against so cleare a streame of antiquity hauing nothing nothing at all from thence to alleadge for defence of that they say nothing for any colour thereof but only that they bring some speeches touching generally the dignity of Priesthood whereby they may as well prooue euery hedge-priest to be superiour to the greatest Monarch in the world and the meanest Bishop in the world to bee equall to the Pope Thus whilest they still pretend and make shew of the old waye they giue vs iust occasion to say of them as Tertullian said of the old Romaness l Tertull. Apologet c. 6. Laudatis semper antiquitatem nouè de die viuitis Ye are still commending of antiquity and are full of new deuices from day to day But wee take knowledge hereby of that Antichrist of whom it was foretold by the Apostle that he should m 2. Thess 2. 4. exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped which Saint Hierome expoundeth to consist in this that n Hieron in Dan. c. 7. Eleuatur supra omne quod dicitur Deus cunctam religionem suae subijciens potestati he shall subiect all Religion to his owne power hee shall make of Religion what he list euen as the Pope doth 12 It remaineth now briefely to note what in duty concerneth vs when God hath made his way knowne vnto vs and that is to walke therein For as it booteth not to know the precepts of bodily health if we put not in practise what we know so neither auaileth it to know the way of eternal life if we onely know it and be carelesse to walke accordingly To walke I say both by preseruing integrity of faith and by yeelding conuersation of life correspondent and agreeable to our faith because the way doth not onely teach vs true faith but also a vertuous and godly life Here it is for vs to learne wisdome If to know the way were sufficient to eternall life how many would obtaine saluation who now goe headlong to destruction To beholde the kingdome of God a farre off as Moses did the land of Canaan whose heart doth it noâ— moue and enamor with the desire of it in whom doth it not breed a wil to know the way to come vnto it But to walke in this way and to continue therin to vndergoe the yoke of Christ to deny our selues and to mortifie the desires of the flesh and of the world to fight against sinne that fighteth against vs in a word to follow the example of Iesus Christ and as we haue receiued him so to walke in him these are things so vncouch so strange and crosse to our nature and will as that many rather then they will thus doe doe frustrate all their knowledge and are content to betray their owne saluation o Bernard in Cant. ser 21. Quà m pauci post te ô Domine Iesu ire volunt cùm tamen ad te peruenire nâ—mo sit qui nolit scientibus cunctis quia in dextera tua delectationes vsque in finem c. Ex his erat ille qui dicebat Moriatur anima mea morte iustorum c. Mortem spiritualium optant sibi etiam carnales quorum tamen vitam abhorrent scientes pretiosam mortem esse sanctorum How few are there O Lord Iesus that will follow thee saith Bernard whereas there is no man but is desirous to come vnto thee all men knowing that at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore Such a one was Balaam saith he who saide Let my soule dye the death of the righteous and let my latter end be like vnto his And thus carnall men desire to themselues the death of them that are spirituall because they know that precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints but in the meane time they abhorre and shunne their kind of life How many are there that can like well to yeeld vnto God all externall acts of deuotion but so that he will giue them the liberty of their inward affections How many can bee content to admit the faith of Christ so that they may be required no workes or at least no other workes then they please themselues How many are glad to embrace Christ as Iesus to saue them who like not to haue him vrged vpon them as their Lord to gouerne them But Christ cannot in any wise brooke this dismembring of himselfe The true mother could not endure to heare of the deuiding of her child If Christ be truly conceiued borne in vs we cannot yeeld to that deuiding of him but wil receiue him whole If we will needs deuide our selues to God by profession to the Diuell by action to Christ by faith to our selues surely God because he cannot bee content with halfe will leaue the diuell to take all Let vs not be like the Philistines who p 1. Sam. 5. 2. tooke the arke of God and set it vp by Dagon their idoll God q August in Psal 77. Qui sic suâ—câ—pâ—unt testamentum Dei vt veterâ— vanitate non se exuant similes sunt hostibus populi eius qui captiuatam arcam testamenti iuxta sua idola posâ—erunt So doe they saith Austin who so receiue the Testament of God as that they strip not themselues of their former vanity So doe they that take the faith of Christ and set it with the idols of their owne corrupt and sinful lusts Let vs not be like the Iewes r Mat. 27. 34. Vulg. who gaue VVine indeed to Christ but mingled with Gall. Å¿ Origen in Mat. tract 35. Quanticunque secundum doctrinam quidem occlesiasticam sapiunt aâ—iâ—unt autem male dant eâ— viru â— bibere fâ—lle permixtam So do they saith Origen who are minded rightly according to the doctrine of the Church but doe liue amisse Let vs not be like t Matth. 21. 19. the Fig-tree in the Gospell which had leaues onely and no fruite that tree we know was cursed by our Saâ—iour Christ and withered soone way This befel not for the trees sake but in the tree Christ would teach vs what we are to expect if we yeeld leaues without fruit if we haue shadow and shew onely without substance if we labour onely to know the way and make no conscience to walke in it u Luk. 12. 47. The seruant that knoweth his masters wil and doeth it not shal be beaten with many stripes x Iam. 4. 17. and he that knoweth what is good and doth it not to him it is sinne God direct vs the right way to come vnto him that by vnderstanding we may know him and by obedience may serue him and may so passe the course of this transitory life as that the end therof may be to rest with him in euerlasting peace and blisse through Iesus Christ our Lord and only Sauiour Amen FINIS Errata Page 5. line 7. for in sinne read by sinne p. 19. l. 9. for not these vessels but these r. not those vessels but these p. 41. l. 18. for seducements and Heretickes r. seducements of Hereticks p. 26. l. 11. for like credit r little credit p. 29. l. 2. for deuise r. aduise p. 26. l. 8. for party Nestorian r. party-Nestorian Ibid. l 21. for yet r. yea
hunger nor thirst nor crying nor paine but God shall wipe away all teares from our eyes where it shall finally fully be accomplished which the Prophet hath said of the redeemed of the Lord p Esa 35. 10. Euerlasting ioy shall bee vpon their heads they shall obtaine ioy and gladnesse and sorrow and mourning shall flie away 3 But a matter it is of no great difficultie to conceiue that all our true contentment and rest standeth in GOD and in the fruition of his goodnesse the greater doubt and question is concerning the way to come to God Wherein the wit of man hath infinitely busied it selfe who apprehending this principle that by Religion and seruice of God wee are to come to God hath thought himselfe wise enough to direct what is fit for God and to comprehend that light that should giue him conduct and guidance into the presence of God Now it being with men according to the prouerbe Quot homines tot sententiae So many men so many minds it hath by this meanes come to passe that varietie of wits hath shewed it selfe in this behalfe by varietie of deuises whence haue growen both without the Church and within the Church so many opinions of God so great differences of Religion so many Sects and Schismes and Heresies as in all ages we haue seene euery of them pretending it selfe to be the right way and painting it selfe with colours and shewes of trueth and promising the rest and peace of God and all happinesse from him And indeede if the diuell should appeare and shew himselfe in his owne likenesse and should professe himselfe a deceiuer and a destroyer euery man would abhorre him and flie from him but therefore he dealeth psal 39. 11. like the Moth q Greg. Moral lib. 5. cap. 29. Tinea damnam facil sonitum non facit VVhich doeth the harme as Gregorie saith and maketh no noyse or sound of it Yea r 2. Cor. 11. 14. he transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light and teacheth his Agents and ministers to transforme themselues as if they were the ministers of righteousnesse to write Pharmaca medicines where they should write Venena poysons and to Suger the brims of their intoxicated Cups that men the more greedily and without suspicion may drinke those venimous potions which they minister vnto them therein Thus euen Celsus the Philosopher vpon his defenses of Paganisme setteth an inscription of Å¿ Origen cont Celsum lib. 1. Vera oratio the word of trueth Manicheus that blasphemous Hereticke taking in hand to write to the Church his daÌ„nable paradoxes doubteth not to begin thus t August cont Epist Fundam c. 5. Manicheus Apostolus Iesu Christi c Haec sut salubria verba de perenni ac vâ—uo fonte Manicheus the Apostle of Iesus Christ these are the wholesome words which issue out of the euerlasting liuing fountaine Chrysostome reporteth of the Macedonian Heretickes That u Chrysost de sâ—ct adorâ—d â—p â—emper diâ—â—nt Noâ— râ—cia 〈…〉 they were alwayes saying VVe walke in the right faith Yea x Aug. Epist 56. Nullus error se â—udâ—t extollere ad congregandas sibi â—urbas imperâ—torum qui non Christianâ— nomiâ—◠〈◊〉 conquirat all Heresies as Augustine somewhere noteth Doe seeke the cloke and couerture of the name of Christ and euery one saith of his owne sect y Idem cont Faust l. 13. c. 15. diâ—â—t Salus quâ— Christus promisit apud me est ego dabo The saluation which Christ hath promised is with me I will giue it By reason whereof it commeth to passe which Leo Bishop of Rome saith That z Leo in Natiuit Dom. ser 5. Nonin solo opere virtutum aut in sola obseruantia mandatorum sed etiam in tramite fidei angusta ardua est viaquae ducit ad vitam magni laboris est magnique dis 〈…〉 inter du â—ias imperitorum opâ—â—iones veri similes salsitales â—nam sanae doctrine semita inoffensis gressibus ambulare cuÌ„ vndique se laquei erroresque oppoâ—at omne perâ—â—ulum deceptionis cuader not onely in the worke of vertue and keeping the commandements of God but also as touching the way and path of right faith strait and narrow is the way that leadeth vnto life and a matter of great labour and danger it is amidst the doubtfull opinions of vnskilfull men and their colourable falshoods to walke the one path of sound doctrin without stumbling or offence and where on euery side there lye against vs snares of errors yet to escape all danger of such deceipt Now many there are who hearing this multiplicitie of wayes are offended hereat and because it is a question which is the right way therefore sit them downe and go no way at all or goe onely the way that companie occasion offereth vnto them being ready to leaue it againe when occasion moueth them otherwise But farre be it from any of vs to bee of this mind Yea rather as the wayfaring man in his iourney hearing of the perplexitie of the way and that there are many by-pathes and turnings by which hee may goe amisse doeth not therefore giue ouer his iourney or goe on at all aduenture but is rather the more earnest and carefull to enquire and learne the way euen so are we in this case to deale that the malice of Satan purposely labouring to breede doubt and difficultie of the way of life doe not astonish vs or driue vs to neglect of Religion and faith towards God but rather stirre vp and sharpen our industrie and indeaâ—our to search and trie which is the true faith And if as touching the things of this present life we haue care to gaine the skill and knowledge to discerne money whether it bee current and lawfull and wares whether they be Marchantable and true and meate whether it bee wholesome and sound much more may wee thinke it concerneth vs to learne the skill knowledge of true Religion and to gaine abilitie to discerne and iudge of erronious and false worshippes wherein is a departure from God and the making of the way to our owne destruction 4 And the more doth it concerne vs to be warie in this behalfe for that amongst those many wayes which wee see diuersly frequented by diuers men there is but one onely way that leadeth vnto God As there â— Ephe. 4. 4 5 6 is but one God who hath called vs and one Lord Iesus Christ by whom we are called and one heauen whereto we are called so also there is but one faith to know God in Iesus Christ to obtaine life and saluation in heauen by him a Hilar. de Trinit lib. 11. Quis ambiget extra fidem esse quicquid extra fidem vnam est It is without the compasse of faith saith Hilarie whatsoeuer is without the compasse of one faith and Leo b Leo in Natiu dom Ser. 4. Nisivna est
fides non est Except it be one onely it is no faith Absurdly therefore doe they erre and are deceiued who with c Socrat. hist lib. 4. c. 27. Themistius admonebat deum velle tam diuersa ac dispari opinionum ratione gloriam suam illustrare Themistius the Philosopher amongst the Pagans or with Rhetorious the Hereticke amongst Christians doe thinke that God liketh well of the varietie of Religions and d August de haeres cap. 7â— A Rhetorio haeresis exorta quae omnes haereticos recte ambulare vera dicere affirmat that all Heretickes walke aright and speake truth so that it skilleth not of what Religion a man be if he be of any as if heauen were a common harbour for all professions to arriue at a common Inne to giue entertainement to all that will offer themselues vnto it but so certaine a thing it is that there is but onely one truth one onely true religion as that euery sect and schisme and heresie professeth it selfe only to be the truth as graunting it out of common instinct to be a thing to be presumed that it cannot be the truth except it only be the truth 5 Now which that only true way is and how it is to be knowen none can better teach vs then God himselfe to whom we goe For as e 1. Cor. 2. 11. no man knoweth the things of man but the spirit of man which is in him which yet knoweth not it selfe so no man knoweth the things of God but the spirit of God and he f Ver. 10. to whom they are reuealed by the same spirit And as no man seeth the Sunne but by the light of the Sunne it selfe so doth no man see or know God but by those resplendent beames of light which issue from him in his holy word whereby he vouchsafeth to minister vnto vs the vnderstanding of his waies And therefore very well S. Ambrose saith g Ambros Ep. â—â— Coeli mysterâ—â— not eat me Deus ipsequi condidâ—t non homo qui seipsum ignorauit Cai magis de Deo quam Deo credam Let God himselfe that made heauen teach me the mystery of heauen not man who had not vnderstanding to know himselfe Whom shall I beleeue concerning God rather then God himselfe h Oros hist lib. 6. cap. 1. Ab ipso audias ipsique Deo credas quod verum velis scire de Deo Heare of God himselfe saith Orosius and beleeue God himselfe as touching that truth which thou wouldest know concerning GOD. Therefore the Prophet here being to giue instruction concerning the way to come to God and to finde rest with him propoundeth nothing of himselfe but deliuereth his lesson from the Lord Thus saith the Lord. And this is the onely certaine direction of true faith and of the worship of God It standeth not in the dictates of men nor in the definitions of Councels nor in the reuelations of Angels but the finall resolution of all Controuersies of Religion must be into this issue Thus saith the Lord. * August Ep. 48. Audi Dicit Dominus non dicit Donatâ—s aut Rogatus aut Vincentius aut Hilarius aut Augustinus sed dicit Deminus Heare thus saith the Lord saith Austin not thus saith Donatus or Rogatus or Vincentius or Hilary or Austin but thus saith the Lord. This onely is it that can truely stablish the conscience of man Other things may breede maze and astonishment and may draw the benummed fancy to the following of this or that but the true life and sense of Religion ariseth only from this ground Thus saith the Lord. Which notwithstanding to the Papists is an importable yoake who haue transcribed the authority of Religion to mortall men to Doctors and Fathers and Councels and crie the names of these aloud but cannot endure to be required for proofe of their doctrine Thus saith the Lord. Albeit neyther do they pleade those names as perswaded that their Religion can stand eyther by Fathers or Councels but onely to withdraw their followers from the conscience and due regard of Thus saith the Lord that hauing once pulled them from thence they may the more easily bring them by degrees to themselues and their Church to the decrees decretals of their Popes and Bishops to tye their opinion and conscience of Religion wholly vpon them Surely Bellarmine when for the proofe of their seuen Sacraments he could bring no witnesseâ— eyther of Councels or Fathers for more then 12. hundred years after Christ bringing at last for proof therof the Councell of Trent to make good this proofe euen with one breath bloweth the other all away k Contra Papae autoritatâ—â—â—â—â— Augustâ—us nec Hicronymus nec aliquis Doctorum suam sententia dâ—fendit The validity force saith he of all the olâ— Councels and of all doctrines of faith dependeth of the authority of the Church that now is Let the Fathers all say what they wil what is that to the purpose It is the Church now in being wee know what Church they mean that must strike the stroake in all Accordingly is it written in the Glosse of their Canon law k neither Austin nor Ierom nor any of the Doctors may maintain his opinion against the authority of the Pope And in the law it selfe l Dist 19. Si Romanorum Romanorum â—ontâ—ficum decreto caeterorâ—m opuscula tractâ—â—orum â—pprâ—bantur vel reprâ—bantur The workes of other writers are allowed or reiected according to the Popes decree Yea further they haue thus whispered one to another in their Index Expurgatorius though not thinking that we should heare them m Index Expurgat In the olde Catholicke Writers we beare with very many errours we extenuate them we excuse them by some deuised shift we denie them or faine some conuenient meaning of them when they are opposed to vs in disputations or in contentions or controuersies with our aduersaries What are those very many errors which they say they beare with in the Fathers but the doctrines and assertions of our Religion which amidst their out-cries and clamours that our Religion was not heard of before Luthers time they themselues confesse to be conteined and taught in the writings of the Fathers but forsooth the Fathers erred in saying as we say Which yet because they hold it would be some impeachment to their cause alwaies to professe therefore according to the rules of their Index they put them off with cunning and colourable answers and exceptions albeit sometimes also with very lewde and apparant mockeries when we bring their testimonies most expresse and pregnant and cleare against them We alleadge Tertullian affirming the Emperour to be n See the place after Sect. 11. inferiour to none but God They tell vs that Tertullian was o Renat Laurent annot in Tertul. Apolog cap. 30. Noluit offendere Gentiâ—es Caesaream maiestatem secundam hac de causa nominat loth to offend the Pagans and
not the life of essence and being but the life of blisse and happinesse whilest being diuided from God in whom onely is the fountaine of life and blisse it liueth immortally in death and in a miserable end findeth no end of miserie and is vncapable of any destruction whereby to bee freed from destruction Now if the gaine of the whole world be but losse and dammage when it is ioyned with this losse of Soule how highly how deepely doeth it concerne vs amidst our vsing the world and the things of the world to haue alwayes an eye to our Soules health and to be alwayes iealous of so intricating our selues in the troubles and businesses of the world as to runne in danger of excluding our Soules from rest with God As touching the meanes of finding this rest the Prophet in the words which I haue here propounded very notably instructeth vs 1. Yee shall find rest for your Soules 2. Vpon the wayes 1. Commending it as the finall ende of all our trauaile by this meanes onely and not otherwise to be found 2. Noting the difficultie of finding it by reason of so many counterfeit wayes pretended to bring vs to it when indeede they leade vs from it 3. Shewing vs from whom we are to take 3. Thus saith the Lord. the certaine direction of the right way 4. Declaring what that direction is both 4. Stand behold aske as touching the care that wee are to vse for the finding of that way and 5. As touching 5. The olde way which is the good way 6. And walke therein the marke whereby it is to be knowen 6. Instructing vs what our duetie is when wee haue receiued the true knowledge of the way euen to walke therein 2. As touching the first which I make the first for my order of handling though in place of words it be the last what is all the life that we liue here but temptation and warfare and trouble What other then a restlesse Euripus still ebbing and flowing continually tossed too and fro distracted with cares perplexed with feares oppressed with sorrowes yeelding no Honie without some Gall no calme that is not intercepted or interrupted with some storme c Ouid. Nulla est syncera voluptas saith the Poet There is no pleasure that is not blended with somewhat that is distastfull and vnpleasing d Eccles 1. 14. I haue considered saith Salomon all the workes that are done vnder the Sunne and behold all is vanitie and vexation of spirit e Grego Moral l. 23. c. 15. Via est vita praesens qua ad patriam tendimus idcirco hic occulto dei iudicio frequenti perturbatione conterimur ne viam pro patria diligamus This life saith Gregorie is the way for vs to goe to our Countrey and therfore by Gods secret iudgement we are here beaten and broken with often trouble that we may not in steede of our Countrey fall in loue with the way But yet against all this vanitie and mutabilitie and miserie vaine man is euermore labouring to settle vnto himselfe an estate wherein to enioy contentment and peace and rest which hee seeketh here and seeketh there but findeth it no where and thinketh to gaine it by obteining this desire and this failing by obtaining that but no whit the neerer either by this or that whilest in the hauing of things hee findeth not that rest which hee promised to himselfe in the desire of them and therefore hauing obteined his desire againe and againe yet is still ready to desire againe euen as the Dropsiediseased man drinketh to aswage his thirst and by and by his Soule is drie and hee is desirous to drinke againe For as in the great deluge of the world the Doue which Noah sent first out of the Arke f Gen. 8. 9. Found no rest for the sole of her foote vntill shee returned vnto the Arke againe Euen so the Soule of man being in sinne gone out from God and flying too and fro in the deluge of the miseries of humane life findeth no where to rest it selfe vntil it take course to returne to God againe God hauing engrauen it vpon all the creatures of the world which he said of old to the Iewes concerning Ierusalem g Micah 2. 10. Non est haec requies vestra This is not your rest So as that they repell and put backe from them our desires and delights and suffer vs not with continuance to sticke vpon them by reason that in the vse they breede a wearinesse and lothing of them and h Tertul. de habit mulier semper abundantia contumeliosa in semetipsamest Abundance as Tertullian saith causeth alwayes it owne contumely and disgrace There is nothing so sightly as that the eye ioyeth continually to see it no melodie so sweete but that still to heare it rather dulleth then delighteth nothing so pleasing to the taste but that continuall sacietie and fulnesse maketh it lothsome and vnpleasing so as that i Greg. Moral lib. 26. cap. 28. Per multa duci tur vt quia qualitate rerum non potest saltem varietate satictur in varietie of things as Gregorie well obserueth we are forced to seeke that contentment which we cannot find in the qualitie of them It remaineth therefore that there is no true rest but in the enioying of God nothing being able to content the Soule but he that created the Soule nor to satisfie the desire of the heart but hee that made the heart to desire him In him is riches and beautie glorie and strength and immortalitie and whatsoeuer appertaineth to the blisse and happinesse either of body or Soule so as that hauing obteined him there is nothing further for vs to desire or wish for The little sight and feeling that we haue of the grace of God how great peace doth it administer vnto vs euen in this life euen k Phil. 4. 7. the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding How hath it fortified the hearts of Gods Saints to goe with constancy cheerfulnes l Psal 66. 12. through fire and water against all the iniuries and violences of aduerse euil men persecutiō banishment imprisonment hunger cold nakednes and death it selfe the inner man reioycing and resting in God when the outward man hath beene tossed too and fro with the stormes and tempests of the world and m Cyprian de Mortalit Inter ruinas humani generis stare erectum amidst the ruines of mankind standing vpright as Cyprian speaketh looking with boldnesse vp to heauen as expecting redemption and deliuerance to bee yeelded vnto them from thence Now if there bee so much in the shadow what shall there be in the substance where there shall bee nothing to interrupt our glorious rest where we shall n 1. Cor. 13. 12. see face to face and know euen as we are knowen where o Apoc. 7. 16. 17. 21. 4. there shall be no more death nor