is the counsels snares and batteringes whether it be of the worlde or of the diuel cannot preuaile against the same The Church in deede compared to that huge companie of the reprobate and damned diuels is but à verie litle flocke yet continueth it vnmoueable against the force and power of all aduersaries whatsoeuer For notwithstanding manie citizens of the Church be murthered and put to sundrie tormentes yet is not the Church abolished therbie but in death it selfe theie get the victorie while theie keepe their faith and confession For precious in the sight of the Lorde is the death of his Saintes as that which is the gate vnto euerlasting blessednesse Therefore was it wel saide of Augustine The men of this worlde are vnhappilie happie but the Martyrs were happilie vnhappie For theie were for a time vnhappie but happie for euer The Prophet Isaiah compareth the Church to an Iland in his 2. Chapter For as an Iland placed in the sea although it be beaten with many a cruel storme and tempest that arise yet abideth inuincible because the Lord hath set à bound to the Sea which it cannot ouerpasse so the Church abideth safe notwithstanding manifold storms do beate vpon the same For the Lorde of Hostes defendeth and protecteth it who wil not suffer tyrants to vse more crueltie against y e same than it can wel indure or shalbe good for it As often therefore as we heare how the tyrantes of the world doe spoile the Church and murther the members of the same let vs comforte our selues with this cogitation the Lord of Hostes can not forsake his tabernacle which he hath made but wil by his diuine power and presence defende the same and withal praie we vnto this Lorde that he wil not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we be able to beare Moreouer this Church as it is gathered by the word of God so wil it faithfulie reteine y e same without al corruption It knoweth how Christ alone is to be harkened vnto in the ministers of the Gospel And that is it which the Lorde him-selfe doth saie My sheepe heare my voice for theie knowe not the voice of strangers This is à special note wherebie the Church of Christ is distinguished from other assemblies By whiche we are admonished to shunne false-christes and false-prophetes euen as we would the verie diuel him-selfe For this alwaie is the scope of Satan namelie that despising the voice of the Lorde we should hearken vnto him For as he enuironed our first parents by sophistrie and deprauing the worde of God so alwaies he laboureth to entrap the Church after the same sorte and maner And therfore it standeth vs vpoÌ„ aboue al to listen-vnto the voice of our sheepheard despising the voice of strangers by whom the diuel speaketh So then when the Papistes doe bid vs to heare them let vs answer that Christ our shepheard hath commanded to heare his voice onelie and to content vs there-withal This voice of our shepheard is comprehended in the writinges both of the Prophetes and Apostles and that not obscurelie but plainelie as touching the ground of our saluation When the Pope doth bid thee to cal vpon saintes shunne him as the serpent which by his lie cast our first parentes vnto the death For it is contrarie to the wordes of our sheepeheard who saith Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onelie shalt thou serue Againe Cal vpon me in the daie of trouble and so of the rest For a godlie minde is neuer at quiet vnlesse it heare this voice and be truelie persuaded that thus saith the Lorde of hostes Againe this Church forsomuch as it harkeneth onelie vnto the voice of the Lorde of Hostâ—s it cleaueth to him and obeieth him none beside Others folow other masters some cleaue to worldlie riches and pleasures manie are carried-awaie with the tempestes of their owne affections that theie make smal account of the Church of Christ but the true Church possesseth all the treasures of riches in Christ alone for which cause it cleaueth-to and obeieth him it knoweth howe it was saide of their master Be not ye caled Rabbi for one is your doctor to wit Christ. To him alone therfore it seeketh according to the wordes of the Church in the 73. psalme As for me it is good for me to draw neare to God I haue put my trust in the Lord God that I maie declare al thy workes But seeing others that are not in the Church of God to their certaine condemnation doe folowe other masters theie do more and more estrange them-selues from God as in the same Psalme it is saide Loe theie that with-drawe themselues from thee shal perish thou destroiest al them that go a whoring from thee But what is it to cleaue vnto the Lorde of Hostes It is by faith to be espoused and by hope confession and obedience according to his worde to be ioined to him For as by faith we receaue him as our beloued spouse and are ioined to him So by hope confession we continue in him as it were depending to a trustie anchor Whereof we are carried-into his commendation esteeming of al thinges of no price in respect of the obedience we owe vnto him Therefore when the godlie for confession of the Gospel are compelled to change their aboade and see their substance to be seased-vpon let them take consolation from hence looke not so much vpon the present worlde as for the euent the ioieful euent to come which theie shal find if so be theie abide constantlie in the faith and confession let them thinke howe there shalbe à righteous iudgemeÌ„t wherin as theie that cleaue to y e Lord by faith confession shal finde the words of the Psalmist true saying As for me it is good for me to drawe neere to God so such as turne themselues from God by incredulitie and renouncing of confession shal crie-out howe theie are most miserable let them thinke howe confession is necessarie according to this saieng With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation Finalie let them thinke this is an earnest coÌ„mandement of God Flie froÌ„ idolatrie Besides for so much as this true Church is the tabernacle of the Lord of Hostes it hath doubtles the Lorde of hostes dwelling in her And therefore not without good cause is she tearmed the temple of God in the Scriptures Hitherto belongeth that of Paule Know ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the spirite of God dwelleth in you If anie man destroie the temple of God him shal God destroie For the temple of God is holie which ye are Hence therefore maie be gathered how greate the glorie of the Church is what puritie is required to be in the same how religiously it should serue God and what punishments be prepared for them who shal prophane
the shipwrack of à good conscience dissembling giuing of offence and exercising of crueltie in his office committed to him of God most righteouslie punished Nowe Dauid being in banishment and hauing no power with other good men at the high feast to come vnto y e tabernacle wherein the Arke of the Lorde was and there to praie and offer sacrifice with à troubled and pensiue heart he calleth into minde the difference betweene the Church wherein God publikelie is worshipped and called-vpon and other companies of men what so euer without the feare of God and withal by à prophetical spirit is carried more aloft into the contemplation of the Church of Christ vnder the New testament à certaine shadow wherof was the old tabernacle as the Epistle vnto the Hebrues doth witnes In this exile in this cogitation inlightned with y e spirit of prophecie he is caried by great force of mind both into admiratioÌ„ of y e felicitie of y e true Church wherin God freelie is called-vpon and worshipped and also into consideration of his owne wretchednesse as one to whome there was no entrance into the Church of God and companie of good men As if anie of vs liued among the Turkes or other prophane people he would out of doubt more deepelie thinke vpon the felicitie of the true Church and also deeme them of all others to be most happie which might at certaine and appointed times come with other good men vnto the hearing of Gods word vnto praier and to the receiuing of the sacraments Wherefore being admonished by the example of Dauid a banished man for his wickednesse let vs learne to be more circumspect through an others harme let vs beware that we shut not our selues from the gathering together of the Saintes by our sinnes by earnest and vnfeigned repentance turne we awaie the wrath of God which warlike tumults dissention in religion and infinite wickednesse reigning euerie where doth plainelie shewe lâ—angeth-ouer our neckes So oft then as we reade this Psalme let vs call these two things into mind first the felicitie of the Church wherein the word is purely preached and God syncerelie worshipped then the miserable case of such as maie not with other good men glorifie God in the congregation of the Saints Last of all whether this place be written by Dauid him selfe and so deliuered to the sonnes of Korah to be song or whether the sonnes of Korah in the name of Dauid did write and sing the same as the Hebrues are vncertaine thereof so leaue we the same in doubt For it is ynough for vs to acknowledge the spirit of Christ to be the true auctor therof and to be written for our instruction and consolation CHAP. 2. The principal pointes contained in the first part of this Psalme THE first part of this Psalme comprehended in the foure first verses distinguisheth the true Church from other coÌ„panies of men sheweth whence it springeth howe dearelie God loueth the same also howe entirelie on the otherside it loueth God where it maie be sought what markes it hath howe happie it is with what seruice it worshippeth God and finalie howe it shal continue euerlastinglie and be immortal Nowe in order let vs consider the verses of this part and seueralie vnfolde which confusedlie we haue noted CHAP. 3. 1. The summe of the first verse of this Psalme 2. who is the Lord of hostes 3. what is his armie and victorie Vers. 1. O LORD OF HOSTES HOW AMIABLE ARE THY TABERNACLES IN these wordes the Psalmist principalie doth shew both which is the true Church and whence it is and how pretious in the sight of God The true Church is y t whose maker is the Lord of hostes the which he loueth most entirelie But for the better discoursing of al these points we are in order to opeÌ„ three things First who is that Lord of hostes which is mentioned in this place Then for so much as manie congregations of men and those much differring each from other doe vsurpe the title of the Church we must diligentlie coÌ„sider who be they which falslie take to themselues this name and which is the true Church Last of all whie the true Church is so amiable and deare to God or to the Lord 〈◊〉 of hostes Who then is the Lord of hostes whie doth he cal him selfe the Lord of hostes And what is the vse of this matter being knowne Out of certaine places of the Scripture we wil gather who is the Lord of hostes whereof the Psalmist here maketh mention In the second of Samuel it is said Dauid prospered and grewe for the Lord of hostes was with him And Psalme 59. Euen thou O Lord God of hostes These two testimonies doe shewe if we marke the Hebrue text howe that God which is one in essence and three in persons is the Lord of hostes For in the former place the proper name of God taken from his essence namelie Iehouah is put in the latter the plural number Elohim whereby à pluralitie of persons as the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost is signified But that we should not thinke there be anie moe persons than three the Prophet Esaiah teacheth vs when he saith And the Seraphims cried one to an other and saide Holie holie holie is the Lord of hostes So that this title is proper to the whole Trinitie Notwithstanding bicause the second person in the Godhead namelie y e euerlasting word or Sonne of God was sent to breake the strength of Satan for y e redemption of mankinde this great title is giuen to him in manie places as in the 24. Psalme Who is this King of glorie The Lord of hostes is the King of glorie Here doubtles Christ a figure of whome was the arke of the couenant is signified to be that glorious King And in the Prophet Esaiah the Lord of hostes is saide to dwell in Zion which certainlie must be vnderstood of Christ. Nowe the Scripture ascribeth this glorious name to Christ because he is the chiefe captaine in the citie of God against the citie of Satan that is in the Church against the world and the diuel For he alone is as the most mightie so the chiefest hed and captaine of al armies both celestial and earthlie And therefore in the forementioned psalme he is called The Lord mightie in battell For he is not idle but fighteth couragiouslie he yeeldeth not but ouercommeth he fleeth not but triumpheth and that not for his owne cause but for the whole citie of God And therefore in the 72. psalme the chiefest honour is ascribed to him Blessed be his glorious Name for euer and let al the earth be filled with his glorie Yet gathereth he an hoste to him selfe not because he is weake of him selfe and of smal power but for that he wil communicate his owne glorie after a sort with his soldiers But what be those armies In
Elders through the red sea by the conduction of Moses but also that the Teachers might admonish the people of the spiritual Passeouer to wit from the kingdome of Satan into the kingdome of God by the conduction of the Messiah there is no doubt but this question was handled betweene Christ and those doctors where-of sprang that admiration and wondering Againe by this deede of his yet in his childe-hoode Christ would teach what their duetie is who haue determined to folowe Christe For as he sate in the Temple so his wil is that such as folowe him should rest in holie thinges and bring if they would profite in his schoole à mind voide of worldlie cares Then from the 12. yeare vntil the 30. yeere of his age he was subiect to his parentes Encreasing in wisedome and stature and in fauour with God with man And thus the whole time of his life was consumed among the poore simple men of heart and this was it which Esaiah saide He hath sent me to preach good tidinges vnto the poore For they alwayes were most in the fauour of God that is theie haue bin more apt to receiue the lawe and commandementes of the Lorde than such as are swollen vp in respect either of their wealth or of their power or of their learning or wit Nowe when he was entered into the 30. yeare of his age Iohn the sonne of Zacharias hauing receaued à commandement from the Lorde concerning baptisme of repentance went forth as à fore-runner and cried Repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand prepare ye the way of the Lord. And this was it which the Prophet Malachie fore-tolde when he saide Beholde I will send my messenger and he shal prepare the waie before thee and the Lorde whome yee seeke shal speedily come to his Temple euen the messenger of the couenant whome yee desire beholde he shal come saith the Lorde of Hostes. Afterward he was baptized of Iohn and the holie Ghoste descended and lighted vppon him like à doue For so it went before in the figure Moses telleth howe the doue sent out of the ship returned in the euening with an oliue leafe in her bil which was à token of attonement For Noah therebie knewe that the wrath of the Lord was appeaced and that the waters were abated from of the earth After which maner the Doue here doth testifie howe he was present by whome the wrath of the Father was peaced according to the words of the Father This is my beloued sonne in whome I am wel pleased His tentation of the diuel answereth at the lest wise to that which was prophecied in general And thou shalt bruise his head that is the heele of the seed of the woman He fasted fourtie daies and fourtie nightes but the figure of the same went before in Moses and Elias In the three yeeres following he began his raigne by teaching and working miracles according to the fore-saieng of the Prophet Esaiah The spirit of the Lord God is vpon me therfore hath the Lord annointed me he hath sent me to preach good tydings vnto the poore to binde-vp the broken hearted to preach libertie to the captiues to them that are bound the opening of the prison to preach the acceptable yeere of the Lord and the daie of vengeance of our God to comfort al that mourne to appoint vnto them that mourne in Zion and to giue vnto them beautie for ashes the oile of ioie for mourning the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse that they might be called trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified And againe Saie vnto them that are fearefull Be you strong feare not behold your God commeth with vengeance euen God with a recompence he wil come and saue you Then shal the eies of the blinde be lightened and the eares of the deafe be opened Then shal the lame leap as an hart and the dumme mans tongue shal sing What plainer thing could be spoken of the doctrine and miracles of the Messiah The Prophet as it were with a finger pointeth to the very person of the Messiah by most euident tokens Yet doe not the miserable Iewes carried-awaie by the stormes of their affections confesse the truth Vnto these tokens declaring the true Messiah he sendeth the two disciples of Iohn who demanded of him saieng Art thou he that should come or shal we waite for an other Go your waie saith he and shew Iohn what things ye haue seene and heard that the blinde see the halt goe the leapers are cleansed the deafe heare the dead rise-againe and the poore receaue the Gospel Hence came that wondering in the blind man Ioh. 9. Doubtles this is à marueilous thing that ye knowe not whence he is and yet he hath opened mine eies The time of his punishment which was appointed for him by the Father drawing nigh he entered into Ierusalem vpon an asse whome much people met and receaued with roial pompe whereof Zacharie doth saie Reioice greatlie ô daughter Zion shout for ioie ô daughter Ierusalem behold thy King commeth vnto thee poore and riding vpon an asse As he came the people shouted and strawed bowes of palme trees in the waie for à signe of an euerlasting kingdome and cried Hosanna the sonne of Dauid blessed be he that commeth in the Name of the Lorde Hosanna thou which art in the hiest heauens The which we read was foretolde also in à certaine Psalme O Lord we praie thee saue nowe blessed be he that commeth in the Name of the Lord binde the sacrifice with cordes vnto the hornes of the altar The daie before he should suffer hauing eaten the Paschal lambe according to the Lawe he instituted the supper of his bodie and bloud à figure whereof as Paule witnesseth went before in the Manna and in the rocke wher-out flowed water in y e wildernes Then after à long sermon in the presence of his disciples and praier as Adam in the garden departed from God so Christ in the garden was betraied of his owne disciple Iudas for thirtie peeces of siluer which thing the Prophets kept not secrete For as Doëg the bewraier of Dauid was à type of Iudas the traitor so Zecharie speaketh of the wages that was paied So they weighed for my wages thirtie peeces of siluer And the Lord saide vnto me caste it vnto the potter à goodlie price that I was valued at of them Straight-waie being taken all his disciples forsooke him whereof Zecharie in his 13. Chapter thus writeth Arise ô sworde vpon my shepheard and vpon the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of hostes smite the shepheard and the sheepe shal be scattered Then folowed scoffinges spittinges buffets contumelies and much vexation after he was taken
of which Isaiah in his 50. Chapter I gaue my backe vnto the smiters and my cheekes to the nippers I hid not my face from shame and spitting After that he was hanged on wood or vpon the crosse For manie times among the Fathers saluation hath come by woode The image and prophecie of this wood was in the arch of Noah and in the wood which Moses threwe into the most bitter waters wherebie they became most pleasant By this figure the virtue of y e crosse of Christ is notablie depainted For as the most bitter waters by the wood throwen there-into were made most sweete and pleasaunt so nothing is there but wil be most comfortable to vs if the wood of Christ his crosse namelie faith on Christ crucified be added as à sause But à more excellent figure is in the wood wheron the brazen serpent was hanged For as Moses at the cōmandement of God in y e wildernes set-vp on high to y e view of al the Israelites the brazen serpent which hong vpon wood y t such as were wounded to the death of serpents might be healed therby So Christ was lifted vp vpon the wood and shewen as it were to al nations that as manie as were wounded vnto the death by the old serpent the diuel might be saued looking and trusting on him So then Christ hong on the crosse and was made à cursse for vs to redeeme vs from the cursse of the serpent which he through sinne brought vpon mankind Therefore it is written Curssed is euerie one that hangeth on tree After this manner Paul vnto the Galathians applieth the type to y e truth Here y e humanitie of Christ seemed most vile worser than the basest sort of men in so much as his verie friendes and familiars did flie awaie being dismaied and abashed Whereof it was prophecied in à psalme But I am à worme and not à man à shame of men and the contempt of the people And in the 88. psal Thou hast put-awaie mine acquaintance far fro me and made me to be abhorred of thē Yea at that time he which was the fairest among men so lost al grace of beautie that it was à verie hard thing to know him according to the prophecie of Isaiah Beholde my seruant shal prosper he shal be exalted and extolled and be verie hie As manie were astonied at thee his visage was so deformed of men and his forme of the sonnes of men so shal he sprincle manie nations the Kings shal shut their mouthes at him for that which had not bene tolde them shal they see and that which they had not heard shal they vnderstande And afterward He hath neither forme nor beautie whē we shal see him there shal be no forme that we shoulde desire him Hee is despised and reiected of men he is à man ful of sorowes and hath experience of infirmities wee hid as it were our faces from him and was despised and we esteemed him not Lo howe playnlie the Prophet hath fore-tolde how it should come to passe that the Iewes in respect of his vile punishment whereof themselues were the autors shoulde contemne the Messiah The high Priestes and the princes of the people spake il and rayled of him nodding their heades at Iesus fastened to the crosse as the Prophet Hosea prophecied I haue redeemed them yet they haue spoken lies against me And Psalme 22. They gape vpon me with their mouthes as à ramping and roaring Lion Againe Doges haue compassed me and the assemblie of the wicked haue inclosed me And again Psalme 35. They had me in derision and gnashed their teeth at mee Zecharie also prophecied of his handes side that were pearced Chapter 12. They shal looke vpon him whome they haue peirced And Psal. 22. They peirced mine hands and my feete In his extreeme tormentes he cried My God my God whie hast thou forsaken me Which thing long afore was fore-told by Dauid in y e 22. Psalme which Psalme is as it were à certain Epitome of y e passion of Christ. When he was about to yeld vp y e Ghost he vsed y e words of Dauid who carried à type of Christ himselfe Into thine hands Lord I commend my spirit as it is in the 31. Psalme His hanging betweene theeues was also foreshewed by the Prophet Isaiah in his 53. chapter where he saith He was counted with the transgressors How Christ praied for his crucifiers Isaiah in the same chapter fore-telleth He bare the sinne of manie and praied for the trespassers As Iesus was vpon dieng there was darkenes ouer al the lande as though the sunne would haue lost his light when as notwithstanding the Moone was at the ful The earth also terriblie did quake according to the prophecie of Ioël The Sunne and Moone shal be darkened and the starres shal with-drawe their light The Lord also shal roare out of Zion and vtter his voice from Ierusalem and the heauens and the earth shal shake And Amos in his 8. chapter doth say And in that daie saith the Lord God I wil euen cause the sunne to go downe at noone and I wil darken the earth in the cleere day The Lord was crucified without the gate euen as the sacrifice that was brought without the campe for the purgation and sanctifiing of the people by the whole multitude of the sonnes of Israël as may appeare Num. 19. For the red kowe in the sight of all was killed and of the blood thereof and of the ashes and water purgations were made Vnto the speedinesse of the Lords punishment who was taken about night and led vnto the hie Priestes the next morning earlie carried vnto the iudgement hal of the president and at noone crucified belongeth the figure of the paschal lambe wherof Christ also is oftentimes called à lambe But that it maie the better appeare howe the bodie aunswereth to the shadowe and the trueth to the figure let vs compare one thing with an other For that paschal lambe doth much resemble our Sauiour Christ yet as the shadowe the bodie and the type the truth 1 As therefore that Iewish lambe was à male of à yeere old and that without spot so Christ à full and perfect man was without sinne 2 As the houses which were sprinckled with the blood of the paschal lambe preserued the inhabitor from destruction so they whose consciences are sprinckled with the bloode of Christe the immaculate lambe shal bee free from the punishment of sinne which is damnation 3 As nothing of the paschal lambe might be eaten that was either rawe or boiled or sodden in water but that which was rosted with fire So there was no part of the Lords bodie but was rosted with great flames of sorowe 4 As the children of Israel
consumed y e paschal lambe with speede and that with vnleauened bread and sowre herbes so with most sharpe and sower mindes the Iewes put Christ to death and that with al possible speede 5 As the paschal lambe was offred of the whole multitude of the sonnes of Israel So that which through the counsel and wil of the chiefe Priests and rulers was done to Christ at Ierusalem maie seeme doubtles to be done of al Israel verie fewe excepted 6 As by the commandement of God there was à caution that no bone of the paschal lambe should be broken So albeit the hands and feete of our Sauiour were fastened to the crosse with nailes his side peirced through with à speare yet not à bone of him was broken 7 As none that was either vncleane or vncircumcised did eate of that lambe but the circumcised onlie so he alone that is purged in minde and receiued into the familie of God eateth vnto his saluation the flesh of the pure lambe which is Christ. 8 As that lambe through the commaundement of God was offered the tenth day of the first moneth so Christ the true lambe of God the same day of that moneth his father so appointing it was sacrificed vnto the Lord. 9 As once in à yeare that paschal lambe was killed So once and not often ought the sonne of God to be offered which thing also was prefigured by that entrance of the chiefe prieste into the holie place and that once in à yeere 10 Last of al as the sacrifice of the paschal lambe pleased the Lord and after it the people came out of Aegyt So through the sacrifice of Christ mankinde is reconciled to God and brought out of bondage into libertie The figures or prophecies rather of this great sacrifiaÌ„e of this sanctification and attonement were the sacrifices of the fathers as of Abel Noah Abraham and afterward al those Aaronical sacrifices albeit some more cleerelie than others bare the similitude of this great sacrifice of propitiation Being taken from the crosse he was laide in the graue of which mention is made in the 88. Psalme My soule is filled with euiles and my life draweth neere vnto the graue I am counted among them that go downe vnto the pit and am as à man without strength free among the deade like the slaine lying in the grâ—ue whome thou remembrest no more and they are cut of from thine handes Thou hast laide me in the lowest pit in darkenes and in the deepe The bodie of Christ aboade in the sepulcher that part of the sixt day wherein nowe the Sabbaoth began at what time the Iewes cessed from their labor and from thence the whole Sabbaoth which finished verie earelie in the morning he arose that he might make it euident howe he had with himselfe buried the Iewish Sabboath and was returned vnto à new life hauing ouercome death and left the old synagogue in the graue and raised-vp à newe Church And therefore the Lord before his death abrogated not the law of Moses forsomuch as yet he had not carried the Sabboath with himselfe vnto death and the graue And that the Lord shoulde not abide long in the graue Dauid prophecied in the 16. Psalme My flesh doth rest in hope for thou wilt not leaue my soule in the graue neither wilt thou suffer thine holâ— one to se corruption As sone as the first day of the weeke which we cal the Lordes daie appeared he brought himselfe vnto the light and life which was our light and our resurrection from euerlasting death A figure of this resurrection also of the Lord went before in the Prophet Ionas and an euident prophecie is in Hosea chap. 6. where in the person of Christe it is saide Come and let vs returne vnto the Lorde for he hath spoiled and he wil heale vs he hath wounded vs and he wil binde vs vp After two dayes wil he reuiue vs and in the thirde daie he wil raise vs vp and we shal liue in his sight Then shal we haue knowledge and indeuour our selues to know the Lord. Hauing proued his resurrection after sundrie and manie waies to his disciples he gaue them in charge to baptize to teach al nations repentance and remission of sinnes in his name And so the prophecie of Iaakob concerning the vocation of the Gentils was fulfilled who saith The people shal be gathered vnto him And for this cause the nations are so often inuited to laude and to glorifie GOD both in the psalmes and Prophets as in the 117. Psalme Al nations praise ye the Lord al ye people praise him For his louing kindnesse is great towarde vs and the trueth of the Lord endureth for euer This commaundement being giuen to his disciples the 40. daie after his resurrection he ascended into heauen vnto his father at whose right hande he sitteth for euermore From whence he sent both to his disciples and to the Church following the holie spirite to instruct and teach them Of this ascension singeth the Psalmist in the 68 psalme Thou art gone-vp on high thou hast led captiuitie captiue and receaued giftes for men And of his sitting at the right hand of the Father the same Psalmist saith in the 110. Psalme on this wise The Lord saide vnto my Lord sit thou at my right hande vntil I make thine enimies thy footestoole By the right hand of the Father is meant his principall giftes as happinesse mercie goodnes liberalitie wherein Christ sitteth as à dispensor and bestower and his kingdome and liberalitie of such good things is vpon the holie and blessed soules both angelical and humane whereof it is saide Psalme 16. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup thou doest mainteine my lot The lines are fallen vnto me in pleasant places that is I haue gotten à goodlie inheritance For mine inheritance is noble Furthermore as touching the holie Ghost this is to be noted The holie spirite abideth euermore with the Church albeit inuisible But vnto the Apostle the 10. daie after his ascension that is 50. daies after the resurrection of Christ he appeared visiblie in firie tongues that the Lorde of hostes which is Iesus Christ might confirme the infallible trueth of his Gospel to the whole worlde as it were with this seal of his maiestie Which thing was long fore-seen by y e prophet Ioël who in his 2. cha saith on this wise And afterward that is after Israël hath receiued the teacher of righteousnesse that they may both remember and vnderstand those thinges which he shal teach I wil powre-out my spirit vpon al flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shal prophecie your old men shal dreame dreames and your yong men shal see visions The 50. day after the resurrection of the Lord the euent most
euidentlie aunswered vnto this prophecie For the spirit of the Lord was powred vpon al flesh not particularlie but generallie vppon Iewes and Gentils yong and old men women bonde and free rude and learned c. And Isaiah 54. And al thy children shal be taught of the Lorde and much peace shal be to thy children In times passed man made himselfe an author conductor and teacher of godlinesse as appeareth in the Philosophers whereof diuers set diuers endes of the felicitie which man should seeke after but nowe although man teach man the seruice of God yet professeth he not his owne but the wisdome of God The Apostles nowe hauing receiued the holy Ghost through the heauenly doctrine at the commandement of Christ they gathered à Church by wonderful miracles confirmed y e same their doctrine according to y e promise of our Sauiour which thing Isaiah prophecied of 600. yeares afore it came to passe For in his 8. chapter thus he saith Behold I and the children whome the Lorde hath giuen mee are as signes as wonders in Israël by the Lord of hostes which dwelleth in mount Zion What wonder I pray you is greater what signe more euident than that the Apostles by their workes being for number fewe for power weake fraile for knowledge simple should worke miracles and turne both the tongues and the wil of men vnto them to their religion These are the children that are giuen to the church in stede of the auncient fathers as the Psalmist doth say In steede of thy fathers shal thy children be thou shalt make them princes through al the earth When hee nameth princes we must haue respect to à kingdome Therefore for somuch as the kingdome of Christ is gouerned by the worde they are princes which by the worde and heauenlie doctrine do rule the realme of Christ. And although the Church was first builded of the fathers and princes of the Iewes yet principalie it is gathered from the Gentiles euen from that barren and altogether vnprofitable flocke Whereof Isaiah in his 54. chapter speaketh after this manner Reioyce ô barren that diddest not beare breake forth into ioye and reioyce thou that diddest not trauel with child for the desolate hath mo children than the married wife saith the Lorde Enlarge the place of thy tentes and let them spreade out the curtaines of thine habitations spare not streach out thie cords and make fast thy stakes For thou shalt increase on the right hande and on the left and thie seede shal possesse the Gentils and dwel in the desolate cities Againe in his 60. Chap. he saith whereas thou hast beene forsaken and hated so that no man went by thee I wil make thee an eternal glorie and à â—oie from generation vnto generation And afterwarde A little one shal become as à thousande and à smale stone as à strong nation I the Lord wil hasten it in due time Christ fore-telled howe the kingdome of God shoulde be taken from the Iewes and shoulde be giuen to à nation that shoulde bring foorth the fruites thereof Which thing as we nowe see it come to passe so was it long before prophecied by the Prophet Isaiah in his 65. chapter where he saith I haue bene sought of them that asked not I was founde of them that sought me not I saide Beholde me beholde me vnto à nation that called not vpon my name I haue sprede out my handes al the daie vnto à rebellious people which walked in à waie that was not good euen after their owne imaginations à people that prouoked me euen vnto my face And more plainlie yet in an other place Though thy people ô Israel be as the sande of the sea yet shal but à remnant of them be saued Reade the 9. 10. 11. chap. of Paul vnto the Romanes By this I thinke we haue sufficientlie confirmed the Minor of the proposed argument and both briefelie and plainelie proued howe all thinges are accomplished in Iesus y e sonne of Marie which were fore-spoken both of Moses and the prophets concerning the Messiah and this is it which in Iohn is written The Lawe was giuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ that is the thinges which Moses by figures shadowed and the prophetes fore-tolde by prophecies Christe in truth hath fulfilled The summe of al is this howe Iesus the sonne of Marie is the verie Messiah that is à prophet à King and à Priest A prophet whereof Moses in the 18. Chapter of Deuteronomie did speake The Lorde thie God wil raise-vp vnto thee à Prophet like vnto me from among you euen of thie brethren vnto him ye shal hearken A King of whome it is saide in the second Psalme I haue set my King vpon Zion mine holie mountaine A priest according vnto the 110. psalm Thou art à Priest for euer after the order of Melchi-zedek The benefites of this Messiah and the application of theÌ„ are proposed in this verse of the 2. Psalme Blessed are al that trust in him CHAP. 5. A confutation of the obiections which the braine-sicke Iewes doe alleage for their partes NOw forsomuch as the obstinacie and malice of the Iewes is such that rather they wil stop their eies against the cleere light thaÌ„ admit the trueth of God concerning the Messiah our Lord and Sauior Christ alreadie come into the world I purpose brieflie to confute such thinges as theie falslie maliciouslie and furiouslie doe obiect Theie not without great railing speaches vtterlie doe denie the Minor of our foundation and euen against their owne consciences verie vntrulie do saie that the prophecies of the Prophets touching the Messiah promised were not fulfilled in Iesus the sonne of Marie For they obiecte foure thinges The first is touching the time of the Messiah the seconde of the forme of his kingdome the thirde about the place of his dominion the last concerning the people Yea and besides these thinges that they maie diminish the credite of the Euangelistes they giue out howe they are contrarie one to another And that these seducers may persuade miserable men especialie they assault the heade of al and denie that our Lorde and Sauiour Christ is risen from the deade which reprochful lie when I haue aunswered I wil in order confute these foure thinges which they obiect together with the slanders that vniustlie they laie vpon our Lord. Let these enimies of GOD crie til their hartes ake againe that our Lord Christ is not risen from the dead but who is so foolish that wil beleeue his enimies before his friendes who so childish that wil giue credit to manie euil rather than to à fewe good who are soonest to be beleeued they which of meere malice heape slaunders lies together which are defiled with al manner wickednes or they rather that being famous for their holines and innocencie of
written In thie seede shal al the nations of the earth be blessed Of this ground we doe firmelie conclude that whatsoeuer by the holie Prophetes of God is fore-tolde touching the raigne of the Messiah after the similitude of an earthlie kingdome ought to be applied by waie of comparison according to the manner of à spiritual kingdome to signifie that in the kingdome of Christ there should be equalitie concorde and wonderfull peace peace I meane agreeing to the kingdome of Christ namelie à spiritual peace and that in and among such as by true faith receiue Christe into themselues Which spiritual peace is signified by the concorde of the beastes whereof the Prophetes doe speake For it is too too foolishe to thinke y t the office of the Messiah is to change the natures of thinges as to make the Lion laie-awaie his crueltie or the Aspe and Cokatrice their poison So then vnder these figures the Prophets doe signifie howe men that are fierce bolde and cruel as Lions if once theie take vpon their shoulders the easie and light yoke of Christ that is doe imbrace the doctrine of Christ and through faith depende vpon him must needes laie-awaie their lionish nature and conditions and so dwell peaceablie and louinglie with sheepe that is with milde and simple ones hauing on each part through faith of Christ put-on loue and howe the Mountaines namelie the chiefe among the people laying-aside hautinesse of minde must suffer them-selues to be made equal to them of lowest degree And that there should be no such worldlie peace as the Iewes dreame of the 110. Psalme which was written of the Messiah doth testifie where among other things it is said Be thou ruler in the middes of thine enemies which thing we see to haue come to passe in Christ who euen among his most extreme cruel enimies hath à Church the which he protecteth and defendeth against the rage of all tyrants and diuels For this prophecie doth firmelie abide The seede of the serpent shall bruise his heele that is of the Messiah and of the Church The thirde thing which the Iewes obiect is the place of his scepter that is of his kingdome or court of the Messiah The Messiah saie theie shal haue his Palace in mount Zion But that Iesus whome you take to be the Messiah possesseth not one foote of ground there Therefore that Iesus is not the promised Messiah The Maior theie confirme by à saieng in the second Psalme I haue set my King vpon Zion mine holie mountaine And in the 4. of Micah The mount Zion shal be the house of Iehouah the people shal flowe vnto it Here againe the miserable Iewes doe vnderstand that carnalie which the state of the Messiahs kingdome doth proue ought spiritualie to be taken The mount Zion mysticalie doth signifie the Church which is therefore called mount Zion because the kingdome of the Messiah there beginneth according to the wordes of Isaiah in his second chapter For the Lawe shal go forth of Zion and the worde of the Lorde from Ierusalem For it is the phrase of the Scripture to name the whole from the original as the Iewish people is called Israel in respect of their beginning After which manner Zion is saide to be the palace of the Messiah because the Messiah began there his kingdom Againe as Ierusalem maie two waies be vnderstoode spiritualie and earthlie so maie the earthlie Zion wherebie the heauenlie is figured which is the palace of the Messiah our Lord Iesus Christ. And that the prophecie either of Dauid or of Micah concerning the mount Zion and earthlie citie Ierusalem maie not carnalie be vnderstode the Prophecie of Daniel in his 9. Chapter doth plainlie shewe where it is saide And the people of the Prince that shall come that is the hoste of the Emperour Vespasian shal destroie the citie the sanctuarie and the end thereof shalbe with à flood vnto the end of the battel it shalbe destroied by desolations Nowe for so much as the euent doth answere to this prophecie of the vtter destructiō of the citie Ierusalem the vanitie of y e Iewes is manifest enough which place y e palace of the Messiah in the earthlie mount Zion The 4. thing which the brainsicke Iewes do obiect is about the people of the Messiah which theie saie can be none other than carnal Israel That theie thinke to be the proper inheritance of y e Messiah to it onelie theie wil stand in it that the promises were made But miserablie theie both are deceaued and do deceaue I confesse the verie carnal Israelites were chosen before al other nations and was called the peculiar people of God But wherefore I beseech you For their merites and worthinesse Not so But that there might be à people that might kepe the lawe of God in whome and from whom the Messiah might be borne In consideration of which excellencie of God Dauid saith in the 147. Psalme He hath not dealt so with euerie nation neither haue they knowne his iudgements But what Hath God changing his minde taken to him selfe the idolatrous Gentiles and refused the Iewes Surelie the counsaile of God is vnchangeable for he is faithful in his promises but he hath à condition of faith and obedience annexed And therefore because of their incredulitie the Iewes are castawaie For they haue despised the worde of God and rebelliouslie reiected the Messiah sent vnto them for their welfare which thing doubtles the Prophetes concealed not from vs. What is that which the Prophet Isaiah in his tenth chapter doth say Though thy people ô Israel be as the sande of the sea yet shal the remnant of them returne What is more euident than this prophecie Hath not the euent plainlie agreed to these wordes But how commeth it about that they are not conuerted Whose faulte is it The same Prophet sheweth wherein it lieth whose wordes let vs heare I haue spreade out my handes al the daie vnto a rebellious people But whence came that rebellion Surelie from nothing els but euen because they were offended at the basenesse of the person of the Messiah Which thing the same Prophet fore-saw would come to passe For thus he saith Beholde I laie in Zion à stumbling stone and à rocke to make men fal and euerie one that beleeueth on him shal not be ashamed Mine aunswere then vnto the obiection is Israel is the people of the Messiah which is verie true being vnderstod of the true Israel which is not of the flesh but of the promise But Israel of the promise is euerie one which beleeueth which thing in holie scripture is declared by sundrie types and figures Ishmael and Izhak were borne of one father Abraham Esau and Iaakob of the same father Izhak But as Izhak and Iaakob for the promise sake are reputed for the seede without anie respect
people Nūbers 6. Thirdlie the Papistes out of the Epistle vnto the Hebrewes should know y t Melchi-zedek was a type not of y e popish Priests but of the sonne of God and y t too after a certaine sort Thou art saith the father vnto y e son à Priest for euer after the order of Melchi-zedek Nowe if they saie how they are Priestes after the maner of Melchi-zedek they make themselues the successors of Christ in y e priesthood whom the holie spirit in the Epistle vnto the Hebrewes doeth testifie hath a priesthoode which shal not passe by succession vnto another and who according to the witnes of the father shal haue no successor but alone shal abide a Priest for euer For so it is in the 110. Psal. The Lord sware and wil not repent Thou art à Priest for euer after the order of Melchi-zedek Fourthlie it is vndoubtedlie true that the holie spirite woulde not haue pretermitted the same had anie mysterie touching the sacrifice of breade and wine in the newe Testament lien hid in the deede of Melchi-zedek For the holie Ghost both exactlie and plainelie doeth number the conditions wherein Melchi-zedek was likened to the sonne of God our eternal Priest By these reasons it is apparent howe the Papistes doe wrest the deed of Melchi-zedek verie il to establish their idol Neither doe we weie their allegation of some saienges of the fathers who haue deliuered to the posteritie y e error which they receaued from their elders For there is no auctoritie of man so great but it must giue place to the worde of God Neither is a long and erroneous custome ought else then the auncientnes of heresie Before which y e worde of God deserueth to be preferred Theodoret whome alone I preferre before al Ecclesiastical writers waighing the words of the Epistle vnto the Hebrewes saith on this wise If therefore both the Priesthoode which is of the lawe haue taken an ende and the Priest which is after the order of Melchi-zedek haue offered the sacrifice and brought it to passe that al other sacrifices shoulde be vnnecessarie whie doe the Priestes of the newe Testament vse à mystical lyturgie or sacrifice But they who are learned in diuine matters doe know that we doe not offer another sacrifice but cal into minde that one and wholesome sacrifice Hitherto Theodoret. But the age insuing being seduced of sathan thorowe missevnderstanding of the wordes of the fathers did frame the idole of the masse The place of Malachie which they bring-foorth to confirme their opinion is this Mal. 1. In euerie place incense shal be offered vnto my Name and à pure offering for my Name is greate among the heathen Of this saieng of Malachie and such like as that is of Ezechiel Offer à lawful and continual sacrifice to the Lord the Papistes doe endeuour to establish their missatical sacrifice But euen children who haue but tasted the beginnings of Logike wil laugh at this conclusion For who can beare this conclusion Beastes be in the market place Ergo à Chimera is there Yea that which is yet more absurde of a general vndiuided theie doe inferre à monster neither heard-of nor seene afore of anie man The force of the Prophetes argument is this The Prophetes doe fore-tel how among the gentils there shalbe à sacrifice and in al places à pure oblation Therefore the Gentiles conuerted through the preaching of the Gospel shal haue sacrifices and oblations Notwithstanding what kinde of sacrifices oblations they shal be it must be learned not of men but of God and such as haue the testimonie of God speaking within thē But of this we shal speake more afterward when wee shal entreate of the sacrifices of Christians The third thing which the Papistes obiect is the worthines of the people of the newe Testament To proue this dignitie the Papistes bring-out manie testimonies of the scriptures especialie two sentences out of the former Epistle of Peter To whome ye come as vnto à liuing stone c. yee as liuelie stones be made à spiritual house and holie Priesthood to offer-vp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. And by and by in the same chapter But ye are à chosen generation à royal Priesthood an holie nation à peculiar people that ye should shew-forth the virtues of him that hath called you out of darknes into his meruelous light By these and the like sentences the Papistes doe wel gather the worthines of the people of the newe Testament but for al that their conclusion that therefore they ought to be massing Priestes to offer sacrifice for the quick dead is naught For Peter in this place speaketh not vnto bald Priestes but vnto y e whole people of God vnto men women maides old-men yong-mē infants to al which he giueth y e honorable title of priestes as they who are in y e priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Iesus Christ. If therfore al Christians be priestes to offer acceptable sacrifices to God surelie the priesthoode common to al Christians is one and the priesthoode of papistes is another the which is committed onelie to shauelinges to offer acceptable sacrifices to God without the commaundement of God yea contrarie to the manifest scriptures Therefore when the Papistes do reason thus The excellencie of the people of the newe testament is farre greater than of the people of the olde Testament Ergo It is required that Christians also haue their sacrifices and those greater than were in times passed otherwise they were of baser condition than either the prophane people haue beene or the Iewes vnder the lawe I graunt the dignitie is verie ample I graunt also that the sacrifices are greater but that the masse is the sacrifice of Christians through the prerogatiue of worthines it can not bee proued Seeing nowe wee haue both shewed by strong reasons the vanitie and prophanes of the Popish masse and declared the lightnes of the bucklers which they obiect vnto vs it remaineth that wee shunne their impietie euen as the serpent himselfe who was the author to our first parentes that they should tempt GOD by correcting his commaundement For to tempt God is nothing else thā by dispising his word ordinance vocation to seeke another thing through trust of our owne wisedome which better pleaseth vs which thing the Papistes haue done by inuēting à masse for the quick and deade whereby they thinke both to confirme their kingdom and to encrease the honor of their sacrificing priestes CHAP. 25. 1. Of thinges indifferent NOwe brieflie as we promised let vs saie somewhat touching those thinges which maie be counted indifferent For al thinges that are obserued in the papacie are not generalie wicked so that euerie whit shoulde be auoided Morning and Euening praiers instituted as they cal it for the time doe consist of Psalmes and lessons taken out of the sacred scriptures
when theie teach trulie but liue wickedlie theie become guiltie of most horrible sins For theie bring the gospel into contempt with the aduersaries of the same theie make but à mock at Christ theie condemne themselues while theie teach others theie ouerthrow themselues while theie doe comfort others theie slaie themselues while theie threaten others and finalie whereas theie shoulde be examples to the flocke theie infecte them with most contagious diseases I ouer-passe here that most bitter reprehension in y e 50. Psalme wherebie the Lorde himselfe doth sharplie take-vp these prophane teachers the wordes be these But vnto the wicked saide God what hast thou to doe to declare mine ordinances that thou shouldest take my couenantes in thie mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my wordes behind thee Wherefore let both such as haue taken vpon them this holie calling such also as in time to come are to be called therevnto consider what à great accoūt theie shal render to God if forgetting the honour wherewithal God hath adorned them theie discharge not their office faithfullie both by teaching syncerelie and liuing virtuouslie contrariewise what great and most ample rewards God wil impart vpon them if with that zeale godlines which God requireth of thē theie do their duties as Daniel writeth Theie that be wise shal shine as the brightnes of the firmament and they that turne manie vnto righteousnes shal shine as the starres for euer and euer Proceede we now CHAP. 42. 1. Of true happinesse what it is 2. The steppes therevnto 3. Where the soules are being separated from the bodies and the happie state of the life to come 4. Against the vaine imaginations of the Philosophers concerning the true happines 5. Who dwell in the House of God 6. How God is serued in his House 7. The perpetuitie of the same 8. With the vse of the 4. verse The fourth verse BLESSED ARE THEIE WHICH DWEL IN THINE HOVSE FOR EVER AND EVER THEIE WILL PRAISE THEE THis verse teacheth vs three thinges First how the Church of God is happie blessed Secondlie what special seruice God requireth of the Church Thirdlie that the Church is immortal and shal euerlastinglie continue which agreeth with the first verse And because aboue vpon the first verse we haue spoken of the House of God which is the Church I wil not in this place discourse thereof at large But because this verse maketh mention of Blessednes which thing man through the instinct of nature desireth and is called of the Philosophers with one consent eudaimonia of diuines somtime felicitie and somtime blessednes I thinke it good in this place to speake somewhat touching the true felicitie of man for which he was both at the first created and afterward redeemed And this is euidentlie to be seene both by our creation after the Image of our God and also by the restoring of that same Image through Christ. And although al men doe grant that the ende of mans nature is to atteine a perfect state which being atteined it is iudged perfect and blessed yet foulie haue diuers Philosophers erred in defining this perfect state of man wherein the true felicitie doth consist So that diuers and manifolde are the opinions of the Philosophers therabout al which Platoes onlie excepted shal come to nothing when we haue set downe y e true definitiō of happines showen for what thing chieflie man is borne Forasmuch as à miserable man and à blessed are contrarie it cannot be doubted but he rightlie and trulie maie be caled happie who is not onelie without al sense of trouble and sorrowe and dreadeth none euil to come but also which doth so abounde with store of al good thinges that he can desire no more being sure perpetuallie to possesse the good thinges wherewith he doth abounde This is the definition of absolute and perfecte happinesse nowe whoso bindeth himselfe with à right course to atteine the same is called happie in respecte of the euent By which definition it appeareth how God principallie and indeede through himselfe is happie For as he through himselfe is subiect to no miserie at al and voide of al feare of euil so he aboundeth with al good thinges for he is euen goodnes it selfe and dreadeth no chaunge Secondarilie because God hath fashioned man after his owne image his wil is that man should be blessed through participatiō of his blessednes For as the principal chiefe bewtie of à godlie bodie is in the liuelie and true face indeede and next in the image and picture which doth represent the bodie So mans nature which is the image and portraiture of supernal happines is then happie indeede when it inioieth the possession of this happinesse which doubtlesse is not fraile fleeting or temporarie but of continuance perpetual and euerlasting Wherfore one maie rightlie define that to be y e end of man which maketh him perfect blessed The conditions of which ende are diuers as that it is proper to man that it belongeth to al men that beside the same nothing is to be desired that it is voide of al trouble that it is eternal and neede not be feared that it can be taken awaie Now that the true blessednes of man consisteth in this ende it is manifest out of the worde of God which doth testifie how man was created after the image of God placed in Paradise Which thing maie be seene also in y e natural appetite of euerie mā For as Cicero saith we al would be blessed But because our first parents through their free wil did sinne yeelding to the suggestions of Satan in them and with them we fel from this state of happines For as the Prophet saith Our iniquities haue separated betweene vs and our God So that through sinne we are become of blessed extreemelie miserable so blinde that of our selues we canne neither see nor vnderstand the perfecte state of mans nature for which it was created And hereof sprang so manie opinions of y e blinde Philosophers touching the true happines in al ages Wherefore God of his infinite goodnes taking pittie vpon vs sent his Sonne the verie image of his owne substance y t through him we might recouer the image after which we were made For this his Son sheweth the readie waie wherebie we maie returne vnto y e happines which was lost the image of God being repaired within vs wherebie as Iohn writeth we shalbe like to God for euermore being ioined to y e chiefest blessednes namelie to God himselfe in whome who so doth abide without doubt he shal euerlastinglie be blessed that is be without al manner griefe and feare of trouble and shal abounde with goodnes and glorie for euer euer But what saith not our Lorde Blessed are theie that mourne Blessed are theie which suffer persecution Certainelie where mourning is and persecution there also trouble is
the minde of the bodie and externall Both his Ciuilian and Contemplator hee saith stande in neede of these thinges but the Ciuilian more and the other lesse Secondlie hee placeth the blessednesse of the ciuile man in vertue of the contemplator in contemplation that is in the deepe action of the minde But each felicitie as he saith is by prosperitie bewtified encreased by aduersitie obscured diminished and oftentimes defaced vtterlie The Stoikes with weightie arguments did shake this opinion of Aristotle both for calling them good thinges which were not and for saying y t outward thinges did auaile much vnto blessednes especialie seeing hee himselfe had placed the perfection of the same in the minde Nowe if there it be perfect doutlesse outwarde thinges which come not nigh the mind cannot alter the minde but the verie minde as of externall thinges he hath set-downe But to bee briefe seeing Aristotles felicitie is contrarie to our religion yea and to reason also who maie embrace the same as true What vertue I pray you is perfect without godlinesse What contemplation but is erroneous if it haue not the light of Gods heauenlie worde What goodes of fortune are not transitorie vncertaine Vndoubtedlie as Cicero doth saie If à blessed life maie bee lost it cannot bee blessed Whoso feareth alteration is not with out griefe Let Aristotle therefore consider more aduisedlie what kinde of happinesse it is which hee promiseth to his Ciuilian and Contemplator I ouerpasse in silence that the ende of mans nature is à far other thing than à tēporal function or office In the booke of Iob there bee fiue thinges numbred wherein the wise men of this world doe place their chiefest happines to wit in the multitude of children in aboundance of riches in the health of the bodie in sumptuous buildinges and to bee famous in the worlde These together are thought to make à mā happie But because such as abound with these thinges doe hange betweene hope and feare they are in verie deed moste miserable For they doe alwaies feare least some euil doe happen and fortune change her face And therefore miserable as I maie saie is their blessednesse which is subiecte to so manie chances and whose ende is endles miserie as the Psalmes 37. and 73. doe teach The vanitie of all these wee maie ouerthrowe euē by this onelie argument Nothing is so great or so heaped-together in this life that it can suffice him which desireth more according to that of Seneca Fortune hath giuen much to manie men but enough to none Wallowe thou in pleasures exceede in banquetting excell thou Sardanapalus passe Epicurus yet thine vncleane mind wil continualie wish-for somwhat else Gather thou so muchwealth as thou wilt excel Craesus passe thou Crassus yet thy minde wil continualie desire more Enlarge the boundes of thie dominions as much as thou wilt yea though thou ouercome the whole worlde yet another worlde will bee sought which thou must ouercome In all other thinges either wee attaine not so much as wee woulde because our desire is vnsatiable or wee repent that wee haue our wishe and when man hath best fortune then commonlie either some woefull chaunce or à gnawing conscience doeth trouble him And nothing is so fortunate in this life but it hath much miserie and bitternes admixed therewithall as Pindarus saide right wel One good thing present hath two discommodities therewithall Socrates who in my iudgement is more to be commended than al the aboue named Philosophers placed the felicitie of man not in this life but in another life following therein not the brutish beastes nor the folish multitude nor Craesus nor anie of them who in this world seeme fortunate but nature for his capitan◠his argument which he vsed was this The natural desire of man is not vane But all men naturalie desire to be happie Therefore this desire is not vane But none come vnto this happines in this life For in this life nothing maketh à man perfecte Therefore it is to bee sought for in an other life Hitherto Socrates was in the right waie According to whose mind Plato his scholer doth call the true happines sometime the contemplation of the beste as the waie vnto blisse sometime he maketh the loue and imitation of God the ende of man or chiefe selicitie as that wherein the soueraigne blisse of man doeth consist And although Socrates Plato approach nighest vnto the trueth yet because that smal sparcle of the trueth is often ouerwhelmed with varietie of opinions and disputations as it were with dirt and dregs bestained let vs acknowledge the great benefite of God who by his worde sheweth vs the readie waie both vnto the knowledge of true happines and also vnto the endles enioieng and possession of the same For the word of God sheweth that onelie pearle that soueraigne blisse wherein the minde of man doth rest the sweetnes whereof whoso once hath tasted for euen in this life also it is also tasted though not vnto satietie he forthwith begins to abhor al those things which the miserable multitude and men of power in this worlde haue in admiration But that we maie attain vnto the quiet possession of this happines godlines the steps whereof we haue afore in this chapter set downe bringeth to passe Which godlines doth maruelouslie couple vs to God yea in such wise that we become one with him being conformed to him shall so liue for euer euer in the life to come where the chiefe happines of man as aboue we haue declared doeth abide On the otherside vngodlines seuereth the wicked and the vnbeleuers from God so that being driuen from the soueraigne happines they become one with the diuel and his mēbers To conclude as Blessed is that nation whose God is the Lorde So miserable are they who are without God be they neuer so highlie in fortunes booke For the more fortune doeth fanne the more shee deceaueth and him she maketh à verie foole whom shee fauoreth ouer-wel This nowe being spoken concerning happines returne wee vnto the wordes of the Psalm Blessed are they which dwel in thine house But wherefore blessed Because they haue begunne that euerlasting felicitie where-vnto they tende and for which they were both at the first created and afterwarde redeemed But who are they which dwel in the house of God Through sinne we are al the sorte of vs with our parentes Adam aud Euah excluded out of the house of God through faith of the promise we are brought in againe being called through the sounde of the Gospel the state whereof by the sacramentes as by the seales of God is assured vs vntil we swarue from the couenant that is from faith and obedience towarde God And forsomuch as great is our weakenes whereof it is that euen à iust man falleth in à daie seuen times we are to set à difference betweene those sinnes which exclude vs out of
and for euer Amen The vse of this Psalme If thou wouldst scape aie woful death And endelesse blisse in heauen obtaine Cleaue fast to Christ while thou hast breath In God his feare se thou remaine A general forme of praier O ALMIGHTIE eternal and most true God Father of our Lord and sauiour Christ maker of heauen and earth together with thy Sonne Iesus Christ and the holie Ghost From the bottom of our heartes wee doe yeelde thee thankes for that of thine infinite mercie thou both hast reueiled thy selfe vnto vs by sending thie Sonne Iesus Christ and by making the hidden and wonderful decree coÌ„cerning the redemption of mankinde kowne vnto y e world also by the ministerie of the Gospel and the holie Ghost thou dost gather to thie selfe an eternal Church and being gathered giuest both rest to the same and al necessarie thinges for the sustentation of life These and other benifites we confesse vndoutedlie are thie giftes and to be giuen and kept to vs of thee for thie sonnes sake Againe we acknowledge that diuerslie we are polluted with manifolde sinnes and with true and burning sorow we do bewaile that euer we haue sinned against the rule of thie iustice and therefore we humblie beseech thee turne vs vnto thee and forgiue vs al our sins euen for thie beloued sonne Iesus Christe his sake kindle within vs by thine holie Spirit true faith and true obedience yea gouerne vs that as earnestlie we purpose so trulie we maie by thine helpe amend our life and obeie thee Moreouer our request is euen in the name of thie beloued sonne Christ our Sauiour that it would please thee among vs in this couÌ„trie to gather from time to time à Church therein maintaine the puritie of true doctrine that we maie with true praier serue thee obeie thee praise thee and loue thee for euer euer And for the better accomplishing hereof giue vnto thie Church faithful teachers pastors who both by true doctrine by example of good liuing maie illustrate thie glorie and benefite the Church Furthermore for thie beloued sonne our Sauiour Christ his sake we beseech thee giue to this Realme godlie profitable quiet magistrates defend our Queene Elizabeth with her Counsellers al the Gouernours of this land guide them with thine holie Spirit that their whole gouernment maie tend both vnto the aduancement of thie glorie and the quietnes and welfare of this Common-weale Confirme also al godlie Kings Princes and Noble men in their purposes to maintaine thie glorie true doctrine and honest discipline Besides we praie thee chearish and blesse whatsoeuer springeth-out of the ground the which thou impartest vpon vs that mankind maie haue both wherewithal to be relieued and to serue thee and of thie goodnes giue vs dailie bread And forsomuch as our great frailtie is knowen to thee thou hast promised with mercie to mitigate the greatnes of thie wrath against sinne and that in respect of the intercession of thie beloued sonne we humblie beseech thee mercifullie to mitigate the punishment which deseruedlie we sustaine and with thie holie Spirit comfort al the godlie in their troubles that theie maie both abide constant in true faith and praier and also commende thie mercie for euermore Amen A praier vnto Christ. O Most louing Lord Iesu Christ Sonne of God without thie grace our minde is ouershadowed with most grosse darkenesse al our affections caried into the flames of concupiscence the wil of y e minde is borne-awaie with raging affections and finallie al our actions not onelie inward but outward doe goe farre astraie from the rule of thie wil. Wherefore we humblie beseech thee ô most sweete Christ our sauiour expel-awaie the darkenes of our vnderstanding by the light of thie worde quench of thie goodnes the flames of concupiscence with the fountaines of thie grace replenish the wil being purged by thine hande with thine holie spirite that both the wil maie cheerefullie commaund and al the powers both of the minde and of bodie obeieng the gouernance of the wil carefullie bring to passe whatsoeuer both the illuminated mind rightly doth shew and the newe affections of the heart godlie doe counsaile For thou alone art our propitiator our King our strength and vertue our onelie hope onelie saluation onelie waie and the eternal life O most sweete Iesu I beseech thee assiste vs least that being either seduced by false Prophets or enticed by our owne flesh or perswaded by Sathan or caried-awaie by the wicked behauiour and examples of men or else offended by stumbling-blocks we fal-againe into former darkenes and wander awaie from thee the waie of eternal life Leade vs ô Sonne of God we praie thee in the light of thie countenance vpholde thou vs which art the right hand of God the father that we fal not downe direct vs that at the length thou being our guide we maie â—â—taine vnto the immortal glorie which thou hast promised to such as trust in thee sweete Christ. To thee be praise thankes and glorie for euer and euer Amen A forme of praier to be saide of anie man by and for himselfe O Most sweete Christ Iesus Christ vnto thee doe I cal For thou art my light thou art my life thou art my saluation thou art my liuing God mine holie Father my merciful God my liuing master my good shepheard my best helper Thee doe I praie vnto thee doe I sue vnto thee do I beseech y t through thee I maie walk vnto thee I maie come in thee I maie rest Grant that by thine helpe I maie leade an holie godlie and righteous life Expel-awaie the darkenes of mine vnderstanding restraine the wicked cogitations of mine heart quench the flames of euil affections represse my froward wil by thie power illustrat mine vnderstaÌ„ding with thie light minister godlie cogitations kindle virtuous affections and conuert my wil vnto thee that those thinges which thou wouldest I maie wil also Furthermore seeing my bodie is the house of my soule grant I beseech thee that by thine helpe I maie keepe the same chast and cleane that à pure mind maie dwel in à cleane bodie and that I maie be sound both in soule spirite and bodie and so both in bodie and soule I glorifie thee without ceassing To thee my shepheard and onelie God together with the father and the holie spirit be blessing and glorie and wisedome and thanks honor and power and strength for euer and euer Amen Amen So be it So be it A forme of praier for à familie FOrsomuch as none can stande without thou ô Lord Iesu Christ dost vpholde the same I humblie beseech thee vouchsafe with thie protection to preserue mine houshould my wife children and familie Grant I beseech thee that both I my selfe and my wife children and al mine houshold maie doe our dueties each of vs according to thie wil. For when thou doste feede vs wee want naught when thou rulest vs we are safe