grace and confirme vs and strengthen vs with the might of his power and like a good Captaine bring forth at the last vnto the battaile his souldiers which as yet he hath exercised and proued within the tentes of the prison and that he deliuer vnto vs diuine armour Spirituall armour for Confessors Eph. 6. those weapons which cannot be ouercome the brestplate of iustice which vseth neuer to breake the shield of faith which cannot be pearced the sword of the spiritt which cannot be brused for of whom may we rather desire that he pray for these things than of so gloriouse a Bishop that those which are appointed to the sacrifice may aske helpe and succour at the handes of the Priest S. Cypr. libro de exhortatione Martyrij cap. 6. §. 3. That we being redeemed and restored to life by Christ his blood Christ his blood is to be esteemed aboue all things Mat. 10. ought to preferre nothing before Christ in the gospell our Lord teacheth and saith Who loueth his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me And who loueth his sonne or daughter more than me is not worthy of me and who taketh not his Crosse and followeth me is not worthy of me So also in Deuteronomy Deut. 33. who say to their father and mother I know you not and haue not acknowledged their sonnes they haue kept they precepts and obserued thy testament Also the Apostle Paule Ro. 8. who shall separate vs from the charity of Christ tribulation or distresse or persecution or hunger or nakednes or daunger or the sword as it is written for we are killed for thy sake all the day we are esteemed as sheepe of slaughter but in all these things we ouercome because of him that loued vs. And againe 1. Cor. 6. We are not our owne 1. Cor. 5. you are not your owne for you were bought with a great price Do you glorify and carry God in your body Againe he died for all that those also which liue do not now liue to them selues but to him who died for them and arose againe S. Ambrose vpon the 118 Psalme octō 21. vpon that verse Princes haue persecuted me my harte did trēbie at thy wordes §. 4. If we considere the auncient history How to behaue a mans selfe in torments both Saule Absalon and many forren Princes persecuted holy Dauid but none could preuaile against him There be also Princes of the world and rulers of darkenes which go about in thy owne brest to oppresse thee raise cruell persecutions within thee promising earthly kingdomes honour and riches if with a base mind thou wilt yeeld vnto them and determine to obey their commaundements These Princes sometimes with a cause do persecute sometimes without a cause without a cause they persecute him in whom they finde nothing of their owne and yet they go about to suddue him not without a cause they persecute him who yeeldeth him selfe to their power and wholly entreth into the possession of the world for ouer their owne they worthely challenge deminion of such they exacte reward of their iniquity Well doth the Martyr say that vniustly he suffereth the torments of persecutions who hath stollen nothing hath violently oppressed no man hath shedd the blood of no man hath defiled the bedd of no man who oweth nothing vnto the lawes and yet suffereth more greenous punishments than theeues who speaketh iustly and is not heard who speaketh wordes full of saluation and is impugned so that he may say Psal 119. whan I speake vnto them they impugned me without a cause Without a cause than doth he suffer persecution which is impugned without any faulte he is impugned as an offendour whan he is in such confession to be commēded he is impugned as an inchaunter which glorieth in the name of our Lord piety being the soūdation of all vertew Verely without cause is he impugned who before wicked men and infidells is accused of impiety he being a master of faith But he which is impugned without a cause must be valiant and constant how than doth he adde and my harte did tremble at thy wordes To trēble is a token of infirmity of dread and feare But there is an infirmity vnto saluation there is also a feare of Sainctes Feare you our Lord Psal 33. Psal 111. all his Sainctes and. blessed is the man which feareth our Lord. wherfore is he blessed because in his cōmaundments he hath all his delight Imagine than a Martyr A meditation for one which is tortured standing in the middest of daungers whan on one side most fierce beasts do rore to cause him terrour on another side the hissing of hote glowing plates of iron and the flame of a fiery fornace doth cast forth heate on another side the drailing of heauy chaines doth rattle on another the begoared butcher stādeth by imagine him I say seeing all about him nothing but torments and than afterward thinking of the cōmaundments of God of that euerlasting fire of that endlesse burning of the perfidiouse of that misery of a reuiuing paine to tremble in his harte least whan he yeeldeth vnto the present miserie he addict him selfe to eternall torments to be troubled in mind whilest he doth as it were with his very eies behould that terrible sword of the future iudgemēt In this trembling of a constant person do not two equall things seeme to concurre togither the confidence of one which desireth eternall things and trembleth at diuine things yet be of good courage thou which hopest be of good courage thou which arte confident I would to God I might deserue to be such a one that if happely the persecutour come vpon me I do not consider the sharpnes of my tortures I regard not my torments and paines I thinke not of the horriblenes of any greife but account all these things as light and feare Christ least Christ deny me least Christ exclude me least he thrust me out of the congregation of his Priestes if he iudge me vnworthy of that college but rather he see me although moued with the terrour of corporall paine yet trembling more at his future iudgements Mat. 14. And if he say vnto me ô thou of little faith why didst thou doubt he will yet reach me his hand and after the boisterous trouble of the raging billowes of this world establish me in the safe hauē of a secure mind S Augustin ser 6. de verb. Do. cap. 9. §. 5. But perhaps some Ruler laieth waite against thee and seeketh to impugne thee The benefitte of imprisonment for religion Psal 51. he whetteth his razour wherw t he may shaue thy heares not wherwith he may cut thy head That which I say you haue euen now heard in the psalme as a sharpe razour thou hast made deceite Why did he compare the deceite of the Ruler vnto an euell razour because he is not admitted but to our superfluities
a Sacrifice and Christ really present in it Of the hating of car nall kinred for perfection In our time a certaine maiden once noble in the world now more noble vnto God when she was vrged to marâ—age by her parents and kinsefolkes tooke her refuâ—â—e to the holy altar for whither better could a Virgin flye than where the sanctuary of Virginity is offered vp But here was not the end of her boldnes There stood before the altar of God the boast of purity the sacrifice of chastitie sometimes laying the Bishops hand vpon her head demaunding consecration other whiles impatient of that iust delay laying her head vnder the aultar Canst thou saieth she o mother As well in marriage as in consecation are giuen veiles the one beinge a marriage to the world the other to God veale me better than the aultar can veale me which sanctifieth the veiles them selues more comely is that veâ—le in which Christ the head of all men is daily consecrated What meane you my Cosins why do you yet still turmoile my mind by soliciting my mariage I haue it long since prouided Do you offer me a spouse I haue found a better Reckon vp neuer so great riches boast of nobility vaunt of autoritie I haue him to whom none may be coÌ„pared riche with the wholle world authorized with absolute empyre noble with heauen it selfe If such a one you haue I refuse not your choise if you cannot finde the like you prouide not for me but you enuye me Than the rest being silent one onely saied very abruptly what if thy father liued would he suffer thee to remaine vnwedded But she with greate religion and modest piety and therfore happely he died that there might be none to hinder me Which answere concerning the father A daungetous thinge to hinder vertew that person by his speedy death shewed to be a prophesie of him selfe By that meanes the rest euery one fearing his owne case beganne to fauour her whom they sought to hinder Neither did the Virgin suffer any losse of her riches but rather receiued the increase of her integrity You haue heard o maidens the reward of deuotion beware o parents the example of offending Greg. lib. 7. mor. c. 17. 18. §. 3. THose which with earnest study and not with disordered steppes do follow the reward of euerlasting promise euen as they despise them selues for the loue of God euen so do they sette at nought all thinges by which they feele them selues hindered and wheras for Goditis necessary they serue to whosoeuer they are able for God they deny euen vnto their kinsmen their priuate seruices Hence is it that whan one saied sufferme first to go and bury my father Mat. 8. he presently heard froÌ„ the mouth of truth suffer that the dead bury the dead but thou go and preach the Kingdome of God wherin is to be noted that whilest that chosen Disciple is restrained from the buriall of his father no deuoute man may of carnall affection perfourme that to his father which for the loue of our lord he is bound to do eueÌ„ for others Hence againe saith the truth if any man come vnto me Luc. 14. and hate not his father and mother and wife and sonnes and brethren and sisters yea and also his owne soule he cannot be my Disciple in which place whereas the hate of our owne soule is ioyned with the hate of our kinsefolke it is manifestly shewed vs that so we are commanded to hate out kinsefolkes as we are coÌ„manded to hate our selues that drawing them vnto euerlasting things neglecting their carnall frendship whan it hindereth vs we may learne with the temperate Skill of discretion both to loue them conueniently to hate them holesomely that our hatred may so arise through loue that we may be able by hating theÌ„ more sincerely to loue them Hence also is it saied by Moises Deut. 33 Who saieth to his father and his mother I know you not and to his brethren I do not know them neither haue knowen their children these haue obserued thy word thy bargaine haue kept thy iudgements For that man doth desire to know our Lord more familiarly who for desire of piety desireth not to know whom he knew carnally For with great losse is the knowledge of God diminished if therwith there be any parte for fleshly knowledge Euery one therfore must be seuered from his kinsemen and frendes if he will the more truely be ioyned vnto the father of all that so much the more soundly he may loue those whom valiantly he neglecteth for God by how much the more he forgetteth the fading affection of carnall society We must truely euen temporally do more good to those vnto whom we are nearer because euen the fire burneth that which is applied vnto it but first it consumeth that wherof it was kinled We must acknowledge the nearenes of earthly alliance and yet whan it letteth the course of the mind not so much as know it that so the faithfull mind inflamed with godly deuotion may neither despise those things which are so neare it here below and yet setting the same in coÌ„uenient order within him selfe he may surmount them for the loue of those things aboue With diligent care therfore must we prouide least the loue of the flesh creepe vpon vs and diuerte the gate of our harte from the true way and hinder the force of the supernall loue and with the laying on of a heauy burden presse downewarde our arising mind For so must euery one haue compassion of his kinreds necessitye that through compassion he suffer not the force of his intention to be hindered that the affectioÌ„ of his mind may fill his bowells and yet not auerte him from his spirituall purpose Neither truely do not holy men loue their kinred to helpe their necessities but this very loue do they ouercome with the loue of spirituall things that so they may temper it with the measure of discretion that they may not therby swarue from the direct way neuer so little Whom therfore those Kye do very well signifie vnto vs Affection to children which going vnder the arke of our Lord vnto the mountaines do shew at once both their affection and rigour as it is written They tooke two Kye which did suckle their calues 1. Reg. 6. and yoaked them to the carte and shutte vp their calues at home and laide the arke of God vpon the carte And presently there followeth the Kye went directly by the way w e leadeth vnto Bethsames and they went with eqnall pace still going forward and bellowing and declining neither on the right hand nor on the lefte For beholde the calues being shutte vp at home those Kye which are tied to the carte vnder the arke of our Lord do groane and go forward froÌ„ within they send forth bellowings and yet from the way they change not their freppes through compassion they feele
affection and yet do they not bow their neckes backward So So is it necessary that these do proceed which hauing vndertaken the yoake of the sacred law doe now by inward knowledge carry Gods arke that pittying theire kinnes necessity they decline not from their former vertuous iorney For Bethsames is the house of the sonne than to go vnder the arke of our Lord to Bethsames is with heauenlye science to drawe neare vnto the habitation of eternall lightsomnes But than do we truely go vnto Bethsames whan going straight forward we decline not no not for the affection of our children vnto bywaies of errour The loue of whom must truely possesse but not bow our mind least the very same mind either be to hard if affectioÌ„ do not moue it or be to softe if such mouing do bow it We will consider a little blessed Iob Iobs affection to his childern in whom the yoake of Gods feare had mortified the necke of his harte with what great wisdome of discretion he carrieth the arke of diuine knowledge hauing lost his calues he belloweth for hauing heard the death of his sonnes he shaued his head fell to the ground but yet he goeth bellowing on the right way because his mouth in lamenting is opened vnto Gods praise he presently saying Our Lord hath geuen our Lord hath taken away euen as it pleased our Lord so is it come to passe blessed be the name of our Lord. S. Hierom. ep ad Furiam §. 4 You desire in your letter He coÌ„mendeth vnto her the crowne of widowhead against the assaults of Parents and frends and humbly intreate me that I will answere you or rather write vnto you in what maner you may liue and conserue the crowne of widowhead without any blemish of the honour of your good name my mind reioiceth my bowells do daunce my assection doth leape because you desire to be such after your husbands death as your mother Titiana of holy memory was long time her husband liuing Her praiers and deuotions are heard she hath obtained in her onely daughter that which she possessed whilest she liued You haue moreouer a very greate Priuiledge of your auncestours that euen from Camillus either none at all or very few women of your stocke was maried the second time so that you are not so much to be praised if you remaine a widow as to be detested if being a Christian you perfourme not that which heathen women for so many ages haue obserued I say nothing of Paula and Eustochium flowers of your family least I may seeme to take occasion by the exhorting of you to praise them I lett passe Blesilla which following her husband your brother She died halfea yeere after her husband in a short space of life fulfilled many yeeres of vertue And I wold to God that men would imitate the praises of women and wrinckled ould age would perfourme that w e voluntary youth doth offer Wittingly willingly I thrust my hand into the fire many couÌ„tenances will frowne many armes will be throweÌ„ angry Chremes wil rage with his foaming mouth So do now adaies worldly Politicks against Preists and others many great personages will be incensed against my epistles the wholle company of nobles will thunder that I am a witch that I am a seducer worthy to be banished from all ciuill coÌ„mon wealthes Lett them adde if they will a Samaritane also that I may acknowledge my Lords title Surely I doe not deuide the daughter from her father neither doe I say that of the gospell suffer the dead to bury the dead For whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ liueth and whosoeuer beleueth in him ought surely for to walke euen as he walked Honour your father but so if he seuere you not from your true father So long acknowledge the lincke of your blood how long he acknowledgeth his creatour Psal 44. For otherwise Dauid will presently sing vnto you Heare o daughter and see and incline thine eare and forgett thy people and the house of thy father and the King will desire thy bewty because he is thy Lord. Forgetting of Parents O great reward of forgetting ones father the King will desire thy bewty because thou hast heard because thou hast seene because thou hast inclined thy eare and forgotte thy people and the house of thy father therfore will the King desire thy bewty and will say vnto thee Thou aâ—te all faire o my frend and there is no spotte in thee What thing more faire than the soule which is called the daughter of God and seeketh no forraine ornaments she beleeueth in Christ and with this ambition she goeth to her spouse hauing the same to her Lord and her spouse What miseries mariage haue you haue learned in mariage it selfe and you haue bene filled with * He all udeth to the quavles which the Isralites first desired and after Ioathed Num. 11. quailes euen vnto lothsomenes your iawes haue tried most bitter choler you haue cast on t those sower and vnholesome meates you haue eased your boiling stomacke Why will you yet throwe in againe that which once was hurtfull vnto you 2. Pet. 2. The dogge returned to his vomett and the sow washed into her wallowing in the mire The very brute beastes and restles birdes Hope of posterity of conseruing the family do not fall the second time into the same shares and nettes Do you feare least the family of the Furij be extinguished least your father haue not a babe by you which may creepe in his bosome and beslauer his necke What I pray you haue all which are maried children and those children which they haue do they alwaies answere to their kinred Yea surely Câ—ceroes sonne did resemble his fathers eloquence and Cornelia your auncestresse an example of honesty and secundity had much ioy of the Gracchi her sonnes it is ridiculous to hope of a certainty for that which both many haue not had haue lost whan once they had it To whom will you leaue so great riches to Christ who cannot dye Who shall be your heire he which is also my Lord. your father will mourne but Christ will reioise your family will be sorowfull but the Angells will be ioifull ChildreÌ„ are not their Parents Let your father do what he will with his substance you are not his by whom you were borne but his by whoÌ„ you were borne againe and who redeemed you with an exceeding great price eueÌ„ with his blood Out of the epistle of the same Sainte vnto Marcella of the sicknes of Blesilla §. 5 Abraham is tempted in his sonne found more faithfull Ioseph is sould into Aegipt He defendeth Blesillâ— embracinge an estate of perfectioÌ„ against her frends desire whom he calleth Antichrists that so he may feed his father and brethren Ezechias is terrified with his death at hand and resolued into teares hath his life prolonged for fifteene yeares Peter the Apostle
the thresshould goe on though thou tread on thy father and with drye eyes flye away to the banner of the Crosse It is the onely kind of piety in this thing for to be cruell There will come there will come hereafter the day whan thou shalt returne a conquerour into thy countrey and like a valiant champion goe crowned into heauenly Hierusalem Than shalt thou with Paule become a citizeÌ„ than shalt thou demaund the like freedome for thy parents than shalt thou also pray for me A great aduantage to haue one in heauen by our meanes who haue incouraged thee that thou maiest ouercome Neither am I ignorant with what impediment thou saiest thou art settered we are not of an iron brest nor of a stony harte we were not borne of a flinte nor nourished by the Tygres of Hircania We also haue passed through such thinges our selues Sometimes with flattering armes thy widdow sister hangeth vpon thee sometimes those bondslaues which haue bene brought vp with thee do say vnto whom will you leaue vs to serue Otherwhiles thy dry Nurse once but now an olde graundame and thy fosterer or second father in affection do cry out stay a while vntill we dye and bury vs Happely also thy mother with the shaking Skinnes of her breastes and her furrowed and wrinckled browe according to her olde custome ceasâ—eth not to lulle thee to the pappe Obedience Vnto paterits Lett the grammarians also say if they please In teomnis domus inclinata recumbit the wholle decaâ—ing house leaneth vpon thee Easely are these baÌ„ds ouercome by the loue of God and feare of hell But the scripture commandeth vs to obey out parents Yee but who loueth the more than Christ loseth his soule The enemy holdeth his sword for to kill me shall I regard my mothers teares Shall I forsake Christs warfare for my father to whoÌ„ for Christs sake I owe not the labour of buriing which yet for Christs sake I owe to euery one Peter geâ—ing fearfull counsell to our Lord before his Passion was a scandall vnto him Paule whan the brethren held him least he should go to Hierusalem saied what meane you to weepe trouble my harte I am not onely ready to be bound but also to dye in Hierusalem for the name of our Lord Iesus Christ This engine of piety which shaketh our faith must be brused with the wall of the Gospell Those are my mother and brethren which do the will of my father which is in heauen If they beleeuâ— in Christ let them than faâ—our me which am about to fight for his name if they do not beleeue lett the dead bury the dead But thou wilt say this is true in Martyrdome Thou art deceaued mybrother thou art deceiued if thou thinkest that a Christian is euer free from persecution than arte thou most of all assaulted whan thou knowest not that thou arte impugned Our aduersarye like a roaring Lion Psal 10. seeking to deuour goeth about and dost thou thinke there is peace he sitteth in ambushes with the riche that secretly he may kill the innocent his eyes are bent toward the poore man he laieth waite in secrett as a Lion in his denne he awaiteth to deuour the poore man and doest thou that thou maiest be his pray vnder the shadow of a thicke leaued tree geue thy selfe to sleepe And towards the end he exhorteth him to leaue the world with such deuoute sentences as we may very well apply vnto our owne estate and matter of perfect renunciation O deserte which blossoumest the flowers of Christ Apply this vnto the prison which is our wildernesse O wildernes in which do grow those stoues of which the house of the great King in the Apocalips is builte O solitude which enioyest the familiarity of God What dost thou ô brother in the world which arte greater than the world how long wilte thou be oppressed with the shadow of houses how long wilt thou be kepte fast in the prison of smoaking citties Beleeue me I see I know not what greater light I long that hauing cast of the carriage of my flesh I may flye away vnto the pure brightnes of aire arte thou afraide of pouerty but Christ calleth those blessed which are poore arte thou terrified with labour But no wrastler without sweat can be crowned Dost thou take care for meate but faith feareth not hunger Fearest thou to rubbe against the bare ground thy body consumed with fastings but our Lord lieth with thee Dost thou loath the vntrimmed haire of an ill fauoured head but Christ is thy head Doth the huge vastenes of the wildernes amaze thee but thou must walke with thy mind in heauen So ofte as thy harte ascendeth thither so ofte shalt thou not be in the wildernes Doth thy vnsmothe Skinne waxe rugged for want of bathing But who is once washed in Christ needeth not againe to be washed And that I may briefly answere all heare the Apostle saying The Passions of this world are not condigne to the glory to come that shall be reuealed in vs. Rom. 8. Thou arte very dainty my brother if thou wilt both here reioise with the world and hearafter raine with Christ There will come there will come the day whan this corruptible and mortall body shall putte on incorruption and immortality Than blessed that seruant whom our Lord shall find watching than at the sound of the troumpett shall quake the whole earth with the people therof and thou shalt reioice Whan our Lord shall come to iudge the world shall geue a mournefull groane one tribe shall strike anothers brest those which were once most mighty Kinges with naked sides shall tremble There shall be presented Venus with her sonne than fiery Iupiter shall be brought and Plato with all his foolish schollers Aristotles Arguments shall not auaile than thou a clownish and poore creature shalt reioise and laugh and shalt say Beholde my crucifixe Beholde my iudge which wrapped in cloutes cried in the cribbe this is that sonne of the Carpenter and the workewoman This is he which carried in his mothers bosome fledd being God from a man into Aegipt this is he which was cloathed with purple this is he which was crowned with thornes this is that enchaunter possessed with a deuell and a samaritane Behold the hands ô lew which thou nailedst Behold the side ô Romane which thou pearcedst See the body whether it be the same which you saled was secretly taken away by the Disciples in the night The loue which I beare thee ô brother hath compelled me to write thus vnto thee that we may once be present at those things for which we now sustaine so hard labour The spirituall mans kinred out of S. Iohn Climachus Grad 3. §. 8. Lett him be thy father who both can and will labour with thee to disburden thee of thy sinnes This man liued in the time of CoÌ„stantine the greate Lett thy mother be holy compunction which may
see they want in the Church that which they desire they become the enemies of the good not onely addicte them selues to crooked behauiour but endeuour also to bend the righteous mēnes straight nes to their peruersnes They neglect to consider the things eternall and with the basenes of their mind they are subdued to the desire of that which is temporall and so much the deeper they fall frō things euerlasting because they repute that besides temporall goods there are no other To these men is much displeasant the iust mens simplicity and when they find occasion of trouble they perswade them to embrace their doublenes Wherfore is that very fitte which followeth His wife saide vnto him doest thou yet remaine in thy simplicity Blesse God dye For whose person did this deceiuing woman beare but of certaine carnall persons within the Churches bosome who in that they be within by their outward profession doe the more oppresse the good with vncorrected maners for lesse perhaps should they haue hurte if the holy Church admitting them had not receiued them in the very closett of faith and by such receiuing them vnto this profession were not in estate that she cannot auoide them Luc. 8 Hereof is it that the multitude oppressing our Redeemer but one only woman did touch him wherfore he saide who hath touched me To whom whan the Disciples answered the multitudes throung and presse thee and dost thou say who hath touched me he forthwith added some body hath touched me for I know that there is vertue proceeded from me Many therfore do presse our Lord and one onely toucheth because those which are carnall in the Church do presse him being farre from him those onely do touch him which being truely humble are ioyned vnto him The multitude therfore do presse him because the company of carnall folkes how much nearer it is admitted so much the harder is tollerated A new kind of persecutours it presseth toucheth not because it is importunate being present and yet in good life alwaies absent For sometimes they persecute vs by wicked speaches but sometimes onely by peruerse manners For sometimes they exhorte vs to that which they follow other times although they exhorte not yet ceasse they not to geue vs examples of iniquity Those therfore which by wordes or examples intise vs to euell in very deed are our persecutours by whō we are brought vnto the combate of tentations which at the least in our harte we may ouercome But we must vnderstand that those which are carnall in the Church sometimes through feare sometimes through presumptuousnes go about to perswade peruersnes and when them selues either for pusillanimity or haughtines do shrincke they seeke to instill the same thinges into the mindes of the iust and that vnder pretense of charity Charitable perswaders to schisme 2. Reg. 19. Mat. 16. Peter had a carnall mind before our Sauiours death and resurrection Saruias his sonne with a carnall mind followed his captaine Dauid yet the one sinned by feare the other by pride The first hearing of his masters death said Lord be it farre from thee this shall not be vnto thee The other not suffering the iniuries of his captaine saieth And for all these wordes shall not Semei be killed which hath cursed the anointed of our Lord But answere is geuen him what haue I to do with you ô sonnes of Saruias Euell counsailours are called Deuills why will you this day become Satan vnto me Euell counsailours than are called by the name of the Apostata Angells who with flattering speaches pretending loue do draw vnto wickednes Such are those who contumeliously oppose them selues to Priests yet farre worse are they which not of feare but of pride geue them selues to this vice whose figure especially was this wife of Iob endeuouring to bring her husband vnto pride saying yet dost thou remaine in thy simplicity Blesse God dye She reprehendeth simplicity in her husband because despising all that which is transitory he desired with a pure harte onely things eternall as if she had saide why dost thou simply desire things euerlasting and patiently groanest at thy present euells departing despise that which is eternally good and euen by death auoide that which is presently euell But those which are electe whilest inwardly they suffer of carnall men that which is euell how great an vprightnes they shew within them selues we may learne of the wordes of him which is woūded and yet sound How wiues shoud answere their Schismaticke husbands of him which sitteth and yet is erected Thou hast spoken saieth he like a very foolish woman if we haue receiued good of the hand of our Lord why should we not abide euell Holy men being ouertaken with the conflicte of tribulations whan at the very same time they abide some striking them and others perswading them to the first they oppose the buckler of patience against the second they hurle the dartes of Doctrine Two combares of Catholickes and with wonderfull conning of vertue they prepare them selues to both manners of fight that both within they may wisely confute that which is peruerse and without they may stoutely contemne whatsoeuer is contrary and by teaching the first correcte them by tolerating the second oppresse them For by suffering their enemies which rise against them they despise them and by compassion of their diseased frendes they reduce them to those they resist least they draw others but these they cure least vtterly they loose the life of all honesty S. Hier. in ep ad Tit. c. 3 §. 3 If it be good which the Emperour and Gouernour commaundeth obey the will of the commander God is to be obeyed before husbād or any other but if it be euell answere him out of the actes of the Apostles It behoueth to obey God more then men This same let vs vnderstand both of seruants to their masters and of wiues to their husbandes of children to their Parents that in those things onely they must be subiecte to their masters husbandes Parents which are not contrary vnto Gods commaundements An explication of diuerse lawfull manners of separation of man and wife according to the holy scriptures and the sentence and practise of holy Church VVE haue in diuerse places aboue sette downe the doctrine of Christ him selfe with the declaration of the Doctours of the Church §. 1 concerning the forsaking of wiues for the loue of Christ But wheras in this matter of forsaking or of liuing in the estate of wedlocke and perfourming matrimoniall dewty one to another the husband and wife is of like * Hieron Ep. ad Oceanum Aug. lib. 2. de adult con cap. 8. 19. Sylu. verbo Deuortium § 1. condition and that diuorce or separatiō or forsaking which is lawfull to the husband is lawfull also to the wife as well least wiues shold in this pointe be too rashe as that they may know if need should
by the world who had nothing in the world wherby he might be ouerthrowen he would follow our Lord easely and freely as the Apostles and many in the Apostles time and others haue donne who forsaking their goods and parents with vnseparable coniunction were fastened to our Lord. But how can they follow Christ who are holden fast with the bandes of their patrimony or how can they go vp vnto heaueÌ„ or clime vp vnto high heauenly things who with earthly desires are pulled downward They thinke they possesse who rather are possessed slaues of their substance and not masters of their money but rather their moneis prentises This time and these men doth the Apostle signify 1. Tim. 6 saying They that will be made riche fall into tentation and the snare of the Deuill and many desires vnprofitable and hurtefull which drowne men into destruction and perdition for the roote of all euills is couetuousnes which certaine desiring haue erred from the faith and haue entangled them selues in many sorrowes But our Lord ô with how great rewards he inuiteth vs to contempt of riches these small and trifling losses of this life ô with what hire he recompenseth Mar. 10. There is none saieth he which leaueth house or landes or parents or brethren or wife or children for the Kingdome of God which receaueth not seauen times as much in this time and in the world to come life euerlasting Losse of riches is not to be feared but wished These things being once knowen and warranted by the assurance of our Lord which promiseth such losse is not onely not to be feared but also wished for the same Lord againe affirming warning vs Blessed shall you be whan they shall persecute you Luc. 6. and separate you cast you forth and curse your name as wicked for the sonne of man Be gladd in that day and reioise for your reward is much in heauen Cypr. lib. de Opere Eleemosinis §. 2. Lett not that thing my deare brethren hinder a ChristiaÌ„ from good and iust workes Prouiding for children is no excuse of want of loue to god that any man thinke him selfe excused by the benefitte of his children wheras in that which is bestowed spiritually we ought to thinke of Christ who acknowledgeth that he receiueth it and herein we do not preferre our fellow seruants but Christ him selfe before our children him selfe instructing vs. Mat. 10. Who loueth his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and who loueth his sonne or daughter more than me is not worthy of me Deut. 33. and in Deuteronomie for the strengthning of our faith and the loue of God the very like is written Who saieth vnto his father or mother I know you not neither haue knowen their childreÌ„ these haue kekpt thy precepts and obserued thy testament for if we loue God with all our harte we must not preferre either parents or children before God for if by almes geuen vnto the poore Christ borroweth vpon interest and whan we geue to the little ones we geue to Christ there is no cause why any man may preferr earthly things vnto heauenly or esteeme more humane things than Diuine 3. Reg. 17 So that widdow in the third booke of Kings whan in a drought and famine hauing spent all The wonderfull reward of Almes of a little meale and oile which was lefte she had made her a cake which being eaten she might dye with her children Helias suddainly came and requested that first she would geue him for to eate and of that which was lefte she and her children should feed neither did she sticke to obay him or in that hunger and necessity preferred her children before Helias Yea she did in the sight of God that which pleased God readily and willingly she offered what was asked neither of plenty did she geue a litle but of a little she gaue all and her children famishing she first feedeth another neither in penury and famine doth she thinke of meate before mercy that whilest in a holsome worke she despiseth her carnal life she might keepe the spirituall life of her soule Helias therfore bearing the figure of Christ and shewing that he rewardeth euery one for his almes answered and saied This saieth our Lord the potte of meale shall not faile and the vessell of oile shall not be deminished vntill that day in which our Lord will send water vpon the earth According to the faithfulnes of Gods promise there was multiplied vnto the widow and augmented which she bestowed and her iust workes merittes of mercy receiuing increase the vessells of meale and oile were filled Neither did the woman take from her children that which she gaue to Helias That which is geuen in almes is not taken from children but rather she gaue to her children that which liberally and deuoutly she performed And she as yet knew not Christ she had not as vet heard his precepts she did not being already redeemed with his Crosse and passion render meate and drinke for blood that hereby it may appeare how much he offendeth in the Church who preferring him selfe and his children vnto Christ keepeth his riches If riches are to be forsaken for the poore how much more for to keepe fidelity towards God not imparting his abundant patrimony vnto the poores necessity But thou hast many children at home and the number of children hindreth thee that thou dost not attend to good workes so liberally But in this respect thou shouldest worke more largely because thou arte a father of many children Thou hast the more for which thou must pray thou must satisfy for the sinnes of many thou must purge the consciences of many thou must deliuer the soules of many As in this seculer life in nourishing and maintaining of children the greater the number is Spirituall care of children Iob. 1. the greater is the coste so in a spirituall and heauenly life the greater number of children thou hast the greater also must be thy charge So did Iob offer vp many sacrifices for his sonnes such number of hostes he gaue vnto God as was the number of his children and because there cannot any day want wherby God may be offended there wanted not daily sacrifices wherby sinnes might be clensed if therfore thou louest thy children sincerely if thou cariest towardes them a perfect and fatherly sweetnes of charity thou oughtest the more endeuour with iust actions to commend them vnto God neither thinke him to be the father of thy children who is mortall and weake but prepare them that father whâ— is an euerlasting stable father of all spirituall childreÌ„ tâ— him do thou assigne thy riches whiâ—h thou keepest for thy heires lett him be the tutor and guardian of thy children and by his diuine maiesty a protectour from all worldly iniuries Patrimony is safe in Gods hand Thy patrimony once committed vnto God neither the common wealth
feare death nor to yeeld at all that faith may so be more effectually proued There issued forth of their mouth the vncorrupted and inuincible vigour of the holy ghost that we may see those thinges to be trew which our Lord saieth in the gospell Mat. 10 whan they shall apprehend you do not thinke what you may speake for there shall be geuen you euen in that houre what you may speake for it is not you which speake but the spiritt of your father which speaketh within you he sayed that from aboue there should euen at that time be geuen vs what to speake and answere and that they did not than speake but the spirit of God their father which not departing nor being separated from Confessours both speaketh is crowned within vs. So also Daniel whan he was compelled to adore the Idol Bel whom both the king and people did worship with full liberty of faith broke forth for the defence of Gods honour into these words I worship nothing but my Lord God which made heauen earth What I pray you the greeuous torments of the blessed Martyrs amongst the Machabeâ—s 2. Mach. 7 and variety of paines of the seauen brethren and the mother comforting her children in torments and dying her selfe also with her children are not these great examples of fortitude and faith and do not these persons by their passions excite vs to the triumph of martirdome The Prophetts whom the holy ghost did inhabite to teach them thinges to come the Apostles whom our Lord did choose the iust persons which are killed for iustice haue not all these taught vs to dye The natiuity of Christ presently beganne with the martirdomes of infants whan for his name all were killed from two yeeres of age douward the age not ready for the Skirmish was fitte for the crowne and that we may knowe that those are innocent which are killed for Christ innocent infancy was slaine for his name it was shewed that no man is free from daunger of persecution whan such as they receiued martirdome What shame were it than for a Christian if the seruant would not suffer whan his Lord first hath suffered and for vs to refuse for to suffer for our sinnes whan without sinne of his owne he suffered for vs The sonne of God suffered that he might make vs the sonnes of God will not the sonne of a man suffer that he may perseuer the sâ—nne of God if we sustaine the hatred of the world the same hatred of the world Christ suffered before vs if we aâ—â—de in this world reproches if flight if torments more greeuous things hath tasted the Lord maker of this world who saieth if you were of this world Io. 15. the worlde wold loue that which were his owne but because you are not of the world and I haue chosen you out of the world therfore doth the world hate you remember the word which I saied vnto you the seruant is not greater than his Lord if they haue persecuted you they will persecute you also Our Lord God whatsoeuer he taught he also did so that the disciple cannot be excused which learneth doeth not Let not yet any of you my bre threÌ„ be so terrified with the feare of persecution or with the coming of Antichrist at hand that he be not also armed against all things with the Euangelicall exhortations Antichrist cometh but Christ cometh after the enemy assaileth and rageth but Christ presently followth to reuenge our sufferings woundes the aduersary fretteth threatneth but there is one who is able to deliuer from his handes Mat. 10. he must be feared whose anger none can escape wheras be forewarneth vs saying feare not them which kill the body but cannot kill the soule but rather seare him w e can destroy both body and soule into bell Io. 12. And againe who loueth his life shall lose it and who hateth his life in this world Apoc. 14. To go to that Church is to adore the beast shall conserue it vnto euerlasting life And in the Apâ—calipse if any man adore the beast and his image taketh his marke in his forehead and in his hand be also shall drinke of the wine of the anger of God mingled in the cuppe of his anger and shall be punished with fire and brim slone before the eies of the holy Argells and before theeies of the lambe and the smoke shall ascend from their torments world without end and they shall haue no rest day night who soeuer do adore the beast and his image For worldly Skirmishes men are exercised and practised they repute it a great aduantage of their honour if they chaunce to be crowned in the sight of he people and in the presence of the Emperour Behould here a singuler and excellent Skirmishe and honoured with the reward of a heauenly crowne how God doth behould vs fighting and opening his eies vpon those whom he hath made his childreÌ„ is delighted with the vew of our Skirmish whilest we fight Skirmishe in this conflict of our faith God behouldeth vs his Angells behould vs Christ him selfe behouldeth vs. O what excellency of glory ô how great felicity it is to Skirmishe in the presence of God to be crowned by the iudgement of Christ Lett vs arme our selues deare brethren with all our force Lett vs be ready for the combate with a pure mind intiere faith and denoute courage Lett Gods army march to the field which is bidden vs. Let the constant be armed least they lose the benefitte of their late constant standing Lett the lapsed be armed that he may recouer the losse of his fall Let honour prouoke the constant and sorrow the lapsed vnto the combate The Apostle armeth and prepareth vs saying our wrestling is not against flesh and blood but against Princes Potestates Eph. 6. against the Rectours of the world of these darknes against the spiritualls of wickednes in the celestialls Therfore take the armour of God Spirituall armous that you may resist in the euell day and stand in all things perfect Stand therfore hauing your loines girded in truth and clothed with the breastplate of iustice and hauing your feete shodd to the preparation of the gospell of peate in all things taking the shield of faith wherwith you may extinguish all the fiery dartes of the most wicked one and take vnto you the helmet of saluation and the sword of the spirite which is the worde of God Let vs take these weapons with this spirituall and heauenly armour of proofe Lett vs safegarde our selues that in the euell day we may be able to withstand and resist the Deuills threatnings Lett vs putte on the brest-plate of iustice that our brest may be fensed and secure from the dartes of the enemy Lett our feet be shodd armed with the Euangelicall doctrine that when we begin to treade on and crush the serpent he be not able to
bite or trippe vs Lett vs carry stoutely the shield of faith which garding vs whatsoeuer the enemy hurleth may be extinguished Let vs take for the couer of our head a helmett of saluation that our eares may be fensed that they heare not the bloody proclamations lett our eies be defended that they see not the detestable idolls lett our forehead be fortified that the signe of God may be kept vntouched The signe of the Crosse lett the mouth be garded that our conquering tongue may confesse our Lord Iesus Christ Let vs arme also our right hand with a spirituall sword that it may couragiously refraine the deadly sacrifices and remembring that it hath receiued our Lordes body in the Eucharist lett it embrace him being hereafter 〈◊〉 receaue of our Lord a reward of heauenly crownes O that day what a one my brethren how great shall it come whan our Lord shall beginne to reckon his people and to take account with his diuine examination of euery ones meritts to send the wicked to hell and to condemne our persecutours to the perpetuall punishment of burning flame But to yeeld vnto vs reward for our faith and deuotion O what glory and how great ioy will it be to be admitted that thou maist see God to be honoured that with Christ thy Lord God thou maist receaue the delighte of euerlasting light and saluation to salute Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and all the Patriarches and Prophets and Apostles and Martyrs with the iust and frendes of God to enioy in the kingdome of heauen the pleasure of immortality there to receaue that neither eye hath seene 1. Cor. 2. nor care hath heard nor hath ascended into the heart of man Ro. 8. For that we shall receaue farre greater things than that which here we can either worke or suffer the Apostle teacheth vs saying the passions of this time are not condigne to the glory to come that shall be reuealed in vs. what that reuealing shall come whan Gods glory shall shine vpon vs so blessed shall we be and ioifull being honoured with our Lordes liberallity as they shall remaine confounded and miserable which hauing forsakeÌ„ God or rebelling against God haue donne the will of the Deuell that now of necessity with him they must be tormented with vnquenchable fire These things my deare brethren lett cleaue to our hartes lett this be the preparation of your armour let this be your daily and nightly meditation to haue before your eies and to ponder alwaies with your thought and vnderstanding the torments of the wicked and the rewardes and merittes of the iust What punishment our Lord doth threatten to such as deny him what glory he promiseth to those which confesse him if whilest we thinke meditate of this the day of persecution come vpon vs the souldier of Christ instructed by his precepâ— and admonitions doth not quake at the battaile but is ready for the crowne I wishe my deare brethren that you alwaies farewell Ex Epistola 26. apud Cypria quae est Confessorum ê carcere ad Cyprianum §. 2. For what thing could befall more gloriouse The noblenes of marâ—irdome ot what could more happely be bestowed vpon and man froÌ„ God than amongst the very butchers being mangled to confesse our Lord God than amongst the raging diuerse and exquisite tormeÌ„ts of the seculer power the body being racked tortured quartered with a dying yet a free spirit to confesse Christ the sonne of God than hauing forsaken the world to be gonne to heauen than hauing lefte men to stand amongst Angells than all worldly impediments being cutte of to represent him selfe at liberty before the sight of God than to obtaine the heauenly kingdome without any delay Martyrs go to heauen without passing by Purgatory than in the name of Christ to haue bene made a companion in passion with Christ than by the diuine liberality of his iudge to become a iudge than by the Confession of the name of Christ to haue carried away an vnspotted conscience than not to haue obeied humaue and sacrilegious lawes against our faith Sacrilegious lawes than with publicke voice to haue professed the truth than by dâ—ing to haue subdued euen death that is so feared of all men than by death to haue gotten immortality than tortured and racked with all instruments of cruelty by torments to haue ouercome torments than to haue with the valour of the mind strouen against all the griefes of a rented body than not to haue loathed his owne gushing blood than to haue begonne next after his faith to loue his very torments than to thinke a losse of his life that he is not dead For vnto this combate doth Christ by the trompete of his gospell excite vs. saying Who lotteth his father and mother more thaÌ„ me is not worthy of me and who taketh not vp his Crosse followeth me is not worthy of me Mat. 10. And againe blessed are those which suffer persecutioÌ„ for iustice for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Blessed shall you be whan they shall persecute you and hate you be gladd and reiorse Mat. 5. for so did their fathers persecute the Prophetts also with were befor you And againe You shall stand before Kinges and Magistrates Mat. 10. and a brother shall betray his brother to death the father the sonne And who perseuereth to the end he shall be saued And to him which ouercometh I will goue to sitte vpon my throne Appoc 1. Ro. 8. euen as I haue ouercome sitte vpon the throne of my father The Apostle also Who shall seuer vs from the charity of Christ tribulation or distresse or persecution or hunger or nakednes or daunger or the sword as it is written for thee we are killed all the day we are accounted as sheepe of the sacrifice but in all these things we ouercome for him which hath loued vs. These and the like things whan we read in the gospell and feele in our selues as it were certaine firebrandes for to inflame our faith applied vnto vs by our Lords voices we presently do not onely not dread the aduersaries of the truth at all but we challenge them and euen in this onely that we haue not yeelded to the enemies of God we haue ouercome them and we haue vanquished the wicked lawes against the truth and if as yet we haue not shedd our blood yet are we ready for to shedd it Lett no man esteeme this lingering of our putting of The mercy of Prisons to be clemency which rather hurteth vs which hindereth our glory which deferreth heauen which delaieth the happy sight of God For in such a fight and in such a combatte where faith is a champion not to haue putte of the Martyrs by delay is trew clemency Pray therfore ô beloued Cyprian that God will more plentifully and readily more and more euery day arme euery one of vs and lighten vs with his
for his lawes in the resurrection of euerlasting life After him the third is deluded being required he quickly brought out his tongue and stretched forth his handes constantly and confideÌ„tly saied From heauen I possesse these things but for the lawes of God now I despise these very same because of him I hope to receaue theÌ„ againe So that the King and those which were with him did admire the young mans mind that he accounted his torments as nothing This being thus dead they vexed the fourth torturing him in the fame forte And whan he was euen at the pointe of death he saied thus it is better for those which are putte to death by men to expect hope from God as being to be raised againe by him for vnto thee there shall be no resurrection vnto life And whan they had brought the fifth they vexed him but he looking vpon him saied Thou hauing power ouer men wheras thou arte mortall dost what thou wilt but do not thinke that our generation is forsaken of God but thou abide patiently and thou shalt see his great power and how he will torment thee and thy seed After him they brought the sixth he beginning to dye saied thus Do not erre in vaine for we for our owne selues do suffer this hauing offended against our God and things worthy of admiration haue bene done amongst vs. but do not thou thinke that thou shalt be scotfree because thou hast gone about to fight against good But the mother wonderfull aboue measure A godly mother and worthy of the memory of good men which seeing in the space of one day her seauen sonnes dying bore it which a good courage for the hope which she had in God exhorted euery one of them with her couÌ„trey language stoutely being replenished with wisdome and ioining a manly courage vnto a womanly thought said vnto them I know not how you appeared in my wombe neither truely did I geue vnto you spirite soule life and the members of euery one of you did not I fette togither but the creatour of the world which hath fourmed the natiuity of man and which bath found out the beginning of all things will restore vnto you againe spirite and life with mercy euen as now you sette nought by your selues for his lawes But Antiochus supposing him selfe to be contemned despising the vpbraiding voice whaÌ„ as yet the youngest was aliue not onely with words exhorted him but with an oth also affirmed that he would make him riche happy esteeme him as a frend and geue him all mnaner of necessaries if he would be changed from his countrey lawes But whan the young man was nothing moued vnto these things the king called the mother perswaded her to câ—uÌ„faile her young sonne for the sauing of his life And whan he had exhorted her with many wordes she promised to perswade her sonne Therfore stouping downe vnto him deriding the cruell Tyrant she said in her countrey language my sonne haue compassion of me which carried thee nine monethes in my wombe and gaue thee sucke for three yeares and nourished thee and haue brought thee vnto this age I beseech thee ô sonne How pareÌ„ts ought to coÌ„fourt them selues in their childrens vertew that thou looke vpon heauen and earth and all things which are in theÌ„ that thou vnderstand that God made them and mankind of nothing so will it come to passe that then do not feare this butcher but being made a worthy companion and partner with thy brethren accepte death that in that time of mercy I may reâ—eauet gither with thy brethren thee also Euen whilest she was speaking these things the young man saied whom do you stay for I obey not the precept of the King A lesson of trew obedience but the precept of the law whiâ—h was geuen vs by Moises But thou who hast bene he â—â—uent our of all malice toward the Iewes shalt not escape the handes of God For we for our owne sinnes doe suffer these thinges And although our Lord God for our correction and punishment is for a while angry with vs yet he will be reconciled againe vnto his seruantes but thou ô most wicked and most abominable of all men be not foolishly extolled with vaine hopes whilest thou dost raâ—e against his seruantes for thou hast not yet escaped he indgement of the almighty God which seeth all thinges For my brethren hauing now sustained a small labour do repose vnder the testament of euerlasting lise but thou by the iudgement of God shalt suffer 〈◊〉 punishments of thy pride I as my brethren also do geue my life and body for my countrey lawes inuocating God that he will quickly be mercifull vnto our nation and that thou by tormeÌ„ts stripes maist confesse that he onely is God But in me and in my brethren the wrath of almightye God shall cease which hath iustly bene brought vpon all our generation Than the King incensed with anger did shew extreeme cruelty vpon him more than vpon all being much moued that he was derided And he therfore died vndefiled wholly putting his trust in our Lord. Last of all after the sonnes the mother also was putte to death THE CONCLVSION TO Catholicke wiues and children NOw therfore ô deuoute Catholicke wiues and children whom especially I haue in this labour regarged remember that you are the spouses and children of God these men which are now your husbandes after the shorte space of this life and the temporall cohabitation of this vale of misery shall be your husbands no longer Than shall there be a perpetuall diuorce of this band of mariage and withall either an eternall diuorcement in place the one being so farre sundered from the other as is heauen from hell or both of you for euer shall be diuorced togither from the face of God if you dye out of his Church or graces or that which is a most happy and gloriouse thing your carnall matrimony and temporall coniunction being Catholickly and religiously passed ouer in this life shall be chaunged into a perpetuall indissoluble vnion in the glory of God These men after their death cannot forbid you to marry another because your promise was made for no longer space Euen so lett not them liuing still with you cause you to be vnfaithfull vnto God because that was no part of your plighted promise the faith promised to your husband doth bind you but vntill death but the faithfulnes promised to your most auncient noble spouse of heauen as it was more auncient thaÌ„ your worldly mariage so must it neuer be broken but continew for all eternities Your husbandes will iustly reprehend you if you dishonour their bedd Euen so do you plead your other husbands cause least his temple be uiolated most filthy is trewly the crime of fornication but aboue all other vices heresy and profession of heresy is a spirituall fornication your husbands ouer your soules haue no