But syr God is comming downe with the shout of an Archangell as hee did to view the Ci ie and the Tower which the sonnes of men builded (y) Gen. 11.5 and to see whether they haue done according to the cry which is come vp into his eares And therefore to conclude this part take the counsell of the Apostle those which thus in any point haue liued be ashamed of your former conuersation as Adam was of his nakednes (z) Ro. 6.21 and hide your selues vnder the tree of life Christ Iesus take of the water that he doth giue and liue for euer Learne of him for hee is meeke and lowly and you shall sinde rest vnto yoursoules And as S. Augustine saith Erubescat homo esse superbus propter quem factus est humilus deus Let man bee ashamed for to bee proud for whose sake God so humbled himselfe And decke your selues inwardly with lowlynesse of minde If you will not hearken what followeth 1. Pet. 5.5 Thou shalt be brought downe to the graue to the sides of the pit 1. To hell as after you shal heare And thus much for the first part or proposition You see how she will mount and be like God Now you shall heare how God doth allow it The second part of the text opened likewise in the Chapter following Thou shalt bee brought downe to the graue The text vers 15. to the sides of the pit And as Saint Ierom translateth it into the depth of the pit In profundum Loci 1. The bottome of hell Here I note two things First the fall of Pride Secondly the place whither shee shall fall In her fall I obserue first who threatneth her fall Secondly of what power or strength the threatning is Thirdly how God effecteth his threatnings or purpose vpon the proud The place heere appointed for the proud is first the graue and then the sides of the pitte CHAP. I. Who dareth to tame those proud before spoken off HEe that heere threatneth to bring downe the proud that rise vp against Gods Church Dent. 28.58 2. Esd 8.21 c. is the Lord God whose throne is glorious fearefull Whose name is inestimable and his glory is incoÌ„prehensible before whom the hoast of Angels stand with trembling And shall not his excellencie make you afraid Iob. 13.11 Who after in this Chapter as often in the scripture is called the Lord of Hoasts Isay 1.9.24 10.26 Ier. 11.28 29.8 because he hath all things in heauen and in earth and euery where else at his commaundement as souldiers vnder him And he saith to one goe and he goeth to an other come and he commeth and to his seruant doo this and he doth it as the Centurion told Christ hee did Mat. 8.9 Now consider if the commaundement of man were of such force the commaundement of God is greater If the Centurion were to be beleeued why should not God This God the Lord of Hoastes that planted thee ô man hath pronounced a plague against thee Thou shalt bee brought downe Paul the Apostle saith It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne And now it is God that speaketh who dares to withstand In the batâ—â—â—â— betwixt Israel and Ame-Iech when Moyses held vp this haâ—d Israel had the better And when God taketh the matter into his hands he will preuaile For it is written Who shall bee able to stand before him when he is angry Euen none at all For at thy â—ebuke ô God of Iacob both the chariot and horse are falue This the proud Egyptians knew in spightfull enâ—ie pursuing Israel Therfore euery one said I wil flie from the face of Israel for the Lord fighteth for them And will not Priae and all sinne flie now God is bent against them When proud Haman had made ready his gallowes and was come to the Kings Court minding to get and take Mardoche the Lords seruant that he might hang him a contratie winde to Hamans expectation had hoyst vp Mardoche to fauour Hest 6.10 11. and Haman in stead of a hangman to shut his breath which hee intended became Mardoches footman and heraâ—ld to proclaime his honour which hee sore disdained and for which he was no lesse grieued then Ahab was when he could not get Naboth his vineyard Ahab came into his house heauie and in displeasure And euen so Haman hasted home mourning and his head couâ—red and tolde Zereth his wife and all his friends all that had befalne him Then said his wise men his wife vnto him If Mardâ—che be of the seed of the Iewes Hest â— 12 13. before whom thou hast begunne to fall thou shalt not preuaile against him but shalt surely fall before him And indeed no more he did For Hamans head was a button for his owne halâ—er and his body became the clapper of his own bell to ring his soule to hell To be plaine he was hanged vpon his owne gallowes Now beloued if Hamans wife and his wife men knew that he should not preuaile against Mardoche because he was of the seed of Israel Shall Pride thinke to rise and preuaile against the Lorde which is the God of Israel who casteth out the heathen before him and bringeth the counsell of Princes to nought and maketh the deuises of the people to be of none effect whose throne is the heauens and the earth his foot-stoole whose glorie is ouer all the earth who filleth all things with the power of his maiestie euen God in his holie habitation No no. It is in vaine for the pot to striâ—e against the Potter When the King of Iuda threatened warre to the King of Israel Rom. 9.20 the King of Israel returned this answere again That it was but the Thistle against the Cedar So he made account of the King of Iuda and of his strength 2. Reg. 14.9 but as of a thistle in regard of himselfe But God is of greater strength against the wicked to destroy them then the Cedar is in respect of the thistle to breake it There was a battle in heaueÌ„ Michael his Angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon fought his angels But they preuailed not neither was their place found any more in heauen And the great dragon that old serpent called the diuel Ephe. 5.5 Reu. 21.27 and sathan was cast out and so shall Pride and proud men The Psalmist saith All the beasts of the forrest are mecked and tamed by man but the beasts of Pride God wil came Sequitur superbos victor a tergo deus Sen. in Her furiente Zeph. 2.11 God will be vpoÌ„ the backs of them He will take their matter into his owne hands he wil deale with them himself whom none else can match or dares meddle with Therefore saith the holie Ghost God resisteth the proud And againe 1. Pet. 5.5 Iam. 4.16 The Lord will destroy she house of proud meÌ„ that is their posteritie Thogh Pride be so stout
Honour mee before this people So those that are proud in heart say to their ruffes schoters and hoopes with their other implements of Pride Honour me before this people But alas they bee so farre from dooing them any honour that in the sight of God whom they should feare (i) Deut. 28 58. and to all of an humble spirit whom they should loue without dissimulation (k) Rom. 12 9 and not offend (l) Mat. 18.6 For it is written Whosoeuer shall offend one of these little ones which beleeue in me it were better for him that a mill-stone were hanged about his necke and that hee were drowned in the depth of the Sea And againe the holy Ghost saieth Grieue not the holf spirit of God by whom ye are sealed vnto the day of redemption (m) Ephe. 4.30 To these I say their fond fashions make them as rydiculous as they are monstrous Though they themselues bee as much besotted with them as is said Narcissus was with his owne shadow (n) Ouid. Meta. li. 3 And do delight to wallow in them as the sowe in myr◠before the greene grasse preferring them as a child doth a trifle as an apple before the best Gold You tell vs indeed of a kind of straying vermine is there such how shall w◠know them How man Heu quà m difficile est crimen non prodere vultu Answer How hard is it in outward shew To keepe thy sinne from open vew As S. Ambrose saith (o) Amb. de li. de Nab. Iere. cap. 13 Quasi is cognitus esse non potest cum sibi desiderat demonstrari As though he can be vnknowne which is desirous like a foole to shewe his coate The wise man saith A mans garment laughter and going declare what he is (p) Eccl. 19 28. And againe The whoredome of a woman may be knowne in the pride of her eyes and eye-lids (q) Eccl. 26 9. Thus the Lord God knew the daughters of Syon to be proud or haughtie because they walked with stretched out neckes with rowling eyes ietting or nodding and minsing as they did goe with costly apparell sweete balles bracelets and bonnets their head attire head-bands Tablets Earings Rings Chrisping pinnes and such like (r) Isay 3.16.17.18.19 c. And are you perswaded he knowes not you Wee read of one Athila sometimes King of Pannonia now called Austria whose Pride the people noted by his very gesture These be the words of Historiographers (ſ) Paulus Iouius Charl. Steph. Textor Erat Athila Rex Pannomae superbus successu huc atque illuc oculos circumferens vt illata potentia in ipso corporis motu appareret There was one Athila king of Pannonia proud in his very going rowling his eies hither and thither in so much that his mightie Pride did appeare by the very motion of his body And by your leaue in these daies many their proud going speaking scornful looking becomes thē not neither be they meet for their persons no more then pearls for swine or holy things for dogs King Dauid saith Lord I am not high minded I haue no proud lookes (t) Ps 131.1 And your elders in former times were not ashamed to be meeke humble Therefore as S. Ambrose saith Caue ne in te erubescant tuorum merita maiorum (v) Amb. li. de Nab. Iere. cap. 13. Beware least thou thinke scorne of the modestie and good qualities of thy predecessors Which of them did euer weare either schoters for their ruffes or hoopes vpon their hippes or blew starch How vgly were one by naturall proportion so bigge about What doost thou meane to mend or marre Gods workmanship or to make thy selfe so bigge that thou mayest not enter in at heauen gate thy grandmothers doubtlesse had neuer such imaginations And I hope they were more commendable before God and man more meeke and humble and better to the poore then thou that vsest them A graue matron and sober dame would be sore grieued that she should be once imagined to bend her selfe or desire to vse the light gesture and behauiour of a wanton and me-thinketh it is more shame to see a Puritane got within a hoope and to bee painted with blew starch but most shame for Prelates thēselues and their second selues to be thus spotted neither do I commend any that vse them though they haue small feare of God in them The Prophet of God was more bold with the dainty dames of Syon Isa 3. But know we though wee seeme holy yet such things doo shewe those that vse thē to be but counterfeits and do bewray their folly like Ierobohams wife who disguised her selfe that the Prophet of God should not know her (w) 1. Reg. 14.2 Nay when they haue heaped on all their trinkets it is most like they know not themselues but wondring at themselues who should bee like vnto the Image of God as the Iewes did at Christ when he came riding into Ierusalem they say who is this What is it I is it I As the Disciples said musing which of them should betray Christ (x) Math. 21.10 Wel to be briefe for time draweth on notwithstanding Ieroboams wife was disguised yet the holy Prophet knew her and sent her home with a burthen of heauie newes that she all her posteritie should be destroyed (y) 1. Reg. 14.10.11 12. But I haue better newes for you if you repēt but if you cannot know your selues being so farre beyond comelinesse disguised against the lawe yet the Prophets of the Lord that know how to discerne spirits wotteth what you be and feare not to tell you from the Lord The Lord will destroy the house of proud men (z) Prouer. 15.25 And thus much for this this then amend and then come for more Now discontentment of mind I may adde for the fourth feather of Prides wing which maketh her to flye aboue the cloudes as the winde forceth the fire for to flame Through this the Angels in happinesse created to behold the maiestie of God in heauen kept not their first estate but left their owne habitation whom God hath reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darknesse vnto the iudgement of the great day (a) Iude. ver 6. Their Pride following the counsell of discontentment as Rehoboam did of his younglings (b) 1. Reg. 12.14 did mount them thus high that of Angels they became diuels Adam and the woman could not be contented with their creation therefore God thrust them out of Paradise (c) Gen. 3.24 This made Absolon thirst for his fathers kingdome but he leapt short and was hanged in an Oake (d) 2. Sam. 15. 18. This this I suppose is that which maketh our hotte-spurres and vnstayed cock-brained crew to wring at the Princes Scepter get it out of her hāds whose peaceable and heauenly gouernment the world doth admire and if lawes were executed as her will is what policie can appoint
Cor. 1.17.19 I preach Christ crucified and teach you to crucifie the olde man and his lusts Be not you like the Gaderenes who because their swine were gone desired Iesus to depart out of their coastes (f) Math. 8.34 Be not like the Philistines and men of Asdod Who because their Idoll Dagon could not stand by the holy Arke but still fell downe and was broken sent away the Arke of God to keepe their Idoll still (g) 1. Sam. 5 1. c. But forsake your sinnes and keepe Christ (h) Reue. 3.20 burne your Idolls of sinne and confesse the Arke of Gods couenant Let not your sinnes flatter you and entice you though they be as importunate vpon you to thrust you out of Gods fauour as SampsoÌ„s wife was vpon him to get away his strength as she did indeed therefore hee was ouercome of the Philistines (i) Iudg. 16.15.16 to 21. and so shall you of the diuell at his will But if God be God go after him and if Baall or Pride or Vsurie c. be hee then follow them For no man caâ— serue two maisters you cannot seruâ— God and Mammon (k) Math. 6.24 Now then confesse I enuie none I grieue at youâ— sinnes And the holy Prophet of God teacheth me who saith Fret not 〈◊〉 selfe because of the vngodly men neithâ—â— be thou enuious against the euill dooers (l) Ps 37.1 Yet he saith also It grieueth me becauâ—â— men keepe not thy lawe (m) Ps 119.158 But mâ—â— should not grieue the holy spirit of God by whom we haue commission as well to reprooue your sinne as to instruct you in the truth of Gods holy will neither should you hate vs because we tell you the truth as the Iewes did Christ (n) Ioh. 8.40 or as Herod did Iohn the Baptist (o) Mat. 14 3.4 If you do The seruant is not greater then his Lord and Maister (p) Ioh. 15.20 13 16. And here withall remember what the Maister Christ Iesus saith comforting his faithfull seruants against obstinate contemners of his word Whosoeuer as well Princes Potentates Prelates as people shall be ashamed of me and of my words among this adulterous and sinfull generation of him shall the sonne of man be ashamed also when he commeth in the glory of his father with his holy Angels (q) Mar. 8.38 And here I will rest for this time Wee see in Pride a contempt of all other in regard of her self and how she dooth mount aboue the cloudes in desire to tread them vnder her feete and she cannot be content with this but she will be like God which is here the second vanitie of Pride CHAP. VII How Pride would be like God Pride may be said to be like God either in some proprieties or else in name First her propertie is to exalt her selfe and desire to be praised and held in honour as much or rather more then God Secondly she challengeth vengeance to her felse to plague whom she list In Name shee is like God because shee vsurpeth or challengeth to be called God OF the first wee haue heard something alreadie how Pride dooth seek to exalt her self aboue the clouds and being got vp into this perswasioÌ„ of her selfe then she lookes that all should feare her and extoll her and doo forsoothe all reuerence and worship vnto her as the diuel would haue had Christ do vnto him (r) Math. 4.9 And here the Pope steppes in for his interest but wee will put him backe vntill anon telling him and his nurse Dame Pride that when God shall come in iudgement against them Then the Lord onely shall bee exalted in that day (Å¿) Isay 2.11.17 The Lord of Hoasts shall be exalted in iudgement the holy God shall be exalted in iustice (t) Isay 5.16 For it is written I will arise saith the Lord now will I bee exalted now will I lift vp my selfe (v) Isay 33.10 Therefore the Psalmist in this respect remembring the promise of God in which the faithful patiently expect the fall of the proud and their owne deliuerance singeth Not vnto vs ô Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue thy glory for thy louing mercie and for thy truth sake (w) Ps 115.1 Thus Dauid so earnestly in his Psalmes exhorteth the childieÌ„ of God to praise the Lord (x) Ps 106. 136. which subdueth our enemies vnder our feete And the Euangelist Saint Iohn sawe all the Angells fall before the Throne on their faces and worship God saying Amen praise and glory and wisedome and thankes and honour and power and might be vnto our God for euermore Amen (y) Reu. 7.12 And not onely the Angels but all the creatures which are in heauen and in the earth and vnder the earth and in the sea and all that are in them heard I say saith Iohn praise and honour and glory power be vnto him that sitteth vpon the Throne and vnto the Lambe for euermore (z) Reu. 5.13 And the Angell would not suffer Iohn to worship him (a) Reu. 22.8.9 But Pride indeed shee is none of Gods creatures would haue all to honour and worship and praise and feare her she would be like God Thus the Samaritanes praised Symon Magus (b) Act. 8.10 and thus the people extolled Herod (c) Act. 12.22 Thus Pride cryeth to the hearts of men saying Not vnto God not vnto God but vnto mee giue the glory And this is the cause that wee haunt so much and greedily gape for to be praised of men like the Pharisies (d) Math. 6.16 to exclude Iesus Christ from his due honour and glory and praise who is ascended into the heauens and led captiuitie captiue Pride brings out Symon Magus speaking to the holy Apostle S. Peter saying Doost thou thinke thy Christ to be therefore great because he ascended from the earth to heauen A great peece of worke that can I doo And then he mounted into the ayre by the helpe of his familiar diuell But he that carried him vp let him tumble downe alone and so hee was crushed in peeces with shame inough to all his former coniurings for hee was condemned of all and no doubt damned of God there his Pride had a filthy fall (e) See Niceph lib. 5. cap. 16. Eccl. Hist. Is not this Pride the poyson of the beast which all they that dwell vpon the face of the earth shall worshippe whose names are not written in the Lambes booke of life which was slaine from the beginning of the world And they worshipped the beast saying Who is like vnto the beast who is able to warre with him (f) Re. 13.4 The holy Ghost saith Feare ye the Lord all ye his Saints And again Tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the mightie God of Iacob But now Pride will be regarded this is an Idoll set vp in euery corner and who dooth not flee
to pull downe both man and wife sonnes and daughters sheepe oxen and asses and all things else as Iosuae dealt with Acan. And yet if you will not beleeue let vs see what experience hath taught and by what meanes God hath brought many downe And his arme is not shortned but his hand is stretched out still And for shortnesse sake I will speake but of six braunches which he hath vsed to hang the wicked and abhominable vpon 2. Sam. 18.9 as truly as Absolon vpon the oake CHAP. II. How God ouerthroweth or subdueth the proud 1. FIrst heere to omit the godly lawes of this our land made to suppresse Pride in euerie degree I doo lament the palpable contempt of Gods most sacred word by which Pride and all sinne should be brought downe and humbled Act. 16.29.30 and afraid to remember in what case they keepe men as the Iaylor was to keepe Paul and Silas And men should seeing their sinnes with those in the 2. of the Acts being pricked in their hearts cry out Men and bretheren what shall we do But seeing they will not be learned nor vnderstand let theÌ„ know Reue. 19.13.15 that the word of God is a sharpe sword which seperateth betweene the marrow the bone yea it doth either seperate sin from vs or vs from the presence and fauour of God so mightie it is in operation All the beasts of the Forrest do tremble and quake at the roaring of the Lyon but the voyce of the Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda is not regarded of the beasts of Pride and silthy sin Well then seeing the matter is so indeed see what the holy Ghost saith most fearfull to be remembred 2. Thes 2.10 Those that shall perish receiue not the word of truth that they might be saued To such Gods word is a sauour of death vnto death spoken by his messengers Mark 8.38 2. Thes 1.7.8 Which who so despiseth shall be despised and confounded For it is written The Lord Iesus shall shewe himselfe from heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance vnto theÌ„ that do not know God and which obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ Whoso liketh this Let him that is filthy be filthy still and thus the Lord God wil bring thee downe Ps 68.1.2 2. God bringeth downe otherwaies the Pride of men euen by confounding their enterprises making their deuises as the Psalmist saith to bee of none effect And this he doth sometimes after one means sometimes after an other 1. By frustrating their counsel and pretence as for example The builders of the Tower of Babel Gen. 11.7 would build to preuent Gods vengeance but he brought them downe by confusion of languages Thus that which they thought should haue bene for their good was vnto them an occasion of falling Synacharib King of Assur thought with the proud Spaniard by an innumerable band of men to ouerthrowe and lay waste the Lords vineyard 2. Reg. 19.35.37.28 35. c. but his strength was ouerthrowne by an Angell and himselfe slaine by his owne children and thus came his Pride downe And wee know how lately the Lord God of heauen tooke the Spaniard and did shake his sword at vs and held vp his rodde against vs to winne vs from sinne And when hee had done so because God knew the Spaniards dwelling his going out and comming in and furie against him and because hee raged and his Pride came vp into his eares like the Pride of Synacharib therefore God put his hooke into his nosthrills and his bridle into his lippes and drew him backe out of our sight and suffered him not to doo vs any harme but God cast them out as the dust before the winde the Angell of the Lord scattered them and their Pride was spoyled in the sea Ps 35.5 Math. 8.32 2. Sam. 17 14.23 as the diuels drowned the heard of swine Againe God confounded the wicked counsell of Achitophel by the good aduise and wisedome of Hushai See the place And when Achitophel did perceiue that his counsell was not regarded hee went home and hanged himselfe And his friends might be glad he had no worse an end Absolon in the Pride of his heart made warre against his father Dauid and thought to haue slaine him and so to haue got his kingdome 2. Sam. 18.6.17 But in the wood of Ephraim where the battell was fought as hee rid vnder an oake there God hanged him by his owne haire see to what vse God puts mans loÌ„g haire and yet some of you will weare it in a brauerie then Ioab came and thrust him through with a dart and the souldiers threw him into a pit and how could it be otherwise but that his guttes were pressed out with that great heape of stones which they cast in vpon him What Pride of any man dooth euer meane to haue such an ende But to be briefe how damnable and daungerous as diuillish and yet in vaine haue beene the counsels and enterprises of the Pope and Spanyard against the ioy of our peace and light of our daies and most ioyfull happines of our time Elizabeth our noble Queene dâ—ead fouâ—raigne Yet they alwayes confounded in the craftie wylinesse they haue imagined the only mightie prouidence of GOD preseruing her gracious Maâ—estie vnder the couering of his winges because they rebell against him Psal 105.15 Psal 107.22 50.14 Psal 9.11 who onely saith Touch not mine annointed Therefore shall not wee offer vnto the Lorde the sacâ—ifice of praise and tell out his workes with gladnesse Oh beloued for this cause specially as all other generally Sing praise vnto the Lorde which dwelleth in Sion and tell the people of his doings Let vs declare his louing kindnesse earely in the morning Psal 92.2 and his trueth in the night season and pray that her dayes may be as the dayes of heauen peace within the walles of her Domimon and plenteousnes within her Pallaces the mightie God her only fortresse and shee next vnder him our chiefe happinesse Amen But to proceed the booke of God and histories of many ages doo shewe vnto vs how vilde and yet without effect the pretences of man hath beene against the Church of God from time to time Who is it that desireth not to be ignorant but knoweth the same And therefore let neither the whore of Babylon Gog and Magog of Rome and Spaine nor Synacharib the Turke that vncircumcised Philistine nor wicked Achitophels of Englands counsell nor any domesticall and traiterous Absosolons thinke to preuaile against God and his annointed neither like wilde Boores out of the wood to roote vp nor like wilde beastes out of the forrest of the diuel to spoyle and laie waste the Lordes vineyard whilest it doth yeeld him good fruites of encrease For thogh you goe too and fro in the euening of your blindnesse and barke like Dogges and goe about the Citie of Gods people
faithfull soule garnished with good workes like a Bride-chamber adorned ending all things with ioy like a Comedie And therefore why should she not bee welcome Thirdly death most willingly wee embrace because it being come we attaine to that perfection of knowledge which we do desire which in this life we cannot attaine vnto All men desire to be expert in their science or profession and the Saints of God in the true knowledge of their saluation and when death is come then this is obtained Euen then when we shall all meet together in the vnitie of the faith and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Christ saith This is life eternall Ioh. 17.3 that they know thee to be the only very God him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Now this knowledge we haue being in the body and absent from the Lord by faith and not by sight Through which we all behold as in a myrror or glasse the glory of the Lord with open face Marl. ex Cal. in 1. Cor. 13 Fides ergo nostra deum nunc intuetur tanquam absentem Our faith therefore now doth see God yet as being absent For wee know in part and we prophesie in part But when that which is perfect is come then Id est post mortem After death that which is in part shall be abolished Which Paul the Apostle prooueth by a double argument one taken from the example of himselfe the other is a similitude Which is thus much briefly The vnderstanding of an Infant is far inferiour to the vnderstanding of a mā And through a glasse we cannot see so clearely as without This life is like to Infancie Amb. ibid. And the life to come is our perfect age then our knowledge shall be made perfect The glasse through which we now see God is faith which being done away we shall see clearely Which doth confirme this truth That not now but after death we shall see God face to face Marl. ex Pet. Mart. in 1. Cor. 13. O endlesse felicitie By which Denotatur perspicuus planus atque clarissimus diuinus aspectus is noted a manifest plaine and most cleare beholding of the diuine nature after death Of face to face see Aug. writing profoundly Epist 3. Epist 6. Tome 2. Moyses as the glory of the Lord passed by him sawe his backe parts darkly and imperfectly But after death we shal see euidently Diuinā essentiam The essence of God For by the face of God Manifestatio eius intelligenda est An open manifestation of him is to be vnderstood Which is the truth by Christ himselfe expressed who saith speaking of Gods deare adopted children See that ye despise not one of these litle ones Math. 18.10 Th. Aquin. in Heb. 11 1. Lects prima for I say vnto you that in heauen their Angels alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in heauen Then we see that Vltimus finis simpliciter ipsius fidei quam intendimus ex fide est beatitudo quae in aperta dei visione consistit The last end simply of faith which we expect by faith is the blessednesse which consisteth in the open and plaine sight of God Aug. de cinit dei ibid. Praemium itaque fidei nobis visio ista seruatur This sight therefore the reward of faith is kept for vs. And we shall know as we are knowne of God Note by the way that this word As Non importat aequalitatem cognitionis sed similitudinem tamen longinquam Lyra. Pet. Mart. ibid. doth not import an equalitie of knowledge betwixt God and vs but a certaine likenesse yet ours is far inferiour to his Marler ex R. ibid. Simplex ergo sensus est cognoscam sicut cognitus sum hoc est perfectissimè certissime The true meaning of this I shal know as I am known Ambr. ibid. is most perfectly truly I shal see my selfe to be present with God where Christ is This is that which the Euangelist Iohn hath saying We shall see him as he is This Then know beloued that now in this life wee haue many schoolemaisters to teach vs this imperfect knowledge of God that wee haue As. 1. Gods creatures The heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handie worke Againe the Apostle Paul saith His eternall power and godhead are seene by the creation of the world being considered in his workes Psal 19.1 2. His punishments of the contempt whereof God by Salomon complaineth saying They haue despised all my correction Pro. 1.30 3. The holy scriptures Therefore saieth Christ Search the scriptures for in them ye think to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of me Iohn 5.39 4. Faith of which saith the holy Ghost Faith is the ground of things which are hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene Heb. 11.1 Now all these shall cease to teach vs when death comes like the ceremonies of the lawe at the coming of Christ Heb. 10.1.9 For what needeth a candle in the cleare and open sunne light Then we shall not need to say one to an other know the Lord for all shall know him from the least vnto the greatest Therefore welcome death and come Lord Iesus come quickly Fourthly though death set vpon thee as thine enemie and do bring thee downe to the graue yet shalt thou not feare to buckle with her because in the end thou shalt get the maistrie of her as Michael did of the dragon Reue. 12.9 And triumph ouer her by the power of God Rom. 6.4 through faith in the death of Christ Who by his rising from death hath ouercome these thy most mightie enemies Sinne Death and Hell Rom. 8.32.33.34 and thereby assureth thee of the conquest ouer them through him at the resurrection 1. Cor. 15.12 For in that hee suffered and was tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Heb. 2.18 And that hee will the scriptures affirme plainely of Christ the seeed of the woman that he shall breake the head of the serpent Gen. 3.15 Hee shall destroy death for euer Isai 25.8 And the Lord God saith by the Prophet Hoseas I will redeeme thee from the power of the graue I will deliuer thee from death O death I will be thy death O graue I will be thy destruction And Paul saith Rom. 6.9 Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more power ouer him Who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortalitie to light through the Gospell Againe it is written 2. Tim. 1.10 For as much as the children were partakers of the flesh and bloud hee also 1. Christ himselfe likewise tooke part with them that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the diuell And that he might deliuer all them which for feare of death were all