and grace and euen then by and by after shall follow the iudgement Lumnius devicinitate extremi iudicii lib. 1. cap. 15. Lumnius a Papist concerning the comming of Elias Enoch writes thus That although they shall preach but three yeeres and a halfe yet that the day of iudgement shall be neuerthelesse vncertaine to the world Although saith he we beleeue that Elias shall come and although the remnant of the Iewes be said to be conuerted when as the fulnes of the Gentiles shall haue entred in yet we must thinke that this must be done secretly and by little and little So that all the world shall stand in doubt of the person of Elias and of the time of the conuersion of the Iewes euen as the world stood in doubt of the persons of Iohn and of our Sauiour Iesus Thus farre Lumnius But this his exposition agrées not with the rest of the papists Reu. 11.6 for they expound those two witnesses in the Reuelation literally to be meant of the persons of Elias and Enoch And that they shall haue power in the daies of their prophecies to open and shut heauen and to turne water into bloud If they shall do these euident signes surely no man can say that they shall come secretly These signes also are so manifest that no man can doubt of their persons Nay Saint Iohn there saith Vers 9. that all people and nations shall see their bodies lie dead in the citie that spiritually is called Sodome and Egypt and that they shall be glad of their deaths and shall send presents one to another because they were slaine For they shall vexe the people of the earth and not conuert the Iewes as they imagine These prophets then shall not come secretly when they come as Lumnius imagineth but all the world shall heare of them and hate them They shall be enemies to their carnall mirth and spirituall fornication How angrie will the adulterer be to be depriued of his pleasure so pleasant also is spirituall fornication to flesh and bloud These two witnesses then are the preachers of the gospell Mat. 24.12 which shall preach the gospell to all nations In testimonium and not in patrocinium for a testimonie of their condemnation not for a helpe of their saluation as the same Lumnius alleageth out of Hilarie Lum ca. 14. Reue. 10.11 Which vnder the type of Iohn in the chapter going before haue receiued the little booke yea from the hand of the Lord to preach againe to nations peoples tongues and many kings not Elias and Enoch Ferus also of the vncertaintie of the day of iudgement writes thus If you enquire of me the daie and howre I will not tell you In 24. ca. Mat. but if you will know the seasons and beginnings I will hide nothing from you I haue shewed you in many words how that that day is not vnknowen vnto me But I haue brought you to the gates onely thereof for he had said before know ye then that it is euen in the verie gates But it is for your profit that I will not open the gates vnto you least you should waxe carelesse For so it is written of me I am thy God teaching thee profitable things onely as much as might profit you I haue taught but that which might engender in you a false securitie I conceale from you Here therefore thou seest the cause why he would haue both the day of our death and of iudgement vnknowne vnto vs least we should be more slouthfull but being alwaies vncertain of this we should euer liue in feare should euer watch being careful as though we should be iudged the next day and that we should looke for him euerie day whō we know not when he wil come Thus far Ferus Here is then a Christians life euerie day to looke and waite for Christ and so to liue as though he should not liue til to morrow according to that saying of the heathen Philosopher Who being bidden to a feast against to morrow Surely said he I neuer thought that I should liue til to morrow these many yeeres And it is reported that Saint Ierome that in all his doings he thought he heard that last trumpet sounding in his eares Then Elias comming shall not giue Christians warning thereof thrée yéeres an halfe before it come as the Papists do teach In ca. 11. Mat. Ferus also writing vpon these wordes And if ye will receiue him he is Elias which is to come saith thus As though he should say that you may plainly see that there is no other prophet to be looked for of you who should shew you that Messias should come Iohn is that verie same Elias which Malachie promised vnder the name of Elias And in these words he makes answere to a question couertly all men were perswaded that Elias should come before Messias came whom because they saw not they doubted of Christ And therefore the Apostles when they saw the Lord transfigured said Wherefore do the Pharisees say that Elias must first come To whom he answered Elias is come alreadie But who this Elias was here he signifieth Iohn himselfe is Elias not in person but in spirit and power For as Elias with great zeale was zealous that he might bring the people of Israel to the true God and for this cause he spared not kings so Iohn by the same zeale endeuoured to bring the people vnto Christ After Iohn therfore no other thing is to be looked for but that great terrible day of the Lord. The which also followes in the same prophet Thus farre Ferus If after Iohn nothing is to be looked for but that terrible day of the Lord then not Elias and Enoch according to master Bellarmines assertion Cuthbert Tunstall Bishop of Duresme thus writes in a Sermon put in print which he preached before king Henry the eight on Palme sunday vpon this text Let the same mind be in you that was in Iesus Christ These many yeeres past saith he little warre hath beene in these parts of Christendome but the Bishop of Rome either hath beene a stirrer of it or a nourisher of it and seldome any compounder of it vnlesse it were for his ambition and profit Wherfore seeing as Saint Paul saith in the four 10. chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthiās That God is not the God of dissension but of peace who commaundeth by his word alwaies peace to be kept we are sure that all those that go about to breake peace betweene Realmes and to bring them to warre are the children of the diuell what holy names soeuer they pretend to cloake their pestilent malice withall which cloaking vnder hypocrisie is double diuellishnes and of Christ most detested because vnder his blessed name they do play the diuels part And therefore since Christ is on our side let vs not feare thē at al but putting our confidence in Almightie God let vs
them plainelie who is this Sunne not the Pope and his Cardinalles and prelates but that great light-bringer Iesus Christ who lighteneth euery man that comes into the world Ioh. 1.9 And dare they abridge the beames of this Sunne Dare they measure his merites dare they pinch his power O blasphemous doctrine Doth not the Pope herein declare plainlie who he is that is that starre that fell from heauen and hath striken the third part of the sun who hath done this but he Ioh. 17.19 Hath not Christ alone himselfe wholie and sufficientlie redéemed vs Iesus Christ did not onely sanctifie himselfe for vs that we might be freed from sinne and cleansed from our faults but he also suffered for vs that we might also be acquited from punishment And therefore Esay saieth verie excellently The chastisement of our peace was vpon him Esay 55.3 And our Sauiour himselfe saith vpon the Crosse Iohn 19.20 It is finished No doubt meaning that great worke of our redemption It was the last word he spake and shall we not beléeue him And Saint Peter saith that wee were not in part but wholie redeemed not with gold or siluer but with the precious bloud of Iesus Christ 1. Pet. 1.18.19 20. And this Granatensis also affirmes speaking of Christ when as he did sweate water and bloud Medit. vitae Christi 22. Is not thine anger appeased O holy Father with this so miserable a spectacle of thy son Behold what he suffers which neuer deserued any euill he hath satisfied thee for our sinnes he hath paid for our redemption a most excellent price For one droppe of this most holy sweat is more precious and of more valew then all the treasures in the world Thus farre Granatensis What shall we thinke then of his heart bloud shed for vs vpon the Crosse And therefore Peter saith 1. Pet. 2.24 By his stripes our woundes were not onely bound vp and now brought to some good perfection that after we our selues might heale them as the Papists teach but they were perfectlie healed And Dauid also prophesying of Christs passion Psal 130.67 faith Let Israell waite on the Lord for with the Lord is mercie Iohn 10.10 and with him is plenteous redemption and he shall redeeme Israell from all his sinnes And the same also our Sauiour testifieth of himselfe That he is comen that they might haue life and that they might haue it more abundantly There is nothing remaining to our saluation it is abundantly accomplished that which remaines is to our conformation Rom. 8.29 We must be like fashioned to the Image of Iesu Christ No doubt they which denie this abundance of Christs redemption which was the end of his comming as he himselfe here witnesseth denie that he is comen And therefore we maie sée here as in a glasse what is that spirite of Antichrist 1. Iohn 4.3 that shall denie Iesus Christ to be comen in the flesh Surely euen they who although they confesse he be comen to giue life yet shall denie that he is comen to giue it abundantlie He is comen as himselfe witnesseth that we might haue life and that abundantly Let vs marke this well and let vs take heede least by pinching his merites that we denie not that hee is comen Saint Paul himselfe taketh awaie all parts of iustification from man I knowe nothing by my selfe saith he 1. Cor. 4.4 yet am I not hereby iustified but he that iudgeth me is the Lord. As though he should saie with Dauid Although as concerning this my ministerie I know nothing to accuse my selfe of Act. 20.26.27 I haue declared all the counsels of God c. yet there are secret sinnes which man cannot espie from which Dauid praieth to be cleansed Psal 19.12 and therfore no man can iustifie himselfe no not the holiest man in the world It is God that iudgeth And after he accompts his stricte kinde of life wherein he liued euen a Pharisée and his integritie of life among all men but euen as doung Philip. 3.5.8 that he might bee found in Christ Iesus not hauing his owne righteousnesse which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of God through faith He repeates twise wherein true righteousnesse consisteth euen through faith in Christ If Saint Paul accompted his owne righteousnesse but as doung in Gods sight and all the good workes he had done and durst not trust in them what shall we accompt of the merits of Friers and such others Can they profit to the saluation of others Shall we accompt them as treasures of the Church Paul accompted not so of his workes as here we maie learne of him Matth. 25.4 and shall we accompt better of our owne workes or of the workes of any others The wise virgins also teach all Gods Saints this lesson They plainly confesse that they were afraid least they had not oyle enough for themselues and therefore they would impart none thereof to others and shall wee accompt our selues more rich then they Surely then we shall shew our selues to be foolish and not wise virgins And no doubt such wise virgins are all Gods Saints and yet Poligranes will make them to haue merites enow not onely to serue their owne turnes but also to be laide vp in the treasure of the Church to profit others and that for others also they wrought their workes All Christs seruants must say Luke 17.10 that they are vnprofitable seruants when as they shall haue done all things that are commanded them which who is able to doe if they were able to doe all Gods commandements yet euen then they must saie and confesse and that not with mouth onely but with their hearts also that they are vnprofitable seruants much more then now they must confesse and acknowledge this when as they are not able to doe the least part of those things which are commanded them and when as those things also which they doe they do verie vnperfectly Where are then those workes which they haue done for others where is that wages of desert which other Papists teach An vnprofitable seruant can challenge no wages at all much lesse of due desert Nay our Sauiour in that place teacheth all his what accompt to make of their workes Say saith hee wee haue done but that which was our duety to haue done This our Sauiour teacheth all Christians to saie and beléeue and shall we not obey him All Christians workes they are but dueties they are no merites or deserts they are rewarded of mercie and not of merit Luk. 12.33 of promise and not of performance They are laide vp for themselues as treasures in heauen and not as the Papistes teach in the Popes treasurie here on earth to profit others But let vs consider what other sounder Catholiques then Poligranes hath written of Christs redemption Gagneius expounds that place of Saint
The same faith also teacheth that the debts we do owe vnto God are so great and the benefites we receiue from him are so excellent that if man should liue so many yeares as there are sands on the shoare of the Ocean sea it were a thing of nothing to spend all those in Gods seruice The same faith doth also witnes vnto vs that vertue is such a precious thing that all the treasure of this world and all that which mans hart can desire or imagine is not at al by any meanes to be compared vnto it This place quite ouerthrowes all prowde conceits in mans heart of anie merite all he can doe naie if he could doe a thousand times more then he can is but his most humble duetie to our most mightie and mercifull God But aboue all other places speaking of the name of Iesus vpon these wordes Thou shalt call his name Iesus Med. vitae Christi Med. 6 hee writes thus most excellentlie For he sayth the Angell shall saue his people from their sinnes Blessed be this name and blessed be this saluation and blessed be the day wherein such newes was brought into the world Hitherto O Lord all the other sauiours whom thou hast sent into this world were sauiours of our bodies and of this flesh of ours which saued our houses and Vineyards and such like but they could not saue our soules sighing vnder the heauy burthen of sinne and therefore subiect to the diuell What aduantageth it a man if he winne the whole world and rule ouer it and he himselfe continue the bondslaue of Sathan and lose his soule To remedy therefore this euill this new Sauiour is sent that the whole saluation of man might be fulfilled and perfected VVho sauing soules also cured the bodies and deliuering men from the euill of the fault hath deliuered them also from the euill of punishment And so hath perfected our saluation This is that saluation which the Patriarches desired this is that saluation which the Prophets with so many sighes and cries longed for This is that saluation which so often the Psalmes promise and sing of This is that saluation for which the Patriarch Iacob reioicing died saying O Lord I will wait for thy saluation c. Granatensis heere in plaine tearmes affirmes that Iesus Christ hath deliuered vs as well from the euill of the punishment as from the guilt of sinne And that he hath perfected our saluation contrarie to that former affirmation of Poligranes Med. 11. Vitae Christi And speaking of Christes fasting hee writes thus The solitarines of the Wildernesse did not terrifie thee not the assaults of the diuell nor the sharpnesse of repentance nor the watching in prayer The neede and weaknesse of thy members was euer before thine eyes and therefore thou wast punished as a most faithfull head that thou mightest enrich all vs with the treasure of thy merites that whatsoeuer we wanted we might haue it in thee Thou art he who with thine owne mouth hast said I sanctifie my selfe O Father for them that they maie be sanctified in the truth For as we al by one mans fault became prophane and wicked so we are sanctified and repaired again by the merites and holinesse of another As Adam made vs all prophane and wicked so onelie Iesus Christ the second and true Adam sanctifies vs and restores vs againe Med. Vitae Christi 24. Of Christes death hee writes thus That thing which the gouernour himselfe doth meaning Pilate is not iustice but very great and extreme iniury For he iudgeth him worthy to die whom he himselfe thrise before had confessed to be innocent and iust and that he could find no fault in him But the true Authour of this iustice is the gouernour of heauen in whose sight all the sinnes and offences of the whole world are committed who is also so iust that he will suffer no sinne to escape vnpunished and vnreuenged But because the whole world was not sufficient enough to satisfie and appease the wrath of God euen for one onely sinne hee drew out the Sword of his iustice and smote the innocent and harmelesse Lambe who onely amongst all the men in the world could and was able to answere for all the sinnes of the whole world And this iustice was published and spread abroad not by that iniurious and materiall Trumpet hée supposed that they sounded a Trumpet at Christes death but by the mouthes and writings of the Prophets who foretold many hundreth yeares before that it should be that Lord that should be smitten for the sinnes of the people and should suffer and endure most grieuous and cruell torments for their iniquities Againe concerning the same matter hee writes thus Ibidem How many and how forcible pricks and goades haue we here not onely to make vs loue but also to trust put al our whole confidence in this our Sauiour Tell me how is it possible not to loue him againe who hath first loued thee so tenderly and dearely that freely of his owne accord he hath giuen himselfe to be smitten of most cruell tormentors and would take vpon him the sentence iudgment of death which thou dids◠deserue What brother for his brother what father for his sonne what wife for hir husband would take vpon them and suffer the punishment which any one of these should haue endured Suppose therefore and think with your selfe that there were some certain guilty person who being bound for his offences is kept in close prison and euen now being condemned by the sentence of the Iudge imagine that there would nothing be doone but that the tormentor should come with his instruments of death wherewith he should be slaine and should now execute the Iudges sentence and imagine also that a certaine friend of this guilty and condemned person should come into the prison should put on his apparell and should take to himselfe that guilty mans vnhappy lot and that he might set him free would become himselfe an open spectacle and be punished with the punishment of death for his friend would we not say that the loue of that friend towardes that guilty person was woonderfull and exceeding great that would redeeme the life of his friend with the losse of his owne And likewise what againe should that guilty and condemned mans loue bee towards his redeemer and deliuerer O eternall King when thou sawest me iudged to eternall fire thou being moued with the bowels of pity and compassion camest downe from heauen into the prison of this world and taking vpon thee the Image and shape of a sinner thou camest into my stead and was condemned and put to death for my sake he therefore who hath suffered and endured such extreame and grieuous paines for me shall I not say that he will also loue me exceedingly And againe Neither is onely loue Ibidem but also a sure trust and confidence in our Sauiour kindled and stirred vp by these
merites and these benefits why should I not therefore henceforth hope for grace glory and the forgiuenes of my sinnes seeing I haue such a treasure and such a bountifull treasurer who is euery day ready to satisfie his father for all my debts For if it shall be a thing iust and conuenient that the innocent should be punished and that the honourable should be despised that he should make satisfaction for sinnes and should cancell the bond and obligation openly in the sight of all men shal it not be a thing also both iust meet that the guilty persons for whom he suffered and made satisfaction should now bee acquited from all their debts and pronounced iustified before God Iustice found out a way and meanes to enter into the holy mans house who ought nothing and was not indebted and he executed his great rigor there and shall not mercie then finde out a waie which leades to the debters house that she may blot out our sinnes and pardon our offences It is a greater miracle that God should be taken scourged and condemned and die vpon a Crosse then to receiue an enemie for a friend and to vse a traitour as a sonne if he would repent him and be conuerted vnto the Lord. If therefore that be done which is the greater why should we doubt then of that which is the lesser Now therefore O Lord thy mercie is extold and lift vp verie high and thy bounteous liberality is proued and tried vpon sinners thy iustice also is magnified it hath exercised and executed her rigour and seueritie vpon the innocent and harmelesse without fault wherefore although grace be not giuen to a sinner to him as he is a sinner yet notwithstanding let it be giuen him for thy deerely beloued sonnes sake who redeemed him with so deere a price and at so great a rate It is thy mercie that a sinner should be saued if we looke into and consider the basenesse and vilenesse of sinners but it is thy iustice if we respect Christ and we hauing the one haue the other also And againe Blessed be therefore that condemned innocencie which hath absolued and set free so many condemned persons Ibidem and blessed be that blamed iustice which hath iustified so many reprobates Therefore if his merites haue neither ende nor number and all of them belong to the health and saluation of our soules without all doubt this his petition shall neuer be denied him being our mediator and making nowe intercession for vs. For it were great wrong that he who had indured so many iniuries should not obtaine that which he askes least peraduenture his pitifull and mercifull father should againe torment and afflict the soule of his sonne by denying him that which he desires whose body before he grieued with diuers torments he receiued woundes in his bodie that they might effect and worke saluation in our soules which he deserued and purchased for vs by his patience and sufferings he was taken apprehended handled as a sinner who notwithstanding was iust that we sinners might be accepted of God as iust He died and indured the punishment due to vs and descended euen as it were into the depth of the sea with griefes which he suffered It were an vniust thing that the father should twise iudge one thing and should punish one fault with double punishment but it is meete that the debter should now be restored to his former libertie if he would but only repent seeing that his surety hath paied his debt so liberally and bountifully for him whom he was suretie for And againe Looke vpon O Lord the face of thine annointed Iesus Christ who was made obedient vnto the death Med vitae Christi 25. euen vnto the death of the Crosse and let not his woundes and scarres euer depart out of thy sight but let them alway stil remaine before thine eies that thou maiest remember what a great recompence and satisfaction thou hast receiued of him for our sinnes and transgressions I would to God thou O Lord wouldest way in a paire of ballance the sinnes wherewith we haue deserued thy wrath and indignation and the griefe and punishment which thy innocent sonne suffered for vs Surely it will appeare a farre greater and worthier cause that thou shouldest powre downe thy mercie vpon vs for that his suffering and punishment then was that transgression that thou shouldest hide thy mercies in anger and displeasure for our sinnes Let all tongues giue thankes vnto thee O Father for the exceeding great abundance of thy goodnes who hast not spared thine onely sonne thy best beloued the ioy of thy heart in whom thou art well pleased but hast giuen him ouer vnto death for vs all that we might haue him as a most faithfull aduocate before thee in heauen And what thankes shall I offer and render worthily vnto thee O Lord Iesu thou most zealous louer of mankinde who am a man dust and vile clay for what couldest thou more haue done for my soule that thou hast not done what hast thou left vndone Granatensis in all these places hath most manifestlie set before our eies the great benefit of Christs Redemption not onelie by the example of a suretie who would paie another mans debts but also of a most déere and faithfull friend who would endure punishment and would die for his friend And doth Poligranes saie that he hath onely taken awaie the fault and not the punishment How doth this doctrine diminish the merites of Christs passion and his excéeding great loue towards vs and that to maintaine the Popes pardons for without this they fall to the ground Againe Granatensis whatsoeuer he teacheth of satisfaction by our owne workes in other places Orat. 5. de vita Christi for himselfe hee praies thus O bloud that giues life and saluation O Lord vouchsafe to wash me with that bloud and to sanctifie and purifie me with that most precious liquor O Lord offer it to thy father for a perfect satisfaction and remedie of all my wickednesses What can be saide more manifestly then this No doubt this was his faith thus he praied to God for himselfe And in another place writing of the worthie receiuing of the Eucharist De sanct euch sacra lib. 3. cap 2. he praies thus O my most sweete Lord God so huge is the greatnesse of my sinnes that I can neither amend them nor make satisfaction to thee for them Therefore I desire to receiue thy welbeloued sonne who vpon the altar of the Crosse offered to thee for me a most perfect sacrifice the same I offer vnto thee now for my sinnes that he may make satisfaction for me For I know that there is nothing els neither in heauen nor in earth that is more gratefull vnto thee or can by anie meanes requite thee the debt I owe thee Granatensis here plainlie distrusts in his owne paiment either in part or in whole of his debts and sinnes and
liuely verified and expressed when as he said Come vnto me al that trauell and bee heauy loden and I will refresh you Matth. 11.28 This was that caue wherein also Elias hid himselfe 1. King 19.11 till the mighty strong wind that euen rent the mountaines and brake the rocks before the Lord and the earthquake and the fire were past And vntill that soft small and louing voice was heard And if Elias was glad to hide himselfe in this caue vntil all these sharpe stormes of Gods wrath were past how much more all other Christians how holie soeuer they be And a refuge from the tempest Not onely Gods wrath outwardlie doeth punish vs but euen the stormes and huge tempests which by reason of our sinnes Sathan doeth raine often euen in our owne heartes And these raging tempests also Iesus Christ doeth pacifie and swage in vs he is a refuge or hiding place Of these Dauid complaines Psalm 93. ◠The waues of the sea are mighty and rage horribly but yet the Lord that dwelleth on high is mightier No doubt Dauid here speakes not of the waues of the earthlie seas which hee neuer medled withall but of the waues and sea of his conscience which by reason of his sinnes dailie vexed him And for the waues of this sea that wee might bee deliuered from them maie verie fitlie spiritually that prayer the Apostles made in the tempest of the other sea wherein they were bee vnderstood Saue vs Lord wee perish And hee rebuked the Sea and the winds Mat. 8.25 and there followed a great calme Hée that was of power to controll and pacifie the stormes of the sea can also controll and make calme those stormes of conscience of all them that are in trouble and seeke to him for succour euen with one word now as he did then He is as riuers of waters in a drie ground All mens hearts by nature are as a Wildernesse euen as a drie ground wherein no goodnesse dwelles He onely is the heauenly deaw that fell vpon the hilles of Sion Psa 133.3 that makes both Hermon of the Gentiles and Sion of the Iewes fruitfull Hée is that fountaine of all good graces and blessings of whose fulnesse wee all haue receiued euen grace for grace Ioh. 1.16 euen most francklie and fréelie all that we haue Iohn 15.1 He is that Vine into whom whosoeuer is not grafted brings forth nothing nothing that is acceptable or pleasant to God Hée makes our works grapes and our almes and prayers wine in Gods sight which otherwise in Gods sight were but al vineger and stinking Elder berries Therefore whosoeuer lacks anie spirituall gift either heauenlie wisedome or the gift of faith or of the holie Ghost let them begge it of him and without all doubt they shall not returne emptie awaie And as the shadow of a precious rocke in a weary land This our life is a pilgrimage and we are all here but as pilgrimes and in this the seruice we doe to our God how slothfullie how negligentlie how wearilie and how vnperfectlie doe wee it when wee haue doone the best we can Luk. 17.10 Psal 130.3 We must all say as our Sauiour Christ taught vs wee are vnprofitable seruants and wee must saie with Dauid O Lord if thou wilt marke what is done amisse who may abide And with saint Iohn If wee euen the Apostles of Christ say wee haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and there is no trueth in vs. The best of vs all Ioh. 1. Epi. 1.8 Exod. 17.12 in our prayers are euer weary and in some thing halting as was Moyses and therefore needed to haue Aaron and Vr to helpe to hold vp his armes and besides these to haue a great stone put vnder him to beare the waight and wearines of his whole body and that was no doubt Iesus Christ Our forsaking this world Gen. 19.16 is like to Lots going out of Sodome when as he prolonged the time the Angels caught him with his wife and his two daughters by the hands the Lorde beeing mercifull to him Gen. 6.8 Luke 1.28.46 Rom. 3.14 and so they brought him forth and set him without the City Euen Noah himselfe found grace in the eyes of the Lord. And likewise the blessed Virgine as the Angell told hir and as she hir selfe confessed and all the Saints of God that all mouthes should bee stopped as saint Paul teacheth and that all glory and power might be giuen to GOD alone Now Iesus Christ is that great and precious Rocke whereon all the saints doe rest and repose themselues in their thousands of imperfections in all their sinnes and works to their God in this their pilgrimage hee beares all their imperfections as a mightie rocke for his sake our prayers and almes all our works though all of them imperfect done wearilie and lazilie and not with such seale and perfection as Gods law requireth are accepted A thousand maie sit vpon a rocke Exod. 25.17 and it will ease the wearinesse of them all He is that golden table which was called the propitiatory which couered the whole Arke Art thou a péece or a part of Gods arke or Church then Iesus Christ must couer thee whosoeuer thou art and this our king is our hope 1. Col. 1.27 he makes all his Christians sure of their saluation for what should make them afraid he is a hiding place from the winds of Gods wrath hee is a most safe refuge and hauen against all the stormes and tempests of our sinnes and conscience hee is a most plentifull fountaine of all heauenlie graces still watering the drines and barrennesse of our hearts and euer making vs springing and fructifying in all good works and lastlie in our manifold imperfections and works euen in our best works wee doe in the seruice of our God he is a Rock for vs most assuredlie to relie rest vpon what will we more shall we anie more doubt of our saluation Let vs rather beleeue the Prophet Esay then all the doctrines of men whosoeuer he that beleeues this cannot doubt anie more Therefore let euerie one remember ruminate vpon these foure vertues and principall effects of our heauenlie king and Sauiour and neuer hereafter doubt anie more Stella makes this difference of the godlie and of the wicked Stella in 2. cap Lucae The iust saieth hee reioice in death they desire it and passing out of the bonds of this body they reioicing triumph but the wicked do contrary for euen as theeues which feare the Iudges and officers so these wicked men being reprooued of their owne consciences flie from death fearing least they should appeare before the Iudge And no doubt the ioie of the godlie is grounded vpon this rocke they reioice in the Lord euer euen in death as Saint Paul teacheth them Granatensis de perfectione amoris dei ca. 15. Granatensis of the certaintie of our saluation writes thus A fourth thing
be the greatest signe of loue to suffer for him that is beloued what else are all thy sorrowes then speciall testimonies of thy loue If then there are so many testimonies thereof as there are blowes and strokes who will doubt of this loue being confirmed with so many Testimonies Oh then how great is my incredulity which is not ouercome with so many and so great arguments Iohn maruelled at the infidelity of the Iewes saying that When as Iesus had done so manie and so great signes amongst them to confirme his doctrine yet they beleeued not in him O blessed Euangelist cease to woonder at the incredulitie of the Iewes and woonder at mine For it is no lesse an argument to perswade vs to beleeue the exceeding great loue of Christ towards vs that he suffered for vs wherefore if it be greatly to be woondred at that the Iewes beleeued not the preaching of Christ hauing seene his so many miracles how is it not farre more woonderfull that seeing Iesus hath receiued for vs more then fiue thousand wounds in his most tender body that we will yet doubt of his loue towards vs But what a matter will it be if wee shall ioine all the sorrowes and sufferings of his life to those stripes which hee suffered when as hee was bound to the pillar when as he suffered all those euilles for the loue he bare vnto vs what thing else O Lord drew thee from heauen into this valley of teares but loue what made thee come out of the bosome of the father into the wombe of thy mother and there to be cladde with earth and comming out from thence caused thee to endure all kinds of miseries but loue What droue thee into the stable and manger and caried thee after into a strange land as a banisht person but loue what caused thee to take such paines to runne vp and downe hither and thither to watch to endure all the troubles of the long night to compasse about Sea and land to seeke the lost sheepe but loue What bound Sampsons hands and feet what powled his head and bereaued him of al his strength and made him a laughing stocke to his enimies but the only loue of his spouse Dalilah And O Christ what bound thy hands and feet what powled thee and depriued thee of all thy strength and fortitude and gaue thee into the hands of thine enimies of whom thou wast mocked spit vpon and slaine was it not onely the loue wherewith thou louedst so dearly the spouse of thy Church and the soules of euery one of vs To conclude what bound thee to this Pillar where thou stoodest from the sole of thy feet to the crowne of thy head most iniuriously dealt withall with thy hands bound thy ribs torne from their flesh thy members al out of ioint thy body al to be bathed with bloud thy veines cutte in pieces thy lippes thirsting thy toong being bitter as gal and that I may say al in a word al thy body torne and rent and all thy members crusht in pieces O Christ I beseech thee what other thing forced thee into this gulfe of so rowes but onely loue O exceeding great loue O loue full of fauour O such a loue as becomes his comâ—assion and greatnesse who is infinit goodnesse it selfe bountifulnesse it selfe loue it selfe and mercie it selfe Gran. de orat med die Mer. how therefore O Lord hauing so many and so great testimonies as these are can I not beleeue that thou louest mee most dearely when as it is most certaine that in heauen now thou hast not changed thy mind from that since thou wast here vpon earth Thou art not that Pharaohs Butler who when as he saw himself restored againe to his former honor forgat his miserable friend whom he left in prison but thou now abounding with all prosperitie glory and maiesty in heauen loues more dearely thy Sonnes dwelling here on earth then before When as therefore thou hast so greatly loued me how cannot I but loue thee againe How shall I not but trust in thee how shall I not but commit my selfe wholy to thee how shal I not now account my selfe rich and happy enough seeing I haue God mine such a deare friend It is greatly to be wondered at that I should delight in any transitory things in this life or to giue my mind to any outward things when as I haue such a mighty and rich friend by whose meanes all good things both temporal and eternall are bestowed vpon me Thus farre Granatensis wherein he most excellentlie describes the excéeding great loue that Iesus Christ our most blessed Sauiour euer had and euen now hath towards vs so that he that now will doubt thereof is worse then anie Turk Pagan or Infidell for what is this else but to denie that hee suffered all these things for vs And if euerie one is to beleeue assuredlie this excéeding loue of Iesus Christ towards him then surely he is not to doubt of his saluation And after speaking of Christ when as hee was whipped and then againe shewed to the Iewes of Pilate VVee must knowe sayeth hee that Christ euen now shewes to his Father in heauen the same shape and the same countenance Med. die louis which he shewed to this furious people euen as fresh and as blew with stripes and as besprinkled with blood as he was at that day when hee liued here on earth What Image can be more forcible to pacifie the eyes of an angry father then the bloodie countenance of this his sonne This is that golden propitiatory this is that Raine-bow of diuers colours placed in the cloudes by the sight whereof God is appeased this delights the eies of God this satisfies his iustice this restores to God againe the honour that man had stolne from him this yeelds to God that seruice which his greatnes requireth Tell me O thou faint-hearted Christian whosoeuer thou art distrusting of the goodnesse of God if the shape and forme of Christ was such that it was able to pacifie the eyes of such cruell enemies how much more forcible shall it bee to pacifie the eyes of a louing Father especially when as he suffered all things which he suffered for his honor and obedience Make a comparison of eyes with eies and of person with person and thou shalt easily perswade thy selfe that thou art more secure and certaine of the mercy of this father if thou offer vnto him such a shape and figure of his sonne then Pilate was of the compassion of the Iewes then when as he bringing forth Iesus shewed him to the people Therefore in all thy prayers and temptations lay hold on this Lord for a shield and put him between thee and thy God offring him and saying Behold the man Behold O Lord God here thou hast that man whom thou soughtest for so many hundred yeares that he might be a mediator between thee miserable sinners Behold how thou hast such an excellent
writes in another place thus Blessed is that man that hath not walked in the counsell of the vngodly nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the chaire of pestilence The Scripture meaning this That he is blessed that hath separated himselfe from the fellowship of the wicked for this is the part of vngodlinesse to acknowledge no author of life nor parent of saluation or that hath not dwelt in sinne or that hath not continued in Ryot and wantonnesse But that he studying in the law of God day and night shall be like a tree that shall yeelde his fruite in due season The former are merits of rewards but this is a reward of merits Let vs marke here how Ambrose prefers the studying of the word of God to all other good workes But some Papists perchance will obiect Stel. in Luc. 21. that our Sauiour Christ taught his Apostles manie things priuately and in secret And that therefore the Scriptures are not to bee knowen of all men for these secrets are contained in them To this obiection Stella answeres All things saith he which Iesus reuealed to his Apostles although he tolde them to them neuer so secretly they ought to preach them publikely for they were as it were the conduit pipes by which the water of the doctrine which Christ the liuely spring preached vnto them should come to all the faithfull of the Church And therefore the Lord said vnto them That which I say vnto you in darkenesse speake ye in light and that ye heare in the eare preach ye in the houses And here I cannot but maruell 2. Tim. 3 16. Psal 12.6 Reu. 22.18 that séeing the Scripture is inspired of God as Saint Paul testifieth and is siluer purified seuen times in the furnace as Dauid affirmeth and as to Saint Iohns Reuelation so no doubt to anie other booke of the holy Scriptures hee that shall adde or diminish or alter any thing shall bee plagued of God that the Papists in their allegations of the scriptures maintaine their old translation against the verity of the original of the Gréeke and Hebrew wheras it differs from them As for example Philippus de Dies alleageth a text of Saint Iohns gospell to good purpose following their olde translation But in the Gréeke originall it is not so as hee alleageth it speaking of the carefull bringing vp of children hee writes thus Phil. de Dies Summa praed titulo adolescens The diligence of parentes is not onely necessary to this purpose but also the great care and watchfulnesse of pastors or prelates which thing our Lord Christ doth aduertise vs in Saint Iohns gospell For when as he committed his Church to Saint Peter and made him vniuersall pastor hee said twise to him feed my Lambes but after hee saith but once feed my sheepe wherein the heauenly Maister taught that a prelate although he bee bound both to feede Lambes and sheep yet he ought to haue more care attendance of Lambes then of sheepe That is greater care of children then of parents c. The scope of this doctrine is not amisse but it is not well grounded on this place for it is in the Greeke twise repeated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to say feede my sheepe feede my sheepe And but once said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is feed my Lambes And yet the common translation which Philippus de Dies followes hath twise to gather in the first places pasce agnos meos that is feed my Lambes and after but once feed my sheepe where as in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Lambe is but once vsed and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a sheepe is twise what great presumption is this to dare to go from the originall 7. Of the sufficiencie of the Scriptures THE Rhemistes first vpon the gospell of Saint Iohn note In cap. 16. v. 12 that the scriptures are not sufficient and expounde that place of the gospell I haue yet many things to say vnto you on this manner This place conuinceth that the Apostles the faithfull be taught many things which Christ omitted to teach them for their weaknesse and that it was the prouidence of God that Christ in presence shoulde not teach and order all things that we might be no lesse assured of the things the Church teacheth by the holy Ghost then of things that himselfe deliuered How contrarie this their exposition is to the exposition of Ferus vpon the same place which hereafter followeth Let euery true Christian iudge and sée who comes néerer to the marke and trueth Andradius also writes thus That the scriptures are not sufficient when as God would helpe the frailty of mans memory Lib. 2 Orthodox Explicat by the working of his Gospell yet he would but so haue such a short abstract or abridgement of his matters committed to writing that the greatest part Lib. 4. de verbo dei non scripto cap. 4. as a treasure of great price should be left to be inclosed or kept in the minde of man And M. Bellarmine plainely affirmes that the scriptures without tradition neither to haue beene simplie necessarie nor sufficient So that by his iudgement the wants of the scriptures must be supplied by traditions But first saint Ierome of the scriptures writes otherwise It was impossible saith Ierome that she which brought forth the man child was in childbed should lacke aboundance of milke In cap. Es 66. for the bringing vp of that people and of those little ones that were borne at once that she might giue them her two pappes not as before in Egypt swampt as we say or brused but with virginall bewtie now full and strowted out that is the olde and new Testament to giue that reasonable milke The olde and newe Testament are by Ieromes iudgement two pappes full fraught with sufficient milke to the nourishing of all the children of Gods Church Serranus also a papist Serranus in 47 cap. Ezech. of the sufficiency of the scriptures writes thus Euery part of scripture containes trueth alike and is alike absolute and perfect in the Reuelation of mysteries euen as the number of a thousand is whole and perfect so all is plainely reuealed and through faith shewed that pertaines to our redemption saluation and instruction Wherefore wee must goe forwarde the scripture beeing our guide But to goe about to search the reasons of it to examine the causes of the articles of our beliefe and with the finger of reason to teach all things and preach the incomprehensible iudgement of God and to haue a will to know that vnsearchablenesse which Paul wonders at is to passe the boundes of the angell the Prophets guide and to endeuour to passe ouer that sea which no man can passe ouer whereat the angell himselfe makes a stoppe is diuelish presumption Wherefore commending these things to be worthy euerlasting consideration and memorie that heretikes
that they came out of the land of Egypt in the moneth of Abib when corne waxed ripe and began to be eared And this God wils them here to remember And surely no doubt for our learning and instruction That we also should come out of Egypt in the moneth Abib when as the Lords corne shall waxe ripe when as the doctrine of the Gospell shall growe to perfection when as the séede of the Gospell shall not now be newe sown as it was in the daies of the Fathers but now shall be eared and be comed to perfection Mat. 13 26.30 Mar. 4.28 and be readie for the reapers to thrust in the sicle and reape it into the Lords barnes As our sauiour teacheth The earth bringeth out of her selfe first the blade then the eare and after the full corne in the eare Such like is the growth of the seede of the worde in the Church I would to God all Israelites which nowe amongst vs belong to the Lord would remember this moneth Abib when we shall come out of the spirituall Egypt as the other Israelites came out of that corporall Egypt the Lords corne shall waxe ripe and shall growe to perfection Manie Israelites obserue not this They will haue the ceremonies and rites which the Fathers obserued euen now to be obserued still as though corne being greene and like grasse had not the hoses or huskes belonging to it which it being now ripe do wither away and fall downe as nothing which in the beginning grew aloft and flourished Surely this lesson the moneth Abib must teach vs the Lordes corne is now waxen ripe and therefore wee must not looke for those rites and ceremonies those hoses or huskes which in the beginning when as the Lords corne was greene the Fathers tolerated or perchance made great account of that part of the corne which in the spring flourished most and grewe aloft is now become withered and quite fallen to the ground The true worshippers as our sauiour teacheth worship the father in spirit and trueth Io. 4.23 And the name of the whore of Babylon is a mysterie as saint Iohn sheweth vs Reue. 17.5 that is she is full of ceremonies and mysteries Wee are made partakers of Christ if we keepe and holde fast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 3.14 That is the beginning of our confidence our vnderpropping that is of our faith as Chrysostome expounds it euen vnto the ende That is asmuch to say as if wée kéepe fast the faith in the beginning taught and preached They that holde not the beginning of their firmitie and first faith haue lost their part in Christ The traditions of men will not warrant it them as saint Paul also writes to the Galathians O ye foolish Galathians Gal. 3.1 who hath bewitched you that you should beleeue another Gospell Euen then Sathan began by little and little to chaunge the Gospell of Christ to bring in his traditions and so to make the first Christians to loose their benefit in Christ let vs beeing warned by their example beware this his sleight Ferus of the markes of the true Church writes thus In 2. cap. Mâ—â— That also is the true Church which the starre declares that is where the word of God is taught and raigneth and where they liue according to the word of God and where all things are done according to the word of God and of Christ in what corner of the earth soeuer it be The new Testament saith Ferus is nothing else but a manifestation of those things which were sealed vp in the old vnder the rude letter vnder diuers figures The which thing is excellently declared vnder the figure of a booke sealed which none could open but the Lambe that was slaine and hereof it came to passe that the Apostles in their preachings opened the scriptures and hence it is that Christ wrote nothing but preached by worde of mouth that which was conteined in the olde lawe And also sewe of the Apostles wrote any thing And if any of them did write they would onely teach things that were contained in the olde If this be true then the scripture which the Papists cal traditioneÌ„ is not of like force with that which is scripta or written Secondly then the traditions which we are to beléeue are commended to vs in the worde of God and are the same that are contained in the written word of God For such traditions onely the Iewes were commaunded to obserue As we read in Ieremie Stand by the waies Ier. 6.16 marke and enquire of the auncient waies which is the good way and walke in it and you shall finde comfort for your soules But the traditions of the fathers besides the word were vtterly forbidden them as we read in Amos Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Iudah and for foure I will not turne Am. 2.4 but because they haue cast away the lawe of the Lord and haue not kept his commaundementes Their lies caused them to erre after which their fathers haue walked Sée how the following of their fathers steppes could not iustify them neglecting or making light account of the law of the Lord no traditions of fathers besides are warranted them So saint Paul writes to the Thessalonians That they should keepe the traditions which they had learned eyther by word or by Epistle 2. Thes 2.15 That is no doubt such traditions as either were written in other parts of the scripture or were agréeing to the worde written How greatly soeuer the nature of man delightes in traditions in the seruice of God yet our Sauiour telles all men plainlie They worship me in vaine Mat. 15.9 teaching the doctrines and commandements of men God will be worshipped of all his according to his own commandements All other worshippe be it neuer so statelie or costlie is vaine worship and displeaseth God Then by Ferus iudgement that doctrine which is not contained in the olde Testament vnder some type or figure is not to be beléeued in the newe And then as the olde Testament condemned all traditions besides the lawe written so that from that the Iewes might not depart neither to the right hand nor to the left so doth also the new Testament In cap. 4.30 The same Ferus of the worship of Christians writes thus The true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit and truth Waye saith he our worship according to this rule and see whether it be not more like Iewish then Christian worshippe Nay be sure that thou art not as yet a true worshipper although thou obserue al outward things neuer so exactly vnlesse thou worship God in spirit and truth How manie euill worshippers were then in the daies of our forefathers by his iudgement in the midst of Popish darknesse In. cap. 16. Mat. Also Ferus writes thus of this matter There is nothing more pestilent then euill doctrine and therefore Christ doth shadow it by
is finished that is no doubt when they shall ende this life For as Iob teacheth vs and saint Paul Iob. 7.2 Ephes 6.10 Our life here is a warfare And saint Paul not onely saith so but giues euerie Christian the armour that belongs to it Vers 13. Now when this warfare is ended Gods ministers are to preach to his people that then their sin hath obtained pardon Nirtse as it is in the Hebrew that is is made now well pleasing to God and that they haue now in this their warfare In this life receiued double punishment that is sufficient for all their sins And therefore they néed feare no punishment hereafter And this is that lesson which Peter also teacheth all Christians God our most louing father by the resurrection of Iesus Christ according to his aboundant mercie 1. Pet. 1.3 hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope of an inheritance immortal vndefiled that withereth not reserued for vs in heauen c. wherin we reioyce though now for a season if need require we are in heauines through manifold temptatioÌ„s Peter herein agrées with Esay that in this life if need be we receiue sufficient punishment for our sinnes This is Ierusalems comfort at her verie heart And this is also that which saint Paul saith But when we are iudged 1. Cor. 11.32 we are corrected of the Lord because that we should not be condemned with the world God iudgeth his saints in this life because he will not condemne nor punish them in the life to come And the same lesson saint Paul teacheth in another place My son despise not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 12 5. as it is in the Greeke make no light account of the correction of the Lorde but account it as a most pretious ie well For whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and he scourgeth euerie sonne which he receiueth And he after speakes verie manifestly of the afflictions of this life as these words import Verse 12. Wherefore lift vp your hands which hang downe and your weake knees And Saint Peter likewise Now is the time that iudgement shall begin at the house of God 1. Pet. 4.17 Whereas S. Paul said before that God in this life scourged all his sonnes S. Peter to the same effect saith that iudgement now begins at Gods house The one names the inhabitants and the other the house And S. Peter also to the great comfort of all Gods children séemes to ayme at the continuance of this correction and he calles it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is an opportunitie or a verie short time and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which maie signifie some longer space of time 2. Cor. 4.15 And S. Paul himselfe also in effect saith the same in another place calling the continuance of our afflictions momentaneam leuitatem a small light trifle in comparison of the ioie that hereafter we shall receiue and that which endures but for a minute of an houre Of purgatorie Ierome writes thus In 2. cap. Mat. He shall purge or melt the sonnes of Leui that is their vnderstandings and words So truely the words and iudgements of all pastors stand need of this Gods purifying his gold onely is most pure purified seuen times in the furnace Our gold how pure soeuer it seemes to vs stands need of this melting and purifying And hereupon Ierome addeth of all Christians That they shall reprooue their wicked brethren and they shall be to God as a precious iewell for he shall spare them in that terrible day which he shall make because euery man is vnder sinne Ierome will haue this melting and this iudgement to be in this life alleadging that saying of Peter nowe the time is that the iudgement began at the house of God And of that place to the Corinthians he writes thus In 6. ca Esaiae And that stone which onely the Septuag inta doe translate a Carbuncle may signifie not a dead or burning coale as some haue expounded it but a Carbuncle stone which for the likenesse it hath to the colour of fire may be called firie whereas we learne that the altar of God is full of Carbuncles that is of firie stones and hoat burning coales purging sins whereof we read thus written of God That coales were kindled of him and of God himselfe it is said that he is a consuming fire and our Sauiour saith in the Gospell I came to send fire vpon earth And that he might baptize with the holy Ghost and with fire for fire shall trie euerie mans worke what kinde of one it is And he that shall be saued shall so be saued as though he had gone thorough the fire And this is to be marked that euen to Ieremy to whom it is said before I fashioned thee in the wombe I knewe thee and I sanctified thee in thy mothers wombe because he had not vncleane lippes But yet he said I am a childe I cannot speake The Lord himselfe stretched out his hand and touched my mouth and said Behold I haue put my words into thy mouth but to Esay who said I am a man of vncleane lippes and I dwell in the midst of a people that hath vncleane lippes Gods hand was not retched but Seraphim was sent of God or he did flie vnto him of his owne accord Because he is appointed to his seruice and he hath a stone in his hand which after the Septuaginta and Theodotion he tooke with a nipper but after Aquila and Symmachus which follow the Hebrew he tooke Melachim that is with a paire of tongs that therwith he might touch his mouth and might purge his olde and accustomed sins Here we maie plainlie sée that either God himselfe with his owne hand or els Angels with those carbuncles according to the word of God doe purge sinnes and that Ierome expoundes that place of the Corinthians of this heauenlie fire and not of anie infernall fire purging sinnes But that indifferent mâ—n shall endure the fire of purgatorie séemed not to Ierome to be grounded manifestlie vpon this place who expounds it of a contrarie fire In cap. 66. Es And in another place Ierome writes thus God is called a consuming fire that hee may consume in vs whatsoeuer is hay wood or stubble and thornes that is cares of this world which the barren ground brought for good seed Ierome here affirmes that God himselfe is the fire that burneth vp all our chaffe stubble and wood not anie fire of purgatorie And that by the fire of his word and his spirit he worketh these effects For here he addeth for of this fire the Lord speaketh in the Gospell I came to throw fire downe vpon the earth And after This fire I supposed to haue sitten vpon the tongues of the Apostles and all the faithfull when they spake with diuers tongues and droue away all ignorance and lightened the hearts of them that receiued the word of God And after most
and men gather them vp and cast them into the fire and they burne Here is the roote and here are the branches here is Christ his Church Here are those drie withered branches that are none of the Church but hell fire brands Here are those fruitfull braunches that bring forth much fruit But you will say this is true and plaine but how shall we know whether we be grafted in this vine or no whether we be members of the Church or no The manifest marke whereby this thing also is knowne which troubles so many at this day followes that he that will not wilfully blindfold himselfe may see it If ye abide in me saith our Sauior my words abide in you Vers 7. aske what you will and it shall be done vnto you Here is the meanes and true marke of them that abide in Christ They haue his words abiding in them The knowledge obedience to the word of God is the onely meanes to engraft vs into Christ or to breake vs off As saint Paul teacheth vs by the example of the Iewes Rom. 11.20 For their incredulity they were broken off and we by faith were grafted in their place Wouldest thou then be grafted into Christ wouldest thou be sure that thou art a member of his Church Let his word abide in thée Psal 119.11 Col. 3.16 Deut. 6.7 Let it be hidden within the closet of thy heart and dwell plenteously within the roofe of thy house as S. Paul commandeth Talke of it by thy fire teach thy childrē and thy seruants it And then thou shalt surely abide in the vine and be a member of the true Church And that thou maiest haue an euident token and signe hereof although now signes and miracles are ceased yet God will giue thée a signe to strengthen thy faith Aske what thou wilt and it shall be done vnto thee This is the dignitie of Gods children that they which heare him speaking by his word to them he also will heare them when by their prayers they talke with him And to this Salomon agrees Pro. 28.9 He that turneth away his eares saith hee from hearing the law his prayers are abominable Though they make neuer so long prayers and pray neuer so deuoutly yet if they refuse to heare the law of God their praiers be they neuer so deuout are abominable with God Surely by this it may séeme that their much praying in Poperie did them little good because they heard not thē Gods word And that euen now all the good blessings we enioy in Gods Church farre aboue our deserts we may attribute to our prayers and to our hearing of the law of God Let all Recusants marke this well and be diligent to heare the law of God if they minde to haue their prayers heard Salomon and Iesus Christ teacheth them That if Gods word abide in them then let them aske what they will and they shall obtaine it Otherwise they shall obtaine nothing at Gods hand This marke of Gods Church also was prefigured in the law Deut. 15.17 That seruant that would not go from his master which had solde himselfe at the sixt yeeres ende because he loued his master and because he is well with him Let him take an nawle saith Moses and pearce his eare thorow against the doore Io. 13.13 and he shall be his seruant for euer Iesus Christ is the best master in the world they that will not depart from his house must haue their eares bored thorow with an nawle they must be diligent hearers of his word And such shall be his seruants for euer And to this alludeth Dauid in the Psalme Psalm 40.6 Sacrifice and offring thou didst not desire For mine eares hast thou digged or bored thorow as it is in the Hebrew burnt offering and sinne-offering hast thou not required Then said I loe I come For in the volume of the booke it is written of mee Io. 4.34.14.31 I desired to doe thy good will O my God yea thy law is within my heart Dauid heere prophesieth of Iesus Christ that his eares were not bored thorow onely but euen digged he was so obedient to all his fathers commaundements his law was in his heart and so must all Gods seruants eares be they must follow Iesus Christ They must haue their eares not bored but digged thorow they must be diligent and obedient hearers of Gods word and this is a principall marke of the Church a true cognisance of all Gods seruants To this also agréeth the first Psalme which teacheth the verie first step to blessednes which onely is in Gods house That man is blessed saith the Psalme whose delight is in the law of the Lord and he meditates therein day and night Who would not be blessed That is the marke that all men ayme at The plaine way to attaine it is here set downe To delight in the law of God and to meditate therein day and night This is the faithfull mans delight this is his glorie this is his badge He that doth this is most assuredly Gods seruant is a member of the true Church So that then the first marke of Gods Church is the true knowledge and obedience of his word The second marke is inuocation of his name Gen. 4.25 For thus we read And Adam knew his wife and she brought forth a son and called his name Seth because God saith she hath giuen me another sonne for Abel because Cain slew him And also Seth had a son borne vnto him and he called his name Enoch and then men began to call on the name of the Lord. Here is as it were the petigrée of the Church here was first Abel slaine the first begotten sonne of this mother and then after succeeds him as his heire Seth and after Seth Enoch And then men began to call on the name of the Lord. Here no doubt was typically euē then the verie platforme of Christs Church drawen out Abel the first begotten sonne of the Church Ephes 1.22 Rom. 8.14 was slaine of his owne brother and so was Iesus Christ who is the head of his Church and the first begotten among many brethren After Abel Seth succéeds which signifies in Hebrew put set or placed as a foūdation or an ornament or a comfort therefore Eue giues her sonne this name And this Seth may verie fitly resemble faith Mat. 16.18 1. Cor. 1.30 Io. 14.1 which is put in our hearts by the holy Ghost as a foundation and our onely ornament and comfort among the manifold sorrowes and troubles of this life Let not your heart be troubled saith our Sauiour beleeue in God and beleeue in me Seth begets Enoch which in Hebrew signifies calamities or miseries And this doth faith beget in man True faith makes him confesse his frailtie his miserie how that there remaines no goodnes in him And then followes true inuocation of the name of God which is the second marke of the true
sighing and groning Ro 8 15.16.26 with faith and assurance For all these are the fruits of the holy Ghost Thirdly keep your selues in the loue of God that is be sure that God loues you Be sure and know that you haue eternall life Let not that subtil serpent euer perswade you to doubt of Gods loue towards you as he did Eue your grandmother And who goes about still teaching the same lesson to them that will beléeue him Gen. 3.5 And lastly looke for the mercie of our Lord Iesus Christ to eternall life Do not trust in your workes challenge nothing of desert Confesse that you are vnprofitable seruants Trust onely in his mercie Luke 17.10 These are the markes of the true Church by saint Iudes iudgement And they which lacke these are Sathans synagogue are the false Church what markes soeuer else they doe bragge of Psal 119.142 For Gods word is the word of truth And the markes of the Church that are in it set downe are onely the true markes But to conclude although many other cleare and manifest marks of the Church might be gathered out of the scriptures yet these markes are especially to be marked of vs which saint Iohn puts downe in the Reuelation For they concerne our daies they are those marks of Gods house which Babylon had defaced Antichrist had raced out so as in mans iudgement it séemed impossible that euer they should haue béene brought to light againe Antichrist heere dealt so cunningly euen as Pharaoh did in murthering the Israelites children intending to destroye their posteritie Exod. 1.14 and Herode in murthering the young innocēts Mat. 2.16 thinking thereby also to haue murthered Iesus Christ But God that dwelleth in heauen laughes all these their counsailes all this their wisedome to scorne And therefore saint Iohn saw an Angell flie in the midst of heauen Psal 2.4 Reue. 14.8 hauing an euerlasting gospell to preach to them that dwell on the earth and to euerie nation kinred and tongue and people Here is the first marke of the Church the preaching of the gospell This marke Antichrist had quite abolished And although in his kingdome that he might not séeme to be quite opposite to Iesus Christ vtterly to disallow preaching he had his Friers that preached yet the pastors of congregations Luk. 12.42 1 Pet. 5.2 whom Iesus Christ and Peter also commaunded to feede their flocke themselues in those daies seldome preached And these Friers preached not the Gospell but their legends of Saints commonly And therefore the second marke of the true Church is to preach not legends or olde wiues tales but an euerlasting Gospell that which was from the beginning not a new faith deuised of mans braine in the succession of manie ages Iesus Christ is the same yesterday and to day and for euer Heb. 13.8 Iud. 1.3 And all Gods true Saints must striue to maintaine that faith which was once giuen to the Saints in the beginning by Christ Iesus himselfe and by his Apostles That gospell which the Church of Rome now teacheth is not such a gospell And this gospell must be preached to the inhabitants of the earth to euerie nation and kinred and tongue and people Antichrist had seduced all these Reu. 17.2 all these were drunken with the pleasant wine of Babylons fornication Antichrist had not seduced the nation of the Iewes as the Papists thinke hee shall What néede the Diuell go about that they are his alreadie they are alreadie seduced as much as can be but he shall seduce all nations tongues kinreds and people he shall peruert the gospell of Iesus Christ And therfore to them it behooueth that this euerlasting gospell should be preached againe The plaster must be applied to the sore And here that marke which the Church of Rome woulde make men beléeue is a true marke of the true church is quite ouerthrowne and approoued to be a false marke Shall all nations be made drunken with Antichrists poisoned and pleasant wine why then Vniuersalitie is not a sound and a true marke of the Church Saying with a lowd voice Feare God Reu. 14.7 and giue glorie to him c. Now followes the doctrine and chiefe points of this euerlasting gospell as also by the contrarie most euidently may appeare the points of Antichrists doctrine for contraries make one another more manifest and cléere So that then if this be the euerlasting gospell to feare God and giue him the glorie the gospell which Antichrist preached was contrarie to this Not to feare God and not to giue him glorie Deut. 10 1◠And now Israel what doth thy Lord thy God require of thee saith Moses but to feare thy Lord thy God to walke in all his waies and to loue him and to serue thy Lord thy God with all thy hart and with all thy soule And God himselfe speaketh thus by the Prophet Ieremy Ier. 5.21.22 Heare now this O foolish people and without vnderstanding which haue eies and see not which haue eares and heare not Feare ye not me saith the Lord or will yee not be afraid at my presence which haue placed the sand for the bounds of the sea by the perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it and though the waues thereof rage yet can they not preuaile though they roare yet can they not passe ouer it And of man the Prophet Esay saith Esay 2.22 Cease you from the man whose breath is in his nostrels Marke 7.7 And our Sauiour saith of the Pharisees They worship me in vaine teaching the doctrines and commandements of men For ye lay the commandement of God apart and obserue the traditions of men as the washing of pots and of cups and many other such like things yee doe Such feare to breake mans lawes and commandements they had also most manifestly in the time of Poperie As concerning Gods glorie also the Prophet Esay writeth thus Esay 42.8 I am the Lord this is my name and my glorie will I not giue to another neither my praise to grauen images And after Behold I haue fined thee Esay 48.10 but not as siluer I haue chosen thee in the furnace of affliction For mine owne sake for mine owne sake will I doe it for how should my name be polluted Surely I will not giue my glorie to another And so Ieremy counsails the people Ier. 13.16 Giue glorie to the Lord your God before he bring darknesse and or euer your feet stumble on the darke mountaines And Dauid saith Psal 65.1 To thee O Lord praise keeps silence or vpon thee it waites in Sion So that whereas God by his eternall word commandeth to feare him and to be afraid to break his commandements and to giue all glorie to him the gospell of Antichrist was to feare man and to kéepe his commandements and to giue glorie to creatures And did not we sée this fulfilled in the time of Poperie how
hast giuen me before the world was made He that is about to go to the dwelling place of Christ to the glorie of his heauenly kingdome ought not to weepe or lament but raâ—â—â—r according to the promise of the Lord according to the faith of truth in his passage and translation to reioice Here we maie plainly see the faith and hope of all Christians at their deaths in Cyprians daies They died ioyfullie without feare and care in as much as they were sure they went to God This was the common receiued opinion of the Catholike Church then This doctrine Cyprian by reuelation was commanded to preach The latter reuelations which the Papists bragge of which teach a doctrine contrarie to this it is likely they were not of God And after Cyprian writes thus We must consider beloued brethren and often thinke that we haue renounced this present world and that we liue here as strangers and pilgrimes let vs embrace that day which appoints euerie man to his home which taking vs hence and deliuering vs from the snares of this world restores vs againe to paradise and to the kingdome of heauen who being placed in a farre countrey will not make haste to returne into his owne countrey who making haste to saile to his friends would not wish for a prosperous winde that he might sooner embrace his dearly beloued friends We account now Paradice for our country we begin now to haue the Patriarkes for our parents why doe we not make haste and runne that we may see our countrey that we may salute our parents In 1. ad cor c. 3. Primasius also S. Austens scholler vpon that place of S. Paul writes thus And euery mans worke what it is the fire shall proue If any mans worke shall abide that which he hath builded vpon he shall receiue a reward that is saith he either the examination of the last iudgement or present affliction which is compared often to fire He makes mention here of no fire of purgatorie which if it had béen the faith once giuen to the Saints he would not haue béen ignorant of nor vpon the exposition of this place here omitted it In cap. 9. Mat. Iansenius of that place of S. Marks Gospell writes thus The Lord said that the eie or hand offending is to be cut off but because that cannot be done without paine he addeth euerie one of Gods elect and chosen which will please God must be seasoned with the fire of afflictions And after Because we haue need of wisedome circumspection and discretion it is necessarie that one may beware of offences that he neuer giue any offence or take any he addeth And euery offering must be seasoned with salt And after he concludes thus As no oblation according to the prescription of Moses is lawfull vnlesse it passe thorow the fire and be seasoned with salt so whosoeuer will be a spirituall sacrifice which is acceptable to God it is necessarie that he be purged and tried with the fire of tribulations and as it were preserued to saluation and that he also be seasoned with the salt of the wisedome of the Gospell lest he be corrupted with the contagion of the wicked or by his owne infection he infect and giue offence to others but that rather by his soundnesse he may take corruption from others Héere we may learne how that Iansenius expounds that fire and falt whereof Saint Marke speaketh of the doctrine of the Gospell and of the fire of afflictions in this life and not of the fire of Purgatorie To which fire some other Papistes would wrest that place Petrus Berchorius writes thus Where Christ buildes his Church the sound of a hammer or hatchet is not heard Berch moral in 3. lib. Reg. ca. 4. no punishment or griefe is felt because for a suretie the stones that is the saints which are the matter of the temple are first in this world hewen by tribulations and engrauen and made square by vertues Therefore when they ascend thither they shall be troubled no more but shall be placed in Gods sanctuarie in rest This world by his iudgement the quarrie that is the forrest here all the stones and timber for Gods heauenly temples are squared and hewed after this life they are placed in the building and they do rest Ferus also writes thus Furthermore therefore also faith is said to saue because by it we are incorporate into Christ and are made his members and one bodie with him In 3. ca. Io. but Christes bodie and members shall not be iudged neither can be iudged or damned yea they shall iudge others No not into Purgatorie For is not Purgatorie a sentence or iudgement Gregorie also teacheth the same that Berchorius hath taught Salomons temple saith he bare an image of this citie In Psal 4. penitent meaning the Church In the building whereof with stones there was not the noise of a hammer heard without For we which shall remain in these holy buildings we are knocked as yet without doores by afflictions that hereafter we may be placed in the temple of the Lord without any correction of discipline In as much as whatsoeuer is superfluous or crooked in vs is now by hammering as it were and knocking cut off And then in that heauenly building the onely bond of truth shall couple vs. Whatsoeuer saith Gregorie is superfluous in vs or not squared or straight is now in this world cut away from vs by tribulations that we may be fit stones for the heauenly buildings and in them to remaine for euer What needs then that squaring and making fit in purgatorie whereof Gregory seemes to make mention in the third Psalme 3. Psal peniten Both these sentences cannot stand togither and the latter seemes to be the truer Greg. lib. 9. ca. 33. in Iob. Gregorie also of the afflictions of this life writes thus God iudgeth man two waies in this life For either by the euils which he presently suffers he begins to inflict the torments to come or else he quite extinguisheth the torments following with these present afflictions For if so be the iust Iudge their sins requiring it did not both correct some here also hereafter the Apostle Iude would not haue said he destroied them the a Secundo second time or twice that beleeued not And also the Psalmist wold not haue said of the wicked let them be cloathed with shame as with a dubler Now we call a dublet a double garment Therefore they are clothed with shame as with a dublet which according to the guiltinesse of their deserts are punished both temporally and eternally For punishment in this life deliuers them onely from paine to come whom it changeth and maketh new men For those whom the calamities of this present life do not amend they bring them to those which are to come But if so be that the afflictions of this life present did not defend some from euerlasting punishment Paul
would neuer haue said When as we are iudged of the Lord we are corrected that we should not be damned with the world And therfore Iohn was taught by the mouth of an Angell Whom I loue I chasten and correct And therefore also it is written Whom the Lord loues he chasteneth he scourgeth euerie sonne that he receiueth Héere Gregorie séemes to referre that saying of the Apostle but to some And it is true in respect of the reprobate but in respect of his chosen all that he iudgeth here he will not condemne with the world Reu. 3.19 And so the Angell taught Saint Iohn indefinitely that al whom he loues he corrects Gregorie expounds this correction of the punishments of this life And of the same punishmēts he expounds that place of S. Paul And then S. Paul saith that euery son that he scourgeth that is in this life saith Gregorie receiueth and therefore not in Purgatorie Theodoret vpon that place to the Corinthians If anie man shall build vpon this foundation gold In 1. ad co ca. 3 c. writes thus Some thinke that the Apostle speakes thus concerning opinions in doctrine but I thinke he speakes it of exercises of vertue and vice And that he makes as it were a way to the accusation of him who had committed fornication Furthermore he cals gold siluer precious stones the kinds of vertues and wood hay stubble those things contrary to vertue for the which hell fire is prepared And these things do not depend of the fault of the teachers but of the intent and purpose of the schollers They truly teach them heauenly doctrines but amongst them which heare some make themselues gold some siluer some precious stones by diligently marking such things as are taught them Some other liuing slouthfully and idlely choosing that which is nought resemble the nature of wood hay or stubble which may easily be burned and the difference of these matters not this present life but the life to come shal reproue for this thing that meanes the day of the Lord shall make manifest That is to say the day of iudgement And a little after vpon these words Euerie mans worke what it it is the fire shall trie The teachers saith he teach heauenlie things the hearers according to their pleasures chuse that which they think is to be done But in the day of the comming of the Lord there shall be a sharpe and vehement examination those which haue liued well as gold and siluer the fire shall make more bright And it shall burne them which haue liued euill like wood hay or stubble The teacher also which hath taught such things as became him shall not suffer punishment but shall be accounted worthie of saluation for this he saith but he shall be saued that is the teacher The worke shall be burned that is as much to say they who haue made themselues as euill worke And after If anie will not applie that as it were by fire to the worke but to the teacher let him so vnderstand it that he shal not suffer punishment for them but he also shall be saued tried by fire if he haue a life agreeing with the doctrine Thus much Theodoret whereby it appeares plainly that he expoundes this place not of anie purgatorie fire before the day of iudgement but of the fire which at that day shall be reuealed And shall then trie and purge not the works of any middle sort of men but of all men And againe vpon these words of Malachie Behold he comes Theodoret in cap. 3. Mal. Of this second comming Zacharie also prophecieth and they shal behold him whom they haue pearced c. So also the blessed Apostle Saint Paul because it shall be reuealed in fire And the fire shall trie euerie ones worke what kinde of one it is c. And I thinke also of these fires that the Prophet meanes not onely this that is the fire of the day of iudgement or of the second comming of Christ but the purgation of the holy Ghost For by this mystically they which come vnto him the Lord doth purge with the fire of his spirit So therefore that great Prophet Iohn said He shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire and also by his heauenly grace as it were with a certaine hearb he washeth away the filthinesse of sinnes Theodoret here as it were making a suruey of purgatories findes but thrée And in none of them the Popes Purgatorie fire but first the fire of the second comming of Christ then the fire of the holy Ghost and lastly the heauenly grace and mercy of God These were all the purgatories which Theodoret could find out as this place teacheth And he referres manifestly that place of the Corinthians to the day of Iudgement 1 Cor. 3.13 The text it selfe séemes to prooue manifestly that by this fire is meant afflictions For thus we reade Euerie mans worke shall be made manifest for the day shall make it manifest for through fire it shall be reuealed and euerie ones worke what kind of one it shal be the fire shall trie No doubt fire in all these places is taken in the same signification But it is manifest that as Christ said of the séed of his word the Sunne arising that is the heate of persecution tries whether the seed had taken déepe roote or not so fire here reueales euerie ones worke that is persecutions and afflictions This fire shall disclose and make things hid manifest which the Apostle here speakes of it shall trie workes but such a fire is not the fire of purgatory It discloseth nothing nay it is hid it selfe Neither doth it trie workes as this fire the Apostle here speakes of doeth but it purgeth soules as the papists teach And therefore this place can make nothing for their purgatorie fire The verie text it selfe refutes it M. Bellarmine and Poligranes expound that place of Matthew Agree with thine aduersarie of purgatorie Wherof Poligranes writes thus There are manie other places of scripture Polig de suffrag defunct De Purg. lib. 1. ca. 4. out of which as concerning this matter the fathers say nothing yet our later writers being stirred vp by heretiques searching the scriptures more diligently do from them confirme purgatorie of which sort is this Agree with thine aduersarie And Master Bellarmine affirmes that they all agree that the prison is hell But yet there are many mansions some for the damned and some for them which shall be purged Againe almost all agree that by the last farthing are meant small sinnes Againe that vntill thou hast paide the last farthing cannot seeme rightly to be said vnlesse there were an end of payment Neither Saint Austens examples are sufficient to prooue the contrarie For when it is said he knewe her not vntill shee had brought foorth we may not hereby gather that he knewe her after but we may wel inferre that she should sometime