life of ours to be but a plai-game and therfore careth not how he liueth or wherein he spend and passe ouer the time And thys of the man whom the scripture calleth vaine But now for the sober wise and discreet of whom it is written The way of life is vpon the learned to the end he may decline from the lowest hell they are farre from so great folly as to imagine that no account shalbe demaūded of our beeing in thys worlde for that they haue read that God shall bring into iudgment whatsoeuer is doone for euerie faulte that is committed And the Christian man knoweth further by the mouth and asseueration of hys Sauiour and Redeemer that he shall be accountant for euery idle worde that hee mys-vttereth and finally there is no man that is eyther of reason or conuersant in the writings and Testament of his Creator but remembreth well that among all other irritations whereby the wicked man is saide to prouoke Gods patience to indignatiō none is more often repeated or more greeuously taken then that he said in his hart God will aske no account With these men then alone shall be my speech in thys present Chapter who haue a desire to discharge well thys account For attayning whereof truelie I can giue no better counsaile instruction or aduise then to doe in this case as a good Merchant-factor is wont to doe when he arriueth in forraine Countries or as a Souldiour or Captaine sent by his Prince to some great exployt is accustomed when he commeth to the place appointed that is to weigh consider deeplie for what cause he came thether why he was sent to what ende what to attempt what to prosecute what to performe what shall be expected and required at his hands vpon his returne by him that sent him thether For these cogitations no doubt shall styrre him vppe to attende to that for which he came and not to imploy hys tyme in impertinent affayres The like woulde I counsayle a Christian to put in vre concerning the case proposed and to demaunde of himselfe betweene God and his conscience why and wherefore and to what ende hee was created and sent hether into thys world what to doe wherein to bestowe hys daies c. And then shall he finde that for no other cause matter or end but only to serue God in thys life and by that seruice to enioy heauen and saluation in the life to come This was the condition of our creation as Moses well expresseth and this was the consideration of our redeeming fore-told by Zacharie before we were yet redeemed that wee beeing deliuered from the hands of our enemies should serue God in holines and righteousnesse all the daies of our liues Of thys consideration doe ensue two consequents to be obserued Whereof the fyrst is that seeing our ende and finall cause of being in thys worlde is to serue God and so to work our own saluation with feare trembling what soeuer thing we doe or bestow our time in which eyther is contrary or impertinent or not profitable to thys ende though it were to gaine kingdoms it is vanitie lost labour that will turne vs in time to greefe and repentaunce if we change not our course for that it is not the matter for which we came into thys life nor wherof we shall be demaunded an account except it be to receiue iudgment punishment for the same Secondly it followeth of the same consideration that seeing our onely businesse and affayre in thys world is to serue our Maker and saue our owne soules and that all other earthly creatures are put heere to serue our vses to that ende onely we shoulde for our parts be indifferent to all these creatures as to riches or pouertie to health or sicknesse to honour or contempt to little learning or much learning and we should desire onely so much or little of eyther of them as vvere best for vs to the attainement of our sayde ende and Butte pretended that is to the seruice of GOD and the weale of our soules For who soeuer desireth seeketh loueth or vseth these creatures more then for thys runneth from his end for which he came hether But thys then may a carefull Christian take some scantling of his owne estate with God and make a coniecture whether he be in the right way or no. For if hee attende onely or principallie to thys end for which hee vvas sent hether if his cares cogitations studies endeuours labours talke conuersation and other his actions doe runne vppon this matter and that he careth no more for other creatures as honours riches learning and the like then they are necessary vnto hym for thys end that he pretendeth if hys daies and life be spent in thys studie of the seruice of God and procuring his owne saluation in carefulnesse feare and trembling as the Apostle aduiseth him then is he doubtlesse a most happy man shall at length attaine to the kingdome which he expecteth But if he find himselfe in a contrary case and course that is not to attend indeede to thys matter for which onely he was sent hether nor to haue in hys hart and studie thys seruice of God and enioying of heauen but rather some other vanitie of the worlde as promotion wealth pleasure sumptuous apparrell gorgious buildings beautie fauour of Princes or any other thing els that appertaineth not vnto thys end If hee spende hys time about these trifles hauing his cares and cogitations his talke and delight more in these things then about the other great businesse of possessing Gods eternall kingdom for which hee was made and placed in thys world then is hee I assure him in a perrillous way leading directly to perdition except he alter and change his course For most certaine it is that whosoeuer shall not attend vnto the seruice he came for shall neuer attaine the rewarde assigned and promised to that seruice And for that the most parte of all thys worlde not onely of Infidels but also Christians doe runne amisse in this pointe and doe not take care of that affayre and busines for which alone they were created placed heere hence is it that Christ and his holie Saints both before and after his appearance in flesh haue spoken so hardly and seuerely of the very small number that shall be saued euen among Christians and haue vttered certain speeches which seeme very rigorous to flesh and bloode and to such as are most touched therein scarce credible albeit they must be fulfilled As among other thinges that a louer of thys worlde cannot be saued that rich men doe enter as hardly into heauen as a Camell through a needles eye and the like The reason of which manner of speeches doe stande in thys that a rich man or worldling attending with all his industrie to heape vppe riches as the fashion is can
watchman set vpon the walles and a Lyon to denounce wyth open mouth whatsoeuer daunger hee sawe comming towards them And GOD taught the Prophet to cry in this sort to their Sentinell or watchman Custos quid de nocte custos quid de nocte Thou watchman what seest thou comming towards thee by night what espiest thou ô Sentinell drawing on vs in the darknesse By all which circumstaunce what els is insinuated but that God wold haue vs stand vpon our watch for that his iudgments are to come vpon the world by night when men least thinke thereof they are to come as a theefe at midnight as also in another place we are admonished and therefore happy is the man that shall be founde watchfull But nowe the doore and sole entraunce into thys watch whereof the securitie of our eternall life dependeth can be nothing els but consideration for that where no consideration is there can be no watch nor fore-sight nor knowledge of our estate and consequentlie no hope of saluation as holy S. Bernard holdeth which thing caused that blessed man to wryte fiue whole Bookes of consideration to Eugenius Consideration is the thing that bringeth vs to know GOD and our selues And touching God it layeth before vs his Maiestie his mercie his iudgments his commaundements his promises his threatnings his proceeding with other men before vs whereby wee may gather what wee also in time must expect at his hands And for our selues consideration the key that openeth the doore to the closet of our hart wher al our bookes of account doe lye it is the looking glasse or rather the very eye of our soule wherby she taketh the view of herself looketh into all her whole estate into her riches her debts her dueties her negligeÌ„ces her good gifts hir defects her safety hir danger hir way she walketh in her course she followeth her pace she holdeth and finally the place ende whereunto she draweth And without this coÌ„sideration she runneth on headlong into a thousand brakes and bryers stumbling at euery steppe into some one inconuenience or other and continually in perrill of some great deadly mischiefe And wonderfull truely it is that in all other busines of this life men can see and confesse that nothing may be begunne prosecuted or well ended without consideration yet in this great affayre of winning heauen or falling into hell fewe thinke consideration greatly necessarie to be vsed I might stand heere to shew the infinite other effects and commodities of consideration as that it is the watch or larum bel that stirreth vppe and awaketh all the powers of our minde the match or tynder that conceiueth and nourisheth the fire of deuotion the bellowes that enkindeleth and inflameth the same the spurre that pricketh forwarde to all vertuous zealous and heroycall actes and the thing indeed that giueth both light life and motion to our soule Our fayth is confirmed and increased by consideration of Gods workes and miracles our hope by consideration of his promises of the true performaunce thereof to all them that euer trusted in him our charitie or loue to God by consideration of his benefits and innumerable deserts towards vs our humilitie by consideration of his greatnes of our owne infirmitie our courage and fortitude by contemplation of his assistaunce in al causes for his honor our contempt of the world by consideration of the ioyes of heauen eternall and so all other vertues both morrall and diuine doe take their heate quickning and vitall spirit from consideration By the exercise of consideration and meditation holy Dauid saith that he felt a burning fire to flame within his breast that is the fire of zeale the fire of feruour in Religion the fire of deuotion the fire of loue towards God and his neighbour And in anoplace he saith that by the same exercise hee swept and purged his owne spirit which is to be vnderstoode from the duste of this world from the dregges of sinne from the contamination and coinquination of humaine creatures for that consideration indeed is the verie fan that seuereth and driueth awaie the chaffe from the corne For which cause wee shall neuer reade of any holy man from the beginning of the worlde neyther before Christ nor after who vsed not much familiarlie this most blessed exercise of consideration pondering And for the first three Patriarches it shall be sufficient to remeÌ„ber the custome of young Isaac recorded in Genesis Which was to goe forth towards night into the fieldes ad meditandum that is to meditate consider and ponder vppon the workes iudgments and commaundements of GOD. And thys hee did beeing yet but a childe and vnmarried farre different from the custome of young Gentlemen nowe adaies who frequent the fieldes to follow their vanities and as lyttle Isaac could not haue this custome but from his Father Abraham so no doubt but hee taught the same to his sonne Iacob Iacob againe to his posteritie And as for Moses and his successor Iosua it may easilie be imagined howe they vsed this exercise by the most earnest exhortations which they made thereof to others in their speech and wrytings The good kings of Iuda also notwithstanding their manie great temporall aâ—faires do testifie of themselues concerning this exercise as Dauid almost euery where that the commaundements of God were his dailie meditation not onely by day and that tota die all the day et per singulos dies euery day in matutino in the morning et septies in die seauen times a day but also hee insinnuateth this custome by night meditatus sum nocte cum corde meo I doe meditate by night in my hart vpon thy commaundements ô Lord signifying here by both his watchfulnesse by night when other men were a sleepe and the hartie care that he had of this exercise which we esteem so little Salomon also King Dauids sonne so long as hee liued in the grace and fauour of God obserued this exercise of his Father and exhorteth other men to haue continuall daily cogitation in this affaire Which if himselfe had continued still it is likely hee had neuer fallen from God by women as he did The good King Ezechias is reported to haue meditated like a Doue that is in silence solitarinesse with himselfe alone which is the true way of profitable meditation Esay testifieth of his own watching by night in this exercise and howe he did the same with his spirit alone in the very bowels of his hart Holie Iob maketh mention not onelie of his manner of considering but what also hee considered and what effect he found in him selfe by the same First hee considered as I sayde the wayes foote-steppes and commaundements of GOD then his dreadfull power to wit howe no man was able to auert or turne away his
agreemeÌ„t and coherence in one spirit But now further saith the learned Iewe if you will but open the booke it selfe and looke into the Texte and that which therin is contained you shal see Gods owne hand Gods owne charecters Gods owne signe and seale and subscription to the paper You shall see Gods omnipotencie Gods spirite Gods prouidence no lesse in these letters of his booke then you beheld the same before in the tables of hys creatures Nay much more sayth hee for that these letters were deuised for declaration of those tables to the end that such as for theyr blindnesse could not see him in his creatures might learne at least to reade him in hys scriptures THE FIFT PROOFE OF SCRIPTVRES COnsider then first saith hee the subiect or argument which the Scriptures doe handle together with theyr scope and ende whereunto they doe leuell You shal finde that the first is nothing els but the acts and gestes of one eternal God as before hath been mentioned and the second nothing els but the onely glorie and exaltation of the same great GOD together with the saluation of man-kinde vpon earth And shall you finde any wrytings in the worlde besides that haue so worthy an argument or so high an ende Reade all the volumes monuments of the Pagans turn ouer all theyr Authors of what kinde name or profession so euer and see what meÌ„tion they make of these two things I meane of the honour of God and the saluation of man Read theyr Phylosophers see whether euer they name or pretende these things Read theyr Historiographers and marke how many battailes and victories they attribute vnto God They wil describe to you often the perticuler commendation of euerie Captaine they will defraude no one Souldiour of hys prayse in the victorie they wyll attribute much to the wysedom of their Generall much to his courage much to â—â—s watchfulnes much to his fortune They wyll attribute to the place to the winde to the wether to the shyning of the Sunne to the raysing of the duste in the enemies eyes to the flying of some little byrde in the ayre and to a thousande such pettie obseruations besides but to God nothing Where as contrariwise in the scriptures it is in euery battayle recorded God deliuered them into theyr enemies handes God ouerthrewe them God gaue the victorie Againe consider the Lawes and Lawemakers among the Gentiles as Lycurgus Solon Draco Numa and the like and see whether you may finde any one such Lawe or tending to such an ende as thys of the Iewes Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart and with all thy soule and shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Consider in all the South-sayers and Diuines among the Gentiles whether they vsed to say in theyr predictions as the Prophets of Israell did Dominus dixit the Lord hath spoken it or els Ego dico I doe speak it Compare theyr versifyers and Poets with those of the scripture and see whether they haue laboured in the prayse of men or of God And whereas heathen Poets haue filled vppe theyr Bookes as also the most part of ours at thys daie wyth matter of carnall loue marke where any of theÌ„ euer brake foorth into such panâ—â— of spirituall chaste loue as holie Dauid did when he said I wyll loue thee my God my strength my firmament my refuge my deliuerer my helper my protector the horne of my saluation And again in another verse What haue I desired vpoÌ„ earth besides thee my flesh and hart haue fainted for thee thou God of my hart thou GOD art my part and portion euerlasting By all which is euident that as prophane wrytinges and writers which doe treate of men extoll men seeke the grace of men referre all to the commoditie and good liking of men doe proceede of the spirite of man and are subiect to those infirmities of falsehoode errour and vanitie wherewith man is intangled in thys life so the Scriptures which handle matters aboue the compasse of flesh and bloode that referre all to God and supernaturall endes could not proceede of nature or of humaine spirit For that by nature the Iewes were men as the Gentiles were and had theyr infirmities of fleshe and blood as the other had And therfore it must needes be concluded that these high and supernaturall writings among them proceeded from God that specially directed them and gaue them light of vnderstanding aboue all other nations and people in the world THE SIXT PROOFE OF SCRIPTVRES NExt after the argument and end of the Scriptures the Iewe wylleth vs to consider the peculier style phrase which they vse for that saith he it beeing different froÌ„ all manner of wrytings in the world and vnimitable to man it dooth dyscouer the finger of God by which it was framed For wher as humaine writers doe labour much in adoring theyr stile and in reducing their words to number weight measure and sound with addition of many figures and other ornaments for allurement of the Reader the Scripture taketh quite another course and vseth a most meruailous simplicitie therby to accomodate it selfe to the capacitie of the weakest but yet alwaies carrying with it so great profunditie as the best learned in the search thereof shall confesse theyr owne ignoraunce For examples sake consider but the very first wordes of the Bible In the beginning God created heauen and earth and the earth was emptie and voide and darkenes was vpon the face of the depth and the spirit of God was carried vpon the waters and GOD saide let light be made light was made c. What can be more plaine simple theÌ„ this narration to instruct the most vnlearned about the beginning creation of the world and yet when learned men come to examine euery point therof how and what where and in what manner and when things were doone it astonisheth them all to consider the difficulties which they finde and the depth of so infinite inscrutable misteries Besides thys there goeth in the same simplicitie a strange maiestie and grauitie of speeche declaring sufficiently from howe great and potent a Prince it proceedeth For as great Monarches in theyr Edicts and proclamations are wont to speak vnto their subiects not in figures or rethoricall phrases but plainly breefelie and peremptorilie to shewe theyr authoritie so the scriptures to declare whose Edicts they be do vse the like manner of phrase and style to al the worlde without alluring or flattering any man and without respect of Monarche Emperour King Prince or Potentate Fac hoc et viues doe thys and thou shalt liue Si peccaueris in me morieris in aeternum if thou sin against me thou shalt die euerlastinglie And albeit as I haue sayde the Scriptures doe vse this simplicitie of speech and doe not admitte that kind of paynted and
peculier stile and phrase which they vseâ— the sixt proofe 85. The contents of the Scriptures the seauenth proofe 90. The circumstaunces of prophecies set down in the Scriptures page 94. 1. The prophecie to AbrahaÌ„ for his posteritie 95. 2. The prophecie for the gouernment of Iuda 96. 3. The prophecie for the greatnesse of Ephraim aboue Manasses 99. 4. The fore-sight of Moses 101. 5. The prophecie for the perpetuall desolation of Iericho 101. 6. The prophecie for the byrth and acts of King Iosias page 102. 7. The prophecie for the destruction of Ierusalem and Babilon 105. 8. The wonderfull prophecie for Cyrus King of Persia. 106. 9. The prophecies and dooings of Ieremie in the siege of Ierusalem 108. Approbation of Heathen Writers the eyght proofe 114 1. The creation of the world 115 2. The floode of Noe. 115. 3. The long life of the first fathers 116. 4. Of the Tower of Babilon 117. 5. Of Abraham and his affayres 117 6. Of Isaac Iacob Ioseph Iob c. 118. 7. Of Moses and his acts 119. 8. The story of Iosua the Iudges the kings 120 9. The thinges that ensued after King Salomons dayes 121. The fourth Section The conclusion of the Chapter with the application page 122 No excuse can auaile of the ignoraunce of God page 123 The applycation to our selues of the premisses page 125. The third Chapter Of the finall end and cause why man was created by God and placed in this world And of the obligation he hath thereby to attende to the affaire for which he came hether The matters handled in thys Chapter Howe man was made to serue God therefore cannot be free or at his own appointment 128 Man shall be accountant of euery idle worde he vttereth 129 Profitable demaundes and considerations for a man to thinke vppon 130 How a man may take a scantling of his owne estate with God by following the right course for which he was sent and shunning the wrong and daungerous course 132 The reason why so fewe are saued 133 A perfect example of a good conuersion 134 The complaint of worldlings in the end of their lyfe page 138 A comparison expressing our greefe in the ende for running a wrong course page 140 The misery of a soule that hath gone awry at the last day 140 Two rare examples of humane felicitie in Herode the first and Agrippa with their seuerall strange and wonderfull ends 142 143 144 Errour in our course of life is not pardoned 146 A rare chaunce that happened to Baltasar king of Babilon page 148 If God examin straightly the actions of Infidels much more wyll he doe of careles Christians 148 The daungerous and most dreadfull deuision from God our Sauiour and the Communion of Saints page 149. The fourth Chapter That the seruice which God requireth of man in thys present life is Religion with the particuler confirmations of Christian Religion aboue all other in the worlde What speciall poynts are handled in thys Chapter and first for the formost part An aunswer to the demaund what seruice God requireth of vs concerning religion pietie and obseruaunce wyth theyr differences 151,152 The internall and externall acts and operations of Religion page 152 No way left to obtaine this seruice but the light and instruction of Christian Religion 153 Howe men in olde time were saued wythout Christian Religion 154 The difference betweene our beleefe and the olde Fathers 155 Diuers testimonies from GOD of the thinges that we beleeue The principall heads of thys Chapter deuided into three parts and handled in foure Sections 1. The things that past before the natiuitie incarnation of Christ. 160. 2. The thinges doone and verified from that time vntill his ascention 160. 3. Such euents as happened for confirmation of his Deitie after his departure page 160 The first Section Howe Christ was foretold both to Iewe Gentile declared in foure considerations 161. The first consideration touching the Messias promised 161 The first couenaunt to Adam in Paradise 162 The same promise to Abraham and Isaac 163 Iacobs prophecie of the comming of Christ. 164 Moses prophecie of Christ liuing in the wildernâ—sse with the people c. page 166 Dauids prophecie of Christ foure hundred yeeres after page 167 Ieremies prophecie of Christ four hundred yeeres after Dauid page 169 Ezechiels prophecie of Christ wherein hee is called by the name of Dauid 170 The prophecies of Esay touching Christ wyth hys wonderfull properties 171 172 Daniels prophecie of Christ in the ende of Babilons captiuitie page 173 The seconde Consideration that Christ should be both God and man sixe waies prooued page 176 1. That he should crush the deuill and breake his heade page 177 2. That hee shoulde be a Ruler in Israell and hys name God page 178 3. That he should be called Iehoua wyth the interpretation of the Rabbines 179 4. That hee shoulde be called the very Sonne of God page 182 5. That he should be the word of the father 183 6. Learned Philo his discourse for the returne home of the banished Iewes page 185 The thyrd consideration whether Christ shold chaunge the law of Moses or no. 187 Moses Law was an imperfect Law bringing nothing to perfection page 187 The newe Lawe of Christ and the perfections thereof page 189 The reprobation of the olde Lawe with a promise of a newe 191 The fourth consideration wherin all particulers are fore-tolde of Christ for his incarnation birth life death and resurrection 193 194 The fift consideration touching manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles 195 Three particuler waies whereby the Gentiles myght heare of Christ. page 197 Prophecies touching Christ among the Gentiles by the Sibyls 200 Of what importaunce authoritie the Greeke verses of the Sibyls were page 201 Foure seuerall proofes for credite of the Sibyls verses 202 203 205 Of the confession of Oracles concerning Christes comming page 209 210 The second Section Howe the former predections were fulfilled in our Sauiour Christ at his beeing vpon earth 212 The first consideration of the appointed tyme for Christes byrth 215 1. proofe The generall state of the worlde at Christes natiuitie the three Monarchies of the Assirians Persians Grecians beeing ended and the Romaines entered into the fourth page 216 2. proofe The peace of all the world at his comming page 217 3. proofe The Scepter of Iuda most horrible murders committed by Herod 218 219 The prophecie of Iacob touching the Scepter of Iuda page 221 That the Scepter neuer fayled in Iuda vntill Herods time page 221 4. proofe The destruction of the seconde Temple page 222 The building of the seconde Temple lesse gorgeous then the first page 223 Fiue speciall prerogatiues of the first Temple page 225 The seconde Temple to be destroyed presently after Christes passion 226 5. proofe The seauentie-two Hebdomades prophecied by Daniell page 227 Why the Angell named seauentie Hebdomades in thys place 228 The exact number of weekes from the building
within the compasse of one hundred yeeres had foretolde to be imminent vpon the worlde not onely to Samaria and the ten Trybes of Israell which were now alreadie carried into banishment to the furthest parts of the East but also to the states Countries that most florished at that time as by name to Babilon Egipt Damasco Tyrus Sidon Moab and finallie to Ierusalem and Iudea it selfe which he foresawe should soone after most pittifully be destroyed when hee sawe also by long experience that neither his words nor the wordes and cryes of the other forenamed Prophets could any thing moue the harts of wicked men hee brake foorth into this most lamentable complaint Desolatione desolata est omnis terra quia nullus est qui recogitet corde The whole earth falleth into extreame ruine and desolation for that there is no man which considereth deeplie in his hart This complaint made good Ieremie in his daies for compassion of his people that ran miserablie to perdition for want of consideration And the same complaint with much more reason may euery good Christian make at this time for the infinit soules of such as perish dailie by inconsideration Whereby as by a generall and remedilesse enchauntment many thousande soules are brought a sleepe and doe finde themselues within the gates of hell before they mysdoubt any such inconuenience beeing ledde through the vale of this present life as it were blindfolded with the veile of carelesse negligence like beastes to the slaughter house neuer permitted to see theyr owne danger vntill it be too late to remedie the same Propterea captiuus ductus est populus meus quia non habuit scientiam saith GOD by the mouth of Esay Therefore and for thys cause is my people ledde away captiue in al bondage and slauerie to perdition for that they haue no knowledge no vnderstanding of their own estate no foresight of the times to come no consideration of their danger Heerehence floweth all the miserie of my people and yet this is a misterie that all men will not know Will you see what a misterie and sealed secret this is harken then howe one describeth the same and with what circumstaunces Furthermore saith he a certain hidden word was spoken vnto me and mine eare as it were by stealth receiued the veines of his whyspering it was in the horror of a vision by night when deade sleepe is wont to possesse men Feare came vppon me and trembling and all my bones were extremelie terrified At length a spirit past by in my presence whereat the hayres of my flesh stoode vppe in horrour There stood before me one whose face I knew not His image was before mine eyes and I hearde his voice as the sound of a soft ayre Hetherto is described in what manner and order this secrete was reuealed but nowe what said this vision or spirit thinke you at the last truelie he made a short discourse to proue by the fall of the Angels for their sin that much more qui habitant domos luteas et terrenum habent fundamentum consumeÌ„tur velut atinea et de mane vsque ad vesperam succidentur They who dwel in houses of morter as all men doe whose bodies are of flesh and they which haue their â—oundation of earth as most folke of this world haue that put their confidence in things of this life they must all consume by little and little as the cloth doth by the Mothe and at length they must vpon the suddaine within lesse space perhaps then is from morning to night be cut downe and dispatched when they think least of it And to shewe that herein standeth a point of high secrecie I meane to consider ponder well this discourse hee maketh his conclusion in these words immediatly folowing et quia nullus intelligit in aeternum peribunt And for that fewe or none of these men before mentioned who haue such earthly foundations doe vnderstande this point aright I meane of their suddaine death cutting off froÌ„ this world therfore must they perish eternally and this is a secret which fewe men will beleeue Vir insipiens non cognoscet saith Dauid et stultus non intelliget haec an vnaduised man will not learne these thinges nor will a foole vnderstande them but what things it ensueth in the same place howe wonderfull the works of God how deepe his cogitations are about sinners who spring vp as grasse and florish in this world vt intereant in seculum seculi to the ende they may perish for euer and euer The Prophet Daniell had many visions and strange reuelations of great high misteries but one amongst all other and this the least of the most dreadfull iudgments of God vpon sinners in the ende of the world The vision was by the great riuer Tygris where as diuers Angels were attending about the bankes so vpon the water it selfe stood one in the likenes of a man of exceeding dreadfull maiestie his apparrel beeing onelie lynnen through which his body shyned like precious stone his eyes like burning lamps his face like flashing lightning his armes legges like brasse inflamed and his voyce as the shoute of a whole multitude of people that should speake together This was Christ by all interpretation at whose terrible presence when Daniell fell downe deade hee was erected againe by an Angell and made strong to abide the vision and so hauing heard seene the most wonderfull things that in his booke hee recounteth he was bold to aske a question or two for better vnderstanding therof and his first question was howe long it shoulde be ere these wonderfull things tooke their ende whereunto the man vppon the water aunswered by stretching out both his brasen armes to heauen and swearing strangly by him that liued for euer and euer that it shoulde be a time and times and halfe a time Which aunswere Daniell not vnderstanding began to question further but he was cut of with this dyspatch Goe thy way Daniell for these speeches are shut vp sealed vntil the time preordained And yet for his further instruction it was added in the same place Impie agent impii nec intelligent wicked men will alwaies doe wickedlie and will not vnderstande these misteries albeit we shold neuer so much expound them Whereby as by all the rest that hetherto hath beene alledged is made apparent that inconsideration negligence carelesse ignoraunce and lacke of vnderstanding in our owne estates and in Gods iudgments proceedings with iniquitie and sinne hath been a bane a common perdition of retchlesse men from time to time And if we will turne our eyes to thys our age much more shall we see the same to be true For what is the cause thinke you why at this day we haue so many of those people whom holy Iob doth call abhominable that drinke vp iniquitie as
cogitation but that his soule did what it pleased by this saith he cōsiderans eum timore sollicitor I am made sollicitous or watchfull with feare vvhen I doe consider him In which wordes hee insinuateth two most excellent effects of consideration First the feare of God of which it is written salutis thesaurus timor Domini the feare of God is the treasure of saluation and the seconde that by this feare hee was made sollicitous watchfull and dilligent in Gods seruice of which the Prophet Micheas saith thus I will tell thee O man what is good what our Lord requireth at thy hands to wit to doe iudgment and loue mercie and to walke sollicitous and watchfull with thy God But thou ô holie and blessed man Iob did this exercise of consideration bring forth in thee so great feare and terror of God and so carefull watchfulnesse for obseruing hys commaundements nowe I see wel the cause why thou writest of thy selfe that thou diddest doubt and feare all thy workes and actions were they neuer so circumspect But what shall wee say nowe adayes most happie Saint who doe not doubt so much as our owne disolute carelesse and immoderate actions who feele no terror of God at all nor doe vse any one iote of watchfulnesse in obseruing his commaundements truelie thys proceedeth of nothing else but of inconsideration it proceedeth of lacke of knowledge both of God and of our selues For doubtlesse if we knowe either of these two things aright as indeede neither of them can bee well vnderstood without the other it could not be but that many of vs wold change our wrong courses O mercifull Lord what sinfull man in the world would liue as he doth if he knew eyther thee or himselfe as hee shoulde doe I meane if hee considered what thou art and what thou hast beene to other that liued and continued in sinne as he doth Not without great cause cryed so often and earnestlie to thee that holy Doctor of thy Church for obtayning of these two poynts at thy hands vt cognoscam te vt cognoscam me that I may knowe thee and that I may knowe my selfe sayth he that is that I may consider feele the true knowledge heereof for manie men doe know but with little commoditie We knowe and beleeue in grosse the misteries of our fayth that there is a God which rewardeth good and euill that hee is terrible in his counsels vpon the sonnes of men that there is a hell for sinners a heauen for good liuers a most dreadfull day of iudgment to come a strayte account to be demaunded the like All this wee knowe and beleeue in generall as merchandise wrapped vppe together in a bundle But for that wee vnfolde not these thinges nor rest vpon them in particuler for that we let them not downe into our hearts nor doe ruminate on them with leysure and attention for that we chew thē not well in mind by deepe consideration nor doe digest them in hart by the heate of meditation they remaine with vs as a sword in hys scaberde and doe helpe vs as little vnto good life for which they were reuealed as a preseruatiue in our pocket neuer aplyed can helpe our health We beare the generall knowledge of these misteries locked vppe in our breastes as sealed bagges of treasure that we neuer tolde nor opened and consequentlie we haue neither feeling sence or motion thereby euen as a man may carrie fire about hym in a flynt stone without heate and perfumes in a pommander without smel except the one be beaten and the other chafed All standeth then good Reader in thys one poynt for direction of our selues in this life for reaping benefite by the misteries of our fayth and Religion that wee alot our selues time to meditate ponder and consider what these things doe teach vs. For as the sicke man that had most excellent remedies and precious potions sette before him could expect no profit or ease thereby if he onely did looke vppon them or smelled thē or tooke them into his mouth alone or shold cast them foorth of his stomacke againe before they were setled or had time to worke theyr operation euen so is it in thys case of ours And therefore with great reason sayde Saint Paule to Timothie after he had taught him a long lesson Haec meditare meditate consider and ponder vppon these thinges which I haue shewed you as if in other speeches hee had sayde all that hetherto I haue tolde you or wrytten for your instruction and all that euer you haue hearde or learned besides will auaile you nothing for your saluation except you meditate and ponder vppon the same and doe sucke out the iuyce thereof by often consideration Wherefore to conclude this chapter my deere and welbeloued brother for that consideration is so precious and profitable so needeful and necessarie a thing as hath been declared I thought it conuenient in thys first fronte and enteraunce of my Booke to place the mention and dilligent recommendation thereof as a thing most requisite for all that ensueth For without consideration neyther this that I haue sayd already nor any thing els that shall or may be sayd hereafter can yeeld thee profit as by most lamentable experience we see daily in the worlde where many millions of mē passe ouer their whole age without taking profit of so manie good Bookes so many preachings so many vertuous examples so many terrible chastisemēts of GOD vpon sinners which euery where they see before theyr face But yet for that they wyl not or haue not leisure or dare not or haue no grace to enter into consideration thereof they passe ouer all as sicke men doe pylles diuerting as much as they may bothe theyr eyes cogitations from all such matters as are vngratefull vnto them But as good Ieremie saith the tyme wyll come when they shall be enforced to see knowe and consider these things when perhaps it will be too late to reape any comfort or consolation therby Wherfore deere brother that which perforce thou must doe in time to come and that perchaunce to thy greater damnation I meane to enter into consideration of thyne owne estate doe that nowe willingly to thy comfort and consolation for preparing the way to thy saluation Preuent the day and redeeme the time according to S. Paules wyse counsell run not headlong wyth the world to perdition stay som time as holy Ieremie admonisheth thee and say to thy selfe what doe I whether doe I goe what course hold I what shal be my ende Take some time from thy pleasures from the company of thy pleasant friends to doe this although it be with losse of some pastime and recreation for I assure thee it wyll recompence it selfe in the ende and make thee merry when thy laughing friends shall weepe The effect of all the considerations that
verie plainlie and peremptorilie with the Stoicks All the foure sects of Phylosophers then who in theyr tymes bare the credite of learning and wysedome made profession of one GOD when they came to speake as they thought But if we ascend vp hygher to the dayes before these sectes beganne that is to Pythagoras and Archytas Tarentinus before them againe to Mercurius Trismegistus that was the first parent of Phylosophie to the Egiptians we shall find them so resolute and plaine in this poynt as no Christian can be more Wherefore hee that desyreth to see innumerable examples as well of these mens sayings as of other learned Heathens of all ages let him reade but S. Cyril◠first booke against Iulian the Apostata or Lactantius his first second bookes against the Gentiles and he shall remaine satis-fied Thys then is the Morrall Phylosophers first argument the inclination of all people to beleeue a Godhead the instinct of nature to confesse it the force of mans conscience to feare it the custome of all Nations to adore it And finally the consent full agreement of all learned and wise men in applying thys Godhead not to many but to one onely that made thys worlde and gouerneth the same Non hominibus non daemonibus non diis ipsis quos non naturae ratione sed honoris causa Deos nominamus We doe not attribute the appellation of true God saith Trismegistus eyther vnto men or vnto deuils or vnto the multitude of other gods themselues for that we call them gods not in respect of theyr natures but for honors sake That is we call them gods to honour them for theyr famous acts and not for that we thinke them in nature true gods Which Cicero confirmeth in these words The life of man and common custome hath nowe receiued to lift vppe to heauen by fame and good wil such men as for their benefits are accounted excellent And heerehence it commeth that Hercules Castor Pollux AEsculapius and Liber are nowe become gods and heauen almost is filled with man-kinde The second argument of Morrall phylosophie is de vltimo fine summo hominis bono that is cōcerning the last end of man and of his highest or supreame felicitie wher by the beeing of God is also confirmed And albeit I haue sayde some-what of mans ende before yet that which in thys place I am to adde is more proper and peculier to Morral phylosophie For as other sciences may and doe consider the finall endes of other creatures which are diuers and yet all concurre for the seruice of man so thys science of Morrall phylosophie dooth properly consider the finall ende of man himselfe calling it summum bonum hys greatest and hyghest happinesse whereunto he was created and whereunto he tendeth in this life and wherin hee resteth and reposeth without further motion or appetite when he hath obtayned it For better vnderstanding whereof it is to be considered that euery thing in thys worlde hath some particuler ende together wyth an appetite and desire ingrafted by nature to that ende which desire ceaseth when the end is obtayned As for example a stone hath a naturall appetite to goe down-warde to the Centre or middle of the earth and so it resteth in no place except by violence it be stayde vntill it come thether On the contrary fire reposeth no where except it be restrayned vntill it mount aboue the ayre to hys peculier natural place of abode wher of it selfe it resteth And so in other thinges that are wythout sence there is a certain appetite and desire to theyr ende which ende beeing once obtayned that desire and appetite of it selfe reposeth In beastes likewise we behold that they haue a desire to fill theyr bellies and to satisfie theyr other sences which being satis-fied they remaine contented and desire nothing els vntill the same appetite of sence want his obiect againe Whereby wee perceiue that sensualitie or contentation of the sences is the finall ende desired of beastes and theyr very summum bonum or supreame felicitie But in man albeit for maintenaunce of the body there be thys appetite also to satis-fie hys sences according to the lower proportion of hys minde that is called sensatiue yet according to the hygher part of hys minde whose name is Reason or the reasonable part which is the onely part indeede that is peculier to man and distinguisheth hym from vnreasonable beastes hee hath an appetite of some more highe excellent obiect then is the contentation of these sences for that by experience we see and feele that oftentimes when the sences be all satis-fyed yet is the minde not quiet which argueth that sensualitie or sensuall delectation is not our summum bonum wherin our mind must rest and enioy her felicitie Heereupon haue Phylosophers and wise men fallen to dyspute in all ages what shold be the finall felicitie and summum bonum of man-kind And Cicero saith that this point is cardo totius phylosophiae the verie hooke or hindge whereupon all phylosophie hangeth For that thys beeing once found out cleere it is that all other things and actions are to to be referred to the obtayning of thys ende and happinesse And therefore about thys poynt there hath beene meruailous contention and sight among Phylosophers the Stoickes refuting the Epicures and the Peripateticks refuting againe the Stoicks and the Platoniques who went nerest the truth impugning and refuting both the one the other and thys dyssention went so far forth the one part assigning one thing and the other another to be thys felicitie or summum bonum that Marcus Varro a most learned Romaine gathered two hundreth fourescore and eyght dyfferent opinions as S. Austine noteth about thys matter And finally when all was sayd and examined Plato founde that nothing which myght be named or imagined in thys lyfe coulde be the felicitie or summum bonum of man for that it could not satis-fie the desire of our minde And therefore hee pronounceth thys generall sentence It is impossible that men should find their felicitie or summum bonum in this life seeke what waie they will but in the next life without all doubt it must be founde The reason of which sentence determination was for that Plato was able to refute any thing that the other Phylosophers dyd or could name to be our felicitie and finall ende in thys life were it Riches Honours Pleasures morral vertues or other like which each secte did assigne As for example hee proued that ryches could not be our summum bonum or happynesse for that they are vncertain vndurable vayne variable and things that bring wyth them more danger oftentimes and trouble of minde then pouertie doth Honours hee refelled for that besides theyr vanitie they depend of the mouth mindes of other men who are changeable and inconstant Pleasures of the body voluptuousnes for that they
are common to vs with beastes and alwayes haue annexed theyr sting dyscontentation when they are past Morrall vertues for that they consist in a certaine perpetuall fight and warre with our owne passions which neuer giue vs reste or repose in thys life Finally whether soeuer wee turne our selues or what soeuer we lay our hands vppon in this life to make our felicitie or summum bonum it faileth vs saith Plato neither giueth it any durable contentation to our minde wherefore this felicitie is to bee sought and obtayned in the life to come Thus farâ— arryueth Morrall Phylosophie by reason to proue that mans felicitie or finall end cannot be in any thing of thys lyfe or world It proueth also by the same reason as in part it hath been touched before that thys felicitie of our mind in the life to come must be a spirituall and immateriall obiect for that our minde and soule is a spirit it must be immortall for that our soule is immortall But what goeth yet humaine phylosophie any further or can Plato assigne the particuler poynt wherein it standeth Heare his words and confesse that not without reason he was called Diuine In thys it coâ—â—isteth sayth he vt coniungamur Deo qui omnis beatitudinis fastigium meta finis That we be ioyned to God who is the toppe the butte and the end of all blessednes And can any Christian thinke you say more then thys Yet harken what a scholler of his saith for explication of hys Maisters sentence Supremus hominis finis supremum bonum id est Deus The finall ende of man whereto hee tendeth is a supreame or soueraigne good thing and thys is God himselfe By which wordes wee see that these Heathens by the ende of man could finde out GOD which was the seconde argument propounded in Morrall phylosophie A third argument vseth the Morral phylosopher for proofe of God which shal be the last I wyll alledge in thys place deduced from consideration of good and euill vice vertue especially of the reward which by nature reason and equitie is due to the one as also of the punishment belonging to the other For sayth he as in all other thinges creatures actions of thys world that passe from the Creator we see proportion order iustice wysedome prouidence obserued so much more must wee assure our selues that the same is obserued in the same Creators actions and proceedings towardes man that is the cheefe and principall of all other hys creatures Nowe then wee see and beholde that all other creatures are directed to theyr endes by nature and doe receiue comfort and contentation so long as they holde that course and losse disease and griefe as soone as they breake and swarue from the same Onelie man hath reason giuen him wherby to know and iudge of hys ende and the holie Scriptures whereby he may eyther direct his way to the same by vertue or runne astray by folowing of wickednesse Whereupon it ensueth that in all equitie and iustice there must remaine rewarde for such as doe well and follow the right pathe assigned them to theyr ende felicitie which is by good life and punishment for the other that abandoneth the same for pleasure and sensualitie But we see in thys world sayth the Phylosopher that most wicked men doe receiue least punishment and many there be as Princes high Potentates whose liues and actions be they neuer so vicious yet are they aboue the correction of mortall men and many poore men in the contrarie part vvho for theyr vertue patience and honestie receiue nothing in thys life but enuie malice contempt reproche despyte and oppression Wherefore saith hee eyther wanteth there prouidence and equitie in the gouernment and dysposition of these great affaires which we see not to want in thinges of lesser moment or els must there be a place of punishment and reward in the life to come vppon the soules of such as passe from hence and a iust and powerfull Iudge to make recompence of these inequalities iniustices permitted in thys world Which Iudge can be none but the Creator himselfe And so hytherto haue I declared howe euery particuler science among the Gentiles had particuler meanes and wayes to demonstrate GOD by contemplation of his creatures and by force of reason which no man coulde denie Nowe remaineth it to shewe howe the Iewe or faithfull Israelite before Christes appearaunce was able to confirme thys veritie to a Heathen which shal be the subiect of the section ensuing Howe the Iewes were able to proue GOD. SECT 3. THE people of Israell that for manie yeeres and ages were the peculier people partage of GOD as they dwelt inuironed wyth Gentiles of each side that impugned their Religion and worshippe of one God and had many weak-lings among them selues that were often tempted to doubt of the same Religion by the example of so manie Nations and Countries about them that made profession of a contrary Religion so had the Diuines and learned men of thys people diuâ—rs forcible proofes most reasonable arguments peculier to themselues besides the gyft of faith or any other demoÌ„stration that hetherto hath beene alledged to confirme theyr bretheren in the beleefe of one God to conuince all Atheists or Infidels in the world And albeit these proofes which they vsed were many as the Creation of the world by one God the deuiding of the Hebrue Religion from the beginning the conuersation of God wyth Abraham of whom the Iewes descended the miraculous deliuering of that nation from Egypt the lawe receiued from Gods own mouth by Moses the strange enteraunce of Iewes into the Land of promise the extinguishing of the Gentiles which before inhabited there the erection of the Iewish Monarchie and protection thereof against al Nations the miraculous deeds sayings of Prophets a thousande reasons besides which confirme most euidently that the Iewes God was the onely true God yet for that all these things and sayings wyth an Infidell had no more credite then the wrytings or scriptures wherein they were recorded heereby it came to passe that all which a Iewe could say for proofe of GOD more then a Gentile depended onely vppon the authoritie of hys scriptures for this cause he referred all hys proofes and arguments to euident the truth certaintie of these scriptures which thing once performed the beeing of one God cannot be called in controuersie for that these scriptures are nothing els but a narratioÌ„ of the acts gestes of that onelye God which the Iewes professe We are nowe to see then what the Iewe was able to say for proofe of hys scriptures and consequently for demonstration of God and of his iudgemeÌ„ts declared therin Which discourse as it was profitable in olde tyme for stay and confirmation of all such as were or might be tempted with infidelitie so can it not be but verie comfortable to
sanctifie such as are in most danger neerest to perdition Leane rather to the sincere counsaile of S. Paul who willeth thee to examine vprightly thyne owne works and waies and so to iudge of thy self without deceit If thou walk the way of Babylon most certaine it is that thou shalt neuer arriue at the gates of Ierusalem except thou change thy course Oh my brother what a greefe will it be vnto thee when after long labour and much toyle thou shalt finde thy selfe to haue gone awrie If a man had trauailed but one whole day and thereby made wearie shoulde vnderstand at night that all his labour were lost and that his whole iourney was out of the way it would be a meruailous affliction vnto him no doubt albeit no other inconuenience were therin but onely the losse of that dayes trauaile which might be recouered recōpenced in the next But if besides thys his busines were great if it lay vppon hys life to be at the place whether he goeth at a certaine houre if the losse of hys vvaie were irrecouerable if the punishment of his error must be death and confusion himselfe were so wearie that he coulde stirre no one foote further imagine then what a greeuous message thys woulde be vnto him to heare one say Syr you are amisse your labour is lost and you haue ridden wholy besides your way So then will it be vnto thee my soule at the day of death and seperation from my bodie if in thys life thou attende not to thy saluation for which thou wert created but shall passe ouer thy daies in following of vanities Thou shalt find thy selfe astray at the ende of thy iourney thou shalt finde thy selfe wearie and enforced to say with those myserable damned spirits I haue walked hard and craggie waies for that indeede the way of wickednes is ful of thornes stones though in shewe it be couered with faire grasse and many flowers Thou shalt finde at that daie that thou hast lost thy labour lost thy time lost all oportunitie of thyne owne commoditie Thou shalt then finde thy errour to be vnrecouerable thy danger vnauoidable thy punishment insupportable thy repentaunce vnprofitable and thy greefe sorrowe and calamitie inconsolable Oh he that coulde beholde and feele the the inwarde cogitations of a worldly mans hart at that instant after all his honours and pleasures were past no doubt but he should finde him of another iudgment and opinion in things then he was in the ruffe and heate of his ioylitie He dooth wel perceiue then the fondnes of those trifles which hee folowed in thys life albeit it were to make himselfe a Monarch If a man did know the cogitations that king Alexander the great had when of poyson he came to die after all hys victories and incredible prosperitie if wee knewe the thoughts of Iulius Caesar at the day of hys murther in the Senate house after the conquest of all hys enemies and subiection of the whole world to his own onlie obedience wee shoulde well perceiue that they tooke little pleasure in the waies they walked notwithstanding they were esteemed most prosperous and happie by men of thys world Iosephus the Iewe recounteth two verie rare examples of humaine felicitie in Herod the first and Agryppa his Cosine whereof the one by Anthonie the Triumuir and the other by Caligula the Emperour bothe of them beeing otherwise but priuate Gentlemen and in great pouertie and misery when they fled to Rome were exalted vppon the suddaine to vnexpected great fortune and made rich Monarches and glorious Potentates They were indued at seuerall tymes with the Kingdome and crowne of Iurie that in such ample sort as neuer anie of that Nation after them had the like For which cause they are called in the Hebrue story for distinction sake Herode the great and Agrippa the great They ruled and commaunded all in theyr daies they wanted neyther siluer nor Golde neither pleasures nor pastimes neither freendes nor flatterers And besides al these gifts of fortune they abounded also in ornaments and excellencie of bodie and wit And all thys was increased and made the more admirable by reason of their base low estate before in respect wherof their present fortune was esteemed for a perfect patterne of most absolute felicitie Thys they enioyed for a certaine space and to assure themselues of the continuance they bent all theyr cares cogitations studies to please the humours of the Romaine Emperours as theyr Gods and Authors of all their prosperitie and felicitie vppon earth In respect of whose fauours as Iosephus noteth they cared little to violate theyr owne Religion of the Iewes or any thing els that was most sacred And thys forsooth vvas esteemed of many a most wise politique prosperous happie course But what was the ende and consumation of thys their pleasant rase Fyrst Herode fell sicke of an incurable and lothsome disease and was tormented in the same with so manie terrors horrible accusations of his conscience as he pronoūced himselfe to be the most miserable afflicted creature that euer liued and so calling one day for a knyfe to pare an Apple wold needes haue murthered himselfe wyth the same if his arme had not beene stayed by thē that stoode by And for Agrippa Iosephus reporteth howe that vppon a certaine day which hee kept festiuall in Caesaria for the honour of Claudius the Romaine Emperor when he was in his most extreme pompe iolitie in the middest of all his Peeres Nobles and Damosels comming foorth at an houre appointed all glittering in Gold and Siluer to make an Oration vnto the people his voice gesture countenaunce and apparell so pleased as the people began to crie beeing solicited thereunto by some flatterers that it was the voice of GOD and not of man wherein Agrippa taking pleasure and delectation was stroken presently from heauen with a most horrible putrifaction of all hys bodie whereof he died repeating onlie to his freends these words in the midst of his torments Behold ye me that doe seeme to you a God howe miserablie I am enforced to depart from you all Nowe then woulde I demaunde of these two fortunate men who laying aside all care of God and Religion did followe the preferments of this world so freshly and obtayned the same so luckilie how they liked of thys their course and race in the ende Truelie I doubt not but if they were here to aunswere for themselues they would assure vs that one houre bestowed in the seruice of God of their saluation would more haue comforted them at the last instant then all their labours and trauailes which they tooke in theyr liues for pleasing of Emperours and gathering the grace and good lyking of mortall men Vse then ô Christian vse this experience to thy cōmoditie vse it to thy instruction vse it to thy forewarning
That which they are nowe thou shalt be shortly and of all follies it is the greatest not to profite or flee frō daungers by the example of others The difference betweene a wise man and a foole is that the one prouideth for a myscheefe while time serueth the other wold doe when it is too-late If thou mightest feele now the state case wherein thy poore hart shall be at the last day for neglecting the thing that of all other it should haue studied and thought vpon most thou wouldest take from thy meate and sleepe and other necessaries to repayre that is past Hetherto hast thou time to reform thy course of life if thou please which is no small benefite if all were knowne For in this sence no doubt it is most true which the wise man saith that better it is to be a liuing dogge then a dead Lyon For that while the day time of this life endureth all thinges amisse may easily be amended But the dreadfull night of death wil ouer-take thee shortly and then shall there be no more space of reformation Oh that men woulde be wise and foresee things to come sayth one prophet The greatest wisedome in the worlde deere brother is to looke and attend to our saluation for as the Scripture sayth most truelie Hee is a wise man indeede that is wise to hys ovvne soule And of this wisedome it is written in the verie same booke as spoken by herselfe In me is the grace of all life and truth and in me is the hope of all life and vertue In morral actions and humaine wisedome we see that the first and cheefest circumstaunce is to regard well and consider the ende And howe then doe we omitte the same in this great affaire of the Kingdome of heauen If our ende be heauen what meane wee so much to affect our selues to earth If our end be God why seeke we so greedilie the worldly fauour of men If our ende be the saluation and eternitie of our soule why doe we followe vanities and temporalities of thys life Why spend yee your mony and not in bread saith God by the mouth of Esay why bestow ye your labour in thinges that will not yeelde you saturitie If our inheritaunce be that wee should raigne as Kings why put we our selues in such slauerie of creatures If our byrth allowe vs to feede of breade in our fathers house why delight we in huskes prouided for the swyne But alas we may say with the wise man in the Scripture Fascinatio nugacitatis obscurat bona The bewitching of worldly trifles doe obscure and hide vs from the things that are good and behoouefull for our soules ô most dangerous enchauntment But what shall this excuse vs no truelie for the same spirite of God hath left recorded Populus non intelligens vapulabit The people that vnderstandeth not shall be beaten for it And another Prophet to the same effect pronounceth This people is not wise and therefore hee that made them shall not pardon them neyther shall he that created thē take mercie vpon thē It is written of fooles Ventum seminabunt turbinem metent They shall sowe and cast theyr seede vppon the windes and shall receiue for theyr haruest nothing els but a storme or tempest Wherby is signified that they shall not onely cast away and leese their labours but also be punished and chastened for the same Consider then I beseech thee my deere brother attentiuelie what thou wilt doe or say when thy Lord shall come at the last day and aske thee an account of all thy labours actions and time spent in thys lyfe when he shall require a reckoning of his talents lent vnto thee when he shal say as he said to the Farmour or Steward in the Gospell Redde rationem villicationis tuae giue account of thy stewardship charge committed vnto thee What wilt thou say when he shal examine and weigh and try thy doings as gold is examined tried in the fornace that is what ende they had whereto they were applyed to what glorie of God to what profit of thy soule what measure weight and substance they beare Baltasar King of Babylon sitting at his banquet merrie vppon a tyme espied suddainly certaine fingers without a hande that wrote on the wall right ouer against his Table these three Hebrue words Mane Thekel Phares Which words Daniel interpreted in three sentences vnto the King in thys manner Mane GOD hath numbred thee Baltasar and thy kingdome Thekel hee hath weighed thee in the Gold-smithes ballance and thou art founde too-light Phares for this cause hath he deuided thee from thy kingdome hath giuen the same to the Medes and Persians Oh that these three most golden and most significant words engrauen by the Angel vpon Baltasars wall were registred vpon euery doore and post in Christendome or rather imprinted in the hart of each Christian especially the two first that import the numbering and weighing of all our actions and that in the weights and ballance of the Gold-smith where euery graine is espyed that wanteth And if Baltasars actions that was a Gentile wer to be examined in so nise and delicate a paire of ballance for their tryall if he had so seuere a sentence pronoūced vpon him that hee shoulde be deuided from life and kingdome as he was the same night folowing Quia inuentus est minus habens for that hee was founde to haue lesse weight in him then hee shoulde haue what shall wee thinke of our selues that are Christians of whom it is written aboue al others I will search the sinnes of Ierusalem with a candle What shall wee expect that haue not onely lesse weight then we should haue but no weight at all in the most of our actions what may such men I say expect but onely that most terrible threat of diuision made vnto Baltasar or rather worse if worse may be that is to be deuided from God and hys Angels from participation of God and our Sauiour from communion of Saints from hope of our inheritaunce from our portion celestiall and life euerlasting according to the expresse declaration made heereof by Christ himselfe in these words to the negligent seruaunt The Lord of such a seruant shall com at a day when he hopeth not at an houre that he knoweth not and shall deuide him out and assigne his part with hypocrites where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherefore deere brother to conclude thys Chapter I can say nothing more in this dangerous case wherein the worlde so runneth a wrie but onely exhort thee as the Apostle doth not to conforme thy selfe to the common errour that leadeth to perdition Fall at length to some reckoning accounte with thy lyfe and see where thou standest and whether thou goest If hetherto thou haue wandered and gone astraie be sorie for
of Israell or rather setting downe many thinges in more plaine euident speech then did the other the one of them beginning her Greek meeter in these very words Know thy God which is the sonne of God c. An other of them maketh a whole discourse of Christ in Greeke verses called Accrostichi for that the beginning of euerie verse is by some Letter appointed in order forth of some one sentence that runneth through the whole As for example the sentence that passed through the beginning of those verses which nowe vvee talke of was thys Iesus Christ Sonne of God Sauiour Crosse. And there were so many verses in the whole discourse as there are Letters in thys sentence The totall argument beeing of the incarnation life death glorie and iudgement of the Sonne of God And the last two verses of all the meeter are thus He that hath beene heere described by our Accrostike verses is an immortall Sauiour and a King that must suffer for our sinnes And for that these prophecies of the Sibylls are of meruailous importaunce to confirme the veritie of our Christian Religion and are alleaged often for that purpose by the most graue and learned Fathers of the primatiue Church as for example by Iustinê° the Martyr in hys Apologie for Christians by Origen against Celsus by Arnobius his Scholler Lactantius against Gentiles by S. Cyril against Iulian the Apostata by S. Augustine in hys Cittie of God by Eusebius and Constantine the Emperor and other I will say som-what in this place for the authoritie and credite of these verses least any man perhaps might imagine as some Gentiles in olde tyme would seeme to doe that they were deuised or inuented by Christians And the most of my proofes shal be out of a learned Oration written in Latine by the afore-said Emperour to a Councell of Prelates in his daies wherein hee endeuoureth to shew the vndoubted authoritie of these Sibyll prophecies which he esteemed so much after dilligent searche made for theyr credite sinceritie as they seeme to haue beene a great cause of hys constant zeale and feruour in Christianitie The first proofe for credite of the Sibylls verses FYrst then he sheweth that these predictions of the Sibylls could not be deuised or fayned by Christians or made after the tyme of Christes natiuitie for that Marcus Varro a most learned Romaine who lyued almost a hundred yeeres before Christ maketh mention at large of the Sibylls who in number he saith were ten and of theyr wrytings Countries ages as also of the wryters and Authors that before his tyme had left memory of them And both he and Fenestella an other Heathen doe affirme that the wrytinges of these Sibylls were gathered by the Romaines from all parts of the world where they might be heard of and layde vppe with dilligence and great reuerence in the Capitole vnder the charge and custodie of the High Priest other Officers in such sorte as no man might see or reade them but onely certaine Magistrates called the Fiftine and much lesse might any man come to falsifie or corrupt them The second proofe SEcondly he sheweth that Sibylla Erithraea who made the former Acrostike verses of Christ testifieth of her selfe that shee lyued about sixe hundred yeeres after the flud of Noe and her Countriman Apollidorus Erithraeus and Varro doe report that shee lyued before the warre of Troy and prophecied to the Grecians that went to that warre that Troy should be destroyed Which was more then a thousande yeeres before Christ was borne Cicero also that was slaine more then fortie yeeres before Christes natiuitie translated into Latine the former Acrostike verses as CoÌ„stantine saith which translation was to be seene in his workes when Constantine wrote thys Oration so that by no meanes they could be deuised or brought in by Christians The thyrde proofe THyrdlie he sheweth that the same Cicero in dyuers places of his works besides the mention of these Acrostike verses insinuateth also an other prophecie of Sibylla touching a Kyng that should ryse ouer al the world where-with hymselfe the Romans were greatly troubled and therefore in one place after a long inuectiue against his enemie Anthonie that wold seeme to giue credite to that Prophecie or rather as Cicero doth vrge against him would haue had the same fulfilled in Iulius Caesar he concludeth thus Let vs deale with the Prelates of our religion to alleage anie one thing rather out of the Bookes of Sibylla then a KING whom neyther the Gods nor yet men can suffer heereafter to be in Rome The like prophecie of Sibylla touching a King is insinuated by the same Cicero in hys first booke of Epistles to Lentulus to wit that when the Romans should restore a Kyng in Egypt by force then shoulde ensue the vniuersall Kyng that shold be Lorde ouer Romans and all other Which prophecie being much vrged by Cato the Tribune against the restoring of Ptolomaeus Auletes late King of Egypt that for hys euil gouernment was expulsed by hys subiects the matter was thought of such weight by al the Roman Senate â— meane the sequell of thys prophecie that whereas otherwise for manie respects they were greatly inclined to haue restored the sayde Ptolomie yet in regard of thys Religion as they called it they changed theyr mindes But what coulde they alter by thys the determination of God No truely for soone after Kyng Ptolomie perceiuing the Senatours mindes to be altered fled secretlie from Rome to one Gabiniê° that was Gouernour of Syria and for fyue Millions of Gold that he promised him he was by the force of Gabinius restored not long after was Christ borne according to the meaning of the Sibyll prophecie The fourth proofe FOurthly the sayd Emperour Constantine prooueth the authoritie of these Sibylls verses for that Augustus Caesar before our Sauiour Christ was borne had such regarde of them that hee layde them vppe in more straighter order then before according as Suetonius a Heathen in hys lyfe reporteth vnder the Aultar of Apollo in the hyll Palatine where no man might haue the sight of them but by speciall lycence which lycence Constantine prooueth that Virgill the Poet had for that he was in high fauour with Augustus And therefore in a certaine Eclogue or composition of verses that hee made in prayse of a young chylde named Saloninus newely borne to Asinius Pollio Augustus great freende or as other take it of Marcellus a little boy that was Nephew to Augustus by his sister Octauia or rather of theÌ„ both for adulation of Augustus hee applyeth I say to one or both of these young Infants the whole prophecie which hee had read in the verses of Sibylla touching the birth of Christ of the peace grace golden world that should come with him Vpon which subiect he beginneth thus Vltima Cumaei venit
was come vsing thys speeche vnto them When you shall see Ierusalem besieged with an Armie then know ye that her desolation is at hand for that these are the dayes of reuenge to the ende all may be fulfilled which is written Great distresse shall fall vppon thys earth and vengeaunce vpon thys people They shall be slaine by dint of the sworde and shall bee ledde as slaues into all Countries And Ierusalem shall be troden vnder feete by the Gentiles vntill the times of Nations be accomplished Thys fore-tolde Iesus of the miserie that was to fall vpon Ierusalem and vppon that people by the Romaines and other Gentiles when the Iewes seemed to be in most securitie and greatest amitie with the Romaines as also they were when the same things were wrytten and consequentlie at that tyme they might seeme in all humaine reason to haue lesse cause then euer before to misdoubt such calamities And yet howe certaine assured fore-knowledge and as it were most sensible feeling Iesus had of these miseries he declared not only by these expresse words and by their euent but also by those pittifull teares hee shed vpon sight and consideration of Ierusalem and by the lamentable speech he vsed to the women of that Cittie who wept for him at his passion perswading them to weepe rather for themselues and for their children in respecte of the miseries to follow then for him Which wordes and predictions of Iesus together wyth sundry other his speeches fore-shewing so particularly the imminent calamities of that Nation that as I haue said at such time when in humaine discourse there could be no probabilitie therof when a certaine Hethen Chronicler Mathematique named Phlegon about a hundered yeres after Christes departure had diligently considered hauing seene the same also in his daies most exactlie fulfilled for he was seruaunt to Adrianus the Emperour by whose commaundement as hath beene said before the finall subuersion of that Iewish Nation was brought to passe thys Phlegon I say though a Pagan yet vpon consideration of these euents and others that he sawe as the extreame persecution of Christians foretold by Christ and the like he pronounced that neuer any man fore-told things so certainlie to come or that so precisely were accomplished as were the predictions and prophecies of Iesus And this testimonie of Phlegon was alleaged vrged for Christians against one Celsus a Heathen Phylosopher Epicure by the famous learned Origen euen the verie next age after it was written by the Authour so that of the trueth of thys allegation there can be no doubt or question at all Other prophecies of Iesus fulfilled to his Disciples AND nowe albeit these predictions and prophecies concerning the punishment and reprobation of the Iewes fulfilled so euidently in the sight of all the worlde might be a sufficient demonstration of Iesus fore-knowledge in affaires to come yet are there many other thinges besides fore-shewed by him which fell out as exactly as these dyd notwithstanding that by no learning mathematicall reason humaine coniecture they were or might be fore-seene As for example the fore-telling of hys owne death the manner time and place thereof as also the personne that should betray hym together wyth his irrepentant ende The flight feare and scandale of hys Disciples albeit they had promised and protested the contrarie The three seuerall denials of Peter The particuler time of hys owne resurrection and ascention The sending of the holie Ghost and many other the like predictions prophecies and promises which to his Apostles disciples and followers that heard them vttered and left them written before they fell out sawe them afterward accomplished who by the falshood therof should haue receiued greatest domage of all other men if they had not beene true to these men I saie they were most euident proofes of Iesus diuine prescience in matters that should ensue Prophecies fulfilled in the sight of Gentiles BVT yet for that an Infidell with whom onely I suppose my selfe to deale in thys place may in these and the like things find perhaps some matter of cauilation say that these prophecies of Iesus were recorded by our Euangelists after the particularities therein prophecied were effectuated not before and consequently that they might be forged I wil alleage certain other euents both fore-told registred before they came to passe and divulged by publique writings in the face of all the worlde when there was small semblance that euer the same shoulde take effect Such were the particular fore-tellings of the kinde and manner of S. Peters death whiles hee liued The peculier and different manner of S. Iohn the Euangelists ending from the rest of the Apostles The fore-shewing and describing to his disciples the most extreame and cruell persecutions that shoulde ensue vnto Christians for his sake a thing at that time not probable in reason for that the Romaines permitted the exercise of all kindes of Religions and that notwithstanding all these pressures and intollerable afflictions his faithfull followers should not shrinke but hold out and dailie increase in zeale fortitude and number and finally should atchiue the victorie and conquest of all the worlde a thing much more vnlikelie at that day and so farre passing all humaine probabilitie as no capacitie reason or conceit of man might reach or attain the fore-sight thereof And wyth thys wil wee conclude our third and last part of the generall diuision sette downe in the beginning concerning the groundes and proofes of Christian Religion The Conclusion SECT 4. BY all that hetherto hath beene saide wee haue declared and made manifest vnto thee gentle Reader three thinges of great importaunce First that from the beginning and creation of the world there hath beene promised in all times and ages a Messias or Sauiour of man-kind in whom by whom all Nations shoulde be blessed as also that the particuler time maner and circumstance of his comming together with the qualitie of hys person purpose doctrine life death resurrection and ascention were in like manner by the Prophets of God most euidently fore-shewed Secondlie that the verie same perticulers and speciall points that were dissigned and sette down by the sayd Prophets were also fulfilled most exactly with theyr circumstaunces in the person and actions of Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Thyrdlie that besides the accomplishment of all the fore-sayd prophecies there were giuen by Iesus many signes manifestations and most infallible arguments of hys Deitie and omnipotent puissaunce after his ascention or departure from all humaine and corporal conuersation in thys world By all which waies meanes arguments and proofes and by tenne thousande more which to the tongue or pen of man are inexplicable the christian minde remaineth setled and most firmely grounded in the vndoubted beleefe of his Religion hauing besides all other things euidences certainties and internall comforts and assurances which are infinite these eyght demonstratiue
so we must examine the trueth of our fayth by cōsideration of our life for then not otherwise are we true Christians if wee fulfill in works that whereof we haue made promise in words That is in the day of our Baptisme we promised to renounce the pompe of this world together with all the workes of iniquitie which promise if wee performe nowe after Baptisme then are we true Christians and may be ioyfull But contrariwise if our life be wicked contrary to our profession it is saide by the voyce of trueth it selfe Not euery one that shall say to mee Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heauen And againe why doe yee call mee Lord Lord doe not performe the things that I tell you Heer-hence is it that God complained of his old people the Iewes saying this people honoureth me with their lips but their harts are farre off from me And the Prophet Dauid of the same people They loued him with their mouth and wyth their tongues they lyed vnto him Wherefore let no man presume to say he shall be saued if faith and good life be diuorced put a sunder which S. Chrisostome noteth by the wofull and heauie chaunce iudgment that happened vnto him who in the Gospell was admitted to the feast of Christian faith knowledge but for lacke of the ornament or garment of good life was most contumeliouslie depriued of his expectation Of whom Saint Chrisostoms words are these He was inuited to the feast and brought vnto the Table but for that by his foule garment he dishonored our Lord that had inuited him he was not onely thrust from the Table banquet but also bounde hande and foote and cast into vtter darknes where there is eternall weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherefore let vs not deere bretheren let vs not I say deceiue our selues and imagine that our dead and vnfruitfull faith wyll saue vs at the last day for except wee ioyne pure life to our beleefe and in this heauenly vocation of ours doe apparrell our selues with the worthy garmēts of vertuous deeds whereby we may be admitted at the mariage day in heauen nothing shall be able to deliuer vs from the damnation of this miserable man that wanted his wedding weede Which thing S. Paule well noteth when hauing sayde wee haue an euerlasting house in heauen not made with mens handes he addeth presentlie thys exception Si tamen vestiti et non nudi inueniamur That is if wee be founde at that day well apparrelled and not naked Would God euery Christian desirous of hys saluation woulde ponder well thys discourse of S. Chrisostome And so wyth thys alone to conclude our speeche in thys Chapter without allegation of further matters or authorities which are infinite to thys effect it may appeare by that which hath alreadie beene sette downe wherein the true profession of a Christian consisteth and thereby each man that is not partiall or blinded in his owne affection as many are may take a viewe of his state and condition and frame vnto himselfe a verie probable coniecture how he is like to speed at the last accounting day That is what profite or damage hee may expect by hys knowledge and profession of Christian Religion For as to him that beleeueth soundly and walketh vprightly in his vocation performing effectually euery way his professed duetie there remaine both infinite and inestimable rewards prepared so to hym that strayeth aside and swerueth from the right path of fayth and life prescribed vnto hym there are no lesse paines and punishments reserued For which cause euery Christian that is carefull of his owne saluation ought to sixe his eyes verie seriouslie vppon them both and as in beleefe to shewe himselfe constant firme humble and obedient so in life conuersation to be honest iust pure innocent and holie And for this seconde poynt concerning life and manners hath been already handled in my former booke which as I vnderstand is imprinted in England I shall neede to wade the lesse in further discourse heereof But for I haue beene admonished by the writinges of diuers howe my former booke hath beene misliked in two speciall poynts first that I speake so much of good workes and so little of faith secondly that I talke so largelie of Gods iustice and so breefelie of his mercie whereby the consciences of many haue beene offended let the last Chapter going before of beleefe and life aunswer the first and that which immediatly followeth serue for the latter obiection and so I doubt not but a Christian man may be thorowlie resolued OF THE ONLY IMPEDIMENT THAT IS WONT TO LET SINNERS FROM Resolution Which is the mistrust and diffidence in Gods mercy through the multitude and greeuousnesse of their offences CHAP. VI. AMong all other the moste greeuous and perrilous cogitations which in thys worlde are accustomed to offer themselues to a minde intangled and loden wyth great sinnes this vsually is the first through the nature of sinne it selfe and crafty suggestion of our ghostly enemie to fall into distrust and dyspaire of Gods mercie Such was the cogitation of most vnhappie Caine one of the first inhabitants of the earth who after the murder of his owne onely brother and other sinnes by him committed brake into that horrible and desperate speeche so greatly offensiue vnto his Lorde Maker Mine iniquitie is greater then that I may hope for pardon Such was in like manner the desperate conceite of wicked Iudas one of the first of thē that were chosen to the peculier seruice of our Redeemer who feeling hys conscience oppressed wyth manifolde iniquities and most of all with the prodition of his owne Lord and Maister tooke no other way of amendmēt or redresse but to destroy himselfe both in bodie and soule adioyning onoly these words full of miserable distrust and desperation I haue sinned in betraying the innocent and iust blood By which wordes and most wretched ende he more greeuouslie offended and iniured his most louing and mercifull Sauiour then by all his former iniquities committed against him This then most louing brother is the first and greatest rocke wherat a sinful soule ouer burdened wyth the charge of her owne iniquities and tossed in the waues of dreadfull cogitations by the blastes stormes of Gods threates against sinners doth cōmonlie make her shypwracke That is that most horrible depth and dungion wherof the holie scriptures saith The impious man when he is come into the bottome and profunditie of his sinnes contemneth all Thys is that remedilesse sore and incurable wound wherwith God himselfe charged Ierusalem when hee sayd Insanabilis fractura tua thy rupture is irremediable And the Prophet Michaeas considering the same people thorowe the multitude of their wickednes to encline now to dispayre of Gods goodnes towards them brake forth into thys most pittiful cōplaint For this will I
Genesis 11 12 13 14 c. Alexander Polyhist lib. de Iudaic historia Melo lib. de fraudibus Iudeorum Artaban in Iudeorum hist. Gal. de simplie Pausan. in Eliae Solin in Polihist Tacitus lib. vlt. histo Genesis 15 16 17. 18. c. Aristeus lib. de Iob. Exodus 2 3. 4. 5 c. The description of Moses person out of Heathen writers Iosephus lib. 8. de antiq cap. 2. The treasures hidden in the Sepulcher of Dauid Iosephus lib. 13. de antiq cap. 16. * The same thing attempted Herod in hys tyme as Iosephus saith lib. 18. antiq Ieremie 37. 4 Reg 24. Of Senacherib Esay 31. and 33 and 36. 4 Reg 9. Hero lib. 2. Daniell 16. Iosephu lib. 1. de antiq Iudaica No excuse of the ignorance of GOD. The errour of the olde Phylosophers Romans 1. and 2. Romans 1. Romans 1. verse 28. Romans 1. verse 32. A general sentence pronouÌ„ced by S. Paul Romans 1. verse 18. The application to our selues Romans 1. verse 20. Luke 12. A necessary consideration Prouerb 16. Man made to serue GOD. Iob cap. 11. Wisdom 15â— Prouerb 1â— Eccle 11 12. Math 12. Account to be rendered Psalm 9,43 and 141. Profitable demaunds coÌ„siderations Gene. 14. Luke 1. The first consequence vpon due consideration of our ende The second coÌ„sequence How each man may take a scantling of his owne estate A right course Phillip 2. A wrong and daungerous course The reason why so fewe are saued Math 7 20 and 22. Luke 1â— Iames. 4 Math 19 Marke 10. Luke 19 A perfect example of a good conuersion Math 19. Marke 10. The wrong course of the worlde A comparison expressing the vanitie of our occupations Math 16. Psalm 4. Ieremie 2. A comparison 1 Cor. 9. Wisdom 5. The coÌ„plaint of worldlings in the ende of theyr lyfe The fonde iudgment of the world Wisdom 5. Psalm 10. Gala 6. A comparison expressing our greefe in the ende for running a wrong course The misery of a soule y t hath gone a wrie at the last day Wisdom 5. Alexanders death Iulius Caesars death Two rare examples Iosephus lib. 14. 15. et 18. de antiq Iudai et de bello Iud. lib. 2. * For enuie only of Agrippa his fortune Herodias dyd ruine herselfe and her husband as Iosephus sayth lib. 18. antiq cap. 8. 9. 15. Her husband was Herod Antipas that slewe S. Iohn Baptist was sonne to Herod the first Luke 3. Math 14. Herods death Iosephus lib. 15. antiq * Thys Herod was called Ascolonita and slewe the Infants in Bethlem Math. 2. The death of Agryppa Iosephus lib. 19. capit 7. * S. Luke saith he was stroken by Gods Angel Acts 12. And consider how Iosephus agreeth with thys Narration Eusebius lib. 2. histo capit 9. Sincere and profitable counsayle Eccle 4. Ioh. 9. Deut 32. Eccle 37. Ecclesi 24. Great folly errour Esay 55 Ephe. 1. 1 Thes. 2. 2. Peter 1. Luke 15 Wisedom 4. Errour in our course of life is not pardoned Ose 4. Esay 28 A profitable forewarning Math 25 Luke 16 A rare chance that happened to Baltasar K. of Babilon Daniell 5. If God examin straightly the actions of Infidels much more of Christians if they liue careles Daniel 5. Sopho 1. A dreadfull diuision Math 24 The conclusion Prouerb 9 Ecclesi 11. Of Religion Pietie Obseruaunce Mala. 1. The acts and operations of Religion Iames 1â— August lib. 10 â—e ciuit cap. 1. Howe much it importeth to be religious The necessitie of Christian Religion Acts. 4. How meÌ„ were saued in olde tyme without Christian Religion Gal 3 4 Ephesi 3 Colos. 1. See S. August lib. 19. cont Faust capit 14. All old Saints beleeued in Christ were saued by him Gene 3 ver 15 Reuela 13. Acts 15. verse 11 Roma 5. Ephe 8. * Read S. Augu. lib. 18. de ciuit 1 47. et epist. 49. 157. et tract 45. in Ioh. Cle. Alex. lib. 6. Strom. et Ierom in cap. 3 ad Calat The difference betweene our beleefe the olde Fathers Esay 7. Genesis 49. * Eusebius handleth this matter at large lib 1. demon euang capit 5. The causes of thys Chapter Hebru 11. Acts 14. The dyuers testimonies froÌ„ God of the things that we beleeue The vndoubted witnesses to be alleaged in thys Chapter The dryft of thys Chapter The principall heades The Iewe and Gentile Ephe. 1. 1. Tim 2. Titus 1. 1 Peter 1. Esay 2. 11. 19 Iere 9 12 16. The Messias promised Genesis 2. Genesis 3. * Rabbi Mose Benmaimon in hunc locum Tharg Hieroso in Gene. 3. Gene 12. and 18 and 22. Gene 49. Tharg Hieroso et Onkelos in hunc locum The Messias must be a spyrituall and not a temporall King The tradition of the Iewes in Misdrasch Thehilim See the tytles of these psalmes heere specified Deute 18. Deute 34. Psalm 88. 2 Reg 7 1 Chro. 22. 3. Reg. 5. 1 Chron 22. 3 Reg 12. Psalm 2 45. 47 67 72. Psalm 71. Ieremie 23 and 33. Ezech. 34. Christ is called Dauid Thalm. tract Sanch. ca. helec Esay 2. Miche 4. Esay 4. ver 2. Esay 9 ver 6 Esay 11. ver 1. Psalm 71. Eccle. 45. Wonderfull properties of CHRIST Math 1. Luke 3. Acts. 13. Romans 15. Other properties of Christ. Esay 25 ver 8 Esay 35 ver 5. Esay 42 ver 2â— Esay 49 ver 6 Acts 13 47. The commission of Christ. Daniel 9. verse 23. The Butte of all Scripture That Christ should be God and man The custome of Heretiques That Christ must be both God and man Gene 3 ver 5. The first proofe Esay 4. ver 2. Esay 9. Psalme 71. Psalm 109â— Esay 53 Psalm 96 Hebru 1 Psalme 110. Math 2. Mark 12. Luke 20. * Iehoua in Hebrue Psalm 110. Rab. Ionath lib. collect et Misdrâ—sâ—h Tâ—hilliâ—â— in Psal. 2. ver 7. The second proofe Miche 5. Esay 9. * So is it in the Hebrue An obiection answered Exod 10 ve 11. Psalm 44. The thyrde proofe Christ is called Iehoua * See Esay cap. 18 ver 7 and cap 28 ver 5 Ierâ— 23 ver 7 and 33 ver 16 Rab. Abba comâ—nt in Thren verse 16. Misd Thehilim in Psal. 20. v. 1. Rab. Mos. Hadars in Gene. capit 41. Two sorts of Hebrue expositors Cabalistes Thalmudistes Ieremie 23. verse 7. Rab. Hacadâ—sch in Esay cap. 9. A Cabalisticall dyscourse Esay 8 The fourth prooâ—e Christ called the sonne of God Genesis 49. Rab. Dauid Kimhi in lib. radicum Esay 4 ver 2. Tharg in hunc locum Psalm 49. Psalme 2. * Thys is according to the Hebrue text Ierem. 17. The fift profe * In the Chaldie paraphrase Hose 1 Psalme 110. Rab. Isaac com in cap. 47. Gene. Psalm 106. verse 20. Rab. Simeon Ben Iahai com in ca. 10. Gene. Iob. 19. ver 26 Rab. Simeon in Zoar. Deuter. 6. verse 4. The blessed Trinitie prooued by an auncient Rabbine The sixt proofe Phi. lib. 2. legat Ruff. li. 1. hist. 1.6 Eusebius in Chron. Philo. lib. de exulibus Whether
present They called theyr Redeemer The expectation of Nations and we call him nowe The saluation of Nations And finally there was no other difference between the old fayth of good men from the beginning ours but onely in the circumstaunces of tyme cleerenes perticularitie and of the maner of protesting the same by outward signes and ceremonies For that in substaunce they beleeued the same Redeemer that we doe and were saued by the same beleefe in his merits as we are For which cause Eusebius well noteth that as we are called nowe Christians so they were called then Christi Psalm 104. that is annointed in prefiguration of the true Christ in whom they beleeued as the first and head of all other anointed and who was the cause and authour of theyr anoynting By thys then it is most manifest that not onely now to vs that be Christians but at all other tymes froÌ„ the beginning of the world and to all other persons and people what soeuer that desired to haue theyr soules saued it was necessary to beleeue and loue Christ and to professe in hart his Religion For which consideration I thought it not amisse in thys place after the former grounds laid that there is a God and that man was created and placed heere for his seruice to demonstrate and prooue also thys other principle that the onely seruice of thys God is by Christian Religion Wherein albeit I doe not doubt but that I shall seeme to many to take vpon me a superfluous labour in proouing a veritie which all men in Christendome doe confesse yet for the causes before alleaged in the second Chapter which mooued me in that place to prooue that there is a God that is to say first for the comfort strength and confirmation of such as eyther from the enemie may receiue temptations or of themselues may desire to see a reason of theyr beleefe and secondly for awaking stirring or stinging of others who eyther of malice carelesnes or sensualitie are fallen a sleepe and haue lost the feeling and sence of theyr beleefe for many such want not in these our myserable daies it shall not bee perhaps but to verie good purpose to laie together in thys place with the greatest breuitie that possibly may be the most sure grounds and inuincible euidences which we haue for declaration and confirmation of this matter For albeit the Apostle S. Paul declareth the things which we beleeue be not such in themselues as may be made apparent by reason of humaine arguments yet such is the goodnes and most sweete proceeding of our mercifull God toward vs as he wil not leaue himselfe without sufficient testimonie both inward and outward as the same Apostle in another place doth testifie For that inwardlie hee testifieth the trueth of such things as we beleeue by giuing vs light vnderstanding with internall ioy and consolation in beleeuing them And outwardly hee giueth testimonie to the same with so many conueniences probabilities and arguments of credibilitie as Diuines doe call them that albeit the very poynt of that which is beleeued remaine styll with some obscuritie yet are there so many circumstaunces of likelyhoods to induce a man to the beleefe thereof as in all reason it may seeme against reason to denie or mistrust them Thys shall easily appeare by the treatise following of Christ and Christianitie and of the foundations of our Religion which shall be confirmed by so many pregnant reasons and most manifest circumstaunces of euident probabilitie as I doubt not but the zealous Christian shal take exceeding comfort therein and esteeme himselfe happie to haue a lotte in that faith and Religion where he shall see and feele so much reason proofe and conueniencie to concurre and shewe it selfe for hys satis-faction And to thys effect it shall be of no mean moment that I haue prooued before the certaintie diuinitie and infallible trueth of the Iewes Scriptures or olde Testament which writings we haue receiued from that Nation that doth as it were professe enmity against vs and the same beeing written so many ages before the name of Christianitie vvas knowne in the worlde it cannot be but of singuler authoritie what soeuer shall be alleaged out of those records for our purpose And therefore as before in proouing our first principle That there is a God wee vsed onely the testimonie of such witnesses as coulde not be partiall so much more in this confirmation of Christian Religion shall we stand onely eyther vppon the confessions of such as are our enemies or vpon the records of others who must needes be indifferent in the cause for that they liued before eyther cause or controuersie in Christianitie vvas knowne or called in question My whole purpose shall be then to make manifest in thys Chapter that Iesus Christ was the Sauiour Redeemer of man-kind fore-promised and expected from the beginning of the worlde that he was the only sonne of God and God himselfe and consequently that what soeuer he hath left vs in hys doctrine and Religion is true sincere and the onely way of saluation vppon earth For cleerer proofe and declaration whereof I will reduce what soeuer I haue to say herein vnto three principall heads or braunches according to the order of three distinct times wherein they fell out That is to say in the first place shall be considered the things that passed before the Natiuitie or incarnation of Christ. In the second the things doone and verified from that time vnto hys ascention which is the space of hys abode vpon earth And in the thyrd place such euents shall be considered as ensued for confirmation of his Deitie after hys departure In declaration of which three generall points I hope by the assistance of him whose cause we handle that so many cleere demonstrations shall be dyscouered as shall greatlie confirme thy fayth gentle Reader and remooue all occasions of temptation to infidelitie Howe Christ was fore-tolde to Iewe and Gentile SECT I. FIrst then for such things as passed before Christ appeared in the flesh do make for proofe of our Christian Religion it is to be noted that they are of two sorts or at least wise they are to be taken fâ—om two kindes of people that is partly from the Iewes and partly from the Gentiles For seeing that Christ was appointed from the beginning yea before the world was created as Saint Paule affirmeth to worke the redemption both of Iewe and Gentile and to make them both one people in the seruice of his Father heere-hence it is that hee was foretolde and prefigured to both these Nations diuers fore-warninges were left among them both for styrring them vppe to expect his comming as by the considerations folowing shal most euidently appeare The first consideration AND to beginne wyth the Iewes no man can deny but that throughout the whole bodie and course of theyr Scriptures that
is from the very beginning to the last ende of theyr olde Testament they had promised vnto them a Messias which is the very same that we call Christ that is to say a person annoynted and sent from God to be a Sauiour a Redeemer a Pacifier of Gods wrath a Mediator betweene God and man a Satis-fier for the sins and offences of the whole world a Restorer of our innocencie lost in Paradise a Maister an Instructor a Law-giuer a Spirituall and eternall King that shoulde sitte and rule and raigne in our harts to conquer the power and tyrannie of Satan the enemie of man-kinde who ouer-came our first Parents and neuer ceaseth to assayle vs. THE FIRST COVENAVNT TO ADAM THIS is euident by the first couenaunt of al that euer God did make with man when he sayde to Adam our first Father in Paradise In what day soeuer thou shalt eate of the tree that is forbidden thou shalt die Which couenaunt beeing after broken on the part of our said Progenitor he receiued his iudgment but yet wyth a most benigne promise of redemption for the time to come for thus God sayde to the deuill or serpent that had deceiued him The seede of the vvoman shall crushe thy head and thou shalt lie in waite to hurt his heele That is one shall proceede in time of the seede of the woman who shal conquer Death and Sinne that are thy weapons and shal not care for thy temptations but shall tread them vnder his feete and this shall be Christ the Messias of the worlde Thus did not onely the eldest Iewes and Rabbines vnderstand this place what soeuer the latter haue dreamed that their Messias should be onely a temporall King but also the olde Chaldie Paraphrase named Thargum Hierosolymitanum expoundeth it plainely in these words applyed vnto the deuill that had deceiued Adam They haue a certaine and present remedie against thee O deuill for that the time shall come when they shall treade thee downe with theyr heeles by the helpe of Messias which shall be their King TO ABRAHAM AND ISAAC THE same thing is confirmed by the verie same promise seauen times repeated and established vnto Abraham that lyued very neere two thousand yeres after Adam and againe to Isaac hys sonne after him In semine tuo benedicentur omnes gentes terrae All Nations of the earth shall be blessed in thy seede Which had beene indeede but a very small benediction to Abraham or to the Iewes after him that neuer sawe their Messias actually if hee had beene onely to be a temporall King And much lesse blessing had it beene to the Gentiles all other Nations if this Messias of the Iewes must haue beene a temporall and worldly Monarch to destroy and subdue them to the seruitude of Iurie as fondly these latter teachers of that Nation doe contend IACOBS PROPHECIE OF CHRIST THIS yet maketh the Patriarch Iacob more playne who prophecying at hys death of the comming of Christ hath these words The Scepter or gouernment shal not be taken from the house of Iuda vntill hee come that is to be sent and he shall be the expectation of Nations Which latter words the forenamed Chaldie Paraphrase as also great Onkelos both of singuler authoritie amongst the Iewes doe interpret thus Donec Christus seu Messias veniat c. Vntill Christ or the Messias come which is the hope expectation of all Nations as well Gentiles as of vs that are Iewes the gouernement shall not cease in the house or Trybe of Iuda By which sentence of Scripture and interpretation of the Iewes themselues wee come to learne besides the promise of the Messias two consequences in thys matter against the Iewes of later tymes First that if their Messias must be the hope and expectation as wel of Gentiles as of Iewes then can he not be a temporal King to destroy the Gentiles as the later Iewes would haue it but a spirituall King to raigne ouer them and to bring in subiection theyr spirituall enemies for them I meane the flesh the world and the deuil as all true Christians doe beleeue Secondly if the temporall kingdome of the house of Iuda wherof Christ must come shal cease and be destroyed at the comming of Messias as thys Scripture auoucheth how then can the Iewes expect yet a temporall King for theyr Messias as most fondly they doe But to leaue thys controuersie wyth the later Rabines and to goe forwarde in declaration of that which we tooke in hande that is to shewe howe Christ was fore-tolde and promised to the Iewes It is to be noted that after the death of Iacob last mentioned there is a lyttle recorded in scripture of the doings of hys people during the space of foure hundred yeeres beeing the tyme of theyr bondage in Egypt but yet the tradition of that Nation teacheth that as soone as they were deliuered out of Egypt and were in the desert towards the Land of promise the three sonnes of Chore called Aser Eleana and Abiasaphe of whom mention is made in the sixt Chapter of Exodus and other places made diuers songs and Psalmes in the praise and expectation of the Messias to come that the holy men of that tyme did solace themselues with singing the same and that King Dauid afterward in the second part of hys Psalmes beginning from the fortie one vnto the eyghtie seauen gathered the most part of these olde songs together as yet they are to be seene in hys Psalter MOSES PROPHECIE OF CHRIST BVT Moses who lyued with that people and gouerned them in the wyldernesse had a cleere reuelation from God of thys Messias in these words I will raise vp a Prophet to this people from amongst their bretheren euen as thy selfe I will put my words in his mouth and he shall speake vnto them all things which I shall ordaine vnto him and hee that shal refuse to heare the words which he shal speake vnto them in my name I will be reuenged vppon that man Which wordes that they cannot be vnderstood of any other Prophet that euer liued after Moses among the Iewes but onely of Christ it appeareth very plainly by thys testimonie of the holy Ghost And there arose not any other Prophet in Israel like vnto Moses c. DAVIDS PROPHECIE OF CHRIST AFter Moses about foure hundred yeres ensued Dauid who for that he was a holy man and the first King of the house of Iuda out of whose linage the Messias was to come the perticulers of thys misterie were more aboundantly and manifestly reuealed vnto hym then vnto any other And first for assuraunce that Christ shoulde be borne of his stocke and linage these are the words of God vnto him I haue sworne to Dauid my seruaunt I will prepare thy seede for eternitie and will build vp thy seate to all generations Which words albeit the later Iewes wyll apply it to King