to the sole of the foote but all is spotted and corrupted with sores and vlcers Esa 1.6 whose great vengeance which they worthily deserued would haue fallen vpon vs long agoe Lam. 3.22 but that it was stayed and kept backe by thy mercifull hand Wee giue thee O most gratious God and louing Father humble and heartie thankes for this thy fatherlie loue in the name of thy dearely beloued Sonne Iesus Christ beséeching thee for his sake to continue this thy loue and mercy towards vs all the daies of our liues Psal 84.9 O most louing Father looke not vpon vs but looke vpon the face of this thy annointed Iesus Christ and for his sake haue mercie vpon vs Remoue O Lord our sinnes as farre from vs as the East is from the West Psal 103.12 that they bee neither hinderances to let thy mercie for falling on vs or our prayers Psal 51.7 for comming vp into thy sight Purge vs with Isop dipped not in the bloud of the lambe but in the bloud of thy Son Iesus Christ and we shall be as white as snowe O good Lord sprinckle not only the vppermost poste Exod. 12.7 Rom. 10.9 and the two side postes of the doores of our houses but the whole houses of our hearts and soules with that most precious bloud with the Isop of thy Gospell now preached and wée doe beleeue verily that the destroyer shall passe ouer vs he shall in no wise hurt vs. Ease we beséech thée O swéete Sauiour our burthens as thou hast promised Matt. 11.28 who callest all to thée that are heauie loaden and burthened We confesse O Sauiour euerie one of vs that we carie on our backes the greatest burthens that euer were borne 1. Tim. 1.25 Heb. 13.20 Rom. 8.33 Ephes 5.16 And graunt to vs we beséech thee O mercifull Father that by the bloud of the euerlasting testament sprinkled in our harts by a liuely faith all the inditements and accusations of Satan against vs maie be quite blotted out and all his fir is darts quenched Make this couenant with vs O sweete Sauiour that so long as we serue thée that thou wilt be our God 1. Sam. 2.30 Psal 119 32. our guide and protectour And graunt vs euer therefore thy grace that we may be able to do thée seruice and willing minds to do it with chéerefulnesse 2. Cor. 5.25 And because O Lord Ephes 1.6 the whole course and end of our life should be no other thing but to delight to do thy will and pleasure Psal 5.3 giue vs grace to begin to praise and serue thée the first thing we do in the morning and let vs account and make it the principall ground-worke of all other whereon we should laie all other businesses and affaires whatsoeuer And that we may do it more effectuallie giue vs the holie Ghost the seale of our saluation 2. Cor. 1.22 to seale and shut vp the doores of our hearts and minds from all earthly thoughts and worldly cogitations And close O good Lord Ier. 9.21 the windowes of al our senses frō the vaine appetites of the world the concupiscence of the flesh and the baites of the diuell first of all in the morning when we awake so that all these being excluded and shut out of doores our hearts and minds may be open onlie to thee and to receiue and admit thy Son our Sauiour Iesus Christ into them before all things else 1. Thess 2.13 Reu. 14.4 That so wee may offer vnto thee the firstlings of this day and of all the dayes of our liues And here we giue thee deare Father Psal 137.2 most humble and heartie thankes for the quiet rest and swéete sléepe that thou hast giuen vs this night and for that thou hast deliuered vs from all vaine dreames and foolish fantasies and from all the subtill snares and illusions of our enemy the diuell Psal 91.3 and for all other the benefits of our creation our redemption 1. Cor. 1.30 our election our iustification our sanctification that thou hast called vs vnto the knowledge of
hide from Abraham the thing which I do God doth here euen as the kings are wont to doe also with their Noblemen and Princes hee imparts with him his secrets and counsels Gen. 18.17 Seeing that Abraham shall bee indeed a great and a mightie nation and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him For I know him that hee will command his sonnes and his houshold after him that they keepe the word of the Lord to do righteousnesse and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that he hath spoken vnto him And is not Abraham here called a prince of Zabulon by Gods owne mouth He wil teach his family I know saith God Such a Prince also was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioh. 4.53 that Nobleman in the Gospell of whom it is reported that when his daughter was cured he beleeued and all his houshold Such a Prince was Cornelius a Captaine and a Centurion who are wont commonly to be most vnruly it is reported of him that he was a deuout man and that he feared God and all his houshold Act. 10.2 which gaue much almes to the people and prayed to God continually Here are three notable properties of a good housekéeper to instruct his family to giue much almes and to pray continually I would to God that all housekeepers would learne but these three good pointes of husbandrie of him surely they would enrich them nay make them Princes euen in the Lords Court But what doe I reckon vp these examples in the new Testament For euen Iosuah himselfe did professe the same to all Israel And if it seeme euill to you to serue the Lord saith he choose ye this day whom you will serue Ios 24.15 c. I and my house will serue the Lord. It is a shame for Christians who by reason of their long continuance in Christs schoole Heb. 5.12 should now be Doctors and teachers of others as Saint Paul writes to the Hebrewes not to learne this lesson being now taught it by so many examples If Abraham our Father did catechize his familie though he were a mightie man shall any of his sonnes thinke himselfe too good to instruct his familie If the Noble man in the Gospell did shewe himselfe so kind for one benefite receiued at the hand of Iesus Christ shall not we much more hauing now receiued so manie If Cornelius a Souldier did this how shall a Citizen excuse himselfe if he doe it not And if Iosuah in the shadow did it how shall a Christian in the light not doe the same In the last but not in the least place are the Princes of Nephthalie and Nephthalie signifies a Comparison And such a kind of Prince is he that dare compare himselfe with Gods enemies nay that goes beyond them in all their morall vertues Such Princes of Nephthalie God hath had in his Church such as neither Roman nor Grecian in anie morall vertue euer excéeded or went beyond But now they are dead they are gone to the great shame of Christians Now Turkes excéed them in vertues to the great shame of the professors of Gods word Now manie Papists goe before them in good works Saint Paul thus writeth to Titus Let ours learne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 3.14 to excell in good workes to helpe poore men in their necessities that they be not vnfruitfull And our Sauiour saith to all his disciples Matth. 5.20 Vnlesse your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees you shall neuer enter into the kingdome of heauen And the Pharisees fasted and prayed often Matth. 9.14 Luke 18.12 as the Gospell teacheth vs Nay Saint Luke records that the Pharisie there said that he fasted twise in the weeke And hee is reproued there not of lying but of boasting And manie Christians thinke much now to fast once in the wéeke We cannot abide now no set times of fasting which this Pharisie obserued This is that most grieuous complaint that God makes against Ierusalem Eze. 15.48 that after so manie benefites bestowed vpon her euen from her cradle that Sodome and her daughters hath not done as Ierusalem and her daughters Neither hath Samaria committed halfe of her sinnes and that shee hath iustified both these her sisters And this is that which God saith to the Iewes by the Prophet Ieremie Ier. 2.10 Goe to the Iles of Chittim and behold and send out vnto Cedar and take diligent heed and see whether there bee such things God here as wee may sée vseth comparisons and compareth his seruants with others And do we not thinke that as he did then that hee doth not so euen now still also And are we not ashamed then that Turkes or Papists should go beyond vs in good workes Thus we haue séene a briefe viewe of Gods houshold now followes their manners The liues and maners of all Christians in particular briefly drawne out of the Word of God FIrst euerie Christian is bound continually to meditate vpon the word of God for so God commaunded the Iewes Deut. 6.6 And these wordes which I commaund thee this day shall bee in thy heart and thou shalt rehearse them continually to thy children and shalt talke of them when thou tariest in thy house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp and thou shalt binde them for a signe vpon thine hand and they shal be as frontlets between thine eyes And thou shalt write them vpon the posts of thine house and vpon thy gates This commaundement is generall to all not to Priests only And it was commanded the Iewes much more vs Christians Deut. 11.18 And againe Therefore shall yee lay vp these my words in your heart and in your soule and bind them for a signe vpon your hand that they may be as frontlets betweene your eyes And yee shall teach them your children speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp Men should talke of the word of God in their houses and should teach their children the same This is a plaine commandement without anie trope or figure and yet how hath Satan bewitched a great manie that they thinke it concernes them not that will neither know it themselues nor suffer their children to learne it And not onely Moses but also Dauid teacheth all men the same lesson And it is his first lesson that he teacheth a man to make him blessed Psal 1.1 Blessed is that mā saith he that doth not walk in the counsell of the wicked nor stand in the way of sinners not sit in the seate of the scornefull But his delight is in the lawe of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night And as he teacheth all men this lesson so he practised it himselfe though he were a king Psal 119.44 My hands also will I
wâ—re trauell to heauen To this all Gods creatures do as it were exhort vs which shew vnto vs the excellencie of their Creator that we should seek him alone And when as the holy Ghost is compared to Raine as Dauid saith prophesying thereof Psal 68.9 Thou Lord shalt send a gracious Raine on thine inheritance c. Zacharie plainly testifieth that vpon those that do not thus celebrate this feast of Tabernacles but are carefull of these worldly affaires that heauenlie raine shall not fall O terrible sentence O barren soules that lacke this heauenlie and gracious raine The like lesson God taught all men by the burning of Iericho and all that was therein which no doubt was a type of this world and her delights and pleasures Iosua 6.24 Whereof when as Achan amongst the spoyles saw a goodly Babylonish garment and two hundred shekels of siluer a golden tongue as it is in the Hebrue and coueted them and hid them in his tent Hee was stoned to death with stones for his labour And here are those thrée dearlings of the world againe plainly described to vs which S. Iohn mentioneth which are not of the father a Babylonish garment which maie signifie the pride and state of this life two hundred shekels of siluer which may signifie couetousnesse and the desire and lusts of the eyes And a golden tongue which maie signifie the lust of the flesh which must haue a golden tongue must bee dayly fed daintily with Diues Luke 16.19 Zephanie 1.8 God wil visite such as are clothed in strange apparell no meane diet or fare will content it These things damned Achan Let all true Christians despise and contemne them Let our garment not be in the fashion not strange not Babylonish but comely and such as our owne countrie hath vsed Let our treasures bee not excessiue Let not our tongue bee a golden tongue but content with simple fare as was our Sauiour Iohn 6.9 who is read to haue had barly bread and fish for his prouision Iosuah no doubt was a figure of our Sauiour Iesus and that earthlie Canaan of our heauenlie inheritance Iosua 3.17 But how brought Iosuah the Israelites into that Canaan The first thing they did they went ouer Iordan drie shod And what doth that teach vs but that wee must also passe ouer the Iordan of this life drie shod so that our féete must not be dipped in the delightes pleasures honours desires and affaires of this present world 1. Cor. 7.29 And hereof the Apostle said The time is but short henceforth let them which haue wiues bee as though they had none and they that weepe as though they wept not c. And Dauid Psal 66.6 They passed through the riuer on foote there did wee reioyce in him The true souldiers of Iesus Christ passe ouer the floud of this life with drie féete but there that is in the life to come we shall reioyce in him we shall be as it were drowned in that bottomlesse sea of pleasures The like contempt of the world Iosuah himselfe declared who when as he had conquered all the land of Canaan was serued the last himselfe Iosua 19.49 When as they had made an end of deuiding the land by the coasts thereof then the children of Israel gaue an inheritance vnto Iosuah the son of Nun amongst them according to the word of the Lord they gaue him the citie which he asked euen Tymnah-serah in mount Ephraim and he built the citie and dwelt therein Here he was not his owne caruer but the children of Israel gaue him it and it was called Tymnah serah that is a great image such an account made he of his inheritance but euen as of an image as of a type of that heauenlie inheritance The like account made Dauid of this world Psal 119.17 Psal 16.2.3 though a king O Lord saith he thou art my portion And againe Thou art my Lord my goods are nothing vnto thee To thy Saints that are in the earth or to the excelleÌ„t my delight is in them All Dauids account was of God he made no account of his riches and then next vpon Gods Saints that is vpon his seruants and vpon the poore He set more by the poore then he did by his riches O that this mind were in vs Christians Matt. 9.9 Rom. 13.7 Matt. 17.27 Matthew sitting at the receipt of custome which was a gainfull and a lawfull office for as Saint Paul saith Tribute is to be paid to whom tribute belongeth and our Sauiour paide tribute himself yet he despised this gainefull and lawfull office and followed Iesus Christ But especially that notable example of Zacheus and that singular commendation that our Sauior yéeldes to him for it should teach all Christians to despise the world As soone as Christ had entred into his house Luke 19.8 hee stood forth and said vnto the Lord Behold Lord the halfe of my goods I giue vnto the poore and if I haue taken anie thing from anie man by forged cauillation I restore him foure fold What néed he haue giuen halfe of his goods to the poore but that he despised them and this world and that his delight was now vpoÌ„ Gods Saints as Dauids was To make restitution was necessary but the other was voluntarie And our Sauiour addeth This day is saluation come vnto this house Here are euident signes of a liuelie faith This mans faith flames through charitie for as much as he is become the sonne of Abraham Gal. 5.6 Gen. 18.1 Such a faith had Abraham which wrought through charitie as appeared by his sitting in his tent doore euen in the heate of the day which was extreme in those countries to waite that hee might entertaine strangers As soone as Christ entred into Zacheus his house he stood forth and said thus Behold Lord the halfe of my goods I giue vnto the poore c. They which lacke this faith and this charitie it is to be feared that Christ is neither yet entred into their houses nor into their hearts where Christ is by and by this fire flameth And surelie this his liberalitie to the poore maie séeme but reasonable that a man should giue againe halfe to God Pro. 19.17 1. Cor 4.7 1. Sam. 12.8 who gaue him all that he hath and reserue but the other halfe for himselfe and his children And it séemes to be written for an example not for vs onlie to talke of but for all rich men to follow Whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning Rom. 15.4 saith Saint Paule And nothing is put downe idlie in the Scriptures Christ Iesus will feede the fancies or pleasures of no men no not of kings no not of Herod himselfe Luke 23.9 O that our rich men then would follow this so manifest an example then should the poore be sufficientlie relieued and they do but their duties and be blessed for their labours Then should they be
as the kinred of our soule which she must endure as long as she is coupled in league and fellowship with the bodie Therefore we must goe out of this earthly conuersation by the acts and maners of that heauenly life in so much that wee must not change our places as Abraham did but euen our soules If we desire to cleaue to Christ let vs forsake all corruptible things c. Thus by Ambrose iudgement euerie Christian is herein to follow Abrahams steps and the same commandement which was then giuen to Abraham remaines euen to euerie one of vs as yet still Depart out of thy countrie and from thy kinred and from thy fathers house that is forsake this world renounce the pleasures of the flesh and delight in heauenly works and pleasures And this is also that lesson that Dauid giueth to the whole Church of Christ Psal 45.10 Forsake thine owne people and thy Fathers house so shall the king haue pleasure in thy beautie Forsake this earth the house of thy father Adam And the pleasant apples that thy mother Eue so greatly longed after Gen. 3.6 that is all the pleasures and delights thereof And then shall the king haue pleasure in thy beautie Iam. 5.4 They which loue the world and the pleasures thereof are adulterers and doe not loue their husband Iesus Christ as he commandeth and therefore he hath no pleasure in their beautie And also in that generall muster of all Gods souldiers Psal 108.7 Manasses that is forgetfulnesse is one of them God hath spoken in his holinesse I will reioyce therfore saith Dauid I will take to my lot Shechem that is them that shall serue me earlie as Abraham did when as he rose vp early and went to offer his sonne Isaac Gen. 22.3 And I will measure out the vallie of Succoth that is humble and mercifull men which giue harbor to poore trauellers as Lot did who sate at the gate of Sodome in the euening to intertaine strangers Gen. 19.1 who seeing two men come towards him rose vpto meete them c. Gilead is mine that is he that kéepeth my testimonies in his heart as Marie did Luke 2.19 But Marie kept all these sayings and pondered them in her heart And Manasses is mine that is obliuion or forgetfulnesse that is he that forgetteth his fathers house and his kinred and goeth out of his countrie as Abraham did Ephraim is the strength of my head that is he that is fruitfull in all good workes as was Cornelius a deuout man Act. 10.2 and one that feared God with all his houshold which gaue much almes to the people and prayed God continually Iudah that is he that confesseth me and praiseth me with workes and words as king Dauid did shall bee my lawgiuer shal be a Prince with me Here is the Catalogue as it were of all Gods souldiers Let all Christians liue so and deale so and fight so that they maie be accepted amongst the number of them Granatensis by certaine excellent similitudes describeth vnto vs the contrarietie betwixt the loue of God Granat de perf amoris dei lib. 1. ca. and the loue of the world If a table saith he haue any image grauen in it how can it receiue another vnlesse the former be blotted out How can the land which the husbandman hath sown with barley bring forth wheat So how can the soule which is in loue with the world contain in it also the loue of God which is quite contrarie to it Wherfore it is excellently said of Seneca He that loues indeed can loue but one thing And againe Ibid. Imagine my brother loue to be as it were a hand which if it hold any thing cannot receiue another thing And that it may receiue any other thing it is necessarie that it first let that go which it held first So he that loueth the world cannot loue God for the hand of his soule is full now already with that loue Ibid. These two loues therefore are like a paire of ballance whereof if the one skale do descend the other must needs ascend if the one be lifted vp it caÌ„not chuse but the other must descend downe Euen so how much the more the loue of our selues encreaseth so much the more the loue of God decreaseth in vs And how much more the loue of God increaseth in vs so much more the loue of our selues is diminished c. And after Euen as a waxe candle being put into water Cap. 7. is taken out from thence as drie as it was before so the heart of the seruant of God although he liue in the midst of the world yet he tasteth no more of worldly things then fishes do of the sea And after Plotinus a Platonist maketh three as it were Cap. 10. steps or degrees to climbe vp to God by first to abstaine from euill then to abstaine from all earthly and vile things and lastly not to meddle with manie matters c. This meddling with maniâ— matters hinders vs so that we can haue no time to serue God And surely this is a great policie that Sathan vseth â—â—â—â—with he entangleth the men of our age they must haue manie things in their hands then when they haue them they flatter themselues with this conceit that they must néedes looke vnto them And so they haue almost no time to spend in the seruice of God O that the couetous Christians of our age would but marke this which will not be content with sufficient liuings as their forefathers were Ecclesiasticus teacheth them a good lesson Eccle. 11.10 O my sonne saith he meddle not with many matters Plato his scholler had this opinion of the things of the world And shall Christs schollers thus busie themselues with them And after Granatensis writeth that in the Scriptures the iust men are called heauen Lib. de perfect amoris Dei cap. 12. because they are freed from the imperfections and passions of this life And againe For the same cause it is said in the Psalme that God maketh his ministers and seruants a flaming fire For euen as the flame euer burneth vpward so the iust men euer pant or breath are caried also as a burning flame to those good things of that heauenly rest cap. 14. And in another place he saith Let the seruant of God perswade himselfe that hee is as hee is indeed the liuely temple of God and as that place is kept shut from all buying and selling and prophane businesses and affaires because it is consecrated to God alone so let him also thinke of his heart And after The children of Israel had not Manna giuen them from heauen cap. 20. till all their meale and flower that they brought out of Egypt were consumed Neither shall any man haue the sweetnesse of Gods loue but he that hath first renounced quite the delights of the loue of this world And the Prophet meant both